In April I went to the Iowa football open spring practice with the intent of seeing what Iowa’s new offense might look like.  I knew it wouldn’t be a great look at it because Deacon Hill was running the first team with Cade McNamara not healthy and the offense wasn’t fully installed at that point.  My interest was to see if there were noticeable changes in structure and scheme that I could pick up on, mission accomplished.  When Iowa fired Brian Ferentz and we knew they would be changing coordinators I tempered my expectations because Kirk Ferentz is still the coach and he’s never going to change his philosophy of ball control offense and great defense and special teams.  I said then, the offense only changes as much as Kirk allows, apparently, he’s allowing the structure to change considerably. 

What new offensive coordinator Tim Lester’s offense would look like was a mystery and to a certain extent, it still is.  However, from what I saw, it’s very different.  The biggest difference is the amount of motion.  I wasn’t charting plays or anything but if you told me the number of plays with motion that day was 80%, I would say you were underestimating it.  This isn’t motion just for motion’s sake, that was a staple of the previous offense.  Using motion in certain situations and always using it in the same way makes your offense predictable, this isn’t that. 

Predictability kills an offense before the play even starts.  Tim Lester uses motion so much, it simply throws the defense into chaos.  He was even doing it to Phil Parker’s very talented and veteran defense, that’s good news.  Most people think of motion in football as something you use in the passing game, it helps identify coverages.  That’s very true but Lester uses it in the run game too to make defenses play off balance.  Get them going one way and then run the other.  Motion, misdirection, and simplifying the passing game will go a long way to fix what has been wrong with Iowa’s offense for so many years.  This team isn’t going to put up 35 points a game (that would be wonderful but one step at a time) but they are going to make teams have to actually prepare for Iowa’s offense.  

The other reason I didn’t write about this team sooner was the transfer portal.  There needed to be changes, mostly at QB, and that took some time.  Deacon Hill has moved on.  We should thank him for sticking around all spring and helping install our new offense and then really thank him for leaving and opening up a scholarship at QB.  Hill probably wasn’t the worst player to ever play QB in a Division I football game but you would have a hard time convincing me there’s ever been a guy who started nine games who was worse.  Generally, when you’re that bad, your team puts any else in the game.  Thanks for helping out this spring Deacon, enjoy Utah…Tech.

Despite the doom and gloom that so many fans still feel about Iowa’s offense, I have some reasons for optimism.  First, the QB situation looks much improved.  Second, the offense structure is going to help the passing game be more efficient, the run game to be more effective, and it should help the offensive line by putting them in easier situations.  The spring practice only showed a very small amount of the offense, by design.  There is more to come as Cade McNamara gets healthy and more offense gets installed.  This team doesn’t need the offense to be great, they need it to be functional.  In year one under Tim Lester, I think that’s possible.  Let’s take a look at some of the changes (this is almost entirely on offense) that should really help and how things should get better. 

The Quarterbacks

Kirk Ferentz made it clear that Cade McNamara is the starter heading into the summer and as long as his rehab goes well, it’s his job to lose in the fall.  It would be great if he could stay healthy and help the new offense take hold.  He fits what Tim Lester wants to do, he has the ability to make quick decisions, high level accuracy, and the leadership qualities you want in a QB.  That’s the good news.  The better news is if he gets hurt next season, Iowa has a legitimate option to replace him.

The depth chart got a lot better after spring practice starting with the addition of former Northwestern starter Brendan Sullivan.  Sullivan isn’t a star by any means but compared to Deacon Hill, he’s John fucking Elway.  He can run Tim Lester’s offense, Lester tried to recruit Sullivan to Western Michigan out of high school when Lester was the head coach there.  Sullivan is going into his fourth year of college so he’s older and more mature than Marco Lainez who is still getting used to being in college.  They also added another transfer in former Colorado St. QB Jackson Stratton who was a scholarship QB there but will be a third year walk on at Iowa.  I don’t expect true freshman James Resar to factor in at all but the depth looks far better heading into 2025 than it did coming out of 2024.  Cade McNamara, Brendan Sullivan, Marco Lainez, Jackson Stratton, and James Resar.  If this were Jeopardy the answer would be Who are five guys I’d rather have playing QB than Deacon Hill?    

The Running Backs

While the QB situation in the spring practice wasn’t good and the Hawks have to wait to see what they really have there, the RB situation looks to be in awesome shape.  Leshon Williams sat out the practice but Kaleb Johnson looked healthy and explosive, Kamari Moulton looks like he’s ready to break out, and Jaziun Patterson has some pop.  Johnson had a lower leg injury early last year and just never looked quite right, he looks right now.  I think he’s the most talented RB Iowa has had in many years and he’s a dynamic runner.  With the scheme built to keep the defense off balance, I see Johnson’s ability to get outside and break a big run coming in very handy.  He has elite RB traits.  Williams is tough and reliable and Kirk still loves that and he’ll still be used but Johnson has star level talent.

The more noticeable change was Kamari Moulton looking like a breakout player.  Jaziun Patterson was the third back last season and got more usage when Johnson was out but Moulton looked more comfortable in the new offense.  Moulton is bigger going into his second year and he ran with more decisiveness than Patterson and better vision.  Patterson is still a very talented back but he has some work to do to earn carries.  Moulton gives Iowa a very skilled third back for now.  Terrell Washington is splitting time between RB and WR but I think he ends up as a WR next season, he’ll be more valuable as a slot receiver than as the fifth RB. 

The Wide Receivers

This is the group with the most question marks and the group that needs Tim Lester’s schematic changes the most.  Lester had success at Western Michigan with WRs like Skyy Moore and Dee Eskridge and the hope is that he can use the Iowa guys the same way.  Kaleb Brown is easily the most talented WR of the group.  He’s short but fast and might fit the Moore/Eskridge mold the best.  Lester has talked about getting the playmakers the ball, Brown is his best playmaker at WR.  Seth Anderson was another transfer in last season and has spent a lot of his time at Iowa injured but they have to hope he gets healthy because they need him outside.  Kaden Wetjen is the other WR who looked good in the spring game and he brings speed and elusiveness to the position that should work well in the new offense.

Brown, Anderson, and Wetjen are the early favorites to be the starters in the fall but Brown is probably the only one of those you can safely write in pen.  The coaches like Wetjen but he really hasn’t played WR in a game and Anderson needs to be available.  That means the team is open to anyone looking to grab a job. Enter Terrell Washington, the RB/slot hybrid.  Washington looks like a slot receiver and has all the skills to excel there.  It seems Lester is intrigued by that idea and Washington will get every chance to play receiver.  Jarriett Buie was a true freshman last year but he’s one of the few guys Iowa has with legitimate size to play outside, he’s first in line for a promotion if Anderson’s injury issues persist.  Dayton Howard is another redshirt freshman to keep an eye on, he offers even more size than Buie. The other name to remember is Northwestern transfer Jacob Gill.  He’s small and speedy and while he wasn’t a star at Northwestern, he does have legitimate playing time in Big Ten football games and that’s experience that Iowa is sorely lacking. 

The Tight Ends

Not much to talk about here.  Luke Lachey was back and healthy and Addison Ostrenga will the TE2.  These two look ready to continue the TE tradition at Iowa.  Zach Ortwerth got in some games last year backing up Ostrenga once Erick All and Lachey were both hurt so he should be the third TE.  Walk-on Johnny Pascuzzi and Hayden Large add depth.  If they have injuries hit hard like last season, true freshman Gavin Hoffman was an early enrollee so he at least got an early start on learning the offense and would be a depth option. 

The Offensive Line

This is the other piece of the puzzle that Lester’s offensive scheme needs to help fix because it’s the same cast of characters for now and the only positive change is hopefully these guys are healthy.  LT Mason Richman dealt with an injury all last season and hopefully that explains why he was so bad last year.  The Hawkeyes need him healthy because there is no obvious replacement to be found as the coaches clearly don’t trust Jack Dotzler and no one should want Nick DeJong there.  I can’t believe I still have to talk about DeJong, I guess we can always hope the sixth year is the breakout year (Kirk Ferentz just can’t quit that guy). 

Beau Stephens is penciled in at LG and that may only last a few games given his injury history.  He’s fine when he plays but getting like a four-game stretch out of him seems nearly impossible.  Connor Colby is back at RG and hopefully he’ll be a steady presence in his fourth year. There’s a couple of young guys in Kade Pieper and Trevor Lauck as the backups for now and Pieper looked good in limited playing time as a true freshman last year.  If Stephens gets hurt again it’s completely possible Pieper is the guy who steps in. 

C Logan Jones and RT Gennings Dunker were out during the spring and while I don’t think Dunker has anything to worry about when it comes to his starting job (his fill-in was DeJong), Jones has a more tenuous hold on the center job.  Jones has not had the development you would hope after moving over from defensive tackle, let’s face it, there’s only one Tyler Linderbaum.  Elsbury was pretty good as Jones’ replacement last season and the line looked it’s overall best with him, not with Jones.  It is usually pretty hard to get Kirk Ferentz to replace a guy who he seems so committed to but maybe a new set of eyes, say offensive coordinator Tim Lester’s, will point out some things to Kirk.  Besides just Elsbury, walk-on North Dakota transfer Cade Borud might also put some pressure on Jones.   

Like I said, Dunker doesn’t have much to worry about at RT, DeJong is simply a fill-in and Dunker was one of the few bright spots on the line last season.  Also, Iowa hasn’t developed any real OT depth.  Jack Dotzler and Kale Krogh are the two non-freshman OTs on the roster besides the starters and neither one has put any level of pressure on the starters and are more likely going to be trying to hold off the freshmen from taking their backup jobs.  Trevor Lauck and Cannon Leaonard are redshirt freshmen that Iowa needs to develop if Dotzler and Krogh don’t make meaningful progress this season.

If Iowa can get an offensive line of LT Mason Richman, LG Beau Stephens, C Logan Jones or Tyler Elsbury, RG Connor Colby, and RT Gennings Dunker healthy and playing in Tim Lester’s system, I think we see major improvement.  Lester’s offense is less predictable and has more quick hitting action which generally asks the offensive line to have to hold up for less time.  That would be a welcome change for a unit that struggled a lot last year. 

The Defense

I’m not going to dive deep into Phil Parker’s defense, they’re going to be good.  DT Yahya Black, DE Deontae Craig, MLB Jay Higgins, LB Nick Jackson, CASH Sebastian Castro, CB Jermari Harris, SS Xavier Nwankpa, and FS Quinn Schulte were all starters last season for almost the whole year, that’s eight returning starters.  CB Deshaun Lee started multiple games when Harris was out to start the year and then when Cooper DeJean got hurt late in the year.  So almost nine full-time starters if we’re being honest.  DT Aaron Graves steps in as a starter, he’s got big shoes to fill replacing Logan Lee but if anyone is up for it, it’s Graves.  It’s the DE spot that is the real question.  Ethan Hurkett steps in for Joe Evans, the best pass rusher Iowa had.  It won’t all fall on Hurkett, Deontae Craig has to be better than he was last year and they need Brian Allen and Max Llewellyn to really step up as rotation guys. 

Higgins and Jackson are one of the best LB duos in the college football, you can argue they are the best duo.  The secondary is elite overall even without Cooper DeJean.  Sebastian Castro plays the hybrid LB/S spot known as the CASH but he’s arguably the best defensive back in the Big Ten.  Nwankpa could be the breakout player in the secondary as he goes into is second full season as a starter, he has elite physical talent and Phil Parker defensive backs only get better with age.  Quinn Schulte is a super-super senior and the brains of the defense. He makes sure everyone is where they are supposed to be and then he covers up any mistakes.  Jermari Harris, Deshaun Lee and John Nestor are not going to be DeJean but the three of them can be a very capable trio of corners and I’m never betting against Phil Parker getting the absolute best out of his secondary. 

This team won 10 games with the worst offense I’ve ever witnessed that wasn’t coordinated by Matt Patricia.  Even if the defense misses DeJean and Evans a bit, the offense should be improved enough to make up that difference.  If the Tim Lester offense fails, the end of the Kirk Ferentz era will begin quite quickly.  If there’s progress with the offense, Kirk Ferentz can go out on his own terms some time in the next few years.    

I paused my YouTubeTV subscription for a couple of months because I really haven’t used it since the 2024 draft and now, I find myself with some time.  I’m working on some thoughts on the Iowa football team but there’s a lot of questions on the new offense and almost zero questions on the defense so I’m still working on it.  Instead, I’m going for a way-too-soon mock draft for next year’s NFL draft.  There is no clear-cut top player, the QB group is a work in progress, and the top prospect might be a guy that teams aren’t sure whether he’s a CB or a WR.  This is a fool’s errand but I find it fun.

Unlike most dumb mock drafts at this time of year, I’m not using some betting site’s odds for the Super Bowl to determine the draft order.  I simply made a list of the teams by how good I think they will be.  The teams I think are going to struggle are teams with QB questions, teams with young QBs, teams with major roster holes, and teams that are usually bad.  Some teams fall into more than one of these categories.  This is simply a fun exercise and I haven’t watched a lot of film of some of these prospects so, don’t take it too seriously.

1. Las Vegas Raiders: Carson Beck     QB     Georgia

If you’re looking for a team that could be pretty bad next year, the team with Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew at QB, an unproven head coach, a very questionable offensive coordinator, a lot of turnover on the offensive line, and a pretty suspect defensive backfield is a solid place to start.  Beck looks the part of a top QB prospect, he’s 6’4 220 lbs. and he’ll be a multi-year starter in the SEC.  He’s the best bet to be the breakout QB prospect this season and Raiders will be hunting for a future star.  Pairing him with his old reliable buddy Brock Bowers would be make a nice transition to the pros. 

2. Washington Commanders:  Will Campbell     OT     LSU

Another reuniting of former teammates as Campbell was Jayden Daniels LT at LSU and he would fill a huge need on the Commanders offensive line.  If Daniels survives the season behind Washington’s current group, more power to him.  However, I’m certain he would embrace Campbell’s presence covering his blindside.  Campbell could end up the top pick in the draft if no QB breaks through and one of the teams that recently took a QB ends up with the first pick.  Campbell is big, athletic, and technically sound and he’s a pretty safe bet to be a really good LT in the NFL if his development continues. 

3. Carolina Panthers:  James Pearce Jr.     Edge     Tennessee

If Bryce Young fails again, a QB becomes a real possibility.  If Ikem Ekwonu fails at LT, a LT becomes a possibility.  If Diontae Johnson leaves in free agency, they may have to take a WR I the first round again after trading up for Xavier Legette this year.  Even if all of those things happen it’s still possible, they take an edge rusher since they traded Brian Burns and the don’t have a long-term plan at the position.  Pearce is still a bit of a projection but he has the size, speed, and skill you look for in a top pass rush prospect and if he has a big year at Tennessee, he could end up the #1 overall pick in this draft. 

4. Denver Broncos:  Kelvin Banks Jr.     OT     Texas

The Broncos could go a lot of different directions.  If Troy Franklin isn’t as good as they hope he’ll be playing with his college QB Bo Nix, they could look for a WR.  If they decide trading Patrick Surtain II for a draft haul is a better strategy to rebuild than paying him, CB becomes a massive need, hello Travis Hunter.  Assuming those things don’t happen, LT Garrett Boles is in the last year of his contract, he’s 32 years old, and he’s had an inconsistent career.  Banks would be a young LT who can grow with Bo Nix or whoever the Broncos end up drafting in 2026 to replace him.  Banks and Campbell will duke it out for who’s the top OT in this class but you can’t go wrong with either one. 

5. Pittsburgh Steelers: Travis Hunter     CB     Colorado

I know, putting the Steelers in the top five is crazy but I have no faith that Russell Wilson has anything left, the WR group is led by George Pickens who isn’t going to be happy if Wilson sucks.  I like the additions on the offensive line but they will be young with Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier starting.  The defensive line is aging and the secondary scares me after Minkah Fitzpatrick and Joey Porter Jr.  If another QB breaks out, this team should grab him but I don’t think Shaduer Sanders is a Steelers’ kind of pick and I’m not sold on Quinn Ewers yet.  Hunter has elite CB skills and would be a great complement to Porter and this team could even use him as a WR since they have very little behind Pickens. 

6. New Orleans Saints:  Luther Burden III     WR      Missouri

The Saints could conceivably draft a QB if they like someone here but they are pot committed to Derek Carr probably through the 2025 season.  Klink Kubiak is coming in from the 49ers and they are hoping he can turn Carr into a functional QB but it would help if they had more than Chris Olave at WR.  Assuming Dennis Allen isn’t fired and Kubiak has more than one year there, Burden would be a nice fit in the 49ers-like scheme.  Burden is only 5’11 but he’s 208 lbs. and he’s excellent after the catch.  He gives them a nice weapon for their QB of the future, whoever that is.

7. Tennessee Titans:  Will Johnson     CB     Michigan

The Titans traded for L’Jarius Snead, signed him to a big contract, and signed Chidobe Awuzie to be the other CB.  Clearly, they had need at the position.  Snead is a long-term play but Awuzie is a 29-year-old CB who has had some injury issues and is likely just a stop-gap solution.  Johnson is a CB with length and cover skills who would pair quite nicely with Snead long-term and maybe give the Titans the young CB they were hoping they would get when they gambled on the injured Caleb Farley in the 2021 draft.  Farley has never been the guy they were hoping he would be. 

8. New York Giants:  Shadeur Sanders     QB    Colorado

This is a projection but I’m going to have to be convinced he’s worth the trouble.  Sanders flashy attitude is going to turn some people off and this is where I think a team like the Giants might balk at taking him.  Making him the face of the franchise in New York is a gamble.  However, the Giants will be looking for a new QB and Sanders has talent.  I don’t think his father is doing him a lot of favors with the constant turnover of the roster at Colorado and the offensive coaching changes.  Shedeur needs to show consistency, not just the flash plays here and there. His offensive line was not good last season and he needs more help, hopefully he’ll get it this year. 

9. New England Patriots:  Mykel Williams     Edge     Georgia

This one is really a projection.  Williams is a young player on Georgia’s defense and they have a lot of talent.  He makes splashy plays and he’s a great athlete.  He has great size with that athleticism and can play in a multitude of formations, that will fit New England just fine.  Matt Judon is in the last year of his deal, he’s 32, and he’s coming off an injury.  Josh Uche only signed a one-year deal, leaving Anfernee Jennings as the only edge guy they have past 2024.  This assumes their young WRs (Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, and Demario Douglas) show enough promise they don’t feel they need to take one and Caedan Wallace isn’t a disaster at LT.  Otherwise, I say trade up to get Campbell or Banks to solve the LT issue for good. 

10. Arizona Cardinals:  Mason Graham     DT     Michigan

The Cardinals added Darius Robinson in this last draft to the defensive front but they need to keep adding talent there. Graham is one of the best DTs in college football and he’s just scratching the surface.  If Hunter or Johnson are here at CB that should be the pick but with both off the board the Cardinals take Graham over Benjamin Morrison, the next best CB.  Adding talent to this defense is a must.

11. Jacksonville Jaguars:  Malaki Starks     S     Georgia

This will be the most Belichick pick in history when he takes over the Jaguars next year.  They need help at OT, they need help at CB, and Bill takes a safety. They do need help at safety too but OT and CB are far more valuable positions but Starks would help Belichick and Matt Patricia install their defense.  Sorry Jaguars fans, it’s just mean of me to include Patricia.  Wait…are there Jaguars fans? 

12. Indianapolis Colts:  Benjamin Morrison     CB     Notre Dame

The Jaguars passing on Morrison is a huge win for the Colts since they completely passed up any CB help in the 2024 draft, they get a good one here.  Morrison is a good cover man with solid size, top speed, and some toughness to his game.  The Colts hope JuJu Brents can be their CB1 but I think he’s probably better off as a CB2 and Morrison has the upside to be a CB1. 

13. Seattle Seahawks:  Quinn Ewers     QB     Texas

Ewers still needs to put some polish on his game and while he could be a break out player this year, I think he’ll be solid and someone will take a shot on his talent.  The Seahawks have Geno Smith and Sam Howell for now, betting on Ewers upside is worth the risk to get out of QB purgatory. 

14. Minnesota Vikings:  Denzel Burke     CB    Ohio St.

The Vikings best CB is Byron Murphy Jr. who will be a free agent after the season and they are so desperate at the position they signed Shaq Griffin, a guy who’s been released by multiple teams in the last year.  Burke isn’t the flashiest player but he’s a good CB who hold his own against top competition and has been practicing against top competition his entire career at Ohio St.    

15. Miami Dolphins:  Tyler Booker     OG     Alabama

The Dolphins’ offense covers up for a lot of issues on the offensive line because it’s a quick strike offense but they ignored the interior of the line in free agency and draft in 2024, they might regret that.  When they are struggling because Isaiah Wynn is hurt and Robert Jones isn’t Robert Hunt, they will realize they need talent inside.  Booker is a big, physical presence on Alabama’s offensive line and he would be a plug-and-play starter. 

16. Los Angeles Chargers:  Deone Walker      DT    Kentucky

Jim Harbaugh is going to continue to build his team in the trenches first and foremost and his defensive line needs some beef.  Walker is 6’6 345 lbs. of raw power and strength who can step in at NT.  The Chargers drafted Junior Colson at LB to help them finally stop the run, Walker would make Colson that much better by keeping him clean. 

17. Chicago Bears:  JT Tuimoloau     DE     Ohio St.

The Bears didn’t do anything at DE opposite Montez Sweat this off season so it will be a big priority next year.  Tuimoloau had a chance to come out this season and he would have been a fairly high draft pick but he went back to Ohio St because he had some unfinished business.  I think the extra year of development will do him a lot of good and he should be a good pro.

18. Atlanta Falcons:  Harold Perkins Jr.     LB    LSU

This may be way too low for Perkins, he’s a menace on the field.  He is a missile to the ball and he has impressive pass rush instincts. The problem is he’s about 6’1 220 lbs. so while he may play a bit like Micah Parsons running all over the field, he’s two inches shorter and about 25 lbs. lighter than Parsons.  He’s got speed and instincts you can’t teach so I wouldn’t bet against him.  The Falcons could use a defensive playmaker like Perkins.

19. New York Jets: Emory Jones     OT     LSU

The Jets signed Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses to be their starting OTs this season and then drafted Olu Fashanu for the future.  Fashanu can take Smith’s LT job but that still leaves the RT job for someone and Jones has been quite good at RT for LSU.  Getting Fashanu and Jones in back-to-back drafts as your starting OTs for the next five years is a smart investment. 

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  Quinshon Judkins     RB     Ohio St.

The Buccaneers’ running game was bad last season and while adding Graham Barton at center is a nice start, I don’t think he’s enough to turn it around on is own.  Rachaad White is good player but he’s not a workhorse style RB.  Judkins is exactly that.  He’s 5’11 210 lbs. and he has speed, power, and the contact balance you want in a between-the-tackles runner.  He could have a big year after transferring to Ohio St. and go even higher than this but he’s easily worth a first-round pick. 

21. Dallas Cowboys:  Tetairoa McMillan     WR     Arizona

The Cowboys are going to have plenty to worry about over the next year trying to sign CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons to contract extensions and deciding if they are sticking with Dak Prescott at QB.  One thing is clear no matter what happens with Lamb and Prescott, they need more WR help.  McMillan might be gone before this because at 6’5 he has elite size as an outside receiver.  Lamb can line up at any WR spot so having a guy like McMillan to put outside and just let him play there would work just fine. 

22. Philadelphia Eagles:  Colston Loveland     TE     Michigan

Howie Roseman is known for drafting guys a year before he needs them.  Dallas Goedert will be 30 during the 2025 season and he’s going to start getting expensive.  With two very expensive WRs they need to look at saving money and a rookie TE replacing Goedert would work.  Loveland is a great athlete with all the skills you want in a TE. 

23. Cleveland Browns:  Nic Scourton     DE     Texas A&M

The Browns re-signed Za’Darius Smith at end after he played well opposite Myles Garrett last year, but he’s 32 already.  They need to get younger on the defensive line and Scourton would be a solid choice.  He just transferred to Texas A&M after being a top sack guy at Purdue.  He has great size and is a natural pass rusher.  They need someone to help them keep Garrett clean as they try to take advantage of Garrett’s best years. 

24. Buffalo Bills:  Emeka Egbuka     WR     Ohio St.

Egbuka is coming off a lost year after dealing with an injury most of last year but he returned to Ohio St. to rebuild his draft stock.  He’s an elite mover, he gets in and out of his breaks well and runs good routes.  The Bills drafted Keon Coleman as their big outside WR and Egbuka would be the perfect complementary piece.  Rebuilding Josh Allen’s WR group should be priority if they want to get the best out of their offense. 

25. Baltimore Ravens:  Princely Umanmielen      Edge     Mississippi

The Ravens re-signed Kyle Van Noy again because they just don’t know if they can count on their young edge rushers yet.  They need Odafe Oweh, David Ojabo, or Adisa Isaac to prove they can consistently pressure the QB.  If those guys don’t figure it out, they will have to draft another edge guy.  Umanmielen has been a solid pass rusher at Florida and now he’ll try one more time at Ole Miss this season. 

26. Los Angeles Rams:  Tacario Davis     CB     Arizona

Davis is long and lean but he’s stronger than he looks and the Rams need some help at CB.  They signed veterans Tre’Davious White and Darious Williams and neither is a long-term solution.  They did as much as could reasonably be asked on defense for this upcoming season but they aren’t done remaking the unit.  Davis would be a nice start in redoing the CB position. 

27. Green Bay Packers:  Jabbar Muhammad     CB     Oregon

The Packers have to decide what they are doing with Eric Stokes as he comes towards the end of his rookie deal.  Jaire Alexander is pretty expensive for guy who misses time with injuries.  They like Carrington Valentine and Keisen Nixon but there are question marks all over their CB spot.  Muhammad is a tough cover guy who is transferring to Oregon after being a starter at Washington and he has the requisite skills to be an NFL starter, even if he isn’t the biggest CB. 

28. Cincinnati Bengals:  Abdul Carter     Edge     Penn St.

The Bengals need some juice off the edge and while Carter is more of a LB than a DE, he has the speed and athleticism this team is lacking on the edge.  They could look at a more traditional DE like Jack Sawyer but he’s basically just Sam Hubbard 2.0 and they need to do better.  Carter is a freaky athlete and would probably be a designated pass rusher to start, they need that. 

29. Houston Texans:  Kenneth Grant     DT     Michigan

The Texans signed several veteran free agents on defense and that included Foley Fatukasi and Denico Autry at DT.  Neither of those two are young guys and they could use some youth on the d-line.  Grant is a mammoth 6’3 340 lbs. DT who would help take the pressure off Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson outside.  The other possibility here is going with WR Evan Stewart if they decide not to bring Stefon Diggs back in 2025. 

30. Detroit Lions:  Evan Stewart     WR     Oregon

If Jameson Williams fails to impress this season, it will be time for the team to look for a new deep threat.  They are counting on Williams to finally live up to his first-round billing and be the complement to Amon-Ra St. Brown.  If not, Stewart could be that deep threat.  He’s not a big outside player but he has versatility and downfield speed. 

31. San Francisco 49ers:  Jack Sawyer     DE     Ohio St.

The 49ers redid their DE depth chart behind Nick Bosa with a couple of free agent deals for Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos.  Those deals are essentially one-year deals so if they don’t work out they move on.  Sawyer isn’t the dynamic pass rusher Bosa is but he has a quick first step and some real power in his bull rush, he’s a tough player.  Unless Drake Jackso takes a dramatic step forward this team could use some long-term help at DE opposite Bosa. 

32. Kansas City Chiefs:  Walter Nolen     DT     Mississippi

Chris Jones has a big contract now but he is almost 30 and the other starter at DT, Derrick Nnadi is in the last year of his contract.  Backup Mike Pennel is 33 and there isn’t any proven depth beyond them.  Nolen is big, athletic, and might have a chance to take over for Jones eventually and complement him for now. 

Disclaimer: There is something everyone needs to know about this draft. Somewhere around the middle of round five this draft took a serious dive in quality. There were somewhere around 150-160 good prospects in this draft and then there was a cliff. Some teams reached before the 150th pick so the depth goes a little farther but by the time rounds six and seven came around, it got pretty bleak. There were a few contributing factors. One is the covid year has given players the opportunity to stay in college for an extra year and plenty of guys are taking that opportunity. Second is the name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities for guys to make money in college. Being a late round pick isn’t as attractive if you can get paid to be a good player in college. Finally, the transfer portal (coupled with NIL) means guys don’t have to go pro to cash in. If another school wants you more than the one you’re at (this is especially true for small school guys), just transfer somewhere and take the payday. There are usually between 100-130 early entry candidates for the draft, this year, there were less than 60 and it showed.

Atlanta Falcons

(8) Michael Penix Jr QB Washington
(35) Ruke Orhorhoro DT Clemson
(74) Bralen Trice Edge Washington
(109) Brandon Dorlus DL Oregon
(143) JD Bertrand LB Notre Dame
(186) Jase McClellan RB Alabama
(187) Casey Washington WR Illinois
(197) Zion Logue DL Georgia

Immediate Impact: None (I almost just put a laughing emoji, except it’s not that funny)

This team signed Kirk Cousins because they want to compete right now, then they drafted no one of consequence. Weird strategy. Are we sure Bill Belichick didn’t run this draft?

Best Value: Edge Bralen Trice

Trice is a quality pass rusher who lacks ideal speed and quickness but he wins with relentlessness and intelligence. He understands pass rush moves and how to use them. He’s a quality player and with only Arnold Ebiketie and Lorenzo Carter ahead of him, he’ll get used by the Falcons.

Sleeper: DL Brandon Dorlus

Dorlus is like the larger version of Trice, he’ll play up front on the d-line instead of at OLB like Trice but he’s a solid player who lacks elite athleticism. He has size and power to play multiple spots on the defensive line and give Raheem Morris and Jimmy Lake some options up front. He’s not going to overwhelm anyone but he’s going to be a solid player.

Overall Analysis
This is probably the only draft I like less than the Jaguars draft, at least the Jaguars got someone in round one I like. This draft will be defined by the Michael Penix Jr. pick but not just because he’s a QB and it was a truly baffling pick. The rest of this draft is just underwhelming players with what feels like a lot of low ceilings. The Penix pick has been dissected to hell. The process of paying Kirk Cousins $100 million in guaranteed money and then drafting a soon-to-be 24-year-old rookie QB is just bad team building. Because of the eventual dead money on Cousins’ contract if you want out in two years, you never reap the benefits of a rookie QB contract before you would have to pay Penix. They followed that pick up with more head scratchers.

DT Ruke Orhorhoro is a raw interior defensive lineman who’s a little light against the run and really raw as a pass rusher. He’s not going to help a team looking to win this year very much. Also, they traded up to get him when they already have their starting defensive linemen and if they really wanted a defensive lineman, why not draft Johnny Newton? Again, bad process and a suspect prospect. Bralen Trice and Brandon Dorlus are solid additions to the front seven but this team needs difference makers, especially pass rushers, and none of the three guys (Orhorhoro, Trice, or Dorlus) fill that need. LB JD Bertrand is depth piece at LB. Sixth round RB Jase McClellan is maybe the fourth RB on the depth chart, if he makes the roster. WR Casey Washington might make the roster but that says more about the depth after their top three guys than it does about him. DL Zion Logue is fighting an uphill battle against a veteran starting group and the two defensive linemen they took before him.

Carolina Panthers

(32) Xavier Legette WR South Carolina
(46) Jonathan Brooks RB Texas
(72) Trevin Wallace LB Kentucky
(101) Ja’Tavion Sanders TE Texas
(157) Chau Smith-Wade CB Washington St.
(200) Jaden Crumedy DL Mississippi St.
(240) Michael Barrett LB Michigan

Immediate Impact: WR Xavier Legette

The Panthers remade their WR group with trade for Diontae Johnson from Pittsburgh and the slight move up into round one to get Xavier Legette. Legette was a one-year wonder at South Carolina last season but it was a big year. He’s a big, physical WR with elite speed, it’s his understanding of the position that might slow him down. With Johnson and the returning Adam Theilen, Bryce Young won’t have to rely on Legette in critical situations but they need him to be playmaker in this offense, they don’t have many big-play guys.

Best Value: TE Ja’Tavion Sanders

I liked Sanders as a second-round pick and he went in round 4. The Panthers aren’t great at TE and Sanders can take the job from Tommy Tremble. Young isn’t a great over-the-middle passer but Sanders will be a better target than the other TEs they have so that might improve. Sanders isn’t the most athletic TE but neither was Sam LaPorta in last year’s draft and that worked out just fine.

Sleeper: CB Chau Smith-Wade

The team has Jaycee Horn who they are counting on to be the CB1. They signed veteran Dane Jackson for the other outside spot. Troy Hill is penciled in as the nickel back but he’ll be 33 this year and has bounced around a bit. Smith-Wade is a little undersized which is why he will move inside to slot corner and his toughness and attitude will serve him well. I think he will beat out Hill and he has a chance to be a good nickel corner.

Overall Analysis
The Young trade is still hanging over this team and now Young’s presence is dictating more moves to try to make him better. The Johnson trade was to get Young a dependable pass catcher and then they traded up a spot to get Legette to give Young an outside playmaker. Taking draft picks to give your young QB some help is fine but when you’re doing it trying to fix him, that’s not a great place to be. RB Jonathan Brooks is a very talented RB who will eventually be the starter here but it will take some time. He had knee injury late last season at Texas so he won’t be 100% to start the year. They shouldn’t rush him back, this team isn’t ready to compete anyway, make sure he’s fully healthy before he’s given a big workload. He has a huge upside if they do it right.

LB Trevin Wallace is a superb athlete who relies too heavily on his athleticism to get him out of trouble and gets blocked a little to easily. He’ll sit behind Shaq Thompson and Josey Jewell and hopefully pick up some tricks of the trade from those two very talented veterans. Sanders can be very useful and he was a value pick for sure in round four. Smith-Wade was nice pickup for the defense too, he can play. The last two guys are depth pieces at best, like I said, this wasn’t a great draft late.

New Orleans Saints

(14) Taliese Fuaga OT Oregon St.
(41) Kool-Aid McKinstry CB Alabama
(150) Spencer Rattler QB South Carolina
(170) Bub Means WR Pittsburgh
(175) Jaylan Ford LB Texas
(199) Khristian Boyd DL Northern Iowa
(239) Josiah Ezirim OL Eastern Kentucky

Immediate Impact: OT Taliese Fuaga

The Saints offensive line was a mess last year with Trevor Penning failing pretty spectacularly at LT and Ryan Ramczyk’s knee injury at RT. They need help and Fuaga is the guy. He’s likely to start at LT for now unless Penning miraculously figures it out there, then they could move Fuaga to the right side. I would guess they might try Penning at RT instead.

Best Value: CB Kool-Aid McKinstry

He didn’t have the season people were expecting last year at Alabama but he was still pretty good. He has all the skills you look for in starting CB and while he’s unlikely to start this year with Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo in front of him, he’s a future starting CB. He fell a bit just like so many other defensive players so he was a value pick in round two.

Sleeper: QB Spencer Rattler

I was never on the Spencer Rattler hype train especially when he was the guy people were talking about as a potential #1 overall pick before the season where he ended up getting benched for Caleb Williams at Oklahoma. That said, he has a chance here. Jake Haener is the only guy he has to beat out for the backup job so that’s not too hard. Derek Carr’s contract makes him entrenched on the roster but Klint Kubiak, the new offensive coordinator, is going to have his work cut out for him making Carr any good. Rattler has the arm talent to win over coaches and the confidence to win over the locker room.

Overall Analysis
This team had a first-round pick who’s an instant starter, a second-round pick who’s an eventual starter and then they didn’t pick again until the fifth round. I like Fuaga and McKinstry and I completely understand taking a shot on Rattler. He’s never been my cup of tea but he was well worth a fifth-round pick. WR Bub Means feels like about 10 previous mid to late round WRs the Saints have drafted over the years. He’ll be depth but not much else for a couple of years and then he turns into Tre’Quan Smith. LB Jaylan Ford is a long LB with some athleticism, he’s not contributing unless it’s on special teams. DT Khristian Boyd is a big body who adds some depth, he can’t be worse than the last guy they drafted from Northern Iowa (Penning). It would be nice if they found a diamond in the rough at OT in round seven but it’s a long shot.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

(26) Graham Barton C Duke
(57) Chris Braswell Edge Alabama
(89) Tykee Smith S Georgia
(92) Jalen McMillan WR Washington
(125) Bucky Irving RB Oregon
(220) Elijah Klein OL UTEP
(246) Devin Culp TE Washington

Immediate Impact: C Graham Barton, DB Tykee Smith

Barton got lost a bit amongst all the OTs that were first round picks because even though he played LT at Duke, he’s moving all the way inside to center. He’ll be an immediate starter for the Bucs and that will allow them to move Robert Hainsey out to guard which will improve two positions and make their offensive line much better. Barton is going to be very good as a center. Tykee Smith was more of a safety at Georgia but his best position in the NFL is at nickel corner. That happens to be a place the Bucs need someone and he looks like a good bet there.

Best Value: WR Jalen McMillan

I love the Washington WRs and McMillan is going to be a really good pro. He was banged up last year and he still impressed me when he played. The Bucs have Mike Evans and Chris Godwin but Evans will be 31 this year and Godwin is getting expensive and has had some injury issues. The only other young WR they have is Trey Palmer and he and McMillan have complementary skill sets so these two could be the future. McMillan was a steal as a late third round pick.

Sleeper: RB Bucky Irving

He’s undersized and doesn’t have the explosiveness you look for in an elite back but he runs hard and he never gives up on getting an extra yard. The Bucs have Rachaad White and Chase Edmonds, the depth chart isn’t all that intimidating. I could see Irving carving out a role and finding some success behind and improved offensive line. He’s undersized and not fast, that’s what they said about Kyren Williams too.

Overall Analysis
This draft plugged a couple of holes and got this team some depth. Barton fills a need to make the interior of the offensive line better, he does, in a real way. The Chris Braswell pick gives them some depth at edge rusher after losing Shaq Barrett. He’s not a sure thing but as a third or fourth rusher in sub packages, he’s a solid addition. Tykee Smith’s ability to cover the slot can be very useful on this team. The McMillan pick slightly edges out the Barton pick as my favorite in this draft.

Irving isn’t an overwhelming physical talent but he can be useful NFL RB. OL Elijah Klein might make this team as interior offensive line depth, that’s probably his ceiling. TE Devin Culp will have an uphill climb to make this TE roster, it’s not great but there are plenty of veteran bodies ahead of him.

Disclaimer: There is something everyone needs to know about this draft. Somewhere around the middle of round five this draft took a serious dive in quality. There were somewhere around 150-160 good prospects in this draft and then there was a cliff. Some teams reached before the 150th pick so the depth goes a little farther but by the time rounds six and seven came around, it got pretty bleak. There were a few contributing factors. One is the covid year has given players the opportunity to stay in college for an extra year and plenty of guys are taking that opportunity. Second is the name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities for guys to make money in college. Being a late round pick isn’t as attractive if you can get paid to be a good player in college. Finally, the transfer portal (coupled with NIL) means guys don’t have to go pro to cash in. If another school wants you more than the one you’re at (this is especially true for small school guys), just transfer somewhere and take the payday. There are usually between 100-130 early entry candidates for the draft, this year, there were less than 60 and it showed.

Houston Texans

(42) Kamari Lassiter CB Georgia
(59) Blake Fisher OT Notre Dame
(78) Calen Bullock S USC
(123) Cade Stover TE Ohio St.
(188) Jamal Hill LB Oregon
(205) Jawhar Jordan RB Louisville
(238) Solomon Byrd DL USC
(247) Marcus Harris DL Auburn
(249) LaDarius Henderson OL Michigan

Immediate Impact: None

This roster is built around quite a few veterans and the team spent money in free agency to fill their biggest needs. Lassiter and Fisher are two guys who will give them competition at nickel back and right tackle but this team is trying to win right now and they will likely stick with the veterans.

Best Value: OT Blake Fisher

Fisher was the “other” Notre Dame OT by the time this draft rolled around but there was a time he was the guy. He was originally the starting LT early on in his career before an injury opened the door for Joe Alt and Alt took the job. Fisher hasn’t progressed like Alt did but he has plenty of ability. He’s a perfect fit in Bobby Slowik’s Shanahan style offense and Tytus Howard isn’t exactly an entrenched starter at RT. Howard, along with most of the Texans offensive line, had injury issues last year. The difference this year is that if Howard misses time, he’s going to lose his starting job to Fisher. Fisher still has some development ahead but his ceiling is higher than Howards. He also has the versatility to swing over to the left side if Laremy Tunsil has injury issues.

Sleeper: S Callen Bullock

Bullock is a long, skinny safety prospect who can’t tackle. That doesn’t seem like a great bet to be good but he has the athleticism to be good and he’s a good deep safety. Some of his tackling issues are poor angles and fundamentals, that’s something good coaching can help. He didn’t get good fundamental defensive coaching at USC, DeMeco Ryans and his staff will do better and can make Bullock a player.

Overall Analysis
This draft class isn’t going to be the thing that helps the Texans over the hump in the AFC. They accelerated their timeline because CJ Stroud was so good last season that they went and got veterans in trades and free agency to compete now. CB Kamari Lassiter is a good football player with bad measurables they hope can help at nickel corner but they still have Desmond King and they signed Myles Bryant so Lassiter won’t be counted on. Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard are the starting OTs unless they get hurt, then maybe Blake Fisher gets a chance. Calen Bullock will only start if Jimmie Ward gets hurt. Now, Jimmie Ward never plays every game in a season so Bullock will get to play but he’s also not their only backup option.

TE Cade Stover will be a useful player behind Dalton Schultz, he’s a good blocker and is a solid pass catcher. However, the team has Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell, Dalton Schultz, Joe Mixon, and probably one or two backup WRs who will get more volume in the passing game so he’s not going to move the needle. The rest of this draft is very deep depth and practice squad players. GM Nick Caserio quickly remade this roster over the last several years and this team is trying to be more than just a playoff participant.

Indianapolis Colts

(15) Laiatu Latu Edge UCLA
(52) Adonai Mitchell WR Texas
(79) Matt Goncalves OT Pittsburgh
(117) Tanor Bortolini C/G Wisconsin
(142) Anthony Gould WR Oregon St.
(151) Jaylon Carlies S Missouri
(164) Jaylin Simpson S Auburn
(201) Micah Abraham CB Marshall
(234) Jonah Laulu Edge Oklahoma

Immediate Impact: DE Laiatu Latu, WR Adonai Mitchell

Latu is pro-ready and he’s going to end up as a starter by the end of the season. Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam are solid pros but Latu is a better pass rusher than either and he can be better against the run. He’ll factor in immediately as a rotational player but neither Paye or Ebukam had double digit sacks last year, Latu can do that. Mitchell is going to the perfect situation. The on the field issues have to do with work ethic and technique, the off the field issues are about attitude and maturity. Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs are the top two WRs on this team and those two are all about work ethic, technique, and attitude. These are professional men who will set the best example. Also, Mitchell is the perfect complementary piece to Pittman’s intermediate game and Downs’ slot precision. He’s the deep threat Anthony Richardson needs but won’t have to solely rely on.

Best Value: C/G Tanor Bortolini

Bortolini isn’t your typical Wisconsin behemoth lineman, he’s actually extremely athletic and moves really well. He’s not overly powerful, which can get him into trouble but he uses his athleticism to make up for some of that. The Colts offensive line played much better last year but RG Will Fries is still replaceable. Also, Ryan Kelly is a little older at center and even as a fourth-round pick, Bortolini could end up starting at RG now and replacing Kelly eventually.

Sleeper: WR Anthony Gould

Gould is undersized but he has electric speed. He timed 4.39 but when you watch him play, he seems even faster. His frame may mean he has to play in the slot, Josh Downs’ role, but he has a way different skillset to work with. He’s a deep speed guy instead of the quick over-the-middle target Downs is. If they find a way to use his skills in conjunction with Downs, he gives the team another deep threat and he’s a top return man.

Overall Analysis
Latu and Mitchell have clear roles for this team and should contribute early. OT Matt Goncalves is a solid player who can be a nice swing tackle and give them some depth. Adding Goncalves and Bortolini are good moves that give this team more offensive line options and depth. Gould might just be another small speedy guy who never amounts to much or he could end up being a skinnier version of Brandin Cooks.

They took some shots late on some big athletic guys, or as we call them in the draft world, Chris Ballard types. Ballard likes big athletic dudes he thinks he can turn into something. Carlies and Laulu were those types of guys at safety and defensive end. They don’t always mean much but sometimes they hit. Micah Abraham and Jaylin Simpson were more draft picks in the secondary, Ballard was going for the dartboard approach, throw a lot of darts at it and see it you hit anything.

Jacksonville Jaguars

(23) Brian Thomas Jr. WR LSU
(48) Maason Smith DT LSU
(96) Jarrian Jones DB Florida St.
(114) Javon Foster OL Missouri
(116) Jordan Jefferson DT LSU
(153) Deantre Prince CB Mississippi
(167) Keilan Robinson RB Texas
(212) Cam Little K Arkansas
(236) Myles Cole LB Texas Tech

Immediate Impact: WR Brian Thomas Jr.

The Jaguars wanted to keep Calvin Ridley around but he chose to leave for Tennessee so they end up drafting a bigger, faster, more explosive replacement and they may have just found the #1 WR Trevor Lawrence has been looking for since he entered the league. Thomas isn’t a finished product but he’s better than Gabe Davis and he’s a legitimate threat in the passing game.

Best Value: WR Brian Thomas Jr.

The Jaguars traded down from the 17th pick and still got the guy they probably would have taken there at 23. He isn’t a sure thing like the top three receivers in this draft seem to be but he’s well worth this pick.

Sleeper: OL Javon Foster

The team re-signed Ezra Cleveland and restructured Brandon Scherff’s contract so they should be set at the guard spots. However, this offensive line was not good last year and as great as Scherff has been in his career, he’s going to be 33 and costs way more than he’s worth. Foster was a college tackle that will move inside to guard in the pros, that’s exactly what Scherff and Cleveland did. Foster has the size and power to be a really good guard and while he isn’t set to be a starter this year, Scherff has missed plenty of time to injury before and Foster should eventually be a starter inside.

Overall Analysis
Trent Baalke had me fooled on night one of the draft, he traded back and still got Brian Thomas Jr. and that was a job well done. Then the rest of the draft happened and he went back to being bad at this. DT Maason Smith was a high-level recruit out of high school but he never lived up to that billing and he simply wasn’t a second-round talent. DB Jarrian Jones was a reach, they certainly have a need at CB but Jones isn’t going to be a high impact player. Foster was a good choice in round four but then he followed that up by drafting the other LSU DT, Jordan Jefferson, too high. He clearly watched a lot of LSU last season.
Fifth rounder Deantre Prince has as much of a chance at helping at CB as Jones does from the third round. They drafted RB Keilan Robinson in round five and he’s going to be buried on the depth chart. K Cam Little might have a leg up on Riley Patterson since they spent a pick on him but there’s no guarantee he beats him out. Myles Cole is a really long edge rusher who has plenty of work to do to make a roster. This doesn’t feel like a draft that’s going to save Trent Baalke and Doug Pederson’s jobs.

Tennessee Titans

(7) JC Latham OT Alabama
(38) T’Vondre Sweat DT Texas
(106) Cedric Gray LB North Carolina
(146) Jarvis Brownlee Jr. CB Louisville
(182) Jha’Quan Jackson WR Tulane
(242) James Williams S Miami
(252) Jaylen Harrell LB Michigan

Immediate Impact: OT JC Latham, DT T’Vondre Sweat

The Titans have a new head coach in Brian Callahan and their new offensive line coach is his dad Bill Callahan, there is no more Bill Callahan offensive lineman than Latham. He’s essentially a huge bowling ball, the problem is he only played RT at Alabama and the Titans need him to play LT. If anyone can turn him into a LT, Bill Callahan can. T’Vondre Sweat is a bigger gamble. He’s going to have a major impact I’m just not sure it’s going to be a good impact or a bad one. Sweat is a walking red flag. He has off the field issues like his DUI just weeks before the draft and the fact that his weight is an issue too. He has the ability to be a very disruptive force but he has to get out of his own way.

Best Value: LB Cedric Gray

Gray is an instinctive LB prospect with good athleticism, long arms, and is a solid tackler. The Titans are counting on Jack Gibbens and Kenneth Murray at ILB so there’s a chance Gray gets in the lineup quickly. Neither of those two are established starters and Gray has the type of ability you want in a LB. They got him in round four and it’s possible he ends up a starter in Tennessee.

Sleeper: S James Williams

Williams is a big safety at 6’5 215 lbs. and there’s a chance the Titans plan on making him into a LB. He has the athleticism to do that and more but he has to work on his tackling. When he gets to the ball, he can lower the boom but sometimes he misses the tackle all together going for the big shot. He certainly looks the part of a top-flight NFL defender but he doesn’t always play like it.

Overall Analysis
The team went heavy on the defensive side of the ball with only sixth round WR Jha’Quan Jackson joining Latham on the offensive side. I wouldn’t count on Jackson making a big impact, he’s going to struggle to make the roster. They needed help on the defensive side of the ball after changing from the Mike Vrabel/Shane Bowen scheme to a more Baltimore Ravens scheme brought on by new coordinator Dennard Wilson. If Williams ends up a LB that would put three in this group with Gray and seventh rounder Jayden Harrell. Harrell would be an outside pass rusher while Williams and Gray play inside. Harrell has a little juice off the edge and was a nice pick late in the draft. Jarvis Brownlee Jr. gives them another body at CB but he’s way down the depth chart. This draft will be judged by Latham and Sweat because they have the potential to fill major holes on the team and yet both are a bit of a gamble. Latham isn’t a LT by trade and Sweat could be out of the league in two years if he doesn’t get his life squared away.

Disclaimer: There is something everyone needs to know about this draft. Somewhere around the middle of round five this draft took a serious dive in quality. There were somewhere around 150-160 good prospects in this draft and then there was a cliff. Some teams reached before the 150th pick so the depth goes a little farther but by the time rounds six and seven came around, it got pretty bleak. There were a few contributing factors. One is the covid year has given players the opportunity to stay in college for an extra year and plenty of guys are taking that opportunity. Second is the name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities for guys to make money in college. Being a late round pick isn’t as attractive if you can get paid to be a good player in college. Finally, the transfer portal (coupled with NIL) means guys don’t have to go pro to cash in. If another school wants you more than the one you’re at (this is especially true for small school guys), just transfer somewhere and take the payday. There are usually between 100-130 early entry candidates for the draft, this year, there were less than 60 and it showed.

Arizona Cardinals

(4) Marvin Harrison Jr. WR Ohio St.
(27) Darius Robinson DL Missouri
(43) Max Melton CB Rutgers
(66) Trey Benson RB Florida St.
(71) Isaiah Adams OG Illinois
(82) Tip Reiman TE Illinois
(90) Elijah Jones CB Boston College
(104) Dadrion Taylor-Demerson S Texas Tech
(138) Xavier Thomas DL Clemson
(162) Christian Jones OT Texas
(191) Tejhaun Palmer WR UAB
(226) Jaden Davis CB Miami

Immediate Impact: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., DL Darius Robinson, CB Max Melton, G Isaiah Adams

The Cardinals had lots of picks and they needed to get some impact players, they did. These four will have and immediate impact but there are others who can be contributors too. WR Marvin Harrison Jr is going to be awesome and he’s going to make Kyler Murray very happy. Drew Petzing is the offensive coordinator and he’s going to use Harrison early and often. Also on offense, OG Isaiah Adams comes in from Illinois and there’s no chance he doesn’t beat out Elijah Wilkinson at LG. He immediately helps this offensive line.

On defense they needed even more help and Darius Robinson is just the type of big, powerful DE they can use in their front. They can mix and match him with various fronts and move him inside or out and he gives them a power rusher who can come from multiple spots. Max Melton is a very athletic CB who wasn’t considered one of the top CB prospects but still a good one. He isn’t a true #1 CB but he might have to play one for this team for at least a year. He’ll be one of the better CBs they have had in a few years.

Best Value: RB Trey Benson

The running game has been highly dependent on James Connor the past few years and they needed more help. Benson might be the best RB in this draft and they got him in round three. He’ll be a perfect complement to Connor for now and if Connor gets banged up, he’s ready to step in. Also, as Connor gets a little older, Benson will be the guy to step in as the starter.

Sleeper: OT Christian Jones

The team cut DJ Humphries and signed Jonah Williams from Cincinnati and apparently plan to play him as their LT. That seems odd since they drafted Paris Johnson Jr. last year and he would be a better LT and Williams played RT last year for the Bengals. I also think Jones might be a better long-term solution at RT than Williams who isn’t special at either spot. I think Jones could end up with the RT job with Johnson on the left.

Overall Analysis
This is a huge draft class with a dozen players. This team needed talent and depth and Monti Ossenfort did a fantastic job. Harrison becomes their top playmaker. Darius Robinson is their most talented defensive lineman. Max Melton is arguably their best CB. Trey Benson is a dynamic running back. Isaiah Adams is a starting level guard. The first five picks are going to help this team. TE Tip Reiman is a huge prospect who is a top-level blocker immediately at the position which makes him the perfect partner for Trey McBride who is the playmaking TE.

CB Elijah Jones isn’t a perfect prospect but in this secondary, he’s got a chance to earn a spot. The same is true for Dadrion Taylor-Demerson at safety. DE Xavier Thomas and OT Christian Jones were top recruits going into college and they offer good value late in the draft. The team just signed Zay Jones after the draft and with him and Marvin Harrison Jr. added to the corps it’s going to be harder for Tejhaun Palmer to make the roster. Jaden Davis may be an undersized seventh-round pick at CB but this team needs all the help they can get.

Los Angeles Rams

(19) Jared Verse Edge Florida St.
(39) Braden Fiske DT Florida St.
(83) Blake Corum RB Michigan
(99) Kamren Kinchens S Miami
(154) Brennan Jackson LB Washington St.
(196) Tyler Davis DL Clemson
(209) Joshua Karty K Stanford
(213) Jordan Whittington WR Texas
(217) Beaux Limmer C/G Arkansas
(254) KT Leveston OT Kansas St.

Immediate Impact: DE Jared Verse, DT Braden Fiske

The Rams are losing Aaron Donald to retirement and they knew they couldn’t replace him with just one player. They have decided to bring in multiple reinforcements on the defense line to get more pass rush and make up the difference that way. Verse fills a huge need as an edge rusher, something they needed even if Donald had returned. They also traded up in round two to get his Florida St. teammate Fiske. These two are used to working together and the team hopes that gives them a leg up so they can pay immediate dividends.

Best Value: DE Jared Verse

Verse was arguably the best overall edge player in the draft and because of the run on offense to start he fell to 19th overall. The Rams didn’t even have to move up to get a guy they really liked who fills a huge need.

Sleeper: S Kamren Kinchens

The Rams signed Kamren Curl in free agency and then drafted Kamren Kinchens and this could end up being their starting safety duo. Kinchens looks good when he’s playing football but he looked terrible when he worked out. He’s not a top athlete but when it comes to safety, intelligence and instincts can make up for a lack of athleticism. I would not have liked him as much in round two but he’s worth the round three pick they used on him.

Overall Analysis
It’s hard to argue with Rams strategy when they went defense with four of their first five picks, they needed help on that side of the ball. It’s also hard to argue with the players they took after how good their draft was on defense last year, they found some real bargains. Verse, Fiske, and Kinchens are starters or potential starters. LB Brennan Jackson gives them even more depth as a rusher and they needed that. I could argue they went a little early on Blake Corum but he’s almost a clone of Kyren Williams physically and stylistically and Williams was great when healthy last season. Now, if Williams gets hurt, they have a guy they can put in who’s style they know works in what they do.

DT Tyler Davis gives them more depth on the front line, they need that. They drafted a kicker which isn’t always a good idea but when you have this many picks, take a shot on one. Jordan Whittington is a big-bodied WR, if anyone makes him work, it’s Sean McVay. The last two offensive linemen are depth pieces. Limmer might have a future at center somewhere but they just moved Steve Avila there so he probably backs up at guard. KT Levenston was a tackle in college and he probably moves to guard. With Jonah Jackson’s health history, taking a couple of shots at interior offensive line isn’t a bad idea.

San Francisco 49ers

(31) Ricky Pearsall WR Florida
(64) Renardo Green CB Florida St.
(86) Dominick Puni OL Kansas
(124) Malik Mustapha S Wake Forest
(129) Isaac Guerendo RB Louisville
(135) Jacob Cowing WR Arizona
(215) Jarrett Kingston OL USC
(251) Tatum Bethune LB Florida St.

Immediate Impact: CB Renardo Green, OL Dominick Puni

The 49ers have a need at outside CB with Charvarius Ward holding down one spot and Deommodore Lenoir being better suited inside. I’m not the biggest Green fan but he’s an upgrade over Ambrey Thomas and his skillset fits the 49ers defense. He should start. Puni has a chance to earn a starting spot at either RG over Jon Feliciano or possibly at RT over Colton McKivitz. He should fit Kyle Shanahan’s scheme quite well.

Best Value: OL Dominick Puni

If Puni can win a starting job out of training camp, he’s a major value. He’s an upgrade for the offensive line at either position on the right side. Shanahan took him for a reason and it wasn’t to be a backup.

Sleeper: WR Jacob Cowing

Small and speedy but he’s good after the catch which makes him a good fit here. The team has questions after Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk at WR which is why they took Ricky Pearsall in round one. They went back to the well with Cowing later because they need depth. If they trade one of Aiyuk or Samuel than Pearsall steps up but they still need Cowing. He can work in this offense.

Overall Analysis
Ricky Pearsall is a solid WR prospect but his impact will be minimal unless this team trades Samuel or Aiyuk. With those two plus George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey as playmakers, the third WR in this offense is the fifth option at best, assuming he’s ahead of Kyle Jusczcyk. Green and Puni have starting spots available if they beat out middling talent ahead of them. Fourth round pick Malik Mustapha is a good safety prospect who could be their answer to losing Jimmie Ward last year. He’s small but mighty.

Shanahan then took a RB in round four, Isaac Guerendo, which shocks absolutely no one. Guerendo brings some serious speed to the position and he’s a big guy for having so much speed. He wasn’t a starter in college so he’s probably just a complementary back. I think Cowing can be a solid player if he gets a chance. OL Jarrett Kingston is a versatile player, never count out a lineman Kyle Shanahan drafted. The seventh round LB is probably not making the roster.

Seattle Seahawks

(16) Byron Murphy II DT Texas
(81) Christian Haynes OG UConn
(118) Tyrice Knight LB UTEP
(121) AJ Barner TE Michigan
(136) Nehemiah Prichett CB Auburn
(179) Sataoa Laumea OL Utah
(192) DJ James CB Auburn
(207) Mike Jerrell OT Findlay

Immediate Impact: DT Byron Murphy II, OG Christian Haynes

I don’t particularly care that Dre’Mont Jones, Leonard Williams, and Jarran Reed are the likely starters on the defensive line, Murphy is going to wreak havoc when he’s on the field. Mike Macdonald came from Baltimore where Justin Madubuike just had a huge year, Murphy is that type of disruptor. Haynes will start at RG with Laken Tomlinson at LG. Maybe he didn’t have as good of a year as some thought he would but watch him for any length of time and he’s clearly as starting NFL guard, good thing too because the Seahawks needed one.

Best Value: OG Christian Haynes

I don’t want to put too big of expectations on this guy but he’s really good. His awareness and instincts are just top-notch. I really thought he’d go higher so the Seahawks stole a good one.

Sleeper: CB DJ James

The Seahawks took his teammate Nehemiah Prichett almost 60 picks earlier than him but I like James a little more. He doesn’t show great speed on film and he’s a little skinny but Seattle has Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon to take on the bigger guys. I think James can stick around, find a spot as nickel corner when Witherspoon lines up outside and his CB skills will shine through.

Overall Analysis
This team stuck at #16 overall and Byron Murphy II fell into their laps, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. The Christian Haynes picks was also great since they desperately needed a starting OG and one of the best ones was still available in round three. LB Tyrice Knight is a guy I know little about since he played at UTEP but this team needs some depth at ILB so don’t count him out. TE AJ Barner is a good pickup because he’s a dirty work sort of player and should pair nicely with Noah Fant.

While I like James more than Prichett at CB both of these guys could help out. After Woolen and Witherspoon it’s not exactly a who’s who on the CB depth chart. These two can both make the roster and play especially if Coby Bryant is moved to safety. The two sixth round picks sandwiched around James were offensive linemen. This team has a lot of veteran players as backups on the offensive line so it’s going to be hard for two late round guys to make the roster.