| QB INSIGHTS – LEADING OFF WITH SHEDEUR SANDERSTom Pelissaro of NFL.com with a deep breakdown of QB SHEDEUR SANDERS (some places on X have cited the part we boldfaced, but the whole thing is more balanced than that): Shedeur SandersThe Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner and second-team AP All-American QB as a senior last fall, Sanders threw a school-record 64 touchdown passes over two seasons while playing for his Pro Football Hall of Fame father, Deion, in Boulder after they spent a couple years together at FCS Jackson State. His freewheeling play style and unique pedigree make him one of the most fascinating — and polarizing — evaluations in the entire draft. “Shedeur is a really, really talented passer,” an NFC quarterbacks coach said. “Not elite arm strength, but I don’t think it’s anything that will hinder you. Obviously, he’s been working with Pat (Shurmur, a longtime NFL coach who’s currently Colorado’s offensive coordinator), so he knows some NFL stuff. He’ll have to learn to get the ball out and to play with the timing you need to play in this league. That’s everything it really comes down to.” Said an NFC assistant coach: “He’s got ability to throw to all three levels. He’s good on the ball-out, quick passing game. Can move around. Tough as all get out. He’ll take hits and just hop up and it doesn’t really faze him. That’s impressive. There’s obviously things he needs to improve on, just working progressions. You’ve got Travis Hunter out there; it’s not like you have to work a ton of progressions. And then he took a lot of sacks. Obviously, the line wasn’t outstanding, but they weren’t always the line’s fault, either. He’s hanging on to the ball. He’s not throwing the ball away for one reason or another. He’s got a chance to be good. There’s things there that’s got to improve. I think he can do it.”In 50 college starts (26 at Jackson State, 24 at Colorado), Sanders completed 70.1 percent of his passes for 14,347 yards and 134 touchdowns with 27 interceptions. Ten of those interceptions came last season, when he also led the FBS with a 74 percent completion rate while ranking second with 353 completions and 37 touchdown passes — a school record, as were his 4,134 passing yards. “If you look at just ‘wow’ throws, he’s got probably the best collection of those over the whole entire crop,” an NFC executive said. “It’s just the other stuff. It’s the ability to do stuff from structure, in the pocket, checkdowns, the easy gimmes. But if you want to just isolate the high level, high degree of difficulties, then to me, there’s a difference between him and the other guys.” A Colorado program that was 1-11 in 2022 improved to 4-8 and 9-4 in Sanders’ two seasons under center (though the Buffaloes were 1-7 against ranked opponents in that span). Sanders ran for 17 TDs over four college seasons. But more often than not, he was scrambling to throw, not run. “His college tape looked like Caleb Williams without the elite physical arm talent,” an NFC coordinator said. “I’m sorry: You can’t play that game at this level. So, you’ve got to be banking on him making a jump from a decision-making, in-the-pocket, on-time, under-pressure [perspective], where you don’t have evidence of that on tape. That, to me, is why people are going to be nervous about him. He’s not going to extend plays the way he did at Colorado. Nobody does, unless you’re Lamar (Jackson), Josh Allen, Kyler (Murray). Those guys are elite athletes. He’s not. So, it’s going to be a very different game he’s asked to play. I’m not saying he can’t do it. But that’s where the hesitation is going to come into play.”Sanders’ size (6-1 1/2, 212) and surprisingly limited athletic profile (given his potential genetic advantages) help explain why some scouts and coaches don’t have a first-round grade on him. “If somebody’s open, he’s going to hit it. So you don’t want to discredit how accurate he is,” another NFC coordinator said. “There’s just a lack of a ton of juice in his arm. He’s not incredibly athletic. He does hold on to the ball. The offense is really hard to judge what they’re doing offensively and what he’s being told from a read standpoint, so you can’t totally kill him for that. I see him as more of a backup that, shoot, maybe he can develop into a fringe starter.” Said an AFC quarterbacks coach: “I think he needs to be in a specific system that caters to his skill set, which is getting the ball out quickly. I think he’s got plenty of arm in the short to intermediate parts of the field; he generates pretty good zip. It kind of dies on him down the field. If you can get him to operate in the same mold that you used to see (Drew) Brees operate, which is being able to process what’s happening post-snap and get the ball out quickly and get the ball to the right guys in a timing manner, I think that’s the best approach with him.” One AFC scout compared Sanders to Geno Smith with a little less arm. “There are some flashes of this kid having some understanding of the game, coverages, which gives you some hope.” the scout said. “The character stuff is also something that factors. From what I’ve seen at East-West Shrine and combine, there’s definitely some entitlement and special treatment that he expects. There might be some growth with that. The NFL’s still a meritocracy and you have to come in and earn it. It’s a man’s league, and he’s going to have to do it on his own.”When it comes to Sanders’ makeup, he’s a one-of-one case study in many ways. Not many draft prospects grow up as the son of one of the greatest and highest-profile athletes of his generation. Even fewer have been coached almost exclusively by their legendary father; Deion was also Shedeur’s offensive coordinator at Trinity Christian in Texas before taking the head-coaching job at Jackson State (and flipping his son’s original commitment to Florida Atlantic). “The dude’s only played for his dad. When things go wrong, it’s not his fault. He takes a sack, he blames the O-line,” an AFC coordinator said. “He can make the throws. He’s got good accuracy. But does he lock on No. 1 and home in on him? And does the offense tailor for him to read it out?” Deion Sanders hasn’t been shy about using social media and press conferences to fire back at any real or perceived slights he has heard about Shedeur during the pre-draft process. “You can’t have your dad saying, ‘I’m going to come put a quarterback coach on blast who said you were arrogant.’ So, he can’t be criticized?” a veteran NFC executive said. “It seems like his [teammates] like him. They back him, even with all the limelight stuff and going in a different car to the game. It seems like they back him more.”One NFC scouting director who has done extensive background work on Sanders summarized it this way: “When you hear all the anecdotal stories about the person, it’s not that he’s a bad kid. He has been so insulated. It’s going to be a culture shock when he really learns how a locker room really operates and how it really works inside a building. He’s had so much input on the offensive game plan and who the coach is, and everything’s been catered to him. When you walk in one of these (NFL) buildings, no one’s going to give a s— about that. No one cares who your dad is. You’re going to have to end up fighting through some adversity. The plays aren’t going to be called to exactly what you want to run. Even last year with Shurmur, a lot of the mistakes he made was stuff that he just decided to call at the line of scrimmage himself, and there’s no recourse of him making those decisions. Whereas, in a real locker room, you make a couple of those decisions, you get your a– ripped so bad that you never want to do it again.” Less than four months after Sanders played his final college game, Colorado retired the numbers of Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and Sanders, with the quarterback’s inclusion and the unusually speedy move leading to a backlash, including from former Buffalo players.The closest comparison to Sanders’ background might be that of former NFL quarterback Brian Brohm, who was coached by his father through high school and then his brother at Louisville. Midway through his college career, Brohm was discussed as a potential high first-round pick. Once the 2008 draft came around, through, the signal-caller slid to the second round (56th overall) before the Packers rescued him, making a calculated gamble he’d benefit from getting outside the family environment. Instead, Brohm crumbled. At least once, his brother, Jeff, emailed a local beat reporter to complain about negative practice reports and accuse the media of bias. Seventh-round pick Matt Flynn won the No. 2 QB job over Brohm, who was cut the following year and started a total of two NFL games in Buffalo before he was out of the league. That doesn’t mean Sanders will have a similar outcome, but it’s an example of the unknown. “He’s all ball. But the program’s just different,” another AFC GM said. “Do you blame him? It’s his dad. It’s going to be different than any other circumstances because of his dad and who his dad is. But you’d like to think [things will be different] once he gets outside of that. I don’t think it’ll be a problem. The guy wants to be really good. Sometimes you don’t overthink it. It’s complicated just because of the circumstance. He hasn’t helped himself in some of the interviews.”One longtime NFL assistant coach said his time with Sanders was “the worst formal interview I’ve ever been in in my life. He’s so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates. … But the biggest thing is, he’s not that good.” Said one longtime AFC executive: “It didn’t go great in our interview. He wants to dictate what he’s going to do and what’s best for him. He makes you feel small.” Even some of Sanders’ fans expressed disappointment he didn’t take a bigger step forward as a senior. “I liked him the year before,” an NFC GM said. “They did change coordinators. It just felt different. It felt less athletic, less arm talent — everything felt less. If you’re talking about this year’s tape versus (Jaxson) Dart and Shedeur, I don’t think it was particularly close.”Still, there aren’t enough quarterbacks, and Sanders remains the second-best one in this class for many coaches and scouts. To some football minds, like my colleague and former NFL scout Bucky Brooks, Sanders is the QB1 in this year’s group. Meanwhile, another co-worker, Charles Davis, views the character criticisms leveled at Sanders as overblown and irrelevant when compared to his “talent and determination.” As holders of the No. 1 overall draft pick, the Titans only brought in four players for visits — and Sanders was one of them. Coach Brian Callahan referred to him as one of the elite players in this draft. The Browns, who draft No. 2, also had Sanders in on a visit. The Giants, who draft third, worked out Sanders privately last Thursday as part of their final-week QB scouting tour. The Raiders (sixth overall) and Steelers (21st), who have long-term QB questions, brought in Sanders for visits, as well. “Shedeur, man, you’ve just got to like him,” said one GM who has spoken with Sanders. “It’s the same thing in every building — I don’t think you can get a consensus of 100 percent on him. I still think the Giants can take him.” Pelissero has this on QB JAXSON DART:Jaxson DartA three-year starter at Ole Miss, Dart earned first-team All-SEC honors last fall while leading the Rebels to a second straight double-digit-win season and ranking among the nation’s most productive passers in Lane Kiffin’s QB-friendly spread offense. “He’s very accurate. He’s sneaky athletic. He makes a lot of plays,” an AFC quarterbacks coach said. “He kind of reminds me of [Michael Penix Jr.] last year. I feel like (Dart is) a little bit better thrower, he has a little more arm strength. If I had the No. 1 pick and I had to pick a guy and my job was on the line, I would try to get Jaxson Dart in the conversation.” Said an NFC coordinator: “I was watching the receiver (fellow Ole Miss draft prospect Tre Harris), and multiple times, I was like, Whoa, who’s the quarterback? Let me rewind that and see that f—ing throw. Jaxson is a better runner than both Cam and Sanders. He has real athletic ability, where those guys don’t at this level. And I think Jaxson plays on time more and has probably a little bit more arm ability. He’s more consistent from the pocket.”In 45 college games (41 starts), Dart completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 11,970 yards and 81 touchdowns with 27 interceptions. He ran for another 1,543 yards and 14 TDs. “The dude is a competitor,” an AFC coordinator said. “He’s tough. He’s got a plenty-strong arm. When he throws like a 15-yard out route to the field, it’ll flutter a little bit, but it gets to where it needs to go to on time and in rhythm. The stuff he does with his legs and then getting extra yards and taking hits, competes, makes all the throws. Some guys throw missiles and they sometimes can be hard to catch; Jaxson Dart throws a friendly ball.” Several coaches and executives ranked Sanders behind Dart, who is bigger (6-2 1/4, 223 with 9 1/2-inch hands), played against tougher competition in the SEC and was 28-10 as Mississippi’s starter. “Dart is the toughest motherf—– there is,” an AFC GM said. “He makes all the throws. He’s got everything you want. But then he just does some dumb things. I think if you put him in the right system and use his athletic traits and his toughness and let him throw the ball 20 to 25 times until he learns the game more, learns to lead more and all that, you could have something. But this kid could also be Will Levis 2.0.”Kiffin chewed out Dart on the sideline and called him out publicly for his final snap in an Ole Miss uniform: A 69-yard touchdown pass that Dart checked to with the Rebel already up 31 points in the closing minutes of their Gator Bowl win and Kiffin trying to run out the clock. “There’s still probably some lack of maturity to his game,” an AFC scout said. “Some of the flash and swagger with the face paint, the chest beating. He’s a guy you probably are still gonna have some bumpers around him and he’s going to need some coaching. You look at that last game against Duke, his own head coach is like, Hey, he’s kind of a knucklehead, and he checks to a pass and throws another touchdown. He can probably get a little off script. You’re gonna have to rein him in.”The 2020 Gatorade National Player of the Year as a high schooler, Dart played one year at USC (six games/three starts) before transferring to Ole Miss. Under Kiffin, he ran an offense that also turned Jonathan Crompton, Matt Barkley and Matt Corral into NFL draft picks. None went in the first round or became NFL starters. “I could teach my dog to f—ing run those concepts,” an AFC executive said. “[Kiffin] makes it very simple.” However, coaches say they saw more on tape with Dart running the show. “[Kiffin] has actually gotten back to some of his old-school West Coast roots, doing some more conceptual stuff,” a third AFC coordinator said. “I think it has to do with the fact that he trusts the guy. [Dart]’s got a little s— to him, too. He plays like Baker (Mayfield) — he just doesn’t throw it quite as good as Baker does.” Said an NFC assistant coach: “He’s accurate on the short and intermediate pass game, can anticipate throws, smart, changes his arm angle, can get outside the pocket and make throws. He’s got that athletic ability, too. If he just improves consistency with some of his lower-body stuff, he’ll be really good from a technique standpoint. When he does miss, it’s because those things are a little out of whack. He’s got some big upside.”Is that enough for Dart to come off the board on Thursday night? One NFC GM said Dart would’ve been in the conversation with Penix and J.J. McCarthy as the fourth or fifth quarterback in last year’s stacked QB draft, based on his arm and overall talent level. Another AFC quarterbacks coach predicted Dart doesn’t get past New Orleans at No. 9 overall. “Dart just has some pretty cool intangibles,” another AFC GM said. “I think he’s going to go in Round 1.” Let’s add this from Nate Tice of YahooSports.com on Dart: As I continue to look at this year’s crop of quarterback prospects, I see two players who have gained steam as the football season ended and the draft season began: Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and Louisville’s Tyler Shough.I’ll first start with Dart, who landed in our final mock draft of Round 1.Traits are a good starting point with Dart. He has a strong build (6-foot-2, 223 pounds) and is a good athlete and a quality runner of the football. He is willing to run between the tackles on designed runs and scrambles, and lower the shoulder on defenders (something he’s going to have to dial back, but it is endearing to watch). Dart runs with good vision, too, even pacing some of his runs to set up blocks before bursting through the line.But running is, and should be, only a part of a quarterback’s draft profile. As a passer, Dart was an effective and explosive operator of Lane Kiffin’s money play offense. He is a consistent thrower who delivers a tight spiral and has the arm strength to complete those throws to all three levels. Dart had the highest rate of explosive passes (gains of 16 or more yards) among all FBS quarterbacks with 300 or more pass attempts in 2024. His 25.4% rate just above Ward’s 24.2%, both of which are well above the average of 16% among the 81 eligible quarterbacks.Streaky was a word that came to mind when watching Dart. There were drives where he delivered three or four quality throws in a row that moved Ole Miss down the field in a hurry.– –Kiffin’s money play offense is a double-edged sword when evaluating and projecting Dart. Kiffin would do a great job of providing window dressing on a few core concepts that Ole Miss would run every week, and Dart was able to stand and fire some good passes when he saw exactly what he expected after the snap. But as defenses adjusted, or did something that Dart didn’t expect, the play could unravel and Dart could defer to being a runner too quickly, with his eyes coming down toward the pass rush and away from progressing through the play. He would say “no” to available options and decide to try his luck against a pass rush. And while Dart is a good athlete, he’s not a very creative thrower and as a result, would end up attempting to run his way out of the problem or eating a sack.Dart shouldn’t be condemned because he was just trying to execute the plays that were called. But it did make his play feel robotic, and it made him go one-and-done when progressing on concepts. Kiffin’s offense was great at popping open a player to beat certain defensive looks, but it was simplistic. And on the plays that were repeat calls, Dart would have a bit too much fat on the progression of plays that he already had experience with.This isn’t to say that Dart can never learn to get better at anticipating, and he flashes a few throws over the middle that show him getting the ball out with some anticipation. But there wasn’t exactly a heap of tight window throws to sift through (again, some credit here to Kiffin and staff).I think it makes Dart more of a project than an early starter in the NFL, a player I would be comfortable taking somewhere on Day 2, preferably in Round 3, part of the grab bag of Day 2 quarterback prospects that I consider behind Ward. Still, there’s enough talent to intrigue a team in Round 1, which is where our mock has him going at No. 9 to the New Orleans Saints.Dart has tools to work with. He has athleticism and flashes the high-level throws a starting quarterback in the NFL needs to make. Ideally he can sit behind a veteran to continue to iron out some of the kinks, and continue to sharpen his anticipation and understanding of an expanded playbook. There’s some fun stuff to work with here, but I would have reservations selecting Dart in the first round because of a steep learning curve for executing more layered concepts, and the lack of consistency he currently displays. Now back to Pelissero’s other evaluations (edited for space, full thing here.) Some highlights below:Cam WardComparisons to Mahomes coming out of Texas Tech in 2017 are unavoidable. “Their arm angles and their ability to throw sidearm, different crazy throws off the wrong foot downfield but staying completely accurate — that is eerily the same,” an AFC coordinator said.“Cam has a chance to be really good, especially because the person is super competitive,” an NFC scouting director said. “He’s going to make some mistakes. He’s going to turn it over a ton. But I think part of that is him pushing his limits, which I think is a sign of confidence in his own ability and belief in his team.”Said another AFC quarterbacks coach: “Cam is the most talented. But he scares me a lot. He’s got a long ways to go before he’s refined as a passer, and I see a lot of misses, especially outside the numbers. Caleb Williams is a much better passer, he’s much more polished, and he still had a very rough year as a first-year quarterback. I see the athleticism. I see the off-schedule plays. But I don’t see him doing much in the pocket that he’s going to need to do.”Asked where Ward would’ve ranked in last year’s draft, most scouts and coaches placed him somewhere between Michael Penix Jr. (the fourth QB taken) and Bo Nix (sixth), and below the Caleb Williams-Jayden Daniels-Drake Maye group that went 1-2-3. “I probably would’ve liked him a little more than J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix, honestly,” an NFC coordinator said. “He’s got the twitch in his arm. He’s got every throw. Love the instincts, the feel for the game. Looks like he sees things well. Then obviously, the creativity and the things he can do when the play breaks down and he breaks the pocket. I thought there was almost a little bit of (Ben) Roethlisberger in terms of his ability to shed guys.” In this or any class, Ward projects as a starter. “Last year, he would’ve been after Bo,” another AFC coordinator said. “The makeup’s strong. He’s highly confident. He’s got the arm talent. Just some accuracy things. The way he sits back in the pocket, it seems like he has to scramble back to see. I’m not sure he’s a surefire franchise quarterback, but he’s the best in the class.”Jalen Milroe“He is the greatest runner of the football at the quarterback position I’ve ever seen. And there’s enough talent in the arm to make you want to play an offense that suits that,” an AFC quarterbacks coach said. “It’s (Jalen) Hurts. It’s Lamar (Jackson). It’s Colin Kaepernick. There are some guys that have successfully done it, and if you want to baby him into the league that way and then let him flourish, who knows?” Said an AFC coordinator: “He has a lot of accuracy issues. But he’s a freak. He’s the best running quarterback I’ve ever evaluated. He’s like Cam Newton’s power with Lamar’s speed. He can throw the ball down the field — his numbers over 20 yards are good. And he’s a true developmental-type player. He’s electric.”“If he were a running back, he’d be a top-of-the-second-round running back.” Said an AFC executive who saw Milroe play live: “This is the fastest guy on the goddamn field. He was outrunning angles. He’s just so f—ing erratic. He’s a smart enough kid, but not a fast processor. He’s into all these f—ing mental coaches. Has to see it open. Doesn’t have anticipation. He’s the typical big, rifle-armed f—er who throws everything f—ing hard and fast and will throw a good pass and then the next five, you don’t know where the f— they’re going to end up.”Tyler Shough“He’s a grown man compared to kids in an evaluation standard. It works in his favor,” an NFC executive said. “He’s been in a lot of places, he’s handled adversity, he’s learned different systems and he’s had to be around the most diverse group of people, going between all three schools. His floor is super high. It’s just, you have to figure out if the floor and the ceiling are touching. And then, can you couple that with the durability?”Another interruption with this on Shough from Nate Tice of YahooSports.com:Now let’s look at Tyler Shough.Why could Tyler Shough go in the 1st round?Simply put, Shough can spin it.Shough is a creative and flexible thrower who can contort his body and arm slot to get the ball off. He unlocks quick game and RPO concepts with his quick throwing motion and is able to get the ball on his teammates right as they’re working out of their breaks. Shough can deliver to all three levels and wins with his timing and ability to change arm angles.Shough is also a good athlete at 6-5 and 219 pounds, but he doesn’t want to win as a scrambler. His athleticism shows up with his ability to be an excellent passer while on the move, and some of his best throws are when breaking the pocket to his left. This is atypical from a right-handed quarterback.And although he doesn’t want to win this way (perhaps because of a past injury history, more on that in a bit), he can do some things as a runner, too! This was reflected by his 4.63-second 40-yard dash time at the NFL scouting combine.Well, let’s finally get to the elephant in the room: Shough is old for a quarterback prospect. He will turn 26 in the first month of his rookie season and was in the same high school recruiting class as Trevor Lawrence (who is already on his second contract in the NFL) and Justin Fields (who is already on his third team in the NFL). How do you gauge that?Age is definitely a factor when evaluating athletes. It’s not the end all, be all, especially for quarterbacks although people are going a little too far with the “old quarterback prospect meta.” But it is definitely better to see significant play at a young, or at least young-ish, age.Shough, who is No. 56 on Yahoo Sports’ consensus big board, would be the oldest first-round quarterback drafted since 2012 when the Cleveland Browns selected Brandon Weeden. (He was even older at 29. A Mike Holmgren heat check!)Youth also makes for a more optimistic developmental timeline. You could argue that Shough was able to find outlets quickly in a college offense because he was in his seventh year of college and at his third school (Shough previously played at Texas Tech and Oregon). A Van Wilder as your signal-caller.Why is Shough so old for a prospect? Because of the injuries he suffered in college, which included season-ending injuries like broken collarbones (plural) and a broken fibula. Injury concerns are completely team-dependent. Michael Penix Jr. went in the top 10 last year despite having multiple knee and shoulder injuries (and was also an older rookie quarterback at 24). It’s a sliding scale of ability and risk of whether those were chance things or there’s something about the player’s build that makes them more susceptible to injuries.And Shough’s ability to avoid sacks also has a caveat. He is, perhaps because of his past injuries, allergic to taking contact. It helps Shough play with a great understanding of when to get rid of the ball and avoiding negative plays, and it should help Shough adjust well to the NFL since he already prefers to pull the ripcord on plays and doesn’t put himself in bad spots. But it can also limit the upside of some plays.Shough is a good thrower on the move, although he sometimes opts to avoid entering creation mode to get rid of the ball; he ranked second among FBS quarterbacks last year in throwaways with 31. And sometimes that can lead to comical results as Shough gets rid of the football like a hot potato.It’s really tough to weigh all the variables with Shough. His arm talent is undeniable and his best throws stack up with anybody in this class. But shouldn’t a quarterback who is that much older than the competition play this way? Shouldn’t he understand timing and where outlets are since he should be a multi-year professional by now? Is there any more development to tap into? Or is Shough a beneficiary of experience?If Shough were 22, hell even 23, his throwing ability, sack avoidance, and overall athleticism would make him an intriguing name to look at in the back half of the first round. But he’s not. Those are the facts. It might seem like “only a couple of years,” but those are key years of an athlete’s development.I keep referring to the group of quarterbacks after Cam Ward as the “Day 2 grab bag,” and Shough is a part of that group. I respect the arm talent, but I’m also realistic to his extended college history. How teams and evaluators consider the sliding scale of his ability, age and injury history will be interesting to watch unfold. Shough will be 30 by the time he would be on his second contract. Is it worth a high-level investment for a player that, in theory, has a flatter development curve?There’s an NFL-level arm and athlete here with Shough. But who pulls the trigger on him, and where in the draft, will be fascinating to watch on Thursday. Back to Pellisero: Quinn Ewers“Real smart, great kid, real self-aware,” an NFC quarterbacks coach said. “Just the arm strength and some of the decision-making (are concerns). He’s going to have a big jump, too, just as far as what’s asked of him at the next level. But he’s somebody you can see develop, develop, develop and then — bang! Because there’s a competitor there that’s hard to teach and there’s an intelligence factor there that’s hard to teach.”“The arm’s very average. There’s not a lot of talent there. He’s not a starter. He’s a distributor. He’s a point guard. He ain’t going to push it down the field.” Ewers’ small frame, injury history and overall average traits are why he’s not expected to come off the board sooner. “The Texas kid, I wasn’t a fan of,” an AFC coordinator said. “He can hit short and intermediate, but he’s like an all-arm thrower. He never uses his lower body and he’s not accurate down the field.”Will HowardThe Offensive MVP of the Buckeyes’ national championship win over Notre Dame, Howard made the most of his lone season in Columbus after four up-and-down years at Kansas State. “He played really well down the stretch,” an AFC executive said. “He’s a bigger guy (6-4 1/4, 236). He has some running ability. I thought he was going to be a little faster. But he kind of came on late. His arm’s, frankly, a little disappointing for his size. Not a lot of velocity and drive and zip on it. I thought he was more of a big play-action thrower. But then towards the end of the year, he made some plays off balance, different arm angles. I was like, F—, I didn’t think he could do that. Smart guy, really good kid.”Kyle McCord “Little bit lesser version of (Tyler) Shough in terms of the football IQ. But he’s a game-manager type. They did give him a lot to do, handle the line of scrimmage,” an AFC scout said. “He showed he can be an accurate passer this year. Probably not as elite in terms of vision and decision-making. A little bit of an elongated release. But he’s a sturdy, thick-built guy (6-3, 218) and got enough athleticism to still move the chains. He’s one whose game has been ascending here the last year. There’s a lot to like about him. He’s another high-intangibles guy.”With McCord as the starter in college, his teams were 22-4. “The one thing about this kid is he freaking wins,” another AFC quarterbacks coach said. “There’s a few things development-wise that have got to take place.”Dillon GabrielA six-year college starter at three schools, Gabriel set FBS records for total TDs (188) and QB starts (63) and earned 2024 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors while helping Oregon reach the College Football Playoff in his lone season with the Ducks. “Gabriel is polished as can be. He’s just short,” an NFC scouting director said. “There’s just some things in your offense you can’t do. You have to worry a little bit about his limitations.” Said an NFC executive: “He started 60-something games and there are not enough quarterbacks. Just very average arm strength. Small. How is he going to survive on third down until the game slows down for him?”At 5-11 1/8 and 205 pounds, Gabriel wouldn’t be the shortest quarterback in the NFL. (Former No. 1 overall picks Bryce Young and Kyler Murray both measured in at 5-10 1/8 at the combine; Russell Wilson was 5-10 5/8.)“He’s been really good everywhere he’s been. But obviously the size is a thing,” an NFC quarterbacks coach said. “You have to always give smart guys that have been productive their due because there’s a reason they’ve had success. Other than the personal preference, the ball spins the wrong way.” Gabriel would join the short list of left-handed quarterbacks in the NFL — one that includes Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, whose Hawaii state passing-yards record was broken by Gabriel. To some, Gabriel is a mini-Tua: great accuracy and timing, with a frame that raises questions about whether he can hold up for an entire NFL season. He appeared to have bulked up some in the pre-draft process. “He’s a good player. I just think he’s so little,” an AFC coordinator said. “What did he do before the combine to weigh in at 205 — swallow concrete?”Riley LeonardRiley Leonard“He’s the Day 3 developmental guy that you want to get,” an AFC coordinator said. “He’s very raw. Coming from a place like Duke and Notre Dame, you’d think he’d be more polished. He’s like a big athlete that is still physically developing, and this is the first time he’s ever played in an offense where there was reads and progressions. He’s a smart kid. He’s got a chance to really, truly develop.”Leonard’s scattershot passing is the biggest concern, which likely is a reflection of his ongoing development learning the position. “I don’t think he processes very well. He’s smart. He comes off very well whenever you talk to him and is well-spoken. But I think that things tend to move pretty quickly for him when the bullets are flying,” an AFC quarterbacks coach said. “That’s one of my biggest concerns with him.”Kurtis RourkeA transfer from Ohio, Rourke set a single-season school record with 29 touchdown passes and led Indiana to the College Football Playoff despite suffering a knee injury in August that turned out to be a torn ACL. He underwent surgery Jan. 8 and was recently cleared to resume throwing. “He can play the position,” an AFC coordinator said. “Tough in the pocket. Good enough arm strength, accuracy. He’s just a redshirt guy. Won’t be ready (to play) until October.” Rourke has NFL size (6-4 1/4, 220 with 9 3/8-inch hands). He was invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl before the injury was revealed. “If he would’ve been ready to throw at the combine, I could see somebody taking him in the sixth or seventh,” an NFC quarterbacks coach said. “The problem is the injury. That’s going to hurt him. But he had some stuff to him.”Max Brosmer “A lot of scouts and higher-ups go through early on — they’re gonna watch tape of the North Carolina game, which was Week 1 for him, didn’t play well,” an NFC scout said. “But then as you watch him down the stretch, he played a lot better. Timing, quick feet, gets the ball out on time, he’s accurate short to intermediate, smart, unbelievable work habits, really good leader — all those things to speak to quarterback coaches and offensive coordinators, who finally get to these guys (before the draft). It would kind of surprise me if he didn’t get drafted.”“He throws with anticipation, but he does not have a very strong arm at all,” an AFC quarterbacks coach said. “He’s a good college quarterback.”Cam MillerA two-time FCS national champion, Miller led the Bison to a 45-11 record in five seasons. “He’s got some gamer to him,” an AFC executive said. “He’s little (6-0 7/8, 210). He’s right on that 7th-PFA (line). Wouldn’t shock me if someone just took him in the sixth. But there’s something to that kid. He has a chance to be a 3.”“He’s a winner. He’s small. He’s a great kid,” an NFC executive said. “Just really average tools.” Miller was also an all-state baseball pitcher (0.60 ERA) in high school.Graham MertzA three-year starter at Wisconsin before transferring to Florida, Mertz ranked third in FBS with a 72.9 percent completion percentage — at one point throwing 239 passes without an interception — for the Gators in 2023 before missing the season finale with a broken collarbone. Then, his sixth and final college season ended last Oct. 12 because of a torn ACL. “He actually has a chance to get drafted, because he was a [high-profile] recruit, he’s done some good things on tape. It’s just never really happened for him,” an AFC coordinator said. “But I think he’s got a shot. He plays good ball. He throws it good. He might be one of those guys that was a tough deal, just constant bad luck along the way.”Tommy MellottThe Walter Payton Award winner as the best player in FCS last season, Mellott also worked out as a receiver and punt returner at his pro day. He lacks NFL quarterback size (5-11 5/8, 200 with 8 7/8-inch hands). But strong testing numbers — a reported 4.39 40-yard dash, a 41-inch vertical jump and 19 reps of 225 pounds on the bench — have gotten him a longer look. “The Montana State kid is a playmaker and has had a heck of a career there,” an NFC assistant coach said. “He’ll probably get drafted as just a guy who can make a ton of plays for you at whatever position that is and be your emergency third (QB) on game day.”Seth HeniganA four-year starter for the (Memphis State) Tigers, Henigan (6-3, 215) completed 64 percent of his passes for 14,266 yards and 104 touchdowns with 31 interceptions over 50 college starts — a stretch in which Memphis was 34-16 and Henigan earned multiple bowl game MVP awards. “The Henigan guy was a little bit intriguing. Just an OK Senior Bowl week, but then came alive in the game,” an AFC scout said of Henigan, who engineered a fourth-quarter comeback and threw a touchdown pass to Jack Bech as time expired. “He’s got size. He’s got a lot of experience, even in that offense. They’re throwing the ball a lot. Not a dynamic presence or leader. But he does have size and accuracy and enough instincts to sneak in the bottom of that (draftable) group.”Brady CookA three-year starter and team captain at Missouri, Cook (6-2 1/8, 214) completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 9,008 yards and 49 touchdowns with 14 interceptions in 46 career games (39 starts). “He’s a really athletic guy,” an AFC coordinator said. “I don’t think he’s ever going to be a true [starter]. But he’s 6-2, he won 10 games two years in a row at Missouri in the SEC, he’s tough as s—. He just doesn’t throw it as good as you’d want him to.18 Donovan Smith(At Houston in 20224). “He didn’t have a good year. But I think he’s got some ability,” an AFC executive said. “Big kid. He’s not as athletic as I wanted him to be. He was real inconsistent with everything, and he’s been hurt, too. But there’s some developmental upside there.”“He throws the ball well. He’s big,” an AFC quarterbacks coach said. “He just has lost a lot of games and had a lot of injuries and turned the ball over a lot.” |
| PETER SCHRAGER’S MOCK DRAFTPeter Schrager is now at ESPN.com and he offers this Mock Draft after whispers from insiders: The countdown is on for the 2025 NFL draft. It’s time for my one and only mock draft, where I project Round 1. As always, this isn’t what I would do if I were the general manager for every team — it’s how I’d sort through the top 32 picks based on what I’m hearing from my sources around the league.1. Tennessee TitansCam Ward, QB, MiamiWard has aced this process, and the Titans’ brass is quite excited about not only the player but the person and leader they’re getting. It’s a new day in Tennessee.2. Cleveland BrownsTravis Hunter, WR/CB, ColoradoThis is a fun one. I’m hearing there are a few teams that have been making calls to get to No. 2. We might hear more of this in the next 24 hours.Hunter can be an elite defensive back from the get-go, but he also has the potential to be a top wide receiver. He’s perhaps the rarest prospect we’ve seen in years. The Browns can — and will — consider using him on both sides of the ball. Coach Kevin Stefanski & Co. will get the very best out of him on offense.3. New York GiantsAbdul Carter, Edge, Penn StateA few days ago, it sounded as if it was Carter or Hunter, but the Giants are having fluid conversations all week. I could imagine a host of teams calling if Carter is not a slam dunk.In the end, the Giants passed on Micah Parsons in 2021, instead trading down and taking wide receiver Kadarius Toney. I can’t see them passing on another star pass rusher from Penn State.4. New England PatriotsWill Campbell, OT, LSUCampbell is smart, tough, dependable and a leader in a position of great need. He might not be built like Hall of Famer Orlando Pace, but the Patriots would be getting a day one starter and a culture guy on their offensive line.5. Jacksonville JaguarsAshton Jeanty, RB, Boise StateGeneral manager James Gladstone won’t be timid in his debut draft, and new coach Liam Coen is an offensive mastermind, looking for playmakers. Jeanty is everything they could ever want in a first pick.6. Las Vegas RaidersArmand Membou, OT, MissouriMembou has the best physical traits of any tackle in this class. The Raiders can keep building from the trenches. New general manager John Spytek was in the Tampa Bay front office when the Bucs struck gold with Tristan Wirfs in 2020. Membou at No. 6 isn’t too early.7. New York JetsTyler Warren, TE, Penn StateI’ve been hearing Warren to the Jets for a few weeks. This might seem early for a tight end, but in this draft — teams should just take their guy where they can get him. In Warren’s case, the new regime can turn to its owner, fans and locker room, and say, “This is what we are about.”8. Carolina PanthersJalon Walker, LB, GeorgiaThe Panthers could trade back. If they stay, Walker makes sense. Play him inside, play him on the edge, play him wherever. A coach’s son, Walker has won over every coach I’ve spoken to and would be a day one starter in Carolina.9. New Orleans SaintsMykel Williams, Edge, GeorgiaI don’t see quarterback Shedeur Sanders as the pick here, despite all the assumptions when the Derek Carr injury news trickled out earlier this month. (Does anyone actually know what the story is there?)Instead, I see the Saints with one of the early “wow” picks of Round 1, grabbing an elite defender who’ll carry the torch from Cameron Jordan for the next decade.Projected trade: IND moves up for a playmakerMy first trade is a fun one. The Colts give up Nos. 14 and 80 to move up four spots in a deal with the Bears.Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard needs to do something to help his offense, no matter if Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones is the starting quarterback. So who does he pick?10. Indianapolis Colts (via projected trade with CHI)Colston Loveland, TE, MichiganGM Chris Ballard & Co. get a 6-foot-6 tight end who has many teams enchanted ahead of Round 1. This pick would be about instant offense for a team that needs it.11. San Francisco 49ersWalter Nolen, DT, Ole MissI’d be shocked if Nolen fell out of the top 15 at this point — he might be the fastest riser in this draft. He’s quick, is a people mover and has had a great predraft process. Everyone is focused on Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, but Nolen is the Rebels’ prospect I hear about more. Don’t be shocked if he goes before Mason Graham, the more heralded defensive tackle.The defensive line was once a real strength of the 49ers. It’s time to return to that era.12. Dallas CowboysTyler Booker, G, AlabamaBooker, a bully of a guard, could help add some much-needed beef to the Cowboys’ line. Having had Zack Martin retire this offseason, there’s going to be a desire to fill the interior with a plug-and-play lineman.Everyone will be clamoring for the Cowboys to take a running back or receiver. Let’s go guard, though. That’s how I see it.13. Miami DolphinsMason Graham, DT, MichiganGraham has been viewed as a likely top-five pick for the past few months, and he could still go there. If he falls to No. 13, this is a nice win for Miami, who would be getting a Day 1 culture changer and a can’t-miss prospect.14. Chicago Bears (via projected trade with IND)Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, TexasBanks could end up going before Membou as the top tackle in this class. He has the better tape and is more consistent. If the Bears trade back and still get him, that’s a major win.15. Atlanta FalconsJihaad Campbell, LB, AlabamaFor the first time in four years, the Falcons will go defense in Round 1. Campbell is a do-everything linebacker who’ll make an immediate impact. His 117 tackles were the most in a season for an Alabama player since DeMeco Ryans.16. Arizona CardinalsJahdae Barron, CB, TexasThe Thorpe Award winner is the top corner in this class not named Travis Hunter. The Cardinals have been quietly adding premier talent through the draft the past few years. Remember: Head coach Jonathan Gannon is a defensive backs coach by trade. This one makes a lot of sense.17. Cincinnati BengalsMike Green, Edge, MarshallThe pass rusher who led the FBS with 17 sacks last season could go even higher than this. The unfortunate truth is that whichever defender Cincinnati takes here will be pitted against veteran Trey Hendrickson, who hasn’t been happy with contract negotiations and has requested a trade. It wouldn’t be fair to Green, who is a great prospect and fit for the Bengals.18. Seattle SeahawksGrey Zabel, C/G, North Dakota StateI’ve heard some buzz that Zabel could go as high as No. 12. That’s a little too rich, but I do think top 20 could happen. The Senior Bowl star turned heads and has been as consistent through the draft process as anyone.19. Tampa Bay BuccaneersTetairoa McMillan, WR, ArizonaThe all-world athlete would be the perfect addition to a wide receiver room with a mix of veterans and young players. The Bucs love Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan is coming off a solid rookie year. McMillan would be the perfect student for the veterans to teach.20. Denver BroncosEmeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio StateBar none, Egbuka is the most universally well-liked prospect in this draft. He is smart, reliable and sure-handed. He could be a 10-year captain somewhere and is most often compared to fellow Buckeyes legend Terry McLaurin.Coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton hit a home run with Bo Nix a year ago. This could be another no-brainer.21. Pittsburgh SteelersShedeur Sanders, QB, ColoradoI know Sanders had a good meeting in Pittsburgh when he visited a few weeks back. I also know the Steelers still don’t have a QB1 on their roster. This might be viewed as a “slip” down the board for Sanders. He could go anywhere from No. 3 to the Giants to the second round.Going to Pittsburgh here as the second quarterback in the class wouldn’t be so bad.22. Los Angeles ChargersKenneth Grant, DT, MichiganCoach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz went big-school prospect with their first four picks a year ago and ended up with an outstanding class.Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter know Grant well from their time at Michigan. They’ll be able to get the best out of the 331-pounder inside.23. Green Bay PackersMatthew Golden, WR, TexasI know it’s out of character for Green Bay to take a receiver in Round 1 — they haven’t done it since 2002 — but in this scenario, Golden could slide right to them. And I can’t see him sliding much more.Green Bay could go in several directions. I doubt anyone thought the Packers could get the consensus top wideout on many boards, though.24. Minnesota VikingsOmarion Hampton, RB, North CarolinaThe Vikings have needs elsewhere and wouldn’t list running back as a clear hole on their roster. But if Hampton is on the board, he’d be a wonderful addition to a young core that the organization hopes can grow old together.25. Houston TexansDonovan Jackson, G, Ohio StateThe Texans could look to their offensive line and add a guard who has the potential to kick outside to tackle. They’re rebuilding their protection in front of quarterback C.J. Stroud. This isn’t an attention-grabbing pick, but it’s a sensible one in this draft.Projected trade: NYG makes a move upIt’s time for another trade, this one with the third quarterback coming off the board.In this deal, the Giants would send pick Nos. 34 and 99 to the Rams to move up to No. 26. And crucially, New York would keep its original third-round pick — No. 65 — to continue to add talent to its roster.26. New York Giants (via projected trade with LAR)Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole MissIf the draft falls this way, I think the Rams would be OK with this. They don’t currently have a second-round pick, but if they agreed to this deal, they’d have four picks on Day 2.I think the Giants would pounce on Dart. I just am not 100% certain.27. Baltimore RavensJosh Simmons, OT, Ohio StateSimmons could slip because of an injury — he sustained a torn patellar tendon in October — but he might be the best of the bunch in the offensive linemen class. The Ravens could add another potential star, and watch — he’ll be a difference-maker in no time.28. Detroit LionsWill Johnson, CB, MichiganJohnson’s stock has slipped a bit. He had a foot injury last season and was inconsistent for the Wolverines. He also sat out Michigan’s pro day because of a hamstring injury.He’s a top-level talent, though, and he’d be the perfect corner to complement Terrion Arnold.29. Washington CommandersShemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&MStewart slipping this far? It could happen. He’d make a lot of sense for the Commanders given how their run defense performed in the NFC Championship Game.30. Buffalo BillsMalaki Starks, S, GeorgiaStarks played safety and nickel corner for the Bulldogs, and he’d make an immediate impact for Buffalo. Starks is all ball and one of the safest prospects in this draft.31. Kansas City ChiefsJames Pearce Jr., Edge, TennesseeThe Chiefs could add another player with stellar physical traits to their defense. Pearce has double-digit sack potential and a ton of upside, though most have him sliding to the second round.32. Philadelphia EaglesMaxwell Hairston, CB, KentuckyThe Eagles took cornerbacks with their first- and second-round picks a year ago, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t add to the defensive backfield considering the turnover this offseason.Hairston is a speedster — he ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the combine — who is just scratching the surface of his talent. |
