Category: NFL Draft

NFL Draft AnalySIS: Arizona Cardinals

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 Cardinals:

The 2022 season was an abject failure for the Arizona Cardinals. Attempting to build off the excitement from 2021’s playoff appearance, they fell flat on their face finishing 4-13 and earning the third overall pick. General Manager Steve Keim and Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury signed extensions that would keep them through 2027 but neither made it to 2023. In Week 14 Kyler Murray tore his ACL putting his status for the start of the 2023 season in jeopardy.

The Cardinals offense had their struggles but the defense is what really let them down, finishing near the bottom in most defensive efficiency rankings. This team needs an infusion of talent at all three levels immediately. The Cardinals are reported to be shopping the pick, but if they make the decision to stand pat here are four prospects they could be targeting.

# 3 Overall

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.

Anderson Jr. is the top prospect in the draft and would fill a glaring need as the Cardinals’ Edge group finished 29th in positional Total Points*.

Total Points is our all-encompassing player value stat, which measures everything a player does on his field.

Jalen Carter – Defensive Tackle – 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.

Replacing J.J. Watt is a tall order but Carter has the on-field ability to become an impact player on a defensive line that is lacking impact talent.

Devon Witherspoon – Cornerback – 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.

Witherspoon has the highest ceiling of any cornerback and would elevate a group that finished last in positional Total Points.

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.

The Cardinals have shown interest in Wilson due to his game-wrecking ability off the edge, and as we noted before, that’s a huge area of need.

To learn more about the Cardinals and their needs, visit their team page on our NFL Draft website here.

April 20, 2023
Anthony Richardson’s Accuracy: A Closer Look

While each quarterback in this year’s draft class has their flaws, Anthony Richardson is the one who has unanimously been labeled a project. And, at first glance, that may be fair. Richardson was a first-year starter with a 54% completion rate on a 6-7 team, and he didn’t really start to generate serious buzz until he lit up the drills at the combine.

We’ve seen athletic quarterbacks decline to compete in the underwear olympics (the combine) before–Lamar Jackson comes to mind–but perhaps that wasn’t a luxury that Richardson could afford. At any rate, it turned out to be a good business decision, as the Florida signal-caller is now being talked about as a Top 10, or even a Top 5 selection.

But Richardson is more than just a physically-gifted fixer-upper. He’s consistently shown some high-level quarterback play on film and is more refined than most people think. He generally does a good job of getting through his progressions and throwing with anticipation, and his pocket movement is already very good, especially for a 21-year-old. The results haven’t been there, though, and that’s largely due to issues with accuracy.

Completion percentage can be misleading, but there’s no getting around the fact that anything in the 50s is worrisome. On-target rate is a better representation of accuracy because it actually seeks to measure the precision of the throw–rather than just the result–but can likewise be muddied by factors such as throw depth.

Indeed, Richardson attempted higher difficulty throws than most quarterbacks, as his average depth of target (10.7) ranked 10th in the country. Furthermore, his receivers’ ball skills left much to be desired with the Gators ranking 52nd and 58th among Power 5 schools in on-target catch rate and drop rate, respectively. Still, it’s a bad sign that he ranked 95th in catchable rate (79.8%) and 106th in on-target rate (65.4%) among 114 FBS quarterbacks who attempted at least 200 passes last year.

If there were a holy grail of accuracy metrics (there isn’t), that would be On-Target +/- , which sets a baseline on-target rate for each throw based on factors like throw depth and field location, and then compares the actual result to that expectation. Unfortunately, Richardson also fared poorly in this metric, ranking 104th among the aforementioned group at -4%. Even Kentucky’s Will Levis, another subject of accuracy concerns, ranked 35th at +3%.

What’s interesting, though, is that if you break this metric down to the route level, Richardson isn’t generally inaccurate. That is, he’s not consistently performing below expectation on most routes.

He’s good at throwing a few routes, slightly above average at most routes, and then abysmally bad at a handful of routes. He struggled a lot with in- and out-breakers, with an on-target rate 20% below expectation, and those routes made up about 10% of his attempts. Bubbles and arrow routes proved to be even more difficult at a clip of -25%, and also made up approximately 10% of his throws.

Lastly, his OnTgt+/- on scramble drills was -23%, which comprised about 5% of his throws. That component might be especially concerning considering his playmaking ability is a big selling point for him.

I’m not sure that there’s a smoking gun here that would allow us to wave off these accuracy concerns. These route clusters are different enough from each other that it’s difficult to identify a recurring cause of the symptom. Even then, his On-Target +/- would only be +2% if we stripped all those routes out of the sample, and it’s important to remember that these benchmarks are relative to college play and not the NFL level, where windows get tighter.

It would also be disingenuous to assert that a team could scheme to avoid him throwing all of these routes. Whichever franchise takes him will simply have to bank on improvement and live with it in the meantime. Quarterbacks with similar draft profiles like Josh Allen and Justin Herbert have been huge successes, so taking a risk here is tantalizing considering both these recent anecdotes and the fact that there’s no consensus franchise prospect this year like an Andrew Luck or a Trevor Lawrence.

Even for people like myself who are fans of his game, the accuracy issues have to be reconciled in some way, and the statistics outlined herein cannot do that. It’s my belief that he has fewer obstacles to overcome to become a good NFL starter than most people believe, but the obstacle he does have is a pretty big one. Accuracy is arguably the most important trait for pro quarterbacks, so whoever takes this on will have to fix one big problem rather than several small ones. And whoever does will be making a dart throw.

April 19, 2023
Which NFL teams Would Be Most Justified In Drafting For Need?
We’re going rogue in the SIS Football Research department, and we’re going to do something that our fearless leader Matt Manocherian would almost certainly not approve of: we’re going to analyze the NFL Draft from the perspective of team needs.

While we acknowledge that every team is always an injury away from having a brand new need, there must be some teams for whom need-based drafting would make more sense than others. Here’s our attempt at sorting that out:

Separating “Wants” from “Needs”

To evaluate each team’s roster, we used the Sonar Depth Chart that we publish on the SIS draft site and the 33rd Team site. For this visualization, each starter on the depth chart is evaluated relative to the rest of the league using their Total Points per game in their most recent season’s worth of games.

Using Sonar, we thought of teams as having “wants”—starters that are below the 50th percentile—and “needs”—positions that are below the 25th percentile. We then determined the extent of a team’s wants and needs by how far off each position was from no longer being a want.

To identify teams with the most specific needs, for each team we compared the total extent of their needs to the total extent of their wants, simply by subtracting them.

For example, a team that’s middle-of-the-road across the board with the exception of three players who are in the 20th percentile would have the highest possible rating, because all of their sub-par positions are positions of need. A team that’s full of 33rd percentile players would probably be rated as worse overall, but they wouldn’t have any specific needs.

So, here is every team in the league ordered by this metric, with links to the team pages on the SIS draft site. A handful of teams are spelled out in more detail, but you can evaluate all of the rosters yourself by following each link.

And for reference, here is the color scale used to illustrate the quality of each starter:
1. Eagles
Just look at this depth chart and you know we’ve nailed the goal of identifying teams with specific needs. For a team coming off an excellent season they aren’t as well-positioned to take “luxury picks” as you might think, especially after losing multiple defensive starters to free agency. They have multiple first rounders, so they could have an opportunity to go for both a position of need and a best-player-available selection.

2. Seahawks

3. Chargers

The Chargers might need to look at a cornerback early on after struggling to solidify the opposite side of Asante Samuel Jr. with a struggling and injured J.C. Jackson. Adding a defensive tackle would fill one of their biggest needs too. Filling these major needs can make this one of the most complete rosters in the NFL.

4. Raiders

The Raiders have many more holes than the teams ahead of them on this list, but they are almost all strong needs. Their struggles primarily fall on the defensive side of the ball, with a back seven that Sonar makes look like the cast of the next Avatar movie. They finished the season 2nd to last in Pass Defense Total Points and allowed the highest EPA/play on passes. In addition to the backend, their linebacking corps can use improvement after losing Denzel Perryman to the Texans. Sitting at pick No. 7, they are in a good spot to address one of these defensive holes.

5. Titans

The Titans have major needs on the offensive side of the ball. After presumably losing Taylor Lewan to free agency, the Titans need to address their offensive line that already was in the bottom third in production a season ago in terms of Total Points. On top of that, another receiver would be welcomed after finishing in the bottom tier of Receiving Total Points. If the Titans end up taking a QB in the first round, it might be an unenviable position to be in for the young signal-caller.

6. Bengals

7. Vikings

8. Saints

9. Ravens

10. Jaguars

It might not look it based on the Sonar visual, but the Jaguars actually rated as the team with the smallest total value of their wants. There are opportunities for improvement on the offensive line and in the back seven defensively, but they’ve established solid starters on both sides of the ball. They won’t have as good of an opportunity to improve through the draft as they have in recent seasons because they were actually pretty good in 2022, but that’s a problem they’d accept.

11. Texans

12. Dolphins

13. Cardinals

And here we have the neediest team, but one with enough wants to go with them that they don’t top this list. The Cardinals could use the most help in their front seven after a couple of key departures, and their depth at receiver could look a lot better if Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore take steps forward in 2023 (or a lot worse if DeAndre Hopkins departs). Kyler Murray has his faults, but he’s not going to be replaced with the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft, so they have a great opportunity to start filling in these gaps.

14. Packers

15. 49ers

16. Jets

17. Broncos

18. Browns

19. Chiefs

20. Commanders

21. Bills

The Bills roster is balanced and strong. Wide receiver and linebacker are their biggest needs, but they could also stand to bolster the offensive tackle position as well. Sitting at pick No. 27, they certainly won’t have a first choice of who they want, so it would be wise to take the best player available.

22. Patriots

23. Steelers

24. Lions

25. Giants

26. Buccaneers

27. Colts

28. Falcons

29. Cowboys

30. Bears

31. Rams

How things have changed in the span of two years! The Rams look like a bare cupboard after several post-Super-Bowl departures, and one of the better positions listed on their Sonar is headed up by tight end Tyler Higbee, whose usage and hands performance in 2022 suggest he’ll be more valuable as a blocker than receiver going forward. They have the most wants in the league, but, because there are so many of them, their targets shouldn’t be as defined as the teams above them.

32. Panthers

The Panthers are a great example of what we’re trying to do here. They have zero needs by this measure, but have several wants (primarily on the offensive side of the ball). Establishing a franchise QB with the first pick in the draft will help, but there is definitely some work to be done across the skill positions with DJ Moore out of the picture. The Miles Sanders signing isn’t viewed too positively through the Total Points lens, but there’s no doubt they’re in a better spot at running back than they were without him.
April 19, 2023
NFL Draft AnalySIS: Indianapolis Colts

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 Colts:

The Colts 2022 season was bordering on disastrous when compared to the expectations of the fan base. The offensive line underwent a very sudden crash to become one of the worst units in the league and resulted in stop-gap QB Matt Ryan dealing with injuries and poor play due to an insufficient surrounding cast.

Head Coach Frank Reich was relieved of his duties midseason while Owner Jim Irsay and GM Chris Ballard each spoke publicly about organizational shortcomings and discontentment with team results. The Colts now look to the turn the page after hiring former Eagles’ offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and will look to make the first selection of his tenure with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

To learn more about the Colts and their needs, visit their team page on our NFL Draft website here.

# 4 Overall

Anthony Richardson – QB – Florida

Richardson is the full package talent wise with the dual-threat ability and arm strength coveted at the next level, but he will need to refine his mechanics and simplify his decision-making to be a more consistent player.

Richardson has been one of the more talked about prospects throughout this draft process. He has elite natural athleticism (regardless of position), traits worth drooling over, and provides a seamless fit in Steichen’s vertical attacking offense to create a great situation for him to grow in and strive toward his ultimate ceiling.

Will Levis – QB – Kentucky

Levis is a boom-or-bust prospect who has high-end physical traits and upside to be an All-Pro, but he needs massive improvements to his decision making and accuracy in order to achieve his potential.

Coach Steichen came out and shut the door on all talk regarding Lamar Jackson as the Colts future quarterback, virtually cementing that the Colts will choose a signal caller with their first- round pick. Whether Richardson is gone or Ballard and Co. just prefer Levis, he is a very real possibility to be taken with this pick. Levis is also a good fit in the Colts’ new system with tools to develop and comes with a good amount of experience under his belt.

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.

Quarterback seems like a lock for the Colts at their pick, but where’s the fun in proposing all the top players at one position to the same team?

If a team trades up to jump Indianapolis in the draft and the Colts are not satisfied with any of the remaining QB options, Anderson would be a perfect fit. He can provide good run support while also offering deadly pass rush ability to a franchise that has been looking for a top-flight edge rusher since Robert Mathis’ retirement in 2016.

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.

The Colts enter the 2023 season with very little depth at cornerback, especially on the outside. They traded away former DPOY Stephon Gilmore seemingly for peanuts after just one season with the team and have a massive hole to fill at the position as a result. Witherspoon possesses lockdown abilities and is adept at taking the ball away, which would be a valuable skill set in a defense that finished last season near the bottom of the league in interceptions forced.

April 19, 2023
NFL Draft AnalySIS: Seattle Seahawks

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 Seahawks:

While the Seahawks final 2022 record of 9-8 and a first-round playoff exit may seem mediocre, they showed the football world they were a much better team than anyone expected prior to last season. After trading away franchise quarterback Russell Wilson last year, many projected the Seahawks to be a shoo-in for the #1 overall selection in the 2023 Draft.

Despite the rumblings of last offseason, the Seahawks made the 12th Man proud by finding success through trusting in the vision of long-time GM and HC tandem of John Schneider and Pete Carroll and a surprising upgrade in QB play in previous journeyman Geno Smith. The Seahawks now find themselves in the top five of this month’s draft and in a better situation than most predicted, but are not without shortcomings (or holes, you pick) that can be addressed with this prime selection at No. 5 overall.

# 5 Overall

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.

Carter is one of the premier talents in this draft class. He would step in and immediately provide support to a Seahawks defensive unit that gave up the third-most rush yards per game in the NFL last season while also providing much coveted pass rush production from the inside.

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.

Anderson has been anticipated as a high profile draft prospect since he was an 18-year-old true freshman at Alabama and has grown into an elite prospect. If he is available, it will be very tough for Schneider and Co. to pass him up.

Anthony Richardson – QB – Florida

Richardson is the full package talent wise with the dual-threat ability and arm strength coveted at the next level, but he will need to refine his mechanics and simplify his decision-making to be a more consistent player.

Although the Seahawks found consistent quarterback play last season and extended Geno Smith, the franchise has a potential out after this season. This could provide a perfect time frame to allow the Seahawks to further evaluate Smith while allowing Richardson to grow and develop his otherworldly traits and serve as a contingency plan early in his career.

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.

Gonzalez is a long and uber-athletic cornerback prospect with a knack for making a play on the ball. He stays in the Pacific Northwest here and joins Tariq Woolen, Coby Bryant, and a top tier safety duo to form a versatile and opportunistic defensive backfield.

To learn more about the Seahawks and their needs, visit their team page on our NFL Draft website here.

April 18, 2023
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.

April 17, 2023
2023 NFL Draft AnalySIS: Las Vegas Raiders

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 Raiders:

The Raiders and 2nd year head coach Josh McDaniels move into the 2023 season without their long-time QB Derek Carr. They have, for the time being, filled that hole with the signing of Jimmy Garoppolo. However a long term answer at the position is still looming and could be addressed here in the draft.

The Raiders are also looking to rebuild defensively in a highly-challenging division with the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Russel Wilson. The free agent signings of Marcus Epps, Robert Spillane, Duke Shelley, and Brandon Facyson will help but they may not be done bolstering their defense with their plethora of 2023 draft picks.

#7 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.

The Raiders need plenty of help on the defensive side of the ball and Witherspoon, with his high-end ball skills, can provide immediate help to their secondary.

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.

Gonzalez’s speed and versatility can be of great value to the Raiders’ secondary and position him to be a Day 1 starter.

Tyree Wilson – ED – 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 power and proven production at the college level allows him to be a good complement opposite Maxx Crosby to get after the QB.

Anthony Richardson – QB – Florida

Richardson is the full package talent wise with the dual-threat ability and arm strength coveted at the next level, but he will need to refine his mechanics and simplify his decision-making to be a more consistent player.

If Richardson is still available, the Raiders can take a shot at a very talented QB that can learn and develop in an NFL system.

Will Levis – QB – Kentucky

Levis is a boom-or-bust prospect who has high-end physical traits and upside to be an All-Pro, but he needs massive improvements to his decision making and accuracy in order to achieve his potential.

Levis has plenty of high-end traits to make him a quality pickup who can grow as a part of the Raiders future plans at QB.

To learn more about the Raiders and their needs, visit their team page on our NFL Draft website here.

April 13, 2023
2023 NFL Draft AnalySIS: Atlanta Falcons

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 Falcons:

The Falcons are entering into year three of the Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith General Manager-Head Coach pairing. Year 3 is often a make it or break it season for an NFL Head Coach, as the average tenure for a NFL coach is 3.2 seasons, according to Guiding Metrics. With the NFC South perceived to be wide open, this could be a window of opportunity for the Falcons to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

The Falcons have added some valuable weapons to the offensive side of the ball through the draft the last two seasons in Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Tyler Allgeier. Even with the Falcons success on offense, the defensive side of the ball has been less than stellar. They did add some key veterans in safety Jesse Bates, and defensive lineman Calais Campbell and David Onyemata, but could benefit even more by adding some young elite defensive prospects as well.

#8 Overall

The Falcons are entering into year three of the Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith General Manager-Head Coach pairing. Year three is often a make it or break it season for an NFL Head Coach, as the average tenure for a NFL coach is 3.2 seasons, according to Guiding Metrics. With the NFC South perceived to be wide open, this could be a window of opportunity for the Falcons to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

The Falcons have added some valuable weapons to the offensive side of the ball through the draft the last two seasons in Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Tyler Allgeier. Even with the Falcons success on offense the defensive side of the ball has been less than stellar to say the least. They did add some key veterans in safety Jesse Bates, and defensive lineman Calais Campbell and David Onyemata, but could benefit even more by adding some young elite defensive prospects as well.

#8 Overall

Jalen Carter – Edge – 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 off the field concerns have started to lower Carter’s floor to be selected in this draft, and if he makes it down to the 8th pick it would be difficult for Atlanta to pass up. Carter’s combination of explosiveness and power would immediately strengthen the interior of the Falcons defensive front.

Nolan Smith – Edge – Georgia

Smith is a supremely athletic prospect with elite speed and explosive ability to go with eye-opening strength held together by good football intelligence and a very disciplined game overall.

Terry Fontenot and the Falcons value elite athletes in the first round, and there aren’t many more in this class outside of Smith. The Georgia native would bring a different body type and skill set to a subpar edge group.

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 has a towering frame with a long wingspan to match. The Falcons recently signed seasoned veteran Calais Campbell who has a similar size and athletic profile to Wilson, and Campbell could serve as a mentor to the young athletic edge rusher.

Anthony Richardson – Quarterback – Florida

Richardson is the full package talent wise with the dual-threat ability and arm strength coveted at the next level, but he will need to refine his mechanics and simplify his decision-making to be a more consistent player.

This is the offensive wild-card selection of the group the Falcons could target. Continuing the theme of elite athletes, Richardson is one of the most athletic quarterback prospects in draft history. While the Falcons did just draft Desmond Ridder in the 3rd round a season ago, Richardson’s athleticism would be a match made in heaven in Arthur Smith’s offense.

To learn more about the Falcons and their needs, visit their team page on our NFL Draft website here. (https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/nfl-draft/teams/atlanta-falcons)

April 12, 2023
2023 NFL Draft AnalySIS: Chicago Bears

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 Bears:

The Bears rebuild is in full force, as they finished with their lowest winning percentage since 1969. Since hiring general manager Ryan Poles, the team has been aggressive in acquiring draft capital and surrounding Justin Fields with talent. This led them to deal the first overall pick to the Carolina Panthers for the 9th and 61st pick in 2023 as well as Carolina’s 2024 first, 2025 second, and wide receiver D.J. Moore.

The Bears are still in the talent acquisition phase of the rebuild with multiple positions they can address. Offensive tackle, defensive tackle, edge, and cornerback are their four biggest areas of concern. Here are a handful of players the Bears could be targeting.

#9 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.

Witherspoon would provide an upgrade to a cornerback room that ranked 27th in positional Total Points last season*.

Total Points is our all-encompassing player value stat, which measures everything a player does on his field.

Peter Skoronski – OT – Northwestern

Skoronski may not have the standard measurements for an NFL left tackle, but his athleticism, strength, and technique show a high-floor offensive line prospect who should be a quality starter early in his career.

The Bears are serious about getting Fields protection and native son Skoronski would cement their offensive line with his ability to play either tackle or guard.

Paris Johnson Jr. – OT – Ohio State

Johnson is an incredible athlete for his size with the footwork and recover ability to win his fair share of battles. As long as he gets a little stronger and can improve his anchor, he’ll be a big-time force at LT moving forward.

Fields could prefer the team drafting his old college teammate, who may be the best pure left tackle prospect in the draft.

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 can step into a starting role immediately for a Bears edge rushing group, who was the worst in the NFL according to positional Total Points.

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.

If Carter were to slide due to off-the-field concerns, the Bears would have a hard time passing up a talent they were considering taking No. 1 overall due to his game-breaking ability.

To learn more about the Bears and their needs, visit their team page on our NFL Draft website here.

April 11, 2023
2023 NFL Draft AnalySIS: Philadelphia Eagles

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 Eagles:

From the first night of the 2022 NFL Draft to the last game of the season, the Philadelphia Eagles were arguably the hottest team in the league. The front office took big swings to show their trust in QB Jalen Hurts, and they were rewarded tenfold. Hurts took a leap in his game that allowed the Eagles to introduce a high-scoring, smashmouth style of football that is predicated on his ability to do everything.

With Hurts now in position to reset the QB market and both coordinators finding head coaching gigs elsewhere, the Eagles will need to hit on their draft picks and fill the roster with both starters and role players on rookie deals.

#10 Overall

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.

Though Carter is one of the best prospects in recent memory, off-field questions and a poor showing at his Pro Day may cause him to slide and the Eagles have a track record of valuing IDL, as well as being aggressive when moving up in the draft.

Peter Skoronski – OL – Northwestern

Skoronski may not have the standard measurements for an NFL left tackle, but his athleticism, strength, and technique show a high-floor offensive line prospect who should be a quality starter early in his career.

It is not the sexiest pick, but the Eagles always look for impact OL early in the draft and with Cam Jurgens’ inexperience at guard, along with Landon Dickerson’s penchant for getting dinged up, they may view Skoronski as a 4-position starter at the next level and someone they will need moving forward.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba – WR – Ohio State

While Smith-Njigba has only one year of production and recent injury concerns, he is a starting-level receiver who will work best in the slot due to his route savvy, elusiveness, and body control.

With one of the best WR duos in the league and a QB that runs the RPO game with Bach-esque orchestration, the Eagles would be a dream landing spot for Smith-Njigba, whose innate route savvy and separation skills would be unstoppable as the 3rd option.

Brian Branch – S – Alabama

Branch is a starting free safety who should spend most of his time playing in the slot. He has exceptional coverage skills, awareness, and physicality.

After losing both starters in free agency, Branch is a high-intellect player that brings versatility and should start immediately for new defensive coordinator, Sean Desai, who uses Nick Saban concepts in his playcalling.

Bijan Robinson – RB – Texas

Robinson is a consistent playmaker who has the size, speed, power, and vision to be an every-down back at the NFL level, but he will need some improvement in pass pro to reach his full potential.

This would be the shock of the draft for anyone familiar with the Eagles and there is a better chance they pass on Robinson at 30 than take him at 10, but he is the best RB prospect since Saquon Barkley. The Eagles came one win (arguably one unlucky turnover) away from a Super Bowl victory, meaning that a high-end talent at a position of need could be the move.

To learn more about the Eagles and their needs, visit their team page on our NFL Draft website here.

April 10, 2023