PFF analyst predicts Texas WR Isaiah Bond to first round of NFL draft

“I think he’s going to be a first round pick next year.”

Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond is commanding high praise from those outside of the program. The No. 4 player in the transfer portal and one of the more explosive receivers in college football is viewed as a top NFL draft prospect next season.

Pro Football Focus analyst Max Chadwick gave his prediction for Isaiah Bond on the PFF College Football Show.

“I think he’s going to be a first round pick next year.”

Bond will have to share receptions with perhaps Texas’ deepest wide receiver room in recent memory. The Longhorns added Houston transfer Matthew Golden and Oregon State receiver Silas Bolden to anticipated starter Johntay Cook this offseason. Freshman Ryan Wingo and second-year receiver DeAndre Moore were expected to watch the season from the sideline, but have emerged as legitimate starter candidates.

Despite the high volume of receivers that could take away potential targets from Bond, it’s reasonable to expect explosive plays from the talented pass catcher. His ability to separate from SEC defensive backs gave Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe the margin for error to underthrow passes last season and still connect for touchdowns. Bond caught the game winner on 4th and Goal from the 31 after allowing himself room in the end zone to make a play.

Much was made about Bond’s separation on one touchdown play in the Orange-White game. In fairness to the Texas secondary, other squads will likely continue having issues keeping up with Bond.

The Alabama transfer is set to lead one of the more talented wide receiver rooms in college football. He’ll look to put up strong enough film to live up to NFL draft projections in the 2024 season.

Danny Stutsman projected to the Dallas Cowboys in 2025 NFL Mock Draft

Fox Sports projects Danny Stutsman to the Dallas Cowboys in a 2025 NFL Mock Draft.

The Oklahoma Sooners 2025 roster received a huge boost when [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] opted to forgo the 2024 NFL draft and return for his senior season. The Sooners linebacker room has a lot of talent, but would have been lacking experience had Stutsman departed for the league.

Looking ahead, he and the Sooners defense are poised for another strong season in 2024, Oklahoma’s first in the SEC. With improved defensive tackle depth, Stutsman will get to play a little cleaner as Damonic Williams, Da’Jon Terry, Jayden Jackson, Gracen Halton, and David Stone keep interior offensive linemen from climbing to the second level to slow Stutsman and the linebacker group.

With improved talent up front and a developing linebacker group around him, it’s possible we see the best version of Danny Stutsman in 2024. NFL draft analysts are banking on it. In a 2025 mock draft over at Fox Sports, Rob Rang sees Stutsman going in the back end of the first round to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 26 overall.

After leading the Big 12 in tackles in 2022 and earning All-American accolades (despite battling injury) a year ago, Stutsman was thought to be a shoo-in to join the 2024 NFL draft. Instead, by returning, the rangy 6-foot-4, 241 has a chance at being the first off-ball linebacker selected next spring. He certainly checks boxes for his playmaking ability, recording 267 tackles, including 28 tackles for loss already. – Rob Rang, Fox Sports

There’s a good chance the Cowboys have a need at linebacker again next offseason. They lost Leighton Vander Esch to retirement and were already light at the position. They signed veteran Eric Kendricks to a one-year deal this spring, but could need an infusion of talent next spring.

Dallas would be a fun landing spot for Danny Stutsman, who has become a larger-than-life individual in Oklahoma.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Updated projections for 2025 NFL Draft compensatory picks

The 2025 NFL Draft isn’t for over 350 days but that doesn’t mean we can’t look ahead with some projections when it comes to draft picks.

The 2025 NFL Draft isn’t for over 350 days, but that doesn’t mean we can’t look ahead with some projections when it comes to draft picks. The way the NFL gives compensatory picks can be tough to figure out but the folks over at Over the Cap have a formula that does a good job of predicting them.

It is important to remember, the picks we are about to discuss and the projections are just that, projections.

The NFL gives compensatory draft picks for various reasons, namely the loss of key players in free agency. In March, the team lost both Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter to free agency. Cousins went to Atlanta, and Hunter went to Houston.

The team is projected to receive a third-round pick for the loss of Cousins. They were also expected to receive a third-round pick for the loss of Hunter but the team signing Shaq Griffin loses that pick for them as Over the Cap explains.

“. . .3rd rounders for both Cousins and Hunter leaving were on the board…until they signed Shaquill Griffin to a one year, $4.55 million contract, leaving the Vikings with a net loss of only 1 CFA, giving the formula no choice but to cancel out Hunter’s contract with Griffin’s.”

Much goes into the formula and the projections, much more than most of us realize. Their projections are very well done and are a fun read for Viking and NFL fans alike. I strongly suggest you read their piece to further understand their reasoning for each pick being given out.

Why the Giants need Ben Bredeson to play well in Tampa Bay

If Ben Bredeson plays well in Tampa Bay, the New York Giants could receive a fourth-round compensatory pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

The New York Giants could, potentially, receive a fourth-round compensatory pick in the 2025 NFL draft, according to Nick Korte of Over The Cap.

However, in Korte’s projection, he specifically notes that the fourth-round pick is entirely contingent on offensive lineman Ben Bredeson earning the starting job in Tampa Bay and playing enough snaps to qualify.

If Bredeson fails to play enough snaps, Korte projects the Giants would receive a seventh-round compensatory pick at the bottom of the draft.

The Giants have a 4th rounder on the board for Xavier McKinney leaving for Green Bay, but that is contingent on Ben Bredeson qualifying as a CFA. This could be complicated by the Bucs also drafting Graham Barton in the 1st round, should Barton displace Bredeson as a possible starter at guard, instead of Robert Hainsey at center. The Giants and their fans should be rooting for Bredeson to win a starting job. If Bredeson’s contract does not qualify, the 4th rounder gets demoted to a net value 7th rounder placed at the very bottom of the list.

It’s also important to remember that Over The Cap is just one projection method for compensatory picks and may not match the NFL’s highly secret formula.

Based on the knowledge at hand, Korte has the loss of Saquon Barkley being canceled out by the signing of offensive lineman Jon Runyan Jr.

It’s another reason the Giants should have traded Barkley at last season’s deadline.

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Commanders not projected to receive any compensatory picks in 2025 for free-agent losses this offseason

No surprise, the Commanders aren’t expected to receive any compensatory picks for 2025 after a busy offseason.

The Washington Commanders signed over 20 outside free agents this offseason and watched some former starters leave via free agency.

However, Washington signed much more than it lost, meaning the Commanders would not receive any compensatory selections in the 2025 NFL draft, per Over the Cap.

That’s not a surprise and something general manager Adam Peters knew before free agency. The Commanders had so many holes it would need to be aggressive in free agency just to field a competitive roster in 2024.

While Washington didn’t land any compensatory picks for 2025, three of its signings helped other teams land them. The Commanders’ signings of center Tyler Biadasz and defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr. give the Dallas Cowboys a pair of fifth-round selections.

Also, Washington’s signing of running back Austin Ekeler means the Los Angeles Chargers will receive a sixth-round pick.

The Commanders were busy in free agency but also added nine newcomers via the NFL draft and 11 more undrafted free agents. Washington will look like a completely different team in 2024, which should be encouraging news to the fans.

Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel could crash the Heisman party and the 2025 NFL draft

Dillon Gabriel is starting for his third team this season and has a shot to win the Heisman Trophy.

Few college football players are as well-traveled as new Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel arrives in Eugene after three seasons at UCF and two more at Oklahoma thanks to the wacky transfer portal rules.

Had Gabriel stayed at Oklahoma, there’s no guarantee he would have started over Jackson Arnold but in Oregon he is assured the starting job. Gabriel will also have an absolutely loaded offense led by three more transfers. Wide receivers Tez Arnold, Traeshon Holden and Evan Stewart are all newcomers to the Ducks and will need to get on the same page as Gabriel.

With Gabriel’s new home, he has a real shot to replace Bo Nix in the starting lineup and put up record-breaking stats. Gabriel should be firmly in the mix to win the Heisman in 2024 and if he can do all that, teams are going to have to figure out if Gabriel can overcome his size issues and be the next Kyler Murray or Russell Wilson.

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Browns land explosive Texas WR in way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft

It’s early, but this 2025 NFL mock draft has the Browns selecting a wide receiver early.

With the 2024 NFL draft long gone, there are a handful of maniacs who are already writing way too early 2025 NFL mock drafts. Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy is one of them as he has the Cleveland Browns selecting Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond with their first first round pick in three years.

Bond has not yet taken a snap for the Longhorns, transferring from the University of Alabama this past offseason. Seeing his first significant action with the Crimson Tide in 2024, Bond racked up 668 yards and four touchdowns on 48 catches.

The Browns need a wide receiver, even after trading Day 3 picks for Jerry Jeudy and selecting Jamari Thrash in the fifth round at the end of April. Both Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore are slated for free agency, so the selection of a wide receiver makes a great deal of sense.

However, hopefully, they select one with a bit more production and proven playmaking ability than Bond has at this point.

Steelers fill 2 major offensive needs in 2025 NFL mock draft

Here is our first too soon 2025 NFL mock draft.

Is it ever too soon to talk about the NFL draft? The ink is barely dry on the 2024 NFL draft but we already have a far-too-early 2025 mock draft to talk about.

In this three-round mock, the Steelers select Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III in the first round. Burden is a special player who reminds us a lot of a mix of Deebo Samuel and Dez Bryant. He’s got track speed, a running back’s frame and is explosive and agile after the catch.

Moving to the second round, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe was available and too good to pass up. All the Steelers current quarterbacks are on one-year contracts this year so don’t be shocked if they don’t prioritize the position. Milroe is a remarkable athlete with a powerful arm and tons of potential.

Moving to the third round, we went with Georgia defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse. We love his size, power and leverage and want to see him lined up inside next to Keeanu Benton.

This would be a fun draft for the Steelers future, especially to see what the coaches can do with Milroe. Pittsburgh hasn’t properly addressed wide receiver this offseason so we are all for Burden being the pick.

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Colin Cowherd skeptical on Carson Beck being a top-5 NFL draft pick

“I don’t think he’s a top-five pick. I think he’s Georgia good,” said Colin Cowherd on UGA quarterback Carson Beck

FOX Sports analyst Colin Cowherd is not as high on Georgia quarterback Carson Beck a year in advance of the 2025 NFL draft. Cowherd is skeptical that Beck will be the top quarterback selected in next year’s draft.

“I don’t think he’s a top-five pick,” said Cowherd on “The Colin Cowherd Podcast” to Nick Wright. “I think he’s Georgia good,” said Cowherd. “I think you’re probably right,” agreed Wright.

The expert consensus is still forming on Carson Beck. Beck is projected as a first-round pick in pretty much every mock draft. ESPN NFL draft expert Jordan Reid tabs Carson Beck is the No. 1 pick in his way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft (subscription required).

There’s no doubt that Carson Beck has an excellent situation surrounding him. Beck plays behind an elite offensive line and has a prolific group of receiving targets. Additionally, Georgia’s defense keeps opposing offenses at bay, so Beck knows he does not have to be a hero and try to score 40 points.

However, Beck has a great football intelligence, is an efficient passer and has the frame NFL teams are looking for. Beck’s greatest flaw is his lack of mobility.

NFL teams won’t be too critical of Beck playing on a good team as long as he gets the job done. Many of the most recent No. 1 picks have all played on elite teams including Alabama’s Bryce Young, LSU’s Joe Burrow and Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence.

Will Titans receive any compensatory draft picks in 2025?

Experts are making their projections for 2025 compensatory picks. Are the Titans coming away with any?

The Tennessee Titans won’t receive any compensatory picks in the 2025 NFL draft, according to projections.

That comes from both Lance Zierlein of NFL.com and Over The Cap. It would be the third straight draft in which the Titans don’t receive a comp pick.

The Titans last received a compensatory pick in the 2022 draft, when they were awarded two for losing wide receiver Corey Davis and defensive lineman DaQuan Jones.

The year before that, they were awarded a comp pick after right tackle Jack Conklin moving on in free agency to the Cleveland Browns.

Compensatory picks are calculated based on the number of qualifying free agents a team gains and loses. All of the Titans’ losses in free agency this offseason have been canceled out by their signings.

With no comp picks coming, the Titans are slated to have one pick in each round but the third in the 2025 NFL draft. That pick was included in the trade for cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.

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