Warning, long af post.
So I did this last year, the idea being that there were some guys slipping through the cracks for whatever reason who are actually great fits for what we like most in a prospect. I got Wingo and Eguakun right which is pretty good out of what, 7 guys total?
I’m doing more this year (and will try to employ more brevity per prospect, though the fact that I said “employ more brevity per prospect” rather than “keep it short” doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence, admittedly), so hopefully I get more right.
(Note 1 - this is for guys that have gotten very little love. There are A LOT of guys we’ve obsessed over who fit what we want, there’s just a few who fell through the cracks. I’ve also brought a few of them up while doing this the last couple of days so maybe they no longer qualify technically, but I don’t care. I spent time writing it, I’m posting it.)
(Note 2 - I might not be as high on some of these guys personally as this post makes it seem, but I can still recognize that they’re the type our FO tends to like. And I am a fan of most, to be fair.)
- Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
Apologies to @1casanovajack, I disagreed when he suggested Noel as an option for us early in the process, and while I still think he’s too expensive for the role he would be filling for us (basically, Raymond’s), if Brad/Dan fall in love with a prospect, it kinda doesn’t matter.
And there may not be a more us prospect in the draft than Noel.
A two-time captain, he’s already a pro, and when I read in the Beast how he was “valedictorian” amongst all the prospects who trained for the combine at Exos, I couldn’t help but nod my head. The problem will be his cost. Dane has him ranked 42nd, and I really do believe our FO won’t be the only one completely in love with him, so I’d be stunned if he makes it to 60. For me the only way he ends up a Lion is via some trade chicanery.
(And of course if we do take him he’ll do more than just take Raymond’s role)
- Arian Smith, WR, Georgia
We all know him as the electric Georgia playmaker who can’t catch, but while people weren’t watching this year he became more than that. His routes became more nuanced, he used the threat of his speed to break CBs off at his stem, he developed a repertoire of moves for beating press. His drop rate even went down a little (his hands looked extremely natural during the gauntlet drill at the combine).
And the dude works his ass off, he throws himself into blocking and competes with an edge. The coaches absolutely love him. “There’s not a harder worker on our team,” the OC says according to Dane. He’s had his share of injury issues over his career, but he stayed healthy in 2024.
And of course he’s fast. He didn’t run the fastest 40 of any WR, but he might be the fastest one available. Anyone wanting to move on from Jamo should be hoping for Smith. Personally I’d be just fine with both of them.
Notice the improved route-running and releases here:
And here he is throwing his body around in the run game (the first one against brief Lion LB Steele Chambers):
- Ben Yurosek, TE, Georgia
There aren’t a lot of great blocking tight ends in this class, but there are quite a few move tight ends who are better than expected blockers, and to me Yurosek is the best of them. His technique is damn near perfect. Never gets over his skis whether on the move or not, hands are strong, well-placed and timed to perfection. Never misses an assignment. He’s too measured and under control to blow guys up often, but that also means he rarely whiffs.
He had plenty of good reps against much larger edges, but his overall lack of mass will probably limit his ultimate upside in that capacity. But that’s OK! He’ll still be very good - better than a majority of the league - and he’s got a well-rounded enough game to contribute in other ways.
Georgia liked him as a blocker so much that they did him wrong and left him in-line, despite his size, while Delp and the other shit blockers ran routes. But you can go back and look at his Stanford tape to see his work as a pass-catcher and route-runner, he’s got as much juice as any of the other mid-round move TEs, which shows in the testing. Especially in short areas, he shows a lot of burst off the line.
He’s one of my bigger sleepers in the class (73rd overall on my board), and I’m really happy to have learned we just brought him in for a 30 visit. Kirby Smart raved about his work ethic, character, and willingness to do anything for the team, which perhaps isn’t surprising given the way he chose to use him.
Pretty easy to see the juice on these:
And here’s some blocking:
- Bryce Cabeldue, iOL, Kansas
OK so I jumped the gun a little with this one and started discussing him with @BubbaBaker-60 already, but I couldn’t help it. The tape was that exciting - especially the Shrine bowl stuff. And as you can see by Dane’s mock where he went in the 4th, the league is higher on him than the draft space is.
So Cabeldue’s an excellent athlete with a nasty demeanor, latch-on hands, upper body torque, and legit smarts. Guys with that combo go earlier than we think they will, so we should expect as much. He’d never played inside before but crushed the transition at the Shrine Bowl (a bit like Zabel at the Senior Bowl).
Oh, and this is what one of the beat writers covering the team had to say about him: "Cabledue embodied everything that the team was about - toughness, resilience, a team-first mentality and great appreciation for simply getting to play the game and for finally getting a taste of winning. Beyond that, his talent and versatility up front was important. He played right tackle in 2023 and was a part of one of the best offensive lines in college football and flipped over to left tackle in 2024 after Kansas lost Dominick Puni to the NFL. Cabeldue never thought he’d play left tackle, but when they asked him to do it, the answer was an immediate, ‘Whatever’s best for the team.’ He’s that kind of dude.”
Yeah, we’ll like him.
- Barryn Sorrell, Edge, Texas
It’s not easy finding an edge rusher for this exercise since we’ve discussed most of them ad nauseam, but Sorrell seems to have fallen through the cracks. And I’m not sure what’s not to like.
Tenacious is the first thing that comes to mind, but he’s plenty strong, he’s got a great closing burst, good hands (punch-pull is top notch) and can shed blocks, can flex inside or drop into zones, and he rarely loses a rep outright. He reminds me of Hutch the way he finds answers when he’s initially stymied. He’s just constantly attacking with his hands. Oh, and he’s damn near never hurt, which everyone in here should appreciate, and he’s a multi-game captain (8X in 2024 alone). It’s very easy to find anecdote after anecdote from his teammates discussing what a great leader and tireless worker he is.
As for the juice, well you can see the testing but he also ran the fastest hoop drill among edges at the combine (I love that we get these numbers now), and he’s also the only Longhorn on the freaks list this year for regularly reaching 20MPH during games. He’s also a bonus against mobile QBs. His functional athleticism is excellent. That’s but part of the reason he was named MVP of the DL by his American team peers at the Senior Bowl.
I suppose he’s more of a jack-of-all-trades type than someone who’s gonna dominate in any one area. He’s got good bend but not great, good strength but he’s not holding up against double-teams, and the pop in his hands is only average. He’s got great overall juice but his get-off can be hit or miss, and he’s got pretty low percentile length for an edge at 32.25 inches. All of that’s why he’s not going in the first. But with his motor, toughness, juice, I certainly won’t be betting against him.
Here’s some fancy videos. First, sloughing the OT like he’s a child to make a play against the run in a big moment.
Stack, shed, tackle.
Lining up inside:
Savvy to power
- Shemar Turner, iDL, Texas A&M
Right, so first thing you notice is the lack of testing. Let me tell you why.
He suffered a stress fracture during 2024 fall camp that required a rod to be inserted. Well, it didn’t heal properly, but he continued to play through it until their season was over anyway. And he can be forgiven for opting out of the A&M bowl game because he had to get another surgery, which is why he also missed the testing. So even his lack of a RAS tells a story that makes him a fit for us. He also played the last half of 2023 with a torn labrum. This is one tough MFer.
I know he’s not completely out of nowhere - a few people have brought him up - but he should be discussed as one of our primary options. He played anywhere from 0 to 7 technique in College Station, and while some reports are down on his 2024 performance, you know, see above. And his 2023 tape is easily that of a top 50 player, despite the torn labrum. He’s explosive, quick and violent, his hands are active and he knows how to use them, and he keeps his eyes on the ball (a big problem with a similar prospect and former teammate Nolen). He’s still got a ways to go as a pass-rusher and he can lose his gap integrity, but that motor and violence are hard to ignore.
Now sometimes his motor actually runs too hot, he’ll throw punches and get tossed from games now and again. But it’s almost always in defense of a teammate. In the Beast, Dane says scouts call him a “foxhole-type” and “outstanding teammate.” I have a feeling we’ll be willing to put up with some crossing of the line for a guy like that.
Here’s what former coach Jimbo Fisher had to say about him: “There’s nobody on our team who loves football more than Shemar Turner. He loves to play. He loves to practice. He loves to work out. He loves to run. He loves everything associated with football, and that doesn’t always happen.” So, yeah. That screams us.
- Ty Hamilton, iDL, Ohio State
Very similar to the man above him actually. They weren’t used the same way in college, but will be in the pros, at least if a staff wants to get the best out of them. Like Turner, Hamilton is Violent, capital V, his motor runs hot, and he’s a great athlete. He’s quick and his hands have really good pop for his size, and he doesn’t lose track of what’s happening in the backfield (cough, Walter Nolen, cough). He also doesn’t have much of a pass-rush arsenal and can be a little stiff when trying to redirect, though he’s unlikely to start as many fights as Turner, but he’d definitely join in once it started.
Ohio State coaches described him as “quiet but cold-blooded. He’s the ultimate team player. Doesn’t say a lot but goes to work.” So he fits with our culture from that perspective, and clearly he’s someone who’ll do whatever asked of him. I know this because he was asked to two-gap a ton despite having one-gap traits. He could have put up much bigger numbers playing his natural position but took one for the team. Which also means maybe there’s an untapped ceiling? What do you think?
- Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson
More linebackers seem to fit our prospect criteria than any other position, which I guess makes sense when you consider it’s a position that requires smart, tough leaders with a strong work ethic (to learn the calls/schemes) who are tasked with getting the most out of their teammates. It’s a recipe for a Lion.
Carter’s in a bucket with a few other guys I think we’re gonna adore for their character (also Simon, Paul, Bassa, Buchanan, Martin, Woodard, Stutsman, King), but I think even amongst those guys, he stands out. He just has the whole makeup, leader extraordinairre, eats, sleeps, drinks football, grit, great teammate, etc…
I often mention that scouting series of Bob McGinn’s I read, well here’s what some of those notoriously crotchety scouts said about him: “Great character makeup. This kid just checks all the boxes across the board. For a guy who’s an athletic linebacker and seeing him play downhill and really take on blocks with physicality, you don’t get much of that anymore.” Said another: “He’s like their Alpha male. Total slam dunk. Not the biggest or longest guy. Just super tough, competitive, physical, leader.” Yeah, we’re gonna love him. Which I’m sure is why we’ve already met with him.
Plus he’s got sideline-to-sideline range, closes on the ball, as Dane says, “like a ravenous predator," and might be the best blitzing LB in the class. And he’s a WILL all the way, which fits us like a glove. Also has tons of special teams experience, which will be important for whatever LB we draft for this spot.
- Jacob Parrish, CB, Kansas State
Currently one of my bigger crushes in the draft (yes, it’s a more recent phenomenon). Sticky in man, great in zone, good, instinctive tackler despite his size, with good understanding of chase angles, plays hard all the time, sprinter’s speed and short-area juice (stuck with Travis Hunter on tape), makes plays on the ball, experience outside and in the slot, competes at the catch point despite often giving up size, starting playing game 1 as a true freshman and hasn’t stopped.
Whew.
If this guy were an inch-and-a-half taller, we’d be talking top twenty pick.
According to one of the KSU beat guys, Parrish is the first guy in the facility every morning and the last one to leave. Relentless motor and study habits, and while it’s outside of his comfort zone, the leader of the secondary. More of a lead by example guy, but he won’t let anyone slack. A young guy too, just turned 21. I think we’re gonna be VERY high on him.
Peep this!
- Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State
I mean sheesh, look at that testing. Hard not to fall for a guy like that, despite the fact that he’s already 24.
Still, with his struggles in run support and wonky profile, I didn’t think we’d be in for him. Our corners have to tackle, they just do. There was a small discussion back when the combine finished and I didn’t think there was any way we’d go for him, not after watching a few games of him kinda running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
Then the Beast came out and I read that Matt Campbell calls him the “most selfless, most incredible human.” I had to sit up. That means something coming from him, and of course we’ve added a member of the ISU 2024 staff in Tyler Roehl, so he’ll know all about him too. Suddenly that combine visit doesn’t look so perfunctory. I had no choice but to go back and take another look.
And yeah, still not the greatest tackler… BUT, the effort’s there. And unlike other corners who give good effort like Wiggins or Benjamin Morrison this year, Porter’s size isn’t an insurmountable obstacle. He should be able to become a plus tackler if he refines his technique and instincts.
Because he is still very new to the position, despite his age, so it’s not crazy to project more improvement than you might for a similarly-aged prospect who’d been playing the position for years. Already he chases plays down like a madman, he has really good ball skills from his time as a WR, he’s got extensive special teams experience, and while most of his experience is in zone, with his frame there’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to master press man. It might just take time.
So for the second time in this piece, I have to offer my apologies to @1CasanovaJack. I still think he’s probably gone by 60 after that testing, but maybe the age keeps his stock in check.
- Korie Black, CB, Oklahoma State
A late-riser who Dane has as his highest-ranked prospect who wasn’t invited to the combine (mocked him in the 4th round of his 7 rounder), I think I finally found a mid-round CB I like.
Black, a multi-game captain, is a boundary corner who plays an aggressive, old school bump-and-run style. An excellent tackler, he also blocked 2 FGs and returned another for a TD. He’s chirpy like we like them and only allowed a 53% completion rate over 2300 career snaps. That’s a great number.
He’s been through the fire, played 3rd-most man snaps in all of college football, like the college version of Terrion. Even his zone reps were single coverage with no help, and almost always against the opponents’ best WR. Like one of the stat heads over at 33rd team said about him, he “was almost playing a different sport than players like Jahdae Barron (17.9% man coverage rate), Will Johnson (13.7%), and Quincey Riley (18.4%), who will likely get drafted a day or two ahead of him.” Still only 22 despite playing 5 years.
I’m sure a few of you will note that Black attended my alma mater, but I really hope I’m not being biased. You can see the numbers. The Oklahoma State defense was so horrific this year, it was hard to believe there could have been any good players on it. But when he tested and Dane called him a crush I had to take another look, focusing only on Black, and the story told was very different. It was almost as if he was playing a one-on-one game while the rest of the trash defense played ten-on-ten (it didn’t help that Oliver and Martin were hurt).
- Jaylen Reed, S, Penn State
Local kid who played the “Lion” position for Penn State. Is it kismet? Do you think they named the position after us? I can’t think of any other reason they would have given it that name, so I’m gonna pretend they named it after us, in honor of Reed’s hometown.
And the Lion is just the sort of position some think we want to bring to our D this year, part nickel, part safety, part WILL. As for the leadership/grit/work ethic stuff I’m looking for to make these guys a fit for this thing, some helpful PSU writer summed it up nicely in this article for me so I don’t have to belabor it.
On tape he’s a great hitter, always on the move, his motor clearly runs hot, and when he hits he wants to make sure the ball-carrier knows it. That leads to some misses of aggression, and his awareness can be a little hit or miss, but we’ve met with him so I figure we’re interested.
- Marques Sigle, S, Kansas State
A guy I love to add on day 3 in the sims, he was named team captain after transferring over from ND State (meaning our new coach Roehl should know all about him). Here’s what their DC had to say about him: “He works his butt off in practice, never has a sense of entitlement. He works like he’s still trying to earn stuff all the time. Players see that. Players try to emulate that. That’s how good culture gets started by getting guys like that in the program.” As I’m sure you all know, that’s a big box checked for us.
Also, the dude can fly. You see the numbers, and according to Dane, he had the fastest mph at the five-yard split - 15.13mph - of anyone at the combine. That’s zero to sixty lickety-split. Sometimes he doesn’t trust his eyes which causes a moment of hesitation, but when he sees it and goes, it’s something to see.
Has full-field range and patient eyes and didn’t commit a coverage penalty in 2024. Good tackler but can whiff when he tries to throw too much of his weight behind it. Sort of rare guy with both slot and deep safety capabilities, though sometimes I question his instincts in single high. I might honestly prefer him in the slot - he can be a force at the line of scrimmage - but his lack of size is a little worrying for his long-term health from there.
- J.J. Roberts, S, Marshall
Just look how pretty that RAS is, sheesh. Looks a little like Christmas, all red and green and black for profits. OK I’m getting tired and this is getting long.
But I can’t leave without calling this shot. Roberts is much more than his testing, he’s GOOD. PFF’s highest-graded safety. As you might expect his range is impressive - he led the Sun Belt in passes defended - but where he really opens your eyes is in run support. Mein Gott he wants to send guys into the neighboring zip code (@Davicus I don’t know if he meets the PFF thresholds but I suspect you’ll like him quite a bit). Some long-term concerns given his CB frame but man is he fun to watch. Sometimes he goes for the kill shot rather than wrap up, which is just what you gotta put up with from this type of guy now and then, but I thought it was much better this year.
He’s also got really smooth hips in coverage, and can clearly cover pretty much every blade of grass on the field. He’ll make mobile QBs think twice about tucking the ball and running. And his motor, man. Everyone on this list has a hot motor, but Roberts’ might be the hottest. Seriously I worry he’s hopped up on something sometimes.
I don’t know if he ends up a CB or a S long-term (he’s got experience in both, though last year was predominantly at S), and honestly as a S he might be a bit superfluous with Kerby. But man, his tape is fun. There’s a lot of interesting, probably unnecessary showmanship on his tape, but it’s never a dull moment!
So there is is. I’m coming out with a day 3/UDFA deep dive in a couple of days, but these are the guys I fully expect to be drafted, and some of them early. And no, this isn’t my longest post. Not even close. I think it’s like 5th or 6th longest.
