Tag: bucky brooks

Vikings have shocking power ranking spot heading into Week 3

Coming off a surprise win against the San Francisco 49ers, the Minnesota Vikings sit just outside the top 3 on Bucky Brooks’ power rankings.

It’s no secret that the Minnesota Vikings are one of the most surprising teams in the league after their 2-0 start to the season. While many could have predicted the Vikings got off to a 1-0 start with a game against the New York Giants, few would have picked them to be undefeated after an early-season matchup against NFC juggernauts, the San Francisco 49ers.

Yet that’s exactly where the Vikings stand heading into their Week 3 matchup against the Houston Texans. While some may still doubt the Vikings and where they stand in the league, one NFL analyst seems to be all-in on the team right now.

In his latest power rankings, Fox Sports’ NFL analyst Bucky Brooks has the Vikings surprisingly high. Coming off a surprising win against the 49ers, Brooks has the Vikings all the way up at #4, just behind the Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints — another contender for the most surprising team in the league to start the season — and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Minnesota comes into their Week 3 matchup against the Texans with some significant questions at the wide receiver spot. Both Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are recovering from injuries, and their statuses are uncertain. If Minnesota can find a way to pull out the win and move to 3-0 on the season, it’ll be interesting to see where Brooks has them going forward.

NFL analyst names Bryce Young as a QB poised to have a breakout season

NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks believes former Alabama football quarterback Bryce Young will have a breakout season with Panthers in 2024

As the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, former Alabama Crimson Tide football star quarterback [autotag]Bryce Young[/autotag] entered the league with heavy expectations. Between poor coaching and the lack of talent surrounding him, Young put together a disappointing rookie campaign.

Fans shouldn’t quit on Young just yet according to one NFL analyst. Bucky Brooks of the NFL Network recently put together his “All-Breakout Team” for the 2024 season with a caveat that none of the players on the list had made All-Pro or a Pro Bowl.

Young, the former Heisman Trophy winner was Brooks’ choice at QB. He explained his reasoning:

“A disappointing rookie season spurred a mass exodus from Young’s bandwagon, but I believe last year’s No. 1 overall pick can bounce back under new head coach Dave Canales. The quarterback guru just helped Baker Mayfield resurrect his career in Tampa; now Canales can perform his magic in another NFC South city, helping Young regain his swagger in Charlotte.

“As the coach reshapes the Panthers’ offense to feature more quarterback-friendly concepts with better weaponry at Young’s disposal, the talented gunslinger could re-emerge as the blue-chip player who won a Heisman Trophy at Alabama and entered the 2023 NFL Draft as the belle of the ball.”

New Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales has earned a reputation around the NFL by resurrecting quarterback careers. As Brooks wrote, Canales helped Baker Mayfield find success last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Before that Canales was with the Seattle Seahawks where he reignited the career of Geno Smith.

Young and the Panthers will begin training camp on July 24.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the NFL career of Young and all the former Crimson Tide stars.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

NFL analyst says Jayden Daniels will have rookie impact similar to C.J. Stroud

Can Jayden Daniels have a C.J. Stroud-like season in 2024?

After the Houston Texans went from worst to first last year, it’s reasonable to ask which team can have a similar turnaround in 2024.

There is no better comparison than the Washington Commanders. Houston went 3-13-1 in 2022, fired its head coach, drafted a quarterback at No. 2 overall last year and won the AFC South with a 10-7 record.

That quarterback, C.J. Stroud, was phenomenal. Stroud made the Pro Bowl and won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He passed for 274 yards and three touchdowns in an AFC wild-card win over the Cleveland Browns and finished just short of a perfect passer rating.

Replicating Stroud’s success seems unlikely, but Washington is in a unique position. The Commanders finished 4-13 last season, have a new head coach, and selected a quarterback at No. 2 overall: LSU’s Jayden Daniels. Daniels had an unbelievable final college season that saw him win the Heisman Trophy.

While Daniels is known for his dual-threat ability, with some comparing him to Lamar Jackson, he’s more advanced as a passer coming out of college than Jackson.

Former NFL player and current analyst Bucky Brooks of NFL Network believes Daniels will have an impact similar to Stroud’s in 2023.

“The reason why is (Washington OC) Kliff Kingsbury has done this before with a young quarterback,” Brooks said. “Look no further than the work he did with Kyler Murray when Kyler Murray came out of Oklahoma. Right away, Kyler Murray hits the ground running and wins the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, has over 3,500 passing yards, 500 rushing yards and 24 total TDs. I would expect to see that type of production and performance from Jayden Daniels. When you look at Jayden Daniels, he is an elite prospect when it comes to his arm talent and his athleticism. He can put it together whether he is working on the script, or off the script. You look at the talent surrounding him: Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, also with Austin Ekeler coming over to give them a threat out of the backfield with Zach Ertz.”

This isn’t the first time someone has said they can see a turnaround for Washington in 2024 similar to Houston’s, mainly because of the quarterback situation.

If the Commanders are better offensively as most believe, you can best believe head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. will have the 32nd-ranked defense playing much better in 2024.

NFL analyst Bucky Brooks loved the Commanders’ 2024 draft class

Brooks loved Adam Peters’ plan and execution of the NFL draft.

The Washington Commanders put the finishing touches on the 2024 NFL draft last week with a nine-player class led by quarterback Jayden Daniels. Washington, under new general manager Adam Peters, drew widespread praise for its draft, particularly over the first two days.

The Commanders earned A’s across the board for landing Daniels and finding players such as Johnny Newton, Mike Sainristil, and Ben Sinnott, who could make an early impact.

You can count former NFL player, current NFL Network analyst and co-host of the “Move the Sticks” podcast, Bucky Brooks, among those impressed. Brooks recently named his five favorite classes from the 2024 NFL draft, and Washington was included.

Credit new general manager Adam Peters for revamping the team’s culture with a collection of experienced players bringing superb leadership skills. All nine of the Commanders’ draftees spent at least four years in college and seven were team captains. Though playing ability is prioritized in the evaluation process, the decision to add a group of young leaders is part of a long-term plan to eradicate the losing mentality within the locker room.

On the field, the addition of Jayden Daniels gives the Commanders the QB1 they have been looking for since Kirk Cousins’ departure after the 2017 season. The LSU standout dazzles as an electric dual-threat quarterback with elite passing skills and impromptu playmaking ability. With Kliff Kingsbury experienced in exploiting a dynamic athlete at the position (SEE: Kyler Murray), the Commanders could hit the ground running in 2024.

If Jer’Zhan Newton and Mikey Sainristil also make their mark as potential Day 1 starters, and Jordan Magee, Dominique Hampton and Javontae Jean-Baptiste secure roles as backups/special teams standouts, the Commanders could emerge as a surprise playoff contender in Dan Quinn’s debut season.

Brooks is correct. If each of these things occur that he described, the Commanders could be a potential wild-card team in 2024. So much depends on Daniels following C.J. Stroud’s path from one year ago. He has the talent to make an immediate impact with his arm and legs.

Another potential X-Factor for Washington’s class was third-round pick, offensive lineman Brandon Coleman. Coleman played tackle and guard in college, and he tested off the charts athletically. Additionally, all of Coleman’s measurables, such as arm length and wingspan translate to tackle. If Coleman becomes the player, Peters thinks he can be; this could be a class Washington fans remember for a long time.

 

Commanders Sam Howell makes ‘make or break’ list for 2023

Is Sam Howell’s first season as a starting quarterback a make or break season?

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So, which quarterbacks in the NFL have everything at stake for them in 2023? In other words, which quarterbacks are in a “make or break” year in 2023?

NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks published a list of nine quarterbacks he believes are in such a situation, and of interest to Commanders fans are two of the quarterbacks making his list.

Sam Howell has only played one game, the 2022 season finale 26-6 home win over the Dallas Cowboys. Brooks goes as far as to question the wisdom of Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, taking a jab at Rivera:

Credit Ron Rivera and Co. for putting their fate in the hands of a second-year pro with a single start on his résumé.

Brooks appears to continue with another sarcastic jab when he declares, “Howell certainly flashed solid skills as a game manager” in the win over Dallas. Certainly, Brooks is correct when he offered, “It is impossible to know if the North Carolina product is going to be the guy until he plays a full slate of games.”

With Rivera hiring former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Brooks believes that the pressure is on Howell to show up and show out with a supporting cast that includes talented receiving trio Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel.”

So basically, Brooks believes Sam Howell is only deserving of one year of opportunity to prove himself as an NFL quarterback? That certainly was not the case for many NFL quarterbacks, who may struggle a year or even two before maturing into fine quarterbacks.

Take, for instance, former Washington starter Kirk Cousins. Cousins struggled at times, being up and down in 2013 and the 2014 season. However, by training camp of the 2015 season, coaches and players could see Cousins was better than Robert Griffin and Colt McCoy.

Cousins would go on to lead Washington to two winning seasons in 2015 (9-7) and 2016 (8-7-1). Critics will cry out those are barely winning records. Well, of course, they are barely winning records, duh.

However, isn’t it also just as true and just as much a part of the historical record that those two seasons with Cousins the starter, are the last winning seasons Washington has enjoyed?

Isn’t it premature to declare this 2023 season a “make or break” season for Sam Howell?

Browns safety Grant Delpit named defensive breakout candidate for 2023 season

#Browns safety Grant Delpit was named to Bucky Brooks’ All-Breakout team ahead of the 2023 NFL season

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As the 2023 NFL season inches closer by the week, experts are releasing their way-too-early predictions for what the coming campaign might bring. NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks published his All-Breakout defensive team ahead of training camp in an article on Friday. Cleveland Browns safety Grant Delpit made the cut for this prestigious prediction after taking a step forward in 2022.

“Delpit flashed Pro Bowl potential in 2022 with 105 tackles, four interceptions and 10 passes defensed. But that could be just the beginning, a foreshadowing of his rise to the ranks of the elite at the position. As a 6-3, 208-pounder comfortable in the deep middle and near the box, Delpit is the kind of versatile, new-age safety NFL teams are looking for.”

Last year Delpit struggled early in Cleveland’s schedule, but as the season played out fans saw why the Browns drafted him in the second round in 2020.

According to PFF, Delpit had a total of 32 stop tackles, allowed just two touchdowns in coverage, and showed progress each week. Now with upgraded talent around him and Jim Schwartz spearheading the defensive playcalling, Delpit is poised to become an integral part of the Browns’ defense in 2023.

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Eagles’ safety Sydney Brown makes Bucky Brooks ‘ list of 10 perfect fits from 2023 NFL Draft

Eagles’ rookie Sydney Brown makes Bucky Brooks ‘ list of 10 perfect fits from the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Eagles had back-to-backs picks in the third round of last week’s draft, and after selecting Tyler Steen from Alabama, Howie Roseman drafted a safety out of Illinois.

Philadelphia hadn’t selected a safety that high since 2012 but saw value in the versatile defender.

A Swiss Army Knife for Sean Desai’s defense, NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks has Brown making a list of 10 perfect player-teams fits from the selection process.

Sydney Brown
Illinois · DB
Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
Drafted: No. 66 overall (Round 3)

Brown is a versatile defender with a combination of size, speed and ball skills that could make him the monster in the middle of a turnover-obsessed unit. His takeaway prowess and “hit-stick” skills give him the potential to be an interesting chess piece in a hybrid scheme for the Eagles. With a ferocious pass rush in front of him, the Illinois standout has a chance to emerge as a dark-horse contender for all-star honors at the end of this rookie season.

In 2022, Brown was a first-team All-Big Ten pick on the nation’s top-scoring defense after intercepting six passes to tie for third in the FBS.

In all, Brown logged 59 tackles, 3.5 for loss with one sack and seven pass breakups in 12 starts.

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Vikings add explosive wide receiver in latest Bucky Brooks mock draft

In the latest mock draft from NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks, the Vikings added an explosive wide receiver at 23rd overall.

The Minnesota Vikings chose to move on from some high priced veterans this offseason, including hometown wide recevier Adam Thielen. The decision was a difficult one but one that had to be made considering his cap hit.

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks released his latest mock draft and gave the Vikings an explosive replacement for Thielen in Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers.

After moving on from Adam Thielen this offseason, the Vikings grab a route-running specialist as a playmate for 2022 Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson. Flowers’ speed, quickness and precision make him an ideal candidate as a WR2 opposite the All-Pro wideout.

Flowers would be an interesting addition to the Vikings. Despite being a smaller receiver, Flowers is both explosive and a well-rounded threat that can attack all three levels of the defense.

Taking a wide receiver in round one is the second-best outcome for the Vikings in the NFL draft with finding a quarterback of the future being the only better outcome.

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Bucky Brooks’ updated NFL mock draft has the Saints picking ‘a true “Y” tight end’

Bucky Brooks’ updated NFL mock draft has the New Orleans Saints picking Notre Dame prospect Michael Mayer, who he calls ‘a true “Y” tight end’

How big of a need is tight end for the New Orleans Saints? They have expressed a desire to upgrade over Adam Trautman as their number-two tight end, but their interest in Foster Moreau as a free agent was shuttered by his unfortunate lymphoma diagnosis. If the idea with Moreau was sparked more by opportunity, it’s possible they look to other ways of improving the roster.

With the few remaining free agents going off the board to teams like the Cincinnati Bengals (who signed Irv Smith Jr.) and the Las Vegas Raiders (who brought in Austin Hooper), the Saints may be forced to look to the draft for help if this is still a priority for them.

They can get by with Trautman and Juwan Johnson at tight end, but the potential for growth is there with prospects like Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer on the board. Mayer has been a popular pick for the Saints in recent mock drafts, including the updated projection from NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks, who wrote:

The Saints need a true “Y” tight end to enhance the passing game for Derek Carr. Mayer is the total package: a soft-handed pass-catcher with the size, strength and power to control the edges as a run blocker. 

Mayer would address several big needs for the Saints offense. He’s one of the most-experienced blocking tight ends in the draft class as well as one of the most-reliable targets on contested catches. He’s not as athletically gifted as some of his peers, but he’s still brings above-average size and mobility for NFL standards. If he can pave the way for Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams on some big runs while converting a couple of first downs each week, he’s worth the investment, even if his arrival would mean the Saints are punting on Trautman after three years that left fans wanting more than they saw from him.

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Cowboys find WR size, speed in homegrown package in Bucky Brooks’ latest mock draft

TCU’s Quentin Johnston would be the Cowboys’ tallest WR and one of the fastest players on the team; he could be a star of the combine. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones admitted on Monday that the team needs to make a priority out of inserting “a playmaker” into the Dallas offense as a way to boost the passing game that rarely got out of first gear in 2022.

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks has just the guy.

The analyst unveiled his latest mock draft as the scouting combine gets underway in Indianapolis, and he thinks the Cowboys don’t need to look too far from home to find a first-round pick that could, as Jones put it this week, “add a little juice.”

Brooks likes TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston to Dallas with the 26th overall pick. He specifically cites the junior’s speed and big-play potential, noting that those attributes could help him shine against one-on-one coverage on the outside.

And Brooks believes the 6-foot-4-inch Temple, Tex. native will emerge from this week as one of the breakout stars of the combine.

“Everyone is going to see the height,” Brooks said on NFL Network. “Everyone is going to see the athleticism. This is a guy, in high school, who was a big-time jumper. So when you see the explosive numbers- he’s going to broad jump over 11 feet, vertical is going to be well over 40 [inches], he’s fast as all get-out.”

Brooks listed Johnston among the 10 prospects he is most excited to see at the combine.

Both Brooks and former NFL running back LaDanian Tomlinson feel Johnston may need to show off his hands and improve his route-running, but both are intrigued by the big 21-year-old’s potential at the pro level.

“He didn’t really get a chance to show the entire route tree at TCU,” Tomlinson- himself a former Horned Frog- agreed. “He’s going to have to show how fluid he is in and out of his breaks. And then catching the football: can’t be catching the ball with his body; he has to show exceptional hands catching the football.”

At 6-foot-4, Johnston would be the tallest receiver on the Cowboys roster. And with 4.4 speed (some project he could even post a 4.3 40-yard dash on the turf at the combine), his wheels would put him in the same tier as Trevon Diggs and KaVontae Turpin.

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