DRAFT TRACKER 2024

English offensive line prospect whose experience in rugby shows up with straight-line speed and athleticism. Clayton will need to spend significant time developing and adding more muscle to his frame. He looks smooth in his pass slides and on pulling drills, and he has the bend to stay low into contact. Any chance of making an NFL roster will depend heavily on his toughness and a team’s ability to provide him with the necessary reps to get better at his craft.

After a five-year run at Ohio State with modest production, Jean-Baptiste’s Notre Dame tape has put him in position to become a developmental Day 3 draft pick. He has good length but lacks play strength to stack and discard tackles. He’ll need to hit the weights to improve his anchor, but he has the footwork and agility to slide off of block sustain and make tackles. He’s a step slow off the snap, dulling his ability to outrace tackles to the edge, but he flashes the hands and hips to become a more impactful rusher if teams rewire his rush plan. There is still a level of upside available for Jean-Baptiste.

Taylor is a productive down safety with good size and the type of character teams will want in the locker room. He’s much more effective as a short-zone defender or in split safety alignment from a coverage standpoint. Taylor appears to lack the athletic profile and speed necessary to handle man coverage as a pro. He’s an urgent run defender who works around blockers to make plays near the line, but he’ll also overrun his leverage and end up attempting too many arm tackles. Taylor has enough working in his favor to have a shot at making a roster.

Hard-hitting safety with man cover tools but potential limitations if asked to play on the back end. Anthony is high-cut but with good size and an aggressive field demeanor. He aligned as both a big nickel and a split safety. He's fairly comfortable handling man coverage duties over the slot and does a nice job of staying connected with routes and disrupting catch tries with timing. He's fast enough to play over the top from center field, but the instincts are average, and he can be clunky swiveling hips with the changing gaze of the quarterback. He needs to take more consistent angles and do a better job of wrapping up, but Anthony has the talent to become a versatile backup.

The bloodlines don’t get much better than Jerry Rice, so Brenden Rice might have a head start on the rest of the field. He’s big and plays a physical brand of football when cornerbacks want to fight over space. He lacks sudden feet, so beating press cleanly and separating on short routes could be challenging as a pro. Rice possesses good build-up speed to create deep-ball opportunities once his ball skills are added to the equation. Rice catches with quick, strong hands and good extension to help with frequent contested catches. There are some limitations at play, but he has enough checkmarks to project as an early backup with some upward mobility.

Nickel cornerback with above-average foot quickness and short-area twitch but lacking the ball production expected from a player with those traits. Davis will need to continue to refine his anticipation to improve his ability to challenge the catch point and create value as an NFL prospect.

Harden's game is filled with competitiveness and aggression but missing any semblance of finesse. He stands out with his field awareness in zone coverages and his physicality at the catch point and against the run. He's capable as a man defender but figures to take on some water against NFL wideouts with above-average speed. He's cut low with good gather quickness and fluidity in lateral transitions. He's an A+ tackler whose blend of toughness and field vision could see teams push him into a role as a big nickel or safety.

A three-year starter with good feet and technique, Samac could be in consideration for a move-blocking rushing attack. He is strong at the point of attack but will have limitations against NFL power. He operates with good hand placement and nimble feet and is a demon once he’s on the move as a pulling center leading the way. He’s fluid and agile in the run game, but those traits fail to do as much for him in protection. Samac punches with inside hands but can struggle to widen his protection base in order to protect his edges. He has eventual starting talent as a run blocker but needs to add more mass and improve in pass protection to get there.

Devonshire is a cornerback with long arms and impressive ball production. He’s confident in press, allowing his athleticism to trace routes while instincts and agility key his work from zone. Devonshire locates the quarterback and ball flight fairly quickly with his back to the ball. He sits in the pocket of an average route runner and uses his length and reactive quickness to swat throws away. The long speed appears to be average and he picks up his share of flags with excessive grabbing against big targets downfield. A move to nickel is possible, and he has the athletic traits to make it work provided his run-support efforts don’t short-circuit his opportunity. 

Solid three-year starter as a center/guard but will need to stick at center as his primary position. Jurgens uses accurate hands and consistent footwork to fit blocks with good centering, but he doesn’t have the core strength needed to displace opponents or keep from being pulled and shoved off balance by a strong nose tackle. He’s fairly average as an athlete but he does see the field well in pass protection and steadies the gaps around him. Jurgens’ lack of functional power and contact balance could hurt his chances as a late-round pick or priority free agent.

Undersized as a tight end and lacking instincts as a lead blocker out of the backfield, Bell is a player without a clean positional fit after playing all over the field at South Carolina and Florida State. When Bell centers in and locks up, he can be an effective blocker, but he is wildly inconsistent when asked to make blocks on the move in space. He's tight-hipped, but he does have the speed to run the seams and is a talented runner after the catch. He might need to find a modified gadget role and really show out on special teams to make a squad.

Rodriguez plays with a big heart and a steady motor, but he lacks NFL size and skill inside. He gives good effort on each snap but spends too much time staying attached to blockers instead of finding quick routes around them. He has decent length for his size, but he doesn’t do enough damage with his hands and lacks the short-area foot quickness teams will look for from a smaller player. Rodriguez has been a productive player, but the step up in competition feels like it could be too big for him.

Intriguing offensive line prospect with outstanding lean mass and above-average upper-body power. Thomas is a solid run blocker who lacks desired pad level but utilizes his hands and feet to help push defenders where he wants them to go. His footwork as a run blocker is much better than it is in protection, but a move inside to guard could help mitigate that issue somewhat. He’s capable of taking on lateral-blocking duties and has room for continued improvement. At this point, he’s a backup-level player but his size and run-blocking talent give him a real shot to move up the depth chart.

Interior defender with below-average mass but outstanding athletic traits. With loose and explosive hips, Laulu has rare fluidity and closing burst to the football. He springs into blockers off the snap and has the ability to become a more disruptive run defender, but he lacks ideal instincts and diagnosis quickness. Laulu’s rush production is nothing special, but it is easy to see the ingredients are all on the table if a team can help craft his hands and counters. Laulu’s potential and traits will make him a coveted addition as a late pick or priority free agent.

Functional as either an outside receiver with some route-running polish or as a big slot able to create matchup concerns for static coverages. Vele won’t win with quickness or speed, but his attention to detail as a route runner and willingness to utilize his play strength helps create advantages. He has a great catch radius, but his production was stymied by inconsistent catch finishing and below-average quarterback play. Vele has draftable talent and could compete for a roster spot.

Despite six seasons in college, Cole might still be moldable with untapped production lingering. He's tall with exceptionally long arms that allow him to disengage from blocks or eventually work around pass protection. He's not overly instinctive or skilled as a pass rusher, and he had trouble minding the gap against the run when squaring off against bullies on his schedule. With more mass and play strength, Cole might be targeted to rotate as an odd-front end with the athleticism and traits to become a more consistent pass rusher.

Lee's lack of mass and NFL size will be a stumbling block from a perception standpoint, but the tape doesn't lie when it comes to his talent in pass protection. Lee is a technician with good play strength whose anchor supersedes the number on the scale. He keeps his head on a swivel and was rarely beaten in 2023. He's not much of a knee-bender, so drive blocking attempts will stall out, creating lane closures inside. Lee is an average athlete with above-average core strength and protection technique, and he might be able to overcome concerns about his size once he makes it into a camp.

An edge defender with a fairly productive run at both Wyoming and USC, Byrd fails to stand out physically or athletically on tape. He plays with solid aggression and play strength but finds himself entangled with blockers more than he should. He can be creative when attacking tackles at the top of the rush, but he struggled to get much done when tasked with taking on some of the more talented opponents on the schedule. Byrd possesses certain play features that are worthy of consideration, but he might not have enough above-average qualities to make much of a mark in the league.

A defensive lineman turned right tackle, Ezirim possesses the size, length and upside to intrigue NFL evaluators. He’s still very green and needs additional experience and coaching before he can line up against NFL competition. His pass sets lack ideal lateral quickness, but he’s plenty athletic and has the lower-body flexion to set a sudden anchor. He’s fluid as a move blocker and playing with a better base width will improve his sturdiness at the point of attack. If he can improve his core strength, Ezirim could develop into a backup tackle/guard prospect.

Six-year Wolverine who has shown steady improvement over the last two or three years. Barrett lacks ideal size to take on big blockers and doesn't play proactively enough to stay ahead of blockers. His lateral burst to pursue bounce-wide runs is just average, but when he lines up his target, he can be a ferocious striker and wrap-up tackler. Barrett's anticipation and instincts leave too much to be desired, but he might have enough cover talent and special teams ability to fight for a roster spot as a nickel/dime linebacker.

Washington’s measurables could work against him during the evaluation process, but his competitiveness and consistency should balance that out somewhat. He is a slot-only prospect with ordinary burst but above-average route acumen. He rarely creates big separation windows but makes up for it with an impressive win rate on contested catches. He’s fearless into the middle of the field and is a willing run blocker out of three-wide receiver sets. Washington is a talented return man and has some real dog in him on coverage teams. He should go on Day 3 and will fight for a roster spot as a WR5 with special teams value.

Williams is a physical safety with a long, athletic frame. While it’s fun watching him run and strike from high safety, it is much less fun watching his coverage confusion. He doesn’t see the game as clearly as teams might like right now, but he has the athleticism and cover skills to tighten up the windows on tight ends in man coverage. Williams might need a year to add weight and keep working on his game, but his traits and playing demeanor should earn him a role as a box safety or nickel linebacker.

Squatty interior defender with short arms and a lack of ideal scheme fit. He won’t disrupt as a gap shooter and isn’t long enough to control blockers as a two-gapper. Briggs isn’t sudden off the snap but does play with good lateral quickness to hunt and tackle runners down the line. He does a decent job of utilizing hand fighting to knock a blocker’s hands off him, but he’s more likely to stay engaged early on than find quick wins. Briggs is active and plays with good hustle but might not have the traits or one-positional advantage to stand out.

Rogers is a "what you see is what you get" nose tackle with a girthy build and film full of fistfights where he gives as well as he gets. He's built low to the ground and plays with a terrific anchor to ward off block finishes and stay on his feet. He has decent length for his size but not enough to consistently shed blocks, despite possessing the power to stack single blocks. Rogers is a drain-clogging nose capable of muddying the A-gaps for teams looking for depth and help slowing the run. 

Highly experienced and a respected team leader, Pratt has shown consistent improvement from season to season. Pratt has done a nice job of making safe decisions instead of reckless ones and throws with touch over all three levels. He struggles to throw with consistent accuracy and placement on intermediate throws. Also, he appears to lack the anticipation and field awareness to beat NFL coverage across the field. Pratt has Day 3 potential but will be in a battle to win a future backup role.

Culp's tape features below-average blocking combined with bad drops and unbelievably acrobatic grabs. He doesn't have the size or aggression to help much as a run blocker and will project as an F tight end. He has decent vertical speed but spent much of his time running routes underneath due to the receiving talent around him. Fastballs get on top of his hands and turn into drops, but he's able to flash with circus grabs and contested catches downfield. Culp has played a decent amount of football, so teams will need to determine whether they can project enough improvement to make him a pro.

Playmaking interior lineman who makes up for his lack of size with quickness and instincts. Harris punches above his weight class in the strength department, utilizing upper-body power and lower-body balance to fight the good fight. He'll get moved around by bigger bodies, but he's relentless and has the athleticism to find his way back into plays. He has skilled hands and the lateral quickness to dive into gaps as both a run defender and pass rusher. Harris' best chance to succeed will be as a one-gapper in an even front where he can become a very good rotational defender or eventual starter.

Durable three-year starting guard with a captain's "C" added to his jersey in 2023. Hanson plays with terrific technique and gets into Phase 1 of his pass and run blocks with good balance and positioning. His hand placement as a run blocker is above average, while his pass punch is well-timed and accurate. Hanson does the right things, but he simply lacks the play strength needed to match up with NFL defensive tackles. Hanson could be a potential late-round or free-agent target for a team looking to add muscle and mass during a year on the practice squad.

Offensive tackle with decent athletic traits and above-average physical traits, but his game tape simply doesn't show enough consistency. Henderson's size and length will check boxes, but his play against the likes of Iowa, Alabama and opponents at the Senior Bowl left a lot to be desired. He needs to improve his anchor strength in protection, but he appears to have enough lower-body drive to generate some movement in the run game. Ultimately, an inordinate amount of mental mistakes and a lack of instincts will be hard for offensive line coaches to overlook.

Box safety with the toughness and play strength to play near the line and get his nose dirty against the run. Kane has decent straight-line speed and was an explosive leaper at his pro day. However, he struggles to transition and match route-runners and lacks the anticipation to squeeze the catch space often enough. Teams will need to have a narrowly focused role for Kane as a special teams performer and dime linebacker who can cover underneath and survey the terrain for screen passes and draw plays. The athletic testing and production are solid, but scheme limitations could cost him.

Bethune's linebacker play won't make it on most teaching tape, but it doesn't take much time to figure out that he's a football player. He's an inside linebacker with average size and questionable top-end speed, but he plays with reaction quickness. He'll take on blocks with aggression and plays with decent tackle strength in space. He has sound football IQ, but recognition of blocking scheme and play design can be inconsistent. He has good coverage awareness and can drag Y tight ends around the field. Bethune can be unorthodox, and he'll miss more tackles than you'd like, but he's productive, with a feel for the game that could see him land as a Day 3 linebacker with backup potential inside.

Good athlete but lacking size, play strength and aggression to thrive as an edge defender on the next level. Harrell fails to strike and take command of blocks early on and can be widened out by stronger run-blocking tight ends. He's fairly talented at ungluing from blocks and darting laterally to get in on tackles. His pass rush will need to become his bread and butter if he is to make an NFL squad. He has a legitimate spin counter but will need to prove he can win around the corner with quickness and hand work. Harrell could be a Day 3 selection, and teams might eventually give him a shot as an off-ball linebacker.

Johnson was a three-year starter, with all three seasons including action in the College Football Playoff. He's a big, tough target who displayed improvement making the difficult catch in 2023. He has decent speed but is encumbered by ragged route running that fails to hit the mark with footwork or timing. Johnson's play strength and competitiveness can become a problem for smaller cornerbacks when the action heads down the field. He's a chippy run blocker with the potential to become a weapon as a perimeter blocker. Johnson's size and traits will be lauded, but he might need a simpler route tree to be at his best as a pro backup.

Full-time college tackle who might need to become a full-time guard in order to minimize his weaknesses and maximize his strengths. Leveston doesn't play with the best pad level but still flashes impressive pop and an ability to maul and strain at the point of attack. His hands and body control get sloppy at times and could limit his consistency against NFL competition. Leveston's background in pass protection at tackle should help with a move inside to guard, but only if he's quicker with his punch. Leveston doesn't always look fluid and clean, but he has the power traits to become a good backup who can step in and start if needed.

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.

The former multi-position starter at Yale proved he could hop into the SEC and make a solid contribution to the Gamecocks' offensive front. He has the size, length and play strength for center/guard roster flexibility. He's not a body mover, but he's also not a basic stalemate blocker. His body control, patience and core strength show up in pass pro and as a run blocker, and he's athletic enough to make blocks in space. The tape won't blow you away, but he's consistent, with an above-average feel for finding positioning to wall off interior defenders. Gargiulo's physical traits and position flexibility could earn him a backup role on a roster.

UAB transfer who started the full 2023 season for the Tide. Key has the size and play strength of an NFL safety but is not as active or consistent as he needs to be as a run defender. He's a decent athlete and can cover straight-line routes but doesn't play with enough route anticipation or make-up burst to contest many catches. Key's physical traits work in his favor, but he needs to have a definable play trait as either a run defender or in coverage, and that seems to be missing.