DRAFT TRACKER 2024

Edge defender who offers the type of elite athleticism we’ve seen from players like Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett. Robinson might not be as fast as Parsons, but he’s close. He’s ultra-twitchy with the explosiveness to get on top of blockers and overwhelm them in an instant. However, he will need to level up his hand skills and attack angles to reach his potential against NFL tackles. Robinson’s electric athletic traits alone should give him a floor as a good NFL starter. If he crafts a rush approach and learns to string moves/counters together, he could reach his ceiling as a destructive force capable of forcing teams to game plan around him.

A toolsy two-year starter with loads of potential, Fashanu is still learning to be less mechanical and more instinctive with his play. At this point, he could impose his traits upon most collegiate opponents and stack the deck in his favor. As a pro, he will need to play with better control and more consistent technique to prevent being countered and beaten by NFL talent. There is still room to get bigger and stronger, but he’s already playing with good focus and drive as a run blocker. Issues with footwork and landmarks can be corrected with more coaching. He’s long and has really effective recovery agility to help keep his quarterback clean, but inconsistent pass slides and excessive leaning could make things harder than they need to be early on. Overall, the work ethic, traits and tape make it easier to project Fashanu’s continued improvement into a very good left tackle.

Heady edge prospect combining traits, tools and motor to create playmaking opportunities. Isaac plays with good recognition and awareness of his surroundings both before and after the snap. His snap quickness combines with active hands/feet to help him work his way around blocks at a solid clip. He’s primarily an outside rusher with a decent inside move, but he needs to do a better job of developing counters and learning to work back under at the top of the rush to keep from being redirected. The anchor strength needs improvement to become a more consistent edge setter and rush finisher, but his production, length and motor could eventually earn him a starting job as a 3-4 rush linebacker.

Wallace played tackle in college but could be considered as a tackle or guard by NFL evaluators. He’s broad across his upper and lower body and has decent length and big hands. He’s a clock-puncher who plays with better fundamentals and technique than his highly regarded teammate, Olumuyiwa Fashanu. Wallace won’t flash as often as a run blocker and he might be somewhat capped out in terms of what he’s going to be as a tackle. Wallace has NFL size and good body control and should find work as a backup with the potential to start as a guard or tackle.

Broad and powerful with thick hips and adequate length for the position. The Cornell transfer not only possesses NFL-caliber core strength, technique and body control, he also had quality performances against his toughest Big Ten competition. Nourzad has the feel and footwork for all run-blocking schemes and is strong enough to deal with a 0-technique lined up over him. While he’s strong on impact, he needs to be careful about playing too far out over his skis in order to keep from whiffing. His punch and anchor are where they need to be, but the Ohio State game showed he has work to do with twist recognition and response. Nourzad has early starter ability at center.

Highly recruited out of high school, Johnson looks the part with an above-average frame and traits. While teams might want to place him in an elevated silo for consideration, they might not find the consistency or high number of flashes on tape that they were expecting. Johnson's run blocking is below average for his size, and adopting a glass-eating mentality in conjunction with technique work could help him improve in that area. He'll make contested catches and is adequate against man coverage, but he lacks dynamic qualities as a pass catcher. Traits will work in his favor, but there is work to be done to become anything more than an average backup.

Three-year starter with solid production on a unit that has been full of talent during his tenure. Jacobs has good size and play strength but offers average range as a tackler. He plays with active hands and can work around blocks, but he's often a step slow in diagnosing the play. Jacobs can fit run gaps and make plays that are in front of him, but he doesn't show consistent enough field awareness to expect he'll make plays on all three downs. His speed testing was average at the NFL Scouting Combine, but his overall explosiveness was strong, which could make him a Day 3 target with backup and special teams potential.

Feisty man cover cornerback with above-average competitiveness in coverage but missing some key attributes that might be necessary for true NFL success. Dixon gives out bumpy rides against press release and does a nice job of creating coverage leverage with his footwork, but he struggles to get his hips opened when crossed up or when flipping to match a vertical route. He has below-average speed deep but can smother routes with physicality and ball skills when he stays attached. His technique and effort as a tackler needs to improve. The cover skills are fine, but questionable NFL speed and fluidity could create too many coverage inconsistencies as a pro.

Finesse nickel cornerback with above-average ball skills to help make up for average speed and explosiveness. Hardy will need to play with better route anticipation in man to make up for his average acceleration and recovery when beaten. He plays with excellent positioning and timing to disrupt catch attempts down the field and in tight quarters, but handling the physicality of the NFL could be a steep challenge for him. Hardy is a solid punt returner and can compete for gunner reps but might not have the suddenness and size to stand out in those respective roles.

King's 2022 performance was significantly better than what he put on tape in 2023, but it might not be enough to sway some evaluators. King was consistently rocked out of position by route breaks over the first two levels and didn't find the ball frequently enough with his back to the passer on deep shots. He doesn't have the fluidity to just mirror and match routes, so he'll need to get back to playing more physically from press to slow down route momentum. King is more than capable of tilting 50/50 balls in his favor when he's in position, but finding positioning in man or zone coverages as a pro could be very challenging.

Undersized collegiate safety who will need to make a transition to slot corner to give himself a chance. Ellis has good speed and is an explosive athlete, but those traits fail to make enough of a difference in Ellis’ coverage. He’s a willing tackler but lacks ideal stopping power. Ellis lacks the anticipation to be a playmaker and will need to keep improving in that area to give himself a chance of making a team.

Try-hard interior defender lacking the necessary size and length to fit cleanly into a position at the next level. Culpepper’s father, Brad, played for nine years in the NFL, so the bloodlines are strong. His sack total spiked in 2023 thanks to extended effort and a solid rush plan. Teams will need to take a look at his 2022 run defense to get a better feel for how he can play in a one-gapping scheme, as he was often overwhelmed against bigger blockers in 2023 when asked to read and react. Culpepper is unlikely to hear his name called on draft day and will be a long shot to make a roster.