DRAFT TRACKER 2024

Latu possesses the kind of rare maturity to his game that you usually see from NFL veterans. He rarely stays blocked by tackles as a run defender and dominates blocking tight ends on the collegiate level. His pass-rush approach is both well conceived and instinctive, and he’s brilliant at taking possession of the rep using clever hands and slippery angles to pry open opportunities. His eyes play beyond blockers, and he feeds off of a voracious motor that keeps him pushing forward as a run defender and pass rusher. Concerns surrounding his neck injury (while at Washington) will certainly come into play when he gets to medical exams, but his durability and play at UCLA are certainly promising. Everything about Latu’s skill set and production is translatable to the NFL, and he could become a Pro Bowler as a 3-4 outside linebacker with a heavy influence on the game.

What Murphy lacks in size and length he makes up for with skill and production. He's short-armed, which will worry teams on the pro level, but his hands are so sudden and polished that it tends to ease concerns. He works his hands and feet in perfect harmony to elude blockers like a shifty runner eluding tacklers. Murphy could struggle to survive against run blockers who square him up, but he typically finds a way to slither out of sustain attempts on the collegiate level. He failed to dominate one-on-one opportunities at East-West Shrine Bowl practices, but his ability to maneuver into the backfield as a run defender and pass rusher has merit and should give him a shot to become a solid 3-4 edge rusher.

Linebacker with muscular build and an unrelenting desire to chase after the football. Muasau plays with a phenomenal motor and has the instincts and recognition to get the jump on blocking schemes. He plays with good initial quickness but lacks extended pursuit speed in space. He will take shots downhill to spoil the action, but teams will have to live with missed tackles and inconsistent leverage in his pursuit. Muasau can handle some basic short-zone coverage but could get in trouble if the coverage expands into larger spaces. He has the potential to make the back end of a roster as a late-round pick or priority free-agent addition.

Unlike his twin brother Gabriel, Grayson was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, but he features the same athleticism on tape. He has good size and strength but short arms create issues with taking on and controlling blockers at the point of attack. He’s flexible and instinctive with his rush movements and uses loose limbs and smart footwork to slink around opponents. The only thing preventing him from posting the same production as his twin is a lukewarm motor. Murphy has a decent chance of becoming a Day 3 pick and rotational 3-4 rush linebacker.

Tall nickel cornerback who could get some looks as a backup safety. Johnson is a relatively fluid athlete with good explosion numbers and adequate top-end speed. He frequently covers the slot in man or zone but allows too much operating space for opponents in his man coverage. He doesn’t play with the burst or instincts to make many plays on the football but he’s usually in pretty good position to make quick tackles. He does a good job of playing with vision and recognition from zone but falls below average in run support. Johnson’s traits give him a chance to fight for a practice-squad spot.

Future off-ball linebacker who plays with full-time tenacity and boundless energy. Jones’ value will mostly come as a special-teams ace who will play in all five phases. With kickoff rules changing, Jones deserves to receive additional attention thanks to his production on coverage teams during his college career. He flows hard to the football as a run defender and is urgent to find and tackle the ball-carrier, but he might fall below average as a coverage option. If a team can become comfortable with him as a backup linebacker, he could make an NFL roster as a core special-teamer.

Steele is a ball of muscle in human form. He has the contact balance and leg strength to squeeze the most out of a carry. He has decent vision but can be a bit sluggish with short-area cuts, allowing the defense to quickly rally and tackle. Steele’s value will be as a short-yardage specialist who can help wear down defenses in a downhill attack.

Yankoff’s talent rests in his ability to get down the field to find and tackle punt and kick returners. He has adequate top-end speed as an F tight end, but he has very little practical experience as a route runner. He will need to prove his ball skills and show he can wall off defenders as a run blocker in space. His experience as a running back should help him after the catch. Unless a team decides to use him exclusively as a special-teams ace, he will need to prove to be at least functional at an offensive position to secure a roster spot.