2019 NFL DRAFT OVERALL PLAYER PROFILES
A few things about this draft that stood out to me realistically was that it wasn't good. There wasn't much depth and at the top after the first handful of guys it got pretty bleak. Sometimes you have to make lemonade out of Lemons though and I'm sure there are some diamonds in the rough here like every year. This year I went more in depth than I ever have and ended up with 112 pages of Word document notes and analysis. Every player that I ranked and did a writeup on I watched at least 3 game tapes and with most of these kids I did much more. Hope you enjoy and in a few years I will do a grade on how I did. Thanks!
1. Nick Bosa, DE Ohio State 97
The clear cut best player in the 2019 NFL draft is Nick Bosa. He’s an outstanding player who can rush the passer, set the edge, and create havoc on an every down basis for an NFL team. He’s a better prospect than his brother Joey who is a total stud, and his explosion as a pass rusher and ability to counter and get inside is beyond elite. Bosa is a guy who could threaten for the league lead in sacks on an every year basis and while he’s not a perfect prospect he’s someone who you can build an entire defense around today and feel comfortable moving forward.
He’s got ideal size at 6’4 and 260 pounds, he’s got top tier speed and quickness off the edge, and he’s a very tough and physical run defender. His inside counter move where he throws your hands when you overset for his edge quickness is the most deadly pass rush move in this class. He collapses pockets and breaks down plays almost instantly because he gets inside and flushes people off their spot in a second. Double teams against the pass are tough because he’s so agile he’ll knife through them and still move the quarterback and get them out of the pocket as quick as any player in this draft. It’s all set up because he has great quickness to speed rush you and power to run through you if you decide to short step or overextend. He’s got the trifecta as a pass rusher.
Against the run he’s stout as an edge player. He sets the edge well, disengages from blocks with ease and can take on double teams fairly well consider he’s a traditional 43 end. Bosa makes plays in the backfield and will have more tackles than a traditional end because he’s so tough to block and he’s instinctive when he attacks inside.
The only issues with him are he’s been hurt, although it seemed more precautionary than anything, and he hasn’t played a ton of snaps as he was part of a rotation for the Buckeyes. Other than that he’s an elite prospect who should’t make it out of the top 5 of any draft and if I were Arizona and couldn’t find an obscene amount for the first overall pick, I’d take him at 1 overall and watch him rack up double digit sacks year in and year out. He’s a super star.’
2. Josh Allen, LB Kentucky 96
Allen is an absolute beast who looks the part of a versatile defensive monster, double digit sack artist, and chess piece that could wreak havoc for the next decade. Allen is a top 5 draft pick in any type of draft class as his pass rush acumen, ability to drop in coverage, and chase down ability is as good as you’ll find from someone who looks like a 34 outside linebacker in an ideal world. I think that Allen can play on the edge as a 43 weak side defensive end, a 43 Will, or a 34 outside backer and be a dominant player regardless of scheme. His productivity and ability to make huge plays on a regular basis jumps out on tape and he's someone i would love to build my entire defensive scheme around, he's a game changer.
To be honest I think he’s closer to Bosa than most people think in terms of a pass rushing prospect. Allen can drop in coverage and play off the ball too which gives him a different level of versatility that Bosa doesn’t bring. I think his closing speed and ability to bend the edge isn’t quite at the level there, but it’s still elite. I love his ability to force fumbles too, as he tied for the national lead in that category with seven this past season. His effort and burst with great flexibility and bend, a bevy of moves, led by a stutter and speed move that’s elite, lends him to being someone who looks the part of a scary pass rusher. The other thing he gives you as a pass defender is he looks athletic and smooth in coverage, and while he’s clearly a dominant pass rusher he could play off the ball and be an asset.
As a run defender he is a very good prospect, who has good closing burst, shoots the gap and fires his gun as well as anyone else in the class. His presence at setting the edge isn’t great at this point, because he doesn’t possess elite strength but his quickness and mobility is still good. It’s not a weakness. He makes plays in the backfield with regularity and he’s a solid tackler with a propensity for chasing down plays on the backside. He’s a good run defender.
Overall, this guy is an incredible prospect who i wouldn’t let escape the top 3 in this draft. I think San Francisco or the Jets would be an ideal spot for him. Think of the games you could play with him and Buckner or he and Leonard Williams. His ability to provide pressure makes everyone better and the versatility he shows on a regular basis is dynamic and impressive. He’s a potential All-Pro and at worst a very high end starter.
3. Quinnen Williams, DT Alabama 95
This kid is a freaking stud. Williams was the best player in college football this season and absolutely dominated some games from start to finish. His tape against Ole Miss was just him thumping up on some kids that had no capability of handling the interior pass rusher. He’s someone who can play the 0,1,or 3 techniques with equal capability, handles double teams as well as anyone in the country and is the best interior pass rusher this season. Williams is someone who likely won’t escape the top 5 picks as he’s that talented.
He was stuck behind Daron Payne but Williams is actually a better prospect. Payne was a tremendous player for the Crimson Tide, and had a fantastic rookie year for the Redskins, but Williams ability as a disruptor and particularly as a pass rusher is incredibly high. I think he’s someone who could get you double digit sacks from an interior position as well as multiple tackles for loss each week. He’s tremendous. His power and quickness combination is lethal.
As a run defender he gets tremendous push into the backfield, locates the ball well, and drives offensive guards back 5 yards on a regular basis. He holds up against the double team well and maintains his ground at a high level. I think he will be very solid in this regard in the league regardless of what position he finds himself. If he’s one on one in the run game he will cause issues. He finds the football on the inside extremely well and makes more tackles than most, getting off blocks and bringing down ball carriers.
Overall he’s a tremendous prospect who was the best college prospect this season in college football. A lack of repeating his success from one season to the other is the only knock I have on his game, which isn’t really fair to him but it bares mentioning. Williams is a monster and someone who could easily go top 3 this year. His tape is awesome and I think he’ll be a game wrecker in the league.
4. Devin White, LB LSU - 95
At 6’1 240 pounds as a converted running back, White is an absolute stud. He’s one of the best blitzers I’ve watched from the inside linebacker position, covers like a safety, and racked up 270 tackles over the past two seasons for the Tigers. White is instinctive, shows a good feel for the game and truly plays sideline to sideline. I’ve read a few people who say he’s like Erik Kendricks, and while I like Kendricks, White is a much better player already in my opinion which means his upside is a lot like Bobby Wagner. I know that's high praise but this kid has that type of potential.
I watched 9 games that White played and in clearly his worst game that I watched, against Auburn, he forced two holds, got a fourth down stop to change possession, and didn’t allow a single catch in coverage. While he’s good against the run, well above average, he’s a truly elite level cover guy. In todays’ NFL where most of the game is played against the pass, and the NFL throws on over 60 percent of the plays, White will thrive. He blitzes exceptionally well from right up the middle and his quickness and power gives guards and centers problems. In coverage, he almost never even gets targeted. His depth in zone coverage looks natural and one on one with backs and tight ends is a mismatch the other way with White having the edge.
He’s good against the run but at times he can get washed down and caught in the flow. That will improve with more and more reps at the position but he has some serious upside there. I want him to play a bit more behind the line of scrimmage there as he at times is more of a read and react player than an attacking linebacker. That said, some of that was schematic at LSU and he still ended up with double digit tackles for loss both his last two seasons.
Overall the kid is a fantastic player who will be a monster in the NFL. He’s an elite coverage guy who blitzes well and is an exceptional volume tackler. He’s not going to be perfect as a tackler in the league but he’s damn good and will be a guy who will start his career with 100 tackles as a rookie without any question. White’s projected floor is around the Erik Kendricks range and his upside is close to Bobby Wagner. He’s a guy who can fit on every team in the league, and at worst the latest he should go in the draft is 11 at this point. He’s a star.
5. Ed Oliver, DL Houston 92
I think everyone may have had him rated a touch too high going into the season, myself included, and wanted to compare him badly to Aaron Donald. That said, he’s nowhere near the pass rusher that Donald is and he’s still a very good player. I think he’s a top half of the first round player in any draft, is a very disruptive run defender and he’s someone who does an excellent job of causing problems in the opponents backfield. Oliver was playing way out of position as a 34 nose in Houston’s system and in the NFL as a true 3 technique, or even a 5 technique 34 defensive end he could be a very productive and great player in the league.
Oliver has tremendous quickness and range against the run. He has a great get off, power in his hands and his explosiveness against the run and into the backfield is as good as any player you’ll scout. He’s only 275 pounds though and while he holds up against double teams well for his size, he’s not truly a 0 or 1 technique like they forced him to play in college. I think he’s a very talented 3 technique or even a really good 5 technique who can hold up against the run and use his quickness to beat guards one on one and will reset the line of scrimmage in run downs. He’s someone who can create tackles for loss and disrupt running lanes, draw doubles teams, and get into the backfield frequently.
As a pass rusher he has a ways to go to be elite. While he still causes problems, and can get quarterback hits and hurries, he’s not a great finisher in terms of getting there on a consistent basis. He uses his quickness well but he doesn’t have really any go to moves at this point other than using a burst or trying to run through players to get home. His stunts and games are okay but he gets a bit straight up and it doesn’t look as natural as it could. He has potential here, and while he’s not a finished product I don’t know if he’s going to be a consistent double digit sack guy in the league. He is someone who can rush the passer inside on passing downs though and create pressures, throwaways, and get quarterbacks to move outside of their spot.
I think he was out of position at Houston and therefore his numbers weren’t as dynamic as you’d like. He’s not your traditional 43 defensive tackle as he truly is around 275 pounds and therefore he’s going to have to play 3 or 5 technique in the league where I think he could thrive. He’s an elite top tier run defender who will constantly wreck teams in the run game, and as a pass rusher he has tremendous potential but still a ways to go to get refined. I think the kid is a top 10-15 pick in this draft, but understand he’s a lot closer to Grady Jarrett than Donald. While he’s a tremendous player, he’s an excellent piece not a total game changer at this point, but he certainly has the potential to get there. He’s a good one.
6. Christian Wilkins, DL Clemson 92
I absolutely love this kid and think he’s probably the safest player in this entire draft class. Wilkins is exceptionally bright, a tremendous leader, a team player, versatile, accomplished, and plays as hard as anyone you’ll see down in and down out. He graduated in 2.5 years from Clemson, and helped them win a pair of national championships while being a key cog in their tremendous defensive line. To me Wilkins is definitely best as a 3 technique but he could play the 5 or even if the 7 if you needed him to in base sets. I think he’s a stronger Grady Jarrett, and that’s a terrifying thought.
Wilkins as a pass rusher definitely makes the most of his reps when he’s lined up inside over the guard. His capability as a 3 technique are extremely high as he has very good initial quickness and explosion out of his snap with 315 pounds and good leverage to push the pocket. He’s not the world’s best finisher on sacks but he gets his fair share and he does enough in games and stunts to create problems for others on the line. Wilkins’ quickness and ability to read and react as a pass rusher is good enough for him to create consistent pressure in the NFL. He gets his hands into throwing lanes extremely well as well, knocking down a ton of passes throughout his career, including 10 in one season.
As a run defender he plays with great leverage and uses his agility to get deep into the backfield with regularity. As a base end you simply won’t out leverage him to the edge and he’s able to set a hard edge and create pushback and pile ups in the backfield. He has more athleticism and straight line speed than almost every 3 technique and he does a good job of washing down and making plays as well as shooting the gap. He rarely allows much push and takes on double teams fairly well. He’s a disrupter in the run game on the inside but he’s not dominant, while as an edge player or a 5 technique in a base set he can certainly create havoc and take on blocks.
He’s not without some issues though. He wasn’t exceptionally productive in college with 16 sacks and a solid but not dominating 40 tackles for loss in 4 seasons. Wilkins’ length isn’t ideal as longer guards and tackles can keep him from being as effective and while he’s got good lower leg strength it looks like he doesn’t play with the world’s best anchor. I doubt he’s ever dominant in the NFL but if he can have the same impact he had at Clemson he’s clearly worth a first round pick.
Wilkins projects as a stronger Grady Jarrett. He has an impressive first burst, creates pressures regularly, and bats down a lot of passes. In the run game his quickness and agility coupled with being 315 pounds makes him a better than average 3 technique or someone with the versatility to play 5 or 7 technique in base sets. He’s exceptionally intelligent and motivating as well and his versatilely to play inside and outside with maximum effort and playmaking ability means to me he’s an easy first round pick. Might not have the impact in the box score you’ll see from other players in this class but his impact could be exceptionally high. He’s just a damn good player who plays his best in big games, sign me up.
7. Andraez “Greedy” Williams, CB LSU 92
I think he’s one of the 5 best players in this draft class and while he’s been falling down draft boards for the past 4 months, he’s been entrenched in my top 5 for a long time. Williams is an elite corner who has tremendous size, ball skills, and speed which give him higher upside than any other DB in this draft as well. His best could be All-Pro and I still believe his right now is better than at least half the starting corners in the NFL. People are questioning his tackling and saying that he doesn’t have fluid hips well I watched almost every game this dude played and let me tell you something, he’s a cornerback and he is the best cover guy right now, and he projects better to the league than anyone else by a long way. Crazy underrated and shouldn’t escape the top 10 picks.
In terms of giving him an elite grade, the reason I did that is super simple. He has exceptional size at 6’2 with long arms and runs the 40 in 4.37. Those are elite numbers for a cover guy. He was exceptionally productive in two seasons for the Tigers with 10 interceptions and 18 Pass breakups and shows great ball skills. What really stands out though is that he simply doesn’t give much up in terms of catches or big plays. When Williams is in press man his length, size, and recovery speed along with really plus feel for the position and routes means that people dont’ get much separation and when they do he has the rare ability to recover. His game against DK Metcalf was a thing of beauty and the idea that Metcalf is a better prospect just doesn’t make sense as Williams proved on tape he’s a far superior player and Metcalf is the best receiver prospect in this class.
He has some warts there’s no doubt though, although i think they are overblown. Williams really needs to add some bulk because at 6’2 and 190 pounds he does appear really thing and he has that angular look that always worries you about his ability to hold up long term. Williams lack of strength plays itself out when he get bodied up by stronger and bigger receivers too, and it’s rare that it plays a huge role there but you do see it and notice it occasionally, he’s also not a physical player at all. Williams is bad against the run there’s no doubt as he lacks urgency in that part of the game and he doesn’t get off blocks like you’d want for someone with length.
Overall this kid is just a freaking elite coverage corner. He allowed less than 35% of the throws his way to be completed over the past two seasons allowing including a freshmen season that saw him give up a 27 passer rating when targeted. This last year he only allowed 37% of the throws his way to be completed and he frequently looked like the best player on the field against really good wide receiver draft prospects. Williams is a number one corner in the NFL and he has legitimate All-Pro potential. He shouldn’t escape the first 10 picks in the draft.
8. Jonathan Abram, SS Mississippi State 92
I think this kid is ridiculous underrated and when you watch him on tape he’s quite simply the best safety in this draft. He might not have prototypical size but he has tremendous speed, running a 4.45 and playing at least that fast on film. He is a ferocious hitter, and a better than average tackler for his position, with 99 this past season. In coverage, he loves taking on opposing tight ends and he was a much better player than TJ Hockenson when they lined up on each other and he whipped up on Dawson Knox. Abram is a top 10 player in this class, and while safety has been devalued a bit the past couple of seasons, he could slip to the bottom third of the first round or even round 2 and someone might get a superstar.
As a coverage safety he takes on the challenge of the other teams best slot player. While he projects better as a box safety because of his hit power, he has zero fear playing in coverage. He’s fluid as a cover guy and can flip his hips with better than average quickness, using physicality and athleticism to drive on the football. He’s small though at only 5’11 and 205 pounds so some tight ends are certainly going to post him up but it didn’t stop him in the tapes I watched. He’s a bit limited because of his size at being a top tier cover safety but he’s damn good already in man and zone. He adds a lot because he’s a missile when he blitzes off the edge, picking up 3 sacks this year and providing some big hits.
As a run defender this is where he looks scary good. Abram delivers some of the biggest hits you’ll see from a safety on a regular basis. He has that good speed and quickness and closes the lanes with reckless abandon. Sometimes he’ll forget to wrap up as he’s looking to knock your head off but for the most part he’s a sound tackler and he tracks the football and the running lanes well to shut them down. Size is a small issue here as he is only around 205 so some bigger guys do give him a bit of a problem but it’s not a knock he’s just not 225 or 230 like some safeties coming into the league now.
Going to make this really easy, he’s a freaking stud. His tape is outstanding, his speed is excellent for a safety, he covers and he hits. I don’t know what else you’d want from a safety except maybe another 2 inches and 15 pounds but he hits like he’s 250 so I’ll take him any day of the week. It’s possible when all is said and done he’ll be my favorite in this class in terms of value vs. where he actually gets picked. He could have a Derwin James type impact as a rookie.
9. Clelin Ferrell, DE Clemson 91
One of my favorite players in this class along with his teammate Christian Wilkins is Clelin Ferrell from Clemson. He has prototypical size for a 43 defensive end at 6’5 265 pounds and has good length, tremendous productivity, and plays the run as well as attacking quarterbacks. He doesn’t really have that tremendous get off or athleticism you’d associate with superstar pass rushers but he has one of the best second moves in this draft class and his pass rush plan looks as good as anyone’s. Ferrell might not check every box as an elite player but he certainly is high level at absolutely everything and he has a nice high floor with a Pro-Bowl ceiling. He should be in the conversation as a top 10 pick in the 2019 draft.
As a pass rusher Ferrell was exceptionally productive and versatile in the way he would attack offensive tackles. He has adequate burst and bend around the edge to occasionally win with speed but he’s not overly impressive there. Ferrell will mix that move in to set up an inside stutter and go move that creates instant pressure a few times per game. He’ll jab and go as well getting quick push when he wants to collapse the pocket and when tackles first engage him he’ll rip through their hands to win with power and get to the quarterback at an elite level. It’s so fun to watch him get blocked with the initial surge and then sweep the hands away like an MMA fighter or a boxer to get off blocks. He mixes his pass rush moves to create pressure and finishes fairly well once he gets home. He looks like someone who could end up being a double digit sack guy in the league, or at least someone who consistently gets 30 or 40 pressures per year.
As a run defender he is damn solid and does the dirty work well. You can tell he’s coached up there as he’ll create havoc by crashing down into the line and force running backs out wide to get cleaned up. Ferrell sets the edge at an above avearge level and while he doesn’t maybe have a 10/10 anchor it’s solid and his positioning is very good. He makes plays in the backfield with that same second move and winning the hand battle that makes him such a good pass rusher. He doesn’t have great quickness or closing speed down the line so don’t expect him to chase down a ton of plays on the backside but he’ll do his damn job over and over again. He can play immediately as a 43 defensive end against the run and the pass because he understands gap integrity and assignment football.
He’s not an elite athlete on tape, and obviously playing next to Lawrence and Wilkins sure as hell helped, but he’s a damn good player. Ferrell is a really good pass rusher an above average run defender and someone who plays assignment football at a high level. I don’t think he can play 34 outside linebacker but I did see him drop into coverage occasionally and also play in a two point stance, it’s something to keep an eye on. He might not be the sexiest pick come draft day but he is going to be a good NFL player and one that will help you win a lot of games. He shouldn’t escape the top dozen picks, he looks to me like a player Detroit would love if he should fall that far.
10. Andre Dillard, OT Washington State 91
There are some people who are projecting him to go in round 3 and I think that’s absurd. He’s 6’5 306 pounds with decent length and excellent feet. He mirrors as well as any player in college football, gets good depth, understands protections and simply is a very talented pass protector. Dillard is a true left tackle and his ability to protect the quarterback is elite. He doesn’t have great length, he’s not powerful at the point, and sometimes he can get defenders to get their hands inside, but his ability to reposition his hands and have his feet work independently is impressive. His trust in that athleticism and smoothness with his feet allow him to reposition in the middle of a play with ease. He’s a top tier pass protecting left tackle, those guys shouldnt’ get out of the first round.
As a run blocker he’s not quite as polished. He doesn’t generate tremendous movement consistently in that facet. Some of those warts are playing at a weird spot in the Palouse where running is shunned unlike anywhere else in the country. That said when he was given opportunities he looked solid but not spectacular. If he added more power he would be a top 10 prospect in this draft class. That said he is very athletic, gets to the second level well, and looks good on combo blocks and in space in the run and screen games.
I watched a number of his games and I didn’t see a time where he gave up a sack, he rarely gave up pressures. He moves well and he won’t be overwhelmed by athleticism in the NFL. He’s okay as a run blocker, and is above average blocking in space and with zone concepts. He’s excellent in recognizing games and passing off responsibilities. He’s not super strong yet, and does have adequate but not great length. He’s not a perfect prospect but he’s a damn good pass protecting left tackle and to me that means he shouldn’t escape round 1 due to
value. There are other guys with higher upsides on the offensive line, but I fully expect Dillard to be an above average to very good starting left tackle in the league, and that has a ton of value.
11. Jerry Tillery, DL Notre Dame 90
His game tape against Stanford was the most impressive tape I’ve seen in years, he absolutely dominated. Tillery completely mauled and destroyed a likely second day draft pick in Herbig, putting him on skates, bench pressing him, and whipping his ass. He looks like an elite interior pass rusher at times. His ability to punch and rip blockers’ hands away is as good as any move in this draft. He doesn’t have an elite closing burst, and he absolutely gets whipped by double teams against the run, but as an interior pass rusher, or a 5 technique in a 34 he’s as good as any player I’ve scouted in the past few seasons. At 6’7 and 305 pounds he looks a lot like Calais Campbell, and I think that’s where his upside could be, he has that type of potential.
Now look there are some things that don’t make him a truly top 5 type prospect. Primarly he plays too high against the run and can get moved and blocked. There are times that double teams completely blow him up and allows the second guy to get to the next level. Angle blocks and double teams are a problem for him but as this is a passing league he should be really good creating pressure. Another scout I value said he’s more violent and explosive as a pass rusher than Buckner, which is another good comp in terms of size and ability. Buckner was stronger against the run though.
I think Tillery is going to be best in a 34 defensive end spot, but he can also easily play the 3 technique in a 43. He has a move that is exceptionally hard to beat, can occasionally get the pocket pushed, and is a potentially really good interior pass rusher. As a run defender he has a ways to go, and at 6’7 his frame might make it difficult for him to consistently play with leverage but he has potential in this area. An NFL line coach and strength coach is going to do wonders for him against the run. Potentially he has elite potential as a 3 or a 5 technique, and could be a menace. If he gets better against the run he’s a star. If I’m looking for interior pass rush help, he’s a guy I would target at some point between 12-25 in the first round, he’s that talented.
12. Montez Sweat, DE Mississippi State 89
I like Sweat and see the upside and think he’s a damn good player. He’s 6’6 with really long 36 inch arms and good size and movement skills. He was definitely productive for the Bulldogs with 25 sacks in two seasons and he did dominate Senior Bowl week. His length, pop, and tape are all good high points but he certainly needs some refinement to his game. While I certainly think he’s going to be a good starter by his second year in the league, he has some room to grow to become a stud, and I think seeing a top 10 slot for him on most mock drafts is slightly too rich for me. Sweat is a middle to back half of the first round player on tape, which is still damn good, and he projects to be a long, athletic edge player who plays hard and is a quality starter for an NFL team. His combine stats and 40 time were freaking ridiculous and show again how high of potential he has, which is for him to be elite, but again tape makes up the majority of what player are, and he’s good, but his tape is that of an 86 player but his measurable(s) are just insane.
Sweat’s pass rush ability is shown consistently on his Senior Bowl tape and through his productivity in the SEC. Sweat racked up consecutive seasons with double digit sacks and his length clearly gave people problems. He has good pop in his initial hit with that length that he has and he does a decent job of getting defenders hands off him when they first grab him. He’s not refined as a hand fighter yet but that shows how much upside he has to become an elite pass rusher. His bend around the edge is average but he’s got enough burst to make you respect it. Right now he’s a long guy with decent pop and enough athleticism and work to get you a few sacks per season. He needs to learn to hone his craft and come with a lot more of a plan of attack to reach double digits in the NFL. By year three I expect him to approach that 10-12 sack per year guy that he can become, but if he doesn’t get better with planning and hand fighting he might be someone who gets you 8 and a few hurries, which isn’t a bad consolation prize, but it’s not a top 10 player.
As a run defender he’s not bad but has a ways to go. He’s long and lanky and I question his ability to set the edge consistently in the league at this point. While he plays hard for the most part on tape and makes plays down the field he’s not an elite tackler in space and his power in his pads and sand in his pants are both a bit below average as a 43 defensive end. He might have to be a situational pass rusher as a rookie and grow into that role. He’s not bad against the run but there’s room for improvement.
Overall the kid has tremendous potential and i think he’ll grow into a very good NFL defensive end. If I were picking somewhere in the 14-32 range he’d be squarely on my board. That said I do worry a bit about his frame and his lack of refinement to his game at this point. He’s been productive but he had really good talent around him. A lot of the time watching their tape he looked like the 3rd best player on that defense, and that’s not a shot at him but he certainly didn’t pop on tape like Simmons did and there were games that Abram looked like a better player as well. He’s a really good prospect but I think we need to reign in the idea of him being a top 6 pick. In terms of potential and ability he’s a top 3 player but on tape he’s a late first, I would hedge the difference and try to find him somewhere around 10-15 if possible, but after the combine if he went top 5 i wouldn’t be surprised. He’s good and a physical freak.
13. Dalton Risner OT Kansas State 89
This kid’s tape is the best tape of any offensive lineman in this draft. He almost never gives up pressure, creates big lanes to run through, shows great balance and power in the run game, and his game grades were the best of any lineman by quite a ways. I watched him play against two guys with great length in Sweat and Omenihu and while you would think with his “lack of length” at tackle it would be a huge issue it simply wasn’t. Those guys made some plays in those games but it was either poor qb play and pocket awareness or simply not against him. He got beat once in the Senior Bowl but overall his game tape was outstanding.
As a pass protector, I know people want to switch him to guard, where I do think he could be really good, but I believe he’s a right tackle. He has good feet, excellent awareness and simply gets the job done over and over again. His hand strength seems to be legit as once he locks onto you, you don’t get away. You have to question his upside here, and i feel it’s a viable concern which is why I don’t have him graded higher. These rankings are a projection of what they will be and not what they have been, and his feet are pretty good but not great at tackle and his length is adequate but not a plus. He’s got great tape in pass pro but he’s not perfect, he did give up a few pressures here and there and a sack in the Senior Bowl. To me he projects as a quality right tackle in pass protection in the NFL with somewhat limited upside there.
As a run blocker I freaking love this kid’s fire. He finishes every single play, plays mean, and has zero problem slamming people to the ground. Risner moves well when asked to pull and never looks for work in the run game. He turns people in the ground game and does a nice job in zone schemes of squaring people up at the second level. I don’t think he’s got elite quickness but it’s plenty good for him to play either zone or man scheme in the run game. He did a good job each tape I watched and I think this is where he could be good. He’s not a traditional big, long, powerful right tackle in the normal sense, and again his body type isn’t ideal there so you can’t give him that 93-96 grade you want, but he’s a very good run blocker on tape.
Overall again the tape was outstanding, but his lack of length, power, and size caps his super high end potential. It doesn’t mean he can’t be a pro-bowler but I think you have to be aware of some limitations out there. The great thing you have here is while I believe he’s a good right tackle in the league, he could be an outstanding guard as well. He has a high floor, plays mean, has great tape, and gets the job done at an extremely high clip. I don’t think he should get out of the first round, and if someone takes him in the middle of round 1 i think it’s very appropriate. Really really good player.
14. Garrett Bradbury C NC State 88
Bradbury is a zone blocking center with great movement skills who in the right system can be a dynamic weapon on an offensive line. At 6’2 and 300 pounds he isn’t a mauler and strong interior players will give him problems at the next level at times but his superior quickness will allow him to still be effective. He came to college as a tight end so he’s still relatively new to the center position but his ability to be an “easy reacher” on long blocks and double teams is so apparent, it’s really impressive. Bradbury plays with excellent tempo and pace in his blocks, rarely getting off balance and reacting well to most plays. His snaps were pretty good, although i did see a handful of mediocre shotgun snaps and one horrendous one against BC. Overall he projects as a very good starter in a zone heavy scheme at center, who has tremendous movement skills and great awareness.
As a pass protector, Bradbury engages early and moves his feet very well. He will almost always be the quickest player in a one on one battle inside. His balance is very good and his hand placement and ability to play with leverage even in passing downs is well above average. He slides and moves well and constantly is looking to double players when he’s left as the 5th in 5 on the offensive line. His anchor isn’t great and his athletic traits are good but he really needs 15 more pounds of good weight as really good interior guys can cause him some issues. Clemson and A&M tapes weren’t terrific, not bad but those guys have NFL players inside and while he held his own well, they rarely, but at times caused major penetration and could collapse the pocket with power.
As a zone blocking center he’s outstanding at movement. He’s the easiest mover on the interior in this draft class. His timing and ability to square up players at the second level and not miss is outstanding and he gets those initial players turned and upfield making solid contact at an extremely high clip. Power run defenders he won’t get as much movement on but I doubt he’s going to be asked to play in a really gap heavy scheme as he’s much more of a zone blocker in the run game. His explosion and leverage is really good and he looks promising here.
Bradbury is actually a pretty damn easy evaluation. If he goes to a scheme where he’s asked to move a lot, pull, zone run, lots of stretch plays he will be a very effective starting center. If he goes to a gap scheme he could struggle a bit to adapt. I think he projects as a pretty good pass protector who at times will lose to power and while he plays so hard and with great leverage he may not give up a ton of sacks you could see him have to reanchor after giving up some ground at times. He projects as a high quality starting center in the league and should not escape the top 25 picks. He’s a consistent player with more room to grow and I think you’ll get a lot of solid performances from the center from NC State.
15. Dexter Lawrence, DT Clemson 88
If you want the premier run stuffing defensive tackle in this draft, this is your guy. Lawrence is someone who could play the 0 technique true nose tackle in a 34 or the nose in a 43 and it wouldn’t matter. He is 6’4 350 pounds and has some legitimate power and strength. He’s a dominant run defender who will eat up double teams, create penetration, and do the dirty work you need to see in order to be a good run defense. He’s also totally limited as a pass rusher so you just have to understand the value here. He’s someone you can’t take in the top 20 picks because it’s a pass first league but if your team struggles against the run and you need a nose to shore up a leaky running defense, he’s gotta be at the top of your list.
Lawrence strength is obviously being able to anchor against double teams and penetrate when he’s allowed to simply bully his way upfield. He won’t get beat up at the next level by strength as he has the power to play with anyone. His range is better than you’d think for someone who is 350 pounds and he flashes some quickness here and there to make plays in the backfield. Poor interior players who don’t play with leverage or who get lulled to sleep by his power will get whipped up on and it’s something you notice when you watch the tape. His 40 time at the combine just shows what the kid is capable of doing at the next level.
His issues here are against the pass. He’s not going to provide you much in terms of being a pass rusher as he simply doesn’t have the pass rush acumen to give you anything there except someone who can collapse the pocket. While he provides pop and generates some bull rush ability which has value, I doubt he ever gets to 5 sacks in a single season and doubt he gets two dozen for his career.
Lawrence is incredible at what he does, which is eat up blocks and get penetration as a run stuffing nose tackle. He’s the best player in this draft class at that without question. He has surprising athleticism and uses it to punish players who don’t possess adequate strength. You just have to understand what you’re getting here when you take a pick with him, he’s going to help you a lot against the run and give you little against the pass in a pass first league. His positional value is the question here not his ability. The failed drug test before the playoff games have to come up but he maintains his innocence and not sure why but I actually believe him, it shouldn’t impact his draft spot. To me you simply can’t take him in the top 25 picks because of the position he plays, but he’s great at what he does.
16. Devin Bush, LB Michigan 88
An obscenely fast linebacker with ridiculous production, Bush is a stud linebacker who likely won’t get out of the top 20 picks in the 2019 Draft. Bush was the Big 10 DPOY this past season and in the past two seasons has recorded both double digit sacks and passes defensed total. His ability to run and cover as well as blitz and play sideline to sideline is what NFL teams are looking for in today’s league and Bush’s capabilities will be utilized for ten years on Sunday. While he is a very impressive prospect, he’s not perfect and some of the mistakes he makes on the field and his lack of ideal size mean to me he’s not an elite prospect. He’s damn good and will be a very good pro but he’s not a superstar at this point. Don’t get me wrong, I do love him and think his game is fantastic, but the lack of length, size, and him missing his keys in run support show up on film. A tremendous player who gets an easy round one grade from me though.
Bush’s biggest strength is his ability to play on 3rd down. He carries running backs with ease and gets insane drop backs in his zone coverages. Tight ends won’t be able to run by him as he runs in the low 4.4s and showed it not only on tape but at the combine as well. His combination of 234 pounds with that speed at linebacker is completely absurd and it shows off when he’s asked to cover. I love his ability to blitz as well, showing good bend when asked to stunt and getting home more often than almost any inside linebacker. Bush recorded 5 sacks both of the past two seasons and while his lack of length and size means he won’t be crazy productive there his burst through the gap is impressive. This is where he’ll thrive. Now he’s not perfect here and he does give up a catch or two in coverage but he’s well above average and his sideline to sideline speed is difficult to match up with. One of the better 3rd down linebackers coming out recently.
As a run defender I think Bush projects to be pretty good but certainly not great. He is only 234 pounds and his length is below average and it does rear its head on tape. While he makes a ton of tackles running sideline to sideline, picking up 182 over the past two seasons, he’s not crazy productive. The reason there is that he simply gets engulfed at times by bigger lineman who get to the second level. He will need good defensive tackles to allow himself to run around and make plays, as he doesn’t slip many blocks. His short arms also mean that he’ll miss a tackle or two here and there even though he can get into position. That said though the thing that keeps him from being an elite player is that he simply will overshoot his responsibility and will guess on gaps the player will go through and run himself completely out of position. Bush gave up plenty of big plays this season because he didn’t stay at home and there were times where he would come in way too hot and overshoot plays allowing chunk runs behind him. This shit doesn’t fly at the NFL level and you can’t make those mistakes. The speed and quickness he plays with are huge assets but unless he can make the routine plays and with his lack of size he just rates out slightly above NFL starter average as a run stopping linebacker.
All in all he’s an excellent prospect. Linebackers in the NFL, whether Mike or Will linebackers, don’t run 4.43 with 40 inch verticals, he’s an obscene athlete. His ability to cover, blitz, and his range in the run game is as good as you’ll ever see from a prospect. I think his size and mistakes in filling his run gaps are problematic but they’re minor in comparison to the player you’re getting. He’s a top 20 player, but to me you keep seeing Mocks where he goes 11 to Cincy, it might be a bit rich for me but I can see the appeal. I think he’ll be very good in the league even if he is a touch overrated at this point.
17. DK Metcalf, WR Ole Miss 88
He is a perfect 100 on the H/W/S scale and is built unlike any receiver I’ve ever seen. The kid is a specimen with an NFL grandfather, dad, and uncle and has tier 1 number 1 overall potential down the road. That said while it’s super easy to be enamored with the 6’3 237 pound 4.33 40 and 35 inch arms, with a 40 inch vertical, he also wasn’t even the best receiver at his own school. Metcalf has serious concerns over his ability to stay healthy, missing his entire freshmen season and half of this year and has a major neck injury to his name. He also lacks quickness and his massive size makes it difficult for him to change directions without showing his hand and his ability to create separation on anything other than slants and go routes could limit what he becomes. Metcalf is a dynamic deep threat who will absolutely be a threat to score from anywhere on the field. He is someone who could take the top off the defense at every level of the field and while he has to develop a lot on becoming a better route runner and with concentration drops his size and speed combination is unbelievably enticing. At worst he could end up as a really high quality deep threat and red zone player even if he doesn’t develop as an all around super star.
Metcalf’s size and speed combination means that his ability to get open deep is his biggest asset currently. He can box players out at the goal line on fades and slants but he doesn’t gain separation on anything that requires precise routes and cuts. He takes too long to wind down at the top of his routes and telegraphs double moves almost every single time. He uses his arms instead of his body to box out on deeper routes and comebacks but at time he does a decent job of working back to the ball when his quarterback scrambles. Right now his route tree is too limited for him to be a superstar but when he develops that and gets better quarterback play he could truly becoming a menace.
His projection is fairly easy. There’s no way he should get out of the top 20 picks and you could make the case for him going in the top 10 based on potential and his chance to be maybe the best deep threat in the league. He’s not an “top tier elite” prospect because he simply isn’t able to create separation with consistency right now and he drops too many catchable passes. I think he can turn himself into a number one dominant player in time but the nice thing with Metcalf is that skill set and size is so ridiculous that at worst he’s a dynamic number two. The biggest worry I have is the injury history and the neck thing, my doctors would have to give me a clean bill of health before I could use a “lottery” pick on him. Could end up a superstar but I think he ends up a really good guy who can make a bunch of big plays but might not end up a high volume wideout.
18. Dwayne Haskins, QB Ohio State 87
Haskins is the QB1 in this draft class and a promising pocket passer who projects as an above average NFL quarterback. Haskins isn’t very mobile but his pocket awareness and mobility is solid with a lightning quick release and a plus arm. He can make every throw you’d want a quarterback to make with a sturdy build and high productivity, if even for just one season. If I were to give a comp he looks a bit like a combination of Winston and Eli in how he throws the football. If you give him quality protection and solid weapons he can be a good starter in the league but you need to be patient and understand he’s a pocket thrower and not someone you can move around.
Haskins only had one year at Ohio State as a starter but finished it 3rd in the Heisman with 50 touchdowns. He has a lot of the traits you want to see in a starting quarterback. He has good poise in the pocket and has a release that is among the fastest you’ll see as a scout. He can flick the ball and deliver it with velocity and show the ability to add and subtract. He throws a beautiful deep ball and while he’s not elite down the field he rates as above average in his ability to deliver the ball with timing and accuracy on NFL throws. He made a number of throws off his back foot to the opposite sideline and can deliver those with pace. Haskins can make every throw so you’re playbook on routes is open, he threatens every level of the field.
He’s good in the screen game and Ohio State is the best at getting the ball out quickly but he sets them up well and those short passes are not super easy to complete but he throws with good touch. His underneath stuff, particularly crosses and slants he uses correct trajectory and does a great job of giving his guys a chance to get those RAC yards that are the bread and butter of west coast offenses.
There are some downsides that cause some concerns to be aware of though. Primarily, while he is the QB1 in this class, he would have been the QB5 in last year’s draft class behind Darnold, Rosen, Allen, and potentially Jackson for me. He has limited mobility so he’s not going to scramble or escape much pressure. He only had one season as a starter and so you have some of the college issues, just magnified by the fact that he simply hasn’t been through much adversity. The offense at Ohio State is around 30 to 40% predetermined screens and so his completion percentage and accuracy numbers are dramatically exaggerated and while he is certainly an accurate thrower he’s likely league average at that which is still good but not elite. When he comes off his first read, his ability to get to his second read and delivery accurately with proper footwork and mechanics takes way too long. He makes up for it with a delivery that’s top tier but those windows shorten up in the league. Haskins needs help around him to be successful, he doesn’t project as someone who will carry an NFL offense.
I like him and think he’s going to be an NFL starter. I also believe strongly that if he starts as a rookie he will take some serious lumps and likely struggle. He needs a strong team around him, mostly a solid offensive line and a good supporting cast. He has a good football IQ and stands strong in the pocket, has a good arm, a great release, and solid tape. There is a lot of value in a solid starting quarterback and with the league in constant search for someone who has those skills, I’d be shocked if Haskins isn’t taken by the 7th pick in this draft class. By his 3rd year he could be a nice starting QB.
19. Jonah Williams G Alabama 87
He played both right tackle and left tackle for the Crimson Tide but as an NFL player he projects as a pro-bowl guard or an average left tackle. I think watching his tape his length, or lack thereof, at times causes him so problems outside but inside he could be a top tier pass protector and his technical savvy and football IQ could make him an elite interior player. As an outside guy he’s good, doesn’t panic, picks up every single rusher, recognizes fronts and blitzes and plays good football. His hand placement and anchor are pretty good and he gives up few pressures. That said, players with good length can get in on his body, he’s 305 pounds and that weight sometimes allows players with length and power to push him back, and while he’s a good athlete he doesn’t look great there. As a tackle I would rate him somewhere in the 84 range and as a guard somewhere in the 91 range. I settled on a very good top 25 pick range of 87.
Williams is technically very good. His pass sets are so smooth with good footwork, a wide base, and he catches and anchors exceptionally well. You can tell he has good coaching as he doesn’t give up easy or free rushers off the edge or on stunts or delays. His recognition is as a good as anyone you’ll see. As a pass protector he’s extremely consistent game to game. You don’t see games where anyone overwhelms him, which is impressive considering the level of competition he plays against. His tapes look like an NFL player going against college kids. He also gives up issues to lengthy players, Clellin Ferrell was able to get his hands into his body at times and cause some problems in 2017 and the Georgia tape in 2018 he looked like some of those athletes were able to stutter and get inside on him. Some straight speed guys can trouble him occasionally too. All of those problems go away if he plays guard but at tackle they could present an issue.
As a run blocker he’s very good in zone schemes. He gets to the second level well and makes contact more often than not there. He has good recognition skills and when he’s asked to block down he creates havoc and gets good push. I don’t think he plays overly strong but he’s a good run blocker due to playing with good leverage consistently and above average movement skills. Watching him isn’t like watching a McGlinchey though, but he’s a good mover and projects as an above average run blocker who flashes upside in a zone scheme.
To me he is a late first round tackle or a top 15 guard depending on where you want to play him. Williams is one of the safest picks in this entire draft and whichever team gets him, just understand you’re getting a quality starter for the next decade. If you draft him to play guard you might get a pro bowler or as a tackle you’re getting an average starter who can likely help you immediately. I love high floor guys and he’s one of those guys you can just pencil in as a good piece and a cornerstone of your line up front. He has added value in that he can play left tackle in the league as a rookie and that’s an extremely hard thing to do, but i’d be comfortable if he needed to play there. If he goes anywhere after pick 10 it’s a good selection, I’d be wary of going up too far for him in a draft where the line is this deep though. Value in the NFL is the name of the game and while he’s a good player, maybe even very good, top 10 is reserved for potential superstars and it’s tough to draft someone who projects better as a a guard up there. That said, he’s good, has an extremely high floor and I’d love it if my team drafted him regardless of my teams’ need. I just want to reiterate, that I believe he’s a guard. Side note, I watched more and more Williams tape after my initial write-up. He fell in my rankings as it went on, he doesn’t have quite the pop or movement skills that I thought he did and his tangibles just aren’t as good. All the stuff i wrote is accurate he just is good, not amazing and to me he should be taken around 22-32 not top 15.
20. Greg Little OT Ole Miss 87
This kid has the potential to be the best offensive linemen in this draft. He has ideal height/weight/speed at 6’6 325 pounds with long arms and really smooth feet. Little’s kick step and mirror ability with good athletes is as good as anyone you’ll find when you’re scouting left tackle prospects. If I were making an all upside team in this draft, Little would be my starting left tackle no questions asked, he has the ability to be an All-Pro on the blindside. That said he looks disengaged at times, can get lazy with his footwork, and lacks pop in the run game. Potential is extremely important but film matters too and he didn’t look like he was engaged every snap of every game. In college, he got it done because he was simply so much better than everyone else, but in the NFL he’ll need to not be lazy with his feet in order to dominate. There is some risk here that he ends up just being an adequate left tackle but the upside is there for him to be dominant.
As a pass protector he is excellent potentially. His ability to mirror and slide is dynamic and great pass rushers like Sweat and Allen didn’t have much success working against him on the left side. Little doesn’t overreact, passes people off so easily it scary, and can reposition his feet and hands to take on speed rushers or stunters. Occasionally he’ll get soft though and bulrushes can push him back into the quarterback more often that you’d like. His base needs to get better at the next level for him to achieve what he’s capable of in that capacity. Potential here is top 5 in the league.
Run blocking he’s not bad but there is serious room for improvement. He lacks the hammer you see from elite run blocking tackles and while he moves to the second level well and can typically turn players you don’t see him drive blocking often. He gets some movement but players can get off his block and fall off of him more often than you’d anticipate for someone with his size. I don’t think he’ll ever be an elite run blocker but he could be pretty good there but currently he looks average as an NFL run blocker. He’s more suited to play zone and I doubt he’s someone you want to run behind on a down in and down out basis.
Overall the kid is a first rounder without any issue. At worst he grades out as a solid pass protecting average run blocking left tackle in the NFL which is simply very important and extremely valuable. A ton of evaluators are knocking him into Round 2 on their mock drafts and to be honest it’s pretty ridiculous. If he drops to day two it will be because of interviews and stuff that we don’t have privy to that others do. You don’t let starting left tackles with this much pass protecting upside slip out of Round 1, you just can’t. I could see someone taking him in the top 10, he’s that talented, in fact he is one of the top 5 players in this entire draft in terms of upside. There is some risk here as you want to see more passion but he’s someone I would love for my team to draft if I need a left tackle as I think he’s plug and play there as a rookie. I don’t think he’s a great run blocker but his athleticism means he could be okay there, but as a pass protector he could be a gem.
21. David Montgomery - RB Iowa State 87
This is a kid who is going to be a good professional running back. He runs with great physicality, is 5’11 and almost 220 pounds, catches the ball well and runs crisp routes. He can block, has good vision and breaks more tackles than any player in the nation. In fact, he has broken more tackles in the past two years than any player in the FBS, with over 200 missed tackles. I think he’s going to be a good starting running back who will give you quality touches every single game.
His 220 pound frame, and above average vision typically means he takes good angles and picks the right hole consistently while always adding extra yardage. He is extremely shifty in the hole, running through arm tackles and dragging defenders consistently. Montgomery catches the football easily, and runs good routes out wide or in the slot. He’s a guy in the modern NFL who can cause mismatches on the outside with linebackers. Montgomery blocks well for a running back and while he’s not elite here he’s well above average.
He has a good feel for the passing game and doesn’t dance much when he catches the ball. His ability to make people miss in space is impressive and he creates yards when there aren’t many to be gained. His past two seasons he’s caught over 90 passes and rarely drops a pass. Montgomery can adjust to passes and looks smooth running routes out of the backfield.
He’s a really good player who I truly believe will be a really quality starting running back in the NFL. The main reason that he’s not a really elite prospect in the mode of a Barkley or Elliott is that he doesn’t have that type of explosiveness. He’s not a guy who can turn a 15 yard play into a 55 yard play because he doesn’t have that breakaway speed that you need to be a true game-changer. The kid reminds me quite a bit of Matt Forte with his ability and how he runs but he’s a tick slower than Forte who ran in the 4.46 range. I think he’s more of a 4.56 guy. Regardless I think he’s clearly a high quality second round running back who will give you a ton of good touches, make people miss tackles and runs hard as hell. He’s an extremely safe starting running back draft pick who could give you 1000 yard rushing 500 yard receiving seasons consistently.
22. Josh Jacobs, RB Alabama 87
A talented runner who looks poised to be a good versatile back in the NFL, Jacobs should be in the conversation at the back end of round 1. He’s the consensus number one back in this draft for every draft analyst except for me and I still gave him the same grade as David Montgomery. Jacobs has far less wear on the tires though and his ability as a kick returner could trump the Montgomery potential but i’ll stick with my grades. Jacobs has really good one cut ability and shows plus patience, very solid capabilities in the pass game in both facets, and very good patience. He is someone who will help immediately and looks to be a really good NFL running back prospect.
What limits what Jacobs is capable of at the next level and what keeps him from being a 90s graded player are two major trait deficiencies. The first one is those elite backs that came out recently like Elliott or Gurley had that breakaway speed that could turn an 8 yard run into an 80 yarder. Jacobs is a doubles hitter who won’t get those huge gains because he lacks that extra gear, therefore his upside as an elite high yards per carry back is capped. Jacobs also gets a little too comfortable simply lowering his shoulder and picking up those extra 2 yards instead of trying to get that outside burst, and while it’s good to get 2nd and 5 instead of 2nd and 7, sometimes you need that running back to get a huge gain.
In terms of why he’s going to be a good NFL back though and why he’s one of the rare ones who you consider on day 1 it’s because he’s got tremendous power and is extremely versatile. While he’s not an elite pass protector he’s damn good and has plenty of power and anchor to hold up. He also shows really good vision and keeps his head on a swivel in that regard. As a pass catcher he shows potential in the slot but looks really comfortable on wheel routes, catching the ball naturally although he’s not top tier there he’s probably just one notch below. He also shows talent as a kick returner and again he lacks that top end speed but with good vision and an ability to make the first guy miss, he could give you help there or as a truly impressive lead blocker.
Where he sets himself apart though is his toughness and ability to make the first guy miss. His one cut style back inside is as good as anyone’s you’ll watch and it gives him some potential for a ton of 10 yard carries. Jacobs pushes the pile and while he’s not crazy quick he is slippery in the hole and breaks a lot of arm tackles on his carries. That one cut style and get upfield when he sees a gap looks like it could be really solid in zone schemes where he’ll turn upfield and get tough yards, pushing the pile forward to put you in positive positions. He won’t get many homers but he’ll get you a ton of singles and doubles. I do think he’s slightly overrated and could get pushed up because of the lack of good running backs in this class. That being said he’s still got to be in the conversation at the back end of round 1 and his versatility, blocking, catching, and power along with good patience and one cut move means he’ll be a damn good back from the outset. He also has very few touches on his career which gives him a better chance than most to get a second contract. Quite frankly he’s a really quality prospect but he’s not in the same class as Gurley, McCaffrey, or Elliott.
23. Darnell Savage, S Maryland 87
Oh my I found one that I love and it’s this kid. He’s certainly not going to be everyone’s cup of tea because he is certainly undersized, he takes some risks by getting caught looking in the backfield, and he’s not a strong tackler, but he has a burst and coverage instincts you won’t find anywhere else in this draft from a safety. I saw a bunch of people comparing him to Lamarcus Joyner and I loved Joyner, giving him a 90 grade but Joyner hit harder. That said this kid is still a potential superstar coverage safety who can make game changing plays in the back end. I think there are teams that are going to be looking at him at the end of round 1 and he should be on a lot of radars for teams that want a slot cover guy or a coverage free safety because he has special skills at both of those roles. Unfortunately due to lack of size and tackling skills he won’t fit on some teams boards which likely cause him to go somewhere in round 2.
In coverage, particularly off man in the slot he’s one of the better players you’ll see. His explosion and burst to the football is elite level and it’s impressive to watch when he fires his gun. He creates pass breakups and interceptions on a very high basis and his coverage skills just leave very few people open. In zone he has instincts that are hard to teach and he can be so patient and wait on receivers to make their move because his athleticism and speed are so top shelf that it allows him to spy the quarterback and then jump the routes. He sees the combinations well enough that he can turn catches into incompletions with ease. The issues I see here though are that he will try to anticipate a bit much and will definitely try to jump routes, leaving corners one on one on a fairly regular basis when he picks wrong. His lack of size at 195 pounds, although he looked like he played at about 185 pounds means that tight ends will rag doll him in the league and he essentially has to become a slot corner.
As a tackler he’s not good. There’s no other way around this. He lacks the play strength and the power to come downhill and make plays and he’s definitely way more of a drag down tackler than anything else. Savage isn’t overly physical either so while he’s certainly not avoiding contact it doesn’t look like he’s searching it out either.
You need to know what you’re looking for here. If you already have a good coverage safety in the back end and a good slot corner you probably won’t be looking for Savage because well he’s not going to be your box guy. But for those teams looking for coverage in the back end I think he can be both a single or two high safety, with really plus ability as a slot corner. Savage is 5’11 and under 200 pounds but he runs a 4.36 and plays even faster than that. Pair that with very good ball skills, really high coverage instincts, and an explosive first step and you have an elite coverage safety. His skill set is impressive but the lack of tackling ability has to scare some teams. He’ll likely go in round 2 but for some of the teams in the league they could have a late first round grade on him, he’s impressive.
24. Deandre Baker, CB Georgia 87
One of the more solid players in this draft class and he projects as an instant solid starter and a top 20-30 corner in the NFL. I do think his lack of elite size and speed limit his upside but his floor is as high as anyone in coverage that you’ll find. His analytics fans will scream his name as he didn’t allow a TD this year and when watching him play he’s almost never targeted as he simply blankets receivers. Baker’s ability to mirror is excellent and you can tell he has such a feel for the routes that are going to be run that he simply puts himself in a receviers’ hip and stays there all game long. Instant starter who at worst ends up as a high quality CB2.
As far as the worries that come up when discussing Baker for me is his upside. I think he’s a really smart and tough player but he’s 5’11 and only around 190 pounds and looks like he’s small for his frame. I like his length with 32 inch arms but at times you are going to wonder about bigger receivers in the NFL bodying him up. His 40 time at the combine was pretty good considering I actually thought he looked quicker than fast on tape but 4.52 was a nice number. He’s not going to be someone who you love matching up with burners either so again you just sort of question whether or not he can match up with every teams number one and that’s tough and why he gets a significantly lower grade than Greedy got.
That said he’s exceptionally consistent and as solid as they come snap to snap. Baker has been credited with giving up a grand total of ZERO touchdowns the last two seasons and this last year he gave up less than one first down per game. I don’t think his hands are very good in terms of catching the football but he gets his hands on the ball when it’s in the air and knocks away a high percentage of passes. His ability to mirror and the burst to the ball when he’s in someone’s hip is really good. His size means he’s okay against the run but it won’t be a positive or a big negative. I worry a bit about him getting a bit grabby in the NFL and he might get flagged a bit early. This kid projects as either a very high end CB2 or a mid tier CB1. He should be in the conversation sometime toward the middle of the first round and if you can get Baker in the 20s you’ll get very good value from a high floor prospect at a premium position.
25. Jawaan Taylor - OT Florida 86
Taylor is a good football player with really good initial burst off the line and a quick slide step out of his stance. He’s not a mauler but he takes good angles, and gets his hands on almost everyone. He very rarely just gets smoked, but when he gets beat his athleticism allows him to get back into position or to ride defenders past the quarterback. He’s played both left and right tackle in college and there are a lot of people, myself included who thinks he could be a really good guard in the NFL. I’m not sure he has the length or the punch that I’d like, and therefore i don’t think he’s elite but he’s really good. I think he can play either guard or tackle position and that versatility is a huge plus. Really good player with potential to play left tackle if you need which gives him a boost to his grade, but personally I think he grades out as a high quality guard or a solid starter at either tackle position, with him looking more natural at right tackle for me.
Occasionally he can get beat inside as he’ll take his slide step too far outside initially. I wish he’d get more movement in the run game consistently as well, he takes good angles and does a nice job there but I think at 325 pounds and 6’5, I just wish he’d blow people off the ball more. He moves well for his size, which makes me think he could be a really good zone blocking guard at some point. Very few real big time negative plays on tape, on a couple of holds I saw him get called for, I honestly didn’t think either one was a true hold.
I’m a fan of Taylor. I think he’ll find a home at tackle but knowing you could kick him inside and get a high quality guard provides a lot of peace of mind. He’s going to be a good run blocker in the NFL, and as a pass protector his quickness with his kick-step and that initial burst off the ball shows me he has potential to be a quality pass protector as well. In watching his game he projects well to the next level in both phases. I think he needs a bit of work in technique as he can get caught straight up a bit too much at times, has tremendous quickness and good potential power and yet doesn’t always get a ton of movement, and rushers can sometimes get off his initial block due to lack of hand placement. These are correctable but to me puts him a notch below elite level players. He’s a back of the first round talent, with versatility to play four positions. It looks like the NFL is valuing his potential a lot more than his tape and there are many mocks where he could go in the top 10. I like the kid and think he’s a quality starter but if he goes top 10 it’s much too rich. He’s a back third of the first round guy with upside but teams should wait on him and not reach.
26. Byron Murphy, CB Washington 86
One of the best cover men in the draft, Murphy was highly productive in 20 starts at Washington and was a tremendous playmaker. Murphy had 7 picks and 20 PBU while allowing under a 40% completion percentage thrown at him. He’s a bit undersized for an outside corner and with only average speed I question his ability to play outside at a high level in the NFL. However, with his toughness, football IQ, and tremendous quickness I think he projects as the premier slot corner in this draft. He’s good in man and excels in zone and shows tenacity and strength as a run defender as well, and he’s a plug and play guy immediately on the inside in the league. He could be an outside corner in a zone heavy scheme or a very good slot in a man scheme and that flexibility means that Murphy won’t escape the first round.
It’s really fun to watch his tape because you know he’s going to make big plays here and there. He’s a big hitter who wants to come down and hammer you like a safety even though he only weighs about 190 pounds max, they said he played closer to 175-180 at Washington which is pretty damn small. That said he throws his body around and has zero fear to play in the flats or in the run game and his recognition is so good that he causes PBU’s that other corners won’t, although i think that production will drop down a bit in the NFL as a lot of his breakups should have been caught. He’s physical and his bail and bait technique on the sideline as a boundary corner looks so smooth and effortless. Murphy can see the route develop and jump it and uses really plus short area burst to explode toward the football. He has the best ball skills of any corner in this class and when he gets a chance for a pick, the former high school WR won’t miss. Lots of positives here.
As a man corner his lack of size and strength do project to cause him a few issues. I think bigger receivers in the league are going to post him up a bit because he’s only an average athlete and he has short arms. At 5’11 and playing around 185 pounds with small arms bigger guys will simply box him out or go up and get it against him down the field and with 4.55 speed burners will run by him. He gets a bit grabby too and I think his average athletic ability can rear it’s head. There were a few completions that NFL qb’s would make against him on tape that they missed because he’s not super smooth or explosive in terms of just pure athletIcism.
While I think Murphy should certainly be considered in the first round of the draft, I do think he has a somewhat capped upside. He could be a pretty good boundary-outside corner in a zone heavy scheme in the league because he has elite recognition skills and is a playmaker. That said he really does project best as a nickel at the next level. His lack of pure speed and size means that he fits better inside where he can use his elite quickness and toughness. I’ve gotten comparisons to Brent Grimes but i actually think he’s more like Desmond King coming out of school. Great ball skills and a tremendous player but will probably be dynamic and great inside. If I need an elite slot guy who I can play outside if I need to then he would be someone I target early in the draft. He’s a really good player but I believe because his position should be nickel corner that his upside and value is capped as a late first round grade. He could end up being one of the best nickels in the league and he’s clearly the best one in this draft.
27. Rashan Gary, DE Michigan 86
I think Gary’s potential is out of this world but he has a very long way to go to be a productive NFL player. He came out of high school as the number one player in the country and his traits are absolutely phenomenal. He has a tremendous first step, power, and a rare combination of height-weight-speed. He also only had 9 sacks and 18 tackles for loss combined in two seasons and disappears for very long stretches on tape, and has very little impact too often. His tape and productivity is that of a 3rd rounder at times, that’s not an exaggeration and to me he’s the most overrated player in this class. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a ton of potential, because he could end up being a stud, but right now it would be impossible for me to take him in the top half of the first round because he simply doesn’t have the impact on the field you need.
There is a ton to like about Gary and it’s why I give him a borderline first round grade. He’s 6’5 280 pounds with a really good initial pop out of his stance, long arms, and i bet his 10 yard split at the combine will be impressive. He played everywhere from a 3 technique to a 9 tech at Michigan and brings that versatility to the next level where he can fit in probably any scheme. He has really good length, plays hard on tape, and has great chase down speed from the back end. Gary can set the edge against the run with impunity because of his length and power and he’s already a pretty good run defender. Again, potential is a 10/10.
As a pass rusher he really only goes with two different moves. He either does a straight arm bullrush, which is fairly effective on weaker tackles as his length and power is a plus. Or, Gary will try to get you to the edge which he does fairly well but usually it’s too deep and he simply runs around the pocket. These two moves have the, here’s that word again, potential, to be scary at the next level, but they haven’t turned into anything yet. He doesn’t have a pass rush plan ever and he never counters or gets a good second rush after his initial move is stoned.
Overall the kid could be a superstar, there’s no doubt. The H/W/S is ridiculous and I’m sure he’ll dominate the combine. He plays pretty damn hard and is extremely versatile on the line. That said his production and tape just aren’t there, he never developed, and he looks like he’s going in the top 5 in this draft. I think he should go closer to pick 26 and just think he’s overrated by quite a bit. You’re getting a solid player on tape but not a superstar. It’s very scary to pay for potential in your top 5, and it’s a move that can get a GM fired.
28. Cody Ford, RT/G Oklahoma 86
Ford is a good player who projects as a pretty good right tackle or a good guard in the NFL. He’s got excellent power at 334 pounds and his movement skills are above most right tackles in the game. Speed guys give him a bit of trouble but overall his tape is pretty darn good and his ability to get movement in the run game is well above average for an NFL player. I question his length and his initial quickness a bit which is why I would like to see him move to guard in the league but he’s got a chance to play on the outside too. Ford’s power and size along with good mobility means he projects as a solid NFL starter up front.
A lot of people have Ford as a top 10-15 pick and to me that’s a bit too rich. Primarily is that he does project best as an inside player in the league and it’s a deep offensive line draft so that’s a little high. As a tackle in pass protection he’s good but doesn’t project to be great on the outside. His length is adequate but not great and his initial quickness isn’t wonderful. They asked him to pull on run plays and qb stretch throws and he didn’t look great on these type of plays. Once he picks up a head of steam he goes just fine but his ten yard splits don’t look on tape like something you’d get excited about. I wonder if he’ll get some holds or give up some outside pressure in the league. Once he locks you up he looks good and he recognizes plays fairly well so the inside might be where he makes his hay there.
As a run blocker there is a lot to like. He is a powerful player and he uses his 334 pounds well. Once he picks up a head of steam he’s scary to try to work through. He gets a lot of movement in the run game and he finishes blocks in short yardage which I really love. Ford’s feet will power through players better than most and in that he looks like he could be a difference maker in that aspect of the game. At the second level he rarely misses and does a good job there. On pulls he looks okay, but those first two or three steps take a while sometimes as he kind of lumbers and therefore I like him more in power sets than pulls but he has some potential.
Ford has a couple things he needs to improve on if he’s going to be a top tier NFL linemen, whether it’s at right tackle or guard. First his hands and feet don’t work together as well as you’d want to see on tape, he drops his hands really low in pass protection and with okay but not great length he gets some guys into his chest first. With his strength it’s fine in college but in the NFL some guys will get pressure with that. He’s 6’4 334 so his length isn’t ideal but he still does a good job of getting in position and resetting when he’s approached. His mirror as a right tackle is better than average and he recognizes schemes well. He plays a bit nasty in the run game which i love to see and it means he has good potential. I’m not sure if he’s a right tackle or a guard but either way he projects as a quality starter in the league who will be decent in pass pro with good upside as a run blocker. Back third of the first round is where he grades out in a typical draft.
29. Yodny Cajuste, OT West Virginia 86
This kid can play too. It turns out this is a really good offensive line draft one year removed from a poor one. Cajuste is a left tackle who comes off the ball strong, plays with some power, and shows enough athleticism to play left tackle in the league. Cajuste was very solid in all of the game tapes I watched, with some tapes where he dominated in the run game like in the Kansas tape, and others where he was damn solid in pass pro. Overall, he didn’t have a bad grade in any game I watched and showed out as a really good player in most. He’s consistent, solid, athletic, and projects as a starting caliber left tackle in the NFL.
He hits you and is good in space and as a zone blocker in the run game. At times he can dominate there, and other times he’s good not great but he’s a really good player in that aspect. There are times he blows people off the ball, creates huge running lanes, and gets to that second level off combo blocks as well as anyone. Other times though he can lunge a bit or get a touch out of control in space and he’ll touch players instead of dominate them. My issue with him not being an elite run blocker is that at times he’ll hit you instead of latching on, allowing defenders to get off his block a bit quicker than i’d like toward the end of plays. I want to see a touch more killer instinct at the end of some runs but he plays hard and hits hard in that aspect. He could play either a man or zone scheme and be solid as a run blocker. Not sure he’s going to ever be great here but he’ll be at least average to above average.
As a pass protector he’s damn solid. His slide step isn’t ideal as he doesn’t get tremendous depth consistently but he has good enough length and quickness to ride you past the quarterback. At least once a game he gave up a pressure in every game that I watched. Once his slide step was too shallow, once he got beat on a stutter, and once someone got him to the inside, but that was in 3 games. I didn’t watch a game where he gave up more than 2 pressures on all the tapes that I watched. Now he’s not super long and his technique could use a little work with hand placement and his feet at times aren’t perfect but he’s got a lot of talent here and he’s good. Again here he doesn’t latch on and finish off those blocks and if a quarterback holds the ball too long sometimes he’ll almost give up on the play assuming the ball is out, but overall he projects as an above average left tackle pass protector. I also get a tad frustrated at times when he’s left on an island with no one to block that he doesn’t go out of his way to find someone to hammer. He’s left “looking for work” when he’s left alone and I want someone who wants to punish people in that scenario.
Cajuste is very good. I don’t think he has the length to be elite but I think he will be a solid starting offensive lineman for a long time in the league in either zone or man schemes, but him in a zone scheme would be the ideal fit as he looks really good at the second level. He’s not perfect but he’s darn good. I have a grade on him putting him somewhere toward the end of round 1 or beginning of round 2 and could see him going as high as 23 to Houston on draft night. I think if it were me I’d love to grab him anytime early in round 2 and I’d be damn happy to have him, but since he's a starting left tackle in the league, anywhere in the middle of round 1 on you aren’t going to get much quibbling. Quality tackles don’t grow on trees anymore and that’s what he projects to be. Needs some refinement but he plays well in space, has good tape, is consistent, and has enough athleticism and power to win in both phases of the game. I like the kid and toward the end of round one or early in round he’d be a target for me if I needed a quality tackle.
30. Parris Campbell, WR Ohio State 86
You know you’ve got a shot to be a star when you’re the best player on the field in an Ohio State-Michigan game, and that’s exactly what Parris Campbell was this past season. He absolutely dominated that game and his speed and explosiveness were on full display as he tore up the Maize and Blue. Campbell is someone who I feel like has an extremely high floor because he is in my opinion the best special teams player in this class as a return man, shows an ability to cover kicks as a gunner, and is physical as hell. He also is a world class athlete running a 4.31 with ridiculous quickness and he can go from second gear to fifth in a heartbeat. He also busted out a 40 inch vertical that he uses to go up and get the ball. He projects as a high end number two in the NFL, a great returner, and someone who could be a matchup nightmare in the slot.
As a receiver, Campbell has to make some strides, but he’s come a long way since he stepped foot on campus and didn’t catch a pass as a freshmen. It’s extremely difficult to grade out Ohio State receivers because they don’t run a traditional route tree, with almost all screens, drags, or deep routes and very few NFL concepts. Also teams typically can’t play man against Ohio State because of the crazy amount of speed so you see a ton of basis 2-man coverages. It will take him a year or two to develop a better route tree but he has the potential here. Right now as a route runner he’s below average, he rounds his routes off and off the line he takes false steps and is a beat late at times which is pretty frustrating on timing routes at the next level. His quickness and speed make that easily correctable at the next level though. His hands got better this past season than they were as a junior but he’s still not the most natural catcher, but it’s not a negative.
Where he thrives is getting the ball in space and letting him go to work. He has insane burst and top end speed and when he’s lined up in the slot and allowed to cross the field those chasers or linebackers in zone have zero shot of keeping up with him. Campbell pairs that with fairly good feel for zone coverage and sits down where he needs to, then after the catch he turns up field with unique burst and the field vision of a running back. He runs like a Golden Tate with elite speed, yeah I understand how that comparison is but damn think about that. As a returner he’s one of the best in country and it allows him to pick up a head of steam and go, he has good vision and could end up being a pro-bowler as a return man early in his career.
Two other things that Campbell gives you that others don’t is that he could be a top 3 blocking wide receiver in this class, and he covered kicks in college and showed that he has the mindset and team first attitude along with the toughness to do that job. Campbell puts pressure on the defense at all facets and makes people miss as well as anyone in the draft to go along with crazy speed. I went back and looked at how I graded DJ Moore and I gave him an 82 which was probably a tick low, and he ran a 4.42, Campbell is much faster with a bit better tape and more physicality. It would be scary for me to grab him in round 1 because he’s still not developed as a receiver and therefore year one could be tough for him in a role other than number 3 wide receiver and return man, but he has insane potential and toughness. He’s my number two wide receiver in this class and I have no problem with someone taking him Thursday night because it’s easy to see the appeal. One of my favorites.
31. JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR Stanford 86
He’s 6’3 and 225 pounds, is an insanely productive red-zone threat, with over 20 touchdowns in 3 seasons. He doesn’t gain a ton of separation but is a really smart at getting himself open on shorter routes. Down the field he is elite and his ability to box people out and come down with 50-50 balls is pretty much about 70-30 when he has an opportunity. He actually reminds me a bit of a poor man’s Deandre Hopkins and I underrated Hopkins coming out of school and wont’ make that mistake here. He looks more like Mike Williams though. The big difference is Hopkins’ physicality is insane and while Whiteside is exceptionally difficult to defend with smaller guys he doesn’t quite have that pop or power that Nuk has. That said, he’s a big physical wide-out who is smart, a very good blocker, elite in the red area and can make big plays down the field. He also takes a very long time to get up to full speed and his quickness isn’t very good. I think he’s a prototype #2 big wide receiver in the NFL.
Now look I don’t think he’s a true number one in the league but there is potential here. His physicality and savvy gets him open and creates yards after catch but he’s not going to be out-quicking anyone anytime soon. He is a good route runner though and sees coverage well but his lack of elite speed and quickness means his upside is somewhat capped. His blocking is good and his size plays a factor there, you can drop him down for duo blocks like a tight end and out in space he engulfs smaller defensive backs.
This evaluation seems pretty easy. He’s got a bit of Mike Williams in him and that it think is his likely outcome. He’s someone who will make some plays down the field, be a really difficult matchup in the redzone and help your team score points. He’s a good route runner but lacks the suddenness that you need to become an elite top tier number one prospect. I like him a lot as a 2nd round pick but would totally understand someone needing a big wide receiver to pair with a burner to take him toward the back of round 1. I also could see a team with red-zone problems trying to fix it with one pick, and Arcega-Whiteside has the potential to be that player. Good offensive weapon.
32. Noah Fant - TE Iowa 86
He’s a good player who is an athletic freak. Supposedly at Iowa he had a 42 inch vertical and set the school record in the 3 cone drill so there is a ton to work with here athletically. He produces as well with 19 touchdowns and is only 21 years old so there is tremendous upside. I’m interested to see what he runs at the combine because I think he has good speed but I don’t see someone who is a true burner down the field. He gets separation at times from good players though and can definitely run when he gets a head of steam, he’s definitely faster than quick though and it takes him a bit of time to wind down on his routes. Ultimately after a number of tapes and some breakdowns I think he's a borderline first round tight end who I would love to get in round two.
Fant projects to me as a quality starting tight end who could end up being a high end pass catcher in the league. He is more of a down the field tight end than a volume catcher because he has a couple issues with short throws that could plague him from being a Zach Ertz type player. Primarily he sometimes is a step late releasing from the line of scrimmage, allowing safeties to eat up the space they give him for his deep speed. Secondly, he doesn’t sit down early enough sometimes into zone coverage and constantly runs deep routes, even when he can see blitz coming. I doubt he turns into a volume catcher but that stuff can certainly be taught. His deep speed and long speed means he has a chance to make some big plays in the passing game at the next level though, particularly when he’s running deep crossing routes where he looks very difficult to handle.
As far as a blocker he has a long ways to go. He seems to have good length and desire to block well, particularly in space but he doesn’t have good strength at the point yet. He has the frame to turn into a really good blocker, and he works his tail off there but he doesn’t have that pop yet that you need to be a dominant blocker. In space he takes good angles and rarely misses out there but it looks more like a receiver blocking at times. When he’s asked to double or even pass protect he has good technique but doesn’t drive block anyone with much power. Right now he’s a pass catcher who has to block and not well rounded, but his effort is good and his length is a plus so he has a chance to develop.
Fant is a high quality prospect who I think could be a good intermediate and deep threat in the NFL. I don’t know if he’s ever a superstar but his upside is really high, and if he goes to a team who can utilize him in the passing game and develop him he could be a stud. There’s a lot of Eric Ebron to his game, where you could see some potential for big seasons but he’s not a perfect prospect at the spot. If he goes to a team that can utilize him, he has a good shot and he’s a long way from a finished product. Take him understanding his strengths of stretching the field and running deep intermediate routes, use him on the angle route, where he looks very strong, and get him in the weight room and you have a chance at a Pro-Bowler. Worst case you have a solid weapon in the pass game. Round 2 he’s a great get, end of round 1 I can understand it.
33. Taylor Rapp, S Washington 85
Maybe one of the ten safest picks in this entire draft is Taylor Rapp from Washington. There is very little that could happen that could make this kid not be a solid starting safety in the NFL from the word go. He does everything at an above average level, showing a tenacity to hit as well as cover and his diagnosing of plays is top notch. Rapp has made plays since the word go and he’s a rare safety who can play every single spot including guarding the slot that you’ll find. He’s athletic, instinctive, productive, and he flashes on tape. Really good football player.
You read everything I wrote in the top paragraph and you’re wondering why he’s not a 90+ player and I only have a borderline first round grade on the kid. The reason is he simply doesn’t have that top tier elite upside that other players at his position have. He has good size but it’s not great and he’ll take some punishment here and there as well. I also truly believe that his long speed isn’t that great and some burners might end up giving him problems in the league. His lack of 4.4 speed is what keeps him from being a superstar at the next level, but he’s going to be a really good starter.
In the run game he plays hard as hell and comes downhill as tough as anyone. He isn’t a perfect player here but he’s well above average and he thumps people. I don’t think he instates fear as much as Abram does but he will definitely punish you. The angles he takes are pretty good and as a box safety he’s a nice piece although I dont’ think you want him hanging out as a nickel linebacker too often. Very good open field tackler.
As a cover guy and in the pass game he’s versatile and tough. His size is only okay so some really top tier big tight end and big slots could cuase him some issues but it didn’t impact him a ton in college. He ended his career with 7 interceptions but his hands are only average as are his ball skills. When asked to play deep coverage he rarely gave up anything over his head which was his job there but I wish he was more aggressive attacking the football and taking better routes. He played sometimes like a centerfielder who was content to give up the single rather than taking a risk to make a diving catch. He can play 2 deep, slot-man, single high, or cover-3 low safety all in a single game. The versatility is the best part about his game.
Rapp is a good starting safety in the NFL immediately. He’s going to be a good player and he’s one of the highest floor guys in the 2019 draft. I personally think he’s the ideal second round draft pick. I don’t think his ceiling is the highest but he could be a top 12-16 safety in the league and he certainly won’t ever be a bottom 3rd of the league guy. He adds value in that he’s a superb gunner on special teams and it raises his floor even more. If someone takes him anywhere from 25 on they are getting an almost surefire guaranteed hit and it it’s your team that gets him just know you can pencil in an 8-10 year starter at either safety spot.
34. Irv Smith Jr, TE Alabama 85
Smith is a damn good football player with some upside and i think he should be considered in the back third of the first round in this draft. He has good speed for a tight end running in the low 4.6’s and shows that speed on tape. While he’s still very raw as a route runner he has pretty impressive quickness and shows some skill in this regard with wiggle and subtly to his routes. As a blocker he has done everything from fullback to inline to h-back to slot and while he doesn’t possess ideal power he is under control and uses high quality technique. He doesn’t generate a ton of movement but he very rarely misses.
Usually i’m going to start with pass catching wine it comes to tight ends but here I’m going to start as a blocker. I think Smith’s ability to be in position as a run blocker, particularly when he’s lined up in the H-back role is super high level. When he moves and comes across the formation he just doesn’t miss. It’s not that Smith drives people off the ball or flat backs them or something but he goes under control and gets his hands on guys and while it’s not perfect it’s so solid, and it’s consistent. He just does his damn job there. In-line he doesn’t have that elite strength you’d like but he can add that, and as a pass blocker while his anchor isn’t perfect he is in proper position and understands where his help is. Looks like he's been very well coached in this regard and if he can add some power to his game he can help immediately there.
As a pass catcher the thing that’s easiest to see on tape is how fast he is down the seem and when he gets to just run straight. His straight line speed is impressive for a tight end and while it’s not Noah Fant or Evan Engram it’s still well above average and he pops that big play ability, like when he averaged 17 yards per catch this season as a tight end. He also runs through contatct and traffic easily and isn’t bumped off his spot like some tight ends when they’re flexed out. He’s not a tremendous route runner yet as he’ll telegraph his breaks a bit and he chops too much when he tries to wind down his route, good safeties jump those routes. Smith has okay hands but he’s not someone who catches everything thrown his way. He also isn’t someone who gets a ton of YAC because he doesn’t have great short area quickness, he’s more of a catch and run guy because he doesn’t make a lot of people miss.
Overall he’s a really good prospect at the tight end position and is clearly one of the 3 good ones in this draft. He needs to add power as a blocker but he’s the best of the 3 in that regard right now by a ways as his technique and consistency play in and play out is phenomenal. He’s a big play threat and while he has a ton of room to grow in that regard and it may take him until year 2 or 3 the long term upside is certainly there for him to get better. I think he’s the furthest from an unfinished product but he has Pro-Bowl potential and at worst he’s a solid player in the league. He should be in play the last 8-10 picks of round 1.
35. Deebo Samuel, WR South Carolina 84
Samuel is going to be a dangerous NFL player and reminds me of Randall Cobb a bit with how he plays. He has tremendous vision with the ball in his hands, as good of vision as anyone in this class regardless of position. He’s an elite kick returner, runs 4.48 and plays fast as well, and was simply unguardable during the Senior Bowl week, he was one of the top 3 players there during that particular week. Samuel isn’t a perfect prospect by a ways but he’s clearly at worst a second round player in this year’s draft and someone who projects as a really good returner, slot man, and someone who can play on the outside at times because he has enough speed out there.
As a pure pass catcher and wide receiver he’s probably somewhere in the 3rd to 4th round grade. He’s got good quickness but his route running is only okay at this point, it will get better given time in the NFL but right now he’s not a tactician. He gets way too choppy coming out of breaks and it takes him 3 or 4 stutters to get off press. He also has a short catch radius and so his strike zone is too small for him to be an elite player there as he’s only got average hands. He has good speed but it’s not overwhelming and that coupled with potential but not elite hands and route running limit his wide receiver upside.
However, that’s about half the story with Deebo. He has excellent toughness and vision after the catch and while he isn’t overly elusive, he makes really subtle small cuts that allow him to keep his speed up which is why he’s so damn good as a kick returner. He also has the strength and power to fight for yards after the catch and despite only being around 5’11 he is 216 pounds and hard to bring down. His quickness is pretty good and you couple that with elite vision and some power and you get someone who can make plays after the catch. He’ll need to add some moves to his repertoire to create quicker separation at the next level but he’s gifted enough to do just that.
Samuel blocks hard as well, giving him some added help in the run game and he looks solid on end arounds and pop passes. He’ll add instant help in the return game as well as he is an elite kick returner. He’s had a serious history of hamstring problems that definitely will scare some teams off and likely will knock him down a peg or two on people’s boards because he hasn’t been consistently available and it’s a bit of a problem. He can’t go in the first round for me because he lacks size, has only okay hands, and has a ways to go as a route runner, but he could be a top tier slot man, an occasionally wide receiver, and an elite returner early on. Really good football player.
36. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S Florida 84
CGJ is a really good football player whose versatility and size give him an advantage over a lot of others at this position in the 2019 draft. At 210 pounds running a sub 4.5 he is a safety that can do everything, and was asked to do just that at Florida. CGJ played single high, zone, slot corner, outside, and in the box and showed an aptitude for each one. While he certainly played a lot of slot corner for the Gators, his ability to fire downhill and make plays to me shows he’s more a safety than a slot guy although his versatility is a plus. Gardner-Johnson looks like a top 40 graded player who could sneak into the end of round 1 but will likely be an early day 2 pick.
The thing that stands out to me when watching him play is that he makes big plays each game. Some games he’ll pull down interceptions, such as the Michigan bowl game where he simply turned the game around and then closed it out, and others he’ll create tackles for loss or bring pressure off the slot on blitzes. It’s fun to watch how he’ll impact the game and that speed and size combination allows defensive coordinators to use him in a variety of roles, he has a little bit of Tyrann Mathieu to his game coming out of LSU, just no idea where he’ll line up. He’s good as a single high guy and has that speed you want out of one of those players, but to me he looks better in the “Big-Nickel” role as your slot corner when you go 3 safeties and 2 corners.
In coverage he gives up a few completions as he’s a bit delayed in reacting to the ball. Most of those things aren’t down the field where he’s so comfortable with his burst he’ll bait quarterbacks and recover with ease. What he struggles with, primarily when playing off slot, is a false step when players cut in front of him, he gives up a number of 5-8 yard catches. In range he’s very good and as a nickel slot guy he’s solid as hell but he’s not a shutdown guy when it comes to man coverage. In zone i’d like to see him get a bit more depth in his drops as well as he can get his eyes caught in the backfield at times a bit and forget to get that proper drop. Overall though the range in his cover ability and the fact he can play inside or outside as a corner too is impressive. I don’t think he’s an elite top tier cover guy but he’s good and versatile.
As a run defender he’s not bad and his size is a plus. While his read and react skills are okay they don’t scream stud in the box safety. Gardner-Johnson blitzes frequently off the slot but runs into trouble more than finds the gaps to run through and he has potential there but needs development. I think he missed more tackles than he should have because like a lot of college safeties he comes in out of control too often. He wants to lay the lumber on you and shows that pop when he hits at times, but you look for consistency as a tackler and he’s more of a hitter than a tackler now.
Gardner-Johnson is a good player. He’s versatile, has plus speed and size, and also was a standout special teams player the year he played on all the coverage units. He can play single high, split safety, in the box, or in the slot and shows potential at all of those particular skills. I think he’s a bit stiff and a bit delayed at this point so he’ll give up some catches and super quick guys could give him problems but overall as a “nickel safety” or a slot guy he’s going to be a big plus and literally he should be on every team’s draft board. If someone took him in the late first round I could totally understand it and in round 2 I think no joke he would be a solid pick for every single team because well, he can play everywhere. He won’t be a miss.
37. Brian Burns, Edge Florida State 84
I like Burns and his combine numbers combined with great length and quickness give him a chance to be a very high end situational player at the NFL level. Burns was quiet his first few years at FSU but burst onto the scene this past year with 10 sack and a first team all ACC season. He flashes tremendous potential and he’s 6’5 with 34 inch arms at 249 pounds, and runs a 4.53 40. Burns has good bend around the corner and shows athleticism that you simply can’t teach. That said he’s not going to be much of a factor against the run and while he came to the combine at 249 pounds, he looks like he played a lot closer to 229 than 249 at FSU. Burns is a quality rotational pass rusher with the chops and athleticism to drop into coverage and cause problems there too. He’s a 34 outside linebacker who you can bring down on sub packages.
As a pass rusher Burns has great potential. He has good length, really good initial quickness, straight line speed to get to backside blitzes, and nice bend. This past season he recorded 10 sacks and numerous pressures and looked the part of an elite level pass rusher. He mixes up his pass rush moves fairly well, typically using an inside swim or a stutter and inside move to get most of his production. It’s a good strategy because tackles have to be aware of how fast he can get the edge on you. Those two moves themselves as counters are plenty good to cause problems. At times he struggles to counter and come up with a secondary rush if his first one gets stalled though, and the lack of pop means he likely won’t transition ever to a simple bull rusher. He’s a good speed rusher with length and that’s pretty damn valuable.
As a run defender he leaves a lot to be desired. He has tremendous length but simply lacks the power and play strength to make much of an impact there. Tight ends block him fairly easily in running downs and while he’ll try to maintain gap integrity he can get pushed off the ball fairly easily. He has the play speed to chase plays down but doesn’t do it with regularity and dances down the line when crashing down instead of powering down and hammering people. He’s a drag down tackler as an edge player and I’m not fond of that. Right now he’s below average as a run defender to put it mildly.
I think Burns athleticism and upside certainly put him in the mix for a day 1 pick, however there are a handful of things that to me make him a second rounder in this particular draft. First, I don’t like drafting guys who have deficiencies like Burns in the first unless their strengths are phenomenal. Second, this is an exceptionally deep draft for pass rushers and so you don’t need to reach for someone with said deficiency. Third, he only had one real year of productivity. And finally while he is darn good at what he does, some of the things you like from him like the 40 time and 7.03 short shuttle are great times and show potential but he was only dropping in coverage here and there and it wasn’t common. His awareness of plays looks to be very good too as you’ll see him moving linemen around and bringing linebackers over when he recognizes stuff pre-snap. His rookie year looks like a modified red-shirt and I don’t love those guys in the first. As a second round pick he’s a good one because even if all he ends up being is a dynamic pass rusher and underneath zone cover guy that’s worth it. Good potential but needs strength and a bit of pop to his game for me to grab him in the first.
38. Germaine Pratt, LB NC State 84
A dude who played free safety for two seasons before turning into a linebacker who ended up with triple digit tackles, 6 sacks, and was a first team all conference player. Watching his tape this is one of my four or five dudes from this year’s class that I think is comically underrated by draft pundits, I think he is a borderline first round kid and when he figures it out he could be a pro-bowl caliber player He obviously needs time to figure out the position but his production in one season was astounding and he goes to the combine and runs 4.57 as well. He’s a super intriguing prospect who some people have as a day 3 kid but I simply don’t think with his upside that he makes it that far. Guys who can cover tight ends and can rush the passer like he can are difficult to find and he’s a matchup chess piece that a DC is going to beg for on Friday night of the draft (Day 2.)
Pratt has good size and speed at 6’2 242 and he runs in that 4.57 range which is very good for a linebacker. He was asked to do a variety of things for NC State as a linebacker including covering the slot, dropping into zone, carrying running backs, rushing up the middle and off the edge, etc. He showed good ability to literally do all of those things. The guys who say he struggles to read his keys or get off blocks quite honestly were watching different tape than what i was. He will kind of hesitate to read blocking concepts at the point of attack, particularly pulls and traps but that will come with time and is easy to fix with experience. He only has one year as a starting off ball linebacker and it will take time but the jump he made this past season was extraordinary.
As a coverage guy is where he can give you a lot as well. He was asked to cover the slot pretty frequently, matching up with high quality slot guys in the ACC and while he wasn’t perfect in coverage he more than held his own considering what was happening. He isn’t afraid to cover running backs and his wrap up and finish tackling style is much more suited to the NFL than you’ll see from most players. He’s not super strong so he can get blocked here and there but overall he’s solid in this attribute and he doesn’t back down and allow himself to be blocked so he’s in on more plays than others. He doesn’t give up a ton after the catch.
As a blitzer he provides you with a ton. It looks like he just naturally sees the game as a pass rusher and his explosion and take down skills are top tier. While he doesn’t have the natural bend you’d see from a traditional outside linebacker or edge guy as he plays a bit too upright, he has some slipperiness as a rusher that’s hard to coach. He times up the blitz as well as any traditional LB in this class and he’ll be productive on 3rd down in the league.
Overall this might be my DUDE for this year’s class. I just believe he’s going to be a stud in the league and the sky is the limit. While he’s not refined and has a ways to go, he’s a damn good tackler, a great blitzer, shows plus skills in zone coverage and can match up with tight ends and running backs. People have him rated way too low in the draft, he should be taken super early on day 2 at the worst but as he falls some GM is getting a steal and a potential star in the making. Man crush.
39. Nasir Adderley, S Delaware 84
A guy I had my eye on as a sleeper early in the process is a sleeper no more and is generating first round buzz. Adderley went to the Senior Bowl week and put on a show, particularly in the game where he showed he was simply better than most people there. Adderly went to a small school but has big boy game and projects as a starting safety early, even from a lesser level of competition. He started all four years for Delaware and while his recognition skills aren’t great, he makes up for it with good athleticism, ball skills, and man cover ability. He also was a solid stat stuffer in his time for the Hens, with over 260 tackles in four seasons, 22 PBU, and 11 INT. While he’s not a perfect prospect he looks the part of a guy with good solid upside and someone who showed out against top tier competition.
Some of the negatives with Adderley start with his recognition skills, which aren’t quite at the level they should be with his amount of starts. That said, players at his level, and quite frankly during the Senior Bowl couldn’t shake him when he was in man coverage. His ball skills are probably the best of any safety in this class and he looks like he plays the ball as a wide receiver does. He doesn’t find it when he loses it initial as well as you’d like but he’s good there. As a tackler, he’s more of a drag down guy and is certainly not a thumper, but you don’t find players with 250 tackles coming out of college often, particularly from the DB position.
At 6’0 and around 205 pounds he has really solid size and his speed looks better than average for the position. I don’t know if he’s a truly elite athlete and I really wanted to see his testing numbers at the combine but it’s safe to say he has plenty of size and speed. I like how he attacks the football and I think he looks really comfortable playing the slot, particularly around the goal-line. While I sort of poo-poo PFF stats, they did give him the highest coverage grade of any safety in this class, and I’m not sure if i’m quite there with them, he certainly has skills here and potential.
Adderley is a stat stuffing guy with good potential and his ability to cover is already plus. I think you might have to live with him biting on play fakes and play action at times because he wants to put his nose down there and jump routes, it’s just what he does. There will be some blown assignments as he’s aggressive but he’ll make a lot of plays on the football as well. While he’s not a thumper he’s a decent tackler. Adderley provides good upside and the potential for him to make big plays and shows above average man cover ability for a free safety. There’s a bit more bust potential from him but I seriously doubt it, I would like him so much more if I can get him in round 2 and feel like that fit and risk/reward is ideal for his potential.
40. Dre’Mont Jones, DL Ohio State 84
It’s interesting when I watch Jones because there are some plays that make you go wow, he has ridiculous potential. There are other plays where a single guy blocks him four yards off the ball and he gives up a huge running lane. I think for me you have to understand what you have here and figure out how to incorporate him into a scheme because if you can figure out how to unleash him and use his positives you could find a stud, but you need to take the good with the bad. He’s a lot like a quarterback who can make every wow throw in the book but then can airmail a wide open guy for a pick to the safety. Take the good with the bad and put him in a position to accentuate his talent and you could have a really good piece along your defensive front.
Jones is a long athlete at 6’3 285 pounds with almost 34 inch arms. He looks most comfortable playing a 3 technique and simply popping out of his stance to beat guards and centers into the backfield. Most of his productivity came with that initial get off of the snap where he simply out quicks the guy off the ball and gets into the backfield in a snap. He stands straight up sometimes to make this happen which leads to the bad reps that you’ll see sometimes but he definitely cause havoc when he guesses right and times the snap up. His quickness and length will make him an interior problem in some games but you also can see him get nullified by other quick players. He doesn’t collapse the pocket and his bullrush isn’t good yet.
As a run defender he’s not there. He doesn’t have the lower body pop to control his gaps and his length while a positive as a pass rusher leaves him standing straight up and playing without proper leverage too often as a run defender. In fact early in his career I seriously doubt he can hold up inside as a starter unless you move him out to a 5 technique in a 34 defense or a base 43 end. There just ins’t much pop or proper leverage to his game as a run defender and while he’ll make a splash play behind the line here and there, he’ll also get popped off the ball and lose containment.
Jones is a really interesting developmental prospect for me though for a number of reasons. He is first off the snap so damn often that he can make game changing or drive ending plays. His combination of initial quickness and length is pretty impressive and there’s a chance for him to be a really productive linemen. He also only played 2 years of football in high school so he’s still raw and you can see some of that in his technique and fundamentals. He’s a good hand fighter already though so if you can add weight to his lower half while keeping that pop he’s got a shot. I actually think he has a shot to be a good 5 technique in the league with that length to set the edge and some 3 technique on rushing downs. He’s not close to his ceiling yet so he’s productive already with a shot to be a really good pro later. I think i’d much rather have him in round 2 than in round 1 but for a team with a plan or who needs an interior pass rusher or a splash player to develop I could see that rating. He’s got a shot to be a good one and at worst he’s a really athletic interior rusher who times the snap as well as anyone on the inside in this draft class. I did a lot of these write-ups before the combine and his 7.71 3 cone actually really surprised me in a bad way as well, he looks super quick on tape and that time didn’t change his grade really but it did slightly make me wonder if that quickness on tape was just slower interior big 10 linemen he was abusing?
41. Charles Omenihu, DE Texas 84
Maybe my favorite player of the 2019 draft in terms of where I have him ranked vs everyone else. He could be my stand on the table and pound it dude. He’s 6’5 280 with 36 inch arms and shows some serious explosion, his 36 inch vertical at the combine wasn’t a fluke. When he simply is asked to just get upfield and make plays he’s a dynamic type athlete. He played 5 technique on most snaps this past year with Texas and certainly has the length to play there, but to me there’s a shot he’s a base 43 end who can kick inside on pass downs, but I think I stick him outside as a 43 base and let him go to work. I don’t know if he’s a 10 sack per year guy because he’s a bit mechanical and he doesn’t really have a secondary counter yet, but his combination of length, explosion, and pop means that he’s someone that should come off the board in round two and i wouldn’t even hate a late first round pick for him.
Omenihu’s tape was really good, I’m super confused why he’s so far down the board in this draft class. He was excellent this past season, creating a ton of pressures, and finishing with 18 tackles for loss and almost 10 sacks. The thing that impressed me though was he did that work while working almost exclusively against double teams inside so it shows he has some pop and flash to his game that most interior rushers don’t have. When he was lined up outside at the Senior Bowl he flashed some of his potential as a 7technique and it really brought his tape up once again for me. During the game he jumped off the screen numerous times.
As a pass rusher it’s pretty obvious what he could be. He gets upfield with a better than average first step and those long arms allow him to get into the body of tackles and shuck them when he can get them off balance. He does a good job of getting to the edge of interior players too and slices in to create havoc. While Omenihu is not a refined pass rusher and needs a better plan of attack, he’s a smart kid who looks coachable and adaptable which means I think there’s a shot here of a good line coach turning him into a dynamic pass rusher.
For run defense he’s much better suited to playing outside in a 43 but that length gives him a shot to hold up as a 34 defensive end if you needed him to do so. I think he’s sets a solid edge for a 43 DE and while he’s not super great at finding the football yet, and I don’t think he’ll ever be a volume tackler for a defensive linemen, he does hold the point fairly well. Again a lot of this was trying to translate into the league because i firmly believe he was playing out of position on the Longhorns’ defense. An NFL weight room for leg power and getting some sand in his shots will do him wonders.
He has good tape already, went to the Senior Bowl and played damn well in the game. His length and ability to get downhill are already exceptional and while he needs some coaching and a year to develop most likely by year two or three you could be looking at a really quality starting NFL end. The versatility to play inside on pass rush downs and outside on early or late downs is simply a plus for me. I think he’s substantially underrated and if I ran a 43 team and needed a pass rusher and missed in round 1, he’d be my pick in round 2.
42. Anthony Nelson, DE Iowa 84
I think Nelson is one of those sleeper picks in this draft who could end up being a really good productive NFL player. I’m doing this write-up and final analysis in early march and had a good idea of where I wanted to grade him out and his combine numbers showed what he’s capable of on tape. I could see this kid eventually ending up with a double digit sack season and people wondering where it came from but if I’m a team looking for an upside pick with some legitimate potential and a good motor for a pass rusher, Nelson could be that guy you grab. I’m a huge fan of his game and as a 6’7 270 pound guy who has that SUPER important sub 7.00 3 cone score with really long arms, I want him on my team. I have a round 2 grade on him and I’m very comfortable if my 43 team takes him there.
I get that there are some negatives here when you watch his tape. His pass rush and speed to power isn’t great at this point. He doesn’t jar people at the line and therefore some stronger tackles in the NFL will probably give him problems. I’m sure someone will wanna kick him inside on pass rush downs his first couple of years in the league but he doesn’t have that power there and if a team runs on him inside as a 3 technique he’ll get mauled. He stands straight up on run plays at times trying to be aware and find the football, which makes him very good at making plays but also allows him to give up leverage and allows run lanes. His pass rush isn’t varied yet and his counters are only so so.
Okay those are all the negatives from his game and legitimately every single one of them is correctable which is why I like this kid so much. He is really quick, 6’7 with 35 inch arms, and has tremendous awareness to make plays. He gets his hands in passing lanes with frequency and bats down or effects a lot of throws at the line. Nelson’s football IQ is really high and he shows it, commonly taking out two or three blockers to allow stunts and delays to work to free up his teammates for sacks. Nelson finds the football as well as any defensive end in this draft class and he’ll make tackles that other ends won’t make because of it. He’ll fire his gun and make plays in the backfield and his explosiveness and length means his upside is tremendous.
I could see him by year 2 or 3 becoming a double digit sack guy who gets a number of passes defensed and tackles for loss. He has that type of upside. His quickness and length can’t be taught and his ability to find the football is super good. I hate that he stands up so much on run downs but that can be taught as can adding strength and power to his game over the next couple of seasons. His potential is high, his motor is good, and his twitchiness for an athlete his size is impressive. Give me Nelson all day if I’m a 43 team in need of an edge rusher. One of those guys that I’m circling on day 2 and pounding the table for.
43. Kyler Murray, QB Oklahoma 83
He has tremendous upside, won the Heisman trophy, and is an absolute freak athlete. He probably runs somewhere under 4.4 and has rare athleticism and physical gifts. Murray has a quick release and is accurate in the pocket and on the run. He was surrounded with elite talent at Oklahoma, with a star receiver, and 4 linemen who are going to get drafted in front of him. Murray also is around 5’10 and 185 pounds, he weighed in at 207 at the combine but there is absolutely no way that he played at that weight. His size is a legit factor in that he would be by far the smallest quarterback in the NFL as a starter. He also only has one year as a starting quarterback, but it was a damn impressive year.
The biggest knock on Murray that I have now though is that he looks like he lacks the quarterback leadership and intangibles needed to be a long term super successful NFL starter. His whiteboards at the combine were supposedly awful and honestly listening to him talk I worry about his football IQ and his interviews to the media were atrocious. That is a major thing in the league is that the quarterback has to be the leader and has to be seen as someone who can control those things, he just doesn’t have that from what I’ve seen. He’s very likely to go number 1 overall but to me I couldn’t risk my job or my career on picking Murray as a top 10 quarterback. I think as a late first round pick you can take that risk because that speed and arm talent is undeniable but he’s not a top 10 quarterback.
As a thrower there are some big high marks for Murray. I like that he has the ability to throw on the move and honestly there are times he looks like an outfielder or a shortstop out there which makes sense as he was the 9th overall pick in the MLB draft. He can change trajectories and he made some deep out throws with anticipation and touch that were really impressive. He has a good arm and can add some steam on it when necessary. He’s accurate but I’m not going to give him a 10 in this category he’s more in the 7 or 8 range. The throws he made at OU were typically wide open and he had all damn day to make throws. He also had Hollywood Brown, Calcuterra, and the guy I think might be a first rounder next year in Lamb as weapons.
Where he adds the most value is I his ability to run. His quickness is insane to watch on tape as he gets from first to fifth gear in a heartbeat. He also has that angle-less speed where he’ll get to the edge on you even when you have the angle to beat him to the spot. It’s crazy impressive. He also uses it way too much and on third down he looks to run before he looks to throw at this point, that coupled with the fact that he lacks the power to break any tackles and that he always sprints to the sideline hurts a bit but he’s crazy fast. He really needs to work hard on keeping his eyes downfield though, as he looks to run and lowers his head way too quick.
He’s an exceptional athlete who happens to play quarterback right now. He would not be a top 10 pick if I were drafting and to be honest I wouldn’t risk my job on him. If Murray ends up being a 15 year star in the NFL then okay but I’m not risking it on him. If i were Arizona at number one I would try hard to trade back or I’d draft Nick Bosa and build around Rosen. That said he is ideal for Kingsbury’s offense and it may work, but to me he’s a 2nd round grade quarterback which means with position importance he should go somewhere in the back third of the first round, not number one overall.
44. AJ Brown, WR Ole Miss 83
Brown to me has a super easy comparison and it’s Golden Tate. He isn’t quite as good with the ball in his hands as Tate is after the catch but Tate wasn’t build quite like Brown either so it’s as good of a comp as you can get. Brown ran a 4.48 at the combine but he doesn’t really play at that speed, so at 6’0 and 226 pounds he’s built like a running back and plays the wide receiver position just like one. While the speed says might be able to play outside in the league he played almost exclusively from the slot which is where he’ll end up in the NFL. He has good short area quickness, tremendous strength, and he’s better after the catch with physicality than any receiver in this class. Brown blocks well and with a purpose, and he sells his routes on plays that are away from him to keep his side clear. He has an early second round grade because it’s tough to give slot guys first round pedigree but he’s as good of a slot receiver as you’ll find and could end up being a high volume receiver in the NFL.
Brown likely won’t end up with a very high yards per catch average in the league because he’s not very elusive and while he’s built like a complete monster he doesn’t make many people miss. Brown uses power as a runner to gain extra yards and that’s where his value lies after the catch. He has great feel in zone coverage and his short area route running is good, although I think it’s not as good as you’d hope. Better athletes than him give him some issues and he’s not someone who is simply always going to be open. He can dance a little bit on routes at the top and it can cause those plays to take a tick longer than other receivers. His build up speed isn’t bad though so on shallow crosses he can pull away from defenders and create late separation.
He has some concentration drops here and there but for the most part he’s a solid pass catcher. Contested catches don’t give him a problem at all and he tracks the ball well as a former stud baseball player. Overall he projects as a good physical slot receiver who will help you in the run game, make a lot of underneath catches and help you move the sticks. He needs to get a bit more fluid with his down field routes and if he could add some moves after the catch instead of just physicality it would help him. Good player who should go in the second round.
45. Jace Sternberger - TE Texas A&M 83
This kid is a starting tight end in the league and I think he’s being severely undervalued in this draft. I don’t know if he really does anything exceptionally well but he’s certainly one of the more well rounded players at this position and he’s above average at everything. Adding strength as an in-line blocker will help him at the next level and he’s one of those guys that could certainly emerge and get better as he goes. He looks like a solid second round tight end and he should be in the conversation as the first guy off the board after the “big 3” in this draft class. To be honest in my opinion he is better than Hockenson and I have him rated as such although I think everyone is going to say I’m insane, but that’s what this is for. This is one of my dudes.
Where he’ll be a good player in the NFL is as a route runner coming out of the slot or down the seam. He doesn’t have elite athleticism but he’s savvy and snatches the ball, creating separation easily despite not running by anyone. He’s not heavy footed though and he gets in and out of breaks well. He’s slippery as a runner and while he won’t stiff arm anyone to death he gets off tackles fairly well. Sternberger is better down the field and he’s not perfect through contact but he looks like he’ll be better than most at those intermediate throws that tight ends make their money at catching. Sternberger is a guy who can easily be a 50 catch or more guy in the league.
As a blocker I think he’s underrated. He certainly needs to add strength and weight to get better as he lacks the pop necessary to be great in this regard at the next level but he has the will. He can certainly lunge and get out of position at the second level and miss some blocks but he hits more than he misses and looks solid in pass protection. He understands leverage and is good on chips. As a move blocker he looks more solid and does a decent job in zone blocking schemes although I wish he would hold on his initial block more before heading to the second level. He’s still raw here but where others see a flaw I see potential and some solid plays. He’s better than given credit for here.
Overall he’s a starting tight end in the league by year 2 or 3. He is a very good intermediate route runner who catches the ball well and creates separation. As a blocker he’s willing and can put forth the effort in the run game and in the passing game. The issue here is he really needs to add 10-15 pounds of muscle because right now he lacks that play strength you need but it’s an easy remedy. Sternberger doesn’t break a ton of tackles with strength or quickness but shows a savvy here to get some yards after the catch and the production to tie with it. His upside isn’t super high but he looks like a tight end who can help you and If given time to develop should be a starting level guy before his first contract is up.
46. Trayvon Mullen, CB Clemson 83
One of the guys from this draft class I really like is Mullen from Clemson. He’s long, he’s a good athlete, he has 4.46 speed and he doesn’t give up the big play. I think he’s your prototype number 2 cornerback in the NFL with upside as a number one and while there is a significant drop off between the top 3 Corners in this draft, I believe Mullen is the 4th best corner prospect and is the leader of the second tier. One corner every year ends up really good by his second or third season and I think I would bet on the Tiger alum to be that guy this season.
He’s not without faults, at 6’1 and around 195 pounds he’s not built super well and while scouts don’t worry about his run support I think he’s average here currently at best. It’s not that he doesn’t give good effort and he’s a decent tackler but he still doesn’t get off blocks well and he struggles to get through a lot of bodies. He’s not natural finding his way through alley’s to make plays but he’s pretty good once he gets there, it’s not a strength but it’s not necessarily a weakness either, just okay in this regard. He also can have a bit of a tough time finding the ball when his back is to the quarterback and he will give up some underneath throws, but not many. His press style and quick bail without worrying about getting beat allows him to jump routes once he recognizes it. He’s not ideal there in terms of keying on the qb or route combinations but he’s good enough and has good burst to close once he does make recognition. He’ll give up a bit of space at times but he’s consistently above average here. Also his ball production at Clemson wasn’t great but honesty he wasn’t targeted much, he was a top 100 overall prospect out of high school and was a superstar receiver so I don’t worry about his hands and think that’s overblown.
His size is a real factor as he’s a legit 6’1 and likes to play press. He has played a variety of coverages and different types of zones throughout his time in Happy Valley and scheme fit won’t be a problem. I do think he is much better in man as I worry about his proper depth in zone on occasion. The biggest thing i enjoy about watching him play though is guys simply don’t beat him deep, he rarely if ever gives up anything big and he keeps guys in front of him. I love his trail down the field and he’ll fight you all the way. He didn’t give up a touchdown this season and his coverage analytics grades were all plus. Mullen is simply solid as hell.
I don’t think he’s a superstar in the making as he simply isn’t super productive and while he’s good at reading routes he’s not elite. His teammates and coaches love him, which always helps in evaluations too. I also think he’s only okay against the run and I worry a bit about his lower half being thin. That said he’s a starting corner in the league and I think he’s an ideal number 2 corner. His upside is of a number 1 though and for teams that value guys who don’t give up the big play and have that prototype H/W/S Mullen is an ideal fit. He’s not a first round guy but early on day 2 he should be a target and I doubt he makes it out of the top 50.
47. TJ Hockenson, TE Iowa 83
I think this kid projects as a quality starting tight end in the league and yet everyone else thinks he’s a superstar. These are the hardest ones for me to talk about because everything I say people are going to say I’m a “hater” even though I’m not. I believe Hockenson projects as an above average starting tight end in the league but I don’t think he’s a perennial All-Pro or six or seven time Pro-Bowler like he’s being pegged. He has good athleticism and size at 6’5 250 with a 4.70 and 37 inch vertical. He’s a pretty natural catcher of the football although he struggles at times to high point it like you’d like and he works his tail off as a blocker. He’s a good football player who might get picked in the top 10 but should get picked around pick 40, unfortunately he’s an overrated one for me in this class.
As a pass catcher everyone thinks he’s going to be a very good one. He gets compared frequently to Travis Kelce and a former Hawkeye alum George Kittle. I can see flashes of these guys but seriously Kittle ran 4.53 and Kelce ran 4.63 but at his pro-day and in the spring ran in the 4.55 range. Both of them are much faster than Hockenson. He runs solid routes but he oversells his moves and doesn’t create natural separation. He has decent feel for zone and does a good job when he’s the hot route of getting his head around quickly. Most of his caches were in the design of the offense not because he was dominating his opponent. As a receiver he looks like a solid player but he’s not elite and I don’t think he will be at the next level.
As a blocker he’s just oversold as being this dominant player. Yes he can make solid blocks at times and he certainly puts forth the effort but he’s decent not great. Good players push him back and he lacks anchor right now in pass protection. He’ll get too busy and too aggressive with run blocks and will miss in the open field or get going too fast and miss easy blocks that he should make. When asked to come around he doesn’t look like he possesses the power you would want from an elite blocking tight end. He works hard and I think he’s okay here, but the idea that he’s some can’t miss stud blocking tight end is probably the most oversold thing in this draft.
This entire writeup sounds like I’m bashing on the kid and I’m 100%. It’s just there are people saying he could go as high as number 8 overall to Detroit and it’s just not something that should be considered. He’s a very good athlete and was productive this past season for Iowa but he still averaged less than 4 catches per game and when lined up against Jonathan Abram in the bowl game it was pretty clear Abram was the better player. He’s a nice solid piece and I think he’d be a good second round draft pick at tight end. He’s a safe player and a good one, but top 10 picks and even top 16 picks are reserved for studs or quarterbacks and he’s quite frankly neither.
48. Jaylon Ferguson, Edge Louisiana Tech 83
I like Ferguson and think he fits squarely into the middle of the 2nd round. He’s an extremely productive edge rusher, setting the FBS record with 45 sacks, and his ability to play either 43 end or 34 outside linebacker means that no scheme is out of bounds for him. He has good burst to get around the edge, has enough counters and polish to get sacks other players might not get, and has just enough power and stamina to get some dirty sacks weaker players can’t. I think his upside isn’t as high as some of the other edge rushers in this class but he’s a solid guy who I believe will be a good edge starter in the NFL.
Ferguson’s pass rushing moves and productivity are very sound. He’s got good lenght and a nice first step to get the edge, particularly when he’s rushing mediocre athletes on the right side. He sets up his moves like a boxer, lulling them with inside moves and bull rushes until 3rd and long comes around where he gets the edge and creates havoc. Ferguson has some counter moves, but in the NFL they are considered average at best and he’ll likely need some refinement to his game. I don’t think he has pure explosion or athleticism to consistnetly win with speed in the NFL and his power is below average for a true end but they are improving. I don’t think he’s an elite NFL pass rusher but he projects to be good and I think he will apply good solid pressure throughout his career.
He was productive as a run defender as well but here in the NFL I think he will be average at best. He doesn’t have a great tackle radius and his play speed from the backside isn’t very good. Ferguson isn’t bad here but his power and strength to set an edge is below average despite good length and his normal foot speed is just sort of robotic and not fluid. I dont’ think he’s going to be a liability here but the lack of explosion and power means that he will simply be another guy as a run defender until he can improve strength.
He’s a nice solid second round option in a draft that is full of pass rushers unfortunately for him. In a lot of drafts I could see him being in the first round conversation for a number of teams because of productivity, length, and some potential to be an above average pass rusher in the league. However, there are so many damn good rushers in this class he falls to round two which is a blessing for whichever team grabs him there. He has the potential to play edge in a 43 or OLB in a 34 and while not asked to drop and cover often at La Tech I bet it’s in his skill set. I think he’s solid if unspectacular and every time i watched him i thought there’s a nice day 2 pick for someone, I think I wrote it down 4 times during my evaluation process. He’s a good quality solid B graded prospect.
49. Juan Thornhill, DB Virginia 83
Crazy productive safety from Virginia who I list as a DB because I could see a team moving him back to corner in the NFL. He had 13 interceptions and 27 pass breakups in the past 3 seasons, that’s an absurd total and those ball skills immediately move him up everyone’s draft board. In today’s NFL it’s so difficult to stop opposing offenses that every team in the league is searching for dudes who create turnovers, and that’s what the freaky athlete Thornhill does at an extremely high level. Pair that with plus speed at 4.42 and insane athleticism that 44 inch vertical and 141 inch broad jump and you have someone who is going to be on everyone’s radar starting at the end of round 1.
He’s not just a ballhawk either, as Thornhill had 98 tackles this past season. At 6’0 and 205 pounds with 31 inch arms he has top tier H/W/S and while it’s not 10/10 it’s about 9/10 to show you what you’re working with in terms of size and athleticism. That said he played in the box a decent amount this season and he certainly has a ways to go as a tackler. Thornhill is a dive-bomber going for people’s ankles more often than not and he misses his fair share of tackles. He takes strange angles to the football and typically won’t take on blockers or create pile ups as pulling guards and players he’ll essentially try to ole’ instead of going for their ankles and creating havoc as you should. He’s just an average to below average tackler and run defender at this point.
In coverage he’s very good and instinctive. He looks more comfortable just simply playing man to man rather than zone at this point. I like watching him shadow and wait with his approach there, baiting guys into throws and undercutting routes. Thornhill looks like he trusts his athleticism and his feet to get himself back into position while he waits to pounce. As a zone safety I don’t think he quite 100% trusts his keys and his reads yet and he’ll shoot his gun too early and get a bit out of position. He has high upside because his potential here is really solid because his cover skills and ball skills are really good but he’s going to give some stuff up early in his career at safety.
Overall he was a super difficult evaluation. You can see the skills and the ability but you can tell he hasn’t played a ton at safety because his angles weren’t good this season. His tackling, while he put up big numbers there, wasn’t very good, and he’ll miss guys in the open field. I also think he gives up some underneath catches and finds himself out of position or a step or two late because he’s still young at safety. I think he’ll grow into a better player and by year 2 or 3 he could be one of the two or three best safeties in this draft class. He’s a perfect round 2 pick because he has a solid floor of at least a safety/corner hybrid who has good ball skills and instincts, but a ceiling that is legit top 2 or 3 in the class. He could fit every team in the draft as well. I may even have him rated a little low but I just couldn’t jump fully on board with the tape this year, but he’s at least a 2nd round grade for me.
Just as an aside on him, I really had a hard time with this evaluation because there is so much to like. If I was torn between a couple of safeties and I needed one in round 2 and my DB coach or DC wanted him it would be easy to convince me, I just don’t have that gut feeling watching his film that he’s better than some of the others clearly, maybe one of the 5 toughest evals for me in this class.
50. Jachai Polite, Edge Florida 83
Looks like a good 34 outside linebacker to me. He’s got a good burst but not completely elite. His closing speed is good and he looks like he wants to be a speed rusher. Slower tackles in the NFL might get beat occasionally with his pure speed rush. His inside spin move needs some work but he utilized it well in the game against LSU for a sack. Good motor, stays consistent with it and does a nice job of washing down the line in the run game. I liked his recognition skills as well, he notices screen and counter run plays pretty darn well from being on the edge. Almost never played with his hand in the dirt, always in a 2 point stance.
Gets stood up in the run game or with a good solid punch and it stops him in his tracks. There will be a number of plays where he won’t be a factor, that’s normal but means he likely doesn’t have that elite trait of consistent domination. He flashes good solid potential but needs something good to counter the speed rush, rarely bull-rushes and when he does it’s relatively ineffective.
In the run game it’s solid but not spectacular. He doesn’t disengage and get off blocks well when he gets someone who square him up. There isn’t going to be a ton of plays that he makes by himself in the run game but he plays with good leverage and allows his linebackers to fill, unless he’s trying to make a play where he jumps inside or is rushing up the field he almost always plays with correct shoulder outside technique and it means that Florida didn’t usually give up many big running plays to his side. He’s a good tackler when he’s in space or washing down the line as well. Only saw him drop into coverage a few times but looks like a good athlete who could learn how to do that. He may have to as a speed rusher in the league as a 34 outside linebacker.
He’s a good player, and plays with a lot of energy. Polite chases plays down all over the field and works his tail off when he’s on the field. He has really good awareness on the field, getting his hands up consistently when he can’t get home. In the Missouri game he showed some flashes of being able To drop into zones as well in coverage and he looked pretty comfortable there despite that not being natural for him. He’s talented, has a good burst as a speed rusher, was very productive this season with 11 sacks, and plays his tail off. I think his football instincts and awareness are really high and couple that with good athleticism, quickness, and the fact this was his first full time season and you have someone who could ascend by year two or three in the league. I like him as a back end of the first round talent but I’d prefer for him to go in the second round because he’s not quite elite yet. Needs to add some play strength and needs to work on a secondary move and disengaging from blocks but he’s a good one with potential to get even better. He was one of my first evaluations I did all season and the combine interview process knocked him down for me. Heard it was awful and that stuff terrifies me. He was very close to a first rounder on my board now he has to go in the 2nd or 3rd. If my scouts and interviews with him are below average i wouldn't draft him.
51. Drew Lock, QB Missouri 82
A very difficult evaluation for a quarterback is Missouri’s Drew Lock. He is tough as hell, has prototypical arm strength and size, and moves extremely well. He is the most talented all around quarterback in terms of throwing, size, and running ability in this draft. Lock makes more wow throws than any quarterback in the class and pairs it with toughness in the pocket and a plus ability to run for first downs or touchdowns. He also is inaccurate at times, lacks precision on crossing routes, and has poor mechanics due to being behind a poor offensive line. Overall he looks like he could be a starting quarterback in the league with legit upside, but he’ll need time to develop better footwork and mechanics before he can take over.
As a passer Lock is further along than most in terms of reading coverages. He gets off his first read well and when given time is accurate and deadly. His throws have tremendous zip when he needs them to and he can drive the ball into tight windows, which means he can score more touchdowns in the redzone. The two point conversion throw against Georgia was crazy, super tight window and he dialed up a fastball. He can challenge every inch of a field and make a defense cover every piece of turf. He struggles on crossing routes or underneath throws though and he’ll limit his receivers YAC at the next level because he throws behind or one hops them too often, he just misses too many cupcake throws at this point. A lot of evaluators say he’s inaccurate but I think a ton of that is looking at simple completion percentage, he had an insane amount of drops in the tapes that i watched from his team, they rarely gained separation either so he was making a lot of tight window throws. No, he’s not the most precise thrower, but he’s better than he’s given credit for.
As far as pocket presence he’s not bad but against top tier competition he struggles a bit. Missouri could be overwhelmed by attacking defenses and he would struggle sometimes to get rid of the ball quickly enough and his footwork and throwing platform would cause inaccuracies. He didn’t take many sacks though because he was willing to throw the ball away and his escapability and running acumen helped him pick up yards when he was chased, he ran a sub 4.7 at the combine and you can see it on film. He isn’t afraid to take a hit or hang in the pocket and deliver the ball either, he’s easy to like in that regard.
Overall, he looks like a late first round pick at quarterback to me. I think he’ll likely go before that because there are more than 3 teams that need a QB and he’s in the top 3 in this draft class. I would need to stress that you would be drafting a player who would need to wait for a year for his mechanics to catch up but it looks like as a field general he’s probably ready to play now. That said if you let him sit and learn for a year and play in year two you could get a really solid starter with upside, if not his poor mechanics and footwork could lead to a ton of early mistakes. I worry about his missing easy throws and lack of production against good teams as well but overall he’s a good prospect.
52. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, WR Oklahoma 82
Look I totally get why people would be enamored with Hollywood, I just don’t think 5’9 160 pound receivers who are already injured in the Big 12 can be taken in the first round. He doesn’t track the deep ball very well, doesn’t make contested catches, and has weak hands. His speed, quickness, and elusiveness in routes are truly elite but he does not project as a number 1 receiver. He looks like a high end number two receiver with insane speed and “home-run” ability who will be someone who has to be accounted for on every play. Someone said he reminds them of DeSean Jackson but Jackson was elite after the catch, showed great return ability, and tracked the deep ball like a center fielder, Brown is well below him in all of those stats. You add all of that up and it simply doesn’t equate to a first round grade. That size and lack of strong hands, pair that up with a Lisfranc injury that might delay his readiness for the NFL, and being not academically eligible and you get a pretty obvious 2nd round pick, that said, the odds he falls out of the first round are virtually zero. He’s one of my “overrated” prospects in this year’s class.
Brown’s biggest weapon is clearly his speed. While his foot injury means you aren’t able to know exactly what he ran in the 40 it’s pretty obvious it’s somewhere at 4.40 or below and he eats up cushion as well as anyone in this class. His quickness and suddenness when he breaks off routes is exceptional and he stresses defenders on all his routes, and runs them with tremendous urgency. The ability of Brown to gain separation on intermediate routes is really good and that with his deep threat ability means that he’s simply a terror for defenses that can’t account for his speed.
The rest of this i’m going to sound like a hater and I want to be clear that I do think Brown is an NFL receiver and could end up being a good deep threat but he’s not going to be a number 1 in the NFL. His hands are below average, he simply doesn’t catch the ball on contested catches and drops too many things that aren’t perfectly on his body. The Texas game in the Big 12 Championship in 2018 was a perfect microcosm of his career. His speed created problems but he dropped a touchdown, a deep pass, and a 15 yard crossing route in the same game. You cant drop that many passes in the league and be a first round draft pick. He always looks to go out of bounds after catching shorter routes and he seems very keen on avoiding any contact that could come his way. I need my fast guys to install fear after the catch and he doesn't do that. He also didn’t show any return ability at Oklahoma, not saying he doesn’t have that but with his hands and fear of getting hit i couldn’t send him back there to be a return man.
The speed and quickness is absolutely electrifying and it’s something that every team needs in it’s arsenal, particularly in today’s NFL. Brown creates separation and his speed element can make big plays happen with frequency. He also had likely the number 1 pick playing quarterback for him two seasons in a row and he played in a Big 12 that has no idea how to play defense. When he played an SEC game in the playoff he was held catchless (I know he was injured but still), and physical guys simply beat him up. His lack of size and hands with no discernible return game means Brown is a second or third round draft selection and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s injured often throughout his career and I could see some bust potential. He’s not my cup of tea.
53. Chase Winovich, OLB/DE Michigan 82
Watching this kid play football is really freaking fun. I watched I don’t know how many of their games and his tapes and he plays as hard as any player in the country snap to snap. Winovich is ferocious and plays every single snap with 100% effort. He has some limitations in true athleticism but his quickness and ability to turn the corner is really good. He had a tremendous time in the 3 cone drill at under 7.0 and that typically leads along with good college production it correlates well to the league. I think he’s got some limitations on upside without a doubt, and I’d be floored if he ever ends up with double digit sacks, but Winovich will likely be a high end contributor for a long time in the NFL and he’s a solid second round choice.
As a pass rusher there are some big positives and some smaller negatives. He has good quickness, i don’t care what anyone else says about his first step. While at Times he mistimes the snap and gets off a beat late, when he times it up right he can get that outside shoulder and his dip and ability to turn the corner is really impressive. His hands and feet work together to create a ton of different pass rush moves. Most of his best moves work when he has a tackle who struggles to get to his slide step fast enough and Winovich sets him up then comes back with a well timed counter inside. He’s a tactician getting after the quarterback. He doesn’t work with much power and it’s something that’s noticeable on tape that his speed to power lacks pop and good tackles I doubt give up much to him. He will likely get chase down sacks and second effort sacks as well during his time in the league. I don’t think he ever gets 10 sacks in a season but for him to get 5-8 year after year wouldn’t surprise me one bit. He’s a capable pass rusher who lacks really good length or power so he’ll have to outfight some guys with his hand placement and his quickness and ability to bend the edge, but he can be productive here.
As a run defender I think he’s solid. He plays so damn hard that he makes plays other guys don’t make and he couples that effort with 4.59 speed. This allows him to chase down plays on the backside that other guys can’t and it’s a huge positive in that he can save you yards on backside plays. He doesn’t have good length to set the edge and his power is minimal so while he’s certainly not a liability here, he might not be great against better NFL tackles. The hard part is while he makes some solid plays here and there as a run defender, projecting him to the league as a run defender is tough because he lacks the strength to play 43 end in the run and his lack of real true explosiveness and playing flat footed means I don’t want him as a 34 OLB. He’s a tweener as a run defender which may limit him early in his career.
His tape is really good and i think he’ll be a pretty productive pro. He’s got a nice floor because he does everything pretty well and couples it with great effort, very good speed for his position, and has some go to things as a pass rusher that signal he’’ll be a positive there. I think he’s limited by mediocre explosiveness and length but he’s a safe pick on day 2. If you miss out on the first wave of defenders you can grab him in the second wave and get a solid contributor. I think he’s a traditional great college player and decent pro, he fits that mold but I’ll take a dozen just like him on my 53, not just for what he gives you on the field but the effort he plays with carries over into a locker room.
54. Connor McGovern, G Penn State 82
McGovern is a second round graded guard from Penn State. He moves well, has prototypical size for a guard, has played 12 games at center which boosts his value and put together very nice tape. He also can play in any scheme because he has the pop right now to play gap and power schemes and the movement and ability to pull and play in space to work in zone schemes. He was the Mr. Pennsylvania football player of the year in high School and he’s been playing at a high level since. He anchors very well despite some poor hand placement and technique work at times but rarely gives up pressure one on ones, always looks to double, and shows very high level awareness to play within the correct schemes. He looks like a day one starter as a guard with potential to play center if needed.
In pass protection he projects as an above average starter on the interior for a number of reasons. Primarily he has a very solid anchor and despite giving up the occasional initial push because his hands can get a bit wide he rarely gives up more than a yard or two in distance into the pocket. He latches on with stronger hands and at 315-325 pounds he has the frame to hold up. He plays with excellent awareness, coming off initial blocks to pick up blitzes and helps finish off blocks when he’s left alone, rarely looking for work. His hand placement causes a few issues though as he’ll allow longer tackles to get in on his body more often than you’d like but he doesn’t panic and gets the job done. He also has a tendency to overset to the outside and will give up occasional pressure inside once that happens. Neither one of these things happens often but both are worth mentioning and they will likely keep him out of the top 40 picks.
As a run blocker he looks solid. McGovern generates good movement in the run game, gets good push on power plays and looks solid on pulls, doubles, and out in space. He was asked to pull frequently on inside zone read plays and block the backside end and his hit rate on squaring up that guy was very high. Occasionally he’ll get caught reaching or out on his toes there in his excitement to hit and his athleticism while good in space isn’t perfect so occasionally he’ll miss or get too far extended but he plays with good overall control there. I don’t think he dominates here but he’s better than average and his versatility in scheme and his ability to functionally perform every play is so nice.
He’s a ready to go prospect in the NFL. I think he has low downside and a decent upside in that while he doesn’t look like a dominant player he’s damn good at virtually everything he does and if he can clean up some pass sets and hand placement work he has a chance to be very good. I think McGovern is going to be a much better than average starting guard in this league for a while with the ability to move to center and play in any scheme. I think he’ll go in round 3 and someone will get a very good player who can start immediately. A good line coach could make him a high quality player for a long time.
55. Deionte Thompson - FS Alabama 82
Thompson is a perfect round 2 safety prospect from Alabama. He’s a ballhawk with good range as a single high guy who only really got one year of good reps for the Crimson Tide. He was a first team all American this season and recorded over 80 tackles while leading his team to the National Championship game. Thompson is 6’1 and around 195 pounds and the thin frame he has and a strange tackling style, along with a bit of under experience puts him into the day 2 range solidly. He has the range and technique to be a solid high safety in the NFL by year two and his experience as a good special teams player early in his career gives him a higher floor than most.
In coverage Thompson looks solid as a deep guy in that back end single or two safety look. He covers ground quickly and uses good initial burst and acceleration to get to throws on the sideline better than most prospects. While he can occasionally be one or two steps slow along the far sidelines, that’s due to lack of pure speed as it’s not elite but it’s plenty good and ranks high for safety prospects. He has some ability in man coverage and putting him in the slot against some players he’ll hold up just fine although he’s not elite in man to man. His ball skills look very solid and although again, not elite they are plenty good.
As a box safety and tackler he leaves a lot to be desired. Thompson fires his gun as hard as he can and misses tackles more than most. He dive bombs ankles and shoots low constantly, and in the 8 games I watched I saw him miss tackles in almost every one of them. He needs to play with more control in these aspect and while occasionally it works, he also gives up big plays because of it and that’s something you can’t have in the league. His recognition skills aren’t bad but he needs more experience as while he guesses right more than he guesses wrong, a veteran quarterback can get him to move with his eyes or a play fake and he will allow throwing lanes to develop or he’ll give up big plays.
Thompson is a super easy evaluation to me. He is your prototypical starting free safety in the league who like most, will continue to get better, and when i tell people he’s your stock 2nd rounder this is the type of kid I mean.Thompson has all the traits but lacks enough experience to start immediately and would benefit from getting a year to sit and learn, and if he’s asked to play early you’ll have to get some of those really good plays and take some of the not so good ones that will come with it. He makes a lot of tackles because he’s physical and plays super fast and hard but his thin frame will likely lead to him missing games and again it caps his potential. He’s a starter in his second or third year, but he’ll need to improve his diagnostic skills and his tackling technique but the ability to play single high is very tough and he has that ability. Good player with higher upside because he’s not close to a finished product yet.
56. Kaleb McGary OT Washington 81
McGary is a really solid right tackle prospect with good size, power, and enough moxie to be successful immediately in the NFL. He was impressive at the Senior Bowl, rarely getting beat and showing better recovery speed than you’d expect from right tackle prospects. His length is good but not great and it causes him to maybe get knocked down from an elite right tackle prospect but his tape is good, his anchor is very solid and he plays with good power and agility. He projects as a better than average right tackle in the league and grades out as a second rounder at the position.
It’s interesting watching his tape because there are splash plays he makes at tackle, which sounds strange but he’ll show exceptional awareness to move off a block and pick up a late blitzer consistently. He’ll pancake players on run downs, finish off players at the second level, and pull fairy well at times as well. He moves very well for someone who is 6’7 325 and looks comfortable in zone schemes. There are times where he creates impressive movement in the run game and looks like he’s better than average in this capacity.
As a pass blocker he’s not bad. His arm length is just average though and longer players give him some problems at times. His anchor and recovery skills are above average and he looks like he’ll hold up well there against power and his decent quickness allows him to run edge rushers past the pocket with frequency. That said, really quick guys and smaller edge rushers can give him some issues and above average length will require some help at times. He looks like he’ll be pretty decent here but he’s not elite as a pass protector and he doesn’t look like he has all the skills to develop. That said he’s pretty advanced here but his ceiling is limited. Not a knock on him but doesn’t have that high end upside you’re looking for which is why round two is his top end.
McGary is good. His tape is solid, he has good movement skills, grades out favorably in almost every game I’ve watched him play, and he more than held his own at the Senior Bowl. He will rarely give up really bad reps and he can make some very impressive blocks in almost any system. He projects as an above average to very good starting right tackle in the league. Moving him inside to guard could push him to be a very strong interior player as well. His lack of elite quickness or length limits his upside but he’d be an upgrade for a number of teams next season.
57. Justin Layne, CB Michigan State 81
A very solid CB2 prospect from Michigan State is the ultra long Justin Layne. Layne’s combination of 33 inch arms with 6’2 size and a 4.50 40 make him the prototypical press man corner in todays’ NFL. I think that’s where he’ll be best in the league although if he can add some nasty to his game and become a bit better tackler he could certainly develop into a very good zone guy as well. He has good route recognition and above average ball skills, even playing receiver 36 snaps this past season. He was a productive player and is continuing to get better so he certainly hasn’t reached his ceiling yet. Layne does give up separation at the top of routes, particularly in breaking routes and quicker guys are going to get him occasionally. Layne doesn’t project as a lockdown guy but he’s solid as hell and makes his fair shares of plays well. Layne projects as a starting outside corner in the NFL and depending on scheme you could take him anywhere from 40 on and get proper value.
Layne’s strengths definitely lie in the fact that he is a big corner who uses his size well. At Michigan State they let him body up receivers and he used that initial punch and size to get receivers off their timing routes from the beginning. His straight line speed and initial burst to the routes are just average but the length and size along with quality route recognition gets him to the ball more often than not. I wish he would take it away more as he does seem to bat the ball away instead of aggressively trying to catch everything back there but he makes a lot of plays on the football and as this past season wore on he made even more. The reason he doesn’t project as a CB1 for me is that he does give up separation, particularly on in breaking routes and quick slants. He’ll also allow some 5-8 yard catches to be made in front of him. Layne isn’t giving up big plays often, in fact he rarely does, but he’ll be susceptible to some first downs, particularly from quick guys.
As a run defender he has work to do despite his length. He’s not a bad tackler, and he ended up with over 70 this past season which is a big number for a corner. The issue is even with elite length he gets blocked super easily and doesn’t look like he puts forth the effort to disengage. He allows himself to get blocked way too easily. Right now despite size and potential he is below average as a run defender, but the potential is there for him to get significantly better in that space. He shows some promise as a blitzer as well.
Layne looks like a good day 2 CB prospect. I think teams that like bigger corners and like to play press while mixing in some zone will target him earlier than others. The top 3 corners in this draft are pretty obviously better than all the rest but Layne is certainly in the conversation with the other guys depending on scheme to be the fourth one off the board. His length and route recognition skills along with pretty good long speed give him a bit higher upside as he’s not quite a finished product yet. If you can live with him giving up some shorter completions from time to time you could find yourself a starting caliber corner in round 2.
58. Hakeem Butler, WR Iowa State 81
A physical monster with good speed, Butler projects to be a solid number two wide receiver in the NFL. At 6’5 and running a 4.48 he has the ideal prototype size and speed combination that teams are looking for in an outside receiver. He punishes defensive backs after the catch and because of that and with his huge frame, speed, and ridiculous length he is a touchdown maker. He looks like someone that will generate big plays in the passing game and his power as a blocker shouldn’t be discounted either. He isn’t a good route runner as he lacks quickness and he doesn’t gain separation very often, he also has below average hands and if he doesn’t improve them he will always be a guy with potential and not production. I think he’s a target in round 3 or toward the end of round 2 because he’s a big physical guy who can run, but he needs to develop route running and better hands or he will disappoint in the league.
His biggest strength is his ability to make big chunk plays down the field. He can simply run by corners or he can go up over the top of them. This in and of itself is a valued skill and it’s why he’ll end up being taken likely in the 2nd round in this draft. One of the issues with his game here though is that teams will likely just play off of him because he’s not good underneath or gaining separation on other routes, and his lack of consistent hands means that you can allow those shorter catches to be made because percentages dictate that won’t beat you. Occasionally he’ll run a tough comeback route or a stop route that teams have to respect but it’s not consistent enough.
After the catch he’s terrific and as a blocker he can punish you. One defensive back rarely can tackle him and it’s why he has so much potential. He won’t create early separation though and while he has good leaping ability again he just drops too many of the balls that are there even when he does gain some separation or runs by defenders. If he can’t figure out the dropsies it’s going to be a big issue but he has legit potential to be a really good number two down the road. I would like him a hell of a lot more in round 3 than round 2 personally.
59. Kelvin Harmon, WR NC State 81
He does not have anything that really stands out when you see him run or jump, he’s definitely just okay in those departments. What he does do though is consistently catch the football, runs excellent routes, and makes big time plays. He has a tremendous feel for zone coverages and figures out ways to get open despite average acceleration and speed. He’s a 4.6 guy who looks like he runs 4.6 and yet in almost every tape I watched on him he figured out how to get behind defenders. His 2017 tape against Clemson was impressive and he is so savvy on his breaks and mixing up tempos that he gets open. I heard someone compare him to Mohammad Sanu and I kind of like that comp, but he’s a bit more polished than Sanu coming out. Harmon is a great hands catcher, works his tail off, and works all levels of the field, he’s a 2nd round wide receiver with a high floor and a #2 ceiling, but he can play immediately in the league in the slot or outside.
The issue with drafting Harmon is that really good players in man coverage are going to give him problems. He lacks a second gear and good corners in the NFL won’t allow him to get on top of them because they’ll have little fear of getting beat deep. He finds ways to get open on deeper throws through good route running and double moves but it will be harder at the next level. His lack of ideal quickness will also be a bit of an issue if he moves around and plays the slot some which I could see happening. He’ll thrive there in zone but will have issues with man. He also lacks wiggle after the catch and while he runs hard, he doesn’t make many people miss, but I like that he turns the ball upfield and gets dirty yards.
Harmon is a nice player who at 6’2 220 has good size, catches almost everything, and has a good feel for zone. He looks like someone who will catch a lot of passes at the next level as a volume pass catcher. He can play some inside and some outside and is definitely scheme versatile as everyone can use someone like him on their roster. His upside is capped but he’s one of the safest wide receiver prospects in this class. He could easily fall to round 3 and I think he would provide a nice safe return on investment there, he just has such a nice feel for the game.
60. Elgton Jenkins, C Mississippi State 81
Jenkins is a long center with good mobility, a solid anchor, and projects as a starting center in the NFL. At 6’4 with 34.5 inch arms he has excellent length for an interior player, particularly at the center position. He looks like someone who has a high football IQ based on tape, and almost never misses an assignment or makes a mistake in pass protection. He put some really good tapes on including his 2017 tape against Alabama where he played excellent football. There are some things he needs to work on, like playing too high consistently and his hand placement being out wide, which could cause some holding penalties and some lack of movement in the run game. Overall though, Jenkins is a quality starting center with good movement skills, length and he grades out as a consistent high end prospect. He looks like a late second round pick and someone who would be an upgrade for a number of teams.
Jenkins isn’t quite an elite prospect because there’s nothing he does that screams all-pro or pro bowler yet. In pass protection he’s good but not great. His length and quickness are both good attributes but at times he plays too high and despite what looks like a good anchor he catches too many pass rushers and allows them to make the first move. He shows patience there but maybe too much at times. He doesn’t make mistakes in runs and stunts and easily recognizes them which means you won’t give up simple and easy pressures to the inside which is critical. A center with good length, football IQ, and quickness with a steady anchor is a good start in pass pro.
As a run blocker he is good on combo blocks and gets to the second level fairly well. Everyone says he’s an easy mover but I don’t know if I really see that. When he’s asked to go wide on screen plays or pitches I actually think he’s a bit clunky. I don’t know if he projects to be elite there and a lot of people say that’s his strength but I don’t see it. I like him the best in the run game when he’s simply asked to turn a player to create a lane or move on a simple duo block to the first guy at the second level. Five yards and not twenty is clearly his strength there. He gets movement more times than not, and sometimes he gets heavy handed and can create good solid rushing lanes. He doesn’t always move the pile forward but he creates rush lanes and is good here.
He’s a good mid to late second round center prospect for this draft. He’s not elite at anything but is above average everyone with really good awareness for a position where that’s key. He needs coaching to play at a high level in the NFL, as his leverage by playing so high cause him so problems, as you can see a couple times on the Kentucky tape and in the Senior Bowl. He should get that coaching in the NFL. What I try to do here is project what they can and will be in the NFL, and he has legit potential. Better hand placement and more technique work could make him high quality but I think he is what he is, which is a good player who projects as a quality starter sometime on day 2.
61. Christian Miller, OLB Alabama 81
Oh my what a player this kid could turn out to be. He is a super difficult guy to grade out where you would take him for a few reasons. He essentially only played one year after barely playing his first two seasons and then tearing his bicep as a junior. He was super highly touted coming out of high School but couldn’t crack the super deep Crimson Tide lineup until this past season. Then he hurt his hamstring so he couldn’t play in the title game or in the Senior Bowl so he has some durability concerns as well. Then you wonder how much he was aided by the crazy talent around him in Tuscaloosa. All of these are legitimate questions and make you wonder where you would pull the trigger on this electric linebacker.
He has some plays on film that show his upside though, they make your jaw hit the floor with what he can be off the edge. He is really explosive, shows a bend around the edge that is legitimately elite, and closes on ball carriers with rare burst. If he can put it all together he could be a truly high end starter but you have to realize the bust potential is there too so how do you weigh one against the other. To me there’s no way he escapes day 2, zero way I allow that to happen. If he’s there still midway through the 3rd I would trade up to get him, if i’m a scout he’s in the conversation part way through round 2 because i would hate to be the guy in charge of scouting him and not at least throw his name in the ring, the upside is that high.
Just the tape does provide some other question marks to his game though as well so you have to understand it’s not just a dynamic one year wonder player. He needs to add serious strength if he wants to play all 3 downs in the league and if he wants to add any speed to power moves. Right now tackles just try to set wide on him because he can’t rip and power his way through with an inside counter due to lack of pop. That will need to be addressed. He has great length with 35 inch arms but doesn’t necessarily use them as well as you would like either. The main issue though is he simply doesn’t have the lower body strength to hold up against the run if he just plays on the edge, if he reduces down to play the 43 defensive end spot in the Nickel and dime, which is what i think he’ll do early in his career it’s Fine, but against the run he’ll make plays as a 43 will or on the backside but he won’t be Able to set the edge because he’ll get overpowered. Needs to add strength for both ways in order to not just be a rotational edge rusher.
His flashes on tape are crazy good though. He can bend the edge as well as any player you’ll watch. He closes, uses tremendous burst, and his length to get onto tackles quicker Than they can is impressive. Miller can drop into coverage as well as his athleticism is freaky and that’s why I think he’s best as a 34 outside linebacker or even as some sort of 43 hybrid type guy. Miller’s backside pursuit is good enough to play against the run now but that lack of strength and lack of experience does make me nervous. The slight frame and injury history is risky but he has the potential to deliver high end results. He reminds me a lot of Yannick Ngakoue’s tape coming out of college and he has that type of potential. If you’re a GM that is secure and you have a year to groom him, you could take him in the 2nd round. I know that in my draft he wouldn’t escape day 2 no matter what, he’s a tremendous risk reward type player.
62. Chris Lindstrom, G Boston College 80
Lindstrom is a really easy evaluation in that he projects as a quality starting guard in the NFL for a long time. There are a ton of people who look to mock him in the early second round and while i like Lindstrom, that’s too high. He’s a low two early 3rd in terms of grade because he doesn’t have much of an elite upside. He is what he is, and there is nothing wrong with that, almost every team in the league can use a quality solid consistent guard and that’s what you’re getting here with the Boston College lineman.
There isn’t really a hole to his game, which makes this evaluation fairly easy. He has good athleticism, really processes information quickly, has experience at right tackle, good length for an interior player and lots of experience as a four year starter. Lindstrom passes off stunts and twists easily, has very good feet, solid technique and he rarely gets beat one on one in pass protection. He grades out well almost all the time on film. His consistency game to game is very impressive and lends itself to believe that you won’t have games where he gets thumped on, even with great athletes or people with tremendous strength. His consistency is where his value lies.
As a pass protector he looks smooth, doesn’t lose many one on ones, and transitions and passes off players very well. He has good initial quickness and over 34 inch arms which is plenty long for an interior player. Lindstrom also plays a little light and some power players can collapse the pocket a bit on him so while he may not give up traditional pressures due to good feet and quality technique, his play strength and power is adequate but not great.
In run blocking, he moves very well for his size, takes good angles and generates enough movement to be solid in this category. I don’t think he’s going to create massive holes or dominate in this aspect, but he is good enough here in a gap scheme you don’t have to take him off your board there. In a zone scheme he moves well, looks comfortable pulling, and gets off the initial block and to the second level very well. He can definitely get out in front of himself sometimes as it looks like he’ll fire his gun too early on some plays and his forward lean will lead to a few misses in space. Overall his zone blocking and athleticism is a plus but it’s not dynamic.
If you’re grading him, he grades out as a B- to A- on every aspect of the game. His awareness, consistency, and football IQ are A- level stuff. He’s pretty athletic, rarely gets beat badly, and has good length for his position. He also has played a lot of games, has some versatiltity to play right tackle in a pinch, and you won’t see him be a liability. As a pass protector he’s smooth and stays on balance. In the run game he gets some movement and has good athleticism in space and getting to the second level. That said, he lacks elite movement skills or power, doesn’t dominate in the run game, and his anchor is solid but not great. To me, he’s one of those guys that you love to draft in round 3 because you know you’re getting a quality starter, but I just can’t see him being a star. Really high floor but the ceiling is just okay. I would love if my team got him in round 3 but in round two it’s tough to give up the upside. That’s my valuation.
63. Tytus Howard, G/T Alabama State 80
I think this kid has really high potential and could end up being a solid player. He has pretty good length with over 34 inch arms, good power, way above average feet, and I believe he could play right tackle or either guard spot in the league. People will say he’s raw because he's from a small school but he looked pretty damn good Senior Bowl week. People are going to remember him for his rep against Josh Sweat, but the rest of the week he held his own and won a lot more reps than he lost. He played right tackle down at Alabama State and he has the feet and the length to likely stay there but there’s a chance he could end up being a well above average guard in the league as well.
Howard has the potential to be a solid pass protector in the league. He uses his kick slide to his advantage and with good base and solid hands he seems to get in good position rep after rep. Occasionally his feet can get out of alignment with his body and he’ll make a mistake but there’s a chance for him to be good here. He can get too wide and allow really long players to get on his body but he’s above average here and does a decent job. At tackle his feet are plenty good and his length isn’t a problem, it’ll just be seeing how he develops here as he still hasn’t reached his potential. As a rookie with that big of a jump from FBS to the NFL he could struggle with the speed of the game and the talent level. He also played in a system that was very difficult to judge linemen and the left side of his line was porous so you couldn’t glean a lot from his tape.
As a run blocker there’s some good stuff to work with. He’s 322 pounds and has good feet to get up to the second level if he’s asked to do so. I think his base and hand placement could end up making a move to guard a possibility and his athleticism means you could use that to your advantage. He looked solid if unspectacular as a run blocker throughout Senior Bowl game tape and practices in terms of projections but moving him inside could unlock that.
So far this kid is almost all projection. He’s 6’5 322 pounds and has almost 35 inch arms so the size is definitely there for him to be successful. Howard has really good feet and athleticism, but he got away with meh technique and footwork because he played against bad competition in an offense that didn’t require a ton from him. By year three in the NFL he could be an absolute stud, there’s no doubt that his potential is dynamic. I could see someone taking him in round 2 and I wouldn’t hate the move for a number of reasons. Primarily, I think by year 2 he’s a quality starting right tackle in the league with upside. Second, if he struggles at tackle he has a shot and the body to play guard in a movement scheme. Third, his upside is really high, he has a chance to be a stud. A lot of this is projection so you have to be wary but the upside far outweighs the risks here and honestly I think Howard goes in round 2 this year and I don’t dislike it, but understand he’ll likely really struggle as a rookie and a year where he isn’t asked to play much should be the plan. You’ll need a patient fan base to make this selection. Once you get to round 3 he could be in play for every single pick though, high high upside.
64. Erik McCoy, G/C Texas A&M 80
McCoy came out of school as a 3rd year junior and steadily rose up many draft boards in the process. To me he’s a 3rd round pick in this year’s draft with a solid 3rd round grade. McCoy is a good player who has some traits that show up as a steady starter in the NFL as either a guard or a center. You can argue at which spot he’d be better although i believe he’s likely going to be a guard in the league, the ability for him to play both is critical to draft spot. At worst he projects as an athletic interior lineman who can play all 3 interior spots as a high end backup and that's a pretty nice consolation prize if he doesn't become what i think he is, which is a decent starter in the league.
McCoy has good movement skills in the run game, and is exceptional at making contact at the second level on run plays and screens. He’s not the most athletic guy in the world in that facet but he’s got good movement skills and his hit rate in space is very high. It actually jumps out on tape how good he is in space in terms of making contact on second level players. He does struggle to get movement in the run game consistently, at times he does well, other times he’ll get pushed back. While he is about 6’4 his hand technique and placement along with playing “short” with his arms causes serious problems with good players. He’s inconsistent in the run game with some good reps mixed with mediocre or bad ones.
As a pass protector he’s not elite. His hand placement and catch and anchor skills aren’t great. He keeps his hands low sometimes and allows good rushers into his chest and allows the pocket to be collapsed at times. He’ll run players by him like a tackle when he’s beat as well, causing a disrupted pocket. He moves his feet fairly well and has some skill here but he has a ways to go, which is why i think a move to guard makes more sense. He does a decent job picking up stunts and blitzes but at times he’s a touch late. He’s not bad here but he projects to be average.
Overall he has good movement skills and he has some excellent reps opening up huge holes in the run game and springing huge screens and draws. He has some skill in both the run and pass game and projects as a starting guard or a backup center in the league. I think while he’s not elite getting someone who can play 3 positions and who doesn’t miss often in space is a nice get. I think a 3rd round pick makes a lot of sense for him and anytime on day 3 he’s a great selection. Just understand he will have his share of reps that he loses unless he can improve hand placement and add 15 pounds of muscle.
65. N’Keal Harry, WR Arizona State 80
I think Harry is good at what he does but he looks limited to me as a quality second option NFL wide receiver. He is very good at contested catches and uses his wide body to create that subtle separation that you need in the NFL to be successful. Harry is tremendous at back shoulder throws and fades and looks like he is someone who is primed to be a quality number two as a high end red zone threat, someone who can bring in deep passes, and whose work in the middle of the field on slants will be helpful. His lack of speed and quickness limits his upside and you rarely see him catch anything that aren’t bubbles or go’s so his upside is just what it is. That said he’s good at what he does and projects nicely in that role in the NFL.
I get that people are going to be in love with the size and the length that Harry possesses and put him in that same class as those other #2 receivers this year but to me he’s clearly a tier below those guys. His lack of any separation on any route in the route tree is troubling and he doesn’t have good enough ball skills to make up for that. He dropped too many passes this year and his lack of quickness to get off the line to create any real separation means his upside is capped. As a route runner he’s not good because he lacks any real quickness and therefore he just has to use his body as a shield but while he looks huge on tape when you look at him at the combine he’s only 6’2. He does have long arms which is a huge plus and that 38.5 inch vertical will have teams salivating but you have to understand that he won’t run away from anyone and the lack of foot quickness means his catches will 100% be contested unless schemed up.
He’s a really physical and competitive blocker which is fun to watch. He wants to punish you which I like and he does have experience in the slot and out wide, getting coached by Herm Edwards doesn’t hurt at all. I think his feel for the game is quality and his production at ASU is tough to argue with. I think he has a limited upside and there is some bust potential here. I think he could end up being a guy with a few years where he gets you some touchdowns but he’s someone at this point i’m going to shy away from and give him a grade toward the middle to end of day 2. There’s too much bust potential for me and while I do believe that separation is overrated in the NFL, he doesn’t do enough on contested catches or with the ball in his hands to warrant a top 50 pick for me.
66. Julian Love, CB Notre Dame 80
A really productive cover guy who lacks the traits to be a number one corner in the NFL but has all the tools you’d look for in a CB2. Love had 36 pass breakups over the past two seasons and his quickness and ability to mirror receivers is very impressive. His size is only okay at 5’11 and he runs 4.54 so nothing to write home about there, but his instincts and ability to break on the football are extremely good. Love is a physical player who has the quickness and burst to break up plays but probably lacks the play strength, size, and speed to play all matchups outside. I think he ends up moving inside most of the time and becoming a really good nickel or a boundary corner on occasion, but he looks like a mid 2nd day pick to me and he’ll likely make a lot of plays for someone in the NFL.
As an outside corner in the league I still think Love could hold up. He has average size and speed and wonderful feel for route concepts. His backpedal is as smooth as anyone in this class, and he can flip his hips and run. I love the way he drives on the football and while he’ll give up on occasional easy throw, he doesn’t do it often and I love that he doesn’t simply give away short ones. His quickness and burst to the ball on inside routes or stop routes on the outside where a lot of guys give up plays he just doesn’t. It’s a major plus. That said, his play strength on the ball and his leaping ability and pure speed just won’t translate to a CB1 and in my opinion he looks like the ideal slot guy because of that. It’s not that he won’t be okay outside, I still think he looks like a decent CB2 more likely than not, but he could thrive in the slot.
As a physical player it’s interesting because he plays the run fairly hard and makes his fair share of tackles. I want him to get unstuck from receivers outside but he’s adequate there. Where I worry about him is the fact that bigger guys body him up and in the NFL where they are stronger he might give up some bigger plays to both big WR and burners. He’s not someone outside where you can simply line him up with everyone and let him go, there are going to be matchups where it won’t be ideal for you. Again, elite slot guy, probably okay outside, I’m going to keep harping on it because it’s so clear that’s what he should be.
Love is a nice player who makes a lot of pass breakups and I think for a number of teams will be on the board in round 2 in that conversation. I would love his value in round 3 though and it’s where my targeting on him would really start to ramp up. I just worry a bit about his upside and the fact that while I truly understand the importance of slot corners, you can find a lot of them for cheaper prices and that’s what I think he is. As an outside guy he will make his share of plays but he’ll give up quite a few too at the next level, he also is a bit susceptible to double moves so you’ll have to take some of the big plays both ways. As a slot though he could be as good as anyone in the league early on in his career. Round three I would love him, round 2 it might be a bit rich but I can see the appeal, just the upside with that selection I would argue against.
67. Rock Ya-Sin, CB Temple 79
The kid is built like you’d want and he has some serious tools, but he needs some work with technique if he wants to turn into a good pro. The upside of him is legit and he turned heads at the Senior Bowl even if I think it was a bit overblown, he has CB1 tools. At around 6’0 with decent length and a 4.51 40 he has the tools to work with and shows plus explosiveness as well. His lack of technique and quickness though to the ball allows some easier catches and separation at times on easy throws and he’ll give up an occasional first down or even a touchdown. That said he’s a playmaker on the football and looks like he’ll be a solid cornerback in the league with upside to continue to improve. I like him in the 3rd round but could see why someone would like him in the 2nd.
Ya-Sin is a tough dude and plays physically. He got one of the 1-9 numbers that are given out at Temple for the toughest players on the team, and he was one of the favorite players on the team from coaches and players alike. He did improve throughout his career and I think he’s still a long ways away from a finished product. The technique stuff can be cleaned up and if you trust your DB coach to get him where he could go, you could see him being a plus Pro. I like how hard he plays physically although i’d like him to get tougher in how easily he lets people get off his press though.
I do worry about the fact he only has one season of FBS football to his name after two years at a lower level. You can see that he likely dominated early in his career by being a stud athletically but the lack of technique particularly at the top of his break where he’ll stutter before driving on the ball costs him a lot of receptions. He can mirror because he is tough particularly at the top of the route and has a lot of strength in his hands and upper body. If he can clean up the footwork he could be really solid but I believe he lacks top tier ability because his quickness is only okay.
Ya-Sin should get taken on day 2, depending on what your DB coaches and DC’s are looking for in their DB’s. If you’re looking more for toughness and upside he is an easy grab, but if you’re looking for refined and ready to go from the opening kickoff week 1 he might not be for you. I think he has a good high upside and the physicality and intangibles he has are a major plus, he just needs time to get better. I think every team in the league should want him in round 3 because he can be a solid rotational corner at worst a CB3 but I see him developing into a solid CB2 within his 2nd or 3rd year in the league. Ya-Sin likely won’t ever be an elite lockdown guy in terms of catches, but he’ll make his fair share of plays as well, I like his toughness and upside.
68. Bryce Love, RB Stanford 79
Damn him going back to school will likely cost him at least 2 full rounds in the draft. Love was a borderline first round pick in the 2018 draft with elite speed and coming off a 2nd place in the Heisman trophy. Now he looks likely to be picked on Saturday coming off a knee injury after a disappointing year that saw him give up 3 full yards per carry off his average. That said he’s still a guy for me that I think is a high upside low risk pick now, with still tremendous speed and burst, and a guy who showed toughness and made his game better in terms of how he’ll transition into the league. Those injuries and extra carries though certainly knock him down. I still like him in round 3 this year, because the upside is there from a year ago and he could be the perfect risk-reward pick in this year’s draft.
So let’s just get some of the negatives out of the way. The torn ACL and only 4.5 yards per carry after rushing for 8 YPC the year before is obviously unsettling. Love is also only 200 pounds and 5’9 and while he’s built well he certainly lacks that extra size and padding you’d like, meaning I see him more as a timeshare back than a bellcow. His blitz pickup needs help as he lacks the anchor and has short arms so he needs to be put into routes to help on 3rd down and while he looks comfortable out of the backfield there he isn’t someone who flexed out and looked great coming out of the slot. He will need to improve on this badly and immediately if he's going to fulfill his potential as a high end 3rd down back in the league who can be part of a timeshare. I also want him to run with a bit better vision and patience as I think he presses the hole a bit too quickly and leaves a bit to be desired there as he wants to use his quickness too fast.
To me the positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to Love though. First, scouts and coaches absolutely rave about him as a person and a teammate, and David Shaw said his ability to take a 2 yard gain and make it 5 yards became a ton better this year than the year before. You like to see growth that can translate to the League and he got it. Then you have the fact that he’s probably a sub 4.4 guy when he’s fully healthy. He’s one of the only players you’ll watch who literally can score a touchdown anytime he touches the football. Love has to be a focus when he’s on the field and he’s that rare guy who can turn 6 yards into 6 points. He also has improved as a pass catcher and could still grow to be exceptional there because of elite quickness and long speed.
Overall he likely needs to be in a timeshare to be at his best in the NFL but there are very few teams who have a true number one anymore. Love has potential on 3rd down and showed improvement as a pass catcher this past season. He has elite top tier explosiveness and is someone who can change a game whenever he touches the ball. If this past season was his bad year then you know you’re getting someone solid. His character is as good as it gets and you know he’s tough as hell. I think he could fall to day 3 and someone is likely getting a steal, he’d be a target of mine in round 3 if I wanted to add to my running back room.
69. Amani Hooker, S Iowa 79
Son of a gun this was a tough evaluation. Hooker tested out well at the combine but on tape he looks like he lacks athleticism completely. On tape he looks slow and plodding for a safety and at the combine he runs sub 4.5 and goes 6.81 on the 3 cone so he’s difficult. His ball skills are incredible and his instincts are as good as anyone you’ll find but he leaves plays out on the field because he doesn’t have the quick twitch to get there in time. He’s 210 pounds and looks at least that on tape too so you know he can make tackles and he rarely misses when he gets in position but at times running backs will outrun him to angles because he lacks game speed. Overall he’s a day 2 player without quesiton, but whether he is pick 40 or pick 80 is the toughest part of the evaluation, so I split the difference and said he’s an early 3rd round grade.
Hooker was super productive this season playing some sort of weird hybrid role for the Hawkeyes and ended up with 4 picks and 7 PBU on his way to DB of the year in the Big 10. He’s exceptionally well coached and uses great football IQ to get himself into position almost all the time. In 6 tapes I did of him specifically I could almost never find a play where he was out of position because of discipline. He got burnt by speedsters sometimes but that wasn’t because he missed an assignment. He also lacks that initial burst you need to be a good slot safety and therefore he’ll likely need to be in a good role for him to be good. He also isn’t a single high guy at all and would need to play split level or a down safety in a Cover-3 defense. If he can be the low safety in a cover 3, a split level cover 2 guy, or a matchup guy on tight ends or at the red zone he could be successful. If you ask Hooker to play single high or to match up quick slot guys he’ll get abused because he lacks that burst you need, no matter what his combine numbers say. In the right role, he thrives.
As a run defender pretty much copy and paste my previous paragraph. He’s solid as hell and a good tackler but his range isn’t as good as you’d like for a safety and he’ll miss a tackle here and there but for the most part he’s better than average. Hooker is tough as a $2 steak though and he’ll take on blocks and throw his body in there with frequency. He seems to be around the football all the time even if he’s not making plays and he doesn’t avoid contact. Like running backs who always fall forward, Hooker is usually making sure piles go the wrong direction, which is a trait I love in safeties.
It wouldn’t surprise me if this guy plays in the league for a long ass time. He could be a core special teams player and a solid strong safety or hybrid safety for years. His football IQ and instincts are as good as any player you’ll find and he’s coached by an elite defensive backs coach and you can see it on tape. Hooker is solid but his lack of quick twitch and athleticism is a real problem that will be tough to make up for when you get to the league. His testing at the combine will likely push up his draft day stock and could see him land in round 2 but he looks like a round 3 kid to me. Great instincts, hard worker, tough and high football IQ screams high floor but his ceiling is certainly capped with that lack of elite movement skills. He’s a guy where scheme and role will play the most important part to his success.
70. David Long, CB Michigan 79
To say he’s quick is an understatement. Long had the best 3 cone and the best 20 yard shuttle at the combine for all defensive backs and put up a ridiculous 6.45 in the 3 cone which is insane. He’s not the biggest or the fastest but he has adequate size and straight line speed and coupled it with starting every game for two years and only gave up 9 catches this entire season. While he may be only a press corner who lacks a bit of size, his pop, feistiness, and ridiculous quickness give him a shot to be a good starter. He gives up a bit of separation here and there though and while he only gave up 9 catches this past season there were quite a few plays where he gave up separation and qbs missed him and he did have some PI calls. He’s a good player who will be in the conversation on day 2 for a number of teams, and he projects as a solid CB2 or 3 but I really believe his calling could end up being as a nickel with the quickness and physicality he shows.
As an outside corner he pretty much played press Man on virtually every snap. He wanted to get up in your grill and it looks like his goal was to force you to the sideline and make you have a contested catch while he played your hip. Long didn’t always get his hands on you though and so when he would miss that press, there are times it looks like players can run away from him a bit but his recovery speed looks adequate. His time at the combine was much better than I thought it would be although he doesn’t play slow on tape 4.45 was a good number. Tight run routes do give him a bit of fits though as there were some plays that will be completions in the NFL and I think #1 receivers in the league will give him some problems with lack of elite pure speed and size.
Long is a good football player, and he’s tough, I love the fight he shows every single down. He looks like a tough competitive tackler although he didn’t make many because he was in single coverage and rarely gave up catches, same thing with picks. This year though he did according to analytics have more forced incompletions than catches given up, he just plays tight man consistently. Where I think he could be really good is as a nickel guy because he does have really good quickness and his toughness shows through. He could rally up to make tackles and use his quickness to play inside instead of maybe just being solid outside. As a zone guy I don’t think he has the size to be great but he could be good there.
He’s an interesting evaluation because his analytics were great and he certainly has tremendous athleticism and quickness. That said his size and speed didn’t show up amazingly well on tape, and some either big guys or speed guys will give him problems at the next level that maybe didn’t rear their heads in Ann Arbor. I don’t know exactly where he’ll go but I think he’s good at pretty much everything and yet not elite at anything. He’s a day 2 kid for some teams and a round 4 kid for other teams. I like him for the most part and see him as a good #2 or #3 corner with the potential to be a top tier nickel.
71. Mack Wilson, LB Alabama 79
I think out of everyone that should have gone back to school this past season maybe this is the guy who hurt himself the most. He’s a really good athlete who has some legitimate talent but his tape was only okay. Wilson is a very good cover guy and at 240 pounds he has the potential to play all 3 downs in the NFL. I think he had an outside shot to go on day 1 had he gone back to school but now he’ll likely be a 3rd round pick. I think he projects as a solid starter but in watching his tape and what he does its doubtful he’s every extremely productive as an NFL guy. I really wish he had gone back but since he came out, he’s a 3rd rounder for me.
I like the way he covers and in today’s league it’s probably even more important than how you stop the run. He can go sideline to sideline and his man cover skills are very good going up against running backs and I think he’d be okay against tight ends as well. I like the depth that Wilson gets in his drops mostly though as he’ll backpedal or turn and run and get really quality depth while keeping his eyes in the backfield. He projects as an above average to very good cover backer in the league. That said though he lacks the play strength to consistently eliminate yards after catch and he’ll come in too hot on running backs at times and miss tackles in the open field, he doesn’t secure the tackles all the time and it leads to extra YAC yardage.
As a run defender and in other phases he’s okay but not great. His speed allows him to make some plays on the backside but he isn’t very good at taking on blocks and his tackling is average. I think he doesn’t necessarily read the plays out as well as you’d like either and therefore he’s not super productive. Watching him in 2017 vs Evans, it’s clear how much better Evans was. I do like how hard he hits though as he comes down and delivers a boom when he can, which also means that he’ll miss the occasional tackle.
Overall he’s a hot and cold prospect who mixes very good reps with some ones he’d like back. I think he has first round potential but the fact that he came out after his junior year was a big mistake that will cost him a full round of draft stock at least. In round 3 you’d get solid value out of the Alabama linebacker with likely solid production and at worst an early round good special teamer for the first year or two and a 3rd down guy until he gets fully acclimated to the league. Nice player with some upside on day 2 somewhere.
72. Justin Hollins, OLB Oregon 79
I think Hollins should be in the conversation on day 2 for a number of teams in this draft. That said though the odds are Hollins will be a late 3rd round pick, so he could absolutely be one of those guys who provides great value in this class. He has top tier athleticism, coupled with a propensity to do everything, and someone who can make big plays. Hollins runs a 4.50 at 6’5 248 pounds. His speed is as good as you’ll find from an outside linebacker and while he played mostly on the edge in the NFL, and shows some potential as a pass rusher, he looks like he’ll make a living in the league as a 34 outside linebacker. His length is a plus and that coupled with good feel dropping into coverage, and has potential to make splash plays with 8 forced fumbles. While Hollins certainly needs to add play strength and needs to develop into a guy who can drop into coverage normally, he has high potential and great speed, I could easily see him turning into a quality starter by year 2 or 3.
Hollins ability in the pass game is where he stands out the most to me. He can drop into coverage and no running back or tight end is going to run away from him. His 4.50 is a legit time and it flashes on tape, and that length means that tight ends won’t get to post him up, this is where I believe he can provide legit value. Hollins can do some impressive things with a swipe move and he has really good bend and three step quickness. There’s a chance that Hollins can turn into a 5-7 sack per year guy with plus length and quickness. If he could add some power with that length he could really provide some upside here.
In the run game he’s a better run and chase guy than a point of attack player. He fights fairly hard for the most part and I don’t really see how he can be seen as someone who doesn’t play hard which I’ve read in some accounts. He works to string the plays out to the sideline and has good vision with his head on a swivel, he’s not a meathead drive into a blocker type player as he uses his length and shucks players to make plays. His lack of power does rear it’s head though because he doesn’t hold the point as well as you’d like and does allow guys to get to the second level on zone running plays to his side occasionally. I’d like to see him get some sand in his pants but that’s something that can be developed.
Overall his lack of play strength and only so-so productivity as a pass rusher means you cant take him too early in this draft class. I also think he’s clearly a 34 OLB or a 43 Will who reduces down to a 43 end on pass rush downs. You’re hoping that he can add the strength he needs to become a quality pass rusher and someone who can hold his own on run downs. I think to me in round 4 he becomes a high priority target because of his size and speed combination and his ability to do a ton of different things. He could end up being an elite #1 type special teams player at worst and a rotational linebacker or pass rusher. Hollins shouldn’t escape the top 4 rounds and I would certainly kick the tires on him in round 3. That said, he likely won’t get taken until late day 3 so he’s a guy I have circled on my draft board.
73. Andy Isabella, WR UMASS 79
The most productive wide receiver in the country this season was the 5’9 burner Andy Isabella from UMASS. His stature and lack of familiarity with the slot are the big knocks on him as he simply will likely struggle to play outside due to his lack of size, and although eh shows the ability to gain separation there he will likely have to make a living in the slot at the next level. Being that size simply limits the upside but damn this kid is a legit player with crazy speed and quickness. He’s a 4.31 guy with tremendous acceleration and was one of the fastest players on tape you’ll see. He beat Denzel Ward in the 100 and 200 and he won the 60 meter championship so just think about how fast he can go. You pair that with 1600 receiving yards this past season and a really good week at the Senior Bowl and he’s in the day 2 conversation without question.
It’s tough for me to give anything better than a 2nd round grade for someone who only weighs 180 pounds and is 5’9. He simply may not be able to hold up in the NFL at that size and so you have serious worries about longevity. His catch radius isn’t great and while he caught it well at UMASS catching “the Duke” in the NFL with small hands could present a problem. I think some cold weather teams may have a concern with that.
As a route runner he’s really good and once he figures out the nuances of the slot he could be exceptionally difficult to cover. He reminds me a bit of Tyler Lockett coming out and I gave Lockett a higher grade simply because he was a crazy good return man and had more size from a better level of competition. He can certainly get open on anyone though and crossing routes and drags for him moving forward are going to be key. I think option routes eventually are going to be a nightmare and at times simply lining him up wide and letting him run deep is going to terrify defense because he’s just so damn quick and fast. He’s a scary dude to try to cover.
If I’m a team in round 3 and I want someone to play slot and who also offers that rare 4.3 type speed, this is where I’m looking. Tyler Lockett went in the 3rd, and Jamison Crowder went in the 4th, this kid has that type of potential so I think grabbing him in the 3rd seems very appropriate and you might get a stud. I do worry about his ability to stay healthy at that size and weight though, so while I gave them higher grades than him, the ability remains similar. I bet he makes a lot of plays when he’s on the field at the next level, particularly in year 2 once he gets a good feel for the slot position. I also think the kid could end up being a crazy good punt returner with his combination of quickness and speed, that might be where he gets the most play immediately.
74. Miles Boykin, WR Notre Dame 79
He has obscene potential and is the best blocking wide receiver in this entire draft class without a doubt. He is a monster as a blocker and when you watch the tape on him it’s just one hit after another good stock block followed by him mauling someone it’s super impressive. He runs a 4.4 at 225 pounds and is 6’4 with a monster 43 inch vertical. There is some excellent potential here and at worst he’s a dominant blocker who presents matchup problems as a number 3 wide receiver in the league but he has number two potential and again that physicality and speed combination is something that means he won’t likely be a miss. I really like him in round 3 in this draft.
Boykin needs to improve as a route runner. He doesn’t generate much separation and while he tries to run by people and he does at times good corners especially in press give him problems. He did play pretty well against Trayvon Mullen but really didn’t have a massive impact and his tape against Williams from Vandy wasn’t great. He simply struggles to work off press and his in-breaking routes generate virtually zero production. When he’s asked to simply go down the field and make plays and leap and catch the ball, or work out breaking routes he becomes pretty productive but now all his potential as a receiver is just that, hope not production so there’s some risk to what he develops into.
After the catch he’s below average and despite a big frame he’s only okay there. If he gets a running start with the ball like on a crossing route though he’s tough to catch with those long strides. Typically people with his height aren’t quick but he has some quickness to his game so again, if he can develop it and get with a good wide receivers coach and quarterback by year 2 or 3 you could really have something here.
Boykin is an elite blocker with tremendous physical potential. Early in his career I doubt he has much impact because he simply doesn’t create enough separation or make enough plays yet to warrant being on the field. He is a scary guy to defend though and draws a ton of pass interference penalties because he can run by people. He flashes the potential to be a good route runner and that speed and size can’t be taught. His ability to high point the ball and leap means that he could turn into a really good starting receiver but you’ll need to be patient as he might need a redshirt year as a rookie, but his blocking might get him on the field earlier than you’d think.
75. Zach Allen, DE Boston College 78
Allen is a nice player with physical limitations who I think will end up as a nice rotational defensive end piece as a starter in the NFL. Allen is a consistent performer with great play recognition who has the versatility to play either the 5 technique in a 34 base or a 43 defensive end spot with some 3 technique on passing downs. I like that he can do a lot of things and it bodes were for him to have some legitimate longevity in the league. He is the epitome of a high floor low ceiling second day pick and I think someone could take him somewhere between 60-80 and be confident in what they are getting.
Allen has double digit tackles for loss in 3 consecutive seasons and plays the run hard and fairly well. He has a bit of an odd body and is your typical tweener at 6’3 285 pounds between a 43 end and a 34 end with below average length. This means you’re always going to kind of wonder what and if he’s playing out of position. He plays the run hard and does a good job of crashing down and making plays when they are there to be made and in 2017 he actually ended up with 100 tackles on the season which is ridiculously hard to do as a defensive linemen. His lack of length and quickness but good motor and recognition projects him to be a very solid run defender with a good anchor. I think he’s best in run defense as a 43 base end.
As a pass rusher he’s not bad but certainly doesn’t blow you away. His quickness is okay but it’s not something that will scare you and while he did end up with 15 sacks on his career over the past 3 seasons that’s not going to impress you either. Allen recognizes what’s coming and does a good job getting his hands up in passing lanes and getting pressures with inside moves and power when he can. He’s more of a pocket collapser than someone who will bend the edge and get home with impunity. Here he projects best as a 43 3 technique on passing downs where his lack of ideal length and quickness won’t hamper him as much.
Allen’s senior bowl week definitely didn’t help him. He looked slower than most tackles and the lack of length didn’t stand out. He does play hard and again his play recognition on the line is certainly elite and I’m not overstating that, he sees what’s coming as well as anyone. His gap responsibility and tackling are well above average and he’s not inept as a pass rusher by any means. To me he’s a mid 2nd day pick and likely a starting base end in a 34 or a 43 and an inside rusher on pass rush downs. He has a nice floor as a quality player or a solid rotational defensive linemen and his versatility is a plus. His ceiling however is capped at being a starter and the lack of explosion means you could see him nullified as a pass rusher at the next level.
76. Jalen Hurd, WR/RB Baylor 78
This was one of the four or five hardest evaluations i did all year for a grade because well he’s a funky player. Hurd was a former stud running back at Tennessee who switched positions due to a bad concussion and transferred to Baylor. After sitting out a year he came on strong and played very well for Baylor this season as an oversized slot receiver and paired that with being the team’s primary short yardage back. Hurd is 6’5 which is crazy to see for a running back when he’s lined up out there but he has some legitimate ability to be a versatile and dynamic NFL player. I’m going to give you a couple of pieces here but he should be a 3rd round pick for two main reasons, the first is that he’s a quality short yardage back with good vision and power to move the pile. The second is he has potential to be a nice 3rd receiver who can likely eventually play inside and outside, so with Hurd you get to save an entire roster spot, there’s a ton of value in that. He can’t escape day 2 just because of his versatility.
As a receiver I think he projects long term as an outside guy instead of the slot where he played this year. Hurd lacks short area quickness so he won’t be able to gain much separation but his straight line speed isn’t bad. I would imagine he runs somewhere in the 4.55 range which is plenty fast particularly with his height. The oversized slot guys are becoming more in vogue now so you could see him getting better there too, again versatilIty. He also has zero fear going across the middle and he secures catches when he takes hits, those scary ass slants inside he doesn’t even blink. He also shows really good power after the run to get downhill and pick up a few extra yards with size and strength on almost every catch.
Hurd also though is not a natural pass catcher at all. He drops way too many passes and his route running while actually a lot better than it should be for only two seasons at the position, still needs work. He’a ascending in both of these categories but has a ways to go and he’ll need to be developed and likely start as a 4th receiver early in his career. Hurd also doesn’t make many people miss in space unless he’s running through them and so it’s a bit tough to see him making a living consistently as a slot guy. On the outside though he could be a very good redzone player and jump ball catcher later on in his career and with pretty good speed he could be solid out there.
As a running back is where he gives you some value that others don’t. He’s a really good short yardage running back despite his height. Hurd shows good vision and power, and he does a nice job of pushing the pile. He cuts inside hard and churns out yards and his success rate on runs is high. He’s not much of a make you miss guy but the power and downhill style puts you in a lot of good situations and makes him a tough guy to stop on 3rd and 1.
Aside, he’s not a good blocker although he really wants to be. His style there is actually something that really has to come along because at his size he could be great here. I read two reports on him that says he didn’t put effort in there but that’s shit, he tries he just sucks at it. I want it to come along because he can be that short slot guy and create problems as a blocker in time but right now he struggles mightily.
I don’t know what he is going to become as a wide receiver but he’s getting better and his work ethic supposedly is tireless. I love that in someone who already has positive traits including plus height-weight-speed combination and good power and vision. You add that up along with being someone who could be your number one short yardage back and a red zone monster in time and you get someone who should be taken on day 2. I’m going to harp on this again with only 46 guys that can play each Sunday, having someone that can literally play two positions is worth so much, and his development could come along quickly. He’d be someone to target if I were running a draft room.
77. Kahale Warring, TE San Diego State 78
He hasn’t played very much and only had two starts this past season so how in the hell can I have a solid day 2 grade on the kid? Well it’s easy to do because he could easily end up being a high impact player and a future starter in the NFL. He’s 6’5 252 pounds with good length, runs in the 4.6 range and has a 37 inch vertical leap. Check all of those boxes off now. He just is raw as hell in everything he does because he only had 5 college starts and only played one season of high school football. He’s certainly a project and likely won’t get taken on day 2 but I’m telling you he should because he has a ton of potential.
As a pass Catcher first he’s a former basketball player in high school and he can definitely rebound those high throws. With that size and leaping ability he could be a real threat in the red zone given some time. He also has the quickness in the slot with that first step and some explosiveness to not just be a threat with a 50/50 ball or a fade but with that high slant. He has good enough speed to threaten the seam and he looks comfortable in the slot as well. Warring doesn’t catch it naturally and will fight it at times but the potential is there for him to be very good. Route running is not clean yet.
He’s better as a blocker than you’d think for someone who had to put on 30 pounds and just started playing. Warring finds himself in good position and has just enough pop to make plays here. Hand technique looks like it needs work but he has potential. I don’t think he’s ever going to be elite here but he could be plenty good given some time.
Warring has a ways to go and he’s certainly developmental but he has solid starter upside with the potential to score often in the NFL. As a rookie he’s pretty much a redshirt kid who plays special teams and may get the occasional snap so likely he goes on day 3 but every single draft there is a later round tight end who ends up being damn good and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if it’s Warring.
78. Joe Jackson, DE Miami 77
Jackson is a nice player who has some pop and prototypical size for a 43 defensive end. There are some people who want him to be a 34 outside linebacker and a scout I follow said his comparison is Zadarius Smith. No offense here but that’s not going to happen. He doesn’t have the fluidity or suddenness to play outside linebacker in the league so he’s restricted to a 43 defensive end or potentially inside pass rusher on 3rd down. He had 24 sacks in his career, although most were just by overpowering not great players. He’s got some potential, really good power, and ideal size and Jackson grades out as a 3rd to 4th round rotational defensive end with some upside.
Jackson is a decent pass rusher who gets most of his productivity from power moves and good length with excellent pop. While he’s not exactly quick off the edge, you get a lot of “short sets” against him because teams are worried he’ll bull rush the inside shoulder so he gets the edge occasionally. He plays hard and some of his sacks are from bullying players, collapsing a pocket and using his length to finish off plays. Once he gets there he typically makes a hit. He lacks the bend and quickness to become much more than a decent NFL pass rusher.
As a run defender he’s solid. He plays hard, uses length to reset the line of scrimmage and makes his share of plays. He has okay awareness to find the football but it’s not great and he chases plays down well considering he’s not an elite athlete. I like how hard he plays on this end and typically he does a good job of setting the edge and stringing plays out to the sideline. He’s not the most instinctive player in this regard and at times he’ll bull in a china shop the play while it goes to the other side. Jackson’s again good but not great here but he has a chance to get better with coaching.
Here’s a guy who some position coach is going to beg to get him into he building becuase he looks the part. That said his size and length is a major plus, and he plays damn hard on the tapes I watched. He’s got decent productivity and looks like he can be in a rotation as a rookie which is very valuable as he’s strong and long. Jackson i think is going to be a solid rotational defensive linemen who will probably be a bit better than the stats he puts up but I don’t think he’s going to be a dynamic pass rusher. I like him in the 4th round though. Solid player.
79. Deandre Walker, OLB Georgia 77
Walker is a good player who should get taken somewhere in the 3rd round range in the 2019 draft. There’s nothing really spectacular about his game and he only started one season for the Bulldogs but he is solid at everything he does. While I think all of his sacks came on delays or stunts, he still produced 7.5 sacks this past season, and he’s only around 245 pounds so he’s not a thumping run defender he still played well there too. I don’t think you’re getting a special player if you were to draft Walker but I bet you get 4 good years of solid football and someone who can be a contributor.
As a pass defender there are some solid traits here. He certainly isn’t a pass rushing guy off the edge as he’s a bit slow out of his stance and his explosiveness isn’t really something to write home about. He’s not a powerful guy so not a ton of pop there and while he has good length, it’s not exceptional. What he does do is have solid recognition skills and he operates stunts, delays, and games as well as anyone can. When he fires his gun through the gap or around the edge on these plays he’s very adept and while he doesn’t consistently apply pressure, when he gets around the quarterback his finishing rate is high. He looks comfortable dropping into coverage and gets good depth on his zone responsibilities, and while he’s not an elite cover guy he certainly could develop into a decent zone linebacker.
As a run defender he needs to add some strength and that’s an easy fix. He would rather lower a shoulder and take on a blocker than use his length to shuck and make a play at this point at times which is frustrating but he typically did that to make sure he set a hard edge. He was obviously well coached. He’s slippery getting off blocks and cuts through defenders, using some agility to make guys miss. He gave some pretty good tackles problems on a few of his tapes and not because he out-athletic them he just was savvy and difficult to block at times, Jonah Williams wasn’t immune. Walker makes some plays in the run game and while he certainly needs to get stronger he has some upside here down the road.
I dont know how good he can be and i really think his ceiling is pretty capped at being a decent starter, but he’s a good player. He makes plays, drops into coverage and understands concepts. While I don’t think he gives you much as a pass rusher, he’s fairly long and he finishes when he gets close to the quarterback which is frankly an underrated skill in today’s world of qb pressures, there’s something to be said for someone who actually causes an 8 yard loss frequently. He’s a guy who I could see being in the league for 8-10 years because he can sorta do everything pretty well and he’s got a good body for the spot. I don’t think there’s much downside with a round 3 draft pick here, with a late 2nd being in play.
80. Damien Harris, RB Alabama 77
A nice solid, perfect “volume” running back who can play all 3 downs. Harris is average or above average as an NFL back at literally everything and does a Nice job of getting what’s blocked for him. While he lacks the burst or wiggle to be anything more than solid at the next level, his ability to block, catch, gain tough yardage, and pick up solid gains consistently while not fumbling means you have a good player here in round 3 or so of this draft.
This evolution is so easy because he simply is what he is as a football player and he plays to that end. He runs with toughness but doesn’t make many people miss, so instead he puts his head down to grind out yards. He has good vision and follows his blocks well and knows he isn’t super quick so he’ll bury his head and pick up the tough 5 you want. As a pass catcher he’s super reliable and is good at dump offs and option routes, rarely dropping the ball. He’s a good pass protector and has the size at 218 pounds to pick up the blitz well.
Harris won’t get you big plays and he won’t end up being someone who creates much on his own. What he’s great at though is taking care of the football and his quarterback. He’s solid, reliable, has good vision, and gets downhill well, all the while grinding out the tough yards you want to put your team in good position. While there’s not much upside here, you know what you’re getting and you know he’ll be able to contribute immediately. He’s one of the rare guys who should be on everyone’s draft board because well everyone can use someone like him.
81. Daniel Jones, QB Duke 77
He’s solid as can be and I think he’s in that close to a starter or maybe a backup type role that could stick around the NFL for a long time. I think he lacks the traits to be a first round quarterback because he just doesn’t really have the arm of the anticipation skills to be a day 1 talent but he looks like he could develop into a starter given some time. Jones moves well, obviously has a super high QB IQ since he’s coached by Cutcliffe at Duke, and shows enough guts and toughness to make plays with a less than stellar supporting cast. He would be a perfect guy to draft behind an entrenched older starter like a Tom Brady, Phillip Rivers, or even as someone to push a mediocre starter like Andy Dalton.
Jones is an exceptionally refined quarterback when it comes to being ready to play in the NFL immediately. While he only completed 60% of his throws for his career, there were a ton of factors that played into that including the fact his receivers dropped a ridiculous amount of passes, 38 this year alone from one source i saw. They also rarely ran wide open and when Jones had quick pressure, he was clearly taught to throw the outside fade or go route which is a low percentage play. He’s not the most accurate player out there but in terms of NFL accuracy i’d say he’s around average. He doesn’t have a big arm, it’s adequate at best but he has tremendous footwork and pocket presence and does a great job of avoiding mistakes with his reads to take shorter completions.
In terms of football IQ, pocket presence, and mobility he’s well above average as a prospect. He reads the entire defense and has no issue coming off read one or two and turning his hips to read three on the opposite side of the field. He loses no accuracy when doing this and is the most advanced in the 2019 draft at this aspect. His pocket awareness and toughness is better than most, and he’ll climb the pocket or drift when he needs to create more space. I want him to reset more when he does that but he’ll improve that at the next level when he has better talent in front of him and at receiver. As a runner he gives you a ton in that he’s not the most mobile but he reads his keys and shows toughness and above average speed from the position. If he doesn’t start to slide though he won’t survive and while I love the toughness, just get down when you can.
He lacks the desired traits to be a high end starter but he certainly has the long term potential to turn into a starter on a good team. He is the definition of a trailer and not a truck though when it come to quarterbacks in that he can be a solid player if the team around him is really good but I doubt he has what it takes to carry any team. He’s a tough competitor though who won’t give an inch and he certainly won’t be tricked often or make bad mistakes more than most. His running ability and IQ gives him at worst a chance to be a top tier backup but I could see him as a starter in 2 to 3 years. He’s the perfect transition plan and if New England took him as high as 32 overall I wouldn’t be shocked. Round 2 seems like a good fit for someone who is a game manager with good size and high football pedigree.
82. Terry Maclaurin, WR Ohio State 77
Another one of the really fast but raw wide receivers in this class, Maclaurin grades out as a solid 3rd rounder with a little more route running savvy than the others. He also adds a ton of value in that he’s a good special teams player as a gunner so the downside risk here is less over the first contract. He’s a legit 4.35 guy who showed some ability to separate during the Senior Bowl week and you can see flashes of that on tape. He has a lot of work to do overall though as he only had 64 catches combined the past two seasons and he looks like he needs to get a better feel for the game. He shows ability as a route runner and you can’t teach his deep speed, but he’s developmental in year one. The one thing that you love about him though that gives him a higher floor than the other guys is that he was a two time team captain. He works his ass off, wants to block, and shows a willingness to put team first, not a lot of fear when you draft a guy like that.
As a receiver he flashes ability that few other guys have. His Senior Bowl one on ones were a freaking clinic in how to get open. He’s certainly better at down field routes than quick underneath ones as he gets too choppy with his feet and lacks true suddenness that you see form elite inside route runners. Down the field when he’s allowed to do double moves or get on the corners’ toes he looks a lot more comfortable. The thing he’s clearly best at is simply running by people though as his 4.35 speed is his best asset and he understands how to utilize it. He doesn’t fight the football but I wouldn’t say he’s an elite pass catcher, but certainly good enough and it’s not a knock on him. He’s kind of a one speed player, he’s not a make you miss guy, but if you get it to him running already good luck catching him.
Maclaurin needs to get better at running the route tree and figuring out how to separate different routes than the go. If he can do that he can certainly develop into a nice piece for an offense but I would guess in year one he will be a number 4 receiver early on and a core special teamer. He’s a deep threat with good size, a great special teamer, and a team captain who has clearly improved his route running. He’s a rare one with a solid floor and a good ceiling, he could end up being a nice pick for whoever grabs him.
83. Emanuel Hall, WR Missouri 77
A high risk high reward prospect with elite athleticism and good size, Emanuel Hall is a Mike Wallace clone. He ran 4.39 at the combine with a ridiculous 43.5 inch vertical at 6’2. His H/W/S is prototype and he pairs it with above average quickness as well, a deadly combination typically for receivers. He has a true second gear that very few have and it’s not just build up speed, he gets there in a hurry which makes him pretty terrifying for defenders. He averaged over 20 yards per reception in his career as well, making him an ideal number 2 or 3 receiver who is always a threat to take the top off the defense.
There are some issues with Hall as a receiver prospect though. You ask why he isn’t rated higher and there’s no doubt his upside is certainly higher, in fact I think he’s got the 2nd highest ceiling of any receiver in this class after Metcalf. He has way too many dropped passes, his route running is only okay although there is sky high potential there, and he just isn’t super competitive. He looks at times like a track star playing football and it can be frustrating. While he has the size to be a good blocker, he doesn’t put forth much effort there at all. He tracks the deep ball well but then will drop a 6 yard hitch with no one around him. He also had an elite quarterback getting him the ball in college and his production wasn’t ever top tier. You pair that with some injury bugs that bit him consistently and you get someone who looks like a 3rd or 4th round draft pick.
I think the kid has a legit shot to be a perfect low volume high yards type player. He’s a splash player in that his speed and gear is so good and his size and leaping ability is so elite that he can end up with an 18-20 yards per reception total in the NFL. You need to see though that drafting him could end up in a bust as he doesn’t have that fight you like to see on tape and his apathy toward blocking and at times high pointing the football is a big red flag to me. He’s got huge upside but there’s a chance he doesn’t make it too. Round 3 if you need a burner he’s on the table, round 4 or 5 is much better value for the risk. Could end up being an elite deep threat though so the risk could certainly end up being worth it.
A high risk high reward prospect with elite athleticism and good size, Emanuel Hall is a Mike Wallace clone. He ran 4.39 at the combine with a ridiculous 43.5 inch vertical at 6’2. His H/W/S is prototype and he pairs it with above average quickness as well, a deadly combination typically for receivers. He has a true second gear that very few have and it’s not just build up speed, he gets there in a hurry which makes him pretty terrifying for defenders. He averaged over 20 yards per reception in his career as well, making him an ideal number 2 or 3 receiver who is always a threat to take the top off the defense.
There are some issues with Hall as a receiver prospect though. You ask why he isn’t rated higher and there’s no doubt his upside is certainly higher, in fact I think he’s got the 2nd highest ceiling of any receiver in this class after Metcalf. He has way too many dropped passes, his route running is only okay although there is sky high potential there, and he just isn’t super competitive. He looks at times like a track star playing football and it can be frustrating. While he has the size to be a good blocker, he doesn’t put forth much effort there at all. He tracks the deep ball well but then will drop a 6 yard hitch with no one around him. He also had an elite quarterback getting him the ball in college and his production wasn’t ever top tier. You pair that with some injury bugs that bit him consistently and you get someone who looks like a 3rd or 4th round draft pick.
I think the kid has a legit shot to be a perfect low volume high yards type player. He’s a splash player in that his speed and gear is so good and his size and leaping ability is so elite that he can end up with an 18-20 yards per reception total in the NFL. You need to see though that drafting him could end up in a bust as he doesn’t have that fight you like to see on tape and his apathy toward blocking and at times high pointing the football is a big red flag to me. He’s got huge upside but there’s a chance he doesn’t make it too. Round 3 if you need a burner he’s on the table, round 4 or 5 is much better value for the risk. Could end up being an elite deep threat though so the risk could certainly end up being worth it.
84. Riley Ridley, WR Georgia 76
An exceptional route runner, Ridley is a nice player who projects as a quality number 3 in the NFL who could end up being a number 2 depending on scheme. Ridley is a tactician as a route runner and creates separation with decent quickness but excellent footwork and football IQ. While his straight line speed and acceleration are below average for the position, and his quickness is only okay, he still manages to find his way open a lot and he snatches the football, picking up first downs and touchdowns. While there is no chance he turns into a number one, his ability to move the chains is big and valued in the league.
He wasn’t super productive at Georgia, but it’s clearly a run first offense and with quality receivers all over the place it was tough to force feed him the ball. That said he learned a role that he’ll likely play in the league which is one where he’s asked to be selfless, block, move the chains, and be tough and physical. He does that very well and when he gets his chances he rarely misses out. Ridley is a good blocker, has nice size at 6’1 and 200 pounds and can likely play any role whether outside or inside.
Overall I could get really deep into this write up but it’s fairly simply. He’s a very good route runner who projects as the epitome of an NFL number 3 wide receiver. Ridley creates separation with elite route running but won’t run by you and has good size but not great. I think getting someone like him in round 3 or 4 is a solid spot as he is clearly someone who will be a 2nd or 3rd wide receiver and has some upside. His lack of tangibles and production knock him down the board but he’s a nice piece.
85. Te’Von Coney, LB Notre Dame 76
I think he’s one of those guys who is a super good college player but won’t translate directly to the NFL. He looks like he’s rock solid on tape but I really question some of the lack of burst and explosiveness that you need to be really good at the next level but man he puts up good film. He rarely misses tackles which is super important for the position. Coney has long arms and when he blitzes he typically gets pressure because he can bench press the interior guys. I think his lack of speed and athleticism is going to be a problem with pure man coverage but his recognition skills are good and he keeps the ball in front of him so he gives up virtually zero YAC. While his upside is limited I think his floor is relatively high and somewhere in the late 3rd or 4th round range makes sense for someone who at worst is going to be a really good backup in the league.
Look if this were going purely off of tape he’d be among the best in the entire country at his position. He just doesn’t miss tackles, makes the right plays, keeps the ball in front of him on passing downs and shows really good recognition skills. While his lack of speed means that in man coverage, which he played more of in 2017 I think based on film, he has some deficiencies in terms of matchups. He looks good in zone and I love the way he can read bootlegs and get to tight ends. He’ll give up some short catches but doesn’t give up anything afterward. Again, pure tape he’s super good, top 25-30 tape in the country regardless of position.
That said the college games and NFL games are different animals. He will have a problem with speed and quickness at the next level and there’s a chance he can’t play on 3rd down consistently. The tape shows a good ability in pass coverage but I just don’t see him running down the seam against tight ends or trying to guard angle routes against running backs. While he shows good potential as a blitzer, I’m not sure he’ll be able to do as much in the league, it’s so hard to explain this he just is a bit limited and most NFLer’s are not. The kid is a great football player and i think his floor is super high as a long time player in the league, but the odds of him being anything more than a volume tackler is probably not high. I think he’s a late day 2 target but I would prefer him in round 4.
86. Ryquell Armstead, RB Temple 76
He’s a good tough runner who does a lot of good things, and churns out tough yards. I don’t think he has the pure upside of some other guys but if you want someone who can help you do the dirty work and pick up tough yards he’s your guy. Other guys in this draft have more athletic ability, or run faster, or have bigger yard per carry averages but Armstead is a grinder. I think he projects as a solid rotational running back who could start some games throughout his career and while his upside is probably capped at being a 60% of the touches running back, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him get a lot of carries throughout his career. He keeps you ahead of the sticks, falls forward, and has the size to hold up. I believe he should be in the round 3 conversation in this draft.
His 40 at the combine was somewhat surprising in a good way because I didn’t really see the breakaway speed on tape that the 4.45 would suggest. He didn’t bounce to the outside much because it looked like he might struggle to get the edge, although he did have a few big runs. It shows that maybe the 7-12 yard runs he had in college could end up being bigger in the league but the way he runs and the bulldozer mentality he has means likely he’s a churner in the NFL.
His running style is choppy and tough, and he is always looking to find the crease up the field to pick up those inside yards. Armstead is constantly moving his feet and he makes the first guy miss in the hole more often than you’d think for someone who is around 220 pounds and as thick as he is. He isn’t super quick or elusive but he makes more guys miss than you’d think and his slithering style toward the end of runs typically picks up an extra yard or two. He isn’t going to force a ton of missed tackles but he’s not an easy guy to bring down either.
As a 3rd down guy he looks more like a pass protector than a pass catcher. His lack of quickness and burst means that he’ll likely not be a high volume receiver but his size and toughness show up in pass pro. He didn’t look as refined as you’d like there but he’s clearly not afraid to stick his nose in, and while he rarely worked on the edges at Temple there, he stuck his face in the A-Gap often enough you can see some potential.
He’s going to get carries in the league because it’s tough to pass up someone who will get you the tough yards and keep you ahead of the sticks. Armstead isn’t a burner and won’t get you big chunk plays but if you want someone who will put his head down and pick up yards, while also giving you a bit more here and there with some speed, he could be your guy. It wouldn’t shock me if he ends up as a 2 down rotational starter down the road at all. He doesn’t wow you but his workman-like attitude will endear himself to some teams who are looking for a guy like this. He’ll likely go on day 3 but he should start being considered in the middle of round 3.
87. Mike Edwards, S Kentucky 76
He’s a nice football player who i think could eventually turn into a starter in the league but looks like a rotational DB at worst. He reminds me a little bit of Andre Hal coming out of Vanderbilt in that he has good bulk, looks like he’ll be best at safety, but shows some coverage ability that you like to see. He’s an aggressive football player and racked up tons of tackles in the SEC even hitting 100 on season. He plays slot corner but is a bit grabby there and I wonder if he has the quickness to be good there consistently in the league, he doesn’t have the quickness for the slot receivers or the size at 5’10 to combat the tight ends. He’s a bit of a tweener but has the game, ball skills with 10 picks, and toughness with over 250 tackles to find a spot and stick for a long time.
To me he looks like a big nickel safety in the NFL. I think he projects best as a slot safety or occasional box safety. His coverage skills are pretty instinctive and in zone he has decent feel to get proper depth. He’s not explosive enough to constantly play there or to be a really good man to man guy on the outside but his strength and stickiness in coverage is above average for a safety. You have to like the ball skills too with a bunch of PBU’s and those double digit picks. I just wonder if his game translates to the next level in coverage.
As a tackler and run defender he has some skill. He’s a very solid tackler although not a huge hitter and his length is only okay but he doesn’t miss a bunch. I like the angles he takes and when he comes off the edge he comes under control and fires his gun down the line, weaving his way through traffic better than most DB’s. He looks solid here and I think it’s why he could see a lot of playing time as a younger player is that you could use him as that big nickel safety early in his career and his savvy as a pass defender coupled with that toughness against the run can play immediately.
I think he’s wise beyond his years and sees the game well. When I watch him I just keep saying oh that’s solid, oh good angle, nice tackle, good play. He doesn’t have the elite traits you’d want to see and his height and length isn’t ideal but he has almost 31 inch arms and plays with power and looks to be close to 210 pounds. At worst he’s a solid rotational safety who plays under control and does his job constantly. He’s not flashy and I doubt he wins any awards throughout his career but he looks solid. I could see someone taking him in the 3rd round without question, but to me without a huge upside I am praying he falls to the 4th or 5th and I take a very high floor guy there. He’s just rock solid and versatile.
88. David Edwards, OT Wisconsin 75
Edwards is about as standard of a right tackle prospect as you’ll find in an NFL draft. If you want a prototype of what a normal right tackle looks like in the NFL as a college prospect this is exactly where you’ll go. Edwards is a powerful run blocker with good length who generates good movement at the point of attack. He plays his best when he’s asked to maul people and get to the second level, creating running lanes and smashing downhill. When he’s asked to take long kick steps and protect 5 and 7 step drops, there are times where his balance, hand placement, and technique get out of whack quickly. His pass protection right now isn’t where it needs to be for him to be successful in the league.
At 6’7 and close to 320 pounds Edwards has ideal size for the right tackle position in the league. He has good length, a really powerful anchor, and heavy hands that allows him to handle bulrushes and power moves easily. On shorter sets he looks okay and his length does allow him at times to run speed rushers past the pocket, and he rarely gives ground to collapse pockets. He also has mediocre footwork at best and good experienced pass rushers get around him when quarterbacks hang onto the ball. Edwards has the potential to be a solid pass protector, although his upside doesn’t seem to be high. If he’s forced into action as a rookie there will be a steep learning curve in pass pro. He could develop into an adequate right tackle in time though in terms of pass protection.
As a run blocker this is where he shines. He has a powerful first punch and consistently creates movement and gaps to run through. He does an excellent job of simply taking the win when asked to move to the second level, using his inside shoulder to create space and getting the backside sealed off with frequency. His power in drive blocks is really impressive as at times he creates 3-5 yards when he plays simply gap/power schemes. He is one of the best run blocking tackles in this class and projects as a high end run blocker at the next level. His tape is fun when you get to watch him just get off the ball and go downhill hard.
Overall Edwards is a standard right tackle in the league. His pass protection needs a lot of attention and he will benefit from getting another year in the league to sit and watch and be a 3rd tackle and a backup. The hard part with Edwards is that he looks like a right tackle only so you have to be careful if you draft him and his pass protection can’t catch up because it’s tough to keep a one position backup in this league. To me I think he’s going to go sometime In the middle of day 2 but to me he’s likely a late 3rd round grade. I’d consider him strongly in round 4 if I had a need at right tackle in the coming year or two but he needs some grooming. High end run blocker if you can help his pass pro catch up though.
89. LJ Collier, DE TCU 75
Collier projects as a base end in a 43 defense or potentially a bull rusher in the nickel on the interior at the NFL level. I think he’ll end up being a rotational piece along the defensive line and he gives you some toughness and an ability to collapse the pocket. I heard someone call him rugged and I like that description. There’s not a ton that he really does that wows you but he’s strong, tough, plays hard and is a quality bull rusher. Collier is someone who can give you some toughness on your defensive line but I think his upside is capped. Looks like a situational end in a 43 defense who can push that pocket if you want on pass rushing downs as a 3 tech.
Collier is 6’2 280 pounds and doesn’t have ideal bend or burst. His 3 cone at the combine verifies what you see on tape which is that he simply is a pocket pusher without a ton of movement skills. He has good power in his hands and actually does a lot of interesting things when he’s rushing the passer. He mixes up his looks and it’s really tough To know what’s coming before the snap. They played a lot of 3 man lines at TCU and although he typically lined up in what would be construed as a 7 technique it means he dealt with two blockers a lot, which gives him some experience if he were to play a 5 or 3 tech. As a pass rusher he projects as more of a pusher than someone who will give you a lot of sacks or pressures.
As a run defender he could give you something as a base end. He’s strong and plays his ass off so you know he’ll do his best to set the edge and get into the backfield. Collier isn’t a super instinctive player so I doubt you’ll see a ton of TFL’s from him but he’ll do the job you need him To do out there. His radius for making a tackle isn’t big but he’s strong and can occasionally get off blocks or eliminate running lanes.
He was a part time player at TCU and that’s what he projects to be at the NFL level. At the Senior Bowl you could see the power in his punch and his hands and he has some lower body strength that impresses you. On tape this season he tore up poor blockers and feasted on guys who weren’t ready to protect against his power or lower body leg drive. He will beat up on tight ends so he’ll require attention which is nice and his bull rush is strong so he adds value as a collapser. One of the things that really actually bothered me though in all of this was that he was extremely slow out of his stance on about 10-15% of the snaps that he played and he was virtual non-factors in those plays, it drove me nuts on tape. His game is pretty evident of what it is which is a solid base end that I think projects better on day 3 but he could sneak into the 3rd round. Looks like a round 4 or 5 rotational base end to me though.
90. Lonnie Johnson Jr, CB Kentucky 75
Zero picks in two seasons is a number that I can’t get behind as a corner and in a league that values taking the ball away more than anything else, you have to know that’s the first thing I worry about when grading him. If you can’t get interceptions your value can only be so high, and therefore he can’t be a pick in the top 2 rounds of this draft. He has exceptional size and his 40 time at the combine was a huge pickup for him in terms of boosting his stock. Overall though right now he does make some plays and has legit potential to develop into a starting corner in the NFL and I think in round 3 he provides the upside that fits with the risk and lack of ball production. He could turn into a solid CB2/CB3 in time and that size plays in a lot of systems.
Johnson has the potential to be a good press man corner, and I also like him a bit in cover 3 schemes even without the ball production. I worry about his deep speed and he does as well as he looks satisfied to come up and rally on tackles instead of getting into receivers. I do think he’ll always be a player who allows some catches here and there while he contests others. He is a little stiff in his movements and I think his reading his keys on routes is only okay at this point but again can be developed given time. As a run defender he shows promise and he’s already a pretty good tackler, which is another reason i could see him as a zone player and if he can make that tackling even better he could show some Tampa 2 ability as well. In fact he reminds me somewhat of Pierre Desir in what he can do and become in the league, but like the Lindenwood product it may take Johnson a bit to develop.
Overall Johnson has some traits that are impossible to teach with his size and pretty good athleticism. I do think his 40 at the combine was probably better than his game speed as he’ll sit on routes and then lacks makeup speed even at the college level. Johnson will ahve his share of matchup problems with quicker and faster guys in the league but he’s not a bad player already and he can hold up in quite a few matchups. He’s solid but unspectacular as a prospect and round 3 feels right to me but the lack of ball skills pushes him down my particular board if I’m a GM but as an overall prospect somewhere late on day 2 is where he grades out.
91. Anthony Johnson, WR Buffalo 75
I don’t know if he has the traits to be anything more than a WR3 in the NFL but damn he’s tough as nails after the catch and his tape is pretty freaking good. His game against Temple was super impressive. He has really good vision after the reception and has the toughness and shiftiness to make people miss and pick up a lot of YAC. He doesn’t have much straight line speed or top tier quickness but he seems to get open more often than not and draws a ton of pass interference penalties in the meantime. He held his own against solid corner Roc Ya-sin and his ability to run all the routes was impressive. I think he is a 4th or 5th wide receiver early in his career but the toughness and physicality could lend itself to him becoming a starter in time. His upside is capped by the lack of speed and explosiveness but he’s savvy and tough.
Johnson is a hands catcher who plucks the ball out of the air and rarely has a drop. He creates a bit of separation occasionally by good feel for the game and using his body to shield him from defenders. He likes to simply post up or pin them to his back when he goes across the middle. He doesn’t struggle running any route and while he likely won’t be scary going deep on you due to lack of pure speed he high points the ball well even though he doesn’t jump really high. His ball skills are good.
Where he’ll gain some traction in scouting is how good he is with the ball in his hands. While he certainly doesn’t have the shiftiness of other players in this class he runs with toughness and power and has tremendous vision. He isn’t afraid to cut back or lower his shoulder and he picks up tough yards that way. I think he can play inside or outside at the next level and will likely be a 3 position backup at wide receiver and he projects favorably on special teams too with toughness and decent size. He should be in the conversation in round 3 but I bet he ends up on day 3. Not a bunch of upside but it wouldn’t surprise me if he ends up a starter in time, he had good tape.
92. Oshane Ximines, OLB/DE Old Dominion 75
I think he’s the epitome of an average prospect for a draft pick here in the 2019 draft. Ximines came out at a terrible time for an edge rusher, in the best class of pass rushers since I’ve started doing this a few years ago. There are some traits that you like here but he simply doesn’t have anything that jumps out at you, and with a mediocre week at the Senior Bowl he falls to me somewhere as a borderline day 2 but likely day 3 pick for my draft ratings.
All his numbers at the combine were in the middle of the pack for what I look for in successful edge rushers, and his 3 cone (BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT COMBINE NUMBER FOR EDGE PLAYERS) was good at 7.13 but not elite, which verifies the tape. I think he has decent strength but not overwhelming and while he looks okay dropping into coverage against lower division players, I think he’s a bit stiff hipped and rigid to do it in the NFL with consistency.
Now for the positives, he was productive this season with 12.5 sacks and was exceptionally consistent game to game. He plays fairly hard and beat up on poor players when they try to block him, he beat up on tight ends or weaker tackles when they stuck them over there. I think he has a lot of really impressive pass rushing moves and therefore poor technique guys will struggle with him. I like that as a fact but also notice that it probably caps his upside as there’s not much more to do to help him there. A bit more strength in his lower body and he could turn into a decent run defender given time.
I’m not going to harp on this too much. He’s a pretty polished guy so far if you were looking at someone who has an array of pass rush moves and has done a few different things throughout his career. They asked him to cover backs going into the flat at times and he seemed good. From what you hear his interviews are good and teammates and coaches rave about him so you like that too. He just seems like someone who has a shot to be decent as a pass rusher but he doesn’t have the explosion or traits to be great. Round 4 feels right to me as a 34 outside linebacker but likely a core special teamer and pass rusher throughout his career.
93. Ryan Finley, QB NC State 75
A good solid player who gets the unfortunate moniker of being the ideal game manager in this year’s draft class. He’s a nice piece who distributes the football well and has below ideal arm strength and arm talent and yet gets the job done when he has great talent around him. Finley looks to be the part of the perfect AAAA quarterback in that he’s probably going to be a bit better than an average backup but not quite good enough to be a starter in the NFL. He’s got the Brian Hoyer, Jacoby Brissett, Ryan Fitzpatrick type gene that typically keeps guys around for a decade.
Finley is pretty accurate but he had a great supporting cast and rarely had pressure up the middle due to having a stud center and two very good college receivers. His arm strength and kind of average release speed is going to cause him some issues with tighter throws in the NFL but his arm isn’t bad overall. He’s got good mobility and showed it off at the combine and he’ll occasionally take off and run but he likes to climb the pocket instead. As a thrower he shows good anticipation and does a nice job of hitting receivers into areas on zone throws. He also is very good at underneath accuracy stuff like screen and swing passes and rarely misses those.
The issue with him though is that on intermediate throws or on wide field throws he just lacks the juice to get the ball home. Those are the throws that good NFL quarterbacks make that he just simply can’t. You watch the Clemson tape and the first two real difficult NFL style out throws he had to make he couldn’t get them there on time. When he is forced to drive the ball he loses his mechanics and his accuracy. He shows good ability to move and reset his feet and throwing off platform doesn’t typically cause problems but when he has to add extra juice to his fastball or throw a true NFL type throw, he can’t make them with consistency.
He has good qualities and perhaps in a perfect situation he could end up getting starts in his career in time. I like that he’s tough and completes a solid percentage of his throws and started for 3 years. His accuracy numbers are slightly inflated though and his center was the country’s best. Finley lacks arm talent to be a high quality starter and the red zone intercpetions and bad decisions will cost his team points too often for him to be a long term starter. He reminds me a bit of Ryan Fitzpatrick when watching his tape and I think it’s the best comp you’ll get for him. I’d look at him in round 3 though because he could be a very good backup or spot starter who you wouldn’t fear if he had to play for you.
94. Darius Slayton, WR Auburn 75
You have to throw away the 2018 tape because what the hell was that on offense down there in Auburn this year. He’s another fast guy who has yet to figure out how to actually play the position and he looks like a track athlete trying to play wide receiver. His hands aren’t great and his route running has potential but lacks consistency. There are so many guys who are just like that in this draft class so essentially you’re picking between about 7 or 8 of these guys with super similar skill sets. To me I believe you can wait until deeper on in the draft and whichever one falls to you gives you the best opportunity to pick up value, but I digress here. Slayton projects as a high quality deep threat who will be a low volume high YPC player in the league. He has decent size for someone who runs 4.39 and his 40 inch vertical is enticing. He averaged almost 20 yards per catch in the SEC over the past 3 years.
He was pretty good against average players but good players ate him up. He couldn’t get separation from good man coverage and it was frustrating to watch. He takes too long to make a move off the line and stutters too often, press corners gave him fits. Slayton is good at adjusting to the football though and catches it pretty easily, but will have his share of concentration drops. When you throw him a backshoulder fades he does it well and looks natural with a feel for it that you can’t teach. He has good quickness but definitely needs to learn how to create separation because he has the ability to get it if he can learn the position more.
He’s been a big play threat, can make some big time catches, and has tremendous athleticism. Slayton also doesn’t get open as often as you’d like, and good players essentially shut him down, and he’ll drop some open balls. He looks like a WR3 or 4 at this point who you could develop into a nice secondary option down the road. There are a lot of guys just like him in this class which likely causes him to drop to somewhere on day 3.
95. Max Scharping, OT Northern Illinois 75
Scharping is a nice player who projects as a better than average swing tackle or a spot starter at either tackle spot in the NFL. He’s your prototypical “AAAA” tackle in the NFL. What I mean by that is that you have those professional baseball players who dominate AAA but can’t really make it in the Majors. That’s what Scharping looks like to me as a tackle in the league. He’s too good to be a backup but not quite good enough to be a starter but there’s a lot of value there. He has decent size, consistently has solid reps at left tackle, and his feet are better than some. Overall Scharping looks like someone who could play tackle in the league as a backup with some potential to start in certain instances. He’s a nice player who might kick inside to guard but could play for quite a while due to consistency, versatility, and reliability
Scharping started 52 games at both right and left tackle for Northern Illinois and looked like a really solid player there. It’s interesting watching his tape because he doesn’t ever really wow you but his game grades are always above average. He gets beat off the snap at times, but recovers very well and usually ends up with a decent rep even if his technique and slide steps aren’t ideal. His foot quickness on pass sets are only okay and his footwork technique can get sloppy sometimes. He’ll cross his feet which causes him to give up pressure to the inside a bit more often than you’d like, particularly when he’s at left tackle but his recovery work is laudable. He rarely gets beat badly and that’s a positive trait. He lacks elite levels of quickness, length, footwork, and his technique can get sloppy, so the upside isn’t high but the ability to recover and not hold or give up on plays that he’s beat on will translate well.
As a run blocker he looks solid if not spectacular. I don’t think he’s someone that Will be a dominant run blocker in the league at any point but he doesn’t look like a liability there. He can get players turned and can seal the edge with decent regularity but I’m not ever really seeing him dominate pushing people around. He doesn’t get beat often but he’s not dynamic here. Looks useful but nothing to wow you. Players can fall off of him too and his jumping on combination blocks looks okay at college level, projects below average in the league.
Look the kid is reliable, consistent, and has some positive traits. He also doesn’t wow you and his feet are only okay so his technique isn’t great because he’s reaching or lunging. He recovers well and anchors when he’s beat so there’s some stuff to work with here but I’m fairly confident in what he is, which is an above average backup or a below average starter at tackle with some potential to maybe play guard in a pinch. There’s a lot of value here because that’s a nice piece and maybe some offensive coordinator and line coaches can create a solid piece. I like him in round 4 because linemen get hurt every single day and this guy can play multiple positions, doesn’t panic when he’s beat, and shows up every game with almost never below average games. If your team drafts him on day 3, you should like the pick. Not a ton of upside but quality backup linemen help GM’s and coaches sleep at night. Wouldn’t surprise me to see the guy start 50 or more games in the league either and you could do worse.
96. Josh Oliver, TE San Jose State 75
Oliver looks like your standard number two tight end who flashes some upside along with some things he needs to work on. He has good speed running in the 4.63 range and shows it on tape with an ability to run away from Mountain West safeties. His hands are pretty good and he’s an above average athlete, although he does bobble passes at times which might hurt him in the NFL with tighter coverage. He is more comfortable in the slot than in-line like most college tight ends and he needs to add play strength and technique to become a guy who can start and play all 3 downs. He’s good at high pointing the football and looks the part of a solid borderline day 2 kid but likely a 4th rounder. The way Oliver runs though with these wild ass arms is pretty distracting and it makes it so his quick routes are too easy to read. The deeper routes he is much better but quick hitters won’t be his speciality unless it’s against zone.
Oliver has a high floor in that his teammates love him and at worst he projects as a decent second or third tight end. He uses his body well and his route running is better than average for a prospect. He doesn’t create natural separation but he gets an inside step frequently and uses his hands and body to shield people away for first down catches. He’s not a quick twitch guy but has decent feeling for coverage and gets that half step that you need. Oliver isn’t going to break a ton of tackles or create a lot of YAC but he’s above average as a pass catcher prospect.
As a blocker he gives you some upside but overall he’s lacking here. The biggest issue as a blocker is he will have plays where he’s the reason the play failed completely and right now you coudln’t trust him blocking a defensive end at all. He’ll flash and make quality plays but his base isn’t strong enough so early on he’s a 4th WR / #2 tight end. Didn’t see much pass blocking from him so can’t give an adequate grade but I imagine it would match up.
He’s a quality tight end 2 or 3 with some upside as a low end starter in time. I think he could end up catching a few touchdowns in his career as he’s big with good leaping ability and he can run so there’s a shot here but he’s nothing too special. I think if you’re looking for tight end depth and prioritize slot duties with in-line he’s going to be on your board on day 3. The upside is enticing so it’s a low risk solid upside move, those draft picks are solid and that’s what he represents.
97. Jahlani Tavai, LB Hawaii 75
A powerful and productive 3 down linebacker from Hawaii, Tavai is a bit of an under the radar prospect but one of those guys you wanna get on the 3rd day. You always want guys who can tackle and Tavai averaged 10 tackles per game the past 3 seasons, and he is almost always around the football. It's even more impressive when you notice that on 3rd down Hawaii had him come off the edge on occasion, taking him out of the play a lot of the time. Because of that skill set though Tavai ended up with 17.5 sacks during his time for the Rainbow Warriors and he finds himself in the mix early on day 3 of the draft.
While Tavai’s toughness, size, and versatility certainly make him a solid player his lack of play speed and explosion are going to limit his upside. I think he will end up being a volume tackler in the NFL if he ever becomes a starter but he simply doesn’t have the pure speed you see in todays’ NFL. His lack of athleticism will probably mean that he’ll only be okay in man coverage as well even though he looks comfortable dropping into zone and his pass rush off the edge is actually solid. It’s not common to see someone able to do all of those things and that versatility is what makes him such a safe pick in round 4 or 5.
I like these types of players. They are good at the basis and good tacklers are always welcome on every team. I think he can drop into coverage a bit, rush the passer a bit, and you can’t teach productivity like he had in Hawaii. He also got arrested for fighting once, doesn’t have good speed, and missed the postseason work and the last 4 games of the year with a shoulder injury. He looks like your prototype 3 down backup linebacker in the league who very easily could end up being a lower tier starter down the road. These guys have good value and are typically your core special teams player as well. Super safe round 4 pick for me.
98. Jamel Dean, CB Auburn 75
One of the more physically gifted players in this draft is Dean from Auburn. He’s 6’1 and ran a 4.30 so you have the H/W/S that some teams are completely enamored with. His skill set is that of a press man corner and he’ll try to jam you up if you give him a chance to on the outside. He’s faster than quick and will give up a bit underneath if you want it and his technique isn’t refined yet as he’s still a raw prospect. Dean is a guy though with 3 major knee surgeries that you’d have to get clearance from medical to bring him in as those knee surgeries could derail his entire career. You pair that with the fact that his tape is good but not great and I think he has okay but not elite ball skills, and i’d feel a lot better about him in round 4 than in round 3 but his upside is super high. I imagine someone in the middle of day 2 is going to fall in love with his H/W/S and bring in Dean but his technique and playing skill right now are in that high day 3 range.
He has good size but doesn’t show any urgency in the run game. It bothers me a bit that he’s that size and doesn’t really disengage from blocks well or shows much there, he’s not bad but he’s only average. I think he’s grabby on press and he’ll give up a few calls in the NFL because his technique isn’t great right now and he wants to open up early and get in your hip with his hands on you. It’s not a bad strategy as he wants to be physical but quick inside moves give him problems as he tries diligently to push people to the boundary. Despite elite speed he’ll allow separation and got beat deep in the Bama tape. He’s a lot more projection than production at this point.
He gave up only around 40% completions this season though and that size and speed is enticing. There are promising things to work with and I do like his physicality in press and he’ll be able to match up with anyone across from him as his size and leaping ability paired with that 40 time plays against everyone. He has talent but he’s not a great player yet, just a talented one. His upside is very high and you don’t find players with his skill set often so someone will get enamored with his potential. I would much prefer him in the 4th as he’s the prefect day 3 super high upside pick but in round 3 I totally understand it if the medical team clears him, he’s not a bad player now and at worst could be a CB4 and an elite gunner. He could turn into a valuable matchup guy and a corner who won’t be physically beaten by many across from him. Round 3 or 4 and one of the higher upside guys for the DB’s this class.
99. Amani Oruwariye, CB Penn State 75
A big zone corner with only average speed, Oruwariye is going to be scheme dependent on his success level in the league. While some teams might want to play him as a press corner others will see his skill set as a cover 2 or 3 guy. If he’s asked to simply run around or play off man he lacks the ability to do that well. I prefer him as a zone corner who can use his length and size as a plus as I think better receivers in the league will have success against him. He’s a nice player but nothing special and he looks like a round 3 or 4 guy for me.
Oruwariye’s skill is that he has good length and does an adequate job of battling for the football and playing press. I want him to play that press man and bail technique and allow the players to catch the balls in front of him. I like how he recognizes plays and understands leverages in zones. While he makes some plays on the football there as well, he might not have elite ball skills but he’s solid in that regard. He’s not afraid to tackle but I worry despite his size his lack of play strength stands out firmly on tape. He gets dragged by players and as a zone corner you can’t let a 5 yard gain become 8 or 9 and he does it frequently.
His write up and evaluation is easy. While he ran well at the combine his play speed is only okay. Quicker and faster receivers both will eat him up a bit because he plays a bit upright and doesn’t have that gear up or gear down that truly elite man corners have. At 6’2 and 205 pounds running a sub 4.5 are all good enough numbers his game tape is good but not great. While I could certainly see him developing into a solid CB2 for a zone heavy team, early on in his career he’ll likely need to be a special teams guy which he did early at PSU. He’s another one of those guys who are in the similar vein in this draft of being a round 3 or 4 guy who could be successful if he goes to the right system but doesn’t have the upside to warrant anything higher than that.
100. Trayveon Williams, RB Texas A&M 74
A tougher evaluation than most because he lacks a lot of things you’d like to see to make him draftable but his vision and ability in pass protection are really impressive, and therefore he goes to an early day 3 selection for me. Williams lacks the speed and quickness you'd like to see from a traditional 3rd down back, and doesn’t have the power or strength to push piles as a normal rotational guy. He’s 207 pounds and runs in the 4.5 range with below average testable quickness, it would be easy for a scout to simply say no thank you and move on. I can see why guys would do that but when you put the tape on you find a good productive player who is tough as hell in pass protection and runs with excellent patience and tempo. He doesn’t look like a long term starter in the league but he’s a quality 3 down backup with plus pass protection skills and supposedly a superstar teammate and locker room guy. Could be an ideal 4th round pick.
I think 3 down backups are exceptionally valuable because you really only need to carry 3 backs if that’s the case. He certainly won’t be a short-yardage guy because he lacks the power necessary but damn he has good vision and he runs with really good feel. His cutback vision and ability to see the hole and use his blockers and set them up is very impressive. Again he simply lacks the elite big play type burst and quickness to be a superstar or a long-time starter in the league but the way he reads blocking is impressive and it leads to solid runs and nice middle size chunk plays that are the bread and butter of good NFL offenses.
As a pass catcher he is reliable as hell with 66 catches the past 3 seasons and he looks comfortable there. He doesn’t have that second gear or quick twitch to be a stud 3rd down guy but his pass blocking is where he separates himself. Now he doesn’t have the size to really be a star there in the league but in 33 pass blocking plays he was the clear winner in 26 and provided a stalemate in 5 so 31 of 33 in success as a blocker was crazy good. It just kept jumping out to me when watching and while it may not translate perfectly to the next level, it was impressive enough on tape I went back and actually kept track of the stats in the games I scouted him directly.
He’s not an elite level prospect, he lacks the speed, quickness, and size to be an above average starter. What he is though is a super valuable guy, a great locker room presence, and someone who looks like a winner. I think he could prove to be a good special teams player as well because you love the toughness he shows and he did return kicks at A&M. I just see him as a high floor kid with good character who barring injury won’t be a miss. This is an ideal round 4 player who could easily go in the 3rd.
101. Carl Granderson, DE/OLB Wyoming 74
After watching dozens of tapes of edge players that are supposed to be 3rd day or priority free agents in a row Granderson’s tape certainly stood out. It’s not that he has the elite athleticism or projects as a stud pass rusher but he does a lot of different things and plays with toughness and intensity. He drops into coverage with his head on a swivel, crashes down inside to make plays in the run game, and shows a bit of potential as a pass rusher. I actually want him as a 34 outside linebacker and believe that’s where he projects best in the NFL. While I certainly don’t think he’s a surefire starter, he could develop into one no question and I think he sees a lot of reps throughout his career because he does a bit of it all. He reminds me some of John Simon coming out of school in that he doesn’t project to be great at anything but he plays hard and could be good at almost everything.
I want him to add some more strength and to get a little less mechanical with his pass rush moves. You can tell he tried to develop a counter to his pure speed off the edge move with a spin but he telegraphs it and needs to continue to work it to improve. He has good length with 34inch plus arms and he uses them and tries to get into the tackles frame, but again just needs to get it a little further along. This past season with only 3 sacks it was disappointing because he can give you more than that as a pass rusher. He lacks the power and pop and that initial real good burst to be a top tier pass rusher but you could do worse, especially as a blitzer when he can diagnose and pick his spot out of the 34 spot. Looks good in tackle/end stunts and is more efficient with an inside move than using pure speed. As a pass defender where he could give you way more than most though is that he looks comfortable dropping into coverage and he runs in the 4.7 range with good length and awareness. I think he could end up being a solid zone cover OLB in a 34.
As a run defender he needs to add strength there’s no doubt. He can get pushed around a bit at the line but uses some quickness, tremendous effort, and a knifing move that he uses to create penetration against stronger tackles to still be productive in the run game. I don’t know how he could set the edge early in his career due to lack of strength but he plays hard and could string plays out. He needs work here but the effort and quickness give him a shot.
Again he doesn’t project as a starter but I could easily see him developing into a quality player and him being a good starter down the line wouldn’t surprise me a bit. He’s one of those guys that could play in the league for ten seasons and I could totally see that. He has some work to do without question but the effort on tape is good and he shows the ability to do a lot of different things at an above average level. I bet he ends up being good on coverage units and could see him in a rotation sooner than later. I just tend to like the kid and could see someone grabbing him in round 3 and he’ll be on a lot of boards in round 4. Good player.
102. Devin Singletary, RB FAU 74
Almost 800 touches in his college career, including 66 rushing touchdowns in 3 seasons, productive doesn’t begin to describe him. That said, it’s a big issue with me in that he’s got that much tread on the tires and is around 5’8 and 200 pounds. It’s not a recipe for long-term success in the NFL, you couple that with a 4.66 40 that does show up on tape, and bad testing numbers for explosiveness at a position that is devalued, and you get a 3rd day running back prospect.
Singletary is really fun to watch on tape though. The kid forces a ton of missed tackles in short spaces, has above average vision, and his feet are super quick in that he does this start and stop move that is electric. He doesn’t fall forward much due to lack of power but he’ll put his nose in there and cut it back up if he sees a hole. He tries to bounce a bit too much which won’t work in the league but he sees the play develop and forces a lot of short area missed tackles. He’s slippery as a runner and gets yards that a lot of RB prospects don’t get.
He also catches it fairly well, although he’ll drop one here and there. He’s not someone who will get open on wheel routes or you want to line up out wide but he seems to create separation fairly well for someone who didn’t test well in the quickness things at the combine. Singeltary isn’t going to wow you on tape with much but he’s a lot better football player than a workout warrior and his tape is plenty good to play on Sunday’s.
His upside isn’t very high because he’s probably capped at being a part of a timeshare and he looks a lot more like a 3rd down back who plays more like a starter. The wear and tear on his body limits what he can be but his tape is better than a lot of backs in this class. Unfortunately for him, it’s not all based on college tape and with a capped upside and a lack of size he goes on day 3 despite clearly having day 2 tape. Pretty damn good football player who could be a quality backup on all 3 downs.
103. Greg Gaines, DT Washington 73
One of my sneaky good players this draft who I really like in this draft class is Greg Gaines. I have a solid 4th round grade on him but wouldn’t mind if someone took him in round 3. He’s an interesting prospect because he has super short arms and his frame doesn’t look like an NFL player but he’s more athletic than you’d think and runs a 5.1 at 315 pounds. His productivity and game tape was I thought pretty damn good overall but you wonder about his upside which is why I can’t take him on the first two days, but there’s a lot to like about this hard working run stuffer.
Gaines isn’t going to give you a ton as a pass rusher. He doesn’t have that elite interior quickness that you want from a pass rusher so odds are really high he comes off the field during his career on passing downs. That lack of length with 31 inch arms means he won’t be able to get off of longer interior players but his lower body strength and power means he’ll push the pocket when given the opportunity, he does it very well. His second effort and crazy good ability to locate the football for an inside player means he’ll get some secondary pressure at times though and his chase down speed from an interior player is much better than you’d think. He’s kind of sneaky athletic.
As a run defender the kid can play on my team. He finds the football at an elite level and while he doesn’t make a ton of plays in the backfield he does make his fair share of tackles and he chases down plays with great effort and again that pretty good speed. He handles double teams well and rarely gives up bad reps against duo blocks. A lot of the time he causes pile ups and gets his hands and body around ball carriers’ legs. He’s not a good tackler in space because of his short arms so he’ll get close on a lot of plays and miss but he certainly causes problems, plays with great leverage and I would say is one of the better interior run defenders in this class.
Overall he’s a nice solid interior player who I think could end up starting in the league as a run stuffing tackle in an even front. He plays with good effort, finds the football at an elite level, and anchors up with better athleticism than a lot of interior players. He doesn’t have a high upside because he’s not crazy quick and he’s got below average length but I would be really surprised if he’s not in the league for 7-10 years because he has a lot of qualities that work. I hate that he plays with below average balance and ends up on the ground a ton, some of his tape reminds me a bit of Harrison Phillips’ from last year but without the productivity. I like him a lot more than most and his work at the Senior Bowl shows he has some potential. Solid round 4 for me and one of my favorites in this draft class.
104. Darius West, SS Kentucky 73
I am going to do a quick blurb on him as a day 3 draft pick because quite frankly his tape is super fun to watch and I love the kid’s effort. He is a ferocious hitter, and a playmaker and at 208 pounds running a 4.39 there is certainly somewhere he should play. On tape he jumps out. I get that Edwards is rated by everyone higher than West but I don’t think on tape that Edwards is better or has more promise. The issue here with West is that he does struggle to diagnose in coverage at times but the biggest thing is he has a crazy amount of injuries throughout his career including breaking his leg 3 times, rupturing his patellar tendon, and having a few smaller nagging injuries along the way. He’s a box safety with great speed and was a favorite of his teammates. I think at worst you have someone who could dominate special teams and at best you have a guy who will be tremendous in the locker room and could have upside as a starter given time. He is a target on day 3 in my draft room. Just love the kid’s tape and fire. Also he had 86 tackles each of the past two seasons to go along with 4 total INT.
The rating is based almost solely on his medicals. For tape the kid has borderline 2nd round tape, he’s dynamic and ferocious and I love him there but the injury thing is super legit. Couldn't use more than 5th on him but if my team drafts this kid I would do backflips because he could be a star down the road if he stays healthy.
105. Blake Cashman, LB Minnesota 73
I can’t take him in the first two days of the draft but he’d be a high priority target if I needed a solid linebacker in day 3. He has below average size, mediocre length, and had shoulder surgery on both shoulders but the former Walk-on put forth some seriously good tape this past season. He had over 100 tackles and then went out and posted a 4.50 at the combine, giving himself high end potential as a special teams player. I think he’s pretty undersized and it limits what he can do but his speed and quickness is a plus, and his toughness and ability to read and react to plays is top notch.
I love how he gets his drops in zone coverage, and this is where i think he has a chance to become even better than most in the league. He has super fluid hips and his change of direction skills to mirror quarterbacks is really impressive. As a man cover guy, he might not possess the requisite length to play against tight ends consistently but he looks smooth out there. He hasn’t given much as a pass rusher but the fluidity in coverage is real and can play.
Against the run he shows enough quickness, toughness, and reading ability to get through and around some blocks but good long tackles and guards engulf him. He fits better as a run and chase Will linebacker and will need solid defensive linemen in front of him to keep him clean. Cashman is a really good form tackler when he gets there and despite his size, he typically doesn’t need a ton of help once he gets home.
He’s a better college player than he will be a pro. He simply doesn’t have the big size or skills to be a stud, but the kid can play and his tape from this past year was really impressive. He fills the right gap the majority of the time and the way he moves in coverage and chases is a lot better than what people give him credit for. I simply don’t understand the “he’s not fast enough or athletic enough” conversation, they aren’t watching the same tape i'm watching. He gets downhill and sideline to sideline well above the average linebacker in this draft class and probably better than a lot in the league. His size is the thing that bothers me a bit and it’s why he’ll need good players in front of him to keep him clean, and his arms and height won’t make him a good matchup with tight ends who can box him out. That said at worst he’s a potential dynamic special teams player and long-time backup as a run and chase backer. The Walk-on mentality never changes though and he continues to improve. Team captain as well. One of those day 3 glue guys who ends up helping the culture and does the little things that help you win, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he ends up playing a ton of snaps in the league.
106. Paul Adams, G Missouri 73
I am a bit torn on Adams but decided finally after a few more game tapes that I’m going to place him squarely in the 4th round for my grades. That said I have him in the 4th round discussion as a guard because I think he lacks the foot speed to play tackle in the league but he looks to me like a solid NFL starting guard and therefore he’s got that potential. Two time starter, made 35 plus starts at right tackle, and had some really impressive games on tape, including 2018 against Florida. To me Adams is an underrated prospect who could turn into a good player in the NFL on the interior, with the potential to be an emergency right tackle which adds a little value.
Adams is 6’6 315 pounds with adequate length so he has good enough size to play guard in the league. He plays with some power and generates movement more often than not in the run game. With the run he plays downhill, attempts to make contact at the second level although he’s below average there, but gets players turned and generally gets solid push off the bat. He looks like he’d fit much better in a gap scheme without question. His lack of initial quickness can sometimes allow players to get across his face on run plays away from him but playing him inside could take some of that issue away. Again he could be a backup right tackle but he projects as a pretty good gap guard in the run department.
As a pass protector he anchors well, and his length for an interior player is above average. He diagnoses plays well, and looks to have a high football IQ. That said off the edge against quickness he got killed. Granderson for Wyoming got him a few times with quickness and the Georgia tape was not kind. He’d overset to speed and then get players to get on his pads and push the pocket on the inside post when he’d get wary of speed. Again these are things that can be remedied if he moves to guard but as a tackle there’s not much of a shot there.
Look I have him rated higher than anyone else I’ve seen with him rated as a mid to high 4th rounder. I understand that I probably like him more than most. That said, he plays with power, takes really good angles, and I think he can pass protect on the inside. Emergency right tackle potential as well with good pop and some good tapes to me I think he’s someone who I would consider grabbing middle of day 3. Some of it is projection but he plays with pop and the speed issues that beat him up occasionally at right tackle in college we could mitigate with him at guard. He’s a backup early who could turn into a starter in time and a good backup at 3 positions if he doesn’t catch up.
107. Isaiah Prince, RT Ohio State 73
Here’s a kid that got better and better every year in pass protection and I think has plenty of room to improve in the NFL. He has good size and length as a right tackle only prospect and his power is enticing. He is super straight legged and his upright stance is nerve wracking as hell to watch against speed but his size and power give him a legitimate chance to turn into a good right tackle in time. Prince will need a year or two to grow into what he can become, of that there’s no doubt, but if he can continue to develop there’s a chance for him to be a solid starter at right tackle in the NFL.
As a pass protector there are teams that will likely just simply take him off their boards for that. I understand the nerves as well as his stance and footwork aren’t very good and his quickness is below average. That said he has gotten better every year and his tape keeps getting better in that regard despite it still projecting to be an issue in the league. He is 6’7 with long arms and his kick slide takes up a ton of space. His length and stride means that even quickness will be mitigated a bit by his ability to run them by the quarterback. He’s not the quickest to diagnose so again he’s below average here but there is a lot to work with and in two or three more years he has a shot to be adequate in pass protection. He does have 41 straight stars in the past 3 years and played in every game as a freshmen so he has experience that will continue to help him as well.
Prince is a good run blocker already. He gets seals well and generates good pop when he plays with proper leverage. At times he’ll come out of his stance too straight up but his length still generates a decent turn on a defender. Quickness continues to give him problems but at times he’ll drive defenders off the ball. Some tapes you’ll see him get pissed and drive people to the turf or five to six yards deep while getting a seal or coming down the line to hammer people. I like the little bit of grit and nastiness from him at times so you know that’s there.
The pass protection worry is legitimate, and it could cause him to not make it in the league. I, however, think that he will continue to develop and as a 4th round pick with that type of length and pop I would love him on day 3. I don’t love drafting guys who can only play one position if they don’t work but if I had a guy who was had a one to two years left on his contract or was getting older I would love to see my team draft this guy to develop as a right tackle who could eventually turn into a nice player. There’s limitations but also upside. If my offensive line coached banged on the table for him, I wouldn’t be worried about pulling the trigger sometime in round 4 or later.
108. Michael Jordan, G/C Ohio State 73
I am not nearly as high on Jordan as everyone else is, just to get started here. It’s not to say I think he’s a bad player or won’t be successful in the NFL, but there are a lot of people who have him rated near Bradbury and squarely in the middle or top of round 2 and I think that’s way too rich for the Ohio State pivot. Jordan on my board falls somewhere in the round 4 discussion and looks to be a potential starting guard eventually in the NFL who could play some center. He’s got good length at 6’7, position versatility to play either guard or center, which he did this last season, and potential to be a nice player. His footwork isn’t good, he looks for work too often, and he pushes in space sometimes instead of blocking. Overall he looks like a borderline starter with position versatility and my prediction is he gets drafted too high for what he is.
Jordan has very good length for an interior player. He’s 6’7 and has long arms which he uses at times to keep defenders at bay. His height is simultaneously an advantage and a disadvantage on the offensive line as he will sometimes not play with proper leverage, allowing players to bullrush him even though he has great length for an interior player. He seems to recognize blitzes well and sees the game cleanly, not making too many mistakes in protection schemes and keeping his quarterback from facing many free rushers. As a pass protector there is some upside here with the length being tremendous and awareness being at least league average. He struggles with footwork though as a downside and catches far too many pass rushers than I’d like to see. He looks for work in both pass pro and the running game and simply has a lot of plays where he makes little impact. If a guy possess good quickness and comes a half beat late off the snap he whiffs more often than the average NFL interior player when he’s one on one. He slaps and boxes at Times on the line as well instead of finishing plays. His pass protection could be okay in the league but he’ll get beat his fair share as well.
As a run blocker he loses leverage at times and is a pusher instead of a blocker at the second level. He does get a pancake block or two per game which is fun to watch and some of his good reps are excellent but he does an okay not great job as a run blocker. He looks like someone who lacks a lot of power to his game but gets occasional movement and won’t be a liability here. His run blocking grades in the games I’ve watched him play, which was 7 tapes he graded out slightly above average and looked like a backup run blocker in the league.
I could go really far into this profile because there is a large discrepancy on what everyone else thinks and what I do for Jordan’s NFL future. To me he looks like a low end starter or a 3 position backup in the NFL. He’s got good length for an interior player and has some really good reps but his feet are bad, his tape is slightly above average and his quickness is mediocre for a prospect. He’s a borderline starter but a good backup, nothing wrong with that for a prospect, and he could certainly start for some teams. You’d be drafting length as a trait and that’s not a bad way to go. I just think that is somewhere around pick 90 to 110 and not pick 40-50.
109. Keelan Doss, WR UC-Davis 73
A big slot receiver with tremendous production and good ball skills, Doss figures out how to get open. He lacks the speed to run by people so he’s stuck inside or as a WR4 so the upside is certainly capped but he is open a ton and makes a lot of plays. He stood out to me at the Senior Bowl and I believe he projects pretty well to the next level. It was easy to say he compared to Cooper Kupp and you can see a ton of resemblance in the way they play. He looks like someone on day 3 to target as a WR4/5 or a big slot receiver, he’s good at getting open and catches the ball easily.
He won’t run by anyone, and you rarely see it on tape where he goes past someone on a go route. He gains separation by varying his route speeds, and at times he does actually pick up a second gear on crossing routes and drags because he gets through the minutia well. He is a top tier route runner and creates separation and finds the soft spots in zones with great feel. Good press corners might give him a problem but in the slot that will rarely be a problem. He’s got really good ball skills.
He is a good big slot receiver who figures out how to get open. He’s 6’2 210 pounds and although I’m not sure I’m going to guess he’s a 4.60 guy. I doubt he gives you much at all on the outside so he’s pigeon holed but the size means maybe he could be decent on special teams early on too. I like guys who can get open and he certainly can. One of the top day 3 slot receivers.
110. Kaden Smith - TE Stanford 73
A talented pass catcher who shows some potential as a blocker, Smith was a finalist for the Mackey Award. While he lacks the elite explosion of a top tier athlete he has tremendous hands and a gigantic catch radius that is rivaled only by the top tier players in this class. As a blocker he’s not going to wow you with tape yet, but his experience as an in-line blocker is a benefit a lot of college players don’t have. He fights hard but needs some technique work and a bit more anchor but he certainly isn’t a negative as a run blocker yet, and shows some savvy as a pass blocker when he was required to do it at Stanford. I think he’s one of the better TE2 candidates in this draft and could see him getting some starts in his career eventually. His upside is certainly capped with his lack of athleticism but Smith’s ability to catch everything through traffic and play in-line is better than most in this draft class.
As a pass catcher and route runner his strength is simply powering through contact and making tough catches. He high points the ball on deep throws as well as anyone in this class and he has extremely reliable hands, rarely dropping the football. He certainly won’t run away from you but his 4.91 time at the combine isn’t indicitive of play speed, while fast linebackers will be all over him he uses his body and absorbs contact at a high level. He lumbers a bit so his routes aren’t great but in-breaking routes and quick outs he gets his head around very quickly and adjusts to hot throws well. He’s tough after the catch but doesn’t make anyone miss.
As a blocker I want his base to be better and for his hand placement to improve. Both of these things are possible but he gives good work in this regard. I need him to show a bit more power to finish off blocks, he wins his fair share as a run blocker but rarely drives people off the ball, occasionally you see it but he doesn’t dominate as a blocker often. Maybe he’s average here but I think he could eventually be slightly above average with stronger hands than most and some technique improvements with good size at almost 260 pounds.
He doesn’t have much ceiling but his floor I think is higher than what most other evaluators are giving him. I think his ability and reliability as a pass catcher and showing something down the field making difficult catches will endear him to quarterbacks. He’s not going to wow you with athleticism but his tape is damn good and he’s been productive. Smith’s tape is better than the sum of his parts, he’s not someone I would take on the first two days but he’s certainly a guy i’m targeting on day 3 if I need a TE2, particular if I have a slightly sporadic QB in terms of accuracy, ideal safety blanket with some blocking upside.
111. Jarrett Stidham, QB Auburn 73
Stidham is a talented quarterback prospect who had an atrocious year in 2018 due to terrible coaching and schematics. If literally anyone in the entire 2019 draft should have stayed in school one more year it was this kid. Watching him in 2017 I legitimately though he had a chance to be a first round quarterback with his talent and some of his throws but the 2018 tape was so damn bad you had to take a second look. Now he looks like a 3rd round kid who has the talent to provide tremendous value to whichever team takes a chance on him. There are some legit issues with him as a quarterback prospect but he also has tremendous upside, Stidham is an intriguing prospect in the 2019 draft.
Stidham does a good job keeping the ball out of harm’s way with only 11 interceptions in two full seasons playing against SEC opponents. He has above average mobility, showing an aptitude to move particularly to his right and deliver strikes to receivers. His arm strength on intermediate throws looks like a positive but I’m not enamored with his deep ball throwing as he frequently under throws people despite what looks like good arm strength. His receivers dropped a ton of passes this past season and it hurt his overall numbers.
His pocket awareness isn’t very good. He looks to escape before he should sometimes and if he gets off his first read on some plays and definitely his second he wants to escape to his right even if there’s no need to do that. Stidham has to look to hang in the pocket when there isn’t pressure there and I want him to step up and create more time for himself but that will come with time, he won’t be ready to play until at least year 3 anyway given some of the habits he picked up this past season with dropping his eyes and seeing the rush.
Stidham has arm talent, mobility, decent size, and takes care of the football. These things are potentially things that could make him a starter given time but could definitely make him a quality backup. He has a 4th round grade as a player but given the positional value, taking him in round 3 makes a ton of sense and I believe that’s where he’ll go and where he should go in this draft. He’s someone who could develop and the 3rd round feels like an appropriate risk given that he does have starter upside, if he falls back into 2018 habits you can cut bait without it feeling like a lost draft pick, that’s the proper round.
112. Hunter Renfrow, WR Clemson 73
Third and Renfrow was the call for the past 4 seasons for the two time national champion Clemson Tigers. The diminutive Renfrow who is 5’10 and about 180 pounds with under 8 inch hands, was the smallest and yet maybe most consistent weapon in the Tiger arsenal. He was simply unguardable in the slot making key catch after key catch. He is maybe my favorite all around player in this draft and while he certainly is tiny and not real fast, he’s always freaking open. He also was elite in two championship games, beating up on really good Alabama corners. Renfrow was the best slot receiver in college football and I think he’ll end up being a damn good slot receiver in the league too. You can’t take him in the first two days because he’s a buck eighty and runs a 4.6 but he is constantly open and catches everything thrown his way. If I’m an NFL GM and this kid is available and I have a slot receiver opening, on day 3 I’m taking him and will just watch him move the chains time and again.
As a prospect he’s not fast enough and has tiny hands. He wont threaten anyone vertically and he can’t really block because he’s too small. He won’t break many tackles and while he has tremendous short area quickness he doesn’t make a ton of people miss with consistency. All of these things add up to a zero percent chance he goes in the first two days. His lack of explosive plays and inability to get them is a real thing though, as despite dozens of first downs he never had 100 yards in a game ever, that’s crazy.
What he does do though is have tremendous route running ability and catches everything thrown to him. Renfrow’s feel for zone coverage is as good as you’ll find from a slot receiver coming into the league. The two things that I think matter the most here though is that you watch him go against elite top tier inside corners and he beats them with regularity, first. Second, he is just so damn clutch. He was great in the title games, he’s great on 3rd down, he’s great at the goalline. The moment is never too big for him and he’s as reliable as anyone in the nation. He can’t go on the first two days, but if I need a slot receiver i’m grabbing him early on day 3 because he’s tremendous in that role.
113. Dawson Knox, TE Ole Miss 73
Knox to me isn’t quite in that second day range for tight ends in this class but it wouldn’t really bother me if someone grabbed him in the 3rd. He has good vertical speed and is really athletic but his lack of production and poor pass protection skills don’t bode well. He wants to block and puts forth good effort but he’s not even close there and when he’s asked to pass protect he lacks any sort of anchor. His run blocking as a move tight end is his calling card at this point, but to be honest it’s oversold a bit, it’s good and has potential but isn’t nearly as good as other scouts say it is. His promise is high, as are a lot of tight ends each year, but his production and issues are there as well. Knox is a much better fit on day 3 than on day 2.
He is a seam stretcher and shows decent hands but he’s faster than quick and good cover guys in the NFL will beat him up early until he shows he can beat man. His build up speed is good and supposedly he’s a tremendous athlete although I thought his combine numbers were good not great. Ole Miss played him as a traditional in line tight end most of the time and he was overwhelmed there. In the Egg Bowl he got rag dolled and his ass beat and it caused seriously problems there. He does have potential as a move blocker though as he looks better there than traditional. In fact it flashes on tape and he has long arms and good weight room numbers so that’s where he could find his niche in the league.
The potential is there for him to be a nice number two tight end in the league. He has good speed and power and therefore he could end up being a core special teamer as well. His movement blocking skills are better than most but not nearly as good as other scouts are selling. As a pass blocker he has potential but right now he’s below average and needs to add play strength. He has upside as a pass catcher but hasn’t shown the propensity to do it with regularity. Essentially Knox is 90% projection right now, and on day 3 he’s a great fit and every team could try him out, but I can’t use a first two day pick on him. Round 4 feels right to me as a scout.
114. Marquise Blair, S Utah 73
There are some tools here that could translate into him becoming a starting safety but to me he looks like a 3rd safety and someone you can use a lot in your dime packages. He plays at level 100 all the time and therefore he’ll get himself out of position or overshoot tackles. I love the intensity that Blair plays with, shooting his gun as well and as hard as any player you’ll scout. That said as a safety you have to play with discipline and he doesn’t do it well enough yet. Blair also played in the 185 pound range this past season at 6’1 and his skinny frame stands out on tape like a sore thumb. I worry about his durability and to be honest would be a bit surprised if he hangs on in the league for more than 4 or 5 years because he is rail thin. His speed and length is a major plus, as is his attitude and effort but the frame and overzealous nature with that position to me the risk puts him down as a high day 3 pick and a 4th round grade.
He’s rangy as a centerfielder and he can get down the sideline and cover up mistakes as he’s a 4.45 type with his speed. You couple that with a 6’1 frame and he can make up for issues in coverage down the field if he stays where he’s supposed to. He’ll get lulled in by play fakes and jumping routes and therefore he can make mistakes there but he seems like he’s got okay ball skills but I doubt he’s much of a high end playmaker there.
Where he impresses is his ability to shoot the gaps as a run player. He plays like he weighs 230 pounds in terms of how he flies around. Blair will see a play and before it even develops he can start 12 yards deep and then make a play at or behind the line of scrimmage. Now sometimes he’ll miss the tackle or pick the wrong gap leading to a big play but the way he fires is impressive. Blair likes to hit as well and will lay the wood down, he always is flying in trying to finish people off and he brings that edge you want to see in your secondary.
Blair’s frame is my big concern. He’s just so lanky and those guys don’t last in the league, they miss too many games. He has good speed and plays hard but his ball skills are only okay and I think he lacks recognition and instincts look okay but not great on film. His lack of discipline will turn off some teams and for me I don’t think I could pull the trigger in the first two days of the draft but he does have some traits you like to work with. I think he could be an awesome gunner on punts too so some added value. There’s things you like here but not until day 3 for me.
115. Corey Ballentine, CB Washburn 72
Yes! These are the guys that I absolutely love when they get to me on day 3 and they become a high priority target. He’s one of the 3 or 4 best special teams players in the draft so the floor you get is insanely high. Ballentine was a top tier return guy his junior season, had 10 special teams tackles in one season, and blocked 3 kicks one year for Washburn. You add that stuff up and add in the fact that he has elite athleticism and good size and you get a high end prospect to target in the middle part of a draft. That’s just as a special teams player, add in that he’s a pretty damn good corner and you get one of the premier sleepers in the entire draft.
Unfortunately I had very little tape to go on so I had to watch and rewatch all his Senior Bowl reps and he stood out to me. He has good size and very good speed, reaching over 21 MPH during Senior Bowl practices, while running 4.47 at the combine with plus numbers in the short area quickness drills. He’s around 5’11 and 195 pounds but he’s built exceptionally well and during that week he held his own in coverage, giving up a play here or there but being physical and tough in press. His technique can get a bit funky at times but as a corner he’s still in the developmental stage as he only played two years of high school football. It’s tough to judge what he is with very little tape but the special teams stuff plays immediately and that’s where he could be a superstar, with that and what i felt like was a very positive Senior Bowl week, I’m comfortable giving him a 4th round grade. I’m a big fan of his game.
116. Ben Banogu, DE/OLB TCU 72
He’s a really intriguing player if he falls to day 3 and someone I think a lot of teams would love to get their hands on. Banogu has tools that show themselves in spurts throughout games and were on full display at the combine. He’s one of those guys that when they workout, and pairs it with a few plays on tape, you can’t help but wonder what he could be if he can develop. Banogu is 6’3 250 pounds and runs in the low 4.6 range with a 7.02 3 cone and a 40 inch vertical. He’s a legit freak athlete a 9 or 10 out of 10 in terms of athleticism. You couple that with 35 tackles for loss and 17 sacks over the past two seasons and he is the perfect developmental player for a team on day 3.
He has some serious issues that will need to be fixed before he can be a viable player on defense in the NFL though. While he came to the combine at 250 he looks like he played in the 230 range at TCU. Good tackles and even some tight ends pushed him around in the run game and totally take him out of plays. I am surprised he even played in short yardage as there were snaps where he was a legitimate liability in run support. Early in his career with the lack of power that he shows and the total absence of shock in his hands I doubt he can see the field if there is any threat of the run. Occasionally though he does show the ability to knife in and make plays and while he’s not the most balanced tackler, you could see where eventually he could turn into a 34 outside linebacker with that exceptional athleticism. You have to have patience though to see if it can be developed.
As a pass rusher he was productive in college the past two seasons with 8.5 sacks per year. That said, his rushing success came almost entirely on tackle end games where he hesitated and then beat weaker interior players with stunts and games. He has really good short area quickness but no pop to scare tackles. They could just hold their ground on the inside with no fear of a speed to power move to push the pocket. Unless he can add serious strength in the next few years he won’t be a successful rusher. Again though, that 7.02 3 cone with some explosiveness gives you hope that he can turn into a monster, but again, it’s all about whether he can develop serious strength and still keep the burst and quickness.
Overall he is a truly developmental player with rare gifts. I think it’d be two seasons until you can stuff him out there consistently, but maybe early on he could give you some reps as a pass rusher or even dropping into zone coverage, which I never saw him do but with that athleticism why not give it a try. He could turn into a really good player if you let him develop because he’s got freaky athleticism. At worst if you feel he’s a team first guy he could be one of those special teams stars that you need while you work on developing pass rush moves and adding strength. He’s someone I would have circled on my board in the draft room on day 3 because he could end up being a good NFL player or a quality special teamer and rotational piece.
117. Austin Bryant, DE Clemson 72
I watched 11 Clemson tapes this year and don’t get me wrong, the other 3 defensive linemen are absolute studs, all clearly first rounders with awesome tape and effort, but Bryant showed a bit for me. I think he’s a solid 4th or 5th round prospect and someone who has a chance to develop into a starter in the NFL in time. He’s not nearly as flashy or sexy as the other 3 picks but he’s still an NFL talent. I’m a fan of his game and think he’s got a nice early day 3 grade as a 43 defensive end.
He has some things he needs to work on, primarily the fact that he’ll play too upright and give up some edge runs. I wonder about his overall play strength and despite really good length, stronger tackles and double teams neutralize him too often. His bend is really mechanical and his initial quickness off the snap isn’t overly impressive. When you watch him do stunts he gives it away early, stands straight up, and rarely creates pressure. These are all negatives, and they mean to me I can’t draft him in the first two days but a lot of it is correctable.
As a pass rusher a lot of his heat comes from simple effort and occasionally getting to the edge and outside shoulder of a tackle. I don’t think he’s going to be a dynamic pass rusher but his length and pure speed are solid enough that he’ll give you something there. I like that he strings plays out and chases them down from the other side, his recognition seems pretty good for the most part and his ability to rip through the arms of shorter tackles means that on long developing plays he will get home occasionally. I could see him as a guy who ends up with 5-7 sacks a year if he’s given time.
As a run defender he needs to get better with power. Right now stronger tackles can push him around a bit and although his length is a plus he doesn’t play with much pop. You notice it on passing plays where he simply can’t convert speed to power and that with an upright play as his default setting you don’t see him get push often. He does a good job of stringing plays out though and you can tell he knows his job and he’ll do some of the dirty work and the stuff that doesn’t show up on stat sheets and I love that in a player.
I think he’s best when he’s allowed to fire his gun and just use his length and stride to get upfield. He lays some of the biggest hits you’ll see from a defensive end so he has some potential that I think would be nice to work with. His below average bend and power give me pause but I believe there are a lot of things that he can work on and develop at the next level and given a year or two he could turn into a nice solid rotational player with a chance to start in time. On day 3 that’s a good person to grab. If I’m a 43 team and want to develop an end who could likely give me some reps the first two seasons Bryant would be a guy I would circle.
118. TJ Edwards, LB Wisconsin 72
There’s nothing special to his game, he’s just solid as hell and every single team needs a few of these guys. Edwards is an above average tackler, was a four year starter at Wisconsin, and had over 80 tackles each season. His zone coverage skills are very good despite being only an average athlete, and he ended up with 10 interceptions for his career. His ball skills are well pretty damn good for a linebacker and he’ll make his share of plays. I think I would be extremely hard pressed to take him on the first two days of the draft because he’s undersized, runs about a 4.8, and gives you very little as a blitzer or a man cover guy. That said, he’s a really consistent reliable guy who probably could give you a ton of reps if you need them. I think he's a backup but it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him start a bunch of games in his career. No one would get excited about him in your building if you took him, but he’s at worst a really good backup inside backer and if this dude starts a bunch of games in his career it wouldn't shock me.
So I talked him up but let’s be honest about what we’re getting here. Yes, he’s a really instinctive player and he reads the game very well. He’s a good tackler and makes plays in zone. He also isn’t a good blitzer, is undersized at 230 pounds, and he runs in the 4.8 range. He won’t give you much as a man cover guy, and as a blitzer he lacks the explosion necessary to create plays. He’s just very limited in terms of what he is, but he’s damn good at what he is.
Edwards is a volume tackler and someone who isn’t going to make many mistakes. While his upside is limited is floor is really high and those dependable solid dudes who happen to be able to play some zone coverage always will have a place in the league. He’s just one of those guys who coaches love and while he’s not flashy he’s solid. I like him in the 4th for a team in need of a backup inside backer. Really good tackler, one of the best in the draft.
119. Caleb Wilson, TE UCLA 72
I think he’s one of the more underrated prospects of all the tight ends in this class. Wilson could be in the day 2 conversation with some teams with his productivity, almost accumulating 1000 yards as a tight end is a tough thing to do. This past season he ended up with 965 yards and at the combine he busted out a 4.56 at 240 pounds. Right now he’s obviously only a pass catcher who doesn’t show any ability as a blocker, but he could easily be a flexed out tight end, particularly in a year or two who could really stretch the field. He’s a developmental prospect who should have played another year in college to get stronger and more refined but the talent is there for this kid could make an impact.
The tools are there without question but he lacks polish. While his straight line speed is good as a route runner he needs to get better and his explosiveness and quickness aren’t great. Wilson can make some really impressive catches and his catch radius is pretty good with longer arms and good reactiveness to the ball. He’s not a super natural catcher but 60 catches is 60 catches.
He won’t give you much as a blocker now, if ever. But he’s a flexed out guy who is a weapon and he can outrun a lot of linebackers and some safeties as a seam stretcher. I just think he’s someone who will continue to develop but he likely needs a redshirt year where he barely plays and contributes on special teams. Wilson needs to add 15 pounds and get some NFL coaching, if he does he could turn into a flex tight end starter or a pass coaching number 2 / WR4 / big slot type guy. His speed and size means he could be an asset on special teams as well as a gunner or blocker. Round 4 makes sense or if you’re looking to develop a pass catcher I wouldn’t even hate round 3 for the First Team Pac-12 Tight End.
120. Sean Bunting, CB Central Michigan 72
A solid if unspectacular player who projects as a backup CB in the NFL with the chance to eventually find a niche as a starter. Bunting is pretty good at everything but not great at anything. He does give up some separation here and there and can get grabby but for the most part he plays decent coverage and competes on most throws. His true speed tested out well at the combine but the tape doesn’t lie as he’ll give up separation down the field. Crossing routes and long developing plays are going to give him problems at the next level. I think he’s a solid backup corner who with better technique could grow into a starter given time but he’s a nice cornerback prospect sometime on day 2.
I like the fact he plays the ball and not the man. When it’s in the air he has good size and leaping ability and he flat out goes to get the football and makes some plays on it. While he’s not elite with ball skills his athleticism in terms of high pointing it and making plays sort of jumps out at you. I think he has pretty good skills as a press man and shows good depth and route recognition in zone where he might be better. He has some talent.
Overall though the lack of deep speed and at times giving up bigger chunks of separation just limit his upside. While he does make some plays and looks like a decent player he lunges at the line and if he misses he’ll end up susceptible to bigger plays down the field. I think his quickness is pretty good but not great and therefore his missteps in coverage will allow catches big time starters won’t. Early day 3 CB.
121. Miles Sanders, RB Penn State 72
Unfortunately I think Sanders will end up in my overrated list by the end of my draft process. While there are some traits you like to see, and he has some talent to be a 3 down back without question, I think he looks like a 3 down backup. He lacks burst, doesn’t trust his eyes or his keys at all, and is only okay as a blocker. Sanders tip toes and doesn’t slash or put his head down and when he played against elite defenses he didn’t look like he matched them athletically. Guys who can play all 3 downs are valuable in the NFL there is no doubt, but even in a weak running back class he looks like a late 3rd or 4th round pick to me as a spot starter and good backup.
There are some good things about his game that you like to see. Primarily he clearly has good size, runs a sub 4.5 although he doesn’t play with that type of speed, and shows 3rd down capabilities. He was productive in the passing game although I don’t think he’s a pure hands catcher. They lined him up in the slot a bit and he has some quickness and I think he could show positive attributes running HB options and Texas or angle routes with his quickness and burst which is decent. As a blocker he has decent vision but lacks pop and strength despite his size, he just doesn’t wow you there. Very little wear and tear on his body as well, and he has some experience returning kicks although without much success. This leads me to believe he’ll have a role in a timeshare or as a quality backup.
I am sort of at a loss of what people are seeing when they are all putting him in the 2nd round discussion. He looks as average as can be as an NFL running back. He has decent speed, but won’t beat many linebackers to the edge, dances too much in the hole and catches it well but doesn’t separate. His lack of explosion is obvious by the fact he averaged 6 yards per CATCH throughout his career. He’s a nice player who projects as a good backup but he doesn’t have the ceiling that you’d want out of a first or second round player. He’s solid but unspectacular and to me he’s the dreaded “J.A.G.” Just A Guy.
122. Darrell Henderson, RB Memphis 71
You have to start and stop with this ridiculous stat from Henderson, over the past two years, he averaged 8.9 yards per carry, BOTH YEARS! The kid is a homerun waiting to happen every single time he touches the football and that’s a skill set that translates well to the league. His 40 time at the combine came in a very solid 4.49 but it showed that the level of competition he played against didn’t possess the athletes to keep up with him. It really disappointed me that I couldn’t see him work against better competition and he was injured in one bowl game and sat out the other so I didn’t get to see him against studs. He scares me a bit because he looks like just a fast guy who happens to play running back, and he killed bad competition. That said, 8.9 yards per tote two straight years is impossible to ignore, and he could be a really good complementary piece in an NFL backfield, because at 5’8 and 208 pounds he’s not a bellcow, but a portion of a backfield.
Henderson has really good speed and the 4.49 he Ran at the combine looks slow compared to his tape. That said he’s a one-speed runner, always going 100mph and because of that he has a lack of patience and doesn’t get you tough yards or what’s blocked on the backside. He is a see it and go guy who struggles to see it and set up blocks but has that bounce to go from 0-60 as quick as anyone. What is really troubling to me though is how easy it is to tackle the kid, a lot of hits and arm tackles bring him down as he lacks good enough balance and the lack of power means that typically he doesn’t break many or force many misses. He’s a one trick pony but it’s a damn good trick.
Henderson is what he is. He’s a secondary option permanently as a running back who can score from anywhere at any given time due to really good speed. He plays faster than 4.49 but the time was a bit troubling as that’s what he does really well is just get it and go. He reminds me some of a player I’m very familiar with in LaMichael James and some of Lache Seastrunk. I think that’s what he could be in that he was very successful because he was fast in a wide open offense but that shit doesn’t translate super well to the league. He’s a 4th or 5th round draft pick who will have some really successful carries but will also struggle to adapt. Would be a good flier pick for a team needing a 3rd back or a burner. I think he might be someone who could give you something as a kick returner too.
123. Tony Pollard, ATH Memphis 70
A jack of all trades who is an elite kick returner, Pollard deserves to be drafted on day 3 but where he plays in the league will be up for debate. He looks to me like someone who will be a starting kick returner, who tied an FBS record with 7 kickoff return TD’s, a 5th WR and 4th RB combo who could save your team a roster spot on the 46 on Sunday’s. Versatility with only 46 eligible to dress each week means that Pollard could have a spot in the NFL for quite a while. His size and speed almost mean he has a chance to be a core special teamer while he hones his craft as a skill position player.
Pollard played all over the place for Memphis, as a wildcat quarterback, an offset running back, a slot receiver, and returning kicks. He also worked as a lead blocker on sweeps and showed a plus ability as a blocker on the outside as well. As a runner he has good vision and patience and while he’s probably only an average athlete he has slightly above average speed at 4.52 with the ability to cut without really losing much momentum. It’s why he is such a good kickoff return guy. At 6’0 and 210 pounds his size is a plus and he’ll make people miss occasionally while also running with some toughness, but he doesn’t look like a natural running back like some others.
He has a ways to go as a receiver. His route running is well below average as is his feel for openings in the defense. Pollard won’t uncover naturally at all and he fights the football at times, struggling to adjust to poorly thrown balls. I feel like watching him the ball gets on him sometimes too quickly. His pluses as a receiver are that he can catch it out of the backfield, on wide receiver screens, and he has enough quickness and speed to get separation on drags and shallow crosses from the slot. As a blocker he’s plus and puts forth good effort despite just average length but he could be a good blocker at the next level.
He’s a jack of all trades, master of none in terms of offense. As a returner, he’ll provide value although that’s becoming less important each year. His toughness, size, and speed to me scream he’ll be an above average special teams player even if he’s not the one returning kicks all the time. The versatility means to me you can look to grab him in that 7th round range and you could get someone who could help you on all 4 downs immediately. If you can teach him to run routes, you have a solid WR4 and RB3 and a plus special teamer. I like these types of guys.
124. Beau Benschwazel OG Wisconsin 70
Benschwazel is a super interesting case study because his tape is pretty decent, his measureables are ideal, his length was better than expected, and his Senior Bowl one on ones were atrocious. At 6’6 325 with 33+ inch arms he has ideal size, better than average feet, and his tape and productivity at Wisconsin was pretty good. That said when he went to the Senior Bowl and went against other NFL caliber talent he wasn’t good. Benschwazel’s reps in these situations were really bad and he was beat with length, power, quickness, everything you could imagine. Now there were some reps were he managed to reanchor but there were very few where he won and he won’t get to play below average talent every week in the league. To me he’s a pretty good run blocker, an okay pass protector and someone who could eventually become a stater but he’s a backup guard who could start if needed in the league. Round 4-5 grade.
Benschwazel is a good run blocker when he’s asked to power off the ball and get to the second level. He takes pretty good angles, although he could use some coaching here but generally gets to the secondary and makes contact. His initial power off the ball is solid, when he plays with proper leverage and hand placement he has great pop and can generate movement. He turns his defender with regularity and despite not playing really long, his length is more than adequate for the interior line position. I like that he can play either power or zone schemes and it gives him good flexibility there. Players with good power, length, or quickness will give him problems though, so pro bowlers will be an issue, he doesn’t constantly make big plays and will get off balance, leaning forward.
As a pass protector his hands are all over the place. He gets them wide and swipes with regularity. He doesn’t look for work often and has a good anchor. When he gets his feet set into position he doesn’t give much ground which is a huge plus and he seems to notice stunts and games as well as you could expect. Longer pass plays cause him some issues and again he doesn’t block great players as well as you’d like although his recovery is okay. I don’t think he’s a liability here but I’m not doing backflips over his potential.
He’s not bad and as a backup in any scheme you could do a lot worse. I think there’s some potential for him to become a starter in time too because he does have decent feet, length, and seems like he has good football awareness. He only is a guard so that does limit his draft stock. His upside isn’t high but his floor is that of a quality backup so you know pretty much what you’re getting here. I don’t think I’d draft him in the top 4 rounds but in round 5 if I had an aging guard or two, a guard heading into his last season of his contract, or had a hole at backup on the interior I’d think he could be a nice solid addition.
125. Bobby Evans, OT Oklahoma 70
I sorta like Evans as a swing tackle type guy who could probably play adequate right tackle or guard in the NFL. I read some people who really don’t like his projection to the league but I think it was pretty overblown and the tape I watched i came back pleasantly surprised by him in terms of being a viable draft pick. He doesn’t do anything exceedingly well and he definitely doesn’t wow you on tape but more often than not he gets the job done, anchors better than most, and has fairly decent athleticism. I read a lot of evaluations on him that don’t like him but I could see him as a 4th round pick and someone who starts at some point in his career.
His length and footwork are potentially viable as an NFL tackle. He isn’t the fleetest of foot there but he moves well enough to get by as a spot starter or on the right side. An issue i see is that he doesn’t play with much power so it’s tough to have him on the right side, but he lacks the elite quickness you see from left tackles, again he looks like a swing tackle. As a pass protector I’m more prone to seeing him as a guard in the league and that flexibility is what makes him intriguing to me as a round 4 or 5 option.
He doesn’t generate much movement in the run game but he does move pretty well in space. Evans turns players and he is solid when crashing down and collapsing the pile to create backside running lanes. I’m not in love with his power but decent feet and length for an interior player could make him into a starting caliber guard. If that move becomes permanent I’d like to see him add a little strength though to hold up bull rushers and keep that pocket from collapsing.
Evans looks like a few guys to me that turned into decent NFL players like Justin Pugh or James Hurst. That’s who I could see him becoming similar to in time. While none of his traits necessarily translate into him being a dynamic starting linemen in the league I think he’s a guy who could potentially start in a pinch in 4 spots and who may find a home in the interior at some point. If my team drafted him on day 3 I’d like the pick as at worst I think he’s a quality depth piece along the line with the potential to start in time.
126. Maxx Crosby, Edge Eastern Michigan 70
Crazy productive with excellent athleticism, Crosby is the type of developmental pass rusher that you crave on day 3 of a draft. Anyone who breaks 7.0 in the 3 cone and has the type of explosion he showed on the jumps at the combine, and pairs it with 37 tackles for loss in two seasons is someone you have to take notice of. He has virtually zero play strength and he pretty much is only going to be a situational pass rusher because he can’t hold up against the run at the NFL level but there’s another level to the kid’s game. He has impressive quickness and productivity and while he certainly has a ways to go and needs a year or three in a weight room you can see some special attributes.
He’s 6’5 255 but he’s super lean and i'm guessing he played at closer to 240 in college. He’s got long arms and legs and strong edge players shut him out. Crosby bends the edge and has a good overall motor, plays pretty chippy, and makes a lot of plays. As a rookie he could see the field a bit in passing only situations on the outside, he lined up way outside the tackles in college in a wide-9 a ton and so some teams that like to employ that could see him as a plus there. The 4.66 in the 40 had to be intriguing along with all the measurable you see on tape too. There’s a lot to work with there and some team might consider what they could use him for as an outside linebacker and use him on special teams as a rookie.
He’s weak, there’s no denying it. He misses tackles and gets buillied at the line against stronger people, but he also is a dynamic pass rusher at times and shows some bend and burst that a lot of people don’t have. I’m not sure what he is but he has a lot of tools to work with. On day 3 I think he’s getting talked about a lot in draft rooms like hey why don’t we bring this kid in and see what we have here. Worst case scenario you have a 255 pound kid who runs in the 4.6 range covering kicks and who could develop into a pass rusher. I’ve got a mid day 3 grade on him but in round 4 someone could talk me into him no doubt.
127. Bobby Okereke, LB Stanford 70
He is someone I really wanted to like on tape becuase he has A+ character and he’s smart as hell. That said he screams backup and special teamer to me and he just simply sort of lacks the traits you look for in a starter. I know there are a lot of people who have 3rd and even 2nd round grades on the kid but i’m going to be honest I doubt he’s ever the answer as a starter at the position in the NFL. While he ran a good 4.58 at the combine, his speed on tape is good and not great and his play strength is well below average. He’s an decent tackler and makes some plays but he gets jostled around and just looks small. His short area quickness is good enough to play some coverage but not good enough to let him play full time on 3rd down. He’s just okay. Okereke is a 4th round grade if you have to press it but to me he’s more of a 5th or 6th round grade, a career backup, but potentially a damn good special teams player.
He was productive the last two seasons for Stanford, picking up over 90 tackles each year. His speed is pretty good and he plays hard but he’s fairily easily blocked and while I think he tackles pretty well, he’s not elite. Some scouts disagree about his tackling, but in the tapes i watched he was fine there. His cover skills have potential but he honestly doesn’t get the proper depth in zone consistently and he’ll sort of drift in coverage. He just lacks the traits you need to be a starter. He’s around 238 pounds but looks lanky on tape and him playing at inside linebacker didn’t do him any favors at Stanford. He could be a will in the league in a 43 or even a 34 inside Will but I just dont’ see him having that elite short area burst to close consistently there. His character, ability to tackle fairly well, and good speed says that he can be a long term backup and special teams ace and that’s where he'll have to make his money in the league.
128. David Long Jr, LB West Virginia 70
He’s not my cup of tea when it comes to linebackers but I know there are some NFL GM’s who are going to think he’s solid. I read a scout that said that he’d rather have Long one round lower than Devin Bush because they are similar. Well that scout should be fired because he’s watching a 100% different football player than I am. He is crazy productive, and i’m not saying I wouldn’t draft him, I totally would somewhere in round 5 feels about right to me though, not round 2. He makes a ton of tackles, fires his gun at will, and is really adept rushing the passer, all of those things are positives. That said Long just misses way too many tackles, assignments, and is hunting for stats instead of doing his job and I just don’t like those type of players.
He was the Big 12 player of the year on defense this year and his stats totally bear that out. Long ended up with 19 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, and something like 111 tackles. He attacks downhill 100% of the time and just goes to make plays, it also makes him miss a ridiculous amount of tackles and leaves gigantic holes for players to run through. He is your complete go for broke player and maybe that was the scheme for the Mountaineers or something but the tape is littered with mistakes there. You pair that with the fact I think his speed is only okay, and his instincts are the same, and he weighs 227 freaking pounds, you get someone who should go middle of day 3 and not in round 2 or 3.
He has talent and if you are a super aggressive defensive coordinator or linebackers coach he could fit your scheme tremendously. I could 100% see why someone would want the kid in the 3rd round. He has legitimate pass rush skills, although some of that was boosted up by the 3 man front scheme he played in, he can certainly get after the QB and he shows some potential dropping into coverage, although its not a strength. If you’re a DC who is way more interested in big plays than keeping it in front of you, this kid provides huge upside because of the way he plays, and at worst he gives you a backup who can make plays. For those type of guys a 3rd round grade makes some sense but to me he’s a 5th rounder with lack of necessary H/W/S to be anything more than a career backup and special teams guy. I just despise missed tackles from my linebackers.
129. Isaac Nauta - TE Georgia 70
Nauta is a nice player and projects as a solid tight end 2 or 3 in the NFL. I actually have his upside higher than some of the other second tier tight ends in this class because he creates separation fairly easily and simply looks like football comes easier to him. Nauta ran a 4.91 at the combine but looks like he plays in the 4.7 range and his acceleration off the line is much better than the other TE2s. Nauta puts good effort in as a blocker but lacks the length and pop that some of the blocking tight ends have. That said I could see his power and strength gaining at the next level and his angles in the run blocking game are good.
All of that said right now I have to put him a could of points higher than some of the other TE2’s. The main reason is he lacks the measurable that you look for from the position with below average length, less weight, and he just didn’t time out well at the combine. However, he’s a better football player right now and he looks smoother and he’s a much better route runner. I think he projects as a solid move or in-line tight end on day 3, and teams that utilize throwing to multiple tight ends and movement guys, particularly on the wing, will target Nauta. He’s a nice player and that ability to gain separation quicker against man coverage gives him a slight advantage over some of the other guys.
130. Mecole Hardman, WR/KR Georgia 70
He’s an absolute burner who should be a target on day 3 of this draft class. He is one of the best special teams players in this class as an elite returner, especially on punts, a good kickoff returner, and shows that he is a really good gunner as well. Honestly that’s where he projects the best as he is raw as can be as a wide receiver. He was a quarterback and DB in high school and so he’s still figuring out the position. At 5’10 and 187 pounds at the combine, although he looks like he plays in the 175 range, he is an undersized kid but he’s a speed demon at 4.33. He projects to me as a 3rd or more likely 4th wide receiver, top end returner, and really good special teams player at the next level.
He’s raw at his position and doesn’t have much nuance as a route runner. He has really one speed which is fast so while he has that nice quickness you’d look for he doesn’t really create separation with a high frequency. The bigger problem as a receiver though is that his hands just aren’t very good. He drops contested catches and easy ones too often and it limits what he does because with the ball in his hands he’s absolutely electric.
He’s a 4th wide receiver and special teams ace who could be a dynamic returner and someone who can help you with big plays or gadgets on offense. His demeanor and intangibles are fantastic and it lends itself to him being a good core special teams player as well which adds a lot of value. He’s a day 3 kid with upside and traits that can develop but his lack of size and hands means he’s going to probably be relegated to a backup and situational role on offense.
131. Nate Herbig, G Stanford 69
Herbig was probably the person hurt most by declaring for the draft this year instead of going back to school. If he had gone back he had an outside shot of being a second round draft pick in 2020 this year though he’s going to likely get picked on day 3. According to an inside source of someone who once coached Herbig, he isn’t the best teammate and that coupled with tape that wasn’t nearly as good in 2018 as it was in 2019 caused his stock to plummet. His Notre Dame tape in pass protection against Tillery was laughable. That said he has tremendous initial pop and great size, and his 2017 tape was very impressive. If he can overcome injuries and some immaturity, and spend more time upright than on the ground he can turn into a nice player down the road. If not he’s a fat backup like a lot of NFL linemen and they are a dime a dozen. To me he’s a 5th rounder this year with the potential to be good down the road. If he had went back and duplicated 2017 tape again he has 2nd round upside.
Herbig is only okay in pass protection. His big frame allows him to anchor very well and he does a decent job of not getting beat by pure speed. Now you have to take into account that Stanford plays with some of the most narrow splits of any team in the NCAA so speed won’t hurt Herbig in college but in the NFL that could be a different story. Quicker players and ones who give good second effort give him problems in pass pro as he doesn’t latch on but instead rocks you with a good initial punch and then counters can cause him problems. It’s something that could be improved upon though and a good line coach could help him there. I don’t think he’s ever going to be good in pass protection but he could become adequate in a year or three.
As a run blocker he has legitimate potential to maul people in a gap scheme. Herbig has tremendous pop in his first punch and he has great lower body power and natural leverage. He drive blocks at an above average level and gets two to three yard pushes fairly consistently. At 348 pounds he’ll generate movement. He’s below average in quickness but takes quality angles and finishes linebackers when he gets them off balance. Power run blocker more times than not.
His flaws are legitimate though. He doesn’t finish as well as you’d like and his balance is well below average. I hate that he spends so much time on the ground and while at times he’ll pile drive you into the ground other times he’ll lunge and miss. You aren’t going to find him constantly dominating but you’ll see some great snaps and then some misses. To be quite honest there is a chance here if he goes to a good line coach who can use his strengths. To me Herbig seems like the quintessential run blocking guard who at times will get beat in pass pro. His frame and power if you can keep his weight from going to 375 give him a shot but he my comfort level with drafting him isn’t super high because his 2018 tape and injuries simply scare me. He’s worth a shot in round 5 or later because that power is legit and his 2017 tape was very good, but on day 2 you’re taking a big swing that could backfire without the proper upside at this point.
132. Justice Hill, RB Oklahoma State 69
He’s more of an athlete than a running back at this point and he doesn’t quite have the feel for the game you’d like but he tested well at the combine and put up big numbers so the odds are he’ll go on day 2. I would look at him somewhere in the round 5 range but the thing is he is the guy who looks like that college player who dominates but I don’t think his style or ability translates well to the league. A lay person would say he’s going to be a good pro because of the speed and the big runs at Stillwater but you have to realize he averaged around 5.5 per carry in a wide-open Big 12 with just awful defenses. He ran a 4.4 but his lack of field vision and patience nullifies it a bit and he doesn’t have a good feel or recognition in the pass game so I don’t know if he’s a 3rd down kid. Hill is certainly draftable and he’s a terrific athlete, but his game lacks his traits at this point so he’s developmental on day 3 for me.
As a runner he was crazy productive putting up over 3000 yards for OK State. He made his share of plays and shows some shiftiness here and there without question. Hill has 4.40 speed and showed the explosiveness with a 40 inch vertical at the combine where he sort of put himself on another level and i’m sure there are a ton of running back coaches saying, that production with those traits, I can make him a star, and the potential is there for him to be a good back, but there are more negatives than positives at this point to take a day 2 risk on him.
He’s a 195 pounds and runs with very little power. He can’t block a lick and i’d rate him in the lowest 10% there, and he looked sort of lost as a receiver so he can’t start out as a 3rd down back at 195 pounds that’s a major negative. While he has elite traits, he only turned them into 5.5 per rush in the Big 12 and those defenses are simply awful. I think he just runs with a little too much go go go and not enough patience and feel to find the holes. Hill is quite simply a developmental guy with legit upside. Don’t get me wrong if my team drafts him in round 5 or 6 I’m going to be excited because he could turn into a good player but it will likely be year 3 or 4 until that happens and at his size I have serious question about whether he’ll hold up. Risk-reward day 3 running back prospect for me.
133. Jordan Brown, CB South Dakota State 69
Small school kid with plus H/W/S who had 27 combined passes broken up or picked off the past two seasons. I can’t give you a deep dive here because I only had two tapes to go on but from what i’m seeing and his combine stuff I’ll give you a tentative grade based on what I have. First he’s 6’1 and 200 pounds and runs 4.51 so those are good numbers although his arm length is short. In the tapes I watched he doesn’t really carry his weight well so he’s not great in run support so that worries me in that if he doesn’t work out at corner he’ll be a bust because he won’t be good on special teams. He’s a good athlete though so I think he can legitimately guard people but he’s not really body strong so tougher receivers might make contested catches against him. He’s a converted receiver so his ball skills are good and he’ll take it away but honestly I think he’s too soft to be a good NFL corner. His upside is legit and he’s developmental but it might take him two or three years to get it figured out. He’s worth a risk on day 3 though because he has CB2 upside.
134. Mitch Hyatt, OT Clemson 68
Hyatt is a winner, a captain, started 50 games at tackle for the national champions and has all the non-qualifying traits you’d want in an NFL player. That said he also lacks the tangibles that you want and his lack of quickness and power means that he projects as a backup in the NFL. Hyatt looks like someone who could play any position you want in the league as he is extremely smart and plays hard with high football IQ but his lack of length and athleticism means that he will probably get kicked inside to guard on a zone team with the potential to be an emergency tackle. I’m not going to get too far into this evaluation because it’s a very simple one. He lacks the tools to be an NFL starter for anything more than in a pinch but his football IQ and leadership is impressive and I believe he can play tackle or guard if you need him to so I think he could stick around for a while as a multi-positional backup. Could turn into a guard in a super zone heavy scheme eventually. If my team took him anytime after round 5 i wouldn’t hate it though, as he’s someone who you know will improve your locker room and is a hard worker and could develop because that’s who he is.
135. Gerald Willis, DL Miami 68
Splash plays followed by getting blown off the ball are what his tape is all about. His LSU tape was a masterpiece as he simply dominated that game, but the other tapes he showed were simply not overly impressive. He comes with off the field issues in his past and some injury problems as well with a hand injury and MCL. There are some people who have him ranked in their top 2 rounds but to me he’s someone who goes on day 3 and you hope you’re getting the splashy guy and not the guy with poor hand placement, balance, and lack of anchor that shows up too often to ignore.
Willis is likely a 3 technique with some ability who had very little playing time until his Senior season where he was crazy productive. He had 18 tackles for loss this year and was pretty damn good. Early in his career he was kicked off the Florida team for fighting but hearing through the grapevine it was much more than that. Teammates seemed to really like him based on what I’ve heard and read but the maturity issues are real and that coupled with some terrible reps and playing way too high at times, a lack of consistency and only really one year of tape means I can’t take him on the first two days.
He flashes productivity as a pass rusher without question and potential too. He gets around blocks and has some initial burst to his game, showing pretty good athleticism snap to snap. Willis will use some moves where he stands straight up and gets linemen lunging then gets their hands away and he’s in the backfield quickly. He was used all over their interior rushing but looks like a pretty obvious 3 technique to me which is probably where he’ll be most of the time on passing downs in the league. Not bad in terms of potential here.
As a run defender he’s either elite or a complete liability. He stands straight up way too often and his pad level inconsistency leads to him getting blown off the ball often. Against BC he gets taken out of too many plays by well coached linemen and it showed how far he has to go early on in his career. He has to get coached up a lot and i think he needs to add some sand in his shorts or he could get abused. Willis has that quick twitch thing where at times he’s super tough to block so there’s appeal here for him to make a lot of plays in the backfield eventually but until you can maintain gap integrity in the league and hold up at the point you simply can’t be on the field. I don’t take guys like that in the first two days.
I see the appeal. He makes plays in the backfield, and this season he put on some tape that is impressive there’s no doubt. The immaturity questions, off the field stuff, as well as just simply getting beaten up on some plays all turn me off though. I think he’s a perfect round 5 or 6 guy because the potential is there and you can allow him to develop but there are scouts out there who think he’ll go middle of day 2. Way too risky when there are too many solid quality players with a lot of better tape out there. Mid day 3 with an okay from me in round 4 if you’re in need of a splash player and have some time to develop him. I still think he ends up as just a rotational lineman though. Interesting note, he’s Landon Collins’ brother.
136. Foster Moreau - TE LSU 68
Super easy evaluation on what this kid is. He’s an above average blocker in the run game with good promise as a pass protector. He doesn’t give you much as a pass catcher although he shows a tiny bit as a seam stretcher. Moreau has solid speed but he’s a clunky route runner who doesn’t gain separation with any regularity. His upside is capped as a number two tight end but he looks like he’ll be a good blocker in the league long term.
I think he has more athleticism than most people give him credit for with decent leaping ability to maybe give you something as a redzone target eventually. That said where he’ll make his money is as a blocker. Moreau has 33.5 inch arms and uses them well with better hand placement than most tackles in this draft. He has experience as a pass protector and was often left on an island with a defensive end or an outside rusher and he never panicked, giving good effort the majority of the time. Like most college players he needs to add some strength and his balance only looks okay but he’s a plus blocker coming out of school. He looks really good as a lead blocker or in space as he has a high contact rate guy at the second level. Moreau is a super easy evaluation as a day 3 kid who should be a core special teamer and solid blocker. Reminds me a ton of Luke Stocker.
137. Drew Sample - TE Washington 68
Sample and Moreau are essentially exceptionally similar players who grade out very close to each other. They are both prototypical tight end 2’s with better blocking ability than pass catching and show better arm length than most and a lot of experience in line. I want to give these guys the exact same grade because they are essentially the exact same player. Sample has a little bit better burst off the line but less explosiveness down the field and speed, but Moreau looks better at getting the second level blocks. Essentially this is going to come down to which one fits your system better. I think if you’re going zone blocking or movement scheme you’ll go Moreau and if you like power gap scheme I would probably go with Sample.
As a pass catcher he’ll give you a bit in the zone schemes because he ends up settling down in zones well. He doesn’t run routes with as much power as you’d like and he’s easy to cover at this point. I think his upside a a pass catcher Is limited to a TE2/3 and therefore he looks like a 4th or 5th round draft pick in this class who will be someone’s 2nd tight end as a blocker who can give you a little bit as a receiver. Upside is limited but floor is solid as a blocker.
138. Dru Samia, G Oklahoma 68
Samia is ranked as potentially a second round pick but no later than a 3rd by most draft pundits but I think he’s simply a bit overrated. Samia has very good movement skills, and pulls under control as well as anyone in the nation. He started over 40 games for Oklahoma and put up some fairly decent tape for the most part there. Samia is under 300 pounds though, and his strength and mediocre length causes him issues at times, and in the tapes I watched longer players with a punch gave him trouble. His movement skills are impressive and as a space player Samia is very good and potentially could develop into a really good player in the proper system. Overall though, he’s a kid who doesn’t play super strong yet, has below average size and power, and while his potential is good he needs to go to the proper system and could struggle to adapt in year one. He’s a 5th round grade for me.
Samia as a pass protector is okay and projects to be decent in the league. His length was tested out longer than how he plays as longer players can get his hands away from him causing him to give up some pressures. He also lacks play strength and Will allow the pocket to collapse. He has good feet so at times he’ll make up for some mistakes and his tape was better than most in terms of grading out as a pass protector but he’s far from flawless there. His quickness is good and in the screen game he’s excellent so he’s got a shot here but his footwork can get erratic and I actually saw him backpedal a couple of times on tape, he also holds occasionally, but he’s okay. I do have legitimate fear about his lack of play strength and size at times though and could see him getting bullied early on in his career.
As a run blocker he provides little punch but his movement skills are exceptional. I think there’s a legitimate shot he could move to center down the road in a zone or movement scheme because he pulls so well. His power isn’t good but he pulls and plays in space under control so damn well its impressive to watch him work there and move. There’s a zone offensive line coach who could easily fall in love with Samia and could play to his strengths to make him a very good run blocking guard or center even in the league but while at times he can play his gap and generate a bit of movement it’s sporadic at best. He’s got a tiny bit of Chris Myers comparison in space in the way he runs.
He was a really interesting and difficult player to grade out for me. If he goes to a zone heavy movement run scheme he could be pretty good, but totally dependent on scheme. If he goes anywhere else he probably won’t see a second contract. Samia has potential to develop but right now he looks like he’s overrated on most draft boards and he’s likely too rich for my blood along with all other Sooner linemen in this draft.
139. Gary Jennings, WR WVU 68
A guy who projects as a solid special teams player and a nice WR3-5. Jennings has good speed at 4.43 and he was actually the better prospect between him and the ultra productive David Sills. He’s not the silkiest route runner but he has good speed and looks like someone who could be a back half of a wide receiver room guy for quite a while. I don’t think he has the upside as a starter but he could certainly end up as a number 3 guy down the road.
Jennings probably can play outside as he has good speed and at 6’1 has the pure burner to get deep. That said it’s much more of a buildup speed and his lack of suddenness and quickness means that he does struggle to uncover at times. He also benefited from having a really solid qb at WVU and Sills taking a lot of coverage away from him. He does a good job of catching the football and has just enough shiftiness to create some separation occasionally but he mainly does better settling into zones and snatching the ball out of the air. He also doesn’t really do a ton with the ball in his hands after the catch.
Jennings is a pretty easy evaluation. He has good build up speed and decent size, with better than average hands and his tape got better each season. Thirteen touchdowns this season shows good production and his post-season workouts were a positive. I think his strength and speed means he could be a good gunner as well. He’s a day 3 wide receiver prospect through and through.
140. Will Grier, QB West Virginia 68
Grier was a high flying, throw it all over the place, spread offense stud at West Virginia. I think he could end up being a nice backup in the NFL but he lacks some traits to make him a long term starter. For me if you want someone you could groom who has some upside to maybe down the road develop into a starter, he could be your guy on day 3 of the draft.
He’s tough and wants to chuck the ball downfield and definitely punches above his weight on throws. The Mountaineer offense was designed to throw deep early and often and Grier took advantage throwing the football all over the yard. He’s a bit undersized and his arm talent is only okay although he shows great anticipation on the deep throws and leads receivers open down the field. On tight window throws though or on plays that require plus arm strength he struggles to drive the football with consistency. His demeanor on the field is impressive and you can tell he’s a respected leader.
He gives you a little bit with mobility but damn his pocket presence and awareness aren’t good enough. He takes redzone sacks, he takes 2nd and short sacks, and sometimes he steps into pressure instead of avoiding it. I haven’t seen him really be good at getting to his second read and in the WVU offense everything he did was predicated upon the one read and go system that you struggle to translate over to the league. In Senior Bowl week a lot of his warts showed up when coming off read one or having to get out of timing throws.
Grier could end up being a fun quarterback to watch who might be able to help you win games or provide a quality backup down the road but he’ll need a long time to develop. He’s a day 3 quarterback prospect who is a low risk guy because he has that moxy and confidence you’d love and he can make enough deep throws that he could work his way into a win as a starter.
141. Will Harris, S Boston College 68
I think he’s overrated on some boards by at least a full round but he has some tools to work with. 6’1 with long arms and running a 4.41 is about as good as you’re going to find from a safety prospect. Harris has good size and length, played a ton of football with a lot of starts at BC, and recorded over 200 tackles while there. His ball skills aren’t great but that size and speed means he could be a matchup piece in the defensive backfield and he will probably be a good special teams player. He projects as a backup who you deploy to matchup with tight ends and a long time backup.
In coverage he simply doesn’t have good ball skills and is too late diagnosing. There were a number of games where he just gave up too much separation and it wasn’t because they were better athletes he just isn’t great in coverage. A few times there were blown assignments and while i can’t say for sure they were his fault, it looked like they were. The lack of communication back there you have to place some blame on him. The size and speed could turn him into a valuable guy but right now he’s raw as a cover DB.
As a tackler he’s only okay. He takes funky angles and while he was produtive as a tackler, a lot of those plays came deeper down the field than you’d want. He likes to try to lay big hits but rarely wraps up on those type of plays and while he’s solid here he’s not spectacular. Overall he’s a backup who needs to refine his instincts and technique to become better but his height-weight-speed are all legit and could turn him into a good player in time. Mid day 3 grade for me but I believe he’ll go on day 2 and it will be a reach.
142. Jacquan Johnson, S Miami 67
A guy who lacks starter traits but looks the part of a long-time backup, Johnson is the epitome of really good college player who won’t translate directly to the league. He’s undersized and lacks real speed at 5’10 190 pounds with 4.67. He has good quickness, is tough as nails, and wracked up 90+ tackles each of the last two seaosns. However, when you watch the tape of him lined up against good players or real good athletes he simply lacks the ability to hang consistently. Johnson could play in dime packages and I would imagine with his football character and toughness he’d be a damn good gunner on special teams. He’d be an ideal two position backup at safety with an emergency shot at being a nickel. He screams 8 year backup to me though.
You like drafting these guys on day 3 because you know what you’re getting. He’s a good tackler who lacks those traits I mentioned but plays hard and has good instincts. Johnson is a good football player you just wish was bigger, stronger, and faster. At the Senior Bowl it was pretty obvious that good players would give him problems but he fought so damn hard and made just enough plays that he remained draftable for me. Then I put on more tape and just kept coming back to the fact that I think he’s a good backup and I could see him make 20 tackles per year on special teams in the league. There’s nothing to get into with this evolution, it’s a very easy what you see is what you get and he’s a 5th-7th rounder and potentially a very long time backup, dime, and special teamer.
143. Khalen Saunders, DT Western Illinois 67
An upfield penetrating nose tackle, Saunders is probably best known as the backflipping defensive tackle of youtube fame. He certainly is athletic, runs a close to 5.0 40 and his times at the combine were impressive for someone who is around 325 pounds. He can do a backflip at that weight and his movement skills are impressive for someone his size. He’s a guy who looks like he’ll be a splash player in the NFL, giving up some terrible reps and mixing them with some great ones. His lack of anchor and power in the run game scares me way away from a pick on the first two days of the draft but his ability to make plays and athleticism means I’d consider him sometime at the back end of day 3.
Saunders against the pass has some potential inside, especially as a tackle in a 43 defense. He gets upfield quickly at times and has a decent array of pass rush moves. While he isn’t your typical power rusher from that position his movement skills and decent quickness for a 1 or 0 technique gives him a chance to make some plays there. I like the way he can maneuver around the bodies inside and those interior linemen will worry a bit about quickness allowing him to collapse the pocket. He did this against lower competition but looked like he has some potential and flashed it during the draft process.
He’s not there against the run yet. Double teams and strong interior players smash him off the ball at times. The North Dakota State tape was a good example of his career in a microcosm from what I could get of his tapes. He would make tremendous plays and create havoc and then a D2 guard would push him 5 yards off the ball. His anchor just isn’t there despite the athleticism so you can’t really have him out there consistently during run downs. If he’s allowed to simply play up field and make plays he could be okay but currently he’ll get smashed in gap responsibilities in the NFL.
He’s got potential but he’s clearly a developmental player and not just because he played at a lower level of competition. Saunders doesn’t have the anchor and runs out of steam later in the game tapes I watched. He’s a rotational player which is fine but there’s a shot for him to turn into something but a lot will depend on where he goes and what he’s asked to do. A 43 team where he can attack is definitely his best spot, if he goes somewhere that doesn’t harken to his talent he won’t get a 2nd contract. Worth a shot on day 3 without question though.
144. Iman Marshall, DB USC 67
Marshall was a four year starter at USC as a corner but he’s going to be a safety in the NFL. He’s not a good enough athlete to play corner in the league but his size at 6’1 and 207 pounds and his toughness and ability to tackle are very good. He looks like a day 3 kid who has high upside as a special teams player and will fit in nicely as a teams’ 3rd safety in the NFL and who could eventually turn into a back end starter at a safety spot. Marshall’s lack of elite traits limit his upside but good tacklers in the secondary are hard to find and he’s a very good one.
Against the pass Marshall lacks foot quickness and pure speed that make up great cover guys. That said his 4 years as a starter and his experience show up on tape and his physicality leads to a fair share of incompletions, it also leads to his share of penalties. He had 16 penalties the past two season which is just an absurd number. That percentage does not figure to go down heading into the league. That nature will help him against bigger slot receivers and tight ends but make him a liability in the NFL where pass interference is a spot foul.
He has okay ball skills but not great and therefore his ability to take it away isn’t elite either. He shines as a tackler though and rarely gives up much after the catch. He can rally to the football and he wants to hit you in the run game, against the transition to safety is obvious here. He looks like a slot safety, or the “big” nickel in today’s game. His 4.55 speed is plenty good to cover kicks as well which is where he’ll make his money the first two or three years in the league. He’s a guy who could develop once he figures out the safety role but he should get taken some time on day 3, and I would suggest round 5 or 6 for me. I like the toughness and experience but the lack of traits likely leads to him being a nice backup and high quality ST guy.
145. Kingsley Keke, DL Texas A&M 67
I don’t really know what exactly Keke is as a player and so I don’t know where he’d fit best. I think that might be a problem for a lot of people. He lost 20 pounds this year and went outside to defensive end and at times he flashes the athleticism to play out there. He’s not real quick or real fast but at 280 pounds he’s got enough pop to bullrush tackles. His tape is only so-so to be honest as it’s borderline draftable. His senior bowl pop in the one on ones was impressive though and he ate up and powered through some pretty good players. I think he’s a solid rotational 43 base end who you can kick inside if you don’t have a better option in the nickel and dime. As a 34 end though he could give you something too, just a weird player in terms of what you get.
Keke as a pass rusher is an interesting case. I think he’s more of a 34 end because he doesn’t really use his athleticism super well but he does okay in that regard and he’ll be more athletic than some guards and tackles in the league but he certainly isn’t getting the edge. He is better at trying to get leverage and push though you and at times some of those reps are really good. I doubt he ever turns into a good NFL pass rusher but he’ll give you occasional good reps and he has enough pop in his game and uses leverage well enough that he could become a solid pocket pusher who gets dirty sacks throughout his career. There’s some value here but not a lot of upside.
As a run defender putting him inside is dangerous. While he’ll make splash plays he certainly won’t hold up against double teams and if he’s a 3 tech and gets duo blocked he’ll get run over. It’s not that he can’t hold up, it’s once he lost those two pounds when he reduced inside he wasn’t the same. As a 5 technique he’s got a shot as a base 43 end, which is where i think he projects best against the run he has a shot to be pretty damn good. He has good enough quickness to get to the outside shoulder and sets the edge well. His ability to kind of stutter and go as a run and pass defender also allows him to get an occasional whiff and he’s better at it when he’s standing straight up like on outside run plays. He could be a decent base 43 end.
Overall he just lacks the upside to be taken in the first 4 rounds. But anytime after that if you have a plan for him he could be a nice pickup. I think he’s a quality rotational linemen who can help you best as an edge end or a one gapping 5 technique, but if you go there please have him put those 20 pounds back on. He could get you a few sacks here and there because he can reduce the pocket and if you have good edge rushers he cleans up fairly well. There’s something here, he’s just a difficult player to scout for me.
146. Chuma Edoga, G/T USC 66
Edoga is an extremely athletic quick tackle with long arms who has the potential to turn into a good pro if given time. He’s got a super weird build though with almost 35 inch arms which is ideal but only 6’3 and 305 pounds. His lower body is weak and he lacks pop but he’s a freaky athlete who competed in the 100 meters in high school with tight end foot speed. He easily runs defenders by people off the edge and can get to any block from any angle with relative ease. Edoga also fails to finish plays, looks for work far too often in pass protection, and lacks the pop you’d like to see out of an NFL player. The potential is there but he’s a mid day 3 guy for me who could wash out as easily as he could turn into a good starter. Risk reward guy is a perfect round 5 type grab.
He’s long and super quick as an athlete. He has essentially elite quickness off the edge and speed rushers won’t beat him around the corner. He bends well, and uses that first step to get on top of defenders first. Linebackers and slots blitzing off the edge won’t have nearly the success against him as against other tackles. Edoga does get bulrushed into the pocket with some regularity and he pushes more than blocks at times, allowing defenders to get home with the second effort. He also looks for work a ton after plays come off his initial pop and it drives me a bit crazy to watch at times. His pass protection has serious potential with length and really good feet, but the lack of pop and second effort needs to be coached and trained. He’s a guy who looks like he could be a swing tackle or a 3rd tackle early in his career but he needs to add 15 pounds of muscle at least and get coached up.
As a run blocker his appeal is pretty obvious. He gets to reach blocks and the second level extremely well and his length allows him to do a lot of different things. Edoga doesn’t hit you with power and rarely finishes so despite kicking people’s ass off the snap guys will be allowed to get back in the play at the end sometimes. He ddoesn’t finish super well but does get guys turned fairly often. Again the lack of power can annoy you sometimes on tape.
Overall, quick synopsis is a great athlete with length who has legitimate starting potential but lack of pop and failure to finish plays leaves you with a chance for a bust. I’d take a shot on him if I have established tackles and can wait on him to develop. He has some potential in an stretch zone scheme at guard as well due to movement skills. Wouldn’t surprise me if he’s a solid starter by year 3 or out of the league. Ideal risk reward day 3 pick.
147. Drue Tranquill, LB Notre Dame 66
He’s a pretty good football player who transitioned from safety to linebacker and now is one of the better cover backers in the draft. He projects best as a nickel linebacker in the NFL and is someone with pretty good speed and decent size at 6’2.5. He has torn his ACL in both knees and that paired with him being a solid but not great prospect certainly puts him on day 3. I don’t think his upside is really high and he likely will end up mostly as a kick coverage guy, where he has experience and looks good. That said there is a role for guys in the NFL now who can run and cover and Tranquill is solid at doing those things. As a take-on linebacker he just misses too many tackles and I don’t think despite good strength he has the potential to add more mass. He’s a solid football player who is going to be a niche player in the league but probably won’t be much more than that.
He wants to take on blocks and do things of that nature because he’s a tough, physical guy but he lacks the power to hold up consistently attacking that way. In coverage while he’s really damn good in zone, he looks like he’ll project as a nice player in man coverage although he lacks top tier traits, they are better than the average linebacker prospect. He recognizes the plays well and wants to shoot the gaps but again the lack of ideal size can get him off base at times and it causes him to miss tackles throughout the games. His best trait is how effective he is in zone coverage where he can get excellent depth quickly and then fire up and rally to make a play.
In summary he is what he is. A backup cover linebacker who isn’t ideal at anything but looks good in zone and shows a lot of toughness. He’s a core special teams player who could step into a nickel linebacker or dime linebacker role and could potentially be a team’s “big nickel”. I think he projects best as a day 3 special teams player who if he can get coached up could eventually turn into a nice role player. Not much upside here and to me it’s what you see is what you get. Just a decent day 3 dude with some injury history. Round 6 maybe?
148. Joejuan Williams, CB Vanderbilt 66
A huge hulking 6’4 215 pound corner who if he can get his hands on you, will shut you down. That said he doesn’t get his hands on people enough and he runs 4.65. Williams may have a ton of promise but the kid can’t play corner in the NFL right now, and if you draft him you have to do two things to make this work. Primarily you can’t draft him in the first two days of the draft because he’ll get killed as a rookie. Secondly, you have to let him sit as a rookie because he isn’t ready to go. The kid has potential down the road but based on projections of him somewhere in the round 3 range and by some account the 2nd round, I’m letting someone else develop him because to me he’s a 5th or 6th round pick.
Williams size is what sets him apart and makes him an intriguing prospect. He looks sort of like Stanley Jean-Baptiste from a few years ago and that size will get cover 2 and 3 teams very interested in how he can press and then come forward and help in run support. In the games I scouted he looked like he wanted to be good coming up and hitting people so the potential for him to make an impact earlier in his career in a zone heavy scheme is possible as well. He also showed good ball skills this year after not doing much the previous season, he came up with double digit PBU and 4 picks, jumping onto the radars of scouts.
The issues with him are pretty easy to see. If you watch the Georgia tape they simply killed him with each and every route. He got beat with speed, he got beat on comeback routes, he got beat down the sideline, with a back shoulder throw etc. Good players in the NFL are going to beat him up because he’s not fast enough and his balance on routes isn’t good enough. He’s too slow to key down and quicker players simply create separation on him too easily, and right now he’ll just give up a ton of completions. I’m not saying he can’t develop because in the right scheme he could turn into something but he’s valued too high on too many boards right now. If he’s around in the 4th and I play a zone heavy scheme that prioritizes size then he’s on my board there and in the conversation, but if not the earliest I could take him would be the 5th. Just doesn’t have the requisite skills yet and I don’t want to overpay to develop him.
149. Vosean Joseph, LB Florida 66
I have absolutely no idea where to rank him. His good is first round, his bad is totally undraftable. He has a really impressive burst to the football and his speed is something that can play every single down. Joseph also has some character concerns from what you hear, and honestly struggles to find the football often. The fact he came out is laughable to be honest, another year could have seriously helped him. He has tremendous potential and that closing burst really does jump out at you on tape but for now i can only use around a 5th or a 6th round pick on him because his bust potential is as high as anyone. His reward though could be as a high quality starter with 3rd down capability.
Joseph had an okay sophomore year but his junior year was pretty damn productive with 4 sacks and over 90 tackles. He definitely played better this year and showed some of the potential that is clear when you watch the film. Joseph can get to the edges and stop those swings and outside runs as well as anyone linebacker in this draft, but then he’ll either miss the tackle or overrun the play. His football instincts aren’t high and his recognition is really low. He will need serious coaching at the next level to not bust, but if he gets it and goes to the right scheme he can be a defensive weapon.
Quick recap he’s only 230 pounds and looks super lanky, i doubt he holds up and plays most games that he’s eligible for. He has tremendous burst and straight line speed and while he didn’t test at the combine i bet he would have been outstanding, and a sub 7.0 3 cone wouldn’t have surprised me at all. He misses a ton of tackles and takes terrible angles to the ball, and then he’ll make a play where he closes distance in a hurry and slams you down. On day 3 you can take a flier or two on kids with massive upside, but I wouldn’t take him before the 5th, you do have potential here for a steal and a massive return on investment, I just couldn't invest anything before about pick 130.
150. Renell Wren, DT Arizona State 66
This write-up is going to be a bit different as the first bit is just essentially notes from the 4 games I did of his. Washington tape wasn’t good, non-factor. Michigan State he obliterated the center, the kid could not handle him and he abused him. That said Higbee from Michigan State only ever played two games at center his whole career and Wren just took advantage of him badly. Dominated that game. Then you have the Oregon tape where he was essentially a non-factor. Super inconsistent tape to tape and it’s difficult to ascertain what he is going to be, he shows flashes of elite potential followed by games where you don’t know he’s on the field. Texas Tech from 2017 he was okay but didn’t play much and had some pocket collapsing plays but other than that nothing of note.
He’s so intriguing because he is a pretty great athlete and at 6’5 318 pounds with a 5.01 40 teams are going to be all over him on day 2. That said he had about 3 sacks in 3 seasons with Arizona State and while there were some flashes on tape he just doesn’t do anything out there. He bench presses every play and when there’s someone shitty across from him he blows them up and when they’re adequate he gets stuffed. They did some fun stuff with him there, dropping him into coverage and what not because he’s a great athlete but the tape isn’t very good. In fact it’s nof-draftable tape other than about 5 plays from that MSU tape where he bitch slaps Higbee.
As a pass rusher right now he does nothing. If he’s stronger than you he’ll push you into the pocket but if he not he gives you nothing. Not much pressure provided and when he’s asked to do tackle end games he stands straight up and gives it away. He does provide something because he can drop into coverage as a zone blitzer and his 5.0 40 allows him to make some plays down the field. He actually prevented a first down in the Duck game by dropping from a 0 technique and stopping a kid on the sideline about a yard short.
Run defender again he can provide some pop but very inconsistent and can get shoved out of plays fairly easily. Will flash a play here and there and his tackle radius is really high because of good length and athleticism but doesn’t make many plays. I read from a report he’s more active than productive and I loved that take on him. He tries to make plays but simply doesn’t make many.
Wren is a guy there will be a ton of DC’s and line coaches begging for because he has a shot to be special. He has crazy potential and athletic ability for someone almost 320 pounds. His tape just isn’t very good and his productivity is terrible. Potential is obscene though and if he can get a good d-line coach watch out, but you can’t pay too much for potential, you gotta weigh the risk and reward of what he can be vs what he is now, which isn’t very good.
151. Daylon Mack, DT Texas A&M 66
He has all the potential you could ask for in a nose tackle, and he showed it in his post season work. He was super impressive at the East-West Shrine game and practices, was impressive again during the Senior Bowl and looked good at the combine. Mack was a first team All-American in high school and the 330 pounder showed glimpses his whole career of why. He had a solid Senior season for A&M but poor conditioning and inconsistent play was his downfall there. I don’t really want to get into this write-up too much because I only have so much time to do all of these but ultimately here’ a kid with the potential to be a starting tackle in a 43 or 34 defense but you have to wonder if he’ll even make it to a second contract. Work ethic concerns and conditioning are issues but he has a shot to be good if you can get it out of him. It’s a coin flip whether he gets a second contract or even to the second half of his rookie deal but he could turn into a really good rotational backup or even potentially a starter. Round 5 or 6 feels right to me because he’s got a shot to be solid. If you feel comfortable with your starters at nose then grab Mack because he could develop into a good piece and you aren’t scared if he washes out, neither would surprise me. Some of the power, explosion, and leverage he gets on some reps though is crazy impressive, he has first round reps occasionally no hyperbole. I mean the kid ran 5.10 at 336 pounds, he has first round glimpses.
152. Penny Hart, WR Georgia State 66
Super crazy quick slot receiver who lacks the size to hold up in the NFL long term, but has the quicks to make an impact. During the Senior Bowl week he was really difficult to defend and created separation easily and quickly. He's only 5’8 so all the things you can say about Isabella fits here as well. I wonder about his ability to hold up as an NFL player due to lack of size and the uptick in level from Ga State to the League.
There isn’t too much to write here, he is a solid day 3 slot receiver with elite quickness and some good speed. He’s also tiny and has a small frame so his catch radius is small. He adds value as a punter returner but the lack of size means he can’t be a core special teams player so you knock him there a bit. Overall though he’s got elite quickness and shake and he was really good at the Senior Bowl with return ability. He’s a day 3 draft pick.
153. Jalen Jelks DE/LB Oregon 66
This is one of the stranger evaluations in this edge class because I have no idea what he is or where he’ll play. He works his ass off on tape and plays super hard, he plays strong despite a weird frame and played all over the place in Oregon’s strange defensive scheme. He lined up anywhere from nose tackle to 9 tech to dropping into coverage to running down the center on a Mike Cover-2 play. In the NFL I’m guessing he’s going to be a 43 base end because he lacks the true speed to cover as a 34 outside backer and he’s not polished enough as a pure pass rusher. I’m not sure what he gives you to be honest but he plays his ass off and has some traits you can work with.
As a pass rusher there isn’t much there yet. He does have good length and plays some damn hard and is so active that he gives you a variety of places he can attack from. I think he plays with better leverage and his hands have some pop so he can likely turn into a quality pass rusher in time but right now he’s about a 2 or a 3 out of 10 when I’m looking at what he currently is but he has the potential to turn into a 5 or a 6. His attacking style and some fluidity give me hope he can become something here but I can’t count on it, but effort sacks can’t too and that’s where he got the majority of his 10 sacks the past two seasons.
As a run defender he shows you quite a bit though. I believe he can play right now in the NFL as a 43 end or 34 outside backer in run defense. He plays so hard and kicking inside all the time gave him toughness and play strength that other outside guys don’t have. He doesn’t make a ton of plays but he certainly makes his share and does his job a lot. It’s impressive how often he stands his guy up and holds his ground despite a lean looking frame.
He’s a legitimate tweener who I don’t know where he’ll play but the activity, power, toughness, and motor he shows gives me hope he can develop in time. He’s one of those guy who could become a long time roster guy because of that toughness and I bet he ends up being a strong special teams guy as well. He has some tools with that length and he shows some bend and a bit of hand pop too at Times so the potential to develop is there you just need a plan for him. A team that uses multiple fronts and different plans and values toughness and traits will love a guy like him. Think the New England coaching tree on the defensive side, (Flores, Crennel, Patricia, or the Pats themselves).
154. Demarkus Lodge, WR Ole Miss 65
A good route runner who was stuck behind two first round receivers at Wide Receiver in Mississippi. I know that he is limited into what he can do but he projects as a solid 4th wide receiver in the NFL with upside as a special teams player. Lodge is 6’2 with solid leaping ability and I think he created separation with more consistency than the other two studs on the outside but his lack of elite movement skills or speed means he’s capped as a number 4. That said when you watch his tape you see him make some quality plays here and there. Good press corners make him struggle pretty bad though and it means he can’t be a starter down the road but he could be a nice back half of the wide receiver group player who has the toughness and size to be on all return and cover units.
155. Isaiah Buggs, DL Alabama 65
I’ve seen a number of people have him in the mix to be a day two pick but to me Buggs is at best a rotational defensive linemen in the league. He doesn’t really do anything super well and while people think he’s strong on tape he doesn’t look like it much. This season he did accumulate 9.5 sacks but in watching every Alabama tape from this season a ton of those were simply other people causing problems and him cleaning up. Buggs is a 310 pounder without a ton of pop and short arms who projects as a solid rotational backup on the inside or maybe if you needed in a pinch a 5 technique on base downs in a 34.
Buggs as a pass rusher was productive this past season for Nick Saban down there at Alabama. His productivity came on the outside where he won’t play often in the NFL. Williams caused a ton of problems inside and Buggs would press the tackle and when the qb would try to escape 92, Buggs would clean up. He’s good at backing the tackle up and could certainly be used as a pocket collapse type player as a pass rusher at the next level. He’s not quick enough to play on the edge and doesn’t have the pop to really generate much. He may get a sack or two but it’s going to be schematic.
As a run defender he looks okay. He looks strong in the lower body and anchors well when he’s engaged. I think his best position is going to be a 3 technique on running downs which is where he might get eventual “starts” in the NFL. He’s got some potential here because he does use natural leverage. I don’t think he’s going to be a volume player in terms of stats but he holds gap responsibility well and he can drive through some players. His lateral movement for one jump isn’t bad but he can’t redirect so it’s an interesting combination.
Overall Buggs is overrated on draft boards. He looks like a mid day 3 pick to me with some pop and should turn into a rotational backup in the league. There’s not much to really say here for his tape, nothing stands out other than the fact that he played at Alabama and shows some anchor. Got lots of guys like that each draft. If he were there in the 6th though, he provides quality depth because he has played 43 power end and can go inside so you’re getting someone who projects as a decent run defender who did rack up 9.5 sacks and play under Nick Saban.
156. Jordan Brailford, DE/OLB Oklahoma State 64
Not a ton really to write up here about Brailford. He’s a bit stiff in his movements and 7 of his 9 sacks this season came in non-conference or against Kansas. Watching him try to make plays against Risner in the KSU game showed he isn’t going to be super productive as a pass rusher in the NFL and he lacks the quickness to play off the ball. His straight line speed and acceleration gives him a shot to be a really good special teams player though. He runs 4.65 at 250 pounds and has some athleticism. I think he would struggle too much in space as an OLB but he doesn’t really have the bulk to play 43 defensive end in any sort of base look. He is purely a speed rusher at this point and his acceleration is average but the first three steps aren’t awful. He plays hard, has stronger hands than you’d think, and some athleticism but he’s a day 3 kid. Has a chance to develop because there are some traits so he’s definitely getting taken but I’d say back half of day 3 would be where I’d target him.
157. Sutton Smith, LB Northern Illinois 64
I have absolutely zero idea what you’re going to do with this guy but I think he’s worth drafting on day 3. You don’t find guys who have 6.75 3 cone drills very often and you couple that with his 29 sacks the past two seasons and I think you can certainly figure something out. He also blocked kicks for NIU and played running back in high school with a 2000 yard season on his resume. He got his ass beat at the Senior Bowl because he was just too small to play out there and it meant to me he couldn’t get taken in the top 4 rounds because he’s going to be playing out of position no matter what. I think his temperament, really good quickness, but tiny frame means he probably has to play some sort of inside linebacker. He runs sub 4.7 so he could likely play there as a backup interior pass rusher on sub downs and has a shot to be a core special teams guy. I just think he’s worth taking a flier on late on day 3.
158. Benny Snell, RB Kentucky 64
Snell is a thumper who works his tail off and will wear down opposing offenses but his lack of quickness or speed means he’s simply a thumper. He’s tough and strong, shows tremendous durability, and was productive as hell in the SEC with 3 straight 1300 yard seasons, but when you watch him on tape I just kept saying damn he’s slow, damn he’s slow, damn he’s slow. He works hard and falls forward, shows good vision, and puts his head down there but he’s a grinder who will get you some tough yards but there are a dozen guys like that in every draft. I rate him slightly above those guys because he did it in the SEC for 3 seasons. If you need a grinder who projects as a 1st and 2nd down between the tackles guy he could be a nice fit for you but there’s not a ton special to his game and his upside is very limited unless for some reason he gets 300 carries in a year. Easy evaluation, he is what he is.
159. KeeSean Johnson, WR Fresno State 64
Super productive kid who is just the epitome of a good college player that won’t translate well to the NFL. He doesn’t have the speed or the burst you’d want and he lacks that quickness you need to play inside. He just lacks the desired traits to be a wide receiver in the NFL. He runs 4.6 and it shows up on tape and pair that with a very poor showing of 30 inches in the vertical and he looks like a 4th or 5th wide receiver to me. He’s pretty good after the catch but a lack of desired traits means he won’t be on my list of guys to target. He does have really good ball skills and therefore you could see him catching some passes in 4 and 5 wide spots but he’s nothing special as a prospect and therefore he’s a 6th or 7th round prospect who I’m likely not going to be looking to draft.
160. David Sills, WR West Virginia 64
A former 5 star recruit and one of the best quarterback prospects in the country coming into college, Sills had to transform himself into becoming an ultra productive wide receiver. You can read about his story if you want to but here I’m doing a scouting report. As a wide receiver he looks like a day 3 kid who should certainly get drafted. He had 33 touchdown receptions the past two seasons for WVU which was the most in the nation. Sills does that skill as well as anyone in this draft as he is solid at fades, uses his body well on slants, and has some straight line speed to run by some people down the field. He projects as a number 3 or 4 receiver who can help you score points but his lack of straight line speed and too many drops means he won’t ever be a 2. There’s still value in someone who can do the things he does but he projects sometime in the middle of day 3, as a niche receiver if you’re in the market.
I can get really into this evaluation but he is what he is and the development likely isn’t coming. Sills drops too many passes including touchdowns in both the TCU tape and the Tennessee game, you can’t do that in the NFL where it feels like every game is decided by 7 points or less. He’s good at 50/50 balls and shows a tendency to figure out how to get open despite not having plus athleticism. He has a good feel for zone coverage but press corners are going to eat his lunch. He runs a 4.57 and it’s mostly build up speed but at 6’3 210 pounds with a 37 inch vertical he’s got a good combination of size and straight line speed that will be enticing. If you already have a burner and a good possession receiver but need a solid 3 or 4, Sills could be a really solid addition on day 3.
161. Alexander Mattison, RB Boise State 63
A big thumper with great ball security, and solid hands makes Mattison a decent day 3 pick at running back. I can get deep into a deep dive here but when watching him he’s a JAG, “Just-a-guy” on tape. Mattison is 220 pounds but does some things well but lacks the top end ability to end up a starter. He catches it okay, only fumbled once in over 600 carries, and falls forward more often than not. He also runs a legit 4.6, doesn’t make many people miss, and has decent but not great vision. He reminds me a ton of Alfred Blue who carved a nice niche for himself as a special teams player, and a nice rotational 3rd back for the Texans and now the Jags. He was a 6th rounder and he reminds me a ton of him coming out of LSU. I feel like it’s an appropriate rating here.
162. Tyree Jackson, QB Buffalo 63
One of the strongest arms of any quarterback I’ve ever scouted belongs to the 6’7 Jackson from Buffalo. His arm strength and the way he can just flick the ball with ridiculous velocity is a truly impressive thing to behold. In fact at the combine Steve Smith had to tell him to dial it back a little bit as his throws during the receiver gauntlet were too hot for some wideouts to get used to catching. Jackson is raw as raw can be and needs some help with repeating his mechanics, a typical issue for taller quarterbacks, and it causes his delivery to get out of whack. With that he’ll fail to deliver the ball accurately all the time. His completion percentages weren’t great and on tape you can see some throws that he just misses when his receivers create separation. You also get glimpses of the upside he has.
As a pure thrower of the football the kid can flat out sling it. He has tremendous velocity and can throw the go route, deep post, comeback, or sail route as well as anyone you’ll find in any draft class. He has 10 out of 10 talent in terms of arm strength, but in terms of arm talent he really needs to figure out how to subtract as his touch throws leave something to be desired. Jackson also tends to lock in on one receiver and when he’s forced to change platforms or move his eyes to a secondary target he loses a lot of precision. He only completed 55% of his passes this year despite having a legit number one wide receiver in Anthony Johnson.
The thing that really intrigues people about Jackson though is his size and speed combined with that arm. Jackson runs 4.59 at 250 pounds and you can see it on tape. I know he wants to play quarterback but I think bringing him in as a 3rd quarterback and letting him play special teams or even tight end like New Orleans did this year with Taysom Hill is going to be this kid’s meal ticket. He might be able to turn into a quarterback in time because well he’s insanely talented and huge, but his accuracy is a major sticking point now. That doesn’t mean you can’t develop him in a draft and stash way and use his skills in other capacities while he learns. That said, the odds that he develops into a viable starting NFL quarterback aren’t great, he has to get more accurate and 55% in the MAC doesn’t translate well, he really should have transferred to a bigger school and done one more year, it was a poor decision that could haunt him. Rounds 6 or 7 make sense for him but if someone nabbed him in the 5th to develop him i get that too. I wish i could have seen him work out at tight end at the combine.
163. Nate Davis, G Charlotte 63
Davis is an intriguing prospect but he has some red flags that won’t let me draft him in the first 4 rounds of the draft. His positives are plenty as he plays with serious pop and gets movement in the run game, looks like he has good athleticism, and held his own at the Senior Bowl week for the most part. He wasn’t great there but the talent didn’t overwhelm him either. His power and initial drive off the ball are really good and to be honest you could see a poor man’s Shaq Mason with his initial drive. He’s not Mason, that’s not a comparison, don’t freak out, but a few plays I was like damn that’s like Mason at Georgia Tech. Those things give him a draft-able grade and keep me intrigued in his long term prospects.
The negatives are there though as well. He doesn’t play long, and he’ll lose some natural leverage at times getting hammered back into the pocket. He’s raw, and not just because he’s from a small school, he will get ultra wide in his base and let guys get into his body as he’s not long at all and plays shorter. At 6’3 305 he lacks prototypical size and despite playing with power that does cause some concern. The two biggest ones for me though are that he got suspended four games this past season for undisclosed reasons and he was academically ineligible for his freshmen year. Those are things that coupled with his lack of ideal playing size and some technique concerns that are warranted drop him into the round 6-7 range for me.
164. Shareef Miller OLB/DE Penn State 63
I’m going to keep this one really short, he has some legitimate burst skills and they flash on tape. He can get upfield super quickly and has 4.69 speed that shows up on tape. His length and size are essentially prototype for his position which I believe is a 34 rush linebacker in the league because of that speed. He doesn’t play with much power to his game and his handwork and technique are well below average, in fact they’re both bad. As a football player he’s not great yet, he has a long way to go but there are some things that make him draftable late on day 3 to me. One, he has a truly impressive get upfield burst. Two he has sub 4.7 speed that shows up on tape at 254 pounds which means he could be an elite special teams player potentially. Finally, he has the Height/Weight/Speed combination with some impressive first step quickness you can’t teach, but you can coach the rest of it. I think he gets drafted but he’s one of those kids that if he doesn’t you make him a priority free agent because of those traits and see if you can’t find a stud special teamer, if not, you don’t waste more than a late day 3 pick on him.
165. Alize Mack - TE Notre Dame 63
Mack looks like a day 3 tight end prospect in this year’s class. Honestly there were a couple of games where he stood out a bit when I wasn’t scouting him in particular but on tape he just wasn’t nearly as impressive. Mack has some potential that I feel wasn’t utilized or taken advantage of for the Fighting Irish. As a blocker he’s okay but lacks the pop or quality technique you’d look for. He has 4.70 speed and a 36 inch vertical which are plus traits but overall he simply lacks the football savvy and tape to be much higher than a late round pick. He’s somewhere in the 6th to 7th round range. He’s obviously draftable but he’s a back half of day 3 guy for me.
166. Daniel Wise, DL Kansas 63
He’s a 7th round consideration because his East-West Shrine game wasn’t bad and he has some NFL bloodlines. I don’t think he’s anything more than a 7th at this point and to me he borders on UDFA but you’ve got some stuff to work with here. His tape in 2017 against Oklahoma when he was matched up with Brown was tough to watch. He got rag dolled. He simply doesn’t have the base to match up with power and at 280 pounds he is sort of a tweener. Most people see him as a 43 upfield 3 technique but I think he’s probably best of as a 5 technique or a base 43 end because he just doesn’t have the sand in his pants yet. He was productive at Kansas with almost 50 tackles for loss in his career so there’s something there for sure, but power dominates him and it’s tough to justify that.
As a pass rusher he looks okay. He has some short area quickness and 33 inch arms are pretty good for someone who will likely reduce down inside. I think as an interior pass rusher he has some juice that is kind of fun to work with and think about. He does this stand straight up and hop move to get to the edges of interior players that’s fun to watch and it gives him an advantage at times. Overall though he projects like someone who could give you a little bit as a pass rusher eventually.
As a run defender I’m not sure what you’re getting. He was productive at Kansas against the run but power and duo blocks or doubles just killed him. He really needs to add strength before he’s even capable of playing in the NFL. It’s an interesting guy to watch because he will make some guys miss blocks on him and gets some plays in the backfield, you watch that same Sooner tape from 2017 and while he gets owned by Brown, he makes some pretty good college interior linemen miss and has a few plays in the backfield and those flashes are what give you some hope.
Overall Wise is a very late round developmental prospect. I’d prefer not to use a draft pick on him but in round 7 I think his ability to play either 5 technique or 43 base end and reduce down to an interior pass rusher or disruptor is interesting. I also like that he has some productivity and consistency to his tape and think that he could turn into a decent player given time but he clearly needs an NFL redshirt year badly. If he isn’t drafted I would target him highly as an UDFA.
167. Ben Burr-Kirven, LB Washington 62
Super tough and instinctive but massively undersized. This past season he had an insane 176 tackles including almost 100 solo and was all over the field for U-Dub. That said he’s around 230 pounds at the combine and likely played closer to 220. His speed and athleticism along with really good football IQ get him to a ton of plays but he played with an amazing d-line that kept him super clean. I think his skill set just isn’t quite suited for the NFL but the instincts and toughness certainly give him a shot to make a roster. I think he’s worth a 7th but likely he’s a priority free agent this upcoming season. I did a short writeup on him because i love dudes that make tackles, every team needs a volume tackler but he’s a 7th round grade. He’s also a good cover guy, particularly in zone.
168. Dontavius Russell, DT Auburn 62
A very durable, experienced, 43 defensive tackle who will likely be a rotational linemen in the NFL. I think he could probably play the nose in a 34 as well. I’m not going to do a big writeup on him because he simply is what he is and he’s barely above an UDFA on my board. He played a ton of games and durability is key, with 51 starts in four season of SEC football so you have to give him something there. However, in 51 games he only had 17 tackles for loss and 6 sacks so nothing to speak of with productivity. He looks like a a run stuffer who has some potential but he plays too damn upright and loses leverage too often. He has some talent, there’s no doubt because he flashes here and there and shows some serious pop at times but I couldn’t do much more than use a 7th rounder on him at this point. Russell doesn’t look like he’ll end up giving you much as a pass rusher but he could certainly turn into a good run defender in time. His loss of leverage and lack of productivity will keep him off a number of boards but he shows some potential to become something so he’s on my board this year as a 7.
169. Stanley Morgan, WR Nebraska 62
Had two scouts quoted as saying he’s “just a guy,” which is literally what my notes say on him too. There are about 15 of these guys who come out every year which look like they could be a 4th or 5th wide receiver. Morgan is pretty tough after the catch and plays pretty hard but there’s nothing special about his game. He makes some really good highlight catches and plays over the middle of the field. He has decent speed and plays hard, I think he could be a decent special teamer at 4.53 with some toughness but his upside is capped at being a number 3 down the road. Just a dude, but if you need wide receiver depth and you like his interviews etc you could grab him in the 6th or 7th because he looks dependable and if he goes to the right system he could probably help you with depth.
170. Oli Udoh, OT Elon 61
I’m not sure why I’m so damn enamored with this kid but I am. He’s 6’6 with 36 inch arms and weighs in at 330 pounds. I mean, maybe that’s why I’m enamored, he’s gigantic with long arms and while most people don’t think he has the quickness to play all the time as a right tackle I think he’s got some potential there. His size and length is the biggest reason I think he has a shot but he did okay at the Senior Bowl and was one of the top players at the East-West Shrine game so there is something to work with there. I’m not going to go too far into detail on him just know he’s massive, with long arms, and he is someone in round 6 or 7 that I would use a developmental draft pick on if I wanted to take a swing. I think he’s draft-able.
171. Isaiah Johnson, CB Houston 60
All the talent in the world and his H/W/S is perfect, his testing numbers are ridiculous, the issue is he’s not a very good corner. Johnson is 6’2 with 33 inch arms and runs a 4.40 with a sub 7 3 cone and a sub 4.1 20. Those are top tier 10/10 skills that you can’t teach and 90% of players coming into the league don’t have those stats. He’s a converted receiver so there are ball skills there as well. That said he gives up just so much space on routes against only okay college receivers that while the skills are there for him to be a superstar, the technique and recognition skills are bad enough that I don’t think he can play for at least 2 full seasons and maybe ever in the league as a corner. Watch the Texas Tech tape, it’s really bad. The tape’s bad, the skills are elite. Someone will get enamored with him but he’s a round 7 flier at this point.
172. Ben Powers, OG Oklahoma 60
To be honest the way I view Oklahoma’s stellar line is that the sum of the parts was a lot better than any of the pieces other than Cody Ford. Powers is a lumbering bear who wants to maul you but his lack of athleticism and playing too high means he’s simply not going to be a high quality pro and doesn’t grade out as such. The kid is tough and physical but his lack of foot quickness means he’ll have his share of bad reps and while his size is okay it’s nothing to write home about. His tape is 4th out of the 4 kids coming into this draft class from the Sooner offensive line.
Powers has below average skill and potential as a pass blocker in the NFL. He’ll get caught leaning forward at times, had adequate length but his lack of foot quickness is bad and his body isn’t up to par. He’ll have some bad reps and give up too much pressure. His analytics weren’t awful at times but overall he projects as below average in pass protection.
As a run blocker Powers wants to be powerful and tries to maul but he’s okay here. His footwork is sloppy at times and he gets good movement occasionally and can drive people and finish his blocks when he gets you off balance but he’s not going to wow you.
Overall Powers projects as a backup guard in the NFL and I would look at him in round 6 or 7 but I don’t typically draft guys who I don’t think can develop into starters. He’s a borderline guy for me at this point.
173. Michael Dieter, G/C/T Wisconsin 60
The only reason I’m drafting Dieter is because he has the potential to play every position on the offensive line. Having him as a 5 position backup could be a great thing to have as you would only have to carry 7 linemen consistently. Watching him in the Senior Bowl was rough as he just got his ass beat on almost every one on one rep. He’s a liability typically and I could end up doing a ton of write-ups on him here but i want people to get what the idea is here with giving him a draftable grade. His tape isn’t bad but his Senior Bowl showed just how far he has to go. He played guard tackle and center at Wisconsin although he looks like an interior zone blocker int he league. He’s 6’5 305 with 32 inch arms so you don’t want to play him at tackle unless you have to do so. He’s a round 7 guy for me who will likely go in the 4th based on early draft grades from 8 other sites. My opinion is to let someone else take him. He has great character, a team captain, and is versatile. He also has short arms, got owned by NFL talent, and was the 3rd or 4th best lineman on his own team. He’s draft able but let someone else over pay for him, in the 7th he’s a consideration.
174. Armon Watts, DL Arkansas 60
He’s a draftable kid because I think there’s some potential here. He’s 6’5 310 and looks like he could thrive as a 5 technique in the league but played a lot of 3 technique this past season. Only one real year of experience at Arkansas but had 7 sacks this year on the inside. He’s got a long way to go but i think he could play in either odd or even fronts so there’s a shot here. I doubt he gets drafted but he looks like he’s long and you watch some east-west shrine stuff and you’re like damn he puts in some good reps. Could be stronger than he plays. An outside the box thought in round 7, I just see the potential as a 5 technique and if I played a 34 and he doesn’t get picked i’d like to invite him to my camp.
175. Tommy Sweeney - TE Boston College 60
Barely draftable and only on certain boards. He lacks the athleticism and pop in power to do anything much in the league. I think he looks like a 1 contract guy to me who likely won’t get a 2nd. He won’t have the shake or quickness to create much separation and he’s a decent blocker but his lack of upside limits what he is. I just watch the tape and don’t see something that translates. That said there are some that are very high on him so we’ll see but for me I’m not drafting him, but he will get picked fairly high I think.
Some guys I either don’t have enough tape on or don’t have the Time to do full write-ups and can give brief synopsis. Quick snap shot grades of guys I didn’t have time to do full statements on. These aren’t people I would target at all.
LAST NOTE:
I had Jonathan Simmons rated as my 6th best player in this class, but he has a domestic violence on his record and now might have to miss his entire rookie season. The DV thing is something i can’t get behind but this is more of a forum for where I rank players so just know, he was #6 on my board but the injury and DV thing take him off my board.
DRAFTABLE ON DAY 3 or Priority Free Agents (No Order):
- John Kominsky, DE Charleston
- Albert Huggins, DL Clemson
- Christopher Slayton, DL Syracuse
4. Trey Pipkins, OT Sioux Falls
5 Dennis Daley, OT South Carolina - had a hard time with his tape, he looks serviceable but mostly as a backup to me.
6. Martez Ivey, G Florida
7.. Jonathan Ledbetter, DL Georgia
8. Ryan Pope, OT San Diego State
9. Ricky Walker, DT Virginia Tech
10. Antoine Wesley, WR Texas Tech
11. Terry Godwin, WR Georgia
12. Jakobi Meyers, WR NC State
13. Trevon Wesco, TE/FB West Virginia
14. Donald Parham, TE Stetson
15. Dax Raymond, TE Utah State
16. Wes Hills, RB Slippery Rock (One of my favorite sleepers, I couldn’t do a full workup on him but he’s super impressive the little I’ve seen, he would be a target of mine if I were a GM)
17. Rodney Anderson, RB Oklahoma (I think he’s a great guy to take a flier on in round 6 or 7 but it all comes down to the medicals, he couldn’t stay healthy except in 1 of 4 seasons so if my staff says no then he’s out, but he could provide a good boost if he clears medicals)
18. Karon Higdon, RB Michigan - just a guy 5th-7th
19. Alex Barnes, RB Kansas State - just a guy 5th -7th
20. Miles Gaskin, RB Washington - just a guy
21. LJ Scott, RB Michigan State - just a guy
22. Khari Willis, S Michigan State - draftable late
23. Jimmy Moreland, CB James Madison - great ball skills, 6 pick sixes, blocks kicks, definitely draftable but lacks the traits to play outside corner. Day 3 slot corner with special teams ability.
24. Kris Boyd, DB Texas - super overrated, his tape wasn’t good and his Senior Bowl was embarrassing, but he has impressive traits. I don’t think he can play corner in the NFL but he’s tough and physical and could be a solid safety down the road.
25.EJ Ejiya, LB North Texas
26. Cameron Smith, LB USC - I just am not a fan of his game and think that while he’s probably draftable he’s Just A Guy and looks like an okay backup at best. Not someone I would target.
27. Ronheem Bingham, Edge Arkansas State - analytics guys love him but I don’t have enough information or enough tape but analytics say he’s a day 3 guy.
28. Terrill Hanks, LB New Mexico State - too slow for me, but 4 years of great production. He’s clunky and not my cup of tea but some teams value production so much he’s draftable
29. Chase Hanse, LB Utah - undersized for a linebacker and not really quick enough for a SS but he’s a tackler and good in coverage. Wouldn’t shock me to see him stick on a roster.
30. Khalil Hoge, LB Buffalo - Insane production but really slow. 400 tackles in past 3 seasons though, he’ll get into a camp and he could make a team.
31. Gary Johnson, LB Texas - crazy fast, but equally undersized, he gets pinball-ed around quite a bit. Could be a super good special teamer and maybe a dime linebacker?
32. Diontae Johnson, WR Toledo - could turn into a 4th or 5th but he’s barely draftable for me.
33. Marvell Tell, DB USC - He’s thin and an explosive athlete but I’m not sure if he’s tough enough to be a safety in the league. May need a move to corner.
34. Terez Hall, LB Mizzou - 3rd day pick
35. Dax Shepherd, Utah State draftable
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