Tag: positional rankings

NFL holds Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson in high regard

ESPN has been rolling out positional rankings for the past week and the latest is one that shows what the NFL thinks of T.J. Hockenson.

ESPN has been rolling out positional rankings for the past week and the latest is one that shows what the NFL thinks of T.J. Hockenson. The former Detroit Lions came to Minnesota in a trade back in 2022 and has since carved out a dynamic role within Kevin O’Connell’s offense.

That role he has is recognized league wide as the fifth-best tight end in the NFL, according to a poll from ESPN. Within the piece compiled by Jeremy Fowler, he quotes one offensive coordinator who explains what sets Hockenson apart from others.

“His zone instincts are elite, the ability to manipulate areas and get friendly to the QB, his ability to win on choice routes in level two and create leverage vs. linebackers or defensive backs. . .”

Hockenson was able to do that and more before he was injured on Christmas Eve against the Detriot Lions. There have been reports that he could start the season on the PUP list which would ironically have him set to return against the Lions at the earliest.

So far in his Vikings career, Hockenson 155 receptions, 1,479 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns through two seasons.

2024 NFL Draft Offensive Tackle top 5 rankings 1.0

2024 NFL Draft Offensive Tackle top 5 rankings 1.0 from Draft Wire’s Natalie Miller

The offensive tackle position has continued to be one of the highest sought after year after year. It’s important for any NFL team to protect their quarterback from ferocious edge rushers and keep them upright.

This years group of tackles is as deep as we have seen it in the last few years. Let’s take a look at the top five players of that group before we get to pre-draft process.

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Chiefs Patrick Mahomes ranks second on Nick Shook’s list of top NFL QBs

Patrick Mahomes ranked second on Nick Shook’s list of top NFL QBs after the #Chiefs’ Week 9 win over the #Dolphins in Frankfurt, Germany.

Though many pundits have noted that the 2023 season has been a difficult affair for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the reigning MVP still managed to take second place in NFL.com writer Nick Shook’s position rankings this week.

Every week brings a new challenge for the Chiefs, who have had a target on their backs during the 2023 season as the defending Super Bowl champions.
Mahomes and Kansas City’s offense faltered early in their 2023 campaign, but have recently shown flashes of the same dominance that came to define the unit’s herculean efforts in previous seasons.
A Week 11 win against the Philadelphia Eagles would almost certainly earn Mahomes the top spot on Shook’s rankings. Expect the reigning MVP to do his part to earn the Chiefs their eighth win of the season in the highly-anticipated Super Bowl LVII matchup on Monday Night Football in Kansas City’s next game on November 20 at Arrowhead Stadium.
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2024 NFL draft: Preseason EDGE watch list and early rankings

2024 NFL draft: Preseason EDGE watch list and early rankings from Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon

The EDGE moniker is a relatively recent name, but EDGE players have been around for a long time. It’s essentially a mix of outside linebackers and defensive ends who have the primary task of rushing the passer. Sometimes they’re stand-up OLB types (think Von Miller), while others are hand-in-dirt ends (think Myles Garrett).

It’s a position where collegiate production is important but athletic upside matters quite a bit, perhaps more than any other spot. The early evaluation of this EDGE class shows a couple of high-end prospects and then a group that is variable based on team/scheme preferences; the No. 3 here might not be in the top 8 for a team that doesn’t run the particular type of scheme that he best fits.

These are very fluid rankings. In general, these are early impressions about the NFL potential of players who still have a considerable amount of football to play before they’re drafted. Some underclassmen are included here strictly as mentions; it is not meant to advocate for a player to leave early.

After watching enough to get a baseline feel for the players, here is an early listing and my preliminary ranking for the EDGEs in the NFL draft class of 2024.

2024 NFL draft: Preseason OT watch list and early rankings

2024 NFL draft: Preseason CB watch list and early rankings

2024 NFL draft: Preseason QB watch list and early rankings

2024 NFL draft: Preseason RB watch list and early rankings

2024 NFL draft: Preseason WR watch list and early rankings

PFF’s Trevor Sikkema ranks Nick Chubb as the league’s best RB

Nick Chubb has been a model of consistency in recent seasons, with one analyst at PFF pegging him as the league’s best running back

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It’s hard to argue that Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb hasn’t been one of the league’s best players at his position since entering the league in 2018. One analyst, PFF’s Trevor Sikkema, placed Chubb as the best in class in his running back rankings ahead of the 2023 season.

“Chubb takes the top honor here for his consistency. He’s never posted a rushing grade below 80.0, and his most recent grade of 90.7 in 2022 was a career high. Along with being one of the most physically gifted backs, he regularly forces missed tackles at one of the highest rates in the NFL and ranks near the top in yards-per-carry average.”

So far Chubb hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down and his career average of 5.2 yards per carry is impressive. Cleveland’s offense will change this year and the team will likely throw the ball more, but that doesn’t mean that Chubb won’t play a huge part in the team’s success in 2023.

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SKOL Search: Forno’s 2022 NFL draft positional rankings

Forno’s top-five prospects at every position is here

We are just 10 days away from the NFL Draft and things are becoming more and more clear.

Throughout the process, there are many different directions you’ll see rankings go in across the industry. There are countless hours that go into compiling these rankings, and the final product is very rewarding.

Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder, as everyone sees and values traits differently.

Below are my positional rankings, which will not be the consensus, but that is ok. It’s about drawing your own conclusions based on what you see.

Mel Kiper’s 2022 NFL draft big board: Where Alabama players rank

Alabama players are all over Mel Kiper’s latest Big Board and positional rankings!

The 2021 college football season still has a few regular season games remaining, as well as the entire postseason; but it is never too early to be looking ahead to where today’s collegiate stars could land in the NFL draft.

ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper recently released his big board and positional rankings.

Out of his top-25 players, two currently reside in Tuscaloosa: 4. Evan Neal, OT and 11. Jameson Williams, WR.

Let’s dive in and see how Kiper ranked other draft-edible players within the respective positions.