Tag: Projection

ESPN gives the Saints microscopic odds of reaching the Super Bowl

ESPN gave the Saints microscopic odds of reaching the Super Bowl. After a 2-5 start, they’re long-shots to even make the playoffs:

This isn’t where you want to be in Week 8. ESPN’s Football Power Index gave the New Orleans Saints small odds of reaching the Super Bowl — less than 1%. After a 2-5 start, they’re long-shots to even make the playoffs by winning their own division.

Both the Atlanta Falcons (56% chance of winning the division) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (66%) are seen as more credible teams in the NFC South. The Saints (7%) are just barely keeping their heads above water, with the Carolina Panthers (less than 1%) already sinking.

It’s easy to see why they’re so down on the Saints. New Orleans hasn’t done anything well in their five-game losing streak. The defense Dennis Allen gave up can’t stop the run or keep points off the board, and their offense has run out of steam with so many starters and key contributors dealing with injuries.

Can they turn it around? It’s still looking like a favorable schedule, but at some point the Saints must win a game (and then a couple more). Teams that gave them trouble last year like the Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns have had their own issues. The Bucs and Falcons can be beaten. But can Allen string multiple wins together? We’ll have to see it to believe it.

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Saints pick Colorado superstar Travis Hunter in way-too-soon 2025 mock draft

Way-too-early mock drafts work better as a college football watch list than real predictions for the 2025 NFL draft. But the Saints made hay in this projection:

Way-too-early mock drafts are more useful as a college football watch list than real predictions, and with the 2024 NFL draft behind us a lot of attention is already turning to the 2025 NFL draft — premature as that may seem.

So who is being linked to the New Orleans Saints? We don’t even know where they’ll be picking, but using the latest Super Bowl odds for draft order has them at No. 9 overall. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler shared his one-year-away forecast, which has the Saints picking Colorado two-way superstar Travis Hunter:

Cornerback or wide receiver? Hunter is at his most dangerous with the ball in his hands, so there is a good chance we see him drafted for offense. He routinely turns short catches into long gains.

Hunter is one of the standouts for Deion Sanders’ program along with his son Shedeur Sanders, the team’s starting quarterback (who Brugler has being picked later in the first round next year). There aren’t many players like him who can play both wideout and corner at such a high level. Last year, Sanders recorded 592 snaps on defense and intercepted 3 passes, breaking up 5 more. He also logged 452 snaps on offense and caught 57 passes for 721 yards, scoring 5 touchdowns.

He would be a good get for the Saints no matter where he ultimately lines up, but they do have a greater need at receiver after investing so many resources in the secondary. Hunter is listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds which is comparable to Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, but his playmaking ability overrules any concerns about redundancy with comparable body types.

At the same time… if the Saints are picking high enough to get him next year, there’s a good chance it’s because Derek Carr wasn’t a good fit in Klint Kubiak’s offense, and the team’s season went in the tank because of it. Another talented receiver or corner would be great to have, but if the Saints are picking this high they should look to get a quarterback who can get them back to the playoffs.

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NFL Network draft expert releases final mock 2024 draft

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah projects four Alabama players to be selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft

The 2024 NFL draft is set to begin this evening, and it is certainly one of the more anticipated draft nights in recent memory. The draft will be headlined by quarterbacks with six guys projected to go in the first round, however, there will be a lot of other solid year-one players such as guys like Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers that will find new homes tonight.

Under the guidance of legendary head coach [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag], the Alabama Crimson Tide have dominated the NFL draft, especially the first round. With Saban retiring earlier this off-season, it will be his final batch of NFL-produced players. It was a good group to end on as they sent the GOAT off with an SEC Championship and Rose Bowl appearance.

Secrets are kept so deeply under wraps that it is hard to know what teams are truly thinking. Still, Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network confidently projects four Crimson Tide players to hear their names taken tonight in the first round with J.C. Latham, Dallas Turner, Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry. Jeremiah expects Latham to be the first OT taken off the board as high as No. 5 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football players as the 2024 NFL draft gets started.

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 Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Two more former Wisconsin Badgers invited to NFL local prospect days

Will either of these former Wisconsin Badgers have NFL careers?

Former Wisconsin Badgers safety Travian Blaylock and cornerback Jason Maitre received invites to NFL local prospect days, Blaylock by the Green Bay Packers and Maitre by the New England Patriots, according to a report from KPRC’s Aaron Wilson.

The news comes on the heels of former Badgers outside linebacker C.J. Goetz also receiving an invitation to the Packers’ local prospect tryout.

Related: If Wisconsin decides to move on from Greg Gard, who could it target as its next head coach?

NFL teams’ local prospect days are designed for collegiate players who are not projected to be selected in the upcoming NFL Draft, and finished their careers somewhere near a team’s facilities. Blaylock’s career in Madison, Wisconsin is close to the Packers’ facilities in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Maitre, meanwhile, played five seasons at Boston College before transferring to Wisconsin — making the New England Patriots the closest NFL team.

Neither Blaylock nor Maitre were invited to the recent NFL Combine. Each participated in a pro day — Blaylock at Wisconsin and Maitre at Boston College. Both are projected to be signed as undrafted free agents.

These tryouts give each player a valuable chance to showcase their skills infront of interested NFL teams that are always searching for under-the-radar talent.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

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Former Wisconsin Badger one of the most athletic RB prospects in NFL Draft history

Former Wisconsin Badger one of the most athletic RB prospects in NFL Draft history

Former Wisconsin Badger and Louisville Cardinal Isaac Guerendo is one of the most athletic running back prospects in NFL Draft history.

His NFL combine and pro day testing led to a Raw Athletic Score of 9.97 (out of a possible 10.00). According to the creator of the metric, that number ranks No. 7 out of 1804 running back prospects from 1987 to 2024.

Those testing numbers include a 4.33-second 40-yard dash, 4.15-second shuttle, 6.94-second 3-cone drill, 41.5-inch vertical jump and 10’9″ broad jump.

Related: If Wisconsin decides to move on from Greg Gard, who could it target as its next head coach?

Guerendo finished his four-year Wisconsin career with 99 carries, 582 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He then excelled in his one year at Louisville, adding 132 carries for 810 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The electric running back is projected to be selected in the 4th or 5th round of the upcoming NFL Draft — though his athletic testing may raise that projection a bit.

 

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

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Pre-spring College Football Playoff tiers for the 2024 season

What are the chances Wisconsin makes the College Football Playoff in 2024?

The Wisconsin Badgers and head coach Luke Fickell enter the 2024 college football season needing to improve upon their disappointing 7-6 2023 campaign.

There is good news and bad news.

Related: Wisconsin football’s biggest questions entering spring practice

The good news: year two is often the time for improvement for new head coaches in college football. It means one more year to cater the roster to the specific systems on offense and defense, and another year of continuity on the coaching staff and the field. Also, the College Football Playoff now contains 12 teams.

The bad news: Wisconsin has one of college football’s toughest schedules in 2024. That, and the new era of the Big Ten sees those schedules get even tougher as the years continue.

Wisconsin’s chances at making the 2024 CFP are interesting. A stellar season is required, though a 10-2 or 9-3 record may get the job done.

Looking ahead to the season, we’ve already ranked all 18 programs in the Big Ten, ranked the 18 starting quarterbacks, ranked all 18 head coaches, predicted each Big Ten team’s 2024 record and checked in on the Las Vegas win totals for each team in the conference.

Now, here are our pre-spring College Football Playoff tiers:

NFL draft projections for Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen and other top running backs

NFL Draft projections for Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen and other top running backs

The countdown has begun for the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit, Michigan.

The headlines are easy to follow this year:

  • Will quarterback Caleb Williams go No. 1 to the Chicago Bears?
  • In what order will QBs Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr. be selected?
  • How much of a gap is there between wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and the rest of the wide receiver class?

There are many more, but those are the biggest talking points.

Related: Which Big Ten football team has the toughest conference schedule in 2024?

Only a few former Wisconsin Badgers accepted NFL combine invitations this year: running back Braelon Allen, offensive lineman Tanor Bortolini and linebacker Maema Njongmeta. Others will  showcase their skills at Wisconsin’s pro day in March, but Allen and Bortolini appear to have the best chance to be drafted at this stage of the process.

Speaking of Allen, the 33rd Team on X posted its top five running backs in the 2024 NFL draft. The decorated Wisconsin Badger made the cut.

Here are the top five running backs, plus where consensus projects them each to be selected:

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Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

5 early predictions on the 2024 NFL draft after Super Bowl weekend

Early predictions for the top pick, QB order, a glut of OL, the biggest faller and most surprising first-rounder

The 2023 season ended with Kansas City’s overtime win in Super Bowl XVIII over the San Francisco 49ers. That means it’s now officially 2024 NFL draft season!

It’s still early in the process, with the combine, pro days and private interviews all still to come. But as draft season kicks off in earnest, there are a few projections and concepts that feel pretty reliable. From what happens with the first pick to who might fall the farthest from recent first-round mocks, here are a few early shots at predicting what will happen in April in Detroit.

Wisconsin offensive lineman has social media impressed with Reese’s Senior Bowl performance

A former Badger OL is turning some heads in Mobile, Alabama:

Former Wisconsin offensive lineman Tanor Bortolini is off to a strong start at Reese’s Senior Bowl practice.

The multi-year starter brings impressive versatility to the collegiate all-star game, and will eventually to the NFL. He started games at left guard, right guard and center in 2022 before being the team’s full-time center in 2023.

He is one of two former Badgers in attendance at the Senior Bowl this week, joining long-snapper Peter Bowden.

Related: Wisconsin football social media is not happy about Alex Grinch being named Badgers’ co-DC

Bortolini is currently projected to be a Day 2/Day 3 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Though if his performance at the Senior Bowl is any indication, that stock could be on the rise.

Here are first-hand accounts from many at the practices:

2024 NFL mock draft ahead of the regular season finale

Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon posts the final 2024 NFL draft projections from the 2023 regular season

Week 18 has arrived across the NFL. For some teams, it’s the end of the line for the 2023 season and the unofficial kickoff of the offseason. Others are fighting for playoff berths or seedings and won’t go into offseason mode for at least another week.

Either way, we’ve got some help on the way for all 32 teams in the latest 1-round 2024 NFL mock draft projections.

The draft order is the actual NFL standings and slotting entering the Week 18 action. No trades in this one. As always, projections at this time of the year are about ideas and concepts, not steadfast predictions; we haven’t seen all of the upcoming head coaching and GM changes that are bound to come, after all.