Tuesday, April 30, 2024

2024 Detailed NFL DRAFT GRADES

 Well it's over , and I am getting a good nights sleep again after a hurried final week before draft day. So now it's time to give grades based on what I think right now , even though you usually don't know how a teams draft actually worked out for 2 to 4 years. Without further ado here it is. I will post each teams detailed grade alphabetically  , but if you just want the overall letter grade , and team rankings they will be at the bottom of the page. A good solid pick is graded as a B , and so is the overall draft.  I count both value of the player at their draft slot , and filling a need equally , but if a team had a big need and didn't fill it that is a no-no. The higher I rate the player the more value I subscribe , and the higher picks count for more most of the time.  Plus later in the draft from day 3 on I fully support just taking BPA ( Best Player Available ) over need. Plus there are times you just have to take BPA  no matter what because the value is too great compared to the available players who can fill a need. Examples like CD Lamb in 2019 or Kyle Hamilton 2021 were A+ picks to me even though neither was a immediate need. Plus players that can help now should be emphasized by teams in a legit Championship window. In the 6th & 7th round any draft pick that isn't a value is just a B to me , because special teams are usually a big point of emphasis that late so I won't even mention them unless its really good or bad.  Also I have absolutely no idea how to grade kickers & punters so I just don't count them as part of the grade unless they take them very high , which is a negative in my opinion. The greatest kickers of ALL TIME (Tucker & Vinatieri ) were undrafted , and with the exception of Ray Guy ( 1rst round) punters are even more random.  As always if I think a team got a franchise QB that is a automatic A+ for the pick, because even if the rest of their draft is crap the overall draft was still a success. Plus if you get a guy I believe is a blue chip player that pick is automatic A+ too. Agreeing or disagreeing is welcome, but please do it intelligently & respectfully or I just won't post it. so here it is. Enjoy.


ARIZONA CARDINALS - AThe cards had the most draft ammo of anyone with two 1rst rounders , 7 of the top 90 picks , 9 of the top 138 , and 12 picks overall. Getting the highest graded player in the draft with the 5th pick , and filling a need with Marvin Harrison JR. is a beast mode move. Plus I love that they didn't trade away from him.  A+  . Darius Robinson was a high 2nd rounder on my board, but he fills a need , and has both a high floor & upside -  B- . They got CB Max Melton about right where I had him and he fills a need - B . Trey Benson was my highest rated RB , I had him in the second , they got in the top of the 3rd, and he fills a secondary need considering the age & wear & tear on Conner -  A-  . Guard Isaiah Adams fills a need , and they got him in the late 3rd where I had him , but I had 3 other guards ranked ahead of him that were still available ahead of him when he was picked. -  B-  .  I had a late 5th round grade on Tip Reiman , I had 5 TE's ranked ahead of him that were available when they took him , and it was a secondary need  but he does have a high upside. -  C-  . CB Elijah Jones was a mid 5th rounder on my board, they took him in the late 3rd, and a whole lot of corners I like more were available when they took him. -  D+  .  Safety Dadrion Taylor-Emerson was taken in the early 4th &  I had a late 4th on him , and I had a few safeties available ranked ahead of him . -  C+  .  I had edge rusher Xavier Thomas in late 5th , I had multiple other edge's available ahead of him , but they took him in the early 5th & I had him in the late 5th. -  B-  . They got OT Christian Jones in the mid 5th , I had him in the late 3rd, and he fills a need.  -  A+  .


ATLANTA FALCONS - C  - The Michael Penix pick made no sense to me unless they have reason to believe that Kirk Cousins isn't going to be returning on time or that he won't be healthy at all. You just gave the guy a 4 year 180 million dollar deal with 100 million guaranteed. That 100 million means you are committed to him for at least 2 seasons , and this team is primed to win the division this year with a good draft  ,and once you are in the playoffs anything can happen. Atlanta was also in a prime position to take the first defensive player off the board, and they really need help on defense. All signs pointed to the Raiders taking Penix at #13 so I get not trading back, but he better be a Aaron Rodgers type or the franchise will be hearing about this pick for years if they come up a edge rusher short in the post season in the next few years. They tried to trade back into the first and take Latu , but it didn't work. Penix is a QB so over drafting comes with the territory , but Latu would look really good in black & red. Latu went 15th to the Colts so they could have traded back a few spots , picked up some extra draft capitol , and still got him if they didn't take Penix. -  D  . Not only did they over draft Ruke Orhorhoro , but they also traded up to do it giving up a mid 3rd rounder as the price. Ruke was a very late 2nd on my board, they took him high in the 2nd, and there were 3 much higher rated DT's on the board, including JERZAHN FREAKING NEWTON! -  D+  .  Edge Bralen Trice is a solid pick in the 3rd as a power strong side end if they are playing a 4-3. B  . DT/DE Brandon Dorlus is great value in the early 4th , but he is also a similar player to Ruke Orhorhoro even if they look nothing alike.  So maybe they are playing some 3-4 too. I had a solid 2nd on him. A  . I love the JD Bertrand pick in the 5th because I had a early 4th on him. A  .


BALTIMORE RAVENS - B+   - Baltimore always drafts well , and they usually just sit & wait for good players that fall into their lap. They are the team that proves that BPA works so often , especially on day 3. Nate Wiggins at pick #30 is a value , and fills a need. I had a late 1rst on him , and teams rarely have a 1st round grade on a player they pick that late. I admit to being a little surprised when they took him because he isn't the bravest guy in run support or as a tackler, and that doesn't fit the Ravens ,, or the NFC North. If he wants to fit into that locker room he will have to man up tackling. B  . OT Roger Rosengarten fills a need, and went right about where I expected. B  . Edge rusher Adissa Isaac was value. I had him in the early 3rd and they got him in the late 3rd. B+  . I had a late 3rd on WR Tez Walker , they got him in the mid 4th , and he fills a need. B+  . I had a solid 2nd on corner TJ Tampa , and they got him in the late 4th.  A+  . RB Rasheen Ali was a 6th for me , and they took him in the late 5th.  B-  . Developmental QB Devin Leary was a 6th for me also.  B  .


BUFFALO BILLS -  B-  - The Bills pissed me off when they traded back, and it wasn't because they traded back, but because they got so little while doing so. Yes they have cap problems and need more picks , but their GM Brandon Beane needs to do a better job of getting what his team deserves. Dallas got a high 3rd to move back from 24 to 28 , and that's value. The Bills went from 28 to 32 with a team they are chasing in KC, and all they got was a swap of a 4th for a 3rd and slightly higher 7th rounder? Then they traded back one spot , but out of the first round with Carolina giving up the very valuable 5th year option, What did they get ? A 5th for a 6th. That's just plain stupid , and I am docking them a full letter grade for that on the overall tram grade. WR Keon Coleman fills a big need , and I had a few WR"s ranked ahead of him , as he as 50th on my board. I am not going to punish them for that much because they need a big WR. B-  .  Safety Cole Bishop fills a need, and I had early 3rd on him , and the took him in the late 2nd. He fits their team though because he can play both high & low and flipping their safeties is one of the ways they disguise coverages.  B  . They got DT Dwayne Carter right where I had him in the late 3rd , and he fills a need.  B  . I had a late 3rd on RB Ray Davis and they got him in the late 4th.  A  . Center Sedrick Van Pran-Grainger fills a big need, I had him in the late 4th , and they got him with a high 5th. B+  .  I had a late 4th on LB Edefuan Ulofoshio and they got him in the mid 5th. A-  . I had Edge rusher Javon Soloman as a high 5th and they got him in the late 5th. Plus they traded back a few spots and got a extra 6th out of it bumping up the grade. A  . 


CAROLINA PANTHERS - B - I am not punishing the Panthers for trading away the #1 pick, because I still believe in the long term future of Bryce Young , and that's the price you pay for trading up to number one to get a potential franchise QB. Kudos for suckering the Bills and paying a teeny price to move up one spot , and get the 5th year option on Xavier Legette. I had other WR's ranked ahead of him available , but they needed a big strong handed WR , and that's Xavier.  B  . I like Jonathan Brooks , and they are rebuilding so even if he isn't fully ready to play to his past level this year it makes sense because he had the best tape of all the RB"s in the draft this season. Not a need though. Although I did have a high 3rd on him , and 2 other RB's ahead on my board. B-  . LB Trevin Wallace has a very high ceiling , but isn't ready to be starter yet, but again they are rebuilding for the future , and he should at least be a core special teamer this season. Yet I had a high 4th on him, and they took him in the high 3rd.  C  . TE Ja'tavion Sanders was a high 2nd on my board, fills a big need, and they got him with the first pick of the 4th round. Plus he is a big target with great hands again. A+  . If they flipped the Wallace and Sanders picks it would make more sense to me. I had a very late 5th on CB Chau Smith-Wade and they got him with a mid 4th, but he fills a need. B-  . 


CHICAGO BEARS - A - It's hard to screw up a draft with the #1 & #9 overall picks , and the bears didn't by getting 2 of my blue chip players which is A+. Despite my worries about Caleb Williams being a myopic selfish snowflake & liking Drake Maye slightly more he is still absolutely worth the # 1 overall pick. Plus the trade that netted them the #1 overall pick , and DJ Moore was a masterpiece.  A+ .  When you already have DJ Moore & Keenan Allen getting Rome Odunze is overkill , but this is the last year of Allen's deal. The bears nailed this pick, and the rest of the league should be kicking themselves for not trading up and taking him before they could snag him. A+  . They got high ceiling developmental Yale O-Lineman Kiran Amegadjie right where I had him.  B  . Getting high ceiling edge rusher Austin Booker in the early 5th when I had a late 3rd on him is a steal. A+ . For only drafting 4 players ( I don't count punters or kickers) they did awesome. 


CINCINATTI BENGALS -  B  - The Bengal's need to protect Joe Burrow , but they already have 2 massive OT's in Orlando & Trent Brown. Yet Trent is on a cheap short deal , and has played both sides so he would be a high level swing tackle if Mims is ready to play now. Mims is another giant with a high upside, but only 8 starts is a worry so I have him just outside the first round. B-  . DT Kris Jenkins fills a big need and they got him about where I had him. B  . WR Jermaine Burton fills a need , and has 2nd round talent. Yet he has a large list of character questions which is why I put him in the high 4th round , and they took him in the mid 3rd.  The Bengals have a history of taking guys with these problems and they workout enough of the time that I get it. C+  . DT Mckinnley Jackson can help fill that DJ Reader sized hole in their defense.  I had him at the top of the fourth , and the got him in the late 3rd. Plus he was the only viable Nose Tackle left. B  . TE Erick All is very talented , but injury prone so I put him in the 5th, and they took him in the mid 4th. C  . I had CB Josh Newton with a high 6th round grade  and they took him in the  mid 5th. C+  . TE Tanner McLaclan is a 5th on my board ,and they got him in the mid 6th. it's good value , but they now have 5 viable NFL TE's on the roster. Is All going to start on IR? A  . I had a late 4th on run stuffing edge Cedrick Johnson and the got him in the late 6th. A+ . I had a 6th on center Matt Lee and they got him in the 7th. A-  . 


CLEVELAND BROWNS -  B - I had a late 3rd on DT Mike Hall , and they took him in the late 2nd  but he has character issues. He is from Ohio , and I am not sure if that's a good or bad thing for his future character. Does he have troubled friends from home ? Or will being around family , and good friends help him stay the course? He is very like current DT Maurice Hurst . C  I love the pick of guard Zak Zinter , and maybe even more than I should because I predicted it in my draft day mock.  B  . WR Jamari Thrash was a steal to me. I had him in the 4th and they took him in the 5th.  A  .  LB Nathaniel Watson is one of 4 guys I mistakenly left off my board while typing it up. I had him in the 5th and they got him in the 6th. A  . I had CB Myles Harden in the 6th and they got him in the 7th.  A-  . 


DALLAS COWBOYS - B+ - I have been highly critical of the Jones family , and how badly they had botched the off season before the draft , but with the exception of not getting a RB they did pretty well. I can't give them an A because they completely ignored that huge need at running back , and I absolutely believe that they should have either traded back into the 4th or 5th to get a RB. Audrick Estime can do everything Zeke can do at this stage , and he would have been younger & cheaper. Estime went in the 5th. Getting that high 3rd rounder to move back 4 spots in the first , and still getting high upside OT Tyler Guyton was a boss move. Fills a need too , and grabbing  the extra 3rd bumps up the grade. A  . Edge rusher Marshawn Kneeland was solid value , and fills need after losing Armstrong & Fowler to former DC Dan Quinn with the rival Commanders. B  . Getting mauling guard Cooper Beebe in the 3rd filled a big need , and they got him where I had him , but its even better because they want to move him to center which I wanted to do as well.  B+  . LB Marist Liufau is one of 4 players I mistakenly left on my board when I was typing it up , but I had him in the early 4th and they took him in the late 3rd.  B-  . I had a late 3rd on CB Caelen Carson and they got him in the late 5th. Plus he fills a need. A+  . WR Ryan Flournoy one was one of 3 players that were drafted that I hadn't watched at all , but I did 3 games on Sunday. I would have put him in the mid 5th , and they got him in the late 6th.  A-  .  I had a 6th on rocked up developmental up O-Lineman Nathan Thomas , and they got him in the 7th.  A-  


DENVER BRONCOS - B  - I had a late 2nd on QB Bio Nix , and they took him in the top half of the first. If they had traded back , and had gotten some picks before taking him it would have made more sense to me because he is a QB who fits what HC Sean Payton wants. Its just poor value at #12 , and I don't see anyone else taking him in the top 25. C-  . Edge rusher Jonah Ellis was taken in the 3rd where I had him , but I thought there were better edge rushers available , and he may end up as just a situational pass rusher. B-  . I had a 2nd on WR Troy Franklin , and they got him in the 4th. He not only fills a need , but he was the #1 WR of new QB Bo Nix , and they will already have great chemistry. A+. I had a late 3rd on undersized CB Kris Abrams-Draine , but they stole him at the top of the 5th. Plus he fills a need. A+  . I have a late 3rd on powerful RB Audric Estime and the got him in the 5th. Plus he is a natural replacement for Samaje Perine when his contract runs out. A+  . 


DETROIT LIONS - B+ - Every year in the Dan Campbell era the Lions trade up , and reach for players but they also get steals later in the draft so if they had taken the same players in a different order I would have liked it. CB Terrion Arnold was a steal at #24 . He was my 2nd corner , #15 overall on my board , and I had a solid 1rst round grade on him so he probably shouldn't have been available that late. I am actually OK with them giving up a relatively high 3rd rounder to move up for this guy. He fills a big need too. B+  . I had a high 2nd on feisty CB Ennis Rakeshaw and they got him in the late 2nd. They now have turned the weakest position on their roster into a potential strength. B+  . This is where it gets dicey. Big athletic raw Canadian OT Giovanni Manu was a 6th on my board as a developmental draft & follow guy. They traded a 2025 third rounder to take him in the 4th. It's unlikely this guy helps this years team much, and they are in a ALL IN championship window so if they had taken a guy that would help them more this season I would get it. So it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. The Lions have to keep him on the 53 man roster because multiple rebuilding teams would steal him off the practice squad. Has a great upside , but it seemed out of character for this teams right now Superbowl aspirations. D  . Safety/RB Sione Vaki is another guy who isn't real ready to play now , although I like his upside at RB more than safety , but he said in the pre-draft process that he prefers to play safety. Plus the Lions are already stacked at RB. They took him in the late 4th and I had a late 5th on him. C  . I had a late 3rd on stocky explosive DT Mekhi Wingo . and they got him in the mid 6th. A+  . I freaking love the run blocking of guard Christian Mahogony , and I had a high 3rd round grade on him , and if it weren't for some injury questions I would have him in the 2nd round & in my top 50. Maybe the injuries are worse than I thought , but getting this guy with a late 6th is a Oceans 11 type heist of a steal! Unless he needs surgery this season I expect him to start some games this year , and be a long term starter in Detroit.  A++ . So they did it again , because if you put these picks in a different order I would love them , but trading away that 2025 3rd bugs me enough to dock them half a letter grade. 


GREEN BAY PACKERS - B+ - Overall I like The Packers draft , because like the Lions they amassed a lot of talent even if it was drafted out of order on my board. Yet this team is in the last year of Jordan Loves cheap contract , and I wish they had went ALL IN both in free agency & the draft , but they didn't. Instead of signing some key free agents & trading some 2025 picks they just played it like any other year. Short armed athletic OT Jordan Morgan reminds me of their right tackle Zach Tom , and I had a high 3rd round grade on him , but they took him in the late first. Although the Packers do develop O-Lineman very well. D+ . LB Edgerrin Cooper was the #1 off the ball linebacker on my board , and I had him just outside the 1rst round at #28 overall. They got him in the mid 2nd at pick 45. A-. I absolutely love Safety/slot CB Javon Bullard. He was just outside the first round on my board at #30 and they got him in the late 2nd.  A  . RB Marshawn Lloyd was my #2 overall runner at 59th on my board with a 2nd round grade , and they got him in  the late 3rd round.  A  . I had a high 6th on LB Tyrone Hopper because even though he is athletic & toolsy he is lacking at diagnosing plays, and he plays out of control. They took him in the late 3rd when a whole lot of LB's I liked more were still available.  D  . I had a priority free agency grade on center Jake Monk , and they took him in the 5th. Plus I had 2 draftable centers available on my board, but again the Packers do develop O-Lineman very well.  D  .Safety Kitan Oladapo was a late 4th on my board , and they got him in the late 5th.  A  .  QB Michael Pratt was a early 6th on my board, and they got him in the late 7th.  A  .Once highly touted CB Kalen King went downhill this season , and I think he lost some confidence after Marvin Harrison JR. took it to him. I had him in the 6th , and they got him in the really late 7th.  A-  .


HOUSTON TEXANS -  B  - The ALL IN Texans already had a pretty stacked roster , and that's why I believe they traded out of the 1rst round before the draft , but I bet that if they knew that Jerzahn Newton would be available at pick #27 they wouldn't have.   I liked all of their first 4 picks anyway , but I'm not sure of the value on 2 of them.  CB Kamari Lassiter is a smart, tough , grinder , but he also ran a very slow 4.64 at his Pro Day . However in the Texans  scheme he has a good chance to work out. I moved him back a full round after he didn't run at the combine , and then ran slow at the Pro day. So its a round early for me, and there were multiple higher ranked CB's on my board . Yet again I like the fit ,especially in the slot.  Also both Cooper Dejean & Koolaid Mckinstry went in the picks before him , and I wish they had traded back up a little for either one instead.  C . They got OT Blake Fisher where I had him , and he fills a need. I think he's their starting right tackle this season.  B  .  Tall lean safety Calen Bullock was a guy I thought might have a chance to go in the first round if he had a good season , but he didn't . He covers a lot of ground from centerfield ,  but had some serious lapses tackling & being too aggressive in coverage. I really think he should move to corner, and so I put him in the late 4th , but they took him in the mid 3rd. C  . I had a late 3rd on TE Cade Stover , and they got him in the late 4th. A 


INDIANAPOLIS COLTS -  A- - I'm pretty sure that the Colts hope was that TE Brock Bowers would fall to the 15th pick, but the Falcons shocked the world by drafting Penix at #9 , and so the Raiders pivoted to Bowers. Consequently the Colts pivoted to Laiatu Latu , but it was a great pick in my opinion. He is not only clearly the best pass rusher in the draft , but the most polished pass rusher to enter the draft since Nick Bosa. He is ready to produce right now , and getting my 8th overall player at pick 15 is awesome.  A  . AD Mitchell is a big , fast , toolsy WR , but type one diabetes and his failure to consistently manage it caused him to fall. He was 32nd on my board , and they got him at 52.  A  . Matt Goncalves was a early 4th on my board, and they took him in the mid 3rd. C+ . I had athletic center/guard Tanor Bortolini as a solid mid 3rd rounder , and they got him in the mid 4th. I think there is a chance he starts over Will Fries at right guard this year , and at the very least he is your gameday backup interior swingman.  A-  .  WR Anthony Gould was a 5th on my board and that's where they got him.  B  . Safety Jaylin Carlies looks like a specials teams player who needs to move to LB full time. He was a priority free agent on my board, but if he moves to LB I could see it. They took him in the mid 5th.  C-  .


JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS -  B-  - I love that they traded back and still got WR Brian Thomas JR. Picking up a 5th in this draft , and a 3rd & 4th in 2025 and still getting Thomas was probably the most savvy move that GM Trent Baalke has ever made, as I am not usually not a fan.  B+  . Disappointing DT Maason Smith has never lived up to the promise of his freshman tape. He has a elite frame & all the tools , and I actually thought he would return to form and end up a 1rst rounder this year. Yet he was inconsistent. He fits Baalke's tools & traits over production mind set though. If he hits it could be huge. I had him in the mid 4th , and they took him in the mid 2nd. C-  .  I had late 5th on speedy , but sometimes clueless CB Jarrian Jones. They took him in the late 3rd.  C-  .  I had a 5th on OT Javon foster, and they took him in the 5th.  B  . I had a 5th on DT Jordan Jefferson and they took him in the 4th.  C  . I had a 6th on CB Deantre Prince , and they took him in the 5th.  C  . RB Keilan Robinson has very little tape as a RB so I couldn't put him on my board, but he looks like  a great special teams player.  B  .  7h rounder Myles Cole is a super toolsy edge , but he rarely uses his length right , and you only see him live up to his talent in flashes. He is another guy that fits Baalke profile.  B  .So for the most part is was tools & traits over good football players again , but if just half of them hit it will end up a great draft. 


KANSAS CITY CHIEFS - B-WR Xavier Worthy has ELITE  speed , but he is limited by his light frame. There are 2 coaches who I believe have a good chance to use him right ,and they are Mike Mcdaniel & Chiefs coach Andy Reid. Plus every WR is better with Mahomes throwing them the ball. Its just that he was a late 2nd on my board, and they traded up in the first to take him , but they did it cheaply at least.  C+  . The Chiefs needed to replace at least one OT , and when they traded up I thought they were trading up to take Tyler Guyton who was the last the last OT I would have taken in the first round. Instead they took Worthy , and then took Kingsley Suamataia at the end up the 2rd in another small trade up. Kingley is powerful , and he reminds me of Chiefs RG Trey Smith, because I think he would have to play guard to give quality NFL snaps right now. Hopefully they took him for because they won't be able to afford Smith who is a free agent after the season. Maybe the can coach him up , because he has the tools , but I had him in the 3rd for a reason. C. Jared Wiley. I had a late 3rd on toolsy TE Jared Wiley , and they got him in the 4th. I am not comparing him To Travis Kelce who is one of the greatest TE's in history , but he does have a similar athletic traits. At Kelce's age drafting a guy who can learn from him , and hopefully be the # 1 TE after Kelce retires in 2 or 3 years makes a ton of sense.  B+  . I have a 2nd on safety Jaden Hicks , and I was surprised he fell to the late 4th , but he is a steal there.  A+  . C/G Hunter Nourzad was needed after Nick Allegretti signed with Washington. I had him in the 5th and that's where they got him.  B  . I had CB Kamal Hadden in the 6th and they took him there too.  B  . 


LAS VEGAS RAIDERS - AAll week Leading up to the draft , on draft day & after day one was over rumors pointed to the Raiders being locked in on QB Michael Penix with the 13th  pick. Yet they sure pivoted well after the Falcons took Penix by drafting ACE tight end Brock Bowers. It wasn't a need, and I did expect them to fill a bigger need with a right tackle or corner, but getting a blue chipper at pick #13 is a steal worthy of Doris Payne! Plus Bowers is a offensive weapon more than a TE , and getting him and Michael Mayer on the field at the same time will help the run game, and open up big play opportunities for all the receiving weapons. This team now has future HOFer Davante Adams ,  a good slot WR in  Jakobi Myers, and 2 good receiving TE's. If Aidan O'connell or Gardner Minshew can't at least be solid with all that they don't deserve to be starting NFL games. Although if any good veteran QB becomes available next off season they should be seriously be considering the Raiders.  A+  . Apparently a couple of concussions caused Jackson-Powers Johnson to fall to the 2nd round. He was the clear cut best center in this draft with 1rst round tape , but he can also play guard , and I think he will be their starting right guard from day one.  A+  .  Supposedly they drafted Delmar Glaze to be a tackle, and he has the ability , but not the technique. I gave him a high 6th round grade , and they took him in the 3rd. Maybe they can coach him up , but for now it's a big reach to me.  D  .  I have a 4th on CB Decamerion Richardson, and that's where they got him.  B  . I had a 4th on high IQ LB Tommy Eichenberg , and they got him at the top of the 5th.  B+  . They got RB Dylan Laube in the 6th where I had him.  B  . I see getting CB MJ Devonshire in the 7th as a steal because I had him in the 5th.  A 


LOS ANGELES CHARGERS -  A-  -  I really expected the Chargers to trade back , and gather picks at #5 , but I can't hate on anyone who takes Joe Alt , and he fills a need. He was a blue chip player , and #3 on my overall board , and I don't like trading away from blue chippers.  A+  . I also like WR/return man Ladd McConkey at the top of the 2nd, but I kind of feel sorry for him. He went from a college offense that doesn't throw him the ball enough to a Pro offense that probably won't throw him the ball enough.  B  .  I had Michigan LB Junior Colson being drafted by Harbaugh in the early second. He was #37 on my board , and they got him in the early 3rd round.  A+  . DT Justin Eboigbe was a high 6th to me , and taking him in the top of the 4th was a large reach to me.  D  . I think CB Tarheeb Still was too high , but he is a press man guy who fits Harbaugh's defense.  C-  .  I love the fit even better for their next CB in Cam Hart. I had a early 4th on him , and they got him in the late 5th.  A  . They got RB Kimani Vidal in the 6th where I had him . B  . I have no idea how or why WR Brendan Rice fell to the 7th round, but I had a late 3rd on him , and getting him in the 7th is a steal worthy of Frank Abagnale JR.  A+  . WR Cornelius Johnson is another Michigan guy , and he can help the other WR's learn the scheme.  B 


LOS ANGELES RAMS  B+  - Powerful edge rusher Jared Verse is a 1rst rounder worthy of the pick and he fills a big need.  B  . DT/DE Braden Fiske is a perfect fit , and solid value.  B  . I had RB Blake Corum in the 2nd ,  they got him in the mid 3rd , and he fits the power man/gap scheme Mcvay Switched to last season.  Plus he will keep them from running down 2023 breakout Kyren Williams with overuse.  A  . I had safety Kamren Kinchens in the late 3rd , and that's where they took him. In this safe vanilla defense where he won't have so many responsibilities I think he might return to his 2022 form where he looked like a future 1rst rounder.  B  .They got another power edge in Brennan Jackson , and they took him in the 5th where I had him.  B  .Stocky NT Tyler Davis has solid tape , but I'm not sure if he will play as well in the NFL. He has short arms , and is undersized for nose in the pros.  C  .  I had a late 5th on interior swingman Beau Limmer ,and they got him in the late 6th.   A   . KT Leveston can play both tackle & guard, but I had him as a 6th , and they got him near the end of the 7th.  A  . 


MIAMI DOLPHINS -  B  - Twitchy edge rusher Chop Robinson was a overdraft for me because he has more talent than production , and he may end up as just a situational pass rusher. Plus interior O-Lineman Jackson Powers-Jhonson and Graham Barton were still available and would have filled a big need. Although since Miami does run a 3-4 Robinson has a better chance to become a starter at OLB. I had Chop as mid 2nd and they took him in the first where multiple players were available with actual 1rst round grades.  C-  . I love the Patrick Paul pick. He fills a big need with the injury history of Terron Armstead , and they got him right where I had him.  B  . Explosive RB Jaylen Wright fits this team. He not only is a home run hitter, but a plus in the passing game as both a receiver & blocker. With Mostert being in his 30's , and despite playing a lot last season he is injury prone. So the wheels could fall off any time.  Speedster Achane is undersized too. Plus he was hurt multiple times last season, and doesn't have Jaylen's size & power to be a bell cow back for the long term. I had Wright  with a high 3rd round grade , and they got him in the mid 4th.  A  . I had small school edge Mo Kamara in the 6th where they got him.  B  .  Explosive WR Malik Washington kind of reminds me of current Dolphin Jaylen Waddle. I had him in the 3rd , and they stole him in the 6th like they were Vincenzo Peruggia in a museum.  A+  .  


MINNESOTA VIKINGS -  I  have a high 2nd round grade on QB JJ McCarthy , and if they had traded up into the top 5 at a huge cost for him I would have given them a F for the pick, but they stayed cool. They ended up only moving up one spot using a couple of day 3 picks to get their QB of the future.   C+  . I love trading up to get high upside young edge rusher Dallas Turner. He was 11th on my board , and they got him at #17.  A  . CB Khyree Jackson has ELITE upside if he is dedicated to football ,  they got him at the top of the 4th where I had him , and he fills a need.  B  . LT Walter Rouse is a 5 year starter on the blindside.  I mistakenly left him off my board when I was typing it up , but I had him in the 6th where they got him.  B  . 


NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS -  B+  - Drake Maye ended up my #1 QB in a great QB draft , and this blue chip signal caller fell to the Patriots at #3. I still think they need a upgrade at left tackle, but this pick was a slam dunk in my book.  A+  . I had a 2nd on Polk , and that's where they got him. He is a tough versatile WR with good hands , and I think he ends up as Mayes's number one guy early , but is better as a #2 wideout long term.  B  . Caeden Wallace  has always been a right tackle, and that's' where I think they should leave him. They got him in the 3rd where I had him , and he fills a need. I believe he starts there as a rookie, but I question the results if they flip him over to the left side.  B  . I had guard Layden Robinson in the 5th , and they drafted him at the top of the 4th when I had a few guards available ahead of him.  C  . WR Javon Baker was good value in the 4th. I had him in the 3rd , and they took him the 4th. Plus they got Maye another potential weapon. Big rocket armed QB Joe Milton went in the 6th where I had him, but he's a long term developmental guy.  B  . I'm not sure what they will do with versatile TE/WR/RB Jaheim Bell, but I think he would be best as a RB. I had him in the 6th and they got him in the 7th.  A  . 


NEW ORLEANS SAINTS -  B+  - I love freaking mauler Taliese Fuaga , but I think he should stay at right tackle , or at least on the right side. If Ryan Ramczyk isn't healthy he can slide in to RT , or even play guard, but I think their plan is to move him to the blindside. Not sure how that works out early in pass pro , but he will kick ass in the run game wherever he is lined up.  B  . Corner Koolaid Mckinstry fell to the 2nd round due to injury concerns, but I have a 1rst round grade on him. Plus he can return punts well.   A  . QB Derek Carr gets real expensive soon , and they drafted Jake Haener last year , and now Spencer Rattler in the 5th this year. Rattler fell due to maturity issues , but even then the 5th round is a great value for a guy with his mechanics & tight spiral. I had him in the late 3rd.  A+  .  WR Bub Means was a priority free agent to me , but they got him in the late 5th. D+ .  I had LB Jaylan Ford in the 6th , and they got him in the late 5th.  B-  .  Strong DT Khristian Boyd is a value in the 6th , because I had him in the 5th.   . 


NEW YORK GIANTS - A-  - I still think the Giants need a QB badly , but I can't blame them for taking Nabers when any QB left at #6 would have been a reach. They needed  a #1 WR badly , and a blue chip WR is a slam dunk at #6 as my #2 overall player in the whole draft.  A+  . I had a 1rst round grade on Nubin , and they got him in the mid 2nd. Plus he fills a need.  A  . I had a late 2nd on high upside CB Andru Phillips , and they got him in the top of the 3rd.  B+  . TE Theo Johnson looks like the prototype inline T tight end , and he has the tools to pull it off , but he's still raw right now. They got him at the top of the 4th , and I admit that I thought someone this talented might go even higher. I had him in the top of the 5th , but it's hard to punish a team much for taking a guy with this much natural ability early.  B-  . RB Tyrone Tracy has a ton of ability , but he needs to play more to unlock his potential. I had him in the 4th and they got him in the 5th.  A  . Overall a good job , but I wish they had addressed the O-Line somewhere in the draft. 


NEW YORK JETS -  B  - The Jets need to get guys to protect Aaron Rodgers , and weapons for him to throw to , and they did with their top 2 picks.  OT Olu Fashanu has the kind of rare feet & short area movement skills to make pass protection look easy. His hand use , timing , and run blocking need work though. I can't blame them much for taking him , because he could be a decade long blindside protector , but I had better OT's available when they took him.  B-  . WR Malachi Corley has Percy Harvin/ Deebo Samuel like YAC ability. They should hand him the ball too. He also can stretch the field out of the slot , but he needs to learn the full route tree. I had a late 2nd on him , and they got him at the top of the 3rd.  B+  . I had a 3rd on big back Braelon Allen , and they got him in the late 4th. In a tandem with Breece Hall they can make play action passes even more wide open.  A  .  I like undersized QB Jordan Travis in the 5th. He is a leader , and I still think that if he hadn't gotten hurt that he would have led Florida ST. to the National Championship game vs Michigan , and that it would have been a toss up on who won.  B  . I had power RB Isaiah Davis in the 5th too, but it seems like overkill at RB at this point .  B  . Former CFL corner Qwan'tez Stiggers was taken with the last pick of the 5th round , and I had him in the 6th.  B-  . 



PHILADELPHIA EAGLES -  A  - At this point I just think Howie Roseman is the best GM in the game. He's a wheeler dealer who maximizes his picks, acquires stockpiles of them ,  and deftly trades around with them. This year he actually made a NFL record 8 trades in the draft , still got a nice haul of picks for now , and acquired another 3rd, 4th, and 5th rounder for the 2025 draft. U DA MAN HOWIE!  To sit at pick #22 without moving up , and to have have my top CB & #10 overall player fall into your lap is beautiful.  A  . Then versatile 1rst rounder Cooper Dejean falls into your lap in the 2nd . My top safety , a inside/out CB , and my #15 overall player at pick #40 is like winning the lottery.  A+  .  Talented edge rusher Jalyx Hunt needs to learn to hold up better against the run , but they got him in the late 3rd where I had him.  B  . Shifty RB Will Shipley can also return kicks , and make plays as a receiver , but he needs to get better in pass pro. Combining his skill as a receiver with Saquon Barkley makes me think they will be throwing to backs a lot more with Kellan Moore as the OC. I had him at the top of the 4th  and they took him near the bottom of the same round.  B+  . WR/return man Ainias Smith looked like a potential 3rd rounder at the beginning of the 2022 season , but then suffered a big leg & ankle injury missing the rest of the season. He didn't look as explosive or fast this year , and then a stress fracture in his shin was found at the combine. Its a 5th rounder so its worth the risk at that point hoping he returns to form , but he fumbled too many punts as well.  C  . Getting 2nd generation QB of the defense LB Jeremiah Trotter JR. to play for the same team as his former ALL PRO dad was probably a dream scenario for the Trotter family. I had him in the 3rd and they STOLE him in the late 5th like Bill Mason at a drunken Hollywood party.  A+  . Guard Trevor Keegan was a 6th for me , but they got him in the late 5th.  B-  . I had a late 4th on freakishly big WR/move TE Johnny Wilson , but I would expect a guy with 10 inch hands to be a more dependable pass catcher. and they got him in the 6th.  His upside is ridiculous.  A+  . 


PITTSBURGH STEELERS -  A - Explosive mauler Troy Fautanu was my number 3 OT , and I think he might make a few Pro Bowls outside if he can play more in control, but if they moved him to guard he might end up a ALL PRO. Plus he fills a need. I didn't expect him to fall to pick 20, as he was 13th on my board, but it's a mini steal in my opinion.  B+  . I had wrestling center Zack Frazier at #42 , and they got him at pick 51. Another need filled , and Russell Wilson & Najee Harris are probably both ecstatic with their first 2 picks.   B+  .I had a solid 2nd on explosive slot guy Roman Wilson , and he should see more targets in Pittsburgh compared to Michigan, but not by much in this ball control Aurthur Smith offense. Another pick Wilson will love. A bigger steal this time.  A  . Payton Wilson has first round tape, and if it weren't for his age & injury history he might have been the only off the ball LB to have gone there. I figured he would go to a Superbowl contender because he might just be a one contract guy , and I was right. He was 36th on my overall board , and they stole him at the end of the 3rd. A steal worthy of  Arsene Lupin!   A+  . I had a 4th on small school guard Mason McCormick and that's where they took him.  He can become a starter in time with better technique.  B  . This is a draft that sets them up for success now and in the future. 


SAN FRANCISCO 49ers -  B+  - I like their draft , but if they trade Deebo they should have drafted a similar player to replace him like Xavier Legette or Malachi Corley. Taking Pearsall had me thinking they might trade Aiyuk , and that's worse in my opinion , because outside WR's like him are harder to replace. Anyway , they took Pearsall right where I had him , and his inside out versatility helps plenty.  B  . I had a late 2nd on versatile O-Lineman Dominick Puni , and while he can play all 5 positions in a pinch I want him at center or guard. They got him in the latter part of the 3rd.  A  . I had safety Malik Mustapha in the late 3rd , and they got him in the back of the 4th.  A-  . I feel like Kyle Shanahan drafts a speedy RB every year, and they rarely work out , which is why they traded for ACE back Christian Mccaffrey. The niners took him in the 4th where I had him , and lets hope watching Mccaffrey improves his efficiency & choices as a runner.  B  . I had a 4th on WR Jacob Cowing and they selected him there.  B  . 


SEATTLE SEAHAWKS -  B+ The Seahawks needed interior O-Line more than anything , and while they addressed it later I really think they should have drafted Troy Fautanu instead of Murphy. At least Murphy is worth the pick , and since they are probably going to a base 3-4 I get it.  B  . Christian Haynes was my favorite guard in the draft for guys who actually played guard last season. Dude is a straight ass kicker.  I had him at 39th in my board , and they stole him like Albert Spaggiari digging a tunnel to the 81rst pick.   A+  . LB Tyrice Knight seemed way too high to me. I had him in the 6th  , and they took him in the 4th where a  bunch of LB's I like more where still available.  His football IQ is lacking right now, and he looks more like a core special teamer at this point.  D  . A blocking TE was needed after Dissly & Parkinson left in free agency , but Barner just looks like a #2 TE to me , and the 4th round seems high for that. I had him in the 6th. D  . I had a high 5th on CB Nehemiah Pritchett , and they got him there . Plus the Seahawks have a history of drafting & developing corners well on day 3.  B  . I have guard Sataoa Laumea in the 5th , and they snagged him in the 6th.  A-  . CB DJ James was a solid 3rd for me , and they stole him in the 6th like Robinhood & his merry band jacking tax collectors in Sherwood forest.  A+  . On the whole I like Seattle's draft , but in a different order than they took some of the picks , but you are judged on the total talent , and they got that. 



TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS  B-  -  Tampa Bay needed to replace their center or even a one of their guards, and Graham Barton can do either. Plus he can play LT in a pinch.  B  . Edge Chris Braswell can rush the passer, but he needs to get bigger to play the run better. At least the Bucs play a base 3-4 so he can contribute early at OLB. Safety Tykee Smith was a high 4th in my board , and they drafted him in the latter part of the 3rd , but he was very productive at Georgia. I'm not sure how he fits there because he played the hybrid star position, and I'm not sure how well he will fare covering the slot in the NFL.  At the very least he can be a core special teams player as a rookie.  C  . I had deep threat Jalen McMillian as  early 4th and they took him in the late 3rd .  C+  . Undersized big play RB Bucking Irving was a late 3rd for me so good value taking him in the latter part of the 4th.  A-  . 



TENNESEE TITANS  -  C+  -  Far be it for me to gainsay Bill Callahan SR,  because I believe him to be the best O-Line coach in the NFL , and that he has been so for over 2 decades. Yet taking powerhouse JC Latham to play left tackle is risky to me. He was very good at right tackle this year, but there is a reason that a lot of teams prefer him at guard. JC was 20th on my board, and they took him at #7 when Taliese Fuaga who has better tape at RT , and Troy Fautanu who actually played left tackle were still available. At least I had a 1rst round grade on him , and he does fill a need at RT.  B-  . I get the Titans needing a NT to replace Teair Tart , and he was also cut for character reasons, but at least he was in shape. Sweat does show first round tape at times , but unless there is a weight clause in T'vondre Sweat's contract he is too fat to play even 50% of the snaps. Plus his character issues are more than just a lack of commitment to staying in shape, because he got a DUI at around 4 AM right before the draft. I moved him all the way back to the 4th after that , and multiple teams had taken him entirely off their boards. They took him at the top of the 2nd?  D  . I had LB Cedrick Gray at the back of the 3rd round, and they got him in the early 4th.  B+  . I had a 4th on corner Jarvis Brownlee and they drafted him in the high 5th.  B+ . WR Jha'quan Jackson was apparently a 6th rounder for both of us. 



WASHINGTON COMMANDERS -  B+ - I like Washington's draft , but I would like it even more if they had taken Maye over Daniels. I had Daniels at #9 on my board , and if Maye or Williams weren't available I would have drafted him at #3 too.  B  . Their 2nd pick was a Kevin Durant STEAL coast to coast slam dunk! Jer'zahn Newton was my top DT , and #14 on my overall board , and they got him at pick #36 at the top of the 2nd.  He fell because of a foot injury that prevented him from working out , but he is a destroyer of blocks with high level hand use.  A+  . ACE tough little slot guy Mike Sainristil went right where I had him , and Dan Quinn love's DB's who get their hands on the ball.  B  . I like versatile FB/TE Ben Sinnott. He was my 3rd ranked  TE , but I had him in the 3rd , and they took him in the 2nd. At least he fills a need.  C+  . Offensive Lineman Brandon Coleman was a reach to me. His left guard tape was promising, but I didn't like his tackle tape. I think they plan to play him at left tackle , because their guards look solid. I had him in the 4th , and they took him in the top of the 3rd.  C  . I like slot receiver Luke Mccaffrey in the late 4th early 5th , and they took him with the final pick of the the 3rd round.  Although its fair to believe he will keep improving rapidly considering how short a time he has played WR , and who his dad & brother are.  C-  . We both had LB Jordan Magee in the 5th apparently.  B  . I had a 4th on safety Dominique Hampton , and if they had taken him ahead of Mccaffrey & Magee the picks would make more sense to me. They got Hamilton in the late 5th.  A  . 


OVERALL TEAM DRAFT RANKINGS ORDER 


1.CHICAGO BEARS - A 

2.PITTSBURGH STEELERS -  A 

3.PHILADELPHIA EAGLES -  A 

4.LAS VEGAS RAIDERS - A

5.ARIZONA CARDINALS - A 

6.LOS ANGELES CHARGERS -  A- 

7.NEW YORK GIANTS - A-

8.INDIANAPOLIS COLTS - A-

9.BALTIMORE RAVENS - B+ 

10.WASHINGTON COMMANDERS -  B+ 

11.LOS ANGELES RAMS  B+

12.DETROIT LIONS - B+ 

13.SEATTLE SEAHAWKS -  B+ 

14.DALLAS COWBOYS - B+

15.AN FRANCISCO 49ers -  B+

16.NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS -  B+ 

17.NEW ORLEANS SAINTS -  B+

18.GREEN BAY PACKERS - B+ 

19.NEW YORK JETS -  B 

20.CAROLINA PANTHERS - B

21.MINNESOTA VIKINGS -  

22.HOUSTON TEXANS -  B 

23,MIAMI DOLPHINS -  B  

24.CINCINATTI BENGALS -  B

25.DENVER BRONCOS - B 

26.CLEVELAND BROWNS -  B 

27.BUFFALO BILLS -  B 

28.TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS  B-

29.KANSAS CITY CHIEFS - B-

30.JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS -  B- 

31.TENNESEE TITANS  -  C+ 

32.ATLANTA FALCONS C


Sunday, April 28, 2024

2025 WaaaayToo Early NFL MOCK


The 2024 draft is finally over, and teams are scrambling for undrafted free agents as I type this.  To me this is one of the more bittersweet days of the year. I am always both relieved & saddened when day 3 ends.  Relieved because I feel like I can take a deep breath and relax for a week. Saddened about some of the picks both made & and unmade. Answering excited and/or nervous calls & texts from friends & little brother about how I feel their team drafted this year. Apprehensive about putting out this early mock when I have only a vague idea about who the players are yet. I'm sure many of you , especially the ones who didn't like their teams draft this year, or who think that their team is likely to be picking high in 2024 are curious about next year. I started grinding more tape during day 3 of the draft, and have been at it since , but I am taking a week long break after I finish this. I haven't done much work on these guys, except for the few players who I jumped the gun on because I expected them to enter the 2022 draft, but they instead opted to stay in school. While I have watched all of these players actually play  , that is not the same as breaking down the film on them, and I have only currently broken down the film on one game for 32 players.  There are also 5 more players that went back to school I have done 3 games or more games on. Throw in the guys who are draft eligible sophomores that I don't expect to even contemplate going Pro so early, or that haven't played much yet so they aren't on my radar right now, and you get the picture. Then chime in with the fact we have little idea what teams will need at that time because of injuries, free agency, retirements , the cap, suspensions , and who knows what else could happen ? Plus the transfer portal & NIL money has drastically changed the face of college football. Every year when I post this I look back at last years early mock, and you can see how little we know this far out, because it's a near miracle if someone even gets half of the 1rst rounders right. So many guys disappoint, go back to school, get injuries, get in trouble , and others come out of the woodwork.  Last years way too early mock  (  2024 Waaaaaaay Too Early NFL MOCK Draft ) was just OK. The complete totals of the 32 guys I projected to go in the first round in 2023 right after last years draft ended were : First - 12 , Second - 7, Third- 3 , Fourth - 1 , Fifth- 2 , Sixth- 0 , Seventh - 1 . Plus 5 ( N.I.L money &  transfer portal) who went back to school. Pus ONE more who went undrafted , and if you watched Leonard Taylor's tape this season you know why. So you can see what a crapshoot it really is at this time. I am making a even harder prediction to guess the draft order. Don't lose your minds if your team is picking high , because it's a long time away , and this is even bigger guess than the actual players. The picks are all mine, and so is the order of you want to be mad at someone. They are mostly players I couldn't help noticing while watching last years tape, or guys I expected to enter last years draft that stayed in school. I expect a QB to go #1  , and I expect the Cardinals to have the first pick.  So a lot of trades will probably happen, but I don't put trades in mocks until it's draft season again I am leaving a QB at #1. Without further ado here it is. Agreeing or disagreeing is welcome, but please do it intelligently & respectfully or I just won't post it. so here it is. Enjoy.



1.GIANTS - SHEDEUR SANDERS - QB - COLORADO 

2.DENVER - JAMES PEARCE JR. - DE/OLB - TENNESEE

3.PATRIOTS - WILL CAMPBELL - OT - LSU

4.SAINTS - TRAVIS HUNTER - CB/WR - COLORADO

5.CHARGERS - WILL JOHNSON - CB - MICHIGAN-

6.CAROLINA - TETAIROA MCMILLAN - WR - ARIZONA

7.VIKINGS - MASON GRAHAM - DT/DE - MICHIGAN 

8.WASHINGTON - KELVIN BANKS JR. - OT - TEXAS

9.TITANS - BENJAMIN MORRISON - CB - N. DAME

10.ARIZONA - MYKEL WILLIAMS - DE - GEORGIA

11.DALLAS - CARSON BECK - QB - GEORGIA

12.BUFFALO - LUTHER BURDEN III - WR - MISSOURI

13.BROWNS -  QUINN EWERS - QB - TEXAS

14.COLTS - CALEB DOWNS - S - OHIO ST.

15.TAMPA BAY - NICK SCOURTON - DE/DT - TEXAS A&M

16.RAIDERS - TACARIO DAVIS - CB - ARIZONA 

17.ATLANTA - KAIMON RUCKER - DE - N. CAROLINA

18.MIAMI - HAROLD PERKINS - LB/EDGE - LSU

19.SEATTLE JACK SAWYER - DE - OHIO ST.

20.JAGUARS TRE HARRIS - WR - OLE MISS

21.BEARS - DEONE WALKER - NT - KENTUCKY

22.RAVENS- WYATT MILUM - OT - W. VIRGINIA

23.49ers - EMEKA EGBUKA - WR - OHIO ST.

24.BENGALS - KYREN LACY - WR  - LSU

25.RAMS - JALEN MILROE - QB - ALABAMA

26.JETS - DENZEL BURKE - CB - OHIO ST.

27.PACKERS - PETER WOODS - DT - CLEMSON

28.CHIEFS - AJANI CORNELIUS - OT - OREGON

29.DETROIT - TORY HORTON - WR - COLORADO ST.

30.HOUSTON - TAHJ BROOKS - RB - TEXAS TECH

31.STEELERS - MALAKI STARKS - S - GEORGIA

32.EAGLES - COLSTON LOVELAND - TE - MICHIGAN



OTHERS CONSIDERED



PARKER BRAILSFORD - C - ALABAMA

BARRETT CARTER - LB - CLEMSON

JALEN WALKER - LB - GEORGIA

JAMON DUMAS-JOHNSON - LB - KENTUCKY 

JAY HIGGINS - LB - IOWA

HOWARD CROSS  - DT - N. DAME

XAVIER WATTS - S - N. DAME

DANNY STUTSMAN - LB - OKLAHOMA

DONOVAN JACKSON - G -OHIO ST.

QUINSHON JUDKINS - RB - OHIO ST. 

JT TUIMOLOAU - DE -  OHIO ST.

TYLEIK WILLIAMS- DT - OHIO ST.

KENNETH GRANT - NT - MICHIGAN

BRADY COOK - QB - MISSOURI

OMARION HAMPTON -  RB - N. CAROLINA

DASAN MCCULLOUGH - OLB/DE - OKLAHOMA

OLLIE GORDON - RB - OKLA. ST.

JAXSON DART - QB - OLE MISS

DREW ALLAR - QB - PENN ST.

AUBREY BURKS - S - W. VIRGINIA




 

Saturday, April 27, 2024

2024 NFL DRAFT BEST AVAILABLE - 4/27/24

   There are still some good football players available after the draft ended, and some of them have to have fallen due to medical or character concerns I don't know about.  Murphy had a 5th round grade for me , and the other 15 were draftable. I obviously don't watch every player that is available to be drafted , as there were 3 players drafted that I had never heard of , including some big guy from England the Bills drafted in the 7th out of the international program. I'm sure their are other gems including over 200 that I watched myself that I didn't have in the 6th round or higher. To me if I have to give someone a 7th round grade then that's not someone I want to use a pick on unless it's a great special teams only guy. Anyway this is how I have the remaining players ranked. 


# Is for a player for with reported character or maturity concerns.

** Is for a player with reported injury concerns.




5TH ROUND


150.GABRIEL MURPHY - OLB/DE - UCLA - 6"2' , 247


THE REST 


172.BEAU BRADE- S - MARLAND -  6 feet , 203

173.CURTIS JACOBS - LB - PENN ST. - 6"1" , 241

178.GABE HALL - DT/DE - BAYLOR - 6"6" , 291

179.STEELE CHAMBERS - LB - OHIO ST - 6"1" , 226

181.ISAIAH WILLIAMS - WR - ILLINOIS - 5"9" , 182

185.NELSON CEASER - DE - HOUSTON - 6"3" , 254

187.JOSH PROCTOR - ** - S - OHIO ST. - 6"2" , 209

189.JAVION COHEN - G - MIAMI - 6"4" , 324

196.FABIAN LOVETTE - DT - FLA. ST. - 6"4", 316

197.WILLIE DREW - CB - VA. ST. - 6 feet , 191

200.CODY SCHRADER - RB - MISSOURI - 5"8" , 202

201.AUSTIN REED - QB - W. KENTUCKY - 6"1" , 220

202.OMAR BROWN - S- NEBRASKA - 6"1" , 205

206.LEONARD  TAYLOR - # - DT - MIAMI - 6"3" , 303

2024 Fourth Round Mock Draft - 4/27/24

 There are still a lot of good football players available, and every year their are multiple gems that have good careers , and even a few that shine as rookies that come off the board on day 3. Without further ado here it is. I welcome your comments , but please be cool about it. Agreeing or disagreeing is welcome, but please do it intelligently & respectfully , or I just won't post it. So here it is. Enjoy.


# Is for a player for with reported character or maturity concerns.

** Is for a player with reported injury concerns.



101.CAROLINA - AUSTIN BOOKER - DE - KANSAS - 6"4" , 240

NFL PLAYER COMP -  DORRANCE ARMSTRONG - COWBOYS 

Booker is raw, inexperienced , and very talented. Has a lean rangy frame , and looks more like a basketball player with his long skinny arms & legs. He is a redshirt sophomore that I believe would have been better served by going back to school for another year.  I had to watch a lot of his games to get a fair read on him because he doesn't play a lot of snaps , and after 6 games he was the same guy I saw after the first 2. He plays like a counter puncher in boxing , which means he is often re-acting instead of dictating the pace & structure of the play. By waiting for the blocker to throw his hands or move his feet when he does start moving forward , and throwing moves after. This may sound nuts in a game where edge rushers are often successful by how quickly they explode off the snap , but Booker was productive despite his limited snaps & counter punching philosophy. OT's could deep set him more then , but that just gives him a runway. I would short set him periodically , and catch him off guard. It's not like he's new to football because Booker played in high school , but I didn't expect a guy who played less than 50 snaps before this season to have such a wide array of pass rush moves. Austin can run the arc & dip under well for a tall rangy man , push/pull , bull rush club /rip , arm over , stutter steps , takeaways , olays , he can get skinny & knife through , and even a clumsy spin move. He uses his arms well too. He's still not polished on some counters & transitions  , but he improved there steadily throughout the season. Also can take a longer road to the QB instead of the straight lines available at times. Has a penchant for late hits too , and that could get him fined , suspended , and retaliated against in the NFL. Can't hold his ground in the run game , set the edge  , and definitely no stack & shed. Almost plays the run like a pass rusher trying to get by his man , and unless you are into a spot in gap control that won't hold up in the pros. So right now he looks like a situational pass rusher who needs a lot of muscle added throughout his entire frame to be more in the NFL , but he's already got a head start , and the upside is high. 



102.SEATTLE-(wash)-THEO JOHNSON - TE - PENN ST. - 6"6" , 259

Theo is a 4th year senior with 28 starts in a boring run first offense. He has a elite frame & plus athleticism for the position , and good straight line speed & quickness. Can break some tackles after the catch , but basically straight ahead with little wiggle. Yet he needs work as a route runner because he doesn't change direction quickly  , or sell fakes well, although once he get turned he accelerates out of his break well. Has the strength to be a stud inline blocker, and he did improve there this season , but still a bit high & stiff sometimes. Trys hard down the field as a blocker too. Has solid hands and can win contested catches. He is a guy who can give you some snaps as number 2 TE now, but his upside is ridiculous if he keeps getting better. also plays special teams. His athletic ability is exactly what the SPARQ score happy Seahawks are looking for.


103.PATRIOTS - BRANDON DORLUS - DE/DT - OREGON - 6"3" , 285

NFL PLAYER COMP - TYRONE CRAWFORD - retired

Dorlus is a tweener, and although I like him more inside as a 3 technique he played the edge a lot this year. A 5th year senior and 3 year starter with good backfield production all 3 years. He played a lot of snaps at a variety of spots too. His length and quickness are best used inside as a pass rusher , and he has power coming forward , but he doesn't have the bulk or pad level to hold his ground in the run game. Although he can penetrate well. Has much less chance against double teams inside , and doesn't always see it coming either. Has good technical heavy hand use , and a wide array of pass rush moves.  So ideally he can play run downs outside , and kick inside in passing situations. He's a lot like a more polished version of Marshawn Kneeland , except he's bigger , and not quite as athletic. Also Kneeland is a better player standing , and Dorlus excels more out of a 3 point stance. Plus Dorlus is more versatile , played against better competition , and was more productive.  Brandon has a pretty good long arm bull rush , and if doesn't win early he stalls out sometimes, but when he does he is great at getting his hands up into passing lanes to alter or bat down throws. He has a tendency to want to get upfield even when he shouldn't , and overrun some plays too. He needs to go to a team with a DC who knows how to use him right , and stay low to be a NFL playmaker. 2nd round grade.



104.ARIZONA - JADEN HICKS - S -  WASHINGTON ST. - 6"2"  , 211

NFL PLAYER COMP - DERWIN JAMES - CHARGERS

Hicks is a 2 year starter who looks like the poster boy for box safeties. He's big , rocked up , fast , and has above average speed for a safety.   He's better at covering TE's than slot receivers, because he's a little stiff , but he's still alright inside against power WR's. When the balls in front of him his reads are good, especially in zone. Moves around a lot , but I like him closer to the line of scrimmage. He will hit you , and can be a forceful tackler , but his form can be hit & miss.  Plays some LB , and hits like one , but doesn't take on blocks like one. Hicks can be too aggressive as a tackler. Brakes on the ball quickly , and sees the field well in coverage , but doesn't always see the blockers hunting him. Lightning blitzer too. Jaden has the tools & traits NFL teams want , and he should be a 2nd rounder. 



105.CHARGERS - CAM HART - ** -CB - MICHIGAN - 6"3" , 202

NFL PLAYER COMP - ANTONIO CROMARTIE - retired

Hart is a 3 years starter at N. Dame , and if you have 33 starts for the Domers you should be at least a little more polished , aware, and consistent than he currently is. When I go looking to watch a player for the first time I look up their game schedule and the watch them against the players I already like. So I watched the Ohio ST. game, and he played pretty well against Marvin Harrison JR. because he has so big , long , and physical. Although if Kyle McCord was more confident he could have hit Harrison a lot more. Hart isn't just big & strong , because he has much better feet , and is more fluid than your average big CB. It's just that he doesn't have the route recognition or instincts to make the amount of plays on the ball he should. He is a press corner that can slow down & alter a receivers ability to get off the ball, and he can run fast in a straight line down the field. Also can play play off man if they are running deep. Yet if you can get a step on him , or have a confident QB that can fit it in tight windows, or throw a back shoulder, Hart might not be able to recognize when its time to get those long arms up to go for the ball. Plus if a shifty guy can slip him early he won't be able to stay with him out of the break without grabbing ,although he isn't regularly grabby or penalty prone right now. He is a man against the run and will tackle too. His tape was significantly better this year, and the tools & traits are high level so I don't see him getting out of the 3rd round. Too many man or cover 3 teams will want this guy, but he will need to take to coaching , and be in the right scheme to see the field much early. 



106.TITANS - CHRISTIAN JONES - OT - TEXAS - 6"5" , 311

NFL PLAYER COMP - TERENCE STEELE - COWBOYS

Jones is a 6th year senior with 48 starts at OT for Texas with 13 at LT and the other 35 on the right side where he belongs. Has a fit well distributed build , but he might need to add a little more muscle in his legs and definitely needs to get more flexible. The closer he is to his man as a run blocker the better , and he takes bad angles to the 2nd level & he can get juked down the field. He is usually leaning too far forward as a run blocker , and his head is often ahead of his hands going forward robbing him of some of his initial contact power , and he doesn't extend his arms enough. As a drive blocker Jones does a good job latching while aggressively driving his feet working to sustain to the whistle ,and his hand placement is usually on the inside , but he is still kind of high off the ball. Plus he needs to learn to let go when his man is pulling away. In pass pro he plays with solid knee bend initially , but pad level rises when going backwards , and again leans too far forward too much. Plus his hands are sometimes late & wide catching rushers instead of punching at times, and blocking with elbows out instead of extending his arms. His feet are just quick enough for the outside , but he can't bend or adjust quickly when beat or against counters , and when he does fully extend his arms it's usually when he is beat so he's just giving a good bye shove. He also obviously holds more as a pass blocker. Good awareness for stunts & twists , but he gets even higher while watching for it , and it hurts his anchor on contact. Christian's anchor seems sound for the most part which is surprising with a guy who is kind of stiff , and who doesn't sink & bend real well. Then they played Washington , and his anchor was tested by the power of Bralen Trice which ended with him being driven consistently back. He definitely lost the pass protection battle to Trice in that playoff game , and while trying to lean into contact to slow the bull rush he got countered to the inside multiple times. Zion Tuluola-Fetui got him a couple times with both speed & power too. After that game I moved him back in my rankings because he will see a lot of good bull rushes in the NFL.  Then he went to Mobile for the All star game and looked significantly improved on pretty much all the things that bothered me about him ,except extending his arms in pass protection. I absolutely loved his pass pro reps at RT at The Senior Bowl , and that's both in the one one ones and full practices. Played with better balance & posture with a flat back, and didn't bend or lean forward much. So I like that he's working on his technique flaws and ended up placing him in the 3rd late round on my board. 



107.GIANTS-CHRISTIAN MAHOGANY** - G - BOSTON COLLEGE - 6"3' , 314

NFL PLAYER COMP - ALAN FANECA - retired 

Mahogany is a 5th year senior , a 3 year starter , and he has 34 starts. Nasty & physical drive blocker that fires out with force & inside hands in the run game , but he would be even better if he could stay low more consistently. Christian has good arm length for a guard with a strong hand punch & he doesn't give up ground in the pocket in pass protection. Yet he lunges or leans so far forward in pass pro that he will get pushed pulled , olay'ed , and arm overed a lot more in the NFL. Plus he is a little stiff with limited lateral mobility for quick inside penetrators shooting gaps. Quick puller who had more de-cletes at the end of it than any guard tape I have seen in years. I Loved his 2021 Clemson tape , and I had a 3rd round grade on him after that year , but he went back to school after tearing his ACL. The tape is still good this season , but I liked his 2021 tape a little more . However , a lot of the time when a guy's coming back from a big injury it takes a year to get your full faculty back. Christian is a punishing drive blocker with powerful leg drive who pushes defenders far off the ball making it hard for 2nd level guys to get to the hole. Basically just a true mauler in the run game who is always looking to finish , especially in a gap scheme because right now he crowds the other guy on combo blocks too much. Yet he also needs to stay back & sink in pass pro to have a more fundamental anchor instead of just lunging or leaning hard. If his pass pro tape was as good as his beastly run blocking he would be a lock for the first round. I love the guy , and his tape is a blast , but pass heavy teams won't like him as much. Yet he's a ALPHA who will be a RB's best friend , and any coach who watches his tape will want this guy. Mahogony plays on the right side instead of the left , he's a little shorter , and he's not quite as polished but watching him pull was like watching Alan Faneca in his prime. I have him in the mid 3rd round so obviously I don't have a ton of faith that he can reach the comparison of a Hall Of Famer , but he plays the same way in the running game.


108.VIKINGS - KHYREE JACKSON- - CB -OREGON - 6"4" , 194

NFL PLAYER COMP - RICHARD SHERMAN - retired

Jackson has had a odd football journey. He didn't play until his Senior year of high school, got a scholarship to a small school, and then quit the game for 2 years when he wasn't happy there. Then he went the Juco route for 2 years , and the 2nd one got cancelled because of Covid. He got a offer from Bama, and spent 2 years there. Jackson even started the National Championship game against Georgia in 2021 , but still wasn't a starter in 2022 , and then got suspended by Nick Saban. So he transferred to Oregon for the 2023 season. So he is obviously raw & inexperienced with a low football IQ, and undeveloped route recognition for a 5th year senior who will be a 25 year old rookie.  Plus between his past struggles to stick with the game & the suspension from Bama he has both football & of the field character questions. Now the good stuff. He has the tall long frame of a press man cover 3 defensive coordinators dreams. He strong , aggressive, and physical in both coverage and run support. Also has good top end speed for a big corner. Has played special teams a lot , and can blitz too. His tape progressed forward throughout the season , and you saw him being a little quicker & fluid as the year progressed. He looked pretty good at The Senior Bowl too. So he has the right demeanor , and all the physical tools to end up a great NFL corner in the right scheme if he is committed & takes to NFL coaching. It's entirely up to him if he fulfills his awesome potential. 



109.FALCONS - TJ TAMPA - CB - IOWA ST. - 6"1" , 189

NFL PLAYER COMP - AHKELLO WITHERSPOON - RAMS

AJ Terrell is a free agent after the season , and he has great length , which both Dee Alford & Clark Phillips lack. TJ is physical with those long arms and big hands to re-route in press coverage , but doesn't play press a lot. Better in bump & run , but I want him to have safety help over the top because he lacks long speed. Has good feet , but a high pedal , and he's a bit stiff with his change of direction. Plays inside & out but I like him more outside because he can't stay with the shifty quick guys if he misses his jam. Far more experienced in zone than man , and his body type and skill set are perfect for cover 3. He's a former WR with great ball skills , and he challenges at the catch point with those long arms & big hands. Plays the run like a man. Comes forward and fights through blocks, and will hit you , but lacks the shiftiness to be a reliable open field tackler. Plus he ducks his head and dives at times. His combine was Ok , but he looks a lot bigger than 189 on tape , and he only ran a 4.59. I still like him in the 2nd round to a zone team , and Raheem Morris is zone guy so Tampa should fit right in with his Tampa 2. Sorry , but I just got done watching Ted Lasso so I can't resist a good pun right now.



110.PATRIOTS-(lac,chi)-JAYLEN WRIGHT - RB - TENNESEE - 5"10" , 210

NFL PLAYERS COMP -  WILLIE PARKER - retired

Wright hasn't played a ton with only 283 carries over the last 2 seasons, but he is explosive with home run long speed. Led the team in rushing the last 2 years, but only a starter in 2023 , but you did see some progress in his vision. Speaking of his vision , but that and patience is what he lacks most. Plus he runs too tall ,and he would fumble less if he gave them less of a target shielding the ball with his body. Too often tries to bust one when he should just put his head down , lower the shoulder , & go straight ahead to get 3 or 4 yards. Jaylen has the power to break tackles when he tries to ,and he can make a lot of guys miss when he cuts.  Wasn't used enough as a receiver either, because I would want to get this guy the ball in space a lot. Best pass protecting RB in the draft steeping forward and striking the rusher, but he needs to remember that its inside first then outside. I think he just needs more reps to be a better runner, but at the very least he could be an ace as a 3rd down back. I would want to throw him screens and have him return kicks too.


111.JETS - JA'TAVION SANDERS - TE - TEXAS - 6"4" , 245

NFL PLAYER COMP - MARK ANDREWS - RAVENS

Before this season I thought Sanders had a chance to go in the late first round , but his receiving numbers were down this season. Plus he ran slower than I expected at the combine, and that's after I assumed he slimmed down to 245 in the hopes of running a faster time , because he looks about 10 pounds bigger on tape. Definitely looks faster in pads too , as he can run vertical rotes beating LB's & safeties consistently. The ability to be a true inline TE is there, and he has good hand placement initially ,  but his effort & hips snap is inconsistent. Lines up inline , in the slot, and  even in the backfield some. Has some good down the field blocks too , but again doesn't always look like his hearts in it.  He separates pretty well , but is not a nuanced or polished route runner inline. Great big hands to win at the catch point. Had no drops on any of the 6 games I watched over the last 2 years , and that includes contested catches , and going up to get it. Good physical runner after the catch , and I wish they threw him more screens , used him more at the goal line , and handed him the ball 2 or 3 times a game. He actually covers kicks so that should push him up some. As a pass catching TE he could really blossom early with a team that made a more concentrated effort to get him the ball.



112.RAIDERS - DJ JAMES - CB - AUBURN - 6 ft. , 175

NFL PLAYER COMP - JONATHAN JONES - PATRIOTS

James is a 5th year Senior and 3 year starter with one at Oregon , and the last 2 at Auburn in the SEC. He's a fluid man corner with a smooth pedal , and he got his hands on the ball a lot over the last 2 years , but doesn't have good hands. DJ is both quick in the short area and has good long speed.  Has good length, but his main problem is weight. Has a lean narrow ectomorph frame that takes awhile to add muscle too, but he need at least 10 more pound so he doesn't pushed around by NFL WR's , but even ectomorph's can add 2 pounds if muscle a month if they are dedicated to it.  Not to mention that he isn't the best guy in run support or as tackler, but it's not for lack of trying. He aggressive and will get caught more jumping routes early in the NFL. Kind of grabby , but not overly so. One of only 4 corners that played well against LSU's stud WR's. He has good instincts in man , although not quite as good in off coverage. In zone James is still solid , but not quite there just yet. He's got a good track record in man coverage against good competition, and its almost all on the outside, Every team needs that. He attacks the ball as soon as he sees it , and plays with the confidence of a bigger guy. If he can get bigger I think he can be a good starter down the line. 



113.RAVENS-(den)- TROY FRANKLIN - WR - OREGON - 6"2" , 176

NFL PLAYER COMP - MIKE QUICK - retired

Franklin is a deep threat WR who can also play the slot. Franklin is a highly productive deep threat who can run down the field routes that pull safeties even when he's not getting the ball. He's long & lean ,  and while he doesn't run a full route tree yet he eats up the DB's cushion really fast , and has the homerun speed to separate from the defender when the balls in the air. Plus he runs his current routes well , and can make the guy covering him look lost at times. Good hands & timing to extend and snatch the ball with some acrobatic catches, but he occasionally drops the easy ones. He is competitive on contested catches , but doesn't win enough of them.  Surprisingly competitive as a blocker for a lean/light guy as well , so it makes sense that he could be good at it if he added 10-15 more pounds of muscle. Still needs to get stronger because you see him get pushed around by some physical corners at times , and that will get worse in the NFL, but he has some crafty releases off the line of scrimmage. He's a big play waiting to happen , and as long as he adds 10-15 more pounds of muscle he can be a good Z who takes some slot snaps now & then in the NFL. For the Chargers I think he would play the slot more. Maybe he isn't a #1 WR , but paired with a big armed QB who can hit the deep ball he could be the kind of player who keeps Defensive Coordinators up all night , even if he only gets 5 or 6 targets a game. Justin Herbert fits that bill.



114.JAGUARS - TANOR BARTOLINI - C - WISCONSIN  - 6"4' , 303

NFL PLAYER COMP -  ALEX MACK - retired

Tanor is a tall athletic center who gets off the ball and gets by with solid technique. Needs to get stronger to improve his 1 vs. 1 drive blocking  , and his short arms do work against him when long armed DT's get into his chest , but he does fight to sustain anyway. Drives his feet with a wide base and keeps them churning , but he needs to get stronger. He's usually too high off the ball in the run game, but tends to get some initial push anyway , although he does fall off too many blocks. Good combo blocker who could thrive in a zone heavy scheme , but also nasty enough to move a lot interior D-Lineman against their will in a man/gap because he keeps going to the whistle. Generally gets his hands inside , and has strong grip, but he needs to learn when to let go when they are outside or when the defender pulls away. Good anchor when he's latched on , but he still gets pushed back too much by some nose tackles. Tanor makes the line calls , and has good awareness for stunts & twists. He's quick and a better pass blocker than he is in the run game , which is not what I expect from a Wisconsin guy. Despite that quickness I was surprised that he ran a really fast ( 4.94) forty at the combine. I liked his 2022 tape at guard a little better, but I see him as a potential starter at either guard spot , or center. If he hits the weights and plays lower off the snap he can be a good starter.



115.BENGALS - BUCKY IRVING - RB - OREGON - 5"9" , 192

NFL PLAYER COMP - JUSTIN FORSETT - retired

Bucky is so explosive on tape, and made so many great splash plays that I was expecting him to run in the low 4.4's at the combine, but he instead logged a disappointing 4.55 at only 192 pounds. In 2023 alone Irving had 10 runs and 6 receptions that went for 15 or more yards  , and 10 of those plays went for over 30 yards.  I didn't think he was big , but he runs low with enough force & drive that I expected at least 200 pounds as well. He is a stocky , decisive, subtly shifty runner who will bounce off guys , and keep going. Plus even though Bucky won't carry a bunch of tacklers on his back he finishes his runs getting all he can from it a the end. Has great early vison for the hole, but I wish he would bounce a few more plays outside past the line of scrimmage. He is a good receiver, and only fumbled once in college so you can trust him on 3rd down or at the goal line. Willing & decisive in pass pro , but lacks the weight to stifle rushers much. Has returned kicks as well. Mcvay knows how to use a pass catching back , and it would also keep the Rams from overusing Kyren Williams to preserve him for the post season. 



116.JAGUARS-(no)-CEDRICK JOHNSON - DE/OLB - OLE MISS - 6"3" ,260

NFL PLAYER COMP - KWITY PAYE - COLTS

Cedrick is a 3 year starter in The SEC , and he has steadily gotten bigger , while becoming more polished during that time . Has especially improved his pad level & gotten stronger setting the edge against the run , but needs to do a better job of shedding blocks quicker. His awareness to find the ball , avoid falling for fakes, and getting moving in the right direction improved this season a little , but its not a strength yet. As a pass rusher Cedrick needs a better inside counter or to learn to dip under because he was washed past the QB too much outside. As a pass rusher Johnson has heavy hands that he uses to swat away blocker hands early, but he doesn't get good positioning or hand fight well during the rep yet. Also lacks a more diverse pass rush plan , and needs to use those hands to transition quicker. Cedrick needs to stop getting caught up in the fight and be looking to disengage and find the ball. Should not be playing on his feet in a 2 point stance in the NFL, but in a 3 point as a 4-3 end I think he can develop into a starter if he uses his power better as a pass rusher , and add more pass rush moves. Has a good motor , frame , and a good tool box to work with. There aren't a lot of guys who are willing to play the run well coming put of college these days , but Johnson is just a 2 down player right now until he develops his rushing repertoire. 



117.COLTS - JEREMIAH TROTTER JR. - LB - CLEMSON - 6 feet , 230

NFL PLAYER COMP - NICK BOLTON - CHIEFS

Jeremiah JR. is nowhere near as big or long as his retired ALL PRO dad who was the biggest MLB I can remember. So JR. won't be stuffing a guard back through the hole like dad, but he will step into them with force to try to stack , but his short arms keep him from being consistent at shedding them. He does beat the blocker to the spot or slip the block well though. JR. does have the high football IQ you would expect from the son of a former great NFL LB. , and he is usually the first guy moving in the right direction. Trotter is rarely fooled by fakes , but it happened more this season compared to 2022 tape. Great diagnostic skills & instincts for zone coverage , and he had 4 picks ( 2 taken to the house ) while getting his hands on the ball a lot the past 2 seasons. Can blitz too , and had 12 sacks over those 2 years. Has a tendency to occasionally come in too hot , and can get juked late as a tackler. Needs to be a little less grabby in coverage. Had a hamstring injury , and so he didn't run before the draft , but I wasn't expecting below a 4.7 anyway. So he is not real fast , and he doesn't change direction real well either, but he will cover a lot more ground than some guys who run in the 4.5's because he see's it before they do. I would happily want him as my middle LB. He is a QB of the defense who will make a ton of plays against the run , and he will be in the right place in zone.



118.SEAHAWKS - CEDRICK GRAY - LB - N. CAROLINA - 6"2" , 241

Cedrick is a durable 3 year starter , Gray has been very productive over his career at N. Carolina with 369 tackles , 29 TFL'S , 8.5 sacks , 5 picks and forcing 6 fumbles over those3 seasons. As a weakside LB who can just run to the ball he can be a star if he's protected , but he doesn't take on or shed blocks well yet. I was surprised he just ran a solid 4.64 forty & 1.58 ten yard split at the combine because he looks like a low 4.5 guy in pads , and his short area burst looks great too. I have seen him beat some fast guys to the edge on film , but part pf that could just be taking the right angle in the open field. Has the size to be a MLB , but doesn't play strong enough for the job , and too much of that weight is in his upper body. Seems to always be trying to run past , slip , or give a soft shoulder to blockers instead of stacking & shedding them. Football IQ is hit & miss which makes me think he is guessing too much. Some of that running around ends up leaving big gaps in the defense to cut back in , or just run through , and he also came in too hot and overran some plays. Solid tackler. He covered pretty well, but is probably a better fit there in zone unless you put him on a TE. Gray has a lot of the right tools , and if he can pump up his football IQ & legs in the film & weight rooms he could become a good starter. He played a lot of special teams in college so he can be useful while he improves , but he needs to play a more physical version of football more than anything. 



119.STEELERS - MEKHI WINGO - DT - LSU - 6 feet , 284

NFL PLAYER COMP - MIKE PATTERSON - retired

Wingo is a versatile interior D-Lineman who was a team captain this year at LSU , and was one of the few players on their defense who looked like he was fighting it out all year. He lines up all over , and has experience in both odd & even fronts. Has a ripped stocky build & tree trunk legs. Mekhi has a great first step that allows him to fly off the ball low getting into the blocker before they are ready. He can bull rush/push-pull/arm over or just shoot a gap pretty seamlessly. Has 32 inch arm length which is long for his height , but still short. Wingo also has knock back power off the snap , and then he can use his violent accurate hands to separate from blockers quickly , but he's tight hipped & doesn't change directions well enough to always take advantage of it. Great motor and a violent tackler too. He will get manhandled by some of the bigger blockers , especially if they can out length him. I still love this guy though. He's a little smaller , not quite as strong , and doesn't have as many moves yet , but his play style is very similar to 2 HOFers ( Aaron Donald & John Randle) and a future (Geno Atkins) HOFer. Since I am giving him a 3rd round grade I doubt he reaches the level of any of them, but he sure does a lot of the same things well. 



120.EAGLES-(ram)- JARED WILEY - TE - TCU - 6"6" , 249

Wiley is a 5th year senior who spent his first 3 years at Texas behind Ja'tavion Sanders before transferring to TCU for the last 2 , and was a team captain this year. Has a great lean frame with good length that could easily carry another 10 pounds of muscle , as he looks more like a NBA small forward right now , and he doesn't even look like the solid 249 he weighed at the combine. Had 47 catches for 520 yards and 8 TD's this season , but was very underused as a receiver because he was open a lot more. Has strong hands , a wide catch radius , and the jump timing to go up and get the ball at its highest point. Was a great red zone weapon this season. Gets off the line quickly but still too much rounding in his routes right now , and doesn't sink & separate the way a guy as athletic as he is could. Generally starts out well as a blocker low & with hands inside  , but lacks hip snap, violence , and committed leg drive as a inline blocker. Does a better job picking off smaller players down the field , but his best blocking is done in pass pro. Wiley needs polish and more time on the squat rack , but there is a lot to work with here. I think he is a ascending player I am giving him a late 3rd round grade.


121.BRONCOS-(mia)-JAVON BAKER - WR - UCF - 6"1" , 202

NFL PLAYER COMP - HAKEEM NICKS - retired

Baker was a former Bama recruit who transferred away after 2 years of limited playing time and became the number one WR at UCF over the next 2 years. He has a strong thick build, and he's kind of a jack of all trades master of none . With the exception of running after the catch where he turns a lot of short passes into first downs. Also wins a lot of deep balls , and he can adjust to off target throws to go up and get it. Had to adjust a lot with his QB too. Plays about 75% outside and 25% in the slot on the games I watched. A good short area burst off the ball to eat up the cushion ,but top speed is just solid. Generally has strong hands , but some focus drops. He's shows some nuance running routes , and can accelerate out of his breaks pretty well , but needs more practice spotting some of the holes against zone. Has some good releases , but not a polished route runner yet , even though I saw clear improvement from 2022 to 2023. While he only had 52 catches this season he averaged almost 22 yards per catch. I see Baker as a ascending player who still has his best football ahead of him if he goes to a team with a better QB. Plus he commits to blocking. I think he is solid #2 WR with some more reps and NFL coaching. 



122.BEARS-(phi)- DADRION TAYLOR-DEMERSON - S - 5"10" . 197

Dadrion is a 5th year senior who has produced a lot over the last 3 seasons with 208 tackles , 33 passes defensed , 10 picks , 7 TFL's , 2 forced fumbles , and 2 sacks. His football IQ still needs work at safety , but he was primarily a RB in high school so its reasonable to assume that he is still learning some of the nuances of the position. Right now he still takes the chees more than he should , but fell for less fakes this season compared to 2022. He already shows pretty good instincts &  diagnostic skills on tape already , and you see him lining people up and calling stuff out pre-snap. Good blitzer too. He is a undersized free safety, and doesn't play big , and he will have an even harder time bringing down ball carriers in the NFL. In the box he is just a little too aggressive at times too , and doesn't have the sand in his pants to play there much.  Also he had a few hip drop tackles on tape, and while I think the new pussified NFL shouldn't ban the maneuver, they have and it could lead Dadrion to some penalties & suspensions. Also a little late to turn & run in the slot , and plays a lot faster when playing deep.  Yet any player who gets his hands on the ball this much , can cover this much ground from center field , and who can run this fast is a valuable asset against QB's at the very least. Late 4th round grade.



123.EAGLES-(hou,clev)-DEVONTEZ WALKER - N. CAROLINA - 6"1" , 197

NFL PLAYER COMP - DJ CHARK - FA

Walker is a twitchy vertical receiver with all the talent you can want, but his football IQ ,and confidence need to be pumped up. The NCAA blocked his transfer for the Tar Heels first 4 games , and he looked like he was learning on the fly in week 5 vs Syracuse , but he was a monster against Miami the following week with 6 catches for 132 and 3 TD's. Smooth & fluid mover. Tez needs work as a route runner, and with his ability to see the holes in zone if he wants to be more than just a deep threat. While he only played 8 games for the Tarheels  he was the main threat defenses had to game plan for by his 2nd game. Has the kind of speed where he can separate down the field on the deep ball , and run away from defenders to the end zone. Made some great catches where he tracked the ball and brought it in on deep balls , but also dropped a lot of easy ones. Had a lot of drops during Senior Bowl week too, but then gutted it out running routes all day during the actual game when a bunch of other guys sat out. Blew up the combine too. At almost 6"2" the long armed explosive Walker ran a 4.36 forty , had a 1.56 , 40.5 vertical , and a 11"3" broad jump.



124.SF 49ers-(dal)- SPENCER RATTLER - # - QB - S. CAROLINA - 6 feet , 211

NFL PLAYER COMP - JEFF BLAKE - retired

I first heard about Spencer Rattler on a Netflix show called QB one about the top high school QB's back in 2018 , but he got suspended as a Senior. He was still considered one of , if not the , top QB recruits in the country. He played sparingly as a backup to Jalen Hurts as a true freshman at Oklahoma, and by 2020 he was the starter for the Sooners. Heading into 2021 Rattler was one of the favorites for the Heisman, and after what he showed in 2020 many of us thought he might be the 1rst pick in the draft after that season. Then he got benched against Texas, and Caleb Williams himself took over , but then Rattler got the Drew Bledsoe treatment. So he transferred to S. Carolina for 2022 where former sooner assistant Shane Beamer was now the head coach. There was less talent there, with the O-Line especially being subpar , and his numbers suffered some. He threw a lot more picks that season. I also believe his confidence had taken a hit too. Well his O-Line was even worse this season , and his receivers had a lot of drops. Yet Spencer had more yards, a higher completion percentage , more TD's and less picks anyway. So I think that restored some of his confidence. Rattler is undersized, but has a compact frame. A just good enough arm to make all the throws, but nothing special in this draft full of big armed QB's , but he will try to force some unnecessary balls in anyway. Solid mechanics, big hands , good feet,  good pocket awareness, not afraid to throw over the middle , and he actually throws guys open. He can scramble, but just OK throwing on the move , and not a great athlete or running threat. He can go through his full read progressions, but they still need to speed up, which is funny considering how rarely he had the time to make full reads. Spencer's lack of height does get him trouble because he doesn't see some robbing LB's in coverage. He was a captain the last 2 seasons, but QB"s usually are , although maturity questions from his past will need to be vetted by NFL teams during interviews. Plus he will need to show he can play under center. He is QB #7 for me , and I have a late 3rd on him. With Cousins age , and coming off a Achilles injury they need a young capable backup with the chance to develop into a starter down the road. I think Rattler is the best bet to make that happen after the first 6 are off the board , even though I have him in his own tier well behind even Nix.



125.TAMPA BAY - TOMMY EICHENBERG - LB - OHIO ST. - 6"2" , 233

NFL PLAYER COMP - JAMES LAURINAITIS - retired

The first time I noticed Tommy he was kicking ass in The Rose bowl game on new years day against Utah back in 2022. That game is more known for the ridiculous stat line that Jaxon Smith-Njigba put up , and as the coming out party for Marvin Harrison JR. in a very high scoring game. Eichenberg was everywhere making plays against the run , and while too many balls were caught in front of him I thought he would improve in time. Cut to the 2022 season , and he was still kicking ass against the run , especially between the tackles , and looked kind of solid in coverage too. So I expected him to enter the draft , but he went back to school. With his high football IQ ,throwback size , and willingness & power to fill against the run he might have been a 1rst rounder 30 years ago , but in today's game he's too limited to be more than a run down backer. Yet when I watch his 2022 tape I see a guy who can make it as a solid starter in a zone heavy scheme. This year he was playing hurt , and even missed three games with a messed up wing , and maybe that's why the tape wasn't as good. He looked even worse in coverage too , even in zone where there were too many balls caught in front of him. He will fly into blockers to stack , but his short arms prevent him from shedding well. He's a 5th year senior and 2 time team captain with the personality & experience to play special teams well. I am betting the tape went down this year because of injury , and unless its a chronic thing I don't know about he will be a starter for some NFL team. He actually reminds me of his Ohio ST. linebacker coach on the field. 



126.PACKERS - KRIS ABRAMS-DRAINE - MISSOURI - 5"11" , 179

Draine was a 3 year starter in the SEC who got his hands on the ball a lot with 40 passes defensed & 7 picks during that time , and he saved his best for last with career high 16 passes  defensed & 4 picks this season. Had a career high 50 tackles this year too. He's a lean guy with average height , but he will aggressively come up to tackle , although he can get over powered by bigger ball carriers. At his size I thought he would be more of a slot guy , but he was almost always outside on tape. He's a former WR & QB and that probably explains why he recognizes route combinations so well ,  gets to the ball so often , especially in off zone. A smooth mover with great feet when its in front of him , and he has hands & timing to find the ball like the WR he used to be , but his pedal can get high. Needs to work on his hands in press , and hopefully add 10 more pounds of muscle so he can fulfill his natural aggression as a outside corner better  He might get big brothered by some larger receivers , but it won't be from lack of trying. I have a late 3rd on him , and he can give a zone heavy team some snaps as a rookie.



127.TEXANS - KHRISTIAN BOYD - DT - N. IOWA - 6"2" , 320

Boyd is a 6th year senior who was a team captain his final season. He plays low with strength , and he can only be a nose tackle right now because he gets off the ball slow , and doesn't shed blocks well with his short arms, but he did hold his ground well against double teams. Not a great pass rusher with mostly just clubs, arm over ,bull rush , and the occasional push pull , but he telegraphs theM & grts off balance at times. Boyd has a good motor , and he played a lot of snaps for a noose so you know his gas tank is good. If he can get off the ball quicker he could become a starting nose in the NFL.  



128.BILLS - SEDRICK VAN PRAN - C - GEORGIA - 6"4" , 301

Van Pran is a 3 years starter and 2 time team captain. Even though he gets stood up at the line of scrimmage too often I love the way he sticks with run blocks by keeping his feet driving even when he is initially losing , and sometimes he ends up turning them late and putting them on the ground. Sedrick too often takes bad angles to the second level , and his balance & timing is off there too so zone teams will have him lower on their boards , but some man/gap teams will be higher on him. Throws his short arms out a little early in pass pro , but his target seems to be the shoulders instead of the chest most of the time and while I'm happy to see him get full extension it puts him a little too far forward & off balance. His anchor is iffy , and you see his short arms causing him to get pushed back, and he isn't quick enough to stop some explosive penetrators from shooting his gap. Also doesn't shuffle sideways well at all.  He's a fighter , he's smart & experienced, but he's also scheme specific. Plus, his short arms , balance issues and limited upside have him lower on my board than I expected by the time I finished his tape. Late 4th round.



129.JETS-(vik,det)-HUNTER NOURZAD - C - PENN ST. - 6"3 , 317

With Alijah Vera- Tucker coming off a big injury a guy who can play guard could be needed. Hunter is another 6th year senior who spent his first 4 years as right tackle  ( 20 starts ) at Cornell where he was ALL IVY League in 2021 , but moved up to Penn ST. for the last 2 seasons. Started the last 8 games of 2022 at guard, and started all 13 games this year at center. His tape was definitely better this season. Nourzad has good size and above average arm length for a center and a strong thick frame. He fires out low and aggressive in the run game , but can be out of control ducking his head & leans too far forward at times which results in him either falling off blocks , or outright whiffing. Pulls well , and delivers a blow at the end of it. When he fits up right he can dig his man out of the hole, and move him man off the ball with strong legs. In pass protection his awareness is lacking , and not just missing stunts & twists, because his head isn't on a swivel all the time. On some plays Hunter is uncovered he goes to help the first guy he sees instead of waiting to see who is actually in trouble. Strong anchor heads up but doesn't shuffle laterally well for guy shooting a gap. Hunter looks new to center , and maybe this is his first time ever playing the position so its reasonable to assume he will improve with more reps at the pivot , especially on the mental side of things. I like guys who play low and go the whistle, but I don't expect to see him starting anytime soon in the NFL until he can play more in control & with a higher football IQ that a center needs. Yet I think he will be a starting center at some point because he went to Cornell so you know he has the brains to improve with time. Late 4th round.


***TRADE*** The DALLAS COWBOYS TRADE their 3rd rounder in the 2025 draft to BALTIMORE RAVENS for their 4th (#130) round compensatory pick ***TRADE***


130.DALLAS-(rav)- BRAELON ALLEN - RB - WISCONSIN - 6"1" , 235

NFL PLAYER COMP - LEGARRETTE BLOUNT - retired

Dallas has to get a RB in this draft who has the ability be their main guy so this trade makes sense. Braelon is a big back who often tried to use the running style of a smaller man this season , and the results were mixed for me this year. He can run to his size when he chooses to , and he has legit tackle breaking power when he uses it , but there are too many times he heads for open space when he would have gotten more yards if he just kept driving forward. On the plus side he does have enough burst and top speed to outrun the defense to the spot at times. Yet I liked his 2022 tape more, and right now he looks like he's trying to change into a Leveon Bell clone when he hasn't yet shown the patience & feet that made Bell special in his prime. He was used more as a receiver this season , and Allen had a few good catches that make me believe he can handle more receiving duties with increased reps , but I want him to get straight up the field after the catch quicker. Plus I need to see him run more routes instead of just being a outlet guy. Also had better understanding of pass protection , but I want him to extend his hands better when stepping into it. He's not shifty or elusive so I think he should just embrace his size and go back to punishing defenders on a more consistent basis with a more north/south running style. He's tall so he should also try to run a little lower to avoid more big hits. Allen has been productive all 3 years in college , but after his breakout freshman year I expected him to be a potential first rounder by now. He's only 20 so its reasonable to assume he's just caught in the midst a learning cycle right now , but if he embraces his power full time he can be a bell cow back as a rookie. 



131.CHIEFS -  CAELEN CARSON - ** - CB - W. FOREST - 5 feet ,199

Carson is a 4th year starter with a lengthy injury history so he only had 34 starts during those seasons , and the only season he didn't miss a  game due to injury was the cut short Covid season. Has decent size , twitchy smooth movements , and loose hips  Caelen played inside & out this season too. Physical hands at the line, and at the catch point. He aggressively brings it as a tackler , but can get dragged a bit by stronger ball carriers. Averaged almost a pass defensed per game, but only 4 picks , and he doesn't get his head around to find the ball enough. He's smart , sees it quickly , and flies to the ball. Has great quickness , but just good speed. Much better up tight where he can get his hands on the receiver, and too much backfield peeking when playing off. 


132.EAGLES-(sf)- MASON MCCORMICK - G - S. DAKOTA ST. - 6"4" , 309

McCormick is yet another 6th year senior , a 4 year starter , a 3 time captain , and a 2 time All American. Yes I know it was at small school South Dakota ST. , but that's still some impressive accomplishments. Mason looked pretty good at the East/West Shrine bowl, and that's when he first came to my attention. At the shrine his hands were inside more , and he played with a little more control. So I went looking for his tape , and when looking for tape on small school guys I look for there games against division one opponents if they have any. The first game was 2002 against Iowa. He's well put together looking like a bull, but kind of stiff, and he pops right up off the snap. Did a good job of staying connected when on the move with reach blocks. Despite being too high tends to get a good initial pop,  but hands didn't consistently latch , and when they were he usually grabbed outside so he stalled out a lot drive blocking. Surprisingly quick reach blocking and stays engaged on the move. Got to the 2nd level on combos , but hands too wide and he grabs outside the shoulders too often , but generally made his block effectively down field. Had a good anchor in pass pro heads up , but also had some quick losses where his hands got slapped away and he got shucked, or he leaned to far forward off balance  and got shucked  Good awareness for stunts & twists and meets the looper with a stiff punch. Always looking to help out when uncovered. So not super impressed , but I saw his potential as 6th/7th round draftable guy. After that I watched his two 2023 playoff games against Albany & Montana. Mason showed the same flaws , but had better results against that level of competition. Especially against Albany , but his Montana game was just OK at best because he looked a little confused and late by some of the games their D-Line was playing. Plus he had multiple plays where he hit no one at the second level , although did pull pretty well. He blew up the combine too , but I still wouldn't take him before the  4th round.



133.CHIEFS-(buf)- CADE STOVER - TE - OHIO ST. - 6"4" , 247

NFL PLAYER COMP - JAKE FERGUSON - COWBOYS

Farmer Gronk as Stover is known is not Gronk on the field. He lacks the size or athleticism to be associated with Gronk. Yet he does have show the toughness , and hard nosed play style of the former LB he used to be.  Stover is 5th year senior who has only been starting at TE for 2 years , and so I didn't expect him to be so polished as a receiver. He tries hard as blocker , and he takes good angles & works to sustain , but he isn't yet strong enough to live up to his reputation as a true inline Y TE. Cade has some good releases off the ball and is pretty good at selling the fakes on his routes early , but not a big separator. Great hands, and knows to use his body to shield defenders and he fights at the catch point. Unlike his past Ohio ST. QB's Mccord was looking to check down or throw underneath a lot. Has decent quickness and top end speed, but he's not running way from NFL LB's down the seem. Since he is new to the position , and was named a captain this season it's reasonable to assume he will be dedicated in both the weight & film rooms to keep getting better. There are a lot of other TE's with higher ceilings in this draft , but Stover has the higher floor to be a true 2 way inline Y TE. 




134.JETS-(rav)- RAY DAVIS - RB - KENTUCKY - 5"8" , 211

NFL PLAYER COMP - DEVONTA FREEMAN - retired

Davis grew up in the foster care system , and has the kind of backstory that breaks your heart & makes me want to pull for him. He's a soon to be 25 year old 5th year senior who actually had over 1,000 yard from scrimmage with 3 different college programs so he has a lot of miles on his tires , but I can't bet against a guy who has lived his life. He's a duel threat back who can run & catch with natural hands , and a combined 21 TD's this season. His game against Florida was straight dominant.  He's a willing blocker , but his decisions and timing there are still a work in progress. Vision & patience has gotten better , and he runs with force , but still looks like he's thinking mid run sometimes.  He's quick , but just average long speed , although he sure looked fast enough on the 75 yard run against the Gators. He is tough and will break some tackles , and some wiggle in space. I will be rooting for him wherever he plays. Late 3rd round grade.


135.SF 49ers - NATHAN THOMAS - G/T - LA. LAFAYETTE - 6"5" , 332

WWE COMP - MARK HENRY

Thomas is a small school 5th year senior who has been a 2 year starter at left tackle. A lot of former TE"s who become tackles are still lean and looked like really big TE's , but not Thomas. He is still in great shape with very little body fat , but he's thickly built like a large guard , or the rare nose tackle who isn't overweight. His technique is literally bad in every way. He is very powerful, but has the high pad level & wide hands that regularly plagues college blockers. Although you mostly see that power on down blocks in the run game, or flat footed swipes in pass protection that smack a defender aside. Plus he alternates between aggressively leaning forward too much  , or looking hesitant & waiting too long to engage , but the hesitance is more common. Rarely tries to finish guys , but he's surprisingly not grabby. There are times he should latch on and keep driving his feet , but he just lets the defender slip away and go. His awareness is way behind too because I have never seen a guy shuffling around looking lost , and not hitting anyone so much while watching tape. Since he comes from a small school it's very possible that he can take a big step forward with NFL coaching. Thomas has heavy feet , but also heavy hands. I like him at guard where his heavy feet won't be a hindrance , and he definitely has the power to play inside if he just plays lower. I'm not saying he couldn't be a tackle with better technique , but he could play a lot sooner inside. So as a developmental guard prospect I would take him in the late 5th to early 6th round in the hopes that I could teach him how to block and then that would unleash his confidence & aggression. Its just with his build , tools , and traits someone will probably take him higher. If he doesn't make it in football he should try the WWE.