Category: 2024 NFL Mock Draft

2024 Scouting Combine: Six tight end prospects detail their favorite college plays

We asked six big-time tight end prospects for their favorite college plays, and we have the All-22 to go with all of them.

INDIANAPOLIS — Unless you are somehow able to gain access to one of the rooms in which NFL teams meet with draft prospects during the week of the scouting combine, there’s no way to know what’s really discussed. One thing that is almost always happens is a tape-watching expedition in which the NFL people will have play examples dialed up that hopefully show what the prospects can do.

Here at Touchdown Wire, we do not possess the required juice to crash those rooms, but we are able to ask these prospects during their combine media sessions which plays from their college careers best typify their potential.

Today, we asked six tight end prospects — Texas’ Ja’Tavion Sanders, Kansas State’s Ben Sinnott, TCU’s Jared Wiley, Washington’s Jack Westover, Minnesota’s Brevyn Spann-Ford, and Penn State’s Theo Johnson for their favorite college plays. We’ve included the All-22 for all examples, and we hope you find their answers as enlightening as we did.

2024 NFL Draft: Oregon QB Bo Nix scouting report

Oregon’s Bo Nix has shown all kinds of development in his college career, but is he ready for the NFL?

The 2024 scouting combine is right around the corner, which means that it’s time to take a more critical and detailed look at this year’s draft prospects. With that in mind, we here at Touchdown Wire are doing as many thumbnail scouting reports as possible before the combine gets going on February 29. We will of course be doing more comprehensive reports before the draft, but here’s a good starting point.

Our next evaluation is Bo Nix, the Oregon quarterback, who transferred from Auburn after the 2021 season. In two seasons with the Ducks, Nix displayed a major uptick in efficiency and production, completing 74.9% of his passes for 10.4 yards per attempt, after completing 54.9% of his passes for 6.9 YPA with Auburn.

Last season, the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year completed 361 of 467 passes for 4,454 yards, 45 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 135.7. Only LSU’s Jayden Daniels had a higher passer rating in 2023 among quarterbacks in this draft class. On throws of 20 or more air yards, Nix completed 26 of 51 passes for 999 yards, 13 touchdowns, two interceptions, and a passer rating of 119.9.  Under pressure, Nix completed 43 of 64 passes for 619 yards, nine touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 131.4. When blitzed, Nix completed 86 of 126 passes for 1,148 yards, 21 touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 136.5. Nix also gained 256 yards and scored six touchdowns on 34 carries.

PLUSES

— Not a lot of deep passing volume, but clearly has the ability to turn it loose downfield with anticipation and accuracy.

— Compact, consistent over-the-top delivery which he retains under pressure and on the move.

— Will work through his second and third progressions to make the right throw.

— Can be a real load to tackle on designed runs and scrambles, and he has a good eye for open gaps.

— Mobility extends to boot and pocket movement throws.

MINUSES

— Mechanics can get a bit off-kilter, leading to some inaccurate passes.

— Accuracy is random to a point; occasionally he’ll just uncork one in the general direction of his target when he should be more specific.

— Arm arrogance can be a plus, but can also get him into throws he shouldn’t make.

— Still working on the nuances of off-speed pitches; fade balls and deep timing throws are mixed bags.

I like Nix as a developmental starter in a highly structured system with some wiggle room as he puts the little things together. There’s a lot to like, but some room for growth.

2024 NFL Draft: Clemson CB Nate Wiggins scouting report

If your NFL team is looking for a plug-and-play starter at outside cornerback, Clemson’s Nate Wiggins should be high on the list.

The 2024 scouting combine is right around the corner, which means that it’s time to take a more critical and detailed look at this year’s draft prospects. With that in mind, we here at Touchdown Wire are doing as many thumbnail scouting reports as possible before the combine gets going on February 29. We will of course be doing more comprehensive reports before the draft, but here’s a good starting point.

Next man up is Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins, who played as well as anybody at his position in this draft class through the 2023 season. In his second year as a starter for the Tigers, Wiggins allowed 18 receptions on 41 targets for 176 yards, 38 yards after the catch, one touchdowns, two interceptions, four pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 44.4.

PLUSES

— Ideal potential match cornerback because he played a ton of off in Clemson’s scheme, but will clamp well at the route stem.

— Smooth transitions through the routes allow him to also be a very good press defender.

— Has the recovery speed to make up for any delays upfield.

— Works well in space to stay with his landmarks; he’s good with option routes and scramble drills.

— Times his closure in on underneath stuff; allowed just 38 yards after the catch on 18 receptions allowed

MINUSES

— Could stand to be a a bit quicker and less deliberate out of his stance and into the route.

— Needs to work on route combos at the next level; he’ll get lost between routes at times.

— Occasional lateness to close on crossers is odd, because he clearly has the speed to do it.

— Most cornerbacks at his height (6-foot-2) can get out of sorts on quicker angular routes and he does at times.

Overall, Wiggins has the tools to play in any scheme as an outside cornerback with slot value. Set it and forget it.

2024 NFL Draft: Iowa CB Cooper DeJean scouting report

Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean is one of the best at his position in this draft class, and there may be even more to unlock with the right NFL coaches.

The 2024 scouting combine is right around the corner, which means that it’s time to take a more critical and detailed look at this year’s draft prospects. With that in mind, we here at Touchdown Wire are doing as many thumbnail scouting reports as possible before the combine gets going on February 29. We will of course be doing more comprehensive reports before the draft, but here’s a good starting point.

Our next subject for evaluation is Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean. In 2023, his third season on the field for the Hawkeyes, DeJean was a leader in Iowa’s top-tier defense, allowing 20 catches on 46 targets for 194 yards, 44 yards after the catch, no touchdowns, two interceptions, four pass breakups, and an an opponent passer rating of 37.8 — which means that opposing quarterbacks had as much luck throwing the ball into the dirt as they did targeting him.

Unfortunately, DeJean suffered a lower leg injury in mid-November, which ended his 2023 season early and will prevent him from working out at the combine. But as they say, tape don’t lie, and DeJean’s tape is full of compelling reasons to take him seriously as a first-round cornerback prospect who can shut things down outside and in the slot,

PLUSES

— Opposing offenses kept trying to beat him with comebacks and stop routes in off coverage, and he kept making them look silly with outstanding recovery speed.

— Tremendous in bail coverage where he’ll work back to or though the receiver to take the ball away.

— Expert route-jumper.

— Rarely played press in his 2023 targets, but has most of the skills to match and follow.

— Closes with nasty intentions on screens and swing passes.

— Times his hits to deflect and has no issue whatsoever getting grimy in the run game. Tough guy.

MINUSES

— Might take a second to become a great press cornerback at the NFL level; he’ll get a bit lost at the top of the route stem.

— Tracks the ball as a receiver would and is able to throttle up and down accordingly, but he could be better at keeping his eye on the receiver.

— Hesitates at times to match targets; this may because he played an inordinate amount of off coverage. His NFL coaches should work on DeJean trusting his technique through the rep and not thinking too much.

As good as DeJean was in college, I think there’s some unlocked potential as a press/match DB. Hopefully, he’ll go to an NFL team that just wants him to hunt.

2024 NFL Draft: Illinois DL Johnny (Jer’Zhan) Newton scouting report

Don’t let his size get in the way of the evaluation — Illinois DL Johnny (Jer’Zhan) Newton is a first-round talent with monstrous upside.

The 2024 scouting combine is right around the corner, which means that it’s time to take a more critical and detailed look at this year’s draft prospects. With that in mind, we here at Touchdown Wire are doing as many thumbnail scouting reports as possible before the combine gets going on February 29. We will of course be doing more comprehensive reports before the draft, but here’s a good starting point.

Next man up here is Illinois defensive lineman Johnny (Jer’Zhan) Newton, who now goes by a new first name, but the game is the same, and it’s pretty ridiculous. In 2023, his fourth year on the field with the Fighting Illini, Newton totaled eight sacks, seven quarterback hits, 28 quarterback hurries, 32 stops, and 33 solo tackles, At 6-foot-2 and 295 pounds (unofficial), Newton can disrupt just fine inside, but he also saw 25% of his snaps last season either over or outside the tackles, and he brings an interesting set of techniques to foil blockers on the edge.

Newton should be seen as among the best interior defensive linemen in this draft class, though he can do much more. He will not work out at the combine due to a Jones fracture in his foot — which he played through the second half of his junior season… which makes his 2023 tape all the more impressive.

PLUSES

— Capable of pressure from every gap; spends most of his time at 3-tech, but he’s a disruptor all over the place.

— Gets skinny through gaps like a running back would; gets it done with more than just pass-rush moves.

— Violent with his hands to push through blocks with ridiculous speed — Hits the edge with burst around the turn; can beat tackles with edge techniques.

— Can run multiple gaps at the snap and has good vision to penetrate.

MINUSES

— Size deficits (6-foot-2, 295) show up when he’s doubled and can’t break free.

— Slides will have him lost in the wash and trying to recover at times.

— Needs to be less upright off the snap more often; that’s where he loses leverage.

I’ve always had a bias for smaller defensive tackles who can move around. Newton could wind up being another one of those Geno Atkins-style agitators if he gets his leverage together and devises strategies to beat double teams. Overall, about as fun a player to watch as I’ve seen in this draft class.

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Pre-combine first-round projections with scouting reports

Before the 2024 scouting combine begins, here’s one first-round mock draft that takes tape entirely into account before the rumor mill gets rolling.

The scouting combine begins in earnest early next week, and for the coaches and executives who go, it’s just as much about discussing potential trades and free agency signings over shrimp cocktails at St. Elmo’s as it is about watching the draft prospects on hand to show their talents at Lucas Oil Stadium.

For the prospects themselves, it’s all on the line. Not only in the workouts (for those who are working out), but also in the round-robin 15-minute meetings with those coaches and executives. Basically, this is where you might secure your next domain as a player.

With all that in mind, here’s one first-round projection just before the scouting combine rolls around. This is the last mock draft of the year that’s based primarily on tape, as the rumor mill starts hard and heavy once boots are on the ground in Indianapolis.

A couple notes:

— The Chicago Bears stick with Justin Fields, and start to surround him with much more credible weapons.

— The Denver Broncos trade with the New England Patriots to move up from the 12th overall pick to the third overall pick to take their next franchise quarterback, hoping that works better for them than it did for the San Francisco 49ers and Trey Lance a few years back.

— We also have thumbnail scouting reports for a lot of these prospects; that library will grow and be added to this mock over the next few days.

Now, let’s get to the pre-combine mock!

2024 NFL Draft: Alabama CB Terrion Arnold scouting report

Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold is a first-round prospect — but as a press-man defender, he might be Top 10 overall.

The 2024 scouting combine is right around the corner, which means that it’s time to take a more critical and detailed look at this year’s draft prospects. With that in mind, we here at Touchdown Wire are doing as many thumbnail scouting reports as possible before the combine gets going on February 29. We will of course be doing more comprehensive reports before the draft, but here’s a good starting point.

Next man up is Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold, who locked things down quite nicely for the Crimson tide last season. He allowed 41 receptions on 79 targets for 441 yards, 250 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, five interceptions, 13 pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 50.7. Arnold can play just about any route really well, though he’ll need some development on quick, angular routes when he’s in off coverage. When he’s in press, good luck getting anything by him.

PLUSES

— Outstanding man/match corner with step-for-step ability and excellent ball skills to catch and break up passes all over the field

— Hyper-aggressive playing personality when it comes to timing the ball; he thinks it’s more his than yours if you throw it in his area

— Short-area agility and transition speed make him a real pain in tight coverage

— Love him in press coverage where he’s velcroed to the receiver all the way though

— Has an great sense of how to disrupt receivers off the line, which is crucial in today’s NFL with so much quick game

MINUSES

— Had a bad stretch mid-season where Tennessee and Arkansas just killed him with comebacks

— Can be a step late to diagnose and react; you’d like to see him get going just a hair quicker at times

— Grabby at times, which NFL officials might ding him on based on their own competence (ha)

— Needs to work on closing to the target in off coverage

The dings are minor here, though I think that Arnold would be better in a defense with more press coverage than not if you want him to be a Day 1 alpha.

2024 NFL Draft: UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu scouting report

UCLA’s Laiatu Latu might be the best edge defender in the 2024 draft class, and his versatility is the thing that will define him at the next level.

The 2024 scouting combine is right around the corner, which means that it’s time to take a more critical and detailed look at this year’s draft prospects. With that in mind, we here at Touchdown Wire are doing as many thumbnail scouting reports as possible before the combine gets going on February 29. We will of course be doing more comprehensive reports before the draft, but here’s a good starting point.

We now turn our attention to UCLA edge defender Laiatu Latu. In 2023, his second season with the Bruins after one season at Washington, the 6-foot-5, 265-pound Latu had 15 sacks, 11 quarterback hits, 36 quarterback hurries, 33 stops, six tackles for loss, 33 forced fumbles, and four catches allowed on five targets for 19 yards, 12 yards after the catch, no touchdowns, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 42.9. Latu got 42% of his pressures from the left defensive edge, 47% from the defensive right edge, 7% from defensive tackle positions, and 3% from nose tackle or nose shade.

Here’s our thumbnail scouting report on Laiatu Latu.

PLUSES

— Primarily an edge defender, but can disrupt at nose shade and 3-tech in a standup or three-point position.

— Crosses the faces of blockers and jumps gaps with incredible quickness to drive to the pocket; it’s his fastball.

— Speed to and through the pocket is nightmare fuel for opposing blockers.

— Brings impressive speed-to-power from the edge; you had better do more than just chip him.

— Swipe move is a pure killer; brings a lot of strength in his hands.

— Can drop into flat and curl coverage, and has good eyes and hands to go after the ball.

— Was dominant more often than not at the Senior Bowl.

MINUSES

— Has an embryonic bull-rush and dip-and-rip potential, but he’ll want to round those out at the NFL level.

— His slow-play to disengage move might not be as effective against better NFL tackles.

— Can get caught watching the ball and will miss the action.

— Would like to see him become more violent with his hands in his initial strike as opposed to glancing off blockers.

Latu is the best edge defender in this class in my opinion; the things that need work are common among draft prospect pass-rushers. His athletic traits and multi-gap potential make him an ideal player in today’s NFL.

2024 NFL Draft: Penn State OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu scouting report

Penn State offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu has more tools than any other lineman in this draft class. Will it pay off immediately?

The 2024 scouting combine is right around the corner, which means that it’s time to take a more critical and detailed look at this year’s draft prospects. With that in mind, we here at Touchdown Wire are doing as many thumbnail scouting reports as possible before the combine gets going on February 29. We will of course be doing more comprehensive reports before the draft, but here’s a good starting point.

Our next subject is Penn State offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu, the 6-foot-6, 309-pound blocker who allowed no sacks, no quarterback hits, and 10 quarterback hurries in 382 pass-blocking reps in his 2023 season — his second as a full-time starter for the Nittany Lions. The 21-year-old Fashanu shows just about every attribute you can ask from an offensive tackle, and as soon as he’s able to put it all together, he has All-Pro potential.

PLUSES

— Easy footwork around the arc allows him to deal with counters and late in the down movement

— Mirrors very well out of a quick ready stance; easily picks up stunts and counters

— Rarely lets anyone into his chest. He’s clearly used to physically dominating his opponents

— Will absolutely bury guys once he gets a head of steam to the second level

MINUSES

— Ohio State game was the negative exception; Fashanu struggled to pick up different kinds of pressure and was late with his eyes and hands too often

— Will lose his latch at times later in the down

— Still working to consistently pick up line games

— Doesn’t always pick up his target in space

— Playing too upright could get him in trouble at the NFL level

Fashanu is still a bit raw from a technique and awareness perspective, but there is absolutely top-5 pick potential here.

2024 NFL Draft: LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr. scouting report

LSU receiver Brian Thomas is one of the best downfield speedsters in this draft class, but is he ready to be a WR1 at the NFL level?

The 2024 scouting combine is right around the corner, which means that it’s time to take a more critical and detailed look at this year’s draft prospects. With that in mind, we here at Touchdown Wire are doing as many thumbnail scouting reports as possible before the combine gets going on February 29. We will of course be doing more comprehensive reports before the draft, but here’s a good starting point.

Next man up in our series is LSU receiver Brian Thomas Jr. With Jayden Daniels as his quarterback, Thomas caught 68 passes on 87 targets for 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns. On passes of 20 or more air yards, Thomas caught 15 passes on 22 targets for 670 yards and 12 touchdowns. Thomas did most of his work on go, seam, dig, and hitch routes, often against defenses that were playing off to respect the Tigers’ deep passing game.

PLUSES

— He’s creeping death on go and seam routes; nice build-up speed, and then whammo — he’s gone.

— Extensive library of foot fakes both at the line of scrimmage and when in open space; he knows how to get open.

— Leans into and out of his routes to create openings, and the burner speed comes right back up.

— Leverages his routes to coverage; would work well in any option route offense.

— Great at slow-playing cornerbacks off the line of scrimmage before turning on the jets.

MINUSES

— Could be more sudden on quick cuts.

— Drops show up on tape and could be an issue at the next level.

— Will face a crapton more press coverage than he did in college.

— Not a contested-catch receiver per se; his game is about getting free from those situations.

— Can he feast on more than go/seam and hitch stuff? Remains to be seen.

I love Thomas as a complementary speed target. I’m not sure if he’s ready to be a true WR1 just yet.