The NFL Draft Combine is underway as our attention goes to one of the best QB and WR drafts in the history of the sport.
1. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams 6-1 210 QB, USC
Caleb Williams is the closest prospect we’ve seen to Patrick Mahomes with his unreal vision and ability to extend plays and find open receivers even when it seems impossible. His athleticism is off the charts and he has future NFL Superstar written all over him. The Bears have to reset the QB clock to avoid giving Justin Fields (who hasn’t proven enough in his Chicago tenure) a $150+ Million contract extension. Williams will become the greatest Bears QB of the last 50 years and as long as the Bears pair him with Rome Odunze or another playmaker in this draft, he should get off to a great start in Chicago.
NFL COMP: Patrick Mahomes
2. Washington Commanders: Drake Maye 6-4 230 QB, UNC
I used to be skeptical of Drake Maye and a lot of people still are. Who’d he play in a very weak ACC over the last few years? How many Redshirt Sophomores have entered the NFL and succeeded over the last decade? These are valid questions but what can’t go unnoticed is Maye’s unreal arm talent and underrated running ability at 6-4 230 pounds. He has prototypical size and arm strength to play QB in the NFL and also enough running ability and speed to adapt to the modern NFL (think Josh Allen and Justin Herbert). Newly minted Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury won’t have a hard time utilizing Maye’s vast skillset with some high-end playmakers in Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel already in Washington.
NFL COMP: Josh Allen
3. New England Patriots: Marvin Harrison Jr. 6-4 215 WR, OSU
Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best WR prospect of the last 10 years and probably more. 6-4 215 pounds and can run a sub 4.40 40 yard dash? Yeah that is simply unfair. He has some of the best hands in this draft and as long as the QB just throws the ball up for grabs to Harrison Jr. he should likely catch it regardless of the route. He is going to be unguardable as a rookie and the Patriots should opt to get a WR here because the rebuild will be more than a one year process. What is the point of taking Jayden Daniels here if he has no one to throw to? They can always pick a QB in round 2 or sign someone in free agency (or via trade). If not, they can always roll out Bailey Zappe for one more year and pick at the top of the draft next year and get a guy like Carson Beck, Quinn Ewers, or Shedeur Sanders in 2025.
NFL COMP: Randy Moss
4. Arizona Cardinals: Malik Nabers 6-0 200 WR, LSU
Malik Nabers would easily be the top WR off the board in almost every other year in the draft. Nabers has that rare blend of elite route-running, great hands, elite speed, and is certainly the best YAC (yards after catch) receiver in this draft. His movement pattern reminds a lot of evaluators of Antonio Brown, who was easily the undisputed best WR in the NFL for a 4-5 year period. The Cardinals have been only linked to Harrison Jr. but if the Patriots decide to go with him, Nabers isn’t just a consolation prize considering he has future All-Pro written all over him and could become the best player from this draft class.
NFL COMP: Antonio Brown
5. Las Vegas Raiders (via trade with Los Angeles Chargers): Jayden Daniels 6-4 210 QB, LSU
Jayden Daniels is the real deal. He was first in accuracy of 20+ yard passes last season at LSU which proves how good of a downfield passer he is. Daniels is also easily the fastest QB prospect in this draft class and should test well at the Combine. He can use his legs at an elite level and has one of the better arms in the draft, which screams pro-bowler in the future.
The only issue I have with Daniels is his weight because he got hit very hard in college and will get hit even harder in the NFL by bigger and stronger players. He can afford to gain 15-20 pounds and he wouldn’t lose any speed. Lamar Jackson gained weight throughout his first few years in the league and now has a body more suited to take some big hits. Daniels will need to do the same to avoid sever injuries in the NFL, but the Raiders will get a future Star at QB here.
NFL COMP: Robert Griffin III pre injury with a better arm
6. New York Giants: Joe Alt 6-8 320 OL, Notre Dame
Joe Alt is one of the best OT prospects of the last decade. Very agile at 6-8 315 pounds, Alt is a menacing figure at OT and is surprisingly an excellent run blocker despite being 6-8. Alt is the most sure-thing to be an All-Pro of any of the tackles in the draft and the Giants need to bolster their protection of Daniel Jones and whoever is at RB (Saquon Barkley is a free agent).
They owe Jones a lot of money (they can release him and avoid some serious cap hits after the 2024 season) next year and will not switch at QB until 2025. They could opt to go Rome Odunze here but I really think they go OT at #6.
NFL Comp: Joe Thomas
7. Tennessee Titans: Olu Fashanu 6-6 330 OL, Penn State
Olu Fashanu would be the first tackle prospect off the board in almost any other year, that is just how good Joe Alt is. Fashanu is extremely agile for his size and has the prototypical build and strength to be an All-Pro in the NFL. Underrated as a pass blocker, Fashanu has a natural feel and is polished in the passing game.
He is still raw in run-blocking, but with a new coaching staff in town, I don’t know how prevalent the run-game will be in comparison to recent years. He could also develop into a decent run-blocker. The Titans have the worst line in football and need a game-changer at #7 and they get one here with Fashanu.
NFL Comp: Tristan Wirfs
8. Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner 6-3 250 EDGE, Alabama
Dallas Turner has arguably the most upside of any edge rusher in this class, but he’s not the most polished. He has unreal athleticism and quickness, but he’s not as bulky as the Nick Bosa‘s or Danielle Hunter’s of the world. He plays a lot like former teammate Will Anderson Jr. (he’s not as good but he plays very similar to him).
Taking Turner over a more polished guy like Laiatu Latu or even Jared Verse is a risk here, but it could also pay the most dividends. The Falcons think about selecting a QB here but with the top 3 off the board it’ll be too high to go J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr., or Bo Nix. They could trade back if they truly want a QB in this draft.
NFL Comp: Will Anderson Jr.
9. Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze 6-3 215 WR, Washington
Rome Odunze could become the best player from this draft considering he has a prototypical NFL receiver build and has the best hands in the draft. The dude literally catches everything and is the definition of that phrase “Throw it down field…he’s (Odunze) down there somewhere. He’s a game-changer who could be an All-Pro by year 2 in the NFL and the Bears have D.J. Moore but will want to pair their young signal-caller with another high end playmaker at pick #9.
NFL Comp: Taller Ja’Marr Chase
10. New York Jets: Taliese Fuaga 6-3 335 OL, Oregon State
The best run-blocker in this class, Taliese Fuaga excelled in OSU’s run-heavy offense and helped RB Damien Martinez look like one of the best players in the country. No one can get by him and his skillset is possessed by few tackles at such a young age. The Jets had an abysmal O-line last season and Fuaga will do wonders for both Breece Hall and Aaron Rodgers.
NFL Comp: Christian Darrisaw
11. Minnesota Vikings: Jared Verse 6-5 260 EDGE, Florida State
Jared Verse is a mammoth of a man at 6-5 275 with explosiveness off the chart. He has an excellent cross-chop and arm-over move, but his inside moves need work. Still, like Dallas Turner, he has great bend and his motor and athleticism allow for him to improvise even if his first move doesn’t work. He projects to be an elite pass-rusher in the NFL and the Vikings will be likely looking for a Danielle Hunter replacement if he leaves in Free Agency.
NFL COMP: Danielle Hunter
12. Denver Broncos: JJ McCarthy 6-3 200 QB, Michigan
I don’t love this pick or J.J. McCarthy personally. I have a second-round grade on McCarthy, but I know some teams value him as the 3rd or 4th QB in this class. The Broncos could take Bo Nix here (who I think is a perfect fit in Sean Payton’s scheme) but McCarthy is much younger and one of the most accurate passers in this draft. It helps that McCarthy can use his legs to extend plays and his IQ is off the charts. I just don’t love his upside in comparison to some of the other QB’s in this class.
NFL COMP: Jimmy Garoppolo
13. Los Angeles Chargers (Via LV): Brock Bowers 6-3 240 TE, Georgia
If the Chargers do not trade back in the draft, they will take Brock Bowers at pick #5, and it wouldn’t even be a reach. Bowers has the perfect mix of elite blocking in both the pass and run game, and pass-catching ability. He’s like a mixture of Dalton Kincaid (best pass-catcher TE from last year’s draft) and Sam LaPorta (great pass-catcher but best blocking TE in last year’s class) and should easily be an impact offensive star right away.
Bowers is a bit smaller than the prototypical TE at 6-3 vs. a 6-5 or 6-6, but he makes up for it with his off the charts athleticism. Bowers excels in yards after the catch and the Chargers need someone who can extend plays in this new offense.
NFL COMP: George Kittle
14. New Orleans Saints: Laiatu Latu 6-5 275 EDGE, UCLA
Laiatu Latu is a gifted pass-rusher who would easily be a top 5 pick if he didn’t have an injury history or was 23 years old. Still, his numbers at UCLA last year were off the charts and the Saints desperately need to improve their defensive line (especially with Cameron Jordan getting older). New Orleans had the 4th least amount of sacks in the NFL last season and Latu would immediately bolster their pass-rush.
NFL COMP: Josh Allen
15. Indianapolis Colts: Nate Wiggins 6-2 185 CB, Clemson
Nate Wiggins is probably the most physical corner in this class and the Colts had one of the worst secondaries in football. Because of his height, Wiggins can match up with the tallest WR’s in the NFL and plays a little bit like Sauce Gardner (though he’s not as good or as long wingspan wise) mixed with the speed of Tariq Woolen.
He’s blazing fast and gets to the ball in the blink of an eye. An excellent open field tackler, Wiggins is arguably the most versatile CB in the class and could be the first corner off the board. The Colts are not far away from having a complete team and if they upgrade at CB here, they will be in a good position to compete next year in the AFC South.
NFL COMP: Tariq Woolen
16. Seattle Seahawks: Troy Fautanu 6-4 315 IOL, Washington
Troy Fautanu is too small to likely play RT or LT in the NFL, but he could become an All-Pro as a guard on the interior offensive line. The Seahawks have one of the weakest lines in the NFL and they bolster it by getting a high end tackle prospect from their own backyard at Washington.
NFL COMP: Wyatt Teller
17. Jacksonville Jaguars: JC Latham 6-6 330 OL, Alabama
JC Latham is a steal at pick #17 because of his agility and strength at his size. He’s an excellent pass-blocker and a decent enough run-blocker to help establish the run game with Travis Etienne Jr. Trevor Lawrence needs better protection and the Jaguars get him some here with Latham.
NFL COMP: Better Evan Neal
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Jer’Zahn Newton 6-2 295 DL, Illinois
Jer’Zahn Newton is an ultra quick defensive lineman who should excel right away in the NFL. A lot of evaluators compare him to Jalen Carter but I see more Calijah Kancey in the way he plays (which is not a bad thing at all). The Bengals need help on the DL and since they just Franchise-Tagged Tee Higgins, may not be taking a WR here after all.
NFL Comp: Calijah Kancey
19. Los Angeles Rams: Quinyon Mitchell 6-0 195 CB, Toledo
It is not secret that the Rams secondary needs help. Ahkello Witherspoon looked good for a young player last season, but they have one of the weaker secondaries in football as we speak. Quinyon Mitchell is the most underrated CB in the draft and plays a lot like Jaire Alexander. Rams get a steal here at #19.
NFL COMP: Jaire Alexander
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Terrion Arnold 6-0 190 CB, Alabama
The Steelers saw an excellent Rookie campaign from Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. and they still have some issues in the secondary. Terrion Arnold just makes sense with his great ball skills and ability to make open field tackles on run plays to avoid extra yardage. He isn’t the tallest or most physical CB but his IQ is off the charts and he makes all the right football plays on the field. With the track record of the Steelers developing players in the secondary, Arnold should turn into a Superstar in Pittsburgh.
NFL COMP: Devon Witherspoon
21. Miami Dolphins: Bralen Trice 6-4 270 EDGE, Washington
Bralen Trice had an underrated year at Washington and should soar up draft boards following the combine this week. The Dolphins got exposed for their lack of depth with pass-rushers last year and if they don’t want that to happen again they should get some insurance on that defensive line.
NFL COMP: Drake Jackson
22. Philadelphia Eagles: Kool Aid McKinstry 6-1 195 CB, Alabama
We all know the Eagles will take a corner here, we just don’t know which one. Kool-Aid Mckinstry is a very physical CB who is great in max coverage. He’s tall enough to guard big WR’s 1 on 1 (something the Eagles have struggled with a lot) and has vast upside. Vic Fangio can probably develop him quickly and McKinstry will be relied upon in big moments right away with a defense that desperately needs a spark in their secondary.
NFL COMP: Chevarius Ward
23. Houston Texans: Byron Murphy II 6-1 305 DL, Texas
DeMeco Ryans made a huge impact in his first season as the Texans HC last season (he should have won COTY) and implemented a defensive scheme similar to the one he worked with in San Francisco. It’s predicated on getting pressure on the QB and the Texans need to get Will Anderson Jr. some help on the line. Byron Murphy II is only 6-1 but he’s NFL ready, had a great career at Texas, and should help generate more pressures right off the bat.
NFL Comp: Alim McNiel
24. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Guyton 6-7 325 OL, Oklahoma
Tyler Guyton is a mammoth of a man at RT and has the upside of an All-Pro if he reaches his potential. With Tyron Smith being a free agent (and even if he returns, he’s getting up their in age) the Cowboys will look to find a replacement on the line for Smith and they have an excellent track record in developing lineman to reach their potential.
NFL COMP: Cam Robinson
25. Green Bay Packers: Ennis Rakeshaw Jr. 6-0 190 CB, Missouri
The Packers will probably go with a CB here and although I love the fit with Cooper DeJean, I think they surprise some people and go with Ennis Rakeshaw Jr. here.
NFL COMP: Tre’Davious White
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cooper DeJean 6-1 210 CB, Iowa
Cooper DeJean is one of the best all-around athletes in the draft and can play every position in the secondary. His versatility is exactly what the Buccaneers lack and they could address it with DeJean. The Buccaneers ranked 26th against the pass last season so bringing back Antoine Winfield Jr. at safety and allowing DeJean to play corner will be the best option in Tampa.
NFL COMP: Jamel Dean
27. Arizona Cardinals: Amarius Mims 6-7 340 OL, Georgia
Amarius Mims is arguably the most physically gifted OL in this class, but he is still a little bit of a project. He’s agile enough to produce as a Rookie but he needs a little more finesse with development in the NFL before becoming a difference maker. The upside is vast though, but he could end up like Evan Neal.
NFL COMP: Evan Neal
28. Buffalo Bills: Troy Franklin 6-3 190 WR, Oregon
Troy Franklin is 6-3 and is one of the fastest WR’s in this Draft. In fact, I think he can also be an All-Pro in the NFL and completely take an offense to another level, especially with a QB like Josh Allen and a team like the Bills. Franklin beats defenders on any route with his pure speed, and can use his size to catch 50-50 balls at a high level. His best ability is probably YAC as he can use his speed to extend plays and create the big play in general. The bills get their future WR1 here.
NFL COMP: Will Fuller
29. Detroit Lions: Chop Robinson 6-3 254 EDGE, Penn State
The Lions have needs in the secondary but they could address that in Free Agency. What remains clear is that Aidan Hutchinson is a star and he needs help on the defensive line. They’ve been linked to Chop Robinson for a long time, and as long as he doesn’t move up draft boards following the Draft Combine, Robinson should be in Detroit next season.
NFL COMP: Smaller Byron Young
30. Baltimore Ravens: Keon Coleman 6-4 215 WR, FSU
The Ravens are going to take a WR here if they can retain Justin Madubuike in Free Agency. If they can’t re-sign him, they may draft T’Vondre Sweat here, a DL from Texas. I like Keon Coleman as a vertical threat for Lamar Jackson since the Ravens already have Zay Flowers for speed and change of direction type of plays. Coleman doesn’t create a whole lot of separation but if you throw it up there he should be able to catch it and he’s great with the ball in his hands using his big body to get extra yardage. Ravens could take their offense to another level adding Coleman.
NFL Comp: Allen Robinson
31. San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Morgan 6-4 325 OL, Arizona
Unless they sign one at the start of Free Agency, it’s hard to imagine the 49ers not selecting an offensive tackle here to play opposite of Trent Williams. Besides Williams, the 49ers line was abysmal and ranked in the bottom 10 in football. Colton McKivitz was one of the worst RT’s in football last year and Jordan Morgan from Arizona would be an immediate upgrade there.
Brock Purdy had an excellent year and the 49ers are set with playmakers all over. Make everyone’s life easier and prioritize a tackle here. Bolstering the offensive line could be the difference in this team getting over the hump.
NFL COMP: Quenton Nelson
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Brian Thomas Jr. 6-4 205 WR, LSU
The Chiefs are fresh off of another Super Bowl win, but still need to improve at WR. Besides Rashee Rice, the group last year was atrocious and they really won the SB only because of their defense and Mahomes’ greatness. Make his life easier by getting him another playmaker. Brian Thomas Jr. had a great year at LSU and is ultra quick and is a vertical threat because of his size. He would add a different layer to the Chiefs offense. Bolster the WR room. Very simple.
NFL COMP: Nico Collins
