DRAFT TRACKER 2021

Lockdown, press-man cornerback with elite size, length and talent to match up with any brand of receiver from any place on the field. He was a five-star recruit coming in and he consistently competed for championships in high school and college. Surtain possesses elite physical and athletic traits with the rare combination of length and short-area quickness that allows him to play on a press-man island and phase routes on all three levels. He plays to his length with plus technique and cover skills that make winning downfield a very challenging proposition. He was beaten in true man-to-man battles for 29-plus yards just five times during his career. His ability to stay connected to the route allows him to shut down yards after catch very quickly as a strong, wrap-up tackler. Run support goes in the "strengths" column, as well. He's been well-schooled at home and at Alabama. He's wired like a future All-Pro cornerback.

Big, broad bully back who runs with an exciting blend of animosity and feel as a future every-down starter in the league. With just 366 carries under his collegiate belt, Williams hasn't seen much tread come off the tires, but teams might speculate that his running style could lead to some in-season wear and tear. He's a terror behind his pads, creating yardage by battering and discarding tackle attempts. He sees the front fairly well and has above-average hips and the creativity to add to his rush total with more than just power. He lacks run-away speed for the long touchdowns but runs with above-average vision and contact balance to succeed at a high rate near the goal line. He tends to trust the blocking scheme and keep his runs on track but can recalibrate when needed. Williams is best-suited to gap, power and inside zone rather than flowing wide, where he lacks one-cut quickness. He will drop passes from time to time but has the route-running and protection toughness to take over as a three-down RB1 fairly early in his career.

The darling of this year's Senior Bowl, Meinerz has broken through and onto NFL draft boards despite moving up from Division III and having no 2020 tape. He flashed at times in 2019, but his tape was nothing like what we saw against upgraded competition across from him at the Senior Bowl. His hands have improved greatly and his movement appears to be much more efficient and powerful. The step up to NFL competition will require an adjustment period as a full-time move to center likely awaits him. He has the ability to move and finish drive blocks and his pass protection is clearly improving. He has the strength and demeanor to become an impactful starter in the near future.

Watching Browning can be a frustrating exercise, as you keep waiting for all the physical tools to match up with better instincts and feel for the game. He's experienced at both Mike and Sam spots for the Buckeyes with the ability to cover, rush and step downhill against the run. He has very good speed and keeps the motor running, but he's late out of the driveway due to a lack of play recognition and anticipation. More often than not, he plays what is in front of him rather than staying ahead of the play, so he becomes more of a background player than solo star. Based upon size and traits, Browning might be in consideration as a backup 3-4 outside linebacker and core special teams player with rush and coverage potential.

Former highly touted recruit who came into Texas with plenty of hype but failed to make the impact that was expected. The size, length and aggressiveness as a hitter are still intriguing traits, but Sterns has moments where he really struggles with diagnosing play design and staying ahead of what the offense is trying to do. He lacks optimal instincts to play single-high, and man coverage can get away from him. He's shown signs of becoming a more reliable open-field tackler and he has the traits to be a better downhill safety than one playing backward. His eye-popping pro day numbers could push him up the draft board by a round, but the concerns about his play remain the same.

Ascending defensive back offering coverage and positional versatility for today's brand of NFL football. Johnson offers enough field fluidity to cover the slot and showed off impressive instincts and ball skills to excite teams about his potential as a high safety. His combination of vision, field awareness and instincts usually have him in the right place at the right time. Johnson is willing as a tackler, but needs to clean up his technique and approach to bolster his run support for the next level. His high football IQ should aid his transition to pro football as a future starter with a strong upside.

The lack of urgency and inconsistencies as a big pass catcher can be maddening during tape study. Williams is a different receiver in the red zone, where his size and length are huge advantages on jump-ball battles. However, between the 20s, his routes lack salesmanship, he's unable to create separation and he fails to use his size to prevail. Despite some of the flashes and his overall potential, he doesn't have the field demeanor of a player with an NFL-caliber competitive streak. His physical traits are certainly worthy of a Day 3 selection, but he needs to play with more passion if he wants to make it as a long-term pro.

Slot corner with average size but exceptional speed and athleticism. He could see his draft stock rise given his workout potential. Vincent has the hips, feet and burst to stay tight with routes as a pro, but only if he shows marked improvement with pattern recognition and his coverage technique. He's played (and practiced) against NFL-caliber competition and brings a resume full of experience against quality competition. His best football could be ahead of him, but he needs to fully transition from athlete to cornerback for that to happen.

Highly touted coming into Ohio State but failed to mark up the stat sheet with formidable production. He has the physical traits that could generate a look late in the draft and his strength as a power rusher is intriguing. However, he lacks the functional agility and fluid movement to instill faith that a team is going to get much more out of him than what we saw at Ohio State.

Defensive end who might have to move inside if he's not more careful about managing his weight. Spencer was listed at 300 pounds in 2020 and it clearly had an impact on his overall effectiveness. He's a flash player with natural strength to strike and play around blocks, but too often he ends up on the ground or blocked. He has first-step explosiveness and good edge bend, but he's going to need to keep his motor cranked up enough from snap to snap and as a secondary pass rusher. He has draftable talent but lacks the grit to play inside, so he might need to get in better shape to stay at his natural position.