Barmore is exactly what you'd expect from an Alabama DL. A more agile than powerful rusher, Barmore has quick feet, bendy knees, and fluid lateral movement. He shows explosiveness off the line and quick directional change. Unfortunately, he suffers from Aaron Donald syndrome, often getting doubled or tripled covered. Barmore's only nitpick is his playing strength, where he could afford to bulk up a bit. Barmore will likely be a late day 1 or early day 2 pick. He will be the best IDP asset in a situation with other elite rushers to draw coverage.

Togiai plays a different pass rush game than Barmore. Rather than explosive speed, Togiai rushes with pure power. He get leverage on blockers and uses strong arm and hand rips to get free. While he only had one year of elite college production, he was constantly doubled on the DL. Togiai is a great defender in early down rushing situations. He should be an immediate starter, where the only potential red flag is his tendency to get caught up on blocks.

Levi O (we're rolling with the Albert O method here) is an incredible athlete who provides serious pressure in the middle of the DL. In college, he was a lethal run stopper and even blocked a few punts on special teams. He has good quickness and leverage, and as a result, wins most 1 on 1 matchups. Levi O is not much of a pass rusher, and needs to bulk up if he wants to secure himself a starting role in the NFL. He commands double teams all the time, with explosive disruption.

Tufele is an explosive athlete. He's quick off the line and plays with great leverage and pad level. His biggest asset on film is his aggressiveness, as he tries to be as disruptive a player as possible. In the pass game, he sometimes loses leverage, and can get defeated by a single blocker. Tufele sometimes loses track of the ball while hand fighting and can bite on fakes. If he gains a bit of power at the next level, he can be a starter. Tufele most likely won't put up large IDP numbers right away.

Nixon is a prospect who had incredible development this past year, and could likely see more interest from NFL teams than anticipated. He has all the physical tools to do well at the next level: burst, quick feet, fluid lateral movement, and strong hands. He plays smart football too, using his burst to shoot gaps in the run game, and keeps his eyes up to bat passes. He is by no means a finished prospect, but is arguably the highest ceiling defender in this draft, and his growth potential could see him as a full time starter at some point this season.

Shelvin is a big player, and he plays like a big player. He shows a lot of power to collapse the pocket, and is a dominant run stopper. He knows when to get off his block and engage a ball carrier, then wrap up and finish the tackle. Shelvin's size is also his downfall: he struggles to follow plays outside the box and will tire quickly trying to keep up with RBs and the mobile QBs that we're seeing more and more of. Shelvin will likely be purely an early down run defender, and will probably not be a relevant IDP asset for this reason.

We see Phillips as the best edge rusher in this class, which doesn't have a true 'alpha' rusher. He is lengthy and incredibly athletic and beats offenses with his speed and power. In the run game, Phillips has a quick, fluid feet where he uses jab steps to get tackles off balance, and a lethal swim move to get prevent plays from getting outside. Because of this aggressiveness, he rarely (if ever) has to spend time hand fighting with the OL. He switches up his pass rushing methods during the game to keep tackles guessing and exploit their weaknesses. The only concern is that with his high risk-high reward playstyle, he could get burned by mobile QBs up the middle. Phillips will likely end up with late day 1 draft capital. He should be a stud at the next level and produce significant sack and TFL numbers for IDP scoring.

Ojulari has great speed for his size. His best asset is fantastic launch from the snap, where he shoots upfield like a rocket ship. He has won by either taking this upfield and coming in from the side on a deep drop, or readjusting and plowing through the tackle who stood in his way as Azeez comes back inside. His best comp is a freight train, he gets up to speed very quickly and his size makes him hard to stop. I see a fairly productive rusher, whos normally a late 1st, early 2 pick that benefits from a lack of depth in this class.

Paye is an extremely athletic edge rusher, with his best trait being his athleticism. He's won both inside and outside at Michigan, seemingly favoring a strong arm with a rip move following. He'll need more than that in his development as a rusher. Even when engaged in blocks on the inside, he's able to throw himself free, and a single arm on the RB can bring them down. Punched out a few fumbles, smart in his tackling. Has good speed in pursuit. Paye is a bit of a project to reach his full ceiling, but is worth a later 1st round NFL pick on that upside. Likely not a huge IDP producer in year 1.

Ossai is a rare athlete that is still learning how to use his abilities, and was moved around formations in college, playing both edge and off-ball LB. He is explosive and sudden and can cover large areas of the field. He is a dynamic playmaker that needs to be game planned for. Ossai plays with power and shows the ability to punch out balls and create turnovers. He does show some weakness in his football knowledge, but should improve with more reps: he is raw in coverage and is still learning how to diagnose run schemes. He will be a high upside pick and will likely be a day 2 pick, but could sneak into the late 1st. The potential is nice for IDP, but he's not worth prioritizing in drafts.

Oweh is the most athletically gifted player at edge rusher, maybe in the entire draft class. His 40 time from the pro day is not a gimmick, he's that athletic. Winning with speed and explosiveness, he can generate pressure and is excellent in pursuit. The only red flag was a lack of sack production in college, but he generated a high amount of pressures and hits. Until a sack number starts to go up, he likely will not be an IDP factor. However, he's very new to the game of football alone, so a good defensive mind can make him the best edge rusher in this class instantly. Worth the dart throw.

Basham is a defender that checks all the boxes that NFL franchises are looking for. He is physical, fast, and above all, instinctual. He doesn't win his 1 on 1's with burst and fluidity, but instead with power, technique, and taking smart angles. Basham needs to work on his initial jump on the snap, and should put on some muscle if he wants to be a game changing rusher in the NFL. He will likely be a day 2 pick, and won't immediately contribute as an IDP asset, but will be an excellent draft value for the team who takes the chance on him.

The first thing that stand out about Rousseau is how athletic he is for his size. He stands at 6'7", 265lbs but that size doesn't seem to slow him down, as he has quick feet and insane closing speed on tackles. While his speed is clear on film, Rousseau's strength leaves something to be desired given his size, and he sometimes gets caught and slowed down by blocks. He put up eye-popping numbers before opting out, but is still raw in his technical skills and since he only started playing DL in college after switching from WR/S. He is more of a project than some of the other rushers in this class outside of Jason Oweh, but arguably has some of the highest upside.

Quincy Roche was productive in college, but comes with small size and subpar speed. As a defender, he is more of an all-around player than a pure edge rusher. He shows impressive instincts and football IQ, and stays with his assignment through the play. Roche is more of a technician than a super athletic pass rusher, and will be effective in all facets of play in the NFL. Expect him to earn modest draft capital, likely early day 2, and to make an initial impact on special teams before potentially earning a rotational or starting role.

Toney was often overlooked at Penn State, with teams keying on Yetur Gross-Matos or super athlete Jason Oweh. Despite his size and average athleticism, Toney can be a superb pass rusher. His whole game centers around his technique: he is fast off the line, shows good instincts shooting through gaps, has strong hands, and can easily twist around blockers. It is truly is high motor and effort that makes him a great rusher. Toney is underrated in this draft class, and could end up being the best of the bunch if he puts on weight at the next level. Definitely worth a late round dart throw for the high sack ceiling.

Jones is an explosive rusher who attacks with a lot of speed, burst, and aggressiveness. He reads plays well and has the short area speed to chase down ball carriers laterally or down the field. He is undersized though, and can get stood up by larger blockers or even by strong RBs in the run game. The biggest note about Jones is his scheme fit: he's only every played in 4-3. Any team that drafts him should be aware of this, and it could lead to some problems with him seeing the field due to his lack of versatility.

Tryon put up great numbers as a sophomore before opting out in 2020. He shows a lot of burst and straight line speed, which is expected given his slightly smaller frame for an edge rusher. Tryon shows good body control and agility, and effectively uses his hands to get around blocks. He can often get overpowered 1 on 1 due to his size, and will need to bulk up before he will be NFL ready. He will likely be a project player but may get some rotational snaps if he impresses during camp.

After getting sidelined with an injury in 2019, Weaver became a dominant force on the Pitt defense in 2020. On film, Weaver plays to his size. He has a lot of length that he effectively uses to clog up entire lanes along the perimeter. Weaver shows some inconsistencies in his play process, and sometimes bites on play fakes. Despite his quick first step and strong hand fighting, Weaver sometimes raises his pad level and can get caught off balance. Weaver profiles as a rotational rusher in the NFL, and will likely have little IDP value.

Perkins is slightly undersized, but makes up for it with burst and aggressive hand manipulation. He easily outmatches tackles that can't compete with his speed, and can adjust his rush angle easily to avoid double teams. Perkins gives good effort but may have problems adjusting to the run game at the NFL level. Another potential issue is the inability to deploy an effective counterattack when stopped turning the corner. He will be a developmental player and will need to show more variety in his technique and more discipline in the run game.

The biggest part of Rashed's game that pops out on film is his mobility and flexibility. He can bend around blockers and explode to the QB with impressive closing speed. He is not a powerful rusher, but is more refined, and plays with fluidity. Rashed will need to show some improvement in his technique and creativity using his hands, as he can struggle to get off blocks. With some pro coaching, he could turn into a solid, if unexciting starter in the NFL.

If you want to see Micah parson's ceiling, watch the Cotton Bowl vs Memphis. He was dominant, and his importance was totally shown through Penn State's defensive collapse in 2020. Parsons is an athletic freak who can run with anyone, while also being massive (6'2" 225). His best role will be in a defense that lets him attack the line of scrimmage, and blitzes. He can generate pressure as a pass rusher, and RBs will struggle with him. Turnover maker, and extremely smart with anticipation. Parson's IDP value is immense, you need to get him now before he takes off. Whether you are rewarded for tackles or big plays, Parsons will be a great add.

Don't fade JOK because he lacks the classic size of an NFL LB. He has incredible instincts for finding the ball and shows explosive effort to bring down ball carriers. He just looks as if he's playing a different speed than everyone else. He has great lateral movement, and shows a similar skillset to Jeremy Chinn as far as dropping back in coverage. The only nitpick is that he can struggle against 1-on-1 blockers. JOK will work best in a rush-heavy offense on a team that will not pigeonhole him into a traditional LB role. He is a high-ceiling IDP prospect and should be a day 1 starter. Draft him confidently for immediate production, especially in big play heavy leagues.

Collins is a big linebacker, and he plays big. As a 3 year starter in college, he pops off the screen as an incredible pass rusher and uses his size to beat defenders on blocks fairly easily. He can provide immediate impact , but is far better run stopping and pass rushing than he is in pass coverage, where he can occasionally get caught out of position. He should be an immediate playmaker in any IDP league, providing points for tackles and big plays. His best fit is in a defense with a versatile scheme that allows him to show off his skillset.

Jamin Davis came out of nowhere and rocketed up draft boards this year. Despite his single year of production, he is a well rounded and shows solid skillset in pass coverage, and exceptional ability in run defense. He plays aggressively and has a nose for the football, but on film, shows average playing speed. While I think we have yet to see his ceiling, he has the ability to become a legitimate NFL starter. His skillset should catch the eye of NFL decision makers, as his range and long speed is ideal for the pass-happy direction the league is moving towards.

After playing some QB for UNC in 2017 and 2018, Surratt transitioned to LB and was phenomenal in 2019, earning all-ACC honors. On film, Surratt plays to his size, and shows impressive mobility and physicality. He's not especially large and can have trouble tackling large ball carriers, opting instead to drag down runners. He is a consistent playmakers and a complete 3 down LB, but it still shows on film that he's new to the position. He's not an elite athlete, but has starting upside and IDP value as a late rounder.

Browning peaked early in his career at OSU, flashing streaks of dominance his sophomore season. He is a dynamic athlete, and was known for making splash plays. He suffered from a bit of regression, yet still explosive on film with impressive lateral speed, burst, and power to punch the ball out when tackling to force fumbles. However, he is streaky and showed some questionable instincts in coverage. In order for him to be a legit NFL starter, he must use his elite athleticism and reach his ceiling every game. If not, he will be relegated to backup rather quickly. He will be a low floor, high ceiling IDP prospect. His test numbers were off the charts.

Bolton was a first year starter and immediate impact player for Missouri. While he may not have the big play upside for other LBs in this class, he is a solid prospect who improved every year. His biggest strength is his natural ability in zone coverage: he is quick to read and diagnose passes across the middle. Bolton takes the fastest angle to cut off passes and shows tremendous lateral speed. He will need some work shooting gaps to create pressure. Bolton profiles as a starting MLB in the NFL, and will provide high tackle numbers, and maybe a few interceptions. His best fit is a team that runs heavy zone defense.

Cox is a tad smaller that the typical LB. He plays smart, efficient football, and his game is very disciplined. Cox is incredible in coverage and thrives in space, where he knows his assignments, makes good reads, and takes solid angles to the ball. His athleticism shows on film, where he has great fluidity and agility, and rarely gets caught out of position downfield. He needs to get a bit stronger and work on his run defense, 1 on 1 rushing, and contact balance. He can start immediately and plays similarly to Isaiah Simmons, but will most likely not provide the production needed for IDP relevancy.

While Moses had an uncharacteristic down year, he has a lot of experience and comes from Alabama, who is known to produce quality LBs. He is a very disciplined LB with incredible ball radar. He commands a defense as good as any defenders in the NFL, and makes sure his team does not bite on fakes. What pops on film is the power with which Moses tackles. He can completely embarrass ball carriers with powerful (but sometimes reckless) tackles, and they go down quickly. Sometimes he over relies on power and doesn't wrap up runners, and will fall due to showing less explosiveness after a 2019 injury. If he can get back that lost step, expect him to be an IDP bargain.

Warner's athleticism should get him a roster spot headed into the season. Whether he sees the field or not will be up to how much opportunity teams give him with draft capital. He is underrated and has transformed his game to a full 3 down skillset. Warner could have day 2 draft capital, and will look to initially earn a part time role, and eventually work that into more playing time. He is worth a dart throw, with the upside of a permanent IDP starter.

KJ Britt turned some heads with his game knowledge at the Senior Bowl. He is effective in run stopping, and plays as more of a game manager on defense. He sells out to defend the run, but shows some weakness in coverage. He does not have the athleticism to chase down ball carriers or cut off routes. Britt plays intelligently and does not bite on fakes, but doesn't have the speed to back it up. He will likely be a backup and the next level with minimal IDP value.

Monty Rice is a decent LB, but has been overshadowed by teammate and OLB Ojulari. He plays reactively rather than proactively, often using his short area burst as an advantage when closing on the ball. He is slightly undersized but shows solid speed. He lacks the typical length of a LB, but has shown he can be effective and versatile in any scheme. Rice can struggle to get off blocks. He will likely be backup or high-value special teamer.

McGrone was forced into action by injuries as a red shirt freshman, and never let up on the starting role. He only has 15 starts, so we don't have a clear idea of his floor and ceiling yet. He was used primarily in blitzing schemes, and is powerful in his rushing and run stoppage. McGrone shows toughness and willingness to go head to head with linemen. He does not have a lot of experience in coverage and has not shown the ability to chase down ball carriers, which could cap his tackle numbers. He will likely end up as a special teams player.

Jevon Holland is an extremely versatile safety who should immediately be an impact starter at the NFL level. He's shown everything you want in a safety, the ability to step up and defend runners, the ability to rush the passer and cause pressure, and being able to cover in 1:1 situations. Was a ball hawk for Oregon, he's able to win contested catches himself. He has returned punts before, Holland is an all-around safety who does everything well. Will definitely be a good piece in an IDP secondary. Best safety in this class.

Pronounced MARE-ig, Moehrig is a tough case at safety. He's an elite athlete that has no fear in coming up to the line of scrimmage to make plays. He also has great game sense in predicting a lot of screens before they happen, which he drives on and makes backfield tackles. Sometimes it's a bit reckless in tackling, but I'd rather see him going after ball carriers than sitting back, so not a big issue. Another ball-hawk, he seemed to consistently come away with turnovers, 7 picks and 2 forced fumbles during his time as a Horned Frog. Likely a late day 1/early day 2 draft pick, Moehrig is an aggressive safety that will score a lot of IDP points, and will likely start right away.

I like Hufanga as an NFL starting safety. He seems to be athletically superior on the field. He tackles like a linebacker with an incredibly low frame, and has also demonstrated his ability to rush the passer with 6.5 sacks in college. He generated 4 interceptions in 2020 as well. Hufanga is a more physical safety who seems to love contact. He's an IDP buy at the safety position, no matter the format.

Nasirildeen is a do-it-all safety with tremendous athleticism. He plays smart, generates turnovers, and isn't afraid to drive forward and attack the LOS. Tearing his ACL in 2019 will likely hurt his draft stock, but he should be a starting defensive back in the NFL, and will be a nice day 2 addition to the team that takes on the injury risk (although I'm not bothered by it). His versatility will give a creative DC an excellent chess piece.

Grant was a favorite of mine from the Senior Bowl. He seemed like a lock-down coverage corner, shutting down Kadarius Toney. He's a ball hawk and likely projects as a free safety. 10 interceptions and 17 pass defenses proves that ability. Grant likely won't have much value in the tackling department, but should be a good add in big-play heavy IDP formats.

Cisco is a versatile safety who's only real weakness is over-aggressiveness. He can play anywhere in coverage, and can defend the run. He moves well with above average athleticism. I see him as a rotational piece at the NFL level to start, but with a little bit of patience and experience, he could become a great starter for an NFL safety unit.

Johnson is better at coverage than in the run. He's a ball hawk who used to play slot cornerback, which gives him excellent ability to play man. As a safety, he was used a lot over the top, and likely projects as a nickel defender at the NFL level due to the lack in run-stopping ability. The physicality is there, but its inconsistent and he doesn't rely on sound fundamentals. With the NFL's movement toward passing heavy offenses, he should fit well but for IDP fantasy purposes, not so much.

Ford is a hard-hitting tackle machine. Racked up 136 in his 3 years at Pitt, but is most notable for his highlight hits. Sometimes it feel like he's trying to blow through the ball carrier instead making a technically sound tackle (but has demonstrated he can). I'm not sure how much he's going to play from the start, but leagues that prioritize tackling, have Ford on your radar.

Surtain is the unanimous CB1 in this year's draft and will likely be a top 10 pick and see the field immediately. He is a very disciplined defender, willing to fight receivers off the line and throughout their entire route. He tracks throws well and shows fluid hips to adjust to change in direction. Surtain also has great burst and speed to cut off short routes and close on runners. The only nitpicks in his game is his tendency to give the WR space off the line, and the occasional let-up on deeper routes. Expect Surtain to play immediately, but be a sub-par fantasy asset as every CB1 is, due to the fact that opposing QBs rarely challenge them.

Surtain and Horn are basically in a 1A-1B situation. Horn has a few more holes in his game, but has a higher ceiling. Horn is elite in press coverage, and has the build and aggressiveness to compete with even the best WRs at the catch point. He exhibited a ton of improvement and top-notch ball skills this past year. His ceiling is probably the highest of these CBs, but he may have some issues transitioning to the NFL. The biggest red flag is missed open-field tackles that show up on tape. He also tends to try to predict routes or leave his backpedal early, leading to more separation for the WR. However, he has the ability to fight with WRs and even win interceptions over top of them. He's been tested against the SEC's best and showed up every time. His confidence will translate well when facing off against the NFL's best. These are technical issues that can be fixed, but Horn's ability to be a shutdown cannot be understated, and will be drafted as such.

Caleb Farley, while CB3 in this class, is arguably the most complete prospect for the time being. He is fairly new to the position after playing QB in high school and WR to begin his college career. His ball skills and speed are incredible, even when backpedaling. Farley tracks receivers' hips well and shows impressive physicality at the catch point. He occasionally loses his assignment and does not show the instincts of a seasoned CB, which is expected for someone new to the position, but these are fixable. The one concern that would cause Farley to fall are injuries: he suffered a non-contact torn ACL in 2017, and suffered back spasms and subsequent surgery this past year. Farley will ultimately be a good NFL corner, but it might not happen immediately.

Asante Samuel was the lone bright spot on the Seminoles defense. While one knock on him is that he's slightly undersized (height challenged), he plays like he's larger and has similar ability to Denzel Ward. He is a physical corner who challenges receivers and turns his head to find the ball, but has a tendency to use his hands to make up for his height, leading to PI calls. He is a fantastic, athletic defender who will likely end up playing the slot due to mismatch issues at the NFL level.

The things that stand out about Newsome are his body control and his aggressiveness. He is fluid while flipping his hips and backpedaling. The ability to ball track and attack the ball in the air may be the best of any CBs in this class. He's not afraid to get physical and battle with WRs in contested catch situations. The only knock on him is durability, as he's never played a full season. The NFL team that takes him without regard for injuries will likely be getting a legit perimeter corner at a 2nd round cost.

Stokes may have the best measurables and testing results of all the CBs in this class. He is aggressive playing the ball, and hand fights well (maybe a bit too much) with receivers. Stokes is excellent when playing while turned around, and plays smartly as to not draw PIs. He can get faked by routes, and doesn't have the best short area burst, so he will work best in a primarily zone scheme. Another issue is that Stokes can get turned around trying to flip his hips following receivers, which is something that will need to be fixed for him to be a legit CB1. Expect him to start as a teams CB2.

Melifonwu is an interesting prospect at CB. He has all the tools NFL franchises look for: length, short area speed, and physicality. He takes smart angles to cut off routes and tackles hard. However, he seems to lack speed and hip fluidity in his backpedal. I believe that his best fit in the NFL is as a safety (hot take?) as he has a very similar skillset to Tyrann Matthieu. His route anticipation isn't great, but for a CB, he has the uncanny ability to read a backfield and stop the run. He could be a multi-tool for a defense and should put up decent tackle numbers even at CB.

Molden is undersized for a CB at only 5'10" but this shouldn't be a problem given he will primarily be used as a nickel slot. He may have the best coverage instincts in the CB class. He shows fantastic acceleration and suddenness to close diagnose and close on routes. He uses his knowledge of the game to offset his lack of game speed, but don't let the speed deter you, it isn't what makes him good. Molden has the potential to be an elite slot CB in the NFL, and should put up solid IDP numbers given his ability to read the run game as well.