Football

HEIGHT: 5'10"

WEIGHT: 204

HAND: 9 3/4"

ARM: 30 1/2"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: TBD

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: TBD

BROAD: TBD

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POSITIVES

— Above-average athleticism and explosiveness. Twitchy yet smooth in the pocket. Dangerous scrambler.

— Flexible mechanics. Finds ways to get the ball out comfortably no matter the angle.

— Good accuracy, especially in rhythm. Leads receivers well. Flashes ability to throw away from coverage and defenders.

— Fearless under pressure despite his size. Doesn't panic and is willing to take a hit.

— Above-average decision-maker. Doesn't force the ball and generally does well to play on time.

— Electric playmaker and creative mind. Excels outside the pocket and in finding unique angles to finish plays.

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NEGATIVES

— Weight concerns. Only measured 204 at the Combine and almost certainly played lighter than that at Alabama.

— Height is a problem. Sometimes struggles throwing in crowded pockets.

— Processing became inconsistent in 2022. Took a slight step back and forced some passes this season.

— Can be a straight-line thrower. Lacks touch in certain instances.

— Arm strength is not bad, but more would help ease size concerns.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 GM, 245-380 (64.5%), 3,328 YDS, 8.8 Y/A, 32 TD, 5 INT, 49 ATT, 185 YDS (3.8 AVG), 4 TD

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NOTES

— DOB: July 25, 2001

— 27 career starts

— Suffered an AC joint injury in his throwing (right) shoulder against Arkansas on Oct. 1

— 2021 consensus first-team All-American

— 2021 Heisman Trophy winner

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OVERALL

Bryce Young's profile shows a struggle between skill set and physical capabilities.

The optimist's view is that Young is the best quarterback in the class. He is a sharp processor, though slightly less so in 2022 than in 2021, and understands how to play within the rhythm of a concept. He has a great understanding of which throws aren't open and how to avoid forcing the ball.

That skill bleeds into his ability as a playmaker. Once Young decides a play is broken, either because of pressure or sticky coverage, he is quick to find an answer. Sometimes that is a timely checkdown, but more frequently it means a play outside the pocket, where his blend of athleticism, creativity and flexible mechanics creates magic.

Young is also accurate to all three levels. Some throws that require more arc, like deep corner routes, can be troublesome, but Young can generally get the ball where he wants it.

On the other hand, quarterbacks of Young's frame don't exist in the NFL. Not only is Young on the shorter side, which inhibits his ability to throw over defenders when they crowd him, but he is also a major outlier in terms of weight. Young would be the first quarterback who weighs less than 200 pounds to be picked in the top 100 since Pat White in 2007.

Moreover, no quarterback under 200 pounds in the combine era (since 1999) has done anything of note besides Seneca Wallace, a fine career backup. Those size issues are worrisome as is, but it is especially so considering Young has no elite physical tools to help overcome them.

Kyler Murray, for example, had similar concerns, but he had a much stronger arm and better athletic ability. Add those size issues to Young's decline in processing in 2022—partly a result of injury and Alabama's poor offensive line—and his profile becomes risky.

Young is an excellent college player who needs to climb over a number of obstacles to work in the NFL. He may very well do it—he has the accuracy, playmaking creativity and baseline processing skills—but he is a major size outlier with good-not-great physical tools. Young would have a better chance to overcome those obstacles on a team with a good offensive line that can give him space and safety.

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GRADE: 8.2 (Year 1 Starter)

OVERALL RANK: 16

POSITION RANK: QB3

PRO COMPARISON: Downscaled Tony Romo

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 313

HAND: 10"

ARM: 32 1/4"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 5.16

3-CONE: 7.80

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: 34.5"

BROAD: 9'7"

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POSITIVES

— Consistently times the snap and explodes out of his stance to gain proper depth and spacing in his pass set and beat rushers to the spot.

— Very good foot quickness with fluid and balanced footwork to mirror and expand his landmarks against wider alignments while redirecting smoothly to cover up counters inside.

— Has quick, active and accurate hands to establish leverage inside the defender's frame, refit and releverage back inside if he loses initial contact.

— Transitions into his anchor quickly and under control with excellent knee bend and angles to create lift, generate force through the ground and dissipate power.

— Dependable and steady eyes and spatial awareness to recognize, process, pass off and pick up line games and stunts.

— Shows precise and consistent aiming points to fit on defenders in the running game with tight, strong hands to create lift, drive, control and steer.

— Excellent contact balance and recovery skills to stay attached to post-snap movement and shed attempts.

— Plays with very good physicality, effort and leg drive to finish blocks regardless of situation or opponent.

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NEGATIVES

— Marginal arm length allows defenders to establish first meaningful contact, gain easy access into his frame and keep him at their fingertips.

— Can get overaggressive and set too far out on edge-rushers, creating a soft inside shoulder that forces him into recovery mode.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 starts at left tackle

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NOTES

— Named AP first-team All-American (2022)

— 5-star prospect out of Maine South High School in Park Ridge, Illinois

— First 5-star prospect to ever sign with Northwestern

— Started 33 games over his three year career, all at left tackle

— Two first-team All-Big Ten selections in 2022 and 2021, with one second-team selection in 2020 as a true freshman

— Three-year letterman in high school in basketball and track and field. Skoronski was a stand out in the shot put with a personal best throw of 57'3"

— Grandfather Bob Skoronski was an offensive tackle and team captain on all five of the Packers championship teams under head coach Vince Lombardi. His father, Bob Jr., played defensive line at Yale University

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OVERALL

Skoronski took over at left tackle as a true freshman with Rashawn Slater sitting out the 2020 campaign and went on to start 33 games at the position over three years inside a balanced, multiple run scheme that mixes in zone and gap concepts, play-action and dropback passes. Skoronski has a stout, compact build with evenly dispersed weight throughout his frame and marginal arm length. He has very good athletic ability, quickness and agility.

Skoronski is a smooth, fluid pass protector with the foot quickness and movement skills to beat rushers to the spot, expand his landmarks to protect the corner and redirect to thwart inside counters. He is able to generate force through the ground, create lift with his hands and effectively transition into his anchor with good stopping power. His balance paired with alert eyes and excellent spatial awareness leads to outstanding recognition skills to handle line games and stunts. Skoronski's substandard arm length allows defenders to establish first meaningful contact on him several times a game that can press him back on his heels, but his recovery balance is excellent, allowing him to stay attached to the block more often than not.

In the running game Skoronski uses precise aiming points and footwork with equally proficient hand placement to fit, leverage, drive and steer defenders from a variety of angles and run concepts. He is able to refit and stay attached against post-snap movement and shed attempts with the movement skills to pick off targets on the move. He plays with good physicality, consistently runs his feet and looks to finish through the whistle.

Overall, Skoronski has the body type of an interior player with the feet and skill level of a starting left tackle. He is a technician with nimble movement skills, excellent balance, an advanced understanding of leverage and spatial awareness that puts him in consistently good positions before, during and after contact. His best long-term fit as a pro remains a question, but there is no doubt that he has the physical traits, makeup and skill set to be an immediate starter at all five positions and an asset to any offensive line room in the NFL.

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GRADE: 8.4 (Year 1 Starter)

OVERALL RANK: 9

POSITION RANK: IOL1

PRO COMPARISON: Joe Thuney

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 208

HAND: 9 5/8"

ARM: 33 5/8"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.52

3-CONE: 7.31

SHUTTLE: 4.28

VERTICAL: 40.5"

BROAD: 11'2"

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POSITIVES

— Great size. Tall, fairly thick frame. Elite arm length as well.

— Very good build-up speed. Threatening on deep routes.

— Great contested catch ability in the air. Has the frame to outmuscle defensive backs and tracks the ball well.

— Good, smooth route running and mobility for a player his size.

— Very good YAC ability. Explosive and smooth with a strong frame.

— Alignment flexibility. He is a true outside X but can play the slot and motion around.

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NEGATIVES

— Slow off the line at times. Sometimes takes too many steps setting something up.

— Struggled with drops in uncontested situations down the stretch in 2022.

— More of a body catcher than a natural hands catcher. Leads to drops or chances for defensive backs to contest the ball.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 14 GM, 60 REC, 1,069 YDS (17.8 AVG), 6 TD

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NOTES

— DOB: September 6, 2001

— Three-year starter

— Suffered an ankle injury against Texas Tech on Nov. 5; reaggravated it against Baylor two weeks later

— 2021 and 2022 first-team All-Big 12

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OVERALL

Quentin Johnston has the prototypical physical traits to be a strong No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL.

Johnston sports exceptionally long arms. He is built and plays like a true X receiver who can post up on the boundary and outmuscle corners, both at the line of scrimmage and when the ball is in the air.

Johnston is a complete athlete, too. He has A-grade speed, especially the longer he gets to build up and stride out down the field on vertical routes. He has surprising flexibility and stop and start ability for a player his size, showing the athletic traits to win all over the field with different kinds of routes.

Johnston is also a YAC threat in more ways than one. Not only does he have enough speed to break away from defenders, but he also has more wiggle than you might expect. That makes him hard to tackle, especially considering his thick, strong build and ability to absorb contact.

Of course, Johnston isn't perfect. He often gets too cute at the line of scrimmage, wasting steps when he has the size and athletic ability to keep it simple.

That is fixable, though. Johnston's drop issues are more worrisome. Though excellent at going up for the ball in the air, he can be prone to letting the ball into his chest when it is thrown normally. Not only does this lead to wonky drops, but it also allows defensive backs to disrupt the ball.

Johnston also had "focus" drops toward the end of the season, botching a number of uncontested passes for no discernible reason. That could just be a blip—it happens to most receivers at some point or another—but it's something to keep in mind.

For offenses looking for a big-bodied No. 1 to center the passing game around, Johnston is the player for the job. His ability down the field and with the ball in his hands should give him a reasonably high floor while he irons out his technique and consistency seeing the ball in.

Johnston has the makings of a Pro Bowl receiver, especially if paired with an aggressive quarterback.

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GRADE: 8.4 (Year 1 Starter)

OVERALL RANK: 11

POSITION RANK: WR1

PRO COMPARISON: DeAndre Hopkins

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 214

HAND: 10"

ARM: 32 5/8"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: TBD

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: TBD

BROAD: TBD

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POSITIVES

— Above-average athlete; good speed, quick twitch to get out of the pocket.

— Very good arm strength when clean; comfortably throws from the far hash and into tight windows down the middle.

— Quick, flexible throwing motion.

— Excellent accuracy when clean; consistent placement with incredible flashes of touch and understands how to throw around and away from defenders.

— Above-average pre-snap processor; identifies blitz and takes advantage by throwing behind it; executes quick game with efficiency.

— Willing to stand tall and make a throw if he knows it should be open based on pre-snap indicators.

— Good at finding easy or safe plays outside the pocket; can find checkdowns or throwaways rather than put the ball at risk.

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NEGATIVES

— Slight build with very little contact balance; goes down easily in the pocket and can't really be a designed runner.

— Below-average ability to throw from crowded pockets, especially late in the down when a play needs to be extended.

— Not a particularly creative player outside the pocket.

— Post-snap processing needs development; too often blindly fires or freezes when the picture changes on him.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 13 GM, 258-389 (66.3%), 3,688 YDS, 9.5 Y/A, 41 TD, 6 INT, 177.7 RTG, 47 ATT, 108 YDS (3.6 AVG)

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NOTES

— DOB: Oct. 3, 2001

— 25 career starts

— 2021 and 2022 Heisman Trophy finalist; finished fourth and third

— 2021 and 2022 first-team All-Big Ten

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OVERALL

C.J. Stroud is an exciting on-schedule passer who may need to find another gear off-script to reach his potential.

Stroud is a task-oriented passer and a very good one. Pre-snap, Stroud does well to identify potential blitzes, decipher man vs. zone tells and anticipate early weak spots in coverage. Ohio State's wide-open scheme helped with that in terms of presenting pre-snap indicators, but Stroud did well to take advantage.

His rapid-fire throwing motion and ample arm strength make it easy for him to deliver on those opportunities as well. Stroud can comfortably rip the ball to the far hash for deep comebacks, out-breakers and back-shoulders balls as well as deliver into tight windows over the middle to complete seam-benders, posts and dig routes.

There isn't a throw Stroud can't make when in rhythm, and his high-end flashes of touch placement are better than anyone else's in the class.

However, when Stroud's pre-snap understanding of a play is disrupted, he is up and down. Versus more ambitious defenses, namely Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Michigan, Stroud showed late or questionable decision-making when the coverage was rotated or when bodies dropped off the line of scrimmage unexpectedly.

Likewise, Stroud is not much of a natural playmaker. There are moments when he can find a safe throw on the move or get to a throwaway, but he doesn't do very well to break tackles or hunt for explosive plays during scramble drills.

Stroud has similar issues in condensed pockets. He's willing to take hits if his first read comes open, similar to Jared Goff or Kirk Cousins, but when forced to hang in a cluttered pocket and search for a new answer, Stroud tends to tense up and lose some of his arm strength and accuracy.

In the right environment, Stroud will raise the floor of an offense right away. He's got the pre-snap vision, arm talent and accuracy to be functional sooner rather than later, and the progress he showed as the year went on suggests he has a capacity to improve rapidly.

Still, his ceiling feels more good than great, at least until he proves he can be more aggressive out of structure and comfortable in muddied pockets, which he barely had to deal with at Ohio State. Stroud can be an effective rookie-contract quarterback while trying to add more of an edge to his game.

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GRADE: 8.6 (Impact Player)

OVERALL RANK: 6

POSITION RANK: QB1

PRO COMPARISON: Athletic Jared Goff

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 6'5.5"

WEIGHT: 298

HAND: 10 1/4"

ARM: 32 1/2"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.86

3-CONE: 7.41

SHUTTLE: 4.38

VERTICAL: 29"

BROAD: TBD

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POSITIVES

— Good size for an NFL defensive tackle and doesn't carry much bad weight.

— Quick reaction to the snap and has good acceleration off the ball, especially on passing downs.

— When working finesse moves as a pass-rusher, he has impressive use of hands to clear the offensive lineman's hands to start the moves.

— He is swift when hand-swiping, and he works the blocker's hands after contact, too.

— He has a nice swim move with a tight arm-over to clear the offensive lineman.

— Also showed a good rip move and the potential to develop a push-pull move down the line. He has the upper body strength to control the lineman and enough hip mobility to clear his lower half.

— As the looper in line games, he has decent agility for a tackle to avoid losing ground when working laterally.

— Solid bend as a pass-rusher.

— He ties his hands to his feet well against the run, allowing him to get his hands up fast and make contact with the offensive lineman on his first step.

— When slanting, he has the initial quickness to throw off the blocker's angles.

— Has the upper body strength to gain control of the bock along with a wide base to hold ground in one-on-ones, and he's solid against doubles.

— He's decent in anticipating a second blocker coming, turning his hips into pressure and reducing the surface area for the second blocker to hit on a double.

— With his base and impressive balance, he can absorb contact against down blocks or when slanting to keep the offensive lineman on his hip and avoid getting washed down.

— When he does keep his hands inside, he is violent and strong to shed and get off blocks.

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NEGATIVES

— Has missed 12 games over the last two years with injuries and illnesses, which has stunted his development.

— Plays with high pad level and has a habit of standing up out of his stance.

— Wide hand placement invites offensive linemen into his chest and limits his extension. Might have shorter arms, too.

— Stops his feet on contact against the run.

— His pad level and wide hands diminish the effectiveness of his bull rush.

— When working a push-pull move, he needs to start the move earlier so he can get pressure. The ball is typically out by the time he wins with the move.

— Doesn't have a good pass-rush motor or plan. Doesn't throw a ton of counters and will stop rushing if his initial move doesn't work.

— Subpar tackling form, as he likes to tackle high and struggles to break down and bring ball-carries down in space, whether that's as a pass-rusher against an athletic quarterback or in pursuit as a run defender.

— Not very productive in college with 28 solo tackles (51 total) in 25 games.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 10 GM, 15 TOT, 5.5 TFL, 3.5 SK, 2 PD

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NOTES

— DOB: Oct. 6, 2001

— No. 14 on Bruce Feldman's list of top athletes entering the season; benches 435 lbs, power-cleans 330 lbs, dead-lifts 585 lbs; 30" vertical; 4.7 seconds in 40-yard dash

— A 5-star recruit in the 2020 class, No. 1 DT, No. 1 nationally, per 247Sports composite ranking

— Absences: 2021 torn ACL (season-ending surgery, missed nine games), 2022 kidney infection (missed two games), 2022 illness (missed one game)

— 20 career starts

— 2022 honors: second-team All-ACC, Lott IMPACT Trophy quarterfinalist

— 2021 honors: third-team All-ACC

— 2020 honors: freshman All-American (several media outlets), ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, first-team All-ACC

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OVERALL

Bryan Bresee is an interesting projection, mainly because of how the last two years have played out.

As a freshman at Clemson, he showed a lot of promise and traits that made it easy to see why he was the No. 1 overall recruit in the country. However, like most 18- and 19-year-olds making the transition from high school, he was still raw and needed to refine his technique.

That's what these last couple of seasons were supposed to be about for Bresee, but he has missed nearly as many games as he's played. That's prevented him from showing he can pair his physical traits with clean technique and likely made it difficult to iron out kinks in his game.

All that being said, Bresee does have the rare combination of size, strength and athleticism to suggest he'll be better and more productive as a pro. He's strong enough to hold up against the run and nimble enough to create havoc as a pass-rusher. It's just a matter of staying healthy and how long it will take him to make the transition.

Schematically, Bresee would be best as a 2i- to 3-technique for a team that uses a lot of even fronts. He's not big enough to play as a nose tackle in odd fronts and could play as a 4i- to 5-tech defensive end, but that would be pushing it athletically, so teams running that scheme might look elsewhere for defensive line help.

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GRADE: 8.3 (Year 1 Starter)

OVERALL RANK: 14

POSITION RANK: DL2

PRO COMPARISON: Ndamukong Suh

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Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder

HEIGHT: 6'4½"

WEIGHT: 265

ARM: 31 5/8"

HAND: 9 1/2"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.70

3-CONE: 7.26

SHUTTLE: 4.44

VERTICAL: 32.5"

BROAD: 9'10"

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POSITIVES

— Great size. Tall, well-built frame for a traditional Y tight end.

— Elite ball tracking and hands. Not a body catcher; does well to locate and fight for the ball.

— Elite strength as a pass-catcher. Boxes defenders out regularly.

— Smooth yet physical route-runner. Excels in the range from one to 12 yards.

— Very good flexibility for a player who looks as bulky as he does.

— Great power-oriented YAC player; difficult to bring down.

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NEGATIVES

— Somewhat underwhelming blocker for his size; more functional than good.

— Average speed, both with and without the ball.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 GM, 67 REC, 809 YD (12.1 AVG), 9 TD

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NOTES

— DOB: July 6, 2001

— 27 starts over three seasons

— 2021 third-team All-American, 2022 first-team All-American

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OVERALL

Michael Mayer brings a blend of size, strength and dominant receiving traits that will make him a quarterback's best friend.

At 6'4½", 265 pounds, Mayer has prototypical size for the position and all the traits of a dominant receiving tight end. Mayer is a smooth, comfortable route-runner who understands how to use his physicality in subtle ways to help create separation. He is just as effective working short quick-game routes as he is finding space down the seam or on corner/sail routes.

Better yet, Mayer dominates at the catch point. He does an excellent job boxing defenders out with his frame and strength, both when the ball is chest-level and when he needs to climb the ladder for it. Mayer also has special ability to find the ball and bring it in. He is as natural of a ball locator as it gets, and his hands almost never falter. Mayer is the premier "just throw it in his general area" pass-catcher in this class.

Mayer is effective with the ball, too. Though he lacks the blazing speed of the position's best YAC threats, Mayer is a tough, balanced and fairly explosive ball-carrier. He is more of a bully than a burner, but he's about as physically imposing as it gets in that mold short of Rob Gronkowski. Mayer will regularly fight for extra yards.

Blocking is the only minor pain point with Mayer. To be clear, Mayer is plenty functional as a blocker. His strength is solid, and he's agile enough to be a blocker on the move. He doesn't move people the way his frame suggests, though, and Notre Dame more often placed him on the outside in two-TE sets, an indicator that they trusted their other tight ends more to do the heavy lifting.

Tight end is typically a tough transition, but Mayer should be a weapon right away. A player with his size, strength and natural ball skills will find a way to be productive out of the gate. Mayer may need a minute to get comfortable as a blocker, but it shouldn't be bad enough at the start to inhibit his work as a receiver. Mayer has the potential to crack into that upper echelon of tight ends in a few years.

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GRADE: 8.7 (Immediate Impact Prospect/Round 1)

OVERALL RANK: 5

POSITION RANK: TE1

PRO COMPARISON: Tyler Eifert

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 215

HAND: 9 3/4"

ARM: 31 1/8"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.46

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: 37"

BROAD: 10'4"

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POSITIVES

— Great size. Thick, muscled-up frame capable of taking a full workload of touches.

— Elite acceleration with good top speed. Can go zero to 100 in an instant and has nice breakaway ability.

— Very good stop/start explosiveness for his size. Can cut and redirect, even through contact, with great effectiveness.

— Outstanding flexibility and change-of-direction skills. Maintains speed while turning the corner or changing directions.

— Above-average contact balance. Makes him hard to hit clean, and he has enough size/strength to brush off iffy tackle attempts.

— Good pass-catching back. Great hands for a running back and can run vertical routes in addition to standard underneath routes.

— Functional in pass protection; saw slight improvements in 2022. Decent eyes and willing to get chippy.

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NEGATIVES

— Straight-forward power is just fine. Not concerning, but slightly underwhelming for a player his size.

— Could still use work in pass protection to go from adequate to a legit difference-maker.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 GM, 258 ATT, 1,580 YDS (6.1 AVG), 18 TD, 19 REC, 314 YDS, 2 TD

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NOTES

— DOB: January 30, 2002

— 5-star recruit in 2020 class, per 247 Sports' composite rating

— 28 career starts

— Minor neck strain and season-ending elbow injury in November 2021

— Minor shoulder injury vs. Alabama in September 2022

— 2021 first-team All-Big 12. 2022 first-team All-American

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OVERALL

Bijan Robinson is an ideal blend between efficiency and high-end athletic traits for the position.

Robinson is a thick, balanced runner at 6'0" and 222 pounds. He plays with a low and springy rushing style that gives him the flexibility to change direction and mitigate contact from any angle at any time. Moreover, Robinson has a unique skill for navigating tight spaces. Not only does he have the strength and balance to stay upright, but he's very comfortable playing with short, choppy steps to filter through cluttered spaces without just freezing up in front of the pile. He also generally plays with good vision between the tackles, even if he can have a few plays per game in which he tries to be too perfect. Though not a Steven Jackson-style bulldozer, Robinson has all the traits of a back who regularly earns more than is blocked between the tackles.

Outside the tackles and in space, Robinson shines with wonderful acceleration and flexibility around the corner. Robinson can hit his top speed almost instantly if he needs to and rarely loses any of that speed when he's turning the corner on perimeter runs like outside zone or pitch plays. Robinson also has great stop/start ability for a larger back, giving him yet another tool to find extra yards at the second level and in space.

Robinson is also a weapon on passing downs. He has soft, natural hands and can run more than just the typical checkdown routes expected of a running back. Robinson flashed the ability to get vertical, particularly against Alabama, and still has some potential left untapped for the pro level. In pass protection, Robinson isn't yet elite, but he's promising. Robinson's eyes can lead him astray from time to time, but he's a willing and active blocker with plenty of strength to hold his own.

Robinson checks just about every box for an elite running back prospect. He should step in right away and be able to carry the workload for a rushing offense, as well as contribute in the passing game. Robinson has the potential to be a multi-time Pro Bowler and one of the better backs in the NFL.

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GRADE: 9.0 (Top-10 Prospect)

OVERALL RANK: 4

POSITION RANK: RB1

PRO COMPARISON: Supercharged Breece Hall

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 314

HAND: 10 1/4"

ARM: 33 1/2"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: TBD

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: TBD

BROAD: TBD

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POSITIVES

— Good size for an NFL defensive tackle and carries little to no bad weight. Has room for growth on his frame if needed.

— Accelerates off the line of scrimmage well in pass-rush situations or when given a jet/go call to put pressure on offensive linemen immediately.

— Combines that get-off with low pad level, strength and physicality at the point of attack to help collapse the pocket with a bull rush.

— Does a good job of working to get on an edge instead of trying to go straight through an offensive lineman's chest.

— Shows impressive quickness, active hands and athleticism to win with finesse moves as a rusher.

— Has a wide array of pass-rush moves that he can win with: bull rush, push-pull, arm over/swim, rip, cross chop, etc.

— Impressive agility, bend and a limber lower half help him take an efficient path to the quarterback when slanting or when turning a tight corner after beating an offensive lineman.

— Great pass-rush motor to get coverage sacks and fight through double-teams.

— Has the quickness and nimbleness against the run to change the offensive lineman's aiming point and get off or avoid blocks, especially when slanting.

— Also has the agility to gain ground vertically and laterally with his first step when slanting.

— Has the athletic ability to redirect and make the offensive lineman miss if slanting puts him out of position.

— Has good knee bend to get leverage advantage when he does take on blocks, and has plenty of strength to get extension and shed.

— Violent when shedding to help get off blocks.

— Has the strength to hold his ground versus one-on-one blocks and won't pop his gap/leave his assignment early.

— Little to no issues making tackles near the line of scrimmage.

— Hustle player with decent speed to factor into gang tackles in pursuit.

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NEGATIVES

— More deliberate off the ball when he isn't slanting on running downs, which could cause him to lose some ground against physical offensive linemen in the NFL.

— Takes on blocks with a narrow base when one-gapping.

— Was reliant on his upper-body strength in college.

— Has wide hand placement against the run and when bull-rushing.

— Linemen with strong grip strength will be able to get to his chest and latch on.

— Struggles to recognize and anticipate double-teams coming to turn his hip into the second blocker.

— Will get caught off guard and kicked inside against doubles.

— Can fall into a habit of doing too much dancing before bull-rushing.

— Needs to just get off the ball and get into the blocker every time.

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2022 Statistics

— 13 G, 32 TOT, 7 TFL, 3 SK, 2 FF, 31 QBH

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NOTES

— 5-star recruit in the 2020 class, No. 18 nationally, No. 4 DT, per 247Sports composite rankings

— Injuries: 2022 ankle (limited 1 game, missed 1 game), 2022 knee/MCL sprain (missed 2 games)

— 11 career starts, played with three first-round defensive linemen last season

— 2021 Honors: Coaches' All-SEC second team

— Played basketball and was a competitive weightlifter in high school

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OVERALL

When watching Travon Walker, Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt last year, Jalen Carter constantly kept popping off the tape.

Carter was the best player on a defensive line that featured three 2022 first-round picks, including the first overall selection. That's part of the reason why he's been considered a top-five player throughout the 2023 NFL draft process.

Unlike a lot of defensive tackles who have a specialty, the Florida native is about as versatile as they come. He's quick and athletic to make offensive linemen miss as a run defender and has plenty of strength to hold up against and shed one-on-one blocks. As a pass-rusher, he can win with power using a bull rush or push-pull move or around the edges with finesse moves.

A lot of the Georgia product's negatives are admittedly nitpicky. There are a few technical flaws that he needs to clean up, most notably his hand placement on bull rushes and against the run, but most of his issues are easily fixable. His biggest area for concern in the NFL is probably his ability to take on double-teams, which slightly impacts his scheme fit.

Carter would be best as a 3-technique for a team that uses a lot of even fronts. He has the athleticism to also play as a 4i- to 5-technique in odd fronts, but his struggles against double-teams would be a major issue playing anywhere further inside than a 2i, and even that might be pushing it. He also lacks to size to play too close to the center.

With that said, any team picking toward the top of the draft that's looking for an interior defender who can make an impact against the run and as a pass-rusher should be more than happy to select Carter.

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GRADE: 9.5 (Top-Five Prospect)

OVERALL RANK: 2

POSITION RANK: DL1

PRO COMPARISON: Warren Sapp

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Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder

HEIGHT: 6'3.5"

WEIGHT: 253

HAND: 9 7/8"

ARM: 33 7/8"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.60

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: TBD

BROAD: TBD

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POSITIVES

— Good get-off, quick to react to the snap with good acceleration while taking short, powerful steps to maintain his base.

— Takes on blocks with low pad level and quick, accurate hands on the offensive lineman’s chest to gain leverage.

— Recognizes blocking schemes well to put himself in a good position to take on blocks—i.e., working wide versus reaches or shooting his hands to play the cut.

— Physical at the point of attack with plenty of strength to set the edge against offensive tackles versus outside zone. He’s a lot stronger than his frame would suggest.

— Gap-disciplined, won’t leave his assignment until the running back commits. Has no issues shedding blocks with his hand placement and strength, and has the agility to cross the face of the offensive lineman he’s engaged with to make tackles in the adjacent gap.

— Can be lethal when slanting with his get-off and movement skills. Gains ground laterally and vertically with his L-step and can get penetration easily.

— Powerful for his size as a bull-rusher to put offensive tackles on skates. Also works to get on an edge and has developed several inside countermoves off the bull rush.

— Excellent change of direction for a defensive lineman to test offensive linemen’s ability to redirect and consistently win with inside pass-rush moves. Also uses his hands well to get clean wins that lead to sacks.

— Has shown solid hand-swipe and arm-over moves to win on the outside that he can develop in the pros.

— Recognizes and anticipates chip blocks well, which allows him to take them on and avoid getting caught off guard or put on the ground.

— Effort rusher who will get coverage sacks.

— Effective on stunts as both the penetrator or looper. As the penetrator, his get-off and aggressiveness at the point of attack will catch offensive linemen off guard and get them off their feet. As the looper, his change of direction and agility allow him to move laterally without losing ground, and he has the acceleration to win and close on the quarterback.

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NEGATIVES

— Could afford to add weight to maintain his physical playing style in the NFL.

— Might struggle to get extension versus NFL offensive tackles. Wasn’t routinely locking out tackles in college, more just getting them off his frame with enough room to shed the block.

— Against power, counter and split zone, doesn’t get his eyes inside to see and get underneath pullers as the spill player in run fits.

— Likes to lunge and leave his feet to make tackles, leading to a high rate of missed tackles.

— Doesn't have a go-to outside move that he consistently wins with, and lacks top-tier bend to turn a tight corner at the top of outside rushes.

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2022 Statistics

— 13 G, 51 TOT, 17 TFL, 10 SK, 1 INT, 2 PD

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NOTES

— A 5-star recruit in the 2020 class, No. 17 nationally, No. 1 WDE, per 247Sports' composite rankings

— DOB: Sept. 2, 2001

— 40 career starts

— 2021 Honors: Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner (CFB’s top defensive player), unanimous first-team All-American, SEC Defensive Player of the Year

— 2020 Honors: FWAA Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-American, SEC All-Freshman team

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OVERALL

The best way to describe Will Anderson Jr.'s college tape is that everything just looked easy for him. From his movement skills to how effortlessly he took on blocks, it almost looked like he was getting bored out there. That's part of the reason why he’s been considered the top player in this year’s draft class since last January.

As a pass-rusher, Anderson is impressive with his inside countermoves. His speed off the ball puts pressure on tackles vertically, and once they open their hips, he has the quickness and change of direction to dart inside and leave tackles grasping at air.

He also has an effective bull rush that he’ll use to set up those inside countermoves and allows him to be effective when turning speed to power.

The biggest concern about the Alabama product’s pass-rush arsenal is that he hasn’t shown a go-to move that he can win with on the outside. He also isn't super bendy to turn tight corners at the top of the rush or around the edge. With that being said, he’s shown flashes with the hand-swipe and arm-over moves mentioned above. The latter is more that he just lacks the elite bend that one might expect from a potential No. 1 overall pass-rusher.

While Anderson led the nation with 17.5 sacks in 2021, he's probably an even better run defender. He’s hard to move one-on-one with his strength and leverage at the point of attack, and he has little to no issues getting off blocks with his excellent hand placement.

He needs to do a better job of getting his eyes inside when unblocked to see pullers coming and shore up his tackling form, but those are two very fixable flaws.

He’d fit best as a stand-up outside linebacker in a scheme that uses a lot of odd fronts and occasionally has edge-rushers drop into coverage. He held his own when Alabama asked him to do the latter, which suggests he can be asked to zone-drop in the NFL as a change of pace.

As far as even fronts go, Anderson can play with his hand in the dirt as a defensive end as well, so he’s scheme-versatile and a plug-and-play type of player. He just might be a little more effective as a stand-up outside 'backer.

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GRADE: 9.6 (Top-Five Prospect)

OVERALL RANK: 1

POSITION RANK: EDGE1

PRO COMPARISON: Khalil Mack

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Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder

The Dallas Cowboys earned a decisive 27-13 win over the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night. For now, they remain alive for both the NFC East title and the conference's No. 1 seed.

One might believe that the Cowboys feel pretty good heading into their Week 18 finale against the Washington Commanders, but they shouldn't.

While the final score might indicate the sort of clean and complete performance Dallas wants to see heading into the postseason, it wasn't that. The Cowboys surged in the second half, but they played a mistake-filled first half that provided more questions than answers.

Quarterback Dak Prescott committed three turnovers in the first half, and Dallas limped into halftime with a mere four-point lead.

A three-turnover first-half for the Cowboys. Dak Prescott’s pass behind Dalton Schultz and intercepted by Kevin Byard, his second of the game. Prescott also suffered a deflected INT and fumbled a snap.

— Ed Werder (@WerderEdNFL) December 30, 2022

It's easy to chalk up Dallas' slow start to the emotional aftermath of last week's big win over the Philadelphia Eagles. However, it continues a troubling trend for the Cowboys. Yes, they beat the Eagles—though Philadelphia was without star quarterback Jalen Hurts (shoulder)—but before that, they narrowly escaped the lowly Houston Texans and blew a big lead to the Jacksonville Jaguars to lose in overtime.

It's not as if the victory over Philadelphia was truly that much of a feel-good moment either. With backup quarterback Gardner Minshew II running the offense, Philly dropped 442 yards and 34 points on the Dallas defense.

Of course, the Cowboys did gain a little momentum by beating Philadelphia, and they should have been able to add to it against the Titans. Tennessee has been slumping—it has now lost six straight—and entered Thursday night without several key players, including standout running back Derrick Henry.

#Titans inactives for Thursday Night Football vs. Cowboys

RB Derrick Henry
CB Kristian Fulton
DB Josh Thompson
S Amani Hooker
LB Dylan Cole
OL Nicholas Petit-Frere
DL Denico Autry
DT Jeffery Simmons

— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) December 29, 2022

This should have been a bigger blowout than it was, especially considering the mistakes Tennessee made.

The Titans turned it over twice and committed a whopping 10 penalties for 124 yards. Despite Tennessee's miscues—and Dallas winning the time-of-possession battle by nearly seven minutes—the Cowboys only had a 44-yard advantage offensively.

Despite Henry's absence, Tennessee still rushed for 97 yards and averaged 4.0 yards per carry. With quarterback Joshua Dobbs making his first-ever NFL start, the Titans matched Dallas' 4.9 yards per offensive play. Though the Titans had nothing to play for in this game—their Week 18 game against the Jaguars will settle the AFC South regardless—the Cowboys struggled to put them away until late.

Given Tennessee's offensive personnel, this marked the third straight game in which Dallas' defense has played poorly. It has now surrendered 87 points over its last three games. That isn't ideal.

Dallas has given up at least 300 yards of offense in six consecutive contests.

Prescott's streak of turning the ball over is far from ideal, too. He's now turned it over in six straight games and is tied for the league lead in interceptions. This is despite him missing five games earlier in the year with a hand injury.

Dak Prescott has been intercepted 14 times in 11 games this season. His previous high was 13 in 2017 when he started all 16 games. Not all of the picks are on him but it doesn't matter. The Cowboys can't play this sloppy against playoff team and expect to win.

— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) December 30, 2022

While Prescott did finish with 282 passing yards and two touchdowns, that was to be expected. The Titans have been atrocious against the pass and entered Week 17 ranked 31st in passing yards allowed and 29th in passing touchdowns surrendered.

The Cowboys cannot expect to turn the ball over frequently, play lackluster defense and still get past teams like Philadelphia (with a healthy Hurts) and the San Francisco 49ers in the postseason.

What might be most frustrating is that there isn't much for Dallas to learn from Thursday's game. Good teams learn from bad performances, something linebacker Micah Parsons touched on between the loss to Jacksonville and the win over Philadelphia.

"Really, every loss is a chance to learn and get better," Parsons said, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. "Losing close ones sucks, but there's always something you can look at and learn from it."

What is there to learn from outlasting a short-handed Titans team that hasn't won a game since before Thanksgiving? Aside, possibly, from the fact that T.Y. Hilton (four catches, 50 yards) can be a factor or that CeeDee Lamb (11 catches, 100 yards) can beat a bad secondary, not much.

On top of everything, the Cowboys potentially suffered another serious injury-related loss when center Tyler Biadasz exited with an apparent ankle injury.

Initial belief from the Cowboys is that center Tyler Biadasz suffered a high ankle sprain tonight against the Titans, a person familiar with situation said. It being a Thursday game helps him. More time to recover before playoffs.

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) December 30, 2022

Injuries were already a concern for Dallas, as running back Tony Pollard (thigh) and linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (neck) both missed Thursday's game. Parsons is dealing with a hand injury, while cornerbacks Anthony Brown (torn Achilles) and Jourdan Lewis (Lisfranc) are on injured reserve.

In the postseason, it's often the healthiest teams that have the best chances to go far. It doesn't look like Dallas is going to be one of those teams. That's a major problem, as is the fact that the Cowboys stumbled through a sloppy win on Thursday.

The reality is that this may have been the Cowboys' last chance to gain some real momentum before the Wild Card Round. If the Eagles get past the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Dallas will have nothing to play for in Week 18.

The Cowboys could use the Washington game to rest their starters and prevent further injuries. Their last truly dominant win came in Week 13 against the Indianapolis Colts, and that feels like a lifetime ago.

Dallas cannot possess the confidence of a true title contender. The chance to change that was there on Thursday, and the Cowboys didn't grab it.

Instead of riding high away from an efficient and complete performance, Dallas limps toward the postseason with concerns about its ability to beat teams that aren't missing their best players.