NFL Draft season is upon us. Every year around this time, Jim Nagy (executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl) rounds up a talented group of college seniors to head down to Mobile to improve their NFL draft stock at the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Last year’s crop featured Kenny Pickett, Brian Robinson, and Christian Watson, just to name a few.
Marrying stats and film, I dusted off the prospect notebook and dove into the skill sets for this year’s group of NFL hopefuls. Some players hail from smaller schools, so coming across enough game film to form an opinion on their skill sets is impossible. I included their statistics for reference, so you can see, at least on paper, where they stack up against their peers. Dynasty rookie drafts will be here before you know. Now is the time to get a jump on your league mates and study up on these prospects.
Our Fantasypros team will be providing in-depth coverage all week from Mobile. We’ll have Twitter spaces on Tuesday and Wednesday (7 pm EST on the FantasyPros Twitter account) where you can hop in the room with our special guests and us to hear us chop it up and get your questions answered. Thursday, we will have a live stream on YouTube (7 pm EST) recapping all of the week’s action.
It will be a glorious week of football content to reignite your NFL Draft fires.
Check out all of our 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles 
2023 Senior Bowl: Dynasty Rookie Guide (Fantasy Football)
Quarterbacks
Stats:
- 2022 (143 QBs, minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 16th
- Adjusted completion rate: 25th
- Yards per attempt: 1st
- Big-time throw rate: 57th
- Deep passing (148 QBs, minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 31st
- Deep throw rate: 23rd (20.2%)
- Pressured passing (141 QBs, minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Adjusted completion rate: 77th
- Pressured rate: 13th-lowest (23.6% of dropbacks)
Scouting report:
- Hooker has the prerequisite arm strength to make all the NFL throws, but he doesn’t have a cannon by any means. His short area accuracy can be sporadic, with him airmailing touch passes within ten yards of the line of scrimmage.
- He is a “see it and throw it” quarterback. Hooker is not an anticipatory thrower. He does tend to stare down his first read, which results in corners jumping routes in the NFL. Hooker wasn’t asked to go through full-field reads, with many plays having a predetermined option and, at the most, Hooker having to get to his second option. The Vols also gave him a ton of stacked formations where his 1-to-2 progression was easy.
- Hooker displayed rushing upside in college. He is adept at letting his blocks set up in front of him with adequate vision. He is not an explosive or dynamic rusher in the open field, so I wonder how much rushing production will translate to the NFL.
Player Comp: Joshua Dobbs
Stats:
- 2022 (143 QBs, minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 20th
- Adjusted completion rate: 25th
- Yards per attempt: 26th
- Big-time throw rate: 37th
- Deep passing (148 QBs, minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 3rd
- Deep throw rate: 68th
- Pressured passing (141 QBs, minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Adjusted completion rate: 104th
- Pressured rate: 14th-lowest (24.2%)
Scouting report:
- Bouncy feet in some clean pockets. His footwork can lapse on short timing throws or when pressured. This leads to accuracy wanes.
- Inconsistent touch on passes. He will lace a perfect ball to the boundary on one play and then follow it up with a sideline throw that could have used a tad more mustard or a short pass that’s fastballed to his receiver.
- When he’s in rhythm, Hall can put some special throws on tape. Easy velocity. A strong arm that can also lead him to attempt some tight window throws he shouldn’t.
- Rushing upside should be there for Hall in the NFL. Good burst and lateral agility in the open field. A playmaker with the ball in his hands.
Player Comp: Shea Patterson
Stats:
- 2022 (143 QBs, minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 15th
- Adjusted completion rate: 7th
- Yards per attempt: 34th
- Big-time throw rate: 62nd
- Deep passing (148 QBs, minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 26th
- Deep throw rate: 17th-lowest (11.0%)
- Pressured passing (141 QBs, minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Adjusted completion rate: 35th
- Pressured rate: 80th (30.8%)
Scouting report:
- Max effort thrower. Haener has average arm strength. His offense catered to his quick release and accuracy on short and intermediate timing throws.
- The best-case scenario would be an offense that asks Haener to operate as a quick processing point guard. He profiles as a solid backup that could keep the offense afloat in a pinch. Please don’t ask him to go out and play Superman or be a floor-raising QB.
- His outside the numbers accuracy can be spotty. His arm strength limitations show up here, but he does display the ability to layer throws versus zone coverage.
Player Comp: Bailey Zappe
Stats:
- 2022 (143 QBs, minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 1st
- Adjusted completion rate: 4th
- Yards per attempt: 34th
- Big-time throw rate: 31st
- Deep passing (148 QBs, minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 30th
- Deep throw rate: 77th (15.1%)
- Pressured passing (141 QBs, minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Adjusted completion rate: 22nd
- Pressured rate: 27th-lowest (26.9%)
Scouting report:
- Adequate zip on short and intermediate throws. Rainbows, deep throws. His average arm strength shows up past 15-20 yards.
- Good pocket presence overall. Tune is not a massive rushing threat, but he does display good pocket mobility. He can buy time for his receivers to uncover. He will drift some against pressure, though.
- Tune was not asked to make full-field reads at Houston. He tends to force throws to his predetermined first read.
Player Comp: Jake Fromm
- Passing yards: 4,580
- Completion rate: 70.0%
- Passing Td:Int ratio: 41:8
Career:
- NCAA career passing touchdown record (159)
- 2021 Harlon Hill Trophy winner (aka. D-ll Heisman)
Scouting report:
- Limited statistics and film were available.
- From limited game film studied:
- A lot of scripted throws/predetermined reads
- Inconsistent footwork/mechanics
- Lapses in his mechanics can lead to him threading the needle on one throw and airmailing the next of a similar depth/play design.
- Plus arm strength. Effortless velocity on throws.
- He is a pandora’s box player that could land with late-round draft capital if he can string together plus plays this week in Mobile.
Player Comp: N/A
Stats:
- 2022 (143 QBs, minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 40th
- Adjusted completion rate: 43rd
- Yards per attempt: 12th
- Big-time throw rate: 53rd
- Deep passing (148 QBs, minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 15th
- Deep throw rate: 39th (18.3%)
- Pressured passing (141 QBs, minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Adjusted completion rate: 91st
- Pressured rate: 54th (33.7%)
Scouting report:
- Efficient thrower when working in a rhythm. Ran TCU’s RPO offense sufficiently, working the short and intermediate areas of the field while getting the ball out of his hands quickly.
- Duggan is an adventure against the pass rush. When he faces interior pressure or his first read isn’t open, he can get happy feet and pats the football like he’s trying to burp a newborn baby. Even though TCU didn’t task him with full-field reads, Duggan seemed to be a second or two behind on getting the ball out. His processing is thrown off sometimes as he refuses to come off his first read. If this happens and he faces pressure, he usually drops his eyes and looks to scramble.
- Duggan can be late to feel the rush. He’s a developmental QB prospect that will need some time to catch up to NFL systems and the speed of the game.
Player Comp: Will Grier
Stats:
- 2022 (143 QBs, minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 106th
- Adjusted completion rate: 92nd
- Yards per attempt: 75th
- Big-time throw rate: 109th
- Deep passing (148 QBs, minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 133rd
- Deep throw rate: 77th (15.2%)
- Pressured passing (141 QBs, minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Adjusted completion rate: 62nd
- Pressured rate: 79th
Scouting report:
- Dynamic rusher. Cunningham can make defenders miss in tight quarters while also benign able to shed arm tackles.
- Cunningham’s biggest strides need to come as a passer. His arm strength is average. He is at his best when delivering quick hitters to his receivers in stride. His deep ball accuracy is erratic, and receivers are left waiting on passes many times.
- His penchant for superhero plays will get him into trouble in the NFL. Cunningham will force throws and attempt passes while he’s getting wrapped up by a defender. The results were disastrous at times. The more he comes to terms with the fact that it’s ok to dirt a ball or throw it out of bounds, the better off he’ll be.
Player Comp: Dennis Dixon
Running backs
Stats:
- 2022 (168 RBs, minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 82nd
- Breakaway rate: 117th
- PFF elusive rating: 36th
- PFF receiving grade: 1st
- Yards per route run: 3rd (18.6% slot or wide)
- Career
- 58.7% of carries on zone runs
- Never crested 100 carries or 400 rushing yards until 2022
Scouting report:
- McIntosh is smooth as butter as a receiver. He was aligned in the slot and out wide in college. He looks like a natural. He’s clean in and out of his breaks with soft hands. He could be a dangerous dual threat with a smart OC at the next level.
- He’s an upright slasher type as a rusher. McIntosh can make smooth jump cuts in the open field, which is impressive considering his size. While he can shed arm tackles, his height and upright running style can lead him to be brought down by the first tackler if they get a decent wrap on him. He’s not a pile mover.
- McIntosh has good vision in traffic. He is adept at getting small through creases and lets his blocks develop. He’s very comfortable with zone concepts and has enough speed to get around the edge.
- With the limited pass protection reps I saw, he had a solid anchor. He flashed more physicality in some of these reps than I saw as a rusher which leads me to believe that he has more untapped power to finish runs.
Player Comp: C.J. Prosise / Javorius Allen
Camerun Peoples (Appalachian State)
Stats:
- 2019 ACL tear
- 2022 (168 RBs, minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 7th
- Breakaway rate: 53rd
- PFF elusive rating: 18th
- PFF receiving grade: Never above 58.8
- Yards per route run: 0.28 (16 career targets)
- Career
- Yards after contact per attempt: 4.14
- 80.3% of his collegiate carries on zone runs
Scouting report:
- Stiff hips. Peoples looks lumbering at times, getting up to second gear. He does display sufficient lateral agility flashing the occasional jump cut. Peoples won’t be a home run hitter, but in a gap scheme, he can get you the consistent 4-7 yards with some chunk plays sprinkled in.
- Invites contact. He has no qualms about lowering this shoulder to bulldoze a tackler. Strong lower half that allows him to push the pile. Peoples runs angry. Physical grinder back.
- Peoples feels like a future Patriot or Raven. Drop him into a scheme that utilizes gap runs with regularity and let him get downhill and punish the second level.
Player Comp: Gus Edwards
Stats:
- 2022 (168 RBs, minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 108th
- Breakaway rate: 95th
- PFF elusive rating: 87th
- PFF receiving grade: None above 62.3 over the last three seasons
- Yards per route run: 0.96 (70 career targets)
- Career
- Back-to-back 1,000 rushing seasons from 2021-2022 (1,005, 1,632)
- 69.3% of his carries on zone runs
Scouting report:
- Good vision on zone runs and with finding cut-back lanes. Brown does hesitate at the line when he should explode through the hole. Ran with more conviction as the 2022 season progressed.
- He’s a runway back. Brown doesn’t display the ability to make the first tackler miss in the hole, but once he’s into the second level, he displays a good second gear and the ability to set up his blocks.
- Brown isn’t blessed with overwhelming lateral agility. He gets himself in trouble when he hesitates at the line or tries to bounce some runs outside. Brown doesn’t have the raw athleticism to get away with this.
- Brown displays soft hands in the passing game. Mostly utilized as a check-down option or on the occasional rail route.
Player Comp: Myles Gaskin
Stats:
- 2022 (168 RBs, minimum 100 carries & 20 targets) * (*93 rushing attempts in 2022)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 11th*
- Breakaway rate: 56th*
- PFF elusive rating: 3rd*
- PFF receiving grade: 90th
- Yards per route run: 41st
- Career
- 4.06 or higher Yards after contact per attempt in each of his final three seasons
- 69.8% of his runs with zone concepts for his collegiate career. 46.8% gap scheme runs in 2022. Scheme versatile back.
Scouting report:
- North/South runner. He is at his best when he gets downhill quickly and into the second level.
- Patient at the line. Scheme versatile. He has good lateral agility for his size, but he’s not a wiggle-back. However, Johnson has enough juice and good vision to work well on zone runs.
- Johnson quickly gets up to top speed but lacks that second “home-run” gear.
- Good contact balance. He’s able to shed arm tackles. Plenty of film of him making the first would-be tackler miss.
- He was utilized on dump-offs in college. He displayed soft hands when called upon in the passing game.
Player Comp: Matt Jones with a better burst
Chris Rodriguez Jr. (Kentucky)
Stats:
- 2022 (168 RBs, minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 23rd
- Breakaway rate: 77th
- PFF elusive rating: 11th
- PFF receiving grade: Never higher than 61.8.
- Yards per route run: 0.34 (30 collegiate targets)
- Career
- In his final season, 50.2% gap scheme runs with his lowest season Yards after contact per attempt (3.84).
- He displayed workhorse upside with 224 carries and 1,337 rushing yards in 2021.
Scouting report:
- Questionable vision on zone runs. Rodriguez will take the cut back often as he lacks the speed to get to the edge. He won’t stretch it to the boundary.
- He is best utilized as a gap scheme back with clear downhill running lanes. Rodriguez is a dependable volume back. Solid interior rusher.
- Rodriguez will get what is blocked, but he displays little ability to get more than that.
- He has a power-back mentality inviting contact, but he doesn’t have the extra thump or leg drive to run over people.
- Straight line & one-speed runner.
Player Comp: Benny Snell
Stats:
- 2022 (168 RBs, minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 42nd
- Breakaway rate: 57th
- PFF elusive rating: 42nd
- PFF receiving grade: 5th
- Yards per route run: 58th
- Career
- PFF receiving grades rankings (2020-2022, minimum 20 targets): 10th, 15th, 5th
- Yards per route run rankings (2020-2022, minimum 20 targets): 13th, 45th, 58th
- Slot or wide snap rate (2019-2020): 15.3-25.8%
Scouting report:
- He should be a quality RB2 in the NFL.
- He wins with vision. Gray displays a good feel for zone runs with the patience to let his blocks develop. He presses the hole and has a good jab step that he deploys before getting upfield.
- Gray doesn’t possess much in tackling-breaking or the ability to create a ton on his own. His leg drive is average, and he goes down too often by shoestring tackles or with the first defender in pursuit. Gray deploys a spin move occasionally to help him create more yards after first contact.
- His lack of physicality shows up in blocking and pass protection. Gray is a solid receiver. He is at his best when working in space where he can build up a head of steam and utilize his vision in traffic. His pass protection worries could limit his upside as a receiver at the next level unless he lands in a scheme that deploys their backs in routes more than blocking duties.
Player Comp: Bilal Powell
Stats:
- 2022 (168 RBs, minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 122nd
- Breakaway rate: 113th
- PFF elusive rating: 97th
- PFF receiving grade: 16th
- Yards per route run: 7th
- Career
- Hull’s Yards after contact per attempt dropped from 3.60 (39th) to 2.74 in 2022.
- 96th percentile collegiate target share (17.3%)
- Utilized in the slot or out wide on 20.7% of his snaps in 2022.
Scouting report:
- Hull is a tough runner. Compact build. He’s more quick than fast, but Hull also displays good burst as soon as the ball is in his hands.
- Excellent lateral agility with the ability to jump cut on a dime.
- Strong leg drive to finish runs with impressive contact balance. He’s rarely dropped by the first defender he encounters.
- Watching Hull weave through traffic with jump cuts and impressive vision is a treat.
- Plus pass catcher. Displays fluidity in the passing game and soft hands. He’s not a nuanced route runner, as he was utilized on dump-offs and simple stop routes. This part of his game could grow further in the NFL with a creative play-caller.
Player Comp: Mark Ingram with better lateral agility/Rhamondre Stevenson
Stats:
- 2022 (168 RBs, minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 5th
- Breakaway rate: 15th
- PFF elusive rating: 11th
- PFF receiving grade: 21st
- Yards per route run: 33rd
- Career
- 4.54 career Yards after contact per attempt at Tulane.
- His lowest breakaway run rate in college was 48.9%.
Scouting report:
- Spears plays to his size. He will never be considered a plus in the broken tackle department. He’s a space back. If an opponent squares him up, he’s likely not breaking that tackle, but he can evade defenders in the open field.
- He’s adept at utilizing his vision and angles, making it difficult for tacklers to wrap him up head-on.
- Solid but not explosive jump cut, but he does flash good change of direction ability in space. He can flip the field and has enough juice to get to the edge on zone runs.
Player Comp: Michael Carter with a jetpack
Wide receivers
Stats:
- 2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 9th
- PFF receiving grade: 7th
- 64.2% of target volume against zone (minimum 25 zone targets)
- PFF receiving grade: 1st
- Yards per route run vs. zone: 1st
- Career
- 82.5-94.6% out wide in three of four years at SMU
- 93.2% slot in 2021
- Never crested 2.1 Yards per route run at SMU until his senior year.
- Didn’t post more than 700 receiving yards until his Senior season.
- 82.5-94.6% out wide in three of four years at SMU
Scouting report:
- Very good in the air. He adjusts well to back shoulder balls and displays solid body control. Good hands on jump balls, but he always has some concentration drops in traffic on film.
- Build up speed. Rice displays some inconsistencies gearing down on comebacks or curls, needing too many steps at times, or losing his balance. His short area separation is better on slants where he can use a good first step of the line and his size.
- Not a good separator. Some decent late separation noted on some routes, but he far too often lets cornerbacks get into his body and jam him up at the top of his stem.
- Good feel vs. zone on when to snap off his route in between defenders. Solid deep ball tracking noted.
Player Comp: Brandon LaFell
Stats:
- 2022 (512 FBS/FCS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 55th
- PFF receiving grade: 18th
- YAC: 55th
- Career
- He had a 24.2% target share during his final season.
- All-American track star at Princeton with a 39″ vertical
- His 6.71 in the 60m was a NCAA Indoor Championship meet record
Scouting report:
- Easy and immediate speed. Explosive second gear. Iosivas has “run away from you type of speed.”
- Good deep ball tracking on go routes noted, but he does have some reps where he catches the ball with his body.
- I can’t shade his hands, though, because he also has reps in his film where he has difficult catches in traffic and contested situations.
- Princeton fed him on crossers, where he wove through the defense and then turned on the jets to daylight. NFL teams should look to do the same against zone coverage and get him involved on jet sweeps.
Player Comp: Chris Conley
Stats:
- 2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 2nd
- PFF receiving grade: 2nd
- 2021 (251 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 6th
- PFF receiving grade: 30th
- Career
- 39 carries for 357 rushing yards (9.2 ypc, five rushing scores)
Scouting report:
- He flashes good footwork and a varied release package at the line of scrimmage. Nucaua also adds subtle nuances to his routes with pacing in his routes and head fakes.
- Strong after the catch. Not a jitterbug, but he’s tough to bring down with the ball in his hands. Physical. Good vision in traffic.
- He is a magician near the boundary. His film is littered with tough grabs near the sideline with impressive footwork. Those strong hands have also served him well in contested situations. He ranked 17th in contested catch rate in 2021 (minimum ten contested targets).
- BYU tried to get the ball in Nucaua’s hands any way possible. He was utilized on jet sweets and the ground in 2022 as the fifth-leading rusher on the team, with 8.4 yards per carry and five rushing scores. Nucaua has that dog in him.
Player Comp: Dollar store Deebo Samuel
Nathaniel Dell (Houston)
Stats:
- 2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 27th
- PFF receiving grade: 11th
- 2021 (251 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 43rd
- PFF receiving grade: 12th
- Career
- Over the last two seasons: 50.4-67.0% slot rate
Scouting report:
- Rail-thin speedster (165 lbs). Utilized in the slot, in motion, and in bunch formations a lot at Houston to give him free releases at the line. He’s best suited for slot usage in the NFL.
- Immediately his speed jumps off the page. Quick feet help him beat many nickels off the line. He drops from fourth to second gear easily on curls and comebacks. An early and late separator.
- He is a precise route runner who is lightning-quick in and out of his breaks. While he can be pushed off his route if corners can get their hands on him, Dell also flashes the ability to separate from the outside with speed releases. His ability to stretch the field is a nice wrinkle. He ranked 11th in passer rating when targeted 20-plus yards down the field in 2022 (minimum 20 deep targets).
Player Comp: Marquise Brown
Jaylen Wayne (South Alabama)
Stats:
- 2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 142nd
- PFF receiving grade: 152nd
- Career
- Never crested 2.0 Yards per route run in his collegiate career.
- Worked from the boundary on 83.2% of his snaps.
Scouting report:
- Nephew of Reggie Wayne.
- Game film is unavailable.
Player Comp: Unavailable
Stats:
- 2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 94th
- PFF receiving grade: 44th
- Career
- Mingo ran from the slot on 35.1% of his snaps in 2022. In 2019-2021, he played 83.3-87.9% from the perimeter.
Scouting report:
- Inconsistent separator. Mingo can gain enough separation to haul in contested catches, but you won’t see Mingo sending anyone to the shadow realm on a route.
- Strong. Upper body strength shows up in blocking, fighting through press, and after the catch. Mingo can make some things happen after the catch with his dense lower half.
- Mingo was utilized on screens for 18.4% of his target volume in 2022. He ranked 11th in YAC per reception (minimum 15 screen targets) on screens last season.
Player Comp: Laquon Treadwell
Stats:
- 2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 121st
- PFF receiving grade: 210th
- YAC per reception: 4th
- Career
- Last season was his first with more than 55 targets (66).
- 91.4% of his snaps from the slot at TCU
Scouting report:
- Early on, his biggest impact will come as a returner. He excelled in punt returns in 2022, ranking sixth in return average and fourth in overall punt return yards (minimum 15 returns).
- Used creatively by TCU with jet sweeps, screens, and pop passes. The name of the game was to get him in space and let him burn people with his speed.
- Davis also played slot receiver at TCU. He flashes early separation on slants and the ability to stretch the field. A double move or subtle jab step can give a decent cushion for a player with his raw speed.
Player Comp: Jalen Saunders
Stats:
- 2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 79th
- PFF receiving grade: 152nd
- YAC per reception: 74th
- Career
- 2022 was the first season Tucker eclipsed 500 receiving yards.
- 91.4% slot rate at Cincinnati
Scouting report:
- Tucker profiles as a depth receiver in the NFL. Tucker offers special teams ability for his next prospective home with 67 kickoff returns on his resume, with two returned for scores.
- Tucker is a savvy slot receiver with an innate spider-sense to weave in between zone coverage. He is a chain mover. Tucker can make defenders miss in the open field with his quick feet and acceleration, but I wouldn’t classify him as a dynamic threat with the ball in his hands.
Player Comp: Lance Moore
Xavier Hutchinson (Iowa State)
Stats:
- 2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 24th
- PFF receiving grade: 4th
- YAC: 25th
- 2021 (251 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 48th
- PFF receiving grade: 27th
- YAC: 21st
- Career
- College Dominator: 69th percentile
- Collegiate target share: 97th percentile
Scouting report:
- He’s a bully with the ball in his hands after the catch. Hutchinson ranked 38th (2022) and ninth (2021) in missed tackles forced over the last three seasons. He was also top-25 in YAC in each of the last two years (minimum 50 targets). Good leg drive and tenacity fuel this man’s contact balance.
- Hutchinson is a versatile receiver who can also work from the slot. He flashes crisp cuts on short area routes ins and outs. I would love for an NFL team to give him a 60% slot rate and let him push around nickel corners all day.
- Patient on screens and in the open field to allow blocks to set up in front of him before he shoots upfield.
- Hutchinson puts some acrobatic downfield receptions on tape. Good tracking and body adjustment on back shoulder and bucket catches.
Player Comp: discount Amon-Ra St. Brown
Stats:
- 2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 35th
- PFF receiving grade: 59th
- YAC: 90th
- Career
- 56.9% career slot rate
Scouting report:
- Not an immediate separator. He needs to hone his releases further. Corners get inside leverage on his routes or remain in his back pocket enough that it’s a familiar trend on film. This leaves him unable to stack corners routinely.
- Bell is a tenacious blocker in the run game. He will be an immediate asset here from the jump.
- If everything gels, he projects as a well-rounded WR3/WR4 for an NFL. He’s solid but not spectacular in and out of his breaks and after the catch. Bell displays good burst and versatility on manufactured touches with sweeps and screens.
Player Comp: Brandon Tate
Stats:
- 2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 160th
- PFF receiving grade: 134th
- YAC: 176th
- 2021 (251 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 36th
- PFF receiving grade: 38th
- YAC: 57th
- Career
- College Dominator: 72nd percentile
- Breakout age: 98th percentile
Scouting report:
- Special teams versatility. He returned 38 punts in college with a 15.3-yard return average and three scores. Also, two seasons with at least 16 kickoffs returned (20.0 kickoff return average).
- A strong lower half allows him to shed arm tackles. Solid YAC ability with good change of direction. Reed has good burst as soon as the ball is in his hands.
- He drifts on routes at times, leading to miscommunications with his quarterback. Overall a solid route runner that sets up defenders well, especially on deep posts.
- He has enough speed to breakaway in the open field. He won’t be caught from behind with a clear runway.
Player Comp: Markus Wheaton
Stats:
- 2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 26th
- PFF receiving grade: 13th
- YAC: 30th
- Career
- 74.0% out wide in college
Scouting report:
- Jones is a dependable chain mover. He has the quickness to gain separation on quick hitters and offers a trusty set of mitts. Jones can chew up opposing secondaries underneath on slants and crossers.
- Jones offers little after the catch. He forced only two missed tackles beyond the line of scrimmage in 2022. He only managed 1.6-2.7 YAC per reception on short and medium-depth targets.
- Jones bounced around with Buffalo and Iowa before finding a home with Purdue in 2022. He refused to settle and flashed potential with his big final season. That never quit attitude will serve him well with sticking with an NFL franchise as a depth receiver.
- His extensive resume as a returner (over 122 combined collegiate returns) will help him stick on a roster as he works his way up a receiver depth chart.
Player Comp: Jordan Shipley
Stats:
- 2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 6th
- PFF receiving grade: 17th
- YAC: 47th
- Career
- 64.8% slot rate over his collegiate career
- Transferred from LSU to Nebraska for the 2022 season.
Scouting report:
- Immediate speed. Palmer is a former five-star recruit who clocked at 10.42 in the 100m in high school. Nebraska utilized him deep and on short crossers to take advantage of his blazing wheels.
- Palmer enjoyed zone coverage in college with most of his usage coming from the slot. I didn’t find many instances on film where he was pressed at the line, so an NFL team could be in for an adventure if they instantly convert his to an outside Z role. This isn’t to say he can’t win in this role, but it’s a projection at best.
- Palmer’s route tree wasn’t immensely diverse in college, so an NFL team would also be asking him to learn new skills on the fly if a full route tree player is the expectation from the jump. Palmer was used on deep posts, flys, shallow crossers, and screens for most of his snaps.
Player Comp: Kenny Stills
Stats:
- 2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 160th
- PFF receiving grade: 227th
- 2021 (251 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 162nd
- PFF receiving grade: 158th
- Career
- 79% slot rate in 2022 (66.2% over his collegiate career)
Scouting report:
- Higgins operated as the big slot for Stanford. His height and big catch radius allowed him to highpoint balls over smaller nickels.
- He needs to work on his releases. Higgins faced off coverage for most of 2022. His footwork at the line does little in the way of helping him on many reps. On many snaps, he resembles a hamster on a wheel spinning in place.
- Solid red zone weapon. Uses size to his advantage in the end zone, boxing out corners or gaining inside leverage on slants. Dependable high pointing with late hands.
- He is not a burner, but he does have pull-away speed in the open field. He has enough lateral agility with his size to weave through traffic after the catch.
Player Comp: Juwan Johnson
Stats:
- 2022 (512 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 235th
- PFF receiving grade: 270th
- aDOT: 42nd
- 2021 (251 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 9th
- PFF receiving grade: 47th
- aDOT: 8th
- Career
- Collegiate yards per reception: 85th percentile (17.7)
Scouting report:
- A burner and field stretcher. In 2021, Wicks ranked sixth among all FBS wide receivers in deep targets (37.6% of his target volume), 14th in deep receiving yards, and 24th in deep passer rating when targeted (minimum 15 deep targets, 124.7).
- Immediate acceleration off the line. Consistently stacks corners downfield with speed releases. He does exhibit some body-catching. His ball-tracking downfield has been stellar.
- Drops (many of the concentration variety) cropped up heavily in 2022. He dropped 23.1% of his targets which was the highest among FBS wide receivers with at least 50 targets.
Player Comp: Leonard Hankerson
Stats:
- 2022 (512 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)**
- Yards per route run: 69th
- PFF receiving grade: 123rd
**Only 40 targets in 2022**
- Career
- College Dominator: 62nd percentile
- Collegiate target share: 57th percentile
- Wilson never crested 700 receiving yards in any season.
Scouting report:
- Only limited highlight game film available.
Player Comp: Unavailable
Grant DuBose (Charlotte)
Stats:
- 2022 (512 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 143rd
- PFF receiving grade: 116th
- Career
- College Dominator: 50th percentile
- Collegiate target share: 79th percentile
Scouting report:
- Only limited highlight game film available.
Player Comp: Unavailable
Tight ends
Stats:
- 2022 (146 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)**
- Yards per route run: 2nd
- PFF receiving grade: 23rd
**Only 15 targets**
- Career
- Only 38.9% of his contested collegiate targets secured
- 58.1% inline rate in college
Scouting report:
- Chain mover tight end. Does have enough athleticism to threaten downfield up the seam, but he’s not much of a threat after the catch.
- Musgrave is an average to below average blocker at this point. His play strength shows up in blocking and his routes. He can be pushed off his route by physical linebackers. He can hold his spot in blocking on some reps, but don’t expect him to be utilized as a lead blocker or road grader at the next level.
Player Comp: Gavin Escobar
Stats:
- 2022 (146 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 83rd
- PFF receiving grade: 43rd
- 2021 (133 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 37th
- PFF receiving grade: 50th
- Career
- Whyle’s Yards per route run has declined in each of the last three seasons from 2.94 to 1.11.
Scouting report:
- Fluid receiver after the catch. He’s able to shed arm tackles with his plus leg strength. Whyle has the speed to pull away from linebackers in space.
- Good short area start-stop ability considering his size. Utilized on drag routes and screens heavily to let him do work in space.
- A willing blocker in all facets. He ranked 30th in PFF run blocking grade and 15th in pass blocking last season (minimum 100 blocking snaps) among tight ends.
Player Comp: Harrison Bryant
Stats:
- 2022 (146 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 32nd
- PFF receiving grade: 31st
- Career
- 43.0% slot rate in college
- Only three drops at Clemson (115 targets)
Scouting report:
- One speed runner in the open field. If you’re looking for him to pull away from linebackers in coverage, you’ll be waiting a while watching film. Only 4.6 YAC per reception in his collegiate career, with five missed tackles (88 receptions).
- While he won’t be a big play threat in the NFL, that doesn’t mean he can’t be a dependable target underneath and against zone coverage for a quarterback. He ranked 26th in catch rate last year and first in contested catch rate (minimum six contested targets). Allen is strong at the catch point high pointing balls, and securing everything thrown in his direction. With these traits alone, he could develop into a consistent red zone threat.
Player Comp: Blake Bell
Stats:
- 2022 (146 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 25th
- PFF receiving grade: 12th
- YAC: 7th
- 2021 (133 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 94th
- PFF receiving grade: 111th
- Career
- Shift from 46.6-53.9% slot (2020-2021) to 58.0% inline in 2022
- Putrid PFF run blocking grades (Never surpassed 52.0 in any season)
Scouting report:
- Mallory has a tough time separating. He rounds off many of his routes at the top of the stem. Linebackers have little trouble hanging with him. Many of his routes are run from stacked formations, or he is utilized on designed screens.
- Functional as an inline blocker. His physical limitations show up here as he’ll anchor his spot on many reps, but you won’t see Mallory tossing rushers around like ragdolls or pushing them back off their mark.
Player Comp: Coby Fleener
Stats:
- 2022 (146 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 68th
- PFF receiving grade: 34th
- 2021 (133 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 33rd
- PFF receiving grade: 34th
- Career
- Durham decreased his drop rate in each of his final three seasons at Purdue (2022, 3.4%).
Scouting report:
- Energetic blocker. Utilized inline and in space. Durham has no issues clearing a path. Good hand placement and will blow defenders back in the run game.
- Utilized on screens and as an underneath target against zone. He’s not a big play threat after the catch. He looks lumbering in the open field and after the catch.
- Durham should develop into a reliable TE2 at the NFL level that can work inline and as an H-back.
Player Comp: Nick Vannett
Stats:
- 2022 (146 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 92nd
- PFF receiving grade: 83rd
- 2021 (133 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 58th
- PFF receiving grade: 51st
- Career
- Started his Alabama career as a defensive end. Switched to tight end and became the starter for the last two seasons.
Scouting report:
- An old defensive mean streak shows up in his blocking. Good punch and anchor noted. Should be able to contribute in 12 and 13 personnel from Day 1.
- He has a decent snap at the top of his routes to gain separation, but his limited straight-line speed prevents him from running away from defenders or holding a cushion in his routes. Latu can be utilized as an underneath chain mover in the passing game, but not much more than that.
Player Comp: Kaden Smith
Brayden Willis (Oklahoma)
Stats:
- 2022 (146 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 52nd
- PFF receiving grade: 69th
- YAC: 9th
- Career
- 48.8% slot rate in 2022 was the highest of his career at Oklahoma
Scouting report:
- Game film unavailable.
Player Comp: Unavailable
*All data utilized in this article is courtesy of PFF, Football Outsiders, and Playerprofiler.com unless otherwise specified.*
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