2022 NFL Draft 7 Round ranking (Prospect Standouts):

[jebrick]

2 hours ago, Ozzy said:

Jackson State SR LB James Houston #41

 

"He has recorded 21.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks, with seven forced fumbles, in 12 games."

 

No clue why ESPN does not even have accurate stats for Jackson State much less James Houston, guess it is a FCS thing, but yeah that stat line is big time and will have to watch him close today at 11 Central time in the game.  Impressive production that is for sure, 7 forced fumbles and 14.5 sacks in 12 games!  That is big time.  Looks like he is a transfer for Florida and made the most of that switch.

 

 

Also curious though since Jackson State is in the FCS, they only play other "Black Colleges" and do not play the other big FCS schools for the national title in the "Playoff bracket"?  That kind of sucks.  

There are good players on small schools but they get little to no coverage.  Houston would have to be a OLB ( either 3-4 or 4-3) in the NFL.  He shows a lot of explosiveness but he is playing as a 1 gap pass rusher at this point.  I do noth think he could play that in the NFL.

[Ozzy]

34 minutes ago, jebrick said:

Cross will be a top 20 pick at a minimum.  Still a little raw and has room to grow but he has a high ceiling.

You take him over any of these guys?  Jedrick Wills, Tristan Wirfs, Andrew Thomas, Rashawn Slater, Becton or Penei Sewel, maybe Sewell but that is more the LT and RT thing, no way is he better than the rest and Slater is by far a more promising pass protector and overall talent than Cross is.  He is good but again I think he will benefit off the class he is coming out in.

 

But sure youthful and promising, just not sure he is some elite Pro Bowl level talent either.  Dillard and his lack of success in that system could be an issue of warning for Cross but maybe not.  

[jebrick]

I would not take him over any of those players.  I would not take him over Neal but I might over Ekwonu and Petit-Frere.  Penning I view as a pure RT.

 

Cross has the dreaded potential which could make him very good but he is not a finished product.  I think Cross would benefit from a year to get bigger and stronger but I think that is true for many college Olinemen coming to the NFL.  I think he has good technique now and is athletic.  You have to guess if he has a higher ceiling than either Ekwonu or Petit-Frere.

Edited December 18, 2021 by jebrick

[Scoundrel]

45 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

You take him over any of these guys?  Jedrick Wills, Tristan Wirfs, Andrew Thomas, Rashawn Slater, Becton or Penei Sewel, maybe Sewell but that is more the LT and RT thing, no way is he better than the rest and Slater is by far a more promising pass protector and overall talent than Cross is.  He is good but again I think he will benefit off the class he is coming out in.

 

But sure youthful and promising, just not sure he is some elite Pro Bowl level talent either.  Dillard and his lack of success in that system could be an issue of warning for Cross but maybe not.  

He has really taken a step back this year 

[Ozzy]

Prospect Standouts: Early Bowl games

 

*Tommy Mellott FR QB Montana State:  Dude is very Tim Tebow like, he is listed at under 200 pounds but kid is well built and put together physically.  Very strong runner and has been hell to deal with for offenses.  Basically did not play most of the season outside of the Playoffs.  Has really taken that Montana State offense to another level with his duel threat ability, if anything he will be super fun to watch the next three to four years and will be really interesting seeing him in the National Title game for FCS against North Dakota State.  Super interesting talent and one heck of a performance by him in the last few games against some good FCS teams.

 

*Ryan O'Keefe JR WR UCF:  What a burner, really standout game by him and had made some huge plays for that UCF offense.  Athletic with the ball in his hands and was just flying around out there making plays.  Almost had 100 yards rushing and receiving and even had over 50 yards in the return game as well.  Really standout performance by him and is one hell of a weapon, great speed and deep threat ability.  

*Gervon Dexter SOPH DT Florida:  Amazing play by him on the inside in that game, really was a dominating force and showed up big time.  Great size, can get off blocks and was very productive against a solid UCF offensive line.  Will be one to watch next year and could develop into a 1st round pick, I feel he has that kind of potential on the inside with his size and athletic ability.  

 

*James Houston SR OLB Jackson State:  Did flash in that loss, has had a great season thought with 15+ sacks, around 7 forced fumbles and over 20 tackles for a loss.  Is a little undersized for a 3/4 OLB but if he can bring that energy and consistent edge rushing ability no question he could be a late round pick in this draft assuming he declares.  A huge part of that Jackson State defense and made one heck of a move, was barely even a prospect when he was on Florida, barely even noticed the guy but this year on Jackson State he has really stood out.  

 

*DeWayne McBride SOPH RB UAB:  One heck of a game by him, very well built running back that has had a fine season and was absolutely key to victory for UAB.  Has strong powerful legs, good drive and just looks the part.  Is a next level prospect no questin and will be really interesting to watch him next year.  Is far more talented and skilled than the other big successful back UAB had a few years back in Spencer Brown.  

 

*Malik Willis RS SR QB Liberty:  Might be the best I have seen him play even though 2nd half he was not asked to do much.  He was not playing this great defense though but the offensive line protected him well and he really was able to do some things.  The issue could be when he is pressured he makes some really bad choices with the football.  Was nice to see him back in the pocket and not running around constantly.  Still not sold on him at all as a high 1st round pick but in the 2nd round no question he is worth it, even late 1st round if a team has a use for him in the right situation.  Interesting talent but to me with the turnovers he has had, no way is he a Trey Lance type.  Physically in terms of his release it is as quick as any and throwing on the move probably has as much throwing power as any QB in the draft.  In the pocket not sure he has the best arm but on the move he probably does.  

 

*Jablonski Green RS SOPH DE South Carolina State:  Outstanding game by him, really took it over defensively with his consistent edge rushing.  Seems to have good size and quickness for the position, able to consistently get off blocks and really made those Jackson State tackles look pretty bad in pass pro multiple times.  Interesting talent and could be a next level player with more development, Houston got all the hype from Jackson State but Green was right there with him if not possibly a little more impressive in the game in terms of production.  

 

*Isaiah Bowser SR RB UCF: Really powerful strong runner, had a good game and will see if he declares for the draft or returns.  Just as a physical power back he is interesting but really has never took his game to the next level or able to play consistently and that happened at UCF as well, Bowser did get hurt and missed some time.  Interesting prospect though if he declares especially as a UDFA.

 

*Kaiir Elam JR CB Florida:  Is part of a pretty disappointing Florida defense, but Elam is a dude out there, very confident and is a physical corner who is not afraid of contact.  He was not really tested in his game but he had some great effort plays that showed off his awareness and reaction time.  With his length and ability to tackle in the right system he could be a very good corner.  Is potentially the #2 or #3 corner in the draft if he declares, did not have the breakout year I thought he would be honestly he was not tested much and that secondary outside of him was so bad they just go at other guys constantly.  

 

*Tyler Allgeier RS SOPH RB BYU:  Dude is a tank out there, very powerful running back with great leg drive and is a consistent patient runner.  Would be pretty surprised if he does not come early for the draft this year.  Really promising back that could really do some damage in the NFL with his feet and power.  

 

*Isaiah Likely SR TE Coastal Carolina:  Love his athletic ability and his build, he could do some really good things in the NFL as a flex TE or HB type, not a super big guy but is a great looking athlete that is an extremely natural pass catcher.  Next level talent for sure and should be a lock mid round pick if not a little higher than that.  

 

*Shaquan Davis RS SOPH WR South Carolina State:  Really took over that game with his size and playmaking ability, really tall lengthy receiver that made 3 huge touchdowns in that game.  Interesting talent, clearly has the jump ball ability but will see if he can add some route running to his game, seems like a very good athlete and could for sure be a next level player.  

 

*Tyler Batty FR DE BYU:  Was a standout game by him, easily his best probably of the entire season.  Seems to have added some pass rush moves to his game, is a big strong kid and has great size for the position.  Will be one to watch for BYU next year and could be an up and coming talent no question.  Will see if he can take this breakout performance and build on it, because if you just watched this game dude looks like a future high pick in the draft.  

 

*Jay Ducker FR RB Northern Illinois:  Really like the way he runs the football, smooth athlete with good vision and waits for his blocks.  Undersized but what he has done this season is impressive, will see if he can keep that up for a promising young Northern Illinois football team.

 

*Levi Lewis SR QB Louisiana:  I have never really been impressed with his ability to throw the football but hard to argue with the consistency he plays with and the pace he plays with.  Very smooth operator, good leader of a football team and he can run a efficient offense.  Could be an interesting late round but if not for sure will be a UDFA and a chance to be a backup or practice squad guy.  

 

*Malachi Wideman FR WR Jackson State:  I need to watch him more but kid is a big time athlete in terms of what he did on the basketball court in high school.  Has not quite taken that over to the football field just yet but is still young, with more time he could be a standout player potentially but who knows if he is that good on the hardwood maybe he goes that route, will see.  

 

*Lokahi Pauole JR OG UCF:  Tough physical guard who really drove defenders back in that game, interesting talent and will be one to watch next year especially in that run game that Malzahn run game.  Looks a lot bigger than his weight though, thought he was far heavier than his listed 305 pounds.  But he brought it against Florida and was fun to watch.  

 

*Quadric Bullard SOPH S UCF: Interesting talent, I will have to watch him more but was an aggressive safety and made good plays back there, is a little small but has long arms and seems to react well to the football.  Will see how he does next year and beyond for that UCF defense.  

 

 

 

Others who impressed:

Kameron Brown SR WR Coastal Carolina

Dyson Roberts RS FR P South Carolina State

TJ Johnson RS SR DE Marshall

[MSURacerDT55]

On 12/17/2021 at 5:36 PM, Ozzy said:

Logan Hall Houston RS JR DT:  Big time prospect, wish he would have came back to school but is a dude who can hold his own on the inside and would not surprise me if he is a 2nd round pick at worst 3rd rounder.  

Wouldn't be surprised if he goes late 1st if he blows up the combine/pro day

[MSURacerDT55]

On 12/24/2021 at 8:25 AM, Ozzy said:

Jablonski Green RS SOPH DE South Carolina State:  Outstanding game by him, really took it over defensively with his consistent edge rushing.  Seems to have good size and quickness for the position, able to consistently get off blocks and really made those Jackson State tackles look pretty bad in pass pro multiple times.  Interesting talent and could be a next level player with more development, Houston got all the hype from Jackson State but Green was right there with him if not possibly a little more impressive in the game in terms of production.  

I watched that game too, he went off. What do you think about his body type? 

 

[CWood21]

On 12/18/2021 at 8:57 AM, Ozzy said:

You take him over any of these guys?  Jedrick Wills, Tristan Wirfs, Andrew Thomas, Rashawn Slater, Becton or Penei Sewel, maybe Sewell but that is more the LT and RT thing, no way is he better than the rest and Slater is by far a more promising pass protector and overall talent than Cross is.  He is good but again I think he will benefit off the class he is coming out in.

 

But sure youthful and promising, just not sure he is some elite Pro Bowl level talent either.  Dillard and his lack of success in that system could be an issue of warning for Cross but maybe not.  

Admittedly I'm probably a bit late in this discussion, but what does comparing him with proven young NFL OL do to justify your draft evaluation of Cross?  You either like him and he's a clear top 20 prospect or you don't and he's a Day 2 prospect.

[Ozzy]

5 hours ago, MSURacerDT55 said:

I watched that game too, he went off. What do you think about his body type? 

 

Sure he is a little cubby and not super long but has a good base he was productive in that game and gave good consistent effort, was able to get off blocks pretty easy but that could be Jackson State has really bad tackles.  I would say out played Houston on Jackson State.

 

And yeah Logan Hall could go high with a good workout, the few times I watched him I liked his tape because of how strong he was, a few weeks back in this thread I posted a clip and time where he just knocked an offensive lineman completely backward.  Dude is strong inside and easily one of the best DL in the draft potentially, could have been picked higher in 2023 though I believe.  

 

3 hours ago, CWood21 said:

Admittedly I'm probably a bit late in this discussion, but what does comparing him with proven young NFL OL do to justify your draft evaluation of Cross?  You either like him and he's a clear top 20 prospect or you don't and he's a Day 2 prospect.

How can one not compare a prospect to his recent peers?  It is a fact that those other draft classes had far superior top end OT talent compared to this one, especially the 2020 class.  To totally disregard that and not believe Cross might be inflated a bit in his eval because of his peers in the current draft class at his position is foolish.  

 

 

Edited December 25, 2021 by Ozzy

[CWood21]

5 hours ago, Ozzy said:

How can one not compare a prospect to his recent peers?  It is a fact that those other draft classes had far superior top end OT talent compared to this one, especially the 2020 class.  To totally disregard that and not believe Cross might be inflated a bit in his eval because of his peers in the current draft class at his position is foolish.

Given @Scoundrel's comment, it appeared you were comparing him to proven NFL players which is unfair at best.  Because I guarantee you wouldn't do that.  Now, if you were comparing them as prospects then it's a valid question.  Looking back at my board, I think Andrew Thomas and Penei Sewell are the only guys that I'd say are solidly graded out higher then he will be.  I think I was the higher end of Slater (and Darrisaw).  I wasn't a huge fan of Wirfs, Willis, or Becton, so they'll probably be in the same-ish grade as Cross.

[jebrick]

18 hours ago, CWood21 said:

Given @Scoundrel's comment, it appeared you were comparing him to proven NFL players which is unfair at best.  Because I guarantee you wouldn't do that.  Now, if you were comparing them as prospects then it's a valid question.  Looking back at my board, I think Andrew Thomas and Penei Sewell are the only guys that I'd say are solidly graded out higher then he will be.  I think I was the higher end of Slater (and Darrisaw).  I wasn't a huge fan of Wirfs, Willis, or Becton, so they'll probably be in the same-ish grade as Cross.

I admit that when the question was asked, I compared Cross to those Linemen as they came out of college when I gave my answer.  Cross moves very well but, as others have said, the system he plays under gets the ball out fast.  He is young and will only grow stronger.  He is not a finished product by a long shot

[Adrenaline_Flux]

On 12/25/2021 at 6:49 PM, Ozzy said:

How can one not compare a prospect to his recent peers?  It is a fact that those other draft classes had far superior top end OT talent compared to this one, especially the 2020 class.  To totally disregard that and not believe Cross might be inflated a bit in his eval because of his peers in the current draft class at his position is foolish.  

it's also kind of foolish to not evaluate one of his peers because they play at an FCS school even though they've been a consensus top 40 pick for months 

[Ozzy]

9 hours ago, Adrenaline_Flux said:

it's also kind of foolish to not evaluate one of his peers because they play at an FCS school even though they've been a consensus top 40 pick for months 

You engaged to this guy or what? 

Like I said I will probably wait to watch him at the Senior Bowl events and game.  You think he is that much better than his teammate Spencer Brown who had amazing Pro day numbers for a guy 6-8 310 pounds and even he still fell to the 3rd round.  No surprise he started what 8 games or so for the Bills this year though.  This Trevor Penning better than him?

Would be awesome if he is as great as you say he is, this class needs more high end OT talent.  I see there is a full game clip of Northern Iowa OL vs Iowa State this year so sure maybe I will watch that in the next few days, will see.  

[Adrenaline_Flux]

13 hours ago, Ozzy said:

You engaged to this guy or what? 

Like I said I will probably wait to watch him at the Senior Bowl events and game.  You think he is that much better than his teammate Spencer Brown who had amazing Pro day numbers for a guy 6-8 310 pounds and even he still fell to the 3rd round.  No surprise he started what 8 games or so for the Bills this year though.  This Trevor Penning better than him?

Would be awesome if he is as great as you say he is, this class needs more high end OT talent.  I see there is a full game clip of Northern Iowa OL vs Iowa State this year so sure maybe I will watch that in the next few days, will see.  

Is this how you respond to valid criticism? I come in here because I'm interested in your opinion and the discussion that is produced, but maybe I'm wasting my time lol

If you're going to have a year-round thread covering NFL Draft prospects and present yourself as an evaluator of talent, it's pretty negligent to wait until January to look into someone who has been a consensus top 40 pick for months. It's UNI. not Slippery Rock. 

I respect that you won't rank players you haven't watched, but I don't think you can consider your OT group evaluation complete or accurate when you haven't watched one of the top prospects in the draft. I also think it's a deeply flawed argument to say "no way he's better than his teammate who was good and fell to the 3rd round" when you haven't watched and know nothing about him. but yes. Trevor Penning is the better prospect of the two and that has been the consensus opinion even prior to the 2021 season.

[Ozzy]

47 minutes ago, Adrenaline_Flux said:

Is this how you respond to valid criticism? I come in here because I'm interested in your opinion and the discussion that is produced, but maybe I'm wasting my time lol

If you're going to have a year-round thread covering NFL Draft prospects and present yourself as an evaluator of talent, it's pretty negligent to wait until January to look into someone who has been a consensus top 40 pick for months. It's UNI. not Slippery Rock. 

I respect that you won't rank players you haven't watched, but I don't think you can consider your OT group evaluation complete or accurate when you haven't watched one of the top prospects in the draft. I also think it's a deeply flawed argument to say "no way he's better than his teammate who was good and fell to the 3rd round" when you haven't watched and know nothing about him. but yes. Trevor Penning is the better prospect of the two and that has been the consensus opinion even prior to the 2021 season.

I make the joking comment about you being engaged to him because this is the 2nd if not 3rd time you commented to me Penning.  I heard you the first time.  A guy I have not seen and you are all pissed that I have not seen him yet?  Either you go to or went to school at Northern Iowa, are from Iowa, are related to this guy in some way or are friends with this guy because why else would you be harping on him as much as you have?  You just love his ability so much?  Maybe that could be it I guess.

Seems kind of odd, and typically I do not base things on what others said or what other rankings guys have, I rarely look at them.  Sure you view from multiple sources and claim it is just common knowledge, well no for those who do you view others opinions constantly and make it off as their own, it is not common knowledge.

 

 

And yes I would find it to me quite rare that Northern Iowa has two dudes, very similar in height in terms of being 6-7+, both are athletic OTs, both are great players and both will be NFL starters?  Have any other FCS schools pulled that off recently in back to back years?  Doubt anyone has so either they have two outstanding lineman or one of these guys might be a bit overrated.  Thus yes I am a bit skeptical about it.  Oh and Spencer Brown had the #1 RAS score since 1987 for all OTs in the NFL draft assuming those numbers were correct even though they were not done in a combine setting, so this Penning guy will take his place at #1?  Thus Spencer Brown was a big time rare athlete, and this dude is just as rare and just as athletic and good?  Thus the hard to believe but will see how he plays and times out

 

https://beargoggleson.com/2021/04/05/spencer-brown-2021-nfl-draft/#:~:text=Spencer Brown is a OT,OT from 1987 to 2021.

 

 

Based on watching him Penning seems more like a RT for sure if not potentially a interior OG.  Really good toughness and power in his hands, can really push guys around and move them.  Not totally sold on him in pass pro, he is a mauler first and foremost.  Plays with good balance as well, I would be shocked if he is a better athlete than Spencer Brown though and puts up numbers like he did, no way that is the case but will see.  I am not in love with the dude as much as you are, good solid player but not sure he is as great as apparently you make him out to be.  Would be great if he performs awesome in the Senior Bowl, like I said this class needs another elite level OT but will see.