NFL
By: Bill Carroll
This draft board represents my 31st year of putting together a list of player rankings. Back in those days I was watching and trading VHS cassettes with my fellow draftniks. There were no draft websites and Mel Kiper Jr. had not yet turned 23 years of age.
Draft Board: A Boy Never Forgets His First
I only rated 100 players on my draft board that year. I had so much less access to information and the draft community was so much smaller and so much less diverse. At this point there were few if any women involved, people of color were fairly rare and, as I mentioned, Mel Kiper Jr. was just getting his start. Chicagoland had Hub Arkush there was Howard Balzer and Jerry Jones, of the Drugstore List, Not the Cowboys, Palmer Hughes, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, the Marasco brothers and but my particular inspiration was the late, great Joel Buchsbaum.
Draft Board Glow Up: The Draft Grows
Everything changed once ESPN started the broadcasting of the NFL Draft in 1980. Legendarily the late, Alvin Ray “Pete” Rozelle, was cautious and confused by the, then fledgling network’s desire to broadcast the proceedings. From Craig Ellenport Sports Illustrated’s senior fantasy editor:
Rozelle wasn’t the only skeptic. “There’s nobody there,” Bill Fitts, a producer at the time, told his boss. “It’s just a bunch of people on the phone. And they’re not even ‘name’ people—they’re nobody. It’s just a room with some people on the phone.”
But Chet Simmons, then the president of the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, envisioned the New York City ballroom where league officials presided and team officials sat at their respective tables. He saw the potential for something more, or, at least a reason to give the idea a try.
“It’s the NFL,” he told Fitts.
NFL franchises now use a variety of methods to evaluate players and arrange their draft boards. These methods can differ significantly from team to team, reflecting variations in team philosophy, the influence of the front office, and the technological and analytical capabilities of the organization. Here are some key components of the player evaluation and draft preparation process across the league:
Draft Board Basics: How The Board Is Built
- Scouting Reports: Traditional scouting remains the foundation of player evaluation. Scouts attend college games, practices, and pro days to evaluate players firsthand. They assess a range of attributes such as physical skills, technique, intelligence, and character. Each team’s scouts may emphasize different traits depending on the team’s specific needs and system. College Scouting is the backbone of player evaluation. Scouts attend games, practices, and study game evaluating every aspect of players’ physical abilities, skills, and on-field performance.
- Analytics: With each passing draft, more and more NFL teams are incorporating analytics into their evaluation process. This involves statistical analysis to predict player success based on various metrics such as college production, athletic testing scores, and player size. Teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns have been known for their heavy reliance on analytics in their decision-making processes.
- Medical Evaluation: Teams conduct thorough medical evaluations, which can significantly impact a player’s draft stock. This usually occurs during the NFL Combine, where players undergo extensive medical checks. Teams have medical staff review the findings to identify any concerns that could affect a player’s longevity or performance.
- Interviews and Psychological Testing: Teams also assess a player’s mental makeup through interviews and psychological tests. This helps teams understand a player’s personality, intelligence, and how they might fit within the team culture. The Wonderlic test has been a famous, albeit controversial, component of this evaluation. More recently the S2 Test. Has been celebrated for helping to predict Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Brock Purdy‘s emergence but denigrated for missing on Coleridge Bernard “C. J.” Stroud IV.
- Film Study: Watching game tape is critical. Coaches and general managers spend countless hours reviewing game footage to evaluate how players perform in game situations. This involves not just looking at highlight reels but also analyzing how players perform across entire games, particularly against top competition.
- Positional Value and Team Needs: Teams often arrange their draft boards by balancing the best player available approach with their specific positional needs. For example, quarterbacks, left tackles, and edge rushers are typically valued higher due to their impact on the game.
- Mock Drafts and War Games: Teams conduct internal mock drafts and scenario planning exercises. These help them anticipate different scenarios on draft day, including potential trades or surprising picks by other teams.
- All Star Games, Private Workouts and Visits: Prior to the draft, events like the Senior Bowl give scouts a chance to see players compete against top-level talent. Later can invite players to their facilities or conduct private workouts. This helps teams get a closer look at a player and provides an additional opportunity to evaluate fit within the team’s system.
- Consensus Building: The final draft board is typically the result of extensive discussions among scouts, coaches, and the front office. Each team has its own process for how these discussions are structured and how final decisions are made. Some teams might have a more top-down approach dictated by the general manager, while others may have a more collaborative approach.
- Technology and Data Platforms: Teams use various technology tools and platforms for data management and simulation. These systems help integrate and analyze data from scouts, combine metrics, pro day results, and historical performance data to support decision-making.
Each NFL team tends to weigh each factor differently, many teams have specific age, height weight and speed guidelines at certain positions. That as well as other metric and testing methods in use can lead to significant variations in how teams rank and select players. Teams continually refine their processes, seeking any edge they can find in the highly competitive environment of the NFL Draft.
Draft Board: My 2024 Top 300 Plus 1
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WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State 6’3” 202
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QB Caleb Williams, USC, 6’1” 218
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QB Drake Maye, North Carolina, 6’3 1/2” 221
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WR Malik Nabers, LSU, 6’0” 201
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WR Rome Odunze, Washington 6’3 201
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TE Brock Bowers, Georgia 6’3 1/2” 238
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OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame, 6’6 5/8” 314
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DT Byron Murphy II, Texas 6’0 3/4” 308
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DT Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois, 6’0 3/4” 297
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OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State, 6’5 1/4” 323
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QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan,
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CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama
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CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
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OLB Dallas Turner, Alabama
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DE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
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OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
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OT JC Latham, Alabama
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CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson
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OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
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OG/C Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
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OG Troy Fautanu, Washington
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DE Jared Verse, Florida State
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QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
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WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
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DE Chop Robinson, Penn State
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DE/OLB Bralen Trice, Washington
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WR Brian Thomas Jr. LSU
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OT Amarius Mims, Georgia
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OT Jordan Morgan, Arizona
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CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
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WR Xavier Worthy, Texas
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CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
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QB Michael Penix Jr. Washington
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OG/C Graham Barton, Duke
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WR Troy Franklin, Oregon
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DE Darius Robinson, Missouri
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DT D’Vondre Sweat, Texas
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WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
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TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas
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CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri
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DT Leonard Taylor III, Miami (FL)
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CB Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
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DT Kris Jenkins, Michigan
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S Tyler Nubin, Minnesota
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LB Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M
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S Kamren Kinchens Miami
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DE/OLB Chris Braswell, Alabama
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OT Patrick Paul, Houston
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OG Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
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WR Ja’Lynn Polk, Washington
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S Calen Bullock, USC
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DE Adissa Issac, Penn State
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Kingsley Suamataia, BYU
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RB Trey Benson, Florida State
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S Javon Bullard, Georgia
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RB Jonathon Brooks, Texas
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CB Max Melton, Rutgers
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LB Jeremiah Trotter, Clemson
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CB Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri
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WR Roman Wilson, Michigan
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DT Michael Hall Jr., Ohio State
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WR Xavier Legette South Carolina
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CB T.J. Tampa,Iowa State
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RB Bucky Irving, Oregon
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CB Kalen King, Penn State
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LB Payton Wilson, NC State
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OG Christian Haynes, Connecticut
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OT Christian Jones, Texas
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DE/OLB Austin Booker, Kansas
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WR Jalen McMillen, Washington
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TE Cade Stover, Ohio State
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DT/DE Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
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RB Blake Corum, Michigan
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WR Ladd McConkey
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C Zach Frazier, West Virginia
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WR Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky
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OT Kiran Amegadjie, Yale
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WR Ricky Pearsall, Florida
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DT Braden Fiske, Florida State
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LB Cedric Gray, North Carolina
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C Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
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DE/OLB Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State
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S Jaden Hicks, Washington State
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DT Ruke Ohohoro, Clemson
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OG Christian Mahogany, Boston College
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CB DJ James, Auburn
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DT Maason Smith, LSU
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CB Andru Phillips, Kentucky
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DE Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan
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WR Devontez Walker, North Carolina
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S Cole Bishop, Utah
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QB Bo Nix, Oregon
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S Beau Brade, Maryland
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RB Audric Estime, Notre Dame
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CB Jarrian Jones, Florida State
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OT Matt Goncalves, Pittsburgh
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DE/OLB Gabriel Murphy, UCLA
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WR Jermaine Burton, Alabama
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CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Louisville
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CB Will Shipley, Clemson
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CB Cam Hart, Notre Dame
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CB Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn
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CB Mike Sainristil, Michigan
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WR Javon Baker UCF
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LB Tyrice Knight, UTEP
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C Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
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LB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
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TE Jaheim Bell, Florida State
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DE/OLB Javon Solomon
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WR Brenden Rice, USC
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G Zak Zinter, Michigan
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S Tykee Smith, Georgia
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DE/OLB Jonah Ellis, Utah
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OT Blake Fisher, Notre Dame
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RB Will Shipley, Clemson
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TE Cade Stover, Ohio State
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OT Delmar Glaze, Maryland
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LB Junior Colson, Michigan
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CB Josh Newton TCU
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TE Ben Sinnott, Kansas State
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G Beaux Limmer, Arkansas
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WR Jacob Cowing, Arizona
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DE Gabriel Murphy, UCLA
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QB Spencer Rattler, S. Carolina
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CB Khyree Jackson Oregon
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WR Malik Washington, Virginia
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WR Johnny Wilson, Florida State
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RB Marshawn Lloyd, USC
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DT Tyler Davis, Clemson
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DE/DT Gabe Hall, Baylor
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C Michael Jurgens, Wake Forest
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S/RB Sione Vaki Utah
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DT Mekhi Wingo, LSU
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WR Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
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DE Cedric Johnson, Ole Miss
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OG/OT Sataoa Laumea, Utah
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OT Javon Foster, Missouri
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OT Roger Rosengarten, Washington
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OG Tanor Bortoloni, Wisconsin
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LB Trevin Wallace, Kentucky
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RB Jaylen Wright, Tennesee
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S Kitan Oladapo, Oregon State
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QB Jordan Travis, Florida State
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CB Beanie Bishop, W. Virginia
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DE/OLB Adisa Isaac, Penn State
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CB Renardo Green, Florida State
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CB Jaylin Simpson, Auburn
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QB Michael Pratt, Tulane
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WR Ryan Flournoy, SE Missouri
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S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Texas Tech
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TE Theo Johnson, Penn State
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RB Isaac Guerendo, Louisville
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CB Elijah Jones, Boston College
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TE Jared Wiley, TCU
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LB Curtis Jacobs, Penn State
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RB Will Shipley, Clemson
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DT Dewayne Carter Duke
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DE Brennan Jackson, Washington State
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OG Mason McCormick. SDSU
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SS Dominique Hampton, Washington
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WR Anthony Gould Oregon State
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DE Myles Cole, Texas Tech
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CB MJ Devonshire, Pittsburgh
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CB Caelen Carson, Wake Forest
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C Andrew Raym, Oklahoma
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G Javion Cohen, Miami
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DT Fabien Lovett Sr., Florida State
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C Hunter Nourzad, Penn State
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LB Jaylan Ford, Texas
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DE/OLB Xavier Thomas, Clemson
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OG Trente Jones Michigan
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DT Marcus Harris, Auburn
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OG Frank Crum, Wyoming
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S/LB James Williams, Miami
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RB Cody Schrader, Missouri
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DT Keith Randolph Jr., Illinois
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RB Ray Davis, Kentucky
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OT Garrett Greenfield, SDSU
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OT Tylan Grable, UCF
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OG Dominick Puni, Kansas
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RB Isiah Davis, SDSU
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CB Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas
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OG C.J Hanson, Holy Cross
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OT Gottlieb Ayedze, Maryland
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OG Isaiah Adams Illinois
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WR Jha’Quan Jackson, Tulane
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LB Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
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LB Marist Liufau, Notre Dame
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RB Kimani Vidal, Troy
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RB Jawhar Jordan, Louisville
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TE Trey Knox, South Carolina
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RB Dylan Laube, New Hampshire
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OLB Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Notre Dame
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LB Jordan Magee, Temple
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CB Micah Abraham, Marshall
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OG Trevor Keegan, Michigan
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WR Luke McCaffrey, Rice
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TE Tanner McLachlan, Arizona
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DE/OLB Jalyx Hunt Houston Christian University
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C Dylan McMahon, NC State
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FS Malik Mustapha, Wake Forest
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RB Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss
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OG Karsen Barnhart, Michigan
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DE/OLB Zion Tupuola-Fetui Washington
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C Drake Nugent, Michigan
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OT Nathan Thomas, Louisiana
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DE/OLB Nelson Ceaser, Houston
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RB Emani Bailey, TCU
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OG Jarrett Kingston, USC
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C Jacob Monk, Duke
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RB Jaden Shirden, Monmouth
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WR Bub Means Pittsburgh
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S Mark Perry, TCU
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RB Jase McClellan, Alabama
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S Rod Moore, Michigan
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CB Chau Smith-Wade, Washington State
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OT/OG Ladarius Henderson, Michigan
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C Matt Lee, Miami
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CB, Qwan’tez Stiggers, CFL*
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WR Jamari Thrash, Louisville
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C Clark Barrington, Oklahoma
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RB Tyrone Tracy, Purdue
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C Kingsley Eguakun, Florida
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LB Aaron Casey, Indiana
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TE Tip Reiman, Illinois
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S Evan Williams, Oregon
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TE Brevyn Spann-Ford, Minnesota
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DE/DT Justin Eboigbe, Alabama
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TE Trey Knox, South Carolina
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OG Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
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WR Jalen Coker, Holy Cross
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LB Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri
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TE Erick All, Iowa
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WR Joshua Cephus, UTSA
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TE Tanner McLachlan, Arizona
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CB Daequan Hardy, Penn State
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DE Eric Watts, Connecticut
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LB Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington
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DE/OLB Solomon Byrd, USC
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CB Tarheeb Still, Maryland
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KT Leveston, Kansas State
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WR Isaiah Williams, Illinois
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TE/H-Back Dallin Holker, Colorado State
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OT Walter Rouse, Oklahoma
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DT Levi Drake Rodriguez, Texas A&M-Commerce
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RB Kendall Milton, Georgia
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S Akeem Dent, Florida State
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OG Matthew Jones, Ohio State
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RB Rasheen Ali, Marshall
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CB Willie Drew, Virginia State
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DE Trajan Jeffcoat, Arkansas
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DT Fabien Lovett Sr., Florida State
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TE Devin Culp, Washington
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LB/S Kalen DeLoach, Florida State
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S PJ Jules, Southern Illinois
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S Josh Proctor, Ohio State
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OG Elijah Klein, UTEP
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QB Joe Milton III, Tennessee
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LB Darius Muasau, UCLA
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LB Omar Speights, LSU
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S/NB John Huggins, Jackson State
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TE Zach Heins, South Dakota State
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QB John Rhys Plumlee, UCF
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C Jalen Sundell, North Dakota State
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OT Lorenzo Thompson, Rhode Island
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RB Keilan Robinson, Texas
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SS Jaylon Carlies, Missouri
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C Jake Levengood, Oregon State
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OT Aiden Williams, Minnesota-Duluth
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WR Jordan Whittington, Texas
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SS Kenny Gallop, Howard
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QB/WR Jason Bean, Kansas
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S Ryan Watts, Texas
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PK Cam Little, Arkansas
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CB Jaden Davis, Miami
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DE/OLB John Morgan III, Arkansas
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CB Jarius Monroe, Tulane
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OT Julian Pearl, Illinois
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DT Zion Logue, Georgia
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QB Kedon Slovis, BYU
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OG X’Zauvea Gadlin, Liberty
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DT Khristian Boyd, Northern Iowa
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QB Carter Bradley, South Alabama
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P Tory Taylor, Iowa
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TE AJ Barner, Michigan
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LB Calvin Hart Jr., Oregon State
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DT Tuli Letuligasenoa, Washington
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LB Ron Stone Jr., Washington State
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OT Anim Dankwah, Howard
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OG Prince Pines, Tulane
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S Ben Nikkel, Iowa State
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S Andre Sam, LSU
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Jae’Veyon Morton, Morgan State
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RB Noah Cain, LSU
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DT/DE Casey Rogers, Oregon
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DE/OLB Zareon Hayes, Alabama A&M
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DE Tyreek Johnson, S. Carolina
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CB Carlton Johnson, Fresno State
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C Sincere Haynesworth,Tulane
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OT/OG Tairiq Stewart, North Carolina A&T
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RB Jarveon Howard, Alcorn State
