Green Bay Packers NFL Draft Position Previews

Here is a look at (almost) every player worthy of being selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, with looks at the Packers by position, scouting reports, analytical stats and personal stories.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – For a team coming off an unprecedented three consecutive seasons of 13-plus wins but with needs big and small throughout the roster, the Green Bay Packers face a hugely important 2022 NFL Draft.

The first round begins on Thursday, with the Packers having the 22nd and 28th selections. They own two more picks in the second round, one pick in the third round and two more selections in the fourth. That’s seven choices in the first 140 picks – a real opportunity to not only find the next Davante Adams but fill major needs for today (outside linebacker, right tackle) and tomorrow (tight end and safety).

With a total of 11 picks, including those four early choices, general manager Brian Gutekunst has the potential to maneuver around the board.

“You’d love for it to come to you but, at the same time, I think you have to be realistic about where you’re picking and where the strength of the draft is,” Gutekunst said this week. “If it makes sense to move to a particular area to help your football team, I think you have to be willing to do that.”

Here is our series of position-by-position previews (minus the quarterbacks), which we’ve been rolling out over the last two weeks, all in one place. You can get workout numbers and scouting reports anywhere. And we have those, too, thanks to our colleagues at NFL Draft Bible. But we also deliver analytical stats from Pro Football Focus and Sports Info Solutions, and the personal stories to help you get to know the future members of the Packers.

Packers Draft Preview: Running Backs

Ranking the Draft Need

Out of 11 position groups, running back ranks as the 10th-most important need.

The Packers don’t need a running back in 2022. However, it’s worth noting Jones’ cap number will soar to $20 million in 2023, so this might be his last season with the team. And Kylin Hill, who flashed a bit as a seventh-round pick last year, is coming off a torn ACL. So, if a quality back falls into Day 3, it might be worth a forward-thinking pick.

Perhaps You Can Forget These Prospects

Here’s what history suggests, with Notre Dame’s Kyren Williams (speed at 194 pounds) and Baylor’s Abram Smith (hand size) perhaps off the board.

Ranking the Running Backs

Breece Hall, Iowa State

Measureables: 5-11 1/4, 217 pounds. 4.39 40.

Stats: Hall’s production is overwhelming. In three seasons, he rushed for 3,941 yards (5.5 average) and 50 touchdowns and added 82 receptions for 734 yards (9.0 average) and six touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked just 122nd with 2.8 yards after contact per carry but seven with 74 missed tackles. He dropped one pass and fumbled twice. Per 100 touches, he forced 31 missed tackles, according to Sports Info Solutions. His heavy-box rate was 19 percent.

Personal Touch: His high school coach delivered a message that sent Hall’s career into orbit. “I said, ‘Breece, you could be the best back to ever come out of this high school, but you’re going to have to start acting like that — performing like that,’” Steve Martin told The Des Moines Register. “And that meant from being in the classroom, to in the weight room and to take training seriously. As a freshman and sophomore, he probably relied on his athleticism that God gave him.”

His stepfather, Jeff Smith, played for the Chiefs and Buccaneers. His cousin is former 49ers great Roger Craig.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Very good-looking, compact frame that is durable and strong. Excellent in pass protection that makes him a three-down candidate at the next level. He remains very patient, but not too patient, as a runner. His ankles are silky smooth, allowing him to make precise cuts and defenders miss. Short area quickness and suddenness within his running style also helps his overall gameplan with how he attacks each run.

Kenneth Walker, Michigan State

Measureables: 5-9 1/4, 211 pounds. 9 1/2 hands. 4.38 40.

Stats: A transfer from Kent State, Walker ran wild during his one and only season for the Spartans. He won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back by rushing for 1,636 yards (6.2 average) and 18 touchdowns. He caught only 13 passes in 2021 and 19 in three seasons.

Deeper Stats: Walker led the nation with 1,168 yards after contact, 89 missed tackles and 30 carries of 15-plus yards. He also only fumbled once. Per 100 touches, he forced 30 missed tackles, according to Sports Info Solutions. His heavy-box rate was 20 percent.

Personal Touch: How did Walker, who rushed for about 1,160 yards in two seasons at Wake Forest, become one of the great backs in the nation? How did he go from having only one Power 5 offer – to Wake – to potentially the first back off the board? His first time on the MSU campus was for the start of fall camp.

“It’s a blessing to make it this far. In high school, I was not highly recruited at all — I had one Power 5 offer,” Walker said at the Scouting Combine. “I believed in myself, but as (this) season went on, I never really imagined that it would have went that way.”

He finished sixth in Heisman voting.

“I dreamed of it,” Walker said of his success at pro day, “but to have it happen was so surreal to me.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Kenneth Walker is an electric back who is dangerous in space. He excels on zone concepts as he possesses great change of pace, slowing down to press the gap and manipulate defenders until stepping on the gas and bursting in a different direction. Walker’s short-area acceleration and explosive lateral cuts make him a terror to tackle at the first level, if there is any inch of space, he will find it due to astute peripheral vision and a never-say-die mentality.

Tyler Allgeier, BYU

Measureables: 5-10 3/4, 224 pounds. 9 5/8 hands. 4.60 40, 4.36 shuttle.

Stats: Allgeier posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. As a senior, he rushed for 1,601 yards (5.8 average) and 23 touchdowns and added 28 receptions for 199 yards (7.1 average). He was a second-team All-American who led the nation in rushing touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: Allgeier finished second in the nation with 1,143 rushing yards after contact and sixth with 76 missed tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. He fumbled four times, which is a problem. Per 100 touches, he forced 26 missed tackles, according to Sports Info Solutions, and his loaded-box rate was 16 percent.

Personal Touch: Allgeier started his BYU in 2018 as a running back. In 2019, he moved to linebacker. Then, it was back to running back, where he became a star. Before all of that, he went unrecruited out of high school. His best offer was to a Division II school.

“It lit a fire in me,” he told The New York Post.

He went to BYU a a walk-on, an expensive gamble on himself.

“In 2019, he was the leading tackler on the team in the [Boise State] game and in 2020 he was the leading rusher in that game the next year,” coach Kalani Sitake said. “You talk about a guy that’s versatile? There’s a lot of running backs that claim to be versatile, that can run routes and do all these other things. But how many of them can go out there and play linebacker and have linebacker film? He’s one of the few that can do that. The guy’s going to be a special teams phenom [in the NFL].”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Good contact balance and competitive toughness. Excellent lateral agility opening up those hips and changing up his angles with fluidity. Additionally, he is elusive in the open field for a guy his size. Nice micromovements to freeze defenders and has the burst to make them pay. Effective at manipulating space and changin up his pace and stride length making him tough to get clean hits on. He is comfortable at catching the ball and smooth YAC transition.

James Cook, Georgia

Measureables: 5-11, 199 pounds. 9 3/8 hands. 4.42 40.

Stats: Cook has a lot of tread on the tires with only 230 rushes and 67 receptions in four seasons. As a senior, he rushed for 728 yards (6.4 average) and caught 27 passes for 284 yards (10.5 average) and four touchdowns. For his career, he started only six times.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 21st in the nation with 3.9 yards after contact. He had zero drops or fumbles. He averaged more than 8.0 yards per target in the passing game all four seasons. Per 100 touches, he forced 21 missed tackles, according to Sports Info Solutions. His loaded-box rate was 12 percent.

Personal Touch: In case you hadn’t heard, Cook’s brother is Vikings star Dalvin Cook. What did he learn from his older brother? "His awareness," James Cook said at the Scouting Combine. "Just how he moves with the ball in his hands, and he can make guys miss and he can do various things, too. We kind of critique that game off each other and make each other better."

In the battle of the 40-yard dashes, James Cook won by 0.07 seconds.

Said Dalvin in 2020: “I’ve got big expectations for him, bigger shoes than anybody can imagine for him and he can imagine for himself. He knows how hard I am on him, how hard I push him. I think he’s just scratching the surface of the things you’re going to see this year. It’s not a surprise to me, but to everybody else.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Cook displays solid overall vision and understands how to read zone blocks. Excellent footwork and fluid hips allow him to chain moves together to make multiple guys miss. He excels in a zone-blocking scheme and shows plus decisiveness to hit holes when they open. Very good in space when he gets the ball in his hands using his hips, acceleration and feet to make guys miss while maintaining speed. At his best out of the backfield as a receiver. Used in multiple ways in the slot and on jet motion. Extremely comfortable catching the ball and is a good route runner.

Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M

Measureables: 6-0 3/8, 217 pounds. 8 5/8 hands. 4.63 40, 4.27 shuttle.

Stats: Spiller rushed for 946 yards as a freshman, 1,036 as a sophomore and 1,011 as a junior. His averages were 5.4, 5.5 and 5.6. Talk about consistent. His three-year totals were 2,993 rushing yards (5.5 average) and 25 touchdowns, and 74 receptions for 585 yards (7.9 average) and one touchdown.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 36th with 3.6 yards after contract per carry and 18th with 56 missed tackles. He had zero drops and one fumble, which perhaps will alleviate the hand-size concerns. Per 100 touches, he forced 29 missed tackles, according to Sports Info Solutions. His heavy-box rate was 10 percent.

Personal Touch: His father, Fred Spiller, went to Texas A&M and was a promising prospect as a tight end. “It was one morning I remember vividly,” Fred told The 12th Man Foundation. “I got out of the bed and I had sciatic pain down my leg.”

He could hardly walk.

“I told the trainer, this is something more than a bulging disc. They sent me in for an MRI, and when the results came back, the doctor said, ‘Listen, football is just a small part of your future and your life. If you continue to play, with the position that you play, it’s highly likely you could be paralyzed or have more severe injuries.’ As he was talking, I was crying, because I had put in so much work. It was like my whole world came crumbling down. Then, came Isaiah.”

Their bond has strengthened through the years. “All throughout my life, [my dad] has taught me to work and to believe in myself when nobody else is,” Isaiah told TheBatt.com. “Everybody doubted me. He really instilled a lot into me that a lot of people are seeing in me today. I’m really grateful for him, I love him as my dad; he’s like my role model, my mentor, he taught me how to run, he taught me how to catch, he taught me how to read holes.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Isaiah Spiller has extremely good size for his position and his weight seems to have a good distribution through his frame. Has very good contact balance as defenders close down on him. Consistently attacks downhill once he receives the ball in the backfield. He maintains very good vision and makes good decisions on where to attack as he gains yards. Strong, thicker base provides him the platform to be a reliable blocker in pass protection.

Jerome Ford, Cincinnati

Measureables: 5-10 1/2, 210 pounds. 9 1/8 hands. 4.46 40, 4.22 shuttle.

Stats: Ford started two games his first three seasons but all 13 games in 2021, when he rushed for 1,319 yards (6.2 average) and 19 touchdowns while adding 21 receptions for 220 yards (10.5 average) and one touchdown.

Deeper Stats: Ford ranked 97th in the nation with 3.07 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. He didn’t drop any passes but fumbled twice. According to Sports Info Solutions, he forced 17 missed tackles per 100 touches. In 2020, his first year at Cincinnati after transferring from Alabama, he averaged 30 missed tackles and 4.2 yards after contact. His loaded-box rate was 12 percent. His fumble rate in 2021 was 1.3 percent; it was 3.8 percent the previous two seasons.

Personal Touch: Don’t call him an “Alabama transfer.” “I’m thankful for everything coach [Nick] Saban had done for me, and that opportunity to play at Alabama,” Ford said before the Bearcats faced the Crimson Tide in the playoffs. “But I’m a Bearcat and I would kind of appreciate it if people stopped calling me ‘The Alabama transfer.’ I’m a Cincinnati Bearcat.”

Ford had to skip the Senior Bowl, scurrying from Mobile, Ala., to his hometown of Tampa, Fla., to see the birth of his daughter.

“My genuine love for the game,” he told The Spun. “I’ve been playing since my days in elementary school. I don’t want to stop – I just love to play football. It gives me the opportunity to provide for my family, which is also a plus. I’m obviously happy to be here, but I’m not done yet. I still have a lot more work to do.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: The more film you watch on this player, the more you fall in love with him. Starting his career as a running back at Alabama it was very difficult to get playing time and sometimes great talent away from them, that is exactly what happened here. Since arriving at Cincinnati he has done nothing but excel and showed the nation just how good he was. He is a powerful and very physical runner, who relishes the opportunity to run somebody over. Don’t be pulled in by his power though, because he will end up torching a defense for a long touchdown. This is what makes him exciting, it’s very rare for a player to be so powerful and still have the breakaway speed to outrun an entire defense to the end zone.

Dameon Pierce, Florida

Measureables: 5-9 5/8, 218 pounds. 9 3/8 hands. 4.59 40, 4.46 shuttle.

Stats: Pierce rushed for 1,806 yards (5.5 average) and caught 45 passes in four seasons. He started only once as a senior but had career highs with 574 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, 19 receptions, 216 receiving yards (11.4 yards per catch) and three receiving touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 35th with 3.7 yards after contact per carry. In 119 touches, he didn’t fumble. He also didn’t drop any passes. Per 100 touches, he forced 26 missed tackles, according to Sports Info Solutions. His loaded-box rate was 12 percent. His positive-run rate of 58 percent led the nation.

Personal Touch: Pierce can thank his mom for reaching the NFL.

“He was one of those kids that didn’t like to go outside and play with other kids,” his mom, Shameeka Rogers told The Post-Searchlight. “He wanted to just stay in the house. He was kind of like a bookworm. He was a mama’s boy so he stayed in the house a lot. The other kids would be outside playing.”

Rogers wanted his son to get tougher and hang out with kids his age. So, she signed him up for football without telling him.

“He didn’t want to go,” Rodgers said. “He was mad. He threw one of his little fits. He had his lips poked out. He was like he wasn’t going to go, he didn’t want to go, but I was like, “Yes you are.’”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Pierce runs hard, keeping his legs churning and breaking arm tackles. He finds a way to pick up extra yards and will find and exploit cutback lanes. Good patience allows him to let blocks develop. As a receiver, Pierce is capable of creating separation against linebackers underneath and possesses reliable hands and the ability to adjust to off-target passes. He blocks with high effort and low pads, executing chip blocks and maximizing his strength.

Brian Robinson, Alabama

Measureables: 6-1 5/8, 225 pounds. 9 3/4 hands. 4.53 40, 4.59 shuttle.

Stats: The latest big back churned out by the Crimson Tide, he rushed for 1,343 yards (5.0 average) and 14 touchdowns and caught 35 passes for 296 yards (8.5 average) and two touchdowns in getting the first 14 starts of his collegiate career.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked third with 79 missed tackles forced, seventh with 22 runs of 15-plus yards and 75th with 3.3 yards after contact. Per 100 touches, he forced 27 missed tackles and his loaded-box rate was 16 percent, according to Sports Info Solutions.

Personal Touch: Robinson is from Tuscaloosa, Ala., and was thrilled to play for his hometown Crimson Tide.

“It was one of those unbelievable feelings. It was hard for me to believe,” Robinson told The Tuscaloosa News. “We were sitting in the office, and he (Alabama coach Nick Saban) told me 'I'm going to offer you a full scholarship.' I’m like, 'You can't be serious!'”

Robinson had to bide his time in the crowded Tide backfield. He might not have the juice of Najee Harris, he thinks he’s got one ready-made trait.

“I’m one of those backs who, I don’t want to be responsible for my quarterback on the ground, my quarterback getting sacked or a pressure on my quarterback,” Robinson said at the Scouting Combine. “I don’t want to be responsible for that, so I take full responsibility for my pass protection. And I also try to be there to clean up if guys come free.

“I’m not just thinking of my responsibility on play. I’m thinking about how I can protect the quarterback and keep the quarterback off the ground because in football things happen. Guys come free off the edge. Guys slip a block. You know, I always want to be available just to help.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Robinson possesses good vision to read leverage and maintain urgency on zone and gap runs. He finds and exploits holes backside. Above-average contact balance allows him to absorb hits and break poor tackles. He lowers the shoulder and falls forward consistently. Keeping his feet active and churning, Robinson drives piles.

Rachaad White, Arizona State

Measureables: 6-0 3/8, 214 pounds. 9 3/4 hands. 4.48 40.

Stats: A junior-college transfer, White rushed for 420 yards in four games in 2020 and 1,006 yards (5.5 average) in 11 games in 2021. He rushed for 15 touchdowns and, perhaps most impressively, caught 43 passes for 456 yards (10.6 average) and one touchdown.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 64th with 3.4 yards after contact on carries. He dropped three passes and fumbled once. Per 100 touches, he forced 19 missed tackles, according to Sports Info Solutions. His heavy-box rate was 15 percent. He averaged a draft-class best 2.7 yards per pass route.

Personal Touch: White had zero Division I offers. He redshirted in 2017 at Division II Nebraska-Kearney, then spent two years at Mount San Antonio Community College.

“In high school I was a good player but I was never ranked and nothing like that, though. I put up stats," White told Arizona Central. "I never got recruited by Division I programs. I got looked at but nobody ever pulled the trigger. "

Sun Devils coach Herm Edwards compared him to Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen. “Rachaad has a lot of Marcus’ mannerisms,” Edwards said. “His height, his length, how he runs … there’s a lot of little mannerisms there that I watch and I go, ‘Man, that’s just like [Marcus].'”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: His ability to have an impact on all three downs and play with a multitude of play styles makes Rachaad White a focal point in both the pass and run game. White is a decisive runner who forces missed tackles and works well in space. Works best in a zone type scheme where he can make reads and cut depending on the flow of the play. Will need to spend some time refining as a blocker but shouldn't take long before he finds his way onto the field in some capacity in the NFL.

Zamir White, Georgia

Measureables: 5-11 3/4, 214 pounds. 8 1/2 hands. 4.40 40.

Stats: A two-year starter ahead of James Cook, White rushed for 2,043 yards (5.3 average) and 25 touchdowns and caught 17 passes for 132 yards (7.8 average). In 2021, he rushed for 856 yards (5.4 average) and 11 scores while adding nine receptions.

Deeper Stats: According to Sports Info Solutions, White averaged 3.1 yards after contact. Per 100 touches, he forced 17 missed tackles and had a loaded-box rate of 19 percent. His positive-run rate ranked second in the draft class behind only Florida’s Dameon Pierce (58 percent). Despite small hands, he had only one fumble.

Personal Touch: White was the No. 1-ranked running back recruit in the nation after rushing for more than 7,000 yards at Scotland High School in Laurinburg, N.C.

His rise is remarkable. Here are the opening paragraphs to a feature at ESPN.com:

Shanee White was 14 years old when she became pregnant with her first child. At six months, a doctor told her that her baby, a boy, weighed just one pound and advised her to abort the pregnancy.

Her grandmother, Nancy White, quickly overruled the doctor.

"The doctor is not God, so he doesn't have the last say," her grandmother told her. "If he takes one breath, he's going to take it."

He was born – with complications so severe that doctors feared he might not live two weeks.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Power back with good size, White is best running north and south behind his pads. Lowering the shoulder in the hole and keeping his legs churning allows him to grind out tough yardage as an inside runner. High tacklers bounce off of him. In the open field, White opens his stride and shows above average speed for a runner of his size. At low speeds, he is able to change directions enough to avoid defensive linemen. His physicality translates to blocking where he wins as a proactive blocker.

Ty Chandler, North Carolina

Measureables: 5-11 1/4, 204 pounds. 9-inch hands. 4.38 40, 4.41 shuttle.

Stats: A transfer from Tennessee, Chandler starred during his one season in Chapel Hill. He rushed for 1,092 yards (6.0 average) and 13 touchdowns while adding 15 receptions for 216 yards (14.4 average). His five-year totals include 3,138 rushing yards and 73 receptions.

Deeper Stats: According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 3.7 yards after contact in 2021 – 1.4 yards better than his previous career best. He averaged 16 missed tackles per 100 touches and saw a loaded box on only 7 percent of his carries. He did not fumble and ranked second with 2.3 yards per pass route.

Personal Touch: Chandler was brought in after the Tar Heels lost star backs Javonte Williams and Michael Carter. Star quarterback Sam Howell taught him the offense.

His father, Chico, played running back at Ole Miss. “Just hearing my dad talk about the game, respecting the game, how it should be played, and him training me, that just gave me an opportunity to see a lot of different perspectives of the college football world,” Chandler told The Daily Tar Heel.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Urgent, decisive inside runner with good vision. Chandler is able to read leverage and find holes quickly before lowering his pads and picking up extra yardage. He lacks suddenness and does not add third-down value, as he has shaky hands and struggles in pass protection. Chandler projects as a depth back in an inside zone or gap rushing attack.

Tyrion Davis-Price, LSU

Measureables: 6-0 3/8, 211 pounds. 9 1/4 hands. 4.48 40 4.40 shuttle.

Stats: Taking over in the backfield for the Tigers, Davis-Price rushed for 1,003 yards (4.6 average) with six touchdowns and added 10 receptions. In three seasons, he averaged 4.6 yards per carry and caught 28 passes.

Deeper Stats: According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 2.4 yards after contact, had a missed-tackle rate of only 11 percent and ran into a heavy box on 10 percent of his attempts. In SIS’ total points metric, he was No. 1 in pass protection and plays to that ranking.

Personal Touch: He rushed for a school-record 287 yards in a victory over Florida. By 49 yards, it smashed Herschel Walker’s record of most rushing yards against the Gators. The record performance came shortly after his running backs coach, LSU legend Kevin Faulk, lost his daughter.

“It’s a great honor just to know the guys who came before me and set the record,” Davis-Price. “The O-line really came with it and took it on. I just did my job and they did an amazing job. I’m just grateful for the opportunity that I had.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: A tough runner, he is difficult to stop when he gets going downhill, running through arm tackles and absorbing high contact with his balance. Davis-Price lowers his pads to reduce his surface area and keeps his legs churning to drive piles. He can get skinny through closing holes. Good speed at his size allows the quick-footed runner to beat defenders to the corner.

Zonovan Knight, N.C. State

Measureables: 5-10 7/8, 209 pounds. 9 1/4 hands. 4.58 40, 4.07 shuttle.

Stats: Knight rushed for 745 yards as a freshman, 788 yards as a sophomore and 753 yards as a junior. That gave him a three-year total of 2,286 rushing yards (5.5 average) and 18 touchdowns. He added 41 catches his final two seasons. Plus, he was a big-time kickoff returner with a 30.8 average and three touchdowns in two seasons of duty.

Deeper Stats: Knight averaged 3.41 yards after contact, according to Pro Football Focus, and didn’t drop any passes. He forced 28 missed tackles per 100 touches.

Personal Touch: He goes by the nickname “Bam.” It has nothing to do with his running style, though. Instead, he got the name as a toddler. "I was banging on all the toys," Knight said. "And as my uncle walked in, he said, 'that's all you hear is bam, bam, bam'... It kind of just stuck after that."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Strong inside runner with great vision and contact balance to find lanes and pick up extra yards. Knight is a reliable receiver of checkdowns and screens, showing untapped potential as a route runner. He struggles in pass protection and is only an average straight-line athlete. Knight projects as a future starting running back who should be a very good backup early on.

Hassan Haskins, Michigan

Measureables: 6-1 3/4, 228 pounds. 9 1/4 hands. No testing (ankle).

Stats: Haskins was a breakout star. He earned second-team All-American in 2021 with 1,327 rushing yards (4.9 average) and a school-record 20 rushing touchdowns. He added 18 of his 24 career receptions for 131 yards (7.3 average).

Deeper Stats: Despite his size, he averaged only 2.7 yards after contact and forced just 13 missed tackles per 100 touches, according to Sports Info Solutions. He didn’t fumble in his career. His loaded-box rate of 28 percent certainly played a role in his subpar rushing average.

Personal Touch: Haskins was a three-start running back who was moved to linebacker for his redshirt season of 2018. When spring practices began in 2019, Haskins was back at running back. It was a good move by coach Jim Harbaugh.

“This guy was legitimately a sleeper, a guy that for whatever reason was overlooked,” Harbaugh said in 2019. “You don’t see that as much nowadays.”

Even though he rushed for 3,800 yards and 50 touchdowns during his final two years of high school, he received only two offers from Power-5 schools. ““If you look at him, he looks like a Greek god,” his high school coach told the Detroit Free Press. “He’s got phenomenal, impeccable character — he’s the nicest kid. There’s no character issues. His grades are good. His brother’s in the NFL. And there was a 1-AA team that would email us back, ‘Well, he doesn’t fit our system. He’s not fast enough.’ We had a Big Ten school that comes in and watches him jump 6’7 and practice, and the guy told me, ‘Well, he can’t break 60 yard runs. Maybe he’ll break a 30.’ And I looked at him and said, ‘Well, give it to him twice.’”

Haskins’ older brother is former NFL safety Maurice Alexander.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Hassan Haskins has the size and linear burst to make a roster early in his career and see the field in a gap or power run scheme. What’s more, he has the play strength to operate in short-yardage situations. Still, the Michigan standout lacks the fluidity and top speed to serve as an every-down back. He can be a high-level special teamer. He has spot-starter and consistent contributor potential.

Keaontay Ingram, USC

Measureables: 5-11 3/4, 221 pounds. 9-inch hands. 4.53 40, 4.44 shuttle.

Stats: Ingram was a four-season contributor, finishing his career with 2,722 rushing yards (5.5 average) and 89 receptions for 671 yards (7.5 average) and six touchdowns. Having spent his first three years at Texas, he transferred to USC and rushed for 911 yards (5.8 average) with 22 receptions (7.1 average). He had 584 career touches.

Deeper Stats: None available.

Personal Touch: Ingram has nine siblings. One of them, Kelvontay Dixon, is a receiver at Texas. His high school teams was filled with Ingrams. "To have that and be playing with each other, that’s gonna be memorable moments when we sit back 20 years down the road,” Keaontay Ingram told East Texas Sports Network.

Ingram used to beat himself up over mistakes. Now, he’s Mr. Positivity. He started reading books on maintaining a positive outlook. “For me to step into that milestone, I feel like I was challenging myself,” Ingram told The Orange County Register. “Inform myself of how to be a better person, which translates to the football field to the classroom to me meeting people for job interviews later in life, whatever the case may be. It’s just a domino effect.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Despite having long legs, he has surprising short-area quickness and contact balance thanks to the low center of gravity he plays with, as well as some active feet. Ingram has a patient approach as a runner and plays behind his pads with his eyes up, scanning for run lanes or oncoming defenders. He has the upper-body build to absorb shots without losing balance and will even deliver a blow from time to time.

Pierre Strong, South Dakota State

Measureables: 5-11 3/8, 207 pounds. 9 1/4 hands. 4.37 40, 4.25 shuttle.

Stats: Strong dominated the FCS ranks. In four seasons, he rushed for 4,527 yards (7.2 average) and 40 touchdowns while adding 62 receptions for 581 yards (9.4 average) and three more scores. As a senior, he rushed for 1,686 yards (7.0 average) and 18 touchdowns while adding a career-high 22 receptions. He led FCS in rushing and also threw four touchdown passes.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, he averaged 3.39 yards after contact and forced 21 missed tackles per 100 touches. He dropped four passes and fumbled four times.

Personal Touch: Despite rushing for almost 4,000 yards during his final two seasons of high school in Little Rock, Ark., Strong was largely ignored by recruiters. But not by South Dakota State.

Then-running backs coach John Johnson “was on me hard, but I was kind of blowing him off – I wasn’t texting him back,” Strong told the Argus Leader. “I’d heard of (South Dakota State) but I wasn’t really into it. It just sounded really cold. But he came for an in-home visit and got me up here for a campus visit. I met some of the players, got out in the community and researched it with my parents and we decided it was the right place for me.”

If he’s drafted, he’ll be the first SDSU running back to be selected since fullback Joe Thorne was picked by the Green Bay Packers in 1962.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Running back with above-average long speed making him a big-play threat in space. Strong stresses defenses laterally with above-average burst on pitches. He has good quicks and is light on his feet. At the second level, he shows good vision and understanding of leverage. He finds cutback lanes on lateral runs. Against linebackers, he is able to separate with his speed.

Tyler Goodson, Iowa

Measureables: 5-9, 197 pounds. 9-inch hands. 4.42 40, 4.12 shuttle.

Stats: Goodson built upon strong freshman and sophomore years by rushing for 1,151 yards (4.5 average) and six touchdowns and catching 31 passes for 247 yards (8.0 average) and one more score. In three seasons, he touched the ball 603 times.

Deeper Stats: Goodson averaged 15 missed tackles per 100 touches and just 2.35 yards after contact per carry. In the passing game, he dropped only one pass. His PFF elusive rating was one of the worst in the draft class.

Personal Touch: Goodson has always loved football. So much so that he slept with a football as a kid. His younger brother is a linebacker at Mercer.

“I want the ball,” Tyler told The Daily Iowan. “I like scoring touchdowns. Why would you want to make a tackle when you could score a touchdown? That makes no sense to me. That’s the greatest feeling in football for me.”

His youth team in Suwanee, Ga., was coached by Brentson Buckner, a 10-year NFL veteran and current defensive line coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars. “All he ever talked about was playing Division I football and having a chance at the NFL," Buckner told Hawk Central. "'What do NFL running backs do? How did they get there?' He was always looking for that at an early age."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Goodson is a well-put-together shifty back that can add a spark to the offense. Goodson is quick-twitched and an agile mover. His footwork is strong, and he possesses multiple moves to make opponents miss in space. NFL-caliber long speed. His vision at the second level is strong, and he is excellent at cutting-off angles of attack. He is a willing pass-blocker.

Calvin Turner, Hawaii

Measureables: 5-11 3/8, 197 pounds, 9 3/8 hands. 4.48 40, 4.40 shuttle

Stats: In 2021, Turner rushed for 316 yards (4.3 average) and eight touchdowns. Where he really contributed was in the passing game with his 73 receptions for 876 yards (12.0 average) and four touchdowns. In two seasons, he averaged 13.4 yards per reception with 10 touchdowns. He also averaged 24.4 yards with one touchdown as a kickoff returner.

Deeper Stats: Continually put out in space, he averaged 25 missed tackles per 100 touches, according to Pro Football Focus. He ran into a heavy box on 34 percent of his carrier and lined up wide on 85 percent of his snaps. He fumbled four times.

Personal Touch: Turner started his career as an option quarterback and cornerback at Jacksonville University. In 2018 and 2019, he rushed for almost 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns. When Jacksonville shuttered the football program, Turner moved from the East Coast to the Pacific Islands.

“I just try to push through,” Turner told The Garden Island. “It’s a beautiful island, and who doesn’t want to play football in paradise.” When he arrived, the plan was to make him a slot receiver. Instead, he went to running back at Hawaii. He might wind up at receiver in the NFL.

“I watch a lot of Odell Beckham and Antonio Brown. They have similar body types,” he told The Spun. “I like to watch Davante Adams and Stefon Diggs as well. I feel like Davante Adams has the best release in the game. I can learn a lot from watching him play.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Calvin Turner Jr is a versatile Swiss Army knife that played WR, RB, and Wildcat QB for Hawaii. He has solid size for the RB position He displays very good overall athletic ability, with excellent body control, balance, acceleration and hip flexibility. He is dynamic in space with his lower body flexibility and slipperiness. Turner is a mismatch out of the backfield and any OC would love to have him on the team.

Leddie Brown, West Virginia

Measureables: 6-foot 1/8, 213 pounds. 9 3/4 hands. 4.64 40, 4.26 shuttle.

Stats: Brown topped 1,000 rushing yards and 30 receptions in each of his final two seasons. As a senior, he rushed for 1,065 yards (4.8 average) and 13 touchdowns while adding 36 receptions for 217 yards (6.0 average) and one more score.

Deeper Stats: According to Sports Info Solutions, Brown averaged 2.6 yards after contact on runs, forced 15 missed tackles per 100 touches and ran into a loaded box 11 percent of the time. However, he fumbled four times.

Personal Touch: Brown considered entering the draft last year but returned because he had something to prove. One of those things was catching the football. He had 31 receptions in 2020 and wanted to do even better in 2021.

“Thirty-one is a pretty good number, but I’m looking to improve that number,” he told WVNews.com. “Me catching the ball more will help me in the eyes of the NFL scouts, because that’s what they they’re looking for, backs who can do it all – run, catch and block – the full package. That’s what I’m trying to show them.”

He was coined the “Baddest Man in Morgantown.” There were even lyrics based on the Jim Croce classic, “Bad, Bad LeRoy Brown.” Such as: “The baddest man in Morgantown. Badder than Old King Kong. And meaner than a Georgia dog.”

He celebrated touchdowns by running bellies with the linemen.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: An NFL running back build with the capacity to make an impact on special teams and on 3rd down. Lacks burst at the next level but possess the ability to make cuts in space in order to create some room. Despite that, Brown plays with good physicality and a willingness to take on contact when needed.

Packers Draft Preview: Tight Ends

Ranking the Draft Need

Out of 11 position groups, tight end ranks as the fifth-most important need.

Tonyan and Lewis will be free agents next offseason. If Tonyan doesn’t play well, the Packers might not want him back. If he plays like he did in 2020, he might be too expensive to bring back. And Lewis will turn 38 next month and (probably) can’t play forever.

With the 6-foot-2 Deguara being the “move” tight end – the one more capable of playing fullback and in the slot than lining up as a traditional tight end – our list of prospects will focus only on players capable of filling the Tonyan and Lewis roles.

Perhaps You Can Forget These Prospects

Based on Green Bay’s draft history, Texas A&M’s Jalen Wydermyer is among the prospects who might not be on the board.

Ranking the Tight Ends: Trey McBride is No. 1

Ranking the Tight Ends

Trey McBride, Colorado State

Measureables: 6-3 5/8, 246 pounds. 10 1/8 hands. 4.56 40, DNP shuttle.

Stats: McBride had an incredible senior season, catching 90 passes for 1,121 yards (12.5 average). Somehow, he scored only one touchdown. Still, he was a unanimous first-team All-American and won the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end. In three seasons, he caught 164 balls for 2,100 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: McBride had three drops (3.2 percent), nine receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 5.0 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. He ranked second in the draft class in deep receptions. According to Sports Info Solutions and its look at the top 25 tight end prospects, he ranked third with 2.8 yards per pass route, eighth with 8.6 yards per target and fifth with a blown-block rate on running plays of 0.3 percent. In its total points metric, he was 22nd on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: An older brother, Toby, was a sixth-senior defensive end for Colorado State in 2021 and started three games. A twin brother, Dylan, wrestled at Western Colorado.

The Denver Post told their story. The headline: “Two moms, one heartbeat: Why CSU Rams Trey and Toby McBride put family first.” The subhead: “The McBrides were raised as scholars and gentlemen, gladiators and goofs, by a lesbian couple who embraced Fort Morgan — and vice versa.”

They don’t know their father and have no interest in finding out. “Every once in a while, people kind of give you crap about it,” Trey said. “I don’t understand why. And sometimes, you know, you’ve got to defend yourself. You’re not going to let someone punk you for something like that. I really haven’t had any problems since I’ve been up here (in Fort Collins). So it’s really not a big deal. It’s 2019, you know what I’m saying?”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Thick, muscular and physical tight end with above-average athleticism. McBride is a very good blocker in-line, opening lanes and finishing. He has strong hands, route running skills and enough athleticism to impact the passing game consistently. McBride projects as a very good backup who can be an early starter early on. Because he is already technically sound, his ceiling is a solid starter as he does not possess transcendent traits.

Greg Dulcich, UCLA

Measureables: 6-4, 243 pounds. 9 7/8 hands. 4.69 40, 4.37 shuttle.

Stats: The former walk-on set career highs with 42 receptions for 725 yards and five touchdowns as a senior to earn first-team all-Pac-12. He averaged 17.3 yards per catch in 2021 and 19.9 in 2020.

Deeper Stats: Dulcich had four drops (8.7 percent), five receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 7.0 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. According to Sports Info Solutions and its look at the top 25 tight end prospects, he ranked 10th with 2.0 yards per pass route, fourth with 10.8 yards per target and seventh with a blown-block rate on running plays of 0.6 percent. In its total points metric, he was 16th on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: The undersized Dulcich arrived at UCLA as a walk-on. His high school coach, Jim Bonds, was a former UCLA quarterback so provided some persuasion. Two years later, on his 20th birthday, he was given a scholarship.

“Just awesome; the best phone call I’ve ever received,” Dulcich said at the time. “Coach Kelly called and I thought he was just checking in with me on some things when he said I’d be on a scholarship. I was able to be with my family when the call happened and we were able to celebrate.”

He was a semifinalist for the Mackey Award (top tight end) and Burlsworth Trophy (top walk-on).

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Dulcich brings good athletic traits and size to the position, all while playing as though he is a receiver. When split out wide, Dulcich isn't afraid to use his length and shield his chest from press coverage. To go with that, he has some intricacies with his route running and route stems. Knows how to utilize different tempos through his route and take advantage of it to bait different reactions from defensive backs. Good hands at the catch point and rarely loses concentration when having to box out defenders.

Jeremy Ruckert, Ohio State

Measureables: 6-5 1/2, 252. 10 1/8 hands. DNP testing (foot).

Stats: Ruckert caught 28 passes during his first three seasons but 26 passes for 309 yards (11.9 average) and three touchdowns as a senior. He was honorable mention all-Big Ten in 2021. Of his 54 career catches, a dozen wound up as touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: Ruckert had one drop (3.7 percent), one reception on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 5.7 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. According to Sports Info Solutions and its look at the top 25 tight end prospects, he ranked 21st with 1.0 yard per pass route, 12th with 8.1 yards per target and 19th with a blown-block rate on running plays of 1.5 percent. In its total points metric, Ruckert was third on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: Ruckert doesn’t have much of a pass-catching history. Then again, neither did George Kittle.

"I love the way he plays the game, his mindset, all of the jobs that he does," Ruckert told Newsday. "He’s an every-down tight end, he can do everything, he excels at everything. But the biggest thing that sticks out when you watch him is his mentality and mindset. He’s not just trying to block somebody he’s trying to take him out and I respect that."

He went to Ohio State knowing he wouldn’t catch passes, but he became battle-tested in a hurry going up against defensive ends Joey Bosa and Chase Young.

"That was the biggest [part of the] decision for me going to Ohio State was I wanted to be that complete guy, I wanted to adapt to that toughness and their culture," he said. "I knew going into Ohio State that maybe the production wouldn’t be there but what I was going to get out of that program, the person I’d become, the player I’d become, the versatility I’ve been able to adapt to, I don’t regret that at all. I’ve learned how to play in a really competitive environment against great competition every week, winning championships, playing games.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Jeremy Ruckert is an experienced tight end for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He has earned his keep over the past few seasons because of his ability as a blocker, above anything else. He displays good power in all facets of run blocking and can be a lead blocker into the second level. There remains some technical deficiencies, though, with his body position on blocking in a gap concept. As a receiver, he is still fairly raw and was underutilized in his time at Ohio State. He lacks the dynamic athleticism to be an elite target, but he has the makings to be a reliable target for his quarterback.

Jelani Woods, Virginia

Measureables: 6-7 1/8, 253 pounds. 9 1/2 hands. 4.61 40, 4.33 shuttle.

Stats: After spending four years at Oklahoma State, Woods transferred to Virginia for his final season and dominated. He caught 44 passes for 598 yards (13.6 average) and eight touchdowns in 11 games to earn first-team all-ACC. From 2018 through 2020, he caught only 31 passes with four touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: Woods had five drops (10.2 percent), two receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 5.3 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. With his power, he ranked first in the draft class with 11 missed tackles. According to Sports Info Solutions, he ranked 11th with 1.9 yards per pass route, 10th with 8.5 yards per target and 16th with a blown-block rate on running plays of 1.0 percent. In its total points metric, he was seventh on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: Woods arrived at Oklahoma State as a quarterback. After spending a week emulating the opponent’s top tight end, the Cowboys’ coaches moved him to tight end.

“I ended up giving them a great look throughout the week,” Woods told Richmond.com. “Literally the next week, my coach came to me and proposed the deal with me. I loved it.”

Woods was a block-first tight end at Oklahoma State. After transferring to Virginia, he blossomed into a do-it-all star. Upon arriving at Virginia, he donned jersey No. 0. "Zero came from me just being confident and saying nobody can stop me pretty much, safety, linebackers, corners, nobody can stop me so I felt like I wanted to put that on my back," he told NFL Network.

Woods has a strong bond with his older brother, Jay, who has a developmental disability, even though Jay is sometimes a harsh critic. “It shows improvement in his ability to know things and learn things,” Woods told The Oklahoman. “So, I’m happy that he can do that.”

Sports Info Solutions Scouting Report: Even without speed and quickness, Woods shows good route running ability. He separates using that, his body, and being physical at the top of routes. He isn’t much of a mismatch against most defenders, but can present a clear size mismatch at times. Overall, his hands are just sufficient. He makes good catches and shows ability to attack the football, but sometimes he looks to be fighting the ball, and he bobbles too many catches. In the run game, Woods shows inconsistency in his ability to drive defenders off the ball. There are times where he fires off the ball and shows good leg drive, playing through the whistle, but there are other times where he stops his feet at the POA and tries to use his upper body to move them.

Charlie Kolar, Iowa State

Measureables: 6-6 1/2, 252 pounds. 10 hands. 4.62 40, 4.30 shuttle.

Stats: No tight end in this draft class was used as consistently often as Kolar. He caught 51 passes as a sophomore, 44 as a junior and 62 as a senior. His four-year totals: 168 receptions for 2,181 yards (13.0 average) and 23 touchdowns. He earned All-American honors each of his final three years and was a four-team all-Big 12 choice.

Deeper Stats: Kolar had two drops (3.3 percent), one reception on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 3.8 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. According to Sports Info Solutions, he ranked fifth with 2.3 yards per pass route, 12th with 8.1 yards per target and 21st with a blown-block rate on running plays of 1.6 percent. In its total points metric, he was 15th on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: Kolar comes from a family full of athletes. His older brother, John, played quarterback at Oklahoma State and Iowa State. A sister, Katie, played volleyball at West Virginia. His mom played volleyball at Notre Dame. John and Charlie played a season together with the Cyclones.

Kolar capped his college career by winning the Williams V. Campbell Trophy as the top scholar-athlete in college football. The Academic Heisman, as its known, comes with a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship.

"This is an incredible honor," Kolar said. "The finalists this year had amazing resumes, and to be recognized along with the other winners of this prestigious award, I am so grateful. When you come to college on an athletic scholarship you have the responsibility to learn, and I don't think you should waste that opportunity. My parents played a huge role in instilling these values in me and it was great to have them both here with me tonight."

"Charlie is as high-end of a competitor I have ever been around," Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said. "Whatever Charlie has put his mind to, he's been successful. He wants to be the best. If it's school, he wants to be the best. If it's on the football field, he wants to be the best. He's earned this honor and I'm so thrilled for him, because all of his hard work has got him where he is today."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Kolar is a tall, long tight end that offers size at the line of scrimmage as a blocker and over the middle as a receiver. He has strong hands at the catch point to haul in contested passes. Also, he looks like a very natural pass catcher in general with how he uses his hands and his ability to snatch the ball out of the air. He can be physically imposing on smaller linebackers covering him and has the ability to win with pure strength in his routes.

Cade Otton, Washington

Measureables: 6-5, 247 pounds. 9 1/2 hands. DNP testing (ankle).

Stats: Otten caught 91 passes for 1,026 yards and nine touchdowns in 39 career games (35 starts). Limited to eight games as a senior by an ankle injury and COVID, Otten caught 28 passes for 250 yards (8.9 average) and one touchdown as a senior. He averaged 14.3 yards per grab in 2020.

Deeper Stats: Otton had two drops (6.7 percent), zero receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 4.3 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. According to Sports Info Solutions, he ranked 19th with 1.3 yards per pass route, 24th with 5.4 yards per target and 23rd with a blown-block rate on running plays of 2.4 percent. In its total points metric, he was 18th on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: Otton was unable to go through testing because of an ankle injury that required surgery. “It’s a long and slow process but it’s coming along great and, honestly, it’s been a great time of reflection and just trying to get healthy and getting my mind right,” Otton said at the Scouting Combine. “It’s been a great challenge to deal with this adversity, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’d love to be participating, obviously, and competing because I’m a competitor, but the lessons I’ve learned in this time have been invaluable.”

His grandfather is the winningest high school coach in Washington history. "My dad and my grandpa have both talked to me about this time because it is hard — we don't lose this many games around here," Otton told SI. "My grandpa, in the start of his career, he lost a bunch of games. He talked about staying committed and keep grinding."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Strong hands through traffic over the middle of the field. Fairly refined route runner for a tight end to create some separation at the catch point. Also has a good release off the line to push into zone coverage. He isn’t afraid to take hits in the process of the catch or after the catch. Shows signs of being a quality blocker. Has the finisher mentality as a blocker. Solid speed when he gets down the field vertically. Anchor and lower body strength provided the platform for him as a blocker.

Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina

Measureables: 6-4 1/2, 245 pounds. 10 hands. 4.82 40, 4.57 shuttle.

Stats: Likely delivered three years of strong production en route to career numbers of 133 receptions for 2,050 yards (15.4 average) and 27 touchdowns. As a senior, he was a second-team All-American with 59 receptions for 912 yards (15.5 average) and 12 scores. He will be dinged for terrible workout numbers and the shortest arms at the position in the class, though.

Deeper Stats: Likely had one drop (1.7 percent), seven receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 6.9 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. He ranked third in the draft class in deep receptions. According to Sports Info Solutions, he ranked first with 3.5 yards per pass route, third with 11.5 yards per target and seventh with a blown-block rate on running plays of 0.6 percent. In its total points metric, he was fourth on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: Likely went to Everett (Mass.) High School with Georgia safety Lewis Cine, a potential first-round pick.

"As a high schooler, you kind of talk about not in a joking manner but as like a dream aspect," Likely told WCVB. "And then the more and more you play, the more and more you realize that your dreams, low-key, are coming into reality."

Recruited by some schools as a receiver, what should scouts look for in a tight end? “I’d look for if a kid has a competitive nature and a dog mentality,” Likely told The Buffalo News. “At the end of the day at tight end, you have to be able to pass catch and be able to run block. So, you have to know what the receivers are doing and you gotta know what the O-linemen are doing.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Displaying his versatility in the Chanticleers offense, Likely lines up out wide, in-line and at H-back. He possesses good speed, allowing him to win vertically and create chunk plays thanks to his ball tracking. Smooth footwork and ankle flexion lets him adjust angles at high speeds and perform speed cuts at the deep and intermediate level of the field. Likely keeps his head straight before snapping off his routes to test the eye discipline of opponents. After the catch, he is shifty, making poor tacklers miss. He navigates the sideline and manages to stay in bounds. A high effort blocker, Likely competes in that phase of the game as he drives smaller defenders.

James Mitchell, Virginia Tech

Measureables: 6-4, 249 pounds. 9 3/4 hands. DNP testing (knee).

Stats: Mitchell missed most of his senior season with a torn ACL. In 2020, he caught 26 passes for 435 yards (16.7 average) and four touchdowns. He averaged 18.0 yards on his 52 career receptions. He also rushed for five touchdowns on jet sweeps.

Deeper Stats: In 2020, Mitchell had two drops (7.7 percent), three receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 10.1 YAC per reception, according to Pro Football Focus. He led the nation with 3.03 yards per target and YAC per catch.

Personal Touch: Before the injury, Mitchell entered 2021 with high hopes. “I would say just dominating every aspect of the game,” he said. “I’m a senior. This will be my fourth season now. I’ve played against pretty much all the teams. I’ve played against the Clemsons, the Notre Dames. The experience is there. It’s time to take everything I’ve learned from each season and take that into each week, just try to be the best player on the field at all times.”

His father is a pastor and his mom was a basketball star at Brown. His father provided the work ethic, as did growing up in a coal-mining town. “He was a big deal there, and the way he handled it was pretty cool,” Hokies coach Justin Fuente said. “We are talking about a guy in high school who was treated like an adult. The reverence that adults and young people have for him in his home time is special.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Mitchell boasts both experience all over the offensive formation and a well-rounded pool of abilities. The Virginia Tech tight end routinely lines up in the slot, out wide, in-line, H-back and even in the backfield. What’s more, he returned punts for the Hokies late in the 2020 season. Mitchell is an adequate athlete with solid movement skills. His top speed is sufficient and he has above-average lateral movement skills. As a receiver, Mitchell has consistently proven himself a reliable option at the catch point with excellent hands who uses his large frame to shield the ball from defenders. He also has impressive ball-tracking skills and body control. As a blocker, the Hokies star plays with a high motor. He employs leg drive, leverage and a wide base to manufacture power. Mitchell has sufficient grip strength and mirroring ability to sustain blocks. Moreover, he is an adequate lead blocker thanks to his movement skills. Mitchell excels in zone blocking schemes and has the awareness to pick up delayed blitzers in pass protection.

Daniel Bellinger, San Diego State

Daniel Bellinger, San Diego State

Measureables: 6-4 7/8, 253 pounds. 10 1/8 hands. 4.63 40, 4.44 shuttle.

Stats: Bellinger saved his best for last. The team captain caught 31 passes for 357 yards (11.5 average) and two touchdowns as a senior. During his final three years, he caught 67 passes for 761 yards and five scores.

Deeper Stats: Bellinger had zero drops (0.0 percent), one reception on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 9.1 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. Among draft-eligible tight ends with 40 targets, he was tied for first in drop percentage and third in YAC. According to Sports Info Solutions, he ranked sixth with 2.2 yards per pass route, 11th with 8.2 yards per target and 18th with a blown-block rate on running plays of 1.3 percent. In its total points metric, he was sixth on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: His receiving production, and a strong Scouting Combine, helped his draft prospects. “I think I’ve been under the radar a little bit,” Bellinger told The San Diego Union Tribune. “Everybody just saw me as a blocking tight end. … “Some teams were not sure about if I could run and about my routes and ability to catch and things like that. I was able to show that at the workout.”

He almost became a third-generation member of the Navy.

“Very close,” Bellinger told The East Village Times. “I, definitely, had a tough time trying to decide. My grandpa was on my phone every day trying to push me to go to the Naval Academy. Both were great opportunities – to go to San Diego State or the Naval Academy – so I was blessed to have both. I was very close to going to the Naval Academy, but I couldn’t really beat the weather in San Diego, and it was close to home.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Desirable size and length at six-foot-six 255-pounds. Bellinger was used heavily as a blocker, at San Diego State, he comes off the ball with good pad level. Keeps himself square to defenders as a blocker and attacks their chest. Works to the second level well, keeps his eyes in a good spot. Finishes blocks with aggression at times. Showed off good tackle breaking ability after the catch, worked his off-hand against defenders. Solid hands, catches the easy ones.

Cole Turner, Nevada

Measureables: 6-6 1/2, 249 pounds. 9 3/4 hands. 4.76 40, 4.41 shuttle.

Stats: A receiver-to-tight end convert, Turner posted dominant production with 101 receptions and 19 touchdowns in 20 games at his new home. As a senior, he caught 62 passes for 677 yards (10.9 average) and 10 touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: Turner had three drops (4.6 percent), five receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 3.0 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. According to Sports Info Solutions, he ranked 17th with 1.6 yards per pass route, 19th with 7.1 yards per target and first with a blown-block rate on running plays of 0.0 percent. In its total points metric, he was 11th on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: Turner put on about 30 pounds in switching positions. “It was an adjustment at points,” he told The Nevada Sagebrush. “I never put my hand in the dirt and blocked before. But once I put the work in and practiced, I felt comfortable blocking and trusted myself… I always knew I could make plays, that’s never been in question.”

The switch came because of the pandemic. "It's pretty funny, actually, because that was during COVID," Turner told Nevada Sports Net. "I was gaining weight. I was already a pretty big guy, same height. But I just kept gaining weight and I started getting past like 230 (pounds) and (Nevada director of strength and conditioning Jordon) Simmons called me one day and he's, like, 'What do you think about playing tight end?' I was, like, 'I'll do anything to get on the field more. I was all for it.' Coach (Jay) Norvell thankfully gave me an opportunity, and it's really worked out for everyone."

Turner’s height made him a red-zone threat. “The red area is definitely where I make a lot of my money, that’s for sure. I’ve been able to pride myself on my ability to score touchdowns,” he told The Draft Network.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Long F tight end who lines up in the slot and occasionally out wide and in line. Turner is prolific in contested catch situations where he adjusts to passes out of his frame. Combining his length and strong hands make for a very big catch radius. Turner has a good feel for sitting down in open spaces against zone coverage and making himself available for the quarterback. He is a capable positional blocker when asked to take on linebackers or defensive backs.

Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin

Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin

Measureables: 6-4 7/8, 250 pounds. 9 3/4 hands. 4.73 40, 4.48 shuttle.

Stats: Ferguson delivered four years of excellent production for the run-first Badgers. He caught 145 passes for 1,618 yards (11.2 average) and 13 touchdowns. As a senior, he hauled in 46 passes for 450 yards (9.8 average) and three touchdowns. He was a three-time all-Big Ten pick and broke Lee Evans’ school record of 39 consecutive games with a reception by a whopping eight games.

Deeper Stats: Ferguson had one drop (2.3 percent), one reception on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 5.0 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. While that YAC total might not seem great, he forced 10 missed tackles – second-most in the draft class. According to Sports Info Solutions, he ranked 12th with 1.8 yards per pass route, 19th with 7.1 yards per target and 13th with a blown-block rate on running plays of 0.9 percent. In its total points metric, he was second on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: Ferguson is the grandson of Badgers legend Barry Alvarez. “I grew up a Badger,” Ferguson said. “Growing up around here, I wasn’t ready for it to end. Knowing that I’m a part of this, knowing that I could possibly do something special here is awesome to me. One of my main goals is to do something that we’ve never done, do something that I’ve never seen as long as I’ve been alive here.”

Older brother Joe also played for the Badgers, and his father was a linebacker for Nebraska. The Ferguson boys had a blocking dummy in their play room as kids. “They’ve been going to bowl games since they were babies,” Alvarez said. “It was just part of how they were brought up. It was part of their makeup. That’s part of their identity.”

At Wisconsin, he blossomed as a leader as well as a player. “He puts it on tape,” quarterback Graham Mertz told Madison.com. “And even if the ball doesn’t go to him on it, maybe he’s the second or third (read) of my progression, he’s still winning on a double team, which is pretty special. I’ve thrown with (Kansas City Chief tight end Travis) Kelce, I’ve seen guys like in the league that are playing and he moves right there with them.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Ferguson is an experienced and competitive tight end prospect who can align in-line and as an H-back. Ferguson excels as a run blocker, whether it is zone or gap/power, the offense can trust in him to rarely lose a rep due to his technique and elite competitive toughness. He’s best as an in-line blocker, positioning himself well with a wide stance and low pad level while squaring up to his target. He regularly shoots his hands into the defender's chest and has the grip strength to sustain his block as he drives his legs to consistently create displacement. Ferguson adds value in the passing game by finding holes versus zone coverages and in the red zone, where his catch radius is very beneficial for quarterbacks. He possesses sticky and reliable hands as he can make catches above his head and below his knees.

Gerrit Prince, UAB

Measureables: 6-4 1/2, 241 pounds. 9 5/8 hands. 4.76 40, 4.46 shuttle.

Stats: As a sixth-year senior, Prince took advantage with 36 receptions for 699 yards (19.4 average) and 10 touchdowns. His per-catch average led the nation’s tight ends. In three previous seasons with the Blazers, he caught only 14 passes.

Deeper Stats: Prince had three drops (8.6 percent), six receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and a draft class-high 11.3 YAC per catch and 3.14 yards per pass route, according to Pro Football Focus. SIS did not have blocking data.

Personal Touch: Prince was an unranked receiver recruit out of high school according to 247Sports. To continue his football dreams, he attended and played at Butler Community College. After his two seasons of juco ball, he still was unranked by 247 Sports. He chose UAB and, finally, became a star by taking full advantage of the COVID year.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Out of his release, Prince is extremely quick off the line of scrimmage to get up and into his progression. As a blocker, he demonstrates power and maximum effort at all times. Showed a well-rounded ability to block in any scenario. He is a solid, raw athlete with obvious upside to develop because of his speed out of the blocks. Explosive as a lead blocker to clear running lanes. Offers yards after the catch ability because he runs with speed and power, with a will to not go down. He is versatile because of his athleticism and was used a lot on the move in the backfield.

Armani Rogers, Ohio

Measureables: 6-5 3/8, 233 pounds. 9 3/4 hands. 4.58 40.

Stats: Rogers started 24 games at quarterback in five seasons for UNLV and Ohio. As a freshman in 2017, he rushed for a career-high 780 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2021, he completed a career-high 65.3 percent of his passes and added 552 rushing yards and seven scores. For his career, he averaged 5.5 yards per carry with 27 touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: Rogers had no pertinent analytical stats. He had a 99-yard touchdown run in 2021, the longest in FBS history by a quarterback.

Personal Touch: Rogers started his collegiate career as a quarterback at UNLV and ended it at the East-West Shrine Bowl back in Las Vegas with a new position.

“I felt like I could go out there, with my athleticism, and go out and compete at a high level at any position,” Rogers told Blue Chip Scouting. “[I] just had to put the effort into it…I’ve been training my butt off playing tight end, trying to master my craft in the short amount of time I did have before the all-star game…that was the biggest thing, trying to master everything. … I definitely need to work on run blocking, pass blocking, but I’m definitely physical enough to be able to do. I just need to understand how to do it more so.”

Rogers’ father, Sam, was a linebacker who played for the Buffalo Bills (seven seasons), San Diego Chargers (one) and Atlanta Falcons (two). His 10-year career included 30 sacks and seven forced fumbles. Said Sam to The Las Vegas Sun: “Armani started playing football around 8 years old. He would always stay with me and try to mimic everything I was doing. He was a loving kid. Outgoing, very polite, quiet spoken. It was a football family, but it was something all of them naturally decided to do. I never pushed it on them.”

Sports Info Solutions Scouting Report: In the pass game, Rogers will be most effective when split out. Due to his lack of bulk and inexperience, Rogers will struggle getting off the LOS against physicality early on and will benefit from some space. He shows explosiveness in his get-off and can win with quickness or using his length, depending on his opponent. Rogers runs his routes with sufficient tempo, and his savvy should increase rapidly as he gets reps at the position. He showed in the Shrine Bowl that he already has a feel for sitting down in the zone.

Austin Allen, Nebraska

Measureables: 6-7 5/8, 253 pounds. 9 1/2 hands. 4.83 40; 4.26 shuttle.

Stats: A full-time starter for the first time as a senior, Allen set career highs with 38 receptions, 602 yards (15.8 average) and two touchdowns as a senior to be voted the Big Ten’s tight end of the year. Despite his imposing height, he caught only three touchdowns in 44 games.

Deeper Stats: Allen had one drop (2.6 percent), one reception on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 7.0 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. According to Sports Info Solutions, he ranked 20th with 1.1 yard per pass route, eighth with 8.6 yards per target and sixth with a blown-block rate on running plays of 0.4 percent. In its total points metric, he was third on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: Allen figured basketball would be his ticket in athletics. He was an all-state player who got some Division I looks. However, it dawned on him that 6-foot-8 in basketball isn’t incredibly tall.

“Dalton Peters was one of my teammates in high school and he was probably the hardest worker I ever met,” Allen told Hail Varsity. “His dad was a coach. It was after the first game of the season, I had two interceptions and three total touchdowns versus the team and they pulled me aside and said, ‘You’re going to play college football.’ I shrugged them off and said, ‘You’re crazy, I’m going to play college basketball.’

“Midway through the season I started getting letters from these schools, and I went back to them and said, ‘You guys are wizards. How’d you know that?’ But they saw something I didn’t, and I had a pretty good junior year that led me to the offers.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Very big tight end who uses his body to shield off defenders and make contested catches. Allen shows awareness at the sideline to stay in bounds and can adjust for passes behind him. He makes tough catches over the middle despite getting hit hard, holding on through contact. After the catch, he lowers his shoulder and is willing to fight for extra yards. Due to long strides, his speed is solid for his size. Allen aligns in-line, at H-Back and in the slot. He is an efficient down blocker, driving piles with a flat back.

John FitzPatrick, Georgia

Measureables: 6-7 1/8, 262 pounds. 10 1/4 hands. DNP testing (feet).

Stats: FitzPatrick was mostly an extra offensive lineman during four seasons with the Bulldogs. In 38 career games that included 13 starts, he caught 17 passes for 200 yards (13.8 average) and one touchdown. He caught a career-high 10 passes and scored his only touchdown as a junior.

Deeper Stats: FitzPatrick had zero drops (0.0 percent), zero receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 3.0 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. In fact, he didn’t have a deep catch in his career. According to Sports Info Solutions, he ranked 21st with 1.0 yard per pass route, 23rd with 5.9 yards per target and 21st with a blown-block rate of 1.9 percent on running plays. In its total points metric, he was fifth on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: FitzPatrick played through his entire senior season with a broken bone in each foot. “Because I wanted to play,” FitzPatrick said at pro day. “If I can ever play through an injury I’m going to. It definitely slowed me down. I couldn’t run the way I wanted to or cut. It affected my game in a lot of ways. But I was fine as long as I could be on the field.”

In-season surgery wasn’t an option. “If I was able to go, I was going to go, no matter what I was playing through. You see how special of a team it is, you want to be on the field contributing any way that you can, and I was able to do so. I was proud to be a part of the team and how we closed it out.”

Sports Info Solutions Scouting Report: FitzPatrick projects as an ideal No. 2 blocking complement to a more prolific receiving lead TE option. He’ll need to improve his receiving abilities, which may come with increased opportunity. His lack of athleticism limits his ceiling, but his blocking prowess gives him a high floor at the next level. He’s been a mainstay on the Georgia field goal units in his career, should be a good upback on kickoff return, and his effort level and decent speed could lead to coverage opportunities, as well.

Lucas Krull, Pittsburgh

Measureables: 6-6 1/8, 253 pounds. 9 3/8 hands. 4.63 40, 4.38 shuttle.

Stats: Krull capped a nomadic career by catching 37 passes for 443 yards (12.0 average) and six touchdowns in 2021.

Deeper Stats: Krull had five drops (12.5 percent), two receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged a woeful 2.9 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. According to Sports Info Solutions, he ranked 21st with 1.0 yard per pass route, 17th with 7.4 yards per target and seventh with a blown-block rate on running plays of 0.6 percent. In its total points metric, he was 11th on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: Much like Hayden Hurst, who starred at South Carolina before being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, Krull was a pitcher (at Arkansas) who lost the ability to throw strikes. So, he gave up baseball to play football. He spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons at Florida before transferring to Pittsburgh. He sat out most of 2020 with a knee injury before he became a standout for the Panthers in 2021.

“I’ve had a meeting with about 25 [NFL] teams, and I think I’ve told my story 25 times,” Krull told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “It’s been awesome just getting to share that unique story.”

Sports Info Solutions Scouting Report: Krull was drafted in the 34th round of the 2018 MLB Draft as a pitcher by the San Francisco Giants. He’s a good athlete with a big, solid frame for the position. He plays hard and competes, but just seems to lack some overall toughness in the run game from time to time.

Curtis Hodges, Arizona State

Measureables: 6-7 3/4, 257 pounds. 9 5/8 hands. 4.85 40, 4.28 shuttle.

Stats: Hodges had a breakout final season. After catching 16 balls during his first four seasons, which were plagued by injuries and COVID, he caught 20 passes for 374 yards (187 average) and two touchdowns as a fifth-year senior.

Deeper Stats: Hodges had two drops (9.1 percent), six receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 6.3 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. According to Sports Info Solutions, he ranked 12th with 1.8 yard per pass route, first with 12.0 yards per target and first with a blown-block rate on running plays of 0.0 percent. In its total points metric, he was first on a per-block basis.

Personal Touch: At his height, Hodges’ primary focus growing up in Mesa, Ariz., was basketball. However, the summer before his senior season, he turned his focus to football. He was recruited as a receiver and bounced back and forth between receiver and tight end for the start of his collegiate career.

Coach Herm Edwards named Hodges the team’s most improved player. "I don't know what everybody else has done this year, but I know I had a pretty decent year. I put together a good couple games, and so compared to everybody else I think I stand out a little bit as far as length, height and speed," Hodges said at the Scouting Combine.

NFL.com Scouting Report: Pass-catching tight end with intriguing blend of length and athleticism. Hodges' failure to live up to his potential at Arizona State was partially due to a slew of nagging injuries that kept him off the field. He's a legitimate seam threat with open-field separation speed and an expansive catch radius but he will need to improve as a route runner and blocker to be viewed as an NFL tight end. Hodges' injury history will be a concern, but his athletic traits and size could make him a candidate for a practice squad.

Grant Calcaterra, SMU

Measureables: 6-3 7/8, 241 pounds. 10 hands. 4.62 40, 4.30 shuttle.

Stats: Calcaterra retired after the 2019 season, his third year with Oklahoma, due to concussions. After sitting out 2020, he enrolled at SMU and caught 38 passes for 465 yards (12.2 average) and four touchdowns in 2021.

Deeper Stats: Calcaterra had two drops (5.0 percent), one reception on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield and averaged 3.8 YAC per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. According to Sports Info Solutions, he ranked 16th with 1.7 yards per pass route and 7.6 yards per target. While he was tied for first with a blown-block rate on running plays of 0.0 percent, he was 22nd on a per-block basis in its total-points metric.

Personal Touch: During his year away from football, which was spurred by three concussions, Calcaterra pursued a career as a firefighter and EMT.

“I’ve always kind of liked (firefighting) since I was a kid,” he told USA Today. “I knew I didn’t want to sit around and answer emails, that’s just not my gig. I like to be outside, I like to be around people.”

Calcaterra’s path to this draft began when watching the 2020 draft. “Man, I’m better than some of these dudes,” he told himself. “I’m just as good as some of these guys getting drafted.”

And what of the potential consequences? “I just have an extreme passion for the game and I know, just like a knee injury, it’s going to have an effect on me later down the road,” Calcaterra told Fox 4 News. “I just love playing football and I’m going to give it my best shot and deal with what happens later.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Calcaterra offers excellent blocking upside because of his size, technique and effort. He has the strength to create leverage as a run blocker. He uses good leg drive to create holes and gaps for runners to run through or off of. He was used in a multitude of ways for the Mustangs, mainly as an in-line tight end or in the slot. Shows fairly good short-area quickness out of his release. Over the middle, he can be a solid safety valve option underneath.

Packers Draft Preview: Receivers

Ranking the Draft Need

Out of 11 position groups, receiver ranks as our most important need.

Never mind the immediate need, if you can. Lazard, Cobb and Watkins will be free agents next offseason.

Perhaps You Can Forget These Prospects

Based on Green Bay’s draft history, the likes of Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore (height) and Purdue’s David Bell (speed) won’t be a consideration.

For this story, we will not include any short, slot-only receivers, working under the assumption that Cobb and Rodgers will be enough.

Ranking the Receivers

Garrett Wilson, Ohio State

Measureables: 5-11 3/4, 183 pounds. 9 7/8 hands. 4.38 40, 4.36 shuttle, 36 vertical.

Stats: Wilson was a first-team All-American in 2021 following a season of 70 receptions for 1,058 yards (15.1 average) and 12 touchdowns. In three years, he scored 23 times.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, he had six drops (7.9 percent), averaged 6.0 YAC and had nine receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was 61.5 percent. He averaged 29 missed tackles per 100 touches, third-best out of 45 receivers in the draft class ranked by Sports Info Solutions, and was ninth with 10.4 yards per target.

Personal Touch: At Lake Travis High School – the same school that produced Baker Mayfield - Wilson was the 2017-2018 Central Texas High School Athlete of the Year for The Austin American-Statesman. He averaged 21 points per game in basketball. That skill came from his father, Kenny, who ranks No. 7 on Davidson’s all-time scoring list.

“He’s a guy who pushes for that and stresses for that,” Kenny Wilson told 247 Sports. “He’s had a chance to win championships at a national level when he was younger. That feeling is something he wants to feel again. He’s always driving toward it. I think that striving for greatness was the biggest factor in his recruitment.”

Ohio State is a football factory but hasn’t had a first-round receiver since Ted Ginn 15 years ago. With speed and skill on the perimeter and in the slot, Wilson is sure to break that streak. “That’s something that being a receiver, taking a lot of pride in what I do, I wanted to have that in my game,” he said at the Scouting Combine of his inside-outside versatility “I feel like this past season, moving back outside was good for my development. Seeing DBs up in my face, a lot of good cornerbacks, I feel like that translates everywhere. So, I feel like I can do both for sure.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Garrett Wilson is a twitched up athlete with excellent suddenness and flexibility. He displays inside-outside versatility with a diverse route tree. Excellent overall release package vs a variety of techniques and coverages. He sets up releases as games go on by working them into different route stems. Good understanding of attacking leverage in his route stem and changing up aiming points. He knows how to attack blind spots and shows very good timing. He is sudden and violent with his hips in and out of breaks.

Drake London, USC

Measureables: 6-3 7/8, 219. 9 3/8 hands. DNP testing (ankle).

Stats: The only thing that could stop London was a broken ankle. In eight games, he caught 88 passes for 1,084 yards (12.3 average) and seven touchdowns. He was the Pac-12’s Offensive Player of the Year even while missing the final four games.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, he had eight drops (8.3 percent), averaged 5.2 YAC and had 15 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was 67.8 percent on the strength of a national-best 19 contested catches. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 23 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 10 in the draft class, and was 29th with 8.9 yards per target.

Personal Touch: When he was a little kid, London said he cried the first time he saw a basketball hoop. He dominated in football and basketball to such an extent that he played both sports at USC as a freshman before giving up hoops to focus on football.

“It feels like a part of me has left. That was my first love,” London told The Orange County Register. “I never really told anybody that, but [basketball] was my first love. That was the first ball that I picked up, the first sport that I started playing.” He added, “Football had more pros, basketball had a little bit more cons so I just had to go with the golden egg that was right in front of me.”

London was all-state in both sports at Moorpark (Calif.) High School. So, “Why not?” play both sports, he told The Ventura County Star. “It's something I've done all my life. I love both sports. It's what I do. I want to get my degree, play two sports and, hopefully, become a pro athlete. That's my dream.”

London had a pro day workout last week in which he ran routes but didn’t run a 40. “Everybody has six to eight weeks, couple months to really train for [the 40-yard dash],” London said. “I was just trying to get back running at the end of the day. The tape is out there, you’ve seen it. …

“Separating when the dude is right below me, over the top of him. Separating at the release. Separating running by him,” he said. “You can see all sorts of separation on film, so, at the end of the day, just go watch that.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Natural catcher of the ball. Tough runner after the catch and runs with an edge to him. Possesses good body control and a large catch radius to haul in passes in his relative area. Excellent concentration in traffic and over the middle of the field to keep his eye on the ball throughout the catch process. He is aware of where the space is in the defense to attack the holes. Sudden footwork at the top of his routes to keep defenders a step or two off of him. Slippery with the ball in his hands.

Jameson Williams, Alabama

Measureables: 6-1 1/2, 179. 9 1/4 hands. DNP testing (knee).

Stats: Williams caught 15 passes at Ohio State but had 79 receptions for 1,572 yards (19.9 average) and 15 touchdowns upon transferring to Alabama. He was a first-team All-American and the SEC’s leader in receiving yards and touchdowns. As an added bonus, he returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, he had six drops (7.1 percent), averaged 9.3 YAC and had 13 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was 40.0 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 16 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 23 in the draft class, but was No. 1 with 13.1 yards per target.

Personal Touch: The native of St. Louis won Missouri state track and field championships in the 300-meter hurdles and 400 meters, and he broke Ezekiel Elliott’s state record in the 300 hurdles. “I have speed you can’t teach,” Williams said at the Combine. “I’ve got a lot of speed.” If not for the torn ACL, he might have won a national championship.

“Going through the practices,” he said at pro day. “Seeing Coach Saban’s defenses, it’s one of the best defenses I’ve ever seen. It has a lot of things in it and I really think it’s an advanced defense. So if you get a chance to go against this defense, it helps you a lot.

“The competition, everything that’s about Alabama football helped me become a better man, a better football player, a better receiver. … It all came together and hit me. I want to be the best. I’ve been wanting to be the best but when I came here, it just upped it to another level.”

As noted by The Sporting News, Williams had more touchdowns of 70 yards, 60 yards, 50 yards, 40 yards 30 yards and 20 yards than any receiver in FBS.

“I’ve been very fortunate. I’ve coached a ton of great receivers,” Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien told Sporting News. “And Jameson, relative to the stage of his career that he’s at, being a college football player and having a chance probably to play pro football … Excellent speed, excellent route-runner, very competitive guy. He’s a very instinctive player. He’s a very smart player. And I can’t say enough about his competitiveness. He’s a player that goes out and practices every day like it’s a game.

“And so I think that’s something that the great ones have – those traits. Everybody’s a little bit different. Everybody’s built differently. Everybody has different skill sets, different speed, things like that. But the best ones that I’ve been around, and Jameson’s in that category, they all have that competitive spirit that’s really hard to find sometimes.”

Williams told NFL Media's James Palmer that he is ahead of schedule in his recovery. He is also "getting a lot of movement" as he works in the pool and does some slight jogging. All of this progress has Williams hopeful that he'll be ready to take the field to start training camp.

"That's what I'm shooting for," said Williams of possibly being ready for training camp. "What overrules that is just making sure I'm 100% before I do anything. That would be my timeframe, but I'm just going to make sure everything is 100% before I come back just so I can be right."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Williams displays track-level speed and explosiveness at all times. Hard cuts at the top of routes are able to create separation. Has a unique ability to drop his hips and stop his momentum instantly. Shows the advanced route-running ability to change speeds throughout his stem. A threat to overtop and can win downfield. Will do a good job finding and adjusting to the ball. After the catch, Williams has the ability to make people miss and make plays in space. Extremely gifted athlete with quick feet and can run any route in a system.

Treylon Burks, Arkansas

Measureables: 6-2, 225. 9 7/8 hands. 4.55 40, 4.40 shuttle, 35.5 vertical.

Stats: Burks was the Arkansas offense in 2021, when he caught 66 passes for 1,104 yards (16.7 average) and 11 touchdowns. He was first-team all-SEC and set the school record with six games of 100-plus receiving yards. In three seasons, he grabbed 146 passes for 2,399 yards and 18 scores.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, he had four drops (5.8 percent), averaged 9.3 YAC (No. 4 in the nation)and had 12 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was 43.7 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 24 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 8 in the draft class, and was second with 12.3 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Burks’ talent was a hot topic among NFL decision-makers. So is his longtime passion for hunting – including wild boar.

“You have to go out there with dogs and the dogs find them and we come up behind them and tackle them and take them out,” he said at the Scouting Combine.

It’s muscle against muscle. Knife against tusks.

“We do not use guns,” he told ESPN.com recently. “Using a gun takes the fun out of it. Having a knife, it's more of a thrill that you're getting up on a wild boar that could kill you. Honestly, it's just a thrill being out there with your friends and family and having a good time.”

Dangerous? Sure. But if Burks can tackle a hog and put it on the dinner table, then he can break a tackle attempt by Harrison Smith and take it to the house.

Burks plays for his great-grandparents, who helped raise him in Warren, Ark. “It’s an honor to have my name on the back of a helmet,” Burks wrote as part of a photo montage marking his first practice at Arkansas. “My family always pushed me and my (great)- grandpa kept telling me when I was younger that I was going to be something in life. My (great)-grandma took that role once my grandpa died and was always pushing me to be better. For me to have the name ‘Burks’ on my back is really an honor. I want to rep my grandpa’s name and his legacy.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: A stout frame that embodies much of what you look for in a running back much less a receiver. Outstanding after the catch where he uses strength and quickness to gain extra yards. Catches the ball naturally as evident by his use in screens and routes over the middle of the field. Never see him dance around and gets north quickly with a solid burst. Was used primarily as an F receiver in the slot but can work around the offense. Once he sees green grass, he possesses a second gear and is seldom caught from behind. A durable commodity, Burks is reliable in his availability and as a security blanket for his quarterback.

Chris Olave, Ohio State

Measureables: 6-0 3/8, 187. 9 1/2 hands. 4.39 40, DNP shuttle, 32 vertical.

Stats: Olave was a big-time performer for each of his final three seasons. As a senior, he caught 65 passes for 936 yards (14.4 average) and 13 touchdowns to earn first-team All-American. That gave him a four-year total of 176 receptions for 2,711 yards (15.4 average) and 35 touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, he had five drops (7.1 percent), averaged 4.2 YAC and had 10 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was an excellent 62.5 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged five missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 43 (tied for last) in the draft class, and was 24th with 9.2 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Olave’s path to the draft started when Mission Hills (Calif.) High School coach Chris Hauser pulled Olave out of class to Ohio State coach Ryan Day could see the quarterback throw passes to someone. Having just moved into the school district, Olave hadn’t even played and certainly wasn’t on Day’s radar.

“Yes, that happens a lot, for sure,” Day told The Columbus Dispatch. “And usually, if the coach is saying, ‘I’ve got another guy for you over here,’ that means you’re not getting the (preferred) guy. So it’s usually not a good feeling. But in this case, it was kind of the perfect storm.”

Olave is driven by his family. His brothers were FCS cornerbacks. “That’s my purpose,” he said. “That’s why I go so hard. Both my brothers, we’re so close. I can’t even explain the love I have for them. I can’t even explain into words the love I have for my parents, what they did for me throughout my whole life and how they continue to support me.”

Mission Hills coach Chris Hauser appreciated Olave’s approach to football and life. Here’s this elite football player, elite athlete, a four-sport kid his senior year — football, basketball, baseball and track at same time — competing at a high level, and there’s no excuses anymore for anyone. It was: ‘My, oh my, look what this young man is doing.’

“He could have been resistant to that, he was going to be playing at a Power-5 school as a receiver, and he wasn’t recruited as a special teams phenom. But he played safety for us, as well as returned kicks for us, and to be able to talk about him to your current team, know what he’s doing for Ohio State, just has tremendous value. He always wants to be that teammate that [said], ‘If you need me to do something, I’m going to do it full-tilt.’”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Olave constantly threatens secondaries with his speed. Defenders always have to stay on their toes from the snap of the ball and leave cushion which opens up a lot for Olave’s overall game. He times the snap well and has quick burst off the line to get upfield and into his route. He can go from complete sprint to stopping on the dime to come back to the ball. Even though his frame is thinner, he demonstrates excellent effort when tasked with run blocking. Displays control of his body during the process of running his routes, as well as at the catch point to control himself in the air. As a route runner, he has the speed, footwork and quickness to make himself an elite route runner.

George Pickens, Georgia

Measureables: 6-3 1/4, 195. 8 3/4 hands. 4.47 40, DNP shuttle, 34.5 vertical.

Stats: Pickens suffered a torn ACL during spring practice but was back for the end of the season. In four games, he caught five passes for 107 yards. Pickens showed his promise as a freshman with his 49 receptions for 727 yards (14.8 average) and eight touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, Pickens in 2020 had two drops (5.3 percent), averaged 3.1 YAC and had five receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was 64.3 percent. He averaged 10 missed tackles per 100 touches in 2020, according to PFF.

Personal Touch: Pickens suffered a torn ACL on March 23 while participating in the Bulldogs’ spring practices. On Nov. 27 – barely eight months later – he was back for the game against rival Georgia Tech. He had a 52-yard reception in the national championship game against Alabama on Jan. 10.

“I'm very healthy right now,” Pickens, who had a predraft visit with Green Bay, said at the Scouting Combine. “With me coming back playing the last four games, trust and really preparing is no longer a problem.”

Pickens got his first scholarship offer as a sophomore – before he played his first varsity game.

“I watch Davante Adams a lot,” Pickens said. “I'm bigger than Davante Adams. That's kind of the lane I kind of want to go into because with the size I am, a guy who can move is almost unguardable.”

His older brother by seven years, Chris Humes, plays for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. “Since we were kids we always used to play against each other,” Humes told Dawg Nation. “I was his big brother so I always used to rough him up. He kind of grasped the concept he had to be a ‘Dawg.”

When Humes was a high school corner, he’d send 12-year-old George out on routes.

“He was the little brother,” Humes said. “Maybe 12 years old, but he was going to get pressed up. He had to see and learn what it was all about.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Very competitive receiver in all phases of the game. Pickens possesses impressive length and strong hands to pluck the ball away from his frame. He is not afraid to go over the middle and lays out for passes. A ball winner with the pass in the air, Pickens tracks it, adjusts and makes a play at the high point. When running verticals against press, he uses his quick first step to get on top of corners before stacking them. His speed is good. After the catch, he does not go down easily and is elusive to avoid defenders. Pickens is a competitive blocker looking to finish.

Jahan Dotson, Penn State

Measureables: 5-10 5/8, 178. 9 1/2 hands. 4.43 40, DNP shuttle, 36 vertical.

Stats: Dotson practically doubled his production every year, going from 13 receptions in 2018 to 27 in 2019 to 52 in 2020 to 91 in 2021. He earned third-team All-American as a senior with 1,182 receiving yards (13.0 average) and 12 touchdowns. He returned 25 punts for his career with a 13.5 average and one touchdown.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, he had two drops (2.2 percent), averaged 5.3 YAC and had 11 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was 41.6 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 10 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 36 in the draft class, and was 35th with 8.3 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Of his 11 100-yard games, he recorded 11 catches for 242 yards at Maryland this past season. “He makes plays,” cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields said. “Even when guys know the ball is coming to him, you still have to really guard him to try to stop him. He’s just quicker than you think, stronger than you think, faster than you think. I think he’s the best receiver in the country.”

Dotson’s drive comes from his parents. Dotson gets that from his parents. Robin and Al Dotson moved their family from East Orange, N.J., to Nazareth, Pa., more than a decade ago, yet commuted daily back to New Jersey for work. The drives were a grind (still are) but became worth it with Dotson's success at Nazareth High.

Robin Dotson fights in other ways. She is undergoing cancer treatments for the second time, having been first diagnosed in 2019 and learning earlier this year that the cancer had returned.

“2019, I had a procedure done,” Robin said. “I went to the doctor for results which I thought was just normal results, by myself, got the news. Jahan was in school, so we decided to wait until he got home. He came up to the hospital, and he was there for a while, and I finally broke it to him. I told him I had cancer.”

With his mom watching the game in a hospital, Dotson scored his first career touchdown. “I literally could not stop smiling,” Dotson said. “Coming back to be able to see me play, it kind of brings me life,” Dotson added. “My mom’s fight is basically my fight. My mom went through so many tough things. I’m just trying to repay it for her.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: As a receiver with extremely quick feet and flexible ankles, Dotson excels as a receiver on underneath routes. He makes it hard for defenders to stay with him completely because of his acceleration into the top of his route. He creates extra separation with sudden movements, leaving defenders on skates at times. Even though he is a smaller target, his catch radius has proved to be bigger than his size as he is capable of hauling in passes away from his frame. Doton has the important trait of always maintaining good body control throughout all parts of his game. Understands how to catch the ball at all angles, no matter how the delivery is. He is simply a natural pass catcher and makes every reception look easy.

Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama

Measureables: 6-0 1/8, 194. 10 hands. 4.49 40, 4.24 shuttle, 36 vertical.

Stats: Tolbert caught 64 passes for 1,085 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior and 82 passes for 1,474 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior. His four-year totals: 178 receptions, 3,140 yards (17.6 average) and 22 touchdowns. He owns most of the school records.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, he had eight drops (8.9 percent), averaged 7.1 YAC and had 16 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. The latter figure ranked sixth in the nation. His contested-catch rate was 44.4 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 27 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 27 in the draft class, and was seventh with 10.9 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Tolbert was only a two-star recruit and was headed to an FCS school before his hometown school offered him late in the process. “I started playing kind of late, and I have been constantly learning even back during the spring," Tolbert told AL.com. "I’ve learned about different coverages and schemes team might play. I’ve also learned about reading defenses and just becoming a better wide receiver. I trained with some NFL guys over the summer and they just showed me some steps and other things I can work on to improve my game for this season.”

Tolbert impressed first-year coach Major Applewhite, the former Texas quarterback and Alabama assistant. “I talked to Jalen before I even met him in-person and he is a great human being,” Applewhite told AL.com. “As a coach, you relish the opportunities to coach great players with great attitudes. And sitting in the wide receiver room the last couple of years at Alabama, I had an opportunity to be around a guy like DeVonta Smith. And I see a lot of the same traits (in Tolbert), in terms of really wanting to learn the finer points.

“The devil’s in the details and trying to see these things — how did (Smith) look at this? How did (Henry) Ruggs do this … watching film, always being in there. It’s just a great sight to see, and it’s a wonderful blessing as a coordinator to have a guy who’s got skill, but also a desire to get better every day.”

He was a three-sport player in Mobile, Ala. “I think playing basketball and baseball really helped pave the way for me to further develop as a football player,” he told The Draft Network. “A lot of people don’t know that I didn’t actually start playing football until the 10th or 11th grade in high school. Playing basketball and baseball exposed me to a wide variety of skills that translated to the football field.

When you think about playing these sports, you have to high-point the ball in order to secure a rebound in basketball. You can’t let your opponent take the ball away. … You have to track the ball in baseball of course. Baseball teaches terrific hand-eye coordination. That little ball comes at you fast in the outfield.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Tolbert possesses great speed and acceleration to eat up cushions and fly past defensive backs. He is sudden and nuanced in his releases off the line, allowing him to separate against press coverage if cornerbacks are unable to land their punch. Tolbert is best on vertical routes, where he can use his speed to get behind defenses in a hurry. Ball tracking is a strong suit of his, as he can adjust to off-target passes and attack the ball at the high point. After the catch, he attacks angles with his speed.

Christian Watson, North Dakota State

Measureables: 6-4 1/8, 208. 10 1/8 hands. 4.36 40, 4.19 shuttle, 38.5 vertical.

Stats: Playing for the run-first Bison, Watson caught 43 passes for 801 yards (18.6 average) and seven touchdowns as a senior. He returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as a junior and was a second-team All-American as a senior. For his career, he averaged 20.4 yards per reception.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, he had five drops (10.4 percent), averaged 8.0 YAC and had eight receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was 50.0 percent and he averaged 12.9 yards per target and 14 missed tackles per 100 touches.

Personal Touch: Watson’s father, Tim Watson (now Tim Wajed), was a sixth-round draft pick by the Packers in 1993. “From the day I was born, I’ve been around football. It’s a love and a passion,” he said at the Senior Bowl. “My entire family’s life revolves around football. I just have a different love for the game of football. I really don’t see life for me outside of football in some way, shape or form. It has pushed me to try to be the best player I can be and make a name for myself and represent my family well by making a name for myself.”

How did this freakish athlete with NFL DNA wind up at North Dakota State?

“I was a late bloomer in high school,” Watson said at the Scouting Combine. “I didn’t really shoot up until my junior year. I went from 5-9, 140, to 6-1, 160, in a matter of months. So, I was a late bloomer. I just didn’t get that interest early from any Power 5 schools, big schools, and North Dakota State came in. They were one of the first schools that was talking to me and I fell in love with the program early and they fell in love with me, and I was a hundred percent committed to them.”

Those “matter of months” came from the end of his junior season to spring practice before his senior year.

"I'm out there watching practice with some other guys. I'm watching Christian thinking, 'This is a guy I can develop. This is a guy I can work with,'" then-NDSU receivers coach Atif Austin told InForum.com. "Then it starts raining. Just pouring. Everybody else leaves and I keep standing there watching Christian going through drills. I was so intrigued I stood in the rain thinking about the possibilities with this kid."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Tall and long legged wideout who lines up at X receiver and operates on a vertical route tree. Watson has great build up speed when he opens his long stride which he uses to run past coverage. His speed also makes him dangerous as a kickoff returner and should translate to other special team roles. Watson uses his hands to get past and stack defensive backs downfield. After the catch, he falls forward to gain extra yards.

Alec Pierce, Cincinnati

Measureables: 6-3 1/8, 211. 9 hands. 4.41 40, 4.20 shuttle, 40.5 vertical.

Stats: Pierce led the Bearcats with 52 receptions for 884 yards (17.0 average) and eight touchdowns as a senior. A three-year starter, he had 106 receptions and 13 scores during those 34 games. He was limited to six games in 2020 by knee and shoulder injuries. He was an Academic All-American as a senior.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, he had four drops (7.1 percent), averaged 3.7 YAC and had 13 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was 30.0 percent, a disappointing figure considering his size and jumping ability. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged eight missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 39 in the draft class, and was 12th with 10.3 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Pierce earned a five-year degree in engineering in three-and-a-half years while competing in high-level football. “I’ve learned time management and being able to prioritize things in your life,” Pierce told school web site. “Sometimes you have to stay in and do school work and get the important things done. Sometimes you have to get up early when you don’t want to, but I’ve learned that by getting up early you can get things done when you are fresh and focused.”

Pierce comes from an athletic family. His father played football at Northwestern, his mom played volleyball at Northwestern, and an older brother, Justin, finished his basketball career at North Carolina and plays professionally in Europe.

As a freshman, the Bearcats experimented with him at linebacker, where he made six tackles, before emerging as a go-to receiver for Desmond Ridder. “He’s a go-getter,” Ridder said. “He’s a person we can look to go get the ball. He’s got a great vertical jump, great speed and we put the ball up and know he’s going to come down with it … I know I can count on him whether to top something off or go out and do what he does.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: The Cincinnati standout maintains separation after gaining a step or winning leverage with his size and speed. He regularly dips his shoulder to avoid physicality up his stem and before his break. He can win with a push-off at the top of his route stem. At the catch point, Pierce plays to his size and is an incredibly reliable hands catcher when open or through contact. He tracks the ball seamlessly and uses his outstanding body control and catch radius to high point or adjust to errant passes. Pierce shields the ball from defenders with his large frame. He is fairly dangerous after the catch. The talented receiver has special teams experience in high school and college.

Khalil Shakir, Boise State

Measureables: 5-11 7/8, 196. 9 1/2 hands. 4.43 40, 4.21 shuttle, 38.5 vertical.

Stats: Shakir was a three-year all-conference selection with 19 touchdowns during those seasons. After catching 63 passes as a sophomore and 52 as a junior, he caught 77 passes for 1,117 yards (14.5 average) and seven touchdowns as a senior.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, he had 10 drops (11.5 percent), averaged 6.0 YAC and had 10 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was 44.4 percent. Given the number of circus catches he’s made, the drop total is a disappointment. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 18 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 18 in the draft class, and was 21st with 9.4 yards per target.

Personal Touch: In high school, he played receiver, defensive back, safety, wildcat and returned kickoffs and punts. He took that versatility to Boise State. He was called a Swiss Army Knife; he didn’t understand the comparison.

“The little red one that flips out all the different tools,” teammate Kekaula Kaniho explained while standing nearby at Mountain West Media Days in Las Vegas. “Oh yeah,” Shakir said. “You think a good nickname would be Swiss? Just call me Swiss.”

This story involving some advice from teammate Sean Modster would warm Allen Lazard’s heart. "He made me fix my bed at the hotel and I would be like they are going to clean the room right when we leave," Shakir told Idaho News 6. "He was like it’s not what it’s about, it’s called respect you get up out of bed, you made it a mess so you fix it up."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: He is a nuanced and refined route runner using change of tempo and attacking of leverage to manipulate DB’s. The Boise State wide receiver shows good football intelligence reading coverages and finding soft spots vs zone. Shakir is a very fluid, loosed hip athlete that showcases impressive quickness and change of direction. Additionally, he does a good job getting in and out of breaks with violent hip drops and footwork. When the ball is in the air is when Shakir is at this best.

Velus Jones, Tennessee

Measureables: 5-11 3/4, 204. 9 3/4 hands. 4.31 40, 4.51 shuttle, 33 vertical.

Stats: Jones spent four seasons at USC and his final two seasons at Tennessee. With the Volunteers, he caught 84 passes for 1,087 yards (12.9 average) and 10 touchdowns. Not just a deep threat, Jones earned All-American accolades as a senior, when he averaged 27.3 yards per kickoff return with one touchdown and 15.1 yards per punt return. He returned kickoffs for five seasons and boasted a career mark of 24.4 yards per runback with two scores. He returned punts for the first time in 2021.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, Jones had three drops (4.6 percent), averaged 8.3 yards after the catch and had three receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards. His contested-catch rate was 50.0 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 34 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 1 in the draft class, and was 15th with 9.9 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Jones earned his master’s degree in agricultural leadership, education and communications. “Me and my father talked about how we’re going to buy a lot of land,” Jones said at the Combine. “Being from an old-fashioned family, being raised by my grandmother and my granddad, they have their own crops. Their own tomatoes, collard greens and stuff. That was real interesting to me. I want to buy some land and have some livestock. Right now in the back of our neighborhood, we call it the goat field, we have goats, chickens, hens, horses. I’m a country boy, rode horses, liked to fish a lot.”

Jones, who had a predraft visit with the Packers, said his return ability is what separates him from some of the other prospects in the draft. “I’d say my playmaking ability in different phases of the game when it comes to punt return, kickoff return, and playing receiver and having the ability to make plays out of the backfield as well,” Jones said at the Scouting Combine. “When it comes to me, I feel I’m four players in one. I can make plays in any phase of the game.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Average-sized slot receiver with great speed who operates on a primarily vertical route tree. Jones uses his great acceleration and speed to be a consistent vertical threat by eating up cushions and blowing past flat footed defenders. Above-average hip sink and lower body flexibility allow him to perform speed cuts without losing significant momentum. Jones can hang on to the ball on passes slightly outside of his frame and maintains his balance to pick up yards after the catch.

Kevin Austin, Notre Dame

Measureables: 6-2 3/8, 200. 9 hands. 4.43 40, 4.15 shuttle, 39 vertical.

Stats: Austin was suspended for 2019 for violations of team rules and missed most of 2020 following foot surgeries. Thus, in three years at Notre Dame, he had just six catches on his resume headed into 2021. In finally reached expectations in 2021 wiht 48 receptions for 888 yards (18.5 average) and seven touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, Austin had five drops (9.4 percent), averaged 6.7 yards after the catch and had 11 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards. His contested-catch rate was 52.0 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 17 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 20 in the draft class, and was ninth with 10.4 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Austin was the only receiver in this draft class to rank in the Top 5 in the vertical, broad jump, three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle. “He’s just like a physical specimen. You guys see it,” safety Brian Hamilton said. “First-team guy off the bus. Big, strong, athletic, knows how to use his body really well. Has great hands, great ball skills. Really indescribable watching him play because he’s so smooth, as big as he is. And he’s competitive at the same time. He’s not complacent. A lot guys his caliber can tend to coast but he’s a really hard worker. He’s diligent and it motivates me to grind every day.”

Austin could have sought a fresh start and greener pastures. “I have really great teammates that have helped me and supported me throughout this process, knowing I can play here and that I will play here,” Austin said. “They always say, ‘You will. You will.’ That’s great to hear. When you hear stuff like that every single day, it keeps you going, keeps you motivated and you want to come back.”

One of his favorite receivers to study is Davante Adams.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Big and strong receiver. Great at playing the deep ball, he has incredible tracking skills and can adjust his body accordingly to make the catch. He also has really strong hands and makes contested catches look fairly easy. Good route runner and is very decisive in his movements, you can tell he understands the route tree. He is fluid in his routes and knows the optimal body position to get open and make the catch. He has a surprising ability to change direction and that makes it extremely difficult to cover him on comeback routes.

John Metchie, Alabama

Measureables: 5-11 1/4, 187. 9 1/4 hands. DNP testing (knee)

Stats: Metchie caught 96 passes for 1,142 yards (11.9 average) and eight touchdowns before missing the two playoff games with a torn ACL. He added 55 receptions for 916 yards (16.7 average) and six scores in 2020.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, he had eight drops (7.7 percent), averaged 6.7 YAC and had seven receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was an excellent 61.1 percent. He ranked fourth in the nation with 33 catches on screens. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 23 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 10, in the draft class, and was 32nd with 8.8 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Metchie was born in Taiwan, moved to Ghana and spent most of his childhood in Canada. When he was a 14-year-old with a bright football future, he decided to move away from his family to Maryland to better position himself for a career in football. That future was put on hold in 2014, when he was hit in the chest and he could feel his heart beating unusually hard. An exam discovered an enlarged heart.

“It was hard,” Metchie told The Toronto Sun. “I think that was one of the hardest times of my high-school career, especially dealing with this whole thing in a different country, being away from my mom and my brothers and things like that.”

He sat out the rest of the season, then redoubled his work ethic to return in 2015. “He walks around with a chip on his shoulder, like he has something to prove,” said his brother, Royce, a cornerback for Toronto Argonauts. “He’s a kid (for whom) mediocrity is not a thing … He hates just being average, especially on the field.”

The pandemic prevented him from visiting his family for two years. “My family was staying safe and all, but I wasn't able to see them or go back home for about two years, couldn't see my mom for about two years,” he said at the Combine. “It was tough, but I was just staying focused and I knew a day would come where I would see her again. Of course, technology nowadays helps for sure, it's not the same thing as seeing them in person or being around them in person, but it definitely helps for sure.”

How is he so fast? From sprinting away from the numerous guard dogs in Ghana.

Metchie is the No. 1-ranked player in the CFL Draft.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Great route-runner who has the tremendous foot speed and ankle flexion allowing him to change directions at high speeds. Metchie sells his routes, keeping his head and pads square. He can separate on all three levels from the outside or on the slot, getting in and out of breaks very suddenly. From off he is nearly impossible to guard as he runs on the toes of corners and explodes out of his breaks. Tracks the ball very well and is not phased by traffic, coming down with it through contact.

Danny Gray, SMU

Measureables: 5-11 7/8, 186. 9 5/8 hands. 4.33 40, 4.37 shuttle, 34 vertical.

Stats: A junior-college transfer, Gray caught 82 passes for 1,251 yards (15.3 average) and 13 touchdowns during his two seasons with the Mustangs. He was first-team all-conference as a senior with his 16.4 average and nine scores.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, Gray dropped seven passes (12.5 percent) and averaged 8.6 yards after the catch. His contested-catch rate was 57.1 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 16 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 23 in the draft class, and was fifth with 11.2 yards per target.

Personal Touch: To get his grades in order, he spent his first two seasons at Blinn Junior College. “JUCO is tough,” he told The Draft Network. “I definitely had some obstacles I had to overcome. It made me grow as a man and player overall, though. It wasn’t always the experience I wanted, but I came to realize it was the one I needed. It made me accept the little things and I learned to never settle for less. I worked extremely hard.”

He has big expectations for himself in five years. “I see myself deep in my career, with two to three Pro Bowls, a Super Bowl, a player that’s well respected around the league,” he told NFL Analysis. “Some future goals, I would love to give back to the community just by opening recreational centers, open up more jobs, just to allow kids to be kids and keep them busy as they grow up.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Gray offers good size at the position to play on the outside full-time. He plays with speed and quickness that gives him good ability before and after the catch. In his route progression, he really turns on the burners and has an elite second gear to pose a threat downfield. Excels on crossing routes over the middle because of his ability to extend plays after the catch with straight-line speed.

Romeo Doubs, Nevada

Measureables: 6-1 7/8, 201. 10 hands. DNP testing (knee)

Stats: Doubs is one of the most productive receivers in the class. In four seasons, he caught 224 passes for 3,322 yards (14.8 average) and 26 touchdowns. He had 40-plus receptions in every season and 1,000-plus yards as a junior and senior. In 2021, he caught 80 balls for 1,109 yards (13.9 average) and 11 touchdowns. Plus, he averaged 12.5 yards per punt return with one touchdown in four seasons.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, he had four drops (4.8 percent), averaged 4.0 YAC and had 12 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was 60.0 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he forced 15 missed tackles per 100 touches, good for 25th in the draft class, and was 14th with 10.0 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Doubs’ older brother, Jarmaine, who played cornerback at Southern Utah, got Romeo hooked on football when he was 4. “The Lord’s definitely blessed me with him because everything I learned was with him," Doubs told Nevada Sports Net. "Eventually I was going to have to come here to college and grow up on my own, so whenever things didn’t go my way, whether it was in a harsh way, he had to be on me. Or if it was just me talking to him being able to figure out and just get advice and learn then elevate from there.”

At the Scouting Combine, he said he watched a lot of A.J. Green. The Senior Bowl was a key piece to his path to the NFL. "I learned Senior Bowl week that I can compete with anybody, whether if you go to Alabama, if you go to Penn State," Doubs said. "I'm just a kid who comes from from the city of L.A. who's just got a chip on his shoulder. So I think up into that, I just knew that I had to give my best shot out there. And I thought I did great at doing that because I got some I got some people's attention."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Doubs is the definition of a true vertical threat. Doubs has a high-cut 6’2 frame and uses this to really open up his stride and hit a true second gear downfield. Very good vertical separator who stacks DB’s downfield with an innate feel for keeping on defenders back. Juice to separate vertically, but also capable of stopping on a dime. Doubs has inside/outside versatility and a clean release package when allowed to release freely. On vertical routes, Doubs shows the ability to high point with a wide catch radius.

Charleston Rambo, Miami

Measureables: 6-0 5/8, 184. 9 3/4 hands. 4.52 40, 4.21 shuttle, 33.5 vertical.

Stats: Rambo spent four seasons at Oklahoma – he caught 43 passes in 2019 – before shifting to Alabama for his final season. He was superb, catching 79 passes for 1,172 yards (14.8 average) and seven touchdowns. The yardage record set a school record.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, Rambo four had drops (4.8 percent), averaged 4.9 yards after the catch and had 13 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards. His contested-catch rate was 52.2 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 13 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 27 in the draft class, and was 16th with 9.8 yards per target.

Personal Touch: At Oklahoma, he played with CeeDee Lamb in 2019. The expectation was that he’d fill his shoes in 2020. He did not, and he sought a fresh start. “My confidence, it never fails,” he said before the season. “I feel I’m way better than I was in 2019.”

Rambo fancies himself as more than just a catcher of passes. "In the weight room I will tell the running backs to come my way when they run the ball," Rambo said. "I am good at blocking, route running, speed, and getting open. That is what we want to do, get open and get the ball.”

And about the last name? Yes, he was a fan of the Sylvester Stallone movies. He watched them, "All the time," Rambo told The Oklahoman. "Just cause my name was on there and I was little. I watched them all the time.” He added: "Playing football when I was little, they thought that was my nickname because I hit hard on the field. They were like, 'You go so hard they call you Rambo?' No, that's my legal name.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: With the direction the NFL has moved on the offense, teams want more separation and explosiveness on the outside. Charleston Rambo brings all that and more. Mixes his releases off the line and has great command over his repertoire of route stems. Controls a decent route tree and has developed some intricacies within routes to create separation. He's quick off the line and wastes little motion as he accelerates.

Erik Ezukanma, Texas Tech

Measureables: 6-1 7/8, 209. 9 3/8 hands. 4.54 40, 4.38 shuttle, 36.5 vertical.

Stats: Ezukanma led the Red Raiders in receiving each of his final three seasons, with 136 receptions for 2,117 yards and 14 scores during that span. As a senior, he caught 48 passes for 705 yards (14.7 average) and four touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, four had drops (7.8 percent), averaged 7.8 yards after the catch and had six receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards. His contested-catch rate was 56.3 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 26 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 5 in the draft class, and was 24th with 9.2 yards per target.

Personal Touch: In a photo essay for Texas Tech, he gushed about his mom, who worked long hours as a nurse to take care of the family. My mom is strong for still going to work everyday with the same attitude she’s had my entire life. She’s a grinder and doesn’t take “no” for an answer. I love that about her and love how much she cares for me and my brothers and sisters. Her job didn’t always allow her to be at every one of my games growing up. I knew that and never wanted to pressure her to be there. I already knew she wanted to be there each and every time I put on a helmet. She always made sure to make it for the big games, though.

As a high school junior in Fort Worth, Texas, he predicted that in five years he’d be making his NFL dream come true. As he told The Timber Creek Talon: “I’ve been playing football since the second grade and still, to this day, I can’t explain how it feels to be on the field. My mind goes blank when the adrenaline rush starts to kick in. I could have had an injury all week, but when I’m on the field, all those worries go away.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Ezukanma flashes nuanced releases to beat press coverage, using his feet as a serious weapon. His go-to is a stutter release and he does great to gain ground and close space on the CB, rather than just staying sedentary and not creating an advantage. For a changeup, Ezukanma uses a glide step and will vary the pace+cadence of his footwork to keep cornerbacks guessing. He’s got deceptive deep speed due to rolling-build-up acceleration which accompanied with calculated hand fighting throughout the phase leads to Ezukanma being an adept deep threat.

David Bell, Purdue

Measureables: 6-0 7/8, 212. 9 1/4 hands. 4.65 40, 4.57 shuttle, 33 vertical.

Stats: Bell delivered three superb seasons, finishing his career with 232 grabs for 2,935 yards (12.7 average) and 21 touchdowns. In 2021, he was a first-team All-American and the Big Ten’s receiver of the year after piling up 93 catches for 1,286 yards (13.8 average) and six touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, Bell had five drops (5.1 percent), averaged 5.8 YAC and had 10 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was 42.3 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 24 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 4 in the draft class, and was 19th with 9.6 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Bell, an Indianapolis native, was a hot recruit who chose to go to Purdue to be near his beloved grandmother. “The No. 1 reason was my grandmother,” Bell told The Athletic. “She’s handicapped, and I wanted her to come to as many games as possible. She’s never missed a game since I first started playing football in first grade. I just wanted that tradition to stay alive.”

The two have lived together since Bell was born. "When he started playing basketball, I'd be in the hall playing basketball," Karen Butler told WTHR. "Then when he decided to try baseball, I'm out in the yard with him doing the baseball thing.” She added: “I'm in a wheelchair now, so this is like a prize for me to get out of the house and go see him. I don't want you to tell me what he did, I want to see it for myself.”

Will his production save him from his poor testing numbers?

“He is as cool as the other side of the pillow,” offensive coordinator Ja’Marcus Shephard said. “He is a smooth, silky runner. There’s no herky-jerky to anything. Man, he’s like a hot knife through butter. That’s what is deceptive, the speed that he has, the quickness of some of his movements. That’s why some people sort of underestimate him. ‘This guy can’t really run past me, can he?’ And then all of sudden he’s running by you.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: He has great ability to locate the ball when it’s in the air and haul in some spectacular catches. As a route runner, his footwork is very smooth which gives him the edge when he breaks off his route. His feet are more sudden than anything and makes him a good separator underneath. After the catch, he is quick and agile, making defenders miss in open space. His route tree is very developed and can a multitude of different variations of routes. Manipulates defenders well, sending them the wrong way because of his body positioning and footwork. Bell is a natural catcher, making almost all receptions look very nonchalant and relaxed.

Justyn Ross, Clemson

Measureables: 6-3 5/8, 205. 9 5/8 hands. 4.63 40, DNP shuttle, 31.5 vertical.

Stats: In three seasons, Ross caught 158 passes for 2,379 yards (15.1 average) and 20 touchdowns. He looked like one of the next great prospects when he had 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns as a freshman and 66 receptions and eight touchdowns as a sophomore. However, he missed 2020 following spinal surgery, missed three games in 2021 with a foot injury and tested horrible. During his final season, he caught 46 balls for 514 yards (11.2 average; 10.5 less than 2018) and three touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: According to PFF, he had one drop (2.1 percent), averaged 4.5 YAC and had three receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. His contested-catch rate was 50.0 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 13 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 27 in the draft class, and was 41st with 7.1 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Ross is from Alabama but chose Clemson over Alabama. He capped his freshman season by rolling up 153 yards for the national championship vs. the Crimson Tide. “I was thinking about the 30-year-old Justyn. This decision right here could change my life for the better or for the worst,” Ross said after signing. “(Developing and playing professionally) is the main goal right there. I feel like I have a good chance to do that there.”

He was unable to build upon his massive freshman year, though. During spring practice, he caught a slant and was hit by a linebacker and lost some feeling in his arms. A bulging disc was discovered and he had surgery.

“I'm very grateful,” he said in March 2021. “I'm taking advantage of every route I can get. I was smiling (the first time he put the pads on last fall) because I realized how quickly the game could be taken away from me. It's been hard, but I just put everything in God's hands like my grandma said to do. So I just put everything in God's hands and went on and did everything the doctors told me to do, everything my coaches told me to do.”

His mom, Charay Franklin, had Ross when she was 16. She did two tours with the Navy and is a longtime member of the Alabama National Guard. “Back in 2001, there wasn’t FaceTime or anything like that,” Franklin told The Post and Courier. “Being out on the ship, I didn’t have any way to talk to him, to talk to Justyn the way I wanted to and things like that. Because he couldn’t read, I could send an email to my mom and she could tell me how he was doing and send me pictures of him and things like that. But it was really hard not to see him that whole six to eight months at a time when on deployment.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Long wideout who has lined up on the outside and in the slot. Possessing good route running abilities at that size, Ross can run a variety of routes displaying hip sink, foot speed and lower-body flexibility to turn tight corners. His releases are sudden and he uses his hands to beat the punch of press coverage defenders. Displaying high football IQ, he understands the spacing of concepts and makes himself available for the quarterback scrambling out of the pocket.

Tyquan Thornton, Baylor

Measureables: 6-2 3/8, 181. 8 1/4 hands. 4.28 40, 4.39 shuttle, 38.5 vertical.

Stats: The fastest receiver at the Scouting Combine caught 62 passes for 948 yards (15.3 average) and 10 touchdowns as a senior and averaged 15.7 yards for his career. His breath-taking speed might be enough for the Packers to overlook his small hands.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, Thornton had three drops (4.6 percent), averaged a mere 3.1 yards after the catch and had nine receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards. His contested-catch rate was 55.6 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged five missed tackles per 100 touches, tied with Chris Olave and Alabama’s Slade Bolden for last in the draft class, and was 23rd with 9.3 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Thornton had a predraft visit with Green Bay. “I think he’s matured,” Baylor coach Dave Aranda said in November. “Ty has been, from the very beginning, blessed with great length and speed and athleticism. I think where Ty has really grown is his practice habits, his mindset, his attitude towards work. I think those things have really taken off, and I think there were some probably hard lessons in all that.”

Among his scholarship offers was one to run track at LSU. That speed showed during his 40, which for a brief moment beat the Scouting Combine record. “I felt I was running super fast — I couldn’t feel my body,” Thornton said.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Tyquan Thornton displays very good athletic ability with very good burst, speed, body control, and explosiveness. He displays a big catch radius with his long arms and frame. Thornton is a vertical burner that excels on vertical routes. Once he gets even with a DB he stacks with his excellent speed and long strides. Good downfield tracking ability and will high point the ball with good hand catching technique. When breaking back towards the QB he is a friendly target. Displays explosive cuts to get in and out of breaks pretty fluidly at his size.

Ty Fryfogle, Indiana

Measureables: 6-1 1/8, 204. 9 3/4 hands. 4.53 40, 4.47 shuttle, 39 vertical.

Stats: Fryfogle delivered four productive seasons, finishing his career with 158 receptions for 2,231 yards (14.1 average) and 14 touchdowns. He scored seven times in eight games in 2020 to earn third-team All-American and the Big Ten’s Receiver of the Year award. In 2021, he caught 46 passes for 512 yards (11.1 average) and one score.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, Fryfogle had eight drops (14.5 percent), averaged 3.4 yards after the catch and had only four receptions out of a whopping 30 passes thrown 20-plus yards. His contested-catch rate was 31.8 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged five missed tackles per 100 touches, tied for last in the draft class, and 5.1 yards per target.

Personal Touch: He is a quiet star. “I had to let my game do the talking,” Fryfogle told The Indy Star. “I just watch, try to model my game after guys like (former Atlanta Falcons receiver) Julio (Jones), (former Packers star) Davante Adams, guys that don’t really talk that much on the field but they make big plays in big games.” Said his Hoosiers receivers coach, Grant Heard: "He's a man of few words, but he is fun to be around. He does have a good personality. A lot of people don't get to see it until you're around long enough. ... He's just an old country boy from Mississippi that likes to fish and hunt."

He gained the nickname “Jump Ball.” His athleticism became obvious while in high school. “He took a ball on the baseline and went up and did a two-handed reverse down between his legs and brought it back up behind his head and dunked it,” football coach Matt Caldwell told The Herald-Bulletin. “I was like, wow, you know, this kid just jumped 3 or 4 foot off the floor and did something you don’t see high school kids normally do at 6-2.”

He was nominated for the Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I FBS senior or graduate student and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character, and competition.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: There is a lot to like in Ty Fryfogle's game. First and foremost, his most robust ability is his ability to win at the point-of-attack in contested catch situations. He can snag balls out of the air and hang onto them through contact. Fryfogle attacks corners blindspots. He is an excellent boundary player. Fryfogle uses the boundary to cut off angles of attack and break back towards the football.

Bo Melton, Rutgers

Measureables: 5-11, 189. 9 hands. 4.34 40, 4.10 shuttle, 38 vertical.

Stats: Melton caught 164 passes for 2,011 yards (12.3 average) and 11 touchdowns in five seasons. He finished with a bang. As a fifth-year senior, he caught 55 balls for 618 yards (11.2 average) and three touchdowns. He was not a primary returner but he averaged 26.6 yards on 11 kickoff returns and 19.2 yards (with one touchdown) on five punt returns during his final two years.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, he had five drops (8.2 percent), averaged 6.3 yards after the catch and had eight receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards. His contested-catch rate was 25.0 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 20 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 15 in the draft class, and was tied for last with 6.5 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Melton has played the drums since he was 2. He dominated high school games on Friday and played at church on Sundays.

Going to Rutgers is the way of his family. His father, Gary, played football for Rutgers, and his mother, Vicky, played on the basketball team. A brother, Max, started 10 games in 2021 as a freshman cornerback.

“It was completely my decision, and they told me that from the start, even before I got my first offer. They said I might not know now, but I’ll know later. My dad has been through it before and he told me to take everything and make it fun, don’t make it stressful,” Melton said. “I knew Rutgers was the spot for me.:

Bo and Max are featured on a billboard. “Growing up, we always did things together,”’ Bo Melton told The Press of Atlantic City. “We’ve been playing football our whole life together. Now, having a billboard in our own city, it just feels crazy. It just feels amazing.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: For teams looking to add a shifty weapon to their offense, Melton is an intriguing prospect. He plays mostly as a Z on the outside, but he also has the ability to win in the slot. Melton does all of the little things well. He is a willing blocker and a physical player. Melton doesn’t run an advanced route tree, but his solid change of direction helps him get open. His best attribute is his quickness.

Tanner Conner, Idaho State

Measureables: 6-3, 226. 9 1/2 hands. 4.49 40.

Stats: Conner caught a career-high 47 passes in 2019, averaged a career-high 20.1 yards per catch in 2020 and finished his career with a season of 43 receptions for 735 yards (17.5 average) and four touchdowns. For his career, he averaged 17.4 yards per reception and scored 15 touchdowns.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, five had drops (10.2 percent), averaged 7.1 yards after the catch and had eight receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards. His contested-catch rate was 50.0 percent. Facing FCS-level competition, he averaged 30.2 missed tackles per 100 touches and 9.25 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Conner was recruited by schools for his track prowess. During his visit to Idaho State, he brought his football highlight film. The coaches were impressed, gave him a scholarship and allowed him to compete in both sports. He won Big Sky titles in the 60- and 110-meter hurdles.

His father, Andy, was a linebacker who competed in some NFL training camps. “I talked with my dad about how signing day came and went and I didn’t get any offers or anything or sign anywhere,” Conner told The Idaho State Journal. “He was like, “I still think you can play. If you really want to, you can do it.’ Track would have been good but I don’t think it was where my heart was at. I knew football was where my true passion was.”

He took part in Washington’s pro day. “I’ve heard a lot of things,” he told The Athletic. “Can you play tight end? Can you play H-back? Can you play fullback? Are you too stiff to play receiver? Can you run routes fluidly? I think right now, I’m just a big bottle of potential with a lot of versatility. That’s why they’re having me do extra workouts with blocking and stuff, because they really don’t know what my fit is. I can run pretty fast. I can track the ball. I feel like I run decent routes, and I’m pretty strong and explosive. … I think I can fit a lot of different roles for an NFL offense and team in general.”

Isaiah Weston, Northern Iowa

Measureables: 6-3 1/2, 214. 9 1/2 hands. 4.42 40, 4.40 shuttle, 40 vertical.

Stats: Weston is a bundle of potential. In 40 career games, he caught 109 passes for 2,468 yards (22.6 average, tops in FCS) and eight touchdowns. In fact, he averaged at least 21.7 yards per catch during each of his final three season. Of receivers who tested at the Combine, Weston ranked No. 1 with 20 reps on the 225-bench press and No. 2 on vertical jump.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, Weston had three drops (7.9 percent), averaged 6.7 yards after the catch and had 11 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards. His contested-catch rate was 45.5 percent. He missed 5.7 tackles per 100 touches and averaged 12.8 yards per target. He caught only one pass for Iowa State but ripped powerhouse North Dakota State for five catches and 181 yards.

Personal Touch: Weston missed the 2018 season with a torn ACL but came back with a vengeance in 2019. “Very frustrating being that it was my first serious injury,” Weston told The Northern Iowan. “It was really a huge hit to me […] I would say it was probably one of the lowest points of my life, because throughout my whole career I’ve always been a three-sport athlete […] it was definitely a big learning point for me though. This game can be taken away from anyone at anytime.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Weston is a long limbed receiver with a good combination of size and speed. Northern Iowa was able to attack downfield on the outside and on posts with Westons’ ability to open up his stride and run past middle field defenders. Besides being able to threaten vertically, there’s not a full skillset to work with as an NFL wide receiver. Limited as a route runner, Weston doesn’t have the movement skills to be a separator and win in the short-to-intermediate levels of the field. With a more physical playing style, Weston could work his way into special teams with his athletic ability.

Makai Polk, Mississippi State

Measureables: 6-3 1/8, 195. 9 1/2 hands. 4.59 40, 4.34 shuttle, 31.5 vertical.

Stats: Polk transferred to MSU from California and had a banner season with 105 receptions for 1,046 yards (10.0 average) and nine touchdowns. The receptions and yardage figures broke school records. The height is great. The athleticism is not.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, Polk had six drops (5.4 percent), averaged 3.2 yards after the catch and had nine receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards. His contested-catch rate was 44.4 percent. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 10 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 36 in the draft class, and was 39th with 7.5 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Polk was the focal point of Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense. “It was timing by God. I feel that’s what it was, just getting a lot of passes thrown my way and catching the ball,” Polk told NBC. “As a receiver, you dream of catching 10-plus passes a game, so that was really good.

“I didn’t go in wanting to break records, I just had my own personal goals that I wanted to achieve, and I feel like working hard in practice and workouts was going to help me achieve those goals that I set.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: On the field, he flashes lateral burst and sufficient long speed to capitalize on a defensive back’s mistakes. He decelerates cleanly. The Bulldogs’ star primarily wins with his route running. Polk combines his lateral twitch with salesmanship in his releases to force opponents off balance. Once into the route stem, he actively attempts to manipulate defenders with directional work, speed adjustments, jab steps, head fakes and body language. Polk is a hands catcher who tracks the passes well and exhibits strong body control.

Jalen Nailor, Michigan State

Measureables: 5-11 1/4, 186. 9 1/8 hands. 4.50 40. 4.28 shuttle, 38 vertical.

Stats: Nailor caught 86 passes for 1,454 yards (16.9 average) and 12 touchdowns during an injury-plagued career. He missed four games as a senior with a hand injury, bringing his career total to 18, and caught 37 balls for 695 yards (18.8 average) and six touchdowns. He led the Big Ten with 19.8 yards per catch in 2020, the only seasons that he didn’t miss at least four games.

Deeper Stats: According to Pro Football Focus, four had drops (9.5 percent), averaged 9.9 yards after the catch and had six receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards. He ranked second in the draft class in YAC per catch, though that was more getting behind the defense on deep balls than actually beating defenders for additional yards. His contested-catch rate was 0.0 percent, a woeful zero catches in eight chances. According to Sports Info Solutions, he averaged 13 missed tackles per 100 touches, No. 27 in the draft class, and was 33rd with 8.3 yards per target.

Personal Touch: Nailor’s nickname is “Speedy.” And for good reason. He won Nevada state titles in the 100 and 200 meters as a high school senior. “Nobody around here calls him Jalen,” fellow receiver Cody White said. “He’s just Speedy.”

He got the nickname when he was 5. “When you got the ball, and you’re the fastest one out there, ain’t nobody going to catch you,” Nailor told The Review-Journal. “I don’t know how to describe it.” The speed even predates football. “Then it was him running around the yard,” his father said. “I’m like ‘Damn, he looks fast. That isn’t normal speed right now.’ He walked at a really, really, really, really early age. I guess it means something looking back on it.”

As a high school sophomore, he ran a double-move that remain stuck in his coach’s memory. “He runs that route like I’ve never seen," said former Bishop Gorman offensive coordinator Louie Rodriguez to the Lansing Statesman. "Running a corner-post route in the middle of the field at full speed is unstoppable … how he transitions his feet and his body to do it full-speed. It’s unfair to the DB.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: You know what you’re getting with Nailor and it’s homerun ability on go routes. Nailor appears on tape to have sub 4.4 speed and compliments that with a natural ability to stack defenders deep on vertical routes. This demands some extra cushion for corners who can’t match the speed, which Nailor will punish with a good ability to plant his feet and turn on curl routes.

Jalen Virgil, Appalachian State

Measureables: 6-0 1/8, 207. 9 3/8 hands. 4.40 40, 4.35 shuttle, 36.5 vertical.

Stats: For his career, he caught 100 passes for 1,441 yards and 11 touchdowns on offense and averaged 30.1 yards on kickoff returns with three more scores. He did not return punts. As a senior, he caught 15 passes for 226 yards and one touchdown.

Deeper Stats: Virgil caught two deep passes (out of 11 chances), averaged 7.4 YAC but had three drops (16.7 percent). Out of his 100 career receptions, he forced 22 missed tackles and averaged 7.6 yards after the catch. He dropped only one pass with 22 receptions in 2020.

Personal Touch: Virgil was a four-time member of Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks” list for The Athletic; he finished fourth overall and first among offensive skill players in 2021. Virgil is behind only Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal, Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton in an annual feature that aims to "showcase guys who generate buzz inside their programs by displaying the type of rare physical abilities that wow even those folks who are used to observing gifted athletes every day."

At pro day, Virgil said: “I’m pretty pleased with what I got accomplished,” Virgil said. “I trained pretty hard for the last couple months just trying to put the best version of myself on the field and in the weight room. I tried my best, and I’m pretty pleased with today.”

Packers Draft Preview: Offensive Tackle

Ranking the Draft Need

Out of 11 position groups, offensive tackle ranks as our second-biggest need. The Packers might soar with Bakhtiari and Nijman as the starting tandem but they’re one injury from disaster.

Perhaps You Can Forget These Prospects

Based on Green Bay’s draft history, the likes of Kentucky All-American Darian Kinnard and Minnesota’s hulking Daniel Faalele might not be on the board.

Ranking the Offensive Tackles

Evan Neal, Alabama

Measureables: 6-7 1/2, 337. 34 arms. DNP testing.

Analytical stats: Neal started all 40 games in three seasons, with 15 at left tackle in 2021, when he was a consensus first-team All-American, 12 at right tackle in 2020 and 13 at left guard in 2019. Pro Football Focus has data on 74 draft-eligible tackles who played 50 percent of the pass-protecting snaps. In its pass-blocking efficiency metric, which combines sacks, hits and hurries per pass-protecting snap, Neal ranked 10th. He allowed two sacks and was flagged once for holding. On runs to his gap, the back bounced it elsewhere 33 percent of the time, fourth-worst of Sports Info Solutions’ top 24 prospects, but gained a middle-of-the-pack 2.6 yards before contact.

Personal touch: There’s no shortage of football DNA. His father, Eddie, played at Tulane. An uncle, Cleveland Gary, was a first-round pick in 1989 who had a pair of 1,000-yard seasons for the Rams. Another uncle, Jimmie Jones, was a third-round pick by the Cowboys in 1990 who had 32 sacks in eight seasons.

“I started out at Okeechobee High School my freshman year, a small program, didn’t do as great, and got the opportunity to go to IMG my sophomore year, so it was kind of a no-brainer,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “Got the chance to be under great coaches and play against great coaches in practice helped me out, it really helped me sharpen my iron. It put me on a collegiate routine. At IMG you are on a routine, a schedule, so it gave me a bird’s-eye view of what that would be like. My dad was really really instrumental in my recruitment process and he always told me that Alabama and Coach Saban had a system, a system that works. I trusted his judgment. On signing day I picked up that Alabama hat and the rest is history.”

Here's an attention-grabbing headline from ESPN: “How snake-twirling potential No. 1 pick Evan Neal makes everything look easy.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Huge tackle with special athleticism for his size who has started since his true freshman season. Neal has tremendous potential thanks to his foot speed, length and size. He has to refine his technique and play more patiently in pass protection. Overaggressiveness and waist bending causes him to end up on the ground too often. Neal projects as a starting tackle who could develop into one of the best in the league at his position.

Ikem Ekwonu, North Carolina State

Measureables: 6-4, 310. 34 arms. 4.93 40, 4.73 shuttle, DNP bench.

Analytical stats: Ekwonu started 31 games in three seasons, with 27 of those at left tackle. He was a first-team All-American in 2021. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked 15th and allowed three sacks. He was not flagged for holding. On runs to his gap, the back bounced it elsewhere 17 percent of the time, sixth-best of Sports Info Solutions’ top 24 prospects, and gained 2.3 yards before contact, sixth-worst.

Personal touch: Ekwonu comes from a family of achievers. His father, T.J., immigrated to the United States from Nigeria. His fraternal twin plays linebacker at Notre Dame.

"That's always been the standard at my house," Ekwonu told ESPN. "Whatever passion you wanted to pursue, you wanted to achieve it at the highest level."

Ekwonu’s passion is handing out pancakes like a server at IHOP.

“I feel like you ask anybody back at (North Carolina) State, they are going to tell you I have the most fun on the field,” he said at the Scouting Comibne. “I just love this game so much. I love the offensive line. I love being able to impose my will when I go against defenders. That’s something I take a lot of pride in. Everything I go on the field and put the helmet on, I have a lot of fun with this game and dominating people. That’s one of the best parts of the job. I just love dominating people.”

Speaking of pancakes, for each pancake block delivered, the linemen were awarded bottles of maple syrup. He had 154 bottles in two seasons. He sang as a kid and sold knives to make money.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Having lined up at left guard and left tackle, Ekwonu is a very aggressive run blocker who creates a push upfront with great strength. He is very competitive, looking to finish defenders and successfully doing so. Ekwonu creates knockback and deals out body blows with his initial strike. Heavy hands allow him to enforce his will on opponents. When he has good positioning, he displays great grip strength.

Charles Cross, Mississippi State

Measureables: 6-4 3/4, 307. 34 1/2 arms. 4.95 40, 4.61 shuttle, 20 bench.

Analytical stats: Cross redshirted in 2019, then started 22 games at left tackle in 2020 and 2021. He was a first-team All-American last season. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked sixth and allowed two sacks. He was flagged seven times for holding, second-most in the class, according to Sports Info Solutions. On runs to his gap, the back bounced it elsewhere 31 percent of the time, seventh-worst of SIS’s top 24 prospects, and gained 2.1 yards before contact, fourth-worst.

Personal touch: Cross arrived at Mississippi State in 2019 tipping the scales at 270 pounds, so he redshirted to get himself ready for the rigors of the SEC. By the time he arrived at the Scouting Combine, he had packed on another 37.

“He’s like a pit bull,” MSU offensive line coach Mason Miller told The Dispatch. “When he gets his hands on you, he doesn’t surrender.”

Cross grew up in Laurel, Miss., so went to college close to home. Now, he’s a potential top-15 draft pick. “I’ve really been thinking about it since (I was) a little kid,” Cross said at pro day. “It was always a dream of mine. It’s a blessing that it’s coming to reality. I’m just excited for the opportunity.”

His nickname was “Sweet Feet.” It’s that fabulous footwork that has made him a sure-fire first-round pick.

"For an offensive tackle, particularly a left tackle, and what they're asked to do at the Power Five level in the NFL, blocking speed rushers and edge rushers that are quick and powerful and have great change of direction — the biggest thing those guys need is the ability to move their feet quickly and change direction," MSU coach Joe Moorhead told Yahoo. "I think outside of run blocking and ability to establish the line of scrimmage and being physical, that footwork part of it is of paramount importance."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Cross plays with excellent foot speed, allowing him to run speed rushers around the pocket consistently. Keeping a wide base with great knee bend, Cross stays on balance and can recover quickly because of it. His reactive quickness to mirror in pass protection is excellent. Anchoring at an above-average level, he uses his base to maximize his strength. A very good positional blocker in the run game, Cross utilizes his quickness off the ball and athleticism to establish angles and leverage. His speed allows him to be a factor on screens to the perimeter and when climbing to the second level.

Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa

Measureables: 6-7 1/8, 325. 34 1/4 arms. 4.89 40, 4.62 shuttle, 28 bench.

Analytical stats: Penning started 33 games during his final three seasons, with 31 of those at left tackle. He was a first-team FCS All-American as a senior. According to the Pro Football Focus draft preview, he allowed one sack in each of his final two seasons. His pass-blocking efficiency in 2021 would have tied for 11th if thrown in with the FBS players.

Personal touch: Playing on the offensive line isn’t quite the same as a game of paddycake. Penning relishes that mean-on-Sunday style.

“Teams that want that kind of nasty edge? It's a huge part of my game," Penning said at the Scouting Combine. “You want to make the defender across from you feel it. You want him at the end of the day to be exhausted. He wants to get on that flight, get the hell out of there.

“I think it's just a switch you've got to have to play football. Especially the offensive line. Playing very nasty, I believe, is how O-line has to be played. You want to make that guy across from you hate to go against you. You want to see the fear in his eyes.”

How did one of the great prospects in the draft end up playing FCS ball? A native of Clear Lake, Iowa, he tipped the scaled at 210 pounds as a high school junior. “I’ve looked back at some pictures and, wow, I was a twig. I was just tall, skinny, no muscle on me. By my senior year, I started to bulk up a little bit, but by then Iowa and Iowa State had pretty much locked up their recruiting class. Just under the radar, really, and went from there. It was disappointing at first.”

One of his mentors has been Bryce Paup, UNI’s defensive line coach and a former Packers standout. “It was super-awesome to have that kind of guy there, very knowledgeable of the game, very smart individual,” Penning said. “We did some leadership meetings with him, he wanted to prepare us to be leaders of our football team. We did that over COVID, we did it over Zoom calls and learned different leadership strategies and that was super-awesome, him sharing the knowledge he has about football and just life in general.”

Northern Iowa has never produced a first-round pick. Penning figures to make some history. His position coach, Ryan Clanton, coached at Oregon, so he knows what a No. 1 pick looks like. He’s got no doubt about Penning’s credentials.

“I’ve been around a lot of top ten draft picks playing and coaching and he is by far the most physically and mentally geared for the NFL,” Clanton told The Globe Gazette. “He’s one of the nastiest linemen I’ve ever seen in my life. I’d put him up with any NFL offensive lineman on the nasty scale...Trevor doesn’t force that, it’s just who he is. It’s how he plays the game, but he’s the nicest guy ever off the field and the whole team loves him.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Penning was put on the map last year, playing alongside former third-round pick Spencer Brown. He is known for his size, length and raw power as a blocker. He shows unreal flexibility for a guy of his stature. In pass protection, he possesses the required first step and length to deal with pass rushers around the edge. He must work on playing with a more consistent play-to-play platform to improve balance and anchor ability. As a run blocker, he has a never-ending motor that can drive defenders up and out of his gap assignment.

Bernhard Raimann

Measureables: 6-6 1/8, 303. 32 7/8 arms. 5.05 40, 4.32 shuttle, 20 bench.

Analytical stats: Raimann caught 20 passes in two seasons at tight end before moving to left tackle, where he started all 18 appearances during his final two years. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked fifth and allowed one sack. He was terrific in the running game. According to Sports Info Solutions, runs to his gap gained 3.8 yards before contact, tied for second-best. On runs designed to go to his gap, the back bounced the run 13 percent of the time, the lowest rate in the class.

Personal touch: Just like most athletic kids in Austria, Raimann grew up watching and playing soccer. That all changed when he watched “Friday Night Lights.” Raimann was hooked on American football and joined the Vienna Vikings at age 14. From there, he signed up to be a foreign-exchange student. That sent him to Delton, Mich.

“For me back (in Austria), it was like high school football was going to be huge,” he told MLive.com at the Senior Bowl. “At that time, it was like, ‘This is awesome. This is the goal. I want to play it. I love the sport.’ But then coming over here and actually watching college football games, I was like, ‘Whoa, this is even better than high school football. You kidding me? OK, now this is what I want to do.’”

He spent his first two seasons at Central Michigan playing tight end before moving to left tackle. The transition required about 40 extra pounds.

“It was fun,” he said at the Combine. “I was playing tight end the first two years and then coach asked me to transition in the spring of 2020. I was a little hesitant at first, but I was just trying to give it up for the team because we didn't have anyone at the position. Got to the first practice and ended up loving it. I just felt like I was involved in every game and could really make an impact on every single play out there and ended up loving it.”

Having served his mandatory military requirement, he will turn 25 early in his rookie season. “It was awesome,” he said. “Finishing up high school in May of 2017, I started off in military service a couple days after that for six months. It was an awesome experience. Obviously, physically, I wasn't in shape before that, I always tried my best to stay in shape for that.

“The whole mental aspect of waking up in the middle of the night, packing your stuff, being on time all the time, working as a team, having the discipline to clean your boots every day, have your bed check every day, is something that I took away from that the most because that discipline – you still make your bed when your mom wants you to, but once you do it with the military, it becomes a whole different mindset of getting ready for the day, finishing your first tasks, then looking forward to being productive.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Raimann has great functional strength and maintains his balance throughout each rep, no matter what the task at hand is. He has very good foot quickness and length to protect the pocket. Anchor is very solid to maintain his balance and hold off edge rushers consistently. Impressive, but not surprising, straight-line speed when advancing up the second level seeking linebackers to block at the second level. Demonstrates explosion and power as a vertical run blocker.

Abraham Lucas, Washington State

Measureables: 6-6 3/8, 315. 33 7/8 arms. 4.92 40, 4.40 shuttle, 24 bench.

Analytical stats: Lucas started 42 games at right tackle in four seasons, earning all-conference accolades each time. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked third and was one of seven players to not allow a sack. He was flagged once for holding. In SIS’s blown-block percentage on runs, Lucas ranked 22nd out of 24. However, WSU backs gained 3.1 yards before contact, good for seventh.

Personal touch: Lucas went back to college in hopes of bolstering his draft stock. Mission accomplished. “I just felt like I wasn’t ready. I felt like there was more I could learn. Physically, I’m a big guy and all that, but it’s about what you do between your ears that’ll take you far and I don’t have all the pieces I want to have yet,” he told The Seattle Times. “I figured this year would be great to hit the film harder than I ever had, especially this summer. That’s going to be my point of emphasis.”

Lucas ended his career with 42 consecutive starts. He played in Air Raid and run-and-shoot systems. Learning from a new coach will be nothing new. He played under three basketball coaches in high school and three line coaches at WSU.

“I’m used to it. I kind of went through the same thing in high school when I was playing basketball,” Lucas told The Union-Bulletin. “I had three different coaches and a couple of them weren’t all that great. Coming into something where you have three coaches, or coach after coach after coach, it’s just the nature of the business and I was taught that my freshman year. There’s people who kind of jump ship and that’s not always a bad thing. They move on to different opportunities. They’re looking out for their family, that’s fine. Same with college kids who transfer and stuff like that to be closer home and all that. It’s their choice, it’s their opportunity and they’re going to take it and they’ve got to live with the decision they make. That’s their thing. I’m here, I’ve been here, I’m here for the long haul. Ready for whatever comes.”

In high school, his Archbishop Murphy team was so good that five of its 14 wins in 2016 came by forfeit.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: His straight-line speed and lateral movement will likely keep him on the right side, but he takes a patient approach with a good understanding of the advantages his size and length give him. He’s currently more advanced in pass protection than he is as a run blocker, and his pad level must improve in all facets of his game. He likely fits better in a gap-heavy scheme than a zone-heavy one because of his limited range as an athlete. Still, he has a chance to earn a starting role very early in his career, and with further development, Lucas could be a long-term starter in the NFL.

Tyler Smith, Tulsa

Measureables: 6-4 5/8, 324. 34 arms. 5.02 40, 4.65 shuttle, 25 bench.

Analytical stats: Smith started 21 games at left tackle during his final two seasons. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked sixth and allowed two sacks. According to Sports Info Solutions, he was flagged 12 times for holding. That’s more than the next two prospects combined. Runs to his gap gained 2.9 yards before contact, good for 10th out of SIS’s top 24 tackles, though the positive-run rate ranked only 20th.

Personal touch: From his University of Tulsa bio: If there were one person he could meet, dead or alive, would be it Hannibal Barca, the Carthaginian general considered to be one of the greatest military commanders in world history. He was born in 247 BC. The one word he uses to best describe himself is “comedian.”

Smith didn’t move to the offensive line until his junior year of high school, so his game lacks a bit of polish. About those penalties? “I've talked about it with teams,” he said at the Combine. “They've brought it to my attention. They understand although it's part of my play style, I always make sure I'm affirmative with them and that I'm continually working on that stuff, polishing stuff, so we can kind of bring that down, just kind of make it to where I don't have to get into those positions where that happens.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Smith’s game is predicated on his power and above-average movement skills. His persistent leg drive into and through contact calls upon his lower body strength to create space in the run game. Once he lands hands on a defender’s frame, Smith controls them with notable grip and core strength. What’s more, he has the finishing mentality to put his opponents on the ground. In pass protection, the Texas native displays an easy anchor that will only improve as he refines his technique. The tackle’s dominant strength and surprising agility help him recover from poor positioning caused by improper angles.

Spencer Burford, Texas-San Antonio

Measureables: 6-4 1/8, 304. 34 3/4 arms. 5.19 40, 4.73 shuttle, 25 bench.

Analytical stats: Burford started 43 games during his career, with 21 at left guard, 20 at left tackle and two at right tackle. All 12 starts as a senior came at left tackle. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked 24th and allowed two sacks. On runs to his gap, the back bounced it elsewhere 15 percent of the time, fourth-best of SIS’s top 24 prospects. Backs gained 3.3 yards before contact, fifth-best.

Personal touch: The highest-ranked recruit in the decade-old program’s history, Burford put it all on the line at the Scouting Combine. “We did all of this training for career milestones and you have to think about it like all of the things we’re fixing to do add up to a minute,” Burford told The Express News. “All of these seconds in between that you trained your whole life for, it’ll all be over — and it’s not even worth 60 seconds.”

He always wanted to play football. “I tried to start when I was 3. They said I was too small, so I was like, ‘Cool.’ So, I came back, starting age was like 5 or 6, but then I was big enough when I got to 4, so they slid me in on a flag team. Ever since then, football has taken off, camps, games, it’s been a blessing. I love this game,” Burford told The Paisano. He plays the drums and rides horses. “I picked up a stick before I picked up a ball. I got my first drum set when I was three…I play off ear, I really can’t read music. I just play it natural. I can listen to a song and play it, but I just can’t read the notes to save my life.”

A couple cousins, LaAdrian Waddle and Sam Hurd, had lengthy NFL careers.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: The UTSA football program had an incredible 2021 season behind its dynamic rushing attack. One key factor in the team’s success was Spencer Burford, the Roadrunners’ first-ever four-star recruit. The Texas native is an explosive and fast mover out of his stance. He can be used extremely creatively in the run game and on screens. The four-year starter plays through the whistle and regularly puts defenders on the ground. His punches have grown more direct, accurate and powerful with experience. In pass protection, Burford is patient and has the awareness to handle blitzers. He mirrors speed rushes and inside moves with change of direction and agility.

Max Mitchell, Louisiana

Measureables: 6-6 1/4, 307. 33 1/2 arms. 5.32 40, 4.65 shuttle, 21 bench.

Analytical stats: Of Mitchell’s 37 career starts, 29 came at right tackle, seven at left tackle and one at left guard. He started all 13 games at right tackle as a senior. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked 25th and allowed three sacks. He was not flagged for holding. On runs to his gap, the back bounced it elsewhere 33 percent of the time, fourth-worst of SIS’s top 24 prospects. However, the backs averaged 3.3 yards before contact, fifth-best.

Personal touch: Louisiana was Mitchell’s only FBS-level offer. He played frequently as a true freshman in 2018, then started all but one game the final three years (more on that one game in a bit). He’s gone from a “goofy-looking guy” to a “beast.” He arrived on campus at about 245 pounds. He played at 290 as a senior. He added almost 20 more pounds for the Combine.

“My offensive line coach, Coach [Rob] Sale, kind of helped me realize that I had the potential and talent to [get drafted],” Mitchell said at the Combine. “Probably sophomore year. I took a big step after freshman year. Started having the picture down the road that I can definitely do this. Senior year [it] kind of became a reality. Agents started calling you. You started reading about yourself a little bit, but it’s surreal.”

One of his toughest moments came in 2020, when he was pulled off the practice field for COVID contact tracing. “Oh, it was frustrating to say the least,” he said at the Combine. “Never tested positive for COVID. To be pulled off, you know, oh my god. I think it was a Wednesday or in the middle of prep, you know, in the thick of practice, was definitely frustrating and to spend two weeks in isolation even though I felt fine. You’ve been sick before, but you’d have your mom or your grandmother could take care of you or something like that. To have nobody and when you feel fine, it was just kind of like, I felt guilty almost in a sense of just having to stay alone.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Mitchell is a very good athlete with impressive foot speed which he uses to gain depth and run speed rushers around the pocket. He always keeps his feet moving in pass protection and possesses good bend. Timing his punch well, he is patient when he needs to be. Quick and precise hands allow him to chop long arms and replace his hands quickly. Mitchell flashes the ability to reach and seal defensive linemen.

Braxton Jones, Southern Utah

Measureables: 6-5 1/4, 310. 35 3/8 arms. 4.97 40, 4.74 shuttle, 26 bench.

Analytical stats: Jones was a two-time first-team FCS All-American. During his final three seasons, he started all 28 games at left tackle. According to PFF’s draft guide, he allowed zero sacks as a sophomore, one as a junior and two as a senior. If thrown in with the FBS players, he would have ranked 21st in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency.

Personal touch: Jones didn’t have a single scholarship offer until his senior year – and that was from Southern Utah, an FCS school. And even that happened by chance. “My first contact with a Southern Utah recruiter came last summer, purely be accident,” he told his hometown Murray Journal. “I was at Lake Powell with friends, when someone asked if I played football. That turned out to be their wide receiver coach and recruiter Jared Ursua.”

A strong Senior Bowl and Combine raised his draft stock.

“I’m athletic, agile; I think I can move very well,” Jones told Draft Wire. “You can see my speed through whatever the 40 is or just being able to move in space. But with all that, a lot of guys, I feel like in the league, can get this thing…maybe they’re highly drafted or they’re being paid a lot of money, and they’ve become not coachable. That’s something that I’ve always been. When I was an upperclassman at Southern Utah, just being able to be coachable, and then hear what the coach is saying, even though you might have a different thought of what you think you should be doing, but hear that, being able to communicate with the coach, and so I think I have so much growth within that. Then obviously, within my technique as well, there’s just so much growth with that, but being coachable is just going to help everything else.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Jones offers size and length as a bookend tackle who excels in pass protection. As a fairly balanced athlete, he can protect the pocket with consistency. His lower half strength and balance propels him to success in that area of his game. Where he suffers, in pass protection, is his habit of oversetting to his left which leaves a wide open gap for pass rushers to attack the B gap. As a run blocker, he has improved throughout his career. His soft blows make it hard for him to completely transcend that part of his game.

Rasheed Walker, Penn State

Measureables: 6-5 5/8, 313. 33 5/8 arms. DNP testing.

Analytical stats: Walker started 32 games at left tackle the last three seasons. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked 56th and allowed four sacks. Moreover, backs gained 1.1 yards before contact on runs to his gap, easily the worst of SIS’s top 24 tackle prospects. He and Cross had the highest blown-block percentages, too. He’s a boom-or-bust player, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah said.

Personal touch: At age 8, Walker wore a size-10.5 shoe. Many weekends, he was deemed too big to play in the Pop Warner games. “I had several coaches look at Rasheed, point to him and say, ‘Look at your boy. Look at his hands. Look at his feet. He’s too big for my boys to move. He cannot play,’” his father, Alfred, told The Athletic. “Rasheed would stand there and he would cry.”

While he never fought in a match, Walker took up boxing as a kid. "I was always tripping over my feet. But I started boxing and I really noticed a difference with my balance and footwork,” Walker told Penn Live.

Athleticism and footwork, not production, will get him into the NFL. “That’s really a big part of my game, my athletic capabilities,” Walker said at the Combine. “I feel like I’m one of the most athletic guys in this draft. I can say that with confidence. ... Y’all will see.” He writes with his left hand but throws with his right. “One of my biggest strong suits is my mentality and my competitive spirit,” Walker said. “I’m going to go out and compete, give my all every play and every game.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Walker has all the talent in the world to end up as a franchise left tackle in the NFL. He has displayed really good film as a redshirt freshman and redshirt sophomore. He has excellent size and long arms. His footwork is so natural in pass protection, and all of his natural traits show a player who can be elite in that area. His run blocking is fantastic as well. At his best in the run game, Walker can easily put defenders in the dirt or create holes for ball carriers to run through. He just isn’t consistent enough at this point.

Matt Waletzko, North Dakota

Measureables: 6-7 5/8, 312. 36 1/8 arms. 5.03 40, 4.59 shuttle, 28 bench.

Analytical stats: Waletzko started 29 games at left tackle during his four seasons, including 10 in 2021, when he was a second-team FCS All-American. PFF did not charge him with a sack during his final three seasons.

Personal touch: Waletzko received only one Division I offer, and that was to North Dakota. He had suffered a broken foot during the basketball season so, as he visited college campuses, he had beefed up to 350 pounds. He “sweat off” about 25 pounds during his first fall camp with North Dakota.

He missed half of the 2019 season with a torn ACL. “I think getting through that was motivation for me because you really have one of two options,” he told Pro Football Network. “You can either look at the injury as an opportunity to get better at things that maybe you’re not good at, or you can just feel bad for yourself. So I think I really used it as an opportunity to kind of grow my leadership style. I used that time to help other guys, use my voice, and do whatever I could to benefit the team in the long run.”

The last North Dakota player to be drafted was guard Chris Kuper by Denver in 2006. The Packers selected linebacker Dean Witkowski in the ninth round in 1991. A native of Cold Spring, Minn., he’d like to be drafted his home-state Vikings. But, as he said at pro day, “Any team that gives me an opportunity, I'd be more than blessed.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Waletzko has your prototypical tall and long build for an offensive tackle. Pre-snap, he shows good flexibility in his knee bend. As a run blocker, he shows extremely good power and leg drive to make good contact at the point of attack and continue his blocking path upfield or seal the gap. He shows fair athleticism, being able to swing outside or move fairly naturally into the second level. He uses a wide stance that has strength extending from his base.

Kellen Diesch

Measureables: 6-7 1/8, 303. 32 1/4 arms. 4.89 40, 4.43 shuttle, 25 bench.

Analytical stats: After playing off the bench at Texas A&M, Diesch started 17 times at left tackle in his two seasons at Arizona State, including all 13 games as a fifth-year senior. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked sixth and allowed two sacks. On runs to his gap, the back bounced it elsewhere 17 percent of the time, fifth-best of SIS’s top 24 prospects. Backs gained 3.4 yards before contact, fourth-best.

Personal touch: Having redshirted in 2016 and played as a reserve in 22 games the next three seasons, Diesch took his business degree to Arizona State for the 2020 season. “I just wanted to start,” Diesch said at pro day. “That’s all I cared about, playing the game I love. … I’m just glad I finally got a chance to show people.”

A defensive end and tight end for most of his high school career, Diesch was second-team all-conference in 2021. “I just love playing football and getting better in practices, focusing on working on my technique and getting better each day even though I wasn't starting at Texas A&M. I just stayed patient, learned and got better from it,” Diesch said at the Scouting Combine.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Diesch has starting potential in the NFL. He boasts notable movement skills and lateral quickness. His flexible hips allow him to hinge and mirror inside or outside rushers. In pass protection, Diesch is patient and avoids overextending. He mirrors well both before and after contact and is capable of washing defenders out of plays when necessary. In the run game, he gets to space as needed and can be tasked with pulling from the back side, lead blocking after a long pull, reaching and sealing. Diesch displays leg drive and sufficient-plus power to create room for the ballcarrier.

Ryan Van Demark, Connecticut

Measureables: 6-6 1/2, 307. 35 3/4 arms. 5.26 40, 4.54 shuttle, 24 bench.

Analytical stats: Van Demark started nine games at right tackle as a freshman and 34 games at left tackle the last three seasons. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked 63rd and allowed six sacks. Those are the worst figures from anyone in our tackle rankings. He was flagged once for holding. Moreover, runs to his gap gained 1.5 yards before contact, next-to-last out of SIS’s top 24 prospects. His draft prospects are almost solely based on traits.

Personal touch: Van Demark was headed to an FCS program until he grew 4 or 5 inches between his junior and senior years of high school. He then spent a year at prep school, which he parlayed into his one and only FBS offer. “I grew around probably five inches and I had to grow into my,” he told NJ.com. His mom “burst into tears” when he got the scholarship offer.

He started as a 265-pound freshman. “Everybody is going to be bigger and stronger than me,” Van Demark told The Hartford Courant. “That’s obvious. But playing against seniors and juniors has definitely helped me for the coming years. It was a struggle at first. The SMU game was a struggle for me. Virginia was a struggle. But I got better, and I’m just excited for what next year brings. As the season went on, confidence built and I like where I’m at right now.”

His father played basketball at Lehigh.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: A lean, strong, blindside protector Van Demark has been a staple of consistency for the Huskies as a four-year starter, including the past three years at left tackle. A relentless worker who spent the offseason developing his body, diet and conditioning. Van Demark creates a strong push in run game and shows a sound understanding of angles to assist with his great power in paving holes for his running backs. While his footwork is sound, he needs to work on staying lower more consistently in pass protection and work on his bend/flexibility.

Logan Bruss, Wisconsin

Measureables: 6-5, 309. 33 1/8 arms. 5.32 50, 4.55 shuttle, DNP bench.

Analytical stats: Bruss started 35 games in his career, with 26 at right tackle, six at right guard and three at tight end (extra blocker). All 10 starts as a senior came at right tackle. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked 15th even while not allowing any sacks. He was not flagged for holding. On runs designed to go behind him, the 34 percent positive run rate was the worst in the class.

Personal touch: Bruss played his high school ball at nearby powerhouse Kimberly. The Papermakers won 56 consecutive games and four state titles during Bruss’ prep career.

"I just think the career I’ve had, it’s been everything I could ask for," Bruss told BadgerBlitz.com. "Obviously, things didn't end the way that we wanted them to, but just the things you remember is all those experiences you had with the guys. You don't really remember the scores of the games. You kind of remember the people that you were around, and it's been a great group of guys.

"The older guys when I came in and were already here, now to the younger guys that I kind of helped mentor, I think it's just been great to kind of seeing it coming full circle like that.”

Playing at Wisconsin was a dream come true. Maybe he’ll stay in Wisconsin with the Packers. “I thought I did a pretty good job of taking it one day at a time,” Bruss said at pro day. “My first goal was just getting a chance to come here and play, then after that it’s just getting on the field and just kind of keep making goals as you reach them. I ended up here and it’s pretty surreal to look back on all the things I’ve accomplished and, obviously, I want to accomplish a lot more.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: An impressive mover with excellent short-area quickness, the Wisconsin native should offer coaches nearly uninhibited usage in the run game. He can pull, climb and reach block. What’s more, he is very efficient engaging in space. He routinely reaches to hinge and seal at the second level. His movement skills make him an effective down blocker. His clean change of direction ability enables him to mirror both before and after contact.

Zach Thomas, San Diego State

Measureables: 6-4 7/8, 308 pounds. 33 7/8 arms. 4.96 40, 4.65 shuttle, 21 bench.

Analytical stats: Thomas started 17 games at right tackle in 2019 and 2020 before shifting to left tackle for 12 starts as a sixth-year senior. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked 27th and allowed three sacks. He was flagged once for holding. Runs to his gap gained 1.7 yards before contact, third-to-last out of SIS’s top 24 prospects, and the positive run rate of 38 percent was at the bottom of the pecking order.

Personal touch: Thomas and his brother, Cameron, were teammates at San Diego State and both figure to be drafted.

“I’m lucky to have a brother who’s going through this as well,” Cameron, an offensive lineman, told The Coast News. “I talk with him every single day. It’s really nice to talk to someone going through it. My parents … have been very instrumental in everything I’ve done. To give them this, it means a lot to me.”

Who wins those frequently battles on the practice field? “I think I win most of them,” Zach said with a laugh to the San Diego Union Tribune. “I like that answer. But I think word for word, he’d come up with the exact same answer.” Plus, they can share the tricks of the trade. “I played with my brother (at Ball State),” Aztecs coach Brady Hoke said. “… It was fun. Now, we both played on defense. This is even more fun because Zach, being a left tackle, and Cam … I have a great time getting after whichever one of them that their little brother beat ’em or their big brother’s whoopin’ their butt.”

It's all warm and fuzzy now. Not so much when they were growing up. “If there’s something we could fight over, we’d do it,” Cam told The Union Tribune. “Pretty much everything,” Zach interjected. “Food, toys, who was first. We were always competing.”

Chris Paul, Tulsa

Measureables: 6-3 7/8, 323 pounds. 33 5/8 arms. 4.89 40, 4.83 shuttle, 26 bench.

Analytical stats: Paul started games at four of five positions, with 17 at right tackle, 12 at left guard, eight at right guard and one at left tackle. Right tackle was his home his final two seasons. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked 45th and allowed two sacks. Feast-or-famine as a run blocker, the positive run rate was a solid 52 percent; the bounce rate of 39 percent was terrible.

Personal touch: In July, Paul became one of two student-athletes named to the Division I Football Oversight Committee, which includes administrators and coaches. It was another step in leadership for Paul, who was his high school’s class president. He also is on student-athlete advisory committees for the American Athletic Conference and the NCAA, acting as the AAC’s representative at the national level.

“I really don’t know how it happened, but I do know that I do have a lot of passions and I want to follow those,” Paul told The Tulsa World. “One of my biggest fears coming out of high school and into college was that I would have to leave that sort of element of involvement.”

His goal is to become Secretary of Defense.

His younger brother, Patrick Paul, bounced back from a season-ending injury to earn first-team all-conference at left tackle for Houston. An older brother played at Northeast Oklahoma State. His parents are from Nigeria.

“I was born in Houston and lived in Nigeria for three years, from second through grade, ages 7-9,” he said in a Q&A. “It was important to our parents to give us a taste, sort of, of our culture and allow us to see a different part of the world and how things operate. I'm glad that I was able to get that perspective, because it's helped mold me into who I am today.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Chris Paul has experience at right tackle, right guard and left guard with great size, arm length and solid athletic ability to project at right tackle. He is a strong pass protector with great mirroring and anchoring skills who can become a very good pass protector by cleaning up his kick step. Overall, he is good at positioning himself for blocks in the run game but must finish better. He will excel in an offense that allows him to quick-set often and utilizes his size in a gap/power run scheme. Paul can be a backup tackle from day one and progress into a starter in the right system.

Devin Cochran, Georgia Tech

Measureables: 6-7 1/8, 306. 35 3/8 arms. 5.07 40, 4.71 shuttle, 23 bench.

Analytical stats: Cochran started 32 games for Vanderbilt before transferring to Georgia Tech for his final season. Of his 44 career starts, 23 were at right tackle and 21 were at left tackle (including all 12 games as a senior). In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, he ranked 15th and allowed zero sacks.

Personal touch: Cochran left Vanderbilt after the 2019 season to join the Yellow Jackets. That didn’t happen immediately, though. A year later, the graduate transfer joined the team and joined the starting lineup.

After pro day, he said, “I was confident. Obviously, this morning, you wake up and it’s kind of like, ‘It’s actually here now.’ And that was definitely a weird feeling, but once we finally started and could do some of the drills – really, from the time we did the Wonderlic (test) – it was like, ‘OK, we finally started.’ And then once vertical (jump) happened, it was just like, ‘OK, we’re in the mix, it’s time to just keep on going.’”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: In pass protection, Cochran regularly recognizes and picks up stunts. He has the movement skills and hips to mirror; he takes a clean power step against inside rush attempts. In the run game, the former Vanderbilt starter uses opponents’ momentum and manufactures power with leg drive. He gets to the second and third levels easily, reaches and seals on zone runs, pulls to lead block in the frontside B and C gaps, and even works to the field side numbers on some outside runs.

Cordell Volson, North Dakota State

Measureables: 6-6 1/8, 315. 33 7/8 arms. 5.27 40, 4.64 shuttle, 25 bench.

Analytical stats: Volson was a first-team FCS All-American as a junior (10 starts split between right tackle and the guard spots) and senior (15 starts at right tackle). Of his 41 career starts, 37 came at right tackle. PFF did not charge him with a sack during his final three seasons and only six total pressures as a senior.

Personal touch: Volson is from Balfour, N.D., which had a population of 20 in 2020. Drake High School handles a group of communities with a combined population of 528. They play nine-man football. Volson was really good at it. He was a five-year starter who played on both lines, tight end, fullback, linebacker, kicker, punter and blocked 14 kicks.

“Along the way, there’s been a lot of people that tell you can’t do this or that because you’re from Drake or you play nine-man or there are 15 kids on your team or you come from a high school of 80 people,” Volson told Bison Illustrated. “A lot of people are telling you that they’re going to find kids in Texas or places that are big. I came in here at 250 pounds, it’s a developmental program and I definitely had to overcome some obstacles.”

Volson played in an NCAA-record 65 games, thanks to a fifth-year of eligibility and the Bison’s annual runs in the FCS playoffs. His brother, Tanner, was an All-American at North Dakota State who got a shot in the NFL.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Versatile offensive lineman who has started at both guard and both tackle spots. Volson possesses good size and length for the tackle position. An aggressive run blocker, he has good leg drive while keeping his feet moving to drive and finish opponents. He creates movement as a downblocker with a powerful strike and drive. Volson uproots and finishes lower-level competitors

Packers Draft Preview: Interior Offensive Line

Ranking the Draft Need

Out of 11 position groups, interior offensive line ranks as the sixth-biggest need. Even without Jenkins, the Packers can line up with Runyan, Myers and Newman as their starting trio. That’s a winning group. But Patrick was an incredibly valuable performer with his three-position versatility.

That being said, whether it's a starter of high-level depth, what the Packers really need is an offensive tackle following the release of starter Billy Turner. However, a once-he’s-healthy Jenkins could move to tackle – a switch he’d probably embrace from a financial perspective – so long as there’s another top-level interior guard on the roster.

Perhaps You Can Forget These Prospects

Based on Green Bay’s draft history, the likes of Kenyon Green – a potential first-round pick who started games at four positions last season for Texas A&M – and Oklahoma’s Marquis Hayes might be off the board.

(Note: You’ll find the likes of Wisconsin’s Logan Bruss, North Dakota State’s Cordell Volson, Tulsa’s Chris Paul and San Diego State’s Zach Thomas with the offensive tackles but they might wind up at guard. However, one scout who talked in-depth about the O-line class said they are good enough prospects to warrant a shot at tackle before moving inside.)

Ranking the Offensive Guards/Centers

G Zion Johnson, Boston College

Measureables: 6-2 5/8, 312. 34 arms. 5.18 40, 4.46 shuttle, 32 bench.

Analytical stats: Johnson was a two-year starter at Davidson before moving to Boston College for his final three seasons. He started at left guard in 2019, left tackle in 2020 and left tackle in 2021, when he was first-team all-ACC. According to Pro Football Focus, 67 guards in this draft class played at least 730 offensive snaps. In that group, Johnson ranked eighth in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, which measures, sacks, hits and hurries per pass-protecting snap. He was charged with one sack. According to Sports Info Solutions, backs averaged 2.1 yards before contact on runs to his gap, just 19th among the 24 guards it ranked in the draft class. Backs bounced the run past his gap 29 percent of the time, tied for 13th.

Personal touch: “Coming out of high school the only school that recruited me was Davidson, which is a non-scholarship team,” Johnson told The Boston Herald. “They don’t offer scholarships and for financial reasons I could no longer go there.” For financial reasons, Davidson was given a waiver to play at Boston College immediately rather than sitting out a year.

Amazingly, Johnson didn’t play football until his senior year of high school. “I’m pretty sure my freshman year of high school I was maybe 5-foot-9, 5-foot-10, maybe 190 to 200 pounds,” Johnson said in an interview on Packer and Durham. “I played golf eighth grade to junior year. My junior year I was probably around 6-foot-1, 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, and I played my senior year at 225 to 230 pounds at right tackle.”

He has size-18 shoes and helped power AJ Dillon. “I always say that if you don't love football, you're not going to go very far," Johnson said at the Scouting Combine. "Because when you get in those hard moments, when you're tired, something’s not feeling right, you have to fall back on something. And if it's superficial, you're not going to be able to sustain that.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Johnson primarily wins with an easy anchor to withstand contact to his frame; he also has a strong trail arm to slow opponents down. His flexible hips, back and ankles help him stand opposing players up. Johnson routinely seals defenders. What’s more, his persistent leg drive and strong grip after initiating help him generate power and sustain blocks. The Maryland native has a knack for using defenders’ momentum to wash them out of plays. He easily overpowers linebackers and flashes dominance in double teams.

C Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa

Measureables: 6-2 1/8, 296. 31 7/8 arms. DNP workouts (foot).

Analytical stats: Linderbaum was a three-year starter at center. He was a two-time first-team All-American and winner of the Rimington Award as the nation’s top center in 2021. During his final season, he gave up one sack. Of the 58 centers in the draft class with at least 650 snaps last year, he ranked ninth in its pass-blocking efficiency. According to Sports Info Solutions, backs averaged 1.4 yards before contact on runs to his gap, last among 19 centers it ranked in the draft class. Backs bounced the run past his gap 31 percent of the time, good for sixth. He was not flagged for holding.

Personal touch: A native of Solon, Iowa, he finished fifth at the state wrestling tournament as a junior and third as a senior, and totaled 122 career wins. Among his wrestling rivals was former Iowa teammate and Tampa Bay Buccaneers standout Tristan Wirfs.

“Our high schools are rivals in Iowa,” Linderbaum said at the Combine. “We've always competed against each other, whether it be football, baseball, wrestling, track, obviously wrestling. I've wrestled him quite a bit. He's beaten me quite a few times. I'm happy I got one match on him, but he's a great competitor. He's someone who's made me better whether that'd be in high school and then going into college. He's someone that I can really look up to that set kind of the standard at the offensive line position.”

A wrestling background is generally a strong asset for an offensive lineman. “Wrestling has helped with a lot,” Linderbaum told The Gazette. “Just from the mental side of things. It will help me for the rest of my life, going through all those hard practices (and) matches and just to fight through it. I think that is one of the biggest things. Also, I think I have gotten better with my hands and feet, knowing how to use leverage.”

He spent his redshirt season of 2018 on the defensive line. That’s the position at which he was a high school All-American. At first, he was disappointed. “It was kind of a natural,” coach Kirk Ferentz said. “If we had three of them, we’d have him playing center and the other two guys would be playing guards. He’s one of those football players who can do a lot of things and he’s a delight to have on the team.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: For an undersized offensive lineman, his strength is absolutely phenomenal. A former high school state champion wrestler, firmly understands how to use his hands and basically wins every battle in the trenches. Athleticism and overall movement skills are scary - is able to move up the field like a tight end and generates some massive pop when he reaches the second level. Snaps the football with impeccable precision and his conversion to blocking is clean and crispy.

Of note: Due to height and length issues, he’s a center-only and presumably won’t be a consideration.

G/T Kenyon Green, Texas A&M

Measureables: 6-3 7/8, 323. 34 1/8 arms. 5.24 40, 5.12 shuttle, 20 bench.

Analytical stats: Green was a three-year starter for the Aggies. He was a consensus All-American at left guard in 2020 and a consensus All-American when playing here, there and everywhere in 2021. Amazingly, he got seven starts at left guard, two at right guard, two at right tackle and one at left tackle last year. He was charged with one sack and ranked 20th in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, though he obviously faced a different kind of player while at tackle. According to Sports Info Solutions, backs averaged 2.0 yards before contact on runs to his gap, just 21st among the 24 guards it ranked in the draft class. He was flagged for holding six times, tied for the most among guards. Backs bounced the run past his gap 49 percent of the time, worst of those 24. Again, he faced a different player at tackle than he’ll face at guard, but the run-game numbers weren’t appreciably better in 2020 (2.1 yards before contact, 43 percent bounce rate).

Personal touch: Green’s path to the draft started with his father making a car comparison. Green was a standout defensive lineman on his high school team but his coach wanted him to move to left tackle. So, the coach approached Green’s father to get some help in convincing Kenyon.

“He was kind of bummed," Henry told TexAgs.com. "I told him to start doing your research on the (professional) longevity of a defensive tackle versus an offensive lineman. I asked him, 'What's the highest-paid position on the field?' He said, 'Quarterback.' So, I said, what's the second-highest? 'Offensive tackle.' I told him if you're going to have a Maserati, you've got to have insurance.”

Green’s father, Henry, played guard at Grambling State; his mom, Shalonda, played volleyball at UCLA.

"The one thing that I really think highly of him is he's a God-fearing young man," Henry said. "He never gave me a sleepless night. He never got in any trouble. He makes me very proud."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Green is a thickly built offensive guard at Texas A&M who shows elite traits to be a great pass protector at the next level right off the bat. He relies on extremely good balance and a wide base to give himself the platform to succeed on every down. Only legitimate concern is his somewhat limited athleticism that hinders his ability as a vertical run blocker climbing to the second level.

Of note: Green’s 20-yard shuttle time is far slower than any run by a Packers lineman since the switch to the zone scheme in 2006. The guess is Green will not be a consideration but he is listed here because he has been mocked to the Packers several times.

G/C Cole Strange, UT-Chattanooga

Measureables: 6-4 7/8, 307. 33 arms. 5.03 40, 4.50 shuttle, 31 bench.

Analytical stats: Strange started 44 games, with 42 of those coming at left guard. He was a first-team FCS All-American as a senior. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed one sack and five total pressures in 2021.

Personal touch: Growing up in Knoxville, Tenn., he was a stud linebacker as a junior and defensive end as a senior. He also played tight end. In 2016, his redshirt season, he made the move to the offensive line. A year later, he was a Freshman All-American at guard – a position he’d never played.

“I think it's just I look at it as it's the only place you can just kind of be a dickhead,” Strange said of being a lineman at the Combine. “You know, you can hurt somebody, you can bury somebody, you can kind of give an elbow in their neck. And people kind of revere you for that. And also, it's just fun, you know? Yeah, I just enjoy that.”

The step up in competition wasn’t a problem at the Senior Bowl, where he mostly played center. "He has that true old-school offensive lineman mindset," UTC coach Rusty Wright told The Times Free Press. "You get lined up, and it doesn't make a crap who's on the other side of you. You just go get after it and go get it done. That's him, and it's with everything he does. If you tell him he's not going to be good at something, he'll show you. That's why those guys love him at that level. His personality will help him a bunch."

Strange initially committed to Chattanooga before flipping to Air Force. He had a change of heart, though, and wanted to play closer to home. So, it was back to UTC. “I kinda came to realize that if I signed with Air Force, I’d see my family maybe two weeks in a year,” he told The Touchdown UK. “As a prep school guy, I’d be in Colorado Springs for five years, so I would probably have seen my family for a month and a half total in half a decade. Ultimately I wanted to stay close to home, and I went to Chattanooga. And it’s not like I look back and think ‘what if’. I have no regrets about my decision.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: When evaluating prospects who primarily play against lower levels of competition than do those at big-time programs, it is crucial to see them dominate regularly. A clear NFL talent at the FCS level, Cole Strange is a smooth and quick mover who can be used creatively in the run game and pass protection. He gets to space on screens and outside run concepts; he also mirrors well both before and after engaging. Strange has loose hips to hinge and seal. The Mocs’ standout wins with persistent leg drive and people-moving power at the first and second levels of the defense.

G/T Luke Goedeke, Central Michigan

Measureables: 6-5, 312. 32 1/4 arms. DNP 40, DNP shuttle (hamstring), 27 bench.

Analytical stats: Goedeke’s college career started as a tight end at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, a Division III program. He transferred to Central Michigan, where he redshirted and bulked up in 2018. He started all 14 games at right tackle in 2019, sat out 2020 due to injury, then started 10 games at right tackle in 2021. According to PFF, he allowed zero sacks and seven total pressures last season. According to Sports Info Solutions, backs averaged 3.2 yards before contact on runs to his gap, third among the 24 guards it ranked in the draft class. Backs bounced the run past his gap 23 percent of the time, tied for second.

Personal touch: A native of Whitelaw, which is located about 45 miles south of Green Bay, Goedeke started his career at Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He caught 12 passes in 2017 but wasn’t satisfied with being a freshman starter.

“Being a Wisconsin kid, going to 20-plus Badger games throughout my life, I bled Badger red and white through and through,” Goedeke, who had a predraft visit with the Packers, said at the Scouting Combine. “So, that was my dream was to go to play for the Badgers and play in the NFL one day. Unfortunately, in high school, to be honest, I didn’t have a recruiting process. I was negative two stars, if you can believe that.”

So, Goedeke went to Stevens Point, working toward two majors (chemical engineering and paper science) while on a two-year plan.

“I had this mind-set like, ‘All right, I got to start somewhere. I’m not giving up this dream,’” Goedeke said. “That’s not who I am at the end of the day. I’m a grinder. So, I played at the Division III school, ended up starting as a true freshman, and then had a plan that it would take two years to try and transfer to a Division I school. Surprisingly, thankfully, it only took one.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Goedeke has sufficient movement skills to get to space and be used creatively in the run game. He can mirror once engaged. The Central Michigan standout wins primarily thanks to his power. Goedeke drives most defenders off the point of contact with leg drive and pure strength. Once he latches on, the athletic tackle takes defenders for a ride. Goedeke has notable grip and core strength to sustain blocks. In the run game, the former tight end looks for work, engages well in space, and dominates smaller opponents. He has a finisher’s mentality.

Of note: Short arms probably will move him to guard.

G/T Sean Rhyan, UCLA

Measureables: 6-4 5/8, 321 pounds. 32 3/8 arms. 5.25 40, 4.60 shuttle, 21 bench.

Analytical stats: Ryan started all 31 career games at left tackle. He was a Freshman All-American in 2019 and first-team all-conference in 2021. His PFF numbers are incredible. In 2019, he allowed one sack and 37 pressures. In 2021, he allowed one sack and 13 total pressures. According to Sports Info Solutions, backs averaged 3.0 yards before contact on runs to his gap and bounced the run past his gap 21 percent of the time, the latter figure ranking No. 1.

Personal touch: Rhyan was late to the game. He was too busy surfing, playing violin and competing in judo, baseball and rugby – the latter of which he was good enough to be considered for the U.S. Olympic rugby program. Five games into his high school career, he collected his first major offer.

“He grew up on the beach, obviously because it was cheap and it was fun,” his father, Steve, told 247 Sports. “He grew up boogie boarding and he graduated to a surfboard around five or six.” Added Rhyan: “We used to go Hawaii a lot so I would go and skim board and run on the beach. I think that helped with my balance.”

In an interview with Rivals, Rhyan recalled the start of his football career in the eighth grade at Capistrano Valley Christian Schools: “I was right tackle and started. First play of my football career I got pancaked by a D-end. I was like, ‘Oh, man, that’s not going to happen again.’ The next play I kind of hit him and I was like, ‘That was somewhat fun.’ So … I like hitting people on the line. That was fun. But I also enjoy tackling people, because that’s also fun. It attracted me in that way.”

Steve Rhyan was a professional motocross racer and his grandfather was a professional boxer. “(All the sports) kind of intertwine,” Rhyan told The Orange County Register. “Shot put helps with my kick slide, kind of helps my legs be powerful. The surfing (helps) with balance. The rugby (helps) with tackling and running correctly. … Just playing around got me ready to pursue whatever I want.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Athletic tackle who is explosive in his sets to match rushers to the apex while not allowing his process to be sped up and maintaining great knee bend. Rhyan runs speed rushes around the pocket while continuing to land strikes. He combats defenders that lock out with his snatch trap technique. His balance helps him replace his hands through reps. Rhyan possesses excellent core strength that allows him to anchor and stall power rushers from unfavorable positions. In the run game, he twists and seals opponents on the perimeter further displaying his strength. He finishes off-balance defenders with his strike and drives smaller opponents.

Of note: Short arms might necessitate a move to guard.

G Jamaree Salyer, Georgia

Measureables: 6-3, 321. 33 5/8 arms. DNP 40, 4.70 shuttle, 31 bench.

Analytical stats: Salyer was the Bulldogs’ starting left tackle the last two seasons. He earned second-team All-American as a senior. According to PFF, he allowed just one sack and 13 total pressures in his two seasons at left tackle. According to Sports Info Solutions, backs averaged 2.6 yards before contact on runs to his gap, 12th among the 24 guards it ranked in the draft class. Backs bounced the run past his gap 23 percent of the time, tied for second – and that’s while at tackle.

Personal touch: Salyer was the No. 1 guard recruit in the nation and high school teammates with another Georgia stud blocker, Andrew Thomas. Salyer starred at left tackle for the Bulldogs but, in the national championship game, he moved to right guard to help power the victory. “Even me at one point, I went over to Coach (Kirby) Smart and was like, Put it on us. We want to win this game. That kind of sparked it off, got it going for us,” he said afterward.

Salyer figures to move to guard – and stay there – in the NFL. “It is weird. I was really great as a guard coming out of high school, but it’s weird being 6-foot-3, 6-foot-4 and having a body frame, I would have never predicted that I play tackle in college,” he told Bulldawg Illustrated. “I am not really sure which one I am better at, I take pride in being the best I can be at both, and even at center too. So, yeah it is kind of hard and kind of a hard question to ask, but like I said I embrace the challenge every day and I try to be the best I can at either one of them and try not to measure them.”

Before the 2020 season, he shed 15-plus pounds by trading fast food for grilled salads from Chick-fil-A. "I just knew that the weight thing was going to be a big contributor to where I could be, and that it would raise my potential," Salyer said before the season. "That was my goal going into the first quarantine — just to raise the bar for myself. I knew I could play tackle. I knew I could play guard. I knew I could play any of those positions at a much higher level if I lost the weight. My goal was to originally get to 315, but that has turned into 309. I'm sitting right about 315 right now, so I lost about 20 pounds in quarantine, and losing that weight has helped me out a lot for sure."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: He is a technically sound and poised pass protector who maintains good balance and composure. Salyer keeps his feet moving and replaces his hands urgently, showing a good reactive punch as defenders rarely beat his hands. His grip strength is good when he can attack the frame of defenders and makes him difficult to deconstruct. Salyer creates a push with above-average leg drive in the run game.

Of note: Due to height issues, he’s destined to move to guard. He didn’t go through athletic testing but his film shows he might lack the requisite athleticism the Packers prefer.

G/T/C Zach Tom, Wake Forest

Measureables: 6-4 1/4, 304. 33 1/4 arms. 4.94 40, 4.47 shuttle, 24 bench.

Analytical stats: Tom started at center in 2019 and at left tackle the last two seasons. He was a second-team All-American in 2021 and won the Jim Tatum Award, which goes to the ACC’s top senior player.According to PFF, he allowed zero sacks during his one season at center. As a senior, he yielded three sacks and 13 total pressures. According to Sports Info Solutions, backs averaged 2.4 yards before contract with a bounce rate of 36 percent.

Personal touch: Tom’s older brother, Cameron, was a four-year starter on the Southern Miss offensive line. He’s played in 13 games since entering the NFL in 2017, including one game for Miami last season. In August 2018, both players played in New Orleans on a Thursday night: Zach for Wake Forest against Tulane and Cameron for the Saints in a preseason game against the Rams.

"They always got good grades and did well in school," their mom told NOLA.com. "We thought they would just graduate (from high school) and go to LSU on TOPS (scholarship program). Then the college coaches started calling, and we thought, 'This is real now.'"

Their father is from Nigeria. "The small towns in Africa have no electricity, much less TVs and computers," he said. "And that would have been my life if I hadn't gone out. My original goal was to go back to the village and teach elementary school. My original goal was to go back to the village and teach elementary school. When I was finishing high school, if I had stayed back that's probably what I'd be doing."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Tom has long legs and an athletically built frame. Looks more like a “beefed up tight end” than offensive linemen. Impressive kick slide as he has smooth hips and quick feet, allowing him to get set quickly. His agility frequently shows as he can down-block then turn and pick up delayed or re-tracing defenders. Rarely oversets but has the ability to get inside due to his sharp short-area quickness.

C/G Dylan Parham, Memphis

Measureables: 6-2 5/8, 311. 33 1/8 arms. 4.93 40, 4.70 shuttle, 25 bench.

Analytical stats: Parham started all 28 games at left guard as a freshman and sophomore, all 11 games at right tackle as a junior and all 12 games at right guard as a senior. He allowed zero sacks and ranked eighth among guards in the draft class in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency. According to Sports Info Solutions, he ranked 15th out of guards with 2.4 yards before contact and fifth with a bounce rate of 27 percent. He was not flagged for holding.

Personal touch: You want athleticism from your linemen? In 2014, he competed at the National Junior Olympic Championships in the triple jump. He played tight end in high school.

“I would say the tight end position definitely helped me, made me more versatile,” he said at the Combine. “Going to run routes and blocking on the inside, blocking defensive ends, still having that same footwork, same speed. That transition definitely helped me just having the mindset to learn right tackle, right guard. I know every position on the offensive line. I feel like that will definitely help me at the next level.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: With a stout build, Parham is able to come off the ball with low. His pad level stays low throughout the rep and keeps himself underneath the defender. Smooth mover in space, Parham pulls out in space well and can block downfield. Lines up defenders at the second level, keeps his eyes in the right area. Posture in pass protection is good, keeps a flat black and sinks into his hips.

Of note: Due to height issues, he might be forced into center-only duties and presumably won’t be a consideration.

C Cam Jurgens, Nebraska

Measureables: 6-2 7/8, 303. 33 3/8 arms. 4.92 40, 4.49 shuttle, 25 bench.

Analytical stats: Jurgens started 31 games at center during his final three seasons. He was third-team all-conference in 2021. He allowed zero sacks and ranked 33rd among centers in the draft class in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency. According to Sports Info Solutions, backs averaged 1.9 yards before contact on runs to his gap, 16th out of 19 centers it ranked in the draft class. Backs bounced the run past his gap 33 percent of the time, good for eighth.

Personal touch: At Beatrice (Neb.) High School, Jurgens was an all-state performer who stuffed the stat sheet with tackles, catches and rushing yards. He started his redshirt season of 2018 as a tight end before a life-changing conversation with then-coach Scott Frost.

“I didn’t see it coming,” he told The Journal-Star. “Coach Frost came and talked to me, and asked what it means to play for Nebraska. I was like, ‘Oh, maybe he’s thinking D-line or something,’ and then he pulled out center. I’m like, ‘All right, yeah.’ I kind of went with it and trusted him, and now I’m here.”

The move to center marked his first time on the offensive line since third grade. “My mindset has completely changed,” Jurgens added. “I didn’t realize how much I didn’t like going out for routes until I didn’t have to. I don’t have to run 20 yards and not have a ball thrown your way. I can just go block someone. I’ve enjoyed it a lot.”

In high school, he was a four-time state champion in the discus and three-time champion in the shot put, and he dabbled in the shot a bit at Nebraska. Those are the sports his mom absolutely dominated at Nebraska-Kearney. “The thing I like about Cameron — and I don’t think I coached it to him — but it’s just that he has that ability to handle the pressure situations,” Beth said. “You know, to stay calm, and not get too worked up.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Jurgens has some athletic traits that are rare out of college centers with quick feet, loose hips, and excellent short-area agility. His lack of mass and firm base occasionally causes a lack of balance and allows opposing linemen to overpower him. Time in an NFL strength and conditioning department will suit him well and could propel him to a solid NFL career.

Of note: Due to height issues, he’s a center-only and presumably won’t be a consideration.

G/T Joshua Ezeudu, North Carolina

Measureables: 6-4 1/8, 308. 34 arms. 5.19 40, 4.56 shuttle, 20 bench.

Analytical stats: During his final three seasons, Ezeudu started 20 games at left guard, six games at left guard and two games at right tackle. He was an honorable mention on the All-American team in 2021, when he started seven times at left guard and four times at left tackle. According to PFF, he allowed two sacks and ranked 49th out of 67 guards in the draft class in its pass-blocking efficiency. According to SIS, backs averaged 2.6 yards per run to his gap and bounced it past his gap 36 percent of the time.

Personal touch: In 2020, he conducted his first interview with Tar Heels beat reporters. But first, he had an important announcement. “Before we start,” he said in a feature by Inside Carolina, “I would just like to tell you guys that I stutter, in case I do stutter now – which I do not plan on doing. But we can continue, though.” Twenty years of speech therapy got him mostly past his impediment.

His first-person account of his life story was published by Newsweek. “Developing confidence has really helped me. And I try to keep my stress levels down, because it's important to be calm and not scared to stutter. Most stutterers would probably agree that the times they are nervous and uncomfortable are when they stutter the most. For me, it's important to accept that I am stuttering and that I will talk how I talk. I can't be scared to speak up.”

His mom was pregnant with Ezeudu when she immigrated from Nigeria. He grew up playing basketball and soccer before finally giving football a try during his freshman year of high school. “He hated it at first,” said former Archer High School teammate and current Troy defensive tackle Will Choloh. “But our coach was like, ‘Hey, you hate it now, but you’re going to be rich because of this.’ He switched to offensive tackle, and then every day at practice, me and him went at it for three years.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Big guard with a good body composition and little bad weight. Ezeudu possesses great grip strength once he gains inside hand positioning and keeps his active feet moving to stay attached. His good footwork allows him to recover from unfavorable positions. Thanks to his good length, he can outreach most defenders. When bull rushed, he has an above-average anchor. Ezeudu occasionally displays his strike, uprooting defenders as a down blocker.

G/T Cade Mays, Tennessee

Measureables: 6-4 5/8, 311. 34 1/8 arms. 5.24 40, 4.63 shuttle, 21 bench.

Analytical stats: Mays was a Freshman All-American at Georgia in 2018 and an all-conference performer at Tennessee in 2021. He started 35 games at four positions, including 18 at right guard his first three seasons and 10 at right tackle as a senior. According to PFF, he allowed just one sack and five pressures. According to Sports Info Solutions, backs averaged 3.0 yards before contact on runs to his gap, fourth among the 24 guards it ranked in the draft class. Backs bounced the run past his gap 29 percent of the time, good for seventh. He was not flagged for holding.

Personal touch: Mays has some football genetics. His father, Kevin, was an all-SEC offensive lineman whose NFL dreams were dashed by a knee injury. His younger brother, Cooper, has started nine games at center in two seasons with the Vols.

“We weren’t like the neighborhood kids who kind of clicked with the younger kids,” Cade Mays told Saturday Down South. “It was just me and him. So, we did everything together from basketball, we’d have Airsoft wars, we’d build forts out in the woods … going to play in the creek, and it was really cool just to be able to experience that with one person … I couldn’t trade the relationship for anything.”

When Mays transferred to Tennessee, it reunited him with his younger brother on the line. “My actual first play I looked over and he was right next to me so that was unbelievable to see that become a reality,” Cade told WATE. “Afterward we talked about it and we’re just both ecstatic we get to be out on the same field at an SEC level and compete it’s just awesome.”

Sports Info Solutions Scouting Report: In the NFL, Mays projects as a starting offensive guard in any scheme, but one where he preferably doesn’t have to get out in space often. While he can struggle with some rushers out on the edge, he also has enough skill and experience to play right tackle at the next level in a backup role. However, his size, strength, power, finishing ability, and toughness suggests that his the best positional fit both short-term and long-term is at guard.

G Ed Ingram, LSU

Measureables: 6-3 1/4, 307. 33 5/8 arms. 5.02 40, 4.76 shuttle, DNP bench.

Analytical stats: Ingram started 35 times at the guard positions during his five seasons with LSU. He allowed two sacks and finished 20th among guards in the draft class in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency. According to Sports Info Solutions, backs averaged 2.9 yards before contact on runs to his gap, sixth among the 24 guards it ranked in the draft class. Backs bounced the run past his gap 37 percent of the time, tied for 13th.

Personal touch: Ingram was suspended for the 2018 season following allegations of sexual assault. He was reinstated in 2019 and the charges were dismissed. Ingram was voted the team’s top offensive lineman at the Senior Bowl.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Ingram is a very good athlete with very quick feet and the ability to work in space. His athleticism is apparent when asked to pull, staying low and delivering a blow. Ingram is aggressive at the line of scrimmage, creating a push with good leverage and explosiveness out of his hips. He can wrestle and twist opponents to finish. Understanding run schemes, Ingram seals lanes and works favorable angles around the line of scrimmage.

C/G Dawson Deaton, Texas Tech

Measureables: 6-5 1/2, 306. 32 7/8 arms. 5.12 40, 4.49 shuttle, 24 bench.

Analytical stats: Of Deaton’s 35 career starts, 33 came at center. He was second-team all-Big 12 his final two seasons. According to PFF, he allowed one sack and finished fourth among centers in the draft class in its pass-blocking efficiency. According to Sports Info Solutions, backs averaged 2.6 yards before contact on runs to his gap, fourth out of 19 centers it ranked in the draft class. Backs bounced the run past his gap 39 percent of the time, good for 16th.

Personal touch: Family is a big part of life for Deaton. He became a father on Halloween 2019. He wrote about it for a photo essay on the Texas Tech athletics website. “I’ll tell you, win or lose, there’s no better feeling than walking out of the locker room, heading to see my family and seeing that smiling face waiting on me. She’s normally in a Tech cheerleader outfit or even a football jersey with my No. 73 and our last name on the back.”

An older brother, Jaxson, was an offensive lineman for Army.

Don’t tell him about Pro Football Focus (or have him read this story, which references PFF). “I don’t really care about PFF,” Deaton told Lubbock Online. “They don’t know what our coaches want from us each play. As far as the grading goes, they don’t know what our assignment is. I don’t really read into what PFF says for that reason.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Succeeds in pass protection with a wide base that allows him to stay balanced throughout each rep. Deaton has the size and positional versatility to play at any position along the offensive line. Moves well for his size and has shown he can move linearly and laterally. He can hang his hat on his anchor and lower body strength to be a consistent blocker. Didn’t have a ton of exposure to the running game in the Texas Tech pass-heavy offense, but showed he was capable of being a run blocker.

C/G Alec Lindstrom, Boston College

Measureables: 6-3 3/8, 296. 32 5/8 arms. 5.18 40, 4.66 shuttle, 25 bench.

Analytical stats: Lindstrom was a 37-game starter at center, earning first-team all-ACC honors his final two years. He allowed one sack and ranked 14th among centers in the draft class in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency. According to SIS, he was in the middle of the pack among centers with 2.1 yards before contact and a bounce rate of 38 percent.

Personal touch: Lindstrom’s older brother also played on Boston College’s offensive line and was a first-round pick by the Falcons in 2019. Their dad, Chris Sr., played on the BC defensive line and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams.

“Chris is my biggest supporter,” Alec said at the Scouting Combine. “He helps me out so much, whether it was the (East-West) Shrine (Bowl) — he was like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to do this better’ — or coming here. It’s a really stressful process with the interviews, the medical stuff; I never got an MRI before until yesterday. All that stuff can be stressful, and he was just like: ‘Hey, relax. You’ve got to be genuine. You’ve got to be yourself.’ Having that resource, I’m so lucky for that.”

Would he rather play with or against his brother in the NFL? “I’ve always played with Chris. In high school, I played with him. We had bunk beds all throughout high school. In college, we were roommates. So I’ve always been with him. I think it would be pretty cool to play with him again, too, but, if I played against him, that little, ‘Oh, I’m going to beat you,’ and he’s like, ‘Oh, no, I’m going to beat you.’ Either way it would be pretty cool.”

Just before Christmas, their mother lost her battle against cancer. “I do it for her. I know she was smiling down and proud of me, proud of all of us and so happy, I knew she was with me yesterday [at the Combine],” Alec Lindstrom told New England Football Journal. “That’s what got me through this week. I knew she was with me when it was hard and thinking about her, that’s what got me through it.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Alec Lindstrom can do it all from the center position. In the pass game, Lindstrom uses excellent football intelligence to cover both a-gaps effectively while vertical setting. He creates tons of power in his hips to move guys on double teams. Lindstrom uses effective feet in the pass game and can slide back and forth well. He uses tremendous ankle flexibility to handle the bull rush. In the run game, he uses his powerful base to clear gaps. He has an excellent reach block that he quickly is able to get his head across the defender and keep it there. When asked to get to the second level he is solid and able to connect with defenders.

G Nick Zakelj, Fordham

Measureables: 6-6 1/8, 316. 32 1/2 arms. 5.13 40, 4.71 shuttle, 27 bench.

Analytical stats: Zakelj started at right tackle as a freshman in 2017 and at left tackle as a super-senior in 2021. During that final season, he was a first-team FCS All-American. According to PFF, he allowed three sacks and 13 total pressures in 2021 while facing obviously lesser competition.

Personal touch: Zakelj was a late bloomer. He played linebacker throughout his high school career until a late growth spurt set him to the offensive line.

“O-line just became natural with all the kind of athleticism I still had from my linebacker-playing days,” he told The Athletic. “I had a couple MAC schools reach out pretty late in the (recruiting) process. But at that time, I was already committed to Fordham. I was really content with the academic success I was able to have at Fordham.”

COVID wiped out the 2020 season – it eventually was moved to Spring 2021 – so that allowed him to focus on his studies in finance. As he told the school: “COVID has affected eligibility in ways that I’ll be able to play for another year—while pursuing a master’s degree in the business school after graduating in May. That’s something that I wouldn’t have been able to do, so I try to take it as a blessing in disguise, really. And my goal of getting drafted into the NFL is the same; it’s just pushed back. I can’t wait to put on the jersey, whether that’s in the spring or next fall.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: In pass protection sets, his lateral foot movement is very smooth and calculated. He can keep up with and mirror pass rushers’ initial paths to the pocket. Has the ability to regain balance and leverage as edge rushers attempt to drive into his body. Always attempts to use motorized leg drive, if nothing else. He brings some athleticism to the table, being able to pull to the inside as a lead blocker.

C/G Luke Wattenberg, Washington

Measureables: 6-4, 299. 34 1/8 arms. 5.20 40, 4.57 shuttle, DNP bench.

Analytical stats: Wattenberg started five games at left tackle in 2017, 27 games at left guard in 2018 and 2019 and all 16 games at center in 2020 and 2021. He was an honorable mention on the all-Pac-12 team during his center seasons. He allowed one sack and ranked 33rd among centers in the draft class in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency. According to Sports Info Solutions, backs averaged 1.8 yards before contact on runs to his gap, 18th out of 19 centers it ranked in the draft class. Backs bounced the run past his gap 32 percent of the time, good for seventh.

Personal touch: Wattenberg set school records with 54 games and 48 starts. He replaced Nick Harris, a fifth-round pick in 2020 with 23 NFL games under his belt, as the center for his final two seasons. Wattenberg and Harris were high school teammates in California. They were coached at JSerra by former NFL lineman Pat Harlow.

“Harlow is an unbelievable coach; there’s not many high school coaches that teach what he does,” Wattenberg told The Pasadena Star-News. “It’s almost college-level the stuff that he teaches, like technique and developing players. A lot of the stuff we were doing at JSerra, we do here [at Washington].”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Very good in pass protection, he is able to get the snap off quickly and get his hands back to blocking position. Powerful base with good hip movement. He is good at sealing off lanes and spinning his hips to get back to the proper position. Moves upfield very well and is great at staying on his path. Strong hands, once he has a good grip of a defender it is very difficult for them to get away from him.

Packers Draft Preview: Defensive Line

Ranking the Draft Need

Out of 11 position groups, defensive line ranks as the eighth-biggest need. The Packers have only five players under contract – Clark, Lowry, Reed, Slaton and Jack Heflin, an undrafted free agent last year who played 17 snaps in four games. The need isn’t dire, but the Packers could use another impact player and they could use depth with only Clark, Slaton and Heflin under contract for 2023.

“You would love to add a high-level, third-down pass rusher,” defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery said. “I think we’ve got a solid group that can do both but I think you (would like to) have a little bit twitchier guy that can add to the rush from that standpoint. But anything he [general manager Brian Gutekunst] gives us, we’ll be happy with.”

Our rankings will slant a bit more toward those twitch guys.

Perhaps You Can Forget These Prospects

Based on Green Bay’s draft history, LSU’s Neil Farrell is one of the defensive line prospects who might not be on the Packers’ board.

Ranking the Defensive Linemen

Devonte Wyatt, Georgia

Measureables: 6-2 7/8, 304. 32 5/8 arms. 4.77 40, 4.63 shuttle, DNP bench

Analytical stats: Wyatt started all 24 games during his final two seasons. He was a key part of the national championship defense with 2.5 sacks, seven tackles for losses and two forced fumbles. According to Pro Football Focus, there are 80 defensive linemen in this draft class who rushed the passer more than 220 times. Wyatt finished 12th in PFF’s pass-rush productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap.

Sports Info Solutions has data on its top 28 defensive linemen. Its adjusted tackle depth-plus metric gauges a player’s effectiveness vs. the run. Wyatt finished seventh. Runs directed at him were bounced to another gap 48 percent of the time, seventh in the class. He missed four tackles (11.1 percent), according to PFF. Of the 137 defensive linemen in the draft class to play 157 snaps vs. the run (that’s Jordan Davis’ number), Wyatt ranked fourth in PFF’s run-stop percentage, a metric that measures impact tackles and mirrors Green Bay’s win/lose method of grading.

Personal touch: Wyatt’s sprint into the first round began with a track meet. As a junior at Towers High School in Decatur, Ga., Wyatt recognized some of the kids running in the 100 and asked if his coach if he could compete.

“He was, like, ‘Hey, I can beat those guys,’” Dr. Brian Montgomery, his football coach, told Dawg Nation. “His coach says, ‘Why don’t you go ahead and win the shot put first and we’ll see what we can do. If you do, we’ll go over there and put you in the 100.’”

Wyatt won the shot. Then, he won the 100. Montgomery sent video of the race to some college football contacts. Wyatt became the first student from Towers to play at Georgia in four decades. “It was crazy the way they got off so fast, but I just kept scrambling hard, running hard,” Wyatt said. “I believed in myself. Once you believe in yourself you know you can do anything. I believed I could beat them, and I did.”

It's easy to get lost in the shadow of Jordan Davis – the All-American who is big enough to eclipse the sun. But Wyatt didn’t see it that way. "I don't even feel like the other guy,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “I felt like the family, I felt like a brother.”

His love for football was stated simply. “Ninth grade, I knew I loved football. Once I get to hitting people and you get up and smile, it's different. It's like, OK, I love this sport." He’s got a big game and a big personality. Asked at the Combine what he’d write about himself if he were a draft analyst, Wyatt said, "If I was writing about myself, I'd be like, 'This guy's amazing! He's the best guy I've ever met!' If that was me, I'd definitely be like I love this guy, he's got a great personality, he can move. He's definitely going to be a great player in the NFL, that's something I'd say about myself."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Possessing a long and explosive first step, Wyatt threatens and beats blockers with his great get off. He gets penetration against sliding fronts right off the snap. Using his hands, he breaks free when attacking upfield by using a rip move or double hand swipe. Wyatt shows upper body strength to pull waist bending blockers. As a run defender, he consistently penetrates the backfield and utilizes his upper body strength to shed blocks. A high effort player, Wyatt frequently gets home thanks to his motor.

Jordan Davis, Georgia

Measureables: 6-6 3/8, 341. 34 arms. 4.78 40, DNP shuttle, DNP bench.

Analytical stats: Davis started 33 of 47 appearances over four seasons. He set career highs with two sacks and 5.5 tackles for losses in 2021, his freakish size-athleticism combination leading to first-team All-American honors and the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top lineman.

How hard is a player to block? Look at the holding penalties. He drew five, second-most among defensive linemen, according to SIS. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked 43rd out of 80. In SIS’s ATD+, he ranked fourth out of 28. Oddly, despite his mammoth size, he had one of the lowest bounce rates in the class (30 percent), meaning running backs weren’t exactly inclined to change course when running at him. Some of that probably is because Georgia’s defense was so strong that there were no weak links. He finished second in PFF’s run-stop percentage.

Personal touch: The Charlotte native grew up playing basketball. As a freshman, he was 6-foot-6. When he changed schools for his sophomore year, he was persuaded to try football. He was merely a three-star recruit when he arrived at Georgia. He left a legend.

Davis measured his performance not by looking at his stats. "I actually look at the linebacker stats because I know if the linebackers get a lot of tackles, that means I'm doing my job right," Davis said in 2019. "I always say two on me, somebody's free. So usually when the linebackers make a tackle for loss, it's usually dealing with something on the d-line."

On Senior Day, he scored a rushing touchdown. "Let me find the joy in the little things," he said afterward. "I always say 'small victories.' Every day is not going to be your best day, so you have to find those small victories, whether that's talking to a friend or giving a compliment,” Davis said. “I'm a believer in good karma, so I try to do good things, and hopefully good things return to me. That's pretty much my mindset on life. I try to take things day by day and try to enjoy the little moments, because you never know when it's going to be gone.”

His role at Georgia was stopping the run game. Even he admitted his pass-rush game went by the “wayside.” He knows that’s something that must improve. “I did a lot of self-reflection and I understand that’s one of my Achilles heels,” he said at pro day, “but that’s what I worked on in the offseason and that’s what I’m getting better at. A lot of people think that it’s end all be all at Georgia in that scheme, but I’m putting the work in and doing my best to be a complete player and do all the necessary things to be in on pass rush too.”

At the Combine, his 4.78 in the 40 was the fastest ever for a player topping 310 pounds. Davis, of course, was 341 pounds – 31 pounds heavier than that threshold but down about 9 pounds from his playing weight.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Nose tackle with great size and strength. Davis eats up space on the interior with his strong anchor. Putting on a clinic in how to stack and shed, he takes advantage of his length and upper body power to extend as he pleases. With that strength, he enforces his will, twisting opponents and disengaging with violent hands. As a pass rusher, Davis pushes the pocket, using leg drive and length. He counters his naturally high pad level by extending and preventing opponents from getting under his pads.

Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma

Measureables: 6-3, 5/8, 290; 35 1/4 arms. 4,89 40, DNP shuttle (hamstring), DNP bench.

Analytical stats: The junior-college transfer was second-team all-Big 12 in both seasons. As a senior, he was superb with 5.5 sacks and 11 tackles for losses. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked ninth out of 80. In SIS’s ATD+, he ranked first out of 28 but was in the middle of the pack with a 36 percent bounce rate and a woeful 59th in PFF’s run-stop percentage. He had a lot of production; imagine if he hadn’t missed six tackles (28.6 percent, worst among the prospects listed here).

Personal touch: Winfrey arrived at Oklahoma as the top-ranked junior-college defensive lineman. Football was easy. Academics were the challenge. “It wasn't easy,” Iowa Western coach Scott Strohmeier told The Oklahoman. “There were times, and it was to the last minute, of making sure that he did what he needed to do academically to get it done… A lot of people questioned that he would even make it out of junior college. We just really stuck with him, and he deserves all the credit for putting in that time.”

With talent comes opportunities to lead. “Honestly, I’ve been that way my whole life. I’ve actually found it to be a negative thing — wow, why are people always looking at me and anything I do? It’s magnified,” Winfrey told The Tulsa World. “Now I look at it as a benefit. Because the way I do something or the way that I talk, it moves people. I’m able to motivate people in a different way than other people. I love the fact that I’m able to come into a room and change the mood of the room or change the environment. Based on my energy, I can build the room up or build the room down. I’ve just been focused on keeping my energy high the whole time.”

For the Big 12 Championship Game against Iowa State, you can see imprinted portraits of “Halloween” slasher Mike Myers on one thigh pad and Jason from “Friday the 13th” fame on the other. "I love the theme of scary movies," Winfrey told The Statesman. "Honestly, I feel like any advantage I can have over my opponent is one up, and honestly, I feel like my appearance is (intimidating) to people and they fear myself just by appearance.”

Winfrey questioned his usage; it will be interesting to see if teams will ding him on that. Perhaps not. “He’s probably, within the locker room, one of the more beloved members on the team,” Sooners coach Lincoln Riley told OU Daily. “He’s just so for everybody in that room and the guys see that. He’s got a passion for playing the game and works really, really hard at it. He’s a fun guy to be around off the field (and) always got a smile on his face. … A lot of people have really taken to him.”

He was voted MVP of the Senior Bowl with two sacks. "I just wanted to show I was one of the most dominant defensive players in the country," Winfrey said afterward.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: The JUCO transfer is a strong linear athlete with both burst and speed. He has a quick first step out of his stance to penetrate when working in a straight, downhill line. Winfrey’s explosiveness allows him to work to half-man and win with leg drive. He has potential as a gap-shooter in the NFL. What’s more, the Sooners’ standout has solid power when he initiates to displace blockers. If he gets leverage, he flashes power through full-man with a bull rush or speed to power move. When he wins the pad-level battle, Winfrey has shown he can push the pocket.

DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M

Measureables: 6-3 7/8, 283. 33 1/4 arms. 5.00 40, 4.49 shuttle, 17 bench.

Analytical stats: Leal was an impact player all three seasons but a game-wrecker in 2021, when he moved up and down the line and tallied 8.5 sacks and 12.5 TFLs to earn second-team All-America. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked 15th out of 80. In SIS’s ATD+, he ranked ninth out of 28. However, his bounce rate on runs directed at him was 26 percent, one of the lowest. He led the draft class with 18 percent of the Aggies’ pressures.

Personal touch: “As a kid, I had a hard time trying to find what I liked the most,” Leal told The Express News. “Then I ran into football, and everything for me just came together.” It was quite the odyssey for Leal. He was the ripe old age of 4. “All my life, football has been the thing that brings me complete comfort. It’s my way of living; it’s what I live for. I love the ins and outs, the hard times and the good times. I love the game and the purpose behind it.”

Coach Jimbo Fisher said Leal loves everything about the game, from practice to workouts. “He’s a monster and can play on the end or in the interior,” A&M offensive lineman Kenyon Green, a fellow first-round prospect, said. “He’s so fast to be that big, it’s crazy. He wants to be in the backfield each play, and you’re going to have to do everything you can to stop him because he’s going to be back there regardless.”

Leal was a five-star recruit with a five-star work ethic. He was recruited by A&M beginning as a high school freshman in San Antonio. “He has an unbelievably competitive nature,” Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher said after Leal intercepted a pass vs. Alabama in 2020. “When he’s on the field, I don’t ever see him loaf for one second. I don’t care what drill it is, what we’re doing or how we do it. Those kinds of guys change cultures of an organization. Because they’re great players, and they’re highly recruited players who play like they have no ability — with their effort and toughness.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Leal was moved all over the defensive line, which hints at one of his biggest strengths, versatility. His size suggests he will move to an interior role on the defensive line, but he has shown to be proficient in every technique. Extremely strong at the point of attack, demonstrates a lot of power in his punch into the chest of the offensive lineman. Explosive get-off out of his stance to drive as much as possible as he makes contact. Hands stay active to attempt to bat passes down when he can’t get to the quarterback.

Travis Jones, Connecticut

Measureables: 6-4 3/8, 325. 34 1/4 arms. 4.92 40, 4.58 shuttle, DNP bench (pectoral).

Analytical stats: Jones had 4.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for losses in 2021, a strong bounce-back after the Huskies’ 2020 season was canceled. He drew only one hold. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked 28th out of 80. In SIS’s ATD+, he ranked 20th out of 28.

Personal touch: First off, Jones is a big man. “If we walk in the room, you’ll see Travis first,” defensive coordinator Lou Spanos said at UConn media day. “If he’s 10 yards behind me, you’ll see Travis first.” A three-star recruit from New Haven, Conn., the NFL wasn’t necessarily Jones’ goal. “I just came in saying I wanted to play ball. If that stuff happens, it happens. I’m not really worried about it right now. [My goal] is still to play football and have fun.”

He's not a wordsmith. Huskies offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark called Jones a game-wrecker. Asked if that was true, Jones simply said, “Yes.” When he arrived at UConn, he was about 360 pounds. “I remember when Trav first took his visit here,” Van Demark said. “We were at practice and this big guy just walks up and everyone is like, ‘Who the heck is that? Huge mother …”

Jones’ work ethic made him a captain. “Growing up in New Haven, I’ve been watching these guys play for a long time,” Jones said. “To be able to become a captain is a great honor. I know guys look up to me. If they see me stepping up and doing the right things, they’re going to follow.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Jones has excellent play strength and above-average movement skills, regularly dominating one-on-one situations. When he lands his punches early, the Huskies’ star throws blockers around while flashing counters, hand fighting and a speed profile. He has the upper body strength to bench press, the length to manage distance and the power to close. The UConn standout’s strength, hand usage and solid change of direction help him disengage at will. Jones exhibits relentless leg drive to walk through full or half-man as blockers bounce off his frame. Against the pass, the Huskies’ captain pushes the pocket with a bull rush, creating sacks for his teammates when unable to record one himself.

Phidarian Mathis, Alabama

Measureables: 6-4 1/4, 310. 34 5/8 arms. DNP 40, 4.91 shuttle, DNP bench.

Analytical stats: Mathis moved into the starting lineup – and into the opposing backfield – with nine sacks and 12 tackles for losses to earn second-team All-America in 2021. A good gauge of how difficult a player is to block is to look at the holding calls. He led the draft class with six. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked 24th out of 80. In SIS’s ATD+, he ranked a woeful 27th out of 28. His bounce rate on runs directed at him was 24 percent, also 27th. On the other hand, he was 13th in PFF’s run-stop percentage. Consistency is the issue.

Personal touch: Mathis was a top recruit. He announced his decision to go to Alabama at the grave of his friend and second cousin, Tyrell Cameron. Cameron played at nearby high school and suffered a broken neck during a game and died.

"I remember walking off the field," Mathis told NOLA.com. "I didn't make it to the locker room. I always keep my phone on the sidelines. I had seen a lot of missed calls and I got a message from my girlfriend that said, 'Tyrell gone.' That's when I just flew up this way. It broke my heart."

So, when it was time to announce which college he’d attend, he sat at a folding chair alongside Cameron’s grave. Cameron wore No. 48; Mathis wore No. 48 at Alabama.

He was a team captain in 2021. “It’s just my passion for the game,” Mathis said at the Senior Bowl. “I love the game a lot. It just brings me so much joy, and I feel like why play the game if you’re not going to have fun with it. So that’s something that I take from the game and I try to bring into the game every week.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Experienced, active defensive tackle with above-average size and good length. Mathis is best when he can shed blockers at the point of attack where he utilizes quick hands to beat aggressive blockers. He is very good against zone blocking, maintaining active feet and displaying lateral moving skills before gaining outside leverage and shedding with a rip move. As a pass rusher, he is active when taking on multiple blockers, breaking free late based on effort alone. His swipe move is effective thanks to good hand placement.

Eric Johnson, Missouri State

Measureables: 6-4 3/8, 299. 34 1/4 arms. 4.86 40, 4.66 shuttle, 20 bench. (His 40 time trailed only the Georgia duo of Devonte Wyatt and Jordan Davis in the draft class.)

Analytical stats: Johnson was second-team all-Missouri Valley in 2020 (1.5 sacks, 6.0 TFLs) and 2021 (1.5 sacks, 6.5 TFLs). Taking his Pro Football Focus pass-rushing productivity mark from FCS to FBS, he would have ranked 35th. He had two pressures in the opener at Oklahoma State.

Personal touch: Taking advantage of the COVID bonus year, Johnson played in a school-record 55 consecutive games as a five-year starter for the Bears and was an all-Missouri Valley second-team selection each of the past two years.

Johnson was picked for the NFLPA all-star game, then was a late addition to the Senior Bowl. "I feel like I showed I was a pretty good player but I also feel like there was some shock value as well," Johnson told The News Leader. "A lot of the scouts there weren't aware of me. Coming from Missouri State, compared to a lot of the others, that's a small school. Me coming out from a small school and showing out that I have the build and mixture of speed and power to play at that level just kind of shocked a bunch of people that they didn't expect it."

His father, Eric Sr., played at Illinois State and in the XFL. Eric Jr. finished second in his weight class at the Illinois state wrestling tournament in 2015.

He had a predraft visit with the Packers.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: As a pass rusher, Johnson has displayed steady improvement. Especially during the all-star game cycle, where he was arguably the best performer at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. The explosiveness, strength and pass rush prowess shown in California earned Johnson an invite to the prestigious Senior Bowl, where he had a good week. He could be a surprise third-round pick as he has no obvious limitations in his game.

Matthew Butler, Tennessee

Measureables: 6-3 7/8, 297. 33 1/2 arms. 5.00 40, 4.81 shuttle, 17 bench.

Analytical stats: Butler had a breakout final season, with the team captain registering five sacks and 8.5 TFLs. He drew five holding penalties. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked 39th out of 80. In SIS’s ATD+, he ranked 25th out of 28. His bounce rate of 51 percent was the best in the class, and he’s also one of the best tacklers. He missed only four in his career, according to SIS.

Personal touch: Butler was excellent on and off the field. He was a second-team Academic All-American and was named to the 2022 National Football Foundation's Hampshire Honor Society. Butler earned his degree in political science in 2020 with a 3.63 GPA. He was a 2021 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient – the seventh in Vol football history – and a five-team SEC Academic Honor Roll member.

As part of the VOLeaders Academy, he took a service trip to Rwanda. “We were able to bring sports internationally,” he said in a story for 247 Sports. "If you know the history of Rwanda, you know that they went through genocide, acts of war, acts of violence. So, the first thing on your mind after that is not sports. When you're taking sports which are predominant in the United States and bringing it to Rwanda, they talk about how they've seen it on TV and whatnot, and how they've learned things. You see these young children, these young men and young ladies, who have actually developed skills for the game that they've been watching on television. … Then looking at the culture and being able to try different food and learn a little bit of their language and truly immerse yourself in their culture. You know, as much as I went to Rwanda to try to pour into that, to Rawanda and the people there, they really poured into me.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Butler has a relentless motor, always pushing and never giving up on plays. He is a high-energy and explosive player with the competitive fire that coaches love. His lower body is impressively strong, showing great anchor to hold his position in the run game. Butler translates his lower body strength with great leg drive and good leverage when attempting his bull rush move, making it difficult for linemen to stay on balance. His initial punch is powerful and can send linemen into the backfield with thunderous initial contact.

Eyioma Uwazurike, Iowa State

Measureables: 6-6 1/8, 316. 35 1/8 arms. 5.32 40, 4.75 shuttle, 23 bench.

Analytical stats: With length for days, Uwazurike had a dynamic final season with nine sacks and 12 TFLs. He drew five holding penalties. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked third out of 80. In SIS’s ATD+, he ranked 11th out of 28. Runs directed at him were bounced 62 percent of the time, by far the highest rate in the draft class.

Personal touch: At the Scouting Combine, Uwazurike wore a necklace with a framed picture of his father. Roland died in 2019. He was Uwazurike’s best friend, even though he was convicted in 2010 of smuggling heroin into Michigan through textbooks.

“Enyi has such a fascinating story,” Cyclones coach Matt Campbell said. “It’s probably not my job to tell the entire story, but what he’s come from, as a 17-year-old young man out of Detroit, he loses his father during his time in high school and then he loses his father for the rest of his life three days before we leave to go play Notre Dame (in the 2019 Camping World Bowl). He’s an incredible brother/father figure to his younger brother who has autism. Enyi is a pillar of strength for him and his mother. He’s one of those guys where it’s like, ‘Yeah, he’s a great player.’ If you watch his game on Saturday and want to talk about big-time football, the guy is playing nose guard half the game and dominating. Then he’s playing defensive end half the game and dominating there, too.”

Because of academic issues, Uwazurike was not recruited by his home-state schools of Michigan and Michigan State. He landed at Iowa State, where he was ruled academically ineligible for the 2016 season.

"I had to re-learn how to love school," Uwazurike said at the Scouting Combine. "In Detroit, it was hard to get through school because it was almost a free-for-all. I was in the (Iowa State) academic center late nights, every day. My first year, when I was academically ineligible, I had 18 credits. I had like nine classes and I was doing that and football at the same time, really learning how to love school and that part of it. They made it fun and it wasn't fun before. I feel like that's what really changed my whole opinion on school. It started off rough, but it's always about how you finish. I finished in the right way."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Uwzurike has a stout and thick frame which leads to a natural leverage advantage and he brings physicality to the trenches. Versus the run, Uwzurike is best versus gap scheme base blocks, where he regularly plays with low pad level and when he strikes his hands before his blocker does, he can stack blocks to control the point of attack with force. Occasionally, Uwzurike shows flashes of a swim move to disengage from blockers and create penetration behind the line of scrimmage. In addition, it’s a pleasure to watch a guy with his size have a good motor as Uwzurike will regularly chase down plays to the sideline or past the sticks, showing competitiveness.

Curtis Brooks, Cincinnati

Measureables: 6-2, 287. 31 7/8 arms. 4.90 40, 4.44 shuttle, 33 bench.

Analytical stats: Brooks was a menace with 7.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for losses in 2021 to earn first-team all-ACC but somehow wasn’t invited to the Combine. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked first out of 80 by a significant margin. In SIS’s ATD+, he ranked 19th out of 28. More than just a pass rusher, he ranked second in the draft class with 41 tackles and first in run-stop percentage, according to PFF. He missed seven tackles (12.3 percent).

Personal touch: Brooks parlayed a superb final season into his ticket to the NFL. It almost didn’t happen.

“The funny story behind this, my son started out in the little league in Danville (Va.),” his mom, Sylvia, told The Chatham Star Tribune. “He played all the way until he got into the ninth grade, and he said I don’t want to do this sport anymore. That’s the crazy thing about that. He didn’t want to do it,” said Brooks’ mother, Sylvia Brooks.

Brooks joined the marching band, instead. Then, one day, the high school coach saw Brooks lifting weights, “and he was out-lifting some of the football players,” she continued. “They kept talking to him. They kept asking him, ‘Play this sport. Play this sport.’ Coach (Nick) Anderson would call me and say, ‘Get your son to play.’ My son, he’s his own person. Nobody can make him do anything he doesn’t want to do. But when his granddaddy said, ‘Hey, I really want to see you play,’ he decided to play in the eleventh grade, and the sky was the limit after that.”

Because of COVID, the NCAA gave players an additional year of eligibility. Brooks redshirted in 2016 and started six times the next four years. In 2021, he started all 14 games and ran his career count to 62 games. “It’s definitely been a journey since I decided to come back for an extra year, and this is all I could have dreamed of,” Brooks said.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Brooks plays with a low pad level constantly leading him to winning leverage battles. Lots of experience and has played in multiple different alignments across the defensive line. Against the run he is at his best versus outside zone. He shows good lateral range from backside 3-tech. Good overall quickness and lateral agility and plays with solid technique and leverage. When isolated vs a guard as a 3 tech he will rush with a plan using footwork and hand usage together. Outstanding competitive toughness and motor constantly runs hot.

John Ridgeway, Arkansas

Measureables: 6-5 1/8, 321. 33 3/8 arms. 5.30 40, 4.69 shuttle, 25 bench.

Analytical stats: Ridgeway stared 40 of 42 appearances during his career, which started at Illinois State and ended with one year at Arkansas. An 11-game starter as a senior, he had two sacks and four TFLs. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked 60th out of 80. In SIS’s ATD+, he ranked 22nd out of 28. He was 16th in PFF’s run-stop percentage, though.

Personal touch: The native of Bloomington, Ill., was all-state in football and a state champion as a wrestler. So, why did he end up at Illinois State to start his career rather than, say, Arkansas? "Coming out of high school I just slacked," Ridgeway told Arkansas Online. "I didn't really pay attention in class. So that kind of took away my chances to get recruited. ISU took a leap of faith with me."

Four years later, Ridgeway wanted a bigger challenge. So, he entered the transfer portal. "When I did get in the portal it kind of felt like I was a 5-star recruit. I just had my phone blowing up every second of the day. Coaches calling me at 10:30, 11 o'clock at night. I was like, 'Wow!'"

Ridgeway spend his first season at Illinois State as a redshirt offensive lineman. In 2018, he made the move to defense. The plan? "You line up over the ball, you see the ball, the ball moves and it's, 'John, knock that guy into next week,'" Illinois coach Brad Spack said. "He likes that. John likes a combative situation. The less structure and the more streetfight it becomes, the more he really likes it."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Ridgeway is a well-built defensive lineman who can line up over the center, and also at 1-technique or 3-technique. He has impressive explosiveness with power and burst upfield from his stance. Rideway also possesses some of the strongest hands in the class in terms of pure, raw power.

Zachary Carter, Florida

Measureables: 6-4 1/4, 282. 33 1/2 arms. 4.99 40, 4.56 shuttle, 19 bench.

Analytical stats: Carter had eight sacks and 11 tackles for losses as a senior and 17.5 sacks and 27.5 TFLs during his final three seasons. He played on the edge for Florida but lacks the athleticism for those chores in the NFL. Taking his pass-rushing productivity on the edge and moving it to the interior, he would have tied for 36th.

Personal touch: His older brother, Frank, played on the offensive line at Jackson State. “My brother is definitely my role model. He is four years older than me so I’ve always looked up to him. When my parents were gone he was always there,” he said in a Senior Bowl Q&A.

Carter redshirted in 2017 and barely played from scrimmage in 2018. That led to some trying times and hard lessons. “It’s hard for a lot of guys to really understand patience and waiting your turn and keep working," Carter told Bay News 9. "But, I got to grip that concept as a freshman in college, so in the moment, I was mad and things like that. But, it turned out to only help me in the long run and I think it’s going to really help me during this process.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Carter demonstrates fairly good functional strength along the defensive line and can at least hold his own. Possesses strong hands to rip through blocks in order to disengage and pursue the ball. At his current body type, he is versatile enough to play all over the place as a 3-technique, 5-technique, and 7-technique. Flashes some quickness off the line of scrimmage to slip through gaps. Poses more of a threat as a pass rusher from the traditional defensive end position.

Haskell Garrett, Ohio State

Measureables: 6-2, 300. 31 7/8 arms. 5.07 40, 4.80 shuttle, 24 bench.

Analytical stats: Garrett started eight of his 12 games as a fifth-year senior and had career highs of five sacks and 7.5 TFLs. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked 24th out of 80. In SIS’s ATD+, he ranked 17th out of 28. His bounce rate on runs of 22 percent was the lowest in the class. He tied for 65th in PFF’s run-stop percentage, worst of our prospects listed here.

Personal touch: Garrett wasn’t just first-team all-Big Ten as a senior. He was named the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year. Of Samoan descent, he was part of a “Polynesian Pipeline” to Columbus. “I always preach to them, let’s do something out of our comfort zone,” Garrett told Cleveland.com. “Let’s move far away from home and clear the path for other Polynesians. … We’re all showing all the other Polynesians that they can come to the East Coast and compete at the highest level.”

That Haskell is even playing is a miracle. On Aug. 30, 2020, he was shot in the face while trying to break up a fight. The bullet went in one cheek and out the other, through Garrett’s teeth and tongue. “The first thing I said was, ‘Does my handsome boy have a face?’” his mom told The Columbus Dispatch. “And he says, ‘Mom, I don’t know.’ He didn't know. The fact that he could talk on any level was amazing to me because his mouth was a mess. … He's been blessed. I don’t know how that happened. But it was a relief and a godsend. It was a miracle.” Several surgeries were required. Eating was a challenge, and said he still has PTSD from the incident. As he said at the Combine, “I'd say without the adversity, I'm not who I am today. It really fuels and drives me. Going through that has made me a better person, a better teammate and overall, better man in this world.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Garrett attracts double teams often because of his ability on the defensive line, which allows other rushers to get freed and swarm to the ball carrier. He has a quick get-off with an average lower-body explosion. He has the strength to bull rush but plays with a more finesse style to his game. Garrett's swim move is effective and can work when paired with his quick get-off. He has a big motor which is a big reason why he's a leader on the defense. His anchor can produce run stops, as he's not easy to move in the run game.

Matt Henningsen, Wisconsin

Measureables: 6-3 3/8, 289. 33 1/8 arms. DNP 40 (hamstring), 4.29 shuttle, 22 bench.

Analytical stats: Henningsen went from walk-on to 29-game starter. He had three sacks and 5.5 TFLs as a senior. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked 67th out of 80. In SIS’s ATD+, he ranked 16th out of 28. He missed only one tackle (2.9 percent; best among the prospects listed here). Quietly, he ranked 10th in PFF’s run-stop percentage.

Personal touch: Henningsen was one of the 13 finalists for the William Campbell Trophy – aka the Academic Heisman. He graduated in 2020 with a degree in electrical and computer engineering. He received a 4.0 GPA, the only one of the 13 to accomplish that feat. Twelve months later, he earned his master’s degree in a program that typically takes 16 months. In Summer 2020, Henningsen worked on a project modeling the brain using electrocorticographic data.

"At the end of the day, a lot of stuff that I do is just a math problem," Henningsen told UWBadgers.com. "What's a math problem? It's essentially a puzzle and that's how I think about the Wisconsin playbook. Pieces fit together in certain ways. You can kind of figure out your assignment based on what other people are doing. If I know what 10 people on the field are doing, I can extrapolate what the 11th person is going to be doing."

The Wisconsin native arrived at Wisconsin as a walk-on because he was a lifelong Badgers fan and became of the engineering program. He redshirted in 2017 and started in 2018, when he was put on scholarship. “When you talk about walk-ons, a lot of them don’t make it. A lot of them get cut, quit the team, get overwhelmed. It’s definitely a harder path for a walk-on than it is for a scholarship guy,” Henningsen told Bally Sports. “There’s no doubt about that but at the end of the day though, when you’re at Wisconsin you treat everyone the same, you give everyone a fair shot. I was able to earn a scholarship, earn a spot in the starting rotation. I’m sure glad I did it. I went to Wisconsin because I knew it was one of the top programs in the country and it was also one of the top schools in the country.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Henningsen projects as a 3-4 defensive end, whose job is to stop the run. He is very powerful and explosive out of his stance, blowing offensive tackles off their spot. He is able to drive guards and tackles back and then shed them to make a play on the ball carrier. Henningsen’s motor is very good, allowing them to make plays when the offense breaks down.

Thomas Booker, Stanford

Measureables: 6-3 3/8, 301. 33 1/4 arms. 4.94 40, 4.41 shuttle, 31 bench.

Analytical stats: Booker had a career-high four sacks in 2019 but 1.5 sacks and five TFLs in 12 starts in 2021. He drew four holding penalties. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked 59th out of 80. In SIS’s ATD+, he ranked 28th out of 28. On the other hand, his bounce rate of 47 percent ranked ninth. Using PFF as the official source of tackles rather than the schools, Booker’s 42 tackles ranked No. 1 among the defensive linemen in this draft class. But he was only 53rd in run-stop percentage. He missed seven tackles (10.9 percent).

Personal touch: Not only did Booker start 27 games across four seasons, he was an impact person off the field. He was a two-time Academic All-American, a member of the Senior CLASS team and a finalist for the William Campbell Trophy – aka the Academic Heisman. He was a double major in economics and communication. He created a four-minute video for the Pac-12 Network last year, breaking down the differences between overt and covert racism.

“As athletes, so much of the time, we’re told to stay away from the controversial topics and play it safe,” Booker told The San Francisco Chronicle. “Sometimes that can minimize who you are as a person. If you have strong viewpoints about things that matter to you, you should feel completely justified in sharing those things publicly and standing on those things. For me to be able to speak out on that truth for me and a lot of other Black people was important. That goes to every single facet of your life.”

His father, Thomas Booker III, was a linebacker at Wisconsin who started as a freshman. “We think competing is what it’s all about,” the elder Booker told The Baltimore Sun, “knowing how to compete constructively, so … when I saw him embracing that in everything he does, that’s when I kind of knew. He not only [put in the work], but he did it willingly and with passion and when that happened, it was just about getting the film in the can. He really did have a passion for this game.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: As a leader for the Stanford defense, Thomas Booker has developed all facets of his game during his tenure with the Cardinal. He's an agile defender with quick feet. Plays with a level of suddenness to his game that makes it hard for linemen to predict his approaches. Plays off of his strong punch with decent arm extension. He uses these same qualities to stack and shed opponents with above-average timing.

Jordan Jackson, Air Force

Measureables: 6-4 1/2, 294. 33 3/4 arms. 4.95 40, 4.40 shuttle, 18 bench.

Analytical stats: After missing 2020 with a shoulder injury, Jackson was a dominant force in 2021 with 7.5 sacks and 12.5 TFLs. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked third out of 80. SIS did not have run-defense numbers. He tied for 65th in PFF’s run-stop percentage, worst of our prospects listed here.

Personal touch: Because of service commitments, the Air Force Academy has had only one player drafted since 2000: long snapper Austin Cutting by the Vikings in 2019. With the Department of Defense easing its service-timetable requirements for athletes, Jackson might break that streak.

“It’s something I dreamt of since I was a kid and being able to be here for the rest of the Air Force football team and all the service academies, this is a great honor,’’ Jackson said at the Scouting Combine. “There were people who came before me who tried to make it and it didn’t work for them. They kind of paved the way and helped people like me to be here.”

Jackson earned his civil-engineering degree in December. During the pandemic, he was allowed to go home to Jacksonville, where he delivered food for Uber Eats. Remember this the next time the pizza arrives at your front door. “Definitely to cherish what delivery people do,” Jackson said. “Definitely a tougher job than most people expect.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Jackson has the size you want in a 3-5 tech type of defensive linemen and is built for a one-gapping style of defense. He has a ton of effort plays on tape, fighting for leverage and tracking down run plays from the backside or forcing pressure up the middle making the quarterback uncomfortable. He keeps his hands and feet working at all times, fighting for space to make a play.

D.J. Davidson, Arizona State

Measureables: 6-3 3/8, 327. 33 arms. 5.20 40, 4.71 shuttle, 23 bench.

Analytical stats: Davidson had a half-sack, 6.5 TFLs and four passes defensed in 12 starts as a sixth-year starter in 2021. In PFF’s PRP, he ranked 71st out of 80. In SIS’s ATD+, he ranked 25th out of 28 but ninth in bounce rate vs. the run. He ranked third in the draft class with 37 tackles and sixth in run-stop percentage, according to PFF. He missed six tackles (10.7 percent).

Personal touch: In 2016, Davidson didn’t play because of grades. In 2017, he redshirted. In 2018, he missed the end of the season with a broken ankle. His wife, Alexis, helped him through some hard times. "It definitely helped to have someone to talk to," he told AZCentral. "If I had a bad day she always knew what to say to make me feel better or she knew when I just needed to get something off my chest."

He didn’t start playing football until high school.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Davidson is a powerful player at 6’3” and 325 pounds. That shows up quite often on the tape. He’s got 33-inch arms that often aid him in getting a well-timed punch on his opponents that jar them off-balance. He’s got terrific strength in his hips that he can roll forward to drive his man backward or rotate to throw his man to the side. His thick lower half also shows up in more ways than one. Once he gets into a blocker, he uses impressive leg drive that can even move double-teams in the opposite direction.

Packers Draft Preview: Outside Linebackers

Ranking the Draft Need

Out of 11 position groups, outside linebacker ranks as the third-biggest need. With Za’Darius Smith in Minnesota and Whitney Mercilus in retirement, the Packers simply have to do better than Jonathan Garvin and Tipa Galeai as the primary backups. Garvin, Galeai, LaDarius Hamilton (also back with the team) and Chauncey Rivers (not with the team) combined to play 665 snaps. That’s only 16 fewer than Gary. They combined for 34 pressures – 47 fewer than Gary.

Perhaps You Can Forget These Prospects

Based on Green Bay’s draft history, the likes of South Carolina’s Kingsley Enagbare (4.87) and Ohio State’s Tyreke Smith (4.86) might not be a consideration in a class that’s otherwise filled with high-level athletes. Texas A&M’s Micheal Clemons and Alabama’s Christopher Allen weren’t listed because of their injury histories.

Ranking the Edge Defenders

There aren’t many certainties in the draft but it’s a sure thing that Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson, Georgia’s Travon Walker and Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux will be long, long gone before Green Bay is on the clock. So, fast-forwarding ahead …

Jermaine Johnson, Florida State

Measureables: 6-4 5/8, 254. 34 arms. 4.58 40, DNP shuttle, 21 bench.

Analytical stats: It’s not just the splash plays, though he’s got those with 12 sacks, 18 tackles for losses and two forced fumbles. The ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year led all FBS linemen with 70 tackles. According to Pro Football Focus, 112 edge defenders in this draft class rushed the quarterback at least 275 times. Johnson ranked 45th in its pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap.

Who’s tough to block? Players who draw a lot of holding penalties. Johnson drew nine – three more than anyone else in the draft class, according to Sports Info Solutions. SIS has a run-stop metric called adjusted tackle depth plus, which compares actual tackle depth to the expected tackle depth based on personnel, intended run gap, and the defender’s pre-snap alignment. Of 32 edge defenders in its draft guide, Johnson ranked 24th (but only slightly below the average). Runs to his gap were bounced elsewhere 21 percent of the time, which ranked seventh.

Personal touch: The third time was the charm for Johnson. Because of bad grades in high school, he started his career at Independence Community College. In 2019, he landed at Georgia. After two years with the Bulldogs, it was off to Florida State. Finally, he found stardom.

“I didn’t really know what a big-time college was like,” he said at the Combine. “I was at Independence Community College for 18 months. Then, boom, I pop on the scene at Georgia. That was like the biggest flip you could make. That was pretty crazy. Then things kind of didn’t go as I hoped at Georgia in terms of snap count, rhythm, stuff like that. Then I ended up going to Florida State, so that’s a second transfer. Like I said, it’s a bad stigma to go from the SEC to another conference. I knew what the stigma was. I knew what the perception was. So, I control what I can control.”

Stigma? Maybe. But Johnson bet on himself and won. “Last year at Georgia, being a spot player, he was more what scouts refer to as a flash guy,” Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy told The Associated Press. “He made plays in flashes and then he’d be off the field. Now he’s in a more prominent role. He’ll be playing a lot more snaps. It was good for him, having that first game against Notre Dame, on a nationally televised big stage, having all the eyes of America on him, and really showed up early in that game, being disruptive, making plays behind the line of scrimmage.”

Independence was featured on Season 3 of Netflix’s “Last Chance U.” The population of Independence, Kan., is about 8,700. There wasn’t much to do besides play video games and dream about getting to the NFL. “I wouldn’t be the man or player I am today without that journey,” he said at the Combine.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Johnson is an athletic playmaker on the defensive line with a muscular build and long arms giving him a physical advantage. Johnson excels versus the run, playing from 4, 3 and 2 point stances from both the strong and weak side. He has tremendous play strength due to his build and technique - regularly playing with low pad level and gaining inside hand placement to create a pop at the point of attack and then stack his block. Johnson’s raw physicality and power overwhelms tight ends and some tackles and he is a terror to block throughout the full play.

George Karlaftis, Purdue

Measureables: 6-3 3/4, 266. 32 5/8 arms, 4.77 40, 4.34 shuttle, 21 bench

Analytical stats: Karlaftis had two big seasons. He was a Freshman All-American in 2019 with 7.5 sacks and 17 TFLs. In 2021, he was a second-team All-American with five sacks, 11.5 TFLs and three forced fumbles. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, Karlaftis ranked 13th out of 112. According to SIS, he ranked seventh out of 32 in ATD-plus and second in bounce rate. He drew two holding penalties. He missed a total of six tackles the last two years.

Personal touch: Karlaftis was born in Athens, where he played practically every sport under the sun. Football, though?

"[Football] was perceived as very dangerous, barbaric," he told ESPN. "A little bit of fear tactics for us not to play." When his father died at age 44, the family moved from Greece to West Lafayette, Ind. – his mom’s hometown. To help with the life-changing chain of events, he joined his classmates on the football field. "To think back on how things have gone, it's c'est la vie, right? That's life," Karlaftis said. "It's been a lot, everything that's happened, from the time I was 12, 13 years old to now, certainly massive changes in my life and a lot of other people's lives. I had to grow up almost overnight and become a man."

Before he was a football star, he was a budding star in water polo. “I played water polo for a long time – five, six years,” he said at the Combine. “Growing up, that’s what I did. That’s what I was committed to. The U16 National Team in Greece as a 13-year-old, something I’m really, really proud of, and I was damn good at it, too. I was a goalie. So, my training was a little different than everyone else’s. I was 10, 11, 12 years old, I had to hold a chair with my shoulders out of the water, my chest out of the water for 10 minutes in a row. That’s what I attribute my strong legs, too.”

His younger brother, Yanni, plays for Purdue. In Greece, he was a judo champion. “Growing up, we would always find ways to fight,” Yanni told The Purdue Exponent. “Our dad would say, ‘I have to break you guys up, or one of you is going to kill the other.’”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Karlaftis has consistently won since reaching the college level, in part, because of his active and precise hands. He initiates contact with NFL length, flashing dominance when he wins leverage. What’s more, he frequently strings moves together. In general, the Purdue standout is a very dangerous power rusher. Karlaftis properly identifies and attacks an offensive tackle’s soft inside shoulder. He has heavy hands to put linemen on their heels and excellent speed to power to flatten to the passer through engagement.

Logan Hall, Houston

Measureables: 6-6 1/8, 283. 32 3/4 arms. 4.88 40, 4.44 shuttle, 25 bench.

Analytical stats: Is he an edge defender? An interior defender? Whatever. As a senior, he posted 6.5 sacks and 13.5 TFLs. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he ranked 57th out of 112 while rushing from the interior and edge. According to SIS, he ranked 21st out of 32 in ATD-plus and third in bounce rate (by moving his numbers from interior to edge). He drew two holding penalties.

Personal touch: The son of military parents, Hall moved from Oklahoma to Belton, Texas, after his freshman year of high school. “As soon as he walked in, I said, ‘These are the types of move-ins I like to see,’” Sam Skidmore, then the offensive coordinator at Belton High School, told The Houston Chronicle.

He played up and down the line of scrimmage. “(Hall’s) unique in the fact that he can play every position on the defensive line,” defensive coordinator Doug Belk told The Daily Cougar. “That’s very unusual for a guy with his length and size to be able to play every position on the D-line and be effective. He’s very disruptive. He can become a matchup issue inside and then he has speed and power on the outside.”

He is a man of few words, the coaches at Houston said, but lets his play do the talking. “I always wanted to be the hammer and not the nail,” he told The Draft Network. “You want to initiate the contact and really strike your opponent. Maintaining and creating gap leverage, knocking back your opponent, all of these things go into being a high-level run stopper. I can’t say that enough. You have to fight for what’s yours in the trenches. If you’re knocking your opponent back, you’re going to set the edge. It comes with the territory. Coming out with that mentality helped me a bunch.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Hall a solid first step and wins with lateral agility into and off of hand moves to beat offensive linemen with poor feet. That said, Hall’s best trait is his impressive effort. He has extremely active hands, often stringing moves together. He uses his above-average length to, at times, initiate contact. When he times them well, Hall’s hand moves are effective. His best attack is a well-timed swim that capitalizes on an opponent’s poor weight distribution. He also has a decent counter spin.

Boye Mafe, Minnesota

Measureables: 6-3 3/4, 261. 32 5/8 arms. 4.53 40, 4.46 shuttle, 21 bench (and 41.5 vertical).

Analytical stats: Mafe broke out during the COVID-abbreviated 2020 season with his 4.5 sacks, 5.5 TFLs and two forced fumbles in only six games. In 2021, he played in 13 games with nine starts and tallied seven sacks, 10 TFLs and one forced fumble. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he would have ranked fifth had he reach out snap threshold. According to SIS, he ranked 28th out of 32 in ATD-plus and 28th in bounce rate. He drew one holding penalty. His missed-tackle rate was just 5 percent.

Personal touch: Mafe’s father came to the United States rom Nigeria in the 1970s. A few years later, his wife came to America. So, when Mafe was 13, he moved to Nigeria for a year at a boarding school. “[The trip] was something that was new to me,” he told Gophers Guru. “Being in a country by myself without my family there, without my brothers and sisters, and to be on my own for the first time at a young age, it scared me a lot It was something that really changed my life.”

He continued: “I’ve learned a lot about the culture and the way my parents raised me and why they raised me that way. It makes a lot of sense to me now after going through that. It showed me a lot of eye-opening events and things that I didn’t understand before.”

His mom died of cancer in 2018 before he played in his first collegiate game. Before each game, he pays tribute to her. As detailed in the Pioneer Press:

Wherever he finds it, Mafe will use American Sign Language to express, “I love you” and “mom,” and the Hopkins native will share another message to Bola, who passed away from pancreatic cancer on Mother’s Day 2018.

I know you are watching over me.

I know I’m going to go out there and perform for you.

I miss you every day.

I think about you every day.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Mafe equips a fairly long frame that is coveted by decision-makers at the next level. He has great lateral movement from the edge to drift inside or outside from his starting alignment. Hands are extremely active and intense from the snap of the ball to the whistle. He gives opposing linemen a tough test every play when his hands get free range to work. Overall solid athlete and even showed the ability to be competent in coverage dropping into the flats. Mafe shows initial quickness, burst and good timing of the snap right off the line of scrimmage. He wins with motor and effort.

Drake Jackson, USC

Measureables: 6-2 5/8, 254, 34 arms. DNP 40, 4.28 shuttle, DNP bench.

Analytical stats: Jackson was second-team all-Pac-12 all three seasons. In 11 games (nine starts) in 2021, he recorded five sacks, eight TFLs, one forced fumble and one interception. He had 12.5 sacks in 28 career games. Had he met our playing-time threshold, he would have finished 10th out of 112 in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity. According to SIS, he ranked seventh out of 32 in ATD-plus and but only 29th in bounce rate. He drew only one holding penalty. His missed-tackle rate was just 5 percent.

Personal touch: Jackson’s road to USC was clear from birth. Really. Check out this story from Spectrum News:

Dennis Jackson is always dressed in cardinal and gold from head to toe during game week. It's the two colors he's been pretty passionate about for decades.

He has believed in his son's USC journey pretty much from birth.

"When we had the baby, they asked me, 'What's the baby's name?'" Dennis said. "I told them I wanted it to be Drake Jackson from the University of Southern California, starting linebacker coming in at 260."

"The lady goes, 'That's kind of long, can we shorten it?' So, I said, 'OK, Drake Jackson,'" he recalled.

His grandmother, Cynthia Cavitt, provided the inspiration. “She’s the one who taught all of us how to work, how to be down and dirty, how to hustle,” Jackson told The Los Angeles Times. Added Dennis Jackson: “Drake was her little celebrity.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: The talented pass rusher boasts special lateral agility and change of direction ability. The Trojan star is difficult to touch when he employs head fakes, jab steps and body language to force an offensive lineman into false steps. What’s more, Jackson has fluid hips and powerful bend to work through half-man engagement. Moreover, the California native has impressive power and leg drive. Jackson enhances his well-rounded skill set with long arms and an advanced understanding of leverage.

Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State

Measureables: 6-2 3/8, 250. 34 1/8 arms. 4.65 40, 4.24 shuttle, 21 bench

Analytical stats: Including his redshirt season, Ebiketie spent four years at Temple and recorded six sacks and 10.5 TFLs. Having earned his degree, he transferred to Penn State and was a second-team All-American in 2021 with 9.5 sacks, 17 TFLs, two forced fumbles and two blocked field goals. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he ranked out of 112. According to SIS, he ranked 27th out of 32 in ATD-plus and 15th in bounce rate. He drew one holding penalty. His missed-tackle rate of 4 percent trailed only Oregon’s Thibodeaux, according to SIS.

Personal touch: “I’m originally from Cameroon. That’s where my family is from,” he said at the Combine. “I moved to the United States when I was around 12 or 13 years old. Soccer was my first love. I always played sports. I transitioned into football my sophomore year of high school. I think my passion for the game came from the fact that I love competing. Every time I go out there, I like to give my best and the lessons that the game teaches you are enough to feel good or bad. You learn something out of it. That’s where it came from for me, just going out there competing and the process that comes with it.”

It was his father who encouraged him to try football. Why did he start at Temple, even though he had 21.5 sacks as a junior and 25.5 as a senior? “I think given the fact that I went to a small, small high school and my weight – I was around 200 pounds then – is one of the reasons why some of the schools looked past me. Looking back, I’m glad I went through the path that I did. I learned a lot along the way. I’m here now. That’s all that matters.”

He was second-team all-conference during his final season at Temple with four sacks and 8.5 TFLs in just six games. Seeking a bigger challenge, he decided to transfer for his final season. "A part of me didn't want to come back and kind of get complacent because you have the accolades now," he told The York Dispatch. "You want to be the best on the team and I was trying to find a way, how do I remain competitive? How do I find a new challenge for myself? I felt like in order for me to reach that goal, the best thing to do was to enter the transfer portal and go to a team that would give me the opportunity to compete at a high level week in and week out."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Ebiketie lines up in a plethora of ways at the line of scrimmage including in a stand-up two-point stance, three-point stance and four-point stance. He is really quick out of the blocks, no matter what his starting stance is. Arms look to be long for his frame, good indicator of being able to maintain leverage on the edge. Uses his explosiveness well to convert speed to power when rushing the passer.

David Ojabo, Michigan

Measureables: 6-4, 250. 33 1/2 arms. 4.55 40, 4.45 shuttle, DNP bench (Achilles).

Analytical stats: A one-year wonder if there ever was one. He redshirted in 2019, had one tackle in 2020 and 11 sacks, 12 TFLs and five forced fumbles in 2021. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he ranked 11th out of 112. According to SIS, he ranked 17th out of 32 in ATD-plus and 19th in bounce rate. He drew one holding penalty.

Personal touch: Who is David Ojabo? “I'm a Scottish guy, born in Nigeria and just trying to learn, learn this new sport and just be the best at it, honestly,” he said at the Scouting Combine.

Ojabo was born in Nigeria, grew up in Scotland and moved to the United States in hopes of taking “the next step” as an athlete. At Blair Academy, a private school in New Jersey, a fellow student persuaded him to try football. That student was Odafe Oweh, who wound up starring at Penn State and was a first-round draft pick last year.

Ojabo made quite an introduction. On the day he met Blair’s football coach, he announced, “My name’s David Ojabo,” Saylor recalled him saying in a story for The New York Post. “I’m tougher, stronger, more athletic than Jayson Oweh. Do you mind if I try playing football? … Not too often a 6-foot-5, 230-pound kid comes walking [in] your door. Figured he could do something to help us out.”

He did, but not right away. "I won't lie, when I first started in high school I was getting smacked around by little dudes," Ojabo said at the Combine. "That didn't sit right with me. The toughest thing was the contact aspect. Coming from basketball, if you bump someone it's a foul. Soccer, if you bump someone too hard, it's a foul. Football, if you're not bumping someone, you're not playing.”

On March 19, at Michigan’s pro day, Ojabo suffered a ruptured Achilles, an injury that throws his rookie season into peril.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Explosive two-point stance rusher with very good length. Ojabo possesses a great get-off and burst to consistently threaten and win the outside shoulder of tackles from wide alignments. His speed causes tackles to be off-balance, allowing him to extend and knock them off balance at the top of the rush. Ojabo transitions his bull rush to an outside rip also preceded by a push-pull. His lateral agility and explosiveness make him tough to block on an island as he beats quick sets with an inside spin.

Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma

Measureables: 6-3, 248. 32 1/2 arms. 4.54 40, 4.23 shuttle, 22 bench.

Analytical stats: Bonitto had two banner seasons for the Sooners: eight sacks and 10.5 TFLs in 2020 and seven sacks, 15 TFLs and one forced fumble in 2021. Playing linebacker in 2019, he broke up six passes. He would have ranked third in the draft class (and first among Power-5 players) in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity had he met our snap threshold. According to SIS, he ranked second out of 32 in ATD-plus but only 22nd in bounce rate. His average tackle vs. the run was 0.5 yards downfield, tied for second in the draft class. He drew three holding penalties.

Personal touch: Bonitto played his high school ball at Florida powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas. His position coach was former Miami Dolphins great Jason Taylor.

Louisville and Kentucky offered him chances to play football and basketball. “It’s actually pretty convenient for me because they also want me to come play basketball there too, so that’s pretty big for me,” Bonitto told SB Nation at the time. “Not to say I’m looking for that, but they gave me the opportunity to do both, so it’s definitely a great opportunity.”

Bonitto became a face of the program. “His turnaround has just been fantastic,” OU coach Lincoln Riley said. “It’s a great story to see where he was, and I think it’s great for a lot of young athletes out there. They ought to read his story. Everybody thinks, ‘Well, I get highly recruited and I’m gonna roll into OU or any of these other places and I’m gonna be this (star) and it’s just gonna happen.’ And Nik was extremely highly recruited, came out of one of the best high schools in the country and was extremely successful coming in and then, man, it was rough. A lot of dudes would’ve quit. A lot of dudes would’ve transferred. A lot of guys would’ve went and done something else. He’s reaping the rewards right now.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: The Florida native is a fluid and quick mover with impressive transitions and change of direction ability. His explosive first step helps him in his pass rush and enables him to penetrate. Bonitto overpowers skill position blockers and can work through linemen if he forces them off-balance. When rushing the passer, Bonitto’s feel for leverage helps him manufacture power and length while reducing blockable surface area. The Oklahoma star sets up all of his rushes with body fakes and salesmanship.

Josh Paschal, Kentucky

Measureables: 6-2 5/8, 268. 32 3/4 arms. 4.77 40, DNP shuttle, DNP bench

Analytical stats: Paschal was a second-team All-American as a fifth-year senior with his 5.5 sacks and 15.5 TFLs. He finished his career with 37 TFLs in 52 games. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he ranked 71st out of 112. SIS did not have any data but Paschal ranked No. 1 in PFF’s run-stop percentage, a metric that measures impact tackles and mirrors Green Bay’s win/loss system. His average tackle on running plays came 0.3 yards downfield, also No. 1.

Personal touch: Paschal was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma on the bottom of his foot in August 2018. He returned late in the season. The crowd roared when he made his first tackle.

“It caught me off guard a lot, but my family, especially my mother and my sister, they wrote up a lot of scriptures and put them on my wall,” Paschal told The Courier-Journal. “… Whenever I felt down about it, I just looked up to my wall and just get my power from God to just keep going through.”

He discussed his recovery at the Scouting Combine. “Being able to recover from that, it took a lot. There was a lot of wisdom in those trials. It made me appreciate this (sport and life) even more. I’m beyond thankful to be here."

He talked about his journey on the “Today” show. And speaking of TV, he did a fun commercial for a dentist.

Paschal’s older brother, TraVaughn, played linebacker at Kentucky in the early 2010s.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Paschal’s film showed a player with a relentless motor. He never took plays off and was always near the quarterback or ball carrier, no matter where they were on the film. As a pass rusher, Paschal can win in a multitude of ways. He has fantastic get-off and combines that with a bull rush and swim move to get after the quarterback. In the run game, Paschal does a great job of setting the edge. He is able to win the leverage battle with ease and then shed offensive linemen before making a play in the backfield.

Myjai Sanders, Cincinnati

Measureables: 6-5 1/4, 247. 32 5/8 arms. 4.67 40, 4.37 shuttle, 20 bench.

Analytical stats: Sanders’ best season came in 2020, when he had seven sacks, 10.5 TFLs and five passes defensed. As a senior, he had 2.5 sacks, 6.5 TFLs and six passes defensed while playing out of position. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he ranked 16th out of 112. According to SIS, he ranked fifth out of 32 in ATD-plus and first in bounce rate by a wide margin. He drew three holding penalties. His missed-tackle rate of 17 percent was one of the worst in the class.

Personal touch: Sanders’ Twitter bio is short and sweet. “Rest In Paradise Armaletha Wesley.” That’s the name of his sister, who died in a motorcycle accident in September 2016.

What happened to his production in 2021? While the sacks were down, he finished seventh in pressures, according to PFF. “I really felt like I was used like more of a decoy this year, if you ask me,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “Also, some of the sacks were on me. If I had finished all my sacks, I think I would have had maybe 12 sacks this season. I was pressing a lot this season thinking I was behind in sacks, but I really led the whole nation in pressures. The good thing about it is I really don't determine what fans are saying about going from seven and a half sacks to two and a half because at the end of the day, I know I can cause pressure. Sometimes, it did feel like I was out of position, but it was more for the team's sake. I sacrificed myself to make the team better.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Defensive end who is accustomed to rushing from a two and three-point stance. Sanders is a high effort player who possesses very good play recognition skills, allowing him to play fast. He is able to extend and lockout in the run game and breaks the contact point to shed blocks. As a pass rusher, he can get underneath opponents when converting speed to power, uprooting them.

Alex Wright, Alabama-Birmingham

Measureables: 6-5 1/8, 271. 34 arms. DNP 40, 4.47 shuttle, 15 bench (injured pectoral)

Analytical stats: In three seasons, Wright was more than all right with 12.5 sacks, 19 TFLs and three forced fumbles. In 13 games (eight starts) in 2021, he had seven sacks, 7.5 TFLs and two forced fumbles. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he would have tied Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson for third out of 112 had he met our playing-tie threshold. According to SIS, he ranked 19th out of 32 in ATD-plus and 14th in bounce rate. He drew four holding penalties.

Personal touch: In March, he donated math textbooks to his elementary school in Elma, Ala. “I always wanted to see change and positivity grow along, so that was the idea when I first got started with my process,” Wright said recently during a visit with students as part of his Impact 4 Change tour. “My message is always keep education first – always reach for the stars and don’t be afraid to follow your dreams. Just because you come from a small place doesn’t mean you can’t go out and explore the world and dream big. Don’t be afraid of change.”

Wright said he met with the Packers at the Combine. The small-school tag didn’t bother him one bit. As he told Pro Football Network: “People don’t realize that most NFL players actually come from small schools. They don’t all go to Alabama or Georgia. If you’re a good football player, the NFL is gonna find you regardless. They have scouts, eyes, and ears everywhere. The NFL will always identify talent no matter where it comes from. It doesn’t matter if you come from a Power 5 school or a Group of 5 school. They’ll find you. If you can play football on tape, you’ll receive an opportunity. That’s how I feel about that.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Displays good strength at the point of attack and can create good contact. Looks to have a dense build that can withstand hits and be durable. Good explosiveness and quickness off the edge to be able to make an impact in the backfield. Makes plays often from the backside of the defense because of the instinct to shoot inside and disrupt the middle of the line of scrimmage from his alignment. Shows versatility because of his ability and size. Plays his best ball as a stand-up defensive end with an attacking mindset.

Dominique Robinson, Miami (Ohio)

Measureables: 6-4 7/8, 253. 33 1/4 arms. 4.72 40, 4.19 shuttle, 25 bench.

Analytical stats: Robinson switched from receiver to defense in 2020. As a fifth-year senior, Robinson recorded 4.5 sacks and 8.5 TFLs in 13 games (zero starts). In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he ranked 54th out of 112. According to SIS, he ranked first out of 32 in ATD-plus but 27th in bounce rate. He drew two holding penalties. His missed-tackle rate of 15 percent was one of the worst in the class.

Personal touch: Robinson played quarterback in high school and spent his first three years at Miami as a receiver before volunteering to move to defensive end for the COVID-abbreviated 2020 season. So, he enters the draft having played 16 games on defense in his collegiate career.

“Oh, I’m the very top. I have a lot of growing to do,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “The great thing is the position is changing, we’re dropping a lot, we’re doing a lot of stuff. I played safety from when I was a kid until high school. Stopped playing my junior year because they wanted me to just play quarterback. Being able to have that background to be able to drop and show that out here, it’s going to be fun.”

Athletics are in the DNA. His father played basketball at Bowling Green, an older brother played Division II football and a younger brother played at Kent State.

“Coming out of high school, I was just an athlete, not the greatest quarterback,” Robinson told The Athletic. “I’m a very realistic person, but I can say I always wanted to play in the NFL. And not that I just wanted to, but I thought I’d be good enough to get there. So when I said I was going to switch from receiver to defense, yeah, my (thought) was that this was going to be my path to get there.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: A converted wide receiver, Robinson is a great athlete for the edge position after putting on roughly 30 pounds since he entered college in 2017. He has an explosive get-off that he can take to the outside or inside rushing lanes. He also shows strong hands at the point of attack to rip off of blocks. Within his body type, he has long arms to set the edge. Shows good body control to move in and out of cuts. As a pass rusher, he shows extremely good lateral agility to manipulate his body to catch offensive linemen off-balance.

DeAngelo Malone, Western Kentucky

Measureables: 6-3 1/4, 243. 33 1/8 arms. 4.54 40, 4.36 shuttle, 23 bench.

Analytical stats: You want production? Malone piled up 32.5 sacks, 58.5 TFLs and nine forced fumbles during his final four seasons. He was the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 (11.5 sacks, 21 TFLs) and 2021 (nine sacks, 17.5 TFLs, four forced fumbles, four passes defensed). In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he surprisingly ranked only 54th out of 112. According to SIS, he ranked 30th out of 32 in ATD-plus and 15th in bounce rate. He drew three holding penalties.

Personal touch: Malone only had a couple scholarship offers. He chose WKU because of the Hilltoppers’ “chrome domes.” There’s no secret why there was so little interest. He arrived on the Western Kentucky campus tipping the scales at 198 pounds. A year later, he had a breakout 2018 season with six sacks and nine tackles for losses. “I can hold my ground,” Malone said in 2018. “They can’t push me around like they used to, which is great.”

He added 10 pounds to get up to 240 for the bonus COVID season. “He’s made an over-the-top commitment to his body, just going through the process of wanting to harden his body, toughen his body, so he can sustain an entire season and be dominant like he was a couple years ago,” WKU defensive coordinator Maurice Crum said during the spring. “He’s not a secret anymore. Last year everybody kind of knew who he was, knew where he was going to be, knew his moves, so he felt that, in order to get where he wants to get, he needed to change his body.”

As the numbers continued to pile up, he was struck by a frequent feeling of “For real?”

“You always dream about doing things like that, so it’s just a blessing,” Malone said. “It feels good. They depend on me to do my job and I can’t let them down.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: He is relentless in pursuit, displaying great effort to chase from the backside of the play or out in space. Strong hands at the point of attack to rip off of blocks. Plays with good upper body strength at the line of scrimmage which makes him a physical run defender to deal with. Malone shows flashes of getting off the line quick with explosiveness.

Amare Barno, Virginia Tech

Measureables: 6-4 5/8, 246. 34 arms. 4.36 40, 4.45 shuttle, DNP bench.

Analytical stats: Barno moved from linebacker to defensive end in 2020 and dazzled with 6.5 sacks, 16 TFLs and two forced fumbles. He wasn’t as impactful in 2021 with 3.5 sacks and 5.5 TFLs. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he would have ranked 78th out of 112 had he met our playing-time threshold. He was surprisingly good against the run, though that’s not his forte. According to SIS, he ranked ninth out of 32 in ATD-plus and 10th in bounce rate. He drew four holding penalties. His missed-tackle rate of 15 percent was one of the worst in the class.

Personal touch: Barno’s father died of prostate cancer when he was 10. One of six kids, it was an incredibly difficult time. “He would just go up to his room, ignore his friends and not talk to anybody,” his mom, Tonia Barno-Middleton, told The Roanoke Times. “He would clam up. He's not a talker, and I think that's what happened from that. He handled his feelings like that.”

A zero-star recruit, he spent two years at Butler Community College. "Oh my gosh, if you get five words out of him you’d be lucky, but they always say still waters run deep” Butler Community College coach Tim Schaffner said. “There's a lot going on there, but he's not flamboyant, not a bigger talker on the field, off the field or anywhere. He's very dialed in to what he's doing.”

His mom later remarried. Now, he’s one of 11 siblings in the blended family. Barno, who moved from linebacker to defensive end in 2020, ran 4.36 in the 40 at the Combine. It the fastest for an edge defender in almost 20 years.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: The South Carolina native boasts impressive quickness off the line. Similarly, he has notable downhill closing speed to the tackle point. He has solid length to make tackles through engagement at times. He is capable of stacking and windowing against some tight ends. For the most part in run defense, Barno displays the requisite patience to play assignment football. He waits out the mesh point and exhibits a hot motor to chase ball carriers down.

Cameron Thomas, San Diego State

Measureables: 6-4 1/8, 267. 32 1/2 arms. DNP 40 (hamstring), 4.25 shuttle, 24 bench.

Analytical stats: After two solid seasons, Thomas was a monster with 11.5 sacks and 20.5 TFLs as a senior to earn second-team All-America and Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. He had 21 career sacks but only two forced fumbles. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he ranked 21st out of 112. His 77 total pressures were No. 1 in the nation. According to SIS, he ranked ninth out of 32 in ATD-plus and fourth in bounce rate. He drew three holding penalties. He was tied with Paschal for No. 1 in PFF’s run-stop percentage. His missed-tackle rate was just 6 percent.

Personal touch: Thomas and his brother, offensive lineman Zach, were teammates at San Diego State and both figure to be drafted.

“Me and my brother grew up really competitive, even when it came down to eating [laughs],” Cameron told USA Today’s Draft Wire. “We’re always competing at that. You could definitely tell that we were going to be linemen growing up, there was no doubt about that. Being able to grow up around an offensive lineman, you get a good feel of who you’re gonna be playing against every week, and vice versa. I think he has a pretty good idea and a feel for what a defensive lineman will be like.”

Who won those frequent battles on the practice field? “I think I win most of them,” Zach said with a laugh to the San Diego Union Tribune. “I like that answer. But I think word for word, he’d come up with the exact same answer.” Plus, they can share the tricks of the trade. “I played with my brother (at Ball State),” Aztecs coach Brady Hoke said. “… It was fun. Now, we both played on defense. This is even more fun because Zach, being a left tackle, and Cam … I have a great time getting after whichever one of them that their little brother beat ’em or their big brother’s whoopin’ their butt.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Versatile defensive lineman who aligns in a four-point stance anywhere from zero to seven technique, most frequently at three and five-technique. From the interior he is quick and urgent off the ball, getting quick penetration. Thomas plays with very precise hands, often beating the punch of blockers. Recognizing lanes, he takes advantage of oversetting blockers to counter inside. He combines his quick get-off with an effective swim move. His push-pull move works thanks to violent hands. On the edge, Thomas extends to keep tackles hands out of his frame.

Isaiah Thomas, Oklahoma

Measureables: 6-4 7/8, 266. 33 1/4 arms. 4.70 40, DNP shuttle, 23 bench

Analytical stats: Thomas had a pair of strong seasons with 8.5 sacks and 13 TFLs in 2020 and eight sacks, 11.5 TFLs, three forced fumbles and four passes defensed in 2021. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he ranked 57th out of 112. According to SIS, he ranked 13th out of 32 in ATD-plus and 11th in bounce rate. He drew one holding penalty His missed-tackle rate of 24.0 percent is the worst among those listed in this story.

Personal touch: Thomas isn’t related to the former NBA star but that hasn’t stopped the confusion. A key member of the “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons, he wasn’t exactly painted in a favorable light in “The Last Dance” documentary. And viewers took it out on the football player via social media.

Thomas grew up hoping to be a basketball star. He went to a basketball-mad high school in Tulsa, Okla. But, as happens frequently to basketball-turned-football players, he stopped growing. "It was, like, the biggest thing that ever happened to me," he said of being offered a scholarship for OU’s football team.

What’s he going to bring to the NFL? “It’s never easy to start a new process of something and there’s always going to be adversity,” he told The Tulsa World. “There’s never been a time in my life where I hadn’t prevailed through that, from a kid to middle school to high school to college and, now, going into the league. Those key points right there are definitely the type of guy that they’re going to get.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Thomas was an impact player at one-tech, nine-tech and everywhere in between along the Sooners’ defensive front. Thomas’s linear athletic profile gives him the versatility to rush the inside or outside track and makes him disruptive as a gap shooter, penetrator and run defender. He has solid downhill closing speed and decent lateral burst. When he wins leverage at engagement, Thomas threatens a long-arm bull rush. The Oklahoma native’s best trait is his pass-rush technique.

Sam Williams, Mississippi

Measureables: 6-3 5/8, 261. 33 1/8 arms. 4.46 40, 4.34 shuttle, 25 bench.

Analytical stats: In three seasons with the Rebels, Williams tallied 22.5 sacks, 33.5 TFLs and six forced fumbles. He was a second-team All-American as a senior with 12.5 sacks, 16 TFLs and four forced fumbles. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he ranked 21st out of 112. According to SIS, he ranked 26th out of 32 in ATD-plus but fourth in bounce rate. He drew five holding penalties.

Personal touch: The Packers had a predraft visit with Williams, a sign of a team needing to learn more about a talented prospect. He was arrested and suspended in July 2020 for sexual battery; he was reinstated in September 2020 after chargers were dropped. He also was expelled in high school for what he described as a minor incident involving a knife.

After that incident, he moved in with the family of a substitute teacher, Tiffani Cain. Cain, and his young son, provide the motivation to get his life pointed in the right direction.

“You don’t really understand it until that little person is right there in front of you,” Cain told The Daily Journal in a lengthy feature about Williams. “The day after he was born, (Williams) was like, ‘This is the one person in my life I need to make sure is OK.’ This is when you understand you’re a parent. He’s made a promise to himself that he will never put his child in situation that he was in. In (his) mind, this is (his) shot to get it right.”

Williams played basketball growing up; he only started playing football as a senior at his new high school. Said Williams in September: Looking into my son's eyes and going through all of the things I've been through in life...I'm like, if I had a chance to change that...would I do it, you know?...When he gets older...and when people talk about me...it's always your dad was a great man, your dad was a hard-working man."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Long defensive end who lines up anywhere from three technique to wide nine. Williams displays good snap timing, giving him an advantage over blockers. He converts speed to power and creates knockback. Williams uses his length and frequently attacks the chest of blockers like with his long arm which opens up an inside track. He can attack the outside shoulder with a stab rip. Strong hands allow him to enforce his will and twist blockers to create angles for himself.

Carson Wells, Colorado

Measureables: 6-2 3/4, 241. 32 5/8 arms. 4.59 40, 4.56 shuttle, 16 bench.

Analytical stats: In four seasons, Wells had 15.5 sacks, 38 TFLs, 14 passes defensed, three interceptions and one forced fumble. He had an astounding 14 TFLs in six games during the COVID-impacted 2020 season. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he ranked out of 112. According to SIS, he ranked 16th out of 32 in ATD-plus. He drew four holding penalties.

Personal touch: Will his versatility be a blessing or a curse? Obviously, Wells sees the positive. “I brought up that same exact point to coaches because I’ve seen a lot of football,” he told The Spun. “There are only so many ways you can play your base defense. Every coach would bring a different aspect to the team in terms of their pressure packages and things like that. But my experience in different schemes is a big selling point that I’ve tried to bring up too. I think that’ll make my transition to the NFL a bit easier.”

Wells graduated from CU with degrees in accounting and finance and is pursuing a master's degree in organizational leadership. In high school, he was valedictorian with a 4.6 weighted GPA. He sat out, as the school termed it, “significant practice time” due to a leg infection in 2017.

In a Q&A with Blue Chip Scouting, Wells said, “To me it comes down to “want to”. Every play pretty much I’m getting blocked by somebody bigger than me or trying to cover somebody that is smaller than me in space. At the end of the day it comes down to how bad you want it, and nobody is going to beat me in that category.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Wells shows good versatility to line up as a true edge defender and an off-ball linebacker. Best fit as a weak side edge defender in a 3-4 scheme. He sets the edge with excellent base, hand usage and leverage. He is nuanced with extending his arms to keep his chest clean while maintaining half man relationship while locating the ball carrier. Good gap discipline and overall processing of run concepts. Proactive zone awareness and shows plus hands to disrupt route timings and pass off to other zones while still processing route concepts. He was asked to man up TE’s and carry them vertically as an edge defender. Keys and diagnoses screens well and shows good effort. Best pass rush move is speed to power.

Jeffrey Gunter, Coastal Carolina

Measureables: 6-4 3/8, 258. 33 arms. 4.70 40, 4.35 shuttle, 30 bench

Analytical stats: Gunter spent four nomadic seasons at Coastal Carolina. In 2018, 2020 and 2021, he notched 18 sacks, 36.5 TFLs and nine forced fumbles. He led the nation with six forced fumbles in 2020 and closed his career with back-to-back seasons of 6.5 sacks. In PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, he would have ranked 32nd out of 112 had he reached playing-time thresholds. According to SIS, he ranked 11th out of 32 in ATD-plus. He drew two holding penalties.

Personal touch: As a senior in high school, Gunter played at 190 pounds. So, recruiting interest was minimal. Coastal, in fact, was his only Division I offer. “They took a chance on a little kid that nobody else really would,” he told hometown MyHorryNews.com.

In 2019, Gunter took a chance on himself. He transferred to Syracuse. However, he never played for the Orange and instead moved on to North Carolina State, which was much closer to home. “Not a lot of people know this, but my mother was going through a divorce at the time and it was stressful on her, and she really couldn’t take care of the kids as best as she wanted. I remember her calling me crying at the end of the season and how she was having such a tough time.”

Even though he couldn’t play as a transfer, he enjoyed his year at NC State but re-entered the transfer portal. In 2020, it was back to Coastal. He considered the players there his brothers. “They couldn’t be any closer if we were blood,” Gunter said. “When I had the opportunity to come play with them again, it was a dream come true. I couldn’t turn it down.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Edge defender with average size and above average length who lines up in a two and four point stance. Gunter possesses above average ankle flexion, giving him the necessary agility to change directions and turn corners. As a pass rusher, he is best with a quick inside counter, taking advantage of oversetting tackles. Good strength in the run game, allows him to take on blocks and set the edge by extending his inside arm.

James Houston, Jackson State

Measureables: 6-0 1/4, 244. 34 1/4 arms. 4.70 40, 4.48 shuttle, 22 bench

Analytical stats: Houston’s an interesting case. He spent his first four seasons at Florida, serving a season-long suspension as a freshman as part of an investigation for credit card fraud. (The case was dismissed following restitution and probation.) Playing linebacker, he had 4.5 sacks the next three years. Then, with degree in hand, he joined Deion Sanders at Jackson State. He was a first-team All-American with 16.5 sacks, 24.5 tackles for losses and seven forced fumbles. His PRP at PFF was No. 1 among FBS pass rushers, though he obviously faced lesser competition. He’s really short but he’s got length.

Personal touch: Houston grew up playing linebacker but Sanders moved him to the edge. "He saw something in me that not too many people did," Houston told The Clarion Ledger. But, “I wouldn’t say I was excited” about changing positions, he told Andscape. Sanders won Houston over by comparing him to Cowboys star Micah Parsons. "He blitzes so much ... I analyze versatile players in the NFL to see how teams use them and see how they use their versatility to progress as players," Houston told SI. "Parsons is a great player. He did phenomenal this year and I cannot wait to see what he's got in the next couple years."

Nicknamed “The Problem,” all Houston wants is a chance – regardless of position. "I’ve been getting it all. Edge rusher, d-end, inside linebacker, outside linebacker," Houston said. "I just chalk it up to I’m a football player, man. Wherever you want to put my on the field I’ll play."

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Houston is a rangy player that uses his length to his advantage. He will flow to the ball and stick his nose in the pile early and often. Houston does a stellar job dropping his hips and beating linemen around the edge or as a blitzed inside linebacker. Hands are tools for him, showing a variety of placement and technique with them as he works his pass rush moves.

Packers Draft Preview: Inside Linebackers

Ranking the Draft Need

Inside linebacker ranks seventh on our list of predraft needs. Can the Packers do better than Barnes? Yes. Do they need to improve their depth? Yes. Ty Summers (seventh round, 2018) has gotten his opportunities and fallen short. Isaiah McDuffie (sixth round, 2021) only played on special teams as a rookie. Ray Wilborn (undrafted, 2020) spent the year on the practice squad.

Perhaps You Can Forget These Prospects

Based on Green Bay’s draft history, the top prospects should all be in play. Florida’s Jeremiah Moon (4.76), Michigan’s Josh Ross (4.79) and Colorado’s Nate Landman (4.86) could be out based on their 40 times.

Ranking the Inside Linebackers

Devin Lloyd, Utah

Measureables: 6-2 3/4, 237. 33 arms. 4.66 40, DNP shuttle, 25 bench

Analytical stats: Lloyd was a consensus All-American following a spectacular senior season of eight sacks, 22 tackles for losses, 110 total tackles, four interceptions and 10 passes defensed. During his final three years, in which he played all 33 games, he piled up 249 tackles, 16.5 sacks, 43 TFLs, five interceptions and 13 PBUs. Out of 103 linebackers with 589 snaps, Lloyd was sixth in the draft class with 56 stops, according to Pro Football Focus. A stop is defined as a tackle that results in a “failure” for the offense. It mirrors Green Bay’s win/loss system. For instance, a first-and-10 tackle that limits the play to 3 yards is a stop 4-plus yards is not a stop. Quarterbacks completed 70.5 percent of passes and a 53.9 passer rating.

Personal touch: Lloyd is the son of two military parents, with his father serving 26 years in the Navy. “Growing up in a military household, everything is pretty much routine and scripted,” he told Fox News. “Everything from waking up and making your bed – how you make your bed – just a really regimented schedule … learning about working together and just really doing things the right way, doing things with the right intentions. Everything they learn at work pretty much translates in some way to life. So, I definitely learned a lot.”

Lloyd was a three-star recruit with minimal recruiting interest as National Signing Day approached. Utah offered after watching him in a basketball game. When he signed with the Utes, he was touted as a receiver or safety. Growing up, football wasn’t his sport. Mostly, he was into videogames. As he said at the Scouting Combine. “I don't recall really watching football at all until around, I'd say, really, high school was primarily basketball, but even then I wasn't too heavily into sports.” He got his first taste of football in middle school.

“Kids were playing at lunch,” he said at the Combine. “So, I would go to see them at lunch, like, we'd be playing and I just started like Mossing kids and fell in love with that competitive nature of going up and getting the ball, which sparked my interest in playing receiver. So, I was primarily a receiver all the way up until halfway through my senior season, is when I kind of flipped the switch like OK, I want to play defense.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Lloyd possesses good long speed with his stride length that allows him to roam sideline to sideline. He is an active communicator, passing off routes in zone. Great eyes and locating skills in coverage allow him to take consistently favorable angles and be in the right place. Lloyd locates and carries tight ends up the seam and is able to get very good depth in his drops with his length making it tough for quarterbacks to layer the ball over him.

Nakobe Dean, Georgia

Measureables: 5-11 1/4, 229. 31 7/8 arms. DNP testing.

Analytical stats: Dean was a unanimous All-American and beat out Utah’s Lloyd for the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker. As the man in the middle of Georgia’s powerhouse defense, he recorded six sacks and 10.5 TFLs among his 72 tackles. He added two forced fumbles, two interceptions and eight passes defensed. According to PFF, he was 37th in the draft class with 42 stops and allowed a 59.5 percent completion rate and 43.3 passer rating. Out of 103 linebackers in the draft class with 589 snaps, the completion rate ranked No. 1.

Personal touch: Dean won the Butkus Award at Georgia and he won the high school Butkus at Horn Lake High School in Mississippi. More than that, “He took Latin 1 and 2. Straight-A student. He finished with, like, a 4.4 GPA," his mom, Boyette, told The Score. "That intelligence was not strictly on the academic side. He had the same type of football IQ. He saw things that weren't normal for a high school kid to see." His only “B” growing up came in a seventh-grade typing class. That intelligence showed up on Saturdays, with coach Kirby Smart calling Dean the “commander and chief” of the defense.

At Georgia, he carried a 3.53 GPA in mechanical engineering. He was one of 22 members of the annual Allstate Good Works Team because of his play on the field, grades and numerous good deads. As part of that team, he was given $10,000 to donate to his hometown community center. “Giving back is in my blood,” Dean told The DeSoto Times. “My mother had me giving back since I was growing up. We did this day called The 12 Days of Christmas where we did 12 Days of Service leading up to Christmas. So giving back is in my blood and continues to stay with me.”

His older brother, Nikolas, played tight end at Ole Miss.

NFL.com Scouting Report: Explosive, three-down linebacker with the demeanor and quickness to become a volume tackler while holding down third-down duties at a high level. Dean's play recognition is a work in progress, which limits reaction time and forces him to deal with more blockers than he'll see as he gains more experience. Quick feet and plus agility will bring him to ball-carriers at a high rate but a lack of size and length means he'll need to fine-tune his approach as a tackler to make sure he finishes what he starts. He might lack measurables, but he has the toughness and technique to see a boost in his performance once his play becomes more proactive.

Troy Andersen, Montana

Measureables: 6-3 1/4, 243. 32 1/8 arms. 4.42 40, 4.07 shuttle, DNP bench.

Analytical stats: Andersen was the Big Sky’s Freshman of the Year as a running back in 2017, a third-team all-conference quarterback in 2018 and the Big Sky’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. In 15 starts as a senior, he recorded two sacks and 14 tackles for losses among his 147 tackles. He added two interceptions and nine passes defensed. He had 6.5 sacks in 2019; 2020 was wiped out due to COVID. Andersen led the FCS ranks with 66 stops, according to PFF, and yielded a 57.1 percent completion rate and 65.2 passer rating.

Personal touch: Johnny Cash sang, “I’ve been everywhere, man.” Well, Andersen has played everywhere. In 2017, he was the Bobcats top running back. When the starting quarterback was ruled academically ineligible in 2018, Andersen replaced him. In 2019, he played linebacker and fullback. With COVID wiping out the 2020 fall season – he wouldn’t have played, anyway, following knee surgery – Andersen returned in 2021 and got to focus on linebacker. He was a unanimous first-team All-American.

Said Dane Fletcher, a Montana State legend and former NFL linebacker: “I have scouts and agents hitting me up and there’s only one way to explain it, he’s the most athletic kid hands down that’s ever played at MSU. To be thrown into the situations he has, obviously he’s a 4.0 student, brilliant in the classroom which helped him get where he is, but then translates that on the football field, not a lot of people can do. Coming in as a running back, then quarterback, then defensive line then linebacker. It’s all the pieces that he can do. I have all the hope in the world for Troy and his future.”

At Beaverhead High School in Montana, he won 100- and 200-meter championships in track and was all-state at quarterback. His collegiate defensive coordinator compared him to Paul Bunyan. At the house on the family ranch, there was a mattress in the living room so the 5-year-old Troy could make diving catches. “You can't really give up on things once you start them,” Andersen told The Bozeman Daily Chronicle of life on the farm. “If you get cows in and they keep getting back on you, you can't really give up. You have to get them out eventually. So just kind of finishing things.”

Andersen planned to spend the days leading to the draft fly fishing, helping on the farm and working out. “It's every little boys dream," Andersen said at pro day. "You sit on the couch watching all the games growing up. You're like 'that'd be pretty cool.' And then to have the opportunity to play college football, that's cool. I loved my time in Bozeman, had so many memories and met so many great people. And then to have an opportunity to move on to where it's the best in the world playing football, it's a tremendous opportunity and it's one I don't take for granted. I'm excited for that next step.”

Andersen even won awards for his work in Montana State’s agricultural program.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Shows his speed on crossing patterns, staying with tight ends and slot receivers across the formation. At times he can be destructive coming downhill and getting off blocks, extends and sheds. Comfortable dropping in zone over the middle, gets depth and keeps everything in front. Keeps his eyes on the quarterback while moving laterally with routes. Completely shuts down the middle of the field at times.

Quay Walker, Georgia

Measureables: 6-3 3/4, 241. 32 5/8 arms. 4.52 40, 4.32 shuttle, 23 bench.

Analytical stats: A first-time starter as a senior, Walker had 1.5 sacks and 5.5 tackle for losses among his 67 tackles. He added the only three passes defensed of his 52-game career. According to PFF, he was 75th in the draft class with 32 stops and allowed an 85.7 percent completion rate and 97.6 passer rating. Of 103 off-the-ball linebackers in the draft class with 579 snaps, he ranked second in missed-tackle percentage.

Personal touch: When it was time to make his college decision official, Walker put on a Tennessee hat. Then, he chucked it across the room and unzipped his jacket to show his Georgia gear. It wasn’t one of his finest moments, he admits. “To be honest with you, I hate talking about it,” Walker said before the 2019 season kicked off. “But I know it’s going to be something that’s brought up the rest of my life, just about. Looking back on it, I think it was very immature of me doing that.”

Maturity isn’t an issue anymore. "He committed to being excellent and doing what he's supposed to off the field and on the field, became much more of a student of the game," coach Kirby Smart said. "He holds people accountable now and this is the guy who wouldn't do it. Now he's doing it all and it's pretty awesome to see how far he's come. I love watching players grow like that because I got to sit in his house for a long time and now getting to see a different person."

How did Walker get started in football? Here’s the story from his high school coach, Shelton Felton, via Dawg Nation: “We met when he was 15,” Felton said. “I saw him in the gym. He picked up a basketball, went full court and dunked it and everyone went crazy. I went and ran on the court to him. I asked him his name. He told me he was a basketball player. I told him that day ‘If you play football son you are going to be great’ and he believed in what I told him. He believed it and worked with it.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Walker's mind is advanced for a collegiate player and he regularly sees the play develop ahead of time. Pairing this attribute with his 4.52 40-yard dash speed makes him a tenacious run defender who is usually the first guy to the action. As Walker recognizes runs quickly and pounces on them, he can take on blockers so that Dean doesn't have to. At an official six-foot-four, 241 pounds and with 32 5'8" arms, Walker has the ideal size that NFL teams covet. This aids his ability to attack large offensive linemen, strike their chest and create a pile-up to negate rushing lanes.

Chad Muma, Wyoming

Measureables: 6-2 3/4, 239. 31 5/8 arms. 4.63 40, 4.21 shuttle, 27 bench.

Analytical stats: A second-team All-American, Muma had 1.5 sacks and eight tackles for losses among his 142 tackles as a senior. He broke up three passes – all interceptions, two of which he brought back for touchdowns. According to PFF, he was No. 1 in the draft class with 68 stops and allowed an 86.7 percent completion rate and 77.5 passer rating. Of 103 off-the-ball linebackers in the draft class with 579 snaps, he ranked seventh in missed-tackle percentage. He had 18 percent of the Cowboys’ tackles, the highest rate in the class.

Personal touch: Muma is a third-generation Wyoming player. His grandfather forged his mom’s name in going from Lawrence, Mass., to Wyoming. Later, Muma’s father was a safety for the Cowboys. The family is happy to take credit for his hard-hitting style. “He went through five chinstraps at the beginning of the year,” Wyoming coach Craig Bohl told The Casper Star-Tribune. “And it wasn’t because of the malfunction on the helmet, it was so much thrust.”

When Muma was in seventh grade, he learned he had Type 1 diabetes. “Before I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, it was always a dream of mine to play college football and excel at that level,” he told The Wyoming News. “I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to do that with my Type 1 diabetes, because you don't hear a lot about college athletes with diabetes. I think it was important for me to go out there and say, 'Whatever goals you guys have right now, it's important to stick to those goals. Put your mind to it and don't let diabetes disable you from doing that.’” At the Combine, he says he tests himself every quarter. “If I need insulin, I will actually give myself a shot during the game based on my numbers are,” he said at the Combine.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Muma displays a good size to athleticism combo. Moreover, Muma excels versus the run with very good mental processing and instincts. He always stays square with very good feet while sorting through the trash. Additionally, he showcases an excellent understanding of run concepts and has outstanding gap discipline. He consistently beats blocks with quickness and instincts. One of the best and most consistent tacklers in the class. In 2021, he has two pick sixes and these plays really showcased his ball skills. Effective in zone coverage when spot dropping and reading the QB’s eyes.

Leo Chenal, Wisconsin

Measureables: 6-2 5/8, 250. 31 arms. 4.53 40, 4.24 shuttle, 34 bench (and 40.5 vertical).

Analytical stats: Chenal was a first-team All-American and the Big Ten’s linebacker of the year in 2021. In 11 games, he stuffed the stat sheet with eight sacks, 18.5 TFLs, 115 total tackles and two forced fumbles. He didn’t break up any passes. According to PFF, he was No. 3 in the draft class with 63 stops and allowed a 90.9 percent completion rate and 107.6 passer rating. He had 16 percent of the team’s tackles, tied for the second-highest rate in the draft.

Personal touch: A native of Grantsburg, Wis., Chenal is one of 16 kids. Yes, 16. He has eight full siblings and seven step-siblings. “When I was a little kid, I was always trying to pick fights with them and stuff,” Chenal, 12th-oldest in a group that ranges from 12 to 39, told The Associated Press. “That’s where I think I got all my energy and all my passion—just being able to compete with brothers growing up, always being physical with them, starting fights and everything.”

One of those brothers is John, a fullback for the Badgers. “He was kind of the guy who would get everyone riled up, whether it’s good or bad,” John said. “He’d start talking and getting loud. The next thing you know, we’re fighting. He has a way of getting everyone amped up and ready to go.”

Their mom, Brenda, noted how they pushed each other in everything. "If I beat him, we have to go again," John told UWBadgers.com. "If he beats me, we have to go again." Added Leo: We'll end up playing 10 rounds of ping pong because he can't handle being beat."

In his final high school game, he led Grantsburg to the state championship by rushing for 223 yards and two touchdowns, adding 40 receiving yards and one touchdown, throwing one touchdown pass and tallying 22 tackles. “He’s got the toughness that I think the Badgers represent,” Grantsburg’s coach told The Athletic. “He’s got that intensity and that nonstop motor and work ethic. He’ll be a great fit that way. He’s a high-character kid. You think of the Badgers, you think about a program of integrity with that coaching staff. He just kind of fits that mold. He’s a blue-collar, Wisconsin kid that is ready to go out there and try to make a name for himself.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Chenal boasts solid linear speed and closes downhill quickly. He often uses quickness to beat opponents at the point of contact. Against the run, Chenal displays patience, vision, and awareness to anticipate the play before identifying and following the ball carrier. While still raw in coverage, Chenal has the potential to grow into an all-around linebacker. He reads the quarterback’s eyes well in zone coverage; consequently, he jumps routes if the passer telegraphs. His physicality and movement skills may enable him to cover tight ends and running backs as he develops. Chenal complements clean tackling technique with a strong grip and impressive stopping power to produce a consistent product at the tackle point. The talented linebacker improved his angles from 2020 to 2021.

Christian Harris, Alabama

Measureables: 6-0 1/2, 226. 32 1/8 arms. 4.44 40, DNP shuttle, DNP bench.

Analytical stats: Harris started 40 games over his three seasons with the Crimson Tide. He was a Freshman All-American in 2019, then had back-to-back seasons of 79 tackles in 2020 (4.5 sacks, seven TFLs) and 2021 (5.5 sacks, 12.5 TFLs). During his final season, he forced two fumbles and broke up three passes. According to PFF, he was No. 15 in the draft class with 51 stops and allowed a 77.1 percent completion rate and 123.7 passer rating. He allowed four touchdown passes, most among the linebackers in this story. His missed-tackle rate of 15.7 percent was second-worst among the linebackers in this story.

Personal touch: Harris played cornerback and receiver at University Lab High School in Baton Rouge, La., but started at linebacker for Alabama as a true freshman and handled the challenge like a boss.

“It was pretty amazing,” Harris said after surviving those weekly trials by fire. “Getting off the bus, traveling was a new experience for me. I think I handled it pretty well, I think as a team we handled the game pretty well. It’s a little bit, the game’s a lot faster in college than it is in high school. Of course, it was my first college game, but I feel like the coaches got me prepared well enough to be able to do whatever I can to help the team be successful, especially in that game.”

His older brother, Tylor, played at Wake Forest and spent time with the Seattle Seahawks. As kids, the Harris brothers and former Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses used to play together. Watching Tylor Harris and Moses play in high school drove Christian to new heights. “Christian was literally sitting in the stands mesmerized,” his mom told Rivals. “This was an energetic little boy, a little boy who was normally all over the place. Christian sat in that stadium and did not move. He was just mesmerized. Between the football team and the student section, he was in awe.”

When Tylor was being recruited, he had a list of questions he’d ask those coaches. Sometimes, little Christian butted in with his own.“ Christian started asking his own questions,” Ramona said in that Rivals story. “He was like, ‘So, do you tell this to everybody you talk to?’ I could have gone under a chair at that point, but it was good because he’s a child and he was saying the things that we were thinking. He was always aware. He could always see through people and can decipher when someone is telling him the truth.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Very good athlete accelerates and reaches his good speed quickly making him rangy at the second level. Harris is a communicator on Alabama’s defense, getting teammates lined up and calling out audibles. He is a patient run defender who can scrape and flow fairly reliably. Once he triggers, his explosiveness to the ball carrier is apparent. Harris flashes violent hands and upper-body strength to disengage. In coverage, he is very springy and fluid, possessing all the movement skills to succeed in zone or man coverage on tight ends. When blitzing, he is a consistent threat thanks to his burst. Solid open-field tackler.

Channing Tindall, Georgia

Measureables: 6-1 7/8, 230. 32 3/8 arms. 4.47 40, 4.18 shuttle, DNP bench.

Analytical stats: How good was the Bulldogs defense? Tindall might be an NFL starter after not starting a single game in four seasons at Georgia. In 15 games off the bench as a senior, he set career highs across the board with 67 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 7.5 tackles for losses and the lone forced fumble of his career. According to PFF, he was No. 87 in the draft class with stops and allowed a 76.5 percent completion rate and 83.5 passer rating. He broke up zero passes in four seasons.

Personal touch: A high school All-American, Tindall could go from a zero-starts player in college to a Day 1 starter in the NFL. He could have found greater opportunity elsewhere by transferring. How did he stay patient? “I just kept my head down. I knew it was going to be a transition, just coming from high school and to playing linebacker, and then all the different schemes that we run in Georgia. I feel like we run like an NFL-type defense,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “So, it was frustrating for me, but for me personally, I wasn't frustrated at anybody else. I just I knew what I had to do. I just went and watched extra film, believed in the process. I knew the best players was here, so I didn't want to go anywhere else. Just I would rather hit that hump now and then hit it later. And so it just all paid off at the end of the day.”

His numbers in a part-time role, and his Combine numbers, show his potential. “I’m just a freak of nature altogether,” Tindall told Dawg Nation. “I feel like the film will show for itself about (my) speed.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Middle linebacker with above average size. Tindall rotates in and out of the lineup and has been a special teams standout for the Bulldogs. He possesses great speed giving him sideline to sideline range and outstanding closing burst. When arriving, he carries his momentum through ball carriers and delivers hard hits. Very good play strength and physicality allow him to absorb and stack climbing linemen at the second level. On the blitz, Tindall uses his speed and strength to blow up blocking backs and tight ends.

JoJo Domann, Nebraska

Measureables: 6-1 1/4, 228. 30 3/8 arms. 4.58 40, 4.32 shuttle, 15 bench.

Analytical stats: Domann recorded 209 tackles during a career that began way back in 2016. He posted two forced fumbles during each of his final three seasons and nine for his career. During his final three seasons, he had 24.5 tackles for losses and 16 passes defensed. He had career highs of 72 tackles, nine TFLs and two interceptions in 2021 to earn second-team All-American. According to PFF, he was No. 93 in the draft class with 24 stops and allowed an 82.1 percent completion rate and 63.8 passer rating. Of 103 off-the-ball linebackers in the draft class with 579 snaps, he ranked 15th in missed-tackle percentage. No linebacker in the class played more slot-coverage snaps.

Personal touch: Domann was a sixth-year senior in 2021 and played his best ball. “For me, it’s all about living in my heart,” Domann told The Journal Star. “We all know how to play football, but sometimes we play it in our head. Really, play that thing from your heart. Fly around. You know your assignment, you know how to tackle, you know how to get off blocks. Really, like you’re a kid again. Just play, play from the heart.”

His father is NFL agent Craig Domann. His mom is marketing. Combined, they were ahead of college sports’ NIL curve. “It’s almost like I knew I wanted to be an NFL player and picked my parents,” Domann said in The Journal Star story. They donated the money earned to six causes.

Because of his father, Domann grew up around football. There was a time in 2008, when he was a fifth-grader, when he won a bet with several members of the Arizona Cardinals that he couldn’t sit in a cold tub for 8 minutes. Said Craig in an Athletic story, “I was like, ‘Dude, what happened?’”

In high school, Domann was the Gatorade Player of the Year for Colorado in 2015. He chose Nebraska over his home-state school because he wanted to play “big-time football.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: JoJo Domann is one of the best coverage linebackers in the nation due to his athletic ability and feel for the game. He brings versatility to the Huskers defense, spending three years at safety, primarily playing the slot/overhang role in 2021 and even plays on the line of scrimmage as an outside linebacker. Domann excels in zone coverage where he is able to quickly gain excellent depth on his drops, uses his arm length to alter receivers’ stems and has great feel to squeeze space and avoid being high-low’d by route concepts. Furthermore, Domann has stellar foot speed and very good fluidity which allows him to turn and run with big slot receivers and tight ends in man coverage.

Brian Asamoah, Oklahoma

Measureables: 6-0 1/4, 226. 32 5/8 arms. 4.56 40, DNP shuttle, 23 bench.

Analytical stats: Asamoah was a two-year starter. In 2021, he recorded one sack and four TFLs among his 89 tackles along with two forced fumbles. He broke up five passes in 2020. According to PFF, he was No. 46 in the draft class with 40 stops and allowed an 82.4 percent completion rate and 108.2 passer rating. Of 103 off-the-ball linebackers in the draft class with 579 snaps, he ranked sixth in missed-tackle percentage.

Personal touch: Asamoah is from Columbus, Ohio. He never got an offer from the Buckeyes, though. “I don’t know (what Ohio State is waiting for), to be honest,” he said. As Asamoah established himself, then-Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer noted the error. "We monitor who comes in the state," Meyer told Cleveland.com. "We monitor how well the players do. We track their whole careers, 'Whatever happened to this guy?' I need to know where and why if we did make mistakes. And we have made some mistakes."

Asamoah was academic all-Big 12 with a 3.1 GPA. He took 20 hours during the football season to help get his degree. “I didn't really see it as a challenge because it's something I wanted to do, something I had my mind set on,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “And then really just focusing on football. So to do those two things, you have to sacrifice a little time hanging out with people. But those are things I had in mind I wanted to do and I did it.”

His parents are from Accra, Ghana. He spent a year there living with his father’s brother, who is a pastor. “When I was 10 years old, I went down there for a learning experience and to see what the environment was like,” he said at the Combine. “It was very different from United States and it just gave me an opportunity to just be humble, and realize that being in America is such a blessing.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Standing out among some of the best talent in the nation is no easy feat. Brian Asamoah II, though, thrived at the second level of Oklahoma’s defense in 2020 and 2021. The linebacker boasts borderline-elite short-area quickness, change of direction and long speed. He has the range to work to the sideline and the loose frame to make clean transitions. Further, Asamoah has flashed sound spatial awareness and an understanding of route development in zone coverage. The Oklahoma star has the burst and intelligence to leverage routes with sound angles. Moreover, he has the movement skills to handle deep zones.

Brandon Smith, Penn State

Measureables: 6-3 1/2, 250. 34 5/8 arms. 4.52 40, 4.08 shuttle, 19 bench.

Analytical stats: Smith started all 12 games in 2021, his junior season, and had 81 tackles, four TFLs, one forced fumble and five passes defensed. According to PFF, he was No. 60 in the draft class with 36 stops and allowed an 80.0 percent completion rate and 73.5 passer rating. His missed-tackle rate of 15.7 percent was fourth-worst among the linebackers in this story.

Personal touch: Smith was Virginia’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2018 and the No. 1-ranked inside linebacker recruit in 2019.

Growing up in the small town of Louisa, Va., Smith told The Athletic: “I was probably the softest kid around here, I’m not even gonna lie. I was raised to treat people right and be nice and stuff like that outside of football, which I am, but I didn’t get that you had to flip the switch.” When he was 10, he mentioned his dream of playing in the NFL. His father, Rico, wasn’t having any of it. “I grabbed him in the collar,” Rico said in The Athletic story. “I said, don’t ever talk about the NFL in this house again. I said, you haven’t made the middle school (team), haven’t made the high school and you definitely haven’t made it in college. So many kids your age think NFL and NBA, and they need to do the other things in between.”

He won Big Ten Player of the Week for his performance vs. Auburn early last season. “There’s always room for improvement as far as my game,” Smith said. “I’m really not one to completely praise myself as far as the things that I do or the things that I will really excel at. I’m probably one of my biggest critics, and I constantly look at what I need to work on and what I need to really just [improve] on. So every aspect of my game I can improve on in some way, and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Hyper-athletic 4-3 outside linebacker that plays in the box, at overhang, on-ball and off-ball. While Smith played SAM in 2020, he will fill the WILL role in 2021. Smith is a big, long, explosive and fast defender that is capable in run and pass defense. Against the run, he plays with sound gap integrity and patience. He consistently takes deliberate angles to the tackle point to limit cutbacks. When defending the option, Smith reads the mesh point well and stays disciplined. The Penn State linebacker closes downhill at a very high speed and is a big hitter when the opportunity presents itself.

Darrian Beavers, Cincinnati

Measureables: 6-3 3/4, 237. 32 3/8 arms. 4.69 40, 4.17 shuttle, DNP bench.

Analytical stats: Beavers took advantage of his fifth season to record five sacks, 12 TFLs, 99 tackles, two forced fumbles, one interception and three passes defensed. He played safety, linebacker and defensive end during the 2017 and 2018 seasons at UConn. According to PFF, he was No. 8 in the draft class with 53 stops and allowed a 71.4 percent completion rate and 72.9 passer rating. His missed-tackle rate of 15.7 percent was sixth-worst among the linebackers in this story.

Personal touch: A receiver and safety in high school, Beavers was recruited by Cincinnati but signed with Connecticut. After two losing seasons – and two winning seasons by his hometown school – he transferred back home. "I remember watching his film when he put his name in the portal and there was some interest in coming to Cincinnati, and you watched him rush the passer and you're like, 'Oh, man, this dude can be a guy for us,’” defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman told Cincinnati.com. "Our original thought was maybe making him a defensive end. Then when he got here, you realized how athletic he was. He had some serious athleticism, which reminded you of high school and him playing safety at Colerain. We found a fit for him at sniper.”

As a junior in high school, he weighed 160 pounds. He posted a before-and-after photo on Twitter. “That first picture was the first day I started actually working out. I went over to La Salle High School and started working out on the field,” Beavers told The Athletic. “I was 160 pounds. I’m 260 now. I’m literally 100 pounds heavier than I was in that first picture. That’s crazy.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: He shows functional strength in and around the line of scrimmage to be physical with blockers. He has the ability to stack and shed in the box when offensive lineman lead block to the second level. The Cincinnati linebacker has some versatility because of his length, lining up as a traditional inside linebacker and offering value to his team as a stand-up outside rusher on occasion. In coverage, he shows really good awareness to understand his zone and let the quarterback’s eyes lead him.

Malcolm Rodriguez, Oklahoma State

Measureables: 5-11, 232. 30 1/8 arms. 4.52 40, 4.13 shuttle, 36 bench.

Analytical stats: Rodriguez started 48 times and played in 60 consecutive games during his five seasons. Taking advantage of the bonus COVID year in 2021, Rodriguez was a first-team All-American with three sacks and 16.5 tackles for losses among his 130 stops. He stuffed the stat sheet with one interception, five passes defensed and an impressive four forced fumbles. According to PFF, he was No. 2 in the draft class with 66 stops and allowed a 68.2 percent completion rate and 67.7 passer rating.

Personal touch: At Wagoner (Okla.) High School, Rodriguez beat out the senior quarterback and led the school to three straight state championships. In wrestling, he was a two-time state champion. He threw up before every big event. “Sometimes I have to just get those jitterbugs out,” he told The Tulsa World.

Still, Wyoming was his only FBS offer until Oklahoma State came late. “It always goes back to my wrestling background,” Rodriguez said. “Just being a hard-nosed, tough kid. Not a lot of guys you see out on the field are wrestlers.”

OSU coach Mike Gundy played quarterback for the Cowboys but also wrestled. He challenged his star linebacker one day. "I was like, 'Yeah, Coach, I still got it,'" Rodriguez told ESPN.com. "I could definitely still take him. He'd have no shot." Rodriguez had 16 percent of the team’s tackles, tied for the second-highest rate in the draft. "It definitely comes from that background," he said. "It's second nature, just getting people down. I don't do the big tackles -- I just go for the legs and the hips."

Rodriguez spent his first two seasons at safety – including earning honorable-mention all-conference in 2018 – before moving to linebacker. During spring practice, Gundy called him “a 10-year vet in the NFL.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Rodriguez is excellent in avoiding blocks on stretch or outside zones, staying in his run fit and avoiding arms of linemen with excellent leverage and technique. His quick feet allow him to shuffle and burst, making tackles with little wasted movement and stuffing attempts to gain yardage. Impressive first step that really shows when deployed as a blitzer. He shows intelligence and nuance in coverage.

Aaron Hansford, Texas A&M

Measureables: 6-2 1/4, 239. 32 3/8 arms. 4.64 40, 4.40 shuttle, 24 bench.

Analytical stats: A former receiver and tight end, Hansford had a banner final season with two sacks, and 8.5 TFLs among his 89 tackles. He added four passes defensed. According to PFF, he was No. 7 in the draft class with 54 stops and allowed a 77.1 percent completion rate and 90.2 passer rating.

Personal touch: Coach Jimbo Fisher was instrumental in having Hansford switch sides. “He was a good tight end, and he played very well there, but he’s also not 6-4, 6-5,” Fisher told The Houston Chronicle. “You don’t have to be. I’ve had some great (tight ends) who are 6-2. But we had a great need (at linebacker), and we saw his athleticism. We also felt he could be a natural pass rush guy — which he does a great job of when he blitzes.”

When Hansford landed at A&M, his father talked about him during a radio interview. "From a physical sense, he's very blessed as an athlete (having two parents who are former sprinters). I think he has all the tools he needs to have great success. His mother held the state record in Louisiana in the 400-meter for over 32 years, so that says a lot about her. She qualified for two Olympic trials. Myself, I was a two-time high school All-American and collegiate All-American in track and field. Aaron started running track when he was about 8. I told him when he was born, 'you're the fastest man in the world' and evidently he believed it. From the time he started running track he had been participating in the USA Junior Olympics and AAU Junior Olympics as a finalist in the 100 meters.”

A shoulder injury in 2016 and knee injury in 2018 took their toll. “This one sent me down a spiral of discouragement, mentally,” he admitted to FCA.org. “Doctors weren’t sure if I’d play again. It takes a toll. And mental health in college football is so important. School and sports are hard enough, then add an injury—there’s a lot. It was so hard, but I’m very thankful for God and my family. I had a good support system.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Athletic linebackers are exciting commodities in today’s NFL. Aaron Hansford has the frame and athletic profile to be a difference-maker in the league. The former wide receiver is a clean mover with loose hips to change direction and transition in coverage. He boasts impressive short-area quickness and long speed, affording him range at the second level while allowing him to navigate the box. What’s more, his closing speed to the tackle point is notable. Hansford’s movement skills afford him potential in zone coverage.

Sterling Weatherford, Miami (Ohio)

Measureables: 6-4, 224, 32 arms. 4.59 40, 4.33 shuttle, 21 bench.

Analytical stats: A three-year starting safety, Weatherford had four interceptions, 23 passes defensed and 210 tackles for his career. He had a massive sophomore year with 5.5 TFLs and 11 passes defensed. He picked off two passes as a senior. According to Pro Football Focus, his career missed-tackle rate was 15.8 percent. He missed 20 tackles in 2019 but 18 in his other three seasons. His coverage was strong, with a career completion rate of 55.8 percent. He yielded three touchdown last year.

Personal touch: Weatherford comes from an athletic family. Older brother Grant had a nomadic college basketball career that started at Purdue. A sister, Dakota, played basketball at Evansville and Louisville.

“For the large portion of his high school career, Sterling was a basketball guy that played football,” his high school coach told BVM Sports. “We had a conversation towards his junior year, I told him, ‘I know college basketball is in your family and I totally get that. I love basketball too and if that’s what you want to do I’m going to support you. But I want to let you know you really have some opportunities in football if that’s what you want to do, and I think you can be pretty special at it.’”

The movement skills honed on the hardwood helped in the defensive backfield. “I always played guard, so I got used to moving like a smaller skill player. I just kept growing (laughs),” he told SI.com’s Horseshoe Huddle. “I was offered by Miami (Ohio) to play safety. When I got there, the first thing our linebackers coach said to me was, ‘Yeah, you are going to be a linebacker. You know that, right?’ I just kind of chuckled at him, because I was 218 when I got to school. I just told him, ‘Hey, whatever gets me on the field.’”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Weatherford provides positional versatility between safety and linebacker roles and is an immense competitor. He often plays the slot/overhang/star position and can defend the pass and run. Versus the run, Weatherford is great at taking on blocks versus tight ends, engaging with physicality and displaying strong grip strength to pull cloth and disengage. Versus the pass, Weatherford is physical when rerouting tight ends, allowing him to remain in the hip pocket and often halts their route short entirely. He also has the fluid hips (for a linebacker) and foot speed to transition downfield when following running backs out of the backfield on a wheel route.

Tariq Carpenter, Georgia Tech

Measureables: 6-2 7/8, 230. 32 5/8 arms. 4.47 40, 4.46 shuttle, DNP bench (wrist).

Analytical stats: Playing safety for the Yellow Jackets, the supersized four-year starter recorded four interceptions and 22 passes defensed for his career. According to PFF, he allowed a career-best 63.0 percent completion rate in 2020 and 66.7 percent in 2021. He gave up four touchdown passes as a senior. His career missed-tackle rate was 13.2 percent. He rarely was used as a blitzer.

Personal touch: Carpenter capped his strong career with strong performances at the Hula Bowl and Senior Bowl. At the Hula Bowl, he was a team captain and intercepted a pass. At the Senior Bowl, he got some reps at linebacker. He had a predraft visit with the Packers.

Carpenter comes from an athletic family. His mom played college basketball at Central Methodist before becoming an Army staff sergeant. She served five international tours of duty, including three deployments to Iraq and one in Afghanistan. An uncle, Thurlos Pearson, played football at Missouri.

“My mom is definitely my ‘why,’” Carpenter told The Atlanta Journal Constitution. “She’s also my purpose. She’s my role model. She’s a person that I look up to because of those reasons because of the sacrifices that she made for me and Alexis to live a good life. I just do everything I can to make sure that she gets everything that she wants because she did the same thing for us.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Tariq Carpenter is long and has a firm athletic build with long arms. He shows solid foot quickness and short-area burst at his size. Versatility to play deep, in the box and as a hybrid safety/linebacker type. Very good physical and competitive toughness, playing fast with good effort and is not afraid to make tackles. Possesses the size and length to play in the box and make plays in the run game.

D’Marco Jackson, Appalachian State

Measureables: 6-0 3/4, 233. 32 1/2 arms. 4.55 40, 4.29 shuttle, 19 bench.

Analytical stats: The Sun Belt Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year recorded six sacks and 19 TFLs among his 120 stops in 2021. He added one forced fumble, one interception and six passes defensed. According to PFF, he was No. 15 in the draft class with 51 stops and allowed a 76.0 percent completion rate and 110.3 passer rating. His missed-tackle rate of 15.7 percent was fifth-worst among the linebackers in this story.

Personal touch: A standout running back and linebacker in high school, the South Carolina native suffered a torn ACL as a senior in 2016, redshirted in 2017 and played off the bench in 2018 before hitting his stride.

A cousin, Maurice Morris, was a second-round pick in 2002 who rushed for 3,648 yards and scored 18 touchdowns in 10 NFL seasons. According to his school bio, Jackson “grew up on a family farm and enjoys riding horses, fishing, bull riding and calf wrestling.” In the College2Pro podcast, Jackson said of calf wrestling, “For me, it was just like a thing we grew up doing. I was the youngest brother so I got dare-deviled into a bunch of stuff. I didn’t know what I was going but my brothers were like, ‘Do this and do this.’ They talked me into a lot of dumb stuff. … We just bonded over it.”

NFL.com Scouting Report: Jackson's freestyling, downhill approach produced a spike in overall production in 2021, but also led to missed run fits and big plays for the running game. He has some talent at slipping blocks but it is usually lights out once blockers get their hands on him. His pursuit speed, combined with a lack of desired instincts, could necessitate a move to 4-3 Will linebacker, where his coverage potential and special-teams ability might land him a backup gig.

Mike Rose, Iowa State

Measureables: 6-3 7/8, 245. 33 1/4 arms. 4.69 40, 4.20 shuttle, 16 bench.

Analytical stats: Rose started 49 games in four seasons and finished his career with 321 tackles, 9.5 sacks and 41 tackles for losses. In 2020, he was a first-team All-American and the Big 12’s Defensive Player of the Year with five interceptions and 10.5 TFLs. He had three sacks and 12 TFLS as a senior. According to PFF, he was No. 94 in the draft class with 29 stops and allowed a 77.8 percent completion rate and 110.5 passer rating.

Personal touch:

Athletics are in the genes. A grandfather, Chuck Lima, was a linebacker and fullback at Notre Dame from 1954 through 1958. An older brother, Jack, played baseball at Dayton. Another brother, Jay, played football at Hillsdale. “My grandpa was always my idol,” Rose told ND Insider, “and the person that made me want to play college football.” When those schools met in the Camping World Bowl in 2019, Lima was cheering for the Cyclones. “If there is a direct conflict, I must tell you, my grandkids win out,” Lima said. “Mike has made the last couple of football seasons so very interesting to me. I usually rely on just checking up when I can about the Notre Dame game. I watch Mike every down.”

Iowa State was Rose’s only FBS offer. We weighed 212 pounds back then. “The added weight helps me take on blocks better,” Rose said. “I also want to have people feel me when I'm coming down and filling an A or B gap,” he told The Gazette. “I like having more weight because I don't feel much slower and the bigger you are, the easier it is to take on a lineman because they're 300 pounds and you have to go up against them every play.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Rose is an old-school SAM LB that could have a niche role at the NFL level. He’s a good run defender, especially between the tackles where his physical nature shines. Rose triggers downhill quickly and is aggressive when filling his fit - he’ll succeed best in a one-gap attacking scheme that allows LBs to play fast. Rose’s best quality is how he stacks and sheds blocks - whether it’s offensive linemen or tight ends - he never shies away from contact. He always brings 110 percent effort.

Micah McFadden, Indiana

Measureables: 6-1 1/8, 240. 31 1/4 arms. 4.62 40, 4.15 shuttle, 21 bench.

Analytical stats: McFadden had 10-plus TFLs in each of his three seasons as a starter. As a senior, he piled up 6.5 sacks and 15.5 TFLs among his 77 tackles, and added two forced fumbles and three passes defensed. According to PFF, he was No. 33 in the draft class with 44 stops and allowed an 81.8 percent completion rate and 127.5 passer rating. His missed-tackle rate of 16.3 percent is the worst of the linebackers in this story.

Personal touch: McFadden played at Plant High School in Tampa, Fla., alongside North Dakota State receiver Christian Watson, he had an astounding 211 tackles, including 39 for losses. Not even McFadden could see that coming. "When my JV coaches told me going into my junior season that I was going to be a beast in the next season, personally, I didn't always see it or whole-heartedly believe it, but those guys believed in me,'' McFadden told SI. "They trusted that my talent could get me on the field and perform at a high level. "It was hearing those words every day, those guys in my ear telling me how good I could be and the work it would take to get me there. That continuous effort to do that really got me to that mindset. That got me to the next level to prepare for a varsity-type season that I had my junior year. And I just took it from there.”

He was recruited to Indiana by Tom Allen, whose son also was on those Plant teams.

“What I noticed him on was special teams,” Allen told The Daily Hoosier. “That’s where I noticed just a nose for the ball. Covering kicks, covering punts. I learned that from (former Ben Davis High School) Coach (Dick) Dullaghan years ago. … You find out who your linebacker and safeties are by who can cover kicks. I never forgot that.”

Despite the ridiculous numbers, Indiana was about the only school that was interested. Said Allen to The Indy Star: “His dad, he point-blank asked me, ‘Coach, is Micah going to get a chance to play at Indiana,’ and I was a little taken aback. But at the same time, I understood where he was coming from. … He wanted him to be able to have a chance to go to a place where he could eventually earn the opportunity to play, not just to be on the team.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: McFadden is a fantastic blitzer, who utilizes solid straight line speed and instincts to get after the quarterback. He consistently got after the quarterback from the middle linebacker spot and off the edge. As a run defender, McFadden also displays really impressive instincts. He is always one step ahead of the offense, and he has a great feel for where to be to make a play on the football. In zone coverage, McFadden is usually in the right spot. He moves pretty well in zone coverage.

Packers Draft Preview: Cornerbacks

Ranking the Draft Need

With Green Bay boasting a strong threesome, cornerback ranks ninth out of 11 position groups in our ranking of the team’s draft needs. Adding depth is practically a necessity.

Perhaps You Can Forget These Prospects

Based on Green Bay’s draft history, Day 2 prospects Houston’s Marcus Jones and Auburn’s Roger McCreary might be among those off the board. Overall, it’s a group that’s long on perimeter corners and short on guys made for slot duty.

Ranking the Cornerbacks

Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner and LSU’s Daryl Stingley will be off the board. So, fast-forwarding …

Trent McDuffie, Washington

Measureables: 5-10 3/4, 193. 29 3/4 arms. 4.44 40, 38.5 vertical, DNP shuttle. (The arm length could take him off Green Bay’s board.)

Analytical stats: McDuffie was a three-year starter. In his 28 career games, he had two interceptions and 10 passes defensed. He was first-team all-conference in 2021, breaking up six balls and recording four tackles for losses in 11 appearances. According to Pro Football Focus, McDuffie was one of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class to play more than 295 coverage snaps. Of that group, he ranked seventh with a 44.4 percent completion rate and ninth with a 52.0 passer rating. He gave up one completion for every 17.9 coverage snaps, good for 10th. He played in the slot on 19 percent of the snaps last season at Washington, according to Sports Info Solutions. Of the 43 corners ranked by SIS in its draft guide, McDuffie was sixth with a missed-tackle rate of 8 percent.

Personal touch: In high school, McDuffie’s coach was able to monitor his players’ study habits. That wasn’t needed with McDuffie. “He was an open book. He wanted to learn,” St. John Bosco coach Jason Negro told The Seattle Times. “He would spend time and never missed a practice (in the spring of 2018), even though he was in the heart of running for a state title in the 4×100. He still was at every single practice. He still did every single weightlifting session, never missed a film session. He was a student of the game and you could tell immediately that he wanted to be the best player possible and he wanted to use all the resources we had available at Bosco. He took full advantage of them.”

In high school, he was an excellent long jumper. “I love the long jump,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “It truly taught me how to just control your body at super-weird angles, high-pressure, going against gravity, flying into a pit. … I was always good at long jump because I am a technician. I really hone in on the details on my position, the details of playing DB, details of doing the long jump. As a DB, you have to be really smart to understand that every step is not going to be perfect, so you have to have that quick mindset of, ‘It’s all right.’ You have to have that confidence that if you do mess up, we get another play, we get another down.”

His favorite defensive back is Charles Woodson.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: McDuffie is a corner with average size and terrific instincts that shine in Washington’s zone-heavy defense. He stands out because of his natural feel for the position, as well as his understanding of where he has help. His eyes always seem to be in the right place and he picks up on route combinations very quickly. He rarely has a wasted step in his drops or breaks, and his angles are impeccable. Stays low in his drops and when positioning in zone, and his feet are quick and precise to change direction or spring into action. In addition, he’s very sound against the run.

Andrew Booth, Clemson

Measureables: 6-0 1/4, 194. 31 1/2 arms. DNP testing (quad).

Analytical stats: Booth started all 11 appearances in 2021, setting career highs with three interceptions, eight passes defensed and three tackles for losses. He had five picks in his final two seasons. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, Booth ranked 74th with a 61.7 percent completion rate, 69th with 10.9 snaps per reception and 27th with a 70.0 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was 35th with a missed-tackle rate of 19 percent.

Personal touch: Booth grew up playing quarterback but – for a little while – quit growing. “I was trying to play quarterback, but I was 5-foot-5, probably 120 (pounds),” Booth told Gwinett Prep Sports. “I couldn’t really see over the line, so they changed me (to cornerback). It was for the greater good. If I was still trying to play quarterback, I don’t really know how that would go.”

Booth eventually had another growth spurt, which made him one of the top recruits in the nation and, ultimately, in this draft.

Booth threw a punch in a 2019 game against Louisville. While the rest of the team flew, coach Dabo Swinney made him take a team bus back to Clemson. “The devil can swoop in so fast, and be in and out,” Booth told The Post and Courier a year later. “He can embarrass you for that moment in time, and then just leave. As soon as I got up off the ground I was like, ‘What did I do?’ I couldn’t believe I blacked out like that.”

In middle school, he was diagnosed with Osgood-Schlatter disease, which causes swelling and severe pain below the knee joint.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Twitchy athlete who brings a compact frame and long limbs to the cornerback position. Energy jumps off the tape with his effort and urgency he plays with. Very good fluidity to flip his hips and stay in phase with receivers, showing noticeable acceleration to burst when needing to turn and run. An easy mover who displays excellent short-area quickness driving downhill on throws, plays with clean footwork when planting out of his breaks. Superb ball skills to track the football and highpoint with soft hands, is a consistent competitor at the catch point. Loves to be a part of the run game, showing urgency to come up and be an efficient tackler on ball carriers of all sizes due to his strong frame and long arms aiding his tackling radius.

Kyler Gordon, Washington

Measureables: 5-11 1/2, 194. 31 arms. 4.52 40, 39.5 vertical, 3.96 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Gordon moved into the starting lineup as a senior and led the Huskies’ with two interceptions and nine passes defensed. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, he ranked 18th with a 50.0 percent completion rate, 12th with 17.3 snaps per reception and fourth with a 43.3 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was eight with a missed-tackle rate of 9 percent. He was not penalized. According to SIS, he lined up in the slot 40 percent of the time, second-most in the draft class. His 9 percent missed-tackle rate ranked eighth.

Personal touch: A lot of football players also played basketball or baseball. The big guys sometimes wrestled. For Gordon, it was dancing and kung fu.

“With dance and king fu, honestly, just like my body control and the way I move my body,” Gordon said at the Scouting Combine. “It definitely helped my ball skills. Like when I go up, just the way I’m able to control myself or even just in press techniques with my hips and how I’m able to balance in the weight transition on the ground and just make up so much time and speed. I feel like that definitely helps a lot.”

He said ballet was the “hardest thing I’ve ever done.” He danced all over the world, competing in jazz, ballet, hip hop and other genres. At age 9, he was part of the Seattle Storm’s hip-hop dance troupe. That’s the age in which he stated playing football. “When he got to the field, I’ll never forget it,” Evamarie Gordon said of her 9-year-old son. “They’re like, ‘Where’s this kid been?’ I’m like, ‘He’s a dancer. He’s been in dance.’”

Gordon is one of the top slot-capable corners in the draft. “With the outside and inside, you just get a bunch of different routes,” Gordon said at the Scouting Combine. “Outside, you can expect different things. Inside, you’re more in the run fit as a nickel. You’re a blitzer now and a little bit more responsibility. You’re the quarterback of the defense. So, you get to make the calls and the checks and make sure everyone is aligned and assigned.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: A smooth athlete with easy movement skills, never looks panicked by the speed or quickness of the receiver lined up across from him. Excellent short area quickness to match the receiver at the top of their breaks and when driving downhill out of his breaks from a backpedal. Good eye discipline in zone coverage as an underneath defender, does not allow himself to get out leveraged by route concepts. A willing tackler who displays solid tackling skills in space.

Kaiir Elam, Florida

Measureables: 6-1 1/2, 191. 30 7/8 arms. 4.39 40, 37.5 vertical, 4.21 shuttle

Analytical stats: Elam started 27 games in three seasons. As a freshman in 2019, he had a career-high three interceptions. In 2020, he had two interceptions and a career-high 13 passes defensed. In 10 games in 2021, he had one pick and six passes defensed. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, he ranked 26th with a 51.4 percent completion rate, fourth with 18.6 snaps per reception and 36th with a 74.1 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was 31st with a missed-tackle rate of 18 percent. Of corners listed in this story, his seven penalties were the most. He lined up in the slot 35 percent of the time, fourth-most of the 43 corners ranked by SIS.

Personal touch: Elam is the son of former NFL safety Abe Elam (and nephew of former NFL and current CFL safety Matt Elam). His father held him out of football until seventh grade. “I heard a lot of professional players are doing the same with their kids,” Abe Elam told The Athletic. “They are not rushing to put them in. For one, the concussions. Two, they don’t want their kids to face the demands of the game. It’s a lot on a kid mentally and physically.”

At first, Kaiir wasn’t very good when he started and he wasn’t very good when he entered high school. It was as if he didn’t get any of his family’s athletic DNA. “He was one of the worst players” on the freshman team, Abe said. Beyond athleticism, there was motivation. “For me and my brother, it was our way of making it out, to be able to take care of our family. That was our focus,” Abe Elam said. “For Kaiir, he was blessed to have parents take care of him, and he was in a good situation.”

Eventually, the athleticism – and the motivation – kicked in. “I want to be the greatest,” Kaiir told The Orlando Sentinel. “Those guys (his father and uncle) are a big inspiration to me. I’ll watch their highlights and see how they play and the swagger they play will. I try to model my game after them. But I can’t really compare myself to those guys. I don’t want to set a limit for myself.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Long boundary corner with prototypical length and physicality. Loves playing from a press alignment where he utilizes a hands before feet approach, often opting to use his length to disrupt receivers with off-hand stabs and two-hand jams. Emphasizes using a kick step to win against vertical releases and force receivers off their path. Most comfortable playing away from the line of scrimmage whether it be in off-man or zone coverage. Shows good feel in zone coverage for seeing routes develop and passing routes off to attach to another.

Coby Bryant, Cincinnati

Measureables: 6-1 3/8, 193. 30 5/8 arms. 4.54 40, 33 vertical, 4.33 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Bryant came back for the “COVID year” and had three interceptions, 14 passes defensed and three forced fumbles as a super-senior. He won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back in 2021; he didn’t even make the preseason all-conference team. In 63 career games that included 50 starts the last four years, he had 10 interceptions and 45 passes defensed. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, he ranked sixth with a 44.0 percent completion rate, 26th with 14.3 snaps per reception and 16th with a 61.0 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was 19th with a missed-tackle rate of 12 percent.

Personal touch: First, Bryant is not related to the basketball legend by the same name (but different spelling), though he did slam dunk a football after celebrating an end-zone interception. And when Cincinnati faced Alabama in the College Football Playoffs, he switched to jersey No. 8 to honor Kobe. “I was named after him for a reason,” Coby said before the game. “The Mamba Mentality is what I carry on to this day.”

Bryant’s parents named their son after the late Lakers great but changed the spelling so he could forge his own identity. “Mamba Mentality is all about focusing on the process and trusting in the hard work when it matters most," he told Cincinnati.com. "It’s the ultimate mantra for the competitive spirit. It started just as a hashtag that came to me one day, and it’s grown into something athletes – and even non-athletes – embrace as a mindset.”

Older brother Christian spent time with the Rams, Cardinals, Giants and Browns. “He’s been the best big brother I could ever ask for,” Coby told Cleveland.com. “Christian taught and still teaches me a lot. Each week I’m asking him something about school or about something on the field. I’m so grateful for my brother.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Coby Bryant plays cornerback like a wide receiver and possesses scheme diverse traits plus fluid athletic ability which make him an intriguing prospect. It’s evident Bryant watches film and understands route combination tendencies out of certain formations and from specific areas of the field - occasionally gaining drastic inside leverage pre-snap vs. a dig route he knows is coming, for example. When trailing downfield, Bryant does a commendable job of turning his head to track the ball and get a hand into the catch point. Furthermore, he really understands how to use his length and physicality when necessary, whether it’s squeezing a receiver down the sideline or boxing them out in the end zone, Bryant brings a dog mentality to the secondary.

Cam Taylor-Britt, Nebraska

Measureables: 5-10 5/8, 196. 31 1/2 arms. 4.38 40, 33.5 vertical, 4.13 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A three-year starter, Britt had one interception and a career-high 12 passes defensed as a senior. He had three interceptions and four forced fumbles during a breakout sophomore campaign that was split between corner and safety. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, he ranked 33rd with a 53.0 percent completion rate, 58th with 11.4 snaps per reception and 28th with a 71.8 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was 26th with a missed-tackle rate of 16 percent. He has the skill-set to play the slot but saw only 16 percent action there last season.

Personal touch: Taylor-Britt added the hyphen before the 2019 season. His mom, Courtney, married Darrell Britt in 2013. Cam and Darrell have been linked longer than that. When Cam was 13, his youth coach was Darrell. His mom would send Cam to practice with candy to give to the coaches as a thank you. In time, Courtney learned that Darrell liked Skittles. Later, when Cam tore his ACL in high school, it was Darrell who helped Cam break out of his funk.

“You have 24 hours to be in your feelings,” Darrell recalled to Omaha.com. “And after those 24 hours, we need to have a plan in place, figure out what’s the next step.”

Taylor-Britt was a three-time member of the Big Ten academic honor roll and he returned punts as a junior. His brother, Jaden, plays at West Alabama.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Taylor-Britt has some of the most fluid hips in all of college, allowing him to be patient in press-man coverage, staying square and not biting on route salesmanship, only transitioning when he needs to. He likes to use a well-timed two-handed strike to reroute receivers and has physical play strength to squeeze his man down the sideline. When the ball comes his way, Taylor-Britt has eye-popping ball skills with explosive vertical to high point the ball. Finally, Taylor-Britt is a very willing run defender who regularly comes downhill aggressively, taking on blocks with outside leverage and landing big hits on ball carriers.

Damarri Mathis, Pittsburgh

Measureables: 5-11, 196. 31 7/8 arms. 4.39 40, 43.5 vertical, 4.22 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Mathis had two interceptions and 13 passes defensed in 2019, missed 2020 with a shoulder injury, and came back with two picks and eight passes defensed in 2021. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, he ranked 18th with a 50.0 percent completion rate, 44th with 12.6 snaps per reception and 29th with a 71.8 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was sixth with a missed-tackle rate of 8 percent.

Personal touch: After missing the 2020 season, Mathis was ready and raring to go for his senior campaign. “I’m ready to go,” Mathis told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I’ve been watching too much football. I’ve been working out too much. I’ve been in the dungeon too much. It’s time to let me out of the cage. That’s how I feel. Time to let the beast out.”

In a long line of quality Pitt corners, Mathis might be the best, according to coach Pat Narduzzi. “(Mathis is) gonna be really good in the NFL,” Narduzzi said at pro day. “He’s gonna play in the NFL for a long time because he’s smart, he’s tough, he will hit you, he’s a boundary corner. We usually put our best corner in the boundary because it’s shorter throws and the balls gonna go that way, so he’s tough, he’s physical, he’s got ball skills and he can jump out of the roof and he’s really fast with that 4.39 he ran in Indianapolis. So, he might be the most talented corner we’ve had come out of here in seven years.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Outside cornerback who frequently plays bail technique and press coverage in a cover four heavy secondary. Mathis is technically sound in man coverage, taking few false steps. He uses the sideline to redirect receivers towards it and create small windows. His hip fluidity is above average. At the catch point, he makes an effort to play the football. A vocal pre-snap communicator, Mathis gets his teammates lined up. He rallies to the ball with quick recognition skills. In the run game, Mathis is feisty and battles to gain outside leverage even when he has a size disadvantage.

Alontae Taylor, Tennessee

Measureables: 6-0 1/8, 199. 32 1/4 arms. 4.36 40, 39 vertical, 4.25 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Taylor started 31 games in four seasons but was a full-time starter only as a senior, when he set career highs with two interceptions and eight passes defensed. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, he ranked 47th with a 55.8 percent completion rate, 21st with 15.6 snaps per reception and 28th with a 70.7 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was 26th with a missed-tackle rate of 16 percent. He was not penalized.

Personal touch: In high school, he was a dual-threat quarterback who tallied 8,225 yards of total offense and 86 total touchdowns. He arrived at Tennessee as a receiver but moved to cornerback during his first spring.

“In high school, I played quarterback, and my coach told me, in high school it’s kind of like you put your best player where he’s touching the ball a lot,” Taylor said via 247 Sports. “So I played quarterback in high school, but every time I went to camps, I would do wide receiver. Then I started watching film, watching Marquez Callaway and stuff like that, and I was like, ‘I’m going to be just as great as him one day.’ My whole goal coming into Tennessee was to play on the opposite side of Marquez Callaway.”

At first, Taylor recalled, coach Jeremy Pruitt said the change would be for a “few days.” Those few days became a “couple more days.” And then cornerback started to click and the move became permanent.

“I didn’t like hitting people,” Taylor said. “I liked to run over people as a quarterback and to juke a lot. That was me, the little fancy guy. But when you go to DB, all that’s out the water. You’ve got to be a grown man and you’ve got to come up and play football. You’ve got hit, you’ve got to be aggressive, you can’t be the pretty boy no more. I had to change that about myself.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Outside cornerback who possesses good length. Taylor is deployed in press, off man and a variation of zone coverages. He has above-average speed, allowing him to carry most wideouts vertically. Confidence in off is apparent as he stays square and does not get turned easily. Taylor thrives in press coverage, where he has a very powerful strike to disrupt and redirect receivers at the line of scrimmage. Taylor turns for the ball if he is in position to do so. He baits quarterbacks in zone coverage. Getting in the face of receivers and feisty play in general shows that he has the mentality to succeed in the NFL. In the run game, his competitiveness and effort are outstanding.

Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston State

Measureables: 6-2 1/8, 199. 30 3/4 arms. 4.33 40, 39.5 vertical, 3.94 shuttle.

Analytical stats: McCollum was a second-team All-American during the FCS spring season and a second-team All-American during the traditional fall season. As a super-senior, McCollumn had three interceptions and eight passes defensed. In 56 games over five campaigns, McCollum posted 13 interceptions, 54 passes defensed and six forced fumbles. Facing FCS competition, he allowed a 55.4 percent completion rate, 65.4 passer rating and 14.0 snaps per reception. Even against lesser competition, he missed a too-high 18.4 percent of his tackle attempts.

Personal touch: McCollum and his twin brother, Tristin, went to Sam Houston together. Tristin is a safety in this draft class. “We never really had any plans of separating,” Zyon McCollum said upon signing with the program. “We kind of just figured that we would always be together and so through the recruiting process we learned that it might not be able to happen.”

Humorously, Zyon wanted to be the safety and Tristin the corner but the coaches got confused.

Their dad, Corey Carr, was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1998. “He came to the Bulls one year after Michael Jordan,” McCollum told NFL Draft Blitz. “He was a shooting guard. He went to Texas Tech and broke the record for three-pointers in a season. He went overseas and played in the Euro league. He played in Israel. He had a long career. He retired and is still coaching up there. Basketball was my first love. During my freshman year of high school, I wasn’t as tall. I had a growth spurt at the end of high school. After my freshman year, I gave up on basketball. My brother and I also ran relays and did the jumps in track. I did the long jump, and my twin brother did the triple jump.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: The measurables McCollum has are going to be really intriguing for NFL teams. He is physically imposing on the field and towers over the receivers he is guarding. His length stands out on film, allowing him to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage and make a play on the ball in zone coverage. Teams rarely targeted him, but he displayed impressive recovery speed. McCollum is also a physical player. He is a willing run defender and wants to make plays outside of coverage. He has the mentality for the next level.

Joshua Williams, Fayetteville State

Measureables: 6-2 7/8, 195. 32 7/8 arms. 4.51 40, 37 vertical, 4.47 shuttle.

Stats: A Division II player, Williams burst onto the scene in 2019 with two interceptions and 15 passes defensed. The 2020 season was canceled due to COVID; in 2021, he had three picks and nine passes defensed in nine games.

Personal touch: Williams is the son of a track coach. In high school, he spent his first three years at receiver before shifting to cornerback for his senior year. In 2017, he went to Palmetto Prep Academy, a prep school, in hopes of boosting his recruiting status. That got him a ticket to Division II Fayetteville State.

“I’ve always loved football,” he told Pro Football Network. “I started playing at about 10 years old. It was football and track at first then I started playing basketball. Those were the sports that I was playing through middle school. I actually started off as a running back up until high school, then I was a receiver up until my senior year. It’s crazy because, in high school, I actually was a better track athlete than football.”

While Williams didn’t play at a big school, he always believed he’d reach the NFL. “Maybe it’s because I’m delusional,” Williams jokingly told Andscape. “But, no, I always felt somehow that it was going to work out.”

Williams will be the first Fayetteville State player drafted since 1976. “I want to put my best foot forward coming from Division II, a smaller school, showing what I have to offer, that there’s no knock against D-II football,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “I want to show everyone I’m just as talented, if not more talented, than these other guys.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Long corner with a physical presence. Mirrors receivers well in man to man and instinctual in zone coverage when carrying. Quick pedal with a smooth transition into breaks. Footwork allows him to stay square and keep body positioning advantageously on in-breaking routes. Fires downhill with quick hands causing pass breakups. Great ball skills and uses length to go up and grab the rock. Great at diagnosing screens and arrives fast with perfect pad level and technique in tackling. Stands out on tape and the game looks far too easy at times.

Tariq Woolen, Texas-San Antonio

Measureables: 6-4 1/8, 205. 33 5/8 arms. 4.26 40, 42 vertical, 4.30 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Woolen’s workout numbers are insane. His playing career is not. A full-time starter for the first time as a senior, he had one interception and six passes defensed in 2021 to earn merely an honorable mention on the all-Conference USA team. According to PFF, he allowed a 57.5 percent catch rate, 99.5 passer rating and 10.7 coverage snaps per reception. Had he met our playing-time threshold, he would have ranked 80th in passer rating and 73rd in snaps per reception. According to SIS, he was 30th out of 43 with a missed-tackle rate of 17 percent.

Personal touch: Woolen arrived at UTSA as a three-star receiver. He redshirted in 2017, caught 15 passes in 2018 and caught nine more in 2019 before moving to cornerback.

“Oh yeah, it was a hard choice,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “I played offense my whole life. My former coach, Frank Wilson – he’s at LSU right now – he recruited me as a receiver throughout the whole process. But toward the end of the 2019 season, he came to me and was like, ‘Hey would like to play cornerback?’ I told no at first. I’m an offensive guy, I never played a lick of defense in my life. When he told me that, I was like, ‘Nah, no, no.’ And he basically told me it would help the team and, when I thought about it that way, I said ‘OK.’ But we would go to practice at first and I would stay with the wide receivers and he was like, ‘No, go to the cornerbacks.’ I practiced for like two week, then the last week of that season I played at corner. Then his time at UTSA came to an end and our new coach gave me a choice to play at wide receiver or corner and I chose cornerback.”

His transition was sidetracked in 2020 when he suffered a broken arm. He only missed one game but it impacted his play. “His nickname is ‘Riq the Freak,’ and that’s really all there is to it,” safety Rashad Wisdom told The Express News. “Having him over there with me, I know I’m going to be good on that corner. I trust Riq, I’m glad he’s on our team, and I’m glad he’s usually on my side of the field.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Redshirt seniors are typically experienced prospects that teams hope can contribute early. Tariq Woolen, though, transitioned from wide receiver to cornerback at the end of the 2019 season; 2021 was only his second full year on defense. Nonetheless, he has notably grown week to week and season to season since making the change. The Texas native boasts excellent size, length, and fluidity for his frame. While Woolen’s play speed does not match up with his reported 4.34 40-yard dash time, it is sufficient when aided by physicality.

Akayleb Evans, Missouri

Measureables: 6-2, 197. 32 arms. 4.46 40, 36 vertical, 4.09 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Evans spent his first four seasons at Tulsa, where he had zero interceptions and 11 passes defensed in 30 games (23 starts). At Mizzou in 2021 for his super-senior year, Evans finally had an interception and added seven passes defensed and two forced fumbles. According to PFF, he allowed a 53.2 percent completion rate, 97.0 passer rating and 10.4 snaps per reception. Had he met our playing-time threshold, he would have been 69th in rating and 76th in snaps per completion but 34th in completion percentage. He’s the best tackler among the draft-worthy cornerbacks, according to Sports Info Solutions, with a missed-tackle rate of just 3 percent. That is good. What is not is he gave up five touchdowns, most for any corner in this story.

Personal touch: Why did he transfer? “I graduated at Tulsa after three-and-a half-years,” he told SI.com’s The Spun. “My time there was great. I made a lot of great relationships with teammates and coaches, but I felt like it was time for me to take that next step. My position coach left for Missouri, which made the decision easy for me. The transition took me some time, but once the season started I was ready to go. Overall, I felt like it was a smooth transition from Tulsa to Missouri.”

In 2017, he started the Akayleb Evans Foundation with an eye toward helping the people of his hometown of McKinney, Texas. In Spring 2011, he donated $100 gift cards to a urgent-care facility, and he’s started a scholarship dedicated to a McKinney football player who is active in the community. “I saw a lot of kids that had ability like I did in terms of sports, but maybe they didn’t have the foundation at home like I do,” Evans told The Columbia Missourian. “I have really great parents and a really great support system, but not everybody has that. And that’s something I had to realize, and I felt like it was a responsibility to me to give back as much as I could, do as much as I could and help those guys.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Evans aligns mostly as an outside corner and also shows versatility by lining up in the slot as well. He shows physicality at the line of scrimmage when playing up in press coverage. While playing in press, he also demonstrates very good patience to wait for the receiver to make his move, rather than biting on a head fake or another move. The Missouri corner is an aggressive run defender who is not afraid of contact or making challenging tackles.

Jalyn Armour-Davis, Alabama

Measureables: 6-0 5/8, 197. 30 7/8 arms. 4.39 40, 36.5 vertical, 4.37 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A first-time starter in 2021, Armour-Davis had three interceptions and seven passes defensed in 11 games. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, he ranked 72nd with a 61.4 percent completion rate, 37th with 13.1 snaps per reception and 10th with a 52.3 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was fourth with a missed-tackle rate of 6 percent.

Personal touch: Armour-Davis is a family man. His siblings are much younger. When he was a senior in high school, his sisters were 3 years old and 11 months. "I've changed a lot of diapers," Armour-Davis told AL.com. "It started with Brooklyn so now I kind of know how to handle Nyla. They stay home with me a lot while mom is working. I try my best to take care of them like anyone would their own child."

It was good training. He got married in 2019 and became a father in 2020. "I would think of every time I line up or every time I put on a football helmet,” he told SI.com’s Bama Central. “It’s just something that’s just a different type of burn in your stomach that you never want to fail, you want to give her the world. In order to do that, you have to figure things out. You can’t dwell on the past, and you can’t be too high on the future. You’ve got to figure out how to be successful in the moment where your feet are. That was the main thing that was kind of instilled in me when she came about. She definitely was the best thing that ever happened to me. So I’m very blessed, very thankful. I love her very much, and I just try to continue be successful so I can make her proud and give her the best life that I can at the end of the day."

Armour-Davis had a long wait to play. He missed his redshirt season of 2018 with a knee injury and barely played on defense in 2019 and 2020. Transferring was not an option. “Something my mom instilled in me as a kid was how to fight through adversity and how to persevere through tough times,” he told SI.com’s Horseshoe Huddle. “I knew early in my career, when I had those injuries, that it was just the card that I was dealt. … Honestly, being at a place like Alabama, it can be hard to build yourself back up the depth chart after an injury. It just pushed me even more, because I knew what I had in me and I knew what I was capable of. I kept the confidence in myself, I continued to work, and I let the rest take care of itself.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Armour-Davis primarily aligns in a press-bail technique where he uses a strong stab to disrupt route timings. He plays perfect trail technique with strong closing speed and the ability to carry vertical route concepts up the boundary. When asked to defend the middle of the field, Armour-Davis plays crossers and deep overs with sufficient leverage. He shows strong hand usage at the line of scrimmage and down the field on contested throws. Hip fluidity is adequate enough to speed or man turn when displaced by a route.

Cordale Flott, LSU

Measureables: 6-0 1/2, 175. 30 1/8 arms. 4.50 40, 34 vertical, 4.10 shuttle. (Flott’s 8-inch hands are among the smallest in the draft and 5/8 inch smaller than any cornerback the Packers have drafted.)

Analytical stats: Flott was a two-year starter for the Tigers. He had four passes defensed in each of his three seasons and recorded his only interception in 2021. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, he ranked 24th with a 51.1 percent completion rate, 23rd with 14.4 snaps per reception and 33rd with a 74.3 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was 31st with a missed-tackle rate of 18 percent. Of the 43 corners ranked by SIS, his 64 percent slot rate was by far the highest.

Personal touch: There’s no shortage of football DNA. A brother, Wydale, was a defensive back at Southern Miss. A cousin, Bobby Flott, played cornerback at South Alabama. Another cousin, Velus Jones, is one of the better receivers in this draft class.

"We competed all the time," Cordale told AL.com of his older relatives. "They tried to pick on me, of course, because I was the youngest. They really kind of bullied me in the backyard, but in a good way. It toughened me up. I'm not sure I would be where I am today without them." Said Jeff Kelly, who coached Cordale Flott, WyDale Flott and Jones at Saraland (Ala.) High School: “They are all like brothers. Cordale has watched and seen those guys progress. I think deep down he wants to be better than those guys. He is driven like few players I've been around.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Versatile defensive back who has lined up in the nickel, on the outside and even as a deep safety. Flott is a light-footed mover with easy change of direction in space and man coverage. He possesses a quick first step to drive downhill. His aggressive play style and length allow him to get his hands inside on smaller wideouts and stall them at the line. Flott comes downhill aggressively, sidestepping blockers in the run game and on screens.

Tariq Castro-Fields, Penn State

Measureables: 6-0 5/8, 197. 30 3/4 arms. 4.38 40, 37 vertical, 4.06 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Castro-Fields had zero interceptions and six passes defensed during his super-senior season. Two of his three picks came in 2019, when had a career-high 10 breakups. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, he ranked 49th with a 56.3 percent completion rate, 32nd with 13.3 snaps per reception and 53rd with an 85.8 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was 40th with a missed-tackle rate of 23 percent.

Personal touch: On Senior Day, he was greeted by his mother and grandmother, both of whom are from the Philippines. “That’s going to be super-special,” Castro-Fields told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “My grandma … just for her to be out there and for her to kind of share this last memory of Beaver Stadium with me means the absolute world to me. She means the world. She’s my rock. When I think I’ve got problems going on, I always remember her and everything she did for our family, coming over from the Philippines, just little things like that.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: The traits are all there with Castro-Fields. He is 6’0'' tall and has 4.4 speed. Those are two things almost every team covets in an outside cornerback. In coverage, Castro-Fields does a great job of mirroring wideouts. He is sticky in coverage and gives up very little room. Castro-Fields is fantastic in press-man coverage, as he can use his length to disrupt receivers and take them off their spot. His length allows him to take chances and play an aggressive style in coverage. In zone coverage, Castro-Fields can cover a lot of ground.

Josh Jobe, Alabama

Measureables: 5-11 1/2, 182. 32 5/8 arms. DNP testing (foot).

Analytical stats: A two-year starter, Jobe had two interceptions and six passes defensed in 2021, when his play suffered due to turf toe, an injury that required season-ending surgery. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, he ranked 101st with a 71.4 percent completion rate, 73rd with 10.5 snaps per reception and 94th with a 113.6 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. He gave up four touchdowns. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was 24th with a missed-tackle rate of 15 percent.

Personal touch: Jobe grew up in Coconut Grove, Fla. Those from there call it a “rough” area. That’s why Jobe, as an eighth-grader, asked his math teacher about attending Christopher Columbus High School, a shirt-and-tie school in Miami. He pushed and pushed until, finally, the teacher, Lilly Parkin, took him to an open house. Next, he had to take an entrance exam. The last hurdle was paying for tuition. A scholarship took care of some of it. Parkin took care of the rest, as well as Jobe’s uniform and books. “Any child at that age who’s that determined and wants it so much … he deserved the break and the help,” Parkin told The Crimson White. Getting to school required light rail and two city buses, no easy task with books and football equipment. “I mean, if that’s not determination,” one of his teachers said. “Anybody would’ve just quit. You can do that for two weeks, but a year?”

Jobe blamed the injury for a disappointing season. “It affected me a lot,” Jobe said at the Scouting Combine. “I had to change my technique, but I had to deal with it. I’m a physical corner. I’m a good man-to-man corner. I couldn’t do what I had to do. I had to play soft.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Physical corner with length. Jobe has good spatial awareness at the backend, filling areas vacated by teammates that are put in conflict by the offense. Communicates to pass off routes and get his side of the secondary lined up. Fast enough to carry verticals down the sideline. When he triggers, he gets downhill quickly, displaying straight-line burst. Jobe contributes willingly in the run game, getting off blocks and tackling ball carriers reliably.

Jaylen Watson, Washington State

Measureables: 6-2, 197. 32 1/4 arms. 4.51 40, 38 vertical, 4.22 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Watson went the junior-college route before starting all 15 games the last two seasons. As a senior, he had two interceptions and five passes defensed in 12 games in 2021. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, he ranked 58th with a 58.3 percent completion rate, 40th with 12.9 snaps per reception and 38th with a 75.9 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was 40th with a missed-tackle rate of 23 percent.

Personal touch: As part of a Red Bull commercial and all-time prank, NFL quarterback Jared Goff changed his name to Dreaj Foge and arrived at Ventura College as a transfer. Watson, a zero-star recruit from Augusta, Ga., was part of that Ventura team. “Let me tell you, that was really something,” he told The Draft Network with a laugh. “We were told we had a new quarterback transfer. We came out to practice and it didn’t take very long for us to realize this “kid” so to speak had an absolute cannon of an arm (laughs). We’re starting to think we might have a new starting quarterback. It was a great, funny time. We didn’t have a clue in the world that it was Jared Goff.”

Watson was a two-time juco All-American at Ventura and got 40-plus offers, he said. He chose USC for the 2019 season but didn’t qualify academically. “That’s when I got to the lowest point of my life,” he said in a Pac-12 video. He went back to Augusta. “I just felt like a bum.” He got a job at Wendy’s with his mom making $7.25 an hour. “Working at Wendy’s showed me how much I didn’t want to live that lifestyle.” So, he got his grades in order and landed at Washington State for the COVID-shortened 2020 season. For his final season, he wore jersey No. 0. His goal? Zero catches allowed. “I don’t want to give up anything,” he told The Union-Bulletin.

He started playing football when he was 4 or 5. His first taste of the NFL was playing as halftime entertainment at Falcons games.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Great fit in a cover-3 heavy scheme where he can match WR’s vertically. Excels on a vertical plane staying in phase on the routes and using his size and length to make it difficult for receivers to stack him. Shows good ability to play versus bigger body WR’s that he can match with athleticism and length. Good awareness in zone and shows a good understanding of spacing and leverage. Has some good reps in press when he gets hands on and disrupts route timings. Good transitions when breaking downhill on curls and comeback routes. Looks and locates the ball when being thrown at vertically and knows when to turn into and away from the WR.

Chase Lucas, Arizona State

Measureables: 5-11 1/4, 180. 31 7/8 arms. 4.48 40, 39 vertical, 4.16 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A super-senior, Lucas took advantage of his COVID year to break up six passes in 10 starts in 2021. He had six interceptions in five seasons but none since 2019. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, he ranked 80th with a 62.7 percent completion rate, 103rd with 8.0 snaps per reception and 49th with an 83.3 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was 13th with a missed-tackle rate of 10 percent.

Personal touch: Lucas almost went to UCLA. During a visit in 2016, he toured the campus alongside Brett Hundley, who had just had his pro day, and then-coach Jim Mora. During a film session, Mora wanted Lucas – a high school running back in Chandler, Ariz. – to be his slot corner. Lucas was on board. As told by AZCentral:

“Coaches, I’m so glad to be here," he said. "I appreciate everything you've done so today I want to …”

Valerie reached out and grabbed the hair on her son’s leg and pulled. When she got a better grip, she grabbed Lucas’ calf muscle and twisted. Lucas looked like he had just been bitten by a rattlesnake. He glared at his mom.

Valerie mouthed: “Sit down.”

Lucas has the names of his grandparents tattooed on his left arm. Valerie’s name is on his left bicep. The name of an aunt, Tara, is tattooed to his ribs. Tara, who served as a second parent and never missed Lucas’ games died in a car accident. “It showed me how loved she really was,” Lucas told The East Valley Tribune. “I’m very proud of my aunt for the legacy she built here on this earth. I want to dedicate everything I have done, everything I accomplish from here on out to her.”

Lucas was in tears when he was not named a captain in 2020. His goal for 2021 was to be “legendary.” Because of the bonus COVID year, Lucas started a school-record 49 games.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: He has experience playing zone and off man, the former of which is where he looks the most comfortable. Possesses good spatial awareness and discipline. Stays in phase with receivers and redirects to the sideline. He possesses adequate athleticism to close on routes and interrupt at the catch point. Lucas is also a good tackler and fights off blocks very tenaciously. Provides plenty of help on special teams as well, both as a returner and running down on kickoff or punt.

Bryce Watts, Massachusetts

Measureables: 5-11 5/8, 187. 31 arms. 4.40 40, 37.5 vertical, 4.25 shuttle

Analytical stats: Watts went from Virginia Tech to North Carolina to UMass. He sat out the 2019 season as a transfer and the 2020 season as a COVID opt-out. In his only season with the Minutemen, he started eight of his 12 appearances and had one interception and five passes defensed. According to PFF, he allowed a 58.8 percent catch rate and one reception for every 11.2 coverage snaps. Had he reached our playing-time threshold, he would have been 58th in completion percentage and 63rd in snaps per reception.

Personal touch: Watts started 12 games for the Hokies in 2018 but decided to transfer to North Carolina. He had to sit out the 2019 season. Then, the pandemic struck and he opted out of the 2020 season. For 2021, he transferred again, leaving North Carolina without playing a game and landing at UMass.

“I pride myself on my man coverage. I feel like I can guard anybody,” he said before the 2021 season. “Being that I’ve played in the ACC and played against Power 5 schools, I know their techniques, what they’re going to bring to the table. I know the speed of the game.”

He told NFL Draft Diamonds: “If I could hang out with 1 player it would be Jaire Alexander. His style of play is on point and off the field he seems to be a vibe.”

NFL.com Scouting Report: Two-year starter (Virginia Tech and UMass) with adequate size, good athleticism and above-average speed for the position. Watts possesses the physical and athletic profile of a Power Five cornerback but his ball production and stickiness in coverage are both just average by NFL standards. He lacks desired play strength for press and will need to improve his discipline in off coverages. He's both athletic and tough enough for the pro game and should have a chance to state his case in camp.

Martin Emerson, Mississippi State

Measureables: 6-1 5/8, 201. 33 1/2 arms. 4.53 40, 32 vertical, 4.14 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Emerson was a two-year starter who broke up 11 passes in 11 games in 2020 and three passes in 12 games in 2021. His only pick came as a freshman. Of 105 cornerbacks in this draft class with 296-plus coverage snaps, he ranked 53rd with a 57.1 percent completion rate, 40th with 12.9 snaps per reception and 82nd with a 100.6 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. Of 43 corners in Sports Info Solutions’ draft guide, he was fourth with a missed-tackle rate of 6 percent.

Personal touch: Emerson’s path to the draft started midway through his sophomore year at Pine Forest High School in Pensacola, Fla. "Hey, Martin, we need a defensive back," Emerson recalled longtime, former head coach Jerry Pollard telling him for a story in the Pensacola News-Journal. "You go over there and play cornerback ... you are going to start." This sent chills down his spine. "I thought, 'No, coach, I'm a receiver.' That was the first time playing defensive back my whole life," he said.

Emerson was a PFF freshman All-America in 2019. He had a quiet final season because, in Emerson’s eyes, teams were afraid to throw his direction. “It was a statement, in a sense,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “If they weren’t gonna throw my way, that meant I was doing something right.” At practice, he asked quarterback Will Rogers to test him as often as possible. “That was like my enemy, in a sense,” Emerson said. “We always went against each other. I always told him I’d pick his ball off in practice. He really didn’t throw it at me, but when he did it was fun… I just had to mouth-off sometimes — try to get him mad, get in his head.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Long-limbed cornerback with high cut waist and slender build. Excellent feel in zone coverage, naturally sinks with depth on routes without being out leveraged. Excels at playing off the quarterback indicator while playing with tempo to match routes in zone. Shows solid hip fluidity when he is flipping his hips to redirect downhill, making him competitive on routes working back to the quarterback when playing off. Length to compete at the catch point against bigger receivers. Physical player who is good in the run game, fights to shed blocks and is efficient when tackling ball carriers to limit extra yards.

Dallis Flowers, Pittsburg State

Measureables: 6-1, 196. 32 arms. 4.40 40, DNP vertical, 4.34 shuttle.

Stats: Flowers’ nomadic collegiate career started as a redshirt at Robert Morris, an NAIA school, way back in 2015. He was an NAIA All-American at Grand View in 2019 and 2021. In 2021, his one and only season at Pittsburg State, he had four interceptions, 10 passes defensed and two kickoff-return touchdowns.

Personal touch: Flowers might not have gotten a shot in the NFL without the additional year of eligibility provided by the NCAA through the bonus COVID year. “I believe that I got more mature throughout the game. I learned different calls, different techniques and different schemes,” Flowers told KOAM, “Playing in front of a crowd like that really prepared me for the next level. 10,000 isn’t like an NFL fan-base, but a lot of colleges don’t even have 10,000 unless you’re like a power-five school. Taking this step here to Pitt State was important and very beneficial.”

At Robert Morris, he played basketball and football – and helped both teams win conference championships. "(Being a two-sport athlete) played a huge part, a huge part," Flowers told The Chicago Tribune in 2017. "Coming out of high school, I really wasn't sure which sport I wanted to play. But they offered me both football and basketball, so I took it.”

Dane Brugler’s Scouting Report: Flowers competes with fast footwork and quick acceleration to match and chase out of his transitions. However, there is room for him to improve his anticipation and pattern recognition. Overall, Flowers needs to play more controlled, especially against the jump in competition waiting for him in the NFL, but he has an outstanding mix of height, length and speed and he has been productive at every level of football thus far.

Packers Draft Preview: Safeties

Perhaps You Can Forget These Prospects

Based on Green Bay’s draft history, all of the top prospects should be in the mix. Some Day 3 candidates, such as Oregon’s Verone McKinley (height, speed) and Auburn’s Smoke Monday (20-yard shuttle), could be off the board, though.

Ranking the Safeties

With Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton a potential top-10 pick, we’ll fast forward to …

Daxton Hill, Michigan

Measureables: 6-0 1/4, 191. 4.38 40, 33.5 vertical, 4.06 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A 14-game starter last season, Hill was first-team all-Big Ten with two interceptions, 11 passes defensed and 4.5 tackles for losses. According to Sports Info Solutions, his missed-tackle rate was 8 percent – third-best of 33 safeties in its online draft guide. His hand-on-ball rate of 1.8 percent (interceptions, breakups, fumbles) trailed only Notre Dame’s Hamilton. He was only 19th with 7.2 yards allowed per target but his role was different than other safeties.

Personal touch: Hill’s brother is running back Justice Hill, a former standout at Oklahoma State who was a fourth-round pick by the Ravens in 2019. “Dax growing up never even liked football,” Justice told 247 Sports. “He never watched any games… none of that stuff. He was always a basketball dude. So, we competed at basketball all the time. Then I think he just seen me playing football all the time, and probably towards fourth or fifth grade was when he just decided to (play football) too. I didn’t know what to expect from Dax, but from the first game when he was playing linebacker, he was just smacking people. From the first game! I’m like, ‘Man, that boy is gonna be cold!’

“Then going into high school, I was a senior and he was a freshman, and nobody ever played freshman year. At my school (Tulsa Booker T. Washington) no one ever plays (as a freshman), but he came out and was starting freshman year. And he was making plays, balling. So, I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, he’s going to be special by the time senior year comes around.’ And he was.”

His recruitment was something, as he committed to Michigan, flipped to Alabama and then re-flipped to Michigan. “He’s got great contact courage and may be the fastest guy on the field,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said after signing day. "Even with his height, the last couple of games he was the fastest guy out there. I think he can be that in college, a big-time safety.

Hill played safety as a freshman and sophomore before taking over nickel duties for his final season. “I was giddy when they mentioned it to me,” Hill said early in the season. “They told me I was going to have to step up and play multiple roles compared to last year. I was excited and I embraced it.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Although he is a safety, Hill has the coverage ability of a cornerback with added instincts and lateral agility. He plays hard and through the whistle, often frustrating his opponents with his methods. Hill’s pressing ability at the line of scrimmage can interrupt routes run by receivers and causes them to be out of position when the ball comes. Hill isn’t afraid to get physical at the point of contact and in his tackling efforts. Tremendous play speed. Shows flashes that he can fly around the field, both in coverage and as a run defender.

Jaquan Brisker, Penn State

Measureables: 6-1 3/8, 199. 4.49 40, 38.5 vertical, 4.19 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A junior-college transfer, Brisker has two interceptions, seven passes defensed, six tackles for losses and 64 tackles as a fifth-year super-senior to earn second-team All-America. He had five picks in his three seasons with the Nittany Lions. Among safeties who played in the slot, his 0.35 yards allowed per coverage snap ranked second in the draft class, according to PFF. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 12th with a missed-tackle rate of 13 percent. His in-the-box rate of 30 percent led the safeties by a wide margin. He finished 30th with 9.4 yards per allowed per target, according to SIS, but No. 1 in passer rating, according to Pro Football Focus.

Personal touch: With every big play he makes, Brisker points to the sky. It’s a tribute to his older brother, Tale’, who was shot and killed in 2015.

“What keeps me motivated every day is my brother and my family,” Brisker told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I just work hard for him. Every day I wake up, I know I have to get up and do this and do that, because I know that’s what he would want me to do. And then my family, I need to make it for them, because they need me. That’s what drives me.”

Brisker is one of eight kids. His grandfather, John Brisker, played in the NBA. Brisker’s path to the NFL Draft started when he was 12 as a water boy at his future high school. “I always told my parents,” Brisker told The Pittsburgh Tribune, “’As long as I get there, I’m going to handle the rest.’ I remember saying it when I was little, just because I love the game of football so much. As a kid, I really, truly thought I was going to be there.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Brisker has the versatility in his game to play all over the defense. Most of his snaps come in the box, as well as playing over-the-top and in the slot. He is a smooth athlete in coverage with good fluidity to flip his hips and change direction. He has a quick trigger downhill to attack the box or line of scrimmage. NFL squads are always on the look for “tight end erasers” and Brisker has the physicality to play that role. He contributes on special teams. Shows a lot of effort to chase plays down from behind.

Lewis Cine, Georgia

Measureables: 6-2 1/4, 199. 4.37 40, 37 vertical, DNP shuttle.

Analytical stats: Cine earned third-team All-America with one interception, 10 passes defensed, two tackles for losses and 73 tackles. He was MVP of the national championship game. He had two career interceptions in 39 games (27 starts). Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked sixth with a missed-tackle rate of 10 percent and fourth with 4.8 yards allowed per target.

Personal touch: Cine was born in Haiti and came to the United States when he was 4. “I remember everything about Haiti; I have a vivid picture,” he told The Boston Globe. “Honestly, some of the time it was the happiest time of my life, regardless of what was going on there. Life was simple. Life in Haiti was rough, but because my mom worked to try to make ends meet, I didn’t suffer as much.”

He wore No. 16 at Georgia because that’s how old his mom was when he was born. She remains in Haiti. “My dream is not all about making the league, my dream is to move my Mom with me to America after I make the league,” he told Medium. “That’s different I guess from most kids. One day I am most likely going to be the one to work my butt off so she can come to America.”

Moreover, he has a 5-year-old daughter, Bella. “Those two people are my ‘why,’” Cine told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “When things get hard, I push myself, because I know the things my mom has been through, the things she’s done for me and she never complains. She just keeps pushing through. And my daughter, I’m going to go through a brick wall for her.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Starting safety in an interchangeable backfield who possesses great speed, allowing him to fly sideline to sideline underneath and come downhill rapidly. Cine knows his responsibilities and plays them reliably. He triggers downhill aggressively in the run game and on extensions of it such as screens. A very hard hitter, he will lay out running backs. Cine possesses the movement skills and eye discipline to stick with wideouts from off coverage and match up with tight ends. A great jammer on punt return, Cine uses his athleticism and physicality.

Jalen Pitre, Baylor

Measureables: 5-11, 198. 4.46 40, 35 vertical, 4.15 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A fifth-year senior, Pitre was a consensus first-team All-American and the Big 12’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 with two interceptions, nine passes defensed and three forced fumbles of ball production, and three sacks and 18 tackles for losses among his 76 total tackles. In four-plus seasons, he had five interceptions and 37.5 TFLs.

Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 12th with a missed-tackle rate of 13 percent. He averaged 1.4 TFLs per game, almost as many as the next two safeties combined. His hand-on-ball rate of 1.5 percent ranked fifth and he was eighth with 5.6 yards allowed per target. He finished eighth with 5.6 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: Pitre spent his first three years as a linebacker before moving to the “star” position, which is a hybrid linebacker-safety position. Explained coach Dave Aranda: “I think that position is just made for him because it’s a combination of both the linebacker and the safety. It highlights his ability to blitz, his ability to set the edge, and then he has just enough coverage responsibilities that he’s keeping people honest with things.”

The move unleashed his inner playmaker. “I love the versatility of the position,” Pitre told The Waco Tribune. “I feel like the coaches have put me in a lot of different areas of the field. Whether I’m blitzing, covering or in the box, I feel like they’re utilizing my talents very well and putting me in a lot of different positions to make plays. So, I’m very thankful for that.”

Pitre thinks like a football player. That started in sixth grade. “I first found out about Cover 2 and the details of it, and I thought it was the most interesting thing ever,” Pitre told Pro Football Network. “It was crazy to me that 11 guys had to be in the right spot. At first, I thought [football] was just running around trying to make plays. But once I started to dive a little bit deeper, my love for the game definitely grew from there.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Pitre is an extremely violent, versatile and productive defender. Pitre is labelled as a safety and most often plays the slot/overhang role commonly seen in college. He displays blazing foot speed and fluid hips to cover downfield vertical routes in man coverage and has solid instincts in zone coverage - often executing curl flat zones nicely. Furthermore, Pitre has potential as a tight end stopper, especially in catch-man coverage where Pitre can use his physicality and movement skills to stay in the hip pocket. Versus the run, Pitre is best when pursuing from the backside as his short-area acceleration is elite and his motor is always revving to track down ball carriers. Additionally, Pitre has impressive competitive toughness, often playing bigger than his size indicates and embracing physicality.

Bryan Cook, Cincinnati

Measureables: 6-0 3/4, 206. DNP testing (shoulder).

Analytical stats: After spending his first two seasons at Howard and playing off the bench in 2020, Cook started all 14 games in 2021. He tallied two interceptions and 11 passes defensed, plus added 96 tackles, one sack and five tackles for losses as a senior. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he and Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton were No. 1 with a missed-tackle rate of 7 percent. He accumulated 11 percent of the team’s tackles, No. 1 of the safeties in this story. He finished third with 4.1 yards per allowed per target, according to SIS, and sixth in passer rating, according to PFF.

Personal touch: Tipping the scales at about 165 pounds, Cook received one scholarship offer coming out of Mount Healthy High School in Cincinnati. That was to Howard, an FCS program. He spent his first two seasons playing cornerback. "I didn't get highly recruited. I was a late bloomer," he told Cincinnati.com. "But who cares? We're here. That's all that matters." A coaching change, and Cook’s desire to face top competition, spurred his decision to transfer to his hometown college.

Cook earned some All-American honors to cap his career. "The challenges that I faced over the years definitely shaped who I am today," Cook told WCPO. "But again, I'm also grateful for them, because now if I just played corner I wouldn't be the same defensive player I am now today."

His mom delivered some good advice to a 4-year-old Cook, who got hit hard during a neighborhood game. “I didn’t like the way that felt,” Cook told The Athletic. “So, my mom was like, ‘Either you’re going to hit them as hard as they hit you or you’re gonna have to shake them.’ At the end of the day, I started being physical.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: He is trusted to play deep as a single high, in the box and as a boundary safety in two-high shells. The latter is his best role going forward, where he is a willing participant in run support and shows flashes of beating blocks. He has great awareness to match running backs out of the backfield. With his cornerback background at Howard, Cook flashes impressive ball skills when trailing in man coverage versus tight ends - squeezing space and turning his head to find the ball.

Kerby Joseph, Illinois

Measureables: 6-1, 203. DNP 40, 38.5 vertical, DNP shuttle.

Analytical stats: A first-time starter as a senior, Joseph had a spectacular season with five interceptions. He added seven passes defensed, one sack and 57 tackles. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked sixth with a missed-tackle rate of 10 percent. He was fifth with an in-the-box rate of 17 percent. His hand-on-ball rate of 1.6 percent ranked fourth. He finished 22nd with 7.7 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: “This opportunity is amazing,” Joseph told The Herald & Review in the midst of his breakout year “I used to pray for times like this. We’re not getting the results that we can right now, but it’s amazing to play this game every day.”

Not just a ballhawk, he was a demon on special teams. "(He's) a guy that goes hard all the time, and he's literally involved in all four (special teams) units for us and has gained more of a defensive role as well," coach Bret Bielema said in September. "I think the great thing about Kerby is you're seeing a good player that's manifesting right in front of us (and) is only scratching the surface of what he can be. He does have that attitude of a player that enjoys the special teams aspect just as much as the defensive snaps he takes, so that combination is something you can win with it."

In high school, he was the team MVP in volleyball. “I’m real good at volleyball,” he told The News Herald. “I’ll play anytime of the week. I was front line, back line. I would be everywhere but libero. I couldn’t play libero, but I’d be everywhere. Sometimes, I’d fake a spike and toss it another way. I used to be nice at it. I haven’t played volleyball in a minute, though.” He also has an array of flips in his arsenal.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Joseph primarily aligned as a free safety for the Fighting Illini, both as a single-high and a tandem. Pre-snap, he shows the football IQ and communication abilities to get his teammates lined up correctly in front of him. He has good footwork and can change direction very fluidly. Accumulated five interceptions this season because of that ability to read the play and break on the ball. Has contributed on all phases of special teams in his collegiate career.

Nick Cross, Maryland

Measureables: 6-0 1/8, 212. 4.34 40, 37 vertical, 4.21 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A full-time starter for the first time as a junior in 2021, Cross had three interceptions, seven passes defensed, two forced fumbles, three sacks and 66 tackles. He had six picks in three seasons. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 18th with a missed-tackle rate of 16 percent. He was fourth with an in-the-box box rate of 19 percent. He finished next-to-last with 11.6 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: Cross didn’t start playing football until high school. For fear of concussions, his parents wouldn’t let him play. So, he grew up playing basketball and soccer, but football was always his love. He studied star safeties such as Ed Reed and the late Sean Taylor. “Just trying to learn how they did it so whenever I was able to get my opportunity to play, I would go out there and emulate them,” Cross told The Baltimore Sun.

His parents, Michael and Anna, are from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, respectively. They wouldn’t let him play if his GPA dipped below 3.5. As recruiting interest picked up, “What’s going through my mind is that he needs to focus on his academics,” Michael told The Diamondback.

A high school coach compared him to Bo Jackson. “I think God has blessed me,” he told The Hyattsville Life & Times in 2018. “I actually prayed specifically that I would do the things that I’m doing since I was like 11 or 12. It really started kicking in when Ohio State came and offered me [a scholarship]. Then I got like 10 more [offers] in the next two, three days. So, I think that’s when it kind of started to sink in [how good he was].”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Cross is a rocked-up defensive back, who uses every pound to displace ball-carriers. He arrives fast and with a menacing presence, up-ending running backs, and cutting off yards after the catch attempts. Cross played a variety of roles in terms of alignment at Maryland, logging snaps as a single high safety, nickel or slot corner, and dime linebacker. He is fast enough to time up blitzes from depth and carry the boundary or seam against tight ends.

Dane Belton, Iowa

Measureables: 6-0 5/8, 205. 4.43 40, 36.5 vertical, 4.06 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A two-year starter, Belton’s game really took flight in 2021 with his five interceptions and 12 passes defensed. Those were the only picks of his career. He added three TFLs among his 46 tackles. According to PFF, Belton played the third-most slot-coverage snaps in this draft class. Among safeties who had slot duty, he led the way with four interceptions. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 25th with a missed-tackle rate of 19 percent. His hand-on-ball rate of 1.5 percent ranked fifth. He also was fifth with 5.0 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: Entering the 2021 season, Belton’s goal was simple but challenging. “For me personally and for a lot of my peers, I know that ‘the league’ is the goal,” he told The Quad City Times. After serving as Iowa’s “cash” defender, Belton is about to make some cash because of his versatility. The Hawkeyes’ slot defender – the “cash” position in their lingo – he has covered everyone from Purdue receiver Rondale Moore to Wisconsin tight end Jake Ferguson.

“I feel like I'm a football player and in that new game of football of position-less players that people talk about,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “Honestly, I just love to play football. So, wherever I can plug and play and help a team, I'm willing to do that. … A lot of people talk about versatility and, ‘I can do this. I can do that.’ But I feel like I've shown I can do that. I feel like for me, going into the draft, I'm one of the most versatile players here. You're not just getting a safety out of me; you're not just getting a nickel or a corner or etc.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Nickel defender in a zone-heavy defense who also aligns at safety in split safety looks and at linebacker. Belton possesses good long speed to carry receivers vertically. It also gives him sufficient range in two high coverages. He is a fluid mover with above-average agility and change of direction abilities. Belton finds and fills holes reliably in the run game and takes on blockers low with a wide base. He takes good angles to ball carriers in space.

Percy Butler, Louisiana

Measureables: 6-0 1/8, 194. 4.36 40, 35 vertical, 4.32 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Butler started 31 games his final three seasons. As a senior, he had one interception, five passes defensed, six tackles for losses and 61 tackles. All three career interceptions came during his final two seasons. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 18th with a missed-tackle rate of 16 percent. He lined up in the box just 6 percent of the time. He finished 13th with 6.7 yards per allowed per target, according to SIS, and 10th in passer rating, according to PFF.

Personal touch: A native of Plaquemine, La., Butler found inspiration in fellow Ragin’ Cajuns Brian Mitchell and Kevin Dotson who made it to the NFL.“When you see all the people doing it, it makes you think, ‘Why can’t that be me?’” Butler told The Advocate. “That really motivated me to do the right thing, stay on the right track and keep my mind focused on the goal — going D-I and getting out of Plaquemine, or at least giving myself a chance to make it out of Plaquemine.”

A fast 40 amplified his draft standing. “They thought I was going to run a 4.5, 4.6,” he said at pro day. “It starts with the tape,” Louisiana coach Michael Desormeaux said at pro day. “You’ve got to be able to play. They’re not interested in guys who can test well, but not play. With Percy, he’s helped himself on tape. His special teams play, he had over 1,000 gradable snaps on special teams in his career here. That’s freaky. That’s unbelievable. When he ran that 40 at the combine, it kind of put him on another level a little bit.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Butler has smooth footwork in coverage. When working his zones and reading matchups, he can cut in and out of breaks with relative ease. Plays with smart instinct and good field vision to read and react as plays happen. Can see on film that he clearly plays with a lot of passion. Butler offers speed to play in and around the box. He has been a four-year contributor on the kick and punt coverage.

JT Woods, Baylor

Measureables: 6-2 1/8, 195. 4.36 40, 39.5 vertical, 4.19 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Woods had a dominant senior season with six interceptions and eight passes defensed, plus 57 tackles that included 4.5 for losses. Woods intercepted nine passes during his final two seasons. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 25th with a missed-tackle rate of 19 percent. No safety played fewer box reps than Woods, according to SIS. He finished 25th with 8.2 yards per allowed per target, according to SIS, but ninth in passer rating thanks to all those picks, according to PFF.

Personal touch: Woods says the game of football is “really simple.” While it’s probably simpler with 4.36 speed, being a film nerd helps. “People do the same thing over and over again, so you can pick up on little stuff like that,” Woods told The Waco Tribune. “It’s kind of harder early in the season because you don’t have as many new games to look at. So ,you really have to be looking for the small things early on. It’s like a treasure hunt, and you kind of go find it. But as the season goes, those things start to scream at you.”

His two defensive touchdowns in 2021 were his first scores since his freshman year of high school. “One of the things that makes JT really unique is just his ability to take in a boatload of information, but then he processes it so quick, and he can play fast and play like he’s out there in the schoolyard running around, having fun,” coach Dave Aranda said. “And I think that is contagious.”

Woods is smart, in general. He collected offers from Ivy League schools Brown and Columbia. “My parents set it in my me and my sister's head that academics were going to be a priority at a young age,” Woods told Irish Sports Daily during his recruitment. “It’s never been a choice to come home with a B or stuff like that.”

Woods competed on the track and field team in 2019 and won the 110-meter hurdles at the Baylor Invite.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Long-limbed, field-side safety who plays in a primarily two high secondary. Woods is light footed in a straight line, possessing good speed once he opens his long stride. He uses that speed to cover a lot of space on the backend, giving him very good range and closing speed. Woods is active and locates receivers to cover. Trusting his speed, he stays square when threatened vertically. Against the run, he fills willingly.

Tycen Anderson, Toledo

Measureables: 6-1 7/8, 209. 4.36 40, 37 vertical, 4.27 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A fifth-year super-senior, Anderson had one sacks and two TFLs among his 44 tackles, and added one forced fumble and two passes defensed in 10 games. In five seasons, he had two interceptions (none since 2018) and 21 passes defensed. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked sixth with a missed-tackle rate of 10 percent. He was eighth with an in-the-box rate of 13 percent. His hand-on-ball rate of 0.6 percent was second-worst in the class. He finished 22nd with 7.7 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: Anderson stayed home for college. His teammates called him “Mr. Toledo.” He made Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks” list before the 2021 season. “I hear it all,” Anderson told The Toledo Blade. “I’m extremely blessed to be in the position that I’m in. It took a lot of hard work. Just because they’re talking about it doesn’t mean it’s certain. I know I have to put the work in to make it a reality. Through all the things they say, there are still things I want to get better at. The ceiling is high, so I continue to put my head down and work.”

He lined up here, there and everywhere in the Rockets’ defensive backfield. Moreover, “You’ll get a guy who is the best special teams player in this draft,” Anderson told WTOL recently. “You can cut the tape and it will prove itself.” He stayed home for college and will stay home for the draft. “My stomach is probably going to drop with every pick that comes across the screen," said Anderson. "I can't wait to see how my parents and my little sisters and my cousins react.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Playing mostly at slot cornerback, as well as in the box or as a free safety, he possesses a good body type from the eye test. Good height and arms appear to be very long. In coverage, he has the versatility to line up in every way. In press-man coverage, he shows that he can be physical and get receivers trouble at the line of scrimmage. In off coverage, he is smooth in his backpedal and quick to react when receivers break. Flashes the hand strength to shed off of blocks in space to make quick tackles. He contributes heavily on special teams, playing on the punt return, punt coverage and field goal block units.

Yusuf Corker, Kentucky

Measureables: 6-0, 203. 4.53 40, 34.5 vertical, 4.30 shuttle. (His 23 reps on the bench press led the defensive backs at the Combine.)

Analytical stats: A three-year starter, Corker had a career-high eight passes defensed as a senior. He added 3.5 tackles for losses among his 82 tackles. He had two picks as a junior. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked fourth with a missed-tackle rate of 9 percent. Despite his muscular frame, he lined up in the box just 7 percent of the time. He finished 11th with 6.2 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: A four-star recruit, he started the final 37 games and played in the final 50 games of his career. He grew as a communicator – a big deal at safety – during his final season. “I felt like I communicated a lot better than in the past. They put a lot more on my plate, just making checks and making sure everybody’s on the same page. As a defense, everybody can be doing everything right but if one person’s not, it leads to touchdowns and big plays. I made sure I did a good job containing those big plays and things like that.”

Corker was one of eight semifinalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which honors the top defensive player in college football who makes the biggest impact for his team, both on and off the field. He was a two-time captain and dean’s list student who delivered food for God’s Pantry. An uncle, Anthony Mitchell, played safety for six seasons for the Ravens, Jaguars and Cowboys. He has a daughter. “When I’m done with practice, I go home and entertain her, along with homework and trying to keep the house clean,” he told his hometown Henry Herald.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Corker has good size and build for the position. His body has good composition, while maintaining his athleticism to play on the backend of the defense. He plays with a quick trigger downhill and has the power to make big hits over the middle of the field. At the line of scrimmage, he can get physical with slot receivers or tight ends to disrupt their original path. Corker is a core special teamer who contributes on all phases. Other than football his “dream job” is to be a pediatric surgeon.

Markquese Bell, Florida A&M

Measureables: 6-2 1/8, 212. 4.41 40, 36.5 vertical, 4.37 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A nomadic career ended with Bell being a first-team FCS All-American in 2021 with two sacks and 6.5 tackles for losses among his 95 tackles. He added one interception, two passes defensed and a staggering five forced fumbles. When in the slot, he allowed just 0.53 yards per coverage snap, according to PFF. His missed-tackle rate was 11.5 percent, slightly better than average.

Personal touch: Bell was a four-star recruit coming out of Bridgeton (N.J.) High School, where he won the state championship in the high jump. He picked Maryland but was suspended for an undisclosed honor-code violation before the 2017 opener. He spent 2018 at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College before landing at Florida A&M for 2019 (11 games, nine starts), 2020 (season canceled due to COVID) and 2021 (12 games, 11 starts).

"Being there humbles you," Bell told Tallahassee.com. "Out of high school, I had all these accolades. I had it made. Then to detour and go JUCO. It opens your eyes to how other athletes that didn't have all the spotlight lived." The goal was to resurrect his NFL aspirations, which he did. “I never had a chip on my shoulder. In my mindset, this is going to help take care of my grandma and move her to a better place. There's a lot going on, so that's always my focus.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Long-armed, big safety who will lower the shoulder and deliver hard hits on ball carriers. Bell uses his length to get his hands on runners if he takes unfavorable angles. His strength and physicality allows him to overpower smaller blockers in space. He bumps receivers crossing his zone physically to throw off route timing. When starting with his eyes on the quarterback, he displays above-average ball tracking.

Smoke Monday, Auburn

Measureables: 6-1 3/4, 207. 4.52 40, 30 vertical, 4.42 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Of Monday’s five career interceptions, three were taken back for touchdowns. That includes his only theft as a senior, when he added six passes defensed, two sacks, nine tackles for losses and 64 tackles. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 16th with a missed-tackle rate of 15 percent. At 22 percent, only Penn State’s Jaquan Brisker lined up more frequently in the slot. On the other hand, his hand-on-ball rate of 0.7 percent ranked 29th. He finished 16th with 7.0 yards per allowed per target, according to SIS, but No. 1 in forced incompletion percentage, according to PFF.

Personal touch: Monday’s real first name is Quindarious. How did “Smoke” come about? “I got it from my grandfather,” Monday explained. “Growing up, I was a granddad’s boy. I used to be with him a lot, run around the house a lot, so he just started calling me ‘Smoke.’ Once he passed, when I was about 12, I started using the name to honor him.”

He is flashy but also does the dirty work – literally.

“Coming from where I come from, I was raised in a tough environment where there were a lot of things that could distract me, but my parents did a great job keeping me from that life,” Monday said. “Seeing so much growing up, seeing mistakes my brothers and family members made, it was easier for me not to make those same mistakes. It helped mold me into the man I am today.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: All-around versatility, can be moved all over the defense, and works well at the line of scrimmage against tight ends. Comes down hard against the run, is able to take on blocks and shed. Solid in man coverage when he gets his hands on receivers, has the length to man up bigger bodies. Hard hitter, wraps up with power. Plays on special teams

Juanyeh Thomas, Georgia Tech

Measureables: 6-0 3/4, 212. 4.55 40, 34 vertical, 4.18 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Thomas was a three-year starter with one interception in each of his four seasons. He set or matched career highs in every department as a senior with 81 tackles, one sack, five tackles for losses, two forced fumbles and seven passes defensed. He had a 100-yard touchdown on a kickoff return as a freshman. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 11th with a missed-tackle rate of 11 percent. His in-the-box rate was 17 percent, fifth-most. He was at the bottom of the heap with 12.0 yards allowed per target.

Personal touch: Thomas was one of the players chose to represent the Yellow Jackets at ACC Media Day in July. That was a big deal for Thomas, who grew up with a stuttering problem he ranked a 10 on a 1-to-10 scale.

“I stutter,” Thomas said via The Atlanta Journal Constitution. “I’m going to forever stutter. But I have gotten better at it. But, like I said, the more I talk, the more I get better at it, then the more confident I feel about it to talk.” A fourth-grade teacher was especially helpful with advice and tutoring. “Every time I would have a problem with it, she would be like, Slow down. Slow down and talk,” Thomas said. “And she told me, ‘Don’t be afraid to speak. Because deep down, when you’re afraid to speak, when you talk, you’re going to stutter more.’”

Thomas was joined at Georgia Tech by his older brother, receiver Azende Rey, who transferred from Florida A&M. A younger brother, Azareye’h, is headed to Florida State as a four-star cornerback. Said Rey to Rivals: "I am very excited and blessed to be able to share the field with him once again. My mother is so happy. This has been her dream, and now it is fulfilled. We will cherish every moment of this.”

Thomas grew up in Niceville, Fla. He started playing football at age 5 in a league for 8-year-olds.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: On film, Thomas is a physically imposing player. He is asked to play close to the line of scrimmage, as a run-stopping strong safety. Thomas is well built, with the play strength to hold up in the NFL. He is a big hitter, who looks to jar the ball loose when coming downhill. For the most part, Thomas is a good tackler and he can disrupt ball carriers at the point of attack.

Nolan Turner, Clemson

Measureables: 6-1, 202. 4.37 40, 37.5 vertical, 4.46 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A two-year starter and sixth-year super-senior, Turner in 2021 had one interception, four passes defensed, one forced fumble and two sacks. He was a second-team All-American in 2020 with his three picks and six TFLs. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 23rd with a missed-tackle rate of 18 percent. His hand-on-ball rate of 0.3 percent was worst in the class. He finished 20th with 7.7 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: Turner’s father, Kevin, was a third-round pick by the Patriots in 1992 who played eight NFL seasons. He died in 2016 of ALS. A fullback, Kevin Turner caught 236 passes and scored 11 total touchdowns for the Pats and Eagles. Kevin Turner wore No. 24; so does Nolan. “My dad wore No. 24 in college when he played, so I’ve always worn No. 24, just because of him. It has always been very special and meaningful to me,” Nolan told ClemsonTigers.com.

Kevin Turner played at Alabama alongside Dabo Swinney, who wound up becoming Clemson’s coach. Kevin Turner blinked out a text message to Swinney before he died. “It's been hard on him. The things that he's dealt with since he was 12 years old when I told him I had ALS. He's kinda quiet, not unlike me, so I worry about him. I know many kids have much more worse circumstances. I have my hand out for nothing. I can put him through school. However your friendship, and you telling me to give him your number, priceless. I hope he gets an opportunity to play for you.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Versatile safety who is deployed in single-high, two high, underneath zones, in the box and over slot receivers. Turner is a fluid athlete despite his length, staying low with clean feet. He can man up with tight ends, displaying eye discipline and the length to play the ball. A willing run supporter, he comes downhill, showing the ability to take on blocks low and at extension.

Brad Hawkins, Michigan

Measureables: 6-0 1/2, 207. 4.57 40, 37 vertical, 4.34 shuttle.

Analytical stats: The good: Hawkins was a three-year starter who played in 56 games. He is coming off his best season with two forced fumbles, four passes defensed, three tackles for losses and 60 tackles. The bad: In those school-record number of the games, he had zero interceptions. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked sixth with a missed-tackle rate of 10 percent. He lined up in the box 13 percent of the time, the 10th-highest rate. Coverage responsibilities for safeties can be fickle. Nonetheless, according to PFF, Hawkins ranked No. 1 in the draft class in completion rate (26.7) and snaps per receptions (105.3).

Personal touch: Hawkins was picked for the East-West Shrine Game but not the Scouting Combine. So, that put all the eggs in the pro day basket. “It was really, as I see it, just one opportunity,” Hawkins said afterward. “Some guys had two. I only had one. I went out there and just did everything that I can, to the best of my ability.”

Due to a snafu with his grades, he had to spend a year at a New Jersey prep school before arriving at Michigan. Rather than bitter, he embraced the time. “I’d go to see third or fourth-level basketball games and he’s there in the crowd cheering on freshmen,” Charlie Cahn, Suffield’s head master, told The Michigan Daily. “Here’s the captain of our football team, supporting those kids, not just with the starters and the key contributors, but with everybody. It’s humility. It’s genuine.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Hawkins displays a nice physical profile with his height and weight. Fits the mold with his physical build having a firm athletic build. He displays good key and diagnoses of run concept playing in the box, as an overhang and filling the alley from two high. Most comfortable playing two high, showing a good understanding of route concepts and leverages routes well. Overall, he is a solid and willing tackler showing good tackling form. He will make a special teams impact.

Quentin Lake, UCLA

Measureables: 6-1 3/8, 201. 4.59 40, DNP vertical, DNP shuttle.

Analytical stats: Lake was a four-year starter with career totals of six interceptions and 21 passes defends. As a fifth-year senior, he went across-the-board career highs with 54 tackles (two for losses), three interceptions and nine passes defensed. According to PFF, he allowed merely a 38.8 passer rating in the slot. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 15th with a missed-tackle rate of 14 percent. His in-the-box rate of 4 percent was one of the lowest in the draft. His hand-on-ball rate of 1.5 percent ranked fifth. He finished 21st with 7.6 yards per allowed per target, according to SIS, but No. 4 in passer rating, according to PFF.

Personal touch: Lake has tremendous NFL DNA. His father, Carnell, was an All-American linebacker for UCLA whose 12-year NFL career started with the Pittsburgh Steelers, for whom he was selected to four of his five Pro Bowls. Carnell Lake was a physical player. That’s what he wanted from his son. “Be the most hard-working, physical player on the field,” Quentin Lake told The Los Angeles Times.

While he wanted to blaze his own trail, going to UCLA’s was his lifelong dream. Before officially committing to UCLA, Quentin posted a photo on Twitter. It was from his elementary school yearbook. Students were asked about their futures. Lake wrote: “I will have graduated from UCLA and be a professional football player.” Lake’s Twitter caption: “Dreams really can come true.”

Carnell Lake said he didn’t want to be “too overbearing.” His son appreciated the approach and wisdom. “In terms of my success on the football field, that’s the guy I go to for anything — whether that’s film study, offensive tendencies, formations, all that stuff,” Quentin told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “My dad has been a crucial part of my success on the field, and even off the field. Him showing me the way in football is great and all, but at the same time, you want a dad to show you how to be a good man, how to be respectful.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Safety with average size who is primarily deployed in deep zones. Lake takes good angles to targeted receivers downfield and ahead of him on crossing routes. He locates the ball in the air to make a play on it. In run support, he takes favorable angles to lateral moving ball carriers when pursuing from depth. Lake establishes contact with tight ends early when matched up in man coverage.

Bubba Bolden, Miami

Measureables: 6-2 1/8, 209. 4.47 40, 31 vertical, 4.20 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Bolden started his career at USC in 2017, was suspended for 2018 and emerged at Miami. He started 16 games the last two years. In seven games in 2021, he broke up two passes. In 11 games in 2020, he had one interception, four forced fumbles and 6.5 tackles for losses. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 25th with a missed-tackle rate of 19 percent. His in-the-box rate was just 4 percent. His hand-on-ball rate of 0.6 percent was second-worst in the class. However, he was second with 2.9 yards allowed per target.

Personal touch: Bolden was suspended for 28 months for a drinking incident that he said was limited to “mutual trash talking.” Not surprisingly, Bolden transferred rather than waiting on the sideline for more than two years.

A shoulder injury that required surgery ruined his final season. “In my mind, I know I’m the best safety in the draft – by far,” he said at pro day. “Injury kind of messed some things up. I’d say third round is where I’m at. At the end of the day, I’m not worried about any of that; I’m going to make the 53 (man roster); I’ll be a starting safety and the rest will be history.”

Bolden is from Las Vegas, the home for this year’s draft. “I always tell people Miami is like Las Vegas with water,” he told Raiders.com. His high school team, Bishop Gorman, went undefeated in his four years and won three consecutive unofficial national championships.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Long safety who is deployed in deep zones with half field and single high as well as the occasional off man alignment over the slot. Bolden possesses very good hip fluidity in space which is impressive for a player of his size. His great lateral agility allows him to cut off routes. Bolden recovers quickly after getting beat, speaking to his agility. In two high, he has very good eyes, reading inside out reliably.