2021 NFL Draft Prospect Write Ups

 2021 NFL DRAFT PROSPECT WRITE UPS

1. Trevor Lawrence, QB Clemson 99

Lawrence is the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck and he’s only the second quarterback I’ve ever given the elusive 99 rating. Lawrence has only lost two games his entire career at Clemson as the starter there and has been nothing short of incredible. He has great size at 6’6 and around 225 pounds with plus movement skills. When he scrambles his long strides pick up yards in chunks. He has a big time arm that can show equal parts touch and howitzer depending on the situation. Lawrence throws a beautiful deep ball as well and has exceptional pocket awareness. Ultimately he’s someone who if you give him the pieces can be one of the best at his position in the NFL and potentially of all time. He has that type of ability.

What makes Lawrence so incredible is that he can create big plays without taking unnecessary risks. He has 90 touchdowns with just 17 interceptions in his career and added on 18 touchdowns on the ground giving him a just an exceptional career. He leads his receivers well and does a great job coming off his first read, as well as taking a check down which almost no college quarterbacks do well. His footwork at times needs to get cleaned up a bit as he’ll drift back or throw off his back foot, but he still does this at a high level. 

I’m not going to dive super deep into this write up because there’s no need. He is a dominant player who in a matter of a couple of seasons will be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Jacksonville will take him with the first overall pick and in the matter of a few seasons will be a team that will constantly compete for playoff spots. He’s a franchise changer at the most important position.

2. Penei Sewell, OT Oregon 99

This is one of the easiest writeups I’ll do this season. Sewell is the best offensive lineman I’ve ever scouted and he might be the player I would say has the best chance of being a Hall of Famer of anyone I’ve ever done tape on. He’s a rock solid tackle prospect who has the fewest negatively graded plays on tape that you’ll watch from a college player. He is constantly in good position, has rock solid quick hands, and is never out of position. Frankly in a typical draft he would be in consideration for the first overall pick because he’s simply that good of a player.

In terms of pass protection, he just doesn’t give anything up. Nobody beats him quickly and once he gets his hands on you it’s over. He sees stunts and twists well and his ability to punch and then reset his hands on a secondary defender is the best I’ve ever watched from a college player. He’ll give up very few pressures and next to nothing in terms of quarterback hits. He’s a franchise building block.

As a run blocker he has tremendous athleticism and creates massive holes, particularly when it comes to reach blocks or off tackle plays. He moves defenders with ease, big guys just get smothered by his hands. He has very good power although it’s not quite top tier power. He’s still so young though that at 330 pounds and has those powerful hands that even that skill will grow. 

He has no weaknesses. He’s a 99 player and I’ve only ever given a handful of those grades and they are reserved for guys who will go into the Hall of Fame if they stay healthy and he’s one of those guys. Whomever gets Sewell gets the best offensive line prospect I’ve ever watched and one of the best prospects ever. He’s that good.

3. Kyle Pitts, TE Florida 97

Oh my god, what a player. Watching him play college football was simply unfair, as his catch radius,speed, hands, and length are just too much for defensive players at that level, This is someone who could walk into the NFL and be a top 5 tight end from the minute he sets foot in a building, he’s that good. When I watch him play he reminds me of a combination of Darren Waller and Travis Kelce and I think he has All Pro potential. Yes, he’s a little raw as a blocker but the whole “he’s just a wide receiver” thing is a weak ass argument that should get shut down right now. No he’s not an elite blocker, but his length and pop with his hands are very underrated and there are times when he sets the edge with ease in the run game. Pitts is someone who might slide out of the top 10 but there is ZERO reason for that as he’s one of the better players in this draft and one of the best tight ends I’ve ever scouted.

As a route runner for someone who is 6’6 and almost 250 pounds he does a really good job. He has a good feel for getting off press and finding the open holes, particularly when he’s allowed to just work the seam. He worked all over the formation, primarily from the slot but other times outside and looked comfortable using his body to shield himself and make contested catches. He’s the best redzone threat in this draft by a country mile as well, dominating jump ball situations and understanding leverage to create opportunities. He’s dynamic down the middle of the field. 

His size, speed, hands, and leaping ability mean he’s going to be a rare player at this position in the league. I don’t see a floor or a ceiling for him. The only reason he’s not even higher in terms of rating, and a 96 is truly elite anyway, is that while I think he’s an underrated blocker he’s not great there, he’s only okay. It shouldn’t matter as the team who drafts him will be taking him as an offensive weapon not an inline player, but still it does knock him down a peg and he missed some time with injuries. All in all though, he’s probably the best tight end prospect I’ve ever watched in terms of how he’ll transition to the NFL. Absolutely love him as a player. 

4. Ja’Marr Chase, WR LSU 96

Wow can this guy run routes. Watching him switch up play speeds, run away from people, create separation, and make contested catches is honestly a joy to watch. I think Chase reminds me sort of a combination of Davante Adams and Allen Robinson as he has those type of abilities. Chase is a surefire WR1 at the next level. Hehas an incredible ability to get off press coverage from the outside and his footwork and route running is as good as you’ll watch from someone his size. While he lacks the true explosiveness you’d like to see from someone rated so high, he’s a smooth operator in space and eats up chunk yardage. He’s the best back shoulder catcher of the football I’ve scouted in college. Add up all of those things and you have someone who projects potentially as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.

Chase has good size but not elite size at 6’ and about 210 pounds and his pure straight line speed is good but not great again. These things typically would cause some fear in terms of rating someone as high as this with an overall grade that puts him among the top players in the class and the top receivers I’ve scouted. That said you can’t teach his footwork or ability to make big plays down the field. He’s got an innate abiily to not just make contested catches but to separate at the top of his route, or immediately, and he figures out a way with plus athleticism and speed to stack the corner and make him guess. He’s a professional player already and he wasn’t just schemed open, he created his opportunities. 

He’s somewhere around the 7/8 out of 10 range in terms of H/W/S and probably in terms of overall athleticism when you watch him on tape. These are good measurements and his body looks prepared to take on a full NFL slate. Occasionally he’ll let the ball get into his body, but it’s not a knock just an observation. Overall, he’s an elite prospect whose ability to separate, make big plays, and do all of this from the outside is impressive. He jumps off the screen when you watch him, and he was the best receiver on the team last year at LSU on a team that featured Justin Jefferson, think about that. 

5. Micah Parsons, LB Penn State 95

There is some rawness to this kid’s game but his upside is absolutely incredible. He just moved to linebacker a couple of seasons ago after playing his high school career as a defensive end and a running back and while he plays at times too quick and gets out of position, his athleticism and short area quickness is as good as you’ll ever find from a second level player in the draft. I believe there’s a chance that he ends up as a 34 outside linebacker due to his length and explosiveness but he could play all over the defense. You could play him as a mike in a 34 defense, a will in a 43 defense or as a weakside defensive end on pass rush downs in any scheme. Parsons' length and quickness are as good as you’ll find from a second level guy and his ability to tackle, run, and cause mayhem will be an instant upgrade for any defense who grabs him, likely in the top dozen picks.

If this were just a grade on where he is right now he would likely be somewhere closer to the 91-92 range however. At times he plays too downhill and can overrun plays and his gap integrity can get misplaced due to his lack of reps at the position when he’s playing the traditional inside linebacker role. When he’s not kept clean he doesn’t square up and then get off as well as he could against interior offensive lineman, and while he’s not bad there he’s not great. His ball skills are okay but not perfect and he needs more reps to get better in zone, although his length and athleticism shows flashes as being a potentially really quality man to man linebacker. 

Where he shows his ability is as a playmaker though in terms of reading, reacting, and just exploding to the football. If he goes to a team with an aggressive defensive coordinator you could be looking at an absolute superstar. Parsons burst and short area quickness is so good that you see him make plays 3,4,5 yards in the backfield with regularity. He runs sideline to sideline with ease and tracks down players who can’t get the edge against him. He’s 6’3 and 244 pounds and has tremendous length, using it to show as a very plus pass rusher. When I see his frame and quickness it keeps coming back to being a pass rusher more than just a traditional linebacker and maybe someone uses him in that role at some point. He’s got the versatility to be really special, and when I watch him he looks a ton like Lavonte David. Parsons shouldn't get out of the top 12. His upside is incredible and at worst he ends up a triple digit tackler with a lot of really impressive splash plays. 

6. Zach Wilson, QB BYU 95

Wilson is a franchise quarterback whose moxy, accuracy, and mobility are major pluses and will lead to him being drafted early in the first round of the 2021 Draft. I have Wilson as one of the best quarterback prospects of the past few seasons. While his rise up draft boards since the start of the season seems somewhat random, it’s anything but arbitrary. As a freshman, Wilson stood out and then worked his way through injuries his sophomore season in 2019. Even when taking his lumps in 2019, and getting thumped by one of the best defenses in the country in Washington, that tape was littered was impressive pocket presence, throws, and mobility. Wilson’s ascension this year shows the most accurate thrower of the football I’ve watched in the past half decade of scouting. While he’s not a perfect prospect, he’s someone who you should have no problem drafting to be the next face of your franchise early in round 1.

Wilson’s best trait is the one that is the most important thing for quarterback success in the NFL, accuracy. Honestly his ball placement is the best of anyone that I’ve scouted in the past few seasons. He not only throws with exceptional anticipation, he places the ball with precision, giving his players a chance to run after the catch, avoid big hits, or high point the ball at the apex. Wilson makes more perfect throws than anyone I’ve watched. He also makes the fewest off target throws of anyone in this class, in the 4 tapes I worked on from Wilson he had 3 off target throws that weren’t throw aways… on over 100 attempts. Even when Wilson misses, it’s close. 

Some other attributes that make him a top tier prospect are the fact that he has above average pocket presence, although occasionally he’ll backpedal instead of step up like most college players. He does an excellent job of feeling pressure and dipping his shoulder to move forward and protect the ball. Wilson is slippery in his rushing ability, and while he runs with little to no power he’s difficult to bring down in the open field. He has above average mobility and decent speed and can pick up a number of first downs and touchdowns with his legs. Early in the season he has 8 touchdowns on the ground. Wilson has an above average NFL arm, and while others think it’s elite, I think it’s good and he can certainly make every throw, but he’s more of a precision and anticipation thrower than a fastball guy. 

The only thing that would concern me with taking Wilson ahead of someone like Trey Lance or Justin Fields is the frame. Wilson at 6’1 and 210 pounds has a smaller frame. I would wonder a bit about his ability to hold up over the long term because he is slender and he does run a bit more than the average quarterback. Other than that, there’s no downside to his game. He’ll try to squeeze in tight window throws which could lead to a few picks throughout his career, but occasionally you gotta risk it to get the biscuit. He’s not reckless. Overall, Wilson is someone who should go in the top 10 in the draft and is someone you can build around to be a cornerstone of your franchise.

7. DeVonta Smith, WR Alabama 94

People are going to ask me how the hell he only gets a 94 grade after the season he had, which by the way is likely the best season in the history of college football by a wide receiver. I get why people think he should be a 99, or at least a 98! Believe me it makes a lot of sense to grade him that high based solely on his tape during his Heisman winning campaign. That said college football and the NFL are two different animals so I’m going to explain why he’s my overall player 7 and why he doesn’t get the illustrious 99 grade but also what makes him such an incredible player.

Primarily when you watch tape of Smith, what jumps off the screen is his combination of quickness and route running ability. To say that Smith can create separation is the biggest understatement of this draft season. He creates separation on his routes at the highest level of anyone I’ve ever watched. He simply has elite quickness, coupled with outstanding footwork and tremendous timing. Smith knows how to create leverage and stack defensive backs. He’s also got a second gear that allows him to get past defenders which means they have to respect the deep routes, opening up even more underneath. He’s always open.

Pair those things with the fact that he has tremendous hands, and great length and you can see why he’s this season’s WR1 in this class. He adds real value as a punt returner as well, showing quickness and vision that means he’s a threat to take it the distance at any point on special teams. I love all of this about Smith and they add up to him being such a great player and someone who shouldn’t really get out of the top few picks in this class. The reason though he’s not a 99 or 98 player is because of his size. Players at 6’1 and 170 pounds just simply are going to miss games at the next level. Smith is way too thin to hold up constantly in the NFL and the most important part of ability is availability and that fear is what drops me from having him even higher on my list. It wouldn’t cause me to not take him if I were in the top 10 and wanted a receiver and with that I just can’t see him sliding out of the top 13 and he’s someone who could end up being a 1000 yard receiver immediately in the league. His ability to separate is unique. 

8. Christian Darrisaw, OT Virginia Tech 93

He’s one of the best zone blocking scheme tackles I’ve ever watched on tape, and his ability to create movement and be athletic on the edge is so fun to scout. If he goes to a team that allows him to use that athleticism he’ll be a Pro Bowl caliber player early in his career with All-Pro upside. I’m a huge fan of his game and think that his movement skills and length are going to create major issues for edge defenders and second level players at the next level. Everything he does at tackle looks easy, and when he adds more strength to his frame, look out because he’s got Trent Williams type ability.

Darrisaw probably needs to add a little weight onto his lower body but overall there really isn’t a weakness to his game. I almost never see a rep where he loses, although sometimes when he expects the ball to come out on time he’ll let defenders take a wide range around him. He still doesn’t give up much there but it happens occasionally on tape. That said he’s a stalwart in pass protection and he passes off defenders with ease, showing he understands schemes and protections.

He’s got long arms, is extremely athletic, has good size and amazing tape. As a blocker on stretch plays and outside zones he’s one of the best offensive tackles you’ll watch on tape and he can absolutely collapse one side of a defense. Darrisaw is technically sound, plays with some pop, and has everything you’d look for in a zone running offensive tackle prospect. His pass pro is very good as well and projects to handle both speed and power well. Ultimately he’s a top 10 type player who is going to be a very good pro and projects to be a franchise left tackle with pro-bowl to All-Pro upside. If he goes to a team that runs a lot of zone and stretch plays he could be special. 

9. Zaven Collins, LB Tulsa 93

The kid’s tape is absolutely ridiculous, and there was zero doubt in my mind he was the best defensive player in college football this season. He’s someone who is absolutely perfect for today’s NFL with an ability to cover at an elite level, rush the quarterback, spy, and he has the size and speed to do it all. At 6’4 and 240 pounds he looks like a defensive end but moves like a safety. I think Collins is someone who could create havoc for an NFL team and his ability to cover and blitz in a zone heavy attack could make him an All-Pro potential type player. While most see him as a back end of round one type guy, I would have no hesitation taking him in the top 10 if I were that high. He’s a special player.

Collins is going to thrive in the passing game. He’s someone who is one of the best zone defenders I’ve watched at the linebacker position coming out of school. Collins gets his hands in as many passing lanes as anyone I’ve watched and his ability to flip his hips and still keep his eyes in the backfield is unique. His length and speed for someone his size is extremely enticing. Add this to the fact that he has a crazy first step when he’s lined up on the edge and really good closing speed and he’s someone who you can sick on the quarterback on the plays he’s not dropping into zone. His size and length make me think he could be a really good matchup guy for one on ones with tight ends as well. He’s a passing game weapon.

As a run defender he’s good but not great yet. He’ll miss a tackle or two here and there and his contact balance isn’t as good as you’d want from someone his size. While at times he can get off blocks well using athleticism, sometimes he’ll get locked up or get a step or two out of position. It’s the only thing keeping him from an even higher  grade. 

Collins is an elite prospect and someone who teams that play multiple defenses should be eyeing. I love his size and skillset and the ability he has to cover and dominate in zone blitz packages is incredible. He’s got All-Pro type ability and his floor is still as a quality nickel linebacker so you have to like the combination of floor and ceiling. I still am not quite sure why others have him low and there’s a chance he does drop for whatever reason in the draft, but to me, he’s someone who should start getting looks very early on Thursday night. Great player with elite NFL potential. 

10. Justin Fields, QB Ohio State 92

If you want to talk about someone who has All-Pro potential at the next level it’s pretty easy to see that ability with Justin Fields. He has some of the best throws that you’ll see on tape all season long because of his ability to drive the football. Fields has tremendous athletic ability, and when he takes off and runs on scrambles he picks up yards in a hurry. I don’t think he’s a 4.4 guy but he’s certainly going to run in the 4.5 range. Fields has a good frame and has plus accuracy, particularly on down the field throws, meaning he can stretch the field from all angles. At 6’3 and 228 pounds, Fields has the size, a huge arm, completed almost 70% of his career throws at Ohio State and had an almost 7 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio. Pair that with elite running ability on scrambles and you have a franchise quarterback prospect who shouldn’t make it out of  the top handful of picks.

Fields had some issues this season when he played against really good teams, and his Indiana tape was brutal, and he completed less than 50% of his passes against Northwestern in another bad film. Take those two tapes out though and he only had one other interception his entire season. That said he isn’t as good coming off his first read. Fields has a bit of funky footwork and he definitely has an issue with drifting backward in the pocket to deliver the ball which at times can cause his ball to sail. In the Big 10 that’s not an issue but in the NFL some of those throws will be incomplete or worse. His fundamentals can use work. He’s a tremendous player but he’ll need a year of growth because he has a tendency to hold the ball when he gets off his first read and drift back in the pocket instead of stepping up. Those two things need to get cleaned up but those are two exceptionally common traits for players coming out. 

Where he’s excellent is pretty much everywhere. What he did against Clemson was absolutely ridiculous, it was one of the best games I’ve ever watched a quarterback play. He showed so much in terms of toughness and grit and that stuff is the intangible stuff that plays such a huge role in terms of wins and losses in the NFL. I love his accuracy, particularly down the field and his touch and zip on the ball is at a very high level. Fields projects really nicely to the NFL, particularly if a team can utilize his skill set and allow him to be him. Early in his career he’s going to make some mistakes, he’s going to run when he should hang, he’s going to get tricked by good defensive coordinators. Long term though, this guy has a legitimate chance to be a Pro Bowl or even All Pro level player. If he goes to a good quarterback developer, by year two or three he could be an exceptionally dynamic NFL quarterback and he’s no one’s consolation prize.

11. Patrick Surtain, CB Alabama 92

He’s an excellent football player who will be a high quality cornerback in the NFL for a decade. Surtain is a physical guy who limits separation on YAC yards, and plays with a tenacity each and every down. He has a super high football IQ and understands where his help is on each play, showing an ability to excel in zone or in man. In today’s NFL it’s impossible to find shutdown corners and while Surtain probably isn’t going to pitch many shutouts in the league, his ability to provide consistent coverage and limit separation every single week is extremely impressive. He’s arguably the most consistent player in this entire draft. At one of the premier positions in the sport, he’s about as safe of a player as you can take on day 1.

Surtain is physical as hell, and when watching tape on him, its so rare to ever see someone more than a step away from him when he’s being targeted. He shows tremendous vision and feel in the zone game, funneling players to his help on every snap. He rarely misses tackles and with his size and speed looks primed to be an elite zone corner. His ball skills are only okay though, as at times he can lose track of the football a bit and his 4 interceptions are below what you’d expect in college from an elite player. He does have 24 career pass breakups which is solid but he needs to improve his takeaway ability. Surtain also has only average play speed and acceleration though, and it can lead to quicker receivers beating him occasionally on inside moves, although it’s rare. 

All in all, he’s an extremely competitive guy who while he’ll give up a bit here and there in terms of catches and penalties, he’s an excellent player. I wish he had a bit more speed and a bit better ball skills but it’s an easy argument to make that he’s the most consistent week to week snap to snap player in the 2021 NFL Draft. I really like him a lot. I’m not sure he’s going to be an NFL superstar but I know he’s going to be a damn good NFL player and if someone takes him around pick 7 or 8 it wouldn’t surprise me. He’s got good tape, good instincts, high football IQ, and excellent size. He’s going to be a good NFL player for a long time. 

12. Jaylen Waddle, WR Alabama 91

He’s got rare speed and acceleration for a college football player and he simply has gears that other players don’t have. Waddle’s best trait obviously is that explosiveness and it will treat him well in the NFL. While his size is below average at 5’10 and around 185 pounds, he’s so good with the ball in his hands that you don’t see him get hit hard often. If he hadn’t gotten injured this season it would have been interesting between him and Smith who would have won the Heisman, because Waddle’s numbers were actually better than Smith’s at that point. Waddle is one of the most dangerous punt and kick returners you’ll watch as well, as that combination of 4.3 speed and his initial burst are as good as you’ll find coming out of the draft. I think he’s a good route runner, although not elite, and he’ll probably be a combination of slot and outside in the NFL with stronger corners giving him some problems getting off press. All in all though, he’s not making it out of the first half of round 1 and he’ll add instant juice to any offense he goes to as a rookie.

Honestly I’m giving him a huge grade based on potential but there’s some risk here as well. His frame isn’t great and while he makes some terrific catches, he also drops some that he should grab. Waddle gets separation but a lot of it is either schemed or just based on straight line speed, acceleration, or the fact he’s in the slot. Someone with his ability should be more open than he is more consistently. The nice thing about him though is even if he isn’t this dynamic elite number one option, that speed will always play and create openings for others on your roster. He’ll always be a threat to score when he’s out there and he will be a dangerous kick returner for his entire career.

Waddle is a big play waiting to happen. That’s where he’s going to make his mark in the NFL, and his ability to play both inside and outside is definitely intriguing for NFL offensive coordinators. I think he’s a bit overrated in terms of with the ball in his hands as his moves take too long to set up, he simply needs to put his foot in the ground and go more often because his speed is incredible. I worry about his size and holding up in the NFL and while his tape is extremely impressive you have to wonder a bit about translation to the NFL where he won’t be able to simply “out-athlete” everyone. There’s a lot to like here, he can make contested catches, has elite speed and quickness, which is rare to have both in a wide receiver. He showed tremendous toughness getting back for the National Championship game as well, and while undersized he tries hard as a run blocker. He reminds me coming out of college of what Brandin Cooks was like coming out of Oregon State and he’s had a tremendous career. It’s the comp I think makes the most sense for Waddle and he should be taken accordingly, somewhere in the middle third of round 1.

13. Trey Lance, QB North Dakota State 90

Lance is a high end quarterback prospect who shouldn’t get out of the top 10. He is an excellent decision maker who went through the entire 2019 season without throwing an interception while accounting for 28 passing and 14 rushing touchdowns. Lance has incredible size and speed and an excellent arm. He has impressive drive of the football and at 6’4 and almost 230 pounds he has ideal size. Lance has high end top end speed as a runner and runs with power and tremendous vision. He’s extremely difficult to sack and has power and toughness in the pocket and his ability to avoid negative plays is a major positive. Lance is inexperienced with just one year as a starter at the division 2 level, but he’s never lost a game and has all the upside in the world. 

The issues you’re going to find with Lance are mostly experienced based and are things that can be cured with just more reps. Lance has some short area accuracy issues and can at times be a little bit imprecise with his ball placement, although for the most part I think he’s a fairly accurate guy. I like that his system at North Dakota State is for all intents and purposes an NFL system and the transition offensively should be an easy one. Lance wasn’t very good in the Central Arkansas game in terms of accuracy and he threw his first ever pick, but even in that game he managed to run for triple digits and throw for two touchdowns with the win. I’m not gleaning much off that game tape.

I think if he could go to a team that utilizes his athleticism by getting him on the edge and making plays is important. Scheme fit for him could go a long way, watching him and thinking about him on a team like San Francisco just screams out to me as a perfect fit. He is incredible rolling out and his size and frame looks a ton like Josh Allen right now, and he has that type of upside. I love his ability to make plays and the fact you can put him in a situation where he can make big plays on designed runs. He has some downside risk, because he has very low reps and played at a lower level but the way he can run, his arm strength, his decision making are all top class. Lance, due to position group and upside, shouldn’t get out of the top dozen picks. 

14. Azeez Ojulari, EDGE/LB Georgia 89

I know there are a lot of people who are thinking maybe he’s a tweener but to me he’s an ideal chess piece on defense in today’s NFL. Ojulari is an exceptional speed rusher with excellent bend and rip, and his athleticism is a major plus. Although he’s only 240 pounds, he plays with good toughness and strength and unlike other undersized ends, he’ll actually redirect blockers and sets the edge with a lot better toughness than most. He played in both a two point and three point stance and did both fairly effortlessly, although I like him standing up more. I think he’s best suited as a 3 down chess piece, playing some sort of big linebacker role on early downs and being a speed rusher in the nickel. He’s a first round player who is already very productive, but has upside to grow into a stud. 

There are only a couple of things that give me a small cause for concern with his translation to the NFL. The first is that he’s undersized for a traditional end or 34 outside linebacker. Although he’s built very well and has strong hands and toughness, 240 just isn’t the biggest to help set the edge consistently at the next level. The second thing is, he’s a bit raw in terms of other pass rush moves other than the dip and rip and just flat out beating a guy to the edge. That is definitely something that will get better, and to me while some view it as a negative to me it means that he has room to get even more productive.

Where he’ll shine is if he goes to a team that can utilize his skills. He dropped in coverage and looked fairly smooth doing it at Georgia. He wasn’t scared at all to drop into the flat or redirect running backs coming out of the backfield. Ajulari is a really good athlete. He ended up balling out at his pro day and put on 8 pounds of muscle to almost get to 250 pounds and ran a 4.63, an elite combination that pushed him even further up draft boards. He’s a playmaker who can do a lot of things and his effort, speed, and toughness are major selling points. I get that the lack of ideal size may turn some teams off, but if someone takes him at the end of the first round and has a plan for him, he could be a really effective defensive weapon in today’s NFL, particularly for a team that plays a lot of nickel and dime defense or who is ahead a lot. Fun guy to watch, really good tape, and big time plus upside. He’s an 89 with 92-94 tape, and that type of upside. It’s hard to watch him and not think he’s Yannick Ngakoue in the NFL. 

15. Travis Etienne, RB Clemson 89

Etienne is one of my favorite players to watch in this draft because he has the skill that I love to watch the most, acceleration. When you watch him play he goes from 0-60 faster than almost any player I’ve ever watched and it really just jumps out on tape. I absolutely love watching him take the ball on a pitch or in space and turn upfield. His ability to make people miss in the open field is among the best from anyone you’ll watch at a skill position coming into the league. Etienne actually had a 93 rating from me last season had he come out but another 200 touches shortens his career a bit in a position where that does matter. Ultimately though he’s going to be one of the better, more explosive players in the class and he will likely be a favorite for the rookie of the year award no matter where he goes.

For his entire career the guy has averaged over 7 yards per carry and has added 85 catches over the past two seasons. Watching him play reminds me so much of Alvin Kamara and that’s what he could possibly become in the NFL. I love how he makes people miss and can turn a 5 yard play into a 25 yard play in a blink.

He has good vision but not elite and at times can look to bounce the ball outside when a simple cut back into the middle of the field is the right play. I worry a bit about his ability to run with power at the next level though because he’s only around 205 pounds and while he’s excellent at making people miss in space he doesn’t run with elite power. He’s not quite a complete running back but he’s got a skill set that translates to being a dynamic and interesting player at the next level. His acceleration is simply a weapon that you can’t teach, and it’s a 10/10 for that category. I love watching him play football. I don’t recommend drafting a running back in the first round but if you’re a complete team just looking for another weapon, he’s as dynamic as they come. 

16. Trevon Moehrig, S TCU 89

This guy is an outstanding football player who I think will be a really good safety in the NFL for a decade. At 6’2 and around 208 pounds he has prototypical size and is a really good open field tackler. Over the past two seasons he has 20 pass breakups and 6 interceptions, and has been the highest graded safety in college football by pretty much everyone, myself included in the tape I’ve watched. He’s someone who takes great angles to the ball, and has the physicality to come up and make tackles, although at times he comes downhill a little too hard. Moehrig has exceptional ball skills and is a playmaker in your secondary. He’s not quite a 90 because while he’s good in man he’s not elite, and he’ll play a bit out of control at times trying to jump routes. That said he’s an 89 graded player and is someone who is going to be an excellent pro with Pro Bowl potential.

As a pass defender there’s a lot to like here. When he’s a single high or even in a split safety look he has the athleticism and ball skills to make plays on the ball sideline to sideline. He has tremendous football instincts and IQ and drives on the football with really good speed. His H/W/S is pretty tremendous for a free safety prospect. In man coverage he has the size to match up with bigger players, and still has the athleticism to make plays on quick guys, as he had a pick in essentially one on one coverage with Rondale Moore last year. At times he tries to make a bigger play than necessary though and he’ll give up some catches one on one. Overall though, he’s a big time plus as a pass defender.

In the run game he’s solid although not a high volume guy. He’s physical and fights through blocks and takes really sound angles to chase down ball carriers. His length is big for getting around receivers’ blocks and he’s a sound tackler. Moehrig isn’t a safety who is going to shy away from playing a physical style of play. At times he’ll come down a touch out of control, but for the most part, you don’t find players who tackle in space at safety as well as he does. 

He’s a really good player. The only thing keeping him from being a 90s rated guy is that he needs to improve his man converge a bit, and he’ll miss a tackle or two by taking aggressive angles. That said he’s going to be a super good safety in the league and if he can get a little bit better at man coverage there’s a chance he can be special. I’m a big fan of his game and in a deep draft, someone is going to get him late in round one and is probably getting a steal. If he falls to round two it’ll be a travesty, he’s going to be a good one. 

17. Jaycee Horn, CB South Carolina 88

There is going to be a team that falls in love with Horn and takes him in the first round, I just can’t see a scenario where that doesn’t happen. He’s a tall, long corner with good straight line speed and put really good tape on this season. Horn is a physical press corner at 6’1 and 205 pounds, and has good ball skills. His change of direction skill for a taller corner is fairly impressive. Horn projects as a starting level outside corner who can play some press cover 2 zone, but who needs to improve dramatically in the run game. Right now Horn is someone who allowed only 33% completion percentage against him this season, and that tape along with plus size and physicality lend me to believe he is going to be a starting level corner in the NFL with upside.

His positives are pretty clear, in that he has the physicality and toughness at the catch point that he is almost never very far away from a receiver. He’s skilled in that he simply doesn’t give up much separation. Horn is extremely physical at the stem of a route, and therefore you have to be prepared that he’ll give up his fair share of penalties. His technique is good, but he’s so physical that it’s possible he could be someone who could consistently give up first downs via penalty. His ball skills are solid as well, as he has tough hands and fights through the catch point, he’ll be someone who forces incompletions at a higher than average rate. Add in the fact that he has outstanding straight line speed for someone his size, clocking in at around 4.40 on his pro day, and he’s got tremendous upside. 

Horn isn’t the quickest or most bendy athlete so you have to wonder if he’s asked to play off man coverage how many easy catches he’ll give up, but that’s not why someone should draft him. Horn needs to go to a team that is man heavy, or plays a press cover 3 type zone. If he can’t figure out how to be  a better and more engaged tackler in the run game though he’ll never be a complete corner. There are some teams who will be turned off by his lack of passion for the run game. Occasionally it flashes though and he can make some nice hits, but it’s very inconsistent. I believe he’s going to be a good corner in the NFL, although I’m not sure he’s a CB1 unless he goes to the correct system. Regardless I think someone toward the back half of round one, particularly a team looking for a bigger corner to match up and plays a lot of press; or he should go to a team where they have a smaller speed corner and are looking for a bigger one to complete a pair. There’s a lot to like here, and late round 1 isn’t too early. If someone gets him in round 2, no matter where it’s a great value pick. 

18. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB Notre Dame 88

A super interesting prospect who is way undersized but athletic and definitely a modern version of an NFL linebacker with a comp to Darius Leonard. Koramoah is around 215 pounds as a linebacker and runs and covers everywhere from slot receivers to tight ends to running backs easily. He’s a dynamic blitzer, particularly coming off the slot where he has tremendous athleticism and burst. I think he’ll run somewhere in the high 4.4s or low 4.5s and uses his quickness to go sideline to sideline. Where he looks the best however is in coverage as it looks like where he’ll shine in the NFL. He’s a Will linebacker in a 43, but will likely make his money playing nickel linebacker or even potentially being a 3rd safety in the “big nickel” look that has become popular in the NFL. He’s not without warts, mostly his size, but if you look at what he can do vs what he can’t, he’s a great nickel linebacker and that’s what teams are looking for in today’s NFL.

On tape, his speed and acceleration really stand out. You begin watching a play flow away from him on the opposite hash while he might be lined up in the slot and yet he finds a way to make the tackle. He covers extremely fast slot receivers and doesn’t give up much room there, playing downhill through throwing lanes and causing disruptions. I love how much room he covers in zone and his eyes are always picking up players and crossers. He’s a good blitzer off the edge although his lack of power sometimes means he might not finish when he gets home. He’s dynamic.

He lacks the power or strength to take on blocks or bring down big backs easily, but he’ll flash the occasional big hit. JOK is always around the football though, showing really good effort and his speed covers up a lot of his deficiencies in size. While he won the Butkus award and is extremely sought after in draft ranking circles his lack of size is a glaring thing but what kind of bothers me is the lack of total productivity. This last season he only averaged 5 tackles per game and ended up with just 1.5 sacks and 4 pass breakups. He has tremendous ability and made some big plays but the lack of counting stats bothers me, and I can’t help feeling like the flashes on tape weren’t as indicative of his overall game. Obviously playing linebacker in the NFL at 215 pound presents a lot of problems in terms of taking on the run, but mostly in terms of durability. You wonder how he’ll hold up playing 16 games at that size. The lack of size is something that is a bit unnerving but in today’s NFL where teams are throwing the ball all over the place and it’s going toward a more speed oriented game, having players like Owusu-Koramoah is becoming a necessity. He’s someone you take in the back half of round one and plug him in as a nickel linebacker on day one, but while I really like his potential, I’m a little lower on him than other scouts, but if you have a plan for him he certainly can end up being a huge difference maker. His success in the NFL is going to depend a lot on going to a DC that can figure out how to utilize his special athleticism. 

19. Javonte Williams, RB UNC 87

I know everyone was talking about how good he was and everything and maybe I was late to the party but wow I absolutely love this player and think he’s going to be a star in the NFL. Williams reminds me of somewhere between Nick Chubb and Arian Foster with how he can see the hole and seemingly float to it before exploding to the second level. Williams is excellent in pass protection and catches the ball easily out of the backfield. At 5’10 and 220 pounds he’s a bigger back but he has the quickness and pure speed to hit the homerun at the next level. I think he’s probably in the 4.5 range in terms of speed and it’s plenty fast to make big plays. Williams projects as a 3 down back at the next level and a dynamic playmaker who can fit any scheme.

Where Williams will shine is if he’s given an opportunity to run off tackle plays. He reads defenses well but its when he gets to put his foot in the ground and turn up that he shines. Watching him is so much like Nick Chubb in that he simply chunrs out double digit yard plays and he’ll be 8 yards deep before you know that he’s there as he glides when he rounds. He can run with power as well, finishing rounds on the inside and having a nose for the endzone to get those tough yards. He’s an all around back in terms of running the ball.

I think Williams separates himself from a lot of college backs in that he’s physical in pass protection. Williams will hit you and he squares up more often than most. While he’s not super elite here he’s very good and won’t be a liability here. He has enough quickness and wiggle as a receiver as well that he can run angle routes and flat routes and create separation with linebackers and he shows good hands in the pass game. His timing in screens and when to release is very good.

Overall here’s a player that has virtually no weakness to his game and shows a combination of power, athleticism, vision, and versatility to do everything you’d want a high quality starter in the NFL to have. I think Williams is going to be a very good running back in the NFL and will provide an immediate boost to almost any NFL team as he can play in any scheme. He has a first round grade but as a running back those guys typically need to start getting targeted early on day 2. 

20. Rashod Bateman, WR Minnesota 87

It’s hard not to like Bateman as a quality first round wide receiver in this NFL draft. I think he’s clearly the WR4 in the process and after the top 3 stud names come off the board you might be getting a REALLY good player with the next wide receiver option. Bateman isn’t a 90s rated prospect because he simply doesn’t have the acceleration you’d look for in that type of a player, but he’s got all the other qualities. What makes me like him lot is that he’s such a good route runner and does an exceptional job mixing up his releases that he can create separation on every route. He’s an elite route runner. He has good size at about 6’2 and 210 pounds and is one of the better players you’ll scout on in-breaking routes. Bateman is very good at contested catches and has the versatility to play inside or outside at the next level. He projects as a high quality wide receiver with the downside of a WR2 but the upside of a Pro Bowl level player.

Where he’ll be good in the NFL is getting you first downs and moving the chains. While he made some big plays at Minnesota, it was mostly against lower quality competition or on plays that were schemed up. He’s not going to run by you and dominate you that way, and while he’s good on contested catches, he’s not going to be featured on too many “you got mossed” segments. He reminds me of Michael Thomas or Keenan Allen when you watch his tape, lots of in-breaking routes, creates a ton of separation at the top of the route tree, and snatches the ball out of the air. I’m not saying he’s going to be a 130 catch guy or anything but Thomas also had some physical limitations coming out, but again, the NUMBER 1 thing you look for in a receiver is being able to separate and Bateman does it with consistency. 

His write up is easy, he’s a good NFL athlete in terms of H/W/S and he won’t wow you or run by you at any point. I know he ran a 4.40 40 at his pro day but he simply doesn’t play with that burner speed, but has more than enough juice to run by slower DB’s. There’s a chance he just ends up as a quality WR2 and helps you move the chains because he can’t dominate you athletically. However, you don’t have to be physically dominant to be a dynamic NFL receiver and he does have some of those Adams/Thomas/Keenan Allen type traits, particularly on the slant route that make me think he can turn into a Pro Bowler if he goes to a good quarterback. I really like him in the back half of round 1. 

** Since doing this writeup - Bateman ran a 4.40 laser timed. He didn’t show it on tape, but clearly he has better speed than what he showed. 

21. Najee Harris, RB Alabama 87

Maybe this is a bit high for Harris, but I think his game is going to translate seamlessly to the NFL. At  6’2 and 230 pounds, Harris’ combination of power, speed, and ability in the pass game is going to lend itself to being the lead back in his rookie season. Harris is a complete running back who can help on all 3 downs. He’s one of the most underrated receivers at the position coming out in recent memory and his vision is elite. Harris runs with power and behind his pads and picks up double digit gains with regularity. He’s a complete back who can walk right into a running back room and pick up the lead.

It would shock me if he goes in round one simply because the devaluing of backs in the NFL and the move toward a running back by committee approach. That said, he’s going to come off the board most likely early in day 2 and provide good value to a team. I love the way he gets his pads square to the line and picks up tough yardage. He glides at times as well, looking smooth in his running style and then finishing with power. 

Overall he’s an easy evaluation. Harris is a bell-cow type running back who can do almost everything you’d want in a lead back. While he doesn’t possess the straight line speed or acceleration that you’d look for in an elite 90 graded back, he does everything else very well and his power and pass catching ability, along with great size gives him the potential to be a focal point of a running back room. He should go off the board early on day 2 as a feature back and he’ll have an exceptionally productive career. 

22. Caleb Farley, CB Virginia Tech 87

Farley has so much potential, and you can’t teach that combination of size and fluidity. He’s a converted wide receiver and has incredible ball skills at the cornerback position. He had 4 interceptions and 16 pass breakups in 2019 and at 6’2 and almost 210 pounds, he’s someone who can matchup on the outside and won’t get beaten up by bigger or more physical corners. There’s a lot of potential as he’s still trying to figure out the position, and his upside is as a high end CB1. I think drafting him to be a matchup corner is your best move as he’s going to give up some big plays and get penalized frequently early in his career. That said, to me he projects best as an outside corner in a man heavy scheme, with the potential to play a good combination of man and zone due to his size and ball skills.

Where Farley excels is that he has a rare combination of size and athleticism for a corner prospect. You don’t see 6’2 corners be able to flip their hips like that too often, particularly from someone who just made the position switch a couple seasons ago. He can play both off and press and seems to understand route combinations and depth in the zone very well. He’ll get beat by double moves and at times can get a bit grabby at the stem of the route which leads to some penalties and bigger plays given up. He’s not a great tackler in space as he’s new to defense, but all of those things will improve. Farley is a bit rare in that he’s an obvious first round player but he’s a bigger projection than you’d typically find from a corner.

Analytics guys think he’s great because he had high productive ball skills and a very low passer rating allowed, but the penalties and plays I watched him give up were likely not charted correctly. He’s a very good prospect and in the back half of the first round he’s a good selection for a team that would utilize him correctly and that likes to play a lot of man coverage. You have to be willing to work through some of the growing pains he’s going to have as a rookie, but having a big corner who can match up with tremendous ball skills could prove him worth the risk. Potential is high here but he doesn’t come free of risk.

23. Kadarius Toney, WR Florida 87

A spectacular player with the ball in his hands who reminds me so much of Deebo Samuel coming out of school. Toney has tremendous contact balance for a player at about 193 pounds that he breaks more tackles than anyone you’d find at that size. I typically don’t put slot only players in the first round because of positional value and how easy it is to find players who can give you good quality at that position but Toney is a pretty spectacular player after the catch. He’s got exceptional short area quickness and on the inside he runs routes that are going to be brutally difficult to cover. Pair the fact that he’s very dangerous as a pure runner and shows plus kick and punt return ability and you have someone who despite being a slot only and gadget guy, should get serious consideration toward the back half of the first round. 

Toney has good size at 6’0  and around 193 pounds, but he plays much bigger with the ball in his hands. He breaks tackles almost every single time he touches the ball and it’s going to be fun for offensive coaches to figure out how to give him the rock. He’s got really impressive acceleration and probably has a 40 time in the 4.4 range. 

As a pure receiver he has a ways to go though. He almost never lined up on the outside and is clearly a slot only option. While that’s not bad necessarily, it also means there will be a number of snaps he’s not on the field each week. It also means that his route running, while having a ton of potential, is still really raw. He’s a superb athlete, but not refined at all in his skill set. He’s a mediocre blocker at best. 

The kid is an athlete without question. He has a skill set that’s very similar to former “athlete” position players like Curtis Samuel, Percy Harvin, and Deebo Samuel. While those guys had or are having very nice pro careers, they also are beat up a bit throughout their times in the league. He’s someone who is a threat every single time he touches the ball, and his ability as a return man is really impressive as well. He’ll need to go to a team that can use him immediately in the slot position and give him a few handoffs and returns each week. But if you can find 10 touches a game for the guy, he’ll score a lot. He projects as an electric gadget player and slot guy in the NFL. 

24. Elijah Molden, CB/S Washington 86

I don’t give slot corners first round grades often, but Molden is the exception to the rule because he’s one of the best slots I’ve ever watched on tape. I also think he ends up potentailly being a rock solid safety in the NFL if someone wanted to move him to that spot. Molden is an incredible player and playmaker who absolutely can shut down the middle of the field. While he’s not the biggest or the fastest guy at the corner position at 5’10 and 190 pounds he punches way above his weight. He has incredible instincts and playmaking ability and he attacks at all levels of the defense. While his recovery speed and size are going to limit where some teams think he can go, I think he’s someone who despite those things and his position as an inside corner, he should be in play at the end of the first round.

Molden in the passing game is absolutely dynamic. When he’s in off zone he covers space as well as anyone you’ll find from the inside corner position. Molden has elite recognition skills and attacks the football. In 2019 he had 4 interceptions, 12 pass breakups, forced 3 fumbles and had 6 tackles for loss. He’s someone who absolutely dominates the game at times. He’s very good in man coverage, particularly off man, but he’s dynamic in zone. 

Against the run now, with most teams playing predominantly nickel even on early downs you need a slot corner who can tackle, and Molden can absolutely run and hit. He’s a willing and able tackler who had 79 tackles last season and averaged almost 7 per game this season, showing an ability to be a volume tackler as an inside corner. Another rare ability. 

Molden is going to be limited by the fact he plays inside corner solely, and some teams don’t value that position as much as they should. There’s a chance he falls down draft boards due to his lack of ideal H/W/S and positional value for some teams. That said though, you can’t watch his tape and not think he’s the best slot in this year’s draft. Molden is arguably my favorite player in the 2021 draft, and if someone needs a slot corner toward the last few picks in the first round or early second round Molden should be a high value target. 

25. Rashawn Slater, OL Northwestern 86

Really good football player who I think probably needs to kick inside to center or particularly guard at the next level. He’s someone who is going to be good in the NFL for a decade and I think he’s someone who will definitely go in the first round. He has versatility because he did start 36 games at tackle in college and has some good athleticism and solid recovery speed. That said overall he’s a bit on the shorter side for a tackle and he can get a little upright allowing quicker guys to cut inside him. That’s not something you can do at tackle in the NFL but his ability, particularly when getting in space is really high level. If he goes to an inside zone team in terms of running the ball and kicks inside he has Pro Bowl ability. I like him a ton and to me if he goes in the back half of the first round it makes a lot of sense.

The first few plays I watched him I was pretty wowed by his movement skills and the way he plays angles in the run game. You can tell his size isn’t great for a tackle and again, it shows why a move inside makes some sense. His size reminds me a bit of Isaiah Wynn though coming out of school and he looks pretty natural at tackle in the NFL so maybe Slater can stay outside. He’s not perfect in terms of tape, and every once in a while he’ll get beat but overall he grades out at a high level. He’s a good pass protector, and he has an ability to recover and stay in the play once he’s beat. He’ll be better if he moves to guard at the next level and with his football IQ I think he has a chance to be a good center too. It’s rare to see someone who could play all 5 offensive line positions in the NFL but Slater could. The value in that in terms of longevity is off the charts.

He’s a good player. I think you’ll have games where he might miss a block or two throughout but overall he’s pretty rock solid. He has tremendous quickness for a 305 pounder and he does an adequate job with power although it’s not going to be a calling card. Scheme is going to matter for him, as will a move inside. If he stays outside there’s a chance he still is a solid player but inside you almost guarantee a quality starter in the NFL. If he could move to center full time as well you gain even more value. I can’t see him getting to round two no matter what and to me he’s someone I would start to target in the back half of round one, particularly if I run a lot of movement and zone based blocking schemes. Very high floor. 

26. Mac Jones, QB Alabma 86

I know everything that Jones can’t do as a quarterback. He’s not mobile, and won’t threaten anyone with his legs. His arm strength is average at best, and likely below average for an NFL starter. He had All-Pro level talent around him at every level at Alabama and simply rolled over everyone this past season. At 6’3 and 213 pounds he’s got good size but he’s not overly impressive with that. He also is one of the most accurate quarterbacks to ever play in college football and he throws one of the prettiest deep balls you’ll ever see. His ability to deliver the football with accuracy, precision, and touch is something that screams NFL starting quarterback. While he certainly doesn’t have the tools or upside of the Big 4 quarterbacks in this class, his ability to delivery high quality passes and his impressive pocket presence to me means he could be a good NFL starting quarterback. If you surround him with talent he can be the type of player to win a ton of games in the NFL and he reminds me a ton of a plus Kirk Cousins.

Jones completed 77 percent of his passes this season, one of the most absurd numbers you’ll ever see, and he did it while playing a full SEC schedule with no cupcakes and two semi final games. Jones threw for more than 11 yards per attempt and had a better than 10:1 touchdown to interception ratio, all of those numbers are video game stats. 

All of these things are major positives that show he can be successful as can be at the NFL level. I love his touch and accuracy on the deep ball. There are very few quarterbacks who throw the bomb and particularly the deep over better than Jones does. He’s got NFL caliber pocket presence as well, with the rare ability for a college quarterback to step up in the pocket and slide around instead of taking off or backpedaling. I really believe he has the potential to be a high quality NFL quarterback, but he needs a lot of help around him for that to be the case. He needs weapons as he won’t carry a team due to lack of arm strength, mobility, size, and the field for him and windows for him to complete throws are going to be tighter than most NFL starters. Scheme fit, coaching, and talent around him are going to be key, but he has a chance to be successful. You have to understand teams with Jones as their quarterback are likely going to kick a lot of field goals as he won’t be able to get you those difficult touchdowns that quarterbacks with mobility or great arms can get you. If I'm a team in the back half of the first round and am looking for someone who is a good decision maker and maybe has a lot of weapons but not a point guard to get them the ball, Mac Jones can be a really good player in that role, but make no mistake he’s a “trailer not a truck” when it comes to quarterbacks. 

27. Samuel Cosmi, OT Texas 86

He’s a long ultra athletic tackle who excels in pass protection and is going to start in the NFL for a long time. Cosmi has improved every single year since coming in as a Freshmen for the Longhorns and he just looks so smooth and polished in his pass protection. He never panics and is almost always in the correct position, whether he’s being challenged with speed or power, he’s someone who locks up on the edge. While he lacks ideal power at this point in his career, and is more of a shield blocker in the run game, he’s a starting caliber left or right tackle as a rookie and shouldn’t escape the first round. 

Where he is going to make his money is in the passing game. Cosmi is athletic and speed rushres aren’t going to beat him often. I love how calm he is in passing sets, allowing the defenders to make a move and then just locking them up with really good hand positioning. While he lacks power in his lower half, something easily corrected in an NFL weight room, he has strong hands and really good grip strength. It’s rare people fall off of him and seeing him lock people up gives him some very impressive reps. Power rushers can sometimes get into his body and cause him to give ground though, but overall he’s a top tier pass protector.

As a run blocker he mixes great reps with average ones and is more of a shield blocker than anything else. Occasionally he can give you a big hole on his side but he’s not going to be mistake for a plus run blocker at this point, particularly in the power game. If he gets you off balance he’ll finish you off and he does have more pancakes than the average player because he finishes plays. I think he projects best in a zone blocking scheme for the running game where he can use his athleticism, but he’ll be best in a pass heavy offense. 

I think he’s a bit underrated. His tape is really good and while he lacks power it’s not an actual negative as it rarely shows up on tape. He has 35 starts in his career and this past season gave up only 8 pressures all season on 350+ pass pro snaps. He gets in good position as a run blocker and while he won’t dominate there, he’s solid. Cosmi reminds me a bit of Jake Matthews coming out of college and he has a chance to have that type of career. Add some lower body strength and by year two you are going to have a really high quality starting tackle. 

28. Gregory Rousseau, DE Miami 86

Watching his tape, this kid has All Pro ceiling. He only really played one season at Miami and had 15.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss in one year. Rousseau has incredible length, power, and size at 6’6 and about 260 pounds. He has solid athleticism for a player his size and honestly his play vision considering how little he’s played is really incredible. He keeps his head up on plays and does an excellent job of simply bench pressing a tackle and rarely overruns a play, keeping himself in constant position to make tackles. Most players with that type of frame and lack of experience are mediocre against the run but Rousseau does a very good job playing with leverage and making plays in the run game, setting a very good edge. The only reason he’s not rated higher is he only has one year of experience and his pass rush moves are fairly one dimensional at this point. Overall though, he’s a starting defense end or edge from day one with long term potential as a franchise cornerstone.

He’s actually underrated in this class to be honest. As a pass rusher there is so much to like, particularly the fact that he makes the most common sack in the NFL today which is the upfield rush and then flash back inside to bring down the quarterback in the pocket. He also has the length and athleticism to get the edge on a flat footed tackle or go speed to power to push the pocket. Rousseau keeps his eyes in the backfield and rarely if ever gets himself out of position. He’s raw with his pass rush moves and gets way too high at times, but the technique stuff will come with more reps. He just needs more game time.

As a run defender he’s one of the rare edge players who has the chance to be a high volume tackler. His length and athleticism allows him to set a strong edge consistently and he plays with good effort. He’ll rack up tackles for loss in the NFL. Again at times he gets way too high but his power in his punch and length allows him to maintain his gap integrity and he does an excellent job of keeping and setting his gap and playing within the confines of the defensive scheme.

Rousseau is a high upside defensive end who at worst is going to be a starting level defensive end for a long time. He is still a raw player in terms of pass rushing moves and he plays too upright and early in his career that might mean he doesn’t dominate. As time goes on he’s going to develop and his athleticism and early football IQ paired with his outstanding size is a very enticing combination. He looked more athletic on tape than he tested though,and it’s a bit scary now, dropping him down some draft boards, mine included. I still think in this class he deserves to go in round one but there’s a lower floor here than previously thought. 

29. Rondale Moore, WR Purdue 85

What a player. Moore is one of the quickest, most electric players you’ll ever watch on a college football field. At 5’9 and 180 pounds he is one of the smaller players you’ll scout, but my goodness his quickness and acceleration are 10/10. He’s someone who is high volume, get the ball in his hands in as many ways as possible, and he can score every single time he touches the ball. While his career in the NFL will likely be as a swiss army knife and gadget player as well as a returner and slot receiver, he’s got a ton of value. The Purdue coaches rave about his work ethic, and he’s someone who made Ohio State first round picks look awful in his 2018 tape which was jaw dropping. Moore is a dynamic player in the truest sense of the word, but 5’9 180 pound players with injury histories are scary as hell to draft in the first round. To me he’s someone who a creative offensive mind would love to have, but a first round pick on someone with that size is a huge risk. He’s talented enough to win you games by himself, but how often he sees the field is the biggest question mark.

He almost never played out wide in the Purdue system and his size means he likely won’t be out there much at the NFL level. Slot players are much easier to find and have a lower value so that’s why I’d much prefer him in round 2. He almost never gets tackled by the first guy and his ability to shift it into another gear in two steps is incredible to watch. He’s got really good vision as a runner and despite not being big he runs with toughness. He’s got above average hands but his lack of size means he’s a small target to hit. Moore creates some of the most immediate separation you’ll ever find from a slot guy and he’s got the Cole Beasley ability to get two steps  on a defender the second the ball is snapped. Moore is a combination of Beasley and Crowder in how quickly he gains separation, but he’s so much better with the ball in his hands that it’s terrifying. He could be one of the better slot receiver / hybrids in the NFL.

The only real worry with Moore is his size and that he had a serious leg injury in college. He’s built well though. You just don’t see 180 pound guys play 16 games in the NFL with any regularity so it’s always going to be a factor. If you can get him and keep him healthy for most of his career though he’s someone who could change games for your team. Guys who can pick up first downs and make splash plays with the regularity he does is something that’s difficult to teach. I think that Moore’s work ethic as well, is legendary and reading about him makes me comfortable taking him in the first 40 picks in the draft. There’s a risk to taking someone at his stature, but the reward is an absolutely electric player. 

30. Kwity Paye, EDGE Michigan 85

A player who is pretty much all projection right now but certainly has the tools to develop into a very good NFL player. At 6’4 and 277 pounds he has an excellent build and plus athleticism to develop into a high quality edge player in the NFL. He played all over the Michigan line, particularly kicking inside on pass rushing downs. He’s stout against the run, and while he’s not ever going to be a volume tackler, he does a nice job of creating a pile and setting the edge. I have him rated lower than most draft pundits at this point as I think he’s a very back of the first round or even better early second round player. That said this is a weak edge rushing class and for teams looking to improve there he’ll likely get a long hard look toward the middle of the first. 

Paye has some similar qualities to Zadarius Smith when I watch him play. He has really good size and flashes good quickness for someone who has that build. I like how he plays the run for the most part but he’s not a high volume player there, which is my main concern with him. He’s someone who accumulates a good amount of pressures but he’s not someone who finishes a ton of plays and it’s a major obstacle for me drafting him so high. In his last 26 games at Michigan he had 10.5 sacks, not nearly enough for someone of his reputation. If you take away one drive this season vs Minnesota, in his other three games and every other drive that game, he had one tackle for loss. I just need more productivity. He seems like he almost always lacks a pass rushing plan. 

He flashes a ton of ability, there’s zero doubt there. However, when you draft someone like this who has a lot of talent and great H/W/S but low productivity there’s a chance he never develops or takes a long time to give you much. He’s like Rashan Gary coming out, where there’s a ton to work with but it may take 3 or 4 years before you really get anything from him. The talent is there for him to play the big spot as a 34 outside linebacker, a 43 base end, or as an interior rusher or even a 34 end. Having someone who can do all those things is huge. That said, I wouldn’t draft him as someone who is going to come in and have a major impact early. Paye is someone who you draft to develop, and he can give you a potential 3rd or 4th pass rusher early in his career while holding up well against the run. I like him, just don’t love him like other pundits. 

31. Liam Eichenberg, G/ OT Notre Dame 84

Eichenberg is one of the most boring guys to scout in this draft as he pretty much projects as above average to good across the board at the NFL level. He has a solid punch and good size at 6’6 and around 305 pounds, although I’d like to see him add 10 more pounds at the next level. He’s got super short arms though so a move inside is definitely possible at the next level, where he could really actually thrive as a pass pro guard.  He moves fairly well for a tackle and while,he’ll occasionally get beat by inside speed moves, he has solid recovery speed and uses his length to push the player past the pocket. He’s a good run blocker and plays with a fiery disposition when he’s asked to open a hole. While he’s not the most agile in space or when asked to run sweeps and pulls he’s at least adequate here and shows some pop at the second level. Overall he’s a solid tackle prospect who while he certainly won’t wow you he has a very high floor as a long time NFL player and likely as a rookie starter on an offensive line.

As a pass protector he simply doesn’t lose very often. He has good ability to mirror and uses his length well to make sure players don’t get clean rushes on him. While exceptional quickness like from a DB or blitzing linebacker gives him a bit of issue he recovers well and has extremely high football IQ. His recognition and ability to pass players off and pick up delays or stunts is high level. Eichenberg isn’t completely lock down on every play on the outside, but he rarely loses quickly and holds up well here. I don’t think he’s elite as he doesn’t have all the tools, a bit light, and not super quick, but he’s going to be a solid NFL pass protector.

As a run blocker again, nothing flashy but he’s tough and physical and does a nice job of getting push and collapsing a side. I like him as a mauler in a power running game at left tackle where he can be okay as a bit lighter because he plays physically. He’s not going to give you a ton if you ask him to pull and play a bunch in space but if you need tough yards, despite him being a bit lighter for a tackle he’s a people mover. 

He’s boring and whomever drafts him isn’t likely to be doing backflips, but this is a very solid prospect without a weakness to be seen. I don’t see him being an elite player at the next level but it wouldn't’ surprise me at all if he starts for 8 years in the NFL and gives you plenty of high quality seasons. I really like him particularly in round two as a high floor plug and play tackle in the NFL. 

32. Joseph Ossai, EDGE 84

Ossai is extremely athletic, has good bend, and plays with an exceptional motor. While I think he projects best as a 34 outside linebacker he can certainly reduce down on pure pass rush situations as an end and bring some speed rush off the edge. He hasn’t shown much as a zone dropper in coverage yet but he absolutely has the ability and skill set to become a good zone cover guy in time as a 34 OLB. Where he looks like he’s going to be a good player though is his abiilty to bend the edge and then use his speed to get home. I don’t know if he’s ever going to be an elite pass rusher because he doesn’t have the speed to power move you need yet but his overall quickness and athleticism is a big plus. He’s a prototype round 2 guy who can give you a lot and his effort and athleticism at 6’4 and 253 pounds is very promising, but his testing numbers at his pro day mean he might not last that long. 

As a pure pass rusher he’s mostly a speed rusher guy who can bend the edge. He’s not a technician at the spot but his first step is a plus and he is bendy and can utilize that quickness and mobility to create pressures. He has a stronger punch than his weight and good length too so there’s some potential for him to become a good speed to power guy and that’s why he’s rated higher than some of the others here in that he has that chance. Where he looks really good as a pass rusher though is in space when he gets a running start. On stunts and loops he just has an explosive second step where he eats up a ton of ground. As a designated blitzer outside linebacker he could be dynamic.

Against the run sometimes he can be a step slow to diagnose and he’s not the biggest 34 outside linebacker. He’ll try to guess at times and get too far upfield as a run defender. He projects in time to be good in space as a cover zone guy but he’s got a ways to go currently as well. His motor is crazy impressive and while he’ll give up initial ground he has really good pop in his hands and rarely stays blocked for long on run plays. His straight line speed is impressive and it means he could end up giving you above average tackle numbers for an edge player as well. Overall I think he’s at worst a 3rd pass rusher in the NFL but his upside is that of a good starter with versatility to do everything as an outside guy. Early Round 2 is perfect for him and he’s obviously a much better fit in a 34. 

33. Carlos Basham, DE Wake Forest 84

I love his motor and physicality at the point of attack and he’s one of the most consistent players you’ll watch on tape. Boogie is a big defensive end at 6’3 and 281 pounds but he lacks ideal length and his quickness is below average. He has good power and pop and he’s a relentless pass rusher who stays in every single plays. His straight line speed for a 280 pounder is really impressive too and that paired with his effort gives him plenty of tackles chasing down plays from behind and deep down the field. He led the nation in consecutive games with a tackle for loss and he shows an ability to generate consistent pressure, and make plays in the run game. While he lacks the bend and agility to be a first round pick, he’s a high quality second rounder who will likely start at base end and kick inside on nickel downs. Super high floor.

As a pass rusher he ended his career with well over 100 pressures and 19.5 sacks in three seasons. While he’s not a refined pass rusher he has the pop to generate a lot of plays as a pocket pusher and he projects to be a really nice interior pass rusher on third down situations. He’s got just enough speed to get to the half block on interior players and slower tackles and his power and push gives him a chance to cause disruptions. I don’t think he’s going to be a double digit sack guy in the league, but he still projects as a solid consistent pass rusher, particularly when lined up over a guard. He just lacks the quickness, agility, and redirect speed to pair up moves together, meaning he has to win on his initial bull rush or getting to the edge of a playeror he won’t win much with anything other that effort.

As a run defender I wish he would take on more blocks instead of looking to make the play, but it’s something that can be easily coached out of him. He has the potential to be a really good edge run defender and his effort and straight line speed mean he could be highly productive doing that. Basham can take on blocks when asked and at times he’ll simply use his power to reset the line of scrimmage. That said sometimes he’ll take strange angles on blockers or try to jump inside or outside to make a play instead of creating the pile and leverage for his linebackers. It’s easy to coach and correct, but it bothered me on tape. In watching him I really like his play recognition as well, he seems to sniff out screens, draws, etc at a rapid pace and it allows him to get in on some plays other DL won’t. 

I don’t think Basham will wow teams in the NFL in terms of his overall numbers but he projects as a good starter on the edge for a 43 team who kicks inside on nickel. I love his power and attitude and the effort is legit. He doesn’t blow me away on tape but he makes a lot of plays and moves really well for a 285 pounder. I like him as a player, but first rounders have to be difference makers and while I think he’s going to be a quality player I don’t see a ton of double digit sack seasons or 50 pressure seasons from him coming. Highly consistent, versatile, tough, with a great motor and plus size though means he could start in the NFL for a long time. He’s an easy second round pick.

34. Jevon Holland, S Oregon 84

Holland is a dynamic ball hawk who can likely be a plus starter in any defensive system as a combination slot and safety. I think he’s a natural nickel safety in that he runs well enough to cover most slot receivers in the NFL and yet has the physicality to carry tight ends as well. While he’s solid as a tackler, and he plays the run game hard, he’s not elite as a powerful hitter but he’s going to give you what he can as a run defender. His athleticism is a major plus, and you can actually stick him on receivers and not worry about him being an inferior athlete. He looks comfortable in man or zone and does a nice job of play recognition. Holland projects as a starting safety immediately in the league and someone who has the skills to be a dynamic player in the NFL.

Holland is going to be a good pro because of his ability to do multiple things well, paired with the fact he has plus athleticism. Holland has tremendous speed for a safety prospect, and he covers a ton of ground. He wasn’t asked to play the single high spot for Oregon but it seems clear he could do that if asked. He looked the most comfortable playing off man on the slot and never looked panicked there. He’ll get beat and give up some catches playing man to man but for the most part his ability to cover one on one is a major plus. He’s not big for a safety at 6’1 and around 203 pounds but he plays physical and won’t get boxed out often by tight ends. He has tremendous ball skills, snagging 9 interceptions in the past two seasons. 

As a run defender he sees the game very well but players tend to bounce off him a bit. I don’t think he’s someone who racks up a ton of tackles although he’s in position a lot. Adding some strength will be a must for him at the next level. Again though he plays tough and fires his gun consistently, just at time he won’t bring the guy down. I expect his missed tackle rate is a bit higher than you’d want to see. 

Overall Holland is a plus player who should get drafted toward the beginning of the second round. While his upside is that of a really good starter in the NFL and his floor is as a good 3rd safety, he’s a really good pick that won’t let you down. You have to understand though that while there's a lot of good, he does miss some tackles and he will give up some completions in one on one coverage, he’s not going to be perfect. Add in the fact he’s a very good punt returner and you have someone who could help you immediately whether you are man heavy or zone heavy as he’s a versatile, high IQ, athletic safety. I really like him and think he’s going to be a quality pro for a long time. 

35. Jay Tufele, DT USC 83

Tufele is a super athletic interior defensive lineman. He’s got impressive agility and change of direction skills for a 300 plus pound interior player. He’s not the strongest player if he’s not squared up in the run game though and he uses quickness instead of strength in order to make plays at the point of attack. Tufele is a one gap penetrator who can make plays deep into the backfield, particularly when lined up as a 3 technique when someone else can eat up blocks. Tufele is a good player who has immense talent and while he needs to gain some power and strength at the point, he could end up being one of the best players in this class.

As a run defender his strength is going to be versatility to line up and make plays all over the line. He’s going to be quicker and uses his leverage better than a ton of offensive linemen that he lines up against. Tufele can lose ground in the run game occasionally, particularly when he’s double teamed and he really needs to add power to his lower half. His agility allows him to make more plays as an interior defensive player than you’d think.

His upside is going to be as a pass rusher though at the 3 technique on pass rushing downs. I think there’s a chance he could end up a top 15 player in this class if he can get his weight up to 325 or so and maintain his quickness. I think he’s a 3 down player at the next level, who at worst is going to be a nickel interior pass rusher. If he can add some strength though he has a chance to play as a penetrating interior one gapper who can wreak havoc. 

36. Davis Mills, QB Stanford 83

The only thing keeping me from having Mills as a first round grade is that he has injury history and only has 11 career starts. If you take those things off the board he’s an obvious first round talent who has exceptional touch on the football, plus athleticism, a quick release, good size with a plus arm. You pair that up with the fact that he’s smart, hangs in the pocket, and has above average accuracy and you have the makings of a starting NFL quarterback. I truly think he’s the biggest sleeper in this class and if he didn’t have serious injury issues in the past I’d probably rate him above Mac Jones, he has a much higher ceiling. 

The kid was literally the number one quarterback recruit in the country coming out of high school so the talent is obvious. He ran a laser timed 4.6 coming out of high school and then busted it out again at his pro day, showing that he may finally be back from the injuries he sustained early in his career. NFL analysts say he’s a below average athlete but they’re just flat out wrong, the kid can really move and he extends drives with his legs. Does he have the best pocket presence, no he needs more reps, but he’ll hang in and deliver the ball. He’s 6’4 225 pounds and has a big time arm and can really sling it, the lack of mobility thing you keep hearing from scouts is just freaking lazy.

He has some issues recognizing blitzes and getting the ball to the right spot at times. I’ll be watching the tape and wanting him to throw behind the rusher but he’ll go to the opposite side. He does a great job of finding safety valves though and because of that he gets the ball out of his hands exceptionally quick, PFF even said the fastest in the nation. Mills had very little weaponry to work with at Stanford and I kept thinking if he were given some tools and had some open receivers he could have put up impressive numbers, but he was someone who had to overcome a bit with his tools. He needs more reps in the pocket and against NFL defenses to reach the potential he has because he does have some reading of coverages to improve upon, and he’ll float with his eyes on the safeties at times and because of great touch he doesn’t get into much trouble with picks but it could be an issue at the next level. 

He’s got a big arm, and a really quick release for someone his size. Mills hangs in the pocket with toughness, has good speed for a quarterback and can make every throw on the field. I think the more reps you give him and the longer he gets going the better he’s going to be and I just can’t see a way where he doesn’t become a starter in the NFL down the road. I think I have him rated higher than anyone else and maybe I’m seeing more than what’s there. He does have some issues throwing accurately on the move and he’s not quick twitch in terms of mobility. Mills needs seasoning in order to get better but the tools are certainly there and I just love how quick he releases the ball and the combination of touch and power he can throw the football with. He has tremendous arm talent. I think in round two he makes a ton of sense as he needs at least a year to develop but worst case scenario this guy is an exceptional backup who uses high football IQ, although I think he ends up being an NFL starter in time. 

37. Eric Stokes, CB Georgia 83

He’s a really solid player who I think projects as a quality CB2 in the NFL with upside. At 6’1 and 190 pounds he has good size and has shown up with consistently good tape over the past few seasons. At that size, and with a reported 4.24 laser timed 40 he has legitimate 10/10 for H/W/S which is a big time rarity. His first two years he had 9 PBU each season, and this year he finally parlayed that into a 4 interception season. He’s got good length and he’s physical at the top of the route. I love how Stokes stays in phase when playing routes and he mirrors with consistency. He’ll give up a catch here and there to quicker players but he’s barely allowed 50% of the balls thrown his way to be completed throughout his career, while also making 22 PBU and snagging 4 INT. I think he’s a bit grabby, and while he has good speed I’m not sure he’s the twitchiest corner, but overall he projects to be a good CB2 and he looks really solid as an NFL caliber corner. I think he’s a round two guy but at worst he’s round 3.

Stokes is solid against the pass, particularly down the field and I think he could be good in either a man or zone scheme. While he looks best I think in a cover 3 type scheme where he’s allowed to simply play the deepest man, he’s got the size and athleticism that he can probably cover man to man with some success at the next level. I think really truly elite players will probably give him some issues here and there, particularly with some grabbiness to his game, he’s going to be a solid player when matched up with other team’s WR2 and WR3. He’s an outside only corner though, as he’s not quick enough through the hips to play inside.

I think he’s okay against the run, and while he’s not extremely physical he doesn’t shy away from contact either. I believe if he were just allowed to run on his third, in a primarily Cover 3 system or play in a press man situation on the outside he is going to be an effective player in the NFL. In year one if he’s forced to play a ton he’s going to have some ups and downs with penalties mostly but he’s more NFL ready than most corners coming into the NFL as he played in the SEC and held his own. Stokes projects as a solid CB2 in the NFL and looks like a quality round two corner candidate. I don’t know if he’s a star but he looks like a good football player with a higher floor and ceiling than most corners in this class. He’s a good one. 

38. Paulson Adebo, CB Stanford 83

One of my favorite players in this entire class is the criminally underrated Paulson Adebo. Adebo has incredible ball skills, wracking up 27 pass breakups and 8 intercepetions in two seasons and he did it in the Pac 12 at 6’1 and around 195 pounds, giving him ideal size for the position. Some were wondering about his pure speed and quickness at the position but it makes little sense as his tape showed plenty and then he went and busted out a 4.42 at his Pro Day. The combination of elite ball skills, tremendous size, and plus speed means that Adebo should not get out of the second round. Add the fact that he’s Stanford smart, and you’re looking at a mid round steal based on pre draft projections.

Yes in 2019 he had some rough games where he wasn’t as good as he was in 2018 when he looked like he could be a future first round pick.You can’t watch his 2019 tape and be as impressed as he was in 2018, but yet the kid still ended up with a combined 14 PBU and INT that season, coming off a year where he led the country in PBU. I’m a scout that likes ball skills and Adebo has elite ball skills. He’s not a perfect player in terms of allowing catches and plays to be made, there are going to be mistakes here and there. Overall though, he’s a playmaker at the position and someone who can be a difference maker on the back end of a defense.

He’s a complete corner. Adebo can play man or zone, and he likes to tackle and come up and hit you. He has the size to hold up and the toughness to play whatever scheme you’d like. Based on pre-draft rankings of players in the 2021 draft, he’s on my top 5 list of underrated prospects and someone if I were a GM I’d have circled on my draft board over and over again. He’s going to be a good pro, maybe a very good pro, mark it down. 

39. Chazz Surratt, LB North Carolina 83

A former quarterback turned linebacker who only has two seasons under his belt on the defensive side of the ball, Surratt has an extremely high ceiling. Surrat is an excellent blitzer with 12.5 sacks in two seasons, as well as averaging 9 tackles per game the past two seasons. While he’s still raw in coverage drops and getting to his spot, he’s got the athleticism and quickness to become a good cover guy in time. At 6’3 and 230 pounds he has more than adequate size to become a big time nickel linebacker and will linebacker in the NFL. He has a ways to go as he’s really new to the position, but his upside is undeniable, as he has a chance to become a top end starter in the NFL.

I think Surrat’s ability to blitz and spy is pretty impressive. When he’s kept clean by other blitzes or different games and stunts Surrat is a dynamic player. It’s clear he’s someone with impressive athletic traits and he can really track down ball carriers. He’s not the world’s best tackler but he’s improving each week and in a couple of seasons, his ability to make plays and stick players in the hole is a big positive for this point in his career. I like the way he notices crossers and still keeps his eyes in the backfield on passing downs, he could be a really good linebacker in a zone blitz heavy scheme.

In terms of the run game, he’s a good run and chase sideline to sideline player. Surratt needs to get better at taking on blockers and his hand usage and leverage when it comes to pursuit angles has to improve. It will, as he’s so new to the position, and from year one to two it showed up in leaps and bounds. He’s clearly best when he just gets to read and react and use his plus athleticism. As a rookie he’s going to get some PT as a sub linebacker and situational player as well as a special teamer because of his downhill style. In time though there’s a chance he develops into a really impressive player with rare traits as a run and chase and attacking linebacker. You have to be prepared for him not to work out because he’s so young to the spot, but the upside is definitely there.

40. Michael Carter, RB North Carolina 83

Carter is an exceptional player who has tremendous burst, acceleration, and contact balance. He projects as a really solid 1b running back who can do it all in terms of being a change of pace running back. Watching him play he has the quickness to get to the edge but runs tougher than his 203 pounds. He’s one of the only players I’ve ever seen that busted out a sub 4.00 short shuttle, which I didn’t even know was a thing, that’s absurdly quick. He was absolutely outstanding in Senior Bowl practices and the game where he showed how good and next level he is. While he lacks the bulk to be a true number one back in the NFL, he looks like he could be the perfect complementary back in the league and part of a running back duo that would strike fear into defensive coordinators. I think Carter should be taken on day 2 and he has the chance to be a dynamic 3rd down back and 15 touch guy for a long time in the NFL. 

Carter is a really easy evaluation for me and to rate him in the second round range was pretty simple. He has the wiggle, elusiveness, and vision that you want from a back and playing in the UNC system was perfect for his skill set. He’s very good catching the ball out of the backfield, and during one on ones Senior Bowl week he was just too much for those guys. Carter is fluid in the open field but then can absolutely torch you when he turns it up. As a pass catching back he’s going to be extremely productive in the NFL, as early as his rookie season.

As a pure runner he runs bigger than his size and he’s not just an outside guy, so don’t get that confused. I worry about him playing 16 games in a season, or even holding up for 200-225 touches because he’s on the leaner side, which is why he’s a round 2 or round 3 player coming out. However, he’s someone who will get you chunk yardage in both the run and passing game in a smaller volume. He looks best in spread system where he can be a one cut runner in the run game and get the ball in space in the passing game. Put him somewhere with a power back to take some load off and he’ll be very successful. He will help an offense become more dynamic from the minute he steps in the building. 

41. Dillon Radunz, OT North Dakota State 83

A really good football player who has the tools and demeanor to be a high quality lineman in the NFL for a long time. While he’s not a super big and strong guy his tape is excellent and it showed up at the Senior Bowl where he was named practice player of the week. He had a couple bad reps the first two reps of the week and then simply dominated the rest of the practice sessions. He’s a quality player who almost never loses a rep on tape and he has a great demeanor in the run game and likes to finish blocks, not pushing and letting up, he’s a finisher. Radunz was superb in pass protection for the Bison and excelled on combination and timing blocks. He lacks the elite tools to be a high tier tackle in the NFL because while he has average athleticism for a tackle and adequate arm length he’s only 304 pounds and he’s about a 5/10 for H/W/S. That paired with coming off a season with just one showcase game and jumping up a huge level of competition he may need some seasoning as a rookie to get up to speed. That said Radunz projects as an obvious round two pick who I think has the potential to be an above average to good starter at either tackle or guard spot. 

In pass protection he’s very good on tape. He has excellent recognition skills and solid feet and athleticism. His hands can drop on rare occasions but ultimately on tape he beat up on people who weren’t as good as him and did a great job of anchoring despite having good not great size. Radunz can mirror well, and does an excellent job of riding speed rushers past the pocket. He uses a one handed push to stay in position and his technique while some don’t think it’s great I’m a fan. Where he gets himself in trouble occasionally though is when he begins to get out over his toes and starts to reach and attack. Good push pull moves may give him trouble there and again the average measureables and below average weight at 304 for 6’5 means he projects as someone who could struggle with the bull rushers early on in his career.

As a run blocker there’s a lot to like here. Again the weight limits the upside but he plays mean and finishes his blocks as well as any run blocker you’ll watch on tape. Most offensive linemen will lock up for a second and then they get disengaged from, Radunz has vice grips and uses his leverage to create even bigger holes. He’s good not great at the second level but when he’s asked to combo block or create a running lane he’s very impressive. High football IQ and discipline in his run lanes and he’ll play mean. 

The kid is a starter caliber tackle in the NFL there’s no doubt about that. You have to take him with the understanding he’ll likely struggle as a rookie as there is double the amount of adaption that will normally take place going from D2 to the NFL for one and then only playing one game in 2020 as a second. He also in my opinion needs to add about 10-12 pounds of good muscle and get in an NFL weight room as early as possible. There may be an adjustment period. That said he’s going to develop into a really good player. If there is a team with an aging tackle or someone with one year left on their deal, he could easily play guard for a year while you prepare him and by year two he’ll likely be a high quality starting tackle on either side of your line. 

42. Jabril Cox, LB LSU 83

This is probably too high of a rating for someone with his lack of ideal size, but I don’t really care. He’s one of my favorite players in this draft class and I believe Cox will end up as one of the better pass defending linebackers in the NFL. His ability to defend tight ends, run with some slot players, handle running backs out of the backfield, and show some burst to blitz is pretty rare. While I wonder how he’ll get off blocks and run through players, he’s a decent tackler as well, but he may not be a great run defender but as a really good nickel linebacker he should go in the second round. 

I get that at 233 pounds there are going to be some people who don’t think he’s a true starting caliber linebacker but there’s zero doubt in my mind. He came from ND State and moved easily into the LSU defense, running sideline to sideline and making plays. During Senior Bowl week in practice, and particularly during gameday, he just shows how well he covers. He’s a 4 down linebacker who can obviously be a star potentially on special teams as well. Coming off blocks isn’t a strong suit, and he probably needs to gain some pop in his hands, but his speed and quickness means he could end up being a really good Will in a 43.

Where he’s going to make his money though, is as a nickel backer. The way he runs and diagnoses passing game plays is next level. He can play man or zone and makes plays on the football at a very high level. He’s the 3rd best linebacker in this class in the pass game and the other two guys are elite pass game guys who shoudl be high first round picks. Cox has some limitations but he has truly impressive ability in the pass game and absolutely should not escape the second round. 

43. Quinn Meinerz, IOL Wisconsin-Whitewater 83

What an interesting guy this dude is, but he’s tough as hell and plays as hard as anyone you’ll watch. It’s tough coming from division 3 to the Pro Level but his play at the Senior Bowl was eye opening as he created huge holes and looked rock solid in pass pro drills. He also broke his hand during the week and still played in the game, showing the type of grit and toughness that some evaluators, me included, love. 

He’s got elite movement skills for someone at 6’3 and 320 pounds and he’s a strong guy with good grip strength. His pro day workout was arguably the biggest stock riser in the entire class, paired with his Senior Bowl week. Meinerz testing numbers were absolutely off the charts for a player his size, with a 4.86 40, a 7.33 3 cone, and a 4.77 short shuttle, all beyond elite numbers for an offensive lineman, particularly someone at 320 pounds. He’s exceptionally physical and plays to the echo of the whistle.. Someone compared him to Ryan Jensen and it was absolutely spot on to me. He’s not technically sound all the time and he’ll have to stop getting too much forward lean and learn to play more behind his pads consistently, although he’s good here, he could use a bit of patience in his sets instead of reaching. 

I think Meinerz ends up being a good starting interior offensive lineman whose physicality and grit helps set the tone in the locker room. He has the potential, particularly in years 2 & 3  to be a very good player at the next level. I think the worst case scenario for him is as your three position backup on the interior, with the upside of him being one of the better interior players in the league at the spot. He is a prototype for round 2, with elite upside but the big jump in competition pushes him out of round 1. 

44. Alijah Vera-Tucker, G USC 83

A very solid second round offensive guard who has good movement skills. Vera-Tucker projects as a quality starting guard in the NFL, particularly if he goes to a team that runs a lot of zone or movement based schemes. He uses angles very well and has really good athleticism, and while he wasn’t as good in pass protection this year out at left tackle, he could probably be an emergency guy out wide as well. Vera-Tucker is going to play guard in the NFL for a long time and he’s suited to be a plus player in the league. If he goes to a team that runs a lot of screens, draws, and allows him to pull he could be a real weapon for an offense at the next level. If he goes to a different style team his upside is likely capped.

Watching him at guard earlier in his career versus tackle this season it was pretty clear he’s a better guard at the next level. He has good overall technique and a really good punch with his hands. He doesn’t reach, duck his head, or panic, and those things together means he won’t lose many reps quickly inside. The pop in his hands kind of stands out on tape, and I love that he keeps his hands inside, I doubt when he plays guard he gets many holds. 

His write up is fairly easy. I think he plays well at guard but I’m not sure he’s elite as a prospect. In a class low on top end interior talent he’s gotta be considered toward the top of that list. He’s not a first round player in my opinion, but he’s a quality guy on day 2. I like his ability to mirror, and his strong hands and technique means that he’ll anchor well in pass protection. I’m waiting to see that extra power in the run game, although at times he flashes a bit of nasty which I like. I give him above average marks in every category, with a plus ability in space. Good solid day 2 interior offensive lineman who could be very productive in a zone based run scheme or movement based passing offense. 

45. Greg Newsome, CB Northwestern 82

Newsome is a long physical corner who projects as an eventual NFL starter at outside corner in either a press man or cover 3 system. I like how tough he plays and how he presses people at the catch point. He’s someone who will contest most catches, but does a nice job of understanding down and distance, particularly mixing up his off man vs press tendencies. He’s a good tackler, and ended up with 20 pass breakups over three seasons while going against the opposing teams’ best receiver consistently. Newsome is a quality player who I would prefer to grab as a zone heavy potential starter. 

While Newsome only had one career interception, he attacked the football with excellent consistency, adding 20 pass breakups in his career. While he’s not the greatest athlete he looks like he plays with solid speed on tape and at 6’1 he has adequate quickness for someone with his length. While super speedy or quick guys will probably give him some problems, his length and decent long speed means he’ll be in position more often than not. He’ll Give up occasional catches, particularly as a likely cover 2 or 3 corner in the league, but he’s going to make his fair share of plays on the ball.

His physicality and toughness, as well as well above average play recognition skills mean he should be coveted by zone heavy coaches. His coaches at Northwestern said he’s a no drama player who is a leader and clearly a smart football player. The two issues that are going to cap where he goes in the draft though are he’s never in three seasons made it through a full year due to injury, which is very problematic, and he has good not great athleticism. In a deep draft it could cause him to fall to the third or fourth round and it could be an opportunity for someone to snag a potential starting level outside corner for well under market value. You’d have to be comfortable with his medicals, but he could be a quality CB2 in the NFL.

46. Jayson Oweh, EDGE Penn State 82

Maybe the biggest freak athlete in the entire draft is this kid right here. At 6’5 and 250 pounds he reportedly runs in the 4.3s and has a 40 inch vertical and an exceptional broad jump. You don’t find athletes like this very often as he’s legitimately a 10 on the H/W/S scale. That said he’s a very raw player who right now only does one thing well and that’s be a speed rusher. He has an explosive first step and annihilates even the quickest guards he goes up against throughout the game. He’s a very intriguing developmental pass rusher who likely projects best as a 34 outside linebacker where he can do a bit more and get a bit of a wider run off the edge. He’s very raw right now and gets beaten up against the run, but his tools are top 10. He should have gone back to school as he could have been a top 10 pick in 2022 if he had added strength and refinement to his game. His talent is immense but he’s a guy who needs massive development.

Oweh’s ability is incredible. He has long arms and is an athletic freak. Someone his size should not run the way he does, but he simply lacks the tools right now to be more productive as a pass rusher. In fact in 20 career games he only had 7 sacks and 63 tackles. Oweh is very raw right now, and despite being able to make plays that almost no one else on the football field could make he struggles to be consistent. Oweh has no refinement to his game yet, and as a rookie there is likely to be a steep learning curve. 

On the other side of things though is this kid has legit double digit sack potential and could end up being one of the top players in this class with that combination of size and speed. There are only a handful of outside linebackers in the league that can run and move like he can with that type of size and length. A year or two more in the weight room and with an NFL level of coaching and there is an ability here to be a big time playmaker off the edge. I think he has an ability to likely play some coverage as well with how well he moves. Right now though you have to understand that if you draft Oweh, there is a seriously low floor where he just never develops. To me there’s no way to take him in round one, no matter how crazy his potential is, because right now he’s a decent player but his tape is day 3 tape. One of the bigger risk reward players in this class. 

47. Jaelen Phillips, EDGE Miami 82

One of the more difficult evaluations I have to do is of the guys who have little true tape and medical issues, and that’s precisely what Phillips has. He retired in 2018 because of a series of concussions and then transferred to Miami where he put up good numbers this past season in his first full season of action. Phillips is a bendy, athletic edge player who has good burst and can make splash plays. He’s got some juice against the run but at times will lose contain and when his pad level gets up he’ll give up some ground. He also has a quick first step and projects as a good speed rusher on the outside. Fast athletic edge rushers are always wanted in the NFL, but to me he’s someone who was probably a 2 even before the injury history. He projects as a good edge player who will pick up sacks as part of a defensive scheme and has the potential to be a good speed rusher and splash impact player as a defender. There’s an abundance of talent here,  top 10 in this draft on a pure talent standpoint.  To me he’s a round 2 guy only if the medicals clear.

The kid is really athletic and at 6’5 and 265 pounds he has all the tools you’d like to see from an outside linebacker in a 34 or speed rusher in a 43. I don’t know if he has the ability to set a great edge as a 43 defensive end on base but he projects best as a nickel edge rusher on passing downs anyway. He wins one on ones with tackles who are slower but good players keep him in check, which is why I think he’s more of a schemed up pass rusher. When he gets schemed up on underwhelming athletes he has the traits you’d want to win those matchups, but you can’t just let him go eat, he’s not refined or powerful enough to make that happen. 

As a run defender he’s got good speed to play the edge, but can get caught inside at times, giving up the outside. His length is a plus and he has a solid tackle radius but while his power at times appears good, he’ll get washed down here and there. I think he’s going to make some big plays in the run game and will probably get some TFL’s here and there but at this point he’s not someone who you’re going to line up and allow to just play the run, that’s not his game. He looks to me a bit like Yannick Ngakoue but with injury history. The risks are too high with such little tape and concussion and leg injuries in the past to take him in round one and to me honestly it’s a pure upside play with a low floor for round 2. People are going to fall in love with his potential though, but buyer beware here. 

48. Kelvin Joseph, CB Kentucky 82

He has legitimate CB1 traits but he’s a wildcard in this draft in terms of where his grades line up. As of this writing there are more people with day 3 grades on him than anything else, and yet I think there’s end of round 1 or at worst top 50 talent here from Jospeh. He’s 6’1 and around 190 pounds and yet he has really smooth hips and put up arguably the best tape all year against Alabama receivers. The Crimson Tide destroyed Kentucky but Joseph gave up next to nothing in that game. In two tapes I watched he only gave up 1 catch and yet he forced 4 incompletions or interceptions. Joseph has good ball skills, size, speed, and quickness and while he’s raw and due to lack of experience he may struggle, he could also end up being a very good NFL corner. He’s the epitome of a risk reward player.

Joseph struggles in the run game a bit. He puts forth decent effort here but he just lacks any real power and he’s almost entirely a drag down tackler. It’s not that he doesn’t try, he just lacks the pop to make much happen and he doesn’t disengage from blocks particularly well. He’s a talented athlete but he needs a bit of work on route combinations and things of that nature but overall he’s solid in recognition. My worry is that he only really had 15 college games and he’s a bit thin and lacks contact strength. These things could show up and make him more of a developmental corner at the next level.

He shines with his ball skills and in off man and deep third coverage however. His athleticism and straight line speed coupled with really impressive ability in terms of ball tracking is extremely enticing. Teams that like to play with deep responsibilities at corner or play more off man that not should be enamored with his game. Yes he’s only got one year of experience in terms of being a starter but he showed good football IQ and recognition skills and his tape against top tier competition was pretty damn impressive this year. Joseph may end up needed a year or two to develop, but his potential is really high. I think he fits best as a second round draft pick to a team that maybe already has two outside corners. Give him a year to learn, develop, and play in sub packages with a little less on his plate and you could end up with a top tier starting cornerback in year two or three. 

49. Kellen Mond, QB Texas A&M 82

I really really like this guy as a potential starting NFL quarterback. He played with virtually zero skill position players around him and yet he still figured out a way to win a hell of a lot of football games. He throws between the numbers with really good accuracy despite almost never throwing to someone who was wide open. He had to grind out first downs because his team lacked explosive playmakers, and he figured out a way to get a top 5 team out on the field. Is he an elite athlete or someone with a massive arm, no, but he’s extremely tough, shows good pocket presence, can get you some tough yards with his legs and played in an NFL style offense. I think Mond, while far from a perfect prospect has many more positive qualities than negative ones and should be targeted by a QB needy team in the second round.

There are questions about his accuracy, and I can see based on that stats why that might be. However, when you turn on the tape you realize that this is not a quarterback friendly offense. Mond is constantly throwing to receivers who are blanketed and he’s trying to get the ball into tight windows on a regular basis. His third down throws over the middle of the field are darts. He has a compact delivery at almost 6’3 and he gets the ball out well. Yes, his downfield accuracy needs some work, and he’ll certainly throw late here and there without question. However, he honestly reminds me a lot of Justin Herbert from last year’s draft in that he was questioned about his accuracy, then he goes to the league and gets weapons and he’s the ROY. Mond was winning a lot of games without much skill help around him, sounds a lot like Herbert and while Herbert definitely is bigger, stronger, faster than Mond, Mond looks so much like a poor man’s Herbert it jumped off the screen to me.

He has the chance to really develop into a starting level quarterback in the NFL. He can make some wow type throws when given a clean pocket, and he can challenge all levels of the defense. While his pure deep ball isn’t great right now, it’d be interesting to see what he could do with real NFL weapons. I love how he climbs the pocket, how he picks up yards on plays that are broken, and how he leads. He’s not an elite prospect, he won’t wow you with size or tools, but I think he’s rock solid. In a great quarterback draft he’s going to slide, and someone just might pick up a really damn good quarterback in the middle rounds. I think his floor is Nick Foles or Jacoby Brissett type player. 

50. Christian Barmore, DT Alabama 82

Barmore is a big physically imposing, athletic defensive tackle who has very little experience, but a ton of promise. His tape against a very good Notre Dame offensive line was outstanding, and there are times that he flashes elite ability. That said his inability to maintain leverage and at times be nothing more than an adequate player is definitely troubling. At 6’5 and 310 pounds he has the length to be a nice player and he played the 4T in the Bama 3 man front on pass rushing downs this year. He has the length to give interior offensive lineman problems as well. Overall though, while he has talent, he’s a guy who flashes but isn’t consistent at this point. He’s overhyped as a prospect and to me he’s a second round player and shouldn’t be in round one consideration.

I like him as a piece of a defensive line rotation. I think with how long and physical he is he could certainly play anywhere from the 1 to the 4 or even 5 technique on base downs. He has some ability to create penetration, particularly when he maintains leverage. You can see what he can do with a swim move on the inside, and he can win with immediate pressure at times which is a huge boost for a defensive coordinator. He has some initial get off with a good quick winning swim move and really good length for a DT.

My issues are that he doesn’t use leverage well at this point and gets beaten up by double teams. He can float through games on tape, and not due to lack of effort but because he just isn’t great yet. His talent is extraordinary for sure but he’s got a ways to go and there’s a decent likelihood all he becomes is a solid rotational defensive lineman. I like that he can play both 3 and 4 man fronts though, but to me he’s a round 2 interior defensive lineman who has a lot of potential, but it may take a few years to really have it play out that way. 

51. Teven Jenkins, G Oklahoma State 82

Damn this kid is absolutely one of the most physical players in this draft. He’s a tone setter. Jenkins is someone who will rack up pancake blocks and he finishes blocks as well if not better than any player you’ll watch on tape. He has 35 career starts, so he’s an experienced kid and has played left tackle, right tackle, and guard in his career for the Cowboys. This season as he settled into right tackle more his tape was solid. I think he’s a guard at worst without a doubt in the NFL as he simply doesn’t have the feet or athleticism to play tackle unless it’s right tackle in a power system. That said Jenkins projects as an early career starter at guard who has a nasty demeanor and could be a solid pass protector as well. I love his floor. 

Jenkins as a pass protector is going to translate okay to the NFL. He simply doesn’t have the range or the feet to play tackle in the NFL in terms of pass protection, but getting kicked inside should help shore that up a bit. I wish he played with a little better pad level though, and you can find him reaching and waist bending here and there which leads to some weaker reps. Overall though he projects as a solid pass protector because he’s 6’6 with good length and he gives up very little ground to power rushers. Quicker defensive tackles and blitzing backers are going to have him losing some reps occasionally though.

In the run game is where he projects to be a nice player in a gap or power scheme. There are some blocks he makes on tape where he single handedly creates a huge hole. In the Iowa State game he collapsed one side of the line, flipped his hips and stoned a linebacker and Hubbard took it the distance. He has impact block ability that is pretty rare. He won’t be someone you can pull and expect to dominate and he’s not someone who is going to be great at the second level, but if you ask him to iso block and double and just run power and gap Jenkins is going to be a tone setter on your interior. 

I like the guy and think he’s got a good floor as an NFL starting guard, with potential to develop into a good tackle. He needs coaching and his technique needs work but the toughness and physicality is there and it’s a great starting point. I think if you need to kick him to tackle here and there it’s nice to know he has that versatility, although I don’t think that’s a great spot for him. However, it just increases that floor even higher. He’s a prototypical second round pick in that he has a high floor, and could end up being a good starting level player in the NFL. You never know about linemen but I can’t see him being elite. He should start early in his career and he’ll be a fine player. 

52. Creed Humphrey, C Oklahoma 82

He’s a damn good football player and Humphrey is someone who will bring the power and nastiness to your run game from the first snap. While he’s not a great athlete and he’s a left handed center which is kind of weird, he’s powerful, strong, and technically sound. He’s limited in that he has to go to a power based team because he doesn’t have good movement skills, but if he does he could be a very good starting center in the NFL for a while. He reminds me a ton of Ryan Jensen in the way he just bullies some people and creates big gaps. While quicker players and particularly blitzing linebackers may give him some issues in pass pro at the next level, if Humphrey goes to a team that utilizes his power and strengths well he could be an excellent starting center in the league.

In pass protection he’s a solid player who may have an issue or two here and there in the league but overall projects to be average to above average. Humphrey won’t ever look for work, always helping with the double team. He has a good anchor and excellent power which allows him to keep pockets clean, and he rarely gives much ground there. He’s not very quick or athletic though so really quick, particularly shorter quicker guys like Grady Jarrett could be problematic as Humphrey is over 6’4. Delayed blitzers and stunts can cause him an issue or two as well as he lacks the athleticism to square them up consistently. Overall though he’s not weak here and if he can be better than league average in pass pro he’ll more than make up for it in the run game.

He’s a power run game guy who should thrive in a gap/power scheme. At Oklahoma he simply was asked to move people and he did with regularity. While he’s not going to get to the second level and maul you, he turns people easily and creates big holes to run through. Humphrey will get you tough yards and if you give him a power back behind him he could be a very high end run blocker. Again the quickness will cause him issues and he’s not going to be good if he goes to a zone scheme but as a man on man or gap blocker, he’s damn impressive.

I think Humphrey should be targeted in round two for a power running team. While it’s tough because there are only 32 starting centers and not a ton of jobs available he could certainly fall to round three where he’d be an excellent value pick. I think Humphrey has a good high floor with better than average upside and while he won’t be a perfect player in the league he has a chance to be a high end starter for a decade. 

53. Terrance Marshall, WR LSU 81

Marshall projects as a solid WR2 in the NFL with good size and an ability to play both inside as a big slot or outside as a deep threat. He’s 6’3 and around 200 pounds and has produced at a high level, tracking the deep ball well, and is a redzone and touchdown threat. Marshall lacks the quickness and separation ability at this point to be anything more than a secondary receiving option in the NFL but his size and ability to go get the ball in the second and third level of the defense will play immediately in the league. He can play in any scheme so a team looking for a high floor number two in the NFL early in his career will start targeting him in the second round.

Where Marshall will make his money in the NFL is as a big wide receiver for a team that already has a number one target. His abiltiy to play inside and be physical after the catch will appeal to some teams His size is a plus in the red area and he seems to have good leaping ability. He’s a long strider and while he lacks separation ability, he can still make big plays down the field. Marshall uses his body well on slants, and shields off defenders to make contested catches. He could be a quality WR2.

Where he’ll struggle in the NFL is that he just doesn’t separate quickly. It takes him a long time to get up to speed and that’s why he could end up as a WR3 or a down field threat only. I worry about him creating separation, as at times it takes him a very long time to just make things happen. The lack of suddenness is problematic in a league where the ball is starting to come out very quickly. He has the size to be a good blocker but he’s a bit inconsistent, and I watched him drop a handful of passes this year. 

Marshall is a solid prospect on day 2 in the draft. I think he fits somewhere between a WR2 and a WR3 but the lack of quickness probably holds him to being in that role for his career. He’s a high floor player because he’ll make plays down the field and in the red area so he’ll have productivity and could even threaten for a nice high yardage total from time to time. He’s not someone who will elevate many quarterbacks though so he’d be best as a fit to a team that isn’t developing someone at that position and already has an Alpha in the WR room. 

54. Joe Tryon, EDGE Washington 81

Tryon projects best as a 34 outside linebacker where he can use his athleticism and burst to make plays. I liked watching him drop in coverage at 6’5 260 and show really good fluidity and hip turn to run with players. When I watched him play I saw someone who projected to be above average at everything but elite at nothing. He’s a really quality player who I think will help a defense immediately as a rotational player and be a quality 3rd rusher for his career with the upside as a number two pass rusher who can also drop into coverage. He sets a good edge, and has nice closing burst. Overall though, he lacks the high end traits to be a first round draft pick, although I think he’s going to have a long career in the NFL as a good piece on defense.

He’s someone I actually like a lot as a player, I just can’t fall in love with him. In 25 starts he only has 9 sacks and he’s good not great against the run. His reps for the most part are high quality, but he can get shut down occasionally as well. He’s got good strength and sets a strong edge for the most part but his eyes will get out of position here and there and he’ll give up a play or two. Tryon has good pop in his hands and he’ll flash an ability to set a strong edge here and there and cause disruption on run downs. He dosen’t look like a volume tackle type guy though as he has good effort but it’s not great and he’s a solid if unspectacular tackler.

Tryon has talent though, and his flexibility and fluidity to drop into coverage or bend the edge is pretty darn good. He’s best in space though on the defensive line and while he has decent power, it’s not elite and he only flashes the occasional speed to power move. The wider you get him more adept he’ll be at generating consistent pressure. His hand usage is a bit wild and frantic but it works for the most part. He’s a jack of all trades master of none on the edge, with good size and athletic ability and a solid burst on the quarterback. More technique work and the potential to turn speed to power gives him a chance to develop. He’s someone who could potentially start as an OLB and work his way to an edge on nickel downs as well, giving you a potential 3 down player. He’s a target in round 2 looking for edge help, as he’s a toolsy guy with versatility. 

55. Elijah Moore, WR Ole Miss 81

At 5’9 and around 180 pounds, Moore isn’t going to be on the draft board for some teams this offseason. That said he does an excellent job of snatching the football out of the air and plays much bigger and more physical than his size. He was extremely effective this season and looks very adept at working the middle of the field. Moore is good in contested catch situations and plays well through contact. He’s good in the open field and plays with good vision after the catch, and despite being smaller he runs through contact well and does an excellent job of putting his foot in the ground and getting up field. His success in the NFL is simply going to come down to how many reps he gets and what quarterback is throwing him the ball. Moore projects as an electric slot receiver in the league who is extremely reliable and tough. I think he’s a round 2 guy from the slot position.

Moore’s write up is simple because he just is what he is and the tape is pretty clear.. Moore plays physical football after the catch and rarely goes down on first contact, so he’ll be solid in the Yac totals and mostly, he’ll be a fan favorite because he doesn’t actually dance much after the catch. Moore makes one quick move and then plants and turns upfield, getting tough yards and his quickness allows him to shake defenders. He’s an extremely reliable pass catcher, despite a small frame he is quarterback friendly because he catches difficult balls and hangs on to them through contract with regularity. His pure speed and quickness is absolutely elite and gives you something to really consider when taking someone his size, and he may be the rare very small guy who should be taken in the first two rounds. He ran a 4.32 at his pro day and went with an insane 6.65 3 cone drill. 

I just think he lacks the size that will make him much more than a system pass catcher at the next level. I like a lot about him but his lack of size just simply limits how good he can be. While he has a chance to be a productive player if he goes to the right system he does have some other warts on tape that were troublesome for me. He gets a late jump off the snap on about 30 or 40% of his pass routes, which could kill timing and cost yards. Moore doesn’t carry out his fakes at full speed, which allows linebackers to get back in their lanes when he runs the fly motion plays. His feel for zone coverage is only average at best, not good enough. I like the kid as a player and think there’s good stuff to work with here, and his combination of speed and quickness will be very enticing. 

56. Daviyon Nixon, DT Iowa 81

In today’s NFL it’s always a huge plus to have an athletic interior pass rusher. Getting someone who can create near instant interior pressure is one of the most important things to creating negative plays and turnovers. Nixon is someone who can generate those type of splash plays that you’re looking for as a traditional 3 technique defensive tackle. He’s been in almost every single first round mock draft I’ve seen so far and while I believe he’s got immense talent, he’s not a first round grade for me. Nixon doesn’t have the power to be given a round 1 grade and he lacks the consistency snap to snap that could lend itself to being a great player. His upside is tremendous and pass rushing interior players are incredibly valuable, but there’s a decent chance he only becomes a situational interior player at the next level. I like him, but he’s not a first round pick for me.

Nixon created big plays this year, including 13.5 tackles for loss in the Big 10. He helped his draft stock probably more than any other player in the NCAA this season other than maybe Zach Wilson and he’s certainly trending up. He has really good quickness and above average length for a defensive tackle. You combine that with plus speed for an interior defender and an ability to keep his eyes in the backfield and you’ve got someone who can provide you with a number of counting stats from the inside, a very beneficial thing. The ability to win quickly from the inside is rare and he’s someone who is able to do just that.

The reason though he’s not a first rounder to me is that he has too many plays where he just disappears. He stands straight up at times and just waits for the quarterback to make a play. While it leads to some sacks late in the clock, it doesn’t really suggest something that’s sustainable at the next level. He’s also only okay holding up against the run right at him and I think playing with such a high pad level will lead to some really bad reps at the next level. While he certainly has a high ceiling, there’s a floor there that’s relatively low as well as a rotational defensive tackle. 

I like him as a player, particularly with a good upside even perhaps in the early round 2 range.. He’s someone who can help a team with an even front who prefers quickness on the inside instead of power. I think he’ll be someone who can make some splash plays here and there and will likely be a nice player in the NFL but you have to be prepared for some lost reps as well. High ceiling, maybe a lower floor than you’d want from a second round pick. 

57. Pat Freiermuth, TE Penn State 81

Freiermuth has perhaps the highest floor of any guy projected on day two in this entire draft. He’s a very solid in-line blocker and while some analysts think he’s just solid here, I actually think he does a really nice job. He’s not someone who will pop you or drive block you, but he makes very few mistakes and does a good job in zone, wham blocks, pulls, and power games. He’ll pass protect when you ask him as well and at 6’5 and 250 pounds he has the body to hold up there. I think he’s overrated when you project him as a pass catcher because he has no second gear and he lacks quickness but he’s got very strong hands and is a really physical player at the catch point. Freiermuth is likely a starter in time as a tight end who is going to be a really boring but productive and solid player for a long time at the tight end position. 

As a pass catcher he only has one speed and it takes him a while to get up to it when running routes. He’s not going to be someone who is going to gain any separation at the NFL level, he struggled to do it in college which is why he’s rated so much lower on my board than most analysts. He’s got a decent feel for zone but it’s not as good as you’d hope and while he’ll flash after the catch with physicality, he’s rarely open by enough to get a head of steam. His straight line speed is average for the position. He’s got strong hands and does an excellent job bodying up smaller players and posting them up for tough catches so I think he could end up being a nice high volume 3rd down chain mover but he lacks the upside here.

We’ve touched on his run blocking, and his versatility to play in line, spread out, in the slot, or as an H-back and I think if he goes to a team that plays a ton of 12 personnel he could really thrive. He’s a high quality player who will end up being a good pro, I don’t have any doubt about that. I just think in a day and age where we are starting to see more and more athletic tight ends make big plays, the old school guys are still important but he just lacks the upside to ever join that upper echelon of players. He’s a quality day 2 tight end pick but don’t expect him to change your passing game. Just a nice high floor low ceiling solid player. I probably wouldn’t take him inside the top 50 and honestly I doubt I could pull the trigger on him in round 2, but he probably won’t last until the 3rd, if you can get him there… pounce. 

58. Osa Odighizuwa, DL UCLA 81

Odighizuwa is one of my favorite players in this class and I think his ability to be an explosive, athletic defensive lineman is going to make him a very productive NFL player. At 6’2 and 279 pounds he has a strange frame that may make it difficult to place him into an NFL team but where he fits very well is as a 3 technique on passing downs. His natural leverage and quickness combined with good hands means he can be very difficult to handle for interior offensive linemen. He showed his skill set at the Senior Bowl where he shined and on tape where he’s one of the more consistently disruptive players from the interior you’ll find. I think he can play anywhere from the 7 technique in base to the 1 technique on passing downs and that versatility means he is certainly a day 2 candidate for the draft.

Where he’ll be at his best in the NFL is simply being disruptive with his quickness. While he’s way undersized for a defensive tackle I think he could maybe even end up being a normal 3 technique who just penetrates and causes havoc, or he could play some combination of 5-7 technique defensive end for either an odd or even front, he has the potential to do all of those things, a rare combination for someone. While he’s not going to completely scare you as an athlete, he’s much quicker and uses better leverage than almost everyone you’ll find on tape, which is why his tape is some of the most consistently impressive game in and game out. 

I like how hard he plays to get after the quarterback as well. While he’s not overly produtive he did have 11.5 sacks in his career and does a nice job of getting quick initial pressure by getting off the snap quickly and playing underneath pads. While overall he’s sort of undersized and a tweener in terms of end of tackle, he’s someone who should just get put on the team and allowed to play where you need him. He’s not above a 7 or 8 at anything in terms of skill set but his quickness, balance, and ability to get in the backfield with consistency is impressive, and his toughness against the run is well above average. He’s a day two guy who has the versatility to play all over the place and can be a plus interior pass rusher. Good player who is really underrated in this class. 

59. Asante Samuel Jr, CB Florida State 81

An undersized but physical corner from Florida State who was a highly productive player and doesn’t back down from anyone. At 5’10 and 185 pounds, Samuel isn’t going to be someone who can stick on the outside with everyone due to his lack of length and size. He’s someone who could play outside occasionally but has the physicality and toughness to probably play the nickel as well. He’s tough, physical, and does a really good job with short area quickness and ahtleticism. I think Samuel Jr projects as a CB2 in the NFL who has the ability to play both inside and outside and is much better as a man corner than in the zone. He’s always going to be somewhat limited due to his lack of ideal size and that he’s only okay in zone, but he’s a talented athlete.

Samuel Jr mirrors really well in the backpedal and does a great job of just turning and running with players and then attacking the ball. He had 29 pass breakups the past 3 seasons and 4 intercpetions, making a ton of plays on the ball. Two of those picks were thrown directly to him in the same game against Georiga Tech so he’s not going to project to being a big takeaway guy, once again putting him into that day 2 category. 

Samuel does a good job, but he’s not projected as an elite player in the league. I think in round two he’s going to be someone who is a really solid player in the NFL. While his size and lack of turnovers mean he’s somewhat limited in how good he can be, and he does give up the occasional catch here and there, there’s very little way of him being a bad NFL player. He’s only okay in zone, so going to a man heavy team will be of pretty big importance as well. Overall though, Samuel should be taken likely in round two and I think his ability to be a solid CB2 or at worst a CB3 in the NFL gives him a nice high floor and the toughness will help translate. Good quality player. 

60. Jamin Davis, LB Kentucky 80

Davis is a will linebacker candidate who had one solid season at Kentucky and shows exceptional promise as a nickel linebacker. He has insane athleticism and uses it to run around and make plays.He’s someone who ran sub 4.4 on his pro day with an over 40 inch vertical, showing off some athletic traits that almost nobody else has.  I wish he had one more year of football because he had first round potential in the 2022 draft but he’s still developing as a player in terms of take-on skills and play recognition (see his Georgia tape where he gets beat backside on a wheel route). He will likely need a redshirt season where he plays a backup and special teams role but by year two or three he projects as a passing down linebacker and a 43 will linebacker in base who has upside to be a starter.

In the run game he’s active and uses his hands and speed to make plays down the field. He’s not an attacking linebacker though so he’ll need to be kept clean and likely needs good linemen and a good Mike in front of him to be at his most effective. He’s decent at reading run keys but he has a ways to go here and at times he’ll overshoot his gap, particularly on pulls and his lack of size at 225-232 pounds means that his takeon skills are below average at this point. He’s quick enough to get underneath and around blockers here and there though and it leads to a combination of really good reps and so-so ones. If he’s kept clean and can chase down plays though he could be a highly productive tackler.

Where he’ll make his money I believe though is as a special teams player and nickel linebacker. He’s a tremendous athlete and this season had 3 interceptions while dropping into coverage. He has elite speed and quickness and therefore should be able to carry backs out of the backfield with some success and in the middle of a zone defense he’s active and quick. His reaction and play recognition are okay but not where they need to be and a developmental year or two could produce a good player. In round 2 I think he makes a ton of sense. I believe he needs a year to develop with recognition and strength as well as simply just playing reps as he only had one year as a starter. However, he has the potential to turn into a quality linebacker and has starting potential as a 43 will and nickel backer, with good special teams floor as well with his combination of speed and tackling ability.

61. Milton Williams, DL LA Tech 80

No the tape isn’t worth this grade and yes this is probably way higher than he should be rated. I get all of that, you aren’t wrong, I’m probably wrong. But holy hell this guy’s athleticism and potential are through the roof. At 6’3 and 284 pounds he had a 6.87 3 cone, a 4.25 short shuttle, and a 4.62 40, those are numbers I can’t even fathom from a defensive lineman. He’s rated low on a majority of boards and I think he probably won’t go until the third day of the draft, but people that size that have shown some solid productivity should not drop that far. He’s a high risk high reward plyer but he has the profile to be an elite NFL player. There’s a chance he’s a bust as his tape is only so so, but he’s in the 99th percentile in terms of athleticism and there’s a small chance he becomes a unique player in the league.

Williams probably projects best as a 34 base end in the 5 technique spot but will likely kick inside on pass rushing downs to the 3 technique in nickel. His athleticism and quickness could end up making him a nightmare for guards and centers in the NFL where he can get a jump on the snap. His tape isn’t great, there’s no doubt about that. Williams has some unbelievable rawness to his game but that’s what’s exciting about him. Early in his career he’ll likely struggle to find his way onto the field as he tries to figure out how to use his tools to make plays. That said he was still productive in college racking up 10.5 sacks, 19 TFL, and over 100 tackles combined the past two seasons, so even without good technique and playing in a semi strange system there he still made some plays.

He’s developmental with a capital D in terms of long term prospects. There’s a chance he won’t give you much his first year. That said, he’s arguably the most impressive H-W-S guy in this draft in terms of what he can go and over the longest period of time, the 3 cone and short shuttle drills are hugely important for defensive lineman’s success rate and his are as good sa you’ll find. He’s a top 5 athlete pound for pound in this class, maybe the top athlete pound for pound and if that’s the case, I’m willing to take a chance on him. He likely won’t go until middle of day 3 and that’s far too late for this high risk potentially very high reward player. 

62. Tommy Tremble, TE Notre Dame 80

Tremble is perhaps the simplest player in this class to evaluate as he’s the best move blocking tight end in the class and he has big upside as a pass catcher in time. For two seasons he’s been the second tight end on the team and stuck behind other guys but he has the potential to be a positive in terms of a passing weapon. Where he’s going to be a dynamic player in the NFL though is because he’s such an elite run blocker. Tremble is exceptional as a blocker in space and in creating running lanes as a zone blocker. He plays with tremendous effort and urgency and his athleticism is much better than almost every blocking tight end you’d watch. His floor is extremely high.

As a pass catcher he hasn’t shown much at this point as he’s almost entirely used as an outlet in the flats or as a pass protector on another team’s best edge rusher in a help mode. Tremble has good speed and athleticism and it means that in time he has a chance to develop into a reliable and potentially dangerous pass catching option. Right now he’s not asked to do much as a receiving weapon but he shows reliable hands and a decent feel for zone coverage. 

I don’t think he’ll end up going in round three but I would totally get a team that would be enamored enough with his floor and ceiling combination to take him in that role. Worst case scenario is you get a really tough and athletic move tight end who can really block and plays with good effort. Best case scenario is he develops as a pass catcher and a team puts him in position to succeed as a pass catcher and run after the catch ability. In round four he’s a perfect target for a team that uses zone blocking schemes and multiple tight end or H-back options with frequency. That being said, I wouldn’t let him get there and he’d be a target for me in the 3rd. 

63. Tyson Campbell, CB Georgia 79

Campbell is a developmental prospect who is someone who has elite tools and solid if unspectacular tape. Watching him against high end competition he fought hard on his reps but ultimately just missed making plays on a variety of throws. He is typically in good position because his size, speed, and length are top tier but he simply did not make enough plays on the football. He had 10 career PBU and only 1 interception in 31 games and it wasn’t because he wasn’t targeted. That said, he is a good player already who has the potential to be very good in a few seasons. He’s an excellent tackler who I think will excel in a zone heavy scheme where he can use his length, and that mixes in man because at 6’2 with fluid hips and explosive athleticism there’s a lot to work with. I can’t take him in the first because he simply gives up too much right now, but in round two he has a ton of upside to be a good corner in the NFL.

When I watch his tape he reminds me a bit of Kyle Fuller coming out of Virginia Tech, so you know there’s a lot here to like. He stays in phase with his receivers on almost all the reps that I watched. Even against Bama this year and Smith, Waddle, and Metchie he was in their hips, they were just simply better players, minus the burnt touchdown Waddle posted on him. Same with Josh Palmer, he gave up a touchdown but was right there. That was a recurring theme with him blanketing players just not making the play on the ball. Some technique work and coaching could help him really burst out in the NFL.

He’s really good against the run which lends me to believe he’ll be higher up draft boards for zone heavy teams, particularly teams that like long corners. Going to someone like Indy, Seattle, or San Francisco I think he could really be good in those systems. It’s not that he doesn’t have the potential to be good in a man heavy scheme, there’s just elite potential as a zone corner. I think he’s got all the talent in the world, and there’s a lot to work with, but I typically grade my corners based on how many catches they give up and how many plays on the ball they make and Campbell just gave up more than I liked and was less productive that I target. There’s going to be a team that loves him though and I totally get the appeal. In round two he has Pro Bowl potential with the right coaches and scheme. 

64. Marvin Wilson, DT Florida State 79

I get that he had a down year this season and there are some concerns about him with injuries and his senior bowl was weak. All of those things are real and they should cause you to go back and look at the tape, but when I did I found a player that will be a good NFL player on the defensive line and someone who can do a lot of positive things for a defense. Wilson plays extremely hard and while he’ll lose leverage here and there he also is able to eat up blockers when doubled, and can disengage when singled. It sounds simple but you rarely see an interior defensive player able to do both. His tackle and sack radius is going to be low because he’s not quick or fast but he’ll generate interior pressure and cause pocket collapses with underrated pass rush moves and he frees up lanes for his linebackers due to solid work on the inside. He’s likely never going to be a special player in terms of box score stats but I really like his tape a lot and think he’s going to be a quality starting defensive linemen in the NFL for a while.

As a pass rusher I doubt he becomes a high end sack or pressure guy but he’s better than what most scouts give him credit for. He plays with good effort and while he won’t dominate with quickness or strength individually he combines them well enough to force pressure. I like that he doesn’t wait too long on pass rush downs and instead takes the fight to the linemen, it allows him to generate quicker pressure than you’d typically see. He also is willing to keep fighting on the play, not letting himself get blocked but still fighting to push the pocket or force a throwaway. He won’t get many sacks because he’s not an elite player in terms of quickness or strength but he’ll be more disruptive than most. 

As a run defender there’s good things here and some not great things but he seems like he will be solid in this regard. While he lacks the skill to be a 60 tackle player from the inside on a regular basis he plays with good effort and gets off blocks well enough to be a positive in the run game. His body composition isn’t great and he’s really top heavy though so unless he continues to utilize really plus hand usage he may be susceptible to big time losses early in his career until he can clean up both of those things and play with better leverage on a consistent basis. 

I think the idea he had a really down year was a misnomer and when I turn the tape on there are a lot more good reps than bad ones. He’s 6’3 and 319 pounds and has played everywhere from the 0-5 although I think he’d be good as a 1T in a 43 scheme where he could penetrate some on passing downs and yet still do a nice job of creating lanes as a run stopper. Wilson is a talented guy who with a year or two of NFL weight room and nutrition could end up being a really good player. From everything I’ve seen there’s a shot he falls all the way to day 3 and if that happens he could end up being an absolute steal in this year’s draft. If that happens it shows how incompetent most NFL GM’s are. 

65. Andre Cisco, S Syracuse 79

Cisco is one of the most interesting players in this draft because of what he’s capable of being and what he is on the football field vs what the average fan sees. He’s a splash player in the truest sense of the word and he’s the best ballhawk in college football since he started. Cisco had 13 picks in 24 career games and added another 14 pbu in that time as well. He’s 6’0 205 pounds with legit 4.3 something speed, so he has literally all the tools you’d ever want in a safety prospect. He also gives up touchdowns at a very high rate, will get out of position, and gets caught with his eyes in the backfield way too often. He’s average against the run, showing a mixture of good plays and bad plays, although his size and speed combination obviously gives him an upside there. To make matters worse he tore his ACL this year giving him some more issues. I think he’s the perfect risk reward round 3 pick. 

In the passing game obviously there is a lot to like here. While he’s not massive he’s got pretty good size and excellent speed to play the high free safety role. He’s big enough and shows enough physicality that he can play in a split safety look and he certainly has the speed to run with slot receivers, although he wasn’t asked to do it much at Syracuse. Cisco can make up ground in a hurry and he tracks the football  as well as any single high free safety you’ll ever watch on the all 22. He’s special in terms of making plays on the ball. He’s a takeaway machine and a big time playmaker, there’s zero doubt about that.

Where he gets himself in trouble is that he is always going for the big play. He wants the big hit, he wants the interception and because of that he’ll get his eyes in the backfield and give up plays behind him. He’ll get too aggressive in run fits and give up big plays when he could have strung out a run here or there. He’ll miss tackles by coming down too hard and the same with pass plays, jumping routes that aren’t thrown and giving up plays behind him. PFF said he gave up 6 touchdowns himself in 2019 and I noticed at least one in the two games this year that was on him.

Some teams are going to value him in the second round without a doubt, maybe even early with his mix of playmaking ability and athleticism. Other teams will have him on day 3 because he has a torn ACL and he simply isn’t disciplined enough. I think he’s in between. He has a super high ceiling and could end up being a huge difference maker with that combination of speed and being a crazy impressive ball hawk. It’s tough to coach the aggressiveness out of him but it’s easier to do that than to teach the H/W/S and ball skills that Cisco has. The ultimate risk reward player. In round 3 he’s the perfect selection with massive upside and the risk is lower than taking him in the top 64. 

66. Kenneth Gainwell, RB/ATH Memphis 79

Gainwell reminds me a ton of Naheim Hines coming out of the backfield with the things he can do. Gainwell is an impressive pass catching back with excellent acceleration and good open field vision. He’s a smooth route runner, whether running routes out of the backfield or out of the slot he looks as comfortable doing either. At only 190 pounds he runs bigger than that and isn’t afraid to stick his nose in pass protection or pick up some inside yards. While he’s likely nothing more than a part of a backfield committee he could end up being a dynamic part. I really like him as a 3rd round running back who could really make some big plays as a 3rd down back and rotational piece in the running back room.

Obviously where he shines is in the passing game. He had 51 catches in 2019, his last full year, and many of those were from the slot running true slot receiver routes. He’s comfortable running the quick out or slant and snatches the ball with his hands. He did have a couple of drops but he’s a much better receiver than most backs. His quickness and acceleration the moment he catches the ball will end up with him making big plays and consistent first downs. While he’s obviously not a big guy he’s not afraid to pass protect either and while he’s never going to be great there because of his lack of size, he’s going to mix it up.

As a pure running back he’s got really good vision and ability to hit the hole with good speed. In the open field he’s extremely difficult to tackle and he makes a ton of people look silly in the process. He falls forward more than you’d think for a smaller back and will turn it upfield. Ten to twelve pounds of good weight would go a long way in helping him stay healthy and get him more reps in an NFL offense. 

Gainwell is going to be a dynamic rotational piece of an NFL backfield. He was a converted high school quarterback so he’s still raw as a pure running back and another year of work will help him continue to improve there, particularly his reading of blocks. He has exciting upside as both a runner and receiver at the next level though, although his touches will have to be monitored with being a back on the smaller side. He could have a major impact as a receiver and 3rd down back though and he’ll be a nice piece for whichever offensive coordinator gets to utilize him. 

67. Trey Sermon, RB Ohio State 79

Sermon is a very good running back who projects as someone who at worst will be a solid part of a rotation at the next level. At 6’1 and 215 pounds he does an excellent job of finishing runs and bounces off of defenders and falls forward consistently. Sermon doesn’t have great pure speed but he’s got better than average acceleration and shows plus vision. If he’s given a bit of a running start, particularly on inside zone runs he looks dynamic. Sermon is a reliable pass catcher and shows good awareness in pass protection. I think he does everything at an above average to good level and should end up being a good back in the NFL.

Sermon is coming off of major collarbone injury in the National Championship game and you wonder if he’ll be entirely healthy for week 1. I love that Sermon doesn’t dance and does a great job of getting upfield. He’s a powerful downhill one cut runner who squares his shoulders well. I love that he can make people miss but his instinct is naturally to head north and south. When he’s given a chance to see the play develop from deeper in the backfield he really thrives. It’s kind of interesting because most power runners do well with one hole to read but he looks more comfortable even deeper there where he can see the entire play. A system like Chicago or the Rams could end up being ideal spots for him to go.

I don’t think that he’s a dynamic or dominant player based on pure skills but he sees the game well and does a nice job of finishing plays. I think he’s someone who can be a volume runner, getting what’s blocked and still falling forward to keep you ahead of the sticks. While he doesn’t have a lot of wiggle he can still make people miss. I like how he plays and how he sees the game, and I think he has a very high floor as a running back prospect. He’s a 3rd round running back with a high floor as a reliable solid player. 

68. Quincy Roche, OLB 79

Roche is an underrated 34 outside linebacker who is a technician with his hands and ultra productive. After winning the AAC player on the year at Temple, he transferred to Miami and continued his strong career. Roche uses his hands extremely well and has an ability to duck and rip moves off, showing an ability to get to the quarterback frequently. The guy had 54 tackles for loss and 30 career sacks for crying out loud. While he may not possess perfect H/W/S numbers, and he maybe won’t wow you with measureables, he’s a consistently high performer who grades out very well on tape. Roche should be a solid contributor to a 34 defense and projects well as a number two or three rusher with upside as a tackler and potential dropping into coverage.

Roche isn’t the strongest guy at the point of attack but his technique typically helps him stay alive on plays. He’ll need to add some anchor strength at the next level to be able to achieve what he wants as a run defender. Roche is good at reading keys and jumps into the backfield to make plays and shows an ability to get ball carriers to the ground consistently at or behind the line of scrimmage. Early in his career he may miss some reps on early downs until he can set the edge with more power but if he’s kept clean by good 5 techniques he has a chance to be disruptive in the run game. He’s not bad here, but 10 pounds of muscle is going to help.

In the passing game is where he’s going to make a living though. Roche is technically elite at hand usage and flexibility. He can get the edge on slower linemen and from the two point stance he creates disruption quickly. He’ll use a variety of pass rush moves, but the main weapon at his disposal is a chop and bend move that allows him to get the edge on tackles. If he has a team with a good interior push he could be an extremely productive pass rusher. 

I’m not sure he has the upside as a dominant edge player unless he goes to a team with good players around him, but at worst he’s going to be a consistent contributor against the pass and run. I think he’s underrated in this years’ deep edge class and he could end up being a really solid grab on day 2. There are a load of scouts who have him as a day 3 guy and if that happens teams should be lining up to grab this kid. Roche is going to be a good NFL player and while maybe he lacks the pure upside of some of the other guys in the class I’m very comfortable with his skill set and floor. 

69. Dwayne Eskridge, WR Western Michigan 79

At only 5’9 and 188 pounds Eskridge isn’t a big receiver but he can absolutely fly. On tape he pulls away from players and is one of the rare people with outstanding quickness and straight line speed. While he’s maybe not the shiftiest guy after the catch he has good vision and his burst and acceleration is really impressive. At the Senior Bowl he looked unguardable in one on ones and he eats up cushion on corners inredibly quickly. He’s obviously limited in what his role can be at the next level because of his size, but his speed, quickness, and route running ability should get him a role as a high end WR3 or priority slot and pairing that with his return ability, he shouldn’t get out of the first two days of the draft. 

He’s an easy evaluation because he simply is what he is as a prospect, a blazing fast guy who has the quickness and vision to be a great complementary piece. Unless he goes to a team that can utilize him he’s going to be a solid if unspectacular pro like a Jamison Crowder type player which is very nice. If Eskridge goes to a team with a great situaiton he could end up being a player like Tyler Lockett. He has a chance to be that dynamic in the league but again he’s going to be much more a product of his environment. While he’s got a ton of talent, he’s not a big guy and with a small catch radius and being under 200 pounds he needs things to go right for him to be great, which he can be. I’d say the perfect spot for him is in round 3, high reward potential but you aren’t as worried about floor there with injuries and maybe an inaccurate quarterback. He’s a situational weapon and a dangerous one. 

70. Wyatt Davis, OG Ohio State 79

Davis is a solid starting guard in the NFL who can play in a variety of systems. I feel like the guy got a bit of a tough go of it as most people had penciled him in as a first round guy but there’s just simply no way he’s that type of a player. While he’s a good football player, and he’s solid in all phases of the game, he’s not elite at anything and doesn’t possess great length, quickness, or power. He’s someone who is above average at everything but special at nothing at this point. Davis projects to be a good starting guard in the NFL and perhaps with more time in the weight room and better technique he could become very good, but right now I think he’s going to be a solid player but is overrated by draft experts. I like him in round 3, and think he would be a decent pick in the second. 

His 2019 tape was much better than what he did this year. He has decent movement skills but when he’s asked to get in space he gets way too forward and ends up getting one push instead of a block most of the time. He’s better on inside zones, but again his hand placement is decent and not great, although occasionally he can dominate when he gets his feet underneath him. I think he projects as a decent run blocker, but again he’s not great on the move, but he’s okay and he’s got decent power but not elite. 

As a pass protector he’s good. He shows good anchor against bull rushers and he notices and picks up blitzes and stunts very well, his head is almost always up and he rarely loses quickly. He’s given up 4 sacks in two year so again he’s not a lock down guy but he’s never going to be a liability in pass protection. Guys with long arms and guys who play with good leverage are going to beat him occasionally, and quickness isn’t his best attribute.

I’m pretty confused by the publicity here to be honest. I think Davis is a starting caliber guard who could potentially be good, but I just don’t see greatness here. He doesn’t have a skill that I would give him that would rate above 7 out of 10. While he had good tape for the most part, it’s not like it’s elite. I feel like I’m beating up on him but it’s only because he’s rated in the top 40 players by almost everyone and there are a lot of first round grades on him. To me he’s a very late 2 or more likely 3rd round pick, particularly in this very good draft. Very solid player and I think he has a high floor, so for teams who are looking for a plug and play decent starter he’s going to be a high value target. Guys who aren’t liabilities on the offensive line and project as above average starters are highly sought after and Davis will be in high demand in April. 

71. Pete Werner, LB Ohio State 79

This guy is going to be a quality NFL linebacker. He has good speed, instincts, and take on skills and while he’s not a flashy player at all I think he’s going to be a really good Sam Linebacker in a  43 defense or an ILB in a 34. Werner can carry tight ends down the field, run dog blitzes to hammer running backs, and take on lead blockers. While he’s not a high volume tackler and may never be he does his job consistently and does the dirty work you need out of a 3rd linebacker. He’s decent on the blitz, although not a truly explosive athlete on tape, but shows very well playing heads up on a tight end. He looked like a better athlete than Freirmuth in the game against Penn State. I think he’s at worst a quality rotational linebacker so he’s got a very high floor but he looks like a solid starting linebacker to me and should be taken in round 3.

I don’t think he has high upside, even though he ran sub 4.6 on his pro day and shows the ability to drop into coverage. He has good speed but his short area quickness on tape is only okay, and while he plays physical in taking on blocks, he doesn’t get off them or dodge them well which is why I think he’s definitely a SAM backer in the NFL. He creates pile ups though and flushes players and forces them to stop their feet. He can play all 3 downs in the NFL and while I don’t think he’s someone who is going to make big time plays all the time, if you want someone who will do the dirty work and be a quality player he’s your guy. High floor kid, a solid tackler, plus speed, can play in an even or odd front defense, likely can be a good special teamer. There’s not much to not like if you’re looking for a hit in round 3 or 4, he’s rock solid. 

72. Brevin Jordan, TE Miami 78

While some question his ability as a blocker, the guy puts forth tremendous effort and does a really quality job in space as a blocker downfield and in the pass protection game. Jordan is the best tight end after the catch in the draft, even better than Kyle Pitts. He’s not a refined route runner and doesn’t have the best feel for zone or coverages yet, but those things can certainly be taught. I think he could end up being a dynamic tight end in the NFL by year two or three.

He is going to need to understand coverage leverages and how to run sharper routes in the NFL. As a rookie there’s going to be a decent learning curve here because he needs to add strength and power as a blocker as well as learn those route running concepts. Jordan will drop the occasional ball as well, although he has solid hands it’s not a huge plus. As a run blocker he is competitive as hell and fights hard but he lacks pop and strength with his punch. The thought he’s a bad blocker though is just inaccurate. He’s very good in space on wide receiver screens and downfield and he’s a plus pass protector inline or in the H back position. Yes he needs to add strength and get better leverage and hand placement as a run blocker at the point, but he’s more of a move tight end or an F tight end than a Y and he’s very capable there.

Where he’s going to be scary is as a pass catching and run after the catch option. The NFL is very low on athletic and dynamic pass catching tight ends, but he could certainly be one of them. Jordan has good speed and he’s excellent after the catch. If he were just a wide receiver I’d say he’s in the top 7-10 in this class after the catch, which says a lot about his ability. Early you may have to find ways to get him the ball in the flat or on designed drag plays because he hasn’t quite figured out how to separate consistently unless it’s schemed up or with pure speed. However, when the ball is in his hands, it  usually takes more than one guy to bring him down, and his play speed is excellent so he can pick up chunks of YAC yardage.

73. Tyler Shelvin, DT LSU 78

I really like this guy and think he could end up being an excellent nose tackle in the NFL. Obviously I can’t give him a first or second round grade because he will provide nothing as a pass rusher so his value is capped but early in round 3 he should be highly targeted by a team looking for a zero or one tech. Shelvin is a monster of a man at 370 pounds but he plays with excellent effort and has quick hands for someone his size. While occasionally he can lose some leverage when he gets tired for the most part he’s a menace to move. He was a five star recruit and it’s pretty obvious why, he can really move for someone that size. One of the easier evaluations in the class, Shelvin is a dominant interior run stuffer who likely won’t give you anything as a pass rusher.

Shelvin plays with good motor and plays to the whistle each down. He holds up well against double teams, particularly for a college player, and at times he can rag doll interior players and get into the backfield. While he’s obviously best suited to be a true nose in a 34 defense he can certainly play the one technique as well. He’s not going to give you a ton in terms of tackles but he actually has a wider tackle radius than you’d think for someone his size because he sees the play fairly well and does a nice job of disengaging from blocks. I doubt he ends up with many TFL’s but he’ll provide a number of nice plays each week, and he’ll be an excellent block eater at the point of attack.

He won’t be a sexy pick and nobody will be stoked when he goes off the board but he’s someone who can instantly help your run defense. He’s a much better athlete than you’d think for a 370 pounder and he shows some quickness with his hands and his get off that suggest he’s just scratching the surface on what he can become. If he can develop some ability to play with better leverage there’s a chance he even becomes adept against the pass. He’s limited as a prospect due to lack of ability to play 60 snaps per game and having shown very little as a pass rusher but the kid can do one thing super well and therefore he should be targeted really early in round 3 as a run stuffing guy with some long term upside. I think he’s probably more attractive to the 34 teams than the 43 teams as well. 

74. Tre Brown, CB Oklahoma 78

Brown was probably a round 6 grade guy for me before the Senior Bowl, but then he showed up there and I think he was the best corner in one on one’s during the entire week. He’s feisty, tough, and really quick. He showed better speed than I thought he’d end up with as well, clocking a 4.40. He played almost all his snaps outside at Oklahoma so that’s a bit of a transition to the NFL as he’ll almost assuredly have to move inside. He’s a terrific special teams player and showed off as a solid kick returner in his career as well. I think his toughness and ball skills, with 31 pass breakups in his career, show that he’ll likely be a slot corner and a dime DB at the next level.

He is a bit grabby and there are going to be some issues with him and penalties. He’s a physical player but at 5’10 and around 190 pounds he’s a stout and sturdy build with toughness. Brown wants to play press with everyone and it could again cause some issues with grabbiness but his physicality is a plus. I think he’s a feisty guy who will challenge people and force more incompletions than most interior player. I think he’s probably going to go in the 4th or 5th round but to me he’s a round 3 grade as a situational back end defender and potentially an excellent special teams player. A move down the road to a safety or situational DB wouldn’t surprise me either. 

75. Aaron Robinson, CB UCF 78

It’s not that I’m super low on Robinson or anything like that I just think he’s a solid if unspectacular player and other draft pundits like him more than me. He’s got only 30 inch arms to the dot which means he’s a slot only corner which typically puts people into the 2nd round at best range, and honestly there are other slot guys I like better. He’s the best fit in round 3 for a team that wants physicality out of their corners, even on the inside. Robinson plays a physical brand of football and he’s a good tackler and shows good toughness. I believe he’d show something as a blitzer as well at the NFL level for a team that runs a lot of zone blitz schemes. He’s a scheme versatile guy and projects as a solid slot corner at the NFL level with some potential to move to safety as well.

I know that people are going to think I hate him because I have a 3rd round grade on him but that’s not the case. As a pass defender he just gives up too much ground at times and allows easy catches occasionally. He just doesn’t have great route recognition and instincts and it allows him to give up some things here and there that great players wouldn’t allow. He’s also extremely physical and handsy and there’s a chance that he gets called for a number of holding and illegal contact penalties his first couple of seasons in the league. He will get some breakups and cause some incompletions though because he’s fearless and will line up against anyone inside and challenge them. Only one career pick is bothersome, I need my defenders to be able to force takeaways, he’s not a big play guy, you have to wonder about ball skills.

I think he could be a plus run defender, particularly in a zone based system. He likes to get in an mix it up and isn’t afraid to come off the edge to make plays. I like how he plays and tries to work hard on the outside. Robinson projects best to me as a mid round pick who has a defined role as a nickel or dime corner and possibly a move to safety for his career as well where his physicality and toughness could be a big plus. The thought he’s a first rounder though is stupid that would be a big mistake. I would target him in round 3 at the earliest. 

76. Alim McNiell, DT NC State 78

McNiell was difficult to evaluate for me because there’s a fairly wide discrepancy between what his tape shows now and what he could possibly become. At 6’2 and 320 pounds he’s an explosive short distance athlete who played running back in high school and can jump 32 inches with a 640 pound squat. He’s also raw as a defensive tackle prospect and lacks the ability to make short area tackles on a consistent basis, limiting his upside as a tackler. He shows bursts and flashes of plays that could turn him into an excellent starter at the nose tackle position though, where he uses some of that burst and power to generate big pushes and even sacks at times. He did manage 10 sacks in his career from a true nose tackle spot which is difficult to achieve. McNiell is raw and he averaged barely over two tackles per game for his career, but his potential as a very good two gap stuffing and penetrating defensive tackle could be very good. He’s a difficult evaluation but should go on day 2 in the draft.

There are plays where he loses leverage, and his pass rush plan at times is severely lacking. He’ll get out of position on his first pass rush attempt and pretty much get neutralized right at the line without making any impact on the play. Some plays he’ll penetrate quickly creating pressure and forcing an errant play and on other times it looks like his play speed is half of the snap before. In the run game he does a good job of understanding two gap and he usually does take two players to block him in the power game, although NC State had awful backers this season, the run defense wasn’t his fault. He can penetrate at times and he’ll create piles and issues for linemen, but his lack of range in the tackling game, particularly short area is problematic at this point. It likely just needs coaching because he’s strong and athletic enough for his size to be better there but it hasn’t shown up on tape in 3 seasons.

I honestly don’t know what he’s going to become in the league. He has the athleticism and size combination that is extremely enticing and ten sacks from a 0 technique in college is extremely impressive. Someone with that explosiveness in terms of physical tools, particularly in a draft that is so bad at true defensive tackle means he’ll get pushed up draft boards hard. I doubt he escapes the second round, and there’s a scenario where he should be a top 25 pick and others where at best he’s a rotational DT. I personally value him somewhere more toward round 3 because there’s a lot of potential here but there’s some issues on tape that show up fairly consistently. Difficult evaluation but a lot of opportunity if you trust your DC and DL coach to make it happen. 

77. Elerson Smith, EDGE Northern Iowa 77

A super long and really athletic edge player, Smith was exceptionally productive at Northern Iowa. Smith had 14 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss in 2019 alone as he frequently exploited the lower levels of competition against him by using a combination of a dip and bend move as well as some speed to power. Smith’s length at 6’6 and quickness, showing off with a 7.00 3 cone drill at his pro day, along with explosiveness with a 41.5 inch vertical shows what he’s capable of doing at the next level. While he desperately needs to add strength and weight to hold up against the run, Smith could be a scary developmental pass rusher while he learns to set the edge on Sundays.

Smith has a bevy of pass rush moves he can utilize, including being able to bend the edge with ease even with his long frame. You’d think he’d be a bit stiff being as tall as he is but nothing could be further from the truth. Smith uses an explosive and long first step to get into the body of tackles and then has surprising power and length to get off their initial block. He can go with an inside stutter and swim move, he show cased this at the Senior Bowl with great effect, go with a speed to bend on the outside, or speed to power. He plays with good effort and has plus straight line speed, showing a 4.71 and it shows on tape. 

Where he’s going to need to learn at the next level and develop is how to play with better leverage against the run. He has to get a stronger anchor as he’s lean as can be at 6’6 and only 245 pounds. If he can’t add strength to his lower half and set the edge on Sunday’s he’ll be sub package his whole career. If he can add 15 pounds and keep his explosiveness though he coudl be a dynamic player. He’s rated too low on too many boards in my opinion and should be targeted on day 2, particularly from a team that plays a 34 defense. 

78. Ben Cleveland, G Georgia 77

A massive human being who supposedly can rip off 50 reps of 225 pounds on the press, Cleveland is a power run grater who is steady in pass protection. I think his upside is a bit limited in terms of what he can be as an NFL player but his floor should be rock solid as a long time starter at guard for a power running team. While he’s never going to wow you running around, if he’s asked to simply run gap and power and move people, he’s more than capable of doing that at a high level. Cleveland is a classic middle round draft pick who will be boring as hell, but could potentially be a scheme specific starter for a long time in the NFL.

We’ve talked about the fact he’s a very impressive power run blocker. He generates movement with his strength and despite at times playing higher than you’d like his upper body strength allows him to lose leverage at times and still get movement. When he plays behind his pads he’s an exceptionally strong guy. His lateral movement skills are below average and he’ll need to play with relatively tight splits to be successful. Cleveland isn’t someone you want at the second level consistently. 

As a pass protector, you’d think with below average quickness that he’d get beaten occasionally in pass pro, but he really doesn’t. While that will lilkey become more difficult for him at the next level with better athletes he was very steady in pass protection. I think he’ll give up a bit more in the NFL but his strength and vision are big pluses in this area. He’ll have an adjustment period, and while his college tape was solid here he’ll likely be an average to below average pass protector in the NFL. However, there’s some potential here as he didn’t allow many pressures in college, even if it looked a bit funky at times. 

Cleveland is a round 3-4 guy for a team that runs downhill. He could easily fall to round 5 or 6though and it wouldn't shock me as he’s not going to wow you with his tape typically. However, he’s a steady player with a relatively high floor and is a plus in the run game. 

79. Amon Ra St. Brown, WR USC 77

He’s someone that I like but the warts are there and he’s simply limited in what he can become. I think he’s a high floor type prospect who does a good job of getting what’s there for him, is a solid blocker, and plays well when tasked with being inside. He’s not going to be a focal point of an offense and lacks the ability to separate down the field, but he’s got solid size and puts his foot in the ground and gets upfield. He’s not flashy but he’s a good football player who should be in the conversation as a WR3 type player with the ceiling of a WR2 in a run heavy offense or a WR4 floor.

I don’t think you’re going to ever be wowed by him but he reads defenses well and feels coverage as well as you’ll find for an inside player. If he’s not tasked with being a number one target he’s much better as he struggles to create consistent separation. I like how he finds holes and soft spots in defenses though and he’s someone who will create easy throws for quarterbacks. St. Brown isn’t a natural hands catcher though and he’ll double catch or drop some throws that he shouldn’t. He’s tough and physical after the catch but lacks real wiggle there. He’s a plus blocker in terms of effort and he’ll get after it in that regard.

He’s a solid middle of the draft wide receiver. I think he would be someone I’d target if I had two or three other weapons already and wanted someone who could step in and play from day one, particularly in the slot or in 4 wide receiver sets. He’s not going to be effective in the NFL on the outside and watching him play reminded me a lot of a poor man’s JuJu Smith Schuster. He needs others around him to be good so he can flourish. Solid player, tough, physical, and was a captain, all of those things are positives. High floor receiver who can help you pick up third downs. 

80. Richie Grant, S UCF 77

Grant was tough to give a grade to because there are things that you like and don’t like about him as a player and I think the grades on him are going to be all over the board. If you’re a coach who prefers playmakers and is okay with the occasional mistake then Grant is your guy. If you want someone who will do his job every play but doesn’t have the upside he’s going to be lower on your list. Grant has all the physical tools to be an interchangeable piece in your defensive backfield but his propensity to get out of position is troubling. He averaged 86 tackles per year the last three seasons and had 10 interceptions, showed well at the Senior Bowl in one on ones, particularly for a safety, and has good H/W/S for the position. Grant also can get himself out of position by getting his eyes in the wrong place and will give up a big play.  To me I’d prefer him later on day 2, but there’s a lot of talent here to work with.

As a pass defender there are some traits to work with. He’s a physical player and showed an ability to line up in the down position in a cover 3 and play that robber spot. He’s physical and does a good job of trailing players across the middle, and while he’s not a speed demon he has good straight line speed. He’s also a ball hawk with 10 picks and 16 pbu over the past three years. Where he gets himself into trouble is processing speed with the play as he’ll sometimes be late or get caught looking at the ball and give up big chunk plays or touchdowns. He’s too aggressive in trying to make a play and will give one up instead. It can be coached out of him but it’s a significant problem on film. I think he has the potential to play some man to man and definitely some single high. He’s a very versatile safety.

In the run game he’s always around the football which is a huge plus but he’s an average to below average tackler. It’s not that he doesn’t want to be good there he just plays a bit out of control and isn’t a big hitter. He’s still projected to be an average run defender though because of his willingness and aggressiveness. You just have to be prepared to deal with some funky angles and missed tackles but he’s someone who could get you 100 tackles in a season which carries real value.

He’s difficult to grade. I have a 3rd on him because he makes too many mistakes for me to like but his versatility and ball skills are real pluses and I think he starts his career as a third safety immediately and someone who can play either role and the nickel corner. He could be very good on special teams as well. I think he could be a high volume stats player in the league, but his tape right now brings some problems that may need to be coached out of him or he may be victimized by patient quarterbacks and receivers. 

81. Tommy Togiai, DT Ohio State 77

He’s a good player and I think with his combination of effort, hand usage, and leverage he could probably be a quality rotational defensive lineman in the NFL for a long time. There are a number of people who have him as a second round grade though and frankly he doesn’t have the upside to go in that range. Togiai had 3 career sacks and they all came in one game, that’s not the type of productivity that lends someone to being a top 64 pick. However, in round three he has some potential there because he’s stout against  the run and shows good lateral movement to make plays all while maintaining his gap integrity. I think he would probably be best in a 4 or 5 technique single gap system in a 34 scheme but he could certainly be an early down interior player in a 43 defense as well. Solid player who projects as a good run defender but with little to no pass rushing ability.

Where he shows up in a big way on tape is actually his pure speed. He runs hard sideline to sideline and will make plays other defensive linemen simply can’t make or won’t make. He plays with tremendous effort for someone who is 6’2 and 305 pounds. He plays with good leverage and his hand usage is superb. He does a nice job of disengaging and creating piles, freeing up his linebackers to make plays. He’s going to be a good run defender but he won’t ever show up much in the counting stats, even though he’ll occasionally shoot gaps to make some plays in the backfield, he lacks the length to make a big time splash play on a regular basis.

As a pass rusher and the remainder of his game, while the hand usage, leverage, and effort make me think that maybe he could generate some pressures at the next level, the lack of that in college is bothersome. He had so much talent around him and still only had one game his entire career where he had a sack, that bugs me. He’s a quality third round pick for someone looking for a run stuffer, although I’d prefer him in round 4 but he’ll be long gone by then. He could quietly have a long run in the NFL as a rotational defensive lineman. 

82. Nick Bolton, LB MIssouri 77

It’s not that I don’t think Bolton is going to be a solid NFL player, I just don’t think he’s someone I want to take in this draft based on where he’s projected to be selected. There are people who have him as a top 25 player in this class and there’s just no way I would use that type of pick on him. Bolton is a good tackler for the most part, but that’s just all he does and those guys are relatively easy to find in the NFL. I think he projects as an inside backer who will get quite a few tackles but little else and will likely give up a decent amount in the passing game. He’s a third or fourth round grade, but based on everything I’ve read he’s a top 40 pick in the draft.

As a plus, Bolton tallied almost 200 tackles the past two seasons combined, and shows himself as a quality interior tackler. He’s likely a guy who ends up with triple digit tackles in the NFL each season as well, and as far as a floor he’s got a solid one because volume tacklers are still necessary even in today’s NFL. He plays downhill and fires his gun at the gap or the shallows and for the most part makes the play. At 6’ and 232 pounds he’s built fairly well and I think he’ll probably hold up decently. He should be a good special teams player.

The negatives though are pretty clear. When you watch his tape against Georgia and Alabama, those better athletes and stronger interior players just beat him. While he has good straight line speed,  I wonder about his short area quickness. Shifty players give him problems and he’s not a perfect tackler, which he needs to be in order to put himself in the first or even second round conversation. As a pass defender he’s a zone only guy who will get bodied up by tight ends and quick running backs will eat his lunch. He shows some ability to run dog blitzes as he’s a physical player. 

Bolton is a nice piece, and in round 3 I think he could provide a good high floor for a GM who is looking to fill a hole on the interior because playing inside backer in the NFL might be the easiest transition to the league other than running back. He’ll have a decent NFL career as a tackler, but you won’t get many big plays and he won’t help you erase players in the passing game. My synopsis is he’s overrated and has a low ceiling, and if you take him in round 2 or particularly in round one you’re limiting upside. To be honest he was an easy evaluation and the epitome of a mid round pick. 

83. Ifeatu Melinfonwu, CB Syracuse 77

Melifonwu absolutely is an imposing and impressive corner prospect who I think could end up being a good NFL player. He’s 6’2 and 213 pounds with long arms and plays with good strength and length. He obviously projects best to a zone heavy team where he can use his skill set as a big corner with solid ball skills and good tackling to be a quality CB2. Why I think he might not escape the second round though is because while he certainly can play outside there’s a chance he could end up being a really good big nickel safety at the next level who could help defend against tight ends. He’s got the skill set to be a good versatile piece in a variety of roles. 

Melifonwu has some big time pluses to his game including his length and ability to tackle as a corner. It’s why some people may consider kicking him to that nickel safety role at the next level, particularly when going against good tight ends. However, he sure seems like a good fit in the cover 2 teams like Indy or the cover 3 teams like the Seahawks and 49ers, and honestly I think he’d be terrific in the C3 that SF runs. His physicality and intelligence are traits that will show up there and he’s not afraid to come up and tackle in the flats. He also averages about 1 PBU/INT per game in his career, showing he has some ball skills

Melifonwu isn’t a shut down corner. He’ll give up catches, particularly shorter or quicker routes because he simply doesn’t have elite quickness. He also only had 3 picks in 3 seasons so he just doesn’t project as a CB1 but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a starting caliber CB2, big nickel, or even a strong safety and it’s this type of versatility that means he can’t get out of the second day of the draft. I see him as a matchup guy on tight end and as a really good special teams player and think he has a chance to make an impact in the league. In round 3 he’s a good fit and there’s a chance he becomes a good NFL caliber starter in time. He needs to get better at feeling out route combinations, and playing with lower pad level to help stop the shorter routes and if he does that he has all the tools to be a really good player. 

84. Aaron Banks, G Notre Dame 77

An underrated but very solid day 3 option on the interior line is Banks from Notre Dame. He’s not getting much publicity and is flying under the radar but he’s got very solid tape, put up an insanely impressive 3 cone at his pro day, showing his agility, and good analytics numbers. Banks has a bit of a habit of reaching early in pass downs and it’ll have to get cleaned up in the pro game, but I believe he’s someone who could end up being an NFL starter and should get starter grades as a guard in the 2021 NFL draft. 

His tape is a bit wonky watching his technique at times but at 6’6 and 330 pounds he moves around with really plus movement skills. He’ll play a bit high at times but when he gets below his pads he’s a good run blocker. While he won’t be someone who will be looked at by zone based teams, he’s got better movement skills than some give him credit for. As a guard he has longer arms and in over 2000 snaps at left guard he gave up a grand total of 2 sacks and 20 pressures. He’s an underrated guy, he has some funky techniques at times and can get too straight up to lose leverage but he’s a quality player and projects as a starter down the road. I’m higher on him than most and think at a non premium position he still definitely deserves a look in round 3. 

85. Nico Collins, WR Michigan 77

Collins is a big vertical receiver who struggles to create separation but can go out and get 50/50 balls down the field. He’s one of the easiest evaluations of this class because you quite simply just know what you’re getting when you draft him. He is a mediocre route runner and is going to be a low volume high yards per reception guy who at 6’4 and 210 pounds is going to do his damage deep down the field. Collins opting out this year was a big mistake because he needs to develop as an intermediate route runner. He is too easy to anticipate coming out of his breaks and it leads to him being covered and needing to make consistently contested catches. Collins is going to be a WR3 in the NFL as a downfield threat who needs time to develop as an intermediate player so he can develop into a WR2.

He’s a big bodied guy but his route running is just too simplistic and good corners sit on his routes. It doesn’t matter at times because of his ability to box them out and he has solid ball skills down the field. His second gear is decent as well and therefore when teams put bigger corners on him to try to match up with him if the route is long enough Collins can accelerate past them by a step or two. If it’s a shorter, quicker route though he struggles to create separation. He’s more of a one trick pony currently.

Simple evaluation. He has a chance to develop in time but you need to take him with the understanding he may just end up being a mid rotation deep threat who has the size and speed combo to make some big plays. He’s a poor man’s Mike Williams right now and if he can’t develop that intermediate route running ability he may never cap out. There’s a chance he turns into a high quality receiver but draft him with the thought of him being a specialty weapon and you won’t be disappointed, particularly in round 3 or even better day 3. 

86. Seth Williams, WR Auburn 77

Williams and Collins are almost identical type players heading into the draft. Their evaluations are not going to be much different. Williams helped his stock a bit by running a 4.50 at his Pro Day which was about .05 faster than what he looked like on tape. He lacks foot quickness though and it takes him a long time to get up to full speed. He’s exceptional in contested catch situations and his size and long speed are very enticing in the middle rounds of this draft. Considering he’s got plus H/W/S he’s likely not going to escape round four and will likely go in round 3 but his upside is likely capped because he lacks the foot quickness to create consistent separation, and typically contested catch only guys have a limit on their production.

I hate that he stutters so much off the line trying to create room. He’s a very big receiver and yet doesn’t use that physicality and length to get off press or man coverage. Once he learns to use that physicality he’ll be solid there. I think he could end up being a good if not great special teams player as a gunner or vice because of his length and speed as well. You don’t see him running open very often, he’s not a hard guy to cover but he’s a hard guy to stop due to his size and long speed and ability to make tough contested catches.

Where he’ll make his money in the NFL is as a team’s third or fourth receiving weapon and likely as a special teams player early in his career. He has to learn to use his strength and size to create separation early in the route. He’s at his best on jump balls and slants and so his obvious upside is in the red zone. He looks like a low volume, big play jump ball guy down the field with a niche as a red zone threat. Williams clearly will have a role in the NFL, but until he can figure out how to get quicker or use his size better, that role will likely be as a sub package receiver. 

87. Dyami Brown, WR UNC 77

Brown is a big play wide receiver who projects as a really quality WR3 in the NFL. He has decent size at 6’1 and 185 pounds and has tremendous speed and quickness. He’s a mediocre route runner at this point and his hands and ball tracking ability need some work. Brown is an outstanding blocker however and averaged over 20 yards per reception the last two seasons while going over 1000 yards each year. He could be a really nice third piece for an offense looking for someone to help them make big plays, and projects best in a spread system where he can use his speed.

As a pure receiver he doesn’t track the deep ball as well as you’d like and he’s not a natural hands catcher. The ball will eat him up here and there and he does double catch it at times, which means in the NFL I could see him struggling with drops or not handling catchable passes. While I wouldn’t say he’s below average here, he has room for growth and I’d qualify him as middle of the pack. He’s at his best on vertical routes where he eats up ground in a hurry and can stick his foot in the ground and change direction at top speed. He’s a big play guy, but also has enough short area acceleration where he could be very dangerous as a slot weapon as well. His toughness with or without the ball in his hands is a plus.

He jumps out on tape on vertical routes, but not as much as he does as a blocker. I’m exceptionally impressed with what he’s able to do there and he constantly creates plays in the run game. It makes me think he could be an incredibly effective vice and gunner on special teams. His competitiveness and speed is a major asset and he’s been extremely productive the past two seasons. Brown looks like the type of guy who should go in round 3, but in a deep draft he could slip to day 3, if he does he should be a big time target early on Saturday. Good player with some upside, speed, and toughness, along with an ability to likely be effective inside or outside, it’s a good combo for a quality draft pick. 

88. Cameron Sample, DE Tulane 76

Sample may not be the most physically gifted guy and he never ended up with more than 5 sacks in a season at Tulane but there is a lot to like in regards to what he can be at the next level. He played all over the place for Tulane, lining up all the way from a standup outside linebacker to a nose tackle and he was tough and physical everywhere. At 6’3 and 280 pounds to me he looks much more like a 5 technique defensive end or a strongside 43 defensive end to hold up against the run. He’s going to be his best when kicked inside to rush over a guard like he did when he looked like a stud at the Senior Bowl week. Sample uses heavy hands and a strong punch as well as good leverage to be an initial penetrator and rusher. I think he could be a high quality starter in time with the floor of being a multiple front backup with versatility and toughness. 

He’s not going to wow you with physical tools but he’s technically sound and is strong. He’s got vice grip hands that allow him to get a hold of pass protectors and move them to the side, it’s why he’s a plus run defender and a reason why I think he could end up being a solid 5 T if you needed him to be. I like that he has counter moves to his bullrush which is his biggest strength. His underneath rip and strength at attacking players shoulders and getting through gaps is pretty impressive and it leads to some quicker wins than you’d associate with a 280 pound guy. It also is why I think he could be effective consistently as an interior rusher on passing downs.

He’s not a sexy pick and he may not ever be a high volume sack artist, but he’s a really solid player who has versatility and strength. I think he could be a very good edge setter and someone who could generate more pressure than you’d think. He’s not a bad athlete and his tape is a big time plus, when he went to the Senior Bowl he really jumped out. In the middle rounds, he could end up becoming a starter and a nice value pick. Maybe not the highest floor in this draft with a ton of exciting edge players, but if you’re looking for a solid versatile piece, he’s going to provide a really high floor for a player drafted a bit later. 

89. Kyle Trask, QB Florida 76

Trask is a big quarterback who played exceptional football this year for Florida. He continued to show improvement throughout his time there and culminated his career by having one of the best seasons you will ever see from a quarterback at the college level. At 6’5 and around 240 pounds, you won’t have to worry about hits building up on him and he plays the game with a toughness and physicality you love to see from your signal caller. That said Trask is slow and lacks true mobility. He needs to be kept on script to be successful and while he is very accurate with the football, and he has great size, his arm strength, particularly on throws where he has to drive the ball is below average. Trask projects as someone who could help a team that has a lot of pieces around him, but he lacks the ability to carry a football team. Trask can be an excellent “trailer” but he’s never going to be the truck that drives an offense. I could see a team who wants to develop him, particularly improving his footwork, taking a shot on Trask in round two and if he slips to round 3 about two dozen teams would likely be interested in the Gator alum.

Where Trask is going to be very successful at the next level is throwing with accuracy and anticipation. Trask lets the football go, particularly over the middle, well before players come out of their breaks and he throws them open with consistency. He doesn’t drive the football to the outside often, but when he’s throwing to slots and tight ends he’s exceptionally effective. Trask rarely puts the football in harms way, and even on his misses he throws the ball where only his guy can make a play on it. For his entire career he has an almost 5 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio, and has completed 68% of his passes, he can throw the ball accurately and safely. Trask also shows an ability to run with power on designed inside quarterback run plays, and while he lacks any real speed or acceleration, and doesn’t do much off script in the passing game, his toughness on designed runs is above average. He ran for 7 combined touchdowns the past two seasons.

Where he is limited as an NFL prospect, however is that he has mediocre arm strength and lacks mobility. Trask does a decent job climbing the pocket, and his high football IQ and recognition skills allow him to get rid of the ball quickly. That said though, he will backpedal and throw off his back foot or flat footed fairly often because he can’t escape and the ball will hang in the air or die on its intended path. In the NFL those are either going to be incompletions or interceptions and it’s problematic. If you can’t make plays routinely off schedule and you’re not a scrambler in today’s NFL you are simply limited in how good you can be. His accuracy, size, and anticipation are all major pluses and it lends me to believe at worst he’ll be a good backup for a decade, I think he’s probably capped as something around a league average starter with a floor as a top 10 backup. Trask is a good player and someone who can put up points and take care of the football should be sought after. In round 3 he provides amazing value, and I get the appeal somewhere after the top 45 picks or so as well. High floor backup or low ceiling starter. 

90. Ronnie Perkins, DE Oklahoma 76

Perkins is a nice player who projects to be a solid rotational piece on the defensive line or out at edge. He’s got really strong hands and does a great job of shooting gaps and playing strong. I love how he jolts linemen and then is able to disengage to make plays. While he’s not an elite pass rusher and lacks a counter move, his ability to slice between offensive linemen and get to their edges both inside and out is a valuable skill. He has good movement skills and although he’s only listed at 6’3 251 he looks and plays much bigger than that. Perkins projects as a good 3rd pass rusher who likely needs to play in a movement based defensive line system with a lot of movement including stunts and games up front to be utilized to his best. 

I think he could probably be a solid 34 outside linebacker playing the big position there but he’s going to be best utilized as a disrupter along the defensive line. He’s got really strong hands and an excellent pop and when he’s able to move around and get on the edges of linemen he’s disruptive as a penetrator. As a pure outside guy he has a good first step but it’s not elite and unless he’s lined up against below average NFL tackles he won’t get a ton of pressures on his own in one on one situations. He’ll be best when he’s schemed up and then use his skill set to get pressures that are generated for him based on scheme and play call. His counter moves are below average right now.

As a run defender he’s a powerful tackler who uses his strength to toss players around. I like watching him move all over the line and show good energy and pop to bring down ball carriers. He generates a solid amount of tackles for loss that way. He also freelances a lot in that type of Oklahoma defense and it means he’ll be out of position a lot. That can’t continue at the NFL level. 

Ultimately the guy has some skills that will translate well to the NFL but he’s mostly a scheme player without much to hang his hat on other than he has good pop in his hands and is able to disengage from blocks well. I think he’d be best utitlized in a blitz and scheme heavy system where he can move around a bunch like Tennessee or Baltimore. He’s someone who should go in the middle of the draft and should be a nice rotational piece on the edge. 

91. Jackson Carman, OL Clemson 76

Carman is a good football player and he has some really nice moments on tape. Without a doubt to me he’s going to be a guard at the next level though as at 6’5 and 330 pounds with a mean streak and a ton of power he’s going to be best put inside where he can dominate. As a tackle he can probably play out there in a pinch and maybe even in a power scheme where you give him some help in pass rush situations he could be a decent tackle as well. At 32.5 inch arms though, inside is where he’ll need to go long term, while speed rushers give him problems so you can mitigate that by a move inside. Carman moves well for a 330 pounder, particularly in space where he likes to pancake smaller players. He projects nicely as a 3rd - 4th round player who likely has a long career and has a good floor considering he could kick outside in a pinch.

Carman isn’t going to wow you in terms of his ability to slide and protect but inside it won’t be as big of an issue. Speed rushers gave him some fits off and on, particularly Quincy Roche. He’s very good against power though and not only does he have good reps, he’ll stone you and not even give ground at times. His Ohio State tape was exceptional, and if he can grab that consistently he’ll be a great player. That said he mixes in really good tape with inconsistent reps and tape and he’ll have his share of holds and getting beat by speed and quickness at the next level. He’s a bit of a reacher and waist bender when someone is a better athlete.

Where he’s going to be very good though in the NFL is as a run blocker. When he’s asked to combo block and run iso’s he can be dominant. While he’s a big guy he actually looks pretty good in space and has solid striaght line speed, showing some real skill in the screen game. He’s very good at creating running lanes though and plays with power and surprising agility for someone his size. I love how he finishes blocks in the run game as well, rarely looking for work and always looking to finish.

Carman could be an okay tackle if he goes to the correct scheme or system, a New England, Tennessee, or Las Vegas type system he could certainly play tackle. That said he’d be best suited to go to a power running team and playing guard. He’s someone who could be decent at tackle but could be very good on the inside and that versatility is a plus. He’s someone who I think should go in round 3 and has a chance to be a solid starter in the NFL with upside at guard. 

92. Josh Palmer, WR Tennessee 76

He’s one of my favorite players in the class, and while he doesn’t project to be a dynamic or dominant player in the NFL, I think Palmer can have a long successful career as a WR3 in the league. At 6’1 and around 210 pounds he ran a very respectable 4.51 and plays tough and physical football. Palmer isn’t going to wow you with athleticism and he’s not an explosive guy, but he plays the game the right way and he runs solid routes. He has good hands and while he’s not explosive enough to create consistent separation the way he catches teh ball and plays through contact should translate well to the next level. Palmer lacks the upside to be much more than a WR2 ceiling but his physicality and hands to me means he could be a quality WR3 in the NFL for a long time.

The biggest thing going against him is he just lacks the quick twitch ability to get away from great athletes. It didn’t stop him from making some flashy plays and having a solid catch radius but it means he’ll have to work hard to develop into a quality receiver at the next level. He had poor quarterback play and coaching and scheme at Tennessee, but he has room to grow and by year three you could have a really solid player here if he’s given some time as the WR4/5 on a team and just asked to play special teams and grow. I doubt he goes in the first two days but on day 3 a team might find a quality potential special teamer and someone who could grow into a solid middle tier WR. 

93. Hamsah Nasirildeen, S FSU 76

I’m honestly not quite sure what to make of Nasirildeen as a prospect this season. On one hand he’s got enormous potential at 6’3 215 pounds and a guy who put up back to back 90 tackle seasons while playing everywhere for Florida State. He also tore his ACL in 2019, and went to the Senior Bowl and looked like he wasn’t someone who could match up in man coverage unless it was against bigger tight ends. It was pretty brutal how he looked there against faster receivers and it lowered his draft grade an entire round for me. Hamsah has tremendous versatility, size, length with over 34 inch arms, and looks like the modern NFL defender who can essetnially be a positionless beast on passing downs. If you draft him and you have a plan for him, he could be major asset, just understand there are some limitations here and injury history as well. I think he fits well as a risk reward round 3 selection.

Some teams are going to view him as a nickel or dime linebacker who can help match up with tight ends on passing downs. He shows the ability to dog blitz and his size and length are real matchup problems there. He’s physical in the run game and his length means that he could kick down to the linebacker spot and it’s doubtful he’d get engulfed by pulling guards or on the screen game. He’s a plus athlete and fires his gun well, and while he’ll play a bit out of control at times, he looks like someone who could play the underneath safety in a cover 3 and be a nightmare for defenses. High volume tackler, but he’ll miss quite a few as well. He has exceptional talent, and that size, length, and ability is tough to teach, again, he has top very high potential. 

I like the guy and think he could be a really good player but he showed that he can’t really play man with quicker guys and it bothered me enough to drop him a round, as I had him squarely in round two based on tape and potential. I think if you bring him in and let him play all over the field there might be some issues there but you could let him play that dime linebacker spot and matchup with tight ends, dog blitz on running backs, and play a cover 3 zone and he could really thrive. He might have one of the biggest ranges of how he becomes in the NFL in this draft as scheme and usage are going to be vitally important. If he falls to day 3 he should be targeted very early, but I bet someone wants to take a risk on him in round 2 or early in round 3. 

94. Jordan Smith, OLB UAB 76

A super long rangy 34 outside linebacker edge rusher who has a ton of tools and very little in the way of technique. At almost 6’7 and 255 pounds Smith stands out on tape, with super impressive length and very good closing burst. I see a bit of Leonard Floyd in his game and he has the tools to translate into a good NFL player but there’s some bust to his game as well. Smith has off the field concerns from his Freshmen year and it caused him to go the JUCO route. On the field he doesn’t have much of a pass rush plan and his play recognition skills are only okay. He flat out just “out-athletes” people and while it leads to some very good splash plays he has a learning curve in the NFL. I think he projects as a developmental 34 outside linebacker who can obviously reduce down to the edge on pass rushing downs, while he will probably be a 3rd pass rusher in the league he has tools to become more down the road.

Smith isn’t the quickest twitch guy but he has good speed and while he won’t bend the edge well at his height, he uses his length to get off blocks and his closing burst is impressive. I watched him track down King from Miami from the backside on tape, which is a hard thing to do for any edge player. He’s got some tools and that length will play, particularly setting the edge as a 34 outside backer. Smith needs a ton of technique work though as he doesn’t ever go into a play with a plan to get after the quarterback and therefore if he can’t just blow by a guy or use his length to gain leverage he gets stymied pretty often. A good position coach could turn him into a high quality player if his head is screwed on right and he works hard he could become a quality starter, as he’s a prototypical 34 linebacker in today’s game. He could go as high as round 3 and I’d be totally good with it, but would feel great if my team took him on day 3 anytime as the risk reward with him there is very good. 

95. Trey Smith, G Tennessee 76

I don’t know exactly what you’re going to get with Trey Smith but if he falls to the third day of the draft he may be one of the better risks in the class. Smith has 5 star pedigree and shows on some plays why he could end up being a top tier guard in the NFL. He also has insanely scary medical history that, while it has shown up as all good now, blood clots in the lungs have ended seasons or entire careers for certain people. Smith is a massive human who can dominate at times but his tape can also be inconsistent. Despite starting his career out at tackle, he kicked inside and still ends up losing some reps to quicker interior players. 

In pass protection he’s got an excellent anchor and he simply doesn’t give much ground to power rushers. In twists and stunts when a player gets a running start Smith just doesn’t move. He’ll drop his hands occasionally and his technique needs some work, particularly with shorter speed guys but it’s coachable stuff that can be taught. I think as a guy in pass pro there’s good things and there’s things that need work and his hand placement and being  a bit slow off the ball are tough but he could still end up being a plus guy here if he goes to a scheme where he’s surrounded by good players at center and tackle. If not he could give up some pressures but he’s not awful here.

Where he could be a plus starter in the league is in a power run game. He can absolutely demolish people when he’s just asked to go downhill. You don’t get first team All SEC twice on the offensive line if you’re not a freaking stud and Smith can certainly be that in the run game. He’s a powerful blocker who has some of the strongest hands in this class. If you’re looking to be a power running team, Smith may be someone you can plug in on day 1 and just watch him move piles for you. 

There are question marks here, the biggest and most frightening one being the blood clots. I think it’s impossible to take him in the first two rounds because of the risk of that coming back up. On tape he has really big pluses but he also struggles with speed and has some technique stuff that leads me to believe he’ll get a fair share of holding penalties and give up some pressures. I do think though that his upside is insanely high and whichever team takes a risk on Smith may end up getting a top tier starting guard in the league, they just have to understand the injury floor is very low. If he falls to day 3, someone may hit a grand slam by picking Smith. He also won awards for leadership and for community involvement while at Tennessee. 

96. Alex Leatherwood, T/G Alabama 76

I think he could be one of the more overrated players in the draft this year. He’s just someone who lacks the traits and tape to play tackle in the NFL at a high level, regardless of what other draft analysts are going to tell you. While he’s a rock solid run blocker who can get some movement and does a solid job there, he just gives up too much pressure in the passing game. In the one on ones at the Senior Bowl practice it was pretty clear that his future is at guard in the NFL. If we project him there I think he’s going to be a solid guard who will likely be more successful in a power type scheme but to me he’s a third round player who has some value as an emergency tackle.

In terms of pass protection, he can anchor fairly well although he could use some help here and speed rushers are going to give him problems. Kicking him inside to guard likely mitigates a lot of that though. He’s been coached well and has solid technique and he notices blitzes well, but I doubt he ever ends up being anything more than an adequate pass protector, even as a guard. He just lacks the athleticism in his lower half and is too stiff to be a major player in the league in pass pro.

In the run game he’s an aggressive, physical guy who plays downhill. While he’ll get a bit ahead of his pads at times, it’s a good problem to have because he likes to hit. Leatherwood does a good job of creating movement and if he goes to a power/gap scheme here he could be a quality run blocker at the NFL level. I think he’s not great at the second level, but he gets movement and good initial punch. 

He’s an easy evaluation to be honest, although he’s a projection. He’s someone who played a lot of tackle in college but it’s obvious he’s a guard in the NFL. His tape is hit and miss in pass pro, but he projects as a plus run blocker. He is pretty much the epitome of what you’re looking for in a third rounder, in that he has a solid floor as a long time NFL player and has just enough upside that he could develop into a good starter. Round 3-4 guy for me. 

97. Jalen Mayfield, OT Michigan 76

I get why people like the kid. He’s athletic and has good length, and his H/W/S for a tackle prospect is way up there. At 6’5 and 320 pounds there are times that he looks like a tight end out there with his movement skills. He has really high upside, and there was definite improvement from 2019 to 2020 in the 2 games he played. He got on most people’s radar because he played fairly well against Chase Young in 2019 but there were games he graded out really poorly. Mayfield has tremendous ability, there’s no doubt that he has first round talent. That said I think he has 4th or 5th round film for the most part. He flashes good play but he just flat out has way too many bad reps at this point. Someone could fall in love with him and draft him in the first round, and I truly understand the idea with how good he could be, but to me drafting linemen is almost 100% about the tape, and he just has a long way to go.

As a pass protector there is more to like here than dislike. He has good length and really quality feet, he bounces out of his stance quickly and mirrors very well. That said he gets out on his toes way too often and will reach for players, allowing them to get into his body, or simply go inside of him. In quick throw offense he does a good job because he gets out of his stance well, but on deeper routes there are times where he just misses blocks. He’s very good in the movement plays on throws like screens and rollouts because he’s got good feet. 

As a run blocker he just isn’t very good. He lacks the pop and he has a number of reps each game where he simply allows the defender to go where he wants. He’ll flash really quality reps here and there where he’ll wall off a defender or stock block them away but he lacks the really good consistent power because his hand placement and leverage is poor. He needs refinement on technique in a big way. I think he could end up being a good run blocker in a zone scheme, particularly in a movement based offense where there are a lot of boots or waggles like the Shanhan offensive tree, but in a pure power scheme he absolutely needs to get better leverage.

The kid has tremendous talent, there’s zero doubt about that and he has the ability to be a very high level starting offensive tackle in the NFL. He has some scheme versatility as well because he can move and there’s potential for power, he could also be a guard if a team wanted to kick him inside because he could be nasty if a team allowed him to pull. That said though he simply misses too many blocks at this point. There was a 6 snap sample in the Penn State game where he missed 4 blocks and had a false start, it happened too often. You have to be willing to take the risk that he could be a major whiff and a career backup, but the upside is really high. A major risk reward player but to me I can’t take him until round 3 for the risk to be worth the reward. He should have gone back to school.

98. Payton Turner, DE Houston 76

Turner is someone who can develop into a starter in time and looks to have all the traits necessary to be a quality NFL starting Defensive End. At 6’6 and 270 pounds he has impressive physical tools, showing the size and length to easily set the edge, and the quickness and speed to have an impact in the passing game. Turner’s got good speed and moves very well for his size. While he doesn’t have tremendous quickness, he has a few good inside counter moves to pair with his speed to power bullrush. I think he may end up being best kicked inside on pure pass rushing downs where he can use his length to beat up on guards, and play outside to set the edge as the strongside defensive end in base.

He only ended his college career with 9.5 sacks but he did have 24 tackles for loss, and he was on pace to have a monster season this year with 5 sacks in four games before he got hurt. He seemed to figure it out this season and he got a sack on Brady Christensen against BYU, showing some really impressive tape during the game. While he’s not explosive persay off the line he has just enough get off to threaten the edge and he can use that coupled with his length to get into the backfield. I don’t think he’s a double digit sack guy or anything along those lines but he can be an effective rusher. 

As a run defender I think he can make his living setting the edge as a 43 base end. He has really good length and his speed can help push plays to the outside and string them out to force players wide. He averaged almost 2 tackles per loss and sacks combined per game over the past two seasons, and while he wasn’t a high volume tackler he showed an ability to make plays in the run game. I dont believe Turner is a star or going to dominate in the NFL, but his H/W/S combined with good effort and some scheme versatility, in that he could probably play a 5 technique with his length or a 3 or a 7 depending on passing downs is valuable. In the middle part of the draft he provides a solid floor with better than average upside. He’d be a nice pick, and should at worst develop into a rotational defensive line prospect with the potential to be a quality starter. 

99. Levi Onwuzirike, DL Washington 75

There’s nothing inherently wrong with Onwuzirkie but he’s just overhyped in my opinion. While there are some things to like with his game, including some talent in terms of quickness off the snap, he’s not very productive and he gets pushed around. He plays with solid leverage and he projects as a three technique in the NFL. My issue is we have people with first round or at worst second round grades on him and he’s just not worth anywhere near that. He doesn’t have the ability to really be an elite pass rusher inside, as he has just 7 career sacks in 34 career games and possessing good but not freaky quickness and an average at best anchor, I think he’s more of a rotational three technique who has some flexibility to kick out to the four or five but lacks the true skills to be great.

I can see why some people like the guy. He does have some explosive tendencies here and there and he plays low which allows him at times to push the pocket, particularly when he gets a bit of a running start like on a stunt or slant. Onwuzirike shows good gap discipline and does what he can in terms of his job on every play. There are some things to work with and the leverage is solid.

Overall though he just isn’t productive enough, and doesn't have the traits to be considered a first or second round pick. I think he is somewhere in the third or fourth round range in that he has some talent to work with and at worst should be a rotational lineman who can give you quality snaps. He has tools to work with and can develop into a better player as time goes on because he has some pop, good leverage, and has some quicks. It’s not that I wouldn’t like if my team took a chance on him, I just really hope it’s not in the first 64 picks. 

100. Baron Browning, LB Ohio State 74

A superb athlete with good not great tape, Browning has the ability to turn into a starting linebacker in the NFL. In projecting him to the league there are so many things you like when you see him that it’d be easy to talk yourself into giving up a higher pick for him. That said, his tape is solid if not spectacular and while his athleticism is rare, football is a skill that he’s yet to fully develop. He has potential upside, particularly as a blitzer where his burst and pure speed are tough to deal with for running backs or even slower footed tackles and guards. He has the chops to play zone or man coverage as well with exceptional quickness and plus speed. The questions are going to be around how good of a football player is he right now, and I still think he needs more development before you can turn him loose as a starter.

At 6’3 and 240 pounds he has excellent size for the linebacker position. He showed that he’s a capable blitzer and has major potential on passing downs as he ran a 4.58 with a 40 inch vertical, showing explosion and pure speed. His 3 cone drill was outstanding as well, well under 7 seconds showing that he’s no joke as an athlete and should be able to run with tight ends and running backs easily. He has the tools.

The issue is the tape where he simply wasn’t very productive. He only had 2 passes defensed his entire career at Ohio State and barely recorded over 100 total tackles, with 7 sacks. While those aren’t awful numbers, they certainly don’t paint a picture of someone who dominated. In fact he was almost always the third or fourth best linebacker on tape when watching him. He reads his keys fairly well but needs to be kept clean to be at his best. He’ll be best in a defense with great players around him where he can play a specific role within a scheme. There’s a ton of talent here but the play on the field has been inconsistent at best. He’s best suited to be taken on day 3 of the draft but the talent is there to be taken much earlier. We’ll see when a team wants to draft the uber talented Browning and whether or not that’ll be on day 2. 

101. Shaun Wade, CB Ohio State 74

There’s so much talent here but it’s paired with some really up and down tape. He simply gave up way too much ground and allowed a ton of catches this season for the Buckeyes when he was aksed to play more outside. Wade is a guy with 5 star talent but you have to wonder what he really is going to be at the next level after a year of very poor tape. I have him as an early day 3 pick because maybe you can get that talent to max itself out, particularly inside at the slot where he shone two seasons ago. If you take him in round 4 or 5 then the pressure goes off of him as well and maybe he can just go out and play and force incompletions at a high rate like he did in 2019.

I understand some of the people who are so low on Wade this season. He simply played too soft in coverage and looked like he was scared of getting beat deep, which is kind of crazy to me. He has good explosiveness and isn’t scared to hit at all. The guy does have 18 PBU and 6 Interceptions in his career as well as almost 100 career tackles. I like how aggressive he is in the run game and that he’ll bring the wood, and with good size he should be a plus there. On the boundary this season though he got exposed and it caused problems, his tape was bad. However, the last two years where he was in nickel 90% of the time he looked dynamic. I think with him he absolutely has to play inside, and maybe he even needs a move to the third nickel or strong safety type role.

Wade needs to get drafted with the idea that he’s going to move inside. He doesn’t have the skillset or confidence to play outside and be a high quality corner. However, when he’s in the nickel there was a lot to like there. I think he’s going to fall further down the board than he should in this year’s draft and some defensive back coach and DC is going to see what he CAN do and not pick at his faults. I think he’s a borderline day 2 prospect with limitations but also with some sought after skills on the inside, he could be a very good buy low candidate. 

102. Keith Taylor, CB Washington 73

I’m a fan of Taylor’s game and think for teams that want to play matchup in their back end or a combination of press man and zone he could be an effective situational corner. He showed an ability to cover inside against tight ends against BYU and was a major difference maker in that game. He can play outside with tremendous length at 6’3 and around 200 pounds and looks physical enough to be a consistent cover 2 corner as well. Washington defensive players are exceptionally well coached and he’s no different. The only real questions I have with Taylor is whether or not he can be more consistent and if he has good enough hip flexibility to not give up the occasional easy throw. He’s someone who should be in the day 2 discussion for teams looking for long athletic corners but in a man heavy team or a team that plays off man he’s likely very low on their board.

One of the reasons I like Taylor is it’s rare to find 6’3 corners that can run sub 11.00 100 meters. He has excellent pure speed for a big corner and he’s not afraid to tackle, a really positive combination. I was really impressed by his Senior Bowl tape as well. Small quick guys are of course going to give him problems but he’s not going to go to a team that matches him up in man to man with those types of guys. He’s a willing player against the run but he’ll miss a few tackles here and there as he can get a bit too downhill and he lacks lower body strength. Overall though I think he projects as a sub package outside corner with the capability of matching up inside against two tight end sets in particular. He has a chance to be an exceptional vice on special teams as well to add to his capability and versatility. Round 4 would be perfect for him and it wouldnt’ surprise me at all if he develops into a solid starter down the road or a high quality sub package DB with plus ST skills. 

103. Hamilcar Rashed, OLB Oregon State 73

If we’re watching the tape from Rashed in 2019 where he looked about 15 pounds lighter and more agile, he’d probably be in the mid 80s in terms of rating. Rashed was an animal that season, leading the FBS is tackles for loss and showing an ability to move and create havoc as a speed rusher with a bevy of pass rush moves. Fast forward to 2020 when he looked liked he added some weight and moved much slower. The Beavers used him more around different positions as well, dropping him into coverage at a much higher clip. The question NFL scouts have to ask is what kind of player is he going to be at the next level.

Rashed has some impressive tendencies for a 34 outside linebacker that could lend him to having a successful NFL career. He plays hard and has shown an abiilty to do everything at a high level at certain times throughout his career. He can bend the edge and turn speed to power as a pass rusher. He has numerous moves and is a refined player. Rashed shows some ability to drop into zone coverage and looks comfortable there, while not his strongest attribute he’ll have a smaller adjustment than most college players to that position. He also has the tenacity and toughness to make tackles in the run game. 

These are all great things the issues are going to be two fold. Number one is he may be a jack of all trades master of none, leading him to be more of a complementary player at the next level. The second thing is that he played so much better when he was lighter, does that mean you move him back down to 235 pounds give or take? If you do, then does that mean he’s a 43 outside linebacker instead who you then can reduce down on pass rush downs to the 7 or 9 technique? A team that drafts him needs to have some ideas for how to utilize him. My thoughts are that he should be looked at in rounds 3 or 4 for a team that wants a versatile outside linebacker, regardless of 34 or 43. He’s shown he has the ability to be highly productive and he’s versatile and tough, I’ll take those on my team anytime.

104. Jamar Johnson, S Indiana 73

I’m really confused why people think this kid is a 2nd round grade. He’s a decent player if you play a majority of your snaps in two deep looks but he lacks the straight line speed and explosviness to be anything more than a solid safety. His instincts are good but he’s not a thumper or a great tackler, and his average athleticism means he’s not going to be able to get everywhere you want him to go. As a man safety he’ll struggle as he has average size and below average straight line speed for man coverage. He’s probably a low end starter in a split safety look in the NFL or likely a borderline starter or third safety for a zone heavy team.

Everyone got enamored with him because he had two picks in the Ohio State game but the first one was an awful throw and read by Fields. Every safety in the nation makes that play. He’s not someone who really wants to come up and be a high volume tackler. He had 67 tackles in 20 games, not exactly a number that blows you away, and he had 6 intercpetions but only 5 other PBU throughout his career. I’m not trying to hammer on the kid as he sees the game well, and he wants to play with toughness and grit but there’s nothing on tape that stands out to make me think he’s great, and i’m really confused why he has high grades from so many scouts. To me he’s a round 4 guy. 

105. Cade Johnson, WR South Dakota State 72

Johnson looked the part at the Senior Bowl and despite only average straight line speed to be generous he’s got tremendous hands and is a smooth and explosive route runner. I like how he mixes up his releases to get separation quickly and his hands are among the best in the class. He can play through contact and still doesn’t get knocked off his route, a must for guys who are likely to play more inside like Johnson is at the next level. While I think he’s limited in his ceiling because he lacks the explosiveness you’d look for in a WR2 he has a chance to be a solid complimentary receiver in the NFL. I like him early on day 3 as a quality piece who will be a reliable useful chain mover at the next level.

Johnson does remind me quite a bit of Cooper Kupp coming out of Eastern Washington. He has good quickness and uses his body well and they both played through contact easily and were good after the catch. I think people forget how well Kupp does once the ball is in his hands. Kupp went to the ideal team for his skill set and Johnson will likely have to have some success via luck to go to a team that can help him create some separation with motion. Johnson can get locked up by stronger corners and his lack of pure speed means he’ll have to get comfortable making contested catches. If he goes to a team that utilizes a lot of Pre-snap movmeent though he could find himself in an advantageous spot as a WR3 earlier in his career. 

He’s capped in how good he can be because he lacks elite traits. That said he’s got great hands, is better after the catch than he’s given credit for, and is a plus route runner. He mixes up his releases well and when he’s inside he looks tough to handle. I like him and think if you’re a team with two good players already at the position and need someone who can help you move the chains and be a solid 3rd or 4th guy he’s a very smart pickup early on day 3. 

106. Caden Sterns, S Texas 72

A 6’0 210 pound safety who runs a 4.40 with a 42 inch vertical, Sterns checks every single box in terms of H/W/S. He’ll miss tackles here and there without questions and there are some misses on his tape when you watch, but the upside is there for him to be a very good NFL player. The question is can you get his tackling under control, can you get him to take better angles in the run game, and can you trust the physicality to play him down in the box. It’s not that Sterns doesn’t want to play the run, particularly when he gets a head of steam, it’s just not there yet.

Where he looks really comfortable is playing the deep safety spot. He has tremendous speed to cover ground back there and if you stare down a player he’ll end up getting to the point. He had 5 career interceptions and showed some plus ball skills. I think he could end up being pretty darn good in a deep spot, even with that size. He could run with any tight end in the league as well but you wonder about whether or not even with good safety bulk if he could hold up there when players post him up though, as he doesn’t seem to play to the 210 pounds he’s listed at. 

Sterns is someone on day three teams should target. At worst he could end up being a nightmare of a special teams player with that combination of size and speed. The upside is really high though as you don’t find players with that level of explosiveness and speed very often, particularly with some positive moments on tape. While he’s raw as a player, some of that can be taught and trained up and he has a chance to be a very good developmental safety. If you have a team where you already have two guys back there you like, he could potentially play any scheme and either safety spot while being a tremendous gunner on coverage early in his career. Those are the guys I like to take risks on in rounds 4 & 5. 

107. Anthony Schwartz, WR/ATH Auburn 72

A prospect with world class speed that is exceptionally raw as a prospect. Schwartz ran a 4.26 at his pro day and was a 100 meter champion in high school, his pure speed and acceleration is beyond elite. He projects as a matchup problem and a WR3/4 in a sub package role receiver because he’s so fast. He’s tougher than you’d think for someone with mostly a track background and at 6’0 and around 180 pounds he looks a ton like Will Fuller. Someone in the 3rd or 4th round should take a look at him if they have a vertical offense and need speed. He could end up being an incredible developmental deep threat or even a slot receiver in the future.

The issues with him right now is that he’s definitely not someone who has technique or refinement to his game. Schwartz despite insane athletic ability only averaged a little over 11 yards per catch this season. He fights the football a bit when it’s in the air and doesn’t track the deep ball as well as most deep threats in this class. He’s a very easy evaluation, in that he’s a pure speed and athleticism guy who has truly elite 10/10 speed and quickness but he will need to be developed over the next season or two. He has a high floor because at worst his speed will play for the next few seasons, and his upside is as a deep threat who can also be utilized eventually in the slot. Schwartz played in arguably the worst passing offense in the Nation in terms of its ability to throw the football so we haven't seen what he’s capable of yet with a good quarterback, but he certainly has upside to be developed into a valuable weapon in the middle rounds.

108. James Hudson, OT Cincinnati 72

Oh man this kid might end up being special at the position, but he has miles to go before he’s ready to go at the NFL level. Hudson is a freak athlete, and at 6’5 and 310 pounds he moves like a mobile tight end. It’s pretty jaw dropping to watch him get out of his stance and get to the second level. The first couple snaps I watched him play I thought he was their move tight end the way he’s built and this explosiveness and quickness. He flashes some nasty to his game and looks like he could be a legit star left tackle if he goes to a zone blocking scheme team. All of that said though is he is incredibly raw in terms of hand placement, footwork, technique, and timing and it leads to some pretty poor reps. His upside is incredibly high, but you may have to wait two plus years before you can start to achieve that. 

Where he looks the most comfortable and where his skill set will be best utilized is in the zone blocking game where he can move and get out in space. He does a great job of squaring up second level defenders because he’s one of the rare offensive linemen who is similar in terms of athleticism to them at that level. His quickness is elite. He can use this same athletic ability along with decent size and length to be troublesome for all the speed rushers in the league as he has the long term ability to neutralize them. The upside is tremendous here.

I think Hudson ultimately goes in the second round because well there’s potential for greatness here. There’s no way he’s ready to roll in year one though and he’ll have to redshirt after only playing essentially one year of college football. He just has a very long way to go in terms of technique and development and you have to wonder because it’s so blatant on tape if that will ever come. His power looks natural but he doesn’t utilize it well because he has poor timing and leverage and ends up getting in stalemates far too often at this point. He’ll overstep and give up the inside on snaps as well. Just things that you can teach, but you can’t teach his ability. I’d much prefer to wait for him until round three but if he’s there he’d be hard to pass up as a very high ceiling guy who could end up being a team’s answer at left tackle. Just know, there’s a chance that potential doesn’t develop and he could end up as essentially a blocking tight end as well. 

*** His Pro Day numbers were really poor in comparison to what I thought he’d be. I dropped him a full round based on that and moved him into the late 3 early 4th based on that and the projection. 

109. Nahshon Wright, CB Oregon State 72

Wright may be one of the quietest high ceiling players in this entire draft. While I think it was completely insane that he came out and into this draft when he had second round talent in the 2022 draft, there’s a lot to work with here. While most draft pundits have him squarely in the round 6-7 or UDFA range, I think Wright could end up being a steal in the 4th. One more year in college and he could have ended up as a second round pick in next year’s draft with his combination of size, physicality, and ball skills. Wright is a huge corner at 6’4 and 190 pounds and he utilizes his length to make plays on the ball, particularly in zone. Wright projects to me as a potential starter in a zone heavy system by his second or more likely third year in the league.

He’s thin so you have to worry a bit about him getting beaten up, and he still has a tendency to drift in plays which allow the occasional catch. Overall though the guy is a good football player, and his size at corner along with a willingness to come up and tackle is impressive. He had 5 interceptions in just two seasons in the Pac 12 and shows an ability as a former receiver to high point the ball. He has big time potential.

Where he needs help is just refining his game and filling out his frame. If he could add ten pounds of muscle it would really help, and his technique in terms of how his hips open up could use work. At 6’4 he’s not the shiftiest corner either and at times that will likely cause him problems on shorter quicker receivers. He may be pigeon holed to a cover 2 or 3 team that wants to use his length and downhill tackling to its advantage. However, unless he can add some bulk it’s tough to imagine his frame holding up. He needs to add some technique work, and certainly some strength, but he’s a very undervalued player in this year’s draft. Wright has the ability to start and has good ball skills, he’s worth a pick earlier in the draft than what’s being reported now. 

110. Josh Myers, C Ohio State 72

A solid if unspectacular center who I think has starting center potential in the NFL, particularly going to a team that runs primarily inside zone. Myers has decent movement skills but a strong sturdy frame and does a solid job, winning the majority of his battles. While he’s not an elite athlete or exceptionally strong, he is someone who does his job and hangs in there and battles. He’s a consistent player and if you’re looking for someone who can likely come in and at worst be a 3 position backup on the interior with potential as a mid tier starter he’s going to come with a high floor.

He’s a taller, long center than most so he needs to make sure he maintains proper leverage when he plays. Myers also struggles at the second level, as he put it “trying to get a killshot on a linebacker.” He also can reach a bit and give up some ground to players who get underneath his pads. He’s not an exceptional athlete and a turf toe injury likely won’t help that moving forward. As a pass protector he’s not elite, and won’t wow you, but he’ll give you some solid reps. He’s not immune to giving up some pressure but he’s an overall solid player in this regard. He projects as a day 3 kid who has a solid floor as a 3 position backup, but likely needs to play in an inside zone or gap scheme and will likely need some help from time to time with really good interior players. Should be a round 4 or 5 player. Had someone mention he reminded them of Graham Glasgow and honestly it fit really well, think it was Zeirlein. 

111. Jermar Jefferson, RB Oregon State 72

Jefferson is a player with excellent vision, size, and toughness. He’s scheme diverse and can play all 3 downs at the next level. Jefferson doesn’t have elite speed or acceleration but this past season he showed a bit more burst than he had the previous two seasons. For his career he averaged almost 6 yards per carry and caught over 40 passes, showing an ability to not only pass protect but also be dynamic after the catch. While he’s not a big time route runner at this point he shows really good patience and vision in the screen game and once he catches a pass in the flat. At 5’9 and almost 220 pounds he has the power and toughness to play for a while in the league. He projects as a nice 3 down complementary back in the NFL and he’ll likely go on day 3 where he can provide a really high value pick.

Jefferson is good in the red zone and has a nose for the endzone. While again he doesn’t have the speed to get the edge, he shows a nice ability to put his foot in the ground and get upfield, particularly on outside zone runs. He popped a few long runs in college but I doubt he’s someone who is going to go the distance a lot in the NFL.

Look he does everything at an above average level, and while he’s not dynamic in terms of overall ability he is going to be a really quality rotational running back. Jefferson can catch the ball, pass protect, and works well in the redzone. I don’t think he’s someone who can be a high end starter in the NFL but he projects as a quality second running back option who can do pretty much everything on all 3 downs at a decent level. He’s a tough, physical runner with excellent contact balance. Right now he’s ranked as a late round pick, but he’s someone who could provide really good value early on day 3. 

112. Thomas Graham, CB Oregon 72

Graham is a nice player who I think early on day three of the draft will provide a solid 5th or 6th defensive back for a team in the NFL. He’s a good tackler who was a productive player in college and fits the mold of the dreaded good college player who might not translate as well. I think he’s going to be best in a dime back role, where he’s asked to cover another teams’ 3rd or 4th wide receiver or play a series of zone defenses. He’s an instinctual player and had over 30 PBU in his career so his ball skills are high quality. His tackling ability, ball skills, and football IQ lead me to believe he could have a solid career in the NFL with a decent floor as a CB3/4 with a possibly move to a third roving safety type role as well.

In pass coverage he’s got decent athleticism but really good players, like Brandon Aiyuk were too much for him in one on one. He’s going to be much better in a predominantly zone system, although he doesn’t back down in man coverage. He’s a good tackler for the most part and despite average quickness he shows plus route recognition skills. Solid player, but in a deep draft and with only marginal upside he’s more of a round 4 guy for me in this class but I actually do like his floor as a situational DB and probably a good special teamer. 

113. Tylan Wallace, WR Oklahoma State 72

Wallace is a solid player who projects as a WR3 in the NFL in that he looks to be a competitive player who can likey do a bit of everything in the receiver room. While his upside in an NFL offense is clearly capped his floor should be high in that he is tough in contested catch situations, is feisty after the catch, and shows reliable strong hands to move the chains. While he’s not elite at any one area he projects as average at virtually everything and shows some plus characteristics down the field. Wallace should be a WR2/3 at the next level although I believe he’s more in the WR3 range. This draft is tough for him because in most classes he’d clearly be a second round pick but here I think I’d prefer him in the back half of round 3 or preferably in the fourth.

While I like Wallace unfortunately I don’t think there’s anything that jumps off the screen when you watch him on tape. He was productive as can be at Oklahoma State but it was mostly due to the offensive volume they ran and the fact that he played in a conference with terrible defenses. Wallace has over 3300 yards the past 3 seasons and racked up 26 touchdowns, he’s a productive guy who does an excellent job tracking the football. While he has good not great speed he creates separation down the field fairly frequently, and when he doesn’t he still makes contested 50/50 balls more like 70/30 balls with his hand eye coordination. He’s good after the catch as well and shows an ability to hang on to slants and tough back side catches. He’s reliable and solid.

The issues we have here are that he’s about 6’ and 190 pounds and doesn’t create separation with route running, he was open based on scheme and that’s a problem. He’s also got very good speed but still struggles to create room on his routes and he’s solid after the catch but not elite. In a class with tremendous receivers who have elite skills somewhere he just doesn’t anywhere. He’s a quality player but he’s stuck in a draft with stars and solid may land him on day 3 instead of day 2. I think he's probably a WR3/4 early in his career but could work his way into the WR2 conversation later on due to reliability and contested catch ability. One of the more consistent players in the draft could end up a nice value pick in the middle rounds. 

114. Amari Rodgers, SLOT Clemson 72

A guy I really like to watch on tape who I think will end up being a solid middle tier slot receiver in the NFL. Rodgers projects best on day 3 as he’s strong as hell, tough, and a solid player but lacks the traits you need to take someone from a position like slot and catapult him into the top 2 days. At 215 pounds he plays the slot position like a running back but doesn’t really have much wiggle or shake there but he plays physical and gets upfield. He’s an average route runner at this point and only okay at contested catches. He’s a solid round 4 or 5 guy whose physicality and size could make him a good slot receiver and special teamer in the NFL for a while.

I don’t really have much else to say about Rodgers. He needs to work on being able to round a more diverse route tree. He has decent speed in the 4.5’s probably but isn’t going to blow by you. His toughness after the catch is a plus but he’s not creating immediate separation like elite slot guys do. He’s a solid piece and if he goes to a great quarterback I’m sure he’ll be productive but he’s not going to life up a quarterback or an offense with his ability. I think he could be good on special teams and be a nice piece in an offensive attack. 

115. Rashad Weaver, DE Pitt 71

Weaver projects as a versatile defensive end in either a 34 or a 43 defense. He has good length and power in his hands but lacks the quick twitch ability to be a high end pass rusher at the NFL level. He was fairly productive at Pitt and does a decent job creating pressure occasionally but he’s not twitchy and while he has some pop in his hands, he’s not really a pocket pusher or mover. He averaged about 3 tackles per game throughout his career at Pitt and likely projects as a base end in a 34 if he can add about 15 pounds to his frame. Watching him at the Senior Bowl showed his limitations, but he’s not going to be a liability and flashes some potential as a 3-5 sack guy in the NFL if given the snaps. He should be taken early on day 3.

Weaver is decent as a pass rusher because he has good length. When he gets on an island against inferior talent he wins more often than he loses. I wish he could play with more bend and explosion off the snap but he has good pop with his hands. I think if he were to add more weight to his frame he’d project best as a 34 defensive end. His length means that he can utilize the power here and there, and when he does get a decent jump he can get on the edge of a tackle and use him to push the pocket. 

As a run defender he has the potential to be a good base end. I don’t think again he has the explosiveness to be dynamic here but having someone who can process quickly and diagnose plays while keeping them back inside is key to certain defenses. His ability to steer offensive tackles and then get off at the last minute to make TFL was his best quality at Pitt where he ended up with 34 TFL. I don’t think he’s great here but he can be a high quality edge setter and maybe if he moves to a 5 technique he can be a quality penetrator here and there as well.

Overall he just lacks upside. While he has a chance to maybe be an edge setting starter in a base defense I can’t see him being a highly productive pro. If he were around in the 4th or 5th round and I was looking for a strong long guy to set the edge who showed an ability to give an occasional pass rush I’d probably snatch him up. That said, he’s a pretty low ceiling guy in a draft where there are some really quality pass rushers. Just a different type of player here, and as someone who missed the 2019 season with a knee injury as well, he just can’t be taken in the first two days of the draft. 

116. Cameron McGrone, LB Michigan 71

I think he’s a fine football player who has a role as a blitzing take on inside linebacker at the next level. McGrone may find himself as the starting part in a base defense 34 inside linebacker tandem because he can be the takeon downhill guy while his inside mate can run around and make plays. McGrone isn’t a volume tackler, and only has one career pass breakup in 16 games so he’s not a coverage guy. What he does well is run around and thump and cause pileups, but that’s a skill that a lot of people have. He’s a guy who will work well in doing his job and playing an attacking style into the middle of a team’s play but who lacks the skill set to be more than a role player, although he could be a quality player at that role in a specific scheme.

He’s fun to watch when he just gets to run and make plays and doesn’t have to try to diagnose. When McGrone gets to go downhill and hit he’s a solid player who can push back a pocket and force quarterbacks to get uncomfortable. He’s at his best in blitz situations whether in the run game or the pass game when he just gets to attack a gap. 

Where he has a bit of an issue is in play diagnosis and it ends up with him being a step or two late on a consistent basis. Despite playing the middle linebacker spot behind a good front, he averaged just 5.5 tackles per game in college with 11 tackles for loss in 16 games. He just sees the game a bit slower than you’d like from a middle linebacker. He’s athletic and carries his weight well but at 6’1 236 he’s not exactly a thumper. I think he could be a nice piece as a 43 strongside linebacker who just gets to go get it or a 34 inside linebacker who works as the downhill player. He could be a quality base linebacker in the NFL but he’s a limited player who is fairly overrated in the draft process and to me shouldn’t be taken in the first two days, but on day three could probably be a solid high floor if boring contributor. 

117. Demetric Felton, ATH UCLA 71

At 5’8 and around 190 pounds Felton is a small player and obviously the lack of size for a running back prospect, even a third down projected one such as Felton is worrisome. That said he is an exceptionally dynamic player who could have a big role in a pass happy offense as a third down back who can easily flex out and play the slot. With experience in both roles for the Bruins Felton showed an ability to create separation while split out, and his angle routes against linebackers are almost impossible to stop. He’s only got okay vision as a back and obviously he lacks power and won’t ever be a bell cow type running back or give you much inside, but his versatility and short area quickness could make him a very useful NFL weapon.

I think he’s going to end up being a situational chess piece for NFL coaches, particularly ones who like to utilize different offensive concepts. Felton could be in as a traditional back and then split out wide to create mismatches with linebackers or safeties. It’s where he’ll thrive in an NFL offense. As a pure running back he’s likely never going to be a 100 carry plus type guy in the league but he could certainly be someone who averages 5 or more catches per game. He’s a situational passing game role player with outstanding quickness and plus route running ability, particularly when matched up with linebackers in space. He should be a target early on day 3 for a pass happy team as taking him earlier than that is a difficult ask considering he’s going to be a role player in the league. The team that gets him though will be happy to get a dynamic playmaker if he can stay healthy at under 190 pounds. 

118. Simi Fehoko, WR Stanford 70

A super raw prospect with high end H/W/S tools, he’s a developmental WR4 right now who could end up being an elite special teams player and turn into a WR3 in time. At 6’4 228 pounds, Fehoko has very good pure speed. While his career was mostly quiet playing for the Cardinal, Fehoko broke out in a big way in his final college game against UCLA putting up over 200 yards and showing the talent that’s there. At his pro day he ran 4.42 showing what he could become down the road.

The Height-Weight-Speed combination to me is where I begin to find myself thinking he could end up being a great special teams guy. Im looking for players who can run down the field and make plays with physicality and you aren’t going to find much better than 228 pounder who runs in the low 4.4s. He shows good toughness through the catch as a receiver, but he’s not much of a route runner as he’s likely only an x receiver in the league. He has a chance to develop in time as he’s got potential, and he’s quicker than you’d think for someone with his build, so the route running potential down the road is there as well. He just has a ways to go to get where he could eventually get. 

He can’t go in the first two days of the draft as there is just too much to work on here. That said he’s a perfect developmental player who can play ST for the first couple seasons while you figure out what you can get out of him as a WR. He has a chance to be a difference maker in time but you are going to need patience and a good WR coach to get it out of him but the raw tools are elite. 

119. Spencer Brown, OT Northern Iowa 70

He’s one of the most physically gifted players in this draft but he may be the most raw offensive lineman in the class. At 6’8 and 312 pounds with long arms and beyond elite athleticism, Brown has tools that every single tackle in the world would love to have. He put on an absolute show at his pro day with a 4.88 40, and 7.03 3 cone drill at 6’8 which is honestly something I never thought I’d see from someone that long levered. He has truly incredible H/W/S combination that is a 10 on the scale that I give for those measureables. That said he is the most raw offensive lineman in the class with poor footwork and hand placement and it showed up in a big way at the Senior Bowl, he’s the prototype for what you’re looking for in a developmental tackle though and by year 3 or 4 he could end up being very good in the league if he can get his technique squared away.

I’m not going to get too into this because Brown is the definition of a project. He likely can’t play except as a third tackle on sub packages and things of that nature as a rookie and he desperately needs and NFL redshirt year to develop, get a better anchor, and really learn the position. His mirroring technique is atrocious and his hands get super wide at the point, losing power and positioning. His kickstep is odd and awkward and while speed can’t get around him when he played in the NFL it’ll cause problems. All that said on day 3 he needs to be highly targeted by teams with two experienced tackles already because this kid has all the potential in the world. Brown could end up being an excellent player in the league but if he doesn’t have the work ethic he could also end up being gone after 3 or 4 years. The risk is certainly worth it in round 4 or 5 though as you aren’t going to find his blend of quickness and size often in the NFL, and almost never on day 3. 

120. Kendrick Green, IOL Illinois 70

An obscenely quick interior offensive lineman who has the talent to turn into a quality player on the interior in a few years. Green is 315 pounds but moves like someone who is 270 and is lightning quick off the snap. While he’s only played 3 seasons on the offensive line, and he has some very bad reps on film spread throughout plus tape, he has immense long term talent. I think he has some serious upside down the road and likely will find his best spot to be center on an outside zone team, but early in his career he’s going to likely be a 3 position backup on the inside. He really needs reps and coaching to get better with hand placement, second level angles, and balance as he ends up on the ground or reaching a lot more than he should. That said in round 4 or particularly round 5 he should be targeted as a developmental center or guard, and if you run a zone blocking scheme he may get pushed up your board. It jumps off the screen how quick he gets off the snap.

He’s a better run blocker than a pass protector right now and some of that is he wants to take the fight to you. I like that he’s feisty and plays through the echo of the whistle and he’s not going to get someone who is a significantly better athlete than him playing inside. He’s going to get his share of holds and bull rushers early on though as his balance and base need significant help. Green also really needs that OL coaching on second level angles and how to get cut off blocks because while at times he’ll make exceptional plays, there’s too many times that he gets himself out of position there. Again, these are all VERY fixable mistakes with more and more reps and better coaching. He’s a developmental lineman who has a chance to turn into a high quality player. If your team is set on the inside for a year or two, adding a player like Green to develop is something that could pay huge dividends down the road. Big time talent, but you can’t rely on him to develop into what you need. A risk-reward type player in the 4th-6th rounds. 

121. Robert Rochell, CB Central Arkansas 69

Rochell is a solid cornerback prospect with elite athletic traits and tremendous career ball skills. With almost 50 combined interceptions and deflections in his career for Central Arkansas, Rochell looks the part in terms of productivity. In the game he played against Trey Lance he broke up two passes and stood out on tape. He’s 5’11 with long arms and has tremendous athleticism running in the 4.40 range at his pro day with a 40+ inch vertical, giving him the elite athlete moniker that he shows on film. That said he looks the part of a round 4 or 5 player in terms of potential but you can see the warts and the promise both during Senior Bowl week.

Rochell looks like an outside only corner at the next level, or perhaps even a long term project at free safety. He’s got the size and speed combination you’d look for in an outside guy but he has some stiffness in his hips and it allows easy separation at the top of routes. He can guard guys easily who run straight but shifty receivers are going to give him problems as he gets too flat footed. Early in his career he’s going to struggle against NFL receiver who can run complex routes, if it’s simple his athleticism will dominate, if it’s intricate he’s too stiff right now and has too poor of footwork consistently to get in the passing lanes.

I like him a lot as a developmental corner, somewhere particularly if you can get him in the 5th round or later. I love players with tremendous ball skills and athleticism and he’d usually be a bit higher on my board. That said his inability to stay sticky off the top of routes is problematic and it gives me pause to how effective he can be in the NFL. That’s where corners need to be great and he’s just not right now. He has the tools and the size and speed combination to be very good but he’s raw and a bit stiff, he’ll need to get NFL coaching to develop but he could end up being a really sneaky great player late in the draft if someone can coach him up. 

122. Dayo Odeyingbo, DL Vanderbilt 69

Odeyingbo is a versatile guy who has some skills that many people are enamored with. My rating is by far the lowest of any draft analyst out there as there are many people who have him in the second and third round range. Odeyingbo is 6’6 and 270 pounds and has lined up everywhere from the 7 technique all the way down to lined up over the center on pass rushing downs. He looks most comfortable playing more inside on pass rushing downs but he has some ability to set the edge as a base 43 end for sure as well. Overall though his football acumen and technique are both below average and while he’s versatile and has impressive athletic traits, he’s just not a great football player at this point. Add the fact he tore his Achilles in January and there is no way in hell you can take him in the first two days. He’s a round 5 guy in my opinion.

He’s an athletic guy who has plus length and size and shows good overall athleticism. He has a chance to develop into a quality player who likely will play some snaps outside in base and then kick to the three technique in pure pass rush scenarios. He shows the length and power to set the edge but his lack of play recognition and hand usage at this point means he has the ability but will sometimes fail to do much with his positioning. 

He has some quickness in the pass game as well and shows good upside, particularly in games and stunts, but in one on one situations he projects to be below average. To be successful in the league as a rusher is going to take him at least two full seasons and he’ll likely need to be put on a team that utilizes multiple attack angles and blitzes. He could certainly develop, as he has impressive traits and versatility to play either a 34 or 43 front and move all over the place there. However, he has a long way to go and that Achilles injury puts a big damper on his value. Buyer beware of a first two day pick here. 

123. Benjamin St. Juste, CB Minnesota 68

A super long, 6’3 corner who is rising up draft boards, St. Juste looks to me to be a zone only single high outside corner. For someone who played that much football to have zero interceptions is problematic for me as a scout, as I believe ball skills are vitally important in today’s NFL. St. Juste is a below average athlete for the position on tape and while there’s some things you can’t teach at corner like his length and size, his route recognition and lack of pure ball skills tend to push him down my draft board. He’s someone if I were a zone heavy team would like in the 4th or 5th round. If I’m a team that likes off man though he’s not on my board at all. 

He’s got some decent tape here and there, particularly against Penn State where he flashed over and over again but the rest of his film is sort of hit and miss. You can see the potential there for him to develop into a solid starting C3 cornerback but it could take a couple of years for him to get the reps and the time to get there. He projects best as an early in his career special teams player and developmental corner down the road. 

124. Shi Smith, WR South Carolina 68

A solid slot receiver option who has good speed and quickness and put up solid tape, Smith is a nice player who should be selected in round 4 or 5 of the NFL Draft. There’s not a ton here that really screams at you to take him early as a pure slot guy but he’s a high quality player and I think as a pure slot he’ll have some suitors. If he goes to the correct team that utilizes slot players well he has a chance to be very effective in the league. Smith is 5’9 and around 185 pounds but runs well. He was a productive college player with over 170 catches and could end up being a nice complementary piece in the league. I think his ceiling is pretty darn low though, and he’s likely to be a solid if unspectacular slot player.

Smith is a quick athlete and showed better than average speed at his pro day. I think he can end up getting open more quickly than some guys can but with the small stature his catch radius isn’t huge. He can telegraph his routes at times and needs to play through contact a touch better at the catch point. He’s never going to be someone to really light you up or scare you as much as a defense though and you can’t teach the fact he’s undersized. I like him and if he goes to a team that utilizes the slot a lot he’ll probably have some solid numbers but he’s not a dominant player and has a mid tier floor. I think he’s a nice pick in the 5th round type guy for a team that could use a WR4/5. 

125. Jaelon Darden, WR North Texas 68

Darden put up tremendous numbers this past season and projects as a WR4 and Punt Returner in the NFL. At 5’9 and 170 pounds size is obviously a factor in drafting him and you have to be aware that he may struggle to stay healthy in the NFL. He’s very shifty and has some explosiveness after the catch, showing plus acceleration. His catch radius is really small though and so he’d be best utilized going to a team with a precise quarterback and to a spread offense. He lacks the strength and size to block and therefore is going to be a niche complementary piece. There’s always a place in the NFL for guys who can be explosive, but to me in a very deep receiver draft someone this small who doesn’t honestly jump out at me on tape despite his big numbers in terms of translating is more of a mid to late day 3 type player.

He’s very good after the catch and almost always makes the first guy miss. He’s got good straight line speed and will beat up slower outside defenders when given the chance. Where he struggles is that you want to put him inside because he’s so small but his catch radius is limited and he doesn’t do well with contested catch situations so he’s pigeon holed into being a WR4 in a spread type offense, although I think he’ll probably be a good punt returner. I think if someone takes him in the 5th or 6th round and has a good plan for him he’ll probably be an effective pro, but not being able to make contested catches routinely and being that size makes him a risky proposition to make it to a quality second contract. 

126. Ardarius Washington, S TCU 68

Washington plays the game hard and had an excellent season in 2019 where he intercepted 5 passes and was part of the best safety duo in the country. There are numerous people who have him as a second round graded player headed into the 2021 NFL Draft. He shows good instincts, particularly when playing centerfield and does a nice job breaking on the football. There are things to like about his game without question. That said, he’s 5’8 and around 175 pounds and simply doesn’t have the size to play in the NFL without giving up a bunch. On the couple tapes I watched while he for the most part did a nice job he also could have given up more if the quarterbacks were on target. 

At that size, while he’s willing in run support he’s not super effective and in his entire career he only had two games where he registered more than 6 tackles, and if you take out a 14 tackle game against Oklahoma, he averaged just 3.5 tackles per game. Washington can get engulfed by wide receivers and tight ends and bigger backs just body him up with ease. He needs to be kept completely clean to make plays in the run game.

As a pass defender he really gave up very little into his zones in college, and he was really good at exploding down through the open areas and shortening separation. However, in the NFL guys will simply throw it up and let them go get it against Washington, as he’ll get bodied up. College quarterbacks throw to open spaces, against Washington at his size, people will always be open. 

There are good things to like about him as a pure football player, and his tape is pretty darn good. That said, people that size just don't’ hold up in the NFL for long. His tape is good enough and he grades out well enough that he’s worth drafting for a zone heavy team who wants to play him in the single high spot a lot. He won’t fit a lot of teams’ minimum criteria for size though. I have a 5th round grade on him and think his size will mitigate his effectiveness in the NFL. I wish he were 3 inches taller and longer though because he’s a good football player. 

127. Patrick Jones, DE Pitt 67

Jones is a player who projects as a rotational defensive end in a 43 system. He was highly productive at Pitt with 42 combined tackles for loss and sacks over the past two seasons. He has adequate size and length and his quickness and pass rushing moves are solid as a defensive end candidate. I think he’ll end up being a nice third defensive end in the league for quite a while, but he’s limited in what he can become and the lack of explosion off the snap and urgency means his upside is capped. If I’m looking for someone who can give you something against the run and the pass and need a guy as a strong or weakside backup though on day three he’s a quality option with a decent floor.

At 6’4 and 265 pounds he has good size to be a strongisde or weakside 43 defensive end in the league. His productivity goes without saying and from time to time he does an excellent job of using a dip and rip move to get to the quarterback. His inside moves need work though and he played almost every snap from a 7 technique position and needs to develop an inside counter. He’s got decent quickness but it’s not enough to not have a real speed to power combination inside. Against weaker tackles he’ll push through them but you could see his lack of explosion at the Senior Bowl where he just looked like another guy. He’s a decent day three candidate with quality reps and good size, and as a third defensive end on a team his potential to be solid in the run and pass game could be a nice quality boring selection for a GM looking to add depth. 

128. Janarius Robinson, DE Florida State 66

A guy with super long arms and good potential who never really put it together at Florida State. That entire defense underachieved becuase they were so poorly coached though so he’s a major day 3 projection type player. I think he would fit best as a 34 defensive end who could use his length to set the edge and get off blocks. He’s raw as a player and plays way too upright at this point to do much or be a high end producer but there’s an abundance of talent. Robinson is a day 3 guy who an NFL D-Line coach is going to be pounding the table for because he could end up being good. 

He’s got some tools to use in terms of hand rush and variety of pass rush moves but he doesn’t utilize them well at this point. He can take on blocks but he doesn’t utilize leverage well and will play too upright at times, giving up some ground or allowing himself to be blocked by mediocre players. I think it’ll be at least one year and probably more like two before he can develop into a quality NFL player. I don’t think he’s on my list if I run a 43 even though he played mostly 43 end in college but if I ran an odd front I’d look for him in the 5th or 6th round as a developmental 5T who is a good risk-reward pick later in the draft. 

129. Marlon Tuipulotu, DT USC 66

Tuipolotu is a decent rotational defensive line candidate for the NFL. While I don’t think he displays anything that will separate him from a normal rotational interior defensive lineman, he has enough of everything to end up being someone who can play a role as a backup in the NFL. He’s got decent size to be a 3 technique run stuffer and bullrusher on pass rush downs but he lacks the consistent leverage and quickness to dominate. At the Senior Bowl it was obvious that he lacks dynamic ability but he shows some toughness and could help from the inside.

As a run stuffer he does a decent job of getting detached from interior lineman and he used that to get over 100 tackles the last three seasons combined from the inside. He hangs in there on double teams even as he’s only 308 pounds. At times he can get a little bit tall but he’ll battle for the most part, particularly while he’s slanting and getting underneath pads. I like his lateral mobility and capability to contain two or three gaps from the 3 technique play. I think this is where he ends up being a borderline long term starter because he’s a highly productive interior defensive lineman against the run.

As a pass rusher he’s mediocre at best as a prospect. The past three seasons he does have 8.5 sacks combined which isn’t bad but he’s almost entirely a bullrush and rip player. He lacks upside here but he can certainly push the pocket, and his ability to detach is his best skill and the lateral agility he has may allow him to get some stepped up quarterback sacks. Tuipulotu is a solid rotational defensive line candidate, and it’s possible he’ll develop into a starter in his career, but he lacks the upside to be much more than a rotational player. 

130. Chris Rumph, OLB Duke 66

Rumph is a very productive player who has a slender build but plays tough and with great effort. He has 50.5 combined tackles for loss and sacks over the past three years, playing in a variety of roles for the Duke defense. Where he ldooked the best on tape was when he’s standing up and attacking downfield through blitz gaps. Rumph is pretty athletic but has virtually zero chance at this point to hold the edge as an outside player at the next level. Rumph needs to add a ton of play strength and will likely end up being a situational player in pure pass situations. He looks like he’ll be at his best as a 34 outside linebacker on the weakside of a formation where he can use his bend, effort, and processing skills to chase down players. 

Rumph is an extremely smart player and uses tremendous technique.I think he’ll find ways to make plays at the next level due to those factors mentioned above but he’ll get overpowered at times and show some terrible reps. His toughness means he could turn into a really quality special teams player as the floor to his game. There’s a chance he develops into a good blitzer and that bend he has could turn him into a quality situational player but unless he can develop either as someone who can drop into coverage or someone who can add 15 pounds of strength at a minimum to set the edge, he’ll be a very spot player. He’s a guy to take a chance on with that high production and intellect though on day 3. Definitely a 34 fit would be best. 

131. Tutu Atwell, WR Louisville 65

He’s an absolute burner and has exceptional quickness and straight line speed which is rare to find someone who has both. He’s a niche player who has the wheels to score from anywhere on the field on any play. He’s also a very poor route runner who has to be schemed open unless it’s on bombs down the field or pop passes. At 5’9 and 155 pounds he’s also likely to be the smallest player in the draft and there’s a huge possibility that he misses a ton of time in the NFL. That said he’s such a simple evaluation as an early day three pick because you just can’t teach how fast and quick he is, it jumps out on tape. Atwell projects as a gadget player who has the potential to score every time he touches it, but who lacks the size to stay on the field with consistency. 

I’m not going to get too far into this write up because it’s pretty simple and so he’s a two paragraph guy. He isn’t going to play through contact and while he’s electric in the open field he avoids contact and gets to the sideline every time that he can. He’s explosive off the line and when lined up in the slot he simply runs by safeties and nickels which means he’s going to have a handful of huge plays every season. He’s not someone who is a high volume guy though except on designed pop passes and screens because despite his quickness his route running is sloppy and lacks urgency. He’s a one trick pony, but it’s a damn good trick. In round 5-6 if your team is lacking a big play type guy or needs pure speed, you could find a player who could fill that void but his lack of size and weakness as a route runner except on deep routes means he’s not someone you can take on the first two days. Honestly with his size, and then the fact he ran a 4.44 which is fast but not exceptional particularly at pro days he’s a borderline draftable kid for me. It’s easy for someone his size to wash out so you have to be careful there. 

132. Khalil Herbert, RB Virginia Tech 65

A solid if unspecatacular player who has good vision and looks like a solid day 3 volume back. I don’t think he’s someone who is going to be a difference maker in the NFL as a rotational early down mix and match back. He would be best suited for a role in a backfield by committee role as a complimentary back. He lacks the pop and ability in the passing game to be anything more than a solid rotational back and he’ll get what’s blocked for him but seems more of a nice piece but not a top 2 back in an offense.

Herbert isn’t a very good pass protector and having never caught more than 10 passes in a season, at around 205 pounds he just doesn’t have the things you’d need for a top tier back. He lacks the size to be a thumper on early downs and the quickness and ability in the passing game on third downs. Therefore to me he seems like a 3rd back who can play mostly early downs and as a change of pace vision back. Herbert is quality but not special and should be looked at more as depth late on day 3. 

133. Talanoa Hufanga, S USC 64

Hufanga is a good tackler for a safety and has good awareness and football IQ. He seems to diagnose plays well and he’s a consistently solid player. Hufanga has a history of major medical issues though and that paired with well below average athleticism caps what he can become in the NFL. He looks like a box safety or split safety guy who will be scheme dependent to a zone heavy system as he lacks the tools to play man or cover enough ground in the NFL. I think he probably makes his mark on special teams and could eventually become a third safety and backup strong safety or nickel safety down the road. 

In the passing game he shows good enough instincts to make plays on the football but this skill won’t translate well into the NFL. He lacks the speed to carry tight ends or running backs and therefore he’ll need to go to a zone heavy system. He does show the potential to be the strong safety in a cloud 3 or cover 3 based system though. He’s got good instincts but lacks the tools to make a lot of the plays at the next level. 

Hufanga is a solid tackler and plays best at and toward the line of scrimmage. He showed versatility in moving all over the formation for the Trojans but looks best when he’s able to play at the second level and run and chase backs. For his career he averaged over 8 tackles per game and while he’ll have to take really long pursuit angles due to lack of speed, he’s one of the more consistent tacklers in the nation. I think it’s the reason he projects well as a third safety or special teams player. With a long injury history and subpar athleticism it’s tough to take him earlier than the 5th or 6th round and it’s where he should end up as his ceiling is just too low in such a deep draft to spend higher draft capital on him. 

134. Dylan Moses, LB Alabama 64

Moses is a supremely talented player with really poor tape. There were people who thought he was going to be the next great thing in terms of Alabama inside linebackers. However, when he came back this season he simply wasn’t very good. He’s an elite athlete who has incredible hitting power and sideline to sideline speed. That said though he doesn’t feel blocking flow well and in coverage he gets lost on a more consistent basis than you’d like. Moses has 90+ upside, and he can likely play all three linebacker spots in the NFL, but his tape is borderline draftable. A team taking a shot on him needs to understand there is going to be major upside, but also there could be really bad reps here and there.

135. Sage Surratt, WR Wake Forest 63

Surratt was a highly productive high school player and an extremely smart person. He accepted an offer to go to Harvard on a football scholarship before going to play for the Demon Deacons. Surratt is one of the more physical receivers in this class and uses his size and toughness to thrive in contested catch situations. The issues that are going to spark for him continuously in the NFL is that he just doesn’t get any separation. Almost all of his catches are going to be contested, and while he has terrific ball skills he simply will end up being a WR3 in the NFL at best due to his lack of speed and quickness.

Surratt is limited and won’t end up being anything more than a complementary piece at the next level although I think he could end up being productive on special teams as a vice or gunner on kickoffs. At 6’3 and 215 pounds he has a plus physical profile but he plays like a 4.6 guy. I think he could end up being used in a short motion type role as a blocker and a downfield guy in sub packages with 4 wide receivers. He does a nice job in contested catch situations and uses his body well on slot routes. He’s at his best on back shoulder throws down the field and could end up being a solid piece but lacks the upside to be anything more than a middle tier player. He’s a round 5-6 guy most likely if you have a team with burners but could use some size in the receiver room. 

5TH -7TH ROUND GRADES:

I didn’t want to do full writeups for everyone so I gave a basic synopsis on guys that are rounds 5-7. Some of the guys I did writeups on are also round 5-7 above but these ones below were basic and didn’t need much explanation. 

• Hunter Long TE Boston College (maybe a round 5 grade for me as a TE2/3. Was going to do a full writeup on him but he’s so boring to watch, average in everything in does but not bad in anything. Projects as your super Basic TE2/3 in the league, nothing more)

• Deonte Brown, G Alabama (Definitely draftable but he’s later, huge, powerful, scheme dependant)

• Jamie Newman, QB Wake Forest/Georgia (Talented but very inconsistent, ball placement issue)

• Marquez Stevenson, WR Houston (Burner but in a deep WR class he’s replaceable, RD 5?)

• Tony Fields, LB West Virginia (Solid if unspectacular, rotational LB, ST guy)

• Brady Christiansen, G/T BYU (Good tape but short arms and average athlete at best)

• Kylin Hill, RB Mississippi State (Some character concerns but talented)

• KJ Britt, LB Auburn (Not a great athlete but a good player)

• Divine Deablo, S/LB Virginia Tech (Tools and H/W/S, ST stud, dime linebacker)

• Ben Mason, FB Michigan (Best FB in the class and could be a star on ST)

• Jacoby Stevens, S LSU (Tools and H/W/S, I’d plug him in on ST and let him go to work)

• Jacob Harris, WR UCF (I’d target him late and in the draft or VERY early in UDFA area, he’s 6’5 219 pounds and ran 4.38 with a sub 6.6 3 cone, that’s 10/10 HWS. I’d grab him add 10 pounds and convert him to TE, If I had a bunch of late picks I may even take him in the 5th)

• Shemar Jean -Charles, CB App State (Small and not very fast but with exceptional tape, he’s one of those corners on day 3 that teams can grab and develop and he could turn into a good starter in time, he’s not a traits based guy though and the step up in competition could hurt him but he’s 100% worth a shot on day 3)

• Chuba Hubbard, RB Oklahoma State (Very productive player but honestly nothing he does is super special. Looks like a basic RB3)

• Deommodore Lenoir, CB Oregon (Rotational cb in the NFL, has some ST chops)

• Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR Iowa (Super quick guy who I think will end up being one of those WR3/45 guys who can do a lot and be kind of a quietly solid pro. Has tools and quicks to be effective in the league, but played with an offense that didn’t utilize him well)

• Ian Book, QB Notre Dame (I think he could have a 10 year career as a backup quarterback. He’s smart, athletic, a winner).

• Trevon Grimes, WR Florida (A good H/W/S prospect ay 6’4 with around a 4.52 40, but he’s raw and needs some help. I would consider him late though because he could end up being a really good WR4/ST player combo and you could develop him)

• Stone Forysthe, OT Florida (You could make a case for him in round 4 but to me he’s more round 5 and looks like he’s going to be a swing tackle in the league. The technique is awful but he’s got great length and quick feet for being 6’8. Talented)

• Kene Nwangnwu, RB Iowa State (7th round flier as he’s supposedly insane on ST and is 6’0 212 pounds and ran an unofficial 4.29)

• Patrick Johnson, OLB Tulane (6’6 240 is a weird build but he’s a good athlete and was super productive. I didn’t go through enough tape to give him a grade but he was in the 5 range for me off first glance, could turn into a nice player in the league, DEF a 34 OLB)

• Daelin Hayes, EDGE Notre Dame (Kind of a quietly solid player, could see him having a nice career as a 3rd or 4th edge for someone, nothing flashy and definitely later in the draft but he’s a good piece)

• Noah Gray, TE Duke (He’s got some talent and could end up being a solid move tight end and ST guy)

• Kary Vincent, CB LSU (I could see him somehow developing into a DB6 or even a subpackage player in the league. He has talent and he’s been tested, I kind of like him)

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PLAYERS I JUST DON’T KNOW ABOUT DUE TO INJURY:

Walker Little OT Stanford - two full seasons missed due to injury and opt out, he’s someone with top 10 talent but it’s going to be almost impossible to give him a grade. If he falls into round 3 somehow then he’s definitely worth a risk but in such a deep draft I might let someone else take the chance on him until you get beyond pick 50. 

Landon Dickerson, C Alabama - Dickerson honestly is probably one of the 15 best players in this entire class but his injury history is brutal. He tore an ACL in 16 and then missed big parts of 17 and 18 with ankle injuries before playing his only healthy season in 19 with Bama. In 2020 he tore his ACL again after putting together arguably the best offensive line tape in the nation this year. Dickerson is a first round talent, at worst he’s a round 2 guy. That said, I just don’t think he can stay healthy enough, does he fall far enough to take the risk due to how good he could be. We’ll find out in April. 

Justin Hilliard, LB Ohio State -  A former 5 star recruit Hilliard only played more than 200 snaps in a season once for the Buckeyes and yet essentially has the most special teams reps of anyone in this draft. Injury after injury caused him to miss out on playing time and there’s just no way to know if he’s healthy. I think on day three though you can draft him as a pure special teams player but his injury history is so extensive you may just want to take a shot in round 6 or 7 because he may not last long in the NFL. The worries were exacerbated even more with a 4.82 40 at his pro day. I think he’s a UDFA for me

NOT ENOUGH TAPE:

Tay Gowan, CB UCF 

Jamien Sherwood, S Auburn

Rachad Wildgoose, CB Wisconsin

Trill Williams, DB Syracuse

PLAYERS WITH VERY LATE OR UDFA GRADES

Paris Ford - S Pitt - sorry you can’t run a 4.91 even if you have mid round tape

Richard LeCounte - S Georgia 4.84 with borderline tape isn’t going to work

Shakur Brown - CB Michigan State - he had day 3 tape and then had a real bad Pro Day