It’s one of the most exciting days of the year for me! For most of the year, I spend my time watching tape on college players and how they translate to the NFL. Most of these players hear their names called in the NFL Draft and next week, we’re going to see the next wave of talent make their way to the next level.
Unlike previous years, I was put behind the 8-ball to start the process on my 2023 NFL Draft Guide. Normally, I aim to get around 150 total players graded but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to reach that goal this year. However, I’ve always believed in quality over quantity and I think this year I was able to achieve that.
With all of that said, here’s a copy of my 2023 NFL Draft Guide that’s free to download!
While I hope you enjoy the draft guide, here are four players that I was only able to watch one or two games on this past season. These four are players that we should hear called between the second and third day of the 2023 NFL Draft!
- Thor’s Latest NFL Mock Draft
- Historical Draft Picks of All 32 Teams
- NFL Draft Prop Bet Cards: Freedman | Weyrauch | Erickson
- 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles
Nathaniel “Tank” Dell (WR – Houston)
There’s so much to like when watching Tank Dell. His route running and release package are superb. He’s dynamite wrapped in a small package but that could be his downfall. At 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, he only ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds and regardless of what he can do as a route runner, he remains an outlier.
While he may be an outlier, Dell battles and is familiar with the deck being stacked against him. For example, he took the scenic route to get to play at Houston. Originally, he signed with Alabama A&M out of Mainland High School in Florida but after an injury, he transferred to Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas. After playing well enough as a JUCO player with 52 receptions for 766 yards and 8 touchdowns, he was able to transfer to Houston. He’s caught 199 passes in two years with the Cougars and posted over 1,300 yards receiving in consecutive seasons.
Have watched lots of @seniorbowl 1-on-1’s over the years, not sure we’ve ever seen this scissor move release. 👀
If you haven’t figured it out yet, Tank Dell is just different.#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE™️ pic.twitter.com/jjVfMCI1gr
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) March 9, 2023
Unfortunately, I was only able to watch two games of Dell going into the 2023 NFL Draft so I wasn’t able to get a full evaluation done on him. That said, he’s an intriguing player that could very well go on the 2nd day of the draft like a player he’s comparable to with Tutu Atwell. If you’re willing to bet on an outlier, Tank Dell might be worth the gamble due to his ability to separate and run after the catch.
Staying with the Houston Cougars offense, let’s talk about quarterback Clayton Tune. Three-time team captain and has starts at quarterback that stretch over the last five seasons. He’s been super productive with Houston as he’s posted 104 touchdowns to 41 interceptions and almost 12,000 passing yards in his career.
When I watched him over the summer, he really impressed me due to his ability to extend plays beyond the pocket. However, there were throws where it felt like he lacked the arm strength needed to make all the throws on the field.
While he lacks the arm strength to consistently push the ball deep down the field, he continued to improve his accuracy over the last three seasons. In 2020, he only completed 59.6% of his passes but ended 2022 with a 67.3% completion percentage. It’ll be interesting to see where Tune lands in the 2023 NFL Draft but he seems destined to be a Day Three pick with the potential to carve out a role as a backup.
Late to the party, I ended up liking Rashee Rice more the second time I watched him. Primarily because of his performance against Maryland. Listed at 6’0″ and 204 pounds, Rice is explosive and is comparable to current Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones. During the Scouting Combine, Rice posted a 41″ vertical and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds.
On tape, he’s not the craftiest route runner but he can push vertically while being able to run hitches and dig routes. There were times against Maryland that he struggled at the catch point with more physical defenders but an NFL team might be able to scheme him open.
SMU WR 11 Rashee Rice going up and snagging this one. Reminds me of a more explosive Marvin Jones. pic.twitter.com/OpdiWhit6x
— Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) March 31, 2023
When watching him at the Senior Bowl, he struggled to separate but he did show off his vertical ability at times. If I would have been able to watch another game or two of Rice, I feel confident that he would have ended up with a mid-round grade and somewhere in my draft guide. That said, an NFL team should like him and he’s got the traits needed to develop into a WR2 or WR3.
Isaiah McGuire (EDGE – Missouri)
In a deep class of EDGE rushers, there’s a chance that a team gets great value with Isaiah McGuire out of Missouri. He’s listed at 6-foot-4 and 268 pounds with an explosive first step and has the power needed to get upfield and disrupt the backfield.
While watching one game of him in my hotel at the Senior Bowl, I noticed that he relied heavily on his bullrush. While that’s not a bad thing, I was hoping to see more hand usage from him. Throughout the process, he fell off my radar but he’s going to be a player that could shoot up draft boards and get selected on the second day of the draft.
McGuire has posted some terrific numbers over the last two seasons. During that 25-game span, he has 95 total tackles, 28 tackles for loss, and 14.5 sacks. Seeing how he plays standing up, it wouldn’t be surprising if he fits a defense that runs multiple fronts from odd to even. He should be able to play standing up as a 7-technique to align in the dirt in a 4i-technique.
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