Round 1, Pick 14: Oregon State’s T Taliese Fuaga
In the trenches, Fuaga is the kind of player that every NFL team craves. When it comes to the run game, he has a finisher’s mindset and enjoys forcing opponents to move against their will. His stride length is constrained in pass protection, but he makes up for it with foot speed. With his strong, broad foundation, he can quickly neutralize bull rushes. He always has his hands raised and is ready to strike with force at any time. In addition, he has the hand quickness to defend his chest when engaging in hand combat. He may be a little too eager to make contact when providing pass protection, which leaves him open to chops and swipes. However, in 2023, that patience did get better.
FLORIDA STATE’s WR, Keon Coleman, picks 45 in round two
As a two-sport athlete, Coleman first committed to Michigan State; in 2023, he transferred to Florida State. Scouts use his evaluation to gauge their preference for contested-catch receivers over athletic separators. At 6 feet 4 inches and 215 pounds, he is an impressive athlete who likes to get tough with cornerbacks. He consistently catches passes through contact. Even if it results in incredible strength feats, his lack of separation ability worries me at the next level because not many players consistently make a living as contested-catch receivers. Those that succeed frequently rank among the league’s top receivers.
DI Leonard Taylor III, Miami (Fla.), Round 5, Pick 150
Taylor, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 305 pounds, has the build of an enormous middle linebacker. His strongest pass-rush manoeuvres stem from his powerful hands and first stride. His strike placement is uneven, though. When he fails to win via a gap shot or a strong first step, he may find it difficult to release himself from blocks. Additionally, he has a terrible habit of losing leverage and shifting out of position. Although Taylor is a good run defence defender, he is too easily handled due to his inconsistent leverage. Even while he can be explosive on certain reps, he isn’t always twitchy when it comes to block shedding, pursuing, and changing direction.
CB KAMAL HADDEN, TENNESSEE, ROUND 5, PICK 168: Hadden’s college football career has been a circuitous one, beginning as a zero-star recruit who was forced to attend community college. But when obstacles arose, he persevered, which helped him have a chance to play in the NFL. His combination of speed and size is seductive. He can run with vertical receivers in man coverage and is smooth, sticky, and nimble when in control. He can be assured in both press and zone situations, constantly attempting to control the area in order to set up a throw he can jump. His footwork and tackling technique are still big areas for improvement, but overall, from 2022 to 2023, his technique did improve.
PICK 170 IN ROUND 5: T KT LEVESON, KANSAS STATE
Leveston started for two seasons at left tackle for Kansas State, but inside linebacker is his best position in the NFL. He possesses the right amount of length and weight for the guard position, so it’s not for want of length. He also has a more comfortable baseline for pass sets at guard thanks to his experience at tackle. With his frame enabling him to generate a ton of power at contact, he is quite the mauler in the run game. When he hooks onto defenders, he may also fight. His greatest shortcoming as a player at the moment is his hands. His hands are too low, revealing his chest and delaying his attack. His hand placement is also too wide due to his low hands.
PICK 175 IN ROUND 5: QB Florida State / Jordan Travis
Travis is a talented athlete with strong play-action and RPO offensive skills. His mobility is advantageous for making scrambles out of the pocket as well. There are obvious disadvantages because he is one of the smaller quarterbacks in the class. His hand size is a concern when it comes to ball control. Additionally, he usually needs to use his entire body when making throws that demand greater energy. His follow-through is inconsistent because, in an attempt to increase velocity, he will kick his leg out like a pitcher. His intangibles are strong. Even if he has to be on his toes, he doesn’t mind throwing over the middle and is accurate and composed when throwing out of structure.
