Tag: Mel Kiper Jr

ESPN’s Mel Kiper projects Anthony Richardson to go in top 10

As the draft draws closer and closer, former Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson remains a fixture in the early first round of most projections.

NFL draft experts have projected former Florida quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] to come off the board as early as the first overall pick, but the latest one to come is from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and has the Seattle Seahawks trading up to the No. 9 overall spot to get him.

That pick is reliant on a few things. First, Carolina has to trade up to No. 5 to get Kentucky’s Will Levis. Richardson has been linked with the Panthers and Carolina wouldn’t give up a shot at one of the top quarterbacks in the class without securing one with an earlier pick beforehand.

Then, Las Vegas has to pass on Richardson, which is something Kiper sees happening given the timeline on both sides. Seattle makes sense. It’s looking for a new franchise quarterback, but there’s no real need to move on to someone who isn’t ready quite yet. In fact, Seattle might be one of the best destinations for a quarterback that needs time to develop to land.

“Here’s a team that could afford to take a developmental quarterback with elite upside,” Kiper said. “Seattle has said it wants to bring back veteran Geno Smith, but what if the organization uses the franchise tag on Smith, plays him for a season and adds Richardson to take over in 2024? That’d be the ideal scenario for Richardson.”

Kiper likes the match here but could also see the Seahawks going with an edge rusher at the No. 9 spot. Risking a top-10 pick on a guy with 13 career starts might not go over so well with the fanbase, so that’s a safer route.

Richardson seems like a guaranteed first-rounder at this point, but everyone has seen a quarterback fall after receiving a ton of pre-draft hype. The talk should only increase over the next month as the combine takes place. Only time will tell if Richardson is a top-10 pick, though.

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Which Gators were included in Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft?

How high does Mel Kiper Jr. have Anthony Richardson going in this year’s NFL draft?

As the NFL playoffs near a conclusion, it’s time to start looking seriously at the 2023 draft, and Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock indicates that former Florida quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] is a serious first-round candidate.

Kiper has Richardson going ninth overall to the Carolina Panthers, which is where some pegged him to land before his lone season as a starter at Florida began. It would be a developmental pick without question, but Kiper sees Richardson doing great things if he gets with the right staff in the NFL.

The only problem is that Carolina needs an answer under center for next year. Drafting a quarterback that needs at least a year to develop won’t help the current situation and could deter the franchise from taking the risk. Kiper suggests a scenario where the Panthers bring back Sam Darnold for a season so that Richardson can learn on the sidelines for a year.

“Let’s get this out of the way now: I wouldn’t play Richardson in Year 1,” Kiper wrote. “He needs time to develop. He’s not an NFL-ready thrower. But he is an awesome talent, a raw quarterback in a 6-foot-4 frame who would be one of the league’s most electrifying runners as soon as he steps on the field.

His size and physical tools cannot be taught, and NFL coaches will want to work with him and try to take him to the next level. Richardson completed just 53.8% of his passes in 2022 — he has a long ways to go with his mechanics. Again, though, he has a high ceiling if a coaching staff can help him get there.”

Unfortunately, Richardson is the only Gator on Kiper’s first-round mock this time around. Many are expecting guard [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] to get some looks in the first round, but Kiper doesn’t have him going that high. He does get a mention at No. 27 for Buffalo, but as a secondary option to Auburn EDGE Derick Hall.

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ESPN’s Mel Kiper predicts Jaguars take CB in 1st mock draft

The godfather of mock drafts offered his first prediction of what the Jaguars will do in April.

It’s officially mock draft season for the Jacksonville Jaguars and the godfather of NFL Draft predictions took his first stab at it.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. released his first mock draft of the offseason and thinks the Jaguars could use a little help in the secondary. With the 24th overall pick, Kiper thinks Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks is a logical choice:

How about those Jaguars? After an AFC South title in 2022, shouldn’t they be the early favorites to win it again? General manager Trent Baalke did a nice job filling holes last offseason, but the pass rush still was mediocre, the off-ball linebackers struggled badly in coverage and there’s an open corner spot opposite Tyson Campbell. With a strong cornerback class in this draft, Baalke & Co. could target Banks, a man-coverage defender with exceptional physical tools. He could rise as we get closer to the draft once NFL teams see him test at the combine. And yes, this makes five cornerbacks off the board in Round 1.

Another position to keep an eye on for Jacksonville is tight end, where Evan Engram is a free agent. Luke Musgrave (Oregon State) and Dalton Kincaid (Utah) could be options.

The Jaguars began the season with Tyson Campbell and Shaquill Griffin at cornerback, but the latter suffered a season-ending back injury. After struggling to find consistent play opposite Campbell, the Jaguars eventually moved Darious Williams from the slot and found success with the former Rams cornerback playing on the outside.

Williams could be the starter again in 2023, but the Jaguars need help at cornerback, regardless. Tre Herndon is set to become a free agent and Griffin is likely to get released due to his $17.1 million salary cap hit.

Banks was the fifth cornerback off the board in Kiper’s mock behind Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon, Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr., Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez, and Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes.

Two Notre Dame stars make Kiper’s early 2023 Big Board for ESPN

Which two stars made the list?

The 2022 NFL draftees have yet to play even a pre-season game for their respective teams but that never stops analysts from looking ahead to the next draft. Recently, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. released his ‘Big Board’ (subscription required) which consists of the top 25 players in this upcoming draft. Find out which two Notre Dame stars made the list and where they landed inside the top 25.

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Here is who Todd McShay and Mel Kiper have the Jaguars taking in their latest alternating mock draft

ESPN’s Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. have the Jacksonville Jaguars taking two wide receivers in the third round in their latest collaborative mock draft.

With a little over a week away from the 2022 NFL draft, ESPN’s Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. released their latest collaborative three-round mock draft on Tuesday where they alternated picks. They have the Jacksonville Jaguars taking Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson with the first overall pick but then selecting offensive players with the rest of their picks in this mock draft.

They surprisingly also have the Jaguars double-dipping for wide receivers in the third round. Here is who they mocked to Jacksonville:

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars

McShay’s pick: Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan

Top selection, best player on the board. It’s that simple. Josh Allen and Hutchinson — who had 14 sacks last season — would form a fantastic edge-rush duo in Jacksonville.

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars

McShay’s pick: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa

Linderbaum is a first-round talent who is still here to start Day 2. And wouldn’t you know it, the Jags have a hole at center after Brandon Linder retired this offseason.

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars

McShay’s pick: Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky

Get the ball in this guy’s hands. He’ll break your ankles with his explosive shiftiness and then run away from you with his speed. Jacksonville could use another playmaker for Trevor Lawrence.

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars (via CAR)

Kiper’s pick: Calvin Austin III, WR, Memphis

I’m going to double up on short slot receivers for the Jags, because I’m not sure Laviska Shenault Jr.’s future is in Jacksonville. Todd gave the Jaguars Robinson a few picks ago, and Austin is a dynamo with the ball in his hands. At 5-foot-8, he ran a 4.32 40 at the combine. Austin and Robinson can be versatile targets for a quarterback who needs them.

Hutchinson and Linderbaum would be home-run picks for the Jaguars. Jacksonville needs the surer player with the first overall pick. Hutchinson fits that bill compared to Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker who has a higher ceiling but a lower floor. Linderbaum would also be an excellent replacement for Linder.

Taking two receivers in the third round is a bit puzzling, though. Especially when considering the money the Jags spent at the position in free agency with the additions of Christian Kirk and Zay Jones. That said, maybe taking one receiver early is on the table, but probably not two.

Of the two receivers taken, Austin is more of a straight-line burner, while Robinson is more of a shiftier and elusive player. If the Jags were to land one of the two it would certainly add some exciting playmaking ability to their offense, which is something that was missing in 2021

Michigan players in Mel Kiper’s latest NFL mock draft

These NFL teams would be great spots for them!

We have just a little over two weeks until the 2022 NFL draft, and the mock drafts keep pouring in.

Mel Kiper Jr. with ESPN has a new two-round mock draft that came out on Wednesday. Kiper Jr. has been an NFL draft analyst since 1984, and he has been known to be pretty accurate with his mock drafts over the years.

Kiper Jr. has three Michigan players being selected in the first two rounds, and two of those going in the first round.

Like most people, he has Aidan Hutchinson going first overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars — he calls him the best prospect in the class.

Kiper Jr. also sees Daxton Hill going in the first round, and he says he’s very versatile, so a lot of teams should be intrigued by what they could do with him.

His new mock draft also lists David Ojabo as an early second-round pick.

Here is where he has all three players going.

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LOOK. One NFL draft analyst has Garrett Wilson as top wide receiver in draft

Look who has Garrett Wilson as the top receiver in the entire 2022 NFL draft. #GoBucks

We are getting closer and closer to the annual spectacle that is the NFL draft. As always, we expect to see a lot of scarlet and gray be a part of all the hoopla, and it’ll start early with receivers Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave expected to go in the first round.

Most mock drafts and analysts have the pair somewhere between the second to fifth-best receivers available in the draft, but there’s one very well-known draft analyst that has Garrett Wilson as the best receiver on his board.

It might not line up with what most others are saying, but ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. believes Wilson has the biggest upside and is the best available option. If you haven’t heard what he’s said about the talented and dynamic wideout, you can catch all of his comments thanks to a video shared on ESPN.com.

We’ve also heard rumblings about both Wilson and Chris Olave potentially going sooner than a lot of people think, so we’ll just have to watch how it all unfolds in Vegas later this month.

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ESPN’s Mel Kiper sends Jaguars Aidan Hutchinson in latest NFL mock draft

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. expects the Jaguars to select Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson with the first overall pick in his latest mock.

Early in the offseason, many predicted that the Jacksonville Jaguars would select Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal with the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. However, after the NFL Combine and the start of free agency, it has appeared that the ship has sailed in large part.

Most draft experts, including ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who released a new mock draft on Tuesday, expect Jacksonville to take Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson with the first pick in the draft next month. As a result, it caused an immediate change from his previous mock, which had N.C. State’s Ikem Ekwonu going first.

When I did my previous mock draft, before the combine, I started off my write-up for this pick with this: “Offensive tackle or edge rusher here? I don’t think the Jaguars are set either way.” Well, things change quickly in the NFL. Jacksonville decided to franchise tag left tackle Cam Robinson for the second straight year, taking away its need for a top-tier blindside protector (at least for a year) for quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Now, Hutchinson is the heavy favorite to go to the Jags — barring a desperate team trading up.

Hutchinson, my top-ranked prospect in this class, could get double-digit sacks playing on the other side of Josh Allen in new coordinator Mike Caldwell’s defense. The Jaguars made a few big-money moves in free agency, but there’s still a huge hole at defensive end.

Hutchinson would be a solid choice for the Jaguars because they need a pass rusher to pair with defensive end Josh Allen. This pick makes sense because Jacksonville didn’t address this need in free agency, which is a strong indicator of its plans for the NFL draft.

Kiper said his ability to wreck an opponent’s game plan is similar to Nick and Joey Bosa on ESPN Tuesday. That’s some pretty high praise for Hutchinson.

It’s also possible the Jaguars could trade down, and I’m sure they will at least listen to offers. But it’d be surprising to see any team trading anything worth accepting because of the weak quarterback draft class this year.

Where do Florida prospects stack up on Mel Kiper Jr.’s big board?

Here’s where each UF prospect stands on Kiper’s board, starting with Elam.

As the 2021 college football season draws closer and closer to an end, it’s becoming time to evaluate potential pro prospects and turn our attention toward the 2022 NFL draft. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. released his latest big board this week, and it features a number of Florida players in his positional top 10s.

Despite the fact that the Gators have struggled on the field this season there are several players who Kiper is high on, including cornerback Kaiir Elam, who is considered among the best cornerbacks in the country.

Here’s where each UF prospect stands on Kiper’s board, starting with Elam, the only one projected to go during the first day.

Mel Kiper thinks Florida’s Emory Jones could become a first-round pick

Mel Kiper Jr. thinks that that anything is possible for a quarterback on a Dan Mullen team.

Emory Jones didn’t make Mel Kiper Jr.’s Big Board of the top 25 prospects in college football nor did he make it on the analyst’s top 11 quarterbacks list heading into the season. But the senior ESPN analyst said that the Gators quarterback has the potential to shoot up draft boards as the season goes on.

“You think about a 6-foot-2-inch, 215-pounder with a strong arm and tremendous running skills that drives defenses nuts — this kid, Emory Jones, it’s his time to shine at the Swamp,” Kiper said on SportsCenter Friday morning. “If he does, with his skill set as a dual-threat quarterback, Emory Jones at Florida is a name to keep an eye on.”

The conversation came after Scott Van Pelt remembered names like Joe Burrow and Zach Wilson turning into first-rounders over a single season. Kiper considered naming Texas Tech’s Tyler Shough as this season’s potential breakout candidate but gave Jones the edge thanks to Gators coach Dan Mullen.

“He plays for Dan Mullen,” Kiper said. “He’s been developed. Mullen is kind of a quarterback whisperer. He develops quarterbacks, that’s the bottom line. Remember Dak Prescott what he did with him at Mississippi State?”

Jones is replacing Kyle Trask, who led the Gators to the SEC Championship Game last season in his own breakout year. Trask was selected by Tampa Bay in the second round, but Jones is a very different player than him. If Jones can take down Georgia and get back to the conference championship, he might have a shot at making Kiper’s prediction come true.

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