Category: NFL Combine

Bijan Robinson has high praise for former teammate, Bears RB Roschon Johnson

Falcons RB Bijan Robinson had high praise for his former college teammate and Bears RB Roschon Johnson: “Roschon is a god.”

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The Chicago Bears got a potential steal in running back Roschon Johnson in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft.

While Johnson stood in the vast shadow of Bijan Robinson (eighth overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons) at Texas, he was an effective running back for the Longhorns, averaging 6.0 yards per carry in 2022. He would’ve been a starter at most other programs around the country.

Back at the NFL Scouting Combine, Robinson had high praise for Johnson and what he brought to the team — both in regards to talent and leadership.

“Roschon is the best teammate I’ve ever had,” Robinson said at the NFL Scouting Combine, via NBC Sports Chicago. “He brings out so much in a player and the team just how he goes about being a leader. Not just his teammates but everybody in the community. I think that who he is as a person and what he does on the field – I don’t think he’s overlooked because he chose his presence and made his presence felt.

“Roschon is a god. He’s the other running back in this class, and I don’t think people should overlook the talent he has and the skillset that he brings. I think he’s just as good as anybody. His toughness and heart make him stand out over everybody.”

When looking at Johnson, he appears to be the full package — a three-down running back with passing catching ability and someone who’s solid in pass protection, where Khalil Herbert and D’Onta Foreman lack.

Johnson will start his rookie season as third on the depth chart behind Herbert and Foreman. But many expect Johnson to push for playing time as a rookie, where he has the potential to emerge as a long-term starter.

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Eagles select Stanford QB Tanner McKee with 188th pick in NFL draft

The quarterback factory rolls on as the Philadelphia Eagles have selected former Stanford QB Tanner McKee with the 188th pick in the 2023 NFL draft

The quarterback factory rolls on as the Philadelphia Eagles have selected former Stanford QB Tanner McKee with the 188th pick in the 2023 NFL draft

At 6-foot-6 and 231 pounds, McKee is a towering traditional pocket passer and nothing like All-Pro quarterback Jalen Hurts.

McKee offers some mobility and has slightly above-average arm strength, good football instincts, and scheme versatility.

In 2022 at Stanford, McKee was 264 of 426 passing, for 2,947 yards, with 13 touchdowns, eight interceptions, and 74 carries for -90 yards and two touchdowns.

The idea is that Philadelphia will develop McKee and flip him for assets down the line.

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PODCAST: Who are the defensive prospects to know from the 2023 NFL combine?

Justin Higdon joins Seth Cox and Jess Root to break down the performance of the defensive players at the NFL combine.

We are back with another show for the podcast, giving use three this week. It is Part 2 of our two-part series about the 2023 NFL combine. Seth Cox and I are joined by Seth’s Original Draft Breakdown Podcast cohost Justin Higdon to break down and react to the defensive players at the NFL combine.

Among the things we discuss, is Jalen Carter — even without the off-field issue — worth a top-five pick and why anyone would pass on Will Anderson?

We go position by position, going over players of note and tying it in to the Arizona Cardinals.

Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating!

Catch the discussion for each position group:

(1:00) Interior defenders

(17:50) Edge defenders

(35:23) Linebackers

(41:34) Cornerbacks

(56:34) Safeties

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Lions draft profile: Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson

A scouting look at Clemson LB Trenton Simpson and how he might appeal to the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL draft

A former five-star recruit who made an impact right away for a major program, Simpson is a player who carried some broad appeal for his variety of skills.

Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 235

Simpson turns 22 in June

Arriving as a heralded recruit, Simpson was a star prep player at both linebacker and running back. Clemson used him in a wide variety of roles at the second level of the defense, spotlighting his positional versatility and outstanding athletic potential.

His best season was 2021, a year when he a chess piece who could line up at strong safety, rush LB and MIKE backer all in the same drive. Moved to a more traditional off-ball LB role in 2022, his impact declined a bit. Simpson finished 2022 with 72 total tackles, four TFLs, 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles for the Tigers.

Pros

  • Outstanding speed for the position; ran a 4.43 40-yard dash with a 1.55 10-yard split at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine
  • Major power behind his pads when he hits
  • Good timing and closing burst as a blitzer
  • Quick feet, reactions and acceleration in coverage situations, notably in zone coverage with the play in front of him
  • Positional versatility; has played every LB role in his three years at Clemson and has also dabbled at safety and EDGE
  • Can turn and run with TEs and RBs in man coverage
  • Intelligent off the field; graduated in three years and was Academic All-ACC

Cons

  • Poor body control at full speed for as overall fast and explosive as Simpson is athletically; overruns the point of attack consistently on runs outside the tackle box
  • Can be slow to find the best path to the ballcarrier in the run game
  • Blocks find him at a higher rate than expected and he doesn’t use his hands well to disengage
  • Poor awareness of the ball in the air in passing situations
  • High missed tackle rate; can be a thumper but too often attacks from the side with arm-tackle attempts
  • Not a natural pass rusher outside of blitzes
  • Tends to stay too upright when playing in the shallow box, like a marmot on sentry duty, and it slows down his burst and lateral agility

Overall

Simpson is a difficult evaluation because his overall game isn’t as good as the sum of his parts. He’s a very smart, hard-working player with outstanding speed and explosive athleticism. Alas, he’s not always able to translate that into being as good at LB as you might think with those attributes. Angles of pursuit, block avoidance and arm tackling are real issues that crop up repeatedly on game film, and those are all difficult things to “coach up”. The more he played in 2022, the more problematic those issues became.

Yet Simpson also flashes really impressive abilities. He’s powerful and explosive in attacking the ball carrier between the tackles. There are many instances where Simpson is very adept in coverage in both man and zone concepts. His 2021 game tape (I watched games vs. Georgia, Louisville, Pitt and Wake Forest) posits Simpson as a guy who looks like an instant starter in the NFL.

Simpson fits as a third or fourth-round off-ball LB with the upside to blow away that projection. He will need a patient coach, an attacking scheme and a defined role early.

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Full 7-round Bears 2023 mock draft: Post-NFL Scouting Combine edition

The Bears trade back from No. 1 and address a slew of needs in our latest 7-round mock draft following the NFL combine.

Following an eventful NFL Combine, the Chicago Bears still hold the No.1 overall pick for the 2023 NFL draft and continue to look for a trade partner.

There are 14 picks in this latest seven-round mock draft, and only one selection wasn’t invited to Indianapolis. Once again, the Bears trade the first overall pick and also trade back in the middle rounds to accumulate late-round picks.

Without further ado, here is a look at our latest Bears seven-round mock draft after the NFL combine:

Eagles land RB Bijan Robinson, DT Calijah Kancey in Todd McShay’s post combine mock draft

The Philadelphia Eagles retool at key positions, landing Bijan Robinson and Calijah Kancey in Todd McShay’s post-scouting combine NFL draft mock

The 2023 NFL draft is fast approaching and even with the Eagles preparing for free agency, scouts within the organization are doing their due diligence on potential prospects.

Thanks to some draft night wizardry from Howie Roseman, the Eagles traded the No. 16 overall pick, No. 19 overall pick, and a 2022 sixth-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for the No. 18 overall pick, a 2022 third-round pick, a 2022 seventh-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 second-round pick.

Philadelphia has 19 pending free agents, with nine key contributors on defense set to hit the open market.

ESPN’s draft guru, Todd McShay, Just released post scouting combine mock draft, and he has Philadelphia reloading on both sides of the football.

LOOK: Touchdown Wire’s NFL combine risers

Touchdown Wire’s Laurie Fitzpatrick gives us 10 players who saw their stock rise after their testing at the combine.

The NFL combine is over and many players did themselves a favor, impressing with their measurable traits.

We see draft stick rise and fall with the testing numbers.

Who are this year’s risers at the combine, giving themselves a shot at being drafted higher than they would have been prior to the combine?

Touchdown Wire’s Laurie Fitzpatrick gives us players at 10 positions. They are below, but check out the full post for the breakdown and analysis as to why their stock went up.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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3-round post-NFL combine mock draft: Quarterbacks go in first 3 picks

In our new three-round mock draft, quarterbacks account for the first three picks following an impressive week at the NFL combine.

The NFL Scouting Combine is now in the rear view mirror, where there were some standout performances by prospects that helped elevate their stock going into pro days.

We’re unveiling our first three-round mock draft following the week in Indianapolis, which features plenty of quarterback action at the top of the order.

Before we get into each selection, here are a few predictions to keep in mind when scrolling through the mock draft:

  • The Bears trade down to 4
  • The Panthers trade up to 3
  • Mac Jones is traded to the Raiders
  • Jalen Ramsey is traded to the Steelers
  • Jimmy Garoppolo signs with the Patriots
  • DeAndre Hopkins is traded to the Bills
  • Keenan Allen is released, signs with the Chiefs
  • Lamar Jackson is traded to the Falcons
  • Aaron Rodgers is traded to the Jets
  • Trey Lance is traded to the Titans
  • Derrick Henry is traded to the Panthers

With that in mind, here’s a look at our latest three-round mock draft following the NFL combine:

Report: Bears are ‘already long down the road’ to trading the No. 1 pick

The Bears are closer to trading the No. 1 pick than many expected, according to Rich Eisen.

The Chicago Bears are in firm control of the 2023 NFL draft, as everyone is waiting to see what they’re going to do with the No. 1 pick. The overwhelming expectation — confirmed by GM Ryan Poles — is Chicago is looking to trade out of it.

Considering the number of quarterback-needy teams this offseason — and the fact that any of them could have a chance to pick their QB1 on the board — the Bears are primed to clean up in terms of compensation for the top pick.

There’s even a scenario where Chicago could hammer a deal out before the start of free agency next week. And, according to Rich Eisen, it sounds like they’re closer to trading the pick than maybe we all expected considering it’s just the first week of March.

“The Bears are already long down the road of trading the first overall pick,” Eisen said on The Rich Eisen Show. “Teams have been identified, compensation is being hammered out.”

Poles told NBC Sports’ Peter King that he’s had enough conversations that lead him to believe that he can get three first-round picks in a trade for No. 1, which would be huge for rebuilding this roster over the next few years.

At this point, it feels like it’s inevitable that Chicago trades out of the top spot. Bu the only question is how far they’re willing to drop in the draft order, where a premier player like Will Anderson Jr. and Jalen Carter would be off the board.

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LOOK: The biggest winners in the 2023 NFL combine

Which players helped their draft stock the most with their athletic testing?

The 2023 NFL combine is complete. We have all the testing numbers and measurements for the players who participated and worked out. As it happens every year, some players are helped by how they tested.

They are considered the winners of the combine.

Who are this year’s winners who helped themselves and their draft stock?

Below are those players, according to Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling and Gavino Borquez. Check them out below and read their full post for the breakdown of the numbers and more.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.