[Athletic] NFL Draft 2023 Confidential: Coaches dish on C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson, Anthony Rich..

Such a good read, didn't want it to get lost.

NFL Draft 2023 Confidential: Coaches dish on C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson, Anthony Richardson and more

It feels like the run-up to the NFL Draft gets wilder — and sillier — every year. Nothing seems to stir up football folks more than some intangible assessments about the projections over a given quarterback. And throughout the past week or so, things — even by draft standards — have gone off the rails.

I’ve spent the past few weeks chatting with more than a dozen NFL coaches for The Athletic’s NFL Draft confidential to explore who (and what) is catching their eyes as the 2023 draft approaches. Let’s start with the player who I thought would be the top overall pick and is now the hottest topic in football: C.J. Stroud.

Has Stroud’s stock really taken a hit?

“I’ll be honest, I had Stroud ahead of (Bryce) Young,” said one veteran NFL QB coach whose team isn’t in the market to take a quarterback high in this draft. “But then I dug into some other things and put Young ahead of him.”

The coach said Stroud checked all the boxes he likes to see from a first-round QB: “He’s got mobility and size; (he) can make all the throws and he throws with timing (and) anticipation.” All of those things shined in his film.

The coach dismissed some of the skepticism of people who ding Stroud because the program he’s come out of at Ohio State, despite all of its success, hasn’t produced a top-level NFL quarterback in generations. Perhaps Justin Fields will become that, but it’s much too soon to tell.

“I think people have some concerns over what those guys from that school have done the past few years,” he explained. “But I don’t think you can do that to the player. I don’t think that’s fair.”

Stroud’s stock, though — at least as reflected in media circles — has taken a hit as word has surfaced over his reportedly low score in the S2 Cognition Test. S2 researchers last year studied the scores of 117 quarterbacks who had taken the test through the 2022 draft and charted the data. According to the company, the S2 Eval for quarterbacks examines nine different cognitive skills: Perception Speed, Search Efficiency, Tracking Capacity, Visual Learning, Instinctive Learning, Decision Complexity, Distraction Control, Impulse Control, and Improvisation.


That veteran coach said he’s become a believer in the S2, but added that, in his view, there are four categories that really matter, and the overall score doesn’t mean anything.


“To me, that’s what flipped me (to put Young ahead of Stroud). When I saw that S2, it was brutal,” he told The Athletic. “That’s scary. Now listen, if we were in that position, I’d get him to re-take that test. Sometimes that happens. Guy gets a false read on a test, but I do believe in S2 and … well, if I believe in it and you’ve got plenty of evidence from looking at the scores and the players that you’ve coached, you can’t discount it or deny it.”

A second NFL QB coach, a younger one whose team also isn’t likely to take a QB high this year, acknowledged that he’s “been staring at that (Stroud S2) for a while. But I wouldn’t say there’s a direct correlation because if there was everybody would be picking off that.”

Is this just the latest round of ‘NFL Draft Dinging’?

QB coach 2 said he was really impressed with Stroud from meeting with him and dismissed the blowback that suddenly has come Stroud’s way.

“It’s every f—— year,” he said. “Heck, it was (Will) Levis a month ago, and now it’s Stroud. I don’t care. I had a great interview with him. On the board and talking to him, he did a great job. He was aware of the stigma about past Ohio State quarterbacks. I was like, ‘Dude, you just threw 41 touchdowns. You’re good. You don’t have to sell me. I just want to get to know you as a dude.’

“The only reservation that I would have that would keep me up is C.J.’s receiving corps (at Ohio State) that’s gonna be the best he ever has for the rest of his life. Garrett Wilson, (Chris) Olave, (Marvin) Harrison, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. You’re lucky to have one guy like that. Best case two. He had four or five like that! Yeah, his game tape is NFL concepts and big boy throws but well, s—, I would have conviction too ripping this ball if Marvin Harrison Jr. is out there. This could be the best version of him as well. I think if Aidan O’Connell from Purdue was at Ohio State, I think he would’ve thrown for 40 touchdowns, to be honest.”

A third NFL quarterback coach, another younger one and whose team could be in the market to take a QB in the first round, echoed something similar. “I feel like every year now they pick one guy to drag through the mud at the end, and now it’s C.J. Where it this coming from? … When you meet him, he’s very nice, very humble. A lot of stuff analytically that has come out is not good, but I think we’re still early in this S2 stuff. Is there really enough data? The total score is not important. A good overall score doesn’t mean they scored high in what’s important.”

QB coach 3 cited two QBs drafted in the top five in the last decade that have had some success but disappointing careers to this point plagued largely by poor decision-making and lots of turnovers that “scored terribly.” Joe Burrow did great on S2 and is a franchise quarterback. Mac Jones did very well also, but the jury’s still out on his NFL prospects. Teddy Bridgewater is another one who scored really well on S2, the coach said. “He’s not physically great, but (the cognition test) probably shows why he’s a great backup.”

QB coach 3 is perplexed by Stroud’s S2 results. “I know when I watch him that (low S2 score) doesn’t make sense. I was shocked when I heard he bombed it. Did he not try? He didn’t throw many picks. He didn’t have a lot of really bad split-second decisions. I just didn’t see it. He’s great going through his progressions.”

Asked if he thinks a lot of people high up in the NFL put a lot of stock in S2, the third QB coach said. “Houston not taking C.J. (at No. 2) would be interesting. Are they really putting that much stock in S2 or, do they care that Dave Mulugheta is his agent because that’s Deshaun (Watson)’s agent, and they despise his agent?

“I know this: C.J.’s film is really good. I just wish I saw what I saw against Georgia at least one more time, in terms of his play extension. But it’s not his fault that they’re better than everybody and he wasn’t forced to do that. I know he’s capable of it. It’s in there.”

 

So what about Young? Is his size that concerning?

QB coach 3 said he would take Stroud ahead of Young. He has concerns about Young’s size, and those concerns aren’t the only ones.

“I think people are viewing Bryce as a perfect prospect otherwise, but he’s not perfect even without the size,” he said. “His arm is not strong. It is below what most of the better quarterbacks in the NFL have. I think he will struggle to make some throws to the field outside the numbers. On seam routes, crossing routes, he’s going to be a little late. His footwork isn’t good because he’s got this Steph Curry style, that’s like, ‘I’m playing like I’m not even sweating.’ It’s awesome, but you’re gonna miss on some throws being a tick late on time throws. He was a little loose in college because I think he knew I can get away with this. C.J.’s footwork was tight, really good. He has a much higher floor. Bryce has a higher ceiling for sure.”

He added, “I wish Bryce was bigger. It’s so frustrating. I do love his film. I’m a big fan of the person. I think he’s a savant. But if we had a top-10 pick, I’d be terrified to take him. Jalen Hurts just got hurt from being landed on and he’s a really big dude. Lamar (Jackson) hasn’t finished a season. They just get hurt, and these guys are way bigger than him. I had a guy (quite a bit) bigger than Bryce and he gets beat to s— and can barely finish the year. The team that takes him will say they’re gonna invest in the O-line. O.K., that’s awesome, but when he gets landed on — and he will — he’s going to break.”

QB coach 1 is worried about Young’s durability. “He’s been very successful, but that’s gotta be something that you look at. He’s not 6-2, not thick, but you can’t deny his talent and his ability. I like him better than I liked Tua (Tagovailoa). He sees the field a lot better. Tua is really effective in the RPO game, but I didn’t feel like he read the field very well. He fell back on some instincts — and he’s an instinctive player, which has gotten him to where he is. In the league, you’ve got to be able to see it, because things happen so fast.

“The thing that’s a little scary to me: I think we’re losing some of the track of the position traits when you’re talking about length and size. We keep talking about these 5-11, 6-foot guys. It’s gotten to the point where when you see a 6-2 guy at the combine, he’s a big dude. Go back five or six years ago, that was (Dak) Prescott’s year. There was (Jared) Goff and (Carson) Wentz. These guys were big guys, and when you look at the elite players in the league — (Patrick) Mahomes is a big dude; (Josh) Allen’s a big dude; Prescott’s a big dude. Hurts is not tall tall, but he is a big, thick dude.”

How can Young combat his size?

QB coach 2 said a big plus for Young is that he has a high release, so batted balls shouldn’t be an issue. “Baker’s (Mayfield at 6-1) got a low release, and that was the game plan when we play him. Just hang out at the line and it’s gonna get batted.”

“Bryce stayed relatively healthy in the toughest conference in college football. He’s a true distributor. I think he’s going to translate really good (but) obviously, it depends on where he goes. I don’t think it makes sense when people try to compare him to Kyler (Murray). They’re totally different people. Bryce is such a worker, and his off-field stuff is fantastic. I think (Young) is the true study of the short quarterback in this era, and luckily, I can watch it from afar.”




Which QB has the highest ceiling?

Coaches say it’s Florida’s Anthony Richardson. QB coach 3 said he has Richardson as his No. 1 guy, “which is not like me,” adding, “Who has been more physically gifted than him? Andrew Luck? Richardson has a more gifted arm and is much faster. Cam (Newton) is taller, but Anthony is much faster and with a more dynamic arm. Josh (Allen) is bigger, but their arms are similar, and Josh is not even close to as fast.”

QB coach 3 said Richardson is still very raw, but he would definitely roll the dice on him. “Teams have proven that you can do it with a (talented) guy that is ‘not ready.’ They do the Jalen Hurts model. Look at what happened in Philly. They tried to do it the normal way and they were like 2-5. Then they said, ‘OK, this isn’t working.’ We’re gonna get fired so let’s do the Oklahoma offense — and then they started winning.


“Anthony has shown so much raw ability, and the Florida offense is fairly complicated. When you involve that many shifts and motions, you still have to operate it. There’s some full-field progression reads. He’s reading three-level floods. It wasn’t just read the corner here or not every single play was an RPO or they cut the field in half. He clearly wants to be a passer. It’s just that he happens to run a 4.43 too. He is just so unique as an athlete. Josh Allen went to Wyoming and was playing against not good competition. If Josh Allen was QB-ing for Florida with that surrounding cast, how bad would his film have looked? And he had some bad film at Wyoming.”

“I don’t want to make an excuse for the guy, but look at what they had all around Anthony. They really only had a first-round guard, a Day 3 wideout and a freshman running back who might be pretty good. That is it. Cam carrying a nothing Auburn team to the national title, that is beyond impressive. Cam also didn’t play anybody like today’s Georgia team.”

QB coach 1 “loves” Richardson but cautions, “If you’re taking him, you can’t play offense the way a lot of teams are playing offense in this league. You’ve gotta play to him. He is a freak. Play to his strengths. Don’t put him under center. Let him develop into that.”

QB coach 1 is also really intrigued by Richardson’s potential, particularly as a passer. “This guy really throws it. When you look at him mechanically, he’s pretty good. He can throw with balance. He’s got base. He’s not real long. I love this guy. The film verifies some of that. I went and watched the FSU game, what was he 39 percent (33 percent) in that one. But you watch that film. Yes, there are some things you don’t like, but not one receiver made one play on any ball thrown. He threw a post on the money. Guy can’t make the play. He throws a 9-ball on the money. Guy can’t make the play. I know what the numbers say, but the numbers don’t always tell the truth.”

QB coach 2 said Richardson’s arm is on par with the strongest arms in the NFL, Mahomes and Allen. “I would pay to watch those three guys throw every day. Pat’s mechanics are all over the place, but he’s just a baller. Josh has gotten better mechanically every year. Anthony has the most natural and most consistent whip I’ve seen. And he’s 20. He hasn’t even turned 21 yet. I don’t see how this guy can’t do it.”

What about Richardson’s college numbers?

At Florida in his first season as the full-time starter, Richardson completed 53.8 percent of his passes and threw 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also was adapting to a new, fairly complex offensive system in Billy Napier’s first year as head coach. “It is a more difficult offense than people give it credit for,” said QB coach 2.

Asked if he has any concerns about Richardson’s accuracy, QB coach 2 added, “No, I don’t worry about his accuracy. I think he’s got the best private quarterback coach (Will Hewlett) in the country. He’s gotten significantly better already. Hewlett’s the most realistic, non cookie-cutter real QB coach out there. What he does and how he communicates it and teaches is incredible.

“Watch his film from a year ago and watch indy (individual drills) and see some of the workout stuff and you can see improvement every single time. When Anthony and I talked, I loved him. He asks good questions. He’s aware of his situation and where he’s at in his life, which is important. (If you take him) it might have to be a Josh Allen/Cam Newton-type year; create a true village around him like (Brian) Daboll and all those guys did with Josh. You’re going to really learn on the fly and adjust quickly to what he does best because that’s who you’re tied to the rest of your life. I’d take a chance on him. He’s a good dude (and) wants to be good. He’s gonna get better. I would hop on that train if I could, but it’s gonna take an offensive coordinator, head coach and GM to all be on the same page.”

 

There are some other big-name QBs this year. Thoughts?

Which is the real Will Levis?

QB coach 2: “You see some NFL concepts and some good throws on his film. I look at him and I said, ‘You ran for 400 before (in 2021) and negative 120 this past year. I totally get that you don’t wanna get hurt or the coaches don’t wanna get you hurt, but this is a part of his game that is so strong and it wasn’t even used this past year. I’m assuming once (he) gets back to that mindset and a coordinator with enough knowledge of the QB run game he should be able to take another step forward.”

QB coach 1: “He scares me. Reminded me a little of (Mitch) Trubisky. All of the social media stuff he puts out. I also really worry about upper body flexibility. Is he Tim Tebow? The shoulder, elbow flexibility really concerns me. I think he’s really built to be a one-speed pitcher. He wants to juice everything. Hey dude, play with some feel and some touch.”

QB coach 3: “I think Levis is the fourth (of this year’s QBs). I keep seeing some random mocks having him third. I don’t see it, and nobody that I’ve talked to talks about him like that. He is smart, very smart. Will needs to relax. He’s really into social media, clearly. I talked to the guard (Steve Avila) from TCU. He would not shut up about Max Duggan. ‘Like I would die for him.’ I was like I get it. ‘No, you don’t understand we LOVE him.’ I think people will say that about Bryce. I don’t see that about Levis.”

Is Hendon Hooker ‘a real guy’?

QB coach 1: “The offense gives you concern. I think Hooker is very talented. I have some questions. Is he a real guy? I do really like his talent. I do think he’s gonna have a big learning curve because of the way that they (the Volunteers) play. I’d present him as a three-year project. The first year he needs to learn. I think he needs a year, and then he can compete to be a No. 2, and then in Year 3, you’ve got the guy.

QB coach 2: “The good thing about him — and it sucks to say — but when he got hurt, it could be the best thing that happened for his career. It means he will redshirt and sit back and walk through it this year, and if (a team) has a good plan in place for him, it could be a pretty special thing,. There’s gonna be an adjustment period for him. That offense is cut right down the middle, but that half of the field he does see it well.”

Will size hold back Jake Haener?

QB coach 1: “(Fresno State’s Jake) Haener is impressive. If he’s 6-2 (not 6 foot), I think he’s a first rounder or high second. You’re talking about the timing, rhythm and anticipation. Pro offense throwing deep overs and posts. His size is scary and the way he plays is scary because he drifts all over the place trying to find throwing lanes. Hey listen, easy. Type A. You don’t need to impress me. You’ve already impressed me. Just come to work and do your job. I can tone that down.”

On Stetson Bennett, from walk-on to two-time champion

QB coach 2: “I think Bennett is such a good player. He can spin it, throws off platform. … You’re just worried about him a little bit. But he’s good enough player to talk about it.”

Balancing Aidan O’Connell

QB coach 2: “I don’t think he’s as physically talented as everybody else, but mentally he is incredible. He reminds me of Cooper Rush. Just an OK arm, but the way he beats you is with his mind and his short-area quickness.”

 

The RB class from Bijan Robinson and beyond

This is a solid group of backs, led by one potential top-15 pick in Texas’ Bijan Robinson. “I think he’s really, really good,” said one NFL RB coach. “He gives you everything in terms of the passing game and running game. Great hands. Great route runner. Really sweet feet. I’d love to see him finish runs better than he does at that size, but that’s about the only thing I could knock.”

On Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs: “I think he’s gonna be special if he gets in the right system. His stop and start, man, it’s like he’s got a supercharger in there. I don’t think any linebacker can cover him. He is not as physical as you’d like, but he’s not soft either. The down part will be pass protection.”

On UCLA’s Zach Charbonnet. “He got 4.1 yards after contact per carry (of his 7.0 yard per carry average). Runs really hard. Determined. He’s really smart, probably the smartest of this group.”

On UAB’s DeWayne McBride: “He just has what it takes. Has the right mentality. Probably the most physical runner in this class. Him or Charbonnet. He averaged 4.7 yards AFTER contact. You do worry about the fumbles with him, and they didn’t really ask him to run routes.”

On Tulane’s Tyjae Spears. “He’s my sleeper. Love his mentality. He runs the ball like you want. Probably created more missed tackles in one on ones than anybody. Every big game they had, he stepped up. Good route runner.”

On Kansas State’s Deuce Vaughn: “He’s very small but I think he’s gonna help a team. Just gotta use him the right away.”

How do you feel about this class of wide receivers?

QB coach 3: “I think this year’s class of wide receivers is really weak. Maybe only two of them go in the first round. I do think Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a great player, but is he a slot only? They never get pressed at OSU. Great hands. I like (USC’s Jordan) Addison, but I don’t think he’s a first-rounder. I like Zay Flowers.”


On TCU’s Quinton Johnston

WR coach 1: “TCU’s Quinton Johnston would be the first guy I’d take, because there are just not really any bigger receivers coming out this year. There’re a lot of smaller guys. I was really impressed with some of the things I’ve seen him do on film. Watch him in the Michigan game. His run after the catch ability is rare for a guy that’s almost 6-3, 210. He is able to make people miss, and he’s so fluid when he does it as opposed to a lot of start-stop. His hands are suspect. That’s the big question with him, but you do see a lot of catches away from his body. He’s a lot like (Green Bay’s) Christian Watson. I think he’s also got some Mike Evans-type qualities without the really elite post-up skills.”

WR coach 2: “I’m a little worried about (Johnston’s) hands. They’re shaky, but he is really big and really explosive and hard to tackle when he gets the ball.”

On Boston College’s Zay Flowers

WR coach 2: “I think Zay (Flowers) is a stud. He did everything for that team, and they had nothing around him. He’s quick and fast and will get dirty. It’s just he’s little, and as small as he is, I don’t think he can be a No. 1 receiver in the NFL, and you probably can’t take him in the top 20.”

WR coach 1: “He’s little. He came in at 183 (pounds), but that was puffed up for the combine. He played at 175. He’s best with the ball in his hands. His game is more rugged. He played in a pro-style system. I do like him a lot.”

On Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba

WR coach 1: “I think that’s what he is and is really good at what he does, which is working between the numbers. He ran a lot faster than I think most people thought he’d run. He looks like a mid-4.5s guy on film. He’s more of a smooth guy than a twitch guy.”

WR coach 2: “His change of direction numbers at the combine were truly elite, and that stuff really does show up on film. I don’t worry about his straight-line speed. He ran plenty fast in Indy, better than I expected he would. I like him more than Wilson or Olave. He plays a lot stronger and has a better feel, and he gets better separation. I think he’s the only receiver in this group I’d take anywhere near the top 15.”

On USC’s Jordan Addison

WR coach 2: “I think he’s the best route runner in the class. He’s similar to Wilson. He’s really smooth and fast, but he’s really light. He needs to get a lot stronger.”

WR coach 1: “They used him different at Pitt. Look at his explosive plays at Pitt. The sheer number is huge. He played a lot more on the outside. I think that was good for him to show that he can do both. I thought he’d run 4.40 at the combine (not 4.49). He’s more smooth and twitchy than straight-line fast. He has that acceleration in 1-2 steps, but that 171 pounds is a big concern.”

On Ole Miss’ Jonathan Mingo

WR coach 1: “He’s probably the second-best big guy in this draft. I think he’s similar to Treylon Burks. He can do everything, play in all these different spots. Might be faster than Burks, (but) maybe not quite as physical.”

On Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt

WR coach 1: “I’m very wary of that system. There’s not a lot of stuff that translates in the NFL. It’s tough tape to translate. You don’t see him transition in and out of his cuts. There’s lot of option routes, so you don’t see the route set-up, but he’s got so much speed.”

On Nebraska’s Trey Palmer

WR coach 1: “He’s the fastest guy in the draft. On film, Hyatt is up there, but Palmer, he’s different fast on film. You worry a little because he was just a one-year guy. Hyatt is too. Palmer didn’t have a whole lot around him. They force-fed him the ball. (He) has some drops that show up.”

On Michigan State’s Jayden Reed

WR coach 1: “He’s a really twitchy guy who can make plays. He plays bigger than his size. I really like him. Great acceleration. He plays inside and out and didn’t have great quarterback play. Also has return value.”

On Utah’s Dalton Kincaid

WR coach 2: “His ball skills are special. I think he’s special. He went to the right place. Utah does some great things with their tight ends with route structure and the concepts they’re doing. It makes for a cleaner eval. Great natural athlete. He’s loose; (he) makes plays over either shoulder (and) gets on top of people with his speed. Got some of that type of slippery route-running ability.”

On Georgia’s Darnell Washington

WR coach 1: “He’s different. Those other (tight ends) are off-the-ball/mix guys. He’s a true Y. He can be another tackle. He’s a little stiffer, but he’s such a big guy and he can really move. They (Georgia) didn’t have to use him much in the passing game because of 19 (Brock Bowers). I think they’d tell you that they left some meat on bone with what they could’ve done with him as a receiver.”

 

An O-line class with some concerns

Both at the NFL Combine and since, The Athletic has heard from several NFL coaches who say they’ve noticed a difference in the development of the draft prospects in regard to physical and emotional maturity. Some pointed to the impact of the transfer portal as a reason for it.

“These guys are really raw,” said one offensive line coach. “(I) think that shows in the quality of play and the type of guys we’re getting. These guys are young. This year, there was a lot of no response, or ‘Hey, hit my agent,’ when we reached out to speak to the linemen. That was surprising. It’s like something you hear about with the wide receivers, but that kind of attitude is eeking its way into the O-line group.”

The offensive line coach I spoke with did not think this was a strong group.

On Ohio State’s Paris Johnson

“Paris is really good player. He’s not Ickey (Ekwonu). I don’t think his power’s there yet. I think he’s as athletic as Ickey, but in terms of power, it’s not close.”

On Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski

“I really like him. I think he’s a guard. I just don’t think he’s long enough to be a tackle. He’s got great feet, and his technique is really good. He’s probably the most polished guy of all them. The more you study him you know he’s a good player. Is he a first-round guard? I don’t know. I think he’s way better than (O’Cyrus) Torrence from Florida.”

On Ohio State’s Dawand Jones

“He’s massive, and he moves well. But you worry about his consistency. Can you get it out of him? In the NFL, no one is gonna hold your hand. He had a good first day at the Senior Bowl and then didn’t go back.”

On Georgia’s Broderick Jones

“He has all the tools, but when you watch his game film, he’s falling on his face half the time. At his pro day, he’s so fit and he’s moving. Which guy is he? He’s athletic as Paris, but they’re different. You do see him coming off the ball hitting dudes and seeing him being powerful. Then the next play, he’ll be tentative. I think it’s a combination of still being young and not having played a lot of football. He’s basically played a year. He’s only played 17 games. I see the power upside of Broderick. He’s still gonna grow into his body. You could tell he was smart. You could tell you could teach him and he’ll develop.”

On Tennessee’s Darnell Wright

“I like that dude as a right tackle. He’s got some s— to him. Of all the guys he plays with, the most s— to him. He’s unpolished and rough around the edges. Plays nasty, finishes blocks. Technically, he will need work but in terms of size power and being able to move and get a hat on a hat, I like that guy.”

On Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence

“Powerful. Big hands. Got a bad body, like an awful body. I think he’s a fit with more of a gap scheme and running duo. If you run outside zone like the Shanahan tree of coaches, I don’t know if he fits. He’s kinda sluggish with his feet, but he’s powerful, and when he gets on his hands on guys, really powerful. I think it’d be a stretch if he goes in the first.”

 

And now the defense

In terms of athletic potential, the biggest “wow” defensive player from the film study is Georgia’s Jalen Carter. There are legitimate concerns about some off-field behavior and the perception of his motor, but coaches say his talent is jaw-dropping.

Jalen Carter, ‘elite’

“Oh man, he is an elite talent,” one NFL defensive coordinator told The Athletic. “He’s probably the best interior lineman I’ve ever evaluated. I can’t think of a guy coming out that had his ability since Ndamukong Suh. In the run game, he can two-gap, one-gap and can stunt. He’s an elite mover for size. There’s no stiffness in his lower body. He can bend, has short-area quickness with overall power. He moves like a smaller guy doing it. When he wants to be, he is unblockable. No one knows what gets this guy motivated though. He’s just all over the place.”

Will Anderson — not everyone is sold?

The other defender from the SEC who has been viewed as a sure top-10 or perhaps top-5 player is Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson, a 6-feet-3 1/2, 253-pounder who piled up 27.5 sacks and 50.5 TFLs the last two seasons. But the NFL coaches we spoke with weren’t all sold on him.

“I do not see a top-5 talent,” said one NFL D-line coach. “Ignore the sack numbers. Just watch him play. I see a really smart, tough, really aware guy, plays his ass off. Not fast, not explosive. Of his sacks last year, three sacks were him beating the tackle, and every other one was a line game or a blitz where he was one on one or he waited for the quarterback to get flushed and he came off his guys and tackled him.

“To be a top-5 guy … Chase Young was embarrassing tackles. In the Tennessee game against Darnell Wright, I didn’t notice Will Anderson that entire game. If you’re gonna go top 5, you better be wrecking games. I get that he’s got great character and (his) leadership skills are off the charts. But elite traits? What physically is elite about him? He’s effort-filled. I would be shocked if Will was a bust. But I’d also be shocked if he was an All Pro.”

“I think he’s awesome,” said a second NFL DL coach. “He’s a plug-and-play guy. Great IQ. Really comes out of his hips. Every year he got better. He’s a dude. He’ll give you so much value on first and second down. He can play in a 3-4, or in a 4-3. He is a little stiff, and you do wonder if he has any counter moves off his stuff.

“You don’t see a Von Miller in terms of explosiveness and bend, but you’re betting on the person. It’s like with Aidan Hutchinson last year, where you thought, ‘There’s no way this guy’s not gonna be a good player.’ The floor is super high with him. And if your best player is your hardest worker, that’s when you win. It really does matter.”


On Texas Tech edge Tyree Wilson

DL coach 1: “He’s so long, and he is athletic. The run game stuff makes you nervous. Can he set a consistent edge against some of these bigger tackles? You’d like to see him to do. If not, they’re just gonna run zone at you all day.”

DC 1: “I really like him. He’s humongous, and he plays hard. He’s long. He’s a human wrecking ball. He makes a lot of his plays on predetermined movements. I don’t think he has a natural feel, but you can keep working with him on that.”

On Iowa State edge Will McDonald

DL coach 1: “He played as a true 5-technique and balled out, and then they isolated him on guards and he wasn’t scared to go in. He’s probably the most twitchy guy in the whole D-line group. You can’t teach that kind of bend. He’s very much like Haason Reddick and Brian Burns.”

DC 1: “I think he’s really good. He’s a 6-4, 250 guy, but his movement ability is elite. He can really bend. He’s not as powerful or long Brian Burns, but he’s got that same kind of bend. At the Senior Bowl, they didn’t block him the whole week.”

On Iowa edge Lukas Van Ness

DC 1: “It depends on what day you ask me. He’s young. Has production. They were playing all over the place. Has speed and power, but you don’t see a heavy handed snap to his game. Straight-line speed to power guy. Stiff.”

DL coach 1: “I like him. He’s so big and plays with effort. He is a little stiff, but he’s been well-coached and is fundamentally sound.”

On Georgia edge Nolan Smith

DC 1: “His weight (at 6-2, 238) is an issue. The tape shows he plays really strong. Got snap. Will close on all the pullers. To me, he’s worth it.”

On Pitt DT Calijah Kancey

DC 1: “He’s intriguing because he’s so quick and slippery, but I really think it depends on your scheme. In a five-down world, he is very hard to block in a one on one. But I think you’re gonna have to move him around. I know this: He’ll be difficult to block on third downs. But it’s all about what do you do on first and second downs with him. His measurables are a lot like Aaron Donald except for the length. I don’t think it’s fair to compare him to a first ballot Hall of Famer, but he is a really good player.”

On LSU edge B.J. Ojulari

DL coach 1: “He’s very smart. People wonder if is he gonna put his face on somebody … I’d believe in him. He played almost all of their snaps last year because they really didn’t have a backup. He can bend, can set up his rushes well. He didn’t run his 40, so nobody knows what he is, but I think he’s easily in the 4.5s.”

 

On Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez

DC 1: “He probably has the best measurables in a corner to come out since maybe Jalen Ramsey. He’s not an absolute savage and doesn’t have that cornerback attitude, but the coaches at Oregon’s say he’s a no-brainer and is gonna work hard.”

DB coach 1: “I think he’s unbelievable. He’s so talented. The most ready-made guy out here. His technique is really sound.”

DB coach 2: “I’m a little fearful of his demeanor. He’s not really wired like a corner. Against his best competition, he struggled. Against Georgia, he struggled. Drake London the year before really got after him. I think he’s really good in press. The other thing about him is (that) the wide receiver appears covered all the time because he’s so big and long, and he does have great recovery speed. His judgement and winning at the top of the route isn’t as great, and you’ll see him misjudging balls a little when he’s in position. Not gonna be a physical tackler at all.”

On Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon

DB coach 2: “I think there’s only one premier corner in this draft, and that’s Witherspoon. All the rest of have questions. He doesn’t have the length like the top-10 corners in the past, but he’s got great instincts. He can shut down that side of the field. Definitely got that alpha mentality. The biggest question was how fast was he truly? But when he ran that 4.44 at his pro day, that’s fast enough.”

DC 1: “He’s not a big guy, but he plays so big. I like the guy and the competitiveness and the toughness, and he’s fast.”

DB coach 1: “I was encouraged by what he ended up running at his pro day. Those Illinois DBs play the right way. All play with the tenacity. Such a good group with good habits.”



On Maryland CB Deonte Banks

DB coach 2: “He’s really talented, really athletic. He’s a good press corner. A little looser than Gonzalez and more physical.”

DC 1: “The reason why I really like him is, I think you tell him, ‘Just cover this guy,’ and he’ll be, ‘OK, whatever.’ Watch him against Marvin Harrison and it’s like he was making this look way too easy. He is inconsistent. To me, that’s been the Maryland football program.”

On Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr.

DB coach 2: “You like his length but I think he’s stiff. If he doesn’t win at the line of scrimmage, he’s in trouble. He gets stacked on vertical routes.”

On Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes

DB coach 1: “He’s only 166 and 6-1 but my God, talk about movement skills. He’s so fluid. He moves like a little corner and still shows up physically. Can he tackle on the edge and in space and hold up for 20 games? I don’t know.”

DB coach 2: “He plays way bigger than he is. He’s faced the best competition. He’s physical in the run game. He takes the ball away. He’s willing to gamble and take some risks. The only thing I don’t like about him is his weight.”

On Iowa CB Riley Moss

DB coach 1: “I don’t know if he’ll be corner in the NFL, but I like Moss. He might be a dime corner. He can get you through a game at nickel. He’s super smart, and he’s super confident. Anybody who has that much production, especially at that level, it’s not an accident. It’s not like he was playing in Division II. The thing that gives people pause, I think, is if he’s in off-man, he looks worse than press-man. He has a great feel in zone. I think the thing he’ll struggle with is giving a cushion and turning and run. He’s a little stiff on third-level deep routes when the cushion is closing, but in the drill work he looked as fluid as anybody.”

DB coach 2: “I think his film is really good. He’s been playing real dudes. I have him ranked above Joey Porter Jr. He’s physical. I think he could be a really good safety.”

On Alabama S Brian Branch

DB coach 2: “He’s the best safety available. He’s so well-rounded. What stands out to me is how physical he is. He does a great job of setting edges. Has good nickel ability. His processing ability in pattern match is really impressive and getting on the right guy. (I) also liked his change of direction.”

DB coach 1: “He’s the best nickel in the class and I think best safety in the class. He’s just so versatile and intelligent. He knows exactly where not to lose at and he stays out of tough spots.”