DRAFT TRACKER 2023

Three-year starter who offers versatility, power and athleticism. Playing at a lighter weight should not be a problem if teams want that from him. His girth makes him resistant to opposing power, and he’s light enough on his feet for pass protection duties and run blocks that extend beyond the box. He’s not a consistently nasty finisher and below average hand work has a clear impact on his ability to sustain blocks. Avila is likely to start right away as a Day 2 draft pick and should have a solid NFL career as either a guard or center.

An explosive edge defender with disruptive play qualities, Young is still in the process of learning how to play his position. His rush hands lack skill and he’s missing go-to counters, but that could be coachable for him. He creates chaos when using his twitchy first step to slant and twist but still needs to tune up the stack-and-shed technique and build out a cohesive rush approach. He will be a 25-year-old rookie with a lack of polish for his age, which could be a deterrent for some teams, but a fully fueled motor and strong desire to make plays on the other side of the line of scrimmage give him a shot to become a capable pro.

Turner will be an interesting litmus test for how much teams value tape and production versus traits and athleticism. He’s extremely powerful, with the ability to jolt opponents with heavy hands, and he's infrequently beaten and sustained by single blockers. He lacks ideal mass and length, has trouble holding his ground against double teams and might find it tougher to disengage from NFL blockers, due to his lack of length. However, motor, determination, toughness and strength fuel Turner’s inevitable forward progress as both a run defender and pass-rush irritant, despite his lack of NFL measurables. He should become a talented rotational defender with a chance to do more.

Bennett will turn 26 years old during his rookie season and he’s small in stature relative to today’s game. Those two things will work against him, but his history of elevating his play in spotlight games against the best competition should be a factor for some teams. He doesn’t have a plus arm and his accuracy and placement can vary from drive to drive, but he throws with anticipation and has shown an ability to get through progressions as a pro-style passer. He’s rarely sacked and has the mobility to do damage outside of the pocket. Bennett has backup potential for a timing-based passing attack that includes concepts often seen in the Shanahan offense.

Undersized 3-4 outside linebacker who might require a game plan from his drafting team due to the strengths and weaknesses of his frame and his game. Hampton isn’t anything special as a run defender, but his pass-rush tape really stands out. He’s an explosive, linear pass rusher featuring subtle techniques near the top of the rush that help him access the pocket. Hampton will be a strong tester but finding a clean positional fit could be a challenge. At worst, he could find snaps as a full-time special-teamer and backup linebacker with pass-rush talent.

A three-year starter and two-time national champion, McClendon has been a hardworking team leader at Georgia. His intangibles, however, are countered by a lack of ideal size, length and athleticism as either a tackle or a guard. McClendon needs to get stronger and will always have issues finding success too far away from home base, but he works to the whistle and has enough pass protection savvy for multi-positional consideration as a backup.

There is nothing particularly exciting about watching Allen get into and through his routes, but the magic happens once the ball goes up. Allen is a human vacuum, using instinctive body positioning, mid-air adjustments and exceptional catch focus for consistent 50/50 wins. He isn’t much of a route separator, but he secures a high number of contested throws. The blocking technique is good, but the size and strength are just OK by NFL standards for in-line tight ends. Allen’s success will be determined by his ability to improve his routes or find a scheme that can free him to do his thing as a pass-catcher.

Nacua is an athletic wideout lacking the twitch or speed to attack NFL man coverage at a successful rate. However, the ball skills and competitive nature he brings to the field give him a fighting chance to make a roster. He might need to be used as a possession receiver operating from the slot, where his ball-winning and size can work in his favor. He’s sneaky talented with the ball in his hands, so jet-sweep work in the pros could be an option. He has a shot to be picked on Day 3. There are make-it elements in the way he plays the game.

Hodges-Tomlinson possesses the athletic profile and ball production to become a starting nickel back. He uses aggression and explosiveness to help overcome his size deficiency. He’s twitchy and sudden to press and hound receivers underneath. However, he needs to trust his technique instead of defaulting to excessive crowding and hand-fighting that turns into penalties. He’s fully accepting of his run-support responsibilities and is generally solid in that area. Hodges-Tomlinson will face occasional size mismatches, but he’s more than capable of holding his own over the course of a season.

Mathis’ 2020 season put him on the map as an edge defender to look out for in the future, but he’s failed to hit those production markers since then. He has good size and outstanding length but needs more time in the weight room. He struggles against downhill running attacks but is a slippery tackler who can cast a wide net near his gaps. Mathis’ pressure and sack counts aren’t as high as they should be with his athletic ability and traits. If a team can get him to become a more skilled and attack-oriented rusher, it might find a prospect who outplays his draft slotting as a 3-4 rush linebacker.

Evans’ career average of 6.9 yards per carry demonstrates his home run ability, but nagging injuries have limited him in the last two seasons. Teams will need to examine his injury history and determine whether it’s a concern for them or not. He has lead back size and impresses with his willingness to fight through contact for additional yardage on most runs. His vision and creativity are average at best, but the talent/traits should put him in contention for early carries as a very good complementary back with future RB1 upside.

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.

Taylor offers well-defined strengths and obvious areas of concern that should allow for teams to deploy him in the best manner possible if they are honest in their assessments. He boasts an NFL frame and is a powerful tackler who can stop rushers and pass-catchers in their tracks. Though his speed and agility are below par, he’s highly instinctive and possesses the skills to make plays on the ball as a deep safety. Figuring out when to play him low and when to play him high will be the challenge for defensive coordinators, but even as a backup, he brings four-phase special teams talent to the table immediately.

Johnson is as tough as it gets at the point of attack, where he was able to consistently battle and fend off blockers who were much bigger than him. He plays with excellent contact balance and is almost never on the ground. His arms are short for the position at the NFL level and his overall mass is below average for an interior player, but he rarely looks overwhelmed by his opponent’s power or double teams. Johnson is a consistently productive interior prospect, but his lack of physical traits is likely to limit his draft slotting and will potentially force teams to see if he can continue adding weight to his frame without slowing down.