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  • 2023 SIS Scouting Staff NFL Mock Draft

    2023 SIS Scouting Staff NFL Mock Draft

    There were thoughts that last year could be one of the more unpredictable NFL Drafts in recent history. However, with even more uncertainty and less top-tier talent, this year tops it.

    Where do all the QBs land? When does the first RB come off the board? How many EDGEs and CBs will we see in the first round?

    Using traditional scouting and analytics in conjunction with the SIS 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 Panthers Jordan QB Bryce Young Alabama
    The Panthers traded up to No. 1 to select their next franchise QB, and while Young has size concerns, he is a natural leader and playmaker at the position.
    2 Texans Chad QB C.J. Stroud Ohio State
    New HC DeMeco Ryans and the Texans had the entire draft field in front of them and they selected their franchise QB, and though Stroud has to work through some decision making, he has the accuracy and awareness to be a playmaker for them.
    3 Cardinals Ben EDGE Will Anderson Jr. Alabama
    First time head coach and former defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon puts his stamp on the franchise by selecting a physical force that was one of the most dominant edge rushers in college football history.
    4 Colts Jeremy QB Anthony Richardson Florida
    The Colts finally get the young QB they have been seeking since Andrew Luck’s retirement, as Richardson is a young prospect with elite athleticism and traits who fits seamlessly into Steichen’s new offense.
    5 Seahawks Jeff DT Jalen Carter Georgia
    Pete Carroll hasn’t been scared off by off-field issues before, and the Sehawks get a chance to draft an absolute game-wrecker along the defensive line.
    6 Lions Nathan CB Devon Witherspoon Illinois
    Witherspoon’s physicality in all aspects of the game and dominance as a man corner both fit perfectly into the culture and scheme that Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell, and the Detroit Lions have built over the last two seasons.
    7 Raiders Theo CB Christian Gonzalez Oregon
    Gonzalez is a very good athlete with the coverage versatility and ball skills to immediately make a big impact on a Raiders defense that struggles to force turnovers or get stops in general.
    8 Falcons Jordan EDGE Nolan Smith Georgia
    Terry Fontenot and the Falcons value elite athletes in the first round, and there aren’t many more in this class outside of Smith.
    9 Bears Conner EDGE Tyree Wilson Texas Tech
    For a team in need of a force on the edge, HC Matt Eberflus and the Bears will be happy about having Wilson fall into their laps.
    10 Eagles Ben WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba Ohio State
    With a new contract for franchise QB Jalen Hurts limiting the Eagles’ salary cap space for the near future, they are in win-now mode and a bona fide third option would make an already great offense nearly unstoppable.
    11 Titans Dan OT Paris Johnson Jr. Ohio State
    Johnson is an incredible athlete who would give the Titans a true pillar at one of the most important positions in the game.
    12 Texans Chad EDGE Myles Murphy Clemson
    DeMeco Ryans goes defense with his other first-round pick in Murphy, where his strength and relentlessness will allow him to get after other QBs in the division.
    13 Packers Jeff TE Michael Mayer Notre Dame
    The Packers grab a reliable safety blanket to give new starter Jordan Love more weapons and ease his way into the spotlight.
    14 Patriots Stephen OT Peter Skoronski Northwestern
    The addition of Skoronski will add strength and athleticism to what has been a shaky spot on the Patriots roster in previous seasons.
    15 Jets Nathan OT Broderick Jones Georgia
    The Jets need an upgrade at tackle to protect their newest investment in Aaron Rodgers, and Jones fits the bill as an athletic mover on the blindside.
    16 Commanders Max QB Will Levis Kentucky
    The Commanders claim they are satisfied with the QB room but can’t pass up the opportunity to take the upside with Levis as he falls down the board.
    17 Steelers Max CB Joey Porter Jr. Penn State
    The Porter family bloodlines stay in black and gold as the Steelers add a physical corner who fits Mike Tomlin’s defensive style of play.
    18 Lions Nathan DT Calijah Kancey Pittsburgh
    Detroit needs more quickness and pass rush ability on the interior, and while Kancey is a little undersized, his get-off and ability to win right away will be a perfect fit alongside their powerful run stuffers.
    19 Buccaneers Micklos OT Darnell Wright Tennessee
    The Bucs have a glaring need at tackle that the Tennessee mauler solves.
    20 Seahawks Jeff RB Bijan Robinson Texas
    The Seahawks love running backs, and the best player on the board slides into their lap to give their offense a dynamic 1-2 punch in the backfield.
    21 Chargers Theo WR Quentin Johnston TCU
    The AFC West is an arms race, so the Chargers add another big-body playmaker who will also free up Keenan Allen to play exclusively in the slot in 3-WR sets as he gets toward the back-end of his career.
    22 Ravens Segev WR Zay Flowers Boston College
    The Ravens continue to add bodies to their WR room by taking one of the best playmakers available.
    23 Vikings Jeff DT Lukas Van Ness Iowa
    The Vikings need more pass rush from their front line, and Van Ness is a great fit for their defense where he has the time to develop into a three-down playmaker; this could be viewed as a steal in the future.
    24 Jaguars Jeremy S Brian Branch Alabama
    Branch provides versatility and playmaking ability to the Jaguars defensive backfield and helps poise the young team to make a major ascension.
    25 Giants Ben OG O’Cyrus Torrence Florida
    The Giants are in a position to go best player available, and Torrence will provide protection at guard for a freshly paid Daniel Jones, as well as open run lanes to maximize the last few years of Saquon Barkley’s prime.
    26 Cowboys Chad TE Darnell Washington Georgia
    The Cowboys look to fill a hole left in their TE room with Washington, whose big and powerful frame will allow them to build upon their running game and be a mismatch downfield.
    27 Bills Evan WR Jordan Addison USC
    The Bills can add to Josh Allen’s arsenal either through free agency or here with Addison, who adds another threat to the offense to compete for a Super Bowl.
    28 Bengals Michael TE Dalton Kincaid Utah
    With Hayden Hurst leaving for Carolina and Irv Smith Jr on a 1-year prove it deal, Kincaid gives Cincy a versatile inside-out receiving threat that has time to develop as a blocker in the physical AFC North.
    29 Saints Conner NT Mazi Smith Michigan
    Saints have issues up front and Smith will come in day 1 and help alleviate those concerns.
    30 Eagles Ben EDGE Will McDonald IV Iowa State
    With an offense built to score often and control the ball, the Eagles defense should find itself in a high volume of passing downs, and McDonald IV has the ability to get to the QB from a variety of alignments.
    31 Chiefs Nathan DT Bryan Bresee Clemson
    With the loss of some key DL, Bresee would come in and pair nicely next to Chris Jones, as he has tons of upside and potential that he wasn’t able to show consistently in college due to injuries and other circumstances.
    Round 2
    Pick Team Scout Player College
    32 Steelers Max OT Anton Harrison Oklahoma
    33 Texans Chad WR Josh Downs North Carolina
    34 Cardinals Ben CB Emmanuel Forbes Mississippi State
    35 Colts Jeremy CB Deonte Banks Maryland
    36 Rams Justin EDGE Keion White Georgia Tech
    37 Seahawks Jeff OC John Michael Schmitz Minnesota
    38 Raiders Theo EDGE Byron Young Tennessee
    39 Panthers Jordan EDGE BJ Ojulari LSU
    40 Saints Conner EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah Kansas State
    41 Titans Dan QB Hendon Hooker Tennessee
    42 Packers Jeff WR Jalin Hyatt Tennessee
    43 Jets Nathan S Ji’Ayir Brown Penn State
    44 Falcons Jordan DT Adetomiwa Adebawore Northwestern
    45 Packers Jeff S Antonio Johnson Texas A&M
    46 Patriots Stephen CB Tyrique Stevenson Miami
    47 Commanders Max TE Luke Musgrave Oregon State
    48 Lions Nathan RB Jahmyr Gibbs Alabama
    49 Steelers Max NT Keeanu Benton Wisconsin
    50 Buccaneers Micklos LB SirVocea Dennis Pittsburgh
    51 Dolphins Micklos TE Tucker Kraft South Dakota State
    52 Seahawks Jeff TE Sam LaPorta Iowa
    53 Bears Conner OT Matthew Bergeron Syracuse
    54 Chargers Theo S Jammie Robinson Florida State
    55 Lions Nathan WR Cedric Tillman Tennessee
    56 Jaguars Jeremy OT Dawand Jones Ohio State
    57 Giants Ben WR Jonathan Mingo Ole Miss
    58 Cowboys Chad OG Cody Mauch North Dakota State
    59 Bills Evan LB Trenton Simpson Clemson
    60 Bengals Michael S Jordan Battle Alabama
    61 Bears Conner CB Julius Brents Kansas State
    62 Eagles Ben S Sydney Brown Illinois
    63 Chiefs Nathan EDGE Drew Sanders Arkansas
    Round 3
    Pick Team Scout Player College
    64 Bears Conner DT Gervon Dexter Florida
    65 Texans Chad OG Steve Avila TCU
    66 Cardinals Ben RB Devon Achane Texas A&M
    67 Broncos Nathan OC Joe Tippmann Wisconsin
    68 Broncos Nathan CB Cam Smith South Carolina
    69 Rams Justin CB DJ Turner Michigan
    70 Raiders Theo LB Ivan Pace Jr. Cincinnati
    71 Saints Conner WR A.T. Perry Wake Forest
    72 Titans Dan WR Xavier Hutchinson Iowa State
    73 Texans Chad LB Jack Campbell Iowa
    74 Browns Michael LB Noah Sewell Oregon
    75 Falcons Jordan WR Jayden Reed Michigan State
    76 Patriots Stephen WR Rashee Rice SMU
    77 Rams Justin OT Blake Freeland BYU
    78 Packers Jeff CB Kelee Ringo Georgia
    79 Colts Jeremy WR Tyler Scott Cincinnati
    80 Steelers Max EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu USC
    81 Lions Nathan LB Daiyan Henley Washington State
    82 Buccaneers Micklos CB Jakorian Bennett Maryland
    83 Seahawks Jeff OG Andrew Vorhees USC
    84 Dolphins Micklos OT Jaelyn Duncan Maryland
    85 Chargers Theo CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson TCU
    86 Ravens Segev CB Cory Trice Purdue
    87 Vikings Jeff QB Tanner McKee Stanford
    88 Jaguars Jeremy EDGE DJ Johnson Oregon
    89 Giants Ben CB Riley Moss Iowa
    90 Cowboys Chad RB Zach Charbonnet UCLA
    91 Bills Evan OT Tyler Steen Alabama
    92 Bengals Michael RB Roschon Johnson Texas
    93 Panthers Jordan OG Chandler Zavala NC State
    94 Eagles Ben DT Zacch Pickens South Carolina
    95 Chiefs Nathan WR Marvin Mims Jr. Oklahoma
    96 Cardinals Ben EDGE Andre Carter II Army
    97 Commanders Max RB Tyjae Spears Tulane
    98 Browns Michael CB Eli Ricks Alabama
    99 49ers Jordan OT Braeden Daniels Utah
    100 Raiders Theo DT Colby Wooden Auburn
    101 49ers Jordan CB Terell Smith Minnesota
    102 49ers Jordan DT YaYa Diaby Louisville
    Round 4
    Pick Team Scout Player College
    103 Bears Conner S JL Skinner Boise State
    104 Texans Chad DT Siaki Ika Baylor
    105 Cardinals Ben OC Olusegun Oluwatimi Michigan
    106 Colts Jeremy OG Anthony Bradford LSU
    107 Patriots Stephen TE Luke Schoonmaker Michigan
    108 Broncos Nathan S Jartavius Martin Illinois
    109 Raiders Theo OG Jordan McFadden Clemson
    110 Falcons Jordan CB Garrett Williams Syracuse
    111 Browns Michael RB Evan Hull Northwestern
    112 Jets Nathan LB Dorian Williams Tulane
    113 Falcons Jordan LB DeMarvion Overshown Texas
    114 Panthers Jordan WR Charlie Jones Purdue
    115 Saints Conner RB Tank Bigsby Auburn
    116 Packers Jeff NT Jaquelin Roy LSU
    117 Patriots Stephen LB Dee Winters TCU
    118 Commanders Max OC Ricky Stromberg Arkansas
    119 Vikings Jeff CB Darius Rush South Carolina
    120 Steelers Max WR Nathaniel Dell Houston
    121 Jaguars Jeremy WR Kayshon Boutte LSU
    122 Chiefs Nathan OT Wanya Morris Oklahoma
    123 Seahawks Jeff EDGE Mike Morris Michigan
    124 Ravens Segev EDGE Viliami Fehoko San Jose State
    125 Chargers Theo NT Nesta Jade Silvera Arizona State
    126 Browns Michael WR Rakim Jarrett Maryland
    127 Jaguars Jeremy TE Davis Allen Clemson
    128 Giants Ben S Brandon Joseph Notre Dame
    129 Cowboys Chad EDGE Isaiah Foskey Notre Dame
    130 Bills Evan DT Kobie Turner Wake Forest
    131 Bengals Michael S Jay Ward LSU
    132 Panthers Jordan RB Kendre Miller TCU
    133 Bears Conner OC Luke Wypler Ohio State
    134 Chiefs Nathan S Marte Mapu Sacramento State
    135 Patriots Stephen S Josh Hayes Kansas State
    Round 5
    Pick Team Scout Player College
    136 Bears Conner WR Puka Nacua BYU
    137 Bills Evan OG Emil Ekiyor Jr. Alabama
    138 Colts Jeremy DT Karl Brooks Bowling Green
    139 Broncos Nathan DT Tyler Lacy Oklahoma State
    140 Browns Michael OG Joey Fisher Shepherd
    141 Raiders Theo S Christopher Smith Georgia
    142 Browns Michael LB Henry To’oTo’o Alabama
    143 Jets Nathan CB Clark Phillips III Utah
    144 Raiders Theo LB Micah Baskerville LSU
    145 Panthers Jordan LB Owen Pappoe Auburn
    146 Saints Conner DT Cory Durden NC State
    147 Titans Dan EDGE Derick Hall Auburn
    148 Bears Conner TE Payne Durham Purdue
    149 Packers Jeff RB Deuce Vaughn Kansas State
    150 Commanders Max LB Cam Jones Indiana
    151 Seahawks Jeff QB Jake Haener Fresno State
    152 Lions Nathan EDGE Zach Harrison Ohio State
    153 Buccaneers Micklos OG Brent Laing Minnesota-Duluth
    154 Seahawks Jeff EDGE Lonnie Phelps Kansas
    155 49ers Jordan EDGE Tavius Robinson Ole Miss
    156 Chargers Theo OC Jake Andrews Troy
    157 Ravens Segev OG Sidy Sow Eastern Michigan
    158 Vikings Jeff EDGE Nick Hampton Appalachian State
    159 Lions Nathan TE Josh Whyle Cincinnati
    160 Giants Ben LB Anfernee Orji Vanderbilt
    161 Texans Chad OT Nick Saldiveri Old Dominion
    162 Colts Jeremy CB Rejzhon Wright Oregon State
    163 Bengals Michael LB Mikel Jones Syracuse
    164 49ers Jordan OT Ryan Hayes Michigan
    165 Saints Conner DT Byron Young Alabama
    166 Chiefs Nathan RB Eric Gray Oklahoma
    167 Rams Justin QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson UCLA
    168 Cardinals Ben WR Dontayvion Wicks Virginia
    169 Cowboys Chad DT Moro Ojomo Texas
    170 Jets Nathan EDGE Nick Herbig Wisconsin
    171 Rams Justin OT Warren McClendon Georgia
    172 Giants Ben OC Jarrett Patterson Notre Dame
    173 49ers Jordan CB Kei’Trel Clark Louisville
    174 Raiders Theo WR Trey Palmer Nebraska
    175 Buccaneers Micklos K Jake Moody Michigan
    176 Colts Jeremy S Chamarri Conner Virginia Tech
    177 Rams Justin S Demarcco Hellams Alabama
    Round 6
    Pick Team Scout Player College
    178 Chiefs Nathan CB Mekhi Blackmon USC
    179 Buccaneers Micklos CB Kyu Blu Kelly Stanford
    180 Cardinals Ben S Ronnie Hickman Ohio State
    181 Buccaneers Micklos DT Dante Stills West Virginia
    182 Rams Justin OC Juice Scruggs Penn State
    183 Lions Nathan OG Asim Richards North Carolina
    184 Patriots Stephen NT Keondre Coburn Texas
    185 Jaguars Jeremy OG Jon Gaines II UCLA
    186 Titans Dan CB Jaylon Jones Texas A&M
    187 Patriots Stephen EDGE Yasir Abdullah Louisville
    188 Texans Chad TE Joel Wilson Central Michigan
    189 Rams Justin EDGE Isaiah Land Florida A&M
    190 Browns Michael EDGE Ali Gaye LSU
    191 Rams Justin WR Andrei Iosivas Princeton
    192 Patriots Stephen LB Bumper Pool Arkansas
    193 Commanders Max CB Darrell Luter Jr. South Alabama
    194 Lions Nathan WR Ronnie Bell Michigan
    195 Broncos Nathan OT Carter Warren Pittsburgh
    196 Buccaneers Micklos EDGE Dylan Horton TCU
    197 Dolphins Micklos NT Robert Cooper Florida State
    198 Seahawks Jeff OT Jake Witt Northern Michigan
    199 Ravens Segev TE Travis Vokolek Nebraska
    200 Chargers Theo EDGE K.J. Henry Clemson
    201 Texans Chad RB Zach Evans Ole Miss
    202 Jaguars Jeremy DT Jalen Redmond Oklahoma
    203 Texans Chad S Anthony Johnson Jr. Iowa State
    204 Raiders Theo RB Kenny McIntosh Georgia
    205 Bills Evan TE Hunter Luepke North Dakota State
    206 Bengals Michael QB Stetson Bennett Georgia
    207 Packers Jeff OC Grant Gibson NC State
    208 Jaguars Jeremy CB Mekhi Garner LSU
    209 Giants Ben WR Michael Wilson Stanford
    210 Patriots Stephen P Bryce Baringer Michigan State
    211 Vikings Jeff WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton West Virginia
    212 Cowboys Chad QB Clayton Tune Houston
    213 Cardinals Ben QB Max Duggan TCU
    214 Raiders Theo EDGE Jose Ramirez Eastern Michigan
    215 Commanders Max OT Connor Galvin Baylor
    216 49ers Jordan K Anders Carlson Auburn
    217 Chiefs Nathan OT Dalton Wagner Arkansas
    Round 7
    Pick Team Scout Player College
    218 Bears Conner CB Corey Mayfield Jr. UTSA
    219 Eagles Ben TE Will Mallory Miami
    220 Raiders Theo QB Jaren Hall BYU
    221 Colts Jeremy EDGE Thomas Incoom Central Michigan
    222 49ers Jordan S Jordan Howden Minnesota
    223 Rams Justin EDGE Isaiah McGuire Missouri
    224 Falcons Jordan S Trey Dean III Florida
    225 Falcons Jordan OT Trevor Reid Louisville
    226 Jaguars Jeremy S Jaiden Woodbey Boston College
    227 Saints Conner S Jason Taylor II Oklahoma State
    228 Titans Dan K Chad Ryland Maryland
    229 Browns Michael OG Jaxson Kirkland Washington
    230 Texans Chad CB Cameron Mitchell Northwestern
    231 Raiders Theo TE Leonard Taylor Cincinnati
    232 Packers Jeff NT Brodric Martin Western Kentucky
    233 Commanders Max EDGE Robert Beal Jr. Georgia
    234 Rams Justin OG Atonio Mafi UCLA
    235 Packers Jeff OG Nick Broeker Ole Miss
    236 Colts Jeremy LB Mohamoud Diabate Utah
    237 Seahawks Jeff TE Zack Kuntz Old Dominion
    238 Dolphins Micklos EDGE Derek Parish Houston
    239 Chargers Theo TE Cameron Latu Alabama
    240 Giants Ben TE Brenton Strange Penn State
    241 Steelers Max QB Aidan O’Connell Purdue
    242 Packers Jeff QB Malik Cunningham Louisville
    243 Giants Ben NT PJ Mustipher Penn State
    244 Cowboys Chad K B.T. Potter Clemson
    245 Patriots Stephen CB Christian Braswell Rutgers
    246 Bengals Michael WR Antoine Green North Carolina
    247 49ers Jordan TE Brayden Willis Oklahoma
    248 Eagles Ben OG McClendon Curtis Chattanooga
    249 Chiefs Nathan WR Justin Shorter Florida
    250 Chiefs Nathan EDGE BJ Thompson Stephen F. Austin
    251 Steelers Max S Daniel Scott California
    252 Buccaneers Micklos RB Sean Tucker Syracuse
    253 49ers Jordan LB Jalen Graham Purdue
    254 Giants Ben DT Desjuan Johnson Toledo
    255 49ers Jordan RB Israel Abanikanda Pittsburgh
    256 Packers Jeff P Adam Korsak Rutgers
    257 Saints Conner EDGE Malik Hamm Lafayette
    258 Bears Conner OC Alan Ali TCU
    259 Texans Chad WR Jalen Moreno-Cropper Fresno 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, Theo Fornaciari, Jeremy Percy, Conner Hrabal, Max Nuscher, Michael Morgan, Johnathan Micklos, Stephen Marciello, Justin Stine, Evan Butler, Dan Foehrenbach, and Segev Goldberg.

  • 2023 “SIS 101” Final Rankings

    2023 “SIS 101” Final Rankings

    Cornerbacks, edge rushers, and wide receivers dominate our Top 101 Big Board.

    Check out the entire list below and find much more at our NFL Draft website:

    2023 SIS 101 – Final Rankings
    Rank Position Player School Grade
    1 ED Will Anderson Jr. Alabama 7.2
    2 DT Jalen Carter Georgia 7.0
    3 RB Bijan Robinson Texas 7.0
    4 QB Bryce Young Alabama 6.9
    5 QB C.J. Stroud Ohio State 6.9
    6 ED Nolan Smith Georgia 6.8
    7 CB Devon Witherspoon Illinois 6.8
    8 CB Christian Gonzalez Oregon 6.8
    9 WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba Ohio State 6.8
    10 OT Peter Skoronski Northwestern 6.8
    11 RB Jahmyr Gibbs Alabama 6.8
    12 SAF Brian Branch Alabama 6.8
    13 TE Michael Mayer Notre Dame 6.8
    14 OC John Michael Schmitz Minnesota 6.8
    15 OT Paris Johnson Jr. Ohio State 6.7
    16 WR Quentin Johnston TCU 6.7
    17 DT Calijah Kancey Pittsburgh 6.7
    18 ED Tyree Wilson Texas Tech 6.7
    19 WR Zay Flowers Boston College 6.7
    20 ED Myles Murphy Clemson 6.7
    21 TE Darnell Washington Georgia 6.7
    22 CB Joey Porter Jr. Penn State 6.7
    23 WR Josh Downs North Carolina 6.7
    24 WR Jordan Addison USC 6.7
    25 TE Tucker Kraft South Dakota State 6.7
    26 SAF Jammie Robinson Florida State 6.7
    27 SAF Ji’Ayir Brown Penn State 6.7
    28 CB Emmanuel Forbes Mississippi State 6.7
    29 ED Keion White Georgia Tech 6.7
    30 SAF Jordan Battle Alabama 6.7
    31 SAF Antonio Johnson Texas A&M 6.7
    32 QB Anthony Richardson Florida 6.6
    33 QB Will Levis Kentucky 6.6
    34 OG O’Cyrus Torrence Florida 6.6
    35 OC Joe Tippmann Wisconsin 6.6
    36 OT Anton Harrison Oklahoma 6.6
    37 ED Will McDonald IV Iowa State 6.6
    38 ED BJ Ojulari LSU 6.6
    39 WLB Trenton Simpson Clemson 6.6
    40 OT Broderick Jones Georgia 6.6
    41 OT Darnell Wright Tennessee 6.6
    42 OT Dawand Jones Ohio State 6.6
    43 TE Dalton Kincaid Utah 6.6
    44 CB Cam Smith South Carolina 6.6
    45 ED Byron Young Tennessee 6.6
    46 ED Drew Sanders Arkansas 6.6
    47 OG Cody Mauch North Dakota State 6.6
    48 ED Tuli Tuipulotu USC 6.6
    49 CB Deonte Banks Maryland 6.6
    50 TE Sam LaPorta Iowa 6.6
    51 MLB Ivan Pace Jr. Cincinnati 6.6
    52 WLB SirVocea Dennis Pittsburgh 6.6
    53 CB Tyrique Stevenson Miami 6.6
    54 RB Devon Achane Texas A&M 6.6
    55 WLB DeMarvion Overshown Texas 6.6
    56 DT Bryan Bresee Clemson 6.5
    57 DT Lukas Van Ness Iowa 6.5
    58 QB Hendon Hooker Tennessee 6.5
    59 TE Luke Musgrave Oregon State 6.5
    60 RB Zach Charbonnet UCLA 6.5
    61 CB Jakorian Bennett Maryland 6.5
    62 CB DJ Turner Michigan 6.5
    63 TE Luke Schoonmaker Michigan 6.5
    64 ED DJ Johnson Oregon 6.5
    65 TE Davis Allen Clemson 6.5
    66 RB Roschon Johnson Texas 6.5
    67 OG Andrew Vorhees USC 6.5
    68 ED Felix Anudike-Uzomah Kansas State 6.5
    69 OT Blake Freeland BYU 6.5
    70 ED Mike Morris Michigan 6.5
    71 MLB Noah Sewell Oregon 6.5
    72 MLB Jack Campbell Iowa 6.5
    73 ED Andre Carter II Army 6.5
    74 WLB Daiyan Henley Washington State 6.5
    75 OG Steve Avila TCU 6.5
    76 OT Jaelyn Duncan Maryland 6.5
    77 DT Adetomiwa Adebawore Northwestern 6.5
    78 OC Ricky Stromberg Arkansas 6.5
    79 DT Gervon Dexter Florida 6.5
    80 RB Tank Bigsby Auburn 6.5
    81 WLB Henry To’oTo’o Alabama 6.5
    82 WR Jalin Hyatt Tennessee 6.4
    83 CB Kelee Ringo Georgia 6.4
    84 OC Olusegun Oluwatimi Michigan 6.4
    85 CB Julius Brents Kansas State 6.4
    86 SAF Sydney Brown Illinois 6.4
    87 WR Nathaniel Dell Houston 6.4
    88 QB Jake Haener Fresno State 6.4
    89 CB Eli Ricks Alabama 6.4
    90 SAF JL Skinner Boise State 6.4
    91 WR Xavier Hutchinson Iowa State 6.4
    92 WR Kayshon Boutte LSU 6.4
    93 CB Darius Rush South Carolina 6.4
    94 WR A.T. Perry Wake Forest 6.4
    95 OC Luke Wypler Ohio State 6.4
    96 WR Cedric Tillman Tennessee 6.4
    97 CB Cory Trice Purdue 6.4
    98 CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson TCU 6.4
    99 WR Jonathan Mingo Ole Miss 6.4
    100 WR Tyler Scott Cincinnati 6.4
    101 CB Riley Moss Iowa 6.4

    There are 16 cornerbacks who appear in our Top 101, led by Devon Witherspoon from Illinois and Christian Gonzalez from Oregon, both of whom are in our Top 8.

    Along with CB, this year’s EDGE class is heavy as well. Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. tops the list of both the EDGE class and our entire rankings. While there is a drop from his 7.2 grade to Georgia’s Nolan Smith at a 6.8, there are still 14 players who make the Top 101 from the position and 10 in the first 48.

    This year’s WR class is down compared to recent years, but our Top 101 still sees 13 make the list. Quentin Johnston from TCU leads the way with a 6.8, just ahead of four others who received a 6.7 grade.

    For rankings and player profiles on 400+ players, and much more, including our grading scale, leaderboards, and team pages, go check out nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com.

  • NFL Draft AnalySIS: Detroit Lions

    NFL Draft AnalySIS: Detroit Lions

    Leading up to the NFL Draft, SIS will be publishing team previews for those with Top 10 picks in the draft. Each preview will look at the players who most make sense for that team at that selection based on stats and scouting factors and will include quotes from that player’s scouting report.

    You can find more than 300 scouting reports and much more team analysis at our NFL Draft website.

    The State of the Lions:

    The Detroit Lions have strung together two outstanding Draft classes in the Brad Holmes/Dan Campbell era, and are looking to make it a third in 2023. Although they missed the playoffs last season, they finished with a winning record and won 8 of their last 10 to knock Green Bay out of the playoffs and nearly make it themselves. If they can finish close games, win the games they are supposed to, and continue building the team the right way, look for this team to compete for NFC North titles and make runs in the playoffs in the immediate future.

    #6 Overall

    Devon Witherspoon – CB – Illinois

    Witherspoon has the press-man coverage and ball skills to be a solid starter in any NFL defense, but he will need to improve his open-field tackling and off-man ability to hit his ceiling as a true No. 1, shutdown corner.

    Even with the additions Detroit has made in the secondary this free agent period, and especially now with Jeff Okudah traded away, there’s a good chance they add to it with their first pick. Witherspoon is a physical, press-man corner who should thrive in Detroit’s defensive scheme.

    Christian Gonzalez – CB – Oregon

    Gonzalez is a versatile corner with the reactive athleticism, speed, and ball skills to make a huge impact in the NFL, but he may struggle with bigger targets at times.

    Arguably the best cover corner in this Draft, Gonzalez would fill a huge long-term hole at corner that they haven’t had since Darius Slay. Plus, he’s got the versatility to work inside and outside.

    Jalen Carter – DT – Georgia

    There are almost no flaws in Carter’s on-field play and with an increased effort and professionalism combined with his ability to force teams to change gameplans, he can put himself in the NFL DPOY discussion every year.

    The Lions are revamping their defensive front with hard-nosed football players. If Carter can shore up the off-field issues and play with a more consistent motor, he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with and improve upon Detroit’s last-ranked DT position group in Total Points.

    Will Anderson Jr. – Edge – Alabama

    Anderson has impressed from his first game at Alabama to his last as a deadly pass rusher and strong run defender, and he has everything it takes to be a top-end EDGE at the next level.

    With the talk that Tyree Wilson is rated higher than Anderson on some team’s boards and the possibility that 4 QBs go in the top 4-5 picks, there’s a real chance that Anderson could be here at No. 6 on Draft night. It could be the third straight season that arguably the best player in the Draft falls to the Lions (Penei Sewell in 2021 and Aidan Hutchinson in 2022).

    Tyree Wilson – Edge – Texas Tech

    Wilson is a long, strong power rusher who can rush the quarterback and defend the run, but a lack of speed and agility may be traits that hold him back early in his career.

    Wilson’s versatility allows him to be a moveable piece along the line against both the run and pass and would be a great addition opposite Aidan Hutchinson along Detroit’s defensive front.To learn more about the Lions and their needs, visit their team page on our NFL Draft website here.

  • 2022 SIS Mountain West All-Conference Team

    2022 SIS Mountain West 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 2022, 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 Mountain West Conference.

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Jake Haener Fresno State
    RB Brad Roberts Air Force
    WR Tory Horton Colorado State
    WR Elijah Cooks San Jose State
    TE Caleb Rillos Air Force
    FLEX Jordan Mims Fresno State
    OT Everett Smalley Air Force
    OT John Ojukwu Boise State
    OG Isaac Cochran Air Force
    OG Preston Nichols UNLV
    OC Thor Paglialong Air Force

    While Brad Roberts was aided by a high-powered Air Force offense, not allowing his Total Points number to be very intriguing, he still led the entire FBS in rushing yards with 1,728. An SIS All-America selection, Isaac Cochran was an easy pick here, leading all FBS OL with 51 Total Points. While Elijah Cooks ranked 7th in Total Points among MW receivers, his 21 receiver Total Points ranked 3rd, behind only Horton and Remigio.

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT Jonah Tavai San Diego State
    DT Scott Matlock Boise State
    EDGE Viliami Fehoko San Jose State
    EDGE Adam Plant Jr. UNLV
    LB Ezekiel Noa Boise State
    LB Michael Shawcroft San Diego State
    CB Nohl Williams UNLV
    CB Cameron Lockridge Fresno State
    S Jayden Goodwin Air Force
    S JL Skinner Boise State
    FLEX Jerrick Reed II New Mexico

    Jonah Tavai’s 54 pressures ranked 2nd-most in the entire FBS, which is a ridiculous stat from an interior defender, and Fehoko and Plant Jr. both put up good sack numbers in 2022. Lockridge and Reed both ranked in the FBS top 50 in Passer Rating Against. Williams led the conference with 28.6 Points Above Average in coverage.

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K John Hoyland Wyoming
    P Jack Browning San Diego State
    Returner Nikko Remigio Fresno State

    Jack Browning and Nikko Remigio were SIS All-Americans this season. Browning is the definition of a dual-threat as a kicker and punter. Browning’s 14 punts inside the 10 tied for 2nd-most in the FBS. Remigio could have easily made the team as a receiver with 25 Total Points on offense, but he had 2 PR TDs, had the highest yards per punt return in the FBS, and also added nearly 21 yards per kick return.

    Honorable Mentions

    Name School
    Chevan Cordeiro San Jose State
    John Lee Eldridge III Air Force
    George Holani Boise State
    Wesley Ndago Air Force
    David Perales Fresno State
    Jordan Byrd San Diego State

    Chevan Cordeiro actually had one more Total Point than Jake Haener with a lot of production coming on the ground. John Lee Eldridge led the MW RBs in Total Points, though much of it aided as a blocker. David Perales and his 11.5 sacks ranked 2nd in the FBS with 48 pressures. Jordan Byrd was also an SIS Honorable Mention All-American after being the only player in FBS who returned both a kick and punt for a touchdown in 2022.

    Total Points, stats, and ranks as of 2/1/2023

  • 2022 SIS American All-Conference Team

    2022 SIS American 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 2022, 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 American Athletic Conference.

    Offense

    Position Name School
    QB Clayton Tune Houston
    RB Tyjae Spears Tulane
    WR Nathaniel Dell Houston
    WR Keylon Stokes Tulsa
    TE Alec Holler UCF
    FLEX Keaton Mitchell East Carolina
    OT Demontrey Jacobs South Florida
    OT Rashad Green Tulane
    OG Samuel Jackson UCF
    OG Lokahi Pauole UCF
    OC Sincere Haynesworth Tulane

    Houston’s Clayton Tune leads the way for the offensive group. Leading the conference in Total Points with 159, Tune played his way to Mobile and the Senior Bowl, along with his teammate Tank Dell who led the country with 1,399 receiving yards and 17 TDs.

    Tyjae Spears and Keaton Mitchell ran wild in the conference. Spears accumulated 54 Total Points and tied-3rd in the NCAA with 19 rushing TDs, while Mitchell’s 27.4% Broken+Missed Tackle rate tied for 10th among all players with at least 150 rushes.

    On the offensive line, UCF really led the way with its up-tempo, high-powered offense. Samuel Jackson and Lokahi Pauole led all OL in the conference in TP with 38 and 39, respectively. Tulane’s revitalized program in 2022 still showed out with Rashad Green and Sincere Haynesworth holding down the offensive line.

    Defense

    Position Name School
    DT Ricky Barber UCF
    DT Dontay Corleone Cincinnati
    EDGE Jaylon Allen Memphis
    EDGE Nicholas Straw Navy
    LB Ivan Pace Jr. Cincinnati
    LB Nick Anderson Tulane
    CB Tyon Davis Tulsa
    CB Jarius Monroe Tulane
    S Quindell Johnson Memphis
    S Bryson Powers Tulsa
    FLEX John Marshall Navy

    Ivan Pace Jr. and John Marshall are two guys who made our All-America squads. Not only did both of them finish the season with double-digit sacks, but they also dominated the rest of the defensive players in the conference in Total Points. An intriguing name is Quindell Johnson out of Memphis who ranked 2nd among all safeties in the FBS with a 33.1 Passer Rating Against.

    Specialists

    Position Name School
    K Chris Howard Memphis
    P Mason Fletcher Cincinnati
    Returner Lawrence Keys III Tulane

    Chris Howard’s 21 FG made were tied-11th most in FBS, going 21-of-24 overall and Mason Fletcher’s 29 punts inside the 20-yard line were tied for 4th-most. Lawrence Keys III may not have returned any kicks for touchdowns, but his 624 KR yards tied for 6th-most with an average over 27-yards per return.

    Honorable Mentions

    Name School
    Holton Ahlers East Carolina
    Brian Battie South Florida
    Tylan Grable UCF
    Matthew Lee UCF
    Dorian Williams Tulane

    Holton Ahlers threw for the 10-most yards in all of FBS, and also came out and was named the MVP of not one, but two All-Star Games (Hula Bowl and NFLPA Collegiate Bowl). Matthew Lee may not have made the 1st Team, but he was in the discussion, allowing only 4 blown blocks all season which was tied for the fewest in all of FBS among offensive linemen with at least 500 snaps.

    Total Points, stats, and ranks as of 2/1/2023

     

  • Sports Info Solutions 2022 NFL All-Rookie Teams

    Sports Info Solutions 2022 NFL All-Rookie Teams

    Sports Info Solutions, a leader in the football analytics space, is pleased to announce its 3rd 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. 

    With a loaded edge and secondary class this year, we’ve made sure to honor many of whom have performed extremely well this season.

    The Lions and Seahawks led the way with the most selections this season with four apiece (the Seahawks had three first-teamers, the Lions had two). There were also numerous teams who had three players featured.

    Here are the 2022 Sports Info Solutions All-Rookie Teams and award winners.

    (clicking hyperlinks takes you to their page at The SIS 2022 NFL Draft Website)

    Rookies of the Year

    Tyler Linderbaum of the Ravens wins our Offensive Rookie of the Year after an incredible season. Linderbaum accounted for 43 Total Points this season, helping the wounded Ravens make it into the NFL Playoffs.

    Last season, we had a serious discussion about Creed Humphrey for this award, but we couldn’t justify crowning him over Ja’Marr Chase or Mac Jones. However, this year, the discussion was had and this time the center won out. 

    There were a lot of ways Defensive Rookie of the Year could have gone. Ultimately, we went with the shutdown corner in Sauce Gardner of the Jets. Sauce locked up nearly every weapon opposing offenses threw at him this year on his way to a whopping 64 Total Points, most among rookies.

    Our Special Teams Rookie of the Year goes to a returner. That returner is Patriots CB Marcus Jones. While Jones did contribute well on defense, he was a difference maker as a return man.

    1st-Team Offense
    Position Player Team Total Points
    Quarterback Brock Purdy 49ers 47
    Running Back Tyler Allgeier Falcons 40
    Running Back Kenneth Walker III Seahawks 8
    Wide Receiver Garrett Wilson Jets 28
    Wide Receiver Chris Olave Saints 23
    Tight End Chigoziem Okonkwo Titans 17
    Tackle Abraham Lucas Seahawks 30
    Tackle Tyler Smith Cowboys 27
    Guard Zion Johnson Chargers 35
    Guard Cordell Volson Bengals 26
    Center Tyler Linderbaum Ravens 43

    Quarterback: Brock Purdy, 49ers

    What a story Brock Purdy has been this season. Drafted with the very last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Mr. Irrelevant made a huge impact for the San Francisco offense down the stretch. 

    Stuck behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garrappolo on the depth chart to start the season, Purdy has performed admirably since being called upon. He became the first 49ers QB to win his first three career starts, en route to a 5-0 record after being named the starter. Purdy has the highest IQR (114.2), is tied for the most TD passes (13), and has the 4th-most Passing Total Points (47) among QBs with at least 70 attempts since Week 13.

    Running Back: Tyler Allgeier, Falcons

    After being listed an inactive in Week 1, Allgeier went on to play significant snaps in every game the rest of the season, starting 7 of 16 games. Allgeier, a 5th-round pick out of BYU was 1 of 2 rookies to break the 1,000-yard mark on the ground in 2022. His 1,035 yards broke the Falcons rookie rushing record that has stood since 1979. Among RBs with at least 100 carries, Allgeier ranked 7th in 1st Down rate (25.2%), 3rd in Points Above Replacement (36.5), and had the 7th-best stuff rate (13.8%).

    Running Back: Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks

    Kenneth Walker III was used sparingly in the first five weeks to open the season, but once Rashaad Penny went down in Week 5, the Seahawks turned to their rookie. From Week 6 on, Walker’s 905 rushing yards and 8 rushing TD both ranked 5th-best in the NFL. Additionally, his 21.5% Broken+Missed Tackle rate ranked 3rd. Along with Allgeier, he was the only other rookie rusher to go over 1,000 rushing yards on the season, rushing for 1,051.

    Wide Receiver: Garrett Wilson, Jets

    As the second WR drafted in 2022, Wilson had big expectations coming into The Big Apple, and he didn’t disappoint. His 1,103 receiving yards led all rookies. He and Olave were the only rookies to top the 1,000-yard receiving mark. Even with subpar QB play, Wilson helped elevate a Jets team that narrowly missed the playoffs. He finished the season with a 91% On-Target Catch rate, 7.4 Yards per target, and a Bust rate of just 10.7%. Wilson really excelled with the ball in his hands, as his 22.9% Broken+Missed Tackle rate ranked 8th among all WRs with at least 50 targets.

    Wide Receiver: Chris Olave, Saints

    For a team that desperately needed receiving help coming into 2022, Olave was a perfect fit. Without Michael Thomas for most of the season, Olave stepped in as a new 1,000-yard receiver for the New Orleans offense. While a threat all over the field, he was utilized as a deep threat often, as his 1,793 intended air yards was the 4th-most among WRs in the entire NFL, and he had a 14.6 ADoT. With that said, his 119 targets pales in comparison to the three guys above him, as their lowest target number was 170.

    Tight End: Chigoziem Okonkwo, Titans

    A 4th-round TE, Okonkwo stepped up as a huge receiving threat for the Titans in 2022. Among TEs with at least 25 targets on the season, Okonkwo’s 2.9 yards per route run were a half yard higher than second-place Travis Kelce’s 2.4, albeit with just 46 targets. He also led TEs with 14.1 yards per reception, ranked 2nd with 9.8 yards per target, and 5th in receiver rating (122.6). As a blocker, he was called for only a single blown block, with none coming on 139 run blocking snaps.

    Tackle: Abraham Lucas, Seahawks

    Lucas started all 16 games he played in, missing only Week 17 due to an injury. In total, he was on the field for 96% of the offensive snaps. His 30 Total Points led all rookie OTs, and his 22 blown blocks were fewest. Additionally, his 4.7 Points Above Average as a pass blocker were 7th-best among OTs with at least 500 snaps played.

    Tackle: Tyler Smith, Cowboys

    The tough, nasty tackle out of Tulsa, Smith played 99% of the snaps for the Cowboys offense, starting in all 17 games. His 27 Total Points trailed just Lucas among rookie OTs. Those 27 Total Points were 6th-most in the entire league among LTs. While his 2.9% overall blown block rate ranked in the middle of the pack among LTs, his 1% blown block rate on run plays tied-6th best.

    Guard: Zion Johnson, Chargers

    Johnson played nearly every snap for the Chargers in 2022, starting in all 17 games at guard. His 35 Total Points led the way for rookie OGs, and ranked 12th among all OGs. His 23 blown blocks and 2% blown block rate all stood out from the rest of the rookies at his position.

    Guard: Cordell Volson, Bengals

    A 4th-round pick out of North Dakota State, Volson started every game and played every snap at guard for the Bengals this season. His 26 Total Points were 3rd among rookie guards. He finished with a 2.6% blown block rate, but only a 1.2% blown block rate on run plays, which tied him for 9th-best among guards with at least 500 snaps played.

    Center: Tyler Linderbaum, Bengals

    Our pick for Offensive Rookie of the Year, the center out of Iowa dominated in his first year at the NFL level, starting all 17 games for the Ravens. 

    Linderbaum’s 43 Total Points not only led all rookie offensive linemen, but it also ranked 3rd among all NFL centers. His Total Points (23) and Points Above Average (6.6) on run plays trailed just Jason Kelce. His 1.3% overall blown block rate and 1.1% blown block rate on run plays also stand out in the Top 10.

    1st-Team Defense
    Position Player Team Total Points
    Interior Defensive Lineman Perrion Winfrey Browns 9
    Defensive Lineman Aidan Hutchinson Lions 29
    Edge Travon Walker Jaguars 27
    Edge Kayvon Thibodeaux Giants 24
    Linebacker Quay Walker Packers 41
    Linebacker Devin Lloyd Jaguars 34
    Cornerback Sauce Gardner Jets 64
    Cornerback Tariq Woolen Seahawks 47
    Defensive Back Kader Kohou Dolphins 62
    Safety Kerby Joseph Lions 46
    Safety Jalen Pitre Texans 44

    Interior Defensive Lineman: Perrion Winfrey, Browns

    A 4th-round pick by the Browns, Winfrey still played in 13 games and played over 40% of the defensive snaps in 2022. His 9 Total Points led all rookies that were true DTs. He racked up 22 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 7 pressures during the season. He finished with a positive Points Above Replacement, and his 39% positive play rate tied 10th-best among DTs with at least 5 pressures.

    Defensive Lineman: Aidan Hutchinson, Lions

    The No. 2 overall pick by the Lions, Hutchinson continually improved in all facets of his game throughout the season. Hutchinson is the first player to finish a season with 9.5 sacks, 3 INT, and 2 fumble recoveries since 1990, is the only rookie to ever do it, and is one of only two DL to ever do it. His 53 pressures led all rookie defenders, and ranked 19th among all DE/LBs. If he continues to refine his skills, he could be the home run Detroit was looking for in a pass rusher.

    Edge: Travon Walker, Jaguars

    Walker, the No. 1 overall pick, had a solid season and helped lead Jacksonville back into the playoffs. Walker played over 75% of Jacksonville’s defensive snaps and started 14 of his 15 games played in 2022. His 27 Total Points were 2nd among all rookie edge defenders. He finished with 33 pressures and an 8.6% Pressure rate. Walker is known  for his athleticism, he showed some coverage ability as well. Walker also had an interception, 3 Total Points in coverage and had a positive Points Above Average.

    Edge: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Giants

    Thibodeaux worked himself into a solid rookie season as the No. 5 pick after some speculation he could be in the top 2. He started all 14 games he played in and saw action on nearly 80% of New York’s defensive snaps. Thibodeaux finished the season with 24 Total Points and 42 pressures. He also garnered 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and sported an 11.5% Pressure rate.

    Linebacker: Quay Walker, Packers

    Walker was a difference maker in the middle of the Packers defense who started 16 of his 17 games played. His 41 Total Points led all rookie front-seven defenders. Additionally, Walker’s Broken+Missed Tackle rate of just 7.6% ranked in the top 20 among LBs with at least 40 solo tackles. In coverage, Walker’s 19 Total Points and 5.3 Points Above Average ranked top 10 among LBs. Aside from the two ejections, including the costly one late in the Week 18 finale, Walker has shown he can be the guy Green Bay needs at the linebacker position for years to come.

    Linebacker: Devin Lloyd, Jaguars

    Coupled with No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker in the 1st round, Lloyd himself had a strong year for the Jacksonville defense, and a big reason why the Jaguars are back in the playoffs. He finished with over 100 tackles, added 3 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries. 21 of Lloyd’s 34 Total Points came in coverage, which ranked 4th among all LBs. Additionally, his Points Above Average (5.5) and Points Above Replacement (7.2) in coverage both ranked in the top 10.

    Cornerback: Sauce Gardner, Jets

    Sauce was everything as advertised coming out of college to the NFL. The No. 4 overall pick’s 64 Total Points led all rookies in 2022. Additionally, his 45 Total Points in coverage was 5th-best among all NFL CBs. Despite Gardner’s reputation as a lockdown corner, QBs still tested him as a rookie, sending 70 targets his way (tied-14th). However, he gave up a completion rate of just 44.3%, a deserved catch rate of just 63.6%, and a Passer Rating against of just 47.3, all ranking in the top 13 among CBs with at least 10 targets faced. Additionally, he added 17 passes defensed, which led all CBs.

    Cornerback: Tariq Woolen, Seahawks

    The long-limbed 5th-round pick out of UTSA, Woolen let NFL QBs know early and often what a difference maker he is at CB, picking off a pass in four straight games early in the season. His 6 interceptions tied for the league lead among all defensive backs. In addition, he added 11 pass defenses which tied for 7th-most among NFL CBs. His Passer Rating against (43.9) and Deserved catch rate (64%) both ranked top 11 among CBs with at least 10 targets.

    Defensive Back: Kader Kohou, Dolphins

    One of the best stories in the league this season is undrafted free agent Kader Kohou out of Division II Texas A&M-Commerce. His 62 Total Points trailed just Sauce Gardner for most among all rookies. Kohou played sparingly for the most part in the first five weeks of the season, but saw nearly every defensive snap for the Dolphins from Week 8 on. He saw the most targets among anyone in football in 2022 with 82, giving up a reception on less than half of them. Looking at just Week 8 on, Kohou’s 42 Total Points and 28.3 Points Above Average in coverage led all CBs.

    Safety: Kerby Joseph, Lions

    Joseph didn’t see any defensive snaps until Week 4, a week after starter Tracy Walker went down with a season-ending injury. From Week 4 on, Joseph’s 28 Total Points in coverage ranked 5th among all safeties and his 11.5 Points Above Average ranked 9th. Additionally, he finished the season with 4 interceptions and 4 pass defenses. After picking off Aaron Rodgers in the Week 18 finale, Joseph became the first player to ever have 3 interceptions against Rodgers in one season. He would’ve had 4 (2 on Sunday night) if not for a penalty.

    Safety: Jalen Pitre, Texans

    If you talk about a player who makes plays all over the field, that discussion has to include Pitre. Along with his 44 Total Points, Pitre finished the year with 146 tackles, 9 TFL, 5 INT, and 5 passes defensed. His 24 Total Points against the run ranked 4th among all safeties. Additionally, his 8.1 Points Above Average ranked 8th, but is hit hard by a 18.9% Broken+Missed Tackle rate, something he’ll need to clean up moving forward.

    1st-Team Specialists
    Position Player Team Total Points
    Kicker Cameron Dicker Chargers 13
    Punter Ryan Stonehouse Titans 29
    Returner Marcus Jones Patriots N/A

     

    Kicker: Cameron Dicker, Chargers

    After going undrafted, Dicker was waived by two teams during training camp before finally signing in Philadelphia in October. He went 2-of-2 in one game for the Eagles, but was reverted to the practice squad and released a couple weeks later. After signing with the Chargers and being elevated to kick in Week 9, he never looked back. Overall, he converted on 21-of-22 field goal attempts and made all 24 of his extra points. From Week 9 on, his 19 made field goals tied for 2nd in the NFL.

    Punter: Ryan Stonehouse, Titans

    Another undrafted specialist in the 2022 NFL Draft, Stonehouse brought his huge leg with him from Colorado State to Tennessee. After winning the job in camp, Stonehouse managed to set an NFL record for highest gross punt average with 53.1 yards per punt, breaking Sammy Baugh’s record of 51.4 which was set in 1940. Additionally, Stonehouse’s net average (45.1) ranked 4th and his number of punts inside the 20 (30) and 10 (11) both ranked 7th.

    Returner: Marcus Jones, Patriots

    As our inaugural selection at returner, Marcus Jones helped make a difference for the Patriots in 2022. His 364 PR yards led the NFL, which included an epic touchdown return to beat the Jets in the final seconds of their Week 11 matchup. As a kick returner, he secured 645 KR yards, good for 5th-most in the league. He also helped out in other ways, intercepting two passes on defense and even scoring a touchdown on offense.

    —

    In all, five offensive 1st Teamers and seven 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. We’ll see if they begin 2023 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 Breece Hall, Drake London, Christian Watson, and Jaquan Brisker.

    2nd-Team Offense
    Position Player Team Total Points
    Quarterback Kenny Pickett Steelers 37
    Running Back Dameon Pierce Texans 11
    Running Back Breece Hall Jets 14
    Wide Receiver Drake London Falcons 24
    Wide Receiver Christian Watson Packers 12
    Tight End Greg Dulcich Broncos 10
    Tackle Charles Cross Seahawks 25
    Tackle Jamaree Salyer Chargers 25
    Guard Dylan Parham Raiders 23
    Guard Cole Strange Patriots 19
    Center Luke Fortner Jaguars 40

     

    2nd-Team Defense
    Position Player Team Total Points
    Interior Defensive Lineman Logan Hall Buccaneers 8
    Defensive Lineman George Karlaftis Chiefs 20
    Edge Drake Jackson 49ers 18
    Edge James Houston Lions 7
    Linebacker Christian Harris Texans 23
    Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez Lions 18
    Cornerback Trent McDuffie Chiefs 44
    Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. Browns 37
    Defensive Back Jack Jones Patriots 27
    Safety Jaquan Brisker Bears 32
    Safety Rodney Thomas II Colts 27

     

    2nd-Team Specialists
    Position Player Team Total Points
    Kicker Cade York Browns 7
    Punter Jake Camarda Buccaneers 12
    Returner Dallis Flowers Colts N/A

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

    Some guys who just missed out include Jaylen Warren (RB), George Pickens (WR), Jahan Dotson (WR), Daniel Bellinger (TE), Ed Ingram (OG), and Jordan Davis (IDL). Ingram actually had the 2nd-most Total Points among rookie OGs, but his 37 blown blocks were 3rd-most among all NFL OGs.

    One somewhat surprising inclusion is James Houston from Detroit. He only had 7 Total Points on the season, but it’s hard to argue with 8 sacks in 7 games. Luke Fortner also gets a shoutout. His 40 Total Points would usually be an easy 1st-Team selection, but a rough draw with Tyler Linderbaum in the draft class has him pushed to 2nd Team.

    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, with the lack of depth on the defensive interior, we tweaked the defensive line to highlight the plethora of edge talent from this class. Additionally, with the secondary as packed as it was, it made sense to add in a 5th DB position instead of the 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 seven teams represented among these selections, this once again signifies that plenty of talent is being dispersed throughout the league. In our three years making these selections, every team has had at least one player featured.

    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 2023 NFL Draft.

  • Preseason All-American Team: Special Teams

    Preseason All-American Team: Special Teams

    As we approach the start of the college football season we will be releasing our 2022 Preseason All-American team. A kicker, punter, and return man, and an honorable mention at each spot was selected and discussed.

    Check out our other selections in these links.

    Offense: QB RB WR TE OC OT OG

    Defense: DL Edge LB CB S

    Entire series

    The special teamers selected were…

    RET Jayden Reed – Michigan State

    The Spartans electric playmaker Jayden Reed is our pick for our All-American returner. The speedy and elusive Reed recorded an FBS high 2 punt return touchdowns, and was one of 5 players with at least 200 punt return yards and 300 kick return yards.

    K Harrison Mevis – Missouri

    Following the 2021 season, Harrison Mevis made the First Team on our inaugural All-SIS list. He tied for the lead among all players who are primarily field goal kickers with 26 Total Points. He finished 2021 going 23-of-25 on field goals, and 3-of-3 from over 50 yards, while also hitting all 41 of his extra point attempts. His 23 made field goals tied for 6th-most in FBS and was tops in the SEC.

    P Michael Turk – Oklahoma

    The son of 3-time Pro Bowl Punter Matt Turk, Michael Turk tied for the lead among all punters with a 51.2 punt average in 2021. The former Arizona State Sun Devil and Lafayette Leopard enjoyed his first season in Norman even though he wasn’t forced to punt often. He punted only 35 times all year, which ranked 116th in the FBS.

    However, when asked, he pinned nearly 50% of his punts inside the 20 and recorded only 4 touchbacks.

    Honorable Mentions

    RET Brian Battie – USF

    The returning 2021 consensus All-American return specialist Brian Battie from USF receives our honorable mention. With 3 kick return touchdowns and over 600 yards on returns, he was one of the most electric returners of the 2021 season. He stands to have the opportunity to make a significant impact on special teams. His long speed and acceleration allows him to burst through lanes and run away from defenders.

    K Jonah Dalmas – Boise State

    Jonah Dalmas led all FBS kickers with 26 made FG in 2021. While he didn’t connect on any kicks beyond 50 yards, he was 6-of-6 between 40 and 49. Overall he was 26-of-28 on field goals and 38-of-39 on extra points making for a great stat line to bring back in 2022 for the Broncos.

    P Adam Korsak – Rutgers

    Adam Korsak was very close to making the top team. His 22 Total Points from last season tops all returning punters in the FBS. While his 44.9 net average ranked only 17th last season, 53% of his 72 punts landed inside the 20, and he went the entire season without a touchback.

  • Preseason All-American Team: Centers

    Preseason All-American Team: Centers

    As we approach the start of the college football season we will be releasing our 2022 Preseason All-American team.  One center and two honorable mentions were selected and discussed.

    Check out our other selections in these links.

    Offense: QB RB WR TE OT

    Defense: DL Edge LB CB

    Entire series

    The center selected was…

    OC Jarrett Patterson – Notre Dame

    Patterson returns to South Bend for his 5th season in 2022 as a veteran presence along the offensive line. He accounted for 32 Total Points during the 2021 season along with only 6 blown blocks. He helped pave the way for an offense that racked up 426 yards and over 35 points per game last season.

    The lengthy list of Notre Dame offensive linemen that have gone on to the NFL should get a little longer after the upcoming draft.

    Honorable Mentions

    OC John Michael Schmitz – Minnesota

    OC Malik Sumter – Georgia State

    John Michael Schmitz is the lone returning starter for the Golden Gophers. He will look to steer the new starters towards the same success the previous linemen attained.

    Schmitz has produced at an elite level the last two seasons, posting a Blown Block% of 0.3% last season and 0.2% the season before. There are some NFL evaluators who wondered why he didn’t declare for the NFL draft after last season, but he has a chance to be one of the first couple of centers taken in the upcoming draft if he continues his high-level play.

    Sumter is the leading Total Points getter among all returning interior linemen. In addition to his 41 Total Points in 2021, he also managed to create over 2.7 yards before contact for his ballcarriers and had only 4 blown blocks all season. He was a consistent presence last season on a quality team and, despite being undersized, can make an impact in both the rushing and passing games.

  • Reviewing The 2019 NFL Draft Class

    Reviewing The 2019 NFL Draft Class

    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 many others who can’t stand it. 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 the 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 decided to now do both.

    Three years ago, prior to the 2019 NFL Draft, Sports Info Solutions created its first ever draft guide: The SIS Football Rookie Handbook. This book marked a first for SIS, as it was the first football publication since the company added the sport on the data collection front in 2015. After the 2019 NFL Draft, we, just as many others, posted our NFL Draft Team Grades, which can be seen here.

    I’ve developed a system to evaluate the draft classes using Total Points relative to position as the foundation. Now that three seasons have gone by, let’s use that to truly see how each team did with getting value from their selections in the 2019 NFL Draft.

    How much value did teams get?

    Before we get into the process, let’s take a look at how we ranked teams after the 2019 NFL Draft and then who got the most and least value. See the Appendix below to see how all 32 teams ranked in our 2019 rankings and in TP Score.

    Here are the teams we ranked at the top immediately following the draft back in 2019. To see our scouting grading scale, check out our new NFL Draft site.

    Top 5 Teams in 2019 Post-Draft Rankings
    Team Book Rank Grade
    Titans 1 6.63
    Bills 2 6.50
    Cardinals 3 6.46
    Ravens 4 6.44
    Bengals 5 6.44

    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
    Titans 1 84.64
    Broncos 2 82.81
    Raiders 3 77.23
    Buccaneers 4 67.50
    Jaguars 5 62.18

    The No. 1 team in 2019 (the time of our initial evaluation) and in this ranking both worked out to be the Tennessee Titans. Five of their six draft picks have been above average, all playing in at least 38 games over the past three seasons. The only pick who didn’t hit was D’Andre Walker, who appeared in only one game.

    The top 3 teams, the Titans, Broncos, and Raiders, are at the top for a reason. They drafted good players throughout their entire draft class. They were the only teams to draft above-average players on 75% or more of their draft class.

    Conversely, here are the bottom 5 teams from our 2019 rankings.

    Bottom 5 Teams in 2019 Post-Draft Rankings
    Team Book Rank Grade
    Saints 28 6.12
    Browns 29 6.10
    Seahawks 30 6.03
    Lions 31 6.00
    Chiefs 32 5.90

    Based on TP Score, here are the worst teams in terms of getting value from their 2019 draft picks.

    Bottom 5 Teams in TP Score
    Team TP Rank TP Score
    Chargers 28 16.00
    Panthers 29 14.53
    Bengals 30 12.48
    Eagles 31 12.24
    Seahawks 32 10.12

    Determining Total Points Score

    Now that you’ve seen the rankings, let’s explain the process. When looking back to see how good or bad a specific draft class was, there are two main points to detect:

    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, Kyler Murray, the No. 1 pick, alone would have had the 5th best draft class with his 286 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. Yes, the Cardinals got a lot of value in Murray, but when looking at their draft class as a whole, I think many would agree they didn’t have the best draft class. A fate they would have had if just using raw Total Points.

    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 2019 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 38.1
    RB 8.8
    WR 15.7
    TE 11.2
    OL 25.3
    ED 29.1
    DT 19.8
    LB 23.5
    CB 23.2
    S 30.2

     

    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 Chicago Bears.

    Here is their Draft class:

    Pos Player Total Points
    RB David Montgomery 45
    WR Riley Ridley 4
    CB Duke Shelley 21
    RB Kerrith Whyte Jr. 2
    CB Stephen Denmark 0
    1. Add up the Total Points from the entire team’s draft class
    72
    2. Divide that number by the number of selections the team had
    72 Total Points divided by 5 selections equals 14.40
    3. Multiply that number by the percentage of draft picks that were above the average Total Points for their given position
    David Montgomery was the only player whose Total Points were above average
    14.40 times 20% (1 out of 5) equals 2.88
    4. Add that to the original Total Points per draft pick
    14.40 plus 2.88 equals 17.28, 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

    – The Raiders “hit” on 7 of their 9 picks. It is interesting to note that all three of their 1st-Round picks, Clelin Ferrell, Josh Jacobs, and Johnathan Abram, had their 5th-Year Options declined. However, they still played well enough to be above-average players. Plus, that doesn’t include gems they found later in the draft in Maxx Crosby and Hunter Renfrow.

    – Every team drafted at least one player who has played above the positional average compared to the rest of the draft class. However, Dallas (Trysten Hill), New England (N’Keal Harry), Philadelphia (Andre Dillard), Seattle (L.J. Collier), and Washington (Dwayne Haskins) were the only teams whose first draft selection wasn’t an above-average player.

    – The Cardinals draft class accumulated the most Total Points with 446, though as mentioned before, Kyler Murray accounted for 286 of them. They hit on 3 of 11 draft picks on their way to a No. 7 ranking. It’s worth noting that their Supplemental Draft selection of Jalen Thompson and his 73 Total Points isn’t included, as he isn’t part of their original draft class.

    – The fewest Total Points came from the Eagles. They garnered only 51 Total Points across their five draft picks, with 43 coming from Miles Sanders.

    – Hitting on quarterbacks is pivotal to winning in the NFL, as seen by Kyler Murray in 2019. Conversely, missing on quarterbacks can set teams back. Carolina and Cincinnati both took quarterbacks who severely hurt their Total Points number and pushed them down the rankings, even in minimal games played.

    Will Grier accounted for -26 Total Points out of Carolina’s 89 total. Funny enough, Brian Burns had 91 himself. Ryan Finley was even worse for Cincinnati with -39. In nine games in which Grier and Finley played and threw at least one pass, they combined for a 1-8 record.

    It’s possible the teams had a better chance of winning if neither played. If both had never played and accumulated 0 Total Points, Carolina would have improved four spots in the rankings and Cincinnati would have improved three spots.

    How do our Initial Grades Compare?

    56% (18/32) of our initial ranks were in the correct half. Meaning a team we ranked between 1 and 16 or 17 and 32 was ultimately in that tier. And before I get too much further, I want to make sure it’s understood that 2019 was our first year of the Handbook which meant there were plenty of growing pains. Major changes took place beginning in 2020 after studying our initial process.

    The biggest differences in our initial grades and these final rankings were the Bengals (25 spots), Eagles (23 spots), and the Ravens (23 spots). We rated these teams near the top immediately following the draft, but they finished near the bottom based on these rankings.

    For Cincinnati, we’ve already talked about Ryan Finley (who was our No. 4 QB), but they also drafted two running backs. Rodney Anderson (SIS No. 4 RB) has battled injuries his entire career and Trayveon Williams (SIS No. 5 RB) has been buried on the depth chart and has seen minimal playing time.

    The Eagles took four of five players who were featured in the Handbook, with Miles Sanders and Andre Dillard both grading out as a 6.7. As mentioned earlier, Dillard was one of the top picks who has failed to be an above-average player. For Baltimore, all eight selections were in the Handbook, and we graded six of them at 6.4 or higher. They clearly have underperformed based on our initial grading.

    What were some of our biggest misses elsewhere? Not including Mecole Hardman or Sean Murphy-Bunting proved to be a big miss. As mentioned before, immediate action was taken to improve upon our process to make sure we weren’t missing good players and early draft picks.

    Additionally, we ranked Wisconsin OG Beau Benzschawel as our No. 4 guard and New Mexico State LB Terrill Hanks as our No. 5 linebacker. Neither have played a snap in the NFL.

    Nik Needham is first and foremost when we talk about our NFL Draft wins. He’s been a big talking point around the company for the past three years. We ranked him as our No. 4 corner going into the draft, and he currently ranks third in Total Points among 2019 CBs (we were higher on him than any other mainstream draft analyst). His 85 Total Points tops all UDFAs from the 2019 class and ranks 12th overall.

    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 Kyler Murray 286 6.8 2
    2 ED Nick Bosa 120 7.0 1
    3 LB Devin White 99 7.0 1
    4 CB Jamel Dean 97 6.7 6
    T-5 ED Maxx Crosby 96 6.5 11
    T-5 CB Byron Murphy 96 6.9 3
    T-5 WR Deebo Samuel 96 6.7 4

    While we were a little low on Dean and Crosby, all eight of these guys were tabbed as starters in some form by our scouts.

    Conclusion

    Nobody really knows how a draft class is going to turn out immediately after the draft, as stated before, 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 off of. 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.

    Three years later, the comparison between our initial rankings and these rankings aren’t terrible for Year 1 (in both our grading and our scouting process). Though, we hope this article next year takes a large positive swing given the process changes we made heading into the 2020 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

    2019 SIS Post-Draft Rankings based on the SIS Football Rookie Handbook

    Team Book Rank Grade
    Titans 1 6.63
    Bills 2 6.50
    Cardinals 3 6.46
    Ravens 4 6.44
    Bengals 5 6.44
    Raiders 6 6.40
    Broncos 7 6.38
    Eagles 8 6.34
    Jaguars 9 6.33
    Cowboys 10 6.30
    Patriots 11 6.30
    Rams 12 6.30
    Falcons 13 6.29
    Giants 14 6.28
    Panthers 15 6.24
    Packers 16 6.24
    Dolphins 17 6.22
    Steelers 18 6.21
      Commanders 19 6.21
    49ers 20 6.20
    Buccaneers 21 6.20
    Jets 22 6.20
    Texans 23 6.17
    Vikings 24 6.14
    Bears 25 6.14
    Chargers 26 6.13
    Colts 27 6.12
    Saints 28 6.12
    Browns 29 6.10
    Seahawks 30 6.03
    Lions 31 6.00
    Chiefs 32 5.90

    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
    Titans 1 84.64
    Broncos 2 82.81
    Raiders 3 77.23
    Buccaneers 4 67.50
    Jaguars 5 62.18
    49ers 6 60.19
    Cardinals 7 51.60
    Packers 8 48.38
    Saints 9 48.16
    Chiefs 10 44.50
    Commanders 11 43.68
    Dolphins 12 41.00
    Giants 13 40.80
    Texans 14 37.96
    Bills 15 36.00
    Rams 16 34.72
    Jets 17 32.89
    Browns 18 30.00
    Colts 19 29.25
    Lions 20 27.77
    Falcons 21 25.16
    Vikings 22 22.00
    Cowboys 23 21.72
    Steelers 24 18.81
    Patriots 25 18.60
    Bears 26 17.28
    Ravens 27 16.25
    Chargers 28 16.00
    Panthers 29 14.53
    Bengals 30 12.48
    Eagles 31 12.24
    Seahawks 32 10.12

     

  • 2022 NFL Draft Team Grades

    2022 NFL Draft Team Grades

    If you want our full thoughts on the players your team has added, you can check out the brand new 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.

    After three years of the SIS Football Rookie Handbook, our “Draft Guide” is now a website. However, not much changed with the transition. Actually, it allowed us more time to take the next step and go even bigger and better than the book has ever allowed us to do. With that said, we had 410 players on the site this year. We grade ourselves on how many players were drafted that we had on the site.

    After having 69% (174 of 254) of drafted players in the book in 2019, 78% (199 of 255) in 2020, and 84% (218 of 259) in 2021, we raised that number to 86% (226 of 262) for Year 1 of the website.

    When taking out specialists and fullbacks, which we currently don’t write up, there were only 29 players drafted who weren’t on the site and only 6 of which we didn’t get eyes on. That’s nearly 98% of the NFL Draft covered! Plus, many players who didn’t get drafted have already signed UDFA deals with teams.

    Now using our grades, we attempted to rank each team’s draft class. Just like in our article from last season, we assigned all grades from the site.

    Here are the draft classes ranked in order of their grade:

    Final Rankings
    Rank Team # of Picks Draft Grade
    1 Jets 7 6.53
    2 Eagles 5 6.46
    3 Lions 8 6.45
    4 Ravens 11 6.43
    5 Panthers 6 6.40
    6 Texans 9 6.38
    7 Seahawks 9 6.34
    8 Falcons 8 6.30
    9 Jaguars 7 6.30
    10 Saints 5 6.30
    11 Giants 11 6.28
    12 Packers 11 6.27
    13 Chiefs 10 6.27
    14 Bengals 6 6.23
    15 Commanders 8 6.19
    16 Titans 9 6.17
    17 Raiders 6 6.15
    18 Patriots 10 6.14
    19 Vikings 10 6.10
    20 Cowboys 9 6.10
    21 Browns 9 6.09
    22 Cardinals 8 6.08
    23 Bears 11 6.05
    24 Bills 8 6.04
    25 Broncos 9 6.02
    26 Steelers 7 6.01
    27 Chargers 8 6.00
    28 49ers 9 5.98
    29 Buccaneers 8 5.94
    30 Colts 8 5.90
    31 Rams 8 5.86
    32 Dolphins 4 5.80

    One difference is that we’ve usually assigned all players that weren’t in the book a flat 5.7, but with the number of players who made the site and with dropping some of the grade thresholds, we bumped that number to 5.4 this year, 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 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.

    The 2022 Best Draft Class, with an average grade of 6.53, went to the New York Jets. They had seven draft picks and made the most of them by selecting players who were all featured on the SIS NFL Draft site.

    The Jets draft class is in the table below.

    New York Jets 2022 Draft Class
    Pick Position Player College Grade
    4 CB Ahmad Gardner Cincinnati 6.8
    10 WR Garrett Wilson Ohio State 6.8
    26 ED Jermaine Johnson II Florida State 6.7
    36 RB Breece Hall Iowa State 6.7
    101 TE Jeremy Ruckert Ohio State 6.6
    111 OT Max Mitchell Louisiana 6.3
    117 ED Micheal Clemons Texas A&M 5.8

    It definitely doesn’t hurt the draft grade when you get three 1st-Round picks, especially when they’re all highly graded. The Jets did just that. After selecting Ahmad Gardner at No. 4 (SIS No. 2 CB) and Garrett Wilson at No. 10 (SIS No. 3 WR), they traded back up to No. 26 to grab Jermaine Johnson II (SIS No. 5 Edge).

    Gardner is a long press corner who figures to step into the mix right away. Wilson is an excellent receiver with the traits to be a top receiver option. Johnson has the pass rush ability to be a force getting to the quarterback early and often.

    Beyond that, Breece Hall (SIS No. 2 RB) in the 2nd Round was good value, as he could eventually take over the starting job. Jeremy Ruckert (SIS No. 2 TE) could arguably be the best and most complete tight end in this class.

    Max Mitchell and Micheal Clemons on Day 3 were great value picks who should come in and compete for depth spots within their first couple seasons.

    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 ?
    2022 New York Jets 4-13 (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 in 2019, the Titans made consecutive playoff appearances. While the Browns made the playoffs the next year, the turmoil in that locker room this year forced a fall to 8-9.

    Finally, the Lions did take a dip this season after taking home the No. 1 class last year, but it was Year 1 with a new regime and they were competitive in most games. Look for them to take a step forward in 2022.

    What does that mean for the Jets? They got their franchise quarterback in Zach Wilson last year and have added good pieces around him. If he’s able to show significant development in Year 2, look for them to improve upon their 4-13 record last year.

    Scout’s Choice

    John Todd: Houston Texans (SIS Rank: 6th)

    After not having a 2021 selection until the 3rd Round last year, and only 5 picks overall, the Texans needed to make up for lost time in 2022. Determining if QB Davis Mills will be a hit is the biggest key, but we feel like Houston’s draft class this year did a great job of building up the team around him.

    Each of the Texans first 6 selections this year received a 6.4 grade (role-playing starter) or higher. Their first three choices of Derek Stingley Jr. (6.9, SIS No. 1 CB), Kenyon Green (6.9, SIS No. 1 OG) and Jalen Pitre (6.8, SIS No. 4 S) project to be high-impact players and potential cornerstone choices for the new regime. Their next three mid-round picks are all football-young, upside picks from the SEC in WR John Metchie III, LB Christian Harris, and RB Dameon Pierce.

    They did a great job of finding quality contributors after the first two rounds and made some big splashes with their early picks. There’s a long way to go in Houston, but this was a big step in the right direction.

    Nathan Cooper: Detroit Lions (SIS Rank: 3rd)

    This is a homer pick, but the Lions rank 3rd this season after taking home the top honor last year. That’s two outstanding draft classes in the first two seasons for Brad Holmes and company.

    Aidan Hutchinson was the top player on the SIS board, and one of only three 7.0 players graded this year. Getting him at No. 2 had the Lions War Room as ecstatic as they were to get Penei Sewell at No. 7 last year. Then, instead of sitting back at No. 32, they moved up to No. 12 without having to give up a 2023 1st-Round pick, and took Jameson Williams (SIS No. 2 WR). The Lions need impact players, and they got one on each side of the ball.

    On Day 2, Josh Paschal (SIS No. 10 Edge) is a strong, versatile defensive lineman with heavy hands and the ability to work against both the run and pass. Additionally, Kerby Joseph (SIS No. 5 S) has the range on the back end and is still learning the position.

    If not for an injury early in 2021, James Mitchell (SIS No. 12 TE) could’ve been in the top 5-7 tight ends heading into this year’s draft. The other Day 3 picks of Malcolm Rodriguez, James Houston IV, and Chase Lucas should all compete for depth spots at their respective positions, and at worst fill some holes on special teams.

    Jordan Edwards: Baltimore Ravens (SIS Rank: 4th)

    The Ravens were able to accumulate an abundance of talent with safety Kyle Hamilton, center Tyler Linderbaum, and tight end Isaiah Likely, who were our top ranked players at each of their respective positions. In addition to that, they added players who can make an immediate impact, such as nose tackle Travis Jones (SIS No. 2 NT) and a towering tackle prospect in Daniel Faalele (SIS No. 8 OT), who can fill a void in the offensive line left last year from the Orlando Brown trade.

    Also, looking ahead to the 2023 season they’ll have edge rusher David Ojabo (SIS No. 8 Edge), who is coming off a torn Achilles injury, that should make a very intriguing pass rush pairing with former high school teammate Odafe Oweh.

    Jeff Dean: Kansas City Chiefs (SIS Rank: 13th)

    The Chiefs defense should look a lot different next year with 5 of their top 6 picks going to that side of the ball. Trent McDuffie (SIS No. 3 CB) is a perfect fit in their defense and with half of their draft picks being defensive backs, it was clearly an area of concern. George Karlaftis (SIS No. 4 Edge) and Leo Chenal (SIS No. 3 Mike LB) both add immediate toughness in their front seven and should challenge for starting spots right away.

    While trading away Tyreek Hill created an area of need at wide receiver, the Chiefs didn’t jump up during the early wide receiver run and snagged a dynamic playmaker in Skyy Moore (SIS No. 9 WR). Darian Kinnard (SIS No. 3 OG) was once viewed as a 1st-Round pick and offers extreme value late in the draft. The Chiefs just solidified themselves as an AFC contender again with a strong draft.

    Ben Hrkach: Seattle Seahawks (SIS Rank: 7th)

    The Seahawks draft haul included a blend of easily translatable players that should start early in their career, especially Charles Cross (SIS No. 2 OT), as well as prospects with high-level traits that could excel at their position, such as Boye Mafe (SIS No. 9 Edge), Kenneth Walker III (SIS No. 3 RB), Coby Bryant (SIS No. 5 CB), and Tariq Woolen (SIS No. 14 CB), if they fulfill their potential.

    With what looks to be a strong QB class in 2023, Seattle is situated to replicate their “Legion of Boom” roster with solid starters throughout, all with controllable, salary cap-friendly contracts.

    Bottom of the rankings

    The bottom three teams for 2022, listed 30 to 32, were the Colts. Rams, and Dolphins. 

    Although the Colts didn’t possess a 1st-Round pick, they were still able to grab Bernhard Raimann (SIS No. 6 OT) in the 3rd Round, which was their best pick according to our grades. Alec Pierce (SIS No. 12 WR) is a solid No. 3 option and Jelani Woods (SIS No. 11 TE) is an athletic freak, but we project him as more of a backup. Additionally, they seemed to go heavy on small-schoolers, taking three FCS players late in the draft, two of which were not featured on the site.

    The Rams took home the worst draft class last year, and look at how that worked out. They won the Super Bowl. It’s apparent Les Snead isn’t worried about draft picks, so when you don’t have many early-round selections, it’s highly likely you’ll find yourself near the bottom.

    With that said, three of their eight selections were players not featured on the site. Their best selection was Derion Kendrick (SIS No. 11 CB) in the 6th Round. He struggled at his Pro Day, but has the tools to be a low-end starting corner at the next level. We view Kyren Williams (SIS No. 14 RB) as a 3rd-down difference maker and Logan Bruss (SIS No. 13 OG), their first selection of the draft, as a versatile backup along the O-Line.

    This year’s worst class goes to the Miami Dolphins. Another team without an early-round pick, their first pick came in the 3rd Round.

    However, it was an awesome one in Channing Tindall (SIS No. 4 Will LB). He’s an absolute missile at the linebacker position with a non-stop motor. After selecting Tindall, they drafted Erik Ezukanma (SIS No. 36 WR) in the 4th Round with Cameron Goode and Skylar Thompson coming in the 7th. Thompson just missed out on making the website.

    With the trade for Tyreek Hill, however, one can argue that he’s part of the draft class and should be a huge weapon for Tua. Can the Dolphins follow in the footsteps of the Rams and win the Super Bowl after having the worst draft class? We’ll see.

    Key Facts

    Ten teams selected players who were all featured on the NFL Draft site. An additional three teams selected all but one, with the one being a special teams player.

    After having the No. 2 Draft Class, the Eagles have reportedly added twelve UDFAs post-draft, with Carson Strong (SIS No. 5 QB), EJ Perry (SIS No. 8 QB), Mario Goodrich (SIS No. 18 CB), and Noah Elliss (SIS No. 5 NT) highlighting the group.

    The Ravens have selected only three players who were not featured in the Handbook or on the site over the last four seasons, and only one wasn’t a fullback or punter (Brandon Stephens).

    Across the past four seasons, the Bengals have the best average SIS Draft Class rank and grade average based on what grades were given in the Handbook and onto the website.

    How the Handbook 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. Outside of the Travon Walker/Aidan Hutchinson situation, SIS’s top player at each defensive position (NT, DT, Mike LB, Will LB, CB, and S) matched the first player of that group taken in the draft.

    However, offensively we saw plenty of differences, only matching the first center (Tyler Linderbaum) and guard (Kenyon Green) taken. We matched with the same group of first five tackles taken, Mike linebackers, and edge rushers in slightly different orders, and matched 4 of the 5 at multiple positions. Every player an NFL team took within the top five at his position was on our website with a worthy grade, which we’re very proud of. The difference of opinion is healthy, and we’ll be interested to see how it shakes out in the years to come.

    Overdrafted?

    Some of the players we believe were taken too early in our estimation were Arnold Ebiketie and Tyquan Thornton, two top 50 selections who received 5.9 grades from our scouts. We liked the traits enough to give them top backup grades, but there’s work to be done to become a starting-caliber player.

    The first round lined up with our grades very well. Again, our methodology of role-based scouting doesn’t lend itself to lining up perfectly with the rounds that players are selected in, but generally speaking, taking a player graded as a backup very early isn’t a good thing, as only 4 of the first 32 did not receive a 6.7 or higher from SIS. 

    However, we did have the Patriots’ selection of Cole Strange as our biggest Day 1 “reach.” With that said, we still did give Strange a lower-end starting grade, so even if it was a bit surprising, we still see him playing early for New England. The other non-6.7s were Kenny Pickett, Quay Walker, and Kaiir Elam.

    Some other players we believe were taken too early for the roles we project them to are Martin Emerson, JT Woods, and Nick Cross, three players taken who were Top-100 selections who 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 Broncos WR Montrell Washington, taken in the 5th round, 162nd overall. This is the latest a non-website/Handbook player has been taken in the past four years.

    Underdrafted?

    Some Day 3 picks we believe will outperform their draft position include Coby Bryant, Isaiah Spiller, and Kingsley Enagbare. Each player received a universal solid-starting grade of 6.7 from our scouts and were high on our “SIS 101” Big Board. We also liked the Ravens’ two 4th-Round tight end selections of Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely, who were each graded a step below at 6.6.

    Later on, there were six players at the 6.5 grade level taken in the 6th Round and later. Those players are Amare Barno, Grant Calcaterra, Cade Mays, Derion Kendrick, Kalia Davis, and Rasheed Walker. We think there’s a great chance these players can contribute in a big way by their second years in the league.

    The only players SIS graded within the top 5 of their position group who were not drafted were Carson Strong, Alec Lindstrom, Dohnovan West, and Noah Elliss. Each of these players has already signed as a priority free agent (including, as noted earlier, two by the Eagles), and we could easily see them finding their way onto a roster this fall.

    Our lone 6.7-level player who wasn’t selected in the draft was Justyn Ross, which has been widely discussed. His medical history (as we’ve noted on his report) is extensive, but we grade the player for who he is on the field. He finally landed with the Chiefs on a UDFA deal Monday afternoon. Similarly, Damone Clark was drafted much later than he possibly should have been, but he recently underwent surgery that will likely keep him from playing his rookie season.

    Handbook Report Card

    Every year the SIS scouting department looks to make improvements, and this year was our biggest leap yet. Transitioning to a website allowed us to remove our strict word count/page restrictions, which led to more thorough report writing and a much larger number of reports. There are 410 scouting reports on the Sports Info Solutions NFL Draft website, compared to 318 in 2021’s third annual edition of the SIS Rookie Handbook, the majority of which are much longer and more readable in their current format.

    The number of drafted non-specialist/fullback players not featured on our site went down, as did the number of players drafted on whom we didn’t have eyes on at all (only 6 out of 262!). As we noted, our 1st-Round evaluations were a big success with 28/32 picks receiving 6.7 grades or higher and none below 6.5. The first player not featured on the website to be drafted was taken almost 90 picks after he was last year and not until the middle of the 5th Round.

    Our scouting process became much more broad and collaborative this season, which can be seen in these results. As more of our contributors take larger ownership of certain regions, and further levels of cross-checks are added, our draft evaluations will only become more comprehensive. Due to the advent of our website, we were able to incorporate Combine and Pro Day performances as slight factors into the process, which was a new strategy for us that led to deeper injury evaluations and some needed triple checking of reports.

    We can’t wait to build off the success of the introduction to our online platform and streamline the process moving forward. Year 2 of the site and Year 5 of the process will no doubt be the best yet, as has 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.