Big Blue View - 2023 NFL Draft prospect profilesYour place for year-round New York Giants discussion and informationhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47371/bigblueview_fave.png2023-04-27T15:00:00-04:00http://www.bigblueview.com/rss/stream/233321762023-04-27T15:00:00-04:002023-04-27T15:00:00-04:002023 NFL Draft prospect profile - Jalen Carter, iDL, Georgia
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<img alt="NCAA Football: SEC Football Championship-Louisiana State vs Georgia" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9uLcMYiZdKT63osqW-Ee-37ItxU=/0x0:5062x3375/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72224172/usa_today_19557743.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Carter might be the best player in the draft, but could he fall anyway?</p> <p id="QVZHbi">The University of Georgia has fielded an absolutely stacked defense over the last two years, fielding first round caliber players at almost every position. But even with all the talent and freakish athletes on the field, defensive lineman Jalen Carter managed to stand out as the best player on that defense. </p>
<p id="ePC5TF">Carter has been an absolute menace for every offense the Bulldogs have faced and, often as not, a defensive wrecking ball. </p>
<p id="nL81GJ">Carter has long been considered the best player in the 2023 <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a> and a lock for a Top 5 pick. However, his draft stock was thrown into chaos after a <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-football-jalen-carter-pleads-no-contest-deadly-crash-devin-willock-chandler-lecroy-punishment/">warrant was issued for his arrest</a> in connection to a fatal car crash.</p>
<p id="nWbmuf">It still seems impossible that Carter could slide all the way down to the <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a>, but could he fall far enough that the Giants could trade up for him?</p>
<p id="Tjb2Yf"><strong>Prospect:</strong> Jalen Carter (88)<br><strong>Games Watched:</strong> vs. Oregon (2022), vs. Florida (2022), vs. Tennessee (2022), vs. <a href="https://www.andthevalleyshook.com">LSU</a> (2022 SEC Championship)<br><strong>Red Flags:</strong> Involved in a fatal car crash, charged misdemeanor with reckless driving and racing</p>
<h2 id="CFWpym">Measurables</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xQaM4yMf8volMo_Dk4Fh4rcUj7U=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24610835/Screenshot_2023_04_25_at_5.55.08_PM.png">
<cite>Courtesy Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb) | RAS.football</cite>
</figure>
<h3 id="3oO3iL">Career Stats</h3>
<p id="s0ePah"><strong>Games Played:</strong> 35</p>
<p id="xJluAm"><strong>Tackles:</strong> 83<br><strong>Tackles for a loss:</strong> 18.5<br><strong>Sacks:</strong> 6.0<br><strong>Forced fumbles:</strong> 2<br><strong>Passes defensed:</strong> 4</p>
<h3 id="UpBziq">2022 Stats</h3>
<p id="QmuZU6"><strong>Games Played:</strong> 13</p>
<p id="lJg69D"><strong>Tackles:</strong> 32<br><strong>Tackles for a loss:</strong> 7.0<br><strong>Sacks:</strong> 3.0<br><strong>Forced fumbles:</strong> 2<br><strong>Passes defensed:</strong> 3</p>
<h2 id="0Wyp4W">Quick Summary</h2>
<p id="QzaZOS"><strong>Best:</strong> Size, length, athleticism, first step, hand usage, competitive toughness, football IQ<br><strong>Worst:</strong> Short-area quickness<br><strong>Projection:</strong> A starting defensive lineman with scheme diversity and All Pro potential. </p>
<h2 id="HUSpwi">Game Tape</h2>
<div id="Iwc2ym"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lWJaByyMhho?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="z1gPPl">(<em>Carter is Georgia DL number 88</em>)</p>
<h2 id="En4MfA">Full Report</h2>
<p id="I4TVZU">Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter has an excellent combination of size, athleticism, technical refinement, and versatility to play the defensive line at the NFL level. </p>
<p id="xmLYJb">Carter played all over the Georgia defensive line, lining up everywhere from defensive end to nose tackle, and even played from a two-point stance on occasion. He is both a very powerful lineman and a very good athlete for the position. </p>
<p id="WgxPRu">Power and explosiveness form the basis of Carter’s game. He typically keys the snap well and fires into the backfield with excellent leverage and pad level. That leverage maximizes his already-impressive play strength, and allows him to overpower most interior offensive linemen. Carter is powerful enough to hold up to double or triple teams when asked to two-gap and create rush lanes for his teammates. Carter is also capable of penetrating into the backfield with his speed and explosiveness. He’s a polished technician who understands how to set up blockers and is quick to use a counter move if his initial rush fails. Carter makes frequent use of a heavy club move usually followed up by a swim or rip move, depending on his opponent’s leverage. He also has an effective forklift move to attack blockers’ hands.</p>
<p id="zZd5sv">Carter is, unsurprisingly, a very good run defender. Not only can he hold up at the point of attack and create a pile in the middle of the line of scrimmage, but he can disrupt plays in the backfield. Carter is able to neutralize offensive line blocks and discard them at will to make plays off of blockers. He has a good motor and range in pursuit, and is quick to retrace and defend screens, option plays, or QB scrambles.</p>
<p id="NZiTsS">There are very, very few actual weaknesses in Carter’s game. The most glaring is a slight stiffness when trying to change directions in close quarters, but given his size that’s to be expected. It would simply be less-evident if he wasn’t as good at beating offensive linemen and getting in space in the backfield as he is. </p>
<p id="p0jeZ2">NFL teams will need to do their due diligence and check into Carter’s background and off-field character. He was involved in the accident that took the lives of a teammate and a member of the Georgia football program.</p>
<p id="Rjl7wh"><strong>Overall Grade: </strong>9.3</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="NQem8e"><div data-anthem-component="aside:10347966"></div></div></div>
<h2 id="2WClRM">Projection</h2>
<p id="4m0E5M">Jalen Carter projects as a starting defensive linemen with scheme diversity. </p>
<p id="S1x7sT">Carter flashes dominance on the field and has the ability to make a game-changing play at any time. He is one of the most disruptive defenders in the country and has the ability to win in any way he pleases. </p>
<p id="5WoWvG">Carter is a massively powerful defensive lineman who can drive lone blockers deep into the backfield or command and control double teams. He’s also a great athlete with an explosive first step and the ability to win with his speed. Carter is a solid technician at the defensive tackle position and knows what to do with his hands. Not only does he have very heavy hands, but knows how to fit them to maximize his leverage and play strength, as well as how to neutralize linemen’s blocks. He also understands how to match speed counters with his power, and frequently uses a hard club followed by a rip or swim move to beat blockers while they’re still trying to anchor against his bull rush. </p>
<p id="gcdlnA">Carter’s legal troubles relating to the fatal accident in which he was involved have thrown his draft stock into flux. Carter plead no-contest to misdemeanor reckless driving and racing charges. However, teams will want to fully investigate Carter and his off-field character before they invest a high pick in him. </p>
<p id="sjxUjM">Off-field concerns aside, Carter is a very clean prospect who can make any defense in the league better and has an All-Pro ceiling.</p>
https://www.bigblueview.com/2023/4/27/23698262/2023-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-jalen-carter-idl-georgia-scouting-report-ny-giants-news-analysisChris Pflum2023-04-27T12:00:00-04:002023-04-27T12:00:00-04:002023 NFL Draft prospect profile - Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas
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<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 25 Arkansas at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Gizb8cxf5SI0Tn788DaGNgUt3As=/1x0:6000x3999/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72223391/1245169887.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Will Sanders be the best linebacker to come out of the 2023 NFL Draft?</p> <p id="ZdbAUb">The linebacker position has seen a drop in value over the past decade or so. The nickel package has effectively become the base defense of the NFL, and so linebackers aren’t being drafted as highly. </p>
<p id="geFona">However, the more a prospect can do, the more valuable he is, and being able to affect the quarterback is a very valuable skill. Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders is big, long, athletic, and has experience playing in space as well as rushing the passer. Altogether, that makes him an enticing package for NFL teams.</p>
<p id="CCn0nc">The <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a> still need help at the second level of their defense. A player like Sanders, who can be moved around the defensive formation, could be very appealing in Wink Martindale’s defense. But is that enough to make the Giants draft Sanders highly?</p>
<p id="xdtpls"><strong>Prospect:</strong> Drew Sanders (42)<br><strong>Games Watched:</strong> vs. Cincinnati (2022), vs. South Carolina (2022), vs. <a href="https://www.goodbullhunting.com">Texas A&M</a> (2022), vs. Alabama (2022)</p>
<h2 id="mIPvHA">Measurables</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LBsb4mAChqcAF7Hp3_3M2FawcPU=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24605349/Screenshot_2023_04_23_at_5.32.33_PM.png">
<cite>Courtesy Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb) | <a class="ql-link" href="http://RAS.football" target="_blank">RAS.football</a></cite>
</figure>
<h3 id="gYVbtY">Career Stats</h3>
<p id="hjgD1T"><strong>Games Played:</strong> 27<br><strong>Tackles:</strong> 136<br><strong>Tackles for a loss:</strong> 16.0<br><strong>Sacks:</strong> 10.5<br><strong>Forced fumbles:</strong> 3<br><strong>Passes defensed:</strong> 7<br><strong>Interceptions:</strong> 1</p>
<h3 id="femEMC">2022 Stats</h3>
<p id="bo5KZ5"><strong>Games Played:</strong> 12<br><strong>Tackles:</strong> 103<br><strong>Tackles for a loss:</strong> 13.5<br><strong>Sacks:</strong> 9.5<br><strong>Forced fumbles:</strong> 3<br><strong>Passes defensed:</strong> 5<br><strong>Interceptions:</strong> 1</p>
<h2 id="LyHgXi">Quick Summary</h2>
<p id="Yaideu"><strong>Best:</strong> Length, athleticism, versatility, competitive toughness, processing speed, pass rush<br><strong>Worst:</strong> Experience at linebacker, awareness in space<br><strong>Projection:</strong> A starting SAM linebacker in a multiple defense.</p>
<h2 id="GZSrco">Game Tape</h2>
<div id="YlkGX0"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c0AWVbQfA1I?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"></iframe></div></div>
<h2 id="gtDbTV"> Full Report</h2>
<p id="81wmkv">Arkansas’ Drew Sanders is a long, athletic, and competitive linebacker prospect.</p>
<p id="ciS0ON">Sanders played both off-ball and edge defender for the Arkansas defender. He’s an athletic and long linebacker with good range in space and explosive when playing downhill. </p>
<p id="liRjrj">Sanders appears to be a smart linebacker and shows good processing speed. He’s generally quick to diagnose the offense and wastes little time in getting moving toward the ball. Sanders is a relatively rangy linebacker and is able to pursue ball carriers across the field. His versatility to play the run, rush the passer, and be a factor in coverage allows him to produce and impact the game in a variety of ways.</p>
<p id="SAOpIM">He quickly gets good depth when dropping into shallow zones as a coverage player, and has solid balance. He has a quick downhill trigger and generally takes sound angles to the ball. Sanders also has enough size and athleticism to match up with most running backs and tight ends in coverage. He’s a surprisingly smooth mover in space for a taller linebacker, and has enough strength that he won’t be outmuscled by a tight end at the catch point.</p>
<p id="pAPgpT">Sanders is, above all, a tough and competitive player. He’s unafraid of contact and is completely willing to take on offensive line blocks as a run defender and pass rusher. He’s relentless when rushing the passer and is willing to fight his way through multiple blocks, and is also willing to pursue ball carriers across the field.</p>
<p id="m8h2J5">Drew Sanders is new to the linebacker position after two years of playing EDGE for Alabama. And while he clearly processes information quickly on tape, there are still instances when he’s noticeably sorting through his keys and reads. Likewise, Sanders can be seen defending grass at times as offensive players enter his zone without being picked up. He can also guess wrong when in coverage in an attempt to play fast, and looks more like an athlete running around rather than a “linebacker”. </p>
<p id="jBxIIi">Sanders has upside as a pass rusher, but will need to continue to refine his technique in that regard. He relies on a bull rush with a swim move as a counter, but would do well to emphasize his length and athleticism over pure power. </p>
<p id="Tuqzmt"><strong>Overall Grade: </strong>7.7</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="A4I8Yc"><div data-anthem-component="aside:10347966"></div></div></div>
<h2 id="yLx8EW">Projection</h2>
<p id="G7jpUu">Drew Sanders projects as a starting SAM linebacker at the NFL level. </p>
<p id="MhjC0R">He might start his career as a rotational player who comes onto the field as a designated pass rusher, taking advantage of his length and downhill explosiveness. Sanders is still very new to playing off-ball linebacker, and his best football is ahead of him. But for now, he’ll probably be best in situations where there isn’t too much on his mental plate. </p>
<p id="QLSqSw">He seems to be a smart player who processes information quickly, but he doesn’t have enough experience to be truly instinctive. He still needs to read and react to the offense, and his future defensive coordinator should do as much as possible to allow Sanders to play fast. That said, it shouldn’t take long for Sanders to push for more snaps on defense. He’s an athletic linebacker and has the versatility to be a true three down player. </p>
<p id="lC12fv">Sanders’ experience as an edge defender should give him particular appeal to teams that run “positionless” defenses. He can move between off-ball linebacker and EDGE depending on the down, distance, and defensive package. Sanders still needs to hone his technique when taking on blocks, but that too will come with time and coaching. </p>
<p id="YKBMIL">Drew Sanders’ best football is almost certainly still ahead of him, and he has the potential to become an impact player if he can reach his full ceiling. </p>
https://www.bigblueview.com/2023/4/27/23695144/2023-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-drew-sanders-lb-arkansas-scouting-report-ny-giants-news-analysisChris Pflum2023-04-27T09:00:00-04:002023-04-27T09:00:00-04:002023 NFL Draft prospect profile - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
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<img alt="Rose Bowl Game presented by Capital One Venture X - Ohio State v Utah" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7kwQnjIrBlA8ocye8JzWeBPkvSU=/0x0:5063x3375/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72222630/1362312860.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Will Jaxon Smith-Njigba be the best receiver to come out of this draft?</p> <p id="Iurw1s">The 2023 <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a> does not feature a strong wide receiver class. The top wide receivers are almost all physical outliers, and there simply isn’t a “blue chip” outside receiver to set the depth chart. </p>
<p id="baSHS9"><a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a> wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba came into the 2022 season as the presumptive top receiver in the draft class after an incredible 2021 season — his only season of production. However, a series of hamstring issues held him to just five catches in three games on the season, and his draft stock plummeted. </p>
<p id="iLNI2f">Once the draft process started, however, Smith-Njigba was able to rehabilitate his draft stock. He showed that he is once again healthy at Ohio State’s Pro Day, and he’s back in the conversation as the best receiver in the draft.</p>
<p id="YNnDro">The <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a> have an obvious need at wide receiver, and GM Joe Schoen has said that he doesn’t particularly care about body type if the receiver can separate. Getting separation with his routes happens to be Smith-Njigba’s specialty, but will he even fall to the Giants?</p>
<p id="KVIlW9"><strong>Prospect:</strong> Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)<br><strong>Games Watched:</strong> vs. Oregon (2021), vs. Nebraska (2021), vs. Penn State (2021), vs. Michigan (2021)<br><strong>Red Flags:</strong> Hamstring (2022)</p>
<h2 id="8YYAbb">Measurables</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Z3jPhcWHTg0YHufxRf3cTS2gB5w=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24599835/Screenshot_2023_04_20_at_4.01.51_PM.png">
<cite>Courtesy Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb) | <a class="ql-link" href="http://RAS.football" target="_blank">RAS.football</a></cite>
</figure>
<h3 id="d8rfJH">2021 Stats</h3>
<p id="Scfjpa"><strong>Games Played:</strong> 13<br><strong>Receptions:</strong> 95<br><strong>Yards (YPC):</strong> 1,606 (16.9 per catch)<br><strong>Touchdowns:</strong> 9</p>
<h2 id="siVE1Q">Quick Summary</h2>
<p id="rhoPVd"><strong>Best:</strong> Route running, quickness, agility, ball skills, blocking, competitive toughness<br><strong>Worst:</strong> Long speed, catch radius, explosiveness<br><strong>Projection:</strong> A starting receiver with scheme diversity. </p>
<h2 id="PTN93Y">Game Tape</h2>
<div id="RRyZHI"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zXGq3mNPrrI?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"></iframe></div></div>
<h2 id="eeecJB">Full Report</h2>
<p id="z24vHL">Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a smart, agile, reliable, and productive slot receiver.</p>
<p id="5BPUd4">Smith-Njigba was incredibly productive in 2021, with 95 receptions for 1,600 yards, and 9 touchdowns. He is a detailed, savvy route runner and a very reliable catcher of the ball. </p>
<p id="UjdH4S">He has a crisp release off of the line of scrimmage, wasting little time or energy getting into his routes. He was also able to release against man coverage without having his route disturbed. Smith-Njigba makes full use of his route as a weapon, and does a good job of manipulating it based on the situation. He does a good job of pressing his routes vertically when he can, and also manipulates his route tempo to throw off defenders’ timing. Smith-Njigba bends his routes to find soft spots in the defense and does a very good job of selling double moves to create separation downfield. </p>
<p id="l0JeZa">Smith-Njigba does a very good job of locating, tracking, and making adjustments to the ball in the air. He has excellent body control along the sideline and in the red zone. He’s a natural hands catcher who extends to pluck the ball out of the air and away from his body, and he’s able to contort his body to haul in difficult catches. Smith-Njigba also does a good job of positioning his body to box out defenders and shield the ball. </p>
<p id="o1L2Gu">Smith-Njigba has excellent short-area quickness and agility, which he puts to good use as a ball carrier. He’s able to make tacklers miss in close quarters and rack up yards after the catch if he can find a glimmer of daylight. He has solid vision in the open field, as well as the lower-body strength and contact balance to run through arm tackles and survive incidental contact.</p>
<p id="QCGAPJ">He is a tough player, and is a very willing blocker. Smith-Njigba is willing to mix it up around the line of scrimmage, and is quick to transition from receiver to blocker downfield for his teammates.</p>
<p id="0vATnd">Smith-Njigba is a quick and agile receiver, but he lacks great speed and explosiveness, which shows up in his tape. He doesn’t explode off the line of scrimmage, nor does he have an elite burst out of his breaks. He also lacks long speed, and can be run down from behind if he gets loose in the open field. </p>
<p id="KDf1t5">He also played out of the slot almost exclusively in Ohio State’s offense. The alignment made sure he was afforded space with which to work and maximize his strengths. That also means that his ability to play on the perimeter is something of an unknown. Teams will need to project whether or not they believe he can be an outside receiver in their system.</p>
<p id="Lb52KW">Of course, teams will need to do their due diligence with respect to Smith-Njigba’s injury history. Teams will want to pay close attention to Smith-Njigba’s medical reports and his long-term prognosis. </p>
<p id="w6H87g"><strong>Overall Grade: </strong>8.2</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="bip8eM"><div data-anthem-component="aside:10347966"></div></div></div>
<h2 id="MdsI0S">Projection</h2>
<p id="jCQcD9">Jaxon Smith-Njigba projects as a starting slot receiver with scheme diversity at the NFL level. </p>
<p id="Pq7ZPI">Smith-Njigba has shown that he’s a smart, tough, agile, and reliable receiver, and that should be enough to let him produce right away at the NFL level. He isn’t the biggest or fastest receiver, and there could be questions as to whether or not he can be a “Number One” receiver at the NFL level. But regardless of what teams call him, he should be able to handle a high workload and be a reliable option for his future team.</p>
<p id="93vmyR">The biggest questions teams will need to answer is whether or not he can play on the outside, and just how durable he will be. </p>
<p id="v9r3dw">Without seeing Smith-Njigba play a high volume of snaps on the outside, saying whether he can or not is purely a projection. Teams will need to decide for themselves whether or not his traits will translate to the outside in their schemes. The other question is with regards to the hamstring issues that limited him to just three games in 2022. Teams will also need to assess for themselves whether or not he’s a long-term injury risk.</p>
<p id="y430k3">Smith-Njigba has the potential to be the first receiver off the board and the best receiver to come out of the 2023 NFL Draft class. </p>
https://www.bigblueview.com/2023/4/27/23692035/2023-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-jaxon-smith-njigba-wr-ohio-state-scouting-report-ny-giants-newsChris Pflum2023-04-26T16:00:00-04:002023-04-26T16:00:00-04:002023 NFL Draft prospect profile - Will Anderson Jr, EDGE, Alabama
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: Alabama at Mississippi" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/W8iIKHyG_MUkS2MAl0OR-kZ83ro=/0x0:4726x3151/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72220430/usa_today_19419427.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Just how early could Will Anderson Jr. be drafted?</p> <p id="POSUL7">The 2023 <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a> looks to be a good one on the defensive side of the ball. In addition to a very strong cornerback class, it boasts a deep and very talented EDGE group that could dominate the first two rounds.</p>
<p id="E3TKJj">And sitting at the very top of that group of edge defenders is Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr.</p>
<p id="IeznoX">Anderson has been widely regarded as the best edge defender in this draft class since last year. He’s racked up an incredible impressive 48.0 tackles for a loss and 27.5 sacks over the last two years, and now looks to terrorize quarterbacks in the NFL. </p>
<p id="EHYFmw">There’s no chance that the <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a> will get the opportunity to draft Anderson, but we’ll be seeing plenty of him over the coming years. </p>
<p id="k65juy"><strong>Prospect:</strong> Will Anderson Jr. (31)<br><strong>Games Watched:</strong> vs. Texas (2022), vs. <a href="https://www.goodbullhunting.com">Texas A&M</a> (2022), vs. Tennessee (2022), vs. <a href="https://www.redcuprebellion.com">Ole Miss</a> (2022)</p>
<h2 id="miZqvK">Measurables</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QEyntD--igx1jfyBdfiKu8iXvZ8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24610390/Screenshot_2023_04_25_at_3.27.29_PM.png">
<cite>Courtesy Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb) | <a class="ql-link" href="http://RAS.football" target="_blank">RAS.football</a></cite>
</figure>
<h3 id="eNrlJK">Career Stats</h3>
<p id="gUd4vd"><strong>Games Played:</strong> 41</p>
<p id="aP7PRP"><strong>Tackles:</strong> 204<br><strong>Tackles for a loss:</strong> 58.5<br><strong>Sacks:</strong> 27.5<br><strong>Forced fumbles:</strong> 1<br><strong>Passes defensed:</strong> 4<br><strong>Interceptions:</strong> 1</p>
<h3 id="wgCLAw">2022 Stats</h3>
<p id="wujxWO"><strong>Games Played:</strong> 13</p>
<p id="DhA24u"><strong>Tackles:</strong> 51<br><strong>Tackles for a loss:</strong> 17.0<br><strong>Sacks:</strong> 10.0<br><strong>Forced fumbles:</strong> 0<br><strong>Passes defensed:</strong> 1<br><strong>Interceptions:</strong> 1</p>
<h2 id="KQYPRU">Quick Summary</h2>
<p id="at9mNk"><strong>Best:</strong> Football IQ, processing, first step, athleticism, technique<br><strong>Worst:</strong> Occasional over-reliance power rushing<br><strong>Projection:</strong> A starting edge defender with scheme diversity and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-pro-bowl">Pro Bowl</a> upside. </p>
<h2 id="52jxV7">Game Tape</h2>
<div id="jalda7"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m2ih5TeFHLQ?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"></iframe></div></div>
<h2 id="DKsI2V">Full Report</h2>
<p id="oMwJ9M">Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. has an excellent combination of size, athleticism, technique, and football IQ to be an edge defender at the NFL level. </p>
<p id="r8oWF2">Anderson is a versatile defender who’s played from both ends of the defensive front, has rushed from a two and three-point stance, rushes from the interior, and drops into coverage on occasion. He’s able to execute from all alignments, and appears comfortable regardless of what the defensive call is.</p>
<p id="LxUWsX">Anderson does a very good job of keying the snap from a 2 and 3-point stance and is often the one of the very first players moving at the snap of the ball. He has an explosive first step and wastes little time or energy getting into his rush – as evidenced by his 1.61 10-yard split. Anderson is able to threaten offensive tackles with his speed off the edge and accelerates into the backfield.</p>
<p id="l0WN61">He primarily uses a power move as a pass rusher and uses a bull rush as his set-up move. Anderson fires out of his stance with good leverage and plays with good pad level throughout the play. He uses his length well and fits his hands inside the opponent’s framework and does a good job of winning inside leverage. Anderson has very good play strength and is able to overpower tight ends and deliver a good jolt to offensive tackles. </p>
<p id="mXAPd8">Anderson is a very savvy rusher and knows how to set up blockers over the course of a game. He routinely relies on a diverse set of counter moves, such as a long-arm, club, rip, swim, and forklift moves to beat rushers after using his bull rush. Anderson is a chess player and rushes with a plan to take advantage of blockers’ expectations.</p>
<p id="6VOAw6">Anderson’s use of a bull-rush as his go-to pass rush move also allows him to be a disciplined defender. He seldom runs himself out of the play and is able to hold blockers and make plays on the quarterback if he quickly scrambles.</p>
<p id="3gMHOv">He’s a reliable run defender who’s able to disengage from blockers and is quick to get into pursuit. He processes very quickly and does a good job of retracing to defend screens or option plays. Anderson is a reliable tackler who’s willing to fight through multiple blockers and is unafraid of contact when he arrives at the ball carrier.</p>
<p id="VaDmUw">There are very, very few weaknesses in Anderson’s game, and any criticism feels more like nitpicking than anything else. He could stand to be more diverse in his initial move as a pass rusher. He has a deep toolbox of counter moves, but he might find more success in the NFL if he leads off with a speed move more often. </p>
<p id="k2iacw"><strong>Overall Grade: </strong>8.9</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="9MxZyC"><div data-anthem-component="aside:10347966"></div></div></div>
<h2 id="cSg3Ke">Projection</h2>
<p id="4eqqZK">Alabama edge defender Will Anderson Jr. projects to be a starting EDGE at the NFL level, with the upside to be a Pro Bowl player before the end of his rookie contract.</p>
<p id="6jq57D">Anderson is a remarkably well-rounded edge defender who can play the run and the pass, as well as drop into coverage on occasion. He also has the ability to win with power or speed, and comes into the NFL with pro-ready technique and a good understanding of how to use his tools. Impressively, Anderson already knows how to set blockers up and beat them with counter moves. He also has very fast processing speed and is quick to retrace and get into pursuit, or break off his rush and defend screen plays. </p>
<p id="cZOTIt">Anderson might not be the biggest, strongest, fastest, most explosive, or bendiest pass rusher in this draft. However, no other pass rusher can match how well-rounded Anderson is, nor how many different ways in which he can win.</p>
<p id="9n7aF7"></p>
<p id="GCm5WV"></p>
https://www.bigblueview.com/2023/4/26/23698034/2023-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-will-anderson-jr-edge-alabama-scouting-report-ny-giant-newsChris Pflum2023-04-26T14:00:00-04:002023-04-26T14:00:00-04:002023 NFL Draft prospect profile - Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: Oregon at Arizona" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BQbHesV60zuoBwkI_cBiZQKFA_M=/0x56:4660x3163/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72219966/usa_today_19245057.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Will Gonzalez be the first cornerback to be drafted out of a very good class?</p> <p id="Z75JQQ">The cornerback position has become one of the most important on the football field, and every defense is looking for a great corner to make receivers’ lives miserable. </p>
<p id="PNmGJE">The good news for defenses the league over — and bad news for offenses — is that the cornerback class in the 2023 <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a> is both talented and very deep. There could well be a dozen starting caliber corners drafted over the first 100 picks in the draft. But who will be the first one selected? </p>
<p id="bwaQdd">It could be Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez, who checks just about every box with regards to size, athleticism, and schematic versatility. He also showed that he belonged in a major program when he transferred from Colorado to Oregon prior to the 2022 season. </p>
<p id="5STgZI">There’s almost no chance that the <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a> get the opportunity to select Gonzalez. But, his selection could be a very early domino that helps determine who the Giants do select in the first round. </p>
<p id="ThhCNx"><strong>Prospect:</strong> Christian Gonzalez (0)<br><strong>Games Watched:</strong> </p>
<h2 id="MXfA1H">Measurables</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zapLb66ko0Xj1ga_30X03scNhkc=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24609470/Screenshot_2023_04_25_at_10.03.19_AM.png">
<cite>Courtesy Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb) | <a class="ql-link" href="http://RAS.football" target="_blank">RAS.football</a></cite>
</figure>
<h3 id="Cj2ylb">Career Stats</h3>
<p id="3pEDAi"><strong>Games Played:</strong> 30</p>
<p id="lGY5OC"><strong>Tackles:</strong> 128<br><strong>Tackles for a loss:</strong> 6.0<br><strong>Passes defensed:</strong> 17<br><strong>Interceptions:</strong> 4</p>
<h3 id="0n6WGz">2022 Stats</h3>
<p id="BtmQ0b"><strong>Games Played:</strong> 12</p>
<p id="gFWjGv"><strong>Tackles:</strong> 50<br><strong>Tackles for a loss:</strong> 1.0<br><strong>Passes defensed:</strong> 7<br><strong>Interceptions:</strong> 4</p>
<h2 id="UyZF8L">Quick Summary</h2>
<p id="tm9Rsg"><strong>Best:</strong> Athleticism, size, technique, versatility, man and zone coverage<br><strong>Worst:</strong> Tackling, run support<br><strong>Projection:</strong> A starting cornerback with scheme diversity and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-pro-bowl">Pro Bowl</a> upside. </p>
<h2 id="gHznsO">Full Report</h2>
<p id="wxDPoZ">Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez has a rare combination of size, athleticism, and coverage skills to play the position at the NFL level. </p>
<p id="675aZ6">He has excellent size for the position at 6-foot-1, 197 pounds with 32-inch arms, as well as excellent athleticism, as evidenced by his 4.38 second 40-yard dash and 41 ½ inch vertical. </p>
<p id="hD6isV">Gonzalez played a wide variety of alignments and techniques in Oregon’s defense. He’s played on the left and right side of the defense, as well as in the slot when necessary. He also has experience playing in zone and man coverage schemes, as well as off, bail, and press techniques. He executed each of those alignments and techniques well in the tape viewed.</p>
<p id="mX8Y4G">He has an extremely flexible and fluid lower body, giving him a quick, compact, and balanced back pedal. Gonzalez is able to quickly and easily get depth in his zone drops, as well as delay opening his hips in man coverage. When he does have to transition from his backpedal to sprinting, it is very smooth. Gonzalez is able to keep gaining ground through his transition, or stay in phase with the receiver through their break. </p>
<p id="VL1RIJ">Gonzalez uses his hands well and delivers a stiff jam in press technique, and is also able to stay connected to the receiver without risk of drawing pass interference flags. At times he’s almost able to run the route for the receiver. He also has very good awareness in zone coverage, and also seems to have a high football IQ. </p>
<p id="DyIJFP">He does a very good job of communicating before and after the snap when in zone coverage, and has good eye discipline as well. Gonzalez does a good job of picking up and passing off receivers who enter and leave his zone of responsibility. Likewise, he does a good job of reading the quarterback’s eyes without being manipulated or pulled out of position.</p>
<p id="UmMnvu">Gonzalez wasn’t often targeted, but was disruptive at the catch point in the tape viewed. His length and athleticism allow him to close quickly and shut receiving windows from off coverage. Likewise, his fluidity in man coverage generally puts him in good position to play the receiver’s hands at the catch point.</p>
<p id="iDy4Od">Gonzalez has very few weaknesses as a cornerback, and perhaps the most glaring is in his run defense and tackling. He is much more of a “hitter” than a tackler. He’s often seen delivering a shoulder check, rather than breaking down and executing a form tackle. That wasn’t much of an issue in coverage, as Gonzalez wasn’t often targeted by opposing quarterbacks and he was generally disruptive when he was targeted. A hard shoulder check was often enough. However, it was an issue as a run defender. </p>
<p id="BaNDPw">Gonzalez is a willing run defender, but he can be prone to taking inefficient angles to the ball. That exacerbated his inconsistent tackling, as a poor angle would put him in poor position to even hit the ball carrier. So while he could get to the ball in a hurry, his hits could be more glancing blows.</p>
<p id="w1tobW"><strong>Overall Grade: </strong>8.5</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="zLWO5A"><div data-anthem-component="aside:10347966"></div></div></div>
<h2 id="XRJB80">Projection</h2>
<p id="VMltuu">Christian Gonzalez projects as a starting cornerback at the NFL level.</p>
<p id="2PQ5QV">Gonzalez is one of the safest prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. He has a prototypical blend of size, athleticism, and skill for the cornerback, and proved to be very reliable in coverage for the Ducks. He’s also scheme diverse and should also be able to immediately start in whatever scheme into which he’s drafted.</p>
<p id="M1Y7UJ">Coaches will want to work with Gonzalez with respect to his tackling and run defense, but a corner who isn’t a great tackler is hardly unheard-of coming out of college. His primary job, and the source of his value, will be his pass coverage, and he should be very good at that. It isn’t hard to imagine Gonzalez receiving Pro Bowl honors before his rookie contract is up.</p>
https://www.bigblueview.com/2023/4/26/23697450/2023-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-christian-gonzalez-cb-oregon-scouting-report-ny-giants-news-analysisChris Pflum2023-04-26T11:00:00-04:002023-04-26T11:00:00-04:002023 NFL Draft prospect profile - Tuli Tuipulotu, EDGE, USC
<figure>
<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 11 Colorado at USC" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/q43d1yh32r61010ZMaH_GgNPs3A=/0x0:2637x1758/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72219027/1244861105.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Could Tuipolutu join fellow USC alum Leonard Williams on the Giants’ line?</p> <p id="8QTCIv">The <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a> are a diverse pressure-heavy defense that strives to dictate terms to the opposing offense. Wink Martindale often refers to his defense as <em>positionless. </em>He uses a 290-pound player as an edge rusher, had safeties sugaring the A-Gap, and often employed quarter personnel packages with seven or more defensive backs.</p>
<p id="361KOt">Martindale doesn’t get the credit he deserves for the variety of personnel packages he employs, and his overall creativity of maximizing every defensive player at his disposal. USC edge/IDL Tuli Tuipulotu is a 6-foot-3, 266-pound player who offers upside as a situational pass rusher on the inside.</p>
<p id="J7wK18">He’s not long, nor is he overly athletic, but his motor, crafty hands, and fantastic understanding of when to strike helped him record 13.5 sacks and 56 pressures in 2022. Tulipulotu terrorized PAC-12 quarterbacks all season, which is the primary reason he was a Unanimous All-American. He’s still only 20 years old, and could be in contention for the Giants on day two.</p>
<p id="IS2ntE"><strong>Prospect:</strong> Tuli Tuipulotu (49)<br><strong>Games Watched:</strong> <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/cotton-bowl">Cotton Bowl</a> vs. Tulane (2022), CC vs. Utah (2022), vs. <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com">Notre Dame</a> (20220, at Arizona (2022)<br><strong>Red Flags:</strong> Did not test at combine or pro day with right hamstring injury. However, he did do positional drills at his pro day. The lack of testing is also concerning considering his overall athletic ability is in question. </p>
<h2 id="f3wJnq">Measurables</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rxrTHiFCQijv91FrsGpAANc_MoA=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24607064/Screenshot_2023_04_24_at_11.46.35_AM.png">
<cite>Courtesy Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb) | <a class="ql-link" href="http://RAS.football" target="_blank">RAS.football</a></cite>
</figure>
<h3 id="wMG427">Career Stats</h3>
<p id="i0QMSI"><strong>Tackles:</strong> 116<br><strong>Tackles for a loss:</strong> 30<br><strong>Sacks:</strong> 21.0<br><strong>Forced fumbles:</strong> 4<br><strong>Passes defensed:</strong> 5</p>
<h3 id="TYLS01">2022 Stats</h3>
<p id="bKh7f5"><strong>Tackles:</strong> 46<br><strong>Tackles for a loss:</strong> 22<br><strong>Sacks:</strong> 13.5<br><strong>Forced fumbles:</strong> 2<br><strong>Passes defensed:</strong> 3</p>
<h2 id="0MA2cb">Quick Summary</h2>
<p id="sjeU8O"><strong>Best:</strong> Crafty hands, pass rush plan, understanding of timing, hustle, alignment versatility, productive, only 20 years old <br><strong>Worst: </strong>Not explosive, speed up arc, lacks closing burst/movement as read defender, change of direction, gets lost as a run defender, inconsistent stack and shed as run defender, lacks length <br><strong>Projection:</strong> A situational pass-rusher in an even front. Could be used in a speed package inside for the Giants’ defense </p>
<h2 id="w837AS">Full Report</h2>
<p id="7fEWES">Solid height with marginal length and big hands for an edge rusher; light for an interior defensive lineman, good weight for an even front edge. He has a very dense lower-body where he generates good overall power into contact. </p>
<p id="1m64Cg">Tuipulotu has an adequate get off with solid quickness, but he’s not explosive. Still, he finds ways to get to the half-man because he understands how/when to employ certain movements with both his feet and hands.</p>
<p id="VCZj1o">Tuipulotu’s hands and feet work in unison to win one-on-one blocks. When rushing the passer, he sets tackles up with hard steps as he closes width to keep OTs guessing. He has solid quickness and a low get-off to effectively work to the half-man where his excellent use of hands and ability to string moves together are used to his advantage. </p>
<p id="IVCZ3h">He has a deep bag of tricks and quick violent hands. The plant fake with his feet set up the double swipe, club, inside spin, or push-pull; Tuipulotu did well when he employed his bull-rush to rip move (<em>Tulane, Q4, 3:13, 1first-and-10 - sack; Arizona Q3, 9:05, third-and-8 - holding</em>). Did a great job working to offensive lineman’s half-man and employing a rip move - does well to explode violently upward to create separation. </p>
<p id="Pmq3Ex">The crafty nature of his hands are abetted by his elite competitive nature. Tuipulotu is the USC energizer bunny - he doesn’t stop. When his combination of moves allows him gain a step up the pass-rushing arc, Tuipulotu does a solid overall job cornering. He can get low and stay low, but he’s not a <em>flatten at the ankle joint</em> type of rusher. Still, he bends through contact well and uses his hands to maximize his ability to crash into the pocket.</p>
<p id="kY7Pan">Tuipulotu also does a great job slanting inside; while going into interior gaps, he has that whole Jack Nicholson in The Shining ability to get skinny through narrow gaps and pierce into the pocket. He’s turned his shoulders completely horizontal and does a good job reorienting his path while his momentum is forward.</p>
<p id="wvQiIX">I appreciate Tuipulotu’s ability to be a balanced rusher who creates pressure despite a lack of high-end athletic traits. He leveraged his quickness to slip around blocks or penetrate as a run defender. I sensed some indecisiveness and a lack of burst as a read defender which was exploited against Tulane and Notre Dame.</p>
<p id="uGX00Y">He doesn’t have the quickest feet in space, and his closing-speed is modest at best, but he is relentless in pursuit. He still needs to do a better job disengaging from blocks as a run defender when he is tasked to read and react. His lack of length hurts him in this area, and he has to keep his pad level low. His weight also went through several changes throughout his time at USC.</p>
<p id="FEXMgu">He could improve as a run defender, but the baseline energy he plays with is encouraging to his profile. Overall, Tuipulotu aligned everywhere in USC’s defensive front. He dropped into coverage 46 times in 2022, and presumably can handle that responsibility to the boundary. His crafty hands and prompt nature, along with his instincts as a pass rusher, will be valuable to any team. However, he’s not a plug and play starter for every system. </p>
<p id="CLw5wX"><strong>Overall Grade: </strong>7.1</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="cDzgNH"><div data-anthem-component="aside:10347966"></div></div></div>
<h2 id="QiCvt8">Projection</h2>
<p id="obpN24">He’s not plug and play for every system, but a system that allows him to pin his ears back from a variety of locations would benefit Tuipulotu early in his career. He could work his way to starting in an even front as an end, who can align in a wide-9 in obvious passing situations. Tuipulotu could also kick inside and use his penetration ability and hands as an interior pass rusher. </p>
<p id="peWIID">Tuipulotu has a high floor because of his pass-rushing moves and his approach to the game. His ceiling may be capped due to a lack of high-end athletic ability. At the very least, he would be a special team leader.</p>
https://www.bigblueview.com/2023/4/26/23695415/2023-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-tuli-tuipulotu-edge-usc-scouting-report-ny-giants-news-analysisNick Falato2023-04-26T09:00:00-04:002023-04-26T09:00:00-04:002023 NFL Draft prospect profile - Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: Boston College at Notre Dame" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5hF47Eek6dZBVjqB0obnW3WGSbA=/0x0:4155x2770/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72218538/usa_today_19464909.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>What’s Mayer’s ceiling in the NFL?</p> <p id="kds5TU"><a href="https://www.onefootdown.com">Notre Dame</a> tight end Michael Mayer has been one of the most consistently highly graded players in the 2023 <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a>. Mayer was considered a first round prospect at the start of the 2022 season and has been considered a Top 20 player for almost all of the process leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft. </p>
<p id="Ld6Tku">Tight ends aren’t often considered valuable prospects, and it speaks to Mayer’s ability that there are few questions regarding his ability to immediately help a team. He isn’t the biggest, strongest, or fastest tight end in the nation, but he’s widely considered to be the best.</p>
<p id="W4EQyv">Granted, tight end isn’t a huge need for the Giants in 2023, but they do need pass catchers. But could the Giants take the unusual step of bypassing the receiver class and adding another tight end to bolster their passing attack if Mayer falls to them? </p>
<p id="IPMbaq"><strong>Prospect:</strong> Michael Mayer (87)<br><strong>Games Watched:</strong> vs. <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a> (2022), vs. California (2022), vs. North Carolina (2022), vs. USC (2022)</p>
<h2 id="i0vbJN">Measurables</h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/s0Cc_dNSWIKztGpJ5iXafgr-MHs=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24601936/Screenshot_2023_04_21_at_4.28.59_PM.png">
<cite>Courtesy Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb) | RAS.football</cite>
</figure>
<h3 id="xFIR17">Career Stats</h3>
<p id="otDtnB"><strong>Games Played:</strong> 36<br><strong>Receptions:</strong> 180<br><strong>Yards (YPC):</strong> 2099 (11.7 per catch)<br><strong>Touchdowns:</strong> 18</p>
<h3 id="kycUjh">2022 Stats</h3>
<p id="zxHYcu"><strong>Games Played:</strong> 12 <br><strong>Receptions:</strong> 67<br><strong>Yards (YPC):</strong> 809 (12.1 per catch)<br><strong>Touchdowns:</strong> 9</p>
<h2 id="we0v2q">Quick Summary</h2>
<p id="O7A6ov"><strong>Best:</strong> Blocking, route running, ball skills, competitive toughness, play strength<br><strong>Worst:</strong> Top end athleticism, burst out of three-point stance<br><strong>Projection:</strong> A starting tight end with scheme versatility. </p>
<h2 id="i8wcTG">Game Tape</h2>
<div id="eXznf1"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JsR04kLWDzY?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="RoyJi8">(<em>Mayer is Notre Dame TE number 87</em>)</p>
<h2 id="Xl9y29">Full Report</h2>
<p id="nM5uOJ">Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer is a stout, tough, smart, competitive, and versatile tight end prospect.</p>
<p id="3RG3Qs">Mayer has solid size for the position at 6-foot 4 ½ inches, and 249 pounds. He does have relatively short arms at 31 ⅝ inches, but that didn’t impact his blocking or receiving on tape. </p>
<p id="dLZjqm">He was used all over the Notre Dame formation, playing a traditional tight end role, slot receiver, an H-back or fullback role, and even some wide receiver. Mayer was used as both a receiver and blocker from all of the above alignments, and executed well from each. </p>
<p id="SodDAm">Mayer is a very capable run blocker and pass protector as a tight end. He has a complete understanding of his blocking scheme and was always in position on time as a blocker. He also has very good play strength and solid technique as both a pass protector and run blocker. He typically attacked defenders with good leverage, delivering strikes to try and stop them cold, if not drive them back. He’s capable of holding up against edge defenders in pass protection, and even creating movement on the edge as a run blocker. Mayer also has enough athleticism to be a solid blocker in space on screen plays or at the second level on runs.</p>
<p id="nGhwkn">He’s also a good – and instinctive – receiver at all levels of the field. Mayer is a savvy, detailed route runner with a good feel for using his tempo and stem to manipulate defenders and understands his role within the route concept. He’s able to bend his routes to find the voids between coverage zones, settling down and making himself available for his quarterback. </p>
<p id="6kKRli">On the flip side of that, Mayer knows how to manipulate his routes to create traffic for defenders and space for his teammates. He will purposefully run his routes into coverage and position himself to be an obstacle for coverage players when the ball is going to a teammate in the same area of the field.</p>
<p id="0UNTXk">Mayer is a natural “hands” catcher who consistently attacks the ball at the catch point and makes an effort to pluck it out of the air and away from his body. He has good body control and makes great adjustments to the ball in the air to haul in circus catches. </p>
<p id="UXc6Mc">Mayer has very few true weaknesses as a tight end. He’s an adequate athlete for what he was asked to do at Notre Dame, but he lacks the top-end athleticism boasted by some of his peers. Mayer can appear lumbering out of his stance and he doesn’t have elite speed or agility. </p>
<p id="HSQUyH">He also lacks a great burst or explosiveness. Most notably, he has a definite hesitation when playing out of a 3-point stance. There are instances where Mayer is one of the last players moving at the snap of the ball. Though it doesn’t seem to impact him much at the collegiate level, defenders could take advantage at the NFL level.</p>
<p id="xLu1iM"><strong>Overall Grade: </strong>8.4</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="RfqA5h"><div data-anthem-component="aside:10347966"></div></div></div>
<h2 id="kcAQNA">Projection</h2>
<p id="51W4dp">Michael Mayer projects as a starting tight end with scheme versatility at the NFL level. Mayer should be able to start right away in just about any offense routinely called in the NFL. </p>
<p id="W0IiiQ">He’s already a capable blocker who coaches can rely upon in pass protection or on short-yardage running downs. He might not be a dominant blocker, but his play strength and technique are enough to make him consistently competitive. He does more than just “lose slowly” as a blocking tight end</p>
<p id="9PmSx1">Mayer is a very instinctive route runner and has an absolutely uncanny ability to slip below defenders’ notice and get lost in coverage. There were multiple instances where he is clearly in the route progression, yet no defender seemed to notice him.</p>
<p id="VqxJRj">It’s easy to look at Michael Mayer on paper and be a bit disappointed. He’s a bit smaller than is prototypical for a tight end, has short arms, and had a disappointing workout at the combine. But on the field, he’s greater than the sum of his parts and just wins. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Mayer get <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-pro-bowl">Pro Bowl</a> honors before his rookie contract is up. </p>
https://www.bigblueview.com/2023/4/26/23693320/2023-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-michael-mayer-te-notre-dame-scouting-report-ny-giants-news-analysisChris Pflum2023-04-25T16:00:00-04:002023-04-25T16:00:00-04:002023 NFL Draft prospect profile - Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Senior Bowl Practice" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qZSf-FtL3y9VZTopwJx6CNioSEQ=/0x0:1825x1217/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72216179/usa_today_19902403.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Is Musgrave a dark horse for the first round?</p> <p id="7NYEI0">We’ve talked up the depth and breadth of talent at the cornerback and edge positions in the 2023 <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a>, but the tight end position might be the most thoroughly talented in this draft class. The problem, of course, is that tight ends don’t have the positional value that the others positions have. </p>
<p id="UsZCus">But still, we could see a lot of very good tight ends come out of this draft, and they could be drafted higher than some are expecting. </p>
<p id="RYUQwL"><a href="https://www.buildingthedam.com">Oregon State</a>’s Luke Musgrave (nephew of long-time NFL coach Bill Musgrave) was expected to have a breakout season in 2022. He got off to a strong start in his first two games, only for that season to be ended early by an undisclosed knee injury. </p>
<p id="SDgdIx">And with him out of sight, he slipped out of mind for many draft evaluators. But then he proved to be one of the most athletic players at the 2023 Reese’s <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/senior-bowl">Senior Bowl</a> — where he also received a clean bill of health — and he was suddenly back on the radar at large. Musgrave’s rise continued with a great showing at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, and now he’s back to being considered one of the top tight end prospects in the draft.</p>
<p id="FmUdEP">Musgrave has the potential to be a complete tight end at the NFL level, but right now is considered to be a better receiving tight end than blocker. Could that make him a dark-horse in the first two rounds for the Giants, who’ve already invested pretty heavily in pass catchers? </p>
<p id="LLeG0g"><strong>Prospect:</strong> Luke Musgrave (88)<br><strong>Games Watched:</strong> vs. Oregon (2021), vs. <a href="https://www.obnug.com">Boise State</a> (2022), vs. Fresno State (2022)<br><strong>Red Flags:</strong> Knee (undisclosed - 2022)</p>
<h2 id="cjC8ZT">Measurables</h2>
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<cite>Courtesy Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb) | <a class="ql-link" href="http://RAS.football" target="_blank">RAS.football</a></cite>
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<h3 id="sYUluV">Career Stats</h3>
<p id="fELqq7"><strong>Games Played:</strong> 20<br><strong>Receptions:</strong> 47<br><strong>Yards (YPC):</strong> 633 (13.5 per catch)<br><strong>Touchdowns:</strong> 2</p>
<h3 id="4Q6Vpe">2021 Stats</h3>
<p id="5W6Z4x"><strong>Games Played:</strong> 10<br><strong>Receptions:</strong> 22<br><strong>Yards (YPC):</strong> 304 (13.8 per catch)<br><strong>Touchdowns:</strong> 1</p>
<h2 id="N5Z1pU">Quick Summary</h2>
<p id="Eyk1LW"><strong>Best:</strong> Size, athleticism, route running, hands<br><strong>Worst:</strong> Run blocking, health<br><strong>Projection:</strong> An important number two tight end with starting upside and scheme diversity </p>
<h2 id="2vIkVu">Game Tape</h2>
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<h2 id="H2aYSn">Full Report</h2>
<p id="0VYWab">Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave has a nearly prototypical blend of size, athleticism, and versatility to play tight end at the NFL level. </p>
<p id="xtN40k">Musgrave has very good size for an NFL tight end at 6-foot 5 ⅞ inches, 253 pounds, with 32 ⅝ inch arms and 10 ⅜ inch hands, and is also an excellent athlete for the position. Musgrave has good linear speed and explosiveness, as well as surprising quickness and agility for a bigger tight end. He played out of multiple alignments in Oregon State’s offense, lining up as an in-line and detached tight end, as an H-back, and as a receiver depending on the down, distance, and personnel package. </p>
<p id="aeBRRn">Musgrave is a good and athletic route runner as a pass catcher. He’s quick out of his stance and is able to navigate traffic around the line of scrimmage without being knocked off of his route. He runs a relatively diverse route tree for a college tight end and was used as a weapon at all three levels of the defense. Musgrave has enough agility to execute quick timing routes, whip and come-back routes to the intermediate area of the field, and the speed to threaten the defense vertically. His breaks are relatively crisp and he does a good job of finding the voids in zone coverage. Musgrave also has good awareness in scramble drills to recognize when his QB is in trouble and make himself available.</p>
<p id="QrOaag">He’s a natural, reliable, and confident hands catcher as a receiver, and can be an effective safety blanket for quarterbacks. Musgrave does a good job of locating and tracking the ball in the air, and has the body control to make adjustments at the catch point. He makes good use of his length by extending and catching the ball away from his body. He also routinely uses his agility to make fine adjustments at the catch point to place his body between the ball and defenders. </p>
<p id="pdvrtw">As a blocker, Musgrave is at his best in pass protection when delivering chip blocks as he releases into his routes. His athleticism and size provides upside when blocking in space on running or screen plays. Musgrave has the speed to get into position against off-ball linebackers or safeties, and the agility to deliver accurate blocks in space.</p>
<p id="wDUm2D">While Musgrave can be considered a “complete” tight end who can play in an 11-personnel package, he still needs development as a blocker. Musgrave is a willing pass protector and run blocker, but he’s more of an obstacle than a blocker at this point in his development. Musgrave is able to delay and “lose slowly” to pass rushers at the collegiate level, but he could struggle against NFL edge defenders to start his career in the NFL.</p>
<p id="inkuYZ">Likewise, he “won” through positioning as an in-line blocker at the college level and was more of an obstacle than a blocker. </p>
<p id="gr75VV">NFL teams will want to do their due diligence on the health of Musgrave’s knee. He received a full medical clearance at the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl, and even took a similar hit to the one that ended his 2022 season without issue. That said, teams will want to be sure, not just about his current health, but also his long-term prognosis.</p>
<p id="3KFvwZ"><strong>Overall Grade: </strong>7.8</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="5C9urP"><div data-anthem-component="aside:10347966"></div></div></div>
<h2 id="FhvsVk">Projection</h2>
<p id="5FOoQg">Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave projects as a starting tight end with scheme versatility at the NFL level. </p>
<p id="p7AHXH">It might be best for Musgrave to start out his career as an important number two tight end in a 12-personnel set as he hones his blocking skills. However, he has the ceiling to be a starting tight end in an 11-personnel offense in the NFL. Musgrave isn’t regarded as a good blocking tight end right now, but there were enough flashes of upside in that regard to give confidence that he can at least be an adequate blocker for an NFL offense. </p>
<p id="gBDnHV">Pass catching will be his calling card, however. NFL teams are getting better at incorporating athletes at positions other than receiver in their passing games to attack defenses in unexpected ways. Musgrave doesn’t quite have elite size or athleticism, but he has a very good blend of the two traits and should prove to be a tough matchup for linebackers and defensive backs alike. He’s already a solid route runner and a natural “hands” catcher, and can contribute immediately as a receiving tight end.</p>
<p id="1VeegW">Luke Musgrave has the potential to be a complete and very good tight end if he can bring his blocking up enough for teams to trust him in high-leverage situations in 11-personnel packages.</p>
https://www.bigblueview.com/2023/4/25/23692749/2023-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-luke-musgrave-te-oregon-state-scouting-report-ny-giants-newsChris Pflum