Daniel's 2024 Draft Thread--Draft Edition

[Daniel]

As I always do, including the guys I would have drafted for the Titans in each spot, if it were up to me:

7. Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn St
38. Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
106. Mekhi Wingo, DT, LSU (Cedric Gray was the want in the moment when Sweat was already the pick)
146. Edafuan Ulofoshio, LB, Washington (Malik Washington with what we already had)
182. Malik Washington, WR, Virginia
242. Leonard Taylor, DT, Miami (Beau Brade with what we already had)
252. Julian Pearl, OT, Illinois (if you don't count Brade/Taylor again)

 

QB: After week 1, this sure looks like a special group.  Williams isn't as elite as he once looked but is still an easy 1.  Maye, Nix, and Daniels are all really close as the next three.  Travis might have been able to climb higher without the injury, but McCarthy, Ewers, and Pennix, despite a lot of hype as potential top picks I don't see as NFL starters. Milton and Jefferson offer enormous upside, but are lottery tickets destined for the late rounds.

1. Caleb Williams, USC: He's had a rough few games, and the hype has died down to where he might now be underrated.  He's still an excellent, pro ready QB, but the intangibles may be a little lacking.
2. Drake Maye, UNC: Not a finished product, but I'm buying the hype.  Great deep ball, prototype build, and the accuracy on short and intermediate throws to be dangerous in any offense.  Can be really inconsistent though.  A disappointing season may sour some teams on him, even though he has prototype tools and looks the most like your standard NFL QB among this group.
3. Jayden Daniels, LSU: Daniels' vision and accuracy have both improved drastically from last year, and he has maybe the best athletic profile in this class.  I think he, Nix, and Maye are all pretty close, but I could see Daniels as the "ascending" player, and going first after Williams.  He's the most athletic of the top QBs, has downfield accuracy, and played in the tough SEC West.
4. Bo Nix, Oregon: Nix is still what I thought he was last year.  Incredibly efficient against Wash, despite the loss.  Didn't make fourth down plays that could have won them the game, but otherwise, did everything he needed to to put them in winning position.  Nix has a big arm, size, athleticism, and a winning record, but at least one top prospect has a better profile than him in one of these categories, and that may leave him as the odd man out.  But I still think he has possibly the best mix of these traits.
5. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado: Probably a 2025 prospect, but the first few games of the season were special before he crashed back down to earth.  Still, I was one of the first on the hype train, so I'm not hopping off now.
5. Michael Pennix, Washington: Penix should have gotten the Heisman, but I wouldn't want him as an NFL QB.  The offense, the weird throwing motion, and the receivers, he's a (slightly) younger, left handed Hendon Hooker clone with a little less athleticism in a (slightly) less gimmicky offense.  However, he's had a great postseason, and showed prototype measurements.
6. JJ McCarthy, Michigan: He's an athletic QB on a good team, and that's all he is.  There may be more there down the road, but he's a huge projection.
7. Jordan Travis, Florida St: For a little while, he looked like he had no idea what he was doing, but after that, he was stellar against a great LSU team. Brilliant pocket manipulator, and might be higher if it weren't for his injury status.  Not the most accurate thrower, and really inconsistent on tape, despite generally being an excellent player.
8. Quinn Ewers, Texas: He was a completely different player from last year, and picked apart the Bama defense.  Still, he has way too many errant throws to be a great pro prospect, and he doesn't have any special traits to elevate him.  I think he's on the cusp of Day 2, but not quite there.
8. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina: Rattler had moments in 22 of looking real, but it's gonna be hard to evaluate him with that OL.  Still, he has the tools, and the ability, so he may rise in the postseason.
11. Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina: Looked the part last season, but once he faced a power 5 team this year, he suddenly looked like an afterthought.
9. Joe Milton, Tennessee: Milton is the perfect QB from a purely physical perspective.  Josh Allen level arm strength, Cam Newton size and great athleticism, but the good stops there.  Milton is older, but still a huge project, with very little chance of developing into a better player.  Still, there's a lot to like physically.
10. Kedon Slovis, BYU: I haven't watched any Slovis this year, but I've seen a good bit of him in years prior.  Older, and JAG, but pretty consistent, and can run an offense.  He has more athleticism than I would have thought, so he may be a good backup.
13. KJ Jefferson, Arkansas: Another super athlete who could rise high, but he's way behind Milton as a passer.

To watch: Michael Pratt, Tulane; Devin Leary, Kentucky

RB:  A decent class for middle round depth, but nothing on the top end, and not very deep.  It's a little pick your poison based on what you need, and I'm still arranging the rankings here.  I think the top four are in the right order, and above the next ones, but even then, there could be movement.  I still have a lot of tape to review with this position group.

1. Treyveon Henderson, Ohio St: A do it all, well rounded back, and had the best game I’ve seen from him against Michigan.
1. Trey Benson, Florida St: The player that looks the most like an NFL RB, Benson had a great combine on a great season.  He's got speed and shiftiness aplenty, and adequate power to get through smaller defenders, and makes some impressive catches.
2. Jaylen Wright, Tennessee: A great runner with a good blend of speed, power, and elusiveness, and showing some contribution as a passer.  A stellar combine shows that he can keep doing what he's doing well at the next level.
3. Blake Corum, Michigan: Didn't know what to make of him last season, but it's hard not to be impressed.  Smaller, and a little limited in his skills set as a power runner, but he's patient, and incredibly smooth on the move.  Doesn't bring a ton as a pass catcher.
4. Bucky Irving, Oregon: Irving was a monster against Washington, contributing at every level of play.  Outstanding balance, and a tough runner, and a true weapon in the passing game.  Didn't test well at the combine, which is concerning.
5. Ray Davis, Kentucky: One of the best natural runners in this class, in every way.  He just lacks elite physical traits and that WR quality.  But for a pure runner, he's what you're after.
6. Will Shipley, Clemson: I seriously thought he was a receiver for a minute watching him in 22.  He didn't perform at the combine, but I don't know why.  He's one of the faster RBs in the class, and looked like a real weapon as a pass catcher, but he didn't put up the numbers I expected.
7. Jonathan Brooks, Texas: Brooks looks the part, and can stop and start on a dime, but he's your standard RB, and I don't know how much he brings in the passing game.  If he shows to have some elite physical traits and that the injury isn't a concern, he could move a lot higher than this.
8. Cody Schrader, Mizzou: Powerful runner, but may be a little one dimensional.  Combine will be big for him.
9. Jase McClellan, Bama: Another powerful, fast, and elusive-enough Bama back.  He has all the traits, but hasn't had a dominant game that I've seen.
10. Miyan Williams, Ohio St: Bowling ball of a man with some seriously impressive games in 22.  Showing more speed will help him a lot.

To watch: Isaac Gurenedo, Arizona; Audric Estime, Notre Dame; Marshawn Lloyd, USC; Tyrone Tracy, Purdue; Memphis RB; WVU RB; Frank Gore Jr, Southern Miss; Braelon Allen, Wisconsin

WR:  It’s a four tiered class for the prospects that matter: at the top are the elite prospects, MHJ, Nabers, and Odunze. Next are Mitchell and Thomas, firm first round talents, I waffle on whether Franklin and Coleman are in this tier, and all look like Day 1 contributors. Then there’s Legette, McConkey, Burton, Washington, and Wilson, who all are future projects or flawed in some way, though still 2nd round caliber. After that there’s like 10 more guys who look intriguing enough to be second day picks.

1. Marvin Harrison Jr, Ohio St: I don't think it's possible for another player to jump him here. Great in every way a receiver can be.
2. Malik Nabers LSU: The clear No. 1 target for LSU, Nabers had a big 22, and a huge 23.  He was him against Miss St., and has insane play speed. In any normal class, he'd be the guy. Fast, explosive, turns on a dime.
3. Rome Odunze, Washington: I was bearish on Odunze for a bit, but he is a tough player with great hands who absolutely bullies DBs.  Hard not to love his game. He’s also smooth in his route running and has elite intangibles.
4. Brian Thomas, LSU: Nabers gets all the praise (rightly), but Thomas is also a very good receiver.  Excellent hands, and good at making catches just barely in bounds. Capable of catching anything. Also a fantastic athlete.
5. Adonai Mitchell, Texas: Mitchell is Texas's guy.  Not as big as some in this class, but tall, plays fast, and makes highlight catches on a regular basis. Reliable and good hands. Perfect high end No. 2 receiver in any scheme.
6. Troy Franklin, Oregon: Oregon's top receiver had a great matchup with Washington's Muhammed, and has been Nix's go to guy.  Poor man's Odunze when he wants to be, but plays with more speed.
7. Keon Coleman, Florida St: Coleman is a very good receiver, don't get me wrong, but his teammate's traits jump off the tape more.  Coleman is a much more reliable receiver.  Good combination of speed, body control, and route running. I don’t see elite physical traits, so he’s just barely below the others.
8. Xavier Legette, South Carolina: Legette has been the only good thing about SC's offense.  He's had huge games, and is a great size/speed combo.  He has some body control, but he's gonna be drafted for size, speed, and tossup ability.
9. Ladd McConkey, Georgia: Maybe the safest receiver in the class, McConkey has acceptable speed and size, but he's not someone who will reach out across his body to sn@tch balls like the top receivers.  He's an outstandingly clean route runner, and can stop and start on a dime.  Offers a little YAC, but nothing to write home about.
10. Jermaine Burton, Alabama: Burton isn't as impressive as the receivers that have been out of Bama, but he's a solid guy.  Long, good hands, and quality deep threat.  Bama's offense (and his QB's ability) didn't ask for much from him though, so the combine will be big.
11. Malik Washington, Virginia: He's a short receiver, but it's hard not to love how aggressive and hard nosed he is.  Fights for every inch with the ball in his hands, and plays physically.  Also a plus athlete, despite his size.  Not a huge YAC guy, but every ball he catches he puts his head down for an extra 1 or 2.
7. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio St: Egbuka is the pickup truck of OSU's WR room to MHJ's sports car.  He gets it done.
12. Roman Wilson, Michigan: Physical, a decent route runner, and hits that second gear super fast.  A very good blocker for a WR, but will struggle more at the next level with his size.  A little small with short arms, but otherwise a very good prospect.
13. Xavier Worthy, Texas: He was great against Kool-Aid McKinstry, but boy was he guilty of a lot of dropped balls.  Drops got better as the season went, and the only WR in this class that plays faster is Nabers.  Still, undersized WR with more drops than you want is a lot of red flags.
13. Tre Harris, Ole Miss: Harris was dynamic against Penn St, getting separation and showing great hands.
14. Jalen McMillan, Washington: I liked McMillan in 22, and in 23, he's still good and underrated.  Reliable, clean, tight route runner who has some YAC ability.
15. Javon Baker, UCF: Tough, physical receiver, with some of the best catches you'll see.  Outstanding catch radius and hands, however, he doesn't have great quickness, speed, or explosiveness, and his route running needs work.  There's plenty to work with there, but also a lot to work on.
16. Jha'Quan Jackson, Tulane: He flashed quite a bit against Ole Miss, but wasn't as featured as he should have been with Pratt out.  One to watch.
17. Ja'Lynn Polk, Washington: The other great Washington receiver, Polk isn't as big as Odunze, but still has NFL size and speed.  Also a powerful, physical receiver.
18. Jacob Cowing, Arizona: A little short, but he looked explosive in the bowl game and was an effective deep threat.  Really fast, but too small.
19. Johnny Wilson, Florida St: A matchup nightmare who has crazy fluidity for his size, but he drops way too many balls.  Really high ceiling, but that floor is kinda scary.  Bit of a unicorn, and the bust chances are really high, but so is the upside, so he's here as a balancing act.
20. Malachi Corley, WKU: He's dynamite with the ball in his hands: tough to bring down, offers lots of YAC.  However, he's not a good route runner, doesn't get separation, and doesn't have great hands.  And that's with the tape he has against schools like MTSU, not NFL talent.
21. Devontez Walker, UNC: Walker does not do much other than run in a straight line.  He's good at running in a straight line and catching balls, but it's all he does.  Great size, so the upside is there, but I'm not convinced he offers that much.
22. Cornelius Johnson, Michigan: Height, weight, and speed are there, and he has some good tape in the offseason, but Michigan's passing game was so light, it's tough to tell much else.
23. Jordan Whittington, Texas: Tough, physical receiver who won't be a feature of an offense, but should be a fantastic depth piece.
24. Malachi Fields, Virginia: A great possession receiver who may fly under the radar on a bad team.
18. Bru McCoy, Tennessee: A solid possession receiver who should be a mid round pick with a good season.

To watch:  Brendan Rice, USC; Ricky Pearsall, Florida; Luke McCaffery, Rice; 

TE: The TE class became a lot harder to sort post-combine.  Bowers is still 1, but Theo had an outstanding performance, and was my TE2 going into this season before he fell off.  Sinnot has the best blend of tape from this year and combine performance.  Bell and Sanders had 2 years of good tape, and look like weapons, but Bell was OK at the combine where Sanders was bad.  And the TE position is very affected by athleticism.  After that, there are really just a handful of intriguing guys, so depth is not great.

1. Brock Bowers, Georgia: Almost certainly the top prospect this year.
2. Ben Sinnott, Kansas St: Sinnott is a legitimate weapon in the passing game and a capable blocker. He is very, very hard for DBs to bring down when he gets going.
3. Theo Johnson, Penn St: Johnson has had a way quieter year than I thought.  He was great in 22, and his outstanding combine shows the untapped potential is still there.  Excels as a blocker and as a pass catcher.
4. Jaheim Bell, Florida St: Had some big flashes of talent last year.  Huge improvement in his blocking, and a stellar game against LSU to start a big season.  Measured smaller than I expected.
5. Ja'Tavion Sanders, Texas: Bullied Bama DBs when he got the ball and looks like a YAC monster in the making on tape.  Terrible combine performance has him looking a lot more questionable though.
4. Caden Prieskorn, Ole Miss: Prieskorn wasn't on my radar before the Penn St game, but he showed fantastic hands and capable blocking, though his route running needs some work.
5. Cade Stover, Ohio St: Stover has improved seemingly every aspect from last season.  He's a competent blocker with much more reliable hands.
6. Tipp Reiman, Illinois: A blocking TE with not a lot of tape as a weapon, but absolutely elite physical traits.  If you want a blocker that might be more, he's your guy.
6. Colston Loveland, Michigan: Great game against Ohio St and NFL TE size.
7. Tanner McLachlan, Arizona: A big pass catching TE who can survive as a blocker, but needs to develop his blocking to survive as an HB.  Has the size to do so.
8. Jack Westover, Washington: A decent weapon, Westover came up big in the NC.  He's a little on the smaller side for a TE, but not so much that it's a problem.  Still a decent blocker, but mostly a pass catcher.

To watch: AJ Barner, Michigan; Brevyn Spann-Ford, Minnesota; Devin Culp, Washington

OT: This is a fantastic class.  Alt is a blue chip, but the next three are separated by razor thin margins. Fashanu needs work but has a sky high ceiling, Mims is the prototype dancing bear, but has injuries and little tape, and Fuaga does everything you want a right tackle to do, but has some sloppiness.  I think five tackles belong in the first round, with three pretty firmly in the second.  This class is light on guys that look like LTs though, with most of the talent being at right tackle.  Fisher and Jones are criminally underrated, and I have both as Day 2 tackles.  Rouse as well, though I think he's more a third round player.  Belton is the depth guy I believe is being slept on.  Suimataia didn't impress at the combine.

1. Joe Alt, Notre Dame: Notre Dame's OL was absolutely fantastic in 22.  Excellent in every aspect of his game, and a technician on the field with positional and scheme versatility.  He passes blockers easily and has an answer for every pass rushing move you can throw at him.  He's also big, strong, and young.
2. Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn St: Against a very talented Illinois front, Fashanu was excellent.  Against Ohio St, less so.  Still misses blocks or gets beaten on bull rushes or spin moves occasionally, but the talent is there.  Quick feet and covers a crazy amount of space in a single step.  Again, super young.  If his combine injury is something, then he's potentially going to drop hard.
3. Taliese Fuaga, Oregon St: Looks to have a great build for the position, and one of the best punchers you'll ever see, he holds up well in pass protection and run blocking.  Tape against Latu is great.  Still, needs to work on his awareness of what's going on in and around the pocket, doesn't always finish blocks, and is a little sloppy locking up with defenders, but has great recovery, so he still gets the block usually.
4. Amarius Mims, Georgia: On the right side, Mims didn't face Tennessee's top Edges often, but he shut down those he did face.  Very little tape, but Mims is probably close to Fashanu and Alt in talent.  Mountain of a man, but the injury at the combine, along with his history, makes him a scary risk.
5. JC Latham, Bama: Latham showed cracks against Texas, but he was solid as a rock against Tennessee, Georgia, and Michigan, who all have great pass rushes.  He's powerful, and a mauler, but may suffer from speed rushers and really bendy guys, as he doesn't move as quick as you'd like.  Probably only a fit on the right side or at guard, but the most immovable object in the class.
6. Blake Fisher, Notre Dame: As I said with Alt, the whole unit was excellent in 22.  Fisher can struggle when he can't get hands on and locked up, so he's worse in pass protection.  But when he can get his hands on solidly, he's really hard for defenders to move.  Excellent run blocker.
7. Christian Jones, Texas: Had an excellent game against Alabama, but Washington exposed him an awful lot.  Second best punch in the class, but he has trouble picking up blitzes, especially inside.  Smaller, faster blockers tend to give him more problems than power.  A little sloppy, a little stiff, but gives you a lot of highlight blocks.
8. Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma: Maybe a hot take, but Guyton isn't that good.  Not great at making contact in space and at second level, and a tendency to let rip moves take away his hands.  Some trouble establishing his base in pass pro too.  But, he appears athletic, so there's probably something to work with.  Prototype size.
9. Kingsley Suamataia, BYU: Texas tape is awful.  However, he was much better against WVU, and his 2022 tape is abysmal, so he at least improved.  Has power and prototype size, and can move.  Needs to refine his feet, but he's got the legs to cover ground quickly.  He is bad at both initiating and maintaining contact with his hands, and terrible at controlling defenders that he does lock up with.  He needs so much work there.  But there is upside.  Moved very well at the combine though, so the ability is definitely there.
10. Roger Rosengarten, Washington: He had a rough NC, but otherwise has put on some good tape.  Gets beat by speed and power, but tested as a plus athlete, so there's room to grow.  Despite being very athletic, he was a little wonky and jerky in the drills.
11. Jordan Morgan, Arizona: Morgan has the left tackle traits in movement and footwork, but he has problems everywhere.  He just loses too much.  It's not that he has any specific really problematic weaknesses, but he has enough weaknesses in every aspect of his game that good Edges can exploit.  Best aspect is footwork, but power, hand usage, establishing blocks in space, and counters all need a little work.
12. Walter Rouse, Oklahoma: Patrick Paul with cleaner movement.  Soft hands, good recovery, and powerful as a run blocker, hard to move as a pass blocker.  Tends to get beaten by speed or bend on his outside shoulder more than you'd like.  Doesn't look like an elite athlete, but he's got highlight blocks aplenty.  Didn't test particularly well or look that good in the drills.
13. Javon Foster, Missouri: Foster was overmatched against Tuimoloa, but not by as much as most have been.  A quality pass protector, but struggles to maintain his hands with powerful Edges.  Lacks great athleticism.
14. Anthony Belton, NC State: He's got size and power.  Occasionally sloppy, with a tad to over-reach on blocks, but he can move in space when he needs to.  Pancaker, but also a heel clicker.  Intriguing as a developmental prospect, but might be even better suited for guard.
10. Gerald Mincey, Tennessee: A solid left tackle in 22, Mincey is on the right side now, where he may be a better fit.
15. Patrick Paul, Houston: For a boxer, his punches are awfully soft.  It gives him some trouble latching on.  Moves well where he is, but slow and plodding in space, so not a good puller or blocker at second level.  Better at pass blocking than run blocking.
16. Caeden Wallace, Penn St: A powerful run blocker who's built like a right tackle, and not a tweener, Wallace will be a valuable pick in the late rounds

To watch: Delmar Glaze, Maryland; Yale kid; Garrett Greenfield, SDSU; Tylan Wallace, UCF; Julian Pearl, Illinois; Matt Gonclaves, Pitt

IOL: This class was a lot weaker, to me, pre-combine.  But Fautanu looked flawless, and I think is a true blue chip.  Barton looks like a potentially elite guard, Beebe is powerful and an excellent control blocker, and Haynes is a very well rounded guard too.  Zinter would have been in the mix, but injury keeps him down, and Coogan is a solid, if unspectacular guard.  There are plenty of guys from the combine who looked solid, even if I don't have tape on them yet.  As for the centers, JPJ has an appropriate name, but is the sloppiest player of the top five, SVP is very similar, Frazier is the best mover in space, but can't pull block to save his life, and Puni is a big projection.

1. Troy Fautanu, Washington: He makes a good number of mistakes as a tackle, but most of those would be mitigated moving inside.  Pretty powerful run blocker, decent mover, and very capable of pulling and getting to the next level with effective blocks.  Struggles when he has to reach to establish a block.  Can likely play tackle, and I'd have him as OT 5, but as a guard, he's a straight blue chip.
2. Graham Barton, Duke: Barton could play OT, but he's a better fit at guard.  Powerful run blocker, good at stepping from level to level, but struggles with speed sometimes, and doesn't have the movement you want to see from OTs.  Struggled against Florida St, dominated Clemson.
3. Cooper Beebe, K State: Powerful run blocker, and an excellent puller, he's one of those guys that finds someone to block every play.  Struggled a tad against Mizzou, but elite at keeping hands on his guy.  His opposite OL Hadley is one to watch next year.
4. Zach Frazier, WVU: Bad puller, and not a graceful, but an efficient mover in space, with a nose for where to be to block his man.  Good strength, not overwhelming, but walks DLs overpowering him back so they fight for every inch.  Aggressively finds guys to block.  Looked good at the combine as well.
5. Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon: Powerful, but sloppy.  As satisfying as it is to watch him ragdoll defenders, he's not clean with how he engages blocks, and at the next level that will be a problem.  It cause him to half miss a lot of blocks in the Washington game, it's just that he's so powerful he's effective just getting one hand on a shoulder.  Did not like how he moved at the combine.
6. Christian Haynes, UConn: Excellent tape in 22 and 23 against high level competition, Haynes is a well rounded guard.  Effective run blocker, pass blocker, puller, and moving in space.  Can get overpowered, or beaten by speed, but not often.  Plays with aggressiveness and has a real talent for getting defenders into the ground.  Gets beaten on too many reps to be elite, but a very good prospect.
7. Sedrick Van Prann, Geogia: Van Pran has a good blend of power and speed to his game, and when he can lock onto a DL with both hands, it's usually over,  However, he still needs some polish, especially moving in space.  A little polish will make him an NFL starter.
3. Cooper Mays, Tennessee: One of the tougher centers, Mays spent a chunk of last year playing well through injury.  He should be even better this year.
8. Dominic Puni, Kansas: He played left tackle, but he plays like an interior guy.  Schemed to give him an advantage on the first step, which he needs.  Plays with a chip and a mild mean streak.  Good with hand usage and controlling guys that he can contain, but can't use upper body to contain powerful DLs.  Moves well, graceful, but no stride length.
9. Zak Zinter, Michigan: Powerful run blocker who held up well against Penn St and Ohio St defensive lines.  If he tests at his pro day and looks like the injury is off, he'll jump probably to 6.
10. Brandon Coleman, TCU: His tape in 23 is full of missed blocks and mental mistakes, but he was apparently injured, and his 22 tape was excellent.  He also tested like an elite athlete.
10. Pat Coogan, Notre Dame: Coogan was a strong blocker and effective puller against Ohio St.  ND's OL has been great, and he seems like the next one up.  Does what you want a guard to do, but I don't think there are elite traits there.
11. Beau Limmer, Arkansas: A good mover in space and blocker at the second level, Limmer struggles quite a bit at the point of attack.  He's not elite in space, just better than most of this center class offers.
12. Trevor Keegan, Michigan: The best of a still excellent Zinter-less unit at Michigan, Keegan is a polished guard with enough athleticism to do well in the NFL.
13. Dylan McMahon, NC State: Tested well, and looked good in the drills at the combine.  I wasn't impressed with his tape and didn't take detailed notes, but I may need to return to it.
14. Javontez Spraggins, Tennessee: Tennessee was another team with a wall to wall great offensive line last year.  Spraggins is a powerful run blocker and solid pass protector.
15. Prince Pines, Tulane: Tulane's OL held up well against Ole Miss, and Pines has all the size you want from an NFL guard.
16. Sincere Haynesworth, Tulane: Solid blocker, but lacks strength.  Long term starter who should be a top level backup center.
8. Seth McLaughlin, Bama: Bama's most impressive OLs were young, but McLaughlin did a good job of keeping a huge nose tackle in check up the middle.

To watch: Christian Mahogany, BoCo; Ladarius Henderson, Karsen Barnhart, Drake Nugent, Michigan; Tanor Bortolini, Wisconsin; Mason McCormick, SDSU; Jacob Monk, Duke; 

Edited April 27 by Daniel

[Daniel]

Edge:  I think this class is really strong, but without a blue chip.  Could have been a good class, but decimated by guys returning to school.  Verse is the best of the bunch, old, but a finished product who does everything well.  Isaac is criminally underrated, with bend, speed, and power.  Turner, Brice, and Latu are second rounders to me, but all have a lot of potential and could go much higher.  Walker and Braswell have some traits as speed/power guys.  Robinson is the most overrated player in this class. 

1. Jared Verse, Florida St: Great blend of speed, strength, and technique, he was already a first rounder before he returned.
2. JT Tuimoloau, Ohio St: The best player on a good defense last season, he should be even more of a monster this year.
2. Dallas Turner, Bama: Work in progress.  Excellent change of direction, good at getting off of blocks, and solid power, but not a lot of bend to his game, and he uses a swat move 99 percent of the time.  Blew up the combine, so the potential is super high.
3. Adisa Isaac, Penn St: He ate Peter Skoronski's lunch in their matchup in 2022, and he's continued to be great in 23, showing power, speed, and bend, with all the pass rushing moves you want to see.  Always affecting plays.
4. James Pearce, Tennessee: One of the SEC's top sack artists, Pearce has speed and bend, with enough power to stand up to strong tackles.
4. Bralen Trice, Washington: Trice uses his length better than any in this class.  He's solid against the run, and has more power to his game than most of the class.  Inconsistent tape though.
5. Laiatu Latu, UCLA: Scary injury history, and not the most powerful (Morgan held up better vs him than against Trice and Fuaga shut him down), but he is fast, and very fluid in space, and has prototype measurements.  In the right scheme, he could be a very dangerous pass rusher, but don't expect to have him put a hand on the ground.
7. Tyler Baron, Tennessee: Baron has been on a tear this season, with 5 sacks through 6 games.
6. Johnny Walker Jr, Missouri: Walker was fantastic against OSU, showing excellent speed to power as a pass rusher.
6. Chris Braswell, Bama: Some bend to him, but he's a pure bull rusher 95% of the time.  Has an arsenal of pass rushing moves that he doesn't use often.  Issues with tackling as well.  Plays like a classic DE.
7. Chop Robinson, Penn St: Chop is all height/weight/speed/power.  Elite athlete, not much in the way of finesse.  A little natural bend, but nothing to write home about.  Will need to be built from the ground up, but in fairness, ceiling is sky high.
8. Mohamed Kamara, Colorado St: Kamara flashes a lot of good traits: speed to power, bend, awareness of when to pin ears back vs getting hands up, and the athleticism is there.  But he has a less than ideal build, and he's not a strong tackler.
9. Cedric Johnson, Ole Miss: All potential.  Looks like a prototype, but his play doesn't match up.  Flashes of real difference making talent though.
10. Marshawn Kneeland, WMU: When he dropped out of nowhere to top 50 lists, I was intrigued, but like, I don't see it.  He looks like just a guy out there.  Maybe I haven't seen his best tape, but without dominant numbers in testing, I just don't see the hype.
9. Kaimon Rucker, UNC: The UNC DL had its way with SC, but Rucker was next level disruptive.
10. Jack Sawyer, Ohio St: Another powerful 4-3 end type pass rusher, he was overshadowed by JTT, but is a solid player in his own right.
11. Xavier Thomas, Clemson: Good combine for the guy, and some good tape, but he's small, a sixth year player, and doesn't have any really elite traits.  Looks like a rotational guy at the next level. 
12. Jaylen Harrell, Michigan: Michigan's edges are tough.  They show up sometimes, and disappear for long stretches.  Harrell doesn't make a ton of plays, but he has length, and some bend to his game.  Looks athletic, but needs stregth.
13. Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Notre Dame: He was harassing Ohio St's backfield all night.  I need to watch more of him.
14. Nelson Ceasar, Houston: Good motor, and had a big season, but he looks slow on the field, and isn't a big pass rusher either.

Darius Muasau, UCLA; Austin Booker, Kansas; Jonah Elliss, Utah

DL: Looking at this class, I don't know how we started the year thinking this was a weak group.  Murphy ticks every box, Newton and Wingo are a little small, but gamewreckers, Jenkins looks like a pro, Fiske is an athlete with some good tape, Robinson is a Denico Autry clone, LTIII is something, and Sweat is a powerhouse nose.  Then there's great depth after that.  I see four first rounders and at least three seconds.

1. Byron Murphy, Texas: Murphy has absolutely fantastic tape as a pass rusher, and good tape as a run defender.  He has close to prototype size for a DL, and looked like the real deal at the combine as well.  He ticks every box as a plus defensive tackle.
2. Jer'Zhan Newton, Illinois: Newton has strength, athleticism, and some good interior pass rush moves.  Penn St double teamed him even with Fashanu in the lineup.  Newton does everything you want a 4-3 DT to do, but may be on the small side, and is currently injured.  He may reclaim the 1 spot later.
3. Mekhi Wingo, LSU: For the first half of the season he looked unstoppable.  Injury derailed his season, and he's on the small side, so some teams may be lower on him, but you can't ask for a quicker, smoother DL.  He jumps off the tape in a way no other DL in this class does (except maybe Newton).
4. Kris Jenkins, Michigan: Jenkins doesn't have a statistically impressive season, but he's outstanding at using his length and leverage to control OLs, has a laundry list of pass rushing moves, and excellent short area quickness.  It's all there.
5. Braden Fiske, Florida St: He went off against Louisville, but in his other games, he's a solid but unspectacular player.  He is an elite athlete and has great size for the position, and moves rapidly (typewriter feet is what one analyst said, and I like the comparison).  However, his tape isn't fantastic.  He makes plays, but I don't see him take over games.
6. Darius Robinson, Missouri: Big, long, and powerful.  Perfect 5 tech build, and a lot of very good tape.  Denico Autry clone, though he isn't the fastest or quickest, he converts speed to power very well.
7. Leonard Taylor III, Miami: Taylor is a frustrating player to evaluate.  He looks to have absolutely elite tools.  He's fast, powerful, quick in short areas, agile, and even shows some moves.  Against Clemson, he looks like a top 10 type player.  But those pieces don't quite come together quite right.  I don't know where Clemson Taylor went the rest of the year.  A good DL coach should be salivating over what he can do.
8. T'Vondre Sweat, Texas: A huge and powerful nose.  I'm not sure his physical domination will extend to the NFL though, and he doesn't look like an every down player.
9. Patrick Jenkins, Tulane: A playmaker.  Not the biggest DT, but can penetrate well.  Combine performance will be important for him.
10. Maason Smith, LSU: A big, long DT, Smith looks like a 3 tech, but plays like a nose.  A lot of potential, but he's a player that looks like he should be better than he is.  He likely projects to be better in the NFL than in college.
11. Brandon Dorlus, Oregon: A bit of a tweener, but he's got a lot of power to him.  He looks like Wario when he's rushing, but he's effective.  Needs a lot of refinement though.
12. Tyler Davis, Clemson: Was my top interior player going into the season, but has disappeared.  I would have him a lot higher based on his 2022 tape, but for now, I'm just sticking him here at the bottom.  He looked like JAG, but you can still see the power he hits with.
13. Michael Hall, Ohio St: A better interior pass rusher than the numbers indicate.  But he also had suspiciously low impact for his traits, and for the talent on that line.
14. Jaden Crumdey, Mississippi St: Crumley looked like an excellent 3-4 DE in the making against LSU.  Intrigued to see more of him.
12. Tyliek Williams, Ohio St: A big, powerful DT, Tyliek is part of an excellent defense, and has some solid production behind him, but hasn't stood out.
7. Omari Thomas, Tennessee: Decent season in 22, but was JAG.  He looked drastically improved against Virginia, making splash plays all game.
15. Justin Rogers, Auburn: Powerful DT, but very little technique.  Tries to go through OLs instead of around them, but eats up double teams, so OLs respect him.
16. Ulumoo Ale, Washington: A big, long player, he doesn't see the field a ton, but he makes some plays and plugs some gaps.
16. Darius Hodges, Tulane: He was all over Ole Miss.  A little small, but could be in for a big season.

Isaac Ukwu, Ole Miss; Ruke Orhorhoro, Clemson

ILB:  So, I had a lot of guys on my preseason list.  I had very high hopes for Trotter, Ford, and Liaufu were all guys I thought would make the next step, and none of them really did.  Ford and Liaufu are like the same guys they were, and Trotter looked worse.  It's an awful class, and honestly, any of these guys who blows up the combine is probably number 1 by default.

1. Cedric Gray, UNC: A tackling machine, but helped out a bit by his DL.  He has good read and react ability, and a good stride length, but isn't athletic enough to be an elite player.  Closest thing to a finished product starting ILB in the class.
2. Peyton Wilson, NC State: Solid read and react ability, but could be better. Has the athleticism to make full use of it and cover some deficiencies. Capable in coverage and a good blitzer.  Short arms, age, and a scary injury history keep him from the top slot.
4. CJ Taylor, Vanderbilt: Combo safety/linebacker who happens to be the best player on Vandy's poor defense.  Biggest moments have come in the biggest games against the likes of Bama, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Florida, and Tennessee.  Coincidentally, from my tiny hometown.
3. Marist Liaufu, Notre Dame: An under the radar gem in 22, and a good player in 23.  Not superb athlete, but solid in all areas, and one of those "part of a unit/do your job" kinda guys.  Isn't going to be a top playmaker, but won't be a liability as a plug and play. Great senior bowl week as well.
4. Jaylan Ford, Texas: I loved Ford going into this season, and he had a great year statistically, but he didn't jump off the tape like he used to.  He's lacking the speed to make full use of his abilities, but he's also a bigger LB with some upside.
5. Junior Colson, Michigan: He moves around a lot on the field, offering some ability as a thumper, dropping into coverage, or rushing the passer.  However, he's not great at reading the play, and often finds himself in a little bit of the wrong place.
6. Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington: Hits hard, moves fast, and has good instincts.  But he's not good at reading an offense, he waits for contact more than he initiates it, and he is stiff in coverage.  Traits are there though.
7. Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio St: A slow looking, technically sound middle LB thumper.  But he can read an offense and be in the right place.
8. Trevin Wallace, Kentucky: Outstanding speed, and can turn his hips and run with WRs in coverage.  Aggressive play style.  But, he gets dominated by blockers at the second level and isn't the best at diagnosing plays.  Upside is great, but there's a lot to learn.
9. Edgerrin Cooper, TAMU: Against Tennessee, he did not look special, and got rocked and injured trying to tackle Joe Milton.  Need to watch more of his tape.
10. Jeremiah Trotter, Clemson: I thought he would be higher in my rankings based on 22, but almost all the Clemson guys took a step back.  Not enough speed for sideline to sideline, not enough read and react ability, blitz ability, or tackling ability to make up for it.
11. Steele Chambers, Ohio St: Fast, but looks lost a lot of the time.  Still developing, but he's thin at 225, so he needs to develop his coverage.
12. Aaron Beasley, Tennessee: Had an inspired game against Clemson, despite playing second fiddle to Jeremy Banks for the season before.  Capable in both pass and run support.
13. Tyler Grubbs, Tulane: A little slow, but looks like one of those do-it-all lunchpail guys who is a good add to the back of a roster.

To watch: Tyron Hopper, Missouri; Michael Barrett, Michigan; Jamal Hill, Oregon;

DB:  The CBs this year are a strong group, but without the top end sure fire blue chip guy.  Mitchell and Arnold are the obvious cream of the crop, but after that, it gets dicey.  KAM is a solid, athletic CB.  Sainristill and KAD look the part, but are short and too sleight respectively.  Max Melton may be the diamond in the rough, and Kamal Hadden seems to be the best bang for your buck in the class.

1. Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo: Good small school prospect, but he has absolutely killed it in every single way he can after the season's end.  Top end athleticism.
2. Terrion Arnold, Bama: Arnold started off with some problems, in a bad game against Texas, but he looks to have improved since then, becoming Alabama's best CB, and a well balanced prospect.  He and Mitchell are pretty clearly the class of the class.
4. Jabbar Muhammed, Washington: He caught my attention with very sticky coverage against Troy Franklin, but he got outmuscled much of the night.  Still, there are skills there.  Michigan stayed away from him all night.
3. Cooper DeJean, Iowa: DeJean's tape is a little tough for me to evaluate, but he's got positional versatility, prototype measurements, and all the athleticism in the world.
4. Kool-Aid McKinstry, Bama: McKinstry showed the holes in his game against Texas.  Lets his athleticism make up for a lot, but showed that big athletic receivers can body him.
5. Mike Sainristill, Michigan: Short, but a quick, effective corner.  Was absolutely flawless in the combine drills.  If he were taller, he'd possibly be on the cusp of Day 1/2.
6. Max Melton, Rutgers: Melton has the length and sticky coverage ability you want in an NFL corner, and he tested extremely well at the combine.  He got bullied a little bit by physical receivers though.  Still, all the traits are there for a good player, and he looked great in combine drills.
7. Kamari Lassiter, Georgia: I like Lassiter, but he's just a little lacking in every area.  He doesn't seem super athletic, not long, a little light, and a little grabby, but he's sticky and physical, so I'm sure he'll be a good player, but not much else.
8. Kris Abrams-Drain, Missouri: KAD gives cushion to receivers, but it's like he has a sixth sense about how much space he can close after the ball is thrown.  He's capable of sticky coverage when he has to, but he prefers to try and be a ball hawk.  Too skinny to hold up in the NFL though.
5. Aydan White, NC State: Solid corner on a solid defense, I would like to see how he stacks up at the combine.
9. Khyree Jackson, Oregon: You can't ask for better length, but it may be too much, which is why his tape is so inconsistent, and he's lean for that size.  Athletic enough, but nothing special, and still has work to do, but there's a good base of talent there.
10. Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn: Long, fast, smooth cover corner.  Looked great at the combine, but one of the poorest tacklers in the class, and not physical with receivers at all.  He's one of the better coverage corners in this entire class, but he might well be the softest too.
11. Kamal Hadden, Tennessee: He's not likely to stay high as I review more of this class, but Hadden is Tennessee's best DB, and a fairly competent CB in all areas of play.  He's a guy who plays mistake free ball, and will be an ideal CB4, maybe CB3.
12. Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas: He's a ball hawk with excellent instincts, and is long.  However, short arms, lacking speed, and poor tackling keep him lower in the class.
13. Kalen King, Penn St: Like McKinstry, he likes to give cushion and make up for it with athleticism, but he's more willing to get sticky.  Unfortunately, Ohio St receivers showed his limitations, and it's only gotten worse since then.  I can see him being drafted earlier than some on upside alone.

To watch: Ryan Watts, Texas; Nate Wiggins, Clemson; TJ Tampa; Ennis Rakestraw, Missouri; Auburn CBs

Safeties: There’s so many players and such a difference in quality that I am separating CBs and Ss. A weak class, but lots of Day 2/3 talent, which is where you want to be picking safeties anyway.  This class is divided up into two ranking systems for guys I have watched game tape on and guys I have only evaluated with offseason evidence.

1. Malachi Moore, Bama: Moore looks like he's bloomed into an outstanding safety.  He was making plays all night against Texas.
1. Tyler Nubin, Minnesota: Plays lightning fast, so I don't know why he didn't run at the combine.  Solid centerfielder, good not great at play diagnosis and man coverage, and good instincts.  Poor tackler though, which is a big negative.  Still, looked excellent in the drills.
2. Javon Bullard, Georgia: Had an excellent game against Tennessee.  Showed to be athletic at the combine as well.
3. Kamren Kinchens, Miami: Up and down season, and didn't run well, but he was very good in the combine drills and has a good build.
4. Beau Brade, Maryland: Plays fast, attacks downhill, and tackles well.  Plus size for the position as well, but not always in the right place.
5. Tykee Smith, Georgia: The other Georgia safety didn't stand out as much as his teammate, but he showed to be athletic and pro ready as well.
6. Dominique Hampton, Washington: A lot of good traits, but hasn't put it together.  Upside is there though.
7. Kitan Oladapo, Oregon St: A solid tackler, and usually puts himself in the right place, but not fast, and doesn't play with the aggression needed for a box safety.

1. Calen Bullock, USC: Super fast, and fluid in the drills, but I worry about his build.  He's very slight.  But he looks like a polished player.
2. Cole Bishop, Utah: A surprisingly athletic safety who also showed out in drills.
3. Jaylon Carlies, Missouri: Big, and surprisingly quick and fast for that size.  May be a LB.

Edited April 11 by Daniel

[Daniel]

2024 Mock 1 (Let's go nuts):

Edit: I saw that I still have JTT in there. Whoops.

1. Bears: Caleb Williams, QB, USC: I used to think that the Bears would be trading down and rolling with Fields, since they kept Eberflus, but now I'm not sure.  Williams will go first overall either way, so I'm leaving this as the pick.

2. Commanders: Drake Maye, UNC: It could be Daniels, it could be Maye.  I don't know what Quinn or Kingsbury would prefer, since both are mobile.  But for now, I'm going with Maye, since he was the preseason second overall.

3. Pats: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU: BB's disdain for Jones is as obvious as Jones' lack of talent.  The Pats take a QB, though it's still up in the air which one.  For now, they're both on the toolsy side, and Daniels has the superior ability as a runner.

4. Cards: Marvin Harrison Jr, WR, Ohio St: Kyler has played fairly well, so missing on the QBs isn't that big a deal.  Especially since Marvin Harrison is an insane consolation prize.

5. Chargers: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU: I've seen Odunze above Nabers a lot lately, but I don't buy it.  Odunze is great, but Nabers was unstoppable this season, more explosive, and looks faster on the field.

6. TRADE Jets (from Giants): Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame: The Jets need to get in front of the Titans to get Alt, and they do.  Getting an anchor on that left side would do wonders for Rodgers being able to put them in the mix before he gets too old.

7. TRADE Raiders (from Titans): Bo Nix, QB, Oregon: With Alt off the board, and a bunch of QB needy teams between here and their next pick, the Raiders make a move for QB4.  This could be McCarthy in real life if the Raiders GM sucks at scouting, I guess.  The Titans have few resources, and are willing to move down without the top tackle available.

8. Falcons: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama: Arnold seems to be the closest thing to the consensus top DB, and maybe the top defensive player.  Morris will want to build a strong team without a good QB option, and WR isn't really a need.

9. Bears: JT Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio St: Bears addressed the need at WR, and JTT is better than any OL or CB on the board, so they go with him.

10. Giants (from Jets): Rome Odunze, WR, Washington: The Giants are happy to take arguably the best player available here and give whoever is playing QB a reliable target.

11. Vikings: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia: The Vikings are gonna need to make some personnel decisions this offseason, and Hockenson likely doesn't make the cut.  Lucky for them, blue chip TE Bowers falls into their lap.

12. Broncos: Jared Verse, Edge, Florida St: The Broncos need an Edge, and taking the first one off the board at 12 is nice.  Verse does everything well and is as pro ready as this class has.

13. Titans (from Raiders): Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn St: I expected the Titans would have to settle on Mims or Fuaga, but I don't think anyone between 7 and 13 needs a tackle that badly, and the class is deep, so the Titans get a great consolation prize for missing out on Alt.

14. Saints: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia: The Saints need a couple of spots filled on the OL, and Penning doesn't look like he's going to be the left tackle of the future.  They take Mims over Fuaga because Mims is a better left side prospect, but is big and powerful enough to play guard or right tackle if need be.

15. Colts: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo: I'm kinda throwing darts from across the room on this CB class.  The Colts need one, and Mitchell is coming off of a fantastic week at the Senior Bowl.  He may end up the top corner in this class, but right now, 15 is a good spot.

16. Seahawks: JerZhan Newton, DT, Illinois: Seattle has a few needs, but their choice at IDL is too good to pass up in a class that's not deep in talent.

17. TRADE Packers (from Jaguars): Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St: The Packers have a lot of draft capital, and Fuaga is such a good player, there's no reason to not jump in front of the Bengals to take him.  The Jags might be interested, but OT isn't their biggest need, so a trade down makes sense for them.

18. Bengals: JC Latham, OT, Alabama: The Bengals just barely miss on Fuaga, but Latham, strictly on the right side, is a good player as well.  He's not Fuaga, but he's the most difficult OT to move in this class.  He's just not that nimble.

19. Rams: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa: I like DeJean here as the next CB off the board, because he might also be a safety, and the Rams kind of need both, so he's a good fit.  Although I think we all know the likelihood of the Rams actually using a first round pick is low.

20. Steelers: Graham Barton, OL, Duke: Barton might be the best player left on the board, and they could use an improvement on the OL.  Pickett is struggling, but a better OL will buy him more time and improve the run game.

21. Dolphins: Byron Murphy, DL, Texas: Murphy is the best pass rushing DL in this class, and some more players on that defense wouldn't hurt.  He's also maybe the best player available, and putting him beside Christian Wilkins will be beastly.

22. Eagles: Brian Thomas, WR, LSU: Long time coming for the next receiver off the board, but there's a gap after Odunze.  Thomas seems to be the consensus fourth, and the Eagles may be looking for another receiver if Brown demands a trade.

23. Texans: Montez Sweat, NT, Texas: The Texans stack resources in the trenches with a local boy.  Kind of a luxury pick for them.

24. Cowboys: Jackson Powers Johnson, C, Oregon: The Cowboys' offensive line is aging, so adding a monster JPJ in the middle benefits them a lot.  Especially if they add a certain running back in free agency.

25. Jaguars (from Packers): Adisa Isaac, Edge, Penn St: Offensive line is a possibility, but it's not their biggest need, and I don't think there are any good enough OLs here to justify taking over Isaac, and the WR class is very deep.  The Jags need someone to rush the passer on the edge, since Travon Walker has been disappointing in that field.

26. Bucs: Ennis Rakestraw, CB, Missouri: His teammate jumps out to me on the tape, but Rakestraw is the consensus better player.  The Bucs need a corner, and there's some talent at the position worth taking here.

27. Cards: Dallas Turner, Edge, Bama: The Cards could go in a lot of directions here, depending on their board.  For me, Turner is the player that makes the most sense.  He has all the potential in the world, but needs a lot of seasoning. 

28. Bills: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas: The Bills need some receivers, and I think Mitchell is the best available.  Clean route runner, excellent hands, and good length.  Josh Allen will like him.

29. Lions: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson: The Lions' big areas of need are CB and Edge, and so they take the last corner that people call the top corner in the class, Wiggins.  Insert a different CB here once the order becomes clearer if he goes earlier.

30. Ravens: Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri: A guy I thought was gonna be a steal in the fourth round has gotten way more exposure than I ever thought he would.  The Ravens need a DL, and there's a shortage of guys like Robinson in this class, so they pull the trigger here.

31. 49ers: Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon: The 49ers are a pretty complete team, but they're missing some speed at receiver.  At this point there's a logjam of receiver talent, but Franklin seems to be the receiver left with the best speed.

32. Chiefs: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina: I could see the Chiefs taking JaTavion Sanders, if he's higher on their board and Kelce looks like he's retiring, or one of the tackles, if they're higher on them, or even a different receiver.  For now, they take Legette.

For fun:

33. Panthers: Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame: Fisher is a fantastic right tackle prospect, and the Panthers need a lot of help on the offensive line.  Hopefully they get better play from Ikwonu.  Fisher could easily move inside if they preferred that.

34. Pats: Keon Coleman, WR, Florida St: The Pats have their QB, now they need to give him a weapon.  Coleman is the highest rated remaining receiver.

35. Cards: Cooper Beebe, OG, Kansas St: The Cards could use some assistance on the OL, and Beebe is an excellent blocker who can play a few different spots.

36. Commanders: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona: The Commanders shore up protection for their new QB by taking the last of the highly rated left side capable OTs.

37. Chargers: JaTavion Sanders, TE, Texas: There's a lot of buzz on Bowers in the first, but that seems like a big reach.  Sanders in the second seems like a much more comfortable place for the Chargers to take a TE.

38. Titans: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas: The Titans are desperate for a receiver.  Worthy is the best remaining.  Easy choice.

39. Giants: Michael Penix Jr, QB, Washington: The Giants are in no-man's land with QBs, so they're happy to land Penix here, especially since they took his top receiver with their first pick.

40. Commanders: Kris Abrams-Drain, CB, Missouri: My top ranked CB for all that matters, this looks like the range he's actually going, and the Commanders still need a CB after their first rounder is looking busty.

41. Jags (from Packers): Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia: The Jags still need some receivers, and the board is getting thin, so they go ahead and grab McConkey.  He'll be a reliable second or third option behind Ridley and Kirk.

42. Vikings: JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan: The Vikings are kind of in a tough spot for QB, so they take McCarthy, who could be good, but it's hard to tell since there's so little evidence on tape.  Either way, not many options left, so why not?

 

Edited March 4 by Daniel

[Scoundrel]

11 minutes ago, Daniel said:

@Scoundrel since you're probably the poster I agree with the most on player evals, who is under the radar that I need to be watching this season?

Man I haven’t been able to dive in as much yet but some guys I like I see not listed here are…

Leonard Taylor lll DT Miami
Maason Smith DT LSU (suspended week 1)
Kamren Kinchens S Miami
Emeka Egbuka WR OSU
Johnny Wilson WR FSU
James Williams S Miami
Ladd McConkey WR UGA
Rome Odunze WR UW
Ja’Tavion Sanders TE Texas
Kalen King CB PSU
Chop Robinson Edge PSU
Dallas Turner Edge Bama
 

 

[Tetsujin]

FSU could have 10+ players drafted in 2024.

[Daniel]

4 minutes ago, Tetsujin said:

FSU could have 10+ players drafted in 2024.

Wouldn't surprise me.  Verse is great, Bell is a guy I think will have his best season, and IIRC there's an OT there that's highly thought of.  Then of course Jordan Travis.  Early last year there was some hype on him as a potential top pick, but it seemed to die down.  I watched some FSU games to see Verse, so I saw a little bit of him and he seemed impressive.

Did he have a bad late season or something, or is he just being slept on?

[Tetsujin]

1 hour ago, Daniel said:

Wouldn't surprise me.  Verse is great, Bell is a guy I think will have his best season, and IIRC there's an OT there that's highly thought of.  Then of course Jordan Travis.  Early last year there was some hype on him as a potential top pick, but it seemed to die down.  I watched some FSU games to see Verse, so I saw a little bit of him and he seemed impressive.

Did he have a bad late season or something, or is he just being slept on?

Travis played pretty great all season outside of a few stretches in a couple games. He was PFF's top rated P5 passer in 2023. He has a medium build at best with some sub par lower body mechanics. Those are the only 2 real knocks on him I see. I can list 12 guys that should be drafted, not including maybe 5 fringe guys.

QB J. Travis

RB T. Benson

WR J. Wilson

WR K. Coleman

TE J. Bell

OL Maybe 2 OL

ED J. Verse

DT  B. Fiske

DT  F. Lovett 

ED P. Peyton (RS Soph)

CB F. Cypress

S   A. Dent

Edited August 25, 2023 by Tetsujin

[CWood21]

On 8/24/2023 at 10:12 AM, Daniel said:

4. Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn St: He's quick, and clearly has a ton of athleticism, but I did not think he sniffed a first round grade in 22.  We'll see if that changes.

Way off base on this one.  He's a top OT prospect pretty easily.

[BetterCallSaul]

On 8/24/2023 at 11:12 AM, Daniel said:

4. Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn St: He's quick, and clearly has a ton of athleticism, but I did not think he sniffed a first round grade in 22.  We'll see if that changes.

He 1,000% would have gone in the top 10 had he declared last year. It was a dreadful OT class. He's got incredible talent and despite not being a perfect prospect, is super young and raw still. He's not a massive project either--he just has some mechanical things to clean up.

I'd be absolutely floored if he wasn't OT1 next year.

[Daniel]

2 hours ago, CWood21 said:

Way off base on this one.  He's a top OT prospect pretty easily.

I disagree, see below.

2 hours ago, BetterCallSaul said:

He 1,000% would have gone in the top 10 had he declared last year. It was a dreadful OT class. He's got incredible talent and despite not being a perfect prospect, is super young and raw still. He's not a massive project either--he just has some mechanical things to clean up.

I'd be absolutely floored if he wasn't OT1 next year.

Agree on the bold.  He's not a finished product, and in my mind, that is more than enough to keep someone out of the first, especially when I don't have amazing combine numbers and measurements to fall back on.  He looks the part, and he's got very quick feet, but he needs to clean up a good bit, and from the tape I watched, IIRC, he's lacking a little functional strength as well.  Both of those are things that may improve this season, and if they do, he could easily be a top prospect.  But they're still concerns now, and I'm not just gonna rank him first assuming he's suddenly cleaned up every issue he had.

But I would definitely not have put him about Paris Johnson, Anton Harrison, Broderick Jones, or Darnell Wright had he come out.

[Shylo3716]

On 8/25/2023 at 10:45 AM, Scoundrel said:

Man I haven’t been able to dive in as much yet but some guys I like I see not listed here are…

Leonard Taylor lll DT Miami
Maason Smith DT LSU (suspended week 1)
Kamren Kinchens S Miami
Emeka Egbuka WR OSU
Johnny Wilson WR FSU
James Williams S Miami
Ladd McConkey WR UGA
Rome Odunze WR UW
Ja’Tavion Sanders TE Texas
Kalen King CB PSU
Chop Robinson Edge PSU
Dallas Turner Edge Bama
 

 

I’d say, add these guys to this mix as well…

• Malik Nabers WR LSU
• Xavier Worthy WR Texas
• Cooper DeJean CB Iowa
• John Marshall Jr. CB Florida
• Duce Chestnut CB LSU
• Max Melton CB Rutgers
• Tony Grimes CB Texas A&M
• Calen Bullock S USC

Edited September 3, 2023 by Shylo3716

[Daniel]

Pretty much every position updated.  Still got a lot of guys to watch tape on, and a lot of guys to watch additional tape on, but they're getting to the point where they're going to be as complete as a guy with a baby can get them.

I don't think I have many hot takes this year.

[Daniel]

Some rankings updated.  Feel pretty good about offensive line and defensive line, especially Edge and Tackle, even though there's a lot of prospects to still go through.  Receiver is in a better place than it was, but still far, far from complete.  Running back, defensive back, and linebacker rankings are still kind of in beta testing.

Also, mock draft posted because why not.

[Kirby Drive]

On 8/31/2023 at 11:02 AM, BetterCallSaul said:

He 1,000% would have gone in the top 10 had he declared last year. It was a dreadful OT class. He's got incredible talent and despite not being a perfect prospect, is super young and raw still. He's not a massive project either--he just has some mechanical things to clean up.

I'd be absolutely floored if he wasn't OT1 next year.

Between this guy and Alt, give me Alt. Both of them are solid day one starters.

 

If I'm the Redskins I'm trading back into the 1st for Mims somewhere around pick 1-20.

[BetterCallSaul]

2 hours ago, Kirby Drive said:

Between this guy and Alt, give me Alt. Both of them are solid day one starters.

 

If I'm the Redskins I'm trading back into the 1st for Mims somewhere around pick 1-20.

I still think Fashanu is OT1. Every freaking tool. He’s just a little soft. Fashanu will mirror the NFL’s speed rush freaks without any issues.