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Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
49ers Use ‘Deebo' Pick on Projected McCaffrey Replacement
San Francisco 49ers fifth-round selection Jordan James knows a thing or two about speed. James assumed the starting running back role from the departed Bucky Irving at Oregon last season and topped the Big Ten in rushing yards with 1,267 yards, while scoring 15 touchdowns. Advertisement The season before, James rushed for 759 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns sharing the backfield with Irving, now of the Tampa Buccaneers. He also averaged an FBS-high 7.1 yards per carry. The 49ers had a need to find an eventual successor for Christian McCaffrey, and head coach Kyle Shanahan would prefer it be a back who fits their run scheme which is zone based. During his video call with reporters following his selection in Round 5 of this NFL Draft (with the pick gained in the Deebo Samuel trade), the running back said there are similarities between the offenses at Oregon and in San Francisco. "I think they have a great outside-zone run scheme that I'm pretty good at, that I did a lot at Oregon," James said. "So, I think I'll fit pretty well into their scheme, into their offense in general." Advertisement The 49ers traded former backup running back Jordan Mason to the Minnesota Vikings this offseason. They need someone to fill that spot. Directors of player personnel Tariq Ahmad, RJ Gillen and director of scouting and football operations, Josh Williams, spoke Saturday evening when the draft was over and shared their opinion on James. 'He's physical and then in the pass game, I thought at the pro day he showed he could catch the football well,' Williams said. 'And he's good in pass protection as well. A guy that made a lot of sense for what we wanted.' Ahmad then chimed in on James. 'We love Jordan James,' Ahmad said. 'We loved him before, off [of the] tape. He had more burst and acceleration than what we expected. He's going to be a great fit for us. He will add a lot of value next year." Related: Newest 49ers Mykel Reveals Goal As Something More Than Contract Related: 49ers Sign 1st-Round Pick and Pro Bowl Lineman
USA Today
25-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Day 2 mock draft for the Rams: Who will LA land in Rounds 2 and 3?
Day 2 mock draft for the Rams: Who will LA land in Rounds 2 and 3? As many suspected, the Los Angeles Rams left the first round of the NFL draft without making a pick. They traded back from No. 26 to 46, securing a 2026 first-round pick in the process. They did have to give up the 101st pick to the Falcons, but they got good value thanks to the first-rounder next year. With Round 1 in the books, the Rams now turn their attention to Day 2. They're picking 14th in the second round and will then go on the clock again 44 picks later at No. 90, so they still have two top-100 picks to work with. Using Pro Football Focus' mock draft simulator, here's a projection of how things could go for Los Angeles on Friday night as the team looks to make its first addition in the 2025 draft. Round 2, No. 46: WR Jayden Higgins, Iowa State Les Snead confirmed the Rams tried to trade up in the first round, though he wouldn't say who it was for. Teams reportedly believed the Rams were targeting Tetairoa McMillan, who went eighth overall to the Panthers. Higgins isn't the player that McMillan is, but he's another big receiver who can line up outside and win one-on-one. He's a downfield threat with his 4.47 speed, 6-4 frame and 39-inch vertical, which make him a dangerous player. The Rams missed out on McMillan but Higgins would be a really nice consolation prize in the second round. He'd complement Davante Adams and Puka Nacua nicely, potentially even earning significant playing time as a rookie. Round 3, No. 90: CB Nohl Williams, Cal Daniel Jeremiah mentioned Williams as a possible mid-round target for the Rams and he'd be a nice option on Day 2. He's 6 feet tall and although he didn't test particularly well at the combine (4.5 in the 40, 33.5-inch vertical), he has good length for the position and plays with an edge. He's aggressive at the line of scrimmage and sticky in coverage, also showing the ball skills to make plays and create turnovers. Last season, he had an FBS-high seven interceptions and finished with 16 total passes defensed, also returning a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown. The Rams need cornerback help and this late in the third round, it'd be hard to find a much better option than Williams. He's someone who could compete for playing time right away and help create turnovers for a defense that knows how to take the ball away. Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and now Threads for more coverage!
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shedeur Sanders snubbed in NFL draft's Round 1 but leads list of top available players for Day 2
Shedeur Sanders looks on at his jersey retirement ceremony during Colorado's NCAA college football spring game, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) FILE - Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) throws a pass against Central Florida during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File) FILE - Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) throws a pass against Central Florida during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File) Shedeur Sanders looks on at his jersey retirement ceremony during Colorado's NCAA college football spring game, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) FILE - Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) throws a pass against Central Florida during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File) Deion Sanders insisted at Colorado's pro day that Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders should go 1-2 in the NFL draft. He was talking about selections, not rounds. But after Hunter went second overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Shedeur Sanders' name wasn't called at all Thursday night. Advertisement Quarterback-needy teams such as the Raiders, Saints, Jets and Giants — twice — bypassed the record-setting Buffaloes quarterback. The Giants sidestepped Sanders at No. 3 and again at No. 25 after trading back into the first round and instead selected Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart in what was the biggest surprise of Round 1. Many predicted the Giants would select Sanders one pick after Hunter and two picks after Miami QB Cam Ward went to the Tennessee Titans, but as the night wore on, it brought memories of the 2005 NFL draft when Cal QB Aaron Rodgers and Utah QB Alex Smith were vying for the 49ers' top overall selection. The Niners chose Smith and Rodgers slipped all the way down to the Green Bay Packers at No. 24. Only, Sanders slid all the way out of Round 1. 'We all didn't expect this of course, but I feel like with God, anything's possible, everything's possible,' Sanders said in a video posted on YouTube on Thursday night. 'I don't think this happened for no reason. All this is, is of course fuel to the fire. Under no circumstance, we all know this shouldn't have happened, but we understand we're on to bigger and better things. Tomorrow's the day. We're going to be happy regardless.' Advertisement Concerns about Sanders' arm strength became an issue in recent weeks, although his father, who's a Pro Football Hall of Famer and coached his son at Jackson State and Colorado, laughed at that notion. In 50 collegiate games, Shedeur Sanders threw for 14,347 yards, with 134 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He completed 70.1% of his passes and ran for 17 more scores. But he had a tendency to hold on to the ball too long and took an FBS-high 94 sacks over the last two seasons. Bypassing on-the-field workouts at the NFL scouting combine and the Big 12 pro day only added to the doubts that suddenly swirled around his son, and Coach Prime wondered earlier this month how his son's stock could have slipped when he hasn't thrown an interception since the Alamo Bowl. 'After 4,000-some yards, all of a sudden his arm is weak,' Deion Sanders cracked at Colorado's pro day that was officially called the 'We Ain't Hard 2 Find Showcase. 'I don't know when his arm got weak. But he protects the ball. He had the highest completion percentage in college football this past year. He's the pillar of consistency." Shedeur Sanders, whose jersey was retired along with Hunter's at Colorado's spring game, is the biggest name left on the draft board for Round 2 Friday, where teams that still need a QB could move up to select the passer who helped engineer Colorado's turnaround from a one-win debacle before his arrival to a 9-4 mark in 2024. Advertisement The strength of this year's draft is in the middle rounds and Sanders finds himself in some good company among prospects set to make immediate impacts — and will likely be fueled by being first-round snubs. Other players who could go early in the second round: Will Johnson, cornerback, Michigan At 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds, the fluid Johnson brings size along with ball skills to the position to match up with the NFL's bigger receivers. Although he had a pair of pick-6s last season and three in college, a turf-toe injury limited him to six games last season. Nick Emmanwori, safety, South Carolina Advertisement The massive (6-foot-3, 227 pounds) safety who had 88 tackles and four interceptions last season has a mix of ball skills and speed that makes him an ideal player close to the action be it at strong safety, big nickel or linebacker. He ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the combine. Luther Burden III, wide receiver, Missouri Burden is 6-foot and 205 pounds and an athletic slot receiver who can also make plays down the field. He had 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023. He clocked a 4.41-second 40-yard dash. TreVeyon Henderson, running back, Ohio State Henderson brings elite speed to the ground game, top-notch hands to the passing game and top skills in pass protection, making him a three-down back right away in the NFL. He had two 1,000-yard seasons and another just shy of 1,000 and didn't fumble in his last three seasons. Advertisement Mike Green, edge, Marshall Green is a gifted pass rusher who is also stout against the run, and he burst onto the scene with a great game against Ohio State in September and led the FBS with 17 sacks in 2024. Donovan Ezeiruaku, edge, Boston College Ezeiruaku collected 16½ sacks last season and sports an array of moves to go with his bull rush ability. In a dozen games, Ezeiruaku also recorded 80 tackles, 20½ of them for a loss, and forced three fumbles. Nic Scourton, edge, Texas A&M Scourton had 10 sacks for Purdue in 2023 before transferring to play for the Aggies. Mason Taylor, tight end, LSU At 6-foot-5 and 251 pounds, Taylor is a polished route runner who brings a large catch radius to the offense. Advertisement Quinshon Judkins, running back, Ohio State Judkins (6-foot, 218 pounds) scored 45 touchdowns in college and is known for his ferocious stiff-arm and ability to run through defenders. Xavier Watts, safety, Notre Dame Aside from Travis Hunter, Watts was the only consensus All-American in both 2023 and '24. Watts had 14 pass breakups and two forced fumbles over that span. ___ AP NFL:
USA Today
10-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 NFL draft rumors: Bears 'love' Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty
2025 NFL draft rumors: Bears 'love' Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty Show Caption Hide Caption Reggie Bush shares advice for Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft Former NFL RB and 2005 Heisman Winner Reggie Bush explains what Ashton Jeanty needs to do this offseason to ensure a successful NFL career. Sports Seriously The Chicago Bears spent free agency building up the offensive line in front of Caleb Williams. Could they target another player to support their young quarterback with their first pick in the 2025 NFL draft? The Bears "love" Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, according to ESPN's Matt Miller. That could position the Heisman runner-up to be Chicago's pick – if he makes it to the team's selection at No. 10 overall. It isn't clear whether Jeanty will be on the board for Chicago. He has frequently been mocked to the Las Vegas Raiders, who own the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. It would be a sensible selection for Pete Carroll's squad, which currently has Raheem Mostert entrenched as its starting running back. 2025 NFL MOCK DRAFT: Latest projection for first round features a few shifting picks But if Jeanty is available, he would be a significant upgrade for a Bears team that didn't get the production it expected out of free-agent signing D'Andre Swift. The veteran back averaged a career-low 3.8 yards per carry while producing 959 rushing yards during his first season in Chicago. Swift could certainly improve after the additions the Bears made along their interior offensive line. Still, pairing the 26-year-old with a workhorse like Jeanty could give Chicago a dynamic one-two punch for its running game. That would go a long way toward supporting Williams, who was sacked a league-high 68 times during his rookie season. Jeanty racked up 2,601 rushing yards and 30 total touchdowns during his final season at Boise State while handling an FBS-high 397 touches. He is a strong, downhill runner with a great combination of power, vision, elusiveness and speed that should allow him to quickly become one of the league's best backs.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NFL Mock Draft 1.0: QBs Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders go in top three for Kyle Dvorchak
With Super Bowl LIX in the books, it's mock draft SZN. The 2025 NFL Draft takes place in a little over two months, meaning we barely have enough time to project Ashton Jeanty to every team with a backfield opening and the Chargers to draft every eligible player from Michigan. With no time to waste, here's my first mock draft for how I see things playing out come April. The Titans have already said they will take a generational talent here regardless of position if one is available. Do Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter fit the bill? I don't think so. That leaves the Titans between a non-generational defender and the most valuable position in football. Even if Ward isn't the best 1.01 in recent memory, he's a worthy candidate given his superstar traits and elite counting stats. With Deshaun Watson possibly out for 2025 and done in Cleveland, quarterback was a consideration here. However, the defense took a step back in 2024 and is headed in the wrong direction with Myles Garrett seemingly on the move. The Browns can immediately start their efforts to replace Garrett with Carter. The Nittany Lion totaled a dozen sacks and an FBS-high 24 TFLs in his final season. GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll are both on the hot seat after a 3-14 record last year and a 6-11 outing the season prior. It's now or never for the current regime and a standout defender isn't going to change their fortunes, leaving quarterback as the only choice. Sanders is an experienced starter with elite intermediate accuracy, evidenced by his record-setting 71.8 percent career completion rate as an FBS quarterback. 03:12 Where will Ward, Sanders go in 2025 Draft? Matthew Berry, Connor Rogers and Jay Croucher evaluate the teams with the top three picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, discussing where they see Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders being selected. The Pats will be praying both quarterbacks go in the top three, guaranteeing them one of the two blue chip players in the draft. Hunter is functionally two first-round picks in one as an elite cornerback and wide receiver prospect. How much he plays on both sides of the ball at the next level remains to be seen, but the Patriots need all the help they can get. The Jags have all three of the major offensive positions (QB, LT, and WR1) taken care of, pushing them toward a pick on defense. Graham was Pro Football Focus's No. 1 graded interior defender in 2024 and finished top-five in 2023. The defensive tackle position is having a renaissance in the NFL and Graham is next in line to carry the torch. The Raiders would love to see a quarterback on the board here, but likely QB3 Jaxson Dart isn't top-10 material and the two big names are gone. With Brock Bowers being an instant home run and Jakobi Meyers serving as a strong WR2, wideout can wait and the defensive-minded Pete Carroll gets a shutdown corner in this scenario instead. Johnson missed much of 2024 with a turf toe injury but posted a pair of elite seasons before last year, logging seven picks and as many pass breakups in his freshman and sophomore seasons. The Jets' trade for Haason Reddick was a disaster and Jermaine Johnson is coming off a torn Achilles tendon, leaving the team undermanned at EDGE. Williams gives the team a potential star at defensive end to pair with Quinnen Williams on the interior and Sauce Gardner at corner. Williams only tallied five sacks in his final season as a Bulldog, but they came when the lights were brightest, notching four sacks in two matchups against Texas. The Panthers made it their mission to give Bryce Young more help last offseason. Some of their efforts — additions to the offensive line and the hiring of Dave Canales — worked wonders, while others including Xavier Legette have yet to pan out. With Adam Thielen under contract for one more season and contemplating retirement, the Panthers need to add a long-term WR1 to the mix. McMillan has the size and the skills to be that guy. 09:57 McMillan: I welcome any draft destination, any QB Tetairoa McMillan joins Lawrence Jackson and Connor Rogers on FFHH to talk about anticipation for the NFL draft, proving doubters wrong, welcoming any NFL opportunity regardless of quarterback, Travis Hunter and more. Right tackle Ryan Ramczyk did not play in 2024 and restructured his contract for an impending retirement. The Saints played 2024 first-rounder Taliese Fuaga at left tackle and 2022 first-rounder Trevor Penning at right tackle. Penning has been a disappointment and Fuaga played exclusively right tackle in college. Campbell would give New Orleans the option to play Fuaga at right tackle and/or take a shot on moving Penning to guard. The Bears' 2025 offseason is all about Caleb Williams. They added the wunderkind OC Ben Johnson as his next head coach and can focus on fixing the offensive line via the draft. Banks was a three-year starter at Texas and improved across the board in all three seasons, culminating in an elite 2024 that saw him concede a single sack across 15 games. Nick Bosa is still playing at a high level, but his numbers have fallen in back-to-back seasons. Having a foil on the other side of the defensive line would boost Bosa's numbers and add depth to a San Francisco pass rush that ranked below league-average in pressure and sack rate. Pearce Jr. totaled 17.5 sacks and an absurd 107 pressures over his two seasons as a starter with the Vols. CeeDee Lamb is a cornerstone piece for the Dallas offense, but the Cowboys are embarrassingly light on pass-catchers outside of him. Burden is a dynamic athlete with the ball in his hands and would complement an intermediate threat like Lamb well. At his peak in 2023, Burden finished eighth in the nation in yards 1,212 and 16th in catches with 86. Austin Jackson has been an average (at best) right tackle for most of his career and will be a cut candidate as early as this offseason. Patrick Paul, a 2024 second-round pick, is a left tackle by trade and struggled in his few appearances as a rookie. Miami has to do a better job protecting their left-handed quarterback's blindside this year, and that starts by investing in Simmons, who played both left and right tackle with the Buckeyes. The Colts have been projected to add a first-round tight end for years. They have instead spent mid- and late-round picks on the position. Indy has unsurprisingly gotten little from their ragtag crew of tight ends. With strong run-blocking acumen plus absurd receiving numbers, the 6-foot-6, 261-pound tight end is a throwback to the Gronk and Travis Kelce archetypes. 08:29 High school coach had unique rule for PSU's Warren Top NFL draft prospect Tyler Warren sits down with Mike Florio and Chris Simms to share the unique rule his high school basketball coach had, his versatility at tight end, who he tries to emulate and more. The Falcons are stunningly set on offense. They have an elite offensive line with multiple skill position superstars plus a young quarterback. Things aren't as rosy on defense. Atlanta ranked 31st in pressure rate and 30th in sack rate last year. Stewart is more of a project than most first-round picks but comes with untapped upside. The 6-5, 281-pound EDGE has rare athletic traits and is more than willing to contribute against the run. On the other hand, he amassed a paltry 4.5 sacks over three seasons. These contradictions will weigh heavily on NFL teams, though I think his potential will win out when draft day comes. The Cardinals have invested top-10 picks on offense in back-to-back drafts. They were 10th in EPA per play on offense and 24th on defense in 2024, making their focus in this draft clear. Per PFF, Nolen finished top-five among Power Four interior defenders in sacks and pressures last year. They graded him as their No. 3 defensive lineman in a major conference. The Bengals let key defenders walk in each of the past two offseasons and paid the price for that in 2024, ranking 25th in points allowed, compared to sixth in 2022. Starks is an extremely versatile safety who can step up and defend the run or play a deep role and hang with wide receivers. He tallied 17 pass breakups and six interceptions in three seasons at Georgia. Grant played under head coach Mike Macdonald at Michigan and would replace Jarran Reed, an impending free agent, on the interior. Grant is a space-eating tackle who clogs running lanes with ease. His pass-rushing prowess leaves something to be desired, though Leonard Williams is already locked in as Seattle's nightmare for quarterbacks. Bucs legend Lavonte David contemplated retirement last offseason before returning on a one-year deal. The 35-year-old linebacker appears more likely than not to hang up the cleats this time around. Campbell is a do-it-all inside linebacker with some extra juice as a pass-rusher. He was recruited as an EDGE defender but moved to inside linebacker once on campus. Campbell got to play more as a true pass-rusher in his final season, allowing him to generate five sacks in 2024 on top of his 117 combined tackles and 12 TFLs. All three marks led the Crimson Tide. While the first-round inside linebacker is going out of style, Campbell's versatility could make him an exception in April. Sean Payton's run/pass splits were malleable in New Orleans, but his running backs were always a focal point of the offense. His Saints teams finished top 10 in rushing touchdowns in 10-of-15 seasons and were at or near the top of the league in pass-game usage almost every year. Jeanty does everything you can ask of a running back and he does it better than any back. He ran for 2,601 yards as the nation's best back in 2024 and leveraged his underrated receiving skills for a 43/569/5 line in 2023. Positional value is likely the only thing keeping him out of the top five in this draft. 03:02 Jeanty set for stardom amid NFL's RB renaissance Nate Tice, Patrick Daugherty, and Denny Carter lay out what makes star RB Ashton Jeanty a clear 'top-15" player in the 2025 NFL Draft, why he's the best RB prospect since Saquon Barkley, and best potential landing spots. Pittsburgh can't run it back with George Pickens and a cast of NPCs at wide receiver this season. Pickens, who is entering a contract year, went for 352 more yards than the Steelers' WR2 and over 600 yards more than their WR3. That was despite missing three games. Egbuka's ability to navigate the middle of the field and create easy completions is the perfect complement to Pickens' splash play style. Walker is a strange evaluation because he played primarily off-ball linebacker at Georgia but did his best work as an on-ball pass-rusher. He led the Bulldogs with 6.5 sacks and 34 pressures despite ranking seventh on the team in pass-rush reps. Listed at 6'2/245, Walker also lacks true EDGE size. Still, the talent is undeniable and the Chargers could be without one or both of Kahlil Mack and Joey Bosa by the time the draft comes around. Mack is a free agent and Bosa can be cut or traded this offseason to save the Bolts over $25 million in cap space. Jaire Alexander and the Packers appear to be heading for a split, with a post-June 1 trade or release netting Green Bay $17 million in cap relief. Morrison has been destined for the first round ever since he picked off six passes as a true freshman. He then broke up 10 attempts in his second campaign. A season-ending hip injury quashed his junior season after six games. It was his second surgery — the other being a shoulder procedure in the spring of 2024. Morrison's medicals will get extra scrutiny from teams. Should they check out, he is locked in as a first-round selection. Byron Murphy, Cam Bynum, and Harrison Smith led the Vikings' defense in snaps. All three had their contracts expire at the end of the season. Add in Stephon Gilmore plus Shaq Griffin and the Vikings have 4,539 regular season snaps from their secondary set to hit the open market. I doubt all of them will be back in 2025, creating a sizable void on Minnesota's roster. The Vikings can inject some youth into their secondary with Emmanwori. The former Gamecock racked up four interceptions, two of which were house calls, in his final season. While there were many issues with the Texans' offense in 2024, the offensive line was at the top of the list. C.J. Stroud struggles against pressure and the Texans allowed an above-average pressure rate. In fact, no team conceded more unblocked pressures. Membou was one of three Power Four tackles who didn't concede a sack on at least 400 pass-blocking reps last year. Listed at 6-3, 325 pounds, Membou may wind up as a guard in the NFL, though I'd expect any team taking him in the first round to let him try out at tackle first. The Rams made a serious effort to move up the board and land Brock Bowers last year. With Cooper Kupp expected to be traded, their need for another pass-catcher has grown exponentially. Loveland isn't a Bowers-level prospect, but he is in the next tier of tight ends to come out in the past decade, topping 2.6 yards per route run in each of his final two seasons. He was the entirety of the Wolverines' passing game as a junior, more than doubling the team's No. 2 receiver in catches and yards. While the Ravens' defense rebounded over the second half of 2024, that was based in part on a cakewalk schedule down the stretch. Baltimore can't count on that version of the team sustaining into 2025 without any additions. Revel Jr. was on track to go in the top half of the first round heading into his final season, but a torn ACL in September has his stock down a bit. The Ravens have taken shots on injured players in the past from Marshall RB Rasheen Ali last year, to Michigan LB David Ojabo in 2022. Revel could be ready for Week 1 and has CB1 upside. The Lions need a second pass-rusher to counterbalance Aidan Hutchinson. Za'Darius Smith, who they traded for at the deadline, is a free agent and despite playing just eight games for Detroit, his four sacks were second on the team to Hutchinson's seven. Green's stock is already on the rise after an impressive Senior Bowl week, consistently being named as the best defender on the field by both onlookers and players. The Commanders' No. 2, 3, 4, and 6 targets leaders from the 2024 season are all free agents. Even with a handful of them likely to return, Washington needs another threat for Jayden Daniels and Golden is starting to pull ahead as the WR4 in this class. Golden did a little bit of everything at Texas and Houston, winning on downfield routes and with yards after the catch. For a Commanders team with one high-end pass-catcher, that versatility will come in handy. The Bills were 21st in pressure rate and 24th in sack rate last year. Plus, Von Miller's status is up in the air as the Bills can save $17.4 million in cap space with a post-June 1 cut. Ohio State has two potential first-round EDGE defenders that would be viable selections in this spot between Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer. However, Tuimoloau held a significant advantage in sacks (12.5 vs. 9), TFLs (22 vs. 9) and is a year younger than his teammate. Sawyer has the edge in some other metrics — pressures and PFF's pass-rush grade — but I'll side with the younger, larger, and better run defender in Tuimoloau. The Chiefs' offensive line was out-played and outright embarrassed by Philadelphia in the Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes took a career-high six sacks in a game that will fundamentally change Kansas City's approach to roster construction. Conerly was one of the top tackle recruits out of high school and started two seasons at left tackle with the Ducks. He did his best work in pass protection and isn't a mauler on the ground, though he can more than hold his own when run blocking. For a Chiefs team whose entire offense is centered around the pass, that's an acceptable tradeoff at the end of the first round. Right guard Mekhi Becton was a diamond in the rough for the Eagles but is set to hit the open market and will want to cash in on his rebound campaign. If he walks, an Eagles squad dependent on its behemoth line will need a fifth member once again. The SEC supremacist front office in Philly would have no problem adding Booker, who was more recently a left guard but played on the right side as a freshman.
