Tuesday Morning Pigskin

We are less than two weeks from the NFL Draft, so let’s start this week’s Tuesday Morning Pigskin with some positional group Top 5s plus a “sleeper” pick.

Tuesday Morning Pigskin

TE Group

TYLER WARREN     Penn State     6’6/255

COLSTON LOVELAND       Michigan     6’6/248

MASON TAYLOR        LSU      6’5/250

ELIJAH ARROYO         Miami (F)     6’5/250

TERRANCE FERGUSON      Oregon   6’5/245

Sleeper     HAROLD FANNIN     Bowling Green       6’3/240    

Does not have the prototype pro TE size, nor speed (4.71), but he caught over 100 passes last season. He’s more of an H-B, slot receiver who just has a knack for getting open. 9 1/4″ hands with a 79″ wingspan. Hs many of the same traits as Brock Bowers, but if Bowers was an A-grade receiver last season, then FANNIN might play in the League as a B-grade. He is solid all-around, which he displayed at the Senior Bowl,  and might make a very nice selection in the Pick 90-125 range. 

OT group

WILL CAMPBELL      LSU      6’6/319        

ARMAND MEMBOU        Missouri        6’4/330

JOSH SIMMONS        Ohio State        6’5/317

KELVIN BANKS           Texas  6’5/315

JOSH CONERLY           Oregon

SLEEPER      CHARLES GRANT     William & Mary    

Smaller school guy who added some serious weight to his frame during his college career. Weighed in at Combine. at 6’5/309 and with 34 7/8″ arms, he jumped up from IOL to OT consideration. Ran a decent 5.09/40 and appears to have the foot mobility to move his feet in pass pro.

IOL Group

GREY ZABEL      C/G       North Dakota State       6’6/312

TYLER BOOKER        G           Alabama      6’3/310 

DONOVAN JACKSON     G        Ohio State      6’4/315

JONAH SAVAIINAEA      G/T       Arizona   6’4/340

JARED WILSON       OC        Georgia       6’3/310

Sleeper        MILES FRAZIER    LSU      6’6/317      

Big guy who was impressive all week during Senior Bowl week. His 32  7/8″ arms are just about right for an OG slot in the NFL. And his body looks even bigger than his 317 -weigh in weight. A word often used in describing his playing style is “mauler”. 

Tuesday Morning Draft Tidbits

The biggest news late last week, that will likely affect the Draft next week, was that SAINTS QB DEREK CARR will need surgery on his throwing arm and likely miss the entire 2025 NFL season. CARR sits atop the 2025 Salary Cap list for the  SAINTS with a slightly over  $20-million Cap number. And unless you want to throw in the name of vet TAYSOM HILL, who plays a whole bunch of positions, they do NOT have an experienced vet QB on the roster right now.

I still like Spencer Rattler for the future in New Orleans, but not as their starter in 2025. So does this increase the possibility that the Saints sitting with Pick 9 are more interested in Shedeur Sanders this week than they were last week? If so, might they have to give something to move up to say Pick 4 (trade with New England)?

I would have to think that trading much Draft Capitol to move up 5 spots would be an unpopular idea to many. But GM MICKEY LOOMIS has often traded up to get “his guy,” and I doubt SAINTS fans would be too happy to part with, say, a second-round pick to get up to the Patriots slot. 

What Could the Pats Do?

And why would the PATS trade back? If the first 3 Picks of the Draft are spent on WARD/QB, HUNTER/WR/CB & CARTER/ER, they could possibly trade out, pick OT WILL CAMPBELL/LSU, and get an extra Top 100 Pick in the deal. CAMPBELL would be a solid selection at 9 as they try to rebuild their OL to protect DRAKE MAYE, their young QB. 

But of course, someone else might move up higher to get Shedeur, but the tea leaves right now seem to indicate that the young SANDERS may not be a Top 8 Draftee to very many teams. Remember, every team in the NFL currently holds its own First Round Pick in this Draft. Not one trade of a 2025 First Round Pick has been traded… yet! This development could raise some serious football speculation as we move closer to the Draft.

Other Tuesday Morning Draft Notes

You won’t have to worry about watching this next guy I mention until Day 3 of the Draft. But count me in as one of the folks who think that S RAYUAN LANE of NAVY is in this Draft Class and can likely help an NFL team in the middle of their roster. LANE was in Mobile this past January/February for the Senior Bowl. He showed up for registration in his dress uniform in Mobile. After that, he fit right in out on the playing field in pads. LANE is 5’11/200 and, in addition to playing safety, he also did meaningful work for the Middies as a Gunner on Special Teams. In his NAVY football career, he recorded 244 tackles, had 7 INT, 21 PBU & 8 FF. He looked solid all week in Mobile and is expected to be drafted in the Round 6/7 area. 

An interesting VFA signing in Cleveland last week, when the team welcomed back QB JOE FLACCO for another go-round. I don’t think the team has any starting action in mind for him, but in case of injury to KENNY PICKETT, and as a seasoned vet in the QB room, he could provide some savvy input to whatever young QB might be added to their roster.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL TALK

The biggest news currently running through the college football world appears to be the early divorce between TENNESSEE football’s program and their 5-star QB recruit NICO IAMALEAVA. NICO has been getting paid NIL money since his final season in high school. And as talks dragged on for an adjusted contract extension as he enters his RS Sophomore season, things have gone awry somewhere.

When he failed to show up for the Spring Game, without any warning, the die was cast. The VOLS are moving forward without him. It appears his people may have wanted something above what BECK reportedly got to move on to MIAMI (F) for $ 3 million this season. He had a decent season last year as an RS Freshman, but was far from the upper echelon. The VOLS are moving on, and speculation is that NICO will be transferring soon to a school out on the West Coast where he is from. 

Other Notes

Hey, has anyone heard any updates about AARON RODGERS playing for someone in the NFL this season? Are the STEELERS still waiting on him? Just thought I’d ask ’cause I do NOT watch Pat McAfee at all and I just assume he still has RODGERS on the payroll for his podcasts.

Congratulations to longtime NFL Scout and College football GM DREW FABIANICH being named the new Executive Director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl. I have heard his name occasionally, but what puts him over the top for me is the ringing endorsement from longtime Draftnik friend NEAL STRATTON, who runs the ‘Inside the League’ website and knows his stuff. He says FABIANICH is a knowledgeable NFL guy and a good all-around person. If NEAL says so, then he’s golden to me.

Draft next week, my friends.

Cheers       Pigskin Paul