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In a somewhat surprising move, Auburn quarterback Bo Nix announced he is going to enter the transfer portal after graduating from the university. Nix had been a three-year starter and won SEC Freshman of the Year back in 2019.
After arriving in Auburn with a ton of fanfare, Nix is the son of former Auburn quarterback Pat Nix, it seemed like Bo was set to deliver on the hype. He helped take down No. 11 Oregon in his first collegiate game and capped off the regular season with a win over No. 5 Alabama in the Iron Bowl. NFL scouts were certainly paying attention, waiting to see if Nix could take the next step in his sophomore season.
Unfortunately, injuries, inconsistent play and questionable decision making all side tracked Nix over the past two seasons to the point where the NFL does not even seem to be an option at this point. There is zero draft buzz around him despite being a former five-star recruit who just started for three years in the SEC.
His level of play has not really merited much draft consideration, Nix has yet to top 16 passing touchdowns in a season and often struggles with accuracy, but he checks pretty much all of the physical boxes to be an NFL quarterback. At 6’3″ with a strong arm and plus athleticism, he has many of the things quarterbacks coaches crave. Don’t get me wrong, he needs a ton of work on his footwork, processing and decision making, but those are aspects of the game that often improve with repetition and good coaching.
However, Nix was already working with one of the best quarterbacks coaches in the country. Jordan Palmer works with a number of the top college and pro quarterbacks to help them improve their fundamentals and reach their potential. He’s worked with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and more in his role at EXOS. Palmer is a huge believer in Nix, saying he thought Nix would be the No. 1 overall pick in this upcoming draft back in March. That obviously won’t come true, but could a change of scenery and continued tutelage from Palmer finally lead Nix to realize his potential?
The NFL seems to have this fascination with the unknown. It’s what makes prospects like Trey Lance and Davis Mills so enticing. It’s why Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold can still net a second-round pick in a trade despite horrible play on the field. The idea of potential is addictive to NFL general managers, scouts and owners. The potential to hit on a prospect no one else saw, or to see a player finally reach their full potential makes them look like the smartest person in the room. They love that sensation.
With that in mind, Nix still has potential. He is only 21 years old and has rare physical gifts that you cannot teach. If he can find a new team and show some development in 2022, he will be worth a draft pick come the 2023 NFL draft. Maybe not in the first round, depending on just how much improvement we see in this hypothetical, but in the second or third round.
The question then becomes where could Nix go to take that next step and get himself on NFL draft boards. Notre Dame immediately comes to mind as Jack Coan will not be back next year. UCF also makes some sense with Nix’s former coach Gus Malzahn calling the shots down in Orlando. I don’t love this one because of Nix’s previous struggles in Malzahn’s system. Cincinnati could also make sense with Desmond Ridder in his final year with the program.
I would love to see Nix land somewhere with a good quarterback coach who can help simplify the game for him and help him grow as a passer. Pairing him with Lincoln Riley at USC feels like a dream, but I have a feeling Riley will stick with one of the young quarterbacks he already has in house. I like UNC as a potential fit with Mack Brown and Phil Longo turning Sam Howell into a solid draft prospect. Perhaps Pittsburgh could be a good fit as well given Kenny Pickett’s development this season. Mark Whipple definitely made a huge difference in his game. Maybe a move to LSU could work, but Brian Kelly does not have his full coaching staff in place yet, so it is hard to tell if that would really be a great fit for Nix.
Ultimately, the chances Nix ends up being a high draft pick or NFL starter look pretty bleak right now. Every year though, we see a quarterback rise up the ranks that just hasn’t put it together yet. This year it looks like Pickett. The year before it was Zach Wilson and the year before that was Joe Burrow. The point is, the door is not closed on Nix’s NFL future. He just needs to get this next move right if he has hopes of playing pro football.
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Things have changed quite dramatically for Spencer Rattler over the past four months. The soon-to-be former Oklahoma quarterback entered the season as the Heisman favorite and a fixture in the top five of NFL mock drafts. He seemed poised for a big year and almost assuredly would find himself playing pro football in 2022.
Instead, his season went a bit sideways. For the second year in a row, he was benched against rival Texas. This time though, he stayed on the bench as Caleb Williams engineered a dramatic comeback victory over the Longhorns in the Red River Showdown. Rattler did not start again the rest of the season and entered the transfer portal.
So how is it that this Heisman favorite and blue-chip prospect is suddenly off draft boards and looking for a new home? Consider it the fallacy of media hype and the assumption that players will only ever get better. Rattler had not earned that level of trust and confidence yet. Lincoln Riley had though, so we were all willing to bet on Rattler becoming the latest quarterback to flourish in his offense. He flashed high-end potential in his first season as the starter at OU, but there were also plenty of warning signs of what was to come.
In short, chalk it up to the Lincoln Riley effect finally failing. We expected Rattler to make a jump into elite quarterback territory. He didn’t. If anything, he regressed from his 2020 performance. This time, Riley just so happened to have a very capable replacement. However, this is not the end of the line for Rattler as a draft prospect. If he was capable of generating this much buzz once, he could assuredly draw the attention of NFL scouts again.
But where will he do it? Arizona State was the easy prediction early on for the Phoenix, Arizona native, but with Jayden Daniels returning to school, that rules out a move to Tempe. The list is still long. Let’s take a look at some schools where Rattler could be in line for immediate play on a big enough stage for him to reclaim the national spotlight.
Notre Dame Let’s start with a big-name program with legitimate title aspirations. Notre Dame’s only loss of 2021 came against Cincinnati and the Irish finished one spot out of a playoff spot. Jack Coan was a serviceable starter as a grad transfer from Wisconsin, but his eligibility is up and Notre Dame will certainly be looking for a new starter next year. Drew Pyne and Tyler Buchner are both four-star recruits that could be in line to start, but Rattler would be a better option than either of them for 2022. Pyne played the second half of the Cincinnati game and struggled. He finished 9-of-22 throwing, with a touchdown pass.
Buchner is seen as the future at the position, but could new head coach Marcus Freeman be interested in bringing in a veteran option with a lot more experience? This could be a bit of a risk for Rattler given that much of the coaching staff that recruited Buchner is still intact, but if he could win the job and perform well in South Bend, he would certainly have the clout necessary to generate positive draft buzz again. Notre Dame is known for having strong offensive lines and reliable run games as well. Both of those elements would likely make Rattler’s transition easier and would bode well for future success.
UNC This is operating under the assumption that Sam Howell declares for the NFL draft. Mack Brown has put UNC back in the national spotlight very quickly. The Tar Heels did not have the kind of season they had hoped for after opening the year at No. 10 in the AP poll, but the potential for offensive success is still incredibly high. Sam Howell put up some big numbers in his second year under Brown despite having his top two receivers and top two running backs playing in the NFL this season.
The potential is there for Rattler to do the same. Jacolby Criswell would be his main competition for the starting job. However, Rattler was a much higher-rated recruit coming out of high school. Playing in a pro-style offense in the ACC should give him the stage to flourish and rebuild his draft stock. Howell was generating buzz alongside Rattler as the potential first overall pick prior to the season. There is no doubt he could rebound in Chapel Hill.
Georgia This is an interesting and perhaps unlikely destination, but I think it could work well. Stetson Bennett is a redshirt senior, so he will not be back next season. J.T. Daniels still has one more year of eligibility remaining, but he has struggled to stay healthy and I’m not totally convinced the coaching staff believes in him at this stage. Brock Vandagriff could be in the mix as well. The former five-star recruit only appeared in two games this season though, so he will have four more years to work with.
Georgia is undoubtedly going to lose talent to the NFL, but Kirby Smart is arguably the best recruiter in the country. They will reload quickly on both sides of the ball. Putting Rattler in an offense that features Brock Bowers, a dominant running back room and maybe even George Pickens if he returns to Athens sets him up nicely to have success. If he can mature as a decision maker under Todd Monken and perform well against SEC defenses, the NFL will be lining up to watch Rattler play again.
LSU Brian Kelly could use a quarterback. The former Notre Dame coach inherits a roster with a lot of talent, but a huge hole at quarterback following transfers by Max Johnson and Myles Brennan. Garrett Nussmeier is still enrolled at the school and could be the future at the position, but it might take another year for him to be fully ready to start. There is also the tough spot he finds himself with regards to LSU’s bowl game. With Johnson and Brennan gone, he would be in line to start, but that would officially burn a year of eligibility.
It will be interesting to track how Kelly handles that situation. I don’t think it will impact how he approaches the quarterback situation for next year. LSU has five-star quarterback Walker Howard committed for 2022, but I think Kelly could pursue Rattler to give himself a veteran option to start his first season while he turns over the program. Most of LSU’s skill players will return for next year as well, led by Kayshon Boutte. Especially if Joe Brady happens to return to Death Valley, this feels like a dream scenario for Rattler.
UCLA/Oregon Some of this will hinge on what happens next with Chip Kelly. It looks like he is headed back to Oregon after four seasons with UCLA. However, the Bruins will still need a quarterback no matter who the coach is next year. Dorian Thompson-Robinson is graduating after a solid career and the only other quarterback in the mix right now is freshman Ethan Garbers, who transferred in from Washington this year. If Kelly leaves though, this becomes a much less appealing landing spot for Rattler.
Maybe Rattler could follow Kelly to Oregon though. Anthony Brown is done after spending five years with Boston College and Oregon. The Ducks have three freshmen that could all contend for the starting job, but the coach who recruited them there, Mario Cristobal, is now at Miami. It would not be a surprise to see at least one of them enter the transfer portal.
The bottom line is that Kelly’s offense probably bodes well for Rattler’s skillset. He is not quite as mobile as Thompson-Robinson or Marcus Mariota, who thrived under Kelly at Oregon back in the day. That is why this feels like such a good fit. Kelly has a decent track record of developing quarterbacks. Mariota went on to be the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. With Lincoln Riley headed to USC, there is also an opportunity for Rattler to stick it to his former coach. There is a lot to like about Rattler landing in the Pac-12, especially growing up in the Southwest.
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Kelly broke the record for most wins in Notre Dame program history in 2021. (Wikimedia Commons)
Brian Kelly became the first coach to ever leave Notre Dame for a different college job when he decided to head to the SEC and join LSU. He brings with him an impressive track record of recruiting and developing NFL-caliber offensive linemen, turning South Bend into a pipeline to the next level.
I should admit now that I am a big proponent of building a strong offensive line. If you gave me control of an NFL roster or asked me to build an expansion team, I would focus on building up a rock solid offensive line before doing anything else. I definitely subscribe to the idea of building in the trenches. I would even argue that having an elite offensive line is more important to team success than an elite quarterback. That quarterback cannot do much if he does not have time to throw. Anyway, I digress.
Yesterday, I talked about the impact of a coach moving programs and the long-term implications when a coach is known for developing a specific position group. Lincoln Riley’s move to USC bodes well for future Trojan quarterbacks finding success at the next level. He has a strong track record for developing quarterbacks and preparing them for the pros. It is fair to wonder if Kelly could do the same thing with the Tigers.
It is important to separate school history from future success. We saw this year how harmful that can be when D.J. Uiagalelei attempted to replace Trevor Lawrence at Clemson. In short, just because Ohio State has a long history of producing successful NFL defensive backs, that does not mean that every Buckeye corner will be a Pro Bowler. It is important to individually evaluate each player independent of where they went to school, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t look at history to guide where we start looking.
With all that in mind, Kelly developed a ton of high-end NFL starters across the offensive line in his time at Notre Dame. Quenton Nelson and Zack Martin are arguably the two best guards in the league. Ronnie Stanley and Mike McGlinchey, when healthy, are both quality starting tackles. Time will tell when it comes to the three offensive linemen drafted from Notre Dame in 2021. There could be another lineman or two selected in 2022, namely Jarrett Patterson.
Martin is a four-time First-Team All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler. (Wikimedia Commons)
This begs the question: Can Kelly replicate this success at LSU?
Fans will obviously hope so. The Tigers have produced some talented linemen, though not at the same level as the Irish. Lloyd Cushenberry and Damien Lewis are both young starters in the league. Ethan Pocic actually starts next to Lewis in Seattle. The most successful LSU alum on the offensive line in recent years has to be Trai Turner, who went to five straight Pro Bowls from 2015 to 2019. Some success, but far from Nelson and Martin caliber.
Kelly will look to bring that success recruiting and developing linemen for the pros while not jeopardizing LSU’s already existing moniker of DBU. I know there are challenges by Ohio State, Alabama, Florida and strangely Texas to that title, but I firmly believe the true defensive back U is located in Baton Rouge. Tre’Davious White, Tyrann Mathieu, Patrick Peterson are among the best in the league. Kristian Fulton might not be far behind. Derek Stingley Jr. will likely be the latest top-10 defensive back in 2022. Alabama has a legitimate case with Patrick Surtain II, Trevon Diggs and Marlon Humphrey, but I still give LSU the edge.
Kelly has deep recruiting ties in the midwest from his time spent at Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Notre Dame. As it turns out, there are a lot of talented offensive linemen that hail from that region. Ryan Ramcyzk, Terron Armstead, Tristan Wirfs, Taylor Moton, Jack Conklin, Taylor Decker, Joe Thuney, Brandon Scherff, Corey Linsley and Zack Martin hail from either Ohio, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana or Michigan.
On top of that, Louisiana actually had the most active NFL players per capita at the start of the 2021 season. There will be talent for Kelly to work with. He needs to find a way to meld his midwest background with the recruiting hotbed in the Bayou. That is obviously easier said than done, but I think Kelly should be in position to accomplish it. He will need to fill out his staff with coaches who know the territory. While talent is important, having people who can help Kelly create inroads in a state that Kelly himself admitted he had never even been to prior to accepting the job will be vital in upping the program’s offensive linemen production while sustaining their success with developing elite defensive backs.
Much like Lincoln Riley’s move to USC, it will take several years to see the full impact on draft prospects. That being said, I will definitely be tracking LSU linemen a little more closely in the coming years, especially if Notre Dame offensive line coach Jeff Quinn does in fact follow Kelly to Louisiana.
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Lincoln Riley rocked the college football world when he left Oklahoma to become the new head coach at USC. With rumors swirling that Riley could be headed for Baton Rouge, his move to SoCal came as a shock. Before too long though, I began to wonder how this will impact the NFL draft.
I am fascinated by the draft and I always like to explore the ripple effects of moves like this. There is the obvious that Oklahoma is likely going to suffer a short-term setback while USC’s ceiling is raised substantially. How about the implications for USC’s quarterback production at the next level?
Riley is known as a quarterback guru, and for good reason. In a three-year span, Oklahoma produced two Heisman winners, a Heisman runner up, two No. 1 overall picks and a second-round pick. Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts are all starting quarterbacks in the NFL. It is very early in all of their careers, but it is safe to say Riley turned a lot of heads with his ability to make OU a quarterback factory.
Riley went 55-10 in five seasons at Oklahoma. (Wikimedia Commons)
Meanwhile, there is a lot of chatter about USC’s inability to produce NFL-caliber quarterbacks. Not in the draft process, several USC quarterbacks have been first-round selections over the past decade, but when it comes to actually achieving success in the pros, the Trojans are surprisingly lacking.
Since 2000, USC has produced a long list of quarterbacks that played in the NFL. Most have failed to live up to high expectations. Carson Palmer remains the most successful of the group, and he graduated in 2002. Mark Sanchez is still the last USC quarterback to win a playoff game, and that was in 2010.
A closer look sees a list that includes Matt Leinart, who only started 18 games in his pro career. He was a top-10 selection. So was Sanchez, who won a ton of games early in his career behind an incredible offensive line, an elite defense and a reliable run game. He hung around a while and managed to finish his career with a winning record as a starter. However, he also threw three more interceptions than he did touchdowns coupled with a career completion percentage of 56.6.
Matt Barkley followed Sanchez. He seemed poised to be a top-15 pick in 2012, but chose to return to school, had a horrible senior year and fell into the fourth round. He started seven games in six seasons in the NFL. Cody Kessler was next and never wowed scouts. A third-round selection, no one expected him to be a Hall of Famer, but three years split between the Browns and Jaguars ensured that his NFL career never got going. He appeared in nine games during Cleveland’s winless 2016 season as a rookie.
Darnold struggled with turnovers, committing 76 in 47 games. (Wikimedia Commons)
After that was Sam Darnold. The No. 3 pick in 2018, he went two picks after Mayfield, which was a bit of surprise at the time. Darnold has shown flashes in his four-year career, but the Jets cut bait after three seasons and shipped him to Carolina. After a strong start with the Panthers, his production fell off a cliff as he reverted to his interception-happy ways, tossing 11 in nine games. He was eventually benched a few times before suffering a season-ending injury. Carolina will be searching for a new starter in 2022 despite having Darnold under contract for another season for about $19 million.
Needless to say, USC quarterbacks have earned a reputation among draft evaluators. The old adage insists we scout the player, not the helmet. However, I am starting to believe in scouting the coach, if that makes sense. Certain schools have a good reputation for producing good players at certain positions. LSU, Ohio State and Alabama all excel at producing defensive backs that succeed in the NFL. Penn State was known for a long time for producing excellent linebackers. Most of the Big Ten is synonymous with elite offensive line play.
It does not mean that other schools are incapable of producing elite prospects at that position or that any players who goes through these programs are immediately going to be better in the NFL, but we can usually point to certain coaches for being able to recruit and develop well at different positions. There is a reason Alabama dominates the early rounds of every draft. Nick Saban knows how to recruit and develop. Same can be said for Kirby Smart on the defensive side of the ball. Kirk Ferentz has a penchant for producing NFL-caliber tight ends at Iowa.
Bottom line, something has to give. USC has struggled to produce quality NFL quarterbacks, but Riley is known for doing just that. It might be a bit premature to truly award him that recognition given that his three notable quarterbacks are still just getting started in the NFL. Riley’s most recent project was also a failure. Spencer Rattler lost his starting job in October despite entering the year as the Heisman favorite. He will be looking to transfer.
However, there is no doubt that Mayfield, Murray and maybe even Hurts are better NFL quarterbacks than anyone USC has produced this side of Palmer. Caleb Williams also flashed some incredible physical traits and won a lot of games for Oklahoma as a true freshman in relief of Rattler. Early returns indicate that Riley is in fact the real deal.
Slovis is rumored to be considering declaring for the NFL draft. (Wikimedia Commons)
So how soon could Riley snap this streak? Kedon Slovis entered the season as a potential first-round pick. By the end of the year, he went the way of Rattler and lost his job to a talented freshman. That freshman, Jaxson Dart, could be Riley’s first protégé in L.A. If not, Miller Moss, who stepped in for an injured Dart to finish the season against Cal, could be in line for that role. Dart and Moss were four-star recruits, ranking 10th and 12th respectively, in the 2021 recruiting class, according to 24/7 Sports.
What is more likely is that it will take a few seasons before we really see the Lincoln Riley effect take hold at USC. The Trojans do not have any quarterbacks currently committed for 2022. However, 2023 five-star recruit Malachi Nelson has already flipped his commitment from Oklahoma to USC to follow Riley. Nelson feels like the first quarterback that will truly be Riley’s handpicked option. He won’t be draft eligible until 2026 though.
So, it might take a while, but keep in mind that Mayfield, Murray and Hurts were all transfers to Oklahoma. It is very possible that Riley goes that route again. Former five-star Quinn Ewers announced he is transferring from Ohio State. Texas is believed to be the favorite to land Ewers, bringing him back to the Lone Star state, but could Riley lure him to USC? This is not to say Riley will bail on Dart and Moss, but he also did not recruit them.
My guess is that Riley will ride with either Dart or Moss for 2022 before giving Nelson a real chance to compete for the starting job when he arrives in 2023. It might not be immediate, but it feels like USC is finally in line to change the narrative around their quarterback prospects at the NFL level.
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It is hard to believe it is already November. The first round of College Football Playoff rankings have already dropped and the second edition will already see a new top 4 following Michigan State’s loss to Purdue. While I have thoroughly enjoyed this wild college football season, I am also looking ahead to the 2022 NFL draft. This class is one of the most interesting ones we have had in recent years. Without an elite quarterback prospect, this group is dominated by elite offensive and defensive linemen. For the countless general managers who love to build in the trenches, this class is going to be a really fun one.
I already dropped my first mock draft of the year last week, but now I turn my attention to my first big board of the 2022 draft cycle. Mock drafts focus more on team fits, positional value and need. Big boards solely look at who the best prospects are to compete at the next level. While yes, it is likely that a quarterback goes in the top five picks, I do not have any ranked among my top 15 prospects. It is also unusual to see teams taking a safety in the top five, and just because Kyle Hamilton is a top-five player, it does not mean I think he will be a top-five draft pick.
This group has already been a fun one to break down and I have tons more film to go through before we reach draft day. I’ve watched at least two games for just about all of the prospects I have ranked below. This is far from set in stone. It is merely my initial assessment of where these prospects stack up. Without further ado, let’s get to these future NFL stars.
1. Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon There really isn’t anything Kayvon Thibodeaux can’t do. He is dominant as a pass rusher and disruptive against the run. He brings all of the projectables you want to see from a top-end edge rusher. With his length, bend and burst off the edge, he can line up with hand in the dirt or as a standup pass rusher. His ability to change the game makes him the top prospect in this class.
2. Evan Neal, OT, Alabama Size, speed and power. Evan Neal has it all. At 6’7”, 360 lbs, he is a mountain of a man, but moves like someone at least 100 pounds lighter than him. He has experience on both sides of the line, but has shown he is more than capable of holding his own in pass protection this year in the SEC. He has all the tools to be a franchise left tackle. He flashes some moments on film where he just flat out dominates opposing linemen. He did it to DeMarvin Leal earlier this season. I think he will be one of the top five players off the board come April.
3. Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame Independent of position, Kyle Hamilton is one of the best players in this draft. Obviously, we don’t see too many safeties that go in the top three, but Hamilton could genuinely be worth the selection. Unlike Jamal Adams, he has the coverage ability to make him worth the selection this early in the draft. However, he is still a hard hitter who wraps up well and can play just about anywhere you want in coverage. His range makes him a complete player.
4. Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan If it is possible, breaking his leg in 2020 was likely a great thing for Aidan Hutchinson. He was in the mix to go in the top 50 last season. Now, it will be a surprise to see Hutchinson fall out of the top 10. He is a problem for opposing offensive lines in pass protection. He has six sacks this season and the length needed to succeed in the NFL. I expect him to test pretty well at the combine and at his pro day as well to bolster his draft stock.
5. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU Injuries have started to hurt Derek Stingley Jr.’s draft stock. When he has played this year, he has not looked like the elite shutdown corner we saw in 2019 and much of 2020. He has the physical tools and tape to be a top-five pick. However, he is going to need to answer a lot of questions in the pre-draft process. Otherwise, we could see Stingley start sliding much further down draft boards.
6. Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M Pick a position on the offensive line, Kenyon Green has most likely played it. He has taken snaps at every spot except center this year. Many see him fitting best as a guard at the next level, but he has been Texas A&M’s starting left tackle for much of this season. He has not done much to indicate he cannot play tackle in the NFL, but measurements and testing numbers might dictate how teams view him.
7. George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue Purdue has been a giant killer this season. George Karlaftis is a big part of the reason the Boilermakers are making noise on the national stage. He has not put up the huge pass rushing numbers so far this season, but his impact can be seen on tape. He is very capable of turning the corner and chasing down opposing running backs and quarterbacks. He is a quick-twitch athlete with plenty of upside that should land him in the top 10.
8. DeMarvin Leal, DL, Texas A&M Something of a tweener, DeMarvin Leal has plenty of experience at end and at tackle from his time at Texas A&M. I like him best on the interior. That’s not to say he cannot play out on the edge, but I think he projects best as a defensive tackle. His ability to beat interior offensive line off the snap with his quickness is incredibly impactful. He has the strength to fight through run blocks as well. Teams needing a 1-technique or 3-technique player should be all over Leal.
9. Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah One of my favorite players in this draft class, I’ve been banging the drum for Devin Lloyd since 2019. He jumped out to me on film when watching Bradlee Anae. His athleticism and nose for the football stood out. He can do a little bit of everything, evidenced by his 81 tackles, 6 sacks and 3 interceptions in 2021. Sometimes, he is guilty of being over aggressive and not reading his keys, but he is usually an instinctive, downhill player with good production.
10. Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa Given his size, Tyler Linderbaum won’t be for everyone. He is listed at 6’3”, 290 lbs, which is definitely a little light for interior linemen in the NFL. However, he is one of the most agile linemen in the country and has some nastiness to his blocking. For any team that runs a zone blocking scheme or one that emphasizes pulling linemen to block, he would be an excellent fit. Despite that slightly smaller frame, he is still more than capable of blowing opposing defensive linemen off the ball and putting them on the ground.
11. Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati The man known as Sauce is certainly no secret. He is arguably the best player on Cincinnati. Desmond Ridder and Myjai Sanders might have something to say about that. One thing is for sure, he is definitely the best NFL prospect on this team. A big corner, Ahmad Gardner is a press man corner with experience in zone schemes. I think he has the size and traits to be a true No. 1 corner at the next level.
12. Drake London, WR, USC Despite a broken ankle, Drake London is my No. 1 wide receiver right now. He reminds me a lot of Mike Evans in his play style. Given his size and ability to catch the ball away from his body, he is a mismatch for most opposing corners. His production this season certainly points to that. He eclipsed 1,000 yards in just eight games. USC threw at him a lot too, as he recorded at least nine catches in all but one game this year. He certainly has room to improve his route running, but I like what he brings to the table.
13. Jordan Davis, DL, Georgia After watching Jordan Davis, it is fair to wonder how people that large are able to move that fast. Davis is 6’6”, 340 lbs, but he has burst off the line of scrimmage. He can collapse the pocket and stuff the run. On tape, he displays good play strength and a solid understanding of gap assignments. It is fair to wonder how much he benefits from playing with the talent around him. That being said, there is no way Georgia linebackers would look as good without him eating up blocks in front of them.
14. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State Garrett Wilson’s production won’t blow you away. It is solid, with 687 yards and 6 touchdowns on 43 catches, but far from breaking any records. However, his tape tells a different story. He has the stop-and-start ability to make defenders miss, reliable hands and a well-developed route tree. He is an all-around receiver who can fit some different roles as needed.
15. Drake Jackson, EDGE, USC When you look at Drake Jackson’s athletic profile, it is easy to see how he fits at the NFL level. He is built like a prototypical 3-4 outside linebacker, standing 6’4″, 255 lbs. While primarily serving as a pass rusher, Jackson does have a couple of snaps where he drops into coverage, mostly in the flats. It definitely his not is strong suit, but it is good to see him show he is capable of being a three-down player. Why teams will be interested though is because of his quick first step and tantalizing length. He understands the importance of keeping contain, but still has room to grow as a block shedder. He is an intriguing prospect.
16. Ikem Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State The Athletic called him the most feared offensive linemen in the ACC. Put on the film and it is easy to see why. Ikem Ekwonu blocks to the whistle on just about every play, many of which involve him putting defenders on the ground. He shows some incredible raw power as a run blocker and is fairly polished in pass protection. There is room for improvement when it comes to his balance and footwork, but that mostly points to a higher ceiling for him to reach given all his physical gifts.
17. Sean Rhyan, OT, UCLA There are a few things I really like about Sean Rhyan’s game. He always keeps the play in front of him. He slides his feet well and keeps his head up to see what he is hitting. I can’t tell you how many offensive linemen I watch that drop their heads as they lean into a block. You won’t see that very often with Rhyan. He has decent athleticism for the position but it won’t blow you away. If he can take the next step as a run blocker, he could push himself even higher up my board.
18. Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss This is not the year to desperately need a quarterback. That’s not to say Matt Corral won’t succeed in the NFL. His play style and traits are reminiscent of Baker Mayfield, maybe without the same arm strength. Corral does show nice zip on his passes, but his ball placement is inconsistent. He has a good internal clock, but there are moments where he hangs onto the ball too long. He has enough athleticism to hang in the modern NFL, but he won’t be putting up huge rushing numbers. There is definitely a bit of room for improvement if he can improve his accuracy.
19. Christian Harris, LB, Alabama The latest example of the modern day NFL linebacker, Christian Harris is built like a linebacker, but moves like a safety. He has great closing speed and flashes impressive strength as a pass rusher against backs and tight ends. He is a very effective blitzer and has more than enough range to play in coverage. So far, he has not shown the awareness or ability to work through run blocks to be a middle linebacker, but he could fit really well as an outside backer in a 4-3 scheme.
20. Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson I tend to be a fan of taller corners. If you take a look at the top outside corners around the NFL, most are at least 5’11”. Jaire Alexander is pretty much the only elite corner below that threshold, and he is 5’10”. All of that to say that Andrew Booth Jr. checks all the physical boxes for a top outside corner. He has plus athleticism and good ball skills as well. This is more of a projection as to where he could end up, but there is a lot to like so far.
21. Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State This offensive line class is shaping up to be a pretty good one. Charles Cross has all the physical tools to be a really good right tackle and the potential to start as a blindside protector down the line. He is physical in the ground game, even if Mississippi State’s offense does not run the ball much. Cross’ 2021 film shows some improved hand placement and technique in pass protection, but I am concerned by how consistently he is beaten across his face, a cardinal sin in pass blocking. If he can fix the problem, likely oversetting in pass blocking kick, he will move up on my board.
22. Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida Another long, tall corner, Kaiir Elam has all the traits to be a good press-man corner. He is 6’2” with good open field speed and shows physicality on film. I haven’t been able to watch too much of his 2021 film yet, but his 2020 film shows some room for improvement in zone and off coverage. He is definitely better when he is allowed to keep contact with opposing receivers. I’m excited to dig into more of his tape from this year.
23. Malik Willis, QB, Liberty Much like Trey Lance and Jordan Love as prospects before him, Malik Willis has exciting physical traits and some truly spectacular plays on film, but struggles with consistency and has a lot of developing to do before he is ready to be a starting NFL quarterback. The arm talent is clearly there, but he holds onto the ball way too long and has not learned to throw it away. Following a hot start, he has come back down to earth. He now has three games this season with three interceptions. He also took a staggering nine sacks against Ole Miss. Some of that is on his offensive line, but Willis needs to identify the rush and learn to get rid of the football when he knows the pressure is coming.
24. Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama Another year, another incredibly talented Alabama wide receiver. Jameson Williams is not quite as polished or physically dominant as Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, Jaylen Waddle or DeVonta Smith, but he is a solid route runner with good hands and a knack for the big play. He has surpassed John Metchie as the top receiver in Alabama’s offense. I will be really interested to see how he tests during the pre draft process.
25. Daxton Hill, S, Michigan Much of the early scouting process is focused on identifying traits in players that can translate to the NFL. It does not take long to start seeing how Daxton Hill’s traits could translate. He posted the highest SPARQ rating in the 2019 recruiting class and you can see his clear speed and burst when you watch him fly around in Michigan’s defense. He also has reps in man-to-man coverage out of the slot. With experience at both safety spots, he could be a versatile chess piece for defensive coordinators to move around at the next level.
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