After taking you thru a few of my favourite offensive gamers on this 12 months’s NFL Draft let’s flip our consideration to 4 gamers who’re undoubtedly “My Guys” this 12 months.
As a reminder, to qualify for this listing a participant isn’t essentially the man I believe is the most effective at his place, however somebody I’m increased on than consensus or somebody who I’d be “banging the desk for” in a draft room if he was up in opposition to different gamers who I’ve equally graded.
If you need a good suggestion of what the consensus board appears like I extremely advocate trying out Arif Hasan’s Broad Left on Substack.
Iowa Cornerback Cooper DeJean
Iowa CB Cooper DeJean – Photograph by: USA At the moment
I’m nonetheless frantically attempting to look at as many gamers as I can earlier than the draft begins late subsequent week so that is topic to vary, however at the moment I solely have 14 gamers with a first-round grade. DeJean is considered one of them because the No. 14 participant on my large board. The consensus board has him at No. 23, so I’m not that completely different than the market as an entire.
However the place I see myself being extra optimistic on DeJean is in his positional outlook. There are many conversations surrounding whether or not DeJean can stay a fringe nook on the NFL stage or whether or not he might want to transition to security. I consider a few of that could be unconscious bias as a consequence of DeJean’s race. There hasn’t been a beginning cornerback who’s white since Jason Sehorn performed within the late nineties and early aughts.
For my part DeJean has the pace, measurement motion expertise to stay on the skin. I believe his hip fluidity is smoother than most give him credit score for. As a matter of truth, I’ve in my notes that when he strikes into the slot his hip fluidity shines as he offers with receivers working a two-way go. DeJean is the most effective Cowl 3 nook on this 12 months’s draft and shows a capability to click on and shut rapidly. He performs good and follows zone guidelines simply, passing off receivers as they run switches.
DeJean reveals improbable ball expertise as evidenced by his 13 passes defensed and 7 interceptions within the final two years. Sure, he could be a good security, however I additionally assume he’s the most effective nook on this class and his positional versatility needs to be seen as a energy, not a weak point. That is why he’s undoubtedly considered one of “my guys.”
Illinois Inside Defensive Lineman Johnny Newton
Illinois DL Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton and Wisconsin RB Braelon Allen – Photograph by: USA At the moment
At the moment, there’s a ton of (warranted) buzz round Newton being a first-rounder. Some draft analysts have him because the No. 1 defensive participant on their boards. So, how may I classify him as a member of “my guys?” Straightforward. He’s the No. 1 participant on my board – offense or protection. I’ve him increased than any of the heralded quarterbacks on this class, even when accounting for positional worth.
I’ll simply let my scouting notes do the remainder of the speaking:
“His fingers often is the single greatest trait by any prospect on this draft class. He has a fast get off that he makes use of to overwhelm offensive linemen. Late and sudden together with his strikes depart opponents greedy for air. Rip/swim/cross chop. Nice cross rush plan. Corners effectively to win with angles. Nice anchor for his measurement. Swipes stabs constantly. Pure leverage as a consequence of shorter body. No dangerous kilos.”
That is the primary 12 months I’ve used a numerical grading scale, so it’s tough for me to say with certainty, however I consider he could be the highest-rated inside defensive lineman I’ve scouted in my transient time as an evaluator. That top opinion of him undoubtedly makes him considered one of “my guys.”
Western Michigan Edge Marshawn Kneeland
Western Michigan OLB Marshawn Kneeland – Photograph courtesy of Western Michigan
I’ve been in on Kneeland since watching him on the Reese’s Senior Bowl. There he displayed each software that made him a standout at Western Michigan, but additionally flashed a number of new instruments in his bag together with stunning bend and a depraved spin transfer. Not like different gamers who’re projected increased by the consensus board like Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson, Kneeland has the scale and play energy to be an every-down participant who could be a plus in opposition to the run.
Nevertheless it’s the opportunity of what his cross rush arsenal can turn into that basically has me intrigued. He performs from an influence/energy base-set the place he likes to bully offensive linemen with a bull rush, lengthy arm, dip-and-rip, or push-pull. From there Kneeland is growing a variety of counters that can make him a well-rounded cross rusher resembling a cross-chop, profitable the nook with pace and bend, the aforementioned spin and even a ghost transfer.
He’s removed from a cultured product, however in an edge class that I’m typically low on, Kneeland has the bodily profile, ground, and potential that I’d wager on over most of the different edge defenders on this class. He’s my EDGE4 on this class, a Prime 25 prospect general for me and I’ve him a lot nearer to my EDGE3 (Jared Verse) than I’ve EDGE5 (Darius Robinson) to him. Contemplating most see an enormous drop off from Verse, Laiatu Latu and Dallas Turner to the remainder of the category Kneeland definitely qualifies as considered one of “my guys.”
Georgia Security Tykee Smith
Georgia Ss Javon Bullard and Tykee Smith – Photograph by: USA At the moment
Smith is my highest-ranked Georgia security, as I’ve him over running-mate Javon Bullard. Very similar to Marshawn Kneeland, Smith has the skillset to be an element within the run sport as a hybrid security nickel that can give him the prospect to get on the sphere extra rapidly than different gamers. From there I’m prepared to wager on his greatest trait on movie, his instincts, to get him in place to make performs his common athleticism would in any other case stop him from doing so.
Smith is a good match for a a number of protection just like the Todd Bowles’ as he can get into the backfield as a blitzer, performs by blockers to get to the perimeter on sweeps, tosses and bubble/perimeter screens and isn’t afraid of sticking his nostril into the field to get to ball-carriers. That is the mentality that I like to see in a prospect.
He used all of that to face out on a Georgia protection stuffed with pure athletes as he led the crew in tackles, tackles for loss and interceptions. This makes Smith a surefire wager to be on my “my guys” listing.
Watch The Pewter Report Draft Present LIVE April 25-27
Search for me to speak up every of those gamers all through this upcoming weekend throughout Pewter Report’s dwell draft protection of the 2024 NFL Draft on our YouTube Channel.
The annual Pewter Report Draft Present returns for the 2024 NFL Draft. Pewter Report’s three-day live-streaming protection of the Bucs draft occurs on the PewterReportTV channel and is energized by CELSIUS, the official power drink of Pewter Report. The occasion kicks off at 7:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 25 – one hour earlier than the official begin of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Hosts Scott Reynolds and Matt Matera can be broadcasting dwell all three days from the Bucs’ crew headquarters on the AdventHealth Coaching Middle. Different members of the Pewter Report workers, together with Adam Slivon, Bailey Adams and Josh Queipo will even be making on-air appearances to supply up their perception and evaluation because the Bucs make their choices.
And the PR workers will even be interacting with Bucs followers and answering questions in 20 hours of protection over three days.
Pewter Report 2024 Draft Present Schedule On PewterReportTV on YouTube
Thursday, April 25 – 7:00 p.m. ET (picks start at 8:00 p.m. ET)Friday, April 26 – 6:00 p.m. ET (picks begins at 7:00 p.m. ET)Saturday, April 37 – 11:00 a.m. ET (picks begins at midday ET)
The Pewter Report workers will even be having dwell response and evaluation from the Todd Bowles and Jason Licht press conferences that occur all through the three-day occasion. In addition to response to the crew’s first-round decide from Friday’s press convention.
