Category: 2024 NFL draft

Cowboys should keep close eyes on these 4 OG prospects in CFB

A CFB watchlist of a handful of guard prospects who should be available later in the draft but could turn out to be late-round steals. | From @TimLettiero

The offensive guard conversation in Dallas starts with Zack Martin, of course. He is still at the top of his game and an easy choice as a first-ballot Hall of Fame candidate, and after a summer holdout he got the guaranteed money his status deserves. Currently opposite him is young phenom Tyler Smith, but his long-term future is still up in the air whether he is a tackle or guard.

Behind them sits no proven depth, though. Asim Richards played well in his minimal snaps during the preseason, as did UDFA rookie T.J. Bass, but whether or not either is in line for a starting role can’t yet be determined. Because of the long-term uncertainty Dallas will likely continue to look into the market during the last half of each draft. Here are several players to watch during the CFB season who could be diamonds in the rough.

Cowboys should keep close eyes on these 4 OT prospects in CFB

A CFB watchlist of a handful of draft prospects who should be available later in the draft but could turn out to be late-round steals. | From @TimLettiero

Dallas’s success over the past decade has typically comes down to the health of quarterback Dak Prescott and left tackle Tyron Smith. The latter has gotten significantly more ambiguous on a year-to-year basis. The 32-year-old Smith has struggled to stay on the field and his contract expires following the season. Now may be the time to seek a replacement as it is still unclear whether or not they believe Tyler Smith is the true heir or a more natural fit at guard.

Opposite the pair of Smiths is Terence Steele who signed a team-friendly five-year extension that locks him in through 2024 and gives the Cowboys’ options beyond that.

Behind this trio of starters, there are few names to be excited about. Matt Waletzko and Josh Ball have struggled in their limited snaps and while rookie Asim Richards and veteran Chuma Edoga were brought in, neither are certified long-term starters. Here are a few names to watch going forward who won’t top the mock draft boards.

2024 NFL Draft: The best prospect on every team in the AP Top 25

Whether it is Shedeur Sanders or Joe Alt, the Top 25 is full of NFL draft prospects.

If you want to find the best prospects in the 2024 NFL draft, a great place to start is with the AP college football poll. The best teams are typically loaded with the best players. We went through the latest Top 25 and from tight end Brock Bowers at Georgia to linebacker Barrett Carter at Clemson, these groups are packed. Here is our highest-rated prospect on each team in the current polls.

Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders landed in the NFC South in this two-round mock draft

Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders landed in the NFC South in this two-round mock draft, but who are the Saints projected to pick?

The NFC South experienced some big developments in this two-round 2024 mock draft from Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy, updated after an exciting slate of college football action — including the addition of impressive Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders as a regular opponent for the New Orleans Saints.

Hot off a 510-yard, 4-touchdown pass performance in last week’s stunning upset of TCU, Sanders is already generating a ton of NFL interest despite his status as a junior. If he does turn pro he could end up with a quarterback-needy team and quickly become a problem for the Saints with a division rival like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (as in this projection). Sanders will have another opportunity to play in front of pro scouts next Saturday against Nebraska.

But who did the Saints pick in Popejoy’s projection? They used their first round pick at No. 20 overall on Ohio State left guard Donovan Jackson. He looks the part of a Saints draft pick from his position to his athletic measurements and obvious fit at left guard. Andrus Peat and Cesar Ruiz are on track to be free agents in 2024 and James Hurst will be entering the final year of his contract, so adding Jackson would make a lot of sense.

That’s not all, though. The Saints also own the Denver Broncos’ pick in the second round at No. 48 overall (through their trade for Sean Payton) and in this scenario they use it on Florida defensive end Princely Umanmielen. He just fits the athletic standards they maintain at the position at a listed 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds and he’s improved year over year as a pass rusher. A strong season could put him on New Orleans’ radar with an uncertain future at defensive end. They’re always looking to invest early-round picks in trench players.

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2024 NFL draft scouting first impression: Duke QB Riley Leonard

Breaking down Clemson QB Riley Leonard from an NFL draft perspective in the Blue Devils’ win over Clemson

It was a Monday night to remember for the Duke football program. The Blue Devils waxed conference rival and college superpower Clemson, 28-7. Quarterback Riley Leonard, No. 8 in the preseason QB draft rankings, led the way with an effective, poised performance that will only help his draft stock.

Duke runs a shotgun spread style of offense with a lot of bunched receiver concepts, layering multiple route options that are designed to create quick, obvious throwing lanes. It demands Leonard to quickly progress through his options, both pre-snap and post-snap.

Leonard did that very well against Clemson. One thing that stood out: the ball comes out fast. No double-clutching, no hesitation; see the throw, make the throw. It’s akin to watching Joe Burrow at LSU or Kenny Pickett at Pittsburgh with the trust in the system and the receivers.

Ball placement was good-not-great from Leonard. A couple of shorter throws wound up being a little behind optimal placement. By my count, he missed two completions due to inaccuracy. Not all incompletions are the same, with some being passes that are leveraging against coverage, or the play just isn’t there. Pinpoint ball placement and timing with open receivers is where I’m looking here. Leonard isn’t missing, but rather making his receivers work a little more than they have to at times. Clemson’s defensive speed might’ve had something to do with that, too.

Leonard showed his athleticism and escapability a few times, too. He’s 6-foot-4 and has a long stride when he runs. Leonard doesn’t accelerate quickly, but he did show balance and strength through contact, most notably on a long scamper up the right sideline that he created by running through an arm tackle. It’s reminiscent of early Ben Roethlisberger, though Leonard isn’t that thickly built.

Overall, it was an impressive display. Leonard’s poise and steadiness will definitely appeal, as will his ability to quickly process the field and deliver.

Giants GM Joe Schoen scouted Clemson-Duke game

New York Giants GM Joe Schoen personally scouted Duke’s historic upset of No. 9-ranked Clemson on Monday night.

The Duke Blue Devils shocked the world and shook up the college football landscape on Monday night, pulling off a historic 28-7 upset of the No. 9-ranked Clemson Tigers.

The stunning result was taken in by the scouts of over a dozen NFL teams, some of whom also sent front-office executives.

Among those on hand was New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen, alongside several of the team’s scouts.

Schoen is not limited in scope but was likely there to get a firsthand look at several Tigers as opposed to Blue Devils. Instead, he got treated to one of the biggest upsets to open a season in ACC history.

For Duke, it was their first victory against a top-10 opponent since 1989 when they ironically defeated Clemson, 21-17.

“We’re not entitled to win,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said after the game. “We’ve got to go earn it. And we had plenty of opportunity to get control of that game on multiple occasions and we just didn’t. And that’s how you get beat.”

Some of the star Clemson prospects who many had their eyes on entering the game were quarterback Cade Klubnik, defensive tackle Peter Woods and wide receiver Beaux Collins. However, it was Blue Devils quarterback Riley Leonard and several of his teammates who stole the show.

Note: Over the weekend, Schoen also scouted Virginia-Tennessee, South Carolina-North Carolina, and LSU-Florida State.

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2024 NFL draft: 2-round mock draft update at the start of the season

Where will Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders show up in our latest two-round mock draft?

It is finally Week 1 of the NFL regular season. As a football appetizer, there was a full slate of college football games this past weekend, so everyone got a first look at some of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL draft.

With the season just days away, we decided to update our 2024 mock draft and go a full two rounds this time. With the huge debut of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, does he find himself in the mix to go in the first round? If you want to find out, you have to read on.

Duke’s Graham Barton set for tough test against Clemson’s front seven

Duke OT Graham Barton set for tough test against Clemson’s front seven in a Monday night draft spotlight

The Labor Day Weekend slate of college football games comes to an end tonight with an ACC showdown between Clemson and Duke. 

A lot of eyes will be on Duke’s quarterback and how he fares against a Clemson defense that could have up to nine players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

Duke’s Graham Barton will also have scouts flocking to Durham this fall. The Blue Devil left tackle will face a stern test right out of the gates against Clemson’s front seven, which is loaded with future players that will be playing on Sundays. 

Barton started five games at center during his first year at Duke. Over the past two seasons, Barton has started 25 games at left tackle and gave up two sacks during 13 starts last season. 

The versatile offensive lineman has excellent quickness and hits his marks out in space. He has quick feet and adequate functional strength. 

The 30-game starter will be in a battle all night against a Clemson front seven that boasts edge rusher Xavier Thomas, defensive tackles Tyler Davis, Ruke Orhorhoro, Payton Page, and linebackers Barrett Carter and Jermiah Trotter Jr.

Thomas enters his sixth and final season at Clemson with 29 tackles for loss and 15 sacks to his name. In three games last season, Thomas recorded two sacks in just three games last season as he missed time with an ankle injury. Thomas has a quick first step and showcases excellent burst to close on the quarterback. 

The duo of Davis and Orhorhoro both opted to return to school after initially accepting invites to the Senior Bowl. 

Davis finished last season with 9.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He explodes off the snap and collapses by driving offensive lineman back with his power. According to Pro Football Focus, Davis logged 36 pressures last season. 

Over the past two seasons, Orhorhoro has recorded 16 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. The Clemson defensive lineman is a terror for offensive lineman with his first-step quickness. He has powerful hands and is strong at the point of attack. 

Carter is a dynamic athlete with sideline-to-sideline range. He flies around the football field and has plus coverage skills, showcasing the ability to turn and run with tight ends and running backs. The Clemson linebacker finished last season with 73 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two interceptions and eight pass deflections. 

Trotter Jr., the son of long-time NFL linebacker, Jeremiah Trotter has been around the game for a long time and it shows with his instincts. He’s quick to decipher the action in front of him and explodes downhill to thwart the action in the hole. He’s always in the right place and when he arrives at the ball carrier he delivers a thud. The Clemson linebacker finished last season with 89 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two interceptions and five pass deflections.

 

2024 draft scouting first impression: Florida State QB Jordan Travis

Travis started out slow but then he and the Seminoles put on a show

Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis is one of the potential 2024 NFL draft QBs with a lot of seeming upward mobility. He proved that in the Seminoles’ opening weekend win over LSU in Orlando.

It didn’t look so promising early on. Travis misfired on a couple of early throws and then threw one of the worst interceptions of the season. Delayed timing on a screen pass turned into an easy gift to the Tigers defense, with Travis never seeing CB Duce Chestnut waiting for his short pass.

He nearly repeated that gaffe on the very next drive too with a panicked heave over the middle under pressure that should have been picked off by LSU.

The inability to handle pressure from LSU, particularly interior pressure from impressive DT Mekhi Wingo, stood out for Travis in the first few drives. Then the 6-foot-1 senior settled in and showed why he’s a darkhorse Heisman candidate and potential Day 2 draft pick.

After starting the game 9-for-16 with the INT, Travis was dialed in the rest of the way. He showcased the pinpoint ball placement and touch that excites NFL scouts, layering in passes between defenders and over feebly outstretched arms. Travis also appeared to have a better feeling for his escape routes when the pass rush got near.

He’s got clean footwork and a release that can shorten if needed. Travis showed the read-option ability on his rushing touchdown, a masterful read and fake that left the LSU defense dejectedly pointing fingers at one another. He accelerated away from the rush nicely on a couple of occasions while keeping his eyes down the field, more scouting catnip.

The ability to shake off a slow start is an important trait for quarterbacks. Instead of getting down or changing his approach, Travis settled in and trusted in himself and in spectacular transfer WR Keon Coleman (9 catches, 122 yards, 3 TDs). He completed 14 of his final 15 passes and could easily have been mistaken for Jalen Hurts or Deshaun Watson in doing so.

It was an overall impressive start on the path to the draft for Travis, who now draws Southern Miss on Saturday.

Titans select edge rusher in Draft Wire’s 2024 mock

Draft Wire has the Titans picking inside the top 10 in their recent 2024 mock draft.

We’re exactly one week away from the Tennessee Titans kicking off the 2023 season against the New Orleans Saints on September 10th.

This should be a time full of excitement and intrigue toward the upcoming season. Yet, some choose to spend their time attempting to predict the future, more specifically, when it comes to the NFL draft.

Curt Popejoy of Draft Wire was recently tasked with creating a first-round 2024 mock draft for all 32 teams, and it’s evident by his having the Titans picking inside the top 10 that he’s not expecting much out of them this season.

Popejoy has Tennessee selecting “the powerful strong-side edge rusher from Ohio State,” J.T. Tuimoloau, with the No. 8 overall pick.

Here’s some strengths and weaknesses for 6-foot-4, 270-pound pass rusher, per Damian Parson of The Draft Network:

Strengths:

Blend of size, strength, and athleticism

Instincts

Versatility

Concerns:

Pass-rush plan

Pad level

Hip flexibility

I personally have minimal interest in trying to predict next year’s draft before the season even begins, but there’s no denying that this is the type of addition that could take Tennessee’s already stout defense to an entirely different level.

With that said, let’s hope the Titans aren’t picking anywhere near the range where Tuimoloau will likely get drafted next April. Otherwise, that likely means something went terribly wrong throughout the 2023 campaign.

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