Tag: 2022 NFL Draft prospects

Five possible landing spots for Texas RB Bijan Robinson in the NFL

Which NFL team is going to snag Bijan Robinson in the draft?

Texas running back Bijan Robinson is a projected first-rounder for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Robinson is one of the most dynamic players in the upcoming draft class. The Doak Walker Award winner has tallied 1,580 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, along with another 314 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

It has been a long time since Texas has produced a player with this much hype as an NFL prospect. Robinson is expected to end Texas’ long drought of not having an offensive player taken on day one of the draft.

Many scouts believe Robinson has the chance to be one of the top running backs in the NFL early on in his career. He has received comparisons to NFL stars like Saquon Barkley and Dalvin Cook.

Mock drafts have Robinson going anywhere from the top 10 to the end of the first round. Here is a look at five NFL teams that are most likely to land Bijan Robinson.

2023 NFL Draft: First Round Mock Draft First Look 1-31

2023 NFL Draft: The first 27 picks are set with the last four to be determined after the playoffs are over with three games to go. Here’s our first look mock draft for the entire first round.

2023 NFL Draft: The first 27 picks are set with the last four to be determined after the playoffs are over with three games to go. Here’s our first look mock draft for the entire first round.

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2023 NFL Draft: First Look Mock Draft First Round

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2023 NFL Draft Underclassmen. Early Entrants
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | OTs | OG/Cs
Edge | DEs/DTs | LBs | CBs | Safeties
Top 100 2023 NFL Draft Early Entrants
2023 NFL Draft Early Entrants By College

Now that we know what the first 28 picks are in the 2023 NFL Draft – the order of the last four doesn’t matter that much considering the teams involved and their respective needs – here’s our first look what the whole first round might be.

As always, the mock drafts will change many, many times over before this gets going on April 27th. Until it actually happens and Chicago trades away the No. 1 overall pick – if it trades down to a quarterback-starved team – we’re going to play it straight.

The last four – 28 through 31 – are in alphabetical order.

29-31 Cincinnati Bengals

2023 Mock Draft First Call: OT Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland

28-31 Denver Broncos (from San Francisco)

2023 Mock Draft First Call: OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma

28-31 Kansas City Chiefs

2023 Mock Draft First Call: EDGE Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame

28-31 Philadelphia Eagles

2023 Mock Draft First Call: EDGE Andre Carter, Army

27 Buffalo Bills

2023 Mock Draft First Call: OG O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida

26 Dallas Cowboys

2023 Mock Draft First Call: WR Kayshon Boutte, LSU

25 New York Giants

2023 Mock Draft First Call: WR Jordan Addison, USC

24 Jacksonville Jaguars

2023 Mock Draft First Call: DE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa

23 Minnesota Vikings

2023 Mock Draft First Call: CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois

22 Baltimore Ravens

2023 Mock Draft First Call: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State

21 Los Angeles Chargers

2023 Mock Draft First Call: OT Broderick Jones, Georgia

Miami forfeited the pick that would’ve been the 21

20 Seattle Seahawks

2023 Mock Draft First Call: DT Siaki Ika, Baylor

19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2023 Mock Draft First Call: RB Bijan Robinson, Texas

18 Detroit Lions

2023 Mock Draft First Call: S Brian Branch, Alabama

17 Pittsburgh Steelers

2023 Mock Draft First Call: DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson

16 Washington Commanders

2023 Mock Draft First Call: CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia

15 Green Bay Packers

2023 Mock Draft First Call: TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame

14 New England Patriots

2023 Mock Draft First Call: CB Cam Smith, South Carolina

13 New York Jets

2023 Mock Draft First Call: OT Paris Johnson, Ohio State

12 Houston Texans (from Cleveland)

2023 Mock Draft First Call: WR Quentin Johnston, TCU

11 Tennessee Titans

2023 Mock Draft First Call: OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern

10 Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans)

2023 Mock Draft First Call: CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon

9 Carolina Panthers

2023 Mock Draft First Call: QB Anthony Richardson, Florida

8 Atlanta Falcons

2023 Mock Draft First Call: EDGE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech

7 Las Vegas Raiders

2023 Mock Draft First Call: QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State

6 Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles Rams)

2023 Mock Draft First Call: CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State

5 Seattle Seahawks (from Denver)

2023 Mock Draft First Call: EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson

4 Indianapolis Colts

2023 Mock Draft First Call: QB Will Levis, Kentucky

3 Arizona Cardinals

2023 Mock Draft First Call: EDGE Will Anderson, Alabama

2 Houston Texans

2023 Mock Draft First Call: QB Bryce Young, Alabama

1 Chicago Bears

2023 Mock Draft First Call: DT Jalen Carter, Georgia

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2023 NFL Draft Underclassmen. Early Entrants
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | OTs | OG/Cs
Edge | DEs/DTs | LBs | CBs | Safeties
Top 100 2023 NFL Draft Early Entrants
2023 NFL Draft Early Entrants By College

Report: Three key Longhorns to skip Alamo Bowl game vs. Washington

Texas will enter its matchup vs. Washington in the Alamo Bowl without a few key contributors. 

Texas will enter its matchup vs. Washington in the Alamo Bowl without a few key contributors. Continue reading “Report: Three key Longhorns to skip Alamo Bowl game vs. Washington”

What CB Deane Leonard brings to the Chargers

Breaking down what the Los Angeles Chargers are getting with cornerback Deane Leonard.

The Los Angeles Chargers recently inked cornerback Deane Leonard, their seventh-round selection at the 236th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, to a four-year deal worth $3.66 million.

Few players will have a more unconventional route to the pros than Leonard, who began his career with the Calgary Stampeders in his native Canada. He became a first-team All-Canadian in 2019 after notching 22 tackles, eight pass breakups, and four interceptions.

From there, Leonard set his sights on playing college football in the United States and wound up at Ole Miss before the start of fall camp in 2020. This resulted in an uneven junior season with only 14 tackles as Leonard got integrated with the Rebels, but he flashed good ball skills with four breakups. 

In 2021, Leonard saw consistent playing time in an Ole Miss system that frequently utilizes six defensive backs to prevent long plays from developing. Leonard started 11 games and racked up 50 tackles (30 of which were solo takedowns) and eight pass breakups. 

In a stacked class of premier defensive backs, Leonard’s name struggled to rise to the surface. However, a solid pro day showed promise for the expansion of his skills at the next level. Leonard ran a 4.39 40-yard dash and put up 14 reps in the bench press. His measurements at 6-1 and 194 pounds are a sturdy build to play outside cornerback.

Leonard’s tape demonstrates a dependable coverage piece and asset in the run game. His tackling form and aggressiveness are prominent and does not let ball carriers drag him for extra yards. He wraps up well and rarely whiffs on his approach.

In man coverage, Leonard mirrors routes well and is able to keep pace through breaks and route running nuance. Leonard’s feet are quick and responsive, which allows for an abrupt closing burst to underneath routes. Deeper down the field, Leonard is often able to turn his head to look over his shoulder for the ball to track the trajectory and time his leaps. Leonard’s biggest area of weakness in man is his functional strength in press coverage. His hand strikes barely affect the progress of the route, so receivers can simply power through him to their desired destination.

In zone coverage, Leonard has keen reactions to the developments of the play. He keeps the action in front of him and doesn’t guess about the offense’s plan of attack. Leonard’s eyes can get him in trouble when watching the quarterback, which can lead to some late recoveries. However, Leonard’s athleticism can bail him out of those situations and help reel in the size of throwing windows when they appear.

Ever since Brandon Staley took over, the Chargers have been in the market for athleticism. Leonard, while far from seasoned, has exceptional movement skills and jets to the ball. On top of that, he is a sound tackler and has experience on special teams. However, Leonard can afford to gain a bit of weight and improve his decision-making as well as discipline in coverage.

Ultimately, Staley has found another twitchy defender whose intangible speed and quickness can mask his areas of growth.

2022 NFL draft: What JT Woods brings to the Chargers

Chargers Wire’s Cole Topham breaks down the newest member of the Bolts, JT Woods.

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The Los Angeles Chargers were expected to add to their secondary in the draft. 

After using their first-round selection on offensive lineman Zion Johnson and being left waiting without a pick through the second round, the Chargers eventually took Baylor safety J.T. Woods at No. 79 overall.

Woods fits Brandon Staley’s preference for defensive playmakers. He stands at 6’2” and weighs 195 pounds with 32 ⅜” arms. However, his athleticism is likely what won the Chargers over. Woods, a track star in addition to his football duties for the Bears, blazed through the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine with a 4.36-second time. He also recorded a 39.5” vertical and 128” broad jump.

The movement skills pop on tape. Woods surges to the football with forward momentum and trigger. He charges downhill with ferocious intent when assisting in run support and is able to coast with receivers to eliminate vertical threats. If Woods does manage to get beat, his gears shift rapidly to make up lost ground and vacuum up gaps of separation.

Take this tackle in open space against TCU in 2021, for example. Woods was a little late reacting to the ball carrier with his initial first step backward, but his superb athleticism made up for the error as he flew downfield to stop the running back for a tackle for loss. Woods was able to close the 12 yards of space quickly with minimal strain.

Woods’ speed and reactiveness show up in short passing game situations as well. He flows to routes entering into his zone over the and is able to multitask well with eyes on the quarterback. While he isn’t the most comfortable diagramming route concepts before they develop, Woods has an uncanny sense to be in the right place at a fortuitous time to turn errant throws or muffed caches into punishing takeaways and stellar field position for the offense.

Those attributes were on display during his interception against the Texas Longhorns last season, where Woods corralled a glancing pass and zoomed down the field to put Baylor in field goal position before halftime. As Woods closed in on the intended target, he was able to secure the ball in stride and immediately reach top speed. This ensured he would not only gain yards on the interception but also put him in a prime position to step out of bounds and preserve the clock.

Woods was aptly nicknamed “The Heartbreak Kid” by the Baylor coaching staff because of his knack for picking off quarterbacks and ending promising drives for the offense. He is excellent at tracking throw trajectories and is aggressive going up for the ball. On this interception against Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral, Woods outjumps everybody on the field to high point the ball and hang on through incidental contact. 

Woods has several areas to work on in order to become a consistent defensive piece for the Chargers. He needs to improve his reliability as a tackler and refine his technique as well as his approach in coverage. Woods tends to frequently rely on his traits and instincts, so building up his football IQ and overall anticipation will be key. Sometimes, he arrives at the ball with too much heat, which can lead to missed tackles or blown plays if faced with adjustment. 

However, Woods is a great fit for Staley’s scheme and the type of defense the Chargers like to play. His athleticism can wear many hats for the unit, prey on quarterbacks, and create game-changing turnovers. Along with Derwin James, J.C. Jackson, and Asante Samuel, Woods joins a Chargers secondary loaded to the brim with lockdown potential and explosive playmaking ability. 

2022 NFL draft: Jamaree Salyer scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Georgia offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer

One of the top recruits in the country who played multiple positions along the offensive line, Georgia’s Jamaree Salyer will bring that experience and versatility to the next level as he enters the 2022 NFL draft.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Bulldogs’ massive mauler:

2022 NFL draft: Channing Tindall scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Georgia linebacker Channing Tindall

The third member of Georgia’s dominant linebacker trio, Channing Tindall enters the 2022 NFL draft as one of the most intriguing prospects at his position.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Bulldogs’ dynamic defender:

2022 NFL draft: Martin Emerson Jr. scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Mississippi State cornerback Martin Emerson Jr.

A three-year starter who played his best football in 2020, Mississippi State’s Martin Emerson will look to recapture that success at the next level as he heads into the 2022 NFL draft.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Bulldogs’ talented cover man:

2022 NFL draft: Rachaad White scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Arizona State running back Rachaad White

A breakout star in the Pac-12 this last season, Arizona’s Rachaad White heads to the next level as one of the most versatile and explosive running back prospects in the 2022 NFL draft.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Sun Devils’ dynamic playmaker:

2022 NFL draft: Abraham Lucas scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Washington State offensive tackle Abraham Lucas

A four-year starter with track record of success against Power 5 competition, Washington State’s Abraham Lucas enters the 2022 NFL draft as one of the most consistent and experienced offensive tackles in this year’s class.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Cougars’ dominant pass protector: