Tag: Nathaniel Dell

5 unique comps in the 2023 NFL draft class

The NFL Draft is filled with player comps, but they don’t always have to be based in the sport of football.

Comps are a very normal thing when it comes to scouting players. The reason why they are given is to give a semblance of what the player is going to look like at the next level. Some do it based on playstyle while others are based on athletic profile. Sometimes, you have to go outside the box to find a comp that works.

Inspired by SB Nation’s J.P. Acosta, there are players that have comparisons outside of the sport of football to do them justice. Here are my five favorite comps using examples outside of football.

Seahawks 2023 NFL mock draft: The small but mighty edition

To celebrate that fact, we put together one last seven-round mock draft for the Seattle Seahawks.

The 2023 NFL draft is now just three days away. The excitment going into the draft can only be matched by the relief of knowing mock draft season is finally coming to an end. To celebrate that fact, we put together one last seven-round mock draft for the Seahawks using the Pro Football Focus simulator.

As is often the case, a theme emerged after a few rounds – and we ended up picking several players who are relatively undersized but surprisingly productive nonetheless. Picks with an asterisk* by their name indicates the team held an official meeting at some point with that prospect. Here’s how our last mock of the year played out.

Giants add CB, OL in rotating mock draft from Mel Kiper and Todd McShay

The New York Giants address three areas of need — CB, OL, and WR — in Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay’s rotating mock draft.

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay released their annual rotating mock draft — a sure sign that the actual NFL draft is just around the corner.

When it came to the New York Giants at pick No. 25 overall, Kiper had the call and went with Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks.

With the top three receivers off the board in this scenario, the Giants shouldn’t reach — which is what Todd is about to do for Dallas. New York should target a corner instead. Banks has the size, speed and instincts to be a No. 1 corner.

The Dallas “reach” was TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston, who many believe will be long gone by the time the Giants pick. If he’s not, general manager Joe Schoen may very well “reach” himself.

Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt was also still on the board at the time of this pick.

In Round 2 at pick No. 57 overall, Kiper again had the call for the Giants. This time around, he went with Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz.

Todd and I probably overuse “plug and play,” but that’s exactly what Schmitz offers for the Giants. They need a starting center, and he can be that. He is a complete lineman.

Schmitz would be a Day 1 starter and arguably the best center the Giants have had in quite some time.

Finally, in Round 3 at pick No. 89 overall, Kiper mocks Houston wide receiver Nathaniel Dell to the Giants.

Dell had 199 catches over the past two seasons, and he was used inside and outside. In fact, 61 of those catches came when “Tank” was aligned wide right, while 60 receptions came when he was in the slot on the left side of the field. That’s versatility. At 5-foot-8, he isn’t big, but he has some ability after the catch. The Giants could add him to their stockpile of pass-catchers.

Another slot receiver. If there were awards for collecting them, the Giants would certainly be in the running.

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Vikings add top talent in Dane Brugler’s 7 round mock draft

In his seven-round mock draft, Dane Brugler continued to send the Minnesota Vikings a top cornerback along with a developmental quarterback.

The Minnesota Vikings need to bring in talent across the board and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler did just that in his seven-round mock draft.

Brugler is one of the best in the business when it comes to analyzing the draft and his seven-round mock draft is something to pay attention to.

In this draft, he has the Vikings taking:

  • Cornerback
  • Wide receiver
  • Linebacker
  • Quarterback
  • Defensive tackle

Check out his picks below.

Replacing the Bills major free agent departures with a 2023 draft pick

Replacing the #Bills major free agent departures with a 2023 draft pick (via @jdiloro):

The Buffalo Bills saw several players move on to new destinations in free agency. It’s the natural price of business in the NFL, as the Bills needed to prioritize their signings with the team feeling the pressure of the salary cap.

The biggest hole on the Bills roster comes with the exit of linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. Edmunds was a marquee signing for the Chicago Bears this offseason, inking a four-year, $72 million deal.

Buffalo also declined to re-sign Devin Singletary, who held onto the top running back spot on the depth chart for multiple seasons.

The Bills \saw several complementary pieces leave, including Isaiah McKenzie, Jaquan Johnson, Jamison Crowder, and Case Keenum.

Buffalo can fill some of these voids with economical draft selections.

NOTE: It’s easy to fill every position with available first-round talent. However, that’s quite unrealistic. Thus, this activity attempts to fill roster spots with prospects who could be available at various points throughout the draft.

In addition, this list will focus on players who have signed with other teams. Current free agents still have a chance at returning to Buffalo, so they are committed from this list.

Vikings 2023 7 round mock draft 10.0: Defense first, QB later

In the latest seven-round NFL mock draft, the Minnesota Vikings go defense-heavy, including with their first two picks.

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 nine mock drafts for the Vikings this offseason and they all have taken a slightly different turn each time. This one has the Vikings focusing on defense before finishing on offense.

Mock draft 1.0
Mock draft 2.0
Mock draft 3.0
Mock draft 4.0
Mock draft 5.0
Mock draft 6.0
Mock draft 7.0
Mock draft 8.0
Mock draft 9.0

2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: WR Tank Dell, Houston

Tank Dell proves big plays can come in small packages.

Houston Cougars wide receiver Nathaniel “Tank” Dell has taken a twisting and turning path to the 2023 NFL Draft both on and off the field. The electric pass catcher is among the smallest big-play options available, a factor making his draft stock and landing spot tough to pin down.

In 2018, Dell attended Alabama A&M after a three-star prep rating coming out of the state of Florida. He redshirted after four games (12-364-3) and then transferred to Independence Community College for the 2019 season before choosing Houston over several other FBS options.

Height: 5-foot-8 3/4
Weight: 165 pounds
40 time: 4.49 seconds

It didn’t take long for Dell to make his presence felt with the Cougars, scoring in his second game with the program. He finished the season with three scores over 29 grabs and flashed a hint of what was to come. The 2021 campaign put defenders on notice as he broke out in a big way, only to follow it up with an even stronger showing in 2022. Dell would be recognized with first-team All-AAC honors in consecutive years.

Table: Tank Dell stats (2018-22)

Year School Class G Receiving Rushing
Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD
2018 Alabama A&M rFr 4 12 364 30.3 3 2 -1 -0.5 0
*2020 Houston rSo 8 29 428 14.8 3 0.0 0 — 0
*2021 Houston rJr 14 90 1,329 14.8 12 1.0 5 5 0
*2022 Houston rSr 13 109 1,398 12.8 17 4.0 9 2.3 0

*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)

Pros

  • Extremely productive and can leave a mark without huge volume
  • Dangerous out of the slot but also works on the outside
  • Above-average long speed but has immediate access to elite burst within a 10-yard split to get a step on a defensive back
  • Offers utility for gadget plays
  • Unafraid to mix it up in traffic
  • Excellent feel for intermediate routes and rarely tips off his intentions
  • Comes out of breaks crisply and uncovers with ease
  • Can fit just about any NFL offensive style but is built for a spread design
  • Doesn’t waste much motion getting up the field after the catch — while he’s plenty capable of juking defenders, Dell isn’t the jitterbug type we typically see from players of his size
  • Tracks the ball well and makes necessary adjustments
  • Can attack from all three levels of the route tree
  • Special teams experience as both a kickoff and punt returner

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Cons

  • Thin build will open him up to increased injury risk and can make him easier to jam at the line
  • Will be 24 years old as a rookie
  • Physical stature limitations will hinder his effectiveness in some situations — small catch radius, not a serious threat for 50/50 balls, etc.
  • His hands aren’t exactly a liability but there are enough examples of him having the ball knocked free in traffic before he can secure a reception. Pro Football Forecast attributes 21 drops to Dell over the last two seasons, albeit over a whopping 290 targets (7% drop rate).
  • Offers almost nothing as a blocker

Fantasy football outlook

Dell isn’t as fast as DeSean Jackson or Hollywood Brown, but he’s a precise route runner who plays with an attitude and will come to an NFL team at a much cheaper price tag. He’s a likely Day 3 selection, probably going between the middle of Round 4 to the end of the fifth.

His Year 1 fantasy appeal should be limited to daily action or as a flier in deep setups. Over the long haul, Dell has WR2 fantasy potential but has a shorter career trajectory given his advanced age for a rookie.

Breaking down The Athletic’s 3-round mock draft for Colts

A quick breakdown of The Athletic’s latest three-round mock draft for the Colts.

It’s mock draft season as the 2023 NFL draft is just a few weeks away, which means the projections are coming out when it comes to which prospects the Indianapolis Colts might select.

While it can get monotonous seeing the same names projected to the Colts throughout the mock draft season, most of the time there’s a reason for that.

In the latest three-round mock draft from The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner, the typical selection was made at in the first round with the Colts. However, there was an interesting twist in Rounds 2 and 3.

Here’s a quick breakdown of that mock draft for the Colts:

5 wide receivers to watch for Colts at 2023 NFL combine

Here’s a look at 5 WRs to watch for the Colts at the NFL combine.

All indications are that the Indianapolis Colts will likely draft a quarterback in April.

To be successful, the team must continue to put pieces around him, particularly depth at the receiver spot. While the team may re-sign veteran Parris Campbell, the talent beyond Campbell, Pierce, and Pittman Jr. is scarce.

Adding additional help is feasible and could go a long way for an offense that struggled. Fortunately, there appear to be some intriguing options in the 2023 NFL draft.

Here are five wide receivers the Colts should keep an eye on at the NFL Scouting Combine this weekend:

10 offensive players to watch at the NFL Scouting Combine

With the NFL Scouting Combine this weekend, these 10 offensive players will be ones to keep an eye on

The Minnesota Vikings will be well represented at the NFL Scouting Combine this year. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell will both be there along with speaking to the media.

While they are down there, it’s all about information gathering. From the interviews to the on-field drills and tampering, they will be spending a lot of time trying to understand where the markets are at for multiple players.

The Vikings will be looking at both offensive and defensive players at all levels of the draft but this piece is all about offense. Here are 15 offensive players to watch for this week at the scouting combine.