We’re about three weeks away from the 2024 NFL Draft and to complement all my positional rankings, I wanted to highlight some prospects that I haven’t gotten to yet or were outside the top-10/12 in their respective classes, who I believe are being undervalued on consensus boards and I wanted to plant my flag on as “my guys”.
Finishing up week three of your positional draft rankings, we switch back over to the defensive side of the ball, with the guys threatening the edge against the offensive tackles we discussed a few days ago. The NFL has evolved to a point where we can group them together as EDGEs rather than having to use traditional 3-4 outside linebacker and 4-3 defensive end designations, although I will describe which roles I believe these prospects can fit at the end of each paragraph, along with analyzing their strengths and weaknesses, plus in which range I’d personally value them. At this point, I also want to re-iterate that my rankings are based purely on tape evaluation, without information on potential medical or off-field concerns.
This class hasn’t been discussed a whole lot I’d say because we don’t have a headliner like Myles Garrett, one of the Bosa brothers or Chase Young at the top, but there’s still plenty to like. Personally, I believe you can make a case for any of the top three names as EDGE1, depending on which type of player you’re looking for and they’ll all be inside my top-15 overall prospects. I could see about nine or ten additional guys hear their names called on day two, although I don’t see as many intriguing developmental projects in the middle to late rounds as the OT class featured.
I want to note that typically, I have used two or three paragraphs – depending on position – to describe the positives for each position. In this case, I simply used “run defense” and “pass-rush” and added a short line about them dropping into coverage, if I thought it was fitting, since none of these guys were asked to do that 100+ in any season, as far I’m aware.
Here’s the list:
We talked about a lot flash with a tremendous wide receiver class last week and then while not as stacked with top-end talent, an incredibly deep cornerback group. Now, let’s transition to the trenches and start with the guys asked to block, so the quarterback can even get the ball out in the first place.
Although I don’t want to hype up all these positions, this is a strong stretch we’ve arrived at, because I would argue while we can discuss the order the two groups we just talked about plus offensive tackle are the top three classes overall. I have six names with legit first-round grades, about ten more who should go day two and then there are some very interesting developmental to take on shot rounds four through seven.
Three players who played tackle in college but will be part of my interior O-line rankings next week – Duke’s Graham Barton, Kansas’ Dominick Puni and TCU’s Brandon Coleman.
Here’s the list and I think we start off with a slight surprise for many people:
We’re kicking off week two of our positional draft rankings. After discussing the top ten running backs and linebackers already, we’re advancing to wide receivers. I’m explaining my reasoning for how I have these names stacked up based on in-depth tape analysis, while using advanced metrics and to some degree testing numbers to aid my arguments.
Similarly to most years recently, we have a massive influx of pass-catching talent due to how much more aerial-centric football has become at the youth levels already. Yet, unlike some other drafts we’ve gone through, this group includes some true blue-chip talent. I have two guys with true top-five grades, another name that’ll probably end up in my top ten on the big board and potentially up to like 20 receivers inside my top-100. So I may have to come back in my annual “my guys” episode to discuss some of these lower-ranked names, since there’s still a lot to like about them.
Now let’s get into the list however:
It’s that time of the year! We’re just over six weeks away from the start of the 2024 NFL draft and I will spend that time presenting my top-ten prospects at every single position with in-depth evaluations, alternating between offense and defense with counterparts so to speak. I will talk about individual skill-sets, bring up relevant measurables and statistics, potential scheme fits and about where I personally value those names.
We’re kicking things off – as always – with the running backs (meaning linebackers will follow on Friday). This class lacks big names at the top, but it’s a very deep class, where we could see a run start once the first name comes off the board around the top-50 and we probably see over 20 guys get the call overall.
Let’s get straight into the list:
The 2024 NFL scouting combine is in the books and I’m here to tell you helped or hurt their draft stock working out in front of decision-makers across the league.
While you have to be cautious about what to do with that new information and what those testing numbers mean, they give us a reason to compare how things match up with the tape and if a couple of prospects are closely graded, this can be the decisive factor for how they ultimately stack up.
I present to you one name at each position that is currently on the rise and fall each:
The NFL trade deadline for 2023 has come and gone. Unfortunately, we didn’t get as much action altogether as last year, nor did we have legit superstars being moved. Most frustrating among the names everybody wanted to see with a change of scenery was Davante Adams, whose frustration in Las Vegas has continued to grow and since then the names at the top of the operation have been let go. However, we did see a few contenders make potentially crucial additions and also a couple of surprises on Halloween.
So now I want to take a look at those eight trades that went down this week, talk about the compensation and break down what those mean for both sides. I did not include Kevin Byard being shipped from Tennessee to Philadelphia for a bag of chips a week prior, because Eagles GM Howie Roseman yet again was able to acquire a veteran DB that should be a key pieces at a position of need for way under market value.
Let’s focus on the rest of the list now:
Three weeks into the 2023 college football season, I decided it was time to give an overview of the landscape and list my top players in the nation right now, going through each position. Generally I tried to stick with five or six names – if there was a tie for number five – but for some of these I felt the need to quickly outline one other player, who I struggled with ranking due to different circumstances, but looked at as worthy of bringing up in this discussion.
Please bear in my mind that I look at this through the lens of where these guys are right now at the college level, rather than evaluating them as NFL Draft prospects – there’ll be plenty of time for late from February until the end of April and beyond – although I may mention certain qualities/question marks that will ultimately be discussed further. So look at this as “If I had to play a college game today, who would I pick for my team?”. I went a little further in depth about the quarterbacks, while trying to give more of a general understanding of the other positions.
And just a quick note – some players that were in the running for me when I started putting together this list before the season kicked off, but haven’t yet played at all or have gotten hurt and therefore didn’t qualify – QB Michael Pratt (Tulane), WR Zakhari Franklin (Ole Miss), WR Ladd McConkey (Georgia), TE Brant Kuithe (Utah), LB Jestin Jacobs (Oregon) and SAF Rod Moore (Michigan).
Let’s get into the list:
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