Felt like getting my predictions out of the way before the season started, and thought it'd be fun to do the draft with the draft order from my predictions.

You'll have to ignore the grades, I don't know wtf this site is doing. They had several players on there twice, and some guys are graded way too low (like why is Echoles an F??), but it's one of the only ones I could find where I could do a custom draft order.

Because I just know it's going to be one of the first comments I see, if you're wondering where Manning is, I genuinely don't think he's going to be in this draft. The Manning family has all played their entire eligibility.
Archie couldn't play his freshman year due to rules back then, and entered the NFL draft as a senior.
Peyton played all four years at Tennessee, and entered the NFL draft as a senior.
Eli redshirted his freshman year, and entered the NFL draft as a senior.
Cooper would've played all 4 years if he didn't get sick.
Arch is only a junior this season, we'll likely see him return to the Longhorns for his senior year.

With the season finally here , here is my top 75 Big board. That said I do my preseason big board different then my final, and different then most. I evaluate more of where people are now, rather then factoring in potential, ceilings, or projections. However I am human and do catch myself giving “my guys” an extra bump without thinking. Guys I’m lower on right now include , CJ Carr, Cam Coleman, and Will Echoles (however I’m not satisfied where I landed with him so I am going back and doing a re-evaluation). Guys I’m higher on Charlie Becker, KVA, Ben Roberts and Mateer.

2027 prospect rankings
1. Jeremiah Smith
2. Dylan Stewart
3. Leonard Moore
4. Colin Simmons
5. Nico Iamavela
6. Dante Moore
7. Jaden Baugh
8. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa
9. David Stone
10. Charlie Becker
11. Jordan Seaton
12. Julian Sayin
13. Arch Manning
14. Trevor Goosby
15. Trey’Dez Green
16. Ben Roberts
17. Jamari Sharpe
18. Carter Smith
19. Arion Carter
20. John Mateer
21. Matayo Uiagaleleii
22. Cayden Green
23. Jermaine Matthews
24. DJ McKinney
25. Cade Pieper
26. Lanorris Sellers
27. Drew Mestamaker
28. Ryan Coleman-Williams
29. Princewill Umanmielen
30. Jelani McDonald
31. Clev Lubin
32. Ahmad Moten
33. Jayden Maiava
34. Brice Pollock
35. Darian Mensah
36. Earl Little Jr
37. TJ Moore
38. Quincy Rhodes
39. A’Mauri Washington
40. Kewan Lacy
41. Austin Siereveld
42. KJ Bolden
43. Xavier Chaplin
44. Zabien Brown
45. AJ Harris
46. Damon Wilson
47. Will Heldt
48. Nate Frazier
49. Ashton Hampton
50. Iapani Laloulu
51. Ellis Robinson
52. Kelly Jones
53. Ryan Wingo
54. Bryant Wesco
55. Cam Coleman
56. Tae Johnson
57. J’Koby Williams
58. Jordan Castell
59. LJ Martin
60. Mario Craver
61. Mark Fletcher
62. Cooper Barkate
63. Wyatt Young
64. Benjamin Brahmer
65. Jamari Johnson
66. Issac Brown
67. Omarion Miller
68. Duce Robinson
69. Ahmad Hardy
70. Amare Campbell
71. Nicholas Rodriguez
72. AJ Holmes
73. Will Echoles
74. Braelin Moore
75. Justin Evans

My top 10 Teams

Oregon
Ohio State
Notre Dame
Texas
Miami
Indiana
LSU
Georgia
Tennessee
Texas Tech

Updated Tuesday thread focused notes and opinions about individual prospects. Scout someone new and want to get opinions from others? Ask about it here!

All Profiles (Google Document Link) Found Here: 2027 SUMMER SCOUTING PROFILES LINK

Hey all,

First, yes, I do create content that markets towards (non-IDP) Fantasy Football. That said, during the season, all that really means is that I cover only QBs, RBs, WRs, & TEs. Are there small changes? Sure. But broad strokes are pretty similar. As long as the word "Fantasy" occasionally in writing does not turn you off completely,

Maybe it's just a small CSB (though I won't "Matthew Berry" you), but my formerly small & independent podcast Fantasy for Real has now become a slightly less small & no longer independent show. Because of that, my Summer Scouting Series, which was previously locked to my Paid Substack Subscribers, is being released both as a thank you (more for r/DynastyFF & my Free Subs) & to further promote the show and my Substack https://cjfreel.substack.com/ (what I'm more doing here).

Check out my Summer Scouting Profiles, which are simply hosted on the Google Doc below. I have also included three Sample profiles here with 1 QB, 1 RB, & 1 WR (didn't want to include a TE as I only covered 2, so that would be 50% of the profiles).

And if you're interested in my work, the Fantasy for Real podcast dives deeper into these profiles & does a Tuesday Risers, Fallers, & (Fantasy) Mock Draft alongside a preview for the next week's games all season long.

Podcast links can be found throughout the Google Document for Parts 1-5 and wherever you get your Podcasts.

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2027 SUMMER SCOUTING PROFILES LINK

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Ages are Year.Month as of Sept. 1, 2027 ; Sizes are Listed, not Verified

Arch Manning, QB, Texas 

6’ 4” 226 lbs || (23.04) 

Eligibility Remaining (including 2026): 2 Years

Pros:

• Elite Physicality for Fantasy ; projects as medium-high-to-high volume rusher w/ excellent size
• Advanced Pocket Mobility w/ Elite upside showing awareness to understand the pocket, willingness to move up in the pocket, and strength + athleticism to challenge defenders 1-on-1
• Improvement throughout the Season with promise for 2026

Cons: 

• No Significant Stretch of high-level performance & execution in career
• Inaccurate throughout 2025 with only a 61.4% Comp%, far below expectations for a top-end Draft Pick. 

GRADE: QB Tier 1 (QB1-2 || QB1) 

Caught between two extremes. There are many who see Arch Manning as the obvious 1.01 and a clear & obvious 1st Round pick, but that position does come with significant assumptions: Progression isn’t always continuous, and regression back to early 2025 is certainly possible. Similarly, many see Manning as nothing more than a name on the back of a jersey – a legacy that Arch individually has played no part in. However, while it is true that Manning would never get the level of recognition & popularity (good & bad) he does without his last name, putting everything on just the name ignores a rare combination of traits that specifically will hold value in Fantasy Football if he becomes a starter at the NFL Level. Additionally, while improvements do need to be made, his ability to move in the pocket, step-up, and select when to run create foundational building blocks that set him apart from other mobile QBs like LaNorris Sellers.

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Justice Haynes, RB, Georgia Tech via Michigan 

5’ 11” 210 lbs || (22.10) 

Eligibility Remaining (including 2026): 2 Years*

Pros:

• Highly touted prospect from HS who broke out in Year 3 with Michigan
• Big play threat who is dangerous in space or with a clear running lane
• Haynes started & finished 6 Games for the Wolverines, and in each game, Haynes had at least 100 Rushing Yards and 1 Rushing TD. Considering his former prospect status and big play upside, a full season with that kind of performance may have made Haynes extremely interesting heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Cons: 

• Struggled to find footing in first two years with Alabama
• While the consistency of Haynes’ performance this year for Michigan is impressive, not only is it ultimately a 6 or 6.5 Game sample, but back-up RB Jordan Marshall also stepped in and had 133/1, 185/3, & 142/2 in the first 3 Games Haynes missed due to injury, failing to reach 100/1 only against Ohio State – a game where he struggled to play through injury and was actually very efficient with 61 Yards on only 7 Carries. Haynes’ film and prospect status dating back to HS can certainly define who he will be at the NFL level, but when it comes to proof, Haynes proof is not only limited in the size of the sample, but it is difficult to really know how much the production at Michigan last year says about Haynes. 
• Haynes caught only 13 Passes for 50 Yards in 2025. While he does project to be a RB who catches the ball out of the backfield more, this is yet another area where Haynes lacks significant proof
• Some advanced metrics like Missed Tackles Forced fairly mediocre

GRADE: RB Tier 2 (RB4-10 || RB4) 

After a breakout half-season, Haynes is poised to be one of the top Fantasy players in the ACC. It wouldn’t not have been surprising if Justice Haynes stayed in College OR left Michigan, but doing both was a bit of a surprise. While that is a risk, it gives us a huge opportunity to see Haynes in a second environment where he should be the focal point of the Offense, hopefully getting work as a Receiver as well. 

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Omarion Miller, WR, Arizona State via Colorado  

6’ 2” 210 lbs || (23.08)*

Eligibility Remaining (including 2026): 2 Years*

Pros:

• Size and explosive ability to play outside and threaten a defense at all three levels
• Efficient in rare opportunities while battling injury in 2023-2024
• Excellent proportional production & efficiency in 2025; 45 Receptions, 808 Yards, & 8 TDs doesn’t stick out too much on paper, but Colorado had only 2,166 Passing Yards & 15 Passing TDs in those 11 Games, giving Miller a robust 37.3% Receiving Yard% & 53.3% Receiving TD%, which would make for an excellent Dominator in theory + 2.57 Y/RR on the Season with a 2.49 Career Y/RR
• Miller will have an opportunity to step into a massive vacuum left behind by #8 Overall pick Jordyn Tyson

Cons: 

• Older WR Prospect at a position where being an older prospect is probably the biggest direct issue (though the sourcing is still a bit questionable – based on social media posts surrounding Colorado, I’m very confident Miller’s birthday is late December, and I’m fairly confident he turned 21 in late 2024. If that last part is incorrect and he turned 21 this most recent December – while it sounds silly – that is a fairly significant year analytically); Miller does have significant excuses due to his early career injuries, and his production in those flashes while healthy (including a short sample 4+ Y/RR in 2024), but the Older Prospect variable may exist regardless
• Used primarily as a big play threat with a 17.9 Yards/Reception in 2025 & a Career 19.0 Yards/Reception. While in general better efficiency = better player, archetypes that lend themselves to Yards/Receptions this high often lead to disappointing Fantasy results. 

GRADE: WR Tier 3 (WR3-10 || WR10)

The “wide-awake” sleeper of the 2027 NFL Draft. Miller’s overall production has been hampered by injuries (2023-2024) & an awful Offense (2025), but any deep evaluation of the numbers (Career Y/RR, Colorado Passing/Team Stats 2025)  shows a player who by all accounts has performed well enough to be a highly-productive CFB player. Age is an objective factor and one that Miller clearly scores negatively in (presuming my listed age is correct), so he does have a bit of an uphill battle analytically at least in some ways, but there is a huge target vacancy at ASU with Jordyn Tyson graduating to the NFL. If he can make the most of that opportunity, Miller has strong enough height/weight/speed potential to get in the 1st Round conversation.

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All Profiles (Google Document Link) Found Here: 2027 SUMMER SCOUTING PROFILES LINK

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My first Tuesday Risers/Fallers & Weekly (Fantasy) Mock Draft post is also now live on my Substack. The Risers & Fallers is a good way to follow prospects all year at these four positions (including future prospects as well): https://cjfreel.substack.com/p/risersfallers-2027-mock-draft-1-week

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I'll be off-and-on throughout the day to answer any Questions or respond to Comments.

Give it a chance and check out the Fantasy for Real podcast every Tuesday when I dive into these four positions every week.

Thanks,

C.J.

Every draft class has its strengths and weaknesses at different positions. I wanted to ask y'all which position group, aside from QB, you believe is the best in this class. This class looks pretty deep at running back and defensive tackle, and has good depth and an elite top end at wide receiver.

Every 2027 big board disagrees with every other one, and comparing them by hand is miserable. So I averaged five public boards into a single consensus top 50 and re-sorted it. Avg is the mean rank across the boards carrying that player - it's not any one site's order. Movement is since August 18.

|#|Player|Pos|School|Avg|Move|

|:--|:--|:--|:--|:--|:--|

|1|Jeremiah Smith|WR|Ohio State|1.2|–|

|2|Arch Manning|QB|Texas|3.0|–|

|3|Colin Simmons|EDGE|Texas|3.8|–|

|4|Leonard Moore|CB|Notre Dame|4.0|–|

|5|Dylan Stewart|EDGE|South Carolina|5.2|–|

|6|Dante Moore|QB|Oregon|5.8|–|

|7|Cam Coleman|WR|Texas|9.2|–|

|8|Jordan Seaton|OT|LSU|11.2|–|

|9|Julian Sayin|QB|Ohio State|12.8|–|

|10|KJ Bolden|S|Georgia|13.0|–|

|11|Ellis Robinson IV|CB|Georgia|14.0|–|

|12|Trevor Goosby|OT|Texas|15.4|–|

|13|David Stone|DT|Oklahoma|17.6|–|

|14|Ahmad Moten|DL|Miami (FL)|17.8|–|

|15|A'Mauri Washington|DT|Oregon|18.2|–|

|16|Carter Smith|OT|Indiana|19.0|–|

|17|Zabien Brown|CB|Alabama|22.0|▲2|

|18|Tae Johnson|S|Notre Dame|22.2|▲2|

|19|Jamari Johnson|TE|Oregon|22.6|▲2|

|20|Jadan Baugh|RB|Florida|26.8|▲2|

|21|Kewan Lacy|RB|Ole Miss|27.5|▲2|

|22|CJ Carr|QB|Notre Dame|27.8|▲2|

|23|Kelley Jones|CB|Mississippi State|28.0|▲3|

|24|Omarion Miller|WR|Arizona State|28.3|▲4|

|25|Justin Scott|DL|Miami (FL)|29.0|▼8|

|26|Darian Mensah|QB|Miami|29.2|▲3|

|27|Charlie Becker|WR|Indiana|29.2|▲3|

|28|Will Echoles|DT|Ole Miss|29.4|▲8|

|29|Drew Mestemaker|QB|Oklahoma State|29.7|▲2|

|30|Matayo Uiagalelei|EDGE|Oregon|30.0|▲2|

|31|Austin Siereveld|OT|Ohio State|34.2|▲6|

|32|Trevor Lauck|OT|Iowa|35.8|▲3|

|33|A.J. Holmes|DT|Texas Tech|36.0|–|

|34|Quincy Rhodes Jr.|EDGE|Arkansas|37.3|**new**|

|35|Mario Craver|WR|Texas A&M|37.7|▲3|

|36|Ryan Coleman-Williams|WR|Alabama|38.5|**new**|

|37|Terrance Carter|TE|Texas Tech|38.7|**new**|

|38|Ahmad Hardy|RB|Missouri|39.8|▼20|

|39|Chris Peal|CB|Syracuse|40.7|**new**|

|40|Nick Marsh|WR|Indiana|40.7|**new**|

|41|Clev Lubin|EDGE|Louisville|41.0|**new**|

|42|Koi Perich|S|Oregon|41.2|▼3|

|43|Trinidad Chambliss|QB|Ole Miss|41.6|▼18|

|44|Trey'Dez Green|TE|LSU|42.0|▼10|

|45|Ryan Wingo|WR|Texas|44.7|**new**|

|46|Cayden Green|OT|Missouri|45.0|**new**|

|47|Kenyatta Jackson Jr.|EDGE|Ohio State|46.7|**new**|

|48|Rasheem Biles|LB|Texas|47.0|▼21|

|49|Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa|LB|Notre Dame|47.0|▼8|

|50|O.J. Frederique Jr.|CB|Miami|47.3|**new**|

The split between the top and the back half is the interesting part. Nothing in the top 16 has moved a single spot. From 17 down it's chaos - ten players are new to the 50, and every one landed at 34 or lower.

Sources: DraftTek, PFSN, Scouting Grade, Sporting News, and Bucs Wire - all credited and linked at https://getmockpro.com/big-board, along with the methodology. Fair warning on the inputs: only 3 of the 5 were captured in the last week. Sporting News and Bucs Wire are fixed articles that haven't been updated, so they drag on the averages.

(So it's not a surprise if you click: the site is mine and there's an app on it. Not pitching it here, the board is a plain web page and that's the whole post.)

Where do you think the consensus is most wrong?

Edit: refreshed the movement column - the board picked up a newer comparison baseline (Aug 18 instead of Aug 11) shortly after I posted, so the arrows here now match the page. Ranks are unchanged. Also added the Avg column.

Unless you either do a lengthy 5+ round mock or go into written detail on why you are making the picks, please post your mocks in this Mock Draft Monday thread. Use this thread to post your own mocks or anything from around the web you find discussion-worthy.

Please be respectful of other users’ mocks! Saying things like “this is awful” or a pick is “stupid” adds nothing to the conversation; try and focus on constructive feedback instead!

Quick little rant sesh here:

Anthoine Knapp at 124 is crazy and I accidentally forgot to flip the Cardinals and Dolphins pick when customizing the order(Cardinals should be at 2, Dolphins should be at 3). Secondly, I think PFSN hates Darian Mensah as he got moved down from 74 to NINETY on their big board! Thirdly I didn't know what to really do for the Browns at 32 so feel free to bash me on that. Also this is with no trades(my next one will be with trades)

I know it’s just Week 0, but I was looking forward to talking about the early performances from today. Especially, Jaden Craig and C.J. Bailey. Both guys really struggled in big tests for them. Think it’s more an issue for Craig as a fifth year than Bailey, who is a true junior, but definitely shifts the conversation on both guys. Any other notable performances from today?

Talk about anything you please; draft-related or otherwise!

First off, this is a custom draft order. And yes I'm predicting a SB 56 rematch with Burrow and the Bengals winning. I think Sex will be life changing for the D, while Bryan Cook signing is seriouslyunderrated.

Other possibly surprising team spots to me are the Cowboys (love the new defense and pieces including Downs, the Oline, Dakota and Schotty year 2), Saints (I'm firmly on the bandwagon but also dont trust Bryce Young or Todd Bowles), 9ers and Chiefs ( attrition and poor drafting eventually comes due).

Second, I think several top rated QB prospects e.g. Carr, Sayin and Mestemaker should stay in school so I haven't included them.

I've been looking at some of the tight ends in this class, and Luke Reynolds might be the most interesting. He was the top-ranked tight end in his class a couple of years ago, but hasn't been super productive in his first two seasons. His speed and YAC ability are great, and he has real upside. The draft boards seem all over the place with him, so I wanted to ask what y'all think about him as a prospect?

And why is it John Mateer?

TD/Ints was 14 to 11. Completion % was 62%. He’s an older player, he got a redshirt season and that was his 3rd year starting, and he doesn’t have the requisite size. OU fans were affectionately calling their team red Iowa.

His Sophomore year was statistically strong, but undersized G5 QBs with good stats have a dime a dozen for 20 years.

He’s getting a lot of grace for an injury that’s disguising poor decision making which is largely based on that he doesn’t have the level of playmaking required for his backyard approach at the P4 level and the team was clearly at his best when he scaled back and just acted as a game manager.

Positional Strength Rating:

1. WR - 9.0/10 Great
2. DT - 8.5/10 Very Good
3. QB - 8.0/10 Good
4. OL - 8.0/10 Good
5. S - 8.0/10 Good
6. RB - 7.5/10 Above Average
7. TE - 7.5/10 Above Average
8. ED - 7.0/10 Average
9. CB - 7.0/10 Average
10. LB - 6.0/10 Below Average

Top 10 Undervalued: (not in order)

1. QB Darian Mensah, Miami
2. WR Ryan Wingo, Texas
3. S Adon Shuler, Notre Dame
4. RB Jordan Marshall, Michigan
5. ED J'Mond Tapp, Memphis
6. S Dashawn Spears, LSU
7. WR Braylon Staley, Tennessee
8. CB Kayin Lee, Tennessee
9. DT John Walker, Ohio State
10. WR Wyatt Young, Oklahoma State

Top 10 Overvalued: (not in order)

1. CB Ellis Robinson IV, Georgia
2. QB CJ Carr, Notre Dame
3. LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Notre Dame
4. S Ty Benefield, LSU
5. TE Trey’Dez Green, LSU
6. QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
7. OL Cayden Green, Missouri
8. OL Evan Tengesdahl, Cincinnati
9. QB Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
10. OL Austin Siereveld, Ohio State

Round 1 Mock Draft:

1. Miami: Arch Manning - QB - Texas
2. Cleveland: Dante Moore - QB - Oregon
3. Arizona: Leonard Moore - CB - Notre Dame
4. NY Jets: Darian Mensah - QB - Miami
5. Tennessee: Jordan Seaton - OT - LSU
6. Las Vegas: Jeremiah Smith - WR - Ohio State
7. Atlanta: Dylan Stewart - ED - South Carolina
8. Washington: Cam Coleman - WR - Texas
9. Pittsburgh: Colin Simmons - ED - Texas
10. New Orleans: Yhonzae Pierre - ED - Alabama
11. Carolina: David Stone - 3T - Oklahoma
12. NY Giants: Will Echoles - 1T - Ole Miss
13. Jacksonville: Trevor Goosby - OT - Texas
14. Minnesota: CJ Carr - QB - Notre Dame
15. NY Jets: Tae Johnson - FS - Notre Dame
16. Dallas: Andrew Sprague - OT - Michigan
17. Cincinnati: Kade Pieper - IOL - Iowa
18. Tampa Bay: Ryan Wingo - WR - Texas
19. NY Jets: Ashton Hampton - CB - Clemson
20. Chicago: Ellis Robinson IV - CB - Georgia
21. Denver: Trey'Dez Green - TE - LSU
22. New England: Charlie Becker - WR - Indiana
23. LA Chargers: Brice Pollock - CB - Texas Tech
24. San Francisco: T.J. Moore - WR - Clemson
25. Houston: Mario Craver - SLWR - Texas A&M
26. Detroit: Zabien Brown - CB - Alabama
27. Kansas City: Adon Shuler - SS - Notre Dame
28. Seattle: Kelley Jones - CB - Mississippi State
29. Philadelphia: Damon Wilson II - ED - Miami
30. Baltimore: Jamari Johnson - TE - Oregon
31. Buffalo: Sammy Brown - MLB - Clemson
32. Cleveland: Trevor Lauck - OT - Iowa

Top 10 S Rankings:

1. Adon Shuler, Notre Dame
2. Tae Johnson, Notre Dame
3. KJ Bolden, Georgia
4. Dashawn Spears, LSU
5. Jelani McDonald, Texas
6. Jaylen McClain, Ohio State
7. Bray Hubbard, Alabama
8. Zach Lutmer, Iowa
9. Ty Bryant, Kentucky
10. Ty Benefield, LSU

Positional Strength:

8.0/10 Good class. I wouldn’t be shocked if 5 safeties were taken in the first 2 days of next draft, and there’s high end talent at the top. It’s a high potential position group and even if only one safety goes in round 1, I could see 3-4 going in round 2. I think both Notre Dame safeties could be taken in the first round. The back end of this list is impressive to me as well. I have the Notre Dame safeties as #1 and #2 in this class, but Shuler is the more intriguing prospect to me. I think both are good athletes, but in different ways. Tae is a tall, lanky athlete with good long speed. Adon is twitchier and he plays fast and with more violence. I appreciate how Notre Dame used both players all around the defense: Deep, box, and in the nickel playing man. Shuler allowed less yards per zone cover snap than Johnson and he also allowed a much lower catch rate in zone: 62% for Shuler vs 75% for Johnson. Shuler also had an elite forced incompletion rate in zone of 23%, compared to 13% for Johnson. Tae Johnson recorded 4 INT compared to 2 for Adon Shuler. I think both are great prospects and I’m excited to see them play. For next season, I’m looking for Shuler to reduce his missed tackle rate. Keep playing like a football missile, but don’t get sloppy. For Tae Johnson, he needs to reduce his allowed zone completion %, while still being a ball hawk out of the deep safety spot.

KJ Bolden is undersized at 6’0” 195 lbs. and thought he played soft last season in run defense. That’s the risk with Bolden; he hesitates before making contact for tackles. The conference championship game vs Alabama displayed his flaws as a tackler, many times. However, Bolden is a very smooth and athletic cover safety. Georgia used Bolden all over the field and in various roles, but I thought his best work was done as a deep safety and he may be the best safety in the class in that role.

Dashawn Spears has premier size at 6’3” 208 lbs. and he was just 19 last season. He wasn’t a full-time starter, but played starter snaps in his final game of the season vs Houston and he was impressed. Spears only played 78 snaps of zone coverage last season (about 1/3^rd of a starter), yet he had 2 interceptions and 2 pass breakups. That suggests he has some above average ball skills. In low volume, Spears had just a 4% missed tackle rate, but that’s still an impressive spot to be in. This is a projection-based ranking, but I think this is a fair spot based on his good performance in a part time role, and at just 19 years. He will improve with additional experience, but I gave him the nod over Jelani McDonald because while both looks like good run defenders, I think Spears is the better athlete and could have a higher ceiling in coverage. In the Houston game, there were times when he was a second late, but he just doesn’t have many snaps under his belt, so I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

Jelani McDonald played mostly free safety at Texas last season, but I think he projects best to a box safety role in the NFL. I thought he showed sub-par slow click and close speed; the twitch wasn’t good. It’s not so much his ability to come downhill in the run game, but when he’s drifting another direction in coverage or backpedaling, the transition to react and attack looked average at best. McDonald is an excellent, form tackler and very active as a run defender. Last season he recorded 87 tackles with just a 5% missed tackle rate. Tackling in space is a critical skill for safeties, and I think McDonald may be the best tackler in the class.

Jaylen McClain is another high-end safety prospect from Ohio State. During the last draft cycle, people recognized how talented Caleb Downs was, but many questioned why he didn’t play many reps at deep safety. McClain was quietly an excellent zone cover safety last season. Within the group of safeties I reviewed, McClain allowed the lowest yards per zone coverage snap. McClain is also an above average tackler, especially if he’s a coverage specialist. The main area for McClain to show improvement is with instincts and playmaking. Although McClain was excellent in overage last season, he didn’t come away with any interceptions and only 2 pass break ups.

Bray Hubbard is a playmaker. He has some physical limitations that will likely take him out of the deep field at the next level. He’s a great football player though, and whether he’s playing close to the line or 2 high, he can be an effective player. He reminds me of Jacob Rodriguez in last year’s draft. There were questions about Rodriguez’s athleticism as well, but he’s a certified playmaker and was a 2^nd round pick. We are now 7 safeties deep and I think all these players have an opportunity to before the end of round 3.

 Zach Lutmer has a Swiss army knife skillset for a defensive back and I think he projects well as a nickel corner/safety. Lutmer is an instinctive player who often makes plays in the backfield. While Lutmer is active in the run game, he has a 17% career missed tackle rate. I think his level of athleticism projects better at safety than corner, and that limits his potential playing man coverage on deep routes.

Ty Bryant was an impactful player for Kentucky against SEC competition. He played about half his safety snaps in the box and the other half as free safety. He has a smaller build at 6’0” 196 lbs. but doesn’t have above average athleticism. He was a playmaker with 4 INTs last season, some were handed right to him, but he still finished the plays. He was impressive as a tackler with 85 last season and an average 11% missed tackle rate for a safety. Bryant lacks many high end traits, but he’s a versatile, instinctual football players with a quality floor.

Hot Takes:

Ty Benefield was my 10^th ranked safety; Dane Brugler listed him at #36 on his initial summer scouting big board, but I see him as a day 3 prospect. He transferred from Boise State to LSU this offseason. He has elite size at 6’3” 216 and might be the hardest hitter in the draft. Last season he recorded 103 tackles and 6 for loss, but he has an 18% missed tackle rate in his career because he consistently tries to hit stick ball carriers than wrap up tackling. Benefield was poor in coverage last season, allowed a 66% catch rate, 4 touchdowns, and a 101 passer rating when targeted. Until Benefield can improve his coverage skills, he projects as a box safety with a habit of missing tackles, and potentially only as a rotational player.

Questions:

1. Could both Notre Dame safeties be drafted in round 1 like Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price?
2. Can KJ Bolden improve as a run defender and play with more physicality to get after ball carriers?
3. How will Bray Hubbard test at the combine?

Breakout Candidates:

1. Dashawn Spears, LSU
2. Jelani McDonald, Texas
3. Jaylen McClain, Ohio State

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/49582973/2026-college-football-player-rank-top-100-jeremiah-smith-leonard-moore

I dove into the tape on Notre Dame safety Tae Johnson, and I absolutely loved his versatile skill set. Ball hawk with downhill explosiveness and the play strength to be a legit thumper/alley defender. https://youtu.be/Kc8oE6jWji8

Do you think he's a top-20 prospect? I have him ranked there pretty comfortably.

(Side note: Shuler, the other safety, also looks like a legit dude)

Hi guys - I wanted to dive a bit into a player that I don't think is getting the respect he warrants. He's probably more of a 2028 Draft prospect, but I love his skillset. I am going to post the whole article here, but please feel free to click the link and support as it's free to read and to subscribe. Have you guys watched him play yet? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts on his game.

https://theday2guys.substack.com/p/the-day-2-guys-isiah-canion?r=2mc4kp&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

Isiah Canion - WR - Univ. of Georgia

• 6’4 / 205 lbs.
• A do-it-all player for Warner Robins High School in Georgia, Canion played QB, RB, and WR on offense.
• Committed to Georgia Tech as a 4-star WR prospect (#33 WR nationally according to 247 consensus rankings). Held offers from Univ. of Notre Dame and Auburn Univ.
• Did not play WR full-time until his senior season at Warner Robins (90 Receptions / 1,450 Yards / 16 TDs his senior season)
• Three years of varsity baseball as well as football at Warner Robins
• Transferred after his sophomore season to Univ. of Georgia after a solid sophomore season at Georgia Tech

Isiah Canion is a somewhat later-blooming (in HS) wide receiver prospect who is not receiving the buzz worthy of his ability. His transfer to Georgia was an afterthought nationally as Georgia isn’t known as a passing school. Canion, however, has a chance to be a highly drafted player if he continues the trajection he is on. Here are his stats the first two years at Georgia Tech:

https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/fzb5M/1/

None of the statistics above are mind-altering, but that’s why it is important to review the tape since Canion is blessed with NFL WR size already.

Tape Review from 2025 - Georgia Tech University vs. Univ. of Georgia: I thought it would be fun to see what Georgia saw in Canion by watching him play against his future team. Georgia obviously liked what they saw, and I might have liked what I saw even more. Canion has 4 receptions for 54 yards in this game, but he had a bigger all-around impact than the stat sheet would suggest.

Right off the bat, you see Canion as the imposing X-receiver for Georgia Tech. He looks like his listed height and weight, and as the game goes on, you see the athleticism that he has. He has the hip flexibility needed for his size, and his acceleration looks fantastic. Georgia Tech runs a lot of gadget-y run concepts where Canion’s job is to clear the defender from the area by running a fake route down the field. He’s asked to do this constantly, but when he’s asked to block, he is really, really effective. He has a fantastic perimeter block on a linebacker on a run to the right side where he completely devours the linebacker. If you know anything about Georgia linebackers, that is not easy to do.

Canion is primarily used out wide in this game (and for the season), but he also dabbles in the slot and is able to make plays at both spots. He lines up on the right and left side and can do a bit of everything you need from him.

Canion made one of the smartest plays you’ll see against a future 1st-round pick in cornerback Ellis Robinson IV at the end of the game. Down 7 points in their own territory with 7 seconds left, Haynes King (GT quarterback) throws a back shoulder ball up the left sideline to Canion and Canion handfights Robinson and sort of pushes him out of the way subtly. Canion comes down with the ball and flings his body in the opposite direction to get the ball out of bounds with 1 second left. It is such a difficult play to make, and he makes it look easy. Georgia Tech was in position to throw a shorter hail mary on the last play, and while it landed incomplete, they at least had a chance thanks to Canion’s heroic effort the play before.

The fit at Georgia: This is going to be a massively important year for Canion due to the fact that he is a relative unknown in the scouting and football world. He was a good, but not great statistical player his true sophomore season playing for a run-first team. Canion could have transferred practically anywhere he wanted in the country (Ohio State Univ. and Notre Dame were reported to be after him), but decided to go to what I presume is his dream school in the Univ. of Georgia. The problem is that Georgia is also a run-first football program and while Canion is projected to start the season as the X-receiver there, how many balls will come his way? The Georgia quarterback is Gunner Stockton who is a run-first quarterback with massive accuracy issues especially down the field. Stockton averaged 27.5 throws per game last season which was 3 fewer throws than the average college football offense. This to me is very concerning, and it worries me greatly that if Canion doesn’t get littered with targets, his future draft capital will be affected. Statistics are a large part of getting recognized nationally, and if he doesn’t have those, he won’t be drafted where his talent is deserving.

Despite all this, Canion is a perfect fit for what Georgia, the football team, likes to do. They like physical wide receivers in the run game who can win one-on-one situations. Canion is exactly that.

Overall NFL Draft Upside: Youth and small sample be damned, Canion to me has what it takes to be an NFL difference-maker. He has the size, the physicality, the sure hands (4% drop rate in 2025), and the blocking to be an every down X-receiver who can get moved to the slot if needed. I believe he is a late first-round talent, and is very similar to Jayden Higgins who was drafted as a fringe-first rounder (drafted early 2nd round) in 2025. Higgins only did explosive and linear testing, but ran a 4.47 and was a 99th percentile athlete in the drills he did participate in. I expect Canion to be a 90th percentile athlete at the worst, and his frame is basically the same as Higgins’s frame. Keep an eye out for a potential breakout this year as long as Stockton rightfully targets him in the passing game.

Have a bold prediction that you want to state proudly but will most likely look very stupid in short time? Have at it! Maybe you’ll nail it and look like a genius in the future

Please don’t downvote a user for a stupid bold prediction; it’s all just for fun!

Penn State has a good track record recently with NFL tight ends, Tyler Warren, Pat Freiermuth, Brenton Strange, etc. The Nittany Lions have two prospects at the position for 2027: Benjamin Brahmer and Andrew Rappleyea. I wanted to ask what y'all think about them as prospects and if you prefer one over the other. Both seem to be projected as mid-round selections.

Updated Tuesday thread focused notes and opinions about individual prospects. Scout someone new and want to get opinions from others? Ask about it here!