Organized by Highest Value (“HV#”) to the Steelers. Great players for other teams get downgraded here, as do positions where Pittsburgh has limited “want.” An HV of 1:25 means the player is a reach for the Steelers if they pick at any point before Pick # 25 overall but good value at any point from the end of the 1st on. Getting that player in the early 2nd would be fine, while getting him in the late 2nd would start to look like a steal. Yes, this system results in a certain amount of grade inflation for positions of need because we are talking about the “highest” grade, not the one where a player is expected to go; but grades are never pushed up just because of need. Players with the same HV# are more-or-less equivalent and organized alphabetically. Boards organized by HV are sorted within each grade by position: defense and then offense, inside to out.
Rounds are sub-divided as follows:
- 1st Round grades: 1:01, 1:05, 1:10, 1:15, 1:20, or 1:25.
- 2nd & 3rd Round grades: Early (#:01), Mid (#:12), or Late (#:24).
- 4th to 7th Round grades: Early (#:01) or Late (#:16).
Meeting notes exclude informal interviews and casual encounters because there are just too many.
| HV | DESCRIPTION |
| 1:01 | DT Jalen Carter, Georgia (Junior). 6’3”, 314 lbs. with 33½” arms and 10¼” hands. Turned 22 in April. A Colbert Special all day, every day. Can play anything from a 1-tech to a 5-tech. The ideal successor to Cam Heyward, especially since he can also handle duties as a NT. The #1 prospect in the draft on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list. |
| 1:01 | EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Alabama (Senior). 6’3½”, 253 lbs. with 33⅞” arms and 9⅞” hands. Turns 22 in September. Slick as you-know-what flying out of a goose. Anderson is a field-tilting threat that offenses plan around on every snap, and a guaranteed Top 5 selection in the 2023 draft. If you want the counterarguments, see the scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell: “Anderson is a good prospect, but there are legitimate questions re: his ability/traits to become a dominant edge pass rusher in the NFL who can line up in pass rush situations and win one-on-one versus a quality OT.” |
| 1:05 | CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon by way of Colorado (Junior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’1⅜”, 197 lbs. with 32” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 21 in June. This is going to feel like I’m jinxing the kid, but my take is HOF potential with a starter floor. He’s had success outside and in the slot, and in press man, off man, and zone. Despite his youth, he’s got three years of starter experience (though he didn’t ‘arrive’ until his final one in 2022). He’s even got good hands. Extremely fluid, plenty fast, very young, and on a distinct upward curve. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report does find some nits to pick, particularly in the area of pure play strength. Big men like Tee Higgins and jump ball experts like George Pickens will give him fits early in his career, and he is an eager tackler with only so-so skill at the job. But those are all things that good coaching can fix, which only means his potential is that much higher. It’s hard to find a scouting profile that doesn’t come close to a rave review. He is Lance Zierlein’s CB1, with a grade barely a tick behind CB/S Brian Branch. “The ingredients are already present to become a feared CB1 if he plays to his gifts.” This goes to the “early Pro Bowler” TDN scouting profile. “Arguably the best cover corner in this class… beyond smooth along with having top-tier size and athleticism” says this Vikings-oriented January scouting profile. Here’s another solid looking January scouting profile. This January scouting profile is the most critical I’ve found, arguing that Gonzales can be too conservative at times, can be susceptible to double moves, and may lack ball skills (which everyone agrees was an issue until 2022, when he cleaned that up and suddenly became good at it). Film guru Greg Cosell (top-10 grade) is as besotted as anyone: “a corner with outstanding physical and athletic traits to play outside who can move inside as well.” |
| 1:10 | EDGE/DT Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech. (Senior). 6’6”, 271 lbs. with incredible 35⅝” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turns 23 just before the draft. Team captain. A 4-3 DE with the ability to slide inside at times, sort of like the ultimate, supercharger version of DeMarvin Leal in last year’s draft. Extremely powerful as a pass rusher but can be late off the snap. Has pad level issues that need to be solved. An absolutely absurd athlete. Master film analyst Greg Cosell once again provides the cold water on feverish expectations: “Overall, Wilson is a high-level traits prospect who easily could be seen as a top-10 pick, but there are definite concerns as well, including his capacity to process what he sees at the necessary speed. You are drafting Wilson for his traits and what you believe he can become rather than what he is now. Travon Walker, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Marcus Davenport, Jason Pierre-Paul and Carlos Dunlap have similar measurables to Wilson.” Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report emphasizes that “Tyree Wilson, on traits alone, is one of the highest-ceiling players in this draft.” |
| 1:10 | CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn St. (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine, Visit and Childhood]. 6’2½”, 193 lbs. with insanely long 34” arms and 10” hands. Turns 23 in July. Don’t be sold by the hype or put off by the backlash against that hype. This is actually an easy grade in the larger sense. Joey Porter Jr. is a Round 1 lock with great upside, but he isn’t a Colbert Special. If he achieves his potential, the original J. Peezy could end up being remembered as Joey’s Dad. If he doesn’t, the odds are excellent that Junior will still be a very solid starting Corner for many years to come. Joey-the-prospect is built like a pure press man expert, and is very good at that job, but he is also athletic enough to play the other techniques too. Pure movement skills seem to be in the B to B+ range on the NFL scale, but he’s a solid A if you factor in size and length. If there’s a weakness it would be reaction time against DJ-level quickness or 4.2 speed, but that is true for all but the most elite coverage experts in the league, and both concerns are mitigated by his extraordinary length, leaping ability, and his skill at reaching in/over to tip away passes. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report adds that he’s also a willing tackler and a physical presence in the secondary who’s very good at run support. Came in at #16 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list, which makes him the clear CB2 based on “elite size, length, and speed” combined with good tackling and fluid COD skills. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting report sees the COD concerns, but nevertheless ends with a strong Round 1 grade and a comp to Amani Oruwaryie. A top 3-4% athlete after the Combine, with a truly special 10-yard split, but without the agility testing we most wanted to see. The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell concludes as follows: “Porter’s strength as an outside corner (and that is what he is), at this point, is press-man coverage: both mirror match — with patience and easy transition to fluidly flip his hips and match receivers routes – and especially physical, press-man, where he uses his long arms and strength and physical mindset to disrupt receivers off the LOS. There are not many corners with Porter’s overall physical traits, and those traits are best suited to play press-man with the tape showing some concerns in off-coverage, with his long, high-cut frame at times showing some stickiness, triggering in plant and drive and flipping his hips and opening to run with vertical routes.” |
| 1:10 | CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois (Junior). 5’11½”, 181 lbs. with 31¼” arms and small 8⅞” hands. Turns 23 in December. A quality Corner through and through, in every facet of the game, with exceptional coverage ability, tone setting physicality, and the playmaker’s gene. You might think, “more athletic version of Cam Sutton,” which is high praise indeed. Like Sutton, his floor appears to be “tremendous slot Corner.” The ceiling is “do it all CB1.” All he lacks as a prospect is great long speed (his is merely good) along with the extra size and heft to excel in press man as well as he does in off and zone. Some also question whether his body will hold up to the pounding his physical playing style creates. Daniel Jeremiah’s initial CB1 at #5 overall, and at #6 in March! Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report likewise grades him as a “Day 1 Starter” and “Pro-Bowl talent.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sees all the upside, but also sounds some warning notes before ending with none other than Levi Wallace (the finished version) as his pro comp. According to film guru Greg Cosell’s scouting profile “Witherspoon projects as a solid corner prospect as you transition him to the next level, with the question as to whether NFL teams will see him as an outside corner or a slot corner or both.” On the specifics, Cosell admires Witherspoon’s “has quick, sudden, explosive feet… aggressive[ness]… [and] high level of competitive toughness [with] a lot of juice”, but also sees potential concerns with his long speed, and his “tendency in off-coverage to be a little slow and sluggish in his transition to flip his hips and open up to match and carry verticals.” |
| 1:10 | T/G Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio St. (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine, Coach Meyer at Pro Day]. 6’6⅜”, 313 lbs. with 36⅛” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 22 in July. A 5-star athlete all day and every day, the only complaints would be that his technique (the punch in particular) and gut-level understanding of the position need work. Tyler Wise’s gif-supported Depot scouting report shows a huge man who moves as smoothly as many TE’s, and maybe even most TE’s. Special stuff. Also has experience at both RG and LT, which bodes very well. Came in at #14 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list. The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell sounds one of the most cautious notes: “Johnson’s compact movement and core stiffness negatively impacting his lateral movement make him much better suited to transition to OG at the next level. There were too many snaps in which Johnson was challenged on the edge and struggled to control and effectively secure the arc, and I believe that issue will only be exacerbated in the NFL.” |
| 1:10 | T/G Broderick Jones, Georgia (RS Soph) [Mtg. at Combine, Pro Day Dinner, Visit]. 6’5⅜”, 311 lbs. with 34¾” arms and 10⅝” hands. Turns 22 in May. The anchor OL for a dominant team, with plenty of power and experience, plus the 5-star athleticism to become truly special. Superb ability to mirror, match, and ride speed rushers beyond the pocket. May not “hit” right away because he needs to work on his hand fighting (clapping habit in particular) and would benefit from building to superior play strength instead of just good. But those are typical complaints and also highlight the fact that he has room to improve. Michael Rochman’s gif-supported Depot scouting report is darned close to a rave review. Came in at #15 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list. Projects as a good, long-time starter within a year or two according to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. |
| 1:15 | DT Bryan Bresee (“bru-ZEE”), Clemson (Soph) [Mtg. at Combine, Dinner, Visit, Earlier Years]. 6’5½”, 298 lbs. with shorter 32½” arms and 10¼” hands. Turns 22 in October (and looks like he’s still 60% a boy). If Jalen Carter wasn’t sucking up all the odes, the same draftniks would be writing about Bresee. Would have been a top-5 pick in 2024 if he’d returned to school and had a solid Junior year. Critics point to supposed medical concerns but IMHO there’s much more smoke than fire in that complaint. Bresee’s 2021 season ended with both a torn ACL and shoulder surgery. Both held up fine in 2022, so that can be written off. The ‘22 season brought a series of totally unrelated challenges. His sister died from brain cancer in September. Then he contracted a particularly nasty kidney infection that put him in the hospital during September/October. Then he came down with strep throat. And then he returned to the field displaying (who could have guessed?!) some hints that his endurance might have been merely ordinary instead of stellar. Worry if you must but it’s hard to see that sequence happening again. He is generally acknowledged as a particularly tough evaluation because of all the if-maybes, yes-buts, and alternate explanations for the wide mix of great flashes versus frustratingly average play. Those who like him in the top 10 note that all of those issues can be fixed with good coaching and physical training. Immersion in the Three Steelers C’s (Culture, Coaching, and Conditioning) is sure to yield a better pro than he was in college, and he was very good in college. Those who’d push his stock down to the late-1st emphasize that he’s going to be on the Cam Heyward plan; a bunch of potential who will be meh until Year 2-3, when he could make the big jump to stardom (injuries aside, of course). Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting profile emphasizes Bresee’s over-the-top, 5-star athletic profile (top 5% RAS with great agility and speed for the position), but offsets that against a number of common technical flaws such as letting his pads drift up. Came in at #43 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list (#34 in the March version), but has been as high as #5 on others. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends in something like a Round 2 grade, based on the obvious Round 1 athletic talent being dragged down by the medical smoke and a lack of statistical production. One also senses a strong wish that Bresee had returned for another year in college to answer those question marks. |
| 1:15 | EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson (Junior). [Brass at Pro Day, Mtg. at Dinner] 6’5”, 268 lbs. with 33¾” arms and 8½” hands. Turned 21 in January. A devastating pass rusher who looks like a 4-3 DE but is freakishly athletic enough to play 3-4 OLB as well. Top 3% RAS. All reviewers note that he is fantastic when it comes to games and stunts. The complaint is that Murphy can be maddeningly inconsistent, and it shows up like Tomlin popcorn. One play it’s a poor get-off, the next high pads, then giving away inside position with his hands, getting stuck on blocks, or falling for play fakes. My answer to those gripes goes like this: “In that case your team should pass on Murphy and let him fall to #17. Please, please, pretty please, with bows, sugar, and cherries on top. The kid was 20 years old all during his 2022 season! Consistency is the last thing anyone should have expected. Dropped from #18 in Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list down to #20 in the March version 3.0. The PFN scouting profile is a well-written, entertaining read and a very good place to start your research. It emphasizes that Murphy has every physical tool a team could ask for; bend, burst, power, hands, a natural anchor, a consistently hot motor, etc., etc., etc. If you had to nitpick, you’d say that his COD and bend are merely good rather than elite. The PFN conclusion, which tracks almost everyone else, is that “Murphy isn’t quite in the blue-chip tier as a prospect, but he’s in the next level down.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile has him as the #11 player overall and #3 Edge behind Anderson (#2 overall) and Wilson (#5), saying “The traits and upside are there, but his skill level needs a boost to push the ceiling higher.” This fun little February scouting profile puts it like this if you cut-and-paste in a very liberal way: “Murphy has unmatched raw tools and enormous potential, with amazing instincts and plenty of raw, overpowering force, but he isn’t overly agile and his pass-rush arsenal isn’t impressive.” Similar results from this good-looking March scouting profile: excellent hands, impressive play strength, and wonderfully smooth athleticism, held back by a lack of pass rush moves and only average bend. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report joins the chorus by projecting Murphy as a “Quality Year 1 starter.” |
| 1:15 | Slot DB (FS/CB) Brian Branch, Alabama (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 5’11⅝”, 190 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 22 in October. Plays the hybrid position Nickel Back position located directly on the line between Slot Corner and Safety and does it as well as anyone who has come through the draft since Minkah Fitzpatrick. Came in at #25 overall on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list (#31 in the March version 3.0) when viewed as more of a Corner. Indeed, Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile has him as the CB1 overall, with a comp to none other than Minkah Fitzpatrick (one reason why I list him as a S/CB instead of CB/S). Among other superlatives, Zierlein says Branch’s “football intelligence is through the roof,” and “there are areas where he can improve but no real weaknesses, which could make him one of the safest picks in the draft.” Chandler Stroud’s gif-supported Depot scouting report uses Jamal Adams as the likely pro comp for this “certified hitman.” A terrific prospect who needs to be used correctly, but Pittsburgh could use an excellent slot-DB. One who’d double as a Minkah-lite deep Safety could be giggle worthy indeed. |
| 1:15 | QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio St. (RS Soph). 6’3”, 214 lbs. with 10” hands. Turns 22 in October. [NOTE: Top 5 talent for the right team]. Big, tall, tough, smart, and athletic, with a big arm and extensive experience playing against the best competition in the country. Has some issues with fundamentals like consistent footwork, but that problem simultaneously suggests as-yet-untapped upside. |
| 1:15 | QB Bryce Young, Alabama (Junior). 5’10⅛”, 204 lbs. with 9¾” hands. Turns 22 in July. [NOTE: Top 5 talent for the right team]. Won the Heisman in 2021 and returned to school anyway, which was smart because he’s been a better QB in 2022 even if his results were less startling. Very accurate, with a decent but not great arm, he has a remarkable ability to see the field and make quick, smart decisions. The issues go to a distinct lack of size (he really looks small on a football field), somewhat erratic throwing mechanics, and NFL quality arm strength that isn’t any better than that. |
| 1:17 | STEELERS ROUND 1 PICK |
| 1:20 | EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa (RS Soph.) [Mtg. at Combine, Brass at Pro Day]. 6’5”, 272 lbs. with very long 34” arms and big 11” hands. Turns 22 in July. Compiled at top 6-7% athletic profile heavy on speed and agility, which couldn’t have been better for a player some wrote off as a pure power rusher. Check out this athletic comparison between Van Ness and Bud Dupree, which shows the first having much better COD while Dupree had amazing explosiveness. Oddly inexperienced because he played all of 2022 as an undersized DT rather than in his natural Edge position. His pass rush features a sick bull rush that has blown up many top OT’s, including early-1st prospects Peter Skoronski and Paris Johnson. But he hasn’t shown a lot of bend and has not tested opponents around the edge despite the obvious athleticism to do so. It’s all power, all the time, going through the O-Lineman until the QB comes into reach. That said, if you must rely on a single trick for your pony, speed-to-power is one of the best, and that same asset makes him really good in run support. From a Steelers POV the questions are (a) can LVN be an elephant OLB in the LaMarr Woodley model, and (b) does he have hidden COD depths and other pass rushing moves that simply haven’t been tapped? There are flashes, he is a great athlete overall who looks good in space, and he has experience rushing from a 2-point stance. Up to #14 in Daniel Jeremiah’s March Top-50 list. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter is an interesting read, ending in a mid-1st HV. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile agrees that he is an edge rusher who does not project well on the inside, but also notes that he badly needs to develop some pass rush moves beyond that extremely potent bull rush. Film guru Greg Cosell’s scouting profile says, “The bottom line with Van Ness at this point is that he is almost exclusively a power player with outstanding strength throughout his body… I believe as Van Ness gains experience at the NFL level, he will develop more as a pass rusher, with a wider array of moves and counters and will become a quality pass rusher who can disrupt passing games from both outside and inside.” This despite some serious flaws like, “Not a great athlete or mover… Stiff and tight-hipped… Did not show any fluidity… Lacks [] change of direction traits… flexibility… [and] the kind of footspeed or lower-body quickness you want to see from an inside or edge pass rusher.” |
| 1:20 | CB Deonte Banks, Maryland (RS Junior) [Mtg. at Combine, Visit]. 6’0⅛”, 197 lbs. with 31⅜” arms and 9⅜” hands. Turned 22 in March. A big, long, strong press man Corner who came in at #42 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list (#28 in the March version) with the only complaint being just-average COD skills, which is still pretty amazing for a man this size if you think about it. Also adept in zone and off skills. Killed the Combine with a Top 1%(!) athletic profile that snuffed out all questions about his straight line speed. He did not do the agility drills, however, and Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report suggests that this is exactly where his Achilles heel lurks in waiting. “Given his [hip] tightness, he’s an ideal fit in a [Seattle] Cover-3 scheme where he can carry and match routes vertically without having to break down and defend in-cuts.” Here is a good PFN scouting profile. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile notes that “He’s capable of matching the release and running with his opponent [but] struggles to play with poise and awareness when his back is to the football.” Has several blocked kicks to his credit. This Steelers-oriented, gif-supported scouting report names Banks as the obvious CB4 of the class behind Witherspoon, Porter and Gonzalez, and argues that he deserves to be seen as a longshot, emergency option for 1:17. Film guru Greg Cosell’s scouting profile offers no reason to disagree. “Overall, Banks is a higher-level outside corner prospect with a complete skill set, but especially the athletic and competitive traits demanded to play man coverage in the NFL.” Cosell makes a point of highlighting Banks’ high level play against even the best WR’s he faced. “Banks’ snaps versus Marvin Harrison Jr. in the Ohio State game were fun to watch, with Banks winning some and at times getting beat, but you saw the competitiveness and physicality and overall coverage traits.” |
| 1:20 | CB Cam Smith, S. Car. (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’0¾”, 180 lbs. with 31⅝” arms and 9⅛” hands. Turns 22 in December. Sudden, shifty, smart, ultra aggressive, very physical in space, and all but violent in run support. His Combine numbers make him a top 5% athlete even without the agility drills, which may be his strongest suit. You name it, he does it, and Smith has also played and excelled in all types of defensive coverage and scheme against SEC competition. He’s even got an excellent backpedal, one that many college coaches won’t even try to teach. His main flaw is being very grabby in off-man coverage, even when measured by college standards. OTOH, handsy CB play is both common and fixable, though it often takes a year or three of hard work to break the habit. The best scouting reports seem to have a duel going about whether Smith is a multi-purpose, all-systems, inside-out Corner, or a zone Corner who can survive in man coverage but won’t excel there. Owen Straley’s gif-supported Depot scouting report sees the first and can be summarized as saying Smith is an “A- athlete with A+ skills and attitude.” In other words, as a true day 1 starter with a round 1 floor (ignoring the ever present bust/injury factor), even if his apparent ceiling is set at all-pro rather than HOF. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sees him in a much more critical “average starter” light: “While his timing/length can be formidable weapons on contested catches, he often fails to move his feet quickly enough in transitions and ends up grabbing receivers, leading to penalties. Smith appears to be better suited for zone coverages and off-man but if he can trust his technique, he might become more scheme-diverse and develop into a CB2.” Bucky Brooks’ analysis agrees with Zierlein: “Smith is an instinctive cover corner with outstanding eyes, instincts and ball skills [who] is ideally suited to play in a zone scheme [that would enable] him to showcase his strengths as a playmaker.” Smith didn’t make Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list either. The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell reaches conclusions much closer to Owen Straley’s: “Smith was at his best playing mirror-match press coverage with his ability to stay connected to the receiver through his route. He also showed the quickness and burst to plant and drive from off coverage. Smith at times struggled in off coverage when he stayed square, then stopped his feet, which negatively impacted his ability to flip his hips and transition effectively… Overall, Smith possesses the size, length and athletic profile you look for in an NFL corner. With his outside-inside flexibility, he will be one of the many corners who will be selected in the top 60 of the 2023 NFL Draft.” |
| 1:20 | OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee (Senior) [Mtg. at Senior Bowl, Brass at Pro Day, Visit]. 6’5”, 333 lbs. with 33¾” arms and 9” hands. Turns 22 in August. He looks like your classic people-moving Right Tackle, but he has played both sides and his Combine talk proved his sophistication about the game beyond any doubt. He won the Senior Bowl OL Practice Player of the Week, in the course of which he built a relationship with Mike Tomlin, and earned specific interest on Pittsburgh’s part. See also Chandler Stroud’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes a player who is big, long, strong, and smart enough to use all those assets well. He’s also a splendid athlete who mirrors well, which suggests that dropping some weight might give him extra movement skills and help with his endurance. Tends to get upright or be a waist bender when the gas tank runs low. Can be more of a technician than a bully despite his size. Has shown the ability to dig out stubborn opponents in the run game, and can reach, pin, and hold the edge quite well, but is less than good at pulling or climbing to the second level. Came in at #32 in Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list and was all the way up to #17 in the March version. This scouting profile from the well-respected Brandon Thorn ends in a later-1st grade as an athletic and physical tone setter who would fit best in a downhill running game. The equally respected Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends in more of a Round 2 grade, seeing Wright as a pure RT who will eventually be a plus starter, but may take a few years to clean up his inconsistencies and internalize a more complicated NFL blocking scheme. Film guru Greg Cosell’s scouting profile takes time to describe Wright’s 2021 film as a college OT on his way to being an NFL Guard, and highlights how much better he was in final year: “Wright did a much better job overcoming his athletic and movement limitations, playing with calmer and more efficient footwork and balance, which allowed him to mirror and redirect more effectively. What consistently stood out was Wright’s strength to anchor versus speed to power, as he consistently stoned pass rushers.” |
| 1:20 | G/T/C Peter Skoronski, Northwestern (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine, Coach Meyer at Pro Day]. 6’4”, 313 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 10” hands. Turns 22 in July. [A top-10 pick discounted here because the Steelers are now so stacked at IOL] The most intriguing OL in the draft, Skoronski comes from the same program that trained up Rashawn Slater and has everything you want in an OL but pure size and length. He could easily be the #1 overall pick if he was 2” taller and his arms were 2” longer. His technique is extraordinary for a college player, his foot speed and agility are special, he has immense strength, and his hand-fighting technique looks like it’s straight from an Ip Man teaching session. He is also as versatile as they come: a Center all through HS, a day one LT all through college, and built like a speed-oriented OG. What will he be as a pro? Came in at the #6 overall player on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list and #8 in March. The NFL.com scouting report by (OL coach’s son) Lance Zierlein sees a safe, high-floor Tackle who may be capped at the very top by his length limitations but a first-year starter and future All-Pro at Guard. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report would agree with that assessment. Both end in solid, early- to mid-1st grades. Coach Pat Meyer was at his Pro Day. |
| 1:20 | WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio St. (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’0⅝”, 196 lbs. with 30½” arms and 9” hands. Turned 21 in February. Used by Ohio State as a ‘big slot,’ and set all kinds of records doing so. Your classic QB’s best friend type, Smith-Njigba actually had a better 2021 than either Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave, but injuries hampered his 2022. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile compares him to Jarvis Landry as a physical WR2 who brushed up against the WR1 ranks but never quite achieved it. It’s an apt comparison except that Landry’s athletic testing put him in the bottom 1% with particularly awful agility scores, while JS-N is in the top 6% with top 1% agility scores. His tape backs that up: excellent route-running skills, excellent football IQ, very good hands, and ideal tracking ability. Good blocker too, for a WR. If he ran in the 4.3’s he’d be a Top-10 talent. Tyler Wise’s gif-supported Depot scouting report suggests Amon-Ra St. Brown as a fellow plug-and-play Big Slot WR with great skills but limited upside because the athletic profile makes it hard to expect any versatility. Tyler gives JS-N’s polish and spatial awareness special praise. Comparing JS-N to Juju Smith-Schuster as our recent model of this prototype, Tyler sees JJSS as more physical, while this year’s prospect has more burst and agility. “But he still will do the dirty work taking big hits, kicking out linebackers etc.” Film guru Greg Cosell describes him as a prospect with “outstanding route quickness, separation quickness and run-after catch [ability]” but notes “two issues [that] arise from evaluating Smith-Njigba’s 2021 video: He lacks long speed to be a true vertical threat and can he line up on the outside in the NFL and develop into a more complete multi-locational and multi-dimensional receiver?” |
| 1:25 | EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzoma, Kansas St. (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine, Visit]. 6’3⅛”, 255 lbs. with 33½” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turned 21 in January. Marries excellent but not legendary burst, bend, and COD with solid power, what our own Tyler Wise called a plethora of diverse and effective pass-rush techniques, a hot motor, surprising savvy for one so young, and comfort rushing from both a 2- and a 3-point stance. What do you get? A player who should mature into the next Highsmith, and could grow into Watt 2.0. So how could he fall out of Round 1? Mainly because he, like Will McDonald IV, was criminally misused as a Defensive Tackle in college, which puts him a bit behind in his technique, and fouls up any hope to measure by production stats. Here is a good interview from November. Came in at #38 in Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list. Tyler Wise’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends with a fringe-1st grade for a prospect with “the potential to be a solid contributor for years to come.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sees a starting pass rusher once he builds up enough fundamentals to be better at setting the edge on run downs. This fairly detailed March scouting report agrees on a fringe-1st grade. The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell sounds more caution: “There is no question there were reps in which Anudike-Uzomah looked like a high-level, edge pass rush prospect with quickness and burst off the ball and the flexibility to bend the edge and flatten his rush path to the QB, but there were too many reps in which he showed little sense of how to use his hands in addition to no counter moves once his initial rush was blocked.” |
| 1:25 | EDGE Will McDonald IV, Iowa St. (Senior) [Mtg. at Dinner, Brass at Pro Day]. 6’3⅝”, 241 lbs. (Senior Bowl weight) with amazing 34⅞” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 24 in June. Good burst with an insane amount of bend that pairs dynamically with his unusual length. The issues go to his need to add some grown-man muscle, which would definitely help him convert speed to power better. He has plenty of room on his frame to do just that, and no doubt will unless it would somehow limit his speed and burst. Early, pre-process grades had McDonald down as a Round 3 talent, but he’s risen steadily – especially after a great Senior Bowl showing. His stock went up at the Combine too, when he went through the testing on Thursday despite running a 104° fever on Tuesday. Gritty kid! Shades of Julio Jones. Came in at #29 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list and #25 on the March version. Note that his team asked him to play right on the line in a 4i-technique – the spot regularly occupied by Cam Heyward in Pittsburgh. That was an absurd misuse of talent since it suits neither his body nor his skill set. McDonald will live or die as a 3-4 OLB in the NFL. Accepting that role speaks well of his toughness and team-first attitude but does not help his draft stock. Run defense is still a weakness rather than a strength. His technique is also quite raw from an NFL perspective, which could make his age an issue for the youth-loving Steelers. Chandler Stroud’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends with a fringe-1st grade, based on his Round 1 potential offset against a severe need to develop more playing strength and to get better at shedding blocks. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sums it up quite succinctly: “Overall, McDonald’s hard-nosed demeanor and pass-rush talent are winning play traits that will help him become a successful 3-4 outside linebacker and sack artist.” This goes to a nice, football-intensive TDN interview before the Senior Bowl, and this to an excellent interview/article with Alex Kozora, which contains a lot of personal background and perspective. |
| 1:25 | EDGE/ILB Nolan Smith, Georgia (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’2¼”, 238 lbs. with 32⅝” arms and 9” hands. Turned 22 in January. [NOTE: This is a compromise grade. Smith deserves a mid-1st grade for Pittsburgh if is willing to move inside to play ILB but only a late-2nd if viewed as an Edge prospect.] Smith is a brilliant athlete who played in college as an Edge but has a Buck ILB physique and athletic profile. I remember Ray Lewis all too well, and the way Smith moves reminds me of that; just at the wrong position. If you want pure emotion, violence, response time, athletic awareness, twitch, and physicality, this is your guy. He was also the leader of men and energy bringer for CFB’s best 2022 defense until he tore his pec in late October. In the ideal (Pittsburgh) world he would move inside with the hope of being a great ILB instead of a good Edge, but that’s a pretty big ask since he’s never actually played that position. He was a math major, so we know he’s got the intellectual firepower, but still. Seen as a pure OLB for the Pittsburgh defense…? The size just isn’t there, it shows, and there wouldn’t be a clean fit. Came in at #19 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list, with an honest player comp to a better prepared Haason Reddick. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile admires his tough run defense prowess more than his chops as a pure pass rusher, concluding that “Smith falls below the size standards some team might have for a 3-4 outside linebacker, but he plays team-first defense with quality technique.” Follow along with Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report and you too may be smitten, coming away hearing echoes of his greeting words to Andy Weidl: “I’ve always wanted to be Ray Lewis, but they insisted I play on the edge and I have to admit that I like that too…” One can always dream. The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell predictably ends the same way as everyone else: “The more I watched Smith’s tape, the more I kept thinking he might best transition to the NFL as a stacked-overhang LB (much like Fred Warner with the 49ers), who can be used as a pass rusher in specific down and distance and personnel situations.” In the alternative, Cosell sees him playing the Haason Reddick role “as a standup edge defender in a base 5-2 front, as those fronts are becoming more and more prevalent in the NFL.” |
| 1:25 | WR Jordan Addison, USC by way of Pitt. (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine, Years at Pitt]. 5’11⅛”, 173 lbs. with 30⅞” arms and 8¾” hands. Turned 21 in January. The WR who helped make Kenny Pickett look like a genius in 2021 and win Caleb Williams a Heisman Award in 2022. Addison is the sort of guy who makes opposing DBs look like they’re playing in boots; amazingly quick, slick, and sneaky, with a sudden burst that creates separation at the catch and RAC points, and the brakes to separate when a CB expects him to hit the gas. He also has tremendous hands, all of which adds up to an extraordinary “create separation and then make yards” talent, who will kill you deep if you play to stop that aspect of his game. Great kick and punt returner too. But there is an issue: he lacks both size and grown-man strength, and it does show up at times. The sort of player who will benefit greatly from a QB who can hit him in stride and will terrify a CB on one team only to be erased the next week by a Joe Haden-level technician. Came in at #10 overall on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list. He was WR5 for Lance Zierlein, whose NFL.com scouting profile ends in a Round 2-ish grade due to worries about the “[lack of] size and catch strength generally associated with high-impact performers on the next level.” Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report likewise ends in an early-2nd grade, noting that Addison does have the frame to bulk up a bit if he needs to. Surprisingly average athletic testing has pushed his public draft stock down from “Round 1 lock” to “could even fall into Round 2.” Film guru Greg Cosell’s scouting profile reminds us to keep the big picture in mind. “Addison will transition to the NFL as an inside-outside receiver who can run multiple routes at all three levels, in addition to being featured on tunnel screens, bubble screens and jet reverses. Some might put him in the slot box due to his slim frame, but Addison is more than that, and there is no doubt he can be [a] multi-dimensional weapon in the context of a complete passing game.” |
| 2:01 | EDGE Derick Hall, Auburn (Senior). 6’2¾”, 254 lbs. with exceptional 34½” arms and 10” hands. Turned 22 in March. Team captain. Tremendous speed-to-power and burst; very good at run support; very able to play in coverage; and undeveloped enough to improve when it comes to hand fighting and overall pass rush plans. Everything you want in a 3-4 OLB with the exceptions of bend around the corner and developed expertise. Came in at #24 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50 list. This goes to a Senior Bowl interview at a Browns site. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile describes him as a “team captain with tremendous character” who deserves a comparison to Carl Lawson. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 1 grade for “a perfect fit in Pittsburgh’s system, giving [them] a vaunted trio that can rotate with one another or take the field together at one time, giving opposing offenses headaches.” |
| 2:01 | CB Julius “Juju” Brents, Kan. St. (RS Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’2¾”, 198 lbs. with looooong 34” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turned 23 in January. Supposed to be a really fine human being in addition to his football talent. Cue the “Richard Sherman stereotype” music – except that Brents has a top ⅕ of 1% athletic score with elite agility grades that are stunning for a man his size. [Sound of needle scraping]. Huge for a CB, physical, and knows how to use both in his very effective press-man game that could still be improved. He can be a half step slower than you want for dealing with WRs who can really burn, but the height and length make up for that. One of the most dominant CBs at the Senior Bowl, where this position looked especially strong. Tyler Wise’s gif-supported Depot scouting profile says his feet are surprisingly nifty for a man his size, the speed is good enough, and he seems to be an especially smart player, all of which puts him squarely in the crosshairs for a Steelers Day 2 pick. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting report ends in an easy Day 2 grade, calling him “a classic zone cover corner with an outstanding blend of size, length and leaping ability.” The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell end with this endorsement: “Brents is a strong, outside corner prospect with [] desirable… size and length, plus athletic movement, [] high-level competitiveness, [and] extensive experience playing both man and zone coverage concepts. Brents’… rare arm length for a corner (two inches longer than Richard Sherman), and his overall length allowed him to be effective in both mirror match press man and physical press man. He also played a good percentage of zone coverage, and he showed a strong feel for route concepts and combinations, understanding how to navigate the gray areas in the coverage.” |
| 2:01 | OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma (Junior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’5”, 315 lbs. with 34⅛” arms and 9⅞” hands. Turned 21 in February. Started as a true Freshman; he has been consistently good at LT with a sterling record of preventing sacks or even pressures. He also comes to the league Steelers-young. Built like he was designed to be an NFL Tackle, Harrison has the assets you look for: quick enough feet, a nasty (if less effective) approach to the run game, good length, and hands that are fast, fairly accurate, and college strong. He’s just… unfinished, as you might expect from his age. He either knows how to play within himself or could use a nastier edge depending on your POV. Will benefit hugely from an NFL conditioning room to fill him out, and from NFL coaching to fully internalize the essentials, but with that profile he seems to be an easy projection to “eventual starter.” An excellent pick for Year 3, and probably someone who will perform solidly in Year 2, but unlikely to shine as a rookie because grown NFL professionals will beat him with power, especially once they have enough film to start figuring him out. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile calls the athletic traits “average” but admires his ability to adapt. The biggest concerns seem to be lack of coordination between his hands and feet, and a “below average agility to recover when beaten.” Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report sees “an eraser on the edge in pass protection… [but a] concern in the run game.” You can color film guru Greg Cosell as a fan: “Overall, Harrison has the traits and competitive demeanor to develop into a foundational LT at the next level, and I believe it will happen sooner than later. He possesses the size/length/strength/movement profile that is demanded and his heavy hands and pass-protection ability, especially securing the edge, are critical traits that will likely lead to a reasonably quick transition.” |
| 2:01 | OT Dawand Jones, Ohio St. (Senior) [Mtg. Pro Day Dinner, Coach Meyer at Pro Day] [Scheduled Visit was canceled]. 6’8¼”, 374 lbs. with absolutely absurd 36⅜” arms and 11⅝” hands. Turns 22 in August. Those seemingly impossible measurements are official results from the Senior Bowl and Combine. And they match the eye test. Wow. Jones is a brutal giant of a Right Tackle who has every asset you want except good COD skills and actual speed. Jones also has the two-sport basketball background that Pittsburgh prefers, and experience at both left and right Tackle. But he comes with giant questions that we cannot answer: Are his weight and conditioning under control, will they be under control, and what is in his heart when it comes to this kind of professional discipline and training? That is a bigger issue to his true grade than anything on the film. According to Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report, Jones is actually better at pass protection than he is at run blocking because his crazy length, overall size, and smooth vertical set make him all but impossible to bull rush and extremely hard to get around on the edge. He may also be a particular fit for the Steelers because his aggressive approach and independent hand usage line up perfectly with the philosophy of O-Line coach Pat Meyer. Jones mirrors well, especially for a man his size, but can get grabby, especially when rushers counter to the inside (the potential weak point that needs more careful study). OTOH, that is a flaw the Meyer system expressly covers through how it utilizes the Guards, and Pittsburgh now has an extremely strong group at that position. Dawand Jones is too slow to be good at pulling or climbing in the run game – it showed at the Combine – but he does handle reach blocks well, pins the edge just fine, and his size/strength combination should eventually make him good at digging people out. Here is Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. The very well-respected Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile includes this gem: “Jones utilizes his unmatched length to his advantage and establishes first meaningful contact on defenders with very good upper-body strength to create immediate stopping power and snap the opponents’ head back.” This goes to a decent scouting profile consistent with the others, but worth quoting on the player comp: “Evan Neal, if Neal loved run blocking.” Yowza. According to the scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell: “Jones consistently played with good balance and body control, but there were reps in his vertical set in which he did struggle with his balance at the top of the pass rush arc, and that needs to be cleaned up or he will be vulnerable to underneath redirects by NFL-quality rushers. Jones wins a lot of reps with his length and heavy hands, but he has clear lateral mobility and change-of-direction concerns that, at times, result in balance and body control issues.” |
| 2:01 | G O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida (Junior). [Mtg. at Visit] 6’5⅜”, 330 lbs. (down from 347 in college) with 33⅞” arms and huge 11¼” hands. Turned 23 in January. Very solid at the Senior Bowl. Imagine a really good NT in reverse: he prevents any bulge in the middle when they attack you, and creates a bulge when you attack them. That’s what you get with Torrence, a two-trick pony who is good at both. An enormous man with gigantic breadth, he fires off well and plays nasty, which makes him a people mover par excellence, but has limited range for pulling and other movement-oriented jobs. (Could he lose 20 pounds and get quicker?) Has a tremendous anchor to keep the middle of the pocket solid, though he can sometimes be outquicked by DTs with exceptional agility; understanding that none of them – none – actually got home for a sack.. The descriptions remind you of Nate Herbig and Kevin Dotson when things are clicking. May have issues with the movement-oriented duties of Pat Meyer’s blocking scheme. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends with a fringe-1st grade and what looks like an apt comparison to Larry Warford, a Round 3 pick who was similarly huge, with similar assets when it came to moving people, and limitations when it came to working in space. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends with a similar grade, seeing “a future starter for downhill offenses who covet size over athleticism.” Had an odd Combine, yielding a 60th percentile athletic profile with basically average movement skills that were better than many people feared. Those movement skills looked affirmatively good at his Pro Day. According to the scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell (day 1 starter as a power Guard), “the potential concerns with Torrence stem from his occasional struggles with interior quickness, when he could not control pass rushers early in the down with his strong hands.” |
| 2:01 | C/G John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota (Senior). [Mtg. at visit] 6’3¾”, 301 lbs. with very short 32⅝” arms and 9½” hands. Turned 24 in March. Team captain. An extremely safe pick, Schmitz is one of the best IOL prospects in the draft at both Guard and his native Center position. Big and strong enough to handle even AFC North NTs, and excellent at reach- and other forms of angled, get-in-the-way blocks. Not crazy athletic like Pouncey or DeCastro, but still above average. Schmitz was probably the single best player at the Senior Bowl regardless of position; to my eye he looked like a pro playing against college kids. Some have compared him to 2021 draft favorite Creed Humphrey. Indeed, the main knock against Schmitz would be that he’s actually a few months older than Humphrey, who would be entering his Year 3 while Schmitz is a rookie. Has he topped out? According to Daniel Jeremiah’s March Top-50 list, “Sources at the school rave about his leadership.” Jon Heitritter, in a particularly good gif-supported scouting report, prefers a comp to the Titans’ Ben Jones, who got picked in Round 4 of the 2012 draft but outplayed his draft position by enough to [finally] make the Pro Bowl in 2023. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile describes Schmitz as a rare plug-and-play prospect with a skill set reminiscent of (you guessed it) Ben Jones. Care to guess at the comp used in the scouting profile by OL expert Brandon Thorn? You wouldn’t be wrong. This goes to a Senior Bowl interview with Jonathan Heitritter. |
| 2:01 | TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah (Senior). 6’3⅝”, 246 lbs. with 32⅝” arms and 10¼” hands. Turns 24 in October. The sort of player you like to root for as a fantastic Move TE who plays with a competitive toughness beyond his small (for a Tight End) frame. Add 2” and 15 pounds, and Kincaid would be a clear TE1 even in this astonishing class. This young man positively searches for ways to put his face in the proverbial fan, and the rustier the better. Came in at an astonishing #9 overall on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list, based on “exceptional quickness, route polish and run-after-catch ability” that led DJ to describe him as “a more explosive version of Zach Ertz coming out of college.” Has proper TE hands, and genuine “wanna” as a blocker, but with very suspect size when it comes to fighting off NFL athletes. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile calls him a Round 1 “move tight end whose premium talent as a pass-catcher will be the primary focus for evaluators,” and who does that job well enough to earn a comparison to Zach Ertz if he can carry on as expected at the next level. “Impeccable ball skills and sticky hands… [but] a liability as a run blocker.” Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a late 1/early 2 grade, comparing Kincaid to none other than Pat Freiermuth. “I came away very impressed by his blocking while acknowledging his size won’t fly in the NFL.” In fairness that should be “might not” since Ertz weighed 249 at his Combine and has shorter arms with only an inch of extra height. On the pass catching side, Ross describes Kincaid as “a wide receiver who just happens to be 6’4”, with fluid cuts, really good adjustments to balls in the air, flawless hands, and the “acceleration to turn a 2-yard catch into a 20-yard gain.” Film guru Greg Cosell’s scouting profile characterizes Kincaid as a tremendous Move TE who lacks enough “natural strength… [to] be considered a liability as a run blocker, especially in attached, flexed and wing alignments.” |
| 2:01 | TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’4½”, 249 lbs. with 9½” hands. Turns 22 as a rookie. Here’s a lazy but true comp: Pat Freiermuth but better (at least in college). Mayer does everything you could ask as a receiver, and is even a good, solid blocker albeit a little inconsistent when it comes to pure strength and technical details like hand position. A top 20% athlete for the position, which may hurt his stock in this weird year when there is a full dozen who tested even better. OTOH, everyone and his brother could have told you going in that Mayer is a better football player than Olympian. Bottom line? Nothing but injury will keep Michael Mayer from a decorated, 10-year NFL career, and he could be better than that. The TE3 (#26 overall) on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list, but a clear TE1 who deserves a Round 1 grade according to Chandler Stroud’s gif-supported Depot scouting report: “An old school Tight End body but plays like a new school tight end” similar to Mark Andrews. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile has him as TE2, calling him a “safe pick” reminiscent of Jason Witten. |
| 2:01 | TE Luke Musgrave, Oregon St. (Senior). 6’5⅞”, 253 lbs. 10⅞” hands. Turns 23 in September. Went into Week 3 on a white-hot streak of two fantastic games and then injured a knee and was out for the season. Nephew of NFL QB/coach Bill Musgrave. An elite top ½% athlete with ridiculous speed among the other assets, but you are betting on those physical tools because his snakebit college career included little in the way of stats. Blocking in college was smart and basically effective – more positional than violent – but it looked more physical at the Senior Bowl. Proper TE security blanket hands. He earned the clear TE1 position in Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile, along with a pair of direct player comps to Dallas Goedert and Mike Gesicki. Here is a solid-looking PFN scouting profile from December. The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell is enough to create serious greed: “Musgrave is one of the best TE prospects in the 2023 draft class primarily due to his ability as a receiver, although his extensive experience as an attached blocker in the run game – while improvement is needed – positions him well to be a complete multi-dimensional player at the next level.” |
| 2:01 | TE Darnell Washington, Georgia (Junior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’6⅝”, 264 lbs. with incredible 34⅜” arms and 11” hands that let him [watch this!]. Turns 22 in August. A height/weight/speed alien – as in “may not be entirely human.” Seriously: a 6’7” Tight End who can block like a lineman, run past even a Safety when he’s up to speed, and has room to improve in several facets of his game? Definitely worth a dream or three, especially after he used the Combine to put up a top 2% athletic score with elite grades in every category, and make one of the most impressive catches I have ever seen. His 2022 production was only okay, but he had a foot injury for the first half of the season, played for a notoriously run-first offense, and had to compete with a Sophomore phenom named Brock Bowers, who was good enough to win the Mackey Award as an underclassman. Came in at #17 overall on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list, along with a description as “a sixth offensive lineman in the run game and [] a moving billboard in the passing game.” Jacob Harrison’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 2 grade. His blocking is so good that Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile suggests he could almost be considered as a candidate for conversion into a true Tackle. Greg Cosell’s scouting profile emphasizes the contradiction between Washington’s tape and his Combine performance. “Washington has rare size and overall length for the TE position, in addition to uncommon straight-line speed as evidenced by his 40-yard dash time, but his tape showed more of a heavy, at times awkward, mover, who played at one speed without the needed ability to separate and stretch the seam as a vertical dimension.” |
| 2:01 | WR Quentin Johnston, TCU (Junior). 6’2¾”, 208 lbs. with 33⅝” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turns 22 in September. The best of the big & tall, move the chains, X receivers in the draft, Johnston is also a fine athlete with elite burst for someone his size. He’s the 12-point stag in a year when the roebucks rule until Day 3. Johnston is particularly good at breaking tackles but definitely needs to work on his craft. Georgia’s Kelee Ringo shut him down completely in the national championship game because he had the rare talent to match up physically. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile worries that even with the assumption that he’ll have a more accurate deep ball QB in the pros, Johnston “still feels more like a good WR2 than a high-volume WR1.” Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report says “his floor is a very good number two receiver, but he could blossom into a very good number one,” but agrees there is little chance Pittsburgh would invest one of its first two picks on a WR. The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell reaches much the same result: “[W]hat can Johnston develop into 2-4 years down the road: Will he be a nice complement to a true No. 1 or can he become a Justin Jefferson/Davante Adams/Ja’Marr Chase-type of receiver? That will be in the eye of the beholder, but it is not a given.” |
| 2:01 | STEELERS ROUND 2 PICK (# 32 OVERALL) |
| 2:12 | S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’2”, 198 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 8¾” hands. Turns 22 in October. The closest I can come is ‘SS who covers.’ Texas A&M uses big nickel (3 Safeties) as its base. In that formation Johnson lined up in the box as a ferocious, if overly lanky, tackler and blitzer. I.e., a true hybrid SAF/ILB. In light packages he rotated over to be a slot Corner, where he also did a decent job in general and a good one against TEs and big-slots who are used to winning with size. At other times he rotated back to be a Cover 2 Safety, though this was less common. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sums it up nicely: “Johnson is positioned to become a good starter whose best ball will be played near the line of scrimmage.” Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report calls him a slightly more instinctual version of Terrell Edmunds, which is not exactly an insult once you’re out of Round 1. Greg Cosell’s scouting profile calls him “an enigmatic evaluation and projection” who projects best in something like the Terrell Edmunds role, or Jayron Kearse in Dallas. |
| 2:12 | CB Emmanuel Forbes, Miss. St. (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine] [Scheduled Visit was canceled]. 6’0¾”, 166 lbs. (170 at his pro day) with 32¼” arms and small 8½” hands. Turned 22 in January. A long and wiry Corner who makes up for his lack of oomph with Round 1 coverage skills supported by an impressive combination of ferocity and off the charts ballhawking talent. We’re talking more than half a dozen INT’s in 2022 alone! One of those guys who always manages to be right near the ball. The issue? He’s less “wiry” than flat out “skinny,” to the point where you wonder if he can physically survive against the level of pure power in the NFL. He will throw his body around like he weighs 200 (one is awed by the sheer physical courage), but no else is fooled. Excellent on special teams too as a kick block rusher. Came in at #21 overall on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50 list. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Chandler Stroud calls him an improvable press man talent who is “potentially elite” in zone, ending in an enthusiastic late 2nd grade. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sounds similar but ends in a fringe-1st type of grade, worrying most that “his slender build and lack of tackle strength will make him a target for opposing running games.” Film guru Greg Cosell puts it this way: “Forbes is a tough evaluation as you project and transition him to the next level [because] he weighs less than 170 pounds. My guess is you would be hard pressed to find a first- or second-round corner in memory with that kind of weight deficiency. But there is no question that Forbes has desired length with the smooth fluid athleticism and loose hips you ideally want to see in an outside corner, in addition to the long speed to run with vertical routes.” |
| 2:12 | CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia (RS Soph) [Mtg. at Combine, Dinner] [Scheduled Visit was canceled]. 6’1¾”, 207 lbs. with 31¼” arms and 8½” hands. Turns 21 in late June. One of the easiest players in the draft to see as a HOF’er in 20 years and also see as a great “If only…” Ringo is a physical marvel (top 3% athletic profile, down to top 17-18% after factoring in some poor agility scores) who dominated even the most athletic college WRs (see the CFB championship where he shut down Quentin Johnston completely), but he has been exposed by truly slick route runners (see Marvin Harrison Jr. in the CFB semifinal) and it clearly ties to his COD limitations. The bottom line is clear: he will get cooked on a regular basis in the NFL until he learns his trade, but that HOF career will be very reachable if he can learn all the tricks required to maximize his strengths and limit his flaws. Getting there will take at least 2-3 years, and there’s no way to know if he will, or if he has the extreme football IQ and communication skills needed to shift inside to Safety. Came in at #40 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile agrees entirely on both the potential and the limitations, identifying two specific issues worth mentioning: “He is very average at anticipating breaks and transitioning with them to squeeze the top of the route,” and “has issues consistently tracking deep balls.” Greg Cosell’s particularly good (even for him) scouting profile sees Ringo as a quality press-man Corner with real weaknesses in all other types of coverage. “Where Ringo has issues, and they are significant, is in off-coverage, where he lacks any refined feel for routes and where they break, which results in a loss of leverage and assignment discipline. Another concern, especially in zone coverage, is that Ringo has poor eyes and is lacking a strong sense of routes in relation to the quarterback, with the result that he gives up too many completions in front of him. Due to his hip and core tightness, he has trouble stopping his feet in off coverage to defend curl routes and comebacks, and those routes are there all the time.” |
| 2:12 | CB Tyrique Stevenson, Miami by way of Georgia (Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’0”, 198 lbs. with 33⅝” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turns 23 a day after the draft. A freakish, 5-star H/W/S player with good length. The testing shows an easy top 10% straight line athlete, with poor agility scores. One hopes he will make his way to defensive scheme that will protect him against quick COD routes. Ike Taylor’s favorite Day 2 prospect came in at #36 in Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50 list, who particularly praised his “outstanding speed and aggression.” Had a tremendous Senior Bowl week. A CB who takes risks because covering alone isn’t enough for this much motor, he’s also been known to have that backfire. In college he usually had the speed and athleticism to make up for those mistakes. In the NFL…? This good looking February scouting profile lauds his “amazing play strength” when lined up in press, excellent mirroring ability, quick hips, speed, and above all his instincts. Much less impressive in zone. The NFL.com scouting profile ends in a solid Day 2-ish grade, with particular admiration for his press-man game, and notes that he had struggles when playing in off and zone. TDN’s scouting profile ends in a Round 3-4 grade out of concerns that he would be limited to press coverage schemes. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) calls him “a good hitter who throws his weight around,” especially in press coverage, but worries that the poor agility tests suggest he might be stiffer than he looks on tape. “Honestly though, I didn’t see a lot of obvious and clear flaws in his tape… Long, good straight-line speed, a little tight, needs to work on his zone and off-man…. Overall, a Cover 2 and press-man system is best for [him].” Yes, Pittsburgh does play that system quite often. |
| 2:12 | T/G/C Cody Mauch, N. Dak. St. (Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’5”, 302 lbs. with very short 32⅜” arms and 9¾” hands. Turned 24 in January. Team captain. A good college Tackle who would fit better in the NFL as an IOL because of both his issues (short arms) and his assets (mobility, skill at reaching defenders on the second level, sound pass protection technique, effortless lateral mobility, white-hot motor, and very impressive aggression in run blocking). Yes, that is quite a list of assets! Kevin Colbert would have frowned hard about the small school background, but that is one of the assumptions that Omar Khan and Andy Weidl may upend. Began his college career as a 221 lb. Tight End. A real character with long red hair, missing front teeth, and a Brett Kiesel beard, Mauch would quickly become a fan favorite. Came in at #45 overall on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50, and that grade would have only gone up with his Senior Bowl performance. This thorough December scouting profile from PFN reached a similar grade, emphasizing that Mauch is “an elite athlete on tape with a rare mix of corrective agility, explosiveness off the line, and range in space.” This goes to a Senior Bowl interview with Tyler Wise. His skill set seems to fit well with the movement-oriented duties of Pat Meyer’s blocking scheme even though he lacks the length that Meyer prefers. Chandler Stroud’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a fringe-1st grade based on his “extremely hot motor” and “unheard of” flexibility, quickness, and versatility. Don’t go too far, however. Stroud also warns that good bull rushers have been known to get into his chest to take advantage of the short arms, and Mauch has an unfortunate tendency to end up on the ground. The NFL.com scouting profile by OL-coach’s son Lance Zierlein ends with a solid Round 2 grade, describing him as a “scheme-versatile tough guy” whose “inconsistent footwork in pass protection and below average arm length could foreshadow a move inside to guard.” This solid-looking February scouting profile from a Giants POV ends in a late-2nd to early-3rd grade. This February OL big board from Sports Illustrated lists Mauch with a Round 1 grade. This briefer scouting profile agrees with that grade. Here are two pre-Senior Bowl interviews, one from a Bears-oriented POV and the other a more general interview from TDN. |
| 2:12 | C/G Joe Tippmann, Wisconsin (RS Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’6”, 313 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 9¾” hands. Turned 22 in March. Converted from DL to OL in 2020. Has played both Guard and Center, earning the constant description of a “mauler” at every stop. Also gets points as the “iron sharpens iron” practice opponent right across from Keeanu Benton. His hand placement could use work — he has a habit of dipping his head before making contact when he’s on the chase in open space — and he needs to be more consistent getting off the ball, but those are common issues for college players, and he’s also unusually young. Not a team captain, but he is relatively young and has a sterling leadership reputation going back to high school. The TDN scouting profile says “Tippmann projects as a day-one starting center for multiple NFL offenses and schemes. Tippmann is a scheme-versatile blocker that impresses on both running and passing plays.” He comes in as IOL3 (behind JMS and Torrence), at #38 overall. Came in at #22 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list, which made him the clear IOL1 of the class. The NFL Draft Buzz scouting profile adds that Tippmann was the #28 Feldman Freak based on, “a terrific combination of strength (635-pound back squat and 455-pound bench) and athleticism, clocking a 4.31 pro agility time and a 1.65 10-yard split, which would’ve been faster than any O-lineman at the [2022] NFL combine.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile compares Tippmann to the Packers’ good young Center Josh Myers, who was picked at 2:62. “Tippmann’s size, strength, smarts and athleticism should help him become a starter in the NFL.” The scouting profile by OL expert Brandon Thorn ends with the same comparison: Josh Myers. And for Jon Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report? Josh Myers yet again. “[Tippmann can play in a variety of blocking schemes, being able to pull, reach block, climb to the second level, work out in space, but also go straight ahead into Nose Tackles.” More critical evaluations, which also come from lesser reviewers, point to some balance concerns while complaining that he doesn’t maintain his blocks as well as he should. |
| 2:12 | RB/WR Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama (Senior). 5’9⅛”, 199 lbs. with 30½” arms and 9¼” hands. Turned 21 in March. A fine prospect with good vision, great speed, decent power, and admirable skill in all facets of his trade. Fringe 1st on talent alone but lacks the size that Pittsburgh traditionally covets and the roster has no open spot. Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report emphasizes Gibbs’ abilities as a WR and return man, viewing him as a prospect similar to Deebo Samuels. Now there’s an intriguing idea… |
| 2:12 | RB Bijan Robinson, Texas (Senior). 5’11”, 215 lbs. with 31⅜” arms and 9¾” hands. Turned 21 in January. Here is the dilemma: people on this very site have compared Bijan to a generational talent like Saquon Barkley, who quite rightly got picked in the Top 5 of the 2018 draft; but RB is probably the strongest single room on the team if you account for the lack of depth at OLB. Thus the entirely stupid question about what would happen in an impossible case. This is my ridiculous grade for that absurdly silly question. Argue about it with yourself, not with me. Came in as the #4 overall player in Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list. |
| 2:12 | WR Zay Flowers, Bost. Coll. (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 5’9¼”, 182 lbs. with 29½” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 23 in September. [Discounted here because of his similarities to Diontae Johnson] Almost a stereotype of the small, shifty, high-octane WR who gets open with sharp, turn-on-a-dime route running and good but not great speed. Tested with 2% size and 90th% speed, yielding an overall top 25% average. The special thing is that he’s small but solid, and won’t go down as easily as others with this profile. Might be compared to a smaller, poor man’s version of Diontae Johnson, though Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) preferred the Bears’ Darnell Mooney as the comp. Note that Pittsburgh will have some extra insight on Flowers since he’s a teammate of fellow WR Dino Tomlin. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends in a Round 2 grade despite the size concerns and worries about dropped passes. The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell notes that “Flowers would have had significantly better statistics in both 2021 and 2022 with better quarterback play… [His] traits, profile, and formation versatility fit today’s NFL game, especially his ability to work in space and his outstanding run-after-catch ability… A top 40 pick.” |
| 2:18 | STEELERS ROUND 2 PICK (# 49 OVERALL) |
| 2:24 | NT/DT Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin (Senior) [Mtg. at Senior Bowl, Visit]. 6’3¾”, 309 lbs. with 33⅞” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 22 in July. A national-level wrestler in addition to football. Benton ain’t goin’ nowhere that he don’t wanna go, even on double teams, and don’t be surprised when he tosses some poor Center a few yards back with sheer, brute strength. Also gets points as the “iron sharpens iron” practice opponent right across from Joe Tippmann. The college film showed little in the way of pass rush ability. His Day 1 performance at the Senior Bowl suggests that he’s been learning, though his declining results on Day 2 and 3 brought the expectations back to earth. Definitely on the Steelers radar, which Mike Tomlin specifically told him according to this Senior Bowl interview with Jonathan Heitritter. Alex Kozora identified Benton as a “perfect fit” for Pittsburgh in this January video. Kozora’s follow-up scouting report pretty well nails the summary: a solid, run stuffing piece of the puzzle who will not hurt the team on pass downs but isn’t likely to be a major help either. This January scouting profile adds that he is also “a very skillful pass rusher when he is lined up as a nose tackle or 3-tech defensive lineman.” |
| 2:24 | DT Mazi Smith, Michigan (Senior) [Mtg. at Dinner, Pro Day]. 6’3”, 323 lbs. with 33¾” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 22 in June. The #1 entry on Bruce Feldman’s 2022 Athletic Freaks list, Mazi Smith played 0- and 1-tech in college, but questions exist about whether he can do it in the pros. There’s no doubt that he’s built like a brick, strong as a bear (34 bench press reps with long arms is just insane!) and can move in ways a man his size should not. The issues are (1) arms of moderate length, (2) reflexes off the snap that can be a full beat or two behind everyone else, and (3) whatever lingering smoke you want to find in a gun permit issue last fall that got pled out to a misdemeanor. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Ross McCorkle ends with a Round 2 grade, a comparison to Dontari Poe, and a description of Smith as someone who projects to be a solid, high-floor NT with potential to really improve if he can learn to get off the ball with his pads down where they belong. That slow get off is the thing that limits his pass rushing chops. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile also sees a lot of Dontari Poe, concluding “Smith’s size and testing could give his draft slotting some juice but he’s more of a Day 2 talent with exciting upside than a plug-and-play starter.” Zierlein also notes some problems keeping up with an outside zone attack, endurance issues, and a “surprising lack of anchor consistency against double teams.” Note that several sources have emphasized both Mazi’s vast untapped potential and the fact that he seems to glory in being ‘that guy who does the dirty work for all his teammates.’ Those two facets definitely add to the ceiling and the floor from my POV. Came in at #39 overall in Daniel Jeremiah’s March top-50 list. |
| 2:24 | EDGE Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame (Senior). 6’5⅛”, 264 lbs. with 34” arms and 9⅞” hands. Turns 23 in October. A wonderful straight-line athlete with tremendous burst and often-overwhelming speed-to-power but not as bendy as you’d like and unsophisticated when it comes to actual moves. Has played 3-4 OLB in college, with decent coverage ability for a linebacker. Also an ace special teamer who once blocked two (2!) punts in a 2022 game. Tested as a Top 7-10% athlete. This year’s poster boy for Draftnik Backlash Syndrome, Foskey had a spectacular 2021 that created wild-eyed predictions of pushing toward the top 10, but then he looked like “only” a 1st-rounder. The disappointed expectations have made many fans forget that he’s still a very special athlete whose best football lies ahead. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sees a strong future for his developing pass rush ability, but worries about his inability to set a hard edge in the run game. Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a late-1st grade, with a cautionary note that Foskey may be limited for a year or two until he can develop more pass rush moves to take advantage of all those natural assets. |
| 2:24 | EDGE B.J. Ojulari, LSU (Junior). 6’3”, 248 lbs. with long 34¼” arms and big 10½” hands. Turned 21 April. An explosive, sudden athlete who can also bend the edge, but a little undersized compared to the Steelers model (excluding James Harrison, of course). Enjoyed a dominant 2022 against top SEC competition. Supposed to be an A+ teammate and human being as well. His brother Aziz plays Edge for the Giants. Came in at #39 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50 list. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile compares him to Harold Landry, as a bendy 3-4 OLB who struggles against the run. Master film analyst Greg Cosell’s scouting profile calls him a “sudden, explosive athlete, with outstanding length, who can bend the edge with motorcycle lean, but also use his arms effectively in the speed-to-power game… What stood out watching Ojulari on tape was how complete his overall game was, consistently showing the competitive toughness and hand usage and non-stop motor to defend the run in addition to possessing the quickness and burst and explosiveness to rush the QB from the edge.” |
| 2:24 | EDGE/DL Tuli Tuipulotu, USC (Junior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’3”, 266 lbs. (down from a reported college weight of 290) with 32¼” arms and big 10⅛” hands. [Discounted due to similarity with DeMarvin Leal] Only 20 on draft day, turning 21 in September. That’s JuJu-level young! Double-T has played every DL position from 1-tech NT out to 4-3 DE, relying on a potent combination of strength, burst, nonstop motor, and surprising agility for a big man. The issue is that all of those assets seem to be top third but not top 10th if that makes sense. A lot of his stats come from persistence more than wins, along with that ability to suddenly accelerate when the ball comes close. Comes from a football family, with a brother currently playing DL for the Eagles. The PFN scouting profile is definitely worth a read. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a lower-than-most Round 4 grade, partly because he fits the same mold as Leal without having more in the way of upside. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile wouldn’t disagree for Pittsburgh but argues that the right team might see him as more like the next George Karlaftis and give him a solid early-2nd grade. This is a nice but pre-Combine scouting profile. |
| 2:24 | EDGE/DT Keion White, Ga. Tech. (Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’6”, 285 lbs. with 34” arms and big 10⅛” hands. Turned 24 in January. [NOTE: This grade would be higher if he was 2-3 years younger and/or better suited to being an OLB.] The profile reminds you a bit of LaMarr Woodley or a more athletic DeMarvin Leal; a big, strong, A+ athlete who looks like a potentially great 4-3 DE with enough movement skills to fake it as a 3-4 OLB, and enough size to move inside from time to time. If you think that is excessive praise, please look at Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list, where White came in at #8 overall! He played like a top-10 guy at the Senior Bowl too. (He’d dropped back to #27 in the March version 3.0, FWIW). Played TE until 2019 (how TJ Watt of him!), so he’s still learning his position and has upside. Famously hit 21 mph on a gps tracker, which is faster than many WRs. The gif-supported Steelers Depot scouting report awards him a Round 1-3 grade even on the assumption that he will be a hybrid DT/EDGE like DeMarvin Leal rather than functioning as a full-time pass rusher. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile says he is “still in the developmental phase” but ends with a Round 1 grade nevertheless because the assets are just that special. “His pass rush is predictable and lacks focus, but he’s bendy and could take a big leap forward in this department provided the coaching catches up with the physical gifts.” This pre-Senior Bowl scouting profile calls him “a very raw Leonard Williams,” who’s a bit hard to judge because his games early in the season were at best forgivable with a very remarkable improvement by the end of the year. Film guru Greg Cosell’s scouting profile describes White as a powerful pass rusher who excels in run support and has lots of undeveloped tools. “White looks the part of an NFL DE/DT hybrid as you transition and project him to the next level, but there are many questions that need to be discussed and addressed… [His] game was built on strength and power much more than athleticism, twitch and suddenness. At this point, White is a raw and unrefined pass rusher, especially from the outside, where he almost always featured speed-to-power with no counters.” |
| 2:24 | ILB/EDGE Drew Sanders, Arkansas via Alabama (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’4⅜”, 235 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 22 in December. An exceptional prospect but is another Buck ILB the thing that Pittsburgh should target? Discounted here because of the poor positional fit. An undersized Edge at Alabama, Sanders morphed into a successful ILB at Arkansas. His combination of athleticism, measurables, and blitzing make him the highest-ceiling Buck ILB in the draft, and it isn’t close unless you count on Nolan Smith moving inside. But the fan base that gets him should be prepared to exercise real patience as he limps through an extended learning curve and should never assume he will be any good at coverage. Those skills are barely acceptable, though his pure talent should let him learn how to man a shallow zone, and probably stay close to most TEs. He’s flashed all the physical talent you could want but is still a newbie to the position with a double steep learning mountain to climb. The motor is fantastic, and he has that sudden burst you look for. Also a good, violent tackler with the rare knack of knocking the runner D.O.W.N. to prevent any squirming, fall-forward yardage. Gets off blocks relatively well due to his background at Edge, but does not read plays well enough to reliably hit the proper hole. Came in at #33 in Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list. Sanders earned an enormous, early-1st grade in Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile, along with a comparison to Tremaine Edmunds. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a late-1st. |
| 2:24 | CB/S Jartavius “Quan” Martin, Illinois (Senior). 5’11”, 194 lbs. with 31⅛” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turned 23 in April. A classic tweener who straddles the line between Safety and Corner, he may lack the strength to become a starter at the first spot and the speed to succeed in the second. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile admires the “buttery smooth hip swivel,” but counters that with concerns about “lack of ideal recovery speed.” Good hands when the ball comes into reach. Owen Straley’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) sees a true, multi-purpose Nickelback who can slide out to play Safety in base. |
| 2:24 | SS JL Skinner III, Boise St. (Senior). 6’4¼”, 211 lbs. with 32” arms and 8½” hands. Turned 22 on April 16. Here’s a fun fact. His name is actually “JL”; those aren’t initials An enforcer in the middle who can turn and run with TEs all day but can be beaten by pure shiftiness. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting profile used Kam Chancellor as the player comp. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (solid Round 2 grade) reminds me more of a somewhat less elite version of that profile, like Terrell Edmunds. |
| 2:24 | CB Clark Phillips III, Utah (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 5’9”, 184 lbs. with 29⅛” arms and 9⅛” hands. Turns 22 in December. The sort of Corner who could use a sound effects bubble over his film. It would feature a lot of flick!, whoosh!, boing!, snap!, and grrr!, but not much bang! or pow! The best Nickel CB in the draft if he can improve his tackling, which we can safely assume given his attitude. The impact of his actual height and weight will decide whether he has the potential to play outside as well. The TDN scouting profile catches it well: “his impact and elite competitive spirit are impossible to deny. He is a dog!… continuously showed up with impact plays in the biggest stages [but] while he competes well above his weight class, teams were not shy about forcing him to play off contact and tackle.” This Vikings-oriented January scouting profile lauds his “incredible click-and-close ability” and ends in a late-1st grade. This January scouting profile describes Round 1 quickness, savvy, and film, but ends in a mid-late 2nd grade based on play strength concerns. In a parallel vein, this terse January scouting profile sees a wonderful zone/slot corner due to his reaction time, instincts, quickness, and attitude, but again worries about the actual size and length. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile uses Mike Hilton as the comp and makes a point of emphasizing that Phillips is a “voracious student of the game… who is tough, smart, and knows how to play.” Owen Straley’s gif-supported Depot scouting report agrees with everyone else, ending with a Round 2 grade. Phillips had a surprisingly rough day at the Combine, putting his grade in flux until the March 23 Pro Day confirmed or denied the earlier testing. |
| 2:24 | CB Darius Rush, S. Car. (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine, Visit]. 6’2”, 198 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 9½” hands. Turned 23 in February. A WR turned CB who is still learning his new craft, and already looks awfully good. A top 3% athletic profile without any agility testing. Very impressive at the Senior Bowl, where he showed better technique and athleticism than expected, recorded the fastest GPS time by a generous margin (21.6 mph!), and played Steady Eddie ball. A converted WR who really understands route concepts and what the offense is trying to do to him. Played across from Cam Smith, this year’s technical wizard at Corner. This goes to a Senior Bowl interview with Jonathan Heitritter, who describes Rush as an energy bringer who also takes pride in his special teams ability. This good-looking February scouting profile describes him as a tough, physical, and competitive player who also has some Safety experience, but ends in a Round 5-6 grade based on how new he is to the position, and also some questions about whether he could handle quick NFL receivers. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) sums him up as an “interesting prospect who is an ‘A’ athlete.” |
| 2:24 | CB Garrett Williams, Syracuse (RS Junior). 5’10”, 192 lbs. with 31” arms and 9¼” hands. Turns 22 in June. [Significant injury discount for an October ACL] When he has two good knees, Williams is a fringe-1st talent lacking just a bit of polish and discipline in every part of his game; all of that can be fixed with time, hard work, and good coaching. Now? It’s a bit maddening, especially when you factor in the exceptional depth of both this year’s class and the Steelers’ caution when it comes to injury flags. Owen Straley’s gif-supported Depot scouting report says, “Overall, I came away a massive fan of Garrett Williams’ tape… Given his takeaway oriented mindset and physical demeanor, Williams could prove to be a great fit for Pittsburgh on day two [despite the injury].” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile basically agrees, though he expresses some concern that Williams “is inconsistent playing with his back to the quarterback,” and could stand to have his long speed double checked with a proper dash (which won’t happen because of the ACL). Film guru Greg Cosell’s scouting profile gives an even stronger endorsement: “My sense watching his tape was that without the ACL injury in late October of 2022, he would be considered a mid-to-late first-round prospect, and, at worst, an early second-round prospect. He possesses all the traits you look for in an outside corner in the league, and it would not surprise me if some teams – despite his total lack of experience inside – saw him as a slot corner down the road due to his physical toughness and competitiveness.” |
| 2:24 | G/C Steve Avila, TCU (RS Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’3½”, 332 lbs. with short 33” arms and 9¼” hands. Turns 24 in October. Team captain. Reputation for excellent leadership qualities and high football IQ. Played Guard in 2022, has right/left versatility, and is equally competent at Center. A particularly good inside zone blocker, and equally good in gap/power, but outside zone is not his game. Mess with this young man in a phone booth and it could get ugly. Get him on the move and he’s much easier to deal with. Very adept at “short set” blocks of the type that Pat Meyer favors, there can be little doubt that Avila would embrace the first significant contact principle. Came in at #36 in Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list. This goes to a Senior Bowl interview with Ross McCorkle. Seems to fit well with the movement oriented protection duties of Pat Meyer’s blocking scheme, but Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) expresses serious concerns about Avila’s ability to pull and/or catch players out in space. “Lumbering” is a kind word for some of those gifs, though it must be said that other scouting reports do not show that as a pattern. The NFL.com scouting profile from Lance Zierlein uses Chris Kemoeatu as the player comp, concluding that “Avila is likely to start right away as a Day 2 draft pick and should have a solid NFL career as either a guard or center.” |
| 2:24 | QB Will Levis, Kentucky (Senior). 6’3⅞”, 229 lbs. with 10⅝” hands. Turns 24 in June. He throws missiles that go where he wants them to go when the mechanics are on; is a very good athlete with NFL size and strength; has the “it” factor when it comes to leadership; and his team runs a modified pro system. But the mechanics aren’t always on, especially under pressure; that leads to some head shaking throws; and the “modified” involves a ton of half-field reads. Has admitted to the shocking sin of putting mayonnaise in his coffee – which may disqualify him from the human race but won’t stop him from being an early Round 1 QB… for a team other than the Steelers. |
| 2:24 | QB Anthony Richardson, Florida (RS Soph). 6’4”, 232 lbs. with 10½” hands. Turns 22 in May. Should have returned to college because improved fundamentals and decision making would have put him in line to be #1 overall in 2024. Now he could easily fall out of the top 10. Shows a lot of Josh Allen in terms of size, arm, and running ability, but he is even more raw as a prospect. The highest ceiling in the draft, no doubt, but there isn’t any reliable floor to back it up. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Chandler Stroud calls him an “elite runner who breaks tackles against DBs and LBs alike,” and who also understands how to extend a play instead of taking off. Stroud agrees on Josh Allen as the comp and awards a very solid Round 1 grade. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile isn’t the only one that compares him to a young Cam Newton. |
| 2:24 | TE Tucker Kraft, S. Dak. St. (RS Junior). 6’4¾”, 254 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 10” hands. Turns 23 in November. An athletic TE (top 3-4% for the position) who comes from a run heavy offense where blocking was job #1, who likes to do it and gets the job done even though he could improve and has the full package of receiver talents that are only going to improve. It’s a formula that’s worked many times before, and no one seems to doubt it could work for Tucker Kraft just as well. Heck, the gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jon Heitritter (Round 2) ends with… I’d better quote it: “When watching Kraft on tape, I couldn’t help but think of what Travis Kelce was like coming out of Cincinnati. I’m not saying that Kraft is going to have the same career Kelce has had (although that would be [the] best-case scenario), but rather that the two are nearly identical when it comes to measurables, [] athletic testing, [] college production,” and the fact that Kelce was a HS QB while Kraft was a RB. Kelce improved as a pro, and plays with that awe-inspiring Chiefs offense, but the prospect-to-prospect analogy has real legs. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile agrees that Kraft projects as a “Day 2 combination TE talent [who] should see the field early with a chance to become a TE1.” His comp is Pat Freiermuth. The TDN scouting profile follows right along: “He will be a complete tight end that has the athleticism to be a high-volume pass target who can make plays on his own thanks to his run instincts and strength while also being a solid run blocker.” I have yet to find a dissenter. The Bleacher Report scouting profile offers a few specific critiques, like “as of now, he is a clunky route-runner [though he] clearly has the movement skills to improve.”) Like the others it ends with a solid Round 2 grade. The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell (top 50 grade) says, “Kraft is one of the best and most complete TE prospects in this draft class with his desirable combination of athleticism and receiving traits, competitiveness, and execution as a run blocker.” |
| 3:01 | DT Gervon Dexter Sr., Florida (RS Soph) [Mtg. at Combine] [Scheduled Visit was canceled]. 6’5⅝”, 310 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 22 in October. Note that all his weight is good weight with little to no sloppy padding. Dexter offers all the physical gifts required to dominate the line of scrimmage but also has enough niggling technical issues to make that a rare occurrence. In particular, his red-hot motor tends to burn out later in games, and he habitually lets his pad level rise, especially against double teams or when his first pass rush move fails. Those are fixable problems, but it typically takes a few years of diligent, well-coached work. More of a DT than a NT despite the size, so he’d be targeted as the next Heyward or Tuitt rather than the next Big Snack. A case where you’re betting on what his Round 1 tools and youth will become, not the Round 3 player he is right now. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends with a Round 3 grade, calling Dexter a player who “has the measurables and physical traits to become a plus starter but needs time to hone his skills.” This goes to a long and thorough interview with Jonathan Heitritter at the Combine. The particularly harsh NFL.com scouting profile, which notes that Dexter played only basketball until his junior year in high school, complains that he “s frequently slow off snap, which tends to have a domino effect on both his hands and positioning in a negative way,” and seems to imply that he’s a very boom-or-bust prospect. Helped the “boom” half of that a lot by compiling a magnificent top 3% athletic profile at the Combine, which included elite explosion numbers that indicate his snap timing is a matter of poor training rather than poor ability. This Giants-oriented February scouting profile (mid-2nd grade) emphasizes that “power is Dexter’s calling card, and his play strength is evident in every phase of his game.” |
| 3:01 | ILB Trenton Simpson, Clemson (Senior) [Mtg. at Dinner]. 6’2⅜”, 235 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and big 10¼” hands. Turns 22 in June. Team captain. Long, tall, fast, and athletic, Simpson was a hybrid player in college who took snaps from Edge on out to Strong Safety but would be drafted by Pittsburgh with the hope that he could grow into a sideline-to-sideline, cover-capable Mack ILB. Compiled a very impressive, well-balanced, top 2% athletic profile that shows clearly on the film. He is also a tough kid with an ideal build and has the discipline of someone who comes from a military family. The downside? He hasn’t played ILB with the single-minded focus needed to really learn its intricacies, and that shows on the film just as clearly as the athleticism and coverage skill. It will take at least a few years for him to develop the required instincts, and we can’t be sure he will. At this point the combination results in occasional splash plays offset by many where he starts out a step behind or arrives just as someone else is getting the tackle made. A round 1 talent if he ever nails down the above-the-neck part of the game, a round 3 pick for those who doubt he will rise to even an average understanding of the NFL game. Must not be picked by anyone who lacks genuine patience and a good coaching staff. But there is a hard floor too. Simpson already has very good coverage skills, and he projects as a surefire special-teams ace if ever there was one. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes the young man as a tremendously versatile puzzle piece with all the tools to be a fine Mack, including the ability to set an edge when playing as an OLB. He ends with a fringe-1st grade and a comparison to a larger version of the Browns JOK, with better health but a less developed game. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends in a Round 2-3 grade, calling Simpson a premium athlete who has shown “[only] average play recognition and a lack of patience that saw him get caught in traffic near the line.” This January scouting profile is one of several that admires his explosion and burst, but believes “Simpson lacks the ability to drop weight and anchor against the run, getting manhandled at the point of attack.” The relatively thorough TDN scouting profile agrees that he has been a super versatile, almost positionless player with “Electric range, [] explosive hitting power, [impressive finishing ability, and [rare] passiding-down value for a player of his stature.” The worry being his “reduced impact in 2022 when moved into a more traditional stack role” that would require him to read and get off blocks. Came in at #30 in Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list. Vince Williams’ #3 ILB in the class, behind only Daiyan Henley and DeMarvin Overshown. |
| 3:01 | S Jordan Battle, Alabama (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’1”, 209 lbs. with 32” arms and 8½” hands. Will turn 23 as a rookie. A ballhawking Safety who can succeed at any task from run support to single-high. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends with a strong Round 3 grade based on a very high ceiling offset by uncertainty in his own reads, which can cause both delay in starting and a little hesitation in finishing. The sort of player who’d be SAF1 on a weak defense, and SAF2 on a really good one. This goes to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. Combine testing (size and dash only) suggested a top 20% athletic profile. |
| 3:01 | S Ji’Ayir Brown, Penn St. by way of JUCO (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 5’11⅜” 203 lbs. with 31¼” arms and 10/⅛” hands. Turned 23 in January. Team captain. An incredibly productive Safety against both the pass and the run. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile praises his motor more than any other feature: “Brown’s size and athletic ability both check out, but his desire to make an impact on the game stands out… [He] brings energy, leadership and passion to his team.” Zierlein uses Ryan Clark as the player comp, ending with a Round 2 grade, though he does express concern about how often Brown gets played by smart QBs (which was probably true about Ryan in the early parts of his career). The PFN scouting profile (Round 3-4 grade) expresses more pessimism, observing that Brown often starts a tick behind, and then takes a step or two to get up to speed. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report settles on Round 3, describing Brown as “a playmaker at the safety position who has ballhawk instincts… [but also] has physical limitations, and his itch to make splash plays can get the better of him.” The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell calls Brown “one of the better safety prospects n the 2023 NFL draft,” but also notes that his “lack of size [is] a concern playing downhill… [and he is] not an elite, explosive athlete with the kind of suddenness and twitch you’d like to see from smaller safeties.” |
| 3:01 | CB Riley Moss, Iowa (Senior) [Mtg. at Dinner, Brass at Pro Day]. 6’0⅝”, 193 lbs. with 30” arms and 9½” hands. Turned 23 in March. A genuine ballhawk who challenges receivers but doesn’t deal well with double moves in man coverage. Should fit best with a zone-heavy team, which Pittsburgh is not. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile compares his skill set to Ross Cockrell, except that Moss is a much better athlete. The Combine testing showed him to be a top 2%(!) athlete, but without the agility drills that we most wanted to see… at which point he put up an elite 3-cone time too during his pro day. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) also sees him fitting best in a zone heavy defense with occasional off-man duties and predicts that he will start his career as a backup CB and special-teams ace. The scouting report by film guru Greg Cosell is a lot more optimistic. “[Moss] has good size with plus athleticism and a competitive and physical toughness that comes through in every game you watch. Moss is much more smooth and fluid than twitchy and sudden in his movement, and that is what makes some believe that he cannot line up at outside corner in the NFL. But a close study of his 2022 tape shows he has the traits needed to play outside. He was consistently efficient playing mirror match press man coverage, with the smooth transition to open his hips and the top-end speed to stay connected to receivers on vertical routes, with a great feel for when to turn and locate the ball (he has excellent ball skills). He was outstanding in zone coverage, playing with great awareness and eye discipline of route concepts-combinations and the quarterback… Overall, Moss did not have any issues playing mirror match press man versus [Marvin Harrison Jr. or any of the other] Ohio State wide receivers.” |
| 3:01 | CB DJ Turner, Michigan (Senior). 5’11¼”, 178 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turns 23 in November. Long, smooth, quick, and very, very fast (4.26!), which combined to earn him a top 5% athletic profile. He’s also technically sound. The grade would be a solid half round higher if he had the frame to stick his nose into the run-support fan. Showed flashes of real dominance as a pure coverage player, even against all-star WR/QB combinations he faced against Ohio State in both 2021 and 2022. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile is darned close to a rave review, using phrases like “explosive athlete with rare speed and change-of-direction quickness,” “graceful with his mirror and match movements,” and “plenty feisty when challenging throws or hitting receivers after the catch.” The concerns go to whether Turner has the pure size to avoid getting big-boyed in bad matchups and in run support of course. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report adds some gristle to go with the meat. He argues that Turner does indeed have fringe-1st coverage skill, with multiple techniques and legit ultra-speed, but worries about whether Turner’s lack of physicality is only due to his size. Does he also lack some “wanna” when it comes to tackling? And could survive a decision to start proving that wanna? |
| 3:01 | CB Rejzohn Wright, Oregon St. (RS Senior). 6’2”, 193 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turns 23 in September. Solid in press coverage but needs work in zone and off. Owen Straley’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes “a unique combination of size, physicality, football IQ, and desire to get involved in the run game,” and “early day 2 upside.” The profile ends in a Round 2 grade that is significantly higher than many other scouting reports. The Sports Illustrated scouting profile (Round 4 grade) sees the same potential but less realized physicality and prowess in run support. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile should get your antennae buzzing. He heaps special praise on Wright’s agility to mirror, which is usually the stumbling block for men this size. |
| 3:01 | T/G Matthew Bergeron, Syracuse (Senior). 6’4⅞”, 323 lbs. with 33⅝” arms and 9½” hands. Turned 23 in February. A four-year starter on both the left and right sides, he is a fine mover and good technician who will benefit a lot from NFL strength training, and from coaching on all the subtleties of the position. One of the best performers at the Senior Bowl, where the Quebec native was nice and steady, proving that he could mirror anyone there, and also looking good when moved inside to Guard. This goes to a TDN Senior Bowl interview. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report sees a Round 4 talent comparable to Dan Moore. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile is much more positive, seeing Bergeron as a Round 2 “eventual plus starter” more comparable to Joel Bitonio. “He’s a dynamic run blocker, able to excel in all three phases (positioning, sustain and finish). He’s just as capable of climbing and tagging second-level linebackers as he is at opening run lanes at the point of attack with leg drive. He’s athletic enough to play tackle, but inconsistent anchor and hand placement could cause concern.” |
| 3:01 | C/G Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’3¼”, 306 lbs. with long-for-a-Center 33¼” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 23 in November. A powerful player with excellent size and an anchor to match. His top 5% athletic profile surprised a lot of people who’d expected him to show average athleticism and foot speed. Chandler Stroud’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes a “smart, athletic center who moves really well [and excels] in both pass protection and the run game… Impressive and technically sound… he does the small things well.” The player comp is no less than Jason Kelce because “they are both guys that move bodies off the line of scrimmage, are cerebral assassins, and climb to the next level really well.” Wow. The TDN scouting profile is nowhere near that complimentary, saying “he’s capable of pretty high-level reps” and holds up “fairly well when tested with power,” but also regularly got beat by the array of Round 1 talents who tested him with extra-special size and/or quickness. This long PFN scouting profile ends in a Day 2 (Round 2-3) grade, and contains some fairly detailed analysis. The NFL.com scouting profile by OL coach’s son Lance Zierlein calls him a “potential starter” despite some waist bending issues. Here is an interview with Alex Kozora at the Combine. The scouting profile by the well-respected Brandon Thorn sees problems with his “unimpressive stature and build, with lapses in body control that will result in some quick losses. But he is a heady player and a very physical, skilled run-blocker.” Will provide a special benefit in the AFC North because he deals well with gigantic NTs. |
| 3:01 | QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee (Senior). 6’3”, 217 lbs. with 10½” hands. Will be 25 on draft day (6 months older than Kenny Pickett) and will not be able to play in 2023 due to a torn ACL at the end of 2022. The QB5 of the class, and probably the QB3 if not for the knee injury. The size, athleticism, and arm strength are all good, and (for once) there’s also consistent mechanics. He’d be a Round 2 prospect if not for three big issues: (1) he played in a college offense that calls for nothing like the skills he’ll need in the NFL, (2) he is much older than the Steelers usually look for, and (3) the torn ACL means he will be 26 before likely setting foot on an NFL field even for practice. There are also rumors of a potential “preacher in the locker room” problem, evidenced by a children’s book he wrote called The ABC of Scripture for Athletes, though others have heaped great praise on his presence and quiet leadership style. |
| 3:01 | TE Davis Allen, Clemson (Senior). 6’5⅞”, 245 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 10” hands. Turned 22 in February. A solid receiving TE and equally solid run blocker with wonderful hands and the ability to make over the rim combat catches, while also screening the ball with his body in the midfield. A good, all around prospect – but does he have a superpower to fall back on besides those hands? Tested as a top 12-13% athlete with very good burst (10 yard split and leaps) but limited long speed. Came in at #50 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list. The TDN scouting profile ends in a Round 5 grade because of questions about his top end speed and COD ability, and his lack of ability as a true, inline run blocker. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile awards something more like an early-3rd, calling Allen “a human vacuum [who uses] instinctive body positioning, mid-air adjustments and exceptional catch focus for consistent 50/50 wins.” The blocking is solid and will get better after a year or two in an NFL training regimen. |
| 3:01 | TE Sam LaPorta, Iowa (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine, Brass at Pro Day]. 6’3¼” 245 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 10¼” hands. Turned 22 in January. A fiery tough guy with an unending motor, he loves to block (with moderate but real success) and has good but criminally underused receiving skills because of how the offense worked. Runs good routes with secure TE hands. Did himself a lot of good by putting up a top 8% athletic profile great in every area but size. Came in at #36 in Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list. The TDN scouting profile (Round 3 grade) notes that he was Iowa’s offensive MVP (amazing for a Tight End) but worries about his ability to hold up against pure power, and also the number of combat catches he failed to make (i.e., you want TE’s to win 80% of the 50/50 balls, and he only wins his proportionate 50%). Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends with something more like a Round 4 grade over a set of concerns you could characterize as ‘lack of the desired physicality and aggression.’ Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report sees a Day 3 player who would have more value in a different year, serving as an athletic Move TE who can create after the catch while still contributing as a size-limited but capable blocker. |
| 3:01 | WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’0⅛”, 176 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9” hands. Turns 22 in September. [Discount for lack of fit] A certified deep threat with speed, twitch, hands, and the ability to make acrobatic catches. Easy top 5% athlete. Won the Biletnikoff Award in 2022 and came in as the clear (albeit boom-or-bust) WR1 in Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (down to #36 overall in the March version 3.0). Zierlein’s comp was DeSean Jackson, which is always the dream for these ultra-thin, ultra-fast, big-play deep threats. Hyatt looks like a twig waiting to be snapped and hasn’t played in a system that would allow his physicality to be challenged, but there aren’t many field stretchers this dangerous. Not a bad route runner for a college WR. Came in at #23 overall on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top-50 list. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Tom Mead ends in a Round 2-3 grade based on the speed, hands, and overall skill level, offset by his very slight build, the accompanying lack of play strength, and technique deficits like rounding off too many routes. Tom also offers an interesting double-comp: John Brown on the low end, and Tyler Lockett on the high end. The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell mentions Will Fuller as a potential comp. “Hyatt’s pure speed and explosive vertical ability will get him drafted in the top 40 (and quite likely higher), but there is no question that at this point he is not a complete receiver. Can he become a more versatile high volume target as he develops in the NFL? That remains to be seen.” |
| 3:01 | WR Marvin Mims, Oklahoma (Junior). 5’10⅞”, 183 lbs. with 31⅝” arms and 9” hands. Turned 21 in March. A somewhat undersized receiver who would grade higher if his route running, speed, and shiftiness were up to the standards of his amazing hands and body control. Wins as a deep threat but it tends to be in combat-catch situations more than you’d like from someone his size. A somewhat limited athlete on the NFL scale but a winner who “plays much bigger than his size suggests’,’ according to the gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter. Unbelievably good production, and his success as a punt returner supports the idea of hidden assets that add up in actual play. Has the knack of finding soft spots in a defense. A willing and capable blocker despite his size limitations. Performed exceptionally well at the Combine in both drills and measurables, putting up a top 9% athletic score headlined by a 4.38 dash that showed excellent burst and even better long speed. |
| 3:01 | WR Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss (Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’1¾”, 220 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 10⅜” hands. Turned 22 in April. A solid Big Slot option who looked like he was only a bully boy, possession receiver in college and then sent everyone back to the tape with an awesome top 1% athletic profile at the Combine. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends with what looks like a Round 3 grade. Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting profile also ends in a Round 3 grade, noting that Mingo suffered through poor QB play for his 2022 run. The TDN scouting profile (Round 5) sees his “noticeable physical presence” as a real asset but expresses concern that he “he has a tough time truly separating from defensive backs vertically” and needs to prove his hands are good enough to snatch balls away from his body. This goes to a nice Steelers-oriented scouting profile from early April. The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell likened Mingo’s style to someone like Deebo Samuel: “a big, physical, smooth receiver with strong hands and competitive run-after-catch traits who can line up in multiple locations within the offensive formation, including the backfield.” |
| 3:01 | WR Tyler Scott, Cincinnati (Junior). 5’10”, 177 lbs. with 30⅞” arms and 9” hands. Turns 22 after the draft. A classic, undersized slot receiver with “electric top-end speed [and]… dynamic versatility,” according to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. “Has the makings of an outstanding No. 2 receiver,” according to the TDN scouting profile. Has a history of playing RB but lacks the mass and frame to do so even in college – though the vision and general skill set remain. The February PFN scouting profile has some worthwhile and specific notes, like “explosive athlete who carries sudden burst out of cuts… short-area agility and body control to stop on a dime… elite hand-eye coordination… very reliable hands… [and] tracks the ball in the air with predator-like precision and effortlessly adjusts.” This gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonas Wedlich agrees with the others: a Round 3 slot WR/Returner whose tremendous speed is his best asset, with the lack of size being his biggest weak spot. The scouting profile by master film analyst Greg Cosell starts by emphasizing that Scott is another WR who “would have had much better numbers in 2022 with better quarterback play. There were significant times he ran by the secondary and the quarterback made a poor throw.” He adds: “There is no question about Scott’s vertical speed and explosiveness as you transition and project him to the next level, but there is more to his evaluation that must be discussed… The questions with Scott will start with his size and thin frame, and whether that will limit his deployment at the next level… Overall, Scott will likely be a Day 2 pick in the NFL Draft because there are not many receivers with his speed and vertical ability,… enhanced with deployment on [all the modern gadgety approaches] where he can take quick slants and turn them into chunk plays or home runs.” |
| 3:01 | WR Cedric Tillman, Tennessee (RS Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’3⅜”, 213 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 10” hands. Turns 23 right before the draft. Projected to be a Round 1 lock after his breakout 2021 season, an ankle injury hobbled him for most of 2022. The situation rings a George Pickens kind of bell, doesn’t it? Except the comp wouldn’t be Pickens so much as a player like Tee Higgins; or Michael Pittman Jr., according to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile, in which Tillman came in as WR4 one spot ahead of Jordan Addison. Tillman is big, tall, and has great hands with very good long speed, and surprisingly good brakes to get in and out of routes even though size, strength and toughness really are his primary assets. A very poor 3-cone time at his Pro Day, while expected, pulls his athletic profile down into the 86th percentile, which is still impressive. Good at RAC. NFL bloodlines, with a father who played WR for 4 years in Denver. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report sees him as a promising WR2/3, which earns a Round 3 grade. This goes to the TDN scouting profile, which also ends with a Round 3 grade. The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell is a bit more positive: “[T]here is no question [Tillman] has the physical and competitive traits to be a quality NFL receiver. My sense is he could emerge as a true No. 1 with the traits to win vs. man coverage as a boundary X.” His comp was Mike Williams in the 2017 draft. |
| 3:12 | DT/NT Zacch Pickens, S. Car. (Senior). 6’4”, 291 lbs. With exceptional 34⅜” arms and 10⅜” hands. Turned 23 in March. A 5-star athlete who has almost arrived, but never quite did in college even though he bullied a lot of good Senior Bowl players. Solid as a run defender. Could be a genuine star if he gets and takes to the right coaching, which would make him a 3-down guy. Should be a valuable role player anyway. He dropped a good bit of unhelpful weight for the Combine, which yielded prime results in the form of a top 8-10%, well rounded athletic profile and a strong suggestion that he could do better in the NFL than he did in college. The TDN scouting profile says he has very good penetration and wins regularly when that works but loses his pad level when it fails. This contrarian Bleacher Report scouting profile sees a totally different player: a static run stuffer who cannot help on passing downs. The NFL Draft Buzz scouting profile is somewhere in between. This interview before the Senior Bowl gives some insight into the young man’s approach to the game. Here is a clip-supported scouting profile with good personal background. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report likewise ends in a Day 3 grade for a raw but gifted and powerful NT who also has some pass rush juice but is held back by a significant need to build some extra endurance while bringing his craft up to pro standards in several ways. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 2-3 grade) likes everything but the anchor. This brief but solid scouting profile sees a 0- to 3-tech NT who’d be good value early on Day 3. This thorough February scouting profile is the one to look at for criticism, viewing Pickens as an inconsistent player with pad level issues who had a tough time handling double teams in college. |
| 3:12 | EDGE Yaya Diaby, Louisville (Senior). 6’3⅜”, 363 lbs. with 33⅞” arms and 10⅜” hands. Turns 24 in May. A JUCO player who went to Louisville for his final two years, Diaby played out of position as a 3-4 DE. He is bound and certain to be an Edge in the NFL. Tested as a fairly amazing top 2% athlete at the Combine. Solid burst and bend. Still more of a power player at this point, no doubt a side effect of playing DT in college. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 3-4 grade. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile in something more like a 4-5. The pre-Combine TDN scouting profile (meaning film-based only) describes Diaby as a Round 5 OLB prospect with good speed-to-power, and little but promise for everything else. |
| 3:12 | BUCK ILB Jack Campbell, Iowa (Senior) [Brass at Pro Day]. 6’4⅝”, 249 lbs. with 31⅞” arms and big 10¼” hands. Turns 23 in August. The 2022 Butkus Award winner for best linebacker and the William V. Campbell award for the best scholar/athlete (the “academic Heisman”). What a difference one day can make! He went into the Combine as an enforcer in the middle who had everything but the ability to handle coverage duties, which couldn’t really be expected anyway from a man his size. The NFL.com scouting profile was just one of many that said, “lacks the short-area burst and reactive athleticism teams typically look for from NFL starters.” He came out as a 99.8th percentile athletic genius with elite change of direction talent, elite explosiveness, and enough straight line speed to cover whoever you want, especially with his height and length. What a show! But does that translate into an ability to get that much better in coverage? The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Chandler Stroud (Round 3-4 grade) describes Campbell as a “weighty, hard-nosed, run-thumping [ILB] just has a nose for the football,” and compares him to Brian Urlacher. Supposed to be a high character part of the locker room too. The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell says, “Campbell was one of the most enjoyable players I watched in preparing for the 2023 NFL Draft. He… was an outstanding run defender with a desirable combination of size (which is absolutely a trait) and physicality (stack and shed), with high-level key and diagnose read and react traits that featured an ideal mix of patience and vision and decisiveness. Campbell consistently showed an innate feel for when to attack downhill with aggressiveness and physicality and when to play with patience and assignment integrity… [Though] is not an elite athlete with twitch and sudden movement traits, the more I watched his tape, the more I saw a deceptively good, straight-line, linear mover with more than functional play speed and range.” In other words, a classic 4-3 middle linebacker who’d be a fantastic Buck ILB in Pittsburgh’s system but would struggle to handle the pass coverage duties required of a Mack. |
| 3:12 | ILB Daiyan Henley, Wash. St. (Senior). 6’0⅞”, 225 lbs. with 33” arms and 9½” hands. 23 years old on draft day, turns 24 in November. A WR turned ILB? Yep. Henley is a physical specimen with all the below-neck assets you want for his position, but held back by a serious need to learn the position and a lack of edge in his overall demeanor. Should be a killer on special teams while he learns his trade. Looked particularly good in coverage duties at the Senior Bowl, and the Combine opened a lot of eyes to how athletic he really is, and how broad that athletic base runs. He’s serious about martial arts, has even returned kicks, and excelled in other sports too. The wiring is there. Period. It adds up to a top 89th percentile RAS score despite the drag of very poor height. This goes to a Senior Bowl interview with Jonathan Heitritter. Jon’s gif-supported Depot scouting report follows up with a Round 4 grade, citing lack of physicality and stop-’em-dead tackling as the main offset against Henley’s admiral coverage skills, range, and burst. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile had to be updated after the Combine to make note of the athletic talents, while still emphasizing the recognition delays that will hold him back. Vince Williams tweeted in March that Henley is his favorite ILB of the entire class. |
| 3:12 | DeMarvion Overshown, Texas (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’2⅝”, 229 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 23 in August. Team captain. Fabulous, top 5% athlete even with the drag of his “very poor’” scores for size and bench press strength. A former Safety, he outgrew the position but is still better on the coverage side than he is in the downhill-tackling role. Has the speed and burst to be a sideline-to-sideline tackler, and the attitude, but the actual strength needs to improve. Good blitzer who stops a lot of running plays for TFL’s or at the LOS. Still learning the position, which can make him a step slow. Gets a slight bump for unrealized potential. Lacks the size to stack and shed offensive linemen who make it to the second level. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends with a Round 3-4 grade based on the assets offset against the need for both added mass and strength. The NFL.com scouting profile suggests something more like a Round 4-5 grade based on physicality/strength issues, though it does note “huge strides at the position from 2021 to 2022,” which makes it easier to project continued improvement. Vince Williams’ #2 ILB in the entire class, behind only Daiyan Henley. |
| 3:12 | Mack ILB Owen Pappoe, Auburn (Senior). 6’0¼”, 225 lbs. with 31¾” arms and 9⅛” hands. Turns 23 in September. A two-year team captain and on-field QB with excellent speed, coverage skills, and football IQ. The overall athleticism score is flat out superb: top 10%, with ‘elite’ scores in everything but his ‘very poor’ size. This is your man if you love suddenness and burst in an ILB, and who doesn’t? But he’s never learned to get off OL blocks, may simply lack the strength to get that done, and projects as someone who will therefore live or die according to the ability of his DL to keep him clean. One might compare him to the player Devin Bush turned out to be, rather than what Bush was drafted to be. Has failed to show good instincts on tape, and it is hard for us to guess if that can be taught. Chandler Stroud’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade), uses Mark Barron as the comp, emphasizing that Pappoe has a true ILB’s mindset about the game but is just that little bit too small to physically impose his will on bigger opponents. The TDN scouting profile (Round 4) offers a list of assets and issues that seems to catch the essence particularly well. The Good: tremendous athleticism/range, coverage upside, developmental run defending upside, and leadership/work ethic. The Issues: less than ideal size, problems taking on and/or shedding blocks, modest read-and-react skills, and too many missed tackles. The Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 3) adds that “he was constantly making pre-snap checks and getting everyone lined up correctly.” |
| 3:12 | SS Jammie (JAY-mee) Robinson, Fla. St. (RS Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 5’10⅝”, 191 lbs. with 29⅝” arms and 8¾” hands. Turned 22 in January. Assets: twitch, burst, pop, passion, instincts, tackling, overall athleticism, and versatility inside the box from undersized coverage-ILB out to SS. That’s a lot. But the weaknesses (hands, man coverage, and range) are also there, and he lacks a good bit of size. Late 1st if he was 3-5” taller and 15-25 lbs. heftier but he’s not. This goes to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. The gif-supported Depot scouting profile by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 3-4 grade) is heavy on words like tenacity, competitiveness, energizer bunny, and relentless, while emphasizing the real physical limitations that come with his size. |
| 3:12 | CB Tre’vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU (Senior). 5’8”, 178 lbs. with 29” arms and 8⅝” hands. Turned 23 in January. Every year there’s one or two CB’s where you say, “This kid would be CB1 if he was only 5 inches taller and 40 pounds bigger.” This year’s entry is THT. Ultra quick and ultra-aggressive, but also extremely undersized. Owen Staley’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 3 grade, saying “ [TVHT] could serve as an every-down Nickel in Pittsburgh, capable of playing the run and blitzing on early downs, while providing effective man coverage that the team lacks.” His comp is none other than Mike Hilton. |
| 3:12 | T/G Tyler Steen, Alabama by way of Vanderbilt (Senior) [Coach Meyer at Pro Day]. 6’5”, 321 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 10½” hands. Turns 23 in June. First, he has all the athletic talent needed to play Tackle in the NFL. His feet are nimble enough to do the job against anyone, and he has tremendous range for getting to the second level. He also made significant and continuing gains as the season progressed, which bodes very well if you project the same sort of thing moving forward. The downsides come down to a moderate amount of country strength, only acceptable length, a bad habit of rising up as he comes out of his stance, and the normal hand fighting and leaning concerns to be expected of any OT outside of Round 1. Has some experience at Guard, but that would not suit his profile quite as well. Already understands Coach Meyer’s favored technique about using independent hands. Here is Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 4) loves the size, experience, pass protection footwork, and versatility, but still considers him a developmental prospect due to strength, balance, and technical problems like waist bending and lunging. Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile concludes that “Steen will be able to compete for a swing tackle role right away and has the physical traits to become a quality starter within his rookie contract.” |
| 3:12 | G/T Henry Bainivalu, Wash. (Senior). 6’5¾”, 306 (down from 312 lbs. at the Senior Bowl & 340 in college) with 34” arms and 10¾” hands. Turns 25 as a rookie. Built like a classic Right Tackle, he’s already moved inside where he played like an experienced and savvy guard in 2022. Might have the ability to slide out but that would be an unexpected bonus. Should be able to hit the ground running compared to younger and less experienced prospects. |
| 3:12 | G/T McClendon Curtis, Chattanooga (Senior). 6’6”, 324 lbs. with awe inspiring 35” arms and 10¼” hands. Turns 24 in September. Cole Strange came out of Chattanooga last year and did quite well. This year it’s Curtis. One suspects there is a coach down there who’s got an NFL future. In any case, Curtis is a big boy with big-boy power, good balance, and adequate but not special mobility. Probably limited to playing Guard though he did so well at the Senior Bowl that some now think he can stick at Tackle. There are reps of him manhandling just about every iDL at the showcase, including fan favorite Keeanu Benton. It is hard to find better raw traits. |
| 3:12 | TE Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion (RS Senior). 6’7⅜”, 255 lbs. with 34” arms and 10¼” hands. Turns 24 in June. A Pennsylvania kid from Harrisburg and supposedly a good friend of Pat Freiermuth, Kuntz started his career at Penn State but couldn’t earn his way onto the field. He then followed along when his OC won a head coaching gig, and it turned out to be the best thing he could have done. The 2022 results were miles better than he’d had in the years before. Just as tall as Zach Gentry but vastly more athletic (10.00 vs. 2.55), Kuntz is quite likely to be a red zone and move-the-chains terror, but even more likely to be a blocking liability for at least the next few years. This is one of the rare young men who earned a perfect 10.00 RAS score at the Combine as the single most athletic TE prospect measured from 1987 to date according to the RAS website (click on TE as the position with no date). “Plays more like a big receiver than a Tight End” according to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. Here is a good looking scouting profile from the end of January, which makes it that much more reliable than the sudden spurt after his show at the Combine. The Sports Illustrated scouting profile adds that he “won the State Class AA Championship in the 110-meter hurdles in 2017; claimed district titles in the 110-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles three times each. Was a member of the National Honor Society and four-time distinguished scholar.” Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 3 grade and a comparison to Mike Gesicki as a good receiver who “isn’t known for being a good blocker, but [] at least has shown the desire and has room to improve his technique.” Steelers fans should view him more as a huge, very physical big-slot WR with only adequate speed, at least for the start of his career. There is certainly room on the team for that profile. |
| 3:12 | TE Luke Schoonmaker, Michigan (Senior). 6’5¼”, 251 lbs. with 32⅞” arms and 9” hands. Turns 25 in September. [Discount applied for his age]. An old-fashioned, throwback TE who can run block, pass block, and play receiver with decent competence across the board… and compiled a top 3% athletic profile with no real weakness. Someone we’d have been drooling over before Freiermuth arrived in town. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends on a Round 2 grade. “He could see action early but might need a year or so before he works himself into a full-time TE2 role,” with hard work in the training room as job #1. The TDN scouting profile agrees with the projection of a high-floor, multi-purpose TE2 who can do it all at good but not great levels. “A technician as a blocker… good inline and as a lead… [who has] good versatility and the ability to line up all around the formation” according to Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report, which ends in a solid Round 3 grade and a comparison to Dalton Schultz. |
| 3:12 | WR Josh Downs, UNC (Junior). 5’9”, 171 lbs. with 30⅜” arms and 9¼” hands. Turns 22 in August. Downs is extremely quick and shifty, quite fast, and possesses that knack of playing bigger than he is but that last doesn’t say too much given his genuine lack of size. Tested as a 77th percentile athlete overall, but that was after the massive adjustment for his 0.80% size. The real point is simpler: he gets open, makes difficult catches (with occasional focus drops), and can turn short crossers into big gains. Consistent, high-level production from a classic, agility-oriented slot receiver. The issues have to do with his size. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting profile notes that he avoided bump-and-run coverage in college, suggesting that he really is vulnerable to getting big-boyed by larger opponents. Came in as the CB2 in Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile, which describes him as a “free-flowing athlete with dynamic footwork and an instinctive feel for how to elude opponents.” Reportedly had a near perfect Pro Day. Greg Cosell’s scouting profile calls him “an explosive, twitchy slot receiver with dynamic route quickness and sudden shifty accelerating run-after-catch,” but says he is formation-specific in an NFL offense.” A deep threat slot WR, and only that. |
| 3:12 | WR Rashee Rice, SMU (Senior). 6’1”, 204 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 9½” hands. Turned 23 earlier this month. Big, tall, shifty, and physical in both the receiving game and run support. The drawbacks? SMU is not what you’d call a pro-style offense, which limits the technique evaluation, and he’s occasionally shown signs of the dropsies. Focus, discipline, and other above-the-neck question marks seem to be central in almost every evaluation. Elite explosion numbers with average speed and size pushed him up to a top 5% athletic profile. Jacob Harrison’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) employs words like “sturdy” and “tough” but expresses concern about his skill at making contested catches in traffic, when punishment may be lurking. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile is much harsher, ending with something more like a Round 4 grade, and a description as a “Talented but enigmatic receiver with game tape that shows a [maddening] lack of consistency… In one game you might see terrific ball-tracking and jump-ball victories followed by frustrating drops and a lack of physicality in fighting back on contested catches.” |
| 3:12 | WR Dontayvion Wicks, Virginia (Senior). 6’1⅜”, 206 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 10” hands. Turned 23 in February. A tremendously explosive athlete who can get deep, twist in the air, make circus catches, and fight through DBs for tough catches. He also had way too many inexplicable drops in 2022, though it wasn’t an issue in 2021. A minor injury during the Combine 40 pulled him down to “only” a top 8-9% athletic profile overall. The NFL.com scouting profile suggests that the dropsies issue may have gotten into his head. Plays tough in addition to fast. Has the talent to run incredibly sharp routes, which will pair with his sneaky burst and stride changes to help get him open even in the NFL, but he hasn’t achieved the technical skills to do it reliably. Looked excellent at the Senior Bowl. Earned a Round 3 grade from this Bleacher Report scouting profile which says, “Wicks isn’t a one-trick pony, but he’s at his best as a deep threat.” At least for now, and until he can overcome his 2022 problem “with drops of all sorts.” |
| 3:12 | WR Michael Wilson, Stanford (Senior). 6’1⅞”, 213 lbs. with 31” arms and 9¾” hands. Turned 23 in February. Tore up the Senior Bowl with his impressive combination of size, route running, and hands. A multi-year team captain with a Stanford mind and a great reputation for leadership, Wilson film is scarce because he’s been so snakebit on the injury front, including wacky things such as a broken foot that he re-broke the day after he was cleared to go back to work. Can you have a “fragility” problem for totally unrelated and occasionally freakish injuries? A Combine winner, excellent size and explosion scores that led to a top 7% athletic profile. The NFL.com scouting profile ends in a Round 3-5 grade, saying “Wilson plays to his top speed at all times, but he needs to become a more efficient route runner… The ball skills are a little below average, but he’s a cantankerous run blocker and has the potential to become a very good gunner on special teams.” Sounds very Miles Boykinesque, with the potential to be a better position player. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonas Wedlich (Round 2 grade) calls Wilson “a physical X-receiver with good speed and the ability to run any route,” only to add that “his best traits [are] as a blocker and running in traffic.” |
| 3:17 | STEELERS ROUND 3 PICK (# 80 OVERALL) |
| 3:24 | DT Karl Brooks, Bowling Green (Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’3⅜”, 303 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 9” hands. Turns 23 in May. Team captain. A dominant 4-3 DE from the MAC who racked up big plays like pennies in the change jar, his combination of size, burst, power, and an array of counter moves was just too much to handle. But is that first step good enough for the NFL too? And is he a tweener who is too big to play as a 3-4 OLB, while lacking the length and pure power to double as a DT? It is hard to see how he would fit in Pittsburgh. Looked tremendous at the Senior Bowl but snubbed for the Combine. Coach Dunbar was at his Pro Day. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Alex Kozora awards Brooks a Round 3 grade, describing him as “a refined pass rusher… [with] similar traits to DeMarvin Leal but [who] plays with heavier hands, [and] reminds me a fair bit of Larry Ogunjobi.” This good-looking Bleacher Report scouting profile sees “plenty of upside/potential to be a good interior pass-rusher with his quickness and athleticism” but also expresses “concerns about Brooks as a run defender… [and] with his play strength.” |
| 3:24 | DT Calijah Kancey, Pitt (Junior). 6’1”, 281 lbs. with 30⅝”arms and 9⅛” hands. Turned 22 in March. [Discounted by 2 full rounds due to lack of fit.] Once there was a DL from Pitt with extraordinary burst, quickness, and the ability to slide between offensive linemen like a ghost. His name was Aaron Donald, and he did okay in the NFL. Enter Version #2, except an inch shorter, 5 pounds lighter, and lacking Donald’s freakish country strength. Here is a fun comparison of the two if you’re interested. So is Kancey a great college player in search of an NFL position, like star DT-turned-Fullback Rosie Nix? An undersized DT who wouldn’t fit the Steelers’ system and needs? Or is he really a rule-breaking genius who could follow in the unicorn Donald’s enormous footsteps? The clips show absolutely absurd lateral quickness with pro-level technique but also confirm the size problem. His grade would be a little higher if Pittsburgh had not selected DeMarvin Leal in 2022, whose skillset as an undersized, pass rush capable DT sounds a bit too similar. If you’ll forgive a really strained analogy, they slice the meat in different ways but end up with similar meals. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported scouting report suggests that Kancey’s best fit may be with a team that can use him as a situational pass rushing expert, allowing him to work primarily on passing downs from any spot on the defensive line. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile follows suit, describing Kancey as a unique sort of talent who will be best utilized as a rotational, interior pass rusher. A potential Round 1 talent for the perfect situation, but a late 3rd prospect for the wrong one. This grade reflects the lack of fit on the Steelers. Came in at #26 overall on Daniel Jeremiah’s March Top-50 list. |
| 3:24 | DL Byron Young, Alabama (Senior). 6’3”, 294 lbs. with exceptional 34⅜” arms and huge 11” hands. Turns 23 in November. [Not to be confused with EDGE Byron Young from Tennessee]. Shorter than Pittsburgh’s ideal but the exceptionally long arms put him right back on the board. Excellent experience playing every spot on the DL from 0- to 5-tech. Well-trained for a college player, but there is still plenty of room to improve. The main issue is just-okay athleticism. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends with a Round 3 grade, describing Young as a high-floor, moderate-ceiling prospect who plays with a hot motor and could contribute sooner than most young players. Think Wormley rather than Heyward. The NFL.com scouting profile comes down to “really fine player with heavy feet that are going to limit his upside forever.” The TDN scouting profile and Sports Illustrated scouting profile both end with Round 5 grades based on the lack of pass rush upside, and the impact of those heavy feet on his ability to help with twists and wide stretch runs. |
| 3:24 | EDGE/ILB Nick Hampton, App. St. (Junior). 6’2¼”, 236 lbs. with 33⅝” arms and 9½” hands. Turned 23 in April. A pass rushing OLB in college who wins on pure twitch, burst, bend, and overall athleticism that’s simply better than his opponents. But he’s built like an ILB who is far smaller than the likes of Watt or Highsmith. Is he a hybrid or a tweener? Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sums him up like this: “Hampton isn’t anything special as a run defender, but his pass-rush tape really stands out. He’s an explosive, linear [undersized 3-4 OLB] pass rusher featuring subtle techniques near the top of the rush that help him access the pocket.” Michael Rochman’s gif-supported Depot scouting report thinks the pass rush ability could be enough to earn Hampton a spot in Round 2; Round 3-4 is a likelier projection. |
| 3:24 | EDGE Eku Leota, Auburn by way of Northwestern (RS Senior). 6’3”, 255 lbs. with 33⅞” arms and 9⅞” hands. Turns 24 in May. A tricky evaluation because he has real but intermittent burst and bend, excelling more often by winning on second-, third-, and fourth-effort counters. A never stops type whose last move one comes as fast and ferocious as the first. Film is a bit scarce because he tore his pec in game 5 of the 2022 season, which makes him more of a projection than many of his peers. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report falls in the excited but cautious category. “[Leota has] experience on both sides of the formation in two- and three-point stances… solid quickness… active hands… variety of pass rushes. He can power rush or bend around the edge and looked comfortable [] in zone coverage… Chases well…strong tackler and has a good motor.” All that is great, but questions about his above the neck game couldn’t be fully answered. “From 2021 to 2022 there was a nice improvement in his game. I was disappointed he was injured because he was really starting to put things together.” Tom ends in a conservative Round 5 grade. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile calls him “the definition of a 3-4 strong side outside linebacker. He offers the toughness/strength to do battle and hold the fort along the edge.” The TDN scouting profile (Round 3 grade) agrees, with a bit more praise for his “quick burst” and some notes that his experience playing TE as well as Edge shows some overall good wiring. |
| 3:24 | Mack ILB Henry To’o To’o, Alabama (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’1”, 227 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 10¼” hands. Turned 22 in January. Tested as a surprisingly average athlete, especially on the agility side. A multi-purpose ILB who likes to hit and is tough for linemen to catch, but lacks the size to be a genuine thumper even though he views run stuffing as job #1. Had a 2021 reputation for being slow or guessing on his reads. Has always had trouble getting off blocks, which would really annoy a Pittsburgh fan base traumatized by Devin Bush. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile calls him “steady but unspectacular… lack[ing] in inside… [and] just average in coverage.” #Ouch. Tested at the Combine as an average athlete. |
| 3:24 | S Sydney Brown, Illinois (Senior). 5’9¾”, 213 lbs. with 31½” arms and big 10¼” hands. Turned 23 in March. His twin brother is RB Chase Brown, and I can heartily recommend this wonderful 2022 Sports Illustrated feature about the two. Looked fantastic at the Senior Bowl, showcasing smooth, easy, and effective coverage skills. Elite speed and explosion numbers led to a top 4-5% athletic profile held back only by size. Tackles okay, can be beaten by good size. A good comp might be C.J. Gardner-Johnson, a solid but undersized defender who will help your team without being a star. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report chose the 49ers Ben Hufanga on similar grounds. NOTE: Brown’s highest and best use may be as an ideal, sub package puzzle piece who can neatly straddle the line between box-Safety and Nickel-CB. That, combined with obvious special-teams value, gives him a very solid floor despite our limited ability to project him as a genuine starter. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile expresses concern about far too many missed tackles. |
| 3:24 | S/CB Anthony Johnson Jr., Iowa St. (RS Senior). 6’0”, 205 lbs. with 31¼” arms and 8¾” hands. Turns 24 in December. [Do not confuse with CB Anthony Johnson from Virginia or Safety Antonio Johnson from Texas A&M] Team captain with a hot motor. Played 4 years at Corner, and then converted to Safety. Takes pride in hitting like a truck but retains the coverage chops to be a Nickel DB. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile implies that he is still a few years away from mastering the upstairs part of this complicated position. He may be vulnerable to manipulative QBs and erroneous reads, but he will at least make his mistakes at full speed. Good explosion numbers earned him a top 9-10% athletic profile. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Tom Mead notes that Johnson has experience playing outside, in the slot, as a box Safety, and as a deep Safety. Versatility galore, and extremely physical. |
| 3:24 | CB Kei’trel Clark, Louisville (Junior). 5’10¼”, 181 lbs. with 29⅝” arms and 8¼” hands. Turns 22 before the draft. A smart, adept, and versatile CB who has moderate size, very good initial burst, moderate long speed, and could be a fine part of the defensive solution if he internalizes the right coaching. Tested as a very good top 20% athlete. Experienced in a variety of coverage schemes. This goes to a Shrine Bowl interview with Owen Straley. Here is Owen’s gif-supported Depot scouting report, which ends in a Round 3 grade. “Having the opportunity to interview him, it was abundantly clear that he was an extremely high-IQ player… [who is] capable of filling the team’s need for an every-down Nickel.” Note that Clark dominated the Shrine Bowl practices enough to earn universal praise. Rumor has it that Pittsburgh “is showing a lot of interest in Clark.” |
| 3:24 | CB Kyu Blu Kelly, Stanford (Senior). 6’0”, 191 lbs. with 32” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 22 in May. Son of CB Brian Kelly, an Interceptor Supreme who won a Super Bowl in 2003 with Tampa Bay when Mike Tomlin was his Defensive Backs Coach. The son is a smooth, sticky, press man specialist with four years of starting experience and a very professional approach to the game. Good hands and fiercely competitive once the ball is in the air. May be vulnerable to exceptional speed or twitch, both of which are abundant in the NFL. (Jordan Addison won big and ugly in their competition). This goes to the TDN scouting profile, which says he is much better in press than zone or off man. Had a tremendous Senior Bowl week. Tyler Wise’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes Kelly as a very skilled prospect with good speed and athleticism, who prefers press coverage, feels uncomfortable in off, and plays well in zone but with mistakes based on triggering too hard. It ends with a Round 4 grade based on poor play in run support, and those question marks in zone and off-man coverage schemes. This top-quality, Giants-oriented S.I. scouting profile grades him out as a Round 2 talent. A pre-Senior Bowl interview worth reading shows his thought process. This February scouting profile ends in a Round 4 grade due to concerns about tackling and possible limitations to man coverage only. This Vikings-oriented pre-Senior Bowl scouting profile calls him a solid CB2 to be picked on Day 2. This Bucs-oriented scouting profile agrees that he is a press man specialist with a Round 2 grade, whose tackling needs work. |
| 3:24 | CB Darrell Luter Jr., S. Alabama (Senior). 5’11¾”, 189 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and big 10⅜” hands. Turned 23 in April. Dominated Sun Belt competition with his length and very good athleticism; real questions exist about his ability to step up against NFL WRs. This goes to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. Tested fine (78th percentile) at the Combine, with basically average scores highlighted by a fantastic vertical leap and a truly awful short shuttle (though the 3-cone was well above average). Owen Straley’s gif-supported Depot scouting report expresses confidence that “he will be able to contribute in a sub-package capacity as early as his first year in the league” and makes a player comp to Kendall Fuller, who has been a fine pro. |
| 3:24 | CB Eli Ricks, Alabama by way of LSU (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’2”, 188 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 8⅞” hands. Turns 22 in September. He’s got the size. He’s got the length. He’s got the instincts. He’s got the hands. And he’s got the brains. But he has sometimes looked a step too slow or a twitch behind. Some really poor athletic testing numbers suggest that it isn’t just irregular technique, but rather physical limitations on both his foot speed and his agility. He has also battled injuries. A willing but not physical tackler. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile describes him as a press-man CB who is “often a step slow to find top gear when opening to run laterally or vertically, but [] a human blanket against short and intermediate routes without much wiggle to them.” Owen Straley’s gif-supported Depot scouting report deserves a careful read. “Turn on one of Eli Ricks best games and you’ll find yourself wondering why he isn’t being mentioned among the top corners in this year’s class. Turn on his worst game and you’ll find yourself wondering whether he has the coverage skills to survive at the next level.” |
| 3:24 | CB Terell Smith, Minnesota (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’0½”, 204 lbs. with 32⅞” arms and 9” hands. Turns 24 in September. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile describes Smith as “an ascending cornerback with an outstanding combination of size, speed and toughness, [with] game film [that] improved from 2021 to 2022, [a good] backpedal, [and] above-average footwork for a cornerback his size.” He’s also described as a reliable and aggressive tackler. In other words, Mr. Traits. Something of a one-year wonder, without the proven hands and statistical production you want. The Sports Illustrated scouting profile (Round 6 grade) loves the size, length, and long speed but detects some COD issues. The RAS athletic profile and mockdraftable chart shows good speed and not bad agility. Not good, but not actually bad. |
| 3:24 | CB Cory Trice, Purdue (Senior). 6’3⅜”, 206 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 23 in May. An athletic press CB with great size, the speed to stay with anyone but true 4.3 guys, and nice physicality/tackling in run support. But how will he deal with NFL athletes who are exceptionally quick or crazy fast? The size and length propelled him to an enormous top 1-2% RAS score, with 4.47 speed to back it up, and some frankly astonishing agility numbers for a man this size. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile says he “is physical in coverage but lacks the same temperament in run support… [A] decent athlete but lacks ideal fluidity and speed to recover when beaten, so press and zone coverages are where he should live.” The TDN scouting profile agrees, seeing “a little rigidness to his lower-body movements [that makes] gearing down to change directions [] a bit of a task for him in coverage.” So here is the bottom line: the tape shows a lack of agility; the testing shows fantastic agility. This suggests that the tape may be fixable, in which case Trice could be much better as a pro than he was in the NFL. Or not. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) leans toward the positive side, adding that Trice has some good background playing Safety in addition to his skill and potential as a press Corner. |
| 3:24 | OG Anthony Bradford, LSU (RS Junior). 6’4”, 332 (down from 345 at the Senior Bowl, and 365 in school) with 33½” arms and 9½” hands. Turned 24 in March. A colossal, human-moving young man who can hold up against anyone in a phone booth, and has enough mobility to pull, but came into the draft with film showing a lack in lateral agility. That college version would have been a poor fit for Pat Meyer’s scheme, and also vulnerable to really quick 3-techs. But something funny happened on the way to the forum: he dropped almost 20 pounds before the end of the season, and then another 20 on his way to the Combine. At which point he suddenly tested as a top 3-4% athlete with all the power and vastly more movement skills than he ever showed in college. And who knows whether that could be improved? There’s probably 20 more he could drop without cutting into muscle. I suggest starting with the Sports illustrated scouting profile to get a feel for the XXXL version. Then have a look at Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile, and the TDN scouting profile for the 340-something version. We don’t have any post-Combine scouting reports, and in many ways, they are pure speculation, but at some level the numbers don’t lie. Everyone knew that Anthony Bradford was a huge and powerful man. But now he is a huge, powerful, and athletic man who may have just found the golden ticket that was buried in the drawer. Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) shows the author was deeply impressed by the power, toughness, and punch, but concerned about the obvious lack of COD in Bradford’s game film. Bradford could be a major steal if the weight loss fixes that flaw. |
| 3:24 | OG/C Jon Gaines II, UCLA (RS Senior). 6’4”, 303 lbs. with 33⅝” arms and 10⅛” hands. Age unconfirmed, but he was a true Freshman in 2018 so… 23? A tremendous athlete who appeared on everyone’s radar after he put up an astonishing top 1% athletic score at the Combine, which included an elite 4.45 short shuttle fast enough to be strongly correlated to NFL success. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein emphasizes Gaines’ intelligence and “clear understanding of his duties on every snap.” Zierlein also notes the athleticism but warns that his “athleticism doesn’t guarantee consistent body control or balance in his play.” Has started at Guard, Center, and also Tackle. Particularly good at finding his targets on the run. Chandler Stroud’s gif-supported Depot scouting report also emphasizes the combination of football IQ and top-level athletic talent, held back by technical flaws that can make him miss with his punch. |
| 3:24 | OC Luke Wypler, Ohio St. (Junior) [Mtg. at Pro Day Dinner]. 6’3”, 303 lbs. with 31⅝” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turns 22 in early May. The pivot man for a very good college OL, Wypler has everything you want in a center except some exceptional genius or extra-large size. Smart, technically sound, experienced, etc., he also moves very well. Time in an NFL training room will do him nothing but good. Held his own against Jalen Carter in the CFP semifinals game. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile calls him “undersized but highly athletic [with] initial quickness [that] gets him to the best angles.” Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes him as a very good, high-IQ athlete who would fit best in a “zone-based offense that relies on movement more than displacing defenders one on one.” |
| 3:24 | TE Payne Durham, Purdue (RS Senior). 6’5⅝”, 253 lbs. with 33⅜” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 23 in June. A high school teammate of Connor Heyward, Durham has evolved into a solid receiver and effective blocker who enjoys doing all the tasks required of a true TE. Good hands, with the ability to get up a seam and make tough catches despite very average movement skills. A slightly better than NFL average athlete, but no more. This goes to the Sports Illustrated scouting profile, which ends in a Round 4 grade. The TDN scouting profile calls him Round 3 value due to his “impact blocking” along with his toughness, competitive approach, and ability in the red zone. Stock went up at the Senior Bowl where his blocking shined and his receiving looked quite competent. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report likewise ends with a Round 3 grade, along with a comparison to a slightly more limited Pat Freiermuth. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends in late Day 3 grade based on a need to add strength, with very little faith in his “speed to threaten the seam [or] functional agility to beat coverage underneath.” |
| 3:24 | TE Brenton Strange, Penn St. (RS Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’3⅞”, 253 lbs. with 31⅛” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turns 23 in late December. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 2-3 grade) describes him as an “H-back option with a compact frame and a nice blend of athleticism and toughness to fuel his game… [T]he demeanor and play strength are where they need to be to succeed.” Tested as a top 10-11% athlete for the TE position. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jacob Harrison expands on that, emphasizing that Strange may be undersized, but he is a standout blocker “who consistently moved bodies… lining up as an in-line tight end, H-Back, and split out wide.” Excellent hands and RAC talent too, though “there’s not much nuance in his route running.” |
| 3:24 | WR A.T. Perry, Wake Forest (Senior). 6’3½”, 198 lbs. with 33¼” arms and 9¼” hands. Turns 24 in October. Tested as an excellent, top 8% athlete with elite speed and explosiveness. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile puts it this way: “[Perry is a] long wideout with quick feet and erratic hands who falls neatly into the category of higher-ceiling, lower-floor prospect.” An easy Day 2 talent with size, speed, and route-running quickness, all held back by a severe case of the dropsies, and a lack of the physicality his size suggests. He also has good leaping ability offset by some questions about his ability to track long balls in the air (outfielder skill), at least according to Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report, which ends in a Round 4 grade for a rotational, field-stretching WR3/4. The scouting profile by master film analyst Greg Cosell sees much more upside. “Perry’s size and three-level dimension traits and ability to work effectively through press coverage and be a factor outside the numbers both vertically and effectively working the sideline suggests that he could be a higher-level boundary x at the next level.” |
| 3:24 | WR/KR Jayden Reed, Mich. St. via W. Mich. (Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 5’10”, 187 lbs. with 30½” arms and 9⅛” hands. Turned 23 in April. Quicker than fast, he is dangerous with the ball in his hands and able to create good separation using many if not all) of the sharp routes in a professional tree. Production slid in 2022 along with everything else in that offense. Tyler Wise’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (early Round 4 grade) adds that he is a top-notch character bet with a competitive streak and work ethic to applaud. A certified tough guy when it comes to blocking in addition to receiving and a very good punt returner. This would be an ideal slot WR profile if he was more reliable on combat catches. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile loves the ball skills, attitude, and kick return ability, but calls him “too tight-hipped for stop-start routes on the tree” and criticizes the number of focus drops. Tested sort of meh at the Combine, with good speed, very average explosion numbers, and poor size adding up to a 60th percentile overall profile. |
| 4:01 | NT/DT Jerrod Clark, Coastal Car. (Senior). 6’3⅝”, 334 lbs. with 33¾” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 24 in November. Can you believe a behemoth this size started out as a Tight End? Truth. He carries some extra now but would be a legit 320 on an NFL nutrition plan, and he has all the strength to match. The combo of that strength, his quick first step, and some surprising agility, make Clark project as an ideal run-stuffing NT who may have 3-down upside. He isn’t that player yet, and stamina is a real issue, but the potential is there. Also has a lot of room to improve with NFL coaching on various technique issues. |
| 4:01 | DT/NT Keondre Coburn, Texas (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’1⅝”, 332 lbs. with stumpy 31½” arms and 9⅛” hands. Turns 23 in May. Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes an immense but very squatty NT with short arms and “some really impressive athleticism and explosiveness.” Played a very limited snap count in college, and will probably be a two-down player in the pros despite bringing enough burst to be more than just a space eater. Has a surprising ability to get skinny in the gap in addition to simply holding his ground. The NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-ish grade) sums Coburn up this way: “A stout but athletic nose tackle with nimble feet… [who is] not a three-down lineman [but] does have the bull rush and activity level to cause issues as a rusher.” The lack of length is a bit concerning, but it’s also true that Coburn may have hidden upside if he can drop another 10-20 lbs. of unproductive weight. This PFN article on his pro day reports that Coburn “looked very athletic in position drills [until he] ran out of gas toward the end of the workout,” which may be a perfect summary of his current draft grade. |
| 4:01 | DT Siaki Ika, Baylor by way of LSU (Junior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’2⅞”, 335 lbs. (down from 358 in college) with 32⅜” arms and 10¼” hands. Turns 23 in November. The size is real and shows up when he plays with proper technique, but that can be hit or miss, and O-linemen can control him despite the size when they win the leverage or hand position battles. At the same time, technique is learnable, and the film asks, “what might happen if he dropped some weight from his 358 in college, to add some quickness?” Then he came into the Combine at 335 and… put up a historically bad 2nd percentile RAS score, looking terrible on explosion and agility tests, with fairly short arms. That dropped his grade by a full round below the Round 2 suggested by Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile, which had said Ika “has the potential to become a highly effective block-eater as an odd or even front nose tackle… [but also has] enough athleticism and hand work to challenge the pocket from time to time [if] he’s able to manage his weight.” Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report comes to the same Round 2 grade, on much the same reasoning. Some have used Vita Vea as a proposed player comp, but he is a significantly better athlete. Zierlein chose Danny Shelton, and Heitritter Paul Soliai, both of whom are part-time players that serve a specialist role rather than being true starters. |
| 4:01 | DT Moro Ojomo, Texas (RS Senior). 6’2⅝”, 292 lbs. with long 34½” arms and big 10⅜” hands. Turns 22 in August. Could be a real sleeper. Ojomo was a 4-3 DE in college with a reputation for pro level work as a run stuffer but will need to move inside for the NFL. The measurements are great, with the extra long arms making up for being a few inches shorter than the Steelers norm, and the general description also works. He is young, has an excellent motor, and tested as a fine, top 15% athlete. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile expresses concerns about burst off the ball, pad level, and whether he has the physical ability to keep his pads low. But here’s the interesting thing: his athletic testing showed excellent burst and COD skills, which are the very tests that he should have flunked if those issues couldn’t be fixed by coaching. The TDN scouting profile calls him a tweener and ends with a Round 5 grade. The PFN scouting profile (an early 3rd grade “top 75”) is more useful, since it contrasts his individual presentation (“studious, calm, articulate”) against his violent and energetic on-field persona. The Sports Illustrated profile ends with a Round 4 grade. Looked great at the Shrine Bowl. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Josh Carney sees “a lot to like about Ojomo as a run defender [but]… much to be desired as a pass rusher, though he showed real improvement down the stretch… A solid piece in a defensive line rotation.” That earns a Round 5-6 grade, but TBH I doubt anyone it sounds a lot more like a late 3-4. The Bleacher Report scouting profile follows in lockstep with Josh’s, adding that Ojomo will be better with time since he is likely to add some size, and is sure to add some pass rush moves and sophistication. |
| 4:01 | DT Jaquelin Roy, LSU (Junior). 6’3”, 305 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 10⅛” hands. Turns 23 as a rookie. A quick, penetrating 3-tech who needs to work on both strength and anchor before he will earn NFL snaps. Has some particular issues dealing with double teams. The big selling point is true, starter potential if he can get and accept the coaching he needs. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report sees a part time NT right now, with the potential to become a solid, full time DT starter if he can clean things up and come close to achieving his potential. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile calls him “an ascending talent… with outstanding upper body power, [who] plays with unbridled energy [and] has one-gapping snap quickness and two-gapping potential.” |
| 4:01 | NT Cameron Young, Miss. St. (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’3⅜”, 304 lbs. with long 34½” arms and 10” hands. Turns 23 in June. A run stuffing, 2-gapping, 2-down, country-strong Nose Tackle who doesn’t move backward but can be outmaneuvered. No pass rush to speak of. |
| 4:01 | EDGE Andre Carter II, Army (Senior). 6’6½”, 256 lbs. with 33⅜” arms and 9⅜” hands. Will turn 23 in June. Awfully raw, but he has a solid multisport background, and assets that include both burst and bend to complement his startling length. Plus whatever credit you care to award for West Point levels of character and leadership skills. Had a great 2021 but looked only good in 2022. “Why” will be a big focus of the pre-draft studies, especially since Army didn’t play a whole lot of powerhouse opponents. Most pundits blame it on training, since West Point has a strict physical training program that orients on soldiering at the expense of sports. His Senior Bowl performance suggests that it may well be a simple need to focus on a football-specific training regimen rather than the broader conditioning required for military service. In any case, Carter will not offer any real help to his team in 2023, though one may expect a giant leap in 2024 after a full year in a professional weight room. His run defense leaves a lot to be desired, but a lot of that is learnable, he has the tools, and rebuilding his body would go a long way to answering those questions all on its own. A new law will allow him to defer the service obligation until after his NFL career. The TDN draft profile ends in a Round 4 grade based on “super-high intangibles” and athletic potential, offset by concerns over the level of football specific physical and technique training. This brief January scouting profile ends in a Round 2 grade based on the tools, offset by “struggles to get low and anchor in the run game.” This January scouting profile ends with a nice player comp to HOF’er Jason Taylor as a pure athlete, but without the developed football muscle and technique. |
| 4:01 | EDGE Dylan Horton, TCU (RS Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’4”, 257 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 23 in August. A tricky evaluation because TCU plays an odd 3-3-5 defense that forced him to be a pretend DT when he’s actually more of a classic 4-3 Edge. Excellent (if inconsistent) burst and very good strength/power, but he is a linear athlete with very little bend. Has a decent array of initial moves based on a solid long-arm technique, but not much in the way of developed counters. Often moved around the DL, and has proven the ability to rush from a 2-point stance. Fine motor and excellent run defender, but profiles much better as a 4-3 DE than a 3-4 OLB. I urge you to read this tremendous January interview with TDN, in which Horton goes into the different positions he played in college and his preferences. Here is the companion TDN scouting profile, which ends in a Round 3 grade as a 4-3 DE. This January PFN scouting profile reaches a similar conclusion: Round 3-4 grade as a linear, power-oriented, 4-3 DE who can occasionally slide inside to attack the B gap. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile pretty much follows suit. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a more pessimistic Round 6 grade, citing the hot motor and good pad level as the main assets, and the lack of consistent technique and sophistication as the main drawbacks. |
| 4:01 | EDGE Isaiah McGuire, Missouri (Senior). 6’4⅜”, 271 lbs. with 33⅞” arms and 8⅝” hands. Turns 22 in July. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes a high-floor Edge Rusher who can absorb a lot of snaps when run defense is a priority, but who may do better as a 4-3 DE. Would grade even higher if he had good twitch and coverage skills rather than merely adequate. Team leader who gets better results than a part-by-part breakdown says he should. The NFL.com scouting profile likes him more as a Round 3-ish prospect, saying he has good, translatable traits. “He’s a bulldozing power rusher who can uproot tackles and collapse pockets with forceful punch and explosive leg drive, [and good[ first-step quickness, [but inconsistent, undisciplined, and] too reliant on power over skill.” |
| 4:01 | EDGE/DT Colby Wooden, Auburn (RS Junior). 6’5”, 284 lbs. with 33¾” arms and 10⅜” hands. Turns 23 in December. [Discount applied for lack of fit]. Reportedly a “coach’s dream” when it comes to work ethic and love of the game, he projects as an obvious 4-3 DE. Not a bad one either. A poor fit for Pittsburgh unless you think he can add 10-20 pounds to become a viable DT prospect. (One gets a DeMarvin Leal flashback vibe). Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting report ends with a fringe-2nd grade, admiring the “competitive work effort… heavy hands, and nimble feet” but worrying that he is “more elusive than controlling at the point of attack.” Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 2 grade who might become a DT in the Steelers system if he can add 10-15 pounds of good, solid muscle. |
| 4:01 | EDGE Byron Young, Tennessee (Senior). 6’3”, 250 lbs. with long 34⅜” arms and huge 11” hands. Turns 25 just before the draft. [Not to be confused with DT Byron Young from Alabama. Discounted here by 1-2 rounds due to age]. An overachieving JUCO walk-on who played so well that he was able to transfer up to Tennessee in 2021, where he’s been tremendous. Great bend and COD with a red hot motor. Tested as a solid top 10% athlete. Might have graded a solid round better if he was 3-4 years younger. There is upside in his length, because the hand fighting skills were nonexistent in college and that is something he can definitely learn. The NFL.com scouting profile admires the explosiveness, “fully fueled motor and strong desire to make plays,” but also emphasizes that he is quite raw, which is particularly bad for a 25-year-old rookie. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report loves his get-off and motor but ends with a Round 4 grade due to the combination of poor hands and advanced age. Film guru Greg Cosell’s scouting profile likes young a bit more: “Young is a sudden, twitchy athlete with outstanding burst off the ball as an edge pass rusher and the body flexibility and motorcycle lean to clear the arc and close with speed to the QB… [He] needs to develop a much wider arsenal of moves and counters to become a more complete pass rusher… Until he does that, he will be somewhat limited in his ability to break down and defeat quality NFL OTs.” |
| 4:01 | Buck ILB Noah Sewell, Oregon (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’1½”, 246 lbs. with 31⅝” arms and 10” hands. Turns 21 a few days before the draft. A tremendous athlete and brutal force in the traditional, thumper role now occupied by Mark Robinson and Elandon Roberts. Athletic enough (top 15% before agility drills) to avoid being a true liability in coverage against college athletes and offenses, but he’s going to be a two-down player in the NFL unless he can achieve a superb football IQ that he hasn’t shown to date. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 3 grade, describing Sewell as a solid player when moving forward, but a liability when asked to move laterally or backwards. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends in something close to a Round 4 grade. Comes from an amazingly athletic family with two brothers who are also in the NFL. Samoan background. The scouting profile by master film analyst Greg Cosell describes Sewell as, “a stacked LB with average athleticism and movement, who does not possess desired lateral quickness and change of direction… [A] box, run-defending LB, who is not good enough to do that at a consistent level and therefore will struggle to find playing time at the next level.” |
| 4:01 | S Christopher Smith II, Georgia (Senior). 5’10⅝”, 192 lbs. with 31⅛” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turns 23 in May. Minkah Lite skill set with size and athleticism, concerns that will chase him forever. Smart and savvy, he could go as early as late 2nd to the exact right team, but more likely a Round 3-4 guy. Owen Straley’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 4 grade, characterizing Smith as someone who ought to have a 10 year career but may be limited to doing so as a sub-package dime backer and spot starter at Safety and Corner, as needed. Hopefully as a special teams ace as well. This goes to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. |
| 4:01 | S/CB Jay Ward, LSU (Senior). 6’0¾”, 188 lbs. with 32½” arms and small 8¼” hands. Turns 23 in July. A hybrid Nickel DB who stands on the line between slot-CB and undersized, cover-capable Safety. A tough kid who gets high marks for football character. Plays bigger than he is but can’t always cash the check, and could stand having better strength and tackling technique. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile offers the following summary: “Ward has good size and length for a nickel cornerback, but he lacks a little thickness as a safety[]. He can be counted on to do his job in run support from the slot and has adequate coverage talent… will make plays when he’s in position to do so but doesn’t have the route anticipation needed for strong on-ball production just yet.” Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) admires Ward’s versatility, range, attitude, and effort, but dampens the grade because Ward is far too grabby in man coverage, an inconsistent tackler (not bad, just inconsistent), and has been guilty of several dumb penalties. |
| 4:01 | CB Mekhi Blackmon, USC (Senior). 5’11”, 178 lbs. with 31” arms and 9¼” hands. Turned 24 in March. He isn’t the biggest guy, but neither is he overly small, and he plays a tough, hitting brand of football up to those physical limitations. Good ball skills. Plays with proper CB arrogance, and a broad skillset that lets him back it up, particularly press man. The sort of player who sometimes gets beat, but rarely loses. Good, high CB4 floor, but will be challenged to reach “solid CB2.” There’s a lot of Levi Wallace or William Gay to the better parts of his game. This goes to the TDN scouting profile (Round 3 grade). This scouting profile lists slot coverage against TEs and big WRs as a particular area of strength. The SI scouting profile (Round 6 grade) describes him as, “an experienced, savvy, and physical cornerback who knows how to contribute from a variety of roles, but his physical limitations prevent him from contending for a top-100 selection.” Tyler Wise’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (4th Round) admires his man coverage skills and ability to play both in the slot and outside, but worries about his “struggles with click-and-close on quick-breaking routes, footwork in off-coverage, and [occasional hesitation] in the run game.” |
| 4:01 | CB Anthony Johnson, Virginia (Senior). 6’2”, 205 lbs. with 32⅝” arms and 8⅝” hands. Turned 24 in January. Team captain. [Do not confuse with SAF Anthony Johnson Jr. from Iowa St. or Safety Antonio Johnson from Texas A&M] Excellent experience with desirable size and length. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 3 grade, describing Johnson as a feast-or-famine, press man CB with limited 4.63 speed, but good physicality. Alex suggests that he may even be destined for use as a press-man specialist limited to sub packages. Other reviewers have reached diametrically opposite conclusions, which means this is a prospect who deserves a much closer look. The TDN scouting profile, e.g., sees a prospect with good (not great) speed, COD concerns, and a notably quick click-and-close trigger that would make zone schemes the proper fit. Both worry that he plays a little high and looks a bit tight in the hips, which raises COD concerns and makes off-man coverage the weakest projection. [About that apparent conflict, Alex emphasizes that he focused on what “was” in college. The TDN piece appears to be aimed heavily at what ‘might be.’ This would harmonize the different views and gives us a good bottom line: If Johnson can succeed in press as well in the pros as he did in college, and also develop expertise in zone, you’d have an excellent starter vulnerable only when asked to play an off-man technique. If either of those ‘ifs’ does not come through, he projects as a limited but still useful role player. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile admires the H/W/S assets and overall physicality but says he lacks hip fluidity. Had a bad enough Combine to make you wonder if something was wrong that day. |
| 4:01 | CB/S Jaylon Jones, Texas A&M (Junior). 6’2”, 200 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 9” hands. Turned 21 in early April. A big, physical CB and special teams ace with limitations on his pure agility and straight-line speed. Should have a good shot at building a Safety career if he can’t succeed on the outside. There have been hints of Stone Hands Syndrome, which would no doubt frustrate the fan base. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sees a big but fluid player with premium size and length, offset by a lack of top end speed, and loose technique that “gives up instant separation at break points.” Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report sees a stickier, Round 2 talent with enough flaws to drop down into the early 4th. JH sees his early career arc as a “pass deflection machine” who can “challenge receivers routinely as he racks up PBU’s while adding as a run defender and special teamer.” |
| 4:01 | Slot/Nickel CB Cameron Mitchell, Northwestern (RS Junior). 5’10¾”, 191 lbs. with 31⅜” arms and 9¾” hands. Top 10-15% athletic profile heavy on agility and short area burst. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonas Wedlich (Round 4 grade) describes Mitchell as a classic quicker-than-fast prospect who needs to be in the slot because he can be beat deep, and gets very handsy when that is threatened. “Plays bigger than his size [with] natural tackling skills… [he] could shine as a nickel corner.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sees essentially no hope as an outside Corner but says “Mitchell is certainly fearless and might be better suited to play as a down safety with nickel potential,” adding that “he’s been an active tackler on punt and kick cover teams, which bolsters his chances of making a roster.” The Walter Football scouting profile agrees that Mitchell might be limited to the slot/Nickel role, but thinks his discipline and tackling skill could land him in the Round 2-3 range for the right team. This appears to be a fairly thorough scouting profile. |
| 4:01 | OT Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland (Senior). 6’5”, 306 lbs. with 33” arms and 9⅜” hands. Turns 23 in July. Do you remember that scene with the strafing run at the end of the original Star Wars? “Almost there. Almost… there…” Duncan is a near-elite athlete with moderate size, and only-good experience, technique, and overall conditioning. His movement skills are so good that he’s not going to lose an edge to anyone, but he needs coaching to avoid getting beat by pro-level strength and infighting technique. Expect a lot of holding penalties until he does. The run blocking is okay, but only just. One of those really fine prospects who has great tools but needs to raise or compensate for every part of his game, yet every part is almost… there… One can also question his fit vis a vis the size/length assets Coach Pat Meyer prefers; Duncan is more of a supersized TE in the Chuks Okorafor mold, and his arm length is acceptable rather than special. Played extremely well at LT during Senior Bowl week but very unnatural when shifted to RT. Here is an excellent, gif-supported Senior Bowl interview with Jonathan Heitritter. Knows Mike Tomlin through having Dino as a teammate. Lost a significant amount of weight (20 pounds?) in preparation for the draft process. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report sees starting traits that mirror a familiar name: Chuks Okorafor. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sounds some similar notes without the comp: “His [foot speed and] lateral quickness should work to his advantage as a move blocker, but [his ability to anchor is a major concern, and] he’ll need to unearth enough grit to stand up to NFL bullies at the point of attack to make it.” |
| 4:01 | T/G Wanya Morris, Oklahoma by way of Tennessee (Senior). 6’5”, 307 lbs. with absurd 35⅛” arms and 10¼” hands. Turns 23 in October. Has experience at both RT and LT and an overall description very similar to Dan Moore Jr.’s when he was in the draft. A 5-star athlete with great length and good strength, he has never developed consistent technique to build on his natural advantages. Known to get out over his feet and lunge. Sounds like an ideal boom or bust prospect in Round 4, who will either “get it” and become a quality starter in Year 3-4, or will be off the team by the end of Year 3. The well-respected Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile sees a player with all the potential in the world, whose really impressive flashes are “mixed in with… repeated lapses in technique that lead to quick losses across his face and straight down the middle thanks to oversetting and unreliable anchoring ability.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sounds much the same: Morris has the athletic potential to be a high quality starter but won’t come close to that unless he can solve shortcomings with his pad level, lack of core and drive strength, and overall inconsistency. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report is both higher and lower on Morris. Higher because he sees Morris as an early-3rd talent for a “heavy-zone blocking scheme[] that rel[ies] on athleticism more than raw power and creating first-level movement.” Lower, because he thinks Morris may be limited to that kind of scheme. “In Pittsburgh, Morris isn’t the right fit.” |
| 4:01 | G/T Asim Richards, N. Car. (Senior). 6’4”, 309 lbs. with 34” arms and 10” hands. Turns 23 in October. A strong, nasty, very physical run blocker who excels moving the man in front of him and can pull and get to the second level. His pass protection skills are basically below average for a Tackle, which suggests a move inside unless new coaching will clean up various details like hand fighting and gain some quicker feet. One big flaw has been a tendency to be late off the ball, which is very strange for an athlete who was good enough to play TE and DT in addition to Tackle. Could be a Day 3 bargain, but there are enough issues to make Day 2 a little rich. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) sees a good, scheme-versatile, T/G prospect would benefit greatly from a redshirt learning year. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sees a Guard with the versatility to be a backup Tackle, rather than vice versa. |
| 4:01 | OT Carter Warren, Pitt (RS Senior). 6’5½”, 311 lbs. with crazy long 35⅜” arms and 9” hands. Turned 24 in January. Team captain. The man on Kenny Pickett’s blindside in college, Warren is big, strong, long, athletic, and has really good hand fighting skills at the end of outrageous length. But he lost his 2022 to an unidentified injury back in October that was severe enough for him to still be going through rehab in February, and may keep him from practicing until the season itself. A team captain and a fine human being off the field, he could do with being a little nastier while he’s on it. Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report contrasts his stunningly good skills in pass protection against his frankly underwhelming contributions on run downs, where he’s more of a get-in-the-way positional blocker than an O-Lineman who can move unwilling men in a direction they do not want to go. Al Villanueva 2.0? Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile mirrors Josh’s up and down the line, adding that Warren “can discombobulate pass rushers with well-timed, independent hands that help maximize his length with punching;” a skill that Pat Meyer tends to emphasize. |
| 4:01 | G Ryan Hayes, Michigan (Senior). 6’7”, 298 lbs. with 32½” arms and 10” hands. Turned 23 in February. An extremely good multi-sport athlete with excellent college experience playing LT at the highest level. A vicious run blocker who knows how to use his frame, drive with his legs, reach, pull, and shift around to get a good angle. The combination of disproportionately short arms and waist bending issues will force him inside, which makes sense given his approach to the game. A solid top 10% athlete with exceptional agility. May be extra appealing to outside-zone teams. |
| 4:01 | OG Jordan McFadden, Clemson (RS Senior). 6’2”, 303 lbs. with 34” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 24 in November. Three-year starter and team captain. A college Tackle with enough flaws and physical limitations to be forced inside for the NFL. He’s actually built more like a Center than anything else. All reports suggest that has the savvy and leadership a pivot needs, but he has never done that job so far as I can tell. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile catches the issues in a single pithy phrase: “a reliable prospect lacking desired measurables.” That covers it. This goes to the TDN scouting profile, which admires “the tone-setting style of play and demeanor that Jordan McFadden embodies,” but worries about whether he has the size to handle the sort of Night Stalker DT monsters he’d see in the NFL. This goes to a nice, Giants-oriented scouting profile from January that describes a player who’d fit Pat Meyer’s philosophy perfectly if not for the lack of pure size and length. |
| 4:01 | G Andrew Vorhees, USC (RS Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’6”, 310 lbs. with 32⅛”arms and 10” hands. Turned 24 in January. [Tore his ACL at the Combine] Tough, strong, nasty, and about as good a Guard prospect as you get short of the unicorn types. Plays like a wrestler in the good sense (i.e., with very good balance, taking advantage of opponents’ errors in balance and movement, and with surprising agility). Would be an even finer prospect if he had learned how to use his hands well enough to wrestle without holds and had no lapses in his anchor. His Combine injury can be seen in a few ways. First, he won’t be able to challenge for a starting role this year… but how many Round 4 picks really could? Second, he came back on the day after his injury and put up more bench press reps than any other player in the draft – at any position. You may not think so, but the bench press really does use legs, so he did that with a handicap. Alex Kozora put up this brief video back in January, and then this gif-supported scouting profile. Seems to fit exceptionally well with the movement-oriented duties of Pat Meyer’s blocking scheme. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sums him up this way: “there are things to clean up, but he has enough polish and strength to start early on.” He sees more limitations than concerns, unlike the scouting profile by O-line expert Brandon Thorn, which ends with a Round 5, “high-level developmental prospect” grade. |
| 4:01 | OC Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan by way of Virginia (RS Senior). 6’3”, 309 lbs. with 32¾” arms and smaller 8⅝” hands. Turns 24 in August. Another fine player in a fine class, who plays a smart, intelligent game at the pivot position. Good mobility, positioning, awareness, and hand fighting skills but also the sort who benefits from being on the inside where his teammates can cover for his lack of top level lateral agility and superior size. Compensates with a good understanding of leverage, but one worries that a tie would end up being a loss. A gets the job done and leads his unit type, but not a star. A fair projection would be someone comparable to Mason Cole in overall quality, if not specifics. Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report uses Patriots OC David Andrews as a more refined comp. There were Senior Bowl contests when Oluwatimi looked frankly overmatched, though his overall performance evened out to “average.” Here is the NFL.com scouting profile. |
| 4:01 | OC Jarrett Patterson, Notre Dame (RS Senior). 6’5”, 306 lbs. with T-rex arms (31⅜”) arms and 10” hands. Turns 24 in December. Team captain. A four-year starter with his first three at Center, he also did quite well as a Guard in 2022. Has suffered many injuries in college, and some reviewers have wondered if he has lost some of his native athleticism. Jon Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes him as a steady, crafty, and experienced blocker who pulls well but has limited overall athleticism; most likely a useful backup with starter potential down the road if he finds the right coaching and situation. High floor, low ceiling. The arm length came as a Senior Bowl shocker, but he also looked extremely good all week. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile mirrors Jon’s. |
| 4:01 | TE Josh Whyle, Cincinnati (RS Senior). 6’6½”, 248 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 24 in September. The TDN scouting profile describes Whyle as a very good athlete who excels in the passing game due to his body control, ball skills, and surprising ability to snap off good, sharp routes. Top 11-12% athlete. A willing and developing blocker, but not yet a good one. Whyle has the stuff to be a multi-purpose TE both on the line and as a receiver if he can add some grown man strength. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Michael Rochman (Round 4 grade) sees that lack of strength as the primary issue, and sounds a bit of the “oversized receiver” stereotype. Your author notes that the photos make Whyle look like one of those still-beardless kids who hasn’t fully matured yet and will naturally add the required mass as he matures into his grown man strength. Easily add it with the aid of professional strength training. This goes to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile, which ends with something like a Round 3-4 grade. |
| 4:01 | RB Israel Abanikanda, Pitt (Junior). 5’11”, 216 lbs. with 32” arms and 8¼” hands. Turns 21 in October. The NFL.com scouting profile sees a Terrell Davis type of player: an outside zone runner with unusual size, great 1-cut juice, and the speed to turn any hole into a score. Zierlein’s actual comp was Isiah Pacheko. |
| 4:01 | RB/WR/KR Devon Achane, Texas A&M (Junior). 5’8½”, 188 lbs. with 29” arms and 8½” hands. Turns 22 in October. Your stereotypical home run hitter who can play – and score – as a RB, WR, and return man. The issues all come from his distinct lack of size, which has ruined the career of many young men with similar profiles. Could be an actual target for Pittsburgh if the team is done with McFarland. Achane offers similar speed (a 4.32 40 with instant acceleration) but has kick return skills as well. |
| 4:01 | RB Zach Charbonnet, UCLA (Senior). 6’0⅜”, 214 lbs. with 32” arms and 9⅞” hands. Turned 22 in January. Fits the Steeler mold of a power back with good vision, contact balance, and nifty feet. Would have a Round 3 grade if the team didn’t have a few good RBs already, especially after his obvious top 10% athletic testing. |
| 4:01 | RB Zach Evans, Ole Miss by way of TCU (Junior). 6’0”, 202 lbs. with 31⅝” arms and 10¼” hands. Turns 22 in May. If Pittsburgh needed a RB, Evans would be everyone’s sneaky passion. But they don’t. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 2 grade, citing “eerie similarities to Green Bay Packers RB Aaron Jones… an effective slashing RB at the NFL level who gashes defenses on the ground and plays much bigger than his size.” |
| 4:01 | WR Kayshon Boutte, LSU (Junior). 5’11¼”, 195 lbs. with 30⅜” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 21 in May. Tough and physical with fine hands (except when they’re not), good speed that includes an extra gear when he needs it, and good COD. This May, 2022 PFN scouting profile should give you an idea of how things looked after the 2021 season. “The excitement over Boutte’s scouting report begins with his athletic magnificence.” But 2021 was better than 2022, where he still flashed but opponents were able to remove him from certain games. Would he at least test like an athletic marvel at the Combine? Nope. He ended up looking below average at the Combine (47th percentile) on a field where everyone else looked surprisingly good. Plays bigger than he is, which has caused some injuries and raises concerns that they will continue. Drops have been an occasional issue. This goes to the NFL.com scouting profile. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4) sees a possession type slot WR who is a willing blocker, sort of like Jarvis Landry, with the chance that there is hidden potential. Film guru Greg Cosell’s scouting profile is a little kinder, suggesting that Boutee could deserve a Stefon Diggs comparison if he reaches his ceiling. “Boutte gives you inside-outside flexibility with his experience and ability to line up both outside and the slot… There is no question route running is a strength of his game with his smooth fluid movement, route quickness and separation quickness.” |
| 4:01 | WR Nathaniel “Tank” Dell, Houston (Senior). 5’8⅜” 165 lbs. with 30½” arms and 8⅝” hands. Turns 24 in October. [Discounted significantly on this board because of size and age.] One of the great stories of the Senior Bowl, he stood out as the best flag football player of the draft. Flat out uncoverable in practice drills. But how many snaps does that get you in the tackle football NFL? He’s so talented that a role does exist; just not as a WR1, 2, or 3. As your gadget guy? Heck yeah. Chandler Stroud’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 4 grade. “If I had one adjective to describe Nathanial Dell, it would be FUN,” says this impressive Giants-oriented February scouting profile that ends in an admiring Round 2 grade, with an asterisk because of the size concerns. Here is a Senior Bowl interview he did with Tyler Wise. The NFL.com scouting report also suggests a Round 2-ish grade. |
| 4:01 | WR Andrei Iosivas (“yo-shee-vas”), Princeton (Senior). 6’3⅛”, 205 lbs. with 32” arms and 8¾” hands. Turns 24 in October. Team captain. It’s become fashionable to use last year’s small school sensation Christian Watson as the player comp, and it makes some sense. Similar size, incredible top 1% athletic talent, good hands, small school question marks, etc. The TDN scouting profile ends in a Round 2 grade, with the LOC as by far the biggest concern. The NFL.com scouting profile ends in something like a fringe 3-4 grade based on the ridiculous athleticism, as offset by the really poor technique. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade), calls Iosivas “a classic Z-type receiver [the George Pickens position] who will be the vertical and clear out component of an NFL offense.” The scouting profile by film guru Greg Cosell says, “Iosivas has an elite athletic profile… but when you watch his tape at Princeton, you rarely saw him run by and get on top of FCS corners on vertical routes, with the result being that he was forced to make a lot of tough contested catches which he did make.” A Mr. Traits type who will require huge amounts of work if he wants to graduate into Dr. Receiver. |
| 4:01 | WR Tre Palmer, Nebraska by way of LSU (Junior). 6’0”, 192 lbs. with 31⅞” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turned 22 in April. A devastating deep threat with excellent hands (most of the time) and legitimately great 4.33 speed. One of the better field-stretch threats of the year, but very raw when it comes to route running, and unreliable when it comes to avoiding drops. The NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4-6 grade) basically comes down to, “gets by with athleticism over craftsmanship.” |
| 4:16 | NT Brodric Martin, Western Kentucky by way of North Alabama. 6’4⅝”, 337 lbs. with long 34⅜” arms and 9⅛” hands. Turns 24 in May. An enormous, strong, 2-gap, run stuffing Nose Tackle straight from the old school. Pick him for sure if that’s the trick you want. Don’t if you want to see anything more. |
| 4:16 | EDGE Zach Harrison, Ohio St. (Senior) [Mtg. at Pro Day Dinner]. 6’5½”, 274 lbs. with astonishing 36¼” arms (!) and 10” hands. Turns 22 in August. Team captain. A 4-3 DE with fabulous length that he knows how to use, and 5-star athleticism, but held back by what Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile calls “his gradual movement and lack of playmaking urgency”. And yet he was a team captain? Something doesn’t quite jibe. This bullet point scouting profile is just one many that complain about a tardy reaction to the snap and “robotic” movements at times. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report compares Harrison to Taco Charlton, another tremendous athlete with very similar physical and stylistic tools. Charlton was drafted in Round 1 back in 2017 but could never find a way to turn his potential into reality and has bounced around the league as a depth/rotational Edge. Jon suggests a Round 5 grade based on fears of a similar path. |
| 4:16 | EDGE K.J. Henry, Washington (Senior). 6’4”, 251 lbs. with 33” arms and 10” hands. Turned 24 in January. A top 83% but somewhat straight-line athlete with great strength in his hands to hold the edge. Produced a ton of pressures in 2022 but not many sacks. Character is a big selling point. Everyone in the country should want a young man like this living in their city. The questions all go to whether you should also want him on your football team. The NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-ish grade) emphasizes how raw he is, but also highlights a lot of really desirable natural assets: “Community-oriented team captain with high personal character… disruptive snap quickness… ankle flexion [to] allow for tight turns… speed to power… electric inside counter… [etc.]” Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Day 3 grade) worries that he may be a “looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane” type who remains so raw because he “lacks ideal play strength [and the hand fighting skills] to consistently set the edge and win against NFL-caliber OTs.” |
| 4:16 | EDGE Mike Morris, Michigan (Senior). 6’5⅛”, 275 lbs. with 33½” arms and 10” hands. Turns 22 right before the draft. A natural 4-3 DE who played OLB in college. His main assets are size, strength, length, aggression, and violence but may have trouble playing in space as much as Pittsburgh requires for its OLBs. Not as bursty or bendy as most pass rushers who achieve similar results. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile suggests a solid Day 2 grade based on the untapped potential but warns that it could take him a few years of learning before the lights go on. He also warns that “his disappointing NFL Scouting Combine testing should force teams to reevaluate him.” Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) notes that Morris is “a sound run defender overall… [with] the ability to create soft edges and turn the corner at times with his speed,” plus some speed to power ability too actually “has much better tape standing up than with his hand(s) in the dirt.” The flaws come down to poor hand usage, and constant underachieving compared to “his size, length and overall potential at the position.” |
| 4:16 | EDGE Tavius Robinson, Ole Miss (Senior). 6’6⅛”, 257 lbs. with 33¾” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turned 24 in January. Originally from Ontario. A natural top 15% athlete with good length, strength and motor, but moderate burst and bend, held together by extremely raw pass-rush technique. Has room to add some good muscle, which would help because holding the edge is one of his weakest spots. Rushes better when he can put his hand in the dirt but has the native athleticism to play standing up as well. A little on the older side for the youth-loving Steelers. The NFL.com scouting profile suggests that his best road might be to add 15 lbs. of good muscle to his frame, and then playing as a 4-3 DE. The March Sports Illustrated scouting profile describes Robinson as, “A towering defender whose size and skill set allows him to play up and down the defensive front… all the way from nine to three technique.” |
| 4:16 | LB Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 5’10½”, 231 lbs. with 30¼”arms and 9½” hands. Turns 23 in December. An undersized cannonball who is decent in coverage and special as a blitzer. The just-okay speed and the poor measurables are what kill his stock, especially since he hasn’t shown the sort of special football instincts that would give him a first step advantage. On film he seems to lack both the size and length needed to get off NFL blocks, avoid the fate of ILBs with a small tackling radius, or succeed in coverage against a big TE. He ably avoided blocks in college, and got off a lot of others, but in the pros…? Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 4 grade. This goes to a Senior Bowl interview with Alex Kozora. He also caught the eye of Steelers scout Ike Taylor at the Senior Bowl. The Bleacher Report scouting profile starts with a fun line: “[He] comes downhill like a heat-seeking missile and is physical at the point of attack to stun guards when blitzing. Clearly craves contact.” |
| 4:16 | SS DeMarcco Hellams, Alabama (Senior). 6’0⅝”, 203 lbs. with 31” arms and 9” hands. Turns 23 in June. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile describes an experienced but limited Safety with “a chance to become a good backup and plus special-teams player.” The TDN scouting profile can be summarized as “classic Box Safety for a team that has a good Free Safety to cover his shortcomings,” which was enough to earn a Round 3 grade. Owen Straley’s gif-supported Depot scouting report says Hellams has “struggles in coverage and limitations as an athlete… [but] I strongly believe [he] is an NFL player… capable of flourishing in the right role as early as his rookie season.” That role? “A less athletic Terrell Edmunds.” |
| 4:16 | SS/ILB Marte Mapu, Sacramento St. (Senior). 6’2⅝”, 217 lbs. with 33⅜” arms and 9⅜” hands. Turns 24 in November. The TDN scouting profile describes him as a “long, rangy, and physical player [who] served a plethora of roles…, primarily as a nickel safety but also… as a stack backer, force player, and even as a single high.” This goes to a Senior Bowl interview with Depot’s Tyler Wise. This Broncos-oriented February scouting profile ends with a generous Round 3 grade. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5) isn’t as high on him as some but acknowledges the “enticing tools…. He has the skill set to contribute in sub-packages as a nickel/coverage ILB… [and] to contribute right away on special teams.” |
| 4:16 | S/CB Keidron “Keibo” Smith, Kentucky via Ole Miss (RS Senior) [Mtg. before Senior Bowl]. 6’1⅝”, 203 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 24 in November. Experience across the secondary, from SS through FS and as both a boundary and a slot CB. The question marks went to whether he has the pure athleticism to compete against NFL athletes, but his impressive performance at the Senior Bowl put a lot of that to rest. A first order Combine snub. His Pro Day athletic testing was basically average. |
| 4:16 | CB Arquon Bush, Cincinnati (RS Senior). 5’11⅞”, 187 lbs. with 29⅞” arms and 9¼” hands. Turns 23 in May. Solid size and footwork, but lacks both the speed and the length to survive in press coverage. Very good in off-man and zone where he can be patient and then trigger downhill. Has had trouble with really fast WRs who can eat up his off-man cushion. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends in something like a Round 3-4 grade. A DB “with good size and above average footwork and recognition, [who] lacks top-end speed. [P]lays off-man coverage to protect himself, but it allows for far too many catches underneath.” It adds up to a solid zone corner prospect who can handle off-man too but should not be asked to play press. Note that he started his college career as a very successful Slot/Nickel CB. |
| 4:16 | CB Mekhi Garner, La. St. (RS Senior). 6’2”, 212 lbs. with 32¼” arms and big 10⅛” hands. Turned 23 in January. Killed the Combine, testing as a top 4% athlete for the position whose only question mark is long speed, which was a good enough 4.55 with a very good 10 yard split. Per Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile: “Garner is a big, long corner with a jarring press. However, he’s missing the footwork, [balance] and body control to phase and match NFL routes that force him to change direction.” Physical enough to play Safety, he tends to win most of the contested-catch situations he faces. Excellent in run support too, at least for a Corner. Will need to get better at tackling if he moves to Safety. |
| 4:16 | OT Blake Freeland, BYU (Senior). 6’7”, 312 lbs. with 33⅞” arms and 10” hands. Turns 22 in May. Team captain. Sometimes a quote says it all. Here is the summary from Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile: “A sky-scraping tackle prospect with outstanding length and good fluidity, Freeland should get much stronger with time in an NFL weight room.” Pittsburgh fans might call him a prospect in the mold of a lesser Chuks Okorafor or Al Villanueva: athletic and mobile but barely strong enough to be a positional blocker. He does have the heart of a lineman and tries to be physical. It’s just that he’s a long, tall drink of water with a high center of gravity, and the Senior Bowl showed some lack of play strength. This is a basic flaw that will cripple his NFL career unless/until he can develop expert technique and add some required mass to his body; both of which seem viable from Year 2 on. Michael Rochman’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes Freeland as a Round 2-3 value for an outside zone team that would use him as a mobile RT once he achieved an NFL level of strength. The scouting profile by O-line expert Brandon Thorn (Round 5) contains the harshest critique I’ve seen: a “Overall, Freeland is an experienced but largely untested tackle prospect who is a functional zone run-blocker with a large frame and some eye-popping testing numbers, but he has sluggish footwork in pass-protection with middling leverage or power that will make it difficult to carve out more than a backup role in the NFL.” |
| 4:16 | T/G Richard Gouraige, Florida (RS Junior). 6’5”, 306 lbs. with 34” arms and 10” hands. Turns 25 in October. A multi-year college Tackle with NFL assets, he won’t be able to stay in that position at the next level unless/until he can clean up some glaring problems with his footwork and balance. Those are things one can learn, but it takes time and a lot of men fail. The hidden upside is that better footwork cascades into better performance in every aspect of the game, so Gouraige may have hidden upside. And he has good experience playing Guard as well. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends with something like a Round 3-4 grade, describing him as a “durable and dependable” young man with excellent experience, who “plays with sound technique, but [] could struggle when matched with size and power, [and has] athletic limitations [that] might ultimately cap his draft value and career ceiling” to playing at Guard. Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5) agrees that Gouraige may need to move inside, and expresses particular doubt about his fit to “how Pat Meyer coaches usage of hands.” There is a nice, brief scouting profile in this Broncos-oriented discussion of five developmental OT prospects in this year’s draft. |
| 4:16 | OG Nick Broeker, Ole Miss (Senior). 6’4”, 305 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 23 in October. Hey Nick, I have something to put on your greeting card: “Run blocking Guard: you got something to say about that?” He isn’t particularly mobile, but he is strong, nasty, and able to both dig people out and maneuver himself in their way. Quick enough inside the proverbial phone booth, but limited and vulnerable to the even better quickness of top-notch D-linemen. He also has some obvious size and length issues that may prove to be important against the big DTs found in the AFC North. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 4 grade. The TDN scouting profile puts him closer to Round 6. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sums him up as, “a below-average athlete with above-average play strength and has the talent to become a starting guard in a downhill run scheme.” The scouting profile by Brandon Thorn sums Broeker up like this: “Overall, Broeker has the [versatility,] upper-body strength, girth and demeanor to add value [and flexibility] in a downhill run scheme… unit, but his top-heavy playing style and middling movement skills put a hard cap on his ceiling as swing interior backup.” |
| 4:16 | G/C Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama (RS Senior) [Coach Meyer at Pro Day]. 6’2”, 314 lbs. (338 when he arrived on campus in 2018) with 33⅞” arms and 9½” hands. Turned 23 in January. Has suffered from various injuries. Excellent experience at Guard in a very well coached unit against top opposition, played Center when Najee Harris was the RB1 at Alabama, and also played a lot of Center in the Senior Bowl practices, where he looked quite good. Excellent power, agility, and burst along with excellent mobility to pull and to reach second level defenders. Smart and nasty. Extremely aggressive to the point where he can get over his feet and lose his balance. Could use some extra strength. The TDN scouting profile ends in a Round 2 grade. Michael Rochman’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 4 grade, describing Ekiyor as a solid gap/power IOL who’s got nice mobility (though he plays better in a phone booth), with the assets offset by a need to build some strength and make the normal jump from college to professional technique. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile has something more like a Round 3-4 grade, describing him as “smart and sound” but potentially vulnerable to pure, upper-NFL levels of size and power. Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile describes Ekiyor as a “solid run blocker [who] wins primarily with effort, strain and active feet,” and as smart, experienced pass protector who “has erratic, unreliable use of hands that are often late and… reliant on [] two-hand strike[s that] dramatically shrink[] his margin for error.” |
| 4:16 | OG Chandler Zavala, N. Car. St. (RS Senior) [Coach Meyer at Pro Day, Visit]. 6’3½”, 322 lbs. with 33” arms and 10⅜” hands. Turns 24 just before the draft. According to Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report, Zavala is a big, strong, alert Guard who does his job well but may be vulnerable to the quickness of really high-end DTs. He is not just a dig ‘em out power player, though he can do that quite well, but also has the agility to pull and handle reach blocks. He just needs to get a little better and a little sounder across the board. Asked for a 1:1 comparison to Kevin Dotson, Tom said, “I think his mental processing is better, plays more physically and sustains blocks more effectively with his hand strength.” Nice prospect, especially when you factor in the phenomenal top ½ of 1% athletic profile that was actually dragged down by lack of height! |
| 4:16 | C/G Alex Forsyth, Oregon (RS Senior). 6’4”, 303 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 10¼” hands. Turned 24 in February. A nice, solid Center with good technique outside of what Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile calls “pre-snap yips [that] turned into penalties.” Has the size and build to play Guard without any real dip, especially if he can build some extra core strength. The scouting profile from OL expert Brandon Thorn admires the “scrappy, aggressive playing style,” hand use, quickness, and overall processing ability, but worries about the “mediocre physical traits [size & strength] that cap his ceiling.” Thorn makes a point of emphasizing (several times) that Forsyth is “a renowned teammate and leader inside the locker room with excellent football character.” |
| 4:16 | QB Clayton Tune, Houston (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine, Visit]. 6’2½”, 220 lbs. with 9¾” hands. Turned 24 in March. One of the few QBs you see nowadays who fits all seven of the Bill Parcells rules, Clayton Tune looks like a very high floor backup with the potential to be a solid starter if he can fix the apparent lack of arm strength. If you need an analogy, try this one: He has all the savvy, moxie, accuracy, and leadership of Duck Hodges, plus a few inches of size and better running ability, but arm talent that is roughly the same. At least in college. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4-5 grade) says the arm is fine, it’s just a problem with his mechanics; specifically, using only the arm on his throws rather than driving the ball by stepping in to use his body weight. The fact that he is working with body dynamics guru Jordan Palmer bodes very well. |
| 4:16 | WR Ronnie Bell, Michigan (Senior). 5’11⅝”, 191 lbs. with 31” arms and 9½” hands. Turned 23 year in January. A two-year captain for an elite college program who understands the game, runs good routes, gets open, and has decent if not good speed when needed. Punt & kick return experience. Led the team in 2020, and then tore his ACL in 2021. Mostly back to form in 2022. Has had trouble with physical CBs and combat catches and lacks the statistical production you’d expect. A very good return man as well. Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes him as a reliable, chain-moving possession receiver and ends in a Round 5 grade. The NFL.com scouting profile loves the young man but worries about his speed and ability to separate in the pros. Tested as a 75th percentile athlete with very good burst and COD, but with fairly average long speed. |
| 4:16 | WR Jalen Moreno-Cropper, Fresno St. (Senior) [Mtg. at Shrine Bowl]. 5’11⅛”, 172 lbs. with 30⅛” arms and 8⅞” hands. Turns 22 in May. A quick, fast, and smart receiver who knows how to release off the line, get open, and brings some punt return prowess for added spice. Tested as a top 30-35% athlete headlined by a 4.40 dash. Played RB as well his Freshman year, which shows in his highly effective jukes and fakes, and QB in H.S., with enough arm to be useful on gadget plays. Ball security is the biggest issue, particularly through contact. He can make difficult catches, so the hands are okay. He just loses the ball after he has it when the big folks come crashing down. Joe Cammarota’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 3-4 grade. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein ends in something more like a Round 4-5 grade. Both reviewers note a tendency to get casual when he isn’t the focus of a play, which won’t fly at the next level. |
| 4:16 | WR/TE Elijah Higgins, Stanford (Senior). 6’3”, 235 lbs. with shorter 31¾’ arms and big 10½”. Turns 23 in October. A big slot WR in the mold of JJSS but without as much juice. A fine, top 10% athlete overall, but more smooth than quick. Knows he is big and likes to use it. Likely to succeed better as a situational mismatch player than someone who can line up and beat coverage. Lance Zierlein is a fan based on the NFL.com scouting profile, which ends in something like a Round 3 grade based on a projection that Higgins could become a Move TE instead of a true WR. |
| 4:16 | WR Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa St. (Senior). 6’1⅞”, 203 lbs. with 31⅜” arms and 9⅜” hands. Turns 23 in June. A classic, high floor WR2 who could dominate in college but looks to be only “very good” in the NFL; as in very good size, speed, hands, savvy, technique, etc. Dead reliable. Fine route runner. Tested with a basically average athletic profile across the board. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile notes a lot of flashes, a “competitive demeanor and… consistent improvement each year,” but still ends in a Day 3 grade based on “average speed and ball skills [that] force him into a lot of contested catch situations.” Tyler Wise’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 4 grade for this “ideal candidate for the ‘big slot’ position that the team currently lacks.” |
| 4:16 | WR Rakim Jarrett, Maryland (Junior). 5’11⅞”, 192 lbs. with 31⅜” arms and 9⅜” hands. Turned 22 in January. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes him as your classic good-at-everything receiver who lacks that one superpower to make him something special. His most attractive features are the versatility that comes with that kind of profile, and his all effort, all the time approach to playing the game. There is no point, ever, where he makes things easy for an opposing defender, especially when he has the ball in his hands. A solid prospect for any team seeking a WR3/4 who will make any team culture a little bit better. The TDN scouting profile agrees in every particular, ending with an identical Round 4 grade. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile is more critical, ending in a Round 5-7 grade and the comment, “he’s a better athlete than receiver as he enters the draft, but he does have athletic tools for cultivation if a team can get it done.” |
| 4:16 | WR Charlie Jones, Purdue (RS Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 5’11⅜”, 175 lbs. with 31⅝” arms and 9” hands. Turns 25 in October. The NFL.com scouting profile describes him as a classic possession receiver with enough feel for the open space in a zone, and how to position his body, to be sure of a chain moving role… if only he could get past “his lack of suddenness and blow-by speed.” Enter the Combine, where he put up good to great scores in both the speed and COD drills. This suggests he could end up being better as a pro than he was in college. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report sees Jones “as a depth receiver that could become a starter… in the slot at the next level” but who will always face the problem that “his lack of ideal size/frame and high-end speed and quickness will limit his upside.” |
| 4:16 | WR Puka Nacua, BYU (Junior). 6’2”, 201 lbs. with 31½” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 22 in May. Yes, Puka is one of my draft crushes of the year. Why? Because he deserves to be, that’s why! Nacua is a tough, nasty, old school physical possession receiver who could legitimately model his game on Hines Ward, right down to the love of blocking. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report prefers JuJu Smith-Schuster as a comp, but you know what? Either one will do. Fine hands, but needs to work on his route running, and has average athletic talent when measured against NFL receivers. The speed is acceptable, but far from special. The NFL.com scouting profile is more cynical, ending in something like a Round 5-6 grade due to issues with his ability to separate against NFL coverage experts. |
| 4:16 | WR Parker Washington, Penn. St. (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 5’10”, 204 lbs. with very short 29” arms and big 10⅛” hands. Turned 21 in March. Josh Dobbs’ cousin. A WR who’s built like a RB with fantastic hands, and a true RB’s contact balance. He just doesn’t go down for anything but a very solid tackle. But… where are the numbers to match up with those assets? Tyler Wise’s gif-supported Depot scouting report suggests that limited agility may be one key factor, tied in with very elementary route running that could derive from the same flaw. Tyler used Amari Rodgers as the player comp, a prospect who thrilled draftniks two years ago (2021 draft) with his WR/RB build and its potential, but who has never clicked in the NFL. Another issue may be his somewhat laughable blocking skills. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile provides this summary: “Washington plays with well-developed ball skills and the toughness needed to make challenging catches, but finding open windows against man coverage will be difficult, due to his lack of shake and separation.” |
| 4:18 | STEELERS ROUND 4 PICK (# 118 OVERALL) |
| 5:01 | NT/DT Nesta Jade Silvera, Arizona St. (RS Senior). 6’2”, 304 lbs. with 32⅞” arms and 9⅞” hands. Turned 23 in January. In college and at the Senior Bowl, he was so monstrously strong that he could toss O-Linemen out of his way on a regular basis. That strength, combined with very good burst, makes him a titan on run stuffing downs. He won’t prove much rush on his own, but his bull rush can be enough to keep QBs from climbing the pocket. |
| 5:01 | EDGE/DT Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern (Senior). 6’1”, 275 lbs. with 33⅞” arms and 10½” hands. Turns 22 just before the draft. Team captain. [Discounted for lack of fit]. A great athlete who overwhelmed college athletes with his straight-line burst, strength, length, and nonstop motor out of a low, four point stance. From the Steelers’ POV he is sort of like DeMarvin Leal; a hybrid DL/Edge to move all around the alignment. Not an OLB because he lacks the flexibility needed to bend the corner or succeed in coverage. The Combine proved the straight-line athleticism, but the question marks have always gone more to agility, bend, and COD. Aside from the lack of Pittsburgh fit, Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report also notes delays caused by mental processing time. |
| 5:01 | EDGE Robert Beal, Georgia (Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’4”, 247 lbs. with exceptional 34⅝” arms and big 10⅛” hands. Turns 24 in August. A somewhat odd Top 25% athletic profile with almost amazing speed for the position, solid agility, entirely mixed explosion numbers (great splits in the dash, great broad, horrid vert), and really poor scores on the bench and weight fronts. The main issue comes down to the lack of playing time – which would no doubt have been vastly higher if he played at almost any other school. As it is you’d be betting on the traits. As described in Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade), those assets include admirable factors like his size, length, speed, motor, and experience rushing from both a 2- and 3-point stance. The downsides would be things like being very raw (as you’d expect from his limited playing time), inconsistency, need for technical refinement across the board, and the confirming fact that “most of his pass rush [wins came from] effort plays rather than technique.” His ability in run support and as a special teamer should help him to make a roster earlier rather than late, but they may not be enough to keep him there if he doesn’t grow as an actual defender. |
| 5:01 | EDGE Viliami “Junior” Fehoko Jr. , San Jose St. (RS Senior). 6’3⅝”, 276 lbs. with 33” arms and 8⅞” hands. Turns 24 in December. A strong, violent power rusher with decent agility and a nasty spin he can use as the counter. His main flaws are a lack of special burst off the snap, lack of bend around the corner, and a habit of standing too high. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile views him as a Round 5-ish hybrid who could stay where he is and play 4-3 DE, or add some weight to be a hybrid DT/EDGE player in the DeMarvin Leal mold. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report suggests that he might be able to drop 10-15 lbs. and move to 3-4 OLB (the DeMarvin Leal plan?). The Bleacher Report scouting profile suggests that “the Spartan would be best as a hand-in-the-ground [4-3] defensive end [because]… a three-point stance [] should help him overcome some of his pad-level issues.” |
| 5:01 | EDGE Thomas Incoom, Central Mich. (Junior). 6’2¼”, 265 lbs. with 33” arms and 9⅛” hands. Turned 24 in February. An all star pass rusher in the MAC who would have a much higher grade if he’d done his work at a BCS school. Strike that. 11½ sacks and 18½ TFL’s in 12 games? He’d be a round 1 pick if the competition had been good enough. Incoom plays with excellent balance, rarely ending up on the ground, and has an unending motor who pursues plays to the echo of the whistle. He also fires off the ball well with good snap anticipation. Sets the edge well against the run. The question marks go primarily to those LOC concerns, doubts about his ability to play as a 4-3 DE at the next level, and questions about his ceiling. Looked pretty good at the Senior Bowl. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile considers him a natural 3-4 OLB, saying that Incoom’s “face-up rushing style is neither elusive nor particularly creative, and [that] many of his sacks over the last two seasons have come thanks to his strong, secondary effort.” Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) sees a prospect “with a lack of height but good length [who] projects as a standup 3-4 OLB that… profiles as a #3 rotational rusher who will have to be stronger against the run versus tackles.” The TDN scouting profile ends with a Round 3 grade. See also this February TDN interview, which gets into some football details. |
| 5:01 | EDGE Jose Ramirez, E. Michigan (RS Senior). 6’1⅞”, 242 lbs. (249 at the Shrine Bowl) with 32¾” arms and 8¾” hands. Turns 24 in May. Team captain. A natural 3-4 OLB, Ramirez stood out at the Shrine Bowl with a decent set of pass rush moves, good burst, and excellent bend, all of which were enhanced by his squatty stature (think James Harrison without the unearthly power). The Bleacher report scouting profile says, “Ramirez is an impressive athlete who is quick-twitched and very bendy as a pass-rusher… However, Ramirez is undersized and needs to get stronger to be an every-down player in the NFL.” This goes to a Shrine Bowl interview with Steeler Depot’s Joe Clark, which points out his knack for creating forced fumbles. The NFL.com scouting profile sums it up like this: “Ramirez’s below-average run defense could make it difficult for him to see the field early in his career, but he blends a hot motor and natural rush talent that could entice teams willing to continue his development.” The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 4 grade) sees another talented but undersized pass rusher in the mold of a Quincy Roche. |
| 5:01 | Buck ILB/Edge Nick Herbig, Wisconsin (Junior). 6’2⅛”, 240 lbs. (reportedly played at 228) with 31¼” arms and 9¼” hands. Turned 24 in January. Younger brother of new Steelers Guard Nate Herbig, who would love to see a local reunion. Yet another edge rushing 3-4 OLB in college who would be a better NFL prospect if he could move inside to the Buck ILB spot. A top 25% athlete, his floor is higher than you’d guess because he is a football player to the core with a hot motor, and thus projects as a core special teamer no matter what. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile catches it perfectly: the “subtle hands and wicked inside move” made him very effective in college, but his lack of size and play strength are a huge issue if he plans to continue as an edge rusher. “He would benefit from a year in the weight room to get ready for NFL edge work, but he might have the instincts and athletic ability for consideration as an off-ball linebacker.” Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 6 grade) agrees his best move would be to move inside, become an immediate special teams starter, and then learn his new position while providing some solid, if emergency, depth for the OLB room as well. |
| 5:01 | Buck ILB/EDGE Isaiah Land, Florida A&M (Senior). 6’3½”, 236 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9½” hands. Turned 23 in February. A tremendous small school Edge Rusher in college who will have no choice except to move inside as a pro, to the off-ball LB position where he never played a snap until the Senior Bowl. The blitzer from hell for sure, but not likely to help as a position player for quite some time. According to this Raiders-oriented scouting profile from just after the Senior Bowl (and my eyes), Land quite predictably struggled at the new position though he did flash when allowed to rush off the edge. His ideal fit for special teams work raises the floor significantly. Might he be one of those Day 3 position players who makes up ground as a Day 2 football player? This goes to an exceptional Alex Kozora interview/analysis from the Senior Bowl. This goes to the NFL.com scouting profile. |
| 5:01 | ILB Anfernee Orji, Vanderbilt (Senior). 6’1”, 230 lbs. with 32” arms and 10¼” hands. Turns 23 in October. A high-energy, urgent player who misses far too many tackles, and seems to have poor instincts. Ideal special-teams potential with lots of experience. Experience as a DB shows in the ability to cover TEs. His tremendous, top 10% Combine performance caused some real stir because it doesn’t show up on film. Has a real knack for slipping blocks, but misses too many tackles. The Bleacher Report scouting profile sees “an off-ball linebacker who has the potential to grow into a well-rounded player [with] a lot of his issues [that] can be fixed by spending time in an NFL training program.” |
| 5:01 | Mack ILB Dorian Williams, Tulane (Senior) [Mtg. w/ LB Coach]. 6’1”, 228 lbs. with long 33¾” arms and big 10¼” hands. Turns 22 in June. Team captain and three-year starter who led the ACC in tackles for both 2020 and 2022. A competent 4-3 Mike (middle) LB and team leader in college who is supposed to blitz well and have good straight-line speed and coverage ability, but has some notable play strength issues and is poor at getting off blocks. Projects as a good, core special teamer who could grow into backup ILB duties after a year or two of work with NFL coaches and in an NFL training room. This goes to a nice February scouting profile that ends with a Round 5 grade. Has had a few meetings with Steelers LB coach Aaron Curry. “ Williams looks and moves more like a big box safety with his bursts to the football and open-field fluidity, [but lacks] the size and strength to match up with NFL take-on duties near the line,” according to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. The TDN scouting profile highlights the movement skills, coverage ability, and special teams prowess while warning that “Williams struggles to take on and play through contact.” This Bleacher Report scouting profile says, “he doesn’t have a specialty as far as being a coverage ‘backer or run defender,” and holds up his tackling as a major asset. “Well-rounded, assignment-sound, and a reliable overall tackler,” according to this February Sports Illustrated scouting profile. |
| 5:01 | ILB Dee Winters, TCU (Senior). 5’11”, 227 lbs. with 31⅝” arms and 8⅝” hands. Turns 23 in October. The lack of size restricts his overall athletic profile, but he ran excellent top 5% times at the Combine. He could be a Round 3-4 prospect if it was all about running, tackling, blitzing, and covering, but the distinct lack of height and length make him extremely vulnerable to good blockers. There are ways to solve that with sheer aggression, but it’s something he needs to learn. |
| 5:01 | S Quindell Johnson, Memphis (RS Junior). 6’1”, 194 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 9⅜” hands. Will turn 24 as a rookie. A classic Safety who wraps ‘em up and puts ‘em down from multiple spots on the field – when he isn’t being blocked. A major Combine snub. |
| 5:01 | CB/S Jakorian Bennett, Maryland (Senior). 5’10⅝”, 188 lbs. with 31⅞” arms and 9⅛” hands. Turns 23 in August. A physical presence and willing tackler, the issues come up in limited COD, which tends to make him extra grabby. Tested as a superb top 4% athlete with 4.3 speed, which was much better than expected. Also has experience as a Nickel DB and Safety, with signs of a high football IQ. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile identifies several inconsistencies in his technique, including lack of “the needed anticipation and discipline to stay connected to NFL route runners.” Owen Straley’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) catches the contradiction. “Bennett’s biggest strength lies in his versatility and ability to line up virtually anywhere… [but] his lack of natural feel in press coverage likely prevents him from functioning as a high-level boundary corner, while his lack of play strength [outside of tackling] limits his ability to function as a full-time [] Safety.” |
| 5:01 | T/G Warren McClendon Jr., Georgia (Junior). 6’4”, 306 lbs. with long 34½” arms and 10” hands. Turned 22 in April. [Slight downgrade for lack of fit to the Pat Meyer system] You expect Right Tackles to be enormous, relatively slow footed 6’7” monsters who weigh anywhere from 330 on up. The national champion Georgia Bulldogs went the opposite route, with a sleek, quick footed Tackle who comes in at 3” shorter and 40 lbs. lighter. But those numbers are deceiving. McClendon has the arms of a taller man, and used to weigh as much as 320, and the current version has almost no extra weight at all. The result has been all the foot speed needed to more or less neutralize Top 5 pick Will Anderson Jr. when the two faced off a year ago, but a lack of oomph when put against larger men. He run blocks with serious attitude, can climb to the next level as well as anyone, and has a good strong punch; he’s just on the very small side, and it’s going to show at the next level. If he can solve the size and strength challenge, you’ll get a Kelvin Beachum (6’3”, 303 lbs.), but he just won’t stick if he can’t. Injured in the January car crash that killed a fellow O-Lineman and an athletic staffer but not enough to harm his draft prospects. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile calls him, “a hardworking team leader [whose] intangibles [] are countered by a lack of ideal size, length and athleticism as either a tackle or a guard.” Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) notes that McClendon more than held his own against premier edge rushers in both 2022 (Aidan Hutchinson) and 2023 (Will Anderson). “He has some obvious flaws in his game [like pad level issues, lack of independent hand usage, and occasionally awkward footward when pulling], but his football pedigree and IQ paired with his competitive toughness bode well.” |
| 5:01 | T/G John Ojukwu, Boise St. (RS Senior). 6’5¾”, 309 lbs. with 34” arms and big 10¾” hands. Turned 24 in January. A fine, top 10-15% athlete who tested particularly well for his agility, which is surprising and extremely promising since clumsy movements in space were the biggest criticism in Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. Excellent experience with very few penalties. Every scouting report emphasizes the high character, intelligence, and coachability. Needs to work on his anchor. There is a nice, brief scouting profile in this Broncos-oriented discussion of five developmental OT prospects in this year’s draft. |
| 5:01 | T/G Nick Saldiveri, Old Dominion (RS Senior). 6’6”, 318 lbs. with 33¼” arms and big 10¼” hands. Turns 23 in August. Team captain. Good mobility with an effective punch and solid experience at a lower level. Tested as a splendid top 5-6% athlete. Better at positional and zone blocking than at old fashioned, dig’em out, dirty work, which matters that much more since he was facing small school adversaries. This goes to the TDN scouting profile, which ends in a Round 4 grade. Here is a good Senior Bowl interview with Alex Kozora, along with a second one with The Draft Network. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile calls him a natural athlete who “should fit best as a zone blocker or pulling guard who can get out into space and find work.” There is a nice, brief scouting profile in this Broncos-oriented discussion of five developmental OT prospects in this year’s draft. |
| 5:01 | C/G Jake Andrews, Troy (Senior). 6’2¾”, 305 lbs. with short 32⅞” arms and big 10” hands. Turns 24 in November. A powerful D-II player with excellent size and an anchor to match, but limited athleticism and foot speed when measured on an NFL scale. |
| 5:01 | QB Jaren Hall, BYU (Junior). 6’0”, 207 lbs. with 9½” hands. Turned 25 in March. Has all the arm you need, but not all you want. Think outfielder who can make the throw from the wall, but won’t get higher than 80 mph if you have him throw from the mound. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile admires Hall’s “excellent ball placement to targets on the move and… feathery soft deep ball [delivered with] with accuracy. [But] his lack of drive velocity creates smaller margins for error” on all the everyday throws. Zierlein ends with the exact same Gardner Minshew comp adopted in Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report. “I see Hall in the same breath [as Minshew]. A player who can become one of the better backup QBs in the league but shouldn’t be considered as the answer for a starting job.” The other issues are his lack of size, history of nagging injuries, and his relatively advanced age. Plus learning the NFL game, of course. |
| 5:01 | QB Tanner McKee, Stanford (Junior). 6’6¼” 231 lbs. with 9⅜” hands. Turned 23 in April. A brilliant young man and cancer survivor. A prospect like Tanner McKee would have pushed toward Round 1 back in the days of pure pocket passers because of his build, brains, character, pocket presence, competitive spirit, and easy ability to make every throw. Not a statue in the pocket, but won’t win many foot races. Badly needs to work on keeping his top and bottom in sync, and tightening up his elongated throwing motion. His accuracy cannot and will not improve until he fixes the body mechanics, but could magically do a 180 if he does – just like a pitcher who develops a consistent delivery. There will be Tom Brady comparisons, and they have some legitimacy, but there is a very long way to go both mentally and mechanically before that’s more than a dream. Jacob Harrison’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 3 grade for the right team, which translates to something like Round 5 for a team like the Steelers. |
| 5:01 | TE Will Mallory, Miami, FL (Senior). 6’4½”, 239 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 9⅜” hands. Turns 24 in June. A solid but not special TE who could be better after a few years in an NFL training room to add some grown-man strength. Decent skills across the board, but only decent. Coach’s son. Compiled a top 10% athletic profile despite being undersized, which bodes well for his future chances as a Move TE. |
| 5:01 | TE Blake Whiteheart, Wake Forest (RS Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’3¾”, 247 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 8¾” hands. Turned 23 in March. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile includes a lot of the cheat code clues we tend to look for in TE’s who are likely to outplay their draft position. “Whiteheart has below-average size and mass for a blocking tight end, but he makes up for it with above-average grit and technique… [is] a better pass-catcher than the production might indicate… [and] shows impressive concentration and soft hands when the ball comes his way.” Tested as a top 18% athlete held back by limited size. |
| 5:01 | RB Tank Bigsby, Auburn (Junior). 6’0”, 210 lbs. with 32” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 22 in August. My two favorite assets in a RB are vision and contact balance. Check and check. Bigsby hits the hole hard, squirms through, and doesn’t go down easy. Has the knack of accelerating off his cuts, and suddenly popping even in a straight line. Not a burner or terribly shifty. Jacob Harrison’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a Round 4 grade, with a note that “he comes off rather bland as a prospect” but should be a fine help on special teams if nothing else. |
| 5:01 | RB Eric Gray, Oklahoma (Senior). 5’9½”, 207 lbs. with 29⅝” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 24 in November. Per Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile, Gray is a ˆdecisive, creative runner with the size and skill set for three-down consideration on the pro level. Gray won’t be a home run hitter in the open field, but his short-area burst and oily hips open access to the entire field, with cuts coming suddenly and at unpredictable angles.” Good receiver too. Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report agrees completely, ending with a Round 5 grade. |
| 5:01 | RB Roschon Johnson, Texas (Senior). 6’0”, 219 lbs. with 32” arms and 9⅝” hands. It’s hard to imagine the Steelers drafting a RB in 2023, but if they do, Johnson might well be the guy. He has very little in the way of stats because he played behind a generational talent in Bijan Robinson, but he is a Steelers type of back to the core. Runs hard with surprising shiftiness, is utterly reliable as a blocker to pick up blitzes, and has decent hands. In any other year we’d be talking him up in a major way. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) compares him to James Conner. |
| 5:01 | RB Kenny McIntosh, Georgia (Senior). 6’0”, 204 lbs. with 30½” arms and 9” hands. Turned 23 in March. Runs hard, blocks like a demon, catches well out of the backfield, but has never made himself into a dominant #1. He’d be an ideal RB2 behind Harris if the Steelers did not have one. |
| 5:01 | RB Tyjae Spears, Tulane (Senior). 5’9”, 201 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 10” hands. Turns 22 in June. Short but not small, and with very good eyes, patience, and grit. Highly productive. The sort who will get the 1-3 yards his OL gives him, turn 4-6 yard gains into 8-10, but won’t turn the 10 yarders into home runs. |
| 5:01 | RB Sean Tucker, Syracuse (Senior). 5’10”, 207 lbs. with 30” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 22 in October. World class speed in a RB who isn’t particularly small. |
| 5:01 | WR Matt Landers, Arkansas (Senior). 6’4⅜”, 200 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9¼” hands. Turns 24 in June. Compiled a super impressive top 1% athletic profile at the Combine, he’s described as an unrefined developmental prospect with upside by Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. |
| 5:01 | WR Trey Palmer, Nebraska by way of LSU (Senior). 6’0”, 192 lbs. with 31⅞” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turns 22 in April. A tremendous athlete with 4.33 speed that can be seen on tape, he has never managed to develop his craft well enough to get open with technique instead of talent, or to break free of Corners who have that technique. Boom or bust. |
| 5:01 | WR Tre Tucker, Cincinnati (Senior). 5’8⅝”, 182 lbs. with very short 28⅞” arms and 8⅝” hands. Turned 22 in March. Really exceptional track speed and isn’t limited to running straight lines. Profiles a lot like Calvin Austin III, but better as a return man and weaker as a true WR. Compiled an overall top 15% athletic profile despite his size. Plays with the fierceness of a Jack Russell Terrier but has about that size compared to the NFL big dogs. This goes to a January scouting profile from Sports Illustrated, and this to the NFL.com scouting profile. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Tyler Wise (Round 5 grade) describes Tucker as a classic Ryan Switzer, Ray-Ray McCloud, Steven Sims type of return expert/wannabe slot WR, except that Tucker has better measurables on the athletic front. |
| 5:01 | WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton, W. Va. (RS Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’4”, 221 lbs. with 33½” arms and 9⅜” hands. Turned 23 in March. An astonishing Combine performance put him in the top ½ of 1% for pure athleticism – ever, with athletic comps like Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson, plus our own measurable kings Chase Claypool and Miles Boykin. As a wide receiver…? He plays like a really fast, really tall athlete who can get downfield, leap high, and win a lot of 50/50 balls. The TDN scouting profile lists separation problems and “inconsistent hands” as the primary issues. “Currently a one-dimensional player whose college offense leaves a lot of growth.” The NFL.com scouting profile describes him as a pure deep threat with lots of straight line talent, but little understanding of the WR craft. The Bleacher Report scouting profile ends in a Round 4 grade, like a lot of other March efforts written in the wake of BF-W’s amazing show at the Combine. |
| 5:16 | DT Tyler Lacy, Okla. St. (RS Senior). 6’4”, 279 lbs. (down from a reported 285-290) with 33¼” arms and big 10⅞” hands. Turns 24 in November. A decent top 25% athlete who seems like a lesser version of the DeMarvin Leal prototype, with more strength in the run game but a bit less juice. He has decent burst and penetration ability, but only that. Good hand-fighting technique, but not special. Good strength, but without the size to be an easy DL projection. A motor that runs so hot he will occasionally get winded. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) actually makes the Leal comparison, projecting Lacy as a viable backup DL if he can add the required muscle. |
| 5:16 | DT Jalen Redmond, Oklahoma (Junior). 6’2”, 291 lbs. with 32⅝” arms and 10⅛” hands. Turned 24 in March. A 5-star recruit, the native athleticism can be seen in his brilliant 96th percentile RAS score (which would have been higher if he was taller and/or heavier). But you need to look hard to see that athleticism on the tape. That, and the fact that he played terribly out of position as a college NT, creates the yin/yang essence of his profile. There are real assets: good burst, quickness, penetration power, and the agility to beat reach blocks and the like. No one will ever question the motor, either. But where are the results? Is it really just a matter of learning to maintain a low pad level? Is it purely because he played 0-, 1-, 2i-, and sometimes 3-tech, rather than the 3- and 4i- tech for which he’s built? The grade here amounts to a pure boom or bust bet; the classic case of measurables vs. film. Here is Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. This nice Bleacher Report scouting profile gives some solid analysis too. |
| 5:16 | EDGE Brenton Cox Jr., Florida by way of Georgia (RS Senior). 6’3⅞”, 250 lbs. with 33⅛” arms and 9¼” hands. Turned 23 in January. An easy Round 2 talent with a past that will drop him down to who knows where. A 5-star athlete who got snaps for Georgia even as a true Freshman, he was dropped for a combination of a marijuana arrest and general disruption. Transferred to Florida where he looked fantastic, before getting kicked off that team to in connection with a thrown punch that was apparently the final straw after several incidents that never went public. The on-field physical profile is a great fit to the model Steelers OLB for more linear, strength-oriented pass rushers. The off-field profile? That’s where the questions come up, and we are in no position to penetrate that fog. Tested as a top 30% athlete, which was actually disappointing. According to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile, “he has some bend-and-dip athleticism as a rusher, [but] he’s primarily a brute-force attacker currently lacking the game plan or counters to beat offensive tackles possessing a quality anchor.” Jacob Harrison’s gif-supported Depot scouting report says Cox is “a power style pass rusher that has a small, but well-trained, arsenal of moves and impressively violent hands” who deserves an “on-the-field-grade” of around Round 4, but may be no more than a priority UDFA after taking the character concerns into account. |
| 5:16 | EDGE Truman Jones, Harvard (Senior). 6’2¾”, 251 lbs. with 33⅝” arms and 10” hands. Turns 23 in May. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes Jones as a smart, athletic prospect who projects as a true 3-4 OLB. The issues come down to all the unknowns of targeting an Ivy League player whose film shows absolute domination of opponents who won’t ever sniff an NFL backup position. A nice developmental prospect who should be able to play special teams while he tries to get up to speed. |
| 5:16 | EDGE Ochaun Mathis, Nebraska by way of TCU (Senior). 6’4¾”, 250 lbs. with unearthly 35¼” arms and huge 10¾” hands. Turned 24 in January. Compiled a nice, well balanced top 15-20% athletic profile, which does not even account for his insane length. The Mockdraftable spider chart illustrates the sales pitch perfectly: ‘just imagine this chart if you added 15 pounds of good, productive, grown man muscle!’ In all seriousness, if you list the assets alone you’re going to say, “Oh boy, a natural Steelers OLB!” Burst, bend, length, decent technique, and even the smooth athleticism to fall back into coverage. But there is a major flaw you could sum up like this: “A startling lack of play strength.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile addresses strength in the first three of the weaknesses list: “Will need to get stronger… Struggles to press and separate… Gets pushed around by tackles at the point of attack.” A fine Day 3 developmental pick if you think he can add enough strength, and quite probably a genuine steal, but a do-not-touch if you believe he can’t. Matt Holder’s Bleacher Report scouting profile mentions that “he was in the running for Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year” back in 2020, which raises the interesting question of why the results went down in ‘21 and ‘22. The CBS scouting profile does specifically note that “he has the frame to add 10-15 pounds, while still maintaining his twitchiness.” Fantastic news, but why hasn’t he done it already? |
| 5:16 | EDGE Lonnie Phelps, Kansas by way of Miami (OH) (Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’2⅜”, 244 lbs. (251 at the Shrine Bowl) with 32⅜” arms and 9¼” hands. Turns 23 in August. One of those overachieving pass rushers who win by pure will, an endless motor, and the ability to string moves together until the cows come home. Has all the athletic assets, achieving a top 15% athletic profile based on substandard size, top end speed, pretty good leaps, and middling agility tests. Good enough burst to often win the edge, and good enough bend to dip and rip if he gets that edge, but neither is eye popping and the hand usage that would help is good but erratic. Good enough speed-to-power to win on bull rushes if the Tackle is looking for a move. Etc. The weakness is in run support. He’ll annoy O-linemen to death when they have to receive him, which makes it a joy when they get to throw him out of the bar, which many of them can. Needs some serious strength training. Jacob Harrison’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) notes some “alarming struggles against the run,” along with a distinct lack of sophistication in the craft of rushing the passer, but emphasizes that his motor, aggression, and the “bulldog… grit he plays with on a consistent basis [are] to be commended.” |
| 5:16 | Buck ILB Yasir Abdullah, Louisville (Senior). 6’0⅝”, 237 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 9¼” hands. [Discounted due to the need for a position change] An exceptional, top 5% athlete (before agility testing), Abdullah is another successful college Edge Rusher who is simply too small to play that role in a Pittsburgh defense. The Bleacher Report scouting profile agrees, ending with this observation: “switching to off-ball linebacker could be in the cards for him, and he did show solid coverage skills in college.” The NFL.com scouting profile is clear that he fights above his weight class, but also acknowledges that the size issues are going to really matter at the next level. “Size and length fall well below NFL norms for the position… [but] his leverage, power and agility mitigate size issues, while his nose for the football has created production as a run defender, pass rusher and special teams tackler.” Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report agrees up and down the row. “Abdullah is an undersized yet productive edge rusher [with] very good burst and bend… A 3-4 team may want to try him as an Edge, but I think a role as [an] off the ball linebacker who can rush in sub packages may be his best role.” |
| 5:16 | ILB Jeremy Banks, Tennessee (Senior). 6’0¾”, 232 lbs. with 32” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 24 in September. Jacob Harrison’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes a Day 3 player who has good athleticism, but isn’t quite there when it comes to the mental part of this very demanding position. Very good special-teams ability gives a fairly decent floor. The NFL.com scouting profile sees “a likely two-down backup who might come off the field on passing downs but run back out for special teams reps.” |
| 5:16 | Buck ILB SirVocea Dennis, Pitt (Senior). 6’0½”, 226 lbs. with 32⅞” arms and big 10⅝” hands. Pitt’s team captain, he is supposed to be a smart, instinctive, athletic, and versatile leader with tremendous play recognition and instincts, but also so much aggression that he makes big plays, but can also be fooled by smart QBs, who turn it into big plays. Also has a problem with overshooting some plays completely and is poor at deconstructing blocks; when an OL gets him, he stays gotten. A very good blitzer, with sideline-to-sideline range. Hasn’t been asked to do much in coverage but seems to have enough basic athleticism to learn the job eventually. This goes to a January scouting profile from a Giants POV, with an embedded 10-minute video. Here is the TDN scouting profile, which ends in a Round 4 grade based in part on the near certainty that Dennis would be a special-teams ace. Tyler Wise’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a 5th Round grade based on “lateral speed, closing ability, and exceptional tackling” set against “size and strength limitations” and the fact that he’s never really been asked to do any coverage duties. The NFL.com scouting profile agrees: “Dennis’ special teams potential aids his chances of becoming an NFL backup, but he doesn’t have size or athleticism that stands out.” |
| 5:16 | Buck ILB Ventrell Miller, Florida (RS Senior). 6’0”, 232 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9⅛” hands. Turned 24 in January. [Discounted for age and lack of fit]. A painful guy to grade because he’s a team leader, captain, and a football player to his spine, but the measurables don’t seem to work. He is on the old side for the youth-loving Steelers, too slow of foot to hold up as a Mack, and 10-20 pounds too light to fit the profile of a Buck ILB. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter, who knows the young man personally, describes him as a capable spot starter and two-down defender who will be a core special teamer. |
| 5:16 | SAF Chamarri Conner, Va. Tech. (Senior). 6’0”, 202 lbs. with 31⅜” arms and 9” hands. Turns 23 in July. A top 5-6% athlete whose natural gifts don’t show as much as they should on film. Has experience in both slot coverage and single high. Good toughness and physicality. 50+ games of college experience, with what appears to be a solid football IQ. Okay hands but not much in the way of stats. Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 6-7) sees a tantalizingly versatile puzzle piece who might someday be a solid Nickel DB and “has a nice career in front of him… as a sub package defender and [] special teams ace,” but is likely to fall nevertheless because the tape doesn’t match up to the testing. |
| 5:16 | SS Trey Dean III, Florida (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’2⅛”, 200 lbs. with 31¾” arms and 9” hands. Turned 23 in February. As Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile puts it, Dean is a “big, long safety with good athleticism and toughness but a troubling lack of assignment awareness.” He’s the sort of player you look for as a Day 3 flier with wonderful upside and a special teams floor. The pure athletic talent shows in the fact that he’s taken significant snaps at Corner, Free Safety, Strong Safety, and Nickel ILB. Hard to get more versatile than that! His best fit at the next level will probably be as a nominal Strong Safety who begins his career as a special teams demon while he spends a few years learning to play NFL level defense. To twist a Tomlinism, Dean is athletic, fast and ferocious, but needs to learn from someone who knows when to say “whoa.” Tested as a very good top 20% athlete, but not as a great one, and his timed speed was an issue. Chandler Stroud’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends with a Round 5 grade, and a description that’s a good bit more positive: “I’m a fan of Dean’s game [and] think he would make a great complement for any team looking for a run-plugging, downhill box safety [who won’t] give you consistent takeaways or splash plays.” |
| 5:16 | SS Kaevon Merriweather, Iowa (RS Senior) [Brass at Pro Day]. 6’0”, 205 lbs. with 31⅞” arms and 9¼” hands. Turns 24 in December. A high-character, try-hard player with NFL size but a lack of pure speed and some hesitation in his decision making. Allowed only an 11% passer rating in the plays where he was targeted, so I guess his coverage skills hold up. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile grades him as a potential backup. That is consistent with his basically average RAS score (with no agility tests). |
| 5:16 | CB Alex Austin, Oregon St. (RS Soph). 6’1”, 195 lbs. with 31⅞” arms and small 8½” hands. Turns 23 in May. Good size and a well-balanced skill set make him profile as a fine, developmental Corner. OTOH, each of those areas is just a bit shy of what you want, and so are the physical assets, which means he faces a lot of work to make any team before Year 2. Owen Straley’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends with a Round 5 grade on the expectation that Austin’s “fearless tackling” and special teams upside should help him to earn a roster spot while he tries to solve his shortcomings as a position player. |
| 5:16 | CB Nic Jones, Ball St. (Senior). 6’0”, 189 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 10” hands. Turns 22 in October. A well-rounded player with the playmaker gene, but technically raw and in need of at least one redshirt year to bring himself up to a minimum NFL standard. |
| 5:16 | T/G Alex Palczewski, Illinois (Senior). 6’6”, 314 lbs. with 33⅜” arms and 9¼” hands. 23 years old on draft day, turns 24 in August. Team captain. Tom Mead’s nice, gif-supported Depot scouting report summarizes Palczewski as a capable Tackle with good upside, held back by several small but important gaps. Core strength would be #1. After that it’s the myriad of technical details needed to stabilize his game and prevent the holding penalties and false starts that happen from his shortcomings. Aggressive mindset with very good versatility and overall athleticism. Tom ends in a Round 6 grade, but I’ve bumped that up a little because the issues seem fixable enough to project him as a valuable, four position, utility man with some upside. |
| 5:16 | G/T Joey Fisher, Shepherd (Senior) [Mtg. at Senior Bowl]. 6’3⅝”, 292 lbs. with short 32” arms and 10¼” hands. An extremely good athlete who dominated his D-II opponents. His stock fell drastically when the Senior Bowl showed him to be 3” shorter and 25 lbs. lighter than advertised. The Draft Bible scouting profile describes him as “feisty” but undersized, with film “full of more pancakes than IHOP.” Supposed to be very strong and a mauler on the inside, but also prone to dumb mistakes caused by his hyper-aggression. Did well enough at the Shrine Bowl to get a bonus invite to the Senior Bowl. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Tom Mead admires his balance, pad level, hand work, and anchor but ends with a Day 3 grade anyway because of his lower level of college competition, a lack of length that will push him inside to Guard, and a need for at least 10-20 lbs. of good, grown-man muscle to match up with NFL athletes. |
| 5:16 | OC Frederick “Juice” Scruggs, Penn. St. (RS Senior). 6’3”, 301 lbs. with 33¼” arms and 10¼” hands. Turned 23 in January. Team Captain. Good experience at both Center and Guard. There is one thing that will catch your eye about Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report, and stick there hard: the Round 2 film grade and a Round 5-6 projection. Huh? The answer lies in a medical red flag. Scruggs broke a vertebra in a 2019 car accident, “spent a year in a back brace and riding on a scooter, [and then] missed the entire season [due to] back spasms… Got healthy for 2020.” Thus you get to a solid Day 2 prospect for the healthy version; undraftable if the doctors hem and haw; and Day 3 as a compromise. The tape shows a player with a dead solid anchor that would particularly suit the AFC North, decent enough people-moving power, and a weaker set of talents when it comes to getting out in space. Think of your classic NT profile in reverse if you want a cartoon, but the player is better than the grade, and the combination of proven leadership with the grit to fight through that injury has to count for something. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile agrees on the combination of immovable anchor, adequate strength, and somewhat heavy feet. “He plays like a block of granite that is difficult to push back or knock off-balance, but he’s more of a neutralizer than road grader. He plays with solid technique.” The scouting profile by O-Line expert Brandon Thorn reaches the same conclusions with a few technical details to flesh things out. |
| 5:16 | QB Sean Clifford, Penn St. (RS Senior). 6’2”, 218 lbs. with 9⅝” hands. Turns 25 in July. A four-year team captain! A fine leader who has the physical tools, but can actually misread the field at times, versus the normal flaw of failing to read it well enough. Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5-6 grade) describes Clifford as a player with “more than adequate” arm strength who held off Will Levis in two consecutive years to keep the starting role at Penn State. “Clifford has the feel of a longtime NFL backup, whether that’s in a No. 2 or No. 3 role. He reminds me a lot of a bigger Chase Daniel.” |
| 5:16 | QB Jake Haener, Fresno St. (Senior). 6’0”, 208 lbs. with 9⅜” hands. Turned 24 in March. He isn’t a guy you want to bet on, but he’s definitely one you don’t want to bet against. A smaller QB with good athleticism, who broke the throwing records set by David and Derek Carr. Nice, tight release and velocity. Very good processor of the game against college defenses. Known for his ability to anticipate breaks and hit tight windows, but with consistently less accuracy as the throws start getting past 30-40 yards. Tough as chicken lips, but the lack of size is a genuine issue. This December TDN article makes the upside arguments. |
| 5:16 | WR Derius Davis, TCU (Senior). 5’8⅜”, 165 lbs. with 29¼” arms and 8” hands. Turns 23 in September. A CB who moved to the offense, Davis will have early value as a punt & kick returner. On offense, he was TCU’s just get him the ball gadget guy and will likely serve the same role in the NFL. Easy 4.3-something speed. |
| 5:16 | WR Dontay Demus Jr., Maryland (Senior). 6’3”, 212 lbs. with astonishing 34¼” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 23 in September. Another Day 3 giant with the height, strength, physicality, and hands to win jump ball contests, but not the size, speed, agility, or craft to be more than a role player who looks like he could succeed on special teams too. |
| 5:16 | WR Justin Shorter, Florida (RS Senior). 6’4”, 229 lbs. with 33¾” arms and 10” hands. Turns 23 just before the draft. Tested as an impressive top 8% athlete overall, Shorter is a big, tall, and tough field stretcher who knows his size and uses it. His lack of pure speed and route-running sophistication limit his projection to being a useful depth receiver who may also be a special teams ace. Owen Straley’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) concludes that Shorter’s limitations on the athleticism, speed, and route running fronts “likely limit hs ceiling, I strongly believe that Shorter’s strengths [size, catch radius, and blocking] will make him a capable pro at the next level, one who should make an immediate impact on special teams.” |
| 6:01 | DT D.J. Dale, Alabama (Senior). 6’0⅞”, 302 lbs. with 32⅞” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 23 in October. A 1-tech NT in college who suffered from his lack of both good length and exceptional size. That makes him a difficult projection for the NFL. |
| 6:01 | NT/DT PJ Mustipher, Penn St. (Senior). 6’3⅞”, 320 lbs. with short 32¾” arms and 9” hands. Turns 25 in November. A squat, immensely powerful, 2-down, run-stuffing Nose Tackle who makes up for his short arms with A-level hand fighting skill and an A+ motor. Holds up well against double teams when he keeps his pads low (usually but not always), and has decent agility for a big man, though he is more of a space eater than a penetrator. The lack of length makes it harder for him to shed blocks versus holding up against them, so he is more likely to rack up ILB tackles than to pad his own stats. Models his game after Cam Heyward. Age may be an issue for the youth-loving Steelers. |
| 6:01 | EDGE Ali Gaye, LSU (Senior). 6’6”, 263 lbs. with very long 34¼” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 25 in November. [Discounted for age] A junior college player, originally from Gambia, who stepped up to become the Size L half of LSU’s pass rush, with B.J. Ojulari as the finesse guy. Relies on a nonstop motor, tremendous length, a feeling for others’ balance point (despite his own issues in that department), and an array of counters; but is he a true NFL athlete as well? Some professional strength training would also make a big difference, since it fits his profile and approach but pure power hasn’t been his forte, and the NFL.com scouting profile notes that “tackles with power tend to give him an inordinate amount of trouble.” Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes him as an admirable project you’d love to have on your team to see what he’d become in Year 3 – which would be a fine plan if not for the age issue. |
| 6:01 | ILB Cam Jones, Indiana (Senior). 6’1”, 226 lbs. with 31¼” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 24 in October. 3-time team captain. For short and sweet, I quote from the NFL.com scouting profile: “He lacks ideal size, length and speed but has the demeanor and feel needed to become a solid backup and core special teams performer.” Drop the mic. His very poor size grades pulled down the overall athletic grade below the slightly better than average times in the dash. |
| 6:01 | ILB Aubrey Miller Jr., Jackson St. (Senior). 5’11⅝”, 229 lbs. with 30½” arms and 9” hands. Described by the Sports Illustrated scouting profile as a “sturdy downhill thumper” with limited speed and agility when measured on an NFL scale. The TDN scouting profile ends in a Round 6 grade for a “special teams savant” who will take some time to learn the position. He did catch the eye of Steelers scout Ike Taylor at the Senior Bowl. |
| 6:01 | SS Brandon Joseph, Notre Dame by way of Northwestern (RS Junior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’0⅜”, 202 lbs. with 30⅞” arms and 9” hands. Turned 22 in February. Team captain and 3-year starter at Northwestern. Has started since his rookie year and it shows. Great ball skills. Tested as a basically average athlete due to poor explosion numbers outside of a surprisingly good 10-yard split. Brilliant hands, he led the FBS for INTs in 2020. Seems to have a solid eye on career issues, having decommitted from Texas Tech when Kliff Kingsbury left for the NFL, transferred to Notre Dame because he “wanted to be drafted higher,” and declared for the draft with two more years of eligibility. A very smart young man who was accepted at multiple Ivy League schools before choosing Northwestern. The TDN scouting profile sees someone who will eventually mature into a ball hawking Safety at the next level. Lance Zierlein’s gif-supported scouting profile sees a much lower ceiling despite the good football IQ, with tackling being challenge #1, and his overall agility and movement skills being an athletic limitation. Alex Kozora’s excellent, gif-supported Depot scouting report notes some COD issues that could limit him to Strong Safety, and those same tackling concerns – which will keep him from playing at all until he cleans things up. |
| 6:01 | SS/Mack ILB Charlie Thomas, Georgia Tech. (Senior). 6’3”, 216 lbs. with 31½” arms and 8½” hands. Turned 23 in January. A greatly undersized Mack ILB/Safety tweener, whose main issue is size. He has a Safety build that will be hard to bulk up to ILB size, and it shows whenever he’s asked to deal with blockers. The upside is good top 20% athleticism when run as an ILB, headlined by top 5% speed. The results are (top 13% and top 10-12% when run as a Strong Safety. His coverage skills as a Safety are substandard, however, which means he looks like your true tweener who will need to earn his NFL spot on special teams rather than as a position player. |
| 6:01 | OT Ryan Hayes, Michigan (RS Senior) 6’7”, 298 lbs. with short 32½” arms and 10” hands. Turned 23 in February. Michigan won the award for best college OL two years in a row, and Hayes was the starting LT for both years, with 40 top-level college games under his belt. A solid (basically top 10%) athlete who had ups and downs at the Senior Bowl. Looks like a nice swing tackle for the future, with a chance of starting if he can master all the tricks to get around the arm length issue, and also pack on the requisite muscle to anchor against the NFL’s super-strong monsters. Moves well, especially when asked to climb to the next level. May do best in an outside zone running attack that would hide his lack of bulk and arm length, while emphasizing his mobility and athleticism. Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report says he gets the job done in run blocking, but the lack of anchor and length, combined with a high pad level out of the snap, will make him a liability in pass protection; so much so that Josh suggests moving inside to be an undersized but extremely mobile Guard. |
| 6:01 | OT Kadeem Telfort, UAB by way of Florida (Senior). 6’7”, 319 lbs. with massive 35⅞” arms smallish 8½” hands. Turns 25 in November. Wonderful natural gifts, including some fairly astonishing length. He also mirrors and moves extremely well. The downgrade comes from Telfort’s role in a massive credit card scandal when he was a Florida freshman. He was charged with 30 counts of criminal fraud relating to $20,000 of purchases that ranged from iPads to Gummy Worms. It was a huge scandal back in the day, and he seems to have been the ringleader. So was he a serious criminal or a stupid college freshman who committed criminal acts? My life experience suggests the second, so the big question is this: has he outgrown his stupidity along with his youth? The Florida justice system seems to think so. For all the furor, he ended up with a plea deal to one 3rd-degree felony plus probation and court costs. Make your own judgment. He sounds like an impressive young man in this interview with Depot’s Joe Clark at the Shrine Bowl. |
| 6:01 | QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (Senior). 6’1⅝”, 203 lbs. with 9 ⅞” hands. Turns 24 in November. Chandler Stroud’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes DTR as a viable QB/athlete whose main problem lies in the fact that his mechanics fall apart when he’s pressured inside the pocket. That’s a deal killer for the NFL, but it’s also one of the things we know can be fixed with hard, repetitive work and focused practice. A solid, top 25% athlete with excellent straight line speed. Opponents will need to appoint a spy to keep him under control. The question is whether he can learn to beat an NFL defense with his arm even when he has that extra man advantage. |
| 6:01 | TE Noah Gindorff, N. Dak. St. (RS Senior). 6’6”, 263 lbs. with 33⅛” arms and 10” hands. Turned 24 in February. Team captain. An accomplished and effective blocker with “below average pass-catching and athletic traits” according to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. Has lost both of his last two seasons to ankle injuries, so the medicals will matter. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported scouting report (Round 5) calls the medical issues the elephant in the room that will determine how teams view Gindorff’s potential at the next level. |
| 6:01 | RB Chase Brown, Illinois (Junior). 5’9½”, 209 lbs. with 31” arms and 10” hands. Turns 23 in November. Whack!, bam!, boom!, and zip! with the ball in his hands and a decent receiver, but not a good blocker, which could limit his overall utility. Home run hitter with top 1% burst and excellent long speed. |
| 6:01 | RB Evan Hull, Northwestern (RS Junior). 5’10⅛”, 209 lbs. with 30⅝” arms and 9¼” hands. Turns 23 in October. I almost wish we needed a RB, because Hull would make for a fun conversation. His tape shows “below-average explosiveness but decent downhill power.” Late Day 3, right? Then came the Combine, where he tested across the board as a top 10% athlete even when measured against NFL RBs, with tremendous explosiveness. |
| 6:01 | RB DeWayne McBride, Tulsa (RS Senior). 5’10”, 209 lbs. with 30⅝” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 22 in July. A solid, all-around RB who’d be a good fit in Pittsburgh if not for the overcrowded room, some loose ball handling that needs to be cleaned up, and lack of experience as a receiving weapon. Good vision, excellent experience, and even better, very consistent production. Could also use some extra power through the hole, though Joe Cammarota’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 all-teams grade) observes that McBride “[may] stand[] 5’10” and weigh[] 209 pounds, [but he] plays like he is 6’2” and 235 pounds.” |
| 6:01 | WR/KR Thayer Thomas, N. Car. St. (RS Senior) [Mtg. at Pro Day]. 6’0”, 195 lbs. with 30⅛” arms and 8⅞” hands. Turns 25 in May. Combine snub. A special teams ace for punt/kick returns and coverage alike. Exceptional quickness and excellent hands. Moderate to good speed. A multi-sport athlete who was drafted by the Red Sox as an outfielder. As a WR he would be a classic quicker-than-fast slot receiver whose mid-round grade is pulled down by his age and his limited set of physical tools. Younger brother Drake is also in the draft as an ILB (Round 7 grade). The Sports Illustrated scouting profile lauds his route running skill and includes a quote about being “above the 1% line when it comes to work ethic.” This February scouting summary starts with the line, “Thayer Thomas screams Bill Belichick draft pick.” This goes to an article about his meetings with the Steelers. Here is a nice interview from March. This late March article from a local news source is about Thayer and brother Drake’s Pro Day. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Tyler Wise (UDFA grade) calls Thomas “a name to watch” for one of the Round 7 picks, identifying “his toughness, reliability as a pass catcher, willingness to go over the middle,… experience, versatility as a gadget player,… strong work ethic and special-teams ability” as the assets that would overcome the lack of size, speed, and burst. You can definitely see the point. That’s a pretty long list. |
| 6:16 | DT Dante Stills, W. Va. (Senior). 6’3½”, 286 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turns 24 in December. The sort of player who’d make a great DT 4/5, subbing in as rotational depth who can hold the line without being expected to make positive additions. A top 15% athlete with exceptional speed and agility, he is small for a DT and doesn’t have the frame to add more mass. That is the key factor that limits his upside for a team like the Steelers, especially with his lack of the desired height and length. |
| 6:16 | EDGE Habakkuk Baldonado, Pitt (Senior). 6’4¼”, 251 lbs. with 33” arms and 10½” hands. 23 years old on draft day, turns 24 in September. Native of Rome, Italy who played only one year of football in HS after moving to the U.S. in 2017. A multi-sport, top 20% athlete who projects best as a 4-3 DE with good burst and a strong bull rush, offset by limited bend, and superior skill at setting the edge in run support. Could be a little too linear to play well as an OLB, though he has rushed from a 2-point stance without any real loss in effectiveness. Still very raw when it comes to all the technical aspects like hand fighting, rush plan, etc. |
| 6:16 | EDGE Tyrus Wheat, Miss. St. (Senior) [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’2”, 263 lbs. with 32⅞” arms and 9” hands. Decent burst with a bit of bend, good strength to hold the edge, plus enough athletic juice to drop back into coverage, equals a viable 3-4 OLB prospect. The hand-fighting technique is weak, and Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile hits him fairly hard for [paraphrasing] “a disappointing lack of football instincts.” |
| 6:16 | ILB Nick Anderson, Tulane (Senior). 5’10”, 225 lbs. with short 30” arms and small 8⅝” hands. Team captain. Read this good-looking February scouting profile and you’ll get a solid idea. Anderson is a high energy, very smart, intense football player with good all around skills, held back by a lack of size and length. Supposed to be an ideal locker room guy. Bound to excel on special teams if nothing else. This Giants-oriented, clip-supported scouting report reinforces that description, and ends in something like a Round 5 grade. This goes to a January Sports Illustrated interview, and this link takes you to a long and thorough USA Today interview/article by a Saints writer who followed Anderson’s career (Tulane is in New Orleans). |
| 6:16 | ILB Jalen Graham, Purdue (Senior). 6’1⅞”, 220 lbs. with 33” arms and 9⅞” hands. Turned 22 in January. A hybrid Safety/ILB in college (he played the “Star” position), Graham will want to add 10 pounds of good muscle in the pros and transition to ILB. The NFL.com scouting profile ends in a Round 5-ish grade, with great praise for his instincts, aggression, and “all-day energy and physicality.” A poor 35th percentile athletic score, with weak coverage skills, won’t help his case any. |
| 6:16 | S Brandon Hill, Pitt (RS Junior). 5’10⅜”, 193 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 25 in May. [Discount applied for age]. An enforcer who likes nothing more than flying down from 20 yards away like a two-legged guillotine but doesn’t wrap up when he gets there. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile worries about far too many mistakes for such an IQ-intensive position. The TDN scouting profile would agree with the guided missile approach but ends in a Round 3 grade based on a better view of his instincts and the unquestioned potential as a special teamer. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends with a late round grade despite the special teams potential. |
| 6:16 | S Daniel Scott, California (RS Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 6’0⅞”, 208 lbs. with 30¼” arms and 10” hands. Turns 25 in October. Team captain. Compiled a tremendous top 1-2% athletic profile at the Combine. As Lance Zierlein says in the NFL.com scouting profile, “his age could hurt his chances with some teams, but his athleticism and four-phase special teams background will help him with others.” Here is an interview he did with Alex Kozora during the Combine. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report concludes, “His best spot in the league would be as a single-high/split zone safety where he can play with the ball in front of him and come downhill to make plays and undercut routes. He can dabble some in the slot and near the box, but his lack of physicality and reliability in man coverage could get him exposed.” |
| 6:16 | OT Earl Bostick, Jr., Kansas (Senior). 6’5¾”, 309 lbs. with 34⅛” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 25 on New Year’s Eve. Hear the bells, as they chime the Chuks Okorafor stereotype waltz! Bostick is a converted TE who is fairly adept at pass blocking and is plenty mobile, but seemingly less than eager to mix it up in a close-quarters running attack. Tested as a top 5% athlete at the Combine. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile suggests lack of upper body strength as the main culprit. The TDN scouting profile agrees: “Bostick’s deficiencies as a player start with what appears to be a lack of functional strength which negatively impacts him as a run blocker and in pass protection.” All of which leads to an easy verdict: pick-and-stash. Let’s see what he looks like after a year or two of professional training. |
| 6:16 | T/G Braeden Daniels, Utah (RS Senior). 6’4”, 294 lbs. with 33” arms and 9⅜” hands. Turns 23 in August. Had a solid number of starts at LG, LT, and RT, but profiles best as an NFL Guard in an outside zone running scheme. He actually looks most like a Center, though I don’t know if he has ever played the position. His top 5% athletic score is all about speed, agility, and explosion rather than size and strength. Discounted by a solid round or two because Pittsburgh plays the wrong style from his POV. This goes to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. The scouting profile by O-line expert Brandon Thorn sums Daniels up like this: “Overall, Daniels is unrefined and unreliable with his technique and ability to control blocks, but he has very good quickness, burst, decent power in his hands and proven versatility to offer upside as a stash-and-develop piece.” |
| 6:16 | G/T Brandon Kipper, Oregon St. (RS Senior) [Mtg. at NFLPA Bowl]. 6’5⅞”, 326 lbs. with 34⅛” arms and 10⅛” hands. Turns 25 in September. Played RT for most of his college career but moved inside to RG in 2022. A well-balanced athlete with no particular weaknesses, just limitations. Good wrestler in HS. |
| 6:16 | OG Sidy Sow, E. Mich. (RS Senior). 6’4¾”, 323 lbs. with 33⅝” arms and 10⅜” hands. Turns 25 in June. Quebecois. Another Combine sensation with a top 1% athletic score, he excelled in all four aspects of the testing: size, explosion, speed, and agility alike. Per Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile, Sidy Sow has all the physical assets but, despite extensive experience, has highly inconsistent technique and recognition. |
| 6:16 | TE Cameron Latu, Alabama (RS Senior). 6’4”, 242 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 9½” hands. Turned 23 in February. High-IQ zone beater but lacks the speed to beat man coverage and the size to dominate as a blocker. Well-rounded but average until you hit the red zone, where he knows how to get those tough yards. |
| 6:16 | WR/KR Demario Douglas, Liberty (RS Soph.). 5’8¼”, 179 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 8¾” hands. Turns 23 in December. Joe Cammarota’s gif-supported Depot scouting report describes a really likable punt & kick returner who is just as good as a short-but-not-small WR. He dominated against small school opposition, looking like someone who’d run in the low 4.3s, but when tested he ran “only” a 4.44. Would he also be fast enough to dart past NFL athletes, or is the timed speed really a limitation? The impressive athletic testing showed special levels of explosion but was dragged down significantly by his size. OTOH, he doesn’t go down easily and plays bigger than he measures. |
| 6:16 | WR Antoine Green, Maryland (Senior). 6’1¾”, 199 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 9” hands. Turns 24 in November. A well-rounded, top 20%, multi-sport athlete with good wiring and the ability to make difficult catches while getting his feet in bounds. But he’s also limited to being a deep-threat guy who will need to become a special teams ace if he wants to hold onto a roster spot long enough to build some skills. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report raises some significant injury/durability concerns as well. |
| 6:16 | WR Malik Knowles, Kansas St. (RS Senior). 6’2”, 196 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 8¾” hands. Turns 23 years old in August. Big, tall kick returners always catch the eye, and this one has good, smooth athletic talent to match. The NFL.com scouting profile expresses concern that he “requires a runway to find his speed, [and] lacking suddenness, he will struggle beating press.” The Sports Illustrated scouting profile agrees that he has shown NFL potential as a deep threat, gadget player, and return man, but “did not show the ability to run crisp routes.” |
| 6:16 | WR Jalen Wayne, S. Alabama (Senior). 6’1¾”, 210 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 9⅜” hands. Turns 24 years old in May. Nephew of Reggie Wayne. Lots of flashes, but he’s played against such a low level of competition that it is hard to judge his real potential. A solid but not special athlete overall. |
| 7:01 | DT Cory Durden, N. Car. St. by way of Fla. St. (RS Senior). 6’4¼”, 292 lbs. with long 34⅛” arms and 9⅞” hands. Turned 24 in January. Team captain. A tough evaluation because there is a lot of if only, yes but, and maybe. He weighed in 10-15 pounds under expectations, and core strength has been an issue. Can he add what he needs without slowing down? He’s technically sound with his hands and pad level, but inconsistent with his get-off. Can he fix that? He isn’t that tall, but he is long. He’s had some success rushing the passer, but it’s mostly from persistence despite having several different moves. Etc. Even the testing was irregular: very poor footspeed, but solid explosion. |
| 7:01 | ILB Shaka Heyward, Duke [Mtg. at Combine]. 6’3”, 235 lbs. with long 34” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turns 23 a week before the draft. A 2nd cousin of Cam and Connor (their grandparents were siblings), Shaka Heyward profiles as a late-round, run-stuffing Buck ILB. Has a nice top 25% athletic profile headlined by excellent foot speed and held back by poor agility that will cause issues if he’s asked to do a lot of coverage. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile praises his length, physicality, and tackling, but worries about “below-average recognition [that] leads to false steps early in the rep.” Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report agrees on a late Day 3 grade, saying “he has a lot of work to do” if he ever wants to be more than a special teams asset. |
| 7:01 | SS Justin Broiles, Oklahoma (RS Senior) [Mtg. at Tropical Bowl]. 5’10⅛”, 191 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 8¾” hands. 24 years old. Good click-and-close reactions. Scrappy trash talker. |
| 7:01 | S Tanner Ingle, N. Car. St. (RS Senior) [Mtg. at Visit]. 5’9”, 179 lbs. with 29” arms and 8⅞” hands. Turns 24 in October. Team captain. A badly undersized but proficient box Safety with good (but no better) coverage skills, who plays more like 200 pounds than 180. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends with one of the more elegant daggers you will ever see in the Steeler-fan ribs: “There’s some Arthur Maulet to his game but Maulet is bigger and probably more athletic overall.” Oh, it burns! |
| 7:01 | T/G Maleasa Aumavae-Lalu, Oregon (RS Senior). 6’5½”, 317 lbs. with 34½” arms and 10½” hands. Turns 24 in May. Pure boom or bust. He can run block like an ace, but after that you have to fall back on good, old-fashioned coaching arrogance: “give me someone who can do it, and I will teach him how.” Have at it coach! The physical assets are wonderful and add up to a top 7% athletic score. The technique and football IQ, despite extensive starting experience, need to be taken apart and rebuilt from the ground up. |
| 7:01 | OT Quinton Barrow, Grand Valley St. (Senior). 6’5⅜”, 322 lbs. with 34¼” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turns 23 in June. A Shrine Bowl standout from an extremely small program who has now proved he can play with the big boys. Or at least the Shrine Bowl medium boys. |
| 7:01 | OT Luke Haggard, Indiana via junior college (RS Senior). 6’6⅛”, 297 lbs. with 33⅛” arms and 10” hands. Turned 23 in January. Good experience, and very disciplined if the lack of penalties is any indication (only six in almost 2,000 snaps). The Shrine Bowl showed him to be a solid run blocker but weaker in pass protection. There is a nice, brief scouting profile in this Broncos-oriented discussion of five developmental OT prospects in this year’s draft. |
| 7:01 | QB Tyson Bagent, Shepherd (Senior). 6’3⅛”, 213 lbs. with 9½” hands. Turns 23 in June. A West Virginia native who set the NCAA record for most TDs but did it at a tiny Division II school (where he also set the all-time D-II record for passing yards). The son and grandson of all-time great arm wrestlers, Tyson has a good chance of carving out some kind of NFL career. What kind? That, alas, is impossible to really guess at. It reminds you of the Duck Hodges story, except Bagent has NFL size and the ability to make every throw. Not particularly mobile but has a quick release. His ability to step up all the way NFL complexities, speed, and power are total guesses. Stood out at the Senior Bowl, where he looked like an island in a sea of mediocrity. This goes to a nice December article from The Athletic. |
| 7:01 | QB Malik Cunningham, Louisville (Senior). 5’11¾”, 192 lbs. with 9½” hands. Turns 25 in October. A frankly small QB with awesome production, good arm talent, and the ability to run like a WR. Think “poor man’s Lamar Jackson.” Has some notable accuracy issues, but they seem to be tied in with his faulty mechanics, which means he could really improve in this department. His grade would be much higher if there was any sign of a willingness to play the Slash role while trying to learn the ropes as a QB. |
| 7:01 | QB Aidan O’Connell, Purdue (Senior). 6’3⅜”, 213 lbs. 9¾” hands. Turns 25 in September. Originally a walk on. Dead on accurate. Tough kid who’d be a high pick if he had more arm or mobility. He isn’t noodle armed or immobile but can only strive to be average at the NFL level. The clear #1 QB at the Shrine Bowl. |
| 7:01 | TE Leonard Taylor, Cincinnati (RS Senior). 6’5”, 250 lbs. with 32¾” arms and big 10⅛” hands. Turns 24 in August. Lots of potential and has flashed from time to time as a receiver, but badly needs to add some good, grown man muscle and blocking technique if he wants to succeed in the NFL. |
| 7:01 | TE/HB Brayden Willis, Oklahoma (RS Senior). 6’3¾”, 241 lbs. with 33¼” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 24 in November. Alas, but he’s something of a tweener who blocks well against men his own size or even a little bigger (and can latch onto slippery DBs), but is just too small to block NFL linemen, and not athletic enough to get open against NFL DBs. Much closer to Connor Heyward than Pat Freiermuth. |
| 7:01 | WR C.J. Johnson, E. Carolina (Senior). 6’1½”, 224 lbs. with 32” arms and big 10¼” hands. 22 years old on draft day, turns 23 in November. Per the NFL.com scouting profile: “Johnson is a possession slot receiver in need of better route running. His tools and competitiveness will give him an advantage in a battle for a WR3/WR4 spot.” Tyler Wise’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends with a Round 6-7 grade, citing severe play speed limitations that offset his imposing size, strength, and hands. “As a receiver, he shares similarities with Connor Heyward.” |
| 7:16 | EDGE Jeremiah Martin, Washington (RS Senior). 6’2⅝”, 267 lbs. A natural 4-3 DE with experience playing from a 2-point stance, Martin presents a difficult combination of strength and toughness vs. what is expected to be poor overall athleticism on the speed, burst, and bend fronts. Made a huge jump in 2022 over 2021, which offers hope that the college film is just a prelude to what he could become. This Giants-oriented February scouting profile calls him a big, long, and strong pass rusher with little burst or bend to speak of, and a lack of elite athleticism that will relegate him to the late rounds of the draft. |
| 7:16 | EDGE Jordan Wright, Kentucky (RS Senior). 6’5”, 231 lbs. with 33⅝” arms and 9” hands. Turns 25 in December. An athletic 3-4 OLB who can play in space and has good burst off the edge, Jacob Harrison’s gif-supported Depot scouting report ends in a UDFA grade because the natural assets are offset by a lack of play strength, lukewarm motor, overall rawness, and relatively advanced age. |
| 7:16 | ILB Amari Burney, Florida (RS Senior). 6’1⅜”, 228 lbs. with 31¾” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turns 23 in June. Think of Mark Robinson last year, but a bit smaller and faster. A top 15% athletic grade heavy on agility and footspeed. Burney has some boom potential but won’t see any part of the field except on special teams unless a few years of good coaching can give him the required football IQ and instincts. |
| 7:16 | ILB Mohamoud Diabate, Utah by way of Florida (Senior). 6’3⅜”, 229 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 22 right after the draft. A sideline to sideline run-and-chase ILB with the athleticism to cover but only so-so coverage skills. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting profile would downgrade the “so-so” to “severely lacking.” Tackles well due to playing as an undersized DE for his first few years. Understands how to get off blocks and isn’t afraid of the contact, but isn’t particularly good at it, and has a skinny frame that doesn’t promise any extra mass. This brief scouting profile ends in a Round 5 grade. |
| 7:16 | ILB Carlton Martial, Troy (Senior). 5’7⅜”, 210 lbs. with 29⅞” arms and 9⅛” hands. Turns 24 just before the draft. CFB’s all-time leading tackler doesn’t look right or measure right, but he can da**ed well play football. “The Mightiest Mouse,” as Jacob Harrison wrote in his gif-supported Depot scouting report. A special teamer with every physical challenge in front of him, and every mental aspect fully in his grasp. |
| 7:16 | ILB Ben VanSumeren, Mich. St. by way of Mich. (RS Senior). 6’2”, 231 lbs. with 31” arms and 9¼” hands. Turns 23 in May. A Combine snub who made news when he put up a top 3-4% athletic profile at his pro day, with explosion and speed numbers for anyone to envy. The athleticism is real too, with wiring good enough to excel in multiple sports and at multiple positions. The problem, as aptly summarized in Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report, is that all this versatility has prevented him from actually learning to play linebacker. “[He deserves] the classic ‘he’s a year away from being a year away’ label.” All accounts say he is an extremely smart young man and a hard worker, but don’t expect any more than a wannabe special teams player who has the physical potential to be a star if he can ever learn the position. |
| 7:16 | S Ronnie Hickman, Ohio St. (RS Junior). 6’0½”, 203 lbs. with 33” arms and 9⅜” hands. Turns 22 in October. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile describes him as a “two-year starter with NFL size but lacking functional change of direction as an open-field tackler… He can make plays as a run defender and in coverage when he’s in position, but issues redirecting in small spaces create uncertainty that he can play consistently enough to move beyond backup status.” |
| 7:16 | SS Jason Taylor II, Oklahoma St. (RS Senior). 5’11⅝”, 204 lbs. with 32” arms and big 10” hands. Turns 24 in December. A big hitter and good tackler with very good instincts, and certain to be a great special-teams player. His tested explosion and speed numbers were all well into the elite category, yielding a top10% athletic profile even with the moderate size. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Tom Mead ends in a UDFA grade, expressing great concern that “Taylor is someone you would have to say sic ‘em” due to a “nonchalant [approach with] no urgency or aggressiveness in his game.” Ouch. |
| 7:16 | OT Connor Galvin, Baylor (Senior). 6’6”, 293 lbs. with short 32⅜” arms and 9” hands. Turned 23 in March. Won Big 12 OL of the Year in 2021. All around solid, but his lack of length and strength will be an issue at the next level, particularly in a scheme like Pittsburgh’s. Average athleticism, though he is surprisingly nimble in space. One of the best linemen at the Shrine Bowl. There is a nice, brief scouting profile in this Broncos-oriented discussion of five developmental OT prospects in this year’s draft. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile calls him “a scheme-specific blocker due to his lack of drive power and in-line block sustain.” |
| 7:16 | OT Ryan Swoboda, UCF via Virginia (Senior). 6’9¼”, 319 lbs. with long 34¾” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 25 in September. A massive human being who’s long for days, he’s described as an above-average athlete with good movement but very raw. Didn’t stand out at the NFLPA Bowl, but the assets looked good. This pre-NFLPA Bowl summary notes that he is a surprisingly good blocker for someone with that height (“dominating”) but has “major problems trying to block speed rushers,” which is odd for someone with his length. How far can good NFL coaching take him? |
| 7:16 | Isaac Moore, Temple (RS Senior). 6’6⅜”, 205 lbs. with 32⅝” arms and 10⅛” hands. Already 25 years old. A college Tackle whose lateral movement issues will force him to move inside. Good experience but it comes at the cost of being older than most other prospects. |
| 7:16 | QB Max Duggan, TCU (Senior). 6’1½”, 207 lbs. with 9⅞” hands. Turned 22 in March. The leader who took TCU to the CFB finals, Duggan reads the RPO keys very well, can run quite well when that’s the opening, and has enough arm to make all the throws. Inconsistent accuracy and lack of NFL arm strength are the biggest concerns. Also dinged for his pocket presence under pressure and his ability to read shifting defenses post-snap, but those last are common flaws for a rookie. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report puts it bluntly: “His lack of downfield ability will doom his chances to start and he’ll have to battle to be a backup… A classic great college QB who won’t translate that way to the NFL.” |
| 7:16 | QB Adrian Martinez, Kansas St. (Junior). 6’1¾”, 221 lbs. with 9⅝” hands. Turned 23 in January. Good size, mobility, brains, and touch add up to a pretty high floor for a college QB. The issue comes down to limited arm strength that fades toward floaters when he pushes the envelope on deep throws downfield. Michael Rochman’s gif-supported Depot scouting report says, “Martinez seems like a safer option to step into a QB room and work himself into becoming a serviceable backup.” |
| 7:16 | TE Travis Vokolek, Nebraska (Senior). 6’6”, 259 lbs. with 32⅞” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 25 in June. A good but not great blocker with ideal size, but without the physical tools to succeed as a receiver. “Toss in the fact that Vokolek will be 25 before his first NFL game and I’m not seeing anything worth drafting,” goes the conclusion in Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report. |
| 7:16 | RB Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota (Senior). 5’8”, 203 lbs. with 28⅝” arms and 9” hands. Turns 24 in September. A tough kid who gets every available inch of yardage but lacks the size to play as physical as he does – especially with his history of getting hurt. |
| 7:16 | RB Kenny McIntosh, Georgia (Senior). 6’0¼”, 204 lbs. with 30½” arms and 9” hands. Turned 23 in March. Acceptable size and excellent burst, but not much in the way of long speed and seems to be a little short when it comes to vision; also a bit of a straight-line player. A poor fit for the Steelers even if they needed an extra back. |
| 7:16 | FB/ILB Derek Parish, Houston (RS Senior). 6’0⅞”, 241 lbs. with T-rex 29¼” arms and 9⅜” hands. Turned 24 in January. Team captain. Plays both Fullback and EDGE with a hot motor from a 2-point stance and has a decent array of pass rush moves to take advantage of his bowling-ball style and approach. This goes to a Shrine Bowl interview with Josh Carney, in which Parish expresses his hope that he could be a two-way FB/ILB in the NFL too. Not a great fit for Pittsburgh, though he seems to be a core football player who will claw his way onto a roster somewhere, if only as a core special teamer. Torn bicep cut his 2022 season short. |
| 7:16 | RB Deneric Prince, Tulsa (RS Senior). 6’0”, 216 lbs. with 31¼” arms and 9¼” hands. Turned 23 in April. He has the size, and he has the athletic talent, but he comes from a small program and really needs to learn how to get north and south. Could be a steal with the right coaching and attitude, but he isn’t there yet. |
| 7:16 | RB Xazavian Valladay, Arizona St. (Senior). 5’11⅜”, 204 lbs. with 30⅝” arms and 8½” hands. Turns 25 in July. Per Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report, a solid runner with decent hands and speed, who “has good footwork and vision” but has never been used in pass protection. |
| 7:16 | WR Jake Bobo, UCLA (Senior). 6’4”, 206 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 10” hands. Turns 25 in August. Quite tall but still has the ability to run solid routes. Good quickness, especially for his size, but little straight-line speed. His feature talent is ball-magnet hands. Age (turns 25 in August) may be an issue for the youth-loving Steelers. |
| 7:16 | WR Grant DuBose, Charlotte (Senior). 6’2”, 201 lbs. with 31⅞” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 22 in June. As raw as they come, with only two years of experience. The upside comes with the size, strength, hands, and the flashes that suggest a lot of untapped potential. Draft, stash, and hope. Top 15-20% athlete overall with an evenly distributed set of talents. |
| 7:16 | WR David Durden, W. Florida (RS Senior). 6’1½”, 204 lbs. with 30⅜” arms and 9½” hands. Turns 25 in December. An extreme example of the ultra-small school star who deserves extra attention because of his domination at that level. His well-balanced top 4-5% athletic score suggests he might hold up against the big boys too. Invited to the Shrine Bowl but couldn’t play due to a wrist injury. Tyler Wise’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (fringe-7th grade) finds very few negatives in his game beyond lack of ball security, lack of technical sophistication, and the all-important, overriding concern about his level of competition. And age, of course. Bottom line: he has all the physical assets, dominated lower LOC, and has flashed success in all the areas you’d want of an NFL wide receiver. But there is no peg there solid enough to hang your hat on, and one needs to question if a 25-year-old athlete has enough time to develop as far as he will need to. |
| 7:16 | WR Jadon Haselwood, Arkansas (RS Junior). 6’2¼”, 215 lbs. with 31¼” arms and 10” hands. Here’s a nice summary: Chandler Stroud’s gif-supported Depot scouting report equates Haselwood to “Juju Smith-Schuster… minus the blocking ability and strength.” A big-slot WR who will struggle to make an NFL roster unless he can establish himself as a special teams ace, which he did not do in college. |
| 7:16 | WR Mitchell Tinsley, Penn St. via W. Kentucky (Junior). 6’0”, 199 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 10” hands. Turns 24 in September. Runs excellent routes that get him open, has great hands to catch whatever comes his way (subject to focus bobbles & drops), and is dangerous once he has the ball. Lacks a size/speed/length/agility superpower to fall back on if his route running fails. Never played football until his senior year in HS and had to learn the game starting as a community college walk-on. Tested as a top 35% athlete overall with a good 10-yard split but poor long speed. Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (fringe draftable grade) sees the potential, but worries that his lack of physicality and blocking ability will prevent him from making a roster via special teams, which will in turn hinder his potential growth. |
| 7:24 | STEELERS ROUND 7a PICK (# 241 OVERALL) |
| 7:34 | STEELERS ROUND 7b PICK (# 251 OVERALL) |
| 8:00 | QB Stetson Bennett, Georgia (Senior). 5’11⅜”, 192 lbs. with 10” hands. Turns 26 in October. A big time winner. Ducked out of the Senior Bowl to “prepare for the draft,” and then got arrested in the early morning for public intoxication. Rumors exist about his locker room presence too. |
