Tag: Evan Hull

Perfect mid/late-round RB fits for the Eagles in 2023 NFL draft

We’re looking at the perfect mid/late-round running back fits for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2023 NFL draft

The Eagles will look somewhat different at running back in 2023, with Rashaad Penny replacing former Penn State star Miles Sanders.

Penny, Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott, and Trey Sermon give Philadelphia the potential for a solid committee of rushers. However, could Howie Roseman look to find the perfect fit during this month’s draft?

The Eagles have eyes for Bijan Robinson and Jahymr Gibbs, but we have the perfect fits if GM Howie Roseman decides to move in the mid to late rounds.

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 31, Northwestern RB Evan Hull

Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Northwestern running back Evan Hull.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers have their one-two punch at running back with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. Now, Brian Gutekunst needs to find the third running back. 

A running back that Green Bay’s general manager could target on day three of the 2023 NFL Draft is Evan Hull. The Northwestern running back checks in at No. 31 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.

A three-star recruit out of Minnesota, Hull scored six rushing touchdowns during his first two seasons on campus. In 2021, Hull rushed for 1,009 yards and seven touchdowns. He also hauled in 33 receptions for 264 yards and two touchdowns. 

This past season, Hull rushed for 913 yards and five touchdowns. He added 546 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He led FBS running backs with 55 receptions. 

“Hull was the engine of what was a pretty dreadful Northwestern offense,” Ethan Segall, the managing editor of Inside NU said. “By far the best skill position player on the team, Hull was asked to do a ton in all phases of the offense. He had 20 or more touches in 8-of-12 games this season including a 30-carry game against Ohio State. Hull’s rushing numbers regressed slightly from 2021 in large part due to the one-note nature of Northwestern’s offense. Defenses were selling out to keep Hull in check without much threat of an aerial attack.”

The Northwestern running back is one of the best pass-catching backs in the 2023 NFL Draft. Over the past two seasons, Hull reeled in 88 receptions for 810 yards and four touchdowns. During that two-year span, Hull was targeted 108 times and had just four drops. 

“Hull is a true third down back,” Segall said. “Among running backs, Hull led the nation in both receptions and receiving yards. Against Duke, Hull had a whopping 14 receptions for 213 yards and a touchdown. His sharp route running and feel for open space make him a quarterback’s friend out of the backfield.”

Hull has soft, reliable hands. He snares the ball away from his frame like a wide receiver. Northwestern occasionally lined him up in the slot this past season. In pass protection, Hull shows good awareness and has the functional strength to thwart oncoming traffic. 

“One of the main things that often prevents young running backs from getting play time early is the inability to hold up in pass protection,” Segall said. “That won’t be the case for Hull. In his three-down role, Hull has ample experience in pass protection and should be a plus-player early on in his NFL career.”

Hull possesses good vision, with quick eyes to locate cutback lanes. He’s a patient runner and lets blocks develop. He has quick feet and is an instinctive runner. The Minnesota native has a strong lower body and has adequate contact balance, racking up 602 yards after contact (PFF). He’s more than capable of ripping off chunk plays, as he finished this past season with 14 runs of 15-plus yards. At the scouting combine, Hull clocked a 4.47 40-yard time. 

“Hull had solid testing at the NFL Combine, but won’t necessarily wow you with his pure athleticism like some of the other backs in this draft class,” Segall said. “His biggest strengths in the open field are his excellent field vision and his quick change of direction. He posted a strong number in the 3-Cone drill and showed off that quickness.”

Fit with the Packers

The Packers need to add a running back behind Jones and Dillon. With his ability as a receiving back, Hull could be the perfect complement to Jones and Dillon.

The Northwestern back also has limited experience returning kicks (nine attempts) and punts (one attempt). He finished his career with 120 special team snaps.

“Hull will probably have to prove his worth on special teams at first, but he has all the makings of a great special teams player while also having the skill set to earn the trust of his coaches early on in his career,” Segall said. “Hull held his own at the Senior Bowl and stood out for his fluidity and quickness, which is usually a strong indicator of success in the pros. Hull has improved every year and is worth a day three pick for just about any NFL squad looking to add to their running back room.”

Jones will turn 29 in December. Dillon is in the final year of his rookie contract. It’s safe to assume that at least one of them, maybe even both won’t be back next year. 

Working behind Jones and Dillon, Hull may not see much action during his rookie campaign. However, the NFL Draft is all about long-term projection and Hull has the tools to immediately make an impact as a pass-catching back for the Packers. 

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Breaking down Packers picks in Jordan Reid’s seven-round mock draft

Breaking down all the picks for the Packers in Jordan Reid’s seven-round mock draft at ESPN.

ESPN’s Jordan Reid embraced the madness of March and released a seven-round mock draft on Wednesday. Reed has the Green Bay Packers addressing some major needs in the first four rounds and adding depth pieces in the fifth and seventh rounds. Let’s take a deeper look.

15th overall pick: Myles Murphy, Edge, Clemson

Pro Football Focus has compared the Clemson edge rusher to current Green Bay edge rusher Rashan Gary. Murphy is a strong run defender and finished this past season with 34 pressures to go along with 6.5 sacks. Murphy has a nice blend of quickness and strength. 

With his ability to set the edge and get after the quarterback, Murphy would be the ideal selection with the 15th overall pick. Murphy would help shore up Green Bay’s run defense while giving its pass rush a jolt.

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45th overall pick: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

Not sure many Green Bay fans would care about the rest of the 2023 NFL Draft if Brian Gutekunst landed Darnell Washington. The Georgia tight end is a mountain of a man.

At 6-7, 264 pounds and 4.6 speed, Washington is a walking mismatch. With his size, he can overwhelm defenders at the point of attack, but he’s a better blocker on the move. A high school wide receiver, Washington has natural pass-catching abilities. He has sticky hands and was flagged for just two drops this past season.

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78th overall pick: Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State

The Packers need more playmakers and Reed would help fill the void. Reed ran a 4.45 40-yard dash and he has an instant accelerator and the long speed to win vertically. He’s a shifty athlete in space and a dangerous YAC threat. Reed is a three-level threat and an electric playmaker.

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116th overall pick: Jordan Battle, S, Alabama

Battle is a jack of all trades master of none type of prospect. He’s always where he needs to be and he could help fix some of Green Bay’s breakdowns in coverage.

Battle did a little bit of everything in the secondary during his time at Alabama and a lot was asked of him. The Alabama safety has great field awareness and disciplined eyes. He’s a steady, reliable presence, and landing him in the fourth round would be a great value pick. 

149th overall pick: Asim Richards, OL, UNC

A three-year starter at left tackle for the Tar Heels, Richards could kick inside at the next level. This past season Richards gave up three sacks and improved each season as a starter. He has strong, heavy hands that jolt defensive linemen at contact. The Packers have a rich history of developing day-three offensive linemen into reliable starters. 

170th overall pick: Anthony Johnson, CB, Virginia

A transfer from Louisville, Johnson enjoyed a breakout campaign during his lone season at Virginia. Johnson recorded 51 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions, and 14 pass deflections. According to PFF, Johnson gave up zero touchdowns in coverage this past season.

Johnson would provide quality depth at cornerback, while also giving the Packers another player with plenty of special teams experience. Johnson logged 300-plus snaps on special teams during his collegiate career. 

232nd overall pick: Justin Shorter, WR, Florida

A five-star recruit out of New Jersey, Shorter never quite put it together at Penn State or Florida. At 6-4, 229 pounds with adequate speed, Shorter has all the tools to potentially earn a spot on a team’s wide receiver depth chart. With his frame, Shorter has a huge catch radius and tracks the ball well. 

235th overall pick: Cory Durden, DL, NC State

A transfer from Florida State, Durden had seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks during his two seasons at NC State. Durden was versatile during his collegiate career, playing all over the defensive line. He’s a stout run defender and he has the power to collapse the pocket. In 2019, Durden recorded 45 pressures for the Seminoles.

242nd overall pick: Evan Hull, RB, Northwestern

Hull is one of the better pass-catching running backs in the 2023 NFL Draft. Over the past two seasons, Hull has recorded 88 receptions for 810 yards and four touchdowns.

As a runner, Hull has good vision and runs with patience to let the blocks develop. The Northwestern back may never be the lead dog, but he has the skills to develop into a dynamic part of a running back room.

256th overall pick: Max Duggan, QB, TCU

The TCU quarterback is tough as nails and put together many highlight-reel-worthy runs during his time at TCU. Duggan gets the ball out with urgency and throws with nice touch.

His dual-threat ability could allow him to make a Taysom Hill-like impact in sub-packages. With his competitive toughness, Duggan could be a solid backup for Jordan Love. 

Lions 2023 draft: A running back for every round

Identifying a running back projected from each round for consideration for the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL draft

The Detroit Lions are in a position to take a running back in the 2023 NFL draft. But in what slot?

Drafting running backs tends to be a polarizing prospect for NFL teams these days, especially early in a draft. Yet it’s also a position where nearly every team needs help, in part because the career shelf life is so much shorter than other positions.

The Lions have just two RBs under contract beyond 2023: starter David Montgomery and Greg Bell, who has never been active for a regular-season game.

Here is one RB prospect that fits the Lions from each round of the draft. Detroit doesn’t currently have any picks in the fourth or seventh rounds, but players from those ranges are included because trades happen all the time on draft weekend.

Lions 2023 draft: A cornerback for every round

This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, just one from each range.

Vikings draft prospects: 6 players that impressed at the combine on Sunday

The running backs and offensive linemen finished the combine in style. Here are the players that stood out the most

The NFL Scouting Combine kicked off with a bang on Thursday afternoon by starting with the defensive lineman and linebackers. There was a lot of intrigue with this group, especially at the top.

On Friday, we got the secondary players with the cornerbacks and safeties. This is one of, if not the, deepest class in recent memory.

On Saturday, we got to see the quarterbacks throw and the wide receivers run. Needless to say, they didn’t disappoint.

Sunday had the offensive lineman and running backs. It was a fun way to end the combine. Here are the six players who stood out the most.

10 dynamic prospects for the Eagles to watch at the NFL scouting combine

With the workouts set to begin, we’re looking at 10 dynamic players for the Philadelphia Eagles to watch at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

The Eagles are at the NFL scouting combine and with two first-round picks for the second year in a row, they’ll look to retool with 18 pending free agents set to hit the open market.

Philadelphia could lose Isaac Seumalo and Miles Sanders on offense, but the unit is intact at the most critical positions and will likely use their six draft picks on dynamic defenders.

The Eagles have 9 key contributors on defense set for free agency, and GM Howie Roseman has acknowledged that he won’t be able to retain his core of free agents with Jalen Hurts set to land a huge contract extension.

With the onfield portion of the combine set to heat up, we’re looking at 10 dynamic prospects for the Eagles to watch.

Eagles’ biggest draft needs as the NFL Combine gets underway

We’re looking at the Philadelphia Eagles’ biggest NFL Draft needs as the Scouting Combine gets underway

The Eagles will have two first-round picks in April’s NFL Draft, 18 pending free agents, and a contract extension for quarterback Jalen Hurts, meaning the roster will look different going forward.

Some of the usual suspects or names you’ve grown to love will move on, while younger, more athletic, and dynamic replacements will join a roster looking for a return to the Super Bowl.

Philadelphia’s team brass is in Indianapolis to evaluate some of the top talent available and we’re previewing the Eagles’ biggest draft needs.

Top 2023 NFL Draft prospects at the Eagles’ biggest positions of need

We’re looking at the top 2023 NFL Draft prospects at the Philadelphia Eagles’ most significant positions of need

The rich are getting richer, and even with a 38-35 loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, things are looking promising for the Eagles as the 2023 NFL offseason gets underway.

Thanks to some draft night wizardry from Howie Roseman, the Eagles traded the No. 16 overall pick, No. 19 overall pick, and a 2022 sixth-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for the No. 18 overall pick, a 2022 third-round pick, a 2022 seventh-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 second-round pick.

With 18 Eagles set to hit free agency and some roster retooling set to begin, here are the best 2023 NFL draft prospects at the Birds’ biggest positions of need.

10 potential Eagles targets that stood out the most during the 2023 Senior Bowl

We’re looking at 10 potential Philadelphia Eagles NFL Draft targets that stood out the most during the 2023 Senior Bowl

The NFL Draft starts in Mobile, Alabama, and on Saturday afternoon, the National team dominated the American team 27-10 at Hancock Whitney Stadium.

Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener was named the game MVP after he completed 12 of 19 passes for 139 yards and a 44-yard-touchdown connection to Stanford wide receiver Michael Wilson, who impressed all week long.

The Eagles have 18 players set to hit free agency and with Howie Roseman needing to reload, here are ten draft prospects that stood out on Saturday.

5 standouts for Chiefs from 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl

Our @Nicolas_Roesch names five standouts for the #Chiefs from the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

The 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl is in the books, and you can bet the Kansas City Chiefs’ scouting department watched with a keen eye. The Chiefs have drafted several players who have participated in the Senior Bowl over the last two years, including standout starting offensive linemen Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith. Last year they grabbed a pair of cornerbacks in Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson.

Let’s take a look at some players who shined in this game that could be a fit for K.C. come April’s draft: