NFL Power Poll 2024

Frank Coyle / Head scout
www.draftinsiders.com

Team of the Week
Bucs Edge Lions, 20-16

Upset of the Week
Vikings Beat 49ers, 23-17
 
Players of the Week
  Offense – QB Kirk Cousins – Falcons    
  Defense – Edge Maxx Crosby – Raiders
 
Rookies of Week
    Offense – WR Marvin Harrison – Cardinals
    Defense – S Evan Williams – Packers

Game of Week Three   
Baltimore Ravens at Dallas Cowboys

Draft Insiders’ – NFL Power Poll – Week 3

Frank Coyle

NFL Team Poll

NFL Ranking /Record /Team

#1 – 2-0 Chiefs
Chiefs edged the Bengals in another thrilling victory.

#2 – 2-0 Bucs
Who gave up on QB Baker Mayfield? He has the Bucs atop the NFC South again.

#3 – 2-0 Texans
Texans are learning how to win close games. Travel to Minnesota in a battle of the unbeatens.

#4 – 2-0 Saints
Saints’ QB Derek Carr has a hot hand in early games.

#5 – 2-0 Seahawks
Seahawks making big plays at key moments. Host the Dolphins this week.

#6 – 2-0 Chargers
Chargers drilled the Panthers last week. Travel to Pittsburgh for key AFC matchup.

#7 – 1-1 Bills
Bills smashed the Dolphins for first victory. Host the Jaguars in key AFC contest.

#8 – 1-1 49ers
The 49ers were surprised by the Vikings last week. Face arch rival the Rams in LA this Sunday.

#9 – 1-1 Raiders
The Raiders are playing aggressively and edged the Ravens in tough matchup. Host the downtrodden Panthers at home this week.

#10 – 2-0 Steelers
Steelers are finding ways to win on defense and a developing Justin Fields. Host the tough Chargers this week in a game of the week.

#11 – 2-0 Vikings
Vikings took it to the 49ers last week. Host the Texans in a battle of unbeatens.

#12 – 1-1 Falcons
Falcons won a thriller with some great play by QB Kirk Cousins in crunch time.  Host the Chiefs in a Sunday night marquee matchup.

#13 – 1-1 Lions
Lions struggled to put a consistent offense together vs the Bucs. Travel to the desert to face an emerging Cardinal club with a potent attack.

#14 – 1-1 Eagles
The Eagles defense failed in key areas in their Monday night collapse. Travel to New Orleans to face a hungry Saints club who are playing very well.

#15 – 1-1 Cowboys
The Cowboys were drilled by the Saints last week. Host the desperate Ravens this Sunday in an excellent matchup.

#16 – 1-1 Jets
Jets beat the winless Titans. Face arch rival the Patriots this Sunday night.

#17 – 1-1 Rams
Rams were shocked by the Cardinals last week. Host the 49ers in a key NFC West contest.

#18 – 1-1 Dolphins
Dolphins got smashed by the Bills and lost QB Tua for at least the next month.

#19 – 0-2 Ravens
Ravens lost a second nailbiter to the Raiders. Travel to Big D to vital matchup with the Boys.

#20 – 1-1 Packers
The Packers edged the Colts, though QB Jordan Love was injured and out for the next month.

#21 – 0-2 Bengals
The Bengals lost a heartbreaker to the Chiefs. Host the Commanders on Monday night in must win contest.

#22 – 1-1 Cardinals
Cardinals’ offense behind Kyler Murray smoked the Rams last week. Host the Lions Sunday.

#23 – 1-1 Browns
Browns hung tough in win over the Jaguars. Host Giants in key game to get into contention.

#24 – 0-2 Colts
The Colts continue to fail in key situations. Host the Bears in huge matchup to stay in contention.

#25 – 1-1 Broncos
Broncos’ offense struggling to score. Travel to Tampa Bay in key spot.

#26 – 0-2 Jaguars
Jaguars are struggling in several areas. Face an early must win situation in Buffalo on Monday night.

#27 – 1-1 Patriots
The competitive Pats loss in OT. Face divisional rival the Jets on Thursday night.

#28 – 1-1 Commanders
The Redskins rookie top pick QB Jayden Daniels gets his first victory. They travel to Cincinnati for major test.

#29 – 1-1 Bears
The Bears are going through growing pains with young QB and huge roster turnover.

#30 – 0-2 Giants
The Giants finding ways to lose in big spots. Travel to Cleveland this week before a very difficult stretch of the schedule.

#31 – 0-2 Titans
The Titans make too many mistakes to win in crunch time. Host the banged up Packers this Sunday.

#32 – 0-2 Panthers
Panthers benched QB Bryce Young after another horrible performance. Andy Dalton directs this attack vs the Raiders.

 Frank Coyle is a long-time scout with nationwide ties with NFL and college coaches, scouts and player agents. He is a member of the FWAA and voter in College player awards – Heisman, Outland, Nagurski, Lombardi, Thorpe, Biletnikoff etc for the past 30 years. He writes College Football Mondays weekly during the season. He was a longtime scouting consultant for the Senior Bowl, the nation’s premier postseason All-star game. He does sports radio shows for CBS, ESPN, Fox Sports and Sporting News on a year-round basis related to NFL and College Football especially during the postseason team and All-star Bowl time. He has worked for CBS Sports, USA Today, NBC Sports, Yahoo and Rivals sports publications and web sites

NFL Hall of Fame Game 2024 – Bears vs Texans – August 1st

NFL Mini Camp Dates & OTA Workout Schedule by Team

The NFL’s 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game will feature the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans, the Hall announced on Thursday August 1st.

Devin Hester, Steve McMichael and Julius Peppers of the Bears and Andre Johnson from the Texans are among the former players who will be enshrined as members of the Class of 2024.

The game will kick off at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Aug. 1, during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week in Canton, Ohio.

The other inductees in this year’s class are Dwight Freeney, Randy Gradishar and Patrick Willis. The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on Saturday, Aug. 3.

NFL Mini Camp Dates & OTA Workout Schedule by Team

Team                                        OTA offseason workouts                Mandatory Minicamp

Arizona Cardinals                      May 20-22, 28-30, June 3-6                       June 11-13

Atlanta Falcons                         May 13-14, 16, 20-21, June 3-4, 6                June 10-12

Baltimore Ravens                      May 20, 22-23, 28, 30-31, June 3-4, 6-7   June 11-13

Buffalo Bills                               May 20-21, 23, 28-30, June 3-4, 6             June 11-13

Carolina Panthers                      May 20-21, 23, 28-29, 31, June 3-4, 6      June 11-13

Chicago Bears                          May 20-21, 23, 28-29, 31                              June 4-6

Cincinnati Bengals                     May 28-30, June 3-6                                 June 11-13

Cleveland Browns                      May 21-23, 28-30, June 3-6                     June 11-13

Dallas Cowboys                         May 21-23, 29-31                                         June 4-6

Denver Broncos                         May 21-23, 28-30, June 3-6                    June 11-13

Detroit Lions                              May 21-23, 29-31, June 10-12                  June 4-6

Green Bay Packers                   May 20-21, 23, 28-29, 31, June 3-4, 6     June 11-13

Houston Texans                         May 20-21, 23, 29-31                                 June 4-6

Indianapolis Colts                      May 21-23, 29-31                                        June 4-6

Jacksonville Jaguars                  May 20-21, 23, 28-29, 31, June 3-6        June 10-12

Kansas City Chiefs                    May 20-22, 28-30, June 4-7                      June 11-13

Las Vegas Raiders                     May 20-21, 23, 28-29, 31, June 3-6         June 11-13

Los Angeles Chargers                May 20-21, 23, 29-31, June 4-7                June 11-13

Los Angeles Rams                     May 20-21, 23, 28-29, 31, June 3-6         June 10-12

Miami Dolphins                          May 20-21, 23, 28-29, 31                           June 4-6

Minnesota Vikings                     May 20-21, 23, 28-29, 31, June 10-13      June 4-6

New England Patriots                May 20-21, 23, 29-31, June 3-6                June 11-13

New Orleans Saints                   May 21-23, 28-30, June 3-6                        June 11-13

New York Giants                        May 20-21, 23, 28-29, 31, June 3-4, 6-7    June 11-13

New York Jets                           May 20-21, 23, 28-29, 31, June 3-4, 6-7     June 11-13

Philadelphia Eagles                   May 20, 22-23, 28, 30-31                            June 4-6

Pittsburgh Steelers                    May 21-23, 28-30, June 3-6                       June 11-13

San Francisco 49ers                  May 20-21, 23, 28-29, 31                            June 4-6

Seattle Seahawks                      May 20, 22-23, 28, 30-31, June 3-4, 6-7   June 11-13

Tampa Bay Buccaneers             May 21-23, 28-30, June 4-6                       June 11-13

Tennessee Titans                      May 20-21, 23, 28-29, 31, June 10-13         June 4-6

Washington Commanders          May 14-15, 17, 21-22, 24, June 4-5, 7      June 11-13

July 17: Franchise tag deadline for players to sign long-term contracts

Late July: Training camps open

Hall of Fame Game – Aug. 1, 2024 – Chicago Bears vs Houston Texans

August: Preseason Games (3 per team)

Pro Day – Big 12 Conference Combine 2024

 137 Prospects Invited to 1st Ever – Big 12 Pro Day

 Frank Coyle/ Head scout

The Big 12 is hosting a joint pro day featuring prospects from multiple schools (Baylor, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech and West Virginia) at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on March 27-30. This will be one of several workouts telecasted by the NFL Network. Draft Insiders will have a few scouts at the event and include reports into our NFL Draft Yearbook.

Draft Insiders’ – NFL Draft Yearbook out next week- over 250 in-depth Reports

 2024 NFL Draft – April 25-27 – Detroit

The full list of participants has been released for the 2024 Big 12 Pro Day, presented by the Air Force Reserve. A total of 137 prospects will participate in the inaugural Conference-wide Pro Day which will take place in Frisco, Texas at the Ford Center at The Star from March 27-31.

The first-ever Big 12 Pro Day will be operated in cooperation with the National Football League. The Big 12 and NFL are partnering to reimagine student athlete evaluations with player skill assessments designed to maximize the prospect experience.

The event will also feature Zebra Technologies, the Official Real Time Location Solutions Provider of the NFL. Zebra generates data for the NFL’s Next Gen Stats platform, and will apply this same tracking technology to spotlight player performance at the Big 12 Pro Day.

On Thursday, March 28, Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers and Tight Ends will work out from 7:15 a.m. to 10 a.m. Running Backs will take the field from 10:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. followed by Defensive Backs from 2:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.

Saturday, March 30 will see Specialists work out from 7:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. followed by Offensive Linemen from 9:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Defensive Linemen will be on the field from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. before Linebackers conclude the weekend from 2:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. (all times Central).

Player workouts will be open to the public Thursday, March 28 and Saturday, March 30 from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. CT.

NFL Network will showcase coverage with an hour-long broadcast on Thursday, March 28, and Friday, March 29 at 7 p.m. CT each night. Saturday’s events will be featured as part of NFL Network’s Path to the Draft weekly coverage leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft.

Pro Prospects Participating in Big 12 Combine

     Listed below sorted by position:

Quarterbacks
John Rhys Plumlee, UCF
Emory Jones, Cincinnati
Jason Bean, Kansas
 
Running Backs
Aidan Robbins, BYU
Deion Smith, BYU
Mark-Antony Richards, UCF
Ryan Montgomery, Cincinnati
Dylan McDuffie, Kansas
Elijah Collins, Oklahoma State
Emani Bailey, TCU
 
Wide Receivers
Javon Baker, UCF
JaJuan Forte, UCF
Corey Gammage, UCF
Daquris Wiggins, Cincinnati
Dimitri Stanley, Iowa State
Phillip Brooks, Kansas State
Erik Pizarro, Kansas State
Seth Porter, Kansas State
Arland Bruce IV, Oklahoma State
Leon Johnson III, Oklahoma State
Jaylon Robinson, TCU
Warren Thompson, TCU
Xavier White, Texas Tech
Devin Carter, West Virginia
 
Tight Ends
Isaac Rex, BYU
Alec Holler, UCF
Zachary Marsh Wojan, UCF
Michael O’Laughlin, Houston
Easton Dean, Iowa State
Mason Fairchild, Kansas
Ben Sinnott, Kansas State
Braden Cassity, Oklahoma State
Josiah Johnson, Oklahoma State
Curtis Raymond III, TCU
Jared Wiley, TCU
Baylor Cupp, Texas Tech
Noah Massey, West Virginia
 
Offensive Linemen
Clark Barrington, Baylor
Paul Maile, BYU
Tylan Grable, UCF
Lokahi Pauole, UCF
Alexx Schmidt, UCF
Trevor Radosevich, Cincinnati
Jack Freeman IV, Houston
Patrick Paul, Houston
Michael Novitsky, Kansas
Dominick Puni, Kansas
Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
Christian Duffie, Kansas State
Hayden Gillum, Kansas State
KT Leveston, Kansas State
Andrew Coker, TCU
Brandon Coleman, TCU
Willis Patrick, TCU
Cole Spencer, Texas Tech
Rusty Staats, Texas Tech
Dennis Wilburn, Texas Tech
Zach Frazier, West Virginia
Doug Nester, West Virginia
 
Defensive Linemen
TJ Franklin, Baylor
Gabriel Hall, Baylor
Justin Sambu, Baylor
Jackson Cravens, BYU
Atunaisa Mahe, BYU
Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, UCF
Jowon Briggs, Cincinnati
Malik Vann, Cincinnati
Austin Booker, Kansas
Patrick Joyner, Kansas
Devin Phillips, Kansas
Khalid Duke, Kansas State
Anthony Goodlow, Oklahoma State
Nathan Latu, Oklahoma State
Tico Brown, TCU
Rick D’Abreu, TCU
Soni Misi, TCU
Myles Cole, Texas Tech
Jaylon Hutchings, Texas Tech
        
Defensive Linemen / Linebackers
Byron Vaughns, Baylor
Daniel Grzesiak, Cincinnati
Nelson Ceaser, Houston
David Ugwoegbu, Houston
Davoan Hawkins, West Virginia
 
Linebackers
Mike Smith Jr., Baylor
Maxwell Tooley, BYU
AJ Vongphachanh, BYU
Jason Johnson, UCF
Shaun Peterson Jr., UCF
Walter Yates III, UCF
Malik Robinson, Houston
Gerry Vaughn, Iowa State
Hayden Hatcher, Kansas
Rich Miller, Kansas
Craig Young, Kansas
Daniel Green, Kansas State
Xavier Benson, Oklahoma State
Jamoi Hodge, TCU
Tyrique Matthews, Texas Tech
Lee Kpogba, West Virginia
 
Defensive Backs
Kamden Garrett, BYU
Eddie Heckard, BYU
DeJordan Mask, UCF
Decorian Patterson, UCF
Jireh Wilson, UCF
Taj Ward, Cincinnati
Antonio Brooks, Houston
Malik Fleming, Houston
Brian George, Houston
Alex Hogan, Houston
Hasaan Hypolite, Houston
Ben Nikkel, Iowa State
T.J. Tampa, Iowa State
Kalon Gervin, Kansas
Kwinton Lassiter, Kansas
Kenneth Logan, Kansas
Andrew Russell, Kansas
Millard Bradford, TCU
Josh Newton, TCU
Mark Perry, TCU
Malik Dunlap, Texas Tech
Tyler Owens, Texas Tech
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Texas Tech
Rayshad Williams, Texas Tech
Beanie Bishop Jr., West Virginia
Marcis Floyd, West Virginia
Malachi Ruffin, West Virginia
 
Long Snappers
Gavin Gately, Houston
Randen Plattner, Kansas State
Zeke Zaragoza, Oklahoma State

Place Kickers
Chase Contreraz, Iowa State
Seth Keller, Kansas
Alex Hale, Oklahoma State
Griffin Kell, TCU
 
Punters
Ryan Rehkow, BYU
Laine Wilkins, Houston
Jordy Sandy, TCU
Austin McNamara, Texas Tech
 
 

‘Word on the Street’

NFL Free Agency 2024

Frank Coyle/ Head scout
www.draftinsiders.com

The official start of NFL Free Agency period begins today at 4 pm with a few clubs expected to release more veterans to get under the new salary cap. The ‘legal’ tampering opened Monday midday and the player rush began with NFL clubs prepared to make huge offers to new free agents. The new $30+ million-dollar increase added to up a $255.4 million salary cap per team which made most club instant bidders on the open market.

The premier positions took the focus especially the QB market after the 2023 season saw 60+ starters at the position and raised the bar again at the game’s most important position. QB Kirk Cousin’s was again a huge winner in the open market with an incredible 4-year $180 million deal with the Falcons. His presence makes the Falcons dangerous in the NFC South with a young talented group of playmakers and a solid offensive line around him. Their defense will demand the focus of most future signings and many of the premier draft selections in April.

Most of the early FA movement at the QB spot has been the extensive change at the #2 role, following a season with multiple injuries and rotation at the position. The Browns actually made the playoffs last season, relying on the strong performance of backup Joe Flacco who signed late in the 2023 season after his release from the Jets. He stepped up big and delivered multiple 300-yard passing performances. He was the Browns 5th starter as they continue to stabilize offensively after a year of multiple injuries and erratic performances. Flacco is a FA and will not resign with the Browns. They have already signed vet Jameis Winston for their deep QB room.

The Browns’ blockbuster deal for QB DeShaun Watson three years ago is still highly questioned after his second season in Cleveland on a trade which costed three #1 selections and a whopping #230 million contract. He enters training camp hoping to justify the enormous bounty the Browns relinquished.

In addition to Cousins with a new contract, Baker Mayfield re-signed with the Bucs for $100M on a three-year deal. He directed the Bucs to the playoffs after coming off the QB scrap hill and not re-signed in Carolina last offseason. Veteran Russell Wilson was released by the Broncos after two horrible seasons in Denver, leaving a ton of dead money on their salary cap books. He signed with the Steelers where he will compete with young Kenny Pickett who the starting job.

Backup QBs moved quickly prior to the official opening with clubs determined to land veteran backups who can hold the fort during any interruptions of the long 18-week NFL schedule. The 2023 The NFL Draft will also see the QB movement dominate the early action with the top 3 selections expected to be young passers and possibly 5-6 chosen in the first round.  The trade market will also be a factor in the domino effect at the position. The Bears’ hold two #1 picks, the first and #9 overall which makes Justin Fields expendable this offseason. His mediocre three-year early career will probably end in Chicago. Most clubs move on from incumbents when #1 overall pick allows them to add a top prospect to begin a new era. Fields may not command more than a 3rd round selection or possibly later with conditions. He was an expensive trade with the Giants to move up in the 2021 NFL Draft which cost two #1 picks plus a few middle round throw-ins.

The 2024 NFL Free Agency bell rings in minutes with many deals agreed upon over the past 48 hours. The upcoming player movement will change the landscape of NFL rosters for the season.

The impact of new additions will play a huge role in the makeup of the divisional races which bring many surprises annually in the ever-changing NFL.

NFL Compensatory Selections Awarded

The NFL announced on Friday it has awarded 34 compensatory picks to 14 teams for the 2024 NFL Draft, which will be held April 25-27 in Detroit.

The 34 compensatory picks include two special selections that were awarded at the end of the 3rd round to the teams, the Rams and 49ers that had a minority employee hired as a head coach or primary football executive by another club. The special compensatory picks were instituted as an amendment to the 2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement in an effort to promote equal employment opportunities within NFL teams.

Separate from the special compensatory picks, a team that loses more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks, per the league. The compensatory picks are positioned from Round 3 to Round 7 based on the value of the compensatory free agents lost. The formula that determines compensatory free agents is based on salary, playing time and postseason honors.

Below is the full list of compensatory picks awarded to teams ahead of this year’s NFL Draft (special compensatory picks denoted by an asterisk):

Round 3
96) Jacksonville Jaguars
97) Philadelphia Eagles
98) Los Angeles Rams*
99) San Francisco 49ers*

Round 4
132) San Francisco 49ers
133) Buffalo Bills
134) Baltimore Ravens

Round 5
167) New Orleans Saints
168) Green Bay Packers
169) New Orleans Saints
170) Philadelphia Eagles
171) Philadelphia Eagles
172) Kansas City Chiefs
173) Dallas Cowboys
174) New Orleans Saints
175) San Francisco 49ers

Round 6
208) Cincinnati Bengals
209) Los Angeles Rams
210) Philadelphia Eagles
211) San Francisco 49ers
212) Jacksonville Jaguars
213) Los Angeles Rams
214) Cincinnati Bengals
215) San Francisco 49ers
216) Dallas Cowboys
217) Los Angeles Rams
218) New York Jets
219) Green Bay Packers
220) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Round 7
253) Los Angeles Chargers
254) Los Angeles Rams
255) Green Bay Packers
256) New York Jets
257) New York Jets

Here’s a breakdown of the number of compensatory picks allotted by team (asterisk denotes a special compensatory pick is included in the team’s total):

Team Total Compensatory Picks
Los Angeles Rams 5*
San Francisco 49ers 5*
Philadelphia Eagles 4
Green Bay Packers 3
New Orleans Saints 3
New York Jets 3
Cincinnati Bengals 2
Dallas Cowboys 2
Jacksonville Jaguars 2
Baltimore Ravens 1
Buffalo Bills 1
Kansas City Chiefs 1
Los Angeles Chargers 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1

‘Word on the Street’

Frank Coyle
www.draftinsiders.com

NFL Combine Report – Defensive Players

With the skilled positions getting the primary focus at the NFL Combine, especially the weekend exposure, the talented defense class quietly stepped up with strong impressions for scouts. The defensive back class presented several blue chip cornerbacks, one of the premier positions in the game and a group which will provide at least 15 prospects in the top 100 selections in April.

Edge defenders Dallas Turner, 6-4, 245 – Alabama, Laiatu Latu, 6-5, 260 – UCLA and Chop Robinson, 6-3, 255 – Penn State had impressive weeks. Turner displayed quick strong hands and the lateral movement to attack the line. He is very developed and improved his stock and probably top 6-10 selection. Latu is blazing quick off the edge and displayed that skill set in the positional drills. He moves easily and has the explosive first step to gain an advantage and bend the edge. Robinson had a strong performance. He showed a powerful punch and quick feet at over 250 lbs. He moved well in the coverage drills which impressed scouts.

DT T’Vondre Sweat, 6-4, 366, Texas, Byron Murphy, 6-1, 310, Texas and Braden Fiske, 6-4, 295, Florida State lived up to expectations. Sweat is a massive athlete who moves well and looked sharp in drills despite the 366 lbs. He has developed athletic ability to beat the double team, push the pocket and hold the point. Playing in the 340 lb. area may allow him to realize his incredible potential. Murphy is an explosive interior lineman with fine technique and power to penetrate. He moves well along the line which he displayed in the agility drills. Fiske is a fast riser. He has quick strong hands to win early on the down. He ran a blazing 4.78 sprint with a 1.68 ten split. He added 26 reps in the lifting while running drills very well. His efforts may push him into the first round.                            

LB Payton Wilson, 6-4, 235, North Carolina State was lightning fast with explosive quickness and keen instincts in drills. He dropped easily in coverage and is a well-rounded defender with the development to be a three down early starter. He can play a few positions and is scheme diverse. Edgerrin Cooper, 6-3, 235, Texas A&M is a ripped athlete who runs well and ran a 4.51 sprint. He added 34.5” VL and 9’10” BJ He was an easy mover in drills and is a prospect on the come. Cedric Gray, 6-2, 234, North Carolina is a rangy athlete who ran a 4.64 time. He did 17 reps and added a 35.5 VL. His positional drills were excellent, moves quickly laterally and can drop into the deep zones in coverage. Shows the skill set of a three-down starter, though may be limited to a 4-3 on either outside.

Cornerbacks, Terrion Arnold, 6-0, 198, Alabama, Quinyon Mitchell, 6-0, 195, Toledo and Nate Wiggins, 6-1, 173, Clemson separated themselves from in a high-quality class. Wiggins ran a blistering 4.28 time, the best of the entire defensive class.  His 173 lbs. is a concern, though he has developed coverage skills, including smooth hips, quick feet and the speed to ride a receiver down the field. Arnold came in just under 6’ and had a good performance in drills, though ran only a solid 4.51time. His length, agility and instincts are developed and NFL ready. He added a 37” VL and is an explosive mover. Mitchell shined in the workouts. He has the prototypical corner skill set and displayed this over the drills. He runs well (4.33) with quick feet, flexible hips, fast reads and the long speed to mirror top receivers. He leaped 38” and added a 10’2” BJ and 20 reps in the lifting. He was very quick in agility drills with loose hips and explosive acceleration.

NFL Free Agency Tag Deadline

Nine Players Receive Labels
Seven Defensive Players Head List

All Franchise Tags were Non-Exclusive labels
One Transitional Tag

 Offense
Wideouts
Tee Higgins – Bengals
Michael Pittman – Colts

Defense

Edge Defenders
Josh Allen – Jaguars
Brian Burns – Panthers

Interior Linemen
Justin Madubuike – Ravens

Corners
Jaylon Johnson – Bears
L’Jarious Sneed – Chiefs

Safeties
Antoine Winfield – Bucs
Kyle Dugger – Patriots (Transition Label – Top 10 at position)
 
There are three tender options: 1) Non-exclusive franchise tag; 2) Exclusive franchise tag; 3) Transition tag.

Non-exclusive Franchise tag:
The most commonly used tag. When most refer to the “franchise tag,” they generally talk about the non-exclusive version. This is a one-year tender of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position over the last five years, or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is greater. The tagged player can negotiate with other teams, but his current team has the right to match any offer or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation if he signs with another club.

Exclusive Franchise tag:
Unlike the non-exclusive version, the tagging team retains the sole right to negotiate with the player. The exclusivity raises the pay scale (current average salary versus averaging of the previous five years). This is a one-year tender offer of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position for the current year, or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is greater. Few receive the exclusive tag. Generally, players for whom other teams would gladly give up two first-round picks receive this version of the tag — read: quarterbacks.

Transition tag:
The transition tag is a one-year tender offer for the average of the top 10 salaries at the position — as opposed to the top five for the franchise tag. It guarantees the original club the right of first refusal to match any offer the player might receive from another club. The tagging team is awarded no compensation if it chooses not to match a deal

Top 100 Pro Prospects for the NFL Draft 2024

    February 29, 2024 –   underclassmen declared by Jan 15, 2024
Pre-NFL Combine Workout Rankings

#        Pos      Pro Prospect               School
1          QB       Caleb Williams              Southern Cal
2         WR       Marvin Harrison Jr      Ohio State
3         QB       Drake Maye                  North Carolina
4         QB       Jayden Daniels              LSU
5         TE        Brock Bowers                Georgia
6        OT        Joe Alt                     Notre Dame
7        OT        Olu Fashanu                  Penn State
8        WR       Rome Odunze               Washington
9         WR       Malik Nabers                 LSU
10        OT        Taliese Fuaga               Oregon State
11        Edge    Dallas Turner                Alabama
12        DL        Jer’Zhan Newton           Illinois
13        Edge    Laiatu Latu                    UCLA
14        CB        Terrion Arnold               Alabama
15        Edge    Jared Verse                  Florida State
16        OT        Troy Fautanu                Washington
17        CB        Quinyon Mitchell            Toledo
18         C          Jackson Powers-Johnson    Oregon
19        CB        Nate Wiggins                Clemson
20        DB       Cooper DeJean             Iowa
21        OT        Amarius Mims               Georgia
22        CB        Ennis Rakestraw           Missouri
23        OT        JC Latham                    Alabama
24        CB        Kool-Aid McKinstry        Alabama
25        OT        Tyler Guyton                 Oklahoma
26        Edge    Chop Robinson             Penn State
27        WR       Keon Coleman             Florida State
28        Edge    Bralen Trice                  Washington
29         QB       Bo Nix                         Oregon
30        OT        Patrick Paul                  Houston
31        WR       Troy Franklin                 Oregon
32        QB       JJ McCarthy                  Michigan
33        Edge    Chris Braswell               Alabama
34        WR       Roman Wilson               Michigan
35        DL        Darius Robinson            Missouri
36        CB        Kamari Lassiter             Georgia
37        S          Tyler Nubin                   Minnesota
38        WR       Brian Thomas               LSU
39        OT        Graham Barton             Duke
40        DL        T’Vondre Sweat             Texas
41        OT        Jordan Morgan             Arizona
42        WR       Adonai Mitchell             Texas
43         DL        Braden Fiske                 Florida State
44        WR       Xavier Worthy               Texas
45        DL        Byron Murphy               Texas
46        QB       Michael Penix Jr.           Washington
47         S          Kamren Kinchens          Miami (Fl)
48         WR       Malachi Corley              Western Kentucky
49        LB        Payton Wilson                 NC State
50         DL        Leonard Taylor III         Miami (Fl)

 Frank Coyle is a long-time scout with nationwide ties with NFL and college coaches, scouts and player agents. He has a new column ‘The Word on the Street’ dedicated for the NFL Draft and Free agency insight and news with unique content during January through May. He was a longtime scouting consultant for the Senior Bowl, the nation’s premier postseason All-star game. He does sports radio shows for CBS and ESPN on a year-round basis related to NFL and College Football especially during the postseason team and All-star Bowl time. He has worked for CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Yahoo and Rivals sports publications and web sites

51        OL        Cooper Beebe               Kansas State
52        WR       Ladd McConkey            Georgia
53        LB        Edgerrin Cooper            Texas A&M
54        WR       Xavier Legette               South Carolina
55        CB        Kalen King                    Penn State
56        OT        Kingsley Suamataia       BYU
57         OL        Zak Zinter                     Michigan
58        Edge    Adisa Isaac                   Penn State
59         DT        Kris Jenkins                  Michigan
60        S          Javon Bullard                Georgia
61        OT        Javon Foster                 Missouri
62        CB        T.J. Tampa                   Iowa State
63        LB        Jeremiah Trotter Jr.       Clemson
64         Edge    Jonah Elliss                  Utah
65         CB        DJ James                     Auburn
66        LB        Cedric Gray                  North Carolina
67         OT        Christian Jones             Texas
68         S          Calen Bullock                Southern Cal
69         Edge    Marshawn Kneeland      Western Michigan
70         TE        Cade Stover                 Ohio State
71        S          Cole Bishop                  Utah
72        WR       Ja’Lynn Polk                 Washington
73        DL        Mekhi Wingo                 LSU
74         WR       Tez Walker                   North Carolina
75         CB        Caelen Carson              Wake Forest
76        WR       Tory Horton                   Colorado State
77         TE        Ja’Tavion Sanders         Texas
78        OL        Sedrick Van Pran          Georgia
79        RB        Jonathan Brooks           Texas
80        OL        Kiran Amegadjie            Yale
81        OL        Christian Haynes           UConn
82        CB        Kris Abrams-Draine       Missouri
83         C          Zach Frazier                  West Virginia
84        DL        Maason Smith               LSU
85        LB        Tommy Eichenberg       Ohio State
86        WR       Johnny Wilson               Florida State
87         WR       Brennen Rice                USC
88        OL        Christian Mahogany       Boston College
89        QB       Spencer Rattler             South Carolina
90        DL        Ruke Orhorhoro            Clemson
91        RB        Braelon Allen                Wisconsin
92        RB        Blake Corum                 Michigan
93        Edge    Brandon Dorlus             Oregon
94        CB        Josh Newton                 TCU
95        S          James Williams             Miami (Fl)
96        RB        Audric Estime                Notre Dame
97         LB        Junior Colson                Michigan
98         RB        Jaylin Wright                 Tennessee
99        Edge    Austin Booker               Kansas
100       CB        Nehemiah Pritchett        Auburn

NFL Draft 2024 – Two Round Mock Draft

February 26, 2024 
Frank Coyle/ Head scout

All underclassmen had until Jan. 15th to declare for the NFL Draft 2024. Players had three days to rescind their decision and return to school and still retain their college eligibility. No underclassmen rescinded their decision.

Pre-NFL Combine – Super Bowl winner Kansas City will draft last in every round except for any Compensatory picks at the end of Rounds 3 thru 7.

Two Round Mock Draft – 5.0

 1st Round

#           Team              W/L       Pos       Player                          School
1 Chicago (Carolina – 2-15)        QB       Drake Maye                  North Carolina
2 Washington (4-13)                  QB       Jayden Daniels             LSU
3 New England (4-13)                QB       Caleb Williams             Southern Cal
4 Arizona (4-13)                          Edge    Dallas Turner                Alabama
5 Los Angeles Chargers (5-12)   WR       Marvin Harrison Jr         Ohio State
6 New York Giants (6-11)           OT        Olu Fashanu                 Penn State
7 Tennessee (6-11)                     WR       Rome Odunze               Washington
8 Atlanta (7-10)                          WR       Malik Nabers                 LSU
9 Chicago (7-10)                         OT        Joe Alt                         Notre Dame
10 New York Jets (7-10)            OT        Taliese Fuaga               Oregon State
11 Minnesota (7-10)                  DB       Cooper DeJean             Iowa
12 Denver (8-9)                         Edge    Laiatu Latu                    UCLA
13 Las Vegas (8-9)                    TE        Brock Bowers                Georgia
14 New Orleans (9-8)                CB        Terrion Arnold               Alabama
15 Indianapolis (9-8)                OT        Amarius Mims               Georgia
16 Seattle (9-8)                          DL        Jer’Zhan Newton           Illinois
17 Jacksonville (9-8)                  CB        Quinyon Mitchell            Toledo
18 Cincinnati (9-8)                     OT        Troy Fautanu                Washington
19 Los Angeles Rams (10-7)      CB        Nate Wiggins                Clemson
20 Pittsburgh (10-7)                   C     Jackson Powers-Johnson   Oregon
21 Miami (11-6)                            Edge    Jared Verse                        Florida State
22 Philadelphia (11-6)                CB        Kool-Aid McKinstry        Alabama
23 Houston (Cleveland – 11-6)    OT        JC Latham                    Alabama
24 Dallas (12-5)                            OT        Tyler Guyton                    Oklahoma
25 Green Bay (9-8)                     OT        Patrick Paul                     Houston
26 Tampa Bay (9-8)                    CB        Kamari Lassiter              Georgia
27 Arizona (Houston – 9-8)         WR       Troy Franklin                 Oregon
28 Buffalo (11-6)                          CB        Ennis Rakestraw             Missouri
29 Detroit (12-5)                          S          Tyler Nubin                     Minnesota
30 Baltimore (13-4)                    OT        Jordan Morgan             Arizona
31 San Francisco (12-5)             Edge    Chop Robinson              Penn State
32 Kansas City (11-6)                 WR       Keon Coleman               Florida State
 
2nd Round
33         Carolina                         WR       Adonai Mitchell             Texas
34         New England                 DL        Darius Robinson            Missouri
35         Arizona                           LB        Payton Wilson               NC State
36         Washington                   OL        Cooper Beebe               Kansas State
37         NY Giants                      Edge    Chris Braswell                Alabama
38         LA Chargers                  Edge    Bralen Trice                   Washington
39         Tennessee                        S          Kamren Kinchens           Miami (Fl)
40         Washington (Chicago)   OL        Graham Barton          Duke
41         Green Bay (NY Jets)      DT        T’Vondre Sweat           Texas
42         Minnesota                      QB       Michael Penix Jr.          Washington
43         Atlanta                            QB       Bo Nix                              Oregon
44         Las Vegas                      OT        Kingsley Suamataia       BYU
45         Denver                           QB       JJ McCarthy                   Michigan
46         Indianapolis                  DT        Kris Jenkins                  Michigan
47         NY Giants (Seattle)        S          Calen Bullock                Southern California
48         Jacksonville                  DL        Braden Fiske                 Florida State
49         Cincinnati                      WR       Brian Thomas               LSU
50         Phil (New Orleans)         S          Javon Bullard                Georgia
51         Pittsburgh                      WR       Roman Wilson               Michigan
52         LA Rams                        LB        Edgerrin Cooper            Texas A&M
53         Philadelphia                  DL        Leonard Taylor III          Miami (Fl)
54         Cleveland                      WR       Xavier Worthy               Texas
55         Miami                            CB        Kalen King                    Penn State
56         Dallas                            LB        Jeremiah Trotter Jr.       Clemson
57         Tampa Bay                   WR       Ladd McConkey            Georgia
58         Green Bay                    Edge    Jonah Elliss                  Utah
59         Houston                        OT        Javon Foster                 Missouri
60         Buffalo                          WR       Malachi Corley              Western Kentucky
61         Detroit                           OL        Zak Zinter                     Michigan
62         Baltimore                      WR       Tez Walker                   North Carolina
63         San Francisco               DL        Byron Murphy               Texas
64         Kansas City                   S          Cole Bishop                  Utah

NFL Combine 2024 Event Schedule
‘Word on the Street’

Frank Coyle
www.draftinsiders.com

2024 NFL Combine 

The NFL Combine 2024 has opened with the arrival of 321 pro prospects over the next few days for the week-long event. It will be an active week of evaluation of pro prospects who will be broken down to four groups who will stay for 5 days of medical and interview evaluation before measurements, on field drills and bench presses complete their workout. DraftInsiders.com will have several scouts at the event and provide in-depth coverage.  

2024 NFL Scouting Combine Workout and Measurement Schedule

Thursday – 2/29/24
Measurements and On field Drills  – Edge Rushers, Defensive Line and Linebackers
         3 pm – 8 pm – NFL Network
 
Friday – 3/1/24
Measurements & On field Drills – Cornerbacks, Safeties and Tight Ends
  Bench Press – DL & TE
     3 pm – 8 pm – NFL Network
 
Saturday – 3/2/24
Measurements & On field Drills – Quarterbacks, Running Backs and Wide Receivers 
  Bench Press – Defensive Backs
     1 pm – 8 pm – NFL Network
 
Sunday – 3/3/24
Measurements & On field Drills – Running Backs, Offensive Tackles and Interior Offensive Linemen
  Bench Press – QB, RB, & WR
   1 pm – 7 pm – NFL Network
 
Monday, May 4th
Bench Press – Offensive Linemen & Special Teams