Youd expect a guy Washingtons size to block well, but there are some pretty epic examples on his tape. Over three seasons with the Tigers, Simpson had 12 sacks, 64 total pressures, 119 tackles, 79 stops, and he allowed 50 catches on 73 targets for 406 yards, 319 yards after the catch, three touchdowns, no interceptions, two pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 96.0. Bench Press: 18 reps (39th) 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A, Wingspan: N/A The Colts took Blackmon in the 2020 draft out of Utah, and over time, Blackmon has become more of a slot defender to add to his reps at free safety. Benton has nice quickness off the snap, and the upper-body strength needed to displace blockers on a regular basis. At the pro day, Kieras impressed everyone. At the same time, even if Porter is a step off at any point in the route, his recovery speed and closure to the ball combine to make a great adaptative strategy. Stat to Know: In 2022, Johnson had five tackles for loss in the slot, in the box, and as an edge blitzer. They asked him to do some things you dont usually see from guys that size playing in the B-gap or being a 4i. But the finishing touches that make great NFL deep-ball throwers are not on display nearly enough. The Vikings took ONeill out of Pitt with the 62nd overall pick in the 2018 draft knowing what he had on the ball in an athletic and technical sense, and hoping that the power would come together. Undersized WR Josh Downs was very productive at North Carolina and should help Richardson. And there are times when Spears size shows up in power situations. In the modern era, there are future Hall of Famers like Bobby Wagner, Drew Brees, Seve Smith Sr., Andrew Whitworth, Travis Kelce, and Rob Gronkowski who have been taken in the second and third rounds. Bio: Originally a defensive end for Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois, Schnitz transferred to o Homewood-Flossmoor Community High to play left tackle for a bigger school. Pierre-Paul grew up playing basketball. The Dolphins took Fitzpatrick out of Alabama with the 11th overall pick in the 2018 draft, and they played him similarly to the ways in which he was deployed at Alabama all over the defense. Vertical Jump: 37 (99th) Lukas Van Ness, ranked as the 52nd-best strong-side defensive end in the 2020 recruiting class, went first, going No. 10-Yard Split: 1.86 (24th) His focus was on basketball and he played on the same traveling team as 2022 NBA Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. Chris Low: Peter Warrick Particulars: Attended Wisconsin. 17 Star Athletes Who Didn't Start Until Their Senior Year NFL He allowed just two quarterback hurries in 152 True Pass Set snaps. Hes a downhill linebacker and pass-rusher from Day 1; the question is, how much more can he become? Vertical Jump: 36 (82nd) Conclusion: Nobody is going to realistically debit Williams for his liabilities in power situations when he comes to the NFL with obvious attributes in space with his height/weight profile. Broad Jump: 117 (57th) Its been 50 years since the Cyclones had a first-round NFL Draft pick. While Antonio Gates did attend college, he only played basketball. Bench Press: N/A 3-Cone Drill: N/A WebTeddy Williams, who the Bears just signed off the Cardinals practice squad, didn't play football in college. 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A, Wingspan: N/A Not even close. 5. Jarryd Hayne would try to join American football through the collegiate system but he did not finish high school. WebPete Carroll | 12K views, 280 likes, 129 loves, 211 comments, 39 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Seattle Seahawks: That's a wrap on the 2023 draft! Bio: Born in London, Ontario, Canada, and the twin brother of Illinois running back Chase Brown, Sydney Brown was a football and track star in high school, and had 585 snaps as a true freshman for the Fighting Illini in 2018. Conclusion: If you run the offensive line for a gap-based power offense (hello, Ravens), Torrence might be the top guard on your board. Arm Length: 34 (69th) You do not expect a 6-foot-3, 235-pound backer to align at a cornerback position and bomb out the top of a wide trips right formation, but Simpson has multiple examples of doing just that. I cant think of a guy coming out that had his ability since Ndamukong Suh, an NFL defensive coordinator told me last week. 3-Cone Drill: 7.34 (80th) I get that he doesnt have ideal size and length at 5-9 with 29 1/8-inch arms, and his 4.51 40 and 33-inch vertical also didnt help. 3-Cone Drill: 8.01 (11th) Hand Size: 9 (20th). Of course, what you want if youre putting a guy this big on your roster is the ability to just demolish everybody in the run game, and there are multiple snaps in which Jones proves eager and adept when its time to get nasty. Vertical Jump: 33 (47th) Torrences better pass-protection snaps, especially on deep passes, are full of pure power. 10-Yard Split: N/A Like Daniels, who finished his NFL career as one of Peyton Mannings more reliable targets in Denver, LaPorta has proven the ability to transcend broken offenses. Earlier this summer, Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp became one of the most high-profile advocates for it. Duncan told WLJA7-TV (ABC) that his game is modeled after 10-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Trent Williams, whom he watched when Williams played for Washington from 2010-19. Height: 6 2 (86th percentile) Weight: 198 (18th) Both as a blocker and as an after-catch giant, Washington could be even more effective with some technique fixes. Phillips played 1,364 snaps at outside cornerback, 424 in the slot, 87 in the box, seven along the defensive line, and three at free safety. Conclusion: Teams want big aggressors at the safety positions, especially when you get closer to the line of scrimmage, and Johnson should be able to walk into his NFL facility from Day 1 with that palette ready to go. Hes still got some work to do with the spatial stuff, but the improvement seen in 2022 augurs well for his future. 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A, Wingspan: N/A Vertical Jump: 37 (70th) Stat to Know: Some analysts refer to Phillips as a mostly zone cornerback maybe its the size but in man coverage for the 2022 season, he allowed just 11 catches on 28 targets for 145 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. The best cornerbacks and cornerback coaches will talk about staying in phase and not chasing plays. This means a player who graduates in 2009 cannot be drafted until 2012 so it is usually only juniors and seniors who are drafted. Kieras moved to Vegas in January and started training for Mississippi State's pro day, which was likely going to be his one and only chance to show off his skills in front of a bunch of NFL scouts. Stat to Know: If you need a single-high safety in your defense, and teammate Sydney Brown is gone, you might want to look Martins way. Bench Press: N/A Strengths: When hes fresh in a game and on point, Ikas movement skills for his size are preposterous. The way he turns the corner is incredible, a coach told The Athletic this spring. Conclusion: If Martin can get his head around route concepts as they begin, he projects well as a tough, feisty safety and slot defender who will be an asset to his NFL team in a lot of different ways. I had to clear the linebacker there he had a bust right there, and that aint my problem. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! Broad Jump: 118 (32nd) Height: 6 0 (35th percentile) Weight: 176 (5th) Selected in the third round of the 2019 draft out of Mississippi, Knox has become a staple in the Bills offense with his ability to move to the second and third levels, while providing reliable blocking, Hes not the best route-running tight end, and goodness knows that drops have been an issue, but Knox present a good illustrative example of how Kraft could bring immediate value to an NFL offense even when hes rounding out his football palette. These attributes stand out especially for his size; Charbonnet chews up turf from an agility perspective like a guy 2-3 inches shorter. Here are 10 famous NFL players who didn't play in college. There was also this two-fer against Wisconsin, in which Schmitz proved that its hes bouncing off of you, its generally going to be worse for you than it is for him. Nine quarterbacks, none of whom threw for more than 6,033 yards (Edwards) or 28 touchdowns (Kolb) in their NFL careers. Ex-NFL players who played tackle football in youth more Stat to Know: The NFL classifies explosive passing plays as those plays gaining 16 yards or more, and when throwing passes of 16 or more air yards dead over the middle in 2022, Hooker completed seven of 14 passes for 171 yards, 134 air yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 134.2. 40-Yard Dash: N/A Hes not going to separate with quickness. 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A, Wingspan: N/A 15 overall, and if hes as good as some NFL coaches and coaches who faced Iowa State think, New York fans will love him. At times, you wonder if he reads things late, and his body works too hard to compensate. Hes so loose and has good pass rush moves. Bench Press: 29 reps (82nd) DE Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah, Detroit Lions. Hell look lost in some of these situations to the point where you wonder if its fixable. The college football stars we can't believe didn't make it in the Nady didn't see the majors again until 2003. Hell be a good weapon for Stroud. 10-Yard Split: N/A There is an argument to be made that you just make him a pass-rusher most of the time, and forget about the linebacker stuff. His athleticism led the Steelers to take him in the fourth round in 2003. Broad Jump: 125 (78th) Conclusion: Musgraves value to NFL teams will depend entirely on what NFL teams are looking for. But if you have a need for a tough, smart receiver who is going to bail your quarterback out of some ugly situations and can be a plus in quick-game situations, Tillman might feast on your playbook. Stroud: 12 completions in 23 attempts for 391 yards, 270 air yards, six touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 97.6. Bio: Daiyan Henley has been around. From 2020 through 2022, Tuipulotu totaled 21 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, 60 quarterback hurries, three batted passes, 71 tackles, 63 stops, and four forced fumbles. The footwork, transition skills, and closure to the ball make him an ideal cornerback to own a third of the field without help. These attributes, as well as Sanders ability to take on blockers (running backs dont like him very much at all in this regard), make him a plus run defender. Here are some of the best reactions from Twitter as Deuce Vaughn's father was emotional after the Dallas Cowboys drafted his son. Good route runner. But Spears has had some knee injuries in the past. Conclusion: There are a few reasons for NFL shot-callers to debit Hooker in his NFL transition, starting with his age and injury status. Strengths: Freeland is impressively quick and nimble for a tackle with his height he comes off the ball immediately, and has the technique and agility to match with defenders in space. Bench Press: N/A If you want to know how the Hawkeyes finished their 2022 season with an 8-5 record, including a 21-0 win over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl, consider that their defense ranked second among FBS teams in points allowed per game, and they ranked 123rd of 131 in points scored per game. 10-Yard Split: 1.59 (84th) Bench Press: N/A Stat to Know: Brown did a lot well in 2022, but he was especially tough to deal with as a single-high safety. Weaknesses: Hyatt faced very little press coverage in that offense, and youd expect that hell get a lot more of it in the NFL. LaPorta is an after-catch demon, who has the wherewithal to find openings in space on short passes, and an impressive determination to beat people up when their uniforms look different than his. When you have more deflections than targets, that says a lot about your range. The ways in which hes able to casually Godzilla defensive linemen is kind of hilarious. Over four seasons with the Beavers, Luke Musgrave caught 47 passes on 80 targets for 633 yards and two touchdowns. Stat to Know: Last season, White allowed six catches on eight targets for 179 yards, 135 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, no interceptions, no pass breakups, three penalties, and an opponent passer rating of 156.3. I love the fit. That led to his trade to the Chiefs, in which Brown became a starting left tackle at a size you wouldnt normally expect. We were running a little inside zone, Spears told me. Michael Strahan, Jerome Bettis, Jerry Rice, Warren Sapp, and Tom Brady all have something in common. Hes not the most imposing guy at 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds, but Hilton proves that you can succeed in the NFL without that stature if youre a student of the game, and that transfers to the field in positive ways. Weaknesses: Tuipulotus athleticism doesnt always extend to open space; hes probably not the first guy on your mind, for example, when its time to spy a mobile quarterback. Weaknesses: LaPorta might be a willing blocker; Im not sure. From his school bio: His brother, Marlon, was a defensive lineman at USC (2017-20), earning All-Pac-12 first team in 2020, and now is with the Philadelphia Eagles. And that, my friends, is a problem. "But with football, I love challenges, and this was the biggest one I've ever had in my life. Charbonnet comes to the field with vision, contact balance, and acceleration in a package that projects him very well to the NFL as a feature back. How did C.J. Lawrence Okoye will turn 30 this year. He was the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All-AAC, and the Most Valuable Player of Tulanes 46-45 Cotton Bowl win over USC, in which he ran 17 times for 205 yards and four touchdowns. Carter was the most talented player in this draft. In the end, the program and all three players dealt with the hands that they were dealt. Hand Size: 9 (41st). Rule No. Selected in the fourth round of the 2012 draft by the Browns out of Miami, Benjamin was that same type of scooting receiver with the ability to beat defenders on all kinds of routes. NFL Comparison: Orlando Brown Jr. Conclusion: Of all the multi-gap defensive linemen in this class who will primarily ply their trade as edge defenders in the NFL, Tuipulotu could well have the most upside as a pure edge guy with his quickness, flexibility, and suddenness to the quarterback. 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A, Wingspan: 80 (97th) Stat to Know: We are all up in our feelings comparing Levis to Josh Allen apparently, so consider this: In Levis final collegiate season, he completed 16 of 39 deep passes for 541 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and a passer rating of 75.5. Hand Size: 8 (5th). 3-Cone Drill: N/A Let's get into the analysis right now. Hand Size: 10 (73rd). He redshirted as a true freshman with the Ducks in 2005, then earned a scholarship as a redshirt freshman in 2006. 2 lurkedlongtime Steelers 8 yr. ago Broad Jump: N/A And the advantages presented by Josh Heupels Air Raid/veer offense are undeniable, as is the fact that some elements of that offense are not transferable to the next level. The NFL rules say that a player cannot be drafted until his high school class has been out of high school for three years. Ex-NFL greats: No tackle football before kids turn 14 - UPI He chose Tennessee over Ohio State and Colorado, among other schools. 2023 NFL Draft: Arizona draft updates, news, analysis An injury to his right knee in 2003 was the final blow for a guy who gave opposing defensive coordinators nightmares any time he touched the football in college. But if you need the kind of lateral agility and movement skills common to guards who excel in more complicates schemes, he could he a short-term to long-term project. Vertical Jump: 34 (60th) His only season was with the Dallas Cowboys in 2018. who didn't play Conclusion: Phillips size will have some teams dropping him on their boards or taking him off altogether, but for teams who have a more open-minded approach could be rewarded with a technician in the slot, and especially outside. Height: 6 5 (85th percentile) Weight: 330 (87th) The league's top prospects stepped into the NFL Photo studio for Draft portraits. Height: 6 3 (67th percentile) Weight: 229 (75th) Georgias Jalen Carter, the best defensive lineman (and perhaps the best overall player) in this class found it out on this rep, when Jones got his hands out, and Carter just couldnt get anywhere near C.J. Weaknesses: While Mims has a nice playing demeanor when the ball is on the way to his area, that doesnt always transfer to blocking. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Dane Key had sone free real estate in the left slot, and if Levis had simply capitalized, maybe thats a touchdown. Selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 2020 draft out of Lenoir-Rhyne, Dugger is a bigger (6-foot-2, 220) defender who excels everywhere from boxbacker to press slot defender to the deep third at times. Sign up for the Touchdown Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. That earned him a try-out with the Green Bay Packers, but he went undrafted. 40-Yard Dash: 4.98 (93rd) Richardsons new coach has a great track record. Getting UCLAs Zach Charbonnet late in the second round also is shrewd. Mauch is also an immediate lock as a guy you want working pulls, sweeps, and slides due to his lateral agility and target surety. Strengths: We dont usually start tight end evaluations with blocking prowess, but in Washingtons case, well make an exception. Bench Press: N/A 40-Yard Dash: 4.53 (36th) The Titans selected Jones in the fourth round of the 2014 draft out of Penn State, hoping that hed fill out his power and quickness with more of a knack for avoiding washouts along the line of scrimmage. The Texans took Daniels in the fourth round of the 2006 draft out of Wisconsin, and Daniels managed to make two Pro Bowls as an undersized tight end with a lot of savvy, despite mostly bad-to-horrible quarterbacks. Hes just so scary in open space. Duncan is a 6-foot-6, 306-pound native of Owings, Maryland, who made 39 career starts and played in the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl, an annual college all-star game. Arm Length: 32 (5th) I would love to see him in an NFL offense with pulling and sweeping linemen, just blasting those gaps so that he can start the speed show. NFL Comparison: Jason Witten. And those are just a couple of running backs. Michael Mayer, 35th, Raiders; 3. In the past six years, the Sooners have had nine offensive linemen drafted, four less than the rest of the Big 12 combined. If not, it was a third-round pick, not a first, to get a guy who many of quarterback coaches think has the tools to be a starter in the league someday. Torrences strength to and through contact is the best in this class among any offensive lineman, but he wont be able to trade on that alone when he gets to the NFL. 40-Yard Dash: 4.54 (37th) But he has shown he is a quick study. 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.81 (41st), Wingspan: 83 (96th) Bio: A four-star recruit out of Oaks Christian High School in Camarillo, California, Charbonnet was a high-school teammate of current Giants edge-rusher and 2022 fifth-overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux. Strengths: While hes more than capable of running with power, Johnson can also turn on the jets both at the second and third levels, and when its time to bounce something outside. Like Wentz, who was selected with the second overall pick in the 2016 draft out of North Dakota State, Levis brings a compelling bag of attributes that look good on their face until you dig underneath. Broad Jump: 122 (75th) He can learn from Tannehill and develop in the Titans system. 40-Yard Dash: 5.21 (69th) When Jason Witten retired for the first time from the NFL, the Cowboys were hoping that Rico Gathers could help fill the void. News of Taylor's retirement spurred us to take a look at the 10 best active NFL players who started their college careers as walk-ons. Stat to Know: A lot of cornerbacks on this list are great when pressing receivers, but youd struggle to find too many who are better in off coverage than Turner is. Schmitz has outstanding functional strength that shows up on the field all the time. Taking on guards and centers who outweigh him by 100 pounds is not always an optimal strategy. Its called a seam read, Spears said. Strengths: So, we know that Henley can cover. Furthermore, Mack was a Pro Bowler by his second NFL season. Conclusion: Receivers like Downs are a preference as opposed to a mandatory type. Broad Jump: 128 (86th) I fell in love with it, too," Kieras told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger recently. A four-star recruit, Mims first chose Stanford among a host of major schools, and then decided that he preferred Oklahoma. Broad Jump: 125 (88th) Height: 6 3 (54th percentile) Weight: 301 (38th) Stat to Know: In 2021, his final season at Nevada, Henley had four interceptions. Hilliard did have a productive 12-year career, but it wasn't quite at the superstar level I envisioned when I watched him play in Gainesville. Moss went to the Broncos this weekend. Bio: White was a two-way star at Garner High in Garner, North Carolina, playing both defensive end and tight end. Tuipulotus suddenness is impressive for his size. Levis isnt doing himself any favors with these random plays predicated on a developmental ability to see and react to the entire route palette. Johnson played 262 snaps in the box, 123 at free safety, 1,029 in the slot, 33 at cornerback, and 92 along the defensive line. He has Josh Allens arm with Michael Vicks speed and explosiveness. He admired Williams' athleticism and believes that he has also developed that trait. Height: 65 (30th) Weight: 302 (12th) But the results on tape are often lacking. Conclusion: It should come as no surprise that Simpson is from the same program that produced Isaiah Simmons Clemson obviously has a lot of bandwidth for linebackers who play all over the defense, and do so successfully for the most part. Selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2007 draft (it was a different era) by the Bills, Lynch had a few good seasons with his first NFL team, but he exploded onto the scene pretty quickly after the Seahawks traded for him in the 2010 season. In three seasons with the Volunteers, Hyatt totaled 108 catches on 151 targets for 1,769 yards and 19 touchdowns. Zack Kuntz, 220th, Jets. Bio: An alum of Xavier High School in Madison, Connecticut, Levis was a three-star recruit who didnt start getting serious offers until he was named Football Rating MVP at Nikes The Opening in 2017. Levis can throw to any area of the field in which his receivers are decidedly open, and he will make the occasional big-time throw with outstanding velocity.