Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
In the latest seven-round mock draft, @TheRealForno has the Vikings trading back, getting more picks and drafting versatile players
The Minnesota Vikings have a lot of different ways they can go in the NFL draft. There will be some discussion on what needs are most important but the Vikings can address most of them through both free agency and the NFL draft.
I have now done five mock drafts for the Vikings this offseason and they all have taken a slightly different turn each time. This one has the Vikings trading back and focusing on the defense.
Mock draft 1.0
Mock draft 2.0
Mock draft 3.0
Mock draft 4.0
Mock draft 5.0
The Browns addressed two weaknesses in a recent mock draft
The Super Bowl has come to an end, and former members of the Cleveland Browns including offensive tackle Andrew Wylie have won a ring with the Kansas City Chiefs. This now means we dive straight into 2023 NFL Draft season and the amount of 2023 NFL Mock Drafts will increase even more. In a recent mock draft completed by NFL Network’s Chad Reuter, the Browns were mocked Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith in the second round and Stanford wide receiver in the third round.
Wide receiver and defensive tackle continue to be two of the weakest points of the roster in Cleveland, so those continue to be popular positions addressed. Free agency is in about a month, so the positions of need will shuffle a bit then. Until then, however, get used to seeing defensive linemen mocked to the Browns.
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Highlighting a few offensive players from the Senior Bowl who should have drawn the attention of the Chargers.
The nation’s preeminent all-star game over the past few seasons, the Senior Bowl always produces copious amounts of NFL talent. With the 2023 edition in the books, the next generation of stars await.
Which players caught the eyes of the Chargers (and everyone else)?
Let’s check out the offense. For defensive standouts, click here.
Recapping Day 2 of the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Over 100 of the top senior prospects and at least three Chargers personnel staffers are in Mobile, Alabama, this week for the Senior Bowl. Wednesday marked the second day of practice for both rosters leading up to the game on Saturday.
Here are my notes from both practices Wednesday.
Cincinnati linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. beat every single running back like a drum in pass protection drills. While he’s undersized, he hits violently, and the National team linebackers had no answers for him on Wednesday. Pace still struggles to move laterally or backwards, but when moving downhill he’s an intriguing player.
Cal safety Daniel Scott had a nice day as an all-around safety moved all over the field. He undercut an out route for an interception in one-on-ones, picking off Louisville QB Malik Cunningham while lined up in press man technique. Scott has experience and potential all over the field, and could be someone the Chargers look towards in the later rounds to add depth behind Derwin James.
I love Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley. He looked like the best coverage linebacker on the field today, with one picture-perfect rep coming against Northwestern running back Evan Hull. Later in the period, Henley mirrored Illinois running back Chase Brown and deflected the pass in another awe-inducing display of coverage prowess. Henley is a touch underweight, and run support will need a bit of cleaning up. But the Chargers could be revamping the position if Drue Tranquill isn’t re-signed, which makes Henley someone to watch.
If you’re looking for linebackers who can fit a gap in the run game, Texas’ DeMarvion Overshown is for you. Overshown plays with a level of violence and aggressiveness beyond that of the typical linebacker, and you can tell he looks forward to hitting people all day long. My one hesitation with Overshown as a Chargers fit is draft capital: Overshown will likely be a top 75 pick and LA has been hesitant to pull the trigger that early on the position under Brandon Staley.
Maryland offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan had an up and down day, but the majority of his positive reps came when he lined up at his college position on the left side. When flipped to the right side to experiment with his positional versatility, Duncan consistently found himself on the wrong end of pass rush moves. That’s to be expected, to a certain extent. Moving from the left to right side requires doing everything mirrored from what you’re used to, and that’s a hefty ask when also matched up against some of the draft’s top pass rushers.
Perhaps the best performer of the day on the National squad was Stanford cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly. He broke hard on four separate passes between one on ones and team period, coming away with two interceptions and two more near picks. All four came on plays where the National defense came out in Cover 2 shells, a sign that the coaches in Mobile have found Kelly’s best scheme fit. LA isn’t a particularly heavy Cover 2 team, so Kelly will probably be best suited elsewhere, but his performance today was too good to ignore.
Kelly’s teammate Michael Wilson also had a nice day, showcasing some fluidity as a route runner and plus skills as a downfield tracker. Wilson also flexed some variety in his release packages and looked smooth from the slot. He’s not going to threaten anyone downfield – I’d expect him to run somewhere in the 4.5 range – but his savvy and smoothness as a route runner will get him a spot on an NFL team. His profile fits the Chargers, but it remains to be seen if LA is going to move away from that archetype.
From the American side, the unquestioned best performer was Sacramento State LB Marte Mapu. A late addition called up from the NFLPA Bowl, Mapu was relatively anonymous at practice on Tuesday as he got his feet wet. On Wednesday, however, he looked fully comfortable. He flashed as a run defender and violent downhill hitter multiple times and showed some unreal closing speed in coverage. A former QB, WR, LB, CB, and S, Mapu clearly has the athleticism to play anywhere on the field, but I think his aggressive mindset to get after the ball endears him well to linebacker. He’s a bit underweight, coming in at 217 pounds, but LA could utilize him in the STAR role made famous by Derwin James.
Some quick hitters:
The second day of practice had more standouts than disappointing performances. @TheRealForno breaks it all down.
The second day of Senior Bowl practice is complete and there are a lot of things to talk about.
After the quarterbacks struggled on the first day as a whole, there were some significant areas of improvement. The two quarterbacks that threw on the first day of practice played much better and we had a standout at wide receiver as well.
After day two of practice, here are the players who saw their stock rise and fall.
Profiling the wide receivers 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 wide receiver group.
Los Angeles will, presumably, be looking for speed at receiver this offseason after failing to consistently stretch the field all season despite Justin Herbert’s talents. But Tom Telesco and Brandon Staley have been clear: speed is nice, but any future Chargers receiver also needs to be able to win at every level of the field.
These hidden plays made a big impact in the outcome
In every game, win or loss, there are plays that aren’t scoring plays that impact the outcome for both sides. For Notre Dame, it wasn’t unfortunately a losing effort but those plays still happened. Find out which five helped change the course of the game for the Irish.
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Mike on Twitter: @MikeFChen
A tight end and a receiver are against each other.
Notre Dame has to be happy about what it’s gotten from [autotag]Michael Mayer[/autotag]. The tight end has been recognized by most Irish fans as the best tight end in program history, and he figures to put more of a stamp on that as the season continues. Stanford should provide a fine opportunity for him to do that. We have seen recently what he’s capable of when facing an inferior opponent.
The Cardinal have an actual receiver in Michael Wilson as their entrant in this matchup. Although he has only the slightest of leads in most yardage categories and is trailing in touchdowns and receptions, he’s more efficient with his opportunities. Even if you take out his season-best 78-yard reception, he still has a sizable lead in a yards a catch. That being the case, the Irish’s pass defense better have eyes on him at all times because this is a legitimate threat we’re talking about here.
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89
Now, we wait.
Did Notre Dame let up in the fourth quarter of its regular-season finale against Stanford? Maybe a tiny bit, but it had enough of a cushion that it was able to do that. While it may not have been the best look, the result of the game will speak volumes enough. The Irish now will await their College Football Playoff fate after a 45-14 win.
Tyler Buchner got a turn at quarterback in the fourth quarter and made the most of it right away with a 33-yard touchdown run. Although the Irish (11-1) had the game well in hand at that point, there still was football to play. The Cardinal (3-9) decided they had something to prove, and everyone saw that when Tanner McKee responded with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Benjamin Yurosek. While that was slightly concerning, there hardly was cause for alarm from the Irish’s perspective.
After the Irish punted on their next possession, the Cardinal put another nice drive together and got across midfield. Just when it appeared the drive would reach the red zone, Clarence Lewis forced a fumble by Michael Wilson after a 19-yard reception, and Justin Ademilola had his second recovery of the game. It reflected the kind of season it’s been for the hosts.
The Irish began driving again, mainly thanks once again to Jack Coan. They got a boost when an offside penalty was called right before they went for it on fourth down. The break paid off when Kyren Williams eventually ran for a 12-yard touchdown, the Irish’s final score of the regular season. With their statement made, they can rest up knowing they’ve done everything they can to make their case for more meaningful football this season.
