2025 NFL Draft
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dbair1967
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Just ridiculous the contact balance Jeanty has. And then the long speed to really make teams pay for not getting him on the ground.
He played 14 games last yr. His WORST game was 104 yds v Penn State, which was a complete overmatch for Boise St overall. He had 6 games of 209 yds or more. In 8 of 14 games he scored multiple touchdowns.
I doubt we have any chance to get him but damn if we do, he's going to have a massive impact on our team.
He played 14 games last yr. His WORST game was 104 yds v Penn State, which was a complete overmatch for Boise St overall. He had 6 games of 209 yds or more. In 8 of 14 games he scored multiple touchdowns.
I doubt we have any chance to get him but damn if we do, he's going to have a massive impact on our team.
Doomsday
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I just don't see anyone in front of us drafting a RB. Maybe I'm reading the room totally wrong. What I'm sure I'm not wrong about is, if he's there at 12 we'll skip him.
dbair1967
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I think you are because the Raiders, Saints and Bears are all showing a ton of interest in him.
And you've got a defensive minded HC with a close history of what a true bellcow back can do for you (Henry with Titans) sitting at 4, knowing he probably aint getting Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter.
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I'll take that bet
Doomsday
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You betting we'd take him? THIS fuckin idiot owner?
dbair1967
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Have no doubt we take him if he's there.
dbair1967
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Conflicting reports whether he's a Dallas Day or Official 30 visitor but either way, Cowboys showing interest.
Has already heard "Touchdown Cowboys!!!!!!!!!!!!" 40 times in his career.
Had a monster SO season with 1700+ yards and 22 TD's, wasn't as good last yr.
Has already heard "Touchdown Cowboys!!!!!!!!!!!!" 40 times in his career.
Had a monster SO season with 1700+ yards and 22 TD's, wasn't as good last yr.
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The Difference Maker: An in-depth look at Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty
Mar 28, 2025 at 12:00 PMTommy Yarrish
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
FRISCO, Texas -- Everyone on the Boise State University football coaching staff remembers the first time that Ashton Jeanty made them say, "Wow!" For head coach Spencer Danielson, the moment came soon after Jeanty arrived on campus in 2022.
"He's a 17-year-old early enrollee, true freshman, and he's going against the starting defense, which I was the defensive coordinator," Danielson recalled. "In our first scrimmage, he was running all over us. I mean, he took one run for like 75 yards to the house.
"In the moment, I'm pissed off, but then coming full circle, he seemed pretty dang good."
A few weeks later, current Boise State running backs coach James Montgomery experienced Jeanty himself – on the opposing sideline during his time as the running backs coach at Fresno State in 2022.
"I remember one run very vividly. He came on our sideline, broke about six tackles, then he flexed on us. I was ahead of the play, so the defense was kind of behind the ball, and I'm like, 'Who is this guy?'" Montgomery said. "And so I started looking immediately at the Boise State roster after the game, and I'm like, 'God, he's a true freshman?'"
Fast forward to the end of the year and Jeanty would go on to finish his first collegiate season with 821 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Not bad for a teenage running back who was actually the second option behind George Holani, the Broncos' leading rusher at the time.
Montgomery joined the Boise State staff in the same role in 2023 and got to work with Jeanty, who would finish his sophomore season with 1,347 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, a nice second-year jump that helped the Broncos win their first Mountain West Conference championship since 2019.
It was after that season that the current state of college football kicked in with other programs knocking on the door trying to get Jeanty out of Boise, Idaho, and onto their rosters via the transfer portal. Jeanty didn't budge.
"He said, 'Coach, I want to be a part of this team. I want to leave a legacy,'" Danielson said. "And then he obviously went to work. What everybody saw him do last season was a product of him not wasting any time. He never lost focus, was a unanimous captain, led our team in every workout, every lift, every practice. The first one there and the one working the hardest was Ashton Jeanty."
Going into the 2024 season, Jeanty had a clear vision on what he wanted to accomplish in the 2024 season: be the best running back in the country. "We kind of knew we were chasing everybody nationally. We didn't want to just think in the bubble. We wanted to be the best in the country," Montgomery said. "That's kind of how he played the whole season. It wasn't just trying to be the best in the Mountain West or on the West Coast. We were trying to be the best in the country." And by all accounts, he was.
Jeanty's third and final campaign of collegiate football was one of the most dominant in history by a running back. He finished second all-time to only Barry Sanders for the most rushing yards in a single season with 2,601 (also posting 29 rushing touchdowns), was runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting and helped the Broncos to another Mountain West championship and the university's first appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Those numbers are all well and good, but more than anything, Jeanty wanted to lead his team to a championship and come away with the Heisman. In the wake of finishing a disappointing second in New York City, Jeanty was more motivated than ever to get back to work.
"I fully believed he was going to win it. I know Ashton did too. I believe he was the best football player in the country last season. I know a lot of people did as well," Danielson said. "Didn't win the Heisman, was frustrated, but just in Ashton form, the second that ended, he was like, 'Coach, I've got to keep proving people wrong.' And immediately when we get back from New York, we go practice for the Fiesta Bowl. I mean, that's just who he is. It's always the next play. It's always the next game. He's never satisfied."
As Jeanty prepares for the next chapter of his football career, he doesn't have to do much promoting of himself to NFL teams, given his production on the field. And yet, his coaches believe that what Jeanty provides off the field will be even more valuable to a franchise.
"I'll tell guys, 'You watch that film.' Watch that film because you know what you're looking for. He's the best running back around, and he impacts the team completely," Danielson said. "Where he is a difference maker and will change your entire team is who he is as a leader, and what he's going to bring to that culture.
"He's going to bring a mentality to that team the second he walks in the door, from how he is in meetings, to how he is around his teammates, to how he practices. If you don't practice the right way, Ashton Jeanty is going to be the one talking to you. It's not going to be one of the coaches. He's a guy who I think will ignite a team to push them over humps that maybe they've missed in the past. He's going to get them over that hump because everybody around him is going to elevate. That's who he is. He'll set the temperature."
His position coached echoed the same sentiment. "The things I saw him do are very similar to the top guys you see in the league do," Montgomery said. "You're going to love him in the community, love him in the locker room. You're not going to have to worry about him off the field, and he is a playmaker on the field. I think he has all the things that you want to bring into your organization."
Jeanty, who played at Lone Star High School just 15 minutes from the Cowboys' training facility in Frisco, has been vocal about wanting to return to his old stomping grounds.
"It would be special. Growing up in Frisco, spending a lot of time out there, I think it would be cool to have the Star on my helmet again," Jeanty said. "Playing for Lone Star, I had a star on my helmet as well, so it would be a dope moment if that were to happen."
Jeanty was a landscape-changing player in college football and now enters the NFL in a period of time when the running back position is making a strong comeback. But regardless of which helmet he puts on, Danielson thinks the entire sport will win because of Ashton Jeanty.
"I don't have any sons, I got little girls, and I've got 105 boys in our football program, but I would want them to be more like Ashton Jeanty," Danielson said. "He's a guy that you want kids who watch the NFL to look up to, to emulate who they are. You want them to be like Ashton Jeanty because he's an elite human being. He's a 10 out of 10 young man, and our game needs more people like Ashton."
Doomsday
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Okay, I'm convinced he's generationally special. In there with Sanders, Campbell, Dorsett and Emmitt. Enough to even trade up to get.
The Difference Maker: An in-depth look at Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty
Mar 28, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Tommy Yarrish
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
FRISCO, Texas -- Everyone on the Boise State University football coaching staff remembers the first time that Ashton Jeanty made them say, "Wow!" For head coach Spencer Danielson, the moment came soon after Jeanty arrived on campus in 2022.
"He's a 17-year-old early enrollee, true freshman, and he's going against the starting defense, which I was the defensive coordinator," Danielson recalled. "In our first scrimmage, he was running all over us. I mean, he took one run for like 75 yards to the house.
"In the moment, I'm pissed off, but then coming full circle, he seemed pretty dang good."
A few weeks later, current Boise State running backs coach James Montgomery experienced Jeanty himself – on the opposing sideline during his time as the running backs coach at Fresno State in 2022.
"I remember one run very vividly. He came on our sideline, broke about six tackles, then he flexed on us. I was ahead of the play, so the defense was kind of behind the ball, and I'm like, 'Who is this guy?'" Montgomery said. "And so I started looking immediately at the Boise State roster after the game, and I'm like, 'God, he's a true freshman?'"
Fast forward to the end of the year and Jeanty would go on to finish his first collegiate season with 821 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Not bad for a teenage running back who was actually the second option behind George Holani, the Broncos' leading rusher at the time.
Montgomery joined the Boise State staff in the same role in 2023 and got to work with Jeanty, who would finish his sophomore season with 1,347 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, a nice second-year jump that helped the Broncos win their first Mountain West Conference championship since 2019.
It was after that season that the current state of college football kicked in with other programs knocking on the door trying to get Jeanty out of Boise, Idaho, and onto their rosters via the transfer portal. Jeanty didn't budge.
"He said, 'Coach, I want to be a part of this team. I want to leave a legacy,'" Danielson said. "And then he obviously went to work. What everybody saw him do last season was a product of him not wasting any time. He never lost focus, was a unanimous captain, led our team in every workout, every lift, every practice. The first one there and the one working the hardest was Ashton Jeanty."
Going into the 2024 season, Jeanty had a clear vision on what he wanted to accomplish in the 2024 season: be the best running back in the country. "We kind of knew we were chasing everybody nationally. We didn't want to just think in the bubble. We wanted to be the best in the country," Montgomery said. "That's kind of how he played the whole season. It wasn't just trying to be the best in the Mountain West or on the West Coast. We were trying to be the best in the country." And by all accounts, he was.
Jeanty's third and final campaign of collegiate football was one of the most dominant in history by a running back. He finished second all-time to only Barry Sanders for the most rushing yards in a single season with 2,601 (also posting 29 rushing touchdowns), was runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting and helped the Broncos to another Mountain West championship and the university's first appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Those numbers are all well and good, but more than anything, Jeanty wanted to lead his team to a championship and come away with the Heisman. In the wake of finishing a disappointing second in New York City, Jeanty was more motivated than ever to get back to work.
"I fully believed he was going to win it. I know Ashton did too. I believe he was the best football player in the country last season. I know a lot of people did as well," Danielson said. "Didn't win the Heisman, was frustrated, but just in Ashton form, the second that ended, he was like, 'Coach, I've got to keep proving people wrong.' And immediately when we get back from New York, we go practice for the Fiesta Bowl. I mean, that's just who he is. It's always the next play. It's always the next game. He's never satisfied."
As Jeanty prepares for the next chapter of his football career, he doesn't have to do much promoting of himself to NFL teams, given his production on the field. And yet, his coaches believe that what Jeanty provides off the field will be even more valuable to a franchise.
"I'll tell guys, 'You watch that film.' Watch that film because you know what you're looking for. He's the best running back around, and he impacts the team completely," Danielson said. "Where he is a difference maker and will change your entire team is who he is as a leader, and what he's going to bring to that culture.
"He's going to bring a mentality to that team the second he walks in the door, from how he is in meetings, to how he is around his teammates, to how he practices. If you don't practice the right way, Ashton Jeanty is going to be the one talking to you. It's not going to be one of the coaches. He's a guy who I think will ignite a team to push them over humps that maybe they've missed in the past. He's going to get them over that hump because everybody around him is going to elevate. That's who he is. He'll set the temperature."
His position coached echoed the same sentiment. "The things I saw him do are very similar to the top guys you see in the league do," Montgomery said. "You're going to love him in the community, love him in the locker room. You're not going to have to worry about him off the field, and he is a playmaker on the field. I think he has all the things that you want to bring into your organization."
Jeanty, who played at Lone Star High School just 15 minutes from the Cowboys' training facility in Frisco, has been vocal about wanting to return to his old stomping grounds.
"It would be special. Growing up in Frisco, spending a lot of time out there, I think it would be cool to have the Star on my helmet again," Jeanty said. "Playing for Lone Star, I had a star on my helmet as well, so it would be a dope moment if that were to happen."
Jeanty was a landscape-changing player in college football and now enters the NFL in a period of time when the running back position is making a strong comeback. But regardless of which helmet he puts on, Danielson thinks the entire sport will win because of Ashton Jeanty.
"I don't have any sons, I got little girls, and I've got 105 boys in our football program, but I would want them to be more like Ashton Jeanty," Danielson said. "He's a guy that you want kids who watch the NFL to look up to, to emulate who they are. You want them to be like Ashton Jeanty because he's an elite human being. He's a 10 out of 10 young man, and our game needs more people like Ashton."
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How the Cowboys could make a big splash by trading down, not up, in the 2025 NFL Draft
It would be very wise for the Cowboys to trade down during the NFL Draft.
www.bloggingtheboys.com
dbair1967
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Bob McGinn on RB's.
unning back Ashton Jeanty of Boise State will be drafted in the first round, right? Right?
“Everybody’s just assuming that,” an executive in personnel for an AFC team said. “I guess he will, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he didn’t. There’s so many running backs now that you should get one in any round. People value other positions more than running backs. You look at all these guys, you can get them all in the fourth, fifth round if you need one.”
The glut of desirable running backs and their corresponding devaluation is a relatively new phenomenon.
It wasn’t that long ago when many teams had a minimum height requirement for the position. Whereas once the sub 6-foot back was stigmatized, today that isn’t a factor at all. Some teams had love for big backs. Now? Not so much.
Of the top 25 running backs, just six stand 6-0 or taller. Just five scaled 220 pounds.
Speed has forever been coveted. In the throwing game of today, receiving skills and pass blocking are essential.
“Jeanty is the best,” said another executive. “The rest of these guys, just throw ‘em in a bag and mix ‘em up and take them all. They’re good. Second-round picks, third-round picks. The order is they’re pretty much all the same.”
In my mind, there isn’t much separation between the No. 6 back, Georgia’s Trevor Etienne, and the backs residing at Nos. 19-20-21: Donovan Edwards of Michigan, Rocket Sanders of South Carolina and Devin Neal of Kansas.
“Running back values are all over the place,” another scout said. “Some guys could be a third-rounder, some guys could be a seventh-rounder. You never really know.”
One team categorized 11 running backs as NFL starters. With the group so tightly bunched, there’s little urgency to draft early.
“With it being so deep in the third to 11 range, you’re not going to take the third guy if you value the 11th guy in that same threshold,” an AFC evaluator said. “You can get a guy later.”
Twenty-one running backs rushed for more than 900 yards last season. The top six all were selected no later than third among running backs in their draft class.
“In the league, you’ve got three or four special guys,” said one executive. “(Derrick) Henry and Saquon (Barkley) and Josh (Jacobs) and (Jahmyr) Gibbs. After that, everybody’s got a running back. Not changing the game in any way, but playing their role.”
Five of last season’s leading leading rushers at the position were drafted 10th or lower in their draft class. The group includes Chase Brown, the 10th back taken in 2023; Tony Pollard, 11th in 2019; Kyren Williams, 15th in 2022; Aaron Jones, 19th in 2017, and Rico Dowdle, a free agent after 19 went off the board in 2020.
“You’re going to get a really good player maybe even Day 3 because there’s so many good ones this year,” said one NFC personnel man. “This is a really, really good group.”
“It was honestly a crime he did not win the Heisman Trophy this year. Whoever takes this young man will be absolutely thrilled from the minute they draft him to the minute he retires. He is a rare human being and a rare player. I just don’t see how he fails. If he’s not something on the field he’s going to turn himself into that with his work ethic. Ashton’s rare trait is his contact balance and ability to break tackles.” His total of 2,601 rushing yards in 2024 was the second most in FBS annals behind Barry Sanders’ 2,628. He had 14 straight 100-yad games and averaged 7.0 per carry. “This guy’s a complete back,” another scout said. “He blocks, he can catch the ball; those are real big struggles for most running backs coming out. This guy will make two miss and run over the third. Great kid.” Compared by various scouts to Bijan Robinson, Emmitt Smith and LaDainian Tomlinson. “He’s stout, he’s agile, he’s got big-play potential,” a third scout said. “He runs away from people. He’s got good hands. Everybody loves him, and it’s easy to see why.” Third-year junior. Played 40 games, finishing with 750 carries for 4,769 yards (6.4-yard average) and 50 touchdowns to go with 80 receptions for 862 yards (10.8-yard average) and six scores. Doubtful that he’ll ever run a 40. One scout estimated his speed at 4.48. “He’s good, not special, and I certainly wouldn’t take him in the first round,” said a fourth scout. “If you’ve already got a really good team and a whole bunch of people around him you take him and try to fill the void. He’s a short big guy with rare production. The vision is really good, the balance is really good. He's sturdy. He’s got a little bit of quickness. Just not a top talent as far as make you miss, burst, top speed. Doesn’t do much in the pass game. He’s good, just not great. He is the best this year.” Four-star recruit from Jacksonville, Fla. Basketball was his first love, and he played it in high school along with running track. Son of a U.S. Naval officer. Most decorated athlete in Boise State history.
2. OMARION HAMPTON, North Carolina (5-11 ½, 223, 4.50, 1-2): Finished second to Jeanty in rushing last season with 1,660 (5.9) and had 10 100-yard games in 12 appearances. “I’m going to sound crazy saying this but I like him over Boise (Jeanty),” said one scout. “Athletic, strong mover with burst. Stays low on contact. Runs with vision. Average twitch, but he’ll run through some tackles. Hands are fine. Makes plays in space. Pass pro is good.” Tested well with a 38-inch vertical jump and a 10-10 broad jump. “He is a punishing runner but he also has exceptional contact balance to stay on his feet through those collisions,” said a second scout. “Now that’s going to lead to a shorter career than you’d like. But while he’s still young and there’s some tread on the tires, man, that guy’s gonna be a really, really solid player throughout his rookie contract.” Finished with 622 carries for 3,565 (5.7) and 36 TDs to go with 73 receptions for 635 (8.7) and four scores. “Big dude with some niftiness,” said a third scout. “Short bursts. More of a downhill, crease runner. Really good hands out of the backfield. Reminded me of Latavius Murray. I like him but I don’t think he’s any star.” Four-star recruit from Clayton, N.C. Also participated in basketball and track. “Kid had a nice two years,” a fourth scout said. “He’s as pretty as you can draw them up. Looks like an Under Armour mannequin. But he runs really high. Pretty tight and stiff. The best running backs are guys with low centers of gravity, lateral agility, contact balance. This guy’s just big and straight-line fast. Maybe in the right scheme, maybe an outside zone-49ers-Sean McVay get him on a track and get him downhill and then he can run away from people. But it’s such an instinctive position. I just didn’t see a guy with great vision and great contact balance. But the production’s there. He’s a tough one (to project). He looks the part. I’d see him third or fourth round. I’d be shocked if he went first or second round.”
3. TREVEYON HENDERSON, Ohio State (5-10, 204, 4.40, 2): Four-year starter. Largest production came as a freshman (1,248 yards, 15 touchdowns). “Helped himself at the combine,” one scout said. “Ran pretty fast. He’s really, really well-liked. He’s undersized. Does he run good? Yeah, but people value other positions more than running backs. I don’t think he’s going in the first.” Missed games in 2022-’23 with a variety of injuries. “The durability is the big question for him,” said a second scout. “He has to stay healthy. He went through injury problems a year ago, which really hurt the team. He’s got good feet. I don’t know if he has elite vision like some other guys. I wouldn’t put him in the first but because his hands are good enough and he’s a big-play threat I could see him going in the second. He’s a great guy. He’ll be great in the locker room no matter where he goes. I never saw him as having great vision to be a consistent inside runner.” Finished with 590 carries for 3,761 (6.4) and 42 TDs to go with 77 receptions for 853 (11.1) and six scores. “He’s got pick and slide and movement and balance,” a third scout said. “Really good hands. He’s a rotational starter. Maybe second round.” Five-star recruit from Hopewell, Va., ranked as the No. 1 prep back in the U.S. “Mid-round type guy,” a fourth scout said. “Not dynamic or anything like that. Just a steady Eddie guy.”
4. KALEB JOHNSON, Iowa (6-1, 224, 4.56, 2-3): Third-year junior. Set a freshman record at Iowa with 779 yards rushing. “Lot of explosive runs of 25-plus yards,” one scout said. “Had a few that were 50-plus. Has a burst to run stretch and get downhill. Is able to exploit inside run lanes. Shows good patience for (following) blockers. Capable of running behind his pads and showing leg drive and contact balance. Limited targets out of the backfield but showed reliable hands. Can still improve in pass protection. Kind of a one-year full-time starter.” Led the Big Ten in 2024 with 1,537 yards and 21 TDs. “He’s smooth-moving with really good vision,” a second scout said. “In that zone they run he kind of just weaves his way in. He’s got a little bit of burst in-line to get where he needs to go but not really explosive. Not much elusiveness once he gets out in space. He can’t cut laterally to move. They really don’t use him in the passing game. Backup rotational type. He reminded me way back of Kevin Smith from UCF. Very similar. Finished with 508 carries for 2,779 (5.5) and 30 TDs to go with 29 receptions for 240 and two scores. “He didn’t run very good at the combine but I don’t know that anybody expected him to,” said a third scout. “He’s one of the more immature guys at Iowa but you’ve got to keep it relevant because they don’t have a lot of problems. Just sort of young and immature knowing he’s the best player on their team. He’s probably OK. I suspect he goes third or fourth round. He’s a first- and second-down runner with capable hands.” Was reportedly suspended for the first half of the opener in 2024. From Hamilton, Ohio.
5. QUINSHON JUDKINS, Ohio State (5-111/2, 221, 4.38, 3): Three-star recruit from Pike Road, Ala. “He was sort of an afterthought recruit to Ole Miss,” one scout said. “He got there and burst on the scene, and every last ounce of it went to his head … he was then very problematic that he (coach Lane Kiffin) couldn’t stand the kid, and when Ohio State offered the money let him go. Supposedly, he did pretty well at Ohio State. I don’t know if he’s really had a change of heart or just it was the circumstances.” As a freshman, he broke the school record for most yards (1,567) and, in a race against Jackson State QB Shedeur Sanders, won the Conerly Trophy as the best player in Mississippi. Also was named SEC newcomer of the year. Came back with 1,158 in 2023 before gaining 1,060 in a job-sharing arrangement with Henderson on a national championship team. “More of a slasher,” a second scout said. “Not really a natural runner. Not much wiggle. Just kind of a one-cut, run-as-hard-as-you-can into something. Brings some energy. Maybe second round.” Ran a much faster 40 than more than one personnel man anticipated. “Frickin’ tough guy,” a third scout said. “He’s a short-yardage back. I’d go with Judkins over Henderson because I’d much rather have a guy who can grind out first downs. It is close.” His 11-0 broad jump led the position. “Totally overrated,” said a fourth scout. “He is strong, physical, runs hard. But he’s not elusive at all. I didn’t like his feet. Not a natural pass catcher. He’s awkward to the ball when it’s off-target. He fell down a lot. He was a beneficiary of their system.” Three-year totals were 739 carries for 3,785 (5.1) and 45 TDs to go with 59 receptions for 442 and five scores. Scored three TDs in the national title game.
6. TREVOR ETIENNE, Georgia (5-8 ½, 200, 4.40, 3): Played two seasons for Florida before shifting to Georgia and then declaring a year early. “He went into a really good program and took over the starting spot after having been in a committee down in Florida,” one scout said. “Had the suspension earlier in the year. Overcame some injuries. His brother (Travis) is more straight-line explosive but Trevor is better through contact, maintaining balance, taking hits. Knows when to take it outside and when to go north and south through creases. Showed up in big games. Good enough hands.” Was suspended for Game 1 after being charged in the offseason with DUI and reckless driving. Travis Etienne (5-10, 215, 4.44) was the No. 25 overall pick in 2021 and put up 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and ’23 for Jacksonville. “The football character’s really positive at both Florida and Georgia even though folks will say he kind of enjoyed the nightlife,” said a second scout. “He had a DUI back in spring ball. They say he tightened up and became a lot more focused and showed a lot of contrition. So I think there’s a lot of maturity with this kid. I see him as a three-down starter. He’s not quite the true workhorse type but he’ll be a lead back in a rotation as the lightning you’d pair with thunder. His explosive ability to get into the second level of the defense reminded me of another guy in a Georgia jersey. D’Andre Swift. Once you get a hit on him and wrap him up, he goes down pretty much there. He’s not getting knocked back but he’s not dragging people along for the ride, either. He had some issues this year just dropping the ball in the pass game. I think that’s more of a focus issue than truly having bad hands. He’s a good, solid Day 2 pick.” Finished with 371 carries for 2,081 (5.6) and 23 TDs to go with 62 receptions for 432 and one score. Returning 26 kickoffs for the Gators, averaging 24.8. “He’s got some talent but he’s more of a third-down guy,” a third scout said. “Kind of disappointing, to a degree.” Four-star recruit from Jennings, La.
7. OLLIE GORDON, Oklahoma State (6-1 ½, 226, 4.59, 3-4): Unlike Etienne, Gordon wasn’t suspended after being arrested for a DUI in late June. Finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting in 2023 after leading FBS in rushing with 1,732 yards. Was only the fourth sophomore to win the Doak Walker Award. Made the All-America team. Slipped to 880 yards in ’24 before declaring a year early. “He’s the type of player that Derrick Henry is but I don’t know if he’s that good,” one scout said. “Third round.” Weighed 233 at the Senior Bowl in late January, seven pounds more than at the combine a month later. In the Senior Bowl, he completed a 32-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring. Finished with 537 carries for 2,920 (5.4) and 36 TDs to go with 80 receptions for 585 and four scores. “He’s a big, slow, upright guy,” a second scout said. “Gets chopped down at his legs. Gets tripped up easy. Can’t elude people. No power for a big guy. Does nothing in the passing game. I didn’t see anything.” Four-star recruit from Fort Worth, Texas.
8. DJ GIDDENS, Kansas State (6-0, 212, 4.47, 3-4): Redshirted in 2021, backed up in ’22 and started 25 games in 2023-’24. “Like him a lot,” one scout said. “He’s got excellent size. He ran well. Has excellent vision. You’re talking about natural ability to find space. He can make people miss in small areas, which for a guy his size is very good. He’s tough. Finishes runs. He’s a legit guy. I would say second round. More of a check-down receiver (but) he definitely has the skills to be used as a route runner.” Compared to the high-school heroics of most NFL prospects, his were modest: one big season, 1,912 career yards at Junction City, Kan. “Quick and twitchy with the ball,” another scout said. “Elusive to make guys miss. Strong runner. Good contact balance. Uses his balance to set up defenders. Question the pull-away long speed. Not good in pass pro.” Finished with 517 carries for 3,087 (6.0) and 23 TDs to go with 58 receptions for 679 (11.4) and four scores. “He ran better at the combine than I anticipated,” a third scout said. “Doesn’t have the breakaway speed but maybe enough. He’ll make it as sort of a combination runner-receiver. Good value in the third day. Liked him for what he represents.”
9. CAM SKATTEBO, Arizona State (5-9 ½, 219, no 40, 3-4): Carried the downtrodden Sun Devils on his back and into the CFP playoffs. “I’ve never seen anything like this guy,” one scout said. “It’s a train wreck every run. I don’t know how long he’s gonna last. He can play, though. He’s got great vision and balance. He can find little creases in there. He’s got some niftiness. But after that, when it’s contact time, every run is bang-bang-bang! He’s fighting and somebody else hits him in the back, and then he lines up again. It’s incredible. Never seen a back like this. One guy compared him to Mike Alstott, but he was 250 pounds. If you can get him through a couple years without him getting hurt, you’d love to have that kid’s energy on the team.” Coming out of Rio Linda, Calif., he spent three years at FCS Sacramento State. The 2020 campaign was canceled by Covid. For the Hornets in 2021-’22, he carried 253 times for 1,893 (7.5) and 13 TDs to go with 43 receptions for 497 and four scores. “God, he’s fun to watch,” a second scout said. “Looks like a garbage man. Short, squatty, bad body. Crazy thing is, his makeup’s not very good. They don’t really like the guy at the school other than the fact what he does on Saturday. Hats off to the guy as a football player. He’ll probably make it for like a year, maybe two. Be a third or fourth guy. Then, when he realizes has to play special teams and how much goes into it … but he is fun to watch.” After an OK season for a 3-9 ASU club in 2023, he emerged to finish fifth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy with a 1,711-yard, 21-touchdown rushing season. Became the first FBS player since Christian McCaffrey in 2015 to rush for 1,500 and have 500 receiving in a season. “He’s the most competitive guy on the field,” said one scout. “He’s always been the best player in every game he plays in. He runs his *** off. He runs through people. He’s tough and physical. The speed will be pretty mediocre. That’s where he’ll get knocked. If you get into early of the third round and you’re looking for a competitor and a guy that checks all the boxes I could see him going up there.” His two-year statistics for ASU were 457 carries for 2,494 (5.5) and 30 TDs to go with 69 receptions for 891 (12.9) and four scores. In 2023, he took 50 snaps at quarterback (seven for 17 passing for 172 and two TDs in his career). Also punted eight times for a 42.3 average. “He became sort of a media sensation when they made that run,” said a fourth scout. “He is a fun player. He’s an oddball. Last year, they did all these crazy formations and snap it to him and he could throw it or kick it or run it. He’s just another third-day guy who will have a short career because he’s a little beaten-up, to an extent.”
10. BHAYSHUL TUTEN, Virginia Tech (5-9, 206, 4.29, 3-4): Fastest back on the board. “He ran that 4.2 and you see that on the field,” one scout said. “He is the most explosive of all these guys. Runs hard, too. You get him in a crease or the open field and it’s over with. He’s the closest one to (Jahmyr) Gibbs as far as, if there’s a crease, it’s over. He’s in the mix as my No. 2 running back (in the draft).” Tuten’s vertical jump of 40 ½ also led the position. His broad jump was 10-10. “I’m a big fan,” another scout said before the combine. “After the combine things will change. He has a chance to run in the 4.3s. He’s talented.” Played his first two years at FCS North Carolina A&T. In two seasons, he carried 245 times for 1,578 (6.4) and 16 TDs to go with 41 receptions. In Blacksburg, he started 23 of 24 games, carrying 356 times for 2,022 (5.7) and 25 TDs to go with 50 receptions for 320 and four scores. “He tested really well,” said a third scout. “Not particularly big. We thought he was a good backup in the fourth or fifth.” Returned 37 kickoffs for 25.7 and two touchdowns and five punts for 2.2. “I wasn’t a huge fan,” said a fourth scout. “He’s just one of those guys that’s a good football player with a pretty average set of skills. Not the biggest, not overly elusive but he’s got good vision, he runs hard and he’s a really good kid. He’ll be a guy where the starter gets hurt and he comes in and runs for 600, 700 yards as a No. 2 or No. 3. But I don’t ever see him being a No. 1 or No. 2 type guy.” From Paulsboro, N.J., where in high school he ran 60 meters in 7.03.
11. DYLAN SAMPSON, Tennessee (5-8, 199, 4.45, 4): Third-year junior. SEC offensive player of the year in 2024 after leading the league in rushing (a school-record 1,491) and rushing TDs (22). “He’s fairly similar to Etienne,” said one scout. “Slippery between the tackles. Good foot quicks. Like his vision and timing. Has pass-down value. He may slide to the fifth. Etienne’s a willing blocker. This guy, they don’t even seem to use him as a blocker. He doesn’t do special teams. You like the runner. He was productive this year in the Southeastern Conference. That counts for a lot. But the lack of versatility … it’s hard for me to say this guy is a true starter. He’s more of a rotation piece but then, OK, he’s not going to give you anything on third or fourth down so the draft value starts to slide.” Four-star recruit from Baton Rouge, La., where he broke Eddie Lacy’s career rushing record at Dutchtown High with 4,927. Posted a 4.0 grade-point average and was named homecoming king. A standout in track, he posted bests of 10.48 in the 100 meters and 21.16 in the 200. “Runs hard, looks ordinary, not special as a receiver,” a second scout said. “Looks and feels lean. Decent burst through the line of scrimmage but struggles with long speed. I had a real problem with his vision. He runs into the offensive line’s backs way too (much). No ability to elude defenders at any level. Struggles with contact.” Finished with 422 carries for 2,492 (5.9) and 35 TDs to go with 40 receptions for 342 and one score. Doesn’t turn 21 until September.
12. JAYDON BLUE, Texas (5-9, 196, 4.37, 4): Third-year junior with merely five starts in 38 games. “He’s a second- or third-round pick if he can pass pro,” said one scout. “Not a real thumper. Doesn’t have a ton of *** behind him. But he’s a major asset as a receiver because he’s really fast and really athletic. He knows how to run routes and catch a ball and is good run after the catch. He’s a home-run guy with the outside zone. He’s elusive in space to a wow level. He’s very sudden.” Caught two touchdown passes against Ohio State in the playoffs. Finished with 214 carries for 1,161 (5.4) and 11 TDs to go with 56 receptions for 503 and seven scores. Returned three kickoffs for 26.7 in 2023. “Sort of a knockoff Jahmyr Gibbs,” a second scout said. “They use him on quick passes and screens. He’s a good receiver. He’s a piece of a backfield puzzle, not like the guy. Where do you take that guy? Third or fourth round.” Passed up his senior of football in Houston.
Said one scout: “He’s OK. Everybody’s going to bump him up because of the (Oregon) kid last year (Bucky Irving, fourth round) who stirred everybody up in Tampa. He had a good rookie year so I think it will spook everybody to give him a (long) look. Third day.”
Kyle Monangai, Rutgers (5-8, 209, 4.58)
Said one scout: “That (speed) is the big if. Loved the way he played. He is fearless. It’s not like Rutgers has a dynamic offense. They know he’s getting the ball. Good in pass pro. Top of the line kid. He’s a perfect fourth-round pick.”
Jarquez Hunter, Auburn (5-9 ½, 210, 4.47)
Said one scout: “He loves football. Had an episode and was on suspension for several months during the summer. That may push him down a round. Fourth would be the earliest. Jarquez is a tough runner. He’s sort of compact. Can catch the ball pretty well. He’d be a good little piece for somebody.”
RJ Harvey, Central Florida (5-8, 205, 4.40)
Said one scout: “Kind of a poor man’s Bucky Irving. Kind of built the same way. Really like his demeanor. Compact guy. He’s shown he can catch the ball out of the backfield. He’ll be a solid, efficient, productive No. 2 back that can ascend into a heavier role with more experience.”
Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech (5-9, 214, 4.53)
Said one scout: “Kind of an under-the-radar guy. Kind of a bowling ball. He’s really similar to Monangai. Not a great outside runner. Not speed-deficient, but it’s not an asset. Really strong. Can make the first guy miss in the hole. He’s a good No. 2 runner, a change-of-pace banger. He’s not tall but he’s thick, and he plays with that thickness. Third round.”
unning back Ashton Jeanty of Boise State will be drafted in the first round, right? Right?
“Everybody’s just assuming that,” an executive in personnel for an AFC team said. “I guess he will, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he didn’t. There’s so many running backs now that you should get one in any round. People value other positions more than running backs. You look at all these guys, you can get them all in the fourth, fifth round if you need one.”
The glut of desirable running backs and their corresponding devaluation is a relatively new phenomenon.
It wasn’t that long ago when many teams had a minimum height requirement for the position. Whereas once the sub 6-foot back was stigmatized, today that isn’t a factor at all. Some teams had love for big backs. Now? Not so much.
Of the top 25 running backs, just six stand 6-0 or taller. Just five scaled 220 pounds.
Speed has forever been coveted. In the throwing game of today, receiving skills and pass blocking are essential.
“Jeanty is the best,” said another executive. “The rest of these guys, just throw ‘em in a bag and mix ‘em up and take them all. They’re good. Second-round picks, third-round picks. The order is they’re pretty much all the same.”
In my mind, there isn’t much separation between the No. 6 back, Georgia’s Trevor Etienne, and the backs residing at Nos. 19-20-21: Donovan Edwards of Michigan, Rocket Sanders of South Carolina and Devin Neal of Kansas.
“Running back values are all over the place,” another scout said. “Some guys could be a third-rounder, some guys could be a seventh-rounder. You never really know.”
One team categorized 11 running backs as NFL starters. With the group so tightly bunched, there’s little urgency to draft early.
“With it being so deep in the third to 11 range, you’re not going to take the third guy if you value the 11th guy in that same threshold,” an AFC evaluator said. “You can get a guy later.”
Twenty-one running backs rushed for more than 900 yards last season. The top six all were selected no later than third among running backs in their draft class.
“In the league, you’ve got three or four special guys,” said one executive. “(Derrick) Henry and Saquon (Barkley) and Josh (Jacobs) and (Jahmyr) Gibbs. After that, everybody’s got a running back. Not changing the game in any way, but playing their role.”
Five of last season’s leading leading rushers at the position were drafted 10th or lower in their draft class. The group includes Chase Brown, the 10th back taken in 2023; Tony Pollard, 11th in 2019; Kyren Williams, 15th in 2022; Aaron Jones, 19th in 2017, and Rico Dowdle, a free agent after 19 went off the board in 2020.
“You’re going to get a really good player maybe even Day 3 because there’s so many good ones this year,” said one NFC personnel man. “This is a really, really good group.”
RUNNING BACKS
1. ASHTON JEANTY, Boise State (5-8 ½, 213. No 40, 1): In the closest race for the Heisman Trophy since 2009, Travis Hunter won with 2,231 points and Jeanty was second with 2,017. “Draft him first overall and you’re not wrong,” one scout said.“It was honestly a crime he did not win the Heisman Trophy this year. Whoever takes this young man will be absolutely thrilled from the minute they draft him to the minute he retires. He is a rare human being and a rare player. I just don’t see how he fails. If he’s not something on the field he’s going to turn himself into that with his work ethic. Ashton’s rare trait is his contact balance and ability to break tackles.” His total of 2,601 rushing yards in 2024 was the second most in FBS annals behind Barry Sanders’ 2,628. He had 14 straight 100-yad games and averaged 7.0 per carry. “This guy’s a complete back,” another scout said. “He blocks, he can catch the ball; those are real big struggles for most running backs coming out. This guy will make two miss and run over the third. Great kid.” Compared by various scouts to Bijan Robinson, Emmitt Smith and LaDainian Tomlinson. “He’s stout, he’s agile, he’s got big-play potential,” a third scout said. “He runs away from people. He’s got good hands. Everybody loves him, and it’s easy to see why.” Third-year junior. Played 40 games, finishing with 750 carries for 4,769 yards (6.4-yard average) and 50 touchdowns to go with 80 receptions for 862 yards (10.8-yard average) and six scores. Doubtful that he’ll ever run a 40. One scout estimated his speed at 4.48. “He’s good, not special, and I certainly wouldn’t take him in the first round,” said a fourth scout. “If you’ve already got a really good team and a whole bunch of people around him you take him and try to fill the void. He’s a short big guy with rare production. The vision is really good, the balance is really good. He's sturdy. He’s got a little bit of quickness. Just not a top talent as far as make you miss, burst, top speed. Doesn’t do much in the pass game. He’s good, just not great. He is the best this year.” Four-star recruit from Jacksonville, Fla. Basketball was his first love, and he played it in high school along with running track. Son of a U.S. Naval officer. Most decorated athlete in Boise State history.
2. OMARION HAMPTON, North Carolina (5-11 ½, 223, 4.50, 1-2): Finished second to Jeanty in rushing last season with 1,660 (5.9) and had 10 100-yard games in 12 appearances. “I’m going to sound crazy saying this but I like him over Boise (Jeanty),” said one scout. “Athletic, strong mover with burst. Stays low on contact. Runs with vision. Average twitch, but he’ll run through some tackles. Hands are fine. Makes plays in space. Pass pro is good.” Tested well with a 38-inch vertical jump and a 10-10 broad jump. “He is a punishing runner but he also has exceptional contact balance to stay on his feet through those collisions,” said a second scout. “Now that’s going to lead to a shorter career than you’d like. But while he’s still young and there’s some tread on the tires, man, that guy’s gonna be a really, really solid player throughout his rookie contract.” Finished with 622 carries for 3,565 (5.7) and 36 TDs to go with 73 receptions for 635 (8.7) and four scores. “Big dude with some niftiness,” said a third scout. “Short bursts. More of a downhill, crease runner. Really good hands out of the backfield. Reminded me of Latavius Murray. I like him but I don’t think he’s any star.” Four-star recruit from Clayton, N.C. Also participated in basketball and track. “Kid had a nice two years,” a fourth scout said. “He’s as pretty as you can draw them up. Looks like an Under Armour mannequin. But he runs really high. Pretty tight and stiff. The best running backs are guys with low centers of gravity, lateral agility, contact balance. This guy’s just big and straight-line fast. Maybe in the right scheme, maybe an outside zone-49ers-Sean McVay get him on a track and get him downhill and then he can run away from people. But it’s such an instinctive position. I just didn’t see a guy with great vision and great contact balance. But the production’s there. He’s a tough one (to project). He looks the part. I’d see him third or fourth round. I’d be shocked if he went first or second round.”
3. TREVEYON HENDERSON, Ohio State (5-10, 204, 4.40, 2): Four-year starter. Largest production came as a freshman (1,248 yards, 15 touchdowns). “Helped himself at the combine,” one scout said. “Ran pretty fast. He’s really, really well-liked. He’s undersized. Does he run good? Yeah, but people value other positions more than running backs. I don’t think he’s going in the first.” Missed games in 2022-’23 with a variety of injuries. “The durability is the big question for him,” said a second scout. “He has to stay healthy. He went through injury problems a year ago, which really hurt the team. He’s got good feet. I don’t know if he has elite vision like some other guys. I wouldn’t put him in the first but because his hands are good enough and he’s a big-play threat I could see him going in the second. He’s a great guy. He’ll be great in the locker room no matter where he goes. I never saw him as having great vision to be a consistent inside runner.” Finished with 590 carries for 3,761 (6.4) and 42 TDs to go with 77 receptions for 853 (11.1) and six scores. “He’s got pick and slide and movement and balance,” a third scout said. “Really good hands. He’s a rotational starter. Maybe second round.” Five-star recruit from Hopewell, Va., ranked as the No. 1 prep back in the U.S. “Mid-round type guy,” a fourth scout said. “Not dynamic or anything like that. Just a steady Eddie guy.”
4. KALEB JOHNSON, Iowa (6-1, 224, 4.56, 2-3): Third-year junior. Set a freshman record at Iowa with 779 yards rushing. “Lot of explosive runs of 25-plus yards,” one scout said. “Had a few that were 50-plus. Has a burst to run stretch and get downhill. Is able to exploit inside run lanes. Shows good patience for (following) blockers. Capable of running behind his pads and showing leg drive and contact balance. Limited targets out of the backfield but showed reliable hands. Can still improve in pass protection. Kind of a one-year full-time starter.” Led the Big Ten in 2024 with 1,537 yards and 21 TDs. “He’s smooth-moving with really good vision,” a second scout said. “In that zone they run he kind of just weaves his way in. He’s got a little bit of burst in-line to get where he needs to go but not really explosive. Not much elusiveness once he gets out in space. He can’t cut laterally to move. They really don’t use him in the passing game. Backup rotational type. He reminded me way back of Kevin Smith from UCF. Very similar. Finished with 508 carries for 2,779 (5.5) and 30 TDs to go with 29 receptions for 240 and two scores. “He didn’t run very good at the combine but I don’t know that anybody expected him to,” said a third scout. “He’s one of the more immature guys at Iowa but you’ve got to keep it relevant because they don’t have a lot of problems. Just sort of young and immature knowing he’s the best player on their team. He’s probably OK. I suspect he goes third or fourth round. He’s a first- and second-down runner with capable hands.” Was reportedly suspended for the first half of the opener in 2024. From Hamilton, Ohio.
5. QUINSHON JUDKINS, Ohio State (5-111/2, 221, 4.38, 3): Three-star recruit from Pike Road, Ala. “He was sort of an afterthought recruit to Ole Miss,” one scout said. “He got there and burst on the scene, and every last ounce of it went to his head … he was then very problematic that he (coach Lane Kiffin) couldn’t stand the kid, and when Ohio State offered the money let him go. Supposedly, he did pretty well at Ohio State. I don’t know if he’s really had a change of heart or just it was the circumstances.” As a freshman, he broke the school record for most yards (1,567) and, in a race against Jackson State QB Shedeur Sanders, won the Conerly Trophy as the best player in Mississippi. Also was named SEC newcomer of the year. Came back with 1,158 in 2023 before gaining 1,060 in a job-sharing arrangement with Henderson on a national championship team. “More of a slasher,” a second scout said. “Not really a natural runner. Not much wiggle. Just kind of a one-cut, run-as-hard-as-you-can into something. Brings some energy. Maybe second round.” Ran a much faster 40 than more than one personnel man anticipated. “Frickin’ tough guy,” a third scout said. “He’s a short-yardage back. I’d go with Judkins over Henderson because I’d much rather have a guy who can grind out first downs. It is close.” His 11-0 broad jump led the position. “Totally overrated,” said a fourth scout. “He is strong, physical, runs hard. But he’s not elusive at all. I didn’t like his feet. Not a natural pass catcher. He’s awkward to the ball when it’s off-target. He fell down a lot. He was a beneficiary of their system.” Three-year totals were 739 carries for 3,785 (5.1) and 45 TDs to go with 59 receptions for 442 and five scores. Scored three TDs in the national title game.
6. TREVOR ETIENNE, Georgia (5-8 ½, 200, 4.40, 3): Played two seasons for Florida before shifting to Georgia and then declaring a year early. “He went into a really good program and took over the starting spot after having been in a committee down in Florida,” one scout said. “Had the suspension earlier in the year. Overcame some injuries. His brother (Travis) is more straight-line explosive but Trevor is better through contact, maintaining balance, taking hits. Knows when to take it outside and when to go north and south through creases. Showed up in big games. Good enough hands.” Was suspended for Game 1 after being charged in the offseason with DUI and reckless driving. Travis Etienne (5-10, 215, 4.44) was the No. 25 overall pick in 2021 and put up 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and ’23 for Jacksonville. “The football character’s really positive at both Florida and Georgia even though folks will say he kind of enjoyed the nightlife,” said a second scout. “He had a DUI back in spring ball. They say he tightened up and became a lot more focused and showed a lot of contrition. So I think there’s a lot of maturity with this kid. I see him as a three-down starter. He’s not quite the true workhorse type but he’ll be a lead back in a rotation as the lightning you’d pair with thunder. His explosive ability to get into the second level of the defense reminded me of another guy in a Georgia jersey. D’Andre Swift. Once you get a hit on him and wrap him up, he goes down pretty much there. He’s not getting knocked back but he’s not dragging people along for the ride, either. He had some issues this year just dropping the ball in the pass game. I think that’s more of a focus issue than truly having bad hands. He’s a good, solid Day 2 pick.” Finished with 371 carries for 2,081 (5.6) and 23 TDs to go with 62 receptions for 432 and one score. Returning 26 kickoffs for the Gators, averaging 24.8. “He’s got some talent but he’s more of a third-down guy,” a third scout said. “Kind of disappointing, to a degree.” Four-star recruit from Jennings, La.
7. OLLIE GORDON, Oklahoma State (6-1 ½, 226, 4.59, 3-4): Unlike Etienne, Gordon wasn’t suspended after being arrested for a DUI in late June. Finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting in 2023 after leading FBS in rushing with 1,732 yards. Was only the fourth sophomore to win the Doak Walker Award. Made the All-America team. Slipped to 880 yards in ’24 before declaring a year early. “He’s the type of player that Derrick Henry is but I don’t know if he’s that good,” one scout said. “Third round.” Weighed 233 at the Senior Bowl in late January, seven pounds more than at the combine a month later. In the Senior Bowl, he completed a 32-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring. Finished with 537 carries for 2,920 (5.4) and 36 TDs to go with 80 receptions for 585 and four scores. “He’s a big, slow, upright guy,” a second scout said. “Gets chopped down at his legs. Gets tripped up easy. Can’t elude people. No power for a big guy. Does nothing in the passing game. I didn’t see anything.” Four-star recruit from Fort Worth, Texas.
8. DJ GIDDENS, Kansas State (6-0, 212, 4.47, 3-4): Redshirted in 2021, backed up in ’22 and started 25 games in 2023-’24. “Like him a lot,” one scout said. “He’s got excellent size. He ran well. Has excellent vision. You’re talking about natural ability to find space. He can make people miss in small areas, which for a guy his size is very good. He’s tough. Finishes runs. He’s a legit guy. I would say second round. More of a check-down receiver (but) he definitely has the skills to be used as a route runner.” Compared to the high-school heroics of most NFL prospects, his were modest: one big season, 1,912 career yards at Junction City, Kan. “Quick and twitchy with the ball,” another scout said. “Elusive to make guys miss. Strong runner. Good contact balance. Uses his balance to set up defenders. Question the pull-away long speed. Not good in pass pro.” Finished with 517 carries for 3,087 (6.0) and 23 TDs to go with 58 receptions for 679 (11.4) and four scores. “He ran better at the combine than I anticipated,” a third scout said. “Doesn’t have the breakaway speed but maybe enough. He’ll make it as sort of a combination runner-receiver. Good value in the third day. Liked him for what he represents.”
9. CAM SKATTEBO, Arizona State (5-9 ½, 219, no 40, 3-4): Carried the downtrodden Sun Devils on his back and into the CFP playoffs. “I’ve never seen anything like this guy,” one scout said. “It’s a train wreck every run. I don’t know how long he’s gonna last. He can play, though. He’s got great vision and balance. He can find little creases in there. He’s got some niftiness. But after that, when it’s contact time, every run is bang-bang-bang! He’s fighting and somebody else hits him in the back, and then he lines up again. It’s incredible. Never seen a back like this. One guy compared him to Mike Alstott, but he was 250 pounds. If you can get him through a couple years without him getting hurt, you’d love to have that kid’s energy on the team.” Coming out of Rio Linda, Calif., he spent three years at FCS Sacramento State. The 2020 campaign was canceled by Covid. For the Hornets in 2021-’22, he carried 253 times for 1,893 (7.5) and 13 TDs to go with 43 receptions for 497 and four scores. “God, he’s fun to watch,” a second scout said. “Looks like a garbage man. Short, squatty, bad body. Crazy thing is, his makeup’s not very good. They don’t really like the guy at the school other than the fact what he does on Saturday. Hats off to the guy as a football player. He’ll probably make it for like a year, maybe two. Be a third or fourth guy. Then, when he realizes has to play special teams and how much goes into it … but he is fun to watch.” After an OK season for a 3-9 ASU club in 2023, he emerged to finish fifth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy with a 1,711-yard, 21-touchdown rushing season. Became the first FBS player since Christian McCaffrey in 2015 to rush for 1,500 and have 500 receiving in a season. “He’s the most competitive guy on the field,” said one scout. “He’s always been the best player in every game he plays in. He runs his *** off. He runs through people. He’s tough and physical. The speed will be pretty mediocre. That’s where he’ll get knocked. If you get into early of the third round and you’re looking for a competitor and a guy that checks all the boxes I could see him going up there.” His two-year statistics for ASU were 457 carries for 2,494 (5.5) and 30 TDs to go with 69 receptions for 891 (12.9) and four scores. In 2023, he took 50 snaps at quarterback (seven for 17 passing for 172 and two TDs in his career). Also punted eight times for a 42.3 average. “He became sort of a media sensation when they made that run,” said a fourth scout. “He is a fun player. He’s an oddball. Last year, they did all these crazy formations and snap it to him and he could throw it or kick it or run it. He’s just another third-day guy who will have a short career because he’s a little beaten-up, to an extent.”
10. BHAYSHUL TUTEN, Virginia Tech (5-9, 206, 4.29, 3-4): Fastest back on the board. “He ran that 4.2 and you see that on the field,” one scout said. “He is the most explosive of all these guys. Runs hard, too. You get him in a crease or the open field and it’s over with. He’s the closest one to (Jahmyr) Gibbs as far as, if there’s a crease, it’s over. He’s in the mix as my No. 2 running back (in the draft).” Tuten’s vertical jump of 40 ½ also led the position. His broad jump was 10-10. “I’m a big fan,” another scout said before the combine. “After the combine things will change. He has a chance to run in the 4.3s. He’s talented.” Played his first two years at FCS North Carolina A&T. In two seasons, he carried 245 times for 1,578 (6.4) and 16 TDs to go with 41 receptions. In Blacksburg, he started 23 of 24 games, carrying 356 times for 2,022 (5.7) and 25 TDs to go with 50 receptions for 320 and four scores. “He tested really well,” said a third scout. “Not particularly big. We thought he was a good backup in the fourth or fifth.” Returned 37 kickoffs for 25.7 and two touchdowns and five punts for 2.2. “I wasn’t a huge fan,” said a fourth scout. “He’s just one of those guys that’s a good football player with a pretty average set of skills. Not the biggest, not overly elusive but he’s got good vision, he runs hard and he’s a really good kid. He’ll be a guy where the starter gets hurt and he comes in and runs for 600, 700 yards as a No. 2 or No. 3. But I don’t ever see him being a No. 1 or No. 2 type guy.” From Paulsboro, N.J., where in high school he ran 60 meters in 7.03.
11. DYLAN SAMPSON, Tennessee (5-8, 199, 4.45, 4): Third-year junior. SEC offensive player of the year in 2024 after leading the league in rushing (a school-record 1,491) and rushing TDs (22). “He’s fairly similar to Etienne,” said one scout. “Slippery between the tackles. Good foot quicks. Like his vision and timing. Has pass-down value. He may slide to the fifth. Etienne’s a willing blocker. This guy, they don’t even seem to use him as a blocker. He doesn’t do special teams. You like the runner. He was productive this year in the Southeastern Conference. That counts for a lot. But the lack of versatility … it’s hard for me to say this guy is a true starter. He’s more of a rotation piece but then, OK, he’s not going to give you anything on third or fourth down so the draft value starts to slide.” Four-star recruit from Baton Rouge, La., where he broke Eddie Lacy’s career rushing record at Dutchtown High with 4,927. Posted a 4.0 grade-point average and was named homecoming king. A standout in track, he posted bests of 10.48 in the 100 meters and 21.16 in the 200. “Runs hard, looks ordinary, not special as a receiver,” a second scout said. “Looks and feels lean. Decent burst through the line of scrimmage but struggles with long speed. I had a real problem with his vision. He runs into the offensive line’s backs way too (much). No ability to elude defenders at any level. Struggles with contact.” Finished with 422 carries for 2,492 (5.9) and 35 TDs to go with 40 receptions for 342 and one score. Doesn’t turn 21 until September.
12. JAYDON BLUE, Texas (5-9, 196, 4.37, 4): Third-year junior with merely five starts in 38 games. “He’s a second- or third-round pick if he can pass pro,” said one scout. “Not a real thumper. Doesn’t have a ton of *** behind him. But he’s a major asset as a receiver because he’s really fast and really athletic. He knows how to run routes and catch a ball and is good run after the catch. He’s a home-run guy with the outside zone. He’s elusive in space to a wow level. He’s very sudden.” Caught two touchdown passes against Ohio State in the playoffs. Finished with 214 carries for 1,161 (5.4) and 11 TDs to go with 56 receptions for 503 and seven scores. Returned three kickoffs for 26.7 in 2023. “Sort of a knockoff Jahmyr Gibbs,” a second scout said. “They use him on quick passes and screens. He’s a good receiver. He’s a piece of a backfield puzzle, not like the guy. Where do you take that guy? Third or fourth round.” Passed up his senior of football in Houston.
THE NEXT FIVE
Jordan James, Oregon (5-9 ½, 208, 4.52)Said one scout: “He’s OK. Everybody’s going to bump him up because of the (Oregon) kid last year (Bucky Irving, fourth round) who stirred everybody up in Tampa. He had a good rookie year so I think it will spook everybody to give him a (long) look. Third day.”
Kyle Monangai, Rutgers (5-8, 209, 4.58)
Said one scout: “That (speed) is the big if. Loved the way he played. He is fearless. It’s not like Rutgers has a dynamic offense. They know he’s getting the ball. Good in pass pro. Top of the line kid. He’s a perfect fourth-round pick.”
Jarquez Hunter, Auburn (5-9 ½, 210, 4.47)
Said one scout: “He loves football. Had an episode and was on suspension for several months during the summer. That may push him down a round. Fourth would be the earliest. Jarquez is a tough runner. He’s sort of compact. Can catch the ball pretty well. He’d be a good little piece for somebody.”
RJ Harvey, Central Florida (5-8, 205, 4.40)
Said one scout: “Kind of a poor man’s Bucky Irving. Kind of built the same way. Really like his demeanor. Compact guy. He’s shown he can catch the ball out of the backfield. He’ll be a solid, efficient, productive No. 2 back that can ascend into a heavier role with more experience.”
Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech (5-9, 214, 4.53)
Said one scout: “Kind of an under-the-radar guy. Kind of a bowling ball. He’s really similar to Monangai. Not a great outside runner. Not speed-deficient, but it’s not an asset. Really strong. Can make the first guy miss in the hole. He’s a good No. 2 runner, a change-of-pace banger. He’s not tall but he’s thick, and he plays with that thickness. Third round.”
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Bob McGinn on DL's
In a position loaded with beefy potential, good things often arrive in pairs when it comes to the defensive line.
A generation ago, Richard Seymour (6-5 ½, 295, 4.94) and Marcus Stroud (6-5 ½, 321, 5.12) left Georgia for the NFL draft: Seymour went No. 6 to New England, Stroud went No. 13 to Jacksonville.
Many sets of defensive tackles from the same university have been drafted high in the same year. A year ago, Texas sent Byron Murphy to Seattle at No. 16 and T’Vondre Sweat to Tennessee at No. 38. The Longhorns are represented this spring by Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton. If one classifies Jordan Burch as a defensive lineman rather an edge rusher, as was done here, Oregon has three top-notch prospects inside. Ole Miss has more than one big, too.
Much of the pre-draft focus, however, will center on Michigan’s tandem of Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. They were as responsible as anyone why the Wolverines beat Ohio State in their two seasons as starters and won the national championship in 2023.
“I remember doing Seymour and Stroud out of Georgia in 2000 (actually, 2001) but that’s what it reminds me of with Grant and Graham,” a long-time scout said. “I loved both of them. They’ll both be Day 1 guys. There’s a bunch of ‘em (defensive tackles) but these guys are in a category by themselves. One of them will go top 15 easily. They don’t come along that often. It’s hard to pass on those two guys.
“Then there’s two at Oregon that aren’t as well-known, but they’re really good.”
Michigan has the most victories in college football history but you wouldn’t know it by the NFL careers of its defensive tackles. Only Tom Keating, a fourth-round draft choice by Minnesota in 1964, made the Pro Bowl as a full-fledged defensive tackle (Oakland, 1967, ‘68). The only other Pro Bowl D-tackle from Michigan was Al “Big Ox” Wistert (6-1, 214), a fifth-round pick by Philadelphia in 1943 who made the Pro Bowl as a two-way tackle in 1951 (he did make four All-Pro teams).
Dave Gallagher (1974) and Kevin Brooks (1985) had marginal careers as first-round choices. The Wolverines’ only other first-rounder was Mazi Smith in 2023, who has been a disappointment in Dallas.
Michigan has produced more than its share of successful edge rushers in the NFL — LaMarr Woodley, James Hall, Brandon Graham, Frank Clark, Mike Danna, Rashan Gary, Josh Uche, Kwity Paye and Aidan Hutchinson – but inside is an entirely different matter.
Seymour, with 9 ½ sacks and 34 tackles for loss in a 41-game career for the Bulldogs, went on to make seven Pro Bowls in 12 years en route to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Stroud, with 6 ½ sacks and 19 TFLs in 43 collegiate games, made the Pro Bowl three times in 10 years.
“It’s really, really deep,” one scout said. “There’s a ton of interior guys. I got 12 with starter grades.”
His 40 time was 4.67. Graham was 6-3 ½ and 296 (306 at pro day) with 32-inch arms and 9 1/8 hands. He declined twice this spring to run a 40. “He is insanely overrated,” a second scout said. “He’s got short arms, and that shows up. Inconsistent with his hands. On the ground a lot. Not explosive. The in-line effort’s really good but I thought his pursuit effort was ********. He’s got initial quickness. He’s pretty light on his feet. He’s smart and instinctive. Functional at the point. He’s got strength and balance as a rusher but I didn’t see a wow speed or quickness guy. I’ve seen the guy mentioned as a top-5 (pick). F--k, he’s not that.” Played extensively as a true freshman in 2022 before starting 25 games in 2023-’24. “Love him,” a third scout said. “Tough, quick, physical. He’s a really good interior pass rusher. He’s all football, man. He’s got a chip on his shoulder. He’s got the ideal mindset to be a 3-technique. Those guys don’t grow on trees. Ohio State couldn’t run the football. There’s only one little concern with him: he’s a little bit short-armed.” Finished with 108 tackles (18 for loss), nine sacks and three passes defensed. “I think he’s a top-5 player,” a fourth scout said. “This guy is comparable at his position that (Aidan) Hutchinson was in his (edge rusher).” Four-star recruit from Mission Viejo, Calif. Two-time all-conference wrestler. “He’s from one of those powerhouse high-school programs (Servite) and now Michigan so he’s polished up,” said a fifth scout. “I could see him going in the top 12. Very good with his hands. He’s got the quickness to get down the line. He’s got some pass-rush potential because he’s very active. He always, always hustles. More of a one-gap, get-up-the-field.” Cited a bruised heel for not working out at the combine. Did position drills at pro day. “He’s a former wrestler and that’s what he plays like,” said a sixth scout. “I compared him to the guy at Buffalo, Kyle Williams, who played forever. He’s not really dazzling. Braden Fiske was much more athletic and much more explosive than Mason. I don’t think he’s a difference-maker by any stretch in the league. I like the guy. You know what you’re getting. But top-5 or second pick in the draft? That’s not what he is. He has to wrestle people all the time. Occasionally, he’ll do that little step-through thing that he does but, overall, if he has to lock up with those big guys it’s a fight for him. He’s got to drop that knee down to kind of hang in there. I don’t think by any stretch he’s an Aaron Donald or Chris Jones. But you’ll love to have him.” Had 24 reps on the bench. “Arm length is crucial when it comes to altering the passer,” said a seventh scout. “I think that will come into play. I wasn’t real high on Mazi Smith, either. I have a hard time with Mason. I just don’t see the domination.”
2. WALTER NOLEN, Mississippi (6-3 ½, 300, no 40, 1): Third-year junior. “He’s the best 3-technique — by far,” one scout said. “Tremendous athlete. He’s a little full of ******** but extremely talented. Quick and strong.” Described himself at the combine as a “young Aaron Donald.” At Texas A&M, he started 14 of 22 games in 2022-’23 before starting 13 at Ole Miss last year. Was rated the No. 1 player in the transfer portal. “Sort of like an Albert Haynesworth except not quite as big,” said a second scout. “Taller and longer than Graham. He has shown and flashed everything. All of it. He’s been compared to (Jalen) Carter from Georgia. Carter was just sort of obnoxious in a way. This kid doesn’t say a word. You don’t know what’s on his mind.” Finished with 114 tackles (26 for loss), 11 ½ sacks and four passes defensed. “Not really explosive,” a third scout said. “Gets knocked around. Not very good strength. He’s best trying to get into the gaps but he’s really not explosive doing that. He’ll flash every so often. I question this guy’s desire and overall toughness and physicality. Just one of those flash guys. There’s enough flashes for him to go there (second round).” Played at a high school in Olive Branch, Miss., as a freshman and sophomore. From Olive Branch he was enrolled for a time at IMG Academy but never played. As a junior, he played at St. Benedict at Auburndale in Memphis, Tenn. As a senior, he played at Powell, Tenn., before joining Texas A&M as a five-star recruit. “He’d probably be at the top of the list if you could just not see him between plays, between drills, between meetings,” one scout said. “This kid has been paid at five different schools: three high schools and two colleges. He is a mercenary. He’s probably the biggest mercenary in this whole draft. He has followed the money everywhere but yet is very quiet and shy. You would think totally disinterested. You wouldn’t think he’s hearing a word the coaches are saying to him. But when the ball is snapped, for 4 seconds at a time, he’s really talented, really gifted. He is explosive, good with his hands, gives effort. But between drills, between snaps, he’s on his own program. Some D-line coach is gonna stand on the table and say, ‘Oh, no, I can coach this guy,’ because he’s so talented. Organizational support is probably an understatement.” Arms were just 32 ½, hands were 9 ½.
3. ALFRED COLLINS, Texas (6-5 ½, 332, no 40, 1): Playing behind a covey of NFL draft picks, he started just 12 of 48 games from 2020-’23 before starting all 15 last season. “He’s just a junkyard dog,” one scout said. “He just messes **** up in there. Just a load at the point of attack. He can jolt and snatch people. He takes it (double-team blocks) on. Got some sneaky quickness in the gaps. Plays with balance. Not much range. Not going to do a lot of sexy things. Pass rush? Just let just try to get some big push and use my length to try to mess things up. He’s the type of guy you need to win. Not gonna be a Pro Bowler or 10-sack guy. Just a guy in there wrecking things and being a problem … (Marcus) Stroud was a little more dynamic.” National Honor Society student in high school and earned academic honors at UT. “First round for sure,” a second scout said. “Talented but inconsistent. John Henderson. Wish he were a little more productive. Motor’s up and down. Inconsistent to finish. Technique and discipline in terms of playing upright. Body position at the point was inconsistent. He is powerful. He’s flexible for a tall guy; Henderson was stiff. Other than that, that’s who he reminded me of. Got really strong hands. Quick feet for a big man. Stout at the point. Got pretty good instincts. Good against the bubble. He’s got power rush. More first and second down but he can play on third down.” Finished with 141 tackles (18 for loss), seven sacks and 12 passes defensed, including seven last year. Arms were 34 5/8, hands were 10. “Good, solid player,” a third scout said. “Nothing great. He’ll be a sometime starter.” From Bastrop, Texas.
4. KENNETH GRANT, Michigan (6-3 ½, 330, 5.13, 1-2): Third-year junior. “Reminds me a little bit of Richard Seymour and Kevin Williams, that type of guy,” one scout said. “Because I don’t think he’s a true noseguard the way he runs. More of the bigger 3-technique guy, but he’s so big he kind of creates his own (model) because not many are as big as him and can run like him. He has some pass rush, and I think that will only improve when he understands what is needed from him.” Played sparingly as a true freshman before starting five games in 2023 and 12 in ’24. “I like him better than Graham,” said a second scout. “He has length, push. He’s aggressive. I’d take him over Mazi Smith.” Arms were 33 ½, hands were 10 1/8. “He was way better than Graham,” a third scout said. “Not even close. Some rawness. Not a ton of experience. Pretty smooth movement for a big man. He’s got some inside pass rush. Power rush is really good. Really stout at the point. Hands are a little inconsistent on his pass-rush moves. The arrow is really up.” Finished with 69 tackles (12 for loss), 6 ½ sacks and 10 passes defensed. “Big body that demands double teams,” a fourth scout said. “Plugs up space. He played extremely hard. He’s got good range just due to the effort and playing to the whistle. Long arms to affect the passing lanes. He’s a really good player.” Three-star recruit from Merrillville, Ind. Also started at guard as a prep senior. Threw the shot put in track. “He’s gigantic and all … but I was really disappointed,” a fifth scout said. “Big ol’ dude is just a non-factor. ‘Are you going to make a play at any point?’ Plays upright, gets killed by angle blocks, doesn’t have great feel. I don’t see it. He’s seventh on my list of DTs.” Added a sixth scout: “He’s technically unsound. I can see the conditioning being an issue. If he doesn’t have Graham next to him he probably doesn’t develop to the level he has. You could hit on this guy, but you’ve got to have a really good D-line coach who’s gonna kick his *** and hold him accountable. If you don’t have that, you’re probably going to get a bust.”
In a position loaded with beefy potential, good things often arrive in pairs when it comes to the defensive line.
A generation ago, Richard Seymour (6-5 ½, 295, 4.94) and Marcus Stroud (6-5 ½, 321, 5.12) left Georgia for the NFL draft: Seymour went No. 6 to New England, Stroud went No. 13 to Jacksonville.
Many sets of defensive tackles from the same university have been drafted high in the same year. A year ago, Texas sent Byron Murphy to Seattle at No. 16 and T’Vondre Sweat to Tennessee at No. 38. The Longhorns are represented this spring by Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton. If one classifies Jordan Burch as a defensive lineman rather an edge rusher, as was done here, Oregon has three top-notch prospects inside. Ole Miss has more than one big, too.
Much of the pre-draft focus, however, will center on Michigan’s tandem of Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. They were as responsible as anyone why the Wolverines beat Ohio State in their two seasons as starters and won the national championship in 2023.
“I remember doing Seymour and Stroud out of Georgia in 2000 (actually, 2001) but that’s what it reminds me of with Grant and Graham,” a long-time scout said. “I loved both of them. They’ll both be Day 1 guys. There’s a bunch of ‘em (defensive tackles) but these guys are in a category by themselves. One of them will go top 15 easily. They don’t come along that often. It’s hard to pass on those two guys.
“Then there’s two at Oregon that aren’t as well-known, but they’re really good.”
Michigan has the most victories in college football history but you wouldn’t know it by the NFL careers of its defensive tackles. Only Tom Keating, a fourth-round draft choice by Minnesota in 1964, made the Pro Bowl as a full-fledged defensive tackle (Oakland, 1967, ‘68). The only other Pro Bowl D-tackle from Michigan was Al “Big Ox” Wistert (6-1, 214), a fifth-round pick by Philadelphia in 1943 who made the Pro Bowl as a two-way tackle in 1951 (he did make four All-Pro teams).
Dave Gallagher (1974) and Kevin Brooks (1985) had marginal careers as first-round choices. The Wolverines’ only other first-rounder was Mazi Smith in 2023, who has been a disappointment in Dallas.
Michigan has produced more than its share of successful edge rushers in the NFL — LaMarr Woodley, James Hall, Brandon Graham, Frank Clark, Mike Danna, Rashan Gary, Josh Uche, Kwity Paye and Aidan Hutchinson – but inside is an entirely different matter.
Seymour, with 9 ½ sacks and 34 tackles for loss in a 41-game career for the Bulldogs, went on to make seven Pro Bowls in 12 years en route to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Stroud, with 6 ½ sacks and 19 TFLs in 43 collegiate games, made the Pro Bowl three times in 10 years.
“It’s really, really deep,” one scout said. “There’s a ton of interior guys. I got 12 with starter grades.”
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
1. MASON GRAHAM, Michigan (6-3 ½, 306, no 40, 1): Third-year junior. “As long as he goes to a 4-3 team that uses the 3-technique as the featured guy he’ll be just fine,” said one scout. “As long as he can get off the ball and disrupt everything. He’s John Randle, any of those 3-techniques. Warren Sapp. Aaron Donald. What was Aaron Donald’s arm length?” In February 2014, the Canton-bound retired Ram went to the combine and measured 6-0 ¾ and 285 with 32 5/8 arms and 9 7/8 hands.His 40 time was 4.67. Graham was 6-3 ½ and 296 (306 at pro day) with 32-inch arms and 9 1/8 hands. He declined twice this spring to run a 40. “He is insanely overrated,” a second scout said. “He’s got short arms, and that shows up. Inconsistent with his hands. On the ground a lot. Not explosive. The in-line effort’s really good but I thought his pursuit effort was ********. He’s got initial quickness. He’s pretty light on his feet. He’s smart and instinctive. Functional at the point. He’s got strength and balance as a rusher but I didn’t see a wow speed or quickness guy. I’ve seen the guy mentioned as a top-5 (pick). F--k, he’s not that.” Played extensively as a true freshman in 2022 before starting 25 games in 2023-’24. “Love him,” a third scout said. “Tough, quick, physical. He’s a really good interior pass rusher. He’s all football, man. He’s got a chip on his shoulder. He’s got the ideal mindset to be a 3-technique. Those guys don’t grow on trees. Ohio State couldn’t run the football. There’s only one little concern with him: he’s a little bit short-armed.” Finished with 108 tackles (18 for loss), nine sacks and three passes defensed. “I think he’s a top-5 player,” a fourth scout said. “This guy is comparable at his position that (Aidan) Hutchinson was in his (edge rusher).” Four-star recruit from Mission Viejo, Calif. Two-time all-conference wrestler. “He’s from one of those powerhouse high-school programs (Servite) and now Michigan so he’s polished up,” said a fifth scout. “I could see him going in the top 12. Very good with his hands. He’s got the quickness to get down the line. He’s got some pass-rush potential because he’s very active. He always, always hustles. More of a one-gap, get-up-the-field.” Cited a bruised heel for not working out at the combine. Did position drills at pro day. “He’s a former wrestler and that’s what he plays like,” said a sixth scout. “I compared him to the guy at Buffalo, Kyle Williams, who played forever. He’s not really dazzling. Braden Fiske was much more athletic and much more explosive than Mason. I don’t think he’s a difference-maker by any stretch in the league. I like the guy. You know what you’re getting. But top-5 or second pick in the draft? That’s not what he is. He has to wrestle people all the time. Occasionally, he’ll do that little step-through thing that he does but, overall, if he has to lock up with those big guys it’s a fight for him. He’s got to drop that knee down to kind of hang in there. I don’t think by any stretch he’s an Aaron Donald or Chris Jones. But you’ll love to have him.” Had 24 reps on the bench. “Arm length is crucial when it comes to altering the passer,” said a seventh scout. “I think that will come into play. I wasn’t real high on Mazi Smith, either. I have a hard time with Mason. I just don’t see the domination.”
2. WALTER NOLEN, Mississippi (6-3 ½, 300, no 40, 1): Third-year junior. “He’s the best 3-technique — by far,” one scout said. “Tremendous athlete. He’s a little full of ******** but extremely talented. Quick and strong.” Described himself at the combine as a “young Aaron Donald.” At Texas A&M, he started 14 of 22 games in 2022-’23 before starting 13 at Ole Miss last year. Was rated the No. 1 player in the transfer portal. “Sort of like an Albert Haynesworth except not quite as big,” said a second scout. “Taller and longer than Graham. He has shown and flashed everything. All of it. He’s been compared to (Jalen) Carter from Georgia. Carter was just sort of obnoxious in a way. This kid doesn’t say a word. You don’t know what’s on his mind.” Finished with 114 tackles (26 for loss), 11 ½ sacks and four passes defensed. “Not really explosive,” a third scout said. “Gets knocked around. Not very good strength. He’s best trying to get into the gaps but he’s really not explosive doing that. He’ll flash every so often. I question this guy’s desire and overall toughness and physicality. Just one of those flash guys. There’s enough flashes for him to go there (second round).” Played at a high school in Olive Branch, Miss., as a freshman and sophomore. From Olive Branch he was enrolled for a time at IMG Academy but never played. As a junior, he played at St. Benedict at Auburndale in Memphis, Tenn. As a senior, he played at Powell, Tenn., before joining Texas A&M as a five-star recruit. “He’d probably be at the top of the list if you could just not see him between plays, between drills, between meetings,” one scout said. “This kid has been paid at five different schools: three high schools and two colleges. He is a mercenary. He’s probably the biggest mercenary in this whole draft. He has followed the money everywhere but yet is very quiet and shy. You would think totally disinterested. You wouldn’t think he’s hearing a word the coaches are saying to him. But when the ball is snapped, for 4 seconds at a time, he’s really talented, really gifted. He is explosive, good with his hands, gives effort. But between drills, between snaps, he’s on his own program. Some D-line coach is gonna stand on the table and say, ‘Oh, no, I can coach this guy,’ because he’s so talented. Organizational support is probably an understatement.” Arms were just 32 ½, hands were 9 ½.
3. ALFRED COLLINS, Texas (6-5 ½, 332, no 40, 1): Playing behind a covey of NFL draft picks, he started just 12 of 48 games from 2020-’23 before starting all 15 last season. “He’s just a junkyard dog,” one scout said. “He just messes **** up in there. Just a load at the point of attack. He can jolt and snatch people. He takes it (double-team blocks) on. Got some sneaky quickness in the gaps. Plays with balance. Not much range. Not going to do a lot of sexy things. Pass rush? Just let just try to get some big push and use my length to try to mess things up. He’s the type of guy you need to win. Not gonna be a Pro Bowler or 10-sack guy. Just a guy in there wrecking things and being a problem … (Marcus) Stroud was a little more dynamic.” National Honor Society student in high school and earned academic honors at UT. “First round for sure,” a second scout said. “Talented but inconsistent. John Henderson. Wish he were a little more productive. Motor’s up and down. Inconsistent to finish. Technique and discipline in terms of playing upright. Body position at the point was inconsistent. He is powerful. He’s flexible for a tall guy; Henderson was stiff. Other than that, that’s who he reminded me of. Got really strong hands. Quick feet for a big man. Stout at the point. Got pretty good instincts. Good against the bubble. He’s got power rush. More first and second down but he can play on third down.” Finished with 141 tackles (18 for loss), seven sacks and 12 passes defensed, including seven last year. Arms were 34 5/8, hands were 10. “Good, solid player,” a third scout said. “Nothing great. He’ll be a sometime starter.” From Bastrop, Texas.
4. KENNETH GRANT, Michigan (6-3 ½, 330, 5.13, 1-2): Third-year junior. “Reminds me a little bit of Richard Seymour and Kevin Williams, that type of guy,” one scout said. “Because I don’t think he’s a true noseguard the way he runs. More of the bigger 3-technique guy, but he’s so big he kind of creates his own (model) because not many are as big as him and can run like him. He has some pass rush, and I think that will only improve when he understands what is needed from him.” Played sparingly as a true freshman before starting five games in 2023 and 12 in ’24. “I like him better than Graham,” said a second scout. “He has length, push. He’s aggressive. I’d take him over Mazi Smith.” Arms were 33 ½, hands were 10 1/8. “He was way better than Graham,” a third scout said. “Not even close. Some rawness. Not a ton of experience. Pretty smooth movement for a big man. He’s got some inside pass rush. Power rush is really good. Really stout at the point. Hands are a little inconsistent on his pass-rush moves. The arrow is really up.” Finished with 69 tackles (12 for loss), 6 ½ sacks and 10 passes defensed. “Big body that demands double teams,” a fourth scout said. “Plugs up space. He played extremely hard. He’s got good range just due to the effort and playing to the whistle. Long arms to affect the passing lanes. He’s a really good player.” Three-star recruit from Merrillville, Ind. Also started at guard as a prep senior. Threw the shot put in track. “He’s gigantic and all … but I was really disappointed,” a fifth scout said. “Big ol’ dude is just a non-factor. ‘Are you going to make a play at any point?’ Plays upright, gets killed by angle blocks, doesn’t have great feel. I don’t see it. He’s seventh on my list of DTs.” Added a sixth scout: “He’s technically unsound. I can see the conditioning being an issue. If he doesn’t have Graham next to him he probably doesn’t develop to the level he has. You could hit on this guy, but you’ve got to have a really good D-line coach who’s gonna kick his *** and hold him accountable. If you don’t have that, you’re probably going to get a bust.”
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. TYLEIK WILLIAMS, Ohio State (6-3, 329, no 40, 1-2): A better prospect than Buckeye edges JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, according to one scout. “Oooh, he’s a football player,” the scout said. “He can play a 0 or a 1 or a 3 (technique), and you can keep him on the field all three downs if you want to. He’s hard to handle one-on-one in pass-rush downs. He beats the crap out of dudes now. It wouldn’t shock me if he went in the first. At all. People don’t realize how big and strong he is. Those guys are hard to find in the NFL. As an athlete with that kind of size, he’s a matchup advantage depending on who you’re going against.” Short arms (32), hands were 10 ¼. “Very similar to Collins,” said a second scout. “Just a load of a guy. Monster at the point of attack. Hard to handle. Not a pass rusher but give me that push, give me some effort. He’s got some versatility.” Returned for a fourth season and helped the Buckeyes to a national title. Finished with 136 tackles (28 for loss), 11 ½ sacks and 10 passes defensed. “I like him in the second round,” a third scout said. “He’s a 3-technique. He’s quick, productive and disruptive.” Four-star recruit from Manassas, Va.
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6. DERRICK HARMON, Oregon (6-4 ½, 320, 5.01, 1-2): Played at Michigan State from 2021-’23, reportedly weighing 340 in his final season, before heading westward after the Spartans’ spring ball. “Like his size, the disruption, the athleticism and the strength,” said one scout. “Plays out of control. Plays high. It hurt his production this season. He missed a lot of tackles. But if you want a guy that’s up the field and a disruptive penetrator, he’s a really good prospect. He can play whatever. He even played some nose this year. He’s got the length to play 5 (technique) and the quickness to play 3. If he goes after 20 someone’s getting a great value pick.” Started 15 of 28 games in East Lansing before starting all year for the Ducks. Long arms (34 3/8) and largest hands at the position (10 3/8) among the top 12. “He played like a fence-post 5-technique in an old 3-4 scheme,” another scout said. “Really strong upper and lower (body). Has more straight-line speed than you would guess for a big guy. Not real twitchy or sudden. He’s heavy-footed in change of direction. More of a placeholder than a playmaker.” Finished with 116 tackles (18 for loss), 8 ½ sacks and six passes defensed. “Taller, linear, high-hipped,” said a third scout. “He’s OK. He gives you effort. I gave him credit for being able to play a bunch of positions adequately. Nothing really stands out. Good but not a great pass rusher. Just kind of a utility guy. His pass rush is more stunting and effort. He’s not going to beat your *** with moves. Second round.” Started on both offense and defense all four years at Loyola High in Detroit.
7. JORDAN BURCH, Oregon (6-4, 282, 4.68, 2): Some teams view him as an edge rusher, others see him as a 5-technique or even a 3 on passing downs. “He played at 290 during the season and dropped almost 20 pounds before the combine,” one scout said. “I get why — to run — but the strength of his game was he was 290 and played with power off the edge. That’s how he got all his sacks. He’s a finesse player. He just has to understand he’s not a twitchy athlete. He will have to take on double teams, play inside. He makes some first-round plays and he also makes some undrafted plays. Boom or bust in his profile right now. If he goes in the first that’s a very, very big reach.” Started 14 of 34 games at South Carolina from 2020-’22 before starting two years for the Ducks. “He’s wired a little bit differently than a lot of D-linemen,” a second scout said. “He’s got his **** together. I interviewed him. He said when he was at South Carolina he never once heard the word championship. Said he just wanted to win and that’s why he went to Oregon. You respect that a little bit … He can play up or down, wherever. Not a super loose athlete but I could see him getting into the top of Day 2 conversation if not end of Day 1.” Finished with 170 tackles (33 for loss), 16 sacks and 11 passes defensed. “First guy off the bus,” a third scout said. “Man, he looks good, and he’s improved. Two years ago, I wouldn’t talk about him outside the fourth round. Now it’s end of the second, top of the third. You’re not going to back off with his athleticism and his looks and his length. Plus, when he really wants to, and doesn’t have too much to think about, he can be a good player. Instincts are going to be an issue. They were at South Carolina and they were at Oregon. They were waiting for him to make more plays and it didn’t happen this year. At least he did get better.” Arms were 33, hands were 9 ½. “He’s always been an underachiever,” a fourth scout said. “Looks incredible on the hoof but he’s just too nice. He’s just a real nice kid. He might go third or fourth round off the body alone but he doesn’t make a lot of plays.” Five-star recruit from Columbia, S.C. Played basketball, earned academic honors. Gamecocks’ highest-rated recruit since Jadeveon Clowney in 2011.
8. T.J. SANDERS, South Carolina (6-4, 305, 5.04, 2): Fourth-year junior. Redshirted in 2021 and didn’t start a game until ’23. “The Carolinas are notorious for these type guys,” one scout said. “They got size, mobility, twitch and they’re still getting better in their third and fourth year of college. It’s a D-line rich area. He’s a country kid, raw, with huge upside. Really good first step, really good power in his hands. Showed that he can win with quick, showed he can win with power. Former basketball player so the movement is obviously there. He’s a second-rounder all day, top 50 player. He can play a 4 to a 5 (technique) but on nickel and dime he can probably get away lining up inside. That’s what everybody’s looking for: a guy that a good 4i, can play 5-technique, maybe align over a tight end. But, in certain packages, all of a sudden this guy’s in a 3-technique giving the guard something different to work with. That’s gonna be his big value.” Started 16 of 39 games, finishing with 109 tackles (18 for loss), 9 ½ sacks and six passes defensed. “They had some horses on the edge so he was more interior,” a second scout said. “He was borderline first round last year. He can play anywhere. He’s really athletic. Got heavy hands. He can bend, redirect. When he wants to play hard he can be really good. He’s got some typical D-lineman immaturity and work-ethic issues but that guy’s got a ton of upside. He’ll be a sneaky pick for whoever takes him. The reports out of there indicate he’s not really ready for all this.” Arms were 33 1/8, hands were 10 ¼. Graduated in December. “They’ll tell us when you walk through the door he might be their most talented player,” a third scout said. “But the attitude and demeanor … he’s a big-time underachiever. He’s never really put it together. He’s probably going to be disappointed on draft day. They tolerated him … but he underachieved there.” Averaged a double-double as a prep basketball player in Marion, S.C.
9. SHEMAR TURNER, Texas A&M (6-3, 294, no 40, 2-3): Played four years, starting 35 games from 2022-’24. “Liked him,” one scout said. “Had some cool traits. He plays hard. Tough and physical. He’s strong. He can run. He’ll knock the **** out of you. He’s a good point player in terms of strength and position and leverage. He’s got explosive power. Plays on his feet. Good against the double. Got good range on loops and stunts. You would like a little bit more consistent pass rush and overall production for a guy with his talent level. He leaves you wanting a little bit more. He’s a strong second-round pick. Played hurt all year.” Suffered a significant leg injury early in the season but returned quickly and went the distance. Finished with 115 tackles (24 for loss), 10 sacks and one pass defensed. “He’s getting some attention now,” a second scout said. Arms were 33 5/8, hands were 10 ¼. Four-star recruit from DeSoto, Texas.
10. JOSH FARMER, Florida State (6-3, 312, 5.12, 2-3): Backed up in 2021-’22 before starting 25 games in 2023-’24. “Does the dirty work,” said one scout. “Just not as consistently strong and tough playing the point of attack and causing problems as Collins and Williams. He gets knocked around a lot. He’ll end up starting as a banger kind of guy. Second round.” Arms were 35, the longest of the top 10, and his hands were 10 ¼. “That’s rare to be that short and thick with those long arms,” the scout said. Finished with 80 tackles (21 for loss), 11 sacks and two passes defensed. “He has high, high upside,” a second scout said. “Still kind of young and raw. Not the most impressive physical specimen from a size-length standpoint but he’s well-proportioned and has a real powerful lower (body). He’s a good athlete overall with real twitch for a big man. Shows some first-step quicks and lateral agility to work on edges and get into gaps. Good variety of pass-rush moves. Doesn’t win from the jump. Tends to take his foot off the gas, stand up, free-lance. There’s a lot of that you can coach but you see the flash plays. He’s definitely third round.” Four-star recruit from Port St. Joe, Fla. “Played on 13-win and two-win teams,” a third scout said. “A little limited in his lateral movement so that will hurt him a little bit. Big men go early so you’re probably looking at a fourth- or fifth-round pick. Some teams have him a lot higher. I’d take a guy with a little more mobility. I like to see consistent redirect and close. He does that, just not all the time. Really good push. Really good B-gap type player. When he starts getting stretched laterally is when he kind of struggles. He can definitely make plays down there in the trenches as far as stop and redirect.”
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6. DERRICK HARMON, Oregon (6-4 ½, 320, 5.01, 1-2): Played at Michigan State from 2021-’23, reportedly weighing 340 in his final season, before heading westward after the Spartans’ spring ball. “Like his size, the disruption, the athleticism and the strength,” said one scout. “Plays out of control. Plays high. It hurt his production this season. He missed a lot of tackles. But if you want a guy that’s up the field and a disruptive penetrator, he’s a really good prospect. He can play whatever. He even played some nose this year. He’s got the length to play 5 (technique) and the quickness to play 3. If he goes after 20 someone’s getting a great value pick.” Started 15 of 28 games in East Lansing before starting all year for the Ducks. Long arms (34 3/8) and largest hands at the position (10 3/8) among the top 12. “He played like a fence-post 5-technique in an old 3-4 scheme,” another scout said. “Really strong upper and lower (body). Has more straight-line speed than you would guess for a big guy. Not real twitchy or sudden. He’s heavy-footed in change of direction. More of a placeholder than a playmaker.” Finished with 116 tackles (18 for loss), 8 ½ sacks and six passes defensed. “Taller, linear, high-hipped,” said a third scout. “He’s OK. He gives you effort. I gave him credit for being able to play a bunch of positions adequately. Nothing really stands out. Good but not a great pass rusher. Just kind of a utility guy. His pass rush is more stunting and effort. He’s not going to beat your *** with moves. Second round.” Started on both offense and defense all four years at Loyola High in Detroit.
7. JORDAN BURCH, Oregon (6-4, 282, 4.68, 2): Some teams view him as an edge rusher, others see him as a 5-technique or even a 3 on passing downs. “He played at 290 during the season and dropped almost 20 pounds before the combine,” one scout said. “I get why — to run — but the strength of his game was he was 290 and played with power off the edge. That’s how he got all his sacks. He’s a finesse player. He just has to understand he’s not a twitchy athlete. He will have to take on double teams, play inside. He makes some first-round plays and he also makes some undrafted plays. Boom or bust in his profile right now. If he goes in the first that’s a very, very big reach.” Started 14 of 34 games at South Carolina from 2020-’22 before starting two years for the Ducks. “He’s wired a little bit differently than a lot of D-linemen,” a second scout said. “He’s got his **** together. I interviewed him. He said when he was at South Carolina he never once heard the word championship. Said he just wanted to win and that’s why he went to Oregon. You respect that a little bit … He can play up or down, wherever. Not a super loose athlete but I could see him getting into the top of Day 2 conversation if not end of Day 1.” Finished with 170 tackles (33 for loss), 16 sacks and 11 passes defensed. “First guy off the bus,” a third scout said. “Man, he looks good, and he’s improved. Two years ago, I wouldn’t talk about him outside the fourth round. Now it’s end of the second, top of the third. You’re not going to back off with his athleticism and his looks and his length. Plus, when he really wants to, and doesn’t have too much to think about, he can be a good player. Instincts are going to be an issue. They were at South Carolina and they were at Oregon. They were waiting for him to make more plays and it didn’t happen this year. At least he did get better.” Arms were 33, hands were 9 ½. “He’s always been an underachiever,” a fourth scout said. “Looks incredible on the hoof but he’s just too nice. He’s just a real nice kid. He might go third or fourth round off the body alone but he doesn’t make a lot of plays.” Five-star recruit from Columbia, S.C. Played basketball, earned academic honors. Gamecocks’ highest-rated recruit since Jadeveon Clowney in 2011.
8. T.J. SANDERS, South Carolina (6-4, 305, 5.04, 2): Fourth-year junior. Redshirted in 2021 and didn’t start a game until ’23. “The Carolinas are notorious for these type guys,” one scout said. “They got size, mobility, twitch and they’re still getting better in their third and fourth year of college. It’s a D-line rich area. He’s a country kid, raw, with huge upside. Really good first step, really good power in his hands. Showed that he can win with quick, showed he can win with power. Former basketball player so the movement is obviously there. He’s a second-rounder all day, top 50 player. He can play a 4 to a 5 (technique) but on nickel and dime he can probably get away lining up inside. That’s what everybody’s looking for: a guy that a good 4i, can play 5-technique, maybe align over a tight end. But, in certain packages, all of a sudden this guy’s in a 3-technique giving the guard something different to work with. That’s gonna be his big value.” Started 16 of 39 games, finishing with 109 tackles (18 for loss), 9 ½ sacks and six passes defensed. “They had some horses on the edge so he was more interior,” a second scout said. “He was borderline first round last year. He can play anywhere. He’s really athletic. Got heavy hands. He can bend, redirect. When he wants to play hard he can be really good. He’s got some typical D-lineman immaturity and work-ethic issues but that guy’s got a ton of upside. He’ll be a sneaky pick for whoever takes him. The reports out of there indicate he’s not really ready for all this.” Arms were 33 1/8, hands were 10 ¼. Graduated in December. “They’ll tell us when you walk through the door he might be their most talented player,” a third scout said. “But the attitude and demeanor … he’s a big-time underachiever. He’s never really put it together. He’s probably going to be disappointed on draft day. They tolerated him … but he underachieved there.” Averaged a double-double as a prep basketball player in Marion, S.C.
9. SHEMAR TURNER, Texas A&M (6-3, 294, no 40, 2-3): Played four years, starting 35 games from 2022-’24. “Liked him,” one scout said. “Had some cool traits. He plays hard. Tough and physical. He’s strong. He can run. He’ll knock the **** out of you. He’s a good point player in terms of strength and position and leverage. He’s got explosive power. Plays on his feet. Good against the double. Got good range on loops and stunts. You would like a little bit more consistent pass rush and overall production for a guy with his talent level. He leaves you wanting a little bit more. He’s a strong second-round pick. Played hurt all year.” Suffered a significant leg injury early in the season but returned quickly and went the distance. Finished with 115 tackles (24 for loss), 10 sacks and one pass defensed. “He’s getting some attention now,” a second scout said. Arms were 33 5/8, hands were 10 ¼. Four-star recruit from DeSoto, Texas.
10. JOSH FARMER, Florida State (6-3, 312, 5.12, 2-3): Backed up in 2021-’22 before starting 25 games in 2023-’24. “Does the dirty work,” said one scout. “Just not as consistently strong and tough playing the point of attack and causing problems as Collins and Williams. He gets knocked around a lot. He’ll end up starting as a banger kind of guy. Second round.” Arms were 35, the longest of the top 10, and his hands were 10 ¼. “That’s rare to be that short and thick with those long arms,” the scout said. Finished with 80 tackles (21 for loss), 11 sacks and two passes defensed. “He has high, high upside,” a second scout said. “Still kind of young and raw. Not the most impressive physical specimen from a size-length standpoint but he’s well-proportioned and has a real powerful lower (body). He’s a good athlete overall with real twitch for a big man. Shows some first-step quicks and lateral agility to work on edges and get into gaps. Good variety of pass-rush moves. Doesn’t win from the jump. Tends to take his foot off the gas, stand up, free-lance. There’s a lot of that you can coach but you see the flash plays. He’s definitely third round.” Four-star recruit from Port St. Joe, Fla. “Played on 13-win and two-win teams,” a third scout said. “A little limited in his lateral movement so that will hurt him a little bit. Big men go early so you’re probably looking at a fourth- or fifth-round pick. Some teams have him a lot higher. I’d take a guy with a little more mobility. I like to see consistent redirect and close. He does that, just not all the time. Really good push. Really good B-gap type player. When he starts getting stretched laterally is when he kind of struggles. He can definitely make plays down there in the trenches as far as stop and redirect.”
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- 11,238
11. TY ROBINSON, Nebraska (6-5, 288, 4.85, 2-3): After what scouts said was a semi-disappointing week at the Senior Bowl, he responded with boffo work at the combine. His vertical jump (33 ½), broad jump (9-11) and bench press (28) led the leading D-linemen. “Chance to be a Day 2 selection,” one scout said. “Big body. Thick dude. Really strong and powerful. Plays with an extremely high motor. Empties his tank. Good first step and quickness. Heavy hands. Knocks blockers back. Can club an offensive lineman off his feet. Can pry combo blocks open. Can bull rush a blocker into the quarterback. Has some short-area close and runs well. It’s hard for him to get skinny in a gap because of (his size). When he gets tired his pad level can rise and hand placement can get sloppy and (he) becomes more of a brawler-mauler type. I’d take him over (Yahya) Black because I know what I’m getting. He can play nose and 3-technique.” Tied the Cornhusker record for games played with 60, starting 47. Finished with 134 tackles (27 for loss), 12 sacks and 12 passes defensed. “Takes up space in the run game and high-motor production in the pass game,” said a second scout. “You’re hanging your hat on the strength and the power. He’s played outside but they kicked him inside, and that’s where his home is. I could see him going up there in the third.” Short arms (32 ¼). Hands were 10. “Looks like an NFL lineman,” said a third scout. “Little bit of a straight-line, erect, bull-in-a-china-shop style of play. He’s in the backfield, but then where’s the ball? He’ll crash into the line and then not be able to get the quarterback on the ground. He’ll get faked out or something. He has really got initial quickness and that initial charge, he’s big and he can run. He ran 4.82 at the combine so a lot of people will be going back and watching the tape on him. I’m not saying he’s first round but I definitely could see him going second on measurables alone.” Four-star recruit from Gilbert, Ariz.
12. YAHYA BLACK, Iowa (6-5 ½, 330, 5.41, 3): Waited three years for his turn to start. Backed up in 27 games from 2020-’22, then started 27 games in 2023-’24. “I’m a fan,” said one scout. “He’ll be a 2-technique or a 3-4 D-end. More of a two-gap kind of guy. This guy emerged as a leader. He’s vocal. He grew to love the program. Loved everything about it. He works. He’ll be a real nice value in the second or third.” Has 35-inch arms, tying Farmer for the longest at the position. Hands were 10 ¼. “When he uses his hands and length he can stack and shed blocks,” a second scout said. “Unrefined as a pass rusher and must develop moves and counters. Disappears for stretches and stays blocked. Makes him frustrating to watch. Little bit of good, little bit of bad. Has positive and negative flashes throughout games. This kid has upside. When he wants to go he’s impressive, and then he disappears. Probably second round, but I don’t think he gets out of the third. There’s a little bit of feast or famine with him. I’m not sure because normally those Iowa guys play their nuts off.” Early in his career, some members of the Iowa staff surmised he might be a fine offensive tackle. Finished with 117 tackles (15 for loss), 5 ½ sacks and 11 passes defensed. “He ran particularly slowly at the combine,” said one scout. “(Linebacker) Jay Higgins ran slowly. (Safety Sebastian) Castro ran slowly. The three main guys of the Iowa defense all tested poorly yet they played the best football of anybody in the country. Coaching matters.” Also played basketball and track in Marshall, Minn.
Said one scout: “He is a bad ***. Plays with a great motor, tough, physical. He can set the edge. He’s got power inside. He could start for some people at 3-technique. He played end but showed very interesting versatility playing inside at the Senior Bowl. He’s probably a fourth-round guy but if you needed a guy he’s worthy of the third.”
Darius Alexander, Toledo (6-4, 305, 5.01)
Said one scout: “Kind of reminds me of Montravius Adams coming out of Auburn (in 2017). He’s big, but he doesn’t play that big. More of a guy that gets on an edge and gets upfield. Doesn’t have a ton of substance setting edges and two-gapping but he is instinctive and plays hard. When you have guys like that they kind of find their way on the field. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him second or third round.”
Jamaree Caldwell, Oregon (6-2, 331, 5.15)
Said one scout: “Second or third round. You’re not going to like him if you see him in person. He’s a soft, doughy body. Looks like a bad offensive lineman body but he’s a real gap plugger. He stacks and splits (doubles). He’s powerful. Keeps his pads down. You wouldn’t want him getting off the bus first but they didn’t care about the look. Because they knew what he could do.”
Omarr Norman-Lott, Tennessee (6-2, 300, 5.17)
Said one scout: “People hyped him up. I didn’t think he did all that much. I thought he was just sort of a shorter, sawed-off guy with some quickness. Maybe I undersold him. At the combine he was sort of a disaster. He won’t be as high a pick as people were saying.”
Deone Walker, Kentucky (6-7 ½, 328, 5.35)
Said one scout: “He’s as big as they come. In the trenches you’ve got to play with some type of leverage. He just stands up way too often and gets pushed around a little too much. It’s still a big man’s game and he has some ability when he wants to. He just needs the right environment. He’ll probably end up in Philly and be great.”
12. YAHYA BLACK, Iowa (6-5 ½, 330, 5.41, 3): Waited three years for his turn to start. Backed up in 27 games from 2020-’22, then started 27 games in 2023-’24. “I’m a fan,” said one scout. “He’ll be a 2-technique or a 3-4 D-end. More of a two-gap kind of guy. This guy emerged as a leader. He’s vocal. He grew to love the program. Loved everything about it. He works. He’ll be a real nice value in the second or third.” Has 35-inch arms, tying Farmer for the longest at the position. Hands were 10 ¼. “When he uses his hands and length he can stack and shed blocks,” a second scout said. “Unrefined as a pass rusher and must develop moves and counters. Disappears for stretches and stays blocked. Makes him frustrating to watch. Little bit of good, little bit of bad. Has positive and negative flashes throughout games. This kid has upside. When he wants to go he’s impressive, and then he disappears. Probably second round, but I don’t think he gets out of the third. There’s a little bit of feast or famine with him. I’m not sure because normally those Iowa guys play their nuts off.” Early in his career, some members of the Iowa staff surmised he might be a fine offensive tackle. Finished with 117 tackles (15 for loss), 5 ½ sacks and 11 passes defensed. “He ran particularly slowly at the combine,” said one scout. “(Linebacker) Jay Higgins ran slowly. (Safety Sebastian) Castro ran slowly. The three main guys of the Iowa defense all tested poorly yet they played the best football of anybody in the country. Coaching matters.” Also played basketball and track in Marshall, Minn.
THE NEXT FIVE
Sai’vion Jones, Louisiana State (6-5 ½, 283, 4.76)Said one scout: “He is a bad ***. Plays with a great motor, tough, physical. He can set the edge. He’s got power inside. He could start for some people at 3-technique. He played end but showed very interesting versatility playing inside at the Senior Bowl. He’s probably a fourth-round guy but if you needed a guy he’s worthy of the third.”
Darius Alexander, Toledo (6-4, 305, 5.01)
Said one scout: “Kind of reminds me of Montravius Adams coming out of Auburn (in 2017). He’s big, but he doesn’t play that big. More of a guy that gets on an edge and gets upfield. Doesn’t have a ton of substance setting edges and two-gapping but he is instinctive and plays hard. When you have guys like that they kind of find their way on the field. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him second or third round.”
Jamaree Caldwell, Oregon (6-2, 331, 5.15)
Said one scout: “Second or third round. You’re not going to like him if you see him in person. He’s a soft, doughy body. Looks like a bad offensive lineman body but he’s a real gap plugger. He stacks and splits (doubles). He’s powerful. Keeps his pads down. You wouldn’t want him getting off the bus first but they didn’t care about the look. Because they knew what he could do.”
Omarr Norman-Lott, Tennessee (6-2, 300, 5.17)
Said one scout: “People hyped him up. I didn’t think he did all that much. I thought he was just sort of a shorter, sawed-off guy with some quickness. Maybe I undersold him. At the combine he was sort of a disaster. He won’t be as high a pick as people were saying.”
Deone Walker, Kentucky (6-7 ½, 328, 5.35)
Said one scout: “He’s as big as they come. In the trenches you’ve got to play with some type of leverage. He just stands up way too often and gets pushed around a little too much. It’s still a big man’s game and he has some ability when he wants to. He just needs the right environment. He’ll probably end up in Philly and be great.”