Tag: Prospect Rankings

2024 NFL draft: Preseason WR watch list and early rankings

An early ranking of the receivers in the 2024 NFL draft class and WR watch list from Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon

Wide receiver is generally one of the deepest positions in every draft. It’s also one where players can rise quickly, notably underclassmen or transfers who benefit from better QB play or a more conducive scheme.

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.

With some feedback and info from a couple of team-employed NFL scouts and an active player agent, here is an early listing and my preliminary ranking for the wide receivers in the NFL draft class of 2024.

[lawrence-related id=646448]

 

The top-graded draft prospects at each position since 2004

Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon reveals his top-graded draft prospects at each position since 2004

On a recent radio appearance, I was asked an intriguing question.

“Who was the best prospect you’ve ever graded?”

I’ve been evaluating prospects and covering the NFL draft professionally since 2004, which meant the 2023 draft was my 20th. The question and the timeframe was a nice catalyst to go back and examine some of the older evaluations.

To answer the question directly, my highest-graded player ever was Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas in 2007. The grading scales and systems I use have changed over the years, but Thomas topped any iteration.

Here are the top-graded players from my evaluations at each position since the 2004 NFL draft.

2022 NFL draft: Chargers Wire’s top-10 positional rankings on defense

Seeking to shore up the defensive side of the ball, take a look at a handful of prospects who could be on the Chargers’ radar.

In Brandon Staley’s first year as head coach, the Chargers made the point to add pieces around Justin Herbert.

Now, after finishing 26th in defensive DVOA, Los Angeles will look to get the pieces to match Staley’s personnel for better results next season.

Luckily, the 2022 NFL draft offers plenty of star power and depth at multiple positions on defense.

To get you prepared for who the Bolts might target this upcoming April, here’s a look at my top-10 positional rankings.

Notre Dame Freshman Forwards Hoping for 2020 NHL Draft Selections

Tuesday and Wednesday will mark the achievement of a lifelong dream for many young hockey players. That dream is to be drafted by the NHL.

Tuesday and Wednesday will mark the achievement of a lifelong dream for many young hockey players. That dream is to be drafted by the NHL. This year’s draft could feature two Notre Dame freshman forwards. Landon Slaggert and Ryder Rolston are ranked 88th and 102nd, respectively, in the final North American Prospect Rankings.

Though neither player has appeared in a game for the Irish yet, hockey is rich in both of their families. Slaggert continues a Notre Dame tradition in his family, as his brother, Graham, is entering his junior season with the Irish, and his father, Andy, is an associate head coach who is in his 28th season with the program. Rolston’s father, Brian, began his 17-year NHL career by winning the Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 1995, which came after winning the 1992 national championship with Lake Superior State under Jeff Jackson.

Six drafted players currently are on Notre Dame’s roster. The all-time drafted player total for the Irish is 85. At least one current or former Irish player has been selected in the draft every year since 2004.

Notre Dame Commit Given a Fifth Star

In them, long-time Notre Dame commitment Tyler Buchner was awarded a fifth-star, making him one of their top-32 prospects in the 2021 recruiting class.

Star ratings in college football recruiting aren’t everything.  You hear the stories of JJ Watt not being a star recruit and he seems to have done alright in his football career.  There are plenty of others as well and each year walk-on players at almost every school make a difference.

That said, they’re certainly not a nothing, either.

247Sports determines their stars for players based off of essentially doing their own first round of a draft but instead for high school players in each class.  They give out 32 five-star statuses each season, one for each NFL team.

Now think of the NFL and if the New England Patriots or Kansas City Chiefs were getting more first round picks than anyone else every year.  It’s been hard enough to beat those two in recent years anyway, now just think how hard it’d be if they were bringing in more young talent than everyone else year in and year out.  That’s essentially what competing with the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and LSU has become.

Notre Dame did get good news in that department Wednesday though as 247Sports updated their rankings.  In them, long-time Notre Dame commitment Tyler Buchner was awarded a fifth-star, making him one of their top-32 prospects in the 2021 recruiting class.

Does it really matter for Notre Dame?  Not really, Buchner has been committed for over a year and doesn’t appear interested in re-opening that at all.  It will matter in terms of final team rankings but he’s still the same prospect he was two days ago, when he didn’t have the fifth star.

However, it’s still something worth celebrating for the future Notre Dame signal caller.  He’s had an incredible high school career already and now only more eyes will be on him during his senior year of high school.