STRENGTHS
If you’re looking for more explosiveness from the linebacker position then you should not pass on selecting Channing Tindall. He might be the fastest linebacker in this draft and his workout numbers should be outstanding and show that he can be used at any one of the linebacker positions. Channing is a sure tackler and makes plays all over the field. He can go sideline to sideline faster than you can blink. He has the agility to cover, dropping off into a zone and when singled up against those quick slot receivers or those big Tight Ends. He will run and chase players from behind as well as be able to take the angle and make the tackle behind the line of scrimmage from the backside. Channing has not reached his potential as a player and leader on the field. Out of all the very good linebackers in the draft class, Channing has the most upside to his game and most likely is the fastest. He is the type of linebacker you can build your defense around and you will be smart if that’s what you do. I call him Channing (Blink) Tindall.

CONCERNS
Channing just needs more repetitions. He’s the type of player who needs to get on the field and learn so at first, you will have to be patient with some of his mistakes. In the meantime, don’t blink or you will miss some unbelievable plays on the field.

BOTTOM LINE: 1.43
Channing reminds me a lot of a former Panther Linebacker who was selected as a Safety, Thomas Davis. He played for Georgia also and at the time was considered as one of the faster players in the 2005 draft. He ran a 4.66, 40 at the combine and that got him selected in the 1st round at the 14th pick. Channing is faster and quicker. Channing is made for the new defenses that use a 4/2/5 as their base defense. He is not limited to playing just one linebacker position or limited to just playing in one style of defense. There might be bigger linebackers in this draft but I do not believe that in the future there will be many from this class that will be better. Channing has the potential to get better and impact more than any of them given the time and the repetitions to do that. At least that’s what I see in the film because I kept my eyes open and didn’t blink.

STRENGTHS
Damone is a long-armed, long-legged linebacker with the size and athletic talent teams are looking for in this modern NFL. He shows good speed to run players down and the ability to be used to attack the line of scrimmage in schemes that allow him to make plays and tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He is a sure tackler in open space. Damone shows some leadership skills and might have the ability in the future to become a coach on the field for the team that elects him.

CONCERNS
There is not much on film, of Damone being used in single coverage but his body type sends the signal that he could be. At the senior bowl, he did show athletic talent but he still will need time to develop those skills. He does struggle to process if there is too much happening in front of him and that makes him hesitate and take wrong angles to the play. At the college level, his athletic talent made it easy for him to recover but at the next level, unless he can process and find the ball quicker, he will struggle to be consistent. Damone also struggles to get off blocks and make the tackle. Damone doesn’t make plays, plays are manufactured for him to make. There’s a big difference.

BOTTOM LINE: 3.44
My guess is if he is an OLB in a 4/3 defense that he should be pretty good but use him in the middle or in a 4-2-5 defensive system and he will struggle. Do not mistake thinking the word “process” means that Damone is not smart. There is nothing wrong with his intelligence. It just means if he sees too much in front of him he will struggle to analyze it and think quick enough to react. That’s why I’m suggesting that if he plays on the outside he will see less and have less to process. This will allow for his athleticism to work for him better. Put him on the whiteboard and there is no problem, so intelligence has nothing to do with how quickly a person can process. For the purposes of this draft, I think Damone will be a good player for the team that selects him but he is limited to a certain position in a certain style of defense and for me, that affects his draft status and talent level.

STRENGTHS
John is a big, strong, powerful, long arm Defensive Lineman. He has that natural strength that most offensive linemen will struggle to match no matter how many times they can lift 225 lbs in a workout. John has the ability to easily shed a block make a tackle between the hash marks because of his long arms. He uses excellent hand techniques to defeat the offensive lineman he is up against. John shows the good solid feet and the balance needed to push the pocket and that means he demands a double team on just about any down and distance. If you don’t double team him he will make a play. He will either make a tackle or disrupt the rhythm of the play or knock the pass down because of his height and long arms.

CONCERNS
John will collapse the pocket and QB’s hoping to move up in the pocket on passing downs will find him sitting there waiting for them. Otherwise, he is not going to give you much of a pass rush. He has excellent quickness but not much footspeed outside of the hash marks but then again, isn’t that why there are ten other players on the field? John will be pigeonholed as a Nose Tackle and that might affect his draft status. Nevertheless, he can play either tackle position and impact in any defensive front because you still will need to double team him.

BOTTOM LINE: 2.03
Defensive Linemen who can collapse the pocket and stop the run between the hash marks are as much value to a Defense as a good center is to an offense. Since I consider offensive center as one of the skill positions, I’m guessing you might guess what I think of the tackle position on Defense. That’s right I consider it as one of the skill positions for the defense. You will not have a consistent pass rush unless your team has a defensive tackle that demands the double team. Double-teaming John will allow your Edge Rushes to go one on one on the outside. Usually, players who will be rotated, and not used on third downs to rush the passer, will not be valued as high as I value them. All I can say to that is…if you want to get the other team’s offense off the field on third down then John will have to be on the field. The minute a good offensive coordinator see’s that John is not on the field on third downs then you get bet, on third and eight, he will call a play that runs the ball up the middle. Or on third and eight he will call for the deep pass because the QB can step up in the pocket, giving him more time to extend the play and complete the deep pass. Rotating Defensive linemen does keep them fresh but, it also gives the play-caller more options on third and long downs.

STRENGTHS
Perrion reminds me of former Bills DL Marcellus Wiley. He has excellent size, strength, and quickness to play multiple positions in a team’s front four. Perrion flashes power off the line of scrimmage that is unique to all the good defensive linemen in the NFL. He can play inside or outside and loves to rush the passer from both positions. Perrion can run the circle and change directions to finish. He is a good tackler and with his long arms, quick feet, and powerful strength off the snap of the ball, he is in the face of a quarterback in the backfield very quickly. One of Perrion’s best attributes is his effort, and his no-stop, run your ass down in the open field, competitiveness on every play. The name Perrion in French means “Rock”, in Africa it means “Love” so I think the fans of the team that selects Perrion are going to learn “love the rock” when they see the effort and talent Perrion puts into every single play.

CONCERNS
It takes time to become a complete defensive lineman and Perrion will have to go to run-stopping school but I’m convinced he will learn what he needs to learn very quickly.

BOTTOM LINE: 1.97
When I suggest that a player “reminds” me of another player, I am not suggesting that I think he might be as good as that player was. It is just a unique observation of how that Draftable player looks, stands, has the same gate, size, etc. As far as Perrion’s talent and who he might be equal to in the future, I look at him as a potential Michael Strahan type of player on the field. His quickness and mature pass rush moves, also remind me a lot of former Bills great Bruce Smith. You see I’m not afraid to suggest who a player reminds me of or who their talent could be equal to for fear it might come back to haunt me with other Draftniks. Perrion has the talents, and size that I have mentioned, of all of those former players. The question that has to be answered is, does Perrion have the character and off-field work ethic to bring that “potential” to the field for a 17-game schedule every year? Michael did it for 15 seasons and Bruce Smith did it for 19 seasons. My answer to that is, how the hell should I know…That’s up to him. BTW, Marcellus Wiley lasted 10 years and only had double digits sacks in 2 of those 10 years. So, that’s a wide range of Perrion’s potential to impact at the next level. For me personally, I’ll stick with the “Willey comparison”. It’s still worthy of a 1st round grade for me.

STRENGTHS
Leo reminds me a lot of former LB/ER Kevin Greene. Between the hash marks Leo is a punishing football player. His burst to the ball and his strength are dominating factors in his overall game. He has quick feet and is an excellent tackler. He has good size and excellent bulk to give out and take the punishment his style of play requires, for him to stay healthy. Leo fires off the line of scrimmage with excellent power and against bigger players will use hand fighting techniques to free himself up quickly and get into the backfield or shed blocks and make tackles at the line of scrimmage against the run. He’s the type of player who will make the sack when everyone in the stadium knows he is coming. He’s a finisher, a disrupter, and the type of player offensive coordinators will have no choice but to game plan for. Leo is no honey badger on the field, he’s a freaking wolverine.

CONCERNS
Leo will not be considered by most teams, to be big enough to be a pass rusher. He does not have the agility to be used off the line, in pass coverage. He will not be considered strong enough or big enough to rush the passer or make tackles from the interior of the line. Leo is not the modern-day “run and chase” and makes tackles 20 yards down the field, type of player after the opponent has already made a first down. This confusion on how and where to play Leo will affect his draft status, not his play on the field.

BOTTOM LINE: 3.06
Leo is a playmaker, a disrupter, a clutch player. He is not fancy and he is not going to play in your defensive backfield except in zone coverage. Leo is an attack the line of scrimmage, stop the run, rush the passer, type of Linebacker who can be used to do all of those things, from any position in your front seven. Turn on the film and watch how Defensive Coordinator Jim Leonard took advantage of Leo’s athletic talents. If you are not ready to use Leo the same way…don’t bother drafting him. Oh, and by the way, if your Defensive Coordinator now, doesn’t think Leo can impact the defense making plays behind or at the line of scrimmage, I suggest you hire another Defensive Coordinator. Like Keven Greene, Leo will have to play in the right system and for the right Defensive Coordinator or he will not be as effective or impacting as he has been in college.

STRENGTHS
What you see is not what you get with Jalen…you get a whole lot more, much more. He reminds me a lot of the Bills Jordan Poyer. Jalen plays multiple positions for his college team because of his high football IQ and maturity. He has good size and is a lot better cover safety than most give him credit for. He shows excellent overall athletic agility and solid cover skills that make it easy to see how he can handle being a slot cover corner. He does a good job getting off blocks to make tackles on sweeps and screens because he plays with excellent anticipation, instincts and has good recognition skills. Jalen should be a fan favorite and coach favorite, the type of player for the team that selects him.

CONCERNS
He needs to get much stronger and add some bulk to his frame without it affecting his speed and agility. He is a good tackler but still with improved strength in his hands and forearms he could become a much better and surer tackler. Because Jalen played up near the line of scrimmage most teams will think that he lacks the cover skills required to be a starting Defensive Back for the next level. He could be pigeonholed as a zone cover defensive back and this could affect his draft status. Of course, that will be a mistake. Jalen needs for his workouts and combine numbers to address all of these concerns.

BOTTOM LINE: 2.03
I’m going to out on a limb and suggest that Jalen was one of “those” players who went to class and did not spend all of his time just playing football. My thinking is that for the next level his upside will be physical more than mental because he already has an extremely high Football IQ and shows excellent leadership skills. When he gets bigger and stronger his tackling will improve and as he gains more experience his cover skills will improve. He is a playmaker on defense and a leader and in future years should become a coach on the field. When a player shows those attributes to me on film along with the athletic talent to play more than one position I tend to rate them for early draft round consideration. But that’s just me. Most of the time, players like Jalen aren’t selected until the later rounds but if he has very good workouts and runs 4.4 or 4.5 range, he could move into the third round. It’s a possibility.

STRENGTHS
Breece is a big, strong, powerful running back with excellent agility and vision. He is an excellent blocker and if his quarterback decided to throw to him, you would see on film that he has the eye/hand coordination to catch passes out of the backfield like a receiver. He shows excellent speed and burst and the type of lateral agility to gain yardage on his own. Breece is such an excellent blocker, his team used him as the blocker for the quarterback on role-outs instead of a Tight End, Offensive Lineman, fullback, or even an H-Back. Breece has the potential to be even a better running back at the next level than he was at the college level and that is saying a mouth full. Breece was very effective at the college level, especial in the Red zone. The proof of that Red Zone effectiveness showed up on the field and in his stats. He scored 20 touchdowns and 1472 yards in 2021, and 21 touchdowns and 1572 yards in 2020. Think about it, every team, game planned, and knew he was coming, and he came anyway.

CONCERNS
When Breece is patient and waits for his blocks he really shines. Sometimes he’s too quick, fast, and impatient to the line of scrimmage for his own good. He also needs to learn better, how to set up his blocks for his offensive lineman and improve his vision but all of this will happen at the next level because of his work ethic. Some teams might be concerned that Breece has been “Used up” at the college level and won’t have much left for the NFL level. All I can say is, he gives out punishment more than he takes it.

BOTTOM LINE: 1.90
The team that selects Breece is going to be surprised at how well he catches the ball and gains yardage in the open field, breaking tackles. He is such a good blocker that he hasn’t been able to show that skill set much on film. Being as good a blocker as Breece is can be a gift and a curse. A gift because your QB gets more time in the pocket. A curse because if you keep Breece in to block, you lose his talent to catch the ball down the field with sure hands, and make RAC yards like a Tight End. Of course, the value of the running back position will affect his draft status but I’m guessing that after his workouts and the combine some teams might feel that Breece is the exception. If your team needs a feature running back Breece might be the one to target, at least he is on my board.

STRENGTHS
Is Drake a linebacker playing Defensive End or… or a Defensive End who should be playing linebacker? He has the athletic talent to play either position. He has a good burst off the line into the backfield to sack quarterbacks. He shows the needed change of direction talent to play Zone coverage, dropping off the line. He has those long arms that give him the ability to play bigger than his size and he has the quick feet and long stride needed to turn the corner and get to the play behind the line of scrimmage or down the field. Drake has all of the talent and size to play more than one position in the front seven for the team that selects him and that makes him valuable to just about all 32 teams in this draft.

CONCERNS
As a Defensive End, Drake gets pushed off his line too easily when pass rushing and this makes it hard for him to finish. Against the run, he plays too high, doesn’t get off his blocks, and struggles to hold his gaps or turn the play inside for others to make a play. Drake’s biggest problem is he cranes his neck like a giraffe looking into the backfield on the snap of the ball on most downs making the big mistake of giving up his chest to his defender. Drake has a lot to learn about the intricacies of the Defensive End position and even more to learn if he is to be considered for a linebacker position. Right now, his success is based on just athletic talent and for the next level and it takes more than athletic talent to play in the NFL.

BOTTOM LINE: 3.44
Defensive linemen have to understand the blocking schemes of the offensive line or it is hard for them to react correctly and do their job. Don’t get me wrong Drake is smart but he lacks the trust. It’s like a QB who waits for his receiver to break instead of anticipating the break and throwing the ball to a spot on the field. Drake wants to make a play so badly on every down that he just loses his trust. He doesn’t read and react, he looks past his defender, into the backfield and this makes him lose balance and power, and the ability to finish. A defensive lineman has to read the player in front of him at the snap first. Sometimes it’s very hard for coaches to break this habit of “looking past the defender” as if they weren’t there, for a defensive lineman. When this happens and if you can’t turn them into linebackers, they become depth players. That’s why I asked the question, is Drake a potential Defensive lineman or is he a linebacker? Drake has talent and could impact very much like The Dolphins Jason Taylor did when he played. Jason played both in his career, maybe Drake will do the same.

STRENGTHS
Trey has the eye/hand coordination, of a Las Vegas magician. He can catch a pass that most receivers would struggle to catch. He wants to catch the ball and then punish whoever tries to tackle him. He is a passionate blocker and a passionate run after the catch type of receiver. Trey is a solid in-line blocker, because of his passion to dominate and intimidate the player in front of him. He has good size to block but his success when blocking comes from his wiliness to compete and passion to dominate. Trey has the talent to be an impact offensive player and a fan favorite for the team that selects him.

CONCERNS
Trey is very tight in the hips and lacks the lateral agility and change of direction talent to block in open spaces and run all the routes. When he lines up as an inline blocker and gets beat off the snap, he panics and commits penalties. Because of his lack of lateral agility, Trey will have to learn how to use his body against single coverage to separate. Also, Trey struggles to get into his routes quickly and with some explosiveness, when he is coming out of a three-point stance. Nevertheless, Trey will be outstanding catching the ball and making punishing RAC yardage against zone coverages for sure.

BOTTOM LINE: 2.67
Until Trey learns how to run routes better, changing gears and using his body, he will struggle against single coverages in spite of the fact that he can catch contested passes. As far as to pass blocking, he will struggle if left alone, out in space. Trey will need help when pass blocking, and have to learn more finesse to keep himself on balance. Trey’s passion to make a block is a gift and a curse because, in spite of his success at the college level, it has kept him from learning better techniques and also understanding his own limitations physically when blocking. Trey has a lot to learn but he seems to have an excellent work ethic. His ability to catch the ball like a magician and his punishing style of run after the catch skill level is unique. That is what he truly will bring to the next level to become an impacting, fan-favorite, type of player for the team that selects him.

STRENGTHS
Bernhard has the size, athletic talent, and work ethic needed, to be a successful offensive lineman for the team that selects him. He shows good quick feet and good enough lateral agility to be considered as a potential starting Left tackle or Right tackle. He has the agility to go out to the 2nd level and make his blocks and enough foot speed and agility to be used on sweeps and screens. He seems to show pride in protecting his QB and looks to have the mental strength needed. Bernhard is quick to learn and does not repeat mistakes very often and in the very near future, should be an excellent starting offensive lineman for the team that selects him.

CONCERNS
There are a ton of issues Bernhard will need to improve on before he can become a starting lineman. His balance and pad level, when run blocking or pass blocking, is poor, he has to get stronger in his upper and lower body, his hand techniques are poor, he needs to improve his football IQ and become more instinctive, he needs to play with more overall aggressiveness and quickness in all phases of his game. All of that being said he improved dramatically during the Senior Bowl practices and the game.

BOTTOM LINE: 2.06
When you put the film on during the season Raimann doesn’t impress you more than a size/ athletic type, developmental pick in the upcoming draft. But like the Bills Spencer Brown last year at the Senior Bowl, Bernhard’s improvement was dramatic during the week. Bernhard showed that he can take what is learned into practice into a game and improve from play to play. The first day Bernard was catching players and one of the coaches showed him how to use his hands on the inside instead of the outside. Bernhard proceeded to do that on every repetition throughout practice and never changed back. He got quicker out of his stance from practice to practice and improved his footwork. It was very impressive to watch how quickly he improved, and showed, when he did get beat, he did not revert back to old or bad habits and techniques. Not reverting back, is what sold me on his potential to be a starting left tackle at the next level. I’m not sure what round he will be selected, he could sneak into the 1st round or fall to the 3rd round but I am sure of his potential to start. Left Tackle (in my opinion) is a skill position on the offense so…you do the math… what round would you select him in?

STRENGTHS
Nicholas might be the most athletic offensive tackle in this draft. Because of that excellent athleticism, he can play either offensive tackle position at a high level. He shows excellent mental strength and pride in protecting his quarterback. Nicholas might be one of the best offensive linemen I have seen going out to the second level, making his blocks and dominating linebackers in the process. He is excellent at blocking in open space on sweeps and screens. Nicholas fires out when run blocking with the passion needed to dominate. His pure athleticism, football intelligence, and pride are what allow him to pass block at a high level for his college team.

CONCERNS
There are a ton of questions that will need to be answered and none of them can be answered in a workout or an interview. Is he a right tackle or a left tackle? Should he be moved inside? There’s more but nevertheless, Nicholas has too much mental toughness, character, and athletic talent to pass up selecting early in this draft.

BOTTOM LINE: 1.89
It’s very hard for athletic Offensive linemen to trust the techniques of the position over their athletic talent. The shock for those athletic linemen is, that for the first time, their athletic talent will be matched at the next level. If Nicholas doesn’t use good techniques along with his athletic talent, then he will fail to live up to his potential. It’s a trust issue and sometimes the only way to get through to a player like Nicholas is to throw him on the field and let him get beat physically and emotionally until he is ready to use the correct techniques religiously. I remember when the Chiefs selected Eric Fisher as the very 1st pick in that draft. I thought he would go later in the 1st round because, in spite of his athletic talent I thought, he needed time to develop. Eric struggled big time and the only reason the Chiefs stuck with him was that he was such a high pick. Nicholas, selected late in the 1st or early 2nd round by a team willing to give him time to develop should become one of the better, if not the best offensive tackle in this draft. He is very smart and even more athletic than Eric was coming out so, maybe Nicholas won’t take as much time to develop.