Edelman's Top 75 Big Board

Draft week has finally arrived. After a long Winter and early part of Spring, I'm excited to unveil my top 75 big board for the 2024 draft class.

Very rarely is the number one player entering the season still holding that spot the week of the draft, but Caleb Williams is exactly that: rare. Williams has special arm talent, allowing him to access every part of the field with incredible accuracy, from any single angle or platform. No he’s not Patrick Mahomes, but there’s no denying that what he is able to do within and outside the pocket is eerily similar. He possesses uncommon slipperiness and creativity and can turn potential negatives into chunk plays. He needs to protect the football better at the next level and should be more willing to play in structure within an NFL supporting cast, but undoubtedly he is the best player in a very good draft class.

Drake Maye has the ideal top 5 quarterback build at 6’4”, 230 pounds. He has a big-time NFL arm and flashes tremendous throws down the field and in tight windows over the middle. He is a very good athlete and is spunky outside of the pocket, using both his legs and his arm to punish defenses on late downs. He’s less consistent than Williams, but still manipulates pockets effortlessly and works well under pressure. He does sometimes turf the easy buttons in the quick game. Like Williams, his surroundings in the NFL will be better than they were as a collegiate player and should encourage him to play more within the structure of the offense and take smarter risks. 

Marvin Harrison Jr. is a tremendously well-put-together receiver prospect. The 6’4”, 205 pound pass catcher is a great athlete, boasting both long speed and quick down-throttling ability. He moves with great fluidity as a route runner, he can tempo his speed and accelerate quickly out of breaks. He plays with and through physicality, using his size and strength to win at the top of routes and at the catch point. It just looks like catching the football is in his DNA, effortlessly bringing in receptions well outside of his frame as both an intermediate and down-the-field option, with excellent body control. He can look to improve as a YAC threat, but is plenty good enough in that area as is. He’s awesome, and the best non-quarterback in this class.

Joe Alt is the last of the players that I consider 'blue chips' in this class. At an intimidating 6'8", 321 pounds, the Fighting Irish lineman moves insanely well both laterally in his pass sets and out in space as a mauler. He is consistently out of his stance first and has first-class hip flexibility and recovery ability. He only started playing offensive line in college but displays incredible polish in his footwork and hand usage. Alt is both an excellent pass and run-blocking tackle, with athleticism to spare. He will only get better, and he's already very good.

Malik Nabers is a very rare type of mover at receiver. With a compact 6 foot, 200-pound build, the young pass catcher is in possession of remarkable speed control, threatening all three areas of the field. He pursues the football with resilience and despite his size was able to catch through contact easily in the middle of the field. His most alluring ability is that which is to threaten the endzone on every single play that he touches the ball. Nabers has elite contact balance and pound-for-pound strength, and in combination with his speed and quicks is a nightmare for opposing defenses. If he is able to hone in more consistency as a route runner, Nabers could be one of the most dynamic pass catchers in the game of football.

Right on the coattails of Nabers is another stellar receiver prospect in Rome Odunze. Odunze is a dense but lanky 6’3”, 215 pounds. He’s a very well-rounded athlete who wins with strength and admirable craftiness. He is a very technically sound route runner, using his quick change of direction skill with impressive nuance to consistently make himself an option. His timing and physicality at the catch point are a product of first-class ball skills. He has incredibly strong hands and leverages himself against his opponent to attack the football in the air. He routinely makes highlight-caliber catches well outside of his frame, seemingly plucking the ball out of space. His long speed is the least threatening part of his game if you’re an opposing corner, and even then he ran a 4.45 40-yard dash. I see very few worlds where Odunze is not a successful NFL player.

JC Latham is one of my favorite players in this class, as an absolute unit of strength in both pass protection and as a run blocker. At 6'6", 342 pounds, Latham moves fairly well in his pass sets, but admittedly has slower feet. His calling card is his 35-inch arms and 11-inch hands. Latham is tremendously strong as a blocker, easily displacing defenders at the point of attack. His reach and grip strength allow him to sustain blocks endlessly, putting an end to players' chances as soon as he gets a hold of them. His hands are accurate and well-timed, flashing some advanced technique for a 21-year-old player. If he is to become the dominant mauling tackle that I believe he is, Latham will have to learn to anticipate inside moves better to protect his average lateral quickness. He won't be a fit for every offense, but in a heavy gap run scheme, Latham's ability to create holes in his wake will be featured heavily.

Quinyon Mitchell will be the first group of five players selected in the 2024 draft this year. The 21 year old corner is an incredibly dynamic athlete, running a 4.33 40-yard dash at 6'0", 195 pounds. He played primarily in an off-coverage role at Toledo but showed that he has high level mirroring ability at the Senior Bowl in February. His play recognition and click and close ability are as good as it gets and allow him to contest catches often with great strength and poise through the hands of receivers. He has the ball skills to undercut passes and force turnovers as well. He plays his role in run support and is a consistent tackler. Mitchell is a superb blend of athleticism, skill, and instincts that will work in every NFL defense.

I know, hear me out. Outside of the top two quarterbacks, Nix has the highest floor in my eyes. He has a strong 6’3” build with a very good NFL arm. His fastball is great and allows him to fit passes into tight spots in the middle of the field with great anticipation and timing. In his limited opportunities, he’s very accurate down the field and has easy juice to get it there. Oregon’s quick passing game has done him no favors in this draft process, but his ability to work on time and with incredibly accurate ball placement in both the short and intermediate areas of the field cannot be ignored. He is a good athlete as well and will be an effective player out of the pocket as both a runner and passer. Nix has gotten better in every single one of his collegiate seasons and has the athletic tools and poise required to be a top-15 quarterback in this league. On a rookie deal, that is worth a top-10 pick.

Olumuyiwa 'Olu' Fashanu is a typical 'dancing bear' tackle prospect. Fashanu has great size and length for the position at 6'6", 312 pounds with 34-inch arms, even with the 8.5-inch hand measurement. Fashanu is a premier pass protector, with pro-ready footwork and hand usage in an incredibly athletic body. He fires out of his stance with grace, easily covering ground with his pass sets, and has the lateral agility to recover against inside moves. Fashanu will undoubtedly need to get stronger as he develops, in both phases of blocking. He's an average at best run defender at the moment and struggles heavily to create displacement at the point of attack. That being said, Fashanu is still a very young player, with an excellent track record in the most important aspect of offensive line play.

Terrion Arnold is an incredibly smooth player with a combative edge. The 21 year old defender tested very well at the combine in Indianapolis, showing off great explosive ability and change of direction, with solid 4.50 speed. Arnold mirrors receivers effortlessly in coverage and has the acceleration, tenacity, and length with 31 5/8 inch arms to gnat at opposing players at the catch point. His ball skills are remarkable down the field, allowing him to make big game-changing interceptions. His limited experience shows with short patience sometimes in man coverage, getting his hips turned too quickly. He will also need to get more comfortable playing without grabbing down the field. Arnold is a premier run support player, who does not shy away from physicality and can make plays on the boundary as a tackler. Arnold has rare fluidity at corner for a player who wants to be as physical as he is regularly.

Troy Fautanu is the most athletically gifted offensive tackle in this class. While many have questioned Fautanu's ability to stay at tackle in the NFL at a smaller 6'4", 317 pounds, his 34.5-inch arms give me enough confidence to at least give him the shot. He is an elite mover in every capacity and will be a featured member of the run game wherever he lands. The 5th year lineman is incredibly crafty in pass protection, using his hands in an offensive manner, taking the fight to pass rushers. He is a violently dominant run blocker on the move and will be coveted by zone-heavy schemes. He will need to continue to add lower-half strength, as he struggled at first contact versus bigger players. Even if he's unable to stay at tackle, Fautanu has tremendous guard versatility and with his movement talent should easily be able to find a home as a long-term starter.

Jer'Zhan 'Johnny' Newton has been one of the most underrated players in this class, especially for a prospect who should be a bona fide first-round pick. Newton is a really dynamic mover with great acceleration, quickness, and all-around speed. He is a very polished lineman for his age, taking over games as a pass rusher with a well-developed series of moves including his go-to club swim, push pulls, cross chops and two-handed swipes. He has a violently strong upper body and hands that consistently allow him to manipulate blockers in both the pass and run games. He is a master of shedding blocks, using excellent leverage, and balance to take away gaps with violent steering strength that allowed him to adjust quickly based on the ball carrier. His play recognition and football IQ is also incredibly impressive, displaying a constant understanding of where the ball was and how the play was trying to manipulate the defense. As a smaller 3Tech, he does lose ground to double teams and stronger blockers. Any way you slice it, Johnny Newton is a top 15 player in this class.

The second defensive tackle in this class falls just behind Newton with Byron Murphy II. Murphy is a high-end athlete with ridiculously impressive movement ability in all three phases (speed, agility and explosion). Murphy has an incredible first step and violent lateral quickness that allows him to be a high-level penetration player. He consistently beats lineman to their landmarks in the zone run game, and holds the point of attack easily against double teams, using his natural leverage to anchor in. He also has remarkable play strength and at times can simply toss run blockers to the side. Murphy's pass rush bag isn't quite as well-defined as Newton's but he still is very much on the right track. He wins consistently with a club swim move, and bull snatch, as well as a euro step inside move. He's a penetration first run defender, which means he will get swept away from certain plays, even on reps where he's able to get into the backfield. I also loved how the quality of his pass rush reps improved in the 4th quarter of close games. Murphy II may not be quite as consistent of a run defender, but there's no denying the pass rush ceiling is tremendous for an athlete of his caliber.

Brock Bowers is less of a tight end and more so an offensive weapon. Bowers is an awesome athlete with great speed and acceleration, especially for the position. He is a dynamic YAC threat, who consistently turns checkdowns and screens into chunk plays. He can and will run away from defensive backs, and he has the contact balance to eat arm tackles in stride and persist downfield. He will give you hundreds of hidden yards over the course of a season, as he consistently isn't brought down by first contact and finds ways to fall forward. Of course, his ball skills are wildly impressive as well. He competes through physicality easily in the middle of the field and uses his long 32 3/4-inch arms to rip balls out of the air with his hands. He's not a particularly moving blocker but surprisingly is more productive doing so from in line. Bowers will need to be used properly in order to meet first round pick expectations, but if anyone can break the "No Tight Ends in the First Round" narrative, it's him.

Laiatu Latu finished as the top EDGE of the pre-draft process for me. Latu's combine surprised many, proving to evaluators that he is more than an average athlete. At 6'5", 259 pounds, Latu tested with elite numbers in both the speed and agility categories per ras.football. Latu has seemingly an unlimited bag of pass rushing moves that he wins with. He is incredibly efficient with both his hands and movement and consistently found back field production in college. His run defense is underappreciated, playing with great effort and block-shedding strength. He also dominated interior lineman on passing downs from the inside. Latu's limited first step explosion and bend will likely hurt his chances of becoming a first option edge player in the NFL, but his floor is still quite high. His pro-ready skill set should help him hit the ground running as a rookie, and if his injury history remains just that, he should be a very good starting-caliber defender for many years.

Amarius Mims has one of the most impressive builds in this class. At 6'8", 344 pounds with 36 inch arms, the former Georgia Bulldog is built like an edge rusher. Mims only started 8 games in his collegiate career, but was incredibly impressive in each of them. Despite his inexperience, he has stellar hand timing and accuracy and very smooth footwork for a man of his size. His ability to create lanes on his rear as a run blocker is great, and demonstrates the easy strength that he has. He doesn't get off the line super well, so he won't be as effective on zone runs. Mims would be a top 10 player for me if his injury history wasn't so scary. The big man suffered an ankle injury that kept him out for the duration of the 2023 season, only to reaggravate it upon his return. He also tweaked his hamstring at the combine. Lower body injuries on a man his size are scary, but the upside is palpable. If Mims is able to stay on the field, I reckon the team that takes him will be getting a bargain.

Dallas Turner is an extremely long edge rusher with maybe the most dynamic movement profile in this class. At 6'3", 247 pounds, with 34 3/8 inch arms, the former Crimson Tide pass rusher ran an elite 4.46 40-yard dash with a 40.5 inch vertical and a 10'7" broad jump; both of which are at least 97th percentile. Turner generates extraordinary speed to power as a bull rusher, and added a plethora of different moves to his repertoire in 2023. He will need to add more weight at the next level in order to hold the point of attack more effectively, but his length should allow him to be a plus run defender at the next level. Turner's athletic profile has elite pass rusher written all over it, but he will need to continue to refine his game in order to reach that potential.

Brian Thomas Jr. rivals his former teammate, Malik Nabers, as the most athletically gifted player in this class. At 6’4”, 205 pounds, Thomas Jr. ran a 4.34 40-yard dash. The young pass catcher was an incredibly productive deep threat as a collegiate player, leveraging insane speed and acceleration at his size. His flashes as a route runner are frankly jarring, putting together his speed, foot quickness and size allows him to essentially be limitless in use. Similarly, his wingspan gave him the ability to make catches of great difficulty through contact at times. He will need to become a bit more consistent in those areas of playing the position in order to reach his full potential. That being said, he will step on the field in his rookie season as a ready-made NFL deep threat with big play potential on the move.

Jared Verse is a big mauling edge rusher from Florida State. Verse has the best power profile among the edges in this class, consistently winning at the point of attack against both phases of offense. His hands are tremendously dense, and with 33.5-inch arms, he extends well into the chests of linemen with imposing strength in order to shed blocks and make plays. He converts speed to power as well as anyone in this class, and should be a high-level pocket squeezer at the next level. The 23 year old defender is pretty well polished with his hands but lacks the bend to consistently round the corner into the pocket. Verse's floor is well-defined as an older player, but his ceiling is certainly capped in comparison to the other players ahead of him at the position. Either way, he comfortably should be a solid starter against both the run and pass in the NFL, which is well worth a first round pick.

Ladd McConkey is quite possibly my favorite player in this class. Despite every stereotype that has been thrown his way, Ladd is a complete outside receiver prospect with real first option potential. McConkey is a route running technician, competing even against Marvin Harrison Jr. for the title of best in this class. He is outrageously quick and explosive off the line of scrimmage and in his breaks, making for easy contact-free separation. His dynamic movement ability allowed to create big plays after the catch, juking defensive players out of their cleats. His 4.39 40-yard dash confirmed what I already believed, that McConkey can win vertically at the next level. He tracks and catches the ball very naturally, and his quickness should make for a valuable weapon both on the outside and in the slot, should he stay healthy.

Cooper DeJean is a versatile defensive back who may seriously see time at outside corner, slot, and safety throughout his career. DeJean has a solid dense build with good length, and great speed, and explosive ability, running a 4.46 40-yard dash at his pro day. He played in a heavy zone scheme at Iowa and was incredibly effective, using great eye discipline, route anticipation, and ball tracking to consistently affect throws in his area. His hip flexibility and change of direction skills appeared to be less than that of his other movement abilities, as he struggled to change directions quickly and accelerate with receivers out of their breaks. Cooper is an excellent support defender and an incredibly reliable tackler as well. His mirroring ability gives me pause on the boundary, but in a zone-heavy scheme, I could easily see him winning like he did at Iowa. Regardless, he's a player you want in spaces close to the football, as his ball skills rewarded his team with big interceptions routinely, followed by incredible returns. It's hard to say exactly what he will be in the NFL, but I'm confident he will be good at it.

Jackson Powers-Johnson is the first of a talented interior offensive line group in 2024. Jackson has a uniquely dense square build, at 6'3", 328 pounds. He is an incredibly powerful player at the point of attack in the run game, with admirable lateral quickness and block pursuit. He is an incredible combo blocker and double team player, who easily tracks down second-level players. In pass protection, he's rock solid both in anchor and as a help blocker. His hand usage will need to improve, but as a player with only 13 career starts, there is still plenty of room to grow. Powers-Johnson is a plug-and-play lineman with scheme versatility who should easily start as a rookie at both center or guard.

Taliese Fuaga is an incredibly imposing offensive line prospect. The 6'6", 324-pound behemoth from Oregon State was a pancake highlight reel machine in 2023. He is dominant as a run blocker, combining an explosive first step, great pad level, and big-boy strength to consistently reroute defenders. His anchor is super solid in pass protection, but he lacks the high-end movement ability and technique. His hand usage and block sustainability is still a work in progress as a pass protector. With only 33 1/8-inch arms, I definitely see Fuaga as a guard at the next level. That being said, his first-class run blocking profile and tremendous strength should be a heavily wanted skill set for a run-heavy offense.

Nate Wiggins might have the best man coverage skill set in this entire class. The 6'1" corner from Clemson ran a 4.29 40-yard dash in Indianapolis, proving that he does in fact have first-class long speed. Wiggins mirrors receivers in his sleep, latching onto the hip pocket with ease and using his tremendous foot quickness and fluidity to stay right in phase. He has great patience in off coverage, and rarely breaks his hips the wrong way. His size is a concern, but it does not show up at the catch point. He plays through the hands of pass catchers effectively. Wiggins will need to add weight in the NFL, in order to move closer to average as a tackler. As is, he consistently shies away from contact and is a player whose size worries me for health reasons. Wiggins is still quite young, which is encouraging as he still likely has room to grow in physical development. Wiggins could certainly be the best coverage corner in this class five years down the road.

J.J. McCarthy is a scrappy young passer who, of the predicted first round quarterbacks, will almost certainly require the most development. The newly 219-pound passer has an above-average arm and in his limited reps flashed the ability to rip throws into crevices of the defense over the middle of the field. He is a very good scrambler and in addition to his passing can be extremely effective on the ground. He operated comfortably behind clean pockets but showed the ability to maneuver through pressure and find receivers. He has issues mechanically that affect his ball placement and accuracy, especially throwing to his left. McCarthy certainly seems to have the demeanor to succeed in the NFL and with proper development could find himself as a top 15 quarterback in the league.

Jayden Daniels falls right behind McCarthy for me as a fringe first round prospect. Daniels had an incredible final campaign in 2023 leading the way with game-breaking speed as a runner. He has a thin frame at 6’4”, weighing in at 205 pounds. Jayden has a good, but not great NFL Arm, with tremendous deep ball accuracy. He protects the football extremely well (only 10 turnover-worthy plays in his two seasons at LSU) and was responsible for an explosive LSU offense. Daniel's top tier acceleration and speed allowed him to easily break contain versus pressure, but very rarely resulted in him making plays with his arm. The 5th year quarterback was extremely quick to tuck and run but was rewarded with big play after big play with his legs. His talent is immeasurable, but if he is to succeed in the NFL he will need to protect himself better from hits and learn to use his arm as a weapon outside of structure.

As is with most Penn State draft prospects, Chop Robinson is an underdeveloped freak athlete at the edge position. Robinson has the best first step in this entire class and consistently gets even with tackles out of their stances. He was in the backfield a lot as a collegiate player but failed to rack up the production like many of the top players. He can win with his tremendous speed and bend combination but fails to bring much else to the table as a pass rush planner. He is quite slippery as a run defender as well, but again typically only makes plays with penetration, not as a block shedder. Chop will need to take dramatic steps in his technique and approach to the edge position, and if he is able to do that, the all-pro caliber potential is undeniable.

Adonai ‘AD’ Mitchell is a polarizing prospect, and for good reason. On tape, Mitchell can do nearly everything that a receiver prospect could be asked to do. He has great ‘X’ receiver size at 6 '2”, 205 pounds, and is an extraordinary athlete, finishing his testing with a 9.99 RAS score per ras.football (though missing agility drills). AD is a jump ball machine, routinely winning in the endzone in contested catch situations with great timing and hand strength. He’s a very fluid route runner and separates easily when he wants to. Despite his ability, he had very limited collegiate production, never reaching a season with more than 850 yards. He’s admitted to taking plays off as well, which concerns me, as his 4.34 speed was almost never on full display. AD Mitchell clearly has the talent to be one of the best receivers in the league, but it’s hard to imagine that being the case with him not having done so in college.

Tyler Guyton begins the tier of development tackles in this draft class. At a standing 6'8", 322 pounds, Guyton is a remarkable athletic talent. He has incredibly quick and agile footwork in pass protection and flashes the ability to mirror and shut down opposing rushers with his hands and excellent athleticism. While they were just flashes, Guyton's athleticism should enable him to survive in pass protection at the next level. He plays far too skinny in the run game, however, and outright misses downhill blocks by dipping his head. He has the tools to sustain blocks effectively at the next level, but it hasn't quite come together yet. Nonetheless, he is still quite an inexperienced player and with his tools and proper development could yield great results at an important position.

Kool-Aid McKinstry, on top of holding the coolest name title of the class, was a very polished player early in his career at Alabama. McKinstry was lockdown in the SEC the past two seasons and uses his strength and length to end routes before they begin at the line of scrimmage. He is only an above-average athlete, running a 4.47 40-yard dash with middling explosion numbers. He is incredibly physical at the catch point, and with his high-end play recognition is often able to combat his poor closing speed. He is also an average run support player, who will need to be more sure-handed as a tackler. McKinstry may not have the ceiling of the other players above him, but his floor as a press man corner is rock solid. He's just a really good football player.

Zach Frazier bridges the gap between wrestling and offensive line play more than any player I've seen before. The former Mountaineer is a very good athlete, who consistently fires out of his stance before everyone else. His lateral quickness and hip flexibility are remarkably solid. Frazier has great length with 32 1/4 inch arms that are used with tremendous power in every facet of blocking. As a pass protector, Frazier's hands are quick and accurate and make use of the snatch trap that Tyron Smith has made famous in Dallas. He plays with great pad level in the run game and uses his imposing upper body strength to steer linemen away and seal gaps behind him with ease. His hands routinely ended plays with great grip strength and block sustain. He also always looks to finish players into the dirt. The biggest inconsistencies stem from head dips, and letting his feet get sluggish at contact. Both of which are easily fixable. Frazier has a stellar, scheme versatile profile, and could easily play all three of the interior positions as a rookie.

Ricky Pearsall is another slot body type that I believe can be used on the outside at the next level. Pearsall, 6’1”, 192 pounds, was a combine darling, with elite movement scores in all three categories (speed, agility, and explosion) per ras.football. He’s an experienced and savvy route runner, who gets off press very well. His spectacular catch ability is awe-striking, ripping balls down out of the air in the middle of the field consistently through contact. His floor is incredibly safe as a separation-first slot player, but the athleticism and YAC ability suggests that he could support a larger target share at the next level.

Graham Barton will be one of the players in this class transitioning from tackle to the interior on the offensive line. At 6'5", 313 pounds, Barton is an elite athlete among eligible guard prospects per ras.football. His 32 7/8 inch arms keep him out of the tackle conversation for me, but with his athleticism and production, make him a rockstar guard prospect. Barton walls up easily with great hip swivel and core strength on gap runs, and was highly effective on pulls and as a second level combo blocker. He mirrored and anchored very well at tackle in college, but lost most often because of his length. His arms were easy targets to chops and push pulls that kept him off balance, which should ideally be something we see less of on the interior. He also played his entire freshman season at center, which may mean he has 3 position versatility. Either way, Barton has the athleticism and experience to be a starting caliber player in his first season on the interior.

Jermaine Burton’s tape is one of my favorites in this class. The smaller 6-foot receiver plays way bigger than his size would indicate. He consistently beat bigger physical corners in the SEC, which ensures that he can play on the outside. He explodes off the line of scrimmage and has excellent contact balance to remain unphased by physicality in the early parts of his route. Burton was primarily a deep threat at Alabama but tempos his routes and accelerates so well that he can consistently separate on in-breaking routes. His ball skills and body control are first in class, using great leverage and timing to bring in contested catches despite his size. His hands are strong and reliable; dropping 0 passes on 57 targets in 2023. If his off-the-field concerns do not prevent him from seeing the field, Burton has high-end WR2 potential at the next level.

Kingsley Suamataia, similar to Guyton is a raw tackle prospect who survived in pass protection with athleticism. Suamataia is a very smooth mover and athlete in general, at a dense 6'4", 326 pounds. He glides in his pass sets, with great discipline and patience to mirror rushers with ease. His hand timing and accuracy developed nicely this past season but still needs to become more consistent, in addition to foot activity post-contact. He is very clunky as a run blocker, consistently whiffing on defenders and losing the race to landmarks. When he does land his hands, his strength and steering ability are noticeable. With proper coaching and development, Suamataia could easily end up as an above-average starting tackle but could see the field in pass protection as is.

Christian Haynes is a personal favorite of mine in this class, and projects to be a really solid guard at the next level. At 6'3", 317 pounds with 33.5-inch arms, Haynes has all of the size and length required to succeed on the interior. He is a really talented athlete, who excels as a mover in the run game. His lateral fluidity and length are compelling as a zone blocker and is balanced with excellent upper body strength and steer ability on gap runs. He anchors well to power in pass protection but gives up enough ground at first contact to warrant him needing to add weight. He is incredibly disruptive when uncovered and really makes himself felt on help blocks. He may lack top-tier quickness but Haynes is well-rounded and versatile enough to give me great confidence in his success as a pro.

Darius Robinson is just a good football player. The Mizzou defender played all over the defensive line in college, and projects to do the same as a pro. He is incredibly strong at the point of attack and really can do almost everything you want as a run defender. He holds double teams well and can win with penetration as well as block-shedding. He maximizes his ability as a tweener with a nice bag of pass rush moves; most reliably winning with his bull rush, and countering with push/pull combos, and club swim moves. Robinson is a high-effort player, who will need to be used properly in order to see full value. He's not going to win with speed or as a bender on the edge, but his versatility and skill as an overall defender will surely give him the opportunity to be successful in the NFL.

T.J. Tampa has all of the size and strength to be an imposing bump-and-run corner in the NFL. Tampa is a middling athlete but has remarkable foot quickness and change of direction ability for defensive backs of his size. He was tasked with loads of off-coverage at Iowa State, which helped hide his poor long speed, but allowed him to utilize his eyes and anticipate routes as they happened. He mirrors receivers quite well from the hip pocket too, and plays with great physicality throughout the duration of routes. He is also a willing run defender, but very inconsistent as a tackler. Though his experience in press is surprisingly limited, Tampa has the poise and length to be a potent boundary corner in both press and off coverage at the next level.

Keon Coleman joins the group of the bizarre ‘not-quite-complete’ receiver prospects in this tier of my board. Coleman is 6’3”, 215 pounds, setting himself up nicely to be an ‘X’ receiver for an NFL offense. Coleman has excellent ball skills extending from his basketball rebounding days at Michigan State, including strong hands and great timing and positioning. Coleman ran a bizarre 4.61 40-yard dash, which reinforced my questions with him regarding separation ability. Coleman has only recently started playing football full-time, meaning his route running has plenty of room to grow. As one of the youngest prospects in this class though, there is reason to believe in that development. Coleman was used as a punt returner for FSU, demonstrating the type of fluidity and athleticism he is in possession of as a ball carrier, even though it has not translated to getting open on the football field. If Coleman is to live up to this jump-ball dominant, DeAndre Hopkins-esque mold he will need to drastically improve in the details of the position.

Spencer Rattler was the projected number one overall pick entering the 2021 CFB season. He’s since transferred to South Carolina and helped rejuvenate a forgotten SEC offense. Rattler’s arm talent is stellar and has shown in flashes throughout his entire career. He can access every part of the field at any given moment, both driven and with great touch. He’s accurate as a short-area passer and will be able to operate an NFL quick game effectively with his ball handling and release. Rattler’s biggest area of improvement and yet still weakness is his decision-making. He has consistently put the ball in harm's way down the field, operating either late or bullheaded. If he is able to continue to grow in that area under a flexible offensive coach, there is undeniably a great potential return involved. Rattler’s growth on and off the field has given me renewed confidence in his evaluation as a project quarterback in round two of this draft.

Kris Jenkins was a defensive chess piece who rotated between nearly every defensive line position throughout his Michigan career. The senior defensive tackle is an awesome athlete with great 34-inch arm length, testing with great speed and explosion ability. He may even be able to play 3-4 DE at the next level. Jenkins is a great zone run defender, and moves extremely well from sideline to sideline. He consistently beat blockers to their landmarks and plays with great ball awareness and play recognition. He has fantastic lower and upper body strength that enabled him to anchor in easily against double teams and single blocks at the point of attack, and bench press lineman in order to shed and tackle. He also rarely gave up his leverage in reckless pursuit of the ball. Jenkins' pass rush plan was predicated on him winning mostly with athleticism. His go-to moves were an inside euro, a spin move and a basic club rip. He will need to continue to bolster his arsenal at the next level. Nonetheless, Jenkins is a stout run defender with enough athleticism to warrant development as a pass rusher. He should earn himself playing time on early downs as a rookie and could look to make a jump with refinement against the pass.

Troy Franklin at 6’2”, 176 pounds joins the group of players in this class at this position who, 10 years ago, would be considered far too light to survive in the NFL. Franklin was a tremendous collegiate separator, both in the intermediate and down the field. His 4.41 40-yard dash speed shows itself in the deep space and pairs extremely well with his route running potency. Franklin has some of the best route running ability in this class, using tremendous tempo and release variation to keep defenders on their heels in combination with great body positioning and control. If Franklin is to beat the Marquez Valdez-Scantling allegations, he will need to improve heavily with his ball skills. As it stood last season, drops were far too prevalent, and body catches were the norm. Similar to Keon Coleman, he is a very young prospect, which gives me hope that real progress can still be made.

Patrick Paul is a looming 6'7", 331-pound offensive tackle prospect with 36.25-inch arms. Woah. Paul is a stellar mover at his size, with explosive yet smooth kick sets in pass protection. His hand usage dramatically improved going into the 2023 season, leading to a very successful season in which he allowed only 1 sack. He has a violent outside hand punch that protects the edge well from speedier rushers and effectively disrupts against power. He has middling lateral quickness and gets beat to the inside shoulder far too easily as is right now. His understanding of the run game has also made significant strides in the last year, but still lacks the consistency landing blocks with head dips and finding landmarks. He is also a high-cut player who struggles to sink into his stance, which leads him to give ground readily at first contact versus the bull rush. Paul has some great tools to work with, but could certainly use some time before seeing the NFL field.

Jonah Elliss is a smaller outside linebacker/edge defender from Utah. The 21 year old pass rush specialist has really nice length for a smaller build (33-inch arms), with both elite agility and explosion testing per ras.football. Elliss has a well-developed repertoire of moves already, winning with an effective snatch/push-pull move, as well mixing in cross chops and spin moves. Despite his high explosive ability, he pretty rarely won around the edge with his speed. The run game looks a little bit fast yet for Elliss, as he pretty consistently is swept away before diagnosing where the ball is going. He doesn't hold the point of attack well either. He is a very young player though, and with such an extended bag of tricks already, could continue to develop into a premier pass rush option. Especially if he's able to add weight and grow as a run defender, which should keep him on the field on early downs.

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. was a presence on the outside for the Mizzou defense in 2023. He is a very middling athlete, especially in long speed, but makes up for it with heart and physicality. He has great length for his size with 32-inch arms and changes directions quite well in man coverage. He anticipates routes extremely well in zone coverage, with great eye discipline and reaction ability to pass players through his zone. His ball skills are a massive question mark, however, having not recorded a single interception in college and having very limited ball production. Rakestraw excels in run support and is an asset as a tackler and box defender. His size and athletic limitations may limit him to the slot, but if he is to stay healthy, he should be a fan favorite as a rookie following his inevitable first big run stop.

I understand the reasons why Penix could be higher than this. But in a modern NFL, I can’t quite buy-in. Michael Penix Jr. has a tremendous rifle for an arm that allowed him access both tight windows and deep areas of the field on a whim. He rarely took sacks at Washington, operating quickly behind a very good offensive line. Unfortunately, Penix lacks the accuracy and ball placement that would be required of him to succeed as a high-level pocket passer in the NFL. His offensive success took full advantage of the weapons around him, and with a limited out-of-structure tool kit, it’s hard to see the path to stardom for the 6th year passer. That said, his arm talent and ability to play on time without risking negative plays could earn him a long-term backup role in the NFL, should his injury concerns stay in the rearview mirror.

Khyree Jackson has rare size in this corner class, which will surely move him up boards. At 6'4", Jackson has great length and boundary coverage skills to be considered a very good outside corner prospect. He is an above-average athlete with solid 4.50 speed and great acceleration and recovery ability. He was an imposing player at the line of scrimmage, consistently rerouting receivers with strong jams. He uses the boundary to his advantage and has solid enough fluidity and great patience to mirror receivers through in-breaking routes. He attacks the ball extremely well in the air, turning 50/50 balls in his favor and using the body language of receivers to time his head turns. His high-cut frame hurts his ability to close quickly, which means he won't be much of a fit for heavy off-coverage teams. Additionally, he will absolutely need to add weight in the NFL, as he's often moved by bigger players at the top routes and at times at the line of scrimmage too. All in all, Khyree has the size and instincts to contribute early as a competitive press man boundary corner.

Ja’Lynn Polk is a solid all-around receiver prospect. At 6’1”, 203 pounds, Polk brings physicality and reliability to the table. He is a slightly above-average athlete, running a 4.52 40-yard dash, but still uses excellent tempo and strength to separate at the route stem. His body control and ball skills are great, making him a prime option to reel in contested catches. He should be able to play both outside and in the slot at the next level and will be a plus blocker in the run game. Polk’s ceiling is not that of the other players before him, but his floor looks to be a steady third pass catcher. 

Rounding out my Top 50 is Arizona's Jordan Morgan. Morgan played left tackle for the Wildcats, but like Graham Barton, will likely be moved inside at the next level due to arm length. He is a grade-A athlete who possesses superb lateral quickness and explosive get-off out of his stance. He should be an immediate value player as a reach blocker on zone runs. Similarly, he will be a useful puller and combo blocker, tracking down secondary defenders in space with ease. However, he lacks the point-of-attack punch and steer ability to contribute heavily as a gap player. In pass protection, his 32 7/8 inch arms inhibited him from getting hands-on players early and forced him to be all but perfect with his footwork. Unfortunately, his feet too often become sluggish post-contact, which hurt his ability to stay between defenders and the quarterback at times. Morgan's zone-blocking skill set should get him in the door as a starting guard, but he will need to get stronger if he wants to become a more well-rounded versatile player in the NFL.

Mike Sainristil defies size expectations at the corner position. The former Michigan slot defender plays with tremendous effort and is a great mover, running a 4.47 40-yard dash with elite explosive testing as well. His size will limit Sainristil to the slot in the NFL, but should be a targeted player by zone-heavy defenses. His eye discipline and instincts in zone coverage are excellent, and in tandem with his click and close ability allowed him to make receivers feel the brunt of his smaller frame as the ball comes in. He is an excellent run defender as well, who's patient in traffic and finds ways to explode into ball carriers for big hits. His frame limited him from being truly effective at the catch point, but he still found a way to bring in 6 interceptions in 2023. He will also be bullied by bigger slot receivers in man coverage, and pretty easily gets moved by physicality at route breaks. Nonetheless, Sainristil is a tenacious football player who plays far bigger than his measurements would suggest and should compete for a starting slot role early in his career.

Shocker. Another misused Penn State player. Theo Johnson is probably the best athlete at the tight end position in this entire class, ranking 9th overall among 1141 eligible TE prospects in history with a 9.93 RAS score per ras.football. Johnson has first-class speed, explosives and size, with a 4.57 40-yard dash at 6'6", 259 pounds. The former Nittany Lion is very raw as a route runner and was seldom used on true passing downs. His athleticism is hard to miss though, as he has reps beating outside corners with physicality and with speed. He showed the ability to reel in catches outside his frame, but will need to do so more consistently at the next level. He is a real in-line blocking prospect, who at times flashes remarkable people-moving ability and technique, especially in pass protection. Johnson will almost certainly need to see some time on the bench to develop early in his career, but if under the right coaching staff, he could be looking at a large volume bump in the NFL, ala Sam LaPorta.

Tyler Nubin will be a great litmus test to help determine whether RAS scores matter at safety. Nubin tested quite poorly at his pro day, finishing with a 3.67 RAS per ras.football. That being said, he is a really solid safety on film. The 22 year old defensive back plays with tremendous instincts and toughness that allow him to consistently undercut intermediate routes and cut off deep shots. He's an eager run defender and a very good tackler who looks to bring the hammer down in the box. He also intercepted 5 passes in 2023, some of which were quite impressive plays on the ball. Nubin likely won't be asked to play too much single high, but in a cover 2 world, I think Nubin has the feel and football IQ to be a quality starter on the backend.

Ben Sinnott is bringing back the H-Back. The Kansas State tight end is an incredibly good athlete, posting great scores at all three levels of RAS testing. He is a supernatural hands catcher and tracks the ball confidently without fear over the middle of the field, extending outside of his frame to reel in passes at times. His change of direction ability is top-notch and allows him to create easy separation versus man coverage. He has great contact balance as well, giving him tangible chunk play ability. Sinnott is also a very technically sound blocker. He uses his hands quite well and moves well enough to track down and sustain second-level defenders in space. He is a smaller tight end certainly and is sometimes overpowered by bigger defenders. Regardless, Sinnott is a very well-rounded tight end prospect with first-class movement ability, his role could be looking at a dramatic increase at the next level.

Xavier Legette, the senior breakout receiver, is a rocked-up 6’1”, 221-pound player. The bulky pass catcher ran a 4.39 in Indianapolis this year, cementing the incredible speed that I and others saw on tape. He is an excellent deep ball receiver, who wins down the field with an incredible size/speed combination, and exemplary ball skills. Legette is a violently effective jump ball player at all three levels of the field and consistently reeled in off-target passes that were outside of his frame. Unfortunately, his dynamism is limited to straight-line routes, as he struggles mightily to change directions. His skill set is similar to that of a DK Metcalf’s, as an explosive big-play receiver who will likely never see a full route tree.

Roman Wilson falls into the dynamic slot receiver bucket, like McConkey and Pearsall before him, measuring in at just under 5’11”, 185 pounds. Wilson is an excellent athlete, with both long speed and change of direction ability. He’s an effective route runner and consistently bought himself easy separation against Senior Bowl competition. His size will likely see him limited to the slot at the next level, but his tenacity and toughness rise beyond that of a player his stature. He is a very willing catcher in the middle of the field, fighting through defenders at the catch point to keep receptions secured. He has a remarkable willingness to block, and does so effectively. Wilson will be a perfect fit for a team looking for a hard-nosed vertical slot player.

Andru Phillips is another size outlier at corner in this class. The former Kentucky Wildcat is a very solid athlete with 4.48 speed and extraordinary explosive ability. Despite his size, I expect Phillips to play on the outside as well as in the slot. He has a very smooth pedal with great hip fluidity and mirror ability. He excels in off coverage, using both route anticipation and stately closing speed to make plays on the football. He has the long speed to keep up down the field, but rarely gets his head turned around, making him an easy target for pass interference. His zone coverage instincts are really solid, and he competes quickly to take away passing lanes as concepts start to develop around him. He is also a very high-effort run defender and solid tackler, even despite his size. He will be bullied by receivers on the outside at times, but Phillip's nature plays bigger than his measurements would indicate and leads me to believe he can compete for a starting gig on the boundary.

Xavier Thomas is quite an old prospect at 24 years old, finally entering the draft after an injury-riddled collegiate career. The former Clemson Tiger is a great speed and quickness athlete, with a great first step and solid 32 7/8 inch long arms. As you would expect for a player with his experience, Thomas has a deep and well-developed pass rush plan outside of his speed rush, with a double-hand swipe, ghost bull rush, and a club swim inside move. He's not a particularly imposing run defender, but he holds his leverage well and can make plays with his speed as a backside defender. Thomas may not improve much more as a player in the NFL, but I believe his floor to be a solid designated pass rusher. His speed and polish should allow him to hit the ground running as a rookie, and hopefully help establish a more permanent role in a 4-3 defense.

Payton Wilson fits the 'see ball, get ball' archetype of linebacker to a tee. Wilson is an outrageously talented athlete, with elite 4.43 speed and great change of direction ability. Wilson is an incredibly productive run defender, who plays with an unbelievable amount of effort. He is consistently involved in almost every tackle and has true sideline to sideline speed. His fluidity allows him to bob and weave through traffic without getting sucked up by blockers, plus he's a top-tier tackler. He's also a very effective blitzer and pass rush disruptor. His coverage instincts as a 24 year old backer are pretty undeveloped, and I fear that's not something that will continue to improve. Wilson should be a really fun to watch Will linebacker in the NFL, but will certainly be limited by his coverage woes. If he is put in a role that asks him to play downhill nearly all of the time, and he's able to stay healthy, I could see Wilson being a very functional starting player. If not, he's got great special teams potential as well.

Edgerrin Cooper is an athletic mold of clay in the linebacker class this year. Cooper ran a 4.51 40-yard dash, with very solid explosion and agility testing as well. His understanding of run defense grew dramatically in 2023, transitioning from an aggressive player who would get sucked into blocks far too easily, to a more disciplined defender who picked and chose where and when to attack. He definitely has sideline to sideline speed and is a very solid tackler in the between the hashes. His zone instincts are a massive work in progress, but he does have the ability to chase RBs and TEs down the field in man coverage. He handles breaks and physicality pretty well and generally is able to keep his matchups under wraps. Consistency is the name of the game for Cooper, as the flashes of excellence are there. It's hard to say whether or not he can be a true Mike linebacker in the NFL, but of the top tier in this class, he may have the highest ceiling.

Kamari Lassiter is a firecracker at corner and will be counted on to bring the noise in the NFL. Lassiter is a pretty specific athlete, with very poor 4.64 long speed but elite change of direction ability, running a ridiculous 6.62 3-cone at his pro day. His measurements and athletic testing strongly lend itself to play in the slot at the NFL. That said, Lassiter was a feisty SEC corner at Georgia who exercised great patience and active feet in man coverage, and compelling physicality throughout his assignments. He finds the ball really well and times his head turns efficiently using the receiver's body language. His long speed issues showed up fairly often on tape, and he will need to tone down his physical play style in the NFL, out of fear of penalties. He also doesn't triangulate super well in zone coverage, often losing sight of the football or his zone. Lassiter however, is a high-effort and helpful support defender, who rarely misses tackles and takes on blocks quite well. While he may be limited to the slot at the next level, Lassiter does have the poise and quickness to earn a starting role on an NFL defense.

T'Vondre Sweat is the most clear pure nose tackle in this class. At a dense, solidly proportioned 366 pounds, Sweat is a cinderblock of a human being. The former Longhorn eats double teams for breakfast, virtually going unmoved as a house in the run game. His upper body strength is insane, and he fairly easily is able to steer single blocks away to catch ball carriers in the middle of the line. Almost like a great rim protector in basketball, Sweat's presence deters ball carriers from the middle gaps almost entirely when he is there. At his weight, he is a pretty solid athlete but uses a variety of hand techniques in order to win consistently. He wins with club swims, two-handed swipes, and a swipe into a club, alongside of his bull rush. Sweat can play against every type of down, but he's not going to be a 3 down player every drive. The weight maintenance is a real concern at his size, given that Texas personnel claimed he was playing closer to 380. Unfortunately, the off-the-field issues are going to impact his draft stock, as it's impacted his ranking on my board. If T'Vondre is able to keep football the priority, there's no doubt that he will find a role on an NFL defense. Rarely are nose tackles effective against both the run and pass, and Sweat does both well.

Austin Booker is a really confusing prospect at edge rusher. The former Jayhawk saw his first season of real playing time in 2023 and was quite successful tallying 38 pressures and 9 sacks. After transferring from Minnesota, Booker was pegged as an elite athlete with tremendous potential but only finished with a 7.02 RAS score per ras.football. It was clear on film that Booker was inexperienced, but he still showed quite an understanding of pass rush moves; winning with push pulls, euro inside moves, spins, and a classic bull rush. He was often lost against the run, struggling to recognize the ball location quickly, but still played with great strength at the point of attack and in shedding. He will also need to add weight in the NFL, as his role on the line will certainly require him to be bigger than 240 pounds. Booker appeared to me as a great athlete with awesome 33 7/8 inch arms that simply lacked experience but again did not test in that way. Still, I believe juice may be worth the squeeze on day two, as I'm not giving up on the potential.

Trey Benson is the best running back in this class. The 21 year old ball carrier is an insanely talented athlete, running a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine, at 6'0", 216 pounds. Benson has some of the best contact balance and leg drive ability that you will ever see from a prospect. He routinely bounced off of defenders and broke several tackles en route to a massive chunk play. His burst and long speed are fast enough to threaten the big play, but he will need to start taking the smaller gains more consistently to set those up. He's more than willing to bounce outside if the picture isn't clear. He is a very reliable checkdown pass catcher, and even put some quite impressive contested catches on tape as well. Benson's injury history is a bit scary, but on the whole, his profile more than most backs in this class yells three-down potential.

Junior Colson is by far the most consistent coverage linebacker in this draft class. He is an average athlete on tape, with good speed and change of direction. Colson's ability to latch on to players in zone and keep pace with them is impressive. His instincts for space and how opponents are attacking behind him are really admirable, and he passes off threats quickly and accurately. Colson's biggest hiccup is his run defense, but more specifically his play recognition and processing. He's not a good enough athlete to consistently move sideline to sideline, and especially when he's just a tick late. His run support is very solid between the tackles, but he routinely gets swept up in traffic on outside running plays. Luckily, Colson is still incredibly young and inexperienced, so while he will need to play faster in the NFL to routinely see the field, he should have ample ability to do so.

Max Melton was a silky smooth outside corner for the Scarlet Knights. Like seemingly every corner in this class, Melton is undersized but a great athlete. He ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine and topped it off with stellar explosive jumps. Melton's 32 1/8 inch arm length and long speed give me confidence that he can survive on the outside as well as the slot. Melton was really effective in zone coverage, and looks very comfortable reading the play out ahead of him. His click and close ability is awesome and allows him to compete at the catch point routinely. He doesn't have very good change of direction speed, or hip fluidity which may hurt his mirror potential in man coverage. Nonetheless, his speed and acceleration give him chances on plays where typical players may be out of luck. He is an eager tackler and run support player, but lacks consistency with his technique that as a lighter player is easily bounced off of. Regardless, Melton has both inside and outside versatility in the secondary and could look to fight for a starting role early in his rookie contract.

Braden Fiske was a massive combine breakout, running a 4.78 40-yard dash with elite jumps at 292 pounds. Fiske is a bit of a tweener defensive lineman, kind of towing that line between a 3Tech and a 4i. Fiske is a really fun run defender to watch. He plays with a relentless motor and uses his insane athleticism as a great penetration player. He gets off the line extremely well and regularly beats lineman to their landmarks on zone runs. For his size, he has awesome upper body strength which he uses effectively to shed blocks on gap runs. His natural leverage gives him some nice moments where he holds the point of attack well, but he does spend much of his time moving backwards against double teams. As a 6th year player, Fiske's pass rush bag is pretty lackluster. His bull rush is uneventful and doesn't convert speed to power much at all. He does win with rip moves and cross chops, but that was about it. Fiske's natural athleticism provides him a floor in the NFL, especially as a run defender. However, given his limited pass rush arsenal and age, I find it hard to believe that a path to success exists in frequently hitting the quarterback.

Renardo Green might be the smallest press man prospect that we've seen in some time. At 6'0", 186 pounds with 31 1/4 inch arms, Green was a mainstay at the line of scrimmage for the Seminole defense in 2023. He uses his hands really effectively at the gates, burying players with impressive strength if he gets hands-on. He matches releases easily as well and with solid 4.49 speed has the burners to keep in phase down the field. He also uses the sideline really well to his aid, consistently routing receivers closer and closer on vertical routes. He does get grabby often though, which will get him penalized often if he's unable to make that adjustment. In off coverage, he has some nice moments of anticipation but doesn't change directions well enough to compete at the catch point consistently. He sometimes gets caught being indecisive in zone coverage, and doesn't have the natural instincts to consistently affect plays going his way. He's also an okay run defender as well, and a pretty reliable tackler in space. In the right role, Green could be an early candidate to start among players taken this late, due to his specialized skill set.

Xavier Worthy took the combine by storm in March, running the fastest 40-yard dash ever recorded by the NFL at 4.21, at only 5'11", 165 pounds. On tape, Worthy's speed was seldom put to use down the field. He was far more utilized in the quick game as a YAC threat, with his lightning-fast foot speed and acceleration. Worthy has natural separation ability that will absolutely translate to the NFL, despite still being an underdeveloped route runner. However, he remains here on my big board due to inconsistencies as a ball tracker, and concerns regarding his ability to bring in catches through contact. He will need to be regularly schemed free releases in order to get off the line of scrimmage cleanly. As is though, Worthy has extremely rare movement ability, and should be a day-one chunk play threat at the next level.

Javon Bullard is a hybrid safety/nickel corner from Georgia. He is a good athlete, with especially great speed and change of direction ability, running a 4.47 40-yard dash and 3.97 short shuttle. Bullard is an excellent man coverage player from the slot, who mirrors exceptionally well in trail technique. His hips are snappy and he plays with admirable discipline in holding his leverage. He is a very solid zone defender, who has no issue latching on quickly to players entering his zone, with impressive turn and run ability in match zone looks. His click-and-close ability is by far his biggest area of weakness in coverage, and he relies heavily on his route anticipation. He plays with great effort in the run game, but is pretty easily swept away by tight end blocks or combo blocks from the box. Similarly, his size prevents him from being anything more than an okay tackler. Bullard's hip fluidity is certainly good enough to rotate up high in Cover 2. He would be best used by a scheme that prioritizes him as a nickel defender with safety versatility.

Chris Braswell was the second fiddle behind Dallas Turner at Alabama this past season. The 22 year old pass rusher uses his elite 4.6 40-yard dash speed to generate power quite well for a smaller player. Braswell gets off the line quickly and is effective with his speed around the edge, but lacks the flexibility to cut the corner and finish plays. He showed an okay balance of moves, winning mostly with cross chops, but also with hesitation bull rushes. He profiles to be a designated pass rusher at the next level, as he's easily rerouted off the line of scrimmage in the run game. Braswell's athleticism and willingness to play outside of his body type is unique and could allow him to carve out a role as a pass rush specialist in the NFL.

Christian Mahogany is a run-first guard from a run-first system at Boston College. At 6'3", 314 pounds, Mahogany moves incredibly well, with great all-around athletic testing at the combine per ras.football. He was a run blocking weapon for the Eagles, both in gap and zone run plays. He's a powerful point-of-attack player, who creates immediate displacement on both single blocks and double teams. His athleticism and strength were electric on combo blocks, bouncing between players moving up the field. He also has quick hips and a strong core to wall off gaps from defenders creating lanes behind him. He whiffs on more blocks than you'd expect though, mostly as a result of head dipping. In pass protection, he struggles quite heavily to hold ground versus initial power. His feet are active enough to generally stop the bleeding but he's the culprit behind a lot of compressed pockets. Mahogany projects to be a solid starting guard in a run-heavy system, who will need to add some lower-half weight as a pass protector.

Ja'Tavion Sanders landed on the wrong side of the combine coin, as a pretty disappointing tester. Outside of a solid 4.69 40-yard dash, the smaller move tight end did not help his stock much at all, unfortunately. Sanders has a solid, long frame with 32 7/8 inch arms. His speed is certainly good, and shows up on seam routes and as a run-after-the-catch player. He really struggles to separate against man coverage, with pretty dismal turning ability. Sanders has good ball skills and is a natural hands catcher. He has the jump ball-winning mentality and uses great leverage to box out defenders from the catch point. He does eat ground quickly after the catch but is usually brought down on first contact. He's not much of a tackle-breaker at all. As I alluded to before, Sanders is not going to be lining up in line too often. He's a pretty poor blocker, who loses mostly due to the lack of strength and size. I do think there is a role for Sanders as flier TE2, similar to Isaiah Likely's role in Baltimore.

Jonathan Brooks pre-ACL injury would likely be jarring with Trey Benson for RB1 in this class, but here we are. Brooks has incredibly quick feet and great fluidity between the tackles. Though he is billed as a big play threat, and rightfully so, his efficiency and willingness to run inside is very encouraging. Brooks has great contact balance and short area burst that allow him to make defenders miss. Of course, he is also blazing quick and can turn a 10-yard gain into a house call in seconds. His hands are very solid, and naturally bring in the ball on receptions. The ACL injury is certainly a concern, but considering how little tread is on his tires yet, having played behind Roschon Johnson and Bijan Robinson, I'm still more than willing to buy in.

Wrapping up my top 75 is the maddeningly consistent Blake Corum. Corum is going to take what you give him every single time and then some. He is more than willing to crank out 4 yards at a time between guards, but will gladly take the chunk plays when they are there. The senior ball carrier has great vision and even better contact balance. He consistently runs through arm tackles, which is incredible given his short stature, and he nearly always is falling forward at the end of plays. The long speed at 4.53 is good enough, but certainly not worthy of game planning around if you're an opposing defense. Corum also has 676 career carries, which is considerably more than some other players in this class. Nonetheless, Corum is a really smart and productive runner, who I have very little hesitation with leading my backfield.