2027 Watch List

[manxman2601]

Tavion Gadson, DT, Kentucky
6'5", 298

He was a rotational piece for Kentucky last year but ended with a 74.7 run defense grade (only 4 missed tackles) and an 81.5 pass rush grade (20 pressures, 3 sacks). Ideal 5-tech build. He's been getting a little love today from a couple of different sources so maybe there's some buzz behind the scenes.

He looks huge, a real unit!

 

[mayoclinic]

Tavion Gadson, DT, Kentucky
6'5", 298

He was a rotational piece for Kentucky last year but ended with a 74.7 run defense grade (only 4 missed tackles) and an 81.5 pass rush grade (20 pressures, 3 sacks). Ideal 5-tech build. He's been getting a little love today from a couple of different sources so maybe there's some buzz behind the scenes.

He looks huge, a real unit!

James Foster has him at 32 on his very preliminary board right now, 3rd round grade.

 

[manxman2601]

Interesting. Love me a WR who can block. Marsh & Becker are the two WRs I would even consider in the latter half of the first round. I like both quite a bit...and Marsh even more now.

 

[manxman2601]

 

[manxman2601]

I am insanely excited about this forthcoming draft so I wanted to rationalise the good and the bad in terms of expectations.

The Good
1. Looking at the big board I use, even at this point, there are prospects well into day 2 I like more than some of the early second round options last year. Will Heldt at 64. Peal, Ibiroga, Lutmer, Justin Scott, PJ Williams and Taylor Wein are currently listed as round 3 picks.

2. While there is a potential drop off from the top 10 to later first rounders that's mainly because the top 10 is potentially overpowered, not because there's a weakness in talent below that.

3. This is a good draft to go BPA. Sure, it would be nice to get a CB, S or LB and there are excellent options to be had, but the two TEs, Nick Marsh and Charlie Becker or A'Mauri Washington/ Will Echoles could qualify as BPA.

4. The top of the linebacker class looks to be awesome. The safety depth too.

5. The QBs could either be a Godsend or a risk (see below) but the more quality QBs, the better for us, either through people dropping or through teams wanting to trade up.

6. To a lesser extent, the same could be said of the RBs although that's probably a round two thing.

7. Because of the movement in CFB, there's a lot of prospects with potential on new teams. That might be a good thing - better opportunities to develop and prove themselves at better schools.

8. Last year at different stages, Emmanuel Pregnon, LT Overton, Isaiah World and Kamari Ramsey were considered top 50 picks. Those early forecasts didn't end well. That could happen again I suppose, but the quality is so much better this year, I think it less of a probability. I don't think World or Overton would sniff a top 64 projection in this class.


The Bad
1. the number of underclassmen.

2. Will the later first round QBs currently, do a 2025? Hopefully Leavitt, Sorsby, Mensah and Mestermaker don't go the way of Nussmeier, Allar and Klubnick. (see 5 above).

3. The CB and EDGE classes are relatively unproven so far so it's possible we don't big improvements. However, there is certainly opportunities for them to improve.

4. There's stil almost 3 months until any of this is put to the test. We're still swinging in the wind at this point. still, we're better informed than last year.

 

[mayoclinic]

Right now I think there will be 40-50 or so guys with realistic 1st round potential, depending on declarations. Some will return, but others will emerge.

5-7 QBs: Manning, Moore, + some of Sayin, Carr, Mestemaker
2-3 RB: Baugh, Lacy, maybe Hardy if he is fully recovered
2 TEs: Johnson, Green
4-6 WRs: Smith and Coleman locks; Becker, Marsh, a few will emerge, as always
7-8 OLs: Seaton and Goosby locks; Pieper probably a lock; Smith, Siereveld, Green with potential, others will emerge, as always

4-5 DTs: Stone, Echoles. Washington, Moten, Scott
3+ EDGE: Simmons and Stewart locks; Pierre; others will emerge, as always
3 LBs: Cole, KVA, Brown
3 Ss: Bolden, Tae Johnson, McDonald
4-5 CBs: Moore, Robinson locks; Brown, Jones, Hampton, maybe others

 

[mayoclinic]

We're still swinging in the wind at this point. still, we're better informed than last year.

If we end up roughly 50% accurate, we will be up there with Brugler and Jeremiah. Maybe even BGC.

 

[Clonamery]

If we end up roughly 50% accurate, we will be up there with Brugler and Jeremiah. Maybe even BGC.

Told you guys to do a podcast.

 

[manxman2601]

Told you guys to do a podcast.

I have a face for radio and a voice for the silent era.

 

[manxman2601]

 

[manxman2601]

Confirmation on the size. That's my kind of TE



Not a bad mover.

 

[Clonamery]

I have a face for radio and a voice for the silent era.

Those are pretty much a requirement for podcasts. Plus wearing a ballcap that doesn't quite fit a human head.

 

[mayoclinic]

 

[mayoclinic]

 

[mayoclinic]

 

[manxman2601]

Some insight on prospects that are viewed highly by the scouting agencies.

some of note but not a definitive list:

I believe all of these have first round pre-season grades.

Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU
Tae Johnson, S, Notre Dame
Ashton Hampton, CB, Clemson (higher grade than Kelley Jones).
Kade Pieper, C, Iowa (up to 298lbs)
Trevor Lauck, OT, Iowa
Greg Johnson, OG, Minnesota
Yhonzae Pierre, EDGE, Alabama
Will Heldt, EDGE, Clemson
Ryan Coleman-Williams, WR, Alabama
Charlie Becker, WR, Indiana

It's a shame there was nothing on linebackers.

And prospects that scouting agencies are surprisingly low on.

Anthony Smith, DE/DL, Minnesota - 6th rounder
Anto Saka, EDGE Texas A&M - 6th rounder
Princewill Umanmielen, EDGE, LSU - 6th rounder
James Smith, DT, Ohio State - 7th rounder

Amare Ferrell, S, Indiana - UDFA
Jermaine Matthews, CB, Ohio State - 6th round

Waymond Jordan, RB, USC - 6th round
Nyck Harbor, WR, S Carolina - 4th round (not surprising to me)

Saka was the only one that really surprised me. you could say Ferrell is too, he has an 82.8 coverage grade, but he also has a 22% missed tackle rate and hasn't had lower than a 15% missed tackle rate.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Some of the better leverage I've seen in route running in a while. I'm sold already.

 

[mayoclinic]

Things I would change (since ge asked):

- Jordan Seaton and Trevor Goosby are far and away the top 2 OL in the draft.
- Jamari Johnson ahead of Trey'Dez Green
- Damon Wilson, John Henry Daley and Marayo Uiagalelei are not 1st round rakebts
- Ryan Williams is an elite athlete, not a 1st round WR right now
- I wouldn't touch Brendan Sorsby in the 1st round
- Mark Fletcher, KJ Duff, and AJ Holmes are all talented, but I doubt they will be 1st round right now
- No Kade Pieper, Yhonzae Pierre, Charlie Becker, Sammy Brown or Chris Cole

For a start.