Tag: Chad Reuter

Seven-round NFL re-draft using all active players includes 22 former Alabama players

22 former Alabama players are selected in this full seven-round NFL re-draft

Have you ever imagined what might happen if every NFL player was a free agent and the NFL teams re-drafted with every active player in the league?

Well, Chad Reuter of NFL.com re-drafts the entire NFL annually, which consists of individual defensive players as well as all offensive players. Certain positions, like the quarterback, obviously carry more weight so it is cool to see where your favorite players stack up.

The seven-round draft included 224 picks, 22 of which were former Alabama players. Below are all of the former Crimson Tide players that made the list as well as their ranking spot:

Seahawks OT Charles Cross named to projected offensive all-rookie team

Seattle Seahawks left tackle Charles Cross has been named to NFL.com’ Chad Reuter’s projected 2022 Offensive All-Rookie Team.

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The Seattle Seahawks haven’t received many accolades this offseason and neither has their draft class as far as individual players are concerned. However, one Seattle newbie has made NFL draft analyst Chad Reuter’s 2022 Offensive All-Rookie Team.

Tackle Charles Cross, selected by the Seahawks with the No. 9 overall pick out of Mississippi State, joins fellow rookie tackle, Giants’ Even Neal, in Reuter’s lineup.

“Speaking of the Seahawks, their selection of Cross filled a huge gap at left tackle (as did their selection of right tackle Abraham Lucas in the third round),” writes Reuter. “It won’t be a surprise if the former Mississippi State Bulldogs’ steady pass protection reminds Seattle fans of a healthy Russell Okung.”

Seattle has been in need of upgrading the offensive line and Cross is expected to receive the starting nod at left tackle this season. Exactly which quarterback he is tasked with projecting, though, still remains up in the air.

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Seahawks rookie cornerback Coby Bryant has real shot to start this year

Seattle Seahawks rookie cornerback Coby Bryant has a legitimate chance to compete for a starting role in the defense for the 2022 season.

In the Seattle Seahawks’ quest to rebuild the Legion of Boom, finding the perfect fits at the cornerback spots has been difficult, to say the least. Seattle did pick up two corners in this year’s NFL draft and one seems to have a real chance at starting this season.

Coby Bryant, selected in the fourth round at No. 109 overall, made NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter’s list of the top day-three rookies who could compete for starting snaps in their first year.

“Seattle’s depth at cornerback is a big question mark heading into the 2022 season,” Reuter acknowledges. “Sidney Jones was re-signed after starting 11 games, while Tre Brown is coming off a knee injury and veteran Artie Burns was brought in on a one-year free agent deal. Bryant, the winner of the 2021 Jim Thorpe Award (given to college football’s top defensive back), has the experience and toughness to step into a starting role if necessary.”

With OTAs kicking off and mandatory minicamp just around the corner, we should get a better look at how Bryant stacks up against the veterans in short order.

Cornerback will be one of the most exciting positions to watch throughout training camp this summer so stay tuned to see how things play out at the VMAC.

For Bryant’s college highlights, click here.

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2021 NFL draft: Chad Reuter lists ‘ideal’ top two picks for Chargers

NFL Media’s Chad Reuter throws a bit of a curveball.

We are a little over two weeks until all of the projections will be put to bed and we finally know what the future of the Chargers and the other 31 teams will look like.

After free agency, positional groups that still need to be solidified in the upcoming draft consist of left tackle, cornerback, safety, wide receiver, tight end and the defensive line.

Fortunately, with nine picks, they will have their choosing from some of the top prospects at those perspective positions.

NFL Media’s Chad Reuter recently completed a fun exercise where they identified the ideal top two picks for every team in the league.

For Los Angeles he slotted former Alabama Jaylen Waddle and North Dakota State offensive tackle Dillon Radunz.

The Chargers are often projected to select a left tackle with their top pick, but I think an elite receiver would be too hard to pass up at No. 13. Smith working in the slot with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams outside would be heaven for second-year starter Justin Herbert. Smith could then move outside in 2022 if Williams leaves as a free agent. Of course, they will need to address the offensive line early in the draft. Selecting Radunz to compete with Trey Pipkins at left tackle meets that need, and he showed at the Reese’s Senior Bowl that he could play inside, if circumstances require it.

This isn’t going to sit well for many fans because they know the need for a help at tackle and cornerback is too pressing, and passing up on both of them for wide receiver with the team’s first-round pick could hurt them in the long run.

General manager Tom Telesco’s case for taking a wideout at No. 13 could be that Mike Williams is set to play in the final year of his contract and Jalen Guyton did not prove himself as the third wide receiver after struggling with drops last season.

If Waddle was the pick, he would give quarterback Justin Herbert a dynamic weapon who can win with speed, quickness and route running ability to consistently separate and win with the ball in his hands, as well as a player who can return kicks and punts at a high level.

However, protecting Herbert’s blindside should be the No. 1 priority and the team does not have a bonafide starting left tackle on the roster. Reuter sees that Radunz is capable of filling that role.

While he needs to get better at finishing blocks, Radunz has the athleticism, range, foot quickness and run-blocking temperament needed for the NFL. He needs to develop more mass and add bulk to his frame, but his skillset suggests a high upside player.

For me, there’s two scenarios that would be the most ideal:

Round 1: Patrick Surtain or Jaycee Horn

Round 2: Dillon Radunz or Alex Leatherwood or Brady Christensen

or

Round 1: Christian Darrisaw or Rashawn Slater or Teven Jenkins

Round 2: Asante Samuel Jr. or Greg Newsome or Tyson Campbell or Ifeatu Melifonwu

Chargers get best player available, fill holes in Chad Reuter’s latest 4-round mock draft

The Los Angeles Chargers take the best player available in Round 1. Then what?

The Chargers have some leeway heading into the NFL draft after addressing a few positional needs in free agency, but there are still some spots that need to be filled next month.

In NFL Media’s Chad Reuter’s latest four-round mock draft, he sees Los Angeles going the route of best player available in the first-round and solidifying their positions of need after.

In Round 1, L.A. takes former Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith.

The selection of Smith would certainly be a luxury pick, given the fact that wide receiver isn’t as pressing of a need compared to the left tackle and cornerback positions. However, the thought of giving quarterback Justin Herbert a premiere play-maker might be too enticing to pass up on.

In Round 2, the Bolts take former Georgia cornerback Tyson Campbell.

Even after re-signing Michael Davis, the team needs an outside corner opposite of him. Campbell, the 6-foot-2 and 185 pounder, is a physically gifted and reactive athlete with great length who possesses speed, excellent closing speed and instincts.

With their first selection in Round 3, the Chargers take former BYU offensive tackle Brady Christensen.

Christensen, Pro Football Focus’ top-ranked left tackle from 2020, has the pass blocking chops, run blocking prowess, athleticism and experience, which are all traits you want in a franchise player at the position.

With their second selection in Round 3, Los Angeles takes former Duke outside linebacker Chris Rumph II – finding a compliment to Uchenna Nwosu.

While he is undersized to NFL standards, Rumph is a naturally gifted pass rusher, with an excellent first step and great ability to get up the arc and out-leverage tackles, while also showing recognition skills against the run.

In Round 4, L.A. selects former Texas A&M defensive tackle Bobby Brown – adding more beef up front in the trenches.

Linval Joseph had a great season in 2020, but the Chargers could afford to add more pieces at the nose tackle position. Brown has quick hands and plenty of explosiveness and athleticism to make an impact as a key rotational interior pass rusher at the next level.

Chad Reuter thinks Bucs could’ve benefited more by going defense in Round 3

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter believes the Buccaneers could’ve benefited more by going D in round three instead of reaching on a running back.

The Buccaneers grabbed Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. in round two of last night’s draft, a move many people liked given Winfield’s ball-hawking skills and ability to be all over the field.

In round three, Tampa Bay decided to an a back to their offense, going for Vanderbilt running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn. Vaughn was chosen ahead of Utah’s Zack Moss, who was ranked higher than Vaughn on many pre-draft boards, but Tampa Bay seems to like Vaughn’s potential out of the backfield, especially in the passing game.

But in his Day 2 grades, Chad Reuter of NFL.com felt Vaughn was a reach by the Bucs, and thinks Tampa Bay could’ve benefited more by drafting a defender, which might be why he gave them just a B.

Per Reuter:

“Winfield’s playmaking skills overcame his lack of size (5-9) and any other fears teams may have had about him. Bucs fans will appreciate his ability for years to come. Vaughn is a solid back who was probably picked a little too early. He should be a strong four-year contributor though, because his versatile skill set will allow him to affect multiple facets of the offense. The Vandy star, or another back with similar abilities, may have been available later; the team might have benefited more from prioritizing a pass rusher in the third round.”

I’ll defer to Bruce Arians and Jason Licht on the Vaughn pick. It’s clear the team saw something special in him and view him as the perfect fit in their new-look offense.

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