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Today Bob McGinn chimes in on the OL:
This is the worst offensive-line crowd in the history of the draft — maybe,” a long-in-the-tooth NFL personnel executive. “We have like 15 guys in our top 150. For an entire 32-team league. We need 320 linemen.
“It’s so bad,” he continued. “There’s going to be some reaches on offensive linemen in this draft. I think every lineman in the top 100 overall will go a half-round to a full round, if not two rounds, higher than they normally would in a given year.”
Six years ago, talent evaluators also foresaw a terrible draft for offensive linemen. That year, however, teams didn’t even bite. Just 10 were taken among the top 100 selections, a far cry from the five-year average of 19.4 in the top 100 from 2018-’22.
In years past there have been more clear-cut (elite linemen),” an executive in personnel for an AFC team said. “Charles Cross would still be the top guy in this draft by head and shoulders. There’s guys with traits. Paris Johnson has those kind of traits so it wouldn’t surprise me if people took him at pick 9 or 10 but the film isn’t as clean as some of those other guys that have gone that high. A lot of these guys don’t feel as clean as what you feel like a first-round O-lineman is.”
My recent polling of 16 personnel men asked each to rank their top offensive linemen regardless of position on a 1-2-3-4-5-6 basis. A first-place vote was worth 6 points, a second 5 and so on.
Paris Johnson and Peter Skoronski tied for first with 74 points, although Skoronski had eight first-place votes compared to five for Johnson. Following, in order, were Broderick Jones (61, three), Darnell Wright (29), Anton Harrison (28), Matt Bergeron (20), O’Cyrus Torrence (14), Dawand Jones (10), Cody Mauch (eight), Joe Tippmann (seven), Steve Avila (four), John Michael Schmitz (three), Sidy Sow (two) and Luke Wypler (two).
This is the worst offensive-line crowd in the history of the draft — maybe,” a long-in-the-tooth NFL personnel executive. “We have like 15 guys in our top 150. For an entire 32-team league. We need 320 linemen.
“It’s so bad,” he continued. “There’s going to be some reaches on offensive linemen in this draft. I think every lineman in the top 100 overall will go a half-round to a full round, if not two rounds, higher than they normally would in a given year.”
Six years ago, talent evaluators also foresaw a terrible draft for offensive linemen. That year, however, teams didn’t even bite. Just 10 were taken among the top 100 selections, a far cry from the five-year average of 19.4 in the top 100 from 2018-’22.
In years past there have been more clear-cut (elite linemen),” an executive in personnel for an AFC team said. “Charles Cross would still be the top guy in this draft by head and shoulders. There’s guys with traits. Paris Johnson has those kind of traits so it wouldn’t surprise me if people took him at pick 9 or 10 but the film isn’t as clean as some of those other guys that have gone that high. A lot of these guys don’t feel as clean as what you feel like a first-round O-lineman is.”
My recent polling of 16 personnel men asked each to rank their top offensive linemen regardless of position on a 1-2-3-4-5-6 basis. A first-place vote was worth 6 points, a second 5 and so on.
Paris Johnson and Peter Skoronski tied for first with 74 points, although Skoronski had eight first-place votes compared to five for Johnson. Following, in order, were Broderick Jones (61, three), Darnell Wright (29), Anton Harrison (28), Matt Bergeron (20), O’Cyrus Torrence (14), Dawand Jones (10), Cody Mauch (eight), Joe Tippmann (seven), Steve Avila (four), John Michael Schmitz (three), Sidy Sow (two) and Luke Wypler (two).
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heard about this website on the radio. it compiles mock drafts from all over and puts together a list of those averages
they have DAL taking DL bryan bresee 1st round
guys on the board: o'cyrus torrence, mazi smith, will mcdonald, steve avila
then 2nd round DAL is mocked to take RB zach charbonnet
i guess take it with a grain of salt because they have players missing from this consensus mock. missing players are CJ stroud, will levis, myles murphy, quentin johnston, and darnell washington... all guys in the top 32 big board, but have no consensus analysis of going to 1 team
www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com
they have DAL taking DL bryan bresee 1st round
guys on the board: o'cyrus torrence, mazi smith, will mcdonald, steve avila
then 2nd round DAL is mocked to take RB zach charbonnet
i guess take it with a grain of salt because they have players missing from this consensus mock. missing players are CJ stroud, will levis, myles murphy, quentin johnston, and darnell washington... all guys in the top 32 big board, but have no consensus analysis of going to 1 team
2023 Consensus Mock Draft | NFL Mock Draft Database
The 2023 Consensus NFL Mock Draft from NFL Mock Draft Database. We've compiled all featured mocks into a single popular 1st round mock draft.
www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com
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Major red flag for Stroud if this is accurate.
Bob McGinn info on QB's and S2 testing:
...Two Hall of Fame inductees, Giants GM George Young and Cowboys coach Tom Landry, are said to have introduced the Wonderlic Personnel Test to the NFL more than 50 years ago as a low-cost, low-fuss way to measure intelligence and predict performance in any job. It remains an active element in the evaluation process.
...The newest thing in judging athletes is S2 Cognition, a business based in Nashville that has been marketing its product to NFL teams for about seven years. And, in interviews with several football executives this month, S2 testing has developed a reputation so strong in the industry that it undoubtedly will affect to some degree how quarterbacks are drafted.
...The S2 website showcases the results of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who was the No. 1 pick in 2020. His total score of 97% was broken down into four sections: 94% on visual learning, 97% in instinctive learning, 97% in impulse control and 93% in improvisation.
According to S2, the 30-to-45 minute exercise is conducted on what The Athletic’s Matt Barrows in February described as a “specially designed gaming laptop and response pad that can record reactions in two milliseconds.” It measures how players process and make split-second decisions. “Anticipating, reading, reacting and adapting to the game are measurable skills,” the website offers.
Multiple sources said Young’s total score was 98% whereas Stroud’s total score was 18%.
Some other total scores in the class of quarterbacks this year were 96% for Fresno State’s Jake Haener, 93% for Kentucky’s Will Levis and Brigham Young’s Jaren Hall, 84% for Houston’s Clayton Tune, 79% for Florida’s Anthony Richardson and 46% for Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker.
“Stroud scored 18,” an executive said. “That is like red alert, red alert, you can’t take a guy like that. That is why I have Stroud as a bust. That in conjunction with the fact, name one Ohio State quarterback that’s ever done it in the league.”
...One NFC executive described the S2 as a “great test.” Said an AFC executive: “For quarterbacks, it’s been pretty good,”
Another executive said S2 made inroads early in its existence testing hitters for major league baseball clubs.
“Then they started doing it in football,” the executive said. “If you get a high score as a quarterback it’s not saying you’re going to be a great player. But if you get a low score, it’s 100% — none of the quarterbacks that got a low score became good players.
“The benchmark is 80. Eighty and above is good. Stroud was 18. It’s incredibly terrible. He’s going to be off (some team’s) boards. He will not be picked by those teams.”
An executive said that Iowa State’s Brock Purdy, the 262nd and final player selected, had the highest S2 score among rookies in 2022.
Despite the S2 results, a survey of 16 evaluators asking them for their choice as the quarterback with the best chance to bust showed Stroud behind Richardson and Levis. The bust vote count was eight for Richardson, five for Levis, two for Stroud and one for Young. In addition, the panel was asked to rank their top quarterbacks on a 1-2-3-4-5 basis, with a first-place vote worth 5 points, a second-place vote worth 4 and so on.
Young, with 10 firsts and 72 points, led the way. He was followed by Stroud (56, two), Levis (46, three), Richardson (40, one), Hooker (20), Max Duggan (two), Haener (two), Tanner McKee (one) and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (one).
Bob McGinn info on QB's and S2 testing:
...Two Hall of Fame inductees, Giants GM George Young and Cowboys coach Tom Landry, are said to have introduced the Wonderlic Personnel Test to the NFL more than 50 years ago as a low-cost, low-fuss way to measure intelligence and predict performance in any job. It remains an active element in the evaluation process.
...The newest thing in judging athletes is S2 Cognition, a business based in Nashville that has been marketing its product to NFL teams for about seven years. And, in interviews with several football executives this month, S2 testing has developed a reputation so strong in the industry that it undoubtedly will affect to some degree how quarterbacks are drafted.
...The S2 website showcases the results of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who was the No. 1 pick in 2020. His total score of 97% was broken down into four sections: 94% on visual learning, 97% in instinctive learning, 97% in impulse control and 93% in improvisation.
According to S2, the 30-to-45 minute exercise is conducted on what The Athletic’s Matt Barrows in February described as a “specially designed gaming laptop and response pad that can record reactions in two milliseconds.” It measures how players process and make split-second decisions. “Anticipating, reading, reacting and adapting to the game are measurable skills,” the website offers.
Multiple sources said Young’s total score was 98% whereas Stroud’s total score was 18%.
Some other total scores in the class of quarterbacks this year were 96% for Fresno State’s Jake Haener, 93% for Kentucky’s Will Levis and Brigham Young’s Jaren Hall, 84% for Houston’s Clayton Tune, 79% for Florida’s Anthony Richardson and 46% for Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker.
“Stroud scored 18,” an executive said. “That is like red alert, red alert, you can’t take a guy like that. That is why I have Stroud as a bust. That in conjunction with the fact, name one Ohio State quarterback that’s ever done it in the league.”
...One NFC executive described the S2 as a “great test.” Said an AFC executive: “For quarterbacks, it’s been pretty good,”
Another executive said S2 made inroads early in its existence testing hitters for major league baseball clubs.
“Then they started doing it in football,” the executive said. “If you get a high score as a quarterback it’s not saying you’re going to be a great player. But if you get a low score, it’s 100% — none of the quarterbacks that got a low score became good players.
“The benchmark is 80. Eighty and above is good. Stroud was 18. It’s incredibly terrible. He’s going to be off (some team’s) boards. He will not be picked by those teams.”
An executive said that Iowa State’s Brock Purdy, the 262nd and final player selected, had the highest S2 score among rookies in 2022.
Despite the S2 results, a survey of 16 evaluators asking them for their choice as the quarterback with the best chance to bust showed Stroud behind Richardson and Levis. The bust vote count was eight for Richardson, five for Levis, two for Stroud and one for Young. In addition, the panel was asked to rank their top quarterbacks on a 1-2-3-4-5 basis, with a first-place vote worth 5 points, a second-place vote worth 4 and so on.
Young, with 10 firsts and 72 points, led the way. He was followed by Stroud (56, two), Levis (46, three), Richardson (40, one), Hooker (20), Max Duggan (two), Haener (two), Tanner McKee (one) and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (one).
Scot
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I would love to know what Dak’s score is now. That might explain a few things.
I know his wonderlick score was 25. With 26 being considered a good score.
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The Wonderlic proved to be almost 100% useless over time.
BB is the resident historian when he is not being physically dominated by large women of color so he may recall for sure, but I believe Q Bong Carter scored higher than Troy Aikman on the Wonderlic.
Tell you all you need to know about it.
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After smoking about 6000 lbs of weed his score is probably close to zero now
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Peter King's mock draft today he has us taking CB Joey Porter.
Also, Tony Pauline is reporting the Cowboys have been placing all sorts of calls to coaches and people outside the organization they trust on scouting about the WR's in this draft.
Also, Tony Pauline is reporting the Cowboys have been placing all sorts of calls to coaches and people outside the organization they trust on scouting about the WR's in this draft.
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Bob McGinn on DL:
In the days leading up to an NFL draft almost 40 years ago, Dick Steinberg and his peers in the NFL scouting community were coming to grips with the exhausting uncertainty of evaluating defensive linemen.
From the first round of 1985, Bruce Smith and Chris Doleman made the Hall of Fame, Ray Childress was a perennial Pro Bowler, Ron Holmes and William “The Refrigerator” Perry were solid players and Kevin Brooks and Darryl Sims were busts.
“There’s been more mistakes made in the defensive line than any other position in the last 15 years,” said Steinberg, at the time director of player development for the New England Patriots. “The biggest reason is inconsistent competitiveness.”
Nothing much has changed. Other than quarterback, one could argue that a defensive tackle with dominant traits might be the most difficult to find and the hardest to evaluate. Because their value is extreme, teams always have and probably always will loosen their grading criteria and reach on big people.
...Carter lied to police about his proximity to the crash. In mid-March, he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. He was sentenced to 12 months on probation and ordered to pay a fine, perform community service and attend a safe-driving course.
“That was all about half lies, half-baked truths,” said an executive in personnel for an NFL team. “The championship is over so he’s out from under their purview and he’s racing on the streets of Athens and people get killed. He had to lie like a dog at the combine. And there’s not one person there at Georgia that will endorse him. What are the red flags here?”
...Another scout said Carter had demonstrated to him during his three-year career hat he didn’t love football and didn’t love the weight room. His conditioning became such an issue at Georgia that the coaches put him on the treadmill almost daily.
In March, Carter showed up at pro day weighing 323 pounds, nine more than at the combine. After Joe Cullen, the defensive line coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, orchestrated drill work for the assembled NFL audience, Carter ran out of gas and abruptly quit.
“He put him through the ringer,” said an executive. “They were trying to break him, and he broke. No, it’s not a black mark. It’s a question mark, not a black mark.”
...Another personnel chief gave Carter a 70-30 chance to succeed in the NFL.
“I don’t trust that he likes football,” he said. “Supremely talented, immature, does it on his pace. … If he loved football, I mean really loved it, he’d be a f--king beast.
“He’ll wind up being like an average NFL guy. It’ll be like (the) dumb *** from Tennessee. What was his name? Haynesworth.”
...My poll of 16 evaluators saw Carter emerge as a unanimous choice. He totaled the maximum 80 points in 1-2-3-4-5 balloting.
Eleven others received votes, including Bryan Bresee (38), Keeanu Benton (28), Mazi Smith (26), Calijah Kancey (24), Keion White (19), Adetomiwa Adebawore (seven), Gervon Dexter (five), Zacch Pickens (five), Siaki Ika (three), Tyler Lacy (three) and Byron Young (two).
In the days leading up to an NFL draft almost 40 years ago, Dick Steinberg and his peers in the NFL scouting community were coming to grips with the exhausting uncertainty of evaluating defensive linemen.
From the first round of 1985, Bruce Smith and Chris Doleman made the Hall of Fame, Ray Childress was a perennial Pro Bowler, Ron Holmes and William “The Refrigerator” Perry were solid players and Kevin Brooks and Darryl Sims were busts.
“There’s been more mistakes made in the defensive line than any other position in the last 15 years,” said Steinberg, at the time director of player development for the New England Patriots. “The biggest reason is inconsistent competitiveness.”
Nothing much has changed. Other than quarterback, one could argue that a defensive tackle with dominant traits might be the most difficult to find and the hardest to evaluate. Because their value is extreme, teams always have and probably always will loosen their grading criteria and reach on big people.
...Carter lied to police about his proximity to the crash. In mid-March, he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. He was sentenced to 12 months on probation and ordered to pay a fine, perform community service and attend a safe-driving course.
“That was all about half lies, half-baked truths,” said an executive in personnel for an NFL team. “The championship is over so he’s out from under their purview and he’s racing on the streets of Athens and people get killed. He had to lie like a dog at the combine. And there’s not one person there at Georgia that will endorse him. What are the red flags here?”
...Another scout said Carter had demonstrated to him during his three-year career hat he didn’t love football and didn’t love the weight room. His conditioning became such an issue at Georgia that the coaches put him on the treadmill almost daily.
In March, Carter showed up at pro day weighing 323 pounds, nine more than at the combine. After Joe Cullen, the defensive line coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, orchestrated drill work for the assembled NFL audience, Carter ran out of gas and abruptly quit.
“He put him through the ringer,” said an executive. “They were trying to break him, and he broke. No, it’s not a black mark. It’s a question mark, not a black mark.”
...Another personnel chief gave Carter a 70-30 chance to succeed in the NFL.
“I don’t trust that he likes football,” he said. “Supremely talented, immature, does it on his pace. … If he loved football, I mean really loved it, he’d be a f--king beast.
“He’ll wind up being like an average NFL guy. It’ll be like (the) dumb *** from Tennessee. What was his name? Haynesworth.”
...My poll of 16 evaluators saw Carter emerge as a unanimous choice. He totaled the maximum 80 points in 1-2-3-4-5 balloting.
Eleven others received votes, including Bryan Bresee (38), Keeanu Benton (28), Mazi Smith (26), Calijah Kancey (24), Keion White (19), Adetomiwa Adebawore (seven), Gervon Dexter (five), Zacch Pickens (five), Siaki Ika (three), Tyler Lacy (three) and Byron Young (two).
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More from above article:
2. BRYAN BRESEE, Clemson (6-5 ½, 302, 4.91, 1-2): Third-year sophomore. “He’s one of the hardest guys to do all year,” said one scout. “To really watch him, the ACC Championship Game, he was pretty good. Then you’ve got to go back to 2020 to really feel him. The talent’s there. Just watch the Tennessee game. Tennessee’s got a pretty good offensive line. There’s a history of injuries. The unknown is, is he breaking down or is it just bad luck? He’s a 3-technique and a 5-technique. He goes 25 to 40.” Suffered a sprained left knee in February 2020 shortly after enrolling and a torn left ACL in Game 4 of 2021. Missed four more games in ’22 with a kidney infection brought on by strep throat. In 2022, his younger sister died after a long battle with cancer. “He started to look like himself at the very end of the season,” said a second scout. “Then he had a good combine and a good pro day. He might end up being OK now that all this is over and can maybe get back on his feet again.” Short arms (32 ½), hands were 10 1/4. “He’s explosive, strong and powerful,” said a third scout. “I liked his effort. I also thought he played too high, which is also of concern.” Finished with 50 tackles (15 for loss) and nine sacks. “I’m not a big Bresee guy,” a third scout said. “By the way, he’d play two plays and have to come off the field and take a knee.” Tallied 16 on the Wonderlic. “Just a try-hard, limited guy,” a fourth scout said. “He got knocked around. Stiff and limited. I guess because he was the No. 1 recruit in the country people are trying to make something out of him. Hit or miss. I didn’t see it.” From Damascus, Md.
3. KEEANU BENTON, Wisconsin (6-3 ½, 311, 5.13, 1-2): Four-year starter at nose tackle in a 3-4 defense. “He’s done well for himself since the end of the season,” one scout said. “He’s not going to be a pass-rushing, penetrating 3-technique but he’s got long enough arms (33 7/8) that he could play across the front for a 3-4 team. He showed a little more athleticism than I gave him credit for.” Finished with 80 tackles (19 for loss) in 45 games and nine sacks. “More of a flash guy but he did improve on that this year,” said a second scout. “Just (more) willing to work on his endurance. He’s quick and can initiate contact. Uses his length well. Does have some pass-rush value just because of his athleticism off the snap. He could ascend to be a starter. Arrow up.” Forged a record of 127-8 as a prep wrestler. “Really strong lock-out,” said a third scout. “Just jack people up and throw ‘em and make plays. At the Senior Bowl he showed better lower-body flexibility, better initial quickness, more disruptive up-field ability. His best football is ahead of him.” Wonderlic of 18. Added a fourth scout: “The lights went on midseason. He’s got a unique skill set, the combination with his hands and his feet to rush the passer from the interior. He’s stout enough to hold the point. He’ll do nothing but get better, and he is a good dude. He’s not a nose. He’s got to be a 3-tech in a four-man line. He goes late first; I don’t think there’s a maybe attached to that.” From Janesville, Wis.
4. MAZI SMITH, Michigan (6-3, 319, no 40, 2): Labeled as “the best true nose in the draft” by one scout. Made just three tackles in 2019-’20 before starting all 28 games in 2021-’22. “Very gifted athlete-size combination,” a second scout said. “Doesn’t necessarily play as hard as he should all the time. He’ll go second round because those big bodies with that athleticism are nearly impossible to find. Obviously, the character concerns could play into that. Playing (the run) requires a lot of discipline and toughness and grit. I don’t think he’s wired that way. Just going off the physical component … well then, absolutely. But that’s when people make mistakes.” Avoided jail time in January. Sentenced to 12 months on probation for a misdemeanor weapons charge. “The gun issue was a stupid thing on his part that he let happen,” said a third scout. “He had already applied for his damn (gun) permit.” Finished with 88 tackles (six for loss) and one-half sack. “Disruptive player,” said a fourth scout. “My concerns would be his motor and strain consistently throughout the game. He’s got a lot of physical tools to play nose on early downs. He can collapse the pocket, but I don’t know if he can burst and close on a guy. But with those noses, ****, if you can get anything in the pass game that’s a plus.” Arms were 33 ¾, hands were 9 ¾. “I wasn’t impressed,” a fifth scout said. “He’s stiff. He doesn’t shed blockers or move to the ball very well. I thought his instincts and his natural strength and explosion were poor for an inside guy. He is not a good football player and I don’t think he’s a good athlete. He’s just a bull in a china shop. Those guys get stalled easy up here. He’s really wide. He just doesn’t play with his arms or his elbows in tight.” Wonderlic of 22. From Grand Rapids, Mich.
...5. CALIJAH KANCEY, Pittsburgh (6-1, 283, 4.73, 2): Had a great combine; led the position in the 3-cone (7.00). “Who’s the most intriguing guy?” one scout said. “Calijah Kancey. He’s a whirling dervish. Heck of a football player. I think of John Randle. Played a little bit on the edge but I liked him inside. He splits double teams from time to time.” The obvious comparison would be Rams nonpareil DT Aaron Donald (6-1, 286, 4.66), a first-round pick from Pitt in 2014. “He’s not Aaron Donald,” another scout said. “He struggles when they get the big bodies on with the double teams and combination blocks. But he’s got some inside pass rush. Plays hard. Just small.” Fourth-year junior, three-year starter at 3-technique in a 4-3 defense. “He’s got value because teams throw the football and he can take advantage of any guard in the league based on his burst and athleticism,” a third scout said. “But just knowing the way these offensive lines are built, those big guys with length, he’ll have problems with them if you want to stop the run. He’s the best 3-technique sub rusher in the draft this year. There are no character flaws.” Finished with 92 tackles (34 ½ for loss) and 16 sacks. “Thirty-inch (30 5/8) arms,” a fourth scout said. “We’re not going to take a guy that small unless it’s Aaron Donald.” Wonderlic of 14. “People are hot to trot on him,” said a fifth scout. “Fun to watch but he’s so small that he’s going to be a package player, not a full-time starter. I don’t know how you take a part-time player in the first round. He’s got some pass rush. Can he get to Josh Allen? Yeah, but can he get him on the ground? I don’t know.” From Miami.
2. BRYAN BRESEE, Clemson (6-5 ½, 302, 4.91, 1-2): Third-year sophomore. “He’s one of the hardest guys to do all year,” said one scout. “To really watch him, the ACC Championship Game, he was pretty good. Then you’ve got to go back to 2020 to really feel him. The talent’s there. Just watch the Tennessee game. Tennessee’s got a pretty good offensive line. There’s a history of injuries. The unknown is, is he breaking down or is it just bad luck? He’s a 3-technique and a 5-technique. He goes 25 to 40.” Suffered a sprained left knee in February 2020 shortly after enrolling and a torn left ACL in Game 4 of 2021. Missed four more games in ’22 with a kidney infection brought on by strep throat. In 2022, his younger sister died after a long battle with cancer. “He started to look like himself at the very end of the season,” said a second scout. “Then he had a good combine and a good pro day. He might end up being OK now that all this is over and can maybe get back on his feet again.” Short arms (32 ½), hands were 10 1/4. “He’s explosive, strong and powerful,” said a third scout. “I liked his effort. I also thought he played too high, which is also of concern.” Finished with 50 tackles (15 for loss) and nine sacks. “I’m not a big Bresee guy,” a third scout said. “By the way, he’d play two plays and have to come off the field and take a knee.” Tallied 16 on the Wonderlic. “Just a try-hard, limited guy,” a fourth scout said. “He got knocked around. Stiff and limited. I guess because he was the No. 1 recruit in the country people are trying to make something out of him. Hit or miss. I didn’t see it.” From Damascus, Md.
3. KEEANU BENTON, Wisconsin (6-3 ½, 311, 5.13, 1-2): Four-year starter at nose tackle in a 3-4 defense. “He’s done well for himself since the end of the season,” one scout said. “He’s not going to be a pass-rushing, penetrating 3-technique but he’s got long enough arms (33 7/8) that he could play across the front for a 3-4 team. He showed a little more athleticism than I gave him credit for.” Finished with 80 tackles (19 for loss) in 45 games and nine sacks. “More of a flash guy but he did improve on that this year,” said a second scout. “Just (more) willing to work on his endurance. He’s quick and can initiate contact. Uses his length well. Does have some pass-rush value just because of his athleticism off the snap. He could ascend to be a starter. Arrow up.” Forged a record of 127-8 as a prep wrestler. “Really strong lock-out,” said a third scout. “Just jack people up and throw ‘em and make plays. At the Senior Bowl he showed better lower-body flexibility, better initial quickness, more disruptive up-field ability. His best football is ahead of him.” Wonderlic of 18. Added a fourth scout: “The lights went on midseason. He’s got a unique skill set, the combination with his hands and his feet to rush the passer from the interior. He’s stout enough to hold the point. He’ll do nothing but get better, and he is a good dude. He’s not a nose. He’s got to be a 3-tech in a four-man line. He goes late first; I don’t think there’s a maybe attached to that.” From Janesville, Wis.
4. MAZI SMITH, Michigan (6-3, 319, no 40, 2): Labeled as “the best true nose in the draft” by one scout. Made just three tackles in 2019-’20 before starting all 28 games in 2021-’22. “Very gifted athlete-size combination,” a second scout said. “Doesn’t necessarily play as hard as he should all the time. He’ll go second round because those big bodies with that athleticism are nearly impossible to find. Obviously, the character concerns could play into that. Playing (the run) requires a lot of discipline and toughness and grit. I don’t think he’s wired that way. Just going off the physical component … well then, absolutely. But that’s when people make mistakes.” Avoided jail time in January. Sentenced to 12 months on probation for a misdemeanor weapons charge. “The gun issue was a stupid thing on his part that he let happen,” said a third scout. “He had already applied for his damn (gun) permit.” Finished with 88 tackles (six for loss) and one-half sack. “Disruptive player,” said a fourth scout. “My concerns would be his motor and strain consistently throughout the game. He’s got a lot of physical tools to play nose on early downs. He can collapse the pocket, but I don’t know if he can burst and close on a guy. But with those noses, ****, if you can get anything in the pass game that’s a plus.” Arms were 33 ¾, hands were 9 ¾. “I wasn’t impressed,” a fifth scout said. “He’s stiff. He doesn’t shed blockers or move to the ball very well. I thought his instincts and his natural strength and explosion were poor for an inside guy. He is not a good football player and I don’t think he’s a good athlete. He’s just a bull in a china shop. Those guys get stalled easy up here. He’s really wide. He just doesn’t play with his arms or his elbows in tight.” Wonderlic of 22. From Grand Rapids, Mich.
...5. CALIJAH KANCEY, Pittsburgh (6-1, 283, 4.73, 2): Had a great combine; led the position in the 3-cone (7.00). “Who’s the most intriguing guy?” one scout said. “Calijah Kancey. He’s a whirling dervish. Heck of a football player. I think of John Randle. Played a little bit on the edge but I liked him inside. He splits double teams from time to time.” The obvious comparison would be Rams nonpareil DT Aaron Donald (6-1, 286, 4.66), a first-round pick from Pitt in 2014. “He’s not Aaron Donald,” another scout said. “He struggles when they get the big bodies on with the double teams and combination blocks. But he’s got some inside pass rush. Plays hard. Just small.” Fourth-year junior, three-year starter at 3-technique in a 4-3 defense. “He’s got value because teams throw the football and he can take advantage of any guard in the league based on his burst and athleticism,” a third scout said. “But just knowing the way these offensive lines are built, those big guys with length, he’ll have problems with them if you want to stop the run. He’s the best 3-technique sub rusher in the draft this year. There are no character flaws.” Finished with 92 tackles (34 ½ for loss) and 16 sacks. “Thirty-inch (30 5/8) arms,” a fourth scout said. “We’re not going to take a guy that small unless it’s Aaron Donald.” Wonderlic of 14. “People are hot to trot on him,” said a fifth scout. “Fun to watch but he’s so small that he’s going to be a package player, not a full-time starter. I don’t know how you take a part-time player in the first round. He’s got some pass rush. Can he get to Josh Allen? Yeah, but can he get him on the ground? I don’t know.” From Miami.
