when I look at what we did last year with all the journeyman we got pressure on the quarterback but that back end suffered so I would be ok with this too just wish he would fall to us at 13
I'm hoping for Sauce at 1-3 and Stingley at 1-13. Find a safety like Cook at 107 and the defense will be much better.
There is so many ways we could go, this is really going to be a fun draft. I've always believed in building the lines first and see some interesting combinations at 3/13. OL/DL: Neal or Ekwonu at #3 and Jordan Davis or Jermaine Johnson at #13 - If we go big with Neal/Davis, we get 2 of the biggest freaks in the draft. Neal could compete at RT or LG immediately, gives us flexibility with Tunsil and Howard going forward. Davis is a game changer on the defense with his size/playmaking ability. These two could be cornerstones for our rebuild. Ekwonu and Davis would also fill similar roles with a little difference approach. There are only so many freaks in the world, let's get a couple is this approach. Note: I think either of these options has less risk then some of the other approaches we could take like reversing and going DL/OL with #3 and #13 as there seem to be more questions with Thibs, Walker, Cross, etc. I like Sauce and Hamilton combo as well. Adding Sauce and a Hamilton or Jordan Davis could go along way to rebuilding our defense. I'd also wouldn't mind Caserio moving down a few slots to pickup additional picks.
I’d be perfectly happy with that. Wouldn’t mind moving down from 3 to 6, 8, or 9 pick up a future first and then end up with Hamilton and Stingley.
They did it just for his pass rush snaps as well and it’s only marginally better. He has no pass rush moves and isn’t good at it currently. This would be a pure speculation pick and a major gamble.
1. IKEM EKWONU | NC State | 6040 | 310 lbs. | JR. | Charlotte, N.C. (Providence Day) | 10/31/2000 (age 21.49 ) BACKGROUND: Ikemefuna “Ikem” (ee-KEHM) Ekwonu (eck-WAHN-ew) grew up in the Charlotte area and started playing football in elementary school as a running back. He was involved with the theater growing up, starring as the lead in “101 Dalmatians” in fifth grade. He initially attended Weddington High as a freshman before transferring to Charlotte’s Providence Day. While his fraternal twin brother, Osita, played varsity football all four years of high school, Ikem spent his first two years on junior varsity. He made varsity as a junior and started on both the offensive and defensive lines. As a senior, Ekwonu finished with 29 tackles and four sacks on the defensive line and lined up at left tackle and left guard to be named First Team All-State and All-Conference on offense. He won a state championship in wrestling as a senior and finished 12th in the nation in his weight class (285 pounds). Ekwonu lettered in track and set personal bests in the shot put (49’9) and discus (153’0). He ran the 100 meters (13.24) as a junior and the anchor leg of the 4x100 at 285 pounds as a senior. He was also a three-year member of the chorus (bass and tenor) and was selected for honors chorus as a senior. A three-star offensive guard recruit out of high school, Ekwonu was the No. 35 offensive guard in the 2019 recruiting class and the No. 26 recruit in the state of North Carolina. Osita was considered the higher recruit and heard from Alabama, Ohio State and other top programs as a sophomore. Charlotte became the first offer for Ikem after he became a starter as a junior, followed by Appalachian State and several Ivy League programs. After his junior season, NC State offered him in February 2018 and he committed to NC State over Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Tennessee. His main recruiter at NC State was Dwayne Ledford, who is now the offensive line coach for the Atlanta Falcons. Ikem goes by the nickname “Ickey” and his given first name, Ikemefuna, is from the Igbo language and means “my strength will not be in vain.” Osita is a rising junior linebacker at Notre Dame. His sister (Adaora) is enrolled in the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. His father (Tagbo), who immigrated to the United States from Nigeria, is a doctor and former college basketball player. His mother (Amaka) was a track star in high school. Ekwonu elected to skip his senior season and enter the 2022 NFL Draft. STRENGTHS: Executes outside zone with rare movement skills for his size ... high-level feet and balance on the move ... long arms and explosive hands ... has the grip strength to turn, torque or toss his man ... caves in the line on down blocks ... his violent knockdowns would be felonies anywhere other than the football field ... mauling latch-and-drive skills to escort bodies away from the play ... creates a firm base to anchor his pass sets ... flips his hips with fluid body adjustments to answer twists/loops ... wide, engulfing frame to absorb contact and quickly recover after a misfired punch ... easily pulls cross-formation or downfield ... looks to snatch souls and competes with the same nasty streak for all four quarters ... loves football and carries himself with an uplifting attitude ... his coaches say his love for football is genuine and he started showing leadership traits as a true freshman (NFL scout: “He kept praising his teammates when all I wanted to do was talk about him.”) ... officially credited with 154 pancakes (67 in 2021) and 47 knockdowns in his career ... durable college career (31 consecutive starts) and played interchangeably at left tackle and left guard. WEAKNESSES: Habitual over-setter and surrenders inside leverage ... allows his fundamentals to lax and break down too often ... his inefficient pass sets and eagerness to connect with defenders leads to lunges and misfires with his initial punch ... his hands are powerful, but not always disciplined ... responsible for 10 penalties over his three years in college, including multiple flags for playing beyond the whistle (his amped up play personality can get away from him at times). SUMMARY: A three-year starter at NC State, Ekwonu lined up primarily at left tackle in offensive coordinator Tim Beck’s zone-blocking scheme. He was a late bloomer in high school and showed impressive development from his freshman to sophomore to junior seasons in Raleigh (he dropped his sacks allowed number from seven in 2020 to three in 2021). A mauling blocker in gap or zone, Ekwonu generates extraordinary explosion at contact and uses controlled violence to displace or drive defenders, creating more pancakes than IHOP. Although he is guilty of overaggression and oversetting, he showed tremendous improvement as a junior with his balance and handwork in pass protection, proving he can stay outside at tackle. Overall, Ekwonu isn’t a refined blocker and must improve his landmarks, but he is nimble, powerful and should continue to get better and better as his technique and awareness mature at tackle. He has the traits to become an elite run blocker in the NFL and should be a rookie starter at tackle or guard. GRADE: 1st Round (No. 2 overall)
2. EVAN NEAL | Alabama 6074 | 337 lbs. | JR. Okeechobee, Fla. (IMG Academy) | 9/19/2000 (age 21.61) #73 BACKGROUND: Evan Neal, who has seven siblings, was born and raised in Okeechobee, Fla. (about halfway between Miami and Orlando), the same hometown as his parents. He grew up in a sports family and played football and basketball throughout his childhood. Neal attended Okeechobee High as a freshman and played right guard and right tackle on varsity (at 330 pounds) while also seeing snaps at defensive tackle. After his freshman year, he transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton (about two hours west), where he started at right guard as a sophomore. With Daniel Faalele playing primarily at left tackle for IMG in 2017, Neal saw action at tackle and guard as a junior, helping IMG to a 9-0 record. He kicked out to left tackle as a senior in 2018 and was named an Under Armour All-American. A five-star offensive tackle recruit out of high school, Neal was the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2019 recruiting class, the No. 7 recruit overall and the No. 3 recruit in the state of Florida. Although he grew up in a family of Miami Hurricanes fans, he rooted for Alabama and gave a soft verbal to the Crimson Tide as a high school freshman (Mario Cristobal was his main recruiter). However, Neal kept his recruitment open and narrowed his final choices to Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia and Miami, committing to the Crimson Tide after his senior season. His father (Eddie) played linebacker at Tulane (his parents now own and operate Douglas Park Grocery in Okeechobee). His uncle (Cleveland Gary) played running back at Georgia and Miami before becoming a first-round pick (No. 26 overall) in the 1989 draft, playing six seasons in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams and Miami Dolphins. His uncle (Jimmie Jones) was a defensive lineman at Miami and a third-round pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, playing eight seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, St. Louis Rams and Philadelphia Eagles. Neal skipped his senior year and entered the 2022 NFL Draft. STRENGTHS: Massive frame with wide hips to comfortably carry his weight ... fluid out of his stance with the lower-body coordination to quickly cut off pass-rush angles (allowed only five sacks during his college career) ... moves with unique flexibility for his size (No. 1 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List) ... his punch is tight, heavy and consistently on time ... uses his long arms to steer rushers wide of the pocket ... there is very little give in his reach, and he won’t allow his arms to be chopped down ... casts a wide net in the run game to scoop and drive defenders ... his hands are physical and unforgiving at contact ... able to cave in the line with his natural power ... has the mobility to pull and trap, swinging his hips to seal lanes ... plays with adequate awareness to break down stunts ... not a highly penalized player, drawing only one flag (holding penalty) in 2021 ... rugged play personality and he looks to finish every play with his competitive nature ... named a team captain as a junior ... durable, starting 40 games over the last three seasons and missing only one (due to COVID-19) ... logged double-digit starts at three different positions (left tackle, right tackle, left guard) in college and should continue to improve once he has continuity at one spot. WEAKNESSES: Tends to fall off blocks and needs to fortify his balance at contact ... can be tossed when he allows his upper half to overextend ... inconsistent sustain and finish in the run game, especially in space ... doesn’t have elite lateral range in pass protection and can be beaten to the corner ... occasionally shows cracks in his fundamentals, leaving him on the ground too much ... needs to continue to develop his play strength ... maintained a consistent weight at Alabama (around 350 pounds), but he reached 390 pounds in high school, and the conditioning staff will need to keep a close eye on his weight. SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Alabama, Neal started at left tackle as a senior in offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien’s offense. After starting every game at left guard as a freshman and at right tackle as a sophomore, he kicked out to left tackle this past season and played his best football as a junior, earning Consensus All- American honors. A smooth athlete for a massive blocker, Neal bends well in pass protection and continues to rework his feet into position, using controlled hand exchange to keep rushers contained. In the run game, he has strong hands and does well at initial contact as a drive blocker, but his balance and sustain skills start to fade as the play progresses. Overall, Neal lacks elite lateral agility and needs to clean up his leaning, but he is an effective blocker thanks to his rare mix of size, athleticism and flexibility. He projects as an immediate NFL starter with Pro Bowl potential and multi-position versatility. GRADE: 1st Round (No. 3 overall)
1. AIDAN HUTCHINSON | Michigan | 6065 | 260 lbs. | SR. | Plymouth, Mich. (Divine Child) 8/9/2000 (age 21.72) BACKGROUND: Aidan Hutchinson, who is the youngest of three children, was born and raised in southeast Michigan and grew up playing soccer and flag football, but didn’t play tackle football until the seventh grade (his father wanted him to wait until he felt he was ready). He attended Divine Child High, a Catholic school in Dearborn, Mich., and played on the junior varsity as a 160-pound freshman. Hutchinson was a three-year varsity starter at defensive end, while also playing offensive line and tight end on offense and long snapper on special teams. Over his junior and senior seasons, he led Divine Child to back-to-back Catholic League Titles. After posting 11.0 sacks as a junior, Hutchinson finished his senior year with 65 tackles, 27.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, one forced fumble and one blocked kick, adding 38 catches for 419 yards and eight touchdowns at tight end. He was named to the 2017 All-Catholic team and received an invitation to the 2018 U.S. Army All-American Game (four tackles, two sacks in that game). Hutchinson also lettered in lacrosse at Divine Child and was a two-time team captain and earned Second Team All-State honors as a junior. A four-star recruit out of high school, Hutchinson was the No. 6 strongside defensive end in the 2018 recruiting class and the No. 1 recruit in the state of Michigan. His first scholarship offer came from LSU during his sophomore year in high school. Hutchinson also considered offers from Michigan State, Wisconsin and others, but he grew up a diehard Michigan fan and officially committed prior to his senior season. His father (Chris) was a defensive lineman and captain at Michigan (1989-92), earning All-American and team MVP honors in 1992 (he is now an emergency room physician in Royal Oak, Mich.). His mother (Melissa) and both of his older sisters (Mia and Aria) also attended Michigan. He is not related to Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Michigan guard Steve Hutchinson. Hutchinson chose not to play in the 2022 Senior Bowl. STRENGTHS: Balanced, flexible athlete ... rushes downhill to consistently convert his speed to power ... attacks with energetic hands to stun/swat blocks and create leverage points ... posted the quickest “swim rush right” time at the Combine (1.69 seconds) ... skillfully strings together his rush, including aggressive secondary moves (swipe, swim, etc.) to win one-on-one ... agile lower body to slide and create rush lanes ... hyper-alert play style with the ability to see through blocks and quickly pursue the ball ... stout vs. the run with the physical hands to stack and shed ... ball carriers go lifeless when he strikes as a tackler, and missed tackles are rare ... intangibles are off the charts and voted a team captain as a junior and senior ... intelligence shows on and off the field: First Team Academic All-American and finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy (Academic Heisman) ... football lifer with elite preparation and practice habits (Hutchinson: “I’m willing to die for this, I swear. I want it more than anyone, I promise you that.”) ... plays with maniacal effort and chase skills ... inherited his father’s “mental strength and motor,” according to his mother ... has experience lining up inside the B-gaps ... finished second in the voting for the 2021 Heisman Trophy (just the fourth defensive player to finish first or second in Heisman Trophy history) ... outstanding backfield production over his two healthy seasons as a starter, combining for 120 pressures and 18.5 sacks over his 27 starts in 2019 and 2021. WEAKNESSES: Below-average arm length, especially for a player with his height ... arc acceleration and cornering speed are average by NFL standards ... his move-to- move transitions can be slowed at contact if his pad-level is high and he doesn’t hit those important leverage points ... there are times he relies on hustle instead of technique in his rush setup ... improved timing with his counters will help his overall rush plan ... had his 2020 season cut short because of a fracture in his right ankle that required surgery (November 2020). SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Michigan, Hutchinson lined up primarily as an edge rusher in former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald’s multiple front, standing up and rushing from the left and right side. Considered a mid-first rounder entering the 2021 season, he surpassed expectations with his All-American senior year, finishing third in the FBS with a single-season Michigan record 14.0 sacks. Hutchinson wins in multiple ways, with the power in his upper half to overwhelm blockers but also the agile feet and hand technique to quickly disengage. He is wired the right way with the competitive play personality that raises the level of his teammates (Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh: “He is one of my absolute favorite guys that I’ve coached and for all the right reasons.”). Overall, Hutchinson doesn’t have the same bend or arc skills as the Bosa brothers, but he wins with similar quickness, power and skilled hand play to be productive as both a pass rusher and run defender. He projects as a disruptive, scheme-proof NFL starter. GRADE: 1st Round (No. 1 overall)
2. TRAVON WALKER | Georgia 6050 | 272 lbs. | JR. Thomaston, Ga. (Upson-Lee) 12/18/2000 (age 21.36) #44 BACKGROUND: Yury “Travon” Walker, who has two sisters, was born and raised in Thomaston (where his parents grew up), which is about 70 miles south of Atlanta. He started playing sports, mainly basketball and football, at the youth level and into middle school (also played the trombone in band). Walker attended Upson-Lee High, where he was a three-sport letterman. Playing all over the front seven on defense (also saw snaps at running back and tight end), he earned Honorable Mention All-State honors as a sophomore and junior, finishing with 37 tackles, 3.0 sacks, and two forced fumbles in 2017. As a senior, Walker earned U.S. Army All-American honors on the defensive line and added six touchdowns (three rushing, three receiving) on offense. He was a four-year starter on the basketball team and led Upson- Lee to 75 consecutive wins, including back-to-back Class 4A state championships his sophomore and junior years. As a senior power forward, Walker averaged 16.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game, finishing his career with 1,109 points and 1,023 rebounds. He also lettered in track (discus and shot put). A five-star recruit out of high school, Walker was the No. 3 defensive tackle in the 2019 recruiting class (No. 22 overall) and the No. 2 recruit in the state of Georgia. He cut down his lengthy offer list to Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and South Carolina before committing to his home-state Bulldogs the summer before his senior year. His father (Stead) served in the Marines and raised Travon with that same sense of discipline. Walker’s real first name is Yuri (same as his father) but has always gone by Travon. He decided to skip his senior season and enter the 2022 NFL Draft. STRENGTHS: Built like a brick house with his dense, muscular frame ... remarkable fluidity, initial burst and overall athleticism for his size ... has outstanding speed and routinely chases down his prey from behind ... doesn’t look awkward dropping in space or quickly changing directions ... long and powerful, extending into blockers to snatch/shock with his hands ... sets a hard edge and out-flanks blockers to contain outside run lanes ... has the power in his rush to bully and walk back blockers into the pocket ... able to use the blocker’s weight against him with his engage-and-toss technique ... violent tackler, and ball carriers remember his hits ... the son of a Marine, developed a sense of discipline and routine throughout his upbringing ... was a regular on kickoff coverage thanks to his rare speed, logging 261 career special teams snaps ... has the frame to comfortably carry 300 pounds if desired ... versatile experience, playing all over the Georgia defensive line and dropping into space ... grew into a leader as a junior (head coach Kirby Smart: “I am really proud of what he is doing in terms of leadership for our team.”) ... was part of a loaded Georgia defense, but his defensive snaps steadily increased each season: freshman (16.2), sophomore (22.2), junior (39.7). WEAKNESSES: Raw with his setup and execution of pass rush moves ... needs to be more efficient and strategic at the top of his rush ... rangy run defender, but has a bad habit of over-pursuing his angles and losing field leverage ... still developing his recognition skills vs. the run and should be able to play even faster ... needs to better protect his lower body vs. cut blocks ... missed time as a freshman because of left wrist surgery (October 2019) and played with a club on the same hand early in the 2020 season ... part of a deep rotation most of his Georgia career ... mediocre career sack production. SUMMARY: A one-year starter at Georgia, Walker lined up primarily as the field defensive end in former defensive coordinator Dan Lanning’s 3-4 base scheme but logged snaps everywhere up and down the line from nose tackle to a “Leo” role. Although he was part of a heavy rotation his first two years and doesn’t have the career production expected of a top pick, he impacts the game in a number of ways and was an important part of Georgia’s 2021 national championship. Walker has rare movement skills for a 275-pounder, including an explosive first step to shoot through gaps, cross the face of blockers or chase down plays. He wasn’t asked to be a consistent outside rusher in the Bulldogs’ scheme, but that helped him develop into a strong run defender, disengaging and leveraging blocks. Overall, Walker is still developing his sequencing plan as a pass rusher, but he has freaky athletic traits for his size and offers the natural power and length to consistently win his match-ups. He projects as a scheme-diverse front-seven player with the potential to be one of the best NFL defenders from this draft class. GRADE: 1st Round (No. 4 overall)
3. KAYVON THIBODEAUX | Oregon 6040 | 254 lbs. | JR. Los Angeles, Calif. (Oaks Christian) 12/15/2000 (age 21.37) #5 BACKGROUND: Kayvon Thibodeaux (TIB-uh-dough) was raised with his mother (Loice) in South Central Los Angeles and started playing football at age 8. Because of his size, he initially played on the offensive line before moving to fullback and linebacker and then defensive end in the seventh grade. Thibodeaux originally enrolled at Junipero Serra High, a private program, as a freshman. But because of the lack of varsity playing time, he transferred toward the end of the season to Susan Miller Dorsey High, a public school in the Crenshaw District, and joined the varsity football team for the 2015 playoffs. As a sophomore, he led Dorsey to an 11-3 record with 27.0 tackles for loss and 17.0 sacks and was named his section’s Defensive Lineman of the Year. Toward the end of his sophomore year, Thibodeaux and his mother moved to Woodland Hills in the San Fernando Valley, and he transferred again, this time to Oaks Christian, a private school in Westlake Village (his mother felt he wasn’t being challenged academically at Dorsey). He played for head coach Charles Collins (former NFL assistant coach) and defensive line coach Greg Townsend (13- year NFL defensive end and two-time Pro Bowler) at Oaks Christian. As a junior, Thibodeaux posted 99 tackles, 28.0 tackles for loss and 20.0 sacks to earn multiple Defensive Player of the Year honors, adding nine catches for 134 yards and three touchdowns as a tight end on offense. As a senior, he was named the 2018 USA Today High School Defensive Player of the Year and earned multiple First Team All-American honors. Thibodeaux finished his final season with 54 tackles, 18.0 sacks and five forced fumbles. He registered 54.0 sacks in his four seasons of high school. He also lettered in basketball and track as a freshman at Dorsey. A five-star recruit out of high school, Thibodeaux was the No. 2 weakside defensive end and No. 2 recruit overall in the 2019 recruiting class behind only Nolan Smith (Georgia). He received his first scholarship offer (Utah) the summer after his freshman year and had his choice of any college program in the country. Thibodeaux had a final five of Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Oregon and USC and committed to Mario Cristobal and the Ducks because of his desire to stay at defensive end and the school’s understanding of his “interests outside of football.” He elected to skip his senior season and Oregon’s bowl game to enter the 2022 NFL Draft. STRENGTHS: Springy, instinctive athlete with long arms ... speed rush and forward lean softens the outside shoulder of blockers ... excellent flexibility and cornering skills ... relies on a quick jab step to gain leverage and set up his stab/swipe/rip moves ... able to convert his speed to power ... shows improved timing and nuance mid-rush, taking away his stab once he sells power to get blockers leaning in space ... rarely locked up thanks to his agile feet, allowing him to miss blockers or explode on inside moves ... physical vs. the run to hold his ground on the edges and contain ... arrives full-speed at the ball carrier, creating violent collisions ... has a strategic mind both on and off the field (avid chess player and created his own cryptocurrency, titled $JREAM) ... charismatic individual and a vocal leader with his teammates ... coaches call him mature and describe him as an “educated information seeker” (head coach Mario Cristobal: “I think he’s a hungry, driven guy.”) ... highly decorated career and led the Ducks in tackles for loss and sacks each of the past three seasons ... his 35.5 tackles for loss ranked fourth-most in the FBS over that span (2019-21). WEAKNESSES: Narrow torso, lean legs and doesn’t have an ideal build by NFL standards ... needs to add more bulk to his body ... still developing his rhythm and plan at the top of his rush ... needs to improve his finishing skills as a tackler, especially in the pocket ... flows with the action and can be late to dissect play design ... allowed running backs to separate from him when dropping in space ... plays strong, but stack-and-shed mechanics are just average ... gets himself in trouble with after-the-whistle plays and needs to play smarter overall (flagged 12 times over his career, including seven times in 2021) ... didn’t face many high-level offensive tackles in 2021 ... missed two games because of a left ankle sprain (September 2021) ... will rub some the wrong way (NFL scout: “He’s a confident player, but the arrogance gets old quickly. It’s not an endearing trait.”). SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Oregon, Thibodeaux lined up as a boundary pass rush linebacker in former defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter’s 3-4 base scheme. The highest-ranked recruit in Oregon history, he helped the Ducks to three consecutive Pac-12 championship games (two wins) and led the team in tackles for loss and sacks all three seasons, becoming the fourth unanimous All-American in school history as a junior. Although he needs to continue filling out his frame, Thibodeaux is physical vs. the run and rushes with upfield urgency and cornering skills to skirt blockers. His go-to move is a powerful jab step that helps open up his options, but he is still learning how to efficiently patch together his rush moves. Overall, Thibodeaux isn’t a fluid mover, and his impact runs hot-and-cold, but he understands how to create leverage as a pass rusher with his length, flexibility and hand strength. He draws comparisons to Jadeveon Clowney with NFL teams and has the talent to develop into a high-end starter if he stays committed. GRADE: 1st Round (No. 8 overall)
4. JERMAINE JOHNSON | Florida State 6045 | 254 lbs. | rSR. Eden Prairie, Minn. (Eden Prairie) 1/8/1999 (age 23.31) #11 BACKGROUND: Jermaine Johnson II grew up in the Minneapolis suburbs and attended Eden Prairie High. He played three years of varsity football as a defensive lineman and wide receiver while also lettering in basketball and track. As a senior, Johnson recorded 267 receiving yards and six touchdown catches on offense and 82 tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss and 10.0 sacks in 2016. A three-star recruit out of high school, Johnson was the No. 105 weakside defensive end in the 2017 recruiting class and the No. 11 recruit in the state of Minnesota. He received interest from Louisville and nearby Minnesota, but his poor academics (1.9 GPA) prevented Division I programs from offering him a scholarship (Johnson: “I didn’t handle what I was supposed to. It was just bad grades and making bad decisions.”). In 2017, Johnson enrolled at Independence Community College in southeastern Kansas, where he was featured on the Netflix series ‘Last Chance U,’ and produced 12.5 sacks over two seasons. A four-star JUCO recruit, Johnson was the No. 1 JUCO recruit in the 2019 recruiting class and received offers from Oregon, Texas and USC before committing to Georgia. Looking for more playing time, he entered the transfer portal after two seasons in Athens and signed with Florida State, where he took advantage of the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility rule because of the pandemic. His older brother (Vadell) played wide receiver at Independence Community College. Johnson accepted his invitation to the 2022 Senior Bowl. STRENGTHS: Prototypical frame and length ... uses his lateral agility and strong hands in chorus to sidestep blockers and capture the corner ... his go-to moves are a powerful swipe/rip and timely long-arm stab ... plays behind his strong punch and lets his long arms work for him as a pass rusher ... stride length keeps blockers on their toes ... alert and physical in the run game ... takes accurate pursuit angles with an open-field burst to close ... able to retrace and find the football ... hit, lift, drive tackler and uses his length to lasso ball carriers in space ... plays with outstanding effort, and the added snaps as a senior weren’t too much for him (defensive snaps jumped from 27.0 per game in 2020 to 61.3 in 2021) ... teammates call him a “first in, last out” and “right attitude” type of guy ... highly productive senior season with Florida State, leading the ACC in tackles for loss and sacks (also led all Power 5 defensive linemen in tackles). WEAKNESSES: Upright, high-cut athlete ... tall center of gravity disrupts his balance and change of direction skills ... average burst to start and average fluidity to finish ... needs to introduce more trickery in his rush plan ... eagerness to get his hands involved leads to wasted, inefficient movements ... piled up the sacks in 2021, but his pass rush win rate (14.1 percent) was mediocre ... can get caught playing high in the run game ... must improve shed tactics once locked up ... only one season as a full-time starter at the FBS level. SUMMARY: A one-year starter at Florida State, Johnson lined up as the field defensive end in defensive coordinator Adam Fuller’s four-man front. Considered a key member of Georgia’s front-seven (third on the team in sacks in 2020), he bet on himself by transferring to Tallahassee to be a full-time starter, and he responded with a career year in 2021, including an ACC-best 18.0 tackles for loss and 12.0 sacks. Johnson is a long, athletic edge defender with the quick feet and natural instincts to win as a pass rusher and make stops vs. the run. Although he can be too segmented and upright in his rush attack, his motor runs hot, and his swipe/rip/stab moves are angry. Overall, Johnson has average get-off, but his length, agility and active hands lead to disruption as both a pass rusher and run defender. He projects as an every-down NFL starter. GRADE: 1st Round (No. 11 overall)
5. GEORGE KARLAFTIS | Purdue 6036 | 266 lbs. | JR. West Lafayette, Ind. (West Lafayette) 4/3/2001 (age 21.07) #5 BACKGROUND: George Karlaftis (CAR-loft-tis), who is the oldest of four children, was born and raised in Athens, Greece, where he was a standout goalkeeper on Greece’s 16-and-under national water polo team. In June 2014, his father (Matt), who was a native of Greece and an accomplished professor at the National Technical University of Athens, died unexpectedly from a heart attack at 44. His mother (Amy) moved the family halfway across the globe to her hometown West Lafayette, Ind., to be closer to her family (after meeting and falling in love while studying at Purdue, Matt and Amy moved to Greece, married, and started a family). Karlaftis, who spoke primarily Greek growing up, was 13 and in eighth grade when they moved to the United States and he tried football for the first time. He attended West Lafayette High and spent his freshman year on the bench, where he learned the game. As a sophomore, Karlaftis saw his hard work pay off with 113 tackles and 13.0 sacks. As a senior, he led West Lafayette to a 15-0 record and the 2018 Class 3A state championship. Karlaftis finished his senior year with 106 tackles, 56.0 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks to earn Indiana Class 3A Player of the Year honors and an invite to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, where he received the national Defensive Player of the Year honor. He finished his prep career with 84.0 tackles for loss and 41.0 sacks. Karlaftis also lettered in basketball and track at West Lafayette, where he was the back-to-back state champion in the shot put (59 feet 5 1/2 inches as a sophomore, 60 feet 1/2 inch as a junior). He didn’t have a chance to make it three consecutive state championships because he enrolled early at Purdue. A four-star recruit out of high school, Karlaftis was the No. 4 strongside defensive end in the 2019 recruiting class and the No. 1 recruit from the state of Indiana. He received offers from almost every major program, including Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and USC. However, Karlaftis lived a mile away from the Purdue campus, and the family connections to the university helped lead him to the Boilermakers (he attended Purdue games since he was a toddler when they would visit family in the states). His father was an accomplished collegiate athlete at Miami (1990-94), throwing the javelin on the track and field team and walking on to the football team (a head injury that required surgery ended his football career). His younger brother (Yanni) just finished his freshman year as a linebacker at Purdue. Karlaftis elected to skip his senior season and enter the 2022 NFL Draft. He also skipped Purdue’s 2021 bowl game. STRENGTHS: Rushes with a quick first step and relentless energy ... not only shows physical, booming hands, but knows what to do with them ... shows bull-rushing instincts and slams his brass knuckles into the chest of blockers to drive them backward ... displays various power rush techniques, including a stab, two-hand swipe and long-arm ... has a knack for knocking away the hands/wrist of blockers ... balanced through contact and forces his way through the blocker’s shoulder ... strike power is impressive ... plays with a reliable GPS for the football and rarely takes himself out of plays ... owns a sculpted frame with a yoked upper body and thick thighs/hips ... his body is his temple, and he is religious about his training and nutrition to keep himself at peak condition (played 55.6 snaps per game in 2021) ... coaches rave about his commitment level and desire to improve each day (head coach Jeff Brohm: “He lives in the building trying to improve and get better ... he takes everything extremely seriously and puts in the effort each and every day, well beyond what most guys do.”) ... impressive production in his three seasons in college, leading the team in tackles for loss and sacks both years he was healthy. WEAKNESSES: Shorter-than-ideal arms, allowing long-armed blockers to control his frame (see Ohio State tape vs. RT Dawand Jones) ... short-stepping rusher and appears tight in his cornering and flattening (didn’t perform the 3-cone drill pre-draft for a reason) ... average closing burst and redirection skills to the ball ... inconsistent finisher with a surprisingly high percentage of missed tackles ... needs to convert more of his pressures into sacks ... struggles vs. double-teams ... hyper- focused on the ball and can be late to read receiver motions or angled blocks ... better pass-rushing instincts than run-defending instincts ... inconsistent gap integrity vs. the run and needs to take his contain responsibilities more seriously. SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Purdue, Karlaftis played primarily as a stand-up field rusher in co-defensive coordinator Brad Lambert’s scheme, also seeing snaps as a three-technique on the interior to take advantage of his quickness and strength. A Greece native who moved to the U.S. in 2014, he developed a love for football and shows an unmatched work ethic, which helped him log 30.5 TFL and 14.5 sacks over his 27 games in a Purdue uniform. Karlaftis’ hands are not only physical and violent, but they’re well-timed and strategic to get the offense off schedule. For a player with his play speed, strength and physicality, he misses too many tackles and needs to become a more controlled finisher. Overall, Karlaftis doesn’t have elite length or athletic twitch, but he has NFL power, effort and hand work to break down the rhythm of blockers and be disruptive. He is a starting NFL defensive end in a traditional four-man front. GRADE: 1st Round (No. 18 overall)
1. DEVONTE WYATT | Georgia 6027 | 304 lbs. | rSR. | Decatur, Ga. (Towers) | 3/31/1998 (age 24.08) BACKGROUND: Devonte (di-VAHN-tay) Wyatt, who has two older brothers, was born and raised in the Atlanta suburbs and spent his childhood playing multiple sports. He enrolled at Towers High in Decatur and was a four-year letterman on the football team. As a freshman and sophomore, Wyatt bounced between tight end, running back and linebacker as the coaches tried to best utilize his size and speed. He moved to the defensive line as a junior and totaled 7.0 sacks, adding four touchdowns on offense as a tight end. As a senior, Wyatt earned Class 3A First Team All-State honors. Wyatt also lettered in wrestling and track at Towers, participating in the discus, shot put and 100-meter dash (at 280 pounds). A four-star defensive tackle recruit out of high school, Wyatt was the No. 17 defensive tackle in the 2017 recruiting class and the No. 27 recruit in the state of Georgia. He put his name on the recruiting map as a junior, especially after a clip of him running a sub-11 second 100-meter dash went viral on the internet. The summer after his senior year, he attended a South Carolina camp and committed to the Gamecocks. However, Wyatt flipped to his home state Georgia after they offered him a few months later, becoming the first in his family to go to college and the second player from Towers to play football for the Bulldogs. Despite signing with Georgia, his test scores fell short of requirements and he was forced to enroll at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. Wyatt posted 30 tackles and 3.0 sacks over 11 games in 2017. A four-star JUCO recruit, he didn’t waver from his Georgia commitment and joined the football team in December 2017. Wyatt took advantage of the extra year of NCAA eligibility because of COVID and returned for his fifth season in 2021. He accepted his invitation to the 2022 Senior Bowl. STRENGTHS: Quick off the ball with outstanding speed for his size ... rushes with bend and a variety of swim moves ... scrapes laterally to plug gaps and make plays up and down the line of scrimmage ... closes like a locomotive ready to come off the tracks ... strong run fits, attacking the blocker’s shoulder and powering to the run lane ... solidly built and plays with adequate length and hand size ... holds his ground at the point of attack and doesn’t get bullied ... has a knack for unwinding from blocks and locating the ball carrier ... competes through the whistle and several of his plays on tape were a result of his non-stop effort ... chases from the backside and is always in pursuit ... sound awareness to quickly locate screens or find passing lanes ... blocked a field goal as a senior ... his level of play consistently increased throughout his college career. WEAKNESSES: Average play recognition ... can be caught off balance and spends too much time on the ground ... his hands are active, but they can be more efficient ... his bull rush can be met by steady resistance ... needs to stay under control as a finisher, often sliding off the ball carrier and missing the tackle ... needs to improve his counters when he receives extra attention ... arrested and charged (February 2020) with three misdemeanors (family violence, criminal trespass, damage to property) after an altercation with a woman at her apartment (the charges were ultimately dropped) ... didn’t fill up the stat sheet with only 5.0 career sacks. SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Georgia, Wyatt played mostly over the B gap as a three-technique in former defensive coordinator Dan Lanning’s 3-4 base scheme, also seeing snaps at nose tackle. He led all Georgia defensive linemen in tackles the last two seasons and took advantage of the extra year of eligibility, enjoying his most complete season in 2021. With his athletic traits, Wyatt can win in different ways off the ball, displaying initial quickness, lateral range and chase down speed. In the run game, he understands how to leverage gaps and find the ball carrier, although he would benefit from becoming a better finisher. Overall, Wyatt needs to play with better control and play recognition, but he fires off the ball and competes with the speed and effort to make an impact on all three downs. Wyatt has NFL starting skills and is the best three-technique tackle in this draft class. GRADE: 1st-2nd Round (No. 23 overall)
2. JORDAN DAVIS | Georgia 6063 | 341 lbs. | SR. Charlotte, N.C. (Mallard Creek) 1/12/2000 (age 22.29) #99 BACKGROUND: Jordan Davis, who has two younger brothers, grew up in Charlotte with his single mother (Shay Allen). Throughout his childhood, his focus was on basketball and AAU tournaments and he played very little football. He originally attended Hopewell High (Huntersville, N.C.) as a freshman before his family moved and he transferred to Mallard Creek High in Charlotte prior to his sophomore year. Despite very little experience, Davis was pressured to give football a try and split his sophomore year between junior varsity and varsity, lining up mostly as an offensive lineman. He moved up to varsity full-time for his final two seasons and played on both sides of the ball, although it became clear that his future would be on defense. As a senior, Davis helped Mallard Creek to a 14-1 record and the 2017 4AA state championship game, earning First Team All-State honors as a defensive lineman. He also lettered in basketball. A three-star defensive tackle recruit out of high school, Davis was the No. 29 defensive tackle in the 2018 recruiting class and the No. 15 recruit in the state of North Carolina. Despite little varsity experience, his high school coaches pushed him to attend recruiting camps the summer before his junior year and his raw size and talent earned him offers from nearby programs like North Carolina and NC State. Davis added offers from Florida, Florida State and Michigan before committing to Georgia. He declined his invitation to the 2022 Senior Bowl. STRENGTHS: Big-boned, enormous frame with broad shoulders and natural girth ... stout at the point of attack to stand-up blockers and create 10-car pile-ups at the line of scrimmage ... flashes the upper body strength to stack, drive and discard blocks ... unique athletic ability for his size ... nimble footwork and body control to make controlled stops in the backfield (couldn’t find any missed tackles on his junior or senior tape) ... outstanding block awareness and quickly finds the football ... shows the range to backdoor blocks and chase down the ball carrier ... makes hustle plays thanks to extra effort ... has experience in goal line situations (12 career snaps and one rushing touchdown) ... has one blocked field goal on his résumé ... humble, fun-loving personality and universally well-liked in the locker room ... turned in an All-American senior season and finished ninth in the 2021 Heisman Trophy voting (Alabama head coach Nick Saban: “He’s about as good a player as I’ve seen for a long time as an inside player on any team.”). WEAKNESSES: Average lateral agility ... doesn’t have the gap-shooting quickness or hand moves to be an impactful pass rusher ... his upper half his powerful, but not consistently explosive ... want to see more of an interior push from a player with his power ... his pad level rises almost immediately at contact, giving blockers the leverage advantage ... spends too much time leaning on blocks ... inconsistent backfield vision as a two-gapper ... arrived in Athens at 380 pounds and his weight will need to be monitored ... didn’t miss a game as a senior but was sidelined for three games as a junior because of a right elbow injury (October 2020). SUMMARY: A four-year starter at Georgia, Davis lined up at nose tackle in former defensive coordinator Dan Lanning’s 3-4 base scheme. After up-and-down play over his first three seasons, he was the anchor of the Bulldogs’ 2021 National Championship team and recognized with the Chuck Bednarik Award, which goes to the best defensive player in college football. Despite high pad level, Davis is a hard-to-move space-eater with the point of attack strength to reestablish the line of scrimmage and overwhelm ball carriers as a tackler. He is a talented athlete for a player his size and his motor expand his tackling range, but he was also helped by fewer defensive snaps in 2021 (25.2 per game) compared to 2020 (32.9). Overall, Davis offers limited pass rush value, but he has the size, functional power and block recognition to be a dominant run defender. He projects as a starting NFL nose tackle in multiple fronts. GRADE: 1st-2nd Round (No. 24 overall)
1. DEVIN LLOYD | Utah | 6026 | 237 lbs | rSR. | Chula Vista, Calif. (Otay Ranch) | 9/30/1998 (age 23.58) BACKGROUND: Devin Lloyd was born in Kansas City and grew up in a military family (his father, Joe, was in the Navy for 26 years, and his mother, Ronyta Johnson, also served). He was raised in Kansas City by his mother before moving to Dallas and then to southern California to live with his father. Lloyd focused on basketball growing up before starting to play football in middle school. He attended Otay Ranch High and played three seasons of varsity football, primarily on offense (wide receiver and running back) and special teams (punter). As a junior, Lloyd posted 23 catches for 384 yards and two touchdowns. As a senior captain, he added safety duties to his résumé and earned Second Team All-State honors on defense with 52 tackles, eight interceptions (four in one game) and three defensive touchdowns (two interceptions, one fumble return). Lloyd also had 29 catches for 493 yards and six touchdowns on offense and averaged 37.1 yards per punt. He lettered two seasons on the basketball team. A three-star safety recruit out of high school, Lloyd was ranked No. 122 at his position in the 2017 recruiting class and the No. 160 recruit in the state of California. A late-bloomer recruit, the 200-pound safety started to pick up Mountain West scholarship offers as a senior and verbally committed to UNLV. However, he backed off that pledge with the hopes of landing a larger school. Lloyd didn’t have many options until Utah saw him during basketball season and extended an offer shortly before signing day. He was recruited as a safety but moved to linebacker in his first year in the Utah program. Lloyd graduated with his degree in communications. He accepted his invitation to the 2022 Senior Bowl, but decided to pull out prior to the event. STRENGTHS: Instantly accelerates and closes the gap with his long strides ... doesn’t lose foot races to the sideline ... quick to key-and-diagnose and make plays in the backfield (totaled 43.0 tackles for loss in 33 games the last three years and ranked No. 2 in the FBS with 22.0 tackles for loss in 2021) ... face-up tackler who pounces on his prey ... allows his long-levered, angular frame work for him ... skilled block-slipper due to his short-area quickness and body control ... scrapes from gap-to-gap and fills with violence ... able to leverage gaps because he arrives before the blocker ... active blitzer with excellent timing and knifing quickness ... very aware in coverage and covers a lot of ground when he drops (moves like a former safety) ... has the fluid lower body to quickly react with the eyes of the quarterback ... high school wide receiver and notched five career interceptions (four as a senior), with three returned for touchdowns ... two-time team captain and described as a “student of the game” by his coaches (Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham: “He watches as much film during the course of a week as anybody we’ve ever had here.”) ... played both the “Rover” and “Mac” linebacker positions in the Utah defense ... saw time on each special teams coverage (523 career snaps) ... durable and productive. WEAKNESSES: Has done a nice job adding weight to his lanky frame, but lacks ideal bulk for the position ... needs to consistently bring his lower body as a tackler instead of relying on his wrap strength ... his eagerness to make plays will occasionally lead to fly-by missed tackles ... skillfully avoids climbing linemen, but doesn’t have the power to easily shed them once locked up ... his eyes can get caught spending too much time in the backfield ... has room to improve his recognition skills in man coverage. SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Utah, Lloyd played the “Mac” linebacker position in defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley’s 4-2-5 base scheme where he was asked to do a little bit of everything, including cover and blitz (inside and outside). A high school safety, he morphed into a playmaking linebacker and established himself as one of the best defensive players in the country, leading the team in tackles three consecutive years and becoming just the 10th consensus All-American in school history as a senior. Lloyd plays with speed and suddenness in his movements to weave through traffic in pursuit or change directions and make plays in coverage. He has room to improve his play strength and posture as a take-on player, but he does a great job scraping and sifting with his slippery athleticism and length to make plays at the line of scrimmage. Overall, Lloyd doesn’t have to come off the field with his impressive blend of instincts, chase speed and explosiveness to blitz, play the run and cover. He projects as a scheme-proof NFL starter and a better version of Los Angeles Chargers’ Kenneth Murray. GRADE: 1st Round (No. 9 overall)
1. AHMAD GARDNER | Cincinnati 6026 | 190 lbs. | JR. | Detroit, Mich. (Martin Luther King) 8/31/2000 (age 21.66) BACKGROUND: Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, who is the youngest of three children, was born and raised in Detroit by his mother (Alisa). He started playing football at age 6 for the East Side Bengals (at running back) and quickly developed a love for the game. Gardner attended Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High in downtown Detroit and didn’t see much varsity action as an undersized wide receiver (5-8, 140 pounds) as a freshman and sophomore. He moved up to varsity full time as a junior receiver but became a starting cornerback midseason after a teammate broke his jaw (October 2017). As a two-way player as a senior, Gardner led King to a 12-2 record and the 2018 Division 3 state championship at Ford Field (caught two touchdown passes in the title game). He earned First Team All-State honors as a senior cornerback. Gardner also lettered in track (sprints and relays) and set a personal best of 11.50 in the 100 meters. A three-star recruit out of high school, Gardner was the No. 163 cornerback in the 2019 recruiting class and the No. 41 recruit in the state of Michigan. With minimal varsity tape at cornerback and his slender 160-pound frame, he wasn’t highly recruited, even by in-state programs like Michigan and Michigan State. Gardner received his first offer from Toledo and finished with more than a dozen offers, including a few Power 5 programs such as Indiana, Iowa State and Kentucky. But he forged a connection with Cincinnati coaches Luke Fickell and Marcus Freeman and signed with the Bearcats. His older brother (Allante) was a wide receiver and running back at Division II Saginaw Valley State (2012-16) and Division III Lakeland (2017). Gardner elected to skip his senior season and enter the 2022 NFL Draft. STRENGTHS: Tall, stretched-out athlete ... light-footed pedal and turn and his hip flip is unforced ... long gait helps him stay in-phase and stay stride for stride with receivers ... accelerates in a blink to recover in coverage or drive underneath ... poised in press and extends his long arms into receivers ... above-average on-ball production (nine career interceptions with two pick-sixes) ... makes catch-point adjustments like a former wide receiver ... uses the sideline wisely to cut off routes ... competitive play personality shows in run support and against physical pass catchers ... exudes confidence and doesn’t apologize for being flashy (celebrates his “Sauce” nickname, which was given to him at age 6 by his youth football coach) ... his coaches say he raises the temperature in the room with his exuberant personality but also holds teammates accountable ... missed only one game the last three seasons (37 games played) ... influenced offensive game plans as quarterbacks looked elsewhere (saw only 2.9 targets per game in 2021 and didn’t give up a 20-plus yard reception). WEAKNESSES: Sleek, lean-limbed body type and play strength is below average ... occasionally finds himself upright in his movements, leaving him late to react to shifty route runners ... has moments of panic downfield that lead to excessive contact when he doesn’t trust his ball skills ... penalized nine times the last two seasons (seven pass-interference or defensive holding calls) ... can do a better job with his tackling foundation to be a more reliable finisher in the run game ... durability isn’t a concern, but missed the 2020 bowl game with a back injury (December 2020). SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Cincinnati, Gardner was the boundary cornerback in defensive coordinator Mike Tressel’s man-heavy scheme. Despite marginal experience as a full-time cornerback in high school, he put his name on the NFL radar as a freshman and earned All-America status each of his three college seasons, becoming the first non-specialist to earn Consensus All-America honors in school history. Gardner is a long-bodied, athletic cover man who does a great job staying on top of routes to force quarterbacks to look elsewhere (saw only 11.0 percent of the defensive targets in 2021). He shows better poise at the line of scrimmage than downfield, but he plays fearlessly and has the disruptive skills to make plays on the ball when challenged (zero touchdown passes allowed in 1,103 career coverage snaps in college). Overall, Gardner needs to continue developing his play strength, but he is a sticky bump-and-run corner with the athletic instincts to stay in phase and smother receivers. Cincinnati hasn’t produced an NFL first-round pick since 1971, but that will soon change with Gardner. GRADE: 1st Round (No. 5 overall)
