Tag: NFL

The Bears moved on from Robert Quinn before the trade deadline so they’ll be in the market for an edge rusher this offseason, and Will Anderson is in the same pre-draft conversations as Chase Young and Nick Bosa when it comes to best non-QB players in a class.

Bryce Young might be historically undersized by successful NFL QB standards but we don’t care. He’s been that good for Alabama, dragging that team to victory just about every week. And he did it with none of the playmakers that made life so much easier for Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones in previous years.

Jalen Carter, who was arguably the best defender on a 2021 Georgia ‘D’ that had five first-round picks, would be an easy pick for the Cardinals here.

Since Andrew Luck’s retirement, the Colts have had little success turning to QBs nearing the end of their careers, and it’s safe to assume that owner Jim Irsay will be looking for the team’s next face of the franchise. CJ Stroud has flown under the national-media radar all season but some NFL teams will tell you he’ll be in the running for QB1, and his performance in the semifinal game vs. Georgia showed that he can beat you with his arm and his legs.

The more you watch of Wilson the more you love his game. Not only what he put on tape at Texas Tech but his upside 2-3 years down the road. He’s long, has the frame to add weight if needed, and he’s a dominant, high-motor pass rusher who can take over games.

Porter is the prototypical big, physical cornerback who looks like he belongs in the NFL. He can sometimes get a little too handsy downfield, but he checks many of the boxes of what team’s look for when drafting DBs. Is this too early for Porter? Maybe … then again, there is a premium on big, physical cornerbacks; in recent drafts Sauce Gardner, Derek Stingley Jr., Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain II were all taken early in the first round.

It’s hard to imagine that Jarrett Stidham would be in the team’s long-term plans as a starter. And with Derek Carr set to be somewhere else in 2023 — and Tom Brady officially-for-now retired — drafting a QB seems to be a high priority. Levis, who definitely looks the part, was plagued by injuries and poor play all fall. That said, NFL teams love how he projects to the next level but he’ll be a controversial talking point in the coming months.

Murphy turned 21 in early January, and while we’d like to see him play with more consistency … he just turned 21 in early January. He has all the physical tools you look for in an elite edge defenders and it’s easy to see him in a few years being dominant. And that, in large part, is what makes him such an interesting prospect.

Richardson is one of the most exciting prospects in this class. The problem: he’s short on experience, and while his physical tools are rare, the Panthers are in dire need of a starting QB right now. David Tepper could choose to go the free agency route (again), but that has been, shall we say, a crapshoot. At the end of the day, Carolina may have to move inside the top 5 if there’s a quarterback they really want with Day 1 starter potential.

Gonzalez, a Colorado transfer, is a big-time athlete who is still growing into the position. He has the size, strength and speed to line up against NFL wide receivers; he just needs to improve in run support.

Paris Johnson, who played left tackle for the Buckeyes this season, also has experience on the interior; either way, he is a Day 1 starter.

Addison isn’t a big target, but he’s one of the most dynamic players in the country who can line up anywhere. The only question is whether Addison or Quentin Johnston will be WR1. Two different body types, two different playing styles, both dominant. The Texans could go OL here to help protect their investment in QB but this class is much deeper at offensive line than top-flight WRs.

Torrence transferred from Louisiana and didn’t miss a beat. He was dominant for Florida last fall, he was dominant during Senior Bowl practices, and if history is any guide, he’ll be dominant in the NFL, too.

Johnston’s an above-the-rim playmaker whose athleticism and contested-catch abilities make him in the running for WR1. Mac Jones has a new offensive coordinator and now he gets a new downfield target.

Mayer is more Gronk than Kelce but that’s not a bad thing. And in Green Bay he’ll get plenty of chances, whether it’s with Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love, or the QB behind Door No. 3. WR also makes sense here but, well, the Packers last drafted a WR in the first round 21 years ago.

Witherspoon had a great season for the Illini and while there will be questions about his slight frame, you wouldn’t know it to watch him play.

Skoronski is solid and consistent, which are two of the best things you can say about an offensive lineman. The biggest issue he’ll face during the pre-draft process will be arm length and whether his NFL future is at tackle or guard.

Van Ness never started a game at Iowa but that’s not the point. The point is that NFL teams love his size, his athleticism, and where his game could be a couple of years from now. Purdue’s George Karlaftis went at the end of Round 1 a year ago, and USC’s Drake Jackson went a round later; both players were high-upside prospects who exceeded expectations as rookies. Van Ness is in the same conversation but could be the best of the bunch.

Sanders is a former five-star recruit who transferred from Alabama after the 2021 season and all he did was show out for the Razorbacks. He was an edge rusher for the Crimson Tide, but he lined up all over the defense for Arkansas and he’s been a one-man wrecking crew when he’s on the field.

Branch isn’t the first name you hear about when the conversation turns to Alabama’s defense, but maybe he should be. He’s a sure tackler, can blitz off the edge, and is solid in coverage, and if Nick Saban trusts him, that’s all you need to know about his NFL prospects.

Jones had had a strong ’22 campaign for the Bulldogs, where he has faced some of the best defensive players in the country every day at practice for the last two years. He’s not yet a finished product but he has the athleticism and strength to be a difference-maker when he puts it all together.

Maryland teammate and fellow CB Jakorian Bennett got much of the buzz in the fall, but Banks but together the type of season that will land you in the top-50 conversation. He’s a fluid athlete who is also big, physical corner who can run and match up with NFL wide receivers.

The Georgia-to-first-round pipeline continues. A year after five Bulldogs went in Round 1, expect a handful this time around too. Ringo is a long, physical corner who has matched up against some of the best players in the country.

Musgrave was getting some late-first/early Day-2 buzz down in Mobile, and while he didn’t have a great week, it was certainly easy to see why teams like him. He missed most of ’22 with an injury but he’s well built, long, and has the athleticism to consistently separate from both safeties and linebackers. His blocking is a work in progress but he’ll be a contributor in the passing game from Day 1.

Smith-Njigba barely saw the field during the 2022 season because of injuries but he’s still one of the top wideouts in the class. It’s easy to forget that he led the 2021 Buckeyes in receptions and that corps included first-rounders Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, and future first-rounder Marvin Harrison Jr.

Hyatt wasn’t in the first-round conversation heading into the 2022 season but he’s a great example of a player taking advantage of his opportunities, thanks in large part to Hendon Hooker’s Heisman Trophy campaign. Hyatt is a bona fide deep threat who consistently stacks defensive backs who were helpless to do much about it all season.

Robinson is special, and while he is probably one of the best players in this class, he could still be around late in Round 1 because he’s a running back. And yes, we know, the Bills used a second-round pick on James Cook a year ago. But Cook isn’t an every-down back, and more than that, Nyheim Hines is the only other RB currently on the roster ahead of free agency. Adding a Saquon Barkley-type talent to this offense? There are worse things.

There was some thought that Harrison might return to Oklahoma for an NIL deal that was too good to pass up, but he’s instead opted for the NFL. He’s one of the top tackles in the class and now the question is whether he finds his way into Round 1 or goes early on Day 2.

Good news: The Saints got a much-needed first-round pick in the Sean Payton deal. Bad news: It’s not nearly high enough to land the team a QB. Instead, the focus is on defense. Brady Roby and PJ Williams are set to be free agents and Cam Smith is a first-round talent who can be a Day 1 contributor.

Ojulari, whose brother played at Georgia and plays for the Giants, had a solid campaign for the Tigers, and he has many of the same explosive qualities that made his brother so hard to block for the Bulldogs. Ojulari could end up being better than Azeez, and that’s saying something.

White was another player who had a great week at the Senior Bowl, and NFL teams love his size (6-foot-4, 280 pounds) and his motor. He consistently wins at the line of scrimmage and is good against both the run and getting after the quarterback. He may eventually end up going early on Day 2 but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him slip into the first round.