Tag: Khalil Shakir

Giants address multiple needs in latest three-round Draft Wire mock

The New York Giants land several Day 1 starters in the latest three-round mock from our friends over at Draft Wire.

Mock draft season has now gone into overdrive with projections and prognostications coming from every direction. That includes from our friends over at Draft Wire, who recently released their post-combine three-round mock.

At No. 5 overall, the Giants miss out on North Carolina State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu, who goes first overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars. But that doesn’t sting too bad as Big Blue gets a solid consolation prize: Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal.

The Giants have bigger needs on defense, but it’s hard to pass up a franchise tackle, especially when one as talented as Neal falls into your lap. A massive mauler with rare athleticism for his size, Neal would pair up with Andrew Thomas to give the Giants a talented young tandem to protect Daniel Jones.

The Giants have no bigger needs than along the offensive line. Sure, they have some areas of concern defensively, but they’ll enter the new league year in search of four new starters along the O-Line. And Neal, once a consensus No. 1 overall pick, is about as good as it gets.

And the real bonus? The Giants address their defense and their need for an edge rusher just two picks later, snagging Jermaine Johnson II from Florida State.

After addressing their biggest need on offense at No. 5, the Giants do the same on the other side of the ball with this pick. Johnson backed up his impressive film with a dominant week at the Senior Bowl, followed by a strong showing the combine that should put him in the top-10 conversation.

Making the pick of Johnson look even better is what the Giants do at No. 36 overall. Still in need of talented defenders, Draft Wire has the Giants landing Alabama linebacker Christian Harris.

36. New York Giants | Alabama LB Christian Harris

Now we’re talking.

With their next two picks — each in the third round — the Giants land a new starting tight end and some depth at wide receiver.

67. New York Giants | Coastal Carolina TE Isaiah Likely

81. New York Giants (from MIA) | Boise State WR Khalil Shakir

The argument can most certainly be made that the Giants should have sought out a guard with one of their third-round picks, but Isaiah Likely is a potential steal and long-term starter, while Khalil Shakir gives Brian Daboll a little more to work with offensively.

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4 mid-round slot WRs Titans should watch at NFL combine

We know the big names, but who are some lesser-known WRs the Titans should be watching at the 2022 NFL Combine?

It’s safe to say that the Tennessee Titans will have an interest in selecting a wide receiver in the 2022 NFL draft. Last season revealed the ugly truth of how anemic the Titans’ offense can be without A.J. Brown and Julio Jones in the lineup.

While both returned to the lineup in the playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Jones turned 33 last month and is coming off two injury-plagued seasons in a row.

Tennessee has a number of wide receivers set to become free agents; however, none are likely to fill the void at the slot receiver position.

There figures to be plenty of high-end wide receiver talent available at the 26th overall pick in the draft, but should the Titans decide to wait until the third round to grab a much-needed slot receiver, here are four the team could target that they should be watching at this week’s NFL Scouting Combine.

2022 Senior Bowl: 4 potential Chargers DB/WR who stood out on Day 3

A look at some standout wide receivers and defensive backs on Day 3 of the Senior Bowl that could’ve caught the Chargers’ attention.

With poor weather threatening hazardous conditions on the third day of Senior Bowl practices, the event was moved inside in the interest of player safety and comfort. 

Unfortunately, the indoor facility was much smaller than Hancock-Whitney stadium and space was limited. Only media partnered with the Senior Bowl were allowed access indoors for in-person viewing as a result. Nevertheless, we were still able to view the television broadcast and watch the post-practice film for a comprehensive insight into how the players performed.

Here are four potential targets for the Chargers at the wide receiver and defensive back positions that stood out from the rest of the competition on Thursday.

WR – Khalil Shakir, Boise State

The shifty Shakir garnered praise throughout the day as the best receiver in the indoor showing. Shakir found himself open on two looks during work in the red zone, converting both touchdowns with strong catches. On the first touchdown, he shook free from extended press contact on a deep route before extending low in the back of the end zone for the ball. His second touchdown displayed toughness through contact, taking a big shot over the middle that sat him down but failed to dislodge the ball. 

The size and length (191 pounds, 29’ arms) may concern some NFL teams, but Shakir has improved every day he has spent in Mobile. Shakir consistently separated off the line with his sharp releases, fast foot-fire, and twitchy lower body. He exercised good burst to pull away from defenders in short areas. A solid outing in the game Saturday would be the perfect way to cap off Shakir’s ascension.

WR – Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama

The Mobile native was a solid performer through the first two days of practice, but Tolbert’s game was on another level on Thursday. Tolbert was crafty as a route runner, constantly winning off the line of scrimmage and finding ways to separate late in his route. He shook defenders out of his breaks and demonstrated exceptional timing when locating the ball. This rep against Nebraska cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt was a prime example of Tolbert’s ability to pluck the ball at its high point and protect the football on his return to the ground.

S – Jalen Pitre, Baylor

A hybrid defender that suited up in a variety of roles at Baylor, Pitre is another prospect who struggled initially during one-on-ones but elevated his play as the week went on. Pitre was aggressive in coverage on day three, blanketing Trey McBride in the red zone on one snap while diving for a pass breakup on Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder on another. 

Pitre spoke to the media after practice on Wednesday and voiced his thoughts on how NFL defenses are evolving into having more positionless roles.

“I think that the game is translating into that,” Pitre said. “There are more guys that are versatile that can cover but also bring the hit. Just help their teammates out as much as possible.”

Pitre went on to explain his role as a “star” defender and how it maximized his range and instincts. Pitre mentioned the pro safeties he models his game after are Tyrann Mathieu of the Kansas City Chiefs and Budda Baker of the Arizona Cardinals. He plays bigger than his size and holds a ton of untapped potential. 

CB – Roger McCreary, Auburn

One of my favorite prospects coming into the Senior Bowl, McCreary soured on a few evaluators after posting 29-inch arms on measurement day. The lack of length was surprising considering McCreary’s wealth of production, notching six interceptions and 30 pass breakups in 39 games for Auburn. When asked about his length, McCreary brushed the number off and said it does not faze him.

“It’s not frustrating, it’s just that a lot of people want to talk about my measurements when they didn’t say anything my whole college career,” McCreary told John Crumpler of The Texans Wire. “That’s their opinion, so I really don’t care. I’m just going to play how I play and not let that get to my head because I know what type of player I am.”

McCreary dominated the hip pockets of receivers all week while spending time in both the nickel and outside cornerback spots. He recorded a pass breakup on the goal line covering an out route, flashing his sound instincts. A well-rounded cornerback that traverses the field smoothly with clean footwork, McCreary definitely proved why he’s receiving first-round consideration.

Senior Bowl Day 2 Review: Rep review as Wyatt, Johnson continue to rise

On a rainy day in Mobile, several players shined despite the lack of sun. Here’s a collection of intriguing reps for several intriguing prospects on @DiabeticTyler’s radar.

Day 1 at the Senior Bowl practices brought some interesting names to the top of the heap.:

How about Day 2? Well good new for Dallas Cowboys fans as two quarterbacks stood head and shoulders above the rest. The bad news is, only one is likely to be gone before Dallas hits the clock at 24. Liberty’s Malik Willis had some impressive throws Wednesday and looked very much in control of the ball in some rainy weather in Mobile. The other QB who performed well was Western Kentucky’s Bailey Zappe, who is more of a mid-round developmental prospect. Outside of the signal callers, who saw their stock rise?

Don’t sleep on Boise State WR Khalil Shakir

Boise State wide receiver Khalil Shakir is a pass-catching prospect every NFL team should be watching this season

If your favorite NFL team is looking for an under-the-radar wide receiver prospect in the 2022 NFL draft class, Boise State’s Khalil Shakir should be on their short list.

The six-foot, 190-pound senior is putting together an impressive 2021 campaign for the Broncos, racking up some of the best numbers in the conference, and earning the highest receiving grade of any Mountain West wide receiver from Pro Football Focus so far this season.

A big-play threat who excels after the catch, Shakir might not be getting the attention of other pass-catchers from Power 5 programs, but he’s a polished route-runner with a well-rounded skill set who has the tools to make an immediate impact at the next level.

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Boise State at Utah State odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Boise State Broncos at Utah State Aggies sports betting odds and lines, with college football picks, tips and bets.

The Boise State Broncos (9-1, 6-0, MWC Mountain) and Utah State Aggies (6-4, 5-1 MWC Mountain) square off in Logan, Utah at 10:30 p.m. ET Saturday in a key divisional showdown with postseason implications. We analyze the Boise State-Utah State odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Boise State at Utah State: Three things you need to know

1. The Broncos are 0-1 straight up and against the spread in the state of Utah this season, losing 28-25 at BYU Oct. 19 as seven-point favorites.

2. Boise State QB Hank Bachmeier (shoulder) is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury. QBs Chase Cord and Jaylon Henderson have started and held down the fort in the true freshman’s place since he went down vs. Hawaii, and again against San Jose State.

3. Boise State has dominated this series against the number, going 8-1 ATS in the past nine trips to Logan, and 12-3-2 ATS in the past 17 meetings overall. The road team is also 7-3-2 ATS in the past 12 battles.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Boise State at Utah State: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 9:45 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Boise State 34, Utah State 23

Moneyline (ML)

Boise State (-334) is just too expensive on the road, as there is too much risk and not enough reward. The Broncos will win this game and keep their New Year’s Day bowl hopes alive, though.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Boise State to win would return a profit of $3.00.

Against the Spread (ATS)

BOISE STATE (-8.5, -115) is worth a small-unit play, as it has playmakers all over the offense, including the dynamic WR Khalil Shakir (44-615-4, also two rushing TDs), as well as leading WR John Hightower (37-754-6) and RB George Holani (131-692-5, also two receiving TDs). USU just doesn’t have the same kind of athletes as the Broncos, and it will show, particularly in the second half.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER (52.5, -110) is worth a small-unit play, too, but don’t get crazy. The Over is 9-3-1 in the past 13 meetings, including 4-0 in Logano. However, the Under has dominated for both of these sides lately, including 8-1 in the past nine vs. winning teams for Boise, and 7-1 in the past eight MWC games for USU.

Still, we could see some nice offense, especially with no snow in the forecast; however, it is expected to snow the rest of the week. Sounds like a good excuse to warm up with some spirits at the White Owl in Logan, a great place for drinks in Utah State’s little college town.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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