DRAFT TRACKER 2023

Reese’s size and overall length are appealing. He sees the field clearly, but he’s not a plus run defender. Also, he lacks the anticipation and short-area twitch to make plays on throws from zone. Reese will need to show he can do more than what was asked of him at Ole Miss and prove he can be a star on special teams to make a team.

Greenhagen moves around the field with hulking arms splayed wide from his frame. He’s urgent and physical. He plays with good wrap-up strength to finish plays once he gets to a runner’s legs, but his pursuit speed is limited. He doesn’t possess the fluidity of movement that will be necessary for open-field tackling and coverage duties as a pro.

Martinez is a dual-threat quarterback who has played plenty of football. He can read defenses and has a fairly quick release, but his mechanics will need work. He’s a much more productive runner than passer right now, so selling himself to teams as a viable backup quarterback could be a tough task unless he makes big strides as a passer.

Finesse punter who will be much better at pinning opponents near their own end zone than bailing his team out with power. He punts with much better hang-time than we are used to seeing from college punters and landed nearly half of his punts inside the 20-yard line in 2022.

Five-year kicker with four seasons at Eastern Michigan and one at Maryland. Ryland has the leg to make 50-plus-yard field goals and handle kickoffs, but it is nothing special by NFL standards. He will need to improve his overall accuracy and placement to make an NFL team.

Caffrey is unlikely to be drafted, but his frame and run-blocking potential are worth keeping an eye on. He fits up blocks with decent technique and already shows a natural fluidity to his combo blocks. He won’t be much of a receiving threat, so he will need to get stronger and become a salty, physical run blocker if he’s going to get an NFL opportunity.

Jenkins might not have the game tape or production to be drafted, but it’s hard to ignore his size, length and willingness to block at an above-average level. While he was a wideout at Georgia Tech, he might be able to rebrand as a slot tight end with the ability to help in the running game.

Four-year punter with the size and leg strength that teams will like. Evans is an aggressive punter who looks to plant opposing teams deep in their own territory, but he lacks the touch and accuracy to do it consistently without hitting touchbacks. He has a chance to make a roster, but he needs to become much more consistent.

Perryman looked overwhelmed in coverage after making the jump in competition to the Pac-12 last season. He has an NFL frame, but he lacks the fluidity and overall coverage instincts needed to stay connected to pro route runners. His physicality could create an opportunity for a safety transition, but he might not be able to make it as an NFL cornerback.

Productive inside linebacker and team leader with a good nose for the football. However, Soelle might lack the speed and explosiveness to play in the NFL. He sees the field clearly and typically diagnoses the action with consistency but when the play forces him to chase in space, it can diminish his finishing consistency. Soelle’s special teams potential helps, but teams have to buy in on his effectiveness as a backup.

Taylor’s measurables are worthy of NFL consideration, and he’s more slippery as a pass-catcher than his stats might indicate. While he lined up as a connected tight end at Cincinnati, he will need to improve his core strength to handle NFL defenders across from him. His athleticism could lead to a more expanded role as a pro, but Taylor might need to prove he can take on special teams duties in order to fight for a TE3/TE4 spot on a roster.

Short but stocky quarterback who joined five different programs over the last seven seasons. Scott’s production exploded once he took over the scheme for Incarnate Word. He has an average arm with average accuracy but throws with decent timing. The numbers are gaudy, but the tape fails to stand out as translatable to the NFL.

Braswell lacks great top-end speed and outstanding testing numbers. He has average size for a perimeter cornerback, but it appears he shows way too much respect to the opposition, allowing unnecessary catch space. His ball production has been good in the past and he’s a very talented kick returner with big-play ability in that department. He needs to become a more consistent cornerback if he wants to make a team.

O’Connell posted elite production in impact categories at Montana, but he lacks the size and athleticism for the NFL game. He plays with good recognition, but he’s missing the twitch to beat blockers to the spot and the technique/strength to get rid of interior blockers as an inside linebacker. His foot quickness and explosiveness both appear to be below average, but his natural feel for slipping around blockers as a rusher can be fun to watch.

Long-levered punter with loads of experience for the Vols. Brooks has modest leg strength relative to many of the NFL punters we see, but he can kick with hang-time and has excellent touch to drop it inside the opposition’s 20-yard line. Brooks will need to prove he can boom a few punts to create confidence in teams who already like his touch.

White is a feisty cornerback with good ball skills but lacks the size to play outside and the fluidity to match up with shifty route-runners from the slot. He’s at his best from a side-shuffle technique but won’t be able to do that inside. He’s capable in short zone coverages, but that is a very niche scheme to be tethered to and his on-ball production might not be enough to secure a roster spot.

Hawkins will be a project for teams interested in press corners with above-average athletic traits. He’s given up a lot of touchdowns, but those issues were often due to a lack of awareness and ball skills at the finish line. He showed off speed, suddenness and explosive leaping ability at his pro day, but those elements don’t show up on tape often enough due to a lack of instincts as a playmaker. There are some tools to tinker with, but Hawkins will need to make significant strides in his development to make a team.

Okada’s elite testing numbers at his pro day will have evaluators rushing to the film, but once they get there, they might find that the tape doesn’t always match the testing numbers. Okada has pretty good burst and short-area movement. However, he can be inconsistent as a run defender and allows too many catches due to his lack of anticipation and route recognition. He played nickel back in college and might be more effective as a safety in the NFL. Special teams might need to be his calling card if he’s going to make it at the next level.

As a pass-catcher, Allen showed some signs of putting together a strong 2022 campaign until a leg injury ended his season. He’s tight-hipped and runs with an unorthodox, restricted gait but has enough straight-line speed to beat coverage in the seam from time to time. He’s raw as a route-runner but has decent ball skills. He will need to become a plus pass-catcher to have a shot, as he does not appear ready for NFL blocking duties right now.

Interior defender with average size, good length and below-average tape. The Ohio State scheme didn’t ask Cage to make many plays, but he might not have had the play strength or talent to do so if needed. He has decent feet and plays with effort through the snap, but it appears he won’t be able to control blockers or threaten the pocket often enough to make it as a pro.

Bennett lacks the desired athletic ability and physical traits of an NFL edge defender. He is a gradual, linear mover with adequate base strength and hand quickness. However, he lacks the traits and suddenness needed to expand his sphere of influence versus the run and pass.

Despite his experience playing on the perimeter, Taylor will likely need to move inside, where his lack of size/length won’t be as easily exploitable. He’s a better tester than player right now, as his timed speed doesn’t always match up with his game speed when it comes to making up distance on targets. He ends up making plays on receivers rather than throws, and that must change if he’s going to have a chance to land on an NFL roster. His special teams experience helps, but he might not be dynamic enough to make up for inconsistent cover talent.

Swoboda is a three-year starter at right tackle with rare size that can often work against him due to his high center of gravity. On tape, he has heavy feet and struggles to move them quickly enough to keep pace with athletic movements. However, at his pro day testing, he performed fairly well at the same task. He will need to alter his approach in pass protection with better posture and more efficient hands and feet to overcome the deficiencies he shows on tape.

Jackson’s ball skills, production and route acumen are not at an NFL level, but he is athletic and has great speed. Currently, a role as a gunner on special teams and pure vertical threat on offense are the selling points, but he needs extensive work to become a functional route-runner in the pros.

Highly productive zone-scheme runner lacking the desired burst to consistently slip through tighter run creases in the league. Cole sees it fairly clearly, but he can be too patient at times. It will be a challenge for him to make a roster.

Vincent is smallish for the interior and lacks ideal length, but he does show some hand quickness. He needs to be able to play in the gaps and disrupt the blocking scheme, but he appears to lack explosiveness despite his decent lateral quickness.

Bruising downhill runner with size and power but limitations in what he can be asked to do. While he creates yardage after contact, he doesn’t have the short-area burst or change of direction needed to attack more restrictive fronts on the NFL level. Thomas is a momentum runner who needs to keep his feet moving forward, so inside/outside zone schemes might give him the best chance to make it.

Highly experienced kicker who holds multiple school and conference records. Potter generally hits kickoffs with good hang-time and distance for touchbacks. He has a gliding approach and strikes kicks with good consistency, but he has had some issues with mid-range reliability. While Potter has hit 9 of 13 from 50-plus during his career, he’s missed all four attempts from 55 yards and beyond.

Four-year starting edge defender with solid traits/production but a lack of twitch/fluidity to match up against NFL competition. He possesses the power to take on blockers, provided he gets his feet and balance squared away, but he might not have a projectable pass rush teams can count on.

Johnson offers good size and athletic potential, but there isn’t game tape to instill confidence that he will be able to contribute to an NFL squad anytime soon. Johnson will need to work on the fundamentals of the wide receiver position, but teams could be intrigued by his ability to handle gadget packages and short-yardage running opportunities thanks to his quarterback experience.

Podlesny has kicked in some big games, but he missed two attempts in a narrow victory over Ohio State during last season’s playoff semifinal. He also has a poor success rate on kicks from distance. Consistency and power are key, and Podlesny falls a little short in those areas.

Woodbey has good short-area quickness and play strength, but he lacks the instincts and burst to make plays that stand out. His speed testing was disappointing, but it appears to match what is on tape at times. He needs to prove he can play fast and will need to star on special teams to have a shot.

Dunn will need to show NFL teams he can handle kickoffs, as he might not possess enough accuracy and leg to impress clubs enough without kickoff value. He was very good in his first two years and slipped a bit in his next two, but he had his strongest season yet in 2022. He’s a bit of a long shot to make a team, but his confidence level was where it needed to be last season.

Height-weight-speed prospect lacking the football awareness and overall technique needed to step onto an NFL field at this time. Young has the frame to play as a box safety or potentially move to a Will linebacker role, but he must improve his tackling. He has special teams potential, so that could work for him if he gets into a camp.

Long-limbed offensive tackle who will need to bump inside to guard at the next level. Caldwell is raw with his technique and his short-area foot quickness can be very spotty at times. He has the length that coaches like to work with, but without better upper-body power and/or athletic ability, it will be hard for him to make an NFL roster.

Carlson has made kicks in big moments and appeared to be tracking in a good direction back in 2020. However, he has struggled to establish consistency on mid-range kicks and has been poor on kicks from 50 yards and beyond. He’s had too many kicks blocked during his career and doesn’t sport a booming leg on kickoffs.

Mobile four-year starter with desired NFL intangibles and leadership, but a lack of passing talent. Clifford will have his moments, but he doesn’t consistently deliver the ball with accuracy and timing. His arm strength falls below the mark.