STRENGTHS

If you are looking for one of the best defensive players in this draft you are looking for Jalen.  He is big, and powerful, with excellent overall athleticism.  He can push the pocket against a double team and rush the passer beating a double team.  He has good quick feet that make him, along with his size and strength, explosive off the line of scrimmage. Jalen has been coached very well and uses excellent hand techniques when defending against the run to keep his defender off his body making it easy for him to shed blocks and make tackles at the line of scrimmage.  If you try to block him on third and long with just one offensive lineman, Jalen will explode off the line and be in your backfield, like a bear coming out of its winter-long hibernation looking for its first meal. Jalen is in NFL football shape. He is technique-sound, big, strong, explosive off the line, and demands a double team on every play and that shows me that Jalen “Big Bear” Carter has an excellent work ethic and is ready for the next level.

CONCERNS

 Go ahead, nit-pick…I dare you. Will Jalen get you double-digit sacks?  Not likely, because he understands how to play his position and the goal of his position. If stats are what you’re looking for then Jalen is not you guy. If you want a dominating defense in all phases of the game then Jalen is your guy.

BOTTOM LINE: 1.40

Jalen is the type of player you build your dominating defense around. He will stop the run and push the pocket and demand double teams and sometimes triple teams because he can beat double teams. I don’t care what you have been told over the years, but a good pass rush starts with an inside player demanding a double team so that your Edge Rushers are freed up to play one-on-one.  The great pass rushers can beat double teams but most teams’ pass rush is “produced” by Edge Rushes up against one on one defense, blitzing LBs and stunts played up front.  A dominating Defense starts with an interior lineman who can stop the run consistently and who demands the double team in pass-rushing situations. Jalen demands double teams on just about every down and distance. Most people value the pass rusher over the interior lineman who can stop the run and be disruptive when pass rushing.  When I find a player with Jalen’s size and athletic talent I find it very hard to value any other defensive player over that type of potential impact player. But that’s just me.

STRENGTHS

Kenny is a smooth-running back with excellent vision.  He can catch the ball down the field as well as any receiver in this draft. He is the type of running back who has just enough speed and moxie to be used outside the tackles to make third downs and gain yardage when your team needs it the most. Kenny is an excellent, inside the red zone, running back because of his vision, quick feet, and lateral agility, which makes it hard to get a clean tackle on him.  Throw the ball to him in the open field and those cornerbacks and safeties better bring their big boy pants to stop him. Kenny is smart and understands how to run routes and get open against zone or single coverages. He will make the tough catch with sure hands and make the contested catch in any situation.  This means you can use Kenny as a running back or as a slot receiver and as a returner, on special teams.

CONCERNS

Kenny does run up high and the biggest issue with that is not power or injury, it’s leaving the ball open up to tacklers, causing him to fumble the ball.  At the college, level fumbling has not been an issue for Kenny but at the next level that could change and become a big issue because of his upright style of running.

BOTTOM LINE: 1.83

If Kenny fumbles at the next level he will never see the field for any length of time to impact. When a player runs up high, teams will not even bother to tackle him and just go after the ball to make that player fumble, especially from players who are tackling from behind in the open field. I believe that even if Kenny has a problem with fumbling, he will correct it quickly because he is too smart to let that issue curtail such a promising career.  Kenny’s potential to impact as a running back and receiver is dramatic and will make a team help him to work through any negative issues he might have for the first few years.  He has a strong work ethic and is an excellent teammate and I believe that if he fumbles the ball in a game he will make it up the very next time he gets his hands on the ball. We all know how the NFL values the running back position and that a lot of teams do not believe in selecting a running back in the first round.  That being said because Kenny can be more than just a running back and play more than one position he might surprise you fellow draftniks.  We shall see. That being said, no matter what round he is selected in I expect him to impact as if he was selected in the 1^st round.

STRENGTHS

Stetson is a Doug Flutie clone just waiting to take on the NFL. He plays the QB position with the moxie, instincts, and athletic talent that a bigger QB will never have. Stetson is a football player, a coach on the field with a competitive streak matched only by the top players in the NFL.  He has, excellent arm strength and good velocity to make all the throws for the next level.  In the red zone, his athletic talent is a big plus.  When he runs the ball, he has Christian McCaffery-type explosiveness. If you’re looking for a comparable type of player in this day and age the closest might be Russel Wilson but the truth is I think he will be better no matter what position he ends up playing.

CONCERNS

I guess Stetson will be overlooked because of his lack of height because teams will be shopping for bigger quarterbacks and bigger position players…Big Mistake, Big, Hugh.   

BOTTOM LINE: 1.92

What round will Stetson be selected in…I don’t know! All I can tell you is, it will depend on his interviews and if he works out at other positions.  If he just wants to play quarterback then it’s fair to suggest that he might fall through the cracks. If he is willing to work out and shows his athletic talent then I suspect some team will take him later in the draft. That does change my talent rating for him to impact once he gets on the field. Size matters when it comes to selecting players in the draft. Size doesn’t matter once a player gets on the field, only production.  If Stetson is in the 6’2’ range he would be considered one of the top quarterbacks in this draft. Because of his size, he will be downgraded. That being said, once he works out and shows that he can run a 4.50 in the forty with quickness and explosiveness…most teams are going to think he can play and be more impacting at another position. The fact is that no matter what size you are, injuries will be an issue in football.  Stetson can run an offense as well as any quarterback coming out in this draft.  He can be a weapon running the ball in the spread offense because he can be a threat running the ball. Because of his unique athleticism, he can play more than one position so why would you not want to add that talent to your team? It will be interesting if Stetson is thought of in the top 100 of this draft and that’s why we have the two-board system so you can see talent, in the later rounds of a draft. I think he will be a hell of a player in this draft very much like Doug Flutie was because unlike when Doug game out, teams are running the style of offense that Stetson can impact in.     

STRENGTHS
Tariq is a smart, talented defensive back. He has excellent size and speed and has those long legs that make it easy to make up speed when he gets beat. Tariq is quick to come up and support the run. He fights through blocks and is a good open-field tackler. Tariq also shows leadership skills through his play on the field, his high football IQ, and communication with his teammates on the field. He has the pride and competitiveness nature, to be used in any style of coverage and at multiple positions in any team’s defensive backfield. Tariq is a sleeper cornerback, hiding in plain sight, on a division one team.

CONCERNS
Tariq has not shown to be much of a ball hawk making interceptions in his college career. That’s because he would rather cover and tackle instead of taking chances and jumping routes hoping he can make an interception. I don’t see this as a concern but a lot of teams will. He is a little tight in his hips and will at times get his footwork out of whack when he is in single coverage but overall, he is a hell of a defensive back.

BOTTOM LINE: 2.72
Tariq stood out to me in the Senior Bowl practices. The scuttle on him at that time was that he wasn’t a good tackler and was a marginal cover corner. I don’t believe in scuttle so I made my notes and then went to the film and saw exactly the opposite. I saw a hell of a cover corner and an excellent tackler who fought through blocks and was an impact corner for his college team. So, I thought, maybe I don’t have enough film on him. I’ll wait for the combine. He looked good and ran fast but still, I thought how could I be the only one who sees the opposite? I’ll wait for his pro day. I see him do his drills and yes there are some issues but nothing to think that Tariq is a marginal cover corner as far as I could tell. He showed that he has the hands to make the interception when needed so we can put that concern to rest also. Tariq at this point in his career is just not wired to take chances and make interceptions unless the ball is going to come to him. There is nothing wrong with that at all. Tariq will cover and defend and limit, after the catch yardage, and as far as I’m concerned those are the priorities I look for in a cornerback. Add to that his potential leadership skills, and high football IQ and I would take Tariq on my team for sure. So, I see the opposite of what everyone else see’s in a player. Do you think it’s been the first time that has happened? Seriously, Tariq is 6 Ft, runs a 4.3 with longs legs and arms, tackles, and has a high football IQ! What’s there not to like?

STRENGTHS
Jake plays like a calculating crazed Pomeranian. He is quick and has an excellent burst to the ball. Jake is smart and a coach on the field and the type of player who makes the players around him better. He has excellent instincts and that helps him to play bigger than his size and faster. Jake is always around the ball. He’s a playmaker looking to make a tackle, rip the ball out for a fumble, or slap the ball out of the QB’s hands. He’s the type of player who anticipates the offensive center snap of the ball and that my friends is pretty hard to do without getting penalized, for offsides. Jake is solid when used in coverages. He reminds me a lot of the Buffalo Bills Matt Milano.

CONCERNS
Injuries have cut into Jake’s ability to work out and teams are forgetting how good a player he is. I don’t think the scouts are forgetting, and when Jake gets healthy he most likely will be an impact starting defensive player for the team that was smart enough to select him. Jake will be considered by most teams as “position-specific” and that will affect his draft status also.

BOTTOM LINE: 2.50
If Jake can not work out before the draft because of his knee injury he will mostly become a priority-free agent signing or late round selection. That being said, it’s hard for me to include injuries in my evaluations because I have no clue how bad they will be to a player’s career status. All I can do is tell you what I see in the film and then inform you of the injury. I think Jake is an impact and talented defensive player who forces turnovers and makes plays. I do agree that he is “position-specific” and he mostly will fit a certain style of defense and with that information, I would look at selecting Jake in and around the 2nd round. Now we get into Jake’s value. Because of his injury, I can look at Rob’s board and evaluate what round Jake most likely will be selected in and plan off that information. That’s how the 2-board system works. It gives you a chance to realize that there is talent in every round of the draft if you manage the draft correctly, and do not fall in love with just one player. Jake’s injury does not change his talent but it does change his value and where that talent could be selected. Matt Milano was injured when he came out in 2017. He was selected in the 5th round. He’s been one of the Bill’s starting LB’s since halfway through his 1st year in the league. He just signed an extension for $44 million dollars for the next 4 years. Good luck Jake.

STRENGTHS
Cam is what I call a power cornerback who will intimidate most receivers and make impact plays on special teams and against running plays to his side of the field. He is athletic enough to play on both sides of the ball as a Receiver/Running back or as a safety or cornerback or as a hybrid slot corner in a 4/2/5 style of defense. Cam is a smart player and might have finally found a home as a cornerback in the Nebraska defense. He is quick to come up and support the run fighting through blocks with strength and quickness most blockers will struggle to handle. He is a good tackler and a smart zone cover corner. He has plenty of athletic talent to play in single coverages. Cam, given some time to develop, has the potential to become a shutdown cover corner in the NFL in the near future. If that doesn’t happen for some strange reason, he still will become a hell of a cornerback or safety or hybrid slot corner for the team that selects him. Cam reminds me a lot of former Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson who was the 5th pick of the 2011 Draft.

CONCERNS
Cam needs more time to develop single coverage skills. He has played safety and a hybrid so much that he is used to keeping the play in front of him. As soon as he learns better tricks of the trade and gets the needed repetitions he will become one of the better cover corners and might be a shutdown corner in the NFL. Cam has to learn to trust his athletic talent in single coverage and learn to read receivers better than he does now. He has the recovery speed and burst, it’s just all tied up in his footwork and looking into the backfield too much and too soon right now.

BOTTOM LINE: 2.14
Cam reminds me of Patrick Peterson but he is a lot more aggressive against the run. The difference is that Patrick was much better in single coverage and played in the SEC against top receivers. That’s a big difference. Cam has all of the same athletic talents as Patrick and might be a little smarter so given the time to adjust those hidden skills should come out soon enough. In the meantime, Cam will be a hell of a corner or he can play safety or even be used in the slot but I do think he has found a home at cornerback and if he stays there can become a pro bowl corner for the team that selects him.

STRENGTHS
Abraham is a big, strong, powerful athletic offensive tackle who does his job and does it well. He has good feet and good lateral agility but what he truly brings with him for the next level is the use of mature techniques and a non-panic attitude. Abraham is a quality offensive lineman. He has a lot of repetitions at the right tackle position, more than most offensive lineman coming out in a draft. He shows leadership skills through his play on the field and the mental toughness and stamina to start the day after you select him. Abraham is very underrated by most in this draft.

CONCERNS
The biggest concern for most teams will be can Abraham play on the Left Tackle as well as he plays Right Tackle? Also, Abraham has to prove he is as good a run blocker as he is a pass blocker because of the style of offense he played in. Of course, this is a bogus nit-picking excuse to downgrade him but teams will use it anyway.

BOTTOM LINE: 1.89
There is nothing wrong with Abraham’s ability to run block. He is quick out of his stance and has the quick feet and overall athletic talent to be used in any style of offense line scheme. The real issue will be can Abraham play on the left side to be used as a swing tackle until he becomes a starter. It’s not as easy as most think to play on the left side when all you have ever played is right tackle. Personally, I think it’s stupid to downgrade him because of it but I do understand that being only position-specific on the offensive line can be an issue for some teams and will affect his draft status. That being said, a plug-in offensive tackle like Abraham is, should not be passed over for very long. Abraham will play for ten years as your Right Tackle and could be a pro bowl player so I expect most teams will be looking at that potential rather than worrying about if he can play Left Tackle. At least that’s how I look at it. Look at Rob’s board to see what round this 1st round talent is most likely to get selected in. He could sneak into the 1st round, then again, he might not.

STRENGTHS
Eric is a big, strong, solid route runner, catch anything thrown to him, receiver. He will break tackles to move the chains or to score a touchdown. Eric does an excellent job tracking and catching the deep ball. He has strong hands to catch the contested pass and the athletic agility to adjust to the ball in the air and make the difficult catch. Eric has the talent to make the average starting Quarterback better and the Franchise Quarterback thinks they have died and gone to football heaven. He is an aggressive and strong route runner making it very hard to push him off his routes. He loves to be physical and with his large catch radius loves to fight for the ball in the air. Eric is one of those receivers who is open when he is not open. He has the potential to be as good and as impacting as the Buccaneers WR Mike Evans and he reminds me a lot of former Bills Receiver Eric Moulds.

CONCERNS
I’m going to nit-pick and tell you that he has a bad habit of giving up his chest coming off the line of scrimmage and this will have to be addressed at the next level. It will stop the rhythm of him getting into his routes if he doesn’t correct this. I’d also like to see Eric bulk up a little bit more to take the pounding a receiver with his style of play needs, to last a full 17 game schedule. At the combine, he came in at 6’2” 209 lbs. I like to see him up around the 215 to 220 lbs area. But that’s just me personally.

BOTTOM LINE: 1.92
Eric can line up any were on the field and do just about anything he wants to do because of his size, strength, eye/hand coordination, strong hands, and overall god-given athletic talent. He can catch the deep ball, move the chains, and in general allow the coaching staff to run the passing game through him. Years ago, there was a receiver for the Buffalo Bills Eric Moulds 6’ 2” 225 lbs who really “reminds” me of this Eric because of Ezukanma’s passion and aggressiveness running his routes. Eric Moulds, in spite of playing with some less than average QB’s (except for Doug Flutie), was considered one of the premier receivers from 1990’s to the 2000’s. If Ezukanma can bulk up without losing his speed and quickness I think he could have that same type o career. This is another 1st round talent that most likely will not be selected in the 1st round. Nevertheless, he will play like he was drafted in the 1st RD, once he gets on the field. This draft is deep in receivers with excellent talent but not deep with receivers with Eric’s size and talent.

STRENGTHS
Rachaad reminds me a lot of the Saints running back Alvin Kamara. He has that same slip/sliding, smooth gate when making his cuts as Alvin has. He is not a pounding type of running back, more like a knife cutting through butter style of running back. Rachaad has excellent speed, size, and quickness and has excellent football intelligence with a great “feel” for the game in general. Rachaad can catch the ball down the field as well as any receiver in this draft. His quick feet, lateral agility, and vision makes Rachaad a “Now you see me, now you don’t” type of running back that will frustrate most linebackers once he breaks the line of scrimmage. His slip/sliding and gliding style of running between the tackles makes it very hard to get a full hit on Rachaad and his ability to stay on the field as a receiver makes Rachaad a possible every-down back for the team that selects him.

CONCERNS
Rachaad plays light and needs to be used in a spread offense to be effective out of the backfield. He gives good effort when used to block in the backfield but is not that effective. He runs upright but does drop his pads when he needs to gain needed yardage but he is not a power runner and this will affect his draft status for some teams.

BOTTOM LINE: 2.61
Rachaad will frustrate a lot of evaluators because he has the size and numbers that suggest he should be more of a power back. Alvin Kamara is not a power back and I believe most GM’s and Head Coaches wish they had selected him when he came out. Of course, the Saints are also always looking for that running back to complement Alvin and run the ball in the red zone or with 4 minutes left on the clock. Rachaad has to be used all over the offense and not just as a running back. Run him between the tackles and then split him out and throw him the ball. Don’t let a defense get a beat on this kid and he will impact for sure. The offensive coordinator and play-calling, are crucial to Rashaad’s ability to impact at the next level. His athletic talents and high football IQ allows him to be a multi-positional player and using him as just your running back, stuck in the backfield, will not maximize his talent’s ability to impact.

STRENGTHS
Dameon has talent and a style of running the ball that is unique. He has good size and strength and has those quick feet that allow him to make his cuts in a phone booth. When he breaks the line of scrimmage he has surprising vision with excellent power to break tackles and make his own yardage. Dameon is not as big as the Colts Jonathan Taylor but he has similar strength and power and does not shy away from making a tackler pay for tackling him. The strange thing about Dameon’s running style is that as the game goes on he starts to use his vision and lateral explosion to make players miss him. He strangely has two different styles of running in a game that seems to contradict each other and that is unique. He starts out in a power running style smashing through tacklers and as the game goes on, winds up juking and breaking ankles. As I stated before this style is unique. Nevertheless, I am sure of one thing when I watch him in the small amount of film I have seen…he definitely has the talent, size, and skills to be an every-down running back for the team that selects him.

CONCERNS
So, what does Dameon lack you ask…production that proves he has all of those talents. He also needs to answer the question, of why he wasn’t used or on the field more? I don’t care what anyone says about the coach, I can’t believe any coach would leave that type of talent on the bench. So, what’s up with that?

BOTTOM LINE: 2.39
He’s a power runner, no, he’s a “break the ankles” runner, no, he’s a between the tackle’s runner, no, he’s a third-down back! What kind of running back is Dameon? He has excellent speed, excellent lateral explosion, and vision, excellent power, very good hands to catch the ball, and is a smart and willing blocker. His lack of production and not being on the field is troubling but I learned a long time ago not to believe anything I can’t touch, smell, and in general see for myself. There is so much poor media reporting of the facts of any situation on or off the field or for that matter, news in general. There is a reason Dameon was not on the field. There is a reason this type of talent was kept off the field. I will not speculate what that reason is but I do not accept the reports that it was just because “he didn’t fit the system”, or the coach didn’t know how to use him, or any other BS reason, being reported. I don’t believe coaches are that stupid or…maybe they are!