@YouTheReader this is the 13th Track off of So Far Gone, wow we’ve already done 13 Mock Draft Mondays, where does the time go?!?!?
Strong open. I, too, am also very sorry for not calling on your birthday…
Man, I hate to pass up on an old-school Drake serenation (not sure if that is even a word), but I have to show @YouTheReader something I just pulled off…
…ahhh never mind, nobody cares 😂… on to the Masters’ recap, the real breaking news of the weekend, and a Mock Draft Monday…
The ‘23 Masters
Hello Friends (*Jim Nantz voice*),
Jon Rahm's consistency on Sunday helped complete his comeback to win his first green jacket. Brooks Koepka fell asunder without any injuries to blame. At 52 years old, Phil Mickelson sank 8 birdies in his final round en route to his lowest closing score at the Masters; becoming the oldest golfer with a top-five finish at The Masters. Jordan Spieth tried matching Phil on Sunday, posting a -6 for a top-5 finish. Patrick Cantlay took his sweet ass time, playing 18 holes in 4 hours & 50 minutes. Sam Bennett finished -2 for the tournament, proving that he’s no amateur. Lastly, it was tough to see Tiger withdraw from the Masters, the last time he pulled out of the PGA Championship a screw went through his skin - I can’t imagine this time being any less sore.
Now onto the real story of this past weekend…
1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2…
@TSwifties Week to Week Notes will be here for you as an insightful distraction as we all try our best to make it through these trying times. Please come to Week to Week Notes to cope with Miss Swift and Mr. Alwyn’s breakup. We will get through this together. Also while we’re on to pop culture, how about that Succession episode last night? Now THAT is appointment television, even in ‘23. All timer.
…Sorry for burying the lead, on to the newest edition of Week to Week Notes’ ‘23 NFL Mock Draft.
The Scout That Never Was
@FanInsiders you can do a Mock Draft of your own on FanSpeak.com. Every player has a hyperlink to a YouTube highlight tape if you want to check out their good tape. We’re switching things up this Monday. Full 1st Round and the Fan Insiders’ 2-6 Rounds. I’m also including a bit of commentary about each 1st Round team.
In this hypothetical mock draft scenario, the Jets & Eagles made a deal where the Eagles got the 13th Overall Pick for Round 1 Pick 30, Round 2 Pick 31, Round 3 Pick 31, and Round 7 Pick 31. That wasn’t the only trade made in this simulation, the Jets & Steelers struck a deal where the Steelers received the 10th Pick of the 4th Round for Round 4 Pick 18, Round 7 Pick 17, and Round 7 Pick 24. @YouTheReader we’ll do 3 7th Round Picks of the Jets.
Commentary: Haven’t had an identity since Cam Newton fell off the map. A franchise QB would be a good start.
Bryce Young is the only quarterback in Alabama history to throw for 3,000-plus yards in two seasons. Young finished 2nd in program history for career passing yards (8,356) and passing touchdowns (80). In ‘21, he set the Alabama single-season marks for passing yards (4,872) and touchdowns (47) while winning the Heisman Trophy. Bryce Young had elite escapability in college that he likely may not be able to pull off as much against grown men. His size will also be a cause for concern for some NFL teams. That said, if you are taking a QB with the #1 Overall Pick in today’s NFL, you almost have to expect that the QB can both throw and run. Bryce Young was entered into Saban’s starting QB1 role right after Mac Jones and it was as if the Alabama offense didn’t skip a beat, if anything Young’s legs made them that much more lethal.
Commentary: It is never an ideal situation when the first players you think about with a team (Deshaun Watson and JJ Watt) haven’t played a down for your franchise for 2 years. Texans need a facelift.
C.J. Stroud is a 2-time Heisman Trophy finalist and twice won Big Ten Conference Offensive Player of the Year and QB of the Year. He also was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year for a total of five Big Ten individual awards tying second all-time in conference history with Justin Fields and Orlando Pace and behind only Braxton Miller’s seven. According to PFF College, Stroud led the nation in pass efficiency rating in ‘22 (177.7) and was second in ‘21 (186.6). He ranked 2nd nationally in TD passes in 2’2 (41) and 3rd in ‘21 (44). This made Stroud the 1st QB in Big Ten history to have back-to-back seasons with 30 or more touchdown passes. Former Buckeye and current NY Jets WR (cough, cough, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, cough, cough), Garrett Wilson, has high praise for his former college QB. “Hopefully that wasn’t the last time,” Wilson tweeted, “but just in case… it’s been a pleasure @CJ7STROUD.” This came last March when Stroud threw for his Ohio State WRs that were getting drafted, Wilson & Chris Olave.
Commentary: The Cardinals are being sued by a former team executive who says owner Michael Bidwill was abrasive toward pregnant employees, “created an environment of fear for minority employees” and directed a cheating scandal in which everyone was supplied with burner phones to communicate with suspended general manager Steve Keim - Keim missed a little more than a month for an extreme DUI. (Source: Sports Illustrated) The Cardinals’ response to these claims was to deny, deny, deny, and then announce they were dropping new shiny uniforms sometime this spring.
Will Anderson Jr. may be the best player in the ‘23 NFL Draft. An executive for an NFC team told NFL.com, which told me when I read it that, “Power Five players with traits who get sacks in college are going to get sacks in the pros. Anderson is way more likely to succeed than any of these quarterbacks (in the draft). It’s not even close.” Anderson Jr finished his three years at ‘Bama ranked 2nd on Alabama's career sacks list with 34.5 (-201 yards), trailing only Derrick Thomas. He is a two-time Nagurski Trophy winner (Nation’s best defender), which makes him only the 2nd player in the award's history to take home the honors twice. He was the recipient of the Bednarik Award, which is another award presented to the nation's top defender. He was named the Rotary Lombardi winner, which goes to the player that “best embodies the values and spirit of NFL's legendary coach Vince Lombardi.” Not only that but Anderson Jr was also honored with the Lott IMPACT Trophy which recognizes a player for their performance on the field and character off the field. Only Manti Te'o can say he too swept all four awards. Anderson Jr. in 3 seasons at ‘Bama racked up 62 tackles for loss and a Pick 6 as well. (Source: Bama)
Commentary: The Colts should start to think about what they should do with Jonathan Taylor. While Taylor is still only 24 years old, his value may be peaking. The Wisconsin alum saw a league-high 332 carries in ‘21 and dealt with injuries that made him miss multiple games in a season for the first time in his career. Indianapolis, entering what is likely a rebuilding season, would likely never get more value for Jonathan Taylor than this upcoming draft because his rookie contract will begin coming to a close after ‘23. While 17.5 carries per game in NFL may not sound like much, Taylor carried the rock 926 times in his 3 years at Wisconsin so sadly his body as a star RB may start to break down before you know it (think Ezekiel Elliot).
Anthony Richardson may be the ultimate boom-or-bust prospect of the NFL Draft. He may be one of the most talented QBs to ever enter the Draft, but that said his college production was a bit inconsistent. Richardson closing out his pro day with a cartwheel flip was bold. It’ll either be the stuff of legends or mocked throughout his career if things go sideways. He finished with 2,549 passing yards and 17 touchdowns for an average of 212.42 yards per game, not otherworldly stats by any stretch. He came in 2nd on the team in rushing touchdowns (9) and 3rd in rushing yards (654). He’s drawn comparisons to Cam Newton & Josh Allen and after an expectedly good NFL Combine showing where he ran a 4.44 40-time, comparing him to the former MVP may not be too crazy. (Source: Flordia)
Tyree Wilson was regarded as one of the nation’s top most-impactful players during his final year as a Red Raider. Wilson turned in an All-American type year to place himself among the top prospects for the NFL Draft. In ‘22, Wilson had totaled 61 tackles (36 solo), including 14.0 for a loss and 7.0 sacks, up to the point where a season-ending injury cut his senior year short to just 10 games. In ‘21, Wilson also had 13.5 tackles for a loss and 7 sacks, so his college production doesn’t make him that much of a projection. At 6’6” & 275 lbs., Wilson has all the look of a physically imposing NFL pass rusher and he should be versatile enough to play both defensive end in a 4-3 front or outside linebacker in a 3-4 front.
Commentary: Dan Campbell’s Lions have 2 picks inside the Top 18 of the Draft. If they can hit on those 2 picks, look for Week to Week Notes to project them in 1st Place Week to Week Notes’ NFL Preview in August.
Devon Witherspoon became the first Illinois football player in school history to be named a Jim Thorpe finalist. He also became the first football player in school history to be named a consensus first-team All-American. Both of these accomplishments occurred during the ‘22 season when the Dick Butkus Defensive MVP had 17 pass breakups (good for top 6 in all of the NCAA) and 3 INTs. Witherspoon is a very physical and willing tackler who was more importantly graded the #1 in coverage in the nation (92.5), according to PFF.
Commentary: Going from Derek Carr to Jimmy Garoppolo at QB is like an action movie series jumping from Vin Diesel to John Cena, they both will play the same role the same way. Are you really going to notice much of a difference, the movie is going to be a 37% Rotten Tomato Review and just like watching the Raiders, is it really worth your time watching?
Myles Murphy is credited with 139 tackles (37.0 for loss), 17.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and six pass breakups in 1,543 snaps over 38 games (27 starts) at Clemson. He has drawn comparisons to the #1 Overall Pick last year, Travon Walker. He and Louisville’s Yasir Abdullah as the only two Power Five players to record at least 35 tackles for loss and at least six forced fumbles across the ‘20-’22 seasons. was the only player in the country to produce at least 10 tackles for loss and at least one forced fumble in each of those three seasons. (Source: Clemson)
Commentary: How about the Falcons try to get the ball to Kyle Pitts? Holy shrimp, you draft a stud Calvin Johnson-type freak TE with the 4th Pick in ‘21 and then decide in Year 2 that it’s best to throw to him even less in his 2nd Year? @YouTheReader my bad I’m just still salty about how Pitts was a bust in fantasy in ‘22.
Christian Gonzalez is a 6’2” corner. Gonzalez led the Ducks with 4 interceptions, 3rd-most in the Pac-12, and finished with 50 total tackles (35 solo) and one tackle for loss. Totaled 118 return yards on four interceptions, the most by a Duck in a season since ‘01. He tied for 6th in the Pac-12 with 11 passes defended and tied for 9th with 7 passes broken up. Gonzalez earned an 81.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, the best among all Duck defenders and No. 4 among Pac-12 cornerbacks. (Source: Oregon)
Commentary: The Bears should not be allowed to take an offensive player within the first 3 rounds of drafts. Always go defense and screw it even go special teams. That is how Chicago should always have to be built, it should be mandatory that they are a scrappy team with a vaunted defense and flashy special teams.
Joey Porter Jr is Joey Porter, the former Pittsburgh Steeler’s son. JPJ was named 1st team All-Big Ten by coaches and AP. He earned the team’s Most Valuable Defensive Player. At 6’2” he has great size for a corner and he obviously already has NFL genes in him.
Commentary: Let’s be honest, they’re not going to be able to replicate their regular season of last year again. They do have 2 First Round picks though, so hitting on these should certainly set them up for another NFC East Division title.
Broderick Jones started at LT in all 15 games in ‘22. Jones was named the Associated Press All-SEC First-Team selection. He is entering the NFL Draft as a Redshirt-Sophomore. In ‘21 as a Redshirt-Freshman Jones was named to the Coaches’ Freshman All-SEC Team for playing in every game and starting the last four games of the regular season at LT. When Jones entered college he was ranked as the #11 prospect nationally, the #2 offensive tackle prospect, and the #3 prospect from the state of Georgia. He was an ESPN five-star prospect, the #9 prospect nationally, #1 OT prospect nationally, #5 prospect in the Southeast region, and the #3 in Georgia. (Source: Georgia)
Commentary: What a boring team. I guess Mike Vrabel and Derrick Henry are kind of cool.
Peter Skoronski was a 3-year starter who made an All-Big Ten Team every year. As a junior in ‘22, Skoronski was Unanimous First Team All-American (first ever by an NU player). He was named Rimington-Pace Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year (first ever by an NU lineman). Finished as a finalist for the 2022 Outland Trophy, recognizing the nation’s best college interior linemen on both offense and defense. Finished ‘22 with PFF’s highest pass-blocking grade in the country at 93.0, (also one of highest of all time), allowing only six pressures on 480 pass-blocking snaps. Had the best PFF single-season pass-blocking grade recorded over the last two years. He also finished with a 79.1 PFF run-blocking grade, ranking 5th among all qualifying Power 5 tackles. (Source: Northwestern)
Commentary: Already told you the Texans need a facelift.
Calijah Kancey in ‘22 was an American Football Coaches Association All-American (1st team), Associated Press All-American (1st team), Football Writers Association of America All-American (1st team), Sporting News All-American (1st team), Walter Camp All-American (1st team), CBS Sports All-American (1st team), ESPN All-American (1st team), and Pro Football Focus All-American (1st team). I mean shrimp, I might as well name him a Week to Week Notes All-American 1st teamer. College Football Network (CFN) also named him their National Defensive Tackle of the Year and he was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Kancey became the Panthers’ first Unanimous All-American since defensive tackle Aaron Donald in ‘13. In 133 seasons of intercollegiate football, Pitt players earned Unanimous All-America recognition only 15 times (13 total players have achieved this distinction). Kancey was the only player in the country to be selected as a 2022 finalist for both the Outland Trophy (nation’s best interior lineman) and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (national defensive player of the year). His career stat line at Pitt ended up 37 games played, 16 sacks, 92 tackles, and 34.5 of them being a tackle for a loss. How could this guy fall out of the first round? Well, his size could be a Red Flag for scouts, as he stands 6’0” and weighs in at 280 lbs, which is featherweight for an interior lineman. What he does have going for him is that Aaron Donald is only an inch taller and weighs 284 lbs. (Source: Pitt)
Commentary: I already told you if they won’t replicate last regular season but should still win the NFC East. What else do you want from me?!?
Nolan Smith’s ‘22 season was cut short due to a torn pec. Still, entering the season he was named to preseason watch lists for the Outland Trophy (nation's top interior lineman) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defender). (Source: Georgia) While his career stat line may look a bit underwhelming, 11.5 sacks in 46 games in Athens, NFL scouts may point to Travon Walker from last year as a reason to take Smith in the first two days of the NFL Draft. Like Walker, Smith has some rare athletic traits that could be further developed as he matures as a pass rusher in the pros. Expect scouts to drool over his 4.44 40-time speed, but he’ll need to be coached up some to fine-tune his pass rush moves.
Commentary: Rumor has it that Mac Jones was being shopped. Very sad that Bill Belichick doesn’t believe in his QB.
If it feels like every year Notre Dame has a stud TE entering the draft, that is because they are basically Tight End University. Mark Bavaro, Anthony Fasano, Kyle Rudolph, John Carlson, Tyler Eifert, Troy Niklas, and Cole Kmet, are some of the notable names. Michael Mayer had at least one reception in all 36 games of his collegiate career. That consistency helped make Mayer the school's all-time leader in catches by a TE in an inconsistent offense. Mayer’s 809 receiving yards in ‘22 represented over 30% of Notre Dame’s 2,692 team passing yards. Chargers’ computer simulator is all over Mayer.
Commentary: Jordan Love is obviously the guy and Aaron Rodgers is so washed up. I’m sure the Jets would take #12 off their hands for a mid-round pick. Why would the Packers want to deal with #12 he is such a distraction.
Jordan Addison was the ‘21 Biletnikoff Award (nation’s top receiver) at Pitt before transferring to USC last season. As a transfer at USC, Addison had 59 catches for 875 receiving yards and 8 TDs. He is a natural in terms of route-running, he just knows how to get open. His cutting ability and speed should translate to yards after the catch in the NFL too.
Commentary: Everybody loves to bring up Washington’s current owner, Dan Snyder, for all his failures and his 220 losses. How about his 164 wins? That’s a 42.4% winning percentage that always gets overlooked.
Cam Smith as a starter in ‘21 and ‘22 showed 1st Round NFL talent. He had 6 career interceptions at South Carolina, 4 of which occurred in his final 2 years at SC. In ‘21 he had 9 pass breakups with a 36.5 QB rating when targeted and in ‘22 6 pass breakups with a 71.3 QB rating when targeted. One of his best game tapes is when he went up against Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt, the nation’s fastest WR, and only allowed 65 receiving yards on the day. Despite being tall for a CB, he is twitchy enough as a defender to play both the nickel and outside. (Source: South Carolina)
Commentary: Much like the Bears, once the Steelers have their QB, they should not be allowed to draft anything other than defense until after the 2nd Round. The Steelers’ history of mid-round WRs is ridiculous so I’m this piece of legislation would work out for them.
Kelee Ringo in ‘22 was named 2nd Team All-SEC by Coaches and AP. He has been compared to the likes of a young Patrick Peterson. Ringo at 6’1” runs like the wind with a 4.36 40-time. He red-shirted his freshman season so only played 2 years at Georgia where he had 4 career INTs and 19 career pass deflections. (Source: Georgia)
Commentary: Like I said with the 6th Pick, I really want to put the Lions as the projected First Place team out of the NFC North come this fall, Mo-Town better not mess this up.
Adetomiwa Adebawore in ‘22 was selected third-team All-Big Ten by the media. He registered 31 pressures and 27 run stops (third-most among B1G edge rushers), per PFF this past year. He played on the edge in college but will likely be moved inside to an interior role in the NFL. Adebawore was voted best defensive lineman at the ‘23 Senior Bowl. (Source: Northwestern)
Commentary: They sold their soul to Tom Brady & a group of older veterans and now they’ll be rebuilding. That said, flags fly forever. The Brady Bucs’ accomplished the mission now it’s time for the franchise to turn the page. Maybe change uniforms again.
Will Levis has the prototypical size at 6’4” and 230 lbs. that typical NFL Scouts drool over. The Scout That Never Was isn’t really all about size with QBs, for me, it's more about moxie (think Mike White). Anyway, the Wildcat QB will get compared to Josh Allen a ton in the lead-up to the draft because of his size, elite arm strength, and speed (runs a 4.75 40-time just like Allen). Levis was a two-time team captain for Kentucky after he transferred from Penn State. In 24 starts with the Wildcats, he threw for 43 passing TDs and ran in 11 TDs. His 23 career INTs with Kentucky are for sure a Red Flag, however, people forget that Josh Allen coming out of Wyoming had a similar issue with 21 INTs in 25 games. Levis could definitely be considered a boom or bust QB prospect, but when you factor in that less than half of 1st Round QBs manage to ever have a single 4000-yd or a 24-touchdown season, sometimes it’s best to draft the guy with the best tools and hope it works out. Just like the Bills with Josh Allen.
Commentary: Mentioned before that Geno “They Wrote Me Off But I Ain’t Write Back Though” Smith finally wrote back on the Players Tribune. The link is here again if you want to read it.
Jalen Carter was sentenced to probation in a crash that killed a teammate and a team staffer. The crash happened hours after the Bulldogs’ national championship victory parade. Carter has pleaded no contest this past week to the charges he is facing of racing and reckless driving, according to his attorney, Kim Stephens. @YouTheReader the Computer Simulated Carter to be taken here. It remains to be seen how the NFL will handle this whole situation moving forward.
Commentary: Do people not remember that the Chargers blew a 27-0 lead to Jaguars? That was crazy.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is coming off a ‘22 season where he only played 2 games due to injury. His ‘21 Rose Bowl MVP performance where he had 15 receptions, for 3 TDs and 347 receiving yards was the stuff of legends. Injuries and questions over if he is limited to being a slot WR, where he lined up over 80% of his snaps throughout his career, would be the reason he falls.
Commentary: Have the Ravens ever had an underwhelming draft class?
Anton Harrison in ‘22 played 447 pass block snaps, allowed only 1 sack, gave up no QB hits, and had an 83.3 PFF pass block grade. (Source: @PFF_College) Harrison has experience in both OT positions.
Commentary: Adam Thielen's replacement to play opposite of Justin Jefferson.
Asking any rookie WR to step into an offense and immediately become WR#1 is a bit unrealistic, but Quentin Johnston may have some special YAC ability where they can manufacture him touches. Johnston was a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist in ‘22, recognizing the nation's most outstanding WR. He reached 1,069 receiving yards in ‘22 on only 60 catches for the season. That is an impressive average of 17.8 yards per catch. The 17.8 he averaged this past season was actually a career low at TCU as Johnston averaged 19.2 and 22.1 as a sophomore&freshman with fewer targets. Johnston at 6’4” with 4.4 speed should translate in pros.
Commentary: Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne would for sure sign off on being teammates with Bresee again.
Bryan Bresee is a former #1 recruit in the country that lived up to the billing. He burst onto the college football scene in ‘20 as a Freshman All-American. Became the second ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in Clemson history, joining Dexter Lawrence (‘16). Credited with 64 career tackles (15.0 for loss), 9.0 sacks, four pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble, and a safety in 26 games (21 starts). He also contributed offensively to Clemson’s jumbo package. Bresee tore his ACL in ‘21 so this previous offseason he was spending most of it rehabbing the injury. This should not really weigh much into NFL GMs decisions as he appears to be fully recovered. His athleticism and versatility as a defensive lineman would make him an easy fit for any potential football team. (Source: Clemson)
Commentary: Chargers fan insider saw Daniel Jones at 10th & Willow the other weekend. He said he was really big.
Trenton Simpson was a ‘22 Dick Butkus Award and Lott IMPACT (Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, and Tenacity) semifinalist. His 4.39 40-time speed as a linebacker makes him extremely versatile. Although he at times may struggle in pass coverage, Simpson has great pass rush instinct from a stand-up linebacker. In ‘20 and ‘21, he combined for 10 sacks. He may have only had 2.5 sacks last season, but Simpson can hold his own as a chess piece on defense and at times line up essentially as a safety for Clemson.
Commentary: Zack Martin and Tyron Smith are only getting up there in football age, maybe it’s time for another O-Lineman in Dallas?
Paris Johnson Jr is a two-time OSU Scholar-Athlete who is majoring in journalism and has written numerous articles that have been published in the school newspaper, The Lantern. (Source: The Ohio State University) Here hyperlinked is something he wrote on the Ohio State baseball team. The 6’6” and 310 lbs. left tackle played mostly guard before moving outside to tackle in ‘22. He anchored the blindside OL line that is sixth nationally in fewest TFLs allowed (37; only 7 sacks allowed). In 757 snaps at the new position, he gave up only 9 QB hurries, no QB hits, and two sacks. Johnson has the prototypical size and athleticism to play tackle in the NFL and also has a bit of a mean street on the field, which is never a bad thing on the gridiron.
Commentary: I would go RB here but I already think James Cook is their RB1.
Brian Branch in ‘22 started every game at Nick Saban’s “star” position. He earned 1st Team All-America honors as the defensive back from CBS Sports and ESPN.com and at the flex position by PFF. He was selected as a 2nd Team All-American by the AP. He recorded 90 tackles, good for 3rd on the Tide’s defense. As a DB, he impressively finished 2nd on the team with 14 tackles for loss, including 3 sacks while adding in 7 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, and a pair of QB hurries. Branch also returned a punt for a 68-yard TD. He can play all over the defensive backfield. His 4.44 40-time gives him the range to play CF as a safety and his hard-hitting tackling ability allows him to also blitz or be a pseudo linebacker. (Source: Roll Tide)
Commentary: With Joe Mixon facing a criminal charge of aggravated menacing, the Bengals have been non-commital about his status as starting RB on the team.
Bijan Robinson made 28 starts at Texas and was the winner of the 2022 Doak Walker Award (Nation’s Top RB). He ranks 4th all-time in Longhorn history with 3,410 rushing yards and 41 total touchdowns (33 rushing, 8 receiving). Robinson was a unanimous All-American in ‘22, the 4th UT RB to earn the honor, joining James Saxton (1961), Earl Campbell (1977), and Ricky Williams (1997, 1998). He finished 9th in Heisman Trophy voting in ‘22. At Texas, he had 18 career 100-yard rushing games, including a streak of 7-straight games that is the 3rd-longest in program history. His 33 career rushing touchdowns are the 3rd-most in Texas history. Robinson ranks 4th all-time in UT history in tandem yards (4,215), 8th in all-purpose yards (4,231), and 9th in points scored (246). He had 805 career receiving yards, the 3rd-most all-time for a Texas RB, and his 8 career receiving touchdowns are the most ever for a Texas RB. All of these accolades plus his relentlessness, size, power, and speed make him the consensus RB #1 in the ‘23 NFL Draft Class. (Source: Texas)
Commentary: What do you think Derek Carr and Jameis Winston are going to talk about in the QB room?
Josh Downs finished his career with 2,483 yards receiving, the 4th-highest total in UNC history. He had 22 career touchdown receptions, 2nd most in school history. Downs is one of three players in UNC history with over 200 career receptions, finishing third on the school’s all-time list with 202. He is one of two players in Carolina history with two 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Downs finished First-Team All-ACC in both ‘21 & ‘22. (Source: UNC)
Commentary: Hold the leverage line and see if they can acquire Aaron Rodgers without giving up any 1st Round Picks.
Darnell Wright is a talented and powerful offensive tackle who has positioned himself as one of the top offensive line prospects for the ‘23 NFL Draft. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the nation’s top 10 prospects coming out of Huntington High School in West Virginia. Wright can play tackle or guard and dominated at right tackle for the Vols in ‘22 earning first-team All-SEC honors. He concluded his career without allowing a sack in 19 consecutive games. Played in 47 games and made 42 starts – 27 at right tackle, 2 at right guard, and 13 at left tackle. Wright saw action on 2,746 offensive snaps in his four seasons. (Source: Tennessee)
Commentary: The Chiefs should only be allowed to draft offense.
Jalin Hyatt is all gas, no brakes. The ‘22 Biletnikoff Award Winner was the nation’s most explosive playmaker. Hyatt holds the Tennessee school records for single-game touchdown receptions (5 vs. Alabama on 10/15 ‘22) and single-season receiving touchdowns (15 in ‘22). Of his 108 career catches, 52 went for 10+ yards, 30 for 20+ yards, 21 for 30+ yards, and 12 for 40+ yards. (Source: Tennessee) In my opinion, he’ll be taken in the 1st round of the draft, but scouts may be skeptical that Hyatt really only has one year of elite college production. Tennessee WR Coach Kelsey Pope said this past Aug ‘22, “Jalin Hyatt is like a different person this year. Impressing early. Put on 8-10 pounds in weight and continue to improve.” The added muscle during the offseason from hard work certainly played a key factor in his breakout season. An easy player comparison as a floor for Hyatt would be Robbie Anderson. If Hyatt is able to add more than just the 4.2 40-time straight-line speed into his game, he may be Scary Terry McLaurin good or maybe even better - why place ceilings on a hard-working 21-year-old?
John Michael Schmitz was an AP 1st Team All-America in ‘22 and All-Big Ten First Team in ‘22 for coaches & media. Started all 12 regular-season games at center. He blocked for an offense that rushed for 2,698 yards and 33 touchdowns and one that passed for 2,369 yards and 12 touchdowns. (Source: Minnesota)
Cody Mauch was nicknamed “Toothless and Ruthless” for his play at the Senior Bowl. He does not in fact have his two front teeth, but when you’re in the football trenches like he is, who cares? During his time as Bison, Mauch played a bit of guard and both of the tackle positions. He was AP All-America 2nd Team in ‘21. When he 1st walked on to North Dakota State, he was a 220 lbs. TE before he eventually bulked up to a 300+ lbs. offensive tackle without losing much speed. He was the captain of his team during his junior & senior seasons and he only gave up 2 sacks throughout his 5-year college career. Although he comes from a small school, his size, hair, and smile should make him stand out in the NFL.
Antonio Johnson was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week and Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week honors after recording 13 tackles in the ‘22 win against Arkansas. (Source: The 12th Man) His sophomore season of ‘21 was what put Johnson on the NFL scouting map. He 58 tackles, 18 assists, and had 26 stops (the total number of plays by a defensive player that prevent a successful play by the offense, defined as 45% of needed yards on first down, 60% of needed yards on second down, and 100% of needed yards on third or fourth down, according to Football Outsiders). In coverage, he totaled one pass breakup, one interception, and an impressive QB rating of 71.2 when targeted against. Johnson regressed in ‘22 a bit in terms of coverage (91.2), but still kept to par in run defense with 55 tackles, 16 assists, and 28 stops. His 6’3” size should help the 21-year-old fill out into a very physically imposing safety one day.
Jahmyr Gibbs is an explosive play-maker who transferred to Alabama from Georgia Tech ... Gibbs finished second in Crimson Tide's single-season history for receptions by an RB with 44. He earned 2nd-Team All-SEC recognition from both the AP and the league coaches as an RB and an all-purpose player. Gibbs averaged 6.1 yards per carry to rank 3rd in the SEC and totaled a team-high 926 rushing yards, good for 7th in the SEC while adding seven TDs on his team-high 151 carries ... He led the Tide with 44 receptions for 444 yards and 3 receiving TDs as well. Gibbs also has return skills. He returned 13 kickoffs for 258 yards with a 57-yard return being the long. His 1,628 all-purpose yards rank 3rd in the SEC and 21st nationally. (Source: Roll Tide)
Sam LaPorta ranks 14th in career receiving yards with 1,786 yards on 153 receptions . . . among Iowa tight ends all-time, ranks first in receptions and second in receiving yards . . . according to PFF in ‘21, led Big Ten tight ends in receptions (53), yards (670), yards after catch (299), yards after contact (206) and catches of 15+ yards (18). He maintained a streak of 24 straight games with at least one reception from ‘19 through 10 games in ‘21. (Source: Iowa)
Recipient of the William V. Campbell Trophy awarded by the National Football Foundation to the American college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance. It is considered by many to be the "Academic Heisman.” Jack Campbell was also the winner of the Butkus Award as the top linebacker in the nation.
Devon Achane in ‘22 was named All-SEC First-Team Running Back, All-SEC First-Team All-Purpose Player, and an Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Semifinalist. He started his career with the Aggies at an 8.5-yards per carry clip in ‘20. His yards per carry took regressed a bit in ‘21 to a 7.5 yards per carry clip, before falling off a cliff to a 5.6 yards per carry last year. @YouTheReader any RB who runs above 4.5 yards per carry in a game likely had a great day on the ground, so anything above 5 yards per carry on a season is absurd. Achane also returned kicks at Texas A&M, averaging 30.6 yards per return (well above average) and scoring 2 TDs. Achane would be a very scary addition to an offense in Miami that already had so much speed at the playmaking position.
DJ Turner was a two-time All-Big Ten selection (second team coaches; third team media, ‘22; honorable mention, coaches and media, ‘21). He Shared Most Improved Player (Defense) honors and Defensive Skill Player of the Year honors in ‘21. He played a ton of special teams at the beginning of his time at Michigan before ‘22 when he started all 14 games at cornerback; made 36 tackles with one for loss, one interception among 11 pass breakups, and one fumble returned 45 yards for a touchdown and one quarterback hurry, and returned one punt, to earn his fourth varsity letter. (Source: Michigan)
Daiyan Henley played one year at Washington State as a graduate transfer from Nevada. Henley was named to All-Pac-12 Conference First Team as a linebacker and All-Pac-12 Second Team as an all-purpose/special teams player. He was a Butkus Award Finalist (top college linebacker), the first Butkus finalist in Washington State’s program history. In ‘22 alone, Henley had 106 tackles, 12 of which were for a loss of yards, 1 INT, 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries. Henley has all the tools to be a stud LB in the NFL as he seems to be a natural in coverage on an island. (Source: Washington State)
Round 3
Pick 13 (Patriots): Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami
Tyrique Stevenson has good technique, size (6’), and speed (4.45 40-time). An AFC Scout (not the scout who never was) at the Senior Bowl said, “I loved watching (Tyrique Stevenson) play in Mobile. He was the best guy there by far.” Another NFC Scout said, “Stevenson looked like he could play right away and live at the line of scrimmage” meaning he could be a press corner from the get-go. In ‘22, he had 2 INTs and 7 pass deflections. (Source: Miami)
Blake Freeland played offensive line as a four-year starter at BYU (2019-22), appearing in 44 games with 41 starts. He was named Third Team AP All-American in ‘22. One of six players to start all 13 games in ‘21, helping lead BYU's offense to score 33 points per game, average 452 yards of total offense per game, and achieve a 46% third-down conversion rate with 89% scoring efficiency (49 of 55) on red zone trips. The offense allowed just 15 sacks on the season. 6’8” & 315 lbs. (Source: BYU)
Darius Rush originally went to South Carolina as a WR. After redshirting his freshman year in ‘18, he went into ‘19 training camp as a pass catcher and came out guarding them. In ‘21 & ‘22, he made 21 combined starts and ended up with 3 INTs with 18 pass deflections. He possesses very good ball skills, it’s not like they left him once he switched to defense, and he also has very good route recognition from his days running routes. (Source: South Carolina)
Jaquelin Roy’s first year as a full-time starter was in ‘22 and he posted a career-high 49 tackles from Defensive Tackle. 6’4”, 300 lbs, and athletic. A key figure among LSU’s deep and talented defensive front. Tremendous upper body strength. A run stuffer who can also get after the quarterback. Quick feet and difficult to block. Roy has had Top-30 visits with the Bills and Eagles, some of the NFL’s best scouting departments. (Source: LSU)
In ‘22 Nathaniel Dell was named a Team Captain of his Houston Cougars squad. He also led the nation in receiving yards (1,398) and receiving touchdowns (17). The only thing that may hold back Nathaniel “Tank” Dell from being drafted earlier is he only weighs 165 pounds. Even if the slight frame may deter teams from drafting Tank as the focal point of their offense, his speed and twitch should at least make him an above-average NFL punt returner.
Henry To’oTo’o earned first-team All-SEC honors from the league coaches. He was a true leader on a Nick Saban defense which almost certainly stands out for NFL scouts. Like most Saban LBs, To’oTo’o seems to have good instincts at linebacker which makes up for him being a bit undersized. He has some real athleticism but didn’t have much production in either pass coverage or pass rush.
Jartavius Martin in ‘22 was voted to the All-Big Ten second team by the media and captain of the team for his 64 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack, three interceptions, 11 pass breakups, one quarterback hurry, and two forced fumbles on the season. No. 4 tackling grade in the nation among cornerbacks (90.4), according to PFF. 22nd in the nation and third in the Big Ten in passes defended (14). In ‘21, Martin had 55 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, one interception, seven pass breakups, and one forced fumble on the season. He has experience at cornerback in college but will play safety in the pros. (Source: Illinois)
AT Perry had a storied career not only at Wake Forest but in the entire ACC and national landscape that included a program record 28 touchdowns which also is tied for seventh in ACC history. He holds the Wake Forest record with 15 touchdown receptions during the ‘21 season. Perry tied the program record with 12 100-yard receiving games. He is the only player in Wake Forest program history to have two double-digit touchdown seasons, doing so during the ‘21 and ‘22 seasons. He is also the only player in program history to have two 1,000-yard seasons, doing so during the ‘21 and ‘22 seasons. He totaled 2,662 receiving yards which ranks third in school history. Perry ranks sixth in program history with 171 career catches. 6’5” lanky WR who runs like a gazelle. (Source: Wake Forest)
Colby Wooden was a 3-year starter along the DLine at Auburn. He had 152 career tackles, 30.0 career TFL, and 17.0 career sacks. In ‘20, he was on the SEC all-freshman team. (Source: Auburn)
Dylan Horton set a College Football Playoff record with 4.0 sacks in the semifinal win over Michigan. The 4.0 sacks were also the most by a Horned Frog since Mat Boesen had a TCU and Big 12 record 5.5 in a ‘17 win over Baylor. Horton’s 10.5 sacks in ‘22 led the Big 12 and tied for 8th nationally. (Source: TCU)
Rakim Jarrett stands 11th in Maryland program history in career receptions (119), 12th in career touchdowns (10) & 13th in career yards (1,552). Jerrett had tallied at least one reception in 25 straight games and was 3x Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (‘20-’22). (Source: Maryland)
K.J. Henry in ‘22 as a fifth-year senior had 30 tackles, 11 assists, and 21 stops. While in coverage Henry made one pass breakup, no interceptions, and an unimpressive QB rating when targetted of 129.2. As a pass rusher, he tallied 50 total pressures, which included 31 QB hurries, 14 QB hits, and a decent 5 sacks on the season.
Zack Kuntz transferred to ODU from Penn State. At Penn State, Kuntz earned Academic All-Big Ten honors. With ODU in ‘21, Kuntz was First-Team All-Conference USA. He led ODU and was second in the country among tight ends with 73 receptions. He was second on the team in receiving yards and ninth among tight ends with 692. Kuntz tied for the team lead and tied for ninth among tight ends with five TD grabs. In ‘22, Kuntz started the first five games before suffering a season-ending injury. (Source: ODU)
Alex Austin was All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention in ‘22. Austin had 57 tackles with one sack, one fumble recovery, two interceptions, and 10 pass breakups in ‘22. In ‘21, Austin had played in and started all 13 games, making 47 tackles with half a tackle for loss and seven pass breakups. Also had two INTs. (Source: Oregon State)
Eric Gray earned 1st-team All-Big 12 recognition from PFF in ‘22. Gray was an All-Big 12 2nd Team selection by league coaches and AP. He was an Academic All-Big 12 First Team honoree and one of three recipients of the program’s coveted Don Key Award (for excellence on and off the field). Gray started all 12 regular season games and produced the 9th-best single-season rushing total in OU history (1,366 yards). He ended up in 3rd in all-purpose yards per game (132.9) in the Big 12. Gray runs with violence. (Source: Oklahoma)
Dorian Williams was a 3-year starter at Tulane who broke out in ‘20 as a sophomore when he had 15.5 TFLs. In his senior year in ‘22, Williams had a career-high in tackles (132), sacks (5), and INTs (2). Unlike the two previous LBs mentioned in the last two picks, Williams is a small-school linebacker who played for a team that went 15-22 from ‘19 to ‘21 before he led their defense his senior year to a 12-2 record. Tulane in ‘22 was ranked as high as #9 by the AP, the first time they have been ranked since 1998.
Riley Moss was voted a permanent team captain for the ‘22 season. He won Iowa’s Hustle Award in ‘21 and ‘22. Moss was first-team All-Big Ten by coaches and second-team All-Big Ten by the AP. In his 54 games as a Hawkeye, Moss started in 40 of them, had 37 pass breakups, 11 INTs, and scored 3 defensive TDs. Moss has vertical-jumped 42 inches and broad-jumped 10-8. We’re told he has clocked the fastest short shuttle time for DBs in Kirk Ferentz’s two decades-plus at Iowa, blazing through it in 3.85 seconds.
Named Michigan’s Offensive Skill Player of the Year in ‘22. Tore his ACL in ‘21 and came back to Ann Arbor as a graduate student to produce his best season. His high school prep stats rank him top 3 in Missouri state history in receptions, yards, and touchdowns with NFL players Dorial Green-Beckham and Jeremy Maclin. (Source: Michigan)
Jakorian Bennett was named the ‘22 Duke's Mayo Bowl MVP and was selected to the ‘22 PFF All-Bowl Team. His 11 pass breakups in ‘22 ranked 3rd in the Big Ten. He led all FBS players in passes defended since the beginning of the ‘21 season with 29. (Source: Maryland)
Kei'Trel Clark in ‘21 earned second-team All-ACC accolades. He played in eight games before tearing his ACL. In ‘22, he didn’t miss the action, making 12 starts at corner for the Cardinals. FInished his career in Louisville with 5 INTs and 28 passes defended. (Source: Louisville)
DJ Johnson possesses extreme athleticism, so much so that he played Edge as well as TE throughout his career in Oregon. In ‘22 as a senior, he returned to defense full-time in his final collegiate season. He played in 11 of Oregon’s first 12 games, making 10 starts, before opting out of the SDCCU Holiday Bowl to prepare for the ‘23 NFL Draft. This past season he led the Ducks with a career-high 6.0 sacks, tied for fifth-most in the Pac-12 … He was 2nd on the team with a career-high 8.5 tackles for loss. Johnson had 39 total tackles, including 15 solos. He closed his collegiate career with 67 tackles, 19.5 TFLs, and 9.0 sacks over 6 seasons. (Source: Oregon)
Ventrell Miller earned his bachelor's degree in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences (Fall ‘22). Two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll (‘19-’20) who had played tough, physical, speedy, and instinctive. Ventrell Miller had 7.5 career sacks with 23.5 TFLs playing outside linebacker as a Gator. (Source: Florida)
Hunter Luepke was the ‘22 NCAA Championship Game's (NCAA Division I Subdivision) most outstanding player where against Montana State with 14 carries for 82 yards and three touchdowns. At fullback, he had 33 career rushing & receiving TDs. He has the skill set of more than just your typical FB and could be used as a weapon as well as a lead blocker. (Source: North Dakota State)
Terell Smith in ‘22, Started all 13 games, made 38 tackles (34 solo), and had 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He also broke up five passes, had two interceptions, and forced one fumble. He is versatile but best in man, with press-man being his forte. (Source: Minnesota)
Henry Bainivalu was the starting right guard for Washington from ‘20 to ‘22, making all 28 starts. In ‘22 he was named All-Pac-12 Second Team. 6’7” and 307 lbs. (Source: Washington)
Viliami Fehoko was the Moutain West Defense Player of the Year in ‘22. Fehoko ed the Mountain West and finished fifth in the country with a career-high 19.0 tackles for loss. He also finished third in the league and finished 17th in the country with a career-high nine sacks. Viliami Fehoko stands at 6’4”, 263lbs, and runs a 4.72 40-yard dash. (Source: San Jose State)
Darrell Luter Jr was named second-team All-America by Pro Football Focus in ‘21. He was selected as the Sun Belt Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year by PFF that year. Led the Sun Belt in passes defended per game and was second in interceptions per contest. Luter Jr impressed well at the Senior Bowl and ran a 4.46 40-time. (Source: South Alabama)
DeMarcco Hellams led Alabama and ranked sixth in the SEC in tackles with 108, including three for loss (-11 yards) and one sack (-8 yards) also broke up seven passes, recorded a quarterback hurry, notched one interception and forced a fumble that he recovered. Nick Saban named him one of the defensive players of the week for his efforts against Texas, ULM, Arkansas, Mississippi State, LSU, Ole Miss, and Austin Peay. Earned his starting safety spot in ‘21. (Source: Roll Tide)
Mohamoud Diabate transferred to Utah from Florida. At Utah in ‘22, Diabate started 12 games at mac linebacker and had a team-est 13.5 TFL. His 58 total tackles ranked second in the linebacker room. As a Gator, Diabate, played in 37 games with 17 starts at Florida from 2019-21, recording 176 total tackles (14.0 TFL, 6.0 sacks), three forced fumbles, two pass breakups, and an interception. (Source: Utah)
Alex Forsyth played in and started 12 of 13 games at center for the Ducks in his final collegiate season, missing one game due to injury. He Forsyth was a finalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award, given to the player in college football who best demonstrates an outstanding record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity, and sportsmanship. He finished his career playing 1,983 offensive snaps across five seasons at Oregon, including 1,892 at center. He led Oregon’s starters with an 85.8 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, fourth-best among all FBS centers, and tied for 21st among all offensive linemen. (Source: Oregon)
Kendall Randolph played in all 13 games with three starts for the Crimson Tide. His starts were made up of two at left guard and one at tight end. He recorded 10 knockdown blocks on the year. Developed a role as both an offensive lineman and in-line tight end. "This is one of the guys that I'm most proud of in terms of where he came from when he was a young player to where he is now” - Nick Saban. (Source: Roll Tide)
Asim Richards in ‘22 Started all 14 games on the offensive line. He earned third-team All-ACC honors. He played 1,049 snaps at left tackle and allowed only three sacks. Richards blocked for an offense that averaged 309.3 yards passing per game (11th NCAA/2nd ACC), 462.8 total yards per game (19th NCAA/2nd ACC), and 34.4 points per game (26th NCAA/3rd ACC). (Source: UNC)
Dee Winters according to reports (@CamMellor) was unblockable in the pass rush drills at the Senior Bowl. Finished career at TCU with 246 tackles, 3 INTs, 33.5 tackles for loss, and 12.5 sacks. His 4.5 40-time speed should translate well as a blitzer and someone who can guard TEs & RBs out of the backfield at a decent rate. (Source: TCU)
Malik Cunningham passed for 7,889 career yards and 62 touchdowns in his career. He ranks second all-time at UofL for rushing TDs by a quarterback with 38 (behind Lamar Jackson), seventh with 62 career touchdown passes, and second with 100 touchdowns responsible for. Often compared to Lamar Jackson because of the school, Cunningham actually had a higher QB rating, completion %, and yards-per-completion. Cunningham ran a 4.53 40-time. (Source: Louisville)
Dermario Douglas runs a 4.4 40-time at 5’8” and 175 lbs. Reports out of the Senior Bowl are that he was consistently open. He made the Paul Hornung Award watch list (most versatile player in college football) his senior year in ‘22. He can put on matrix moves as a punt returner. NFL teams could probably also use him in their screen game. In his final year at Liberty, Douglas had 70 catches for 980 yards for an average of 14.0 yards per catch with 6 TDs. (Source: Liberty)
Grant DuBose received high praise from Steve Smith. DuBose story that led him to Charlotte started while he was working at Walmart. Dubose had 0 Division I offers coming out of high school in ‘19. He played his freshman season at Miles College, a small Division II school in Fairfield, Alabama. After the COVID ‘20 season, DuBose returned to his hometown and worked multiple part-time jobs. He somehow convinced UNC Charlotte’s coaching staff to take a flier on him for a tryout. Not only did Dubose earn a scholarship, but he also made an immediate impact, catching a 56-yard TD on his first target & first career touch at UNC Charlotte against Duke. DuBose had only played on the team for 2 years & stands 4th all-time with 1684 career receiving yards in two seasons, 2nd all-time with career 70.2 receiving yards/game, and 3rd all-time with 15 career TD catches at Charlotte. (Source: UNC Charlotte)