With the NFL Scouting Mix subsequent week, the league has launched the listing of gamers who will attend the occasion in Indianapolis.
A complete of 329 prospects have been invited to take part on this 12 months’s mix, which might be held from Feb. 24 to March 3.
The quarterbacks, as at all times, might be mentioned closely throughout this 12 months’s mix. At present, Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are the consensus prime two quarterbacks amongst this 12 months’s prospects.
Nonetheless, different gamers are hoping to enhance their draft shares. Let’s take a look at the 5 offensive gamers in Indianapolis to regulate.
TYLER WARREN, TE, PENN STATE
After Brock Bowers’ record-setting rookie marketing campaign with the Raiders, groups with a necessity at tight finish are hoping a participant like Tyler Warren will fall to them within the draft.
At 6-6, 260 kilos, Warren is an enormous tight finish who makes use of his versatility and his great fingers to make performs within the passing recreation. He additionally has the upside of changing into probably the greatest gamers within the league at his place.
Warren has the intelligence to play at numerous offensive spots, together with as an H-back. He additionally has an enormous catch radius, which permits him to make dynamic performs in opposition to a number of sorts of defenders and defensives, together with discovering comfortable spots in zone schemes.
In 16 video games for Penn State final season, Warren registered 104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns.
One in all Warren’s negatives is that he hasn’t performed tight finish lengthy and wishes to enhance his route operating. He has solely performed the place for 4 seasons after being a highschool quarterback in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Nonetheless, this is also considered as a optimistic as a result of Warren has plenty of room to develop each within the passing recreation and due to his lack of consistency in blocking.
A workforce just like the Jets, who might use tight finish assist, makes plenty of sense for Warren. Nonetheless, Gang Inexperienced has plenty of wants coming into free company and will resolve to go on Warren at No. 7 total. However even when that’s the case, Warren will doubtless be a top-15 choice in April’s draft.
JAXSON DART, QB, OLE MISS
There are plenty of quarterback-needy groups, and certainly one of them will choose Jaxson Dart. It’s only a query of when he goes off the draft board.
Some draft analysts have Dart going to the Jets as early as No. 7. Others have him as a second-round choose. However plenty of that has to do together with his uneven play at Ole Miss.
Dart’s above-average arm energy will impress scouts and normal managers. He makes use of that arm expertise to determine quarterback-friendly coverages offensively and get the ball to his receivers. Dart additionally has the athleticism to increase performs and even acquire yards outdoors of the pocket.
For the Rebels final 12 months, Dart handed for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions in 13 video games. He additionally rushed for 495 yards and three touchdowns.
One in all Dart’s crimson flags is that he struggles to make correct throws when defenders are bearing down on him within the pocket. His passing mechanics break down, and Dart tends to make dangerous choices. He additionally holds the ball too lengthy, and within the NFL, quarterbacks must anticipate the place receivers might be and throw to a spot.
Dart has the instruments to be a great beginning quarterback. However after operating Ole Miss’ offense, which isn’t a pro-style system, he’ll want a while to develop as a passer.
MATTHEW GOLDEN, WR, TEXAS
A handful of broad receivers might be first-round picks in April’s draft, and Matthew Golden is amongst that proficient group.
He caught 58 passes and led the Longhorns in receiving yards (987) and receiving touchdowns (9) final season. At 6-0 and practically 200 kilos, Golden is an explosive receiver who can create explosive performs down the sphere at any given time. Not solely is he an elite athlete with unbelievable pace, however Golden can be a terrific route runner who can create separation from defenders together with his footwork.
Drops have been a problem for Golden all through his profession. With a implausible week, Golden might enhance his draft inventory from the top of the primary spherical to the center of the spherical.
OMARION HAMPTON, RB, NORTH CAROLINA
Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty isn’t the one operating again draft analysts ought to talk about. Omarion Hampton additionally has an opportunity to be a first-round choose due to his arduous operating model and his skill to search out open operating lanes.
At 6-0, 220 kilos, Hampton already has NFL operating again dimension. That enables him to interrupt tackles and acquire yards after contact. In 12 video games for the Tar Heels final season, he rushed for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns. Hampton additionally completed with 1,504 yards and 15 touchdowns in the course of the 2023 marketing campaign.
Questions on Hampton’s lack of pace and explosiveness have been raised, which might hold him from being a first-round choose. However with an incredible 40-yard-dash time, Hampton might see his stick soar.
ARMAND MEMBOU, OT, MISSOURI
Armand Membou has all of the instruments to be a first-round choose. It’s only a query of the place he’ll play on the subsequent stage.
Membou was a two-year starter at proper sort out for Missouri. At 6-3, 325, Membou has glorious uncooked energy and vary to maintain go rushers in entrance of him. Final 12 months, he allowed zero sacks. Throughout his three seasons at Missouri, Membou solely allowed three complete sacks.
Some have projected Membou as a guard on the subsequent stage as a result of he has typically been gradual to react to hurry rushers off the sting. However that space might be cleaned up with correct teaching. Nonetheless, count on groups with offensive line wants at both proper sort out or guard to focus on Membou.
