Mock Draft Monday 8/11 '25
With You
With You
- NFL Draft Board ‘26
- College Hoops Preview: Purdue
- YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Today’s tune is Lil Wayne’s With You, featuring Drake. This wasn’t much of a hit, and I must’ve missed it because it came out in 2010. That said, the song samples Motown’s Valerie Simpson’s Benjie, which sounds familiar.
On to the sports…
Building A Board
Austin Romaine, LB, Kansas State
Austin Romaine is from Hillsboro, Missouri. He attended Hillsboro HS, where he played on both sides of the ball in football and outfield for the school’s baseball team. As a freshman at Kansas State in ‘23, Romaine had the typical ups and downs but was an honorable mention for the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. He finished with 22 tackles, 3 TFLs, and a sack in 5 starts. In ‘24 as a sophomore, Austin Romaine made all 12 starts for the Wildcats and his production drastically jumped. He came up with 96 tackles, 8 TFLs, 2 sacks, and caused 3 forced fumbles while earning 2nd Team All-Big 12 recognition. Per PFF College, the middle linebacker is considered one of the best returning run-stoppers in the nation as he graded out with an elite 90.7 score against the rush in ‘24.
Dontay Corleone, DT, Cincinnati
Dontay Corleone is from Cincinnati, Ohio. As a senior at Colerain High School, Corleone was named the Greater Miami Conference Defensive Player of the Year, racking up 8 sacks that season. He decided to play for his hometown team and redshirted for the Cincinnati Bearcats in ‘21. As a redshirt freshman in '22, Corleone was rated one of the PFF College’s Top Rated Defensive Players as the underlying stats loved his game. He was named 1st Team All-AAC for his 45 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 3 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and 2 forced fumbles in ‘22. “The Godfather,” as he’s been nicknamed, backed up his strong start to his career with a ‘23 All-Big 12 2nd Team season. He finished with 39 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 3 sacks, and a forced fumble. Corleone’s distinguished Cincy career continued to improve in ‘24 as he was named All-Big 12 1st Team thanks to his 26 tackles, 5 TFLs, and 3.5 sacks despite having to overcome a challenging offseason that forced him to be sidelined with blood clots for three months. With a fully healthy offseason entering his senior year, Corleone will attempt to lead the Bearcats back to above .500 for the first time since his freshman season in ‘22. His NFL size and strength should make him a potential run-stuffing DT at the next level.
Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
Malik Muhammad is from DeSoto, Texas. He helped South Oak Cliff HS win back-to-back state football titles while also participating in basketball and track. As a freshman in ‘23, Muhammad appeared in 14 games with the Longhorns as a depth bench piece, but he still managed to break up 4 passes while coming down with his lone career interception. In ‘24, Malik Muhammad made all 16 starts for Texas on their way to the College Football Playoff Semifinals. Muhammad didn’t come away with a turnover, but finished with 9 pass breakups. Despite being targeted 60 times last season, Muhammad only allowed 30 catches, with only 1 of them going for a score. Now, without Jahdae Barron as the Longhorns' top corner, Muhammad will need to fill in for AP All-American as the Longhorns hope to return to the College Football Playoff again.
Anthony Hankerson, RB, Oregon State
Anthony Hankerson is from Boynton Beach, Florida. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas HS, where he was a 3-star football prospect and a track star. His first stop out of high school was at Colorado. During his 2 seasons with the Buffalo in ‘22 and ‘23, Hankerson served primarily as a backup but was efficient with the playing time he got. In 146 carries at Colorado, Hankerson averaged over 4 yards per carry for 593 rushing yards. He transferred to Oregon State for his junior season. Hankerson broke out in ‘24, finishing with 232 carries for 1,082 yards and 15 TDs on the ground. The 5’8” RB runs through contact and always fights for the extra yard with a knack for 1st Downs (picked up 63 in ‘24). With another year shouldering the Beavers’ backfield load, Hankerson will be on NFL scouts’ radar as a potential mid-round prospect next spring.
Eric Singleton Jr., WR, Auburn
Eric Singleton Jr. is from Douglasville, Georgia. A 3-star prospect from Alexander High School, he became the first WR in school history to have 1,000+ receiving yards in a single season. Singleton Jr.’s first stop out of high school was at Georgia Tech. As a true freshman in ‘23, Singleton earned Freshman All-American status and was the ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year runner-up as he caught 48 passes for 714 yards with 6 TDs. During his sophomore season in ‘24, Singleton Jr.’s receiving numbers stayed steady with 56 catches for 754 yards, while he also added 21 carries for 131 rushing yards to the mix. The 5’10” playmaker served as the Yellow Jackets’ primary kick returner. This past spring, Eric Singleton Jr. transferred to the Auburn Tigers. The versatile transfer WR will compete to be one of the SEC's top newcomers in an offense that should further develop his game.
Ways to go until the start of College Hoops, but might as well start learning a bit about the top teams. So far, there’s been a preview of the two teams that played in the National Championship, the Florida Gators and the Houston Cougars. This week’s is about the projected #1-ranked program entering the season, the Purdue Boilermakers…
Braden Smith, PG, Purdue
Braden Smith is from Westfield, Indiana, about an hour south of Purdue University. He has basketball in his blood as his mother, Ginny, won the 1997 Arkansas Miss Basketball before playing college hoops at Arkansas Tech. His father, Dustin, also coached Braden growing up. Braden Smith won Mr. Basketball of Indiana in 2022, averaging 18.3 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds in his senior season at Westfield High School. He decided to play for the Boilermakers and immediately made an impact as a Day 1 starter. As a freshman, Smith averaged 9.7 points, 4.4 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game en route to being named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team. In ‘23-’24, Smith improved in nearly all aspects of his game, shooting 43% from beyond the arc while averaging 12 points, 7.5 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. His 292 assists that season set a new Purdue and Big Ten record in a single season as Smith became the only player in NCAA history to have at least 450 points, 290 assists, and 250 rebounds. As a junior last season, Smith’s stats continued to improve as he averaged 15.8 points, 8.7 assists (most in the nation), 4.5 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game. Braden Smith won the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year and was an AP 1st Team All-American. The top player on the likely #1 ranked program entering the season, the senior point guard hopes to cement his Boilermaker legacy further before moving on to the NBA.
Trey Kaufman-Renn, PF, Purdue
Trey Kaufman-Renn is from Sellersburg, Indiana. He attended Silver Creek High School and helped the school win a pair of state titles while he took home the Gatorade Player of the Year in Indiana as a junior. With offers from North Carolina and Virginia, TKR chose to take his talents in-state by playing for Purdue. His career with the Boilermakers got off to a rough start when he suffered a knee injury that forced him to redshirt his freshman season. When he returned to the court in ‘22-’23, Kaufman-Renn averaged 4.5 points and 1.8 rebounds per game off Purdue’s bench. He earned a starting role in his sophomore year, with his numbers slightly upticking to 6.4 points and 4 rebounds per game while playing second fiddle to Zach Edey in the low post. Last season, Kaufman-Renn was prominently featured in the Boilermakers’ offense and the results showed. TKR’s scoring output jumped to 20.1 points per game. He also added in a career-high 6.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game to the mix. A low-post power forward, Trey Kaufman-Renn is a crafty finisher around the rim.
Fletcher Loyer, SF, Purdue
Fletcher Loyer is from Fort Wayne, Indiana. He comes from a basketball family as his grandfather played for the Boilermakers in the 1960s. His father, John, is a scout with the LA Clippers, and his older brother, Foster, works in the Brooklyn Nets organization. Loyer starred at Homestead High School, where he was named Indiana's Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior with 26.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. As a freshman at Purdue in 22-’23, Loyer was immediately inserted into the starting lineup as he averaged a clean 11 points per game. His sophomore season in 23-’24 saw his points dip to 10.3, but his efficiency from 3-point range rose to 44% from beyond the arc. Fletcher Loyer averaged a career-high 13.8 points per game last season as he shot 44% from deep again. An off-ball sharpshooter, Loyer’s role will continue to be to spread the floor and defend.
C.J. Cox, SG, Purdue
C.J. Cox is from Lexington, Massachusetts. He attended Milton Academy in Mass, where he was his league’s Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. Before officially signing on to Purdue, Cox earned a spot in Purdue’s Dr. Cornell A. Bell Business Opportunity Program and interned with HYM Investment Group in Boston. Purdue was the only major big-time hoops school to recruit Cox, as his other offers came from the Ivy League and UMass. As a freshman last season, C.J. Cox entered the starting lineup mid-season and played in all 36 games. He averaged 6 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 40% from beyond the arc. His best game thus far of his career was against Nebraska, where he hit 5 3-pointers to score a career-high 23 points. C.J. Cox’s role should continue to grow in the Boilermakers’ offense as a 3-point shooter and he’ll be relied on as a backcourt defender.
Oscar Cluff, C, Purdue
