Tag: Christian Haynes

Colts NFL Draft grade: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas 52nd overall

The Colts got a real playmaker at wide receiver.

The Indianapolis Colts add some more talent around Anthony Richardson with an explosive talent and one of the steals of the draft in Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell with the 52nd overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft.

Mitchell projects as a potential immediate impact player on the outside opposite of established veteran Michael Pittman Jr. should he beat out Alec Pierce for the number two job. Mitchell brings a new dimension of speed and length that this Colts offense has been lacking the past few season.

Explosive, long, and a super athlete, Mitchell was the best receiver in an explosive Texas Longhorn offense. Mitchell brings one of the best deep ball games in college to the next level and could be very productive early behind the big arm of Anthony Richardson.

Grade: A

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Raiders Draft Radar: Top guard fits by round

Guard has been and continues to be a major need for the Raiders. And while it may not be a position they address in the first round, they probably shouldn’t wait around for scraps as they need a prospect capable of being a day one starter at right …

Guard has been and continues to be a major need for the Raiders. And while it may not be a position they address in the first round, they probably shouldn’t wait around for scraps as they need a prospect capable of being a day one starter at right guard.

They recently signed former Bears guard Cody Whitehair, and while he adds experience and scheme familiarity, he isn’t considered the answer at the position. At least not to the extent they can call it a day and shift to addressing other positions.

So, let’s take a look at five guards who could be in play for the Raiders and where they might consider drafting them.





Zak Zinter

2024 NFL mock draft: Seahawks go best player available in 3-round projections

The Seahawks still have a lot of work to do if they’re going to catch up with the true contenders around the league.

The Seahawks still have a lot of work to do if they’re going to catch up with the true contenders around the league. Most of all, that will require a good haul of prospects in the 2024 NFL draft. If they can pull it off, that would make three-straight strong draft classes by Seattle for the first time since the formative Legion of Boom years in 2010-2012.

It’s easier said than done, but if the Seahawks can manage a true Best Player Available strategy in the draft, it would certainly help. Going into our latest mock, we aimed to trade down a couple times to improve the quality of our picks, if not necessarily the quantity. Once on the clock we stuck to a strict best player available approach – drafting the highest-ranked player on the board regardless of position with two small exceptions: no running backs and no double-dipping at any one position.

In the end, we dramatically improved both the offensive and defensive line units with two good prospects coming in for each. Here’s the full 100-pick mock.

Seahawks fans respond to ‘rumor’ about Tyler Lockett trade

Jets on hand to watch OL Christian Haynes at UConn pro day

New York Jets assistant offensive line coach Ben Wilkerson was on hand at the UConn pro day, specifically to see guard Christian Haynes.

The college pro day circuit is well underway, and New York Jets assistant offensive line coach Ben Wilkerson made the trip to UConn’s pro day to see interior offensive lineman Christian Haynes, according to Tony Pauline.

Haynes went through positional drills, which were led by Wilkerson. Pauline added that Haynes looked “terrific” and moved well with quick feet.

At the NFL combine last month, Haynes measured in at 6-foot-3 and 317 pounds. He put up impressive athletic testing numbers, posting a Relative Athletic Score of 9.10, which included a 5.03-second 40-yard dash and a vertical of 33 inches.

Haynes will enter the NFL as a very experienced college player with 3,319 career snaps, all but one of them coming at right guard. During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Haynes allowed just one total sack and only 15 pressures, with just three coming in 2022.

Haynes ranked first among guards in PFF’s pass-blocking grade in 2022 and first in pass-blocking efficiency. This past season, he ranked 22nd in pass-blocking grade and 57th in pass-blocking efficiency.

In that same two-season span, Haynes was eighth and third, respectively, in run-blocking grade.

For a closer look at Haynes’ game, here is what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote in his pre-draft scouting report:

“Four-year starter and team captain who is sturdy at the point of attack. Haynes plays with football intelligence and sees every snap as a mandate to move opponents and finish blocks. His draft slotting could be affected by a lack of length and being limited to one position, but his determined playing style counters those factors.

“He’s not overly rangy but wipes out targets on pulling blocks and is capable in space, and in pass protection. The hand usage can get sloppy, allowing opponents to slip away from him, and he has a tendency to do too much grabbing. All things considered, he might outplay his draft slotting and become a solid NFL starter.”

The potential addition of Haynes would, at a minimum, build the Jets’ interior offensive line depth. The only true experienced interior options possibly coming off the bench this season are Wes Schweitzer and Connor McGovern.

If the Jets were to move Haynes to left guard, perhaps he could compete with John Simpson as soon as this summer on the left side, or at the very least, provide a long-term option inside with the Jets able to get out of Simpson’s contract after this season if needed.

Also on hand at the UConn pro day was Yale offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie, who spent time with Wilkerson as well, according to Pauline.

A recent mock draft from CBS Sports had the Jets taking Amegadjie in the third round with the 72nd overall pick.

Amegadjie’s 2023 season was cut short to just four games because of a quad injury that required surgery. Pauline noted that Amegadjie only did the bench press at the pro day, doing 21 reps with over 36-inch arms — good length for a tackle.

Amegadjie played almost 1,600 career snaps, including the last two seasons at left tackle. In 2022, he didn’t allow a sack and surrendered just five pressures. That same season, Amegadjie ranked fifth out of all FBS and FCS tackles in pass-blocking grade and pass-blocking efficiency. At the FCS level that same year, he was 73rd out of 176 tackles in run-blocking grade.

With Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses both on one-year deals with the Jets, Amegadjie could provide added depth in 2024 and potentially compete for playing time in 2025.

Saints spotted scouting 2024 draft prospects at UConn Huskies pro day

The New Orleans Saints were one of 31 teams to attend the UConn Huskies pro day this week, with two prospects likely on their mind:

The New Orleans Saints were one of 31 teams to attend the UConn Huskies pro-day, the UConn football team announced. The Tennessee Titans were the only team which was not represented at the event, with everyone else being accounted for. So who were the Saints scouting?

Two Huskies are widely considered to carry draftable grades: right guard Christian Haynes and defensive end Eric Watts. Haynes is generally seen as a second-round prospect, while Watts is considered to be an fourth-round grade. Both players attended the NFL Scouting Combine, and both performed very well which will likely boost their draft stock (and keep them on New Orleans’ radar).

Both players could be seen as fits for the Saints, factoring in positional need as well as the somewhat self-imposed athletic thresholds the team values. Haynes scored a 9.10 on the Relative Athletic Score metric, while Eric Watts scored a 8.22 (which was raised to an 8.24 after his pro day performance).

New Orleans has a need for both positions as well, specifically at guard with Andrus Peat currently in free agency and having a prior meeting with the Tennessee Titans. Additionally, while defensive line is less of a concern with the addition of Chase Young, stocking up at the edges is always a positive, especially with the injury history at the position for the Saints.

Watts seems to be the exact type of prospect New Orleans looks for, standing at 6-foot-5 and 274 pounds with 9 3/4-inch hands and 35 3/4-inch arms. On top of that, he has exceptional speed and ran well in all of the composite speed events. Haynes would also be a welcome addition, as despite his slightly shorter stature at the position, athletically he is absolutely phenomenal. Ultimately, either of these prospects would be a good fit for the Saints, and should be in consideration to have their names called by New Orleans come April.

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Dolphins will have plenty of offensive line options in draft

The combine showcased a number of offensive linemen that could make perfect Dolphins.

The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine has concluded after a week of measurements, interviews, evaluations and on-field workouts of top prospects. NFL coaches and general managers will now take all their notes and the film that comes with it as they construct their updated draft boards before late April’s annual selection meeting, otherwise known as the NFL Draft.

Coinciding this week with the deadline to designate potential franchise tag players, the Dolphins have a lot of due diligence ahead, as this is a massively important draft for the franchise and general manager Chris Grier.

With the recent news that they won’t utilize a franchise tag on defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, Miami and Grier may have to look to other markets to replace the 2019 13th overall pick. Whether that’s the draft or free agency is yet to be determined, but should Wilkins walk in free agency, Miami must do whatever they can to fill those cleats.

Regardless of the defensive line and the Wilkins drama, the combine featured outstanding prospects on the opposite side of the line, that being offensive. With Miami also not guaranteed to re-sign right guard Robert Hunt or center Connor Williams, the Dolphins have major needs within the offensive trench. Further adding to this would be the often-injured veteran, yet elite when available left tackle, Terron Armstead.

So, one could argue that heading into the free agency period and even the draft, Miami could be very much in need of one or two starters on the line and an insurance policy as well, should Armstead return for 2024.

Looking at the crop of prospects this weekend, many linemen caught the national eye while doing their drills and speaking to the media. Most notably, Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson, who arguably has been the most talked about non-skill position player dating back to even the Senior Bowl.

Even on Monday morning on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, Peter Schrager expressed his thoughts on what could be a generational class of offensive linemen.

“My big takeaway from the 2024 Combine is that it’s the greatest offensive line draft class we’ve seen in some time… maybe ever. There are twelve- yes, twelve- guys who I could see get taken on Day One,” Schrager said.

This could be music to Dolphins fans’ collective ears, as many have been banging the drum for a dominant offensive lineman, especially in the middle at center.

Beyond Powers-Johnson, another interior lineman making waves is West Virginia’s Zach Frazier.

Frazier could be a fine fallback should Powers-Johnson be selected before Miami’s first-round pick at No. 21. Their second-round pick at No. 55 is an area to focus on guys like Frazier, and even Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe could be options should Miami not get a first-round lineman.

Another name to watch if Miami opts to go another way in the first round would be guard Christian Haynes from UConn, who even played a bit of center during the Senior Bowl.

Back to those potential Day 1 selections, Miami will not have a chance at the top tier like Joe Alt of Notre Dame, and it looks like Taliese Fuaga of Oregon State, as well as Troy Fautanu of Washington, raised their stock with their combine performances. Fuaga is definitely a top-20 pick, and if Fautau is available at No. 21, Miami must strongly consider.

So, if the Dolphins are focusing on a top-tier lineman at No. 21, there very easily could be five to seven of these guys selected before Miami gets a chance to make a pick. Add in names like Georgia’s Amarius Mims, Alabama’s J.C. Latham and Penn State’s Olumuyiwa Fashanu, and that number of 12 names referenced by Schrager for Day One offensive linemen, could hit.

Moreso in Miami’s exact range in round one could be Graham Barton out of Duke. Barton had a Combine Total Score of 87, which ranks him first in that metric and Production Score of 81. He ranked third in Athleticism Score. Barton projects as a late Day-One pick, and Miami could even be in trade-down territory should the above names all be gone by No. 21.

Should Miami entertain a trade back to the mid or late-20s, Barton and Oklahoma Sooner tackle Tyler Guyton could still be there. He could be an option with his ability to play left should Armstead call it a career. Even if Armstead returns, Guyton is a player who could learn from the veteran and, of course, provide sporadic starts. In a pinch, he could play the right side as well.

It seems like there are a very safe 10 names that could be Day One offensive linemen selections, and should teams react to these players flying off the board, you never know if another surprise name or two moves from Day Two to top-32 as the evaluation process continues into March.

Make no mistake; the Dolphins have plenty of needs, especially with the potential of players not returning, so these next several weeks of preparation are extremely important and significant for this franchise’s immediate and foreseeable future.

Panthers 2024 post-combine meetings tracker

Does anybody need a list of 2024 draft prospects the Panthers have spoken with thus far? We got you.

The 2024 scouting combine is now in the books. 40s have been dashed, 20s have been shuttled, benches have been pressed and vertical and broads have been jumped.

Oh, and there were plenty of talks to be had.

Among the annual activities at the combine are the meetings between prospects and potentially interested teams. And as far as the Carolina Panthers are concerned, we may have to pay a bit more attention to who they’re talking to since their first pick doesn’t pop up until the second round.

So, we’ll help you out.

Here are all the known players—whether they were at the combine, Senior Bowl, Shrine Bowl or even the College Gridiron Showcase—the Panthers have spoken with to this point:

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NFC North mock draft roundup from NFL.com’s latest 3-rounder

Breaking down the draft hauls around the NFC North in the latest 3-round mock from NFL.com’s Chad Reuter

The NFL season is over, mock draft season is in full effect now.

PFF and Pro Football Network have been pushing them all out all season long, now it is time for NFL media to step up to the plate. The latest piece they have for draft fans to digest is a three-round mock draft written by Chad Reuter.

In the mock, the NFC North makes 15 picks led by the Packers six. They made a trade back with the Chiefs in round one to acquire more picks while the Vikings traded up and have just two picks. As for the Lions, they make four picks all of which would be home runs.

8 standouts from the 2024 Senior Bowl

These eight prospects shined at the Senior Bowl.

We know the Indianapolis Colts kept a keen eye on the Senior Bowl throughout the week of practice ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, and there were plenty of standouts who likely caught the team’s attention.

Though the scouting department has been hard at work since the fall, the majority of the front office is just now getting to know this crop of prospects. Over the next few months, the big board will be finalized, and the Senior Bowl will play a major role in that development.

After the week of practice concluded, the game itself takes place Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ET and will air on NFL Network.

Here’s a look at eight standouts from the 2024 Senior Bowl:

8 prospects who impressed in 2024 Senior Bowl practices

Which draft prospect stood out most in Mobile this week?

The practices are in the books and all that’s left is the 2024 Senior Bowl itself in Mobile, Ala.

For many players, the game won’t be nearly as important, though. On the practice field, NFL coaches worked directly with many of the top prospects of the 2024 NFL draft class and had a chance to line them up one-on-one against other top prospects.

While it can be for some positions — like running back and safety, for instance — to really show their skills and physicality in practice, others had a chance to show their strengths.

With the game still two days away (Saturday at 1 p.m. ET), here are the players who helped themselves most with some stellar Senior Bowl practices this week: