Tag: Luke Musgrave

Should the Commanders spend an early-round pick on a tight end?

Tight end is a sneaky need for the Commanders in 2023. One tight end is turning heads at the Senior Bowl.

On paper, it was hard not to like what the Washington Commanders had at tight end in 2022. Veteran Logan Thomas, coming off an ACL injury, was back and ready for Week 1.

In addition to Thomas, Washington had John Bates entering his second season and a pair of rookies in fifth-round pick Cole Turner and former college quarterback Armani Rogers.

Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned. Thomas looked a step slow last season, which should be expected since he returned to the lineup just nine months after surgery. Washington also had its share of quarterback issues.

But it can’t be ignored that Thomas will be 32 in Week 1 and costs $8.7 million against the salary cap in 2023, per Over the Cap.

As for the other guys, Bates is an excellent blocker and catches about everything but is limited athletically. Turner battled injuries and failed to impress as a rookie, while Rogers stole the show in the summer, forcing his way onto the team. While Rogers flashed in limited opportunities, he also battled a late-season injury. Also, it didn’t appear that former offensive coordinator Scott Turner always knew how best employ Rogers.

All are under contract for 2023.

That begs the question, should Washington consider drafting a tight end in the early rounds of the 2023 NFL draft?

At this week’s Reese’s Senior Bowl, Washington has four coaches in the game, giving them unprecedented access to the talent on both sides. One player who is having a terrific week is Oregon State tight end Luke Musgrave.

At 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, Musgrave has the size teams covet. He is also fast. Really fast. Check this out from Dane Brugler of The Athletic:

He wasn’t one of the top eight fastest tight ends at the Senior Bowl. He was timed as one of the top eight overall fastest players. Musgrave was already considered a day-two prospect, and now teams will dig back into his college film to see if his play speed matches. It will.

Musgrave has good college tape, and there’s no doubt NFL teams will pay close attention to what he does at the NFL combine.

Louis Riddick knows talent, and he’s been impressed.

Washington isn’t going tight end at No. 16. However, if the Commanders trade back as they did last year, tight end becomes a possibility. Still, it’s expected that Washington will go with an offensive lineman or cornerback in round one.

But don’t rule out a tight end in round two. And if Musgrave is on the board in round two, he should absolutely be under consideration for the Commanders. Washington can’t go into 2023 counting on more production from its tight ends. Add another talented body to the group, even if it pushes someone off the roster.

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Stock Up Stock Down from second Senior Bowl American practice

The second day of practice was an intense one for the American team. @MattAnderson_8 breaks it all down

Day two of the Senior Bowl is complete, and Wednesday’s practice for the American team had a different feel than day one. while the wide receivers and cornerbacks still had a competitive day. The story of the day was with the other position groups.

The trenches were a battle throughout practice and gave us some of the best reps of the day with some intense matchups.

Let’s dive into some prospects who helped or hurt their draft stock from Wednesday’s practice.

National Team Practice

7 prospects Giants should watch at the Senior Bowl

The New York Giants will have their eyes on all players at the 2023 Senior Bowl but these 7 are deserving of extra scouting attention.

The Senior Bowl will be held this coming Saturday, February 4, in Mobile, Alabama officially kicking off the NFL draft season as draft-eligible prospects face off in the annual all-star event.

The Giants’ front office has traditionally come away from the event impressed with what they saw as they have drafted three recent MVPs from the game: Davis Webb (2017), Kyle Lauretta (2018), and Daniel Jones (2019).

Who will impress them this year? Here’s a quick list of prospects they could be interested in.

Keep in mind, the Senior Bowl is for “every player eligible to participate in an all-star game as either a 2018 high school graduate or true four-year player (with five or more games played in three previous seasons). This list does not include many true or redshirt juniors who could become eligible as December 2022 (or earlier) graduates.”

10 potential Chargers targets to watch during Senior Bowl week: Offense

Highlighting a handful of offensive players at the Senior Bowl who could be on the Chargers’ radar.

The last major all-star game of the circuit, Mobile’s Senior Bowl, has become a football pilgrimage for many players and media members alike.

Chargers quarterbacks Justin Herbert is a Senior Bowl alum, as is 2022 first-round pick Zion Johnson. Los Angeles has historically used the event as a guideline, drafting at least four participants in Mobile in each of the last three seasons.

Here are ten offensive prospects who could join the club with a strong week in Alabama.

2023 Senior Bowl preview: Top prospects, biggest sleepers at every position

Get to know the biggest names, and who’s flying under the radar, heading into this year’s Senior Bowl week

One of the biggest stops on the all-star circuit for top NFL draft hopefuls, the Senior Bowl officially gets underway this week in Mobile, Alabama.

A week of practice with NFL coaching staffs will give some of this year’s top talent a chance to prove themselves against one another, culminating in Saturday’s all-star game.

As we get ready for another week of Senior Bowl action, here’s a look at the top prospects to watch at each position, as well as the sleepers who are still flying under the radar:

Podcast: Discussing the 2023 NFL Draft tight end prospects the Browns could target

Could the Browns find David Njoku a running mate in the 2023 NFL Draft?

The 2023 NFL Draft draws closer and closer with the Senior Bowl about to kick off in Mobile Alabama. The Cleveland Browns have plenty of areas to improve on with a lot of the focus likely to be on the defense. David Njoku when he was healthy showed he can easily be a top tight end in the NFL but there wasn’t much production outside of that.

This week I was joined by Dawg Pound Daily’s site expert Randy Gurzi as we discuss some tight-end prospects we like for the Browns. You can listen here for the audio version or watch here to see the episode on YouTube.

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Tight end prospects for Chargers to watch at 2023 Senior Bowl

Profiling the tight ends at the 2023 Senior Bowl that could be on the Chargers’ radar.

The Senior Bowl game kicks off on Saturday, February 4th, after a full week of practice, evaluation, and interviews for nearly 100 of college football’s top senior players. To get prepared, Chargers Wire will preview each position group set to compete in Mobile, Alabama, continuing today with the tight end group.

Tight end is a position in transition in LA – Donald Parham Jr. is a restricted free agent and Gerald Everett is a pending free agent following the 2023 season. The Chargers have yet to find an option as reliable as Hunter Henry since he departed for New England in 2021, and could turn to the draft to find a long-term answer.

Which Senior Bowl draft prospects will Saints’ Declan Doyle be coaching?

Get to know the 2023 draft prospects Saints assistant Declan Doyle will be coaching at the Senior Bowl, including Oregon State tight end Luke Musgrave:

The New Orleans Saints will have the inside track on some tight end prospects in the 2023 NFL draft, with offensive assistant Declan Doyle assigned to coach that position group for the American Team in this year’s Senior Bowl college all-star game. Doyle is one of four Saints assistant coaches who will be working with players throughout the week of practices, meetings, and the game itself.

This is a great opportunity for Doyle, the Saints, and these draft prospects, so let’s familiarize ourselves with these players as they hope to turn pro:

Packers get S Brian Branch, TE Luke Musgrave in new Draft Wire mock

The Packers added players at two obvious need positions in the first two rounds of Draft Wire’s new mock draft.

The Green Bay Packers added players at two of the team’s biggest need positions in a new mock draft from Luke Easterling of Draft Wire.

At safety, veteran Adrian Amos has a voiding contract, Darnell Savage is entering the final year of his rookie deal and Rudy Ford is an unrestricted free agent, so Easterling sent Alabama’s Brian Branch to the Packers at No. 15 overall in the first round.

At tight end, Marcedes Lewis and Robert Tonyan are both soon-to-be free agents, so Easterling sent Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave to the Packers at No. 45 in the second round.

Entering the offseason, safety and tight end look like two positions the Packers will likely address come March or April.

Branch, who delivered 14 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks during an All-American season in 2022, could help solve the Packers’ emerging and growing problem at safety, especially if Amos departs.

“Branch has lined up all over the field in Nick Saban’s defense and can make plays at safety, in the slot or on the blitz,” Easterling wrote.

Brennen Rupp of Packers Wire listed Branch as one of his top prospects at No. 15.

“Branch has the footwork and fluid athleticism to man the nickel position at the next level. On top of his ability in coverage, Branch is an excellent open-field tackler and is fearless coming downhill,” Rupp wrote.

Musgrave caught 47 passes for 633 yards and two touchdowns over four seasons at Oregon State. His junior season featured only two games: 11 catches for 89 yards and a touchdown against Boise State and five catches for 80 yards against Fresno State.

Rupp sees Musgrave as a tight end with terrific size who could be a two-way player in the passing game and running game.

“Musgrave moves incredibly well at 6-6, 250 pounds, and he’s a prospect that will turn heads at the combine,” Rupp said. “With his size and speed, Musgrave will be a mismatch inside the 20s. He’s wired right as a run blocker and brings consistent effort on each rep.”

Tonyan caught 53 passes for the Packers but averaged only 8.9 yards per catch and scored two touchdowns during the 2022 season. He played on a one-year deal and will be a free agent.

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Could the Browns find their TE2 in the 2023 NFL Draft?

Here are the top tight ends for the Browns to target in the 2023 NFL Draft

As the Cleveland Browns look forward to the 2023 NFL Draft, they have quite a few holes to fill on their roster. One of those positions is potentially a new second tight end as they still run an effective offense in a lot of 12 personnel looks.

While they saw a breakout season from David Njoku that was hampered by an injury, Harrison Bryant is entering the last year of his contract. Bryant took over as the TE2 in Cleveland’s offense after they released Austin Hooper, and 2022 may have shown that the former Mackey Award winner may be better suited as the third guy in the room.

If the Browns look to take a new tight end in the draft, here are the top names to keep tabs on.

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