Yellow = round grade / relevant info
Blue = sleeper value watch / round likely available
Green = udfa watch
Red = medical
Gray = combine
White = pro day
Quarterback age @draft '21,'22 '21,'22
on target% TO worthy% pressure-sack% int fum
ht wt h a ws 10yd 40 3c ss bj v r
1 Bryce Young bama 21.9
5101 204 9¾ 30½ 73½
77.4 2.0 12.5 7,5 9,4
Much ado has been made about Bryce Young's weight. Artificial or not, real or imaginary, he's like any other top QB prospect: give him the tools he needs to succeed at the next level and he'll raise the team around him. Everyone needs certain things to be successful, and if Young is drafted into a circumstance where there's continuity and evolution and stability, he's got the capability as a processor, the command of a leader, and the physical ability to get by while learning the NFL game. His arm strength is a bit of a concern, but Drew Brees went to the playoffs every season the last four years of his career without the arm strength to turn on a ceiling fan—and won a postseason game three out of four times.
1 CJ Stroud osu 21.6
6030 214 10 32⅝ 77⅜
72.8 3.6 14.1 6,6 6,4
CJ Stroud is the most complete quarterback and the most natural thrower in this year's draft. When taking everything he offers as a whole: three-level accuracy, mobility, size, seeing the game through a coach's lens insofar as applying the game plan to the field—he's well-suited to become an upper-tier NFL producer from the QB position. That's certainly not to say there aren't improvements he will need to make in multiple areas, but he has everything needed to get to where you want him to be. And rising to the occasion—playing your best against the best is admirable, though playing down to the level of competition at times leaves a bit to be desired.
2-3 Tanner McKee4 stan 23.0
6055 231 9⅜ 32⅞ 79⅛ 7.22 4.41 114 33
72.0 1.5 27.0 7,8 4,5
Stanford's Tanner McKee is likely to be available well into day two. This also gives him a higher likelihood than others to be drafted into a situation that will be favorable to his development. His anticipatory throws rival anyone's in the 2023 draft. His fast decision making is a double-edged sword though: while it's a fantastic ability to have (and a necessary one), at times he seems to predetermine based on what he sees pre-snap—even when the play design doesn't call for it and it's not a hot route. He's not ready for the NFL game today, but his intelligence and prototypical build are the clay you need to mould a future field general.
2-3 Will Levis uk 23.10
6037 229 10⅝ 32 78⅛ 124 34
75.6 3.6 26.8 13,10 5,4
Lots of excuses have been made for Will Levis's up and down play. While some can be valid, they can't be complete extenuations exonerating him of poor play. The job is the film and we can't just ignore what he put on tape. He's no slouch and there's certainly a lot you can get behind (even more so from 2021); some of his decisions though, are confounding. His interception total from the past two years is highest among draftable prospects (23)—that will have to be wrangled in. But with probably the strongest arm in the class and a host of other NFL-worthy abilities, he's likely to go early.
3 Hendon Hooker tenn 25.3 acl:nov
6031 217 10½ 33 79¼
75.9 1.1 29.0 3,2 15,7
Hendon Hooker is more than a flash in the pan. Showing improvement every year going back to his VA Tech days, he's no one-hit wonder. The torn ACL that ended his season in November is a national tragedy, as the entire country was finally on notice about his rare ability. He definitely has Josh Heupel to thank for designing Tennessee's offense around his skillset, and while he wasn't necessarily asked to do a lot of what is required in the league, somebody has to drive the truck—and Hooker kept the Rocky Top rig on the road, straight and true, with his deft and deliberate playmaking. His 29% pressure-to-sack rate is astronomical for someone of his athleticism; that will need to come down. But a miniscule 1.1 PFF percentage for plays that should result in a turnover is best in the class. And slashing his fumbles by more than half (15 in 2021, 7 in 2022) goes a long way toward proving his commitment and coachability.
3-4 Anthony Richardson uf 21.11
6040 244 10½ 32¾ 79⅞ 1.52 4.43 129 40½
64.1 3.3 9.8 5,9 2,5
The meteor streaking phosphorescently across the sky in this year's QB class is Anthony Richardson. With everyone enamored with his exceptional physical gifts and raw ability, he will be vastly overdrafted. Could Brian Daboll turn Taysom Hill into Josh Allen? Maybe. That's the comp everybody keeps using for Richardson: Josh Allen. But so far, Allen is one of exactly one. Betting on that type of transformational development is like marrying a girl you just met and don't even get along with because she's hot and you figure you can learn to like her. Even if you can teach him to throw a football accurately in three years, isn't it smarter to draft someone next year in a later round who only takes one year of development? If someone were drafting Richardson as a tight end it'd make more sense. Taysom Hill's tape from BYU really does evince him as a better thrower of the football. Richardson has put out more question mark film than M. Night Shyamalan.
4 Jake Haener5 fres 24.1 ankle:sep
5115 207 9⅜ 29¾ 73 7.01 114 35
78.8 2.2 21.5 9,3 7,2
Though missing some time in the middle of the season with an ankle injury, Jake Haener made improvements in nearly every aspect of his game in 2022. And a reported 96th percentile S2 Cognition score probably breaks ties between other similar prospect evals if the leak is to be believed. Not always great against better competition, Haener's tape shows plenty of room for improvement. But a day-three pick on a dude who can throw it into a mailbox (at least to the intermediate range) is probably worthwhile.
4 Clayton Tune5 hou 23.5
6025 220 9⅜ 31⅜ 75⅝ 1.55 4.64 6.89 4.25 122 37½
79.5 3.0 16.7 10,10 4,7
A 79.5 adjusted completion percentage from PFF is a Tune that had Houston's offense humming in 2022. And it's enough for a thorough dive into what Clayton Tune can offer your team. His 1.55 10-yard split is only slightly behind Anthony Richardson's 1.52, and a sub-6.9 3-cone screams "short-area quicks"—an ability useful for escaping the pocket and making something out of nothing via play extension. Double-digit INTs each of the past two years should be addressed, but we're talking about a guy whom you'll hope not to see on the field immediately.
4-5 Stetson Bennett6 uga 25.6
5112 192 10 28⅞ 72 1.58 4.67 4.20 118 33½
76.3 2.4 12.2 7,7 4,7
Stetson Bennett is being undervalued. Sure, it's easier to helm a ship into battle with the full force of Uncle Sam's Canoe Club behind you (or UGA's recruiting class) than say, navigating Cape Horn blind in a floating sailless bathtub just to face the Spanish Armada alone (as some others in the class have seemingly been asked to), but he's a dependable and respected leader and more athletic than he gets credit for. He doesn't have much bad film to speak of (save the one drive he played vs. South Carolina in 2021); he's been about as steady as Disney stock. He just doesn't have the traits that GMs get drunk on.
5 Jaren Hall byu 25.1
6001 207 9½ 29¾ 71⅞ 1.59 4.64 7.06 4.19
75.9 2.7 11.9 5,6 6,6
Many were hoping for a larger step forward from Jalen Hall in 2022. It's not as if he moonwalked back to the womb, but there was noticeable (though slight) regression in his onfield performance—likely due to responsibilities he wasn't saddled with the year before. While his completion percentage went up (63.9 in 2021 to 65.7 in 2022), his Y/A went down (8.7 to 8.4). Using NFL passer rating, which differs from the weight given to the metrics in the formula from the NCAA's passing efficiency rating, he improved between his two starting seasons (his college rating went up, but by an almost indefinable margin given the relative nature of the range the NCAA grade covers). It's not that there isn't progress in some areas, it's just hard to project an enormous leap once he's facing players who do it for a living.
6-7 Sean Clifford psu 24.9
6020 218 9⅝ 31⅝ 76¾ 1.60 4.62 6.84 4.25 116 30½
77.1 2.2 13.5 8,7 5,2
Setting Nittany Lion records for just about everything, Sean Clifford was definitely the number one at Penn State. But he'll be competing for a backup role in the NFL. He has good size and athleticism which is nice for getting out of trouble, though he frequently breaks the pocket unnecessarily. He finds the endzone often and doesn't turn the ball over much. There are certainly some things you like. But his mechanics will need to be overhauled.
6-7 Dorian Thompson-Robinson ucla 23.5
6014 203 9⅞ 30⅝ 74¾ 1.56 4.56 7.28 4.44 121 32½
77.4 4.1 11.0 6,10 6,10
Dorian Thompson-Robinson is a developmental QB prospect out of UCLA. His movement skills are a plus when the play breaks down, and he's quick to escape the pocket—often too early. His ability to avoid sacks is something you like, but he'll need to improve his presence and willingness to stare down the barrell and deliver the ball accurately. His recognition is above average and his arm strength is stellar: he matched Josh Allen's combine record ball velocity of 62 mph. With more and more teams acknowledging the advantage of having a mobile quarterback, it's likely Thompson-Robinson can find a home backing one up.
7ud Aidan O'Connell purd 24.8
6033 210 9¾ 32¼ 76¼
73.0 4.4 16.3 11,13 2,4
7ud Malik Cunningham lvil 24.6
5117 192 9½ 31⅜ 75⅜ 1.57 4.53
69.4 3.2 21.2 6,5 7,5
7ud Max Duggan tcu 22.1
6015 207 9⅞ 30⅜ 73⅜ 1.61 4.52 7.26 4.45 116 30½
74.2 3.0 18.5 6,8 4,2
Running Back age @draft drops/ctbl mtf% fum%
ht wt h a ws 10yd 40 3c ss bj v r
1-2 Bijan Robinson tex 21.3 0/19 40.6 .72
5110 215 9¾ 31⅛ 74¾ 1.54 4.46 124 37
What can be said about Bijan Robinson that hasn't already been said (and in some cases, exaggerated)? Many have asserted that he is Saquon Barkley, only even more prolific as a receiver. I would stop short of that like Frank Costanza, as Barkley had 54 receptions his final year in college while Robinson had just 19, but it is noteworthy that Robinson's 6.7 drop percentage over the past two seasons is only a tick behind Barkley's over his final two at Penn State (6.1). Not a lot needs to be stated about Robinson as a rusher. Stud.
2-3 Zach Charbonnet ucla 22.3 2/39 29.4 .43
6003 214 9⅞ 32 75⅝ 1.54 4.53 7.16 4.46 122 37
222
There's very little about Zach Charbonnet that doesn't project well to an NFL offense: gap, zone, receiving, run after catch, etc. If there's a knock, it's that he's regressed every year as a pass blocker. He was underutilized early at Michigan, but he was able to put his ability on full display under Chip Kelly.
2-3 Jahmyr Gibbs bama 21.1 1/45 29.2 0
5091 199 9¼ 30½ 74⅛ 1.51 4.36 33½
ko 20-21gt,22bama: 44ret 23.9avg 1td
If your team needs a running back, Jahmyr Gibbs will fit, plain and simple. He's slightly undersized by NFL standards, but that didn't hold him back in the nation's best conference. He weighed in shy of 200 lbs by a breakfast biscuit, but his 4.36 speed will be too much for teams to pass on early in day two of the draft. His missed-tackle-forced percentage on rushes (25.2) is a little less than you'd like for your offense's RB1, but with 19 more MTFs on 44 receptions in 2022, it brings his total rate up to nearly 30%.
2-3 Roschon Johnson4 tex 22.3 hand:feb2/16 46.3 .93
6001 219 9⅝ 32 76⅞ 1.54 4.58 122 31½
6003 225
Roschon Johnson is being thoroughly undervalued—presumably because he shares a jersey logo with Bijan Robinson, everybody's RB1, though their 10-yard splits match exactly: a very respectable 1.54. There's a lot more to like about Johnson besides that as well. At six foot, 219 at the combine, his build is NFL-ready for the workload of a rented mule. His missed-tackle-forced percentage is the highest in the class (46.3), and his 77⅝ wingspan helps to make him a valuable asset as the emergency checkdown when the throw can't be perfectly on target into his frame.
3-4 kr1 Devon Achane ta&m 21.6 3/39 25.9 .43
5084 188 8½ 29 69⅛ 1.49 4.32 7.05 4.36 111 33
ko 21-22: 20ret 30.7avg 2td
Devon Achane is a blur. His blinding 4.32 speed is tremendous at the position and has drawn comparisons to Chris Johnson. But at just 188 lbs (CJ2000 weighed in at 197 and ran 4.24 with an impossible 10-yard split of 1.40), Achane is a scheme-specific prospect built for Kyle Shanahan-minded play designers. He'd obviously be a fit in any offense that specifically accentuated his abilities, like Miami, where everyone on the roster seemingly has to have world-class sprinter speed. His 30+ yard kickoff return average across the past two seasons with a pair of TDs brings a lot of added value as well, and makes him KR1 in the class.
4 Eric Gray5 okla 23.5 0/34 28.1 .41
5095 207 9¾ 29⅝ 71⅜ 118 37½
5094 205 1.55 4.62 7.17 4.10 12
On the older side for running backs, Eric Gray will be almost 23½ by the draft. A transfer from Tennessee, his final season at Oklahoma really showed his potential. And with just one fumble in 347 offensive touches the past two years, you can trust him not to drop a greased hog in a rain storm. Zero drops on 34 catchable targets in 2022 is another example of his concentration and ball security.
4 Chris Rodriguez Jr6 uk 22.7 1/6 37.8 .56
5115 217 8⅝ 30⅝ 73⅝ 1.58 4.52 4.31 114 33 19
Chris Rodriguez Jr.'s 37.8 MTF% is third in the draft—behind only the two runaway 18-wheelers from Texas. At 6' 217 he has NFL size in spades. Less than an afterthought in UK's passing game four out of five seasons, he still managed to accumulate three drops on just 20 catchable career targets—though he only dropped one out of 14 in 2021. He's been hot and cold over his career at Kentucky in pass protection, but the ability is certainly there when he squares up.
4 Kenny McIntosh uga 23.1 0/42 31.1 1.04
6001 204 9 30½ 76⅜ 1.51 4.62
6002 216 1.64 4.70 7.69 4.69 113 32½
ko 20-21: 14ret 26.8avg 0td 22: 0
Kenny McIntosh is probably the most reliable pass catcher from 2022's running back group. With fewer drops on 75 career catchable targets (0) as times you'll let your kids pick the vacation (1), you'd think he was Steve Largent in the backfield by the numbers alone. McIntosh recorded 824 yards and 10 tuddies in an offense with no shortage of other mouths to feed. He also offers something in the kickoff return game, to which his 26.8-yard average from 2020-2021 will attest.
4 Tank Bigsby aub 21.8 3/33 33.7 .48
5115 210 9½ 32 1.56 4.56 119 32½ 21
215 1.58 4.45
Tank Bigsby is a big tank. Not oversized and far from slow (4.56 40), he's hefty enough (215 lbs at pro day) to be your every-down back beginning week one. Though his 9.1% drop rate is not exactly what you want out of the backfield as a receiver, he greatly improved in pass pro from 2021 to 2022.
4 Kendre Miller tcu 20.10 knee:dec 2/18 32.9 .83
5111 215 9⅜ 32⅜ 78½
Due to a knee injury suffered in the Playoff Semifinal, Kendre Miller didn't play in the Natty or participate in combine drills. TCU's pro day is on March 30th and will help to gauge where he is physically. His 6.7 career Y/A and 17 TDs in 2022 are a window into what he's capable of when healthy.
4 Tyjae Spears tuln 21.10 2/24 32.0 1.19
5095 201 10 30¾ 74 1.57 4.54 7.27 4.32 125 39 18
Tyjae Spears has some great tape from Tulane. Another southern smaller program prospect, his PFF elusive rating was comparable to DeWayne McBride's. His 4.55 YAC average was higher than that of Bijan Robinson, albeit in a lesser conference. And yet he's graded much higher most everywhere else than he gets credit for in this eval.
4 DeWayne McBride uab 21.9 0/2 32.8 2.13
5102 209 9½ 30⅝ 73⅛
5103 215 20
With 2034 yards after contact for DeWayne McBride the past two seasons, he was a runaway bowling ball for UAB. Oddly, their offensive scheme did next to nothing to utilize him in the passing game out of the backfield. He's largely a question mark in that regard as he only has five career catches, though it is encouraging that he has no drops on those catchable targets. It's important to note that his fumble rate of 2.13% for 2022—second-worst in the class and up from an also-bad 1.93% in 2021—is alarming to say the least.
5 Mohamed Ibrahim6 minn 24.7 0/7 22.0 .61
5076 203 9 28⅝ 69⅝
Closer to 25 than 24, Mohamed Ibrahim's age will have him off a lot of teams' boards. And with just a 22% combined MTF rate this past season, his fifth-round grade may be a little optimistic. He did top 1000 yards three times in five years for PJ Fleck's Gophers, which is notable. Unfortunately he lost pretty much all of 2021 to an achilles, but bounced back in 2022 with the highest usage rate of his career, having 320 carries, and responded with a plump statline boasting 20 TDs. More cause for sanguinity, Ibrahim maintained a five-plus Y/A average throughout college.
5 Zach Evans miss 21.11 2/14 25.6 1.92
5106 202 10¼ 31⅝ 78½
5111 208 1.57 4.51 6.89 4.25 121 33½
Zach Evans saw his usage and production rise considerably from 2021 with TCU to 2022 with Ole Miss. Averaging 6.5 yards per attempt in the SEC is noteworthy, as that was tied with Raheim Sanders of Arkansas (a 2024 prospect) for the best mark in the top conference. Evans' nearly 2% fumble rate is worrisome though.
5-6 Sean Tucker syr 21.6 medical? 5/42 19.9 .41
5092 207 9½ 30 73⅜
5094 209 38 29
Just five RBs in the class have a lower fumble percentage than Syracuse's Sean Tucker (.41), only one of whom is graded higher here (Gibbs). Tucker's sub-twenty MTF% is second-worst among draftable running backs this year though. And his three-year drop percentage of 13.7 is pretty far into the red, considering more of his targets were checkdowns than angles, choices, and wheels. He'll come off the board before he should.
5-6 Israel Abanikanda pitt 20.6 2/14 21.7 1.58
5101 216 8¼ 32 76 1.50 4.45 7.14 4.32 128 41
ko 21-22: 19ret 22.8avg 1td
Israel Abanikanda is still six months shy of drinking age. But filling out a 5'10" 216 lb frame like a cement light post stanchion in a mall parking lot, his build is no concern. He does have the smallest hands in this year's RB class (8¼") which may or may not be a contributing factor to his 1.58% fumble rate in 2022, though he had none on 177 offensive touches the two years prior. And who doesn't love saying "Abanikanda"?
6 Chase Brown ill 23.1 1/28 25.0 1.69
5094 209 10 31 75⅛ 1.50 4.43 127 40 25
Seeming to be a crowd favorite in mock circles, Chase Brown of Illinois looks like he won't last past round four. So what can Brown do for you and your team? With good size (5'10" 209) and the strength and pertinacity of two oxen fighting over a card game (25 bench reps), there's plenty to get excited about. Consistently playing well game in and game out this past season, and posting 1000-plus yards on the ground each of the past two years, what is the drawback? His age (23 by draft time) isn't doing him any favors, but it's his production after first contact which could signal that his college results may not be able to be recreated in the league: there are only three worse marks among draftable RBs than his 2.84 YAC/A for 2022.
6 Keaton Mitchell ecu 21.3 4/31 35.1 0
5077 179 9¼ 30¾ 74¾ 1.50 4.37 126 38
186 7.40 4.36 13
If Keaton Mitchell had more dependable hands, he'd be such a dangerous weapon in the pass game because of his ability in space to dodge defenders. He can probably dodge a wrench ... and also the ball, unfortunately. A nearly 13% drop rate in 2022 will douse the flames of hope for him as a consistent receiver like a wet woolen sock on a fading candle. And his pass pro—subpar to start with—got worse every season. Some team though, will be mesmerized by his 4.37 40 and 1.5 flat 10-yard split.
6 Tavion Thomas7 utah 22.11 0/6 20.3 1.35
6003 237 9¼ 31⅛ 76 1.57 4.74 4.69 118 31½ 19
The heaviest back at the combine, Tavion Thomas (6'½" 237) is a Volkswagen when he gets going. And with a 4.74 40, it takes him as long to get rolling too. Somehow his pass pro technique ended up in the toilet in 2022 like a dead goldfish, despite being bigger than most of the people he was assigned to pick up; he was much better all three seasons prior, though he was infrequently tasked with that responsibility. With two drops on 12 career catchable targets from Cincinnati to Utah, what you're getting from him as a receiver likely isn't much. But even as fullbacks have been disappearing like the chupacabra, a back that size has a use in the NFL: goalline—even if he's the third or fourth back on the roster.
6 Camerun Peoples appst 23.7 1/6 29.5 0
6013 217 9¾ 32⅝ 78⅝ 1.56 4.61 7.57 4.56 121 37 19
Camerun Peoples was Eric Dickerson for App State. He will not be that at the next level, but at 6'1½" 217 he sort of looks like him on a football field. His upright running style lies to you about his shiftiness, hypnotizing would-be tacklers into a state of foolishness and disbelief. And his 32⅝" stiff arm is rangy enough to keep a jousting knight from getting into his body. He'll be 23 and seven months old for the draft.
6 SaRodorick Thompson tt 23.7 1/24 28.0 1.24
5114 207 9 31⅝ 77 1.57 4.67 7.25 4.70 120 32½
1.65 4.65 7.38 4.64
Another 23½ year old, SaRodorick Thompson did not have a terrific combine. His 4.70 short shuttle makes you wonder why he did that part of the workout at all. But he was thoroughly solid pretty much start to finish in 2022 for the Red Raiders. And he tidied up his drops from the previous two seasons considerably, down to a quaint 4.2%.
6-7 Deuce Vaughn ksu 21.6 1/44 18.6 .3
5050 179 9½ 27¾ 67 1.59 4.56 7.10 4.22 116 35½ 17
Deuce Vaughn is not large by NFL standards ... or even average. It's been working out okay for DeVonta Smith, but Vaughn is not a top-10 pick. Likely a gadget-only player in the league, he's a great guy to root for and it'll be nice to see him get drafted (probably first half of day three). Just hope your team has a plan for scheming him into vacated acreage, because he's probably as useless as a hard-boiled doughnut between the tackles at the next level.
7ud Tiyon Evans lvil 21.10 ankle:21,22 0/6 28.1 3.37
5094 225 8½ 30⅜ 74⅜ 1.55 4.52 113 30½ 20
7ud Jordan Mims fres 23.11 0/21 16.7 0
5104 206 9⅜ 31 76 1.65 4.66 7.50 4.50 113 30 18
7ud Deneric Prince tulsa 23.0 0/9 22.8 1.47
5116 216 9¼ 31¼ 75 1.53 4.41 6.97 4.33 124 35½ 18
7ud Lew Nichols III cmu 21.8 5/26 13.3 1.02
5096 222 37 22
7ud Evan Hull nw 22.6 3/57 22.3 .73
5101 209 9¼ 30⅝ 74⅜ 1.53 4.47 6.90 4.38 123 37 21
6.94 4.22
7ud Travis Dye usc 23.8 ankle:nov 2/23 18.6 .6
5095 201 9¼ 28⅞ 70¼
5100 210 1.71 4.82 107 27 16
Wide Receiver age @draft '21 '22 drop%
ht wt h a ws 10yd 40 3c ss bj v r
1-2 x Quentin Johnston tcu 21.7 5.7 11.8
6026 208 9⅝ 33⅝ 81⅝ 134 40½
212 1.59 4.52 7.31 4.28
Quentin Johnston is not Megatron; his measurables, though, will have many teams salivating at the likelihood that he could transform into something similar. His 8:15 contested catch ratio is underwhelming for a man of his athleticism and stature (6'3" 208), and a 2022 drop rate of 11.8% (up from 5.7% in 2021), are both causes for concern; he's more of a body-catcher than you'd like on day one. But his upside (and excellent combine jumps: 134" broad and 40½" vertical) have him at the front of this draft's universally flawed wide receiver group.
1-2 s Jaxon Smith-Njigba osu 21.2 hamstring 5.9 0.0
6005 196 9 30½ 75½ 1.65 4.52 6.57 3.93 125 35
A better slot receiver prospect than Jaxon Smith-Njigba is hard to find. A nagging hamstring that kept him out for nearly the entire 2022 season is beyond worrisome, but when (hopefully) he returns to his 2021 form, he'll develop into one of the NFL's best.
2 z Jordan Addison usc 21.3 9.9 3.3
5111 173 8¾ 30⅞ 74½ 1.57 4.49 7.05 4.19 122 34
punt 21pitt: 12ret 15.4avg 0td 1muf
Jordan Addison transferring to USC was like a family finding their brother who'd been separated at birth. Lincoln Riley may be the best there is when it comes to putting together a puzzle that maximizes every piece, so Addison's numbers in the system may seem on the surface to be unlikely for him to reproduce in the league, but he was a dynamo at Pitt the year before, and he cleaned up his drops considerably in 2022 (9.9% down to 3.3%).
2 s Josh Downs unc 21.8 9.0 3.1
5086 171 9¼ 30⅜ 73⅜ 1.51 4.48 6.75 4.15 131 38½
punt 21-22: 26ret 11.1avg 0td 2muf
Josh Downs' short area quicks and instant acceleration are belied by a 4.48 40; his sub-1.5 10-yard split, 131" broad jump, and 38½" vertical are more indicative of his onfield explosiveness. In the low 170-lb range, his weight could be a concern, but a 72.2 contested catch percentage (13:5) says he's willing and capable of competing for the ball. And his 3.1% drop rate in 2022 pegs him as having some of the most reliable hands in the class.
2 x Andrei Iosivas5 princ 23.6 2.3 4.5
6031 205 8¾ 32 76¾ 1.50 4.43 6.85 4.12 128 39 19
Andrei Iosivas is almost certainly the best wide receiver sleeper in the 2023 draft. He compares pretty reasonably to Christian Watson from last year's class, though just slightly behind in most categories. His evaluation is a little challenging because of the level of competition, as many scouts expected a 40 time in the low 4.3s because on film against Ivy Leaguers he looks like Usain Bolt in a footrace with your grandmother. But 4.43 is also what OBJ ran—and Iosivas's 10-yard split is five 100ths faster (1.52). A true X that many will pass on due to his age (23½ at draft time), he is a grand slam anytime on day three
2 z Zay Flowers bc 22.7 8.3 10.3
5092 182 9¼ 29¼ 72¼ 1.49 4.42 127 35½
Zay Flowers is likely to go in round one. And while his quicks and natural feel are undeniable, he will improve greatly as he develops NFL route-running skills. The danciness his college tape shows in his stems will throw off the timing of concept progressions at the next level. His 9.6% drop rate the past two years, which rose from 2021 to 2022, is high for a first rounder.
2 s Jalin Hyatt tenn 21.7 12.5 6.9
6001 176 9 32½ 77⅝ 1.50 4.40 135 40
184 7.06 4.33
Jalin Hyatt is a terrific prospect who is being overvalued. He will certainly develop more of a route tree in the pro game, but it's only with that in mind that he can be drafted early. With pretty much nothing but 9s in his route repertoire at Tennessee, his 18.9 yards per reception in 2022 is tantalizing to say the least. But he's a reach in the 20s/30s of the upcoming draft, particularly with a slower 40 than expected (though 4.4 flat is nothing to scoff at).
2 z Nathaniel Dell3 hou 23.6 10.8 7.7
5083 165 8⅝ 30½ 72⅝ 1.50 4.49 121
punt 22: 9ret 17avg 1td 0muf
Nathaniel Dell is another WR who's tape should dictate a higher draft position than he may end up with. Being 23½ at draft time won't help and being from a smaller program isn't doing him any favors either. But his ability with the ball in his hands is something to behold. And he gets extra points for his punt return ability (17-yard average in 2022 with a tuddy and no muffs).
2-3 x/s Rashee Rice smu 23.0 1.5 8.6
6005 204 9½ 32¾ 77⅜ 1.50 4.51 7.02 4.23 128 41
Half outside X and half big slot, Rashee Rice was a mammoth among mice at SMU. His 1.49 10-yard split is stellar (which speaks to his get-off), as are his jumps (128 and 41). His usage rate doubled in 2022, but his drop rate nearly quintupled. Though frequently used (effectively) in the screen game, his contested catch ratio of 16:17 is definitely worth noting; every team needs a big body who is capable of filling multiple roles.
3 z krpr3a/b Trey Palmer4 nebr 22.0 16.7 12.3
6002 192 9⅝ 31⅞ 76⅛ 1.48 4.33 7.13 4.26 114 29½
ko 20-21Lsu,22nebr: 17ret 26.2avg 1td
punt 19-21Lsu,22nebr: 27ret 8.3avg 1td 1muf
Trey Palmer is a candidate to be overdrafted. He's no slouch by any means, but he'll go earlier than his film suggests, due to his 4.33 40—the top mark for WRs this year. He didn't perform other timed drills at the combine, because why would the best car salesman on Earth try to get hired selling cars at a job fair by displaying his ability as a short order cook? What he does, he's great at. Whoever drafts him early though, will be doing so expecting him to focus on route development and catch security. His return prowess at the beginning of his career could assuage an organization's growing pains with him as a lean-on receiver.
3 x/s Xavier Hutchinson4 isu 22.11 3.5 5.3
6017 203 9⅜ 31⅜ 74⅞ 1.55 4.53 6.91 4.35 116 36 13
Xavier Hutchinson is a bit of a conundrum. Another X/Slot, he can run an uninspiring 40 (4.53), an admirable 3-cone (6.91), and a substandard short shuttle (4.35), all while being a fair pick in the third or fourth. So should you be hot and cold on Hutchinson? Well, yes and no, more or less. He's the best option on a weak team in a good offensive conference. He's a cake somebody brings you, which makes you feel great, but it's burnt around the edges and sagging in the middle. Some of the decorating work is beautiful but some of the frosting is stuck to the top of the box. You're happy they remembered your birthday, but you wish people didn't know how old you are. He has improved every year, and so do you.
3 s Parker Washington4 psu 21.1 ankle:nov 3.0 6.1
5096 204 10⅛ 29 72 16
At just 21 years (and a month) old for the draft, Parker Washington has the upside of a weather balloon. His drop percentage suffered somewhat from 2021 (3.0) to 2022 (6.1), but his missed-tackle-forced percentage was an unheard-of-for-receivers 32.6 last season. The way he was being used at PSU is tragic. Let's not say he's Deebo Samuel just yet, but some team will land a gem later than his actual value should indicate.
3 z Charlie Jones5 purd 24.6 8.7 2.7
5113 176 9 31⅝ 74 1.54 4.43 6.84 4.15 124 36½ 13
ko 21iowa,22purd: 30ret 23.8avg 1td
punt 20-21iowa,22purd: 77ret 8.1avg 1td 1muf
Charlie Jones is going to provide a team with an excellent number three option early in his career. While you won't want him as a true split end on the line facing press, that doesn't mean he isn't more than capable of being physical—and succeeding—as a flanker. His knack for being a possession Z was on full display in 2022, as his 22 contested catches topped the college charts. And minimizing his drops (8.7% in 2021 to just 2.7% in 2022) further illustrates his high-level concentration. His return ability adds some value, but his age, 24½ in April, will be a deterrent.
3 x/s Jonathan Mingo miss 22.0 14.8 7.3
6016 220 10⅜ 32⅛ 75¾ 1.52 4.46 7.04 4.25 129 39½ 22
Built like an X and with an increased role in the slot this past year, Jonathan Mingo has some excellent versatility. At 6'2" 220, you'd like a better contested catch ratio than 7:10, but it certainly isn't bad and it was better both of the two previous seasons. He cut his drop percentage by more than half from 2021 (14.8 down to 7.3), which is exactly the type of improvement you want to see. Always a threat to be elusive after the catch, Mingo will provide plus value if he lasts until day three.
3 x AT Perry wake 23.6 11.3 9.0
6034 198 9¼ 33¼ 81⅝ 1.50 4.47 6.81 4.32 133 35
AT Perry has the frame of an X and the wingspan of a dragon. But his paltry 2.0 YAC rate speaks to his gait as a long strider; he's far from unathletic and he can really get going, but he might get beaten off the Christmas tree by a school bus if he can't stay clean. He's had fantastic production the past two years, but his drop rate has been a bit of a concern for a day two selection and didn't improve much from 2021 (11.3) to 2022 (9.0).
3 x/z Cedric Tillman tenn 23.0 ankle:sep 4.5 5.1
6033 213 10 32¾ 79¼ 1.57 4.54 7.32 128 37
Although overshadowed somewhat at Tennessee, Cedric Tillman has the versatility to play X versus press or Z and beat zone underneath. At 6'3" 213 he has a lot of the physicality you want in the league, yet he's not a possession-only receiver. He's also not a joystick with the ball in his hands, but those hands are about as reliable as you'll find in the class.
3-4 z pr1a/b Jayden Reed msu 23.0 9.2 8.3
5106 187 9⅛ 30½ 73⅛ 1.53 4.45 4.29 121 33½
5107 191 13
punt 18wmu,21-22msu: 36ret 15.8avg 3td 1muf
Jayden Reed is certainly in the conversation for best punt returner in this year's draft. With a 15.8-yard average across 36 returns (2018 with WMU and 2021-2022 with MSU), three to the house and only one muff, he can viably lay claim to at least a share of the top spot in that respect. His yards per reception, YACs, and MTFs all did a nose plant in 2022 compared to the year prior—some of which can be blamed on Michigan State's offense. But his prowess in contested catch circumstances has been consistent his whole time there.
4 z Marvin Mims Jr ou 21.1 3.0 6.9
5107 183 9 31⅝ 74¾ 1.50 4.38 6.90 129 39½
punt 20-22: 33ret 11.8avg 0td 2muf
Next up in the speed category: Marvin Mims Jr. Mims will be coveted by teams looking for a vertical threat who runs in the 4.3s ... and who isn't? His regression from 2020 (when Lincoln Riley was there) may dampen some evaluations of him. But with a stellar 20.8 Y/R over the past two years and a contested catch ratio of 11:11, a cool 50% rate, Mims has enough upside (and a 21st birthday just prior to the draft) that he'll be off the board on day two.
4 s Demario Douglas Lib 22.4 3.6 5.0
5082 179 8¾ 30¼ 72½ 1.54 4.44 7.05 4.29 134 39½ 12
punt 20-22: 55ret 7avg 2td 6muf
From looking at dozens and dozens of mocks and multitudinous compilations thereof, Demario Douglas looks like he'll be available well into day three and could possibly still be partnerless next to the dance floor afterward. While Liberty's program is no juggernaut of the industry, this perceived eventuality is made more baffling by Douglas having two of his best three games against the two best teams they played: Wake and Arkansas—putting up more than 120 yards in each contest, with 14 total receptions and three TDs. He doesn't offer eye-popping punt return numbers, but he has found the residence twice in the past three seasons. He has a few miles of developmental road to travel before being a key contributer in the league, but this man has sleeper written all over him.
4-5 x/s Puka Nacua byu 21.11 ankle/leg:sep 6.4 5.9
6015 201 9½ 31½ 74⅞
210 1.62 4.57 7.32 4.36 121 33 15
Puka Nacua is built as an X with the ability to play inside out as well. His 3½+ yards per route is an exceptional number, and in some ways speaks to the overall efficiency with which he was used at BYU. Poor versus Notre Dame and then terrific against Arkansas the following week, starting there Nacua strung together a series that Derek Jeter would've been proud of.
5 s krpr1 Nikko Remigio fres 23.5 5.0 3.9
5090 187 8½ 29¾ 71⅝ 1.57 4.57 7.20 4.33 121 36 19
ko 21cal,22fres: 38ret 25.6avg 1td
punt 22: 13ret 19.9avg 2td 3muf
Nikko Remigio is the best combo return man in this year's draft. He's just the fourth best kick returner (which he did at an expert level with both Cal and Fresno) and probably the third best at bringing back punts (a ranking which would improve with ball security—as three muffs against only thirteen returns last season is concerning), but his combined ability at doing both proficiently should make him worth a late rounder at least, though it looks like his phone may not ring. Add to that his 16 MTFs and a feel for the slot with dependable hands, it's surprising his stock isn't higher.
5 x Bryce Ford-Wheaton6 wv 23.1 8.7 8.8
6036 221 9⅜ 33½ 82¼ 1.52 4.38 6.97 4.15 129 41
Running a sub-4.4 40 is likely to get you noticed—especially in this year's draft class. A sub-7 3-cone, a 4.15 short shuttle, and a 41-inch vertical should indicate that Bryce Ford-Wheaton is more than a one-trick pony. Just 675 yards on 414 passing snaps is uninspiring, but some of that is attributable elsewhere, as 37 of his 105 targets were uncatchable. Expect to hear his name called by a St. Jude kid: first half of day three.
5 s pr1a/b krpr2 Derius Davis tcu 22.7 5.3 6.7
5083 165 8 29¼ 69 1.46 4.36 7.23 4.38 115 30½ 17
ko 21-22: 44ret 23.8avg 1td
punt 18,20-22: 44ret 15avg 5td 5muf
Twenty twenty-two's Jet Award winner, Derius Davis could be one of the last ones out of the pool. His concensus projection (at time of writing) is right around 260; there are 259 picks this year. He's PR1a/b, with a nod to MSU's Jayden Reed and his vastly superior ball security. Davis's five muffs (2018, 2020-2022) leave a bit to be desired in that area, but over his 44 returns during that span he posted a 15-yard average and five tuddies. He's less inspiring as a kickoff returner, but he can do that for you too. With Quentin Johnston on the field in the same offense, he tried to make the most of his opportunities. And with a 9.5 YAC average, his wiggle was worth watching. He had a bit of a downturn from week 11 through the Michigan playoff, but he performed admirably versus Georgia—which should carry some weight, though it doesn't appear to.
5 z Tyler Scott cin 6.3 11.3
5097 177 9 30⅞ 72¾ 1.50 4.44 133 39½
1.62 4.39 6.99 4.25 15
Everyone loves Tyler Scott. A fifth-round grade seems mighty low considering everybody else's take on him, but his drop percentage nearly doubled from 2021 to 2022 (6.3 to 11.3) which could be cause for alarm. His jumps were good (133 and 39½) and a 1.50 10-yard split is right in the plush place. His knack for finding the opening versus zone was pretty good, but watching him try to separate in man was like trying to apply window tint in the dark with one hand. The Green Wave was probably the best team Cincinnati faced after week one, and it was Scott's second-worst outing: not what you want from someone who'll be facing nothing but pros in 2023.
5 x/s Kayshon Boutte Lsu 20.11 7.5 12.7
5112 195 9½ 31⅜ 76⅞ 1.56 4.50 7.14 4.25 118 29
Admiral Apparent's news flash of the decade: Kayshon Boutte's 2022 was a disappointment. He managed to follow that up, though, with an even more underwhelming combine: 4.50 40 with a 1.56 10-yard split, and jumps (118 and 29) comparable to 333 lb OT Darnell Wright. There was plenty to get excited about with Boutte the previous season, but his Y/R went down (13.6 to 11.2) and his drop rate went up (7.5% to 12.7%). Still just 20 years (and 11 months) old in late April, someone will bet on his upside potential earlier than the above would suggest.
5 s/(x) Keytaon Thompson uva 24.6 foot:nov 8.2 15.9
6037 218 10¼ 33⅜ 79½ 1.66 4.66 7.12 4.35 120 34½
Twenty-four-and-a-half-year-
5 x/s Jake Bobo ucla 24.8 2.6 6.6
6040 206 10 32¼ 78¼ 1.76 4.99 7.09 4.40 117 36
At 6'4" 206 with 10-inch hands, Jake Bobo is another X who was utilized heavily in the slot: more than two-thirds of his yardage came from there. And with the league trending in that direction, why it looks like he'll still be in need of a prom date by round seven is a little puzzling. There's significant confusion about his pro day 40 (one scout reported clocking him at 4.67 while other outlets have published it at 4.99). And his advanced age for the draft (24 years, eight months) are not going to have him shooting up team boards. But a 13:9 contested catch ratio and increased production every season are encouraging. Regardless of which 40 you buy, he's possession-only in the NFL.
5 z Jalen Moreno-Cropper7 fres 22.0 4.5 6.7
5111 172 8⅞ 30⅛ 72⅞ 1.50 4.40 7.06 4.27 121 32 13
Playing commendably against the better teams on the schedule, Jalen Moreno-Cropper is an intriguing prospect. An excellent option out wide at Fresno in 2022, he played primarily in the slot the two previous years. He's not someone with the frame to shake press with physicality, but he's also not someone a defense wants to provide with a free release off the line; he'd be an asset to your offense as a Z. And cleaning up his ludicrous six fumbles from 2021 (zero in 2022) was a great place to start.
5 x/s CJ Johnson ecu 22.5 achilles 2.8 4.3
6014 225 10¼ 32 78½ 1.69 4.67 4.53 120 36
CJ Johnson's 17 contested catches the past two years are the reason you'd be drafting him. A 139.0 passer rating when targeted is real nice, but at 6'1½" 225 with a tight-end-like 4.67 40, he's a possession guy in the league. An achilles kept him out of combine drills but he did most everything at his pro day. After being lined up wide 90% of the time his first three seasons at ECU, the Pirates had him in the slot for nearly 80% of his snaps in 2022. With four fumbles since 2020, ball security is definitely an issue.
5 x Michael Wilson stan 23.2 inj:20,21,22 9.5 12.9
6017 213 9¾ 31 75⅛ 1.53 4.58 6.81 4.17 125 37½ 23
If you like telling the croupier to let it ride on a spin that could save the company or cost you this week's payroll, head to the roulette wheel with Michael Wilson. The tools are there and the potential is undeniable, but with injuries taking megalodon-size bites out of his 2020, 2021, and 2022 seasons, he's difficult to project anywhere other than a golf cart flatbed heading into the tunnel.
6 x Justin Shorter uf 23.0 2.4 0.0
6042 229 10 33¾ 82⅜ 1.57 4.55 7.35 4.46 126 35½ 18
Justin Shorter is one of just three wide receivers in this year's class that can boast less than five percent drop rates each of the last two seasons (Andrei Iosivas, CJ Johnson): 2.4 in 2021 and a perfect 0.0 on 29 catchable in 2022. A massive target at 6'4" 229 with 34½" arms and a wingspan the width of a dump truck (82½), even with aberrant QB play at Florida, Shorter was able to top his 2021 yardage total with 12 fewer targets (and 12 fewer receptions). His 19.9 Y/R mark is noteworthy, but it's also worth mentioning that he disappears after the catch like the dentist in a meth-ravaged Midwest town.
6 z/s Ronnie Bell mich 23.3 7.1 7.5
5115 191 9½ 31 75 1.54 4.54 6.98 4.15 120 38½ 14
6.62 4.04
Ronnie Bell is worth a late-round flyer, but he'll almost certainly come off the board before his draft position is able to yield appreciable value. With steady but unspectacular drop percentages of 7.1 and 7.5 the past two seasons and after doing well in the agility drills (6.98 and 4.15), Bell will probably be an early day three pick.
6 x kr2 Malik Knowles kst 22.8 9.4 4.0
6022 196 8¾ 32¼ 77⅝
ko 19,21-22: 49ret 30.1avg 3td
The second-best kickoff return man in the class (Achane), Malik Knowles has a 30-plus-yard average (30.1) and three housecalls on 49 total opportunities in 2019 and 2021-2022. He doesn't offer any one particularly fantastic trait in terms of what he brings to the table as a receiver, but his low drop percentage (6.1 over the past two seasons) is certainly a positive. He's spent nearly all of his thousand-plus snaps out wide.
6 x Dontay Demus Jr md 22.7 6.7 8.3
6031 212 9¾ 34¼ 79⅝ 1.58 4.57 4.39 123 35½
Dontay Demus Jr. was off to a fine start in 2021 before a knee injury derailed his campaign. He never really got his groove back either. His best game all of 2022 was against the best team he faced, so that's something positive. But there's not a lot else from this past season's film that has you jumping on your desk beating your chest.
6 te? Elijah Higgins7 stan(s/x) 22.6 8.3 6.3
6030 239 10½ 31¾ 77¾ 1.53 4.54 7.01 4.50 126 35 17
At 6'3" 235 and with we're-#1-foam-finger-size 10½" hands, Elijah Higgins may be a better fit as a tight end at the next level. It is notable that he did play primarily in the slot in 2022, which is often treated as the Y in Stanford's offense, though he split time between the Y and the X the year before. You'd like to see a better contested catch ratio than 4:9 with that body, but 17 missed tackles forced deserves to be applauded.
6 s kr3 Tre Tucker cin 22.1 5.6 10.2
5085 182 8⅝ 28⅞ 70⅜ 1.47 4.40 124 37½
1.56 4.39 7.07 4.49 16
ko 20-22: 44ret 25.9avg 2td
punt 19-22: 5ret 8.6avg 0td 1muf
Tre Tucker is this draft's KR3 (two TDs in 44 returns with a 25.9-yard average since 2020); he doesn't add much value in the punt game though. With better 40 and 10-yard split times (4.40, 1.47), and lower drop percentages (5.6 in 2021, 10.2 in 2022) than his teammate, Tyler Scott, who's almost certain to be drafted considerably ahead of Tucker, we should evidently learn that liars figure and figures lie ... or that being a productive slot complement to a traitsier wide alignment in the same offense gets you no love.
6 x Antoine Green unc 23.5 collarbone:aug 6.1 6.5
6016 199 9 32⅛ 76¾ 1.51 4.47 6.99 4.27 123 33½
Antoine Green missed the first few games of 2022 for UNC with a collarbone injury. But he rebounded nicely by week four. His 6.99 3-cone is encouraging and his 4.47 40 is fine, but his other combine numbers are lacking. At 6'2" and just a shade under 200 lbs, Green has the size to be a split end; you wonder about his 6:6 contested catch ratio, which is middling but alright. It's the 12 MTFs on just 43 receptions that makes you think about him late on day three or thereafter.
6 s/z Rakim Jarrett md 22.3 8.8 16.7
5117 192 9⅜ 31⅜ 75⅞ 1.53 4.44 123 35½ 13
Rakim Jarrett didn't particularly excel in any area in 2022. The promise he showed in 2021 seemed to evaporate into the ether like the 12-hour body spray that wears off between your morning shower and breakfast. His combine measurables were decent but nothing that'd send you running from the fox hole to write home about. Whoever drafts him will be banking on helping him recapture his brief flash of glory from days gone by.
7ud x Michael Jefferson ull 23.4 car crash:apr 5.3 7.3
6036 199 9⅝ 32½ 79⅜ 1.51 4.56 7.03 4.56 133 37 16
6.94 4.43
Michael Jefferson has prototypical X size (6'4" 199) and pretty good functional upper body strength (putting up 16 reps) for a long-armed WR (32½"). Unfortunately his play strength doesn't appear to clear the same bar on tape; his underperformance versus man is something that shows up reiteratively. His numbers really should be better across the board against Sunbelt-level competition, but his 26.7 Y/R in 2021 is a tidy rack to hang your hat on. Sadly, Jefferson's vehicle was reportedly struck head-on by a suspected drunk driver in April; he's had multiple surgeries since the incident.
7ud x Jason Brownlee usm 24.3 4.3 6.8
6020 198 9¾ 33¾ 80⅜ 1.56 4.59 6.91 4.32 131 39½ 16
7ud x Malik Heath miss 7.9 7.7
6023 213 9⅛ 32½ 79⅞ 1.56 4.64 6.96 4.46 124 34 12
7ud x Dontayvion Wicks uva 8.1 23.1
6013 206 10 32⅜ 79⅞ 1.55 4.62 6.91 4.20 130 39
7ud x/s Jadon Haselwood ark 22.0 7.1 7.8
6022 215 10 31¼ 75⅝ 1.57 4.66 6.98 4.31 123 37
1.58 4.60
7ud x Grant DuBose charl 21.10 7.6 8.7
6023 201 9½ 31⅞ 77⅞ 1.52 4.57 6.89 4.32 125 35
7ud x Jadakis Bonds hamp 23.5 10.0 13.6
6033 206 9½ 32⅞ 78⅝ 1.61 4.63 7.32 4.38 123 34
7ud x Jalen Wayne usa 23.11 5.4 10.9
6014 210 9⅜ 32⅛ 78½ 1.55 4.51 124 34½
6016 216 7.43 4.51
Tight End age @draft '21 '22 drop%
ht wt h a ws 10yd 40 3c ss bj v r
2 Michael Mayer nd 21.9 4.1 5.6
6044 249 9½ 31⅝ 76¼ 1.61 4.70 7.26 4.44 118 32½ 21
Michael Mayer had been the presumptive TE1 from this class since early in the process, and for this evaluation, he still is. He's definitely a more complete prospect than others who have the skillset to outperform him strictly as a receiver. His combination of blocking tenacity and mismatch size as a seam threat, in conjunction with his dependability as a pass catcher (4.1 and 5.6 drop percentages for 2021 and 2022), all go into the mortar mix that solidifies Mayer as a firm candidate to be the first tight end taken.
2 Dalton Kincaid utah 23.6 0.0 2.8
6035 246 10¼ 32⅝ 78⅜ chest,back:mar
1.6 drop% 2/128(18-22)
The best receiving tight end in this year's draft, Dalton Kincaid is Pac-Man: gobbling up everything in his path. He probably has the most dependable hands of any pass catcher in the class. With a drop rate of just 1.6% over five seasons since 2018, he is a black hole of consistency: seemingly nothing escapes the realm he occupies if you throw it near him. He won't wow anyone with his blocking, but that's not what he'll be drafted for. Twenty-three and a half is on the older side for round one, but someone will get a receiver an offense can be built around early on day two at the latest.
2 Darnell Washington uga 21.8 9.1 6.7
6065 264 11 34⅜ 83¾ 1.61 4.64 4.08 122 31 21
272
With only 45 receptions in three seasons at Georgia, Darnell Washington is just scratching the surface ... a very large surface. At 6'6½" 264 lbs at the combine, with 34½" arms and the wingspan of Pegasus (83¾), the mobile mountain that is Washington is as hard to miss as the face of Washington carved into a mountain in South Dakota. The fact that he wasn't used more at UGA is more a testament to the 'Dogs other weapons than an indictment of his ability. He did nearly triple his production from 2021 to 2022 (ten receptions up to 28; 154 yards to 454), and he's a bully as a blocker. His 4.08 shuttle is simply unrealistic at that size; a calving glacier doesn't crash into the ocean with the speed and force with which he affects the field.
3 Sam LaPorta iowa 22.3 8.6 9.4
6032 245 10¼ 32⅛ 77½ 1.55 4.59 6.91 4.25 123 35 16
Sam LaPorta was the Hawkeyes offense. A hundred eleven receptions the past two years isn't overwhelming, but there wasn't much else going on on the field in Iowa other than corn harvesting. Hitting his stride from week six on, he was a model of reliability with praiseworthy performances game after game—though his drop rates (8.6% in 2021, 9.4% in 2022) don't exactly scream "Kittle-me-this."
3 Zack Kuntz4 odu 23.10 knee:oct 5.2 7.7
6073 255 10¼ 34 83⅛ 1.55 4.55 6.87 4.12 128 40 23
Zack Kuntz lit the combine up like a powder explosion in a fireworks factory. Among tight ends, he posted the best 3-cone (6.87), the best broad jump (128), the best vertical (40), the second-best 40 (4.55), the second-best short shuttle (4.12), and tied for the most bench reps (23). He also has the second-longest arms (34) and wingspan (83⅛). Missing the entire second half of the season due to a knee, his combine performance did more than enough to allay any concerns of lingering effects. He didn't kickoff 2022 with a fantastic start despite not facing a gauntlet of a schedule, but his 73 catches in 2021 for nearly 700 yards and five housecalls with just a 5.2% drop rate might be enticing enough for a phone call late on the second day.
3 Tucker Kraft sdkst 22.5 ankle:sep 9.7 6.9
6046 254 10 32¾ 79⅜ 1.60 4.69 7.08 4.29 122 34 23
1.64 4.63 36½
Tucker Kraft is likely a pretty solid pick for day two. His level of competition makes for a complicated evaluation, further clouded by him missing time early in 2022; coming back from injury he didn't seem exactly right. His tape from the year prior though is excellent. Provided he returns to form, someone will get a good piece to plug into their offensive puzzle.
3 Luke Musgrave orst 22.7 knee:sep 12.0 8.3
6054 253 10⅜ 32⅝ 79½ 1.54 4.61 125 36
6057 251 7.09 4.41 19
There's probably not a more challenging projection to NFL viability in 2022's TE class than Luke Musgrave. Missing most of the season with a knee injury, it's tough to say what he will become, but his film tantalizes all those who watch it with what he could become. His 4.61 40 and the best 10-yard split from tight ends at this year's combine (1.54), are encouraging signs that the injury seems to be in the rearview. But his tape from the two prior seasons has you banging your face on a cutting board because of his inability to put it all together. Possibly possessing the best pure traits in the draft, he's likely to hear his name called during the first half of day two.
4 Noah Gindorff ndsu 24.2 5.6 0.0
ankle:dec21,surg:oct22
6060 263 10 33⅛ 80¼ 16
6061 266 7.34 4.45 20
4.4 drop% 2/44(19-22)
Yet another TE who missed significant time with injury, the film on Noah Gindorff still shows improvement every season. The thoroughness of his game is unmistakable notwithstanding his limited pass-catching role in NDSU's offense. His pro day on March 29th will go a long way toward projecting his football fitness, but the current expectation of him being drafted late on day three or not at all seems like an overreaction given his obvious prowess in all phases of what he'll be asked to do at the next level.
4-5 TE/H Marshon Ford lvil 22.10 0.0 10.8
6010 220 9¼ 31¼ 76⅝ 1.68 4.79 7.22 4.47 121 32½ 16
3.8 drop% 5/132(19-22)
Marshon Ford's 2021 tape is what you have on your wishlist as a TE coach. Santa was out of the office though in 2022. His regression and increased drop percentage (up from zero point nothing to 10.8), along with his quite smallish stature for an NFL tight end prospect (6'1" 220), are likely to leave him out in the cold on draft day. But even with a garbage barge of a final season, his efficiency as a receiver from 2019-2021 (with a career drop rate of still only 3.8%) and his above average run blocking in two of those years should warrant a call in late April—even if it's just for a specialty role.
4-5 Davis Allen clem 22.2 3.4 2.5
6057 246 10 32¼ 79¾ 1.59 4.84 7.31 4.45 125 38½
3.3 drop% 3/91(19-22)
Davis Allen will not be drafted by a dodge ball team for his agility. But even if running with the ball is an afterthought, a contested catch ratio of 11:1 (an absurd 91.7%) means he's still getting yards for your offense that few others are capable of. Possession-only maybe, but he also showed an improvement in route development—despite the fact that he can legitimately just take six steps off the line and turn around: he's open even when he isn't.
4-5 Payne Durham6 purd 22.10 4.3 3.4
6055 255 9¾ 33⅜ 80⅜ 1.64 4.87 7.15 4.51 117 34½ 14
Payne Durham is up and down like a West Virginia mail route. James Harden in cleats, he's largely been unable to string together a series of consistency throughout his career. But with about 60% of his snaps coming from a slot alignment in 2022, he could be the move TE your team needs. With drop rates below five percent the past two years (4.3, 3.4), he's worth a hard look early on day three.
4-5 Josh Whyle cin 23.7 10.3 3.0
6064 248 9½ 31½ 77⅜ 1.58 4.69 7.15 4.40 115 33½ 15
A 137.3 passer rating when targeted is a QB's dream of a tight end; that was Josh Whyle in 2020. Sadly, that number has declined both seasons since. His drop percentage rose from goose egg point bagel, to 10.3 in 2021, and then back down to 3.0. Whyle has a fair bit to offer in the right system, just as long as your system isn't asking him to be TE1 out of the gate.
5-6 Brayden Willis ou 23.5 17.6 7.1
6034 241 9¾ 33¼ 79⅛ 7.30 4.36 117 32 20
7.46 4.50 118 33½
Brayden Willis blocks as if you cut in front of him at the DMV: angry and deliberate. In both the pass and the run game, he's more likely to keep your guy from getting hit than the opposing cage fighter's steak dinner the night before weigh-in ... that may have been a reach, but with 33+ inch arms and an almost 80-inch wingspan, Willis has that too. He also cleaned up his drop rate considerably from 2021 to 2022 (17.6% to 7.1%).
5-6 Luke Schoonmaker mich 24.7 5.6 5.4
6052 251 9 32⅞ 78⅛ 1.59 4.63 6.81 4.27 127 35½
Luke Schoonmaker's run blocking is poor. Luke Schoonmaker's one MTF on 35 receptions is subpar. Luke Schoonmaker's 5.4 YAC is average. Luke Schoonmaker's 4.63 40 is good. Luke Schoonmaker's 127" broad jump is great. Luke Schoonmaker's 5.5% two-year drop rate is excellent. But the best thing about Luke Schoonmaker is saying Luke Schoonmaker's name. Luke Schoonmaker.
5-6 Brenton Strange psu 22.4 16.7 3.0
6037 253 9⅝ 31⅛ 75⅛ 1.58 4.70 7.25 4.46 124 36 23
Brenton Strange's utilization was far from maximized in college. It's possible that his 16.7% drop rate the year before last was a deterrent relative to a starring role. He proved to be far more dependable in 2022 with just 1 drop on 33 catchable targets (3.0%). And his 5:3 contested catch ratio is what you want at the position. Playing his best game against a stout SEC defense (Auburn), he's proven that the development we've seen every year can continue in the league.
6 Will Mallory miafl 23.11 11.8 4.5
6044 239 9⅜ 32¼ 78¼ 1.57 4.54 7.18 4.40 121 36½ 20
The Will Mallory college story begins with a whimper and ends with a "meh." He's certainly got some traits that are worthwhile and could prove valuable—just don't expect a breakout at the next level when it took him five years just to find the middle of the road. His run blocking got worse every season while his receiving was back and forth like a stuttering piston. He improved his drop rate (11.8% in 2021 to 4.5% in 2022), but his five-year film shows an overall lack of focus and attention to detail; that type of outside-the-lines crayon work won't be tolerated in the NFL—and could find him on the outside of a 53-man roster early if it isn't addressed in earnest.
6 Blake Whiteheart wake 23.1 6.3 0.0
6036 247 8¾ 32⅛ 79⅜ 1.60 4.70 6.77 4.24 115 35½ 20
4.3 drop% 2/46(20-22)
Blake Whiteheart's sub-one-yard per route is less than an inspiring dish. But a 7:3 contested catch ratio is high-dollar fare. In a program that proved they couldn't get out of their own way until just this past year, his upside is more than most will give him credit for at draft time. His 2020-2022 drop rate of only 4.3% shows that his max yardage output that never exceeded 300 in a season can be blamed—at least to some extent—on the gameplan at Wake.
7ud Leonard Taylor cin 25.3knee:mar12.5 5.3
6045 250 10⅛ 32¾ 80½ 4.98 10
7ud Cameron Latu bama 23.2 13.3 9.1
6043 242 9½ 32⅜ 79⅛ 1.66 4.78 7.31 4.32 120 32½ 14
7ud Daniel Barker msu 23.7 10.0 16.0
6032 243 10¼ 33½ 80⅞ 1.69 4.75 117 34 16
7ud Princeton Fant tenn 24.1foot:feb15.8 12.0
6012 243 9¾ 31 76¼ 19
7ud Ben Sims bayl 11.4 6.1
6045 250 9½ 33⅛ 80⅛ 1.56 4.59 7.46 4.41 122 36 15
Tackle (yrs @position) age @draft
ht wt h a ws 10yd 40 3c ss bj v r
1 Paris Johnson Jr osu(1rg,1Lt) 21.10
6063 313 9½ 36⅛ 85⅛ 110 29
With only one year starting at (left) tackle in college (2022), Paris Johnson Jr. is a comet heading our way: a speeding ball of fire and fervency destined to continue to intensify as it follows course. He could stand to clean up his footwork a bit, but his tackle box has all the fishing gear you could want for the position. He played one year of right guard (2021) and did that well too. In fact he could probably pick up a tennis racquet for the first time and challenge for the ATP Finals in 2023. This man has all you want and then some as an athlete.
1 Peter Skoronski nw(3Lt) 21.9
6040 313 10 32¼ 79½ 1.70 5.16 7.80 115 34½ 30
Peter Skoronski has been starting at left tackle for the Wildcats since 2020. He's improved overall every season and specifically in pass pro. Penn State and OSU were his only showings in 2022 that weren't completely dominant. Of course there's this law analysts have to follow requiring that everyone bring up the arm length (32¼"), but it's less of an issue than is made of it; 29 would be a problem. More concerning is his terrible 7.80 3-cone. But you'd better put on your hard hat and maybe bring a spare if you're lining up against Skoronski for the day.
2 Dawand Jones osu(2rt) 21.8
6082 374 11⅝ 36⅜ 87⅞ 1.85 5.35
Dawand Jones is what Dr. Frankenstein would construct when tasked with generating an image of the perfect physical specimen to play offensive tackle. With nearly 12-inch hands and an almost 90-inch wingspan, Jones is a man-hole-cover-fisted airplane. The two years he spent at right tackle for Ohio State were a model of positive projection to the next level. He had his gargantuan hands a bit full with Aidan Hutchinson in 2021, but he was a first-year starter then and Hutch was about to go number two overall. Really the worst thing about Jones was him making the evaluation of CJ Stroud more challenging because you can't see him with Jones in front blocking out the sun.
2 Broderick Jones uga(2Lt) 21.11
6053 313 10⅝ 34¾ 82¾ 1.67 4.97 108 30
Another sub-22 year old, Broderick Jones is likely to be a day-one pick—possibly even first half. There's plenty of tape of his to like the past two years at Georgia. And his top-of-the-heap 4.97 40 edged out a couple others, even if only by the slightest thought of an imaginary whisper. A bit of a waist-bender at times, that probably shouldn't take too long to correct in the league.
2 zone Blake Freeland3 byu(2rt,2Lt) 22.0
6077 302 10 33⅞ 81⅞ 1.69 4.98 7.34 4.42 120 37 25
Blake Freeland backed up his stellar 2022 film with a knockout performance at the combine that George Foreman would've applauded. With two years at each bookend (though he didn't start at RT in 2019 till week eight), he was both versatile and dominant for the Cougars. His pass blocking has been exceptional the past two seasons, and his second year on the left side (2022) saw a marked leap in his effectiveness in the run game consistent with the second season he played on the right (2020). Freeland bested everyone at the position by a pretty wide margin with both a 120" broad jump and a 37" vertical. His 1.69 10-yard split was also the top mark for tackles in 2023, and his sub-5-second 40 (4.98) was T-2. Putting up 25 bench reps at BYU's pro day went a long way toward showing his commitment to the weight room.
3 gap Darnell Wright tenn(2rt,1Lt,1rt) 21.8
6053 333 9 33¾ 82 1.75 5.01 4.72 114 29
Improvement has been noticeable every season from Darnell Wright, despite flipping from right tackle to left in his third year, then back to the right side in year four. Although he has more career experience with zone blocking (and can do both if needed), his tape shows a predilection for gap concepts. His next level movement isn't ideal notwithstanding a solid 40 of 5.01. His pass protection greatly advanced in 2022 as a result of a refined technique and a more stable platform.
3 Matthew Bergeron syr(1rt,3Lt) 23.2
6052 318 9½ 33¾ 81⅞ 7.38 4.66 103 30½
Moving from the right side to the left midstream in the 2020 campaign proved to be a setback initially for Matthew Bergeron, but he settled into the role nicely the following two seasons. And reducing his penalties from ten in 2021 to just three in 2022 testifies to his focus on staying in position throughout his reps. He held up better than you'd expect against presumptive first-round pick Myles Murphy in the Clemson game, without much help for most of the contest (until the obvious repeated passing situations of the fourth quarter two-minute offense).
3 Anton Harrison okla(3Lt) 21.3
6043 315 9¼ 31¾ 80¾ 1.71 4.98 4.84 105 28½ 24
With three years starting for one of the nation's foremost pocket-protection producers, Oklahoma's Anton Harrison will be off the board long before this grade would seem to indicate. Harrison did put some head-scrathing tape out early in 2022 (he was far more consistent the previous year), but he hit his stride by week seven as swiftly as he chugged out a sub-5.0 40 at the combine. Bull rushes are likely to give him fits at the next level; play strength has to improve.
3-4 Trevor Reid lvil(2Lt) 23.0
6041 311 9 34⅝ 85 1.77 5.01 7.34 4.58 124 38 25
Louisville's Trevor Reid has two years of starting experience at left tackle. In 2022 his run blocking took a step backward like someone who found a live cobra in the breakroom refrigerator. His pass blocking was steady, though you'd like to have seen more improvement with his hand placement. Back in week ten of 2021 he stoned Myles Murphy's pass rush like someone accused of witchcraft in Salem. Slightly undersized but with good length, he has some tools you could work with. Supposing you aren't expecting a day-one starter, he's a solid choice for development in the pros given what we've seen from him in college—especially considering he likely figures to be on the board late into day three.
3-4 zone Braeden Daniels5 utah(1+Lg,1rt,1Lt) 22.8
6041 294 9⅜ 33 81⅞ 1.70 4.99 7.53 4.60 109 30½
6035 307
Far more experienced in zone (and looking more comfortable in space), Braeden Daniels is a project if your team's primary rushing scheme is built on gap-based concepts. On the other hand, what he did in '20 and '21 (nearly 70% zone) in the ground game looked like a bear mauling a mailbox with a beehive in it on nearly every rep. Upon his swich to left tackle for 2022, he was asked to do more pass blocking, both by percentage and total number, than he had been the previous season, Daniels answered the call—as he will in late April, though probably on day three despite one of the higher ceilings in the class. He's certainly shown coachability and a passion for mastering whatever the staff put on his plate. And having added 13 lbs by his pro day (307) should work in his favor.
3-4 g/c? Cody Mauch ndsu(3Lt) 24.3
6050 302 9¾ 32⅜ 78⅞ 1.73 5.08 7.33 4.55 108 29 29
7.12 4.46
Featuring almost exclusively at tackle in his five years with NDSU, Cody Mauch still seems a bit positionless. He'll find a home pretty early, but he's likely to be training for a different spot. He'd be perfect for a team like Green Bay. More fit and facile than most, it feels almost surreal to say that he's had a few games where it looks like he fell asleep, even though all of his film is against the FCS—and even if he were daydreaming through half of it, it shouldn't look that way with the natural movement skills he possesses. Nonetheless, some team will get a moveable piece for their line, more than likely on day two.
4 Connor Galvin bayl(5Lt)
6066 293 9 32⅜ 78⅜ 1.79 5.48 8.00 4.92 104 30½ 29
6065 299
Connor Galvin will be graded higher here than probably anywhere else you'll see. There's a floor that appears league-worthy, though the ceiling in that room probably isn't high enough to stand up in. Still, it seems like you should know what you're getting after five years of LT tape at Baylor. His combine was quite notable—and not for the reason you want. His vertical (30½) and bench reps (29) are both pretty good but all of his times are trash. His eight-second 3-cone and 5.48 40 were worst in the class, though his 10-yard split (which is more indicative of what he's asked to do on a football field) was middle-of-the-road. But don't sleep on big-man 40s: they are somewhat correlative to ability at the next level.
4 Dalton Wagner ark(4rt) 24.6
6080 320 10½ 34⅜ 83¼ 1.84 5.43 8.00 4.90 102 27½ 24
Dalton Wagner can probably skip paying his phone bill for April, because it's unlikely to ring anyway. It certainly seems like it should, given his combination of size and good tape (the UGA game in 2021 wasn't great), but scouts appear to be steering around the Arkansas product. With four years of starting experience at right tackle in the SEC, Wagner has consistently put good college reps on film. Squeezing a lot more out of his natural gifts and level of athleticism in the NFL may prove difficult, but what you see is what you get: a solidly proficient RT (for the past two seasons) who will be somewhat limited by his lack of fulgurant traits.
4 Jaxson Kirkland uw(2rg,1½Lt,1Lg) 24.9
6065 321 10½ 33½ 81⅞ 19
6067 328 1.91 7.95 4.88 99 26 20
One of the older OT prospects this year (24 and nine months at draft time), Jaxson Kirkland as an O-lineman has been played all over Washington like Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" in the '90s. Definitely more of a tackle than a guard despite having been moved back to the latter following an initial move to the former (usually signaling a failure on the outside, though he mostly played well there), the Huskies' line coach, Scott Huff, after surviving the Quentin Tarantino-esque staff slaughter that took place in Seattle, seemed unsure of what to do with Kirkland in 2022 after playing him at left tackle the previous season and a half, and moved him to LG following a week-four debacle in pass pro. Somebody will do that with him in the NFL also—and they'll be wrong too.
4-5 Ryan Hayes mich(2+Lt) 23.2
6062 298 10 32½ 79 1.72 5.18 7.39 4.68 103 30
6063 305
Ryan Hayes played steadily well all the way through this past season, if we can forget the Ohio State game. But being that those are the type of players with which he'll have to contend week in and week out at the next level, it can't be ignored. He's a little light at that height (6'6¼"), and his high cut frame mixed with his underdeveloped hand usage is a recipe for being bounced off his spot and finding himself headed backward through the quarterback's porch in the league. Without the anchor to play guard or the refinement of an NFL tackle, he's a backup you'll hope can keep a seat on the bench warm as he absorbs the O-line coaching.
4-5 Jaelyn Duncan md(4Lt) 22.9 ankle:mar
6056 306 9⅜ 33 79⅛ 1.73 5.10 113 31½
6055 322 1.82 5.32 7.95 109 30½ 25
A four-year starter at left tackle for Maryland, Jaelyn Duncan has lots of snaps under his belt for someone three months shy of 23 at draft time. Oddly, much of his tape from this past season has question marks all over it like the Riddler. There's been an unmistakable backslide in footwork and body bend from 2021 (when he looked well on his way to being an early-round pick—which he may still be, though not before the second half of day two). The ankle injury at the combine shouldn't be as concerning as his regression in 2022.
5-6 TJ Bass ore(1½Lg,1½Lt)
6041 317 9¼ 32⅜ 79 1.78 5.48 109 28½
6043 321
TJ Bass was a fish out of water much of the time for Oregon in obvious passing situations after the move from guard to tackle. On early downs he fared much better for the Ducks, and his consistency as a run blocker—from gap to zone and back—has looked as seamless as spandex pants without underwear. With lots of starting reps at multiple positions, he's worth a late-rounder to avoid the relatively high Paragraph 5 guarantee he'll get as a UDFA. His 2021 split tape shows multi-faceted ability, but a glacially slow 5.48 40 almost guarantees his availability near the end of day three.
5-6 Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu ore(2+rt) 23.11
6054 317 10½ 34½ 82⅞ 1.73 5.23 7.65 4.75 106 28½
1.77 5.12 103 18
With a college right tackle skillset, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu of Oregon could possibly stick there at the next level, though he's unlikely to be a starter and you pretty much need to be able to play both sides to be a serviceable reserve. A move to guard is probably in the cards for the Hawaii native. That's not to say that he couldn't be capable of training at LT also to be a swing; his improvement the past year from a mediocre 2021 is promising, and he has some traits you have to like, but there may not be many more steps on his ladder before he's at the ceiling.
5-6 Carter Warren pitt(4Lt,(ite)) 24.3 knee:oct
6054 311 9⅛ 35⅜ 84½
Carter Warren improved in pass pro every year at Pitt. He's started every season there at left tackle since 2019, and despite having an injury end his 2022 after just four games, it was looking like he was finally settling in pretty nicely. As the Panthers transitioned to relying on more and more zone concepts over his career, his feel for finding the second level with purpose in the run game appeared to get better. He needs to clean up the penalties (9 in 2021, 2 in four games for 2022). He has excellent length (35⅜" arms and an 84¾" wingspan), but you're probably not getting much more than what he put on film in college.
5-6 Warren McClendon Jr uga(3rt) 22.0 knee:dec
6041 306 10 34½ 82¾ 20
UGA decreasing their zone blocking percentage the past few seasons wasn't putting Warren McClendon Jr. in position to live his best life, and yet he had his finest game in 2022 vs. Auburn where the split of zone to gap was right down the middle (9 to 10). He also played a quarter of his snaps at LT in that contest, though a switch there from right tackle probably wouldn't set him up for success in the league.
5-6 Tyler Steen bama(1rt,3Lt) 22.8
6060 321 10½ 32¾ 80½ 7.78 4.50 109 29½ 31
Tyler Steen's move to Alabama after three years at Vanderbilt was a positive in terms of unlocking what he can be on the offensive line. But the downside to that though, is that what he put on tape in Tuscaloosa is just about all of what a team should expect of him at the next level: an inconsistent producer who won't start in the league. Four years of starting reps in the SEC (one RT, three LT) is a good jumping off point, but it's not a trampoline.
5-6 Luke Haggard iu(3Lt) 23.2
6061 302 10⅛ 33⅛ 80½ 1.75 5.17 7.75 108 28 23
Another prospect who's improved his pass blocking every year, Luke Haggard has done little in the run game to make you believe that he'll be a slam dunk with a move inside to guard (which, although possibly a necessity, seems less than smart given his lack of a solid base). Appearing as out of place in space as Elon Musk's Tesla that's orbiting Earth, Haggard lives up to his name in terms of looking out of sorts when it comes to lane clearing. Drawing just five flags in three years starting is encouraging though.
6 McClendon Curtis chatt(2+rg,1Lt) 23.7
6057 324 10¼ 35 83⅞ 1.83 5.24 7.70 4.97 105 26½ 25
Chattanooga's McClendon Curtis faced FBS competition only once in 2022 (Illinois) and it was, predictably, his worst outing of the season, though his pass pro wasn't bad. His 2021 performance against Kentucky was quite solid. Moving him to tackle for the back half of his final season was a mistake, though understandable for the program. Switching back to guard is imperative in the NFL otherwise there's probably no point in drafting him—even late.
7ud Wanya Morris ou(2Lt,1rt) 22.6 hamstring:mar
6053 307 10¼ 35⅛ 85 1.80 5.10 111 28½
7ud Richard Gouraige uf(2Lg,2Lt) 24.6
6050 306 10 34 81⅛ 1.90 5.41 8.00 4.90 97 22½ 24
7ud Nick Saldiveri odu(3rt) 22.8
6062 318 10¼ 33¼ 81¼ 1.70 5.21 4.69 111 31 24
7ud Kadeem Telfort uab(3Lt) 24.5
6074 322 8½ 36 86 1.89 5.43 8.70 5.10 96 24½ 19
7ud John Ojukwu bsu(2rt,3Lt) 24.3
6056 309 10¾ 34 83⅝ 1.76 5.24 7.52 4.52 104 28½ 26
7ud Asim Richards unc(3Lt) 22.7
6042 309 10 34 82¾ 1.77 5.16 7.76 4.89 107 29 13
7ud Earl Bostic Jr ku(1rt,2Lt)
6056 309 9½ 34⅛ 80¾ 1.68 5.05 7.60 4.63 111 31 21
Guard (yrs @position) age @draft
ht wt h a ws 10yd 40 3c ss bj v r
2 O'Cyrus Torrence uf(1Lg,3rg) 23.3
6053 330 11¼ 33⅞ 83⅞ 1.82 5.31 8.09 4.81 101 23½ 23
O'Cyrus Torrence is the dude you want leading your protest through the barricade; you could drive a fire truck through it and it wouldn't have the impact and ferocity he hits the second level with. Three seasons in the Sunbelt (Louisiana) at both guard slots gave the impression of a next-level performer. Then spending 2022 with Florida, he became even more dominant. If there's a complaint, it's that a 23½" vertical makes you wonder if he could jump over a pencil. But the explosion he gets into the defender's pads with removes all doubt about whether his athletic profile will hold up in the league.
3 Chandler Zavala4 ncst(2Lg) 24.1 back:2021
6034 316 10½ 32⅞ 80¼ 1.78 5.23 7.58 4.70 103 32 30
Chandler Zavala will be underdrafted. The knocks on him are few, yet the mocks with him are too. Nobody seems to like a guy who can pass block from the interior at an elite level with just a year and a half of experience. Maybe it's the back injury that cost him the second half of 2021; maybe it's because of that goofy hat the wolf is wearing in the NCST logo. But giving up all of two pressures, neither of which resulted in sacks, across 380 pass blocking reps for weeks 1-12 seems like someone you should want in your pipeline. He did allow two more pressures against UNC in week 13, but c'mon, who among us hasn't mailed it in at work on a Friday?
3 Andrew Vorhees4 usc(2rg,3Lg,(½Lt)) 24.3 acl:mar
6060 310 10 32⅛ 77¾ 105 29 38
A torn ACL in March won't help Andrew Vorhees. But what he brings to the party in both facets should have Tostitos and Budweiser calling him for endorsement deals yesterday. Making the switch to left tackle partway through 2021 for the first time in his six-year career at USC, he shined like a rogue star crashing into your breakfast table. There's almost nothing to not like about him as a prospect other than his age (24 and three months for the draft) and obviously the recent injury; this is what makes him a steal when the clock starts on day three.
3 Steve Avila tcu(2c,1rg) 23.6
6034 332 9¼ 33 78 1.79 5.21 7.85 4.74 98 29½ 28
The sturdiness of Steve Avila's lower half makes you think he could sled press a cement truck. Out of his stance faster than you'd expect for a man of his measurements (6'3½ 332), he's what teams want pulling from the interior. The move to guard made sense after two seasons at center and he didn't miss a beat in pass pro. But his quickness in getting to his spots in the run game almost makes it appear as if he's early for a party no one else will show up to. He needs to be more deliberate in his anticipation of where his defender is going to be on his way there.
4 Atonio Mafi ucla(½rg,1+Lg) 22.6 calf:mar
6025 329 10⅜ 32⅝ 79¾ 21
Atonio Mafi may not hear his name called during the draft. But this evaluation suggests he should. Utah's stunts in week nine of 2021 left him looking as confused as a racoon on a game show trying to decide between trash and garbage. But that season, from right guard to left and then right again, he was being bounced back and forth like the camera in an episode of Cops from 1992. His run blocking improved both years since 2020, which is promising.
4-5 Caleb Chandler lvil(4+Lg) 24.8 shoulder:dec
6034 299 8¾ 31¾ 77
What we saw from Caleb Chandler in 2022 makes you wish he'd declared the year prior. With 2021 film that shows him commanding his position like General Patton, it's a surprise that he followed that up by going completely AWOL. Six years at Louisville makes him closer to 25 than 24, and a sub-300 lb combine weigh-in have him as less than an early priority on team boards, but his current projection of going undrafted altogether seems unfitting—when taking into account the promise he showed the year before last.
5-6 Emil Ekiyor Jr bama(3rg) 23.3
6024 314 9½ 33⅞ 82⅝ 23
Having zero panalties through more than 700 snaps across an entire season (2022) is what yells outloud "fundamentally flawless!" when it comes to offensive linemen. Emil Ekiyor Jr. is not exactly that, but there is much to like on his film. His anchor is great though his footwork isn't. His improvement in the pass game has been evident, but his focus in run concepts has suffered. 'Bama has run more zone than gap for his full tenure there, but he's shown an inability to identify his assignment early enough to allow for a smooth transition to the pro game. Middle of day three is when he should make sure his phone's charged.
6 Jon Gaines II ucla(½Lg,3rg(½c))
6040 303 10⅛ 33⅝ 81¼ 1.65 5.01 7.31 4.45 114 32½ 19
Jon Gaines II is one of the most athletic guards in this year's draft class. His 1.65 10-yard split from the only G/C who came anywhere close to a five-second run in the 40 (5.01), coupled with combine position bests for the 3-cone (7.31), short shuttle (4.45), broad jump (114), and vertical (32½), he might be better off as a power forward for the Dallas Mavericks. His experience all over the interior is a great place to start for a team drafting him (or signing him as a UDFA) to compete to be the primary backup at three positions and also the sixth man in jumbo.
6 Henry Bainivalu7 uw(3rg) 24.4
6055 306 10¾ 34 81⅛ 1.81 5.50 8.34 4.97 101 28
6056 312
Henry Bainivalu was a rock for UW ... a big rock ... and certainly has the pace of a rock ... rolling uphill. With combine times that were worst-in-class pretty much across the board, he's an easy prediction to be around on day three. But he was solid and reliable for the Huskies, playing high snap numbers each of the past two years. And with only four penalties since 2020, his concentration (which shows up on film play in and play out like Chicago on Broadway) rarely allows him to drift and be out of position.
6 gap Sidy Sow emu (1Lt,4Lg) 24.10
6046 323 10⅜ 33⅝ 81 1.82 5.07 7.62 4.69 110 32 27
In an EMU rushing scheme that featured more than 75% gap concepts over the past two seasons, Sidy Sow is understandably more proficient in a gap-leaning blocking philosophy. And with his athletic profile, it's probably where you want to keep him. Allowing 28 pressures since 2021, there's room for improvement in pass protection—and unfortunately he's gotten worse in that area each of the past three years.
6 Jake Andrews troy(2rg,1+c) 23.5
6026 305 10 32⅞ 78 1.77 5.15 7.73 4.73 102 26 29
Bounced around the interior like your groceries during a car crash, Jake Andrews has nearly 3000 snaps under his belt, which hold his pants onto a six-foot-three, 305-pound frame. Probably more of a guard than a center, Troy's Gunnar Watson had to get rid of the ball in a rush more often than you'd like from pressure barreling right through the front door early on in 2022. Andrews corrected course a bit though, allowing no more than one pressure per game from week six on (just four total), and also had only two penalties from that point onward. He can be a useful backup across the inside if he can beat out vet-minimum guys long enough for some NFL development.
6-7 Spencer Anderson md(1½rt,½c,1rg) 22.10
6050 309 10½ 32⅛ 78¼ 1.80 5.18 7.63 5.00 113 30½ 29
With more than 1000 pass blocking reps the past two seasons in Maryland's throw-first offense, Spencer Anderson has held up well over that haul indeed. His substandard game against Ohio State in 2021 was where he recorded most of his bad film for the year, and at that time the Terps still had him at right tackle. He rebounded for both of the following two contests, then moved to center thereafter. His 2022 game vs. OSU was considerably better, but by this time he was playing RG (and it's worth mentioning that he sandwiched that performance between two fairly inept ones). His run blocking would need to improve, but that's generally easier to do in the league than fixing pass pro. Anderson's been up and down the line like wet laundry on a pulley between two buildings in Brooklyn; everything about him says "utility O-lineman."
6-7 Nick Broeker miss(3Lt,1Lg) 22.6
6043 305 9¾ 32½ 76⅝ 1.76 5.27 7.75 4.70 23
Nick Broeker's switch to guard after three years of left tackle was about as smooth a transition as becoming a werewolf. He made improvements throughout the course of the 2022 season, but he'll need to get much better. Nineteen pressures is too many to issue from the interior. His three penalties (down from ten the year prior—likely contributing to the decision to move him inside) was a welcome shift. He'll be in camp somewhere, one way or another.
7ud Anthony Bradford Lsu(½Lt,1rg)
6040 332 9½ 33½ 80⅜ 1.66 5.08 7.84 4.80 106 30 34
Center (yrs @position) age @draft
ht wt h a ws 10yd 40 3c ss bj v r
2-3 Luke Wypler osu(2c) 22.0
6025 303 9⅝ 31⅝ 77⅛ 1.73 5.14 7.64 4.53 106 30½ 29
With only two years starting at Ohio State, Luke Wypler will get better. That's saying a lot because he's already right up at the top of the class as a pass protector. Not fantastic against Michigan or Georgia, he didn't finish out his time at OSU with the operatic high note you might have liked. But with his fluidity of motion and a natural awareness that can't really be taught, there's reason to believe he'll continue to improve at the next level.
2-3 John Michael Schmitz minn(4c) 24.1
6034 301 9½ 32⅝ 78⅜ 1.78 5.35 4.56 104 29½ 26
John Michael Schmitz hits his blocking assignments in the run game like an oxcart full of bowling balls coming down a mountainside; nobody is better in this year's draft. And with nearly 2500 snaps to his name at Minnesota and only ten flags thrown, he's rarely not where he's supposed to be. You'd like to have seen a bit of improvement between the past two seasons in pass pro, but that's pretty nitpicky for somebody who's already as complete a player as he is.
2-3 Joe Tippmann wisc(2c) 22.1 hamstring:feb
6060 313 10¾ 32¾ 80⅜ 30
Watching Joe Tippmann's 2021 film was exhilarating. By his fifth-ever game, he looked like a four-year starter. And he put together a stretch of run dominance throughout the rest of the season reminiscent of Carl Lewis in the '80s. Somewhat surprisingly, Tippmann started off 2022 rather slowly, but again—this time by week eight—he hit his stride in both facets and finished the marathon as fresh as if he'd taken an Uber through the first 15 miles. Still a little raw in some areas, if he can pick up in the NFL where he left off at Wisconsin, he'll be worth every bit of a day two pick.
3 zone Ricky Stromberg5 ark(1rg,3c) 22.5
6032 306 9¾ 33¼ 79⅝ 1.75 5.26 7.50 4.58 111 32½
Ricky Stromberg is not getting the love he's due, and probably won't on draft day either. With four years of starting experience at Arkansas (though 2019 was at both guard positions), Stromberg has honed his craft every year into the sharpened spear tip you see in his tape. Playing his best games against the best opponents, it doesn't feel like a stretch to anticipate further progression from him once in the league. With top marks for centers at both jumps (111, 32½), he has athleticism that comes across in his game play. Likely available well into day three, he is exactly what you're looking for at that time.
3-4 Alex Forsyth6 ore(3c) 24.3
6037 303 10¼ 32¾ 81¾ 95 20½ 29
Also apparently flying under the radar this draft season is the Ducks' Alex Forsyth. As part of an Oregon rushing attack that's seen a shift over his five years there from almost exclusively zone blocking to a majority of gap concepts, he's well versed in both areas. Year-one Pro Bowler probably not, and at 24 and three months in late April, he's the elder statesman of the 2023 center class. But with his pass blocking improving to the extent that he allowed just one lonely pressure across more than 400 reps for all of 2022 you'd expect someone to be calling before round six—though that looks like it might not happen for him.
4 Jarrett Patterson5 nd(3c,1Lg) 23.8
6051 306 10 31⅜ 77 1.77 5.33 7.96 4.73 106 29½ 22
7.76 4.84 24
Playing three years of relativity high-level center before switching to left guard in 2022, Jarrett Patterson looked like he was trying to figure out who stole the cookies out of his lunchbox early in the season. And despite solving that caper fairly quickly, he'll still offer your team more as a lean center. It'd be great to see him work on his functional strength, but he put together several games worth of promising film at Notre Dame.
5-6 Olusegun Oluwatimi mich(4c) 23.8
6024 309 8⅝ 32¾ 79⅛ 1.79 5.38 7.58 4.68 110 29 29
Almost 3500 career snaps at center should have Olusegun Oluwatimi's game more polished than what we see. The move to Michigan's more gap-based run-heavy offense is somewhat to blame. His third year at Virginia he consistently put on a clinic in run blocking: latching onto his man like a bear throwing an empty trash can. And though still steady in that regard this past season, there was noticeably less of that angry manhandling in 2022. Eight-and-five-eighths-inch hands are unusually diminutive for his position.
6-7 Juice Scruggs psu(1rg,1+c) 23.3
6026 301 10¼ 33¼ 81¾ 1.76 5.22 7.75 4.82 102 32 29
6032 305 4.63
With only a year-plus playing center and very little in the way of progress to show over that period, Juice Scruggs shouldn't RSVP for the green room on Draft Thursday. Sometimes bad habits form early, and he's in need of an overhaul. It's not that there's nothing to like: two penalties in a full 2022 season is good. And his 1.76 10-yard split is fast for the position (though not overly) and 29 bench reps is plenty, so there's a hook to hang his hat on, it's just not an ornate gold-wrought masterwork of Venetian expert artisanry.
7ud Alama Uluave sdsu(3c) 23.10
6012 303 10 31⅞ 78 1.80 5.08 7.76 4.68 99 27 29
Defensive Tackle (college position) age @draft
ht wt h a ws 10yd 40 3c ss bj v r
sack '21,'22 tfl '21,'22 ff '21,'22 pr win '22 run-stop '22
1 3-5t Calijah Kancey pitt(3t) 22.2
6010 281 9⅛ 30⅝ 72¾ 1.58 4.67 7.00 4.36 112 33½
7,7½ 13,14½ 1,0 22.7 7.4
A relatively low PFF run-stop percentage (7.4) probably won't have teams tripping over each other to take Calijah Kancey in the top ten. But his 22.7 pass rush win rate is tops in power-five and second overall. At 6'1" 281 he's definitely undersized for the position, and that would be what pushes him to the back half of round one or further; it's not his tape. Few DTs have the pass rushing prowess of Kancey—his 85 pressures the past two seasons will attest to that. He's not a two-gapping run stuffer. You're drafting him to perforate and puncture the pocket.
1 0-4t Jalen Carter uga(3t) 22.0
6031 314 10¼ 33½ 81
6030 323
3,3 8½,7 0.2 16.3 15.3
Of course Jalen Carter can't be thoroughly evaluated without mentioning the character and work ethic concerns teams have: they're real. Strictly from an onfield football-potential standpoint, he's probably the best all-around prospect in the class, but it's frequently not that simple. Jadeveon Clowney went number one overall in 2014 because his incredible athletic profile is something that can get a GM fired if you pass and he's an immediate Pro Bowler for someone else—even though there were questions at the time about his love for and dedication to the preparation. Khalil Mack was destined to go pretty early but wasn't really talked about for first off the board. Hungry and determined off the field and on, though not as traitsy as Clowney, Mack went fifth that year. Who's had the better career?
2 0-3t Mazi Smith mich(3t/nt) 21.10
6026 323 9¾ 33¾ 80⅞ 107 29½ 34
0,½ 2½,2½ 0,1 11.4 11.6
Mazi Smith is one of just a few dudes in this year's class that you could put head up with the center but then ask him to control his neighbor's assignment too. A true 0-tech if that's what you need, he's not going to wow you with a fully developed pass rushing arsenal. He will likely progress in that area over time, but his ability to pound in the tent stakes and set up camp in the middle of your D-line is what can make him special.
3 1-5t Keeanu Benton wisc(3t/nt) 21.9
6035 309 9¾ 33⅞ 81½ 1.74 5.08 7.34 4.65 111 29½ 25
2½,4½ 5,10 0,0 13.3 10.5
A hammer-fisted, pad-punching savage, Keeanu Benton has the pop your looking for from a D-tackle on day two. You'd like to see him play lower sometimes, but that can come as he develops NFL technique; what he did at Wisconsin was fine in that respect for college, but it'll need to improve in the league. Facing well-coached O-lines (OSU, Iowa) he didn't fare extremely well. But he never seems to tire out and is always finishing plays—which is exactly what makes him a fairly early projection as someone who can at least get you some late-rep production against the pass while he's learning the pro game.
3 3-5t Kobie Turner4 wake(3t) 24.0
6024 293 10¼ 31⅜ 77¾ 7.08 4.49 96 31
4,2 10½,10 2,3 14.7 11.5
Kobie Turner was the second-best-performing defensive tackle prospect in the ACC this past season—and that's saying quite a mouthful considering some of the guys other analysts have going higher. Primarily used as a 3-tech at Wake, he'll need to have some versatility out to the five. With a monster start to the 2022 campaign and a very strong finish, and no real dog-day let-downs in between, Turner's move to the power-five after three years of dominance at FCS Richmond showed no big-stage shock whatsoever: an excellent notion given that another leap in competition is coming again this fall.
3 3-5t Moro Ojomo5 tex(de,4t,3t) 21.8
6024 292 10⅜ 34½ 83⅜ 1.68 5.04 7.45 4.60 112 33 29
0,3 3,5½ 0,0 17.8 7.9
At 6'2½" 292, Moro Ojomo is only slightly undersized for the position, though you'll hear a lot of evaluations elevating that to a level not in proportion to how much it matters with his style of play. You wouldn't want him to have the extra plate of potatoes that it'd take to cross 300 lbs anyway. His vertical was second-best-in-class at 33" even though that type of explosiveness is not usually what we see in his get-off. But the leverage he plays with makes him a plus run defender, and that can continue at the next level.
3 3-5t Karl Brooks4 bgsu(de/4t) 22.11
6033 296 9⅛ 31½ 77¼ 1.77 5.09 7.63 5.00 105 26½ 28
7½,10 12½,18 0,2 23.8 9.1
Karl Brooks was a terror for BGSU's 3-4 defense in 2022. Playing on the edge for the Falcons, run defense wasn't exactly his forte—that will have to change a bit in the NFL, though it's not as if he was awful. Having a couple down games early against stiffer competition, he rebounded by putting together a sensational second half of the schedule, finishing with a stellar bowl game against NCST. Playing five-tech would be alright early on, but he needs to be able to hold up against the run from the three if he's going to be successful in the league.
3-4 5-7t Colby Wooden5 aub(3t/de/4t) 22.4
6042 273 10⅜ 33¾ 80⅜ 1.63 4.79 4.52 115 23
6040 278 7.49 4.43
4½,6 8½,11½ 0,3 12.7 7.2
Colby Wooden showed up at Auburn's pro day five pounds heavier (278) than he was at the combine—a good thing for scouts to see if you're planning on playing him along the interior. A bit of a tweener, his best pass rush reps are featured against guards from the three, but he's still developing a repertoire on the edge (as the Tigers did him few favors by bouncing him all over the D-line the past couple seasons). He'll benefit from a well-defined role, though it will have to incorporate some versatility.
3-4 0-2t Siaki Ika bayl(3t/nt) 22.5
6032 335 10¼ 32⅜ 75⅞ 1.82 5.39 7.80 4.99
6027 347
3½,0 6,2 0,0 12.2 6.6
With better movement skills than you might expect from a man Baylor listed at 6'4" 358, Siaki Ika is a space-swallowing leviathan for the middle of your defensive alignment. Trimming down for the combine to a manageable 335, he looked even more nimble. But his missed tackle rate of 27.3% this past season is preposterously bad—particularly for someone with little pass rushing juice to lean on. It's not that he brings nothing to the table in that aspect of the game, but he's a bit of a one-trick pony there.
3-4 3-4t Bryan Bresee clem(3t) 21.6
6055 298 10¼ 32½ 78½ 1.65 4.86 29 22
6054 302 7.41 4.38 28
1½,3½ 3,5½ 0,0 14.5 4.8
Bryan Bresee's 2022 was likely pretty painful from an emotional, personal standpoint; unfortunately we have to grade what he did on the field. He looked great against the Tarheels; most of the rest of his season was so-so. And after a torn ACL ended his year in week four of 2021, mostly what you'd be drafting him for is a hope that he can put it together to be the interior pass rush threat that has been expected since his recruitment. For a presumptive first rounder, that seems like a fairly broad leap of faith given his recent results. He certainly has a lot of the tools you like to see, but that's not enough if the focus on mastery isn't there.
4 3-5t Byron Young bama(3t/4t) 22.5
6033 294 11 34⅜ 81⅛ 7.68 108 26 24
2,4 7½,5½ 0,1 12.5 6.5
Byron Young was excellent as a run defender for the Crimson Tide in 2021, and without sacrificing too severely in that department, he improved his pass rush moves for 2022: racking up 28 pressures. Having great length (34⅜" arms, 81⅛" wingspan) Alabama played him at three-, four-technique, and D-end over his four years there. It's hard to say what his ceiling is given how he was used, but it wouldn't be hard to believe that he's close to it. And though not a week-one starter, Young will have rotational value while still on a rookie contract.
4 1-3t Jaquelin Roy Lsu(3t/nt) 22.6
6026 305 10⅛ 32¾ 78⅛ 8.01 5.00 30
6033 297 1.82 5.17 8.00 4.75 101 26
1½,½ 6,3½ 1,0 10.1 7.2
Jaquelin Roy will not be asked to run wind sprints during NFL games. Even still, an 8.01 3-cone is eyebrow-raising. Apparently recovering from a hamstring injury (though it didn't prevent him from doing the shuttles), Roy opted not to run the 40 at the combine (which probably was wise given his other timed drills); his tape doesn't show him in a hurry to do anything either. Six hundred seventy-five snaps in 2022 is more than a lot for the position and likely contributed to a backslide that reminds you of a Toyota who's engine stalled out after towing an overfull wheelless dumpster halfway up a dirt hill. Trimming that rep count back to what it was in 2021 will be a good start toward recapturing the magic he put on tape that year.
4 0-2t Keondre Coburn5 tex(nt,3t) 22.11
6011 332 9⅛ 31½ 76⅝ 1.77 5.22 7.56 4.70 101 27½ 24
1,2½ 2,4 0,2 15.4 6.9
Keondre Coburn doesn't have terrific length and it shows up on film in the way he lets offensive linemen get into him sometimes. A missed-tackle percentage that rose every season is troubling, but a pass rush that's beginning to close in on matching his prowess against the run is what you need to see by the fifth year of school. He doesn't get home exceedingly frequently but 9 total pressures versus ULM and Texas Tech was encouraging early in 2022—even though it's pretty much just bull rushes that you'll get from him. Coburn is stout against the run more often than not, but you'd like to see more fire from down to down and game to game.
4 (3)4-5t Jonah Tavai sdsu(3t/5t/nt/4t)
5101 283 9 29½ 72⅞ 1.75 5.06 7.65 4.70 105 26½ 29
8½,10½ 14,14 0,0 22.4 8.2
Appearing as if he'll be available late on day three, Jonah Tavai is more than worth a look. His athletic traits won't make you do a triple take, but some guys just get it done. Small for the position (5'10" 283 with just 29½" arms), he doesn't have the requisite length teams want on the edge or the bulk they want up the middle. He wasn't invited to the combine. And his pro day numbers, while fine but unspectacular, did little to allay concerns about his physical limitations. At San Diego State, Tavai played up and down the D-line like duelling opposite piano glissandos. And while his level of competition was less than top-notch, he destroyed those he went up against in the Mountain West (and Arizona, which still claims to be a Pac-12 team). He was well above average against Utah this past season too.
5 3-5t Dante Stills7 wv(3t/4t/5t) 23.4
6034 286 9⅝ 32⅜ 78 1.66 4.85 7.38 4.61 113 28½ 20
7,4½ 15,9 1,2 14.2 4.3
With 24 TFLs the past two seasons for West Virginia, Dante Stills is in the backfield as much as a farmer hiding from his wife. Every other year for the Mountaineers he's been up and down like the drive to Morgantown from Richmond. Stills finished out his time there on a high note: completing 2022 from beginning to end with the consistent focus you'd expect from a 23 year old. Although he'll need to clean up his tackling, solid production for five years should have him being called before round seven, but it probably won't.
5 1-4t Gervon Dexter Sr uf(nt,3t) 21.6
6056 310 9½ 32¼ 80⅞ 1.70 4.88 7.50 110 31 22
6055 318 7.65 4.70
2½,2 4½,4 0,0 8.5 7.7
Gervon Dexter Sr. improved in the run department all three years in college. His pass rush suffered this past season, as Florida lined him head up with the tackle more than 100 times—something he wasn't asked to do the previous season much at all. With solid missed-tackle percentages going back to 2020 (12.6 three-year average), you can confidently put Dexter in your early-down rotation and expect him to not be out of place.
5 3t DJ Dale bama(3t/nt) 22.6
6010 302 9¾ 32⅞ 78⅝ 1.77 5.26 7.69 4.80 98 25½
2,2½ 3,3½ 0,0 11.3 4.8
DJ Dale was kept pretty fresh all season with how Alabama rotates their D-line. And his rush improvement in obvious passing situations is promising for having a role at the next level. But his pitiful PFF run-stop rate (4.8) makes you think he might be best suited, early on at least, as a late-down specialist. His combine jumps (98, 25½) are representative of the frequent poor get-off we see on tape, but his production wasn't bad for how he was used.
5 (3)4-5t Tyler Lacy7 okst(de/3t/4t) 23.5 lower leg:nov
6043 279 10⅞ 33¼ 78⅜ 1.69 5.11 7.60 4.68 116 31 30
3½,3 11½,8½ 2,0 11.9 5.7
It's a shame Oklahoma State's Tyler Lacy had his final season in Stillwater cut short by injury; he was putting together some pretty good film. For a man of just 279 lbs, he held the point well when asked to do so from the three. There won't be much of that for him in the NFL, but it's nice to see the willingness to transition and improve upon his previous film while doing something new for him. Minimizing his missed-tackle percentage (17.1 in 2021 down to 10.0 in 2022) is a big plus.
5 0-2t Jerrod Clark6 ccu(3t/nt) 23.5
6032 334 9¾ 33¾ 82 1.77 5.25 7.60 4.83 102 27½
1½,3½ 3½,10 0,0 12.9 8.0
Jerrod Clark doesn't have the movement skills to be a 3-4 DE, but if you want someone who can hold serve from the defensive interior, he might be your guy. Some reps here and there are puzzling; it almost seemed as if he was battling boredom at times. But with his tackling (specifically and necessarily) getting better every year, along with pretty much everything else in his game, he'll be able to find a job in the league.
5 0-3t Brodric Martin7 wku(nt/3t) 23.11
6046 330 9⅛ 35 83¼ 1.81 5.36 8.16 4.94 100 25 20
2½,1½ 4½,1½ 0,1 9.4 4.7
Some of what Brodric Martin did the past two years at Western Kentucky looked like he was posting up to dunk on you. He has the ability to keep folks out of his pads and sit down when he wants to (as he should with 34½" arms and an 84-plus wingspan), but the consistency isn't there. His pass rush is a work in progress but he took some big strides in 2022. You'd really like to see him put it all together because some of what's on tape is hard to teach.
5 5t Jacob Slade msu(3t) 23.2
6031 285 9½ 32¾ 81 1.70 4.95 7.63 4.52 110 31 24
2½,½ 5,3½ 0,0 11.7 5.5
Jacob Slade fought through injury for part of 2022, but finished well for Michigan State. His tackling needs major work, as his MT% the past three seasons has grown like a fertilized cat tail at the edge of a steroid pond (11.1, 16.7, 24.0). His nearly exclusive usage as a 3-tech in East Lansing may be the reason he's so low on draft boards, because a switch to the five might be necessary for him to stick in the league. But considering he'll probably still be available in early May, there's no reason your team shouldn't toss him a deeper look based on his 2021 tape alone.
5 3-5t Jalen Redmond6 ou(3t/nt) 24.1
6023 291 10⅛ 32⅝ 78¼ 1.66 4.81 7.30 4.51 116 34½ 27
3½,4 8,10 0,0 9.7 8.4
The Sooners' Jalen Redmond is about as athletic as you'll find at 6'2½" 291. Nobody at the position this year topped his marks in the 3-cone (7.30), broad jump (116), or vertical (34½). And 27 bench reps is a good number too. His 2021 film is better than 2022, and his 2019 is better still—so that could be cause for concern. But he was asked to fill the A-gap a lot this past season (which is something he won't be tasked with in the league), and his slight regression from 2019 to 2021 can probably be explained by a bit of rust, having opted out of 2020.
6 3t Devonnsha Maxwell chatt(3t) 23.11
6015 290 9¾ 33⅛ 79⅞ 1.79 5.19 7.83 4.74 106 28½ 30
2½,8 5½,13½ 0,0 11.7 8.6
Devonnsha Maxwell was Chattanooga's defense. He held it down from 3-tech like a lockdown corner ... and probably could've played that position too. Illinois is a real team and he showed in week four of 2022 that he can hold up against FBS power-five competition. He's rarely displaced when he doesn't want to be. If his development continues from what we saw the past two seasons, he'll find a home at the next level.
6 3-5t Zacch Pickens scar(3t) 23.1
6035 291 10⅜ 34⅜ 81⅝ 1.67 4.89 7.45 4.62 116 30½ 22
6037 298
4,2½ 5,4 0,0 11.5 6.2
There's no such thing as a bust if we're talking about someone who's drafted in the sixth round—and that's where Zacch Pickens should be taken. There's very little in his film to indicate that he should go before day three, despite many others affirming his early value. He hasn't done much that should lead anyone to believe that he's an early starter in the league, or even a producer who's gameplay warrants a thought before the back half. The "want-to" isn't there. He'll get called before he should.
6 3t Cameron Young7 msst(3t/nt) 22.10
6033 304 10 34½ 82 1.73 5.10 7.97 4.82 108 28½
0,1 2½,3 0,0 6.7 4.9
Cameron Young has shown a bit of promise but the production hasn't been there. He's likely to hear his name called late, but anyone who's taking a day-three flyer will be expecting development from the three. He doesn't have what you need closer in, and a bet on more than what we saw with an increased role in the B-gap this past season is a wager that is only worth it if the investment is minimal.
7ud 1-3t PJ Mustipher psu(3t) 24.5 knee21
6036 320 9 32¾ 79⅜ 1.83 5.41 8.01 5.03 96 27½ 19
1,0 3,½ 0,0 5.0mt%(18-22)
7ud 3t Nesta Jade Silvera asu(3t) 23.3
6020 304 9⅞ 32⅞ 78⅝ 1.73 5.16 110 29½ 21
0,1½ 5½,4½ 0,1 8.4 7.5
7ud 3t Taron Vincent osu(3t) 23.2
6013 304 9 32¼ 77⅝ 1.84 5.15 8.00 4.80 96 26½ 26
½,½ 3½,2½ 0,0 5.9 4.3
Edge (college position) age @draft
ht wt h a ws 10yd 40 3c ss bj v r
sack '21,'22 tfl '21,'22 ff '21,'22 pr win '22 run-stop '22
1 34olb/43de Will Anderson Jr bama(olb) 21.7
6036 253 9⅞ 33⅞ 81 1.61 4.60
17½,10 31,17 0,0 20.4 6.6
Will Anderson Jr. can sack you from there. He has first-round tape; that's probably enough said. But for the sake of thoroughness, his bend may not quite be elite at the next level. He'll win enough despite that. He won frequently in the nation's best conference while being triple teamed often and harassed by numerous opposing players on nearly every play in 2022.
1 3-9t Tyree Wilson tt(de,olb) 22.11
6061 271 9⅝ 35⅝ 84½ 23
7,7 13½,14 0,1 22.3 10.0
Tyree Wilson is a disruptor. He could crash a riot and you'd know about it from the next block over. There needs to be a game-specific plan designed by the opposing coaching staff to keep him from wrecking your week by himself. He has a little ways to go in sharpening up all the knives, but he's definitely got the Cutco complete set. Once the consistency gets there, it'll be a time of reckoning.
1 34olb/43w9 Nolan Smith uga(olb) 22.3 pec:oct
6021 238 9 32⅝ 81 1.47 4.39 128 41½
4½,3 8,7 3,0 25.5 14.9
Nolan Smith is speed-to-power personified. With a 1.47 10-yard split he could beat Bob Motz's jet Kenworth off the Christmas tree. Having the best PFF pass rush win rate in the class is nice too. And how 'bout a combine vertical a full 3½ inches higher (41½) than the next closest edge rusher? He was used rather sparingly in 2022 given some of Georgia's other defensive weapons, just a 23½ snap per game average before a pectoral injury ended his season after week nine.
1-2 43de Lukas Van Ness iowa(de) 21.9
6046 272 11 34 81¾ 1.57 4.58 7.02 4.32 118 31 17
7,6 8½,10½ 0,0 18.8 5.0
At 6'5" 272, Lukas Van Ness has a bit of versatile range across the exterior of the D-line. You don't want him playing 1-tech, but with his athleticism he could certainly survive at the five with snaps at three. Best suited as an edge who can rush from the B in obvious situations, he's someone who can also be an upper-tier run defender with a few layers of polish. There's pretty much no likelihood of him getting out of round one.
2 34olb/43w9 Will McDonald IV isu(de) 23.11
6036 239 9½ 34⅞ 82¼ 1.63 4.70 6.85 4.22 132 36
11½,5 13,7½ 5,1 16.8 7.0
A whirlwind coming around the corner, Will McDonald IV has been getting it done for the Cyclones for four years. Perfect for a wide-9 scheme or as a 3-4 on-ball edge, watching McDonald's tape will have D-coordinators saying "I'm lovin' it." He also significantly improved his run defense this past season and slashed his missed-tackle percentage by about two-thirds: from a tornado-siren-worthy 29.6 in 2021 down to a clear-skies 11.1 in 2022. He'll be about a month short of 24 years old at draft time.
2 43de/5t Tuli Tuipulotu usc(de/4t) 20.7 hamstring:feb
6032 266 10⅛ 32¼ 77⅞
5½,13½ 7½,22 2,2 19.1 5.3
Tuli Tuipulotu is as raw as a fisherman's knuckles—which makes it all the more surprising that he's been responsible for the production he has the past two years. With 85 pressures since 2021, you'd feel comfortable placing that call early on day two, expecting a continued upward growth trajectory once in the league. A 31.4% missed-tackle rate in 2022 is worse than vomit². But, as previously stated, he's still developing at just 20 years and seven months old for the draft.
2 43de Felix Anudike-Uzomah kst(de) 21.3 foot,groin?
6026 255 9⅝ 33½ 80½ 6.94 4.34 124 34
11,8½ 14½,11 6,2 15.9 8.1
In 2021, Felix Anudike-Uzomah was forcing the ball out like an overzealous tennis server. He caused two more fumbles in 2022, which is nice, but isn't the torrid pace of the half dozen he had the season prior. Some of his position drills at K-State's pro day were described as "uninspired"—which could be related to him not being at full strength or it could be a real struggle. Either way it's a bit of a concern because if it's health (there was a groin rumor) then that makes one wonder about durability after he just missed the combine workouts with a foot injury. And if there's something elemental causing him to appear sluggish performing for future employers in potentia, well, that's probably even worse.
3 34olb/43w9 Yasir Abdullah5 lvil(olb) 23.0
6010 237 9¼ 32⅜ 79⅛ 1.48 4.47 7.00 4.33 129 36½ 23
10,9½ 16½,14½ 1.4 21.2 5.2
Yet another sub-240-pound edge, Yasir Abdullah isn't seeing the love his opposite bookend (YaYa Diaby) is this draft season. And that seems purely mystifying given that his production the past two years (19½ sacks, 31 tackles for loss), total pressures (88), and overall athletic profile and game tape all lean his way. Diaby played a lot of 4-technique over his time in Louisville, so let's not get crazy beating him down either; his assignment was frequently different and he is the better run defender. And while it's evident that some of what Abdullah won with won't necessarily translate perfectly, if 3-4 OLB pass rush glam is what your outfit is missing, he's the counterfeit knock-off of Nolan Smith, and he's worth the trip to Koreatown on day three.
3 43de Isaiah McGuire4 mizz(de) 21.9
6043 268 8⅝ 33⅞ 82 1.59 4.76 7.39 122 36½
6,8½ 14,14 1,2 17.6 9.8
The last couple weeks, Isaiah McGuire has been climbing draft boards like Alex Honnold in Yosemite. His current average mock position finally matches his film (round three/four) after spending the past few months dancing around the 140s. With more and more of his focus being pushed outside tackle each season, his 2022 looked like someone you'll be able to count on there after sanding off the rough bits in the league a little while—and he can be a plus run defender during too.
3 34olb/43w9 BJ Ojulari Lsu(de) 21.0
6021 248 10½ 34¼ 81⅞ 7.57 126 33½ 24
7,5½ 12,8½ 0,1 18.9 4.5
It's pretty likely that BJ Ojulari hears his name during the first half of day two. Other than an effective bull rush, he's got just about every maneuver you'd want him to at this point—which is saying quite a bit given his age: he'll just be turning 21 at draft time. He won't blow your mind in the run game, but if your team's drafting him for that it's probably time to rethink your front office.
3 3443de/5t Adetomiwa Adebawore nw(de/dt) 22.1
6015 282 10½ 33⅞ 82⅝1.55 4.49 7.13 4.26 125 37½ 27
4½,5 8½,9 2,2 14.3 5.7
Adetomiwa Adebawore ran sub-4.5 at the combine, and at 282 lbs that is noteworthy. Most of his testing was on-brand relative to his Northwestern tape: he was asked to do everything and did, and performed better than most around him. Used as a combo 3-tech/edge in college, you probably don't want him that far into the middle of your alignment—at least not until he becomes a more proficient tackler. His 25.5% missed-tackle rate in 2022 needs life support.
3 43de Myles Murphy clem(de) 21.3
6046 268 8½ 33¾ 81⅛ 1.59 4.53 7.21 4.29 31 25
8,6½ 14½,11 2,1 14.3 6.2
Myles Murphy is a first rounder ... pretty much everywhere other than here. There are things you see him do that can't be taught. There are things you see him do that can't be explained—and not always in a good way. Frequently out of position and ending the rep by winning for the offensive lineman before the play even starts to develop, he's not a safe wager to address that fundamentally if we haven't seen it yet. He certainly has the traits that can make you drool like Pavlov's dog, but gambling on a huge leap in attention to detail is often a fool's bet without there being a jarring wake-up call. And that's why teams might be wise to wait at least through Thursday for him: he's essentially the same raw, planless power rusher he was when he got to Clemson in 2020.
3 34de/5t Keion White gt(de,dt) 24.3 achilles20,leg21
6047 281 10⅛ 34 80 1.69 4.79 117 34 30
'19,'22: 3½,7½ 19,14 1,0 20.1 6.2
Unfortunately for football fans, Keion White has had trouble staying healthy and on the field. Dominant at Old Dominion back in 2019, he missed nearly all of the following two seasons due to injury. The move to Georgia Tech made sense and he likely could have been even better there than what we did get to see. Probably best suited as a 3-4 D-end, he has a great build and more upside than most—you just hope he can stay out of the blue tent.
3 3443de/5t Mike Morris5 mich(de) 22.0
6052 275 10 33½ 81⅞ 1.64 4.95 7.46 4.65 110 28½ 22
½,7½ 1,11 0,1 20.5 4.0
Mike Morris appeared to have shaved weight at the combine from where he was physically in Ann Arbor. Being considered early in the process as something of a tweener, it was probably a good idea to pick a direction on the scale and aim for it. Not a space-eater and lining up outside the OT almost exclusively in college, he chose well in his preparation for pro workouts. There isn't a lot of great film of him against the run, but his active hands allow him to win reps against tackles even when he's not leveraged correctly.
3-4 34olb/43w9 Caleb Murphy ferst(de) 23.4
6030 254 10¼ 32¾ 79¼ 1.66 4.81 7.28 4.45 119 28½
6032 263 31 17
14½,25½ 27,39 5,3
Who doesn't like DII prospects shredding the record books like a social security statement? Ferris State's Caleb Murphy and his obscene 25½ sacks did just that this past season. His combine testing didn't light the world on fire, but there's more than enough on tape of him whipping real live human beings—Division II or not—for him to be worth a close look from your scouting department. It was Matthew Judon's 21-sack record that he rewrote for DII, and his career has been pretty good in the league.
3-4 43de Viliami Fehoko5 sjsu(de,dt) 23.4
6036 282 9 33 77⅜ 1.68 4.77 7.32 4.73 100 30 24
7,9 12½,19 3,2 21.5 10.9
Viliami Fehoko is evidently just a vaporous apparition who can only be seen by a select few. That's the only reason that could explain why it looked for months like he'd go undrafted. Thankfully, he's finally appeared to some of the rest of the world as well. He's been a nightmare off the edge for opposing tackles going back to 2020. And with very little horror-film tape the past three years, albeit against a largely B-movie schedule, he definitely deserves a phone call: because you know what he did last ... season.
3-4 43de Zach Harrison osu(de) 21.8
6054 269 10 36¼ 85½ 7.33 4.66 123 34½ 25
2,3½ 6,8 1,3 14.6 5.5
Zach Harrison's traits and potential will get him drafted earlier than his film and production. He's been a bit of an underachiever given all his promise as a recruit. That's a pretty high standard to hold someone to though. His ability is very translatable to the NFL game, yet there are question marks about what the expectations should be after the four years he's put in at Ohio State (and his lack of continued development). Still, 36-plus-inch arms are a good place to begin if you're a defensive line coach.
3-4 34olb/43de Derick Hall aub(olb,de) 22.1
6026 254 10 34½ 82⅝ 1.55 4.55 7.23 4.20 127 33½
9,6½ 12½,11½ 2,2 17.7 5.5
Derick Hall is about as good at stopping runs as a handful of thumbtacks in your pantyhose drawer. But he's got some real juice as a pass rusher. And while there's no reason to believe that can't continue in the league, there's also very little progress to point to over his time at Auburn. He still doesn't appear to have much of a plan. He's a spooked mustang loose in the sitting room with your grandma's Hummel collection: there will be damage, and it's going to appear pretty random.
3-4 43de Isaiah Foskey nd(de) 22.6
6047 264 9⅞ 34 81¼ 1.66 4.58 7.28 4.41 125 34 22
10,10½ 9½,13½ 6,1 14.9 6.7
There wasn't as much improvement in Isaiah Foskey's pass rush as you'd have liked to have seen between 2021 and 2022. But with a few games experimenting with him at the four (which is a mistake), some of that can be blamed on personnel groupings. His missed-tackle percentage disintegrated though, to a nearly invisible 3.1 across 563 total snaps. He's still clay; he'll need to be moulded quite a bit to be viable every down at the next level.
3-4 34olb/43w9 Andre Carter II army(olb) 22.10
6065 256 9⅜ 33⅜ 81 1.65 4.93 6.97 4.29 109 30 11
14½,3½ 17,7½ 4,0 22.7 5.1
Andre Carter II (and teams interested in drafting him) got some good news back in December when lawmakers added language to the Defense Authorization Bill that included a waiver to defer mandatory military service until after the pursuit of a professional sports career, which in essence grants a grandfather clause to athletes from service academies to continue under the previous terms that had been in place prior. Carter was better than most of the competition he faced on Army's schedule. There's plenty to like, but he'll need to get stronger to face NFL offensive tackles.
4 43de KJ Henry5 clem(de) 24.3
6042 251 10 33 79 1.57 4.63 7.47 4.45 112 31½ 24
4,3½ 6½,9 1,1 15.9 5.2
With a strong campaign in 2022, KJ Henry looked like he was starting to really put it together in year number five at Clemson. Hopefully that's his floor, but his ceiling is likely not much farther above it. Primarily facing right tackles the past couple seasons in college, he'll see a different breed of pass protector at the next level. That isn't to say he can't stay on the defensive left, but generally (and more so in the NCAA) that's where you'll find the tackle they don't want on the left.
4-5 34olb/43w9 José Ramírez7 emu(de) 22.11
6017 242 8¾ 32¾ 78⅝ 1.58 4.73 6.95 4.30 118 34½ 21
252 4.47
6½,12 11,19½ 2,2 21.5 10.6
José Ramirez should put a movie together because he's a producer. A 4.73 40 doesn't yell outloud "Athleticism!" but his ability to consistently win off the edge is impressive. Half of his game cut-ups from the past two seasons will be teaching tape at Eastern Michigan for years to come. And a sub-7 3-cone is no toilet water either. He did put on 10 lbs between the combine and EMU's pro day and looked like he was in a swamp doing the short shuttle, which ought to tell us that he should stick to the 240s for a playing weight so as not to sacrifice the short area quicks we saw in his college film.
5 34olb/43w9 Lonnie Phelps7 ku(de) 22.8
6023 244 9¼ 32⅜ 75⅜ 1.57 4.55 7.28 4.51 119 34
8½,7 13½,11½ 0,1 18.9 10.1
KU's Lonnie Phelps turned up his tackling volume significantly after transferring from Miami of Ohio. And he even looked pretty comfortable out in space at times with somewhat of a role change from the year before; he even fared pretty well on several coverage snaps. Raising the level of competition for him from MACtion to the aerial circus that is the Big 12 was a smart idea and he didn't look out of place in the slightest.
5 34olb/43w9 Eku Leota aub(olb,de) 23.11 pec:oct
6030 252 9½ 33½ 79¾
263
7,2 10,5 1,0 17.8 8.9
With his season cut short due to a pectoral injury, it's really a shame we were robbed of getting to see what Eku Leota would become in his final year at Auburn. But what he did put on film in the five games he played was a huge step forward from the previous season. His pass rush was noticeably more defined and he had some answers he didn't have in 2021, or prior to that at Northwestern. And he shrunk his missed-tackle rate by about two-thirds: from 17.4% in '21 down to a very trim 5.9% in '22.
5 34olb/43w9/oblb Derek Parish hou(de,olb) 24.3
biceps:sep
6004 241 9½ 29¼ 73⅝ 1.60 4.62 6.76 4.07 118 37 27
5,5 12,8½ 0,1 24.2 9.9
A biceps injury ended Derek Parish's 2022 after just four games. But what we saw in those four games was pretty terrific—and half those contests were against power-five teams. At just 6'½" 241 with 29¼" arms, saying he's on the small side for the position is like saying China has some folks living there. But with the way he was against left tackles the past two seasons for Houston, he's definitely worth a late-round ticket, considering that it looks like he'll continue to be available throughout.
5 34de/5t Desjuan Johnson tol(3t/de) 23.8
6021 285 9¾ 31¾ 77½ 1.70 5.04 8.03 4.50 108 29 24
4½,5½ 12½,16½ 2,0 17.6 8.7
Desjuan Johnson tore up the MAC like an old phone bill. With his best tape coming from the three and being slightly undersized for that at the next level, 3-4 defensive end is probably his happy place to succeed in the league. His game doesn't have the burst to play farther out and he doesn't play bigger than he is to convincingly hold the point on the middle of the interior.
5-6 34olb/43de Durell Nchami md(olb) 23.2
6040 258 9¾ 34½ 80¼
3,3 4,6 1,1 15.7 5.5
Maryland's Durell Nchami had a 2020 that made you a believer. His gameplay fell off though moving forward like an oxygen cylinder with the tailgate down. He got worse in both of the next two seasons runner runner like a bad beat in Texas Hold 'Em. But if he can get back to the jump it looked like he was making three years ago it'll be worth the price to ante up in the latter part of day three.
5-6 43de YaYa Diaby lvil(4t/de) 23.11
6032 263 10⅜ 33⅞ 80½ 1.51 4.51 120 37
1½,9 3,14 0,0 16.1 3.1
YaYa Diaby was half of Louisville's fearsome edge duo (Yasir Abdullah). Though Diaby played head-up with the tackle more than outside in college, he'll probably need to make the move to be a worthwhile project for NFL teams. His 1.51 10-yard split was tied for third at the position. And solid jumps of 120 and 37 intimate that the explosiveness we saw from him out of his stance (at times, though inconsistently) can be shaped into rotational value in the league.
6 43de Dylan Horton tcu(olb,de) 22.8
6036 257 9½ 33⅛ 78½ 120 34 18
6040 262 1.68 4.74 7.43 4.53
4,10½ 9,15 0,1 14.5 6.5
Despite playing at four- and three-tech in 2022 (something he hadn't been asked to do previously), Dylan Horton was steady throughout his final season at Texas Christian. In fact, his improved pass rush from the different alignments shows promise for teams who play their ends inside in likely passing situations, and knowing that he holds up well enough against the run gives you confidence in him being there on later downs—just not on 2nd and two.
6 43de Thomas Incoom7 cmu(de,dt) 24.2
6022 262 8¾ 33¼ 78⅞ 1.56 4.66 7.10 4.33 118 30½ 23
4,11½ 8½,19 0,1 16.9 8.8
Nineteen TFLs is a pretty good number in any conference, though certainly a bit less impressive in the MAC than the SEC; the same is true for 11½ sacks. Still, Thomas Incoom put together enough high level reps on tape to warrant an exploration into what he can offer at the next level. And with only two seasons of film and a pretty recognizable improvement from year one to year two, there's more than enough you like to be worth a call later on day three.
6 34olb/43w9 Byron Young tenn(olb,de) 25.1
6022 250 9¼ 32½ 79⅛ 1.54 4.40 7.19 132 38 22
5½,7 11½,12 0,0 13.2 5.7
Byron Young has the explosion and burst needed to succeed in the league. You'd love to have seen a jump from 2021 to 2022 rather than regression, but NFL conditioning may prove to be helpful given the dropoff we saw with the increased workload. At 25 years old it's pretty late to just be starting to unlock the diamonds his athletic profile suggests he has in the vault, but some team will be so enamored with what could be that they'll go to the bank early to make a day-two draft-capital withdrawal.
6 34olb/oblb Nick Hampton appst(olb) 23.0 inj:nov
6022 236 9½ 33⅝ 80⅝ 1.55 4.58 120 35½
11,7 17½,9½ 0,3 19.0 5.7
Just about perfect from an athletic and build standpoint as a 3-4 outside linebacker, Nick Hampton fits the position like a wet cast. Though he didn't play off-ball a lot at App State, he proved over 112 coverage snaps in 2021 that he can fill a hybrid role. How much of his ability translates effectively early on will of course be a matter of scheme fit, but his versatility is evident in his film with the Mountaineers the past few seasons.
6 34olb/43de Ochaun Mathis7 nebr(olb) 23.9
6046 250 10¾ 35¼ 83⅜ 1.59 4.74 4.38 118 33½ 21
1.62 4.73 7.19 4.41 123 35
2,3½ 4,5 0,0 16.4 7.8
Ochaun Mathis runs hot and cold like a failing water heater. His best tape is from 2020 with TCU. He played fairly well for much of 2022 after transferring to Nebraska, but he's not invested in every play the way you want him to be. He doesn't do anything exceptionally well, but his best reps make you think there's more there to unlock. That key isn't worth searching for though until the end of Saturday.
7ud 43de DJ Johnson ore(olb) 24.6
6041 260 9 33¼ 80⅛ 1.51 4.49 7.33 4.51 115 32 28
1,6 2,8½ 0,0 15.5 6.2
7ud 34olb/43de Andre Jones ull(de,olb) 24.6
6045 248 10 34¼ 81¼ 116 29
4,7½ 9½,8½ 2,1 15.7 6.9
7ud 34olb/43w9 Truman Jones harv(de) 22.11
6032 250 10¼ 33½ 81⅜ 1.61 4.68 7.30 4.38 122 37 17
2,6 4½,13 0,1 19.7 7.3
7ud 34olb/oblb? Isaiah Land fa&m(olb) 23.2
6035 236 9¼ 32½ 77½ 1.59 4.62 7.20 4.56 126 34½ 21
4.43
19,8 25½,12 3,1 24.2 7.6
7ud 34olb/oblb Durrell Johnson Lib(olb,de) 24.9 knee21
6032 251 8⅛ 33⅞ 80¼ 1.55 4.69 7.57 4.66 124 36½ 16
'20,'22: 8½,9 10,27 0,0 (12.6pressure%21-22)
7ud 43de Tavius Robinson miss(de/4t) 24.4
6060 257 9⅝ 33¾ 79¼ 1.58 4.66 7.40 4.62 120 33½ 23
3½,6 4½,7 0,4 11.5 2.9
7ud 43de MJ Anderson isu(de/4t) 22.3
6021 273 9¼ 33¾ 82 1.69 5.05 7.78 4.69 113 33
1,3½ 1,9 0,0 13.9 11.1
7ud 34olb Tyrus Wheat msst(olb/oblb) 23.4
6022 263 9 32⅞ 78½ 1.60 4.65 4.54 113 28½ 20
6,6 9,10½ 1,0 14.7 4.9
7ud 34olb/43w9 Mitchell Agude miafl(olb,dt) 24.1
6037 242 10 34 82½ 1.69 4.75 7.46 4.27 121 35 19
2,4 6½,7 3,0 (12.1pressure%21)
7ud 43de Habakkuk Baldonado pitt(de) 23.7 inj:nov
6036 251 10½ 33 79⅜ 1.65 4.78 7.11 4.44 120 35 21
7.00 4.39
9,2 12,5 1,0 15.7 6.5
7ud 34olb/43w9 Titus Leo wagn(½scb/ss,olb,de) 23.8
6030 245 10⅛ 34⅛ 81⅝ 1.57 4.69 7.30 4.37 129 34 20
7,3 18½,14 0,1 (13.1pressure%21-22)
7ud 34olb/oblb Robert Beal Jr uga(de,olb) 23.8
6036 247 10⅛ 34⅝ 82¼ 1.56 4.44 7.26 4.42 123 31½ 14
6½,2½ 7½,2½ 0,1 14.1 6.7
7ud 43de Ali Gaye Lsu(de) 24.5 hamstring:mar
6055 263 9½ 34¼ 80⅛ 19
2½,2½ 2½,6 0,2 7.8 6.7
7ud 43de Ikenna Enechukwu rice(de/dt) 23.3
6040 264 9⅝ 33⅝ 81½ 1.58 4.70 7.58 4.64 120 32½ 23
4½,4½ 9,9½ 1,1 14.0 5.3
7ud 34olb/oblb? BJ Thompson sfa(de) 26.1
6056 243 10⅛ 34⅝ 82 1.57 4.61 7.06 4.46 125 37½ 13
9½,5 12½,6½ 2,2 18.6 2.9
Linebacker (college position) age @draft
ht wt h a ws 10yd 40 3c ss bj v r
mt%'21 '22
2 Jack Campbell iowa(mlb) 22.8
6045 249 10¼ 31⅞ 78¼ 1.58 4.65 6.74 4.24 128 37½
9.2 9.0
Jack Campbell is the best linebacker in the class. He probably won't be the first one drafted but he is complete in every way to an extent the others are not. He plays the run as well as you want from a college prospect and his coverage skills are even better. He's obviously not the best LB to ever come out of the NCAA, but for this year he's in front like the biggest hat at the movie theater. He isn't the best pass rusher out there, but his particular set of skills will have Liam Neeson wanting him leading the middle of the defense for years to come once he's Taken in round two.
2 Nick Herbig3 wisc(3edge) 21.5
6021 240 9¼ 31¼ 76 1.60 4.65 7.25 4.35 114 34 25
5.1 16.7 (11.5%21-22) 23.9pr win%(22)
Nick Herbig is two things: stud and project, or more specifically: edge and off-ball linebacker. He put on weight for the combine presumably to show that he can stick on the outside of the line in the league, but he has the traits to be both. His drafting team will probably be best served to play him as a designated pass rusher early as he learns the complexities of NFL zone coverage. The learning curve for man is about nil, largely natural concepts. But his ability to beat offensive linemen is already there and shows up reiteratively on tape.
2-3 Dorian Williams4 tuln(mlb) 21.10
6010 228 10¼ 33¾ 80¾ 1.52 4.49 120 35
10.5 8.3
In 2020 Dorian Williams hit the scene like snowboarding cargo pants in the '90s: looked awesome but disappeared the next year. Unlike the X-games winter look in high school, Williams rebounded and put together a stellar 2022. Still a couple months shy of his 22nd birthday, there's reason to believe that he's not close to his ceiling. That continued development will be the expectation for a team that drafts him before round four, because the potential and ability are clearly there.
2-3 Ivan Pace Jr5 cin(1edge,3mlb) 22.4
5104 222 9½ 30¼ 72 1.70 4.62 7.18 4.40 116 35 22
10.6 13.1
Making the jump from Miami of Ohio to Cincinnati, Ivan Pace Jr. got better in 2022 even with the increase in competition level. His coverage cooled off a bit to start out, but he warmed up to a boil by the home stretch. And his recognition and reaction against the run went through the roof like an over-pressurized water heater with the relief disabled. It appears at the time of writing that he'll be available on day three, and he's a home run anytime at that point.
2-3 Daiyan Henley wsu(mlb,slb) 22.4
6007 225 9½ 33 77¾ 1.58 4.54 125 35
9.3 5.2
Early on at Nevada, Daiyan Henley was an X-receiver; with the transfer to WASU he's an ex-receiver. His understanding and comprehension of route concepts make him extremely valuable in coverage. He's still learning the game from the other side of the line of scrimmage, but his ceiling is high and his tackling is already far better than you'd expect from a recent wideout.
2-3 DeMarvion Overshown4 tex(wlb,mlb,olb) 22.6
6025 229 9½ 32¼ 78⅛ 1.55 4.56 7.17 4.47 126 36½ 15
20.2 13.2
DeMarvion Overshown is about as consistent as the decimals in an irrational number. Good season, bad season; good game, bad game; good series, bad series. The only thing that's for certain is that it will continue unrelentingly. The effort is there and it seems like the instincts are too—it's almost as if he trusts them too much and ends up getting bitten more frequently than you'd like. But if your DC can reign that in a little and use his powers for good instead of evil, he could become a force at the next level ... it's just no more of a certainty than how much pizza they'll each get if five drunk friends try to evenly divide an eight-slice large.
2-3 Trenton Simpson clem(wlb) 21.10
6023 235 10¼ 32⅜ 77½ 1.48 4.43 7.07 4.25 118 40½ 25
11.1 11.7
At the top of the linebacker group on draft boards since the process began, Trenton Simpson now has some competition for that spot. Like seemingly everyone else on Clemson in 2022, he took a step backwards. For as athletic as he is, we shouldn't see so many plays where his feet are in cement like a mob informant. He's solid in close areas, but if his high-end traits haven't come through in his gameplay more than what we've seen the past two seasons, maybe a transition to DPR is best for his near future: he can shine as a blitzer.
2-3 Drew Sanders ark(2edge,1ilb) 21.4
6043 235 9¾ 32⅛ 76⅝ 1.61 4.66 7.18 4.38 118 37
16.7 19.6
Everyone likes a linebacker who can blitz like an edge. And Drew Sanders will be overdrafted by a team thinking they can get a full tank of premium octane from a can of cream-style corn. Indeed he was an edge rusher at Alabama, but his role changed with the Razorbacks because he isn't great from on-ball. Even against interior pass protectors he often looks timid. There's plenty to like about what Sanders can become, but he will be disappointing to begin with if you expect a plus starter from day one—which would be the only reason a team should draft him as early as it appears he'll go.
3-4 SirVocea Dennis6 pitt(wlb,mlb,wlb) 23.1
6004 226 10⅝ 32⅞ 78⅞ 1.66 4.64 4.36 125 41½ 19
12.4 4.9
With a full season starting in the middle (2021) and a full season starting at weakside (2022), SirVocea Dennis has been an anchor in the box for Pitt. His missed-tackle rate diminished to just 4.9% this past year, down from 12.4 the year prior. Really everything about his game took a step forward like a cheater in Red Light, Green Light. If a call to the bullpen hasn't been made by the second half of Saturday, he'll be a pinch-hit home run sleeper.
4 Owen Pappoe aub(mlb,ilb) 22.7
6002 225 9⅛ 31¾ 78 1.50 4.39 126 35½ 29
16.7 6.9
Owen Pappoe blew up the combine like an anhydrous ammonia farm explosion. And while his film doesn't conjure images from a Michael Bay movie, he did take a big leap for the Tigers in 2022. His 4.39 40 at the combine was best-in-class, and so were his 29 bench reps: a combination any defensive coordinator should be excited about. His deliberateness versus the run will need to improve though, and he's put four years on tape that leave you wondering if it ever will.
4 Cam Jones6 iu(wlb,mlb) 23.6 foot:oct
6012 227 9½ 31¼ 77⅛ 1.55 4.69 33 17
1.63 4.61 7.30 4.40
15.9 7.1
For the past three years Cam Jones hasn't been able to cover a tuna sandwich. The hope is certainly that NFL coaching will provide him with clingier Saran wrap. But he will shut down your attempt at running like the junior high hall monitor you used to pick on in third grade. Slashing his missed-tackle percentage from 15.9 in 2021 (which had been in double figures every year since 2018) down to just 7.1 in 2022 was only part of his run defense transformation; the rest needs to be enjoyed via his game tape.
4 Noah Sewell ore(m/w,ilb) 21.0
6014 246 10 31⅝ 76⅜ 1.56 4.64 7.28 4.37 115 33 27
17.9 12.5
Noah Sewell has made as much progress in three years as a collection agent calling a dead person. With all the promise in the world when he got to Oregon, he started out like the sky was the limit and finished like a ten-winged biplane in a black and white video clip. He's got traits you love. He's got ability you can't teach. He also has a lack of development that's hard to explain—or justify an early pick on.
5-6 Shaka Heyward duke(mlb) 23.0
6027 235 9½ 34 80⅞ 1.54 4.53 7.32 4.40 116 31 22
13.6 8.7
Shaka Heyward may go undrafted. But playing primarily at middle linebacker for Duke the past four seasons, he's got a boatload of experience in the center of the box. It's a shame it took until 2022 to really begin to put it together from an all-around standpoint, and his ceiling may not be much higher than what we just saw. But this past year's film has enough positive footage to believe he can at least contend for a special teams role in camp while a team decides whether or not there are enough more steps on the ladder to invest a roster spot.
5-6 Aubrey Miller Jr jsu(mlb,ilb)
5112 229 8¾ 31 75⅞ 1.66 4.71 7.30 4.60 115 35½ 23
7.3 15.5
Jackson State's Aubrey Miller Jr. performed extremely well for the Tigers the past two seasons. He was great versus the run in 2021 and had a laser focus on taking a big step in coverage for 2022, which he did. He didn't see the field much during his time with a different ambush of Tigers: Missouri. But with the transfer to JSU he was able to showcase his talent as a bigger fish in a smaller pond—really more like a shark in a bath tub, or, perhaps more fittingly: a man-eating cat in your living room.
5-6 Drake Thomas ncst(wlb,w/m,ilb) 23.2
5112 223 9⅜ 29⅝ 72¼ 1.63 4.70 7.10 4.31 116 36½ 18
16.2 16.4
Drake Thomas is exactly the type of linebacker many teams are leaning toward these days. He may not have the high-end traits of some others, but the fluidity with which he covers the field is promising. He'd be well served to put in a lot of work breaking down on ball carriers, which only becomes more challenging at the next level. But likely still being available when Goodell and Co. close up shop Saturday evening, there's enough to like on tape that he's worth a shot.
6 Isaiah Moore ncst(mlb,wlb,mlb) 23.6
6022 233 9⅛ 31¾ 76 1.69 4.68 7.14 4.57 118 30 26
5.0 10.0
Also from NCST and also likely to be on the outside looking in by the time the cleanup crew goes to work in Kansas City, Isaiah Moore has some stuff you like and some stuff you don't. In 2022 his run defense was through the ceiling and his coverage performance was buried under the basement footer. There are several areas where he could improve his game, but as a developmental prospect, that's what should be expected.
6 s Charlie Thomas gt(w/o,mlb,ss,wlb) 23.3
6025 216 8½ 31½ 77¼ 1.53 4.52 7.09 4.34 124 32½ 18
13.5 11.5
At 216 lbs, Charlie Thomas will be seen as a liability versus the run, but he's more of a sure tackler than you'd expect. His size will also necessitate an ability to cover proficiently—a skill he put on full display the past two seasons at Georgia Tech. They played him in the slot more than a third of his snaps in 2021 and he answered the call with the enthusiasm of an over-caffeinated receptionist when the boss is walking by.
6 Jaiden Woodbey bc(1ss/sc,2ss,2ss/fs/sc) 23.3
6006 222 9¾ 32¼ 80 1.67 4.87 6.97 4.14 114 35 20
5.5 6.9
Jaiden Woodbey would be more likely to be drafted if it weren't for his tortoise-like 4.87 40. If you're only asking him to play hashmark-to-hashmark rather than sideline-to-sideline he's your man ... good luck with that in the league. He may be stuck being typecast in the box star position, which has gained a little traction in the NFL from college defensive schemes. But he'll need a phenomenal camp just to find a roster spot as a probable UDFA.
6 Henry To'oTo'o bama(mlb,ilb) 22.3
6010 227 10¼ 32¾ 77⅜ 1.55 4.62 4.40 116 32
15.0 14.4
Henry To'oTo'o is expected to be drafted in round three; this will be a mistake. The excitement people had when he got to Tennessee has proven to be unjustified. And his time in Tuscaloosa after transferring to Alabama where Nick Saban wasn't able to get much more out of him should inspire nothing but trepidation. He has a 14.7% missed-tackle rate over the past two years—which gets harder at the next level. And his career passer rating against in coverage is 104.9. He will be as disappointing as realizing your shirt's on backwards in class.
6 Ventrell Miller uf(mlb) 24.3 biceps21 foot:sep,surg:
5117 232 9⅛ 32½ 78⅞
8.7 16.3 ('20 '22)
Coming off a foot surgery in January following an injury to it in September succeeding a biceps injury that ended his 2021 season in week two, Ventrell Miller is an intriguing question mark. After five years at Florida where his coverage got worse every single season despite his role not changing like night and day, gives pause to any expectation other than inconsistency. A 125.8 passer rating allowed for 2022 is abysmal.
6 Mohamoud Diabate7 utah(olb,m/w,ilb) 21.11
6034 225 9¾ 32½ 80 1.64 4.52 6.96 4.25 132 34 20
11.8 19.7 cov liab, blitz-heavy
Mohamoud Diabate ran a sub-7 3-cone at Utah's pro day (6.96) which would've been second only to Jack Campbell's at the combine (6.74) for linebackers. Through three years at UF and one in Logan, he's rushed the quarterback like an edge defender and covered receivers like a nose tackle. The ability to blitz from off the ball is a valuable skill, but a 19.7 missed-tackle percentage in 2022 is not going to be acceptable playing in the box for NFL teams.
6-7 Ryan Greenhagen fu(w/m,slb) 23.2
6011 242 8¾ 30⅜ 75 1.69 4.78 7.12 4.32 117 34½ 30
9.9 11.3 cov liab, blitz-heavy
FCS prospect Ryan Greenhagen of Fordham reeled off 30 bench reps at his pro day, a number that's tops at the linebacker position for this year's combine / pro days. According to his school's website, he had 102 tackles in five games before an injury ended his 2021 campaign. The best team he's faced the past two seasons is probably Nebraska (yeah, strange that the Cornhuskers would be the best club on anyone's schedule) but he played like there were two or three of him on the field in that contest, setting an NCAA Division I record: a thoroughly preposterous 31 tackles.
7ud Ben VanSumeren msu(wlb,mlb,slb) 23.0
6020 231 9¼ 31 76½ 1.52 4.45 7.10 4.46 131 42½ 29
14.3 10.1
7ud Carlton Martial troy(mlb,wlb) 24.0
5075 213 9 30 72½ 1.68 4.95 7.76 4.51 113 30 20
12.9 9.9
7ud Jalen Graham purd(ss/sc,ss,2wlb) 22.3
6017 226 9⅞ 33 78¾ 1.59 4.64 7.31 4.46 114 31½ 18
14.3 10.6
7ud Mike Jones Jr Lsu(wlb,m/w/o,wlb) 24.4
5114 227 10 32 79¼ 1.62 4.75 7.30 4.60 117 33 25
10.8 20.0
7ud Jeremy Banks tenn(wlb,mlb) 23.7
6006 232 9½ 32 77¼ 1.57 4.53 7.27 4.38 127 37½ 25
12.9 12.1
Safety (yrs @position) age @draft
'21 '22 '21,'22 '21,'22
mt% yrs played int pbu
ht wt h a ws 10yd 40 3c ss bj v r
1-2 sc/ss Brian Branch bama(1sc,2sc/ss) 21.6
5115 190 9½ 30¾ 75¼ 1.56 4.58 4.45 125 37½ 14
0.0 3.3 3 0,2 9,7
Now entering the green room, everyone's top safety evaluation for 2023: Brian Branch. For his three-year career for the Crimson Tide he has a missed-tackle percentage of 2.3. What?! That's right. He played in 15 games in 2021 and missed zero tackles—which is frankly almost beyond comprehension. He's played more in the slot than anywhere else, mixing in just about a quarter of his snaps in the box and two-high the past two seasons. Still, most are classifying him as a safety, and even with his dependability to be in the right spot, you probably don't want him playing centerfield week one in the league.
2 s/sc Sydney Brown3 ill(1sc/fs/ss,4s/sc) 23.1
5096 211 10¼ 31½ 76 1.50 4.47 130 40½ 23
17.0 16.5 17.8mt%(18-22) 5 0,6 3,7
Sydney Brown's first four years at Illinois were underwhelming. But six picks and seven PBUs in 2022 was a stat line worth noting. His play took a leap forward like an 11-foot broad jump, which he (nearly) had at the combine (10'10"). His five-year missed-tackle percentage is bad and showed no appreciable improvement over that span; this will need to get better. But if you believe he can pick up where he left off with the Illini, he's a worthwhile day-two selection.
2-3 sc/ss Antonio Johnson ta&m(2sc/ss,1sc/ss/fs) 21.6
6017 198 9¾ 32⅛ 77⅞ 1.55 4.52 7.18 4.34 118 31 8
8.4 15.5 3 1,0 5,1
Playing more than 600 snaps in the slot in 2021, Antonio Johnson's first full season there was Better Than Ezra ... and just about everyone else too; it left you Desperately Wanting more. So he followed that up this past year with more than 100 snaps at each safety position in addition to work at inside corner. His missed-tackle rate nearly doubled (from 8.4% to 15.5%) but his overall play didn't suffer much. It's encouraging given that he'll be only 21 and four months old for the draft.
2-3 Jordan Battle bama(4fs/ss/sc) 22.4
6010 209 8½ 32 74⅝ 1.55 4.55 7.31 4.37 114 29½ 17
8.5 11.8 4 3,1 3,2
Jordan Battle's versatility was on display again in 2022; he's played more deep safety than anywhere over his four years in Tuscaloosa, but he also has more than 1500 snaps split almost evenly between box and slot. An 8.2 career Y/R average while operating primarily in the high middle is eye-catching. Everything he did at the combine was relatively middling, though his prototypical size (6'1" 209) is a plus. And zero penalties this past season shows focus on fundamentally sound football that DCs should love.
2-3 sc/s Jartavius Martin ill(2oc,1ss/fs,1sc,1sc/fs) 23.0
5110 194 9⅝ 31⅛ 77⅜ 1.44 4.46 133 44 15
4.8 6.1 5 1,3 6,11
With a broad of 133 and a 44-inch vertical, Jartavius Martin jumps like a grasshopper in a burning field. His 1.44 10-yard split was also best-in-class at the position. And a 5.7% missed-tackle rate the past two seasons is upper-level too. With two years experience at boundary corner, two years primarily in the slot, and lots of snaps at both safeties, he's pretty well seasoned all over the back end.
3 ss Ronnie Hickman5 osu(2ss/fs/sc) 21.6 hip:2023
6004 209 9⅜ 33 78
13.4 16.9 2 2,1 0,7
At 21½ years old, you could expect a lot more rapid development from Ronnie Hickman. And that's saying a lot with him coming off a college campaign where he allowed a praiseworthy 39.2 passer rating into his coverage. His missed-tackle percentage has been in the mid-teens and he had only one interception this past year, but he's only played two seasons and his improvement between the two was evident enough that you couldn't sneak it past Chief Wiggum.
3 Jammie Robinson fsu(3sc/s,1fs/ss/sc) 22.3
5105 200 8¾ 29⅝ 72½ 1.51 4.59 6.89 4.41 116 33½ 23
6.6 7.4 4 4,1 3,5
Jammie Robinson has played well for the better part of four years: at South Carolina for two and Florida State the next two. His versatility has been apparent, as he's been heavily used everywhere in the secondary except out wide. Four picks and two forced fumbles last season attest to his ability to take it away. His lack of length (29⅝" arms, 72½" wingspan) and long speed (4.59 40) are both a concern. But his missed-tackle percentage over his career is stellar at just 7.3.
3-4 ss Ji'Ayir Brown psu(1ss/fs,1fs/ss) 23.3
5113 203 10⅛ 31¼ 75¾ 1.56 4.65 119 32½ 18
1.59 4.58 4.21 114 35½
15.1 13.9 2 6,4 5,3
Tallying ten interceptions and eight passes broken up across the past two seasons, Ji'Ayir Brown takes the ball for the defense more often than not when he gets to it. Playing more high safety than anywhere else in 2022 and a mixed bag of box, slot, and free the year prior, he's got some versatility. He comes downhill in a hurry and hits like a prize fighter when he meets his target. Unfortunately he doesn't always meet that target as his anticipation of where the play will end up by the time he's there is frequently off the mark.
4 Jason Taylor II7 okst(1ss/fs/sc,1fs/ss/sc) 23.4
5115 204 10 32 78¼ 1.49 4.50 7.16 4.20 129 43 14
14.3 14.7 2 2,6 4,7
The Vince Carter of the secondary, Jason Taylor II is a highlight reel of takeaways. His combine jumps (129, 43) were nearly as explosive as Vinsanity's hardwood hops too. A 54.7 passer rating allowed is surprisingly good considering how often he's out of position. He will get extra possessions for your team possibly better than any other safety in the class, but the price for it is being susceptible to deception on the part of the offense.
4 Kaevon Merriweather7 iowa(3fs/ss/sc) 23.4
6000 205 9¼ 31⅞ 77⅛ 1.46 4.62 7.14 4.24 118 35½ 17
10.7 12.7 3 1,3 4,3
Kaevon Merriweather is likely to be available still at the latter part of day three, and somebody will get a gem. He was lights out in his coverage this past season with a ludicrous 11.7 passer rating allowed for the Hawkeyes, which was best in the nation. He played his best game against the best team on the schedule (Ohio State) and had very little bad tape after week one. Most of his combine numbers are down the middle of the road; that's what seems like it'll push him into late Saturday, but his 1.46 10-yard split is mighty quick.
4 Jordan Howden7 minn(1fs/sc,4sc/fs/ss) 22.11
5115 203 9½ 32¼ 77⅛ 1.53 4.49 6.87 4.22 119 39½ 14
7.8 3.1 5 0,2 5,5
There are a lot of 4th-round grades in these evaluations for safeties who'll likely be around until the final run of phone calls; Minnesota's Jordan Howden is another. With the slimmest missed-tackle rate in the class, just 3.1% for 2022, a bunch of other traits you like, plus solid measurables, it's a bit of a surprise he doesn't get more attention. He's played almost 1000 snaps deep and nearly 1400 in the slot for the Golden Gophers. Call this man.
4 Quindell Johnson mem(3fs/ss/sc,1fs/sc/
6001 201 9½ 33 77 1.58 4.55 4.24 120 32½
9.8 18.9 4 1,4 11,4
Quindell Johnson has put more guys on their wallets in Memphis than a Beale Street barstool. The reckless abandon with which he flies to the ball carrier is like watching a stray dog attack a raw steak in an alley. That type of gusto is terrific, but the frequency of bad angles in his pursuit is a problem; he'll need to prove that he can clean that up quickly in order to stick on someone's 53.
4 Christopher Smith uga(2fs/sc,1fs/sc/ss) 23.0
5105 192 9⅝ 31⅛ 75 1.55 4.62 7.45 4.41 116 33 15
12.8 15.1 3 3,3 4,5
There are defensive tackles who completed the 3-cone and short shuttle faster than Georgia's Christopher Smith. So hopefully you won't be asking him to get back to first on a line drive out after trying to steal second. Scheme had a lot to do with protecting him on UGA's back end, but he played quite well with an increased role in the box this past season.
4 ss/sc JL Skinner bsu(1fs/ss/sc,2ss/fs/sc) 22.0
12.0 12.0 3 2,4 3,5
6036 209 8¼ 32 pec:mar
Boise State's JL Skinner had a pectoral injury that prevented him from working out at the combine. But he's definitely put enough on film to be drafted in the middle rounds. He's been solid in coverage for the past two seasons for the Broncos, albeit against mostly fairly weak competition. His 40.1 passer rating allowed is great but his run defense will need to improve if he's going to stay in the box.
4-5 Gervarrius Owens hou(1oc/sc,1fs,2fs/ss) 23.6
6003 193 9½ 32 78 1.54 4.57 6.75 4.09 125 37½ 15
11.5 17.8 4 2,1 3,8
Only one person managed to top Gervarrius Owens' 6.75 3-cone this year at the combine and pro days for the safety position (Trey Dean III). During his time in Houston, Owens has made progress every year both versus the run and in coverage. Playing nearly 500 deep snaps in 2022 his missed-tackle percentage rose to an unmanageable 17.8; he'll need to reign that back in to make a roster. But he's worth looking into given that he could go undrafted.
4-5 DeMarcco Hellams6 bama(3fs/ss/sc) 22.10
6005 203 9 31 74⅞ 1.56 4.57 7.29 4.57 121 31
11.5 10.1 3 3,1 3,7
DeMarcco Hellams plays about as well against the run as you could want anyone to who's being played out of position. With 1261 career snaps deep and fewer than 500 in the box, 'Bama did him no favors in that regard. He projects as a developmental strong safety despite his relative lack of usage there. His tendency to drift is not something you can have in the deep middle at the next level.
5 Anthony Johnson Jr6 isu(4oc,1ss/sc) 23.5
5115 205 8¾ 31¼ 75⅞ 1.53 4.54 7.07 4.31 125 37½ 12
17.3 18.2 5 0,2 4,4
After four seasons of above average play at outside cornerback for Iowa State, the Cyclones moved Anthony Johnson Jr. to split box and slot; he didn't appear to miss a beat. His career missed-tackle percentage of 16.5 going all the way back to 2018 makes you wonder if that'll ever improve, and his passer rating allowed of 124.7 may have been the catalyst for the switch inside, but he can certainly be a performer on special teams while your DC is finding him a permanent role.
5 ss Rashad Torrence II7 uf(2fs/ss/sc) 21.1
5115 193 10 32 77⅝ 1.60 4.72 6.83 4.22 119 33½ 20
14.1 12.1 2 3,0 2,1
At 5'11½" 193, Rashad Torrence II is slightly undersized by NFL standards. And with no INTs and just one PBU this past season in a full slate of games for Florida, saying his ball production was lacking is like saying Vanilla Ice fell off a bit. His 4.72 combine 40 matches what you see on tape in terms of his ability to graduate to a higher level of gameplay and be able to be a quality option at single-high: can't happen. He has potential to be used in the box, but there's probably not a lot else you'd draft him for.
5 Brandon Joseph nd(2ss/fs/sc,1fs/sc/ss)
6003 202 9 30⅞ 74¾ 1.56 4.62 7.08 4.23 118 30½ 17
1.57 4.70 6.84 4.22 34½
19.8 11.1 3 3,1 4,1
punt 21nw,22nd: 22ret 13.3avg 0td 2muf
Brandon Joseph improved his 3-cone (7.08 to 6.84) and his vertical (30½ to 34½) between the combine in Indianapolis and Notre Dame's pro day north of there in South Bend. He also posted a worse 40 time (4.62 to 4.70). His most promising season was 100 miles west in Evanston where he allowed just a 33.3 completion percentage into his coverage, 6.3 yards per reception, and an impossible 2.8 passer rating in 2020 for the Wildcats. If he can get back to where he was then for a jumping off point into the league, he'll be worth every bit of a day-three pick.
5-6 Marte Mapu sacst(2sc/ss) 23.5 pec:mar
6030 221
19.7 11.2 2 4,2 9,3
Sacramento State prospect Marte Mapu's tape is worth watching. There's so much to like about how he dictated how FCS opponents could and could not attack the Hornets' defense. A pec that prevented him from posting pro day numbers is truly a shame, after not getting a combine invite. His acumen for diagnosing looked almost precognitive at times in the box. And while he was able to acquit himself well in the slot, at 6'3" 221 he may be more of a linebacker.
5-6 Daniel Scott cal(2fs/ss/sc) 24.6
6007 208 10 30¼ 74⅜ 1.52 4.45 6.75 4.17 128 39½ 22
19.8 16.3 3 3,3 4,2
Daniel Scott's six years at Cal were spent in obscurity ... until 2021 when he finally saw the field for 12 games and proved he could proficiently patrol the deep middle in the Pac-12. His testing numbers at the combine were all very encouraging and above average across the board. His age (24 years, six months at draft time) will be a deterrent, but there's enough to work with that he'll probably get a call in the middle of day three.
6 John Torchio wisc(2fs/ss) 23.7
6010 203 9¾ 30¼ 74¾ 1.60 4.90 7.26 4.33 111 32½
17.1 29.9 2 3,5 0,6
John Torchio couldn't tackle a two-legged desk chair if he had a running start. Twenty-nine point nine percent would be bad as a missed-tackle rate for a punter. It's sad that there are some negatives that glare onto his film like a sunset through a spiderweb, because five interceptions and six passes broken up in 2022 is a good stat line in those respects. But notwithstanding his awareness in coverage at Wisconsin, no one who runs a 4.90 40 can play free safety in the league; big nickel might be his only path forward.
6 AJ Finley miss(2fs/sc,1s/sc) 21.7
6023 201 9⅞ 32½ 79 1.63 4.57 6.93 4.22 119 35½ 11
12.8 13.6 3 3,2 4,2
Even being a little high-cut at 6'2" 201, AJ Finley is able to launch himself like a missile into oncoming traffic. Giving up a passer rating of 110.9 (2022) is not going to cut it in the NFL, but if a team plants him in the box where he belongs, he could grow there. He could have played just as well had he not been on the field in the LSU game this past season, but most of what he put on tape outside of that was pretty good. Ole Miss needed him to do things he's not equipped for; that will change at the next level.
7ud ss Trey Dean III uf(1oc,1sc,1ss/fs,2ss/fs/sc) 23.2
6021 200 9¼ 31¾ 76⅝ 1.59 4.75 124 36½ 25
1.68 4.68 6.69 4.26
16.8 12.6 5 1,0 8,4
7ud Brandon Hill pitt(1ss/fs/sc,1ss/sc/fs) 24.11
5103 193 9½ 30¾ 74⅛ 1.46 4.43 6.88 4.12 123 35½ 15
14.1 13.7 3 2,0 5,2
7ud ss Chamarri Conner vt(3sc/ss,sc/fs/ss) 22.9
6000 209 9 31⅜ 76⅛ 1.56 4.51 6.91 4.30 125 40½ 20
17.0 17.3 4 1,0 5,2
7ud Tyreque Jones bsu(5s/s/sc) 24.3
6016 195 9⅝ 33¾ 80⅜ 1.60 4.52 7.05 4.48 119 32 9
18.5 25.5 5 2,1 6,3
'21,'22 '21,'22
Cornerback age @draft yrs played int pbu
ht wt h a ws 10yd 40 3c ss bj v r
1 Devon Witherspoon ill 22.5 4 0,3 9,14
5114 181 8⅞ 31¼ 73⅝ 1.58 4.45
Devon Witherspoon has been in more collisions than a crash test dummy. He flies into contact like a bird into a patio door. It has been said that only one year of high-level production in college could be a concern. And while his play wasn't tops in the country in 2021, his 23 PBUs the past two seasons were. No one should necessarily say he's Sauce Gardner from last year's draft (being immediately one of the best in the league as a rookie), but he's about as safe of a pick as you'll find for 2023.
1 Emmanuel Forbes2 msst 22.3 3 3,6 4,10
6006 166 8½ 32¼ 79 1.49 4.35 131 37½
Due to his slim frame (6'1" 166), Emmanuel Forbes is likely to be underdrafted. But with only a dozen solid first-round grades in this year's evals, he shouldn't last till day two—though he probably will. With a 79" wingspan and a sub-1.5 10-yard split, he fits the role despite his lack of bulk. Productive for multiple seasons at Mississippi State and with nine INTs since 2021, Forbes is a steal anywhere outside of round one.
1 Christian Gonzalez ore 20.10 3 0,4 5,7
6013 197 9½ 32 76⅞ 1.54 4.38 133 41½ 14
Though to begin the season he wasn't thought of quite so highly, everyone loves drafting traits and youth with the expectation of growth at the speed of the inflationary cosmic egg after the big bang. And still at just 20 years old, Christian Gonzalez can build on his platform as well as the Theory of Relativity built on Newtonian physics. His size and length are prototypical as is running in the 4.3s. He's no more complete yet than a protoplanet, but predicting him to go in round one is like Lambda representing a prediction for a cosmological constant: more accurate than initially thought.
2 Mekhi Blackmon5 usc(3oc,1oc/sc,1oc) 24.1
2.8 mt%(22) 5 1,3 4,12
5110 178 9¼ 31 74⅝ 1.47 4.47 125 36 11
Mekhi Blackmon is in a nightcap and pajamas because he is a sleeper. His four years at Colorado didn't exactly say "second-round grade" but his one season at USC did exactly that. And because he's pretty much certain to go on day three, he'll be one of the best values in the class. Three interceptions, 12 passes broken up, a 1.47 10-yard split, and an absurd-for-any-position-let-
2 Cam Smith scar(2oc,1oc/sc) 23.3 3 3,1 11,5
6006 180 9⅛ 31⅝ 76⅛ 1.49 4.43 134 38
Cam Smith fell off in 2022 like a marble during an earthquake. His 2021 though, was an episode of mastery that has you thirsty for more. And his passer rating allowed when targeted that season (36.5) has you drinking the Kool-Aid. The Gamecocks asked him to play about a third of his snaps in the slot this past year, so the learning curve is the culprit for the regression. He has the skills to be a contributor from day one.
2 Kelee Ringo uga 20.10 2 2,2 8,7
6016 207 8½ 31¼ 74⅛ 1.49 4.36 7.21 4.26 122 33½ 10
Originally considered to be the consensus top CB early in the process, Kelee Ringo hasn't fallen too far but he's likely to be there in round two. Built like an Olds 442 and with the straight-line speed of one, he doesn't have trouble closing to the catch point. His rusty hip swivel and lack of high-caliber change of direction are what will keep him in the garage until Friday.
2 Clark Phillips III utah(3oc/sc) 21.4 3 2,6 13,6
5090 184 9⅛ 29⅛ 70¾ 1.52 4.51 4.21 33 18
Utah's Clark Phillips III reeled in six picks in 2022, up from two the season prior. So next year he should have 18. Okay, that might be a tad unrealistic but his improvement was apparent: both in transforming his good total of PBUs from 2021 (13) into takeaways, and also his stickiness in coverage generally. The missed-tackle percentage of 28.6 needs to be addressed like a blank envelope, but there's plenty to work with when drafting him into your organization.
2 Deonte Banks md shoulder21 4 1 8
6001 203 9⅜ 31⅜ 77⅛ 1.45 4.35 136 42
It's likely that Deonte Banks will go in the first. He's definitely got some upper-eschelon traits that everyone can get excited about. But his film shows some gaps in route recognition that should be a bit of a concern. An excellent place to fix that is with NFL coaching, so there's a good chance it could be corrected early, though the first round might be a bit of a reach.
2 Joey Porter Jr psu 22.9 4 1,0 4,11
6024 198 10 34 80⅞ 1.52 4.46 131 37½ 17
And with the 17th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select: Joey Porter Jr., cornerback, Penn State. Is there a better fit for any prospect this year? His coverage skills are top-notch. With an 81" wingspan he's got the length to cover a snowmobile from front to back and probably could keep up with it at full speed too. The biggest concern everybody has is of course his lack of production in taking the ball away, but 11 PBUs this past season shows that he's getting to it.
2-3 Tyrique Stevenson miafl 23.0 4 1,2 4,7
6003 198 9⅝ 32⅜ 77⅝ 1.49 4.45 7.09 4.41 125 38½
punt 20uga,21-22miafl: 12ret 11.1avg 0td 2muf
Tyrique Stevenson has shown progress in both of the past two seasons at Miami after transferring from Georgia following 2020 where they had played him primarily in the slot. He's put together a lot of good tape in South Beach, but there are some games he probably wishes he could erase. He has a fluidity to his game that you love, but he still finds himself in the wrong spot more often than you like.
3 Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson tcu 22.3 4 2,3 7,15
5075 178 8⅝ 29 70½ 1.47 4.41 132 39 12
zone-heavy
Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson gets his hands on more balls than a five-year-old playing soccer for the first time. Twenty-two pass breakups and five interceptions since 2021 is a nice place to start from entering the league. His size (5'7½" 178) is likely to push him farther down than his film would suggest, but he'll find a home and his drafting team will be happy with the pick—provided they don't ask him to play a ton of man out of the gate.
3 s? Anthony Johnson uva 24.3 5 3,2 5,12
6015 205 8⅝ 32⅝ 77¼ 1.58 4.63 7.06 4.41 116 30½ 15
17.9 10.8 mt%('21 '22)
It's a safe bet that Anthony Johnson of Virginia will be available on day three; it even looks pretty likely that he won't hear his name called at all. That would be a mistake. Built like a safety (6'1½" 205) but swift enough to play cornerback proficiently in the ACC, Johnson is being overlooked and undervalued. His 4.63 40 is trash by NFL CB standards, but he's a project that could pay dividends. Which team doesn't need a utility defensive back who can contribute on special teams while learning safety and being an emergency fill-in anywhere on the back end?
3 Garrett Williams syr 21.11 acl:oct 3 0,2 9,3
5103 192 9¼ 31 74½ 19
Nineteen reps on the bench is a good number for a corner, and that's what Garrett Williams put up at his pro day. Unfortunately after tearing his ACL in October, there's not a lot more positive recently to say. He was playing reasonably well for Syracuse leading up to the knee injury but his run defense has gotten worse both of the past two years. Still a month shy of 22 at draft time, there's a good bit to work with, but he's far from a finished product.
3 Eli Ricks bama 21.7 '20,'22: 3 4,0 5,4
shoulder21,back22
6020 190 8⅞ 32⅜ 78⅞ 1.59 4.60 7.44 127 35
Eli Ricks has been about as healthy as washing your hands in a footbath and drying them with a used Kleenex. In 2021 it was a shoulder that kept him sidelined for part of the season and this past year it was his back. He hit the scene in 2020 right where LSU left off after an undefeated national championship run; what he hit in the years to come was more like a train stopped on the tracks that you didn't see blocking the road in the dark. He played well for Alabama this past year when he was on the field but he missed time. If you believe he can turn the clock back and re-begin further development from that point, he'd be worth a higher pick than this evaluation indicates.
4 Keidron Smith7 uk 23.5(3oc,1s/sc,1oc 5 2,2 3,5
6020 201 9¼ 31¼ 77¼ 1.64 4.61 7.19 4.31 126 36 14
Another CB likely to go undrafted at the end of April is Keidron Smith. His four years at Ole Miss showed promise but not to the extent that you thought one more season after a transfer to Kentucky would make him a first-round pick. He did look like he was putting it together at UK though. And with a bit of experience both in the slot and at safety, in addition to four years playing the boundary, he's certainly intriguing enough to warrant more love than he's getting.
4 Riley Moss iowa 23.2 5 4,1 5,11
6005 193 9½ 30 74⅛ 1.49 4.45 6.60 4.15 127 39 11
For the past five years, Riley Moss has been more consistent every fall in Iowa than the corn harvest. His tackling has been up and down like a grain elevator but his coverage and play versus the run have been as reliable as a well-maintained John Deere. After more than 2600 defensive snaps he's anything but green though. And his combine performance definitely showcased a machine that you want on the field.
4 DJ Turner mich 22.5 2 2,1 7,10
5112 178 9⅝ 30¾ 73⅜ 1.42 4.26 131 38½
DJ Turner ran a 4.26 with a 1.42 10-yard split; light from the bulb doesn't reach the lampshade that fast. Giving up just a 46.5 completion percentage is great. And his run defense was much improved in 2022 also. Having only one interception and dropping two tells why he's a DB and not a receiver, but breaking up ten passes on the year is nothing to be mad about.
4 Julius Brents kst 23.3 4 1,4 2,4
6026 198 9⅝ 34 82⅝ 1.50 4.53 6.63 4.05 138 41½
With a 3-cone of 6.63 and a short shuttle of 4.05, Julius Brents can start and stop like a hummingbird ... and it shows up repeatedly on tape. His four picks prove he knows what to do when he gets to the feeder, though he's done absolutely nothing in terms of returning them; it's like he just hits the windshield (0 career INT return yards). He did work more on getting the ball free during tackling this past season. And his 138" broad jump is outrageous.
4 s? Cory Trice purd 22.11 knee21 3 2 10
6033 205 9¾ 32⅜ 77 1.58 4.47 6.70 4.06 132 35½ 17
3.2 5yr mt%(18-22)
With five solid years in the rearview with the Boilermakers, Cory Trice's history of consistency stretches as far as a railroad. And at 6'3½" 205 it's like getting hit by a train at the catch point. His 3.2% career missed tackle rate is just about unheard of for cornerbacks and makes you think he could play safety if you asked him to; when he's got you in his sights you might as well be tied to the track. He did miss most of 2021 with a knee injury, but this past season he was back shoveling coal into the firebox. All aboard! Next stop: NFL.
4 Terell Smith5 minn 23.7 4 1,2 2,5
6004 204 9 32⅞ 76¾ 1.50 4.41 7.02 4.30 120 34 14
Minnesota's Terell Smith has great size for the position (6'½" 204). He played well as a freshman in 2018, but disappeared into a gopher hole the next three seasons. With plenty to prove in 2022 he emerged hungry and he feasted, allowing a passer rating of just 68.2 for the year. You'd like more ball production than two INTs and five PBUs in 13 games, but those numbers are twice what they were the season prior (1, 2).
4 Jarrick Bernard-Converse7 Lsu(2sc/s,3oc) 23.0
4.4 mt%(21-22) 5 0,2 11,3
6006 197 9¾ 32¼ 79⅛ 1.53 4.40 6.94 4.29 126 42 16
After two years having a full plate of slot activity and more than a sprinkle of deep safety at Oklahoma State, the 'Pokes gave Jarrick Bernard-Converse a heavy helping of boundary corner for 2020 and 2021. He's well seasoned there now as he handled another plateful cajun-style this past year at LSU. His 4.4% missed-tackle rate is mighty tasty and he was in single digits his first two seasons as well. And his 42" pro day vertical would've tied for best among corners at this year's combine (Deonte Banks).
4 Darius Rush scar 23.2 4 1,2 8,7
6017 198 9½ 33⅜ 79⅝ 1.49 4.36 121 35
Darius Rush was certainly in one (and on one) at the combine when he posted a 4.36 40 with a 1.49 10-yard split. At 6'2" 198 with an 80" wingspan he's got great size and length for a corner. Only two years starting isn't a lot for a 23-year-old, but when he's been out there the past two seasons he's been good for the Gamecocks. A 24.1 missed-tackle percentage and 21.8 yards allowed per reception were both far too high in 2021 and needed to come down, which they did in 2022 but not enough (17.1%, 17.6 Y/R).
4 Jakorian Bennett5 md 22.8 3 3,2 11,11
5105 194 9⅛ 31⅞ 77 1.45 4.30 133 40½ 13
With a 4.30 40 and a 1.45 10-yard split, Jakorian Bennett has speed you can see. He's awfully handsy though for someone who can make up ground the way he can. You want him to walk the line of keeping the physicality but losing the grabbiness that will be called even more in the NFL than the 13 flags he drew the past two seasons at Maryland. His missed-tackle percentage has come down every year while his coverage has improved. Nice.
4-5 Starling Thomas V6 uab 23.3 4 2,0 8,15
5101 190 9⅝ 30⅝ 74⅜ 1.59 4.38 7.29 4.36 125 37½ 14
Starling Thomas V had no interceptions in 2022 while dropping both of his opportunities there. On the brighter side, he did tally 23 passes broken up over the past two seasons. He ran sub-4.4 (4.38) at UAB's pro day which is good, but a 1.59 10-yard split is somewhat suspect—though hand-timed 10s always seem to turn out slower than the Zybek splits from the combine. The Blazers will miss Thomas's cover skills on the outside.
4-5 s? Mekhi Garner Lsu 23.3 3 0,0 8,8
6020 212 10⅛ 32¼ 78 1.51 4.55 6.94 4.29 128 38½ 12
Starting two years out of three for Louisiana Lafayette, Mekhi Garner kept it in the state by transferring to LSU for his final college campaign. He played well on the boundary for both without ever allowing a completion percentage above 47.1 into his coverage, though his poorer performances came against the better teams in 2022. He's not much for taking the ball away, with zero INTs the past two seasons. But back in 2020 he had three while posting a preposterously low 29.1 passer rating allowed.
5 Jaylon Jones ta&m 21.0 3 2,0 4,2
6021 200 9 30¾ 76¾ 1.55 4.57 6.88 4.30 122 38 14
1.51 4.53 7.00 4.30
Jaylon Jones produced no interceptions and two passes broken up for Texas A&M this past year while his missed-tackle rate went up from 2021 (10.0% to 15.6%). Completion percentage into his coverage showed no improvement (51.7 to 52.6), which isn't bad, but didn't get any better. He played against Florida like he had sand in his pockets and swamp water in his shoes. So you'd think the grade would be worse. But Jones will only have just turned 21 at draft time and a lot of what he's done in College Station has been positive.
5 Kahlef Hailassie wku 22.5 2 2,2 5,10
6004 193 10⅛ 32¼ 77¾ 6.68 4.19 121 32½ 9
Without an invite to Indy, Kahlef Hailassie's pro day at Western Kentucky was due to give us some useful measurables. He chose not to run 40s because of a hamstring, but his 6.68 3-cone is excellent. Whenever someone puts up fewer than ten reps you sort of wonder why they got on the bench at all, though doing nine isn't that big of a negative for a corner. Hailassie's film doesn't set the world ablaze but lots of what is there is promising, as has been his continued development.
6 krpr3a/b D'Shawn Jamison tex 23.10 4 1,2 1,7
5092 184 8½ 30½ 75⅛ 1.58 4.51 6.74 4.28 123 33 13
ko 19-20: 25ret 32.4avg 2td
punt 18-19: 13ret 16.9avg 1td 2muf
D'Shawn Jamison is even with Trey Palmer for third best combo returner in the class. He wasn't asked to do it in 2022, but his first two years at Texas yielded a 16.9-yard punt return average with one to the house. Five muffs against 43 career returns is higher than you want though. Between 2019 and 2020 he averaged 32.4 yards bringing back kickoffs and took two all the way. He's a little undersized at 5'9" 184 but he's a menace at the catch point in coverage.
6 Cameron Mitchell nw 21.7 3 0,1 5,9
5106 197 9¾ 31⅜ 76⅛ 1.53 4.47 6.89 4.06 35 15
Getting worse in coverage every season since 2020 for Northwestern, Cameron Mitchell needs to buck that trend like a mechanical bull on 11. He's kept it between the lines with his run defense and tackling, with a missed percentage right around 10 the past two years. He's also forced a fumble in each of the last two campaigns which is at least something to point to in the area of takeaways, because he has only one INT over that span. His 4.06 short shuttle is phenomenal.
6 Darrell Luter Jr7 usa 23.0 3 4,1 10,7
5116 189 10⅜ 32⅜ 77⅞ 1.54 4.46 6.90 4.43 123 40½
4.38
Five interceptions the past two seasons tell you that Darrell Luter is indeed the opportunistic homonym of his surname (looter). After playing out of this world for the Jags in 2021 and allowing an infinitesimal 3.9 passer rating into his coverage, he did come back down to Earth a bit his last year in Mobile. So while it's tough to determine which season's tape is the Luter you're getting, there's certainly enough there to justify a late rounder.
6 Carrington Valentine uk 3 0,1 5,10
5115 193 9¼ 32¼ 76 1.52 4.44 4.15 128 39 9
Totaling eight pressures on just 22 pass rushing reps over the past two seasons, maybe Carrington Valentine should be developed in the slot where that ability is more highly coveted. The fact though, that his run defense would need to improve substantially could be a potential deterrent to that philosophical alteration. His coverage did show a significant upward trend from 2021 to 2022 and he was a bright spot for the Wildcats.
6-7 Alex Austin orst 21.11 3 2,2 7,10
6010 196 8½ 31⅞ 76¼ 1.51 4.55 4.33 122 33
1.58 4.56 7.06 4.25
Showing improvement in both run defense and coverage three years in a row, getting excited enough about Alex Austin's coachability and desire is easy. His lack of overwhelming measurables are what will drag him down like a party balloon full of horseshoes. Some guys max out their ceiling in college; the hope is that Austin can continue to grind out more productivity in the league.
6-7 Rejzohn Wright orst 22.7 2 2,2 8,9
6015 193 9⅝ 32½ 76⅞ thumb,knee23
Rejzohn Wright has started each of the past two seasons well and then faded down the stretch like a geriatric greyhound with a thorn in its paw. He did get better overall between 2021 and 2022 but his latter-week film from both years makes you wonder how you could keep him focused and engaged for a full NFL schedule. He's also injured his thumb and his knee already in early 2023.
6-7 Eric Garror ull 23.1 5 2,2 7,6
5077 174 8⅜ 29¼ 70⅜ 1.50 4.57 6.97 4.29 113 33 10
punt 20-22: 70ret 9.8avg 2td 2muf
Louisiana's Eric Garror appears to be an afterthought in the 2023 draft. And while he shouldn't be a day-two pick, he's done enough over his five years in Acadiana (Lafayette) that we should do some homework. Four INTs and 13 PBUs the past two seasons is pretty good ball production, albeit against primarily Sunbelt competition. But since 2020, he's also brought back a pair of punts for TDs: a skill which usually translates to some degree regardless of the conference.
6-7 Cameron Brown osu 23.0 3 1,0 7,5
6000 199 9 31 75⅞ 1.63 4.57 7.12 4.59 115 35½ 10
Another cornerback prospect likely to go unselected is Cameron Brown of Ohio State. He's not going to wow you with versatility and his tackling has gotten worse like a seesaw relative to his coverage getting better. His 4.59 short shuttle time is higher than a giraffe saddle. And a 115 broad jump for a six-foot-tall CB is like not being able to step from the shower to the bath mat. Still, teams will draft guys with less to offer ahead of him—and they'll be wrong.
6-7 Myles Brooks Lt 22.3 3 4,3 5,8
6006 201 9½ 30¾ 74½ 1.56 4.51 7.27 4.51 121 35
Myles Brooks' 37.7 completion percentage allowed for 2022 is pretty good, especially considering he made the leap to Louisiana Tech after three years at FCS Steven F. Austin. His relative coverage performance was actually better than the previous season given the change in competition level. He wasn't very good against the run and his tackling will need to improve for him to find a depth role as a special teamer to start out.
6-7 Kyu Blu Kelly stan 21.11 4 2,0 11,6
6002 191 9¾ 32 76⅝ 1.51 4.52 6.93 4.35 131 36
Prime nominee in the category of "film doesn't match the hype": Kyu Blu Kelly. A probable fourth-round pick, he's done next to nothing in four years at Stanford to suggest that he's worthy of it. With a career passer rating allowed of 97.5, his coverage skills are as flimsy as a wet potato skin. The reception percentage he's given up has come down slightly each of the past three seasons, but he's worse against runs than day-old gas station seafood with hot sauce; this was even more evident when the Cardinal tried him in the slot for 105 snaps in 2021.
7ud Nehemiah Shelton sjsu 23.7 4 2,2 9,8
6001 183 9¼ 31⅞ 77⅞ 1.65 4.77 7.11 4.36 112 35 6
7ud Eric Scott Jr usm 23.8 3 2,2 2,5
6010 204 9⅜ 32⅜ 80⅛ 133 39½ 16
7ud Kei'Trel Clark lvil 22.1 4 3,1 9,4
5102 181 8¼ 29⅝ 72⅜ 1.50 4.42 4.21 122 34½ 15
7ud Nic Jones ball(1sc,2oc) 20.6 3 1,2 3,12
5117 189 10 32⅜ 76¾ 1.55 4.51 4.34 122 34½
1.56 4.58 4.31 35 9
punt 20-22: 5ret 18.8avg 0td 0muf
7ud Jay Ward Lsu(1sc/oc,1s/sc,1sc/s/oc) 3 2,1 4,4
6006 188 8¼ 32½ 76⅞ 1.54 4.55 132 34½ 16
7.31 4.35 133 36
Kicker 20s 30s 40s 50+ long % xpt
5 Jake Moody 9/10 10/10 7/8 3/7 59 82.9 60/60
2021 mich (6/6 13/13 3/5 1/1 52 92 56/56)
Jake Moody is this draft's best placekicker. He hit 83% of his field goal attempts this past season and 92% the year before. In 2022, four of his six misses were from 50-plus, while both his misses the season before that were from beyond 40. He's four of eight from over 50 since 2021, and he's perfect on extra points in that timeframe (116/116). With 132 touchbacks and a hangtime average above 4.1 seconds over the past two years, he's an NFL kicker.
6 Chad Ryland7 md 2/2 7/7 7/8 3/6 53 82.6 39/40
2021 emu (4/4 8/10 5/6 2/2 55 86.4 47/47)
One of only two kickers to warrant a draft pick this go round, Chad Ryland is just a shade under 85% across the past two seasons (38/45) and has a career long of 55. The four field goal attempts he didn't connect on this past year were all from 40-plus, and he's 86 out of 87 on PATs since 2021. For what it's worth, his touchback percentage since then is 61.5 (which, as a statistic alone tells us very little, other than that he can get it there when asked to).
7ud Harrison Mevis 4/6 6/8 7/7 4/6 56 78.6 33/33
2021 mizz (3/3 5/5 11/13 3/3 56 92 41/41)
7ud Christopher Dunn8/8 9/9 8/9 2/2 53 96.6 30/30
2021 ncst (4/4 5/7 4/5 0/3 46 68.4 48/48)
7ud Gavin Baechle 9/9 4/4 7/8 2/3 54 91.7 31/31
2021 utep (7/7 7/8 3/5 1/2 50 75 34/35)
7ud Noah Ruggles 5/5 5/6 7/7 0/2 48 85 74/75
2021 osu (6/6 9/10 4/4 0/0 46 95.2 74/74)
7ud BT Potter 4/4 7/7 6/10 2/4 52 80.8 38/38
2021 clem (3/3 5/8 10/11 2/3 51 76.9 49/49)
7ud Zach Long 10/10 4/4 3/6 0/0 46 85 44/45
2021 tulsa (7/7 7/7 7/7 1/2 50 95.7 35/36)
7ud Jack Podlesny 11/11 11/11 2/5 1/3 50 83.9 73/74
2021 uga (10/10 7/9 5/8 0/0 49 81.5 71/72)
7ud Ethan Mooney 9/9 5/6 4/6 0/0 49 85.7 54/55
2021 unt (4/4 5/5 1/2 0/1 48 84.6 40/40)
Punter avg 20/50+/fc/tb/ret/tot long net
5-6 Adam Korsak7 rutg44 32/14 /35/ 2/ 8 / 75 77 43.6
2021 [0 career blk] (45.8 37/19/28/ 0/14/ 72 74 45.2)
Rutgers punted a lot the past two seasons, and Adam Korsak was able to put his ability on full display. He put 69 of them inside the 20 and—almost impossibly—had just two touchbacks out of 147 punts since 2021. Wow. He also elicited 63 fair catches over that span and had only eight of 75 returned in 2022. The only concern you could have is the average gross yardage (44.9), but his longs are in the mid-70s the past two years and his placement and hangtime put his net on par with the other draftable punters.
6 Bryce Baringer7 msu 49 22/24 /12/ 4/14/50 72 45.7
2021 [0 career blk] (48.4 20/26/15/ 8/16/ 59 74 43.6)
A two-year average (since 2021) of nearly 49 yards per punt with close to half traveling 50-plus (50/109) has Michigan State's Bryce Baringer near the top of this year's punter crop. He also put 42 of them inside the 20. And zero career blocks is a tidy number. If your team needs a punter, he's worth a draft pick.
6-7 Michael Turk ou 46.8 22/22/24/10/12/63 67 43.1
2021 [0 career blk] (50.9 16/19/ 8/ 4/13/ 34 85 45.4)
With an absurd 50.9-yard average and just four touchbacks in 2021, Michael Turk may have been better off declaring for last year's draft, though the punter class last year may have been a deterrent. He also blasted an 85-yarder from here to Crazytown that season. More emphasis was put on fair catches in 2022 (38.1% up from 23.5% the year prior), yet his net average went down (45.4 to 43.1).
7ud Ethan Evans wing45.7 39/30/19/13/21/57 77 41
2021 [3 career blk] (42.6 22/11/ 9/ 4/10/ 36 72 39.5)
7ud Issac Power bayl 41.5 15/ 6 / 12/ 4/14/ 41 59 38
2021 [1 career blk] (45 20/20/ 18/ 6/12/50 68 41.7)
TL;DR
There are 259 guys who'll be drafted. Some of them are worthy.
✓
No comments:
Post a Comment