Tag: lance zierlein

Vikings get Jared Verse in Lance Zierlein’s first mock draft

In his first mock draft of the offseason, NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein has the Minnesota Vikings taking EDGE rusher Jared Verse.

A couple of heavy hitters in the NFL draft world dropped their first mock drafts of the season today. Earlier we got a mock draft from ESPN’s Matt Miller, and now we have one from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein. These are two of the more plugged-in sources in the NFL draft world, so these mocks should hold a bit of weight.

There’s a long time between now and April’s NFL draft, but it’s interesting to see what these insiders think the team’s thought processes are at this stage of the offseason. In this mock, Zierlein has the Minnesota Vikings going a popular direction, defense, and adding former Florida State EDGE Jared Verse. Zierlein didn’t have much to say on the pick, saying:

The Vikings have big free agency decisions looming at defensive end. I see the explosive Verse as the best option at a position of need.

That free agent decision he’s referencing is obviously Danielle Hunter, and how that situation plays out is certainly going to have a major impact on the Vikings and their draft plan. However, no matter how that situation plays out, Verse could be a great addition to the Vikings’ defense.

Verse is an ultra-athletic and talented edge rusher who would help tremendously in lessening the blow, should Hunter leave in free agency. If Hunter were to stay, edge rusher becomes less of a priority, but pairing Verse with the Pro Bowl pass rusher Hunter could give the Vikings one of the more dynamic duos in the NFL. It would be a nightmare for opposing offensive coordinators either way.

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Jack Campbell and Brian Branch are top-10 candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year

Lions picks Jack Campbell and Brian Branch are top-10 candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year

If you haven’t paid attention to the NFL Draft coverage provided by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, then you’re missing out. Year-after-year he puts together terrific scouting reports on over 300 draft prospects and he’s about as in-tune with every team’s draft needs and philosophies.

As we enter this upcoming season, Zierlein has put together a list of 10 rookies that will contend for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

On his top-10 list, there are two rookies from the Detroit Lions. At No. 8 on the list is Brian Branch. Here’s an excerpt from what Lance said about Branch:

“…his NFL Scouting Combine testing failed to excite, but it doesn’t take much tape study to see that Branch is a pro-ready talent with strong coverage technique and tackle consistency. He can play both safety spots or the nickel, so he could be in position to make more plays than your average defensive back as a rookie.”

I’d have to agree with everything that Lance preaches about when discussing Branch, a second-round pick from Alabama. He’s most definitely a pro-ready and was the best safety in the 2023 NFL Draft. Despite the injury scare for C.J. Gardner-Johnson, there should be plenty of opportunities for Branch to learn and see the field as a rookie. He could certainly be a top-candidate to win the defensive rookie of the year away.

But Branch wasn’t the only Detroit Lion on the list. Coming in as the 3rd ranked player on the list was first rounder Jack Campbell. Here’s what Lance said about the first round linebacker:

“I will admit that I wasn’t as high on Campbell as the Lions were, but they certainly weren’t the only team bullish about his potential at the next level. Campbell plays with fairly average sideline-to-sideline speed, but he has a good feel for play development and finds his way to the football quite frequently. Inside linebackers who rack up tackles on good football teams have a track record of winning DROY.”

Much of what happens with Campbell will depend on how much playing time he gets while competing against Alex Anzalone and Malcolm Rodriguez. Fortunately for Campbell, he’s versatile enough to play anywhere as a linebacker and he’s talented enough to see the field early in his career.

Here’s the complete top-10 list for Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates:

  1. Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Houston Texans
  2. Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seattle Seahawks
  3. Jack Campbell, LB, Detroit Lions
  4. Jalen Carter, IDL, Philadelphia Eagles
  5. Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Washington Commanders
  6. Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Las Vegas Raiders
  7. Christian Gonzalez, CB, New England Patriots
  8. Brian Branch, DB, Detroit Lions
  9. Calijah Kancey, IDL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  10. Will McDonald IV., EDGE, New York Jets

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Saints make a surprise-but-sensible pick in Lance Zierlein’s final mock draft

The Saints picked Alabama DB Brian Branch in Lance Zierlein’s final mock draft, finding their long-awaited C.J. Gardner-Johnson replacement:

So what are the New Orleans Saints going to do in the first round of Thursday night’s 2023 NFL draft? No one knows for sure, but there are some clued-in draft experts who know more than most. The Saints always seem to surprise us on draft day, but while this pick would be unexpected for a couple of reasons it just might be the right move.

In his final first round mock draft for NFL.com, Lance Zierlein has the Saints making a surprising (but sensible) pick in former Alabama defensive back Brian Branch. There haven’t been many projections linking New Orleans to the secondary, but there’s a compelling argument in favor of Branch at No. 29.

Branch is one of the most consistent defenders in this entire draft and offers the versatility to play as a nickel or at either safety position. With his football intelligence and toughness as a tackler, it will be hard to keep him off the field as a rookie.

Branch is only an average athlete by pro standards (he was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and posted a pedestrian 5.27 Relative Athletic Score) but you wouldn’t know it watching his game tape. He’s one of the smartest players in this draft class and was very rarely caught out of position in college. He was the most important player in the Crimson Tide secondary last year directing traffic and handling a variety of assignments, and he was often trusted to guard the slot.

He’s lined up in the slot on over 1,100 career snaps and it projects as his best role in the NFL, meaning he could be the C.J. Gardner-Johnson replacement the Saints struggled to identify last year. Like Gardner-Johnson, Branch is an eager and aggressive tackler in run defense — he’s only missed four tackles in his three-year college career while often mixing it up at the line of scrimmage (his 14 tackles for loss last season trailed blue-chip teammate Will Anderson’s 17).

Don’t get caught up on the “nickel” description, either. Branch would immediately be playing 60 or more snaps each week in the slot for New Orleans and could be a viable replacement for Marcus Maye or Tyrann Mathieu if the Saints move on from one of them next year. And Saints general manager Mickey Loomis curiously mentioned in his pre-draft press conference that the nickel defensive back may be more of a priority position than strongside linebacker, which checks out given the way the game is played these days. There’s absolutely a scenario where the Saints zig when we expect them to zag and pick Branch rather than a trench player in spite of his athletic limitations and their recent draft trends.

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Saints go with undersized but athletic DT in Lance Zierlein’s new mock draft

The Saints went with an undersized but athletic defensive tackle in Lance Zierlein’s new mock draft, breaking their mold to select Calijah Kancey:

The New Orleans Saints defensive line is the thinnest spot on their roster, particularly at defensive tackle, so it makes sense that NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has them prioritizing that need in his new mock draft. And on paper, Pittsburgh Panthers product Calijah Kancey would address the need for a disruptive interior lineman.

But he would be an unprecedented pick for New Orleans, who hasn’t drafted a defensive tackle at his size (281 pounds) with such poor length (30.6-inch arms) since Jeff Ireland was hired to overhaul their college scouting department back in 2015. Still, there’s a lot to like about Kancey if you can overlook his shortcomings. Here’s what Zierlein said about this pick:

Kancey plays with terrifying first-step quickness as a penetrator and a pass-rusher. He lacks the size for usage on early downs, but he could have game-altering potential if the Saints are able to slow opposing offenses on first down.

Kancey has a very productive resume with 34.5 tackles for loss and 16 sacks in 33 games at Pitt, with Pro Football Focus charting crediting him with 111 quarterback pressures.

You just have to wonder how easily that translates to the NFL when the gap in size between Kancey and his opponents widens while the gulf in athleticism narrows. Another former Pitt Panther, Aaron Donald, has overcome the same concern but he’s a truly special player and it’s unfair to Kancey to shoulder those kind of expectations.

He’s not going to win with that first step as consistently in the pros as he did in college, and better blockers are going to more easily push him off the line of scrimmage. As Zierlein observed, he may not be able to play all three downs for New Orleans. That’s something the Saints must consider over the next few weeks until draft day.

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Vikings go surprising route in Lance Zierlein’s mock draft

The Minnesota Vikings go a much different route in the latest mock draft from Lance Zierlein by taking linebacker Drew Sanders.

The Minnesota Vikings have been mocked a myriad of different players, 50 to be exact. While most of them have been at quarterback, wide receiver and cornerback, there have been a few outside of the box picks.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com has the Vikings going a much different route in Arkansas LB Drew Sanders. They also traded down to 27 with the Buffalo Bills which makes the selection a little more palatable.

Sanders spent one season at inside linebacker and absolutely filled up the stat sheet at Arkansas. He’s big and a solid athlete; he can be a capable pass rusher for Minnesota to deploy when needed.

This is a much different direction than we have seen in some time. Sanders is an Alabama transfer that thrived playing MIKE linebacker for the Razorbacks this season. His best comparison is Anthony Barr and that should tell you all you need to know about his versatility.

This is a really good player, but it is the right value for the Vikings? I don’t believe that it is, but it’s hard to say no to a good football player.

Ravens projected to receive three compensatory picks in 2022 NFL draft

The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the best teams at securing compensatory picks. They are slated to receive three more in the 2022 draft

The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the best teams at acquiring compensatory picks ever since they entered the league in 1996. The formula was introduced in 1993, and since then, Baltimore leads the league in total compensatory picks awarded.

With the 2021 NFL draft complete, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com released projections for who will be awarded 2022 compensatory picks based off of the unrestricted free agents that each team added and lost before May 3rd, the date where signing free agents no longer impacts the compensatory pick formula.

Zierlein anticipates that Baltimore will receive three extra picks in 2022 based off of their transactions during the 2021 offseason, as the team saw multiple free agent edge rushers depart in Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue and Jihad Ward. While they did sign wide receiver Sammy Watkins, the team also saw assistant coach David Culley leave town to become the head coach of the Houston Texans, and under the reworked Rooney Rule, he qualifies as someone who will give the Ravens extra compensation.

“The Ravens will receive their second third-round compensatory selection in 2022 due to the hiring of David Culley, head coach of the Houston Texans. They will also receive fourth-round selections for the loss of defensive players Judon and Ngakoue. The latter basically became a three-month rental, and the fourth-rounder gained by his departure this offseason helps to mitigate the loss of the third- and fifth-round picks the Ravens gave up to bring him in.”

Judon signed a four-year, $56 million contract with the New England Patriots while Ngakoue inked a two-year, $26 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. As Zierlein notes, those contract numbers have the Baltimore in-line for two fourth rounders, plus the extra third-round selection that the team will get for Culley.

The Ravens use the compensatory picks they acquire to assure that they have plenty of swings at selecting talent during each draft, but now that they’re able to be traded, the team also utilizes them to acquire veterans or even move up and down the draft board. Baltimore values their compensatory selections, and are slated to get a few more to play around with in 2022.

NFL analyst: ‘Falcons made the right decision’ by drafting Kyle Pitts

The very first pick mentioned by Zierlein on his list is Atlanta’s selection of Florida tight end Kyle Pitts earning high praise from Zierlein. 

NFL draft grades tend to be overblown and oftentimes, poorly thought out as writers scramble to label picks as good or bad before they’ve had enough time to properly digest the entire three-day event. Still, certain picks are obviously going to stick out for various reasons.

In the case of the Falcons, nobody knew for certain whether or not the team was actually considering a quarterback at No. 4, so that became the focus in the weeks leading up to the draft. Taking the narrative out of it and just focusing on the player, though, Atlanta landed a guy scouts believe to be the best non-quarterback prospect in this year’s class — Florida tight end Kyle Pitts.

NFLcom’s Lance Zielein, one of the best draft analysts consistently, released a feature highlighting a few of his favorite picks from each round. The very first player mentioned by Zierlein is Pitts, giving the Falcons heavy praise for making a tough call.

“San Francisco’s late-March trade with Miami to move up to No. 3 overall may have set an unattainable market for teams hoping to secure the No. 4 pick from Atlanta, but I feel like the Falcons made the right decision to stick and pick, as Pitts was the best of all their options,” Zierlein writes before going on to call Pitts the second-best player in the draft.

“His size (6-6, 245) gives him an advantage over defensive backs, his speed (4.4 40) gives him an advantage over linebackers and safeties, and his route-running and ball skills are simply multipliers for those aforementioned physical advantages. He can play wide, from the slot or in-line, and gives Matt Ryan a reliable target with very few limitations. He was the second-best player in the draft.”

Other picks that were named as favorites of Zierlein include the Dallas Cowboys’ selection of linebacker/EDGE Micah Parsons, and the Jacksonville Jaguars adding Clemson running back Travis Etienne to pair up with No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence.

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Packers had two of Lance Zierlein’s favorite draft picks

Amari Rodgers in the third round and Shemar Jean-Charles were two of Lance Zierlein’s favorite 2021 draft picks.

Every year after the draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein sets out to identify three of his favorite picks for every round. The idea is to find ideal fits between team and draft pick for all seven rounds. Simple enough.

The Green Bay Packers had two draft picks on Zierlein’s list for 2021. Receiver Amari Rodgers, a third-round pick, and cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles, a fifth-round pick, both ended up among his favorite picks.

It’s possible the two selections will give the Packers new starters in the slot on offense and defense.

In the third round, general manager Brian Gutekunst traded up to No. 85 overall to get Rodgers, the versatile playmaker from Clemson. Gutekunst admitted on Friday night that he considered taking Rodgers at No. 62 overall in the second round.

Zierlein believes the Packers could have a reincarnation of a former slot dynamo in Green Bay.

“I don’t know if Aaron Rodgers will care to hear this, but he may have his Randall Cobb 2.0 in the form of Amari Rodgers,” Zierlein wrote. “He’s a slot receiver who can threaten the seam, and he plays with a mature blend of ball skills and route savvy. He may not be a true WR2, but he’s the type of target the reigning MVP should really like.”

Rodgers could step in right away and give the Packers a new type of weapon on offense while also contributing on special teams as a returner.

In the fifth round, Gutekunst took a favorite of his scouting staff in Jean-Charles, who led the FBS in pass breakups a year ago. While lacking size and elite athleticism, Jean-Charles just found ways to make plays in coverage at Appalachian State.

“Jean-Charles is a nickel corner prospect who plays with a great deal of grit and natural coverage instincts,” Zierlein wrote. “He has a good feel for routes and challenging the catch space, posting 27 passes defensed over the last two years. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that new Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry hand-picked Jean-Charles for his fit at nickel.”

If Zierlein is right, Jean-Charles could push returning slot cornerback Chandon Sullivan for playing time in 2021.

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Bills RB Zack Moss pegged a ‘dark horse’ for Rookie of the Year

Buffalo Bills running back Zack Moss named a dark horse for Rookie of the Year by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.

Top-overall picks always lead the way in terms of Rookie of the Year candidates in the NFL. That and quarterbacks if we’re being honest.

Of the last 10, half of those winners were playing under center for their teams. But don’t sleep on the impact of running backs, who’ve taken home three of the last five.

Still, even then, it’s usually a top-selected rookie back at the draft. So it makes sense where Bills running back Zack Moss fell on a particular list from NFL.com recently.

Tabbing his top-10 candidates for Rookie of the Year in 2020, draft analyst Lance Zierlein didn’t mention Moss. Where he put Buffalo’s rookie rusher was just outside it as his lone “dark horse candidate.”

Here’s why Moss landed there:

Moss is unlikely to see the workload it would take for a running back to win this award, as he’ll be competing for carries with Devin Singletary, who’s coming off a nice rookie season. That said, Moss is built for the rugged rushing attack that the Bills want to employ. Keep in mind that Singletary had just two rushing touchdowns to Josh Allen’s nine last season. It would behoove the Bills to keep their young quarterback out of harm’s way and allow Moss to do more of the dirty work in the red zone. Given Moss’ violent style and ability to move the chains, he could garner plenty of fourth-quarter carries as the Bills look to put games away.

In terms of the Bills as a team, Singletary and Moss together is hopefully going to be a good thing. But if you’re looking for a Rookie of the Year, Singletary will probably keep Moss out of the discussion. Again, as a team, that’s OK, so still get excited for Moss in 2020.

Singletary showed he has the prowess to get after it with his slick skills, but he can also run between the tackles. In addition, Moss has some wiggle himself, he’s not just a heavy hitter. So what might be the best thing about these two is that they both have their obvious talents, but to an extent, can also show themselves as all-around rushers.

And hey, you never know. Moss could prove to be the next Alvin Kamara. He was a third-round running back that won the honor in 2017.

 

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Report: Lions still ‘front-runners’ for Tua Tagovailoa’s landing spots

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein believes that Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has two teams as the “front-runners” for landing him, the Miami Dolphins and the Lions.

The NFL Combine is two days in, which can only mean one thing, it’s that time of year again and the rumor mills are at a full churn, with speculations at an all-time high.

Who will move up or down with Draft day trades,? Which need will teams that have multiple areas of opportunity attempt to address first? And most importantly where the players who are targeted by multiple teams, will truly land?

No matter how comical Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia thinks the trade rumors of Matthew Stafford are, or how many time’s general manager Bob Quinn denies it, the Lions just cannot shake themselves free of some sort of move at quarterback.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein believes that Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has two teams as the “front-runners” for landing him, the Miami Dolphins and the Lions.

“If we work off of the understanding that Tagovailoa would be best-suited to sit part (or all) of 2020 as he continues to heal his hip,” Zierlein said, “then Detroit could be a very intriguing landing spot at third overall.”

Coming into his third season as the Lions head coach, it’s assumed that Patricia is in a win-now mentality versus building towards the future, as another substandard season could ultimately end his time in Detroit. If we look big picture, maybe a year or two down the road and the team decides — or Stafford decides — it’s time to move on, drafting a quarterback the caliber of Tagovailoa makes sense. Patricia most recently said that the Lions fans deserve a winning team and that he wants to give them that. So if we are taking it at face value, that means win now.

In most mock drafts the Lions have been predominantly tied to Ohio State defenders Chase Young or Jeff Okudah, and that seems to be the most realistic of options it just depends on what the front office values more — getting a perennial pass rusher in Young or creating a ‘magical‘ cornerback pairing with Darius Slay and Okudah, rather than Tagovailoa.