Former Washington head coach Jay Gruden studies Jayden Daniels' gametape at LSU and explains why he thinks the Commanders must select the Heisman winner with the number two overall pick in the NFL Draft.

The 2024 NFL Draft is getting close, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information. 

Here's our report on Leonard Taylor.

Leonard Taylor 2024 NFL Combine RESULTS

• Height: 6-foot-3 ½
• Weight: 303 pounds
• 40-yard dash: 5.12 seconds
• 10-yard split: 1.76 seconds
• 20-yard shuttle: Did Not Perform
• Vertical jump: 30"
• Broad jump: 9'1"
• Arm length: 33 ⅞"

Leonard Taylor 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Consistently played with good balance and body control playing off and through contact. Good athlete for defensive tackle.
• Reps where he showed heavy hands in the six- to 10-inch area off the ball shocking offensive linemen and initially driving them back.
• Showed strength, power and explosion off the ball getting underneath and inside the offensive line, controlling the rep.
• Pass rush snaps where he timed his hand usage actively to defeat hand strikes of the offensive guard. Strong club move.
• Quickness off the snap a foundation of his game. Gap penetrator with an effective arm-over move to clear offensive line.
• Desirable combination as an inside pass rusher of active, effective hand use and coordinated lateral foot quicks.
• Showed the athletic and movement traits and the effective hand use to develop into a strong inside pass rusher.
• 2022 tape showed the ability to win both as a 2-gap defensive tackle controlling and displacing and a 1-gap defensive tackle penetrating gaps.
• In 2023, run-game snaps showed strength and power to play off contact and stay balanced to make plays.
• Showed contact strength to control and displace offensive linemen. Has the needed strength to deconstruct blocks and find the ball.

WEAKNESSES

• At times, showed a tendency to be a beat late off the ball — needs to get that cleaned up to maximize his traits.
• There were reps (not many) where he came off the ball a little high, negating both his quickness and power.
• Must continue to work on defeating 1-on-1 blocks inside. Showed needed traits, but must do so more often.
• Needs to work on playing off contact when he physically wins off the ball. Must learn to control and displace.
• In 2023, got eaten up and displaced by a lot of double teams in the run game. Must play with more point-of-attack strength.
• Did not see the same quickness off the ball and the confined-space short-stroke power that he showed in 2022.
• Showed tendency to play too tall and too upright off the ball, negatively affecting quickness and strength.
• Did not see any kind of calculated pass-rush plan once he initially engaged with the offensive line. Too often, got stuck.

NFL TRANSITION

Taylor did not look like the same player on his 2023 tape as he did on his 2022 tape, and there were some valid reasons for that beyond just some flaws and concerns with his game.

In 2022, his best tape came as a 1-gap penetrator, showing excellent quickness off the ball with plus athleticism, balance and body control. My sense was he could project and transition to the next level as a 3-technique defensive tackle in a 4-man even defensive front.

In 2023, Taylor not only looked heavier than he did in 2022 — playing too high with little quickness and power off the snap — but he played far more snaps as a 2-gap defensive tackle with significant reps at 0-technique. I don’t believe that is the best way to maximize his physical traits.

Watching the tape, I believe Taylor needs to lose weight (probably a meaningful amount) and look to get back to being the more explosive off-the-ball, 1-gap defensive tackle that he flashed far more often in 2022. We know he can do because we saw it (e.g., a sack vs. Temple in 2023 that was a strong snapshot of how Taylor can be aligned at 3-technique and where he showed an effective arm-over move).

Taylor will not be an easy projection to the next level given that his 2023 tape was not strong overall despite some flashes that showed his traits. But his 2022 tape showed a much stronger prospect who could win with both off-the-ball quickness as a 1-gap defensive tackle and the contact strength to control and displace as a 2-gap defensive tackle.

The traits are there in Taylor’s body, with the question being: How do you best get them out of him so he can become a quality NFL defensive tackle? There is no easy solution to that.

OTHER NOTES

Taylor came out of Miami Palmetto High School as a 5-star recruit and the top-rated defensive tackle in the nation.

In 2022 and 2023, Taylor lined up in multiple defensive tackle positions in Miami’s defensive fronts — including 3-technique and 0-technique.

In 2023, Taylor played more snaps at 1-technique and 0-technique and overall he played more snaps as a head-up defensive lineman rather than a gap defensive tackle. There were third-down snaps where he was deployed as a standup Joker in the middle of the defensive front. 

The 2024 NFL Draft is getting close, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information. 

Here's our report on Tyler Davis.

Tyler Davis 2024 NFL Combine RESULTS

• Height: 6-foot-2
• Weight: 301 pounds
• 40-yard dash: 5.02 seconds
• 10-yard split: 1.72 seconds
• 20-yard shuttle: 5.00 seconds
• Vertical jump: 28.5"
• Broad jump: 9'0"
• Arm length: 31 ⅜"

Tyler Davis 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Excellent athlete for defensive tackle position. Showed mobility and lateral quickness to make pursuit plays outside the box.
• Played with good balance and body control in addition to strength and power. Consistently moved interior offensive linemen.
• Point-of-attack strength to stalemate and split double teams in the run game. Strong lower half to maintain gap integrity.
• Sudden quickness and burst off the ball. Light, nimble feet for his body type with an explosive feel to his movement.
• Ripped through blocks in confined space with his explosiveness off the ball and the pop and power in his hands.
• Showed both power bull rush and hand usage to play off contact. Effective club and arm-over move to clear offensive guard.
• Rushed quarterback from wide defensive tackle alignment with quickness and velocity off the ball and hand usage and arm extension.
• Would be effective as a middle defensive lineman in loaded fronts with his speed and velocity conversion to power vs. offense guard.
• Effective as penetrator in T/E stunts. Able to split offensive guard and offensive tackle and create pressure on the quarterback. Strong and quick.
• Quickness and explosiveness to everything he does. Active, violent hands and live, agile feet constantly in motion.
• In 2023, showed 2-gap ability using hands and arms to control and play off of offensive linemen blocks to make plays in the run game.
• Again saw confined-space strength to work through double teams and combo blocks to make run-game plays.
• Flashed an effective rip move as an inside pass rusher that allowed him to work the edges and clear the offensive guard.

WEAKNESSES

• Not as big as you’d ideally like for an NFL defensive tackle (0-technique and 1-technique). Short arms would also be a concern.
• Can get eaten up inside by double-team blocks in the run game. Needs to get better stalemating and defeating.
• Would not be seen as an inside pass rusher at the next level but as a base-defense defensive tackle who could play in odd or even fronts.

NFL TRANSITION

Davis has a specific traits profile that will project his transition to the next level as base-defense defensive tackle much in the way that Derrick Nnadi made the transition when he came out of Florida State to the Kansas City Chiefs as a third-round pick in the 2018 draft. Davis has lighter feet and is a better inside pass rusher than Nnadi, which could present a slightly different projection, especially as teams look at what Davis could become in two to three years with coaching and experience.

Davis was quick and explosive off the snap at times looking sudden and twitchy in his movement for an interior DL and his first step juice to attack and penetrate gaps and be effective on slants and inside stunts (which Clemson featured) consistently showed up on film, Davis showed excellent bend and flexibility for a DT with his stout body type and he was able to re-direct and change direction with efficient lateral mobility;

He was more of an athletic inside defensive tackle than a power force player (although that was there on his tape), but it is not likely he will be seen especially early in his career as a sub-front pass rusher. However, I believe he can develop into a quality inside pass rusher with him having shown many flashes on tape.

In some ways, Davis is a bit of an anomaly in that his game is built more on finesse and quickness and athleticism. But his stout body type suggests a more physical, point-of-attack defensive tackle, which he showed but which was not the strength of his game.

Overall, Davis has a desirable combination of quickness and confined-space short-stroke strength despite lacking the mass and arm length teams ideally want. He's a player I liked the more I saw his tape.

OTHER NOTES

Davis came out of Florida as a consensus 4-star recruit and a top-100 player in the nation regardless of position. He became a starter in his freshman season (2019).

In 2022, Davis lined up at 1-technique, 2-technique, 2i and 0-technique depending on defensive front personnel and down and distance. Davis was dominant vs. NC State in 2022.

In 2023, there were third-down pass rush snaps where Davis lined up at wide-9 defensive end. At times from that alignment, he was a penetrator in multiple stunt concepts. He was also featured as both a looper and a penetrator in inside stunt concepts when aligned at 2- and 3-technique.

The 2024 NFL Draft is getting close, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information. 

Here's our report on Michael Barrett.

Michael Barrett 2024 Pro Day RESULTS

• Height: 5-foot-11
• Weight: 233 pounds
• 40-yard dash: 4.70 seconds
• 10-yard split: 1.64 seconds
• 20-yard shuttle: 4.55 seconds
• Vertical jump: N/A
• Broad jump: N/A
• Arm length: 32 ⅛"

Michael Barrett 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Shorter than desired for off-the-ball, stacked linebacker but played with a highly competitive and physical temperament.
• Strong key and diagnosed with quick reactions and short-area burst to avoid offensive line blocks and work through traffic.
• Flashed stack and shed ability in the run game attacking downhill and playing off offensive line blocks to make tackles.
• Played downhill in run game with tenacity and competitiveness. Active attacking offensive line with force and power.
• Showed confined-space explosive pop and power, which often compensated for his lack of size and length.
• Play speed and inside-out sideline-to-sideline range showed up better on film than timed speed. Moved well.
• Showed some power and force as an inside blitzer attacking and beating running backs. Compact strength.
• Played with excellent eyes and reaction quickness in underneath coverage. Rallied to the ball with plus speed.
• Excellent in pass coverage both in underneath zone reading routes, rallying to the ball and carrying seams.

WEAKNESSES

• Does not possess the physical and athletic traits you ideally want in an off-the-ball linebacker. Lacks desired length.
• Not a higher-level athlete for the position with his short stocky build and lack of suddenness and explosiveness.
• Lack of height and length at times led to him getting swallowed up by climbing offensive linemen in run game. Could not disengage.
• Could be over-aggressive at times in the run game losing gap integrity, which can be cleaned up at the next level.
• Did not see much man-to-man tight end matchups — and given his lack of length, it's not likely he would do that in the NFL.

NFL TRANSITION

Barrett was a fun player to watch in the context of Michigan’s highly talented and well-schemed defense. Despite him not possessing ideal measurables for an off-the-ball, stacked linebacker, I believe Barrett has a chance to develop into a starting three-down linebacker at the next level.

Barrett plays with an instinctive feel for the position with strong key; diagnose read and react traits; and dynamic short area quickness in the box to find the ball. There is a highly competitive physical nature to his game that takes him well beyond his less-than-ideal length.

There might be a size and play style comparison to be made to Nick Bolton. Bolton was clearly a more highly ranked linebacker coming out of Missouri, and he has proven to be an excellent NFL linebacker. But many were concerned about his size (5’11 ⅛” and 237 pounds without dominant athletic testing measurables, which were similar to, and in some cases lower than, Barrett’s). The better comp might be Anthony Walker, who was a fifth-round pick coming out of Northwestern in 2017 and has been a solid NFL linebacker starting every game for the Indianapolis Colts in 2019 and 2020 and overall starting 63 of the 73 games he has played in.

Barrett is an outlier with his less than 6-foot height, and that will likely remove him from some teams' draft boards based on their critical factors template. But there is no question he is a good player and prospect who will find a place in the NFL and could well develop into a quality starting linebacker.

OTHER NOTES

Barrett played six years at Michigan becoming a full-time starter in 2022. In the 2023 national championship season, Barrett started all 15 games, finishing his career with 35 total starts. Barrett came out of Georgia where he was a record-setting high school quarterback.

Barrett played approximately 70 percent of the defensive snaps in 2023 and did not leave the field in the sub nickel. At times on third down, he lined up in the A gap as part of a double mug front and was deployed as a rusher. He was deployed as a blitzer on third down both from the inside and off the edge — at times part of stunt concepts where he could be the picker of the looper; There were man coverage snaps where Barrett matched up to the tight end.

The 2024 NFL Draft is getting close, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information. 

Here's our report on Myles Cole.

Myles Cole 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

• Height: 6-foot-6
• Weight: 278 pounds
• 40-yard dash: 4.67 seconds
• 10-yard split: 1.65 seconds
• 20-yard shuttle: Did Not Perform (DNP)
• Vertical jump: 35"
• Broad jump: 10'0"
• Arm length: 36 ⅞"

Myles Cole 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Excellent athletic-physical profile with rare height/weight/speed/length combination. Exceptionally long arms.
• Long athlete with easy movement. Showed some bend and flexibility, at times playing with good knee bend.
• At times in the run game, used his long arms effectively to lock out offensive linemen and keep his feet clean to play off block.
• Flashes of off-the-ball quickness in the run game with length and bend to make plays in backfield and at the line of scrimmage.
• Some flashes of pass rush where he attacked the high side and cleared the edge of the offensive tackle with enough bend to win.
• Showed flashes as edge pass rusher with one-arm stab that played to his arm length and generated movement.
• Snaps of club rip move as wide-9 pass rusher to clear the edge of the offensive tackle and gain leverage to close to the quarterback.

WEAKNESSES

• Tendency to play too high in run game and as a pass rusher, which negatively affected both quickness and leverage.
• Almost no strike power coming off the ball in run game. Did not play with any confined space force or leverage.
• Too many run game snaps where he was physically handled and moved by the offensive tackle and offensive guard. Did not show point-of-attack strength.
• Must learn to use exceptional arm length more effectively as pass rusher. Did not strike and create separation.
• Measured and methodical in his movement. Not much suddenness and twitch. Did not show explosive element.
• Needs to get stronger throughout his body. At this point, lacks meaningful speed-to-power element to his game.

NFL TRANSITION

Cole will have a fascinating projection to the next level given the stark contrast between his outstanding athletic and physical testing measurables that showed a rare height/weight/speed/length profile and his 2023 tape, which was spotty at best.

He has the kind of size and length and athletic movement that would lead you to believe he could develop into a quality edge pass rusher. But at this point as he enters the NFL, he did not show that he could rush the quarterback with any bend of flexibility or power.

While he looked athletic in his movement, he was not sudden or explosive, and he was not strong enough to execute speed-to-power. So there was really no tool in the toolbox for him to deploy as a go-to move.

Cole showed rare flashes of pass rush with his natural athleticism and movement, but at this point, he would have to be seen as a project who needs much work in learning the craft of rushing the quarterback so that he could play to his movement traits. The big issue with Cole is that he plays much too upright, and that negatively affects all facets of his game.

OTHER NOTES

Cole began his college career at Louisiana-Monroe where he played three seasons before transferring to Texas Tech for his final two seasons.

Cole lined up both outside at defensive end and inside at defensive tackle in Texas Tech’s defensive fronts. There were snaps in both 4-man and 5-man fronts where Cole lined up at 4i and 3-technique — and even at times lined up at 0-technique in sub fronts.

The 2024 NFL Draft is getting close, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information. 

Here's our report on Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint.

Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

• Height: 6-foot-1
• Weight: 195 pounds
• 40-yard dash: Did Not Perform (DNP)
• 10-yard split: DNP
• 20-yard shuttle: DNP
• Vertical jump: 35"
• Broad jump: 9'11"
• Arm length: 33"

Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Good-sized receiver who lined up in multiple locations in Georgia's offense. Smooth, fluid feel to his movement.
• Looked and played faster on tape than timed speed. Not explosive or fast but did not look prohibitively slow.
• On free-access snaps, he showed burst of the ball challenging off-coverage corners vertically. Good stopping power.
• Flashed good feel of how to use vertical stem to gain leverage off line of scrimmage and then create separation at the top of the stem.
• Stride length works in his favor with enough build-up acceleration to work effectively on movement routes.
• Effective on crossing routes, especially vs. zone coverage where he could open his stride and then find voids.
• Has run-after-catch dimension both on short throws where he snapped upfield and crossers with space to stride.
• Good hands making catches away from his frame. Wide catching radius with his size and length (10-inch hands).

WEAKNESSES

• Timed speed very concerning — his 4.84-second 40-yard dash will be prohibitive for many teams and will remove him from their board.
• Not the level of overall athlete you ideally look for at the wide receiver position. Lacks any kind of suddenness.
• Does not possess explosiveness as a route runner or natural mover — much more measured and methodical.
• Can be sluggish and too upright coming off line of scrimmage, even with free access. Needs to become more consistent.
• There will be questions re: his ability to effectively defeat press coverage when getting off the line of scrimmage cleanly with no disruption.
• His burst in and out of breaks is question: Does he possess the needed short-area quickness to separate consistently?

NFL TRANSITION

Rosemy-Jacksaint is one of those wide receivers whose athletic testing measurables were not very good. But when you watch his tape, you feel he has a chance to make an NFL roster and could eventually contribute in some 11 personnel offensive packages — especially given his extensive experience with lining up in multiple locations (multiple splits within the offense and at times being deployed as the motion receiver).

He has excellent size and a smooth feel to his movement but is more of a one-speed receiver than a fast or explosive mover who can add an extra gear when needed. There is no question, however, that he plays faster on tape than his poor 40-yard dash time.

What consistently stood out on his tape was that he was a bigger body who effectively worked between the numbers, catching the ball easily with his hands and away from his frame. That kind of receiver, one who can work the middle of the field in the short to intermediate areas, has value in the NFL.

With his size, length and catching ability, Rosemy-Jacksaint will find a place in the NFL. It would not surprise me if, a few years down the road, he is an effective third wide receiver — depending on the team and scheme — with the chance to develop into a quality No. 2 wide receiver depending on the skill set of the WR1.

OTHER NOTES

Rosemy-Jacksaint came out of St. Thomas Aquinas in south Florida as a highly coveted 4-star recruit and a top-10 wide receiver prospect in the nation. He played four years at Georgia with 23 starts in his career, including 11 in his senior season of 2023 with a 34-535-15.7-4 TD stat line.

Rosemy-Jacksaint lined up in multiple locations within the Georgia offense, including taking snaps at boundary X on the back side of trips.

The 2024 NFL Draft is getting close, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information. 

Here's our report on Ray Davis.

Ray Davis 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

• Height: 5-foot-8
• Weight: 211 pounds
• 40-yard dash: 4.52 seconds
• 10-yard split: 1.56 seconds
• 20-yard shuttle: 4.51 seconds
• Vertical jump: 35"
• Broad jump: 9'11"
• Arm length: 30 ¼"

Ray Davis 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Short, compact build with extensive experience in zone, gap scheme run games and shotgun and as an I-back.
• Naturally quick and decisive with his cuts. Ran with an efficient economy of movement and no wasted motion.
• Ran with good patience and vision in the zone run game and then with decisiveness and short-area burst to hit the hole.
• Decisive with cuts at all levels of the defense. Innate feel for gap fluidity and defensive flow, pace and tempo.
• Stop-and-start ability with the quickness to re-accelerate. Dictated defensive flow, allowing blocks to take hold.
• Darting, slashing style at second and third levels of defense. Made safeties miss in space without losing a stride.
• Physical runner with natural power. Low center of gravity with good contact balance and strong finishing traits.
• Good receiver in screen game and when working out of the backfield. Showed good hands and route-running ability.
• Showed awareness of blitz pressure and some competitive toughness in picking up free blitzers. Aggressive.

WEAKNESSES

• Not truly explosive re: long speed. Not a home run hitter — although few running backs are.
• More of darter at second and third levels than shifty and elusive. Needed off-arm at times to maintain balance.
• There were some runs where he slowed his feet and braced for contact at second and third levels of defense.

NFL TRANSITION

Davis is one of the more intriguing running backs in the 2024 draft class given his impressive traits profile. That includes his pass-catching ability and his extensive experience as an I-back running both zone and gap scheme concepts.

Davis packs a lot of natural quickness and power in his stout, compact frame. That showed in his explosive, short-area burst both as a one-cut downhill runner in the zone run game and when working off puller-wrapper blocks in the gap scheme run game. Davis has a low center of gravity and a strong lower half that allows him to be short-area explosive with burst and acceleration; he has the strong leg drive and contact balance to work through first and second levels of the defense.

There was an efficient smoothness and easy fluidity to Davis' running — he runs with controlled yet decisive cuts and change of direction that consistently showed up on tape. What adds to Davis' projection and transition to the next level is that he can be a factor in the passing game as both a receiver out of the backfield and detached from the formation running intermediate and vertical routes, as well as as a pass protector with awareness of blitz pressure and the aggressive toughness to block.

Davis is one of the better running back prospects in the 2024 draft class, and with his experience in multiple run schemes and his ability in the passing game, he can be a three-down contributor relatively early in his NFL career — although he is not likely to be the premier running back in the rotation.

Davis has the look and feel of a professional runner with his refined sense of pace and tempo, vision, short-area burst and acceleration, contact balance and natural feel for navigating space at the second and third levels of the defense.

The question as you project re: Davis, as he matures in his NFL career, is whether he can be a primary back. My sense is different teams and coaches will see that differently, with much of that answer dependent on offensive scheme and running back deployment.

OTHER NOTES

Davis played one year at Kentucky after playing two seasons at Vanderbilt and two seasons at Temple. Overall, he started 37 games in his five-year college career — Davis finished with 199-1129-5.7-14 TD at Kentucky.   

The 2024 NFL Draft is getting close, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information. 

Here's our report on Malik Washington.

Malik Washington 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

• Height: 5-foot-8 ½
• Weight: 191 pounds
• 40-yard dash: 4.47 seconds
• 10-yard split: 1.53 seconds
• 20-yard shuttle: DNP
• Vertical jump: 42.5"
• Broad jump: 10'6"
• Arm length: 30 ⅜"

Malik Washington 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Naturally quick route runner with light, active, sudden feet both through and at top of stem to create separation.
• Low center of gravity and compact build resulted in sharp, decisive cuts without losing quickness or speed.
• High-level athleticism re: balance and body control to contort his body.
• Made catches away from frame with soft yet strong hands. Despite lacking length, had expansive catch radius.
• Outstanding focus and concentration on throws where he knew that there was heavy traffic and that contact was likely.
• Ran seams and slot fades making tough vertical catches. Consistently extended beyond his frame. Late hands
• Short-area quickness and initial burst to defeat press coverage from the slot on quick-timing routes like slants.
• Smooth, efficient run after catch with strong combination of lateral agility, contact balance and physicality.

WEAKNESSES

• Obvious concern is lack of length. Will that be an issue, or will smart deployment re: formation-motion limit it?
• Did not see many routes where he had to work against tight man coverage or had his vertical stem disrupted.
• Will need to work on route-running detail and nuance to defeat quality man coverage he will face in the NFL.
• Does not possess elite, top-end speed to be true vertical weapon, but he can be off motion with free access.
• Not the kind of receiver who will make tough contested catches vs. tight coverage or highpoint the ball.

NFL TRANSITION

Washington is a fun receiver to watch with the explosiveness he plays with and the run-after-catch traits that make it difficult for defenses to get him to the ground. He's a short, compactly built receiver who has both outstanding route quickness and run-after-catch ability. But what constantly stands out is his focus and hands almost always making catches away from his frame with elite body control to adjust and contort and outstanding ball tracking skills. Despite his size, he has the mental and physical toughness to catch through contact and in traffic when contact is imminent.

The other trait that showed up throughout his tape was his ability — despite his size and shorter arms — to maximize his catch radius and make the kinds of catches you would not expect to see from a 5-foot-8 ½ receiver with just over 30-inch arms.

While there are clear limitations to Washington’s game, the evolution of the NFL passing game — with much more quick game, motion, stack and bunch formations and reduced splits — will allow him free access into his routes. That will mitigate his smaller size and allow him to be a factor. Depending on the team and overall scheme, he could become a volume target.

Washington is an explosive weapon with the ball in his hands, and the team that drafts him will know and understand that. That team's pass offense will already be structured to allow a player such as Washington to be a factor.

He is not the vertical dimension that Jaylen Waddle is (similar height/weight measurables) and therefore cannot regulate and take the top off the defense in the same way. But Washington’s natural quickness and explosiveness and run-after-catch ability demands you get the ball in his hands.

OTHER NOTES

Washington played his final college season at Virginia after spending his first four seasons at Northwestern. He had an outstanding year with the Cavaliers: 110-1426-13-9 TD. Washington originally came out of Georgia as a 3-star recruit.

Washington was predominantly a slot receiver in Virginia’s offense in 2023 with 110 of his 142 targets coming inside and 88 of his 110 receptions for 1,076 yards and six touchdowns. Washington was featured at times as the motion receiver in Virginia’s offense and was also used at times on jet sweeps — he ran through North Carolina State LB Payton Wilson on a 59-yard tunnel screen reception.

The 2024 NFL Draft is getting close, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information. 

Here's our report on Caedan Wallace.

Caedan Wallace 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

• Height: 6-foot-5
• Weight: 314 pounds
• 40-yard dash: 5.15 seconds
• 10-yard split: 1.74 seconds
• 20-yard shuttle: DNP
• Vertical jump: 31"
• Broad jump: 9'8"
• Arm length: 34"

Caedan Wallace 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Prototypical size and length for an offensive tackle. Used arm length effectively in pass protection to keep rushers off his frame.
• Efficient kick slide in pass protection with good balance and knee bend. Calculated timing with his hand strikes.
• Overall in pass protection showed understanding of hand usage and its value in disrupting pass rusher’s tempo.
• Strong fundamental technique in vertical sets staying square with inside foot to prevent quick inside counters.
• Lateral movement to react effectively to inside counters redirecting with good balance and quick hand resets.
• Showed excellent awareness of stunt bases on defensive lineman alignment with accelerated vision to react after the snap.
• Point-of-attack strength and competitiveness as drive and base blocker in run game. Used hands effectively to control defensive linemen.
• Kept his feet moving as run blocker to drive and sustain. Locked out with his long arms to maintain separation.
• Showed athleticism with good balance and body control to climb effectively to the second level and make blocks.
• Some snapshot run plays where he showed outstanding athleticism and balance working to second level.
• Had some outstanding run blocks where he came off the ball low with good leverage and power and sustained.

WEAKNESSES

• At times, walked a fine line in pass protection between effective lock-out arm extension and reaching and leaning.
• Not too often, but there were pass protection snaps where his reaching caused balance and body control issues.
• Pass protection snaps where he got stuck when he had to redirect inside off the outside set to deal with quick counters.
• On some pass protection snaps, his anchor strength was compromised, and he was pushed back into the pocket.
• In too many run-game snaps, his feet were slow in climbing to second level. Minimized mobility and strike force.
• Needs to play consistently stronger in the run game. Too many snaps where he leaned into blocks playing too high.

NFL TRANSITION

Wallace may be overlooked by some because he is the offensive tackle opposite Olu Fashanu. But Wallace is a strong right tackle prospect with excellent size and length and plus movement traits for the position. In addition, he has extensive experience in a Power 5 conference with 40 career starts.

Wallace has a broad, well-built frame with plus arm length and athleticism, and he consistently showed he could pass protect 1-on-1 out of multiple set techniques with efficient kick slides and excellent balance, as well as refined and calculated hand usage. In the run game, Wallace was also efficient in executing multiple blocking concepts with point-of-attack strength as a drive and base blocker sustaining with moving feet and with the athleticism, balance and body control to climb to the second level.

Wallace will need to clean up a tendency to reach at the top of his pass set which resulted in balance and body control concerns that compromised his reactive athleticism and redirect inside to deal with counters. But that is a technical issue that can be coached.

Overall, Wallace has the physical and athletic traits to play right tackle at the next level and could certainly move inside to offensive guard, with the ability to start there if needed

OTHER NOTES

Wallace was a four-year starter at right tackle at Penn State, finishing his career with 40 starts.

The 2024 NFL Draft is getting close, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information. 

Here's our report on Walter Rouse.

Walter Rouse 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

• Height: 6-foot-5 ¾
• Weight: 313 pounds
• 40-yard dash: DNP
• 10-yard split: DNP
• 20-yard shuttle: DNP
• Vertical jump: DNP
• Broad jump: DNP
• Arm length: 35 1/8"

Walter Rouse 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Some strong reps in pass protection with good knee bend and balance, firm base and well-timed hand strikes.
• Showed lower body strength and technique to re-anchor after initially getting pushed back by speed-to-power.
• Consistently showed excellent awareness and accelerated vision when recognizing and reacting to stunts/pressures.
• Came off the ball low with leverage in the run game. Able to generate and torque through his core and hips.
• Did a good job as a side seal/cut blocker in the zone run game. Quick feet with good balance and body control.
• In 2023, showed independent arm technique to control edge rushers early in the down. Forced a wider edge.
• Strong pass protection reps with efficient, clean slide and knee bend. Balance with a firm base and hands inside.
• Showed strength and power to anchor in pass protection vs. speed-to-power. Stayed straight in his cylinder.
• Effective as a down blocker in the run game with good movement off the ball; generates strength and power.
• At his best in both run blocking and pass protection when he engaged early in the down and used his strength.

WEAKNESSES

• Not a higher-level athlete for the offensive tackle position. At times, he looked a little labored in kick slide in his vertical pass set.
• Tendency to reach and lunge when immediately challenged/stressed on high side. Balance/body control issues.
• May not have the requisite athleticism to vertical set and effectively pass protect vs. quality edge pass rushers.
• Consistently showed a tendency to punch with hands too early in pass set, often resulting in bending and lunging.
• Lateral movement was, at times, labored. Some heaviness to foot movement. Struggled to redirect with efficiency.
• Balance and body control issues at the top of the arc. Could not stop his body to redirect vs. secondary moves.
• Looked a little heavy-footed and stiff working to the second level in the run game. Tight-hipped, lacking fluidity.

NFL TRANSITION

Rouse started 52 games at left tackle in his college career, but he is not likely to transition to the NFL at that position, given his traits profile. Rouse had snapshots of strong pass protection reps with an efficient kick slide, good knee bend and balance, and he keeps his hands inside.

But overall, he lacks the athleticism and fluidity in his lower half to be an effective 1-on-1 pass protector vs. quality rushers, with his only means of being successful to engage early in the down by using his strong hands and overall strength and minimizing his weakness of lateral range and reactive athleticism.

Rouse lacked the requisite foot quickness and lateral range to be consistently effective in 45 degree and vertical pass sets, and there were too many snaps where he stopped his feet in response to pass rush quickness and then bent at the waist to compensate.

Rouse had strong snaps as a run blocker where he could come off the ball with leverage and generate power and force on contact, and that was especially the case as a down blocker on the play side in the gap scheme run game. Overall, Rouse's 2023 tape showed a player who cannot make the transition to the NFL at the offensive tackle position, and my sense is the only position he could play at the next level would be center.

OTHER NOTES

Rouse came out of Washington, D.C., as a four-star recruit and finished his Stanford career as a four-year starter at left tackle. He transferred to Oklahoma for his fifth-year graduate season in 2023. Rouse started 52 games at left tackle in his college career, including all 13 at Oklahoma in 2023.

In 2021, Rouse dominated Kayvon Thibodeaux in their 1-on-1 pass protection snaps. Thibodeaux could not beat Rouse with speed-to-power and could not get the edge on Rouse. Rouse clearly improved in pass protection as the season progressed. He looked more comfortable with his movement and the coordination between his lower and upper halves.