From now until draft day we’ll have several writers and contributors posting numerous mocks. It’s that time of season, put on your GM hat and let’s get to work.
Round 1
Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa
HT: 6’5
WT: 269 lbs
Accolades:
– 2X Academic All-Big Ten
– Second-team All-Big Ten
– Big Ten Special Teams POTW
Video:
Pros:
– He’s flexible enough to bend the edge, and he’s at his best when Van Ness can use his quickness and change-of-direction abilities to counter back inside.
– Plays with leverage at the point of attack whether inside or outside. Keeps eyes in the backfield when inside; moves linemen to either side with strong hands.
– His spin move is already NFL-caliber, and he displays a very good motor.
– He’s very instinctive when it comes to countering and solid with overall hand usage.
– As a pass rusher, he shows quickness off the line and has the fluid athleticism and flexibility to bend the edge.
– Combines excellent power with initial quickness, but one of his best attributes are his violent hands, which he uses with impressive precision.
Cons:
– Plays tall, lacks athleticism to break down against elusive ballcarriers.
– His spin move is a bit slow and mechanical. He’s susceptible to cut blocks, a tactic that was used on him often
– Van Ness doesn’t show much in the way of dynamic change-of-direction ability on counter moves, and Van Ness also has a limited repertoire of pass-rushing moves.
Summary:
In 2021 as a freshman Van Ness saw action in 14 games and played a total of 462 snaps for the Hawkeyes. He recorded 18 tackles, 7 assists, while adding 14 stops. As a pass rusher, he added 28 total pressures, which included 14 QB hurries, 10 QB hits, and a decent a decent 4 sacks on the season.
As a sophomore for the Hawkeyes in 2022 Van Ness played in 12 games and took part in 458 snaps for the Hawkeyes. He recorded 15 tackles, 11 assists, while adding 18 stops. As a pass rusher, he chalked up 43 total pressures, and 29 QB hurries, 6 QB hits, and an impressive 8 sacks during the year. The ceiling for Van Ness is very high. His ability to play interior defensive line and the EDGE will allow him to be an instant impact on the Buccaneers’ defensive front.
Round 2
Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Miss St
HT: 6’0
WT: 180 lbs
Accolades:
– Consensus All-American (2022)
– First-team All-SEC (2022)
– Second-team All-SEC (2021)
Video:
Pros:
– His length and leaping ability allow him to high-point the ball and make plays. Forbes would have had bigger interception numbers in college had opposing quarterbacks not gone out of their way to avoid him.
– Shows good instincts when facing the action in zone coverage, and Forbes has solid ball skills.
– Can track the ball downfield and gets his head around when playing in a trail position, and he shows excellent ball skills when breaking on a route. He’s a plus tackler in run support as well.
– Fluid mover with decent speed and his length allows him to cover effectively downfield
– Flashes good ball skills. Forbes has the fluidity and change-of-direction ability to mirror quicker receivers underneath.
Cons:
– Is not an asset in run support, looking tentative and underpowered when stepping up against the run.
– At this point, Forbes can get outmuscled. He also might be susceptible to catch and- run plays. He’ll give effort in run support, but he’s going to struggle to get off blocks against physical outside receivers.
– Needs to develop a better understanding of route combinations and better overall vision.
– His appetite for crashing down against the run came and went in college, and he’s likely to get walled off easily by bigger receivers.
Summary:
As a sophomore in 2021 he played in 13 games and logged 757 snaps for the Bulldogs. He made decent 55 tackles, 4 assists, and had 32 stops. In coverage he totaled 5 pass breakups, 3 interceptions, and QB rating when targetted of 90.0.
In 2022 as a junior Forbes played in 11 games and contributed on 668 snaps. He chalked up 36 tackles, 5 assists, and added 17 stops. In the secondary Forbes forced 6 pass breakups, an impressive 6 interceptions, and gave up an outstanding QB rating when targetted of 42.8. Forbes has the skill-set to be a top-10 player at his position in the NFL. He does need to bulk up a bit and work on his physicality, but the ceiling is high.
Round 3
Keondre Coburn, DL, Texas
HT: 6’2
WT: 344 lbs
Accolades:
– Second-team All-Big 12 2022
– Bednarik Award preseason watch list
– All-Big 12 Preseason selection 2021
Video:
Pros:
– Coburn has a compact build, but Coburn is a crafty edge player who is very good against the run. He sets the edge and effectively wards off blocks with a strong core, powerful limbs, and natural leverage.
– He’s extremely thick through the lower body, and he uses his natural leverage to win at the point of attack, often requiring a double team.
– He’s quick to react and locate the ball, and he shows enough speed to succeed in backside pursuit. Coburn plays with excellent balance and a strong, flexible core, rarely ending up on the ground.
– Provides some secondary interior pass rush, getting most penetration when playing three technique.
– Strong tackler. Has good power in hands and can anchor, shed, and chase.
– Plays with leverage at the point of attack whether inside or outside. Keeps eyes in the backfield when inside; moves linemen to either side with strong hands.
Cons:
– Coburn struggles with leverage off the snap and plays too tall, limiting his effectiveness as a pass rusher.
– Lacks closing speed and inconsistent quickness off the snap prevents him from being an elite pass rusher.
– Coburn is on the short side, and Coburn too often relies on his ability to overpower blockers rather than developing a repertoire of pass-rush moves.
Summary:
In 2020 as a junior Coburn played in 10 games and contributed on 391 snaps. He recorded 16 tackles, 4 assists while making 15 stops. As a pass rusher, he produced 9 total pressures, which included 8 QB hurries, no QB hits, and one sack on the year.
In 2021 as a senior Coburn logged playing time in 12 games and logged a total of 389 snaps for the Longhorns. He also added 11 tackles, 7 assists, and 9 stops. As a pass rusher, he tallied 3 total pressures, which included 2 QB hurries, no QB hits, and one sack on the season.
In 2022 as a fifth year senior Coburn logged playing time in 12 games and logged a total of 382 snaps for the Longhorns. He also added 12 tackles, 11 assists, and 14 stops. As a pass rusher, he tallied 28 total pressures, which included 22 QB hurries, 2 QB hits, and a decent 4 sacks on the season. Coburn adds the size and physicality the Bucs need at the position.
Round 5
Yasir Abdullah, LB/EDGE, Louisville
HT: 6’1
WT: 234 lbs
Accolades:
– 2021 Named second team All-ACC
– 2018 Four-star prospect by ESPN
Video:
Pros:
– Combines excellent power with initial quickness, but one of his best attributes are his violent hands, which Abdullah uses with impressive precision.
– Abdullah has violent hands and consistently breaks away and disengages from blockers. He’s instinctive, reading, reacting and locating the ball quickly, and finishing plays as an authoritative, wrap-up tackler.
– Vision to locate the ball and recognize cut blocks. Can rip past blockers and pull down ballcarriers when he cannot fully disengage from linemen.
– He flashes the ability to shoot gaps as well, and he is a threat to line up inside on passing downs.
– His closing burst is outstanding, and he routinely finished plays last year. He has range and toughness as a run defender, capable of dropping anchor to set the edge and showing the acceleration to chase down the backside in pursuit.
– Abdullah wins with all-out hustle, second and third effort and will contribute in the NFL.
Cons:
– Unless he’s able to add more weight and strength to his frame (at the risk of losing speed and athleticism), he’ll lose more often than he’ll win if Abdullah gets caught in the phone booth with NFL linemen.
– Doesn’t play with a physical edge. Abdullah too often wants to run around the edge, and he has trouble disengaging when an offensive lineman can get into his frame.
– He could stand to be more violent as a tackler in the run game, as he too often allows backs to run through his arm tackles. Abdullah also has limited experience dropping into coverage
Summary:
In 2021 as a senior Abdullah logged playing time in 13 games and logged a total of 780 snaps for the Cardinals. He also added 42 tackles, 10 assists, and 38 stops. While in coverage Abdullah made 2 pass breakups, no interceptions, and QB rating when targetted of 92.7. As a pass rusher, he tallied 29 total pressures, which included 15 QB hurries, 5 QB hits, and an excellent 9 sacks on the season.
In 2022 as a fifth year senior Abdullah logged playing time in 12 games and logged a total of 703 snaps for the Cardinals. He also added 36 tackles, 15 assists, and 34 stops. While in coverage Abdullah made one pass breakup, 2 interceptions, and an elite QB rating when targetted of 46.8. As a pass rusher, he tallied 52 total pressures, which included 29 QB hurries, 14 QB hits, and an excellent 9 sacks on the season.
Round 5
Drake Nugent, IOL, Stanford
HT: 6’1
WT: 305 lbs
Accolades:
-Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll (2021)
– All-Pac-12 honorable mention offensive line – Coaches (2021)
– Rimington Trophy watch list
– Outland Trophy watch list
– Preseason All-Pac-12 fourth team (Athlon)
Video:
Pros:
– Nugent thrives on physicality, often out-grappling bigger defensive linemen and winning in the phone booth with tenacity and upper-body strength.
– Solid positional run blocker who flashes the nasty demeanor and killer instinct scouts covet.
– In the run game, Nugent shows good burst off the line of scrimmage, with the ability to win at the point of attack. He has enough speed and athleticism to move to the second level and land blocks.
– Plays with natural leverage and has the strength to anchor against the bull rush. He also packs a violent initial punch that can stand up pass rushers.
– On the short and stocky side but has the lateral agility and punch to make up for it. Finishes plays and will reset to recover and drive linemen out of the play.
– As a pass protector, he plays with good balance and holds up against the bull rush. Nugent has strong hands and does a nice job gripping and latching on once he has his hands on the pass rusher.
Cons:
– Solid all-around prospect, but he’s not elite in any one area.
– Needs to work on his technique in pass protection, using more consistent leverage and continuing to move his feet.
– Needs to prove his worth in a straight-ahead running game.
Summary:
As a sophomore in 2020 he played in just one game and a total of one snap. He conceded no QB hurries, no QB hits, and no sacks while playing sparingly.
In 2021 as a junior Nugent saw action in 12 games and totaled 733 snaps. He gave up a solid 8 QB hurries, one QB hit, and 4 sacks while playing at center.
In 2022 as a senior Nugent saw action in 12 games and played a total of 822 snaps for the Cardinals. He allowed a solid 5 QB hurries, one QB hit, and 4 sacks while playing at center.
Round 6
Darius Rush, CB, So. Carolina
HT: 6’2
WT: 196 lbs
Accolades:
– 2021 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
– 2019 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
– 2018 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll
Video:
Pros:
– Willing and successful blitzing off the edge. Consideration for a move to safety with a combination of range and sure tackling.
– Great on route recognition and has click-and-close ability
– A coordinated athlete with good footwork and balance. A heady cover player with above-average · feel and anticipation in space.
– Extremely aggressive to come up and put his body in traffic to make tackles.
– Tough and scrappy with forceful nature to be physical at all levels of the field. Has good bulk on his frame to be aggressive in run support.
– Can deliver the big hit and isn’t afraid to jump inside to slow the ball.
Cons:
– Isn’t great in route recognition when he’s facing the action, is hesitant and susceptible to double moves, and too often gets unnecessarily handsy when playing trail position
– Rush runs well, but Rush doesn’t have elite recovery speed.
– Gets sloppy with his backpedal when playing off-man and seems to lack the instincts to close on the ball.
Summary:
In 2021 as a junior Rush played in 13 games and contributed on 617 snaps. He chalked up 18 tackles, 4 assists, and added 4 stops. In the secondary Rush forced 8 pass breakups, one interception, and gave up QB rating when targetted of 97.1.
In 2022 as a senior Rush saw action in 10 games while playing 576 snaps. He logged 26 tackles, 8 assists, and made 5 stops. In coverage Rush had 6 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, and surrendered a decent QB rating when targetted of 87.7.
Round 7
Caleb Chandler, G, Louisville
HT: 6’4
WT: 297 lbs
Accolades:
– 2021 PFF first team All-American
– 2021 All-ACC honors since
– 2021 ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week
Video:
Pros:
– Chandler does a nice job working with teammates to build the pocket, anchoring against bull rushers and displaying good awareness against stunts and twists.
– He thrives on physicality, often out-grappling bigger defensive linemen and winning in the phone booth with tenacity and upper-body strength.
– Shows excellent awareness when presented with stunts and blitzes, and Chandler works well with teammates on combo blocks
– When his hand placement is right, he has the strong grip that allows him to manhandle opponents. Chandler plays with a mean streak and keeps the nastiness going through the whistle.
– Takes much more pride in the run game, where he plays through the whistle with tremendous physicality.
Cons:
– More of a waist bender with subpar feet, and Chandler too often ends up reaching and lunging when going against quickness.
– Often gets too high in his sets, sacrificing some of his power, and he doesn’t show great coordination between his upper and lower body when sliding back in pass protection.
– Attacks when necessary, though he won’t consistently dominate and can lose balance overextending.
– Not physically imposing and has average overall strength. Upper body gets over his feet too often and he easily loses his balance.
Summary:
In 2020 as a junior Chandler saw action in 11 games and totaled 657 snaps. He gave up an impressive 6 QB hurries, no QB hits, and 3 sacks while playing at left guard.
In 2021 as a senior Chandler saw action in 13 games and played a total of 853 snaps for the Cardinals. He allowed an impressive 6 QB hurries, one QB hit, and no sacks while playing at left guard.
In 2022 as a fifth year senior Chandler saw action in 12 games and played a total of 695 snaps for the Cardinals. He allowed an impressive 8 QB hurries, 2 QB hits, and no sacks while playing at left guard.
Round 7
Ryan Greenhagen, LB, Fordham
HT: 6’1
WT: 243 lbs
Accolades:
– 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-American
– 2021 Preseason Stats Perform All-American
– NCAA record with 31 TT vs Nebraska
Video:
Pros:
– Greenhagen can be used as a rangy run defender inside, instinctive when it comes to locating the ball with the quickness to get to it before blockers can react at the second level.
– Big, aggressive hitter who can lay the wood. Has good awareness to quickly locate the ball, keeping his eyes up and on point.
– An instinctive run defender who is quick to read and react, Greenhagen is consistently in the right spot at the right time.
– He’s an instinctive and active chase-and-tackle 4-3 Will, with the speed to go sideline to sideline. He takes excellent angles. He also has an innate sense for shooting gaps as a run defender.
– Greenhagen is a massive inside linebacker with an old-school, physical style of game
– Has good balance and short-area burst to stay on his feet through contact
Cons:
– He’s a tweener who lacks the bulk and strength to be a thumper inside and isn’t fast enough to stay on the weak side in the NFL.
– Greenhagen is a little stiff as an athlete and doesn’t have the twitch of the top linebacker prospects in this draft.
– Greenhagen also has a tendency to be too aggressive attacking downhill, and Greenhagen can be beat on counter plays and cutbacks.
Summary:
In 2021 as a senior Greenhagen logged playing time in 4 games and logged a total of 281 snaps for the Rams. He also added decent 51 tackles, 17 assists, and 26 stops. While in coverage Greenhagen made one pass breakup, no interceptions, and QB rating when targetted of 96.2. As a pass rusher, he tallied 5 total pressures, which included 3 QB hurries, no QB hits, and 2 sacks on the season.
In 2022 as a fifth year senior Greenhagen logged playing time in 12 games and logged a total of 856 snaps for the Rams. He also added decent 89 tackles, 28 assists, and 54 stops. While in coverage Greenhagen made 3 pass breakups, one interception, and QB rating when targetted of 97.6. As a pass rusher, he tallied 25 total pressures, which included 14 QB hurries, 6 QB hits, and a decent 5 sacks on the season.
Round 7
Max Duggan, QB, TCU
HT: 6’2
WT: 204 lbs
Accolades:
– Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year since – Davey O’Brien Award
– Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
– Finalist for the Heisman Trophy
Video:
Pros:
– Super tough signal caller, who will play through injuries. He’s got a sturdy frame and a strong arm which will fit well in the pros
– Able to extend the play and escape the rush in an effort to buy time
– Uses his eyes well to keep safeties at bay – although probably needs to do this more often
– Athletic quarterback who is a threat to leave the pocket and gain positive yardage at any time. Possesses very good vision balance, elusiveness, and excellent speed and power as a runner. Always battles for extra yardage and not afraid to take on linebackers
– Gets the ball out quickly, making split-second decisions. Good short to intermediate-level accuracy, demonstrating the ball placement to allow receivers to run after the catch.
– Duggan must be accounted for when used in the read-option game, especially in the redzone – where his skills show through
– Good (not elite) arm strength and can easily make all the NFL throws with effortless deep passes.
– Duggan plays with a confident demeanor and has the athleticism to move out of the pocket and create plays out of structure.
Cons:
– His mechanics lack any kind of refinement, and he often plays erratically
– Has only average long accuracy on his passes, and regularly displays poor footwork
– Too often stares down his receivers leading to picks
– Duggan often holds the ball too long. While he keeps his eyes up while moving, his mechanics get increasingly sloppy once he’s pushed off his spot.
– Has struggled with his decision-making and needs to improve his pre-snap recognition skills to read defenses and see blitzes. Doesn’t decipher information as quickly as you would like, but does see the entire field and understands coverage.
– Probably not big enough to consistently hold up at the next level if continues to play with reckless abandon. He’ll need to learn how to protect his body.
Summary:
In 2022 as a senior Duggan was told that Chandler Morris would be the starter after Duggan’s injury-hit inconsistent year in 2021. Rather than entering the transfer portal to find a new program, Duggan elected to remain at TCU and told his head coach Dykes that he intended to be the best backup quarterback in the country and that he’d do anything to help Morris succeed.
With the Frogs leading 17–6 in the 3rd quarter of the season-opener at Colorado, Morris injured his knee. Duggan came on in relief, leading the Frogs on two touchdown drives to pull away, 38-13. Duggan was handed the starting role for the rest of the season and finished with 3320 yards on 369 attempts with a completion percentage of 64.8 for an average of 9.0 yards per pass, with an outstanding 30 TDs, while taking 24 sacks, and totaling a career-best QB rating of 116.1. He added 97 runs for a total of 580 yards at an average of 6.0 per run.
The PFF.com mock draft simulator was used in this article.
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