Giants pass on quarterbacks in latest 7-round mock from PFF

In the latest seven-round mock draft from PFF, the New York Giants pass on quarterbacks entirely in favor of bolstering their roster.

The 2024 NFL draft is exactly a week away and, yes we know, you are weary of mock drafts, but let us hit you with one more — a seven-round mock from the folks at Pro Football Focus.

In this mock, the New York Giants do not make any moves — up or back — pass on a quarterback and select who many believe could be the best player in this draft class in LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in Round 1.

Nabers’ movement skills are rare, even at the NFL level. His ability to change direction yet continue to accelerate makes him an open-target specialist in the slot and on the outside. He has the kind of athleticism that demands a defense to know where he is at all times as a future WR1.

In the second round, at No. 47 overall, the Giants fortify their already solid front seven with Florida State defensive lineman Braden Fiske.

Fiske’s measurements are not ideal, but he has an NFL-level football IQ and pass-rush quickness to be a potential impact player as a 4-3 defensive tackle, even with some run-defense deficiencies.

In Round 3, the Giants select Oregon cornerback Khyree Jackson with the 70th overall pick. It is a position of utmost need this offseason.

Jackson is an alluring prospect because his combination of size and athleticism doesn’t come around often. However, he must anticipate routes better and not rely on his recovery speed as much. If he can do this, he can be a starting-caliber cornerback in the NFL with a shutdown skill set.

On Day 3, the Giants add a running back (USC’s MarShawn Lloyd), another cornerback in Nehemiah Pritchett of Auburn, and an offensive tackle, Louisiana’s Nathan Thomas.

PFF grades this draft an A. In reviewing the draft, the Giants get themselves a much-needed offensive weapon and stud in Nabers and bolster their roster with the other five picks.

Of course, we don’t know who they passed on in favor of this group, but this effort appears to be pretty much what many experts are expecting from general manager Joe Schoen come next week in Detroit.

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Keionte Scott elected to stay at Auburn, and Wesley McGriff deserves the credit

Scott flirted with the transfer portal in January, but returns to bring experience to a depleted Auburn secondary.

Auburn’s secondary is one of the least experienced units on the defensive side of the ball, so it needs as much leadership as possible.

After the departures of [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag], [autotag]DJ James[/autotag], and [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag], who declared for the NFL draft, Auburn needed a player like [autotag]Keionte Scott [/autotag]in-house to provide leadership and experience to the unit. Earlier this week, Scott revealed that he almost left the program, which would have for sure delivered a blow to Auburn’s defense.

Scott entered the transfer portal for a short time in January before pulling his name out of consideration just two days later. What sparked his return? The return of defensive backs coach [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag]. McGriff took a step back from his on-field duties last October before leaving the program to join Mike Elko’s staff at Texas A&M. The deal with Texas A&M fell through, which led him back to Auburn.

Scott says a brief chat with McGriff made the difference.

“We talked a lot throughout the process and stuff like that,” Scott said. He was able to still mentor me through the process of everything. So ultimately having him come back, that was a plus.”

Scott, who will move to cornerback this season, says that the prospective of playing in new defensive coordinator [autotag]DJ Durkin[/autotag]’s defense, and staying at a place he loves in Auburn, also played a role in his decision to stay.

Scott enters the 2024 season with 72 total tackles, an interception, and four pass deflections. He has also returned 29 punts in two seasons on the Plains for 356 yards and a touchdown.

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Lions to host Auburn CB on a pre-draft visit

The Lions previously met with Pritchett, one of the fastest players in the draft, during Senior Bowl week

With the pro day circuit starting to wind down, the Detroit Lions are starting to get more active on the pre-draft visit front. Another one of the 30 official pre-draft visits is set for Auburn CB Nehemiah Pritchett.

Per Justin Melo of The Draft Network, Pritchett revealed that he has so-called “top-30” visits set up with the Lions and also the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals. It will be the second meeting with the Lions for Pritchett, who also met with the Lions during Senior Bowl week.

Pritchett is a 6-foot, 190-pound corner known for his speed. One of three Auburn DBs who project to be drafted between the 3rd and 5th rounds in the 2024 NFL draft, Pritchett primarily played outside for the Tigers. He’s got multiple 40-yard dash runs in the 4.35 range. In nine games in 2023, Pritchett logged 18 total tackles and one INT.

Photos: The best images from Auburn’s 2024 Pro Day

A total of 17 players participated in front of scouts from 31 NFL franchises on Friday.

The NFL draft is next month, and several Auburn players had the chance to make one final impression in front of NFL scouts at Friday’s Pro Day at the Woltosz Football Performance Center at Auburn University.

Auburn’s Pro Day had 17 participants including [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag], [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag], [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag], and [autotag]Elijah McAllister[/autotag]. Several highlights from Friday’s workout include Marcus Harris’ 34 bench press reps, Jaylin Simpson’s 40-inch vertical, and [autotag]Nick Mardner[/autotag]’s 4.52 40-yard dash.

Here are some of the best images from Auburn’s Pro Day workout courtesy of Jake Crandall of The Montgomery Advertiser.

Photos: Auburn’s 2024 NFL scouting combine participants

Simpson and Pritchett are two of five Tigers who have spent the last week showcasing their talents in Indianapolis.

Many prospects flocked to Indianapolis, Indiana last week to participate in the NFL scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, including five former Auburn Tigers.

Defensive backs [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag], [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag], and [autotag]DJ James[/autotag] joined defensive linemen [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag] and [autotag]Justin Rogers[/autotag] by competing in several drills and interviews throughout the week.

James, Simpson, and Pritchett caught the attention of many this week due to their speed while Rogers and Harris showcased their strengths.

Here is a look back at Auburn’s week at the NFL scouting combine,

Five Tigers receive invites to NFL Combine

Four Auburn seniors and one junior defensive lineman have been invited to compete in the upcoming NFL Combine.

Five Auburn Tigers have received an invitation to the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Defensive backs [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag], [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag] along with defensive linemen [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag] and [autotag]Justin Rogers[/autotag] will perform in front of NFL scouts and coaches during the final week of February.

The senior Harris and junior Rogers will compete with other defensive linemen and linebackers in individual drills on Thursday, February 29, while the trio of senior defensive backs will take the field a day later on Friday, March 1.

Harris and Simpson were the clear stars of a solid Auburn defense last season and could play their way into the early Day 2 conversation, while DJ James seems like a lock to be drafted sometime between the third and fourth rounds.

Senior [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] should be a lock for the third or fourth round as well, although his injury history could sway some teams in other directions.

Auburn’s most intriguing prospect is junior Justin Rogers. The Kentucky transfer collected 17 tackles and 1 sack in his lone year on the Plains but profiles as a late 5th-round pick because of his large 6-foot-3, 346-pound frame and quickness from the interior line.

If all five Tigers competing in the combine get drafted, it would tie the 2023s class as the most Auburn alumni picked in the draft since 2020.

There is a possibility that non-combine invitees [autotag]Jayson Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Zykeivous Walker[/autotag] hear their names called on Day three as well. If that were the case, Auburn’s seven draft day selections would be the most since 1989.

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Photo Gallery: Former Tigers compete in Senior Bowl workouts

Five former Tigers, including ex-quarterback Bo Nix, are showing out in Mobile this week.

The 2024 Senior Bowl will commence this Saturday, and five former Tigers have shown out this week in preparation.

Auburn will be well-represented in this season’s postseason All-Star game. Defensive backs [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag], [autotag]DJ James[/autotag], and [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag], as well as defensive lineman [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag], are all in Mobile set to showcase their skills in front of NFL scouts in hopes of earning a high draft grade.

Former Auburn quarterback turned Oregon Duck [autotag]Bo Nix[/autotag] is also at the Senior Bowl and is the top quarterback to watch at the Senior Bowl according to Pro Football Focus.

Here are the best images from Auburn’s representatives at the Senior Bowl in Mobile.

Former Alabama defensive back Antonio Kite transfers to Auburn

Former Alabama defensive back Antonio Kite transfers to Auburn

For just the second time in the modern football era, a former Alabama recruit has transferred to become an Auburn Tiger.

Former four-star cornerback Antonio Kite announced his intention to sign with Auburn on Wednesday, giving the Tigers immediate help in a depleted defensive secondary set to lose [autotag]D.J, James[/autotag], [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag], [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag] and others.

An Anniston, AL native, Kite joined more than 20 of his teammates when he entered the transfer portal after Nick Saban announced his retirement.

The defensive back played sparingly during his time in Tuscaloosa but still has three years of eligibility remaining. His playing time should increase immediately with [autotag]Kionte Scott[/autotag], [autotag]Kayin Lee,[/autotag] and Texas transfer [autotag]Jerrin Thompson[/autotag] listed as the only likely starters.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 182 pounds, Kite could be a candidate to fill a nickel-back role if the Tigers decide to move the aforementioned Scott to the outside in 2024.

If anything, Auburn’s newest addition provides depth and youth in a secondary desperately needing a rejuvenation.

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Auburn adds former Texas safety Jerrin Thompson from transfer portal

Thompson recorded 105 tackles and five interceptions in four seasons with the Longhorns.

Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] needs to replenish his defensive backfield, and is on the right track to doing so by adding an experienced safety from the transfer portal.

Former Texas safety [autotag]Jerrin Thompson[/autotag] paid a visit to Auburn over the weekend, and ended the trip by pledging his commitment to Freeze and the Tigers.

Thompson has been a vital part to the Longhorns’ secondary over the last four seasons, and he has played in 48 games since arriving to Austin in 2020. In four seasons, he has recorded 105 total tackles and has picked off five passes. He has recorded at least 14 tackles in every season that he has played, and made a career-high 83 stops in 2022. Last season, he made just 38 tackles, but pulled in a career-high three interceptions. One of those interceptions was returned for a touchdown.

In his most recent game, Thompson made three tackles in Texas’ 37-31 loss to Washington in the Sugar Bowl, which was a College Football Playoff semi-final game. In the Longhorns’ 34-24 win over Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sept. 9, he made four stops and recorded and interception.

Thompson ranks No. 9 in Texas’ defensive grades from Pro Football Focus with a 73.1. His strong suit is pass coverage, which he graded out at 77.1, third-highest among Longhorn defenders. Opposing receivers hauled in 58.1% of passes when guarded by Thompson, or 18-of-31. He would also break up five passes.

The Tigers will lose plenty of experience from its defensive backfield in the likes of [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag], [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag], and [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag]. The defense does however return [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag], [autotag]Caleb Wooden[/autotag], and [autotag]Kayin Lee[/autotag]. Adding Thompson to complement Wooden at safety will be a great addition.

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Texas DB Jerrin Thompson to visit Auburn

The former Longhorn recorded 38 total tackles and three interceptions during the 2023 season.

Following the departures of [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag], [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag], and [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag], the Auburn secondary will be seriously depleted of experience ahead of the 2024 season.

The Auburn coaching staff is looking to solve that issue by hosting a defensive back with four seasons of experience this weekend.

According to a report by Jeffrey Lee of Auburn Live, former Texas defensive back [autotag]Jerrin Thompson[/autotag] is set to pay a visit to Auburn on Friday. Thompson was one of Texas’ most productive defensive backs over the last four seasons by totaling 175 tackles, four interceptions, and 18 pass deflections.

Thompson’s most productive season was in 2022 as a junior. The safety recorded 82 total tackles with seven pass deflections and and interception. However, he was a threat to opposing passing games in 2023. He picked off a career-high three passes last season, which included a pick-six in the Longhorns’ 31-10 win over Wyoming on Sept. 16.

In Texas’ College Football Playoff semi-final loss to Washington on New Year’s Day at the Sugar Bowl, Thompson made three stops.

Auburn has landed seven roster additions from the transfer portal since the first window opened on Dec. 2, 2023. Among those is Thompson’s teammate at Texas, defensive lineman [autotag]Trill Carter[/autotag].

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