Tag: nfl

2025 NFC North Preview

Detroit Lions

The Lions went 15-2 last season but came up short in the playoffs and now they have to replace both their offensive and defensive coordinators along with a number of coaches on the staff.  Dan Campbell hired John Morton to replace Ben Johnson at OC and promoted LB coach Kelvin Sheppard to replace Aaron Glenn as DC.  The roster returns almost every key piece and that will help the transition. 

QB Jared Goff comes back as the steady piece of the offense but he will have John Morton calling plays and a new guy, David Shaw (passing game coordinator), in his ear.  Losing Johnson and coaches like Tanner Engstrand, Antwaan Randle-El, and JT Barrett will put more on Goff to keep the offense on track.  Mark Brunell returns as QB coach and Hank Fraley is the offensive line coach and run game coordinator, that’s good news. 

Amon-Ra St. Brown returns as the alpha dog of this pass game, he’s incredibly productive.  Last season, they finally got Jameson Williams to be the type of playmaker they hoped he would be.  It’s up to Morton, Shaw, and the others to keep him progressing.  They have TE Sam LaPorta as arguably their second-best pass catcher although he had a bit of a down year last season.  With St. Brown, Williams, and LaPorta, they don’t have a huge need for more production from the pass catching group but they hope either Tim Patrick can stay healthy this season or rookie Isaac TeSlaa steps up for the third WR spot. TeSlaa has had an excellent preseason and it’s just a matter of time before he passes Patrick. 

Fraley is one of the better offensive line coaches in the league and some teams looked at him pretty hard for their OC job.  He returns to Detroit with the run game coordinator title and they will need some help from him keeping the offense running.  Jamyr Gibbs broke out last season and showed he can be a top-level RB and David Montgomery can still be productive. 

The offensive line has been top-notch for years but that will be put to the test this season.  LT Taylor Decker is still as solid as they come and RT Penei Sewell is arguably the best RT in the league who isn’t Lane Johnson.  The interior of the line is the question.  C Frank Ragnow retired this summer and Kevin Zeitler left in free agency.  The team drafted Tate Ratledge knowing they would need him with Zeitler leaving.  That also means they are counting heavily on Christian Mahogany’s development as a second-year guy.  Graham Glasgow was the LG last year and struggled, they are moving him to center to step in for Ragnow.  Glasgow isn’t great at center but for now he’s a better option than trying to teach the rookie Ratledge a new position before he’s even played a snap in the NFL.  They are dangerously thin on the line and the interior of the line is compromised and could be their Achilles heel. 

The defense is also changing the coordinator as Kelvin Sheppard was promoted to DC when Aaron Glenn took the Jet’s job.  Sheppard knows this defense well and these players so it should be a simpler transition.  The defense will be built around the talent of Aidan Hutchinson as he returns at DE from his season ending injury.  He should be 100% for the season but he needs some help off the edge.  The team has been trying to find a suitable complement at DE and they are running it back with Marcus Davenport, who missed almost all last season after signing with them.  They may need to look to re-sign Za’Darius Smith if Davenport doesn’t hold up again.  AT DT they still have DJ Reader and Alim McNeill is returning from injury too.  They drafted Tyliek Williams so he steps in as a starter until McNeil is ready.    

The LB corps feature Alez Anzalone, Jack Campbell, and Derrick Barnes, assuming they are all healthy.  That’s an assumption that could prove untrue but they are solid if those guys are playing.  The secondary just re-signed S Kerby Joseph to a massive contract and he and Brian Branch are an excellent duo at safety.  CB DJ Reed was signed to replace Carlton Davis.  Reed is more of a CB2 so they are clearly hoping Terrion Arnold ascends to the CB1 spot in year two.  Amik Robertson is the nickel with Rock Ya-Sin and Avonte Maddox as depth pieces. 

The Lions will be good once again but the coaching staff changes, the interior offensive line issues and the health on defense are all reasons to question where this team ends up.  The NFC North is not for the faint of heart and if this team’s performance slips even a little bit, all three teams in the division could give them trouble. 

Green Bay Packers

The Packers were 11-6 last year and they return everyone of consequence and have added a few key players.  Matt LeFleur is one of the better coaches in the NFL and his staff is intact for the most part so they are counting largely on the development of their younger players to help get them over the hump in the playoffs.  It all starts with QB Jordan Love.  He’s a truly talented player who they need to stay healthy and he should be entering his prime.  He’s already dealing with a thumb issue and they hope it doesn’t hamper him all season.    

The Packers have a bevy of young WRs to like but they don’t have that one ace they can count on when the chips are down.  For the first time in about a quarter century they invested a first-round pick in a WR, Matthew Golden.  He wasn’t my favorite prospect but it’s easy to see how he fits their needs. Christian Watson has been their only real deep threat for the past few years and he’s been inconsistent and is coming off an injury.  Golden can be that guy instead and really complement Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs.  It also means counting less on Dontayvion Wicks, he’s a guy with suspect hands.  The TE position is in good hands with Tucker Kraft really breaking out last season and Luke Musgrave is good when he’s healthy. 

RB Josh Jacobs pretty much carries the running game on his back at this point until they can get something out of MarShawn Lloyd, he’s already banged up.  Jacobs fits the scheme quite well and while he’s only 27, he’s got a lot of carries on his legs.  It would be helpful if Lloyd could take some of the load.  The running game should be aided by the addition of LG Aaron Banks.  The team spent big to bring him in as a free agent and he allows them to move Elgton Jenkins to center.  Jenkins is an upgrade at center over Josh Myers assuming he agrees to move to center.  Jenkins didn’t seem thrilled about the possibility after Banks was signed.  LT Rasheed Wallace is a decent starter and RT Zach Tom is a good starter on the opposite side.  The team should be hoping Jordan Morgan wins the RG job after they drafted him in round one last year but they are also getting him time at LT.  Wallace is in a contract year and they just gave RT Zach Tom a contract extension so Wallace is probably a free agent next off season.    

Jeff Hafley took over the defense last year and transitioned them to more of a 4-3 base defense and while they weren’t elite, the defense was pretty good.  DEs Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness are penciled in to start.  Gary is an accomplished player who had 7.5 sacks last year. They would like a little more out of him but it’s Van Ness who really has to step up.  As a former first-round pick, he needs to give them more than three sacks.  They aren’t that deep on the edge so fourth-round pick Barryn Sorrell has a chance to play.  The DT rotation has Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, and Karl Brooks after TJ Slaton left in free agency. Those guys are solid on the inside, it’s the edge that needs better production.   

The LB corps still has Quay Walker but they are going to be playing Edgerrin Cooper more.  Isaiah McDuffie and Ty’Ron Hopper will fill roles too.  Walker is coming off an injury and needs to steady his play if he wants to continue to play.  The secondary has Xavier McKinney at SS and then there are questions all around.  Evan Williams stepped in at safety as a rookie and played well and they hope their other rookie from last year, Javon Bullard, becomes their full-time nickel.  The team finally cut Jaire Alexander at CB but that leaves them with an unproven group at CB.  Keisean Nixon played well last year on the outside but he came up as a nickel corner and doesn’t have a long track record on the outside.  They signed Nate Hobbs to be the other CB; he’s also mostly been a nickel.  Nixon and Hobbs on the outside is tenuous at best.  Carrington Valentine is the other option. 

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are coming off an incredible 14-3 season where they finished one game behind the Lions in the division.  Head coach Kevin O’Connell is known as a QB savant and that reputation was only enhanced by the season Sam Darnold had under O’Connell.  Darnold was great until the last couple of games of the year and that’s why they didn’t re-sign him.  O’Connell will look to work his magic with JJ McCarthy this season.

After sitting out his rookie year with a knee injury, it’s McCarthy’s job now and he steps into an even better situation than Darnold had.  Justin Jefferson is arguably the best WR in the game, it’s either him or Ja’Marr Chase.  Jordan Addison is a great second WR and the team has TE TJ Hockenson, who should only be better another year removed from his ACL injury.  That’s three top receiving options for McCarthy.  The problem is that Addison is suspended for the first three games of the season, Jefferson is dealing with a hamstring injury, and even Jalen Nailor is banged up. Nailor isn’t the best option at WR3 even when healthy which is why the Vikings pulled off the much talked about trade for Adam Thielen. Thielen is a Vikings legend and now he returns to the team. He’s still a productive player even at 35 and he’ll be a reliable target for McCarthy.

The team also went into the off season intent on fixing their interior offensive line issues and they certainly succeeded.The offensive line was abysmal last year on the interior so we have wholesale changes this season. C Ryan Kelly and RG Will Fries were signed as free agents from Indianapolis and the team drafted LG Donovan Jackson in the first round of the draft.  Adding those three to LT Christian Darrisaw, one of the best LTs in football, and RT Brian O’Neill, a very good player himself, and you have an excellent offensive line.  Aaron Jones returns as the main RB but Jones is 30 and he gets banged up.  They didn’t have a great option behind Jones so this off season they traded for Jordan Mason from San Francisco.  He was a very effective back when he played in place of Christian McCaffrey last year, he’s an upgrade to the unit. 

Brian Flores is a defensive mastermind and O’Connell lets him do his thing on defense.  Last year it took some Flores magic to cover some of the holes in the defense so this year they got him a little more help.  The DT position was rough last year so they signed veterans Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave.  Those two are probably upgrades but there are some questions given they are aging players coming off injuries.  Allen probably still has something left in the tank but Hargrave is 32 and it’s not clear he’s going to be the guy he once was.  These two are a big bet that this team needs to pay off.  Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel proved to be excellent additions last year as both guys had double digit sacks.  If they can get last year’s other first-round pick, Dallas Turner (the non-McCarthy pick), to give them anything as a third pass rusher, it takes the defense to a different level.  Ivan Pace Jr. and Blake Cashman are good ILBs who have the skills Flores likes from his LBs.  Pace Jr. was especially affective for Flores. 

The secondary is where things could go wrong for this group.  They re-signed CB Byron Murphy, he’s become a Flores favorite but they are still a bit thin at CB.  Isaiah Rodgers was signed as a free agent to replace Stephon Gilmore.  Rodgers is a lot younger but way less accomplished.  He takes one outside CB spot.  Murphy does some of his best work in the slot so they are hoping either Mekhi Blackmon returns from injury or Jeff Okudah emerges for the other outside CB spot. Harrison Smith is 36 but still getting it done at FS while they hope Josh Mettelus can step in as a full-time player for Cam Bynum and Theo Jackson becomes the third safety. 

Chicago Bears

The Bears could be one of the most improved teams this season over last year and could still finish last in this division, it’s that tough.  They were six games worse than the third place Packers in the division last season.  Ben Johnson and his new coaching staff are probably worth three or four more wins alone after the debacle the end of the Matt Eberflus era was last year.  Johnson is one of the smartest offensive minds in football and he was smart enough to hire Dennis Allen to run his defense.  Allen has proven he’s not a great head coach but he’s also proven he’s a master defensive coordinator. 

Ben Johnson’s most important job is getting QB Caleb Williams to live up to his incredible talent.  Williams has skills that could make him one of the better QBs in the league, but he has to harness those skills in an effective manner.  Johnson can design an offense to highlight Williams and find the best way to use the talent around him, and there’s plenty of it.  WR DJ Moore is a legitimate WR1 in the NFL.  His usage last year was confusing but Johnson will fix that.  WR Rome Odunze is one of the most physically gifted WRs you’ll see, Johnson won’t squander that skill.  They signed Olamide Zaccheaus to be the slot guy and then stumbled into Luther Burden III in round two of the draft, Burden is a playmaker.  TE Cole Kmet is a weapon but rookie TE Colston Loveland might be an upgrade in the passing game. 

The offensive line was the biggest personnel issue last season and it was the interior that was the issue.  The team traded for LG Joe Thuney and RG Jonah Jackson and then signed C Drew Dalman in free agency.  If those three guys are all healthy and playing, that’s a significant upgrade inside.  LT Braxton Jones needs to be healthy and needs to improve. They have spent most of training camp trying to find a different LT but it looks like Jones is still the best bet.  RT Darnell Wright is solid and should benefit from Ben Johnson’s offense.  At RB, D’Andre Swift is the most likely starter and Rochon Johnson shouldn’t be forgotten.  However, rookie seventh rounder Kyle Monangai has really stood out in camp and the coaches love him.  I think he’s going to be the guy by the end of the year. 

Dennis Allen will run the defense and this group should work well for him. DE Montez Sweat isn’t the speed rusher off the edge you typically think of for the top edge guy but Allen prefers big, power DEs.  The team signed Deyo Odeyingbo because he’s also a big power end like Sweat.  This team’s pass rush will come from pushing the pocket more than beating teams off the edge.  At DT they are hoping for development from Gervon Dexter, a talented young player.  They also inexplicably signed Grady Jarrett to a fairly expensive contract.  It’s the one major move that I questioned from the off season but Jarrett is a pro’s pro and the team needs that for sure.  Andrew Billings is still around and they drafted Shemar Turner so hopefully for the Bears, if Jarrett doesn’t pan out on the field, they can cover. 

At LB, MLB Tremaine Edmunds is an expensive player but he’s been solid for them since they signed him as a free agent.  TJ Edwards was brought in at the same time and he’s a good LB too.  They mainly used two LBs last year and if Allen wants to use three, he may have to look to rookie Ruben Hyppolite II because there’s not a lot of depth. 

Mostly they used nickel so they use five defensive backs because they have a strong secondary. CB Jaylon Johnson may not be in the top, elite tier of CBs but he’s the next level down from them.  Tyrique Stevenson has had some ups and downs in his short career but he’s got talent.  If Allen can get him straight, they should be fine.  Nickel back Kyler Gordon is one of the best at that position in the league.  Safeties Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard are a solid duo.  Brisker is a guy who could still get a little better and be one of the better safeties in the game.  Byard is an older veteran who just knows what to do.     

2026 NFL Draft QB Prospects

In the 2024 NFL draft there were six QBs taken in the top 12 picks, in 2025, Shadeur Sanders was the sixth QB off the board and he was taken in round five with pick #144.  In 2026 there probably won’t be six QBs that go in the top 12 (it’s not completely out of the question but it’s unlikely), but we won’t be waiting until pick 144 for the sixth one either.  When I made my preliminary list of QBs to look at just to get a sense of draft eligible guys who could reasonably get drafted, I had 25 to start.  That doesn’t include guys like Diego Pavia or Noah Fifita who just don’t physically profile like NFL prospects.  They could change my mind with incredible seasons but I’m not going there at this point.  I’m going to do my Top 10 QB prospects for now and then throw in some others to watch out for.  All these players are draft eligible meaning they have been out of high school for at least three years.  The heights and weights are generally from there school’s listing so take those with a grain of salt, and I’ll note any that seem really out of whack.  Also, their listed class, take that with a grain of salt too, with all the NCAA rule changes, transfers, redshirts, JUCO things, and other issues, some of these guys may have more eligibility than it seems.  While we should essentially be at the end of the Covid extra eligibility guys there was a TE at Miami last year who was in his 9th year of college eligibility so I’ll believe anything at this point.  Let’s take a look.

1. Arch Manning     Redshirt Soph    Texas

I’m going to start with this; Manning is the #1 QB prospect in this draft until we reach the deadline to enter the draft in January.  I don’t think Manning will be in this class, I think he goes back to Texas unless three things occur.  1. Texas wins the national championship, 2. He wins the Heisman Trophy, 3. A team he wants to play for has the #1 overall pick.  If he pulls off the first two things in his first year as a starter for the Longhorns, he’s a legend and has nothing left to prove, if he fails to achieve either one, he can say he’s got something to come back to accomplish and just cash some more checks; NIL and otherwise.  The third one is going to be the huge piece here. Do you remember his grandfather Archie Manning making the Chargers trade his uncle Eli to the Giants because he didn’t want to go to that organization. Well, if the Cleveland Browns have the first pick it’s not hard to see Arch saying, thanks but no thanks, I’ll stay in Austin.  If it’s the New Orleans Saints, a team where his grandfather was a legend, he might be more tempted to come out.  Now, as for Manning the prospect.

He’s a legit 6’4 225 lbs. QB with a rifle for an arm like his uncles (Peyton and Eli) but he is more athletic than they ever were (his dad Cooper played WR before an injury ended his career).  Arch has some serious wheels when he leaves the pocket and he can still throw on the run too.  He’s everything you want from a physical standpoint, plus he has Manning DNA.  The one thing lacking is playing time in college.  He stepped in for Quinn Ewers when he was banged up but he only has a few starts so his sample size is limited.  If he balls out at Texas this year, there will be no stopping the hype train and we will just be living in the Arch Manning world until he decides when he wants to go pro.  If he has just a good year and enters the draft, he’s going first overall because there isn’t a GM on the planet who will pass on drafting the next great Manning.  Like I said though, I think he has to be great and have a hugely successful year to come out and if he does that, he’s a no-brainer at #1 overall. 

2. Drew Allar     Senior     Penn St.

If I were a betting man and I had to bet who I think will actually be the first pick of the 2026 draft, I’m taking Allar.  He’s 6’5 235 lbs. and this is going to be his third year as the starting QB at Penn St.  He’s had his issues against the best competition the Nittany Lions have faced over the last several years but he was pretty good last year against some good teams, his team let him down.  He’s straight out of central casting with his size and build for an NFL franchise QB.  While he’s a big, strong-armed pocket passer, he’s not a statue, he can move out of the pocket and throw too.  They aren’t designing runs for him like the Longhorns do for Arch Manning but he’s not going to just stand in the pocket and get killed either. 

He has a howitzer for an arm and can make any throw necessary but his ball placement needs some work.  He doesn’t always give his WRs the most catchable pass and Tyler Warren bailed him out of some bad throws last year.  Allar doesn’t play with the greatest group of WRs so some of it is him and some of it could be them not being exactly where they should be.  The good news is that over the last several years you can watch Allar get better as he plays.  He’s making the progress you want to see and after another full year as the starter, he could easily be the best QB in the draft…if there’s no Arch Manning. 

3. Garrett Nussmeier     Senior     LSU

Nussmeier is the son of longtime NFL and college coach and former NFL QB Doug Nussmeier.  His father is the new OC for Kellen Moore with the New Orleans Saints.  Doug was a journeyman QB and Garrett has a higher ceiling than that.  Garrett took over as the starter for LSU last year after Jayden Daniels graduated and he didn’t miss a beat.  He didn’t have Malik Nabers or Brian Thomas Jr. to throw too but that didn’t slow him down. He did play behind a brick wall last year but OT Will Campbell, OT Emory Jones, OG Miles Frazier and G/C Garrett Dellinger all got drafted.  That’s a major revamp happening in front of him. 

Nussmeier is accurate and smart, two things you would expect from a coach’s kid.  He’s also fearless with where he will throw it.  He will chuck it all over the yard if you let him.  He has a good arm for sure, he thinks he has an elite arm, which can get him in trouble. One other knock on his is he’s not very big.  He’s listed at 6’2 200 lbs. and the height might be true but he looks really slight compared to other players.  I will be interested to see how he performs this season after losing most of his o-line to the NFL draft.  He’s not built to take a beating if the o-line struggles.

4. Sam Leavitt     Redshirt Soph     Arizona St.

I’m probably higher on Leavitt than many people but after watching him at the end of last season and in the college football playoff, I’m a believer.  He got overshadowed by all the Cam Skattebo hype but Arizona St. doesn’t sniff the Big 12 title game or the college football playoff without Leavitt.  He brings an attitude and a swagger you want in a QB.  He will throw the ball anywhere, anytime, and it does get him in trouble a little, but it really energizes his team.  He does have the same flaw as Nussmeier in the fact that he’s a bit undersized, listed at 6’2 200 lbs.  I actually think it maybe his height is a little exaggerated but he’s probably 200 lbs. at least.  I think he has a little bit more of a frame that could grow and he’s almost three full years younger than Nussmeier so he has some time to fill out his frame.  Leavitt does have a good arm with strength and touch and he plays in a more pro-style offense, they use some play action like pros.  His head coach is Kenny Dillingham who is an excellent QB coach too.  I’m a fan of Leavitt and there’s a good chance he could pass up Nussmeier if has a big year.  There’s also a chance he doesn’t enter the 2026 draft if he’s making good money at Arizona St. or someone else wants to pay him a big number in college he could return.  He doesn’t turn 21 until December so he’s got time. 

5. Cade Klubnik     Senior     Clemson

Klubnik was a highly rated recruit out of Texas who has been a multi-year starter at Clemson.  It wasn’t until last year, and mostly later in the year, that he truly started to put it all together.  He’s 6’2 210 lbs. so he’s not the biggest guy, and that 6’2 may be a bit generous.  The one big difference between him and guys like Leavitt and Nussmeier is he doesn’t show the same arm strength they do.  He has great mechanics and keeps them consistent but he just doesn’t have the same level of arm strength to make all the throws.  That means he has to have great anticipation because if he’s not ahead of the defense, he doesn’t have the arm to make up the difference.  His level of experience and accuracy make him a good prospect and guy someone is going to take a shot on early in the draft next year. 

6. LaNorris Sellers    Redshirt Soph     South Carolina

Sellers is a 6’3 240 lbs. athletic specimen who is everything you want physically in a modern QB.  He’s big, he’s fast, he’s physical, and he has a very strong arm.  He’s underdeveloped as a passer, which is understandable given his physical profile. In the college game, when your QB is a physical mismatch, coaches tend to lean towards a one-read and go offense.  That means teaching the QB to look for his one read and if that guy isn’t open, just get going.  That tends to lead to good offensive plays and winning for the team and coach but doesn’t develop great QB traits for the player.  If Sellers shows advancement in his ability to read defenses and make plays with his arm, it will really help him as a prospect.  He also isn’t a guy who’s great in the short game which is also a product of being a superior athlete.  You don’t teach great athletes to dump off short passes to guys who aren’t as athletic when Sellers can just take the ball and get yards.  He probably has the highest potential of anyone not named Manning in this class but it’s all going to depend on where his QB development goes this season.  His ceiling is being the #1 overall pick in the draft; his floor is being Jalen Milroe and dropping to the third round.  He is only a redshirt sophomore so he can always go back to school if the season doesn’t go great for him. 

7. John Mateer     Redshirt Junior     Oklahoma

This one is a bit of a projection because Mateer is transferring from Washington St. to Oklahoma and it’s a big step up from Washington St. to the SEC.  Mateer will be running the same offense he excelled in at WSU and I mean the exact same because his offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, is now Oklahoma’s OC.  However, he’ll be getting used to a whole new team around him and way better competition.  Mateer is 6’1 219 lbs. and he’s got a pretty stout build to him.  He has great arm strength and he’s a great runner.  He picks up a lot of yardage on the ground and it’s a big part of his game and the offensive game plan.  While he has great arm strength, what he doesn’t have is great consistency with his mechanics.  He can get himself in trouble trying to make off balance and off platform throws and while his arm made up the difference against last year’s competition, the SEC is a different level.  He needs to make sure he’s in good position to throw and needs to throw with better anticipation or he could turn the ball over more.  If he’s awesome against the SEC, his prospect profile is going to skyrocket.    

8. Fernando Mendoza     Redshirt Junior     Indiana

There’s a trend here at the end of my top 10 which is the same trend that’s happening in college football, the last four guys are transfers for this season.  Mendoza was awesome last year at Cal and he’s got the prototypical size for an NFL QB.  He’s 6’5 225 lbs. and he’s an excellent athlete.  He’s very accurate with his ball placement and he understands coverages but he has a little of the same thing as Sellers, he takes off quickly and uses his athleticism instead of letting the play develop.  He does have a little bit of a strange follow through with his delivery and I wonder if they will change that at Indiana.  It will be interesting to see him in a new offense at Indiana.  Curt Cignetti, his new head coach, designed a great offense last year for his one-year transfer QB Kurtis Rourke and Mendoza is a better talent at QB than Rourke was.  The move from Cal to the Big Ten will also be a challenge and he doesn’t have the luxury of already knowing the offense the way Mateer does at Oklahoma. 

9. Nico Iamaleava     Redshirt Soph     UCLA

The saga of Iamaleava transferring from Tennessee to UCLA has been well chronicled and you can google it if you want to read about everything that is wrong with college sports, NIL, and the transfer portal.  The way he has handled that situation and himself could bother teams, we just watched Shadeur Sanders fall in the draft because of the way he handled himself.  Iamaleava is a far superior talent to Sanders but he could get dinged for the whole fiasco at Tennessee.  Dealing with the player as a prospect is another story.  Iamaleava is 6’6 215 lbs. and he’s a supreme athlete with a rocket arm.  He’s completely undisciplined and needs plenty of development as a QB but his physical gifts are incredible.  He’s transferring from Tennessee’s weird college spread offense that doesn’t translate to the NFL to a more pro-style system at UCLA.  They also don’t have the same supporting cast at UCLA that he had a Tennessee so it’s going to be an interesting transition.  I would say there’s a very good chance he declares for the NFL draft regardless of the season he has at UCLA.  How he plays and progresses will determine if he’s a top 15 pick in the draft or a mid-round developmental prospect for someone. Iamaleava could turn out to be Vince Young, and I mean that in both the best ways and the worst ways. 

10. Carson Beck     Senior     Miami

Beck was arguably the top QB prospect going into last season and oh how the mighty have fallen.  Beck’s season was a disaster and then he got hurt.  His draft stock was in shambles to end the season and instead of declaring for the draft, he took a huge NIL deal to transfer to Miami and replace Cam Ward.  It’s not a great sign that Georgia didn’t seem to want him back.  He needs a massive bounce back season and this is going to be a tough QB class to compete with.  He should be recovered from his elbow injury and ready to start for the Hurricanes but if he stumbles, they could turn to Emory Williams and that could be the end of things for Beck.  Beck has the physical profile of an NFL starter with his 6’5 225 lbs. frame.  He had the arm strength to go with is size but it will be interesting to see if his elbow injury affects that.  He struggled last year after losing his top targets from 2023 (Ladd McConkey and Brock Bowers were awesome for him in 2023).  Beck doesn’t seem to be the guy who raises the play of the guys around him so I think he’s a mid-round pick at best. 

Out of my top 10 QBs only four are seniors.  Drew Allar, Garrett Nussmeier, Cade Klubnik, and Carson Beck are certain to be in the 2026 NFL Draft.  The rest of these guys could return to school and my best guess is Arch Manning, Sam Leavitt, and John Mateer feel like the best bets to return to college for the 2026 season.  That would leave LaNorris Sellers, Nico Iamaleava, and Fernando Mendoza as the wildcards for this draft.  I think Sellers has a great year and comes out, Iamaleava has a decent year and declares, and Mendoza has a very good year but goes back to Indiana to improve his overall position for the 2027 draft.  So, that would give us a top of the QB class of Allar, Nussmeier, Klubnik, Sellers, Iamaleava, and Beck. That would be a huge upgrade over 2025 but doesn’t rival 2024.  Unless…

What this class could really have is depth we haven’t seen in a long time.  While the 2024 class had six guys in the top twelve the seventh guy was Spencer Rattler who was a fifth-round pick.  This class has guys who can rise up or at least give great depth in the middle rounds.

Seniors to know

Mark Gronowski (Iowa) – The transfer from South Dakota St. had a chance to be in the 2025 class but is taking one last shot to show off at the Big Ten level.  If he can make Iowa’s new passing offense start humming, he’ll move up the boards.  He’s got the size of an NFL QB at 6’3 230 lbs. and he’s a good athlete.

Miller Moss (Louisville) – The transfer from USC should have a good year at Louisville under the tutelage of Jeff Brohm.  He’s undersized and doesn’t have a great arm but he’s smart and he should be able to run the offense effectively.  He doesn’t have Tyler Shough’s physical gifts but he’s a healthier guy than Shough. 

Young guys who could breakout

Aidan Chiles (Michigan St.) – A 6’3 217 lbs. athlete that would have NFL teams falling all over themselves if he puts together a good season.  He’s really raw as a QB and makes some really dumb decisions with the ball at times but he’s still young and has only started one year at Michigan St.  He needs time to play and learn from his mistakes. It would likely take a huge year from him to get him into this draft.

Eli Holstein (Pitt) – He started at Pitt last year after transferring from Alabama and had a solid year.  He doesn’t turn 21 until October so he’s still a very young prospect.  He’s 6’4 225 lbs. with a howitzer for an arm but you can see him thinking on the field.  He could be a beast if he figures it out and puts all his talent together. 

Darian Mensah (Duke) – Started last year as a redshirt freshman at Tulane and was really good and now he’s moved on to Duke.  He’s 6’3 200 lbs. so he needs to fill out his frame but he’s a good athlete who would be the type of modern QB NFL teams are looking for.

Dante Moore (Oregon) – Moore is stepping into the Oregon offense that has produced Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel the last two draft cycles.  Moore has a higher ceiling than either of those guys due to his frame and athletic traits.  At 6’3 210 lbs. as a redshirt sophomore NFL teams will have him all over their radar. 

There are other names who could have big seasons and move up in this QB class.  Luke Altmyer (Illinois), Sawyer Robertson (Baylor), Rocco Becht (Iowa St.), Taylen Green (Arkansas), Jackson Arnold (Auburn), Connor Weigman (Houston), and Avery Johnson (Kansas St.) 

This class has massive potential and it will be better than the 2025.  The questions are how good, how deep, and who’s in the class.  The Steelers, Browns, and probably the Saints are all going to be looking to start over at QB next year.  There are also a couple of other teams that may need new plans.  Matthew Stafford isn’t getting any younger for the Rams, Tua could be out the door if the Dolphins’ season tanks and Mike McDaniel gets fired, and if Kyler Murray regresses is Arizona, they may need a contingency plan.  The Jets have Justin Fields for two years but that’s not a big commitment, Geno Smith is 36 in Las Vegas, and if Sam Darnold flames out in Seattle would they really just go to Jalen Milroe?  Quarterback is the most important position in all of sports and more teams could need one than you think.               

2025 NFC South Draft Review

Atlanta Falcons

(15) Jalon Walker LB Georgia
(26) James Pearce Jr. Edge Tennessee
(96) Xavier Watts S Notre Dame
(118) Billy Bowman Jr. S Oklahoma
(218) Jack Nelson OT Wisconsin

Immediate Impact: LB Jalon Walker, Edge James Pearce Jr., S Xavier Watts

The Falcons’ defense was not very good last year and they haven’t had a pass rusher in years. They got three starters with their first three picks. Walker is a hybrid LB/Edge player who can step right in as a playmaker they have desperately needed for years. The traded up for James Pearce Jr. because they really liked him and they needed more pass rush, he’s going to start. Xavier Watts was a very good pickup in round three and he will start next to Jessie Bates and form a nice safety duo.

Best Value: S Xavier Watts

Watts isn’t the most physically gifted player you’ll find at safety but he’s intelligent and instinctive. He helps the back end of the defense as much as anyone reasonably could and will hopefully allow Bates to be even better.

Sleeper: OT Jack Nelson

There’s not a lot to choose from given this was a five-player draft. LT Jake Matthews is 33 and RT Kaleb McGary hasn’t always been the picture of health so Nelson could come in handy. He’s an athletic guy who’s 6’7 314 lbs. coming out of Wisconsin where they know how to make offensive lineman. Nelson isn’t going to be some superstar but if he ends up playing for his team at some point, he can hold his own.

Overall Analysis

This draft class will be judged by the impact of James Pearce Jr. The team traded their second-round pick plus a first rounder next year to move back into the first round to take Pearce after already drafting Jalon Walker. It was a bold move and if Walker and Pearce don’t transform the defense this could really backfire. If they end up with a bad record and give up a high pick next year to the Rams, it’s going to cost GM Terry Fontenot his job.

Watts was a great pickup and they must have liked Billy Bowman Jr. enough to think he could help the defense. The safety position isn’t stacked and Bowman can also help at nickel.

Nitpick or Concern: Trading up for Pearce is a big risk. He’s not a perfect prospect and he has had some maturity issues and coachability issues. If he flames out and they gave up future first for a guy who doesn’t work out, it’s going to cost the front office. I don’t think I would have made that big of a bet on a player as suspect as Pearce. Especially when you got good value on a pass rusher in round one to begin with.

Carolina Panthers

(8) Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona
(51) Nic Scourton Edge Texas A&M
(77) Princely Umanmielen Edge Ole Miss
(114) Trevor Etienne RB Georgia
(122) Lathan Ransom S Ohio St.
(140) Cam Jackson DT Florida
(163) Mitchell Evans TE Notre Dame
(208) Jimmy Horn Jr. WR Colorado

Immediate Impact: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Edge Nic Scourton, Edge Princely Umanmielen

Xavier Legette was a solid rookie WR last year and they like Jalen Coker but they needed a true WR1 and McMillan can be that. Bryce Young needed a real weapon and McMillan is going to be the true downfield asset that could unlock the offense. The Panthers also needed to get better on defense and they chose to pick a couple of pass rushers who will really help that. Scourton and Umanmielen are two different types of edge players but they should complement each other well. They probably won’t start right away but they will both play a ton.

Best Value: S Lathan Ransom

The Panthers signed Tre’von Moehrig to be one safety but they don’t have a lot of great options at the other safety spot. Ransom has a chance to take that other safety spot. He was a very good player at Ohio St. and he can be even better if he works on tackling guys instead of trying to get the big hit. As a fourth-round pick who could take a starting job at a position of need, that’s good value.

Sleeper: TE Mitchell Evans

The Panthers have Tommy Tremble and Ja’Tavion Sanders at TE, not exactly murder’s row. Evans isn’t a surefire player but he is a steady player who offers a little bit of everything. He’s not the most dynamic playmaker but he’s got good hands, runs solid routes, and can block when needed. He could eventually develop into a solid contributor.

Overall Analysis

The Panthers understood the assignment here. They got a real WR1 for Bryce Young and then they started to address the defense. They hit offense here and there throughout the draft and got some solid prospects there too. McMillan was the right choice at #8 overall. Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen are going to help the defense and they should be building blocks moving forward. The choice of Trevor Etienne seems a little strange considering they have Chuba Hubbard, signed Rico Dowdle, and should be hoping Jonathan Brooks returns at some point. I didn’t think Etienne was the type of RB you should feel compelled to draft.

Lathan Ransom has starter potential and then they drafted DT Cam Jackson. They have enough depth at DT to not need Jackson anytime soon but he’s a good investment for the future. He’s big, and he can be physical when he keeps his pad level down. He needs to work on that and he has some good veterans around him t learn from. TE Mitchell Evans has potential down the road too. WR Jimmy Horn Jr. is a pretty skinny player but he may have a future as a slot receiver. For now, they have Adam Thielen but he’s an older player and Horn could stick around if he beats out Hunter Renfrow.

Nitpick or Concern: The Panthers hit almost every spot they need to with WR and edge rusher being the primary objective, but also getting a TE, S, and a DT. The one thing they didn’t address was CB. They are paying Jaycee Horn a ton of money but Mike Jackson is a replacement level player at the other outside CB spot. They better hope their pass rush is considerably improved because the secondary is still a little concerning.

New Orleans Saints

(9) Kelvin Banks Jr. OT Texas
(40) Tyler Shough QB Louisville
(71) Vernon Broughton DL Texas
(93) Jonas Sanker S Virginia
(112) Danny Stutsman LB Oklahoma
(131) Quincy Riley CB Louisville
(184) Devin Neal RB Kansas
(248) Moliki Matavao TE UCLA
(254) Fadil Diggs Edge Syracuse

Immediate Impact: OL Kelvin Banks Jr, QB Tyler Shough

Banks could end up the LT, the RT, or the LG depending on how they want to deploy Taliese Fuaga and Trevor Penning. Fuaga is naturally a RT but he played LT last year and Penning played RT. If they want to use Banks at LT, Fuaga goes to the right side, and Penning goes to the bench but then they have to find a LG. Or Fuaga and Penning stay where they are and they plug in Banks at LG. No matter what, Banks gives them the opportunity to play their best five. Tyler Shough might get baptism by fire if Derek Carr’s shoulder injury keeps him sidelined. Shough will be a 26-year-old rookie so he shouldn’t be overwhelmed. The good news is he’s basically the same player as Carr from a skill perspective so the offense doesn’t have to change.

Best Value: CB Quincy Riley

I had Riley as a boarder line second round pick and the Saints got him in round four. They have Kool-Aid McKinstry as their top CB and Alontae Taylor at nickel but Riley could beat out Isaac Yiadom for the other outside CB spot. He doesn’t have elite size but Riley is a tough player who can hold up.

Sleeper: RB Devin Neal

Obviously, the Saints have Alvin Kamara at RB and he’s an excellent player. However, it might help Kamara be even more effective if the Saints had a RB to take some of the early down work and save Kamara from some of that workload. Neal is that type of RB and could be a guy to help save Kamara’s legs for later in the season. He has starter potential from a talent standpoint.

Overall Analysis

Banks and Shough are likely to either start or get a lot of playing time this season no matter how things pan out. Shough might not be the highest ceiling QB prospect at this point but he’s ready to step in an play. DT Vernon Broughton is an underrated pickup. He was overshadowed at Texas by Alfred Collins but he’s a very effective DT too. The Saints have several veterans at that spot but not a lot of high-end players.

Broughton started a run of four defensive players who might not be starters immediately, but could certainly end up as starters. S Jonas Sanker will back up Tyrann Mathieu who is 33 and not getting any younger. Then LB Danny Stutsman who could eventually make the lineup with Demario Davis being even older the Mathieu. Finally, it’s CB Quincy Riley who will certainly play a lot for this defense even if he isn’t a starter right away. Love the Neal pick up after that too.

TE Moliki Matavao was an interesting selection. They have Foster Moreau and just re-signed Juwan Johnson plus they signed free agent Jack Stoll and still have Taysom Hill. Hill is coming off an injury and is 34 so he’s coming to the end of the line. Matavao may be stashed on the practice squad until the depth chart clears up a bit. DE Fadil Diggs may be in a similar situation given they have bodies at DE but could use some youth.

Nitpick or Concern: It’s the same concern every year with the Saints, this roster is expensive, aging, and they don’t seem to have a plan to pivot from it. It all feels like half measures. Taking Tyler Shough, an older prospect who is a more athletic, maybe slight upgrade from Derek Carr isn’t exactly a great plan at QB. Are they moving off aging guys like Tyrann Mathieu, Demario Davis, and Cameron Jordan with Jonas Sanker, Danny Stutsman, and Fadil Diggs? All half measures with no real plan to get difference makers because they have put themselves in a no-win situation with their salary cap.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

(19) Emeka Egbuka WR Ohio St.
(53) Benjamin Morrison CB Notre Dame
(84) Jacob Parrish CB Kansas St.
(121) David Walker Edge Central Arkansas
(157) Elijah Roberts DE SMU
(235) Tez Johnson WR Oregon

Immediate Impact: CB Benjamin Morrison

I’m struggling with the Egbuka pick because I love the player but him having an immediate impact with this WR corps seems unlikely. Morrison, on the other hand, can absolutely take a major role if not a starting one as long as his hip is healthy. He worked out late in the draft process to show teams he was recovering but still fell to round two. If he’s 100% by training camp, he’s going to give Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum everything they can handle and challenge for a starting job.

Best Value: CB Benjamin Morrison

Again, if he’s healthy, he’s got starting CB ability. Also, if he lives up to his talent level, he has legitimate CB1 ability. They stole him in round two and there are going to be teams that passed on him who are going to regret it.

Sleeper: DE Elijah Roberts

He’s not the flashy edge rusher they probably needed but he’s excellent depth at DE on their three-man line. They have Logan Hall and Calijah Kancey as starters but they have no depth. Also, they are going to have to make a call on paying Logan Hall as his rookie contract comes to an end. Roberts is the type of big, powerful edge setting DE they need and if they prefer to spend money on Kancey, they may let Hall walk in free agency. Roberts gives them that option if he plays well.

Overall Analysis

Emeka Egbuka is an excellent player and a great person to bring onto the team but his path to playing time right away is cloudy. Mike Evans is aging but hasn’t shown signs of slowing down. Chris Godwin is coming off another injury but the team just re-signed him in free agency. And Jalen McMillan looked good filling in for Godwin after he went out last season. Egbuka can fill in any of the three WR spots but I’m not sure he gets enough time this year to be an impact player. The Morrison pick is boom or bust depending on his hip and I would bet on him being awesome.

The team did a smart thing and doubled up at CB taking Jacob Parrish after taking Morrison. One caveat is that Parrish feels like a nickel more than anything and the team already has Tykee Smith at nickel and he was very good last season as a rookie there. Parrish may have to find his way to play on the outside. Edge rusher David Walker was a menace at the FBS level and has elite pass rushing instincts. The one problem is he is seriously undersized for the NFL and is going to have to find a way to make it work. Elijah Roberts was well worth the fifth-round pick they paid for him and gives them immediate depth at the DE position.

I love WR Tez Johnson and it would be an awesome story if he makes the NFL at his size but he’s fighting a tough battle on this roster. Most teams only keep five or six WRs and they have Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, and Emeka Egbuka who are locked in meaning there’s only one or two spots left. They have Sterling Shepard and Trey Palmer as veterans they have had for a few years and that puts Johnson behind the eight ball.

Nitpick or Concern: They probably could have done more at LB and I mean both inside and outside on the edge (David Walker isn’t enough). They certainly needed the CB help but Jacob Parrish’s pick could have been used on LB with Lavonte David aging and them having no depth. Walker is a fun prospect to watch but there were players on the board there who may have been better at helping this team right away.

2025 AFC South Draft Review

Houston Texans

(34) Jayden Higgins WR Iowa St.
(48) Aireontae Ersery OT Minnesota
(79) Jaylin Noel WR Iowa St.
(97) Jaylin Smith CB USC
(116) Woody Marks RB USC
(187) Jaylen Reed S Penn St.
(197) Graham Mertz QB Florida
(224) Kyonte Hamilton DT Rutgers
(255) Luke Lachey TE Iowa

Immediate Impact: WR Jayden Higgins, OT Aireontae Ersery

The team lost Tank Dell to a gruesome knee injury late in the year and so they really shouldn’t expect him back this next season. They drafted Higgins to be the outside WR opposite Nico Collins and he should be an excellent addition. OT Aireontae Ersery was a mid-second round pick who has a legitimate chance to start at LT. Cam Robinson is a stopgap at best and Ersery has plenty of upside. He’s a massive human being who has athleticism you wouldn’t expect out of man his size; he wins the job over Robinson in camp.

Best Value: WR Jaylin Noel

I should probably give this to Ersery and if he proves me right and wins the starting LT job it really is him. A starting LT at 48th overall is great value. However, Noel was an absolute steal in round three. I doubt the Texans had planned on drafting both Iowa St. WRs but when he was still on the board at 79, they couldn’t pass him up. The team traded for Christian Kirk so Noel won’t be an immediate starter but if he ends up playing more than Kirk, that’s not going to be surprising.

Sleeper: TE Luke Lachey

The top two TEs on the depth chart are Dalton Schultz and Brevin Jordan, neither of whom have guaranteed money on their contracts past this season. The team took Cade Stover in the 2024 draft but Lachey offers more upside as a receiver. He had a tough year at Iowa coming off an injury, adjusting to a new offense, and dealing with some bad QB play, but Lachey has talent. It won’t happen immediately unless there are some injuries but he’s a worthwhile bet in round seven.

Overall Analysis

The Texans traded out of round one to allow the Giants to move up to get QB Jaxson Dart and while they didn’t get a big haul of picks, they got some value. Both Iowa St. WRs give them help at WR even if it didn’t seem like a glaring need. They have a lot of bodies at the position but both Higgins and Noel are well positioned to get playing time. John Metchie III and Christian Kirk are penciled in as starters and neither one of them is a guarantee. Ersery was arguably the last viable starting LT option on the board and they needed a guy who can beat out Cam Robinson, Ersery will.

The next two picks were a bit odd and were probably reaches where they were taken. Jaylin Smith is an undersized CB who is likely a nickel and the Texans already have Jalen Pitre and CJ Gardner-Johnson who can play that position. Not sure Smith was so good you needed to take him in round three. RB Woody Marks is a solid back and good pass catcher but they traded up for him in round four, he wasn’t that highly regarded. S Jaylen Reed is a solid prospect but he’s going to find it hard to make this roster at safety, they’re deep there.

QB Graham Mertz was also a questionable pick. This team has CJ Stroud entrenched at QB with Davis Mills seemingly entrenched as his backup. They have Kedon Slovis, who they drafted last year, as a developmental QB and I don’t think Mertz is an upgrade there. Strange choice. DT Kyonte Hamilton may have been a late round pick but the DT spot isn’t overly impressive so he could stick around. Lachey has plenty of potential.

Nitpick or Concern: I have a few. This was an interesting draft in the fact that every pick the Texans made was traded at some point. Up or down, GM Nick Caserio didn’t sit still. The middle round picks of Jaylin Smith and Woody Marks were questionable at best. Smith will find playing time hard to come by on this roster. Marks can find a role behind Joe Mixon because Mixon isn’t a pass catcher, but there were better RBs on the board; Jarquez Hunter, Dylan Sampson, Jordan James, and Jaydon Blue were literally the next four RBs off the board. Also, while they were taking guys like Smith and Marks, there were DTs like Deone Walker, Ty Robinson, CJ West, and Jordan Farmer on the board. They had a bigger need at DT than at nickel and those guys would have helped.

Indianapolis Colts

(14) Tyler Warren TE Penn St.
(45) JT Tuimoloau DE Ohio St.
(80) Justin Walley CB Minnesota
(127) Jalen Travis OT Iowa St.
(151) DJ Giddens RB Kansas St.
(189) Riley Leonard QB Notre Dame
(190) Tim Smith DT Alabama
(232) Hunter Wohler S Wisconsin

Immediate Impact: TE Tyler Warren

The Colts have a huge need at TE and Warren is a guy who can fill it. He has the all-around game every team hopes to find at TE. He isn’t an elite blocker but he can get the job done and he’s probably an upgrade over the guys they have. If the Colts figure out the QB situation with a suitable solution, whether it’s Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones, Warren can be an additive piece to the offense.

Best Value: RB DJ Giddens

The RB room is getting a little crowed after the team signed Khalil Herbert and drafted DJ Giddens to join starter Jonathan Taylor and backup Tyler Goodson. They probably didn’t need Giddens but he was too good to pass up in round five. He’s a good RB who brings value in the passing game and he might make Goodson expendable.

Sleeper: OT Jalen Travis

RT Braden Smith is in the last year of his contract and is 29 years old. LT Bernhard Raimann is an emerging talent that they are going to want to secure into the future with a new deal. They probably won’t want to pay to keep Smith and Travis has starter potential. He needs some development but he’s 6’8 339 lbs. and you can’t teach that kind of size. He can be the swing tackle this year with the upside to be the starting RT next year.

Overall Analysis

TE Tyler Warren going to the Colts was one of the most mocked picks leading up to the draft and it came true for a reason. The Colts needed a real TE and they got one. DE JT Tuimoloau is such a Colts type of DE I can’t believe more people didn’t put it together. They collect big, physical DEs with high floors but low pass rush ceilings like it’s their job. Tuimoloau isn’t going to blow anyone away with his pass rush but he is going to be a very reliable defender on the edge. CB Justin Walley felt a little early in round three.

OT Jalen Travis and RB DJ Giddens were good value picks who can contribute to this team, it just might not be this year unless injuries strike. QB Riley Leonard is a nice idea if you think a team would put together a package to use his running ability but this team has Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones at QB, those guys are already runners. You could assume they just wanted a QB with a similar skill set as the QB3 but that’s giving Leonard a lot of credit, he’s not that good of a passer.

DT Tim Smith is a solid interior defensive lineman from Alabama who isn’t going to blow you away physically but is going to be solid. The DT group isn’t deep so he could stick on this roster. S Hunter Wohler is a size, speed guy that is a Chris Ballard special, maybe he sticks on special teams.

Nitpick or Concern: It’s not that I don’t like JT Tuimoloau but they could have had an edge rusher with more juice like Mike Green or Nic Scourton at that pick. Couple that with the underwhelming Justin Walley in round three and those picks could have had more impact. They also passed on CB Will Johnson in round two and that could come back to haunt them.

Jacksonville Jaguars

(2) Travis Hunter CB/WR Colorado
(88) Caleb Ransaw CB Tulane
(89) Wyatt Milum OT West Virginia
(104) Bhayshul Tuten RB Virginia Tech
(107) Jack Kiser LB Notre Dame
(194) Jalen McLeod LB Auburn
(200) Rayuan Lane III S Navy
(221) Jonah Monheim OL USC
(236) LeQuint Allen RB Syracuse

Immediate Impact: CB/WR Travis Hunter, CB Caleb Ransaw

The Jaguars have spoken about Hunter playing both ways and he fits well on offense where they need a complement to Brian Thomas Jr. Hunter gives them more dynamic playmaking than free agent Dyami Brown or last year’s free agent bust Gabe Davis. On defense they have Tyson Campbell as their CB1 but Hunter will rotate in with Jarrian Jones at the other outside spot. Caleb Ransaw is quietly a pretty good nickel prospect. The Jaguars signed Jourdan Lewis to a big deal to come over from the Cowboys but Lewis is past his prime. I think Ransaw gives them someone who can play that spot even better.

Best Value: RB Bhayshul Tuten

Tuten has a lot of burst coming out of the backfield and can be a real playmaker for this team. Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby haven’t exactly been lighting it up and Tuten gives them a more dynamic player. As a fourth-round pick he was good value because he very well could unseat Etienne as the starter at some point, maybe even early in the season.

Sleeper: OL Jonah Monheim

The Jags have Robert Hainsey and Luke Fortner at center right now and they could use an upgrade. Monheim played OT at USC but has some positional flexibility and might end up the best center of the three. He’s going to get a chance to develop at the position and he may become the long-term solution there.

Overall Analysis

The Jaguars made the big trade early in round one to move up and take Travis Hunter second overall. They gave up the fifth pick, their second-round pick, and a first next year. That may seem like a lot to only move up three picks but Hunter might be two players, he’s at least one and half. They needed someone to give them some playmaking at WR opposite Thomas, Hunter does that. They also need another outside CB opposite Tyson Campbell, Hunter does that too. He also just simply ups the excitement level about the Jaguars overall. It’s a strong move by first time GM James Gladstone.

Not having a second-round pick would normally hurt the overall haul but if Hunter plays two positions well, that’s moot. CB Caleb Ransaw is a solid pick to also help them at the nickel. OL Wyatt Milum has some position versatility because he was an OT in college who likely moves to guard. He could be an OT in a pinch and they need depth. Tuten was a good pick and the only issue they may have with him is that he fumbles too much.

Jack Kiser and Jalen McLeod are depth pieces at LB for now. I don’t see either of them competing except on special teams. The same can be said for S Rayuan Lane III. Monheim is a long-term play at center if he can pick up the position. LeQuint Allen is a pass catching back who will be buried on the depth chart for the time being.

Nitpick or Concern: Everyone had the Jaguars picking Mason Graham fifth overall in their mock drafts because we didn’t see this trade coming but also because this team needs help at DT. They didn’t draft a single one. Getting Hunter was a coup but they had other chances to help the DT rotation. They took Caleb Ransaw 88th and Wyatt Milum 89th, they could have waited to address the nickel spot or the guard spot at that point and taken any one of Deone Walker, Ty Robinson, CJ West, or Jordan Farmer and they would have helped the defensive line.

Tennessee Titans

(1) Cam Ward QB Miami
(52) Oluwafemi Oladejo Edge UCLA
(82) Kevin Winston Jr. S Penn St.
(103) Chimere Dike WR Florida
(120) Gunnar Helm TE Texas
(136) Elic Ayomanor WR Stanford
(167) Jackson Slater OL Sacramento St.
(183) Marcus Harris S California
(188) Kalel Mullings RB Michigan

Immediate Impact: QB Cam Ward, Edge Oluwafemi Oladejo

The Titans took the guy they hope is their franchise QB and they will give him every opportunity to prove he is. They spent money on the offensive line to keep Ward safe and they hope he makes the most of his opportunity. The team also got Oladejo in round two which is helpful for a team that doesn’t have great options at pass rusher. Dre’Mont Jones isn’t a speed rusher and Arden Key isn’t a full-time player. Oladejo still has a lot to learn as he’s only been an edge rusher for a year but he should get better.

Best Value: WR Elic Ayomanor

Ayomanor was generally considered a second-round pick by most people and the Titans got him in round four. Considering how barren the WR group is in Tennessee Ayomanor is going to be a guy who plays for this team next year. He’s not a perfect prospect; he can be a bit stiff and his hands will fail him from time to time but he’s an upgrade over most of their group.

Sleeper: TE Gunnar Helm

Helm isn’t going to wow you with his athleticism, even though he’s a better athlete than he gets credit for. He’s not the pass catcher Chig Okonkwo is or the blocker Josh Whylie is but he’s a better blocker than Okonkwo and a better pass catcher than Whylie. In short, he’s solid at most aspects of the job but not great at any one in particular. Helm is a very reliable pass catcher as he doesn’t drop anything. He will be an affective player for Cam Ward in the future.

Overall Analysis

It’s almost as if no one really noticed that the Titans drafted a new franchise QB #1 overall in this draft. It became obvious about six weeks before the draft that the Titans had settled on Ward so there wasn’t a lot of talk about him, then the Travis Hunter trade happened at #2 overall and everyone moved on. Ward is not a sure thing for a #1 QB pick but he’s a very talented player and the Titans have done some things to help him out. They rebuilt the o-line and have given him some help at WR and TE.

The team didn’t forget about their defensive needs either, they took Oladejo in round two and then S Kevin Winston Jr. in the next round. Oladejo will get every chance to prove he can rush the passer. Winston is a solid bet at safety. They signed Xavier Woods to pair with Amani Hooker there but Woods is an aging veteran and Hooker is going into a contract year. Winston helps now and is a nod to the future.

The next three picks were made to support Cam Ward at QB. WR Chimere Dike, TE Gunnar Helm, and WR Elic Ayomanor are all guy who can earn playing time. I’m not a huge Dike fan but this team needs WRs and Dike has the speed the rest of the group lacks. Ayomanor has a size and playmaking that will fit well next to Calvin Ridley and he’s a better option at this point than Van Jefferson. Gunnar Helm gives them a better all-around player at TE than others on the roster. OL Jackson Slater is depth, S Marcus Harris is depth, and RB Kalel Mullings is at best a depth piece.

Nitpick or Concern: When you combine their free agent haul of some solid veteran additions with the draft class, there’s not a real nit to pick or a concern. They don’t have as much high-end talent as others but they won’t be terrible at any position. There are two moves that deserve attention. First, I usually don’t mention undrafted free agents but this team signed Cam Ward’s favorite college target, Xavier Restrepo. Restrepo was incredibly production as a slot receiver for Miami but he ran a ridiculously slow 4.82 40 and fell off everyone’s radar. The Titans signed Tyler Lockett recently to be the slot receiver but he’s going to be 33 and he’s not as affective as he once was. Restrepo understands how to play with Ward and that can help him make the team.
The other move they need to make is trading QB Will Levis. They signed Brandon Allen to be their veteran backup and they need to ship Levis somewhere so Ward has a clear path to leading this team. Levis should still have value to someone. The Steelers still have a need at QB until they sign Aaron Rodgers. The Rams should be a team looking for a young developmental guy, Levis has more upside than Stetson Bennett. The Jets only have Justin Fields for two years. Liam Coen coached Levis at Kentucky and the only backup he has to Trevor Lawrence is Nick Mullins. And finally, I hate to say it, but the Patriots Mike Vrabel was the coach that drafted Levis and they could use a new #3 QB after trading Joe Milton III.

2025 NFC West Draft Review

Arizona Cardinal

(16) Walter Nolen DT Ole Miss
(47) Will Johnson CB Michigan
(78) Jordan Burch DE Oregon
(115) Cody Simon LB Ohio St.
(174) Denzel Burke CB Ohio St.
(211) Hayden Conner OL Texas
(225) Kitan Crawford S Nevada

Immediate Impact: DT Walter Nolen, CB Will Johnson

Walter Nolen shouldn’t have to start given the veterans they signed for the defensive line; Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson, plus Darius Robinson being healthy. That’s probably best because Nolen needs to mature into being a pro and having Campbell and Tomlinson around should help him do that. He will bring an attacking style of play to their front and that will be helpful. Will Johnson should absolutely start right away. He pushes Sean Murphy-Bunting into a backup role and gives the Cardinals a legit CB1. He also allows Max Melton to settle in to his CB2 spot and takes the pressure off him.

Best Value: CB Will Johnson

He may have a knee injury that could affect the longevity of his career. So what? If he’s healthy right now, he has CB1 skills and abilities. His size and play style are a great fit in Arizona and Sean Murphy-Bunting is not going to keep Johnson out of the lineup. He isn’t the fastest player but his game isn’t predicated on speed and getting a guy who can be a true #1 CB in the middle of round two is excellent value.

Sleeper: LB Cody Simon

Simon isn’t particularly good at any one thing but he was the glue that kept the Ohio St. defense together. Given the other two ILB for the Cardinals are Mack Wilson and Akeem Davis-Gaither there’s playing time available. Simon can be an additive piece to a defense that’s still looking for leaders.

Overall Analysis

Clearly, the priority of this draft class was to improve the defense. Nolen gives them a penetrating DT they really didn’t have last year and he’s a talented player. Will Johnson was just way too valuable to pass on in round two and might be the top CB they have been missing since the Patrick Peterson days. DE Jordan Burch is great fit as a bit DE with some power and some push. They need to get to the QB better and he can help that. All three of those guys can help this defense this year for sure.

LB Cody Simon went to a place where he can compete for playing time. Wilson and Davis-Gaither aren’t exactly entrenched starters. CB Denzel Burke is a guy who looked like a top prospect a couple of years ago but never seemed to put it together. He’s a little undersized and struggles at times but he does have talent and he was worth taking a shot on in the fifth round. This secondary needs all the help it can get. OG Hayden Connor is a big dude who brings a lot of power with him but I’m not sure he’s good enough to unseat Evan Brown, even if that’s not a high bar to clear. S Kitan Crawford is a longshot for the roster but given it is Arizona’s secondary; I won’t rule him out.

Nitpick or Concern: Zero help on the offense? Really? This team wasn’t bad on offense but they could have used some help. Interior offensive line needed more than Hayden Connor and they needed some WR help too.

Los Angeles Rams

(46) Terrance Ferguson TE Oregon
(90) Josaiah Stewart Edge Michigan
(117) Jarquez Hunter RB Auburn
(148) Ty Hamilton DL Ohio St.
(172) Chris Paul Jr. LB Ole Miss
(242) Konata Mumpfield WR Pittsburgh

Immediate Impact: TE Terrance Ferguson

Tyler Higbee is getting older and the Rams have been looking for a TE for a couple of years. When one of the top two didn’t fall far enough for them to get them, they traded out of round one and ended up taking Ferguson in round two. Sean McVay will use him plenty and Ferguson has all-around TE skills, he’ll be a good player.

Best Value: DT Ty Hamilton

Hamilton isn’t a big body on the inside but he has the play strength to be a NT for this team. The Rams have never cared about body type, they used Aaron Donald for years as an undersized DT and they just signed Poona Ford. Ford is a 6’0 300 lbs. player who plays much bigger, Hamilton can play bigger than his size.

Sleeper: LB Chris Paul Jr.

This is what the Rams do at LB, they take guys late in the draft, or after the draft, and turn them into eventual starters. Last year it was undrafted free agent Omar Speights and this year it will be Paul. He may not start this year but when the team decides to move on from Troy Reeder, don’t be shocked if Paul is the guy replacing him.

Overall Analysis

The Rams traded out of the first round after not being able to move up to get the TE they wanted, also because they fleeced the Falcons. This wasn’t one of their “F* them picks” moves. The Falcons gave them a first-round pick next year for the 26th pick in round one this year to move up and take James Pearce Jr. You make that trade 100 out of 100 times. The Rams were good last year but they have some aging players, including QB Matt Stafford, so an extra first next year is good business.

They did well to get Terrance Ferguson in round two, he’s a useful player who can replace Tyler Higbee at TE. Higbee is aging and gets hurt a lot, Ferguson is a terrific athlete and a good TE. Edge Josaiah Stewart is a very undersized pass rusher but like I said, the Rams really don’t care about body type. Stewart will be a terror off the edge as a designated pass rusher, opponents are going to hate him. RB Jarquez Hunter was an interesting pick after they took Blake Corum last year. Corum was supposed to be the next Kyren Williams but Hunter is more Williams than even Corum. Sean McVay will ride Williams into the ground but now he has two future options to pick from.

DT Ty Hamilton and LB Chris Paul Jr. are going to be depth pieces this year and then probably starters in a year or two. They are very good picks late in the draft. Konata Mumpfield is a skinny WR who isn’t all that fast but you know who else wasn’t fast, Puca Nacua and Cooper Kupp. Mumpfield isn’t those guys but if anyone can figure out how to use him at some point, it’s Sean McVay.

Nitpick or Concern: The Rams seem to never care about the secondary. They didn’t care in free agency or in the draft and it’s not like it’s a stacked unit. They are still counting on Ahkello Witherspoon as one outside CB and I assume Quentin Lake at nickel. They should really consider upgrading the CB spot, maybe trade for Jalen Ramsey again.

San Francisco 49ers

(11) Mykel Williams DE Georgia
(43) Alfred Collins DT Texas
(75) Nick Martin LB Oklahoma St.
(100) Upton Stout CB Western Kentucky
(113) CJ West DT Indiana
(138) Jordan Watkins WR Ole Miss
(147) Jordan James RB Oregon
(160) Marques Sigle S Kansas St.
(227) Kurtis Rourke QB Indiana
(249) Connor Colby OG Iowa
(252) Junior Bergen WR Montana

Immediate Impact: DE Mykel Williams, DT Alfred Collins, DT CJ West

The 49ers’ run defense was atrocious last year and they drafted three defensive linemen to fix it. Williams is an athletic freak who needs some work as a pass rusher but the one thing he already does well at DE is play the run. Alfred Collins is a gigantic man at 6’6 332 lbs. and he’ll eat space in the middle and occupy blockers to help keep Fred Warner clean at LB. CJ West doesn’t have quite the size of Collins but he’s plenty big and he’s an anchor on the interior. Williams will start immediately at DE and I think Collins wins a spot early. West may have to show he’s ready to play over some veterans before he gets to start, but I think he can do that.

Best Value: DT CJ West

He won’t get the notice right away as he will literally be overshadowed by his new linemates Williams and Collins. However, he’s a rock on the inside and will be the run stuffer then need and could end up starting at DT next to Collins. As a fourth-round pick, that’s excellent value.

Sleeper: OG Connor Colby

Call me a homer, I don’t care. This team needs offensive line help and they did nothing in free agency and only took Colby in the draft. They lost LG Aaron Banks in free agency and for now they have Ben Bartch penciled in there. I could see them sliding Dominick Puni, their excellent rookie last year from RG to LG and Colby getting a shot at RG. He already knows the run scheme because it’s the same one Iowa is running. Kyle Shanahan has a penchant for taking later round offensive linemen and turning them into starters, Colby could be next.

Overall Analysis

The 49ers intentions were clear early in the draft, get better on the defensive front. Williams can learn some pass rushing secrets from Nick Bosa but for now he can stuff the run. Alfred Collins gives them a run stuffer they haven’t had in quite some time. DT CJ West was a day three pick that does the same thing and was too good to pass up.

I didn’t like the Nick Martin pick at LB that early, they could have gotten him later. He fits their mold of small, speedy LBs but round three was early. You could say the same thing about CB Upton Stout, way too early. One other thing about Stout, he’s an undersized guy who needs to play the slot and that’s Deommodore Lenoir’s best spot. They needed an outside CB. They also took two WRs that I’m not sure help them. Jordan Watkins in round four and then a seventh-round pick on Junior Bergen, they could have done better.

RB Jordan James was a solid pickup and you know Kyle Shanahan will get the absolute best out of him for the next few years. S Marques Sigle is an undersized safety, not sure where he fits. QB Kurtis Rourke has some talent to work with but he played last year with a torn ACL and had it fixed after the season. This should be a redshirt year for him. Love the Colby pick, he can play in this offense.

Nitpick or Concern: It’s the Nick Martin/Upton Stout part of the draft that I don’t get. Shavon Revel Jr. literally was the next pick after Martin. Maybe he isn’t a perfect scheme fit in their eyes but he’s a better player than Martin and he’s an outside CB. There were also some speedy LBs left in round four where they took Stout. I would rather have Revel at CB and then a LB like Danny Stutsman, Jack Kiser, Cody Simon, or Barrett Carter where they took Stout.

Seattle Seahawks

(18) Grey Zabel G/C North Dakota St.
(35) Nick Emmanwori S South Carolina
(50) Elijah Arroyo TE Miami
(92) Jalen Milroe QB Alabama
(142) Rylie Mills DL Notre Dame
(166) Tory Horton WR Colorado St.
(175) Robbie Ouzts TE Alabama
(192) Bryce Cabeldue OT Kansas
(223) Damien Martinez RB Miami
(234) Mason Richman OL Iowa
(238) Ricky White III WR UNLV

Immediate Impact: G/C Grey Zabel, S Nick Emmanwori, TE Elijah Arroyo

The Seahawks offensive line was awful inside last season and Grey Zabel is going to start at one spot. He’s probably the LG but he could end up the center if they find other guards. He’s an upgrade at any spot. S Nick Emmanwori should be the starter opposite Julian Love but he needs to prove he’s reliable. They have Coby Bryant but Emmanwori has a higher ceiling. TE Elijah Arroyo has the chance to be a real playmaker for this team. He’s a better pass catcher than AJ Barner and maybe better all-around than Noah Fant.

Best Value: WR Tory Horton

If Horton’s knee is ready to go this year he’s going to play for this team. They aren’t exactly stacked at WR with an aging Cooper Kupp and a middling Marquez Valdes-Scantling. He can be a better deep threat than MVS almost immediately. I’m a fan of Horton and he’s going to be a good WR in the league.

Sleeper: RB Damien Martinez

Martinez isn’t going to take Kenneth Walker’s job but if I were Zach Charbonnet, I would be a little worried. Martinez is a big power back who can do all the things Charbonnet is supposed to do. Martinez was one of my favorite backs in the draft and having him available in round seven was a steal.

Overall Analysis

Zabel was a no-brainer pick for the Seahawks with their needs on the interior of the offensive line. He’s a day one starter and he gives them options on the interior. They traded up to get S Nick Emmanwori in round two and he’s a guy who has the type of skills Mike Macdonald can use on his defense. Arroyo is a really good investment at TE long term and brings skills this year.
While the team signed Sam Darnold at QB it’s only a three-year deal for now so the team took Jalen Milroe as a developmental QB. He won’t be pressed into service with Darnold and Drew Lock around but he’s well worth the draft pick. DL Rylie Mills gives them some depth on the defensive line. WR Tory Horton was one of my favorite picks in the draft, the Seahawks got a good one.

They also took a second TE Robbie Ouzts who is more of a blocker. Not sure how he fits considering they took AJ Barner last year and that’s pretty much his role. They sandwiched a couple of more offensive linemen around the Martinez pick; Bryce Cabeldue and Mason Richman. Both guys offer positional flexibility as they were OTs in college but are expected to be guards in the pros. They should be guys who can compete to at least be depth considering how bad the offensive line was last year. They took another WR in round seven, they can use the depth.

Nitpick or Concern: As much as I like Horton at WR, they could have invested an earlier pick at the position. Cooper Kupp isn’t a long-term answer and Marquez Valdes-Scantling isn’t an answer at all.