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HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 208

HAND: 9 5/8"

ARM: 33 5/8"

WINGSPAN: TBD

---

40-YARD DASH: 4.52

3-CONE: 7.31

SHUTTLE: 4.28

VERTICAL: 40.5"

BROAD: 11'2"

---

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.

---

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.

---

2022 STATISTICS

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

---

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

---

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.

---

GRADE: 8.4 (Year 1 Starter)

OVERALL RANK: 11

POSITION RANK: WR1

PRO COMPARISON: DeAndre Hopkins

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 214

HAND: 10"

ARM: 32 5/8"

WINGSPAN: TBD

---

40-YARD DASH: TBD

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: TBD

BROAD: TBD

---

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.

---

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.

---

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)

---

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

---

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.

---

GRADE: 8.6 (Impact Player)

OVERALL RANK: 6

POSITION RANK: QB1

PRO COMPARISON: Athletic Jared Goff

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

In the same city where Reggie Miller became one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield broke one of his NBA records on Thursday night.

Hield made a three-pointer three seconds into the Pacers' game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He caught the opening tipoff right in front of the three-point line and in one motion fired up a shot that hit nothing but net.

Buddy Hield wasted no time 😂 https://t.co/8dV5OJlbYE

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 30, 2022

Per ESPN Stats & Info, Hield's shot three seconds into the game broke the previous mark of four seconds set by Miller on March 5, 2000.

The record has been tracked since the play-by-play era began with the 1996-97 season.

Miller's record-setting moment came in an otherwise forgettable game by his standards. The Pacers' legend scored 15 points on 4-of-14 shooting in a 114-95 win over the Golden State Warriors.

Hield had one of his most efficient games of the season on Thursday. He scored 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting and made five of his six attempts from behind the arc.

The Pacers put together a fantastic performance, particularly in the second half, in their 135-126 win over the Cavs. They scored 71 points after halftime to earn their fourth victory in the past five games.

Indiana has been a pleasant surprise so far this season with a 19-17 record. It moved into sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings after beating the Cavaliers.

HEIGHT: 6'5.5"

WEIGHT: 298

HAND: 10 1/4"

ARM: 32 1/2"

WINGSPAN: TBD

---

40-YARD DASH: 4.86

3-CONE: 7.41

SHUTTLE: 4.38

VERTICAL: 29"

BROAD: TBD

---

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.

---

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.

---

2022 STATISTICS

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

---

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

---

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.

---

GRADE: 8.3 (Year 1 Starter)

OVERALL RANK: 14

POSITION RANK: DL2

PRO COMPARISON: Ndamukong Suh

---

Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder

HEIGHT: 6'4½"

WEIGHT: 265

ARM: 31 5/8"

HAND: 9 1/2"

---

40-YARD DASH: 4.70

3-CONE: 7.26

SHUTTLE: 4.44

VERTICAL: 32.5"

BROAD: 9'10"

---

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.

---

NEGATIVES

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

— Average speed, both with and without the ball.

---

2022 STATISTICS

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

---

NOTES

— DOB: July 6, 2001

— 27 starts over three seasons

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

---

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.

---

GRADE: 8.7 (Immediate Impact Prospect/Round 1)

OVERALL RANK: 5

POSITION RANK: TE1

PRO COMPARISON: Tyler Eifert

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 215

HAND: 9 3/4"

ARM: 31 1/8"

WINGSPAN: TBD

---

40-YARD DASH: 4.46

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: 37"

BROAD: 10'4"

---

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.

---

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.

---

2022 STATISTICS

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

---

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

---

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.

---

GRADE: 9.0 (Top-10 Prospect)

OVERALL RANK: 4

POSITION RANK: RB1

PRO COMPARISON: Supercharged Breece Hall

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

The Cleveland Cavaliers are concerned that point guard Darius Garland could miss some time after suffering a thumb injury late in Thursday's 135-126 loss to the Indiana Pacers, according to Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor.

Garland sustained the injury in the fourth quarter after getting hit on the right hand by Indiana's Oshae Brissett while driving to the paint. He immediately grabbed his thumb before falling to the court in pain.

Garland, in obvious pain, remained in the game before head coach J.B. Bickerstaff called a timeout so he could get his thumb examined. He returned several minutes later with his thumb wrapped, though he didn't attempt a single shot after returning.

Garland is expected to undergo further testing to determine the extent of the injury. After the game, he said his thumb was "bothering" him:

I was just trying to go out there and compete as much as I could. The last two free throws, I looked at J.B. and I was like, 'Ah, I really don't want to shoot these.' But I got fouled and just tried to make two. They didn't go in. Everything hurt. I was playing with a wrapped thumb. I couldn't really do anything. I wasn't going to be effective with that. It was already throbbing and swollen at that point.

Garland has been taking shots all season, and the Cavaliers "believe the increased physicality is purposeful—a result of opponents determining that's the only method to slow the shifty, crafty and quick guard," Fedor wrote.

Garland discussed the physicality against him further following Thursday's loss:

"Just getting hacked all season. Nothing has changed. The physicality isn't a factor at all. It's the whistle not being blown at the right time when it's a foul, an obvious foul. Some of this stuff we should be reviewing."

During Cleveland's season-opening loss to the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 19, Garland suffered an eye injury that knocked him out of the team's next five games. Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. accidentally whacked Garland across the eye, and he suffered a vision-impacting laceration to his eyelid.

The 6-foot-1 point guard has gotten hit in the face so many times this season that he has suggested the team get him a mask or goggles "because it's getting out of hand."

"I'm just tired of getting hit in my face. But I like the aggressive defenses. It's kind of a statement to me and my game," Garland said, per Fedor. "It's super cool that people are just trying to tighten up their shoelaces for me."

Garland eventually returned to the court for a Nov. 2 win over the Boston Celtics, but sat out the next game with a sprained left knee. He has played every game since returning from that knee ailment in a Nov. 6 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 22-year-old has emerged as a significant contributor for the Cavaliers on offense, and losing him for any period of time won't be good for Cleveland, which is mired in a three-game losing streak.

Through 30 games this season, Garland is averaging 21.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 45 percent from the floor and 40 percent from deep. If he misses time moving forward, Caris LeVert and Raul Neto would be in line to see more playing time alongside Donovan Mitchell

Cleveland is fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 22-14 record, four games behind the first-place Celtics. The Cavs are back in action on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls.

The Bijan Robinson-less Texas Longhorns fell to the Washington Huskies 27-20 in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Thursday night, but quarterback Quinn Ewers still put together one of his best performances of the season.

The freshman completed 31-of-47 passes for a career-high 369 yards, in addition to one touchdown in the loss.

Typically, the Longhorns would have relied heavily on Robinson, their junior running back, but he opted to not suit up for the game and declare for the 2023 NFL draft as he's expected to be a first-round pick.

In 2023 and beyond, Texas is going to have to rely more heavily on Ewers to lead the offense, and he gave fans plenty of hope that he can be the guy moving forward, even with the upcoming addition of Arch Manning.

#Texas falls to Washington 27-20 in the Alamo Bowl.

Quinn Ewers throws for 369 yards and a TD in the loss. #HookEm

Some highlights from San Antonio: pic.twitter.com/2slHgV0jcC

— Adam Rossow (@AdamJRossow) December 30, 2022

Quinn Ewers outplayed Michael Penix Jr. pic.twitter.com/t16dP1WosM

— Kevin Ortiz 🅰️ (@kevinortiz) December 30, 2022

#QuinnEwers is trending! He made school records, showed leadership abilities, and has had bad days and good days. He's been a star QB for Texas this season and everyone is talking about it! #Longhorns #Quarterback #Football

— Why is it trending? (@ExplainMeTheTT) December 30, 2022

Quinn Ewers played well tonight. If actual #texaslonghorns fans can't see that then you're absolute morons. Yup.#alamo #texasvswashington

— Crispy Bacon Crypto (@baconmafia) December 30, 2022

Walking out of the Alamodome tonight with one thought — Quinn Ewers was pretty damn good tonight. He had few misfires in the first half, but he was pretty much flawless in the second half. Obvious he grew up a lot during bowl preparation.

— Todd Wills (@wtwills09) December 30, 2022

Quinn Ewers deserves better smh https://t.co/mPhAO5ROkl

— Jorge (@azteka2020x) December 30, 2022

https://twitter.com/JacobMajors2/status/1608713504730787840

https://twitter.com/rpedotti/status/1608706277475254273

https://twitter.com/DavisDenton50/status/1608704543050846209

Quinn Ewers played very well tonight. Should probably stop giving any attention to anyone who says otherwise.

— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) December 30, 2022

Sark is an incredible schemer and i still believe Quinn is the real deal. If you get receivers who can simply catch the football, Texas should win the Big 12 next year. #Texas #Longhorns #HookEm

— Quinn Ewers’ Heisman Trophy (@Wandering_USA) December 30, 2022

Quinn Ewers was 31-of-47 passing for a career-high 369 yards and a touchdown despite Texas only averaging 2.8 yards per rush. Ewers played winning football and looked improved over the last month. Important gains heading into the offseason.

— Wescott Eberts (@SBN_Wescott) December 30, 2022

Career-high 368 passing yards for Quinn Ewers on a night where the run game was nonexistent. He’ll be ready for 2023.

— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) December 30, 2022

Ewers, who reclassified from the 2022 recruiting class to the 2021 class, initially committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes out of high school. After riding the bench last season, he opted to enter the transfer portal, deciding Texas would be the best fit.

The 19-year-old had an up-and-down first season in Austin. Entering the Alamo Bowl, he had completed just 56.6 percent of his passes for 1,808 yards and 14 touchdowns against six interceptions.

Longhorns fans had questions about how Ewers would perform in the absence of Robinson, but Thursday's performance gave them confidence that he can lead the team to another winning season in 2023 without the star running back.

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 314

HAND: 10 1/4"

ARM: 33 1/2"

WINGSPAN: TBD

---

40-YARD DASH: TBD

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: TBD

BROAD: TBD

---

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.

---

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.

---

2022 Statistics

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

---

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