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Forbes
28-03-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
2025 Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings: Jack Bech
FORT WORTH, TX - OCTOBER 04: TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Jack Bech (#18) breaks away from Houston ... More Cougars cornerback Latrelll McCutchin Sr. (#1) and safety A.J. Haulcy (#2) for a touchdown during the Big 12 college football game between the Houston Cougars and TCU Horned Frogs on October 4, 2024 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Jack Bech is a name that is starting to be very well known in 2025 dynasty rookie rankings. Despite going to a smaller school in TCU, Bech was able to turn heads at the 2025 Senior Bowl. Bech started to rise up draft boards after the event and was even named MVP of the Senior Bowl game. When you look at his stats, there's a lot to love from 2024. Below, we'll be diving into Bech's entire profile and how he should be valued in dynasty rookie drafts. Early in his career, Bech played at LSU alongside some other top talent. As a true freshman, Bech had more receiving yards than Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. While Bech would fail to have more than 400 yards again until his senior year, it's an extremely impressive accomplishment. Bech wouldn't produce much until his second year at TCU. In his senior season, Bech dominated, catching 62 passes for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns. On film, Bech shows fantastic hands, strength and route running. While Bech doesn't have amazing speed, his nuanced route running makes up for it. MOBILE, AL - FEBRUARY 01: Wide Receiver Jack Bech #7 of TCU from the American Team pose with the MVP ... More trophy on the field after the 2025 Reese's Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama on February 1, 2025 in Mobile, Alabama. The American Team defeated the National Team, 22-19. (Photo by Don) It seems like Bech should be taken in the mid-second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. There are some athleticism concerns that will prevent Bech from going higher, but getting him in round two is a great addition. Bech doesn't have the ceiling to become an alpha WR1, but he can certainly be a very good WR2. NFL Mock Draft Database has Bech with a consensus rank of 63rd overall right now (Round two). The study for draft capital among wide receivers is quite interesting. The post linked here shows that wide receivers drafted in round two have a 20% chance to become a WR1 and a 29% chance of to become a WR2. Prior to the NFL Draft, Bech is currently the WR8 in my 2025 dynasty rookie rankings. That places him 22nd in Superflex formats and 21st for a 1QB format. While Bech has shown a ton of good traits, he has a few red flags. Bech's late breakout at a small school and the fact that he's limited athletically are both problems. Nonetheless, I feel great taking Bech in round two.
USA Today
27-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 NFL draft: Saints schedule top 30 visit with Nebraska tight end sleeper
2025 NFL draft: Saints schedule top 30 visit with Nebraska tight end sleeper Here's another name to add to the New Orleans Saints' list of official 30 visits: Nebraska tight end Thomas Fidone II. Sportskeeda's Tony Pauline reports that Fidone has scheduled a formal visit at the Saints' headquarters in Metairie. In addition to this official visit coming up with the Saints, Pauline says Fidone has received a lot of attention from the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings, and that he'll also work out privately for the Buffalo Bills. He's projected to be picked on the third day of this year's draft. Fidone previously competed at the Senior Bowl, on the American Team with Saints associate head coach/running backs coach Joel Thomas (who worked the event as the American Team offensive coordinator), so he's someone they've had contact with before. Fidone was once seen as the top tight end on the high school recruiting circuit, and his performance at this year's NFL Scouting Combine confirmed the athleticism that made college coaches so excited. He weighed in at 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds before timing the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds flat, with outstanding numbers in the jumps and agility drills. That all combined for a rare 9.41 Relative Athletic Score (on a scale of 1 to 10), a metric which closely aligns with the Saints' own in-house standards. Knee injuries kept Fidone off the field his first few years at Nebraska, but he played a key role in Matt Rhule's offense when the new head coach arrived in 2023. Fidone broke out with 25 catches for 260 yards that season and leveled up to catch 36 passes for 373 yards last year. He's got the look of someone whose best football is still ahead of him, but that's why he's a third-day pick instead of a second-day prospect.
New York Times
31-01-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Giants getting close look at QB prospects at Senior Bowl; will Mike Kafka call plays again?
MOBILE, Ala. — Neither of the consensus top two quarterback prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft, Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, were in Alabama to soak up the sun or the spotlight this week at the Senior Bowl. That left the door wide open for the seven quarterbacks who did participate in the college all-star game festivities to try and establish themselves as the clear next-best options. Advertisement While that process is still playing itself out in Mobile — and be assured, our draft gurus in attendance, Dane Brugler and Nick Baumgardner, will have plenty to say on the matter — the Giants were well-positioned to start making those evaluations for themselves. Along with GM Joe Schoen, coach Brian Daboll and other members of the Giants front office and coaching staff there to scout, the Giants also enlisted five members of their coaching staff to ply their trade at the Senior Bowl. Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka is serving as the head coach for the National Team, while Giants running backs coach Joel Thomas, assistant secondary coach Mike Adams, assistant offensive line coach James Ferentz and offensive assistant Angela Baker are coaching different position groups for the American Team. Those coaches are in prime position to gather intel not only on the players they're working with but on the quarterbacks in attendance, as well. 'To me, it's a competitive advantage,' GM Joe Schoen said earlier this week about having so many coaches in attendance. 'They're in the meetings with these kids. They get to know who's on time, who's late, who's early, who can learn the playbook. To me, it's just a competitive advantage for us, and I'm fortunate our coaches are willing to participate in the process, and they're all in on it.' It's worth mentioning, of course, that armed with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, the Giants may end up drafting Ward or Sanders. But if those QBs are selected ahead of them, or the Giants determine one or both are not worthy of a top-three pick, then their evaluations of the next tier will become critical. And those evaluations are happening now. With Kafka heading up the National Team, he's getting a close look at Louisville's Tyler Shough (a QB who intrigues Brugler), Wilfrid Laurier's Taylor Elgersma and Oregon's Dillon Gabriel. The rest of the Giants coaches staffed the American Team, which included quarterbacks Jalen Milroe (Alabama), Riley Leonard (Notre Dame), Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss) and Seth Henigan (Memphis). Sunshine and football! Giants OC Mike Kafka (in blue) is National team head coach down @seniorbowl — Charlotte Carroll (@charlottecrrll) January 28, 2025 The first day was a lot of getting to know the playbook, and that showed in practice. But that's an important part of the process for any rookie, and Giants coaches appreciated getting insight into how the prospects prepared and learned. 'A lot of them, they kind of prepare what they're going to talk about, what they're going to say (in formal interview situations like at the NFL Scouting Combine),' Baker said. 'So in this, their walls are down. Some of it's a high-stress situation, but at the end of the day, you get to see exactly who they are on the football field. Advertisement 'That's extremely rewarding because you're not having to just assume or watch tape. I get to see, 'OK, how are they reacting to my coaching? How are they reacting to it being a different scheme or a different setup than how they're used to with their college system?' So, it's kind of a preview of what they're gonna actually have to deal with in the NFL.' While that process is especially important for quarterbacks, it's a necessary component at every position. And that's a good reminder for the future. While the Giants haven't drafted any quarterbacks during Schoen's tenure, they've clearly put a lot of stock into the knowledge they've gained at these all-star games. Four of the Giants' six draft picks last year participated in the Senior and Shrine Bowls. And given the success of the 2024 class, it's a decent bet the Giants will try to mine more talent from those rosters again this April. It felt like you couldn't have a conversation about the Giants this week without someone bringing up their participation in the first-ever offseason version of 'Hard Knocks' last year. At this point, there's little debate that move backfired, as anyone — including the frustrated fans of the 3-14 team — had the evidence needed to criticize the Giants' missteps ahead of a lousy season. The biggest perceived misstep, of course, was allowing superstar running Saquon Barkley to leave in free agency. Barkley's historic season and run to the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles has undoubtedly kept the storyline top of mind. Barkley's departure to division rival was featured prominently on last summer's show that peeled back the curtain on the Giants' offseason. With Barkley breaking records for the Super Bowl-bound Eagles, Giants co-owner John Mara's now-infamous line — 'I'll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I'll tell you that.'— remains ever-present in the football-watching world. Advertisement While no one can predict what would've happened if Barkley had stayed in New York, more than six months later, his departure remains a major talking point around the league. That people in league circles are still discussing it would seem to suggest HBO may have a hard time finding another team willing to participate this year or beyond. GO DEEPER What if Bears took Jayden Daniels? If Saquon stayed in NY? An alternate look at 2024 NFL season Kafka remains a candidate for the New Orleans Saints head coaching job, though it seems like the team might be zeroing in on Eagles OC Kellen Moore. Still, with that job opening still unfilled, Kafka spent time this week answering questions about the Saints and his future in New York. 'Listen, I'm happy to come back,' Kafka said. 'I love Dabs, I love working for the organization, the Mara and Tisch families, Joe and his staff. They're all down here. We'll probably get to a dinner at some point. I'm enjoying the process.' Kafka arrived in New York in 2022 with Daboll and called plays for the Giants in the regime's first season, which included a playoff win. But after a frustrating Year 2, which reportedly included Daboll stripping away those duties at times, Daboll fully took over as the offense's play caller this past season. However, in his end-of-season remarks, Mara suggested that Daboll continuing to call plays might not be in the best interest of the team. So that does mean Kafka will return as the play caller next season (assuming he's not named the head coach of the Saints)? 'We haven't gone down there yet,' Kafka said. 'We're still so early before the season starts. We'll address that at some point.' In Mobile, Kafka earned praise from the quarterbacks he was working with. Elgersma highlighted his passion while Gabriel appreciated getting the perspective of a former NFL quarterback. 'I think anyone who decides to go back there and play football at the quarterback position, let alone actually going and doing it for themselves, I think they have a certain respect and a different perspective of how hard it is,' Gabriel said. Advertisement The last time the Giants drafted a quarterback from Ole Miss, things worked out pretty well, so maybe they should do it again? OK. In all seriousness, if the Giants were to draft Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart this year, it would have nothing to do with the success they enjoyed with two-time Super Bowl-winner Eli Manning. But Dart would certainly credit Manning's influence for helping him get there. 'He's been so great for me,' said Dart, who has been a participant at the famed Manning Passing Academy. 'Somebody I really admire and look up to. Just the wisdom he and his family have shared with me has been a tremendous support. I can't thank them enough.' So have the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Dart and Manning chatted about the Giants? He really changed that organization around, I feel like, and he's just a legend there,' said Dart, who surpassed Manning last season to become Ole Miss' all-time leading passer. 'He's somebody I've really looked up to. But I haven't had a ton of conversations about that. Mostly, it's about Ole Miss and whatnot. But I'm sure we'll be able to talk about it a little bit more (soon).' Manning offered praise for the prospect last week. 'I've been around him,' Manning said. 'He's a great kid, been in the same offense for three years and been successful. You've seen him grow and progress, and he seems to be able to make all the throws.'
USA Today
27-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Saints offensive assistant Kevin Petry set to coach in the Senior Bowl
The New Orleans Saints have always been a team that highly values Senior Bowl attendees, drafting them at a relatively high clip and always trying to take part in the event. This year seemingly will be no different, as they will have offensive assistant Kevin Petry coaching the wide receiver group for the American Team, which has quite a significant talent pool. Petry has been coaching with the Saints for eight seasons now, entering his ninth, and has been with the organization for 12 years in various positions including as a video assistant early on. He will be able to get a first hand look at some of the wide receivers in this class, which is actually a position of need for the Saints this offseason to add some quality players to a group of Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Bub Means, and a few others who will remain beyond this year. Elic Ayomanor is one of the names to really keep an eye on from this group, as he is one of the higher rated receivers outside the group of likely first-round talents. In two seasons with Stanford he accrued 125 receptions for 1,844 receiving yards (14.8 yards per reception) and 12 touchdowns. Overall, having a coach (or multiple) at the Senior Bowl and other events is a positive regardless of outcome, as it gives them the ability to work with the players and see how they may mesh into the system of the team they represent.
New York Times
27-01-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Giants at the Senior Bowl: Who are the QBs to watch? Which NY coaches will be there?
The New York Giants have been scouting prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft for a while, but with college all-star game season upon us, they're getting a closer look at some of the country's top players. While the spotlight will be on Mobile, Ala., and the Senior Bowl this week, the process started last week at Texas' East-West Shrine Bowl, as Giants coach Brian Daboll, general manager Joe Schoen and assistant GM Brandon Brown were among those in attendance watching a collection of college football's best players perform. However, one player not participating in drills or practices had the Giants fan base in a tizzy over the weekend. Advertisement Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, a projected first-round pick, was in attendance, and videos of him chatting with Giants brass spread across social media. According to an ESPN report, Daboll spent 'significant time' with Sanders on Friday. With the Giants in desperate need of a QB, Sanders could be an option for the Giants, who currently own the No. 3 pick in the upcoming draft. Giants HC Brian Daboll dapping up Shedeur Sanders at the Shrine Bowl 👀 — DNVR Buffs (@DNVR_Buffs) January 25, 2025 Of course, the Giants will have plenty of options — both at No. 3 and throughout the rest of the draft. That's what these weeks and the coming months are all about, zeroing in on the players the Giants want to add to their roster this April. Historically, the Senior Bowl has been a fertile scouting ground for Schoen. During his previous tenure as the Buffalo Bills assistant general manager from 2017 through 2021, the Bills selected 14 Senior Bowl participants in the NFL Draft. That trend has continued with the Giants, as seven of his selections over the past three drafts have participated in the Senior Bowl. In 2022, it was cornerback Cor'Dale Flott, tight end Daniel Bellinger and linebacker Darrian Beavers. In 2023, it was center John Michael Schmitz and running back Eric Gray. Last year, the group included third-round cornerback Dru Phillips and fourth-round tight end Theo Johnson. Senior Bowl practices begin Tuesday in Mobile. Here's a Giants-centric primer to get you ready for the week. The Giants will not only be in town to scout, but some of their coaching staff will be getting an up-close look at the prospects as members of the Senior Bowl coaching staff. Giants assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, who was in New Orleans on Saturday to interview with the Saints for their head coach job, will serve as the head coach for the National Team. This is the second head-coaching opportunity for Kafka in as many years. He served as a head coach at the Shrine Bowl last year. Advertisement Giants running backs coach Joel Thomas will serve as the offensive coordinator for the American Team at the Senior Bowl. Assistant secondary coach Mike Adams will work with the Colts' Brent Jackson as the American Team's defensive backs coach. Adams served as a specials teams coordinator at the Senior Bowl last year. The American Team offensive line will be coached by Giants assistant line coach James Ferentz and the Saints' Jahri Evans. Ferentz coached offensive linemen at the Senior Bowl last season, as well. Finally, the American Team tight ends will be coached by Giants offensive assistant Angela Baker. Baker coached tight ends at the Shrine Bowl last year. Like last year, the Senior Bowl is using its 'Coach Up' format. This elevates assistant coaches and coordinators into different roles than their current jobs. GMs and head coaches of all non-playoff teams and teams eliminated in the wild-card round had the chance to nominate staff. While the Giants have many needs across their roster, there's no more glaring hole than at quarterback, so that's where we're going to focus our attention. Unfortunately, the consensus top two prospects, Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward are not scheduled to be in Mobile this week. That puts the onus on potential later-round prospects, whom the Giants may very well consider. With two potentially QB-needy teams picking ahead of them at No. 1 (Tennessee Titans) and No. 2 (Cleveland Browns), they may have to. Seven quarterbacks have accepted invites to the Senior Bowl and will be in attendance this week. Let's take a look at who they are, relying on the analysis of The Athletic's draft experts, Dane Brugler and Nick Baumgardner: Jalen Milroe, Alabama According to Brugler, Milroe is the highest-rated QB in Mobile. It's easy to see why with Brugler's comparison to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (a former Senior Bowl participant himself). Advertisement 'Milroe has a unique package of skills with his size (6-foot-1, 225 pounds), 4.3 speed, outstanding arm strength and strong mental makeup,' Brugler wrote. 'Consistent ball placement is not a strength of his game right now, but if a team leans into his style, Milroe could be a dangerous playmaker.' After four years at Alabama, Milroe is coming off a 9-4 season that ended with a loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Over his two years as the starter, Milroe completed 392-of-603 passes (65 percent) with 39 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He is a weapon as a runner, as he amassed 1,577 rushing yards and 33 career rushing touchdowns. In his latest mock draft, Brugler paired Milroe with the Giants in the second round. He could make an intriguing developmental quarterback should the Giants pass on the position in the first round. Riley Leonard, Notre Dame After three seasons at Duke, Riley landed at Notre Dame and led the Fighting Irish to a 14-2 record and a loss to the Buckeyes in the national championship game this past season. Leonard finished the season with a 66.7 completion rate, totaling 2,861 yards, 21 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He will still generate draft buzz though. Before the title game, Brugler anticipated the 6-foot-4, 216-pound QB to be considered somewhere in the third-to-fourth-round range. 'Leonard's consistency as a deep passer hasn't been there, but the Irish also don't ask too much of him down the field. NFL teams love Leonard as an athlete and person, though, and he has shown enough tools as a passer to have a decent chance at (being picked on) Day 2.' Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss After one season at USC, Dart landed at Ole Miss. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Dart already has a connection to the Giants, thanks to attending Eli Manning's alma mater. The former Giants QB is familiar with Dart and likes what he's seen. Advertisement 'I've been around him,' Manning said last week. 'He's been a great kid, been in the same offense for three years and been successful. You've seen him grow and progress. He seems to be able to make all the throws.' Dart recently surpassed Manning's mark for most career passing yards in Ole Miss history. He finished with 10,617 yards to Manning's 10,119. This season, Dart completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed for 495 yards on 124 carries, as he led the Rebels to a 10-3 season. Baumgardner recently noted it's important to keep context in mind with Dart's numbers because of Ole Miss' scheme. 'He will have to show scouts an ability to operate from a pocket for longer than one read and that he can process more of a pro-style operation,' Baumgardner said. 'There is a lot to like, though, as he's 225 pounds with good feet and the ability to run a bit. He's always been very aggressive, throws an accurate ball and isn't afraid to work the middle of the field. I don't know if he's a full-time NFL starter, though I wouldn't rule it out either.' Seth Henigan, Memphis Henigan started all four years he spent at Memphis, going 34-16 as a starter, including an 11-2 mark his senior season. Henigan completed 64.8 percent of his passes for 3,502 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions on the season. For his career, he totaled 14,278 passing yards, putting him at No. 13 in FBS history. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound prospect hasn't received as much buzz as others on this list, so we'll see if he can make more of a name for himself in Mobile this week. Remember, Kafka is the National team head coach and will get a close look at these players: Tyler Shough, Louisville Shough has had an interesting career already, as a 25-year-old prospect who started at Oregon in 2018. From there, he headed to Texas Tech for three injury-filled years before playing at Louisville this past season. There, Shough completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions. He led the Cardinals to a 9-4 record. Advertisement Here's what Baumgardner had to say about Shough: 'This past year with Jeff Brohm at Louisville was his first as a full-time starter, and there were serious flashes of a 6-foot-5, 240-pound athlete with enough wheels to run and a big-time arm with real explosion off his hand. He will be one of the more scouted prospects at the Senior Bowl.' Taylor Elgersma, Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks Elgersma is probably one of the most intriguing QBs on this list because of his international status. He'll be the first player from a Canadian university to attend the Senior Bowl since 2017. The 6-foot-6, 212-pound prospect is a two-time Ontario University Athletics MVP and won this year's Hec Crighton Trophy, a prestigious honor. This season, he tallied over 4,000 passing yards and had 35 passing touchdowns. The quarterback has already attended the College Gridiron Showcase and the Tropical Stardom Scrimmage. In Mobile, it will be fascinating to see how Elgersma handles the jump to another level of American football and how scouts view his potential. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon Gabriel played for UCF and Oklahoma before heading to Oregon for his final season. This season, Gabriel completed 72.9 percent of his passes for 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns and six interceptions. He led the Ducks to a 13-1 record and a spot in the College Football Playoff where they lost in the Rose Bowl to eventual champion Ohio State. Gabriel was a Heisman Trophy finalist but is not projected to be a first-rounder largely because he's undersized (5-10, 200) by NFL standards. But don't count out Gabriel completely. 'He has the football-playing instincts to overcome his diminutive size, and his arm and mobility are good enough for the next level,' Brugler wrote recently. 'I'm not saying Gabriel will be a first-round pick … (but) he is a better NFL prospect than Stetson Bennett, who was drafted in Round 4 in 2023. Gabriel is innately confident and obsessed with winning — two qualities that will help him connect with NFL coaches throughout the process.' Advertisement Bonus: Will Howard, Ohio State Unfortunately, Howard is among several Ohio State and Notre Dame players who accepted invites to the Senior Bowl but will not be in attendance due to playing in the national championship game. Still, we're putting Howard here since he had initially accepted. Howard (6-4, 235) led the Buckeyes to a 14-2 record and their first national title since 2015. Will there be an accompanying draft stock boost for the QB who completed 73.1 percent of his passes for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season? Baumgardner wrote recently that Howard had shown enough improvement to thrust himself into the Day 3 conversation. 'One thing that he's exceptional at is if he knows what he's seeing, he's going to be able to carve you up because he's going to know where to throw the ball,' Baumgardner was told by a Big 12 defensive coordinator who is familiar with Howard and watched the Rose Bowl. 'He doesn't have this ridiculously crazy arm talent, but he's got such a good IQ and acumen for the game. If he knows what he's seeing, he's going to be able to throw it.' (Photo of Jalen Milroe: Will McLelland / Imagn Images)
