NFL
By: Brock Vierra
With the NFL Draft rapidly approaching, front offices and draft fanatics like me continue our year-long (if not longer) research of the top prospects. With mock drafts flying around social media and opinions continuing to be formed on players, I sat down with NFL Draft Expert Peter Andrisani aka “TheMockDraftGuy” as he’s known on Twitter. He researches the team’s draft tendencies, their needs, and the prospects in which said team is most likely to pick. We discussed top prospects, team fits and more.
Let’s talk NFL Draft
Vierra: Hello Peter, thank you for joining me. I’d like to start with some quarterbacks. Tell me your thoughts on Bo Nix?
Andrisani: Ah yes, one of, if not the most, polarizing players in the entire draft class. I’ll be the first one to say, I lean a little bit towards being a Bo Nix believer. It all depends on the scheme he falls into. The perfect scenario for me, for Nix, would be landing in Denver. Nix embodies a lot of “late Career” Drew Brees’ traits. He’s capable of making every throw you ask him to make, he’s accurate in the short to intermediate, and his athletic ability is there. Payton prioritizes the quick-hitter intermediate routes that Nix is familiar with in his time at Oregon.
Vierra: Is Michael Penix Jr a player teams should be highly invested in?
Andrisani: I’m a big believer in Penix, and have been for a while. But I don’t think first-round capital is warranted. Penix is a phenomenal player in the right setting, that setting being a great O-line, weapons, and more of a West Coast offense. An early Day 2 pick would be fine value, I look for a team like Atlanta to be quite interested.
Vierra: What are your thoughts on J.J. McCarthy garnering first-round momentum?
Andrisani: In a similar situation to MPJ, McCarthy needs to fall into a perfect situation. He’s got so much talent, but he’s so green. Michigan didn’t ask him to do a lot, but what they asked him to do, he did it well, with a massive amount of room to grow. J.J. has displayed why he should be a Top-15 pick, he’s got elastic, whip-like arm strength, accuracy to all levels, and makes some beautiful anticipatory layered throws. I look for Minnesota, Seattle, and Las Vegas to be prime spots for McCarthy, where he’s not pressured to start right away.
Vierra: Break down your likes and dislikes about Troy Franklin’s game.
Andrisani: Everyone wants to talk about MHJ, Rome Odunze, and Malik Nabers. I want to talk about Troy Franklin. He’s my favorite receiver in the entire draft class. It’s not often you can find a deep ball threat that’s such a nuanced route runner in the short and intermediate as well. He might just be the fastest receiver in the class, but his separation skills and ball-tracking skills are incredible. Franklin reminds me of a skinnier, faster version of CeeDee Lamb. On the contrary, his functional play strength is a little low, and he’s not the greatest in contested catch situations. But there’s a lot to like, and I’ve fully bought in on Troy Franklin.
Vierra: Is Cooper Dejean for real or just a fever dream as a true corner?
Andrisani: DeJean is a phenomenal prospect, a Swiss Army knife if you will. He certainly has the frame, speed, and mirror ability to play corner, just in the slot, in my opinion. I don’t think he has quite enough fluidity in his movements to play on the boundary in the NFL. But he’s absolutely the real deal as a prospect. A hybrid DB that we are seeing more and more of in Today’s NFL. DeJean is going to be a problem for opposing offenses. He reminds me of Chuck Clark, a player that you can legitimately line up anywhere on the field.
Vierra: Can Xavier Worthy’s game translate to the NFL?
Andrisani: Xavier Worthy is an intriguing player. I like him in a quick passing offense. Anyone with that type of speed and quick twitchiness will translate to the NFL, if he can win on his own, he will get schemed open by an offensive coordinator. His play strength and frame really scare me though, I’m not confident in his ability to go over the middle and take hits. But hey, we had the same thoughts about Devonta Smith, and that’s turned out pretty well so far, hasn’t it?
Vierra: What do you think about Dylan Laube?
Andrisani: Laube is someone that I didn’t have legitimate interest in until the senior bowl. But we might just be looking at the next Danny Woodhead. Can he run the ball? He sure can. But you can’t teach those hands and route running ability to running backs. He’s a phenomenal receiver, and I think he’s firmly cemented himself as an early day 3 prospect who will have a significant role in any offense.
Vierra: Break down Caleb Williams and will he be a savior or a bust?
Andrisani: Caleb Williams is going to be great. I’m going to say he will easily be a Top 5 Quarterback in the NFL during his playing career. But we need to stop putting “franchise savior” & “the next Mahomes” narratives out there. We need to let the kid be himself and carve out his own legacy. We are seeing it with Trevor Lawrence right now. With all the pre-draft hype, and all the “nexts” he came with, he hasn’t lived up to those expectations, but in reality, he’s still been pretty damn good. So I think we need to let Caleb be himself, play his game, and show us why he should be the first QB taken in the draft.
Vierra: Let’s talk Tyler Nubin. I’ve said I think he’s the next Earl Thomas. Am I on the money or out of line?
Andrisani: Earl Thomas was a breed of his own. For someone who was 5’10” and 200 pounds, he was a fearless freight train as a Hitter. I don’t think Nubin’s game translates to what Earl Thomas was able to accomplish. Nubin is a bigger, physically imposing instinctual, ball-hawking safety. I have High Hopes for Nubin as a do-it-all type of player in the defensive backfield.
Vierra: A player that’s striking my interest is Ennis Rakestraw Jr. What are your thoughts on the DB from Missouri?
Andrisani: Rakestraw is a super physical press-man corner, despite his wiry frame. He’s a super tenacious player that plays with the utmost confidence from snap to snap. He’s a player I would love to have as a CB2 on the other side of an off-man, or zone corner. Kind of like what Rakestraw and Kris Abrams-Draine were at Mizzou.
I’d like to thank Peter for his insight and time. Follow Peter on Twitter @Themockdraftguy.
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