Top 50 Prospects 1.0
Kade Nix 2024 Top 50 Prospects 1.0: Nabers 2nd overall
Published 2/5/2024 at 6:30pm Updated 2/5/2024 at 6:52pm
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Marvin Harrison Jr.
OSU | WR
Harrison is the top prospect in the 2024 draft class. He is an elite athlete with great hands and incredible athleticism. He can match any catch, as he especially has the talent to make acrobatic and spectacular catches. He has an excellent route tree and footwork off the line, as well as ability to break press off the line. He's quick and explosive off the line for his size. He can break tackles and uses his good size to come down with contested catches. His long arms allow for him to be able to run under the ball and have great deep threat ability.
Nabers is one of my favorite prospects in this draft class. He is the most explosive player in the class. He has elite hands and will fight for the ball on contested catches at the top of his routes. He has a developed route tree and knows how to get open consistently. He explodes off the line and has excellent footwork inside of his routes, and when the ball is in the air he is able to adjust and contort his body to make the catch. He is dynamic with the ball in his hands after the catch.
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Malik Nabers
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LSU | WR
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Caleb Williams
USC | QB
Caleb Williams is the top passer in the draft. His ability to improvise and produce through pressure stands him out from his peers. He develops and processes his reads quickly, and is posed as a dual threat quarterback when given the opportunity. He has excellent arm talent that can make every throw on the field, off and on balance, as he's able to generate velocity off platform.
In a class with deep talent at the tackle position, Joe Alt takes the top spot. Joe has excellent first step movement in both passing protection and run blocking. He possesses excellent fluidity, as he’s able to have great coordination with his lower half and his hands. His fluidity helps him to be active in the pocket, and keep up with bending pass rushers. Alt consistently lands blocks and finishes strong. In the run game, he wins his first step, and the point of attack.
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Joe Alt
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NOTRE DAME | OT
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Drake Maye
UNC | QB
Maye is another elite level prospect. He possesses elite arm strength and excellent deep passing ability, able to make any throw on the field. His pocket presence is unmatched, as he plays light and balanced. He is excellent under pressure, withstanding duress to make patient throws. Maye is a natural athlete who can extend plays with his speed outside the pocket. Maye can be considered as a legit dual threat quarterback. He plays his best and is more talented throwing from inside the pocket. Maye possesses a high level of poise while sitting in the pocket. I still believe Maye is closer to Caleb Williams than he is to Jayden Daniels.
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Brock Bowers
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GEORGIA | TE
Bowers is not only the best tight end in this class, but also one of the best receivers in this class. He’s highly productive with an exceptional playmaking ability, especially in big games. His ability to run after the catch and gain yards sets him apart from other tight ends in the class. He is extremely versatile, and can be used in a number of ways within an offense. He has an explosive play style, and plays with a high motor and elite leadership skills. He can make any catch as a receiver, as he displays elite ball skills and can make any catch at any point.
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ALABAMA | ED
Dallas Turner
Turner’s biggest strength is his versatility at his position, as he can align in multiple positions within the same drive. He has a quick step and the ability to bend around the edge with his flexibility. In the open field, he has high fluidity and great athleticism. Turner is mostly a prolific speed rusher, as his main point of attack is around the arc to the quarterback. His elite change of direction and speed help him to be able to run with skill players in the open field.
Arnold plays with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. While he lacks in size compared to other corners, even his counterpart at Alabama, McKinstry, he makes up for it in his ability to play at a consistent high energy level. He has great athleticism, and good ability to cover up downfield. He has a good frame with long arms, and keeps his head on a swivel. He is able to get his head around on throws in front of him and make plays. He plays instinctively, and is able to adapt effectively. He packs a punch for his size as well, as he is able to deliver a solid press at the line. He has little weaknesses and every tool you search for in a corner prospect.
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Terrion Arnold
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ALABAMA | CB
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Jared Verse
FLORIDA ST | ED
Jared Verse has the most explosive quick step of any edge rusher in the draft. He also possesses the ability to bend on the edge, making him a constant threat. His natural athleticism and strength are two of his biggest assets in his possession. He’s able to bend underneath top offensive linemen and tighten his angle on the quarterback. His high motor and explosiveness put him at the top of the charts for not only edge rushers but defenders in this class. He has high instincts, and his long arms help him get around the edge even more.
Robinson displays some of the most athletic characteristics of anyone in this draft class. He utilizes his arm movement and uses techniques such as arm swipes to elevate him past opponents. He is able to use his strength to extend his arms and pull and throw opposing linemen on a consistent basis. His main means of attack is to swipe and bend, as opposed to relying on his strength to drive through opponents. He uses his leverage well, and utilizes his legs through contact. He very often will use fakes and juke moves on opponents to gain space to work around. He applies bend and flexibility to his wraps around the edge and makes it look easy.
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PENN ST | ED
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Chop Robinson
There is a lot to love about Rome Odunze. His best feature is his ability to make acrobatic catches and adjust to poorly thrown balls and reel them in. He is able to be flexible, and contort his body to make big catches downfield. He is also very efficient in traffic, and high points the football with deep throws down the field. His ball tracking ability is up there with the best in this class.
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WASHINGTON | WR
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Rome Odunze
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Taliese Fuaga
OREGON ST | OT
Despite his 330 pounds, Fuaga looks loose and fluid, and demonstrates quick feet and a quick, profitable first step. He has some hard hitting jabs into defenders' chest in his arsenal, and can even run in front of ball carriers as a lead blocker in the run game. He has elite power in his hands and body, and wins in a variety of ways. He gathers the perfect amount of depth in his footwork in pass protection and is very aware, and connected to his lower body.
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Olu Fashanu
PENN ST | OT
Fashanu uses his heavy hands and hips as low ground leverage against smaller opponents. He’s noted as having a high work ethic and high football IQ and general intelligence within the game. He’s effective in space and has excellent movement off the line in run blocking and pass protection. He has the ability to knock down pass rushers, and run guys over in the run block. However, his lack of experience is scary to me.
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JC Latham
ALABAMA | OT
JC Latham excels in his use of balance and lower body control. He demonstrates elite balance, although he often will stand up too straight instead of getting lower to the ground. He doesn’t move his feet fast enough and will let bendy edge rushers get the best of him sometimes. He has good hand work inside the chest, and his raw power wins him most of his reps.
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Quinyon Mitchell
Mitchell plays with a ton of flare and aggression. He attacks the ball in the air and plays at a high level every snap. Mitchell has a good read and react ability and doesn’t play with many hesitations in his game. He plays with lots of fluid motions and is good at clicking and closing in and out of his back pedals. He plays with a high motor and tough attitude. He’s a very aggressive tackler and is good in the run game.
TOLEDO | CB
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Laiatu Latu
UCLA | ED
Latu has an explosive first step, mixed with a resilient fight to reach the quarterback. He applies pressure and hurries the quarterback on a consistent basis, and it leads to poor throws. He is reliant on his ability to rush the passer, and could sharpen up his run defense overall.
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Amarius Mims
GEORGIA | OT
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Amarius Mims comes in at 6’7 and 340 pounds, a good size for his position. He gets out of his stance well, especially for his size, and uses his big hands and long arms to win leverage against powerful defensive threats. He excels in run blocking compared to pass coverage, and has the right instincts to be able to seal the edge as a left tackle. He has great natural bend in his lower legs, and his sheer size makes it hard to cover ground when opposing him.
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LSU | WR
Brian Thomas Jr.
Brian Thomas Jr. is larger in size and weight than his LSU counterpart, Malik Nabers but Thomas flashes some similarities. He has fluid motions in and out of his routes, and his hands are among the top of his class. Thomas has a great catch radius, and his strong, but soft hands are able to deliver when targeted in traffic. He has good overall body control and is able to make special catches downfield.
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Kool-Aid McKinstry
ALABAMA | CB
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His height and weight make him a good size for a solid corner, as well as long arm length and physicality. He is a willing and eager tackler in the run, and he displays great physicality off the line against wideouts. His strength comes in press man coverage, as his physicality shines there. The problem comes in zone coverage and off man, as he lacks explosiveness, and fluidity. The best fit for him would be a team that could tap into his second gear.
Cooper DeJean
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IOWA | CB
DeJean is a pure athletic corner. He excels in both run defense and pass coverage. He maintains good hip movement and ball tracking when the ball is in the air. He has excellent instincts and can read the quarterback quickly and efficiently, as his three pick-sixes in 2022 indicate. He’s an able tackler out in the flat, as he is able to read checkdowns and screens quite well. His athleticism is forgiving of his mistakes, as he is able to counter after he commits one.
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Byron Murphy II
TEXAS | DL
Murphy jumps to the top of my interior defensive line prospects. He plays with leverage at the line and distributes his body weight well against opponents. He has a compact build, and delivers a strong punch getting off the line. He has an excellent motor, and plays the game with a high velocity and energy. He is a crafty edge player who is quick to locate the ball, and can make good strong tackles.
Jer’Zhan Newton
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ILLINOIS | DL
Newton has the main concern related mostly to his size. Compared to other physical defensive lineman, he lacks height, weight, and even speed. What he lacks in size he makes up for in energy. He plays a dynamic kind of football, and brings energy to every play. He has exceptional athleticism and wins his reps in a variety of ways. He produced greatly at Illinois, and his great burst out of his stance won him many reps. He invades gaps effectively and often, and uses power to displace offensive lineman.
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Troy Fautanu
WASHINGTON | OT
Good sized physical lineman. He has enough physicality to win against bigger lineman consistently. He has improved steadily at pass protection in his time at Washington. He puts his length to good use and wins steadily with his agility and movement. He keeps defenders at his fingertips, and plays with heavy hands to push defenders backwards.
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Bo Nix
OREGON | QB
Nix’s struggles at Auburn may scare many teams, and he may seem to be a system quarterback. His last season at Oregon however, he showed flashes of an NFL level quarterback. His ball security and his ability to pass under pressure stood out as his top qualities. His creation ability and arm strength give him the tools to make a variety of throws, both on platform and off. His natural tendency to extend plays also gives him the ability to take off for yardage with his legs, an ability defenses will have to annoyingly account for. However, inconsistency is the problem with Nix. He’s far too unpredictable and inconsistent with his throws and his timing.
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LSU | QB
Jayden Daniels
The Heisman winner put up an insane amount of production during his season at LSU. He’s an elite athlete who’s very mobile and has skills inside the pocket that allow him to effectively maneuver. He has impressive arm strength, and has expertise when throwing on the run, but struggles to consistently deliver throws inside the pocket. He is an interesting prospect with an undoubted level of talent but question marks surrounding his ability to translate to the next level.
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Tyler Guyton
OKLAHOMA | OT
Guyton exhibits lots of smooth motion in his game, and has large bounds that cover lots of ground in his limited time. He’s a talented competitor and will finish every rep through the whistle with high physicality. He has known leadership traits that coaches and scouts admire, as well as a high motor. He’s a great size for the line, and exhibits great agile speed and movement for his size.
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Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
MISSOURI | CB
With exceptional lateral movement and keen instincts in zone coverage, he combines length, speed, and quickness effectively. Excelling at mirroring routes underneath, he demonstrates fluid movement and quick directional changes. Capable of defending slot receivers in man coverage, Rakestraw exhibits solid tackling skills in open space. His early route punch on the line of scrimmage, paired with quickness, allows for effective shadowing and rapid responses to ball releases. The explosive backpedal and adept hands make him a threat for interceptions.
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Edgerrin Cooper
TEXAS A&M | LB
Cooper is a good strong linebacker who does well in open field pursuits of ball carriers. He is quick and able to cover a ton of ground in a short amount of time. He plays a bit stiff, but makes good, strong technical tackles in the open field. He’ll be a fun player to watch when testing time rolls around.
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ARIZONA | OT
Jordan Morgan
Morgan supports a good frame in his lower and upper body with plenty of push and pull to him. He has good awareness and a quick spring in his movement to be able to cover the necessary ground that he needs. He shows excellent patience and awareness in pass protection and will excel in pass protection opposed to run blocking. Yet, he still will be efficient as a run blocker at the next level. He possesses and flashes a level of high aggressiveness and grit and plays mean in the run game.
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Nate Wiggins
CLEMSON | CB
Wiggins has an adequate height and length for an NFL corner but lacks size in the weight department. He’s a good supporter in stopping the run game, and has the loose, fluid ability to guard slot receivers effectively. He has good straight line speed, and is good in space, but lacks the necessary pop to his hits he delivers. He does a nice job breaking down receivers after the catch to make open field tackles.
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OREGON | C
Jackson Powers-Johnson
After a great weekend at the Senior Bowl, Jackson Powers-Johnson rises to number 31. JPJ does a good job of initiating the push in the run game, and plays with a high motor and good level of aggressiveness. He fires out of his stance with a good pad level, and shows a good feel for combo blocks. He does a nice job working with teammates to double team elite talent.
Graham Barton
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DUKE | OT
Graham has to be one of the most underrated prospects in the draft. He uses his legs to excellent capabilities, as he is able to use all his leverage to drive back defenders or lay them down flat. He has raw power and gets his hands inside of edge rushers chest and locks them in place. He blocks wide angles for edge rushers and forces them to make a sharp angle, oftentimes causing them to lose their balance. He plays through the whistle and has a high level of physicality.
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UNC | WR
Devontez Walker
Walker, a natural playmaker, excels with the ball in hand, threatening defenses vertically and in catch-and-run situations. Consistent in tracking and running under throws, he possesses excellent short-area quickness and straight-line speed. His tall frame, long arms, and strong hands provide a substantial catch radius. Walker's ball-tracking skills and physical attributes showcase his potential, with room for adjustment in the transition to the NFL.
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Darius Robinson
MISSOURI | DL
Robinson, a uniquely sized prospect, boasts exceptional quickness, flexibility, and explosive power. His versatility allows him to play various positions. With violent hands and long arms, he excels in bull rushing. He is adaptable to different positions, Robinson is a promising prospect for both pass rushing and run-stopping roles.
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Chris Braswell
ALABAMA | ED
Braswell lines up in coverage and utilizes his speed and frame in the pass rush along the edge. He has good flexibility and length to be able to get around the edge and put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. He exemplifies great footwork and balance. He excels in pass coverage due to his overall athleticism. Shows great quickness off the line, and brings consistent pressure when he does. He is an effective open field tackler, but needs to be better in his awareness in space in zone coverage.
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Kamari Lassiter
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GEORGIA | CB
Lassiter has sharp instincts in zone coverage and displays a knowledge for covering ground in zone coverages. He has strong hands at the line and can jam elite receivers in man press. He has high physicality demonstrated in his open field tackling, and brings a lot of heat up against his opponents. Lassiter faces some of the same problems against perimeter receivers due to his size as other corners in the class. Although, his physicality and play style make up for his lack of frame.
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TEXAS | WR
Adonai Mitchell
There is both good and bad with Adonai Mitchell. He has excellent hands and ball tracking abilities. Passers are able to throw him open deep and he can run under the ball well. He adjusts for the catch and can fight for contested catches. He will sometimes let the ball fall to him instead of high pointing the football. He doesn’t seem to have that second gear yet, and lacks a high motor.
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OREGON | WR
Troy Franklin
Franklin has one of the best bursts of speed off the line in the class, he works the inside of the field well, and may want to work on his ability to work outside the numbers, especially against NFL talent. He gets up to his top speed in a hurry and is effective in space on short throws. He primarily is used in between the number and on short throws, but with his speed he could be effective upfield on deep throws. Oregon used him effectively in screens and yardage after catch situations, letting him catch short and gain yards upfield with his agility and quickness.
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Bralen Trice
WASHINGTON | ED
Trice is a constant threat to quarterbacks, as he is able to put up consistent pressure. He uses his hands very well, and is able to pressure the quarterback in a number of different ways. His means of attack may include him dipping underneath blockers arms, or powering through the gaps in the line. Overall he could be more fluid, as he takes unnecessary wide angles and could improve on his overall footwork. The same could not be said about his handwork. He has very active, heavy hands that help him succeed in pass rush.
Ladd McConkey
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GEORGIA | WR
Ladd is able to run precise routes and has nice smooth cuts in and out of his routes. He has good initial quickness off the line, but seems to lack straight line speed at times. He can be a legitimate deep threat as he can track balls well. He plays very twitchy in and out of his routes, and gets good seperation.
JJ McCarthy
MICHIGAN | QB
McCarthy is one of the most interesting prospects in this year's draft. He possesses many qualities of an NFL caliber quarterback but also the opposite. He has adequate arm strength, and can make a variety of throws on the field, on the run, off balance. He is an able and willing runner when he sees an open lane but prefers to sit in the pocket, although is not scared to tuck it and run. He sometimes will make reckless throws into coverage, especially when he is under pressure. However, he has a playmaking ability in his arsenal. He doesn’t utilize it as much as he should but if a he leans into that, he could reach his full potential.
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FLORIDA ST | WR
Keon Coleman
Coleman has been very versatile in his usage at Florida State. He can catch screens and be utilized in his ability to create yards gained after the catch on screen and short passes or he can burn guys deep and utilize his speed in that way. He has a good size, adequate enough to high point and come down with jump balls. He has impressive ball skills while the ball is in the air and goes up and makes the catch. He can use the DB blind spots effectively and uses his great acceleration and twitch to make sure he uses the zone properly.
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T’Vondre Sweat
TEXAS | DL
Sweat plays with pure, raw power and uses it nicely to his advantage. He is strong with his hands, and uses it to displace lineman, and swat away blockers. He penetrates through gaps well, and forces running backs to be more patient than they can afford. He’s a strong, big tackler, and forces players to go down with him. His upper body power is superior to anyone in his class. He recovers nicely from cut blocks and makes tackles inside the gaps in the defense. He is still a raw prospect, and will need the right organization to fill the gaps in his game.
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Worthy excels in his elite ability to take the tops off of a defense. He has elite speed, but may lay too much of a reliance on it. His hands have been a worry at his time at Texas, but have steadily improved throughout the years. He had a limited route tree at Texas, with most of his routes consisting of deep streaks. If he uses his speed to develop his route tree, he could be much more explosive.
TEXAS | WR
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Xavier Worthy
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UNC | LB
Cedric Gray
Gray is best used against the run and has a nice build for moving shifty and loose. His size is measured smaller, but it doesn’t seem to be an impact when he plays. He has violent hands and is a strong tackler. He may be a little undersized at the NFL level, but his knowledge of angles and technique make up for it. He is instinctive in coverage, and can track the ball well and has a feel for reading an offense.
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WVU | IOL
Zach Frazier
Frazier possesses good feet, quickness and agility, which is surprising for his build and size. His awareness is a strength, and he exhibits good patience in pass protection. He is coordinated in his footwork and uses his hands in coordination with his lower half. He moves constantly to land blocks.
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W. MICHIGAN | ED
Marshawn Kneeland
Kneeland possesses raw strength and power as a defender. He presents strengths in run blocking, pass protection, and awareness against stunts. He reads plays effectively and efficiently at high speeds, and is able to change dynamics quickly. He presents a variety of ways to win off the edge. He plays tough and physical with just a high motor as anyone.
Colson is very instinctive and plays with good awareness of the play breaking down around him. He is disruptive, especially in the run game and in the backfield, and shows good speed when plugging gaps or rushing as a blitzer from the inside. He has the agility and straight speed to cover sideline to sideline, and finishes tackles like a safety.
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Junior Colson
MICHIGAN | LB
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CLEMSON | IDL
Ruke Orhorhoro
Rule has a solid, tall frame and good upper body strength complete with heavy hands and good balance. His coordination with his footwork is great, and his contact balance and ability to finish plays through contact is ideal. He displays an excellent motor, and good instincts. He rarely falls due to his great balance. He is a sneaky good type of player who will win lots of reps.
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NC STATE | LB
Payton Wilson
Wilson has a good enough speed in pursuit of ball carriers and good enough balance and change of direction to keep up with them. He shows a good burst when closing in on tackles, and tackles with explosiveness and has a good knack for downfield tackling. He’s good in coverage as well, but lacks necessary pass rush abilities. He will need to fit into a scheme that can get him free running.