In the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, there are two runningbacks that will be highly drafted that I believe could be game-changers at the next level. These two are Bijan Robinson, a runningback from Texas, and Jahmyr Gibbs from Alabama. They are each great in their own way, but the big question is, who is better?

To start off, I’ll give a short summary report of each player before coming to a conclusion:

Bijan Robinson, Texas

Proj. Position: 3-Down Runningback

Unofficial Height: 6’0”

Unofficial Weight: 220

Proj. 40 Time: 4.48

Context:

Robinson was a 5-star recruit out of high school committing to Texas. Had a big role on the team from Day 1 as a Freshman, putting up great production each season. Played a variety of different roles in Texas’ offense as the feature back.

Athletic Ability/Body Type:

Robinson has good height and weight with adequate arm length, and is filled out. He has great balance, great elusiveness, great agility, great explosiveness and solid acceleration, with a unique start/stop ability.

Projection:

Robinson is a starting runningback in a gap or outside zone run scheme. He should find a role in passing situations as a receiver. His blocking needs to improve a lot before he has a full 3 down role. He wins with his great athleticism, great strength, great finishing ability and great ability to create yards after contact, making defenders miss. He needs to improve consistency with his vision, and overall mental processing.

Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

Proj. Position: 3-Down Runningback

Unofficial Height: 5’11”

Unofficial Weight: 200

Proj. 40 Time: 4.39

Context:

Gibbs was a 4-star recruit with offers from many top FBS schools, however, he ended up committing to Georgia Tech. Had 2 years of good production at GA Tech before entering the transfer portal as one of the top transfers, committing to Alabama. In his lone season at Bama, he established himself as the premier back in the offense, with a big role in both the run and passing game. Has experience on all downs at runningback, as well as splitting out wide and returning kicks. He had a few unspecified injuries that held him out as a freshman.

Athletic Ability/Body Type:

Gibbs has good height, with adequate weight, solid arm length and some room left to fill out his body. Has great explosiveness, great lateral quickness, great foot and long speed, and good agility, with a tendency to lose his balance and slip at times.

Projection:

Gibbs is a starting runningback capable of playing all 3 downs, with an emphasized role in the passing game. He best projects to an outside zone running scheme, and with an offense that can get creative with him in the passing game. He wins with his great vision, burst and speed to blow past the defense, and makes him a threat to run through arm tackles, and make people miss in the open field. Has a great ability to win in the passing game with good route running, catching ability and production after the catch. He’s a smaller back that lacks ideal strength and doesn’t project well as a pass blocker in NFL, nor as a guy who will win with contact balance and running through people.

Who do I think is better?

There are two ways I can answer this. I can give an answer based strictly on the film and who stood out to me more/graded out better for me. Or preferably, I could work around not giving a real answer and make a case for both of them. For this sake, I’ll answer both, but I suggest prioritizing my second response.

Bijan Robinson ended up with a higher grade for me. This is strictly off of my confidence in the player independent of scheme fit, and how I project them to the NFL. Bijan Robinson received a grade of 6.80 for me. Conversely, Gibbs had a grade of 6.75 for me which tier-wise is a “Year 1 Starter” grade. In fact, their grades both fall into the same tier of “Year 1 Starter”, and are both equal to a First Round Talent grade. So I guess the answer is Bijan Robinson in this case.

In actuality, I really am not comfortable saying that with certainty. Grading players without any sort of scheme or roster as a reference is a challenge. A player’s fit in a team’s scheme and roster certainly would affect their grade as a prospect, so with nothing to use as reference, it makes evaluation’s harder, and makes comparing players solely off their grade in a way useless. Despite me being “higher” on Robinson, I think many teams would benefit from drafting Gibbs over Robinson, such as the Kansas City Chiefs who already have a talented back with a similar playstyle to Robinson in Isiah Pacheco; the Chiefs could also benefit a lot from a dynamic receiving back to add an extra wrinkle to their already loaded offense. Another team I believe would benefit more from Jahmyr Gibbs is the Philadelphia Eagles; the Eagles have one of the best Offensive Lines in all of the NFL, and their running game has been very successful due to this. They’ve gotten success from smaller backs who have great elusiveness (like Gibbs), and that seems to be their preference in play style for the position. I also believe adding an all-around weapon, like Gibbs, to that offense would open up pandora’s box, and I wouldn’t be sure how many defenses could shut them down if any. For Bijan Robinson, however, I think a team like the Buffalo Bills would benefit drafting him; the Bills already have James Cook who is quite similar to Jahmyr Gibbs, and the Bills are really missing a bruising back element to their offense that Robinson offers to take steam off of Josh Allen in the run game. Other teams like the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys would benefit more from Robinson too for similar reasons; they have a Jahmyr Gibbs style back on their roster already, and they’d benefit more from a runningback that compliments that back rather than doubling up on that style. With all that being said, I guess you can say my answer is that I don’t have an answer. Both are very talented players, and I like them both a lot as prospects. To me, picking one or another will depend on the state of a team’s roster, and what scheme they run. I’m hoping both go to teams that’ll get the most out of them because they’re both truly dynamic and exciting players, and they’re both capable of making great teams even better.

Alec Pierce:

College: Cincinnati

Projected Position: X or Z

Height: 6’2 6/8”

Weight: 208

Arm Length: 32 ⅝”

His Case for Round One:

Pierce has ideal size for an outside receiver, standing at nearly 6’3” and 210 and can outmatch most cornerbacks with his size alone. He plays with great speed, most notably his impressive foot speed, making me expect him to test well when he does the forty yard dash. To go along with his size and speed, he has great ball skills: 50/50 balls almost always end up in his favor. He still has room to grow as a receiver, but he has a high floor with great upside to go along with it, drawing comparisons to Jordy Nelson, and reminding me of a young Adam Thielen.

Projection:

Pierce is a starting X or Z in a vertical passing offense that’ll utilize him primarily as a deep threat and jump-ball receiver. He wins with his great explosiveness, great acceleration and great play speed to create separation deep, and puts him in a good position to use his great body control and ability to high point the football to make the catch. He has a good release, and a good ability to find seams to help him win in the short-intermediate range. He lacks a consistent ability to separate from defenders at the top of his routes, however, he has the technique and explosiveness to develop that aspect of his game. He’s a great deep threat with a unique ability to high point the football and makes contested catches, with the potential to grow in the short-intermediate game to round out his skillset.

Christian Watson:

College: North Dakota State

Projected Position: X or Z

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 211

Arm Length: 32 6/8”

His Case for Round One:

He has ideal size at 6’4” combined with great play speed, possibly clocking in at 4.3 speed at the combine. Nobody in this class puts more effort on the field than Watson. He’s a “raw” talent at WR who needs to refine his skill set as a receiver, but his upside is crazy, and it’s hard to bet against him with the effort and toughness he shows on the field.

Projection:

Watson is a rotational X or Z receiver in a vertical passing scheme that’ll use him as a situational deep threat, and run blocker. His impressive ability as a deep threat along with his great effort, toughness, and aggressiveness each and every play, he never takes a play off are the tools of a quality starting reciever. He’s someone I’m confident will work hard on and off the field to keep getting better and better and wouldn’t be surprised to see him selected earlier than expected.

Calvin Austin:

College: Memphis

Projected Position: Z or Slot

Height: 5’7 ⅜”

Weight: 173

Arm Length: 30 ⅝”

His Case for Round One:

His size is far from ideal and will scare teams away from him which is justified as it’s rare that players his size develop into star WRs. If someone is going to break that trend, however, it would be Calvin Austin. Despite his size, he wins at the line of scrimmage consistently because of his quickness and ability to attack leverage: if you don’t play him perfectly, you’ll lose the rep. He’ll make an impact immediately as a Punt Returner and on Screens/Gadget plays.

Projection:

Austin is a starting Z or slot receiver in a Spread or Vertical offense that uses their receivers on crossing routes, posts, and screens/gadget plays to allow him to win in space and beat his defender with his athleticism. He’s a smart player who knows how to attack leverage and win against players much bigger than him, including off the line against press coverage. He’s explosive out of breaks and shows a rare ability in college to mix up his stems in his routes. He has impressive hands that are strong through contact, as well as the body control and ability to adjust his frame to make a multitude of tough catches. His size and strength could definitely limit him, and he may be refined to the slot despite his impressive ability to play outside. He has all the skills to be a great player in the NFL besides his smaller frame.

Wan’Dale Robinson:

College: Kentucky

Projected Position: Slot

Height: 5’7 2/8” (not confirmed)

Weight: 185 (not confirmed)

Arm Length: Unknown

His Case for Round One:

While Robinson has a similar frame as Austin, they differentiate in Robinson’s ability to play running back as well as Slot receiver. I’d expect Robinson to be used a lot in the backfield, especially on third downs as a receiving back. He’s a great athlete with great speed with his best trait being his ability after the catch. He has work to do as a receiver, but he shows good traits such as an ability to separate from defenders at the top of routes, and good aggressiveness over the middle of the field, a crucial trait for slot receivers.

Projection:

He has great potential if he develops his game as a receiver, especially vertically, and will thrive if he goes to a team that’ll use his versatility and skillset to its full capabilities. He wins with his athleticism, great acceleration, quickness and agility. He has a good ability to stem, and his great speed and quickness allow him to separate from defenders. His hands are solid, and he can make catches above his frame. He’s best after the catch, gets upfield quickly, is explosive, eludes defenders, breaks tackles, and is always impactful in open space. He has some aspects to clean up, is marginal thru contact off releases, tends to body catch, or catch with his hands the wrong way, had some drops below his frame, and has some issues surviving the ground/contested catches below his frame. He has untapped potential if used correctly, and could take on a “Deebo Samuel” type of hybrid role in the NFL.

Some of these guys are projected as Day Two/Three picks by members of the media, but I doubt that’ll be the case after the combine. Even if they aren’t going to be Round One guys, I’m expecting their names to be called early Day Two. All four of these guys are talented football players and have arguably the most important trait in football, speed, great speed.

Looking towards the future, I find that Garrett Wilson out of Ohio State has the potential to be among the league’s best as a true #1 WR. Watching him, he has traits that only some of the best receivers in the NFL have, and that’s what intrigues me the most about him. Wilson portrays the talents that only the best receivers in the NFL have, and if he plays to his full potential, then be sure to keep an eye out for his performances as soon as he hits the NFL stage.

Important Information:

Projected Position: X (Outside Receiver)

Height: 5’11 6/8”

Weight: 192

Arm Length: 31 5/8”

Birthday: 07/22/2000

Career Stats: 143 Rec 2213 Yds 23 TDs

Season Stats: 70 Rec 1058 Yds 12 TDs

Injuries: 2021- Concussion Symptoms (1 game missed)

Trait Grades:

Athletic Ability: 5

Play Speed: 5

Mental Processing: 6

Competitive Toughness: 4

Play Strength: 3

Release: 5

Separation Quickness: 5

Hands: 5

Adjust/Body Control: 6

Yards After Catch: 5

Find Seam: 6

Concentration/Courage: 5

Final Grade (out of 8):

7.05, Pro Bowl Talent

Context:

Wilson is a former five star recruit that made an immediate impact as a Freshman. For the last two seasons, he has been noted as one of the best receivers in the country. Most recently in 2021, he started at X for Ohio St where he put up big numbers as a threat at all three levels of the field despite being a part of the best receiver core in the country.

Athletic Ability/Body Type:

Wilson has adequate height, marginal weight, a slender frame, with solid arm length, and plenty of room to fill out his body. He possesses great acceleration, explosiveness, jumping ability, and balance, with good agility, quickness, and center of gravity, with solid foot speed.

Projection:

Wilson is a starting X receiver in a spread offense with potential to be ranked as a top receiver in the league. He wins with his good release and good separation quickness to gain leverage on defenders and create space to make a play on the football, while also having good enough hands and ability to adjust and control his body to make difficult catches. He has a great feel for the game as well as great awareness, finds open space, and knows where to sit his routes to stay open. His versatility to elude defenders after the catch paired up with his good instincts, his ability to get upfield, and a solid ability to break tackles will do him wonders. While he has to work on his strength to win contested catches on a more consistent basis, his promise is high enough where any team would be lucky to have him.

Conclusion:

I mentioned earlier that the impact of elite receivers has rocketed over recent years. Despite Wilson’s physical build and strength not being ideal, his all-around athleticism and well-balanced skill set as a receiver make up for some of his size deficiencies. Although he might not have an elite singular trait, his talent is spread out to all aspects of being a receiver. His good release, ability to get sufficient separation along with his trustworthy hands make up the key components of being an elite receiver in the NFL. He checks off the boxes of being one of the next great receivers in the NFL, and I expect him to be drafted as such. He’s a top 10 talent in my eyes, and hope that a team with a top ten pick select him given the recent success among rookie recievers.

Videos:

Garrett Wilson catches a Slant and shows off yards after catch ability:

Garrett Wilson runs a Post Corner for an easy completion:

Garrett Wilson makes a big contested-catch TD against rival Michigan:

Garrett Wilson runs a Sluggo and shows off his great ability to adjust his body:

Garrett Wilson runs a Slant Out to create massive separation:

With that being said, the 2022 NFL Draft should have a good selection of talented, good NFL-caliber cornerbacks available. One of those is Derek Stingley Jr., out of LSU. If you have followed College Football the last few years, it’s likely that you recognize the name, as Stingley had one of the most impressive freshman campaigns you’ll ever see. He was a huge factor in LSU’s 2019-20 National Championship run. In light of all of his success, I decided to dive into his film, and see how he looks as an NFL prospect.

Important Information:

Projected Position: DC (Outside Cornerback)

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 195

Birthday: 06/20/01

Career Stats: 6 INT, 20 PD, 2 FF, 73 TKLs

Injuries: 2021: Procedure on Left Foot (9 games missed)

2020: Illness (1 game missed), Lingering Leg Injury (2 games missed)

Trait Grades (out of 7):

Athletic Ability: 5

Play Speed: 5

Competitive Toughness: 4

Mental Processing: 5

Play Strength: 3

Man Coverage: 5

Ball Skills: 6

Line of Scrimmage Skills: 5

Run Support: 3

Open Field Tackling: 4

Final Grade (out of 8):

6.88, Day 1 Quality Starter

Context:

Stingley was a 5 star and one of the top players coming out of his recruiting class in the nation, regardless of position. He backed that up by being possibly the best cornerback in College Football in his true freshman season, being a consensus All-American. He often was trusted to play on an island, and for the most part, shut down any receiver he faced throughout his college career.

Athletic Ability/Body Type:

Stingley has good height, solid weight and seemingly good arm length, with room to fill out more. He has great acceleration and hip fluidity, good foot speed and balance, with solid quickness and agility.

Projection:

Stingley is a starting outside corner, likely to the wide side of the field, in a primarily man scheme, with the potential to be one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He will be at his best in press-man with safety help due to his good line of scrimmage skills and great ability to play trail man coverage. He also has the skill sets to play both man and zone coverages from off coverage, with his good instincts and closing speed. He has great ball skills, being able to locate the football with his back to the quarterback, as well as playing the ball through the receiver’s hands, breaking up passes. His active hands at the line of scrimmage make him a good jammer, and good at disrupting routes. He’s great at covering certain routes like verts, fades, outs, ins, crosses, primarily due to his good ability to match outside releases, or due to his good closing speed. While he’s not the best run defender, he has a solid ability to bring ball carriers down in the open field, since he hits low and wraps up.

Conclusion:

As I mentioned previously, teams are valuing cornerbacks more and more in their roster-building strategies. Therefore I expect cornerbacks like Derek Stingley Jr. to be quite high on many team’s draft boards, especially teams that lack talent on their roster at the position. While I still have many more cornerback prospects to watch before the upcoming 2022 NFL draft, I can safely say Stingley is one of, maybe even the best, cornerbacks in the draft class. Given the demand and value of CBs in the NFL, Stingley is likely to be drafted high; I can see him going as high as top 4 in the draft. While my grade for him isn’t quite that of a top 4 player in the draft, with the importance of the position, combined with the need for talented cornerbacks, I wouldn’t have any issues with him being drafted that high. In fact, I expect it to happen, Stingley should be a very high draft pick. Teams should bank on not only his immediate impact but his untapped potential.

Williams, who burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2020, just completed his second year starting at cornerback for the Orange and his third season with the team (he redshirted in 2019). He tallied 52 tackles and 5 tackles for loss, which led all Syracuse defensive backs. His 10 pass breakups led the ACC for the second consecutive year, despite missing 2 games.

Jones’ and Williams’ commitment to stay with the Orange as opposed to entering the draft is huge news for defensive coordinator Tony White. Syracuse will be losing their entire starting defensive line, so retaining other defensive cornerstones has been crucial. The Syracuse defense, which ranked 21st in the nation in yards per game, is now projected to return eight of eleven starters after Williams’ announcement. White will once again have one of the best starting cornerback tandems in the ACC in Williams and Duce Chestnut, who have both earned freshman All-American honors in their career. While Williams certainly has an NFL future ahead of him, for 2022, he’ll remain in orange.

2022 will be no different, there are some great receivers entering the league via the Draft, who might get drafted just as high as some of the other great WR prospects that have come out of the Draft the last few seasons. One of my favorites is Jameson Williams, the speedy talent out of Alabama University. I personally think very highly of Williams, not just for his speed, but for his talent to be an immediate impact at receiver in the NFL.

Important Information:

Projected Position: Z

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 189 lbs

Birthday: 03/26/01

Career Stats (as of 01/01/22): 90 REC 1773 YDS 18 TD 19.7 YPC 2 KOR TD

Season Stats (as of 01/01/22): 75 REC 1507 YDS 15 TD 20.1 YPC 2 KOR TD

Trait Grades (out of 7):

Athletic Ability: 5

Play Speed: 6

Mental Processing: 4

Competitive Toughness: 4

Play Strength: 3

Release: 4

Separation Quickness: 4

Hands: 5

Adjust/Body Control: 6

YAC: 6

Find Seam: 4

Concentration/Courage: 5

Final Grade (out of 8):

6.75, Day 1 Quality Starter

Context:

Jameson Williams played his first season with Alabama in his 3rd college season, transferring from Ohio State after 2 seasons there buried in the depth Chart. He came onto the scene for Bama on day one as the starting “Z” receiver, putting up big numbers as a primary deep threat and YAC guy. He quickly overshadowed John Metchie, who was, and is, seen as one of the best WRs in CFB. Williams made a name for himself as possibly the best in the entire country.

Athletic Ability/Body Type:

Williams has good height, but has marginal weight for his height, with a slender, athletic build that he can fill out a little bit more, and seemingly great arm length. He has great foot speed, with good acceleration, good explosiveness, good core strength, good balance, and solid foot quickness.

Projection:

Jameson Williams is a starting Z receiver in a vertical passing scheme, with great potential to be among the best deep threats in the NFL. He wins with his great speed, and good secondary release to get open downfield. Williams has strong hands, with the ability to track the ball downfield, and has a great ability to control his body to make tough catches, contested catches, or work the sideline. He has great ability with the ball in his hands after the catch, shows impressive vision and contact balance, typically makes the first tackler miss. He can work on consistently stemming his routes, and developing a diverse release package, as well as separating at his break-point, not just relying on his speed to outrun the defender.

Conclusion:

Jameson Williams has speed, a lot of it. A lot of times when you see receivers who can run legit 4.2s or 4.3s coming out of school, it comes at a cost, as they typically aren’t very polished receivers. Jameson Williams, however, is an exception. He’s already great as a deep threat, but he can do more than enough in the short-to-intermediate passing game to be a threat no matter where he is on the field. He also has one of the best abilities to catch the football you’ll see. Not only will he make his uncontested catches, but even at his light and slender frame, he’ll make contested catches, he’ll work the sideline very well, he can adjust his body to make difficult catches, rare traits for a player with his skillset. Williams definitely has shades of Henry Ruggs in him, who before his bone-headed and tragic accident was developing into a great young receiver. I do think Jameson Williams is coming into the league as an even better player than Ruggs did, and Ruggs was selected first in his wide receiver class. For this reason, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Williams be the first WR off the board this spring, he has some good competition with names like Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson, USC’s Drake London, Arkansas’s Treylon Burks, and more, but Williams has some truly unteachable traits that may boost his name in front of those guys.

While the NFL season has yet to begin, many football fans and scouts are starting to focus on next year’s batch of franchise signal-callers. In this article, I’ll be ranking who I believe to be the class’s 5 best prospects and giving some things I like and dislike about each of them.

1. J.T Daniels: UGA

J.T. Daniels is a very slept-on prospect. I don’t really see a lot of the media pundits talking about him. He has incredibly solid mechanics, a good arm, and experience in the Shanahan system (Which won’t go unnoticed by NFL scouts). He’s basically a lesser version of 2021’s 1st overall selection Trevor Lawrence. This isn’t a negative – Lawrence was a generational talent rivaled by few. He’s primed to have an excellent season at Georgia this year, surrounded by future NFL weapons like George Pickens, James Cook, and Arik Gilbert. If Daniels can get into the Heisman conversation, his stock could drastically rise and he could end up being the first QB off the board in 2022.

Pros:

. Strong Arm

. Experience in NFL style offense

. Above-Average Athleticism

Cons:

. Takes too many risks

. Slight injury concern

Pro Comp: Matthew Stafford

2. Sam Howell: UNC

Howell has gotten plenty of coverage by the media already, and that’s for good reason. He’s a very high-floor prospect who can easily start day one in the NFL. He has an excellent processor, and understands the game on a near finite level, along with being a precision passer with a strong arm. His mechanics are a little sloppy, but it’s nothing that an NFL coaching staff can’t address; he also isn’t really the greatest athlete in the world. He has an infectious personality that will very quickly catch on with a team’s fanbase, which makes him easy to root for. He should be a lock for the top 10 barring a disaster of a season, so this ranking should probably hold up until April.

Pros:

. Veteran Level Processor

. Deadly Accurate

. Great under-pressure

Cons:

. Poor Athlete

. Jittery Footwork

. “System” QB

Pro Comp: Baker Mayfield

3. Carson Strong: Nevada*

While this spot in the rankings may come as a surprise, Strong is a prospect that I really like. He feels like he came out of a factory for QBs. What I mean by that, is that he’s almost the perfect model for an NFL QB… In 1995. Great size, a strong arm, great throwing mechanics, what’s not to like? Strong feels like a relic of a forgotten era, the prototype pocket passer. He’s not very mobile, has poor footwork, and he relies on his arm too much, along with playing in a fairly basic system with the Wolfpack. It will take some work to get Strong up to speed with today’s NFL, but if a team is willing to be patient, I believe their efforts will be repaid.

Pros:

. Great release

. Perfect build

. Strong Arm

Cons:

. Statue in the pocket

. Poor footwork

. Below-average processor

Pro Comp: Kirk Cousins

4. Malik Willis: Liberty

Willis is a very polarizing prospect, and I change the way I think about him almost daily. Willis is a true dual-threat QB. He can beat opponents through the air or on the ground, but not consistently, which raises a red flag. Willis shows flashes of brilliance on his tape, but that you’ll see him make a terrible decision only a few plays later. He has a great arm and is fast as lightning, but his decision-making and awareness leave a lot to be desired. He often tries too hard to make plays when there’s no avenue for them, leading to potential trouble for the offense. He also has trouble recognizing when a play is broken, which leads to him taking a lot of unnecessary hits that could get him hurt. Willis could be drafted in the 1st round for his physical abilities alone, but his stock could really take off if he showcases improvement in his processing this upcoming season.

Pros:

. Cannon Arm

. Dual-threat

. Good footwork

Cons:

. “Hero Ball”

. Sensing pressure

. Decision making

Pro Comp: Daunte Culpepper

5. Brock Purdy: Iowa St.

Purdy is a prospect that I was surprised didn’t come out in last year’s draft, but that may have been for the best. Purdy has been a longtime starter for a rising Iowa St. program and has had plenty of time to showcase his skill set, so we have a good feel for what he is at this point. He’s solid all around, with no huge flaw in his game. He’s a good athlete with a decent arm and a solid processor, but he doesn’t have a ton of room to improve. His only concern of note is a janky throwing motion, but that’s potentially fixable with the right coach. He’s just a safe option for any team that’s more ready to compete now. He’s not a top ten pick, heck, he might not be a 1st rounder, but he’s easily got the highest floor of any prospect who has come out in the last couple of years.

Pros:

. All-Around Solid

. High Floor

. Lots of experience

Cons:

. Low ceiling

. Awkward throwing motion

. Needs the right system

Pro Comp: Joe Flacco

I could continue and talk about some more prospects like Cincinnatti’s Desmond Ridder, or Group of 5 standout Layne Hatcher, but we’ll save that for another time. The 2022 NFL may still be a ways away, but it’s never too early to start analyzing the collegiate field. These rankings will shift and change throughout the year until April, so nothing here should be taken all that seriously. It’ll be fun to see how my opinions shift over time, and I look forward to revisiting them in the future.

The absence of Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler is on purpose – it’s incredibly hard to grade Rattler. The talent is obviously there and he could become a star QB in the NFL, it’s just his character that has me concerned. He was suspended in his senior season of high school, and I’m sure everyone has seen his infamous moment on Netflix’s QB1, and while it may sound silly to judge him squarely off of his character, it can be more important than meets the eye. Plenty of talented college QB’s don’t make it in the NFL because of off-the-field issues; Johnny Manziel, Ryan Mallet, and Geno Smith are names that come to mind. Rattler is more talented than all three of those guys, but it still raises some concern for me, so I’m reserving judgment on him. For posterity’s sake, however, he would be in the third spot based purely on talent.

Round 1, Pick 7 | Penei Sewell | OL | Oregon

The moment the Cincinnati Bengals took Ja’Marr Chase, I knew that Penei would fall right to the Lions. Though Ohio State QB Justin Fields was on the board, it was a no-brainer for the Detroit front office and selected Penei Sewell.

To make things simple, Sewell is going to be the player in this class who leaves his mark on the league. His raw talent made him #1 on my 2021 Big Draft Board and his skills and work ethic to get even better should make the NFC North scared. Sewell will fit perfectly at the RT position, and before the draft was working on being able to switch to LT if needed. Overall, I love this pick, and Brad made the right decision by beefing up the trenches.

Round 2, Pick 41 | Levi Onwuzurike | DL | Washington

I like this pick a lot. Levi has decent value, and was my 3rd best DT in this class. Onwuzurike is an elite pass rusher who is developmental in the run who can become a stud for the Lions in the future is he able to be given a chance by Dan and the front office.

Once again, I really do like this pick. We’re building from the inside out and once again we are buffing up the trenches and improving our run defense.

Round 3, Pick 72 | Alim McNeill | DL | NC State

Though at first glance, not many of the fans liked this pick, I loved it. McNeill is just above Onwuzurike at the 2nd best DT on my big board. Having the Lions pick the 2nd and 3rd best DTs is something to absolutely take note of. He is an incredible athlete for a DT and a solid pass rusher as well as a run defender. He and Onwuzurike should make a scary duo for the years to come.

Round 3, Pick 101 | Ifeatu Melifonwu | DB | Syracuse

Ifeatu did have first-round hype coming into the 2021 NFL Draft, but I just didn’t see the hype, and it’s obvious that the 32 NFL GMs didn’t either. Getting him later in the third round was absolutely a steal. Melifonwu is a top 10 corner on my big board; he is physical, rangey, and a good athlete. He is a little less technical though and that could be a struggle for him at the beginning of his NFL career. Despite all this, he will be able to pair with Okudah and the young secondary of the Lions for the future.

Round 4, Pick 112 | Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR | USC

Finally, the Lions take a WR. USC’s Amon-Ra St. Brown isn’t the biggest nor the fastest receiver in this draft, which could attribute to why St. Brown fell all the way down to Round 4. Nonetheless, the Lions nailed it with this pick and Amon is an athletic receiver with a good burst. Though the Lions WR core is comical, Amon will still need to fight and grind his way up the depth chart to settle in the WR2 or WR3 position.

Round 4, Pick 113 | Derrick Barnes | LB | Purdue

After a quick trade, we secured the 113th pick and selected a linebacker in Derrick Barnes. Barnes is a very athletic and quick LB and will fit very well in the new 3-4 scheme on defense.

Round 7, Pick 257 | Jemar Jefferson | RB | Oregon State

The black sheep of the group, Jefferson doesn’t measure out great in any aspect of his athletic build. His speed is acceptable, but far from elite. You can see some shiftiness on tape, but that did not translate to his explosion or agility scores.

Round 1, Pick 9: CB Patrick Surtain II (Alabama)

“With the 9th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select… Patrick Surtain II, cornerback, Alabama,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced. This statement kicked off Denver’s draft and with this pick, huge controversy and attention were attracted. The Broncos were one of the favorites to select Ohio State stud quarterback Justin Fields and when he fell to the 9th pick, it was anticipated that we would hear his name called. However, we did not. Instead, the Broncos selected standout cornerback from Alabama, Patrick Surtain II. Personally, I am a huge fan of Surtain. He would have been my first choice had Denver not chosen a quarterback in the 1st round. This pick caused anger among Broncos fans as well as excitement. Many supporters of Drew Lock wanted to give him another chance and drafting a corner would ensure he has his chance. The fans that believe Lock’s time should be up were hoping for Justin Fields to be selected at 9, due to the immense upside that he brings to the table. I leaned more towards drafting Fields at the time, but looking back on this pick, I too am excited. Let’s analyze Patrick Surtain, arguably the best defensive player in this entire draft class. He is an extremely physical and lengthy player. He plays with precision and has amazing football knowledge. His route anticipation is off the charts and he interrupts passes like it’s nobody’s business. It helps even more that his father, Patrick Surtain Sr, played in the NFL which means he has learned a lot about football growing up. Surtain, in my respective opinion, is Marlon Humphrey reincarnated. He’s a physical, man-to-man guy but struggles with deep balls and catching up with speedy receivers. As many stirrups as this selection caused, I am very intrigued by Surtain and I cannot wait until he suits up in a Broncos uniform.

Round 2, Pick 35 (via ATL): RB Javonte Williams (North Carolina)

Boy, oh boy. Javonte Williams. Remember that name. Williams is an absolute beast out of North Carolina. According to Pro Football Focus, he was the best college football running back of 2020 as well as the best tackle breaker of 2020. Watching his film, and although this may be a very bold claim, it is my belief that Javonte Williams has Hall of Fame potential. Broncos GM George Paton had to trade up to get Williams and his film displays why. He is explosive, can extend plays, doesn’t go down easily, is used to sharing carries, and most importantly, he is agile. His strengths go on and on. Broncos fans should absolutely love this pick. After making this selection, many analyzers, such as myself, started to notice Payton’s pattern. He was drafting for the future. He was taking many positional needs that would need to be addressed in 2022. For example, Javonte Williams will most likely be the running back of the future as Melvin Gordon’s contract expires after 2021. The selection of Patrick Surtain gives Denver some breathing room at the cornerback position, as the contracts of Kyle Fuller and Bryce Callahan end after 2021. George Paton is clearly addressing future needs but for what reason? Well, as many know, there has been much buzz about Aaron Rodgers becoming a Denver Bronco. They are a top team on his wishlist and Rodgers is adamant about leaving Green Bay due to the way he is treated there. George Paton could possibly be addressing future needs so that he can trade future draft stock, presumably towards acquiring Rodgers or another star quarterback. These are only possibilities and rumors so nothing is for certain but if you dig deeper, you start to notice Paton’s plan here with selections such as Surtain and Williams.

Round 3, Pick 98 (via NO): IOL Quinn Meinerz (Wisconsin-Whitewater)

With their first of two 3rd-round selections, the Broncos decided to address the interior offensive line. They took Quinn Meinerz out of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Now, Meinerz comes from a small school that is unknown to most meaning there isn’t much footage of him in action. However, from the tape that we do have, this guy is exciting, to say the least. He’s a human bulldozer. One of his major college career highlights is when he participated at the Senior Bowl, a practice and game offered to college seniors entering the NFL Draft. He was a one-man wrecking crew out there on the offensive line. His power and strength are obviously his most standout attributes. I also love his versatility. With starting right tackle, Ja’Wuan James, tearing his ACL and being ruled out for the 2021 season, Quinn Meinerz might see some playing time at tackle to fill in for depth. The front office has also expressed that they want to start him off at the center position during training camp. Throughout his time at Wisconsin-Whitewater, Meinerz played a heavy amount of offensive guard. He can honestly play anywhere on the line that Denver wants him to, which is something so unique about him. Just tell him where to go, and he will bulldoze the defensive line and create a path for Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams.

Round 3, Pick 105 (via NO): LB Baron Browning (Ohio State)

After spending 3 picks on positions other than a linebacker, it was almost obvious that the Broncos would take one here. They did indeed and they took the best one available: Baron Browning. He comes from Ohio State where he played alongside an extremely deep linebacker core that included himself, Pete Werner, Justin Hilliard, and Tuf Borland, all of whom entered the 2021 NFL Draft. There is definitely a lot to like about Browning. I see him fitting in and adapting to Vic Fangio’s scheme pretty quickly and easily. His speed and athleticism combo will make for some great open-field tackling abilities as well as play anticipation. He’s a smart guy; he can see plays before they happen and he exceeds in making last-second adjustments. His athleticism masks his coverage abilities. He definitely needs work against speedy tight ends and guarding certain routes but he already has a mediocre level of expertise in that area which grants Fangio a head start in coaching him. Baron Browning adds the much-needed linebacker depth to the Broncos, especially after the departure of Joe Jones. I think he will fit perfectly with Vic Fangio and the Denver Broncos.

Round 5, Pick 152: S Caden Sterns (Texas)

It came in the 5th-round when Denver drafted Kareem Jackson’s potential successor. Caden Sterns played at Texas alongside a monster defense. His upside is very intriguing. He’s an electric player with great run-stopping abilities. His awareness is a standout attribute as well as his hands. He uses his hands legally and exceeds in slowing down receivers. This pick may have come as a surprise to some as safeties like Jamar Johnson, Ar’Darius Washington, and Hamsah Nasirildeen were still on the board and were graded higher than Sterns by some analysts. However, the Broncos clearly had Caden Sterns high on their board for them to take him over some other really good safeties. The scouts clearly are interested in him and I trust in the scouts with this pick. Welcome to Denver, Caden!

Round 5, Pick 164 (via NYG): S Jamar Johnson (Indiana)

The Broncos doubled down on safety in the 5th round taking Caden Sterns with pick 152 and Jamar Johnson with pick 164 in which they traded for with the New York Giants. The safety from Indiana was passed on by Denver at 152 but they drafted another potential Kareem Jackson successor with their second 5th-round pick. These two safety selections were for depth at the moment but in 1-2 years, they could be potential starters. Kareem Jackson is 33 years old and on a 1-year deal with the Denver Broncos. It is evident that his time with Denver is nearing its end. Jamar Johnson is the candidate most likely to fill in for him. He plays like Jackson. He’s explosive, speedy, reliable in open-field tackling, can make plays in coverage, and he could potentially be used at cornerback, depending on what Fangio dials up in training camp. Pro Football Focus ranked Johnson as the 3rd best safety in the 2021 NFL Draft. In itself, it’s insane that a guy that elite fell to the 5th round. I’m very excited for the future of this franchise on the defensive side of the ball and with guys like Surtain, Browning, Sterns, and Johnson added to the roster, all Broncos fans should be excited.

Round 6, Pick 219: WR Seth Williams (Auburn)

With their 6th-round selection, the Broncos went with a wide receiver. They took one of the best receivers available in Seth Williams. At Auburn, he played alongside the 91st pick in the draft, Anthony Schwartz, who is a Cleveland Brown. Williams doesn’t currently have the title of an elite player, but he has the tools to earn that recognition. He’s 6’3’, which makes for good length and a big enough size to make contested catches over defenders. When watching his tape, Williams is athletic and exceeds at possession catches. He’s an excellent route runner and while his acceleration speed is nothing to drool over, if he gets by his defender, he will make that defender pay. He reminds me a lot of current Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick. Speaking of Patrick, this selection gives Denver a bit of breathing room in wide receiver depth and grants them the ability to potentially shop Tim Patrick or DaeSean Hamilton. While I wouldn’t necessarily agree with trading Patrick, you could get some great value for him after his emergence in his 2020 season. Williams definitely has what it takes to become a very significant piece in the Broncos offense. I cannot wait to see Seth in action making athletic catches over the corners trying to guard him.

Round 7, Pick 237: CB Kary Vincent Jr (LSU)

The Broncos had three 7th-round picks in the draft. Their first one was spent on cornerback from LSU, Kary Vincent Jr. One thing that you can instantly notice about Vincent is his electric speed. His 40-yard dash time was marked as a 4.37 during his LSU pro day. That is instantly one of the fastest 40-yard dash times on the Denver Broncos. He uses his hands well, too. If the Broncos can develop him right, I think that Kary Vincent Jr has what it takes to become a star in this league.

Round 7, Pick 239: EDGE Jonathon Cooper (Ohio State)

The Broncos took an edge rusher with their second 7th-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. This edge came out of Ohio State marking their 2nd Buckeye alum taken by them in this draft. Jonathon Cooper is a shifty and physical player. Granted, he came from arguably one of the top defenses in college football which would definitely boost his stock but he was really the sole player on the defensive line. Other Buckeye defensive stars came at the middle linebacker position or in the secondary. You could go as far as to say Cooper was a steal given the 6th, 5th, and even 4th-round grades that were placed on him. However, what really made him fall was injury concerns. Over in Denver, injuries happen way too often so the major downside of this selection would be the high risk of injury. However, if Cooper can stay healthy and works alongside superstars like Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, it wouldn’t surprise me if he got significant playing time in years to come.

Round 7, Pick 253: EDGE Marquiss Spencer (Mississippi State)

Coming into this draft, I didn’t really know who Marquiss Spencer was. This is, in part, due to me not seeing him in very many 7-round mock drafts and me not seeing many draft grades for him. I don’t necessarily hate the pick here because it adds edge depth but I don’t necessarily love it either. The better move would have been to go for an offensive tackle like Alaric Jackson or add another linebacker. However, Spencer comes from Mississippi State meaning he was going against some elite SEC offensive tackles. The scouts must have seen something in him that draft graders and analysts like me did not. As mentioned before, I trust the scouts and so too should you. They get the up-close and personal view of players which instantly validates their draft reports. I’m excited to see Spencer in mini-camp and in training camp!

Final Draft Grade: A-

My final draft grade for the Denver Broncos in the 2021 NFL Draft would be a solid A-. We addressed many needs including the need for a coverage linebacker, the need for future cornerback depth, the need for interior offensive line depth, and the need for safety depth. A lot of our draft selections were chosen for the future. For example, Denver selected safeties Caden Sterns and Jamar Johnson as future successors to the aging Kareem Jackson. The Broncos drafted Javonte Williams as the eventual successor of the 28-year old Melvin Gordon whose contract expires after 2021. The same goes for their 1st-round pick, Patrick Surtain II. As of now, the Broncos have Kyle Fuller, Ronald Darby, and Bryce Callahan as the starting corners. However, all three are aging, on short contracts, or a contract expiration nears. Most picks from the draft were for the future which is a great approach from new GM George Paton. Overall, I really love this draft class and I’m so stoked to see them in action during training camp, the preseason, and eventually the regular season.

Each year in the NFL draft, you have some good picks, some steals, and some reaches. But sometimes, you also have prospects go to the perfect team for them and it’s a match made in heaven. This is the best-case scenario for a prospect, as this means they will be used correctly. This also gives them their greatest shot at succeeding from the moment they come into the league up until they retire. Here are six teams that I think would be perfect fits for these six draft prospects.

1. Micah Parsons, Washington Football Team

Parsons is one of the best athletes in the 2021 NFL draft class, but due to some character concerns, he has slipped into the range of where Washington could draft him. Even with below-average linebacker play, Washington still had a top-15 blitz rate in the NFL, and with Parsons’ ability to blow up runs and blitz on passing plays, he would bring a big burst to Washington’s strong defensive line at the linebacker position. He would play outside linebacker in their 4-3 scheme, and his athleticism would give another spark to the Washington defense. While he is raw in coverage, his athleticism makes up for it.

2. Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens

After the top three wide receivers, opinions on who the next best receivers are in this year’s draft are pretty mixed. Some believe it is Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman, while others believe it’s Florida’s Kadarius Toney, while some others say it is LSU’s Terrace Marshall Jr or UNC’s Dyami Brown. No matter how you rank your wide receivers, Rashod Bateman is exactly what the Ravens need at wide receiver. A tough outside wide receiver, Bateman has a wide catch radius, pulls down difficult catches, and matches that with elite route running and ability to create separation. While he doesn’t possess elite speed or agility, he would complement Marquise Brown perfectly, with Brown being a deep threat and Bateman being a short/intermediate threat. This could be the guy that could solve Lamar Jackson’s weapon woes.

Trevon Moehrig, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars secondary in 2020 was one that struggled time and time again, one that allowed a 30th-ranked 105.6 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks. Trevon Moehrig could change that. He is someone that excels in coverage, whether you put him in a single-high look or have him alongside another safety. A player that has led all safeties in pass breakups in 2019 and 2020, he has an elite ability to close in on wide receivers and cause trouble for quarterbacks. In the run game, he shows flashes of greatness, getting to the right spot often, but can sometimes tend to miss tackles. However, it is not too much to worry about, as it is fixable. Moehrig would fill a void at free safety for the Jacksonville Jaguars and give them someone that can step onto the field immediately and make an impact, and with the recent hiring of former Ravens DL coach Joe Cullen, Moehrig could play in a similar role that Earl Thomas did in Baltimore in 2019.

Justin Fields, San Francisco 49ers

When 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo overthrew Emmanuel Sanders for what would’ve been the go-ahead touchdown in Super Bowl 54, it left an awful taste in the mouths of 49ers fans. That, and the fact that Jimmy Garoppolo has only stayed fully healthy in 2017 and 2019. With where the 49ers pick this year, they have the opportunity to get a generational QB, even though some reports may say they’re mainly targeting QBs Mac Jones and Trey Lance. The pick should be Justin Fields, though. Fields has a great arm and is laser-accurate on all three levels of the field. While Fields may sometimes struggle with anticipation, Kyle Shanahan surely could cover that up by giving him a half-field system early on in his career and slowly developing his processor. Also, with Shanahan’s elite run scheme, he could involve Fields in it and take some heavy pressure off of Fields. Shanahan’s spread-like scheme would be perfect for an athletic QB like Fields, and not taking him third overall would be a mistake for the 49ers, as much as I am a fan of Trey Lance.

Kwity Paye, Indianapolis Colts

Kwity Paye is considered a top three edge rusher in this class, and for good reason. He’s athletic, has a good burst off the line, and has a good arsenal of pass rush moves, as well as being the top run defender of this year’s class. With Justin Houston out of Indy this year, Paye could be the perfect replacement. Although he does come a little undersized, he is the type of pass rusher that Chris Ballard loves: puts his hand in the dirt, has good twitch, and bursts off the line. He would fit right into the Colts 4-3 scheme and bolster an already-good Colts defense to one of the top ranked units in the league.

Patrick Surtain II, Dallas Cowboys

Son of former Pro Bowler Patrick Surtain Sr., Patrick Surtain II is on the path of becoming an elite cornerback for a team just like his dad. A team that ranked 26th in passer rating allowed that also lost Chidobe Awuzie, the Cowboys are in desperate need of a cornerback. Surtain is the most technically sound cornerback in the draft, consistently reading routes and making breaks on the ball when they are thrown his way, which was not very often due to his coverage ability. He is very similar to former Alabama cornerback Marlon Humphrey as a prospect, which is amazing, but it does have some of its flaws. Like Humphrey out of college, he does tend to struggle against deep balls, especially in single coverage, and the Cowboys also need another roaming free safety, so he might not be perfect from the get-go. If he is developed well though, Dallas might be able to land the NFL’s next lockdown corner.