Category: NFL Draft

Texas A&M LB Edgerrin Cooper’s NFL comp ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft

Edgerrin Cooper’s current NFL Comparison according to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar is interesting say the least!

The 2024 NFL Draft is just two days away. Thirty-two players will hear their names called on Thursday night, and 257 players will embark on a new journey by the end of the weekend. For former Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, becoming a first-round selection is still in the cards, but the start of the second round is much more realistic.

Either way, the 21-year-old backer possesses elite traits that have made him a Top 50 player according to several NFL Draft analysts, including Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, who just released his final player comparisons ahead of this weekend’s festivities.

Standing at 6-2 and 230 pounds, Cooper’s length and notable speed after running a 4.51 40-yard dash during the NFL combine has spawned a popular comparison to current Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd, but according to Farrar, Cooper’s future is much more comparable to current Philadelphia Eagles LB Shaquille (Shaq) Leonard:

“Among all linebackers in this draft class, nobody has Edgerrin Cooper’s speed to the ballcarrier, and his “see guy/hit guy” playing personality is singularily impressive. Cooper reminds me alot of Shaquille (formerly Darius) Leonard, who was selected by the Inidanapolis Colts in the second round of the 2018 draft out of South Carolina State. The two players are similar size-wise, and at his peak, Leonard had an equivialent ability to rocket accross the field to limit all kind of potential opponent exursions.”

During Leonard’s five-year starting career with the Colts, he was a 3X First-team All-Pro selection while leading the league in tackles during his prolific rookie season. Could Cooper emulate Leonard’s historic first three years in the league? It’s possible, especially after his final season in College Station, which included eight sacks and 19 tackles for loss.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

What team should draft Graham Barton, according to CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson?

CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson wrote about what he thinks each NFL team should do, and he said this playoff team should be zeroed in on Duke lineman Graham Barton.

Every NFL fan has experienced watching their team’s general manager pass up the obvious choice on the board. Quite a few fans will experience that same feeling this Thursday during the 2024 NFL draft.

CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson tried to solve this dilemma with his ‘What teams should do’ mock draft released on Tuesday. He said that, with the 20th overall pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers should have their eye on Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton.

The Steelers will begin a new era offensively during the 2024 season after acquiring both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields for the quarterback room. Pittsburgh also cut starting center Mason Cole this offseason, and while many experts have Barton as a guard in the NFL, he did start as a center during his freshman season.

In a stacked offensive line class, Barton was the fifth offensive lineman off the board and the first interior lineman, so Wilson clearly considers him one of the best in the class.

Bucs steal top edge rusher in latest mock draft

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans would be thrilled if this 2024 NFL mock draft scenario plays out on Thursday night

At this point, we’ve all seen the usual suspects connected with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in just about every mock draft, but the latest first-round projection from CBS Sports has a name that Bucs fans have only dared to dream about.

In this 2024 NFL mock draft, the Bucs steal Florida State edge defender Jared Verse at the No. 26 overall pick, landing one of this year’s top prospects at the position, and filling their biggest need on defense.

Here’s with CBS Sports’ R.J. White had to say about the pick:

Verse is not expected to be available this deep in the draft, although the betting market has been trending toward him falling further than expected, possibly due to him not having ideal traits for the position. That would benefit the Bucs and help them fill their biggest need while not having to reach for a Chop Robinson type.

While Robinson’s athleticism and upside might be enticing, Verse is a much more complete player, with the polish to make an instant impact for a Tampa Bay team looking to win a fourth straight NFC South title. They’d much prefer to land an instant-impact defender like Verse in the first round instead of a more developmental prospect like Robinson.

Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton was already off the board, and while Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson might have warranted consideration, Verse would just be too good to pass up in that scenario.

To check out the full first-round projection at CBS Sports, click here.

[lawrence-related id=86661]

Report: Brock Bowers could be in play for Bears at No. 9

According to Tony Pauline, Brock Bowers is expected to be drafted by the Bears or Jets.

The Chicago Bears have two top-10 selections in the 2024 NFL draft. Chicago is expected to draft quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick (which has been all but official for weeks). But there’s more intrigue when it comes to the No. 9 selection.

The Bears are in a position to land a pair of blue chip players in the top 10, depending on how the draft board falls. And there’s been plenty of reports indicating general manager Ryan Poles could be looking to add another weapon for Williams — although perhaps not the one many have been thinking.

According to Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, Georgia tight end Brock Bowers has generated interest from Chicago. Pauline believes Bowers isn’t expected to get outside of the top 10, where he noted the Bears and New York Jets as two teams in play for him.

The expectations are that Bowers will be selected by either the Chicago Bears with the ninth selection or the new York Jets at pick 10. This, of course, assumes he makes it that far.

Sources tell me there’s a real possibility a team trades from the middle part of Round 1 in front of the Jets to secure Bowers. Speculatively, I’d say look at the Titans or Falcons, or even the Bears themselves, being the target of the team that wants to move up for Bowers.

Pauline also noted we could see a team make a push to move inside the top 10 to draft Bowers. While general manager Ryan Poles indicated he’s content with just four draft picks, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him make the move if it’s the right offer.

Follow The Bears Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Graham Barton’s consensus landing spot changes on Mock Draft Database

For most of the lead-up to the NFL draft, mock drafts have zeroed in on Miami as a landing spot for Barton. Now, there’s a new leader in Mock Draft Database’s clubhouse.

There’s a new lead suitor for former Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton, according to Mock Draft Database.

After weeks of the Miami Dolphins being the consensus landing spot at 21st overall, mock drafts are shifting toward the Pittsburgh Steelers at 20th overall.

The Mock Draft Database compiles mock drafts from across the nation for a consensus ranking. The Ringer’s Benjamin Solak projected the former Blue Devil would go to the Steel City in a mock draft published on Monday, and CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson said Barton should be the Pittsburgh pick in his ‘What teams should do’ projections.

Barton is also 25th on the site’s consensus big board, the highest-ranked interior offensive lineman on the site. In a deep tackle class, the former Duke tackle is the seventh-highest lineman on the board period.

Where Jayden Daniels ranks among quarterbacks on Mel Kiper Jr.’s final draft board

Here’s where Jayden Daniels and other Tigers rank on Mel Kiper Jr.’s final draft board.

We’re just over 48 hours away from the start of the 2024 NFL draft, and that means it’s time for analysts and prognosticators to put forth their final predictions.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. released his final big board on Tuesday ahead of the draft, and when it came to LSU players, there weren’t a lot of changes from what we’ve seen over the past few months.

LSU quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] — the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner — is still ranked second overall and among quarterbacks behind only Caleb Williams. Meanwhile, Daniels’ favorite college targets [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] rank fifth and 17th, respectively, as well as third and fourth among receivers.

The Tigers don’t have as many mid-round prospects as we’ve seen in past years. That trio comprises the only LSU players in the top 75 with [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] coming in at 78th overall followed by [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] at 92.

Those were the only players Kiper had in his top 150, though [autotag]Charles Turner III[/autotag] (No. 11 center), [autotag]Jordan Jefferson[/autotag] (No. 12 defensive tackle), [autotag]Omar Speights[/autotag] (No. 32 inside linebacker), [autotag]Ovie Oghoufo[/autotag] (No. 28 outside linebacker) and [autotag]Andre Sam[/autotag] (No. 30 safety) all cracked the positional rankings.

It likely won’t be as many players as LSU has seen drafted overall in some recent years, but it’s a top-heavy class for the Tigers, and Thursday’s Round 1 should be an eventful one.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Bears GM Ryan Poles doesn’t feel need to add more draft picks

GM Ryan Poles believes the Bears are in a great position with their current four draft picks.

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for a franchise-defining 2024 NFL draft, which kicks off Thursday night in Detroit.

The Bears have just four draft picks — fewest in the NFL — after making a few trades over the past few months, including the additions of defensive end Montez Swear, wide receiver Keenan Allen and offensive lineman Ryan Bates. But they do have two selections in the top 10, including Nos. 1 and 9 (and they’ll be using the top pick on quarterback Caleb Williams).

Naturally, the fact that Chicago has just four picks makes them a prime trade-back contender from No. 9. But, if you ask general manager Ryan Poles, he doesn’t feel the need to add more draft selections this year.

“No, I feel really good with where we’re at,” Poles told reporters Tuesday during his pre-draft press conference.

That could very well be a smokescreen enticing other teams to sweeten any potential offers that might be made as the first round develops Thursday night. But it sounds like the Bears are planning on adding two blue chip players in the top 10.

“If that happens, that’s great,” Poles said. “Whatever we need to do to accomplish what we’re trying to do.”

Depending on how the board falls — especially monitoring the quarterback position — there could be some top prospects on the board. Whether that’s a top three wide receiver falling to them or having their choice of edge rusher, the Bears are in a position to land a couple of studs in the top 10.

But it also wouldn’t be a surprise if Chicago trades back. After all, it’s still lying season.

Follow The Bears Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

WATCH: Falcons GM Terry Fontenot holds pre-draft press conference

WATCH: Falcons GM Terry Fontenot is holding a pre-draft press conference

Despite speculation that the Atlanta Falcons would have to forfeit draft picks, the NFL will reportedly wait until after the 2024 NFL draft to punish the team for tampering allegations. That means the Falcons get to keep all eight of their picks, including the No. 8 overall pick.

While we still don’t know which direction the team will go this year, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot met with the media on Tuesday to discuss the 2024 draft. Watch Fontenot’s full press conference below, as shared by the team’s YouTube channel:

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1360]

There’s ‘some buzz’ that Panthers could draft a QB

Joe Person of The Athletic said that he’s heard “some buzz” that the Panthers could draft a QB this weekend.

Well, maybe the spot behind Bryce Young and Andy Dalton will have room for growth after all.

Last month at the Annual League Meeting, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales gave a little insight into how he wants to fill the QB3 vacancy that still exists on his roster. He seemed to be favoring a veteran for the position, suggesting that he wanted the quarterback to have prior NFL experience.

That, however, may not ultimately be the case, according to Joe Person of The Athletic, who noted the following on Tuesday morning:

A month after Dave Canales indicated at the owners’ meetings the Panthers would keep three quarterbacks, we’ve heard some buzz that Canales and general manager Dan Morgan could take one during the draft.

Person went on to add that the team could look into a number of Day 3 prospects — including South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, Tennessee’s Joe Milton and Kentucky’s Devin Leary.

[lawrence-related id=695797,695780,695765]

Check out photos of the Rams’ incredible 2024 draft house in Hermosa Beach

The Rams rented a house in Hermosa Beach to be their draft headquarters and it’s ridiculously nice

While most teams will be drafting from their own headquarters, the Los Angeles Rams will be making their picks from the comfort of home. Well, someone else’s home, but they’re making it their own.

The Rams started a yearly tradition of renting a luxurious house in Southern California to be their draft headquarters back in 2021 and they’re continuing it this year. They’ll be in Hermosa Beach for the 2024 draft, a spectacular 9,150-square-foot house with ocean views.

The Rams completely transformed the spacious home, bringing in team decor for just about every room – from Rams-themed records to wallpaper in the bar area to a game room with a collage of past players on the walls.

Of course, there’s also a pool and deck chairs, which will probably get some use when the Rams have to wait nearly 60 picks from No. 99 to 154. And because Los Angeles is equipped with a first-rounder, there won’t be much time to relax on Thursday night like there was in years past.

Check out photos of the draft house below, courtesy of the Rams.