Mock draft 1.0
Pick #14
Devin Lloyd - LB - Utah
Lloyd is a 5th year junior who aligns at LB for Ute defense. He has good athleticism, quickness, and agility. The passing game is an area in which he improved from 2020 to 2021. My initial assessment pegged him as a two-down linebacker, however, he has had some on-the-ball production which has solidified his ability to remain on the field in sub-package situations. In the passing game he can rush from inside or outside, and while he shows some stiffness in space, he can still get depth in his zone drop, come up, and tackle underneath. He has also proven in 2021 that he can get home in pass-rush situations from various alignments. In the run game, he’s a thumper who plays downhill and physical. He has a heavy run lane anchor and has good tackling efficiency in the box. He's a downhill player who is among the nations leader in TFLs. He uses his agility inside to defeat blockers and find the football. He has been productive in the box when he can quickly diagnose the run. On third downs, he has proven that he can remain on the field on passing downs and projects as a productive special teams player if necessary.
Ideal Role: Starting OLB in the NFL
Scheme Fit: 4-3 defense but would progress to suffice in a 3-4 as well.
FILM EVALUATION
Written by Drae Harris
Games watched: Stanford, ASU, SDSU, Arizona
Best Game Studied: ASU, Stanford
Tackling: He has very good tackling ability. Although he has some stiffness, he rarely misses tackles in the box. He has been a high producer against the run this season.
Football IQ: He has good football instincts. This is evidenced in his ability to quickly diagnose run/pass and locate the football. However, there are moments where he hesitates to locate the ball as quickly as you’d like.
Competitive toughness: He plays the game with the competitive toughness required to be successful at the position. He is a physical presence as a tackler in the run game. He also plays hard late in games, showing good emotional endurance in the process.
Pass Coverage: He has proven this season that he can remain on the field in passing downs. He has been productive against the pass this season. He gets good depth in his zone drop and shows awareness with regards to routes entering and exiting his zone.
Run Defender: He is a physical run defender who plays downhill. He has good tackling efficiency in the box and other confined areas. Because of his stiffness, his efficiency as a tackler in space is something to monitor.
Block Deconstruction: His ability to disengage and get to the ball-carrier has been good. He could afford to improve at the point of attack and with his hand usage to have continued success in the NFL.
Lateral Mobility: He shows some stiffness in his game. However, he is a good athlete who also demonstrates his agility when moving laterally through trash. He easily flows to the football.
Flexibility: He has an adequate amount of flexibility. He shows some stiffness in his hips and his ability in space could be hindered in the NFL. He does have enough swivel to avoid blocks inside and get to the football.
Leadership: He is a high-level leader on the football field. He is a captain of the defense. He is also the emotional leader that his teammates look to during adversity.
Versatility: He has an adequate amount of position versatility. Playing covered up would allow him to thrive and would accentuate his strengths of locating the football and getting to the ball-carrier.
Pick 46
Zion Johnson - G - Boston College
Zion Johnson transferred to Boston College after playing at Davidson. It didn’t take long for Johnson to become a starter on a talented Eagles offensive line and he proceeded to start for three seasons. Two of those seasons came at left guard with one at left tackle. I believe his natural position is guard where his aggressive mentality enables him to handle the faster action that comes with playing on the interior. Johnson doesn’t have the ideal length or wide frame to play tackle in the NFL, although he can handle spot duty in a pinch. Johnson is a smart and physical blocker with consistent technique. He plays within himself and is rarely caught with poor posture or poor control of his frame. I believe he is best in pass protection but he’s still an above average run blocker that is comfortable operating in space. Johnson has plug-and-play potential at guard in the NFL and given how consistent his technique is, I would keep him on the left side. He has the makeup of an above average starter that can lock down a starting role at least through a second contract.
Ideal Role: Starting guard
Scheme Fit: Zone run scheme
FILM EVALUATION
Written by Joe Marino
Games watched: Virginia Tech (2019), NC State (2019), Clemson (2019), Duke (2020), Notre Dame (2020), Missouri (2021), Clemson (2021), Virginia Tech (2021)
Best Game Studied: Virginia Tech (2021)
Worst Game Studied: Duke (2020)
Competitive Toughness: Brings an aggressive and physical mentality to the table and is always looking to finish blocks and set the tone up front. His play demeanor and temperament are exactly what the NFL is looking for. He continually looks for work and competes through the whistle.
Balance: Johnson features a bit of a narrow build but rarely is he easily displaced or out of control. He does well to play with leverage and stay square to blocks. He has terrific control working laterally and in space.
Anchor Ability: Johnson handles the bull rush on the interior and is stout when it comes to setting the depth of the pocket. His ability to leverage his hips and bow his back while remaining in control is impressive while he continues to battle for hand placement to control reps. I did not witness any issues with opponents playing through him during my exposures.
Lateral Mobility: Johnson’s ability to work laterally shines in Boston College’s zone-heavy rushing attack. He has no issues sliding his feet and quickly redirecting his weight in tight spaces. He takes good angles and showcases the ability to reach block and get to aggressive landmarks because of his easy lateral movement skills.
Power at POA: Johnson has above average power, which I find to be most notable in situations where his opponent gets into his frame but Johnson is still able to maintain his ground while competing to place his hands and control the rep. He recovers well often because of his powerful core and firm hands. Whether it’s absorbing power and anchoring or generating movement in the run game, Johnson has the functional strength needed to execute.
Hand Technique: Johnson is aggressive and consistent with his hands and often wins reps by quickly placing and latching his hands by winning with first contact. He does vary his strikes and there is a united relationship between his hands and feet. His grip strength makes it hard for opponents to find success displacing his hands.
Football IQ: How quickly Johnson made the transition from Davidson to Boston College and forced his way into the lineup speaks to his football intelligence and ability to acclimate. There is a natural sense of timing in how Johnson executes his assignments. Johnson understands his technique, trusts it, and is rarely guilty of penalties.
Versatility: Johnson has two seasons of experience at Boston College playing left guard and one at left tackle. His best position is on the interior but he can play tackle in a pinch if necessary. Johnson is a natural fit in a zone rushing scheme but also holds his own with gap concepts. While he’s best in pass protection, Johnson is a balanced blocker that finds success in the run game and operating in space.
Pass Sets: Johnson’s one season at left tackle was beneficial in securing his pass sets, which improved notably in 2021. He is comfortable framing blocks and staying square. The Boston College offense features plenty of pro concepts, which will be an asset for Johnson in his transition and what he’ll be tasked with at the next level.
Flexibility: Johnson features an impressive ability to hinge, pivot, and redirect, which often shows up when he’s uncovered in pass protection. He is springy when it comes to lateral mobility and I’ve never come away from studying a rep thinking Johnson had concerning stiffness. His ability to bow his back and absorb is highly impressive.
Prospect Comparison: Elgton Jenkins (2019 NFL Draft, Green Bay Packers)
Pick 78
Max Mitchell - LT/RT - Louisiana
Max Mitchell is a former 2-star recruit that has been a key contributor for the Ragin’ Cajun program since his freshman year. Over his career at ULL, Mitchell has managed to contribute/start in more than 40 games. Following his junior year, Mitchell was named to the All-Sun-Belt second team. Although Mitchell plays at a smaller school, ULL has competed at a high level and even spent time in the Top 25. During his time at ULL, Mitchell was able to get experience playing good competition, competing against Power 5 programs like Texas and Iowa State—Mitchell played well in both games. Mitchell is an athletic tackle that can get great depth on his pass set to beat defenders to the point. Mitchell also has good lateral movement and can mirror pass rushers when they attempt counter moves and change direction. While Mitchell has good lower lateral movement and ability to redirect, he lacks upper-body strength, which affects his ability to quickly anchor against defenders who are attempting to convert speed to power. Mitchell shows athletic traits that translate to the NFL, but his success will be determined by his ability to gain upper-body strength to not only be able to effectively block speed rushers but also rushers who have an element of power in their game.
Ideal Role: LT or RT
Scheme Fit: Zone run blocking scheme / excels in pass protection in any scheme
FILM EVALUATION
Written by Keith Sanchez
Games watched: Iowa State (2020), Texas (2021), Troy (2021), South Alabama (2021)
Best Game Studied: Texas (2021)
Worst Game Studied: Iowa State (2021)
Balance: Mitchell possesses really good balance that is shown in both pass protection and in the run game. In pass protection, he does a good job re-gathering himself when there is unexpected contact from stunts and twists. As a run blocker, he shows good balance in his ability to effectively climb to second-level defenders under control.
Pass Sets: This is Mitchell’s best trait. Mitchell has good reactionary athleticism to mirror the initial and counter moves of pass rushers. He gets good depth in his pass sets, so he can beat defenders to the spot and it allows for him to be in position and get prepared for contact. Mitchell shows to be an advanced pass protector and seems comfortable while in pass protection.
Competitive Toughness: Mitchell is a high-level competitor in both the run game and as a pass protector. In the run game, Mitchell works to finish blocks and will make the effort to stick with his blocks throughout the duration of the play. In pass protection, Mitchell fights to hang in there on blocks and will contour his body in unorthodox ways to hang on to the last second to finish a block.
Lateral Mobility: Mitchell is an exceptional athlete moving laterally. Mitchell keeps good knee bend and a solid base that allows him to plant and redirect laterally. In pass protection, Mitchell does a great job mirroring defenders to stay in front of them and maintain his block.
Length: This player has good length that he can use to his advantage in multiple different ways. Mitchell uses his arm length to engage with defenders in pass protection and stop them in their pass rush. He also uses his arm length to reach defenders in the run game and cut defenders off.
Football IQ: At ULL, Mitchell has played both LT and RT, which shows that he has a good understanding of protections. Mitchell was good at picking up stunts and blitzes in pass protection.
Hand Technique: Mitchell showed to have precise hand placement when engaging with defenders. He was intentional with his hands and often was able to properly place his hands on the inside chest plate of defenders at initial contact. Mitchell was also good at resetting his hands if they started to fall outside of the target zone.
Anchor Ability: This is an aspect of Mitchell’s game that needs improvement and I believe it's centered around his ability to get stronger. When defenders convert speed to power on Mitchell, he gives up ground into the pocket. It often takes him a while to regather himself and make the effort to anchor himself in pass protection.
Power At POA: At the point of attack, Mitchell does a good job with his initial contact; he just lacks the overall strength to continue to impact the defender. After the initial contact, Mitchell lacks the overall strength to drive defenders off the ball and generate movement on the line of scrimmage. Mitchell has a lean frame and needs to add more strength to his game to be able to dominate the point of attack.
Versatility: Mitchell has the length and athleticism to play multiple positions along the offensive line. At ULL, Mitchell has played both LT and RT at a high level. In traditional offenses, Mitchell's skill set lends itself to him being a better LT than RT due to his lack of strength to be a dominant run blocker.
Pick 102
Kerby Joseph - S - Illinois
