Go Long : Draft

By Bob McGinn

In 2025, the Lions never recovered from the loss of center Frank Ragnow to retirement. It was the single most important factor in the team’s fall from first to worst in the NFC North Division.

Then, in March, the Bears were shocked when center Drew Dalman announced his retirement. It came just two months after they took advantage of the Lions’ collapse and rose from last to first in the division.

Ragnow, in 2024, and Dalman last season were voted the starting center for the NFC in the Pro Bowl. Not only were they hailed for their consistent blocking but also for their outstanding ability to call out blocking assignments at the line of scrimmage.

The Lions got it worse than the Bears because Ragnow abruptly called it quits six weeks after the draft. Their only reasonable response was to shift veteran Graham Glasgow from guard back to center, and as hard as Glasgow tried his 10th season probably turned out to be his worst and he’s currently on the street.

Given time to maneuver, the Lions in March shored up their most prominent void by signing unrestricted free agent Cade Mays (three years, $25 million) and trading for another veteran center, Juice Scruggs.

The damage caused by Dalman’s leave in Chicago led to a pair of moves that should shore up the center position but of course also left other positions without reinforcement.

Last month, the Bears traded a fifth-round draft choice in 2027 to New England for Garrett Bradbury, the Patriots’ center during their Super Bowl run and the Vikings’ undersized starter from 2019-’24. On the surface, the Bears seemingly were prepared to defend their title with Bradbury.

“To me, he’s a low-end starter,” an executive in personnel for an NFL team said this week. “Veteran kind of guy. He’s smart, played a lot of football. But he has limitations. Definitely a step down from Dalman. Pass protection is going to be an issue as well as any power-gap scheme runs. They addressed it on a short-term basis. I expect them to draft one at some point in the middle rounds probably. Dalman was a loss.”

Already out of a mid-round pick in the draft next year, the Bears still felt compelled to draft a center in the second round Friday night. He was Iowa’s Logan Jones, a six-year collegian who started 51 games in the Big Ten.

More than likely it will be Jones, who will be 25 in October, starting on opening day if he’s not the main man on Day 1 of training camp. Bradbury has a $4.7 million base salary and can’t play another position. His departure, either via trade or waivers, appears likely.

“Captain, leader, grown man, pro-ready habits,” said Trey Koziol, the Bears’ director of player personnel. “Mature, composed. The football intelligence really stood out.”

With Dalman, who would be entering his sixth season at age 27, the Bears could have used that second-round draft choice (No. 57) on a much-needed defensive tackle or on a better wide receiver than speedster Zavion Thomas, who became their selection at No. 89. But barring injury, Jones should provide the interior stability that is critical for the development of Caleb Williams. The Lions could only have been that fortunate.

CHICAGO BEARS (11-6, 1-1)

2/52. LOGAN JONES, C, Iowa (6-3, 300, 4.91)
3/69. SAM ROUSH, TE, Stanford (6-6, 266, 4.77)
3/89. ZAVION THOMAS, WR, LSU (5-10 ½, 192, 4.26)

When the Titans decided to trade up in the second round and take linebacker Anthony Hill, the Bears agreed to move down with them from No. 60 to No. 69 while adding a fifth-round selection. Before Chicago picked at No. 69 tight end Max Klare and defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim had just gone off the board.

Despite having Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet, the Bears decided to add another tight end in Roush, who will assume the No. 3 berth left vacant by the free-agent departure of Durham Smythe. Roush was productive and tested well athletically, but his 40 time was among the slowest at the position and his arm length (30 5/8 inches) was the shortest.

If another tight end seemed like a luxury pick in the third round, perhaps it was. Among the 19 players that went before the Bears selected again were defensive tackles Chris McClellan (Packers), Albert Regis and Domonique Orange (Vikings).

Koziol described Roush as one of the few tight ends with the ability to play all over the formation and both catch and block effectively. “He definitely looks the part,” he said.

With D.J. Moore having been traded to Buffalo, the Bears expect Luther Burden to move into the starting role opposite Rome Odunze. Kalif Raymond, the gutsy former Lion who took a one-year, $3.5 million deal from Chicago, probably is more of a No. 4 receiver than a No. 3.

So the Bears tried with Thomas, who is a little bigger than Raymond and even faster.

“Good little player,” one scout said this month. “He’s actually put together a lot better than you’d think when you get up on him. He’s 190 pounds compared to some of these guys that are in the 160s, 170s. He kind of looks like a running back, to be honest. His whole thing has been production. He’s never really found a defined role but he’s extremely fast, athletic, versatile. He’ll be a returner immediately for somebody. He’s run the ball out of the backfield. He does a lot of things pretty good, but nothing elite. But 4.29 is 4.29.”

Thomas was the 15^th of 16 wide receivers taken in the top 100 picks. Raymond, who has returned punts reliably for a decade, gives the Bears remarkable depth in the kicking game.

DETROIT LIONS (9-8)

2/44. DERRICK MOORE, Edge, Michigan (6-4, 256, no 40)

Moore didn’t work out at the combine, citing a hamstring injury. Three weeks later at pro day, he performed poorly in the jumps (vertical of 30 inches, broad jump of 9-7) but didn’t run the 40 or shuttles. NFL teams will never really know how fast he is.

His arm length (33 3/8) compared favorably at the position but his hands were among the smallest at 9 1/8. Having started 24 of 53 games, his production (21 ½ sacks, 95 tackles, 24 ½ tackles for loss) was average to slightly above.

Nevertheless, GM Brad Holmes grew antsy watching as edge rushers went 35^th, 40^th and 41^st early in the second round. Finally, he traded up with the Jets, parting with a fourth-round pick in order to move from No. 50 to No. 44 and take Moore, who thus became the ninth player at the position drafted. Missouri’s Zion Young went next to the Ravens.

“It’s hard to find guys — I’m not going to say we’re picky — but we just have a certain type that we like and he fits those boxes,” said Holmes. “Right in that area, there were multiple edge rushers that were flying off. That’s the fascination of the draft: you don’t know. Derrick might have been our No. 3 or No. 4 edge rusher, whatever it is, but today he was our No. 1 for what was available. For other teams, he could have been their No. 7 or No. 8. You can’t worry about that. You’ve just got to get the guy that you want.”

Moore became just the third edge rusher that Holmes has taken in the six drafts he has directed. He will compete with veteran D.J. Wonnum, retread Payton Turner and eager second-year man Ahmed Hassanein for playing time opposite Aidan Hutchinson, another former Michigan player.

In my pre-draft interviews with half a dozen scouts, Moore drew his highest marks for overall strength and toughness. There were undercurrents of overachievement in the assessments. “There’s been some better defensive ends that have come out the last few years at Michigan,” one evaluator said. “He power rushes all the time. He gets into what I call personal battles and gets fighting the guy and not getting off the block.”

After taking Moore, the Lions were done for the night because their third-round pick had been dealt to Jacksonville a year ago in a draft-day deal that brought wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa to Detroit.

The charge forward to land Moore was the 12^th time in Holmes’ tenure that he was unable to wait patiently in his slot and instead parted with draft capital. Three of those deals turned out favorably (for wide receiver Jameson Williams, safety Brian Branch, guard Tate Ratledge). Three turned out poorly (for nose tackle Brodric Martin, defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo, tackle Gio Manu). One broke even (for linebacker Derrick Barnes). And it could be said that the jury’s out on four others (for cornerback Terrion Arnold, running back Sione Vaki, guard Miles Frazier and TeSlaa).

On Saturday, the Lions have six selections to address needs at linebacker and in the secondary.

Getty Images

2/52. BRANDON CISSE, CB, South Carolina (5-11 ½, 189, 4.46)
3/77. CHRIS McCLELLAN, DT, Missouri (6-3 ½, 313, 5.04)

Until Friday night, the Packers hadn’t drafted a cornerback in the first four rounds since Eric Stokes went in the first round in 2021.

Obviously with that in mind, an executive for another NFL team offered this pre-draft assessment of the depth chart at cornerback in Green Bay that consists of Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Benjamin St-Juste and Kamal Hadden.

“I keep saying they need to draft a corner but they haven’t done it,” said the personnel man. “Maybe this is the year. Nixon and Valentine are free agents after this year and they don’t have a lot of depth. St-Juste had an OK year last year for the Chargers but he was really bad two years ago with the Commanders. But if they continue to play a lot of zone defense, which they should under (Jonathan) Gannon because that’s what he did (at Arizona), he might be OK. But he’s just a backup.”

GM Brian Gutekunst’s only early-round corners include Jaire Alexander (first round) and Josh Jackson (second round) in 2018, and Stokes three years later. What made the selection of Cisse interesting was the same flaw that both he and Stokes brought into the NFL.

Of the 15 scouts that I discussed Stokes with five years ago, four remarked that his hands were a huge negative. “He can’t catch a ball but he can run fast,” said one.

Stokes (6-0 ½, 194, 4.31) didn’t have an interception in 22 games at Georgia from 2018-’19. He picked four in 2020, but one scout said several of them were poorly thrown and labeled them as “gifts.”

As a rookie, Stokes started 14 of 16 games and had one interception. However, he dropped six others. That was one more than any player in Green Bay had since I began charting drops in 1998. The Packers let Stokes walk as a free agent in March 2025 and he went on to start for the Raiders. In 61 career games, he has one pick.

Five cornerbacks had been selected when the Packers drafted Cisse. The Packers indicated he was equally effective both in press-man and off-man coverage. Three of the personnel people that discussed Cisse with me before the draft mentioned that poor balls skills were a major factor why he finished with just two interceptions in 34 games (21 starts).

“He can’t catch at all,” said one scout. “Ball skills are terrible.”

Mike Owen, one of the Packers’ national scouts, said: “I thought he had good ball skills.”

Getty Images

After sending Kenny Clark to Dallas as part of the trade for Micah Parsons, the Packers had problems most of the season stopping the inside run. “They definitely need another run defender,” said one scout before the draft, adding that the departed Colby Wooden was a better run stopper than Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks and ex-Viking Javon Hargrave. Other holdovers include Warren Brinson, Nazir Stackhouse, Jonathan Ford and Jordon Riley.

Thus, the decision was made to trade up from No. 84 to No. 77 in the third round with Tampa Bay at the cost of a fifth-round pick and take McClellan, a backup for two seasons at Florida and a starter for two seasons at Missouri.

He has good arm length (34), massive hands (11) and excellent speed. Green Bay selected McClellan over other defensive tackles such as Domonique Orange, Albert Regis and Darrell Jackson.

“He can play the nose, he can play the three (technique) and some of our big end stuff as well,” said Milt Hendrickson, the club’s director of football operations. “He’s just one of those guys, even though he’s four years in college, he’s still scratching the surface a little bit. He’s a guy that can fit in a variety of different ways.”

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (9-8)

2/51. JAKE GOLDAY, Edge-LB, Cincinnati (6-4 ½, 237, 4.58)
3/82. DOMONIQUE ORANGE, DT, Iowa State (6-2 ½, 322, 5.17)
3/97. CALEB TIERNAN, T, Northwestern (6-7 ½, 323, no 40)
3/98. JAKOBE THOMAS, S, Miami (6-1, 214, 4.57)

While it’s true that Jonathan Greenard’s sack total dipped from 12 in 2024, his first season in Minnesota, to three in 2025, he still garnered respect from opponents.

“I know he didn’t have high sack numbers this year,” one scout said in January. “But when you watch the film he’s consistently disruptive.”

In my All-NFC North team for 2025 Greenard ranked third behind Micah Parsons and Aidan Hutchinson. The nice problem for the Vikings was that Andrew Van Ginkel ranked fourth and Dallas Turner was sixth. After a disappointing three-sack rookie season, Turner registered 6 ½ of his eight sacks in the final eight games.

“To win a game as a pass rusher, I’d take Turner,” said another scout after the season. “To win a game instinctively, I’d take Van Ginkel. To win it overall, Greenard is probably that guy.”

Minus a salary cap, the Vikings of course would have retained all three and employed them in a dynamic rotational arrangement. But with Greenard angling for a raise from his $19 million salary for 2026 the Vikings traded him to the Eagles in the middle of the proceedings Friday night.

The Eagles added Greenard to their edge rusher mix that is without Jaelan Phillips, who signed with Carolina. They signed Greenard to a four-year extension worth $100 million with $50 million guaranteed, according to ESPN.

In return, the Vikings got the second of the Eagles’ two third-round picks (No. 98, not No. 68) and a third-round pick in 2027. They reportedly also trimmed $12.5 million from their salary cap.

“What you see is a relentless player with physical tools,” Eagles GM Howie Roseman said in reference to Greenard. “He can win in multiple ways. He is hard to block. I know when we play Minnesota, we are worried about where he is at all times.”

Golday played a multitude of positions during a five-year career at FCS Central Arkansas and Cincinnati. The Vikings return Eric Wilson, Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace at linebacker. Look for Golday, an effective rusher from various locales, to become a useful weapon under defensive coordinator Brian Flores on passing downs.

“Most teams saw me playing off the ball (linebacker),” said Golday. “Some saw me doing a little bit of everything. What makes me special is my versatility. I played mike and then sam, which basically was a nickel and I was in coverage a lot.”

Orange is a hulking run stuffer. Along with Caleb Banks, the first-round pick, the Vikings’ front figures to take on a dramatically different look from recent seasons in terms of bulk.

Tiernan walks in as the No. 4 tackle but with the athleticism one day to take over for either Christian Darrisaw or Brian O’Neill.

Thomas had an up-and-down career but couldn’t be in a better spot. Whether Harrison Smith comes back or not, the Vikings have openings at safety.

ICYMI:

NFC North Analysis: Lions find 'man’s man' in Blake Miller, Vikings play DT lottery & Bears revamp secondary

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:41:29 GMT

Getty Images

By Bob McGinn

The Bears and the Lions sensibly went ahead and plugged voids in their starting lineup. The reckless Vikings might have been plugging a slot machine for all that’s guaranteed out of their opening salvo Thursday night.

In an NFL draft widely panned by personnel people as inferior, especially at the top, three NFC North teams made a pick whereas the Packers, having traded their first-round choice last summer, must wait to get started until the second and third rounds begin Friday in Pittsburgh at 7 p.m.

Here’s an analysis of Day 1 for what has been an elite division over the past several seasons.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (9-8)

1/18. CALEB BANKS, DT, FLORIDA (6-6, 327, 5.08)

With the Vikings on the clock, and after reconsidering their roster and the players remaining, I jotted down eight names that might have been most attractive to them. The list included wide receiver Makai Lemon, tackles Monroe Freeling and Caleb Lomu, running back Jadarian Price, defensive tackles Kayden McDonald, Peter Woods and Christen Miller, and safety Dillon Thieneman.

At wide receiver, the Vikings are without a suitable replacement for the capable No. 3 Jalen Nailor, and Jordan Addison’s future has been clouded by off-field incidents. Christian Darrisaw, their gifted left tackle, has a bad knee, and right tackle Brian O’Neill will be entering his ninth season. The returning running-back tandem of Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason lacks pizazz.

In a wise decision, the Vikings cut Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, the veteran defensive tackles who were disappointments in their only seasons in Minnesota. Jalen Redmond had a breakout season, Levi Drake Rodriguez made major strides, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins showed a measure of promise as a rookie and free agent Taki Taimani will compete in his third season.

“Redmond and Rodriguez are really good,” one NFC personnel man said. “They deserve to start. One thing I’d say is they’re not very big inside. They might want to add a little size but the way they play, they can kind of get away with it.”

Getty Images

And, at safety, they need at least one even if Harrison Smith were to decide to play a 15^th season.

Then the Vikings drafted Banks, a classic boom-or-bust pick at a position that probably has seen more gambles over the years than any other.

It always has been hard to find a big man who can run. It’s harder yet to find a fast big man who is in shape and plays all-out every down.

Banks is a physical specimen with speed, the longest arms (35 inches) of the top 30 defensive linemen and massive hands (10 7/8 inches). But as good as he looks, some scouts adopted a hands-off attitude because of minimal production, marginal conditioning, limited pass rush and questionable instincts.

“He looks the part completely,” one scout said. “Just rare all the way around traits-wise. He’s huge, and light on his feet. There’s some laziness to him, some bullshit to him, some excuses to him. There’s nothing out there that says he will give us his best. He’s got a lot of your talented, underachiever qualities that a lot of D-linemen have.”

Coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores undoubtedly were the drivers of the decision. The Wilf family ownership fired GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Jan. 30 and at the same time announced that longtime executive Rob Brzezinski, whose area of expertise was more on the business side, would assume the GM duties through the draft.

“It’s a chance to really get a difference-maker,” said O’Connell. “We feel very confident we selected a top 10-type talent. In the NFC North, when that name went up on the board, people that play us twice a year, they’ve got to think about some things now.”

In their wildest dreams, the Vikings would hope Banks becomes another Kevin Williams (6-5, 311, 4.85), their great under-tackle and No. 9 pick in 2003 who made the Pro Bowl six times in an 11-year career for Minnesota.

Their nightmare would be defensive end Dimitrius Underwood (6-6, 278, 4.85), the No. 29 pick in 1999 who is thought to have attempted suicide early in his first training camp before being quickly released. He played 19 games without a start for Dallas in 2000-’01 to end his career.

Underwood was the finest physical specimen in the group that year. “Built like a statue,” one scout said. “Absolutely incredible. With him, it’s definitely all between the ears and (in) the heart. If that all straightens out and the stars all align perfectly the guy might be a great player. But I’m deathly afraid of him.”

Banks’ underachieving characteristics are worrisome enough. Just as concerning might be his 12-month foot injury that limited him to three games in 2025 and resulted in surgery March 9 to repair a fractured fourth metatarsal bone. One thing NFL teams fear are massive men with bad feet.

Underwood suffered a sprained ankle in August before his senior season at Michigan State and never played a down all year. Spartans coach Nick Saban intervened to get Underwood invited to the combine but then he wouldn’t work out.

O’Connell brushed off the foot injury, citing multiple examinations by the club’s medical staff.

“He has the athleticism to wreck the pocket,” said O’Connell.

DETROIT LIONS (9-8)

1/17. BLAKE MILLER, T, Clemson (6-6 ½, 318, 5.05)

Ten years ago, the Lions took tackle Taylor Decker (6-7, 310, 5.23) with the No. 16 choice. At Ohio State, he backed up in 12 games as a freshman before starting all 42 games from 2013-’15. Scouts said he was highly durable, tenacious, technically sound and extremely intelligent.

“Just a man’s man,” said one evaluator before the 2016 draft. “Wins you over with his leadership. You could see this guy running for Congress some day.”

We made it. The NFL Draft is here.

Tyler Dunne — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:18:54 GMT

Getty Images

Happy Draft Day.

Cannot wait to hang out with all of you virtually.

Once again, we’ll have a running live chat. Join us on your browser or right inside the user-friendly Substack app. I’ll email out the thread a couple hours before the draft begins.

Available for iOS and Android

The plan here is to cover Round 1 from One Bills Drive in Orchard Park and, as always, we’ll discuss and dissect everything across the NFL.

Miss anything over the past month? Catch up below ahead of the picks. We’ve got plenty of stories ‘n pods to tide you over. Bob McGinn’s series is exclusive to our subscribers, which makes today a swell time for new readers to upgrade. Read what NFL scouts think about the prospects your team selects.

Thanks, all.

Bob McGinn’s series:

Joe Brady Series:

Javon Bullard Feature:

Podcasts:

Bob McGinn's Top 100 for the 2026 NFL Draft

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:27:26 GMT

Getty Images

By Bob McGinn

Here is my first and only listing of how I’m projecting the first 100 players to be selected Thursday and Friday in the NFL draft.

Players are listed from best to worst within each position group.

This also serves as my entry into The Huddle Report’s top 100 board contest. According to THR, these scores have become the standard by which draft publications, sites and media personnel are measured.

Since first entering the contest in 2009 my board has finished first five times (2011, 2012, 2013, 2019, 2022) and tied for second twice (2010, 2020). In terms of the current five-year average (2021-’25), mine ranks 11^th at 83.6.

This is the fifth time I’ve represented Tyler Dunne’s GoLongTD.com. There were 82 entrants last year when I tied for 54th with 81. The winning score was 87.

OFFENSE (44)

Wide receivers (12): Carnell Tate, Ohio State; Makai Lemon, USC; Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State; Denzel Boston, Washington; KC Concepcion, Texas A&M; Chris Bell, Louisville; Omar Cooper, Indiana; Chris Brazzell, Tennessee; Zachariah Branch, Georgia; Antonio Williams, Clemson; Germie Bernard, Alabama; De’Zhaun Stribling, Mississippi.

Tight ends (3): Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon; Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt; Max Klare, Ohio State.

Tackles (12): Francis Mauigoa, Miami; Spencer Fano, Utah; Blake Miller, Clemson; Kadyn Proctor, Alabama; Monroe Freeling, Georgia; Caleb Lomu, Utah; Max Iheanachor, Arizona State; Austin Barber, Florida; Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern; Markel Bell, Miami; Dametrious Crownover, Texas A&M; Jude Bowry, Boston College.

Guards (6): Vega Ioane, Penn State; Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M; Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon; Jalen Farmer, Kentucky; Gennings Dunker, Iowa; Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech.

Centers (2): Logan Jones, Iowa; Connor Lew, Auburn.

Quarterbacks (5): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana; Ty Simpson, Alabama; Taylen Green, Arkansas; Drew Allar, Penn State; Garrett Nussmeier, LSU.

Running backs (4): Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame; Jadarian Price, Notre Dame; Mike Washington, Arkansas; Kaytron Allen, Penn State.

DEFENSE (56)

Defensive line (10): Peter Woods, Clemson; Kayden McDonald, Ohio State; Christen Miller, Georgia; Lee Hunter, Texas Tech; Domonique Orange, Iowa State; Caleb Banks, Florida; Darrell Jackson, Florida State; Gracen Halton, Oklahoma; Chris McClellan, Missouri; Tyler Onyedim, Texas A&M.

Edge rushers (15): David Bailey, Texas Tech; Rueben Bain, Miami; Zion Young, Missouri; Ahkeem Mesidor, Miami; Keldric Faulk, Auburn; Cashius Howell, Texas A&M; T.J. Parker, Clemson; Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State; Joshua Josephs, Tennessee; R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma; Gabe Jacas, Illinois; Malachi Lawrence, UCF; L.T. Overton, Alabama; Keyron Crawford, Auburn; Jaishawn Barham, Michigan

Linebackers (10): Arvell Reese, Ohio State; Sonny Styles, Ohio State; CJ Allen, Georgia; Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech; Josiah Trotter, Missouri; Jake Golday, Cincinnati; Anthony Hill, Texas; Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh; Bryce Boettcher, Oregon; Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU.

Cornerbacks (12): Jermod McCoy, Tennessee; Mansoor Delane, LSU; Colton Hood, Tennessee; Brandon Cisse, South Carolina; Chris Johnson, San Diego State; D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana; Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State; Avieon Terrell, Clemson; Keionte Scott, Miami; Daylen Everette, Georgia; Tacario Davis, Washington; Keith Abney, Arizona State.

Safeties (9): Caleb Downs, Ohio State; Dillon Thieneman, Oregon; Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo; Bud Clark, TCU; Kamari Ramsey, USC; Treydan Stukes, Arizona; Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina; A.J. Haulcy, LSU; VJ Payne, Kansas State.

All links to Bob McGinn’s 42nd annual draft series for subscribers:

NFL scouts on the most polarizing prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:15:22 GMT

Getty Images

Good morning, readers.

Bob McGinn’s annual draft series is officially complete. (I’m guessing his ears are ringing from talking to scouts nonstop the last couple months.)

Each spring, there’s a handful of prospects at the top who fuel the most debate. For whatever reason. A handful of those players are below with a few quotes from NFL scouts. Be sure to click the link at the bottom of each prospect to access the full capsule.

The goal is to supply an authentic cross-section of prospects — the good, bad ‘n ugly— as if these scouts are discussing at the bar with you.

Miss a post? All links are also here:

“His Achilles heel is just the durability. He’s had something every year. He’s not soft. It’s legit injuries. At minimum, talent-wise, he’s a No. 2. He’s a starter. He has it all: size, athleticism, hands, route-run detail. Has run after the catch. He’s fast enough.”
“He’s got adequate size and adequate speed. He’ll catch the heck out of the ball. There were times he would disappear, and then all of a sudden he and (Sam) Leavitt would get together and they’d go boom-boom-boom and score. But there’s nothing about him that’s exceptional. All this first-round talk, I don’t see it. To me, to be in the first round you’ve got to have something special about you. There’s nothing physically about him — size, speed, anything – that sticks out. And he’s been hurt. He was an enigma to me.”
“This guy is one of the most noncompetitive receivers I’ve done in a while. Body catcher even when it’s not contested. I’ve never seen anybody catch slants and just slide to the ground like this guy does. It’s nuts. He’s just not a tough dude. He doesn’t make catches when bodies are around him. Very inconsistent. And Hines Ward coaches him, which is crazy. Because I know no way Hines is saying, ‘This is what we need here.’ I don’t like him at all. He gets hurt all the time and I don’t think he’s very tough.”

More on Tyson and the WR class here.

Getty Images

Kadyn Proctor, T, Alabama

“I didn’t like Evan Neal and this guy is exactly the same. I wanted to like him, too. He has a little bit of movement for being so big. But the game against Auburn, he’s just standing around watching. He just teases you and, ultimately, disappoints. Big, good-looking dude but not physical, not a lot of grit. Stands around and watches.”
“Light on his feet. He can bend. He can move people. He can anchor. Talentwise, there’s no question who this kid is. But he has had weight issues over his career. The intelligence is not great. At the end of the day, O-linemen that are big, smart and tough are the guys that play. The guys that are super talented and maybe not that smart and have weight issues and the work ethic doesn’t match to the talent are the ones you worry about. He’s how you want to draw them up physically but it gives you a little pause with who he is.”
“He’s going to go probably in the 20’s but it’s embarrassing. He should be in the top five, top six. He’s more athletic than my top two guys (Fano, Mauigoa) but the top two guys produce consistently. He didn’t. Will he play? Yes. Are you going to be satisfied with him? Probably not. Alabama never really was.”

Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

“The biggest concern is he’s a one-year starter. Started off really hot and then he got banged up and was dealing with injuries toward the end of the season. He’s really talented. He’s an underrated athlete. He’s got good feet and escapability. He’s really tough. Probably his best trait is his football intelligence and instincts. Kid’s always in command. Really good pre- and post-snap. You see it on film. He can manipulate safeties with his eyes. His footwork is really good, both in the shotgun and coming out from under center. He’s got a quick, compact release. His touch is really good.”
“Fifteen starts, one-year starter. He’s a little guy that’s wild and inconsistent. He doesn’t have good feel for timing. He’s terrible against pressure. He’s a good little athlete but he doesn’t escape pressure well. He should have stayed in school. You’re really just gambling. There’s nothing on tape where you say, ‘He should have come out. He’s going to be a first-rounder.’ It’s years away with this guy.”

Caleb Banks, DL, Florida

“He’s a total roll of the dice. He’s super talented but between his foot injury and being an underachiever on the field … but his combination of size and power and foot speed is pretty rare. He can throw people around and win with initial quickness. He’s not a pass rusher. He’s actually too big to pass rush. He can’t get into a gap because he’s bigger than the gap. Everyone talks about, ‘Well, he can bull rush the center and the guards back to the quarterback.’ Well, he can maybe do it once and then he tires. And if plays on first and second down he’s dead by third down. He’s got no endurance left to bull rush anybody.”
“I know he did a good job at the Senior Bowl but those (one-on-one) pass-rush drills are one-dimensional. It’s when you have to put it all together when you don’t know whether it’s run or pass. That’s where you worry about him. You want to work with the kid. He’s shown the flashes of a first-round pick. I just haven’t seen consistently the production that I want to see. He’s boom or bust.”
“He looks the part completely. Just rare all the way around traits-wise. He’s huge, and light on his feet. There’s some laziness to him, some bullshit to him, some excuses to him. There’s nothing out there that says he will give us his best.”

More on Banks and the DL class here.

Getty Images

Rueben Bain, Edge, Miami (Fla.)

“I think he’ll be the first defensive lineman or edge guy taken since ’99 or something with under 31-inch arms. He’ll be a major outlier. He’s super physical and aggressive but Bain is a tweener. He’s got no position. He’s not tall or lanky enough to be a defensive end. He’s not really athletic or fast enough to be an outside backer. And he’s too small to be a defensive tackle. Does he have a motor? Yes. Does he have physical hands? Yes. Is he active with his hands? Yes. As a technician, he’s going to wear a lot of bad college linemen out with his hands and effort. He did that. But, wow, do I think he’s going to get blocked in the NFL? I do.”
“Those short arms and that size will be a concern. More of an overachiever-type athlete than a natural, fluid, silky kind of dude. But you love the way he plays. He’s tough as hell. Best thing about his pass rush is he’s relentless. Gives effort against the run. Kills the tight ends. He gets smothered up a little bit by those big (tackles). They’ll get him. He’s like a Brandon Graham.”

More on Bain and the Edge class here.

Getty Images

Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn

“He’s a big D-end, the left end, in a 4-3 who can slide inside and give you something in there. He’s got all the physical qualities. He’s a great young man, probably too nice. They sort of changed schemes (in 2025) and he had more responsibility, more gap control. He’s not a natural playmaker. He probably plays more to the responsibility than just going and making a play. Someone’s going to take him because he’s a great kid and we can change him and he’s 6-6, 275. He’ll probably be in the first round, but later.”
“Prototypical NFL frame without the production. Shows stiffness in his lower half when trying to bend and navigate around corners. Some will love his raw upside but I’ll hold off on that. He should be taken where similar players have succeeded, which is not in the first round.”

Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

“He was born and bred to have a combine like he did. He’s been running with a parachute on his back since he was 5 or 6 years old. People question his instincts. The bottom line is, he’s 6-5, 245 and ran super fast. That’s all I can say. Look. There’s a reason why he wasn’t top-10 or top-15 until the combine. Speed, toughness, instincts. He’s got the speed. The toughness is a question. The instincts are a question. So then you start having doubts about him. But with that body type someone will say ‘yes.’”
“He’s a big kid and obviously tested through the roof. Outstanding leader. It’s just for a big kid he doesn’t quite knock you back like you’d want, but there’s not many linebackers that do.”
“The lack of physicality was off. He’s not a quick-trigger guy. Seeing him in person, he’s so damn big and he is very, very smooth and well-coordinated. Give him some more credit and love for that. You’re betting it all on the upside. With Reese, you see it, man. Styles, he made the occasional play.”

More on Styles and the LB class here.

Getty Images

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

“Plays fast. Short-area burst. Really aggressive, pop on contact. He’s not quick-twitch movement in such a big, long body.”
“He ran 4.55 but he’s probably more like 4.6. Somebody will fall off him because of that. I didn’t see anything that really stuck out to me as a guy that’s going to be special other than being a special-teams ace and maybe a nickel role. I don’t get it. I don’t know what I missed.”
“Doesn’t want to tackle. He doesn’t like to put his nose in the fan. He said he grab tackles to get the ball out. He has a lot of forced fumbles. He has a knack for that.”

Go Long subscribers can access Bob McGinn’s 42nd annual draft series in full:

Part 12, ST: The kicking revolution is here

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:30:18 GMT

Getty Images

This is the 42^nd year, and the fifth at Go Long, in which Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017), BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Listed times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro day. Electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and therefore weren’t utilized.

Last of 12 parts: specialists.

By Bob McGinn

Tom Dempsey’s 63-yard field goal in November 1970 was the kind of event you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing.

A freshman at the University of Michigan, I was studying that Sunday afternoon in my double room on the third floor of Adams House at West Quad, a brick-and-limestone all-male dorm completed in 1939. It was mid-afternoon, and knowing that the Lions were playing in New Orleans I decided to walk downstairs to the communal TV room and check the score.

Seconds remained. Detroit had just taken a 17-16 lead. The Saints completed a pass, the clock stopped at the Sugar Bowl and out trotted Dempsey to attempt a kick none of us ever dreamed was possible.

At the time, the longest field goal in NFL history was 56 yards. That record had stood for 17 years.

Dempsey had been born with a stub for a right hand as well as a deformed kicking foot. He was 23 years old. There must have been 40 or 50 of us so-called “Quaddies” sitting, kneeling or standing around a console television with what I seem to think was a black-and-white screen.

A lot of the students, from southeast Michigan, were born and raised as Lions fans. We thought this cross-country attempt was a joke.

Well, Dempsey didn’t just make it as time expired. He crushed it. “It might’ve gone 70 yards if it had to,” the Lions quarterback, Greg Landry, told beat man Jack Saylor of the Detroit Free Press.

The West Quad basement fell silent. Then some guys angrily knocked over a few of the chipped and battered dark brown wooden chairs on their way out the door. And we repaired to our rooms knowing we had witnessed history but not sure what it might mean for the future of field-goal kicking.

Frankly, not much. The next 60-plus field goal (exactly 60 yards) was made by Cleveland’s Steve Cox in 1984. It wasn’t until 1998 that Dempsey’s record was tied by Denver’s Jason Elam. It wasn’t broken until Matt Prater of Denver connected from 64 in 2013.

The Packers had outstanding kickers in Chris Jacke, Ryan Longwell and Mason Crosby during most of the 33 seasons in which I covered every game. When I got off the beat after the 2016 season, the team’s longest field goal was 58 yards by Crosby.

Crosby’s mark from 2011 held until October when Lucas Havrisik made one from 61. Chances are, that won’t last long. Kickers are on the march.

“In our game now, if you can’t hit from 55 or even 60, you’re kind of like a dinosaur,” said an NFL personnel man as he surveyed the crop of kickers available in this draft.

Look at the numbers. As recently as 1999 and 2002, no 60-plus field goals were even attempted. From 2003-’20, 90 were tried but only 19 were made, or 21.1%.

It all changed in 2021, and even more dramatically in 2025. The 60-plus numbers from 2021-’24 were 18 for 46 (39.1%). Then, after the NFL relaxed the “K-ball” rule before the 2025 season so kickers could bring their own gradually broken-in balls to the game, they made 12 of 22 for 54.6%.

Sixteen kickers had at least one attempt from the 60 and beyond last season. The Cowboys’ Brandon Aubree went three for four, extending his 60-plus record makes to six. Jacksonville’s Cam Little hit from 68, breaking the record of 66 set by Baltimore’s Justin Tucker in 2021, before cashing in from 67.

In August, Little connected from 70 yards in an exhibition game.

This isn’t regarded as much more than an average year for kickers. Yet, the top four all have the capability to strike from 60 and beyond, according to one special-teams coach.

“You’re at an advantage when you at least have an opportunity to do that,” the coach said. “Most of these now, honestly, do. It used to be, ‘My God, the guy made a 50-yard field goal.’ Now 60 is the old 50.”

Dempsey’s moon shot led to Saylor’s memorable lede to his Free Press game story: “Not all the miracles happen on 34^th Street.” Dempsey kicked for another decade but never made another one longer than 54.

As Saylor made the rounds in Detroit’s disconsolate locker room, coach after coach and player after player cursed their fate. “Bobby Thomson’s home run … (but) nothing compares to it,” murmured the veteran linebacker Wayne Walker.

The head coach, Joe Schmidt, said, “You could put him out there 20 times and he couldn’t do it again.” Lions kicker Errol Mann set the figure even higher at 200. “There was no way,” said Mann. “Not the way he was kicking before the game. He just wasn’t hitting it that good.”

But hit it good Dempsey did. Today, so many are following in his footsteps.

Links:

Paid subscribers can access the full, unvarnished analysis from NFL scouts around the country below.

Go Long is fueled — 100 percent — by our readers.

We appreciate you growing our community.

KICKERS

Part 11, S: Why Caleb Downs, a 'slam dunk,' is one of the best players in the NFL Draft

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:24:19 GMT

Getty Images

This is the 42^nd year, and the fifth at Go Long, in which Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-‘2017), BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Listed times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro days. Electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and therefore weren’t utilized.

Eleventh of 12 parts: safeties.

By Bob McGinn

For the most part, drafting safeties with a top-10 pick has been a rewarding venture for NFL teams. Now how that applies to Caleb Downs later this month and in the future remains to be seen.

Most personnel men don’t hesitate when asked to name the best player they ever scouted at a certain position. When it comes to safeties, often the response is Sean Taylor.

Taylor was one of the 16 safeties drafted in the top 10 since the advent of the NFL-AFL common draft in 1967. Taylor was able to play in just 55 games, the fewest of the 16, before he was shot to death late in his fourth season for Washington in 2007.

“As much as I like Caleb Downs, he is no Sean Taylor,” said an executive in personnel with 20-plus years of scouting experience. “It was almost like having a corner, a safety and a will linebacker in the game at the same time. That’s how great he was.

“I don’t see Caleb Downs being a corner like Sean Taylor was. I don’t see Caleb Downs playing will linebacker in nickel. He’s a downhill, very good tackler with very good instincts. He’s very smart, and he can run. I just don’t see the versatile toolbox that Sean Taylor was. He was the best ever. God rest his soul. They took him way too soon.”

Another executive was asked if Downs or linebacker Arvell Reese was the most valuable player on Ohio State’s superlative defense in 2025.

“In the Big Ten, I’d say Arvell Reese meant more to that defense but Downs might be the better pro,” the scout said. “That was an NFL defense, a good NFL defense. Safeties shouldn’t go high but when they’re like this … he’s a slam dunk.”

The 16 top-10 safeties in the last 59 years were Keith Simpson (No. 9, 1970), Kenny Easley (No. 4, 1981), Terry Kinard (No. 10, 1983), Russell Carter (No. 10, 1984), Bennie Blades (No. 3, 1988), Mark Carrier (No. 6, 1990), Eric Turner (No. 2, 1991), Stanley Richard (No. 9, 1991), Roy Williams (No. 8, 2002), Sean Taylor (No. 5, 2004), Michael Huff (No. 7, 2006), Donte Whitner (No. 8, 2006), Laron Landry (No. 6, 2007), Eric Berry (No. 5, 2010), Mark Barron (No. 7, 2012) and Jamal Adams (No. 6, 2017).

The only Hall of Famer was Easley. The only bust was Carter.

Easley’s career was ended after 89 games by kidney disease. Turner died of cancer at age 31 after a series of major injuries waylaid his career. Berry retired after 89 games because of knee, Achilles’ tendon and heel injuries not to mention a bout with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Eleven of the 16 made the Pro Bowl at least once. The leaders, with five, were Easley, Williams and Berry. The non-Pro Bowlers were Simpson, Carter, Richard, Huff and Barron.

Carrier, the leader in games played (168) and starts (164), and Easley shared the career interception lead with 32. Carter and Adams, each with four, had the fewest picks.

“If you were trying to put a team together with a quarterback Downs would be your guy,” said another executive. “He was always one step ahead of everybody else. When they say someone’s playing chess while everybody else is playing checkers, he’s that guy.”

Links:

Paid subscribers can access the full, unvarnished analysis from NFL scouts around the country below.

Go Long is fueled — 100 percent — by our readers.

We appreciate you growing our community.

SAFETIES

1. CALEB DOWNS, Ohio State (5-11 ½, 207, no 40, 1): Weighed and measured at the combine but didn’t work out. Did position drills only March 25 at pro day. As much as teams preparing to pay him millions would like to know his stopwatch speed, grumbling seems to be at a minimum. “He didn’t do anything (at the combine), and he doesn’t need to,” said one scout. “He was there cheering up his guys. He’s taken every opportunity with grace and he’s kind of happy to be there, where some guys would opt out of a bunch of stuff and have a crappy attitude. It’s probably more just (high) character with Caleb. They talk about how intelligent he is and how mature he is. In his interview you can get a feel for that. A guy that rushes the passer (Arvell Reese) has more value but Caleb is wired different. He is smart, he is mature, he is humble.”

Part 10, CB: McCoy? Delane? Hood? Inside the debate at the top...

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 09:38:35 GMT

This is the 42^nd year, and the fifth at Go Long, in which Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017), BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Listed times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro days. Electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and therefore weren’t utilized.

Tenth of 12 parts: cornerbacks.

By Bob McGinn

Slowly but surely, cornerback has made gains advancing in the pecking order of positions in the NFL. Much more work needs to be done.

This appears to be just another typical draft for the cornerbacks. Everyone in the industry recognizes how vital they are, but several other positions almost always have priority.

The common draft started in 1967 but it wasn’t until 1972 that a cornerback was selected among the top 10 picks. He was Willie Buchanon, who went No. 7 to the Packers.

The first top-5 cornerback arrived in 1976 when Mike Haynes went No. 5 to the Patriots.

It took another 15 years for a top-3 cornerback when the Falcons forgettably chose Bruce Pickens at No. 3. In the last 34 years the highest drafted corners also were No. 3’s: Shawn Springs to the Seahawks in 1997, Jeff Okudah to the Lions in 2020 (another bust) and Derek Stingley to the Texans in 2022.

Ronnie Lott, Rod Woodson, Deion Sanders, Charles Woodson, Champ Bailey and Darrelle Revis all forged Hall of Fame careers after having been drafted between No. 4 and No. 14 from 1981 to 2007. Jalen Ramsey, with eight Pro Bowls in 10 seasons, and Pat Surtain, with four Pro Bowls in five seasons, might be Canton-bound after having been drafted No. 5 and No. 9, respectively.

An asterisk is needed for dual threat Travis Hunter. Some might argue he was the highest corner ever taken when the Jaguars selected him No. 2 last year. But the league officially categorized Hunter as a wide receiver on Draft Day, and his injury-shortened rookie season included 324 snaps on offense and 162 on defense.

For years, personnel people have pointed out that the bottom of the first round is where cornerbacks often fall. In the last five years six corners were taken with picks 1-11, five with picks 12-22 and 10 with picks 23-33 (extended to give each tier an equal number of 11 slots). Those 2021-’25 drafts averaged 35 cornerbacks taken, including 3.8 on average in the first round and 13 on average in the first three rounds. Don’t be surprised if the numbers this year fit well into those averages.

“It’s a good class numbers-wise,” said one executive in personnel. “There’s a lot of depth but just a handful of guys at the top of the top. I would say three, maybe four in the first round. Not a lot of great ones.”

“There’s no Champ Bailey or top-10 corner,” said another scout. “Are any going to be an elite corner? Honestly, they all seem like they’d be your No. 2, the alternate guy, your second corner. But to say go shut somebody down? Whew.”

Links:

Paid subscribers can access the full, unvarnished analysis from NFL scouts around the country below.

Go Long is fueled — 100 percent — by our readers.

We appreciate you growing our community.

CORNERBACKS

1. JERMOD McCOY, Tennessee (6-0 ½, 190, 4.40, 1): Played two seasons and merely 25 games, with 18 starts, after missing all of 2025 following ACL surgery. Won’t be 21 until August. “The biggest knock is he didn’t play last year,” one scout said. “But he’s almost 6-1. He can run. He’s got ball skills. He’s got toughness. He has starter potential for sure and he’s done some punt returns.” Blew out his knee during a workout in January 2025. Was cleared to resume practice late in the season, which he did, but didn’t play in a game. After sitting out the combine, he ran an important and fast 40 to go with a 38-inch vertical jump and a 10-7 broad jump. He repped 14 times in the bench press at Indianapolis. Arms were 31 ¼ inches. “He played pretty well in ’24,” said a second scout. “Is he one of those that can shut down a CeeDee Lamb? I don’t know. He’s into the game. His teammates really like him there. Played a solid brand of ball. He was at Oregon State originally, which is a little concerning. You mean, everybody in the country missed on this guy and he ended up going to Oregon State and then being the first corner taken?” Started five of 12 games for the Beavers as a true freshman in 2023 before shifting to Tennessee and starting all 13 games. “Sudden, quick, twitch, explosive,” said a third scout. “He plays with an edge … almost too much of an edge. He was getting penalties for face masks, fightin’ and all. ‘C’mon, man, just calm down.’ But it’s easier to calm them down than coach them up. He can mirror. In run support he’ll trigger and hit people. He’s really talented. He’s top 10 if everything checks out with the ACL.” Finished with 75 tackles, six interceptions, 16 passes defensed and no forced fumbles. “I liked his size and his speed but didn’t like his reactions,” a fourth scout said. “He played a little soft.” Three-star recruit from Whitehouse, Texas. All-state baseball player. Won state titles in the long jump (23-10 ½) and triple jump (50-7 ¾). Added a fifth scout: “He’s not really a first-round player. He’s like a second-rounder. He’s not elite but he’s solid.” Returned six punts for a 9.8 average in 2024.

2. MANSOOR DELANE, Louisiana State (5-11 ½, 184, 4.38, 1): Started 29 of 33 games at Virginia Tech from 2022-’24 before starting 11 times at LSU in ‘25. “He’s a cinch Pro Bowler, that guy,” said one scout. “It’s a matter of his instincts and ball skills and athletic ability. When the ball’s in the air he gets up. It’s hard to complete a pass on that guy. They can throw 20 times at the guy and he might knock down 17 of ‘em. He has great body control and close, and he knows how to play the ball whether it’s deep or underneath. It’s hard to get away from him. He’s got the athletic ability that is above everybody else.”

Part 9, LB: How should an NFL team unleash Arvell Reese?

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:08:38 GMT

Getty Images

This is the 42^nd year, and the fifth at Go Long, in which Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017), BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Listed times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro days. Electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and therefore weren’t utilized.

Ninth of 12 parts: linebackers.

By Bob McGinn

Sonny Styles was a safety. Arvell Reese might be an edge rusher. For the sake of this NFL draft preview, they’re projected as off-the-ball linebackers.

Many factors combine to make a great linebacker that can play in the middle or on the weak side. None is more important than having a nose for the football.

Decision-makers for the 32 teams are moving into the final stages of setting their draft boards. The burning question at the top of the linebacker list has nothing to do with size or speed. For the Ohio State standouts, it’s all about making judgments regarding their instincts and production.

“I think both of those guys are overrated, and I’m not the only one that thinks that,” one personnel man said. “They have great measurables but they both have holes. It’s not the measurables. It’s what they do on the field. You’re waiting for them to do something great and they just don’t do enough. Especially Styles.

“Linebackers are all about instincts. Reese has all the physical stuff but he lacks a little bit of instincts. Styles might have a little better (instincts) than Reese but misdirection stuff, that bothers him. I’ve made mistakes on those guys. You know what? Those guys don’t change. When instincts are lacking a little bit I don’t think you ever get over that.”

Reese’s inability to trigger in rapid fashion led another evaluator to grade him as an edge rusher.

“As an inside linebacker I loved everything about Reese but his instincts give me a little bit of a concern,” said the scout. “I’m not taking a linebacker in the top 10 that I’m not sure about his instincts. Either you have that or you don’t. There’s not a whole lot you can do to minimize it.”

The Packers used the No. 22 pick in 2022 on Quay Walker, the linebacker from Georgia. He became an immediate starter and contributed 469 tackles in four seasons, but in the end the Packers let him walk in unrestricted free agency to the Raiders. Scouts had deep reservations about his instincts before the draft, and though his reactions did improve a notch it wasn’t enough to warrant a second contract from Green Bay.

“I don’t think they’re that poor,” an AFC executive said comparing the two Buckeyes’ instincts to those of Walker. “They’ve both done a lot of good stuff and been productive. They’re not Luke Kuechly or anything but I don’t think it’s a ‘can’t find the ball’ situation like I’ve seen before. But they’re not great, no.”

Links:

Paid subscribers can access the full, unvarnished analysis from NFL scouts around the country below.

Go Long is fueled — 100 percent — by our readers.

We appreciate you growing our community.

LINEBACKERS

1. ARVELL REESE, Ohio State (6-4, 244, 4.46, 1): Never made a tackle in 2023, played extensively in ’24 as a reserve and started 14 games in ’25. “Consider him like Jalon Walker last year,” one scout said. “They’re very similar in terms of positional fit. He is a very, very good athlete.”

Part 8, Edge: Deep 2026 class promises to torment quarterbacks

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:04:29 GMT

Getty Images

This is the 42^nd year, and the fifth at Go Long, in which Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft. Previously, it appeared in the Green bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017), BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Listed times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro days. Electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and therefore weren’t utilized.

Eighth of 12 parts: edge rushers.

By Bob McGinn

When some general manager trumpets his team’s selection of an edge rusher in the fourth round of the NFL draft on April 25 there’s a good to very good chance he won’t just be whistling Dixie.

Edge rusher is one of the few positions in this draft where supply more than meet demands, most noticeably beyond the first round and stretching well into the middle rounds.

“I would say it’s deep,” one executive in personnel said. “I would not say it’s necessarily like wow top-heavy. But when you get into the second through the fourth round it’s really solid.”

In the last eight drafts an average of 25.89 edge rushers has been drafted, including 4.5 on average in the first round. After interviewing personnel people for the past two months the sense here is that 30-plus will be drafted, and that about 22 could fall in the first four rounds.

Some but not all edge rushers are capable of playing both defensive end in a 4-3 base and outside linebacker in a 3-4 base.

“There’s a lot of very good 4-3 defensive ends,” another scout said. “I don’t know that there’s a lot of playmakers at the top of (the draft). There’s a lot of mid-second round to the top of the fourth. You can get some really good players that will help your team. I just don’t know that any will be really dynamic.”

Some teams have Ohio State’s Arvell Reese No. 1 on their boards at edge rusher. Others list him at linebacker. For the purpose of this series, Reese will be included with the linebackers.

Links:

Paid subscribers can access the full, unvarnished analysis from NFL scouts around the country below.

Go Long is fueled — 100 percent — by our readers.

We appreciate you growing our community.

EDGE RUSHERS

1. DAVID BAILEY, Texas Tech (6-3 ½, 253, 4.51, 1): Started just 16 of 32 games at Stanford from 2022-’24 before starting 13 times for the Red Raiders in 2025. “As a pass rusher he’s really good, probably the best in this draft,” one scout said. “He’s fast, twitchy, can bend, can change direction, can counter. He’s got a good variety of moves. I think he can walk in Day 1 and help you in your subpackages. If you call Arvell Reese an inside linebacker I probably think Bailey is the first (edge) to go. My downside on him is, he doesn’t chase plays away at times, and plays that are coming at him he’s not real physical at the point of attack. He’ll jump around some things, but he’s quick enough to make plays.” Led the nation in sacks last year with 14 ½. “(Micah) Parsons maybe has a little more power to his game,” said a second scout. “Aidan (Hutchinson) is just bigger and longer. Bailey’s the best edge. He’s a little undersized, but after that he’s got consistent production with some big-time burst. He has explosive ability off the edge, first-step quickness and violent hands. His only issue is if he’s head-up on the tackle he doesn’t have the bulk to really try to hold his ground. Usually he can use his hands and just kind of get off people.” Finished with 163 tackles (42 for loss), 29 sacks, 10 forced fumbles and four batted passes. “(Nik) Bonitto is a good comparison,” a third scout said. “He’s a skilled rusher. He might be a top-5 pick. He can win with power or speed. I’m not saying he loafs but against the run his mindset is pass rush first and then react to the run. In obvious pass-rush downs that’s great, but if it’s a run he’s not necessarily always in his gap. He’ll dip inside and give up the edge because he’s looking to rush the passer. Those are things that are correctable.” His old brother, DJ, played defensive end at Harvard from 2015-’17. David graduated from Stanford before departing. “He kind of did his own thing at Stanford,” said a fourth scout. “He dropped when he was supposed to rush, and vice versa. They tried to hold him accountable. Just kind of all over the map. When I watched him last summer I never dreamed he’d be talked about at this level. There’s definitely some stiffness with the guy. If he’s small and stiff that raises a major red flag to me. Texas Tech played with the lead most of the year. I don’t think any of that matters, but it’s going to matter now. I favor Reese over him because I think he’s more of a complete package. But maybe Bailey can turn out to be like one of those guys from the Colts (Robert Mathis, Dwight Freeney) years ago.” Ran the fastest 40 at the position. Arms were 33 3/4 inches, hands were 10 ¼ inches. “This guy gets off the ball better than Tyree Wilson (No. 7, 2023, Raiders) but he reminds me of him and he has done absolutely nothing,” said a fifth scout. “Kind of a weird kind of athlete. Not very fluid. He can just get off the ball and run. But after that he doesn’t show a lot of move coordination or power. Doesn’t seem like he has a plan to what he’s doing. In run support he wasn’t very good. He’s like a flash guy. He can cause problems just from getting off the ball with that edge burst. That being said, in any other draft he would not be that high of a pick.” Four-star recruit from Irvine, Calif.

2. RUEBEN BAIN, Miami (6-2, 264, no 40, 1): Third-year junior started all three years. “Good football player,” one scout said.

Part 7, DL: Secure your space-eater

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:40:58 GMT

This is the 42^nd year, and the fifth at Go Long, in which Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-‘2017), BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Listed times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro days. Electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and therefore weren’t utilized.

Seventh of 12 parts: defensive line.

By Bob McGinn

The defensive tackle with disruptive ability as a pass rusher will always be worth his weight in gold. Now there’s ample reason to pay more respect to the run-stuffing segment of the position.

Last year, 33 defensive linemen were drafted. Granted, it was a strong year at the position, but that was eight more than the 25 that had their name called the year before.

In 2018, this series eliminated the positions of defensive end and outside linebacker, combining them into a new position categorized as edge rusher. Meanwhile, the position of defensive line became the province of those weighing 285 pounds or more, and the linebacker position was designated for off-the-ball players. Specifically, for middle and weak-side linebackers.

What’s interesting to note are the numbers of defensive linemen that have been drafted in the years since the change was enacted: 2018, 28; 2019, 28; 2020, 21; 2021, 23; 2022, 24; 2023, 27; 2024, 25, and the aforementioned 33 in 2025.

Now, one executive in personnel says he has assigned draftable grades to 29 defensive linemen come April 23-25. His norm has been 22 to 23.

Defensive line, especially the 3-technique, always has been a premium position. But is something afoot that would account for the uptick in defensive-line attractiveness?

“When the running back is back in vogue so is the nose tackle,” said the scout. “Remember a few years ago it was, ‘Well, we can get a running back in this (late) round?’ Right? Well, let me tell you something, stopping the run has become a sense of urgency for me. Nose tackle is becoming a necessity.

“You can’t stop the run unless you have a nose tackle. You play light boxes, you need somebody that can clog up two offensive linemen. If you don’t, that’s why you see so many big runs.”

So teams drafted 33 defensive linemen a year ago. Georgia’s 327-pound Nazir Stackhouse, who wasn’t drafted, signed with Green Bay as a free agent and wound up logging 159 snaps as the Packers cycled through big bodies trying to plug the interior run — in base personnel or sub.

“The game’s changed,” continued the personnel man. “It’s more ‘11’ personnel. Sean McVay’s principle is three wide receivers. He’s got those big slot receivers so it’s light boxes. When you have light boxes because everybody’s covering down, you need bigger bodies inside because they’re getting double-teamed.

“If I got a little 6-1 guy that’s 280, now you run it. This is not hard. Because of the light boxes, these guys have to play the run. The average per run given up in the NFL is skyrocketing. It’s up 25%, 30% over the last six years.”

The executive referred to this year’s group of defensive linemen as a “smorgasbord.”

“There’s really no No. 1 guy,” he said. “There’s not a guy that’s a consensus first-round pick. This is a year where nobody is standing out as a 3-technique. Last year was a record DT draft. This year, I think there’s fits for people. I don’t see (impact) players, but I see guys that can fit a team and perform at a high level.”

Clemson’s Peter Woods, the No. 1 player on some boards, is a 3-technique but the next six in the rankings are nose tackles, or 1-techniques and 0-techniques.

“The group doesn’t have a lot of high guys,” said another scout. “There actually are more nose tackles than we’re used to, but not very many 3-techniques.

“Woods can (rush the passer). After that, I don’t see it. There are so few of these (rush) tackles, I wonder if they’ll get drafted higher.”

Links:

Paid subscribers can access the full, unvarnished analysis from NFL scouts around the country below.

Go Long is fueled — 100 percent — by our readers.

We appreciate you growing our community.

DEFENSIVE LINE

1. PETER WOODS, Clemson (6-2 ½, 300, no 40, 1): Third-year junior. Turned 21 in March. “He’s so damn quick for a guy that big,” one scout said. “He throws guys around. He can take an edge and, boom, get up the field. He takes on blocks at the point of attack. Quinnen Williams was like that. There’s just not too many of those guys.” Started two games as a freshman, then 22 games in 2024-’25. “He’s either an athletic nose tackle or a 3-technique,” said a second scout. “He can do either. The tape’s really good. The only issue is his size and length are not wonderful and his production this year actually wasn’t great. He’s got power and quickness, and some explosive movement.” Short arms (31 ¼ inches), small hands (9 1/8 inches). “I like Peter Woods,” said a third scout. “I just know he isn’t a Mason Graham or Walter Nolen, that type of player. Nothing in his numbers compare with them. You’re looking at a high-energy guy. He’s a fighter. He can play all three downs. He can play the edge. He can stack the point. He gets off blocks. He’s shone that he can run to the sideline. He has change of direction in space. But one of the reasons why Clemson didn’t have the big year was there were no impact plays. I don’t consider Woods a disruptor. His numbers are journeyman numbers. He’s more of a solid defensive tackle, a rotating-type guy. Is he a first-rounder for somebody? He could be but I wouldn’t pick him in the first. There’s nothing to support that.” Finished with 84 tackles (14 ½ for loss), five sacks, two forced fumbles and one batted ball. “He’s a better run defender right now than a pass rusher,” said a fourth scout. “He is steady and does a good job with his hands, but he isn’t a disruptive type. Doesn’t stand out in any specific area. He could start in the league for many years but never approach All-Pro.” Five-star recruit from Alabaster, Ala. Led his high school to four straight Class 7A state championships. “You wouldn’t even know he was on the field unless you were looking for him,” a fifth scout said. “Gets bounced around at the point of attack and gives you absolutely nothing in pass rush. He was a big-time recruit and some people still try to hold onto that. He just doesn’t do anything. He’s just out there. I didn’t think he played particularly hard. Some of these guys, at least they play their ass off.” His short shuttle time of 4.54 led the position.

Getty Images

2. KAYDEN McDONALD, Ohio State (6-2, 327, no 40, 1): Last season, he lined up alongside Tyleik Williams (6-3, 329), who was drafted No. 28 by Detroit last year and played 446 snaps as a rookie. “They’re similar,” said one scout. “Just a tough ass, rugged dude. He shows snatch and power. The run game, he just crushes it. He’s not your true (pass rusher). Not going to give you a lot of sacks but he’s good enough there. He can make a mess in there and push the pocket. He’s bottom of the first and will start.”

Part 6, RB: Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love? 'The best NFL prospect in this draft'

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:59:50 GMT

Getty Images

This is the 42^nd year, and the fifth at Go Long, in which Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017), Bob McGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Listed times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro days. Electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and therefore weren’t utilized.

Sixth of 12 parts: running backs.

By Bob McGinn

Unlike a lot of years, NFL executives are in widespread agreement that there is a franchise player in this class of running backs. That’s Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame, who some regard as the pre-eminent player in the draft regardless of position.

It’s the quality of player behind Love that has left teams with a strange sense of uncertainty.

“It’s not a great running back group,” one personnel man said. “There weren’t as many guys I got excited about.”

Six years ago, 11 running backs were chosen among the top 100 picks. The ongoing devaluation of the position is reflected by the decline in those top-100 numbers since: four in 2021, six in 2022, seven in 2023, four in 2024 and six in 2025.

During almost all those years, evaluators didn’t find it necessary taking a back in the first three rounds because history told them they could find almost an equally good one in rounds 4-7 - if not the post-draft, free-agent free-for-all.

In the last 10 years, a whole host of Pro Bowl, 1,000-yard rushers and emerging talents emerged from those that weren’t among the top 10 backs selected. That list includes Jamaal Williams (13^th), Marlon Mack (15^th) and Aaron Jones (19^th) in 2017, Tony Pollard (11^th) in 2019, Tyler Allgeier (12^th), Kyren Williams (15th) and Isiah Pacheco (22^nd) in 2022, Tyrone Tracy (14^th) and Kimani Vidal (17^th) in 2024 and Kyle Monangai (23^rd) and Jacory Croskey-Merritt (26th) in 2025. In addition, Austin Ekeler (2017), Phillip Lindsay (2018) and James Robinson (2020) weren’t even drafted.

The odds are that a player or two will far exceed expectations and come out of the so-called running-back woodwork. But pardon teams for being somewhat skeptical this spring.

“After Love goes top 10 and then his running-mate (Jadarian Price), after that it’s probably going to be a while before any of them go,” said one executive. “Third or fourth round. These guys are all practice-squad or third backs. If somebody gets hurt and they get a chance maybe they surprise us.”

Links:

Paid subscribers can access the full, unvarnished analysis from NFL scouts around the country below.

Go Long is fueled — 100 percent — by our readers.

We appreciate you growing our community.

RUNNING BACKS

1. JEREMIYAH LOVE, Notre Dame (6-0, 212, 4.38, 1): The first, first-team All-America back for the Irish since Allen Pinkett in 1985. “He has so much athletic ability and speed for the position,” said one scout. “He’s a home-run hitter, a decisive runner with really good vision. Like a Chris Johnson and Jahmyr Gibbs type. Not a power back, but he does have some strength and toughness to him inside, which is more than you usually see from a back with his kind of speed. Very good hands. Willing pass protector. He’s the best NFL prospect in this draft.”

Part 5, QB: The Fernando Mendoza Question

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:56:15 GMT

Getty Images

This is the 42^nd year, and the fifth at Go Long, in which Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017), BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Listed times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro days. Electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and therefore weren’t utilized.

Fifth of 12 parts: quarterbacks.

By Bob McGinn

What was expected to be an exceptional draft year for quarterbacks has turned into a nightmare for NFL teams.

“Horrible,” “very weak” and “terrible” were just some of the adjectives used by executives in personnel to describe what’s left of a quarterback class almost completely gone sour.

In almost unprecedented fashion, one quarterback after another forecast for the first round ran aground. Some faded due to performance or injury, others failed to meet expectations and wisely returned to school.

“There’s not a real difference-maker,” said one scout who painstakingly graded all the quarterbacks. “There’s no bona-fide, can’t-miss quarterback.”

For him, that included Fernando Mendoza, who ascended during Indiana’s drive to the national championship while almost all his peers disintegrated. When asked to compare Mendoza to a sundry list of quarterbacks when they were entering the draft, one veteran evaluator said he’d rate Mendoza behind Joe Burrow, Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert, Drake Maye, Sam Darnold, Sam Bradford, Matt Ryan and Carson Palmer. He said Mendoza would be about even as a prospect with C.J. Stroud and Joe Flacco.

In mid-September, ESPN’s Pete Thamel polled 25 NFL scouts and executives to see who they projected as the top quarterback in the 2026 draft. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers led with eight votes followed by LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, seven; Miami’s Carson Beck and Oklahoma’s John Mateer, three; Penn State’s Drew Allar, two, and Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt and Texas’s Arch Manning, one.

In early May, one week after the 2025 draft, Dane Brugler published a way-too-early 2026 mock draft in The Athletic. “Five passers are included, and a few others could push for the first round,” he wrote. “It should feature a stark upgrade in quarterback talent.”

His mock included Manning at No. 1, Sellers at No. 2, Allar at No. 5, Nussmeier at No. 16 and Mendoza at No. 27.

Todd McShay’s early top-10 included Nussmeier No. 1, Sellers No. 4, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik No. 5 and Allar No. 7.

Manning, Sellers and Mateer went back to school, as did Oregon’s Dante Moore. Beck was OK, Klubnik’s star waned and Nussmeier struggled while playing hurt. Allar, after a slow start, had his season end after six games with an ankle injury.

Alabama’s Ty Simpson, a first-year starter, played well in the first two months before fading down the stretch. Somewhat surprisingly, he declared for the draft. Leavitt went back, too.

There was some hope that Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss might provide a second-day option but that ended when the Mississippi Supreme Court granted him another year of eligibility. He isn’t in this draft.

“I actually thought the best quarterback in this draft class stayed in school and got paid a lot of money to go to Texas Tech,” one scout said in reference to Brendan Sorsby, who had been at Cincinnati. “I’ll take this guy over Mendoza all day long. It’s amazing how these guys stay in school. It just changes things.

“Simpson is a backup. I didn’t like him. This is really a bunch of backups. They are not starter-caliber guys.”

Paid subscribers can access the full, unvarnished analysis from NFL scouts around the country below.

Go Long is fueled — 100 percent — by our readers.

We appreciate you growing our community.

QUARTERBACKS

1. FERNANDO MENDOZA, Indiana (6-4 ½, 236, no 40, 1): Became the first player from the Big Ten to win the Heisman Trophy since Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith in 2006. “He was the steady Eddie and part, a big part, of a really good team and now he emerges as the No. 1,” one scout said. “He’s got a lot of really good qualities. He’s big, tough and smart. He’s motivated, driven. He’s overcome a lot of adversity. He went from not being invited to walk on at Miami to Yale to, hey, we’ll take you at Cal to getting beat up out there to some extent,” said one scout.

“I think anybody that needs a quarterback would have to take him. I think he’s going to rise high. He’s wired that way. People say too many RPO’s, not enough dropback passes to go up in leagues. I think he can get past some of that. Is he an anticipatory thrower? Probably not, but you cannot deny the fact that he made big plays in big moments all season long. He’s not a nifty scrambler but he’ll just take the gap and take off. He can be an effective runner. He’d run better than 4.8.” Two-star recruit ranked as the No. 72 quarterback in 2022. Redshirted in ’22. Started the last eight games in ’23 (NFL passer rating of 85.9) before going 6-7 as the starter in ’24 (99.1). Moved to IU in ’25 and went 15-0 (130.4). Career rating was 107.7. “I saw him early in the year and I thought he was just a guy,” said a second scout. “They thought he’d be a little better than the guy (Kurtis Rourke) they had a year ago. As the season wore on he played better and better and better. His physical attributes are very average. Probably a 4.8 40, or 4.9. But he’ll knock out the IQ tests and get on the board and do all that stuff. He just throws a very accurate ball and knows the offense. All those things you want a quarterback to do, like Tom Brady did, he’s going to be that.” Just the Hoosiers’ third All-Big Ten first-team quarterback, joining Harry Gonso (1967) and Antwaan Randle El (2001). “He’s not going to get to the Raiders and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to transform this team,’” a third scout said. “You better have a lot around him. He’s going to be good. He’s got feel for it. Really good eyes. When he gets in rhythm he’s really, really good. But when he gets sped up things don’t work out too well for him. He’s got enough movement, but if he has to quickly move in the pocket to get out of trouble he struggles because he’s so big and his feet aren’t super quick. We’ve seen him play great in big moments but he’s had a lot of average games. Even the National Championship game, you’re not looking at him saying, ‘This is the first pick in the draft.’ But here we are.” Outstanding student. President of the campus ministry. Graduated from Cal in three years with a degree in business administration. “Put it this way,” a fourth scout said. “Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye … he would be below those guys. I saw them right away as franchise quarterbacks. This guy lacks mobility. You need brains, accuracy and wheels. Where are the wheels on this guy? Did you see him on that touchdown (in the CFP title game)? It looked like he was stuck in slow motion. I don’t see the escape ability. The Raiders have two tackles but the inner three of that offensive line is bad.” Ran for 473 yards and 11 touchdowns. “It’d scare me to pick him in the first round,” said a fifth scout. “You don’t see enough create. You don’t see enough driving the ball down the field. Goody two-shoes personality. It’s going to be different in that pro locker room. The difference between college and the pros is not the size and speed. It’s the people you’re with. I just have this suspicion he’s going to rub people the wrong way the way he talks and acts.” From Miami.

Getty Images

2. TY SIMPSON, Alabama (6-1, 212, no 40, 1-2): Backed up Bryce Young in 2022 and Jalen Milroe in 2023-’24, throwing just 50 passes in three seasons. Started in ’25. “You could argue Ty Simpson over Mendoza,” one scout said. “The biggest concern is he’s a one-year starter. Started off really hot and then he got banged up and was dealing with injuries toward the end of the season. He’s really talented. He’s an underrated athlete. He’s got good feet and escapability. He’s really tough. Probably his best trait is his football intelligence and instincts. Kid’s always in command. Really good pre- and post-snap. You see it on film. He can manipulate safeties with his eyes. His footwork is really good, both in the shotgun and coming out from under center. He’s got a quick, compact release. His touch is really good. With the right team he can be a solid starter. I think he’d run 4.6, 4.65.” His father, Jason, owns a 130-98 record as coach of FCS Tennessee-Martin since 2006. Jason played quarterback at Mississippi State for two years. “Son of a coach,” a second scout said. “Good accuracy, smart. At one point during the season he was right up there at or above Mendoza.” Finished his career with a passer rating of 100.6. Also ran for 223 and five TDs. “He was as efficient as anybody in the country in the first eight weeks,” said a third scout. “Then he wasn’t 100%, got into tougher games and competition, didn’t play as good. He has subtle pocket movement. I think he’s a good enough scrambler. Not a great arm. He throws good. His greatest strength is he is a great kid. He’s still no certain thing. But there probably aren’t as many doubts (compared) to the others.” Five-star recruit from Martin, Tenn. “Fifteen starts, one-year starter,” said a fourth scout. “He’s a little guy that’s wild and inconsistent. He doesn’t have good feel for timing. He’s terrible against pressure. He’s a good little athlete but he doesn’t escape pressure well. He should have stayed in school. You’re really just gambling. There’s nothing on tape where you say, ‘He should have come out. He’s going to be a first-rounder.’ It’s years away with this guy.”

Getty Images

3. TAYLEN GREEN, Arkansas (6-6, 228, 4.39, 1-3): Compared by one scout to Colin Kaepernick (6-4 1/3, 230, 4.53), a second-round pick in 2011. “Damn right Kaepernick was good, and a lot of people crushed him (pre-draft), too,” said one scout. “The guy’s interesting. At least with this guy you’ve got something to work with. Those other guys are just limited. The athletic ability is crazy. His offensive line was awful. Every single play he’s running for his life, and he can run. He does have pocket feel. He’s poised and tough. He’s got some vision. The accuracy comes and goes. There might be a little ceiling on how great he can beat you as a passer. He sits in the pocket when he has time. When he gets out he looks downfield. When he runs it’s over with but he doesn’t look to do that. He’s not completely raw.” Spent three years at Boise State, redshirting in 2021 and starting 22 games in 2022-’23. His passer rating there was 88.6. In 24 starts for the Razorbacks his rating was 91.4 for a career mark of 90.3. “I thought he had glimpses of Randall Cunningham,” a second scout said. “I was intrigued by Green when I watched (2024) tape. Does anybody have enough time to work with another Justin Fields, who is now going to be on his fourth team in four years? He’s worth a shot as a dual-threat quarterback. But he lacks accuracy and all that.” Rushed 459 times for 2,405 (5.2) and 35 TDs. “Career completion mark was 60.1%. “He can run the RPOs,” a third scout said. “Long strider. Tall, high-cut athlete. Has very good scrambling ability. His footwork needs to be refined. He’s been primarily in the gun. He’s efficient in his accuracy on short and intermediate passes. Got good arm strength. Flashes touch and layering. He’s just inconsistent with his decisions and accuracy on the move against pressure. He can make some explosive plays but also has some bad, bad turnovers. There’s a lot of peaks and valleys. Is he ever going to be a No. 1? I don’t know but I think he can be a solid No. 2.” His 40 time, vertical jump (43 ½) and broad jump (11-2) all easily surpassed the other quarterbacks. “Talentwise, he is unique,” said a fourth scout. “But he is purely developmental. He’d be ideal to go somewhere like St. Louis (LA Rams) where he could just sit and learn. Because he has everything you want athletically and sizewise. He needs like the Full Monty, the full developmental rebuild.” Three-star recruit from Lewisville, Texas.

Getty Images

4. DREW ALLAR, Penn State (6-5, 230, no 40, 2-3): Played in 10 games, throwing 60 passes, as a true freshman in 2022 before starting 35 games in 2023-’25. “A year ago he was being talked about as maybe the top pick in the draft but then he decided to go back,” said one scout. “He’s got the prototype size of an NFL quarterback. Strong arm, better athlete than you might think because he’s more of a pocket quarterback. I think he’s better than 4.8. He’s very competitive. He was a good decision-maker but when pressured he flustered at times. He’s got the traits to be a capable starter.” Finished with a 3-3 record in a disappointing 2025 campaign before suffering a broken ankle against Northwestern. “Physically, it’s all there,” another scout said. “This guy can make any throw. Really good kid. Teammates really like him. They respect him. But when the games are big he does not play well. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything like it. There’s just something missing. I don’t know if it’s performance anxiety or what the hell goes on.” Finished with a passer rating of 100.4. Also ran for 732 and 12 TDs. “Something was off, something was missin’ because he’s got all the NFL traits and measurables,” a third scout said. “I just was concerned about his accuracy. It’s at all levels and it’s timing with receivers. I thought his touch and mechanics were worse the bigger the game got and the higher the competition. I don’t think his receivers helped him and he wasn’t sitting behind a very good O-line. I went back and looked at tapes from last year (2024) and I saw a better guy. Now he’s injured. Who knows where he’s at mentally?” Four-star recruit from Medina, Ohio. Also played basketball and baseball. “Just no decisiveness,” a fourth scout said. “He just doesn’t pull the trigger. Great kid, too. The game looks too fast for him.” Hands were 9 7/8. “He had as much physical talent as anybody but he breaks his leg and there’s something missing in his game,” a fifth scout said. “Can somebody fill in that blank? I don’t know. With a gun to my head I’d have him as my third quarterback just because I think I could craft an offense to help him. I mean, that Mickey Mouse system they’ve been in, it’s embarrassing. It was goofy. Something’s missing. He’s got too good of an arm. He never won a big game. He was tied to James Franklin. They kind of went in together and went out together. They could never get over the hump.”

Getty Images

5. GARRETT NUSSMEIER, Louisiana State (6-1 ½, 203, no 40, 2-3): Suffered an abdominal injury during practice in early August and finally was shut down after nine starts. “His stuff last year (2024) was great,” one scout said. “I don’t know what happened this year.” After backing up Jayden Daniels and others from 2021-’23, he started 22 games in 2024-’25. “Tale of two guys,” a second scout said. “In 2024, he looked like a starter in the NFL. But ’25 was a very difficult year. He played without any confidence. Everything looked like a player who was overthinking instead of going out there to win every snap. He had a much improved week in Mobile (for the Senior Bowl).” Went 15-8 in 23 starts with a passer rating of 93.6. Also ran for five touchdowns. “He can make some NFL throws from the pocket,” said a third scout. “He’s got really good arm strength. It’s just he’s small and makes a lot of mistakes just moving out of the pocket. When he’s on the run he’s forced a lot of balls. In the pocket, he’s got a great feel for buying a little extra time. He can really zip the ball. Third round.” Smallest hands (9 1/8) of the top 10 quarterbacks. “Hard to evaluate because I think he was hurt much of the season,” said a fourth scout. “Evaluating him off this year, I thought he was a backup. Tough kid, adequate arm strength but has some downfield inconsistencies. Not a great athlete. Most efficient in a short, quick passing game. His ball tails off beyond 25 (yards). Helped himself at the Senior Bowl. There’s concern that pressure could affect him. I’d say he’s around 4.9.” Four-star recruit from Lake Charles, La. His father, Doug, played quarterback for the Saints from 1994-’98 and currently is the team’s offensive coordinator.

6. COLE PAYTON, North Dakota State (6-2 ½, 235, 4.61, 2-3): Started only as a senior during five-year stay in Fargo. “He played in multiple games throughout his career as like a running quarterback or lined up at running back like a gadget guy,” one scout said. “He’s lefthanded, which some people might not like as much. But the kid has size, he’s really athletic for his size and has excellent speed. He can turn like a 3- or 4-yard run into a 30-yard run. He has a little bit longer windup and a three-quarter release, but he does have elasticity in his arm to get it out quick. He’s got a really strong arm. His accuracy is unreal on deep balls and layering the ball. He has touch. The school has a history of producing draftable quarterbacks. You might let him sit for a year. Maybe use him in a Taysom Hill role as a rookie. This kid could be a really good starter by Year 2. I don’t think he gets out of the second or third round. He has too much ability to work with.” Never threw more than 27 passes in his first four seasons. Only attempted 224 for the rush-oriented Bison in 2025. Finished with a passer rating of 123.7. Also rushed 287 times for 1,918 (6.7) and 31 TDs. “He can make sideline throws, do fades, put it in the middle,” said a second scout. “When he runs he makes people miss. He can do short-yardage.” In addition to a fast 40, he went 40 in the vertical jump and 10-10 in the broad jump. Largest hands (10 ¼) of the top 15 quarterbacks. “Overall, he had a pretty good Senior Bowl,” said a third scout. “I think there’s something to him but it’s probably going to take a couple years. You better have a quarterback and let him develop his skills. I’d absolutely take Cole Payton over Cade Klubnik.” Earned a master’s degree in December 2025. “One-year starter at North Dakota State – no thank you,” said a fourth scout. “He’s got a slow left-handed windup. Got a really weak arm. Terrible against pressure. Kind of a one-read guy. Decent enough athlete when it’s a designed run, but doesn’t really escape pressure well. He’ll make it but I don’t think he’ll be a decent backup even.” From Omaha, Neb.

7. CARSON BECK, Miami (6-4 ½, 232, no 40, 3-4): Sat at Georgia from 2020-’22 before going 24-3 as the starter from 2023-’24. “Two years ago, he might have been a top-5 pick,” one scout said. “In (mid-2023) I said, ‘If he comes out he could be the first pick.’ Two years ago, he played pretty well (career-best rating of 115.0). Since then … in defense of him, it’s hard to lead at Georgia when the head coach (Kirby Smart) is screaming in a bullhorn all practice. It’s hard for a quarterback to kind of find his place when all that is going on. It was a good move for him to go to Miami. He’s older and bigger and stronger and wiser than most of the competition this past year but he didn’t really dominate. He had his moments. If Stetson Bennett’s on a team (Rams) as the third quarterback I think Carson Beck can be a 3, maybe even a 2. He’ll only be a starter through a twist of fate.” Took over for Cam Ward with the Hurricanes in 2025 and was the loser in the CFP Championship Game loss to Indiana. “He did what they needed him to do at Miami,” another scout said. “But when it came down to it they still took the ball out of his hand instead of letting him make a play.” His ratings were 98.1 in 2024 and 107.1 in 2025 for a career mark of 106.7. Also rushed for 288 and seven TDs. “They won without him at Georgia,” said a third scout. “I’ve got to say he had a tremendous year at Miami. They also had a dominating defense. They had everything to help him. He’ll make the crucial errors. He made crucial errors in the championship game. He’s not a mobile guy. I don’t see him as a solid starter.” Four-star recruit from Jacksonville, Fla. Was a professional prospect in baseball as a first baseman-pitcher. “He’s nothing,” a fourth scout said. “He’s just so erratic. He folds versus pressure. He’s got enough athletic ability but doesn’t really know when to run and create plays. He’s a backup. At best.”

Getty Images

8: JOE FAGNANO, Connecticut (6-3, 226, 4.83, 4-5): Spent four years at Maine, playing 27 games and posting a passer rating of 95.8. Moved to UConn in 2023 but a shoulder injury ended his first season after two games. Started in 2024-’25. “Had a phenomenal season this year,” one scout said. “He threw one interception (against 28 TDs). He’s got a nice arm. Pretty good athlete. He may start out as a No. 3 but he could end up being a good No. 2. He’s never going to be the guy you want to start over the long haul but he can be a reliable backup.” Became a Black Bear after turning down his other offer, which came from Bucknell. “Lacks big-time arm strength but compensates with his intelligence, accuracy and touch,” another scout said. “Competitive kid. Makes plays in critical situations. Decent athlete. Like his mechanics and footwork. He’s got really good short accuracy. Shows poise under pressure. I thought he’d be a solid backup.” Finished with a rating of 116.0 for the Huskies. His career mark was 110.1. Ran for 223 and four TDs at UConn and 535 plus five TDs at Maine. From Williamsport, Pa.

9. SAWYER ROBERTSON, Baylor (6-3 ½, 216, 4.67, 5): Redshirted in 2021 and played briefly in 2022 at Mississippi State before starting for the Bears for 2 ½ seasons. “He’s a lot like (Tyler) Shough from Louisville,” one scout said. “Nobody knew about him until he got in the all-star games and all of a sudden he’s a second-round pick in New Orleans. To me, that’s kind of what Sawyer is. A guy that wasn’t on the radar at the start of the year, then had a good year and did decent at the Senior Bowl. Just a name on the board at the start of the year before he started throwing for 400 yards and threw the ball accurately. He’s a pocket quarterback but is going to run when he has to. He could throw the seam route to the tight end.” Tested well athletically at the combine. Vertical jump was 37 ½. Finished with a 94.3 rating and ran for 316 and eight TDs. “Has good arm strength, velocity and range,” a second scout said. “Erratic with his footwork, setup and decision-making. Indecisiveness lulls in processing ands release times affect his overall accuracy. Got good enough short-area accuracy but spotty and erratic on the move. He has traits but needs extensive refinement.” Took over as the full-fledged starter in Game 3 of 2024. Four-star recruit from Lubbock, Texas. His cousin, Jarrett Stidham, is a quarterback for the Broncos.

10. CADE KLUBNIK, Clemson (6-2, 207, 4.69, 5-6): Went 26-14 as a starter. Best year was 2024 when he threw for 36 TDs and had a passer rating of 105.6. “He got overhyped,” said one scout. “He got exposed. He was at the East-West Game, not even at the Senior Bowl.” Career rating was 95.2, and he ran for 878 and 17 TDs. “He’s a good project,” said a second scout. “When I first did him I thought he was a late first-round pick. He has all the tools you’re looking for. He’s got an arm. He’s got mobility. He can run. He’s accurate, for the most part. Sometimes balls get away from him. Sometimes he misses guys. But a quick release. He can fire the ball in there. He’s tough. He’s got Derek Carr in him. The quick release, about the same size, athlete, boom – he can make every throw. He’s a guy that’s intriguing.” Ranked the No. 1 quarterback in the class of 2022. Played at Westlake in Austin, Texas, the school that produced Drew Brees and Nick Foles. ”I don’t know why he was talked about being a first-round draft choice,” a third scout said. “I didn’t like him two years ago.” Three-time All-ACC academic honoree and a semifinalist for the academic Heisman.

THE NEXT FIVE

Behren Morton, Texas Tech (6-2, 218, 4.89)

Said one scout: “He’s the pass-happy, sling-it-all-over-the-place kid. I’ll tell you what. That kid is tough. He will stand there and take a hit. I just thought his arm was OK. Pretty functional athlete, moves around pretty good. I didn’t feel he was in control of the game.”

Luke Altmyer, Illinois (6-1 ½, 211, 4.70)

Said one scout: “Not great, but not bad. He was very inconsistent all year. He reminded me of Nussmeier. Their years were similar. Very up and down, but they both threw the ball pretty well at the Senior Bowl. Looked a lot more composed.”

Jalon Daniels, Kansas (6-0 ½, 221, 4.64)

Said one scout: “Has some explosive play-making ability. He’s a four-year captain, first time ever in school history, which is pretty impressive. Has a strong arm when his feet are in sync with his release. Has a lack of height and some injury history as well. His tendency to run could impede his longevity, but he could be a solid backup.”

Haynes King, Georgia Tech (6-2 ½, 212, 4.52)

Said one scout: “Kid’s really tough and competitive. Hasn’t won a lot, takes a pretty good beating. His throwing motion and release improved as the season went along. Has good arm strength. Has mobility. Inaccurate. Durability is a concern but he has enough to be a No. 2.”

Jake Retzlaff, Brigham Young (6-0 ½, 209, no 40)

Said one scout: “Capable player. Athletic dual threat. Effective decision-making. Good arm strength. Streaky accuracy.”

Part 4, G/C: Why this is the year to draft a center

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:52:44 GMT

Getty Images

This is the 42^nd year, and the fifth at Go Long, that Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft series. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017), BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Listed times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro days. Electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and thus weren’t utilized.

Fourth of 12 parts: guards and centers.

By Bob McGinn

He’s the only player on the field that must touch the ball on every play. He’s the only one that often times has his head down when the pads begin to pop. And the mental requirements of the position are almost as critical as the physical.

Nevertheless, for the 58th year in a row, no center will have his name called as a top-10 selection in the NFL. In fact, it would be totally unexpected if a center were selected in the first round.

This isn’t a bad year for centers by any means, but it’s entirely possible none will go in the first two rounds.

“There’s some centers I like but they’re not high guys,” said one executive in personnel. “There’s nobody like up high.”

Was it ever thus? Almost.

In 1968, the Cincinnati Bengals were baptized as the 10th member of the American Football League. Paul Brown, who had been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his glorious tenure with the Cleveland Browns, headed the new franchise’s ownership group as coach and general manager.

After the Minnesota Vikings made tackle Ron Yary the No. 1 overall choice, Brown stepped to the telephone in the Bengals’ headquarters on the 18th floor of the downtown Carew Tower and informed the NFL office in New York that a center, Bob Johnson of Tennessee, would be the No. 2 pick and the first in the team’s history.

“Without the men upfront you have nothing behind,” ‘PB’ informed the assembled sportswriters and sportscasters in a room overlooking the fog-shrouded Ohio River just across from Kentucky. “Johnson has tremendous speed and quickness. He’s a class person, the kind you build with. He can get the ball back there on punts and placekicks, too.”

Brown kept popping back into the press room to discuss his decision to take three linemen early in the draft. The scene was described by beat man Dick Forbes of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

“You start out in football with first things first,” he said. “Taking a center … is like building down the middle on a baseball team. He’s like getting a good catcher in baseball to work with your standout pitcher. And it doesn’t make any difference how good your backs are, you’ve got to have the personnel up front.”

Johnson, 6-feet-5 inches and 245 pounds, was everyone’s All-America. He toiled as the team’s pivot for 12 seasons, starting 136 of 154 games and making one Pro Bowl. Oakland’s Jim Otto and Boston’s Jon Morris were named at center on the AFL All-Time team and Johnson fulfilled his promise and then some. It wasn’t his fault that the Bengals never won a playoff game (0-3) during his days at Nippert and Riverfront stadiums.

But, as the years passed by, Jan. 30, 1968 stood as the last day a center was selected among the top 10 picks of an NFL draft. In fact, no one else ever came remotely close to Brown’s choice of Johnson.

Since 1960, often regarded as the start of the modern era and distinct offensive and defensive platoons, just four other centers were top-15 choices: Forrest Blue (No. 15, 1968), Pete Brock (No. 12, 1976), Steve Everitt (No. 14, 1993) and Mike Pouncey (No. 15, 2011). By the way, “PB” in his initial remarks wanted the press to know that Blue “was the first choice of the San Francisco 49ers.” The Prospectors took Blue 13 picks later.

In all, 29 centers have gone off in the first round in 66 years of the modern game, including seven in the last decade. Among the seven were Pro Bowlers Ryan Kelly (No. 18, 2016), Frank Ragnow (No. 20, 2018) and Tyler Linderbaum (No. 25, 2022).

“This is really the time to take a center,” one personnel man said. “These teams that need centers … this is a good year to take one. There’s some centers.”

GUARDS

1. VEGA IOANE, Penn State (6-4, 323, no 40, 1): Compared by one scout to the Colts’ Quenton Nelson, the No. 6 choice in 2018. “I don’t think he’s quite that dominant but probably more athletic,” one scout said. “Nelson was a better technician. Ioane is a freak talent for a big, thick man. Guards historically don’t go that high but if you value a starting guard and you’re in the middle of the first you jump all over this guy.”

Part 3, OT: Why Francis Mauigoa 'n co. may define the 2026 NFL Draft

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 16:12:14 GMT

Getty Images

This is the 42^nd year, and the fifth year at Go Long, that Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017), BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Listed times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro days. Electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and thus weren’t utilized.

Third of 12 parts: tackles.

By Bob McGinn

One could arguably state that running back Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame is the No. 1 prospect in the entire NFL draft. What’s almost inarguable is that Love is the leading player on offense.

The offensive side of the ball this year, at least in the first round, is a ho-hum affair. The defensive side isn’t all that great, either, at least in terms of first-round quality.

Of course, there will have to be 32 selections made in the first round, which is where the offensive tackles will figure most prominently. There might not be a Trent Williams or a Penei Sewell staring at teams but there’s enough of a bumper crop to soothe the anxieties of most general managers.

“I’ve got at least eight potential starting tackles,” an executive in personnel said. “That’s pretty good at a position that’s so hard to find. Eight in the first round would be some kind of record, wouldn’t it?”

Eight settled in the first round two years ago led by the Chargers’ Joe Alt at No. 5. Starting in 2016, when Ronnie Stanley (No. 6), Jack Conklin (No. 8), Laremy Tunsil (No. 13), Taylor Decker (No. 16) and Germain Ifredi (No. 32), the average number of tackles chosen in the first round is 4.4.

The aforementioned five tackles have combined for 603 starts and seven Pro Bowls. It’s that type of stable, consistent yield that invariably leads teams to tackles in Round 1.

“The position itself, you’re allowed to take a tackle in the first round even if it’s a reach,” said one evaluator who has been through the media wars. “But, my God, these guys are nowhere near the likes of Jonathan Ogden, Joe Thomas and Walter Jones.”

That’s a familiar refrain from the scouting ranks.

“(Francis) Mauigoa is my favorite tackle, by far,” one personnel man said. “After Mauigoa, you’re rolling the dice a little bit. There aren’t top-tier prospects but tackles will be taken there, anyway.”

One thing scouts don’t expect to see is much movement in the first round.

“No one’s gonna trade up for anybody,” said one executive. “This is just a bad draft. There’s absolutely not one player you’d say, ‘I gotta get up and get this guy.’

“It’s just a wild year. All these guys are going to get taken and have major, major, major flaws. Every year there are flaws, of course, but these guys have major flaws. This draft could go any kind of way. There will be guys that will be top-5 picks that could be the 25^th pick, and vice versa.”

TACKLES

1. FRANCIS MAUIGOA, Miami (6-5 ½, 328, 5.14, 1): Third-year junior. “I liked Will Campbell but I’d have to say this guy’s better than Will Campbell,” one scout said. “He’s not that (Hall of Famer Willie Roaf) but he’ll be an All-Pro type. He looks like a guard but he moves like a tackle. He’s got feel, balance, and he can bend. He positions guys really well. He’s an instant starter.”

Part 2, TE: Kenyon Sadiq and the hunt for matchup nightmares

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 12:13:42 GMT

Getty Images

Second of 12 parts: tight ends.

By Bob McGinn

The recent proliferation of tight ends on NFL playing fields carried over to their unprecedented participation at the scouting combine earlier this year.

Not too many years ago tight ends were few and far between as the 330-some combine invitees went through their paces in Indianapolis. That changed dramatically in February when 27 tight ends, six more than ever before, drew invitations to appear at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The increase wasn’t the result of this being an exceptional crop of tight ends. It’s just an average group.

Instead, National Football Scouting, the combine that administers the event for the NFL, probably reacted after watching more and more teams using more and more tight ends.

“This position is exploding, without a doubt,” an executive in personnel said. “The number of multiple tight ends on Power 4 teams is incredible. They’re being used with three, four, five per team getting significant playing time. They play on an edge, at a wing, as a fullback.”

Besides the 27 tight ends, the total of 319 participants included 46 wide receivers and just 21 running backs. Contrast that to 2005, when there were 41 wide receivers, 35 running backs and merely 14 tight ends.

Seven of those running backs 20 years ago were categorized as fullbacks. That position no longer carries a specific designation by NFS largely because few teams carry a fullback.

For years, the base offensive set in the NFL consisted of two backs, one tight end and two wide receivers. It shifted to one back, one tight end and three wideouts, which remains the most frequently used today. But now, with the run game moving back into vogue, the so-called “12” personnel with one back, two tight ends and two wideouts has become all the rage. Even “13” personnel, with three tight ends, has gained traction due in large part to the Rams’ success with it.

“You need two and teams have got three and four on their 53 and two on practice squad,” the scout said. “It’s just how the game is being played now. They’re trying to create mismatches and force you into whatever defensive personnel they want to get you into with all these extra tight ends.”

The number of tight ends drafted has remained fairly steady. The total of 75 that were selected in the last five years compares to the 66 drafted from 2016-’20.

Tight ends in the first round have remained consistent since the position came into its own in the 1960s. The record for tight ends in the first round is three, which happened five times; there have been 19 years when none were selected in Round 1.

Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq, whose 4.32 hand-held clocking at the combine was one of the fastest ever by a tight end in the 40-yard dash, leads the way.

“It’s not quite as strong this year,” said one executive. “Last year there were two drafted in the first round, three in the second and one in the third. This year you’ll have maybe one in the first, possibly one in the second and maybe one or two in the third. But there’s a lot of players.”

Go Long paid subscribers can see what scouts have to say about all of the top tight ends in this year’s draft below.

Rankings are below with full analysis.

We are completely fueled by you. Thank you for growing our community.

TIGHT ENDS

1. KENYON SADIQ, Oregon (6-3, 243, 4.32, 1-2): Third-year junior. “I would take him wherever … in the top 15,” said one scout.

Part 1, WR: Who's the next star wideout?

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:31:37 GMT

Getty Images

This is the 42^nd year, and the fifth year at Go Long, that Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017), BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro days. The electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and thus weren’t utilized.

First of 12 parts: wide receivers.

By Bob McGinn

Maybe someone in this year’s class of wide receivers will emerge from mid-round anonymity to become stars a la the Rams’ Puka Nacua and the Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown. That seems as possible as having one of the group’s nominal leading prospects achieve greatness.

Like most positions in a draft lacking star power, the wide receivers will challenge scouting departments to make keen evaluations and unearth players in the third-to-sixth rounds that might well turn out to be better pros than those selected in the top 100.

“There’s a decent amount of depth but there’s no real stud,” an executive in personnel for an AFC team said. “Carnell Tate might be the first receiver taken but he wasn’t even the best receiver on his team in college.”

Tate played three seasons at Ohio State, the last two in a secondary role to the estimable Jeremiah Smith. He’ll probably become the Buckeyes’ sixth first-round wide receiver in five drafts, all with Brian Hartline coaching the position.

Over the years, Penn State was known for producing linebackers, Miami for running backs, Iowa for tight ends and Wisconsin for offensive linemen. Under Hartline, a crafty wide receiver himself in Columbus who caught 344 passes from 2009-’14 for the Dolphins and Browns, Ohio State became a wideout factory.

Hartline’s first-round pupils include Garrett Wilson (5-11 ½, 184, 4.40) and Chris Olave (6-0 ½, 185, 4.45) in 2022, Jaxon Smith-Njigba (6-0 ½, 197, 4.52) in 2023, Marvin Harrison (6-3, 209, no 40) in 2024 and Emeka Egbuka (6-1, 202, 4.48) in 2025. Their draft slot, in order, was 10^th, 11^th, 20^th, fourth and 19^th.

Jameson Williams (6-1 ½, 180, no 40) played his first two years at Ohio State before transferring and playing one season at Alabama. He was the 12th choice in 2022.

Terry McLaurin (6-0, 207, 4.30), a third-round choice in 2019 with two Pro Bowls, also benefited from Hartline, who in December was hired to coach South Florida. All except Harrison have forged excellent starts to their pro careers.

“I could see why he could recruit and why they could relate to him coaching them,” an executive said. “He’s just a cool guy to talk to. Step 1, though, they got top-3, top-5 receivers every year. It’s not like he had the 300^th-rated receiver and made him into a first-rounder. With the guys they had it’s not that hard to coach them.”

Nobody in the scouting fraternity is saying this is 1990 or 2008, when not one wideout graced the first round. But no one foresees a first round approaching the last six drafts when an average of 5.3 were selected.

“You just don’t see first-rounders,” said another scout. “They just don’t jump out. Mike Evans is a blue player. None of these guys are really blue.

“You’ve been able to get running backs and receivers down the line for years because it’s not a hard position to play. The hard positions are corner, pass rush, offensive tackle, quarterback. Wide receivers and backs, my God, there’s production all over the place.

“A lot of guys don’t have the stats. But you watch all their targets and plays and you go, ‘Gee, this guy just needs to get the ball more.’ There’s a lot of good receivers in this draft.”

Another long-time evaluator labeled Tate the lone legitimate first-round player at the position.

“These Denzel Boston’s and KC Concepcion’s and Antonio Williams’s of the world, they’re just guys,” he said. “Even Makai Lemon, he’s a little guy, a tough guy, but he’s not a No. 1 (receiver). I like Tate the best of all of them but he’s good, he’s not great. After Tate, in other years they would be second-, third- and fourth-rounders. There’s nothing out there.”

Go Long paid subscribers can see what scouts have to say about all of the top receivers in this year’s draft below. The good. The bad. The ugly. They never hold back.

Rankings are below with full analysis.

We are completely fueled by you. Thank you for growing our community.

WIDE RECEIVERS

1. CARNELL TATE, Ohio State (6-2, 192, 4.44, 1): Third-year junior. “He’s really, really good,” one scout said. “It’s just unbelievable how these (Ohio State) guys come out. If you watch the way he runs routes then you know that he’s ready. You can tell, with (Brian) Hartline working with them, they’re getting quality work. I saw him run by this guy, I saw him run by that guy. He runs by whoever he needs to get past.”

Bob McGinn's 42nd Annual NFL Draft Series is coming soon

Tyler Dunne — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:12:31 GMT

Getty Images

It’s back. Bob McGinn will once again bring his unparalleled draft coverage to our pages at Go Long.

Since the the conclusion of the collegiate football season, McGinn has been discussing all of the prospects with NFL scouts to bring you the good, bad and ugly.

The plan is to start his series this Friday.

As always, it’ll be available in full to paid subscribers only.

Here are all parts to his series in ‘22, ‘23, ‘24 and ‘25 if you’d likle t

Thanks, all.

2025 Series:

2024 Series:

2023 Series

2022 Series

The 2025 NFL Draft is here...

Tyler Dunne — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 15:54:05 GMT

We made it.

It’s draft day.

Please. I beg of you. Do not waste time watching the NFL-sanitized slop that is “Draft Day” with Kevin Costner. You’re better off YouTubing draft broadcasts from years past for a laugh. (The 1999 draft is peak drama.)

Here’s what you can expect at Go Long over the next three days.

I’ll be covering the draft at Bills HQ… albeit with an NFL-wide focus. Expect a column each day.
Bob McGinn will author an NFC North-centric piece each day.
Join me on a Zoom Happy Hour Friday at 6 p.m. (EST) to chat about Round 1 and anything you’d like. All readers are welcomed at this link. (Note that this is a different time than originally posted.)
Gameday Chat! Man, this is always fun. Hang out with fellow Go Long subscribers from around the world — Salamanca, NY to Istanbul, Turkey. I’ll send a link out a couple hours before the draft kicks off. Let’s discuss ‘n debate the picks all night long.

Also, be on the lookout for a Substack Live video (or two) from One Bills Drive the next 72 hours. Will be sure to rope in a Bills beat writer to discuss Brandon Beane’s decisions. Download the app and flip notifications on if you’d like to join:

Available for iOS and Android

Thanks, all.

We’ve got a nice long wait until the Tennessee Titans select Cam Ward No. 1 overall.

Here are links to our pre-draft coverage to tide you over.