Latest news with #AeneasPeebles
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ravens rookie already labeled a potential 2025 NFL Draft gem
Ravens rookie already labeled a potential 2025 NFL Draft gem It may be time to begin mentioning Aeneas Peebles more often. It's hard to avoid looking too far ahead, but this 2025 Baltimore Ravens draft class makes it hard to adopt a 'one day at a time' or a 'one week at a time' approach. Eric DeCosta and his team delivered Malaki Starks in Round 1. In Round 2, the flock landed someone who earned first-night grades but slid because he had been tagged with the dreaded 'character concerns' label. Mike Green was the choice, the 2024 Sun Belt Player of the Year and a First-Team All-American. He notched 84 tackles, including 23 tackles for a loss, 17 sacks, and a forced fumble during his final NCAA season. A kicker the Ravens grabbed in Round 6 gained some attention. Tyler Loop is expected to take over for Baltimore's all-time leading scorer, Justin Tucker. He'll have some competition in camp, though. John Hoyland was also added after a rookie minicamp tryout. Loop isn't the only sixth-rounder to watch during training camp and the preseason. There's a diamond in the rough who's gaining more attention. Ravens may have found one of the 2025 NFL Draft's biggest steals in the form of Aeneas Peebles. Mike Green was added to assist the Ravens' pass rush in 2025. He won't have to do it alone. Ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes on Aeneas Peebles. The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec named him as Baltimore's best value pick this past April. This one sits behind a paywall so that we won't share many quotes. Here's what we will say. Zrebiec also mentions that draft analyst Dane Brugler mentioned Peebles as a third—or fourth-round talent and the 17th-best interior defensive lineman. The Ravens grabbed him two rounds after he was predicted to hear his name called. Some theories suggest Peebles slid because he's a small defensive tackle by NFL standards. He stands at six feet tall and weighs 289 pounds. The resume is impressive, though. He appeared in 12 games for the Virginia Tech Hokies. He tallied 31 tackles, including seven for loss. He also added three sacks and three pass breakups en route to a 2024 First-Team All-ACC nod. One year prior, he may have had a more impressive season. He finished his final season with the Duke Blue Devils with 43 tackles, nine TFLs, five sacks, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble. He earned Third-team All-ACC honors after that effort.
NBC Sports
27-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
2025 NFL Draft Grades for all AFC Teams: Patriots, Titans, Ravens earn high marks
The 2025 NFL Draft is officially in the books which means we can begin parsing the respective draft classes of the AFC. You can find recaps from each day of the 2025 NFL Draft below: Day One Day Two Day Three 2025 NFL Draft AFC Team Grades Baltimore Ravens Pick 27: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia Pick 59: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall Pick 91: Emery Jones, OT, LSU Pick 129: Teddye Buchanan, LB, Cal Pick 141: Carson Vinson, OT, Alabama A&M Pick 178: Bilhal Kone, CB, Western Michigan Pick 186: Tyler Loop, K, Arizona Pick 203: LaJohntay Wester, WR, Colorado Pick 210: Aeneas Peebles, DL, Virginia Tech Pick 212: Robert Longerbeam, CB, Rutgers Pick 243: Garrett Dellinger, IOL, LSU The Ravens bring in a massive 11-man draft class headlined by the top-rated safety in the class and an incredibly talented small school Edge in Mike Green that was pegged for a top-20 selection in numerous industry mock drafts, and who they managed to acquire with the 59th overall selection. Tackles Jones and Vinson will compete for reps in camp while my favorite late pick of the Ravens' draft is undersized interior penetrator Aeneas Peebles who was considered a potential Day 2 caliber player in the pre-draft process. Clearly Baltimore wanted to shore up their offensive/defensive lines and secondary, which they have done admirably. Buffalo Bills Pick 30: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky Pick 41: T.J. Sanders, DL, South Carolina Pick 72: Landon Jackson, EDGE, Arkansas Pick 109: Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky Pick 170: Jordan Hancock, CB, Ohio State Pick 173: Jackson Hawes, TE, Georgia Tech Pick 177: Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech Pick 206: Chase Lundt, OT, UConn Pick 240: Kaden Prather, WR, Maryland The Bills were not subtle about their intentions, bolstering their defensive line and secondary in an effort to subdue the potent offenses of their primary AFC rivals. Hairston famously had the fastest 40-yard dash at the 2025 Combine (4.28s), and Dorian Strong was ranked in the CB15 range in many pre-draft publications representing a solid value at #177. They paired a disruptive 3T T.J. Sanders with super-heavyweight Deone Walker on the interior, while adding a full-sized base Edge Landon Jackson i R3. Hawes is more of a blocking TE to complement Kincaid. Cincinnati Bengals Pick 17: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M Pick 49: Demetrius Knight Jr., LB, South Carolina Pick 81: Dylan Fairchild, IOL, Georgia Pick 119: Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson Pick 153: Jalen Rivers, IOL, Miami Pick 193: Tahj Brooks, RB, Texas Tech Stewart has a prototype Edge profile - big, athletic and powerful. However his ball production was lacking in college and his toolkit on the rush is underdeveloped, which clouds his overall projection a bit. Knight is a 25 year old, two-down thumper type who barely saw the field in his first four years and has just one year of production at the P4 level. There were multiple linebackers with similar talent who went 2+ rounds later. Fairchild should fill a need on the interior while Carter and Rivers are more developmental players. Brooks could step right in and fill a supporting role should RB Chase Brown go down. Cincinnati needs Stewart to be a star for this draft class to really make an impact. Cleveland Browns Pick 5: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan Pick 33: Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA Pick 36: Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State Pick 67: Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green Pick 94: Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon Pick 126: Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee Pick 144: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado Cleveland made major waves trading back from #2 to #5 to bank Jacksonville's first round pick in 2026 and an early 2nd this year. Mason Graham was widely considered to be a game-changing, athletic 3T while former walk-on Schwesinger adds a cerebral and athletic presence to their defense before pivoting to the offense. The Browns appear to be co-opting Ohio State's approach by pairing between-the tackles grinder Judkins with an explosive RB2 in Sampson who plays the role of home run hitter TreVeyon Henderson. They also managed to bring in two quarterbacks in Gabriel and Shedeur to compete for reps behind a pair of cagey vets in Flacco and Pickett. Fannin recorded one of the most productive tight end seasons in collegiate history, but has H-back dimensions and tested sluggishly. This feels like the first act of a 2/3-year overhaul of the Browns roster. Denver Broncos Pick 20: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas Pick 60: RJ Harvey, RB, UCF Pick 74: Pat Bryant, WR, Illinois Pick 101: Sai'vion Jones, EDGE, LSU Pick 134: Que Robinson, EDGE, Alabama Pick 216: Jeremy Crawshaw, P, Florida Pick 241: Caleb Lohner, TE, Utah Jahdae Barron is a savvy, versatile zone-oriented CB who has demonstrated success both outside or in the slot. RJ Harvey as RB5 in Round 2 was one of the surprises of Day 2 considering the depth of the running back position, and Patrick Bryant is a one-dimensional outside receiver who relies on physicality to free himself as opposed to space creation. Jones and Robinson are developmental Edge prospects who won't make an appreciable difference for 2-to-3 years. Lohner is a blocking TE dart throw while Crawshaw is a special teamer. There isn't a lot of sizzle to Denver's draft beyond Barron, which accounts for the middling draft grade. Houston Texans Pick 34: Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State Pick 48: Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota Pick 79: Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State Pick 97: Jaylin Smith, CB, USC Pick 116: Woody Marks, RB, USC Pick 187: Jaylen Reed, S, Penn State Pick 197: Graham Mertz, QB, Florida Pick 224: Kyonte Hamilton, DL, Rutgers Pick 255: Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa Houston banked a 2026 1st from the Giants to move from 25-to-34, which was an unconditional victory. They revamped their passing attack by targeting a pair of hyper-productive Iowa State wideouts in search of a dependable WR2 which they desperately need opposite Nico Collins. Ersery is a massive OT who has Christian Darrisaw-lite vibes at #48, and all-purpose RB Woody Marks should be able to carve out some of the passing down work from aging vet Joe Mixon. Jaylin Smith had a nice season at USC while Jaylen Reed is a totally reasonable shot at #187. While it's not a particularly eye-popping draft class due to the trade-down, the Texans played their hand well and will benefit from their trade down in 2026. Indianapolis Colts Pick 14: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State Pick 45: JT Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State Pick 80: Justin Walley, CB, Minnesota Pick 127: Jalen Travis, OT, Iowa State Pick 151: DJ Giddens, RB, Kansas State Pick 189: Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame Pick 190: Tim Smith, DL, Alabama Pick 232: Hunter Wohler, S, Wisconsin Tyler Warren to Indy had been one of the most common landing spots among the mock draft community, and fits the Colts desperate need for a playmaker. Tuimoloau is an accomplished full-sized Edge who will contribute immediately and has starter upside. I wasn't as high on Walley as the Colts are, and I don't view Riley Leonard as anything more than a clipboard holder. I really like DJ Giddens who tested very well and was lethal on the ground at Kansas State, but also had 5 drops last year. I feel like Indianapolis held serve early and took some raw players to develop in the back half who are a couple of years away. Jacksonville Jaguars Pick 2: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado Pick 88: Caleb Ransaw, CB, Tulane Pick 89: Wyatt Milum, OT, West Virginia Pick 104: Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech Pick 107: Jack Kiser, LB, Notre Dame Pick 194: Jalen McLeod, LB, Auburn Pick 200: Rayuan Lane III, S, Navy Pick 221: Jonah Monheim, IOL, USC Pick 236: LeQuint Allen, RB, Syracuse Jacksonville went all-in for Travis Hunter, trading their 2026 1st, 2025 2nd+ in order to move up 3 spots to select the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. They didn't pick again until late in the 3rd round and proceeded to fortify their interior offensive line with an extremely productive college OT/G in Milum and a late flier on USC OG Jonah Monheim. There were multiple Day 3 corners I prefer to Ransaw. LB Kiser is solid but limited and will compete with McLeod for ILB reps, while Tuten adds a twitchy alternative to Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby. There isn't a lot of upside with their non-Hunter picks, but that's to be expected with how Jax leveraged their draft capital to move up and swing for the fences. Kansas City Chiefs Pick 32: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State Pick 63: Omarr Norman-Lott, DL, Tennessee Pick 66: Ashton Gillotte, EDGE, Louisville Pick 85: Nohl Williams, CB, California Pick 133: Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State Pick 156: Jeffrey Bassa, LB, Oregon Pick 228: Brashard Smith, RB, SMU If healthy following a torn patellar tendon and properly motivated, OT Josh Simmons could be a steal at #32. DT Norman-Lott and Edge Ashton Gilotte are solid picks at the end of R2 and will help to strengthen a defensive line that got run all over by Philadelphia in the Super Bowl. Nohl Williams was considered a top-10 corner on multiple industry big boards, while Jalen Royals and Jeffrey Bassa were very attractive values at their respective draft slots. KC made the most of their selections and should net multiple eventual starters. Las Vegas Raiders Pick 6: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State Pick 58: Jack Bech, WR, TCU Pick 68: Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State Pick 98: Caleb Rogers, OT, Texas Tech Pick 99: Charles Grant, OT, William & Mary Pick 108: Dont'e Thornton Jr., WR, Tennessee Pick 135: Tonka Hemingway, DT, South Carolina Pick 180: JJ Pegues, DL, Ole Miss Pick 213: Tommy Mellott, QB, Montana State Pick 215: Cam Miller, QB, North Dakota State Pick 222: Cody Lindenberg, LB, Minnesota The Raiders had 11 picks to work with and proceeded to attack their perceived weaknesses with multiple players at each position. Ashton Jeanty going #6 was the worst kept secret of the 2025 pre-draft process, as new HC Pete Carroll brings in his new Marshawn Lynch bell cow. Jack Bech has plus size and ability to separate on the break, while Dont'e Thornton is one of the fastest wideouts in the class. Darien Porter is a converted wideout who has freaky traits and size to become a stable CB2. From there the Raiders drafted two consecutive OTs and DTs before bringing in a pair of FCS signal callers. Las Vegas was very aggressive addressing positions of need and should net a few core contributors out of their super-sized draft class. Los Angeles Chargers Pick 22: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina Pick 55: Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss Pick 86: Jamaree Caldwell, DL, Oregon Pick 125: Kyle Kennard, EDGE, South Carolina Pick 158: KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR, Auburn Pick 165: Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Syracuse Pick 199: Branson Taylor, OT, Pittsburgh Pick 214: R.J. Mickens, S, Clemson Pick 256: Trikweze Bridges, CB, Florida Much like they did with Ryan Matthews and Melvin Gordon, the Chargers follow their historical trend of selecting a bell cow first round running back in Hampton to hand the rushing duties over to. Tre Harris is a bit older for a top-55 WR prospect, but his 5.15 yards per route average showed elite collegiate production as he was able to win consistently on the outside against SEC competition. Caldwell is an early-down gap plugger, while Kyle Kennard excelled for South Carolina which was arguably the best defensive line in the SEC. Oronde Gadsden is essentially a big slot wide receiver who won't do much blocking, giving the TE room some explosive potential and replacing Will Dissly as their primary receiving tight end. Not an overwhelming draft haul, but it follows the HC Jim Harbaugh ethos. Miami Dolphins Pick 13: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan Pick 37: Jonah Savaiinaea, IOL, Arizona Pick 143: Jordan Phillips, DL, Maryland Pick 150: Jason Marshall Jr., CB, Florida Pick 155: Dante Trader Jr., S, Maryland Pick 179: Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State Pick 231: Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas Pick 253: Zeek Biggers, DL, Georgia Tech Kenneth Grant and Savaiinaea shore up deficiencies on each side of the line with quality, instant-contributors. The Phins had to wait another 105 selections before taking a stock and trade run stuffer who didn't record a sack over his three year career. Marshall Jr. and Trader Jr. are rotational depth pieces, while RB Gordon could have short-yardage value behind speedsters Achane and Jalen Wright. Quinn Ewers should have collected another $3 million in NIL money to transfer to Notre Dame instead of being a 7th round fringe clipboard holder who might end up on the practice squad. Miami had a two-player draft with a series of replacement level late picks. New England Patriots Pick 4: Will Campbell, OT, LSU Pick 38: TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State Pick 69: Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State Pick 95: Jared Wilson, IOL, Georgia Pick 106: Craig Woodson, S, California Pick 137: Joshua Farmer, DT, Florida State Pick 146: Bradyn Swinson, Edge, LSU Pick 182: Andres Borregales, K, Miami Pick 220: Marcus Bryant, OT, Missouri Pick 251: Julian Ashby, LS, Vanderbilt Pick 257: Kobee Minor, CB, Memphis The Patriots lean into their offseason roster restructuring after a very active free agency period. OT/G Campbell is widely considered to be the most bankable OL in the class. The avalanche of offensive linemen who went off the board in the first round made this pick look better in hindsight. TreVeyon gives the Pats a home threat they desperately needed, while Kyle Williams was one of the true risers of the post-season evaluation process. Wilson is a freak athlete and the best C in the 2025 class who should step in and contribute immediately. Both Farmer and Swinson were fringe top-100 players on many big boards who went far later than anticipated. Hard to argue with what the Patriots did in their first draft under the guidance of HC Mike Vrabel. New York Jets Pick 7: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri Pick 42: Mason Taylor, TE, LSU Pick 73: Azareye'h Thomas, CB, Florida State Pick 110: Arian Smith, WR, Georgia Pick 130: Malachi Moore, DB, Alabama Pick 162: Francisco Mauigoa, LB, Miami Pick 176: Tyler Baron, EDGE, Miami Each of the NYJ's first three selections were strong values at their respective draft slots, especially Thomas who was a consensus top-10 CB in R3. Arian Smith has speed to burn, but his hands and overall route sophistry makes him a boom-or-bust selection while Malachi Moore and Mauigoa both have immediate potential as rotational specialists early in their careers. It felt like the Jets had a defined plan and filled their needs with capable players. Pittsburgh Steelers Pick 21: Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon Pick 83: Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa Pick 123: Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State Pick 164: Yahya Black, DL, Iowa Pick 185: Will Howard, QB, Ohio State Pick 226: Carson Bruener, LB, Washington Pick 229: Donte Kent, CB, Central Michigan Pittsburgh eschewed their glaring need for a quarterback until pick #185 and will apparently roll with Mason Rudolph as their 2025 starter unless an Aaron Rogers signing is pending. They were able to shore up their running back room despite not having a 2nd round pick with Kaleb Johnson who should log plenty of snaps this year. Harmon is a dynamic pass rusher on the interior while Jack Sawyer is a high-floor, low-upside Edge that is hindered by sub-32' arms. Yaya Black is a standard wide-bodied gap plugger and Bruener is the son of former Steelers tight end Mark Bruener and is a legacy selection. Their defense-heavy approach essentially overhauled their defensive front while providing a Najee Harris replacement in the backfield. Tennessee Titans Pick 1: Cam Ward, QB, Miami Pick 52: Oluwafemi Oladejo, Edge, UCLA Pick 82: Kevin Winston Jr, S, Penn State Pick 103: Chimere Dike, WR, Florida Pick 120: Gunnar Helm, TE, Texas Pick 136: Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford Pick 167: Jackson Slater, IOL, Sacramento State Pick 183: Marcus Harris, S, California Pick 188: Kalel Mullings, RB, Michigan Tennessee lands their franchise quarterback before pivoting to the defensive side with LB-to-Edge convert Oladejo and talented S Kevin Winston jr. Dike, Helm, Ayomanor and Mullings give QB Ward a new set of receivers with upside to work with, as Tennessee looks to get younger and more dynamic at the skill positions. Tennessee brought in a slew of intriguing contributors to help change the look and direction of their franchise.
USA Today
03-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
49ers had 'great' meeting with relentless pass-rushing NFL draft prospect
49ers had 'great' meeting with relentless pass-rushing NFL draft prospect It feels like a matter of 'when' not 'if' the San Francisco 49ers will select a defensive lineman in the 2025 NFL draft. It would be a minor upset if they didn't draft multiple based on their need at the position going into free agency. If they elect to take a defensive lineman at some point in the middle rounds, Virginia Tech defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles is a name to keep a close eye on. Peebles told the Draft Network's Justin Melo he met with all 32 teams at the Senior Bowl, but said "the San Francisco 49ers were great" when naming a couple of specific clubs he had meetings with. Pre-draft meetings aren't necessarily an indicator of a team's interest, but it's easy looking at Peebles's play style and production how the 49ers could fall in love with him. Peebles spent his first four college seasons at Duke before transferring to Virginia Tech for his final year. He posted 10 pressures in his second season, then 18 in his third year, 33 in his fourth year, and then finished with a career-best 37 per Pro Football Focus. He also improved dramatically as a run defender in his final two college seasons, which provides some optimism he'd be able to be a three-down player at his ceiling. One thing that may diminish Peebles's draft stock is that he measured in at just 6-foot, 282 pounds with 31-inch arms at the combine. Those measurables aren't going to be something teams covet, but his motor and play style should endear him to a team like San Francisco that wants players who fire off the ball quickly and play with a high motor. That's something Peebles does on virtually every snap. If the 49ers are eyeing a rotational defensive tackle who should be able to contribute early in his career, Peebles looks to have all the tools to fit that mold.
