4/19/22

The biggest byproduct of the evolution of the game of football over the years has been the significant increase in the amount of passing. There has been a huge spike in college football and a lesser, although still very noticeable, uptick at the pro level. Obviously, more passing for the offense means more opportunities to rush the passer for the defense. It should not come as a surprise that Defensive Ends have become one of the most vital positions on the field. Even the position itself has changed – long gone are the days when a DE’s primary responsibility was to set the edge in the run game and occasionally get after the QB. Nowadays the edge rushers have such different body types and are so much more athletic than the DEs of yesteryear. It is crucial to have elite DE play for any NFL team because if you can’t affect the QB, there is no way you can have success as a defense. In the words of legendary defensive coordinator and architect of the 46 Defense, Buddy Ryan, “It’s hard to throw the ball with tears in your eyes.” See below for some of this year’s best.

1. Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan)
Very possibly the first overall pick in this year’s draft. I, like many others, originally had Kayvon Thibodeaux pegged as the best DE and the first overall pick, but Hutchinson changed my mind by playing his best in the biggest games. When you put on the film, the first things that pop out about Hutchinson are his high effort and relentless motor – he never stops working to get to the QB, as shown by his 14 sacks in 2021. Is easily able to turn the corner to get around OTs and TEs. If a QB is on the move, I like how he breaks down and makes sure tackles, rarely allowing QBs to escape. Does not only go for the sack, but goes for the ball, something that not all players understand the importance of. Showed good athletic ability by dropping into coverage at times, and was able to run with RBs coming out of the backfield. Aside from his pass rushing dominance, he also caused a lot of chaos in the run game, quickly getting his heels across the line of scrimmage and disrupting plays before they could get started. Many of his sacks came from either speed rush or bull rush, so I would like to see him develop a more well rounded arsenal of pass rush moves. Will inevitably draw comparisons to JJ Watt. Overall, I think Hutchinson will be a very solid DE in the league.

2. Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon)
As mentioned above, the reason I do not have Thibodeaux listed as my DE1 is because in Oregon’s biggest games last year, he was nowhere to be found. A player with his physical gifts should have had much better production in my opinion, so there are certainly some questions there. With that being said, he is a freak of nature. Made an instant impact as a true freshman by tallying nine sacks, following that up with only three in 2020, before putting up seven sacks in his final stint. Has great size at 6’5, 258 lbs and moves extremely well for a player of his stature. At times, has an excellent first step, which is key for any elite pass rusher. Also uses his speed to chase down ball carriers. Was able to play both standing up and with his hand in the dirt – could be a versatile piece at the next level and could potentially line up at a few different spots to cause mismatches. Definitely needs some more development and must be able to become a factor when his team needs him most.

3. George Karlaftis (Purdue)
Only really played two full seasons in college, as he was sidelined most of 2020 with injuries and Covid. Uses his hands and length incredibly well to disengage from blockers. Has a very impressive bull rush. Always arrives at the ball carrier with bad intentions and is a hard hitter. I love his energy and effort – never gets discouraged if his first pass rush move does not work and just keeps working. Good speed, as shown on his fumble recovery TD last year. If a play goes away from him, he immediately turns and strains to get to the ball, showing great urgency. Spikes inside gaps and is able to disrupt plays at a high level. Karlaftis is a player I think can thrive in the NFL because of his toughness and physicality. I am excited to see how his career unfolds.

4. Travon Walker (Georgia)
Was a part of a big defensive line rotation at Georgia, and because of it, did not have great production. I believe he could have returned to school for another year to improve his draft stock. Has potential, but may wind up being a better college player than an NFL player. Amazing size/speed combination at 6’5, 275 lbs and ran a 4.51 40 at the combine. Is very versatile – lined up in many different places on the field and was asked to a lot of things. I’ve seen him drop into coverage and break up passes, he has lined up inside and either stunted outside to make a big play or was able to use his speed to rush against interior offensive linemen, and of course has lined up at the traditional DE position. Shows good power as well and uses his long arms to separate and shed blocks. Walker is a high risk/reward prospect, but based on his physical traits alone, has asserted himself as one of the most sought after DEs in this class. Would likely best be used as a 3-4 outside linebacker so that he can use his versatility.

5. Arnold Ebiketie (Penn State)
Began his career at Temple, where his production could be described as decent at best. Transferred to Penn State for his final season and his game really took off, totaling 9.5 sacks in his lone year in State College. Has okay, not great size, at 6’3, 250 lbs. Remarkable explosion off the ball and plays with great speed. Also ran a 4.6 in the 40. His speed on outside rushes should definitely open up some inside counter move possibilities for him, but this is something he needs to continue to work at. On the down side, was used almost exclusively as a pass rusher and definitely needs to improve against the run if he wants to gain any significant playing time at the next level. There is no doubt that Ebiketie is an unbelievable athlete, but it will be key for him to go to a team that will allow him to develop and fine tune his technique for a few years before putting him on the field for extended periods of time.

Others to know:
David Ojabo (Michigan)

Boye Mafe (Minnesota)

Isaiah Thomas (Oklahoma)

4/18/22

To put it bluntly, this year’s TE class is very weak. There are a few good prospects at the top, but there is not a lot of quality depth. The importance of great TE play has always been a staple at the pro level. Years ago, TEs played almost exclusively in-line, and if your offense could control the middle of the field with a TE, then they could control the whole field. With the evolution of offense and position-less approaches in some cases, TEs can now be seen lining up all over the field – anywhere from split out wide, in the slot, in a traditional in-line position, and at H-back. Having an elite TE certainly opens up countless possibilities for an offense, but if teams are looking for one in this year’s draft, they have to be careful.

1. Jalen Wydermyer (Texas A&M)
This is a prospect I’ve been very impressed with since his high school days. Has prototypical size for a TE at 6’5, 255 lbs. Became a starter as soon as he stepped on campus as a true freshman, a tough feat at the TE position. Recorded 40+ catches and 500+ receiving yards each of his final two college seasons. Extremely reliable target with good hands. Very smooth with the ball after the catch. His game speed is much better than his physical speed as quantified by testing numbers. Wydermyer lined up all over the field for the Aggies and I believe he can do the same at the next level. Played in a pro style system – Jimbo Fisher’s “quantum offense” – so understands how to read defenses, sight adjustments, etc. Slightly more of a finesse player at this stage of his career and will need to continue to develop his physicality and blocking to become more of a complete player. Wydermyer can definitely thrive in today’s NFL, if selected by a team that can use him properly.

2. Trey McBride (Colorado State)
Admittedly not a prospect I knew anything about coming into the 2021 season. Had solid stats his first two years and then absolutely exploded in his final season, putting up 90 receptions and 1,121 receiving yards. I cannot even think of another TE who has had 90 catches in a single season – an astounding accomplishment. With that being said, he only had 1 receiving TD last year (a pick play from the goal line), although he also had a long TD run on a fake punt. To me, scoring 1 TD is more telling than the number of catches and yards he produced – it means that he is really used in a controlled passing game and was not able to become a meaningful redzone threat. Also was not able to create explosive TDs. Has solid hands and is very physical. Does not really have good speed in my opinion. Will probably be best utilized in a traditional in-line Y alignment.

3. Isaiah Likely (Coastal Carolina)
Very intriguing player with great athleticism. His receiving yards increased each of his four years, and he scored 27 TDs in his career. Totaled 912 receiving yards in 2021. Notably had a 99 yard TD catch in his final season. Lethal big play threat, who regularly picked up huge chunks of yardage at a time throughout his career with the Chanticleers. Has good jumping ability and attacks the ball at it’s highest point. I think it’s possible that he could actually move to WR once he gets into the league. Even if he doesn’t, he can be used in a similar type of role, and should mainly line up in a detached alignment whether that be in the slot or outside. Will likely be a matchup problem for defenses, pun intended.

4. Jelani Woods (Virginia)
Incredible size for a skill position player – 6’7, 260 lbs. Woods began his career at Oklahoma State and really did not do anything noteworthy, averaging roughly 100 yards per season in his three years there. He then transferred to Virginia for his final year, where he became one of the best mismatches in the country in my opinion. Played in an extremely unconventional, pass heavy offense under offensive coordinator Robert Anae. Jelani’s sheer size alone made him uncoverable at times. Great target in redzone/goal line situations. Not just a situational target, but actually runs pretty good routes as well. Dominated the middle of the field, often screaming up the seams for big plays. His athleticism is comparable to that of the aforementioned Isaiah Likely, although I believe that Woods is somewhat more of a developmental prospect at this point, simply because of his relative inexperience/lack of sustained success. If he is developed properly, could be one of the biggest sleepers in this draft.

5. Charlie Kolar (Iowa State)
Was one of the top targets for his offense for his final three seasons. Kolar does not have the same level of athleticism at some of the other TEs listed above, but is a very solid player. Always seemed to come up with a big play when his team needed one. Did a lot of damage in the redzone throughout his career. Is able to get physical with defenders and shows good ability to come down with contested catches. Also showed very good footwork and field awareness, making a number of catches with toe drags in the back of the endzone. I love how competitive he is. He is a player who will turn heads in training camp with his work ethic and overall ability. Can definitely be a TE2 in the league.

Others to know:

Greg Dulcich (UCLA)

Cole Fotheringham (Utah)

Peyton Hendershot (Indiana)