NFL Draft season is upon us. Every year around this time, Jim Nagy (executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl) rounds up a talented group of college players to head down to Mobile to improve their NFL draft stock at the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Over the years, we’ve had plenty of diamonds in the rough emerge as fantasy stars from this wonderful event.
Marrying stats and film, I dusted off the prospect notebook and dove into the skill sets for this year’s group of NFL hopefuls. Dynasty rookie drafts will be here before you know. Now is the time to get a jump on your league mates and study up on these prospects.
It will be a glorious week of football content to reignite your NFL Draft fires. The 2025 NFL Draft starts in Mobile.
- 2025 NFL Draft Guide
- 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
- 2025 NFL Mock Drafts
- Dynasty Mock Draft Simulator
2025 Senior Bowl Primer
Quarterbacks
Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 2nd
- Adjusted completion rate: 11th
- Yards per attempt: 1st
- Big-time throw rate: 8th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 26th
- Deep throw rate: 9th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 66th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 10th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 1st
- 2023 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 9th
- Adjusted completion rate: 36th
- Yards per attempt: 8th
- Big-time throw rate: 39th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 50th
- Deep throw rate: 70th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 61st
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 35th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 9th
- 2022 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 44th
- Adjusted completion rate: 83rd
- Yards per attempt: 34th
- Big-time throw rate: 15th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 93rd
- Deep throw rate: 40th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 99th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 57th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 26th
Scouting report:
- Dart has the arm strength to make every NFL throw. He has a “strong enough arm” but doesn’t have a cannon. He relies upon ball placement with his throws, but he can zip it in the short/intermediate areas of the field. Dart made a living in 2024 by hitting his receivers with bucket shots on the perimeter on go balls and deep outs.
- Dart moves through progressions fairly well. He accesses the middle of the field plenty and can get to this tertiary options plenty. Dart also has no issues expecting his first read to win 50/50 balls and exhibiting that type of trust that he’ll need in the NFL when his receivers are “NFL open” on plenty of plays.
- Dart flashes impressive ball placement on a ton of throws. He isn’t perfect, though, as the ball can sail on him when he reaches back for that extra oomph for his fastball. It’s not a consistent issue, though. Dart will also make anticipatory throws instead of waiting for his receivers to uncover.
- Dart is calm and collected in the pocket. He will boot when he feels pressure, and navigating a muddy pocket isn’t viable. He will also hang in the pocket when needed to deliver an accurate pass. There are plenty of plays where he stands tall in the pocket and gets smacked at the end of the play. Dart will also utilize pump fakes and subtle movements to affect corners in coverage.
- Dart likely has 4.7 40 speed. I don’t see him as a quarterback who derives a lot of his value from his rushing ability in the NFL. Can he scramble successfully and create with his legs? Yes. Will he be a quarterback for whom an offensive coordinator draws up a handful of quarterback runs weekly? I doubt it, but he can still add value by scrambling and creating with his legs.
Player Comp: Geno Smith
Jalen Milroe (Alabama)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 38th
- Adjusted completion rate: 60th
- Yards per attempt: 11th
- Big-time throw rate: 36th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 40th
- Deep throw rate: 35th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 47th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 66th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 75th
- 2023 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 34th
- Adjusted completion rate: 53rd
- Yards per attempt: 3rd
- Big-time throw rate: 2nd
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 15th
- Deep throw rate: 13th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 29th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 78th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 10th
Scouting report:
- Milroe has plenty of arm strength to make every necessary throw. The problem isn’t velocity for Milroe; it’s ball placement. His accuracy is erratic at every level. He has some nice throws on film while on the move, but there are also plenty of head-scratchers.
- Milroe also throws a flat ball to the second level. It’s rare to see him lace a layered throw to the second level of a defense. Most throws are delivered on a line. He’ll have to develop this part of his game to consistently have success against zone defenses in the NFL.
- Milroe is a “see it, throw it” quarterback. He isn’t an anticipatory thrower of the football. I anticipate him having issues with receivers being “NFL open” at the next level unless he operates in a scheme with plenty of designed looks and easy reads.
- His internal clock is a second slow. He doesn’t get through his progressions quickly and often gets hung up on his first read. Milroe’s field vision is subpar. He misses too many receivers breaking open, especially across the middle of the field. This is also true in a scramble drill, though, as Milroe hyper-focuses on one receiving option or drops his eyes immediately.
- Milroe will exhibit quiet feet in the pocket at times and deliver some accurate passes in the face of pressure, but those reps are dwarfed by the times that he bails clean pockets. Milroe needs to keep his eyes downfield more. Many times, at the first sniff of pressure, he immediately flips the switch to runner and forgoes his receiving options. He attempts to answer too many problems that defenses present for him with his legs.
- Milroe has 4.5 speed as a straight line/linear runner. He can make subtle changes of direction, but he can get himself into trouble when attempting to string together multiple moves. He’s at his best when getting downhill and turning on the jets, as he isn’t a quick twitch rusher. He’s also not the most physical ball carrier. Last year, among 80 qualifying quarterbacks, Milroe ranked 33rd in Yards after contact per attempt and 23rd in elusive rating (per PFF).
Player Comp: Tarvaris Jackson
Tyler Shough (Louisville)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 6th
- Adjusted completion rate: 30th
- Yards per attempt: 24th
- Big-time throw rate: 35th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 72nd
- Deep throw rate: 69th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 63rd
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 17th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 15th
Scouting report:
- Had his 2021 (broken collarbone) and 2023 (shoulder injury) seasons cut short because of injuries.
- Shough is a tall pocket passer. He has enough mobility to create out of structure, but I wouldn’t consider him a “mobile” quarterback. He isn’t a statue, either.
- Shough has the arm strength to make every NFL throw. He can throw from multiple arm angles, and his film includes some mouthwatering off-platform throws. Now, I do need to add some context after saying that. His accuracy can wane when on the move or pressured. If he can improve his consistency with off-platform throws, especially when booting, it will go a long way for his overall play.
- Shough has a nice deep ball, but he will short-arm some, which will leave his wide receivers waiting. There are plenty of nice deep balls on tape that he drops in the bucket with his receiver in stride. He does need to add some arch to some throws that he’ll toss on a line.
- When he is under pressure, Shough’s footwork can lapse. He will chuck some throws from his back foot and with his base off kilter. At times, his internal clock can also feel a second behind. Overall, he does a decent job navigating pressure by hanging tight in the pocket, stepping up in the pocket as it collapses, or rolling out to allude pass rushers.
- Shough can lace some nice second-level layered throws from multiple arm angles. This includes some throws into tight windows. He has a gunslinger mentality at times. I’d rather a quarterback be willing to embrace risk versus be risk averse, but he sometimes writes checks that his arm has a tough time cashing. There are some throws in his film that would have been picked off in the NFL or college if the cornerback play he faced was slightly better.
Player Comp: More mobile Davis Mills
Dillon Gabriel (Oregon)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 8th
- Adjusted completion rate: 3rd
- Yards per attempt: 14th
- Big-time throw rate: 103rd
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 3rd
- Deep throw rate: 132nd
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 20th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 5th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 11th
- 2023 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 5th
- Adjusted completion rate: 9th
- Yards per attempt: 5th
- Big-time throw rate: 39th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 13th
- Deep throw rate: 77th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 8th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 14th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 6th
- 2022 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 23rd
- Adjusted completion rate: 62nd
- Yards per attempt: 21st
- Big-time throw rate: 36th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 54th
- Deep throw rate: 50th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 125th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 55th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 22nd
Scouting report:
- Gabriel enjoyed plenty of schemed-up production at Oregon. In his final collegiate season, he was sixth in screen attempts and fourth in screen passing yards (per PFF). 66% of his passes were within nine yards of the line of scrimmage. The offense revolves around quick first-read passing plays and screens.
- When Gabriel has to move past his first read, things can be interesting (not in a good way). Many times, the play design is blown as he tends to hang on to his first read for too long. When he is forced off his first read, his internal clock seems a tick slow.
- Gabriel dirts a ton of plays when his first read is covered up. There’s something to be said for giving up on a play when it is obviously doomed. Protecting the ball and having a “live to fight another day” is fine, but there are also moments when he has an open receiver that he doesn’t see or is unwilling to get out of structure.
- His overall accuracy in the short and intermediate areas of the field is decent, but he sails some throws and dirts others. This happens when pressured and from a clean pocket.
- The area of Gabriel’s game that really jumps out is his deep ball accuracy. He was top-13 in deep ball adjusted completion rate in each of the last two years. He has plenty of pretty go balls dropped in the bucket, littering his tape. This is an area of his game that wasn’t highlighted nearly enough in his final two collegiate seasons.
Player Comp: Seneca Wallace
Riley Leonard (Notre Dame)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 47th
- Adjusted completion rate: 10th
- Yards per attempt: 93rd
- Big-time throw rate: 60th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 21st
- Deep throw rate: 132nd
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 36th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 12th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 40th
Scouting report:
- Leonard’s athleticism and rushing ability jump out immediately. He has the size and physical strength to be a goal-line option in the NFL. He isn’t a quick twitch runner, but he has enough speed to outrun linebackers and enough bend and wiggle to make defenders miss in the open field. He had 906 rushing yards (4.9 ypc) and 17 rushing scores in his final season.
- Leonard has plenty of arm strength. He has some nice second-level throws where he’ll uncork the fastball for a nice strike. Unfortunately, those throws are the norm. His accuracy can be erratic. He’ll have throws at all three levels that sail on him or turn into ankle biters for no reason as Leonard sits in a clean pocket.
- When Leonard is in rhythm, his accuracy is more middling than pinpoint. There are plenty of balls where his receivers save his bacon as they deal with a target behind them or above their heads.
- He will get stuck on his first read. If his first read is covered well, he’ll force plenty of balls to the first read anyway or take off running using his legs to solve the equation. Leonard doesn’t trust his eyes at times, especially if his first read is gone. There are some plays where you want to see him grip it and rip it, and he pats the ball like he’s burping a baby.
Player Comp: If Josh Allen had the arm of Blake Bortles and the decision-making of Daniel Jones
Seth Henigan (Memphis)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 25th
- Adjusted completion rate: 41st
- Yards per attempt: 68th
- Big-time throw rate: 18th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 41st
- Deep throw rate: 34th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 53rd
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 56th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 35th
Scouting report: N/A (no all-22 available)
Player Comp: N/A
Taylor Elgersma (Laurier)
Stats: (U Sports – OUA conference)*
- 2024*
- Passing yards: 4,252
- Passing tds: 35 (11 int)
- Completion %: 73.5
- Yards per attempt: 10.7
- Rushing yards: 245 (49 attempts)
Scouting report: N/A (no all-22 available)
Player Comp: N/A
Running Backs
Devin Neal (Kansas)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 41st
- Breakaway rate: 75th
- PFF elusive rating: 61st
- PFF receiving grade: 53rd
- Yards per route run: 40th
- 2023 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 47th
- Breakaway rate: 19th
- PFF elusive rating: 29th
- PFF receiving grade: 47th
- Yards per route run: 53rd
- 2022 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 103rd
- Breakaway rate: 19th
- PFF elusive rating: 84th
- PFF receiving grade: 69th
- Yards per route run: 77th
Scouting report:
- Devin “Sweet Feet” Neal is a fun player to watch. He can carve up run defenses with his insanely quick feet. Neal’s stop/start ability is special, with the skill to cut on a dime and change directions effortlessly. Neal can string together multiple moves fluidly without losing a ton of speed.
- Neal has a great feel for the press and flow of outside zone runs, the short-area agility to excel with duo, and the vision to operate well with inside zone. He’s a nice fit in multiple run schemes, which can add to his appeal to NFL teams.
- Neal wins with quickness and lateral agility while flashing immediate speed. He gets up to top speed in a hurry. It helps offset the fact that he doesn’t an elite home run gear. Neal’s tackle-breaking ability isn’t great, though. He goes down easily when wrapped up well or hit low. He needs to continue to add strength to his lower half and improve his leg drive. I can’t wait to see how his game evolves in the NFL, especially after spending some time in an NFL strength and conditioning program. If he can add some more in this realm to his game, his upside is huge.
- Neal was deployed out of the backfield on check-downs. He displayed a set of soft hands that rarely dropped a ball. I want to see Neal deployed with a creative play-caller in the NFL. He didn’t see more than an 8% slot rate in the 2024 season until his final three games of the season. I want to see what Neal can do from the slot, on wheel routes, and with angle routes. His short area quickness leads me to believe there’s another evolution of his game as a receiver that could take place in the NFL.
- Neal made substantial improvements as a pass protector in 2024. He only allowed five pressures all season, and four of them came in one game. Neal had a 76.2 or higher pass pro grade in seven games in 2024. In previous seasons, he had a hard time anchoring and would routinely get blown off his spot and out of his cleats. He has the willingness and tenacity to develop into a trusted pass protector, and his improvements in 2024 suggest he could take that next step in the NFL.
Player Comp: Nightcrawler
RJ Harvey (Central Florida)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 31st
- Breakaway rate: 14th
- PFF elusive rating: 19th
- PFF receiving grade: 75th
- Yards per route run: 36th
- 2023 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 53rd
- Breakaway rate: 15th
- PFF elusive rating: 18th
- PFF receiving grade: 35th
- Yards per route run: 42nd
- 2022 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 36th
- Breakaway rate: 44th
- PFF elusive rating: 27th
- PFF receiving grade: 30th
- Yards per route run: 11th
Scouting report:
- Harvey is a tough runner. His leg drive allows him to pinball off defenders and pick up tough yards. He sheds arm tackles well, especially in the second level, and is a better short-yardage runner than you’d expect from a player his size.
- Harvey’s lateral agility and burst improved toward the end of the 2024 season. After watching some of his early-season games, I questioned his long speed, initial burst, and lateral agility. All of those improved as the 2024 season moved along. While he might not be a home run hitter in the NFL (he gets caught from behind plenty), he should have the ability to break off chunk runs.
- He has a good feel for when to press and flow with outside-zone runs. He can get tentative at the line with some inside zone and interior runs. His vision isn’t horrible by any stretch of the imagination, but when the picture is muddier, his feet can get choppy. At times, he needs to be more willing to bounce runs.
- Harvey’s grit shows in pass protection. He’s a willing and able blocker who is willing to stick his nose in there and get physical. His strong lower half serves him well here.
- As a receiving option, he is nothing more than a dump-off option at this juncture. He was tasked with only leaking out the backfield for check-downs in college. He does have moments as a receiver where he has concentration drops when he gets ahead of himself and worries too much about what he is about to do with the ball in his hands before securing the pass.
Player Comp: Jaylen Warren
Cam Skattebo (Arizona State)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 21st
- Breakaway rate: 91st
- PFF elusive rating: 11th
- PFF receiving grade: 9th
- Yards per route run: 10th
- 2023 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 104th
- Breakaway rate: 148th
- PFF elusive rating: 39th
- PFF receiving grade: 86th
- Yards per route run: 44th
- 2022 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets for FBS & FCS RBs*)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 37th
- Breakaway rate: 93rd
- PFF elusive rating: 11th
- PFF receiving grade: 32nd
- Yards per route run: 25th
Scouting report:
- Skattebo runs like a dancing rhino with anger management issues. He’s a volume-vacuuming tone-setter who can be a workhorse for a run-heavy offense. Unless a team is absolutely smitten with him during the draft process, he is likely better viewed as a committee back at the next level. His vision at the line and in the second level allows him to weave through traffic and make the most of his physical abilities.
- He’s not a twitchy player, but he can deploy jump cuts with success and has the lateral agility to make people miss in a phone booth. Skattebo has an underrated quick first step and is decisive with his runs. The run scheme he operates in the NFL will be key. I’d love for him to land with a team that utilizes duo and inside zone. I have no clue what Arizona State was thinking when featuring Skattebo with some tosses and stretch zone plays. Get this tank moving downhill and allow his quickness in short areas to work to his advantage.
- Skattebo isn’t a home run hitter. While he can rip off some long runs with well-blocked plays, that likely won’t be a hallmark of his game in the NFL. He’s a physical/tough runner with strong contact balance and leg drive that fights for every blade of grass. He quickly gets up to top speed, but that also means that he is pretty much a one-speed runner who lacks the second and third gear to outrun speedy corners in the open field. He gets caught from behind plenty.
- He has soft hands and can be a trusted check-down weapon in the passing game. His athleticism will limit what all you can do with him in the passing game, but he has the attributes to operate as a dump-off option with the occasional wheel or angle route. His underrated short-area agility works to his advantage on angle routes.
Player Comp: Tyler Allgeier
Trevor Etienne (Georgia)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 68th
- Breakaway rate: 113th
- PFF elusive rating: 46th
- PFF receiving grade: 39th
- Yards per route run: 69th
- 2023 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 15th
- Breakaway rate: 29th
- PFF elusive rating: 21st
- PFF receiving grade: 48th
- Yards per route run: 35th
Scouting report:
- Etienne’s maximizes every opportunity. He is a patient, saavy runner who allows his blocks to set up in front of him. He has a fantastic vision paired with smooth lateral agility and tenacious legs. He keeps his legs churning through contact and breaks plenty of tackles because of it.
- He has 4.4/4.5 40 yard dash speed that plays up because of his vision and decisiveness. Etienne has the second gear to erase plenty of pursuit angles. His well rounded skillset allows him to be a scheme agnostic back.
- Georgia’s offensive line didn’t do him many favors in 2024 ranking 43rd in run blocking grade.
- Etienne is a sound receiving option out of the backfield. He can operate from the slot and split out wide with the ability to get open on out routes and slants. Etienne’s hands are as dependable as they come with only one drop in college. He secured 62 of 63 collegiate targets.
Player Comp: Kenneth Dixon
Damien Martinez (Miami)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 8th
- Breakaway rate: 71st
- PFF elusive rating: 16th
- PFF receiving grade: 67th
- Yards per route run: 73rd
- 2023 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 26th
- Breakaway rate: 64th
- PFF elusive rating: 27th
- PFF receiving grade: 91st
- Yards per route run: 99th
Scouting report:
- Average burst and lateral agility. Martinez can get too cute at times in the open field, attempting to juke defenders when he would be better off to jump cut or power through a defender with a decisive downhill attack plan. He can create bad angles for tacklers with his footwork at times, but he’s not explosive enough to dance around as much as he does at times.
- The hallmark of Martinez’s rushing is his tenacity. He always has his legs churning and fighting for extra yards. He finishes runs well and has enough pure strength to carry defenders along with him.
- Martinez is a volume back and chunk play author, as he doesn’t have the home run speed to break many 40-plus yard runs in the NFL. I wouldn’t be shocked if he trained hard, dropped a few lbs, and ran a 4.5 40-yard dash, but he’s likely a 4.6 40-speed type of back.
- Martinez is a classic checkdown-only back with little upside in the passing game. His pass pro is inconsistent. He has a number of snaps where he’ll stand up defenders at the attack point, but he also has snaps where he’ll drop his eyes and chip defenders blindly or get blown out of his cleats.
Player Comp: Jordan Howard
Woody Marks (USC)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 122nd
- Breakaway rate: 68th
- PFF elusive rating: 131st
- PFF receiving grade: 26th
- Yards per route run: 61st
- 2023 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 102nd
- Breakaway rate: 106th
- PFF elusive rating: 117th
- PFF receiving grade: 7th
- Yards per route run: 38th
- 2022 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 136th
- Breakaway rate: 110th
- PFF elusive rating: 154th
- PFF receiving grade: 66th
- Yards per route run: 62nd
- 2021 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 166th
- Breakaway rate: 166th
- PFF elusive rating: 149th
- PFF receiving grade: 19th
- Yards per route run: 50th
- Career
- 257 collegiate receptions
Scouting report:
- Marks is a linear runner. His physical limitations show up on film. He’s at his best when he runs downhill, utilizing good vision with little wasted movement. Marks will continually get what is blocked, but the down-to-down question is how much more he can get.
- His burst is average, and his lateral agility is limited. He can get into trouble at times when pressing a run and overcommitting. At times, Marks will do this and run into the back of one of his blockers as he lacks the explosiveness to change courses quickly enough.
- His thinner lower half doesn’t allow him to do much more than run through weak arm tackles or defenders with poor pursuit angles. This also shows up in pass pro. He is a willing blocker, and there’s nothing I’ll add besmirching his technique, but his physical limitations show up here as well. Marks will engage with defenders in pass pro, but he can struggle to anchor his defender or get blown out of his cleats by stronger defenders.
- Marks displays a soft set of hands as a receiver, and the ability to snag balls outside of his frame, but his route running is limited. He was moved to the perimeter at times at USC. His limited deceleration and change of direction skills showed up when he was asked to run curls and stop routes.
Player Comp: Eric Gray
Jarquez Hunter (Auburn)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 20th
- Breakaway rate: 22nd
- PFF elusive rating: 10th
- PFF receiving grade: 55th
- Yards per route run: 97th
- 2023 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 16th
- Breakaway rate: 31st
- PFF elusive rating: 48th
- PFF receiving grade: 79th
- Yards per route run: 100th
- 2022 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 24th
- Breakaway rate: 22nd
- PFF elusive rating: 7th
- PFF receiving grade: 39th
- Yards per route run: 11th
Scouting report:
- Immediate and palpable speed on film. Hunter hits the accelerator to the metal as soon as he gets the ball in his hands. He has 4.4/4.5 (low) 40 time speed. He can gain the edge consistently in outside-zone runs. His smooth lateral agility sneaks up on you. Hunter doesn’t wow with insane twitchiness, but he has good bend and can deploy jump cuts to avoid would-be tacklers or adjust to hit the hole quickly.
- His low center of gravity allows him to get skinny through the hole. He has nice leg drive for his size and consistently fights for extra yards. He finishes runs well, fighting for an extra 1-2 yards with every carry. He can push a pile.
- Hunter is an adequate check-down option in the passing game out of the backfield. He is also a willing blocker in pass pro. He engages quickly with incoming rushers and can anchor them. He can get into trouble when tasked with sustaining his blocks, but considering his size, he is more than passable in protecting his quarterback.
Player Comp: Jeremy McNichols
Brashard Smith (SMU)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 79th
- Breakaway rate: 34th
- PFF elusive rating: 74th
- PFF receiving grade: 2nd
- Yards per route run: 22nd
Scouting report:
- Smith is a converted slot wide receiver who transferred from Miami to SMU and switched to running back. He was also a wide receiver in high school. His feel for the running back position is impressive, considering the short timeframe that he has been a full-time player at the position.
- Smith is lightning in a travel-sized bottle. He is a quick and decisive runner with silky smooth feet. He runs with conviction but also has the patience to allow his blocks to set up in front of him.
- He wins with lateral agility, speed, and vision. Smith’s frame and wide receiver background show up in his rushing style. He isn’t a powerful or physical runner, but he can churn out yards quickly.
- Smith isn’t a decorated pass protector. He is adept at picking up rushers and understanding his assignment, but he will sometimes drop his head and eyes and lunge at defenders.
- Smith’s wide receiver background is evident when you watch him run routes. He was deployed from the slot or out wide on 14.7% of his snaps in 2024. He can exploit the soft spots in zone coverage and also has the raw speed (4.4 40 speed) to burn corners with a double move. Smith plucks balls out away from his frame. He could be a nice chess piece for a creative offensive coordinator in the NFL.
Player Comp: Kenneth Gainwell with Rocket shoes
Donovan Edwards (Michigan)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 141st
- Breakaway rate: 121st
- PFF elusive rating: 146th
- PFF receiving grade: 36th
- Yards per route run: 107th
- 2023 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 132nd
- Breakaway rate: 114th
- PFF elusive rating: 148th
- PFF receiving grade: 18th
- Yards per route run: 19th
Scouting report:
- Edwards has average burst with build-up speed. He’s at his best when getting north/south quickly and using his size to his advantage as he builds up a head of steam downhill.
- Edwards can get himself into trouble when he hesitates behind the line. He’ll slow up near the line at times to survey the scene before bursting forward. Edwards gets away with this on well-blocked run plays, but he doesn’t have the juice to do this regularly. He misses cut-back lanes at times, and his vision can lapse.
- Edwards is a one-cut runner with a mean, stiff arm. He can power through arm tackles in the open field with built-up momentum. If he is contacted behind the line of scrimmage many times, he’ll struggle to shed defenders. He doesn’t have the burst or raw speed to get to the edge consistently with outside-zone runs. Edwards isn’t as physical as you’d hope from a rusher his size. He doesn’t push the pile and can get blown up in short-yardage situations.
- Edwards can sometimes jump cut at the line and in the open field to avoid defenders, but he can struggle to change direction in the open field with some runs.
- Edwards is a decent dump-off option. He’ll make some nice catches outside of his frame. His route tree doesn’t extend beyond flat and swing routes in most games.
Player Comp: Wayne Gallman
Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 10th
- Breakaway rate: 10th
- PFF elusive rating: 8th
- PFF receiving grade: 77th
- Yards per route run: 114th
- 2023 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 34th
- Breakaway rate: 91st
- PFF elusive rating: 10th
- PFF receiving grade: 99th
- Yards per route run: 60th
Scouting report:
- Tuten is more quick than fast. He has solid burst and serviceable long speed (4.5) to hit some chunk plays when they are well blocked, but he won’t likely be a home run hitter in the NFL. Tuten doesn’t have the raw speed to win the edge on stretch plays consistently. He’s best suited for a run scheme that will allow him to get north/south with one cut and hit the gas.
- He has good bend in traffic and can utilize decent footwork to solve problems in space, but you won’t see Tuten with jump cut highlight where a defender is launched into the shadow realm. He loses speed substantially when attempting to string together multiple moves to spring himself.
- Tuten has a short, squatty build and can run through weak wraps with decent power, but don’t expect him to be a short-yardage back or pile mover in the NFL. He needs momentum built up to access this, with these flashes occurring in the second level of defenses.
- Tuten’s ball security issues will be brought up in the beginning of any conversation regarding his game. That’s an unfortunate fact when you have nine fumbles over the last two years. This could be related to small hands, as his faulty hands have also plagued him in the passing game, with nine drops over the last three seasons.
- He’s a decent check-down option in the passing game, operating with flat routes, leaks out of the backfield, and with swing passes primarily. His short-area lateral agility limitations and questionable hands cap his upside in the passing game.
Player Comp: Discount Dion Lewis
Kalel Mullings (Michigan)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 55th
- Breakaway rate: 54th
- PFF elusive rating: 81st
- Collegiate Yards per route run: 0.59*
(only ten targets in college across three seasons)*
Scouting report:
- Classic downhill thumper. He has strong legs to push through first contact and move a pile in short yardage situations. Mullings has build-up speed and needs a runway to get going, but he can do damage in the second-level of defenses. If defenders can contact him immediately or early in a play he can have issues.
- Mullings offers some nice pass pro reps. His physical strength shows up again here. He has plenty of reps where he takes on free rushers and stands them up and corrals them with a solid anchor.
- Mullings utilizes jump cuts to access different running lanes instead of choppy footwork. When he can’t jump cut in a situation he does face some challenges changing course.
- Mullings offers little in the passing game. He had only ten targets across three seasons of collegiate football and 0.59 Yards per route run to show for it. His value to NFL teams will arise primarily from what he can do as a rusher although his pass protection skills could get him plenty of hollow passing down snaps depending on the backfield that he enters in the NFL.
Player Comp: Jeremy Hill
Ollie Gordon III (Oklahoma State)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 91st
- Breakaway rate: 126th
- PFF elusive rating: 80th
- PFF receiving grade: 25th
- Yards per route run: 94th
- 2023 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 39th
- Breakaway rate: 7th
- PFF elusive rating: 61st
- PFF receiving grade: 76th
- Yards per route run: 71st
- Career
- Multiple leg injuries in 2024
Scouting report:
- Gordon is a smooth mover for his size. He has solid lateral agility for his size, but he can get happy feet at times. With some runs, he dances too much at the line when he needs to be decisive and get downhill. This isn’t a problem on every run, but it does pop up.
- Gordon has build speed (4.6-ish). He maximizes and is at his best when he has one cut and gets upfield or uses his bend around the edge. Gordon has the problem that most big backs do, which is that he can go down easily in the backfield when the offensive line doesn’t give him some room to get moving. If Gordon can get moving then he is a problem for defenses. His feet can play up in the second level of a defense, and he’s tougher to bring down when that big body is barreling through a defense 4-5 yards past the line of scrimmage.
- He’s a decent receiving option out of the backfield, thanks to his soft hands. Gordon doesn’t have a developed route tree from the backfield, with dump-offs and screens comprising most of his routes. Gordon has zero drops in his final collegiate season.
- The limiting factor for Gordon on passing downs could be his pass pro. For a back his size, his play strength doesn’t shine here at all. He has plenty of reps where he squares up an incoming rusher and gets blown back. He attempts to compensate by chipping rushers or blindly diving low at them to take them out. This won’t cut it in the NFL, and it barely worked in college.
Player Comp: D’Onta Foreman
LeQuint Allen (Syracuse)
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 128th
- Breakaway rate: 147th
- PFF elusive rating: 126th
- PFF receiving grade: 8th
- Yards per route run: 42nd
- 2023 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 119th
- Breakaway rate: 125th
- PFF elusive rating: 97th
- PFF receiving grade: 57th
- Yards per route run: 77th
Scouting report: N/A (no all-22 available)
Player Comp: N/A
Marcus Yarns (Delaware)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS/FCS minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 22nd
- Breakaway rate: 82nd
- PFF elusive rating: 81st
- PFF receiving grade: 35th
- Yards per route run: 19th
Scouting report: N/A (no all-22 available)
Player Comp: N/A
Wide Receivers
Jaylin Noel (Iowa State)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 29th
- PFF receiving grade: 26th
- 2023 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 36th
- PFF receiving grade: 84th
Scouting report:
- Noel is an impressive route runner. He adds subtle jab steps, pacing shakeups, and head fakes to his routes. Noel was primarily a slot receiver in college (72.7% slot), but he also has the skills to win from the perimeter. Noel can also win downfield and has solid ball tracking.
- Noel attacks defenders with a varied release package. He has smooth, easy acceleration with the raw speed to nail big plays downfield. He can pull away from corners in routes and in the open field.
- Noel plays through contact well. He has the upper body strength and the route skills to beat physical corners and press coverage. Noel flashed an increasingly dependable set of hands in college, with a 4.8% drop rate in his final season and a 52% contested catch rate.
- His play strength shows up at the catch point as he has more than a few snags with multiple defenders competing with him for the ball. He attacks the ball outside of his frame with aggressive hands.
Player Comp: Khalil Shakir
Elic Ayomanor (Stanford)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 137th
- PFF receiving grade: 84th
- aDOT: 50th (14.2)
- 2023 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 78th
- PFF receiving grade: 64th
- aDOT: 59th (14.1)
Scouting report:
- Ayomanor adds many of the little details to his routes that you look for with strong route runners. He has some variance in his release packages. He has good pacing and bend in his routes against zone coverage. He has a quick first step off the line and at the top of his stem with comebacks and curls.
- He still has some areas in his route running that he can improve upon with leverage and timing. Ayomanor will telegraph his breaks at the top of his stem at times. He can also create more late separation with corners by selling his vertical push better or utilizing leverage better with in and out-breaking routes. Overall, he has a solid down-to-down attack plan against secondaries. The little nuances added to his game could help take it to the next level.
- Ayomanor isn’t a dynamic YAC threat. He can produce some YAC with his physicality and quick feet, but it won’t be a hallmark of his game in the NFL.
- He has solid hands despite an 8.7% drop rate over the last two seasons. Ayomanor does lose some balls in 50/50 situations or after physical hits from corners. With his play strength flashing in other areas of his game, this is something he can improve upon in the NFL.
- Ayomanor separates well late against zone coverage overall. He sinks his hips well and gears down quickly for a receiver of his size. Ayomanor also will flash the occasional special play as he adjusts to targets outside of his frame with some one-handed snags or back shoulder grabs.
Player Comp: Michael Wilson
Jayden Higgins (Iowa State)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 27th
- PFF receiving grade: 1st
- 2023 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 16th
- PFF receiving grade: 18th
Scouting report:
- Physical X wide receiver. Higgins’ play strength shows up in his routes and against press. He has no issues playing through contact and dealing with physical corners. It shows up consistently at the catch point, as he had a 2.2% drop rate or lower in each of the last three seasons and a 55.6% contested catch rate in college.
- Higgins excels in the short/intermediate areas of the field with surprisingly nimble footwork for his size. He gets open at will on slants and out routes where his footwork shines, and he can use his size to box out corners. I wouldn’t be surprised if he were to transition to big slot in the NFL. If Sean Payton drafts him don’t be surprised if his turns him into Michael Thomas 2.0.
- Higgins has a decent second gear, but I question his long speed. I wonder in the NFL if he has the raw speed to stack corners on the perimeter downfield consistently. Higgins has plenty of route nuance in the short and intermediate routes, but he has to continue to add tricks to the bag as a downfield receiver. He struggles to get separation on go routes, but he wasn’t asked to run them much at Iowa State. Higgins also needs to sell the vertical push on comebacks and curls consistently. He’ll get lax here at times, and it leaves corners glued to him after his route break.
- He has nice body control in the air and some nice back-shoulder grabs, especially in the red zone. His strong hands and ability above the rim should help him on the perimeter and in the red zone in the NFL.
- Higgins isn’t a dynamic YAC threat. He looks more like an athletic tight end after the catch. He can provide some YAC, though, with his physicality with tackle-breaking.
Player Comp: developmental Michael Thomas
Jalen Royals (Utah State)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS/FCS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 30th
- PFF receiving grade: 69th
- 2023 (FBS/FCS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 81st
- PFF receiving grade: 36th
- Career
- Averaged 166.5 receiving yards per game across his final four collegiate games.
- Has a 64.1% collegiate contested catch rate
Scouting report:
- Royals is a fluid mover. He makes everything look easy, from his in-route adjustments to his accelerating and deceleration. His RAC ability jumps out immediately from his film. As soon as he has the ball in his hands, he is off to the races. Royals gets up to top speed almost instantly.
- His physical strength is easy to see in a number of ways. Royals is a load to bring down. He had 17 missed tackles forced last year with only 55 receptions. He cuts through defenders as a runner, effortlessly shedding tacklers. He plays well through contact with many routes, but he does have some issues with physical corners.
- Royals has a good understanding of using his physical skills to his benefit, especially on slants and other in-breaking routes. The area where I have questions is his release package. He was able to win due to his speed and strong body positioning on many routes. With go routes, he didn’t flash a deep release package tool belt attempting to run by corners. He has the speed to do so, but he’ll need more than that in the NFL, though. I can’t wait to see him in 1-on-1s in Mobile and see what his release package looks like unfurled. He has to add more in-route nuance as well. He doesn’t have many pacing variations or film where he creates equations in the middle of his routes for corners to have to solve.
- Royals’ body control and hands are impressive. With Utah State’s quarterback play not being stellar, he had to adjust to plenty of passes outside of his frame. He aggressively attacks the ball away from his frame. He did have a drop rate of 5.2% or higher in each of his final two seasons in college, but I’m not overly concerned about it. Plenty of his drops were of the concentration variety or adjusting to difficult ball placement.
Player Comp: Quincy Enunwa
Jack Bech (TCU)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 46th
- PFF receiving grade: 17th
- MTF: 22nd
- Career
- Transferred from LSU to TCU for his final two seasons of collegiate football.
- Played 71.8% of his snaps from the perimeter in his final season (66.3-95.7% slot the three previous years).
- 2024: Among 50 wideouts with at least 20 contested targets, he ranked fourth in catch rate.
Scouting report:
- Bech is a DAWG! A tone-setter for a team and locker room. He doesn’t take any plays off. Bech is running full-speed routes even when the play design doesn’t include him. He blocks his A%$ off every snap. He’ll be a happy addition to any NFL team’s run game.
- In 2021, at LSU, Bech played 125 snaps at tight end. I wonder if he will switch back to tight end in the NFL. His movement skills remind me of an athletic tight end after the catch. His athleticism and receiving skills at tight end would make me quite a bit higher regarding his NFL prospects.
- As a perimeter wide receiver, Bech’s physical limitations show up immediately. He isn’t the fastest or twitchiest player on the field. He has the strength in the upper and lower halves to beat press coverage, break tackles after the catch, and play through contact.
- Bech’s release package needs tools added to the belt. He has a good feel against zone, finds the soft spots, and is a friendly target for his quarterbacks. Bech will have to rely upon his play strength in-route and at the catch point against press/man. His skills as a route technician and his average burst/speed will leave plenty of NFL corners glued to him.
- Bech has a wonderfully dependable set of hands. He wins consistently at the catch point with strong hands as he attacks the ball. He has only two drops over the last three seasons and at least a 50% contested catch rate in each collegiate season. Last year, among 50 FBS wide receivers with at least 20 contested targets, he ranked fourth in catch rate.
Player Comp: Mack Hollins
Xavier Restrepo (Miami)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 42nd
- PFF receiving grade: 15th
- 2023 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 24th
- PFF receiving grade: 12th
Scouting report:
- Restrepo is a scrappy sparkplug. He can be a tone-setter for an offense with his energy. He’s always willing to stick his nose in a run play and hit a guy. He’ll chip for his quarterback during scramble drills. The edge and energy he plays with can be felt by just watching his film.
- Restrepo has nice body control. He can adjust to plenty of errant throws outside of his frame. He can play above the rim some.
- It’s nothing to see Restrepo make a tough catch in traffic. He plays with no fear in traffic, securing targets with defenders bearing down him at the catch point. Restrepo had a 61.5% contested catch rate last year.
- Restrepo has a nice second gear in the open field. When he hits the pedal to the metal, he can leave corners in the dust. Don’t underrate his short-area quickness, either. He’ll cross guys over off the line, breaking ankles and creating early separation. He’s a solid YAC threat, ranking 28th in YAC per reception and tenth in YAC last year.
- He has solid route pacing and understands where to sit it down against zone coverage.
Player Comp: Cole Beasley
Savion Williams (TCU)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 94th
- PFF receiving grade: 145th
- MTF: 22nd
- 2023 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 171st
- PFF receiving grade: 112th
- Career
- In 2024: 322 rushing yards (six scores, 6.3 ypc)
Scouting report:
- A physical specimen. Easy, immediate speed from the snap. He isn’t the most twitchy player, but he has a quick first step off the line and smooth footwork when asked to gear down and drop his hips or at the top of his route stem. He has good bend on in-breaking routes.
- Williams was a manufactured touch king at TCU, with screens, handoffs, and Wildcat quarterback snaps. The TCU coaching staff focused on getting Williams involved in various ways every game.
- Williams has more than a few concentration drops on film, with at least an 11% drop rate in three of his final collegiate seasons. Overall, I’m not worried about his hands, as many of these are of the concentration variety. A better measuring stick for his mitts is his 75% contested catch rate in college.
- He has no issues keeping his focus with 50/50 balls in the air or passes outside of his frame. The ball placement from his quarterbacks at TCU didn’t do him any favors. He was forced to adjust to plenty of inaccurate targets. Williams is a nice red zone threat with the size to box out smaller corners.
- Williams should be eased into a full-time traditional wide receiver role in the NFL. He has the traits to become a needle-moving wide receiver. In the limited snaps where he faced physical coverage at the line, he exhibited good hand fighting and the play strength to fight through it in his routes and earn separation, but it was a small sample.
Player Comp: More refined Cordarrelle Patterson
Tez Johnson (Oregon)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 31st
- PFF receiving grade: 8th
- YAC per reception: 25th
- 2023 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 4th
- PFF receiving grade: 10th
- YAC per reception: 11th
- Career
- 87% slot
- 2.85 career YPRR (two seasons with 3.45 YPRR or higher)
Scouting report:
- Johnson was a manufactured touch player at Oregon. He was utilized in motion, bunch formations, and from the backfield (27 snaps in 2024) to get him free releases. Over the last two seasons, he has ranked 26th and eighth in screen targets among wideouts. Last year, screens comprised 51.7% of his target volume (23rd-highest mark).
- Johnson was tasked with plenty of stop routes, leaks out of the backfield, curls, and five-yard out routes. He faced mostly off-coverage in college. Johnson was able to win with speed and quickness. When corners could run with him and chose to press him at the line, they had little issue hanging in his back pocket through his route.
- Johnson deploys a similar shimmy and shake off the line and at the top of his route breaks when he works to gain separation. This caught some corners in college who lacked the foot speed to hang with him, but I worry it won’t be enough in the NFL. His release package off the line and in-route nuances are limited. Johnson could be deployed in the NFL in a similar manner that Oregon used him, but he will have to grow as a route runner and separator to deal with man, press, or playing any on the perimeter.
- His lack of size and physicality shows up in his routes and at the catch point. It doesn’t take much for a corner to push him off his route.
Player Comp: Keke Coutee
Kyren Lacy (LSU)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 125th
- PFF receiving grade: 108th
- Career
- Transfer from Louisiana-Lafayette before the 2022 season. Didn’t have more than 50 targets in a collegiate season until 2024.
Scouting report:
- Lacy is a strong route runner. He adds plenty of tiny nuance to routes that invites indecision in the head of opposing corners with jab steps, head fakes, and subtle fakes. He sells the vertical push element in his stems quite well before snapping off comebacks and curls.
- Lacy has easy fluidity and change of direction in his routes. He can change directions subtly in his routes while losing little speed. While he might not have elite long speed, he has strong short-area acceleration that allows for early separation in his routes.
- Physical corners can give him fits. He needs to use his upper body strength more effectively to fight through press.
- For all of the strengths of his game, Lacy lacks strength at the catch point (36.5% contested catch rate in college). He is a strong separator and needs that clean environment at the catch point. He also has issues with securing the football. His 11.5% drop rate in college is an eyesore. Drops aren’t a problem for many receivers until they are, and well…they definitely are for Lacy. His drop rate was at least 9.1% in every collegiate season.
Player Comp: Tre’Quan Smith
Pat Bryant (Illinois)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 18th
- PFF receiving grade: 7th
- Career
- 80.5% of his collegiate snaps from the perimeter
Scouting report:
- Bryant is a big-bodied physical receiver. His play strength shows up continually in his film. He fights through contact well in his routes, is a bully after the catch (13 missed tackles forced with only 54 receptions), and is strong at the catch point (69.2% contested catch rate last year).
- Bryant’s raw speed is questionable. He has build-up speed that is best displayed on posts and deep overs. He looks clunky in his routes at times, running like he has cement in his shoes.
- Bryant displays the ability to stack corners, but I worry that against better competition, he could lack the raw speed and route nuance to consistently stack corners at the next level. He has to continue to add releases to the tool belt and refine his footwork at the top of his stems. His release package at this juncture is limited.
- He has issues sinking his hips consistently and decelerating quickly to create late separation. He has the play strength and solid hands to win 50/50 balls, but that could be a realm he lives in constantly in the NFL.
Player Comp: Jake Bobo
Tai Felton (Maryland)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 57th
- PFF receiving grade: 37th
- 2023 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 148th
- PFF receiving grade: 212th
Scouting report:
- Felton excels against zone coverage as an underneath weapon for a passing attack. He has good bend, fluidity, and quick twitch in his routes. He gains separation on slants, outs, comebacks, and curls well. His short area quickness serves him well at the top of his stems.
- I wouldn’t be surprised to see Felton move inside to the slot in the NFL (76.8% perimeter in college). When he’s asked to stretch the field, things can go awry. His go routes lack nuance as he struggles to separate. His release package on go balls is limited. He doesn’t have the raw speed to stack corners and struggles at the catch point. Corners don’t have an issue living in his back pocket.
- Felton isn’t a “my ball” winner at the catch point. This is where his play strength limitations can show up, with a 38.5% contested catch rate in college. He has had a 5.9% or higher drop rate in each of the last two seasons. I don’t think he has issues with his catch technique, but he does have lapses in concentration at the catch point at times.
Player Comp: Cedrick Wilson
Jaylin Lane (Virginia Tech)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 172nd
- PFF receiving grade: 162nd
- 2023 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 152nd
- PFF receiving grade: 78th
- Career
- 84.6-90% slot rate at Virginia Tech
Scouting report:
- At Virginia Tech, Lane was fed a constant diet of screens, schemed touches, and opportunities in motion. He was gifted volume with free releases. Lane will operate in a similar role in the NFL while running his routes from the slot.
- When operating as a slot receiver, it was primarily slants, deep overs, and out routes. He has the short-area quickness and nose for the holes in zone defense to be an effective NFL slot option.
- Lane offers some YAC upside with a running-back mentality in the open field. He has more upside as a YAC option if he can invoke more of the quick twitch he utilizes in his routes into his RAC game. Lane isn’t an elite tackle breaker, but he can run through poor wraps and slip poor angled attempts.
Player Comp: Wan’Dale Robinson
Bru McCoy (Texas)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 193rd
- PFF receiving grade: 204th
Scouting report:
- McCoy is a big-bodied wide receiver with build-up speed but a quick first step off the line. This allows him the ability to uncover quickly on short area routes like slants and drags. He faced a lot of off-coverage in college and had no issues gaining separation against it. His gear down at the top of his routes still needs some work in terms of consistency.
- He ran a ton of curls and in-breaking routes in college. His route tree was more limited and will have to expand in the NFL. When McCoy was tasked with go routes, he would routinely try to win with just speed, but he doesn’t have the raw juice to do so consistently in the NFL. I would have loved to see McCoy utilized more on posts, corners, and deep overs, where he could have accessed his build-up speed and utilized his size more.
- McCoy had issues with physical corners who could press him and run with him. He needs to utilize his upper body strength versus press better. He has the footwork and necessary short-area agility to improve in this area.
- McCoy doesn’t offer much in the realm of YAC. He had only 4.9 yards after the catch per reception in college. He’s more of a possession receiver.
- Overall, he has decent hands. When the catch point is clean, he has been solid. He had a 5.1% drop rate in college, which isn’t overly concerning, with plenty of those being concentration-related, but when the catch point is muddy, he does have issues. McCoy isn’t a bully ball receiver, with less than a 43% contested catch rate in each of the last two seasons.
Player Comp: J.J. Arcega-Whiteside
Da’Quan Felton (Virginia Tech)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 217th
- PFF receiving grade: 255th
- 2023 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 114th
- PFF receiving grade: 202nd
Scouting report: N/A (no all-22 available)
Player Comp: N/A
Isaac TeSlaa (Arkansas)
Stats:
- 2024 (only 36 targets)*
- Yards per route run: 1.99
- PFF receiving grade: 70.6
- 2023 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 277th
- PFF receiving grade: 262nd
Scouting report: N/A (no all-22 available)
Player Comp: N/A
Chimere Dike (Florida)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 62nd
- PFF receiving grade: 126th
(only 37 targets in 2023)*
- 2022 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 73rd
- PFF receiving grade: 77th
Scouting report: N/A (no all-22 available)
Player Comp: N/A
Kyle Williams (Washington State)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 23rd
- PFF receiving grade: 21st
Scouting report: N/A (no all-22 available)
Player Comp: N/A
Jamaal Pritchett (South Alabama)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS/FCS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 4th
- PFF receiving grade: 6th
Scouting report: N/A (no all-22 available)
Player Comp: N/A
Arian Smith (Georgia)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 126th
- PFF receiving grade: 249th
Scouting report: N/A (no all-22 available)
Player Comp: N/A
Tight Ends
Gunnar Helm (Texas)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 27th
- PFF receiving grade: 23rd
- MTF: 6th
- YAC: 3rd
Scouting report:
Helm has underrated short-area quickness. He will flash some decent release moves when lined up on the perimeter. Helm has been known to stop on a dime at times and watch defenders fly by. He doesn’t have a ton of just eye-popping plays on his reel, but there are more than a handful that will make you say, “Oh…well damn.”
- Helm has good above-the-rim skills. He wasn’t asked to sky for jump balls much, but when he was, he came down with some impressive ones. There’s some untapped red zone application here for the NFL. 50/50 balls are more like 65/35. Helm has good hands, which led to only two drops and a 50% contest catch rate last year.
- Helm uncovers quickly. He has enough short-area quickness to sneak in a whip route if a linebacker is caught napping. Helm can threaten the seam and run away at times from defenders. He isn’t a prolific tackle breaker, but he can improve in this area in the NFL if his play strength improves only marginally in an NFL strength and conditioning program.
- Helm can get tied up with physical linebackers that can run with him. His route running is solid, but I think he will need to have better hand fighting and improve the nuance in his routes to get open regularly against man coverage or with good coverage linebackers.
- Helm is a decent blocker. He’s not an earth mover, but he can punch well and sustain his blocks long enough both in the run and passing games. He’s not a player you’d want as a puller a ton, but he can operate well enough there to do it in a pinch or against a lighter defense.
Player Comp: Austin Hooper
Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 1st
- PFF receiving grade: 1st
- MTF: 1st
- 2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 3rd
- PFF receiving grade: 1st
- MTF: 5th
- Career:
- 52.6% slot or out wide in his collegiate career
Scouting report:
- Fannin Jr.’s calling card in the NFL will be his receiving ability. He is a functional blocker and can hold his own, but no one should be asking that to be the main ingredient of his NFL usage.
- Fannin Jr. has build up speed that he maximizes with strong footwork. His light feet cover up some slightly stiff hips and average burst. I honestly was expecting him to be more explosive off the line and in short areas with his size, but his efficient feet allow him to make the most of his raw speed.
- He was a versatile piece of the Bowling Green offense who was utilized all over the formation. Last year, he had 32 snaps from the backfield while running 31.7% of his routes from the slot and 26.2% from the perimeter.
- Fannin Jr. ran primarily up the seam, slants, drags, ins, and outs. His crisp footwork at the top of his stem and his strong understanding of leverage allow him to gain separation well and at a higher clip than his raw foot speed might suggest at first glance.
- He can create after the catch with jab steps and manufacturing poor angles for would-be tacklers. His legs are also underrated with the power that he runs with as he can run through weak tackles and poor wraps.
Player Comp: Isaiah Likely
Terrance Ferguson (Oregon)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 14th
- PFF receiving grade: 14th
- YAC per reception: 3rd
- MTF 22nd
- 2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 71st
- PFF receiving grade: 34th
- MTF: 5th
- 2022 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 18th
- PFF receiving grade: 70th
- Career
- In his final three collegiate seasons, he played 57.7-74% of his snaps in the slot or on the perimeter.
Scouting report:
- Ferguson has enough speed to threaten down the seam. He has decent bend in his routes. He was utilized with plenty of schemed touches with screens and chip & uncover dump offs.
- Ferguson is an underneath weapon against zone coverage. He’s a fluid athlete with solid movement skills, but he’s not explosive and doesn’t jump off the film with his abilities after the catch or at the catch point. He could develop into a middle-of-the-road starting tight end who is a third or fourth option in an NFL passing attack.
- While blocking isn’t his main attraction, he is serviceable here. You wouldn’t want Ferguson deployed as a road-clearing lead blocker, but he can sustain his blocks when in line. Ferguson has a decent punch and can anchor well enough. He’s not an earth mover and can occasionally pull out his best matador impression against incoming rushers.
Player Comp: Cade Otton
Elijah Arroyo (Miami)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 23rd
- PFF receiving grade: 21st
- YAC per reception: 2nd
- Career
- 2024: 56.1% of his snaps from the slot or the perimeter
- ACL tear in 2022
Scouting report:
- An athletic move tight end that can be a mismatch for any pass defense. Arroyo was utilized in motion, up the seam, and on screens a ton in 2024. This was done to maximize his after-the-catch abilities, give him free releases off the line, and hide some of the route-running growth that he still needs to achieve.
- Arroyo is an upright runner and long strider who can chew up space quickly in the open field. He has 4.5/4.6 speed. He has surprisingly good deceleration and nice footwork for his size. He doesn’t use his plus feet enough in his route running or off the line to this point. Linebackers that are physical and can run with him don’t have a hard time staying with him. Arroyo’s routes lack that added nuance that can allow him to separate early and late, and his release package is limited. Arroyo can succeed against zone coverage with a decent feel for finding the holes in the coverage, but he’ll need to grow his game if he hopes to become a true mismatch weapon that can match with man coverage and good coverage linebackers.
- Arroyo uses his speed well after the catch, but he needs his play strength to show up more consistently. He forced only five missed tackles in college. He has the athleticism and upper body strength (as exhibited in his blocking) to improve in this area. I’d love to see Arroyo stiff-arm defenders in the NFL.
- Arroyo is a functional blocker. He has a decent anchor, can set the edge in run blocking, and can operate as a puller. He displaces defenders, but he isn’t an overwhelming people mover.
Player Comp: Greg Dulcich
Mason Taylor (LSU)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 63rd
- PFF receiving grade: 36th
- 2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 99th
- PFF receiving grade: 119th
- 2022 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 94th
- PFF receiving grade: 98th
Scouting report:
- Taylor is a solid all-around tight end who can be a league-average every-down starter. Taylor has the functional play strength and technique to be a serviceable blocker in all phases. He gets after every snap trying to drive defenders back. He sustains his blocks well enough and can operate as an edge setter or puller if needed.
- Taylor isn’t a game changing talent as a receiver, but he can be a trusted underneath option for a passing attack with some selective seam shots sprinkled in. Taylor has the speed (4.7ish) to get downtown depending upon the play design, but that’s not something you want to ask of him regularly. He has the necessary footwork/short area quickness to uncover quickly and offer a passing offense a solid option against zone coverage.
- Taylor isn’t much of a YAC threat with only 5.4 yards after the catch per reception in his collegiate career and no more than five missed tackles in any season. He can operate as a trusted weapon for a quarterback though with his 1.8% drop rate in his final season.
Player Comp: Cameron Brate
C.J. Dippre (Alabama)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 62nd
- PFF receiving grade: 101st
- 2023 (only 13 targets)*
- 2022 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 24th
- PFF receiving grade: 25th
Scouting report:
- Dippre likely settles in as a dependable TE2 for an NFL team. He played 71.7% of his collegiate snaps inline. His best work on the field comes in the blocking department. Dippre is pedal to the metal in the blocking department until the final whistle. He is 110% effort and can pancake defenders, driving them back with unwavering leg drive.
- As a receiving option, he can operate as an outlet receiver or underneath against zone coverage. He’ll occasionally sneak up the seam, but he isn’t an overly nuanced route runner, and his physical limitations show up in the passing game. He has been strong in contested situations (60% career collegiate contested catch rate), which he’ll need as he isn’t the best separator, but his hands are a worry. He has had at least a 12.5% drop rate in each of the last two seasons.
Player Comp: Luke Farrell
Jackson Hawes (Georgia Tech)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 97th
- PFF receiving grade: 89th
- Career
- Hawes never had more than 21 targets, 195 receiving yards, or higher than 1.02 YPRR in any collegiate season.
Scouting report:
- Hawes will make his money in the NFL as a blocker. He is a people-moving meanie. He can anchor well in pass protection while clearing the road in run-blocking. Georgia Tech utilized him as a puller at times. He’s not the most nimble player, so his best blocking is done in line as an edge setter.
- As a receiver, he is limited by his physical attributes. Hawes can operate as an underneath option against zone coverage. Decent physical linebackers can hang with him without a problem in the passing game. He lumbers in the open field, but he can generate some YAC through his strong lower half. He can carry defenders forward and get a few extra yards after the catch.
Player Comp: Ko Kieft
Jake Briningstool (Clemson)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 59th
- PFF receiving grade: 80th
- 2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 66th
- PFF receiving grade: 65th
- 2022 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 57th
- PFF receiving grade: 99th
Scouting report:
- Briningstool is a solid all-around tight end, but he doesn’t possess world-beating ability in any one area. He has enough build-up speed to threaten down the seam, but he’s not explosive enough to live consistently in that world. He can win against linebackers as an underneath threat for a passing attack, but he doesn’t have the short-area agility to split out wide. He could easily develop into a league-average starting tight end who operates as a tertiary receiving option for a passing game.
- Briningstool can hold his own in the blocking department. His upper body strength and strong hands are his best assets. He can sustain his blocks in both the rushing and passing games, but he doesn’t have the bull strength in the lower half to drive defenders into the dirt.
Player Comp: Cole Turner
Moliki Matavao (UCLA)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 29th
- PFF receiving grade: 52nd
- 2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 14th
- PFF receiving grade: 46th
- Career
- 67.7% of his routes from the slot or perimeter in 2024 (39.7% in 2023)
Scouting report: N/A (no all-22 available)
Player Comp: N/A
Thomas Fidone (Nebraska)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 46th
- PFF receiving grade: 57th
Scouting report: N/A (no all-22 available)
Player Comp: N/A
Gavin Bartholomew (Pittsburgh)
Stats:
- 2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 125th
- PFF receiving grade: 72nd
Scouting report: N/A (no all-22 available)
Player Comp: N/A
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