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  • Nathan Cooper’s First & Final 2024 7-Round Mock Draft

    Nathan Cooper’s First & Final 2024 7-Round Mock Draft

     

    Every year since before I can remember, I do my own Mock Draft. I only do one, and it’s done within a day or two prior to Draft Day.

    Not only do I try to tackle the first round, but I predict the entire draft, all 257 picks.

    What order do the QBs go in at the top? How many offensive tackles and wide receivers land in Round 1? Who will be Mr. Irrelevant?

    Without projecting trades and, instead, trying to match players to teams, I attempt to answer those questions and more now.

    Round 1
    Pick Team Player College
    1 Bears QB Caleb Williams USC
    2 Commanders QB Jayden Daniels LSU
    3 Patriots QB Drake Maye North Carolina
    4 Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State
    5 Chargers WR Malik Nabers LSU
    6 Giants WR Rome Odunze Washington
    7 Titans OL Joe Alt Notre Dame
    8 Falcons ED Dallas Turner Alabama
    9 Bears DT Byron Murphy II Texas
    10 Jets TE Brock Bowers Georgia
    11 Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Michigan
    12 Broncos ED Jared Verse Florida State
    13 Raiders OL JC Latham Alabama
    14 Saints OL Olu Fashanu Penn State
    15 Colts CB Quinyon Mitchell Toledo
    16 Seahawks OL Troy Fautanu Washington
    17 Jaguars CB Terrion Arnold Alabama
    18 Bengals DT Jer’Zhan Newton Illinois
    19 Rams ED Laiatu Latu UCLA
    20 Steelers OL Taliese Fuaga Oregon State
    21 Dolphins OL Amarius Mims Georgia
    22 Eagles OL Tyler Guyton Oklahoma
    23 Vikings OL Graham Barton Duke
    24 Cowboys OL Jackson Powers-Johnson Oregon
    25 Packers CB Cooper DeJean Iowa
    26 Buccaneers ED Chop Robinson Penn State
    27 Cardinals CB Kool-Aid McKinstry Alabama
    28 Bills WR Brian Thomas Jr. LSU
    29 Lions DT Darius Robinson Missouri
    30 Ravens OL Jordan Morgan Arizona
    31 49ers CB Nate Wiggins Clemson
    32 Chiefs WR Adonai Mitchell Texas
    Round 2
    Pick Team Player College
    33 Panthers CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Missouri
    34 Patriots WR Xavier Worthy Texas
    35 Cardinals OL Zach Frazier West Virginia
    36 Commanders OL Kingsley Suamataia BYU
    37 Chargers CB Mike Sainristil Michigan
    38 Titans ED Chris Braswell Alabama
    39 Panthers WR Troy Franklin Oregon
    40 Commanders ED Marshawn Kneeland Western Michigan
    41 Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper Texas A&M
    42 Texans CB Kamari Lassiter Georgia
    43 Falcons S Tyler Nubin Minnesota
    44 Raiders QB Michael Penix Jr. Washington
    45 Saints WR Xavier Legette South Carolina
    46 Colts WR Keon Coleman Florida State
    47 Giants S Jaden Hicks Washington State
    48 Jaguars WR Ladd McConkey Georgia
    49 Bengals OL Roger Rosengarten Washington
    50 Eagles CB T.J. Tampa Iowa State
    51 Steelers WR Ja’Lynn Polk Washington
    52 Rams QB Bo Nix Oregon
    53 Eagles OL Cooper Beebe Kansas State
    54 Browns DL Michael Hall Jr. Ohio State
    55 Dolphins ED Austin Booker Kansas
    56 Cowboys RB Jonathon Brooks Texas
    57 Buccaneers CB Max Melton Rutgers
    58 Packers OL Kiran Amegadjie Yale
    59 Texans LB Trevin Wallace Kentucky
    60 Bills S Kamren Kinchens Miami FL
    61 Lions CB Caelen Carson Wake Forest
    62 Ravens OL Christian Haynes UConn
    63 49ers OL Patrick Paul Houston
    64 Chiefs OL Christian Mahogany Boston College
    Round 3
    Pick Team Player College
    65 Panthers TE Ben Sinnott Kansas State
    66 Cardinals RB Trey Benson Florida State
    67 Commanders CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. Louisville
    68 Patriots DT Kris Jenkins Michigan
    69 Chargers OL Dominick Puni Kansas
    70 Giants RB MarShawn Lloyd USC
    71 Cardinals ED Adisa Isaac Penn State
    72 Jets OL Blake Fisher Notre Dame
    73 Lions S Javon Bullard Georgia
    74 Falcons DT Ruke Orhorhoro Clemson
    75 Bears ED Bralen Trice Washington
    76 Broncos CB Kris Abrams-Draine Missouri
    77 Raiders WR Ricky Pearsall Florida
    78 Commanders S Cole Bishop Utah
    79 Falcons WR Malachi Corley Western Kentucky
    80 Bengals WR Roman Wilson Michigan
    81 Seahawks QB Spencer Rattler South Carolina
    82 Colts S Calen Bullock USC
    83 Rams DT T’Vondre Sweat Texas
    84 Steelers OL Beaux Limmer Arkansas
    85 Browns LB Payton Wilson NC State
    86 Texans TE Ja’Tavion Sanders Texas
    87 Cowboys DT Braden Fiske Florida State
    88 Packers DT Leonard Taylor III Miami FL
    89 Buccaneers LB Junior Colson Michigan
    90 Cardinals ED Gabriel Murphy UCLA
    91 Packers OL Zak Zinter Michigan
    92 Buccaneers S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson Texas Tech
    93 Ravens WR Jalen McMillan Washington
    94 49ers LB Cedric Gray North Carolina
    95 Chiefs CB Andru Phillips Kentucky
    96 Jaguars DT Brandon Dorlus Oregon
    97 Bengals TE Theo Johnson Penn State
    98 Steelers CB Khyree Jackson Oregon
    99 Rams WR Devontez Walker North Carolina
    100 Commanders WR Javon Baker UCF
    Round 4
    Pick Team Player College
    101 Panthers DT Maason Smith LSU
    102 Seahawks LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Clemson
    103 Patriots CB D.J. James Auburn
    104 Cardinals LB Jaylan Ford Texas
    105 Chargers RB Blake Corum Michigan
    106 Titans DT Mekhi Wingo LSU
    107 Giants CB Josh Newton TCU
    108 Vikings ED Jonah Elliss Utah
    109 Falcons OL Matt Goncalves Pittsburgh
    110 Chargers DT DeWayne Carter Duke
    111 Jets WR Johnny Wilson Florida State
    112 Raiders OL Tanor Bortolini Wisconsin
    113 Ravens S Malik Mustapha Wake Forest
    114 Jaguars OL Brandon Coleman TCU
    115 Bengals LB Edefuan Ulofoshio Washington
    116 Jaguars ED Brennan Jackson Washington State
    117 Colts RB Audric Estime Notre Dame
    118 Seahawks TE Jared Wiley TCU
    119 Steelers DT Gabe Hall Baylor
    120 Eagles WR Jermaine Burton Alabama
    121 Broncos QB Michael Pratt Tulane
    122 Bears OL Travis Glover Georgia State
    123 Texans RB Jaylen Wright Tennessee
    124 49ers WR Brenden Rice USC
    125 Buccaneers OL Hunter Nourzad Penn State
    126 Packers S Tykee Smith Georgia
    127 Texans DT Justin Eboigbe Alabama
    128 Bills RB Braelon Allen Wisconsin
    129 Vikings WR Malik Washington Virginia
    130 Ravens ED Mohamed Kamara Colorado State
    131 Chiefs RB Bucky Irving Oregon
    132 49ers S Kitan Oladapo Oregon State
    133 Bills CB Renardo Green Florida State
    134 Jets S Jaylin Simpson Auburn
    135 49ers OL Sedrick Van Pran Georgia
    Round 5
    Pick Team Player College
    136 Broncos ED Jalyx Hunt Houston Christian
    137 Patriots S Dominique Hampton Washington
    138 Cardinals OL Javion Cohen Miami FL
    139 Commanders WR Jamari Thrash Louisville
    140 Chargers QB Joe Milton III Tennessee
    141 Panthers ED Xavier Thomas Clemson
    142 Panthers CB Chau Smith-Wade Washington State
    143 Falcons QB Austin Reed Western Kentucky
    144 Bills ED Cedric Johnson Ole Miss
    145 Broncos OL Walter Rouse Oklahoma
    146 Titans LB James Williams Miami FL
    147 Broncos LB Tommy Eichenberg Ohio State
    148 Raiders ED Myles Cole Texas Tech
    149 Bengals CB Jarrian Jones Florida State
    150 Saints OL Mason McCormick South Dakota State
    151 Colts CB Cam Hart Notre Dame
    152 Commanders P Austin McNamara Texas Tech
    153 Jaguars OL Javon Foster Missouri
    154 Rams RB Will Shipley Clemson
    155 Rams OL Delmar Glaze Maryland
    156 Browns WR Jacob Cowing Arizona
    157 Vikings LB Ty’Ron Hopper Missouri
    158 Dolphins TE Tanner McLachlan Arizona
    159 Chiefs LB Marist Liufau Notre Dame
    160 Bills OL Layden Robinson Texas A&M
    161 Eagles ED Javon Solomon Troy
    162 Cardinals CB Nehemiah Pritchett Auburn
    163 Bills DT McKinnley Jackson Texas A&M
    164 Lions OT Christian Jones Texas
    165 Ravens LB Jackson Sirmon California
    166 Giants LB Tyrice Knight UTEP
    167 Vikings S Sione Vaki Utah
    168 Saints DT Jordan Jefferson LSU
    169 Packers DT Khristian Boyd Northern Iowa
    170 Saints CB Kalen King Penn State
    171 Eagles S Josh Proctor Ohio State
    172 Eagles CB Decamerion Richardson Mississippi State
    173 Chiefs OL Caedan Wallace Penn State
    174 Cowboys OL Garret Greenfield South Dakota State
    175 Saints S Jaylen Key Alabama
    176 49ers OL Sataoa Laumea Utah
    Round 6
    Pick Team Player College
    177 Vikings DT Tyler Davis Clemson
    178 Steelers LB Curtis Jacobs Penn State
    179 Seahawks CB Qwan’tez Stiggers CFL
    180 Patriots OL Tylan Grable UCF
    181 Chargers S Beau Brade Maryland
    182 Titans WR Luke McCaffrey Rice
    183 Giants QB Sam Hartman Notre Dame
    184 Dolphins OL Andrew Raym Oklahoma
    185 Jets QB Jordan Travis Florida State
    186 Cardinals S Evan Williams Oregon
    187 Falcons LB Aaron Casey Indiana
    188 Texans OL Charles Turner III LSU
    189 Texans CB Johnny Dixon Penn State
    190 Saints TE Tip Reiman Illinois
    191 Colts OL Jalen Sundell North Dakota State
    192 Seahawks ED Jaylen Harrell Michigan
    193 Patriots TE Jaheim Bell Florida State
    194 Bengals DT Justin Rogers Auburn
    195 Steelers OL LaDarius Henderson Michigan
    196 Rams OL Kingsley Eguakun Florida
    197 Falcons CB Elijah Jones Boston College
    198 Dolphins DL Keith Randolph Jr. Illinois
    199 Saints LB Kalen DeLoach Florida State
    200 Bills WR Jordan Whittington Texas
    201 Lions OL Trevor Keegan Michigan
    202 Packers RB Ray Davis Kentucky
    203 Jets LB Jordan Magee Temple
    204 Bills OL Isaiah Adams Illinois
    205 Lions WR Bub Means Pittsburgh
    206 Browns TE Cade Stover Ohio State
    207 Broncos RB Blake Watson Memphis
    208 Raiders CB Dwight McGlothern Arkansas
    209 Rams K Joshua Karty Stanford
    210 Eagles TE Brevyn Spann-Ford Minnesota
    211 49ers RB Isaac Guerendo Louisville
    212 Jaguars S Evan Williams Oregon
    213 Rams CB Marcellas Dial South Carolina
    214 Bengals WR Joshua Cephus UTSA
    215 49ers CB Carlton Johnson Fresno State
    216 Cowboys LB Nathaniel Watson Mississippi State
    217 Rams DT Marcus Harris Auburn
    218 Ravens TE AJ Barner Michigan
    219 Packers OL Dylan McMahon NC State
    220 Buccaneers QB Carter Bradley South Alabama
    Round 7
    Pick Team Player College
    221 Chiefs OL Nick Gargiulo South Carolina
    222 Commanders TE Dallin Holker Colorado State
    223 Raiders S Trey Taylor Air Force
    224 Bengals OL Giovanni Manu British Columbia
    225 Chargers WR Cornelius Johnson Michigan
    226 Cardinals WR Jalen Coker Holy Cross
    227 Browns CB M.J. Devonshire Pittsburgh
    228 Ravens RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. Purdue
    229 Raiders WR Jha’Quan Jackson Tulane
    230 Vikings CB Jarius Monroe Tulane
    231 Patriots OL Donovan Jennings USF
    232 Vikings LB Tatum Bethune Florida State
    233 Cowboys CB Daequan Hardy Penn State
    234 Colts ED Braiden McGregor Michigan
    235 Seahawks DT Jowon Briggs Cincinnati
    236 Jaguars CB Deantre Prince Ole Miss
    237 Bengals RB Dylan Laube New Hampshire
    238 Texans OL Nathan Thomas Louisiana
    239 Saints S Tyler Owens Texas Tech
    240 Panthers WR Ainias Smith Texas A&M
    241 Dolphins CB Josh Wallace Michigan
    242 Titans S Isaiah Johnson Syracuse
    243 Browns OL Andrew Coker TCU
    244 Cowboys LB JD Bertrand Notre Dame
    245 Packers S Jaylon Carlies Missouri
    246 Buccaneers TE Erick All Iowa
    247 Texans S Mark Perry TCU
    248 Bills RB Frank Gore Jr. Southern Miss
    249 Lions ED Javontae Jean-Baptiste Notre Dame
    250 Ravens OL Karsen Barnhart Michigan
    251 49ers DT Logan Lee Iowa
    252 Titans OL Matt Lee Miami FL
    253 Chargers DT Levi Drake Rodriguez Texas A&M-Commerce
    254 Rams S Millard Bradford TCU
    255 Packers WR Ryan Flournoy Southeast Missouri State
    256 Broncos CB Chigozie Anusiem Colorado State
    257 Jets CB Micah Abraham Marshall

    Be sure to check my pre-Draft content on Twitter @ncoopdraft, the SIS Football account @football_sis, and check out all of our content on this year’s class on the NFL Draft site.

  • 2024 SIS Ops Staff NFL Mock Draft

    2024 SIS Ops Staff NFL Mock Draft

    In an NFL Draft that possesses a lot of talent at the top with really good depth in a handful of positions, what are teams going to do come Draft night?

    What order do the top 4 QBs go in? When does the first RB come off the board? How many OTs and CBs will we see in the first round?

    Using traditional scouting and analytics in conjunction with the NFL Draft site, the Sports Info Solutions Operations department tried its hand at attempting to answer all the burning questions and more in a full 7-Round Mock Draft.

    Where are your favorite players going to land?

    Who is your favorite team going to select?

    Those questions and more are about to be answered. Find out now!

    Round 1
    Pick Team Scout Player College
    1 Bears JD QB Caleb Williams USC
    The Bears look to finally land their franchise QB with the uber-talented Caleb Williams.
    2 Commanders Ben QB Jayden Daniels LSU
    A dynamic runner that can beat a defense from inside the pocket, Washington has a chance to find a true franchise QB in Daniels at the second pick.
    3 Patriots Stephen QB Drake Maye North Carolina
    After recent inconsistent play at the quarterback position, the Patriots start fresh with the athletic, strong-armed, NFL ready Drake Maye.
    4 Cardinals Ben WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State
    With size, speed, production, and pedigree, Harrison is as close to flawless as a prospect can be.
    5 Chargers Nathan WR Malik Nabers LSU
    The Chargers lost both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason, so they need to replenish the wide receiver room, and Nabers is one of the most high-upside, dynamic receivers to come out in recent years.
    6 Giants Jared QB J.J. McCarthy Michigan
    The Giants look to the future and bring in the athleticism and leadership of McCarthy to become their new franchise quarterback.
    7 Titans Dan OT Joe Alt Notre Dame
    The Titans need to protect their franchise QB and what better way than drafting an athletic monster at LT.
    8 Falcons Jordan EDGE Dallas Turner Alabama
    The Falcons have been in pursuit of an elite edge rusher for years, and Turner is a high-upside player with excellent athleticism at a young age.
    9 Bears JD EDGE Jared Verse Florida State
    The Bears land a foundational centerpiece on offense and defense with their top-2 picks as Verse feels like a perfect scheme fit forming a great 1-2 duo off the edge with recently-acquired Montez Sweat.
    10 Jets Kyle TE Brock Bowers Georgia
    The Jets continue to go all-in on the Aaron Rodgers experiment by nabbing the best TE prospect in recent memory.
    11 Vikings Jeff WR Rome Odunze Washington
    With the top four QBs off the board, the Vikings look to set up their future franchise QB with another game-changing weapon who can thrive in an offense full of playmakers.
    12 Broncos Nathan EDGE Laiatu Latu UCLA
    Denver needs more help getting to the quarterback, and Latu is arguably the best pure pass rusher in this year’s class.
    13 Raiders Theo OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu Penn State
    The run on quarterbacks and skill players in the Top 11 gives the Raiders a perfect opportunity to take the best player available while also filling a big void at right tackle.
    14 Saints Chad OT JC Latham Alabama
    With question marks at both Tackle slots (either due to injury or performance), the Saints take the massive tackle from Alabama to bolster their offensive line.
    15 Colts Jeremy CB Quinyon Mitchell Toledo
    The Colts’ cornerback room is amongst the worst in the league, and Mitchell is a top-tier talent who can help bring stability to Indy’s lowly secondary.
    16 Seahawks Jeff OG Troy Fautanu Washington
    The Seahawks need some help on the interior and they grab one of the most versatile offensive linemen in the draft who could potentially play any position.
    17 Jaguars Jeremy CB Terrion Arnold Alabama
    The Jaguars need an influx of talent in their secondary, and Terrion Arnold has the press-man skills coveted by new DC Ryan Neilsen.
    18 Bengals Michael DT Byron Murphy II Texas
    Playing in the loaded AFC North, the Bengals add depth and disruption to their defensive line by bringing in Murphy who also brings a high-end motor to the physical division.
    19 Rams Justin EDGE Chop Robinson Penn State
    The Rams lack depth at the edge with Robinson’s natural pass-rush ability and elite first step are a perfect fit for a defense that needs to improve its ability to get to the QB.
    20 Steelers Max OT Taliese Fuaga Oregon State
    The Steelers go offensive tackle in back-to-back years grabbing Fuaga, who is a mauler in the run game, and will help impose the physical running style and play action pass game that Mike Tomlin and new OC Arthur Smith like to utilize
    21 Dolphins Conner OG Graham Barton Duke
    With needs across the OL after an injury-plagued 2023, Miami looks to add a versatile OL that has true five-position flexibility.
    22 Eagles Ben OT Tyler Guyton Oklahoma
    As Lane Johnson reaches the end of his illustrious career, the Eagles jump on another athletic Sooner that can develop under OL coach Jeff Stoutland and reach his full potential.
    23 Vikings Jeff DT Jer’Zhan Newton Illinois
    The Vikings desperately need some pass rushing from the interior and they are able to nab one of the best in the draft with their second pick of the 1st round.
    24 Cowboys Chad OC Jackson Powers-Johnson Oregon
    The Cowboys need to retool their offensive line, and they nail down the middle of the line with the athletic center out of Oregon.
    25 Packers Jeff OT Amarius Mims Georgia
    The Packers have been looking for their next franchise tackle, and Mims has one of the highest upsides in the entire draft class.
    26 Buccaneers Conner CB Nate Wiggins Clemson
    After trading Carlton Davis, Tampa looks to add another weapon to the secondary with the selection of Wiggins.
    27 Cardinals Ben CB Kool-Aid McKinstry Alabama
    McKinstry is a ready-made NFL corner that proved his speed through the draft process and while some will be skeptical of his injury issues, he projects to make an immediate impact when on the field.
    28 Bills Evan WR Brian Thomas Jr. LSU
    The Bills will look to restock their WR room after offseason departures and it begins with Thomas Jr., who will bring a vertical threat with his good size and speed to Josh Allen’s attack.
    29 Lions Nathan DT Darius Robinson Missouri
    Robinson brings the grit and personality the Detroit staff is looking for, along with the versatility to line up all over the line, rush the passer, and stop the run.
    30 Ravens Segev CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Missouri
    The Ravens lost a lot of talent and depth in free agency and start replenishing that by taking a corner who can really cover and could start immediately.
    31 49ers Jordan OT Kingsley Suamataia BYU
    The 49ers still have Trent Williams at LT, but adding Kingsley provides an eventual succession plan while allowing him to develop behind one of the league’s best players.
    32 Chiefs Nathan WR Xavier Worthy Texas
    Given the question marks Rashee Rice raised this offseason, Worthy combines elite speed and receiver skills to give Mahomes and the Chiefs another big-time weapon.
    Round 2
    Pick Team Scout Player College
    33 Panthers Jordan CB Cooper DeJean Iowa
    34 Patriots Stephen WR Adonai Mitchell Texas
    35 Cardinals Ben EDGE Chris Braswell Alabama
    36 Commanders Ben OG Dominick Puni Kansas
    37 Chargers Nathan OT Patrick Paul Houston
    38 Titans Dan EDGE Bralen Trice Washington
    39 Panthers Jordan WR Xavier Legette South Carolina
    40 Commanders Ben EDGE Adisa Isaac Penn State
    41 Packers Jeff LB Payton Wilson NC State
    42 Texans Ryan CB Kamari Lassiter Georgia
    43 Falcons Jordan QB Michael Penix Jr. Washington
    44 Raiders Theo NT T’Vondre Sweat Texas
    45 Saints Chad DT Braden Fiske Florida State
    46 Colts Jeremy WR Keon Coleman Florida State
    47 Giants Jared WR Ladd McConkey Georgia
    48 Jaguars Jeremy WR Ja’Lynn Polk Washington
    49 Bengals Michael WR Troy Franklin Oregon
    50 Eagles Ben CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. Louisville
    51 Steelers Max OC Zach Frazier West Virginia
    52 Rams Justin DT Mekhi Wingo LSU
    53 Eagles Ben TE Theo Johnson Penn State
    54 Browns Michael OT Kiran Amegadjie Yale
    55 Dolphins Conner DT Maason Smith LSU
    56 Cowboys Chad RB Jonathon Brooks Texas
    57 Buccaneers Conner OG Christian Haynes UConn
    58 Packers Jeff CB Mike Sainristil Michigan
    59 Texans Ryan S Tyler Nubin Minnesota
    60 Bills Evan EDGE Austin Booker Kansas
    61 Lions Nathan OC Beaux Limmer Arkansas
    62 Ravens Segev OT Jordan Morgan Arizona
    63 49ers Jordan CB Max Melton Rutgers
    64 Chiefs Nathan CB T.J. Tampa Iowa State
    Round 3
    Pick Team Scout Player College
    65 Panthers Jordan RB Trey Benson Florida State
    66 Cardinals Ben NT McKinnley Jackson Texas A&M
    67 Commanders Ben S Kamren Kinchens Miami FL
    68 Patriots Stephen OT Walter Rouse Oklahoma
    69 Chargers Nathan RB Blake Corum Michigan
    70 Giants Jared CB Andru Phillips Kentucky
    71 Cardinals Ben WR Devontez Walker North Carolina
    72 Jets Kyle OT Blake Fisher Notre Dame
    73 Lions Nathan S Jaden Hicks Washington State
    74 Falcons Jordan CB Kris Abrams-Draine Missouri
    75 Bears JD DT Kris Jenkins Michigan
    76 Broncos Nathan QB Bo Nix Oregon
    77 Raiders Theo QB Spencer Rattler South Carolina
    78 Commanders Ben CB Khyree Jackson Oregon
    79 Falcons Jordan LB Junior Colson Michigan
    80 Bengals Michael OG Cooper Beebe Kansas State
    81 Seahawks Jeff LB Edgerrin Cooper Texas A&M
    82 Colts Jeremy S Cole Bishop Utah
    83 Rams Justin OG Christian Mahogany Boston College
    84 Steelers Max DT Ruke Orhorhoro Clemson
    85 Browns Michael DT Brandon Dorlus Oregon
    86 Texans Ryan OT Roger Rosengarten Washington
    87 Cowboys Chad WR Ricky Pearsall Florida
    88 Packers Jeff OG Zak Zinter Michigan
    89 Buccaneers Conner WR Malachi Corley Western Kentucky
    90 Cardinals Ben DT Leonard Taylor III Miami FL
    91 Packers Jeff OC Sedrick Van Pran Georgia
    92 Buccaneers Conner LB Trevin Wallace Kentucky
    93 Ravens Segev EDGE Jonah Elliss Utah
    94 49ers Jordan EDGE Marshawn Kneeland Western Michigan
    95 Chiefs Nathan OT Matt Goncalves Pittsburgh
    96 Jaguars Jeremy S Javon Bullard Georgia
    97 Bengals Michael OT Javon Foster Missouri
    98 Steelers Max WR Brenden Rice USC
    99 Rams Justin EDGE Gabriel Murphy UCLA
    100 Commanders Ben TE Ja’Tavion Sanders Texas
    Round 4
    Pick Team Scout Player College
    101 Panthers Jordan LB Cedric Gray North Carolina
    102 Seahawks Jeff TE Jared Wiley TCU
    103 Patriots Stephen TE Cade Stover Ohio State
    104 Cardinals Ben OC Hunter Nourzad Penn State
    105 Chargers Nathan TE Ben Sinnott Kansas State
    106 Titans Dan WR Roman Wilson Michigan
    107 Giants Jared RB Audric Estime Notre Dame
    108 Vikings Jeff QB Joe Milton III Tennessee
    109 Falcons Jordan S Calen Bullock USC
    110 Chargers Nathan CB D.J. James Auburn
    111 Jets Kyle S Kitan Oladapo Oregon State
    112 Raiders Theo EDGE Xavier Thomas Clemson
    113 Ravens Segev WR Jalen McMillan Washington
    114 Jaguars Jeremy EDGE Mohamed Kamara Colorado State
    115 Bengals Michael CB Caelen Carson Wake Forest
    116 Jaguars Jeremy OT Travis Glover Georgia State
    117 Colts Jeremy LB Edefuan Ulofoshio Washington
    118 Seahawks Jeff DT Michael Hall Jr. Ohio State
    119 Steelers Max S Tykee Smith Georgia
    120 Eagles Ben LB Jaylan Ford Texas
    121 Broncos Nathan LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Clemson
    122 Bears JD WR Javon Baker UCF
    123 Texans Ryan DT Justin Eboigbe Alabama
    124 49ers Jordan OT Caedan Wallace Penn State
    125 Buccaneers Conner RB Marshawn Lloyd USC
    126 Packers Jeff WR Jacob Cowing Arizona
    127 Texans Ryan CB Chau Smith-Wade Washington State
    128 Bills Evan S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson Texas Tech
    129 Vikings Jeff CB Josh Newton TCU
    130 Ravens Segev OG Jalen Sundell North Dakota State
    131 Chiefs Nathan OC Tanor Bortolini Wisconsin
    132 49ers Jordan S Malik Mustapha Wake Forest
    133 Bills Evan RB Bucky Irving Oregon
    134 Jets Kyle DT DeWayne Carter Duke
    135 49ers Jordan RB Braelon Allen Wisconsin
    Round 5
    Pick Team Scout Player College
    136 Broncos Nathan DT Tyler Davis Clemson
    137 Patriots Stephen LB Tommy Eichenberg Ohio State
    138 Cardinals Ben CB Kalen King Penn State
    139 Commanders Ben OT Delmar Glaze Maryland
    140 Chargers Nathan OG Brandon Coleman TCU
    141 Panthers Jordan TE Dallin Holker Colorado State
    142 Panthers Jordan EDGE Cedric Johnson Ole Miss
    143 Falcons Jordan TE Tip Reiman Illinois
    144 Bills Evan CB Renardo Green Florida State
    145 Broncos Nathan OT Tylan Grable UCF
    146 Titans Dan LB James Williams Miami FL
    147 Broncos Nathan CB Cam Hart Notre Dame
    148 Raiders Theo LB Jackson Sirmon California
    149 Bengals Michael TE Tanner McLachlan Arizona
    150 Saints Chad EDGE Brennan Jackson Washington State
    151 Colts Jeremy OG Mason McCormick South Dakota State
    152 Commanders Ben DT Gabe Hall Baylor
    153 Jaguars Jeremy LB Curtis Jacobs Penn State
    154 Rams Justin S Jaylin Simpson Auburn
    155 Rams Justin CB Johnny Dixon Penn State
    156 Browns Michael WR Malik Washington Virginia
    157 Vikings Jeff RB Will Shipley Clemson
    158 Dolphins Conner WR Luke McCaffrey Rice
    159 Chiefs Nathan LB Ty’Ron Hopper Missouri
    160 Bills Evan OG Donovan Jennings USF
    161 Eagles Ben EDGE Javon Solomon Troy
    162 Cardinals Ben CB Myles Harden South Dakota
    163 Bills Evan OC Andrew Raym Oklahoma
    164 Lions Nathan CB Nehemiah Pritchett Auburn
    165 Ravens Segev RB Ray Davis Kentucky
    166 Giants Jared OG Javion Cohen Miami FL
    167 Vikings Jeff OG Layden Robinson Texas A&M
    168 Saints Chad WR Jamari Thrash Louisville
    169 Packers Jeff EDGE Richard Jibunor Troy
    170 Saints Chad TE Jaheim Bell Florida State
    171 Eagles Ben WR Johnny Wilson Florida State
    172 Eagles Ben CB Jarrian Jones Florida State
    173 Chiefs Nathan RB Jaylen Wright Tennessee
    174 Cowboys Chad OT Christian Jones Texas
    175 Saints Chad CB M.J. Devonshire Pittsburgh
    176 49ers Jordan TE Erick All Iowa
    Round 6
    Pick Team Scout Player College
    177 Vikings Jeff OT Garret Greenfield South Dakota State
    178 Steelers Max CB Elijah Jones Boston College
    179 Seahawks Jeff K Joshua Karty Stanford
    180 Patriots Stephen EDGE Trajan Jeffcoat Arkansas
    181 Chargers Nathan NT Jordan Jefferson LSU
    182 Titans Dan S Evan Williams Oregon
    183 Giants Jared DT Keith Randolph Jr. Illinois
    184 Dolphins Conner OC Kingsley Eguakun Florida
    185 Jets Kyle QB Michael Pratt Tulane
    186 Cardinals Ben S Sione Vaki Utah
    187 Falcons Jordan WR Jermaine Burton Alabama
    188 Texans Ryan OG LaDarius Henderson Michigan
    189 Texans Ryan LB Jordan Magee Temple
    190 Saints Chad S Beau Brade Maryland
    191 Colts Jeremy EDGE Myles Cole Texas Tech
    192 Seahawks Jeff QB Austin Reed Western Kentucky
    193 Patriots Stephen WR Joshua Cephus UTSA
    194 Bengals Michael DT Marcus Harris Auburn
    195 Steelers Max QB Jordan Travis Florida State
    196 Rams Justin DT Logan Lee Iowa
    197 Falcons Jordan CB Decamerion Richardson Mississippi State
    198 Dolphins Conner CB Chigozie Anusiem Colorado State
    199 Saints Chad P Tory Taylor Iowa
    200 Bills Evan LB Tatum Bethune Florida State
    201 Lions Nathan EDGE Jaylen Harrell Michigan
    202 Packers Jeff RB Dylan Laube New Hampshire
    203 Jets Kyle WR Ainias Smith Texas A&M
    204 Bills Evan DT Jowon Briggs Cincinnati
    205 Lions Nathan WR Jordan Whittington Texas
    206 Browns Michael LB Marist Liufau Notre Dame
    207 Broncos Nathan OC Charles Turner III LSU
    208 Raiders Theo CB Carlton Johnson Fresno State
    209 Rams Justin TE Brevyn Spann-Ford Minnesota
    210 Eagles Ben WR Jalen Coker Holy Cross
    211 49ers Jordan WR Bub Means Pittsburgh
    212 Jaguars Jeremy CB Marcellas Dial South Carolina
    213 Rams Justin OT Ethan Driskell Marshall
    214 Bengals Michael WR Lideatrick Griffin Mississippi State
    215 49ers Jordan OG Isaiah Adams Illinois
    216 Cowboys Chad EDGE Jalyx Hunt Houston Christian
    217 Rams Justin QB Kedon Slovis BYU
    218 Ravens Segev S Jaylen Key Alabama
    219 Packers Jeff NT Justin Rogers Auburn
    220 Buccaneers Conner OC Matt Lee Miami FL
    Round 7
    Pick Team Scout Player College
    221 Chiefs Nathan OG Nick Gargiulo South Carolina
    222 Commanders Ben NT Khristian Boyd Northern Iowa
    223 Raiders Theo WR Cornelius Johnson Michigan
    224 Bengals Michael QB Devin Leary Kentucky
    225 Chargers Nathan WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint Georgia
    226 Cardinals Ben LB Aaron Casey Indiana
    227 Browns Michael S Josh Proctor Ohio State
    228 Ravens Segev TE AJ Barner Michigan
    229 Raiders Theo OG Sataoa Laumea Utah
    230 Vikings Jeff OG Kyle Hergel Boston College
    231 Patriots Stephen RB Dillon Johnson Washington
    232 Vikings Jeff WR Tahj Washington USC
    233 Cowboys Chad LB Tyrice Knight UTEP
    234 Colts Jeremy S Trey Taylor Air Force
    235 Seahawks Jeff RB Blake Watson Memphis
    236 Jaguars Jeremy EDGE Braiden McGregor Michigan
    237 Bengals Michael P Ryan Rehkow BYU
    238 Texans Ryan TE Mason Fairchild Kansas
    239 Saints Chad RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. Purdue
    240 Panthers Jordan CB Deantre Prince Ole Miss
    241 Dolphins Conner EDGE Javontae Jean-Baptiste Notre Dame
    242 Titans Dan OL Trevor Keegan Michigan
    243 Browns Michael RB Cody Schrader Missouri
    244 Cowboys Chad S Dominique Hampton Washington
    245 Packers Jeff CB Dwight McGlothern Arkansas
    246 Buccaneers Conner WR Jha’Quan Jackson Tulane
    247 Texans Ryan WR Ryan Flournoy Southeast Missouri State
    248 Bills Evan CB Josh Wallace Michigan
    249 Lions Nathan OT Giovanni Manu British Columbia (Canada)
    250 Ravens Segev LB Nathaniel Watson Mississippi State
    251 49ers Jordan LB Tarique Barnes Illinois
    252 Titans Dan CB Daequan Hardy Penn State
    253 Chargers Nathan S Tyler Owens Texas Tech
    254 Rams Justin K Harrison Mevis Missouri
    255 Packers Jeff TE Jack Westover Washington
    256 Broncos Nathan RB Isaac Guerendo Louisville
    257 Jets Kyle LB Steele Chambers Ohio State

    The members of the SIS Operations staff who took part in this Mock Draft are: Nathan Cooper, Jordan Edwards, Jeff Dean, Ben Hrkach, Chad Tedder, Jeremy Percy, Conner Hrabal, Theo Fornaciari, Max Nuscher, Michael Morgan, Ryan Rubinstein, Jared Maslin, JD Allen, Kyle Shatto, Dan Foehrenbach, Segev Goldberg, Stephen Marciello, Evan Butler, and Justin Stine.

  • 2023 SIS Pac-12 All-Conference Team

    2023 SIS Pac-12 All-Conference Team

    It’s finally time to release our SIS All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our team of selections for 2023, plus some honorable mentions.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

    These picks are meant to honor this season’s best-of-the-best in the Pac-12.

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Michael Penix Jr. Washington
    RB Bucky Irving Oregon
    WR Rome Odunze Washington
    WR Tetairoa McMillan Arizona
    TE Tanner McLachlan Arizona
    FLEX Damien Martinez Oregon State
    OT Roger Rosengarten Washington
    OT Jordan Morgan Arizona
    OG Marcus Harper II Oregon
    OG Steven Jones Oregon
    OC Jackson Powers-Johnson Oregon

    Michael Penix Jr. may have played his way into this spot with a great CFP, but it was a great overall season when you see he threw for the most yards, air yards, and intended air yards in all of college football, all while being pressured the 10th-most in FBS. Odunze and McMillan’s 48 Total Points put them just behind Malik Nabers for most among wide receivers in the country. 

    The three-headed monster of Oregon interior linemen ranked 1st (Harper II), 4th (Jones), and 1st (Powers-Johnson) in the conference in Total Points at their respective positions, and Powers-Johnson’s Total Points Rank per Snap ranked 4th among centers in the country.

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT Bear Alexander USC
    DT Jay Toia UCLA
    EDGE Laiatu Latu UCLA
    EDGE Brennan Jackson Washington State
    LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold Oregon State
    LB Karene Reid Utah
    CB Jabbar Muhammad Washington
    CB Travis Hunter Colorado
    S Kitan Oladapo Oregon State
    S Akili Arnold Oregon State
    FLEX Nohl Williams California

    Latu and Jackson not only led the conference in Total Points among edge rushers, they led the entire country as well. Latu tied for 6th-most sacks in the country with 12 and was 2nd with 65 pressures. Travis Hunter amassed 32 Total Points on the defensive side of the ball, and while that’s not substantial compared to some of his fellow corners in the conference (given his injury cost him some time), it’s incredibly impressive since he played consistent snaps on both sides of the ball. Lastly, the Oregon State safety duo compiled 116 Total Points between them, with Oladapo accounting for 64 of them.

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K Joshua Karty Stanford
    P Ross James Oregon
    Returner Zachariah Branch USC

    Joshua Karty’s 22 made field goals were most in the conference and his 4 makes beyond 50 yards tied him for 3rd-best in the country. What’s more impressive is he made more field goals than he did extra points, going 21-of-21 on PATs, which unfortunately tells you a lot about Stanford’s offense this year. Ross James punted only 27 times, but his punt average ranked 4th in FBS (48.4) and net average ranked 8th (45.0), and he pinned the opposition inside the 20 on 41% of them. Branch was the only player in FBS to return at least one kick and punt for a touchdown in 2023. He averaged 22.6 yards per punt return which ranked 3rd in FBS among returners with at least 10 punt returns.

    Honorable Mentions

    Name School
    QB Caleb Williams USC
    QB Bo Nix Oregon
    RB Jonah Coleman Arizona
    WR Troy Franklin Oregon
    TE Jack Velling Oregon State
    OL Ajani Cornelius Oregon
    OL Josh Connerly Jr. Oregon
    ED Grayson Murphy UCLA
    ED Jonah Elliss Utah
    LB Jacob Manu Arizona
    LB Darius Muasau UCLA
    S Sione Vaki Utah

    Two quarterbacks claim an Honorable Mention as Penix, Nix, and Williams ranked Nos. 2, 3, and 4 in Total Points among FBS quarterbacks. Troy Franklin ranked Top 8 in FBS in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, Yards per Route Run, Yards per Target, and Receiver Rating. Cornelius and Connerly round out the Oregon offense line, Elliss’s 12 sacks tied for 6th-most in the country, and Vaki was a two-way player seeing action at both safety and running back.

    Check out this year’s NFL Draft site to see how we feel some of these players project to the NFL.

    Total Points, stats, and ranks as of 2/27/2023

  • 2023 SIS NFL All-Rookie Teams

    2023 SIS NFL All-Rookie Teams

    Photo: Ian Johnson/Steven King, Icon Presswire

    Sports Info Solutions, a leader in the football analytics space, is pleased to announce its 4th annual NFL All-Rookie Teams. 

    The teams were selected using a combination of advanced stats and voting among members of our football operations staff, with emphasis placed upon SIS’ player value stat, Total Points. 

    As we do every year, we adjust the positional structure of this team to make sure to honor as many top performers as possible from this season.

    Here are the 2023 Sports Info Solutions award winners and All-Rookie Teams:

    Rookies of the Year

    After breaking multiple rookie passing records and putting together one of the best rookie seasons of all time by a quarterback, C.J. Stroud of the Texans takes home our Offensive Rookie of the Year.

    There were a lot of ways Defensive Rookie of the Year could have gone. There likely would have been a different winner at each quarter of the season. Ultimately, we went with arguably the biggest steal in the 2023 NFL Draft and the rookie defensive Total Points leader, Brian Branch of the Lions.

    Jake Moody of the 49ers takes home Special Teams Rookie of the Year. Moody lived up to his Draft slot as a 3rd-Round pick, helping lead a stacked roster back into the playoffs.

    For the first time, we also are announcing a Rookie Class of the Year. That award goes to the Los Angeles Rams. This was another close call, but with Puka Nacua leading the way, five Rams made our two teams, including four 1st Teamers.

    1st-Team Offense
    Position Player Team Total Points
    Quarterback C.J. Stroud Texans 103
    Running Back De’Von Achane Dolphins 26
    Running Back Bijan Robinson Falcons 24
    Wide Receiver Puka Nacua Rams 37
    Wide Receiver Zay Flowers Ravens 25
    Tight End Sam LaPorta Lions 41
    Tackle Darnell Wright Bears 31
    Tackle Anton Harrison Jaguars 22
    Guard O’Cyrus Torrence Bills 37
    Guard Steve Avila Rams 28
    Center Joe Tippmann Jets 20

     

    Quarterback: C.J. Stroud, Texans

    The Texans winning their final game in 2022 actually pushed them from picking No. 1 to No. 2. However, it doesn’t look like it’s going to haunt them. C.J. Stroud was 1 of only 10 passers to go over 4,000 yards in 2023. His 103 Total Points led all rookies and ranked 10th among QBs, helping lead the Texans back to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

    Running Back: De’Von Achane, Dolphins

    In just 11 games, De’Von Achane ran for 800 yards on nearly eight yards per carry. His speed and playmaking ability fit in perfectly with the Dolphins offense. Being limited due to injury, he made his snaps count, creating the 2nd-most rushing Total Points per snap among RBs and making defenders miss 18.4% of the time, which was good for 7th.

    Running Back: Bijan Robinson, Falcons

    While we can all speculate if he was used properly the entirety of the season in Atlanta, Bijan Robinson didn’t disappoint when he was called upon. He led all rookie RBs with 976 rushing yards and added 487 yards through the air, which was 4th-most among all RBs. Additionally, he ranked 5th with a 19.2% Broken + Missed Tackle rate as a rusher among all RBs who had at least 100 carries.

    Wide Receiver: Puka Nacua, Rams

    No question the biggest steal of the Draft on the offensive side of the ball was 5th-round pick Puka Nacua. If not for a great year by Stroud, Nacua is by far the runaway Offensive Rookie of the Year. Nacua only managed to break the rookie records for receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) in a season. His 2.7 Yards per Route Run also ranked him 9th among all WRs with at least 75 targets.

    Wide Receiver: Zay Flowers, Ravens

    Another big-play receiver, Zay Flowers improved the Ravens receiving corps exponentially in 2023. While he caught for over 850 yards and 6 TDs, his most impressive stat is a 37.7% Broken + Missed Tackle rate, which ranked just behind Deebo Samuel among all WRs with at least 50 targets. 

    Tight End: Sam LaPorta, Lions

    The Lions’ 2023 2nd-round picks proved to be huge hits, and Sam LaPorta was one of them. LaPorta broke the rookie TE record for receptions in a season with 86. He also caught 10 TDs, which were four more than the 2nd-most by a tight end.. He and Jahmyr Gibbs teamed up to be the only pair of rookie teammates to each produce at least 10 TDs in the same season. Elsewhere, his 12 Total Points as a run blocker ranked 3rd among all TEs and his 2.0 Yards per Route Run tied-5th among TEs with at least 30 targets.

    Tackle: Darnell Wright, Bears

    Darnell Wright started every game and logged over 1,000 snaps for the Bears this season. While he did have 31 Blown Blocks in the pass game, which comes with the territory of a young NFL tackle, he notched a miniscule 0.9% Blown Block rate on run plays, tied for 5th-best among all tackles with at least 500 snaps.

    Tackle: Anton Harrison, Jaguars

    Anton Harrison took his lumps as an NFL rookie tackle, committing 40 Blown Blocks, but he made huge strides as the season went on. He started every game for Jacksonville and played over 1,000 snaps, gaining valuable experience. Plus, his 22 Total Points were just behind Wright for most among all rookie tackles.

    Guard: O’Cyrus Torrence, Bills

    O’Cyrus Torrence’s 37 Total Points were tops among all rookie offensive linemen and 6th-best among all NFL guards. Additionally, his 19.3 Total Points as a run blocker ranked 3rd among guards with at least 500 snaps and his 5.6 Points Above Average in the run game ranked 4th.

    Guard: Steve Avila, Rams

    While Steve Avila did commit 33 Blown Blocks in 2023, he didn’t commit a hold in 448 run snaps and only one in 640 pass snaps. Also, his 28 Total Points ranked just behind Torrence among rookie guards and was 3rd among all rookie linemen.

    Center: Joe Tippmann, Jets

    Joe Tippmann proved his worth across multiple positions this season. After starting off playing some guard, Tippmann switched to center when injuries became an issue across the Jets OL. Across 14 starts in 16 games, he posted just a 2.5% Blown Block rate and only 1.9% in the run game, good for top 10 among centers with at least 500 snaps.

    1st-Team Defense
    Position Player Team Total Points
    Interior Defensive Lineman Jalen Carter Eagles 21
    Interior Defensive Lineman Kobie Turner Rams 19
    Edge Will Anderson Jr. Texans 29
    Edge Byron Young Rams 24
    Linebacker Jack Campbell Lions 17
    Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. Vikings 16
    Cornerback Devon Witherspoon Seahawks 48
    Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Steelers 42
    Defensive Back Deonte Banks Giants 39
    Safety Brian Branch Lions 58
    Safety Christian Izien Buccaneers 33

    Interior Defensive Lineman: Jalen Carter, Eagles

    If the Defensive Rookie of the Year was crowned at the midpoint of the season, there’s a great chance Jalen Carter wins the award. Carter was dominant as an interior pass rusher. He compiled 6 sacks and 39 pressures in 2023 with an 11% Pressure rate that was good for top 15 among all defensive tackles.

    Interior Defensive Lineman: Kobie Turner, Rams

    Kobie Turner blew up in the second half of the season and made a case of his own for DROY. Since Week 9, Turner’s 8 sacks led all NFL defensive tackles and his 32 pressures ranked 5th. Additionally, his 3.4% Sack rate was Top 5 and his 13.1% Pressure rate ranked 8th.

    Edge: Will Anderson Jr., Texans

    Will Anderson Jr., the top player on the SIS 101 Big Board ahead of the NFL Draft, led all rookie front-seven defenders with 29 Total Points. Anderson’s 56 pressures were good for Top 20 among all DE/LBs and went along with a 16.1% Pressure rate.

    Edge: Byron Young, Rams

    An underrated Edge going into the Draft, Byron Young’s athleticism popped off the tape and translated incredibly well to the NFL with a strong 2023 season. Young led all DE/LB rookies with 8 sacks and was 2nd behind Anderson with 47 pressures. His 24 Total Points also ranked just behind Anderson among all rookie front-seven defenders.

    Linebacker: Jack Campbell, Lions

    A heavily criticized pick during the Draft, Campbell has been a large part of the Lions LB corps, especially over the last half of the season. With 17 Total Points overall, he’s been able to contribute against both the run and pass, gaining nearly 8 Total Points against the pass and 9.5 versus the run. Campbell played nearly 60% of the defensive snaps his rookie season, and also contributed on over one-third of special teams snaps.

    Linebacker: Ivan Pace Jr., Vikings

    Arguably the top undrafted rookie of 2023, Ivan Pace Jr. played a vital role for Minnesota’s defense the entire season. The top-ranked MLB by SIS heading into the Draft, Pace played over half of the defensive snaps and special teams snaps his rookie season. Eight of his 16 Total Points came in coverage. A rookie season with 100 tackles, 2.5 sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble is a great season to build off of, especially for someone who wasn’t even drafted.

    Cornerback: Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks

    Devon Witherspoon teamed up with sophomore CB Riq Woolen to provide a strong 1-2 tandem in Seattle in 2023. Witherspoon’s 48 Total Points led all rookie CBs and was 2nd-most among all rookie defenders. His 0.6 Yards per Cover Snap tied him for 9th-best among all CBs with at least 25 targets, as did his 12 passes defensed. However, his presence wasn’t just felt in the pass game. His 13 Total Points in run defense was 14th-best at the position.

    Cornerback: Joey Porter Jr., Steelers

    The son of a former Steeler-great, Joey Porter Jr. picked up right where his dad left off in Pittsburgh. Targeted 52 times in 17 games, Porter had 6 pass break ups, an interception, and didn’t allow a touchdown all season. His 38.8 Passer Rating Against and 0.5 Yards per Cover Snap rank 6th and tied-6th, respectively, among all CBs with at least 25 targets. If he can cut down on the penalties, he’ll be a top-end CB in the league at this pace.

    Defensive Back: Deonte Banks, Giants

    Deonte Banks was tested during his rookie season in 2023. He was targeted 78 times, which was 11th-most in the league. However, teams only completed half their passes thrown his way. His 39 Total Points was 3rd-best among rookie CBs and his 14 Total Points against the run was best among rookie CBs and 11th-best among all CBs.

    Safety: Brian Branch, Lions

    Our DROY, Brian Branch played a huge part in the defensive turnaround in Detroit. Starting his career off with a pick-six to help beat the reigning Super Bowl champs in Kansas City on opening night, Branch’s 58 Total Points led all rookie defenders. He also led all qualifying safeties in Total Points Per Play.. Due to his role that is mainly in the slot, Branch saw the most targets among all listed safeties with 50 and had the most pass breakups with 10.

    Safety: Christian Izien, Buccaneers

    Christian Izien is a small, but feisty safety out of Rutgers that reminded us of the defensive version of Isiah Pacheco. Izien secured the 2nd-most Total Points among rookie safeties with 33. Additionally, his 12.3 Total Points Above Average in coverage ranked 11th among all safeties with at least 10 targets, and he ranked 16th in Total Points Per Play.

    1st-Team Specialists
    Position Player Team Total Points
    Kicker Jake Moody 49ers 7
    Punter Bryce Baringer Patriots 5
    Returner Marvin Mims Jr. Broncos N/A

    Kicker: Jake Moody, 49ers

    Jake Moody had a strong season for San Francisco. While a 3rd-round pick is quite high for a special teamer, he proved it was a worthy selection. He finished the season 21-of-25 on field goals, hitting twice from beyond 50 yards and went 60-of-61 on extra points, making the most extra points of any kicker in the league.

    Punter: Bryce Baringer, Patriots

    While Bryce Baringer doesn’t have the elite leg of some of the other punters in the league, his finesse is right up there with the best. Across 98 punts, 2nd-most in the league, he pinned opposing teams inside the 20-yard-line 37 times (tops in the NFL)  and inside the 10-yard-line 7 times.

    Returner: Marvin Mims Jr., Broncos

    Although Marvin Mims Jr. didn’t make the big-time contribution on offense most were expecting in Denver, he did contribute admirably in the return game. His 400 kick return yards were 7th-most in the NFL, including taking one back 99 yards for a touchdown. Additionally, he returned 21 punts with a 15.1 average, ranking 2nd among those with at least 10 punt returns.

    —

    In all, three offensive 1st Teamers and five defensive 1st Teamers received a 6.7 final grade or higher from us, as seen on our NFL Draft site, suggesting those players will at least be high-end three-down starters beginning their second season. Additionally, all eleven offensive players and nine defenders received a grade of at least 6.4. We’ll see if they begin 2024 the way they played this season to warrant those final grades, but we like their chances.

    Below, you can find our All-Rookie 2nd Teams which include big names like Jahmyr Gibbs, Rashee Rice, Tuli Tuipulotu, and Tyrique Stevenson.

    2nd-Team Offense
    Position Player Team Total Points
    Quarterback Aidan O’Connell Raiders 34
    Running Back Keaton Mitchell Ravens 21
    Running Back Jahmyr Gibbs Lions 10
    Wide Receiver Rashee Rice Chiefs 23
    Wide Receiver Jayden Reed Packers 21
    Tight End Michael Mayer Raiders 23
    Tackle Paris Johnson Jr. Cardinals 22
    Tackle Broderick Jones Steelers 16
    Guard Matthew Bergeron Falcons 22
    Guard Cody Mauch Buccaneers 21
    Center John Michael Schmitz Giants 14

     

    2nd-Team Defense
    Position Player Team Total Points
    Interior Defensive Lineman Bryan Bresee Saints 14
    Interior Defensive Lineman Calijah Kancey Buccaneers 11
    Edge Tuli Tuipulotu Chargers 19
    Edge YaYa Diaby Buccaneers 14
    Linebacker Nick Herbig Steelers 13
    Linebacker Marte Mapu Patriots 6
    Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson Bears 38
    Cornerback Clark Phillips III Falcons 28
    Defensive Back Jakorian Bennett Raiders 18
    Safety Jordan Battle Bengals 30
    Safety Sydney Brown Eagles 23

     

    2nd-Team Specialists
    Position Player Team Total Points
    Kicker Anders Carlson Packers 5
    Punter Ethan Evans Rams 7
    Returner Derius Davis Chargers N/A

    We want to highlight some of the close calls and honorable mentions who didn’t quite make the cut.

    Some players on offense who just missed out include Tyjae Spears (RB), Tank Dell (WR), Jordan Addison (WR), Tucker Kraft (TE), Dawand Jones (OT), Peter Skoronski (OG), and Sidy Sow (OG). Dell had a good chance to make it onto one of the teams had he not gotten injured in early December. While Addison did score 10 touchdowns, he didn’t gain much value with his receptions.

    Some players on defense who just missed the cut include Karl Brooks (IDL), Keion White (EDGE), and Ji’Ayir Brown (S). It’s also worth mentioning Christian Gonzalez (CB) accumulated 15 Total Points in just four games before going on season-ending IR.

    On special teams, Xavier Gipson just missed out on the 2nd Team Returner selection. While he’s not eligible by NFL’s standards to be a rookie, Brandon Aubrey deserves a shout out here. A former college soccer player turned USFL kicker, Aubrey went 36-of-38 in his first NFL season with his only two misses coming in Week 18.

    While there was some clear delineation between both teams, there were a couple close calls between the two. There was a heavy conversation for the second 1st-Team Edge spot between Byron Young and Tuli Tuipulotu. Also, Bryce Baringer and Ethan Evans were neck-and-neck, but Baringer won out for the top Punter spot.

    As mentioned earlier, each year we change some of the positions to account for the depth at certain areas specific to this draft class. This year, there was a fair amount of talent across the board, so we didn’t have to adjust much. We were able to go back to two DTs, which we veered away from last year. Additionally, with the secondary as packed as it was, we went with the 5th DB position again instead of a normal hybrid position.

    You can check out last year’s article here to see how the positional structure changed. Again, the entire idea of these teams is to highlight the best players across the league, and we feel we did that.

    With all but just six teams represented among these selections, this once again signifies that plenty of talent is being dispersed throughout the league. Over our four years of selecting these teams, the Detroit Lions have the most selections with 13, one more than the Pittsburgh Steelers. On the flipside, the Tennessee Titans have only had 2, while the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, and Washington Commanders have just 3.

    Go check out the SIS NFL Draft site to see what we said about these players coming into their NFL careers, and stay tuned to see what we’ll have to say about the next generation of NFL stars as they head into the 2024 NFL Draft.

  • 2023 SIS NCAA All-America Teams

    2023 SIS NCAA All-America Teams

    By Nathan Cooper and Jeff Dean

    With the end of the College Football regular season, we’re proud to release our SIS All-America teams.

    In addition to voting done by our Operations staff, we used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together two teams of All-SIS selections for 2023, plus a few honorable mentions.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

    These picks are meant to honor this season’s best-of-the-best in the sport.

    First Team Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Jayden Daniels LSU
    RB Omarion Hampton North Carolina
    RB Audric Estime Notre Dame
    WR Malik Nabers LSU
    WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State
    TE Ben Sinnott Kansas State
    OT Josh Simmons Ohio State
    OT Delmar Glaze Maryland
    OG Cooper Beebe Kansas State
    OG Kyle Hergel Boston College
    OC Jackson Powers-Johnson Oregon

    QB – Jayden Daniels, LSU

    This year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Daniels was a force through the air and on the ground. His 40 passing touchdowns tied for the FBS lead and his overall IQR of 148.2 is 10 points higher than Bo Nix, who was second. 

    Of his 211 Total Points, 67 of them have come on the ground. That number would rank 2nd among all RBs. Not only did he blow all other QBs out of the water with his rushing, his 1,134 rushing yards ranked 22nd among RBs and his 28 missed tackles forced tie for 4th-most among QBs and RBs.

    RB – Omarion Hampton, North Carolina

    Hampton leads all RBs in Total Points with 68, 13 better than second place. Of his 1,439 rushing yards, 1,020 came after contact, best in the FBS. Among RBs with at least 150 carries, his yards per attempt (6.1), 1st down rate (32.5%), and Stuff rate (11.1%) all rank Top 15.

    RB – Audric Estime, Notre Dame

    Estime was 2nd among RBs in Rushing Total Points with 51, and T-3rd in Total Points overall. The 41 EPA gained on his runs led the FBS, and his 6.4 Yards per Carry was the best of any player with over 200 attempts. 

    WR – Malik Nabers, LSU

    Nabers was a force all season on his way to leading the FBS with over 1,500 receiving yards. He led all FBS WRs with 52 Total Points and 69 first downs gained while finishing Top-10 in Yards After the Catch and Yards After Contact. 

    WR – Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

    Harrison nearly repeated his incredible 2022 campaign in 2023 and topped it off with a Biletnikoff Award. Harrison’s 14 receiving touchdowns ranked tied for 2nd. His 48 Total Points rank 2nd among FBS receivers. 

    Among WRs with at least 75 targets, Harrison ranked 7th in 1st Down rate (76.1%) and tied-4th in yards per route run (3.6), as well. He figures to be a Top 5 selection in the upcoming NFL Draft.

    TE – Ben Sinnott, Kansas State

    Sinnott led all FBS Tight Ends with 40 Total Points in 2023. His 673 receiving yards ranked 3rd and his 6 touchdowns tied for 5th among all TEs. Sinnott’s 26.2 Receiving Points Earned and 19.9 Points Above Average both far-and-away led the position.

    OT – Josh Simmons, Ohio State

    Simmons had a Blown Block Rate of just 1.1% on the year. He was 2nd among FBS tackles in Total Points Earned per Snap and Points Above Average per Snap. His balance was impressive as he was able to earn at least 18 Total Points as both a pass blocker and as a run blocker.

    OT – Delmar Glaze, Maryland

    Glaze’s 0.9% Blown Block rate on 767 snaps was tied for 5th-best among all FBS OTs with at least 500 snaps played. His 7 Blown Blocks were tied for 7th-fewest, with only two coming as a run blocker. However, his 22.6 Points Earned as a pass blocker was the best in the country.

    OG – Cooper Beebe, Kansas State

    Beebe has been regarded as one of the best guards in all of college football the past few seasons. Among his 37 Total Points, 23 came as a run blocker, which was 7th-best among FBS guards with at least 500 snaps. His 0.5% Blown Block rate as a pass blocker was Top 15.

    OG – Kyle Hergel, Boston College

    Hergel was an ironman, playing over 800 snaps on the season. His 0.9% Blown Block Rate was noteworthy, but he also led FBS guards in Points Above Average. Scroll down and you’ll see that Boston College had a guard make 2nd team as well.

    OC – Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon

    Powers-Johnson won a spot on the 1st Team with his very low 0.6% Blown Block Rate and ranked 2nd among FBS centers in Points Above Average. He was the only center to earn at least 17 Total Points as both a pass blocker and a run blocker..

    First Team Defense

    Position Name School
    DT T’Vondre Sweat Texas
    DT Jamree Kromah James Madison
    EDGE Laiatu Latu UCLA
    EDGE Adisa Isaac Penn State
    LB Payton Wilson NC State
    LB Danny Stutsman Oklahoma
    CB Terrion Arnold Alabama
    CB Tykee Smith Georgia
    S Dillon Thieneman Purdue
    S Beau Freyler Iowa State
    FLEX Xavier Watts Notre Dame

    DT – T’Vondre Sweat, Texas

    While not known as a pass rusher, Sweat did rank Top-25 among DTs in pressures with 22. His run defense was the main selling point as he led DTs in Total Points per Snap, Run Defense Total Points, and Run Defense Total Points per Snap to boot. A well-deserved place after a monster season.

    DT – Jamree Kromah, James Madison

    James Madison proved to be one of the best stories in college football this season, and Kromah’s play on defense was a big reason why. Among DTs, his 10 sacks tops the list and his 41 pressures ranked 2nd. Additionally, his Pass Rush Points Saved (21.1) rank 2nd and Points Above Average (4.6) rank 10th.

    EDGE – Laiatu Latu, UCLA

    Latu, a first round lock in the upcoming NFL Draft, was absolutely dominant as a pass rusher in 2023. His 35 pass rush Points Saved tops all FBS DE/LBs, his 21% Pressure rate ranked 2nd among all with at least 200 pass rushes, his 59 pressures ranked 2nd, and his 12 sacks ranked tied for 5th.

    EDGE – Adisa Isaac, Penn State

    Isaac led FBS DEs in Total Points per Snap, was 1st in Pass Defense per Snap, 10th in Run Defense per Snap. While he may not be as heralded as his teammate, he was 3rd in Total Points per Pass Rush among FBS players with at least 25 pressures.

    LB – Payton Wilson, NC State

    Wilson is an athletic linebacker who makes plays all over the field, which is evidenced by his Total Points numbers. His 71 Total Points were tied for 7th-best among all FBS defenders in 2023. Among LBs, his 41 Total Points as a pass rusher/defender ranked 1st and his 29 Total Points ranked 2nd,  his 0.12 Total Points per Snap in run defense was best. He ranked Top 25 in sacks (6) and pressures (24) as well.

    LB – Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma

    Another player who can do it all. Stutsman was 4th among FBS LBs in Run Defense Total Points, 3rd in Pass Defense Total Points, and 2nd in overall Total Points. Stutsman was all over the field, earning at least 10 Total Points in coverage, against the run, and rushing the passer.

    CB – Terrion Arnold, Alabama

    Arnold sort of came out of nowhere for Alabama’s defense this season. Playing opposite of Kool-Aid McKinstry, Arnold allowed the 5th-lowest completion percentage among players with at least 50 targets defensed. Additionally, his 5 interceptions tied for 2nd, 12 passes defended tied for 12th, 54.7 Points Saved in coverage ranked 3rd, and his 37.7 Points Above Average ranked 5th.

    CB – Tykee Smith, Georgia

    Another in a line of productive Georgia defenders, Smith was 2nd among FBS CBs in Total Points per Snap. He gave up a lowly 0.2 Yards per Coverage Snap and just a 29.6 QB Rating when targeted. He allowed only 11 receptions on the year and snagged 4 interceptions for himself as well.

    SAF – Dillon Thieneman, Purdue

    An unbelievably impressive true freshman season for the Boilermaker that saw him lead FBS safeties in Total Points. His 45 Pass Defense Total Points are good for 4th and his 27 Run Defense Total Points are good for 6th, showing the ability to affect both aspects of the game. His 6 INTs were good for 2nd in the FBS and a clear warning to not throw his way.

    SAF – Beau Freyler, Iowa State

    For an Iowa State defense that lost some big-time playmakers after the 2022 season, Freyler stepped up in a big way in 2023. His 72 Total Points ranked 2nd among FBS safeties, as does his 50 Total Points against the pass. Among safeties who saw at least 25 targets, his 7.7% Boom rate ranked 2nd and 38.5% Bust rate ranked 4th. Additionally, his 21.9 Passer Rating Against is 3rd-best.

    FLEX – Xavier Watts, Notre Dame

    Watts was a major impact player for the Notre Dame defense all season. He led FBS safeties in Pass Defense Total Points with 55, and he led the FBS with 7 INTs. He had a QB Rating Against of 42.9 when targeted, and his game against USC was one of the most impressive player performances of the year.

    First Team Specialists

    Position Name School
    K Graham Nicholson Miami (OH)
    P Tory Taylor Iowa
    Returner Jayden Harrison Marshall

    K – Graham Nicholson, Miami (OH)

    Nicholson was nearly automatic in 2023. He was 26-of-27 on field goals, with his only miss coming in the MAC Championship. Those 26 makes were tied for 2nd-most in the FBS. He also went 36-of-37 on extra points.

    P – Tory Taylor, Iowa

    Absolutely phenomenal all season, Taylor led all FBS punters with 29 Total Points. He led the FBS with 87 punts and had just 6 touchbacks (a few should’ve been prevented) with 30 landing inside the 20 and 11 inside the 10. If a punter gets a unanimous selection, as Taylor did, it was a dominant season.

    Returner – Jayden Harrison, Marshall

    Harrison was one of only five returners in 2023 to return two kicks for touchdowns. His total kick return yards were Top 5 in the FBS and his 30.9 average was 6th-best among returners with at least 10 kick returns.

    Eleven players on our First Team list were unanimous selections among all 14 of our voters. 

    They are: Jayden Daniels, Omarion Hampton, Malik Nabers, Marvin Harrison Jr., Cooper Beebe, T’Vondre Sweat, Laiatu Latu, Payton Wilson, Terrion Arnold, Xavier Watts, and Tory Taylor.

    Second Team

     

    Position Name School
    QB Caleb Williams USC
    RB Ashton Jeanty Boise State
    RB Ollie Gordon II Oklahoma State
    WR Rome Odunze Washington
    WR Malik Washington Virginia
    TE Cade Stover Ohio State
    OT Kelvin Banks Jr. Texas
    OT Adam Karas Air Force
    OG Christian Mahogany Boston College
    OG X’Zauvea Gadlin Liberty
    OC Jordan White Liberty

     

    Position Name School
    DT Braden Fiske Florida State
    DT James Carpenter James Madison
    EDGE Brennan Jackson Washington State
    EDGE Jalen Green James Madison
    LB Edgerrin Cooper Texas A&M
    LB Jaylan Ford Texas
    CB Ricardo Hallman Wisconsin
    CB Jarius Monroe Tulane
    S Tyler Nubin Minnesota
    S Trey Taylor Air Force
    FLEX Jared Verse Florida State

     

    Position Name School
    K Jose Pizano UNLV
    P Ryan Eckley Michigan State
    Returner Zachariah Branch USC

    Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Caleb Williams, gets the nod for Second Team. Additionally, the offense features the leading rusher (Ollie Gordon II), the second and third-leading receivers (Rome Odunze and Malik Washington), and our three highest Total Points getters along the offensive line (Adam Karas, X’Zauvea Gadlin, and Jordan White).

    On defense, the players with the second-most sacks (Jalen Green) and second-most interceptions (Ricard Hallman) are featured.

    Honorable Mentions

    Position Name School
    QB Michael Penix Jr. Washington
    QB Bo Nix Oregon
    QB Jordan Travis Florida State
    RB Jonah Coleman Arizona
    RB Damien Martinez Oregon State
    WR Luther Burden III Missouri
    TE Mason Fairchild Kansas
    TE Brock Bowers Georgia
    OT Will Campbell LSU
    OT Riley Mahlman Wisconsin
    OT Josh Connerly Oregon
    OT Jordan Morgan Arizona
    OT Joe Alt Notre Dame
    OG Trevor Keegan Michigan
    OG Hayden Conner Texas
    OC Drake Nugent Michigan
    DT Howard Cross III Notre Dame
    DT Jer’Zhan Newton Illinois
    CB Nate Wiggins Clemson
    CB Cooper DeJean Iowa
    S Hunter Wohler Wisconsin
    K Will Reichard Alabama
    K Joshua Karty Stanford
    P James Ferguson-Reynolds Boise State
    P Ryan Rehkow BYU
    Returner Jacob De Jesus UNLV

    Jordan Travis, Brock Bowers, and Cooper DeJean make the Honorable Mention team due to their injuries. Without them sustaining injuries, we feel like there’s a significant chance they could’ve made it onto the First or Second Team lists. The rest of the players on the Honorable Mention list all received high marks from the full-time Ops staff, but just missed the cut on the first two teams.

    All 11 conferences, which includes the Independents, are represented by our teams. Our scouts put in a lot of hard work and dedication this season charting games and scouting players for every FBS team. After a successful reveal of our second annual All-America teams last year, we feel this was another great season of college football as shown by these selections.

    Total Points, stats, and ranks as of December 12, 2023

  • 2023 SIS Preseason All-American Team

    2023 SIS Preseason All-American Team

    Photos:  John Cordes (Ford), Michael Allio (Newton), Michael Wade (Harrison), Jeffrey Vest (Bowers)

    Now that all of our Preseason All-Conference teams have been announced, it’s time to announce our overall SIS Preseason All-American Team. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our selections.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here. 

    20 teams are represented in our selections, with 5 schools having multiple players honored. Here are our choices:

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Caleb Williams USC
    RB Blake Corum Michigan
    WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State
    WR Emeka Egbuka Ohio State
    TE Brock Bowers Georgia
    FLEX Quinshon Judkins Ole Miss
    OT Joe Alt Notre Dame
    OT Will Campbell LSU
    OG Zak Zinter Michigan
    OG Cooper Beebe Kansas State
    OC Sincere Haynesworth Tulane

     

    QB – Caleb Williams, USC

    Caleb Williams needs little introduction. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner led the entire country with 240 Total Points and just over 0.25 Points per Snap in 2022. He can do it all, as his 195 Passer Points and 45 Rusher Points both ranked 2nd in FBS.

    RB – Blake Corum, Michigan

    Corum was one of the most effective runners in the country last season, earning the 4th-most Rushing Total Points in the FBS. Michigan was very productive as a team when he carried the ball, earning more EPA on his rushes (48) than any other ballcarrier in the country.

    WR – Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

    Harrison leads a 1-2 punch at WR for Ohio State heading into 2023. His Yards per Route Run (3.3), Yards per Game (97.2), Receiver Rating (135.9), and First Down Rate (79.2%) all ranked Top 10 in FBS in 2022 among players with 75 targets, and he’s looking for a repeat performance with a new QB this season.

    WR – Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

    The 2nd head of the two-headed receiving monster at Ohio State is Egbuka. While his teammate may get more hype, Egbuka is fantastic in his own right. He finished last season with a 130.5 Receiver Rating; Top-10 in the FBS (minimum 70 targets).

    TE – Brock Bowers, Georgia

    Bowers’ 54 Total Points in 2022 far and away leads all returning TEs heading into 2023. His 3.0 Yards per Route Run, 10.8 Yards per Target, and 134.4 Receiver Rating also led all TEs with at least 50 targets in 2022.

    FLEX – Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss

    Judkins exploded on the scene as a true freshman to become one of the biggest weapons in the country. He leads all returning RBs with 56 Total Points last season, and will be looking to build on his 1,700 scrimmage yards from last season.

    OT – Joe Alt, Notre Dame

    Joe Alt earned the 2nd-most Total Points among FBS tackles last season with 45, and could easily lead the season with a more potent offense. He had a 0.7% Blown Block Rate, including just a 0.2% on Run Blocks.

    OT – Will Campbell, LSU

    Campbell’s 41 Total Points ranks 2nd among all returning OTs and his 0.048 Total Points per Snap ranked 8th in 2022. As a true freshman, he only committed 10 blown blocks in 838 snaps, none as a run blocker.

    OG – Zak Zinter, Michigan

    Fresh off back-to-back Joe Moore Awards, Zinter will be key in search for a three-peat. His 44 Total Points last season were 2nd in the FBS among guards, helped by his lowly 0.8% Blown Block Rate.

    OG – Cooper Beebe, Kansas State

    An incredibly efficient and fundamental blocker, Beebe’s 43 Total Points ranks 2nd among returning OGs, and his 4 blown blocks last year was solo-best in the country among any linemen seeing at least 500 snaps.

    OC – Sincere Haynesworth, Tulane

    Haynesworth was a major reason for Tulane’s incredible season last year, finishing 4th among FBS centers with 38 Total Points. He was remarkably consistent, finishing with a sub-1% Blown Block Rate as both a pass blocker and as a run blocker.

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT Jer’Zhan Newton Illinois
    DT Mekhi Wingo LSU
    EDGE Owen Porter Marshall
    EDGE Harold Perkins Jr. LSU
    LB Jaylan Ford Texas
    LB Cedric Gray North Carolina
    CB Aydan White NC State
    CB Dwight McGlothern Arkansas
    S Cole Bishop Utah
    S Calen Bullock USC
    FLEX Kool-Aid McKinstry Alabama

     

    DT – Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois

    An absolute monster last season, Newton led all DTs in Total Points with 54 last season. He led the Big Ten in pressures with a whopping 45 and was the only Big Ten defender to have at least 400 pass rushing snaps, showing extraordinary stamina.

    DT – Mekhi Wingo, LSU

    The LSU front-seven could be monstrous in 2023, and Wingo should help lead the way. He ranked Top 10 in FBS in both Pass Rush Total Points (18) and Run Defense Total Points (22).

    ED – Owen Porter, Marshall

    To people unfamiliar with Porter, this may be a surprise, but he had a great season last year. He has by far the most returning Total Points among defensive ends; the difference between 1st and 2nd is equivalent to the distance between 2nd and 12th. That he had 41 Pressures, 9.5 Sacks, 2 FF, 1 INT, and 15 TFLs shows it’s hard to ignore the base stats as well.

    ED – Harold Perkins Jr., LSU

    Another breakout true freshman for the Tigers, Perkins made his presence felt right away in 2022 by accounting for 8.5 sacks, 34 pressures, and a 22.2% Pressure Rate, which ranked 13th among all DE/LBs with at least 10 pressures.

    LB – Jaylan Ford, Texas

    Jaylan Ford tied for the lead among LBs in Total Points (62), and his ability per-snap put him over the top. He finished Top-10 in Total Points per Snap among LBs last season.

    LB – Cedric Gray, North Carolina

    Gray, a 2022 First Team All-SIS selection, tied Ford for the lead in Total Points (62) among all LBs in 2022, ranking Top 10 against both the pass (34) and run (28).

    CB – Aydan White, NC State

    White was very good in bulk and on a per snap basis in 2022. His 81 Total Points lead all returning defenders in FBS, with 72 of them coming against the pass. He accounted for 4 interceptions, 9 passes defensed, and a 20.4 Passer Rating Against, which sat 2nd among CBs with at least 50 targets defended to only Devon Witherspoon . Additionally, his 0.11 Total Points per Snap ranked 3rd among all CBs last year.

    CB – Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas

    McGlothern has the 2nd-most Total Points among returning FBS defenders with 74. He finished last season with 4 INTs, another 11 Passes Defensed, and a Completion% against of just 42.3% which resulted in a QBR Against of just 37.2.

    S – Cole Bishop, Utah

    Cole Bishop finished last season Top-5 among FBS safeties in Total Points with 61, and is the top returning safety in the same category. A well-rounded safety, Bishop allowed just 0.3 Yards per Coverage Snap in addition to leading his team in Run Defense Total Points.

    S – Calen Bullock, USC

    Bullock accounted for 5 picks and 9 pass defenses in 2022 on his way to accumulating 46 Pass Defense Total Points, best among FBS safeties. His 25.5 Points Above Average ranked 2nd in the country among safeties with 10 targets and his Boom Rate of just 14.3% ranked 8th.

    FLEX – Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

    Kool-Aid not only has a cool name, but he’s also an exceptional football player. His Passer Rating Against (36.4), Yards per Cover Snap (0.5), Completion Rate Against (36.4%), and Deserved Catch Rate Against (59.6%) all ranked Top 10 among CBs with at least 50 targets in 2022.

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K Joshua Karty Stanford
    P Jack Browning San Diego State
    Returner Lideatrick Griffin Mississippi State

    K – Joshua Karty, Stanford

    Hard to argue with perfection. Karty went 18/18 on FGs last season including a ridiculous 13/13 on 40+ yarders. Just missing perfection on XPs (24/25) doesn’t take away from his fabulous season.

    P – Jack Browning, San Diego State

    Browning is a versatile special-teamer who can punt, kick field goals, and kickoff. His 21 Punting Total Points is tied-3rd among returning punters, but his 34 Total Points overall are best among all special teamers. He was Top 25 in 2022 in Punt Average (45.4) and Net Average (42.6), but was Top 10 in Punts Inside the 20 (27) and the 10 (14).

    Returner – Lideatrick Griffin, Mississippi State

    An absolute weapon in the return game plays for the Bulldogs. Griffin had an absurd 32.3 yard kickoff return average last season. That led FBS returners (minimum 10 returns), and he took one 92 yards to the house for good measure.

  • 2023 SIS Preseason Mountain West All-Conference Team

    2023 SIS Preseason Mountain West All-Conference Team

    As we approach the beginning of the 2023 college football season, we want to highlight some of the top players in each conference by announcing our SIS Preseason All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our selections.

    You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Chevan Cordeiro San Jose State
    RB John Lee Eldridge III Air Force
    WR Tory Horton Colorado State
    WR Terrell Vaughn Utah State
    TE Caleb Rillos Air Force
    FLEX George Holani Boise State
    OT Adam Karas Air Force
    OT Jacob Spomer Fresno State
    OG Cade Bennett San Diego State
    OG Mose Vavao Fresno State
    OC Thor Paglialong Air Force

    Air Force is heavily featured on this list and with good reason. John Lee Eldridge III was dominant in 2022. While the Air Force offense lends some help to their rushing attack, Eldridge’s 42 Total Points was Top 15 among RBs in the entire FBS last season. Caleb Rillos may not have been much help as a receiver, but his 24 Total Points as a run blocker ranked 2nd among FBS TEs. Thor Paglialong and Adam Karas from Air Force return as the Top 2 Total Points getters per Snap among all OL in the Mountain West (min 300 snaps).

    Tory Horton and his 28 receiving Total Points ranked 14th in the country among all WRs. Terrell Vaughn could’ve made the team at WR or Returner, showing versatility in both areas, with 500+ KR yards and a TD as a returner and a 90.2% On-Target Catch Rate as a receiver. 

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT Jordan Bertagnole Wyoming
    DT Payton Zdroik Air Force
    EDGE Mohamed Kamara Colorado State
    EDGE DeVonne Harris Wyoming
    LB Alec Mock Air Force
    LB Cody Moon San Diego State
    CB Cam Lockridge Fresno State
    CB Dezjhon Malone San Diego State
    S Jayden Goodwin Air Force
    S Trey Taylor Air Force
    FLEX Jaxen Turner UNLV

    The big returner to the MW defense is Mohamed Kamara. His 42 Total Points not only led all front-seven returners in the conference, but his 53 pressures ranked Top 10 and his 18.8% Pressure Rate ranked Top 25 in the country.

    Jordan Bertagnole and DeVonne Harris both return to help the Wyoming defense. Bertagnole’s 5.5 sacks and 24 pressures and Harris’s 8 sacks and 36 pressures give Wyoming’s defensive line push from both the interior and around the edge. Cody Moon was a do-it-all player for New Mexico last season, playing significant snaps on the edge, at off-ball LB, and in the slot. He’ll bring his 6.1 Points Above Average as a run defender and 2.3 Points Above Average as a pass rusher to San Diego State in 2023.

    Cam Lockridge was lockdown in 2022. His Total Points in pass defense, Total Points per Play, and Points Above Average were all Top 20 among FBS CBs. Jayden Goodwin’s 49 Total Points, which led Mountain West safeties, are impressive as a raw total, but what’s even more impressive is that his overall Points per Play led all FBS safeties and his Points per Play in run defense was 4th-best.

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K John Hoyland Wyoming
    P Jack Browning San Diego State
    Returner Christian Washington New Mexico

    John Hoyland was 21-of-24 in 2022, and his four made FG from 50+ tied for the NCAA lead. Jack Browning made our Honorable Mention All-American team following the 2022 season. As a dual-position guy, he excelled at kicker and punter, but his 21 Total Points as a punter was by far the best in the conference. 

    While Christian Washington likely plays second fiddle to Terrell Vaughn at the Returner spot, Washington’s reasoning for this honor still holds merit. The true freshman’s 26.7 yards per kick return was best in the conference among all qualified returners, plus he took one to the house.

  • Grading The 2020 NFL Draft Class

    Grading The 2020 NFL Draft Class

    Introduction

    While many crave all the NFL Draft Team Grades that publications put out the day after the draft, including us on both accounts, there are a lot of unknowns at that point. Of course, we all have our own NFL Draft prospect rankings heading into that weekend, but those players have yet to play a single snap in the NFL. So, how can we really grade a team’s draft class if those players haven’t yet stepped onto an NFL field?

    It usually takes at least three years to see how well a draft class turned out. While said publications, including us, don’t want to wait three years before putting out their grades on a draft class, we do both.

    Three years ago, Sports Info Solutions published the 2nd edition of The SIS Football Rookie Handbook. After the 2020 NFL Draft, we, just as many others, posted our NFL Draft Team Grades, which can be seen here.

    Just as I did here last year, I’ve developed a system to evaluate the draft classes using Total Points relative to position as the foundation. Three seasons have now gone by since the 2020 NFL Draft. So, let’s use that to truly see how each team did with getting value from its selections.

    How much value did teams get?

    Let’s take a look at how we ranked teams after the 2020 NFL Draft and then who got the most and least value. See the Appendix below to see how all 32 teams ranked in our 2020 rankings and in TP Score.

    Here are the teams we ranked at the top immediately following the draft back in 2020. To see our scouting grading scale, check out our NFL Draft site.

    Top 5 Teams in 2020 Post-Draft Rankings
    Team Book Rank Grade
    Browns 1 6.50
    Bengals 2 6.49
    Cardinals 3 6.45
    Cowboys 4 6.44
    Bills 5 6.43

    TP Score will be defined below, but here are the top 5 teams based on how much value they received from their draft class.

    Top 5 Teams in TP Score
    Team TP Rank TP Score
    Chargers 1 105.56
    Bengals 2 104.84
    Chiefs 3 68.61
    Bears 4 63.67
    Panthers 5 58.59

    In our post-draft rankings in 2020, we tabbed the Browns as the No. 1 draft class. While they did end up having a strong group, they just missed the top 5, landing at No. 6.

    The No. 1 team in TP Score was the Chargers. When looking at them and the Bengals, it’s easy to see they both grabbed top-tier quarterbacks who have put up huge numbers over the last three seasons, which is extremely valuable. 

    Justin Herbert put up 432 Total Points himself, which ranked 3rd in the NFL, trailing only Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. Joe Burrow added 292 Total Points, helping to give the Bengals a No. 2 ranking, a ranking we gave them back in 2020.

    The Chiefs, Bears, and Panthers also got major contributions from their draft classes. Kansas City got 132 Total Points from fourth-round pick L’Jarius Sneed, Chicago got a combined 150 from their first two picks, Cole Kmet and Jaylon Johnson, and Carolina got 160 combined from Derrick Brown and Jeremy Chinn.

    Conversely, here are the bottom 5 teams from our 2020 rankings.

    Bottom 5 Teams in 2020 Post-Draft Rankings
    Team Book Rank Grade
    Bears 28 6.07
    Texans 29 6.06
    Giants 30 6.04
    Steelers 31 6.02
    Packers 32 5.97

    Based on TP Score, here are the worst teams in terms of getting value from their 2020 draft picks.

    Bottom 5 Teams in TP Score
    Team TP Rank TP Score
    Rams 28 20.54
    Titans 29 19.83
    Texans 30 18.24
    Raiders 31 15.35
    Jets 32 14.94

    Clearly, we missed on the Bears. Not including Trevis Gipson or Darnell Mooney in the Handbook was a big miss on our part. However, the Texans got very minimal value from their draft, as we expected back in 2020.

    Determining Total Points Score

    In case you missed last year’s article, let’s explain the process of creating each team’s TP Score. When looking back to see how good or bad a specific draft class was, there are two main points to consider:

    1. How productive were the draft picks on the field?

    2. How much talent did the team draft relative to the amount of picks they made? 

    As in: Did they hit on one player or did they hit on multiple players?

    To determine the value of the draft classes, I used Total Points, our flagship player value stat, from across the last three seasons. However, for those of you who are familiar with Total Points, it gives a lot of extra weight to quarterbacks. With that said, Justin Herbert alone would have had the 4th-best draft class with his 432 Total Points if we just used raw Total Points.

    While there is a reason we weigh quarterbacks so much more compared to other positions (they are pretty important), using that raw number in this sense isn’t going to make for a perfect match. It just so happens that Herbert has accumulated so much value, along with a few of his fellow draftees, that it did give the Chargers our No. 1 spot.

    Now, answering the second question takes into account how well a team drafted throughout the entirety of the draft class. I found the average Total Points per player from the 2020 class at each position, including UDFAs who have taken at least one offensive or defensive snap, since they were also available to be selected.

    The positional averages are shown in the table below.

    Pos TP per Player
    QB 90.9
    RB 5.2
    WR 15.0
    TE 7.9
    OL 27.9
    DE 13.5
    DT 13.5
    LB 15.4
    CB 26.2
    S 25.1

    The TP Score, as referenced earlier, is what’s used to rank the teams. It is calculated as follows:

    1. Add up the Total Points from the entire team’s draft class
    2. Divide that number by the number of selections the team had
    3. Multiply that number by the percentage of draft picks that were above the average Total Points for their given position
    4. Add that to the original Total Points per draft pick

    In these 4 steps, we are essentially answering how productive the draft class was and how many picks were “hits”. Let’s run through an example using the Pittsburgh Steelers.

    Here is their draft class:

    Pos Player Total Points
    WR Chase Claypool 58
    LB Alex Highsmith 94
    RB Anthony McFarland Jr. -7
    OL Kevin Dotson 65
    S Antoine Brooks 2
    DT Carlos Davis 0

     

    1. Add up the Total Points from the entire team’s draft class — 212

    2. Divide that number by the number of selections the team had

    212 Total Points divided by 6 selections equals 35.33

    3. Multiply that number by the percentage of draft picks that were above the average Total Points for their given position.

    Claypool, Highsmith, and Dotson all accumulated a Total Points number that was above average compared to their position groups

    35.33 times 50% (3 out of 6) equals 17.67

    4. Add that to the original Total Points per draft pick

    35.33 plus 17.67 equals 53.00, which is their TP Score

    So, to summarize, we took the team’s Total Points gained from these players, dispersed it throughout the entire class and then gave a bump based on how many above-average players they drafted.

    Now that we know how the teams ranked and how the TP Score is calculated, let’s dive into some of the details.

    Other Key Takeaways

    – Two teams drafted “hits” on at least 75% of their players: the Seahawks and 49ers. Seattle hit on their first 6 picks (6 of 8 total), including Jordyn Brooks, Damien Lewis, and Alton Robinson.

    Interestingly enough, Brooks’ 80 Total Points ranked 2nd-most among all LBs in the class, but Seattle did not pick up his 5th-year option. The 49ers hit on 4 of their 5 picks, including getting 78 Total Points from Brandon Aiyuk.

    – The Ravens had the most hits with 7, and they actually just missed out on hitting with two of their other picks as well. While they did hit on the majority of their draft class, they only ranked 13th in TP Score, meaning they should’ve accumulated more Total Points given they made 10 selections.

    – Every team drafted at least one player who had played above the positional average compared to the rest of the draft class. However, the Jets (Mekhi Becton), Raiders (Henry Ruggs III), Eagles (Jalen Reagor), Packers (Jordan Love), Titans (Isaiah Wilson), Texans (Ross Blacklock), and Rams (Cam Akers) were the only teams whose first draft selection wasn’t an above-average player. We’ll find out a lot more about Jordan Love in 2023 now that Aaron Rodgers has moved on to New York.

    – The four teams with the most raw Total Points are the Chargers (475), Bengals (467), Vikings (441), and Dolphins (422). Those teams being at the top makes sense, given that three of them got a high-quality quarterback and the other, Minnesota, got Justin Jefferson as one of its 15 selections.

    – The Texans (76) and Raiders (94) accumulated the fewest Total Points from their draft classes over the past three seasons. The Texans make some sense, considering they only had five selections, but Ross Blacklock, their first pick of the draft, proved to be a big miss.

    Additionally, the Raiders made seven selections and only had one hit (John Simpson in the 4th round with 51 Total Points). Their other six selections, including two first-round picks, combined for only 43 Total Points.

    – Out of the 11 eligible defensive players who could get their 5th-year option picked up, only two did: Derrick Brown and A.J. Terrell. Conversely, 10 of 15 offensive players got theirs exercised. Of the 14 players who didn’t get their option picked up, 11 of them still performed at an above-average level. The only three who haven’t are Mekhi Becton (Jets), Jalen Reagor (Eagles/Vikings), and Noah Igbinoghene (Dolphins).

    How do our Initial Grades Compare?

    56% (18/32) of our initial ranks were in the correct half, just like last year. Meaning a team we ranked between 1 and 16 or 17 and 32 was ultimately in that tier.

    The biggest differences in our initial grades and these final rankings were the Seahawks (25 spots), Chiefs (24 spots), and the Bears (24 spots). The three teams with the biggest differences last year were initially rated near the top before ultimately ending up near the bottom. This year, it was the opposite. These three teams performed much better than our initial rankings.

    We mentioned Seattle before. Hitting on 6 of 8 picks is a great draft, especially considering one of them ranked second among their position in Total Points (Jordyn Brooks).

    Let’s be blunt about it: we missed big on not including L’Jarius Sneed in the Handbook. I don’t think many people expected him to play the way he has (132 Total Points, No. 1 CB), but that turned out to be a big omission. Also leaving out Mike Danna and being a little lower on Willie Gay helped to prove why we missed so badly with Kansas City’s draft class.

    Jaylon Johnson and Cole Kmet lived up to our expectations in Chicago, but excluding Darnell Mooney and Trevis Gipson, and their 79 combined Total Points from the book, assisted in us missing on their post-draft ranking.

    What were some of our biggest misses elsewhere? Not including Alex Highsmith, Kamren Curl, and Michael Onwenu, who all topped their position groups in Total Points, ended up being big misses along with Sneed. We missed on the tight end class, as three of our top five went undrafted and ended up with only 2 Total Points to date. Unfortunately, there was no Top-Five-to-Undrafted darling (i.e. Nik Needham) this year.

    Let’s take a look at some of our biggest wins. The first player drafted in 2020 who wasn’t in the Handbook was Matt Peart (Round 3, No. 99) by the Giants. He has gained only 13 Total Points across 37 games so far. The first player drafted who we didn’t get a formal look at was Cameron Clark (Round 4, No. 129) by the Jets. He wasn’t on our board and never saw a single snap in the NFL, though some of that had to do with severe injuries that forced him to retire.

    We tabbed Isaiah Wilson, who ended up going in the 1st round and playing in only one game, as one of the lowest graded players of the class. We didn’t include Joshua Kelley, fourth-round pick by the Chargers, and he’s managed to lose 19 Total Points during his time in the NFL. Additionally, Dalton Keene was our last-rated TE (No. 21), but was taken in the 3rd round by New England. His -5 Total Points is the worst among TEs in the class.

    The table below shows the top Total Points earners across the past three seasons and how we graded and ranked them in the Handbook.

    Rank Position Player Total Points SIS Grade SIS Pos Rank
    1 QB Justin Herbert 432 6.7 3
    2 QB Joe Burrow 292 6.9 1
    3 QB Jalen Hurts 216 6.2 8
    4 QB Tua Tagovailoa 174 6.9 2
    5 WR Justin Jefferson 133 6.9 3
    6 CB L’Jarius Sneed 132 NA NA
    7 OT Tristan Wirfs 115 6.8 3
    8 S Antoine Winfield Jr. 105 6.8 2

    We hit on our top 3 QBs, but were a little lower on Hurts. As mentioned before, omitting Sneed from the Handbook was a big miss for us. However, Jefferson, Wirfs, and Winfield have all played extremely well, as we tabbed each of them as high-end three-down starters.

    Conclusion

    Nobody really knows how a draft class is going to turn out immediately after the draft, yet it still makes sense to grade and rank the teams based on player grades for an initial reaction. 

    Post-draft grades are great in a sense, but they should be taken with a grain of salt. Once three years go by and we’ve seen what these players have done in the NFL, we can get a better sense of how good the team drafted.

    These rankings are all about finding which teams drafted the best draft class as a whole, not just who got the best player. While there are some players who didn’t play for the team that drafted them for the entirety of the past three seasons, that wasn’t taken into account since those decisions came after the initial drafting of these players, which is what this is based on.

    A big example of that from this class is Casey Toohill, who was drafted by Philadelphia and has 20 Total Points, but played only one game for them before playing 40 across the last three seasons in Washington.

    It’s not a perfect science, but it does a good job at pulling player value and seeing how well teams drafted as a whole class relative to the amount of selections they were afforded.

    Three years later, the comparison between our initial rankings and these rankings aren’t terrible for Year 2 (in both our grading and our scouting process). We made some improvements from Year 1 to Year 2, like adding 30 more players to the Handbook and featuring 25 (9%) more who were drafted. Though, we hope this article next year takes a large positive swing as we went into Year 3 in the 2021 draft cycle. As with everything we do here, we hope this improves year over year and can look back and say we kept getting better every day.

    Appendix

    2020 SIS Post-Draft Rankings based on the SIS Football Rookie Handbook

    Team Book Rank Grade
    Browns 1 6.50
    Bengals 2 6.49
    Cardinals 3 6.45
    Cowboys 4 6.44
    Bills 5 6.43
    Saints 6 6.40
    Rams 7 6.38
    Raiders 8 6.38
    Dolphins 9 6.35
    Ravens 10 6.31
    Lions 11 6.31
    Panthers 12 6.27
    Commanders 13 6.26
    Jets 14 6.26
    Buccaneers 15 6.26
    Eagles 16 6.23
    Falcons 17 6.22
    49ers 18 6.20
    Jaguars 19 6.17
    Broncos 20 6.17
    Chargers 21 6.17
    Seahawks 22 6.15
    Vikings 23 6.13
    Titans 24 6.13
    Patriots 25 6.08
    Colts 26 6.08
    Chiefs 27 6.07
    Bears 28 6.07
    Texans 29 6.06
    Giants 30 6.04
    Steelers 31 6.02
    Packers 32 5.97

    TP Rank based on TP Score and how much value each team got from their draft picks over the last three seasons

    Team TP Rank TP Score
    Chargers 1 105.56
    Bengals 2 104.84
    Chiefs 3 68.61
    Bears 4 63.67
    Panthers 5 58.59
    Browns 6 57.06
    Seahawks 7 56.44
    Dolphins 8 55.80
    Steelers 9 53.00
    Cowboys 10 52.76
    Falcons 11 51.25
    49ers 12 48.96
    Ravens 13 44.88
    Buccaneers 14 43.35
    Saints 15 43.13
    Bills 16 42.65
    Vikings 17 41.16
    Commanders 18 40.69
    Cardinals 19 39.17
    Eagles 20 38.87
    Patriots 21 33.60
    Colts 22 33.54
    Giants 23 31.50
    Lions 24 29.73
    Jaguars 25 23.61
    Broncos 26 22.54
    Packers 27 21.19
    Rams 28 20.54
    Titans 29 19.83
    Texans 30 18.24
    Raiders 31 15.35
    Jets 32 14.94

     

  • 2023 NFL Draft Team Grades

    2023 NFL Draft Team Grades

    If you want our full thoughts on the players your team has added, you can check out the SIS NFL Draft site for tons of great information. And if you’d like to contribute to next year’s draft cycle, consider applying to our Football Video Scout position.

    Welcome to our annual NFL Draft Report Card, in which we grade both teams and ourselves on how well they fared in this NFL Draft.

    First off, we grade ourselves on how many players were drafted that we had on our NFL Draft  website. After having 69% (174 of 254) of drafted players in the book in 2019, 78% (199 of 255) in 2020, 84% (218 of 259) in 2021, and 86% (226 of 262) in 2022 (Year 1 of the website), we finished the 2023 draft cycle with 92% (238 of 259).

    When taking out specialists and fullbacks, which we currently don’t write up, there were only 15 players drafted who weren’t on the site and only 4 of which we didn’t formally watch. That’s over 98% of the NFL Draft covered! Plus, many players we had on the site who didn’t get drafted have already signed free agent deals with teams.

    Using our grades, we attempted to rank each team’s draft class. Just like in our article from last season, we assigned all players who were drafted but not on the site a 5.4, which is the equivalent to a training camp body. We took those grades for each player and divided that by the number of selections the team had. 

    These rankings do not account for positional value, the value of where players were drafted, or trades teams made; it is literally based on the grades we gave the players who were drafted and how much talent we feel teams got from their selections compared to the number of picks they made.

    And with that, the 2023 Best Draft Class, with an average grade of 6.58, goes to the Carolina Panthers. They may have only had five draft picks, but they made the most of them by selecting players who were all featured on the SIS NFL Draft site and graded as role-playing starters or better by our scouts.

    The Panthers draft class is in the table below.

    Carolina Panthers 2023 Draft Class
    Pick Position Player College Grade
    1 QB Bryce Young Alabama 6.9
    39 WR Jonathan Mingo Ole Miss 6.4
    80 ED DJ Johnson Oregon 6.5
    114 OG Chandler Zavala NC State 6.4
    145 S Jammie Robinson Florida State 6.7

    After trading up for the No. 1 pick in early March, they took the quarterback many thought they would in Bryce Young from Alabama. Young was our top-ranked QB and our No. 4 player overall. He goes to a perfect situation as the quarterback of the future under new head coach Frank Reich.

    In the 2nd round, Carolina stayed in the SEC and took Jonathan Mingo out of Ole MIss (SIS No. 12 WR, No. 99 Overall). Having given up DJ Moore in the deal for No. 1, Carolina needed a young receiver to come in. We feel Mingo has the skill set to be a No. 3 WR by Year 2.

    In the middle of Round 3, the Panthers selected Oregon’s DJ Johnson (SIS No. 11 ED, No. 64 Overall). He’s an edge rusher who plays extremely hard and relentlessly on every play. As a player who bounced across both sides of the ball a couple times during his Oregon career, he should be able to ascend and hit a high ceiling with enhanced focus on and coaching at EDGE.

    Their final two picks were Chandler Zavala (SIS No. 5 OG) and Jammie Robinson (SIS No. 2 S, No. 26 Overall) in the 4th and 5th rounds, respectively. In all, across their five picks in the first 145, they grabbed four players in the SIS 101 and Zavala who just missed the list.

    SIS Top Draft Classes
    Year Team Previous Season Following Season 2nd Season
    2019 Tennessee Titans 9-7 (No Playoffs) 9-7 (L, AFC Champ) 11-5 (L, Wild Card)
    2020 Cleveland Browns 6-10 (No Playoffs) 11-5 (L, Divisional) 8-9
    2021 Detroit Lions 5-11 (No Playoffs) 3-13-1 9-8
    2022 New York Jets 4-13 (No Playoffs) 7-10 ?
    2023 Carolina Panthers 7-10 (No Playoffs) ? ?

    Since we grade players based on what they will be at the beginning of Year 2, let’s widen the table of our recent Draft Class winners. After winning as top class in 2019, the Titans made consecutive playoff appearances. While the Browns made the playoffs the next year, the turmoil in that locker room in 2021 forced a fall to 8-9. The Lions did take a dip in 2021 in the first year of a new regime, but they took a huge step forward this past season, nearly making the playoffs. As for the Jets, they improved their record in 2022 and had both the Offensive (Garrett Wilson) and Defensive (Sauce Gardner) Rookies of the Year. The future is bright in New York, especially now that they’ve added Aaron Rodgers.

    What does that mean for the Panthers? They now have a new head coach and the No. 1 overall pick lining up at quarterback. They added some nice pieces on offense in free agency in guys like RB Miles Sanders, WRs Adam Thielen and DJ Chark, and TE Hayden Hurst on offense. They also added S Vonn Bell and DTs Shy Tuttle and DeShawn Williams on defense. The team likely isn’t in a position to compete for Super Bowls just yet, but in a wide-open NFC South, there’s a chance they could make the playoffs within just a couple years.

    Now, let’s check out how the rest of the teams fared in our rankings. Here are the draft classes ranked in order of their grade:

    2023 Final Rankings
    Rank Team # of Picks Draft Grade
    1 Panthers 5 6.58
    2 Eagles 7 6.46
    3 Texans 9 6.39
    4 Steelers 7 6.33
    5 Titans 6 6.32
    6 Dolphins 4 6.30
    7 Seahawks 10 6.29
    8 Lions 8 6.29
    9 Vikings 6 6.27
    10 Buccaneers 8 6.24
    11 Colts 12 6.23
    12 Commanders 7 6.23
    13 Bears 10 6.20
    14 Raiders 9 6.20
    15 Chargers 7 6.20
    16 Falcons 6 6.20
    17 Broncos 5 6.20
    18 Browns 7 6.17
    19 Bills 6 6.17
    20 Cowboys 8 6.16
    21 Ravens 6 6.15
    22 Saints 7 6.14
    23 Rams 14 6.11
    24 Jets 7 6.10
    25 Giants 7 6.10
    26 Cardinals 9 6.09
    27 Bengals 8 6.09
    28 Chiefs 7 6.09
    29 Packers 13 6.06
    30 Patriots 12 5.98
    31 Jaguars 13 5.95
    32 49ers 9 5.92

    The Eagles take home the No. 2 spot for the second straight season after raking in three more Georgia Bulldogs on the defensive side of the ball. The Seahawks take the No. 7 spot for the second straight season, as well. Meanwhile, the Lions and Texans join those two teams and the Panthers with a Top-10 finish for the second year in a row.

    The bottom three teams for 2023, listed 30 to 32, were the Patriots. Jaguars, and 49ers. 

    While we are big fans of Christian Gonzalez (SIS No. 2 CB, No. 8 Overall) and Keion White (SIS No. 5 ED, No. 29 Overall), the Patriots only took one more player with a 6.4 grade or higher in their other 10 picks, and that was Kayshon Boutte (SIS No. 9 WR, No. 92 Overall). They beefed up the OL with three interior linemen we think are all versatile backups. They also added four players (two special teams) that weren’t on this year’s site.

    Another team with a lot of picks in their year’s draft, the Jaguars rank No. 31 on the list. While we are high on the upside of Anton Harrison (SIS No. 3 OT, No. 36 Overall), we tab him as just a low-end starter by Year 2. Additionally, only two more of their 13 picks we see as starters by Year 2: Tank Bigsby (SIS No. 6 RB, No. 80 Overall) and Antonio Johnson (SIS No. 5 S, No. 31 Overall). We tabbed only one other player as a versatile backup, and saw six as limited backups. They also took three players who didn’t make the site. The Brenton Strange pick was a bit of a reach in our eyes, as they took him late in Round 2, but we see him as a backup H-only tight end.

    This year’s worst class goes to the 49ers. It’s nearly become tradition that the teams with our worst draft class grade are teams without first-round picks. That’s the case again this year, as the 49ers didn’t have a pick until No. 87. However, aside from a kicker (Jake Moody) late in Round 3, all of their draft picks were featured on the site. Additionally, with that 87th pick, they got Ji’Ayir Brown, who was rated our 3rd-best safety and No. 27 player on the SIS 101.

    The team may have taken home our worst draft class, but they added some solid depth and are still poised to compete in 2023, coming off an NFC Championship Game appearance last season.

    Key Facts

    * With only 21 players drafted this year who weren’t featured on the site, a whopping 20 teams had entire draft classes that were all featured on the NFL Draft site. Two other teams selected all but one, with the one being a special teams player.

    * Only three players from the SIS 101 went undrafted this year. Ivan Pace Jr. (SIS No.1 MLB, No. 51 Overall) and Andre Carter II (SIS No. 14 ED, No. 73 Overall) are both reportedly heading to the Vikings on UDFA deals. Eli Ricks (SIS No. 12 CB, No. 89 Overall) is reportedly singing with the Eagles.

    * With their No. 1 draft class ranking this year, the Panthers now have the best average SIS Draft Class rank and grade average based on our player grades over the past five seasons. The Eagles, Lions, Ravens, and Bengals round out the top 5. The Colts stay on the bottom of this list, having drafted the least amount of talent over the past five drafts according to our grades, although they did have our 11th-best class this year.

    How the NFL Draft Site Compared to the Draft

    Let’s take a look at how the SIS website stacks up to the NFL’s thinking of where players were selected. 

    On offense, the first player drafted at QB, RB, and WR was the No. 1 player on our board at the position. While TE and each OL spot differed, the first player drafted at the positions was still in our top 4. 

    On defense, the top player at each position matched the first player drafted for all positions except the two LB positions. Our top MLB, Ivan Pace Jr., went undrafted and Jack Campbell was our No. 3 MLB. At WLB, our top player, Trenton Simpson, was the second drafted and Daiyan Henley was our No. 4 WLB.

    An interesting side note is that there were only four Mike linebackers drafted this year. While we don’t feature many at the position to begin with, linebacker was definitely a down group this year, and the NFL seemed to agree, only drafting 14 as a whole the entire draft.

    The top 5 QBs went off the board exactly how we had them ranked. The top 5 OTs and WLBs were the same group we had, just in different order. Additionally, the first five players off the board at every position were players we had featured on the site.

    Overdrafted?

    While this was a very deep EDGE class and the first round saw six go off the board, the next two taken early in Round 2 were Derick Hall (SIS No. 21 ED) at No. 37 to the Seahawks and Isaiah Foskey (SIS No. 23 ED) at No. 40 to the Saints. We felt there were 14-15 better options at that point in the draft. Our scouts tabbed both of these players as top backups with 5.9 grades, which is a very worthy player, but they’ll have work to do to live up to their early 2nd-round selection and become starting-level players.

    With less top-end talent in this class overall, our scouts graded only 31 players with a 6.7 grade or higher this year and 19 of them went off the board in Round 1. Additionally, only one player graded below a 6.5 (low-end starter) was drafted in the 1st round and that was Mazi Smith (SIS No. 1 NT) by the Cowboys at No. 26. While he had a lower grade, he was still our top-ranked NT. A 6.3 grade is a starting-level grade. However, we felt he’s not yet a three-down starter and will be a better two-down starter and run stopper by Year 2.

    Some other players we believe were taken too early for the roles we project them to are Brenton Strange (previously mentioned), Brodric Martin, and Tre Tucker, three players who were Top-100 selections and received grades a notch below a top backup.

    The first eligible player (non-specialist or fullback) taken who we did not give a strong enough grade to reach the threshold we set for the website was Packers QB Sean Clifford, taken in the 5th round, 149th overall. Additionally, the first player who went off the board that we didn’t get a formal look or report on was Cowboys CB Eric Scott Jr. in the 6th round, 178th overall.

    Underdrafted?

    Safeties Jammie Robinson and Antonio Johnson were the only 6.7s not selected in the top 100. With both going in the 5th round, we feel like they have very good chances to outperform their draft positions. We also feel that Dawand Jones (SIS No. 6 OT, No. 42 Overall) was a great pick by the Browns in the 4th round and SirVocea Dennis (SIS No. 2 WLB, No. 52 Overall) was a great pickup in the 5th round by the Buccaneers. Both players received 6.6 grades by our scouts.

    There were two players we had 6.5 grades on who slipped to the 6th round or later. Jaelyn Duncan (SIS No. 8 OT, No. 76 Overall) was a great pickup by the Titans in the 6th round and Andrew Vorhees (SIS No. 3 OG, No. 67 Overall) was an even better pickup by the Ravens in the 7th. 

    While we assumed Vorhees’ fall due to the devastating ACL injury he suffered at the NFL Combine, we believe him to be at least a low-end starter not long after he gets back to full strength. Baltimore seems to like drafting good players with current injuries and “redshirting” them, as they did the same with David Ojabo last year.

    The only two players we graded within the top 5 of their position group who were not drafted were Ivan Pace Jr. and Cam Jones, both Mike linebackers. As previously mentioned, only four MLBs were drafted this year. Additionally, as Pace is reportedly headed to Minnesota on a UDFA deal, Jones has signed with the Chiefs.

    SIS Draft Site Report Card

    Every year the SIS scouting department looks to make improvements, and this year was no different. With the SIS Football Operation growing the way it is, our time was somewhat limited this year. That’s why we made the decision to only write a Last Word summary for any players who received a grade below 6.0. 

    While we’d love to keep pumping out full reports for all the prospects we feature on the site, this is what allowed us to get as many on there as we did. It may be a welcomed change that sticks moving forward and allows us to continue featuring so many players.

    While last year was the first year of the website, this year was the first that didn’t include one of our original Handbook members, John Todd. However, a five-man scouting team, consisting of Nathan Cooper, Jordan Edwards, Jeff Dean, Ben Hrkach, and Chad Tedder, put in the hard work to finalize over 650 reports, of which 401 made it onto this year’s SIS NFL Draft site. This is the first time in five years the number of players/reports featured went down from the previous year (410 last year), but only by a few.

    The number of drafted non-specialist/fullback players not featured on our site went down significantly this year, as did the number of players drafted on whom we didn’t have eyes on at all (only 4 out of 259!). As we noted, our Top-100 evaluations were a big success with 71 of our top 100 drafted in the first 100 picks and only three of our SIS 101 not selected at all. The first player not featured on the website, outside of the specialists, being drafted in the 5th round and the first we didn’t have eyes on not until the 6th round were huge successes.

    We can’t wait to build off the successes of our online platform and continue to streamline the process moving forward. Year 2 of the site and Year 5 of the process was the best yet, but we expect next year to be even better, just as every previous edition before it.

    Please continue to check out the SIS NFL Draft website as the offseason continues. If you’d like to be involved in our scouting and charting processes next year, consider applying to our Football Video scout position. We’re taking applications and interviewing for next year’s class now.

  • Coop’s First & Final 2023 Mock Draft

    Coop’s First & Final 2023 Mock Draft

    Every year since before I can remember, I do my own Mock Draft. I only do one, and it’s done within a day or two prior to the NFL Draft.

    This is the toughest first round I’ve had to come up with to date.

    What do the Texans do at 2? What teams are taking the top QBs? There’s not as much top-end talent in this draft as in years past. So, who slides into the back-end of the first round that normally wouldn’t have gone that high in other years?

    Without projecting trades and, instead, trying to match players to teams, I attempt to answer those questions and more now.

    Round 1
    Pick Team Position Player College
    1 Panthers QB Bryce Young Alabama
    2 Texans ED Tyree Wilson Texas Tech
    3 Cardinals ED Will Anderson Jr. Alabama
    4 Colts QB C.J. Stroud Ohio State
    5 Seahawks DT Jalen Carter Georgia
    6 Lions CB Devon Witherspoon Illinois
    7 Raiders CB Christian Gonzalez Oregon
    8 Falcons ED Nolan Smith Georgia
    9 Bears OT Paris Johnson Jr. Ohio State
    10 Eagles DT Lukas Van Ness Iowa
    11 Titans OT Peter Skoronski Northwestern
    12 Texans QB Will Levis Kentucky
    13 Packers WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba Ohio State
    14 Patriots OT Broderick Jones Georgia
    15 Jets OT Darnell Wright Tennessee
    16 Commanders QB Anthony Richardson Florida
    17 Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. Penn State
    18 Lions DT Calijah Kancey
    		 Pittsburgh
    19 Buccaneers CB Deonte Banks Maryland
    20 Seahawks TE Michael Mayer Notre Dame
    21 Chargers DT
    		 Bryan Bresee
    		 Clemson
    22 Ravens CB Emmanuel Forbes Mississippi State
    23 Vikings WR Jordan Addison USC
    24 Jaguars S Brian Branch Alabama
    25 Giants WR Zay Flowers Boston College
    26 Cowboys RB Bijan Robinson Texas
    27 Bills ED Myles Murphy
    		 Clemson
    28 Bengals TE Dalton Kincaid Utah
    29 Saints ED Will McDonald IV Iowa State
    30 Eagles RB Jahmyr Gibbs Alabama
    31 Chiefs OT Anton Harrison Oklahoma

    Be sure to check out the rest of my Mock Draft, all seven rounds (going up midday on Thursday), on Twitter @ncoopdraft and check out all of our content on this year’s class at the SIS NFL Draft site.