# Bandit Football > Bandit Football looks at college and NFL football with an emphasis on scouting, stats, football information, front offices, fantasy football, and the Buffalo Bills. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### Contact URL: https://www.bandit.football/contact/ Last updated: 2025-10-22T12:13:36.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/09/headshotszn23-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/09/imbrad.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/09/0_logo_avatar.jpeg) Brad Beatson can be reached at **bjbeatson@gmail.com** and found on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-beatson/?ref=bandit.football) and Bluesky at [bandit.football](https://bsky.app/profile/bandit.football?ref=bandit.football). He works for PFF as a player participation analyst; deals on [eBay](https://www.ebay.com/str/banditbazaar?ref=bandit.football); and best of all, he's an ELITE cat dad. Bandit Football focuses on topics not popping in the discourse. Thanks for checking it out! ![](https://media.tenor.com/NYgW63k8wPEAAAAC/bugs-bunny-yosemite-sam.gif) ### Fantasy Football URL: https://www.bandit.football/rankings/ Last updated: 2026-05-13T15:33:27.000Z ## Dynasty Rookie Draft [2026 Fantasy Football Rankings](https://www.fantasypros.com/nfl/rankings/consensus-cheatsheets.php?ref=bandit.football) powered by FantasyProsECR ™ - [Expert Consensus Rankings](https://www.fantasypros.com/about/faq/tools/?ref=bandit.football#consensus) ## Weekly Rankings Bandit Football was ranked [#1 in WR draft accuracy](https://www.fantasypros.com/2025/07/2024s-most-accurate-fantasy-football-draft-rankings/?ref=bandit.football) by FantasyPros for the 2024 season. In-season rankings are tinkered with relentlessly until kickoff. ### Articles URL: https://www.bandit.football/articles/ Last updated: 2026-02-27T16:12:01.000Z ## **Research** [How Important Is Quarterback Footwork?Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye went to work with decidedly different feet.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-125.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/QB-Footwork.png)](https://www.bandit.football/quarterback-footwork-matthew-stafford-drake-maye-nfl-mvp-2025/) [Fixing the Bills WR ProblemBuffalo will be active in Indianapolis as they remake their wide receiver room.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-124.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/fixing-the-bills-wr-problem-7.png)](https://www.bandit.football/fixing-the-bills-wr-problem/) [Fantasy Scoring Averages3-year weekly and season-long averages for QBs, RBs, WRs, TEs![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-123.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Header-for-Rankings.png)](https://www.bandit.football/fantasy-scoring-averages/) [Finding the Next Sun GodThe next PPR menace heads to South Beach.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-8.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design--27--1--1--1.png)](https://www.bandit.football/finding-the-next-sun-god/) May 13, 2024 [Patrick Mahomes ReloadedWhat will the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs’ offense look like in a post–Travis Kelce world?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-6.png)Bandit FootballBandit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design--5-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/patrick-mahomes-reloaded/) January 29, 2024 [The Next WR1 — (Part 1)How a dozen targets became the threshold for elite WR seasons![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-2.png)Bandit FootballBandit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/nextwr1-1.png)](https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-after-two/) September 20, 2023 [The Next WR1 — (Part 2)21 wideouts have seen 12+ targets in a game through the first four weeks.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-3.png)Bandit FootballBandit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/The-Next--1-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-part-2/) October 5, 2023 [The Next WR1 — (Part 3)Predicting this season’s Top 25 PPR WRs![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-4.png)Bandit FootballBandit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/glow.png)](https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-part-3/) October 19, 2023 [The Next WR1 — (Part 4)I’ve been deep in the sheets looking for wide receivers who will rise over the next seven weeks to help us win fantasy championships. It has not been as simple as tracking the wide receivers who have met the 12 target threshold, which I outlined in Parts 1, 2, and![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-5.png)Bandit FootballBandit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/STretch.png)](https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-part-4/) November 14, 2023 [Adapt: Fantasy Football Lineups Should Start 1 RB, 3 WRsFantasy football starting lineups no longer require two running backs. We need only start one, and instead we should start three wide receivers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-1.png)Bandit FootballBandit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/unnamed--7-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/we-should-be-starting-1-rb-3-wr/) July 17, 2022 ## NFL Draft [The Other QBs at the NFL Combine — Diego Pavia, Cade KlubnikFernando Mendoza will be a Las Vegas Raider in April. Which QB at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine has a chance to become QB2 at the Draft?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-126.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/The-Other-2026-QBs-LEDE-Graphic-2-1.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-combine-qb-ranking-pff-passing-grades/) February 27, 2026 [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-114.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-35.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) April 21, 2025 ## Continuity [Schemers Have No AuraOffensive coordinators tempt fate when they try to reinvent the wheel![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-122.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design--92-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/schemers-have-no-aura/) [Offensive Line ContinuityTo be effective against modern defenses, offensive lines need to move like synchronized swimmers in lockstep with one another, knowing how their arms and legs will move in any situation without having to think. That takes time.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-121.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Bills-OL-Final-Edit.png)](https://www.bandit.football/offensive-line-continuity/) [NFL Coaching ContinuityCoaching might be the single biggest competitive advantage NFL teams can exploit during the salary-cap era.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-118.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Coaching-Continuity-----2025-NFL-----Lede-Image.png)](https://www.bandit.football/nfl-coaching-continuity/) August 16, 2025 ## **Sports Info Solutions** [Brian Flores The BogeymanThe Vikings coach is tormenting opposing teams with the way his defense pressures the quarterback…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/cropped-Frame-481-270x270-1.png)Sports Info SolutionsBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/426240922076_hou_vs_min.jpg)](https://www.sportsinfosolutions.com/2024/10/31/brian-flores-the-bogeyman/?ref=bandit.football) October 31, 2024 [Jameson Williams Expands His Route TreeThe Lions have kept opponents guessing as to where Williams will line up and now they’re varying his routes. The combination makes him a dangerous player.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/cropped-Frame-481-270x270.png)Sports Info SolutionsBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/cbw240908115_lar_at_det.jpg)](https://www.sportsinfosolutions.com/2024/10/03/jameson-williams-expands-his-route-tree/?ref=bandit.football) October 3, 2024 ## **FantasyPros** [Consensus Fantasy Football Sleepers from 50+ Experts (2025)Discover the top 2025 fantasy football sleepers as identified by our Featured Pros. Get expert-backed sleeper picks to give your team the edge on draft day.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-5.png)FantasyProsFantasyPros Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/1470x650-5.jpg)](https://www.fantasypros.com/2025/08/consensus-fantasy-football-sleepers-from-50-experts-2025/?ref=bandit.football) August 20, 2025 [Fantasy Football Week 18 Start/Sit Advice: Sleepers & Duds (2024)Our Featured Pros are back for a bonus list of sleepers and duds in their Week 18 Start/Sit advice. Check out who makes what list!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-4.png)FantasyProsFantasyPros Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/1470x650-4.jpg)](https://www.fantasypros.com/2025/01/fantasy-football-week-18-start-sit-advice-sleepers-duds-2024/?ref=bandit.football) January 2, 2025 [Fantasy Football Week 15 Start/Sit Advice: Sleepers & Duds (2024)Discover the players the Featured Pros see as sleepers and which are duds in their Week 15 Start/Sit advice.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-3.png)FantasyProsFantasyPros Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/1470x650-3.jpg)](https://www.fantasypros.com/2024/12/fantasy-football-week-15-start-sit-advice-sleepers-duds-2024/?ref=bandit.football) December 11, 2024 [Fantasy Football Week 12 Start/Sit Advice: Sleepers & Duds (2024)Discover the players that our Featured Pros feel might be sleepers and which might be duds with their Week 12 Start/Sit Advice.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-2.png)FantasyProsFantasyPros Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/1470x650-2.jpg)](https://www.fantasypros.com/2024/11/fantasy-football-week-12-start-sit-advice-sleepers-duds-2024/?utm%5Fsource=Iterable&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=campaign%5F11798619&campaign%5Fuser%5Fuuid=user%5F1cd9ca41-1812-4156-930f-d9660819342f) November 21, 2024 [19 Players to Buy Low & Sell High (2024 Fantasy Football)As we approach the trade deadline in most leagues, our Featured Pros analysts have identified their favorite targets for the rest of the year.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1.png)FantasyProsFantasyPros Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/1470x650-1.jpg)](https://www.fantasypros.com/2024/10/19-players-to-buy-low-sell-high-2024-fantasy-football/?ref=bandit.football) October 30, 2024 [21 Players to Buy Low & Sell High (2024 Fantasy Football)We asked our Featured Pros for their best players to buy low and sell high in Week 6, and they responded with 21 names.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon.png)FantasyProsFantasyPros Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/1470x650.jpg)](https://www.fantasypros.com/2024/10/21-players-to-buy-low-sell-high-2024-fantasy-football/?ref=bandit.football) October 9, 2024 ### Scouting Reports URL: https://www.bandit.football/reports/ Last updated: 2026-02-27T16:05:26.000Z ## 7.0 — Very Good ## 6.6-6.5 - Amari Kight, OL — [Report](https://www.bandit.football/amari-kight/) (2025) ## 6.2 - Chase Lundt, OL — [Report](https://www.bandit.football/chase-lundt/) (2025) ## 6.0 — Good ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/Untitled-design--81-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/3.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/4.png) ## 5.9 - James Carpenter, DL — [Report](https://www.bandit.football/james-carpenter/) (2025) - Jayden Higgins, WR — [Report](https://www.bandit.football/jayden-higgins/) (2025) - Cam Horsley, DL — [Report](https://www.bandit.football/cam-horsley/) (2025) - Xavier Restrepo, WR — [Report](https://www.bandit.football/xavier-restrepo-2025/) (2025) ## 5.8 - Blayne Taylor, WR — [Report](https://www.bandit.football/blayne-taylor/) (2025) - Jordan Oladokun, CB — [Report](https://www.bandit.football/jordan-oladokun-2025/) (2025) - Que Robinson, EDGE — [Report](https://www.bandit.football/que-robinson/) (2025) ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football Subscribe Email sent! 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[Expert Consensus Rankings](https://www.fantasypros.com/about/faq/tools/?ref=bandit.football#consensus) [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) *Offense* - **(QB)** [16 Quarterbacks](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb/) - **(iOL)** [23 Guards and Centers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol/) - **(OT)** [20 Offensive Tackles](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot/) - **(TE)** [27 Tight Ends and 1 Fullback](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te/) - **(RB)** [20 Running Backs](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb/) - **(WR)** [44 Wide Receivers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr/) *Defense* - **(DTNT)** [31 Interior Defensive Linemen](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt/) - **(EDGE)** [32 Edge Rushers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge/) - **(LB)** [26 Linebackers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb/) - **(CB)** [29 Cornerbacks](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb/) - **(S)** [21 Safeties](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s/) ### 2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Safeties (S) URL: https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T20:22:55.000Z [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) Safety is the deepest and cleanest position group in this year's draft class. Every team should consider adding one of these versatile defensive backs. ## Safety Archetypes - ✏️ Coverage Eraser - **Completion Rate ≤50%** — Throw up a 50-50 ball at your own risk - **Tgt Help <3** — Quarterbacks rarely tested them when they were the help defender - 🧱 Sure Tackler - **Total Tackles ≥50** — Consistently around the action - **Broken + Missed Tackles ≤10** — High hit rate 🦬 Buffalo nickel - **Slot Rate ≥20%** — Inside/outside flex - **Box Rate ≥10%** — Willing to sort through the trash - **Pass Rush Snaps ≥20** — Got after the QB ### Injury Concerns - ⛑️ **Availability** — Injury history collected from SIS and The Athletic | POS RK | Player | Grade | Archetype | Badges | | ------ | ---------------------- | ----- | -------------- | ------------ | | S1 | Caleb Downs | 88 | Star | ✏️ · 🧱 · 🦬 | | S2 | Dillon Thieneman | 78 | Box | 🧱 | | S3 | Emmanuel McNeil-Warren | 74 | Box | | | S4 | Jalon Kilgore | 73 | Buffalo Nickel | ✏️ · 🧱 · 🦬 | | S5 | Kamari Ramsey | 73 | Star | ✏️ · 🧱 · 🦬 | | S6 | A.J. Haulcy | 71 | Deep | | | S7 | Jalen Huskey | 70 | Deep | | | S8 | Louis Moore | 64 | Deep | | | S9 | Dalton Johnson | 64 | Star | | | S10 | Zakee Wheatley | 63 | Hybrid | | | S11 | Genesis Smith | 63 | Hybrid | | | S12 | VJ Payne | 60 | Hybrid | ✏️ | | S13 | Bud Clark | 59 | Hybrid | 🧱 | | S14 | Michael Taaffe | 58 | Hybrid | | | S15 | Xavier Nwankpa | 58 | Deep | | | S16 | Jakobe Thomas | 54 | Box | | | S17 | Bishop Fitzgerald | 53 | Deep | 🧱 | | S18 | Robert Spears-Jennings | 53 | Deep | | | S19 | DeShon Singleton | 53 | Box | ✏️ · 🧱 · ⛑️ | | S20 | Lorenzo Styles Jr. | 48 | Hybrid | 🧱 | | S21 | Ahmaad Moses | 39 | Hybrid | 🦬 | Safety archetypes are tied to 2025 usage rates, with a hybrid role meaning they did a little bit of everything. Some of these defensive backs will end up playing a meaningfully different role in the league, which could impact how quickly they earn consistent snaps on defense. --- ## Raw Prospect Scores - 🧰 Production Component - **Source: PFF Weekly Grades** — Stresses the importance of game-to-game, play-to-play consistency while adjusting for variance. Accounts for every game played during the safety's final two seasons in college. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Weekly grades below 60.0 cannot be smoothed over by two-year average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's production grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - 🔬 Film Component - **Source: SIS Scouting Reports** — Watch a minimum of 3-5 games per prospect and assign a grade, from 1 (reject) to 9 (rare), to each of their three critical traits and half-dozen or so positional factors. Assign a final grade that projects how the prospect will stack up at their position by the beginning of their second season in the NFL. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Mediocre traits cannot be smoothed over by average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's scouting grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - ⚖️ Weighting the Two: 80% Prospect Score - **Position Specific** — Some positions have stronger signal in production than film or vice versa and so they are individually weighted to reflect that. - **40/40 Split** — Safety is one of the more even positions from both a production and film standpoint. ### Prospect Chips - 🔵 **Blue Chip Potential** 75+ production & 75+ film - 🟢 **Solid Contributor** — 75+ in prod. or film & 68+ in the other - ⚪ **Situation Dependent** — Everyone else | Player | Production | Film | Chip | | ---------------------- | ---------- | ---- | ---- | | Caleb Downs | 76.8 | 78.8 | 🔵 | | Dillon Thieneman | 76.1 | 75.1 | 🔵 | | Emmanuel McNeil-Warren | 76.9 | 76.0 | 🔵 | | Jalon Kilgore | 73.0 | 64.9 | ⚪ | | Kamari Ramsey | 74.6 | 69.6 | ⚪ | | A.J. Haulcy | 75.6 | 65.6 | ⚪ | | Jalen Huskey | 74.7 | 69.6 | ⚪ | | Louis Moore | 72.9 | 69.6 | ⚪ | | Dalton Johnson | 73.6 | 58.9 | ⚪ | | Zakee Wheatley | 74.7 | 60.5 | ⚪ | | Genesis Smith | 73.7 | 63.2 | ⚪ | | VJ Payne | 71.9 | 39.2 | ⚪ | | Bud Clark | 76.7 | 48.3 | ⚪ | | Michael Taaffe | 75.8 | 39.5 | ⚪ | | Xavier Nwankpa | 73.3 | 45.4 | ⚪ | | Jakobe Thomas | 72.2 | 47.2 | ⚪ | | Bishop Fitzgerald | 75.1 | 39.5 | ⚪ | | Robert Spears-Jennings | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | DeShon Singleton | 72.5 | 38.8 | ⚪ | | Lorenzo Styles Jr. | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Ahmaad Moses | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | 🦺 **Players with incomplete scores had missing data points and will be revisited after the draft. Bandit Football regrets the error.* --- ## Athleticism, Positional Value, Intagibles - 🏅 Athleticism - **Source: Next Gen Stats** — Assigns a 1-10 grade on athletic profile for every player at the Combine. In some cases, NGS estimates the scores if the prospect didn't test in Indianapolis or at their college pro day. - **RAS, MockDraftable, Football Sheets** — I've added these sources to my database for future use. Many prospects had incomplete scores due to lack of testing numbers, so it made more sense to use NGS in this iteration of the model because every prospect ended up with a data point. 📊 Positional Value - **Source: Spotrac** — Analyzing the rookie contract scale and how much guaranteed money each pick receives against the Top 100 cap hits in the NFL by position over the next three seasons. Takes into account the Top 10 highest paid players at their position and the relative cost savings a rookie contract could provide. - **Additive Bonus** — Each player was scored on a 1-10 scale using the consensus big board as a guide for projected savings. Fernando Mendoza was the only player to receive a 10 because starting QBs make anywhere from $30-50 million per season. Other positions, like RB, TE, LB, and S were capped at a maximum 5 points. - **S Positional Value** - **1st Rd:** Top 15 pick — 5 - **1st Rd:** Pro Bowl upside — 4 - **1st Rd:** Reliable starter — 3 - **1st Rd:** Situation dependent — 2 - **2nd Rounder** — 2 - **3rd Rounder** — 1 - **Projected Day 3 Pick** — 0 🌹🥀 Intangibles - **Source: Dane Brugler** — The Beast prospect guide includes strengths and weaknesses for every player on the big board. Includes off-the-field concerns, quotes from scouts and coaches, and non-negotiable traits for the position. - **My Judgment** — Each player was evaluated based on the additional information, including: injury history, work ethic, football iq, off-field concerns, and non-negotiables for their position. For safety, my non-negotiables are football intelligence and sure-tackling. ### Badges - 💰 **Positional Value** — Prospect earned a 5.0 or higher based on the potential value of their rookie contract. - 💎 **Strong Character** — Prospect assigned a 5.0 or higher in their intangible score. - ⚠️ **Investigate Further** — Prospect assigned a -5.0 or worse in their intangible score. | Player | Athleticism | POS Value | Intangibles | Badges | | ---------------------- | ----------- | --------- | ----------- | ------ | | Caleb Downs | 7.6 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 💰 💎 | | Dillon Thieneman | 8.5 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 💰 | | Emmanuel McNeil-Warren | 7.4 | 4.0 | 2.0 | | | Jalon Kilgore | 7.9 | 2.0 | 4.0 | | | Kamari Ramsey | 7.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | | | A.J. Haulcy | 7.5 | 2.0 | 3.0 | | | Jalen Huskey | 6.6 | 1.0 | 3.0 | | | Louis Moore | 5.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | | Dalton Johnson | 6.9 | 0.0 | 2.0 | | | Zakee Wheatley | 6.3 | 2.0 | \-1.0 | | | Genesis Smith | 8.1 | 1.0 | \-3.0 | | | VJ Payne | 7.8 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 💎 | | Bud Clark | 7.4 | 2.0 | \-2.0 | | | Michael Taaffe | 7.3 | 0.0 | 3.0 | | | Xavier Nwankpa | 7.4 | 0.0 | 1.0 | | | Jakobe Thomas | 6.6 | 0.0 | \-2.0 | | | Bishop Fitzgerald | 7.0 | 0.0 | \-2.0 | | | Robert Spears-Jennings | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | DeShon Singleton | 7.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | | Lorenzo Styles Jr. | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Ahmaad Moses | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | ***Head back to the Big Board:*** [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/04/Caleb-Downs.png) Caleb Downs earned the highest intangible grade (+9) in the 2026 draft class. ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football looks at the college and NFL game with deep dives on scouting, premium stats, fantasy football, and the Buffalo Bills. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Quarterbacks (QB) URL: https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T20:18:23.000Z [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) ### Injury Concerns - ⛑️ **Availability** — Injury history collected from SIS and The Athletic ## Top Quarterback Prospects | POS RK | Player | Grade | Achetype | Badges | | ------ | ----------------- | ----- | -------------------- | ------ | | QB1 | Fernando Mendoza | 83 | Sunshine | | | QB2 | Cade Klubnik | 69 | Mobile | | | QB3 | Ty Simpson | 68 | Career Backup | | | QB4 | Garrett Nussmeier | 65 | Pocket | | | QB5 | Joey Aguilar | 63 | Mobile | ⛑️ | | QB6 | Drew Allar | 62 | Project | | | QB7 | Luke Altmyer | 58 | Daniel Jones | | | QB8 | Taylen Green | 57 | Ball of Clay | | | QB9 | Diego Pavia | 55 | Baker Mayfield | | | QB10 | Haynes King | 53 | Taysom Hill | ⛑️ | | QB11 | Joe Fagnano | 53 | "Great in the Room" | ⛑️ | | QB12 | Carson Beck | 51 | Pop-Punk Distraction | ⛑️ | | QB13 | Sawyer Robertson | 46 | Pocket | | | QB14 | Cole Payton | 45 | Developmental | | | QB15 | Jalon Daniels | 43 | Pat White | | | QB16 | Behren Morton | 46 | Chris Simms' QB3 | | ## Raw Prospect Scores - 🧰 Production Component - **Source: PFF Weekly Grades** — Stresses the importance of game-to-game, play-to-play consistency while adjusting for variance. Accounts for every game played during the quarterback's final two seasons in college. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Weekly grades below 60.0 cannot be smoothed over by two-year average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's production grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - 🔬 Film Component - **Source: SIS Scouting Reports** — Watch a minimum of 3-5 games per prospect and assign a grade, from 1 (reject) to 9 (rare), to each of their three critical traits and half-dozen or so positional factors. Assign a final grade that projects how the prospect will stack up at their position by the beginning of their second season in the NFL. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Mediocre traits cannot be smoothed over by average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's scouting grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - ⚖️ Weighting the Two: 80% Prospect Score - **Position Specific** — Some positions have stronger signal in production than film or vice versa and so they are individually weighted to reflect that. - **60/20 Film** — Quarterback is one of the noisier positions in all of sports from a production standpoint. Film provides a cleaner signal, more often than not. ### Prospect Chips - 🔵 **Blue Chip Potential** 75+ production & 75+ film - 🟢 **Solid Contributor** — 75+ in prod. or film & 68+ in the other - ⚪ **Situation Dependent** — Everyone else | Player | Production | Film | Chip | | ----------------- | ---------- | ---- | ---- | | Fernando Mendoza | 83.5 | 68.1 | 🟢 | | Cade Klubnik | 79.9 | 68.5 | 🟢 | | Ty Simpson | 77.0 | 56.4 | ⚪ | | Garrett Nussmeier | 78.6 | 61.6 | ⚪ | | Joey Aguilar | 79.5 | 62.5 | ⚪ | | Drew Allar | 76.0 | 57.0 | ⚪ | | Luke Altmyer | 77.6 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | Taylen Green | 76.6 | 39.2 | ⚪ | | Diego Pavia | 81.7 | 37.5 | ⚪ | | Haynes King | 80.5 | 37.5 | ⚪ | | Joe Fagnano | 77.0 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | Carson Beck | 76.0 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | Sawyer Robertson | 73.6 | 41.0 | ⚪ | | Cole Payton | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Jalon Daniels | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Behren Morton | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | 🦺 **Players with incomplete scores had missing data points and will be revisited after the draft. Bandit Football regrets the error.* --- ## Athleticism, Positional Value, Intagibles - 🏅 Athleticism - **Source: Next Gen Stats** — Assigns a 1-10 grade on athletic profile for every player at the Combine. In some cases, NGS estimates the scores if the prospect didn't test in Indianapolis or at their college pro day. - **RAS, MockDraftable, Football Sheets** — I've added these sources to my database for future use. Many prospects had incomplete scores due to lack of testing numbers, so it made more sense to use NGS in this iteration of the model because every prospect ended up with a data point. 📊 Positional Value - **Source: Spotrac** — Analyzing the rookie contract scale and how much guaranteed money each pick receives against the Top 100 cap hits in the NFL by position over the next three seasons. Takes into account the Top 10 highest paid players at their position and the relative cost savings a rookie contract could provide. - **Additive Bonus** — Each player was scored on a 1-10 scale using the consensus big board as a guide for projected savings. Fernando Mendoza was the only player to receive a 10 because starting QBs make anywhere from $30-50 million per season. Other positions, like RB, TE, LB, and S were capped at a maximum 5 points. - **QB Positional Value** - **1st Rd:** Top 15 pick — 10 - **1st Rd:** Pro Bowl upside — 9 - **1st Rd:** Reliable starter — 8 - **1st Rd:** Situation dependent — 7 - **2nd Rounder** — 6 - **3rd Rounder** — 3 - **Projected Day 3 Pick** — 1 🌹🥀 Intangibles - **Source: Dane Brugler** — The Beast prospect guide includes strengths and weaknesses for every player on the big board. Includes off-the-field concerns, quotes from scouts and coaches, and non-negotiable traits for the position. - **My Judgment** — Each player was evaluated based on the additional information, including: injury history, work ethic, football iq, off-field concerns, and non-negotiables for their position. For quarterbacks, my non-negotiable is a willingness to take the hit in order to make a play. ### Badges - 💰 **Positional Value** — Prospect earned a 5.0 or higher based on the potential value of their rookie contract. - 💎 **Strong Character** — Prospect assigned a 5.0 or higher in their intangible score. - ⚠️ **Investigate Further** — Prospect assigned a -5.0 or worse in their intangible score. | Player | Athleticism | POS Value | Intangibles | Badges | | ----------------- | ----------- | --------- | ----------- | ------ | | Fernando Mendoza | 7.8 | 10.0 | 3.0 | 💰 | | Cade Klubnik | 7.8 | 1.0 | 0.5 | | | Ty Simpson | 6.8 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 💰 | | Garrett Nussmeier | 7.2 | 3.0 | 0.0 | | | Joey Aguilar | 7.5 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | Drew Allar | 7.3 | 2.0 | 0.0 | | | Luke Altmyer | 7.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | | Taylen Green | 9.9 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | Diego Pavia | 6.3 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 💎 | | Haynes King | 9.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | | Joe Fagnano | 7.4 | 0.0 | \-3.0 | | | Carson Beck | 7.1 | 2.0 | \-11.0 | ⚠️ | | Sawyer Robertson | 6.4 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | Cole Payton | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Jalon Daniels | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Behren Morton | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | ***Head back to the Big Board:*** [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/04/Diego-Pavia.png) Diego Pavia doing the "too small" gesture (L) and looking small (R). Dawg levels for days, though. ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football looks at the college and NFL game with deep dives on scouting, premium stats, fantasy football, and the Buffalo Bills. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Running Backs (RB) URL: https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T20:22:22.000Z [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) ## True 3-Down Skill Set 🐎 Workhorse - **Total Rushing Attempts ≥150** Consistently available and reliable - **Total Targets ≥30** Has to be respected as a receiving threat - **Pass Protection Reps per Game ≥3.0** Trusted to pick up the blitz ### Injury Concerns - ⛑️ **Availability** — Injury history collected from SIS and The Athletic ## Top Running Back Prospects | POS RK | Player | Grade | Achetype | Badges | | ------ | ------------------- | ----- | -------------- | ------- | | RB1 | Jeremiyah Love | 86 | Passing | 🐎 | | RB2 | Jonah Coleman | 72 | Passing | 🐎 | | RB3 | Jadarian Price | 69 | Committee | ⛑️ | | RB4 | Nicholas Singleton | 63 | Passing | ⛑️ | | RB5 | Emmett Johnson | 62 | Passing | 🐎 | | RB6 | Mike Washington Jr. | 62 | Passing | 🐎 | | RB7 | Eli Heidenreich | 62 | Passing | | | RB8 | Jam Miller | 62 | Passing | ⛑️ | | RB9 | Roman Hemby | 61 | Committee | ⛑️ | | RB10 | Adam Randall | 60 | Passing | 🐎 · ⛑️ | | RB11 | Le'Veon Moss | 56 | Committee | ⛑️ | | RB12 | Seth McGowan | 53 | Early | | | RB13 | Kaytron Allen | 48 | Early | | | RB14 | Noah Whittington | 48 | Committee | ⛑️ | | RB15 | Desmond Reid | 46 | Passing | ⛑️ | | RB16 | C.J. Donaldson | 46 | Early Down | | | RB17 | J'Mari Taylor | 46 | Committee | | | RB18 | Demond Claiborne | 43 | Passing | 🐎 · ⛑️ | | RB19 | Rahsul Faison | 43 | Change of Pace | | | RB20 | Robert Henry Jr. | 25 | Committee | | Running back archetypes are tied to 2025 usage rates, with a passing down role meaning the back showed some receiving chops. Some of these rushers will end up playing a meaningfully different role in the league, which could impact how quickly they earn consistent snaps on offense. --- ## Raw Prospect Scores - 🧰 Production Component - **Source: PFF Weekly Grades** — Stresses the importance of game-to-game, play-to-play consistency while adjusting for variance. Accounts for every game played during the back's final two seasons in college. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Weekly grades below 60.0 cannot be smoothed over by two-year average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's production grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - 🔬 Film Component - **Source: SIS Scouting Reports** — Watch a minimum of 3-5 games per prospect and assign a grade, from 1 (reject) to 9 (rare), to each of their three critical traits and half-dozen or so positional factors. Assign a final grade that projects how the prospect will stack up at their position by the beginning of their second season in the NFL. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Mediocre traits cannot be smoothed over by average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's scouting grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - ⚖️ Weighting the Two: 80% Prospect Score - **Position Specific** — Some positions have stronger signal in production than film or vice versa and so they are individually weighted to reflect that. - **55/25 Film** — Running Back production tends to be a little noisier and more dependent on the offensive line, run scheme, and competition. More often than not, film provides a more realistic prospect signal. ### Prospect Chips - 🔵 **Blue Chip Potential** 75+ production & 75+ film - 🟢 **Solid Contributor** — 75+ in prod. or film & 68+ in the other - ⚪ **Situation Dependent** — Everyone else | Player | Production | Film | Chip | | ------------------- | ---------- | ---- | ---- | | Jeremiyah Love | 90.0 | 86.0 | 🔵 | | Jonah Coleman | 83.3 | 71.8 | 🟢 | | Jadarian Price | 81.1 | 72.1 | 🟢 | | Nicholas Singleton | 76.1 | 61.9 | ⚪ | | Emmett Johnson | 80.0 | 58.9 | ⚪ | | Mike Washington Jr. | 76.4 | 57.0 | ⚪ | | Eli Heidenreich | 81.2 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | Jam Miller | 72.3 | 58.9 | ⚪ | | Roman Hemby | 76.6 | 56.2 | ⚪ | | Adam Randall | 75.6 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | Le'Veon Moss | | | ⚪ | | Seth McGowan | 78.6 | 65.5 | ⚪ | | Kaytron Allen | 80.2 | 37.5 | ⚪ | | Noah Whittington | 77.2 | 39.4 | ⚪ | | Desmond Reid | 77.3 | 42.9 | ⚪ | | C.J. Donaldson | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | J'Mari Taylor | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Demond Claiborne | 75.0 | 36.7 | ⚪ | | Rahsul Faison | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Robert Henry Jr. | 24.9 | 26.9 | ⚪ | 🦺 **Players with incomplete scores had missing data points and will be revisited after the draft. Bandit Football regrets the error.* --- ## Athleticism, Positional Value, Intagibles - 🏅 Athleticism - **Source: Next Gen Stats** — Assigns a 1-10 grade on athletic profile for every player at the Combine. In some cases, NGS estimates the scores if the prospect didn't test in Indianapolis or at their college pro day. - **RAS, MockDraftable, Football Sheets** — I've added these sources to my database for future use. Many prospects had incomplete scores due to lack of testing numbers, so it made more sense to use NGS in this iteration of the model because every prospect ended up with a data point. 📊 Positional Value - **Source: Spotrac** — Analyzing the rookie contract scale and how much guaranteed money each pick receives against the Top 100 cap hits in the NFL by position over the next three seasons. Takes into account the Top 10 highest paid players at their position and the relative cost savings a rookie contract could provide. - **Additive Bonus** — Each player was scored on a 1-10 scale using the consensus big board as a guide for projected savings. Fernando Mendoza was the only player to receive a 10 because starting QBs make anywhere from $30-50 million per season. Other positions, like RB, TE, LB, and S were capped at a maximum 5 points. - **RB Positional Value** - **1st Rd:** Top 15 pick — 5 - **1st Rd:** Pro Bowl upside — 4 - **1st Rd:** Reliable starter — 3 - **1st Rd:** Situation dependent — 2 - **2nd Rounder** — 2 - **3rd Rounder** — 1 - **Projected Day 3 Pick** — 0 🌹🥀 Intangibles - **Source: Dane Brugler** — The Beast prospect guide includes strengths and weaknesses for every player on the big board. Includes off-the-field concerns, quotes from scouts and coaches, and non-negotiable traits for the position. - **My Judgment** — Each player was evaluated based on the additional information, including: injury history, work ethic, football iq, off-field concerns, and non-negotiables for their position. For running back, my non-negotiable is contact balance. ### Badges - 💰 **Positional Value** — Prospect earned a 5.0 or higher based on the potential value of their rookie contract. - 💎 **Strong Character** — Prospect assigned a 5.0 or higher in their intangible score. - ⚠️ **Investigate Further** — Prospect assigned a -5.0 or worse in their intangible score. | Player | Athleticism | POS Value | Intangibles | Badges | | ------------------- | ----------- | --------- | ----------- | ------ | | Jeremiyah Love | 9.0 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 💰 | | Jonah Coleman | 6.9 | 1.0 | 2.5 | | | Jadarian Price | 7.1 | 2.0 | 0.0 | | | Nicholas Singleton | 9.8 | 1.0 | \-1.0 | | | Emmett Johnson | 6.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | Mike Washington Jr. | 9.5 | 1.0 | \-1.0 | | | Eli Heidenreich | 8.2 | 0.0 | 3.0 | | | Jam Miller | 8.1 | 0.0 | 3.0 | | | Roman Hemby | 6.5 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 💎 | | Adam Randall | 8.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | | | Le'Veon Moss | 6.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | | Seth McGowan | 7.9 | 0.0 | \-13.0 | ⚠️ | | Kaytron Allen | 6.9 | 1.0 | \-2.0 | | | Noah Whittington | 7.3 | 0.0 | \-2.0 | | | Desmond Reid | 5.8 | 0.0 | \-2.0 | | | C.J. Donaldson | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | J'Mari Taylor | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Demond Claiborne | 7.4 | 0.0 | \-5.0 | ⚠️ | | Rahsul Faison | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Robert Henry Jr. | 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | ***Head back to the Big Board:*** [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/04/Jeremiyah-Love.png) Jeremiyah Love should keep opposing defensive coordinators and fantasy football opponents up at night. (His own training staff might have nightmares about those hurdles, too.) ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football looks at the college and NFL game with deep dives on scouting, premium stats, fantasy football, and the Buffalo Bills. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Wide Receivers (WR) URL: https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T20:21:58.000Z [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) Does your team need a wide receiver who can be the engine of the offense? Are you looking for more of a deep threat or someone who can create yards after the catch? Why not both? These are the top receivers in the 2026 draft class. ## Wide Receiver Archetypes - 🚂 Engine of the Offense - **Slot Rate ≥25%** Has inside/outside flexibility - **Going Deep ≥30%** Can stress defenses vertically and horizontally - **Yard/Route Run ≥2.5** Is an absolute menace on a per-route basis - **On‑Target Catch Rate ≥90%** Catches damn near everything - 🚀 Deep Threat - **Air Yards ≥500** Has a high bullseye rate on deep shots - **Avg. Depth of Tgt ≥10.0** Closer to 15.0 than 20.0 (which is more of a windsprinter) 🕹️ YAC machine - **Broken/Missed Tackles per Rec. ≥0.20** Get them five touches a game - **Yards After Catch per Rec. ≥6.0** Light the fuse and watch 'em burn - **Avg. Depth of Tgt <10.0** Feast on underneath routes ### Injury Concerns - ⛑️ **Availability** — Injury history collected from SIS and The Athletic ## Top Wide Receiver Prospects | POS RK | Player | Grade | Archetype | Badges | | ------ | ---------------------- | ----- | --------------------------- | ------------- | | WR1 | Makai Lemon | 84 | Dawg | 🚂 · 🚀 | | WR2 | Omar Cooper Jr. | 79 | Slot | 🚂 · 🕹️ · ⛑️ | | WR3 | Carnell Tate | 78 | X | 🚂 · 🚀 | | WR4 | Jordyn Tyson | 74 | Mr. Glass | ⛑️ | | WR5 | Germie Bernard | 74 | Thinking Man's Deebo | | | WR6 | Denzel Boston | 72 | Nepo Baby X | 🚂 · 🚀 | | WR7 | Elijah Sarratt | 72 | Redzone Threat | | | WR8 | Zachariah Branch | 72 | Gadget | 🕹️ · ⛑️ | | WR9 | Malachi Fields | 71 | X | ⛑️ | | WR10 | De'Zhaun Stribling | 71 | Hybrid | | | WR11 | KC Concepcion | 70 | Misses Layups | | | WR12 | Josh Cameron | 70 | Dollar Store Deebo | | | WR13 | Antonio Williams | 69 | Slot | ⛑️ | | WR14 | Deion Burks | 68 | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | WR15 | Skyler Bell | 68 | Hybrid | 🚂 | | WR16 | Jeff Caldwell | 68 | Z | | | WR17 | Eric Rivers | 66 | Z | ⛑️ | | WR18 | Reggie Virgil | 66 | X | | | WR19 | Chris Brazzell II | 66 | Hybrid | 🚀 | | WR20 | Brenen Thompson | 65 | Hybrid | 🚀 · ⛑️ | | WR21 | Kendrick Law | 65 | Tyrone Tracy | 🕹️ | | WR22 | Ted Hurst | 64 | X | 🚀 | | WR23 | Bryce Lance | 64 | Trey Lance's Little Brother | | | WR24 | Barion Brown | 64 | Bullet Train | | | WR25 | Ja'Kobi Lane | 63 | Diva (Complimentary) | ⛑️ | | WR26 | Kevin Coleman Jr. | 63 | Slot | ⛑️ | | WR27 | Zavion Thomas | 62 | Hybrid | | | WR28 | Chris Bell | 61 | Diva (Derogatory) | ⛑️ | | WR29 | Kaden Wetjen | 61 | Dynamic Kickoff Weapon | 🕹️ | | WR30 | Dillon Bell | 61 | Hybrid | | | WR31 | Vinny Anthony II | 60 | Hybrid | 🕹️ | | WR32 | Emmanuel Henderson Jr. | 58 | X | | | WR33 | Chase Roberts | 58 | X | 🚀 · ⛑️ | | WR34 | CJ Daniels | 57 | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | WR35 | Harrison Wallace III | 56 | X | 🚀 · ⛑️ | | WR36 | Caleb Douglas | 55 | X | 🚀 · ⛑️ | | WR37 | Caullin Lacy | 54 | Slot | 🕹️ | | WR38 | Aaron Anderson | 53 | Xavier Restrepo | 🕹️ · ⛑️ | | WR39 | Chris Hilton Jr. | 49 | Z | ⛑️ | | WR40 | Donaven McCulley | 48 | X | | | WR41 | Eric McAlister | 44 | X | 🚀 | | WR42 | Jalen Walthall | 43 | Deep Threat | | | WR43 | Malik Benson | 40 | Z | | | WR44 | Colbie Young | 22 | X | | Receiver archetypes are tied to 2025 usage rates, with a hybrid role meaning they did a little bit of everything. Some of these wideouts will end up playing a meaningfully different role in the league, which could impact how quickly they earn consistent snaps on offense. --- ## Raw Prospect Scores - 🧰 Production Component - **Source: PFF Weekly Grades** — Stresses the importance of game-to-game, play-to-play consistency while adjusting for variance. Accounts for every game played during their final two seasons in college. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Weekly grades below 60.0 cannot be smoothed over by two-year average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's production grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - 🔬 Film Component - **Source: SIS Scouting Reports** — Watch a minimum of 3-5 games per prospect and assign a grade, from 1 (reject) to 9 (rare), to each of their three critical traits and half-dozen or so positional factors. Assign a final grade that projects how the prospect will stack up at their position by the beginning of their second season in the NFL. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Mediocre traits cannot be smoothed over by average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's film grade is capped and trends toward a more boom-bust profile. - ⚖️ Weighting the Two: 80% Prospect Score - **Position Specific** — Some positions have stronger signal in production than film or vice versa and so they are individually weighted to reflect that. - **55/25 Production** — Wide Receiver is one of the more fully fleshed out positions from a statistical, production standpoint while film tends to be more subjective ("pick your flavor.") ### Prospect Chips - 🔵 **Blue Chip Potential** 75+ production & 75+ film - 🟢 **Solid Contributor** — 75+ in prod. or film & 68+ in the other - ⚪ **Situation Dependent** — Everyone else | Player | Production | Film | Chip | | ---------------------- | ---------- | ---- | ---- | | Makai Lemon | 80.5 | 71.3 | 🟢 | | Omar Cooper Jr. | 77.0 | 66.4 | ⚪ | | Carnell Tate | 76.5 | 72.6 | 🟢 | | Jordyn Tyson | 78.1 | 75.2 | 🔵 | | Germie Bernard | 75.4 | 65.1 | ⚪ | | Denzel Boston | 77.7 | 69.8 | 🟢 | | Elijah Sarratt | 77.8 | 65.1 | ⚪ | | Zachariah Branch | 75.0 | 73.8 | 🟢 | | Malachi Fields | 75.5 | 66.4 | ⚪ | | De'Zhaun Stribling | 75.8 | 65.1 | ⚪ | | KC Concepcion | 73.7 | 64.0 | ⚪ | | Josh Cameron | 74.3 | 63.3 | ⚪ | | Antonio Williams | 76.1 | 69.4 | 🟢 | | Deion Burks | 71.7 | 64.6 | ⚪ | | Skyler Bell | 76.6 | 69.9 | 🟢 | | Jeff Caldwell | 73.5 | 57.0 | ⚪ | | Eric Rivers | 75.8 | 65.5 | ⚪ | | Reggie Virgil | 73.7 | 64.6 | ⚪ | | Chris Brazzell II | 73.1 | 72.6 | ⚪ | | Brenen Thompson | 73.2 | 70.4 | ⚪ | | Kendrick Law | 75.1 | 57.0 | ⚪ | | Ted Hurst | 75.8 | 65.1 | ⚪ | | Bryce Lance | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Barion Brown | 71.9 | 65.1 | ⚪ | | Ja'Kobi Lane | 75.5 | 65.5 | ⚪ | | Kevin Coleman Jr. | 76.8 | 70.4 | 🟢 | | Zavion Thomas | 72.8 | 35.4 | ⚪ | | Chris Bell | 75.0 | 65.5 | ⚪ | | Kaden Wetjen | 71.6 | 35.3 | ⚪ | | Dillon Bell | 70.3 | 38.5 | ⚪ | | J. Michael Sturdivant | 70.8 | 41.5 | ⚪ | | Vinny Anthony II | 73.6 | 34.4 | ⚪ | | Emmanuel Henderson Jr. | 73.4 | 33.5 | ⚪ | | Chase Roberts | 75.9 | 29.5 | ⚪ | | CJ Daniels | 74.3 | 42.9 | ⚪ | | Harrison Wallace III | 74.6 | 28.3 | ⚪ | | Caleb Douglas | 73.0 | 33.5 | ⚪ | | Caullin Lacy | 71.9 | 35.5 | ⚪ | | Aaron Anderson | 74.2 | 29.3 | ⚪ | | Chris Hilton Jr. | 68.7 | 27.5 | ⚪ | | Donaven McCulley | 73.0 | 27.5 | ⚪ | | Eric McAlister | 77.4 | 36.5 | ⚪ | | Jalen Walthall | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Malik Benson | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Colbie Young | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | 🦺 **Players with incomplete scores had missing data points and will be revisited after the draft. Bandit Football regrets the error.* --- ## Athleticism, Positional Value, Intagibles - 🏅 Athleticism - **Source: Next Gen Stats** — Assigns a 1-10 grade on athletic profile for every player at the Combine. In some cases, NGS estimates the scores if the prospect didn't test in Indianapolis or at their college pro day. - **RAS, MockDraftable, Football Sheets** — 've added these sources to my database for future use. Many prospects had incomplete scores due to lack of testing numbers, so it made more sense to use NGS in this iteration of the model because every prospect ended up with a data point. 📊 Positional Value - **Source: Spotrac** — Analyzing the rookie contract scale and how much guaranteed money each pick receives against the Top 100 cap hits in the NFL by position over the next three seasons. Takes into account the Top 10 highest paid players at their position and the relative cost savings a rookie contract could provide. - **Additive Bonus** — Each player was scored on a 1-10 scale using the consensus big board as a guide for projected savings. Fernando Mendoza was the only player to receive a 10 because starting QBs make anywhere from $30-50 million per season. Other positions, like RB, TE, LB, and S were capped at a maximum 5 points. - **WR Positional Value** - **1st Rd:** Top 15 pick — 9 - **1st Rd:** Pro Bowl upside — 8 - **1st Rd:** Reliable starter — 7 - **1st Rd:** Situation dependent — 6 - **2nd Rounder** — 5 - **3rd Rounder** — 2 - **Projected Day 3 Pick** — 1 🌹🥀 Intangibles - **Source: Dane Brugler** — The Beast prospect guide includes strengths and weaknesses for every player on the big board. Includes off-the-field concerns, quotes from scouts and coaches, and non-negotiable traits for the position. - **My Judgment** — Each player was evaluated based on the additional information, including: injury history, work ethic, football iq, off-field concerns, and non-negotiables for their position. For receivers, my non-negotiable is the abililty to separate. ### Badges - 💰 **Positional Value** — Prospect earned a 5.0 or higher based on the potential value of their rookie contract. - 💎 **Strong Character** — Prospect assigned a 5.0 or higher in their intangible score. - ⚠️ **Investigate Further** — Prospect assigned a -5.0 or worse in their intangible score. | Player | Athleticism | POS Value | Intangibles | Badges | | ---------------------- | ----------- | --------- | ----------- | ------ | | Makai Lemon | 6.5 | 8.0 | 6.0 | 💰 💎 | | Omar Cooper Jr. | 7.5 | 7.0 | 4.0 | 💰 | | Carnell Tate | 6.5 | 9.0 | 1.0 | 💰 | | Jordyn Tyson | 8.0 | 8.0 | \-1.0 | 💰 | | Germie Bernard | 7.5 | 3.0 | 4.0 | | | Denzel Boston | 7.4 | 6.0 | \-3.0 | 💰 | | Elijah Sarratt | 6.6 | 3.0 | 2.0 | | | Zachariah Branch | 8.4 | 3.0 | \-1.0 | | | Malachi Fields | 7.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | | | De'Zhaun Stribling | 8.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | KC Concepcion | 7.1 | 6.0 | \-1.0 | 💰 | | Josh Cameron | 8.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | Antonio Williams | 7.5 | 3.0 | \-1.0 | | | Deion Burks | 9.0 | 2.0 | \-1.0 | | | Skyler Bell | 8.5 | 2.0 | \-2.0 | | | Jeff Caldwell | 9.9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | | | Eric Rivers | 8.1 | 0.0 | \-2.4 | | | Reggie Virgil | 6.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | Chris Brazzell II | 8.3 | 3.0 | \-6.0 | ⚠️ | | Brenen Thompson | 8.1 | 1.0 | \-2.0 | | | Kendrick Law | 8.3 | 1.0 | \-2.0 | | | Ted Hurst | 8.7 | 2.0 | \-5.0 | ⚠️ | | Bryce Lance | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Barion Brown | 7.1 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | Ja'Kobi Lane | 7.9 | 1.0 | \-4.0 | | | Kevin Coleman Jr. | 6.5 | 1.0 | \-6.0 | ⚠️ | | Zavion Thomas | 8.3 | 0.0 | 3.0 | | | Chris Bell | 8.0 | 3.0 | \-8.0 | ⚠️ | | Kaden Wetjen | 6.6 | 1.0 | 4.0 | | | Dillon Bell | 8.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | | | Vinny Anthony II | 6.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | | | Emmanuel Henderson Jr. | 6.9 | 0.0 | 1.0 | | | Chase Roberts | 6.2 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 💎 | | CJ Daniels | 6.1 | 1.0 | \-1.0 | | | Harrison Wallace III | 6.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | | Caleb Douglas | 7.4 | 1.0 | \-2.0 | | | Caullin Lacy | 5.1 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | Aaron Anderson | 5.1 | 0.0 | 3.0 | | | Chris Hilton Jr. | 7.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | | Donaven McCulley | 5.1 | 0.0 | \-5.0 | ⚠️ | | Eric McAlister | 5.9 | 0.0 | \-15.0 | ⚠️ | | Jalen Walthall | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Malik Benson | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Colbie Young | Inc. | Inc. | \-15.0 | ⚠️ | ***Head back to the Big Board:*** [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/04/PIXEL--3-.png) Omar Cooper Jr. profiles as a high-volume, every down wideout early on in his rookie year. ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football looks at the college and NFL game with deep dives on scouting, premium stats, fantasy football, and the Buffalo Bills. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Tight Ends (TE) URL: https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T20:21:32.000Z [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) ### Injury Concerns - ⛑️ **Availability** — Injury history collected from SIS and The Athletic ## Top Tight End Prospects | POS RK | Player | Grade | Achetype | Badges | | ------ | ----------------------- | ----- | ------------- | ------- | | HTE1 | Kenyon Sadiq | 76 | Receiving | | | HTE2 | Eli Stowers | 73 | Receiving | ⛑️ | | TE1 | Sam Roush | 70 | All-Around TE | 🧩 | | HTE3 | Max Klare | 69 | Receiving | | | HTE4 | Dallen Bentley | 69 | Receiving | | | HTE5 | Justin Joly | 67 | Receiving | | | HTE6 | Tanner Koziol | 67 | Receiving | | | TE2 | Jack Endries | 66 | All-Around TE | 🧩 | | YTE1 | Dae'Quan Wright | 66 | Blocking | | | HTE7 | John Michael Gyllenborg | 66 | Receiving | ⛑️ | | HTE8 | Jaren Kanak | 65 | Receiving | ⛑️ | | HTE9 | Marlin Klein | 64 | Receiving | | | HTE10 | Michael Trigg | 64 | Receiving | | | YTE2 | Will Kacmarek | 62 | Blocking | | | TE3 | Joe Royer | 62 | All-Around TE | 🧩 · ⛑️ | | HTE11 | Eli Raridon | 62 | Move | ⛑️ | | YTE3 | Riley Nowakowski | 61 | Blocking | | | TE4 | Josh Cuevas | 61 | All-Around TE | 🧩 | | TE5 | Oscar Delp | 59 | All-Around TE | 🧩 · ⛑️ | | YTE4 | D.J. Rogers | 54 | Blocking | | | TE6 | Matthew Hibner | 53 | All-Around TE | 🧩 | | YTE5 | Bauer Sharp | 52 | Blocking | | | YTE6 | Nate Boerkircher | 51 | Blocking | | | TE7 | Lake McRee | 50 | All-Around TE | 🧩 · ⛑️ | | FB1 | Max Bredeson | 49 | Fullback | | | HTE12 | Khalil Dinkins | 42 | Receiving | | | HTE13 | Miles Kitselman | 40 | Receiving | | | HTE14 | RJ Maryland | 27 | Receiving | | Most of the receiving tight ends profile as big slot receivers who aren't sufficient blockers early on in their NFL career. This could—and likely will—limit their overall involvement in the offensive gameplan on a weekly basis. --- ## Raw Prospect Scores - 🧰 Production Component - **Source: PFF Weekly Grades** — Stresses the importance of game-to-game, play-to-play consistency while adjusting for variance. Accounts for every game played during the tight end's final two seasons in college. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Weekly grades below 60.0 cannot be smoothed over by two-year average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's production grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - 🔬 Film Component - **Source: SIS Scouting Reports** — Watch a minimum of 3-5 games per prospect and assign a grade, from 1 (reject) to 9 (rare), to each of their three critical traits and half-dozen or so positional factors. Assign a final grade that projects how the prospect will stack up at their position by the beginning of their second season in the NFL. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Mediocre traits cannot be smoothed over by average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's scouting grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - ⚖️ Weighting the Two: 80% Prospect Score - **Position Specific** — Some positions have stronger signal in production than film or vice versa and so they are individually weighted to reflect that. - **Receiving Tight End: 65/15 Production** — Receiving tight ends get absolutely nuked by film grades if they're a mediocre or poor blocker. To respect their big slot potential, their prospect score is heavily weighted toward production. - **Blocking Tight End: 50/30 Production** — Just because they're a blocking tight end doesn't mean they can't catch. The defense needs to respect their ability to run routes and not just treat them like a 6th offensive linemen. Because of that, production still gets the edge over film in the prospect score. ### Prospect Chips - 🔵 **Blue Chip Potential** 75+ production & 75+ film - 🟢 **Solid Contributor** — 75+ in prod. or film & 68+ in the other - ⚪ **Situation Dependent** — Everyone else | Player | Production | Film | Chip | | ----------------------- | ---------- | ---- | ---- | | Kenyon Sadiq | 75.2 | 79.8 | 🔵 | | Eli Stowers | 78.4 | 29.0 | ⚪ | | Sam Roush | 69.9 | 63.3 | ⚪ | | Max Klare | 74.8 | 69.7 | ⚪ | | Dallen Bentley | 74.3 | 57.0 | ⚪ | | Justin Joly | 75.3 | 64.5 | ⚪ | | Tanner Koziol | 78.6 | 28.1 | ⚪ | | Jack Endries | 74.7 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | Dae'Quan Wright | 74.2 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | John Michael Gyllenborg | 74.1 | 66.2 | ⚪ | | Jaren Kanak | 72.4 | 59.2 | ⚪ | | Marlin Klein | 70.5 | 57.0 | ⚪ | | Michael Trigg | 75.1 | 68.2 | 🟢 | | Will Kacmarek | 76.4 | 38.3 | ⚪ | | Joe Royer | 71.9 | 58.7 | ⚪ | | Eli Raridon | 71.9 | 58.5 | ⚪ | | Riley Nowakowski | 73.4 | 38.3 | ⚪ | | Josh Cuevas | 73.3 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | Oscar Delp | 70.6 | 58.7 | ⚪ | | D.J. Rogers | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Matthew Hibner | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Bauer Sharp | 67.3 | 25.6 | ⚪ | | Nate Boerkircher | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Lake McRee | 71.0 | 37.5 | ⚪ | | Max Bredeson | 70.9 | 37.5 | ⚪ | | Khalil Dinkins | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Miles Kitselman | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | RJ Maryland | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | 🦺 **Players with incomplete scores had missing data points and will be revisited after the draft. Bandit Football regrets the error.* --- < ## Athleticism, Positional Value, Intagibles - 🏅 Athleticism - **Source: Next Gen Stats** — Assigns a 1-10 grade on athletic profile for every player at the Combine. In some cases, NGS estimates the scores if the prospect didn't test in Indianapolis or at their college pro day. - **RAS, MockDraftable, Football Sheets** — I've added these sources to my database for future use. Many prospects had incomplete scores due to lack of testing numbers, so it made more sense to use NGS in this iteration of the model because every prospect ended up with a data point. 📊 Positional Value - **Source: Spotrac** — Analyzing the rookie contract scale and how much guaranteed money each pick receives against the Top 100 cap hits in the NFL by position over the next three seasons. Takes into account the Top 10 highest paid players at their position and the relative cost savings a rookie contract could provide. - **Additive Bonus** — Each player was scored on a 1-10 scale using the consensus big board as a guide for projected savings. Fernando Mendoza was the only player to receive a 10 because starting QBs make anywhere from $30-50 million per season. Other positions, like RB, TE, LB, and S were capped at a maximum 5 points. - **TE Positional Value** - **1st Rd:** Top 15 pick — 5 - **1st Rd:** Pro Bowl upside — 4 - **1st Rd:** Reliable starter — 3 - **1st Rd:** Situation dependent — 2 - **2nd Rounder** — 2 - **3rd Rounder** — 1 - **Projected Day 3 Pick** — 1 🌹🥀 Intangibles - **Source: Dane Brugler** — The Beast prospect guide includes strengths and weaknesses for every player on the big board. Includes off-the-field concerns, quotes from scouts and coaches, and non-negotiable traits for the position. - **My Judgment** — Each player was evaluated based on the additional information, including: injury history, work ethic, football iq, off-field concerns, and non-negotiables for their position. For tight ends, my non-negotiable is football intelligence. ### Badges - 💰 **Positional Value** — Prospect earned a 5.0 or higher based on the potential value of their rookie contract. - 💎 **Strong Character** — Prospect assigned a 5.0 or higher in their intangible score. - ⚠️ **Investigate Further** — Prospect assigned a -5.0 or worse in their intangible score. | Player | Athleticism | POS Value | Intangibles | Badges | | ----------------------- | ----------- | --------- | ----------- | ------ | | Kenyon Sadiq | 9.9 | 5.0 | \-2.0 | 💰 | | Eli Stowers | 8.6 | 3.0 | 4.0 | | | Sam Roush | 8.8 | 1.0 | 3.0 | | | Max Klare | 6.9 | 2.0 | \-1.0 | | | Dallen Bentley | 8.5 | 0.0 | 2.0 | | | Justin Joly | 5.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | | | Tanner Koziol | 7.4 | 0.0 | 2.0 | | | Jack Endries | 6.7 | 1.0 | 3.0 | | | Dae'Quan Wright | 7.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | | John Michael Gyllenborg | 8.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | | Jaren Kanak | 7.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | | Marlin Klein | 6.9 | 0.0 | 1.0 | | | Michael Trigg | 7.2 | 1.0 | \-5.0 | ⚠️ | | Will Kacmarek | 6.8 | 0.0 | 4.0 | | | Joe Royer | 7.0 | 1.0 | \-1.0 | | | Eli Raridon | 7.5 | 1.0 | \-2.0 | | | Riley Nowakowski | 6.2 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 💎 | | Josh Cuevas | 6.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | | Oscar Delp | 8.9 | 1.0 | \-4.0 | | | D.J. Rogers | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Matthew Hibner | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Bauer Sharp | 7.7 | 0.0 | 1.0 | | | Nate Boerkircher | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Lake McRee | 5.2 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | Max Bredeson | 5.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | | | Khalil Dinkins | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Miles Kitselman | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | RJ Maryland | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | ***Head back to the Big Board:*** [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/04/Eli-Stowers-and-Will-Kacmarek.png) Will Kacmarek (L) and Eli Stowers (R) profile as the top two blocking and receiving tight ends, respectively, in the 2026 draft class. ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football looks at the college and NFL game with deep dives on scouting, premium stats, fantasy football, and the Buffalo Bills. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Offensive Tackles (OT) URL: https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T20:21:16.000Z [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) ## The Great Arm Length Debate 🦖 Short Arms - **Arm length ≥34"** — The ideal arm length for offensive tackles based on historical testing date. Some teams consider 33" to be sufficient, while others are more lenient. - **Kicking inside** Teams may want a tackle prospect to play guard or center if they don't meet the arm length threshold. However, tackles need sufficient traits to play guard (power) or center at the next level. ### Injury Concerns - ⛑️ **Availability** — Injury history collected from SIS and The Athletic ## Top Offensive Tackle Prospects | POS RK | Player | Grade | Scheme | Badges | | ------ | -------------------- | ----- | -------- | ------- | | OT1 | Spencer Fano | 84 | Gap | 🦖 | | OT2 | Blake Miller | 84 | Balanced | | | OT3 | Kadyn Proctor | 81 | Balanced | 🦖 | | OT4 | Caleb Lomu | 76 | Gap | 🦖 | | OT5 | Monroe Freeling | 75 | Balanced | ⛑️ | | OT6 | Francis Mauigoa | 74 | Zone | 🦖· ⛑️ | | OT7 | Caleb Tiernan | 74 | Zone | 🦖 | | OT8 | Jude Bowry | 64 | Gap | | | OT9 | Max Iheanachor | 61 | Zone | 🦖· ⛑️ | | OT10 | Markel Bell | 59 | Zone | | | OT11 | Travis Burke | 57 | Zone | | | OT12 | Fa'alili Fa'amoe | 56 | Zone | ⛑️ | | OT13 | Aamil Wagner | 54 | Zone | | | OT14 | Kage Casey | 53 | Zone | 🦖· ⛑️ | | OT15 | Dametrious Crownover | 52 | Balanced | | | OT16 | Drew Shelton | 50 | Zone | 🦖 | | OT17 | Diego Pounds | 49 | Balanced | 🦖 | | OT18 | Austin Barber | 45 | Zone | 🦖 · ⛑️ | | OT19 | Alan Herron | 43 | Zone | 🦖 | | OT20 | Enrique Cruz Jr. | 33 | Zone | | Scheme is tied to 2025 usage rates, with a balanced role meaning their office ran a little bit of everything. Some of these lineman will end up playing in a meaningfully different scheme in the league, which could impact how quickly they earn consistent snaps on offense. --- ## Raw Prospect Scores - 🧰 Production Component - **Source: PFF Weekly Grades** — Stresses the importance of game-to-game, play-to-play consistency while adjusting for variance. Accounts for every game played during the lineman's final two seasons in college. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Weekly grades below 60.0 cannot be smoothed over by two-year average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's production grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - 🔬 Film Component - **Source: SIS Scouting Reports** — Watch a minimum of 3-5 games per prospect and assign a grade, from 1 (reject) to 9 (rare), to each of their three critical traits and half-dozen or so positional factors. Assign a final grade that projects how the prospect will stack up at their position by the beginning of their second season in the NFL. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Mediocre traits cannot be smoothed over by average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's scouting grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - ⚖️ Weighting the Two: 80% Prospect Score - **Position Specific** — Some positions have stronger signal in production than film or vice versa and so they are individually weighted to reflect that. - **60/20 Film** — Offensive tackle is one of the more volatile positions from a statistical, production standpoint while film provides clearer signal. ### Prospect Chips - 🔵 **Blue Chip Potential** 75+ production & 75+ film - 🟢 **Solid Contributor** — 75+ in prod. or film & 68+ in the other - ⚪ **Situation Dependent** — Everyone else | Player | Production | Film | Chip | | -------------------- | ---------- | ---- | ---- | | Spencer Fano | 82.0 | 72.0 | 🟢 | | Blake Miller | 77.9 | 71.0 | 🟢 | | Kadyn Proctor | 79.2 | 84.6 | 🔵 | | Caleb Lomu | 76.1 | 68.0 | 🟢 | | Monroe Freeling | 75.4 | 68.4 | 🟢 | | Francis Mauigoa | 77.8 | 83.5 | 🔵 | | Caleb Tiernan | 78.3 | 66.0 | ⚪ | | Jude Bowry | 76.6 | 60.5 | ⚪ | | Max Iheanachor | 75.4 | 53.9 | ⚪ | | Markel Bell | 73.0 | 55.1 | ⚪ | | Travis Burke | 77.4 | 56.9 | ⚪ | | Fa'alili Fa'amoe | 74.0 | 63.9 | ⚪ | | Aamil Wagner | 76.0 | 47.5 | ⚪ | | Kage Casey | 80.3 | 49.6 | ⚪ | | Dametrious Crownover | 73.9 | 39.2 | ⚪ | | Drew Shelton | 72.0 | 39.2 | ⚪ | | Diego Pounds | 72.4 | 37.5 | ⚪ | | Austin Barber | 78.4 | 42.5 | ⚪ | | Alan Herron | 72.9 | 36.7 | ⚪ | | Enrique Cruz Jr. | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | 🦺 **Players with incomplete scores had missing data points and will be revisited after the draft. Bandit Football regrets the error.* --- ## Athleticism, Positional Value, Intagibles - 🏅 Athleticism - **Source: Next Gen Stats** — Assigns a 1-10 grade on athletic profile for every player at the Combine. In some cases, NGS estimates the scores if the prospect didn't test in Indianapolis or at their college pro day. - **RAS, MockDraftable, Football Sheets** — I've added these sources to my database for future use. Many prospects had incomplete scores due to lack of testing numbers, so it made more sense to use NGS in this iteration of the model because every prospect ended up with a data point. 📊 Positional Value - **Source: Spotrac** — Analyzing the rookie contract scale and how much guaranteed money each pick receives against the Top 100 cap hits in the NFL by position over the next three seasons. Takes into account the Top 10 highest paid players at their position and the relative cost savings a rookie contract could provide. - **Additive Bonus** — Each player was scored on a 1-10 scale using the consensus big board as a guide for projected savings. Fernando Mendoza was the only player to receive a 10 because starting QBs make anywhere from $30-50 million per season. Other positions, like RB, TE, LB, and S were capped at a maximum 5 points. - **OT Positional Value** - **1st Rd:** Top 15 pick — 9 - **1st Rd:** Pro Bowl upside — 8 - **1st Rd:** Reliable starter — 7 - **1st Rd:** Situation dependent — 6 - **2nd Rounder** — 5 - **3rd Rounder** — 2 - **Projected Day 3 Pick** — 1 🌹🥀 Intangibles - **Source: Dane Brugler** — The Beast prospect guide includes strengths and weaknesses for every player on the big board. Includes off-the-field concerns, quotes from scouts and coaches, and non-negotiable traits for the position. - **My Judgment** — Each player was evaluated based on the additional information, including: injury history, work ethic, football iq, off-field concerns, and non-negotiables for their position. For quarterbacks, my non-negotiable is a willingness to take the hit in order to make a play. ### Badges - 💰 **Positional Value** — Prospect earned a 5.0 or higher based on the potential value of their rookie contract. - 💎 **Strong Character** — Prospect assigned a 5.0 or higher in their intangible score. - ⚠️ **Investigate Further** — Prospect assigned a -5.0 or worse in their intangible score. | Player | Athleticism | POS Value | Intangibles | Badges | | -------------------- | ----------- | --------- | ----------- | ------ | | Spencer Fano | 9.3 | 9.0 | 6.0 | 💰 💎 | | Blake Miller | 9.1 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 💰 💎 | | Kadyn Proctor | 7.7 | 7.0 | 0.0 | 💰 | | Caleb Lomu | 8.6 | 7.0 | 4.0 | 💰 | | Monroe Freeling | 9.1 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 💰 | | Francis Mauigoa | 7.4 | 7.0 | \-4.0 | 💰 | | Caleb Tiernan | 7.7 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 💰 💎 | | Jude Bowry | 8.4 | 3.0 | \-1.0 | | | Max Iheanachor | 8.6 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 💰 | | Markel Bell | 6.4 | 3.0 | 0.0 | | | Travis Burke | 7.2 | 2.0 | \-2.0 | | | Fa'alili Fa'amoe | 6.8 | 1.0 | \-2.0 | ⚠️ | | Aamil Wagner | 7.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | | | Kage Casey | 6.7 | 3.0 | 2.0 | | | Dametrious Crownover | 7.2 | 4.0 | 1.0 | | | Drew Shelton | 7.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | | | Diego Pounds | 7.5 | 2.0 | 3.0 | | | Austin Barber | 8.1 | 3.0 | \-5.0 | ⚠️ | | Alan Herron | 7.2 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | Enrique Cruz Jr. | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | ***Head back to the Big Board:*** [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/04/Blake-Miller.png) Blake Miller broke his wrist during 2025 spring practices and it required surgery — "but he missed only one practice" (per **The New York Times*). ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football looks at the college and NFL game with deep dives on scouting, premium stats, fantasy football, and the Buffalo Bills. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Interior Offensive Linemen (iOL) URL: https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T20:20:40.000Z [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) ### Injury Concerns - ⛑️ **Availability** — Injury history collected from SIS and The Athletic ## Top Guard and Center Prospects | POS RK | Player | Grade | Achetype | Badges | | ------ | ----------------- | ----- | -------- | ------ | | OG1 | Olaivavega Ioane | 79 | Balanced | | | OC1 | Logan Jones | 76 | Zone | ⛑️ | | OG2 | Keylan Rutledge | 74 | Gap | ⛑️ | | OC2 | Jake Slaughter | 72 | Zone | | | OC3 | Sam Hecht | 71 | Balanced | | | OG3 | Chase Bisontis | 70 | Balanced | | | OC4 | Brian Parker II | 69 | Zone | | | OG4 | Emmanuel Pregnon | 67 | Balanced | | | OC5 | Matt Gulbin | 66 | Zone | ⛑️ | | OG5 | Keagen Trost | 66 | Zone | | | OG6 | Jalen Farmer | 65 | Zone | | | OC6 | Jager Burton | 65 | Zone | | | OC7 | Parker Brailsford | 65 | Balanced | | | OG7 | Billy Schrauth | 64 | Zone | ⛑️ | | OC8 | Connor Lew | 63 | Balanced | ⛑️ | | OG8 | Joshua Braun | 62 | Zone | | | OG9 | Gennings Dunker | 61 | Zone | ⛑️ | | OG10 | DJ Campbell | 61 | Balanced | | | OG11 | Anez Cooper | 58 | Zone | | | OG12 | Febechi Nwaiwu | 57 | Zone | | | OC9 | Trey Zuhn III | 56 | Balanced | ⛑️ | | OG13 | Jeremiah Wright | 56 | Balanced | ⛑️ | | OC10 | Pat Coogan | 54 | Zone | | | OG14 | Beau Stephens | 53 | Zone | ⛑️ | | OC11 | Alex Harkey | 50 | Balanced | | | OG15 | Micah Morris | 49 | Balanced | | | OG16 | Jaeden Roberts | 45 | Balanced | | | OG17 | Garrett DiGiorgio | 45 | Zone | ⛑️ | | OG18 | Evan Beerntsen | 44 | Zone | ⛑️ | | OG19 | Logan Taylor | 43 | Gap | ⛑️ | | OG20 | Chris Adams | 38 | Zone | ⛑️ | | OG21 | Ar'maj Reed-Adams | 36 | Zone | | | OG22 | Fernando Carmona | 34 | Zone | | | OG23 | Dillon Wade | 31 | Zone | | ## Raw Prospect Scores - 🧰 Production Component - **Source: PFF Weekly Grades** — Stresses the importance of game-to-game, play-to-play consistency while adjusting for variance. Accounts for every game played during the lineman's final two seasons in college. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Weekly grades below 60.0 cannot be smoothed over by two-year average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's production grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - 🔬 Film Component - **Source: SIS Scouting Reports** — Watch a minimum of 3-5 games per prospect and assign a grade, from 1 (reject) to 9 (rare), to each of their three critical traits and half-dozen or so positional factors. Assign a final grade that projects how the prospect will stack up at their position by the beginning of their second season in the NFL. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Mediocre traits cannot be smoothed over by average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's scouting grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - ⚖️ Weighting the Two: 80% Prospect Score - **Position Specific** — Some positions have stronger signal in production than film or vice versa and so they are individually weighted to reflect that. - **60/20 Film** — Interior offensive line is pretty much a ghost town from a statistical, production standpoint. Film provides a much clearer signal, more often than not. ### Prospect Chips - 🔵 **Blue Chip Potential** 75+ production & 75+ film - 🟢 **Solid Contributor** — 75+ in prod. or film & 68+ in the other - ⚪ **Situation Dependent** — Everyone else | Player | Production | Film | Chip | | ----------------- | ---------- | ---- | ---- | | Olaivavega Ioane | 78.1 | 78.1 | 🔵 | | Logan Jones | 79.8 | 73.0 | 🟢 | | Keylan Rutledge | 75.5 | 73.0 | 🟢 | | Jake Slaughter | 79.3 | 67.0 | ⚪ | | Sam Hecht | 76.2 | 71.0 | 🟢 | | Chase Bisontis | 74.0 | 67.0 | ⚪ | | Brian Parker II | 78.4 | 66.0 | ⚪ | | Emmanuel Pregnon | 78.0 | 59.2 | ⚪ | | Matt Gulbin | 79.4 | 64.9 | ⚪ | | Keagen Trost | 79.0 | 63.0 | ⚪ | | Jalen Farmer | 73.6 | 58.5 | ⚪ | | Jager Burton | 74.5 | 66.0 | ⚪ | | Parker Brailsford | 74.2 | 71.0 | ⚪ | | Billy Schrauth | 76.7 | 66.0 | ⚪ | | Connor Lew | 76.3 | 62.8 | ⚪ | | Joshua Braun | 74.9 | 53.2 | ⚪ | | Gennings Dunker | 79.6 | 59.2 | ⚪ | | DJ Campbell | 74.5 | 64.9 | ⚪ | | Anez Cooper | 74.0 | 55.4 | ⚪ | | Febechi Nwaiwu | 74.8 | 39.9 | ⚪ | | Trey Zuhn III | 77.7 | 36.9 | ⚪ | | Jeremiah Wright | 74.0 | 59.5 | ⚪ | | Pat Coogan | 77.3 | 38.5 | ⚪ | | Beau Stephens | 78.0 | 48.5 | ⚪ | | Alex Harkey | 75.8 | 42.4 | ⚪ | | Micah Morris | 76.5 | 36.2 | ⚪ | | Jaeden Roberts | 76.4 | 31.9 | ⚪ | | Garrett DiGiorgio | 76.3 | 39.2 | ⚪ | | Evan Beerntsen | 77.6 | 36.9 | ⚪ | | Logan Taylor | 25.0 | 40.8 | ⚪ | | Chris Adams | 76.5 | 33.8 | ⚪ | | Ar'maj Reed-Adams | 75.7 | 36.5 | ⚪ | | Fernando Carmona | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Dillon Wade | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | 🦺 **Players with incomplete scores had missing data points and will be revisited after the draft. Bandit Football regrets the error.* --- ## Athleticism, Positional Value, Intagibles - 🏅 Athleticism - **Source: Next Gen Stats** — Assigns a 1-10 grade on athletic profile for every player at the Combine. In some cases, NGS estimates the scores if the prospect didn't test in Indianapolis or at their college pro day. - **RAS, MockDraftable, Football Sheets** — I've added these sources to my database for future use. Many prospects had incomplete scores due to lack of testing numbers, so it made more sense to use NGS in this iteration of the model because every prospect ended up with a data point. 📊 Positional Value - **Source: Spotrac** — Analyzing the rookie contract scale and how much guaranteed money each pick receives against the Top 100 cap hits in the NFL by position over the next three seasons. Takes into account the Top 10 highest paid players at their position and the relative cost savings a rookie contract could provide. - **Additive Bonus** — Each player was scored on a 1-10 scale using the consensus big board as a guide for projected savings. Fernando Mendoza was the only player to receive a 10 because starting QBs make anywhere from $30-50 million per season. Other positions, like RB, TE, LB, and S were capped at a maximum 5 points. - **Guard Positional Value** - **1st Rd:** Top 15 pick — 7 - **1st Rd:** Pro Bowl upside — 6 - **1st Rd:** Reliable starter — 5 - **1st Rd:** Situation dependent — 4 - **2nd Rounder** — 4 - **3rd Rounder** — 2 - **Projected Day 3 Pick** — 1 - **Center Positional Value** - **1st Rd:** Top 15 pick — 4 - **1st Rd:** Pro Bowl upside — 3 - **1st Rd:** Reliable starter — 2 - **1st Rd:** Situation dependent — 1 - **2nd Rounder** — 1 - **3rd Rounder** — 1 - **Projected Day 3 Pick** — 1 🌹🥀 Intangibles - **Source: Dane Brugler** — The Beast prospect guide includes strengths and weaknesses for every player on the big board. Includes off-the-field concerns, quotes from scouts and coaches, and non-negotiable traits for the position. - **My Judgment** — Each player was evaluated based on the additional information, including: injury history, work ethic, football iq, off-field concerns, and non-negotiables for their position. For interior offensive linemen, my non-negotiable is having enough body control to consistently stay on their feet. ### Badges - 💰 **Positional Value** — Prospect earned a 5.0 or higher based on the potential value of their rookie contract. - 💎 **Strong Character** — Prospect assigned a 5.0 or higher in their intangible score. - ⚠️ **Investigate Further** — Prospect assigned a -5.0 or worse in their intangible score. | Player | Athleticism | POS Value | Intangibles | Badges | | ----------------- | ----------- | --------- | ----------- | ------ | | Olaivavega Ioane | 7.4 | 7.0 | \-1.0 | 💰 | | Logan Jones | 8.6 | 3.0 | 2.0 | | | Keylan Rutledge | 9.3 | 4.0 | \-3.0 | | | Jake Slaughter | 8.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | | | Sam Hecht | 6.6 | 3.0 | 1.0 | | | Chase Bisontis | 8.5 | 5.0 | \-2.0 | 💰 | | Brian Parker II | 7.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | | | Emmanuel Pregnon | 7.8 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 💰 | | Matt Gulbin | 5.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | | | Keagen Trost | 7.5 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | Jalen Farmer | 9.2 | 3.0 | 1.0 | | | Jager Burton | 9.6 | 1.0 | \-2.0 | | | Parker Brailsford | 7.2 | 1.0 | \-3.0 | | | Billy Schrauth | 7.6 | 2.0 | \-2.0 | | | Connor Lew | 7.9 | 3.0 | \-2.0 | | | Joshua Braun | 7.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 💎 | | Gennings Dunker | 8.3 | 4.0 | \-3.0 | | | DJ Campbell | 8.3 | 0.0 | \-4.0 | | | Anez Cooper | 5.8 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | Febechi Nwaiwu | 7.0 | 1.0 | 8.0 | 💎 | | Trey Zuhn III | 9.6 | 3.0 | 7.0 | 💎 | | Jeremiah Wright | 6.7 | 1.0 | \-5.0 | ⚠️ | | Pat Coogan | 6.9 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 💎 | | Beau Stephens | 6.4 | 1.0 | \-1.0 | | | Alex Harkey | 7.1 | 1.0 | \-1.0 | | | Micah Morris | 8.6 | 1.0 | \-1.0 | | | Jaeden Roberts | 7.5 | 1.0 | \-1.0 | | | Garrett DiGiorgio | 6.2 | 0.0 | \-2.0 | | | Evan Beerntsen | 5.8 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | Logan Taylor | 7.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | Chris Adams | 5.1 | 0.0 | \-4.0 | | | Ar'maj Reed-Adams | 5.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | | | Fernando Carmona | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Dillon Wade | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | ***Head back to the Big Board:*** [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/04/Logan-Jones.png) Logan Jones was the center for Iowa's dynamic zone rushing scheme. The key for teams will be determining how responsible he was for team success, as it can be difficult to assign individual weight to the position group's team-focused stats. ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football looks at the college and NFL game with deep dives on scouting, premium stats, fantasy football, and the Buffalo Bills. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 2026 NFL Draft Prospects: EDGE Rushers (ED) URL: https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge/ Last updated: 2026-04-27T16:47:39.000Z [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) ## Draft Capital Is for Closers 🏁 Finisher - **Sack Rate ≥3%** — Consistently turns pressure into production ### Injury Concerns - ⛑️ **Availability** — Injury history collected from SIS and The Athletic | POS RK | Player | Grade | Archetype | Badges | | ------ | --------------------- | ----- | --------- | ------- | | EDGE1 | David Bailey | 81 | Speed | 🏁 | | EDGE2 | Arvell Reese | 81 | Hybrid | 🏁 | | EDGE3 | Akheem Mesidor | 79 | Power | 🏁 · ⛑️ | | EDGE4 | T.J. Parker | 76 | Protoype | | | EDGE5 | Cashius Howell | 75 | Speed | 🏁 | | EDGE6 | Gabe Jacas | 75 | Speed | 🏁 | | EDGE7 | Keyron Crawford | 70 | Hybrid | | | EDGE8 | Rueben Bain Jr. | 69 | Power | ⛑️ | | EDGE9 | Joshua Josephs | 68 | Hybrid | | | EDGE10 | Zion Young | 68 | Power | | | EDGE11 | Keldric Faulk | 68 | Power | | | EDGE12 | Caden Curry | 67 | Hybrid | 🏁 | | EDGE13 | Trey Moore | 67 | Hybrid | | | EDGE14 | Malachi Lawrence | 65 | Hybrid | 🏁 | | EDGE15 | Dani Dennis-Sutton | 65 | Power | 🏁 | | EDGE16 | Vincent Anthony Jr. | 65 | Hybrid | | | EDGE17 | Wesley Williams | 63 | Power | | | EDGE18 | Romello Height | 59 | Speed | 🏁 · ⛑️ | | EDGE19 | Derrick Moore | 58 | Speed | 🏁 | | EDGE20 | Mason Reiger | 57 | Power | ⛑️ | | EDGE21 | Quintayvious Hutchins | 57 | Hybrid | | | EDGE22 | Tyreak Sapp | 57 | Power | | | EDGE23 | Max Llewellyn | 54 | Hybrid | | | EDGE24 | George Gumbs Jr. | 54 | Hybrid | | | EDGE25 | Jaishawn Barham | 54 | Speed | | | EDGE26 | Anthony Lucas | 51 | Speed | | | EDGE27 | Logan Fano | 49 | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | EDGE28 | Nadame Tucker | 49 | Speed | 🏁 | | EDGE29 | Patrick Payton | 48 | Hybrid | | | EDGE30 | Aidan Hubbard | 48 | Power | 🏁 · ⛑️ | | EDGE31 | Nyjalik Kelly | 47 | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | EDGE32 | Jack Pyburn | 45 | Speed | ⛑️ | | EDGE33 | Marvin Jones Jr. | 40 | D-Line | | Pass rusher archetypes are tied to 2025 usage rates, with a hybrid role meaning they did a little bit of everything. Some of these edge defenders will end up playing a meaningfully different role in the league, which could impact how quickly they earn consistent snaps on defense. --- ## Raw Prospect Scores - 🧰 Production Component - **Source: PFF Weekly Grades** — Stresses the importance of game-to-game, play-to-play consistency while adjusting for variance. Accounts for every game played during the prospect's final two seasons in college. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Weekly grades below 60.0 cannot be smoothed over by two-year average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's production grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - 🔬 Film Component - **Source: SIS Scouting Reports** — Watch a minimum of 3-5 games per prospect and assign a grade, from 1 (reject) to 9 (rare), to each of their three critical traits and half-dozen or so positional factors. Assign a final grade that projects how the prospect will stack up at their position by the beginning of their second season in the NFL. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Mediocre traits cannot be smoothed over by average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's scouting grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - ⚖️ Weighting the Two: 80% Prospect Score - **Position Specific** — Some positions have stronger signal in production than film or vice versa and so they are individually weighted to reflect that. - **40/40 Split** — Edge rusher is one of the more even positions from both a production and film standpoint. ### Prospect Chips - 🔵 **Blue Chip Potential** 75+ production & 75+ film - 🟢 **Solid Contributor** — 75+ in prod. or film & 68+ in the other - ⚪ **Situation Dependent** — Everyone else | Player | Production | Film | Chip | | --------------------- | ---------- | ---- | ---- | | David Bailey | 81.8 | 81.2 | 🔵 | | Arvell Reese | 74.3 | 81.2 | 🟢 | | Akheem Mesidor | 79.3 | 81.0 | 🔵 | | T.J. Parker | 77.6 | 75.6 | 🔵 | | Cashius Howell | 78.2 | 71.0 | 🟢 | | Gabe Jacas | 75.9 | 64.3 | ⚪ | | Keyron Crawford | 74.6 | 64.9 | ⚪ | | Rueben Bain Jr. | 80.6 | 83.1 | 🔵 | | Joshua Josephs | 79.5 | 69.3 | 🟢 | | Zion Young | 77.3 | 69.7 | 🟢 | | Keldric Faulk | 76.3 | 46.2 | ⚪ | | Caden Curry | 76.3 | 67.4 | ⚪ | | Trey Moore | 74.0 | 63.7 | ⚪ | | Malachi Lawrence | 76.3 | 46.2 | ⚪ | | Dani Dennis-Sutton | 75.5 | 45.4 | ⚪ | | Vincent Anthony Jr. | 71.8 | 64.5 | ⚪ | | Wesley Williams | 73.5 | 46.7 | ⚪ | | Romello Height | 79.0 | 47.5 | ⚪ | | Derrick Moore | 79.3 | 43.8 | ⚪ | | Mason Reiger | 77.5 | 39.3 | ⚪ | | Quintayvious Hutchins | 73.5 | 45.4 | ⚪ | | Tyreak Sapp | 75.7 | 36.7 | ⚪ | | Max Llewellyn | 77.3 | 25.9 | ⚪ | | George Gumbs Jr. | 72.1 | 36.7 | ⚪ | | Jaishawn Barham | 74.7 | 45.0 | ⚪ | | Anthony Lucas | 74.6 | 37.5 | ⚪ | | Logan Fano | 73.4 | 25.0 | ⚪ | | Nadame Tucker | 77.8 | 40.1 | ⚪ | | Patrick Payton | 71.6 | 37.5 | ⚪ | | Aidan Hubbard | 74.6 | 25.0 | ⚪ | | Nyjalik Kelly | 75.9 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | Jack Pyburn | 73.7 | 25.0 | ⚪ | | Marvin Jones Jr. | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | 🦺 **Players with incomplete scores had missing data points and will be revisited after the draft. Bandit Football regrets the error.* --- ## Athleticism, Positional Value, Intagibles - 🏅 Athleticism - **Source: Next Gen Stats** — Assigns a 1-10 grade on athletic profile for every player at the Combine. In some cases, NGS estimates the scores if the prospect didn't test in Indianapolis or at their college pro day. - **RAS, MockDraftable, Football Sheets** — I've added these sources to my database for future use. Many prospects had incomplete scores due to lack of testing numbers, so it made more sense to use NGS in this iteration of the model because every prospect ended up with a data point. 📊 Positional Value - **Source: Spotrac** — Analyzing the rookie contract scale and how much guaranteed money each pick receives against the Top 100 cap hits in the NFL by position over the next three seasons. Takes into account the Top 10 highest paid players at their position and the relative cost savings a rookie contract could provide. - **Additive Bonus** — Each player was scored on a 1-10 scale using the consensus big board as a guide for projected savings. Fernando Mendoza was the only player to receive a 10 because starting QBs make anywhere from $30-50 million per season. Other positions, like RB, TE, LB, and S were capped at a maximum 5 points. - **EDGE Positional Value** - **1st Rd:** Top 15 pick — 9 - **1st Rd:** Pro Bowl upside — 8 - **1st Rd:** Reliable starter — 7 - **1st Rd:** Situation dependent — 6 - **2nd Rounder** — 5 - **3rd Rounder** — 3 - **Projected Day 3 Pick** — 1 🌹🥀 Intangibles - **Source: Dane Brugler** — The Beast prospect guide includes strengths and weaknesses for every player on the big board. Includes off-the-field concerns, quotes from scouts and coaches, and non-negotiable traits for the position. - **My Judgment** — Each player was evaluated based on the additional information, including: injury history, work ethic, football iq, off-field concerns, and non-negotiables for their position. For edge rushers, my non-negotiable is an ability to rush the passer, generate pressure, and finish with a sack. ### Badges - 💰 **Positional Value** — Prospect earned a 5.0 or higher based on the potential value of their rookie contract. - 💎 **Strong Character** — Prospect assigned a 5.0 or higher in their intangible score. - ⚠️ **Investigate Further** — Prospect assigned a -5.0 or worse in their intangible score. | Player | Athleticism | POS Value | Intangibles | Badges | | --------------------- | ----------- | --------- | ----------- | ------ | | David Bailey | 7.9 | 9.0 | \-3.0 | 💰 | | Arvell Reese | 7.9 | 9.0 | 0.0 | 💰 | | Akheem Mesidor | 6.9 | 8.0 | 3.0 | 💰 | | T.J. Parker | 7.5 | 8.0 | \-1.0 | 💰 | | Cashius Howell | 7.1 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 💰 | | Gabe Jacas | 8.2 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 💰 | | Keyron Crawford | 6.6 | 3.0 | 3.0 | | | Rueben Bain Jr. | 7.2 | 5.0 | \-10.0 | 💰 ⚠️ | | Joshua Josephs | 7.4 | 3.0 | \-4.0 | | | Zion Young | 6.2 | 5.0 | \-4.0 | 💰 | | Keldric Faulk | 7.5 | 8.0 | 2.0 | 💰 | | Caden Curry | 7.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | | | Trey Moore | 7.5 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | Malachi Lawrence | 8.8 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 💰 | | Dani Dennis-Sutton | 9.1 | 3.0 | 2.0 | | | Vincent Anthony Jr. | 6.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | Wesley Williams | 6.6 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 💎 | | Romello Height | 7.6 | 3.0 | \-2.0 | | | Derrick Moore | 5.6 | 5.0 | \-3.0 | 💰 | | Mason Reiger | 8.2 | 1.0 | \-1.0 | | | Quintayvious Hutchins | 5.3 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | Tyreak Sapp | 7.3 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | Max Llewellyn | 6.8 | 1.0 | 3.0 | | | George Gumbs Jr. | 7.7 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | Jaishawn Barham | 6.2 | 3.0 | \-5.0 | ⚠️ | | Anthony Lucas | 6.9 | 1.0 | \-3.0 | | | Logan Fano | 7.5 | 1.0 | \-1.0 | | | Nadame Tucker | 6.1 | 1.0 | \-5.0 | ⚠️ | | Patrick Payton | 7.1 | 0.0 | \-5.0 | ⚠️ | | Aidan Hubbard | 7.4 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | Nyjalik Kelly | 6.3 | 0.0 | \-11.0 | ⚠️ | | Jack Pyburn | 5.6 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | Marvin Jones Jr. | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | ***Head back to the Big Board:*** [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/04/Derrick-Moore.png) Derrick Moore is one of the player's where the model & I don't see eye-to-eye. He's punished for a mediocre ability to set the edge against the run and consistently win the point of attack. Fair, but that 1st step explosion is something I'd want to bet on. ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football looks at the college and NFL game with deep dives on scouting, premium stats, fantasy football, and the Buffalo Bills. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Defensive Linemen (DT + NT) URL: https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T20:19:37.000Z [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) ## Defensive Linemen Archetypes - 🧱 Brick Shithouse - **Point of Attack Bounce Rate ≥40%** Eliminates running lanes - **Run Defense Snaps ≥200** On the field early and often - **Run Stop Rate ≥5%** Consistently made the play when it came their way - 🏎️ Wild Hog - **Quick Pressure Rate ≥3%** Fast track to the quarterback 🏁 Finisher - **Total Pressures ≥15** Offenses need to account for their pass-rushing chops - **Total Sacks ≥1.0** Finishes the play ### Injury Concerns - ⛑️ **Availability** — Injury history collected from SIS and The Athletic ## Top Quarterback Prospects | POS RK | Player | Grade | Achetype | Badges | | ------ | -------------------- | ----- | -------- | -------- | | NT1 | Lee Hunter | 77 | 1T / NT | 🏁 | | DT1 | Zane Durant | 72 | 3T | 🏁 | | NT2 | Kayden McDonald | 71 | 1T / NT | 🧱 | | DT3 | Chris McClellan | 71 | 3T | 🏎️ · 🏁 | | DT4 | Gracen Halton | 71 | 3T | 🏎️ · 🏁 | | NT3 | Tim Keenan III | 69 | 1T / NT | ⛑️ | | NT4 | Darrell Jackson Jr. | 68 | 1T / NT | 🧱 | | NT5 | Nick Barrett | 68 | 1T / NT | 🧱 | | DT5 | Peter Woods | 67 | 3T | | | NT6 | Bobby Jamison-Travis | 66 | 1T / NT | | | DT6 | Rayshaun Benny | 65 | 3T | ⛑️ | | NT7 | Albert Regis | 65 | 1T / NT | 🧱 | | DT7 | Skyler Gill-Howard | 65 | 3T | 🏎️ | | DE1 | LT Overton | 65 | Hybrid | 🏁 | | NT8 | Brandon Cleveland | 65 | 1T / NT | | | DT8 | Christen Miller | 64 | 3T | ⛑️ | | DT9 | Caleb Banks | 64 | 3T | ⛑️ | | NT9 | Domonique Orange | 61 | 1T / NT | | | NT10 | Cameron Ball | 59 | 1T / NT | | | DE2 | Jackie Marshall | 58 | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | DT10 | Kaleb Proctor | 58 | 3T | 🏁 | | NT11 | Gary Smith III | 56 | 1T / NT | ⛑️ | | NT12 | Bryson Eason | 56 | 1T / NT | 🏎️ | | DT11 | Tyler Onyedim | 54 | 3T | 🏁 | | NT13 | DeMonte Capehart | 53 | 1T / NT | ⛑️ | | DT12 | Zxavian Harris | 51 | 3T | 🏁 | | DT13 | David Gusta | 49 | D-Line | | | NT14 | Dontay Corleone | 46 | 1T / NT | ⛑️ | | NT15 | Deven Eastern | 44 | 1T / NT | 🧱 | | DT14 | Damonic Williams | 29 | D-Line | | Defensive tackle archetypes are tied to 2025 usage rates, with a hybrid role meaning they sometimes played defensive end. Some of these linemen will end up playing a meaningfully different role in the league, which could impact how quickly they earn consistent snaps on defense --- ## Raw Prospect Scores - 🧰 Production Component - **Source: PFF Weekly Grades** — Stresses the importance of game-to-game, play-to-play consistency while adjusting for variance. Accounts for every game played during the prospect's final two seasons in college. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Weekly grades below 60.0 cannot be smoothed over by two-year average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's production grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - 🔬 Film Component - **Source: SIS Scouting Reports** — Watch a minimum of 3-5 games per prospect and assign a grade, from 1 (reject) to 9 (rare), to each of their three critical traits and half-dozen or so positional factors. Assign a final grade that projects how the prospect will stack up at their position by the beginning of their second season in the NFL. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Mediocre traits cannot be smoothed over by average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's scouting grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - ⚖️ Weighting the Two: 80% Prospect Score - **Position Specific** — Some positions have stronger signal in production than film or vice versa and so they are individually weighted to reflect that. - **60/20 Production** — Defensive Tackle is one of the more fully fleshed out positions from a statistical, production standpoint while film tends to be more subjective ("pick your flavor.") - **50/30 Film** — Nose Tackles don't impact the box score as much. Film tends to have a more meaningful signal. ### Prospect Chips - 🔵 **Blue Chip Potential** 75+ production & 75+ film - 🟢 **Solid Contributor** — 75+ in prod. or film & 68+ in the other - ⚪ **Situation Dependent** — Everyone else | Player | Production | Film | Chip | | -------------------- | ---------- | ---- | ---- | | Lee Hunter | 76.1 | 74.6 | 🟢 | | Zane Durant | 72.6 | 65.5 | ⚪ | | Kayden McDonald | 75.3 | 73.5 | 🟢 | | Chris McClellan | 75.3 | 66.0 | ⚪ | | Gracen Halton | 76.7 | 58.5 | ⚪ | | Tim Keenan III | 75.9 | 58.7 | ⚪ | | Darrell Jackson Jr. | 74.4 | 58.5 | ⚪ | | Nick Barrett | 74.2 | 58.7 | ⚪ | | Peter Woods | 75.7 | 39.3 | ⚪ | | Bobby Jamison-Travis | 74.6 | 54.9 | ⚪ | | Rayshaun Benny | 76.1 | 63.1 | ⚪ | | Albert Regis | 74.7 | 30.2 | ⚪ | | Skyler Gill-Howard | 78.8 | 32.0 | ⚪ | | LT Overton | 74.5 | 30.4 | ⚪ | | Brandon Cleveland | 74.4 | 61.4 | ⚪ | | Christen Miller | 77.2 | 39.9 | ⚪ | | Caleb Banks | 73.7 | 69.4 | ⚪ | | Domonique Orange | 74.4 | 61.5 | ⚪ | | Cameron Ball | 73.8 | 27.9 | ⚪ | | Jackie Marshall | 71.6 | 29.2 | ⚪ | | Kaleb Proctor | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Gary Smith III | 75.5 | 32.6 | ⚪ | | Bryson Eason | 73.1 | 27.9 | ⚪ | | Tyler Onyedim | 72.7 | 36.1 | ⚪ | | DeMonte Capehart | 73.5 | 30.6 | ⚪ | | Zxavian Harris | 73.7 | 62.6 | ⚪ | | David Gusta | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Dontay Corleone | 74.7 | 27.7 | ⚪ | | Deven Eastern | 73.4 | 30.2 | ⚪ | | Damonic Williams | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | 🦺 **Players with incomplete scores had missing data points and will be revisited after the draft. Bandit Football regrets the error.* --- ## Athleticism, Positional Value, Intagibles - 🏅 Athleticism - **Source: Next Gen Stats** — Assigns a 1-10 grade on athletic profile for every player at the Combine. In some cases, NGS estimates the scores if the prospect didn't test in Indianapolis or at their college pro day. - **RAS, MockDraftable, Football Sheets** — I've added these sources to my database for future use. Many prospects had incomplete scores due to lack of testing numbers, so it made more sense to use NGS in this iteration of the model because every prospect ended up with a data point. 📊 Positional Value - **Source: Spotrac** — Analyzing the rookie contract scale and how much guaranteed money each pick receives against the Top 100 cap hits in the NFL by position over the next three seasons. Takes into account the Top 10 highest paid players at their position and the relative cost savings a rookie contract could provide. - **Additive Bonus** — Each player was scored on a 1-10 scale using the consensus big board as a guide for projected savings. Fernando Mendoza was the only player to receive a 10 because starting QBs make anywhere from $30-50 million per season. Other positions, like RB, TE, LB, and S were capped at a maximum 5 points. - **DT Positional Value** - **1st Rd:** Top 15 pick — 7 - **1st Rd:** Pro Bowl upside — 6 - **1st Rd:** Reliable starter — 5 - **1st Rd:** Situation dependent — 4 - **2nd Rounder** — 4 - **3rd Rounder** — 2 - **Projected Day 3 Pick** — 1 - **NT Positional Value** - **1st Rd:** Top 15 pick — 6 - **1st Rd:** Pro Bowl upside — 5 - **1st Rd:** Reliable starter — 4 - **1st Rd:** Situation dependent — 3 - **2nd Rounder** — 2 - **3rd Rounder** — 2 - **Projected Day 3 Pick** — 1 🌹🥀 Intangibles - **Source: Dane Brugler** — The Beast prospect guide includes strengths and weaknesses for every player on the big board. Includes off-the-field concerns, quotes from scouts and coaches, and non-negotiable traits for the position. - **My Judgment** — Each player was evaluated based on the additional information, including: injury history, work ethic, football iq, off-field concerns, and non-negotiables for their position. For quarterbacks, my non-negotiable is a willingness to take the hit in order to make a play. ### Badges - 💰 **Positional Value** — Prospect earned a 5.0 or higher based on the potential value of their rookie contract. - 💎 **Strong Character** — Prospect assigned a 5.0 or higher in their intangible score. - ⚠️ **Investigate Further** — Prospect assigned a -5.0 or worse in their intangible score. | Player | Athleticism | POS Value | Intangibles | Badges | | -------------------- | ----------- | --------- | ----------- | ------ | | Lee Hunter | 8.2 | 4.0 | 2.0 | | | Zane Durant | 9.2 | 1.0 | 3.0 | | | Kayden McDonald | 7.3 | 5.0 | \-2.0 | 💰 | | Chris McClellan | 7.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | | | Gracen Halton | 7.4 | 2.0 | 2.0 | | | Tim Keenan III | 5.8 | 1.0 | 3.0 | | | Darrell Jackson Jr. | 6.9 | 2.0 | 1.0 | | | Nick Barrett | 6.8 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | Peter Woods | 8.1 | 5.0 | \-1.0 | 💰 | | Bobby Jamison-Travis | 6.6 | 0.0 | 2.0 | | | Rayshaun Benny | 6.3 | 1.0 | \-2.0 | | | Albert Regis | 6.7 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 💎 | | Skyler Gill-Howard | 6.8 | 0.0 | 3.0 | | | LT Overton | 5.4 | 3.0 | 2.0 | | | Brandon Cleveland | 5.8 | 1.0 | 0.0 | | | Christen Miller | 7.2 | 4.0 | \-1.0 | | | Caleb Banks | 8.0 | 4.0 | \-4.0 | | | Domonique Orange | 7.6 | 3.0 | \-5.0 | ⚠️ | | Cameron Ball | 5.7 | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | Jackie Marshall | 7.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | | Kaleb Proctor | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Gary Smith III | 5.2 | 0.0 | \-2.0 | | | Bryson Eason | 5.9 | 1.0 | \-2.0 | | | Tyler Onyedim | 5.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | DeMonte Capehart | 8.7 | 1.0 | \-7.0 | ⚠️ | | Zxavian Harris | 6.7 | 1.0 | \-15.0 | ⚠️ | | David Gusta | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Dontay Corleone | 7.8 | 1.0 | \-1.0 | | | Deven Eastern | 6.1 | 1.0 | \-2.0 | | | Damonic Williams | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | ***Head back to the Big Board:*** [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/04/Zane-Durant.png) Zane Durant sacks SMU's Kevin Jennings (L) and fellow '26 prospect Luke Altmyer (R). ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football looks at the college and NFL game with deep dives on scouting, premium stats, fantasy football, and the Buffalo Bills. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Linebackers (MIKE + WILL) URL: https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T20:19:13.000Z [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) ### Injury Concerns - ⛑️ **Availability** — Injury history collected from SIS and The Athletic ## Top Linebacker Prospects | POS RK | Player | Grade | Achetype | Badges | | ------ | ------------------ | ----- | -------- | ------ | | WLB1 | Sonny Styles | 84 | WILL | | | WLB2 | Jacob Rodriguez | 77 | SAM | ⛑️ | | WLB3 | Kyle Louis | 73 | SUB | ⛑️ | | MLB1 | Anthony Hill Jr. | 72 | SAM | | | WLB4 | Jake Golday | 65 | SAM | | | MLB2 | Josiah Trotter | 65 | MIKE | ⛑️ | | MLB3 | Bryce Boettcher | 64 | WILL | | | WLB5 | Karson Sharar | 64 | WILL | | | MLB4 | Aiden Fisher | 63 | SAM | | | MLB5 | Deontae Lawson | 63 | SAM | ⛑️ | | MLB6 | Jimmy Rolder | 62 | WILL | ⛑️ | | WLB6 | Eric Gentry | 60 | SUB | ⛑️ | | WLB7 | Lander Barton | 59 | SAM | ⛑️ | | WLB8 | Scooby Williams | 59 | SUB | ⛑️ | | WLB9 | Justin Jefferson | 59 | SAM | | | MLB7 | Keyshaun Elliott | 58 | SAM | | | WLB10 | Kaleb Elarms-Orr | 57 | SAM | | | MLB8 | Taurean York | 57 | WILL | | | WLB11 | Namdi Obiazor | 55 | SUB | | | MLB9 | Jack Kelly | 53 | SAM | | | WLB12 | Wade Woodaz | 51 | SUB | ⛑️ | | MLB10 | Wesley Bissainthe | 50 | SUB | | | MLB11 | Red Murdock | 49 | SAM | ⛑️ | | WLB13 | Harold Perkins Jr. | 47 | SAM | ⛑️ | | WLB14 | Kendal Daniels | 44 | SUB | ⛑️ | | WLB15 | Xavian Sorey Jr. | 43 | SUB | | Linebacker archetypes are tied to 2025 usage rates, with a sub-package role meaning they were more of a specialist. Some of these linebackers will end up playing a meaningfully different role in the league, which could impact how quickly they earn consistent snaps on defense. --- ## Raw Prospect Scores - 🧰 Production Component - **Source: PFF Weekly Grades** — Stresses the importance of game-to-game, play-to-play consistency while adjusting for variance. Accounts for every game played during the quarterback's final two seasons in college. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Weekly grades below 60.0 cannot be smoothed over by two-year average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's production grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - 🔬 Film Component - **Source: SIS Scouting Reports** — Watch a minimum of 3-5 games per prospect and assign a grade, from 1 (reject) to 9 (rare), to each of their three critical traits and half-dozen or so positional factors. Assign a final grade that projects how the prospect will stack up at their position by the beginning of their second season in the NFL. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Mediocre traits cannot be smoothed over by average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's scouting grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - ⚖️ Weighting the Two: 80% Prospect Score - **Position Specific** — Some positions have stronger signal in production than film or vice versa and so they are individually weighted to reflect that. - **40/40 Split** — Linebacker is one of the more even positions from both a production and film standpoint. ### Prospect Chips - 🔵 **Blue Chip Potential** 75+ production & 75+ film - 🟢 **Solid Contributor** — 75+ in prod. or film & 68+ in the other - ⚪ **Situation Dependent** — Everyone else | Player | Production | Film | Chip | | ------------------ | ---------- | ---- | ---- | | Sonny Styles | 75.4 | 79.4 | 🔵 | | Jacob Rodriguez | 76.3 | 75.5 | 🔵 | | Kyle Louis | 76.1 | 69.7 | 🟢 | | Anthony Hill Jr. | 74.6 | 72.2 | ⚪ | | Jake Golday | 76.2 | 59.5 | ⚪ | | Josiah Trotter | 74.6 | 70.1 | ⚪ | | Bryce Boettcher | 76.0 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | Karson Sharar | 73.9 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | Aiden Fisher | 72.6 | 57.0 | ⚪ | | Deontae Lawson | 73.9 | 58.8 | ⚪ | | Jimmy Rolder | 75.9 | 58.8 | ⚪ | | Eric Gentry | 74.3 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | Lander Barton | 70.9 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | Scooby Williams | 72.9 | 54.5 | ⚪ | | Justin Jefferson | 73.4 | 57.0 | ⚪ | | Keyshaun Elliott | 72.3 | 30.4 | ⚪ | | Kaleb Elarms-Orr | 74.7 | 33.2 | ⚪ | | Taurean York | 75.2 | 31.2 | ⚪ | | Namdi Obiazor | 74.4 | 30.4 | ⚪ | | Jack Kelly | 70.5 | 30.4 | ⚪ | | Wade Woodaz | 73.5 | 32.4 | ⚪ | | Wesley Bissainthe | 73.4 | 57.0 | ⚪ | | Red Murdock | 76.5 | 22.5 | ⚪ | | Harold Perkins Jr. | 70.5 | 22.5 | ⚪ | | Kendal Daniels | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Xavian Sorey Jr. | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | 🦺 **Players with incomplete scores had missing data points and will be revisited after the draft. Bandit Football regrets the error.* --- ## Athleticism, Positional Value, Intagibles - 🏅 Athleticism - **Source: Next Gen Stats** — Assigns a 1-10 grade on athletic profile for every player at the Combine. In some cases, NGS estimates the scores if the prospect didn't test in Indianapolis or at their college pro day. - **RAS, MockDraftable, Football Sheets** — I've added these sources to my database for future use. Many prospects had incomplete scores due to lack of testing numbers, so it made more sense to use NGS in this iteration of the model because every prospect ended up with a data point. 📊 Positional Value - **Source: Spotrac** — Analyzing the rookie contract scale and how much guaranteed money each pick receives against the Top 100 cap hits in the NFL by position over the next three seasons. Takes into account the Top 10 highest paid players at their position and the relative cost savings a rookie contract could provide. - **Additive Bonus** — Each player was scored on a 1-10 scale using the consensus big board as a guide for projected savings. Fernando Mendoza was the only player to receive a 10 because starting QBs make anywhere from $30-50 million per season. Other positions, like RB, TE, LB, and S were capped at a maximum 5 points. - **LB Positional Value** - **1st Rd:** Top 15 pick — 5 - **1st Rd:** Pro Bowl upside — 4 - **1st Rd:** Reliable starter — 3 - **1st Rd:** Situation dependent — 2 - **2nd Rounder** — 2 - **3rd Rounder** — 1 - **Projected Day 3 Pick** — 0 🌹🥀 Intangibles - **Source: Dane Brugler** — The Beast prospect guide includes strengths and weaknesses for every player on the big board. Includes off-the-field concerns, quotes from scouts and coaches, and non-negotiable traits for the position. - **My Judgment** — Each player was evaluated based on the additional information, including: injury history, work ethic, football iq, off-field concerns, and non-negotiables for their position. For linebacker, my non-negotiables are football intelligence and sure-tackling. ### Badges - 💰 **Positional Value** — Prospect earned a 5.0 or higher based on the potential value of their rookie contract. - 💎 **Strong Character** — Prospect assigned a 5.0 or higher in their intangible score. - ⚠️ **Investigate Further** — Prospect assigned a -5.0 or worse in their intangible score. | Player | Athleticism | POS Value | Intangibles | Badges | | ------------------ | ----------- | --------- | ----------- | ------ | | Sonny Styles | 9.4 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 💰 💎 | | Jacob Rodriguez | 8.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | | | Kyle Louis | 7.8 | 2.0 | 3.0 | | | Anthony Hill Jr. | 8.6 | 3.0 | 0.0 | | | Jake Golday | 7.9 | 2.0 | \-1.0 | | | Josiah Trotter | 6.7 | 2.0 | \-1.0 | | | Bryce Boettcher | 6.6 | 1.0 | 3.0 | | | Karson Sharar | 8.2 | 0.0 | 2.0 | | | Aiden Fisher | 6.1 | 0.0 | 4.0 | | | Deontae Lawson | 6.9 | 2.0 | \-1.0 | | | Jimmy Rolder | 7.6 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | Eric Gentry | 7.1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | | | Lander Barton | 6.1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | | | Scooby Williams | 7.4 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | Justin Jefferson | 7.9 | 0.0 | \-3.0 | | | Keyshaun Elliott | 7.7 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 💎 | | Kaleb Elarms-Orr | 8.6 | 2.0 | 1.0 | | | Taurean York | 6.5 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 💎 | | Namdi Obiazor | 7.7 | 0.0 | 3.0 | | | Jack Kelly | 8.5 | 0.0 | 2.0 | | | Wade Woodaz | 7.6 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | Wesley Bissainthe | 6.6 | 0.0 | \-10.0 | ⚠️ | | Red Murdock | 6.3 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 💎 | | Harold Perkins Jr. | 7.8 | 1.0 | \-1.0 | | | Kendal Daniels | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Xavian Sorey Jr. | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | ***Head back to the Big Board:*** [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/04/Jacob-Rodriguez.png) Jacob Rodriguez is high-volume tackler who's always around the ball and mastered the "Peanut Punch," forcing seven (7!) fumbles in his final college season. He profiles as an immediate starting, weakside linebacker with "Face of the Franchise" potential. ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football looks at the college and NFL game with deep dives on scouting, premium stats, fantasy football, and the Buffalo Bills. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Cornerbacks (CB) URL: https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb/ Last updated: 2026-04-23T02:17:26.000Z [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) ## Cornerback Archetypes - 🥊 Press Man - **Press Rate ≥20%** Threat to jam WRs at the line of scrimmage - 🦴 Will tackle anyone - **Scouting Note** — Wants to run through a mfs face 🦬 Buffalo nickel - **Slot Rate ≥25%** Inside/out flex - **Pass Rush Snaps ≥10** Got after the QB ### Injury Concerns - ⛑️ **Availability** — Injury history collected from SIS and The Athletic ## Top Cornerback Prospects | POS RK | Player | Grade | Archetype | Badges | | ------ | --------------------- | ----- | ---------------- | ------------ | | NB1 | D'Angelo Ponds | 83 | Dawg | 🦴 · 🦬 | | CB1 | Mansoor Delane | 83 | Hybrid | 🥊 · 🦴 | | CB2 | Chris Johnson | 77 | Boundary (Off) | 🦴 | | NB2 | Keionte Scott | 76 | Buffalo Nickel | 🦴· 🦬 | | NB3 | Avieon Terrell | 74 | Hybrid | 🥊· 🦬 | | CB3 | Daylen Everette | 74 | Hybrid | 🥊 · 🦴 | | NB4 | Chandler Rivers | 73 | Hybrid | 🦴· 🦬 | | NB5 | Treydan Stukes | 72 | Hybrid | 🦬 | | CB4 | Colton Hood | 72 | Boundary (Off) | | | CB5 | Brandon Cisse | 71 | Hybrid | 🥊 | | CB6 | Jermod McCoy | 71 | Boundary (Press) | 🥊 · ⛑️ | | CB7 | Keith Abney II | 69 | Boundary (Press) | 🥊 | | CB8 | Julian Neal | 68 | Boundary (Press) | 🥊 · 🦴 | | CB9 | Thaddeus Dixon | 67 | Hybrid | 🦴 | | CB10 | Hezekiah Masses | 66 | Boundary (Press) | 🥊 · 🦴 | | CB11 | Will Lee III | 66 | Hybrid | 🥊 · 🦴 | | CB12 | Toriano Pride Jr. | 62 | Hybrid | 🥊 · 🦴 | | CB13 | Davison Igbinosun | 61 | Hybrid | | | CB14 | Ahmari Harvey | 60 | Boundary (Off) | 🦴 | | CB16 | Collin Wright | 60 | Hybrid | | | CB18 | Devin Moore | 60 | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | CB19 | Malik Muhammad | 59 | Boundary (Off) | | | CB20 | Andre Fuller | 59 | Boundary (Press) | 🥊 | | NB6 | Jadon Canady | 58 | Hybrid | 🦬 · ⛑️ | | CB21 | Avery Smith | 58 | Hybrid | 🦴 | | CB22 | Tacario Davis | 58 | Boundary (Off) | ⛑️ | | CB23 | Domani Jackson | 58 | Boundary (Off) | ⛑️ | | CB24 | Jaylon Guilbeau | 56 | Boundary (Off) | | | CB25 | TJ Hall | 50 | Boundary (Press) | 🥊 · 🦴 · ⛑️ | | CB26 | Charles Demmings | 49 | Boundary | | | CB27 | Ephesians Prysock | 47 | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | CB28 | Marcus Allen | 43 | Boundary (Press) | 🥊 · ⛑️ | | CB29 | Latrell McCutchin Sr. | 42 | Boundary (Press) | 🥊 · 🦴 | Corner archetypes are tied to 2025 usage rates, with a hybrid role meaning they did a little bit of everything. Some of these defensive backs will end up playing a meaningfully different role in the league, which could impact how quickly they earn consistent snaps on defense. --- ## Raw Prospect Scores - 🧰 Production Component - **Source: PFF Weekly Grades** — Stresses the importance of game-to-game, play-to-play consistency while adjusting for variance. Accounts for every game played during the corner's final two seasons in college. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Weekly grades below 60.0 cannot be smoothed over by two-year average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's production grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - 🔬 Film Component - **Source: SIS Scouting Reports** — Watch a minimum of 3-5 games per prospect and assign a grade, from 1 (reject) to 9 (rare), to each of their three critical traits and half-dozen or so positional factors. Assign a final grade that projects how the prospect will stack up at their position by the beginning of their second season in the NFL. - **Apply Critical Minimum** — Mediocre traits cannot be smoothed over by average. Instead, once the acceptable threshold for "below-the-line" grades has been crossed, the prospect's scouting grade is capped and trends toward more of a boom-bust profile. - ⚖️ Weighting the Two: 80% Prospect Score - **Position Specific** — Some positions have stronger signal in production than film or vice versa and so they are individually weighted to reflect that. - **50/30 Film** — Cornerback is one of the more volatile positions from a statistical, production standpoint while film provides clearer signal. ### Prospect Chips - 🔵 **Blue Chip Potential** 75+ production & 75+ film - 🟢 **Solid Contributor** — 75+ in prod. or film & 68+ in the other - ⚪ **Situation Dependent** — Everyone else | Player | Production | Film | Chip | | --------------------- | ---------- | ---- | ---- | | D'Angelo Ponds | 77.0 | 81.7 | 🔵 | | Mansoor Delane | 75.8 | 78.1 | 🔵 | | Chris Johnson | 76.3 | 75.3 | 🔵 | | Keionte Scott | 72.8 | 71.3 | ⚪ | | Avieon Terrell | 75.8 | 74.8 | 🟢 | | Daylen Everette | 72.8 | 75.3 | 🟢 | | Chandler Rivers | 76.9 | 70.0 | 🟢 | | Treydan Stukes | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Colton Hood | 74.0 | 68.9 | ⚪ | | Brandon Cisse | 73.7 | 72.8 | ⚪ | | Jermod McCoy | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Keith Abney II | 73.6 | 73.2 | ⚪ | | Julian Neal | 73.1 | 65.4 | ⚪ | | Thaddeus Dixon | 74.0 | 64.9 | ⚪ | | Hezekiah Masses | 74.5 | 64.9 | ⚪ | | Will Lee III | 72.8 | 66.4 | ⚪ | | Toriano Pride Jr. | 73.0 | 55.8 | ⚪ | | Davison Igbinosun | 73.0 | 63.2 | ⚪ | | Ahmari Harvey | 73.2 | 61.7 | ⚪ | | Collin Wright | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Devin Moore | 75.5 | 64.0 | ⚪ | | Malik Muhammad | 73.1 | 54.3 | ⚪ | | Andre Fuller | 73.0 | 62.2 | ⚪ | | Jadon Canady | 75.2 | 58.8 | ⚪ | | Avery Smith | 73.1 | 54.4 | ⚪ | | Tacario Davis | 70.9 | 62.2 | ⚪ | | Domani Jackson | 72.4 | 59.2 | ⚪ | | Jaylon Guilbeau | 71.4 | 56.2 | ⚪ | | TJ Hall | 72.6 | 39.4 | ⚪ | | Charles Demmings | Inc. | Inc. | ⚪ | | Ephesians Prysock | 72.0 | 37.4 | ⚪ | | Marcus Allen | 71.2 | 34.4 | ⚪ | | Latrell McCutchin Sr. | 72.3 | 36.8 | ⚪ | 🦺 **Players with incomplete scores had missing data points and will be revisited after the draft. Bandit Football regrets the error.* --- ## Athleticism, Positional Value, Intagibles - 🏅 Athleticism - **Source: Next Gen Stats** — Assigns a 1-10 grade on athletic profile for every player at the Combine. In some cases, NGS estimates the scores if the prospect didn't test in Indianapolis or at their college pro day. - **RAS, MockDraftable, Football Sheets** — I've added these sources to my database for future use. Many prospects had incomplete scores due to lack of testing numbers, so it made more sense to use NGS in this iteration of the model because every prospect ended up with a data point. 📊 Positional Value - **Source: Spotrac** — Analyzing the rookie contract scale and how much guaranteed money each pick receives against the Top 100 cap hits in the NFL by position over the next three seasons. Takes into account the Top 10 highest paid players at their position and the relative cost savings a rookie contract could provide. - **Additive Bonus** — Each player was scored on a 1-10 scale using the consensus big board as a guide for projected savings. Fernando Mendoza was the only player to receive a 10 because starting QBs make anywhere from $30-50 million per season. Other positions, like RB, TE, LB, and S were capped at a maximum 5 points. - **CB Positional Value** - **1st Rd:** Top 15 pick — 8 - **1st Rd:** Pro Bowl upside — 7 - **1st Rd:** Reliable starter — 6 - **1st Rd:** Situation dependent — 5 - **2nd Rounder** — 4 - **3rd Rounder** — 2 - **Projected Day 3 Pick** — 1 🌹🥀 Intangibles - **Source: Dane Brugler** — The Beast prospect guide includes strengths and weaknesses for every player on the big board. Includes off-the-field concerns, quotes from scouts and coaches, and non-negotiable traits for the position. - **My Judgment** — Each player was evaluated based on the additional information, including: injury history, work ethic, football iq, off-field concerns, and non-negotiables for their position. For safety, my non-negotiables are football intelligence and sure-tackling. ### Badges - 💰 **Positional Value** — Prospect earned a 5.0 or higher based on the potential value of their rookie contract. - 💎 **Strong Character** — Prospect assigned a 5.0 or higher in their intangible score. - ⚠️ **Investigate Further** — Prospect assigned a -5.0 or worse in their intangible score. | Player | Athleticism | POS Value | Intangibles | Badges | | --------------------- | ----------- | --------- | ----------- | ------ | | D'Angelo Ponds | 8.1 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 💎 | | Mansoor Delane | 7.9 | 8.0 | 3.0 | 💰 | | Chris Johnson | 8.7 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 💰 | | Keionte Scott | 7.8 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 💎 | | Avieon Terrell | 6.0 | 6.0 | 0.0 | 💰 | | Daylen Everette | 8.5 | 1.0 | 3.0 | | | Chandler Rivers | 7.7 | 2.0 | 3.0 | | | Treydan Stukes | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Colton Hood | 8.4 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 💰 | | Brandon Cisse | 8.0 | 5.0 | \-2.0 | 💰 | | Jermod McCoy | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Keith Abney II | 6.7 | 3.0 | \-1.0 | | | Julian Neal | 7.6 | 2.0 | 2.0 | | | Thaddeus Dixon | 7.3 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | Hezekiah Masses | 5.1 | 1.0 | 4.0 | | | Will Lee III | 7.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | Toriano Pride Jr. | 7.4 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | Davison Igbinosun | 6.5 | 2.0 | \-3.0 | | | Ahmari Harvey | 5.2 | 0.0 | 1.0 | | | Ahmari Harvey | 5.2 | 0.0 | 1.0 | | | Devin Moore | 6.4 | 2.0 | 0.0 | | | Malik Muhammad | 7.6 | 2.0 | \-2.0 | | | Andre Fuller | 7.2 | 1.0 | \-2.0 | | | Jadon Canady | 6.0 | 1.0 | \-2.0 | | | Avery Smith | 6.3 | 0.0 | 3.0 | | | Tacario Davis | 7.8 | 1.0 | \-5.0 | ⚠️ | | Domani Jackson | 7.5 | 1.0 | \-2.0 | | | Jaylon Guilbeau | 6.3 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | TJ Hall | 5.8 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | | Charles Demmings | Inc. | Inc. | Inc. | | | Ephesians Prysock | 8.1 | 1.0 | \-3.0 | | | Marcus Allen | 6.0 | 0.0 | \-1.0 | | | Latrell McCutchin Sr. | 5.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | | ***Head back to the Big Board:*** [The Top 300 Players in the 2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Sonny Styles headline a deep 2026 NFL Draft class.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/Top-300-Big-Board-----Bandit-Football.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/04/D-Angelo-Ponds.png) D'Angelo Ponds (5'8", 180 lbs.) de-cleats Max Klare (6'4", 250 lbs.) during the B1G Championship Game. Ponds is on the Mount Rushmore of Bandit Bros in the 2026 draft class. ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football looks at the college and NFL game with deep dives on scouting, premium stats, fantasy football, and the Buffalo Bills. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Rookie Rankings URL: https://www.bandit.football/dynasty-rookie-rankings/ Last updated: 2026-05-14T00:11:04.000Z Bandit Football was ranked [#1 in WR draft accuracy](https://www.fantasypros.com/2025/07/2024s-most-accurate-fantasy-football-draft-rankings/?ref=bandit.football) by FantasyPros for the 2024 season. ## Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings [2026 Fantasy Football Rankings](https://www.fantasypros.com/nfl/rankings/consensus-cheatsheets.php?ref=bandit.football) powered by FantasyProsECR ™ - [Expert Consensus Rankings](https://www.fantasypros.com/about/faq/tools/?ref=bandit.football#consensus) ### Dynasty Rankings URL: https://www.bandit.football/dynasty-rankings/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T01:36:57.000Z Bandit Football was ranked [#1 in WR draft accuracy](https://www.fantasypros.com/2025/07/2024s-most-accurate-fantasy-football-draft-rankings/?ref=bandit.football) by FantasyPros for the 2024 season. Dynasty rankings are tinkered with semi-regularly around the big offseason tentpole events. Other than that, expect rankings to be refreshed biweekly during the regular season. *Last updated: June 7, 2026* ## Dynasty Rankings [2026 Fantasy Football Rankings](https://www.fantasypros.com/nfl/rankings/dynasty-overall.php?ref=bandit.football) powered by FantasyProsECR ™ - [Expert Consensus Rankings](https://www.fantasypros.com/about/faq/tools/?ref=bandit.football#consensus) ## Posts ### Fantasy Football Dynasty Rookie Draft: Top 64 Players, Ranked URL: https://www.bandit.football/fantasy-football-dynasty-rookie-draft-top-64-players-ranked/ Last updated: 2026-04-26T19:44:28.000Z These are my initial PPR rankings for leagues with or without TE premium scoring. Overall, it looks like it's going to take some time for this year's rookie class to crack your lineup – outside of the clear top two: **Jeremiyah Love** and **Carnell Tate,** who should see plenty of opportunity as early as Week 1. After that, some of the best landing spots will require a great deal of patience. For instance: **Eli Stowers** without Dallas Goedert might not happen until *next season:* Week 1, 2027. Check back later this week for expanded thoughts on the short term prospects of the 2026 class. [2026 Fantasy Football Rankings](https://www.fantasypros.com/nfl/rankings/consensus-cheatsheets.php?ref=bandit.football) powered by FantasyProsECR ™ - [Expert Consensus Rankings](https://www.fantasypros.com/about/faq/tools/?ref=bandit.football#consensus) ### NFL Draft Classes: All 32 Teams, Ranked URL: https://www.bandit.football/nfl-draft-classes-all-32-teams-ranked/ Last updated: 2026-04-27T23:26:17.000Z The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books and it's time to see if your team shit the bed. This post will be updated with analysis as time permits. For now, use the Team Index below to jump to your squad or scroll to see the rankings in full. Dynasty rookie rankings are next up and will be published in a different post. Player names are linked to their positional ranking's page where you can learn about the archetypes, production, and intangibles that make the 2026 class. ## Team Index | AFC East | AFC North | AFC South | AFC West | | ---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | | [Buffalo Bills](#team-buffalo-bills) | [Baltimore Ravens](#team-baltimore-ravens) | [Houston Texans](#team-houston-texans) | [Denver Broncos](#team-denver-broncos) | | [Miami Dolphins](#team-miami-dolphins) | [Cincinnati Bengals](#team-cincinnati-bengals) | [Indianapolis Colts](#team-indianapolis-colts) | [Kansas City Chiefs](#team-kansas-city-chiefs) | | [New England Patriots](#team-new-england-patriots) | [Cleveland Browns](#team-cleveland-browns) | [Jacksonville Jaguars](#team-jacksonville-jaguars) | [Las Vegas Raiders](#team-las-vegas-raiders) | | [New York Jets](#team-new-york-jets) | [Pittsburgh Steelers](#team-pittsburgh-steelers) | [Tennessee Titans](#team-tennessee-titans) | [Los Angeles Chargers](#team-los-angeles-chargers) | | NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West | | [Dallas Cowboys](#team-dallas-cowboys) | [Chicago Bears](#team-chicago-bears) | [Atlanta Falcons](#team-atlanta-falcons) | [Arizona Cardinals](#team-arizona-cardinals) | | [New York Giants](#team-new-york-giants) | [Detroit Lions](#team-detroit-lions) | [Carolina Panthers](#team-carolina-panthers) | [Los Angeles Rams](#team-los-angeles-rams) | | [Philadelphia Eagles](#team-philadelphia-eagles) | [Green Bay Packers](#team-green-bay-packers) | [New Orleans Saints](#team-new-orleans-saints) | [San Francisco 49ers](#team-san-francisco-49ers) | | [Washington Commanders](#team-washington-commanders) | [Minnesota Vikings](#team-minnesota-vikings) | [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](#team-tampa-bay-buccaneers) | [Seattle Seahawks](#team-seattle-seahawks) | **Ranked in order, 1-32** #### Scoring Method 1st Round Pick (x10) 2nd Round Pick (x5) 3rd Round Pick (x3) 4th Round Pick (x2) 5th-7th Round Pick (x1) Multiply each prospect's grade by their weighted round score. Add up the total then divide by the number of inputs (ex: if a 1st Rounder was input 10 times, add 10 to the total number of inputs, not one). Non-Combine prospects were graded at 50 across the board. Veteran player trades were not factored into the team's final score. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/04/Untitled-design--35-.png) ## 01\. New York Jets | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | -- | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | --------------- | ---- | | 1 | 02 | [David Bailey](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ![Texas Tech](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Texas_Tech_Athletics_logo.svg) | 81 | 🔵 | Elite 1st Step | | | 1 | 16 | [Kenyon Sadiq](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ![Oregon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Oregon_Ducks_logo.svg) | 76 | 🔵 | 1st Off the Bus | | | 1 | 30 | [Omar Cooper Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Indiana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Indiana_Hoosiers_logo.svg) | 79 | ⚪ | YAC Machine | ⛑️ | | 2 | 12 | [D'Angelo Ponds](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![Indiana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Indiana_Hoosiers_logo.svg) | 83 | 🔵 | Dawg | | | 4 | 03 | [Darrell Jackson Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ![Florida St.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Florida_State_Seminoles_old_logo.svg) | 68 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 4 | 10 | [Cade Klubnik](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ![Clemson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Clemson_Tigers_logo.svg) | 69 | 🟢 | Mobile | | | 6 | 07 | [Anez Cooper](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Miami FL](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Miami_Hurricanes_logo.svg) | 58 | ⚪ | Right Guard | | | 7 | 12 | [VJ Payne](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ![K. State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Kstate_text_logo.svg) | 60 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | **GPA:** 77.24 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 02\. Washington Commanders RD PICK Player POS CFB Grade Chip Archetype Risk 1 07 [Sonny Styles](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) LB ![Ohio State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_logo.svg) 84 🔵 1st Off the Bus 3 07 [Antonio Williams](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) WR ![Clemson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Clemson_Tigers_logo.svg) 69 🟢 Slot ⛑️ 5 07 [Joshua Josephs](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) EDGE ![Tennessee](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Tennessee_Volunteers_logo.svg) 68 🟢 Hybrid 6 06 [Kaytron Allen](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) RB ![Penn State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Penn_State_text_logo.svg) 48 ⚪ Early Down 6 28 [Matt Gulbin](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) IOL ![Michigan State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Michigan_State_Spartans_alternate_logo.svg) 66 ⚪ Center ⛑️ 7 07 Athan Kaliakmanis QB ![Rutgers](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Rutgers_Scarlet_Knights_logo.svg) 50 ⚪ NA ❓ **GPA:** 75.24 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 03\. New York Giants | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | -- | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | --------------------- | ---- | | 1 | 05 | [Arvell Reese](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE/LB | ![Ohio State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_logo.svg) | 81 | 🟢 | Defensive Meta | | | 1 | 10 | [Francis Mauigoa](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OL | ![Miami FL](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Miami_Hurricanes_logo.svg) | 74 | 🔵 | Right Tackle or Guard | ⛑️ | | 2 | 05 | [Colton Hood](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![Tennessee](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Tennessee_Volunteers_logo.svg) | 72 | ⚪ | Off Coverage | | | 3 | 10 | [Malachi Fields](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Notre Dame](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Nd_athletics_gold_logo_2015.svg) | 71 | ⚪ | X Receiver | ⛑️ | | 6 | 05 | [Bobby Jamison-Travis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ![Auburn](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Auburn_Tigers_logo.svg) | 66 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 6 | 11 | [J.C. Davis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ![Illinois](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Illinois_Fighting_Illini_logo.svg) | 56 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 6 | 12 | [Jack Kelly](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ![BYU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/BYU_Cougars_logo.svg) | 53 | ⚪ | Sam | | **GPA:** 74.13 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 04\. Arizona Cardinals | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | -- | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | -------------------- | ------- | | 1 | 03 | [Jeremiyah Love](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | ![Notre Dame](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Nd_athletics_gold_logo_2015.svg) | 86 | 🔵 | Workhorse | | | 2 | 02 | [Chase Bisontis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Texas A&M](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Texas_A%26M_University_logo.svg) | 70 | ⚪ | Left Guard | | | 3 | 01 | [Carson Beck](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ![Miami FL](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Miami_Hurricanes_logo.svg) | 51 | ⚪ | Pop-Punk Distraction | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | 4 | 04 | [Kaleb Proctor](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ![SE Louisiana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Southeastern-la_bgd_logo_from_NCAA.svg) | 58 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 5 | 03 | [Reggie Virgil](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Texas Tech](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Texas_Tech_Athletics_logo.svg) | 66 | ⚪ | X | | | 6 | 02 | [Karson Sharar](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ![Iowa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Iowa_Hawkeyes_wordmark.svg) | 64 | ⚪ | Will | | | 7 | 01 | Jayden Williams | OT | ![Ole Miss](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Ole_Miss_Rebels_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | NA | ❓ | **GPA:** 72.13 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.*TK *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 05\. Kansas City Chiefs | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | -- | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | ------------ | ---- | | 1 | 06 | [Mansoor Delane](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![LSU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/LSU_Athletics_logo.svg) | 83 | 🔵 | Prototype | | | 1 | 29 | [Peter Woods](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DT | ![Clemson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Clemson_Tigers_logo.svg) | 67 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 2 | 08 | [R Mason Thomas](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ![Oklahoma](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Oklahoma_Sooners_logo.svg) | 74 | ⚪ | SpeedOutlier | | | 4 | 09 | [Jadon Canady](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![Oregon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Oregon_Ducks_logo.svg) | 58 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | 5 | 21 | [Emmett Johnson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | ![Nebraska](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Nebraska_Cornhuskers_logo.svg) | 62 | ⚪ | Receiving | | | 5 | 36 | Cyrus Allen | WR | ![Cincinnati](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Cincinnati_Bearcats_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | NA | ❓ | | 7 | 33 | [Garrett Nussmeier](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ![LSU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/LSU_Athletics_logo.svg) | 65 | ⚪ | Pocket | | **GPA:** 72.10 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 06\. Carolina Panthers | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | | | | | | | | | | | -- | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | -------------------------- | ---- | | - | -- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | -- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -- | - | ------ | -- | | 1 | 19 | [Monroe Freeling](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ![Georgia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Georgia_Athletics_logo.svg) | 75 | 🟢 | Left Tackle1st Off the Bus | ⛑️ | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | 19 | [Lee Hunter](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ![Texas Tech](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Texas_Tech_Athletics_logo.svg) | 77 | 🟢 | Nose TackleCloser | | | 3 | 19 | [Chris Brazzell II](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Tennessee](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Tennessee_Volunteers_logo.svg) | 66 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⚠️ | | 4 | 29 | [Will Lee III](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![Texas A&M](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Texas_A%26M_University_logo.svg) | 66 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 04 | [Sam Hecht](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![K. State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Kstate_text_logo.svg) | 71 | 🟢 | Center | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 11 | [Zakee Wheatley](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ![Penn State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Penn_State_text_logo.svg) | 63 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | 11 | Jackson Kuwatch | LB | ![Miami OH](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Miami_Redhawks_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | NA | ❓ | | | | | | | | | | | **GPA:** 71.70 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 07\. Detroit Lions | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | -- | ---- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | --------- | ---- | | 1 | 17 | [Blake Miller](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ![Clemson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Clemson_Tigers_logo.svg) | 84 | 🟢 | Ironman | | | 2 | 12 | [Derrick Moore](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Michigan_Wolverines_Logo.svg) | 58 | ⚪ | Speed | | | 4 | 18 | [Jimmy Rolder](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Michigan_Wolverines_Logo.svg) | 62 | ⚪ | Will | ⛑️ | | 5 | 17 | [Keith Abney II](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![Arizona State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Arizona_State_Sun_Devils_baseball_logo.svg) | 69 | ⚪ | Press Man | | | 5 | 28 | [Kendrick Law](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Kentucky](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Kentucky_Wildcats_logo.svg) | 65 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 6 | 24 | [Skyler Gill-Howard](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ![Texas Tech](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Texas_Tech_Athletics_logo.svg) | 65 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 7 | 06 | Tyre West | EDGE | ![Tennessee](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Tennessee_Volunteers_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | NA | ❓ | **GPA:** 71.57 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 08\. Las Vegas Raiders RD PICK Player POS CFB Grade Chip Archetype Risk 1 01 [Fernando Mendoza](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) QB ![Indiana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Indiana_Hoosiers_logo.svg) 83 🟢 Sunshine 2 06 [Treydan Stukes](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) S/CB ![Arizona](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Arizona_Wildcats_logo.svg) 72 ⚪ Hybrid 3 03 [Keyron Crawford](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) EDGE ![Arizona](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Auburn_Tigers_logo.svg) 70 ⚪ Hybrid 3 27 [Trey Zuhn III](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) IOL ![Texas A&M](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Texas_A%26M_University_logo.svg) 56 ⚪ Center ⛑️ 4 01 [Jermod McCoy](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) CB ![Tennessee](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Tennessee_Volunteers_logo.svg) 71 ⚪ Press Man ⛑️ 4 22 [Mike Washington Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) RB ![Arkansas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Arkansas_text_logo.svg) 62 ⚪ Receiving 5 10 [Dalton Johnson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) S ![Arizona](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Arizona_Wildcats_logo.svg) 64 ⚪ Hybrid 5 35 [Hezekiah Masses](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) CB ![Cal](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/California_Golden_Bears_logo.svg) 66 ⚪ Press Man 6 14 [Malik Benson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) WR ![Oregon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Oregon_Ducks_logo.svg) 40 ⚪ Z 7 13 [Brandon Cleveland](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) DTNT ![NC State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/North_Carolina_State_University_Athletic_logo.svg) 65 ⚪ 3 Tech **GPA:** 71.35 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 09\. Miami Dolphins | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | | | | | | | | | | -- | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | ---------------- | ------- | - | -- | --------------------------------------------------------- | -- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -- | -- | ------------ | | | 1 | 12 | [Kadyn Proctor](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ![Alabama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Alabama_Crimson_Tide_logo.svg) | 81 | 🔵 | Elite Strength | | 1 | 27 | [Chris Johnson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![SDSU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/San_Diego_State_Aztecs_logo.svg) | 77 | 🔵 | Off Coverage | | | 2 | 11 | [Jacob Rodriguez](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ![Texas Tech](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Texas_Tech_Athletics_logo.svg) | 77 | 🔵 | El Presidente | ⛑️ | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | 11 | [Caleb Douglas](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Texas Tech](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Texas_Tech_Athletics_logo.svg) | 55 | ⚪ | X | ⛑️ | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | 23 | [Will Kacmarek](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ![Ohio State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_logo.svg) | 62 | ⚪ | Inline Tight End | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | 30 | [Chris Bell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Louisville](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Louisville_Cardinals_wordmark.svg) | 61 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 30 | [Trey Moore](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ![Texas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Texas_Longhorns_logo.svg) | 67 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 38 | [Kyle Louis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ![Pitt](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Pitt_Panthers_wordmark.svg) | 73 | 🟢 | Sub Package | ⛑️ | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 18 | [Michael Taaffe](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ![Texas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Texas_Longhorns_logo.svg) | 58 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 37 | [Kevin Coleman Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Mizzou](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Mizzou_Athletics_wordmark.svg) | 63 | 🟢 | Slot | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 40 | Seydou Traore | TE | ![Miss. St.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Mississippi_State_University_Bulldogs_Logo_Official.svg) | 50 | ⚪️ | NA | ❓ | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | 11 | [DJ Campbell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Texas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Texas_Longhorns_logo.svg) | 61 | ⚪ | Right Guard | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | 22 | [Max Llewellyn](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ![Iowa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Iowa_Hawkeyes_wordmark.svg) | 54 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | | | | | | | | | **GPA:** 71.34 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 10\. Chicago Bears | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | | | | | | | | | | | -- | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | --- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | ------------ | ---- | | - | -- | ----------------------------------------------------- | -- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -- | - | -------------- | | | 1 | 25 | [Dillon Thieneman](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ![Oregon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Oregon_Ducks_logo.svg) | 78 | 🔵 | Enforcer | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | 25 | [Logan Jones](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Iowa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Iowa_Hawkeyes_wordmark.svg) | 76 | 🟢 | Center | ⛑️ | | 3 | 05 | [Sam Roush](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ![Stanford](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Stanford_Cardinal_logo.svg) | 70 | ⚪ | True Tight End | | | 3 | 25 | [Zavion Thomas](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![LSU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/LSU_Athletics_logo.svg) | 62 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 24 | [Malik Muhammad](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![Texas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Texas_Longhorns_logo.svg) | 59 | ⚪ | Off Coverage | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 26 | [Keyshaun Elliott](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ![Arizona State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Arizona_State_Sun_Devils_baseball_logo.svg) | 58 | ⚪ | Sam | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 32 | Jordan Van den Berg | DT | ![Georgia Tech](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Arizona_State_Sun_Devils_baseball_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | NA | ❓ | | | | | | | | | | | **GPA:** 71.28 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 11\. Cleveland Browns | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | -- | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | --- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | ---------------- | ---- | | 1 | 09 | [Spencer Fano](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OL | ![Utah](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Utah_Utes_logo.svg) | 84 | 🟢 | People Pleaser | | | 1 | 24 | [KC Concepcion](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Texas A&M](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Texas_A%26M_University_logo.svg) | 70 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 2 | 07 | [Denzel Boston](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Washington](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Washington_Huskies_logo.svg) | 72 | 🟢 | X | | | 2 | 26 | [Emmanuel McNeil-Warren](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ![Texas A&M](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Toledo_Rockets_wordmark.svg) | 74 | 🔵 | Enforcer | | | 3 | 22 | [Austin Barber](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ![Florida](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Florida_Gators_script_logo.svg) | 45 | ⚪ | Tackle | ⚠️ | | 5 | 06 | [Parker Brailsford](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Alabama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Alabama_Crimson_Tide_logo.svg) | 65 | ⚪ | Center | | | 5 | 09 | [Justin Jefferson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ![Alabama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Alabama_Crimson_Tide_logo.svg) | 59 | ⚪ | Sam | | | 5 | 30 | [Joe Royer](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ![Cincinnati](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Cincinnati_Bearcats_logo.svg) | 62 | ⚪ | Hybrid Tight End | ⛑️ | | 6 | 01 | [Taylen Green](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ![Arkansas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Arkansas_text_logo.svg) | 57 | ⚪ | Creator | | | 7 | 32 | Carsen Ryan | TE | ![BYU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/BYU_Cougars_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | NA | ❓ | **GPA:** 71.00 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 12\. Philadelphia Eagles | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | | | | | | | | | | -- | ---- | --------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | ---------- | ---- | - | -- | ------------------------------------------------------- | -- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -- | - | -------------- | -- | | 1 | 20 | [Makai Lemon](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![USC](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/USC_Trojans_logo.svg) | 84 | 🟢 | Dawg | | 2 | 22 | [Eli Stowers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ![Vanderbilt](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Vanderbilt_Commodores_%282022%29_logo.svg) | 73 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | ⛑️ | | 3 | 04 | [Markel Bell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ![Miami FL](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Miami_Hurricanes_logo.svg) | 59 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 38 | [Cole Payton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ![NDSU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/North_Dakota_State_Bison_wordmark.svg) | 45 | ⚪ | Mobile | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 26 | [Micah Morris](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Georgia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Georgia_Athletics_logo.svg) | 49 | ⚪ | Guard Flex | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | 28 | Cole Wisniewski | S | ![Texas Tech](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Texas_Tech_Athletics_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | NA | ❓ | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | 35 | Uar Bernard | DTNT | 🇳🇬 | 50 | ⚪ | IPP | ❓ | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | 36 | Keyshawn James-Newby | EDGE | ![New Mexico](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/New_Mexico_Lobos_wordmark.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | NA | ❓ | | | | | | | | | | **GPA:** 70.70 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 13\. Los Angeles Chargers | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | -- | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | ------------- | ---- | | 1 | 22 | [Akheem Mesidor](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ![Miami FL](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Miami_Hurricanes_logo.svg) | 79 | 🔵 | Grown Ass Man | ⛑️ | | 2 | 31 | [Jake Slaughter](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Florida](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Florida_Gators_script_logo.svg) | 72 | ⚪ | Guard/Center | | | 4 | 05 | [Brenen Thompson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Miss. St.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Mississippi_State_University_Bulldogs_Logo_Official.svg) | 65 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | 4 | 17 | [Travis Burke](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ![Memphis](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Memphis_Tigers_primary_wordmark.svg) | 57 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 4 | 31 | [Genesis Smith](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ![Arizona](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Arizona_Wildcats_logo.svg) | 63 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 5 | 05 | [Nick Barrett](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ![South Carolina](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/South_Carolina_Gamecocks_logo.svg) | 68 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 6 | 21 | [Logan Taylor](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Boston College](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Boston_College_Eagles_wordmark.svg) | 43 | ⚪ | O-Line | ⛑️ | | 6 | 25 | [Alex Harkey](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Oregon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Oregon_Ducks_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | Center | | **GPA:** 70.04 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 14\. Tennessee Titans RD PICK Player POS CFB Grade Chip Archetype Risk 1 04 [Carnell Tate](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) WR ![Ohio State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_logo.svg) 78 🟢 X Receiver · Deep Threat 1 31 [Keldric Faulk](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) EDGE ![Auburn](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Auburn_Tigers_logo.svg) 68 ⚪ Power 2 28 [Anthony Hill Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) LB ![Texas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Texas_Longhorns_logo.svg) 72 ⚪ Sam 5 02 [Fernando Carmona](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) IOL < ![Arkansas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Arkansas_text_logo.svg) 34 ⚪ Guard 5 25 [Nicholas Singleton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) RB ![Penn State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Penn_State_text_logo.svg) 63 ⚪ Receiving 6 03 [Jackie Marshall](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) DTNT ![Baylor](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Baylor_Athletics_logo.svg) 58 ⚪ 4i ⛑️ 6 13 [Pat Coogan](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) IOL ![Indiana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Indiana_Hoosiers_logo.svg) 54 ⚪ Center 7 09 [Jaren Kanak](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) TE ![Oklahoma](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Oklahoma_Sooners_logo.svg) 65 ⚪ Move Tight End ⛑️ **GPA:** 69.80 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 15\. Dallas Cowboys | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | | | | | | | | | | -- | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | ---------------- | ---- | - | -- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -- | - | ------ | | | 1 | 11 | [Caleb Downs](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ![Ohio State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_logo.svg) | 88 | 🔵 | Force Multiplier | | 1 | 23 | [Malachi Lawrence](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ![UCF](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/UCF_Knights_logo.svg) | 65 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 3 | 28 | [Jaishawn Barham](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Michigan_Wolverines_Logo.svg) | 54 | ⚪ | Speed | ⚠️ | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 12 | [Drew Shelton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ![Penn State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Penn_State_text_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 14 | [Devin Moore](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![Florida](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Florida_Gators_script_logo.svg) | 60 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 37 | [LT Overton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ![Alabama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Alabama_Crimson_Tide_logo.svg) | 65 | ⚪ | 4i | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | 02 | Anthony Smith | WR | ![ECU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Alabama_Crimson_Tide_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | NA | ❓ | | | | | | | | | | **GPA:** 69.73 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 16\. Baltimore Ravens | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | | -- | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | ---------------- | ----- | -- | | 1 | 14 | [Olaivavega Ioane](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Penn State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Penn_State_text_logo.svg) | 79 | 🔵 | Undertaker | | | | 2 | 13 | [Zion Young](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ![Mizzou](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Mizzou_Athletics_wordmark.svg) | 68 | 🟢 | Power | | | | 3 | 16 | [Ja'Kobi Lane](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![USC](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/USC_Trojans_logo.svg) | 63 | ⚪ | X | ⛑️ | | | 4 | 15 | [Elijah Sarratt](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Indiana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Indiana_Hoosiers_logo.svg) | 72 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | | 5 | 14 | [Matthew Hibner](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ![SMU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/SMU_Mustang_logo.svg) | 53 | ⚪ | Hybrid Tight End | | | | 5 | 22 | [Chandler Rivers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![Duke](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Duke_Blue_Devils_logo.svg) | 73 | 🟢 | Hybrid | | | | 5 | 33 | [Josh Cuevas](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ![Alabama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Alabama_Crimson_Tide_logo.svg) | 61 | ⚪ | Hybrid Tight End | | | | 5 | 34 | [Adam Randall](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | ![Clemson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Clemson_Tigers_logo.svg) | 60 | ⚪ | Receiving | | | | 6 | 30 | Ryan Eckley | P | ![Michigan State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Clemson_Tigers_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | Punter | ❓ | | | 7 | 34 | [Rayshaun Benny](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Michigan_Wolverines_Logo.svg) | 65 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | ⛑️ | | | 7 | 37 | [Evan Beerntsen](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Northwestern](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Northwestern_Wildcats_logo.svg) | 74 | 44 | ⚪ | Guard | ⛑️ | **GPA:** 69.22 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 17\. New England Patriots | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | -- | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | --------------------- | ---- | | 1 | 28 | [Caleb Lomu](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ![Utah](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Utah_Utes_logo.svg) | 76 | 🟢 | Left Tackle · Project | | | 2 | 31 | [Gabe Jacas](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ![Illinois](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Illinois_Fighting_Illini_logo.svg) | 75 | ⚪ | Dawg | | | 3 | 31 | [Eli Raridon](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ![Notre Dame](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Nd_athletics_gold_logo_2015.svg) | 62 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | ⛑️ | | 5 | 31 | Karon Prunty | CB | ![Wake Forest](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Nd_athletics_gold_logo_2015.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | NA | ❓ | | 6 | 10 | [Dametrious Crownover](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ![Texas A&M](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Texas_A%26M_University_logo.svg) | 52 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 6 | 31 | [Namdi Obiazor](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ![TCU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Texas_Christian_University_wordmark.svg) | 55 | ⚪ | Sub Package | | | 7 | 18 | [Behren Morton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ![Texas Tech](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Texas_Tech_Athletics_logo.svg) | 43 | ⚪ | Pocket | | | 7 | 29 | [Jam Miller](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | ![Alabama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Alabama_Crimson_Tide_logo.svg) | 62 | ⚪ | Receiving | | | 7 | 31 | [Quintayvious Hutchins](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ![Boston College](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Boston_College_Eagles_wordmark.svg) | 57 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | **GPA:** 68.33 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 18\. Los Angeles Rams | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | -- | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | -------------- | ---- | | 1 | 13 | [Ty Simpson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ![Alabama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Alabama_Crimson_Tide_logo.svg) | 68 | ⚪ | Processor | | | 2 | 29 | [Max Klare](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ![Ohio State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_logo.svg) | 69 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | | | 3 | 29 | [Keagen Trost](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Mizzou](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Mizzou_Athletics_wordmark.svg) | 66 | ⚪ | O-Line | | | 6 | 16 | [CJ Daniels](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Miami FL](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Miami_Hurricanes_logo.svg) | 57 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | 7 | 16 | [Tim Keenan III](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ![Alabama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Alabama_Crimson_Tide_logo.svg) | 69 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | ⛑️ | **GPA:** 67.45 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 19\. Houston Texans | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | -- | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | -------------- | ---- | | 1 | 26 | [Keylan Rutledge](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Georgia Tech](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Georgia_Tech_Yellow_Jackets_logo.svg) | 74 | 🟢 | Right Guard | ⛑️ | | 2 | 06 | [Kayden McDonald](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ![Ohio State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_logo.svg) | 71 | 🟢 | Nose Tackle | | | 2 | 27 | [Marlin Klein](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Michigan_Wolverines_Logo.svg) | 64 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | | | 4 | 06 | [Febechi Nwaiwu](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Oklahoma](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Oklahoma_Sooners_logo.svg) | 57 | ⚪ | Left Guard | | | 4 | 23 | [Wade Woodaz](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ![Clemson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Clemson_Tigers_logo.svg) | 51 | ⚪ | Sub Package | ⛑️ | | 5 | 01 | [Kamari Ramsey](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ![USC](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/USC_Trojans_logo.svg) | 73 | ⚪ | Star | | | 6 | 23 | Lewis Bond | WR | ![Boston College](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/USC_Trojans_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | NA | ❓ | | 7 | 27 | [Aiden Fisher](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ![Indiana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Indiana_Hoosiers_logo.svg) | 63 | ⚪ | Sam | | **GPA:** 67.23 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 20\. Green Bay Packers RD PICK Player POS CFB Grade Chip Archetype Risk 2 20 [Brandon Cisse](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) CB ![South Carolina](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/South_Carolina_Gamecocks_logo.svg) 71 ⚪ Hybrid 3 13 [Chris McClellan](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) DTNT ![Mizzou](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Mizzou_Athletics_wordmark.svg) 71 ⚪ 3 Tech 4 20 [Dani Dennis-Sutton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) EDGE ![Penn State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Penn_State_text_logo.svg) 65 ⚪ Power 5 13 [Jager Burton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) IOL ![Kentucky](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Kentucky_Wildcats_logo.svg) 65 ⚪ O-Line 6 20 [Domani Jackson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) CB ![Alabama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Alabama_Crimson_Tide_logo.svg) 58 ⚪ Off Coverage ⛑️ 7 20 Trey Smack K ![Florida](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Florida_Gators_script_logo.svg) 50 ⚪ Kicker **GPA:** 67.00 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 21\. Tampa Bay Buccaneers RD PICK Player POS CFB Grade Chip Archetype Risk 1 15 [Rueben Bain Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) EDGE ![Miami FL](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Miami_Hurricanes_logo.svg) 69 🔵 Power ⛑️ · ⚠️ 2 14 [Josiah Trotter](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) LB ![Mizzou](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Mizzou_Athletics_wordmark.svg) 65 ⚪ Mike ⛑️ 3 13 [Ted Hurst](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) WR ![Georgia State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Georgia_State_Athletics_wordmark.svg) 64 ⚪ X ⚠️ 4 16 [Keionte Scott](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) CB ![Miami FL](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Miami_Hurricanes_logo.svg) 76 ⚪ Buffalo Nickel 5 15 [DeMonte Capehart](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) DTNT ![Clemson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Clemson_Tigers_logo.svg) 53 ⚪ 3 Tech ⛑️ · ⚠️ 5 20 [Billy Schrauth](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) IOL ![Notre Dame](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Nd_athletics_gold_logo_2015.svg) 64 ⚪ Left Guard ⛑️ 6 04 [Bauer Sharp](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) TE ![LSU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/LSU_Athletics_logo.svg) 52 ⚪ Inline Tight End **GPA:** 66.43 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 22\. New Orleans Saints | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | -- | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | ---------------- | ------- | | 1 | 08 | [Jordyn Tyson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | S | ![Arizona State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Arizona_State_Sun_Devils_baseball_logo.svg) | 74 | 🔵 | Deep Threat | ⛑️ | | 2 | 10 | [Christen Miller](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ![Georgia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Georgia_Athletics_logo.svg) | 64 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | ⛑️ | | 3 | 09 | [Oscar Delp](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ![Georgia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Georgia_Athletics_logo.svg) | 59 | ⚪ | Hybrid Tight End | ⛑️ | | 4 | 32 | [Jeremiah Wright](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Auburn](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Auburn_Tigers_logo.svg) | 56 | ⚪ | Guard Flex | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | 4 | 36 | [Bryce Lance](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![NDSU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/North_Dakota_State_Bison_wordmark.svg) | 64 | ⚪ | X | | | 5 | 32 | [Lorenzo Styles Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ![Ohio State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_logo.svg) | 48 | ⚪ | Deep | | | 6 | 09 | [Barion Brown](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![LSU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/LSU_Athletics_logo.svg) | 64 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 7 | 03 | [TJ Hall](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![Iowa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Iowa_Hawkeyes_wordmark.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | Press Man | ⛑️ | **GPA:** 65.56 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 23\. Indianapolis Colts RD PICK Player POS CFB Grade Chip Archetype Risk 2 15 [C.J. Allen](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) LB ![Georgia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Georgia_Athletics_logo.svg) 65 🟢 Sam 3 14 [A.J. Haulcy](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) S ![LSU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/LSU_Athletics_logo.svg) 71 ⚪ Deep 4 13 [Jalen Farmer](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) IOL ![Kentucky](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Kentucky_Wildcats_logo.svg) 65 ⚪ Right Guard 4 35 [Bryce Boettcher](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) LB ![Oregon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Oregon_Ducks_logo.svg) 64 ⚪ Will 5 16 [George Gumbs Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) EDGE ![Florida](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Florida_Gators_script_logo.svg) 54 ⚪ Hybrid 6 33 [Caden Curry](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) EDGE ![Ohio State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_logo.svg) 67 ⚪ Hybrid 7 21 [Seth McGowan](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) RB ![Kentucky](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Kentucky_Wildcats_logo.svg) 53 ⚪ Early Down ⚠️ 7 38 [Deion Burks](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) WR ![Oklahoma](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Oklahoma_Sooners_logo.svg) 68 ⚪ Hybrid **GPA:** 64.86 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 24\. Buffalo Bills | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | -- | ---- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | --------- | ---- | | 2 | 03 | [T.J. Parker](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ![Clemson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Clemson_Tigers_logo.svg) | 76 | 🔵 | Prototype | | | 2 | 30 | [Davison Igbinosun](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![Ohio State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_logo.svg) | 61 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 4 | 02 | [Jude Bowry](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ![Boston College](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Boston_College_Eagles_wordmark.svg) | 64 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 4 | 25 | [Skyler Bell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![UConn](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/Connecticut_Huskies_wordmark.svg) | 68 | 🟢 | Hybrid | | | 4 | 26 | [Kaleb Elarms-Orr](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ![TCU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Texas_Christian_University_wordmark.svg) | 57 | ⚪ | Sam | | | 5 | 27 | [Jalon Kilgore](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ![South Carolina](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/South_Carolina_Gamecocks_logo.svg) | 73 | ⚪ | Star | | | 5 | 41 | [Zane Durant](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ![Penn State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Penn_State_text_logo.svg) | 72 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 7 | 04 | [Toriano Pride Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![Mizzou](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Mizzou_Athletics_wordmark.svg) | 62 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 7 | 23 | Tommy Doman | P | ![Florida](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Florida_Gators_script_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | Punter | ❓ | | 7 | 25 | [Ar'maj Reed-Adams](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Texas A&M](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Texas_A%26M_University_logo.svg) | 36 | ⚪ | Guard | | **GPA:** 64.57 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 25\. Pittsburgh Steelers RD PICK Player POS CFB Grade Chip Archetype Risk 1 21 [Max Iheanachor](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) OT ![Arizona State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Arizona_State_Sun_Devils_baseball_logo.svg) 61 ⚪ Developmental 2 21 [Germie Bernard](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) WR ![Alabama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Alabama_Crimson_Tide_logo.svg) 74 ⚪ Hybrid 3 12 [Drew Allar](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) QB ![Penn State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Penn_State_text_logo.svg) 62 ⚪ Mobile 3 21 [Daylen Everette](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) CB ![Georgia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Georgia_Athletics_logo.svg) 74 🟢 Hybrid 3 35 [Gennings Dunker](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) IOL ![Iowa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Iowa_Hawkeyes_wordmark.svg) 61 ⚪ Swing Tackle/Guard ⛑️ 4 21 [Kaden Wetjen](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) WR ![Iowa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Iowa_Hawkeyes_wordmark.svg) 61 ⚪ Returner 5 29 [Riley Nowakowski](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) TE ![Indiana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Indiana_Hoosiers_logo.svg) 61 ⚪ Inline Tight End 6 35 Gabriel Rubio DT ![Notre Dame](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Nd_athletics_gold_logo_2015.svg) 50 ⚪ NA 7 08 [Robert Spears-Jennings](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) S ![Oklahoma](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Oklahoma_Sooners_logo.svg) 53 ⚪ Deep 7 14 [Eli Heidenreich](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) RB ![Navy](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Navy_Athletics_logo.svg) 62 ⚪ Receiving **GPA:** 63.97 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 26\. Seattle Seahawks RD PICK Player POS CFB Grade Chip Archetype Risk 1 32 [Jadarian Price](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) RB ![Notre Dame](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Nd_athletics_gold_logo_2015.svg) 69 🟢 Committee 2 32 [Bud Clark](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) S ![TCU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Texas_Christian_University_wordmark.svg) 59 ⚪ Hybrid 3 35 [Julian Neal](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) CB ![Arkansas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Arkansas_text_logo.svg) 68 ⚪ Press Man 5 08 [Beau Stephens](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) IOL ![Iowa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Iowa_Hawkeyes_wordmark.svg) 53 ⚪ Left Guard ⛑️ 6 18 [Emmanuel Henderson Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) WR ![Kansas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Kansas_Jayhawks_1946_logo.svg) 58 ⚪ X 7 20 [Andre Fuller](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) CB ![Toledo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Toledo_Rockets_wordmark.svg) 59 ⚪ Press Man 7 26 [Deven Eastern](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) DTNT ![Minnesota](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Minnesota_Golden_Gophers_logo.svg) 44 ⚪ Nose Tackle 7 39 Michael Dansby CB ![Arizona](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Arizona_Wildcats_logo.svg) 50 ⚪ NA ❓ **GPA:** 63.17 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 27\. Atlanta Falcons | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | -- | ---- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | --------- | ---- | | 2 | 16 | [Avieon Terrell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![Clemson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Clemson_Tigers_logo.svg) | 74 | 🟢 | Hybrid | | | 3 | 15 | [Zachariah Branch](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Georgia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Georgia_Athletics_logo.svg) | 72 | ⚪ | Slot | ⛑️ | | 4 | 22 | [Kendal Daniels](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB/S | ![Oklahoma](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Oklahoma_Sooners_logo.svg) | 44 | ⚪ | Sub | | | 6 | 27 | Anterio Thompson | DTNT | ![Washington](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Washington_Huskies_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | NA | ❓ | | 6 | 34 | [Harold Perkins Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ![LSU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/LSU_Athletics_logo.svg) | 47 | ⚪ | Sam | | | 7 | 15 | Ethan Onianwa | OT | ![Ohio State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_logo.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | NA | ❓ | **GPA:** 63.15 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 28\. Minnesota Vikings RD PICK Player POS CFB Grade Chip Archetype Risk 1 18 [Caleb Banks](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) DTNT ![Florida](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Florida_Gators_script_logo.svg) 64 ⚪ 3 Tech ⛑️ 2 19 [Jake Golday](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) LB ![Cincinnati](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Cincinnati_Bearcats_logo.svg) 65 ⚪ Sam 3 18 [Domonique Orange](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) DTNT ![Iowa State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Iowa_State_Cyclones_logo.svg) 61 ⚪ Nose Tackle ⚠️ 3 33 [Caleb Tiernan](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) OT ![Northwestern](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Northwestern_Wildcats_logo.svg) 74 ⚪ Swing Tackle 3 34 [Jakobe Thomas](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) S ![Miami FL](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Miami_Hurricanes_logo.svg) 54 ⚪ Hybrid 5 19 [Max Bredeson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) FB ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Michigan_Wolverines_Logo.svg) 49 ⚪ Fullback 5 23 [Charles Demmings](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) CB ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Stephen_F._Austin_Athletics_wordmark.svg) 49 ⚪ Boundary 7 18 [Demond Claiborne](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) RB ![Wake Forest](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Wake_Forest_University_Athletic_logo.svg) 43 ⚪ Receiving ⛑️ · ⚠️ 7 19 Gavin Gerhardt IOL ![Clemson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Clemson_Tigers_logo.svg) 50 ⚪ Center ❓ **GPA:** 61.54 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 29\. Jacksonville Jaguars RD PICK Player POS CFB Grade Chip Archetype Risk 2 24 [Nate Boerkircher](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) TE ![Texas A&M](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Texas_A%26M_University_logo.svg) 51 ⚪ Inline Tight End 3 17 [Albert Regis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) DTNT ![Texas A&M](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Texas_A%26M_University_logo.svg) 65 ⚪ 3 Tech 3 24 [Emmanuel Pregnon](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) IOL ![Oregon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Oregon_Ducks_logo.svg) 67 ⚪ Left Guard 3 36 [Jalen Huskey](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) S ![Maryland](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Maryland_Terrapins_logo.svg) 70 ⚪ Hybrid 4 24 [Wesley Williams](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) EDGE ![Duke](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Duke_Blue_Devils_logo.svg) 63 ⚪ Power 5 24 [Tanner Koziol](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) TE ![Houston](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Houston_Cougars_logo.svg) 67 ⚪ Move Tight End 6 10 [Josh Cameron](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) WR ![Baylor](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Baylor_Athletics_logo.svg) 70 ⚪ Hybrid 6 22 CJ Williams WR ![Stanford](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Stanford_Cardinal_logo.svg) 50 ⚪ NA ❓ 7 17 Zach Durfee EDGE ![Washington](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/University_of_Washington_Block_W_logo_RGB_brand_colors.SVG) 50 ⚪ NA ❓ 7 24 Parker Hughes LB ![MTSU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Middle_Tennessee_MT_Logomark.svg) 50 ⚪ NA ❓ **GPA:** 60.67 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 30\. Cincinnati Bengals RD PICK Player POS CFB Grade Chip Archetype Risk 2 09 [Cashius Howell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) EDGE ![Texas A&M](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Texas_A%26M_University_logo.svg) 75 🟢 SpeedOutlier 3 08 [Tacario Davis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) CB ![Washington](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Washington_Huskies_logo.svg) 58 ⚪ Off Coverage ⛑️ · ⚠️ 4 28 [Connor Lew](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) IOL ![Auburn](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Auburn_Tigers_logo.svg) 63 ⚪ Center ⛑️ 4 40 [Colbie Young](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) WR ![Georgia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Georgia_Athletics_logo.svg) 22 ⚪ X ⚠️ 6 08 [Brian Parker II](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) IOL ![Duke](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Duke_Blue_Devils_logo.svg) 69 ⚪ Center 7 05 [Jack Endries](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) TE ![Texas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Texas_Longhorns_logo.svg) 66 ⚪ Hybrid Tight End 7 10 Landon Robinson DT ![Navy](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Navy_Athletics_logo.svg) 50 ⚪ NA ❓ **GPA:** 60.27 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 31\. Denver Broncos RD PICK Player POS CFB Grade Chip Archetype Risk 3 02 [Tyler Onyedim](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) DTNT ![Texas A&M](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Texas_A%26M_University_logo.svg) 54 ⚪ Hybrid 4 08 [Jonah Coleman](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) RB ![Boise State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/University_of_Washington_Block_W_logo_RGB_brand_colors.SVG) 72 🟢 Receiving 4 11 [Kage Casey](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) OT ![Boise State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Boise_State_text_logo.svg) 53 ⚪ Swing Tackle 5 12 [Justin Joly](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) TE ![NC State](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/North_Carolina_State_University_Athletic_logo.svg) 67 ⚪ Move Tight End 7 30 Miles Scott TE ![Illinois](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Illinois_Fighting_Illini_logo.svg) 50 ⚪ NA ❓ 7 40 [Dallen Bentley](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) TE ![Utah](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Utah_Utes_logo.svg) 69 ⚪ Move Tight End 7 41 [Red Murdock](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) LB ![Buffalo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Buffalo_Bulls_logo.svg) 49 ⚪ Mr. Irrelevant **GPA:** 58.82 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ## 32\. San Francisco 49ers | RD | PICK | Player | POS | CFB | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | | | | | | | | | | -- | ---- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---- | ----------- | ---- | - | -- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -- | - | ----- | -- | | 2 | 01 | [De'Zhaun Stribling](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ![Ole Miss](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Ole_Miss_Rebels_logo.svg) | 71 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | 2 | 26 | [Romello Height](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ![Texas Tech](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Texas_Tech_Athletics_logo.svg) | 59 | ⚪ | Speed | ⛑️ | | 3 | 26 | Kaelon Black | RB | ![Indiana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Indiana_Hoosiers_logo.svg) | NA | ⚪ | Non-Combine | ❓ | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 07 | [Gracen Halton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ![Oklahoma](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Oklahoma_Sooners_logo.svg) | 71 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 27 | [Carver Willis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ![Washington](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/University_of_Washington_Block_W_logo_RGB_brand_colors.SVG) | 57 | ⚪ | Guard | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 39 | [Ephesians Prysock](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ![Washington](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/University_of_Washington_Block_W_logo_RGB_brand_colors.SVG) | 47 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 14 | Jaden Dugger | OT | ![Louisiana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/La-lafayette_logo_from_NCAA.svg) | 50 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 39 | [Enrique Cruz Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ![Kansas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Kansas_Jayhawks_1946_logo.svg) | 33 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | | | | | | | | | **GPA:** 58.71 **2026 Outlook:** *Analysis to come; this section will be updated.* **Fantasy Takeaways:** *Separate post to come; this section will be updated.* *🔍 UDFA Monitor:* *This section will be updated when a good number of player signings are announced.* --- ### Top 300 Big Board: 2026 NFL Draft Prospects URL: https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-draft-top-300-players-ranked/ Last updated: 2026-04-21T16:30:03.000Z 🩻 This board includes prospects who were invited to the NFL Combine. 🧮 It was built with a descriptive evaluation model. 🤖 And crucially: **It's not how I would have ranked the players.* I tend to overweight "dawg levels" and other intangibles that reflect my bias. It happens. So it goes. While that's fine over a plate of nachos or whatever it's not all that great for real deal analysis. So, I finally learned enough to code and designed a model to keep those impulses in check while sparking some age-old debates: - *Floor vs. Ceiling* - *Tools vs. Traits* - *Seasoned vs. Upside* ***Who were the most consistent producers on a weekly basis during their final two seasons in college?*** ***Which prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft have pristine scouting reports with above-the-line grades in critical factors?*** ***Who had higher highs but lower lows? Splash plays one week but vanished the next?*** Most importantly: **Which players had *below-the-line* grades?** The model could answer all of these questions and more and did so with far more discipline and consistency than I could ever imagine. What it spit out is organized and looks spiffy in the table below. It's wildly different from consensus but remains true to my core philosophy: *Every player needs to be able to play — they cannot be exposed.* If a player has a weakness, good teams will find it and they will attack that weakness again and again — no matter how exceptional they are in other aspects of their game. #### Jump to a Positional Rankings Page **Offense* - ****(QB)** [16 Quarterbacks](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb/) - ****(iOL)** [23 Guards and Centers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol/) - ****(OT)** [20 Offensive Tackles](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot/) - ****(TE)** [27 Tight Ends and 1 Fullback](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te/) - ****(RB)** [20 Running Backs](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb/) - ****(WR)** [44 Wide Receivers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr/) **Defense* - ****(DTNT)** [31 Interior Defensive Linemen](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt/) - ****(EDGE)** [32 Edge Rushers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge/) - ****(LB)** [26 Linebackers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb/) - ****(CB)** [29 Cornerbacks](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb/) - ****(S)** [21 Safeties](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s/) Every player in the big board is linked to a positional rankings page where you can see how they stack up amongst their peers in the 2026 draft class. Find out more about their raw scores and how they were baked into the final grade. Thanks for checking it out. Please like, share and subscribe!! ## Top 300 Prospects | Rank | Player | Pos. | Capt. | Grade | Chip | Archetype | Risk | | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ----- | ----- | ---- | -------------------------- | ------- | | 1 | [Caleb Downs](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ©️ | 88 | 🔵 | Force Multiplier | | | 2 | [Jeremiyah Love](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 86 | 🔵 | Workhorse | | | 3 | [Sonny Styles](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ©️ | 84 | 🔵 | 1st Off the Bus | | | 4 | [Makai Lemon](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 84 | 🟢 | Dawg | | | 5 | [Spencer Fano](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ©️ | 84 | 🟢 | People Pleaser | | | 6 | [Blake Miller](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ©️ | 84 | 🟢 | Ironman | | | 7 | [Fernando Mendoza](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | | 83 | 🟢 | Sunshine | | | 8 | [D'Angelo Ponds](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ©️ | 83 | 🔵 | Dawg | | | 9 | [Mansoor Delane](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 83 | 🔵 | Prototype | | | 10 | [David Bailey](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 81 | 🔵 | Elite 1st Step | | | 11 | [Kadyn Proctor](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 81 | 🔵 | Elite Strength | | | 12 | [Arvell Reese](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 81 | 🟢 | Defensive Meta | | | 13 | [Omar Cooper Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 79 | ⚪ | YAC Machine | ⛑️ | | 14 | [Akheem Mesidor](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 79 | 🔵 | Grown Ass Man | ⛑️ | | 15 | [Olaivavega Ioane](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 79 | 🔵 | Undertaker | | | 16 | [Carnell Tate](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 78 | 🟢 | X Receiver · Deep Threat | | | 17 | [Dillon Thieneman](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ©️ | 78 | 🔵 | Enforcer | | | 18 | [Jacob Rodriguez](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ©️ | 77 | 🔵 | El Presidente | ⛑️ | | 19 | [Lee Hunter](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 77 | 🟢 | Nose TackleCloser | | | 20 | [Chris Johnson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 77 | 🔵 | Off Coverage | | | 21 | [Keionte Scott](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 76 | ⚪ | Buffalo Nickel | | | 22 | [T.J. Parker](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 76 | 🔵 | Prototype | | | 23 | [Caleb Lomu](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 76 | 🟢 | Left Tackle · Project | | | 24 | [Logan Jones](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 76 | 🟢 | Center | ⛑️ | | 25 | [Kenyon Sadiq](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 76 | 🔵 | 1st Off the Bus | | | 26 | [Cashius Howell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 75 | 🟢 | SpeedOutlier | | | 27 | [Gabe Jacas](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ©️ | 75 | ⚪ | Dawg | | | 28 | [Monroe Freeling](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 75 | 🟢 | Left Tackle1st Off the Bus | ⛑️ | | 29 | [Emmanuel McNeil-Warren](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 74 | 🔵 | Enforcer | | | 30 | [Jordyn Tyson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 74 | 🔵 | Deep Threat | ⛑️ | | 31 | [Avieon Terrell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 74 | 🟢 | Hybrid | | | 32 | [Francis Mauigoa](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 74 | 🔵 | Right Tackle or Guard | ⛑️ | | 33 | [R Mason Thomas](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 74 | ⚪ | SpeedOutlier | | | 34 | [Germie Bernard](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 74 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 35 | [Keylan Rutledge](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 74 | 🟢 | Right Guard | ⛑️ | | 36 | [Daylen Everette](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 74 | 🟢 | Hybrid | | | 37 | [Caleb Tiernan](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ©️ | 74 | ⚪ | Swing Tackle | | | 38 | [Kyle Louis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ©️ | 73 | 🟢 | Sub Package | ⛑️ | | 39 | [Jalon Kilgore](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 73 | ⚪ | Star | | | 40 | [Chandler Rivers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 73 | 🟢 | Hybrid | | | 41 | [Eli Stowers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ©️ | 73 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | ⛑️ | | 42 | [Kamari Ramsey](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 73 | ⚪ | Star | | | 43 | [Anthony Hill Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 72 | ⚪ | Sam | | | 44 | [Denzel Boston](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ©️ | 72 | 🟢 | X | | | 45 | [Treydan Stukes](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | ©️ | 72 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 46 | [Elijah Sarratt](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ©️ | 72 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 47 | [Colton Hood](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 72 | ⚪ | Off Coverage | | | 48 | [Jake Slaughter](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 72 | ⚪ | Center | | | 49 | [Zane Durant](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ©️ | 72 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 50 | [Zachariah Branch](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ©️ | 72 | ⚪ | Slot | ⛑️ | | 51 | [Jonah Coleman](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | ©️ | 72 | 🟢 | Receiving | | | 52 | [Kayden McDonald](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 71 | 🟢 | Nose Tackle | | | 53 | [A.J. Haulcy](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 71 | ⚪ | Deep | | | 54 | [Sam Hecht](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 71 | 🟢 | Center | | | 55 | [Chris McClellan](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 71 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 56 | [Brandon Cisse](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 71 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 57 | [Gracen Halton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ©️ | 71 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 58 | [Malachi Fields](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ©️ | 71 | ⚪ | X Receiver | ⛑️ | | 59 | [Jermod McCoy](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 71 | ⚪ | Press Man | ⛑️ | | 60 | [De'Zhaun Stribling](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ©️ | 71 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 61 | [KC Concepcion](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 70 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 62 | [Keyron Crawford](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 70 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 63 | [Chase Bisontis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 70 | ⚪ | Left Guard | | | 64 | [Jalen Huskey](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ©️ | 70 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 65 | [Sam Roush](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 70 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | | | 66 | [Josh Cameron](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ©️ | 70 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 67 | [Rueben Bain Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 69 | 🔵 | Power | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | 68 | [Keith Abney II](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 69 | ⚪ | Press Man | | | 69 | [Max Klare](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 69 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | | | 70 | [Brian Parker II](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 69 | ⚪ | Center | | | 71 | [Jadarian Price](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 69 | 🟢 | Committee | | | 72 | [Tim Keenan III](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ©️ | 69 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | ⛑️ | | 73 | [Antonio Williams](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 69 | 🟢 | Slot | ⛑️ | | 74 | [Cade Klubnik](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | | 69 | 🟢 | Mobile | | | 75 | [Dallen Bentley](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 69 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | | | 76 | [Joshua Josephs](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 68 | 🟢 | Hybrid | | | 77 | [Zion Young](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ©️ | 68 | 🟢 | Power | | | 78 | [Julian Neal](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 68 | ⚪ | Press Man | | | 79 | [Keldric Faulk](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ©️ | 68 | ⚪ | Power | | | 80 | [Darrell Jackson Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 68 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 81 | [Ty Simpson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ©️ | 68 | ⚪ | Creator | | | 82 | [Deion Burks](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 68 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 83 | [Skyler Bell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 68 | 🟢 | Hybrid | | | 84 | [Jeff Caldwell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 68 | ⚪ | Z | | | 85 | [Nick Barrett](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ©️ | 68 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 86 | [Emmanuel Pregnon](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 67 | ⚪ | Left Guard | | | 87 | [Peter Woods](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 67 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 88 | [Justin Joly](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 67 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | | | 89 | [Caden Curry](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 67 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 90 | [Trey Moore](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 67 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 91 | [Thaddeus Dixon](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 67 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 92 | [Tanner Koziol](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 67 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | | | 93 | [Hezekiah Masses](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 66 | ⚪ | Press Man | | | 94 | [Matt Gulbin](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 66 | ⚪ | Center | ⛑️ | | 95 | [Will Lee III](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 66 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 96 | [Eric Rivers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 66 | ⚪ | Z | ⛑️ | | 97 | [Jack Endries](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 66 | ⚪ | Hybrid Tight End | | | 98 | [Reggie Virgil](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 66 | ⚪ | X | | | 99 | [Dae'Quan Wright](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 66 | ⚪ | Inline Tight End | | | 100 | [Keagen Trost](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 66 | ⚪ | O-Line | | | 101 | [John Michael Gyllenborg](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ©️ | 66 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | ⛑️ | | 102 | [Bobby Jamison-Travis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 66 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 103 | [Chris Brazzell II](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 66 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⚠️ | | 104 | [C.J. Allen](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ©️ | 65 | 🟢 | Sam | | | 105 | [Malachi Lawrence](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 65 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 106 | [Rayshaun Benny](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 65 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | ⛑️ | | 107 | [Jake Golday](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 65 | ⚪ | Sam | | | 108 | [Dani Dennis-Sutton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 65 | ⚪ | Power | | | 109 | [Josiah Trotter](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 65 | ⚪ | Mike | ⛑️ | | 110 | [Albert Regis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 65 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 111 | [Jalen Farmer](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 65 | ⚪ | Right Guard | | | 112 | [Skyler Gill-Howard](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 65 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 113 | [LT Overton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 65 | ⚪ | 4i | | | 114 | [Jager Burton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 65 | ⚪ | O-Line | | | 115 | [Garrett Nussmeier](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | | 65 | ⚪ | Pocket | | | 116 | [Vincent Anthony Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 65 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 117 | [Brandon Cleveland](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 65 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 118 | [Parker Brailsford](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 65 | ⚪ | Center | | | 119 | [Jaren Kanak](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 65 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | ⛑️ | | 120 | [Brenen Thompson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ©️ | 65 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | 121 | [Kendrick Law](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 65 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 122 | [Christen Miller](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 64 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | ⛑️ | | 123 | [Bryce Boettcher](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ©️ | 64 | ⚪ | Will | | | 124 | [Louis Moore](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 64 | ⚪ | Deep | | | 125 | [Jude Bowry](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ©️ | 64 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 126 | [Dalton Johnson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ©️ | 64 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 127 | [Ted Hurst](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 64 | ⚪ | X | ⚠️ | | 128 | [Billy Schrauth](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 64 | ⚪ | Left Guard | ⛑️ | | 129 | [Caleb Banks](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 64 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | ⛑️ | | 130 | [Marlin Klein](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ©️ | 64 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | | | 131 | [Karson Sharar](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 64 | ⚪ | Will | | | 132 | [Bryce Lance](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 64 | ⚪ | X | | | 133 | [Michael Trigg](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 64 | 🟢 | Move Tight End | ⚠️ | | 134 | [Barion Brown](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 64 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 135 | [Aiden Fisher](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ©️ | 63 | ⚪ | Sam | | | 136 | [Connor Lew](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 63 | ⚪ | Center | ⛑️ | | 137 | [Ja'Kobi Lane](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 63 | ⚪ | X | ⛑️ | | 138 | [Zakee Wheatley](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 63 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 139 | [Deontae Lawson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ©️ | 63 | ⚪ | Sam | ⛑️ | | 140 | [Wesley Williams](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ©️ | 63 | ⚪ | Power | | | 141 | [Nicholas Singleton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 63 | ⚪ | Receiving | | | 142 | [Genesis Smith](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ©️ | 63 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 143 | [Kevin Coleman Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 63 | 🟢 | Slot | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | 144 | [Joey Aguilar](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ©️ | 63 | ⚪ | Mobile | ⛑️ | | 145 | [Jimmy Rolder](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 62 | ⚪ | Will | ⛑️ | | 146 | [Emmett Johnson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 62 | ⚪ | Receiving | | | 147 | [Will Kacmarek](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 62 | ⚪ | Inline Tight End | | | 148 | [Mike Washington Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 62 | ⚪ | Receiving | | | 149 | [Joe Royer](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 62 | ⚪ | Hybrid Tight End | ⛑️ | | 150 | [Toriano Pride Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 62 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 151 | [Eli Raridon](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 62 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | ⛑️ | | 152 | [Joshua Braun](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 62 | ⚪ | Guard Flex | | | 153 | [Drew Allar](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ©️ | 62 | ⚪ | Mobile | | | 154 | [Eli Heidenreich](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 62 | ⚪ | Receiving | | | 155 | [Jam Miller](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 62 | ⚪ | Receiving | | | 156 | [Zavion Thomas](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 62 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 157 | [Gennings Dunker](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 61 | ⚪ | Swing Tackle | ⛑️ | | 158 | [Max Iheanachor](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 61 | ⚪ | Developmental | | | 159 | [Domonique Orange](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 61 | ⚪ | Nose Tackle | ⚠️ | | 160 | [DJ Campbell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 61 | ⚪ | Right Guard | | | 161 | [Davison Igbinosun](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 61 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 162 | [Chris Bell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 61 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | 163 | [Roman Hemby](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 61 | ⚪ | Committee | | | 164 | [Kaden Wetjen](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ©️ | 61 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 165 | [Riley Nowakowski](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ©️ | 61 | ⚪ | Inline Tight End | | | 166 | [Dillon Bell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 61 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 167 | [Josh Cuevas](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 61 | ⚪ | Hybrid Tight End | | | 168 | [J. Michael Sturdivant](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 61 | ⚪ | Z | | | 169 | [VJ Payne](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ©️ | 60 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 170 | [Ahmari Harvey](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 60 | ⚪ | Off Coverage | | | 171 | [Collin Wright](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 60 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 172 | [Vinny Anthony II](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 60 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 173 | [Adam Randall](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | ©️ | 60 | ⚪ | Receiving | | | 174 | [Devin Moore](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 60 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | 175 | [Eric Gentry](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 60 | ⚪ | Sub Package | ⛑️ | | 176 | [Bud Clark](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 59 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 177 | [Malik Muhammad](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 59 | ⚪ | Off Coverage | | | 178 | [Romello Height](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 59 | ⚪ | Speed | ⛑️ | | 179 | [Andre Fuller](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 59 | ⚪ | Press Man | | | 180 | [Lander Barton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ©️ | 59 | ⚪ | Sam | ⛑️ | | 181 | [Markel Bell](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 59 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 182 | [Scooby Williams](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 59 | ⚪ | Sub Package | ⛑️ | | 183 | [Oscar Delp](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 59 | ⚪ | Hybrid Tight End | ⛑️ | | 184 | [Justin Jefferson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 59 | ⚪ | Sam | | | 185 | [Cameron Ball](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ©️ | 59 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 186 | [Derrick Moore](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 58 | ⚪ | Speed | | | 187 | [Keyshaun Elliott](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ©️ | 58 | ⚪ | Sam | | | 188 | [Michael Taaffe](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 58 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 189 | [Jadon Canady](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 58 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | 190 | [Xavier Nwankpa](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 58 | ⚪ | Deep | | | 191 | [Jackie Marshall](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 58 | ⚪ | 4i | ⛑️ | | 192 | [Avery Smith](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 58 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 193 | [Anez Cooper](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 58 | ⚪ | Right Guard | | | 194 | [Emmanuel Henderson Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 58 | ⚪ | X | | | 195 | [Tacario Davis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 58 | ⚪ | Off Coverage | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | 196 | [Kaleb Proctor](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 58 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 197 | [Jordan Hudson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 58 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 198 | [Luke Altmyer](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ©️ | 58 | ⚪ | Mobile | | | 199 | [Domani Jackson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 58 | ⚪ | Off Coverage | ⛑️ | | 200 | [Chase Roberts](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | ©️ | 58 | ⚪ | X | ⛑️ | | 201 | [Mason Reiger](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 57 | ⚪ | Power | ⛑️ | | 202 | [Febechi Nwaiwu](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 57 | ⚪ | Left Guard | | | 203 | [Kaleb Elarms-Orr](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 57 | ⚪ | Sam | | | 204 | [Taurean York](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ©️ | 57 | ⚪ | Will | | | 205 | [Quintayvious Hutchins](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ©️ | 57 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 206 | [Carver Willis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 57 | ⚪ | Guard | | | 207 | [Taylen Green](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ©️ | 57 | ⚪ | Creator | | | 208 | [CJ Daniels](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 57 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | 209 | [Travis Burke](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 57 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 210 | [Tyreak Sapp](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 57 | ⚪ | Power | | | 211 | [Gary Smith III](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 56 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | ⛑️ | | 212 | [J.C. Davis](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 56 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 213 | [Trey Zuhn III](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 56 | ⚪ | Center | ⛑️ | | 214 | [Le'Veon Moss](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 56 | ⚪ | Committee | | | 215 | [Bryson Eason](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 56 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 216 | [Jeremiah Wright](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 56 | ⚪ | Guard Flex | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | 217 | [Harrison Wallace III](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 56 | ⚪ | X | ⛑️ | | 218 | [Jaylon Guilbeau](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 56 | ⚪ | Off Coverage | | | 219 | [Fa'alili Fa'amoe](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 56 | ⚪ | Tackle | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | 220 | [Diego Pavia](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ©️ | 55 | ⚪ | Creator | | | 221 | [Caleb Douglas](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 55 | ⚪ | X | ⛑️ | | 222 | [Namdi Obiazor](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 55 | ⚪ | Sub Package | | | 223 | [Pat Coogan](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 54 | ⚪ | Center | | | 224 | [Max Llewellyn](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 54 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 225 | [Tyler Onyedim](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 54 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | | | 226 | [George Gumbs Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 54 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 227 | [Aamil Wagner](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | ©️ | 54 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 228 | [D.J. Rogers](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 54 | ⚪ | Inline Tight End | | | 229 | [Jakobe Thomas](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 54 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 230 | [Jaishawn Barham](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 54 | ⚪ | Speed | ⚠️ | | 231 | [Caullin Lacy](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 54 | ⚪ | Slot | | | 232 | [Kage Casey](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 53 | ⚪ | Swing Tackle | | | 233 | [Beau Stephens](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 53 | ⚪ | Left Guard | ⛑️ | | 234 | [Bishop Fitzgerald](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 53 | ⚪ | Deep | | | 235 | [Jack Kelly](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ©️ | 53 | ⚪ | Sam | | | 236 | [Robert Spears-Jennings](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 53 | ⚪ | Deep | | | 237 | [Haynes King](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ©️ | 53 | ⚪ | Creator | ⛑️ | | 238 | [Joe Fagnano](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | | 53 | ⚪ | Mobile | ⛑️ | | 239 | [DeShon Singleton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | ©️ | 53 | ⚪ | Box | ⛑️ | | 240 | [DeMonte Capehart](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 53 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | 241 | [Aaron Anderson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 53 | ⚪ | Slot | ⛑️ | | 242 | [Matthew Hibner](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 53 | ⚪ | Hybrid Tight End | | | 243 | [Seth McGowan](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 53 | ⚪ | Early Down | ⚠️ | | 244 | [Dametrious Crownover](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 52 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 245 | [Bauer Sharp](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 52 | ⚪ | Inline Tight End | | | 246 | [Anthony Lucas](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 51 | ⚪ | Speed | | | 247 | [Wade Woodaz](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ©️ | 51 | ⚪ | Sub Package | ⛑️ | | 248 | [Nate Boerkircher](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 51 | ⚪ | Inline Tight End | | | 249 | [Carson Beck](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | | 51 | ⚪ | Creator | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | 250 | [Zxavian Harris](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 51 | ⚪ | 3 Tech | ⚠️ | | 251 | [Lake McRee](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 50 | ⚪ | Hybrid Tight End | ⛑️ | | 252 | [Drew Shelton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 50 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 253 | [TJ Hall](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 50 | ⚪ | Press Man | ⛑️ | | 254 | [Alex Harkey](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 50 | ⚪ | Center | | | 255 | [Wesley Bissainthe](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 50 | ⚪ | Sub Package | ⚠️ | | 256 | [Kaytron Allen](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 48 | ⚪ | Early Down | | | 257 | [Red Murdock](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | ©️ | 49 | ⚪ | Sam | | | 258 | [Max Bredeson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | ©️ | 49 | ⚪ | Fullback | | | 259 | [Logan Fano](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | ©️ | 49 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | 260 | [Diego Pounds](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 49 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 261 | [Nadame Tucker](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 49 | ⚪ | Speed | ⚠️ | | 262 | [Charles Demmings](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 49 | ⚪ | Boundary | | | 263 | [Micah Morris](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 49 | ⚪ | Guard Flex | | | 264 | [Chris Hilton Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 49 | ⚪ | Z | ⛑️ | | 265 | [David Gusta](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 49 | ⚪ | D-Line | | | 266 | [Noah Whittington](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 48 | ⚪ | Committee | ⛑️ | | 267 | [Patrick Payton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 48 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⚠️ | | 268 | [Aidan Hubbard](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 48 | ⚪ | Power | ⛑️ | | 269 | [Lorenzo Styles Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 48 | ⚪ | Deep | | | 270 | [Donaven McCulley](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 48 | ⚪ | X | ⚠️ | | 271 | [Harold Perkins Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 47 | ⚪ | Sam | | | 272 | [Ephesians Prysock](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 47 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ | | 273 | [Nyjalik Kelly](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 47 | ⚪ | Hybrid | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | 274 | [Desmond Reid](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 46 | ⚪ | Receiving | ⛑️ | | 275 | [Dontay Corleone](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | ©️ | 46 | ⚪ | Nose Tackle | ⛑️ | | 276 | [C.J. Donaldson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 46 | ⚪ | Early Down | | | 277 | [Sawyer Robertson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | ©️ | 46 | ⚪ | Pocket | | | 278 | [J'Mari Taylor](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 46 | ⚪ | Committee | | | 279 | [Jack Pyburn](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge) | EDGE | | 45 | ⚪ | Speed | ⛑️ | | 280 | [Austin Barber](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 45 | ⚪ | Tackle | ⚠️ | | 281 | [Jaeden Roberts](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 45 | ⚪ | Guard Flex | | | 282 | [Garrett DiGiorgio](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 45 | ⚪ | Guard Flex | ⛑️ | | 283 | [Cole Payton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | | 45 | ⚪ | Mobile | | | 284 | [Evan Beerntsen](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 44 | ⚪ | Guard | ⛑️ | | 285 | [Deven Eastern](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 44 | ⚪ | Nose Tackle | | | 286 | [Kendal Daniels](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 44 | ⚪ | Sub | | | 287 | [Eric McAlister](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 44 | ⚪ | X | ⚠️ | | 288 | [Marcus Allen](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 43 | ⚪ | Press Man | ⛑️ | | 289 | [Demond Claiborne](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 43 | ⚪ | Receiving | ⛑️ · ⚠️ | | 290 | [Xavian Sorey Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-lb) | LB | | 43 | ⚪ | Sub | | | 291 | [Jalon Daniels](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | | 43 | ⚪ | Mobile | | | 292 | [Logan Taylor](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 43 | ⚪ | O-Line | ⛑️ | | 293 | [Behren Morton](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-qb) | QB | | 43 | ⚪ | Pocket | | | 294 | [Jalen Walthall](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 43 | ⚪ | Gadget | | | 295 | [Rahsul Faison](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 43 | ⚪ | Change of Pace | | | 296 | [Alan Herron](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 43 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 297 | [Khalil Dinkins](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 42 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | | | 298 | [Latrell McCutchin Sr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-cb) | CB | | 42 | ⚪ | Press Man | | | 299 | [Marvin Jones Jr. EDGE 40 ⚪ D-Line 300 ](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-edge)[Miles Kitselman](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 40 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | | | 301 | [Malik Benson](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 40 | ⚪ | Z | | | 302 | [Ahmaad Moses](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-s) | S | | 39 | ⚪ | Hybrid | | | 303 | [Chris Adams](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | IOL | | 38 | ⚪ | Swing Tackle | ⛑️ | | 304 | [Ar'maj Reed-Adams](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | ©️ | 36 | ⚪ | Guard | | | 305 | [Fernando Carmona](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 34 | ⚪ | Guard | | | 306 | [Enrique Cruz Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-ot) | OT | | 33 | ⚪ | Tackle | | | 307 | [Dillon Wade](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-iol) | IOL | | 31 | ⚪ | Guard | | | 308 | [Damonic Williams](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-dtnt) | DTNT | | 29 | ⚪ | D-Line | | | 309 | [RJ Maryland](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-te) | TE | | 27 | ⚪ | Move Tight End | | | 310 | [Robert Henry Jr.](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-rb) | RB | | 25 | ⚪ | Committee | | | 311 | [Colbie Young](https://www.bandit.football/prospects-wr) | WR | | 22 | ⚪ | X | ⚠️ | --- *Rankings Locked: April 13, 2026* *Published: April 20, 2026* ### The Other QBs at the Combine URL: https://www.bandit.football/2026-nfl-combine-qb-ranking-pff-passing-grades/ Last updated: 2026-02-27T10:30:49.000Z **Fernando Mendoza** was QB4 and the 20th overall player on Dane Brugler's summer big board, published by *The New York Times* on August 21, 2025\. **Garrett Nussmeier** was QB3 and ranked 10th; **Drew Allar** was QB5 and ranked 27th; **Cade Klubnik** was QB6 and ranked 30th. Then the season happened. **Arch Manning** (QB1), **LaNorris Sellers** (QB2), and **Sam Leavitt** (QB7) returned to school a few short months after being projected to be Top 50 NFL prospects. **Ty Simpson,** who missed the cut last summer, heads into the NFL Combine as QB2 with a chance to rise into the 1st-round discussion if things go well for him in Indianapolis. Nussmeier is still thought to be QB3 but his stock has fallen to 80th overall on the [Consensus Big Board](https://www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com/big-boards/2026/consensus-big-board-2026?ref=bandit.football), which combines dozens of industry rankings. Allar is up to QB4 but now ranks 116th, while Miami's **Carson Beck** is QB5 ahead of North Dakota State's **Cole Payton** (ranked 125th and 136th) as the Combine get underway. So, how did we get here? How did Mendoza climb the mountaintop while the others tumbled toward Day 3? --- ## TLDR --- To try and make some sense of the fall, I turned to PFF and went digging. I studied the quarterbacks' passing reports and fixated on their grades, trying to distill them into some sort of quick and repeatable process, then drew some lines in the sand. 🧐 PFF Grades above ****70** are considered ****above average.** This much is true. *The New York Times* [says so](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6894963/2025/12/17/pff-grades-nfl-games-pro-football-focus/?ref=bandit.football). 🤠 Any grade below ****50** will be considered ****bad.** 😐 Therefore, any grade between ****50.1** and ****69.9** is ****replacement level.** In theory, anyway. According to me. To provide some contrast, I arbitrarily drew the bad line at 50 to try and quickly differentiate a player's relative standouts from their stinkers. My thinking was, in a way, that this would sort of cut out the *middle meh;* the replacement-level or truly average games in the prospect's sample size, which I'll get in just a second. 1. **Defining the sample size:** Any game in which they played and received a PFF grade during their final two seasons in college, including bowl and all-star games. 2. **Focusing on PFF Offense grade:** More representative than the weekly passing grade as it accounts for the QB's overall (dual-threat) ability. 3. **Tallying up the standouts:** Any games in which the QB scored 70 or better in PFF Offense grade. 4. **Calculating the rate:** Divide the sum of their standout games by their total games played to get their "Above Average Quarterback Play" rate. Then, repeat the process to compare it to recent quarterback classes. --- --- Here's how the 16 quarterbacks at the Combine performed in PFF Offense grade during their final two seasons; how they stacked up against each other and some recent QBs drafted from 2022-2025. --- --- **Above Average Quarterback Play** | Rank | Quarterback | Above Average Games | Rate Above (70.0+) | Rate Below (0-69.9) | | ---- | ----------------- | ------------------- | ------------------ | ------------------- | | 1 | Jayden Daniels | 22 | **84.6%** | 15.4% | | 2 | Jaxson Dart | 21 | **80.8%** | 19.2% | | 2 | Caleb Williams | 21 | **80.8%** | 19.2% | | 4 | Bo Nix | 21 | **77.8%** | 22.2% | | 4 | Diego Pavia | 21 | **77.8%** | 22.2% | | 6 | Drake Maye | 20 | **76.9%** | 23.1% | | 7 | C.J. Stroud | 19 | **76.0%** | 24.0% | | 8 | Bryce Young | 20 | **74.1%** | 25.9% | | 9 | Michael Penix Jr. | 20 | **71.4%** | 28.6% | | 10 | Cole Payton | 15 | **71.2%** | 28.8% | | 11 | Malik Willis | 17 | **70.8%** | 29.2% | | 12 | Kenny Pickett | 16 | **69.6%** | 30.4% | | 13 | Cade Klubnik | 18 | **69.2%** | 30.8% | | 14 | Cam Ward | 17 | **68.0%** | 32.0% | | 15 | Shedeur Sanders | 16 | **66.7%** | 33.3% | | 15 | Fernando Mendoza | 18 | **66.7%** | 33.3% | --- ``` ---- The Mendoza Line ---- Pass/Fail ---- 65.0% ----- ``` --- | Rank | Quarterback | Above Average Games | Rate Above (70.0+) | Rate Below (0-69.9) | | ---- | ------------------ | ------------------- | ------------------ | ------------------- | | 17 | Dillon Gabriel | 17 | 63.0% | **37.0%** | | 18 | Haynes King | 15 | 62.5% | **37.5%** | | 19 | J.J. McCarthy | 18 | 62.1% | **37.9%** | | 20 | Taylen Green | 16 | 61.5% | **38.5%** | | 21 | Tyler Shough | 10 | 58.8% | **41.2%** | | 22 | Garrett Nussmeier | 13 | 56.5% | **43.5%** | | 23 | Joey Aguilar | 13 | 54.2% | **45.8%** | | 24 | Anthony Richardson | 10 | 52.6% | **47.4%** | | 24 | Ty Simpson | 10 | 52.6% | **47.4%** | | 26 | Drew Allar | 11 | 50.0% | **50.0%** | | 27 | Carson Beck | 14 | 48.3% | **51.7%** | | 28 | Luke Altmyer | 13 | 48.1% | **51.9%** | | 29 | Jalon Daniels | 12 | 48.0% | **52.0%** | | 30 | Joe Fagnano | 11 | 47.8% | **52.2%** | | 31 | Will Levis | 11 | 45.8% | **54.2%** | | 31 | Behren Morton | 11 | 45.8% | **54.2%** | | 33 | Brock Purdy | 11 | 42.3% | **57.7%** | | 34 | Sawyer Robertson | 10 | 40.0% | **60.0%** | --- **How did the 2026 QBs perform against top competition?** --- The following list provides a snapshot of the four PFF grades in each quarterback's weekly passing report: **1.)** Offense, **2).** Passing, **3.)** Rushing, **4.)** and Hands (or Fumbling). Hands grades are more about why the fumble occurred (i.e. an unavoidable strip sack or a foolish lateral) than if the fumble resulted in a turnover (whether or not they were able to maintain possession isn't factored into the grade). - Mean: The average grade in the sample set. - Median: 50% of the quarterback's games in the sample were above the grade that is shown and the other 50% were below. A higher median could indicate the quarterback had fewer stinkers than the mean might have led you to believe. --- ## Diego Pavia ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/PAVIA-BUSINESS-CARD-4.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/PAVIA-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES-3.png) --- ## Fernando Mendoza ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/MENDOZA-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/MENDOZA-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES-2.png) --- ## Haynes King ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/KING-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/KING-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES.png) --- ## Cade Klubnik ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/KLUBNIK-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/KLUBNIK-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES.png) --- ## Garrett Nussmeier ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/NUSSMEIER-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/NUSSMEIER-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES.png) --- ## Joey Aguilar ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/AGUILAR-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/AGUILAR-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES.png) --- ## Cole Payton ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/PAYTON-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/PAYTON-RATE-ABOVE-PFF-GRADES.png) --- ## Drew Allar ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/ALLAR-BUSINESS-CARD-4.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/ALLAR-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES-1.png) --- ## Taylen Green ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/GREEN-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/GREEN-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES.png) --- ## Joe Fagnano ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/FAGNANO-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/FAGNANO-GROUP-5-PFF-GRADES.png) --- ## Sawyer Robertson ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/ROBERTSON-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/ROBERTSON-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES.png) --- ## Jalon Daniels ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/DANIELS-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/DANIELS-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES.png) --- ## Ty Simpson ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/SIMPSON-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/SIMPSON-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES.png) --- ## Luke Altmeyer ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/ALTMYER-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/ALTMYER-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES.png) --- ## Carson Beck ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/BECK-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/BECK-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES.png) --- ## Behren Morton ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/MORTON-BUSINESS-CARD-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/MORTON-POWER-4-PFF-GRADES.png) --- ### How Important Is Quarterback Footwork? URL: https://www.bandit.football/quarterback-footwork-matthew-stafford-drake-maye-nfl-mvp-2025/ Last updated: 2026-02-10T03:47:10.000Z At some point during the 2025 NFL season, it seemed like the only thing anyone was talking about was feet. Tom Brady wouldn't shut up about the feet. A lot of it centered on younger quarterbacks with poor mechanics. Their feet were happy and Tom was sad. **J.J. McCarthy** was the poster boy for it all.Ball-knowers and film-grinders diagnosed all 10 of his toes, like [JP Acosta](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/whats-wrong-with-vikings-quarterback-j-j-mccarthy-and-how-can-minnesota-fix-him/?ref=bandit.football) after the Vikings loss to the Bears: --- > "McCarthy knows where to go with the ball, but he rushes his process and dirts \[the pass\]. Look at his feet in the pocket; never quiet, lots of wasted motion. Like a puppy with the zoomies." --- Thankfully, we don't need tape to assess the feet. They make data for the feet, too. Sports Info Solutions charts QB footwork three different ways: **Planted, Moving,** and **Shuffling.** They also track **Scrambling.** How did McCarthy's zoomies measure up around the league? --- | Quarterback | Planted | Moving | Shuffling | Scrambling | | ---------------- | ------- | ------ | --------- | ---------- | | Matthew Stafford | 75% | 12% | 8% | 1% | | Jared Goff | 73% | 11% | 10% | 1% | | Trevor Lawrence | 70% | 9% | 8% | 6% | | J.J. McCarthy | 66% | 13% | 7% | 6% | | Josh Allen | 59% | 14% | 11% | 9% | | Drake Maye | 59% | 13% | 10% | 10% | | Patrick Mahomes | 58% | 17% | 11% | 9% | --- Hold up... J.J. McCarthy had quieter feet than **Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes,** and **Drake Maye?** Is it possible that QB footwork, specifically *planted footwork,* isn't the be-all and end-all of quarterback excellence? That statuesque Tom Brady has some sort of "look what they've done to our beautiful game"-ass bias? --- | Tom Brady | Planted | Moving | Shuffling | Scrambling | | --------- | ------- | ------ | --------- | ---------- | | 2018 | 78% | 4% | 14% | 0.7% | | 2019 | 74% | 8% | 14% | 0.4% | | 2020 | 85% | 3% | 7% | 0.5% | | 2021 | 83% | 4% | 8% | 1.2% | | 2022 | 82% | 4% | 10% | 0.5% | --- Perhaps. I mean, just look at the 2025 MVP finalists: --- **Most Valuable Feet** | Quarterback | Planted | Moving | Shuffling | Scrambling | | ---------------- | ------- | ------ | --------- | ---------- | | Matthew Stafford | 75% | 12% | 8% | 1% | | Trevor Lawrence | 70% | 9% | 8% | 6% | | Josh Allen | 59% | 14% | 11% | 9% | | Drake Maye | 59% | 13% | 10% | 10% | --- Clearly, there's more than one way to make hay with your feet. --- ## All-Pro QB Archetypes Since 2018, there have been three dominant quarterback archetypes: - **Pocket Passers** (Terrifyingly good with their arm) - **Backfield Creators** (Somewhere in between) - **Dual Threats** (Terrifyingly good with their legs) --- The 2023-24 seasons made it seem like the Dual Threat QB had taken over the league as **Josh Allen** and **Lamar Jackson** dominated the MVP conversation — and given their similar playing styles, it made it a lot easier to compare the impact they had on their teams and the league itself. The 2025 season was more of a throwback, in a way, as it pit the Pocket Passer vs. the new-age Backfield Creator. --- ## Pocket Passers --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/Matthew-Stafford-2025-vs.-Jared-Goff-2024.png) Jared Goff (2024-25) vs. Matthew Stafford (2025-26) --- | Pocket Passer | Season | 1st Team All-Pro | 2nd Team All-Pro | | ---------------- | ------ | ---------------- | ---------------- | | Matthew Stafford | 2025 | AP, PFWA, PFF | | | Jared Goff | 2024 | | PFWA | | Dak Prescott | 2023 | | AP, PFWA | | Tom Brady | 2021 | PFF | AP | | Joe Burrow | 2021 | | PFWA, PFF | | Aaron Rodgers | 2021 | AP, PFWA, PFF | | | Drew Brees | 2018 | | AP, PFWA, PFF | --- **Matthew Stafford's** 2025 MVP season compares favorably to **Jared Goff's** 2024 campaign. Both executed at an extremely high level and benefited from elite playcalling that consistently kept defenses on their toes with varied tendencies: - Under Center Rate: **50%+** - Pre-Snap Motion Rate: **60%+** - Play-Action Rate: **\~20%** - Quick Game Rate: **Below 50%** - Throwing Past the Sticks: **40%+** --- ### **Throwing Past the Sticks** This is where Matthew Stafford truly separated himself: pushing the ball downfield more often than not; throwing past the first-down marker and putting his team in position to score damn near every time the Rams had the rock. Not only was Stafford better than Goff at throwing past the sticks — he was better than every starting quarterback since at least 2018. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/Brown-and-Beige-Financial-Report-Data-Graph.png) What'd Aaron Rodgers finish? Dead last? --- Out of 178 quarterbacks, Stafford's 2025 season ranked in the Top 5 of the following rate stats when throwing past the sticks: - **Dropbacks, Attempts, Completions,** and **Catchable Rate** Not just the counting stats, mind you; the rate at which he threw it past the sticks compared to *every other throw* he attempted. Stafford was also nails on a per game basis, notching Top 10 marks in: - **Passing Yards, Air Yards, Intended Air Yards,** and **Touchdowns Per Game** While impressive enough, just stating Top 10 this or that doesn't quite hit as hard as comparing his MVP season to some of the best Pocket Passer seasons since 2018. --- **Throwing Past the Sticks** | Pocket Passer | Season | Air Yards | \*IAY Per Game | Bullseye Rate | | ---------------- | ------ | --------- | -------------- | ------------- | | Matthew Stafford | 2025 | 2,704 | 279 yds/gm | 48% | | Jared Goff | 2024 | 1,745 | 176 yds/gm | 54% | | Dak Prescott | 2023 | 2,134 | 225 yds/gm | 53% | | Tom Brady | 2021 | 2,458 | 275 yds/gm | 47% | | Joe Burrow | 2021 | 2,194 | 207 yds/gm | 53% | | Aaron Rodgers | 2021 | 1,640 | 209 yds/gm | 46% | | Drew Brees | 2018 | 1,871 | 187 yds/gm | 59% | ``` *IAY:* Intended Air Yards; *Bullseye Rate:* Air Yards/IAY ``` --- Overall, Tom Brady's 2021 MVP runner-up season was the closest to Stafford's 2025, at least in terms of how often the Bucs and Rams were slinging it downfield, past the sticks, while still managing to connect on roughly 50% of their shots. --- *Total Coincidence, I'm Sure* | Pocket Passer | Season | No. 1 WR | No. 2 WR | Tight End | | ---------------- | ------ | ---------- | ------------- | -------------------- | | Matthew Stafford | 2025 | Puka Nacua | Davante Adams | Three-Headed Monster | | Tom Brady | 2021 | Mike Evans | Chris Godwin | Rob Gronkowski | --- As has been the case for his entire career, Stafford was willing to hang in the pocket under pressure knowing full well he could—and sometimes would—get ***JACKED. UP.*** --- **Under Pressure** **Throws Past the Sticks** | Pocket Passer | Season | Pass Attempts | Stones Throw Rate | | ---------------- | ------ | ------------- | ----------------- | | Matthew Stafford | 2025 | 111 | 45% | | Jared Goff | 2024 | 84 | 31% | | Dak Prescott | 2023 | 84 | 37% | | Tom Brady | 2021 | 75 | 42% | | Joe Burrow | 2021 | 78 | 30% | | Aaron Rodgers | 2021 | 59 | 35% | | Drew Brees | 2018 | 57 | 31% | --- Stafford was under pressure for roughly 1 out of every 4 of his pass attempts during the regular season and playoffs. When pressured, he attempted a pass 70% of the time. Somehow, just 12% of those pressures turned into sacks. --- | Rate Stat | Stafford '25 | Goff '24 | Brady '21 | Brees '18 | | ------------------------- | ------------ | -------- | --------- | --------- | | Planted Footwork | 60% | 55% | 58% | 42% | | Moving Footwork | 18% | 14% | 11% | 21% | | Shuffling Footwork | 10% | 12% | 15% | 23% | | All Passes/Under Pressure | 24% | 29% | 18% | 23% | | Pressure/Pass Attempted | 70% | 81% | 83% | 86% | | Pressure-to-Sack Ratio | 12% | 16% | 16% | 14% | --- When you take all that into account and remember that Stafford spent the month of August *cooling in a refrigerator* to get his back ready for the season, it makes his MVP campaign all the more impressive and frankly absurd that he was able to stay upright for 20 games — almost willing the Rams to another Super Bowl. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/Brown-and-Beige-Financial-Report-Data-Graph-2.png) The Stafford Fridge (Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times) --- But enough about the MVP. Some of the other pocket passers—**Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott,** and **Aaron Rodgers**—jumped out under the statistical microscope, albeit for a different reason. --- **Under Pressure** **Footwork** | Pocket Passer | Season | Planted Feet | Moving Feet | Shuffling Feet | | ------------- | ------ | ------------ | ----------- | -------------- | | Joe Burrow | 2021 | 39% | 18% | 10% | | Dak Prescott | 2023 | 40% | 26% | 11% | | Aaron Rodgers | 2021 | 31% | 22% | 23% | --- Under pressure, each had a considerably lower Planted Footwork rate (at or below 40%) and they were sacked more often than the other four pocket passers. Were they consistently under duress because of poor offensive line play? Or maybe their receivers weren't able to get open quickly enough? Or was it simply because they didn't want to "hang in there" and get lit up*—pretty reasonable, if you ask me!—*and rather, they tried keeping the play alive by shuffling around or moving outside the pocket? Under pressure, their footwork looked less like traditional pocket passers and more like the next, modern QB archetype. --- ## Backfield Creators --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/Drake-Maye-2025-vs.-Russell-Wilson-2019-3.png) Russell Wilson (2018-19) vs. Drake Maye (2025-26) --- **Drake Maye's** 2025 season compares favorably to **Russell Wilson's** 2019 campaign. Both used their legs at a high rate to extend plays and dictate the tempo of games: - Under Center Rate: **\~20%** - Total Scrambles: **60-70+** - % of Scrambles with 7+ Yards to Go: **\~70%** - % of Scrambles on 1st or 2nd Down: **60%+** - % of Scrambles on 3rd Down: **Fewer than 20%** --- Drake Maye was the MVP runner-up for most of the year thanks to his feet, and he made defenders hesitate in three distinct ways: 1. Shuffling or moving around behind a spotty offensive line, using ***happy feet in the pocket*** to open throwing lanes and let the routes develop 2. Leaving the pocket, ***scrambling*** for crucial yardage to move the chains, ***or*** 3. Baiting defenders toward the line of scrimmage, threatening to run before feathering a dot right over their heads; ***making throws on the move.*** Not since **Lamar Jackson's** 2023 MVP season has a quarterback been as likely to attack the defense in each of three ways. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/Dual-Threat-2.png) Drake Maye's 2025 tendencies attacking defenses with his legs --- While both Maye and Jackson attempted the majority of their passes from the pocket with planted footwork, they were the only QBs who were just as likely to scramble as they were to throw from inside or outside the pocket once they got what Tom Brady might describe as "happy feet." But here's the thing about happy feet, Tom:*They're a pain in the ass to defend.* For example, let's say the quarterback is in shotgun: - They snap the ball, the trenches go to war, and the middle of the field opens up in front of them. - The second-level defenders (linebackers; maybe a box safety or nickel corner) now have eyes on Drake Maye or Lamar Jackson in the backfield, as the QB surveys their options, about 1-2 seconds into the play. Now, if Drake Maye or Lamar Jackson starts shuffling or moving around in the pocket, they're going to make those defenders hesitate *— they're going to make them think.* That's the last thing defensive coaches want to see. Hell, you hear coaches talk all the time about how they want their players to play fast, to *not think.* React and go: > "See ball, get ball." That little movement in the pocket, whether or not Maye or Jackson actually takes off to run, buys their offense another second for the play to develop—for their receivers to separate or work back to the ball—and they can keep the play alive for several seconds more if they leave the pocket to force the defenders' hand. You see what I mean? Much thinking. Every dropback. Total pain in the ass. Drake Maye, Lamar Jackson, and other dual threats are able to gift their offenses the most valuable commodity of all: More time. --- ### Mahomes (and Everyone Else) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/Scrambling-Rate-Stats.png) --- - **Yards Per Attempt:* Scrambling yards + Passing yards (from throws on the run) divided by / (Season-long scramble attempts + Dropbacks with Moving footwork)* - **Dual Threat Rate:* Scrambles + Throws on the run divided by / All Dropbacks, including the playoffs (calculated through the Divisional Round)* --- Perhaps unsurprisingly, **Patrick Mahomes** remains in a class of his own. While there *could be* three dominant QB archetypes, in theory... in practice, it's really just Pocket Passers, Dual Threats, and Mahomes. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/Backfield-Creator-simplified.png) Team logos represent additional QB seasons (2018-25) --- While some quarterbacks have produced more with less, no quarterback has been asked to do as much and delivered as often as Mahomes. --- | Quarterback | Plays/Game | Season | Plays/Game | Quarterback | | --------------------- | ---------- | ------ | ---------- | ---------------- | | Patrick Mahomes | 18.5 | 2020 | 14.7 | Josh Allen | | Patrick Mahomes | 16.9 | 2021 | 13.2 | Josh Allen | | Patrick Mahomes (MVP) | 17.3 | 2022 | 13.8 | Josh Allen | | Patrick Mahomes | 14.9 | 2023 | 11.8 | Josh Allen | | Patrick Mahomes | 15.8 | 2024 | 12.5 | Josh Allen (MVP) | ``` *Plays include scrambles; pass attempts from the pocket with shuffling/moving footwork (happy feet), and pass attempts outside the pocket with happy feet.* ``` --- While Sports Info Solutions has only been tracking footwork since 2018, it's fair to wonder just how closely Prime Aaron Rodgers would have stacked up with Mahomes. Since 2018, the two dominate the charts in pass attempts per game with happy feet. --- | Happy Feet | Season | Att/GM | Air Yds/GM | Scrambles/GM | | --------------- | ------ | ------ | ---------- | ------------ | | Patrick Mahomes | 2020 | 15.9 | 47.3 | 2.6 | | Aaron Rodgers | 2018 | 14.9 | 34.8 | 2.0 | | Patrick Mahomes | 2022 | 14.6 | 35.7 | 2.8 | | Aaron Rodgers | 2020 | 14.2 | 28.6 | 1.4 | | Patrick Mahomes | 2021 | 13.9 | 37.6 | 3.0 | | Aaron Rodgers | 2019 | 13.5 | 25.3 | 1.5 | | Patrick Mahomes | 2024 | 13.2 | 27.8 | 2.1 | --- Like with pocket passers throwing past the sticks, it's instructive to drill down into the data and focus on air yards to see how QBs fare with unsettled feet*.* --- **Air Yards Threat** | Happy Feet | Season | Pocket Air Yards | Outside AY | Pocket Rate | | --------------- | ------ | ---------------- | ---------- | ----------- | | Patrick Mahomes | 2024 | 134 | 394 | 25.4% | | Patrick Mahomes | 2022 | 245 | 468 | 34.5% | | Patrick Mahomes | 2020 | 247 | 604 | 29.0% | | Aaron Rodgers | 2018 | 230 | 326 | 41.4% | | Aaron Rodgers | 2019 | 125 | 330 | 27.5% | | Justin Herbert | 2020 | 8 | 194 | 3.96% | | Trevor Lawrence | 2022 | \-30 | 194 | \-18% | | Josh Allen | 2024 | 64 | 502 | 11.3% | | Bo Nix | 2025 | 1 | 364 | 0.27% | | Caleb Williams | 2025 | \-40 | 377 | \-12% | ``` *Pocket Rate = Pocket Air Yards/(Pocket AY + Outside AY)* ``` --- Now, if you were preparing to face Mahomes or Rodgers during those seasons, you'd feel less confident that you could cheat toward the line of scrimmage when they got happy feet in the pocket. Not the case for most quarterbacks. Although cherry-picking a bit, if you were in the film room during the week of prep to face **Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, Bo Nix, Caleb Williams,** or Allen during those seasons, you might come to the conclusion that you could cheat toward the line if you saw them get happy feet in the pocket. Of course, these are season-long stats and not every one of their passes were dump-offs behind the line of scrimmage, but having *such a low Air Yard total* from inside the pocket indicates a schematic (and/or player) tendency to take the check down when they start moving/shuffling in the pocket. It could be one of the biggest indicators in separating the true backfield creators from dual threats in seasons to come. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/02/QB-Archetypes-CFB-26.png) Physical traits defined by EA Sports (College Football 26) --- ## TLDR --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/QB-Footwork-Rate-Stats-----Charts-5.png) **Stats through the Divisional Round of the 2025-26 Playoffs* --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/QB-Footwork-Rate-Stats-----Charts-1.png) **Stats through the Divisional Round of the 2025-26 Playoffs* ### Fixing the Bills WR Problem URL: https://www.bandit.football/fixing-the-bills-wr-problem/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T20:20:45.000Z You can't really know where the Bills are going until you know where they've been. Honestly? Things have been great. The drought is in the rearview. The current regime nurtured an NFL MVP and ensured the team would remain in Buffalo. The new stadium opens this summer. Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter own a slice of the team. That's sick as hell. The past two seasons, however, have been simmering toward a boiling point that finally blew its lid in Jacksonville. Buffalo entered the game with five wide receivers. They left it with only three. How could the season possibly come down to this? To not having enough players tocatch the ball from the *reigning MVP* — in the fucken Divisional Round? --- ***What happened to the Bills receivers this season?*** --- Entering the playoff game against the Broncos: **Khalil Shakir** was the only WR to play in every "meaningful" game this season (i.e. he was rested in Week 18 with Bills' playoff positioning set). **Curtis Samuel** returned from injured reserve just four days before the Divisional Round after not practicing or playing since Week 11\. He opened the season as a healthy scratch and didn't play until Week 4\. He has seven receptions this season. **Brandin Cooks** joined the Bills around Thanksgiving after he was granted his release from the Saints. He has eight receptions since joining the team. **Mecole Hardman** was signed to the practice squad on November 12 and elevated to the active roster on November 15\. He was waived on December 27 before re-joining the practice squad on December 30\. He has played in two games this season. He has yet to make a catch but has lost a fumble. **Jaylen Waddle** was not acquired at the trade deadline. Five days later on November 9, the Dolphins beat the Bills in Miami and Waddle had 5 receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown. **Gabe Davis** had been on the practice squad since opening weekend but didn't play until Week 11\. He played the next three games before he was a healthy scratch in Weeks 15 and 16\. In the playoffs against the Jags, he had 2 catches for 14 yards and was involved as a blocker before tearing his ACL. **Tyrell Shavers** mostlycontributed on special teams and as a blocker but popped up for a few splash plays on offense. Unfortunately, his season also ended in Jacksonville. Shavers tore his ACL in the second quarter but somehow returned to finish the game, playing 34 total snaps on offense. **Keon Coleman** played 27 snaps on offense against the Jags. They were his most meaningful snaps since Week 15\. Coleman was a healthy scratch for multiple games for disciplinary reasons, including repeatedly showing up late for meetings. Since Week 8, in games with Josh Allen, Coleman has 13 catches for 154 yards and 2 TDs but hasn't had more than 3 catches or 50 yards in a game. **Josh Palmer** signed a 3-year contract with the Bills on March 10, including $18 million guaranteed. He appeared in 12 games and had 22 receptions for 303 yards and no touchdowns. Palmer was placed on IR with an ankle before the playoffs. **Elijah Moore** signed a 1-year deal with the Bills on May 5\. He played in nine games and had 9 receptions for 112 yards and no touchdowns. He was waived on November 26, the day before Thanksgiving. On December 2, the Broncos signed him to their practice squad. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-4.02.29---PM.png) Brandon Beane and Elijah Moore (builtinbuffalo\_ on Instagram) --- Elijah Moore was signed two weeks after the 2025 NFL Draft. The week before he was signed, Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane appeared on local radio [WGR550](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vvzvsG-gJA&ref=bandit.football) and took offense to the hosts criticizing the team's wide receivers. --- > "You guys are bitching that we don't have a receiver. I don't get it. We just scored 30 points in a row for eight straight games.... A year ago? I get you guys asking why we *'didn't have receivers,'* but I don't understand it now. You just saw us lead the league in points. When you add \[in\] all the postseason \[games\], no one scored more points than the Buffalo Bills — including the Super Bowl champion \[Philadelphia Eagles\]. > You just saw us do it without Stefon Diggs, same group. How is this group not better than \[2024's group\]? Our job is to score points and win games. Where did we need to get better? Defense. We did that." --- > "Let's be realistic. Our job is not fantasy football, like to trot out the best receivers. You've got Josh Allen: First thing you've got to do is protect him. You can't have everything. You can't have Pro Bowl wide receivers, and have a Pro Bowl offensive line, and an All-Pro quarterback, and three great running backs. Like, you've got to pick. Sure, I'd love to play fantasy football but there's only one football. There's one ball." > "So I get it, you've got to have a show and you've gotta have something to bitch about. But bitching about wide receivers is one of the dumbest arguments I've heard." *— Brandon Beane after the 2025 NFL Draft* --- Below you'll find several thousand words about fixing the Bills wide receiver problem. If you don't have time for all that, hang tight for the TLDR to get the gist. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/fixing-the-bills-wr-problem-7.png) --- ## TLDR In a perfect world, the Bills would hash out some trades over steaks at St. Elmo's during Combine weekend: 1. Trade their 2026 5th-round pick for **Michael Pittman Jr.** and sign him to a short-term extension to fix their "big bodied X receiver" problem. 2. Trade their 2026 1st-round pick to the Jaguars for **Brian Thomas Jr.** to fix their "downfield boundary threat" problem. --- In the real world, Pittman's contract will be tough to navigate while the Bills try to re-sign their players and backfill the roster with veteran free agents. Thomas was rumored to be available at the 2025 trade deadline, but he fills a key role on the Jaguars offense and still has two years remaining on a cost-controlled rookie deal (plus a 5th-year option). BTJ has seen boundary shots at roughly double the rate of any wideout currently on the Jags roster. --- **Makai Lemon** is the receiver I'd take in the 1st Round and would be willing to trade multiple draft picks (2026 1st and 2nd, 2027 3rd) to select him. That might be considered too rich, though, for a prospect deemed more of a "ground-rule double." Brandon Beane has been willing to trade-up for his guy in the past, but more often than not he has tried to "sock a dinger" with his top selection. Receivers like **Denzel Boston** (a big-bodied target like **Keon Coleman**) should be available near the end of the 1st round. --- **Cuts and Restructures:** Realistically, the Bills could have anywhere between $25-$40 million in cap space when free agency opens in March. The offensive line will likely take a hit as LG **David Edwards** ($20 mil) and OC **Connor McGovern** ($16 mil) are projected to earn $36 million per year on the open market. The Bills will need to backfill those positions with veterans they trust (OG/OC **Ryan Bates,** OT **David Quessenberry**) to coach up the next wave in addition to restocking an aged defense ahead of the draft. --- **Ten Percent:** Khalil Shakir, Josh Palmer, and Keon Coleman project to make the 2026 roster with Tyrell Shavers (R-FA) beginning the season on injured reserve. After cutting Curtis Samuel ($3.5 million dead-cap hit) and re-signing Shavers this offseason, the Bills can open up anywhere from $6-$15 million in additional cap space if they're willing to restructure Shakir (likely; one void year) and Palmer (unlikely; three void years). Shakir, Palmer, Coleman, and Shavers would account for roughly $25 million of the Bills 2026 cap, leaving around $7 million or so for a few WR additions in the budget (10% of the Bills 2026 salary cap). --- **So what's the likely fix?** *\*Give me a second while I let out the longest sigh you've ever heard in your life\** --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/Tyquan-Thornton.png) --- **The Fix:** Sign **Tyquan Thorton** in free agency, draft at least one wide receiver on Day 1 or 2 of the draft and invite several UDFAs to rookie minicamp in the spring. Sign **Mack Hollins** if he's cut by the Patriots. Bills fans might actually revolt if the front office's only wide receiver move during free agency is signing rotational (yet effective!) deep threat Tyquan Thorton. If that's how things play out, though, the front office should consider banging the drum — loudly and perhaps nonstop — that they will address WR early in the NFL Draft. --- In any case, there's one move the Bills can make before free agency opens in March. Not to be dramatic but seriously: it could have the single biggest impact on the Bills receiving corps for years to come. --- ## 1\. Bring Back Chad Hall 0:00 /0:44 1× Posted by Jon Scott of WGRZ-Buffalo on (9/22/21) --- > *"He's one of, if not the best coach I've ever had" —Stefon Diggs on Chad Hall* --- Chad Hall spent six seasons with the Bills from 2017-22, first as an offensive assistant then as the wide receivers coach. In 2019, John Brown became the first WR coached by Hall to reach 1,000 receiving yards — and Hall's been coaching 1,000-yard receivers ever since. **Stefon Diggs** eclipsed 1,000 yards in three straight years (2020-22) and was a 1st Team All-Pro in 2020 (Bills' slot receiver Cole Beasley made the 2nd Team that season). Following the 2022 campaign, Hall was hired away by Doug Pederson in Jacksonville to be their WRs coach. **Calvin Ridley** had 1,000 receiving yards in 2023 and was rewarded with a contract from the Titans in free agency. Following Ridley's departure, **Gabe Davis** chose to sign with the Jaguars and reunited with his former teacher. The Jags drafted **Brian Thomas Jr.** who went on to produce the NFL's third most receiving yards (1,282) and scored 10 touchdowns during his rookie season. --- ### Seven Season Streak | Team | Season | Top WR | Recs | Yards | | ------ | ------ | ----------- | ---- | ----- | | Bills | 2019 | J. Brown | 72 | 1,060 | | Bills | 2020 | S. Diggs | 127 | 1,535 | | Bills | 2021 | S. Diggs | 102 | 1,225 | | Bills | 2022 | S. Diggs | 108 | 1,429 | | Jags | 2023 | C. Ridley | 76 | 1,016 | | Jags | 2024 | B. Thomas | 87 | 1,282 | | Giants | 2025\* | W. Robinson | 92 | 1,014 | \* *Was the NYG Asst. QBs Coach* --- The Jags moved on from Pederson after the 2024 season. Hall landed with the G-Men where he reunited with Brian Daboll and was promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach. Dabes was fired after a 2-8 start. The Giants promoted OC Mike Kafka to interim head coach and they finished the year with a 4-13 record. All the while, Hall was tasked with managing a room that at one point included **Tommy DeVito, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston,** and rookie **Jaxson Dart.** --- | Week | Opponent | QB | Total TDs | Total Yds | | ---- | -------- | --------- | ---------- | --------- | | 18 | DAL | J. Dart | 2 | 262 | | 17 | @LVR | J. Dart | 2 | 255 | | 15 | WAS | J. Dart | 2 | 309 | | 12 | @DET | Jameis | 3 (1 rec.) | 412 | | 7 | @DEN | J. Dart | 4 | 294 | | 6 | PHI | J. Dart | 2 | 253 | | 2 | @DAL | R. Wilson | 3 | 473 | --- Almost certainly, Hall will be looking for a new job this offseason as the Giants remake their staff. The Bills should do everything in their power to get Hall back in their building and give him a well-earned promotion. --- **Promote Him to Passing Game Coordinator** Buffalo didn't have a passing game coordinator on staff during the 2025-26 season. The Bills have been patient with their coaching decisions, opting for continuity rather than churn, so adding Hall rather than subtracting from the current staff would make a lot of sense. Promoting Hall to passing game coordinator would allow him significant input on the passing game moving forward, much like the Bills have done with longtime offensive line coach Aaron Kromer and their running game. --- > *"Kromer doesn’t hold the title of run game coordinator, but that’s what he is in addition to guiding and drilling offensive linemen. With help from tight ends coach Rob Boras, Kromer is responsible for devising Buffalo’s ground attack each week, identifying which rushing plays will work best, and suggesting in-game what offensive coordinator Joe Brady should call when it’s time to run."* [*—Excerpted from Tim Graham for The Athletic*](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6860689/2025/12/05/buffalo-bills-offensive-line-coach-aaron-kromer/?ref=bandit.football) --- ## 2\. Extend Dawson Knox 0:00 /0:52 1× Knox on Allen, originally posted by the Bills (1/21/22) --- > *"I pray that I get to spend the rest of my career playing with him. There's not a single person on this team that wouldn't say the same. Every game he's got blood, cuts and bruises literally putting his body on the line every single play for all of us. He really is a warrior. A modern day gladiator." —Dawson Knox on Josh Allen in January 2024* --- The Bills could — and arguably should — make it so **Josh Allen** and **Dawson Knox's** contracts are tied together for as long as they're playing in Buffalo. Allow me to explain. --- **Knox Is Entering a Contract Season** | Year | Age | Cap Hit | Dead Cap | (+/-) If Cut | | ---- | --- | --------- | --------- | ------------ | | 2024 | 28 | $7.7 Mil | $24.5 Mil | \- | | 2025 | 29 | $14.6 Mil | $21.5 Mil | \- | | 2026 | 30 | $17.1 Mil | $7.4 Mil | +$9.7 Mil | | 2027 | 31 | $1.2 Mil | $2.4 Mil | $0 (Void) | | 2028 | 32 | $1.2 Mil | \- | $0 (Void) | The Bills could save roughly $9.7 million this offseason if they were to move on from Knox before March 16 but I don't believe they'll do that. Instead, they can sign Knox to an extension to lower his 2026 cap hit. Right now, Knox has the fifth-highest cap hit on the team and it's $5 million more than **Josh Palmer,** a 2025 signee whose contract offers little-to-no flexibility as far as freeing up some much-needed cap space. --- Using [Spotrac's database](https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/player/%5F/id/29132/dawson-knox?ref=bandit.football) as my guide, I've drawn up a dummy contract that could save the Bills $7 million against the cap and keep Knox in Buffalo longterm. --- | Year | Age | Cap Hit | Dead Cap | (+/-) If Cut | | ---- | --- | --------- | --------- | ------------ | | 2026 | 30 | $10.0 Mil | $30.6 Mil | \-$20.6 Mil | | 2027 | 31 | $11.0 Mil | $20.6 Mil | \-$9.6 Mil | | 2028 | 32 | $12.4 Mil | $10.2 Mil | +$2.2 Mil | | 2029 | 33 | $4.0 Mil | $4.0 Mil | $0 (Void) | | 2030 | 34 | \- | \- | $0 (Void) | --- There's $12 million remaining on Knox's current deal, and this extension would give him a million-dollar raise in 2026 and more than $10 million in additional guaranteed money to stick around Buffalo on Allen's timeline. Allen's contract is likely to be restructured following the 2028 season when his cap hit balloons to more than $86 million (against a dead-cap hit of just $11 million), meaning Allen and Knox's contracts could be revisited in early 2029. Knox has already agreed to a contract restructure once before, during the 2024 offseason, to secure more guaranteed money upfront and less on the backend — essentially agreeing to a pay cut. However, it should be noted that Knox had player-friendly incentives built into his contract. While most players have non-cumulative benchmarks they need to hit to reach incentives, the Bills allowed Knox multiple seasons to secure his bonuses. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-06-at-1.45.02---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-06-at-1.45.09---PM.png) Player-friendly incentive structure: 2024-25 (cumulative) benchmarks --- For a potential extension, I focused on securing as much guaranteed money as possible while more or less keeping his annual salary in line with what he's made in recent seasons. Here's a more detailed breakdown of what a Knox extension could look like. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-05-at-8.58.29---AM.png) Dawson Knox dummy contract (made using Spotrac.com) --- I used **Tyler Higbee's** contract as one guide post, based on his age when he signed and the Rams guaranteeing almost all of the money, and **John Bates's** contract as another guide post, as the Commanders blocking TE hasn't been as productive in the passing game but is a good blocker and essential to what Washington wants to be on offense. Higbee was making $8.5 million on average and will now be a free agent in what would be his age 33 season. His projected market value is about half that, dipping to $4.8 million based on Spotrac's projections. --- **2026 Free Agents** | Tight End | Age | Current Salary | Market Value | | ------------------ | ---- | -------------- | ------------ | | K. Pitts | 25.2 | $8.2 Mil | $14.6 Mil | | C. Okonkwo | 26.2 | $1.0 Mil | $12.3 Mil | | T. Kelce | 36.2 | $17.1 Mil | $11.0 Mil | | D. Njoku | 29.4 | $13.7 Mil | $10.4 Mil | | I. Likely | 25.7 | $1.0 Mil | $9.1 Mil | | C. Otton | 26.7 | $1.1 Mil | $7.7 Mil | | T. Higbee | 33.0 | $8.5 Mil | $4.8 Mil | | D. Waller | 33.2 | $2.0 Mil | $3.5 Mil | | N. Fant | 28.1 | $2.8 Mil | $2.9 Mil | | F. Moreau | 28.6 | $4.1 Mil | $2.7 Mil | | Z. Ertz | 35.1 | $6.3 Mil | $2.4 Mil | | Taysom Fucken Hill | 35.3 | $10.0 Mil | $1.2 Mil | --- Tacking on two new years to Knox's contract with a chance to restructure and extend him again in 2029, during his age 33 season, would make a lot of sense for all parties involved. Knox recently set the Bills' franchise record for career receiving touchdowns by a tight end and would be in line to break the receptions and yardage records in the coming seasons. If the Bills can get Allen and Knox in a room together and lay out this longterm view — about keeping them together in Buffalo for their entire careers — I think it would help stabilize the team from a locker room and cap standpoint. And the Bills shouldn't have any trouble getting them in a room together. --- ### Best Friends Forever 0:00 /1:07 1× Video originally posted by the Bills on September 11, 2021 --- What was Josh Allen doing when news of his first big contract extension broke? > I was actually playing Catan with some of the boys in the tight ends room, and Dawson goes, “Oh my gosh, Josh. Congrats!” Settlers of Catan remains a big part of Allen and Knox's off-the-field relationship, so big in fact that ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg did a whole-ass story about it in September 2024. --- [How a board game brought Bills players closer -- and stoked their competitive fireBuffalo underwent significant change this offseason and has found avenues to bring the team closer.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/espn-icon-180x180-1.png)ESPNAlaina Getzenberg![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/i-1)](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/%5F/id/41026695/how-settlers-catan-brought-buffalo-bills-closer?ref=bandit.football) --- Allen has repeatedly said how much he trusts Knox, both on and off the field, and it's clear he's his best friend on the team. But perhaps the biggest feather in Knox's cap that everyone should be on board with — even the fans who are worried about his drops; the accountants who are worried about the cap — is that Knox is exactly theright *type of player* that Josh Allen's Bills need to be successful. Allen is the type of quarterback who, I mean — all he really wants to do is go out there and play ball with his friends. It's an archetype Seth Wickersham explores in his book *American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback,* and it brings to mind how Allen wants to be well-liked, to not only be great but to make sure everyone knows how great his friends are, too. It's why things didn't work out with **Stefon Diggs** whose best friend is the ball itself. Allen did everything in his power to get the ball to Diggs as often as possible but the Bills came up short in the playoffs. When Diggs *didn't get the ball as often as possible,* he made sure to make his frustrations known on social media. Knox isn't the focal point of the offense, of course, but he's also not demanding the ball. He's just another guy who's happy to be out there with his friends. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/Stat.png) Dawson Knox's impact compared to other TEs around the league --- When the Bills announced they were switching to more of an "everybody eats" passing offense after trading away Diggs during the 2024 offseason, it was clear the front office knew the best thing for Allen and the Bills would be an offense centered around their QB distributing the ball to the open man — not an offense where the QB is stressed about whether or not Diggs or any other player was getting the ball enough. Trading away Diggs was the front office's way of saving Allen from himself. It led to him winning the 2024 NFL MVP Award. --- With all that in mind as the Bills face mounting criticism about their wide receivers heading into the 2026 offseason, I believe there's one trade candidate that stands out above the rest as the right *type of player* for this Buffalo offense. --- ## 3a. Trade for Michael Pittman --- 0:00 /0:08 1× Video originally posted by James Boyd (The Athletic) --- > *"I've been here for six years, it's been a good six. You know, I'm hoping it's not but if this is my last then I've really had a great time playing here." —Michael Pittman following the Colts' Week 18 defeat.* --- The Colts began the 2025 season with an 8-2 record behind one of the more prolific offenses in NFL history. **Michael Pittman Jr.** was the clear WR1 and near the top of the league in receiving touchdowns, first downs, total receptions, and catch rate heading into the Colts BYE week. They didn't win another game. In Week 14, **Daniel Jones** suffered a season-ending torn Achilles that led to **Philip Rivers** coming out of retirement to try and save their season. The Colts finished the year at 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. From Weeks 12-18, Pittman's role in the Colts passing game shrunk significantly. He dropped to #21 in touchdowns, #23 in first downs, #20 in total receptions, and #19 in catch rate out of 27 high-volume wide receivers across the league. At the same time, **Alec Pierce** put together the best stretch of his career. He tied **Jaxon Smith-Njigba** and **Chris Olave** with 5 receiving touchdowns and was #14 in yards during the final seven games of the season, averaging 22 yards per reception. --- *Pittman never complained about his reduced role. There were no reports of any discontent or sideline shots of a player annoyed by his dwindling target rate.* --- **Colts Free Agents and Extension Candidates** The Colts announced they would retain GM Chris Ballard and HC Shane Steichen after the season and together they'll have to make some tough financial decisions about their wide receiver room in 2026 and beyond. Alec Pierce is a free agent but the Colts are likely to use a projected $28 million WR franchise tag to retain him (in early March) as they negotiate a contract extension (by mid-July). The Colts could save $24 million in cap space by trading or cutting Michael Pittman before March 16. --- **2026 Free Agents** | Player | Age | Position | Previous Salary | Market Value | | -------------- | ---- | -------- | --------------- | ------------ | | The Dimesman | 28.6 | QB | $14.0 Mil | $44.6 Mil | | Alec Pierce | 25.7 | WR | $1.7 Mil | $20.3 Mil | | Kwity Paye | 27.1 | EDGE | $3.4 Mil | $17.8 Mil | | Braden Smith | 29.8 | RT | $17.5 Mil | $13.5 Mil | | Nick Cross | 24.2 | SAF | $1.3 Mil | $6.1 Mil | | Samson Ebukam | 30.6 | EDGE | $8.0 Mil | $2.9 Mil | | Germaine Pratt | 29.6 | LB | $1.5 Mil | $2.9 Mil | **Extension Candidates** | Player | Age | Position | Previous Salary | Market Value | | ------------------- | ---- | -------- | --------------- | ------------ | | Michael Pittman Jr. | 29.2 | WR | $23.3 Mil | $29.1 Mil | | Quenton Nelson | 30.8 | OG | $20.0 Mil | $23.2 Mil | | Jonathan Taylor | 27.9 | RB | $14.0 Mil | $15.4 Mil | | Josh Downs | 25.3 | WR | $1.4 Mil | $14.0 Mil | --- While Indy has roughly $53 million in projected cap space heading into the offseason, a considerable portion of that will end up going to the quarterback room. Spotrac projects Daniel Jones's next contract to come in around $45 million per year, which seems a tad high for a player with his injury history (neck '21, ACL '23, Achilles '25) and streaky production (notably better in contract years). We've seen **Aaron Rodgers** and **Kirk Cousins** struggle for more than a season off of an Achilles before they resembled anything close to their former selves, and even then they weren't able to consistently string together quality starts. Aside from addressing the league's highest paid position, other Colts free agents are projected to collectively earn $63.5 million in average annual value (AAV) on the open market, or $8 million more than the Colts have to spend. They could open up some room by extending franchise-legend **Quenton Nelson** but it seems less likely that the Colts would want to extend a WR going on 30 or a running back going on 28 to free up additional 2026 cap space by "kicking the can down the road" — i.e. pushing guaranteed money into the future that would limit their cap space in exchange for trying to win in 2026 with a new QB or one coming off a torn Achilles. The Colts chose to stick with Steichen and Ballard, however, and it seems likely that both are thinking about the here and now and not the future of the franchise. --- *“If we stuck in the alley and we about to get jumped, we all know that Pitt is one of those dudes that we want with us. He’s gonna find a way to get it done.”* [*—Reggie Wayne on Michael Pittman, Colts training camp 2024*](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5677183/2024/08/03/indianapolis-colts-receivers-pittman-mitchell-reggie-wayne/?ref=bandit.football) --- ### **Keon Coleman + 5th Rd Pick** --- **Keon Coleman** is the type of player Chris Ballard typically falls for in the draft: Big, explosive, young with seemingly limitless upside. Since the draft, though, Coleman has exhibited theexact *type of behavior* that Shane Steichen is known to abhor. Coleman was a healthy scratch for the Bills multiple times during the 2025 season, first for disciplinary reasons (late for meetings) then seemingly performance reasons (an inability to get open downfield). He's committed avoidable penalties (offensive pass interference, illegal touching, not lining up correctly at the snap) throughout his college and pro career. Ballard (and presumably Steichen) shipped **Adonai Mitchell** to the Jets at the 2025 trade deadline after Mitchell infamously let go of the ball before scoring a would-be long touchdown, fumbling it out of the endzone for a turnover. During the 2024 season, **Anthony Richardson** asked to be removed from the game "because he was tired" and that essentially ended his tenure as Colts quarterback, motivating Steichen and Ballard to pursue Daniel Jones last offseason. Would Steichen want to replace Pittman with the frequently tardy Coleman? --- > *"\[Pittman\]'s the toughest guy I've ever been around." —Shane Steichen,* [*October 2024*](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5841251/2024/10/13/michael-pittman-jr-colts-back-injury-titans/?ref=bandit.football) --- **Recent Wide Receiver Trades** --- | Team | Date | Wide Receiver | Age | Compensation | | ---------- | ----- | -------------- | --- | --------------------------------- | | Seahawks | 11/25 | Rashid Shaheed | 27 | 2026 4th & 5th round picks | | Jaguars | 11/25 | Jakobi Meyers | 29 | 2026 4th & 6th round picks | | Cowboys | 05/25 | George Pickens | 24 | 2026 3rd & 2027 5th round picks\* | | Steelers | 03/25 | DK Metcalf | 27 | 2025 2nd & 7th round picks\*\* | | Texans | 03/25 | Christian Kirk | 28 | 2026 6th round pick | | Commanders | 03/25 | Deebo Samuel | 29 | 2025 5th round pick | | Texans | 04/24 | Stefon Diggs | 30 | 2025 2nd round pick\*\*\* | | Bears | 03/24 | Keenan Allen | 31 | 2024 4th round pick | \* *The Steelers sent the Cowboys their 2027 6th round pick* \*\* *The Seahawks sent the Steelers their 2025 6th round pick* \*\*\* *The Bills sent the Texans their 2024 6th and 2025 5th round picks* --- Pittman would be 28 years old at the time of the trade. He will turn 29 during the 2026 season. Scanning through the list, recent trades for **Deebo Samuel** and **Christian Kirk** are unlikely blueprints for how the Bills would handle a potential Pittman "sign and trade." The Commanders and Texans converted Deebo and Christian Kirk's remaining salary into a signing bonus and spread out their cap hits over four void years, effectively turning them into 1-year rentals for the 'Manders and Texans to "win now" in exchange for running up the tab and paying for it later. Washington will eat a $12.3 million dead-cap hit in 2026, and then an additional $3.1 million in each of the 2027, 2028, and 2029 seasons. Houston's on the hook for $11.4 million in 2026, and then $2.8 million in each of 2027, 2028, and 2029. That hasn't been how the Bills have done business since Brandon Beane took over in 2017\. The Jaguars deadline trade for **Jakobi Meyers** offers a clearer blueprint of what the Bills might offer Pittman in a "sign and trade" extension. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-07-at-10.15.00---AM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-07-at-10.15.08---AM.png) Jakobi Meyers actual extension (left) and Michael Pittman dummy extension (right) --- Spotrac has Pittman's market value at 2 years, $60 million but that seems a tad high. Much like the Daniel Jones contract and the greater QB market, I feel like the WR market has peaked in recent seasons. Teams are going to have to be smarter (and shrewder) about committing such hefty cap hits to players who aren't at the top of their position or ascending young talents; players who don't offer something truly unique or rare; players who aren't a nightmare to gameplan against. Then again, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." Or to put it another way: --- ![](https://media.tenor.com/9iKODpd6NaQAAAAC/family-guy-mystery-box.gif) --- Is Michael Pittman still a boat? Was he ever a boat? Does Pittman offer the Bills or Colts more instant value — read: stability — than onboarding a rookie? Would Bills fans be excited about Pittman? What if the Bills were able to get Pittman for their 2026 5th-round pick, similar to what the Commanders traded for Deebo Samuel? Would Pittman take less money on a new deal? Here's what he had to say after signing an extension during the 2024 offseason: --- > *“I don’t look at other guys' \[deals\] and kick myself. I don’t really care that much because … even if guys are getting more, I think what I’m getting is a decent amount of money.” —*[*Pittman on signing his contract extension after being franchise-tagged during the 2024 offseason*](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5545836/2024/06/06/colts-michael-pittman-wide-receiver-market/?ref=bandit.football) --- While there's inherent risk in trading for a wide receiver who's knocking on the dreaded "age cliff" (30 years old), Pittman has been a reliable target who doesn't really miss time—he's tough as nails and routinely plays through anything—and Pittman fits the classic big-bodied receiver mold that the Bills have been searching for to move the chains, to be another option on 3rd downs and in the redzone. However, he wouldn't solve the perceived problem — the main issue in the Buffalo receiving corps. The Bills need a receiver who can win on the outside AND down the field, who can threaten the defense with speed and separate from coverage on deeper routes. For that, the Bills should look to the draft. --- ## 3b. Draft Makai Lemon --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/wr-u-2.png) Makai Lemon is the best WR prospect in the 2026 Draft. --- > *"\[Carnell\] Tate and \[Makai\] Lemon, for me, are war daddies who are ready to rock and roll and come in and make an immediate impact and play — there's just a warrior mentality to the way they both play, a toughness.* > > *It has been kind of the secret ingredient if you look at the list of the top receivers, year in and year out, in the NFL: you will see different sizes, you will see different speeds. But almost to a man, if you go back through their reports you'll find toughness as a key part of who they are and what they are." —Daniel Jeremiah on the Move the Sticks podcast (12/30/25)* --- Just how good has **Makai Lemon** been these past few seasons? I had to know, so I went digging through the Sports Info Solutions database. --- First, I looked at all USC wide receivers from 2016 to 2025 and had 93 different options to choose from. Then, I wanted to see how each of the Trojans performed on all of their targets in the following situations: - Downfield targets (10+ yards past the line of scrimmage) - Targets when their QB was blitzed - Redzone targets - Money downs (3rd & 4th down targets) - 2-minute drill targets --- That narrowed things down to five Trojans across 10 szns: - **Makai Lemon (2024-25)** - **Jordan Addison (2022)** - **Drake London (2020-21)** - **Amon-Ra St. Brown (2018-20)** - **Michael Pittman Jr. (2018-19)** Here's how they stacked up across situations: --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/ancient-rome-3.png) --- **Top 5 Seasons** | Trojan | Season | Games | Routes Run | Targets | | --------------- | ------ | ----- | ---------- | ------- | | Drake London | 2020 | 6 | 245 | 48 | | Makai Lemon | 2025 | 12 | 316 | 110 | | Makai Lemon | 2024 | 12 | 232 | 72 | | Jordan Addison | 2022 | 11 | 285 | 81 | | Michael Pittman | 2019 | 13 | 500 | 139 | To determine the overall ranking, I narrowed things down to the following nine stats in each of the situations, ranked them, then averaged their rankings together: --- - **Catchable Rate:** Receptions divided by targets that were deemed catchable - **Drops Per Target:** Situational drops divided by situational targets, for example: Drops against the blitz divided by targets against the blitz - **Bullseye Rate:** Air yards divided by intended air yards, or the number of receiving yards made at the catch point divided by the potential yardage on all targets (including where there wasn't a catch) - **Tough Yards Per Reception:** Any yards after the catch that were gained after contact - **Broken Tackles, Missed Tackles Forced (BTMF) Per Reception** - **First Downs Gained Per Catchable Target** - **Defensive Pass Interference Per Catchable Target** - **Bullseye Plus-Minus:** Average depth of target minus average depth of completion - **Boom Rate:** Percentage of very sick plays (equivalent to adding 1 point on the scoreboard) minus the percentage of very disgustingplays (equivalent to losing 1 point on the scoreboard) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/Makai-Lemon-Stat-Sheet-2025-2.png) Makai Lemon was named the Best WR in College Football (2025) --- > "An explosive, twitchy receiver with great acceleration, Lemon displays great body control and route nuance. He is a QB-friendly wideout who works back to the football, tracks it well in the air and catches basically anything in his orbit. In 182 targets over the last two seasons, Lemon was credited with only two drops." > "Of the three players with a realistic argument for WR1 (Lemon, Ohio State’s Carnell Tate and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson), Lemon (5-11, 195) is the smallest. He does not play small, though — he gets absolutely everything out of his body on every rep." —Nick Baumgardner in [*The Athletic*](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6964294/2026/01/13/nfl-draft-2026-prospects-underclassmen-ty-simpson/?ref=bandit.football) --- Therein lies the rub: Makai Lemon is under six feet tall and weighs less than two hundred pounds. When scouting for Sports Info Solutions last winter, we were given WR benchmarks of 6-foot flat and 195 lbs. with a 40-yd. dash time of 4.50 seconds. The Combine will be key in determining Lemon's draft stock as we look forward to the spring. --- As I've written about in the past and yelled about to just about anyone who would listen: **I don't give a shit about size concerns if a wide receiver demonstrates the ability to *consistently get open* and *separate against top competition.*** One way to try and gauge that without added film study is to look at some of the more nuanced stats focusing on a receiver's boundary reps rather than their opportunities from the slot and over the middle of the field. --- **Boundary Targets Per Game** | 2026 Prospect | School | Tgts/GM | Bullseye Rate | DPI Rate | | -------------- | ------- | ------- | ------------- | -------- | | Malachi Fields | N. Dame | 3.2 | 32% | 92% | | Jordyn Tyson | ASU | 3.1 | 30% | 65% | | Chris Brazzell | Tenn | 3.0 | 48% | 112% | | Chris Bell | L'Ville | 2.9 | 56% | 83% | | Elijah Sarratt | IU | 2.8 | 54% | 81% | | Ja'Kobi Lane | USC | 2.8 | 49% | 87% | | Denzel Boston | Wash | 2.7 | 44% | 100% | | Carnell Tate | OSU | 2.5 | 47% | 79% | | Deion Burks | OU | 2.4 | 44% | 86% | | CJ Daniels | Miami | 2.1 | 44% | 79% | | Makai Lemon | USC | 1.9 | 66% | 109% | | KC Concepcion | A&M | 1.9 | 46% | 110% | | Germie Bernard | Bama | 1.8 | 43% | 72% | --- **DPI rate** was calculated by first adding the number of boundary catches to the number of DPI penalties that the wide receiver drew against coverage. Then, that sum was divided by the number of catchable targets the wide receiver had seen along the boundary. This allowed some WRs to score more than 100 percent, which means they actually caught some of those targets when defensive pass interference was called. That means the catch itself was more valuable than the NCAA's 15-yard penalty, and therefore the penalty was declined. --- To determine "Boundary Targets," I narrowed down the sample size to make sure they checked two specific boxes: 1) only include targets where the receiver was lined up wide at the snap (eliminating their slot targets) and 2) those targets must have been on the left or right side of the field—the boundary (eliminating the middle of the field). But then I got to thinking... about formations and how sometimes, even if two players are aligned out wide — like way, way out wide and away from the formation — that *only one of the receivers, the WR who is* *furthest away from the formation* will be marked "wide" by the charting (i.e. how the sausage is made; the data is collected), and any other wide receivers on that side would be marked in the "slot." It's easier to explain with screenshots. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/wide.png) Although both WRs at the top of the screen are aligned out wide in a stack, the receiver closest to the LT would be charted as a slot receiver at the snap. --- The same goes for extremely condensed sets. You might consider both wide receivers aligned in the slot, below, since they're both so tight to the formation. However, this is how they'd be charted (at least by PFF). --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2026/01/Condensed-Set.png) The WR who is closest to the sideline at the bottom of the screen will be charted "wide," even though it looks like both WRs are aligned in a bunch in the slot. --- So, yeah: I figured I needed to some add further nuance to these "Boundary Targets" to get a truer idea of their stats. To make matters worse, when I was checking my work, I realized each receiver in the sample didn't receive a Boundary Target in every game they played, so those numbers were potentially inflated and needed to be adjusted. Finally, since this is about fixing the Bills WR problem with a downfield boundary threat, I wanted to adjust the stats to only include targets that were 10+ yards downfield. With those adjustments in mind, here's the updated stats for the Top 5 WRs on PFF's Big Board. --- **True Boundary Targets Per Game** | 2026 Prospect | PFF Big Board | Adj. Tgts/GM | Bullseye Rate | DPI Rate | | ------------- | ------------- | ------------ | ------------- | -------- | | J. Tyson | #7 | 3.0 | 29% | 53% | | C. Tate | #8 | 1.6 | 48% | 77% | | M. Lemon | #11 | 1.3 | 59% | 117% | | D. Boston | #20 | 2.5 | 39% | 94% | | KC Concepcion | #26 | 1.4 | 41% | 100% | *PFF Big Board rank as of January 16, 2026* *Stats created using SIS data* --- **Would the Bills be willing to trade up to select a wide receiver in the 1st Round — and if so, just how far up the board would they need to go?** --- > “I probably deserve criticism for trading up sometimes, I get that,” Beane said, “but if there is a guy I like and I’m confident, I want to go to bed Thursday night \[after the 1st round knowing\] that I got him." —Bills GM Brandon Beane, 2024 --- ![](https://media.tenor.com/2AQR9FgLS4UAAAAC/do-it-shia-la-beouf.gif) --- ### Cost of Trading Up The Bills will likely need to trade up to get their WR of choice, with a pick in the 11-15 range probably being the sweet spot. - 1.11 — Miami Dolphins - 1.12 — Dallas Cowboys - 1.13 — Los Angeles Rams - 1.14 — Baltimore Ravens - 1.15 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers There are a few charts out there to help construct a trade up, with the [Jimmy Johnson trade value chart](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5426403/2024/04/25/nfl-draft-trade-value-chart-jimmy-johnson-explained/?ref=bandit.football) being the most well-known. I'm going to use it as well as the [Fitzgerald-Spielberger chart](https://overthecap.com/draft-trade-value-chart?ref=bandit.football), which was developed with salary data from the 2011-15 NFL Drafts. Both charts assign a numeric value to each draft pick, which I'll list below. - 1.11 — (1,250 — **JJ**) or (1,785 — **FS**) - 1.12 — (1,200) or (1,741) - 1.13 — (1,150) or (1,700) - 1.14 — (1,100) or (1,663) - 1.15 — (1,050) or (1,628) As of this writing, the Bills 1st Round pick will be valued anywhere from 590 to 700 in the Jimmy Johnson chart or 1,244 to 1,349 in the Fitzgerald-Spielberger chart. Before looking any of this up, I used the [PFF Mock Draft Simulator](https://www.pff.com/draft/nfl-mock-draft-simulator?ref=76b53b7b-7483-444c-9919-92db90a8f526) and found that the most commonly accepted trade-up package was sending the Bills' 2026 1st- & 2nd-round picks plus their 2027 3rd-rounder to move into the Top 15. Here's how the trade would look using the value charts: - **Jimmy Johnson** (aiming for 1,050 to 1,250 in value) - 860 to 1,020 in 2026 value - plus \~116 to \~185 in 2027 - Came up *just short* with 976 to 1,205 in overall trade value. --- - **Fitzgerald-Spielberger** (aiming for 1,628 to 1,785 in value) - 2,136 to 2,291 in 2026 value - plus \~687 to \~773 in 2027 - Easily cleared the bar with 2,823 to 3,064 in overall trade value. Quite the spread between the two. **Would the teams in that range even accept a trade?** --- **1.11 —** The Dolphins recently hired a new general manager and will have a new head coach, not to mention the fact they play the Bills twice a year. **1.12 & 1.13 —** The Cowboys and Rams have two selections in the first round and may look to move up in the draft, not down, by the time April rolls around. **1.14 —** The Ravens are a perennial playoff rival that will have a new head coach. **1.15 —** By the time the Bucs are on the board, the Top 3 wide receivers could be long gone. --- It's going to be tough for the Bills to get a top WR prospect in the draft. That being said: I'm of the belief that it's fairly easy to justify the cost of trading up if it leads to a more dynamic offense capable of hanging 40 points in a brand new stadium. --- > "\[Makai\] Lemon is from the tree, right. He's from the Amon-Ra St. Brown, the JSN — he's kind of in that lineage of wide receiver. My thing that I wrote about him was just deploy him like the Patriots deployed Julian Edelman and watch this guy catch 100+ balls every year. > That's what he is. He's a tough, strong slot receiver who's not afraid to work in the middle of the field, who's excellent after the catch, who's got strong, *strong hands* to attack the ball and win in traffic. He is a good player, man" — Daniel Jeremiah on the Move the Sticks podcast (12/30/25) --- While Makai Lemon would be my pick of the litter in this year's draft, the Bills may view his skill set as "too duplicative" of **Khalil Shakir.** To that I would say: double down on your strengths so you're better prepared to do what you want when injuries strike. And I would also add *through gritted teeth:* Shakir and Lemon are both capable of winning on the boundary — capable of dusting defensive backs and racking up yards downfield. Brandon Beane has tended to swing for the fences with his top pick, however, and Lemon is more of a double off the wall than a dinger. --- | Draft | Pick | Player | Thinking | | ----- | ----- | ---------------- | ---------- | | 2017 | 1.27 | Tre' White | Double (1) | | 2018 | 1.07 | Josh Allen | Dinger (1) | | 2018 | 1.16 | Tremaine Edmunds | Dinger (2) | | 2019 | 1.09 | Ed Oliver | Double (2) | | 2020 | Trade | Stefon Diggs | Dinger (3) | | 2021 | 1.30 | Greg Rousseau | Double (3) | | 2022 | 1.23 | Kaiir Elam | Double (4) | | 2023 | 1.25 | Dalton Kincaid | Dinger (4) | | 2024 | 2.01 | Keon Coleman | Dinger (5) | | 2025 | 1.30 | Maxwell Hairston | Dinger (6) | By my count, that's 6-to-4 with dingers over doubles (or strikeouts) versus simply getting a runner in scoring position. --- Perhaps there's another option on the trade market. Maybe a different guy in the AFC South. A home-run threat who was bandied about at the trade deadline. One who was coached by Chad Hall and had the third most receiving yards in the friggin' league as a rookie. --- ## 3c. Trade for Brian Thomas --- ![](https://media.tenor.com/lcehRTIw1_8AAAAC/excited-fuego.gif) And the crowd goes wild --- If the Jaguars are going to trade **Brian Thomas Jr.,** then **Travis Hunter** would need to play a fairly important role on offense in 2026 and beyond. --- > "We still expect him to play on both sides of the ball \[in 2026\]." > "Obviously, you can take a peek at the expiring contracts on our roster and which side of the ball has more. At this point, walking into the offseason, corner is a position where we have a few guys on expiring contracts. By default, you can expect there to be a higher emphasis on \[Hunter's\] placement."[—Jaguars GM James Gladsone talking about Travis Hunter's 2026 role on offense and defense](https://www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/onsi/jacksonville-reveal-early-plans-travis-hunter-2026?ref=bandit.football) on January 14, 2026 --- As *Sports Illustrated's* John Shipley notes in the article, Hunter played exactly twice as many snaps on offense as he did on defense during his rookie season. It's reasonable to expect that number to be closer to 50-50 or even flip to a majority of defensive snaps. Back before the trade deadline, around Halloween, Jaguars coach Liam Coen said the team did not intend to move Brian Thomas Jr. [following reports](https://www.nbcsports.com/fantasy/football/player-news?playerNewsId=0000019a-2661-deb1-a39b-276ffa840000&ref=bandit.football) that the struggling second-year receiver could be traded. That same afternoon, on October 27, ESPN's Michael DiRocco said Travis Hunter could start "getting the WR1 treatment from the Jaguars in the season's second half." Things continued to snowball during a whirlwind week: - Travis Hunter lands on injured reserve with a torn LCL on October 30. - On November 2, Brian Thomas caught 3-of-5 targets for 55 yards against the Raiders but left the game with an ankle injury and did not return. - The Jaguars traded their 2026 4th- & 6th-round picks to the Raiders for **Jakobi Meyers** on November 4. - That same afternoon, Adam Schefter reported BTJ was dealing with a "low-grade" high-ankle sprain. - Brian Thomas Jr. missed the team's next three games. During BTJ's absence, Jakobi Meyers, **Brenton Strange,** and **Parker Washington** became the engine of the Jaguars passing attack. Following a Week 10 loss in Houston against backup QB **Davis Mills,** the Jaguars rattled off eight consecutive wins to finish the regular season with a 13-4 record atop the AFC South. Here's how the passing game looked when BTJ returned from injury: --- **Jaguars Passing Game (Weeks 13-19)** | Player | Tgts/GM | Boundary Shots/GM | Bullseye Rate | Tough Yds | | ------------- | ------- | ----------------- | ------------- | --------- | | J. Meyers | 7.1 | 1.3 | 52% | 24% | | P. Washington | 7.8 | 1.3 | 58% | 66% | | B. Strange | 5.1 | 0.4 | 48% | 41% | | B. Thomas Jr. | 4.7 | 2.6 | 43% | 37% | | T. Etienne | 2.9 | 0.1 | 14% | 45% | --- More than half of BTJ's targets were downfield boundary shots. He doubled-up Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington as the clear downfield threat in the offense while also clearing out space for the two higher-volume, middle-of-the-field wideouts in the Jaguars' West Coast-centric offense. **What about when Travis Hunter was on the field earlier in the season?** --- **Jaguars Passing Game (Weeks 1-7)** | Player | Tgts/GM | Boundary Shots/GM | Bullseye Rate | Tough Yds | | ------------- | ------- | ----------------- | ------------- | --------- | | B. Thomas Jr. | 7.9 | 2.6 | 38% | 19% | | T. Hunter | 6.3 | 1.1 | 41% | 61% | | P. Washington | 5.0 | 1.3 | 25% | 75% | | D. Brown | 4.5 | 1.7 | 76% | 31% | | B. Strange | 4.8 | 0.7 | 47% | 67% | --- While Brian Thomas saw more targets overall during the early part of the season, his boundary shots per game remained the same throughout the year. In terms of his connection with Trevor Lawrence, the latter seven games were about 5% better than the first seven. Overall, though, the connection between Brian Thomas Jr. and Trevor Lawrence could be described as spotty at best. Would BTJ be better with a different QB? Here's how things looked with **Mac Jones** under center. ### Splits with Mac Jones --- | Quarterback | Games | Boundary Shots/GM | Bullseye Rate | 1st Downs/GM | | ----------- | ------ | ----------------- | ------------- | ------------ | | T. Lawrence | 24.5\* | 2.2 | 45% | 2.4 | | M. Jones | 7.5\* | 2.9 | 41% | 3.7 | --- \* *Trevor Lawrence started Week 12 in 2024 but was injured with 4:20 remaining in the 2nd quarter and replaced by Mac Jones. BTJ didn't see a target from Jones until the 3rd quarter.* --- Overall, Mac Jones was able to get the ball to the boundary at a higher rate than Trevor Lawrence but the Bullseye Rate needed to be explored. In the first nine games of the 2024 season, BTJ had a whopping 668 intended air yards. He hauled in 368 of them for a Bullseye Rate of 55% and 5 touchdowns. At the time, that was good for #12 in the league in air yards and #20 in intended air yards. Is that something the Jaguars want to trade away? I mean, they've seen it happen. We all saw it happen. That's why the Bills would come calling. --- ***Could Travis Hunter fill the boundary role?*** --- **Travis Hunter's College Splits** | Season | Tgts/GM | Boundary Shots/GM | Bullseye Rate | Tough Yds | | ------ | ------- | ----------------- | ------------- | --------- | | 2023 | 8.6 | 1.7 | 49% | 38% | | 2024 | 9.6 | 2.2 | 58% | 55% | --- Although it's tough to see him *completely* filling the boundary role, there's certainly an argument to be made for having your two-way phenom primarily run wind sprints rather than take hits on screen passes and other short-area YACko-tunities. --- ![](https://media.tenor.com/NKo0IC2lhWUAAAAC/dumb-and-dumber-chance.gif) --- There's a chance. James Gladstone has been the Jaguars GM for less than a year but he's already executed 10 trades. It should be noted — and it must be noted — that he had that power, the power to trade, taken away from him on November 4 at the NFL trade deadline. He has only been able to trade for 256 days in his whole life as Jaguars general manager. If you exclude weekends and federal holidays that number drops to 177! | Hired | Trades | Trade Rate | Adj. Rate | Draft Day Trades | | ------- | ------ | --------------- | --------- | ---------------- | | 2/21/25 | 10 | Every 25.6 Days | 17.7 Days | 3 | --- **Here's a look at the Jaguars 2026 Draft capital** - Round 2, Pick 56 - Round 3, Pick 81 (via Detroit) - Round 3, Pick 88 - Round 3, Pick 100 (via Detroit, comp pick) - Round 5, Pick 162 - Round 5, Pick 164 (via San Francisco) - Round 6, Pick 196 (via Atlanta from Philadelphia) - Round 7, Pick 233 - Round 7, Pick 245 (via Los Angeles) --- Sure looks like the Jaguars could use a 1st-round pick. Not necessarily to draft a guy in April, but to gift themselves all that possibility, to dream up all the potential trades another 1st-rounder would open up for them. There's 43 days between the start of free agency (March 11) and Round 1 of the draft (April 23). That's plenty of time for the Jags to dream up a masterpiece in Year 2 of the Gladstone-Coen partnership. If the Bills are going to strike a deal for Brian Thomas Jr., they should try to do it the second the league year begins on March 11 at 4:00:00 PM New York Time. Don't even wait a minute. --- **All Eyes on Indianapolis** --- Whatever the Bills end up doing to address their WR problems this offseason, things will become clearer when the league descends on Indianapolis for the Scouting Combine from February 27 to March 2. They'll have the chance to interview Makai Lemon and Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson if they so choose. Maybe even Germie Bernard. Perhaps they'll send somebody out to Michael Pittman's farm to let him known Western New York isn't all that different from rural Indiana. We've got plenty farmland around the way. By early March, the wounds of the Jaguars playoff defeat will be a faint memory as the potential at Lucas Oil Stadium fills the suites with nothing but hope. The Colts are without their 1st round pick in 2026 and 2027\. They could use all the draft capital they can get — even if it's just another Day 3 pick. Whatever happens, happens. But if the Bills draft another receiver who can't separate I'll lose my gd mind. ### Fantasy Scoring Averages URL: https://www.bandit.football/fantasy-scoring-averages/ Last updated: 2025-09-16T14:47:46.000Z Stripping away names and focusing on weekly finishes can help provide a check against our various biases, rooting interests, petty grievances, gut hunches. Below you'll find four weekly and season-long charts that illustrate FantasyPros data across the big four positions: QB, RB, WR, TE. FantasyPros uses Half-PPR scoring but the data can be used for PPR and standard leagues as well. Research has shown that there isn't much of a difference in how players stack up across the three scoring formats. You'll also find some written analysis in the weekly (QB, WR) and season-long sections (QB, RB, WR). ## Weekly Averages ### Area Charts **How to Read Area Charts:** The top layer is shaded blue and represents the top scoring options at the position on a weekly basis. The thin blue line represents the No. 1 scoring player that week, on average, during the 2022-24 fantasy seasons. The second layer is shaded green, followed by purple, yellow, and orange layers. ### Quarterback ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/09/First-Edit-----QBs--1-.png) Top 12 quarterbacks **score more than 20 fantasy points a week.** That's with 4 points per passing touchdown and 6 points per rushing touchdown, which tends to elevate dual-threat quarterbacks in the rankings. Quarterbacks get 1 point per 25 passing yards and 1 point per 10 rushing yards. Top 12QBsaverageroughly 5 carries for 25 yards per week or 2.5 fantasy points on the ground. Top 12 QBs have scored 228 rushing touchdowns since 2022 (across 576 fantasy performances) or about once every three contests. Over the course of the season, **Top 12 QBs average 4.5 points per game with their legs.** ### Running Back ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/09/First-Edit-----RBs--1-.png) ### Wide Receiver ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/09/First-Edit------WRs--2-.png) The key number for bankable production is 12 targets in a game. The majority of Top 25 WRs see a dozen targets in at least one game during the fantasy season. It's essentially a prerequisite to finishing in the Top 12\. Extreme efficiency is required to buck the trend, as **Brandon Aiyuk** did in 2023. [The Next WR1 — (Part 1)How a dozen targets became the threshold for elite WR seasons![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-119.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/0_logo_avatar-1-4.jpeg)](https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-after-two/) Through two weeks, 10 WRs have met the 12-target mark in a game: - **Brian Thomas Jr.** - **CeeDee Lamb** - **Chris Olave** - **Davante Adams** - **Drake London** - **Hollywood Brown** - **Ja'Marr Chase** - **Jakobi Meyers** - **Jaxon Smith-Njigba** - **Malik Nabers (twice)** ### Tight End ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/09/First-Edit-----TEs--1-.png) ## Season Averages ### Stacked Bar Charts - **How to Read Stacked Bar Charts:** The number atop each column is the average season-long total for the top player in each tier. The number centered in the bottom layer is the average total of the last player in the tier. In the Top 5 QB column, the QB5 averaged 325.9 fantasy points from 2022-24. ### Quarterback ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/09/QB-Fantasy-Season.png) While there isn't much of a difference between the QB5 and QB10 on a season-long basis (2.5 points per week), things get dicey toward the middle of the pack — when the QB carousel enters the picture. Total QBs to make 2+ starts in the regular season: - **48 quarterbacks** in 2024 - **55 quarterbacks** in 2023 - **60 quarterbacks** in 2022 - **49 quarterbacks** in 2021 - **46 quarterbacks** in 2020 **Seasonal Ingredients for Top 10 Quarterbacks:** In a 16-game fantasy season, Top 10 QBs have: - **EITHER 60+ Rushing attempts** **(3.75 per game)** The fewest rushing attempts among the Top 5 were **Joe Burrow** (41), **Jordan Love** (47), **Baker Mayfield** (51), **Dak Prescott** (55), **Patrick Mahomes** (58) - **OR 500+ Passing attempts** **(31.25 per game)** The fewest passing attempts in the Top 10 were: **Justin Fields** (318), **Jalen Hurts** (361; 425), **Lamar Jackson** (442; 457), **Brock Purdy** (444), **Jayden Daniels** (468), **Daniel Jones** (472), **Josh Allen** (483) - **40 (or Fewer) sacks** (2.5 per game) Quarterbacks who exceeded 40 sacks but finished in the Top 10: **Geno Smith** (43), **Jayden Daniels** (43), **Joe Burrow** (44) **Daniel Jones** (44), **Kirk Cousins** (46), **Sam Darnold** (46), **Justin Fields** (55) - **65% Completion Rate** Quarterbacks who missed the mark but finished in the Top 10: **Justin Fields** (60.4%), **Jordan Love** (63.1%), **Josh Allen** (63.3%; 63.6%), **Baker Mayfield** (64.4%), **Jared Goff** (64.9%) ### Running Back ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/09/RB-Fantasy-Season.png) It's absurd how dominant the No. 1 running back has been the past three seasons. It's enough to make you throw your hands up and say "screw it" if you weren't lucky enough to roster him. Instead, let's focus on the RBs 11-20 who have scored between 209 and 174 points the past three seasons, a difference of just 2 fantasy points per week. **Seasonal Ingredients for RB2s:** - **180+ Rushing Attempts** (11.75 per game) Only **Rachaad White** saw fewer than 180 attempts, tallying 144 in 15 games for an RB20 finish last season - **Fewer Than 20 Attempts Per Game** **Jonathan Taylor** finished last season as the RB14 in just 13 games but averaged 20.7 attempts per game. Next highest among RBs 11-20 was **Joe Mixon** who averaged 18.5 per game - **40+ Targets** (2.5 per game) **Kenneth Walker** is the only running back to finish as an RB2 who scored fewer than 10 rushing touchdowns and garnered fewer than 40 targets — and he's done that twice in the past three seasons (2022, 2023). **Gus Edwards, Ezekiel Elliott, David Montgomery** (twice), **Miles Sanders,** and **Jonathan Taylor** all saw fewer than 40 targets but scored 10+ rushing TDs. - **3+ Explosive Runs of 20+ Yards** (.1875 per game) This one requires further digging, but just five running backs had fewer than three explosive runs in this range: **Alvin Kamara** (0; 2), **David Montgomery** (1), **Najee Harris** (1), **Leonard Fournette** (1), **Rachaad White** (2) Ball security is perhaps the most impactful factor when widening the group to the *Top 120 running backs* in each of the past three seasons. **Two (2) Fumbles Lost — MAX** - 346/360 running backs (96.1%) over the past three fantasy seasons lost two or fewer fumbles. No running back lost more than four (**Alvin Kamara** in 2022; **Austin Ekeler** in 2023). Eleven running backs lost three, including **Rachaad White** in 2022 and 2024. **But Really, You Just Get One** - **310/360 running backs (86.1%) over the past three seasons lost one or fewer fumbles** - 234/360 running backs (65%) didn't lose a fumble. RBs who have already lost a fumble in 2025: **Derrick Henry, Tony Pollard, Miles Sanders, D'Andre Swift** ### Wide Receiver ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/09/WR-Fantasy-Season---EDIT.png) Let's focus on FLEX territory, or wide receivers who weren't drafted as Top 25 WRs and played at least half of the fantasy season (8 games). **Seasonal Ingredients for FLEX WRs** - **15%+ Explosive Target Rate** (Min. 10 Explosive Gains — Recs. of 20+ yds) **DK Metcalf, Drake London, George Pickens** (twice) and **Justin Jefferson** (injury-shortened 2023 season) qualify as players who were drafted to be WR1s or WR2s in most fantasy leagues. Outside of them, the recipe for explosive FLEX WRs appears to be roughly 4 targets a game and 15+ yards per reception, tallying an explosive 20+ yard reception in nearly every game they play. Recent standouts include: **\- Darnell Mooney** (1.31 explosives / game) **\- Josh Reynolds** (1.13 expl/gm) **\- Courtland Sutton** (0.93 expl/gm) **\- Keon Coleman** (0.91 expl/gm) **\- Christian Watson** (0.86 expl/gm) Sutton had an explosive target rate of 16.3% in 2023, calculated by dividing his 20+ yard receptions by his total targets. Next was Mooney at 19.8%, while Coleman, Watson, and Reynolds each eclipsed 23%. 24% of Sutton's receptions went for explosive gains, followed by Mooney (33%), Coleman (41%), Watson (41%), and Reynolds (49%). Courtland Sutton signed an extension before the season that should keep him with the Broncos through 2026\. He remains one of the better floor-ceiling WR options. --- If you're looking for consistency to round out your lineup, receivers who get **six or more targets a game** can be found outside the Top 25 drafted wideouts. - **🎯 Target Barons** \~100> Targets, \~5%> Explosive Tgt/Rec Diff. **Cooper Kupp** and **Deebo Samuel** qualify as players who were drafted to be WR1s or WR2s in most fantasy leagues — although each played just 12 games during their qualifying season. It's helpful to look at these types of receivers as the Modern RB2 — the chain-moving "between the 20s" grinders who get the volume that used to be reserved for change-of-pace running backs circa Y2K. They don't often make explosive plays but are buoyed by opportunity. Recent standouts include: **\- Khalil Shakir** (2.84% explosive differential) **\- Joshua Palmer** (3.36% expld) **\- Jakobi Meyers** (3.36% expld) **\- Adam Thielen** (3.56% expld) **\- Josh Downs** (5.49% expld) Shakir had a 9% explosive target rate and an 11.8% explosive reception rate. Palmer, Meyers, and Thielen were all around 6.9% and 10.3%; Downs was at 9.5% and 13.8%. Receivers who fit the profile continue producing as they age but are often discounted when they change teams. Veterans like **Keenan Allen** and **Hunter Renfrow** can help limit weekly variance and win fantasy matchups. ### Tight End ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/09/TE-Fantasy-Season---EDIT.png) ### Schemers Have No Aura URL: https://www.bandit.football/schemers-have-no-aura/ Last updated: 2025-09-04T14:29:34.000Z There are three dominant schemes in the NFL: "West Coast, Air Coryell, and Erhardt-Perkins," as Chris B. Brown writes in his book, *The Art of Smart Football.* "Given that every NFL team runs the same plays, each of these NFL offensive families is differentiated mostly by how these plays are communicated." Starting with the passing game. ## The Memory System > "The system is as old as football itself, which is no surprise given that Bill Walsh's onetime mentor Paul Brown is credited as much as anyone with inventing the modern conception of huddles, game plans, and play calls. For more than 30 years, it has been the dominant system in the NFL." ### AKA — The West Coast Offense How its plays are named: - Running Playsare named using "the same two-digit numbering system that most NFL and college teams use," making it easier to learn the offense - Passing Playsare named for the "primary receiver’s route, such as Z-In, X-Hook" Rams offensive coordinator **Mike LaFleur** explains how he teaches his receivers the West Coast offense: > "Receivers, it's like a starting five in basketball. What I'm telling a Z-receiver might be so different than an X-receiver, that is so different than an F-receiver, and what I learned was, 'Man, don't try to tell the whole group everything.' > > "Pick and choose your spots of, 'Hey, this is what the whole group needs to know.' Because they don't need to hear all of that information. They need to know what they need to know, and what's important to them, and what's going to help them be successful \[in their specific role\]." But what if you don't want your receivers to be locked into specific roles? What if you want them to be interchangeable? ## The Route Tree System > The Troy Aikman–era Dallas Cowboys frequently called a play called “896,” which told one outside receiver to run a \[dig\] route (“6”), the tight end to run a seam straight up the field (“9”), and the split end to run a skinny post (“8”). In the 1992 NFC Championship Game, with the game on the line, Troy Aikman called "896" in the huddle and Michael Irvin ran away from his usual spot. Nobody panicked. The Cowboys' scheme gave the receivers freedom to line-up in one of the three spots and run the route as called. Irvin lined up in the "6" instead of the "8." The reason? He wanted the damn ball; Aikman had been throwing to the "6" all game. ### AKA — The Air Coryell Offense The Aikman Cowboys were running their version of the Air Coryell offense. - **Origins** "Named after former San Diego Chargers head coach Don Coryell and used by coaches such as Norv Turner, Ernie Zampese, and Mike Martz, the Air Coryell is built around the concept of the route tree," which uses 10 numerical digits (zero through nine; 0-9) to label the 10 branches on the route tree - **Route Tree** Examples from Matt Harmon's Reception Perception ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/09/khalil-shakir-WR-Route-Percentage-2024.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/09/jaylin-noel-WR-Route-Percentage-2024.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/09/malik-nabers-WR-Route-Percentage-2024.png) 2024 Route Trees: Khalil Shakir, Jaylin Noel, Malik Nabers In the graphics above, you'll notice that the routes have been named but in the lower-lefthand corner there's another box for some "other" routes. More than 10% of **Khalil Shakir's** routes were classified as "other." > "The route tree by definition only has 10 possible routes, much fewer than any NFL team actually runs. This means that any other route must be called by name, thus defeating the very purpose of having a route tree. > > This effectively makes the Air Coryell system sound a lot like current West Coast play calls, which have no organizing principle and have morphed into monstrosities like: 🏈 Scatter-2 bunch-right-zip-fire 2 jet Texas right F flat X-Q 🍿 **If you'd rather listen to a West Coast play call, here's a shaky recording of* ***Kirk Cousins** **practicing them on Netflix's* Quarterback. Chris B. Brown continues: > The advantage of a play call like this (posted again below) is that it informs a player of his job better than other systems do. The disadvantage is that it’s excessively clunky, and plays that are conceptually the same can have wildly different calls. 🏈 Scatter-2 bunch-right-zip-fire 2 jet Texas right F flat X-Q In this play call, for example, the back would hear the word "Texas" and know he's supposed to run an angle route (also known as the Texas route) out of the backfield, past the line of scrimmage, and break toward the middle of the field. Of course the entire call, when said aloud, sounds like gobbledygook. But as long as coaches have taught the players their roles, the call should develop as drawn when the offense lines up and each piece fits into the puzzle. The West Coast and Air Coryell offenses put more stress on the quarterback but provide more relief for the other players who just need to learn their specific role. Given that, it's easy to see why **more than 75% of NFL offenses** prefer calling plays in a manner that can be boiled down to the familiar refrain: "Do your job." Placing all that responsibility on one man's shoulders comes with a big-time benefit: it substantially lowers the inherent risk of asking all players to know each of their teammates' assignments on every single call in the game plan. ## The Know-It-All System ### AKA — The Erhardt-Perkins Offense > "Pass plays are not organized by a route tree or by calling a single receiver’s route, but by what coaches refer to as 'concepts.' > > Each play has a name, and that name conjures up an image for both the quarterback and the other players on offense. > > And, most importantly, the concept can be called from almost any formation or set. Who does what changes, but the theory and tactics driving the play do not." Go on... > “You can cut down on the plays and get different looks from your formations and who’s in them. It’s easier for the players to learn. It’s easier for the quarterback to learn,” said former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. Fewer plays take less time to learn, in theory... > "The biggest advantage of the concept-based system is that it operates from the perspective of the most critical player on offense: the quarterback. In other systems, even if the underlying principles are the exact same, the play and its name might be very different. Rather than juggling all this information in real time, an Erhardt-Perkins quarterback only has to read a given arrangement of receivers. Ah, yes, the almighty quarterback. **To recap:** - First, every player on offense needs to learn the concept - Not just their role — everyone's role - Then they need to know how the concept looks in different formations - How it morphs in different sets - (Still on Step 1): Players need to know both their role and any other role they could fill in the concept - And how those roles may shift in different formations and sets - On top of that, they need to know everyone else's role, too, not just the ones they could fill - In all the different formations; in all the different sets - Step 2: They have to recognize the concept on game day when the quarterback says a code word or possibly barks it over crowd noise while running the hurry-up offense - The code word needs to conjure the same image in each player's mind – and it needs to be deciphered and processed by all 11 players in an instant — to execute the concept successfully - Step 3: Repeat these instructions for every concept in the offense ## Which Scheme Is the Most Successful? On every team's Pro Football Reference page, in the table of contents at the top, you can see what offensive scheme they ran during a given season. Even though Chris B. Brown published the article I've been citing back in 2013 (and later republished it as a chapter in his book in 2015), the three dominant schemes remain the same today and most teams are still running a West Coast offense. Ahead of the 2025 season, I've thought a lot about continuity in [coaching staffs](https://www.bandit.football/nfl-coaching-continuity/) and [offensive lines](https://www.bandit.football/offensive-line-continuity/) and wanted to do the same for scheme. I tallied up the offensive schemes that each team ran from 2022-24 using their Pro Fooball Reference pages and then dug into Sports Info Solutions to look at the advanced stats and see what I could find. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/08/1.png) - 32 teams across three seasons = **96 schemes** - **63 teams** ran a West Coast offense (65.6%) - **15 teams** ran an Erhardt-Perkins offense (15.6%) - **14 teams** ran an Air Coryell offense (14.6%) Three teams ran a spread offense (**Kliff Kingsbury** in Arizona '22 and Washington '24; Ryan Grubb in Seattle '24) and one team ran an option offense (**Greg Roman** in Baltimore '22). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/08/2.png) For the most part, nothing's jumping out in the advanced stats. I like Sports Info Solution's catchable targets stat, because it provides a more accurate snapshot by eliminating things like throwaways, spikes, or QB-WR miscommunications. Perhaps most striking across the board is that there's only a reception made on fewer than 14% of routes run. (Kind of makes you feel a little bit differently about Michael Irvin wanting the damn ball, doesn't it?) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/08/3-1.png) Rushing is more of the same, with the exception of QB rushing being a little bit higher in the Erhardt-Perkins and Air Coryell schemes. This is mostly noise, though, as **Josh Allen** and **Daniel Jones** have played in the Erhardt-Perkins system while **Lamar Jackson** and **Jalen Hurts** have played in the Coryell. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/08/4-1.png) Perhaps the biggest takeaway could be from a fantasy angle, where you're looking for bye week fill-ins and potential dart throws in your flex. - Tight Endsrun more routes and see more targets in West Coast offenses. This is noteworthy because the scheme is so dominant that a player like **Travis Kelce** can't notably alter the stats when they're broken down at this level. - Running Backssee a higher percentage of targets per route run in Erhardt-Perkins offenses, which makes sense because players are asked to line up across the formation in different roles, particularly in hurry-up, two-minute, or trailing game scripts. - Wide Receiversin Air Coryell offenses tend to see a few more deep shots per game, making them viable dart throws in a pinch. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/08/2025-Schemes.png) Potential streaming options to monitor during the 2025 fantasy season: - **Tight End:** Brenton Strange, Jonnu Smith, Tyler Higbee, Chig Okonkwo, Dalton Schultz, Kyle Pitts, Pat Freiermuth, Mike Gesicki, Cade Otton, AJ Barner, Harold Fannin Jr., Tyler Conklin, Cade Stover, Ja'Tavion Sanders, Darren Waller, Terrance Ferguson, Gunnar Helm, Noah Fant, Elijah Arroyo, Noah Gray, Tommy Tremble, Will Dissly, Tip Reiman, Oronde Gadsden II, Mitchell Evans - **Running Back:** Cam Skattebo, Ray Davis, Rhamondre Stevenson, Kyle Monangai, Ty Johnson, Roschon Johnson, Antonio Gibson, Craig Reynolds, Devin Singletary, Sione Vaki - **Wide Receiver:** Rashid Shaheed, Rashod Bateman, Marvin Mims, DeAndre Hopkins, Troy Franklin, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Tolbert, Brandin Cooks, Devontez Walker - **Bonus:** Jaylin Lane in the Washington Commanders' spread offense ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/08/Schematic-Continuity--1-.png) The Eagles, Jets, and Raiders offenses remain a relative schematic mystery on kickoff weekend of the 2025 NFL season. However, I feel pretty confident in projecting the 2025 scheme of the other 29 teams, and can wrap up the continuity standings with this final third of the equation. One nice thing about coaching changes is that incoming staffs have the opportunity to preserve continuity by keeping the previous scheme in place, and thus making communication easier across the board. It's fair to say an offensive coordinator should be able to adapt to schematic language and communication more than all of his players, and it would be wise to consider that, particularly for a new coaching staff, and even more particularly for a first-time head coach. Nevertheless, here's a quote from **Rome Odunze** about the Chicago Bears new Erhardt-Perkins scheme: > "I feel comfortable with what we've put in. I know Ben Johnson's offense isn't something that you're going to completely and totally fully understand in Year 1\. It's something that kind of takes a little bit of evolving to get there." ## 2022-24 NFL Continuity Standings ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/09/Offensive-Line-Continuity-graphic--1-.png) 1. **Buffalo Bills — 87.2%** 2. **Kansas City Chiefs — 86.8%** 3. **Los Angeles Rams — 83.0%** 4. **Green Bay Packers — 81.2%** 5. Cleveland Browns — 78.9% 6. Detroit Lions — 77.4% 7. San Francisco 49ers — 77.1% 8. New York Giants — 74.5% 9. Baltimore Ravens — 74.4% 10. Cincinnati Bengals — 74.3% 11. Indianapolis Colts — 71.9% 12. Arizona Cardinals — 71.1% 13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 70.9% 14. Atlanta Falcons — 70.6% 15. **Denver Broncos — 69.7%** 16. **Minnesota Vikings — 68.9%** 17. **Philadelphia Eagles — 68.2%** 18. **Carolina Panthers — 65.7%** 19. **Dallas Cowboys — 65.4%** 20. **Houston Texans — 63.8%** 21. **Miami Dolphins — 61.0%** 22. Pittsburgh Steelers — 59.5% 23. Tennessee Titans — 55.0% 24. Los Angeles Chargers — 53.6% 25. Jacksonville Jaguars — 53.1% 26. **Washington Commanders — 44.7%** 27. **Las Vegas Raiders — 41.3%** 28. New Orleans Saints — 33.8% 29. Seattle Seahawks — 32.4% 30. **New York Jets — 29.5%** 31. **New England Patriots — 25.7%** 32. **Chicago Bears — 25.5%** #### Sources "Speak My Language" by Chris B. Brown [https://grantland.com/features/how-terminology-erhardt-perkins-system-helped-maintain-dominance-tom-brady-patriots/](https://grantland.com/features/how-terminology-erhardt-perkins-system-helped-maintain-dominance-tom-brady-patriots/?ref=bandit.football) **The Playcallers* podcast: [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playcallers/id1696506932?i=1000664323477](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playcallers/id1696506932?i=1000664323477&ref=bandit.football) Rome Odunze quote: [https://x.com/CourtneyRCronin/status/1949149463639187806](https://x.com/CourtneyRCronin/status/1949149463639187806?ref=bandit.football) ### Offensive Line Continuity URL: https://www.bandit.football/offensive-line-continuity/ Last updated: 2025-08-30T15:58:42.000Z Four of five starters along the Buffalo Bills offensive line have played more than 2,000 snaps together the past two regular seasons. Bookend franchise tackles **Dion Dawkins** and **Spencer Brown** are north of 3,000 snaps. Left guard **David Edwards** joined the team in 2023 and played 148 snaps (12.7%) before playing 977 snaps (89.8%) in 2024, when **Connor McGovern** (97.6% in 2023 and 88.3% in 2024) moved to center to replace longtime great Mitch Morse. Right guard **O'Cyrus Torrence** played 100% of snaps during his rookie year and 93.1% last season. That type of offensive line continuity is not common. Most of the units in the league endure consistent turnover and the Bills have been remarkably healthy (knock on wood). By contrast, the Chicago Bears return two starters this season: tackles **Braxton Jones** and **Darnell Wright.** Since 2023, the two have been on the field for 21 of 34 regular season games, or just 61.8% of the time. Backup center **Ryan Bates,** who played 105 snaps (9.2%) in 2024, is the other returning lineman on a remade unit. Starting between the tackles will be **Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman,** and **Jonah Jackson.** Chicago has two rookies listed as backups, right guard **Luke Newman** and right tackle **Ozzy Trapilo.** It's going to take some time, but time waits for no one. **Brian Flores** and his psychotic defense head to Chicago for Monday Night Football in Week 1. [Brian Flores The BogeymanThe Vikings coach is tormenting opposing teams with the way his defense pressures the quarterback…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/cropped-Frame-481-270x270-2.png)Sports Info SolutionsBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/426240922076_hou_vs_min-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsinfosolutions.com/2024/10/31/brian-flores-the-bogeyman/?ref=bandit.football) How will the Bears O-line react to actual game speed? To the Vikings defensive-line stunts and simulated pressures? To be effective against modern defenses, offensive lines need to move like synchronized swimmers in lockstep with one another, knowing how their arms and legs will move in any situation without having to think. That takes time. Linemen need to learn know how to compensate for one another's weaknesses and accentuate their strengths on a down-to-down basis, with the ultimate goal of remaining invisible to everyone watching the broadcast. Otherwise, they'll be highlighted by **Joe Buck** and **Troy Aikman** on Monday night. ## Since 2022... - **Perfect:** The 2023 Bengals and Bills are the only teams to make it through the regular season with the same starting five offensive linemen - **Six in a Row:** There have been 41 instances of a team starting the same five linemen for at least six consecutive games - **(.580):** On the whole, 32 of those 41 teams started six or fewer offensive-line combinations during the regular season and went a combined 322-233 for a (.580) winning percentage. - **(.363):** The remaining nine teams started seven or more O-line combos and went 57-100 for a (.363) winning percentage ## Magic Number - **6 or Fewer:** Teams should strive to play six or fewer offensive-line combinations for the majority of snaps during the regular season. ## The Formula ## Minimum Threshold To calculate offensive line continuity, there needed to be some sort of baseline measurement: - The lineman must have played at least 50% of the offensive snaps in one or more regular-season games for their current team - The lineman must be on the 2025 roster or practice squad and have played for their current team during the 2022, 2023, and/or 2024 seasons ## Annual Calculation To determine an effective ratio, there needed to be a maximum quotient: - **Since 2022** 3 seasons x 17 games x 5 linemen = 255 linemen - **Since 2023** 2 x 17 x 5 = 170 linemen - **Since 2024** 17 x 5 = 85 linemen ### 📸 2025 Snapshot: Miami Dolphins 🐬 Right tackle **Austin Jackson** is the only healthy lineman who has played significant snaps for the Phins since the start of the 2022 season. **Liam Eichenberg** has been with the team since 2021, but he begins the 2025 season on the PUP list; Terron Armstead retired this offseason. - The Dolphins roster three additional linemen who have played snaps for them: **Aaron Brewer** (2024), **Kendall Lamm** (2023-24), and **Kion Smith** (2023). - Kion Smith played just 70 offensive snaps in 2023\. He's currently the backup left guard to rookie **Jonah Savaiinaea.** - The Dolphins may be switching to more of a power run game with more gap-scheme elements and less wide-zone calls, which could be the main reason for the group's turnover. It's going to take some time. ## Weighting the Formula - **2024** 1-year linemen: 65% - **2023** 2-year linemen: 25% - **2022** 3-year linemen: 10% **65% Passing Grade:** Offensive linemen who played at least 50% of the snaps in one or more games count for 65% of the continuity grade. **25% Second Wave:** A quarter of the formula is dedicated to linemen who have been with their team for at least two seasons and registered at least one appearance each year where they met the minimum threshold. **10% Longevity:** Ten percent is dedicated to those who have played for the team for the past three seasons. There are exceptions, but by-and-large this percentage gives a boost to teams who have identified mainstays or emerging franchise cornerstones. ## Disqualification - Players who begin the 2025 season on injured reserve or the physically unable to perform list, or if they're set to serve a suspension or on the non-football injury list, did not count toward the continuity calculation. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/08/Risers.png) ## Risers There was some uncertainty along the Eagles front line earlier this spring and summer with **Landon Dickerson** undergoing surgery (damaged meniscus), **Mekhi Becton** off to Los Angeles and **Fred Johnson** signing with Jacksonville. On August 25, the Eagles traded a 2026 seventh-rounder to Jacksonville to get "Big Fred" back in their building. Johnson played 481 snaps (41.6%) for the Eagles during **Saquon Barkley's** mammoth 2024 season. On August 27, Dickerson returned to the practice field and has a chance to play Week 1 against the Cowboys. He has played more than 3,000 snaps for the Eagles since 2022. The Eagles were #20 in the initial rankings prior to training camp. Now, they rank #7 on the eve of the season. The Cardinals, meanwhile, waited until August to re-sign **Will Hernandez,** who tore his ACL in Week 5 of last season. After signing, Hernandez was initially placed on the PUP list but then able to pass a physical and activated to the 53-man roster on August 26. Although Hernandez isn't slated to the start for the Cardinals, he has played a ton of snaps for the Red Birds these past few seasons: 1,112 (98.2%) in 2023 and 845 (70.1%) in 2022\. Backup left tackle **Kelvin Beachum** brings stability to the unit as well, having played more than 2,000 snaps for the team since 2022. The addition of Hernandez elevated the Cardinals from #15 in the initial rankings to #6 as we approach kickoff. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/08/Fallers.png) ## Fallers The Falcons have had a rough preseason, losing starting right tackle **Kaleb McGary** (leg)for the year and his backup RT **Storm Norton** (ankle) for 6-8 weeks. Starting QB **Michael Penix** is left-handed and the Falcons are down to their third-string blindside protector. In Week 1, the Falcons host **Todd Bowles** and his blitz-happy Buccaneers. McGary had played 2,940 offensive snaps for the Dirty Birds over the past three seasons. Norton played about 400, peaking at 25.1% of ATL snaps in 2023. The Falcons began the summer in the Top 5 of the rankings but fell to the middle of the pack after the injuries. **Rashawn Slater** signed a contract extension with the Chargers on July 27 and suffered a season-ending injury on August 7\. Slater played 904 snaps (84.7%) in 2024 after playing 100% of snaps in 2023\. In 2022, he played just 175 snaps (14.7%) before rupturing his biceps tendon in Week 3 and missed the rest of the season. He will be replaced by **Trey Pipkins** who has played nearly 3,000 snaps for the Bolts since the start of the 2022 season. Thanks to their depth, the Chargers remain in the Top 10 heading into the season. They fell from #2 to #9 following the Slater injury. ## Family Connection The Buffalo Bills rank second in 2025 offensive line continuity while the Los Angeles Rams rank fourth. **Aaron Kromer** was named the Bills OL coach before the 2022 season. Prior to that, he worked for the Rams where his son **Zak** is the assistant OL coach. Since 2022, the Kromers have coached a couple of Davids: **David Edwards** (in L.A. for '22 / BUF since '23 ) and **David Quessenberry** (BUF '22 / L.A. '25). ## 2025 NFL Offensive Line Continuity Results ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/08/Offensive-Line-Continuity-graphic.png) 1. **Denver Broncos — 94.8%** 2. **Buffalo Bills — 93.7%** 3. **Carolina Panthers — 92.8%** 4. **Los Angeles Rams — 86.5%** 5. **Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 84.5%** 6. **Arizona Cardinals — 82.5%** 7. Philadelphia Eagles — 78.2% 8. Cleveland Browns — 76.74% 9. Los Angeles Chargers — 76.70% 10. New York Giants — 76.69% 11. Dallas Cowboys — 76.5% 12. Kansas City Chiefs —75.0% 13. San Francisco 49ers — 74.79% 14. Green Bay Packers — 74.77% 15. Baltimore Ravens — 72.2% 16. Las Vegas Raiders — 71.4% 17. Indianapolis Colts — 71.3% 18. **Atlanta Falcons — 68.6%** 19. **Pittsburgh Steelers — 66.1%** 20. **New York Jets — 61.7%** 21. **Detroit Lions — 61.5%** 22. **Washington Commanders — 60.4%** 23. **New Orleans Saints — 57.6%** 24. **Cincinnati Bengals — 54.6%** 25. Seattle Seahawks —47.3% 26. Houston Texans — 45.43% 27. Minnesota Vikings — 45.43% 28. Tennessee Titans — 43.3% 29. Jacksonville Jaguars — 43.2% 30. New England Patriots — 42.8% 31. Miami Dolphins — 37.0% 32. Chicago Bears — 34.4% #### Sources [Pro Football Reference / Stathead](https://stathead.com/football/player-game-finder.cgi?request=1&match=team%5Fplayer%5Fcount%5Fgame&timeframe=seasons&ccomp%5B1%5D=gt&cstat%5B1%5D=snaps%5Foff%5Fpct&team%5Fid=min&season%5Fpositions%5B%5D=ol&ref=bandit.football) [Ourlads](https://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/?ref=bandit.football#google%5Fvignette) ### NFL Coaching Continuity URL: https://www.bandit.football/nfl-coaching-continuity/ Last updated: 2025-08-28T10:53:33.000Z Here's where I'm at in building out an extensive coaching tree for all the sickos. It's still in the sapling stage but the goal is to grow an evergreen so big and tall that Rockefeller Center comes calling around Christmas Future. I went to each NFL team's website, toggled to their coaching page, and went to work compiling a timeline of the coaches' previous stops over the past three seasons. I quickly learned that I would need to establish a few guardrails if I was going to come up with any sort of viable formula to assess coaching continuity at a glance. ### Guardrails - **Stick to the coaches page:** NFL team websites, like NCAA team websites, are all built on the same basic template, where the bones are the same but the teams fill them up however they see fit. Some teams list their strength and conditioning staff as coaches, others do not. I decided to reward the teams who list as many coaches as possible on said pages because, in essence, it's better than being one of the teams that does not. Coach X could easily visit another team's page and see someone of similar standing listed while they remained a "relative ghost" in their organization, at least from a front-facing perspective on the team website. --- - **Only current team continuity:** There are several instances of a team bundling their new coaching hires: Coordinator Y is hired with a few positional coaches from their previous stop. Although that group of coaches has inherent continuity, it's not included in the calculation as they are part of a new coaching ecosystem and building that has to learn how to work with one another. --- - **Only consecutive season continuity:** If a coach returns to a franchise after time away, they do not get credit for their previous tenure as the organization as whole has changed since they've been gone. --- Before I get to the coaching continuity formula, though, you might be wondering why. What is the point of this, exactly? Why does this matter? ## Why Coaching Continuity Matters Coaching might be the single biggest competitive advantage NFL teams can exploit during the salary-cap era. Identifying and retaining coaching talent isn't restricted by the salary cap; it makes sense to keep your best teachers as long as they're happy with their role and contributing to the organization. Sometimes, better opportunities are only available elsewhere. The Lions lost both coordinators to head-coaching jobs this offseason. Several position coaches went with them, which left Detroit with holes to fill on their coaching staff. One of the new faces in Allen Park is running backs coach **Tashard Choice,** who had a preexisting relationship with star RB **Jahmyr Gibbs.** > "We've been close since I was 16 or 17\. It's crazy because I'm 23 now and we just ended up together," Gibbs told ESPN. "It's really great having a familiar face. Usually when you get new coaches, it's somebody you don't know, so I didn't want to have to relearn that dude." It's great the Lions were able to tap into that inherent continuity for Gibbs, but still: the rest of the building is having to learn that dude — just as they're having to learn many new personalities around the building this season. Introducing new coaches to an established building takes time. How will they respond in certain situations? What about when the team's on a losing streak? Will they take their foot off the gas if everything's going great? If everything seems fine? Think about when there's a new hire on your team. There's a tendency for them to want to go above and beyond, to prove they belong, but everyone else is busy doing their established tasks. Veteran employees don't necessarily have the time or energy to respond to constant inquiries or to check the rookie's work. They need to stay on schedule and not disrupt the organization's routine workflow. Take training camp for example. Here's an excerpt from the *Student of the Game* podcast about the level of detail coaches put into planning practice and meeting time. Teams micro-schedule their installs and film study down to the minute, working backwards in 5- or 10-minute blocks to get their plays down on the grass and reviewed on film before their next practice. > How much time do we have to rep the techniques? That's how much we can put in that day. So if we've got 20 minutes of routes on air, then we can probably put in two pass concepts that day, because we're going to run them for 10 minutes each on air. This illustrates how crucial it is for an entire coaching staff to be on the same page, as there isn't enough time to stray off the practice script if you want to have enough plays you feel comfortable running on game day. The longer a coaching staff remains together, the easier and quicker the process becomes. There's a bit in the book *Collision Low Crossers* when Jets head coach Rex Ryan takes over defensive playcalling from coordinator **Mike Pettine,** but Pettine maintains his role as a governor on game day. Ryan was more of an improviser, a freewheeling playcaller who liked to act on feel, but Pettine was there to remind him in the headset, "Rex, we didn't rep that play in practice, we can't run that coverage." Some coaches take extreme measures to make sure their staff and players stick to the script, that everyone is on the same page, that the meetings stay on task and everything is being taught correctly. **Kyle Shanahan** likes to watch: > In 2020, COVID protocols forced teams to update their video technology and make every meeting virtually accessible. When players and coaches were allowed to meet in person again, Kyle kept using the Zoom feature. Now, he can speak in a meeting room from his own office simply by unmuting himself. If he’s not physically in the room, he can be listening in — and he pays close attention to the quarterbacks. > > “We always call that screen in our room the voice of God,” said third-string quarterback Brandon Allen. > > “His voice just comes in from heaven,” said run game coordinator and offensive line coach Chris Foerster. > > “We’d be talking about something, and he’d unmute and say, ‘Actually, you read it this way,’ and then he would mute again,” said quarterback Nate Sudfeld, who played for San Francisco in 2021\. “So you gotta be careful what you say.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-16-at-12.02.30---PM.png) Kyle Shanahan in his office. There's only so much the coaching staff can do to prepare players each week to get ready for their next opponent in season. That's why OTAs, mandatory minicamp, training camp and the preseason are so vital to each team's success. As **Marlon Humphrey** put it to Kevin Clark: > You know it will be a completely different team. It doesn't matter even if you have almost everybody coming back, just the vibe of the team — it always changes. You can't do the same thing you did last year and have the same success. Of course, most teams don't have everybody coming back. **Mike McDaniel** has the raw data on how much turnover effects teams each season. > “Forty-five percent of the roster is different every year across the league. You have to create a team, and how do you create a team in a year with half the (roster) being different? Crucial player accountability through the locker room is a competitive advantage if you can (get it). He's not kidding. Teams put a great deal of effort into planning out locker room assignments to foster team chemistry. > Rams coach Sean McVay said he typically lets Brendan Burger, the team's senior director of equipment, assign lockers, because "he's got such a good feel." McVay is not a believer in keeping the offensive players in one place and the defenders elsewhere. > > "So much of the days are broken up where it's offense-defense separate, and to just be able to create that natural interaction and appreciation for each other – not exclusive to just one side of the ball – that's kind of what goes into it," McVay said. However, most teams — including the Rams — don't list their equipment managers on their coaches page. ## Coaching Continuity Formula - **25%** Head Coach - **15%** Offensive Coordinator - **15%** Defensive Coordinator - **15%** Special Teams Coordinator - **10%** Offensive assistants - **10%** Defensive assistants - **5%** Strength and Conditioning staff - **5%** Remainder My formula would be different than your formula or their formula, but the important thing is that it was applied equally across the board and stuck to the data, washing out bias and opinion. **How important is the head coach?** Enough to drop a team to a maximum 75% continuity score if they're a new hire. **All coordinators created equal?** All three phases, baby! While there are considerably fewer coaches assigned to special teams, I thought the best course of action was to assign equal weighting to coordinators across the board. However, special teams assistants are lumped into the Remainder (5%) calculation while offensive and defensive assistants are assigned (10%) each. **Remaining strength?** Rewarding teams who list their strength or operations staffers as coaches seemed like the right thing to do. Penalizing teams that *did not* list them on their coaches page seemed unfair, though — after all, we could be talking about an editorial assistant who's in charge of updating a team's website. So, if a team didn't list their strength or operations staff, the most they could be penalized would be 10%. That way, they could still earn a maximum 90% continuity score, which seemed like a fair line to draw. ### Weighting - **2025** New Hire: 0% - **2024** Sophomore: 25% - **2023** Junior: 50% - **2022** Senior: 75% - **2011-21** Tenured: 100% - **Before 2010:** 85% Sticking to a simple, quarter-based weighting system made the most sense. Rather than trying to do the mental gymnastics of calculating the exact moment 10,000 hours was achieved by a single staff member — especially when several NFL coaches keep longer hours in-season, sometimes even sleeping in the office — this weighting system made the most sense to me and, again, was the easiest way to keep all things equal and fair across the board, ensuring the data was treated fairly without bias and opinion. **Longevity penalty?** I made the decision to knock coaches who have been employed by the same team since before the 2010s. They receive an 85% allotment of points instead of the full 100% like coaches who have been with their team for up to 15 seasons. Given the constant churn in the league and possibility for staleness or generational divide, I thought it was warranted. These old-timers outweigh similar coaches entering their fourth season with a club, as their extended tenure is more valuable to continuity on the whole. Replacing a 20+ year coach would cause more waves than replacing one who's been there a few seasons. **How does the calculation look in practice?** ### Example **Seattle Seahawks Defensive Staff** - **Earned continuity score: 7%** Defensive coordinator (3.75%) + Defensive assistants (3.125%) - Out of a potential maximum score: 25% Defensive coordinator (15%) + Defensive assistants (10%) --- **Defensive Coordinator** Aden Durde(2024) —3.75% - *15 percent multiplied by .25 equals 3.75 percent.* --- **Defensive Assistants** — 3.125% Total defensive assistants (8) divided by (10%) = 1.25% per assistant *Decimal points rounded to the nearest tenth for readability* - **Asst. HC** Leslie Frazier = (0.3%) - **Def. Pass Game Coord. / DBs** Karl Scott\= (0.9%) - **Outside LBs** Chris Partridge = (0.3%) - **Inside LBs** Kirk Olivadotti = (0.3%) - **Safeties** Jeff Howard = (0.3%) - **DL** Justin Hinds= (0.3%) - **Def. Asst. / LBs** Josh Bynes = (0.3%) - **Def. Intern** Rob Caprice = (0.3%) ## 2025 NFL Coaching Continuity Results ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/08/NFL-Coaching-Continuity-graphic.png) 1. **Kansas City Chiefs — 85.3%** 2. Philadelphia Eagles — 76.5% 3. Baltimore Ravens — 75.7% 4. Detroit Lions — 70.8% 5. **Green Bay Packers — 68.9%** 6. **Cincinnati Bengals — 68.3%** 7. **Buffalo Bills — 67.8%** 8. **Pittsburgh Steelers — 62.5%** 9. **Los Angeles Rams — 62.4%** 10. **Minnesota Vikings — 61.4%** 11. **Cleveland Browns — 60.1%** 12. San Francisco 49ers — 56.4% 13. Arizona Cardinals — 55.9% 14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 53.2% 15. **New York Giants — 46.7%** 16. **Houston Texans — 46.0%** 17. **Miami Dolphins — 46.0%** 18. **Indianapolis Colts — 44.3%** 19. **Atlanta Falcons — 43.1%** 20. Denver Broncos — 39.3% 21. Los Angeles Chargers — 34.2% 22. **Carolina Panthers — 29.3%** 23. **Las Vegas Raiders — 27.5%** 24. **Seattle Seahawks — 24.9%** 25. **Washington Commanders — 23.7%** 26. **Tennessee Titans — 21.7%** 27. Dallas Cowboys — 19.6% 28. New Orleans Saints — 18.7% 29. Chicago Bears — 17.1% 30. Jacksonville Jaguars — 16.0% 31. **New England Patriots — 9.2%** 32. **New York Jets — 1.9%** #### Sources - Alex Katson's Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/alexkatson](https://www.patreon.com/alexkatson?ref=bandit.football) - New Lions RBs coach Tashard Choice isn't new to Jahmyr Gibbs [https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/\_/id/45909474/new-detroit-lions-rbs-coach-tashard-choice-isnt-new-jahmyr-gibbs](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/%5F/id/45909474/new-detroit-lions-rbs-coach-tashard-choice-isnt-new-jahmyr-gibbs?ref=bandit.football) - **Student of the Game* podcast: [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/student-of-the-game-building-offenses-and-coaching/id1216363733?i=1000717902214](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/student-of-the-game-building-offenses-and-coaching/id1216363733?i=1000717902214&ref=bandit.football) - **Collision Low Crossers* book: - "In the 49ers building, Kyle Shanahan is always watching: ‘It’s like Big Brother’": [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5255088/2024/02/07/49ers-kyle-shanahan-team-meeting-cameras-facility/](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5255088/2024/02/07/49ers-kyle-shanahan-team-meeting-cameras-facility/?ref=bandit.football) - **This Is Football* podcast: [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-is-football-with-kevin-clark/id1705487719?i=1000716886681](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-is-football-with-kevin-clark/id1705487719?i=1000716886681&ref=bandit.football) - "Inside Mike McDaniel’s vision for turning around Dolphins: ‘Everyone is depending on me’": [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6551111/2025/08/14/dolphins-mike-mcdaniel-culture/](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6551111/2025/08/14/dolphins-mike-mcdaniel-culture/?ref=bandit.football) - "Inside the strategy of organizing an NFL locker room": [https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/\_/id/45946731/nfl-locker-room-49ers-rams-bengals-falcons-michael-penix-jessie-bates](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/%5F/id/45946731/nfl-locker-room-49ers-rams-bengals-falcons-michael-penix-jessie-bates?ref=bandit.football) ### 2025 NFL Draft 3-Round Mock URL: https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/ Last updated: 2025-08-25T02:41:08.000Z The following mock draft combines research from various sources, including Sports Info Solutions, PFF, NBC Sports, several Bleacher Report team affiliates, the Athletic's tremendous stable of beat reporters, Alex Katson's equally tremendous, NFL-sourced Pro Day spreadsheet, many NFL podcasts, Spotrac, Dane Brugler's prospect guide ("The Beast"), and mock drafts from ESPN's Matt Miller and NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah. All of the information gathered is current through Top 30 visits. Teams now have a good sense of when players will be targeted throughout the draft and are prepared for runs on certain positions, which could motivate them to trade. At the top of the draft, however, the pick appears to be set in stone. #### Jump to Your Team - [Arizona Cardinals](https://www.bandit.football/arizona-cardinals-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Atlanta Falcons](https://www.bandit.football/atlanta-falcons-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Baltimore Ravens](https://www.bandit.football/baltimore-ravens-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Buffalo Bills](https://www.bandit.football/buffalo-bills-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Carolina Panthers](https://www.bandit.football/carolina-panthers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Chicago Bears](https://www.bandit.football/chicago-bears-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Cincinnati Bengals](https://www.bandit.football/cincinnati-bengals-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Cleveland Browns](https://www.bandit.football/cleveland-browns-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Dallas Cowboys](https://www.bandit.football/dallas-cowboys-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Denver Broncos](https://www.bandit.football/denver-broncos-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Detroit Lions](https://www.bandit.football/detroit-lions-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Green Bay Packers](https://www.bandit.football/green-bay-packers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Houston Texans](https://www.bandit.football/houston-texans-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Indianapolis Colts](https://www.bandit.football/indianapolis-colts-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Jacksonville Jaguars](https://www.bandit.football/jacksonville-jaguars-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Kansas City Chiefs](https://www.bandit.football/kansas-city-chiefs-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Las Vegas Raiders](https://www.bandit.football/las-vegas-raiders-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Los Angeles Chargers](https://www.bandit.football/los-angeles-chargers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Los Angeles Rams](https://www.bandit.football/los-angeles-rams-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Miami Dolphins](https://www.bandit.football/miami-dolphins-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Minnesota Vikings](https://www.bandit.football/minnesota-vikings-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [New England Patriots](https://www.bandit.football/new-england-patriots-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [New Orleans Saints](https://www.bandit.football/new-orleans-saints-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [New York Giants](https://www.bandit.football/new-york-giants-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [New York Jets](https://www.bandit.football/new-york-jets-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Philadelphia Eagles](https://www.bandit.football/philadelphia-eagles-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Pittsburgh Steelers](https://www.bandit.football/pittsburgh-steelers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [San Francisco 49ers](https://www.bandit.football/san-francisco-49ers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Seattle Seahawks](https://www.bandit.football/seattle-seahawks-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](https://www.bandit.football/tampa-bay-buccaneers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Tennessee Titans](https://www.bandit.football/tennessee-titans-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) - [Washington Commanders](https://www.bandit.football/washington-commanders-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) With the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans select **Cam Ward,** quarterback, Miami. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/DH-1.png) ## Tennessee Titans - 1.01 (01) **Cam Ward,** QB - 2.03 (35) **Luther Burden III,** WR - No third-round pick 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** QB, WR, DT, OT, CB, EDGE After months of speculation, the Titans decide to "stick and pick" and select Miami quarterback **Cam Ward.** Early on in the process, there was a debate about whether or not they would consider trading down with the Browns or Giants, but ultimately Ward separated himself from **Shedeur Sanders** and the Titans decide to reset at quarterback just two years after drafting **Will Levis** and one year after breaking ground on their new stadium. Brian Callahan needs to do what Brian Daboll would have done and that's let Cam Ward cook. To that end, most of my scouting notes on Ward can be boiled down to: - "C'mon, man. lol" (derogatory) vs. - "C'mon! man, LOL" (so sick) It's going to be a rocky road, but as ESPN's Kevin Clark has been saying all draft season, Ward has enough in common with the former gunslinger who was prone to hero ball by the name of **Patrick Mahomes.** Trying to coach those tendencies out of Ward would be a mistake. [Dive Deeper: Cam Ward, Luther Burden IIILearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-13.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Tennessee-Titans--1--2-3.png)](https://www.bandit.football/tennessee-titans-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Pairing him with versatile inside-out receiver **Luther Burden III,** however,would not be a mistake. It would give the Titans their most dynamic after-the-catch option since **A.J. Brown.** ESPN's Matt Miller has likened Burden to **Stefon Diggs** while NBC's Patrick Daugherty has said Burden reminds him of Percy Harvin. Burden has the ability to stretch the defense both vertically and horizontally, but he would primarily work as an underneath option for Ward, sort of like a juiced-up **Xavier Restrepo,** who became Miami's all-time leading receiver with Ward at the helm. Burden would also help to create some space for **Calvin Ridley** to work the intermediate middle of the field while **Chig Okonkwo** stresses the seam. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/DH--1--1.png) ## Cleveland Browns - 1.02 (02) **Travis Hunter,** WR/CB - TRADE! **Picks 33, 67, & 104 to TB for 19** - 1.19 (19) **Shedeur Sanders,** QB - 3.30 (94) **Terrance Ferguson,** TE 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** QB, DT, TE, EDGE, WR, LB The Browns desperately need to make everyone forget about **Deshaun Watson,** and the easiest way to do that would be relocating Colorado's superstar duo to the shores of Lake Erie. Pay no mind to Deion Sanders' new contract at Colorado that extends through the 2029 season while **Travis Hunter** and **Shedeur Sanders'** rookie deals, with their fifth-year options (at least in this scenario), extend through 2030\. [Dive Deeper: Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders, Terrance FergusonLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-14.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Cleveland-Browns--1-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/cleveland-browns-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Much will be written on Hunter and Sanders, wherever they end up, but what's been lost in the pre-draft shuffle is just how much work the Browns have done on the second tier of TE prospects, bringing in **Mason Taylor, Elijah Arroyo, Harold Fannin Jr.,** and **Terrance Ferguson** for Top 30 visits. 💡 ****Top 30 Visits,** or simply "30 visits," are formal prospect visits to a team's facility that must be reported to the league office. Each team can schedule up to 30 of these visits during the pre-draft process. Teams invite certain players in for a number of reasons; they aren't necessarily one of the Top 30 prospects on a team's draft board All four tight ends are more of the "H" than the "Y" variety, meaning they're more of the receiving type than the blocking type, which makes me think **David Njoku's** (longterm) roster spot could be in jeopardy. Njoku is entering the final year of his current contract. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/NY-Giants-Mock-Header-1.png) ## New York Giants - 1.03 (03) **Abdul Carter,** EDGE - TRADE! **Picks 34 & 99 to KC for 31** - 1.31 (31) **Jalen Milroe, QB** - 3.01 (65) **Cam Skattebo,** PWHB 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** QB, DT, RB, DE, CB, iOL On December 29, 2024, **Drew Lock** torched the Colts for more than 300 yards and 5 total touchdowns in a 45-33 home victory that knocked the Giants out of contention for the No. 1 overall pick. **Abdul Carter,** once considered the favorite to be the top pick in the draft, has had a murky pre-draft process as he tends to a foot issue that may or may not (eventually) require surgery. The Giants pair Carter with **Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns,** and pick up **Kayvon Thibodeaux's** 5th-year option to give the G-Men their most fearsome pass rush since Michael Strahan was in town. Then, the Giants address the QB position by trading back into the first round with Kansas City to take **Jalen Milroe,** finally giving him his moment in the spotlight as he's one of two prospects remaining in the green room on Thursday night. Brian Daboll's Alabama connections and success developing the similarly toolsy **Josh Allen** give Joe Schoen the confidence to go up and take their QB, who shares traits with presumptive starter **Russell Wilson** (mobility) and backup **Jameis Winston** (a willingness to chuck it deep). Milroe's also widely considered to be a one- to two-year developmental prospect, which *might* buy this regime some additional time. [Dive Deeper: Abdul Carter, Jalen Milroe, Cam SkatteboLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-15.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/New-York-Giants--1-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/new-york-giants-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) There is a chance, though, that team owner John Mara issues the code red at No. 3 overall. Schoen has had to live with the memory of his boss telling him in front of the world that "**Saquon Barkley** \[was\] their most popular player by far. BY FAR" and the possibility of drafting **Ashton Jeanty** at three could fill that void. But the Giants have drafted well, overall, during the Schoen-Daboll era, and have generally made process-driven decisions. **Cam Skattebo,** one of the most popular players in the draft, would help fill the void left by Saquon and give the Giants a lead back to complement **Tyrone Tracy.** Skattebo could have the top-selling jersey in the NFL team store by the end of draft weekend. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/New-England-Patriots-Mock-Header-1.png) ## New England Patriots - 1.04 (04) **Will Campbell,** OL - 2.06 (38) **Emeka Egbuka,** WR - 3.05 (69) **Ozzy Trapilo,** OT - 3.13 (77) **JT Tuimoloau,** DE 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** OT, WR, iOL, SLCB, RB, DL As a Bills fan, this would be a nightmare scenario. If the Patriots land **Emeka Egbuka,** who I consider to be the best receiver in the draft, with the sixth pick in the second round — one year after the Bills traded down with the Chiefs and allowed them to take **Xavier Worthy,** then passed on **Ladd McConkey** to take **Keon Coleman**.... Like I said, nightmare scenario. [Dive Deeper: Will Campbell, Emeka Egbuka, Ozzy Trapilo, JT TuimoloaLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-16.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/New-England-Patriots.png)](https://www.bandit.football/new-england-patriots-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Mike Vrabel & Co. want to protect their quarterback and get younger along the line of scrimmage after spending a boatload to raise their floor in free agency. **Will Campbell, Ozzy Trapilo,** and **JT Tuimoloau** are high-character guys who project to have relatively high floors as solid NFL starters. There are concerns about Campbell's ability to play tackle in the NFL, so they double down and take Trapilo in Round 3. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Chicago-Bears-Mock-Header-1.png) ## Chicago Bears - TRADE! **Picks 10 & 41 to JAX for 5** - 1.05 (05) **Ashton Jeanty,** RB - 2.07 (39) **Kenneth Grant,** NT - 3.08 (72) **Dylan Fairchild,** OG 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** RB, OG, OT, LB, DE, DT Offensive linemen love to run the ball because they get to be active instead of reactive. In pass protection, they're anchoring down and working backward but in the run game, they get to work forward and play offense instead of defending their quarterback. Bears GM Ryan Poles is a former offensive lineman who has consistently shown a desire to be active throughout his tenure leading Chicago's front office. This offseason, he was ready to board a plane to Detroit to make sure they got their new head coach, Ben Johnson, as soon as it was clear the Lions were going to lose to the Commanders in the playoffs. The Bears then went out and traded for Chiefs guard **Joe Thuney** and Rams guard **Jonah Jackson,** who previously played for Johnson in Detroit, and signed former Falcons center **Drew Dalman**, completely remaking their offensive line to support sophomore QB **Caleb Williams.** To cap it all off, on Thursday night, the Bears send the last bit of their haul from the Carolina trade for **Bryce Young** to go up and select **Ashton Jeanty.** [Dive Deeper: Ashton Jeanty, Kenneth Grant, Dylan FairchildLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-18.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Chicago-Bears-1.png)](https://www.bandit.football/chicago-bears-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Perhaps more of a surprise is the Bears landing nose tackle **Kenneth Grant** in the second round at 41 overall. Grant has been frequently mocked in the first round but some scouts have concerns about his weight (and his ability to manage it) which could impact his ability to stay on the field for 3rd downs, and that may be enough of a concern to push him to Friday. They also take a guard, OK. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Las-Vegas-Mock-Header-2.png) ## Las Vegas Raiders - 1.06 (06) **Jalon Walker,** ED/LB - 2.05 (37) **Jacob Parrish,** NB - 3.04 (68) **Kyle Williams,** WR 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** CB, LB, WR, OT, RB, QB First and foremost, how can you not love Pete Carroll? Here he is two weeks ago already calling GM John Spytek the familiar "Johnny": > “Johnny and I are totally arm in arm in figuring that out here,” Carroll said Monday when asked about how he’s collaborated with Spytek in the roster-building process. “Every opportunity we’ve had so far, we feel like we’ve exhausted the best shot to get the toughest, most physical guys that love the game.” Spytek comes from the Buccaneers, an organization known for drafting, developing, and re-signing their guys — including now 35-year-old LB **Lavonte David,** whom they drafted in the second round back in 2012. It wouldn't be a surprise to hear Roger Goodell announce **Jalon Walker** as a linebacker on the stage in Green Bay, even if that would be considered *very* early to draft a linebacker in 2025 and most draftniks and front offices are projecting Walker to be more of an EDGE rusher at the NFL level. But the Raiders lost tackle-machine **Robert Spillane** in free agency and they play in the YACkiest division in football, the AFC West, where Walker could immediately step in and (hopefully) have an **Andrew Van Ginkel**–like impact hawking down quick, short-area receivers like a goddamn pterodactyl. [Dive Deeper: Jalon Walker, Jacob Parrish, Kyle WilliamsLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-19.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Las-Vegas-Raiders.png)](https://www.bandit.football/las-vegas-raiders-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) In the second round, the Raiders make one of the more surprising picks of the draft and select **Jacob Parrish,** nickelback, Kansas State. Parrish is ranked closer to 100 than 32 on most big boards, but after listening and reading so many different analysts throughout the process, as well as insider-backed and sourced-up front office executives, there is perhaps no player more people agree on than Jacob Parrish. He seems destined to succeed, destined to be a foundational piece, destined to fit like a glove in Carroll and Patrick Graham's defense. > “The nickel position is a critical spot in Pete’s and PG’s defense, so it’s something that we’ve got to figure out,” Spytek said at the NFL’s annual league meeting. In the third round, the Raiders grab a downfield separator for **Geno Smith** in **Kyle Williams,** whom they hopeto develop into Zoomer **Tyler Lockett —** whose elder millennial-ass just so happens to be a free agent and would be a hell of a mentor in Las Vegas. *Editor's Note: Tyler Lockett signed with the Titans a couple minutes before I published this. So it goes.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/New-York-Jets-Mock-Header.png) ## New York Jets - 1.07 (07) **Mason Graham,** DT - 2.10 (42) **Aireontae Ersery,** RT - 3.09 (73) **Andrew Mukuba,** SAF - TRADE! **Picks 110 & 207 to ATL for 102** - 3.38 (102) **Elic Ayomanor,** WR 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** DE, DT, EDGE, SAF, TE, WR Aaron Glenn would be doing backflips if the board fell this way. **Mason Graham** belongs in Detroit but East Rutherford will do, and he sure would fit perfectly beside **Quinnen Williams** on that defensive line. In the second round, the Jets address their right tackle position and take Minnesota's **Aireontae Ersery,** who should step in immediately to aid their run-first, aggressive mindset on offense. [Dive Deeper: Mason Graham, Aireontae Ersery, Andrew Mukuba, Elic AyomanorLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-20.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/New-York-Jets.png)](https://www.bandit.football/new-york-jets-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) These Jets further cement their ethos by selecting bone-crushing safety **Andrew Mukuba** and blocks-his-ass-off WR **Elic Ayomanor** in the third round. Finally: the Jets embrace their New Jersey identity. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Carolina-Panthers-Mock-Header.png) ## Carolina Panthers - 1.08 (08) **Walter Nolen,** DT - 2.25 (57) **Jaylin Noel,** WR - 3.10 (74) **Kyle Kennard,** EDGE 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, DT, DE, NT, SAF, RB **Milton Williams** spurned the Panthers in free agency to join the Patriots, but it was initially reported that the dynamic defensive tackle — who sacked **Patrick Mahomes** twice in the Super Bowl — would be heading to Charlotte. The Panthers ended up signing **Tershawn Wharton** but still see value in drafting and developing a defensive tackle with true three-down potential, one who can affect the passing game and the running game, and outside of **Travis Hunter** and **Abdul Carter,** there's perhaps no defensive player in the draft with higher upside than **Walter Nolen.** The quickest way to the quarterback isn't off the edge but right down the middle, collapsing the pocket as quickly as possible. Nolen has all the tools to become That Dude down Broadway, and Panthers DC Ejiro Evero is one of the best young defensive minds to help him reach his potential. [Dive Deeper: Walter Nolen, Jaylin Noel, Kyle KennardLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-21.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Carolina-Panthers.png)](https://www.bandit.football/carolina-panthers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) In the second round, the Panthers select WR **Jaylin Noel** (pronounced Knoll, like the chair, not "no-el," like Christmas) who just so happens to be the steal of the entire draft, a certified Bandit Bro, an absolute menace out wide or in the slot. Noel has incredible play speed and separates at will and shows a fearlessness to go over the middle at all three levels of the field. The Panthers desperately need a wide receiver under 35 who can separate, and there's no better separator in this draft than Jaylin Noel. In the third, the Panthers tap into their backyard and select **Kyle Kennard,** EDGE, South Carolina. Kennard is ranked lower on most big boards but received a higher grade from our scouting staff at Sports Info Solutions. The Panthers, who employ some former SIS analysts, take a bet on our 43rd overall player and 9th ranked EDGE defender, who has a very good, explosive 1st step and a motor that never runs cold. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/New-Orleans-Saints-Mock-Header.png) ## New Orleans Saints - 1.09 (09) **Armand Membou,** RT - TRADE! **Picks 40, 71, 93, & 112 to NO for 21** - 1.21 (21) **Jaxson Dart,** QB 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** DL, OT, CB, QB, WR, SAF The Saints are down bad. Real bad. Ryan Ramczyk, who celebrated his 31st birthday this week but also decided to hang up his cleats, played his entire 8-year career with the Saints and leaves behind a major hole at right tackle. **Armand Membou** is a gifted player with incredible footwork who fills that immediate need. Then there's the **Derek Carr** of it all, a player Saints fans do not like and it appears that feeling is mutual. Carr might not play this season. That's because he may or may not elect to have surgery. It seems as though he'd be willing to play through the pain and put off the surgery for his team—as long as that team was *decidedly not* the New Orleans Saints. [Dive Deeper: Armand Membou, Jaxson DartLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-23.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/New-Orleans-Saints.png)](https://www.bandit.football/new-orleans-saints-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Enter **Jaxson Dart,** a player who would be beloved in the Bayou, according to NBC Sports's Denny Carter. While in New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl, Carter noted, while watching the local news in his hotel room, for some reason, that the local news anchors would not stop talking about Jaxson Dart and how the Saints needed to draft him to keep the Mississippi quarterback in the region. At this point—and for quite some time now—the Saints have felt like a community project trying to become Steelers South and never have a losing season, to always be competitive, and to try to make the playoffs each year before getting bounced in the Wild Card round. Best of luck to Kellen Moore in all his future endeavors. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Jacksonville-Jaguars-Mock-Header.png) ## Jacksonville Jaguars - TRADE! **Pick 5 to CHI for 10 & 41** - 1.10 (10) **Will Johnson,** CB - 2.04 (36) **Donovan Jackson,** OG - 2.09 (41) **Tyleik Williams,** NT - 3.06 (70) **Kevin Winston Jr.,** SAF - 3.24 (88) **Jordan James,** RB 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** DT, SAF, EDGE, CB, RET, QB Babyfaced GM James Gladstone and goofball HC Liam Coen want to make a splash with their first draft leading the millennial Jaguars. The best way to do that? Trade down! That's what the analytics say, right? The Harvard guys? Stack those picks, hoover some value, and take multiple shots, baby! Could this be a potential landing spot for **Jalen Ramsey,** a reunion? A homecoming? I don't think so. I think they take Michigan corner **Will Johnson,** who showed well against **Marvin Harrison Jr.** and **Rome Odunze** in college, to be their No. 1 corner against **Nico Collins** and other top-flight receivers scattered across the AFC South. [Dive Deeper: Will Johnson, Donovan Jackson, Tyleik Williams, Kevin Winston Jr., Jordan JamesLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-24.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Jacksonville-Jaguars.png)](https://www.bandit.football/jacksonville-jaguars-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) The next two picks come from one school and are two players that know each other well, having battled against each other in countless practices: Ohio State's **Donovan Jackson** and **Tyleik Williams.** The offensive guard and nose tackle provide instant upgrades to the Jags' offensive and defensive fronts while also sneakily tapping into the synergy that the Rams employed, as Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic pointed out, under Gladstone's direction in 2024 when they drafted Florida State teammates **Jared Verse** and **Braden Fiske.** In the third round, the Jags wrap-up their All Big-10 spending spree by selecting dynamic safety **Kevin Winston Jr.** (who was once considered a 1st Round lock, if not for an injury) and Oregon running back **Jordan James** as Liam Coen aims to rekindle the success he had in Tampa Bay with former Duck **Bucky Irving.** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/San-Francisco-49ers-Mock-Header.png) ## San Francisco 49ers - 1.11 (11) **Mike Green,** EDGE - 2.11 (43) **Omarr Norman-Lott,** DT - TRADE! **Picks 75, 138, & 160 to WAS for 61** - 2.29 (61) **Marcus Mbow,** OL - 3.36 (100) **Cobee Bryant,** CB 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, DL, OL, LB, TE, WR The San Francisco 49ers remind everyone they're more Silicon Valley than Haight-Ashbury by selecting EDGE **Mike Green.** Green, who was accused of sexual assault in high school and then again at Virginia, which led to him transferring to Marshall, has insisted he did nothing wrong. [Dive Deeper: Mike Green, Omarr Norman-Lott, Marcus Mbow, Cobee BryantLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-22.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/San-Francisco-49ers.png)](https://www.bandit.football/san-francisco-49ers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) In the second round, the 49ers add explosive DT **Omarr Norman-Lott** to further bolster their defensive line for returning DC Robert Saleh. > Two things, real quick, that I remember about Saleh's time with the Jets on *Hard Knocks:* > He runs the stadium stairs before every game. > He said the phrase "he's so fast" roughly 10 billion times Omarr Norman-Lott had the highest True Pressure Rate in 2024 among DT prospects, according to SIS, landing at 22% when the next closest DT was at 16%. Those numbers could be inflated by the limited snaps Norman-Lott played each game, but his traits and production suggest he's capable of sustaining a high level of interior pressure. Norman-Lott's 1st-step explosion, hand usage, and motor are very good — and when you pair those with his nearly 34" arms and gigantic, nearly 11" hands — you have the makings of a physical outlier that the 49ers have been drawn to and are willing to bet on. The '9ers then take versatile offensive lineman **Marcus Mbow** and commit sacrilege by taking **Cobee Bryant** and make him relocate to the Bay Area. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Dallas-Cowboys-Mock-Header.png) ## Dallas Cowboys - 1.12 (12) **Omarion Hampton,** RB - 2.12 (44) **Jayden Higgins,** WR - 3.12 (76) **Shemar Turner,** DT 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** RB, CB, OL, DL, WR, OLB How 'bout them Cowboys? Dallas needs some juice. What they need is millennial crooner Omarion singing at halftime before the season opener and again in the playoffs. **Omarion Hampton** joins fellow UNC running back **Javonte Williams** in the new-look Dallas backfield but it's Hampton who quickly becomes one of the more dominant three-down backs in (fantasy) football. **Jayden Higgins,** in the second round,has that dog in him—but he also has that diva. He is the exact type of wide receiver that Denny Carter was alluding to with his mega-viral "the enemy speaks kindly and holds a knife" post. For those unfamiliar: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/bafkreia7n2mgasqocbvodyo333ovmedppwqanxbqzlv4b6hfeui62jgj2y.jpg) Finally, it wouldn't be a Cowboys draft class if they didn't select someone with character concerns. They do so in the third round by taking Texas A&M defensive lineman **Shemar Turner.** From Dane Brugler's "The Beast": > Off-field decision-making will be scrutinized after he was arrested and charged with reckless driving during his junior season (Sept. 2023); he faced “internal discipline” and didn’t miss any playing time. > Flagged seven times for personal foul penalties over past two seasons (five in 2024, two in 2023) > Ejected from a game (Nov. 2023) after throwing multiple punches at an Ole Miss blocker, including an uppercut to the groin (Stewart called his actions unacceptable and tweeted an apology for “embarrassing myself, my family and my team”) [Dive Deeper: Omarion Hampton, Jayden Higgins, Shemar TurnerLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-26.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Dallas-Cowboys.png)](https://www.bandit.football/dallas-cowboys-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) That being said, on the positive side, he sounds like the exact type of player new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus would want on his front line: > Added 30 pounds before 2024 season but didn’t sacrifice initial quickness to squeeze gaps > Grew up idolizing Ray Lewis and plays with similar on-field violence > NFL scouts describe him as a “foxhole-type” and “outstanding teammate” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Miami-Dolphins-Mock-Header.png) ## Miami Dolphins - 1.13 (13) **Kelvin Banks Jr.,** OL - 2.16 (48) **Nick Emmanwori,** SAF - 3.34 (98) **Quincy Riley,** CB 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** iOL, DE, PWHB, SAF, DB, DT The Dolphins can't pass on a super-athletic big man like **Kelvin Banks Jr.** Terron Armstead retired this offseason and will likely be replaced in the lineup by sophomore OT **Patrick Paul,** but the Dolphins still need more help up front and the front office *needs* to keep **Tua Tagovailoa** upright and healthy for 17 regular season games, and hopefully a few more in the playoffs. Banks is the No. 16 overall player on the SIS big board and No. 3 offensive tackle prospect, and he rates good across the board in critical and positional factors that Shanahan coaches typically value: reactive athleticism, range, footwork, and second-level ability to execute their wide zone-run concepts. [Dive Deeper: Kelvin Banks Jr., Nick Emmanwori, Quincy RileyLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-27.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Miami-Dolphins.png)](https://www.bandit.football/miami-dolphins-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Then, in a bit of a shocker, **Nick Emmanwori** falls to the Dolphins in the second round to fill the void left behind by **Jordan Poyer.** Emmanwori has been frequently mocked to the Dolphins in the first, particularly after how he tested off the charts at the NFL Combine, but the tape tells a different story and shows a player who still has a ways to go to match the physicality you would expect from his testing numbers. With **Jalen Ramsey** likely out the door via trade, the Dolphins add Louisville cornerback **Quincy Riley,** whom they hosted for a Top 30 visit, in the third round. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Indianapolis-Colts-Mock-Header.png) ## Indianapolis Colts - 1.14 (14) **Josh Simmons,** OT - 2.13 (45) **Mason Taylor,** TE - 3.16 (80) **Sai'vion Jones,** EDGE 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** DE, OT, iOL, EDGE, CB, DT The Colts aren't going to take a tight end in the first round, OK? Stop it! They invited just one to their building on a Top 30 visit, **Mason Taylor,** and so I have them waiting until the second round to take Taylor, the son of former Dolphins Hall of Famer, Jason Taylor. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if the traits-pilled Chris Ballard opts for Miami's **Elijah Arroyo** instead. [Dive Deeper: Josh Simmons, Mason Taylor, Sai’vion JonesLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-25.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Indianapolis-Colts.png)](https://www.bandit.football/indianapolis-colts-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) But that brings me to their first selection, which echoes their offseason decision-making. Things seem to be afoot in Indianapolis, as in the decision-making has veered away from the traditional Ballard ways of yore and appears to be more urgent and needs-focused than the usual high-upside swings on traits. **Josh Simmons** is only available at 14 overall because of an injury sustained during the 2024 season. He's a Top 5 talent in the draft when healthy, and the Colts would be wise to address tackle this year instead of next, when current OTs **Braden Smith** and **Bernhard Raimann** are unrestricted free agents. Then, in the third round, I have the Colts going back to the Ballard well to draft **Sai'vion Jones,** a younger defensive prospect who Dane Brugler notes has a "terrific blend of height, weight, and length" who can line up across the D-line and pressure the quarterback. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Los-Angeles-Rams-Mock-Header.png) ## Los Angeles Rams - TRADE! **Picks 26, 90, 101, & Future Day 3 to ATL for 15** - 1.15 (15) **Tyler Warren,** TE - TRADE! **Picks 127, 190, 201, & 2026 5th to MIN for 97** - 3.33 (97) **Danny Stutsman,** LB 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** CB, LB, TE, QB, WR, EDGE After failing to trade up into the Top 10 to select **Brock Bowers** in the 2024 Draft, the Rams get the Falcons on the phone and strike a deal to go up and take **Tyler Warren.** The Falcons enter the draft with many needs but concerningly few picks—and they would've strongly considered making **Kelvin Banks Jr.** a Falcon had he fallen to 15 after Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot reportedly attended a private workout with the offensive tackle. Instead, the Falcons go from five to seven picks in this year's draft and add an additional pick next year, allowing fantasy managers everywhere to rejoice about Tyler Warren's potential in a Sean McVay offense. [Dive Deeper: Tyler Warren, Danny StutsmanLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-45.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Los-Angeles-Rams.png)](https://www.bandit.football/los-angeles-rams-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Then, on Day 2, the Rams get back to their "eff them picks" motto as Les Snead calls Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to get back into the Top 100 picks and select a position of need, middle linebacker **Danny Stutsman.** Stutsman was near the top of the college football leaderboard in total tackles at Oklahoma and kept a samurai sword in his locker. He's a "Ram" who will fit right in and quickly find himself on the call list of several casting directors. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Arizona-Cardinals-Mock-Header.png) ## Arizona Cardinals - 1.16 (16) **Mykel Williams,** EDGE - 2.15 (15) **Benjamin Morrison,** CB - 3.14 (78) **Ty Robinson,** DL 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, DT, NT, LB, WR, CB The Arizona Cardinals have been laser-focused on adding high-character players to their locker room since Monti Ossenfort and Jonathan Gannon took over. In the second round, they select Notre Dame CB **Benjamin Morrison,** a team captain whose father, Darryl, a Phoenix native, played safety in the NFL then became a pastor when he retired and just so happens to lead chapel services for the Arizona Cardinals on the weekend. > Morrison's draft stock has tumbled due to two hip surgeries over the past four years. That's incredibly concerning for a cornerback, as hip fluidity is essential to playing the position at a high level. [Dive Deeper: Mykel Williams, Benjamin Morrison, Ty RobinsonLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-28.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Arizona-Cardinals.png)](https://www.bandit.football/arizona-cardinals-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) In the third round, they take **Ty Robinson,** who was born and raised outside the Phoenix area. Robinson made the Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll four times at Nebraska and head coach Matt Rhule had this to say about his team-first attitude, in The Beast, "I can't express how much Ty means to me.... I can't express it." There are other reasons why, but the main reason is Arizona needs all the help it can get along its defensive front to try and stop the run after getting shredded on the ground last season. Then there's **Mykel Williams,** who I've mocked to the Cardinals in the 1st Round. Here's a guy with blue-chip potential that teams like the Ravens and Eagles might be interested in trading up for, and a player who's a character fit, according to Georgia HC Kirby Smart: "He's very versatile for us in terms of on the field, but there is no greater value than what he does in the locker room.... (He's a) great leader for us." > *Also in "The Beast": As a child, Williams trained with defensive line specialist Chuck Smith, who now serves as the Baltimore Ravens' pass rush coach.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Cincinnati-Bengals-Mock-Header--1--1.png) ## Cincinnati Bengals - 1.17 (17) **Shemar Stewart,** EDGE - 2.17 (49) **Darius Alexander,** DT - 3.17 (81) **Ashton Gillotte,** EDGE 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** DT, DE, EDGE, OT, iOL, SAF The Bengals spent a billion dollars on their offense in the offseason so I have them taking swings on defense on Day 1 and 2, as they hope to sock at least one dinger amid three potential strikeouts. **Shemar Stewart** is the ultimate traits-based bet, as he tested better than basically any prospect ever at the NFL Combine but only had 4.5 sacks at college, and even those sacks came against lesser competition. **Darius Alexander** is a mountain of a man who played at a Group of 5 school in Toledo but, again, has the traits to be an absolute menace along the defensive line if he can put it all together, despite the fact he turns 25 in August. **Ashton Gillotte** is more of the single or double off the wall of the group, as he's undersized but was highly productive at nearby Louisville. [Dive Deeper: Shemar Stewart, Darius Alexander, Ashton GilloteLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-29.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Cincinnati-Bengals--1-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/cincinnati-bengals-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) **Trey Hendrickson** remains unsigned and reportedly on the trade block, with teams inquiring about him during the NFL Draft. Former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden takes over for the fired Lou Anarumo, now coordinating the Indianapolis Colts defense, and he intends to build the defense around linebacker **Logan Wilson.** > Not that it needs to be said, but draft the Bengals offensive weapons everywhere in fantasy this season. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Seattle-Seahawks-Mock-Header--1--1.png) ## Seattle Seahawks - 1.18 (18) **Jihaad Campbell,** LB - 2.18 (50) **Tate Ratledge,** OG - 2.20 (52) **Jared Wilson,** OC - 3.18 (82) **Joshua Farmer,** DT - 3.28 (92) **Tre Harris,** WR 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** iOL, DT, QB, CB, WR, SAF **Jihaad Campbell** should not be available at 18 overall. He's perhaps the most physically gifted linebacker prospect in the draft who can also rush the passer and also understands the mental side of the game and, oh, no big deal but he also just so happens to be a perfect fit for the shapeshifting amoeba defense Mike Macdonald wants to install. The Seahawks shouldn't hesitate to call in the pick. After that, I'm stealing some picks from ESPN's Matt Miller, and giving the 'Hawks not one but two Georgia offensive linemen in guard **Tate Ratledge** and center **Jared Wilson,** to fortify the interior of the offensive line and hopefully speed along their NFL development by tapping into their collegiate chemistry. [Dive Deeper: Jihaad Campbell, Tate Ratledge, Jared Wilson, Jordan Farmer, Tre HarrisLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-44.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Seattle-Seahawks.png)](https://www.bandit.football/seattle-seahawks-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Then, in the third round, it's betting on the high-upside traits of **Joshua Farmer** rather than reaching for a traditional nose tackle, and WR **Tre Harris,** who was dominant in play-action at Ole Miss, to fill the vacancy left by another former Rebel, **DK Metcalf.** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Denver-Broncos-Mock-Header--1-.png) ## Denver Broncos - 1.20 (20) **TreVeyon Henderson,** RB - 2.19 (51) **Elijah Arroyo,** TE - 3.21 (85) **Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins,** DL 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** RB, TE, CB, OL, DL, WR The Broncos are making calls to see if they can trade up in the draft, which makes me believe they're worried they might miss out on **Omarion Hampton.** I don't think they'll be able to trade up, but I also think they'll stick and pick the best available running back in **TreVeyon Henderson,** who has drawn some **Alvin Kamara** comparisons and is widely considered to be the best pass protector in this running back class. Henderson would fit like a glove in Sean Payton's quick-passing attack. [Dive Deeper: TreVeyon Henderson, Elijah Arroyo, Tyrion Ingram-DawkinsLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-30.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Denver-Broncos.png)](https://www.bandit.football/denver-broncos-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) In the second round, Payton opts for the athletic **Elijah Arroyo** to learn from **Evan Engram** as the Mountain Saints hope to turn him into the second coming of Jimmy Graham. In the third round, the Broncos help out Vance Joseph and take a younger, toolsier defensive lineman in **Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins** who can align in various techniques and provide depth for their already formidable front (and provide insurance if they're unable to re-sign **Zach Allen** or **Jonathan Franklin Meyers,** both of whom are set to become free agents in 2026). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Los-Angeles-Chargers-Mock-Header.png) ## Los Angeles Chargers - 1.22 (22) **Colston Loveland,** TE - 2.23 (55) **Alfred Collins,** NT - 3.22 (86) **Miles Frazier,** OG 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** iOL, TE, WR, DB, LB, RB There's a part of me that thinks Jim Harbaugh loves coaching so much that he would rather coach somebody new rather than continue teaching one of his former disciples, in this case **Colston Loveland,** as he's already poured everything he could into developing him into a 1st Round talent while at Michigan. I do think Harbaugh's willing to bring in former players who are otherwise struggling to find work, like **Hassan Haskins** or **Cornelius Johnson,** but most teams in the NFL would like to employ Loveland, **Kenneth Grant, Mason Graham, Will Johnson,** and other highly rated prospects. [Dive Deeper: Colston Loveland, Alfred Collins, Miles FrazierLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-43.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Los-Angeles-Chargers.png)](https://www.bandit.football/los-angeles-chargers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Anyway, in the second round the Chargers select **Alfred Collins,** nose tackle, Texas, to fill the Runyon Canyon-sized void left behind by **Poona Ford,** who now plays for the Rams. In the third, they toggle back to the offensive line and selectOG **Miles Frazier,** who has a "mean play personality," which should fit right in with Harbaugh's preferred brand of physicality. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Green-Bay-Packers-Mock-Header--1-.png) ## Green Bay Packers - 1.23 (23) **Tetairoa McMillan,** Big WR - 2.22 (54) **Maxwell Hairston,** Fast CB - TRADE! **Picks 87 & 198 to Houston for 79** - 3.15 (79) **Jordan Burch,** DL 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, OT, WR, iOL, DT, NT The Packers finally do the thing! Green Bay drafts **Tetairoa McMillan** in the first round to give their offense a weapon they've been missing since **Allen Lazard** left town. It's the first time since 2002 the Packers have taken a WR with their 1st round pick. [Dive Deeper: Tetairoa McMillan, Maxwell Hairston, Jordan BurchLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-31.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Green-Bay-Packers.png)](https://www.bandit.football/green-bay-packers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Then, in the second round, they quickly take a peek around their division at the speedy wide receivers before selecting **Maxwell Hairston,** who ran the fastest forty at the NFL Combine. In the third round, feeling the pressure after a run on defensive linemen, they trade up to secure the highest remaining EDGE/DL hybrid on their board, **Jordan Burch.** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Minnesota-Vikings-Mock-Header--1-.png) ## Minnesota Vikings - 1.24 (24) **Jahdae Barron,** CB - No second-round pick - TRADE! **Pick 97 to LAR for 127, 190, 201, & a 2026 5th-Rounder** 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** iOL, CB, DT, DE, RB, LB The Vikings desperately try to trade down but find no takers and decide to take the best available player on their board, defensive back **Jahdae Barron.** The Texas corner has spent time outside, in the slot as a nickelback, and even manned the deep third as a safety. Sounds like a perfect fit for Brian Flores's chaotic, shapeshifting defense. [Dive Deeper: Jahdae BarronLearn more about his high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join him on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-32.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Minnesota-Vikings.png)](https://www.bandit.football/minnesota-vikings-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Then, on Day 2 they're finally able to recoup some additional draft picks by sliding back with the Rams, adding Day 3 selections to add necessary depth — including a backup QB. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Houston-Texans-Mock-Header.png) ## Houston Texans - 1.25 (25) **Tyler Booker,** OG - 2.26 (58) **Kaleb Johnson,** RB - 3.23 (87) **Anthony Belton,** OT - 3.25 (89) **Charles Grant,** OT 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** OT, iOL, RB, DE, DT, EDGE The Texans are reportedly eyeing **Kelvin Banks Jr.** or **Tyler Booker** with their 1st Round selection, and they've reached out to teams to (presumably) try and land Banks. Booker is available, though, because of a poor pre-draft process with a slow forty time. That won't matter much to HC DeMeco Ryans, who certainly believes Booker embodies the SWARM mentality. What's that stand for, DeMeco? Apparently it's: Special Work Ethic and Relentless Mindset. Maybe it's supposed to be written SWRM like an early aughts electronica band? I don't know. Whatever, it's neither here nor there. The point is: the Texans are going heavy on rebuilding their offensive line to keep **C.J. Stroud** upright and they're also doing a lot of work on this running back class — particularly at the top, even though it's several rounds deep. [Dive Deeper: Tyler Booker, Kaleb Johnson, Anthony Belton, Charles GrantLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-34.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Houston-Texans.png)](https://www.bandit.football/houston-texans-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) The Texans met with **Omarion Hampton** at the Combine and brought in **Quinshon Judkins** and **Kaleb Johnson** for Top 30 visits. All powerful backs, which makes me think they may be interested incorporating more gap-scheme rushing concepts. They also met with **Jaydon Blue, Brashard Smith,** and **Jarquez Hunter,** though—all more or less third-down receiving backs/returner types—so who knows, really. I just know the Texans are doing their damndest to try and find the best avenues for keeping C.J. Stroud upright and mitigate his struggles under pressure. As far as **Anthony Belton** and **Charles Grant,** both project as high-upside swings who could become mainstay tackles but likely would be depth options Year 1 (and maybe Year 2). Grant, who attended William & Mary, had several teams' O-line coaches attend his Pro Day workout, including the Ravens, Broncos, Giants, Steelers, and Falcons. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Atlanta-Falcons-Mock-Header.png) - TRADE! **Pick 15 to LAR for 26, 90, 100, & future Day 3 Pick** - 1.26 (26) **James Pearce Jr.,** EDGE - TRADE! **Pick 46 to DET for 60 and 102** - 2.28 (60) **T.J. Sanders,** DT - 3.26 (90) **Barrett Carter,** LB - 3.37 (101) **Jonas Sanker,** SAF - TRADE! **Pick 102 to NYJ for 110 and 207** 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, OT, WR, SAF, DT, LB The Falcons enter the draft with just five picks to their name but want to go hunting for depth. Thankfully, others oblige them. After sliding back with the Rams, the Falcons finally take a 1st Round EDGE rusher in **James Pearce Jr.,** who was once thought to be the No. 1 overall player in the draft. Concerns about his love of the game and thin frame have seen him tumble down the board during the pre-draft process, but as far as getting to the quarterback — he's one of the best in the class at getting pressure in under 2.5 seconds. [Dive Deeper: James Pearce Jr., T.J. Sanders, Barrett Carter, Jonas SankerLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-33.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Atlanta-Falcons.png)](https://www.bandit.football/atlanta-falcons-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) In the second, the Falcons once again find a willing trade partner to come on up in exchange for additional picks, and do so once more in the third to take the lead as the Trade Kings of the Draft, successfully executing three in a 24-hour span. This draft is all about adding depth for the Falcons with the hopes of raising their floor on defense to help keep them in contention for the NFC South crown as the offense finds its footing with **Michael Penix Jr.** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Baltimore-Ravens-Mock-Header.png) - 1.27 (27) **Donovan Ezeiruaku,** EDGE - 2.27 (59) **Jonah Savaiinaea,** OG - 3.27 (91) **Jack Bech,** WR 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** OT, WR, NT, EDGE, TE, K The Ravens, as they often do this time of year, let the draft fall to them. For their trouble, they get a guy who had the second most sacks in college football last year, who played in a Power 4 conference, has 34" arms, actually has a developed pass-rush plan, and even played in an NFL style scheme that ran simulated pressures that saw him not only rush the passer and set the edge but also drop into coverage as a defender and sometimes work as a quarterback spy. The Lions and Bills are devastated as the Ravens select **Donovan Ezeiruaku.** [Dive Deeper: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Jonah Savaiinaea, Jack BechLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-35.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Baltimore-Ravens.png)](https://www.bandit.football/baltimore-ravens-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) One thing you hear a lot from Tetairoa McMillan's defenders is that he was dealing with poor quarterback play and having to run around all the time on scramble drills to try and get open. One reason his quarterback was able to do that was **Jonah Savaiinaea,** who the Ravens happily add to their stable of monsters along the offensive front. Then, in the third, it's the Senior Bowl MVP, the guy who never drops a pass, and he's joining a receiver room in Baltimore that has struggled with big drops of late, particularly in key moments, particularly on the biggest stage. Steve Smith Sr. called this guy a tight end, and that's fitting, because he's a former tight end. He's not a burner but he can be the X receiver the Ravens have been searching for. **Jack Bech,** welcome to the Baltimore Ravens. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Detroit-Lions-Mock-Header--1-.png) - 1.28 (28) **Derrick Harmon,** DL - TRADE! **Picks 60 & 102 to ATL for 46** - 2.14 (46) **Grey Zabel,** OL - TRADE! **Pick 130 & 2026 4th to KC for 99** - 3.35 (99) **Josaiah Stewart,** DOG 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, NT, iOL, SAF, LB, DE Although the Lions miss out on their preferred EDGE defender, they're happy to bring local boy **Derrick Harmon** home and make him the newest Lion. Harmon flashes true three-down ability as a defensive lineman who can lineup as a 1-technique nose tackle to stuff the run, a 3-technique to rush the QB, and even line up out wide and stress the tackle if the Lions are feeling frisky, which we know they're wont to do. Then, in the second, the Lions can't believe **Grey Zabel** is falling. The North Dakota offensive lineman was a media darling at the Senior Bowl and has been a steady presence in the first round of mocks ever since, but he's being projected as a center and that's the one position he *hasn't* yet played along the offensive line, and he's coming from FCS football, so it's little more than theory and bordering on downright hopium. Sounds like a Lion, right? Of course he does. After having him in for a Top 30 visit, Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell stop the slide, make a deal with Atlanta, and add Zabel to preserve their strength for years to come. [Dive Deeper: Derrick Harmon, Grey Zabel, Josaiah StewartLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-42.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Detroit-Lions--1-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/detroit-lions-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Then, in the third round, Dan Campbell is absolutely losing his shit as **Josaiah Stewart** is still on the board, a guy he knows is a Top 100 player in the draft, and it's absolutely absurd to him that anyone could think differently, that they could be so blind to his dog levels, to his talent, to his ability to overcome the odds and help his team win. Brett Veach picks up the phone, they call in the trade to the league office, and Stewart is the latest Lion. Hot damn, Detroit. You've done it again. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Washington-Commanders-Mock-Header.png) ## Washington Commanders - 1.29 (29) **Matthew Golden,** WR - TRADE! **Pick 61 to SF for 75, 138, & 160** - 3.11 (75) **Demetrius Knight Jr.,** LB 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, OL, WR, CB, LB, RB The Commanders traded for **Laremy Tunsil** and **Deebo Samuel** this offseason to further aid the development of superstar sophomore QB **Jayden Daniels.** Deebo is a perfect scheme fit for Kliff Kingsbury's horizontal raid, and Tunsil should buy Daniels a few more ticks to uncork the deep ball, one of his very best traits. That's where **Matthew Golden** comes in. The speedy Texas wideout had the fastest forty time at the Combine but wasn't the most consistently productive receiver at Houston or Texas during his time in college. He's an excellent route runner who creates separation, however, and that's the name of the game in today's NFL. If he's available when the Commanders are on the clock, they shouldn't think twice about calling in the pick. [Dive Deeper: Matthew Golden, Demetrius Knight Jr.Learn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-36.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Washington-Commanders--1-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/washington-commanders-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) On Day 2, the effort turns to recouping some of the draft capital they sent away to acquire the aforementioned veterans, Tunsil and Samuel. They phone a friend in the Bay, slide back 15 spots, and pick up two Day 3 picks in the process to add depth to their aging defense. With the 75th pick in the draft, they select the heir apparent to **Bobby Wagner** in **Demetrius Knight Jr.,** a mature, throwback of a middle linebacker with similar measurables, mettle, and mental to learn from the future Hall of Famer. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Buffalo-Bills-Mock-Header.png) ## Buffalo Bills - 1.30 (30) **Trey Amos,** CB - 2.24 (56) **Landon Jackson,** DE - 2.30 (62) **Xavier Watts,** FS 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** CB, EDGE, WR, NT, SAF, DT Finally, the best team in football is back on the clock. Brandon Beane thinks about trading up but ultimately decides to stay put and is rewarded for his patience as the Bills land a perfect CB2 prospect in **Trey Amos** for their zone-heavy, 4-2-5 defensive scheme. Famous Amos has the requisite arm length and production (dozens of pass breakups) the Bills tend to look for in their cornerbacks. He flashes good instincts and also shows the ability to press receivers in man coverage when necessary. In the second round, Beane is again tempted to move up to get his guy but stays put and, yet again, patience proves to be a virtue. The Bills sent their defensive line coach to Arkansas' Pro Day during the pre-draft process, and that can only mean one thing: **Landon Jackson,** you are the run-stopping heir apparent to **A.J. Epenesa,** whose contract expires after next season. [Dive Deeper: Trey Amos, Landon Jackson, Xavier WattsLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-41.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Buffalo-Bills--1-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/buffalo-bills-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Somehow, a few picks later, the Bills can't believe their luck as **Xavier Watts** is still on the board. The former Notre Dame ballhawk, a team captain, is the perfect fit for Sean McDermott's defense as the team transitions from the Hyde-Poyer era into Watts-Bishop for 2026 and beyond. McDermott and the Bills notoriously bring their rookies along slowly, giving deference to vets who have put in the time and earned their spot. Even though Cole Bishop is better suited as a downhill thumper, he'll likely play free safety in 2025 while **Taylor Rapp** plays strong. At least in this fantasyland. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Philadelphia-Eagles-Mock-Header.png) ## Philadelphia Eagles - 1.32 (32) **Malaki Starks,** SAF - 2.32 (64) **Femi Oladejo,** LB/EDGE - 3.32 (96) **Wyatt Milum,** OG 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, CB, DT, SAF, iOL, TE Howie Roseman attempts to trade up with just about every team in the league but can't find any takers. Nobody wants to deal with the champ. So it goes. On the eve of the draft, the Lions signed safety **Kerby Joseph** to a record-breaking contract extension, and that's enough to tip the scales on the Eagles' big board and draft **Malaki Starks** with the final pick in the first round. Everyone celebrates as Starks, the last remaining player in the green room, bounds onto the stage in Green Bay and greets the Philly faithful, who are hooting and hollering, screaming with glee as they can't believe Howie has done it again: he's gone back to Athens and come home with a player drawing **Brian Branch** comparisons. [Dive Deeper: Malaki Starks, Femi Oladejo, Wyatt MilumLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-40.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Philadelphia-Eagles--2-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/philadelphia-eagles-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) In the second round, Roseman opts for a linebacker-turned-EDGE defender out of UCLA, **Femi Oladejo,** and briefly jokes about turning him back into a linebacker for the fun of it, just because he can. He has the godfather on his side. Just ask the All-Pro, **Zack Baun.** Vic Fangio is having himself a nice start to the weekend. Then, in the third round, the Eagles draft a player who can attend Stoutland University. **Wyatt Milum** has the size to be the next jumbo guard for the Eagles, at least in theory. First things first: he needs his game stripped down to the studs before he can be built back up. Sounds like a fun gut-reno project for Mr. & Mrs. Stoutland to get started on this spring. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers-Mock-Header.png) ## Tampa Bay Buccaneers - TRADE! **Pick 19 to CLE for 33, 67, & 104** - 2.01 (33) **Nic Scourton,** DE - 2.21 (53) **Carson Schwesinger,** LB - 3.03 (67) **Shavon Revel,** CB - 3.20 (84) **Nohl Williams,** CB 🔎 ****Persons of Interest:** DE, SLCB, LB, DT, WR, iOL We're on to Day 2 of the draft! Bucs GM Jason Licht, widely regarded as one of the best GMs in the league, knows he has to rebuild their defense after successfully infusing the offense with **Jalen McMillan** and **Bucky Irving** in last year's draft. First, he takes **Nic Scourton** and quickly gets a call from Brad Holmes, cursing him out. He wanted Scourton. So it goes. [Dive Deeper: Nic Scourton, Carson Schwesinger, Shavon Revel Jr., Nohl WilliamsLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-39.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers--1-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/tampa-bay-buccaneers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) Next, he drafts **Carson Schwesinger,** and here's Brandon Beane calling. You couldn't let the Bills get the guy who models his game after **Matt Milano** and Luke Keuchly? Fine, Jason. Be that way. In the third round, after selecting **Shavon Revel** at 67 and **Nohl Williams** at 84, his phone rings and rings and never stops buzzing for the rest of the night. Thirty one GMs are envious of his picks. Licht tends to draft production over traits, and he rarely misses. Todd Bowles falls asleep with a smile on his face. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Kansas-City-Chiefs-Mock-Header--1-.png) ## Kansas City Chiefs - TRADE! **Pick 31 to NYG for 34 & 99** - 2.02 (34) **Josh Conerly Jr.,** OT - 2.31 (63) **Harold Fannin Jr.,** TE - 3.02 (66) **Quinshon Judkins,** RB - 3.31 (95) **Darien Porter,** CB - TRADE! - **Pick 99 to DET for 130 & 2026 4th** 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** OT, DE, NT, RB, CB, DT I'm so upset with myself for even hypothesizing this, but just know that I will lose my fucking mind if the Chiefs end up with **Harold Fannin Jr.** Oh, the tight end who runs weird but always finds a way to get open and led all receivers — not just tight ends, RECEIVERS — in catches and receiving yards across college football in 2024? That guy? On the Chiefs? The guy who put up 117 receptions and more than 1,500 yards? Who averaged 10-140-1 against Penn State and Texas A&M? That guy? [Dive Deeper: Josh Conerly Jr., Harold Fannin Jr., Quinshon Judkins, Darien PorterLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-37.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Kansas-City-Chiefs--1-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/kansas-city-chiefs-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) I'm not going to even bother listing off all the ways his strengths in "The Beast" make him sound like **Travis Kelce,** but just know that they get progressively more frustrating and convincing as they go on. When I found out the Chiefs brought Harold Fannin Jr. in for a Top 30 visit I practically fainted. I can't even talk about the rest of the projections! They need a tackle, a running back, a corner. Who cares. It doesn't matter if they get Fannin Jr., it would be too upsetting. Don't do it, Brett Veach. Don't do it to me. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Pittsburgh-Steelers-Mock-Header.png) ## Pittsburgh Steelers - TRADE! - **Pick 21 to NOLA for 40, 71, 93, & 112** - 2.08 (40) **Azareye'h Thomas,** CB - 3.07 (71) **Tyler Shough,** QB - 3.19 (83) **Bhayshul Tuten,** RB - 3.29 (93) **Princely Umanmielen,** EDGE 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** QB, RB, DL, WR, SAF, EDGE Omar Khan and the Steelers brass see a New Orleans area code calling. They let it ring three times, four, and just before it hits voicemail, answer Mickey Loomis's call. Some Steelers fans will be pissed to see them drop out of the first round when the only quarterback on their roster is **Mason Rudolph.** That's fair. Just imagine how they'll feel when the Steelers take a corner in the second round, with their first pick in this draft. Despondent? Hopeless? It all depends on how you feel about **Tyler Shough,** the guy who was in college for a century and is the most pro-ready of the quarterback prospects but likely is more or less the same as Mason Rudolph. Is that worth taking before the third round? I don't think so. In this scenario, with the Browns and Giants trading back into the first round, the Steelers can wait and select Shough at 71 overall. We can only hope the selection forces Aaron Rodgers into retirement. [Dive Deeper: Azareye’h Thomas, Tyler Shough, Bhayshul Tuten, Princely UmanmielenLearn more about their high-end traits and advanced stats, plus who might join them on Day 3 of the NFL Draft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-38.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/Pittsburgh-Steelers--2-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/pittsburgh-steelers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/) The highlight of the Steelers draft comes at No. 83 when **Bhayshul Tuten** gets selected, and the world at large—and fantasy players everywhere—begin Rootin' for Tuten. There's a decent chance Tuten is the back who emerges as the Day 2 or Day 3 rookie RB steal of the year. Arthur Smith would complicate the matter. But he fits the profile of what the Steelers typically look for in an everydown, bruising running back. Plus, Tuten has a little more juice than **Najee Harris.** He's capable of creating yards on his own, not just picking up what's blocked for him, both by breaking and forcing missed tackles. But in the end, my friend, what would a Steelers draft be without a project? Somebody who Mike Tomlin can take under his wing, somebody he can teach to become a better man. That's **Princely Umanmielen,** who has a thing or two to learn about burning bridges. From "The Beast": > After four seasons in Gainesville, he took advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of the COVID-19 pandemic and entered the transfer portal. Umanmielen stayed in the SEC and transferred to Ole Miss for his final season, saying he was "actually developed" by the Rebels' coaching staff. Enjoy your stay in Tomlin finishing school, young buck. ### Tennessee Titans: 2025 Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/tennessee-titans-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-08-25T03:07:46.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/TEN-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/TEN-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Tennessee Titans ### 2025 Draft Class **Nine (9) Players Drafted** - 1.01 — **Cam Ward,** QB - 2.20 — **Oluwafemi Oladejo,** ED - 3.18 — **Kevin Winston Jr.,** S - 4.01 — **Chimere Dike,** WR - 4.18 — **Gunnar Helm,** TE - 4.34 — **Elic Ayomanor,** WR - 5.31 — **Jackson Slater,** OG - 6.07 — **Marcus Harris,** DB - 6.12 — **Kalel Mullings,** RB ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospect's report on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Cam-Ward.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Titans-Filler-2.png) ## Cam Ward, QB **Pick:** 1.01 **School:** University of Miami [**SIS Grade: 6.7**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1676?ref=bandit.football) **(Starting QB):** Projects to be a good starting QB by his second season. ### Key Factors 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Clutch Performance, Short Accuracy, Awkward Throw ### Scouting Notes > *Ward throws with good accuracy and touch on short and intermediate routes, and is adept at utilizing multiple arm angles to hit his target where he needs to. He is very comfortable and poised while throwing on the run. He makes a concerted effort to keep his receivers safe and will lead them away from defenders to try and set up YAC situations. *—Zachary Somma* and *Vincent Shipe** > *Ward can pass up open reads at times, opting to chase the big play over taking the checkdown. His eyes can be an easy tell, as he can stare down receivers for too long before pulling the trigger. He scrambles with a pass-first mindset, constantly keeping his eyes downfield on broken plays. *—Z.S. and V.S.** ### Scheme - RPOs - Quick-passing game --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Titans-Filler-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Femi-Oladejo.png) ### Oluwafemi "Femi" Oladejo, EDGE **Pick:** 2.20 **School:** UCLA [**SIS Grade: 6.5**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2108?ref=bandit.football) **(Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down Starter 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Motor 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pass Rush Repertoire, Bend --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Kevin-Winston-Jr.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Titans-Filler-3.png) ### Kevin Winston Jr., SAF **Pick:** 3.18 **School:** Penn State [**SIS Grade: 6.4**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1393?ref=bandit.football) **(#3 SAF):** Role-playing starter; capable starter/better depth - 3rd downs --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Titans-Filler-5.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/6-1.png) ### Chimere Dike, WR **Pick:** 4.01 **School:** Florida [**SIS Grade: 5.8**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2702?ref=bandit.football) **(#5 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 5th WR with SPT ability 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Contested Catch --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Gunnar-Helm.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Titans-Filler-6.png) ### Gunnar Helm, TE **Pick:** 4.18 **School:** Texas [**SIS Grade: 6.5**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1943?ref=bandit.football) **(Lower End Starter):** With Y or H ability 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Catching Skills 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Play Strength --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Elic-Ayomanor.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Titans-Filler-7.png) ### Elic Ayomanor, WR **Pick:** 4.34 **School:** Stanford [**SIS Grade: 6.5**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2011?ref=bandit.football) **(#3 WR):** 3rd WR - Capable starter (I/O flex mandatory) 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Body Control, Clutch Performance --- ### Jackson Slater, OG **Pick:** 5.31 **School:** Sacramento State [**SIS Grade: 6.2**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/859?ref=bandit.football) **(Multi-Position Backup):** Backup OL that can play multiple positions 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Range --- ### Marcus Harris, CB **Pick:** 6.07 **School:** Cal [**SIS Grade: 5.9**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2602?ref=bandit.football) **(Top Backup):** #4 Depth level CB, but non-starter - Quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Press-Man, Play Strength, Run Support --- ### Kalel Mullings, RB **Pick:** 6.12 **School:** Michigan [**SIS Grade: 6.2**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1398?ref=bandit.football) **(Backup All 3 downs):** Backup; Change of pace runner 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Passing Game Impact, Elusiveness, Catching Skills, Pass Pro --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Micah Bernard, Utah [WR Xavier Restrepo, Miami (FL)](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1709?ref=bandit.football) **(6.4)** G Kaden Moore, Virginia Tech [T Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, Florida](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2703?ref=bandit.football) **(5.8)** [DI Cam Horsley, Boston College](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2183?ref=bandit.football) **(5.9)** DI Devonte O'Malley, Northern Illinois DI Philip Blidi, Auburn EDGE Isaiah Raikes, Auburn LB David Gbenda, Texas CB Clarence Lewis, Syracuse CB Davion Ross, Memphis CB Garnett Hollis Jr., West Virginia CB Jalen Kimber, Penn State [CB Jermari Harris, Iowa](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1392?ref=bandit.football) **(5.8)** ### Minicamp Invites K Michael Hughes, Appalachian State K Tristian Vandenberg, Memphis ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Tennessee Titans Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/DH.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.01 (01) **Cam Ward,** QB - 2.03 (35) **Luther Burden III,** WR - No third-round pick --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** QB, WR, DT, OT, CB, EDGE --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Cam Ward, QB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1676?ref=bandit.football) — 6.7 (Strong starter) - [**Luther Burden III, WR**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1842?ref=bandit.football) — 6.7 (Strong starter) --- After months of speculation, the Titans decide to "stick and pick" and select Miami quarterback **Cam Ward.** Early on in the process, there was a debate about whether or not they would consider trading down with the Browns or Giants, but ultimately Ward separated himself from **Shedeur Sanders** and the Titans decide to reset at quarterback just two years after drafting **Will Levis** and one year after breaking ground on their new stadium. Brian Callahan needs to do what Brian Daboll would have done and that's let Cam Ward cook. To that end, most of my scouting notes on Ward can be boiled down to: - "C'mon, man. lol" (derogatory) vs. - "C'mon! man, LOL" (so sick) It's going to be a rocky road, but as ESPN's Kevin Clark has been saying all draft season, Ward has enough in common with the former gunslinger who was prone to hero ball by the name of **Patrick Mahomes.** Trying to coach those tendencies out of Ward would be a mistake. Pairing him with versatile inside-out receiver **Luther Burden III,** however,would not be a mistake. It would give the Titans their most dynamic after-the-catch option since **A.J. Brown.** ESPN's Matt Miller has likened Burden to **Stefon Diggs** while NBC's Patrick Daugherty has said Burden reminds him of Percy Harvin. Burden has the ability to stretch the defense both vertically and horizontally, but he would primarily work as an underneath option for Ward, sort of like a juiced-up **Xavier Restrepo,** who became Miami's all-time leading receiver with Ward at the helm. Burden would also help to create some space for **Calvin Ridley** to work the intermediate middle of the field while **Chig Okonkwo** stresses the seam. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-47.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-1.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 2:** *Matthew Golden, Donovan Jackson, Xavier Watts, Darius Alexander, Kaleb Johnson, *Femi Oladejo,* Omarr Norman-Lott, T.J. Sanders, Terrance Ferguson, Quincy Riley, Charles Grant, Kyle Williams* - **Day 3:** *Tai Felton, Teddye Buchanan, Isaiah Bond, Upton Stout, Arian Smith, Cam Jackson, Sam Brown, Dont'e Thornton, Traeshon Holden, Carter Runyon, Elijah Roberts, Jamaal Pritchett, Jesse Johnson, Robert Longerbeam* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Cleveland Browns: 2025 Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/cleveland-browns-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:04:08.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/CLE-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/CLE-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Cleveland Browns ### 2025 Draft Class **Seven (7) Players Drafted** - 1.05 — **Mason Graham** **DT,** Michigan - 2.01 — **Carson Schwesinger** **LB,** UCLA - 2.04 — **Quinshon Judkins** **RB,** Ohio State - 3.03 — **Harold Fannin Jr.** **TE,** Bowling Green - 3.30 — **Dillon Gabriel** **QB,** Oregon - 4.24 — **Dylan Sampson** **RB,** Tennessee - 5.06 — **Shedeur Sanders** **QB,** Colorado --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Mason Graham, DT **SIS Grade: 6.9 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** 1st-step explosion; Hand use; Body control; Agility; Motor; Toughness --- ### Carson Schwesinger, LB **SIS Grade: 6.6 (Low End Starter):** All 3 downs, coverage prioritized over take-on types 7️⃣ ****Very good:** FBI / Instincts; ST value 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Stoutness; Shed ability --- ### Quinshon Judkins, RB **SIS Grade: 6.6\. (Lower End Starter):** Top Tier 1st & 2nd down - Limited 3rd down role 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Contact balance 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** ST value --- ### Harold Fannin Jr., TE **SIS Grade: 6.6 (Lower End Starter):** With Y or H ability 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Receiving ability; Mismatch; Catching skills; Run after catch; Clutch performance --- ### Dillon Gabriel, QB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Career #2: Backup QB with a developmental ceiling):** May have one or more good level or better positional factors, but has at least one critical factor with a defined ceiling (average or less) that will block his ability to ascend. 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Leadership --- ### Dylan Sampson, RB **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Backup All 3 downs):** Backup; Change of pace runner 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pass Pro --- ### Shedeur Sanders, QB **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Starting QB): 2nd year Good Starter QB** with a majority (3/4) of good (6) or better level critical factors (Leadership, Decision Making, Overall Accuracy, Clutch Production) and has a minimum of sufficient level ability in all remaining critical and positional factors. 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Clutch performance; Short accuracy; Eye discipline; Leadership --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Ahmani Marshall, Appalachian State WR Gage Larvadain, South Carolina TE Eli Wilson, Appalachian State G Dartanyan Tinsley, Cincinnati G Justin Osborne, SMU T Jason Ivey, North Carolina A&T EDGE Adin Huntington, Tulane CB Dom Jones, Colorado State CB LaMareon James, TCU S Donovan McMillon, Pittsburgh LS Brent Matiscik, TCU ### Minicamp Invites G Cam'Ron Johnson, Missouri EDGE John Pius, Wisconsin ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Cleveland Browns Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/DH--1-.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.02 (02) **Travis Hunter,** WR/CB - TRADE! **Picks 33, 67, & 104 to TB for 19** - 1.19 (19) **Shedeur Sanders,** QB - 3.30 (94) **Terrance Ferguson,** TE --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** QB, DT, TE, EDGE, WR, LB --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Travis Hunter, CB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1409?ref=bandit.football) **—** 7.2 (Immediate Starter with All-Pro Potential) - [**Shedeur Sanders, QB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1346?ref=bandit.football)— 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Terrance Ferguson, TE**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2007?ref=bandit.football)— 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) --- ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic The Browns desperately need to make everyone forget about **Deshaun Watson,** and the easiest way to do that would be relocating Colorado's superstar duo to the shores of Lake Erie. Pay no mind to Deion Sanders' new contract at Colorado that extends through the 2029 season while **Travis Hunter** and **Shedeur Sanders'** rookie deals, with their fifth-year options (at least in this scenario), extend through 2030\. Much will be written on Hunter and Sanders, wherever they end up, but what's been lost in the pre-draft shuffle is just how much work the Browns have done on the second tier of TE prospects, bringing in **Mason Taylor, Elijah Arroyo, Harold Fannin Jr.,** and **Terrance Ferguson** for Top 30 visits. All four tight ends are more of the "H" than the "Y" variety, meaning they're more of the receiving type than the blocking type, which makes me think **David Njoku's** (longterm) roster spot could be in jeopardy. Njoku is entering the final year of his current contract. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-51.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-5.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 2:** *Jalen Milroe, Tyler Shough, Jaxson Dart, Nic Scourton, Derrick Harmon, *Quinshon Judkins,* Cam Skattebo, Omarr Norman-Lott, Deone Walker, Bhayshul Tuten* - **Day 3:** *Tai Felton, Isaiah Bond, Tez Johnson, Nick Martin, Jordan Hancock, Danny Striggow* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### New York Giants: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/new-york-giants-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:04:21.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/NYG-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/NYG-Draft-Class-2.png) ## New York Giants ### 2025 Draft Class **Seven (7) Players Drafted** - 1.03 — **Abdul Carter** **ED,** Penn State - 1.25 — **Jaxson Dart** **QB,** Ole Miss - 3.01 — **Darius Alexander** **DT,** Toledo - 4.03 — **Cam Skattebo** **RB,** Arizona State - 5.18 — **Marcus Mbow** **OG,** Purdue - 7.03 — **Thomas Fidone II** **TE,** Nebraska - 7.30 — **Korie Black** **CB,** Oklahoma State --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Abdul Carter, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.8 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 8️⃣ ****Excellent:** 1st-step explosion; Range 7️⃣ ****Very Good:** Pass rush; Bend; Motor; ST value --- ### Jaxson Dart, QB **SIS Grade: 6.4 (Circumstantial Starter/Good Quality Backup QB):** Player has a minimum floor of sufficient ability in all critical factors. He can fill-in for a short term as a starter and you can win with him. 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Footwork; Under pressure --- ### Darius Alexander, DT **SIS Grade: 6.5 (**Lower End Starter**):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter --- ### Cam Skattebo, RB **SIS Grade: 6.5 (**Lower End Starter**):** Top Tier 1st & 2nd down - Limited 3rd down role 7️⃣ ****Very Good:** Contact balance; Power; Toughness --- ### Marcus Mbow, OG **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** Starter at OG or OC with backup flexion 7️⃣ ****Very Good:** Range 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Body control; Sustain --- ### Thomas Fidone II, TE **SIS Grade: 5.9 (#2 Backup):** With Y and H ability - Complete TE 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Play strength; ST value --- ### Korie Black, CB **SIS Grade: 5.8 ("Middle of the Road" Backup): #**4 CB w/o SPT or #5 CB; non-starter - Quality SPT player if #5 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Off-man; Press man; Slot coverage; Run support --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Rushawn Baker, Elon WR Antwane Wells, Ole Miss WR Beaux Collins, Notre Dame WR Dalen Cambre, Louisiana WR Da'Quan Felton, Virginia Tech WR Jordan Bly, Gardner-Webb WR Nate McCollum, North Carolina WR Redd Douglas, Findlay TE Jermaine Terry, Oregon State T Jaison Williams, Youngstown State EDGE Trace Ford, Oklahoma CB O'Donnell Fortune, South Carolina CB RJ Delancy III, Wisconsin S Makari Paige, Michigan S Tommy McCormick, Idaho ### Minicamp Invites WR Ja'Khi Douglas, Florida State WR Jimmy Holiday, LA Tech WR Landon Ruggieri, Bryant C Logan Zschernitz, Northern Illinois C Trent Holler, Memphis G Jason Collier Jr., Pittsburgh T Lucas Scott, Army DI Ricky Correia, California LB Nick Jackson, Iowa CB Sean Fresch, Rice CB Terrence Spence, James Madison S Coco Azema, Northwestern LS Blake Arnoult, Coastal Carolina K Abraham Montaño, New Mexico State ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 NY Giants Mock ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/NY-Giants-Mock-Header.png) - 1.03 (03) **Abdul Carter, EDGE** - TRADE! **Picks 34 & 99 to KC for 31** - 1.31 (31) **Jalen Milroe, QB** - 3.01 (65) **Cam Skattebo, PWHB** --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** QB, DT, RB, DE, CB, iOL --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Abdul Carter, EDGE**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1082?ref=bandit.football)— 6.8 (Strong Starter) - [**Jalen Milroe, QB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/950?ref=bandit.football)— 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Cam Skattebo, RB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1148?ref=bandit.football)— 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) --- On December 29, 2024, **Drew Lock** torched the Colts for more than 300 yards and 5 total touchdowns in a 45-33 home victory that knocked the Giants out of contention for the No. 1 overall pick. **Abdul Carter,** once considered the favorite to be the top pick in the draft, has had a murky pre-draft process as he tends to a foot issue that may or may not (eventually) require surgery. The Giants pair Carter with **Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns,** and pick up **Kayvon Thibodeaux's** 5th-year option to give the G-Men their most fearsome pass rush since Michael Strahan was in town. Then, the Giants address the QB position by trading back into the first round with Kansas City to take **Jalen Milroe,** finally giving him his moment in the spotlight as he's one of two prospects remaining in the green room on Thursday night. Brian Daboll's Alabama connections and success developing the similarly toolsy **Josh Allen** give Joe Schoen the confidence to go up and take their QB, who shares traits with presumptive starter **Russell Wilson** (mobility) and backup **Jameis Winston** (a willingness to chuck it deep). Milroe's also widely considered to be a one- to two-year developmental prospect, which *might* buy this regime some additional time. There is a chance, though, that team owner John Mara issues the code red at No. 3 overall. Schoen has had to live with the memory of his boss telling him in front of the world that "**Saquon Barkley** \[was\] their most popular player by far. BY FAR" and the possibility of drafting **Ashton Jeanty** at three could fill that void. But the Giants have drafted well, overall, during the Schoen-Daboll era, and have generally made process-driven decisions. **Cam Skattebo,** one of the most popular players in the draft, would help fill the void left by Saquon and give the Giants a lead back to complement **Tyrone Tracy.** Skattebo could have the top-selling jersey in the NFL team store by the end of draft weekend. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-52.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-6.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Shedeur Sanders, *Jaxson Dart** - **Day 2:** *Malaki Starks, Donovan Jackson, Kyle Kennard, Quinshon Judkins, Elijah Arroyo, Carson Schwesinger, Kaleb Johnson, Alfred Collins, Shavon Revel, Joshua Farmer, *Darius Alexander, Marcus Mbow,* Tyler Shough* - **Day 3:** *Jack Sawyer, Ollie Gordon II, Kyle Monangai, Tai Felton, Kyle McCord, Tyreem Powell, Jaylen Reed, Will Sheppard, B.J. Adams, Traeshon Holden, *Korie Black,* Jake Majors, Jacob Bayer, Caleb Etienne, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, B.J. Mayes, Eric Rogers, Fadil Diggs, Hollin Pierce, Howard Cross III, Jarquez Hunter, Robert Longerbeam, Sidiki Kone* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### New England Patriots: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/new-england-patriots-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:04:33.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/NE-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/NE-Draft-Class-2.png) ## New England Patriots **Eleven (11) Players Drafted** - 1.04 — **Will Campbell** **OT,** LSU - 2.06 — **TreVeyon Henderson** **RB,** Ohio State - 3.05 — **Kyle Williams** **WR,** Washington State - 3.31 — **Jared Wilson** **OC,** Georgia - 4.04 — **Craig Woodson** **S,** Cal - 4.35 — **Joshua Farmer** **DT,** Florida State - 5.08 — **Bradyn Swinson** **ED,** LSU - 6.06 — **Andres Borregales** **K,** Miami FL - 7.04 — **Marcus Bryant** **OL,** Mizzou - 7.35 — **Julian Ashby** **LS,** Vanderbilt - 7.41 — **Kobee Minor** **CB,** Memphis --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Will Campbell, OT **SIS Grade: 6.8 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Anchor / Play strength; Body control; Run block; Power; Toughness --- ## TreVeyon Henderson, RB **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Passing game impact; Pass pro; Ball security --- ### Kyle Williams, WR **SIS Grade: 5.9 (#4 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 4th WR with SPT ability 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Contested catch --- ### Jared Wilson, OC **SIS Grade: 6.4 (Limited Starter):** Starter at OG or OC w/o positional flexion --- ### Craig Woodson, SAF **SIS Grade: 5.8 ("Middle of the Road" Backup): #**4 SAF, non-starter - quality SPT player --- ### Joshua Farmer, DT **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 7️⃣ ****Very good:** 1st-step explosion; Motor 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** FBI --- ### Bradyn Swinson, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** POA / Set edge --- ***New England draft picks' Andres Borregales (K), Marcus Bryant (OL), Julian Ashby (LS), and Kobee Minor (CB) did not make the SIS draft site.*** ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) QB Ben Wooldridge, Louisiana RB Lan Larison, UC Davis FB Brock Lampe, Northern Illinois WR DeMeer Blankumsee, Memphis WR Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington WR Jeremiah Webb, South Alabama TE CJ Dippre, Alabama TE Gee Scott Jr., Ohio State G Jack Conley, Boston College T Cole Birdow, Merrimack DI Bryce Ganious, Wake Forest DI Wilfried Pene, Virginia Tech EDGE Elijah Ponder, Cal Poly LB Cam Riley, Florida State CB Brandon Crossley, SMU S Josh Minkins, Cincinnati S Jordan Polk, Texas State ### Minicamp Invites QB Jake Wilcox, Brown FB Duane Martin, Louisville T DeVonte Gordon, Wake Forest EDGE Hector Johnson, Endicott ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 New England Patriots Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/New-England-Patriots-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.04 (04) **Will Campbell, OL** - 2.06 (38) **Emeka Egbuka, WR** - 3.05 (69) **Ozzy Trapilo, OT** - 3.13 (77) **JT Tuimoloau, DE** 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** OT, WR, iOL, SLCB, RB, DL --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Will Campbell, OT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1060?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.8 (Strong Starter) - [**Emeka Egbuka, WR**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1051?ref=bandit.football) — 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Ozzy Trapilo, OT** ](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2337?ref=bandit.football)— 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**JT Tuimoloau, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1081?ref=bandit.football) — 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) --- ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic As a Bills fan, this would be a nightmare scenario. If the Patriots land **Emeka Egbuka,** who I consider to be the best receiver in the draft, with the sixth pick in the second round — one year after the Bills traded down with the Chiefs and allowed them to take **Xavier Worthy,** then passed on **Ladd McConkey** to take **Keon Coleman**.... Like I said, nightmare scenario. Mike Vrabel & Co. want to protect their quarterback and get younger along the line of scrimmage after spending a boatload to raise their floor in free agency. **Will Campbell, Ozzy Trapilo,** and **JT Tuimoloau** are high-character guys who project to have relatively high floors as solid NFL starters. There are concerns about Campbell's ability to play tackle in the NFL, so they double down and take Trapilo in Round 3. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-53.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-7.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - Day 1: *Mason Graham, Tetairoa McMillan, Josh Simmons* - Day 2: *Kenneth Grant, Nic Scourton, Josh Conerly Jr., Matthew Golden, Kyle Kennard, Mason Taylor, Barrett Carter, Jaylin Noel, Tre Harris, Aireontae Ersery, *Joshua Farmer,* Darius Alexander, Joshua James, Femi Oladejo, Jacob Parrish, Jonas Sanker, Charles Grant, *Kyle Williams** - Day 3: *Barryn Sorrell, Gunnar Helm, Deone Walker, Danny Stutsman, Jeffrey Bassa, Xavier Restrepo, Pat Bryant, Drew Kendall, Jaydon Blue, Dylan Sampson, Ollie Gordon II, RJ Harvey, Trevor Etienne, Kyle Monangai, Arian Smith, Nick Martin, Ricky White, Jacolby George, Mac McWilliams, Korie Black, Bryson Nesbit, DeAndre Jules, Bilhal Kone, Ben Sauls, Chase Lundt, Gavin Bartholomew, Jah Joyner, Jamaal Pritchett, Janeiro Wakehamm, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Robbie Ouzts, Ruben Hyppolite, Ryan Fitzgerald, Thomas Gordon, Xander Mueller* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! 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Unsubscribe anytime. ### Chicago Bears: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/chicago-bears-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:04:46.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/CHI-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/CHI-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Chicago Bears ### 2025 Draft Class **Eight (8) Players Drafted** - 1.10 — **Colston Loveland** **TE,** Michigan - 2.07 — **Luther Burden III** **WR,** Mizzou - 2.24 — **Ozzy Trapilo** **OT,** Boston College - 2.30 — **Shemar Turner** **DT,** Texas A&M - 4.30 — **Ruben Hyppolite II** **LB,** Maryland - 5.33 — **Zah Frazier** **CB,** UTSA - 6.19 — **Luke Newman** **OT,** Michigan State - 7.17 — **Kyle Monangai** **RB,** Rutgers --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Colston Loveland, TE **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level --- ### Luther Burden III, WR **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Run after catch; Play speed; Playmaker --- ### Ozzy Trapilo, OT **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** Only a 1 position player --- ### Shemar Turner, DL **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter)** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Discipline ### Ruben Hyppolite II, LB **SIS Grade: *was not listed on the SIS draft site*** --- ### Zah Frazier, CB **SIS Grade: 6.4 (Role-playing starter)** 3rd CB - Lacks I/O flex 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Closing speed 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Off-man; Transition; Play strength; Run support 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Slot coverage ### Luke Newman, OT **SIS Grade: *Was not listed on the SIS draft site.*** --- ### Kyle Monangai, RB **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Backup All 3 downs):** Backup; Change of pace runner 8️⃣ ****Excellent:** Ball security 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Passing game impact; Playmaker; Pass pro; ST value --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Deion Hankins, Texas State WR Jahdae Walker, Texas A&M WR JP Richardson, TCU EDGE Jereme Robinson, Kansas EDGE Xavier Carlton, California LB Power Echols, North Carolina S Major Burns, LSU S Tysheem Johnson, Oregon LS Luke Elkin, Iowa K Jonathan Kim, Michigan State ### Minicamp Invites G Sebastian Pares, Eastern Illinois EDGE Cole Nelson, Virginia Tech LB Michael Batton, Houston CB Isaiah Greene, Campbell ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Chicago Bears Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Chicago-Bears-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - TRADE! **Picks 10 & 41 to JAX for 5** - 1.05 (05) **Ashton Jeanty,** RB - 2.07 (39) **Kenneth Grant,** NT - 3.08 (72) **Dylan Fairchild,** OG --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** RB, OG, OT, LB, DE, DT --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Ashton Jeanty, RB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/853?ref=bandit.football)— 6.9 (Strong Starter) - [**Kenneth Grant, NT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1405?ref=bandit.football)— 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Dylan Fairchild, OG**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2437?ref=bandit.football)— 6.4 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) --- Offensive linemen love to run the ball because they get to be active instead of reactive. In pass protection, they're anchoring down and working backward but in the run game, they get to work forward and play offense instead of defending their quarterback. Bears GM Ryan Poles is a former offensive lineman who has consistently shown a desire to be active throughout his tenure leading Chicago's front office. This offseason, he was ready to board a plane to Detroit to make sure they got their new head coach, Ben Johnson, as soon as it was clear the Lions were going to lose to the Commanders in the playoffs. The Bears then went out and traded for Chiefs guard **Joe Thuney** and Rams guard **Jonah Jackson,** who previously played for Johnson in Detroit, and signed former Falcons center **Drew Dalman**, completely remaking their offensive line to support sophomore QB **Caleb Williams.** To cap it all off, on Thursday night, the Bears send the last bit of their haul from the Carolina trade for **Bryce Young** to go up and select **Ashton Jeanty.** Perhaps more of a surprise is the Bears landing nose tackle **Kenneth Grant** in the second round at 41 overall. Grant has been frequently mocked in the first round but some scouts have concerns about his weight (and his ability to manage it) which could impact his ability to stay on the field for 3rd downs, and that may be enough of a concern to push him to Friday. They also take a guard, OK. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-54.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-8.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - Day 1: *Will Campbell, Omarion Hampton, Shemar Stewart* - Day 2: *Josh Conerly Jr., Kaleb Johnson, Mason Taylor, Omarr Norman-Lott, Kyle Williams* - Day 3: *Brashard Smith, Nick Martin, Beaux Collins, Dontae Fleming, John Williams, Joseph Vaughn* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Las Vegas Raiders: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/las-vegas-raiders-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:05:01.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/LVR-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/LVR-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Las Vegas Raiders ### 2025 Draft Class **Eleven (11) Players Drafted** - 1.06 — **Ashton Jeanty** **RB,** Boise State - 2.26 — **Jack Bech** **WR,** TCU - 3.04 — **Darien Porter** **CB,** Iowa State - 3.34 — **Caleb Rogers** **OG,** Texas Tech - 3.35 — **Charles Grant** **OT,** William & Mary - 4.06 — **Dont'e Thornton Jr.** **WR,** Tennessee - 6.04 — **JJ Pegues** **DT,** Ole Miss - 6.37 — **Tommy Mellott** **WR,** Montana State - 6.39 — **Cam Miller** **QB,** North Dakota State - 7.06 — **Cody Lindenberg** **LB,** Minnesota --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Ashton Jeanty, RB **SIS Grade: 6.9 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Vision; Contact balance; Elusiveness; Playmaker --- ### Jack Bech, WR **SIS Grade: 6.4 (Role-playing starter):** 3rd WR - Lacks I/O flex 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Hands; Contested catch 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Play speed --- ### Darien Porter, CB **SIS Grade: 6.4 (Role-playing starter):** 3rd CB - Lacks I/O flex 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed; Closing speed 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Off-man; Slot coverage; Play strength; Run support 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Open-field tackling --- ### Caleb Rogers, OG **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Multi-Position Backup):** Backup OL that can play multiple positions 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Reactive athleticism; Footwork; Flexibility --- ### Charles Grant, OT **SIS Grade: 6.3 (#3 OT Backup):** Swing OT that can play both RT and LT 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Range 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Power; Finish --- ### Dont'e Thornton Jr., WR **SIS Grade:** **5.8 (#5 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 5th WR with SPT ability 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Route savvy --- ### JJ Pegues, DT **SIS Grade: 6.2 (DE/DT Flexion Backup):** Non-starter versatile reserve DL --- ### Tommy Mellott, WR **SIS Grade:** Not scouted / Did not make the SIS Draft Site [Revealing the identity of ‘Prospect X,’ and where 2025’s most overlooked prospect landedDraft season’s most overlooked player wasn’t invited to the combine or an all-star game. Here’s why ‘Prospect X’ ultimately stood out.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/espn-icon-180x180.png)ESPNKalyn Kahler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/i)](https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2025/story/%5F/id/44900755/2025-prospect-x-reveal-touchdown-tommy-mellott-las-vegas-raiders?ref=bandit.football) --- ### Cam Miller, QB **SIS Grade:** **5.8 (Eventual #2):** Backup QB who with pro coaching will improve, but still has a clearly defined ceiling. 4️⃣ Arm strength; Awkward throw; Body composition --- ### Cody Lindenberg, LB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level LB, but non-starter - quality SPT player 4️⃣ 3-down ability; Stoutness; Tackling; Man coverage --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) WR Zakhari Franklin, Illinois TE Carter Runyon, Towson TE Pat Conroy, Old Dominion C Jarrod Hufford, Iowa State T Parker Clements, Virginia Tech DI Treven Ma'ae, Baylor EDGE Jah Joyner, Minnesota LB Jailin Walker, Indiana LB Matt Jones, Baylor CB Greedy Vance Jr., USC CB John Humphrey, USC CB Mello Dotson, Kansas S Hudson Clark, Arkansas ### Minicamp Invites QB Hajj-Malik Williams, UNLV RB Devyn Ford, Notre Dame WR Dorian Singer, Utah TE Jake Roberts, Oklahoma DI Kevin Pointer, Wake Forest CB Jordan Taylor, James Madison S Camby Goff, Air Force ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Las Vegas Raiders Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Las-Vegas-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.06 (06) **Jalon Walker,** ED/LB - 2.05 (37) **Jacob Parrish,** NB - 3.04 (68) **Kyle Williams,** WR --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** CB, LB, WR, OT, RB, QB --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Jalon Walker, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1777?ref=bandit.football)— 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Jacob Parrish, CB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1389?ref=bandit.football)— 6.4 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) - [**Kyle Williams, WR**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2501?ref=bandit.football)— 5.9 (Backup) --- First and foremost, how can you not love Pete Carroll? Here he is two weeks ago already calling GM John Spytek the familiar "Johnny": > “Johnny and I are totally arm in arm in figuring that out here,” Carroll said Monday when asked about how he’s collaborated with Spytek in the roster-building process. “Every opportunity we’ve had so far, we feel like we’ve exhausted the best shot to get the toughest, most physical guys that love the game.” Spytek comes from the Buccaneers, an organization known for drafting, developing, and re-signing their guys — including now 35-year-old LB **Lavonte David,** whom they drafted in the second round back in 2012. It wouldn't be a surprise to hear Roger Goodell announce **Jalon Walker** as a linebacker on the stage in Green Bay, even if that would be considered *very* early to draft a linebacker in 2025 and most draftniks and front offices are projecting Walker to be more of an EDGE rusher at the NFL level. But the Raiders lost tackle-machine **Robert Spillane** in free agency and they play in the YACkiest division in football, the AFC West, where Walker could immediately step in and (hopefully) have an **Andrew Van Ginkel**–like impact hawking down quick, short-area receivers like a goddamn pterodactyl. In the second round, the Raiders make one of the more surprising picks of the draft and select **Jacob Parrish,** nickelback, Kansas State. Parrish is ranked closer to 100 than 32 on most big boards, but after listening and reading so many different analysts throughout the process, as well as insider-backed and sourced-up front office executives, there is perhaps no player more people agree on than Jacob Parrish. He seems destined to succeed, destined to be a foundational piece, destined to fit like a glove in Carroll and Patrick Graham's defense. > “The nickel position is a critical spot in Pete’s and PG’s defense, so it’s something that we’ve got to figure out,” Spytek said at the NFL’s annual league meeting. In the third round, the Raiders grab a downfield separator for **Geno Smith** in **Kyle Williams,** whom they hopeto develop into Zoomer **Tyler Lockett —** whose elder millennial-ass just so happens to be a free agent and would be a hell of a mentor in Las Vegas. *Editor's Note: Tyler Lockett signed with the Titans after this was published. So it goes.* [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-55.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-9.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Mason Graham, Will Campbell, *Ashton Jeanty,* Will Johnson, Tetairoa McMillan, Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe* - **Day 2:** *Luther Burden III, Malaki Starks, Benjamin Morrison, Carson Schweisnger, Kaleb Johnson, Jaylin Noel, Darius Alexander, Femi Oladejo, Jeffrey Bassa, Nick Emmanwori, Maxwell Hairston, *Charles Grant,* Tyler Shough, Josaiah Stewart* - **Day 3:** *Zah Frazier, Quinn Ewers, Will Howard, *Caleb Rogers,* Teddye Buchanan, Arian Smith, Yahya Black, Jestin Jacobs, Caleb Etienne, B.J. Mayes, *Cam Miller** --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### New York Jets: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/new-york-jets-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:05:17.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/NYJ-Draft-Class-1-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/NYJ-Draft-Class-2.png) ## New York Jets ### 2025 Draft Class **Seven (7) Players Drafted** - 1.07 — **Armand Membou** **RT,** Mizzou - 2.10 — **Mason Taylor** **TE,** LSU - 3.09 — **Azareye'h Thomas** **CB,** Florida State - 4.08 — **Arian Smith** **WR,** Georgia - 4.28 — **Malachi Moore** **S,** Alabama - 5.26 — **Francisco Mauigoa** **LB,** Miami FL - 5.40 — **Tyler Baron** **ED,** Miami FL --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Armand Membou, RT **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player with 2 position flexion 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Footwork; Power --- ### Mason Taylor, TE **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** With Y or H ability --- ### Azareye'h Thomas, CB **SIS Grade: 6.6 (#3 CB):** 3rd CB - Capable starter/better depth (I/O flex mandatory) --- ### Arian Smith, WR **SIS Grade: 5.9 (#4 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 4th WR with SPT ability 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Contested catch --- ### Malachi Moore, SAF **SIS Grade: 6.4 (#3 SAF):** Role-playing starter; capable starter/better depth - 3rd downs 7️⃣ ****Very good:** FBI / Instincts; Zone coverage; Ball skills / Tracking; Communication 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Blitz --- ### Francisco Mauigoa, LB **SIS Grade:** **5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level LB, but non-starter - quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** FBI / Instincts; QB defense; Tackling --- ### Tyler Baron, EDGE **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level Edge, but non-starter - quality SPT player --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) QB Brady Cook, Missouri RB Donovan Edwards, Michigan WR Dymere Miller, Rutgers WR Jamaal Pritchett, South Alabama C Gus Hartwig, Purdue T Leander Wiegand, IPP DI Fatorma Mulbah, West Virginia EDGE Ja'Markis Weston, Florida LB Aaron Smith, South Carolina State LB Jared Bartlett, Cincinnati CB Jordan Clark, Notre Dame WR Quentin Skinner, Kansas S Dean Clark, Fresno State K Caden Davis, Ole Miss ### Minicamp Invites LS Donato Crisanti, Rhode Island ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 NY Jets Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/New-York-Jets-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.07 (07) **Mason Graham,** DT - 2.10 (42) **Aireontae Ersery,** RT - 3.09 (73) **Andrew Mukuba,** SAF - TRADE! **Picks 110 & 207 to ATL for 102** - 3.38 (102) **Elic Ayomanor,** WR --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** DE, DT, EDGE, SAF, TE, WR --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Mason Graham, DT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1073?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.9 (Strong Starter) - [**Aireontae Ersery, OT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1742?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Andrew Mukuba, SAF**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2010?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.4 (Lower-end Starter or Multi-Position Backup) - [**Elic Ayomanor, WR**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2011?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) --- Aaron Glenn would be doing backflips if the board fell this way. **Mason Graham** belongs in Detroit but East Rutherford will do, and he sure would fit perfectly beside **Quinnen Williams** on that defensive line. In the second round, the Jets address their right tackle position and take Minnesota's **Aireontae Ersery,** who should step in immediately to aid their run-first, aggressive mindset on offense. These Jets further cement their ethos by selecting bone-crushing safety **Andrew Mukuba** and blocks-his-ass-off WR **Elic Ayomanor** in the third round. Finally: the Jets embrace their New Jersey identity. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-46.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Shemar Stewart, Derrick Harmon, Mykel Williams* - **Day 2:** *Kyle Kennard, Jalen Milroe, Darius Alexander, Terrance Ferguson, Maxwell Hairston, Tyler Shough, Kyle Williams* - **Day 3:** *Arian Smith, Jaylen Reed, Dean Clark, Jordan Clark, Jordan McCloud* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Carolina Panthers: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/carolina-panthers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:05:39.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/CAR-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/CAR-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Carolina Panthers ### 2025 Draft Class **Eight (8) Players Drafted** - 1.08 — **Tetairoa McMillan** **WR,** Arizona - 2.19 — **Nic Scourton** **ED,** Texas A&M - 3.13 — **Princely Umanmielen** **ED,** Ole Miss - 4.12 — **Trevor Etienne** **RB,** Georgia - 4.20 — **Lathan Ransom** **S,** Ohio State - 5.02 — **Cam Jackson** **NT**, Florida - 5.27 — **Mitchell Evans** **TE,** Notre Dame - 6.32 — **Jimmy Horn Jr.** **WR,** Colorado --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Tetairoa McMillan, WR **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Contested catch; Tracking; Body control --- ### Nic Scourton, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Pass rush repertoire; Motor; Toughness --- ### Princely Umanmielen, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** POA / Set edge; Flat coverage --- ### Trevor Etienne, RB **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Backup All 3 downs):** Backup; Change of pace runner 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Power; Pass pro --- ### Lathan Ransom, SAF **SIS Grade: 6.4 (#3 SAF):** Role-playing starter; capable starter/better depth - 3rd downs 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Physicality; ST value --- ### Cam Jackson, NT **SIS Grade:** **5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level DT, but non-starter - NT - no SPT 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pass rush --- ### Mitchell Evans, TE **SIS Grade: 5.9 (#2 Backup):** With Y and H ability - Complete TE 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Play speed; Separation: Run after catch --- ### Jimmy Horn Jr., WR **SIS Grade: 5.8 (#5 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 5th WR with SPT ability 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Separation 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Contested catch; Clutch performance; Blocking --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) QB Ethan Garbers, UCLA RB Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams, Michigan State WR Jacolby George, Miami (FL) WR Kobe Hudson, UCF WR Muhsin Muhammad III, Texas A&M TE Bryce Pierre, UCLA G Luke Kandra, Cincinnati G Steven Losoya III, Vanderbilt T Mike Tarquin, Oklahoma DI Jared Harrison-Hunte, SMU LB Bam Martin-Scott, South Carolina LB Mapalo Mwansa, IPP LB Tuasivi Nomura, Fresno State CB Corey Thornton, Louisville CB Mike Reid, South Dakota S Isaac Gifford, Nebraska S Jack Henderson, Minnesota S Trevian Thomas, Arkansas State K Ryan Fitzgerald, Florida State ### Minicamp Invites WR Sevonne Rhea, Lamar EDGE Ositadinma Ekwonu, Charlotte LB Jaheim Thomas, Wisconsin ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Carolina Panthers Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Carolina-Panthers-Mock-Header-1.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft - 1.08 (08) **Walter Nolen,** DT - 2.25 (57) **Jaylin Noel,** WR - 3.10 (74) **Kyle Kennard,** EDGE --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, DT, DE, NT, SAF, RB --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Walter Nolen, DT** ](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/862?ref=bandit.football)**—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Jaylin Noel, WR**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1053?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Kyle Kennard, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1484?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) --- **Milton Williams** spurned the Panthers in free agency to join the Patriots, but it was initially reported that the dynamic defensive tackle — who sacked **Patrick Mahomes** twice in the Super Bowl — would be heading to Charlotte. The Panthers ended up signing **Tershawn Wharton** but still see value in drafting and developing a defensive tackle with true three-down potential, one who can affect the passing game and the running game, and outside of **Travis Hunter** and **Abdul Carter,** there's perhaps no defensive player in the draft with higher upside than **Walter Nolen.** The quickest way to the quarterback isn't off the edge but right down the middle, collapsing the pocket as quickly as possible. Nolen has all the tools to become That Dude down Broadway, and Panthers DC Ejiro Evero is one of the best young defensive minds to help him reach his potential. In the second round, the Panthers select WR **Jaylin Noel** (pronounced Knoll, like the chair, not "no-el," like Christmas) who just so happens to be the steal of the entire draft, a certified Bandit Bro, an absolute menace out wide or in the slot. Noel has incredible play speed and separates at will and shows a fearlessness to go over the middle at all three levels of the field. The Panthers desperately need a wide receiver under 35 who can separate, and there's no better separator in this draft than Jaylin Noel. In the third, the Panthers tap into their backyard and select **Kyle Kennard,** EDGE, South Carolina. Kennard is ranked lower on most big boards but received a higher grade from our scouting staff at Sports Info Solutions. The Panthers, who employ some former SIS analysts, take a bet on our 43rd overall player and 9th ranked EDGE defender, who has a very good, explosive 1st step and a motor that never runs cold. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-56.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-10.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Jalon Walker, *Tetairoa McMillan,* Shemar Stewart, Donovan Ezeiruaku* - **Day 2:** *TreVeyon Henderson, Carson Schwesinger, Aireontae Ersery, Jordan Burch, Ashton Gillotte, Terrance Ferguson, Femi Oladejo, Quincy Riley, Nick Emmanwori, Jonas Sanker, Josaiah Stewart* - **Day 3:** *Deone Walker, Ollie Gordon II, RJ Harvey, Shemar James, Jaylin Lane, Que Robinson, *Cam Jackson,* Sam Brown, Warren Brinson, Carter Runyon, Dalevon Campbell, Devonte Gordon, Fadil Diggs, Jarquez Hunter* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### New Orleans Saints: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/new-orleans-saints-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:05:54.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/NO-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/NO-Draft-Class-2.png) ## New Orleans Saints ### 2025 NFL Draft **Nine (9) Players Drafted** - 1.09 — **Kelvin Banks Jr.** **OT,** Texas - 2.08 — **Tyler Shough** **QB,** Louisville - 3.07 — **Vernon Broughton** **DT,** Texas - 4.10 — **Danny Stutsman** **LB,** Oklahoma - 4.29 — **Quincy Riley** **CB,** Louisville - 6.08 — **Devin Neal** **RB,** Kansas - 7.32 — **Moliki Matavao** **TE,** UCLA - 7.38 — **Fadil Diggs** **ED,** Syracuse --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Kelvin Banks, OT **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player with 2 position flexion. --- ### Tyler Shough, QB **SIS Grade: 6.4 (Circumstantial Starter/Good Quality Backup QB):** Player has a minimum floor of sufficient ability in all critical factors. He can fill-in for a short term as a starter and you can win with him. 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Under Pressure --- ### Vernon Broughton, DT **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level DL, but only 1 position player - ALL 3 downs 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Play strength; Body control; Discipline --- ### Danny Stutsman, MLB **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Low End Starter):** All 3 downs, coverage prioritized over take-on types 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed; QB defense; Range; Toughness; ST value 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Man coverage --- ### Quincy Riley, CB **SIS Grade: 6.5 (#3 CB):** 3rd CB - Capable starter/better depth (I/O flex mandatory) 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Ball skills; FBI 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Open-field tackling; Play strength --- ### Devin Neal, RB **SIS Grade: 6.2 (**Backup All 3 downs**):** Backup; Change of pace runner 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pass Pro --- ### Moliki Matavao, TE **SIS Grade: 5.8 (#2 Backup):** With Y or H ability 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Release, Separation, Run After Catch, ST value --- ### Fadil Diggs, EDGE **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level Edge, but non-starter; quality SPT player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Range --- [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Marcus Yarns, Delaware WR Chris Tyree, Virginia WR Moochie Dixon, SMU G Torricelli Simpkins III, South Carolina T Easton Kilty, Kansas State DI Omari Thomas, Tennessee EDGE Jasheen Davis, Wake Forest LB Tyreem Powell, Rutgers CB Dalys Beanum, South Dakota State S Elliott Davison, UTSA P James Burnip, Alabama ### Minicamp Invites CB JaVaughn Byrd, Northern Illinois ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 New Orleans Saints Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/New-Orleans-Saints-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.09 (09) **Armand Membou,** RT - TRADE! **Picks 40, 71, 93, & 112 to PIT for 21** - 1.21 (21) **Jaxson Dart,** QB --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** DL, OT, CB, QB, WR, SAF --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Armand Membou, OT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1844?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Jaxson Dart, QB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1395?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.4 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) --- The Saints are down bad. Real bad. Ryan Ramczyk, who celebrated his 31st birthday this week but also decided to hang up his cleats, played his entire 8-year career with the Saints and leaves behind a major hole at right tackle. **Armand Membou** is a gifted player with incredible footwork who fills that immediate need. Then there's the **Derek Carr** of it all, a player Saints fans do not like and it appears that feeling is mutual. Carr might not play this season. That's because he may or may not elect to have surgery. It seems as though he'd be willing to play through the pain and put off the surgery for his team—as long as that team was *decidedly not* the New Orleans Saints. Enter **Jaxson Dart,** a player who would be beloved in the Bayou, according to NBC Sports's Denny Carter. While in New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl, Carter noted, while watching the local news in his hotel room, for some reason, that the local news anchors would not stop talking about Jaxson Dart and how the Saints needed to draft him to keep the Mississippi quarterback in the region. At this point—and for quite some time now—the Saints have felt like a community project trying to become Steelers South and never have a losing season, to always be competitive, and to try to make the playoffs each year before getting bounced in the Wild Card round. Best of luck to Kellen Moore in all his future endeavors. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-57.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-11.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Mason Graham, Will Campbell, Tetairoa McMillan, Josh Simmons, Walter Nolen, Shemar Stewart, James Pearce Jr., Jahdae Barron, Matthew Golden, Mykel Williams* - **Day 2:** *Josh Conerly Jr., Trey Amos, Kyle Kennard, Carson Schwesinger, Mason Taylor, Shavon Revel, Emery Jones Jr., Aireontae Ersery, Jalen Milroe, Omarr Norman-Lott, Femi Oladejo, Shemar Turner, *Quincy Riley,* Savion Williams, Nick Emmanwori, *Tyler Shough** - **Day 3:** *Drew Kendall, Zah Frazier, Quinn Ewers, Sai'vion Jones, Dylan Sampson, Tai Felton, *Vernon Broughton,* Kyle McCord, Tyler Batty, Arian Smith, Nick Martin, Will Sheppard, Caleb Ransaw, Warren Brinson, Chandler Martin, Korie Black, Caleb Etienne, Dartanyan Tinsley, Elijah Roberts, Joseph Vaughn, Thomas Fidone II, Will Brooks* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! 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Unsubscribe anytime. ### Jacksonville Jaguars: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/jacksonville-jaguars-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:06:08.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/JAX-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/JAX-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Jacksonville Jaguars ### 2025 NFL Draft **Nine (9) Players Drafted** - 1.02 — **Travis Hunter** **WR/CB,** Colorado - 3.24 — **Caleb Ransaw** **DB,** Tulane - 3.25 — **Wyatt Milum** **OG,** WVU - 4.02 — **Bhayshul Tuten** **RB,** Virginia Tech - 4.05 — **Jack Kiser** **LB,** Notre Dame - 6.18 — **Jalen McLeod** **ED,** Auburn - 6.24 — **Rayuan Lane III** **S,** Navy - 7.05 — **Jonah Monheim** **OC,** USC - 7.20 — **LeQuint Allen** **RB,** Syracuse --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Travis Hunter, CB/WR/Ohtani **SIS Grade: 7.2 (High-end 3-down Starter):** Elite level / Pro Bowl talent player 8️⃣ ****Excellent:** Ball Skills 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Reactive athleticism; Play speed; Press-man; Zone coverage; Closing speed; FBI; Mental toughness; Open-field tackling; Play strength; ST value --- ### Caleb Ransaw, CB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** #4 Depth level CB, but non-starter - Quality SPT player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed; Closing speed; ST value 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Ball skills; Press-man; FBI; Mental toughness 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Off-man --- ### Wyatt Milum, OG **SIS Grade: 6.6 (Lower End Starter):** Starter at OG or OC with backup flexion 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Anchor / Play strength; Awareness; Toughness --- ### Bhayshul Tuten, RB **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** Top Tier 1st & 2nd down - Limited 3rd down role 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed; Elusiveness 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Power; Pass pro; Ball security --- ### Jack Kiser, LB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup)** Top depth level LB, but non-starter - quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Blitz; Stoutness --- ### Jalen McLeod, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.2 (OB/IB Flexion Backup):** Non-starter versatile reserve Edge with true position flexion 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** POA / Set edge --- ### Rayuan Lane III, SAF **SIS Grade: 5.8 ("Middle of the Road" Backup): #**4 SAF, non-starter - quality SPT player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** ST value 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** 3-level impact; Man coverage; Tackling; Blitz --- ### Jonah Monheim, OC **SIS Grade: 5.7 (Limited Backup): #**4 OG or #3 OC w/o positional flexion 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Anchor / Play strength; Hand use; Power; Finish --- ### LeQuint Allen, RB **SIS Grade: 6.3 (Role Playing Starter):** 3rd down difference maker 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Catching Skill --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) QB Seth Henigan, Memphis RB Ja'Quinden Jackson, Arkansas WR Cam Camper, Boise State WR Chandler Brayboy, Elon WR Eli Pancol, Duke WR J.J. Jones, North Carolina TE John Copenhaver, North Carolina TE Patrick Herbert, Oregon G Sal Wormley, Penn State DI Eli Mostaert, North Dakota State DI Keivie Rose, Arkansas EDGE B.J. Green II, Colorado EDGE Danny Striggow, Minnesota EDGE Ethan Downs, Oklahoma LB Branson Combs, Wake Forest CB Doneiko Slaughter, Arkansas CB Jabbar Muhammad, Oregon CB Jordan Wright, Connecticut S Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig, Colorado ### Minicamp Invites None reported as of 4/28/2025 ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Jacksonville Jaguars Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Jacksonville-Jaguars-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - TRADE! **Pick 5 to CHI for 10 & 41** - 1.10 (10) **Will Johnson,** CB - 2.04 (36) **Donovan Jackson,** OG - 2.09 (41) **Tyleik Williams,** NT - 3.06 (70) **Kevin Winston Jr.,** SAF - 3.24 (88) **Jordan James,** RB 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** DT, SAF, EDGE, CB, RET, QB --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Will Johnson, CB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1090?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Donovan Jackson, OG**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/106?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Tyleik Williams, NT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1070?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Kevin Winston Jr., SAF**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1393?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.4 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) - [**Jordan James, RB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1941?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) --- Babyfaced GM James Gladstone and goofball HC Liam Coen want to make a splash with their first draft leading the millennial Jaguars. The best way to do that? Trade down! That's what the analytics say, right? The Harvard guys? Stack those picks, hoover some value, and take multiple shots, baby! Could this be a potential landing spot for **Jalen Ramsey,** a reunion? A homecoming? I don't think so. I think they take Michigan corner **Will Johnson,** who showed well against **Marvin Harrison Jr.** and **Rome Odunze** in college, to be their No. 1 corner against **Nico Collins** and other top-flight receivers scattered across the AFC South. The next two picks come from one school and are two players that know each other well, having battled against each other in countless practices: Ohio State's **Donovan Jackson** and **Tyleik Williams.** The offensive guard and nose tackle provide instant upgrades to the Jags' offensive and defensive fronts while also sneakily tapping into the synergy that the Rams employed, as Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic pointed out, under Gladstone's direction in 2024 when they drafted Florida State teammates **Jared Verse** and **Braden Fiske.** In the third round, the Jags wrap-up their All Big-10 spending spree by selecting dynamic safety **Kevin Winston Jr.** (who was once considered a 1st Round lock, if not for an injury) and Oregon running back **Jordan James** as Liam Coen aims to rekindle the success he had in Tampa Bay with former Duck **Bucky Irving.** [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-58.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-12.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Ashton Jeanty, Mason Graham, Tetairoa McMillan* - **Day 2:** *Quincy Riley, Nick Emmanwori, Andrew Mukuba* - **Day 3:** *Quinn Ewers, D.J. Giddens, Isaiah Bond, Dorian Strong, Korie Black, CJ Ogbonna, Fadil Diggs, Jordan Houston, Monaray Baldwin* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### San Francisco 49ers: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/san-francisco-49ers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:06:25.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/SF-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/SF-Draft-Class-2.png) ## San Francisco 49ers ### 2025 NFL Draft **Eleven (11) Players Drafted** - 1.11 — **Mykel Williams** **ED,** Georgia - 2.11 — **Alfred Collins** **DT,** Texas - 3.11 — **Nick Martin** **LB,** Oklahoma State - 3.36 — **Upton Stout** **DB,** Western Kentucky - 4.11 — **CJ West** **NT,** Indiana - 4.36 — **Jordan Watkins** **WR,** Ole Miss - 5.09 — **Jordan James** **RB,** Oregon - 5.24 — **Marques Sigle** **S,** Kansas State - 7.11 — **Kurtis Rourke** **QB,** Indiana - 7.33 — **Connor Colby** **OG,** Iowa - 7.36 — **Junior Bergen** **WR,** Montana --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Mykel Williams, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.6 (Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 7️⃣ ****Very good:** POA / Set edge --- ### Alfred Collins, DT **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Hand use --- ### Nick Martin, MLB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level LB, but non-starter - quality SPT player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Range; ST value 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** FBI / Instincts; Tackling; Zone coverage --- ### Upton Stout, CB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** #4 Depth level CB, but non-starter - Quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Open-field tackling --- ### CJ West, NT **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level Edge/LB, but non-starter - no SPT --- ### Jordan Watkins, WR **SIS Grade: 5.8 (#5 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 5th WR with SPT ability 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Route savvy; Blocking --- ### Jordan James, RB **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** Top Tier 1st & 2nd down - Limited 3rd down role 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Ball security 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Playmaker; Catching skill --- ### Marques Sigle, SAF **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Box/SS type; old school DS - 1st & 2nd down 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** FBI / Instincts; Man coverage; Tackling --- ### Kurtis Rourke, QB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Career #2):** Backup QB with a developmental ceiling. This player may have one or more good level or better positional factors, but has at least one critical factor with a defined ceiling (average or less) that will block his ability to ascend. 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Mobility; Awkward throw --- ### Connor Colby, OG **SIS Grade: 5.7** Limited Backup **#**4 OG or #3 OC w/o positional flexion 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Reactive athleticism; Body control; Run block; Footwork; Hand use; Sustain; Flexibility; Toughness 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Finish --- ### Junior Bergen, WR **SIS Grade: *Wasn't on the SIS draft site.*** --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Corey Kiner, Cincinnati WR Isaiah Neyor, Nebraska G Drew Moss, Colorado State DI Sebastian Valdez, Washington LB Stone Blanton, Mississippi State CB Jakob Robinson, BYU ### Minicamp Invites TE Bentley Hanshaw, Liberty T John Campbell Jr., Tennessee EDGE Ty French, West Virginia LB Tristan Sinclair, Stanford K Kenny Almendares, Louisiana ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 San Francisco 49ers Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/San-Francisco-49ers-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.11 (11) **Mike Green,** EDGE - 2.11 (43) **Omarr Norman-Lott,** DT - TRADE! **Picks 75, 138, & 160 to WAS for 61** - 2.29 (61) **Marcus Mbow,** OL - 3.36 (100) **Cobee Bryant,** CB --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, DL, OL, LB, TE, WR --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Mike Green, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1095?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Omarr Norman-Lott, DT** ](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1282?ref=bandit.football)**—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Marcus Mbow, OG**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1644?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Cobee Bryant, CB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1091?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.4 (Lower-end Starter or Multi-Position Backup) --- The San Francisco 49ers remind everyone they're more Silicon Valley than Haight-Ashbury by selecting EDGE **Mike Green.** Green, who was accused of sexual assault in high school and then again at Virginia, which led to him transferring to Marshall, has insisted he did nothing wrong. In the second round, the 49ers add explosive DT **Omarr Norman-Lott** to further bolster their defensive line for returning DC Robert Saleh. > Two things, real quick, that I remember about Saleh's time with the Jets on *Hard Knocks:* > He runs the stadium stairs before every game. > He said the phrase "he's so fast" roughly 10 billion times Omarr Norman-Lott had the highest True Pressure Rate in 2024 among DT prospects, according to SIS, landing at 22% when the next closest DT was at 16%. Those numbers could be inflated by the limited snaps Norman-Lott played each game, but his traits and production suggest he's capable of sustaining a high level of interior pressure. Norman-Lott's 1st-step explosion, hand usage, and motor are very good — and when you pair those with his nearly 34" arms and gigantic, nearly 11" hands — you have the makings of a physical outlier that the 49ers have been drawn to and are willing to bet on. The '9ers then take versatile offensive lineman **Marcus Mbow** and commit sacrilege by taking **Cobee Bryant** and make him relocate to the Bay Area. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-59.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-13.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Will Campbell, Kelvin Banks, Josh Simmons, Walter Nolen, Shemar Stewart, *Mykel Williams** - **Day 2:** *Tyleik Williams, Kyle Kennard, Harold Fannin Jr., Landon Jackson, Elic Ayomanor, Darius Alexander, T.J. Sanders, Quincy Riley, Miles Frazier, Andrew Mukuba, Kyle Williams* - **Day 3:** *Jeffrey Bassa, Zah Frazier, Teddye Buchanan, Chris Paul Jr., Nick Nash, Arian Smith, Jackson Hawes, Jalin Conyers, B.J. Adams, Omari Thomas, Jordan Williams, Jestin Jacobs, Caleb Etienne, Andres Borregales, Branson Taylor, CJ Ogbonna, Coziah Izzard, D'Quan Douse, Elijah Roberts, Joseph Vaughn, Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Carlton* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Dallas Cowboys: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/dallas-cowboys-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:06:42.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/DAL-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/DAL-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Dallas Cowboys ### 2025 NFL Draft **Nine (9) Players Drafted** - 1.12 — **Tyler Booker** **OG,** Alabama - 2.12 — **Donovan Ezeiruaku** **ED,** Boston College - 3.12 — **Shavon Revel Jr.** **CB,** East Carolina - 5.12 — **Jaydon Blue** **RB,** Texas - 5.16 — **Shemar James** **LB,** Florida - 6.28 — **Ajani Cornelius** **OT,** Oregon - 7.01 — **Jay Toia** **NT,** UCLA - 7.23 — **Phil Mafah** **RB,** Clemson - 7.31 — **Tommy Akingbesote** **DT,** Maryland --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Tyler Booker, OG **SIS Grade: (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Run block; Range --- ### Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Pass rush; Pass rush repertoire; Bend --- ### Shavon Revel Jr., CB **SIS Grade: 6.5 (#3 CB):** 3rd CB - Capable starter/better depth (I/O flex mandatory) --- ### Jaydon Blue, RB **SIS Grade: 6.3 (Role Playing Starter):** 3rd down difference maker 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed; Elusiveness 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Power --- ### Shemar James, LB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level LB, but non-starter - quality SPT player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Range; ST value 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Shed ability --- ### Ajani Cornelius, OT **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Multi-Position Backup):** Backup OL that can play multiple positions 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Body control; Footwork; Range; Flexibility --- ### Jay Toia, NT **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level NT, but non-starter 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pass rush; Range --- ### Phil Mafah, RB **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Backup All 3 downs):** Backup; Change of pace runner 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Power 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Playmaker --- ### Tommy Akingbesote, DL **SIS Grade: 5.7 (Low End Depth Backup):** Growable depth level DT - youth=upside / vet=emergency 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Play strength; Pass rush --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) WR Josh Kelly, Texas Tech WR Traeshon Holden, Oregon TE Tyler Neville, Virginia TE Rivaldo Fairweather, Auburn CB Bruce Harmon, Stephen F. Austin S Alijah Clark, Syracuse S Justin Barron, Syracuse S Mike Smith Jr., Eastern Kentucky S Zion Childress, Kentucky ### Minicamp Invites None reported as of 4/28/25 ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Dallas Cowboys Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Dallas-Cowboys-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.12 (12) **Omarion Hampton,** RB - 2.12 (44) **Jayden Higgins,** WR - 3.12 (76) **Shemar Turner,** DT 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** RB, CB, OL, DL, WR, OLB --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Omarion Hampton, RB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/954?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.8 (Strong Starter) - [**Jayden Higgins, WR**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1351?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Shemar Turner, DT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1408?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) --- How 'bout them Cowboys? Dallas needs some juice. What they need is millennial crooner Omarion singing at halftime before the season opener and again in the playoffs. **Omarion Hampton** joins fellow UNC running back **Javonte Williams** in the new-look Dallas backfield but it's Hampton who quickly becomes one of the more dominant three-down backs in (fantasy) football. **Jayden Higgins,** in the second round,has that dog in him—but he also has that diva. He is the exact type of wide receiver that Denny Carter was alluding to with his mega-viral "the enemy speaks kindly and holds a knife" post. For those unfamiliar: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/bafkreia7n2mgasqocbvodyo333ovmedppwqanxbqzlv4b6hfeui62jgj2y.jpg) Finally, it wouldn't be a Cowboys draft class if they didn't select someone with character concerns. They do so in the third round by taking Texas A&M defensive lineman **Shemar Turner.** From Dane Brugler's "The Beast": > Off-field decision-making will be scrutinized after he was arrested and charged with reckless driving during his junior season (Sept. 2023); he faced “internal discipline” and didn’t miss any playing time. > Flagged seven times for personal foul penalties over past two seasons (five in 2024, two in 2023) > Ejected from a game (Nov. 2023) after throwing multiple punches at an Ole Miss blocker, including an uppercut to the groin (Stewart called his actions unacceptable and tweeted an apology for “embarrassing myself, my family and my team”) That being said, on the positive side, he sounds like the exact type of player new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus would want on his front line: > Added 30 pounds before 2024 season but didn’t sacrifice initial quickness to squeeze gaps > Grew up idolizing Ray Lewis and plays with similar on-field violence > NFL scouts describe him as a “foxhole-type” and “outstanding teammate” [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-60.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-14.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - Day 1: *Ashton Jeanty, Will Johnson, Armand Membou, Tetairoa McMillan, Emeka Egbuka, Kelvin Banks, Luther Burden III, Josh Simmons, Walter Nolen, Shemar Stewart, James Pearce Jr., TreVeyon Henderson, Matthew Golden, Jahdae Barron, Josh Conerly Jr., Mykel Williams* - Day 2: *Trey Amos, Quinshon Judkins, Jonah Savaiinaea, Benjamin Morrison, Elijah Arroyo, Carson Schwesinger, Kaleb Johnson, Alfred Collins, Landon Jackson, *Shavon Revel,* Darius Alexander, Demetrius Knight II, Savion Williams, Bhayshul Tuten, Jaxson Dart, Jack Bech, Maxwell Hairston, Andrew Mukuba, Jared Wilson, Charles Grant* - Day 3: *Quinn Ewers, Brashard Smith, Dylan Sampson, Cameron Williams, Ollie Gordon II, *Ajani Cornelius,* Damien Martinez, Caleb Rogers, Isaiah Bond, Jordan Phillips, Marcus Harris, Craig Woodson, R.J. Mickens, Seth Henigan, Korie Black, Andrew Armstrong, Chase Lundt, Jarquez Hunter, *Justin Barron, Rivaldo Fairweather** --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Miami Dolphins: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/miami-dolphins-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:07:01.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/MIA-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/MIA-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Miami Dolphins ### 2025 NFL Draft **Eight (8) Draft** - 1.13 — **Kenneth Grant** **NT,** Michigan - 2.05 — **Jonah Savaiinaea** **OG,** Arizona - 5.05 — **Jordan Phillips** **NT,** Maryland - 5.13 — **Jason Marshall Jr.** **CB,** Florida - 5.19 — **Dante Trader Jr.** **S,** Maryland - 6.03 — **Ollie Gordon II** **RB,** Oklahoma State - 7.15 — **Quinn Ewers** **QB,** Texas - 7.37 — **Zeek Biggers** **NT,** Georgia Tech --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Kenneth Grant, NT **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Mismatch --- ### Jonah Savaiinaea, OG **SIS Grade: 6.6 (Lower End Starter):** Starter at OG or OC with backup flexion 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Anchor / Play strength 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Finish; Flexibility --- ### Jordan Phillips, NT **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level NT, but non-starter 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Mismatch; Pass rush; On-ball impact --- ### Jason Marshall Jr., CB **SIS Grade:** **5.8 ("Middle of the Road" Backup):** **#**4 CB w/o SPT or #5 CB; non-starter - Quality SPT player if #5 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** FBI; Run support --- ### Dante Trader Jr., SAF **SIS Grade:** **5.8 ("Middle of the Road" Backup):** **#**4 SAF, non-starter - quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Play speed; Man coverage; Blitz --- ### Ollie Gordon II, RB **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Backup All 3 downs):** Backup; Change of pace runner 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Contact balance; Power 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Elusiveness --- ### Quinn Ewers, QB **SIS Grade: 6.3 (**Circumstantial Starter/Good Quality Backup QB): Player has a minimum floor of sufficient ability in all critical factors. He can fill-in for a short term as a starter and you can win with him. Game manager with a short ceiling, will not develop into a long term Win With Starter due to one or more average level positional skills and/or other deficiencies; such as overall athletic ability or size. Potential starter with limited opportunity. 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Decision making / Mental; Deep accuracy --- ### Zeek Biggers, NT **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level NT, but non-starter - quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pass rush; Tackling; Stamina --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Nate Noel, Missouri WR Andrew Armstrong, Arkansas WR A.J. Henning, Northwestern WR Monaray Baldwin, Baylor WR Theo Wease, Missouri TE Jalin Conyers, Texas Tech G Addison West, Western Michigan G Josh Priebe, Michigan DI Alex Huntley, South Carolina LB Eugene Asante, Auburn CB Brandon Adams, UCF CB Ethan Robinson, Minnesota S John Saunders Jr., Ole Miss S Seyi Oladipo, Boise State LS Kneeland Hibbett, Alabama ### Minicamp Invites QB Brett Gabbert, Miami (OH) FB Peter Montini, Colorado State WR Sam Brown Jr., Miami (FL) TE Kamari Morales, Boston College C Zach Carpenter, Miami (FL) T John Campbell Jr., Tennessee EDGE Phillip Webb, Jackson State CB Braden Price, Rhode Island ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Miami Dolphins Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Miami-Dolphins-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.13 (13) **Kelvin Banks Jr.,** OL - 2.16 (48) **Nick Emmanwori,** SAF - 3.34 (98) **Quincy Riley,** CB 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** iOL, DE, PWHB, SAF, DB, DT --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Kelvin Banks Jr., OT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1062?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Nick Emmanwori, SAF**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1062?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.4 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) - [**Quincy Riley, CB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2272?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) --- The Dolphins can't pass on a super-athletic big man like **Kelvin Banks Jr.** Terron Armstead retired this offseason and will likely be replaced in the lineup by sophomore OT **Patrick Paul,** but the Dolphins still need more help up front and the front office *needs* to keep **Tua Tagovailoa** upright and healthy for 17 regular season games, and hopefully a few more in the playoffs. Banks is the No. 16 overall player on the SIS big board and No. 3 offensive tackle prospect, and he rates good across the board in critical and positional factors that Shanahan coaches typically value: reactive athleticism, range, footwork, and second-level ability to execute their wide zone-run concepts. Then, in a bit of a shocker, **Nick Emmanwori** falls to the Dolphins in the second round to fill the void left behind by **Jordan Poyer.** Emmanwori has been frequently mocked to the Dolphins in the first, particularly after how he tested off the charts at the NFL Combine, but the tape tells a different story and shows a player who still has a ways to go to match the physicality you would expect from his testing numbers. With **Jalen Ramsey** likely out the door via trade, the Dolphins add Louisville cornerback **Quincy Riley,** whom they hosted for a Top 30 visit, in the third round. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-61.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-15.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Tyler Booker, Shemar Stewart* - **Day 2:** *Kyle Kennard, Mason Taylor, Shemar Turner, Kevin Winston Jr., Kyle Williams* - **Day 3: *Ollie Gordon II,* *Damien Martinez, Sam Brown,* *B.J. Adams, Korie Black, Caleb Etienne, Dorian Singer, Kyonte Hamilton, Nash Jones*** --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Indianapolis Colts: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/indianapolis-colts-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:07:31.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/IND-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/IND-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Indianapolis Colts ### 2025 NFL Draft **Eight (8) Players Drafted** - 1.14 — **Tyler Warren** **TE,** Penn State - 2.13 — **JT Tuimoloau** **ED,** Ohio State - 3.16 — **Justin Walley** **CB,** Minnesota - 4.25 — **Jalen Travis** **OT,** Iowa State - 5.14 — **DJ Giddens** **RB,** Kansas State - 6.13 — **Riley Leonard** **QB,** Notre Dame - 6.14 — **Tim Smith** **DT,** Alabama - 7.16 — **Hunter Wohler** **S,** Wisconsin --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Tyler Warren, TE **SIS Grade: 6.8 (Strong Starter):** With Y and H ability - Complete TE 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Receiving ability; Mismatch; Run after catch --- ### JT Tuimoloau, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 7️⃣ ****Very good:** FBI 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Bend --- ### Justin Walley, CB **SIS Grade:** **5.8 ("Middle of the Road" Backup): #**4 CB w/o SPT or #5 CB; non-starter - Quality SPT player if #5 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Play strength --- ### Jalen Travis, OT **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Backup LT):** Quality depth level LT - 1 position player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Footwork; Finish --- ### DJ Giddens, RB **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Backup All 3 Downs):** Backup; Change of pace runner 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Power; Pass pro; ST value --- ### Riley Leonard, QB **SIS Grade: 5.8 (Eventual #2):** Backup QB who with pro coaching will improve, but still has a clearly defined ceiling. 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pocket awareness; Under pressure; Arm strength; Release --- ### Tim Smith, DT **SIS Grade: 5.8 (Role Playing Backup):** Base or Sub oriented role playing reserve 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pass rush; Shed ability; Agility --- ### Hunter Wohler, SAF **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Box/SS type; old school SAF - 1st & 2nd down 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Range --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Ulysses Bentley IV, Ole Miss WR Blayne Taylor, Abilene Christian WR Coleman Owen, Ohio WR Landon Parker, Troy WR Tyler Kahmann, Emporia State OL Marshall Foerner, Minnesota State DI Devonta Davis, Florida Atlantic DI Joe Evans, UTSA EDGE Desmond Little, UAB LB Solomon DeShields, Texas A&M S Evan Slocum, Wake Forest K Maddux Trujillo, Temple ### Minicamp Invites WR Jordan Bingham, Moravian DI Maverick Hansen, Michigan State EDGE Caiden Woullard, Oklahoma LB Joseph Vaughn, UCLA LB Luke Gunderson, Northern State LB Tevin Shipp, Tennessee-Martin CB Dylan Brown, Wisconsin-River Falls CB Keydrain Calligan, Southeastern Louisiana ### ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Indianapolis Colts Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Indianapolis-Colts-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.14 (14) **Josh Simmons,** OT - 2.13 (45) **Mason Taylor,** TE - 3.16 (80) **Sai'vion Jones,** EDGE --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** DE, OT, iOL, EDGE, CB, DT --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Josh Simmons, OT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/140?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Mason Taylor, TE**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1055?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Sai'vion Jones, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2372?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.2 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) --- The Colts aren't going to take a tight end in the first round, OK? Stop it! They invited just one to their building on a Top 30 visit, **Mason Taylor,** and so I have them waiting until the second round to take Taylor, the son of former Dolphins Hall of Famer, Jason Taylor. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if the traits-pilled Chris Ballard opts for Miami's **Elijah Arroyo** instead. But that brings me to their first selection, which echoes their offseason decision-making. Things seem to be afoot in Indianapolis, as in the decision-making has veered away from the traditional Ballard ways of yore and appears to be more urgent and needs-focused than the usual high-upside swings on traits. **Josh Simmons** is only available at 14 overall because of an injury sustained during the 2024 season. He's a Top 5 talent in the draft when healthy, and the Colts would be wise to address tackle this year instead of next, when current OTs **Braden Smith** and **Bernhard Raimann** are unrestricted free agents. Then, in the third round, I have the Colts going back to the Ballard well to draft **Sai'vion Jones,** a younger defensive prospect who Dane Brugler notes has a "terrific blend of height, weight, and length" who can line up across the D-line and pressure the quarterback. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-62.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-16.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Emeka Egbuka, Shemar Stewart, James Pearce Jr.* - **Day 2:** *Kyle Kennard, Alfred Collins, Shavon Revel, Jordan James, Shemar Turner, Tyler Shough* - **Day 3:** *Quinn Ewers, Jackson Slater, Ajani Cornelius, Bryce Cabeldue, Korie Black, B.J. Green, Dalton Cooper, Caleb Etienne, B.J. Mayes, Elijah Ponder, Jarquez Hunter, Joseph Vaughn, Seth Coleman* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Los Angeles Rams: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/los-angeles-rams-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:02:37.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/LAR-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/LAR-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Los Angeles Rams ### 2025 NFL Draft **Six (6) Players Drafted** - 2.14 — **Terrance Ferguson,** TE - 3.26 — **Josaiah Stewart,** ED - 4.15 — **Jarquez Hunter,** RB - 5.10 **— Ty Hamilton,** DT - 5.36 — **Chris Paul Jr.,** LB - 7.26 — **Konata Mumpfield,** WR --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Terrance-Ferguson.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Rams-Filler.png) ## Terrance Ferguson, TE **Pick:** 2.14 **School:** Oregon [**SIS Grade: 6.5**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2007?ref=bandit.football) **(Lower End Starter):** H ability ### Key Factors - Scored sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors. ### Scouting Notes > *He can transition from pass catcher to ballcarrier seamlessly and has the creativity and physicality to gain yards after the catch. *—Jordan Edwards** > *He plays at his own pace, and stays under control to find soft spots against zone coverage. When asked to block in pass protection, he shows the ability to compete and sustain blocks until the ball is thrown...and he was able to pin and seal ends on the move even against high-level competition." —*J.E.** --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Rams-Filler-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Josaiah-Stewart.png) ## Josaiah Stewart, EDGE **Pick:** 3.26 **School:** Michigan [**SIS Grade: 5.9**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1406?ref=bandit.football) **(Top Backup):** Top depth level Edge, but non-starter - quality SPT player ### Key Factors 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Bend; Tackling; ST value ### Scouting Notes > *His bull rush and speed to power moves are his go-to moves....He's willing to drop back in coverage and has the speed to keep up with routes to the flat and across the middle. *—James Weaver** > *Has the strength and hand usage to defeat blocks against the run *—J.W.** > *On 3rd downs, he can attack upfield using his naturally low leverage. *—J.W.** ### Scheme - OLB in a 3-4 front - 2-point stance --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Jarquez-Hunter.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Rams-Filler-2.png) ## Jarquez Hunter, RB **Pick:** 4.15 **School:** Auburn [**SIS Grade: 6.2**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/3001?ref=bandit.football) **(Backup All 3 downs):** Backup; Change of pace runner ### Key Factors 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Contact balance; Toughness 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Passing game impact; Catching skill ### Scouting Notes > *Has a very low base and pad level...seeks out contact, but at his best when using his change of speed to run by defenders...does not go down easily to shoulder and arm tackles...keeps his eyes up and on defenders *—Mitchel Corrado and Alex Dowdle** > Very good at chipping edge rushers in pass protection **—M.C. and A.D.** ### Scheme - Zone / Wide Zone - Kick returner --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Rams-Filler-3.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Ty-Hamilton.png) ## Ty Hamilton, DT **Pick:** 5.10 **School:** Ohio State [**SIS Grade: 5.9**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1782?ref=bandit.football) **(Top Backup):** Top depth level DT, but only 1 position player - ALL 3 downs ### Key Factors 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pass rush ### Scouting Notes > *He is the younger brother of Jaguars defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton.* > *Quick first step...shows good initial pop in his hands...has the agility and control to move laterally down the LOS and make a play outside of the tackle box. *—Robert Molnar** > *Has the quick twitch to develop into a pass rusher —*R.M.** ### Scheme - 3-tech in an even front --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Chris-Paul-Jr.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Rams-Filler-4.png) ## Chris Paul Jr., WLB **Pick:** 5.36 **School:** Ole Miss [**SIS Grade: 5.9**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1483?ref=bandit.football) **(Top Backup):** Top depth level LB, but non-starter - quality SPT player ### Key Factors 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Stoutness; Shed ability ### Scouting Notes > *Good play speed, sideline-to-sideline range, and quick twitch to explode downhill against the run and as a pass rusher. —*Kalib Graves** > *Wrap-up tackler with good form and violent on contact.... Can play man coverage against running backs on 3rd down *—K.G.** ### Scheme - Weakside 'backer in an even front - Run and chase --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Rams-Filler-5.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/05/Konata-Mumpfield.png) ## Konata Mumpfield, WR **Pick:** 7.26 **School:** Pittsburgh [**SIS Grade: 5.9**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2800?ref=bandit.football) **(#4 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 4th WR with SPT ability ### Key Factors 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Route running ### Scouting Notes > *Very competitive and willing to do what he can to get open for his quarterback....He’s a very precise route runner who gets in and out of cuts quickly...creates separation at the top of routes *—Brandon Purdy** ### Scheme - Slot - Short-to-intermediate - 3rd Down --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Jordan Waters, North Carolina State WR Brennan Presley, Oklahoma State WR Mario Williams, Tulane WR Tru Edwards, LA Tech TE Anthony Torres, Toledo [IOL Willie Lampkin, North Carolina](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1066?ref=bandit.football) **(5.7)** G Ben Dooley, Boise State G Wyatt Bowles, Utah State T Trey Wedig, Indiana DI Bill Norton, Texas DI Da'Jon Terry, Oklahoma EDGE Jamil Muhammad, USC EDGE Josh Pearcy, Rice [LB Shaun Dolac, Buffalo](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2931?ref=bandit.football) **(5.8)** S Malik Dixon-Williams, Connecticut S Nate Valcarcel, Northern Illinois ### Minicamp Invites None reported as of 4/28/2025 ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 LA Rams Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Los-Angeles-Rams-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - TRADE! **Picks 26, 90, 101, & Future Day 3 to ATL for 15** - 1.15 (15) **Tyler Warren,** TE - TRADE! **Picks 127, 190, 201, & 2026 5th to MIN for 97** - 3.33 (97) **Danny Stutsman,** LB --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** CB, LB, TE, QB, WR, EDGE --- ### SIS Scouting Reports – Grade (Scale) - [**Tyler Warren, TE**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1401?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.8 (Strong Starter - [**Danny Stutsman, MLB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1086?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) --- After failing to trade up into the Top 10 to select **Brock Bowers** in the 2024 Draft, the Rams get the Falcons on the phone and strike a deal to go up and take **Tyler Warren.** The Falcons enter the draft with many needs but concerningly few picks—and they would've strongly considered making **Kelvin Banks Jr.** a Falcon had he fallen to 15 after Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot reportedly attended a private workout with the offensive tackle. Instead, the Falcons go from five to seven picks in this year's draft and add an additional pick next year, allowing fantasy managers everywhere to rejoice about Tyler Warren's potential in a Sean McVay offense. Then, on Day 2, the Rams get back to their "eff them picks" motto as Les Snead calls Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to get back into the Top 100 picks and select a position of need, middle linebacker **Danny Stutsman.** Stutsman was near the top of the college football leaderboard in total tackles at Oklahoma and kept a samurai sword in his locker. He's a "Ram" who will fit right in and quickly find himself on the call list of several casting directors. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-63.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-17.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Colston Loveland, Kelvin Banks Jr., Shemar Stewart, Malaki Starks, Matthew Golden, Mason Taylor, Jalen Milroe* - **Day 2:** *Tre Harris, Cam Skattebo, Jared Wilson, Jonas Sanker, Tyler Shough* - **Day 3:** *Gunnar Helm, Zy Alexander, Quinn Ewers, Jackson Slater, Isaiah Bond, Tez Johnson, Tory Horton, Dorian Strong, Carson Bruener, *Jarquez Hunter,* Justin Barron, Torricelli Simpkins III* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! 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Unsubscribe anytime. ### Arizona Cardinals: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/arizona-cardinals-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:07:43.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/AZ-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/AZ-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Arizona Cardinals ### 2025 NFL Draft **Seven (7) Players Drafted** - 1.16 — **Walter Nolen** **DT,** Ole Miss - 2.15 — **Will Johnson** **CB,** Michigan - 3.14 — **Jordan Burch** **ED,** Oregon - 4.13 — **Cody Simon** **LB,** Ohio State - 5.38 — **Denzel Burke** **CB,** Ohio State - 6.35 — **Hayden Conner** **OG,** Texas - 7.09 — **Kitan Crawford** **S,** Nevada --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Walter Nolen, DT **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play strength --- ### Will Johnson, CB **SIS Grade: 6.7 (3-down Starter level):** Solid starter-level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Zone coverage, FBI --- ### Jordan Burch, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pass rush; Flat coverage --- ### Cody Simon, MLB **SIS Grade: 6.2 (IB/OB Flexion - Backup):** Non-starter versatile reserve LB - True position flexibility 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Stoutness; Shed ability --- ### Denzel Burke, CB **SIS Grade: 6.4 (Role-playing starter):** 3rd CB - Lacks I/O flex 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Off-man; Slot coverage --- ### Hayden Conner, OG **SIS Grade: 5.7 (Limited Backup): #**4 OG or #3 OC w/o positional flexion 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Reactive athleticism; Body control; 2nd level; Range --- ### Kitan Crawford, SAF **SIS Grade: 5.8** "Middle of the Road" Backup**): #**4 SAF, non-starter - quality SPT player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** ST value 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Range --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) WR Bryson Green, Wisconsin TE Oscar Cardenas, UTSA T Jeremiah Byers, Florida State T Josh Fryar, Ohio State T Valentin Senn, Connecticut DI Elijah Simmons, Tennessee ### Minicamp Invites None reported as of 4/28/2025 ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Arizona Cardinals Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Arizona-Cardinals-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.16 (16) **Mykel Williams,** EDGE - 2.15 (15) **Benjamin Morrison,** CB - 3.14 (78) **Ty Robinson,** DL --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, DT, NT, LB, WR, CB --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Mykel Williams, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1313?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Benjamin Morrison, CB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1092?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Ty Robinson, DT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1578?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.2 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) --- The Arizona Cardinals have been laser-focused on adding high-character players to their locker room since Monti Ossenfort and Jonathan Gannon took over. In the second round, they select Notre Dame CB **Benjamin Morrison,** a team captain whose father, Darryl, a Phoenix native, played safety in the NFL then became a pastor when he retired and just so happens to lead chapel services for the Arizona Cardinals on the weekend. > Morrison's draft stock has tumbled due to two hip surgeries over the past four years. That's incredibly concerning for a cornerback, as hip fluidity is essential to playing the position at a high level. In the third round, they take **Ty Robinson,** who was born and raised outside the Phoenix area. Robinson made the Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll four times at Nebraska and head coach Matt Rhule had this to say about his team-first attitude, in The Beast, "I can't express how much Ty means to me.... I can't express it." There are other reasons why, but the main reason is Arizona needs all the help it can get along its defensive front to try and stop the run after getting shredded on the ground last season. Then there's **Mykel Williams,** who I've mocked to the Cardinals in the 1st Round. Here's a guy with blue-chip potential that teams like the Ravens and Eagles might be interested in trading up for, and a player who's a character fit, according to Georgia HC Kirby Smart: "He's very versatile for us in terms of on the field, but there is no greater value than what he does in the locker room.... (He's a) great leader for us." > *Also in "The Beast": As a child, Williams trained with defensive line specialist Chuck Smith, who now serves as the Baltimore Ravens' pass rush coach.* [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-64.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-18.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1: *Will Johnson,* *Jalon Walker, Jihaad Campbell, Josh Simmons, Walter Nolen,* *Shemar Stewart, Kenneth Grant, James Pearce Jr., Matthew Golden, Trey Amos*** - **Day 2:** *Nic Scourton, Princely Umanmielen, Cam Skattebo, Darius Alexander, T.J. Sanders, Anthony Belton, Femi Oladejo, Shemar Turner* - **Day 3:** *Zeek Biggers, Jordan Williams, Brice Bass, Danny Striggow, Dorian Singer, KeAndre Lambert-Smith* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Cincinnati Bengals: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/cincinnati-bengals-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:07:57.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/CIN-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/CIN-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Cincinnati Bengals ### 2025 NFL Draft **Six (6) Players Drafted** - 1.17 — **Shemar Stewart** **ED,** Texas A&M - 2.17 — **Demetrius Knight Jr.** **LB,** South Carolina - 3.17 — **Dylan Fairchild** **OG,** Georgia - 4.17 — **Barrett Carter** **LB,** Clemson - 5.17 — **Jalen Rivers** **OG,** Miami FL - 6.17 — **Tahj Brooks** **RB,** Texas Tech --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Shemar Stewart, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level 7️⃣ ****Very good:** 1st-step explosion 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pass rush repertoire; Flat coverage --- ### Demetrius Knight Jr., MLB **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Low End Starter):** All 3 downs, coverage prioritized over take-on types 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Range --- ### Dylan Fairchild, OG **SIS Grade: 6.4 (Limited Starter):** Starter at OG or OC w/o positional flexion 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Flexibility --- ### Barrett Carter, WLB **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Low End Starter):** All 3 downs, coverage prioritized over take-on types 7️⃣ ****Very good:** ST value 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Stoutness --- ### Jalen Rivers, OT **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Multi-Position Backup):** Backup OL that can play multiple positions --- ### Tahj Brooks, RB **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Backup All 3 downs):** Backup; Change of pace runner 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Toughness --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) QB Payton Thorne, Auburn RB Quali Conley, Arizona WR Jamoi Hayes, Cincinnati WR Jordan Moore, Duke WR Rashod Owens, Oklahoma State TE Kole Taylor, West Virginia C Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State T Caleb Etienne, BYU DI Eric Gregory, Arkansas DI Howard Cross III, Notre Dame CB Bralyn Lux, Texas Tech S Shaquan Loyal, Rutgers LS William Wagner, Michigan ### Minicamp Invites None reported as of 4/28/2025 ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Cincinnati Bengals Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Cincinnati-Bengals-Mock-Header--1-.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.17 (17) **Shemar Stewart,** EDGE - 2.17 (49) **Darius Alexander,** DT - 3.17 (81) **Ashton Gillotte,** EDGE --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** DT, DE, EDGE, OT, iOL, SAF --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Shemar Stewart, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1407?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Darius Alexander, DT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2439?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Ashton Gillotte, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2270?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) --- The Bengals spent a billion dollars on their offense in the offseason so I have them taking swings on defense on Day 1 and 2, as they hope to sock at least one dinger amid three potential strikeouts. **Shemar Stewart** is the ultimate traits-based bet, as he tested better than basically any prospect ever at the NFL Combine but only had 4.5 sacks at college, and even those sacks came against lesser competition. **Darius Alexander** is a mountain of a man who played at a Group of 5 school in Toledo but, again, has the traits to be an absolute menace along the defensive line if he can put it all together, despite the fact he turns 25 in August. **Ashton Gillote** is more of the single or double off the wall of the group, as he's undersized but was highly productive at nearby Louisville. **Trey Hendrickson** remains unsigned and reportedly on the trade block, with teams inquiring about him during the NFL Draft. Former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden takes over for the fired Lou Anarumo, now coordinating the Indianapolis Colts defense, and he intends to build the defense around linebacker **Logan Wilson.** > Not that it needs to be said, but draft the Bengals offensive weapons everywhere in fantasy this season. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-65.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-19.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Ashton Jeanty, Emeka Egbuka, Walter Nolen, Mike Green, James Pearce Jr., Nic Scourton, TreVeyon Henderson, Matthew Golden, Mykel Williams, Nick Emmanwori* - **Day 2:** *Josh Conerly Jr., Omarr Norman-Lott, T.J. Sanders, Bhayshul Tuten, Kevin Winston Jr., Charles Grant* - **Day 3:** *Gunnar Helm, Drew Kendall, *Jalen Rivers,* Collin Oliver, Nick Martin, Ty Hamilton, Sam Brown, Traeshon Holden, Alex Howard, Andrew Armstrong, Dartanyan Tinsley, Graham Nicholson, Isaac TeSlaa, J.J. Roberts, Marshall Lang* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Seattle Seahawks: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/seattle-seahawks-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:08:11.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/SEA-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/SEA-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Seattle Seahawks ### 2025 NFL Draft **Eleven (11) Players Drafted** - 1.18 — **Grey Zabel** **iOL,** North Dakota State - 2.03 — **Nick Emmanwori** **S,** South Carolina - 2.18 — **Elijah Arroyo** **TE,** Miami FL - 3.28 — **Jalen Milroe** **QB,** Alabama - 5.04 — **Rylie Mills** **DT,** Notre Dame - 5.30 — **Tory Horton** **WR,** Colorado State - 5.39 — **Robbie Ouzts** **FB,** Alabama - 6.16 — **Bryce Cabeldue** **OG,** Kansas - 7.07 — **Damien Martinez** **RB,** Miami FL - 7.18 — **Mason Richman** **OT,** Iowa - 7.22 — **Ricky White III** **WR,** UNLV --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Grey Zabel, OC **SIS Grade: 6.6 (Lower End Starter):** Starter at OG or OC with backup flexion --- ### Nick Emmanwori, SAF **SIS Grade: 6.4 (#3 SAF):** Role-playing starter; capable starter/better depth - 3rd downs 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed --- ### Elijah Arroyo, TE **SIS Grade: 6.6 (Lower End Starter):** With Y or H ability 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Mismatch --- ### Jalen Milroe, QB **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Starting QB or Win With Sufficient Starter):** QB who has a minimum of sufficient ability level in all critical and positional skills. This player may have some good level tools & traits, but not at a majority level. You can win games with this player, but he is not the reason you win. It will take more than 2 years for this player to be a Good Starter-level QB. Currently a LOWER level starting QB. 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Mobility 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Under pressure --- ### Rylie Mills, DT **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level DL, but only 1 position player - ALL 3 downs --- ### Tory Horton, WR **SIS Grade: 5.9 (#4 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 4th WR with SPT ability --- ### Robbie Ouzts, TE/FB **SIS Grade: 5.7 (#3 Backup):** Quality depth level 3rd TE with SPT ability desired 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Run block 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Receiving ability; Release; Separation; Run after catch --- ### Bryce Cabeldue, OG **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Multi-Position Backup):** Backup OL that can play multiple positions --- ### Damien Martinez, RB **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Backup All 3 downs):** Backup; Change of pace runner --- ### Mason Richman, OL *Not on the SIS draft site* --- ### Ricky White III, WR **SIS Grade: 5.9 (#4 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 4th WR with SPT ability 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Route running --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Jacardia Wright, Missouri State WR Tyrone Broden, Arkansas TE Marshall Lang, Northwestern C Federico Maranges, Florida Atlantic G AJ Gillie, Louisiana T Amari Kight, UCF DI Demeco Roland, Southern Miss DI J.R. Singleton, Iowa State DI Wy'Kevious Thomas, South Alabama EDGE Connor O'Toole, Utah EDGE Jalan Gaines, Illinois State EDGE Jared Ivey, Ole Miss EDGE Seth Coleman, Illinois EDGE T.J. Jackson, West Virginia LB Jackson Woodard, UNLV CB Isas Waxter, Villanova CB Zy Alexander, LSU ### Minicamp Invites WR Joey Hobert, Texas State G Tyler Elsbury, Iowa T Brandon Casey, Montana DI Shane Cokes, Colorado DI Thor Griffith, Louisville LB Michael Batton, Houston LB Tevin Shipp, Tennessee-Martin CB Cam Stone, Hawaii CB Isaiah Hamilton, Ole Miss CB Julian Barnett, Memphis S Tanner Volk, Central Washington ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Seattle Seahawks Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Seattle-Seahawks-Mock-Header--1-.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.18 (18) **Jihaad Campbell,** LB - 2.18 (50) **Tate Ratledge,** OG - 2.20 (52) **Jared Wilson,** OC - 3.18 (82) **Joshua Farmer,** DT - 3.28 (92) **Tre Harris,** WR --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** iOL, DT, QB, CB, WR, SAF --- SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Jihaad Campbell, WLB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1083?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Tate Ratledge, OG**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1061?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Jared Wilson, OC**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2438?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.4 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) - [**Joshua Farmer, DT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2039?ref=bandit.football) **–** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Tre Harris, WR**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/983?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) --- **Jihaad Campbell** should not be available at 18 overall. He's perhaps the most physically gifted linebacker prospect in the draft who can also rush the passer and also understands the mental side of the game and, oh, no big deal but he also just so happens to be a perfect fit for the shapeshifting amoeba defense Mike Macdonald wants to install. The Seahawks shouldn't hesitate to call in the pick. After that, I'm stealing some picks from ESPN's Matt Miller, and giving the 'Hawks not one but two Georgia offensive linemen in guard **Tate Ratledge** and center **Jared Wilson,** to fortify the interior of the offensive line and hopefully speed along their NFL development by tapping into their collegiate chemistry. Then, in the third round, it's betting on the high-upside traits of **Joshua Farmer** rather than reaching for a traditional nose tackle, and WR **Tre Harris,** who was dominant in play-action at Ole Miss, to fill the vacancy left by another former Rebel, **DK Metcalf.** [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-66.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-20.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Tetairoa McMillan, Shemar Stewart, Mykel Williams, Mason Taylor, *Nick Emmanwori** - **Day 2:** *Shavon Revel, *Jalen Milroe,* Princely Umanmielen, Savion Willians, Dylan Fairchild, Tyler Shough, Ty Robinson, Kyle Williams* - **Day 3:** *Jackson Slater, *Bryce Cabeldue,* Sam Brown, Omari Thomas, Traeshon Holden, Esa Pole, Caleb Etienne, Chase Lundt, Dontae Manning, Jarquez Hunter, Nash Jones* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! 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Unsubscribe anytime. ### Denver Broncos: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/denver-broncos-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:08:36.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/DEN-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/DEN-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Denver Broncos ### 2025 NFL Draft **Seven (7) Players Drafted** - 1.20 — **Jahdae Barron** **DB,** Texas - 2.28 — **RJ Harvey** **RB,** UCF - 3.10 — **Pat Bryant** **WR,** Illinois - 3.37 — **Sai'vion Jones** **ED,** LSU - 4.32 — **Que Robinson** **ED,** Alabama - 6.40 — **Jeremy Crawshaw** **P,** Florida - 7.25 — **Caleb Lohner** **TE,** Utah --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Jahdae Barron, CB **SIS Grade: 6.6 (#3 CB):** 3rd CB - Capable starter/better depth (I/O flex mandatory) --- ### RJ Harvey, RB **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Backup All 3 downs):** Backup; Change of pace runner 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Passing game impact; Elusiveness; Ball security; ST value 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Pass pro --- ### Pat Bryant, WR **SIS Grade: 6.4 (Role-playing starter)** 3rd WR - Lacks I/O flex 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Contested catch; Blocking --- ### Sai'vion Jones, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.2 (OB/IB Flexion Backup):** Non-starter versatile reserve Edge with true position flexion 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Bend; Flat coverage --- ### Que Robinson, EDGE **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level Edge=, but non-starter - quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** POA / Set edge; Pass rush repertoire --- ### Jeremy Crawshaw, P **SIS Grade: *Was not listed on SIS draft site.*** --- ### Caleb Lohner, TE **SIS Grade: *Was not listed on SIS draft site. Would have received a 6.0-6.1 (Developmental Prospect) grade as a former Utah Ute basketball player.*** --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) WR Courtney Jackson, Arkansas State WR Jerjuan Newton, Toledo WR Joaquin Davis, North Carolina Central C Joe Michalski, Oklahoma State G Clay Webb, Jacksonville State T Marques Cox, Kentucky T Xavier Truss, Georgia DI Christian Dowell, Tennessee-Martin DI Kristian Williams, Missouri EDGE Johnny Walker Jr., Missouri LB JB Brown, Kansas LB Karene Reid, Utah CB Jaden Robinson, Oregon State CB Joshua Pickett, Duke CB Kendall Bohler, Florida A&M ### Minicamp Invites QB Blake Stenstrom, Princeton WR Max McLeod, Colorado School of Mines OL Gabe Clark, Central Missouri G Cameron Cooper, Lindenwood G Kolby Borders, Miami (OH) DI Shane Cokes, Colorado CB Chris Chukwuneke, James Madison K John Hoyland, Wyoming ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Denver Broncos Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Denver-Broncos-Mock-Header--1-.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.20 (20) **TreVeyon Henderson,** RB - 2.19 (51) **Elijah Arroyo,** TE - 3.21 (85) **Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins,** DL --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** RB, TE, CB, OL, DL, WR --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**TreVeyon Henderson, RB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/884?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Elijah Arroyo, TE**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1057?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, ED** ](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1778?ref=bandit.football)**—** 6.2 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) --- The Broncos are making calls to see if they can trade up in the draft, which makes me believe they're worried they might miss out on **Omarion Hampton.** I don't think they'll be able to trade up, but I also think they'll stick and pick the best available running back in **TreVeyon Henderson,** who has drawn some **Alvin Kamara** comparisons and is widely considered to be the best pass protector in this running back class. Henderson would fit like a glove in Sean Payton's quick-passing attack. In the second round, Payton opts for the athletic **Elijah Arroyo** to learn from **Evan Engram** as the Mountain Saints hope to turn him into the second coming of Jimmy Graham. In the third round, the Broncos help out Vance Joseph and take a younger, toolsier defensive lineman in **Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins** who can align in various techniques and provide depth for their already formidable front (and provide insurance if they're unable to re-sign **Zach Allen** or **Jonathan Franklin Meyers,** both of whom are set to become free agents in 2026). [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-67.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-21.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - Day 1: *Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, Tyler Warren, Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III, Walter Nolen, Kenneth Grant, Matthew Golden, Trey Amos* - Day 2: *Quinshon Judkins, Harold Fannin Jr., Elijah Arroyo, Kaleb Johnson, Mason Taylor, Cam Skattebo, Jordan James, Marcus Mbow, Terrance Ferguson, Nick Emmanwori, Maxwell Hairston* - Day 3: *Gunnar Helm, Jeffrey Bassa, Jaydon Blue, Brashard Smith, D.J. Giddens, Devin Neal, Ollie Gordon II, Phil Mafah, Tai Felton, Vernon Broughton, Tez Johnson, Jamaree Caldwell, Kobe Hudson, Arian Smith, Nick Martin, Marcus Harris, Craig Woodson, Max Brosmer, Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, Jacob Bayer, Alex Mastromanno, Brennan Presley, Bryson Green, Cam Miller, Efton Chism III, Elijah Ponder, Giles Jackson, Hal Presley, Isaac TeSlaa, Jalin Walker, John Williams, Kai Kroeger, Kitan Crawford, Major "Juice" Williams, Marque Collins, Nash Jones, Taylor Elgersma, Trey Wedig, William Wagner, Xavier Carlton* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Los Angeles Chargers: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/los-angeles-chargers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:08:51.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/LAC-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/LAC-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Los Angeles Chargers ### 2025 NFL Draft **Nine (9) Players Drafted** - 1.22 — **Omarion Hampton** **RB,** UNC - 2.23 — **Tre Harris** **WR,** Ole Miss - 3.22 — **Jamaree Caldwell** **NT,** Oregon - 4.23 — **Kyle Kennard** **ED,** South Carolina - 5.22 — **KeAndre Lambert-Smith** **WR,** Auburn - 5.29 — **Oronde Gadsden II** **TE,** Syracuse - 6.23 — **Branson Taylor** **OT,** Pittsburgh - 6.38 — **R.J. Mickens** **S,** Clemson - 7.40 — **Trikweze Bridges** **S,** Florida --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Omarion Hampton, RB **SIS Grade: 6.8 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Contact balance; Playmaker; Toughness --- ### Tre Harris, WR **SIS Grade: 6.5 (#3 WR):** 3rd WR - Capable starter (I/O flex mandatory) 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Contested catch --- ### Jamaree Caldwell, NT **SIS Grade: 5.9 (**Top Backup**):** Top depth level NT, but non-starter - no SPT --- ### Kyle Kennard, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.6** Lower End StarterHigh end DPR or solid 2 down starter 7️⃣ ****Very good:** 1st-step explosion; Motor --- ### KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR **SIS Grade: 5.9 #**4 Backup w/SPT**):** Quality depth level 4th WR with SPT ability 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed --- ### Oronde Gadsden II, TE **SIS Grade: 5.8** #2 BackupWith Y or H ability 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Blocking ability; Run block; Pass block; Play strength; Run after catch --- ### Branson Taylor, OT **SIS Grade: 5.8** 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Awareness; Hand use 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Footwork --- ### R.J. Mickens, SAF **SIS Grade: 5.8** --- ### Trikweze Bridges, SAF **SIS Grade: *Was not listed on the SIS draft site.*** --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) QB DJ Uiagalelei, Florida State RB Raheim Sanders, South Carolina WR Luke Grimm, Kansas TE Stevo Klotz, Iowa State C Josh Kaltenberger, Maryland G Nash Jones, Texas State T Corey Stewart, Purdue T Jimmy Bell Jr., Mississippi State T Savion Washington, Syracuse DI Josh Fuga, Virginia Tech DI TeRah Edwards, Illinois EDGE Garmon Randolph, Baylor EDGE Kylan Guidry, Western Kentucky LB Marlowe Wax, Syracuse CB Eric Rogers, Rutgers CB Jordan Oladokun, Bowling Green CB Myles Purchase, Iowa State CB Nikko Reed, Oregon S Jaylen Jones, Virginia Tech ### Minicamp Invites QB Spencer Petras, Utah State C Ethan Miner, Mississippi State G Isaac Bunyan, Maryland LB Johnny Hodges, TCU ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 LA Chargers Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Los-Angeles-Chargers-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.22 (22) **Colston Loveland,** TE - 2.23 (55) **Alfred Collins,** NT - 3.22 (86) **Miles Frazier,** OG --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** iOL, TE, WR, DB, LB, RB --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Colston Loveland, TE**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1056?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Alfred Collins, DT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2174?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Miles Frazier, OG**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2174?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.4 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) --- There's a part of me that thinks Jim Harbaugh loves coaching so much that he would rather coach somebody new rather than continue teaching one of his former disciples, in this case **Colston Loveland,** as he's already poured everything he could into developing him into a 1st Round talent while at Michigan. I do think Harbaugh's willing to bring in former players who are otherwise struggling to find work, like **Hassan Haskins** or **Cornelius Johnson,** but most teams in the NFL would like to employ Loveland, **Kenneth Grant, Mason Graham, Will Johnson,** and other highly rated prospects. Anyway, in the second round the Chargers select **Alfred Collins,** nose tackle, Texas, to fill the Runyon Canyon-sized void left behind by **Poona Ford,** who now plays for the Rams. In the third, they toggle back to the offensive line and selectOG **Miles Frazier,** who has a "mean play personality," which should fit right in with Harbaugh's preferred brand of physicality. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-68.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-22.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - Day 1: *Tetairoa McMillan, Mason Taylor* - Day 3: *Ja'Quinden Jackson, Carter Runyon, Jacob Bayer, Caleb Etienne, Easton Kilty, Marque Collins, Nash Jones, Tuasivi Nomura* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Green Bay Packers: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/green-bay-packers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:09:04.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/GB-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/GB-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Green Bay Packers ### 2025 NFL Draft **Eight (8) Players Drafted** - **1.23 — Matthew Golden** **WR,** Texas - 2.22 — **Anthony Belton** **OT,** NC State - 3.23 — **Savion Williams** **WR,** TCU - 4.22 — **Barryn Sorrell** **ED,** Texas - 5.23 — **Collin Oliver** **LB,** Oklahoma State - 6.22 — **Warren Brinson** **DT,** Georgia - 7.21 — **Micah Robinson** **DB,** Tulane - 7.34 — **John Williams** **OT,** Cincinnati --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Matthew Golden, WR **SIS Grade: 6.6 (#3)** 3rd WR - Capable starter (I/O flex mandatory) 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Tracking; Body control --- ### Anthony Belton, OT **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** Only a 1 position player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Anchor / Play strength; Power 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Range; Flexibility --- ### Savion Williams, WR **SIS Grade: 6.5 6.6 (#3)** 3rd WR - Capable starter (I/O flex mandatory) --- ### Barryn Sorrell, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Motor --- ### Collin Oliver, WLB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level LB, but non-starter - quality SPT player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Blitz; ST value 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pass coverage; FBI / Instincts; 3-level impact; QB defense; Zone coverage; Tackling --- ### Warren Brinson, DT **SIS Grade: 5.8 (Role Playing Backup):** Base or Sub oriented role playing reserve 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Body control --- ### Micah Robinson, DB **SIS Grade: *Wasn't on the SIS draft site.*** --- ### John Williams, OT **SIS Grade: *Wasn't on the SIS draft site.*** --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Amar Johnson, South Dakota State RB Jalen White, Georgia Southern WR Julian Fleming, Penn State G J.J. Lippe, Northern Illinois G Tyler Cooper, Minnesota T Brant Banks, Rice DI Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Kentucky CB Kahzir Brown, Florida Atlantic CB Tyron Herring, Delaware S Jonathan Baldwin, UNLV ### Minicamp Invites QB Taylor Elgersma, Wilfrid Laurier WR Jack Studer, Wisconsin-LaCrosse LB Connor Shay, Wyoming LB Luke Gunderson, Northern State ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Green Bay Packers Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Green-Bay-Packers-Mock-Header--1-.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.23 (23) **Tetairoa McMillan,** Big WR - 2.22 (54) **Maxwell Hairston,** Fast CB - TRADE! **Picks 87 & 198 to Houston for 79** - 3.15 (79) **Jordan Burch,** DL 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, OT, WR, iOL, DT, NT --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Tetairoa McMillan, WR**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1054?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Maxwell Hairston, CB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1182?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.4 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) - [**Jordan Burch, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2073?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) --- The Packers finally do the thing! Green Bay drafts **Tetairoa McMillan** in the first round to give their offense a weapon they've been missing since **Allen Lazard** left town. It's the first time since 2002 the Packers have taken a WR with their 1st round pick. Then, in the second round, they quickly take a peek around their division at the speedy wide receivers before selecting **Maxwell Hairston,** who ran the fastest forty at the NFL Combine. In the third round, feeling the pressure after a run on defensive linemen, they trade up to secure the highest remaining EDGE/DL hybrid on their board, **Jordan Burch.** [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-69.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-23.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - Day 1: *Emeka Egbuka, Josh Simmons, Walter Nolen, Shemar Stewart, James Pearce Jr., *Matthew Golden,* Mykel Williams, Trey Amos* - Day 2: *Tyleik Williams, Shavon Revel, T.J. Sanders, *Anthony Belton** - Day 3: *Tai Felton, Isaiah Bond, Tory Horton, Zeek Biggers, Jason Marshall, Jacob Bayer, Esa Pole, Dalton Cooper, Easton Kilty, Elijah Roberts, Fadil Diggs, John Williams, Landon Parker, Marque Collins, Micah Robinson, Nash Jones, Seth Coleman, *Taylor Elgersma** --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Minnesota Vikings: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/minnesota-vikings-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:09:52.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/MIN-Draft-Class-1.png) ## Minnesota Vikings ### 2025 NFL Draft **Five (5) Players Drafted** - 1.24 — **Donovan Jackson** **OG,** Ohio State - 3.38 — **Tai Felton** **WR,** Maryland - 5.01 — **Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins** **ED,** Georgia - 6.25 — **Kobe King** **LB,** Penn State - 6.26 — **Gavin Bartholomew** **TE,** Pittsburgh --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Donovan Jackson, OG **SIS Grade: (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level --- ### Tai Felton, WR **SIS Grade: 5.9 (#4 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 4th WR with SPT ability --- ### Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.2 (OB/IB Flexion Backup):** Non-starter versatile reserve Edge with true position flexion 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Bend; Tackling; ST value 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Flat coverage --- ### Kobe King, MLB **SIS Grade: 5.8 ("Middle of the Road" Backup): #**4 LB, non-starter - quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** 3-down ability; 3-level impact; Man coverage --- ### Gavin Bartholomew, TE **SIS Grade: 5.8** **(#2 Backup):** With Y or H ability --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) QB Max Brosmer, Minnesota RB Tre Stewart, Jacksonville State WR Dontae Fleming, Tulane WR Myles Price, Indiana WR Robert Lewis, Auburn WR Silas Bolden, Texas TE Benjamin Yurosek, Georgia TE Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina C Zeke Correll, North Carolina State G Joe Huber, Wisconsin T Logan Brown, Kansas EDGE Alex Williams, Middle Tennessee State EDGE Tyler Batty, BYU LB Austin Keys, Auburn LB Chaz Chambliss, Georgia LB Dorian Mausi, Auburn CB Keenan Garber, Kansas State CB Zemaiah Vaughn, Utah S Mishael Powell, Miami (FL) P Oscar Chapman, Auburn ### Minicamp Invites WR Montigo Moss, Maine LS Austin Riggs, Rutgers ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Minnesota Vikings Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Minnesota-Vikings-Mock-Header--1-.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.24 (24) **Jahdae Barron,** CB - No second-round pick - TRADE! **Pick 97 to LAR for 127, 190, 201, & a 2026 5th-Rounder** --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** iOL, CB, DT, DE, RB, LB --- ### SIS Scouting Report - [**Jahdae Barron, CB** ](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1088?ref=bandit.football)— 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) --- The Vikings desperately try to trade down but find no takers and decide to take the best available player on their board, defensive back **Jahdae Barron.** The Texas corner has spent time outside, in the slot as a nickelback, and even manned the deep third as a safety. Sounds like a perfect fit for Brian Flores's chaotic, shapeshifting defense. Then, on Day 2 they're finally able to recoup some additional draft picks by sliding back with the Rams, adding Day 3 selections to add necessary depth — including a backup QB. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-70.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-24.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Derrick Harmon* - **Day 2:** *Jonah Savaiinaea, Carson Schwesinger, Shavon Revel, Aireontae Ersery, Jordan James, Marcus Mbow* - **Day 3:** *Brashard Smith, *Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins,* Kalel Mullings, *Tai Felton,* *Tyler Batty,* Nazir Stackhouse, Warren Brinson, Traeshon Holden, Korie Black, Jacob Bayer, Caleb Etienne, Dorian Singer, Easton Kilty, Nash Jones* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! 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Unsubscribe anytime. ### Houston Texans: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/houston-texans-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:10:09.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/HOU-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/HOU-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Houston Texans ### 2025 NFL Draft **Nine (9) Players Drafted** - 2.02 — **Jayden Higgins** **WR,** Iowa State - 2.16 — **Aireontae Ersery** **RT,** Minnesota - 3.15 — **Jaylin Noel** **WR,** Iowa State - 3.33 — **Jaylin Smith** **DB,** USC - 4.14 — **Woody Marks** **RB,** USC - 6.11 — **Jaylen Reed** **S,** Penn State - 6.21 — **Graham Mertz** **QB,** Florida - 7.08 — **Kyonte Hamilton** **DL,** Rutgers - 7.39 — **Luke Lachey** **TE,** Iowa --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Jayden Higgins, WR **SIS Grade: 6.6 (#3 WR):** 3rd WR - Capable starter (I/O flex mandatory) 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Hands; Route savvy; Contested catch; Clutch performance --- ### Aireontae Ersery, RT **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** Only a 1 position player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Flexibility --- ### Jaylin Noel, WR **SIS Grade: 6.5 (#3 WR):** 3rd WR - Capable starter (I/O flex mandatory) 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed --- ### Jaylin Smith, DB **SIS Grade: 5.8 ("Middle of the Road" Backup): #**4 CB w/o SPT or #5 CB; non-starter - Quality SPT player if #5 --- ### Woody Marks, RB **SIS Grade: 6.3 (Role Playing Starter):** 3rd down difference maker 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Contact balance; Power --- ### Jaylen Reed, SAF **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Box/SS type; Old school SAF - 1st & 2nd down 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Man coverage; Range --- ### Graham Mertz, QB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Career #2)**: Backup QB with a developmental ceiling. May have one or more good level or better positional factors, but has at least one critical factor with a defined ceiling (average or less) that will block his ability to ascend into a good quality backup or Win With starter. --- ### Kyonte Hamilton, DT **SIS Grade: 5.8 (Role Playing Backup):** Base or Sub oriented role playing reserve 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Shed ability; Body control; FBI; Discipline --- ### Luke Lachey, TE **SIS Grade: 5.8 (#2 Backup):** With Y or H ability 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Blocking ability; Pass block; Play strength; Separation; Run after catch --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) WR Daniel Jackson, Minnesota C Eli Cox, Kentucky DI Junior Tafuna, Utah LB K.C. Ossai, Louisiana CB Aijah Huzzie, North Carolina LS Austin Brinkman, West Virginia ### Minicamp Invites None reported as of 4/28/2025 ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Houston Texans Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Houston-Texans-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.25 (25) **Tyler Booker,** OG - 2.26 (58) **Kaleb Johnson,** RB - 3.23 (87) **Anthony Belton,** OT - 3.25 (89) **Charles Grant,** OT --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** OT, iOL, RB, DE, DT, EDGE --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Tyler Booker, OG**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/861?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Kaleb Johnson, RB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1397?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Anthony Belton, OT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2468?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Charles Grant, OT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1215?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.3 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) --- The Texans are reportedly eyeing **Kelvin Banks Jr.** or **Tyler Booker** with their 1st Round selection, and they've reached out to teams to (presumably) try and land Banks. Booker is available, though, because of a poor pre-draft process with a slow forty time. That won't matter much to HC DeMeco Ryans, who certainly believes Booker embodies the SWARM mentality. What's that stand for, DeMeco? Apparently it's: Special Work Ethic and Relentless Mindset. Maybe it's supposed to be written SWRM like an early aughts electronica band? I don't know. Whatever, it's neither here nor there. The point is: the Texans are going heavy on rebuilding their offensive line to keep **C.J. Stroud** upright and they're also doing a lot of work on this running back class — particularly at the top, even though it's several rounds deep. The Texans met with **Omarion Hampton** at the Combine and brought in **Quinshon Judkins** and **Kaleb Johnson** for Top 30 visits. All powerful backs, which makes me think they may be interested incorporating more gap-scheme rushing concepts. They also met with **Jaydon Blue, Brashard Smith,** and **Jarquez Hunter,** though—all more or less third-down receiving backs/returner types—so who knows, really. I just know the Texans are doing their damndest to try and find the best avenues for keeping C.J. Stroud upright and mitigate his struggles under pressure. As far as **Anthony Belton** and **Charles Grant,** both project as high-upside swings who could become mainstay tackles but likely would be depth options Year 1 (and maybe Year 2). Grant, who attended William & Mary, had several teams' O-line coaches attend his Pro Day workout, including the Ravens, Broncos, Giants, Steelers, and Falcons. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-71.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-25.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - Day 1: *Omarion Hampton, Shemar Stewart, Nic Scourton, Josh Conerly Jr., Matthew Golden, Grey Zabel* - Day 2: *Kyle Kennard, Quinshon Judkins, Elijah Arroyo, Shavon Revel, T.J. Sanders, Femi Oladejo, Andrew Mukuba* - Day 3: *Quinn Ewers, Jaydon Blue, Brashard Smith, Isaiah Bond, Allen Walker, B.J. Mayes, Chase Lundt, CJ Ogbonna, Dalevon Campbell, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Jarquez Hunter* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! 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Unsubscribe anytime. ### Atlanta Falcons: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/atlanta-falcons-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:10:25.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/ATL-Draft-Class-1.png) ## Atlanta Falcons ### 2025 NFL Draft **Five (5) Players Drafted** - 1.15 — **Jalon Walker** **ED,** Georgia - 1.26 — **James Pearce Jr.** **ED,** Tennessee - 3.32 — **Xavier Watts** **S,** Notre Dame - 4.16 — **Billy Bowman Jr.** **DB,** Oklahoma - 7.02 — **Jack Nelson** **OT,** Wisconsin --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Jalon Walker, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** 1st-step explosion; Bend; Toughness --- ### James Pearce Jr., EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** 1st-step explosion --- ### Xavier Watts, SAF **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Range; Ball Skills / Tracking; ST value --- ### Billy Bowman Jr., SAF **SIS Grade: 6.2 (SAF/CB Flex - Backup):** Non-starter versatile reserve DB - True position flexibility 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Ball Skills / Tracking 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Blitz 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Tackling --- ### Jack Nelson, OT **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Backup LT):** Quality depth level LT - 1 position player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Anchor / Play strength; Body control; Sustain --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Nate Carter, Michigan State WR Nick Nash, San Jose State WR Quincy Skinner Jr., Vanderbilt TE Joshua Simon, South Carolina G Joshua Gray, Oregon State T Jordan Williams, Georgia Tech DI Simeon Barrow, Miami (FL) LB Nick Kubitz, North Dakota State CB Cobee Bryant, Kansas CB Dontae Manning, Oregon S Malik Verdon, Iowa State ### Minicamp Invites WR Seven McGee, Albany G Michael Gonzalez, Louisville T Carson Heidecker, Ohio DI Kevin Hester Jr., North Carolina DI Marlon Taylor, Chattanooga S Kristian Story, Kentucky LS Hunter Rogers, South Carolina ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Atlanta Falcons Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Atlanta-Falcons-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - TRADE! **Pick 15 to LAR for 26, 90, 100, & future Day 3 Pick** - 1.26 (26) **James Pearce Jr.,** EDGE - TRADE! **Pick 46 to DET for 60 and 102** - 2.28 (60) **T.J. Sanders,** DT - 3.26 (90) **Barrett Carter,** LB - 3.37 (101) **Jonas Sanker,** SAF - TRADE! **Pick 102 to NYJ for 110 and 207** --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, OT, WR, SAF, DT, LB --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**James Pearce Jr., ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1412?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**T.J. Sanders, DT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1446?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Barrett Carter, WLB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1085?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Jonas Sanker, SAF**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2238?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.4 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) --- The Falcons enter the draft with just five picks to their name but want to go hunting for depth. Thankfully, others oblige them. After sliding back with the Rams, the Falcons finally take a 1st Round EDGE rusher in **James Pearce Jr.,** who was once thought to be the No. 1 overall player in the draft. Concerns about his love of the game and thin frame have seen him tumble down the board during the pre-draft process, but as far as getting to the quarterback — he's one of the best in the class at getting pressure in under 2.5 seconds. In the second, the Falcons once again find a willing trade partner to come on up in exchange for additional picks, and do so once more in the third to take the lead as the Trade Kings of the Draft, successfully executing three in a 24-hour span. This draft is all about adding depth for the Falcons with the hopes of raising their floor on defense to help keep them in contention for the NFC South crown as the offense finds its footing with **Michael Penix Jr.** [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-72.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-26.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - Day 1: *Will Johnson, Kelvin Banks, Mike Green, Shemar Stewart, Malaki Starks, Josh Conerly Jr., Trey Amos, Nick Emmanwori, Maxwell Hairston,* - Day 2: *Kyle Kennard, Princely Umanmielen, Omarr Norman-Lott, Bradyn Swinson, Jacob Parrish, Darien Porter, Andrew Mukuba, Jared Wilson, Jonas Sanker, Charles Grant, *Billy Bowman, Jr.,* Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins* - Day 3: *Seth McLaughlin, Zah Frazier, Logan Brown, Smael Mondon Jr., Jalen McLeod, Vernon Broughton, Teddye Buchanan, Isaiah Bond, Chris Paul Jr., Que Robinson, Sam Brown, Chandler Martin, Jordan Williams, Willie Lampkin, Andrew Armstrong, Brice Bass, Chaz Chambliss, Elijah Roberts, Jarquez Hunter, Jordan Houston, Konata Mumpfield, Robert Lewis, William Wagner* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! 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Unsubscribe anytime. ### Baltimore Ravens: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/baltimore-ravens-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:10:42.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/BAL-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/BAL-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Baltimore Ravens ### 2025 NFL Draft **Eleven (11) Players Drafted** - 1.27 — **Malaki Starks** **S,** Georgia - 2.27 — **Mike Green** **ED,** Marshall - 3.27 — **Emery Jones Jr.** **OT,** LSU - 4.27 — **Teddy Buchanan** **LB,** Cal - 5.03 — **Carson Vinson** **OT,** Alabama A&M - 6.02 — **Bilhal Kone** **CB,** Western Michigan - 6.10 — **Tyler Loop** **K,** Arizona - 6.27 — **LaJohntay Wester** **WR,** Colorado - 6.34 — **Aeneas Peebles** **DT,** Virginia Tech - 6.36 — **Robert Longerbeam** **CB,** Rutgers - 7.27 — **Garrett Dellinger** **OG,** LSU --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Malaki Starks, SAF **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Ball Skills / Tracking; ST value --- ### Mike Green, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Pass rush; 1st-step explosion; Pass rush repertoire; Bend; Range; Motor; ST value 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** POA / Set Edge; Discipline --- ### Emery Jones Jr., OT **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** Only a 1 position player --- ### Teddy Buchanan, LB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level LB, but non-starter - quality SPT player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Stoutness; Shed ability --- ### Carson Vinson, OT **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Backup LT):** Quality depth level LT - 1 position player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Anchor / Play strength; Power --- ### Bilhal Kone, CB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** #4 Depth level CB, but non-starter - Quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Play strength --- ### Tyler Loop, K **SIS Grade: *Was not scouted on the SIS draft site.*** --- ### LaJohntay Wester, WR **SIS Grade: 5.8 (#5 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 5th WR with SPT ability 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Hands; Separation; Route running; Contested catch; Clutch performance 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Blocking --- ### Aeneas Peebles, DT **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level DL, but only 1 position player - ALL 3 downs 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Motor 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Shed ability; Tackling --- ### Robert Longerbeam, CB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** #4 Depth level CB, but non-starter - Quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Open-field tackling; Run support 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Play strength --- ### Garrett Dellinger, OG **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Multi-Position Backup):** Backup OL that can play multiple positions 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Body control; Range; Power --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Sone Ntoh, Monmouth WR Jahmal Banks, Nebraska WR Kisean Johnson, Western Kentucky WR Xavier Guillory, Arizona State TE Sam Pitz, Minnesota-Duluth T Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, Oregon State T Jared Penning, Northern Iowa T Ozzie Hutchinson, Albany T Reid Holskey, Miami (OH) DI Jayson Jones, Auburn DI Nash Hutmacher, Nebraska EDGE Diwun Black, Temple LB Chandler Martin, Memphis LB Jay Higgins, Iowa CB Marquise Robinson, Arkansas S Desmond Igbinosun, Rutgers S Keondre Jackson, Illinois State S Reuben Lowery III, Chattanooga ### Minicamp Invites QB Collin Schlee, Virginia Tech WR Ketron Jackson Jr., Baylor WR Logan Tomlinson, New Hampshire TE Kamari Morales, Boston College G Isaac Bunyan, Maryland T Lucas Scott, Army IOL Thomas Perry, Middlebury EDGE Nchabanu Fortaboh, Towson LB Jacob Dobbs, James Madison LB Julian Young, Colby CB Keyon Martin, Louisiana-Lafayette CB Rob Carter Jr., Robert Morris CB Woodi Washington, Oklahoma S Tavian Montgomery, Central Connecticut State LS Josh Wojciechowicz, Colorado School of Mines K John Hoyland, Wyoming ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Baltimore Ravens Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Baltimore-Ravens-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.27 (27) **Donovan Ezeiruaku,** EDGE - 2.27 (59) **Jonah Savaiinaea,** OG - 3.27 (91) **Jack Bech,** WR --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** OT, WR, NT, EDGE, TE, K --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Donovan Ezeiruaku, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2180?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Jonah Savaiinaea, OG**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1068?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Jack Bech, WR**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1052?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.4 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) --- The Ravens, as they often do this time of year, let the draft fall to them. For their trouble, they get a guy who had the second most sacks in college football last year, who played in a Power 4 conference, has 34" arms, actually has a developed pass-rush plan, and even played in an NFL style scheme that ran simulated pressures that saw him not only rush the passer and set the edge but also drop into coverage as a defender and sometimes work as a quarterback spy. The Lions and Bills are devastated as the Ravens select **Donovan Ezeiruaku.** One thing you hear a lot from Tetairoa McMillan's defenders is that he was dealing with poor quarterback play and having to run around all the time on scramble drills to try and get open. One reason his quarterback was able to do that was **Jonah Savaiinaea,** who the Ravens happily add to their stable of monsters along the offensive front. Then, in the third, it's the Senior Bowl MVP, the guy who never drops a pass, and he's joining a receiver room in Baltimore that has struggled with big drops of late, particularly in key moments, particularly on the biggest stage. Steve Smith Sr. called this guy a tight end, and that's fitting, because he's a former tight end. He's not a burner but he can be the X receiver the Ravens have been searching for. **Jack Bech,** welcome to the Baltimore Ravens. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-73.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-27.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - Day 1: *Ashton Jeanty, Josh Simmons, Shemar Stewart, Tyleik Williams, Carson Schweisnger* - Day 2: *Princely Umanmielen, Anthony Belton, Femi Oladejo, Shemar Turner, Jonas Sanker, Charles Grant, Jaydon Blue, Smael Mondon Jr., RJ Harvey* - Day 3: *Tai Felton, Jaylen Reed, Sam Brown, Traeshon Holden, Ben Yurosek, B.J. Green, Carter Runyon, Caleb Etienne, *Carson Vinson,* Dorian Singer, Efton Chism III, Jordan Houston, Jordan Riley, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Kyonte Hamilton, Marque Collins, Ryan Fitzgerald* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Detroit Lions: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/detroit-lions-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:13:35.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/DET-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/DET-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Detroit Lions ### 2025 NFL Draft **Seven (7) Players Drafted** - 1.28 — **Tyleik Williams** **NT,** Ohio State - 2.25 — **Tate Ratledge** **OG,** Georgia - 3.06 — **Isaac TeSlaa** **WR,** Arkansas - 5.35 — **Miles Frazier** **OG,** LSU - 6.20 — **Ahmed Hassanein** **ED,** Boise State - 7.14 — **Dan Jackson** **S,** Georgia - 7.28 — **Dominic Lovett** **WR,** Georgia --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Tyleik Williams, NT **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level 7️⃣ ****Very good:** On-ball impact; Range; Hand use --- ### Tate Ratledge, OG **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** Starter at OG or OC with backup flexion 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Anchor / Play strength; Power --- ### Isaac TeSlaa, WR **SIS Grade: 5.9 (#4 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 4th WR with SPT ability 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Release --- ### Miles Frazier, OG **SIS Grade: 6.4 (Limited Starter):** Starter at OG or OC w/o positional flexion 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Range --- ### Ahmed Hassanein, EDGE **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level Edge, but non-starter - quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Flat coverage; Discipline; Tackling --- ### Dan Jackson, SAF **SIS Grade: 5.8 ("Middle of the Road" Backup): #**4 SAF, non-starter - quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Man coverage; Tackling --- ### Dominic Lovett, WR **SIS Grade: 5.8 (#5 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 5th WR with SPT ability 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Separation; Route savvy; Contested catch; Toughness --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Anthony Tyus III, Ohio RB Kye Robichaux, Boston College WR Jackson Meeks, Syracuse WR Jakobie Keeney-James, UMass TE Caden Prieskorn, Ole Miss TE/FB Zach Horton, Indiana C Leif Fautanu, Arizona State T Mason Miller, North Dakota State LB Keith Cooper Jr., Houston CB Gavin Holmes, Texas S Ian Kennelly, Grand Valley State ### Minicamp Invites QB Cole Snyder, Eastern Michigan RB Peny Boone, UCF DI Laki Tasi, IPP ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Detroit Lions Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Detroit-Lions-Mock-Header--1-.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.28 (28) **Derrick Harmon,** DL - TRADE! **Picks 60 & 102 to ATL for 46** - 2.14 (46) **Grey Zabel,** OL - TRADE! **Pick 130 & 2026 4th to KC for 99** - 3.35 (99) **Josaiah Stewart,** DOG --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, NT, iOL, SAF, LB, DE --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Derrick Harmon, DT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1076?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Grey Zabel, OC**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1116?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Josaiah Stewart, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1406?ref=bandit.football) **—** 5.9 (Backup) --- Although the Lions miss out on their preferred EDGE defender, they're happy to bring local boy **Derrick Harmon** home and make him the newest Lion. Harmon flashes true three-down ability as a defensive lineman who can lineup as a 1-technique nose tackle to stuff the run, a 3-technique to rush the QB, and even line up out wide and stress the tackle if the Lions are feeling frisky, which we know they're wont to do. Then, in the second, the Lions can't believe **Grey Zabel** is falling. The North Dakota offensive lineman was a media darling at the Senior Bowl and has been a steady presence in the first round of mocks ever since, but he's being projected as a center and that's the one position he *hasn't* yet played along the offensive line, and he's coming from FCS football, so it's little more than theory and bordering on downright hopium. Sounds like a Lion, right? Of course he does. After having him in for a Top 30 visit, Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell stop the slide, make a deal with Atlanta, and add Zabel to preserve their strength for years to come. Then, in the third round, Dan Campbell is absolutely losing his shit as **Josaiah Stewart** is still on the board, a guy he knows is a Top 100 player in the draft, and it's absolutely absurd to him that anyone could think differently, that they could be so blind to his dog levels, to his talent, to his ability to overcome the odds and help his team win. Brett Veach picks up the phone, they call in the trade to the league office, and Stewart is the latest Lion. Hot damn, Detroit. You've done it again. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-74.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-28.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Jihaad Campbell, Shemar Stewart, *Tyleik Williams,* Matthew Golden* - **Day 2:** *Harold Fannin Jr., Jonah Savaiinaea, Anthony Belton, Maxwell Hairston, Dylan Fairchild, Jonas Sanker, Que Robinson* - **Day 3:** *Jaylen Reed, Kobe King, Ben Yurosek, Chaz Chambliss, Fadil Diggs, *Isaac TeSlaa,* Lan Larison, *Peny Boone,* Ruben Hyppolite* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Washington Commanders: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/washington-commanders-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:13:51.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/WAS-Draft-Class-1.png) ## Washington Commanders ### 2025 NFL Draft **Five (5) Players Drafted** - 1.29 — **Josh Conerly Jr.** **OT,** Oregon - 2.29 — **Trey Amos** **CB,** Ole Miss - 4.26 — **Jaylin Lane** **WR,** Virginia Tech - 6.29 — **Kain Medrano** **LB,** UCLA - 7.29 — **Jacory Croskey-Merritt** **RB,** Arizona --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Josh Conerly Jr., OT **SIS Grade: 6.6 (Lower End Starter):** Only a 1 position player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Reactive athleticism; Footwork; Range --- ### Trey Amos, CB **SIS Grade: 6.6 (#3 CB):** 3rd CB - Capable starter/better depth (I/O flex mandatory) --- ### Jaylin Lane, WR **SIS Grade: 5.9 (#4 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 4th WR with SPT ability 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Contested catch --- ### Kain Medrano, WLB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level LB, but non-starter - quality SPT player 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Range 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Shed ability; Tackling 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Stoutness --- ### Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB **SIS Grade: 5.6 (Backup; Role Runner):** Either 1st & 2nd down or 3rd down only player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Contact balance; Passing game impact; Power; Playmaker; Catching skill; Ball security 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Pass pro --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) WR Jacoby Jones, UCF WR Ja'Corey Brooks, Louisville G Timothy McKay, North Carolina State DI Ricky Barber, UCF CB Car'lin Vigers, Louisiana-Monroe CB Fentrell Cyprus II, Florida State S Robert McDaniel, Jackson State S Trey Rucker, Oklahoma State ### Minicamp Invites QB Collin Schlee, Virginia Tech T Ben Wrather, Northwestern S Gabe Taylor, Rice LS Josh Wojciechowicz, Colorado School of Mines ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 WAS Commanders Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Washington-Commanders-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.29 (29) **Matthew Golden,** WR - TRADE! **Pick 61 to SF for 75, 138, & 160** - 3.11 (75) **Demetrius Knight Jr.,** LB --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, OL, WR, CB, LB, RB --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Matthew Golden, WR**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/957?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Demetrius Knight Jr., MLB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2535?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) --- The Commanders traded for **Laremy Tunsil** and **Deebo Samuel** this offseason to further aid the development of superstar sophomore QB **Jayden Daniels.** Deebo is a perfect scheme fit for Kliff Kingsbury's horizontal raid, and Tunsil should buy Daniels a few more ticks to uncork the deep ball, one of his very best traits. That's where **Matthew Golden** comes in. The speedy Texas wideout had the fastest forty time at the Combine but wasn't the most consistently productive receiver at Houston or Texas during his time in college. He's an excellent route runner who creates separation, however, and that's the name of the game in today's NFL. If he's available when the Commanders are on the clock, they shouldn't think twice about calling in the pick. On Day 2, the effort turns to recouping some of the draft capital they sent away to acquire the aforementioned veterans, Tunsil and Samuel. They phone a friend in the Bay, slide back 15 spots, and pick up two Day 3 picks in the process to add depth to their aging defense. With the 75th pick in the draft, they select the heir apparent to **Bobby Wagner** in **Demetrius Knight Jr.,** a mature, throwback of a middle linebacker with similar measurables, mettle, and mental to learn from the future Hall of Famer. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-75.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-29.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Donovan Ezeiruaku, *Josh Conerly Jr.,* Jahdae Barron, Jayden Higgins, Maxwell Hairston* - **Day 2:** *Kyle Kennard, Wyatt Milum, Kaleb Johnson, Tre Harris, Ashton Gillotte, Anthony Belton, Femi Oladejo, Quincy Riley, Bhayshul Tuten, Pat Bryant, Jonas Sanker, Jordan Phillips* - **Day 3:** *Xavier Restrepo, Jaydon Blue, Woody Marks, Ollie Gordon II, Tai Felton, Teddye Buchanan, Arian Smith, David Walker, Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, Dont'e Thornton, Da'Quan Felton, Chandler Martin, B.J. Green, Roc Taylor, *Jacory Croskey-Merritt,* Adin Huntington, Aiden Williams, Andres Borregales, *Car'lin Vigers,* Jamaal Pritchett, Jarquez Hunter, Jaylin Smith, Kaden Prather, Robert McDaniel, Ryan Fitzgerald, Sean Fresch, Tommy Mellott, Wyatt Ekeler, Xavier Robiou* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Buffalo Bills: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/buffalo-bills-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:14:17.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/BUF-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/BUF-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Buffalo Bills ### 2025 NFL Draft **Nine (9) Players Drafted** - 1.30 — **Maxwell Hairston** **CB,** Kentucky - 2.09 — **T.J. Sanders** **DT,** South Carolina - 3.08 — **Landon Jackson** **ED,** Arkansas - 4.07 — **Deone Walker** **DT,** Kentucky - 5.34 — **Jordan Hancock** **DB,** Ohio State - 5.37 — **Jackson Hawes** **TE,** Georgia Tech - 6.01 — **Dorian Strong** **CB,** Virginia Tech - 6.30 — **Chase Lundt** **OT,** UConn - 7.24 — **Kaden Prather** **WR,** Maryland --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Maxwell Hairston, CB **SIS Grade: 6.4 (Role Playing Starter):** 3rd CB - Lacks I/O flex 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed; Closing speed 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Slot coverage; Open-field tackling; Play strength; Run support; ST value --- ### T.J. Sanders, DT **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter --- ### Landon Jackson, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Motor 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Bend; Flat coverage --- ### Deone Walker, DT **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Discipline --- ### Jordan Hancock, SAF **SIS Grade: 5.8** "Middle of the Road" Backup **#**4 SAF, non-starter - quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Man coverage --- ### Jackson Hawes, TE **SIS Grade: 5.8** #2 BackupWith Y or H ability 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Blocking ability; Run block; Toughness; ST value 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Mismatch; Separation --- ### Dorian Strong, CB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** #4 Depth level CB, but non-starter - Quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Slot coverage; Open-field tackling; Run support --- ### Chase Lundt, OT **SIS Grade: 6.3 (#3 OT Backup):** Swing OT that can play both RT and LT --- ### Kaden Prather, WR **SIS Grade: 5.8 (#5 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 5th WR with SPT ability 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Run after catch --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-a?ref=bandit.football) WR Hal Pressley, Baylor WR Kelly Akharaiyi, Mississippi State WR Stephen Gosnell, Virginia Tech TE Keleki Latu, Washington C Jacob Bayer, Arkansas State DI Devin Brandt-Epps, New Mexico DI Paris Shand, LSU EDGE Hayden Harris, Montana CB Daryl Porter Jr., Miami (FL) S Keonta Jenkins, Virginia Tech S Tamuarion Wilson, Central Arkansas S Wande Owens, New Hampshire ### Minicamp Invites QB Taylor Elgersma, Wilfrid Laurier RB Rahjai Harris, East Carolina WR Logan Collier, North Alabama C Levi Rogers, Stanford T DJ Jones, UAB LB Noah Martin, Samford EDGE Elijah Alston, Miami (FL) CB Damaje Yancey, Troy P Ethan Duane, Buffalo LS Mason Napper, Miami (FL) ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Buffalo Bills Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Buffalo-Bills-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.30 (30) **Trey Amos,** CB - 2.24 (56) **Landon Jackson,** DE - 2.30 (62) **Xavier Watts,** FS --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** CB, EDGE, WR, NT, SAF, DT --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Trey Amos, CB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1481?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Landon Jackson, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2178?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Xavier Watts, SAF**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/870?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) --- Finally, the best team in football is back on the clock. Brandon Beane thinks about trading up but ultimately decides to stay put and is rewarded for his patience as the Bills land a perfect CB2 prospect in **Trey Amos** for their zone-heavy, 4-2-5 defensive scheme. Famous Amos has the requisite arm length and production (dozens of pass breakups) the Bills tend to look for in their cornerbacks. He flashes good instincts and also shows the ability to press receivers in man coverage when necessary. In the second round, Beane is again tempted to move up to get his guy but stays put and, yet again, patience proves to be a virtue. The Bills sent their defensive line coach to Arkansas' Pro Day during the pre-draft process, and that can only mean one thing: **Landon Jackson,** you are the run-stopping heir apparent to **A.J. Epenesa,** whose contract expires after next season. Somehow, a few picks later, the Bills can't believe their luck as **Xavier Watts** is still on the board. The former Notre Dame ballhawk, a team captain, is the perfect fit for Sean McDermott's defense as the team transitions from the Hyde-Poyer era into Watts-Bishop for 2026 and beyond. McDermott and the Bills notoriously bring their rookies along slowly, giving deference to vets who have put in the time and earned their spot. Even though Cole Bishop is better suited as a downhill thumper, he'll likely play free safety in 2025 while **Taylor Rapp** plays strong. At least in this fantasyland. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-76.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-30.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Will Johnson, Walter Nolen, Mike Green, Shemar Stewart, Kenneth Grant, Malaki Starks, Nic Scourton, Tyleik Williams, Jahdae Barron, Matthew Golden* - **Day 2:** *Benjamin Morrison, Alfred Collins, Barryn Sorrell, Shavon Revel, Joshua Farmer, Omarr Norman-Lott, Jordan James, *T.J. Sanders,* Femi Oladejo, Bradyn Swinson, Savion Williams, Nick Emmanwori, Andrew Mukuba* - **Day 3: *Deone Walker,* *Xavier Restrepo, Denzel Burke, Zy Alexander, Jaydon Blue, Billy Bowman Jr., Ty Robinson, Trevor Etienne, Josaiah Stewart, Tai Felton, Vernon Broughton, Jalen Royals, Teddye Buchanan, Isaiah Bond, Jaylin Lane, Chris Paul Jr., Jamaree Caldwell, Tory Horton, Arian Smith, Dorian Strong,* *Jaylen Reed, Zeek Biggers, Nash Hutmacher, Mello Dotson, Dont'e Thornton, Chandler Martin, B.J. Adams, Omari Thomas, Alex Mastromanno, Alijah Clark, CJ Ogbonna, Isaac TeSlaa, Jared Penning, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Landon Parker, Robert Longerbeam, Ryan Fitzgerald, Shaun Dolac, Thomas Fidone*** --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football Go Bills! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Philadelphia Eagles: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/philadelphia-eagles-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:14:36.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/PHI-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/PHI-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Philadelphia Eagles ### 2025 NFL Draft **Ten (10) Players Drafted** - 1.31 — **Jihaad Campbell** **LB,** Alabama - 2.32 — **Andrew Mukuba** **S,** Texas - 4.09 — **Ty Robinson** **DT,** Nebraska - 5.07 — **Mac McWilliams** **CB,** UCF - 5.25 — **Smael Mondon Jr.** **LB,** Georgia - 5.32 — **Drew Kendall** **OC,** Boston College - 6.05 — **Kyle McCord** **QB,** Syracuse - 6.15 — **Myles Hinton** **OT,** Michigan - 6.31 — **Cameron Williams** **OT,** Texas - 6.33 — **Antwaun Powell, Ryland** **ED,** Virginia Tech --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Jihaad Campbell, WLB **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level 8️⃣ ****Excellent:** ST value 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Range; Blitz; Tackling; Toughness 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Stoutness --- ### Andrew Mukuba, SAF **SIS Grade: 6.4 (#3 SAF):** Role-playing starter; capable starter/better depth - 3rd downs 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed --- ### Ty Robinson, DT **SIS Grade: 6.2 (DE/DT Flexion Backup):** Non-starter versatile reserve DL --- ### Mac McWilliams, CB **SIS Grade: 5.8 ("Middle of the Road" Backup): #**4 CB w/o SPT or #5 CB; non-starter - Quality SPT player if #5 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Ball skills; Press-man; Open-field tackling; Play strength --- ### Smael Mondon Jr., WLB **SIS Grade: 6.2 (IB/OB Flexion - Backup):** Non-starter versatile reserve LB - True position flexibility 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Stoutness; Shed ability; Navigate trash --- ### Drew Kendall, OC **SIS Grade: 6.4 (Limited Starter):** Starter at OG or OC w/o positional flexion --- ### Kyle McCord, QB **SIS Grade: 5.9** 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Deep accuracy; Mobility; Under pressure; Eye discipline --- ### Myles Hinton, OT **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Backup LT):** Quality depth level LT - 1 position player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Reactive athleticism; Body control; 2nd Level; Range; Flexibility --- ### Cameron Williams, OT **SIS Grade: 6.2 (Multi-Position Backup):** Backup OL that can play multiple positions 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Flexibility; Toughness --- ### Antwaun Powell, Ryland, EDGE **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level Edge, but non-starter - quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** POA / Set edge; Play strength --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Montrell Johnson, Florida RB ShunDerrick Powell, Central Arkansas WR Darius Cooper, Tarleton State WR Taylor Morin, Wake Forest T Hollin Pierce, Rutgers LB Lance Dixon, Toledo CB BJ Mayes, Texas A&M S Brandon Johnson, Oregon S Maxen Hook, Toledo ### Minicamp Invites WR Ife Adeyi, Sam Houston State WR Nahsir Morgan Sr., Delaware Valley TE Maliq Carr, Houston EDGE Kaimon Rucker, North Carolina LB Joseph Vaughn, UCLA CB Isaiah Greene, Campbell ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Philadelphia Eagles mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Philadelphia-Eagles-Mock-Header-1.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - 1.32 (32) **Malaki Starks,** SAF - 2.32 (64) **Femi Oladejo,** LB/EDGE - 3.32 (96) **Wyatt Milum,** OG --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** EDGE, CB, DT, SAF, iOL, TE --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Malaki Starks, SAF**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1780?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Femi Oladejo, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2108?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Wyatt Milum, OG**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1181?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) --- Howie Roseman attempts to trade up with just about every team in the league but can't find any takers. Nobody wants to deal with the champ. So it goes. On the eve of the draft, the Lions signed safety **Kerby Joseph** to a record-breaking contract extension, and that's enough to tip the scales on the Eagles' big board and draft **Malaki Starks** with the final pick in the first round. Everyone celebrates as Starks, the last remaining player in the green room, bounds onto the stage in Green Bay and greets the Philly faithful, who are hooting and hollering, screaming with glee as they can't believe Howie has done it again: he's gone back to Athens and come home with a player drawing **Brian Branch** comparisons. In the second round, Roseman opts for a linebacker-turned-EDGE defender out of UCLA, **Femi Oladejo,** and briefly jokes about turning him back into a linebacker for the fun of it, just because he can. He has the godfather on his side. Just ask the All-Pro, **Zack Baun.** Vic Fangio is having himself a nice start to the weekend. Then, in the third round, the Eagles draft a player who can attend Stoutland University. **Wyatt Milum** has the size to be the next jumbo guard for the Eagles, at least in theory. First things first: he needs his game stripped down to the studs before he can be built back up. Sounds like a fun gut-reno project for Mr. & Mrs. Stoutland to get started on this spring. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-77.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-31.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Shemar Stewart, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Donovan Jackson, Nic Scourton, Tyleik Williams, Josh Conerly Jr., Trey Amos, Maxwell Hairston, Mason Taylor* - **Day 2:** *Kyle Kennard, T.J. Sanders, Marcus Mbow, Anthony Belton, Jacob Parrish, Dylan Fairchild, Charles Grant* - **Day 3:** *LeQuint Allen, Jaydon Blue, Tyler Baron, Jalen Travis, Jaylen Reed, Sam Brown, Kobe King, Chandler Martin, Rayuan Lane III, Korie Black, Carter Runyon, Connor Watkins, Coziah Izzard, Elijah Roberts, Eric Rogers, Jaylin Smith, Justin Walley* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/tampa-bay-buccaneers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-10T04:37:44.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/TB-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/TB-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Tampa Bay Buccaneers ### 2025 NFL Draft **Six (6) Players Drafted** - 1.19 — **Emeka Egbuka** **WR,** Ohio State - 2.21 — **Benjamin Morrison** **CB,** Notre Dame - 3.20 — **Jacob Parrish** **NB,** Kansas State - 4.19 — **David Walker** **ED,** Central Arkansas - 5.21 — **Elijah Roberts** **ED,** SMU - 7.19 — **Tez Johnson** **WR,** Oregon --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player is graded based on how the scout thinks they will perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year in the league. An overall classification can be found in (parentheses) beside the number grade, as well as a description of their role. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on the same scale as the overall grade, from 1-9\. For each prospect, I've highlighted some below the line graded factors (5 is sufficient; 4 is mediocre: below the line) as well as what they do particularly well (6 is good; 7 is very good). If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient or good in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. However, they are well on their way to becoming a certified Bandit Bro. --- ### Emeka Egbuka, WR **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Route savvy --- ### Benjamin Morrison, CB **SIS Grade: 6.6 (#3):** 3rd CB - Capable starter/better depth (I/O flex mandatory) 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Ball skills; Zone coverage; FBI; Mental toughness 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Open-field tackling; Play strength; Run support --- ### Jacob Parrish, CB **SIS Grade: 6.4 (Role-playing starter):** 3rd CB - Lacks I/O flex 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Closing speed; ST value 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Run support --- ### David Walker, EDGE **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** Top depth level Edge, but non-starter - quality SPT player --- ### Elijah Roberts, EDGE **SIS Grade: 5.8 ("Middle of the Road" Backup):** **#**4 Edge, non-starter - quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Bend; Range; ST value 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Flat coverage --- ### Tez Johnson, WR **SIS Grade: 5.9 (#4 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 4th WR with SPT ability 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Play speed 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Contested catch 3️⃣ ****Below average:** Blocking --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) QB Connor Bazelak, Bowling Green RB Josh Williams, LSU WR Garrett Greene, West Virginia WR Will Sheppard, Colorado TE Anthony Landphere, Memphis C Ben Scott, Nebraska C Jake Majors, Texas T Ben Chukwuma, Georgia State DI Desmond Watson, Florida DI Mason Narcisse, Louisiana LB John Bullock, Nebraska CB Roman Parodie, Ohio S J.J. Roberts, Marshall S Shilo Sanders, Colorado K Ryan Coe, California ### Minicamp Invites QB Jordan McCloud, Texas State RB Tyler Echeverry, Mount Union WR Dino Tomlin, Boston College T Spencer Brown, Oklahoma EDGE Chantz Williams, Charlotte LB Colin Ramos, Navy CB Robbie Peterson, Northern Iowa ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Tampa Bay Bucs Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - TRADE! **Pick 19 to CLE for 33, 67, & 104** - 2.01 (33) **Nic Scourton,** DE - 2.21 (53) **Carson Schwesinger,** LB - 3.03 (67) **Shavon Revel,** CB - 3.20 (84) **Nohl Williams,** CB --- 🔎 ****Persons of Interest:** DE, SLCB, LB, DT, WR, iOL --- ### SIS Scouting Reports - [**Nic Scourton, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1080?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.7 (Strong Starter) - [**Carson Schwesinger, WLB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1084?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Shavon Revel, CB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1093?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Nohl Williams, CB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/868?ref=bandit.football) **—** 5.9 (Backup) --- We're on to Day 2 of the draft! Bucs GM Jason Licht, widely regarded as one of the best GMs in the league, knows he has to rebuild their defense after successfully infusing the offense with **Jalen McMillan** and **Bucky Irving** in last year's draft. First, he takes **Nic Scourton** and quickly gets a call from Brad Holmes, cursing him out. He wanted Scourton. So it goes. Next, he drafts **Carson Schwesinger,** and here's Brandon Beane calling. You couldn't let the Bills get the guy who models his game after **Matt Milano** and Luke Keuchly? Fine, Jason. Be that way. In the third round, after selecting **Shavon Revel** at 67 and **Nohl Williams** at 84, his phone rings and rings and never stops buzzing for the rest of the night. Thirty one GMs are envious of his picks. Licht tends to draft production over traits, and he rarely misses. Todd Bowles falls asleep with a smile on his face. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-78.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-32.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1**: *Mike Green, Shemar Stewart, Matthew Golden, Mykel Williams, Grey Zabel* - **Day 2:** *Jaylin Noel, Omarr Norman-Lott, Darius Alexander, Femi Oladejo, Shemar Turner, Demetrius Knight Jr., *Jacob Parrish,* Jackson Slater* - **Day 3: *J.J. Roberts,* *Jordan McCloud, Konata Mumpfield, Nikko Reed, Peny Boone, Seth Coleman*** --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Kansas City Chiefs: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/kansas-city-chiefs-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:14:59.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/KC-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/KC-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Kansas City Chiefs ### 2025 NFL Draft **Seven (7) Players Drafted** - 1.32 — **Josh Simmons** **OT,** Ohio State - 2.31 — **Omarr Norman-Lott** **DL,** Tennessee - 3.02 — **Ashton Gillotte** **ED,** Louisville - 3.21 — **Nohl Williams** **CB,** Cal - 4.31 — **Jalen Royals** **WR,** Utah State - 5.20 — **Jeffrey Bassa** **LB,** Oregon - 7.12 — **Brashard Smith** **RB,** SMU --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Josh Simmons, OT **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level --- ### Omarr Norman-Lott, DT **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 7️⃣ ****Very good:** 1st-step explosion; Hand use; Motor --- ### Ashton Gillotte, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Motor; Discipline 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Flat coverage --- ### Nohl Williams, CB **SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup):** #4 Depth level CB, but non-starter - Quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Off-man; Slot coverage --- ### Jalen Royals, WR **SIS Grade: 5.9 (#4 Backup w/SPT):** Quality depth level 4th WR with SPT ability 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Route running; Blocking --- ### Jeffrey Bassa, WLB **SIS Grade: 6.5 (Low End Starter):** All 3 downs, coverage prioritized over take-on types 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Stoutness --- ### Brashard Smith, RB **SIS Grade: 6.3 (Role Playing Starter):** 3rd down difference maker 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Power; Pass pro --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) RB Elijah Young, Western Kentucky RB Qualan Jones, Stephen F. Austin FB Jared Casey, Kansas WR Elijhah Badger, Florida WR Mac Dalena, Fresno State TE Jake Briningstool, Clemson TE Tre Watson, Texas A&M T Dalton Cooper, Oklahoma State T Esa Pole, Washington State DI Coziah Izzard, Penn State LB Brandon George, Pittsburgh CB Jacobe Covington, USC CB Kevin Knowles, Florida State CB Melvin Smith Jr., Southern Arkansas S Will Brooks, Tennessee P Eddie Czaplicki, USC ### Minicamp Invites QB Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri QB Spencer Petras, Utah State QB Zach Zebrowski, Central Missouri WR Dante Wright, Temple TE Jake Roberts, Oklahoma G Jason Collier Jr., Pittsburgh T Blaise Sparks, Delaware T DeVonte Gordon, Wake Forest DI Nathan Kapongo, Akron EDGE Chuck Smith IV, Villanova EDGE JIreh Ojata, Purdue LB Tristan Sinclair, Stanford CB Robert Jones III, Howard CB Sean Fresch, Rice S Major Williams, Carson-Newman S Marvin Grant, Kansas S Sheldon Arnold II, UCF ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Kansas City Chiefs Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Kansas-City-Chiefs-Mock-Header--1-.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - TRADE! **Pick 31 to NYG for 34 & 99** - 2.02 (34) **Josh Conerly Jr.,** OT - 2.31 (63) **Harold Fannin Jr.,** TE - 3.02 (66) **Quinshon Judkins,** RB - 3.31 (95) **Darien Porter,** CB - TRADE! - **Pick 99 to DET for 130 & 2026 4th** --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** OT, DE, NT, RB, CB, DT --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Josh Conerly Jr., OT**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1944?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Harold Fannin Jr., TE**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/785?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Quinshon Judkins, RB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1396?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Darien Porter, CB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1149?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.4 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) --- I'm so upset with myself for even hypothesizing this, but just know that I will lose my fucking mind if the Chiefs end up with **Harold Fannin Jr.** Oh, the tight end who runs weird but always finds a way to get open and led all receivers — not just tight ends, RECEIVERS — in catches and receiving yards across college football in 2024? That guy? On the Chiefs? The guy who put up 117 receptions and more than 1,500 yards? Who averaged 10-140-1 against Penn State and Texas A&M? That guy? I'm not going to even bother listing off all the ways his strengths in "The Beast" make him sound like **Travis Kelce,** but just know that they get progressively more frustrating and convincing as they go on. When I found out the Chiefs brought Harold Fannin Jr. in for a Top 30 visit I practically fainted. I can't even talk about the rest of the projections! They need a tackle, a running back, a corner. Who cares. It doesn't matter if they get Fannin Jr., it would be too upsetting. Don't do it, Brett Veach. Don't do it to me. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-79.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-33.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** **Josh Simmons,* Aireontae Ersery, *Omarr Norman-Lott** - **Day 2:** *Kyle Kennard, Anthony Belton, Cameron Williams, Devin Neal, Damien Martinez, Isaiah Bond, Que Robinson* - **Day 3:** *Bryce Cabeldue, Shemar James, Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, Melvin Smith, Sam Brown, Warren Brinson, Caleb Etienne, Brandon George, Cam'ron Johnson, *Coziah Izzard,* Dontae Manning, Easton Kilty, Jordan Riley, Kyonte Hamilton, Mose Vavao, Phillip Bildi, Quentin Skinner* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Pittsburgh Steelers: 2025 NFL Draft Class URL: https://www.bandit.football/pittsburgh-steelers-3-round-mock-draft-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-17T18:15:19.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/PIT-Draft-Class-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/PIT-Draft-Class-2.png) ## Pittsburgh Steelers ### 2025 NFL Draft **Seven (7) Players Drafted** - 1.21 — **Derrick Harmon** **DT,** Oregon - 3.19 — **Kaleb Johnson** **RB,** Iowa - 4.21 — **Jack Sawyer** **ED,** Ohio State - 5.28 — **Yahya Black** **DT,** Iowa - 6.09 — **Will Howard** **QB,** Ohio State - 7.10 — **Carson Bruener** **LB,** Washington - 7.13 — **Donte Kent** **CB,** Central Michigan --- ## Sports Info Solutions Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the [SIS NFL Draft Site](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/home?ref=bandit.football), including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes. - **Overall Grade:** Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description. - **Critical and Positional Factors:** Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9\. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below. --- ### Derrick Harmon, DT **SIS Grade: 6.7 (Strong Starter):** 3-down Starter level 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Body control --- ### Kaleb Johnson, RB **SIS Grade: 6.6 (**Lower End Starter**):** Top Tier 1st & 2nd down - Limited 3rd down role 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Contact balance 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pass pro; ST value --- ### Jack Sawyer, EDGE **SIS Grade: 6.5 (**Lower End Starter**):** High end DPR or solid 2 down starter 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** 1st-step explosion; Bend; Range --- ### Yahya Black, DT **SIS Grade: 5.8 (Role Playing Backup):** Base or Sub oriented role playing reserve 7️⃣ ****Very good:** Anchor / Play strength 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Pass rush; On-ball impact --- ### Will Howard, QB **SIS Grade:** 6.2 **(Circumstantial Starter/Good Quality Backup QB):** Player has a minimum floor of sufficient ability in all critical factors. He can fill-in for a short term as a starter and you can win with him. Potential starter with limited opportunity. 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** Deep accuracy; Arm strength --- ### Carson Bruener, MLB **SIS Grade: 5.8 (**"Middle of the Road" Backup**): #**4 LB, non-starter - quality SPT player 4️⃣ ****Mediocre:** 3-down ability; Man coverage; Range --- ### Donte Kent, CB **SIS Grade: *Was not featured on the SIS site*** --- ### [UDFA Signings](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-udfa-tracker-undrafted-free-agent-signings-all-32-nfl-teams?ref=bandit.football) WR Ke'Shawn Williams, Indiana WR Roc Taylor, Memphis TE DJ Thomas-Jones, South Alabama TE JJ Galbreath, South Dakota G Aiden Williams, Minnesota-Duluth DI Blake Mangelson, BYU S Sebasian Castro, Iowa K Ben Sauls, Pittsburgh ### Minicamp Invites None reported as of 4/28/2025 ## 3-Round Mock Draft 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers Mock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/04/Pittsburgh-Steelers-Mock-Header.png) ## 3-Round Mock Draft Logic - TRADE! - **Pick 21 to NOLA for 40, 71, 93, & 112** - 2.08 (40) **Azareye'h Thomas,** CB - 3.07 (71) **Tyler Shough,** QB - 3.19 (83) **Bhayshul Tuten,** RB - 3.29 (93) **Princely Umanmielen,** EDGE --- 🔎 ****Positions of Interest:** QB, RB, DL, WR, SAF, EDGE --- ### SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale) - [**Azareye'h Thomas, CB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2040?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.6 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Tyler Shough, QB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1247?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.3 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup) - [**Bhayshul Tuten, RB**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/2369?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) - [**Princely Umanmielen, ED**](https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1511?ref=bandit.football) **—** 6.5 (Lower-end Starter) --- Omar Khan and the Steelers brass see a New Orleans area code calling. They let it ring three times, four, and just before it hits voicemail, answer Mickey Loomis's call. Some Steelers fans will be pissed to see them drop out of the first round when the only quarterback on their roster is **Mason Rudolph.** That's fair. Just imagine how they'll feel when the Steelers take a corner in the second round, with their first pick in this draft. Despondent? Hopeless? It all depends on how you feel about **Tyler Shough,** the guy who was in college for a century and is the most pro-ready of the quarterback prospects but likely is more or less the same as Mason Rudolph. Is that worth taking before the third round? I don't think so. In this scenario, with the Browns and Giants trading back into the first round, the Steelers can wait and select Shough at 71 overall. We can only hope the selection forces Aaron Rodgers into retirement. The highlight of the Steelers draft comes at No. 83 when **Bhayshul Tuten** gets selected, and the world at large—and fantasy players everywhere—begin Rootin' for Tuten. There's a decent chance Tuten is the back who emerges as the Day 2 or Day 3 rookie RB steal of the year. Arthur Smith would complicate the matter. But he fits the profile of what the Steelers typically look for in an everydown, bruising running back. Plus, Tuten has a little more juice than **Najee Harris.** He's capable of creating yards on his own, not just picking up what's blocked for him, both by breaking and forcing missed tackles. But in the end, my friend, what would a Steelers draft be without a project? Somebody who Mike Tomlin can take under his wing, somebody he can teach to become a better man. That's **Princely Umanmielen,** who has a thing or two to learn about burning bridges. From "The Beast": > After four seasons in Gainesville, he took advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of the COVID-19 pandemic and entered the transfer portal. Umanmielen stayed in the SEC and transferred to Ole Miss for his final season, saying he was "actually developed" by the Rebels' coaching staff. Enjoy your stay in Tomlin finishing school, young buck. [2025 NFL Draft 3-Round MockThis 3-round mock combines mountains of research with sourced insider reports to provide the latest intel ahead of the NFL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/icon/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1-80.png)Bandit FootballBrad Beatson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/thumbnail/2025-Mock-Draft-Hero-34.png)](https://www.bandit.football/2025-nfl-draft-3-round-mock/) --- ### Other Potential Picks - **Day 1:** *Omarion Hampton, Emeka Egbuka, Shedeur Sanders, Shemar Stewart, TreVeyon Henderson, *Derrick Harmon,* Jahdae Barron, Matthew Golden, Trey Amos, Jalen Milroe, Jaxson Dart, Nick Emmanwori* - **Day 2:** *Wyatt Milum, Quinshon Judkins, Jayden Higgins, *Kaleb Johnson,* Jaylin Noel, Joshua Farmer, Darius Alexander, Savion Williams, Lathan Ransom, Andrew Mukuba, Jaydon Blue, Dylan Sampson* - **Day 3:** *Quinn Ewers, JJ Pegues, Ollie Gordon II, RJ Harvey, *Will Howard,* Phil Mafah, Vernon Broughton, Kyle McCord, Jamaree Caldwell, Y*ahya Black,* Traeshon Holden, Andreas Keaton, *Ben Sauls,* Brandon George, Donovan McMillan, Elijah Roberts, Gavin Bartholomew, Jared Harrison-Hunte, Justin Waley, Konata Mumpfield* --- ## Sign up for Bandit Football Bandit Football It's Free! Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Xavier Restrepo (2025) URL: https://www.bandit.football/xavier-restrepo-2025/ Last updated: 2025-03-11T00:35:50.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/Scouting-Report-social-graphics--2-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/Scouting-Report-Document-PNGs--2-.png) ## Overall **Xavier Restrepo** is a wide receiver in Miami’s offense, playing almost exclusively in the slot with a hefty dose of pre-snap motion. When aligned out wide, he’s usually in stacks or bunches and rarely sees the field in two WR sets. He played in 54 career games and started 29 of them. He missed five games during the 2022 season with what he called a recurring stress foot fracture that he injured a few years prior. He ran track in high school (hurdles, pole vault) and had a 4.5 GPA earning Ivy League offers. He wears the #7 to honor his late high school teammate. Restrepo knows he’ll be viewed as undersized but frequently pushes his frame to its limits and makes sure his thermostat is set to 100\. Former Cane and current Rams safety **Kam Kinchens** on Restrepo’s makeup: “He’s not the biggest, strongest, or fastest, but just a football player, a dog. And he makes sure he brings that energy to everybody else on the team.” ## Last Word Restrepo projects as an inside-only #4 WR who is at his best when used as an extension of the run game. He possesses the necessary grit and love of the game to be a Core 4 special-teamer who can also be counted on to play on 3rd downs and move the chains. ## Grade: 5.9 ### Ceiling: 6.4 (15%) Floor: 5.6 (5%) ### Scouting Reports (2025) URL: https://www.bandit.football/scouting-reports-2025/ Last updated: 2025-03-11T15:47:44.000Z [Read some reports](https://www.bandit.football/reports/)! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/Benchmarks---QB--RB--FB--WR--TE-Large.png) ### Jordan Oladokun (2025) URL: https://www.bandit.football/jordan-oladokun-2025/ Last updated: 2025-03-14T02:13:56.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/Scouting-Report-social-graphics--3--Large.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/Jordan-Oladokun.png) ## **Overall** **Jordan Oladokun** is a cornerback in Bowling Green’s hybrid zone defense. He works almost exclusively on the boundary and typically shadows the opposing teams’ top wide receiver. He played in 38 games and made 29 starts. He began his college career at Samford where he saw action in six games before missing the rest of the 2021 season with a torn labrum. In high school, he also played basketball and baseball. His brother, **Chris,** plays QB and has been on-and-off the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad since 2022\. Oladokun has decent size and good speed to hang with NFL-caliber wideouts. He has a steady heartbeat but prefers to keep his jersey clean. ## Last Word Oladokun profiles as a #4 who can play in on dime packages and work exclusively on the outside. He will struggle to cover bigger and/or quicker receivers in the slot, which limits his role on 3rd downs. Although he likes to keep everything in front of him, he lacks the will and toughness to rotate in at free safety or contribute meaningfully on special teams. ## **Grade: 5.8** ### **Ceiling: 6.4 (10%)** ### **Floor: 5.7 (10%)** ### Jayden Higgins (2025) URL: https://www.bandit.football/jayden-higgins/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:26:04.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/02/Scouting-Report-social-graphics--3-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/Scouting-Report-Document-PNGs--1-.png) ## Overall **Jayden Higgins** primarily lines up at X receiver in Iowa State’s spread offense. He started 23 of 26 games over two seasons after transferring from Eastern Kentucky, where he played 22 games. Higgins didn’t miss time with injury throughout college. He played basketball in high school and some of those moves translate to the field. Iowa State QB **Rocco Becht** said Higgins always makes him and the team laugh, “He’s kind of like the jokester on the team.” He added, “He’s like a 5-year-old outside of the facility. Joking around with him is always fun.” Higgins is long and lean and wields his length like a weapon at the LOS. His motor, competitiveness, and overall toughness run hot and cold on a game-to-game basis. ## Last Word Higgins projects best as an outside-only No. 4 WR at the next level in a pass-happy scheme. He will need to bulk up to contribute in the slot and clean up his technique to gain separation with fewer opportunities. On the third down, he’s a reliable slant option to move the sticks or take a shot down the sideline against man-to-man coverage. Early on, he will be most effective as a gunner on special teams. ## Grade: 5.9 ### Ceiling: 6.5 (10%) Floor: 5.6 (15%) ### Blayne Taylor URL: https://www.bandit.football/blayne-taylor/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T19:58:18.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/02/Scouting-Report-social-graphics--2-.png) Scouting graphic ### Cam Horsley URL: https://www.bandit.football/cam-horsley/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T19:58:37.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/02/Scouting-Report-social-graphics--1-.png) Scouting graphic ### James Carpenter URL: https://www.bandit.football/james-carpenter/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T19:58:54.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/02/Scouting-Report-social-graphics.png) Scouting graphic ### Que Robinson (2025) URL: https://www.bandit.football/que-robinson/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:15:40.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/02/Que-Robinson-scouting-graphic.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/Scouting-Report-Document-PNGs.png) ## Overall **Que Robinson** is the “wolf” in Kane Wommack’s 4-2-5 “swarm” defense lining up as a stand-up hybrid edge rusher/outside linebacker. He started 5 of 26 games on defense and played nearly 700 snaps on special teams across 42 career games. He suffered a season-ending elbow injury at LSU in 2024\. He was arrested and charged with a DUI in a multiple-car accident in 2021\. Robinson has long limbs and a sturdy trunk to add upper-body strength without sacrificing quickness. He plays with a sense of urgency that doesn’t always extend to the whistle. ## Last Word Robinson projects as a backup edge rusher at the next level in a 3-4 or hybrid defense that uses his burst on obvious passing downs. He can contribute on third downs in Nickel and Dime situations across the front, lining up wherever the defense thinks he will have the quickest runway to the QB. He is a raw prospect who needs to develop his pass rush repertoire, add upper-body strength, and clean up his footwork to be effective on defense. Early on, his speed and length can be an asset on the dynamic kickoff and punt-blocking units. ## Grade: 5.8 ### **Ceiling: 6.2 (10%)** **Floor: 5.7 (10%)** ### Wyatt Milum URL: https://www.bandit.football/wyatt-milum/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T20:06:16.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Chase Lundt URL: https://www.bandit.football/chase-lundt/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T20:00:09.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/02/Chase-Lundt-social-graphic.png) Scouting graphic ### Amari Kight URL: https://www.bandit.football/amari-kight/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T20:01:51.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/02/Amari-Kight-social-graphic-1.png) Scouting graphic ### The Little Board URL: https://www.bandit.football/the-little-board/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:38:39.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/02/Underdog-Best-Ball---The-Little-Board--1-.png) Underdog Best Ball graphic ### Lamar Jackson Breaks All-Time QB Rushing Record URL: https://www.bandit.football/lamar-jackson-breaks-all-time-qb-rushing-record/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:39:22.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/lamar-jackson.png) Bluesky graphic ### The Geno Wars URL: https://www.bandit.football/the-geno-wars/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:39:30.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/Your-paragraph-text--2-.png) Bluesky graphic ### CFB Top 10 Slot WRs URL: https://www.bandit.football/cfb-top-10-slot-wrs/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:39:46.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/Top-10-Slot-WRs--1-.png) Bluesky graphic ### Drew Petzing URL: https://www.bandit.football/drew-petzing/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:39:59.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/1D--Conversion-1.png) Bluesky graphic ### Abdul Carter URL: https://www.bandit.football/abdul-carter/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:40:42.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/Abdul-Carter-B1G-2.png) Bluesky graphic ### Trent Williams URL: https://www.bandit.football/trent-williams/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:40:54.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/The-49ers-are-2-4-in-games-without-LT-Trent-Williams--1--1.png) Bluesky graphic ### Bengals Tackling Woes URL: https://www.bandit.football/bengals-tackling-woes/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:41:02.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/cincinnati-bengals-1.png) Bluesky graphic ### Point Guards URL: https://www.bandit.football/point-guards/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:41:32.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/point-guards-1.png) Bluesky graphic ### Tua in the Cold URL: https://www.bandit.football/tua-in-the-cold/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:41:41.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/Tua-in-the-Cold-1.png) Bluesky graphic ### Harbowl URL: https://www.bandit.football/harbowl/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:41:54.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/Harbowl-MNF-Week-12-Bluesky-Graphic-SIS-1.png) Bluesky graphic ### Tre Harris URL: https://www.bandit.football/ole-miss-tre-harris-social-media-graphic-11-23-2024/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:42:03.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/tre-harris.png) Bluesky graphic ### FantasyPros Week 12 URL: https://www.bandit.football/fantasypros-week-12/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:42:17.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/bsky-fantasypros-wk12.png) Bluesky graphic ### RB Closers URL: https://www.bandit.football/rb-closers/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:42:31.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/rb_closers_foxworth_show-1.png) Bluesky graphic ### Khalil Shakir Deserves Your Respect URL: https://www.bandit.football/khalil-shakir-deserves-your-respect/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:42:45.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/12/Khalil-Shakir-Deserves-Your-Respect.png) Bluesky graphic ### Jameis Is Cooking URL: https://www.bandit.football/jameis-is-cooking/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:42:58.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/01/PIXEL--1--1.png) Bluesky graphic ### Top Tacklers in CFB URL: https://www.bandit.football/top-tacklers-in-cfb/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:43:19.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/01/1.png) Bluesky graphic ### Navy vs. Notre Dame URL: https://www.bandit.football/navy-vs-notre-dame/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:44:01.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/01/NAVY-NOTRE-DAME--1-.png) Bluesky graphic ### Finding the Next Sun God URL: https://www.bandit.football/finding-the-next-sun-god/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:46:03.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/Untitled-design--27--1.png) Mike McDaniel thinks impatience is a virtue. Sometimes, that means skipping a night's sleep and calling an 8 a.m. meeting that leads to your team trading for the fastest player in the NFL. Miami's front office had planned to sign some hogmollies to protect **Tua Tagovailoa,** back in 2022, but McDaniel argued they should instead spend their resources on speed. The first-year head coach had compiled a 700-play highlight reel to share with his quarterback and discovered Tagovailoa "could sense an opening before it happened." He was more accurate and got rid of the ball faster than most "star quarterbacks," McDaniel told *The Washington Post.* The advanced stats matched the film study so the front office shipped a boatload of picks to Kansas City for **Tyreek Hill.** Then, the season happened. Tua suffered multiple brain injuries that left him lying on the ground and unable to move, with his hands frozen above his chest like mangled claws. During the 2023 offseason, Tua confessed he had considered retirement but decided he was too young to walk away and wanted his son to grow up knowing what dad did for a living. He started practicing jiu-jitsu in an effort to better protect himself from further head trauma. It was meant to teach him how to take hits and fall without smacking his head off the turf. Once again, the Dolphins decided against spending major assets on pass protection during free agency and the draft. They signed a few veteran wideouts and drafted Texas A&M running back/All-American track star **De'Von Achane,** who ran the 200 meter dash in 20.20 seconds. As draftnik Dane Brugler pointed out in his prospect guide, "the standard 200-meter time for Olympic Trial qualifiers is 20.24" seconds. But you already knew that: Achane is fast and the Dolphins are explosive. What I really wanted to know is *why* they seemed so much more explosive than everybody else. Over the course of the 2023-24 season, Tua shaved 0.2 seconds off his career marks for average time to throw, getting rid of the ball in 2.34 seconds. When parsing that number using Pro Football Focus's Time in Pocket stat, though, more often than not Tua was getting rid of the ball even faster than that. In quick-passing scenarios, Tua's average time to throw was 1.77 seconds. Among quarterbacks with more than 300 dropbacks, only **Patrick Mahomes** and **Josh Allen** held onto the ball for milliseconds less, with Mahomes at 1.70 seconds and Allen at 1.76 seconds. How the Dolphins really separated themselves from the Chiefs and Bills was how quickly they were able to push the ball downfield. ### Average Depth of Target (less than 2.5 seconds to throw) - **Patrick Mahomes:** 2.3 yards (aDOT) - **Josh Allen:** 3.6 yards (aDOT) - **Tua Tagovailoa:** 5.8 yards (aDOT) The Dolphins also called these quick passes more often than the Chiefs and Bills. - **Patrick Mahomes:** 42.7% of dropbacks (DBs) - **Josh Allen:** 46.6% of DBs - **Tua Tagovailoa:** 61.7% of DBs In 2023, that meant Tua was attempting about 22 quick passes per game and completing 16 of them. He was third in the NFL in yards per completion on quick throws and one of three signal callers to average better than 10 yards per quick completion. - **Tua Tagovailoa:** 10.59 yards - **Jake Browning:** 11.07 yds (**Joe Burrow:** 8.25 yds) - **Brock Purdy:** 11.80 yds However, Browning and Purdy didn't complete nearly as many quick completions per game as Tagovailoa. - **Tua Tagovailoa:** 16.11/per game - **Jake Browning:** 12/gm (**Joe Burrow:** 17/gm) - **Brock Purdy:** 9.68/gm Overall, that made for a stark difference in yards per game on quick throws. - **Tua Tagovailoa:** 170.61 passing yards per game on quick completions - **Jake Browning:** 132.89 yds (**Joe Burrow:** 139.20 yds) - **Brock Purdy:** 114.26 yds Here's how the rest of the Top 15 stacked up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-06-at-12.43.24-AM.png) Mac Jones looks like he'd be able to run the Jaguars quick-passing offense. So, alright: why is this relevant for fantasy football? Mike McDaniel has turned the game of inches into a game of milliseconds and turned Tua Tagovailoa into the Quickest Draw in the West. For fantasy, it makes sense to target the quick game and compile those sweet, sweet PPR points. As Denny Carter recently [pointed out](https://www.nbcsports.com/fantasy/football/news/2024-nfl-draft-which-rookie-receivers-are-target-earners?ref=bandit.football), there's nothing wrong with wanting the easy stuff. To that effect, the first player the Dolphins signed in free agency this offseason was tight end **Jonnu Smith.** I wondered why he was such a priority for McDaniel and the front office, but it didn't take long to figure that out. > Jonnu Smith reached a top speed of 21.15 mph on his 60-yard touchdown, the 3rd-fastest speed by a tight end as a ball carrier in the NGS era (since 2016). > > Smith is the only TE to reach 20+ mph as a ball carrier since the start of last season.[#MINvsATL](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MINvsATL?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=bandit.football) | [#DirtyBirds](https://twitter.com/hashtag/DirtyBirds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=bandit.football) [pic.twitter.com/PO2nRfir4b](https://t.co/PO2nRfir4b?ref=bandit.football) > > — Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) [November 5, 2023](https://twitter.com/NextGenStats/status/1721262325741883433?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=bandit.football) In the animation above, **Taylor Heinicke** takes the shotgun snap and immediately fires out wide to Jonnu Smith for a tight-end screen. Jonnu gets key blocks from fellow TE **MyCole Pruitt** and the right side of the Falcons' line and is off to the races, hitting a top speed of 21.15 mph (third fastest by a TE since 2016). Smith's athleticism brings welcome juice to the Dolphins TE room that will force defenses to pay more attention to where he's lined up before the snap. Imagine the play below against the Chiefs with Jonnu on the field instead of **Julian Hill.** (Julian's the tight end in Tua's sightline running across the NFL shield). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-08-at-12.00.51-AM.png) Play diagram by Ted Nguyen (The Athletic) Maybe Tua and McDaniel would've been more willing to take the checkdown rather than wait for Tyreek to get open downfield, which resulted in an incompletion. [Last November](https://theathletic.com/5045628/2023/11/11/dolphins-elite-tua-tyreek-fangio/?ref=bandit.football), The Athletic's Ted Nguyen wrote about the Dolphins tendency to forgo the easy stuff in favor of explosive plays. That was all fine and dandy when the Dolphins were blowing out bad teams. However, when they played a team with a winning record their effectiveness fell off a cliff. Just how bad did it get? When Tua held onto the ball for more than 2.5 seconds against good teams, he was less effective than **Zach Wilson.** In fact, he was more than *three times as bad.* Nguyen added: > There’s a better balance between going deep and short that the Dolphins have to find. Aggressiveness has served Tua Tagovailoa well, but sometimes, it’s OK to drive the ball with short passes, especially when defenses are dropping so deep against them. Jonnu Smith should also help open things in the run game, which got faster in the draft with 4th-round pick **Jaylen Wright.** The former Volunteer ran a 4.38 forty at the NFL Combine and recently turned 21 years old. With **Raheem Mostert** (who recently turned 32) and De'Von Achane's injury histories, adding another speed demon to the backfield should help the Dolphins' quick-passing game stay on schedule this season and beyond. Nguyen also suggests the Dolphins' rushing attack could take advantage of light boxes with inside handoffs when the defense is spread out to cover the Dolphins perimeter threats. > Against the Chiefs, on the potential game-winning drive, Raheem Mostert had runs of 25 and 19 yards on inside runs against light boxes. Seventh-round wideout **Tahj Washington** might be able to help in both areas. Pro Football Focus's Trevor Sikkema noted USC "used him all over," lining him up in the backfield and out wide as a slot, flanker, H-back, and running back. The former Trojan was **Caleb Williams'** most productive receiver at USC last season, leading the team in catches, receiving yards, 1st-down receptions, and contested catches despite standing 5'9" and weighing 174 lbs. Tahj played in Lincoln Riley's spread scheme with heavy motion the past two seasons, which should make for an easy transition into the Dolphins' jet-motion wrinkle that was quickly copied by playcallers around the league. “We call it ‘cheat’ because it’s cheating,” [Kyle Shanahan said in September](https://theathletic.com/5367155/2024/03/27/nfl-short-motion-play-adoption/?ref=bandit.football). “It’s cool to get ’em running sideways, and still hit it vertically.” Lucky for Shanahan and McDaniel and the rest of the creative playcallers league-wide, the NFL did not ban "cheat" during their annual rules summit this spring. As a refresher, here's how lethal it can be. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-08-at-11.44.21-PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-08-at-11.47.05-PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-08-at-11.46.18-PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-08-at-11.46.46-PM.png) Play diagram by Drew Jordan (The Athletic) In this play against the Chargers, Tua lined up in shotgun, which should've tipped off the defense that the play may take more than 2.5 seconds to develop. One way to neutralize that tip? Get Tyreek Hill up to 8 mph by the time the ball is snapped and 16 mph by the time he hits the line of scrimmage. When Tyreek breaks his route off toward the middle of the field, the cornerback is completely turned around and Tua hits Tyreek in stride for a 20+ yard explosive play. The "cheat" is the motion before the snap that allows Tyreek to get up to 8 mph in a step or two. The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue reported on the Dolphins commitment to getting the timing of these motions just right. > Over seemingly endless reps last summer, Tagovailoa and the offense timed the concept so that the motion player could legally cut upfield right at the snap.... NFL motion rules prohibit vertical movement until the ball is snapped, as well as multiple simultaneous motions. As awesome as this wrinkle was for the Dolphins and copycats around the league, better teams were able to keep up with their speed and the Dolphins became more predictable, had more negative plays, and were frequently penalized for holding calls and false starts. > Nguyen: "Those plays will remain a big component of the offense, but the Dolphins have to turn down the dial a notch.... Against better teams, the Dolphins have to learn how to eat their vegetables. It doesn’t have to be the whole meal, but they need to have a place on the plate. That also includes checking the ball down and not trying to force-feed Tyreek Hill so much." I believe the Dolphins ate their vegetables with the 184th pick in the draft. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/05/Untitled-design--26--2.png) **Malik Washington's** top routes are hitches, outs, screens, and corners. Travis Wingfield of the Miami Dolphins Podcast Network adds: > "That's where the space exists within the Dolphins' current personnel and some things that teams took away last year." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-12-at-11.37.48-PM.png) Malik Washington's 2023 route data (PFF) Malik led all of college football with 110 receptions, 10 games of 100+ yards, and 35 forced missed tackles in 2023\. To be fair, it was his fifth season of eligibility. During his first four years in school, Malik studied at Northwestern and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. He graduated with his degree in psychology, then transferred to Virginia and earned his master's degree in higher education—all while being the most productive wide receiver in college football. In a three-game sample reviewed by Yahoo! Sports and Reception Perception's Matt Harmon, Washington was brought down on first contact on 45% of 20 attempts and broke multiple tackles on a handful of them. > "He's a YAC player, a run after catch player, perfect for the Dolphins offense, reliable, has the hands." Over 52 games, Malik caught 230 passes while only registering six drops. Steve Smith, whom Malik grew up idolizing, invited him on his podcast during the pre-draft process. The two broke down Malik's game tape and Steve gave his stamp of approval. > I thought you really understood exactly how to play in the slot, the rhythm and the timing of the offense. I think you don't need to be taught that. It's instinctively who you are. He then asked Malik "what's your 'why' in running routes?" > Malik: "When I think about routes, it's to get open—I want to be quarterback friendly. So, every single play when I'm running my route it's to be available for the quarterback, to find a way — if he's getting pressured, if he's scrambling, any instance — I gotta be open for him. It's less about me doing all the stuff in my route. It's about being open as quick as possible for my quarterback." They end the interview by talking about the common scouting malpractice of player comparisons and how shorter wide receivers only ever get compared to other shorter WRs, guys like **Wan'Dale Robinson** and **Tutu Atwell.** > "I don't understand why \[the comp's\] not on play style. Why are they always trying to match up a frame or forty time." I've got your back, Malik. How does **Amon-Ra St. Brown** sound for a comp? Let's start with the stuff everyone's trying to match up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-07-at-3.13.16-PM.png) Relative Athletic Score (data by Kent Lee Platte) What jumps out? To me, it's the bench press, and I think that speaks to Malik's want for comps to be based on play style. "You can feel his rugged toughness on tape," an NFL Scout told Dane Brugler, who added Malik has "better finishing skills than his size would suggest." Looking back at Brugler's 2021 prospect guide, he had this to say about St. Brown: "Physical after the catch and runs with tackle-breaking strength." The similarities between the two don't stop there: - High-level body control, excellent adjustment and tracking skills - Strong hands, drops are rare - Instinctively read coverage, create separation Brugler also notes their weaknesses. Here's the first line of each: - **Amon-Ra:** "Not an intimidating target, with only average height and length" - **Malik:** "Undersized and underpowered with short arms" Lucky for us, this does not matter for fantasy football. In fact, since (at least) 2017, I would argue their relatively smaller stature is a strength. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/05/Untitled-design--31-.png) I looked at FantasyPros' season-long data for wide receivers dating back to 2017 and broke down the Top 36 in each season by a few key size metrics: height, weight, arm length. Prospects routinely described as undersized by the scouting community typically stand under 6' tall, weigh under 200 lbs., and/or have at most 31" arms. I wanted to know which of the Top 36 PPR WRs fell into the "smalls" bucket while also tallying at least 5 catches, 8 targets, or 70+ receiving yards per game on a season-long basis. By the 2020 season, the WR1s were split down the middle between talls and smalls, but the shorter receivers had taken over the Top 5. Why did I start with the 2017 season? That's when Sean McVay was hired by the Rams and [11 personnel](https://www.bandit.football/we-should-be-starting-1-rb-3-wr/) swiftly took over the league. This is the new normal in the NFL: starting three wide receivers and one running back is the base offensive formation. Defenses have countered by shifting from their traditional 3-4 or 4-3 fronts by subtracting a linebacker and adding a slot or nickel cornerback. In 2023, the Associated Press added slot cornerback to their All-Pro rosters for the first time. The Dolphins should run more 11 personnel this season and Malik Washington stands to benefit, as he fits right in with their wide receiver corps. Literally. - **Malik Washington:** 5'8.5", 190 lbs., 30 3/8" arms - **Tyreek Hill:** 5'8", 185 lbs., 30 1/2" arms - **Jaylen Waddle:** 5'9.5", 180 lbs., 30 3/8" arms That's how the three measured up during the scouting process. And although Malik Washington has been projected by many to be slot-only in the NFL, the Dolphins may be comfortable moving their similarly sized wideouts around the formation. That would be great for Malik's short-term fantasy outlook and his dynasty prospects. If you had to guess, how do you think Tyreek Hill has fared in the fantasy playoffs over the course of his career? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-13-at-1.20.34-AM.png) That's seven WR1 finishes in a possible 24 fantasy playoff weeks (29%) and five games tallying 20 or more PPR points (21%). Not exactly the best return on a first-round fantasy pick, particularly when you hope he cracks 20 points in your lineup. What about Amon-Ra St. Brown? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-13-at-1.36.51-AM.png) It pays to be a quarterback-friendly target who can rack up easy receptions and stack those PPR points. Malik Washington profiles as the type of player who can fill this specific role through the Dolphins' ultra-speedy lens. > Brugler: "Washington has extraordinary quickness and gets up to top speed in a hurry to immediately put cornerbacks in conflict (**Malik Nabers** and **Rome Odunze** were the only players in the 2024 draft class who had more catches of 20-plus yards in 2023)." Now, the Dolphins and Tua need to be willing to take the easy stuff and not always go big-play hunting. This will take some time, but it seems to be in Mike McDaniel's plans. > Passion and toughness. > > The call that made [@malik\_w2](https://twitter.com/malik%5Fw2?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=bandit.football) a Dolphin 📞 [pic.twitter.com/49jLCHlpnX](https://t.co/49jLCHlpnX?ref=bandit.football) > > — Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) [April 28, 2024](https://twitter.com/MiamiDolphins/status/1784615192724173059?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=bandit.football) That's a short clip of Dolphins GM Chris Grier talking to Malik Washington from Miami's war room on Day 3 of the NFL Draft. Grier says McDaniel "zeroed in on" Washington and had been "bugging him to draft him the past couple rounds." McDaniel hops on the call to say "that's an understatement. I've been seriously annoying towards him." McDaniel adds: "Your rookie year can be very productive if you're a pro, which I know you can immediately, because you're going to have the opportunity and it can be as much as you want it." Ten days later, the Miami Dolphins signed **Odell Beckham Jr.** to a 1-year contract with $1.2 million guaranteed. To put that deal in perspective, though, last offseason OBJ signed a 1-year contract with the Ravens for $13.835 million guaranteed. The Odell signing smacks of vanity. Mike McDaniel is a vibes-based coach, and although I only watched a bit of the first episode of the in-season Miami Dolphins *Hard Knocks* (seriously, did anyone watch that?), I saw enough to confirm my vibes-based take: McDaniel talks to the camera about how he is there to support his players "on their journey" and blah-blah-blah. Odell Beckham Jr.'s journey, much like **Jordan Poyer's,** is nearing the end of his playing career. I do not expect this signing to greatly alter Malik (or Tahj) Washington's fantasy prospects in 2024 or beyond, and if anything it allows the rookies to work in silence and acclimate as Tyreek and OBJ suck up all the media attention they can handle. Regardless, Malik Washington probably isn't on the redraft radar heading into summer and fall and the OBJ signing does a lot to mask his potential. Just be sure to grab him off the waiver wire before the Dolphins BYE week (at latest). In dynasty, Malik Washington is currently the WR20 (42nd overall player) in superflex rookie rankings, according to 43 experts on FantasyPros. Malik has an average draft position of Pick 40 in *non-*superflex formats. Keep Trade Cut currently ranks Malik Washington as the #246 overall player in superflex tight-end premium dynasty formats with half-PPR scoring, one spot behind **Jonathan Mingo** and two spots behind a late 2025 3rd-round rookie pick. Take advantage while you can. ### Patrick Mahomes Reloaded URL: https://www.bandit.football/patrick-mahomes-reloaded/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:46:41.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/Untitled-design--5-.png) Kansas City will play San Francisco in the Super Bowl for the second time in four seasons. **Patrick Mahomes** has made the AFC Championship game in each of his six seasons as Chiefs starting quarterback. This will be their fourth Super Bowl and his second chance at going back-to-back. He's Tom Brady and LeBron James rolled into one. As a Bills fan, watching him dice up the league while **Josh Allen** careens down the Philip Rivers trajectory isn't exactly what I would describe as a fun time. But that's real life and I'm here to talk about fantasy football. Specifically, how Kansas City will look in 2024 in their post–**Travis Kelce** era. The Chiefs project to have a $245 million salary cap in 2024\. How they allocate those real dollars will impact the way we play our fake football game. I tried to figure out how Kansas City general manager Brett Veach will spend those millions by first looking back at what he's done over seven years on the job. ## Brett Veach as Chiefs Boss ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/AP_17215812099601.jpg) Brett Veach with his T-shirt tucked into his gym shorts. When Andy Reid was hired as Chiefs head coach on January 4, 2013, Brett Veach, then a Philadelphia scout, followed along and was promoted to the front office. From 2013-2017, Chiefs GM John Dorsey called the shots, but as far as I can tell the new guys had a say in the decision-making. The Chiefs brought in former Eagles wide receivers **Jason Avant** (at 31 years old in 2014) and **Jeremy Maclin** (at 27 in 2015). Other than those two, Dorsey stuck to the collegiate ranks to add pass-catchers on Day 2 or Day 3 and as undrafted free agents (UDFAs). - 2014: **De'Anthony Thomas** (4th Round), **Albert Wilson** and **Frankie Hammond** (UDFAs) - 2015: **Chris Conley** (3rd Round) - 2016: **Demarcus Robinson** (4th Round) and **Tyreek Hill** (5th Round) - 2017: **Jehu Chesson** (4th Round) and **Marcus Kemp** (UDFA) During the same three-year stretch, the Chiefs picked up tight ends **Brian Parker** (a Rochester, NY native!) and former basketball-players-turned-TEs **Demetrius Harris** and **Ross Travis** as UDFAs. > And with the 10th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select **Patrick Mahomes.** A few months later, Brett Veach began his tenure as general manager. The Chiefs entered the 2017 season with nine pass-catchers on their roster: seven wideouts and two tight ends. **Albert Wilson** was the highest paid wide receiver ($1,797,000) and **Travis Kelce** (a 3rd Rounder in 2013) was their highest paid tight end ($5,418,400). **Tyreek Hill** was 23 years old and making $586,260\. All in all, the nine guys accounted for 7.2% of the Chiefs' 2017 cap. 📊 **This article relies on contract details made available by Spotrac.com* The next year, Veach's first offseason calling the shots, the Chiefs signed presumptive No. 1 WR **Sammy Watkins** to help develop their second-year QB.Heled a receiving corps that ballooned to nine wideouts and five tight ends, accounting for 14.74% of the 2018 cap—more than double what they spent under Dorsey's watch. ### Chiefs Pass Catchers (WRs + TEs) — Cap % - **2017 —** 7.2% - **2018 —** 14.74% - **2019 —** 19.46% - **2020 —** 21.83% - **2021 —** 16.18% - **2022 —** 12.26% - **2023 —** 15.87% Tyreek's departure and Mahomes' contract extension—which will seemingly be restructured until the end of time—led to a decrease in pass-catcher spend in 2022 and 2023. Spotrac's Michael Ginnitti suggests the Chiefs will convert Mahomes' 2024 roster bonus into a signing bonus to free up $27.9 million of cap space. The Chiefs have done this twice previously, in March 2021 and March 2023, in addition to restructuring Mahomes' deal this past September. At some point, the tax man will come for the Chiefs. But in the meantime, they'll pray Mahomes can play at an elite level into his late thirties or early forties or maybe into his fifties for goodness sake. For now, I would expect the Chiefs to spend even less on their pass-catchers in 2024, possibly dipping under 10% for the first time since Veach took over and Mahomes was named starting quarterback. That's how other teams among the league leaders in quarterback spending have operated since at least 2020. ### Top 5 QB Spenders Since 2020 — Cap % - **Quarterbacks:** 15.85% - **WRs + TEs:** 10.38% - **Total Offense:** 42.4% - **Total Defense:** 29.78% - **I.R. + Dead Cap:** 19.95% - **Special Teams:** The rest (didn't calculate, sorry) Based on their projected $245 million cap, that would leave a little more than $25 million for the Chiefs' 2024 pass-catchers. For comparison's sake, take the Green Bay Packers' 2022 offseason when they gave **Aaron Rodgers** a 3-year contract with $150 million guaranteed and franchise-tagged **Davante Adams** before trading the star receiver to the Raiders. Green Bay spent 15.5% of their salary cap on pass-catchers in 2021, but they were below 10% in 2022 and the combined 97-year-old trio of **Randall Cobb, Allen Lazard,** and **Marcedes Lewis** accounted for more than half of it. The Packers drafted **Amari Rodgers** in the 3rd Round in 2021, picked **Christian Watson** in the 2nd and **Romeo Doubs** in the 4th in 2022, and went back to the pass-catching well with **Luke Musgrave, Jayden Reed, Tucker Kraft,** and **Dontayvion Wicks** on Day 2 and Day 3 last April. The Cheeseheads benefited from having a surplus of picks in each of the past three drafts, making 13 selections in 2023, 11 in 2022, and 9 in 2021\. As of this writing, the Chiefs have just six picks in 2024 and it's a near-lock they'll add at least one new TE at some point during the offseason. ## Travis Kelce Heads to TV ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/Kelce.webp) Travis Kelce on **Saturday Night Live* (March 4, 2023). **Travis Kelce** is going to retire. He would be foolish not to. The *New Heights* podcast hosted by Travis and **Jason Kelce** debuted in September 2022.Fast-forward to this past week when the show racked up more than 100,000 live viewers on YouTube and had more than 2 million total views while ranking as the No. 2 trending video a day later. The Manning brothers, Pat McAfee, and Rob Gronkowski laid the blueprint for Travis to walk away, at least temporarily. It's easy to imagine network executives pitching a "Manningcast"-type show hosted by the Kelce brothers that may or may not feature the occasional guest spot from the most famous pop star on the planet. Gronk retired in 2019 but returned a year later, and Travis could do the same—perhaps even sooner. If Travis retires this offseason, the Chiefs would be on the hook for a little more than $5 million in dead cap. But what if he decides to return for their playoff run? The Chiefs would retain Travis's playing rights and, I mean, it's hard to imagine any network wouldn't allow him the "time off" to go play for the Chiefs. This type of insane popularity surrounding the Kelce brothers is fleeting and they should look to cash in while they can. As for the Chiefs, replacing Travis will likely be done by committee. ### Non-Kelce Tight Ends Under Contract - **Noah Gray** (through 2024) — $1,133,444 cap hit That's it! If Travis Kelce retires, Brett Veach has a few weeks to decide if Noah Gray is the heir apparent. That's not fair, and Gray shouldn't be viewed as such (even if he almost certainly will be). I don't think Kansas City will approach their offseason with Noah Gray as a focal point of their offense. Rather, I would expect them to try to replace Kelce's production "in the aggregate" as they did in the post-Tyreek seasons. But still, the Chiefs have typically rostered three tight ends during the Andy Reid era, so they've got some shopping to do. ### Break the Bank for Dalton Schultz? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/download.jpeg) He sort of looks like Kelce, if you squint? **Dalton Schultz** is the big name tight end on the market this offseason, coming off another successful campaign IRL and in fantasy football. Schultz projects to "secure the bag" at 3 years, $34 million or roughly $11.3 million per season. With Kelce currently on the books for $15.5 million—with $5.1 million in dead cap if he were to retire—signing Schultz at his projected contract valuation seems unlikely as it would increase Kansas City's spend at the position. There's an argument to be made Schultz could provide similar production, though, if he were plugged directly into the Kelce role. Here's how he and other free agents stacked up against the Chiefs TEs in 2023: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-26-at-1.25.07-PM-1.png) Targets per game, Routes per game, Target% per route run, Average depth of target Alas, it appears the Chiefs won't be able to sign Schultz away from the Texans. When he signed a 1-year deal for $6 million with Houston last March, the Texans prorated his signing bonus over four years, which means they'd be on the hook for $3.4 million in dead cap if they let Schultz walk in free agency but could avoid the hit if they were able to sign him to an extension. Given that the Texans top two wide receivers are on rookie deals, handing Schultz an extension seems like a lock unless another team outbids them. Plan B: What if Kansas City scales up Noah Gray's usage? Could he approximate **Hunter Henry's** numbers from the 2023 season if, say, he saw 4+ targets a game and ran more than 25 routes per? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-26-at-1.27.42-PM-1.png) Yards per route run, Long reception, Yards after catch/reception, YAC/target Gray nearly tripled Henry's yards after catch (YAC) per target in 2023 and more than doubled his YAC per reception at a fraction of his salary. A free agent this offseason, Henry projects for a 2 year, $14.3 million deal. Making the decision more clear is how Kansas City prefers to use their pass-catching tight ends. They lined up Kelce and Gray out wide, inline, and out of the slot but barely asked them to pass block. Maybe Gray is the heir apparent after all? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-26-at-1.28.32-PM-1.png) Tight end alignment before the snap **Prediction:** Travis Kelce retires and hypes 25-year-old Noah Gray's potential while also stumping for 33-year-old **Blake Bell.** The loyal Chiefs, as they have done throughout the Andy Reid era, bring back their guys and consider a Noah Gray extension. They also add a rookie TE in the draft or as a UDFA and a veteran on a minimum contract later in the offseason (maybe an ex-hooper like **Mo Alie-Cox**), carrying four TEs on their active roster. The foursome isn't all that fantasy relevant early on but that's OK. They pave the way for the **Rashee Rice** takeover. ## Rashee Rice Is Drafted at His Ceiling ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/01h9s5rn57w502rte54x.webp) Can we get much higher? So high. Welcome to the 1-2 turn, young legend. **Rashee Rice** was more effective in 2023 than **Deebo Samuel.** The rookie earned more targets per game, had a higher catch percentage, picked up more first downs, gained more yards, and had more yards after the catch. I'm just talking about receiving and not factoring in Deebo's rushing, but still: Since Week 11, Rashee Rice has been an absolute menace. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/Add-a-heading--1-.png) Then again, 60 wide receivers averaged at least 5 targets per game during the 2023 season and Rice had the shallowest average depth of target (aDoT) by a country mile. Not really, but the next closest WRs were **Wan'Dale Robinson** (5.5 aDoT), **Jaxon Smith-Njigba** (6.4 aDoT), and **Curtis Samuel** (7.1 aDoT) and each gained far fewer yards than Rice, on average, when they were out there running routes. Wan'Dale, JSN, and Curtis Samuel also ran 70% of their routes from the slot whereas Rice split his time 50/50 between the slot and out wide. So, I wanted to focus on the wide receivers who were used across the formation and not primarily in the slot. More specifically, I was looking for wide receivers who racked up receiving yardage at a higher clip when dividing by the number of routes they ran over the course of the season (YPRR). 💡 Yards per route run (YPRR) is a useful stat for fantasy projections if we're able to gauge how often a player will be on the field for passing plays and actually running a route. To get to the guys who truly compare to Rice, we have to aim our targets a bit further downfield. - **Rashee Rice —** 5.2 aDoT | 2.48 YPRR | 49.1% slot - **Deebo Samuel —** 7.2 aDoT | 2.34 YPRR | 31.9% slot - **Amon-Ra St. Brown —** 7.4 aDoT | 2.62 YPRR | 55.6% slot - **Puka Nacua —** 9.4 aDoT | 2.75 YPRR | 30.3% slot - **CeeDee Lamb —** 10.4 aDoT | 2.69 YPRR | 58.6% slot Damn good company. Now, here's where things get scary. ### Yards Per Game — % Yards Gained After Catch - **Rashee Rice —** 69.51% - **Deebo Samuel —** 59.61% - **Amon-Ra St. Brown —** 45.06% - **Puka Nacua —** 43.85% - **CeeDee Lamb —** 38.14% That, my fellow bandits, suggests Rice was running hot. Scalding, even. To see just how hot, I'm going to turn to Next Gen Stats and something they call "Incredible YAC." Rather than summarize it, though, I'm simply going to paste a bit from their website. (Please don't sue me.) 👟 ****Receiver X** catches the ball with no defenders near him and gets 10 yards after the catch. ****Receiver Y** catches the ball in tight coverage, breaks a tackle and gains 5 yards after the catch. What's more incredible? Expected Yards After Catch (xYAC) predicts the expected yards after catch an average receiver should gain on each reception by surveying tracking data the moment the ball reaches the receiver. The machine learning model takes into account numerous metrics such as receiver speed, separation, and defender location. Rashee Rice was 2nd in the NFL in Expected Yards After Catch with **6.5 (xYAC).** That tells me the Chiefs did a good job getting the ball to Rice in space and letting him menace after the catch In reality, Rice bested Next Gen's xYAC by nearly two yards to average 8.4 YAC, according to Amazon (or 8.5 YAC according to Pro Football Focus, because we can never agree on anything). Thirteen different receivers ran hotter than Rice in xYAC, or rather: 13 gained more yards than Amazon's math deemed attainable, including: - **Deebo** (3.9 yards over expected, 1st in the NFL) - **Puka** (2 yards over expected compared to Rice's paltry 1.9). - **Amon-Ra** checked in at 1 yard over expected - **CeeDee** was at 0.8 My reading of all that? It's advantageous to be better than the math. ### Can We Get Some Deeper Targets? Do we need them? Maybe stick to what's working? I don't know. Rice's average depth of target remains a concern and requires a little more digging, as I'm worried defenses will take away the manufactured or "schemed" looks after a full offseason studying Chiefs tape. Here's how Rashee's aDoT breaks down according to PFF stats: - **Behind the Line of Scrimmage (LOS):** 26.3% of targets - **Short Area (0-9 yards beyond LOS):** 50.9% - **Intermediate (10-19 yards beyond LOS):** 17.5% - **Deep (20+ yards beyond LOS):** 5.3% PFF also tracks receiving concepts and targets against defensive schemes: - **Slot Concepts:** 47.4% of targets - **Screen Passes:** 22.8% - **Man Coverage:** 33.3% - **Zone Coverage:** 52.6% What kind of coverage was Rashee Rice up against for the other 14.1% of targets? Beats me! And what good is all this intel if we can't compare it against some of the other guys to see how they performed in 2023? - **Slot Concepts:** Amon-Ra (55.9%), Keenan Allen (47.6%) - **Screen Passes:** Jayden Reed (21.6%), Deebo Samuel (20.2%) - **Man vs. Zone Coverage:** CeeDee Lamb(34% vs. 54.3%), Davante Adams (32.7% vs. 52%) And then there's the average depth of target comps: - **Behind the Line of Scrimmage:** Demario "Pop" Douglas (25%), Ja'Marr Chase (24.8%) - **Short Area (0-9 yards beyond LOS):** A.J. Brown (50.7%)**,** Garrett Wilson (49.7%) - **Intermediate (10-19 yards beyond LOS):** DJ Moore (18.9%), Zay Flowers (16.5%) - **Deep (20+ yards beyond LOS):** Deebo Samuel (9%), Adam Thielen (5.1%) Enough cherrypicking stats and more to the point: we could use about a dozen more deep shots to Rice in 2024, or fewer than one per game. That evolution seems doable based on Rice's increased usage across the formation and the likelihood the Chiefs move on from **Marquez Valdes-Scantling** this offseason. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-28-at-2.12.35-PM.png) Before the BYE week, after the BYE, first playoff game I'll get to MVS in a second. But I mean, c'mon. The Rashee Rice hype train has left the station. It is choo-chooing so hard and it's about to choo even harder. If Kelce retires, Rashee Rice could be a Top 12 pick in fantasy. But fine: let's say he takes a step back from this nine-game heater and, after a nice relaxing summer at Mahomesland running routes for hours on end with his winning-obsessed quarterback, let's say he operates at about 85% of the level he's maintained since this past Thanksgiving. According to my math, he'd end up with something like 90 receptions for 1,100 yards during the 17 week fantasy season. That would have been good for 14th best in receptions and 16th best in yards among WRs in 2023 and would add up to 200 fantasy points in PPR formats. Those numbers alone would have made him the WR29 in 2023 in PPR scoring, but there's just one problem with that: He finished the fantasy season as the WR21\. I didn't include touchdowns in my projection, my mistake. He scored seven in 2023, so let's say he's able to do that again. That would make him WR14 if positional scoring stayed on par with this past season. What if we can get a deeper aDoT for Rice in 2024? Would that be enough to bump him up to 1,300 yards? He'd be up to 270 PPR points in this scenario, which would've been the WR9 in 2023\. Pukawas the WR5 with 284.4 PPR points. I'm trying to remain calm. I'm trying to tell myself defenses have been drawn away by the magnetic pull of Kelce and it's affording Rice these monster YACko-tunities. I'm trying to remind myself Matt Nagy is the offensive coordinator, and yet. I can hear it now: "We have Rashee Rice ranked at the 1-2 turn and honestly? We might be a little low." ## The MVS Replacement ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/1243688997.0.webp) Here we go again. Oh, bother. Let's rip off the Band-Aid real quick: **Mike Evans** is not going to sign with the Chiefs. But OK, fine: t0 avoid being a total buzzkill, let's say the Chiefs are able to get a deal done with Mr. One Thousand because he's the perfect MVS replacement. Evans had 41 deep targets over 19 games in 2023, good for tops in the NFL. The next closest WR who also made it to the Divisional Round was not MVS but his Chiefs' teammate **Justin Watson** with 22 such targets. 😵‍💫 I wrote this before the Conference Championship and MVS's game-sealing reception, his second deep catch in as many weeks. Evans brought in 17 of his 41 deep targets for 552 yards and 8 touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus. In 2022, he was Top 5 in deep targets (20+ yards downfield) with 32 in 16 games. He was tied for 8th among wideouts in 2021 and stood alone as 3rd in 2020, when **Tyreek Hill** led the league with 38 deep shots. The 2020 season leaderboard, in particular, features plenty of guys who will be unrestricted free agents this March: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-27-at-3.31.06-PM.png) Dumb stands for "Deep, unreliable maybe balls" PFF includes stats for deep contested catches and deep catch percentage, as well as tracking the drops on these on-target throws 20+ yards downfield. To try and simplify these deep stats into one metric, I came up with formula for a stat I'm calling Dumb Targets. Dumb Targets, or "deep, unreliable maybe ball" targets, subtract the harder-to-catch contested targets as well as the player's drop rate to try and get a more accurate percentage of how worthwhile these deep shots tend to be. Truly Dumb Targets takes this a step further by illustrating how often these deep shots tend to end up as incomplete wind sprints. In 2020, more than half of the deep targets for **Tee Higgins, Allen Robinson, Chase Claypool,** and **MVS** were Truly Dumb, but lumping them together sort of undersells just how Dumb those **Aaron Rodgers** throws were to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. More than 40% of MVS's targets in 2020 were deep shots, meaning the frequency with which Aaron Rodgers was launching Truly Dumb targets toward MVS far outpaced those Cincy threw to Higgins (26.7%), Chicago threw to Robinson (14%), or Pittsburgh threw to Claypool (29.1%). And yet the Chiefs still signed MVS to a contract after that. They can get out of it for a $2 million dead-cap penalty this March. Since MVS currently has a 2024 cap hit of $13.98 million, I would expect him to be released before free agency begins. That would free up nearly $12 million for the Chiefs to spend however they see fit. As far as the Dumb Target merchants set to be unrestricted free agents in the table above, here's where Spotrac values their next contracts: - **Mike Evans** — 4 years, $95.3 million ($23.8 avg.) - **Tee Higgins** — 4 years, $74.4 million ($18.6 avg.) - **Calvin Ridley** — 4 years, $68.2 million ($17.1 avg.) - **Marquise Brown —** 4 years, $59.5 million ($14.9 avg.) - **Gabe Davis —** 4 years, $54.5 million ($13.6 avg.) - **Darnell Mooney —** 4 years, $42 million ($10.5 avg.) - **DJ Chark —** 1 year, $11 million - **Nelson Agholor —** 1 year, $1.6 million - **Chase Claypool —** Vet minimum For everyone's sanity and especially **DJ Chark's,** let's hope the Chiefs go in a different direction. Before moving on to the guy I think they might like to add, I'll just say that if Kansas City truly wants to make a splash and land Mike Evans they could structure his contract in a way that makes sense for cap purposes. I don't expect them to do this, as they need to pay **Chris Jones** and **L'Jarius Sneed,** among others, and have key contracts coming up next offseason, but just in case they do, I gotta ask: Did you watch Mike Evans this season? He had to come off the field after basically every deep route. He was absolutely gassed and it's not going to get any easier as the First Ballot Hall of Famer turns 31 in August. Oh, and one more thing: **Tee Higgins** is a name that jumps out in the table above, not because I think he'd join the Chiefs and go Judas Mode against the Bengals (nor do I think **Gabe Davis** would do that to the Bills), but because the Carolina Panthers hired Dave Canales as their head coach and I've been kicking around the idea for awhile now that they could sign Higgins to accelerate **Bryce Young's** development. Seeing as Canales just coached **Mike Evans** to a massive season and used to coach **DK Metcalf,** I feel like the idea will gain even more steam in the coming weeks. I'd revisit the Dumb Targets table, though, if the Panthers expect Higgins to convert deep shots at a rate that's on par with Mike Evans. ## Remembering Some Guys ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/Darnell-Mooney-and-Matt-Nagy.webp) Could the Chiefs sign Darnell Mooney—a former Matt Nagy draft pick? **Anthony Miller** signed a reserve/future contract with the Chiefs last Tuesday, January 23, 2024\. He was drafted in the 2nd Round in 2018 by the Bears during Matt Nagy's first season as head coach. That year, he was part of a receiving corps that featured **Allen Robinson** and **Darnell Mooney,** both of whom are unrestricted free agents this March. It's safe to say Mooney won't be back with Chicago. The team fired their offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, among others, on January 10. Over his four seasons in Chicago, roughly a quarter of Mooney's targets were deep shots 20+ yards downfield. He pulled in 19 of them and took 4 of them to the house over the course of 60 games. He also has something the Chiefs covet: speed. ### NFL Combine 40 Times - **Mecole Hardman —** 4.33 (2019) - **Chris Conley —** 4.35 (2015) - **MVS** — 4.37 (2018) - **Isiah Pacheco —** 4.37 (2022) - **Darnell Mooney —** 4.38 (2020) - **Kadarius Toney** — 4.38 (2021) - **Jerick McKinnon —** 4.41 (2014) - **Skyy Moore —** 4.41 (2022) - **Sammy Watkins —** 4.43 (2014) - **Albert Wilson —** 4.43 (2014) - **Byron Pringle** — 4.46 (2018) - **Jehu Chesson** — 4.47 (2017) - **Richie James** — 4.48 (2018) Then there's Mooney's drive and toughness illustrated in [this](https://theathletic.com/3420624/2022/07/14/darnell-mooney-chicago-bears-receiver/?ref=bandit.football) Dan Pompei profile from 2022\. Here's a bit from the opening (please don't sue me): > It's a little past midnight at the Bears' indoor practice facility. > > One man, without company, practices releases and runs routes. He does his drills over and over, breathing hard, sweating, contemplating what he calls the "geometry of routes" — the degrees of his cuts, the angles of defenders, the alignments of coverages." > > What is Darnell Mooney doing here? Why isn't he sleeping or gaming or hanging with the fellas? > > Well, he isn't interested in much other than playing wide receiver. His idea of a diversion is stepping around a cornerback on a pass route. > > Mooney didn't take a vacation between January and July. In his two years with the Bears, he has gone out at night in Chicago just once. He went to a club only because his quarterback, Justin Fields, set it up. Has anyone told Mooney that Mahomes has a football field in his backyard? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/mahomesbackyard_square.jpg) Mahomesland The bugaboo with Mooney has been the injuries. His Rotoworld blurb page is lengthy with assorted lower-body ailments, most significantly a season-ending ankle injury that limited him to 12 games in 2022\. There was also the concussion this past season that caused him to miss the final two contests. Going back to his toughness, though, he has played through much of the aches and pains over the years, but still: He's 5'11" and 173 lbs. Slight receivers have proven they can produce and are becoming more of the norm in the NFL as playcallers work to get the ball to their dynamic athletes in space by any means necessary, as the Chiefs have done this season with Rashee Rice. Mooney would complement Rice's short-area skill set with an ability to take the top off and work the intermediate part of the field, as well as contribute in the short area opposite Rice. He's also primarily worked as a WR2 in the NFL, opposite **Allen Robinson** in 2020-21 and **DJ Moore** in 2023. That's a big part of all this, I think, as the Chiefs should look to elevate Rice as the true focal point of their offense while he's still on a rookie deal, and anyone they bring in should be there as a complement to Rice and not an outright threat for the WR1 spot, like a **Mike Evans,** **Calvin Ridley,** or **Hollywood Brown** signing would be. Anyway, this is probably giving Matt Nagy too much credit as far as having some say in personnel decisions. Big Red already threw him a bone, it seems, with the futures contract for Anthony Miller. I wonder if Andy Reid has been keeping tabs on his old O.C. over in Washington? ## **Go-Go Gadget** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/download--1-.jpeg) Curtis Samuel would fill a vital role in the Andy Reid offense: Trickeration I keep going back to the Chiefs drafting **De'Anthony Thomas** in the 4th Round in Andy Reid's second year with the team. Reid was succeeded by Chip Kelly in Philadelphia, who had left behind a powerhouse Oregon Ducks offense propelled by De'Anthony Thomas. As a freshman in 2011, Thomas eclipsed 400 yards in rushing, receiving, and returning. He had 2,235 yards across the categories and 18 total touchdowns. Just ridiculous stuff, and easy to see why Reid was attracted to the hybrid's skillset. As of this writing, the Washington Commanders do not have a head coach. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was interviewed for the job but Lions OC Ben Johnson is considered the heavy favorite after Detroit's playoff exit. Would Ben Johnson retain Bieniemy if hired? Would Bieniemy be able to get another job elsewhere, quickly, or will they all have been filled? There's a world where Andy Reid invites Bieniemy back with open arms as an associate head coach and advisor/consultant. It's hard to imagine he'd bring Bieniemy back and replace Nagy, but this is already getting too deep for a hypothetical and I'd rather just talk about **Curtis Samuel.** > *Curtis Samuel is one of those players where you want to type out his whole name every time because he has two first names (always a crowdpleaser, shout out to Matthew Berry).* Anyway, Curtis ran a 4.31 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in 2017\. That ties him with **Parris Campbell** (2019) as the fastest available unrestricted free agent WR on the market this March. Curtis, like De'Anthony, did damage on the ground and through the air in college while he was playing for Urban Meyer's Buckeyes. According to Wikipedia, he's the only Buckeye in school history to eclipse 1,000 career yards in both rushing and receiving. If Andy Reid's looking for a receiver who fits in with his more creative play-calling and provides more meaningful, reliable snaps than **Skyy Moore** and **Kadarius Toney,** then I'd expect the Chiefs to—at the very least—give Curtis Samuel's agent a call. Shiny toys probably aren't as high on the Chiefs wishlist this offseason, though. I'd expect the order to look something like this: 1. Speed 2. Sure Hands 3. Hybrid Playmakers ## Sure Hands ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-27-at-11.31.19-PM.png) Kendrick Bourne went 2 for 42 against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl four years ago. **Kendrick Bourne** had 37 receptions on 55 targets and zero drops for the Patriots in eight games this season before going down with a torn ACL. As you may have heard, the Chiefs struggled bigly with drops in 2023\. (For what it's worth, **Puka Nacua** and **Tyreek Hill** led the league in drops.) Kelce led the team with eight drops but had a respectable 7.1% drop rate, given that he saw 133 targets through the Divisional Round. Rashee Rice had three drops but that's fine, really, because he had a 3.2% drop rate. The rest of the pass-catchers were a liability. The Chiefs led the league with 34 dropped passes on 597 targets. As NFL Network's Bucky Brooks points out, "That 5.7% drop rate explains the significant decline in the offense's overall efficiency and production, with the bobbles and gaffes prematurely ending drives." He added: "The receiving corps' inconsistencies have affected Mahomes' willingness to pull the trigger on the kind of tight-window throws that routinely produced big plays in the past." ### **Chiefs WR Drops** - **Justin Watson —** 55 targets, five drops, 14.7% drop rate - **Kadarius Toney —** 37 targets, four drops, 12.9% drop rate - **MVS —** 46 targets, three drops, 11.1% drop rate - **Justyn Ross —** 11 targets, two drops, 25% drop rate - **Mecole Hardman —** 26 targets, two drops, 10.5% drop rate You think the Chiefs missed **Demarcus Robinson** this season? He had 29 receptions on 45 targets and zero drops for the Rams and was an integral part of their late-season surge and surprise playoff berth. I don't know, maybe the drops have been overblown. And I know MVS just made two huge catches en route to another Super Bowl appearance. If the season-long dropsies are part of the Chiefs' 2024 cap calculus, though, I feel obligated to mention the drop rates of some of the other UFAs I've mentioned throughout this long-ass article. ### Unrestricted Free Agents — Drops - **Darnell Mooney —** 55 targets, five drops, 13.9% drop rate - **Noah Brown —** 55 targets, five drops, 13.2% drop rate - **K.J. Osborn —** 73 targets, seven drops, 12.7% drop rate - **Tee Higgins —** 74 targets, six drops, 12.5% drop rate - **DJ Chark —** 62 targets, five drops, 12.5% drop rate - **Nick Westbrook-Ikhine —** 42 targets, four drops, 12.5% drop rate - **Brandon Powell —** 43 targets, three drops, 9.4% drop rate - **Calvin Ridley —** 132 targets, seven drops, 8.4% drop rate - **Mike Evans —** 146 targets, eight drops, 8.2% drop rate - **Gabe Davis —** 78 targets, four drops, 8.2% drop rate **Curtis Samuel** had 85 targets, four drops, and a 6.1% drop rate, so that seems fine! At a projected 3 year, $34.6 million contract he'd fit in with their budget, too. Plus, Andy would ratchet up Curtis's run-game usage and put him into that circus bullshit they call when they're bored in like Week 6, right? He'd certainly add a little flavor to the running game. Or, you know, they could get the King a ring. ## No One Backfield Should Have All That Power ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2024/01/usa_today_13650804.0.jpg) CHAOS REIGNS Just kidding. It's the **Isiah Pacheco** show. ## 2024 Chiefs Roster Predictions \*new additions in **bold** or *italicized* text - QBs: Patrick Mahomes, Blaine Gabbert - RBs: Isiah Pacheco, La'Mical Perine (or someone like **Michael Carter**), *UDFA rookie,veteran special teamer*(like **DeeJay Dallas**) - WRs: Rashee Rice, **Curtis Samuel,** Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney, *Day 2 or Day 3 rookie, UDFA rookie, vet minimum burner* (like **Nelson Agholor**) *or returner* (like **Brandon Powell**) - TEs: Noah Gray, Blake Bell, *Day 2 or Day 3 or UDFA rookie, vet minimum redzone threat or chain-mover* (like **Mo Alie-Cox** or **Tyler Conklin**), and Travis Kelce un-retiring for the playoffs --- - So You're Saying There's a Chance: **Kendrick Bourne, Darius Slayton** - Chaos Reigns: **DJ Chark, Antonio Gibson** --- - Mid-Season Trade Target: **Brandin Cooks**. For the bit! ### The Next WR1 — (Part 4) URL: https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-part-4/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:47:51.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/STretch.png) I've been deep in the sheets looking for wide receivers who will rise over the next seven weeks to help us win fantasy championships. It has not been as simple as tracking the wide receivers who have met the 12 target threshold, which I outlined in Parts 1, 2, and 3. [The Next WR1 — (Part 1)How a dozen targets became the threshold for elite WR seasons![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/04/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1.png)Bandit Fantasy FootballBandit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/09/nextwr1-1.png)](https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-after-two/) [The Next WR1 — (Part 2)21 wide receivers have seen at least 12 targets in a game through the first four weeks of the season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/04/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1.png)Bandit Fantasy FootballBandit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/The-Next--1-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-part-2/) [The Next WR1 — (Part 3)Predicting this season’s Top 25 PPR WRs![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/04/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1.png)Bandit Fantasy FootballBandit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/glow.png)](https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-part-3/) Since I published Part 3, nine more receivers have seen at least 12 targets in a game, which brings the season-long total to 32 different wideouts after 10 weeks. The nine who joined the party in Weeks 7-10, were: - **Chris Olave** - **Chris Godwin** - **Diontae Johnson** - **DK Metcalf** - **Gabe Davis** - **Jaylen Waddle** - **Terry McLaurin** - **Tank Dell** - **Tyler Boyd** In Part 3 of this series, I tried to predict the eventual Top 25 wide receivers of the 2023 season. Some have risen while others have fallen (so long, Cooper Kupp), and I'll revisit that prediction later on. Right now, I want to try and find the wide receivers who will string together a Top 12 stretch over the final seven weeks of the 2023 fantasy season. How the hell am I supposed to do that? ## The Process I started by looking at wide receivers who scored at least 0.1 points during any fantasy-relevant week since 2018, per FantasyPros statistics. I then split those seasons into two parts: Weeks 1-10; and the remaining fantasy-relevant weeks (Weeks 11-16 in 2018, 2019, and 2020; Weeks 11-17 in 2021 and 2022). The sample produced 351 total wide receiver weeks, or roughly 175 WR splits. Way, way too many guys and weeks. So, I had to figure out how to condense the data without bending the stats to my liking. ### Initial Culling First up: Getting rid of the splits where I thought wide receivers didn't play enough weeks to qualify. This knocked out 14 splits, including **Isaiah Hodgins's remarkable** late-season surge in 2022 and **A.J. Green's** unfortunate 2018 season, which ended after Week 11. I then added the weekly PPR finishes to the remaining WR splits. For example, if someone finished as the WR61 in Week 7 of the 2019 season, that was now part of the calculus. After that, I removed eight more splits because the wide receivers missed at least three games during the first 10 weeks of the season. 🧠 I figured it was best to include wide receivers who didn't miss a lot of time because those are the receivers I'd like to target as we approach our 2023 fantasy playoff runs. Lastly, I found it was best to eliminate wide receivers who tallied fewer than two Top 24 finishes during their first 10 weeks of the season. 132 wide receiver splits remained. ### 🥵 Hot Streaks ### & 🥶 Cold Streaks One thing I've noticed while diving into the data is how often it seems like wideouts string together *NBA Jam-*esque hot or cold streaks. I tried to devise a way to show how many times certain wide receivers were "heating up" or "cooling off." It was pretty simple: consecutive weeks of Top 25 PPR finishes counted as heating up, with three (or more) in a row counting as a Hot Streak. On the flip side, I considered consecutive weeks of a WR48 (or worse) finish to be cooling off, with three or more counting as a Cold Streak. Wide receivers with two separate hot streaks during the first 10 weeks of the season were, unsurprisingly, Top 12 guys during the stretch. Interestingly, each of them finished as Top 5 wide receivers the rest of the way, independent of their Weeks 1-10 split: - **Davante Adams** (2018) - **Antonio Brown** (2020) - **Calvin Ridley** (2020) - **Tyreek Hill** (2020) - **Cooper Kupp** (2021) - **Justin Jefferson** (2022) Unfortunately, there were no wide receivers who registered two separate hot streaks during the first 10 weeks of the 2023 season. As far as Cold Streaks from 2018-2022, only nine wide receivers (of the 132 splits) qualified as cooling off for three or more consecutive games: - **Larry Fitzgerald** (2018) - **Adam Humphries** (2018) - **Stefon Diggs** (2019) - **Larry Fitzgerald** (2019) - **Terry McLaurin** (2019) - **DeVante Parker** (2019) - **Curtis Samuel** (2020) - **Garrett Wilson** (2022) The Hot and Cold Streak data is pretty interesting, but it doesn't effect where I'm going for the rest of this article, so I'll shut up about it now. ### Advanced Culling Next up: Finding wide receivers who rose or fell by 10 slots in the PPR rankings over their stretch runs from Week 11-onward. If they were the WR26 during Weeks 1-10 but rose to WR15 during Weeks 11-onward, then they were included in the remaining set. If they were the WR18 and fell to the WR26, then they were culled from the data set. 😏 69 wide receiver splits remained. Nice! To narrow the data set even further, I focused on WRs who improved or declined by up to 30% or down to -30% in fantasy points per game over the remaining weeks of their season. This eliminated some of the highest risers and fallers, which I realize is me bending things toward my risk preference (higher floors vs. more boom-bust options). 42 splits remained! ### The 42 I then removed any wideouts who finished a week as the WR100 or worse, in addition to removing those who had one or more inactive game during Weeks 1-10. ### 29 left Time to get rid of any WRs who didn't increase their fantasy points per game by at least two points from Weeks 11 through their Championship Week. ### Seven remain! Three more cuts, for good measure: - **DJ Moore's** 2019 season, where he saw a 400% touchdown increase over the stretch run. That's just a little too swaggy for my liking. *(Touchdown variance, things of that nature.)* - **Robert Woods's** 2020 season, where his targets and receptions ballooned to more than 50% of what he was seeing over the first 10 weeks of the year. - **Tee Higgins's** 2022 season, where he ran fewer than 20% of his routes from the slot (17.80%) ### The Final Four - **Jarvis Landry** (2019) - **Allen Robinson II** (2019) - **Hunter Renfrow** (2021) - **Amon-Ra St. Brown** (2022) Welp, despite my best efforts to land on a process that wouldn't skew to my preferences, I did just that: turned 351 wide receiver sets into four guys who definitely helped me win championships. These four began as the WR16 to the WR27 during the first 10 weeks of their season but finished as a Top 12 WR during their remaining fantasy weeks. Overall, the late-season surge propelled three of the four to Top 12 PPR wide receiver finishes on a season-long basis, with Jarvis Landry (WR14) just missing the cut. *(Each receiver ended their season as a Top 20 WR in standard scoring, for the record.)* 🤔 So who do these four compare to for the 2023 stretch run? The four seasons met the following benchmarks through 10 weeks: - Each WR was in an offense that attempted at least 30 passes per game - They caught at least 20% of the team's completions in the games they played - Saw six or more targets per game - Ran at least 20% of their routes from the slot - Tallied 60 or more targets, including 5+ in the redzone - Caught at least 90% of the catchable balls thrown their way I applied those constraints to the 2023 field and removed the current Top 7 (**Tyreek Hill, Keenan Allen, A.J. Brown, Stefon Diggs, CeeDee Lamb, Ja'Marr Chase,** and **Amon-Ra St. Brown**) as they will be hard to acquire (or trade away) before the deadline. That left me with 12 wide receivers who look like they may help—or hurt—our fantasy championship odds in 2023: - Adam Thielen, WR8 - Puka Nacua, WR10 - Michael Pittman, WR11 - Chris Olave, WR15 - Garrett Wilson, WR16 - **Amari Cooper, WR19** - **Tyler Lockett, WR23** - Marquise Brown, WR27 - DeAndre Hopkins, WR28 - Josh Downs, WR35 - **Chris Godwin, WR36** - Drake London, WR39 I'm going to focus on **Chris Godwin, Amari Cooper,** and **Tyler Lockett** for the remainder of this article as I've mentioned the others in previous entries. ## Chris Godwin ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/11/godwin.webp) **Chris Godwin** has 12 redzone targets and just one touchdown through the first 10 weeks of the 2023 season. I'm not projecting Chris Godwin to run hotter than the sun and score four TDs over the remaining stretch like DJ Moore did back in 2019, but I think Godwin profiles as a wideout who should end the season higher than his current WR36 standing in PPR scoring. --- 🚨 This post was referenced in Denny Carter's weekly column, 'The Regression Files,' on NBC Sports! [The Regression Files: Week 11Denny Carter breaks down the fantasy prospects of Chris Godwin, Michael Pittman, Brian Robinson, George Kittle, and more.![](https://www.nbcsports.com/apple-touch-icon.png)NBC SportsAssociated Press![](https://nbcsports.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/094dcf8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2012x1132+2+0/resize/1440x810!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnbc-sports-production-nbc-sports.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2021-11%2FGodwin_USA.jpg)](https://www.nbcsports.com/fantasy/football/news/the-regression-files-week-11?ref=bandit.football) --- Back in the springtime, there was a narrative building around how **Chris Godwin** could be a **Jarvis Landry**\-typefor the **Baker Mayfield**\-led Bucs, and wouldn't you know that season ended up as one of the four in our sample! And boy do the first 10 weeks of their seasons look remarkably similar. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/11/godwinlandry.png) But what about the weeks ahead? - **Week 11:** @ 49ers - **Week 12:** @ Colts - **Week 13:** vs. Panthers - **Week 14:** @ Falcons - **Week 15:** @ Packers - **Week 16:** vs. Jaguars - **Week 17:** vs. Saints One of the main reasons I'm optimistic about Godwin in the weeks ahead is teams have been successful passing against the Buccaneers, who have surrendered the 4th most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers through Week 10\. That may lead to higher game totals and hopefully encourage the Bucs to keep passing. And there are three games, in particular, that make me believe Godwin is one of the better trade targets at the position. First up, this week at San Francisco. The 49ers have surrendered the 9th most fantasy points per game to opposing WRs and **Mike Evans** has been outperforming Godwin in three of the past four, so Godwin should be easier to acquire in trades. - **Week 10:** Evans, WR5 (26.3 pts); Godwin, WR37 (9.4 pts) - **Week 9:** Evans, WR21 (12.7 pts); Godwin, WR74 (3.6 pts) - **Week 8:** Godwin WR16 (17.8 pts); Evans, WR33 (12.9 pts) - **Week 7:** Evans, WR7 (20.2 pts); Godwin WR26 (12.6 pts) Also of note is the Green Bay matchup at Lambeau in Week 15, during the first round of the fantasy playoffs. The Packers have been hemorrhaging fantasy points on the ground, which makes them a tougher matchup for wide receivers as teams have looked to establish it. But there's more good news! The Buccaneers cannot run the ball. If you're worried about the matchup, though, perhaps Godwin is a player you should target in trades if you think you'll have a first-round BYE in the fantasy playoffs. The juiciest matchup on the Buccaneers schedule is Week 17 at home against the Saints during Fantasy Championship Week. Chris Godwin has outscored Mike Evans in all but one of their games against the Saints since 2019\. *(Godwin was inactive for one of their 2022 matchups.)* - *Week 4, 2023:* **Godwin, WR9** (19.4 pts); Evans, WR54 (7.0 pts) - *Week 13, 2022:* **Godwin, WR26** (14.3 pts); Evans, WR43 (9.9 pts) - *Week 15, 2021:* **Godwin, WR28** (10.9 pts); Evans, WR92 (2.4 pts) - *Week 8, 2021:* **Godwin, WR3** (28.0 pts); Evans, WR29 (12.8 pts) - *Week 9, 2020:* Evans, WR46 (10.4 pts); **Godwin, WR67** (7.1 pts) - *Week 1, 2020:* **Godwin, WR28** (13.9 pts); Evans, WR64 (7.2 pts) - *Week 11, 2019:* **Godwin, WR21** (13.7 pts); Evans, WR33 (10.9 pts) - *Week 5, 2019:* **Godwin, WR6** (31.5 pts); Evans, WR147 (0.0 pts) Marshon Lattimore's matchup against Mike Evans has played a big part in this, no doubt. Lattimore is currently OUT with a "fairly significant" ankle injury but is not expected to miss the rest of the season, per NBC Sports. If Lattimore's back in Week 17, I would consider Godwin as strong a bet as any receiver to put up WR1 numbers in Championship Week. Regardless, the Buccaneers are currently one game back from the Saints in the wide-open NFC South playoff race. It could be a huge game, played outdoors in sunny Florida, and I believe it can flip fantasy matchups in Championship Week. ## Amari Cooper ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/11/p8bnny4dgiwwqydu0zmv.webp) **Amari Cooper** has been here before. As one of the more experienced receivers who has been heavily targeted throughout his career, Cooper shows up in all five years of the initial sample set—and has produced some of its widest range of outcomes. In 2018, he was the WR54 after the first 10 weeks of the season before turning in a WR4 finish over the stretch run, good for a 49-slot rise in the rankings. That's because he was traded from the Raiders to the Cowboys at mid-season, missed a few games, then had two blowup games with the 'Boys. In 2019, the reverse happened. He stormed out of the gates as the WR4 in PPR scoring over the first 10 weeks before plummeting to WR46 over the stretch run. The past three seasons, he has entered Week 11 as the WR15, WR23, and WR14\. He was consistent in 2020 and 2022 as he put together stretch runs as the WR16 and WR10\. But in 2021, he fell all the way to WR48 over the seven-game stretch. Amari Cooper currently ranks as the WR19 as we enter the final seven weeks of the 2023 fantasy season. So which Cooper are we likely to get? Well, the good news is the Browns have four home games remaining on their schedule. You may have heard about Cooper's home-road splits, and they're particularly jarring. He's played 68 on the road to 66 at home over the course of his career. Despite the nearly identical split, he has 1,000+ more receiving yards, 42 more receptions, and 15 more touchdowns at home. Now, that's over three separate teams across plenty different venues, but he has seen fewer targets and receptions in the month of December. Not ideal. When looking at his 2023 stats, only **DeAndre Hopkins** and the Titans have had fewer completed passes in the sample set (163). Of the 173 passes completed by the Browns over the first 10 weeks, Cooper has caught 41 of them. Adjusting for the Browns, Cooper has hauled in 23.70% of the team's completions, which is perfectly fine. I expect the Browns to have more quarterback consistency over the team's final seven weeks, but there's something else in Cooper's 2023 profile that sticks out like a sore thumb. He is currently averaging 17.4 yards per reception, 79.4 receiving yards per game, and has 23 explosive gains of 20+ yards. Next closest in the set is Hopkins at 15.6 yards per reception, 65.7 receiving yards per game, and 16 explosive gains of 20+ yards. Looking back at Amari Cooper's 2019 season, where he started off as the WR4, he averaged 16 yards per reception, 94.2 receiving yards per game, and had 26 explosive gains of 20+ yards. Then, over the final six games of the 2019 fantasy season, he averaged 11.3 yards per reception, 41.5 yards per game, and had one explosive gain of 20+ yards. I'm not saying the drop off will be *that* severe, but it seems likely Cooper has already had his best fantasy weeks of 2023 and you should move on if you can. I'd consider trading away Hopkins, too. ## Tyler Lockett ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/11/ntpxahonteamealsgpof.webp) Like Cooper, **Tyler Lockett's** splits show up in all five seasons of the initial data set. Unfortunately, it appears Lockett's PPR production fades as the seasons wear on. - 2018: Weeks 1-10, **WR22**; Weeks 11-16, **WR22** - 2019: Weeks 1-10, **WR5**; Weeks 11-16, **WR63** - 2020: Weeks 1-10, **WR6**; Weeks 11-16, **WR37** - 2021: Weeks 1-10, **WR28**; Weeks 11-17, **WR15** - 2022: Weeks 1-10, **WR10**; Weeks 11-17, **WR28** But comparing the first 10 weeks of those seasons against Lockett's 2023 provides glimmers of hope. In each of the previous five seasons, Lockett has produced at least 13 explosive plays of 20+ yards during the first 10 weeks of the season. Through the first 10 weeks of 2023, though, he has only tallied six. His receptions- and targets-per-game numbers are in line with what he put up with **Geno Smith** through the first 10 weeks of last season, so it really seems like the explosive plays are what's been missing in 2023. Also encouraging: Lockett is running 36% of his routes from the slot, which is more in line with the four wide receivers from the sample set—all of whom eclipsed 40%. This slot rate leads me to believe the explosive gains are more likely to come than if Lockett were running, say, 80% of his routes out wide (thanks to predominant two-high safety looks). And then there's Lockett's remaining schedule: - **Week 11:** @ Rams - **Week 12:** vs. 49ers - **Week 13:** @ Cowboys - **Week 14:** @ 49ers - **Week 15:** vs. Eagles - **Week 16:** @ Titans - **Week 17:** vs. Steelers Now, I'm not sure where to find which defenses have been beaten by explosive receptions of 20+ yards this season, but I think I've found two stats on Pro Football Reference that will suffice. The first measures the total air yards on completions against a defense. The Steelers have given up the third most and the Eagles the fourth. The Cowboys have given up the third fewest. The Rams, 49ers, and Titans are somewhere in the middle of the pack. The other stat is more encouraging and, appropriately, more of a mouthful: DADOT: 😵‍💫 Average depth of target when targeted as a defender, whether completed or not. 25 targets/16 game pace required for leaderboards. For this fancy stat, the Steelers' DADOT (defensive aDoT?) is 9.5, which is 2nd highest in the NFL. The Eagles, Titans, and Rams are tied for 5th highest at 8.5\. The Cowboys and 49ers are two of the better units, coming in at a 7.2 average... defensive depth of target? I like Lockett's odds, is what I'm saying. Maybe you don't. Maybe age has finally caught up with him. Maybe the Seahawks have too many mouths to feed. Anyway, this post is more than 3,000 words long. So I'm outta here, after this: ## Recap - **Trade for:** Chris Godwin, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Marquise Brown, Michael Pittman Jr. - **Maybe trade for:** Tyler Lockett - **Trade away:** Amari Cooper, DeAndre Hopkins - **Maybe trade away:** Josh Downs, Puka Nacua - **Pray:** Drake London - **Hold onto your butts:** Adam Thielen ### The Next WR1 — (Part 3) URL: https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-part-3/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:48:22.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/glow.png) 23 wide receivers met the 12-target mark in the first six weeks of the season: - **Tyreek Hill** - **Stefon Diggs** - **Adam Thielen** - **Keenan Allen** - **Ja'Marr Chase** - **Puka Nacua** - **A.J. Brown** - **Justin Jefferson** - **Davante Adams** - **Amon-Ra St. Brown** - CeeDee Lamb - Michael Pittman Jr. - Jakobi Meyers - Christian Kirk - Garrett Wilson - Drake London - Deebo Samuel - DeAndre Hopkins - Romeo Doubs - Josh Downs - Mike Williams - Cooper Kupp - Tee Higgins **Cooper Kupp** joined the party in Week 5\. **Drake London,** despite Arthur Smith's best efforts, met the mark in Week 6. [The Next WR1 — (Part 1)How a dozen targets became the threshold for elite WR seasons![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/04/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1.png)Bandit Fantasy FootballBandit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/09/nextwr1-1.png)](https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-after-two/) If trends from the past five seasons hold true, then 14 of the 23 will end the season as Top 25 PPR wide receivers—and 10 of them will be in the Top 12. [The Next WR1 — (Part 2)21 wide receivers have seen at least 12 targets in a game through the first four weeks of the season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/04/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1.png)Bandit Fantasy FootballBandit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/The-Next--1-.png)](https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-part-2/) Here are the fellas I'm betting on: ## 10 of the Top 12 - **Tyreek Hill** *— Currently the WR1* - **Stefon Diggs** *— WR2* - **Adam Thielen** *— WR3* - **Keenan Allen** *— WR4* - **Ja'Marr Chase** *— WR5* - **Puka Nacua** — *WR6* - **A.J. Brown** *— WR7* - **Davante Adams** *— WR10* - **Amon-Ra St. Brown** *— WR12* - **Cooper Kupp** *— WR54* That's what we like to call chalk, my dudes. A pair of teammates has finished inside the Top 12 each season since 2018, and I'm betting on **Puka Nacua** and **Cooper Kupp** to be that duo in 2023\. Kupp needs to play every game from here on out to end the season as a WR1, but with the Rams' RB woes and **Matthew Stafford** playing out of his mind [(coming to Netflix summer 2024)](https://www.si.com/nfl/rams/news/matthew-stafford-los-angeles-rams-quarterback-peyton-manning-netflix-patrick-mahomes?ref=bandit.football), I like the Breakfast Bros. to finish the season as WR1s. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/Untitled-design--1-.png) Last season, two duos made the Top 12: **Tyreek Hill** & **Jaylen Waddle,** plus **A.J. Brown** & **DeVonta Smith.** There's a chance **Davante Adams** & **Jakobi Meyers** could crash the Top 12 this season, but I'm betting their production cannibalizes each other *just enough* to keep Jakobi outside it. But I'm not betting against Davante. 👋 **Davante has finished in the Top 3 in four of the past five seasons.* I really wanted to put **Michael Pittman Jr.** (currently WR14) and **Christian Kirk** (WR16) in the Top 12—and still think both have a great chance to end the year as WR1s—but I couldn't justify them over Kupp or Adams when poring over the numbers. You may have noticed **Justin Jefferson** has fallen out of the running. That's due to his 4-6 week hamstring injury that may or may not lead to an extended absence—thanks to failed contract negotiations. The fewest number of games played by a Top 12 wideout over the past five seasons is 13, with just three receivers getting WR1 production during that timeframe: Adams, **Keenan Allen,** and **Mike Evans.** Six wide receivers finished as a WR1 when they played in 14 games, so we're looking at just 9 out of 60 wide receivers, or 15% of the Top 12 seasons from 2018-2022\. It'll be tough for Jefferson—and Kupp, as mentioned—to get there. But anyway, what's the use in focusing on chalk? Those guys will be hard to acquire in your leagues heading into the halfway point, so it's best to turn to the other two: > The two guys who have yet to meet the 12-target mark in 2023—*that all WR1s eventually meet*—en route to their elite fantasy seasons. ## The Other Two There have been a few late bloomers over the past five seasons. 13 wide receivers from 2018-2022 ended the year as a Top 12 PPR wide receiver but failed to see 12 targets during the first six weeks of the season. That's more than 20%! But remember: > **Every Top 12 WR since 2018 has had at least one game where they saw 12 or more targets** So there's prospecting left to be done. Digging into the numbers, I found that each of the late bloomers met the following criteria through the first six weeks of their eventual WR1 seasons: - They saw nine targets in at least one game through the first six weeks - Had at least two weekly Top 25 PPR WR finishes - Saw 33+ combined targets through six weeks - Finished as a Top 36 WR at least three times - Scored at least 12.9 fantasy points/per game - Tallied at least 77.1 fantasy points through six weeks - Ranked as a Top 36 WR in PPR scoring through six weeks In 2023, eight guys have cleared those benchmarks through the first six weeks of the season. There's a chance one or two of them will end the season in the Top 12. ## **DJ Moore** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/ahm1b2xezw3dlb3ysr7b.webp) 10 targets, 8 receptions, 230 yards, 3 touchdowns = 49 PPR fantasy points against the Washington Commanders. 😵 **Good for WR2 in Week 5 — Ja'Marr Chase scored 52.2 fantasy points!* **DJ Moore** currently ranks as the WR8 in PPR scoring through the first six weeks of the season. He has scored 120.2 fantasy points, or right around 20 fantasy points per game. Roughly 20% of the WR1s since 2018 have ended the fantasy season with 220-240 points, meaning Moore is already halfway there. With 10 games left on his schedule (not including the Bears Week 13 BYE or non-fantasy relevant Week 18), Moore would have to average about 12 points per game to remain in the WR1 conversation. **Justin Fields** is doubtful for Week 7\. But the rest of the ingredients appear to be in Moore's favor, at least if you squint. The Chicago Bears do not make major personnel changes during the season, so Matt Eberflus and Luke Getsy's jobs are at least safe through 2023. Ditto that for GM Ryan Poles, and you'd have to imagine the front office wants to make sure Moore is heavily involved after the failed **Chase Claypool** experiment that cost them Pick No. 32 in the 2023 Draft. ❌ **There's also the fact they traded away the No. 1 pick to Carolina—for a package including Moore—when they could've stayed put and taken* ***Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson,** **or* ***C.J. Stroud.** As of this writing, the Bears are well-positioned at the top of the 2024 Draft, but I'd have to imagine any quarterback selected by Chicago may have reservations about heading to the Windy City given the franchise's extensive history of mismanagement. So that leads me to believe Fields and Moore have to be the offense's priority for the remainder of 2023. Has Moore already had his best fantasy weeks of the season? 25% of the eventual WR1s since 2018 have had at least one 40-point game. Of those 15, only four of them had one such spike week; the others had at least one additional 30+ point week. Moore's second best game this season was in Week 4 when he put up 27.1 fantasy points, so he has a pretty good chance to drop 30 on somebody's head over the next few months. Given the Bears fantasy playoff schedule: @ Cleveland, **Arizona, Atlanta** — all outdoors, all in nasty weather, and kicking things off against maybe the best defense in the league... with a sack-prone quarterback in charge of delivering the ball... I'd recommend trading Moore in the next few weeks when Fields is back under center and juicing his numbers before your redraft league's trade deadline. ## Nico Collins ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/a4ivwu5y86vvazk8b4ay.webp) **Nico Collins** is currently the WR11 in PPR scoring, having tallied 101.7 points through six weeks or just about 17 fantasy points per game. The Texans have been one of the best stories in the NFL this season and their success should continue after the BYE as **C.J. Stroud** has thrown just one interception through six starts. Nico has seen 9, 9, and 11 targets in games thus far but also saw just three targets in Week 3 en route to a WR77 finish. --- ### 3.85% Looking at the 13 outlier wideouts and specifically the first six weeks of their eventual WR1 seasons, just three out of their 78 possible weeks show wide receivers earning three targets (a paltry 3.85%). Only one of the 78 weeks featured two targets. (DJ Moore saw two targets in Week 1, FYI.) ### 3.85% again Just three of those 78 weeks featured WR73+ finishes. In 2023, in addition to Nico's WR77 finish, DJ Moore was the WR75 in Week 1 and **Chris Olave** was the WR118 in Week 4. --- But Nico doesn't have to finish the season as a Top 12 WR for me to say you should go out and trade for him right now during the Texans BYE week. Houston also has to face the vaunted Cleveland defense during the fantasy playoffs, but they're treated to Tennessee in Weeks 15 & 17. **Derrick Henry** against the Texans has been fantasy gold in seasons past, but this year the refrain has been all about how susceptible the Titans are to getting beat through the air. Nico could be in for a huge game during Week 15 in the fantasy playoffs, and he could bring it on home with an encore performance during Championship Week against the Titans. **Tank Dell** has already missed time and **Devin Singletary—**known for his pass-blocking chops—looks to be taking over the backfield from **Dameon Pierce.** If you haven't watched much Texans ball—and to be honest, I haven't either—it's surprising to see how agile Nico is after the catch for a bigger-bodied wide receiver. With offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik coming from the Shanahan tree that prioritizes YAC-ability, it's another point in Collins' favor as a possible league-winner in 2023. ## Brandon Aiyuk ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/qu1tpob2pl8ffsf8uedd.webp) Speaking of Shanahan and YAC-ability and potential league-winners, **Brandon Aiyuk** is "one of the healthiest weapons" in one of the league's "best-schemed offenses." I have made it abundantly clear how much I despise Shanahan in Part 2 of this series so I'm not going to belabor the point any further: it's hard for me to bet on his players because I believe he puts talented playmakers in position to get hurt by pushing them to their breaking point. *(This is a red flag for Nico Collins, too, given his playcaller's direct connection to the Shanahan Way™️.)* *(Which also means it's a red flag for *Tyreek Hill, Adam Thielen, Ja'Marr Chase, Puka Nacua,* and *Cooper Kupp.* Not great!)* ## Mike Evans ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/fphvru2upjvggwdozkb7.webp) **Mike Evans** has finished in the Top 12 in PPR scoring in each of the past five seasons. He is the only wide receiver to do so. 🔒 **First-Ballot Hall of Famer* He's done so while seeing 12 targets just once during a season—two separate times! In 2020, he didn't see a dozen targets until Week 16. Evans often gets there with massive spike weeks, but he also got it done in 2018 having never eclipsed the 30-point barrier. For his trouble, Evans was the WR32 in PPR drafts this summer; the 76th player off the board. **Baker Mayfield** or **Kyle Trask** were going to throw him the ball; he was another year older. Old Man Evans has seen 10 targets in three of five games this season. The Bucs have already had their BYE. In the game he saw eight targets, he caught six of them for 171 yards and a touchdown. That was good for 29.1 points. He's averaging 16.1 fantasy points per contest. He averaged 16.17 points through six weeks when he finished as the WR12 in 2021\. That mark is better than 16 of the eventual WR1s from the past five seasons, or 26.67% of WR1 starts since 2018. 👨‍🦳 **I'd say he's the easiest trade target on this list, but that would falsely assume a zoomer would be caught dead rostering him.* Last year, he went for 200 yards and 3 TDs in Fantasy Championship week. This year, he goes up against arch-nemesis Marshon Lattimore in Week 17\. (Not great.) Other than that, doubt him at your own peril. ## Marquise Brown ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/vlrgf1pbul3mck1omrjt.webp) **Kyler Murray** is back at practice as of Wednesday, October 18, 2023. During the first six weeks of 2022, when **Marquise "Hollywood" Brown** was acting as Murray's WR1 (remember, **DeAndre Hopkins** was serving a six-game PED suspension), Hollywood *balled the fuck out.* Here was Hollywood's stat line through six weeks: - PPR WR5 - 43 receptions on 64 targets - 485 yards, 3 touchdowns - 109.5 fantasy points, or 18.3 fpts/gm - 17 targets in Week 3 He then missed Weeks 7-11 with a fractured foot and was placed on IR. This season, Hollywood has been the clear WR1 and has produced admirably with backup QB **Joshua Dobbs.** Here's Hollywood's stat line through the first six weeks of 2023: - PPR WR17 - 29 receptions on 53 targets - 334 yards, 3 touchdowns - 83.3 fantasy points, or 13.9 fpts/gm - Double-digit targets in four of six games I'm a big believer\* in the new-school approach where NFL teams pair a college quarterback with their college wide receiver at the pro level. Hollywood and Kyler played together at Oklahoma. They didn't miss a beat in 2022. 👣 **\*This does not apply to Sam Howell and Dyami Brown. Please start targeting Jahan Dotson. Please.* I'm also a believer in this Arizona Cardinals team. Much like Nick Sirianni's rocky press conference to begin his Eagles coaching tenure, Jonathan Gannon fumbled and bumbled his way through an awkward summer. And yet through six weeks and a 1-5 record, most observers would classify this Arizona Cardinals team as "surprising" and a tough out. I'm *extremely* bullish on Hollywood for the remainder of the season, and I love that the Cardinals head to Philadelphia in Week 17 to face Sirianni. The Eagles have been hemorraghing fantasy points to opposing wide receivers so far this season. In Week 16, the Cardinals travel to the no-good, down-bad Bears. Both games are outside, I know. And they play against the 49ers in Week 15, I get it. This is a gut call mixed with a leap of faith and a bit of statistical backing. But whatever! Give me Hollywood as a Top 10 WR the rest of the way. ## DK Metcalf ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/jid5hchf3i2crdtl8z2n.webp) **Jaxon Smith-Njigba** second-half breakout? The Seahawks need to start running 11 personnel a helluva lot more for that to happen. In the meantime, let's focus on the twosome who have been a consistent presence in the Top 25 the past several seasons: **DK Metcalf** & **Tyler Lockett.** Metcalf and Lockett have a combined seven appearances in the Top 25 over the past four seasons: - **2022:** Lockett (WR12), Metcalf (WR14) - **2021:** Metcalf (WR13), Lockett (WR22) - **2020:** Metcalf (WR6), Lockett (WR13) - **2019:** Lockett (WR17) Through the first six weeks of the 2023 season, Metcalf is WR36 and Lockett is WR44\. On a points per game basis, though, Metcalf is WR24 and Lockett is WR34. Go take advantage of the Seahawks Week 5 BYE and profit for the remainder of the season. Metcalf and Lockett's recent history shouldn't be an issue in trade negotiations. Many are expecting and hoping and praying for the JSN second-half rookie breakout. *(Believe me, I am too. He was my most drafted player in Underdog and DraftKings best ball tournaments.)* There's some baked-in two-high safety concern with both Metcalf and Lockett that is keeping their trade-acquisition cost much lower than their season-long track record suggests. You don't need them to be WR1s or WR2s every week to make them worth your while in a trade. The Seahawks fantasy playoff schedule? Home versus Philadelphia, at Tennessee, home versus Pittsburgh. That's about as good as it gets for wide receivers. ## Chris Olave ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/qvagpry7xk0kjmllnerq.webp) What a shame. I don't have a lot of encouraging things to say about **Chris Olave** and his WR1 prospects for the rest of the season. **Derek Carr** is currently playing through an AC joint injury and has lost his deep ball in the process. (**Anthony Richardson** is considering season-ending surgery due to an AC joint injury, for the record.) If you have Olave, you shouldn't be looking to trade him as he's still getting it done as a WR2 and should continue to produce for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, any sort of WR1 breakout seems to have been snuffed out for the time being. It's also hard to bank on any 30+ point blowup games on the horizon. If Olave's going to end up as a WR1, he's going to have to start owning the short and intermediate game where **Alvin Kamara** has been dominating since he returned from suspension. **Michael Thomas** has been consistently fine and **Rashid Shaheed** is more of a threat than fantasy managers give him credit for. And then there's **Taysom Hill** who was used as an actual tight end in Week 6, as he saw eight targets and turned them into seven receptions for 49 yards. Olave still led the team in targets and yards in Week 6, seeing 10 of them and turning them into seven receptions for 96 yards. That's really good! It's just not great. To be a WR1, you need consistent greatness or semifrequent explosiveness. Both seem capped for Olave in 2023\. Bummer. ## Zay Flowers ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/dbcalzzjzgssfgyds4j7--1-.webp) Steve Smith was right. During the 2023 Draft process, Smith touted Flowers as one of his favorite receivers. **Zay Flowers** is a smaller wideout like **Tank Dell** standing at 5'9" but he's got about 20 lbs. on Dell and can play on the outside and get open with ease. Zay is currently the WR22 in PPR scoring and doesn't have any red flags in his profile. He's averaging 13.2 points per game and he's scored at least eight points in every contest, having seen at least four targets each game and double-digit targets in three out of six. **Lamar Jackson** has been exceptional this season and is trending toward setting career marks in plenty of passing categories. He's already dropped back to pass 215 times. His career highs were north of 500 dropbacks in 2019 and 2020 but he's on pace for north of 600 in 2023. He's also pacing for well over 500 passing attempts and has a career best 69.9% completion percentage through six games. He's also on pace for the most scrambles of his career, but with the increases everywhere else, there's still plenty of room for his receivers to feast. Can Zay Flowers finish as a WR1 as a rookie? It's going to be tough. Over the past five seasons, nine rookies have finished in the Top 25: **Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Justin Jefferson, A.J. Brown, Terry McLaurin,** and **Calvin Ridley.** Only Justin Jefferson (WR8) and Ja'Marr Chase (WR5) finished in the Top 12. Still, that's *outstanding* company for the Ravens rookie out of Boston College. A lot was made of the Ravens pass-catchers’ drops against the Steelers in Week 5\. Flowers had two that game—his only drops this season. Zay only has one touchdown thus far and he's yet to clear 100 receiving yards or even 20 fantasy points in a single week. Lamar Jackson's average depth of target is around eight yards, which points to the Ravens shifting some of their running production to the air. Although Zay Flowers is used on the outside roughly 70% of the time, he can be flexed inside for the shorter-area manufactured looks and I expect him to be more heavily involved in this part of the attack as the season progresses. Maybe he doesn't have a massive blowup game this season. I think he will, but he doesn't need one to end up as a Top 25 WR. The Ravens have to play the big-bad 49ers in the fantasy playoffs. In Weeks 15 & 17, though, they get the Jaguars and Dolphins. Flowers could be in for a league-winning day in Week 17. Trade for Zay Flowers in all formats. ## The Top 25 PPR WRs Predicting the 2023 Class 1. **Tyreek Hill** 2. **Stefon Diggs** 3. **Ja'Marr Chase** 4. **A.J. Brown** 5. **Keenan Allen** 6. **Davante Adams** 7. **Marquise Brown** 8. **Puka Nacua** 9. **Cooper Kupp** 10. **Adam Thielen** 11. **Amon-Ra St. Brown** 12. **Mike Evans** 13. DJ Moore 14. Nico Collins 15. Michael Pittman Jr. 16. Jakobi Meyers 17. CeeDee Lamb 18. Christian Kirk 19. Zay Flowers 20. DK Metcalf 21. Chris Olave 22. Jordan Addison 23. Tyler Lockett 24. Amari Cooper 25. Terry McLaurin **Others receiving votes:** *Garrett Wilson, Justin Jefferson, DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle, George Pickens, Drake London, Calvin Ridley, Tank Dell, Chris Godwin, Gabe Davis, the 49ers wide receivers, the Packers wide receivers, Tee Higgins, DeAndre Hopkins, Josh Downs, Curtis Samuel, Kendrick Bourne, Josh Reynolds, Michael Wilson, Rashee Rice, Rashid Shaheed,* and *Tutu Atwell.* ### The Next WR1 — (Part 2) URL: https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-part-2/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:49:04.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/The-Next--1-.png) 21 wide receivers have seen at least 12 targets in a game through the first four weeks of the season. 15 currently rank in the Top 25 of PPR scoring with 9 in the Top 12. But before I get to these absolute beasts, I want to talk about the rising tandem who have yet to meet the dozen-target mark. **Nico Collins** and **Tank Dell** might end up being this year's outliers. Through four weeks, both rank inside the Top 25 PPR WRs thanks to outstanding play from rookie QB **C.J. Stroud** *(mea culpa coming soon).* Nico is the WR7 and Tank is the WR23 heading into Week 5, making both must-starts until further notice. The easier trade target of the two? That would be Tank, who scored 3.9 fantasy points in Week 4 opposite Nico who dropped 35.8 on the Steelers. Week 3 was a different story: Nico scored 5.4 fantasy points while Tank—the little engine that could—scored 25.5 against the Jaguars. That's what we like to call "a wide range of outcomes." And that's OK! 🙂 **Tank was the WR7 in Week 3; Nico was the WR3 in Week 4* ## 68.1% Almost seventy percent of the Top 25 PPR wide receivers since 2018 had at least one lousy week where they ranked as the WR73 (or worse). 🙃 **Nico was the WR77 in Week 3; Tank was the WR82 in Week 4* ## 56.67% More than half of the wide receivers who finished the season as a Top 12 PPR WR since 2018 had at least one week where they finished outside the Top 72 at the position. So, really, it's OK! As mentioned up top, neither Tank nor Nico has met the 12-target threshold outlined in Part 1 of this series: Nico saw 11 targets in Week 1; Tank saw 10 in Week 2\. [The Next WR1 — (Part 1)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/04/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1.png)Bandit Fantasy FootballBandit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/09/nextwr1-1.png)](https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-after-two/) But it's early. I would expect one or the other, perhaps both, to be targeted at least a dozen times in a game over the next 13 weeks. Anyway, time to get to the guys who have already met the mark. ## 11 More WRs Join the Party Week 3 was a targets-palooza, as 10 new WRs saw at least 12 targets. And thanks to a surprising Jets' effort, **Garrett Wilson** ended up with 14 targets against the Chiefs in Week 4 to bring the season total to 21 different wideouts. **Ja'Marr Chase, A.J. Brown, Davante Adams,** and **Amon-Ra St. Brown** met the mark in Week 3 along with six others, who I'll talk about in more detail below. ## Romeo Doubs ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/65b86235-30f3-4f85-9a60-c80a563d9026-RomeoDoubs.jpg) Way back in May, the Athletic's Matt Schneidman predicted **Romeo Doubs** would lead the Packers in catches this season. That raised some eyebrows, given **Christian Watson's** rookie flurry, but the beat reporter has been right thus far as Doubs has 20 catches and the next highest Packer has 12. In Weeks 3 and 4, Doubs tallied 12 then 13 targets and finished the weeks as the WR17 and WR10 in PPR scoring. He also finished as the WR14 in Week 1, though that was propelled by two touchdowns. Can he keep producing with a healthy **Aaron Jones** and **Christian Watson** back in the lineup? Watson is a bit of a concern, as Doubs has been feasting in the [intermediate-middle of the field](https://www.bandit.football/drake-london-best-fantasy-pick-2023/) that's usually left open (or is at least *more* open) with modern NFL defenses running some version of the 4-2-5 Vic Fangio defensive scheme. Looking at some of the Next Gen Stats, Christian Watson has also had success when he's been targeted in the middle of the field roughly 10-20 yards past the line of scrimmage, so it makes sense that Packers head coach and playcaller Matt LaFleur would look to get a healthy Christian Watson open in space to take advantage of his elite athleticism. For Doubs to finish the year not only as a Top 25 PPR WR but ascend into the Top 12, he's going to have to buck some of the trends, *err* some of what I'm seeing in the advanced stats. Aaron Jones has seen at least 68 targets in each of the past four seasons (with **Aaron Rodgers** at the helm) but has only been targeted 6 times thus far in a game and a half. Even with **Jordan Love** at quarterback, Jones's per-game target numbers figure to tick back up in the coming weeks, particularly after the Packers' Week 6 BYE. To make matters worse, Loveis currently tied with **Desmond Ridder** for 25th in the NFL with just 74 completions this season. 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 So, I dunno, man. I really wanted to buy into Doubs and was going to suggest trading for him in all formats... but that was prior to digging into the numbers. My gut is telling me he's the Packers offensive weapon you want for the remainder of the season, but the numbers... the numbers haunt me and tell me he's the perfect guy to trade away. Lucky for me, I don't currently roster Doubs in any managed league, but if I did, I would be holding on to him. I'll revisit acquiring him after Week 6. ## Adam Thielen ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/c1c7f-16932450396935-1920.webp) Old man, renewed production. The 33-year-old is lining up in the slot at by far the highest rate of his career. 73.1% of his routes have been run from the slot in 2023, per Pro Football Focus. His previous career high was in 2018 when he ran 56.6% of his routes inside. The returns have been tremendous. Thielen currently ranks as the WR10 in PPR scoring and he's done so with two different quarterbacks, rookie **Bryce Young** and fellow old-timer **Andy Dalton.** Much like Doubs, though, there's some cause for concern as to whether or not Thielen can keep this up. The Carolina Panthers are said to be aggressively pursuing a true No. 1 WR to accelerate Bryce Young's development and I tend to agree that they should. I've been high on Bryce Young all year, so take what I say with a grain of salt but what I saw during Week 1 was a quarterback who was absolutely ready for the moment... he just needed a little more help. [Notes on CAR @ ATL, Week 1![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/04/bandit_time_ghost_pub_logo-1.png)Bandit Fantasy FootballBandit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/09/Untitled-3.png)](https://www.bandit.football/notes-car-atl-week-1/) I mentioned **Tee Higgins** as a potential WR1 for Bryce Young in Part 1 of this series, and still think he would be a strong fit if he's made available for trade. In the meantime, **Terrace Marshall** has been OK as a bigger-bodied target. The more I've thought about it, though, the more I think somebody like **Marquise Brown** could help unlock the Panthers' offense based on how **Jameson Williams** dominated at Alabama thanks to his speed and Bryce Young's accuracy. Hollywood Brown fits that mold and has proven his merit as a WR1 in the NFL for **Lamar Jackson** and **Kyler Murray.** With the Cardinals looking scrappy but clearly rebuilding and having already traded away veteran contracts, it would make sense for Panthers GM Scott Fitterer to give Monti Ossenfort a call. How would this effect Thielen? Well, it probably wouldn't keep him in the WR1 conversation but I think he could still produce as an underneath option. Through four weeks, Bryce Young and Andy Dalton have combined to have an average depth of target of around 8 yards. Not great! But for fantasy, that's the exact range where Old Man Thielen can continue depositing PPR points into his IRA. Look: if you drafted Thielen, you've already won. You're playing with house money. He was essentially free in drafts and if you could trade him away for a younger piece in dynasty, or a second-round pick and a similar veteran, I would strongly consider making that move given the Panthers noise around seeking a true WR1\. Thielen's value would almost certainly decline if a real-world trade went down. In redraft, you might as well keep stacking PPR points unless you can package him to upgrade for an elite option at WR or any other position. ## Keenan Allen ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/Keenan-Allen-Fantasy-Football-2023.jpg) Hamstrings be damned, the first-ballot fantasy Hall of Famer is at it again. Since Week 11 of last season, **Keenan Allen** has been on an absolute heater. Here are his weekly PPR fantasy finishes: - WR29 - WR21 - WR12 - WR9 - WR19 - WR9 - WR25 - WR1 - WR23 - WR1 - WR1 - WR30 The Chargers enter their BYE trying to get rookie first-rounder **Quentin Johnston** up to speed while Keenan remains steady as she goes. **Austin Ekeler** is due back in Week 6 but his return should aid Keenan's dominance, not hamper it. **Josh Palmer** is a certified Bandit Bro, but I'm not really worried about him eating into Keenan's production. Four weeks in, I'm very tempted to write Keenan's name in Sharpie as a Top 12 PPR WR this season. The soft-tissue injury history is all that's holding me back. Before moving on to the next guy, though, I will say that I'm not worried about **Justin Herbert** suddenly becoming **Josh Allen** and running recklessly or launching the ball 60 yards downfield into double coverage. Herbert is who he is, and that's more of a game manager than a gunslinger—despite his otherworldly traits. ## Jakobi Meyers ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/usa_today_21391818.0.jpg) Somehow, the Raiders have two wideouts who have seen at least 12 targets through the first four weeks of the season. **Davante Adams** is rumored in trades but has a hefty contract. Maybe he gets moved by the deadline but I strongly doubt it. **Jakobi Meyers** should be in lineups as long as Josh McDaniels can hang on to the head coaching job. I wouldn't put it past Mark Davis to fire his head coach during the season, but if McDaniels can make it through 2023 then Meyers should continue to earn targets at a rate that puts him in the Top 25 PPR WR conversation by the end of the season. Does it feel good to plug Jakobi Meyers into your lineup? No, no it does not. But you should feel better about it when you consider Josh McDaniels' ego and how he clearly favors players he has a relationship with from his Patriots days, sort of like how Sean Payton has bent over backwards to bring in former Saints to the Broncos. *(Shallow, lazy, ego-driven thinking? It should not be a surprise the Raiders and Broncos are two of the worst teams in the league.)* The Raiders have yet to score more than 18 points this season and Meyers has only been active in three games. **Jimmy Garopollo** has already missed time, leading to an **Aidan O'Connell** start in Week 4 and only two receptions on four targets for Meyers. And yet. And yet I'm choosing to believe in McDaniels and his rancid ego forcing Meyers into the game plan, into the target-dominator conversation over the next 13 weeks and expect he will be a fine floor-play in your FLEX most weeks, even if you have to plug your nose while setting your lineup. Sometimes a target-inflated receiver is just what you need to add some vegetables to your lineup. 🏆 **Every wide receiver doesn't have to have week-winning upside, man! Consistent point-getters help win championships* ## Josh Downs ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/yaxbbc2vqltmlnlwsybi.jpeg) It took until overtime to get **Josh Downs** 12 targets in Week 3\. He turned them into 8 receptions for 57 scoreless yards, which equated to WR32 in PPR scoring. In the other three weeks, he was the WR66, WR64, and WR67. Of the 60 wide receivers who finished in the Top 12 since 2018, each saw at least 12 targets in a game. They also finished as a Top 24 wide receiver at least once during the first four weeks of the season. So, it's probably safe to cross Downs off the list as a potential WR1. ## 6% Of the 116 wide receivers who finished in the Top 25 since 2018 and saw at least 12 targets in a game, just seven made it through the first four weeks of the season without registering a Top 24 wide receiver finish: **Brandon Aiyuk** (2022), **Amari Cooper** (2018), **Chris Godwin** (2022), **Cole Beasley** (2020), **Julian Edelman** (2018), **Amon-Ra St. Brown** (2021), and **Adam Humphries** (2018). So, there's at least a slim chance Downs could Beasley or Edelman or Humphries his way into a Top 25 PPR season, but let's not get our redraft hopes up. Josh Downs is a prime dynasty and keeper target. Colts HC Shane Steichen understands you need to pass to win football games and he has not been shy about dialing up **Anthony Richardson's** attempts in the early part of his career, opting for a sort of baptism-by-fire approach with the relatively inexperienced rookie. I've previously written about why [Josh Downs is the perfect fit for Richardson's style of play](https://www.bandit.football/the-freshmen-15/) and expect his opportunities to increase this season and next as the Colts are likely to move on from **Jonathan Taylor**—either as a focal point of the offense or letting him walk out the door, via trade or free agency. Earning 12 targets as a rookie—even in overtime, even with **Gardner Flint Minshew II** at quarterback—is a very encouraging sign and a sort of Bandit Benchmark for players who can make an impact on our longterm PPR rosters for years to come. ## Deebo Samuel ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/49ers-deebo-samuel-declines-name-best-qb-on-roster.webp) It would be nice if Kyle Shanahan weren't addicted to playing with his toys until they break. **Deebo Samuel** saw 12 targets in Week 3 and turned them into 6 catches for 129 yards and a touchdown. He scored 25.1 fantasy points and ended the week as the WR8, his second Top 12 finish of the season. In Week 2, he scored 22.1 fantasy points but did most of his damage on the ground, toting the rock 5 times for 38 yards and a score. By the time Week 4 rolled around, Deebo was already limited with injuries and yet he still played 87% of snaps. He saw no targets and took 3 carries for 6 yards. He ended the week with 0.6 fantasy points, which was good for WR124 on the week according to FantasyPros data. While Deebo was out there as a decoy, Shanahan made **Christian McCaffrey** the focal point of the offense, over and over again. CMC ran 20 times for 106 yards and 3 touchdowns and was targeted 8 times, catching 7 for 71 yards and another score. He ended the day with 41.7 fantasy points and finished as the Overall RB1 on the week, tallying his fourth consecutive RB1 finish to start the year. And yet we've seen this movie before. It's already played out with Deebo and will surely bite CMC at some point this season, while **George Kittle** is a near-lock to miss time in the not-so-distant future. For all the credit Shanahan receives for being some sort of boy-genius playcaller, I would argue the opposite. I think he's actively putting his players in position to get hurt and he doesn't think twice about it. Before this season, I had toyed with the idea of what I was calling the Shanny Guilt Complex. I had suspected Kyle Shanahan was turning to undrafted players and late-round picks like **Elijah Mitchell** and **Brock Purdy** to ease his guilt, turning to them as a sort of penance for being raised by an NFL head coach and having his career opportunities served to him on a silver platter. Then I listened to The Athletic's *Playcallers* podcast series, in which Shanahan, Sean McVay, Mike McDaniel, and the rest of the gang were interviewed about taking the NFL by storm with their playcalling over the past five or so seasons. Through Shanahan's interviews, the idea that he suffered from any sort of guilt complex was quickly dashed and replaced with an obvious truth: he's an arrogant kid who wants to dominate his opponents and win by any means necessary. There's an interview in the series with Robert Saleh that has stuck in my craw, where Saleh relays Shanahan approached him during a game when Saleh was the 49ers defensive coordinator. The 49ers were losing and having trouble stopping their opponent. According to Saleh, Shanahan was screaming at him on the sidelines to "DO SOMETHING." Saleh replied by saying he wasn't going to stop playing sound defense just to "do something" to try and shake things up and turn the tide in their favor. There's also an interview with Kyle where he reflects on a conversation he had with his dad, Mike Shanahan, where he asked his dad why he didn't call a Hail Mary at the end of the first half to try and get points, and simply took a knee to go into the locker room instead. Kyle couldn't understand why he wouldn't go for the points. Mike told him he didn't want to risk having his quarterback throw a meaningless interception because that could weigh on his mind during halftime and into the third quarter. What if he had already thrown an interception earlier in the game? Or what if he threw another after halftime? That would shake his confidence—and it would have been unnecessarily compounded by the long-shot Hail Mary playcall versus simply taking a knee. Kyle Shanahan said he learned this lesson a few years later. I don't believe him. I think he likes players like Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and **Kyle Juszcyzk** because he can use them basically any way he sees fit. I also think he prefers younger, undrafted and later-round players over higher draft picks because they're more willing to bend to his desires, to prove their perceived worth to him in the league, and that Shanahan—knowingly or not—takes advantage of this, over and over again. **Brandon Aiyuk** has been in the doghouse in previous seasons, probably because he can't do everything Shanahan wants—or maybe because he *won't* do everything he wants. (Aiyuk, if you're reading this: *GET OUT.*) Look, alright. Shanahan clearly pisses me off and fires me up. This is a very long-winded and cockamamie way to say I don't trust Deebo to finish the season as a WR1\. And in general, I don't like to draft or roster any Kyle Shanahan players unless I can get them at a discount. I genuinely believe there's a better chance Kyle Shanahan will turn off the game and throw his controller before the 49ers ever win a Super Bowl. And I think the injuries will keep on coming for his players, for those used in Kyle Shanahan's maniacal schemes as he keeps on playing Madden IRL with actual human beings and forgetting they aren't pixels on a screen. ## The Other Guys ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/10/nextwr1.png) Remember them? The fellas who saw at least a dozen targets in a game during the first two weeks of the season? Let's quickly touch on them before getting on out of here. **Justin Jefferson** is the one, true king: He has 12 or more targets in three of four games this season. **Tyreek Hill** and **Stefon Diggs** seem like locks to join him in the eventual list of Top 12 receivers this season. **Puka Nacua** has to contend with **Cooper Kupp** who's itching to play in Week 5, but he still seems like a very strong bet to remain in the Top 12. Other than that, **Tee Higgins** is banged up and may miss time but really the issue with both he and **Ja'Marr Chase's** Top 12 prospects is **Joe Burrow** looking like a shell of himself as he refuses to take time off to heal his injured calf. With the Bengals BYE coming in Week 7, we're going to need Burrow to round back into form for either Bengals wideout to crack the season-long WR1 rankings. The Cowboys and Titans are, as expected, run-first or at least run-heavy, which severely diminishes the possibility of a WR1 finish for **CeeDee Lamb** or **DeAndre Hopkins.** That leaves **Christian Kirk** and **Michael Pittman** as the remaining WR1 candidates from the initial batch. As far as from this new batch of 11 receivers, I like **Davante Adams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Keenan Allen,** and squeaky wheel **A.J. Brown** to join **Jefferson, Diggs, Hill,** and *possibly* **Nacua** in the eventual Top 12 of 2023. That leaves four or five spots up for grabs as we head toward the halfway point of the season. ## Part 3 The third part of this series will come after Week 6 and touch on fantasy points scored through the first month and a half of the season since 2018. I want to get a better idea of the scoring range—the actual PPR points scored—that we can expect from WR1s on any given week, in addition to WR2s, 3s, 4s, and so on, all the way up to those who finish WR73+ on the week. After Week 6, we should have a very strong idea of who will end up as the Top 12 PPR WRs, and the overall Top 25 will be in our sights. As I keep digging into the data, my goal is to determine the types of receivers who might be able to break out in the second half—those who might be able to score in bunches, to go on a hot streak over the back half of the season; those who might be *more valuable* to our playoff chases than the eventual Top 25 or Top 12 season-long PPR WRs. That will come in Part 4, which will be the final installment of this series and published after Week 8. Until next time, Yeeeeeeeeeeeeehaw! ### The Next WR1 — (Part 1) URL: https://www.bandit.football/the-next-wr1-after-two/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:50:17.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/nextwr1-1.png) The magic number appears to be 12 targets. Since 2018, the overwhelming majority of Top 25 PPR WR scorers have seen 12 or more targets in at least one game: - **2018:** 24/25 met the mark *— Tyler Lockett (WR18) did not* - **2019:** 23/25 met the mark — *Courtland Sutton (WR18), Stefon Diggs (WR20) did not* - **2020:** 21/25 met the mark — *A.J. Brown (WR17), CeeDee Lamb (WR20), Tee Higgins (WR23), Curtis Samuel (WR25) did not* - **2021:** 24/25 met the mark — *Terry McLaurin (WR21) did not* - **2022:** 24/25 met the mark — *DJ Moore (WR23) did not* 🧮 92.8% of the Top 25 have seen 12 or more targets in at least one game during the fantasy season since 2018 Lucky for us, most of the Top 25 prove their target-earning prowess early on in the season. ## The First Two Weeks ### 40% Since 2018, forty percent of the eventual season-long Top 25 had at least 12 targets in Weeks 1 or 2 of that season. ## The First Four Weeks ### 54.4% More than half of the eventual Top 25 saw at least 12 targets during Weeks 1–4 dating back to 2018. ## The First Six Weeks ### 61.6% The majority of this year's Top 25 could emerge by the end of Week 6 if trends from the last five seasons hold true. 🥯 But the title of this series is not the Top 25—it's "The Next WR1"—so I'm going to focus on the Top 12 PPR WRs from 2018-2022 for the remainder of this entry ## Early Season Returns for Top 12 WRs Those were promising odds for the Top 25, but they're even better when focusing on the cream of the crop. ### 78.3% Over the past five PPR seasons, more than 9 of the eventual Top 12 WRs—on average—registered at least a dozen targets in a game during the first six weeks of the season. The low mark was 7 during the 2020 pandemic season; 10 of the Top 12 hit the dozen-target mark at least once during the first six weeks in 4 of the past 5 seasons. ### 70% We won't have to wait a month and a half to narrow down our probable Top 12\. If this five-year trend holds true, then 70% of the eventual Dirty Dozen will have registered 12 or more targets in at least one game through the first four weeks of the season. ### 50% And we may already know half of the 2023 Top 12 PPR WRs, as 50% earned at least 12 targets in a game through the first two weeks of their eventual Top 12 seasons dating back to 2018. **Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs,** and **CeeDee Lamb** have already done it in 2023\. **Justin Jefferson** is batting 1.000 through two weeks, having already hit the mark twice. Those four were drafted to be Top 12 WRs and it looks like they'll live up to the hype. But that leaves two spots up for grabs. Here are the other six wide receivers who have cleared at least 12 targets in a game through the first two weeks of the 2023 season. ## Puka Nacua ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/09/puka.jpeg) Do you believe? **Puka Nacua** is lapping the field, having seen a ridiculous 35 targets through two weeks. Justin Jefferson is second in the NFL with 25 targets. Puka has scored 52 PPR fantasy points through two games, second most in the league behind only Tyreek Hill's 59.5 PPR points. The question on many'a'fantasy manager's mind: Has Puka already peaked? ### 27.5% Has Puka already scored more than a quarter of his season-long fantasy points? If he's going to end up as the WR25 this season, then yes: he already has. If that season were to play out, he'd average a mere 9.1 ppg over the next 15 games. That would put him at WR69 in 2022 on a fantasy points per game basis, behind **Darnell Mooney** and **Josh Reynolds.** Not so nice. ⏲️ **I'm using PPR fantasy points scored in Weeks 1-16 for the 2018-2020 seasons and Weeks 1-17 for 2021 and 2022, to be in line with most fantasy leagues' regular season and playoff schedules. BYE Weeks have not been removed from the calculations because nobody has time for that.* ### 22.6% If Puka were to finish as the WR12 in 2023, there's a chance he's already scored more than a fifth of his season-long fantasy points in Weeks 1 and 2. Over the past five seasons, WR12 has scored 234.6 points on average. For the remaining 15 games, that would put Puka on pace for 12.2 ppg the rest of the way. DJ Moore averaged 12.3 fantasy points per game in 2022 and finished as the WR23. ### 14.4% Could he do the unthinkable and join teammate **Cooper Kupp** on the mountaintop? The overall WR1 has scored gaudy numbers the past five seasons, to the point where there's often a canyon-sized gap between the overall WR1 and WR2. The WR1 has scored 362.4 points on average. Puka's not yet 15% of the way there. If he averaged 20.69 points per game over the next 15 he would meet the mark. *That would be very nice.* Four wide receivers averaged more than 20 points per game in 2022, and one was Cooper Kupp. (Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, and Davante Adams were the others.) In 2021, three wide receivers bested 20 points per game (Kupp, Adams, and **Deebo Samuel**). It's going to be tough for Puka to get there. Especially as a rookie. Sean McVay has his team believing, though. And it seems like if they're not bought in, they're quickly shown the door (sayonara, **Cam Akers).** Cooper Kupp's return from IR looms, but his soft-tissue injury history looms larger—with his chance of re-injury high—and he's not getting any younger. **Tutu Atwell** is still just 165 pounds and **Tyler Higbee** *was* a volume-based streaming tight end *before* Puka showed up. I think it's pretty safe to say Puka will end the season as a Top 25 wide receiver, and he's on pace for a Top 12 finish. But how high can he climb? Do you believe? 🤠 **removes Puka from the dynasty trade block* ## DeAndre Hopkins ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/09/nuk.jpg) New city, same Nuk. **DeAndre Hopkins** finished as the WR4 in 2018, WR3 in 2019, and WR4 in 2020\. His reign of Top 5 finishes came to a crashing halt in 2021, though, and he hasn't cracked the Top 25 since. What he did manage these past two seasons was one week with at least 12 targets in 2021 and three such weeks in 2022. The problem is: he played just 10 games in 2021 and 9 games in 2022—and that was after a league-mandated suspension for violating the Performance Enhancing Drug policy. He's already been on the injury report in 2023\. And yet! He's still earning targets with the best of them. The 2023 Titans look to be a low-volume passing offense but sport a "pass funnel" defense, which means they are so successful at defending the run that opponents are actually encouraged to pass against them, which is sort of an oxymoron compared to how most defenses play in 2023. And that's how I view Hop at this stage in his career: he's kind of an oxymoron. A good receiver with bad prospects. He's earned targets at an elite clip but is sort of getting by on his name and nostalgia at this point. Those that believe in a bounce-back choose to ignore the signs of impending decline. It wouldn't surprise me if he finished the season as a Top 25 wide receiver, but I think it's more likely he won't be able to sustain production over the next 15 games, and I'd rather not spend my season playing Russian Roulette. ## Mike Williams ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/09/mike-williams-fantasy-draft-selection-2023.jpg) Speaking of Russian Roulette. The injury history, man. It's really hard for me to look past it. Mr. Big Tree Fall Hard, **Mike Williams,** is off to a different start in 2023. More than half of his targets and receptions have come behind the line of scrimmage or in the short area just beyond it. He's also running routes out of the slot more than a third of the time, which is the second-highest rate of his career. If Kellen Moore and this new-look Chargers offense can preserve Mike Williams' health by limiting the downfield jump balls that have led to his oft-injured past, then maybe. I'm OK betting on Williams as a FLEX receiver until further notice. Maybe my tune will change after Week 4 when I've had a chance to review the Chargers tape. ## Christian Kirk ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-20-at-10.52.24-AM.png) A tale of two box scores. - **Week 1:** 3 targets, 1 reception for 9 yards - **Week 2:** 14 targets, 11 receptions for 110 yards The difference? (Chris Jones and) Kansas City DC Steve Spagnuolo. The Athletic's Ted Nguyen outlined the Chiefs' Week 2 strategy to take away **Calvin Ridley**: > The Chiefs don’t have their corners travel often, but they had L’Jarius Sneed follow Ridley all game. Spagnuolo also switched up the coverage looks they gave Ridley throughout the game. They pressed him. They bracketed him. They played Cover 2 to his side to keep a safety over the top of him. They made his life tough. Ridley also got a little banged during the game. In Week 1, it was clear **Trevor Lawrence** and the Jaguars wanted to welcome Ridley back in style, and he was able to dominate against the Colts' inferior defense. I'm not expecting the Jaguars wide receiver targets to be so hot and cold on a weekly basis, but that Week 2 box score and game plan are a nice reminder that Christian Kirk finished as the WR14 in PPR scoring last season. Kirk seems like a lock to live up to his average draft position (WR30) and finish the season as a Top 25 WR, with a Top 12 season in his range of outcomes. He should have a high floor most weeks and looks to have one of the highest contingent values in all of fantasy should Ridley miss time (or be taken away by the defense). ## Tee Higgins ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-20-at-12.08.42-PM.png) Speaking of contingent value: **Tee Higgins** has entered the chat. But you already knew that. Tee finished as the WR23 in 2020 and should be penciled in as a Top 25 WR this season. But really I'd rather use this space to talk about Higginsfrom a dynasty perspective. Before the Bengals' first game of the season, the *Cincinnati Enquirer* reported the franchise and Higgins were not close on a contract extension. This news comes after **Joe Burrow's** record contract extension, of course, and an offseason emphasizing the want to "keep the band together"—to keep the trio of Burrow, Higgins, and **Ja'Marr Chase** in black and orange for the long haul. But that's not how Cincinnati operates. Or at least it's not how they've operated in the past. They're a shrewd franchise in a smaller market who lucked into a generational leader at QB. That means cutting costs elsewhere to make the numbers work. Higgins is a likely casualty. With Joe Burrow, you can *definitely* write Top 20 dynasty WR next to Tee Higgins' name. Without Joe Burrow? I like his odds of moving up into the **A.J. Brown** tier. The Carolina Panthers have nearly $50 million to spend in 2024\. The modern recipe for NFL franchises is to pair an elite WR with an ascending QB on a rookie contract. **Bryce Young** and Tee Higgins? That's a Top 12 WR. ## Michael Pittman Jr. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/09/pittman.jpg) Lost in all the **Jonathan Taylor** contract drama is **Michael Pittman Jr.** and *his* possible contract extension. The Indianapolis Colts currently have more than $70 million to spend in 2024 and they might not have to look very far to give their ascending rookie QB a No. 1 WR upgrade. Through two weeks, Pittmanhas been that dude. - **Week 1:** 11 targets, 8 receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown - **Week 2:** 12 targets, 8 receptions for 56 yards The worries about **Anthony Richardson's** game translating to the NFL have been quickly dashed. Now, the worry with Richardson is his ability to stay healthy. In Week 2, Richardson looked to Pittman on the first two plays of the game and targeted him once more before Richardson removed himself from the contest with concussion-like symptoms. From then on, Uncle Rico a.k.a. **Gardner Flint Minshew II** took over and proceeded to target Pittman nine more times. To me, this means Pittman is the focal point of Shane Steichen's offense. Although Steichen is most recently known for his work with **Jalen Hurts** and the Eagles' run game, he got his start under Norv Turner and the Philip Rivers-led Chargers that absolutely dominated through the air during Steichen's tenure as Quarterbacks Coach and led to the rise of PPR legend **Keenan Allen.** Michael Pittman is primed to be the engine of the 2023 Colts offense that is pass-heavier than expected—at least until **Jonathan Taylor** is eligible to return in Week 5 from his "injury (contract dispute)" off the PUP list. Even then, I think Pittman will continue to be the focal point of the offense and is in line to be paid by the Colts to serve as Anthony Richardson's top wide receiver for the duration of his rookie contract. It's a bit of a gamble with all the uncertainty clouding the Colts' immediate future, but I'm betting on Michael Pittman to finish as a Top 12 wide receiver in 2023 and think he's one of the best dynasty WR assets in the game right now. ## First Four Weeks ### Update to come before Week 5 I'll dig into the spreadsheet a bit more during the next two weeks and return with another entry in this series leading up to Week 5. If you'd like to read a little more on why 12 targets became the benchmark, check out this tremendous article by The Athletic's Ted Nguyen: [How NFL offenses are turning top receivers into the new workhorse running backsBefore the NFL became a pass-happy league, teams prioritized getting star running backs the ball 25-30 times a game, believing that eventually the defense would tire from punishment. There are still some workhorse backs in the league, albeit with lighter loads than their predecessors, but if Week 1.…![](https://theathletic.com/static/img/cropped-cropped-favicon1-270x270.png)The AthleticTed Nguyen![](https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2022/09/13230704/GettyImages-1243175203-scaled.jpeg)](https://theathletic.com/3585454/2022/09/14/justin-jefferson-cooper-kupp-tyreek-hill/?ref=bandit.football) ### We Should Be Starting 1 RB, 3 WR URL: https://www.bandit.football/we-should-be-starting-1-rb-3-wr/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:50:42.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2025/03/unnamed--7-.png) 1999 was the last time NFL fans knew peace. Week 1 saw the Jeff Fisher- and Air McNair-led Titans nearly choke away their home opener against the Jeff Blake Bengals. After a rocky start, the Buffalo Bills went on to win seven of their next nine while Flutie Flakes flew off the shelves. On Thanksgiving, the Dallas Cowboys hosted the Miami Dolphins when Deion Sanders hauled in two of Dan Marino’s five interceptions. A few weeks later, *Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo* premiered in theaters. Y2K fears dominated the country during the final month of the 20th century. My parents hosted a New Years Eve party upstairs while my friends and I, little Bandits that we were, plotted to turn off the main power switch as the clock struck midnight. But there was pizza upstairs, and candy, and sparkling white grape juice to be had, and Hootie & the Blowfish and the *Men in Black* soundtrack blaring through the living-room speakers. The clock struck midnight. The power stayed on. Y2K was a bunch of hooey. **January 1, 2000 — Miami Gardens, Florida** Brad Nessler, Bob Griese, and Lynn Swann called the game in front of 70,000+ on ABC. Alabama was a 2.5-point favorite, but they were up against Michigan’s Comeback Kid. On January 3, the New England Patriots fired head coach Pete Carroll. A few weeks later, Bill Belichick was hired to lead the team. **Mid-April, 2000** > “We talked about him initially in a group in the third round, the fourth round, and in the fifth round. [*—Scott Pioli*](https://www.si.com/nfl/talkoffame/nfl/pioli-patriots-brady-and-2000-draft?ref=bandit.football) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/04/unnamed--1---1-.jpg) More than two decades later, Touchdown Tom is still terrorizing the league. He threw for a career high 5,316 yards last season at the age of 44\. He attempted 719 passes and completed 67.5% of them. Touchdowns? There were many: 43, with only six interceptions. And so, as we enter the 2022 NFL season, Tom Brady is still playing football in this gosh durn league. His 23rd season at quarterback. In Brady’s early days, NFL offenses were built on establishing the run. Then something changed. It wasn’t the incoming crop of elite quarterbacks, as the league had seen plenty over the years. Maybe it was the *Moneyball* effect or the rise of analytics. Whatever it was, as Brady entered the second decade of his playing career, this much was clear: if you wanted to compete, if you wanted to win Super Bowls, you had to pass — and you had to pass a lot. Or at least, you had to pose the *threat* of passing it a lot. There are still offenses in 2022 that seem hellbent on establishing the run — hello again, Pete Carroll — but by and large, most NFL front offices are looking for a signal caller that can keep their team in a rendezvous with the Patrick Mahomeses and Josh Allenses of the league. NFL fans seem to agree. We bemoan offenses that begin a series with two straight runs; those that opt for a draw on third-and-long. Passing rocks and we want more of it. More often, earlier, always. *So why hasn’t fantasy football caught up?* There is no way we should be starting two running backs in fantasy football as we enter Tommothy Brady’s 23rd season. It no longer makes sense. ### **Rushing vs. Passing in the 21st Century** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/04/unnamed--1---1-.png) - **Twice:** Number of times 20+ backs have hit the 1,000+ yard rushing mark (2000 and 2006) - **2013 Was the Turning Point:** 13 or fewer backs have eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards since 2013 — with one exception: 2019 saw 16 ball carriers rush for more than a thousand yards. - **2006, 2019, 2020:** Years in which a QB rushed for more than 1,000 yards. **Michael Vick** in 2006 and **Lamar Jackson** in 2019 & 2020. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/04/unnamed--3---1-.png) - **Since 2010,** there have been 20+ quarterbacks who have eclipsed 3,000 yards in every season (with the exception of the 2020 pandemic season that saw 18 pass the mark). - **4,000+ Passing Yards:** 10 or more quarterbacks have passed for 4,000+ yards 10 times since the 2009 season. **Want an RB1 That Will Rush for 1,000 Yards? Good Luck** - **7 RBs** with 1,000 or more yards **(2015)** - **12 RBs** with 1,000 or more yards **(2016)** - **9 RBs** with 1,000 or more yards **(2017)** - **9 RBs** with 1,000 or more yards **(2018)** - **15 RBs** with 1,000 or more yards **(2019)** - **8 RBs** with 1,000 or more yards **(2020)** - **7 RBs** with 1,000 or more yards **(2021)** Even in smaller fantasy leagues, where eight managers duke it out for the chip, it’s become harder to land a running back that will produce like those of yore. Some running backs are making up for their lack of rushing with receiving work. More often than not, though, wide receivers are reaping the benefits of this new, pass-happy NFL — and the proliferation of three-wide sets. ### **The Rise of 11 Personnel** Thanks to the folks at [Sharp Football Analysis](http://click.revue.email/ss/c/XN2t88CAhalHja1RClwc6q2S9G3wANMuYB7-YEDJylK4T%5FqB-Snygc3X-nWEYZNtwZyZ1D5aPeHqBXadAxznN6o0GGHkWVx71ohYn%5FgYV%5FFByxqbS4FIOBav5PIShPeUBk5MIePd0qT55rkhp7FsJq05f6nAQOXqDX7QIRGyBzhxUy4AzkZ8Km1JDNstMgEHWYcMMWp8O1XOSuO8W-Tp9YgASO-yU3dJ44cUh6UXfs4/3nt/x6oPV-QOQze89m-yIYB%5FzQ/h3/SAVOGOT2vheMJt-yt4LbjSRS-hx-1CfloHDmjpJsoRk?ref=bandit.football) for compiling how often NFL offenses trot out three wide receivers, one running back, and one tight end. Folks, it’s a lot: **2018–2021 NFL 11 Personnel Usage** - **2018:** 65% of total plays - **2019:** 60% of total plays - **2020:** 60% of total plays - **2021:** 61% of total plays ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/04/unnamed--4---1-.png) The Super Bowl champion **Los Angeles Rams** led the league with three wide-receiver sets on a whopping 86% of their offensive plays. The Super Bowl runner-up **Cincinnati Bengals** finished second, running 11 personnel on 77% of their offensive plays. Ten playoff teams used 11 personnel on the majority of their offensive snaps. The four that didn’t? The **Arizona Cardinals** (#5 seed), **New England Patriots** (#6 seed), **San Francisco 49ers** (#6 seed),and King Henry’s **Tennessee Titans** (#1 seed). How did 11 personnel affect fantasy scoring? If we look at how the [Top 100 FLEX players finished the 2021 fantasy football season](http://click.revue.email/ss/c/M%5F7F4hitPa0f%5FYUqQCSgDsBD40Q6R9ZEb%5FVDdMTKTEDSzR-3bAFC5DwnqnaUSIqmvmgWYE2%5Fd5pcwGPE4TbwzrWiQib5r4oW2SYagfOw6hmC4B%5FL3l3O5rc%5FKd5JEoxvMJhiDYveGBgYNq2n-Kps6PpPtffXtOR6S06BYoLH8Tig5WuhYbkdu17YId4a5uPRS2OE6pqVzDUHDJp1CX2sKKRAXb60z2BjS52BHeEKgLNrnt623eDQ9mGyqIiJ0Pxq/3nt/x6oPV-QOQze89m-yIYB%5FzQ/h4/XG11ShpWaxXm1BO-rkgY3l2KA26POri-pV4v-QRyfuw?ref=bandit.football), here’s how things shook out: - **PPR Scoring: 67 of the Top 100 FLEX players** came from teams that predominantly ran 11 personnel. - **Half-PPR Scoring: 68 of the Top 100 FLEX players** came from teams that predominantly ran 11 personnel. - **Standard Scoring: 65 of the Top 100 FLEX players** came from teams that predominantly ran 11 personnel. - **Yahoo! Scoring: 65 of the Top 100 FLEX players** came from teams that predominantly ran 11 personnel. - **ESPN Scoring: 65 of the Top 100 FLEX players** came from teams that predominantly ran 11 personnel. *How about quarterbacks? The top nine played for teams that ran 11 personnel more often than not.* ### **Committee Backfields Aren't Going Anywhere** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/04/unnamed--5---1-.png) Can you believe **Eddie George** and **Larry Johnson** eclipsed 400 carries this century? **Derrick Henry** was on pace in 2021 before going down with an injury in Week 8. But as you can see, since about 2010… RBs simply aren’t getting 300+ rushing attempts. And NFL front offices aren’t prioritizing the position in the draft. [19 running backs have been taken in the first round since 2010.](http://click.revue.email/ss/c/pWlQWDMEZOO7txnhRGMDsUVXLpoZUPGYSzs2jAXd4ecAREseMs209LpqL0wsvgSNejuvw5OvROzX33mPxwueg3ZCdZPoKyDia741HtlDbetUoiFZNxpP4IIaMN1AG1YnZ2uPF3GlQrjf1NQpcplIuSwD8wV6YNy-eXKl1jeK7PAd1rMOTrVDfOhTylGI8kKQU9cbOMxnL0AAGEqxgWU7FWJ7M10iQLkx9USBNIhePg0lIlQR3UrL5Z0pwK9NEZRVupO0Y2oIUw%5FXRe9YRmhu6MOXi2SO9s0V1Dhc2R8boaswD%5FDhTgMR4WD7h%5FQ5tpYP8SIzrE1vtHGwsDhg-eSBOTPN5xktWE4yYOQiO14UNDZMr4y1uykhqF9aAQhHLUfErZKGcd03YBINE%5FK2GL1mlCHeUKyMSwnBqMHYO83VhgY/3nt/x6oPV-QOQze89m-yIYB%5FzQ/h5/lm05t59Mz3S3bvIG1xFaFM%5FskToY565cL3OzQf1g8Do?ref=bandit.football) 32 running backs were taken in the first round from 2000-2009\. Three running backs — Ronnie Brown, Cedric Benson, and Cadillac Williams — were taken in the top five picks in the 2005 NFL Draft. Fast-forward 17 years. **April 29, 2022 — Las Vegas, Nevada** The Raiders decline RB **Josh Jacobs’s** fifth-year option. After rushing for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons as a pro—earning P.F.W.A. Rookie of the Year honors and a Pro Bowl invite in 2020—Jacobs saw fewer rushing attempts in 2021 and finished with 872 yards on the ground. With a new regime in place for 2022, they declined to pick up the 2019 first-round pick’s option — and it wouldn’t be a surprise if this was the beginning of the new normal across the NFL. **Saquon Barkley** had his fifth-year option picked up last season, but that was before new HC Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen got to town. **Rashaad Penny** didn’t have his option picked up by the Seahawks, but they did give him a 1-year contract with a little more than $5 million guaranteed after his successful stretch to end the 2021 season. **Sony Michel,** the 31st pick in the 2018 draft, is already playing for his third team. What will happen with **Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Najee Harris,** and **Travis Etienne?** No running backs were selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, with **Breece Hall** and **Ken Walker** selected in the early second. With the (rightfully) surging cost of WR contracts this offseason, it seems more likely that running backs in the first round will be a thing of the past… and ultimately, far fewer will receive second contracts with the teams that draft them. ### **Total Games Played (2021-2018): RB vs. WR** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/05/df/05df3c6e-de4a-47b4-bb3f-5f4c6eedc398/content/images/2023/04/unnamed--6---1-.png) It’s gauche to claim a player is injury prone. Can we claim a position is injury prone? It makes sense that running backs are more likely to suffer injuries based on the number of hits they take on any given Sunday. And the numbers back it up. Here’s how many games the top RBs & WRs played each season, per My Fantasy League ADP: **Total Games Played (2018-2021)** - **WR2:** 14.56 - **WR1:** 13.89 - **RB1:** 12.31 - **RB2:** 12.26 Based on where they were drafted, the typical WR1 is expected to play at least one more game per season than an RB1\. The typical WR2 is expected to play at least two more games per season than an RB2. *Look, folks. We need to get back to loving running backs, OK? I think this is a start.* It’s pretty awesome that the league is passing more than ever and cool to see these insanely talented QBs launch the ball 70 yards. You know what’s *really* cool, though? When a running back breaks free for a long touchdown scamper. *Ooooooooweeeeee!* I feel like we’ve forgotten that! All of the data since the turn of the century points to starting one running back and three wide receivers in our fantasy football lineups. It just makes sense. What the data doesn’t show is that we’ve sort of discounted the position and the players, themselves—the guys—in general, because of their usage decline in NFL offenses and the recent spate of seasons mired with bad injury luck. If we make the switch to starting 1 RB and 3 WRs not only will our fantasy game improve and finally mirror the modern NFL, but we may even start to love running backs again. Anyway, enough hooey. If you’d like to [follow the Bandit on Twitter,](http://click.revue.email/ss/c/OvZMTmFNG%5Fogo9mVNMFA30VS70xiBIdmZo%5FCBgBSnU-nqPZAUVyF76IDzwHznwMtxHaod8%5F4M5qzD3tdGZJRCtn161OzYhs2xziNHFS3NzUrL-4FfawVDk2te1ecG%5FzLcRoixb2CZ8VB1PurrJj3mi9yizBFgIr3YEYp6ug-AVezLsMQzAJ7URNM2v7uqEPy/3nt/x6oPV-QOQze89m-yIYB%5FzQ/h6/530dYyn3zTepjL-2x0-UF6dIwEHnny9z4Iq4-0lvQmM?ref=bandit.football) let me know what you think about switching your league’s roster settings to starting 1 RB and 3 WRs. Until next time…. Yeeeeeeeeehaw!