The 2024 NFL draft is getting oh so close.
All 32 NFL franchises will descend upon Detroit’s Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza to alter the trajectories of their respective futures. Meanwhile, dreams will turn into reality for a number of high-profile draft eligible players.
Several Hawkeyes are expecting to hear their names called in the 2024 NFL draft. Former Iowa defensive back and return specialist Cooper DeJean has been a trendy first-round selection in the various 2024 NFL mock drafts for some time.
In CBS Sports’ latest mock draft from Jared Dubin, DeJean is projected as the No. 15 selection overall to the Indianapolis Colts in the first round.
DeJean won’t be alone in hearing his name called, though.
Former Hawkeye tight end Erick All will make some franchise very happy with his combination of size, speed and athleticism. The 6-foot-5, 255 pound tight end unfortunately had his 2023 season with Iowa cut short after sustaining an ACL tear in the Hawkeyes’ win at Wisconsin.
In his seven games with the Hawkeyes, All emerged as Iowa’s best offensive player. The Fairfield, Ohio, product caught 21 passes for 299 receiving yards with a trio of touchdowns.
As a result, he’s turned the heads of draft evaluators. ESPN’s Louis Riddick included All among his list of potential 2024 NFL draft sleepers.
After Georgia’s Brock Bowers, I believe All is the second-best tight end in this draft. And had he not been dealing with back and knee injuries over the past two seasons, I think we’d be talking about All as a Day 1 prospect. He can cause problems for NFL defenses with his size (6-foot-4 and 252 pounds), play speed, blocking ability, excellent route running and surefire hands. All is very explosive both as a blocker at the traditional Y alignment or from the U alignment, but he’s much more than that. All can stretch the middle of the field as a receiver, regardless of whether he is set up inside or flexed out as a slot.
The stats won’t wow you — he caught 21 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns last season — but his tape is fantastic. And All is super tough after the catch. In fact, 135 of his 299 receiving yards came after the ball was in his hands. It shouldn’t be too shocking that we have a good tight end coming out of Iowa (though he was a transfer from Michigan), and I fully expect to see All on the field dominating this fall. – Riddick, ESPN.
That’s lofty praise from Riddick, who is regarded as one of ESPN’s top NFL analysts.
All certainly has the makings to develop into the next Hawkeye star at the next level. And, given what draft boards look like, All could come as a steal late in day two or early in day three.
Prior to his arrival in Iowa City, All caught 38 passes for 437 receiving yards with a pair of touchdowns during the 2021 college football season with Michigan.
All ended his collegiate career with 75 receptions for 864 receiving yards with five touchdowns in 40 career games played.
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