The New Orleans Saints selected Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth in the latest 2021 NFL mock draft, pairing him with Adam Trautman.
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The New Orleans Saints shocked the football cognoscenti by trading all of their remaining picks to go get small-school prospect Adam Trautman in the 2020 NFL Draft, but the latest too-soon projection for next year’s event has them adding another tight end.
And there’d be little to argue with if that’s the way the Saints end up going. Luke Easterling over at Draft Wire has connected New Orleans with Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth, a rare tight end to be named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list — college football’s honor for the nation’s best pass-catcher, usually a wide receiver.
Freiermuth’s resume speaks for itself. The big underclassman listed at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds has already tied Mike Gesicki’s school record for touchdown catches (15) before his junior year, and he finished in second-place last season in every receiving category behind wideout K.J. Hamler, an eventual Denver Broncos second-round pick. While he’s known for his receiving ability, his eagerness to throw blocks at the line of scrimmage suggests he could develop quickly with pro-level coaching.
Affectionately called “Free Moose” by Penn State faithful, Freiermuth could team up with Trautman in a one-two punch to set the stage for overhaul at tight end in New Orleans. Jared Cook has been hyped up by the coaching staff all summer, but he’s entering a contract year after his 33rd birthday. Josh Hill, the nominal backup and blocking specialist, is also 30 and only under contract through 2021. It might make sense for Trautman to replace Cook next offseason with Freiermuth coming down the pipeline a year later.
Still, it’s far too soon to guess who the Saints might end up picking. Dozens of mock drafts failed to connect them with Cesar Ruiz ahead of this year’s event, even in the days leading up to the draft. The Saints themselves won’t know who is on their radar until the team has played out its season and navigated free agency. So keep Freiermuth’s name in mind once college games kick off in the fall — this isn’t much more than the start of our own watch list.
How the Cowboys will draft. Where the Cowboys should draft. Zack Baun is no Clay Matthews. Jalen Reagor, Grant Delpit or AJ Terrell?
The Dallas Cowboys have a particular set of skills. Skills that would make them a nightmare… Oh wait, wrong script. The Cowboys haven’t been a nightmare for opponents in a long time, but they have taken up a perch of being one of the better drafting teams over the last decade. The problem is, the haven’t augmented the draft hauls with talent from the outside and have constantly had to plug holes on incomplete rosters.
For better or worse, trends and tells have developed into how the club does their business come draft time. Will these hold true now that Mike McCarthy has taken the coaching reigns from Jason Garrett? Elsewhere a look at projecting edge rushers, candidates for No. 17 that aren’t named Kinlaw or Henderson and a redo of the famous 2011 draft class features five players who have made their way through Dallas.
If the Dallas front office retains control of the draft process with Mike McCarthy in his first year and most teams having to rely on process during the national shutdown, here’s the tried and true bible of how the Cowboys have operated the last decade. The 10 rules they follow in sizing up prospects.
Patrik Walker goes on a deep dive into the makeup of the Cowboys roster and free agent decisions, showing how the additions of Dontari Poe, Gerald McCoy, Greg Zeurlein and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix address the biggest issues with Jason Garrett’s team-building philosophy.
Walker also identifies how the Cowboys can come out of draft weekend smelling like roses with a five-point checklist of what they need to accomplish. Get a corner, get a DE, get a WR, get a safety, get a LB; anything else is gravy.
One of the most revealing metrics in the draft world, SackSeer takes into account a prospects projected round, explosion index, production ratio, passed batted down and medical history. It agrees, this is a weak DE class beyond Chase Young, likes Curtis Weaver in the middle rounds and warns against those who think Zack Baun is the next Clay Matthews.
Reagor is an intriguing speed demon with route-running prowess who may surprise how high he goes in the draft, and lets on that the Cowboys have been in contact. A lot. A look at what he brings to the table.
John Lynch said they are actively discussing a trade with Marquise Goodwin.
This article is info from a Dane Brugler podcast where he gets into the team’s wants and desires.
“Dallas at No. 17 is really interesting, because they want [LSU pass rusher] K’Lavon Chaisson, but I don’t think he’s going to be there” Brugler said. “They want [Florida cornerback] CJ Henderson. I don’t think he’s going to be there. The next few options you’re looking at — I know they’ve got a pretty good grade on [Trevon] Diggs, and I know they like AJ Terrell. So, which one’s going to be available for them? “
A composite big board that combines the Top 100 of six major big boards into one, giving an overview on how the draft community sees this year’s class. Keep in hand for draft weekend.
This is an example of not drafting for just this season, as the Cowboys have four-fifths of their projecting starting secondary in the last year of their respective contracts. Delpit is rangy when lined up as a deep safety, and he can cover tight ends in man — something that is extremely useful when going up against the Eagles and Giants in the NFC East. His 36 missed tackles over the past two years are an obvious concern, but few safeties in the draft can make an impact on the back end like Delpit.
Scott is, for many analysts, the top Michigan State product in the NFL draft.
The 2020 NFL Draft is set to begin Thursday, April 23 and Michigan State is expected to have a number of players taken. Junior cornerback Josiah Scott left MSU early to pursue his professional career and is now viewed by many analysts as the top Spartan prospect in the draft with a chance to get selected as high as the third round. It has been a long and steady ride for the Ohio product who came to MSU as a low-ranked three-star prospect but immediately found his way on the field en route to Freshman All-American honors. Let’s take a look at where everything sits with Scott and when he might hear his name called.
The SpartansWire Take:
Josiah Scott is a professional football player. Despite some size limitations he has a natural ability to play defensive back. Like many MSU corners before him, he is comfortable working receivers with his hands and can play on an island with his back to the quarterback. While his best bet is probably playing on the interior of a defense, Scott has repeatedly show plus ability in coverage throughout his career. He’s also a sneaky hitter despite his size. The loudest “Ohhh” uttered in a Spartan Stadium press box in 2019 came courtesy of a Josiah Scott tackle.
On a conference call with local reporters NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said he is a “big fan” of Scott and ranks him as the 87th overall prospect in the class.
“He’s got seven career picks. He’s played outside. I think he’s going to be a day one starting nickel. He’s very instinctive. You see him pattern read. He’s fluid. He can find the ball down the field. He just lost some 50/50 balls due to size on the outside, but I think he’s going to be a really good nickel.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. also rates Scott as the top MSU prospect in the draft.
“I think Josiah Scott – he’s gonna help a secondary, whether he’s gonna help a secondary whether he’s a starter, nickel, fourth corner,” Kiper said. “He’s gonna be a guy who plays in the league for a long time, I think, as I’d say a third- to fifth-round pick… He’s 5-10, he’s about 175. He’s aggressive, he’s a willing tackler, he’s got good awareness, he was a really good recruit coming out. Played right away. He’s got pretty good ball skills, seven career interceptions. I like the tape. I like what I saw of him. I like the way he turns, I like the way he flips his hips, like his feet.”
In advance of the NFL scouting combine, Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar breaks down how the first round might transpire if it were held today.
Everybody does mock drafts, most everybody does more than one, and every mock draft is done for different reasons. To get clicks? Well, duh. That would be reason No. 1, dear reader. Let’s not be arch about this. That aside, what we’re trying to do when we drill down into different scenarios with all these different mocks is to get a sense of where things stand at the moment.
Where things stand at this moment is: The scouting combine is next week. Free agency doesn’t start until mid-March. Even the unofficial official tampering period is still weeks away. So, with this mock, let’s do away with the potential trades that will be incessantly discussed by the NFL’s power brokers at the Indianapolis Steak ‘n Shake at 3:30 a.m. Let’s instead look at where each team might go with their picks if the draft started now, without the benefit of combine drills, player interviews, pro days and knowing which roster holes will be filled in free agency. When the combine is done, it’ll provide an interesting reference point as we move forward with our future mocks.
One of the most hilarious things about the news lull between the Super Bowl and the scouting combine is the need to make a whole lot out of very little. Thus, we have Joe Burrow refusing to pledge absolute fealty to the Bengals, and What It All Means. (Here’s a good explainer of what it actually means). None of it really matters. The Bengals need to get themselves out of the quarterback purgatory they’ve been in with Andy Dalton since 2011, and Burrow brings a combination of arm talent, ability to throw on the move, and poise under pressure that reminds me of pre-injury Sam Bradford. It’s stuff you can improve upon, but you can’t really teach. Throw away the one-year wonder stuff, and bail on the concerns about his arm strength. Burrow is the best player in this draft class, and as such, should be the overwhelming first pick. Which he will be.
2. Washington Redskins (3-13): Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State
(Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports)
Wait, what? No Chase Young? Well, here’s what we know. The Redskins selected Mississippi State edge-rusher Montez Sweat with the 26th pick in the 2019 draft. Sweat could easily hit the second-year performance bump that edge defenders often see. Washington also has Ryan Kerrigan under contract through 2020 and the underrated Matt Ioannidis through 2022. It’s not as if new head coach Ron Rivera and new defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio wouldn’t benefit from Chase Young on their defensive line, but there’s also the matter of the secondary to consider. Washington just released cornerback Josh Norman in a cost-cutting and performance-based move. Outside of Quinton Dunbar, there’s nobody at the position who inspires much confidence at all, and the Redskins appear to be playing hardball with Dunbar. Okudah would solve some of the cornerback problem quickly; the ongoing franchise dysfunction is another matter entirely.
3. Detroit Lions (3-12-1): Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
So, if the Redskins turn the 2020 draft upside down by not taking Chase Young, Matt Patricia’s Lions get an unrivaled edge-rusher, which is one of many things Detroit’s defense needs. Trey Flowers signed a five-year, $90 million contract with $56 million in guarantees last offseason and put up 61 total pressures despite dealing with injuries. Flowers and linebacker Devon Kennard combined for 14 sacks in 2019; everyone else in Detroit’s defense also combined for 14. Young is a game-wrecker at the level of the Bosa brothers — and he’ll make every part of Detroit’s defense better by that standard alone.
4. New York Giants (4-12): Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
Two sure things about Giants general manager Dave Gettleman: He loves him some “Hog Mollies,” and he doesn’t give a rat’s posterior what anybody thinks about his picks. So, were Gettleman to take Becton, a 6-foot-7, 369-pound mauler and eraser in the run game with high potential for his frame in his pass sets, don’t be surprised. Becton might not be from the “Build Your Ideal Left Tackle” factory in the modern NFL, but as Gettleman has made clear on multiple occasions, he’s not scouting and signing for the modern NFL, anyway.
5. Miami Dolphins (5-11): Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
(Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports)
All signs are positive regarding Tagovailoa’s fractured hip, and thus his NFL future, which leaves us with his NFL potential. Tagovailoa doesn’t have the biggest arm in this draft class, but he checks most of the other boxes when you look at the needs for the new generation of dual-threat NFL quarterbacks who are redefining the position. While he’s more than adept in a shotgun/pistol offense with lots of run-pass options, he also shows the potential to shine under center with multiple reads at his disposal, both in and out of the pocket. Yes, he was surrounded with insane talent at Alabama, but 87 touchdowns to 11 interceptions and a 10.9 yards-per-attempt average over three seasons doesn’t just happen. Nick Saban has compared Tagovailoa to Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers in the abstract; that doesn’t just happen, either.
6. Los Angeles Chargers (5-11): Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
(Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Were the Chargers to take Herbert here as they transition to the post-Philip Rivers era, it would be a great example of the importance of the quarterback position in regard to draft capital. Herbert isn’t the sixth-best player in this class; not even close. But he’s a big guy who can throw from the pocket; he has a smooth, gliding running style for his size, and there are enough shot plays on tape to make offensive coordinators and quarterback coaches set aside the rushed throws, general inaccuracies, and the fact that his long, lanky frame can lead to a deliberate release of the ball when quickness and decisiveness should be the order of the day.
The Panthers are about to undergo a major rebuild with new head coach Matt Rhule, and if there’s one thing Rhule learned in his time as a college head coach — especially at Baylor over the past three seasons — it’s that you want as many athletes as possible on defense, no matter the situation. With Thomas Davis off to the Chargers last season and Luke Kuechly recently retired, the Panthers’ longtime linebacker paradigm could easily change. Shaq Thompson has become an athletic force as a new-school, built-like-a-safety linebacker, and Simmons fits a similar suit. At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, this is not a traditional run-fit thumper; per Pro Football Focus, Simmons played over 100 snaps on the defensive line and at free safety, and over 200 snaps in the box and in the slot. As long as his NFL team doesn’t try to turn him into Mike Singletary, Simmons has the potential to be a lockdown modern defender at the highest level.
Kyler Murray already is stumping for the Cardinals to bring receiver CeeDee Lamb, his former Oklahoma teammate, to the Valley of the Sun. And it makes sense for a couple of reasons: Lamb is an outstanding playmaker, and it makes sense to keep your quarterback happy with targets he trusts. But methinks Murray, who absorbed a league-leading 48 sacks in his rookie campaign, will also be pleased if he isn’t forced to run for his life all the time. Re-signing left tackle D.J. Humphries was a step in the right direction, and putting Wills on the right side would cement Arizona’s tackle tandem as more than solid. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Wills brings a nasty disposition to his run-blocking, and he’s technically proficient enough to help in a right-handed offense where the quarterback constantly expands the pocket.
Linebackers and receivers are dominating the first-round picks for the Packers in early 2020 mock drafts.
Mock drafts during this time of year are often an exercise in identifying needs. It’s all about matching a team’s top needs to a top player at the need positions.
National mock drafts are certain the Green Bay Packers need linebackers and receivers. The vast majority of picks in post-Super Bowl mock drafts have the Packers taking a linebacker – such as Kenneth Murray or Patrick Queen – or one of the many talented receivers in the class.
No one can know for sure if the Packers also view linebacker and receiver as the team’s top needs, and no one can know for sure if the Packers will use free agency – which begins next month – to address those perceived needs. The combine is still a few weeks away. And there’s another huge variable: No one knows how the Packers are grading the players.
It’s a crapshoot, but that’s what makes mock draft season so fun. The possibilities are endless. So are the combination of potential draft picks. The next few months are all about sorting through all the prospects and attempting to find which players fit teams the best.
Keep in mind: when we did this exercise around this time last year, edge rusher was the early and heavy favorite. The Packers ended up picking edge rusher Rashan Gary, but not a single one of the national mock drafts connected Gary with the Packers at this point in the process.
Here’s a roundup of the players going to the Packers in the first round of national mock drafts:
Could the Cardinals find their next big-time receiver in the 2020 draft and reunite Kyler Murray with a teammate?
The NFL draft is still months away, but with many NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention, they must look to the future. That means it is draft season.
To kick off draft season, ESPN’s Todd McShay has released his first mock draft and he has the Arizona Cardinals selecting a player that many fans will get excited about.
Currently with the sixth pick in the draft, McShay has them taking Oklahoma receiver CeeDee Lamb.
The Cards got their quarterback last April, but they really need to find Kyler Murray some help in the offense, especially considering Larry Fitzgerald will be 37 years old next season and isn’t currently signed after this year. So how about Murray’s former Oklahoma teammate? Lamb can create separation and is extremely talented creating after the catch.
One of the Cardinals’ biggest needs in the offseason a big-play receiver. They added four receivers in the last two drafts in Christian Kirk, Andy Isabella, Hakeem Butler and KeeSean Johnson, but Lamb is on another level.
He has length at 6-2. He gets separation. He has the upside to be a dominant No. 1 receiver.
In McShay’s mock draft, Georgia tackle Andrew Thomas is the next pick at No. 7 to the New York Jets.
The most recent mocks for 2020 NFL draft heavily favor defense for the Seattle Seahawks.
As college football’s regular season wraps up, Seattle Seahawks fans can look forward to watching top prospects in their bowl games and speculating which of them will be selected by their favorite team in the upcoming 2020 NFL draft.
This week, the season-ending injury to Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa shook things up and made several writers across the country rethink their 2020 NFL draft predictions, leading to a slew of new mocks – let’s see which of college football’s best might be available when Seattle is on the clock next year.
