2023 Draft Talk

[ArcticNorseman]

NON-COMBINE UNKNOWNS:  Who are some guys getting interest from Pro-Days?

I just read a safety from Rutgers, Christian Izien, ran a sub-4.40 40 and had a 41.5" vertical.   Sounds like he was a productive ayer with 300+ tackles and 20 pass break-ups.    Other than that, I know nothing about him.  Could be a PS candidate while learning the ropes . . . Can't teach that kind of speed.  

Another is 6' 3" WR, Tyler Roberts, Coastal Carolina, 34" arms and 80" wingspan . . . 4.59 second 40, but has a 43" vertical.   4.43 short shuttle and 7.39 3-cone.   Red Zone Machine? 

6' 5" WR Shaquan Davis, SC State . . . Reports?

Any others?  

[battle2heaven]

55 minutes ago, gopherwrestler said:

WR1

Yeah, I probably agree.

 

[gopherwrestler]

 

 

[swede700]

While he's not eligible until next year, teams are getting a look at the HOFers kid, Marvin Jr, today...

 

[vike daddy]

The main attraction at Ohio State’s Pro Day workout was quarterback C.J. Stroud, who might go to the Panthers with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. But the secondary attraction was a prospect who isn’t draft eligible until 2024.

That would be Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who worked out in front of NFL personnel at Ohio State’s Pro Day even though he can’t enter this year’s draft because NFL rules prevent players from entering the draft until they’re three years out of high school.

Harrison, who will be draft eligible next year, was widely praised by the NFL scouts and executives in Columbus, according to multiple reporters on the scene. And that’s no surprise. The 20-year-old Harrison is 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds and an even better athlete than his Hall of Fame receiver father. Last year Harrison was a first-team All-American and the winner of the Big Ten’s receiver of the year award after catching 77 passes for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/03/23/marvin-harrison-jr-shines-at-ohio-state-pro-day-but-nfl-rules-keep-him-out-of-the-draft/

[Ozzy]

Jordan Addison might be the target now for the Vikings at WR in the 1st, with that 40 by Jaxon he is probably now the 1st WR off the board possibly to the Titans or most likely the Texans at 12.  Maybe Atlanta takes him at #8 as well which would mean Addison to the Texans at 12 and both gone by the Vikings pick.  

[battle2heaven]

21 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Jordan Addison might be the target now for the Vikings at WR in the 1st, with that 40 by Jaxon he is probably now the 1st WR off the board possibly to the Titans or most likely the Texans at 12.  Maybe Atlanta takes him at #8 as well which would mean Addison to the Texans at 12 and both gone by the Vikings pick.  

you doom too much lol.

To me, there are only 3 Wrs I would take Rd1

1. JSN

2. Quentin Johnston

3. Jordan Addison

 

I'm not a zay Flowers in the 1st type of guy. I respect his game, but I think he's more of a mid 2nd round prospect.

Slot receivers dont go top half of Rd1, so that's why I'm leery of placing JSN high. Quentin Johnston has question marks at the catch point and his route running is a little raw. Addison is lighter than a soaked blanket and is just an average athlete.

They all have question marks that pushes them down.

Edited March 23, 2023 by battle2heaven
Zay, not Trey

[gopherwrestler]

24 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Jordan Addison might be the target now for the Vikings at WR in the 1st, with that 40 by Jaxon he is probably now the 1st WR off the board possibly to the Titans or most likely the Texans at 12.  Maybe Atlanta takes him at #8 as well which would mean Addison to the Texans at 12 and both gone by the Vikings pick.  

I just don’t see Addison going that high. 

[Ozzy]

45 minutes ago, battle2heaven said:

you doom too much lol.

To me, there are only 3 Wrs I would take Rd1

1. JSN

2. Quentin Johnston

3. Jordan Addison

 

I'm not a zay Flowers in the 1st type of guy. I respect his game, but I think he's more of a mid 2nd round prospect.

Slot receivers dont go top half of Rd1, so that's why I'm leery of placing JSN high. Quentin Johnston has question marks at the catch point and his route running is a little raw. Addison is lighter than a soaked blanket and is just an average athlete.

They all have question marks that pushes them down.

Johnston it all depends on how he runs the 40.  Love the size and would not mind him but he is not a great route runner and is at times pretty inconsistent.  

 

Jaxon is easily the best WR now showing that speed and his route running is better than any other WR.  Jaxon is the ideal but again with that combine performance not sure he is around anymore because just answered the only question about him which was top end speed.

 

As for Addison, who cares about his weight if he can run routes and break DBs down with his footwork, and he is not a bad athlete at all.  4.49 40 is plenty fast and at that size he has shown he can go up and get the football in the air and make defenders miss in the open field.  

 

40 minutes ago, gopherwrestler said:

I just don’t see Addison going that high. 

Bottom of the 1st round is high?  Addison is probably the 2nd best route runner after Jaxon and has elite level quickness which has shown to be very need.  If he is there and the Vikings pass on him it would be foolish.  

Sure Vikings could wait till the 3rd to get a WR but then what do they address.  ILB possibly but all the other issues have been address in free agency with TE in Oliver, DL in Davenport/Lowry, CB in Murphy and C in resigning the two they had.  WR and ILB are the biggest needs currently, NT possibly but not a total need, another CB then maybe developmental QB possibly another swing OG/OT type.  

[vike daddy]

Will Levis (born June 27, 1999) is an American football quarterback for the Kentucky Wildcats. He previously played for the Penn State Nittany Lions before transferring to Kentucky in 2021.

Levis attended Penn State from 2018 to 2020. After redshirting his first year, he spent the next two as Sean Clifford's backup. He made his first career start against Rutgers in 2019, completing eight of 14 passes for 81 yards with one touchdown and one interception with 108 rushing yards. Overall at Penn State, he completed 61 of 102 passes for 644 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 473 yards and six touchdowns.

Levis transferred to the University of Kentucky in 2021, after having graduated that May with a bachelor's degree in finance from Penn State's Smeal College of Business. He was named the starter to open the season and in his first start threw for 367 yards and four touchdowns. Levis started all 13 games for Kentucky, completing 233 of 353 passes for 2,827 yards and 24 touchdown passes while running for 376 yards and 9 touchdowns on 107 rushes. Levis led the team to a victory over No. 15 Iowa in the 2022 Citrus Bowl.

His father Mike played football at Denison University, an NCAA Division III school in Ohio, while his mother, Beth Kelley, was a two-time All-American soccer player at Yale. His uncle played football at Yale, and his maternal great-grandfather Alva Kelley was an All-American football player at Cornell University and later a head coach for several college teams. Levis graduated with a master's degree in finance from Kentucky's Gatton College of Business and Economics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Levis

 

what do we think of Will Levis? first, as a general prospect, and second as playing for the Vikings?

will he make it for real in the NFL, or be out in 2-3 years?

[vike daddy]

also, why did Levis have 250-350 yards rushing every season in his first three years of college, and then have -107 yards in 2022?

Edited March 23, 2023 by vike daddy

[VikeManDan]

3 minutes ago, vike daddy said:

also, why did Levis have 250-350 yards rushing every season in his first three years of college, and then have -107 yards in 2022?

I believe college counts sacks as negative rushing yards for QBs.

[SemperFeist]

2 minutes ago, vike daddy said:

what do we think of Will Levis? first, as a general prospect, and second as playing for the Vikings?

will he make it for real in the NFL, or be out in 2-3 years?

I very much like Levis as a prospect. And I am hopeful that he will be a Viking come April 28. 

As for if he’ll make it in the NFL, like the vast majority of QB prospects it’s entirely going to depend on the team and situation that they end up in.

I think Levis and Richardson are very similar prospects in the sense that both have massive physical upside, but they both need a situation where they can be brought along slowly. If a team drafts them and expects them to start early, then they are likely looking at an uphill battle. But if they go to a team that can let them sit for a year, or two, and really develop and hone their physical skills, they’ve got a real chance at being very good. 

[vike daddy]

5 minutes ago, VikeManDan said:

I believe college counts sacks as negative rushing yards for QBs.

so his offensive line fell apart? coaching change? scheme change?

is he healthy?

[Ozzy]

28 minutes ago, vike daddy said:

so his offensive line fell apart? coaching change? scheme change?

is he healthy?

The Kentucky offensive line was awful last year, they allowed 47 sacks which was the most sacks allowed of any team in the SEC.  

They are generally a great running team and did not have a 1000 yard rusher last year and struggled to run the ball especially later in the year.  

 

Will Levis if he fell to the Vikings, sure worth the risk but in the QB needy NFL not sure he gets out of the top 10.  He did not have a great combine, Anthony Richardson really out performed him and Levis does have an odd built for a strong guy, thin lower body and a very odd release I would say.  Does not have great pocket fundamentals especially with his feet and his arm is strong but he does not throw a great ball if you look at his release itself.  Throws a good fast ball that is off platform but in the pocket he could improve that for sure.

 

He disappointed during the season despite having big time weapons on Kentucky at WR, something he did not always have.  Had a few good games but really struggled in other ones.  Anthony Richardson is the better athlete, has the better arm and has more upside but he is long gone in the top 5 and would not be shocked if the Raiders got QB possibly and take Levis.  And if not them maybe Atlanta or even the Titans.  And if not them possibly the Packers, Commanders, Bucs, Seattle etc.