STRENGTHS
Jer’Zhan looks like a bowling ball on the field lineup against offensive linemen that looks like pins. He gives excellent effort on every down, and when using the correct techniques, he is very hard to block and keep out of the backfield. He has quick feet and straight-line foot speed to be a disrupter on passing downs with the strength and leverage to bull rush. Jer’Zhan is a “bust your balls” type of defensive tackle. By that I mean, that if you make a mistake when blocking him, he will make you pay and your coach will bust your balls on the sidelines after the play is over. He is powerful, gives good effort on every play, and because of his quickness can change the line of scrimmage in his favor on almost every play.

CONCERNS
There is a host of concerns. He is undersized, lacks flexibility and change of direction athletic talent, lacks consistency coming off the line, lacks consistency in using his techniques when pass rushing and against the run, and is easily double-teamed because he has such a wide body there is no way he can get skinny, and is carrying too much weight.

BOTTOM LINE: 3.61
I see Jer’Zhan as a rotational 1 gap attack defensive lineman who needs to lose some weight to become more effective at rushing the quarterback. I don’t believe at this point in his career that he can be effective playing every down and distance. He needs a lot of development and has to understand that his job at the next level is to disrupt the timing of the offense and not just sack the quarterback. He needs to get off the line and into the backfield quickly to do that, and right now he doesn’t do that consistently. In the backfield, he can make a play on a running back or force quarterbacks to quickly and destroy the rhythm of the play. Being limited to a 1 gap defensive system will affect his draft status but if he is in the right defensive system and rotated, Jer’Zhan can become an effective disrupter for the team that selects him.

STRENGTHS
Kamren is your typical tackling heat-seeking missile, throwing his body around to make the big hit. He has excellent athletic talent and instincts to make the big tackle or play on the ball. He shows good hands to make the interception and the speed sideline to sideline, to be used as a single safety. Kamren can be used up close to the line of scrimmage because of his passionate tackling and speed to be used off the ball to blitz. He is quick to make tackles like an outside linebacker on sweeps and screens and can intimidate a player who is prone to fumbling in the open field. Kamren is a natural two-deep zone safety with the ability to be used close to the line of scrimmage as a zone defender in nickel situations. Kamren can be a big play defensive back for the team that selects him.

CONCERNS
There are concerns and 1st on the list is medical. Number two on the list is his style of tackling and how that style leads to injuries. He is not a sure tackler, going head first to tackle and looking for the big hit. When he comes from deep to make a tackle it’s impressive but it is also disturbing. I think he has the athletic talent to cover but his mental makeup to make the big play, will not allow him to stay with the receiver down the field long enough without leaving them to make a big play on another receiver. If I’m right, he will be taken advantage of if used as a cover safety unless he can learn that he is not the only player on the field.

BOTTOM LINE: 2.17
Kamren’s tackling style is a big concern. Anything else depends on how a team wants to use him in their defense. I don’t think you should expect him to be a great cover safety, and if that’s what you want in a safety then there are others in this draft that might be a better fit. If you want a safety who can be used as a robber or a natural 2 deep zone safety then Kamren should be the first one on your board. He has the talent to impact in that style of defense. I suspect his medicals, tackling style, and possible lack of coverage ability will affect his draft status for most teams unless he proves he does have the cover skills to impact in any style of defense.

STRENGTHS
Bucky is a quick-footed, quick-vision, strong between-the-tackles running back who is an excellent fit in a spread system offense. He shows excellent vision, balance, and speed to make a big play once he gets into the second level of a defense. Bucky is the type of running back that defenses must account for on every play allowing for an offense, the option of run or pass on any down and distance. If you don’t tackle Bucky in the backfield he will make the needed yardage on third downs between the tackles or outside of the tackles. Bucky has good enough hands to be used on checkdowns and is dangerous when he gets the ball in open space. He shows excellent lateral agility to make players miss him and makes most of his cuts north and south gaining extra yardage when most running backs his size lose yardage. As I stated before, Bucky is a perfect fit type of running back, for a spread offense with the strength and quickness, despite his size, to run between the tackles or outside of the tackles.

CONCERNS
Most teams will downgrade him because of his size and lack of perfect running back weight to play in any style of offensive system. Also, Bucky most likely, isn’t the type of running back you use in the last 4 minutes to close out a game. Bucky is not a good pass-blocking back and struggles picking up the blitz because of his size and lack of pass-blocking passion.

BOTTOM LINE: 2.31
Bucky has to improve his blocking and gain the trust of the offensive coordinator to make blocks consistently, to become the impact player his talents suggest that he can become. Otherwise, he is just a specialty player who can impact, but not consistently. That being said, Bucky will make defenses concerned about his ability to break a big play, and the threat of the big play, is what an offense needs from that position. Bucky is not just a straight-line, hit the hole even if it’s not there, type of running back. He is shifty and strong and has the balance, and vision that makes it hard to tackle him between the tackles, and in open space. If Bucky improves his football IQ to understand third-down defenses and read the blitz like a quarterback, he can become an intriguing player for the offense of the team that selects him. Right now, it’s a mystery what round Bucky could be selected in but don’t let that fool you about his potential to impact in the right offense.

STRENGTHS
Terrion is a multi-position, defensive backfield player because of his tackling, size, athletic talent, and ability to make a big play. He can play man-to-man and in multiple zone coverages and is a playmaker in both types of defensive systems, and that is unique. He has good speed and solid quickness and has a very high football IQ to anticipate and guess. When he does make a mistake, he forgets quickly and doesn’t seem to carry it to the next play. Terrion’s ability to make plays no matter where he is on the field, or in what style of defense, can influence quarterbacks and the offensive play calling. Terrion has a burst to the ball that helps him to recover when he gets beat against short and long routes. He can play in the slot, on the outside, or as a safety near the line, and as a single free safety with just enough speed and explosive burst to go from sideline to sideline. Terrion is the new style of defensive back that teams are looking for nowadays. He might not be as “fluid” a defender playing corner but because of his play-making talents and tackling skills, he is the type of defensive back that quarterbacks learn to stay away from because of his play-making abilities.

CONCERNS
Terrion is not as fluid an athlete, as most pure cover corners are. Nevertheless, he is a smart cover corner, uses good techniques, and is good at guessing routes. Of course, guessing can lead to big mistakes at the next level. Then again, his guessing should improve with experience at the next level, and magnify his intimation factor.

BOTTOM LINE: 1.59
I believe Terrion will become an excellent cover safety, used in the slot to cover, blitz, and defend against sweeps and screens. Also as a deep safety, he can become even more of a playmaker. When he is lined up in a 2 deep zone coverage or as a single free safety, and because of his explosive burst to the ball, he will fool a lot of quarterbacks into making mistakes. As a pure cover corner for the next level, Terrion can get beat because of his “guessing routes habit”. The passing is quicker and more exact and Terrion will guess wrong and be taken advantage of if he is not exact and using perfect techniques. I believe moving him to the “cover safety” position, the NFL is using now, is perfect for him to continue to be the playmaker he has learned to become. That being said, you can’t go wrong if a team decides he is more valuable at one of the corner positions because Terrion does have the talent and high football IQ to play corner too.

STRENGTHS
Sione is a Defensive Back with the skills, athletic talent, and high football IQ to play more than one position on your defense or offense at a very high level. He shows the quick feet to change direction and he has an excellent burst to the play. He is an excellent tackler and shows leadership skills through his mature play on the field. Sione plays with a controlled aggressiveness that is seen only in impact players. He has the athletic talent and foot speed to run down players from side line to side line when playing off the line of scrimmage or on the line of scrimmage. Sione has the eye/hand coordination to make interceptions on defense as well as catching the ball down the field as a running back on screen plays and wheel routes or a potential slot receiver. He is a tough running back with the ability to gain those tough yards when most will be stopped. Sione’s high football IQ and athletic talent allows him to be able to play more than one position for his college team. Nevertheless, I believe that his impact position at the next level will be at the running back position. He is an every down running back who can run between the tackles or outside the tackles, catch the ball down the field like a receiver, and is an outstanding blocker in the backfield. Then again…he’s a dam good safety too.

CONCERNS
As far as being a safety, it just depends what a team is looking for in a safety. He has to show at the combine that he can be used in single coverage situations or most teams will think he is a situational player and a special team player only because he lacks the length most teams are looking for nowadays. I believe that if he gets on the field as a safety that he will never come off. As a running back, most teams will struggle believing he is as good as his film shows him to be. He’s the real key, the value of both positions will affect his draft status more than his lack of any skill set or experience playing either position.

BOTTOM LINE: 2.18
As far as I’m concerned you draft Sione and worry about what he position he will play later. He is an excellent football player on both sides of the ball so overthinking is truly the worse thing you could do when selecting him. I rate him high because I see his potential at the running back position and as a WLB in a 4/2/5 defense along with his ability to play the safety position. That being said, there are a lot of coaches that will not know how to use him on either side of the ball. Nevertheless, do not let Chiefs Andy Reed draft this kid or for that matter, Dolphins Mike McDaniel, they will find a way to use his talents and teams that pass on him will be very sorry they did. As a running back I feel his impact will be equal to being picked in the 1st round. As a safety it all depends on the system teams are using, as far as the round he would most likely be selected in. Nevertheless, once he gets on the field he will impact no matter what side of the ball you decide to use him on. Look for him on Rob’s board my guess, in the later rounds because of the value of both positions he is projected to play in.

 

STRENGTHS
Brian is a long-legged, tall receiver with the straight-line speed to scare Defensive Coordinators on third and long downs. He has good strong hands to catch the ball and that helps him going up top to catch a pass in the red zone. Brian is a deep threat because, the longer the route, the more difficult it is to keep up with him because of his long strides. He shows the speed, hands, and concentration, to catch the deep ball. Brian’s long strides allow him to stabilize his body and head making it easier for him to focus on those difficult over-the-shoulder passes that other receivers struggle to catch consistently. Brian reminds me a lot of T J Houshmandzadeh who was a former number 2 standout receiver for the Bengals.

CONCERNS
Brian will struggle because of those long legs and a lack of quickness to run the entire route tree. His deep speed is outstanding but his deep route running is a bit lazy because of that speed. He also has to become more physical running his routes and prove he can catch contested passes. Right now, he outruns everyone he is up against and that will not happen at the next level.

BOTTOM LINE: 1.97
Football has come easy for Brian up until this point. You can see his game change when he is up against physical defensive backs even at the college level. Brian must prove he has the work ethic to become a better route runner. I’m not convinced he will ever be able to run the entire route tree but that doesn’t mean he won’t be an impact receiver, it just means he will struggle to become a number 1 receiver. If you select Brian and understand that he will not be the type of receiver who will get open on any down and distance then by all means go for it. Brian will be an excellent crossing pattern receiver and deep ball receiver and if you hit him in stride when he is running those routes, he has the potential to take the ball to the house. As I stated before, Brian can take the top off the defense, catch that fade pass in the end zone and if he is hit in stride score a touchdown from any place on the field. He can be a weapon if you call the right plays for him to shine.

STRENGTHS
Luke is the type of receiver who can catch the ball while you are giving him a titanic wedge. He just catches the ball. He has good size, strong hands, and unique hand/eye coordination. There is nothing special about Luke’s athletic talent except to say that he just catches the ball. He can gain yardage after the catch but it won’t be because he is great at breaking tackles, it will just be because…he just catches the ball. He is smart and a sneaky route runner, especially in the red zone. Luke is an excellent blocker and that is important if he is used in the slot or as a move receiver. He is the type of receiver quarterbacks fall in love with because of his High football IQ and understanding of the quarterback position. He understands how and when to show his numbers and that attribute makes it easy to trust that Luke will catch the ball in any down-and-distance situation.

CONCERNS
Luke has to be in the right offensive system to be more than just a 3rd or 4th receiver. He has to get much stronger, run much better routes and work on his quickness to become even more sneakier than he is now, running routes. Luke’s lack of speed and level of competition will be the concerns for a lot of teams also. I say forgetaboutit…draft him and just let him catch the ball.

BOTTOM LINE: 3.17
Right now, Luke is what most will call a limited receiver with not much upside but that is a bit deceiving as far as I’m concerned. He catches the ball and is extremely competitive and those two attributes alone, will allow him to develop quickly into a top receiver in the NFL, given the right offensive system, and parried with a strong-armed quarterback like Rams Copper Kupp has been. I know Cooper is a white guy and so is Luke, so let’s find another receiver who is the same size, drafted late in the draft but has been excellent because he is in the right system and paired with a strong-armed quarterback and is of a different ethnicity…How about Rams Puka Nacua. What do all three of these players have in common? All three have high football IQ’s, are about the same size, run about the same 40 times and combine workout numbers, are excellent pass catches and all three are very competitive. Now add to those common denominators that all three were Senior Bowl standouts. Personally, I don’t believe in coincidences because they are too coincidental. But I do believe in football players who don’t take anything for granted and, I believe in drafting the obvious, and it’s obvious to me the potential Luke has be an impact player at the next level. Let’s see if I’m right.

STRENGTHS
Evan is a multi-position, Defensive Back with the high football IQ to be a coach on the field and make the players around him better. He might be the best cover safety in this draft. He was used all over the defense because he identifies and stops the run as well as any safety in the NFL. He is a good tackler, hitting running backs and receivers with the aggressiveness to dislodge the ball. He takes on blocks with the aggressiveness and excellent techniques needed to make it easy for him to shut down sweeps and screens in the backfield. He has the speed, size, and high football IQ to be used in any style of defense as a single free safety, strong safety, or in the slot as a cover safety. Evan, along with his athletic talent and size has excellent anticipation skills and instincts. He will make the players in your defensive backfield better because of his ability to play more than one position at a high level and his leadership skills.

CONCERNS
Evan has to have a good combine. If he can break the 4.5 barrier and show more flexibility in his cover skills it would not shock me to see him slip into the first round. That being said, from what I see on film he does struggle at times breaking down to make tackles and change direction in the open field. Some of this is because he seems too aggressive to make the big hit and not because he lacks the talent. He can cover in the slot but I’m not convinced he could be used at that position in every down-and-distance situation.

BOTTOM LINE: 2.07
As of this writing, no one knows about Evan except for the scouts and GM’s. Evan is smart but as Shakira sings…the hips don’t lie, Even struggles to change direction if he is not on the move. He struggles to change direction at times against those shifty receivers and running backs when he is in space. Let me put it this way…you can break his ankles when he is alone trying to make a tackle. So…he’s not perfect, but he is an excellent football player with excellent athletic talent and can play off or on the line of scrimmage and be used in any style of zone or in single coverages. He is a good tackler but he does have to learn to break down and make the sure tackle instead of the big hit all the time. Evan plays a position that is not valued as high as other positions are valued mostly because it takes less athletic talent to play the position and can be taught and coached easier for that reason. Nevertheless, Teams nowadays are looking for safeties who can cover instead of the hard-hitting safeties limited to one style of defensive backfield play. Evan looks to me to be that style of Defensive back and not just a pure limited safety but the combine will be the key to prove that he is, for sure. If you’re a team looking for a unique style of defensive back to play safety, you might want to pick this kid early instead of waiting until later in the draft. Just saying!

STRENGTHS
Mike is an impact football player. He has the cover skills, speed, and agility to play in the slot. He is an excellent form tackler and outstanding against the run. He comes off his blocks quicker than most defense backs and because of his burst and quickness can be used to blitz from the outside slot position or off the line from a deep safety position. As a former receiver, Mike can intercept the ball and take it to the house. Mike is the same size as impact Buccaneers Safety, Antoine Winfield Jr the difference is, that Mike is faster, but as quick, and has better cover skills. Mike shows leadership skills through his play on the field and in zone coverages and communicates with his teammates better than most slot corners or cornerbacks. Because of his receiver-like hands, and receiver-like skills to make yardage after the catch, Mike should be an asset in the return game on special teams. Mike is a unique player and adds excitement, and playmaking ability to a defense because of his athletic talent and his high football IQ.

CONCERNS
That’s it…lack of size will be THE reason teams will downgrade Mike. They might also downgrade him because they may feel he will have to change positions. If he is used as a slot corner he will be taken advantage of by those big, pass-catching tight ends and this too will discourage some teams from selecting him early in this draft. Teams are also worried about the injury factor with a smaller player but that could be a concern with just about any player. The truth is, there are a lot of smaller players starting in the NFL that never have much more of an injury history than many other players have.

BOTTOM LINE: 1.83
Size does matter when evaluating players in the draft but once a player gets on the field size is not an issue, it’s all about production. Ask Buffalo Bills 5’ 11” slot corner Taron Johnson or Buccaneers Safety, 5’ 9” Antoine Winfield Jr or WR Dolphins Tyreek Hill, or former Panthers WR Steve Smith Sr. I could go on but you need to do some of the work yourselves. My point is yes, stature affects where a player is selected in the draft but it has nothing to do with how well a small player will be successful in the NFL. I believe Mike has 1st round talent and at some point, the team that selects him will get the benefit of that talent and production. Maybe he will be a starting Safety and impact like Winfield or maybe a team will use him in the slot to cover and he will impact like Taron. Maybe a team will move him back to receiver and use him in the slot like Julian Edelman or Wes Welker. I really don’t care where a team uses his talents all I’m telling you is that no matter what position he plays or what unit, Mike will impact and make plays, and isn’t that what the draft is all about, selecting players on both sides of the ball that can make plays no matter what size they are? I think that’s exactly what the draft is all about.

STRENGTHS
Darius has the potential to be THE best Edge Rusher from this draft. He has the size, length, and burst off the line to become something special. He can play inside or outside depending on down and distance and when he plays on the outside he is stout against the run. Darius can change the line of scrimmage in his favor when he uses the correct techniques. He has those long arms and legs that allow him to dominate and put an offensive lineman at a disadvantage off the snap of the ball. What comes with all of that potential is “potentially” dominating double-digit sack ability along with, double-digit TFL, (tackles for losses) ability too. That being said, the question is, can that potential be developed BEFORE his first contract is up?

CONCERNS
Right now, Darius plays out of control. When he rushes the passer or defends against the run he is inconsistent using the correct techniques. He also lacks the mental strength, gets frustrated, and lacks any second moves to Finnish. As a pass rusher he is just not using his long arms to his advantage, taking wrong angles, getting pushed off his route to the QB, and in general, lacks the football IQ to be successful at the next level.

BOTTOM LINE: 2.08
All of these concerns are real, Nevertheless, I’m giving him a pass because the whole defense lacked good coaching in general. When I watch this defense it’s like watching a free for all. No one seemed to know how to play together and techniques and fundamentals of the defense in general were very poor. At some point, this will catch up to this defensive coordinator and when it does he will be lucky to get a job as a water boy. Darius’ potential has been stunted and how long it will take for him to mentally and technique-wise, get up to the level of his talent is anyone’s guess. His interviews will be the deciding factor of what round he will be selected in and if he does well in those interviews he could slip into the 1st round so that a team has the 5th year option on his contract. Darius has the talent but as I always say, it takes more than talent to play in the NFL and the question is will his interviews establish that he does have more than talent, and that he just needs some good coaching to make it come out? I like him, I’d take a flyer on him in late the 1st round but then again, I don’t interview these kids, and I won’t lose my job if he doesn’t reach his potential.

STRENGTHS
Payton is a difference-maker for your defense. He can play more than one position as a linebacker and I suspect could even be used as a safety in any style of defensive back system you want to use. He is quick and fast and has the size every team is looking for in the new linebacker for this new passing league. Payton is a run-and-chase linebacker and better when used in coverage than most safeties in this draft. He has a high football IQ and shows leadership through his play on the field. Payton plays angry but he doesn’t take that anger out committing penalties. He is a form tackler and a sure tackler. Payton can be used on the line of scrimmage as an Edge Rusher, or as a 3-down linebacker in any one of those positions, and as a Safety in man or zone converges. He has the burst of speed to dominate from sideline to sideline as a linebacker or safety. He reminds me a lot of former Cowboys Sean Lee when playing linebacker. As a safety, he reminds me a lot of the Bills Jorden Poyer.

CONCERNS
Payton had some medical issues in the past that he has come back from with great tenacity. Nevertheless, some teams will downgrade him because of those medicals and his history of getting injured. Payton is not the type of linebacker who should be standing still at the snap, waiting for the offense to come to him. He needs to be on the move and attacking or, in coverage. His body type does lend itself more to the safety position than the linebacker position and like Sean Lee, if forced to play out of position of that body type, he will be susceptible to injuries.

BOTTOM LINE: 1.51
As I stated before, Payton reminds me a lot of former Cowboys LB Sean Lee. Sean was a weakside linebacker like Bills Matt Milano and playing inside added to him being more likely to be prone to injuries. At least that’s my un “expert” opinion. It seems to me that Payton, because of his past injuries, should be used more as a strong Safety/OLB who can play up near the line or back in zone and be used more as a “robber” in a defensive system, taking advantage of his high football IQ, speed, size, quickness, and leadership skills. I feel as soon as Payton gets into an NFL strength and conditioning program and is used on defense as an “on the move” defensive player the injuries will lessen and be less devastating to his career. Matt Milano was injured a lot in college and Sean Lee was injured a lot in college. Sean continued that injury history in the NFL but Matt’s injuries until this year, were not as debilitating as they had been in college. Here’s the key, Payton has come back from his injuries with the impact he had before his injuries. Think about it.