Traditionally, I gather up notes that I took while watching college football games in the previous fall/winter and use them to make projections about the NFL Draft in the Spring. Family, social and travel events this year made it impossible for me to get that done prior to the Draft, so I am going to do it differently this time around. I will go through the draft as it actually happened and append any notes I have – – assuming I can decipher all of them.
Lest anyone is new to these sorts of things, let me lay out a bunch of disclaimers:
- This is my perception based on watching games on TV. I do not scout; I do not go to these games; I do not talk to coaches or players; I do not watch film 100 hours a week.
- My viewing habits/preferences are skewed. I watch a lot more games involving top teams from power conferences than I do involving lesser conferences and/or bad teams. That is my choice because my viewing is done mainly for pleasure and not for scouting.
- I live on the East Coast meaning I get to see eastern teams and midwestern teams a lot more conveniently than I do western teams. So, it there is a fantastic prospect at a western school in a minor conference, the odds are I have never seen him play football and that is why I have nothing to say about him.
- Because I know as I am looking at games on TV that I am not in any position to make broad comparisons among players around the country, my assessments of when and where players might be drafted will vary widely from reality. There will be about 250 – 275 players taken in this Draft; I will have no notes on at least 200 of them – – but I will probably have a note or two on someone I liked who never got drafted at all.
With those ground rules stated, let me get to the meat for today…
Trayvon Walker DE Georgia – – Overall #1: “Quick off the ball; lots of speed”. “[Georgia’s] defense is stacked so probably drafted later than others.”
Aidan Hutchinson DE Michigan – – Overall #2: “Good pass rusher and good run defender”. “Should go first round”
Derek Stingley, Jr. CB LSU – – Overall #3: “Good man-to-man cover corner” “very quick to react to pass to his side” “sure tackler”.
Evan Neal OT Alabama – – Overall #7: “Big man, strong man, quick on his feet” “good pass protector” “will go in first round”
Charles Cross OT Mississippi State – – Overall #9: “Very good pass blocker but MSU does not run the ball enough to know if he can block on runs very well”
Garrett Wilson WR Ohio State – – Overall #10: “Deep threat, good speed and hands”
Chris Olave WR Ohio State – – Overall #11: Deep threat” “think he is better than G. Wilson”.
- [Aside: Obviously, since the Jets took Wilson instead of Olave they disagree with my assessment. C’est la vie…]
Jameson Williams WR Alabama – – Overall #12: “Seems as if he is always open over the middle” “speed burner” “first round pick for sure”
Jordan Davis DT Georgia – – Overall #13: “Huge hominid” “run stopper” “screen graphic says 340 lbs.; must be before breakfast”.
Kyle Hamilton DB Notre Dame – – Overall #14: “Big, fast, good cover and good tackler” “top ten pick???”
Jahan Dotson WR Penn State – – Overall #16: “ Plenty of speed and good hands” “not very big so he might slip to mid-rounds”.
Kenny Pickett QB Pitt – – Overall #20: “Supposed to be one of the top QBs in the country. He’s good but no “wow factor” “maybe 2nd or 3rd round?”
- [Aside: Let the comparisons begin. Dan Marino also went to Pitt and slipped to the 27th pick in the 1983 draft… Welcome to the NFL, Kenny Pickett.]
Quay Walker LB Georgia – – Overall #22: “Does everything well – cover, rush passer, tackle” “good speed for his size” “should go early”
Devin Lloyd LB Utah – – Overall #27: “Screen graphic said 235 lbs. and he is fast!” “good in coverage too” “mid-round pick”.
Devonte Wyatt DT Georgia – – Overall #28: “Best player on best defense in the country” “lots to choose from on Ga’s defense but he would be first for me”.
- [Aside: Of course, the Packers had to take him; they traded away their player named Devante (Adams), so they needed to replenish their supply of Devontes.]
Kenneth Walker III RB Michigan State – – Overall #41: ‘Power runner with good speed” “fights for every yard” “mid-round pick?”
John Metchie WR Alabama – – Overall #44: “Not as good as [Jameson] Williams but fast and sure-handed” “mid-rounds” ‘not very big but jumps well to get ball”.
David Ojabo LB Michigan – – Overall #45: “Big and fast” “Power pass rusher” “hits hard” “first round pick”
- [Aside: He tore his Achilles tendon at a workout in March and still went in the middle of the second round.]
Joshua Ezeudu OT UNC – – Overall #67: “Big strong and good pass blocker”
Nakobe Dean LB Georgia – – Overall #83: “Not real big but really fast” “sure tackler” “vintage sideline-to-sideline guy”
- [Aside: He was not the best player on the Georgia defense by any means, but how did he last this long in the Draft?]
DeMarvin Leal DT Texas A&M – – Overall #84: “Small for a DT but plenty of speed and agility” “sure tackler” “mid-round pick?”
Malik Willis QB Liberty – – Overall #86: “Great running QB skills” “pass accuracy is unimpressive but arm is strong” “long-term project for the NFL”
- [Aside: These notes come from watching some of the Senior Bowl game. I did not see Liberty play in the regular season]
Rachaad White RB Arizona State – – Overall #91: “Really good in open field – makes guys miss” “good in passing game” “late round pick”
Matt Corral QB Ole Miss – – Overall #94: “Aggressive runner – not a good QB style in the NFL” “not a big arm but accurate throws” “needs development”
Logan Bruss OG Wisconsin – – Overall #104: “Good run blocking – – not as good pass blocking” “late round project”
Danniel Faalele OT Minnesota – – Overall #110: “Huge guy; can’t miss him” “screen graphic says 6’ 9” and 380 lbs.” “believe it or not, he is faster than a fire hydrant” “late round pick”
Isaiah Spiller RB Texas A&M – – Overall #123: “Good size and agility” “runs hard” “late rounds”
Jordan Stout K Penn State – – Overall #130: “Booming punts that are high and long” “kickoffs reach end zone” “kickers/punters go in the 6th or 7th round”
- [Aside: Jordan Stout went in the 4th round to the Ravens.]
Hassan Haskins RB Michigan – – Overall #131: “Big tough bruising runner” “very good pass blocker” “good not great speed”
Zach Tom OT Wake Forest – – Overall #140: “Big and quick” “good pass blocker/ decent run blocker” “late rounds”
Sam Howell QB UNC – – Overall # 144: “Excellent runner in an RPO offense” “not a big arm but good accuracy” “worth a pick mid-round” “long slow pass release on deep throws”
Otito Ogbonnio DT UCLA – – Overall $160: “Good size, good run defender, mediocre pass rush” “late rounds”
Ko Kieft TE Minnesota – – Overall #218: “Big man; not fast but good hands and can get yards after catch” “lined up next to Faalele [see above] they block out the sun”
Tariq Castro-Fields CB Penn State – – Overall #221: “Good speed; good cover guy” “comes up to play the run well” “not as tall as other DBs” “2nd or 3rd round?”
Jesse Luketa LB Penn State – – Overall #256: “Big and powerful; hard hitter” “not super-fast but usually around the ball” “good pass rush from inside” “3rd round”
Now for some notes on players who I thought could be drafted but who were not. I will list these folks alphabetically lest anyone think I am prioritizing them:
Chase Allen TE Iowa State: “Big target and good hands” “not lots of speed” decent blocker” “take late rounds”
Bubba Bolden S Miami: “Big hitter but not good tackler” “late rounds”
Trevon Bradford WR Oregon State: “Small and fast” “good jump to get high passes” “cannot or will not block”
Ellis Brooks LB Penn State: “Not very big but always around the ball” “good tackler” “mid-rounds”
Malachi Carter WR Georgia Tech: “Big, tall guy with good hands” “not a lot of speed – possession receiver”
Cameron Dicker K Texas: “Draft him so local writer can make reference to ‘Dicker the Kicker’”
Dontario Drummond WR Ole Miss: “Big possession receiver” Sure hands and gains yards after being hit” “not big enough to be a tight end”
Jerrion Ealy RB Ole Miss: “Little guy who is both quick and fast” “good hands – third down back?”
Jeremiah Hall RB Oklahoma: “Big power runner” “good hands” “decent pass blocker” “mid rounds”
Smoke Monday CB Auburn: “Good size and strength” excellent run defender/tackler” “got beat deep a couple times” “love the name”
CJ Morgan DB Mississippi State: “Good size; sure tackler” “fast enough to play safety”
Jayden Peevy DT Texas A&M: “Good interior pass rush” “strong against run” “mid-rounds”
Mike Rose LB Iowa State: “”Big and strong” “good run defender” “inside pass rush” “not real fast”
Carson Strong QB Nevada: “Lots of hype on him being this year’s Josh Allen” “big arm like Allen but not very accurate” “big and strong but not quick or fast” “mid-rounds maybe?”
- [Aside: This is from watching the Senior Bowl game; I did not see Nevada play last year.]
- [Another aside: The Eagles signed Carson Strong to a free agent contract so Jalen Hurts gets to share the QB room with another guy named “Carson”…]
Finally, since this has been all about the players taken in this year’s NFL Draft, the most appropriate closing comment comes from Mike Bianchi in the Orlando Sentinel:
“If NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had a sense of humor, he’d step up to the podium and declare: ‘With the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select … The Wrong Guy!’”
But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………