DRAFT TRACKER 2024

Talented pass-catching tight end with an exciting floor if he can handle the rigors of the pro game. Sanders possesses an average build, but he has room for more muscle. He flashes as a run blocker, but he isn’t consistent at the point of attack. He can get up the field from in-line or from the slot, beating man coverage at his route stems or separating quickly from turns. He is able to dig in and win combat catches underneath and has proven to be highly effective running the seam or catching intermediate throws into zone pockets. Teams looking for a tight end with a more complete game might pass on him, but his potential to open up the passing game and become a highly productive pass-catcher should be hard to pass on.

The puzzle pieces are fairly easy to put together when assessing who Franklin is and who he could be in the NFL. He’s a tall, linear receiver with good speed. He’s sudden enough to beat press but lacks the play strength to win combat catches and fight for operating space underneath. He has an innate talent for avoiding traffic and maintaining his distance from pursuit after the catch on crossing routes on all three levels. Franklin might not get WR1 target volume, but he should be productive with a high yards-per-catch average and the ability to open things up underneath for his teammates. Franklin could become a coveted complementary piece for an established WR1 or a productive vertical target for a team looking for instant help in the passing game.

Guard prospect in desperate need of improved pass protection consistency in order to unleash his potential. Robinson's mass played a pivotal role in helping to escort defenders out of the lane for Aggie running backs. Hand placement and getting into his blocks with proper footwork should come with additional coaching. However, his performances at the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine have worked against his draft stock. Robinson pass protects with excessive leaning, inconsistent mirroring and trouble processing twists and blitzes. Teams will need to decide if his protection issues are correctable and decide how to prioritize his power at the point of attack when considering him on Day 3 of the draft.

Taylor-Demerson might not have the highly coveted measurables that teams will gravitate toward, but he brings plenty of instincts and ball skills. He offers coverage versatility as a split safety, high safety and nickel. He’s quick enough to handle man coverage and plays with outstanding anticipation to steal from quarterbacks who show their cards. His aggression will create some negative plays and his tackling might never be more than average. Taylor-Demerson’s versatility, football IQ and consistent ball production align with what defensive coordinators are looking for and should make him a solid starting defensive back. 

Tweener with solid power but below-average snap explosiveness and quickness, which prevents him from making more plays. Eboigbe plays base end and can slide inside when needed, but lacks the anchor and power associated with most Alabama interior defenders. He’s more than capable of bullying tight ends as a base end, but will need to move inside as a pass rusher. Eboigbe’s NFL frame and strong pop at contact could create an opportunity for him to compete for a backup role in 4-3 or 3-4 schemes.

Gray's production, length and play speed will work in his favor, but he is better suited playing as a weak-side 'backer where he can run and chase the action. Finding and securing his run fits can be an issue due to a lack of play strength and technique near the line of scrimmage. His instincts are just average, but Gray can be a disruptive defender when playing proactively and taking aggressive, downhill shots rather than waiting on the action. His playing style won't be for everyone, but he does have backup potential if he's allowed to cut it loose and play fast rather than with force.

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.

Extremely imposing outside cornerback with rare size and strength. Jackson’s measurables are a big plus, but he started just 14 games during his college career, so the technique is inconsistent. He can be hit-or-miss from press, but when he catches the receiver with his punch, it’s trouble. A lack of anticipation and sticky hips cause him to get lost at transition points at times. Contested catches tilt heavily in his favor and will continue to do so as he improves with more coaching and experience. Jackson’s size and physicality combined with his NFL-caliber run support should make him an early backup with a chance to climb the ladder into a starting role if he proves he has the necessary speed.

Physical, heavy-handed defender whose pedestrian production could see an increase at the pro level. Dorlus is a fairly natural edge defender who can play standing or with a hand down. He doesn't play with desired instincts or awareness in the run game but has the upper-body power to become a more forceful edge-setter or interior penetrator in the future. He shows an impressive ability to slide and slap his way around blockers for quick wins, even though the sack total fails to show it. Dorlus is a natural fit as a power end in a 4-3 or 3-4, but teams might want him to add weight and take on a role as a full-time 3-technique.

Former Alabama signee with good size and skill level who finally saw his production spike once he transferred to UCF. Baker looks the part, and his tape will keep growing on you the longer it runs. His play was very natural and instinctive in 2023; he made quality plays on the ball in game after game. He uses speed changes and route leverage to create separation, and he’s at his best working the second and third levels from either inside or outside. The ball skills are NFL-caliber, but the hands will lose focus at times. Baker has the traits and skill level of an NFL receiver and should fight for an eventual shot as a WR3/4.

Williams was a tad more consistent in 2022 while at Fresno State, but he was also put in better position to succeed. He is broad-hipped with limited agility and athleticism to align too far away from the line of scrimmage. He’s a box safety with a good feel for finding entry points and making tackles near the line. He can match up underneath and is average in zone but will allow too many big plays against NFL wideouts. He has a chance to impress on special teams but inconsistent open-field tackling could hurt his chances of becoming a viable backup strong safety.

Two-year starting cornerback with outstanding physical features but below-average coverage features. He’s leggy with below-average lateral transitions and change of direction in space. Richardson doesn’t play with enough anticipation or short-area burst to make plays on the ball but does have a big make-up gear in a straight line. He’s OK as a tackler but should get better with a greater focus in that department. Richardson’s size and top-end speed will immediately garner attention, but he doesn’t appear to have the skill set to play safety and will be limited by a narrow scheme fit.

All-day vertical target with long, linear frame and impressive build-up speed to win the footrace. Walker is a tale of two receivers. He’s a long strider who will excel running go routes, posts, corners and over routes. When he’s allowed to maintain play speed and keep his feet moving, he’s fine. When he’s asked to get in and out of breaks or make tighter turns, his lack of short-area footwork and route acumen make him substantially easier to cover. Walker showed drastic improvement making the combat catch, but the jury is still out on whether he’s physical enough to do it as a pro. He’s a Day 2 field-stretcher for West Coast offenses looking to create explosive opportunities in the passing game.

Durable three-year starter whose arm length and strain can help make up for below-average athletic qualities as a tackle. Foster lacks fluidity in his pass sets and proper footwork with certain run blocks, but he gets his job done. He’s very capable as a zone blocker, maintaining his pacing and sustain, and he’s a thinker in pass sets with a nice approach to diversifying his punch to keep rushers guessing. Foster isn’t a natural knee-bender and that lack of leverage shows up as a drive blocker and when handling bull rushers. The question for Foster will be whether he can improve his footwork enough to become a more efficient blocker. He has the tape to project as a backup with starter potential.

Clearing the medical evaluations will be the first (and most important) hurdle for All on his way to the pros. He suffered an ACL tear in October and had a season-ending back injury in 2022 after just three games. When healthy, he has solid speed to run field-stretching routes, and he has the foot agility to snap off short-area routes with adequate quickness. The hands are inconsistent, and he needs to push back against handsy coverage to create route space. His run blocking needs to get better, but there is enough in place to envision him playing with his hand down or as an H-back. If he checks out medically, he has enough talent to compete for a spot as a TE3 on a roster.

Jefferson has a proportional frame with good upper-body thickness. His game against Alabama was discouraging, as he was often overwhelmed at the point of attack by the size and power of the Crimson Tide. However, it is hard to ignore his first-step quickness and ability to shoot into the backfield as a run-play disruptor. Teams will need to invest the time to get him stronger and to improve his take-on technique. He might be worth a draft and stash for one-gapping teams willing to put developmental work into him.

Bortolini offer center/guard flexibility with good mass and below-average length. He's well-schooled from a technique standpoint and will fit his blocks with hand placement and footwork to put him in position to succeed. He has decent strength but won't root out single blocks and could have issues dealing with a two-gapping NFL nose tackle. He's fluid on the move as a pulling center and has played in every run-blocking scheme. He's fundamentally sound in pass protection but is inconsistent sliding and catching rushers in the A-gap. He's solid in most areas and could become a backup with two-position flexibility in the future.

Durable three-year starter with loads of tackle production on his résumé. Knight plays a floating, freestyling brand of football from the second level, looking for opportunities to knife in and make plays. While he racks up tackles, he fails to play within defensive structure full-time and will lose run fits and overflow action outside the tackle box. He has average speed and below-average man cover talent. His size and production will be looked upon favorably, but he might not play with the instincts needed to handle what he will see from NFL offenses.

Three-year team captain who brings an incredible amount of starting experience and toughness to the table. McCormick plays with tightness in both his upper and lower half that shows itself when he's forced to make athletic plays. He can be forceful into first contact but doesn't display the flexion needed to redirect his weight quickly or play with leverage at the point of attack. His clear-eyed pass protection will attract offensive line coaches and his NFL Scouting Combine testing should have coaches believing there is still much more to bring out of him as a player.

Explosive back with good size and breakaway speed. Wright’s running style is more linear than free-flowing, which limits his cut smoothness and elusiveness on the second level. His vision and aggression as an interior runner are just average, but that won’t stop him from putting yards on the stat sheet. He regularly bounced runs wide and beat the pursuit around the corner, so a move to a stretch-based running attack would be a natural fit, allowing his speed to shine. He’s capable of running with power, but he will default into finesse at times. Wright’s big-play potential and talent as a pass catcher should make him a Day 2 target as a future starter.

In-line tight end who continues improving as a run blocker but is unlikely to offer much as a pass catcher. He was a captain at Indiana before transferring to Michigan, and scouts say he attacks practices and weight training with a single-minded obsession to get better and compete. He's technically sound in the early stages of the run block but needs to improve with his positioning to create better lanes for the runner. He can handle some pass protection but needs to keep improving. Barner's role might be a little limited as a blocking Y tight end with below-average pass-catching traits, but he should earn playing time in the future.

Taylor’s leg strength matches his impressive size. No punter was allowed to ply their craft more in recent years than Taylor thanks to Iowa’s struggling offense. He has proven to possess the power of an NFL punter and his hang-time is fairly solid when the rugby-style punts are removed from the evaluation process. The directional punting and touch will need sharpening, but Taylor could come off the board in the middle rounds and find work in the league.

Catch first, block second tight end whose jump in play as a receiving threat is going to be hard to ignore. Stover is a tight end conversion from the defensive side of the ball. He’s a little clunky getting off the line but really picks up the pace as the route unfolds. He starred as a high school hooper and that same athleticism can be found in his route running, high-point timing and run after catch. Stover possesses the tools to move in a positive direction as a run blocker but needs to upgrade his grit at the point of attack and effort as a move blocker. He’s an upside prospect with the potential to play in-line or flexed out and should become a productive starter within a couple of years.

Two-year starting safety lacking desired height and length but carrying a compact, muscular frame for the rigors of the position. Mustapha will be in consideration as a down safety who can help support against the run and handle short and intermediate zone coverages. He's not overly instinctive, but he does play with a good burst on throws and well-timed challenges. He struggles against bigger targets and might not be the best option to handle single- or two-high safety looks. There are occasional mistakes made with aggressive downhill angles to ball-carriers, but he's generally in position and maintains tackle-ready posture when the time comes. He projects as an average backup but does possess some quality play traits.

Compact and willful, Irving is deeply committed to each run his play-caller trusts him with. He punches above his weight class with excellent contact balance and leg drive to fight through tackles and squeeze every yard out of the run. However, Irving showed a concerning lack of explosiveness at the NFL Scouting Combine. He is frequently in a rush and would rather run through a wall than around it but he does have the agility to make tacklers miss with wide, lateral cuts when he runs with better patience. Irving isn’t ready for NFL protection duties and is a little tight as a route runner, but he catches the ball cleanly. Irving is missing ideal size and explosiveness, which could land him somewhere in the middle rounds of the draft as an average backup.

Manu looks like an offensive line prospect who was crafted with the help of artificial intelligence. He’s tall with long arms and impressive lean muscle mass. However, he hasn’t had exposure to high-end competition and elements of his game will have to be built from the ground up. He has some nasty in his work and has developmental tools to mold. If he doesn’t have the foot quickness to play tackle, he appears to have the bend and power to give it a go as a guard. Manu could be a late-round pick, but teams will need to be patient with his development.

Versatile running back with talent as a runner, receiver and kick returner. Shipley possesses early speed, allowing him to whip through creases and outrun linebackers to the corner. He’s a flexible runner who reads up to the linebackers and curates his runs with a feel for both defensive positioning and run lane development. He can balance through contact but is unlikely to move NFL piles. Shipley does a nice job of setting up opponents from anywhere on the field and has the agility to hop and hurdle over bodies. He’s not a workhorse and still has work to do in order to solidify himself as a third-down option, but the athletic talent and skill level could create an early pathway into a spot as a productive RB2.

Three-down back with adequate blend of toughness between the tackles and production out of the backfield. Davis can be a tad indecisive at times but did a much better job of toggling between urgent and patient in his lone season at Kentucky. The vision is fairly average, and he's not going to scare NFL defenses with his speed, but he does alter his pacing to create openings, and he'll finish with some thud behind his pads. Ultimately, he'll need to step up his pass protection to be trusted as a third-down option. Davis' compact frame, toughness and ability to catch the football could make him a middle-round option as a three-down backup with the ability to play a larger role in time.

The transfer out of Wisconsin is an ascending running back prospect who was finally able to get enough carries to show what he's capable of. Guerendo is built like a prototypical Badger runner, with a thick, well-proportioned frame. He was a much more decisive runner in 2023, but his cut-and-go burst is fairly average. He's not sudden but runs with appropriate elusiveness, using subtle side-steps to continue the run's downhill momentum. He can catch it out of the backfield and protect his quarterback, making him a suitable three-down backup. Guerendo's size, skill set and demeanor are built for an NFL workload, and he could sneak into a bigger role in the future if he continues to progress.

Physical cornerback with long arms and an above-average ability to ruin catch tries when he’s in the vicinity. Tampa has decent closing burst but appears to lack true top-end speed. He can charge up his press punch and does a nice job of staying connected to routes from trail technique. However, he allows separation windows to open when playing from a backpedal in off-man coverage. Tampa can handle some man matchups, but his last-second pass breakups will turn into completions against pro receivers. His demeanor, instincts and ball skills should make him a Day 2 target and eventual starter for a zone-heavy cover unit.

Tall, long-armed tight end who flashes the potential to line up in-line or as a move tight end. Wiley would benefit from better strength in his lower half to help sustain blocks, but his technique is generally good. He has the stride length to pick up speed in the seam and across the hashes on intermediate throws. The short-area foot quickness is very average and he’s an average separator underneath. Wiley’s catch talent and ability to fight through contact are big check marks in his favor. He has the versatility and potential to compete for a role as a TE3.

Gamer who does whatever is necessary to help his team win. Vaki carries a thick frame with good upper-body power and heavy hands. He took on carries to help his team when it was stung by injuries, but he’s not an NFL running back. He’s a conscientious tackler who is careful to center up and launch his attack only when he’s in realistic striking position. He is overmatched in coverage and struggles when plays roll downfield. Vaki’s below-average athletic traits and lack of positional fit might create a limited path forward.

Hicks' testing will be extremely important for his draft outlook, as teams will want to see how he can run and change direction. He's aggressive as a run-and-hit striker but doesn't get as many squared-up, run-through tackles as expected. He plays in the box as an add-on run defender, but he might be a better cover man. Hicks is a straight-line mover and will have his issues when asked to flow with big bending route breaks -- however, he plays with good instincts, has impressive ball skills and can line up over pass-catching tight ends. There are qualities to his game that could make him a feast-or-famine safety, but ultimately, he has the traits and upside to bet on in the middle rounds.

Allen's splashy entry into college football had evaluators excited about what the end product might look like, but now there are more questions than answers. Allen has rare size on an imposing frame, and his production is nothing to scoff at. Evaluators will need to rely more heavily on his 2022 tape, where he ran with better decisiveness and instincts in a pro-style running attack. He's built to be a banger but needs to embrace a consistently physical style, as he lacks the footwork and hips to elude defenders with finesse. Allen will compete for a role as a two-down backup but could bolster his chances for success if he plays at a lighter weight, to improve his quickness.

The tape can be a fun watch when Cowing’s field vision and athleticism shine after the catch in Arizona’s quick game, but there are several boxes that go unchecked in the total evaluation. Cowing is a slightly built slot receiver who is more quick than he is fast and he lacks big-time separation. He is made for option routes underneath and displays a nose for the end zone. He must learn to maintain additional space as a static pass-catcher because he won’t win very often when contested. Cowing needs to limit drops, improve as a route-runner and display some punt-return talent to give himself the best chance of sticking on an NFL roster for a while.