Tag: position rankings

Where does Phil Steele rank Alabama’s secondary ahead of 2024 season?

Alabama football lost a lot of talent in the secondary but Phil Steele remains confident in Malachi Moore and company!

In one week SEC football head coaches and some of the conference’s top players will make the trip to Dallas, Texas for the 2024 SEC media day. All eyes and ears will be on Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide football program with the post-[autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] era officially underway.

One question that is certain to be asked is what Coach DeBoer and his staff will do to replace the elite talent lost in the secondary from last season. The cornerback duo of Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold are now in the NFL and freshman phenom Caleb Downs opted to transfer to the Ohio State Buckeyes.

According to Phil Steele, Alabama doesn’t have much to worry about in the backend of the defense. In his preseason position rankings, Steele ranked the Crimson Tide secondary as the 10th best in the country and third in the SEC behind the Georgia Bulldogs and the Oklahoma Sooners.

While it’s true that Alabama lost plenty of star power, the Crimson Tide did a good job of replenishing its talent pool both from the high school ranks and the transfer portal.

Veteran Malachi Moore returns to lead the secondary for Alabama. The portal additions of Domani Jackson from the USC Trojans, Keon Sabb from the Michigan Wolverines, and DaShawn Jones from Wake Forest will provide the Tide with more experience entering the 2024 season.

Alabama also has a trio of five-star freshmen defensive backs who could push for playing time as well with Zabien Brown, Zay Mincey, and Jaylen Mbakwe.

Talent and experience were certainly lost in the Alabama secondary but both Coach Saban and Coach DeBeor did a fantastic job of reloading the Crimson Tide roster.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

Patrick Mahomes ranks as PFF’s top starting QB heading into 2024 season

According to Pro Football Focus, Patrick Mahomes is the NFL’s top QB heading into the 2024 season.

The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to be one of the NFL’s top teams in 2024, and Patrick Mahomes figures to play a key part in the reigning champions’ fight for a Super Bowl three-peat.

Though the first game of the regular season, featuring the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium against the Baltimore Ravens, is still months away, the hype behind Mahomes’ 2024 campaign is already starting to build.

Pro Football Focus recently ranked Mahomes as the No. 1 starting quarterback in the NFL, establishing the high expectations that he and the rest of Kansas City’s players will aim to live up to next season.

With organized team activities set to continue this week, the Chiefs’ preparations for a title defense are officially underway.

In practices at the team’s facilities in Kansas City, Mahomes and Andy Reid are scheming up a new-look offense featuring some of the fastest receivers in the NFL, which will captivate fans throughout the 2024 season.

D1Baseball ranks Florida SS Josh Rivera No. 2 in college baseball

Josh Rivera’s decision to return to Florida for another year might have been the smartest of his entire career. He’s now ranked among the top shortstop in all of baseball.

The biggest surprise of Florida’s tremendous 2023 college baseball campaign has undoubtedly been the rise of shortstop [autotag]Josh Rivera[/autotag], who was pegged to be in the pros around this time last year.

Opting to return for a fourth season in Gainesville might have been the best decision of Rivera’s career so far. He’s hitting for both average (.402) and power (11 home runs), and is still just as slick with the glove as he’s always been. Oh yeah, he’s swiped eight bases too, which is on the higher end for college shortstops so far this season.

Another big improvement in Rivera’s game has been his eye. He’s walked 17 times this season, four more times than he’s struck out. MLB scouts are always looking for guys who get on base often, and limiting strikeouts is always a plus for a power hitter.

Rivera had transformed his draft stock in just about 100 at-bats. He’s now one of the top college shortstops in the upcoming draft class, ranked second on the year by D1Baseball behind projected top-five pick Jacob Wilson (Grand Canyon) and ahead of first-round talent Jacob Gonzalez (Ole Miss).

Rivera could very well hear his name called in the first few rounds of the draft over the summer, but he still has to finish out this campaign strong. If Rivera can maintain these numbers through April and into May, he’ll have a really good chance to finish the season as a top-three player at the position.

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Florida two-way star Jac Caglianone ranked nation’s top 1B

The legend of Jac Caglianone only continues to grow as the 2023 college baseball season continues, and now Florida’s first baseman is getting the national recognition he deserves.

The Florida Gators boast one of the best college baseball teams in the entire country, and at the heart of the lineup is none other than [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag].

Expectations were high for the two-way star as he entered his first full collegiate campaign after taking the first half of 2022 to heal from Tommy John surgery. Caglianone has yet to disappoint. He currently leads the nation with 17 home runs, is slashing .400/.462/.971 and is one of the first names mentioned whenever the Golden Spikes Award comes up.

For those reasons and many more, Jac Caglianone sits at the top of D1Baseball‘s positional rankings for first baseman after Week 6 of the season.

The best part about all of this is that he’s only a sophomore and won’t be eligible for the draft until next summer. That means the Gators get him for two whole seasons at 100% and that this could only be the beginning of one of the greatest runs in Orange and Blue of all time.

Perhaps that sounds like hyperbole, but it’s the truth. His 38 RBIs pace all first basemen as well, and the only area of his game that could use some work is drawing walks. Strikeouts aren’t a major issue because he hits the ball so often.

Caglianone’s crowning as the top first baseman in the country might have been a formality to some degree for D1Baseball, but now he has to stay on top, which can be much harder to accomplish.

An 0 for 11 run against Alabama showed that he is indeed human, but a four-homer weekend against Ole Miss suggests that he was just making some adjustments at the start of SEC play.

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ESPN poll results rank Marcus Williams ahead of Tyrann Mathieu, Marcus Maye

An ESPN poll of NFL players, coaches, scouts, and execs ranked Marcus Williams ahead of both Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye, via @DillySanders:

Faith in the New Orleans Saints replacement safety seems to low, around the league. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has been sharing a series of positional rankings decided on by votes from NFL executives, coaches, scouts, and players. There are a couple of rankings from the safeties ranking that Saints fans should take a look at.

First, Marcus Williams left the team in free agency earlier this year on a 5-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. Polling results ended up ranking him eighth-best in the league. Here is what was said about him:

“Once he gets going, he has the best range in the league,” an AFC defensive coach said. “Closing on the ball, he’s ridiculously good.”

“One of the better eye manipulators,” an NFL coordinator said. “He’s in a battle with the quarterback, and if you slip, he’s coming for the ball.”

An NFC exec added: “I see him at a good level, not elite. He played on a very good defense that put him in a position to succeed. He took advantage of the opportunities. But I don’t see the same instincts that you see in the top players.”

Williams is one of the best young safeties in the league, so it is no surprise to seem him listed higher than newcomers Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye, but what is surprising is that Mathieu was not rated in the top ten. He is a veteran who is extremely versatile, and is still one of the leagues best defensive playmakers. He did earn an honorable mention, where they said this:

“Sure, some voters saw some decline from Mathieu after nine postseasons in the league. But one member of a team’s personnel wonders if that’s overblown. “Who has better instincts than him?” the voter said. The Saints signed Mathieu to a three-year, $28.3 million contract this offseason.”

While I do believe that Maye was a good signing, I do not believe that him not being in either the top ten nor the honorable mentions is all that surprising or offensive. Still, that goes to show that things are changing at safety for New Orleans — and they may be taking a step back from the duo of Marcus Williams and Malcolm Jenkins, at least as far as the perception among their peers is concerned. Mathieu and Maye are a couple of accomplished veterans in their own right. Now they’ve got to go out and prove they’re just as capable as the players they’re replacing.

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NFL execs agree with Justin Jefferson, list Marshon Lattimore as league’s No. 2 corner

NFL execs agree with Justin Jefferson, list Marshon Lattimore as league’s No. 2 corner in ESPN poll, via @DillySanders:

To no surprise of anyone who regularly watches the New Orleans Saints, Marshon Lattimore is considered one of the top cornerbacks around the league. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN has been releasing a series of positional rankings decided on by votes from NFL executives, coaches, scouts, and players.

And they’re in agreement with highly-regarded Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who last week put Lattimore in the same conversation with Jalen Ramsey for the toughest opponents he’s seen since turning pro. The ESPN polling results had Ramsey at No. 1 and Lattimore at No. 2. Not bad company to be with.

I think it is fair to say that on any down, either are capable of being the best in the NFL. Lattimore has always been a player who plays up to his opponent, but not always consistently reaching that elite level. But anyone who can take out a teams best receiver completely out of the game should be given a ton of respect.

Here is what Fowler shared from conversations with figures around the NFL:

“He can really do it all,” said an AFC exec who voted Lattimore No. 1 overall. Fifteen of Lattimore’s pass deflections came in man coverage, which he plays a lot. He was known early in his career for getting up for matchups with top receivers and playing down to lesser talent, but some voters believed he improved his consistency last year.

“He got back closer to what he looked like [in his] first couple of years in the league,” an NFC defensive coach said. “Hit a turning point in the season where he was really at his best and it showed up. Physical and competitive, strong as hell.”

Added an AFC defensive coach: “He’s a guy you can ask to take away a top guy and he does it. One of the few players who can do that.”

His ranking at No. 2 puts him ahead of a ton of strong candidates such as Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers, Denzel Ward of the Cleveland Browns, and Marlon Humphrey of the Baltimore Ravens. The only other NFC South corner listed in the top 10 was the Atlanta Falcons’ A.J. Terrell. The Saints are putting a lot of pressure on their defense to win games for them in 2022, and it’s easy to see why they’ve got such strong confidence in the group — Lattimore is joined by teammates on these lists like Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis, and Tyrann Mathieu. We’ll see how it all comes together once training camp kicks off in just a few short weeks.

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DRAFT STOCK WATCH: Alabama WR Jameson Williams now in top-15 overall position

Jameson Williams continues to rise in the latest mock drafts!

Alabama has seen some excellent wide receiver talent come through the Crimson Tide program, which was then finely tuned at the hands of Nick Saban and his coaching staff, and then those stars were drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Jameson Williams may be the next example of why Alabama has become ‘WRU.’ He is in his first year with the program after transferring from Ohio State, where he spent his first two seasons.

In only one year with the Crimson Tide, Williams had tallied 68 receptions for 1,445 yards and 15 touchdowns. Oh, and he has at least one game left, potentially two.

With his success in 2021, Williams has shot up draft boards and mock drafts, while he was originally not even expected to enter the draft in 2022 because he really wasn’t on anyone’s radar.

Based on the latest mock drafts and data compiled by the Mock Draft Database, Williams is projected to go first round with the consensus landing spot being No. 13 to the New Orleans Saints.

Here are five recent mock drafts, which all have the star wide receiver landing within the top-15.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow 2022 draft-eligible Alabama players and update where they rank on recent draft boards and mock drafts.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

Ranking the AFC West: Defenses

Ranking the AFC West: Defenses

After having compiled all the scores and ranking the offenses in the AFC West, we move on to the defenses. And what we see is a near flip in terms of best and worst on offense.

1. Broncos

Best position groups: Edge rusher, linebacker, cornerback, safety

Ladies and gents, we have a near-clean sweep of defensive positions in which the Broncos take the top spot in this division. The only position they don’t top is interior defensive line and they’re second. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen that. None more dominating than their secondary which may be the best in the NFL. Standing out are stars Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, and Justin Simmons.

2. Chargers

Best position groups: Edge rusher, cornerback

While they don’t take the top spot with any position group. they are also not the worst in the division at any position. They also boast probably the division’s top individual edge rusher in Joey Bosa.

3. Chiefs

Best position groups: Defensive interior, safety

Leading the way on this Chiefs defensive is two-time Pro Bowler Chris Jones joined by outstanding nose tackle Derrick Nnadi. Jumping to the other side of the defense, they field three-time All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu. In between, it’s not so great with the Chiefs sitting in last place at edge rusher, linebacker, and cornerback. But DI and S are strong enough to keep them out of the cellar on defense.

4. Raiders

Best position group: Linebacker

Strange to think linebacker is the Raiders’ strongest position on defense. That’s partly on potential after a rough 2020 season. Their worst positions are defensive interior and safety. The IDL has Johnathan Hankins joined by a group of scrap heap flyers led by failed third overall pick Solomon Thomas.

Safety has two high picks starting in former first-round pick Johnathan Abram and rookie round two pick Trevon Moehrig. Abram in particular is in danger of losing his starting job if he can’t play more disciplined football.

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Ranking the AFC West: Offenses

Ranking the AFC West: Offenses

We’ve gone through each position group in the AFC West and ranked them. Now we compile some scores to rank each team’s offense. The list starts in a somewhat predictable place.

1. Chiefs

Best position groups: Quarterback, tight end, guard

First and foremost, the Chiefs have easily the best quarterback in the division in Patrick Mahomes. He has the league’s best tight end Travis Kelce and a couple of speed demons in Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman as targets. He also has the division’s best offensive line protecting for him. Far and away from the division’s top offense.

2. Chargers

Best position groups: Wide receiver, center

A budding star in QB Justin Herbert enters his second season fresh off running away with Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He has the division’s best wide receiver corps at his disposal led by Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and the division’s top center Corey Linsley snapping him the ball.

3. Raiders

Best position groups: Running back, tight end

The top weapon on this offense is tight end Darren Waller. While Kelce may be the top TE in the division, Waller is a close second, perhaps in the NFL overall. The Raiders also boast the division’s top rushing attack led by Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake.

Derek Carr takes a backseat to Mahomes and Herbert. Carr also has the division’s worst wide receiver corps and worst offensive line in front of him. Weird to not see the Raiders’ offensive line as tops in the division, but trading away Rodney Hudson and Gabe Jackson while starting a rookie at right tackle hurts their ranking.

4. Broncos

Best position group: Offensive tackle

Drew Lock is easily the division’s worst QB and one of the worst starting QB’s in the league. He brings down the overall talent of the offense considerably. Despite having the division’s second-best offensive line. They also boast the second-best rushing attack led by Melvin Gordon. But that isn’t enough to keep them out of the cellar on offense.

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Ranking the AFC West: Safety duos

Ranking the AFC West: Safety duos

Time to do the safety dance. Often times the last line of defense, but sometimes much more than that. There are some good ones in the AFC West. Who boasts the best duo? Let’s take a look.

1. Broncos

Starters: Kareem Jackson, Justin Simmons

It’s almost not even fair considering the Broncos already took the top spot at cornerback and now they do the same at safety. Their secondary is just that good. And as good as their cornerbacks are, their safeties are even better. Simmons had five picks last season, giving him 16 in his five-year career. This was a career high and it sent him to his first Pro Bowl.

Jackson is a 12-year veteran who is a converted cornerback. Even with just four pass breakups last season, he still averages double digits over the past four seasons.

2. Chiefs

Starters: Tyrann Mathieu, Juan Thornhill

Mathieu is the class of the division at the safety spot. He was named All-Pro last season with six picks and nine pass breakups. It was his third All-Pro nod and second in two seasons in KC. Thornhill isn’t nearly on that level, but he is a passable starter, giving up just 21 catches on 30 targets last season.

3. Chargers

Starters: Derwin James, Nasir Adderley

James was an All-Pro as a rookie. Since then he hasn’t been able to stay healthy. He was lost after five games in 2019 and missed all of last season to injury. If he can get healthy and stay healthy, he is a supreme talent. Adderley saw just 18 targets but gave up 14 catches on them. The other four consisted of an interception and three pass breakups.

4. Raiders

Starters: Johnathan Abram, Trevon Moehrig

Abram was a tremendous liability last season. He was freelancing and giving up big plays left and right while taking bad angles for missed tackles and racking up stupid penalties. If he can’t get it together, fourth-round rookie Tyree Gillespie could get a shot.

Speaking of rookies, Moehrig was the team’s pick at 43 overall. The Jim Thorpe Award winner was the consensus best DB in college football last year. He will step in from day one as the starting free safety.

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