1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Travon Walker, Edge, Georgia:
Combine:
40 Yard Dash- 4.51 seconds
Vertical Jump- 35.5 inches
Broad Jump- 123 inches
3 Cone Drill- 6.89 seconds
20 Yard Shuttle- 4.32 seconds
The Jacksonville Jaguars had the 27th most sacks in the NFL last season with 32 sacks. Travon Walker has great change of direction as his 3 cone is 6.89 seconds, which is 10th out of all players who did the 3 cone at the NFL combine. Travon Walker is very strong and can often bully offensive lineman by only using his strength. Walker also often uses his long arm to help win matchups against offensive linemen. If Travon Walker wants to be successful in the NFL he needs to add more pass rush moves to his arsenal. Walker has great lateral mobility, as he is light on feet. Walker also uses his speed and bend to beat opponents off the edge. Walker is very versatile, as he can play both inside and on the edge. Walker often struggles with finishing a play and wrapping up the quarterback for a sack. Walker is very dominant in run defense, also using his length to stop the run.
2. Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Michigan:
Combine/Pro Day:
40 Yard Dash- 4.74 seconds
Vertical Jump- 36 inches
Broad Jump- 117 inches
3 Cone Drill- 6.73 seconds
20 Yard Shuttle- 4.15 seconds
Bench Press: 28 reps
The Lions had the 30th ranked defense in getting sacks, having 30 total team sacks in 17 games. With Michael Brockers at 31 years old, Trey Flowers only playing 14 games in the past two seasons, and Romeo Okwara only playing four games this season, the Lions are looking to get younger and fresher at the edge position. Aidan Hutchinson is a natural born leader, he showed this by leading the Michigan Wolverines to being a top defense in the country last season. Hutchinson anchored a Michigan defense that was top 12 in the country in both yards per game and points per game. Hutchinson was 3rd in the country in sacks with 14. Hutchinson ended the season with a 2nd place Heisman finish. Hutchinson has prototypical size for an NFL defensive end standing 6’6, 265lbs. Hutchinson is an amazing athlete, he uses his speed and quickness to beat tackles with ease. Hutchinson has elite change of direction as his 3 cone is 6.73 seconds, which is 6th out of all players who did the 3 cone at the NFL combine. Hutchinson has elite strength, and is very flexible and bendy, this combination of strength, speed, quickness, and flexibility makes Hutchinson a huge threat. Hutchinson can line up outside, but he can also slide inside. Hutchinson has used his strength to power through offensive tackles, but he is not great at using his speed to blow by tackles. Hutchinson has great effort on most plays, barely giving up on a play no matter how long it is.
3. Houston Texans: Ikem Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State:
Combine/Pro Day:
40 Yard Dash- 4.93 seconds
Vertical Jump- 29 inches
Broad Jump- 108 inches
3 Cone Drill- 7.83 seconds
20 Yard Shuttle- 4.73 seconds
Other than Laremy Tunsil, who is one of the better tackles in the NFL, the Texans do not have a lot in terms of offensive line. The Texans allowed the 9th most sacks in the NFL last season. The best word to describe Ekwonu is a bully as he is so strong. Ekwonu is a freak athlete with strength, speed, and a big frame. Ekwonu has very strong hands, but he struggled with hand placement at times. Ekwonu shows great lateral quickness in the run and is a very good run blocker, especially in outside runs. Ekwonu will be a great run blocker for the Texans running backs. Ekwonu plays super aggressive and nasty, and looks to pancake defenders whenever he has an opportunity. Ekwonu has been significantly better at blocking for the run rather than for the pass. Ekwonu has struggled with speed rushers in the pass game, even with his elite offensive linemen speed. Ekwonu often likes to rely on using his strength to win matchups against defensive linemen. Even though Ekwonu is very aggressive, sometimes he is over aggressive. Ikem Ekwonu is very versatile, being able to play both guard and tackle. Ekwonu also has good balance which he uses to his advantage.
4. New York Jets: Ahmad-Sauce Gardner, CB, Cincinnati:
Combine/Pro Day:
40 Yard Dash- 4.41 seconds
The New York Jets ranked dead last in yards allowed and ranked 30th in passing yards allowed. Even though the Jets had one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL, the Jets have standout corner Bryce Hall, but other than Bryce Hall the Jets still have a glaring need at corner. Ahmad Gardner is a physical corner who is very long and lengthy, standing at 6 feet 3 inches, weighing 190 pounds. Gardner has good speed and agility, which combined with his length and long strides allow him to cover downfield. Ahmad Gardner also uses his size to stop receivers at the line of scrimmage. Gardner is sometimes over aggressive. Even though Gardner did not get thrown at a lot over his collegiate career, when he gets thrown at, Gardner has good ball skills and body control which allows him to deflect passes. The Jets play a decent amount of man coverage, Gardner has shown that he is a good corner in man coverage.
5. New York Giants: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Oregon
Combine/Pro Day:
40 Yard Dash- 4.58 seconds
Broad Jump- 119 inches
3 Cone Drill- 7.23 seconds
20 Yard Shuttle- 4.38 seconds
Bench Press- 27 reps
The Giants were a below average NFL team in pressures this year, and the Giants third leading sack getter in Lorenzo Carter who got 5 sacks this season is set to be a free agent. Thibodeaux shows great flexibility when rushing off the edge. Thibodeaux is a great athlete that contains great lateral quickness, and strength, with his strength he has very strong hands. He possesses a long frame with a lot of muscle. Kavyon Thibodeaux is very strong, benching 27 reps at the NFL combine, which was 9th out of all players who did the bench press at the NFL combine. Thibodeaux has great agility, and can bend around the edge. Thibodeaux sets the edge well to help get stops in the run game. Thibodeaux is a raw prospect and will not make a huge impact in his rookie season. Thibodeaux has some medical red flags, Thibodeaux missed a couple in the 2021 season with a left ankle sprain.
6. Carolina Panthers: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State.
Combine/Pro Day:
40 Yard Dash- 4.95 seconds
Vertical Jump-30 inches
Broad Jump-112 inches
3 Cone Drill- 7.88 seconds
20 Yard Shuttle- 4.61 seconds
Bench Press- 20 reps
The Panthers offensive struggled at most points during the season. The Panthers left tackle Cameron Erving has played 15 games in the last two seasons due to injury, in those limited games, Erving allowed 31 total pressures. Charles Cross has great hand placement. Cross has already shown that he is a speculator pass protector, but he has little experience blocking for the run. Cross has shown elite lateral quickness in passing sets, and shows good athleticism for the tackle position as he has impressive speed, and good strength. Even though Cross has put on 35 pounds while at Mississippi State, he still needs to bulk up a little more as he is a lean offensive tackle. Despite his lean frame he plays with toughness and power. Cross does struggle against stronger pass rushers. Cross does not have great arm length for the tackle position. He has shown limited versatility, his perfect fit is at left tackle.
7. New York Giants(via CHI): Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
Combine: N/A
The Giants offensive line has been a lingering problem for the GIants over the past 2 years. In 2020 the Giants selected Andrew Thomas 4th overall, Thomas has been the only consistent bright spot of the Giants offensive line. For how big Neal is, he is a crazy athlete, as he bench pressed 475 pounds, squatted 650 pounds. Neal has clocked a speed of 18.5 mph, and routinely box jumps at 48 inches. Neal is a very versatile player as he played left guard, right tackle, and left tackle in three years at Alabama. Neal’s best fit is at left tackle. Neal has good hand strength that sometimes shocks defenders. With his great size, it is often difficult for pass rushers to get past Neal without doing a pass rush move. Evan Neal has good mobility which lets him carve holes for his running backs. Neal's length is his greatest strength Neal has balance issues that affects his hand placement sometimes. Neal has great technique in run blocking, but he needs to improve on pass blocking. Neal can be easily coached up and if his technique improves, he will easily be a superstar in the NFL
8. Atlanta Falcons: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
Combine:
40 Yard Dash- 4.38 seconds
Vertical Jump- 36 inches
Broad Jump- 123 inches
20 Yard Shuttle- 4.36 seconds
The Atlanta Falcons are very weak at the wide receiver position, as they lost Russell Gage in free agency, and Calvin Ridley is suspended for the 2022 NFL season. New quarterback Marcus Mariota needs weapons to throw to. Garrett Wilson is very fast and shifty, which makes him a big play threat once he has the football in his hands. Garrett Wilson has excellent hands and body control, which added with his break away speed makes him a great after the catch receiver. His amazing body control makes his catch radius spectacular. Garrett Wilson is light, weighing 184 pounds, often struggling against bigger and more physical corners. Wilson has good release off the line of scrimmage, using his great footwork, though Wilson sometimes stumbles when coming off the line of scrimmage.
9. Seattle Seahawks(via DEN): Jermaine Johnson, Edge, Florida State
Combine/Pro Day:
40 Yard Dash- 4.58 seconds
Vertical Jump- 32 inches
Broad Jump- 125 inches
Bench Press- 21 reps
Even though the Seahawks gained Shelby Harris from the Russell Wilson trade, they still could use another pass rusher. Jermaine Johnson is very explosive and fast off of the line of scrimmage. Johnson also possess great bend which he uses to get to the quarterback. Johnson uses his speed to pursuit and track down opposing players. Johnson uses his long arms to help him get to the quarterback, Johnson also uses his hands to help him. Johnson has a lot of pass rush moves. At the senior bowl in the one on one drill, Johnson showed his combination of strength and speed. Johnson is a very good tackler. Johnson might struggle at the pro level against bigger and more physical offensive linemen, but he can use his variety of moves and athleticism to beat bigger linemen.
10. New York Jets(via SEA): Drake London, WR, USC:
Combine/Pro Day: N/A
The New York Jets did go after some receivers last season, by signing Corey Davis, and drafting Elijah Moore in the 2021 NFL draft. The Jets could still go after another receiver to help out their young quarterback in Zach Wilson. Zach Wilson has shown that he has good arm strength, but only had 5 passes completed with a distance of over 40 yards. Wilson can use a deep threat like Drake London as he has great size for the position, standing at 6 foot 4 inches and weighing 219 pounds. Drake London has great hands, which combined with his amazing length helps him win contested catches. London has great ability to high point the football in the air. London can also track the ball down well, which makes him an amazing deep threat. Over his years at USC he has gotten better at beating press man coverage. London avoids tackles and gains a lot of yards after the catch. Even though Drake London can make difficult contested catches, he does not have the long speed to separate downfield. Drake London also uses his size to block, as he is a strong blocker in the run game. Drake London is coming off of a fractured ankle, where he missed the final 4 games of the season for USC. Drake London is rehabbing well from his fractured ankle.
11. Washington Commanders: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
Combine: N/A
Even though the Commanders have Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel, they are very thin at the wide receiver position. Jameson Williams got injured in the national championship game with a torn ACL, but his recovery is looking to be way ahead of schedule and he could come back early into the 2022 NFL season. At 6 foot 2 inches, Jameson Williams has game breaking speed, and is a big play waiting to happen. Williams uses his elite speed to gain separation. Williams is also quite elusive and is great after the ball is in his hands. Jameson Williams can change his speed and direction well, which makes him a good route runner. Williams also has good footwork which also helps him be a good route runner. Williams has great body control which he uses to make his catch radius much larger. With his lighter frame and below average physicality, Williams might struggle with press coverage against bigger and more physical corners. Jameson Williams also has good hands and ball skills which with his speed makes him a dangerous deep threat.
12. Minnesota Vikings: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, Louisiana State
Pro Day:
40 Yard Dash- 4.45 seconds
Vertical Jump- 39 inches
Broad Jump- 122 inches
3 Cone Drill- 6.98 seconds
20 Yard Shuttle- 4.19 seconds
The Vikings allowed the 5th most passing yards per game during the 2021 NFL season, allowing 252.9 passing yards per game. The Vikings are a bit old at the cornerback position, as they have Patrick Peterson starting, who is 31 yards old. Stingley has elite athleticism with a combination speed, length, and agility that allow Stingley to guard elite receivers. His length allows him to press receivers at the line of scrimmage, and his speed lets him catch up with some of the fastest collegiate receivers. With his athleticism he has crazy ball skills that allows him to track down accurate deep balls. Stingley wins most 50/50 balls. Stingley is sometimes a bit handsy downfield. Stingley is willing to help with run defense, and not afraid to make contact and get a tackle in open space, this makes him a good run defender. Stingley’s college career has been riddled with injuries. Since LSU won the national championship in 2019 Stingley has played 10 games in 27 month. Stingley has been inconsistent after his freshman year in his time on the field. Even though Stingley should be fully recovered by the NFL draft, a foot injury will be a red flag for Stingley, especially since he is a cornerback. If Stingley stays healthy and plays like how he did in his freshman season, he can be a lockdown number one corner.
13. Houston Texans(via CLE): Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
Combine:
40 Yard Dash- 4.59 seconds
Vertical Jump- 38 inches
Broad Jump- 131 inches
3 Cone Drill- 6.90 seconds
20 Yard Shuttle- 4.32 seconds
The Houston Texans lost safety Justin Reid in free agency and need help at the safety position. Kyle Hamilton is a great prospect, but often safeties are undervalued and not picked high in the NFL draft. Hamilton has great length for the safety position, standing at 6 feet 4 inches, weighing 220 pounds. Kyle Hamilton has a very large coverage radius, his coverage radius combined with his length make him disruptive at the catch point. Hamilton has good ball skills, which he uses to track the ball in the air. Hamilton has a great combination of long speed, change of direction, and explosiveness. Kyle Hamilton is very versatile, being able to play in the box, blitzing, single high safety, two high safety, and at slot corner. Kyle Hamilton is an amazing tackler. Sometimes, Kyle Hamilton’s slower 40 yard dash time results in a big play. Hamilton has great football IQ and is great at reading the quarterback's eyes.
14. Baltimore Ravens: Jordan Davis, IDL, Georgia
Combine:
40 Yard Dash- 4.78 seconds
Vertical Jump- 32 inches
Broad Jump- 123 inches
At first glance, it might seem the Ravens have interior defensive line set, but Calais Campbell is 35 years old and has only two years left on his contract. First thing you recognize about Jordan Davis is how big of a human he is, standing at 6 foot 6 inches and weighing 341 pounds. Even though Jordan Davis is 341 pounds, he can still move running a 4.78 second 40 yard dash. Jordan Davis’ speed allows him to cover a lot of ground. Other than having good speed, Jordan Davis also has good strength and flexibility. With his humongous frame, Jordan Davis fills gaps very well and when he is single teamed in the run game it is almost impossible to stop him. Davis does not have great hand usage, but he disengages from blocks well. Davis is a great bull rusher, but he often relies too much on using his strength more than using his pass rush moves. The biggest question about Jordan Davis’ game is the amount of snaps he can play, as he played less than half of Georgia's defense last season.
15. Philadelphia Eagles(via MIA): Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
Combine/Pro Day:
40 Yard Dash- 4.44 seconds
Vertical Jump- 39 inches
Broad Jump- 128 inches
Bench Press- 15 reps
The Philadelphia Eagles have a top corner in the NFL in Darius Slay, and they have Avonte Maddox, but other than them, the Eagles need help at corner. Trent McDuffie is a very good player in zone coverage and is good at knowing what his responsibilities are in coverage. Other than being good in zone coverage, McDuffie is also good in man coverage. McDuffie has good ball skills and can track the football well when it's in the air. Trent McDuffie is a powerful and aggressive tackler in both the run game and the passing game. Even though McDuffie is a smaller corner standing at 5 foot 11 inches and weighing 193 pounds, he plays with the physicality that a bigger corner would play with. With his below average length and his arms being 29.75 inches long, McDuffie could struggle pressing and being physical against bigger wide receivers in the NFL. McDuffie is good at the line of scrimmage in press coverage. Trent McDuffie has great footwork. Even though Trent McDuffie is a physical corner, McDuffie does not lose balance at the line of scrimmage because of his great footwork.
16. New Orleans Saints(via IND through PHI): Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
Combine/Pro Bowl:
40 Yard Dash- 4.89 seconds
Vertical Jump- 28 inches
Broad Jump: 111 inches
3 Cone Drill- 7.25 seconds
20 Yard Shuttle- 4.62 seconds
Bench Press- 28 reps
The New Orleans Saints have a glaring hole at the left tackle after losing star tackle Terron Armstead during free agency. Trevor Penning is an athletic freak, having great speed and change of direction for the tackle position. Penning has good size and strength for his position, standing at 6 foot 7 inches weighing 333 pounds. Penning is a big, powerful, and nasty tackle. Penning is an absolute mauler and uses his hand for his advantage. Even though Penning has flashed at times, he is still a raw prospect and is inconsistent at times, but he could be coached up easily. Even though Penning is a mean tackle, he can be over aggressive at times. Penning also does not have great balance. Penning could also get out of position, which could lead to holding penalties. Penning has good versatility as he could play both right tackle and left tackle. Penning’s combination of speed, size and strength makes him a dangerous force for opposing defensive lineman. Trevor Penning’s size makes it hard to just try to speed past him without doing a pass rush move.