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 Jaylin Simpson.

Jaylin Simpson's 2024 NFL Combine Results

• Height: 6-foot
• Weight: 179
• 40-yard dash: 4.45
• 10-yard split: 1.51
• Vertical jump: 39.5"
• Broad jump: 11'1"

Jaylin Simpson 2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Strengths

• Versatile defender who played cornerback and safety at Auburn with a good combo of size and length.
• Rangy defender with good sideline-to-sideline speed when in pursuit from his deep alignment (gets to ball).
• Likes to get hands on WRs from pressed alignment to disrupt their release and timing – aggressive press CB.
• Excels when he can stay on top of WR and be reactive – most comfortable as off CB and playing downhill.
• Good turn and run ability with the speed to run vertically down the field from pressed alignment.
• Solid plant-and-drive ability as off CB or deep safety to drive on short to intermediate in-breaking routes.
• Very good lurk/robber defender who reads route concepts in the middle of field well and aggressively drives on the ball.

Weaknesses

• He loses vision of the quarterback in reference to routes, which causes his timing and ability to play the ball to be off.
• Bad tendency to drop his head as a tackler in the open field and leave his feet to lunge at ball carrier legs.
• Struggled to break down and stop when running vertically downfield in coverage, affecting COD (tight hips)
• Upright, high backpedal, affecting his ability to drop his hips and redirect when changing direction laterally.
• Lacking the wanted ball skills on deep passes. He doesn’t get his head around and play the ball (blind spot).

NFL Transition

Simpson started at CB for a couple of seasons and then moved to safety full-time for Auburn in 2023, showing good versatility to play in a variety of schemes. He is most comfortable from off-alignment as a CB, where he can keep things in front of him and be a reactive player in man and zone concepts.

He lacks the wanted lateral quickness due to his upright, high playing style. That affects his ability to transition out of breaks to stay with shifty receivers in coverage, especially when aligned as CB on outside or in the slot. As a safety, Simpson plays with good vision and instincts to anticipate route concepts and position himself to make plays on the ball. He is a good downhill player from deep safety; he made a great play on a batted ball, leading to an INT vs. LSU on a dig route run by Malik Nabers.

Overall, Simpson is an intriguing prospect because of his experience playing corner and safety. He was also a solid contributor on special teams. Simpson is best suited to play safety because of his size/length and athleticism to cover ground in coverage and match up against receivers and TEs in certain schemes.

His off-ball coverage instincts correlate to him being a possible sub-package (big nickel) contributor and backup safety. He should be a good special teams player in Year 1, providing good versatility and depth for an NFL team.

Other Notes

Simpson came out of Brunswick, GA as a four-star recruit and was ranked as the 35th best corner in the nation. He played for Auburn during the last five seasons and started the last three years, playing in 45 games from corner and safety. He had some snaps aligned in the slot, too. Simpson finished his career with 116 total tackles, four TFLs, seven INTs and 14 PBUs. In 2022, he was 21st in the nation with 11 PBUs.

In 2022, Simpson had 322 coverage snaps, during which he was targeted on 47 pass attempts, allowing eight completions for 269 yards and one touchdown. Simpson played from press alignment on 94 of his 366 coverage snaps (more than 25 percent of his snaps). Simpson and Auburn’s defense played slightly more zone concepts than man (59 percent zone and 41 percent man).

In 2023, Simpson had 326 coverage snaps, during which he was targeted on 17 pass attempts, allowing eight completions for 86 yards and zero touchdowns while having two INTs and four PBUs. Again, Simpson played slightly more zone concepts than man (58 percent zone and 42 percent man).

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 Christian Jones.

Christian Jones' 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

• Height: 6'5 1/4"
• Weight: 305 lbs
• 40-Time: 5.04
• 10-Yard Split: 1.78
• Vertical: DNP
• Broad Jump: DNP
• 3-Cone: 8.09
• Shuttle: 4.78

Christian JOnes 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS:

• Big, well-proportioned OT with mass throughout his frame but more than functional athleticism to pass protect.
• Relied primarily on size, length and mass in pass protection rather than quick feet and lateral movement.
• Vertical set pass protection snaps in which he showed efficient kick slide with good knee bend and balance.
• Played with excellent awareness and accelerated vision, recognizing and reacting to stunts and pressures.
• Consistent execution in pass protection closing the edge and anchoring versus speed-to-power. Compact
• Showed initial strength, followed by power generation, as a down blocker in the run game. Sustained with movement.
• Came out of stance in run game with good balance and efficient movement. Mobility to strike on the move.
• Run game snaps he combined with down block, then climbed to second level, changing path to block moving LB.
• Showed he could transition strength into power as run blocker. Kept feet moving to drive through blocks.
• Strong playing personality with a competitive edge. Showed up consistently in run game where he was a finisher.

WEAKNESSES:

• Tendency at times to reach and lunge in pass protection, resulting in loss of needed balance and body control.
• Needs to be quicker and tighter with hand strikes, not allowing rusher into his chest. Hands too wide at times.
• Feet may be too heavy and plodding in pass protection to play OT. Lacks desired lateral quickness and range.
• Quickness off the edge attacking high side an issue. Core stiffness and slow feet limits the range of movement.
• Susceptibility to inside counters and speed-to-power. Both resulted from compensating for lack of quickness.
• Every time he got beat in pass protection in the 2022 tape I watched, he was beat to the inside off counters.
• 2023 – Too often, in pass protection, he looked tight through his hips and core. Struggled at times to re-direct.
• Struggled at times with laterally quick edge pass rushers. Balance and body control issues getting out of phase.
• Showed tendency to drop head in pass protection, which resulted in lunging and balance-body control issues.  
• Did not play with aggressive or heavy hands in pass protection. More reactive than a proactive powerful striker.
• At times, looked tight and stiff as a mover once he got into space. Not a higher level athlete for the OT position

NFL TRANSITION:

Jones falls into the category of the OT who is not a high-level traits player at his position but will find a place in the NFL, and that could well be as a starter once he gains experience and is coached and developed. Jones has outstanding length for the position (long arms with a wide wing span) and excellent body mass throughout his frame that perfectly fits the profile of NFL OT. You have to love his aggressive competitive playing personality.

Jones played strong in the run game, executing multiple block concepts with quick, powerful heavy hands and power generation through his core. There were many snaps in which he showed more than functional mobility to work to the second level and strike on the move.

In pass protection, Jones was efficient with his kick slide with good bend and balance, and he played with excellent awareness in sorting through stunts and pressures. Jones' potential issues arise from the fact that he is not a higher level athlete and that showed up at times with stiff choppy feet That was especially evident in pass protection when it came to lateral movement and range.

Overall, I believe Jones can develop into a starting NFL RT, although that will not happen right away. There are traits to work with and develop.

OTHER NOTES:

Jones was a four-year starter at OT for Texas, playing both OT positions in his college career.

In 2022 and 2023, Jones played RT after playing LT in 2021. He finished his Texas career with 48 starts in 61 games (35 at RT and 13 at LT).

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 Hunter Nourzad.

Hunter Nourzad'S 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

• Height: 6'3"
• Weight: 317 lbs.
• 40-Time: DNP
• 10-Yard Split: DNP
• Vertical: DNP
• Broad Jump: DNP
• 3-Cone: DNP
• Shuttle: DNP

Hunter Nourzad 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS:

• Size and strength shown in his ability to anchor and prevent consistent push in pass protection.
• Good athleticism displayed in space – good movement in run game to make blocks on edge and on second level.
• Solid quickness when pulling in the run game and when redirecting in pass protecting vs. quicker defenders.
• Recognizes stunts and blitzes to trade off defenders with different pressure schemes. Sees the front well.
• Strong punch/hands and long arms allow him to control defenders as a pass blocker when technique is sound.
• Good execution in combination blocks with helping teammates and then using quickness to get up to the second level.
• Comfortable in slide protection schemes where he can move laterally and engage blocks from an angle.
• Once engaged properly and with good technique (hands), he plays with good leverage to control defenders.

WEAKNESSES:

• Tendency to lean into or lunge at defenders as run blocker, causing him to get his weight out in front of his feet.
• Over commits to get off balance at the point of attack due to poor weight distribution (top heavy once engaged).
• Takes poor path and angles at times in run game, causing him to come off blocks, especially vs. active defenders.
• Most effective playing in space and with movement. Struggles when aggressive attack quickly after the snap.
• Questionable ability to anchor when attacked by strong bull rush, especially when defender aligned head up.

NFL TRANSITION:

Nourzad is a versatile Lineman who played two seasons at Cornell at RT, then transferred to Penn State for his last two seasons, playing guard and center. Size and athleticism combo correlates to him being an interior lineman in the NFL, with good appeal because of his ability to play gard and center.

Good athleticism and movement skills to make blocks on edge, as puller, and in space at the second and third levels of the defense (comfortable in outside run game and screen game). Over commits, causing him to lean into and lunge at defenders, resulting in poor balance and body control, which limits his ability to stay engaged as a run and pass blocker at times. When uncovered, does good job of trading off defensive stunts/blitzes by playing with good vision and understanding of concepts.

Overall, Nourzad’s versatility and athleticism make him a valuable piece to an NFL offense looking to add depth along its line. He likely will begin his career as a backup for multiple positions, with the chance to develop into a starter in a few with some improved technique and core stability to play more on balance.

OTHER NOTES:

Nourzad came out of Georgia as 3-star recruit and ranked 150th in the Nation across all positions (sixth-ranked at the interior OL positions.

Initially went to Cornell and played two seasons there. He was second-team All-American and first-team All-Ivy League his last year there while playing RT.

At Penn State, he played both RG in 2022, earning All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and center in 2023, earning 2nd Team All-Big Ten. Good versatility playing OT, OG and Center in college.

Nourzad in 2022 played primarily LG with 545 total snaps, all of them but 38 snaps coming from LG (21 snaps at RG and 17 snaps a C). In 2023, he played all of his 769 snaps at center. Over the past two seasons, he has had 702 pass play snaps, allowing 14 pressures (seven each of the last two seasons) and amassed only one penalty over two seasons.

The 2024 NFL Draft is here, 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 Mohamed Kamara.

Mohamed Kamara'S 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

• Height: 6-foot-1
• Weight: 248 pounds
• 40-Time: 4.57 seconds
• 10-Yard Split: 1.58 seconds
• Vertical: 34.5"
• Broad Jump: 10' 3"
• 3-Cone: Did Not Perform (DNP)
• Shuttle: DNP

Mohamed Kamara 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS:

• Compact frame with some twitch and suddenness to his movement. Has first-step explosiveness as an edge pass rusher.
• Can leverage power rusher attacking the high side and get inside shoulder past and underneath the offensive tackle to clear the arc.
• Consistently put tremendous stress on offensive tackle with his high-side-challenging pass sets with speed resulting in balance issues.
• Showed quick, calculated hand use to break down offensive tackle technique then enough bend to cleanly clear the arc.
• Strong arsenal of pass rush moves with swipes and clubs and rips and spins. Clearly had a plan rushing the quarterback.
• Has a quickness and power element to his pass rush, winning with both. Had sacks from stand-up 3-technique to beat the offensive guard.
• Were run game snaps where he came off the ball low, jarring the offensive tackle on contact then playing off contact to make tackles.
• Played with strong hands that shot powerful strikes at the offensive tackle and tight end, and he initiated and played through contact.

WEAKNESSES:

• Not as long as ideally desire in an edge rusher both re: height and arm length. Does not look big on tape.
• A little tight-hipped and linear in his movement. Not a true flatten-his-rush-path-close-to-the-quarterback kind of rusher.
• Needs to develop more counters as a pass rusher. Almost always worked the edge with nothing back inside.

NFL TRANSITION:

Kamara will have an interesting projection to the next level given the contrast between his lack of ideal physical measurables and his outstanding production his last two seasons at Colorado State — particularly in terms of impact plays.

Kamara does not possess the length most teams desire in their edge pass rushers, but with the proliferation of 5-man defensive line fronts he would fit very well as a stand-up edge player (his height and weight are somewhat similar to Haason Reddick's) both in base fronts and sub fronts.

There is no question Kamara could be a pass rusher in 4-man sub fronts both from the inside as a 3-technique guy or a stand-up joker. What he did exceptionally well on tape was win to the high side with calculated and quick hand use to break down the offensive tackle's technique, then bend his inside shoulder to get past and clear the arc of the off-balance offensive tackle.

Kamara was first-step explosive off the ball with accelerating burst — and while he was not high-end bendy with motorcycle lean, he possesses efficient and compact flexibility with enough ankle flexion to defeat the offensive tackle off the edge.

One question with Kamara is whether his lack of length will become a mitigating factor at the next level vs. quality NFL offensive tackles, given that he is not a true bend-the-edge pass rusher and wins predominantly with his arsenal of hand moves and straight-line power.

A positive as you project his transition to the NFL is that he has the versatility to line up in multiple positions in sub fronts — including as a stand-up joker — and that trait could very well enhance his value.

OTHER NOTES:

Kamara played five years at Colorado State after coming out of New Jersey as a 3-star recruit. He played in 49 games with 33 starts, and once he was moved from linebacker to defensive end before the 2022 season, his production skyrocketed. In his final two college seasons, Kamara produced 21.5 sacks and 33 tackles for loss. In 2023, he was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.

He almost always lined up on the edge in Colorado State’s predominantly 4-man defensive line front, but there were snaps where he lined up inside as a stand-up joker.

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 Chau Smith-Wade.

Chau Smith Wade's 2024 NFL Combine RESULTS

• Height: 5-foot-9 ¾”
• Weight: 184
• 40-yard dash: 4.54
• 10-yard split: 1.55
• Vertical jump: 34.5"
• Broad jump: 10'5"
• Arm Length: 30 ¼”

Chau Smith-Wade 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Showed natural quickness, loose hips, easy transition and re-direct you want to see at outside corner.
• Opened his hips easily when turning to run from off-coverage zone alignment. Smooth and fluid movement.
• Played significant snaps of press bail and showed the transition quickness to drive on routes in front of him.
• Plant-and-drive burst and explosiveness from off-coverage. Sudden and twitchy movement to impact throw.  
• Quick, active feet to effectively play mirror-match press man coverage. Flipped and opened his hips easily.
• Some explosiveness and suddenness to his movements. Feet are active and twitchy with quick, rapid reactions.  
• Showed aggressiveness and tenacity as a run defender. Quickness to beat blocks and the physicality to tackle

WEAKNESSES

• Smaller than desired outside corner, lacking length to match up to the bigger receivers at the next level.
• Took a false step almost every time he was in press man. Resulted in balance and body control issues. 
• Press man snaps in which he got stuck, stopping his feet, putting him in recovery mode vs. vertical routes.
• At times, he ran with vertical releases out of mirror-match press and took too many steps to stop, losing contact. 

NFL TRANSITION

Smith-Wade will be an interesting projection to the next level, given his lack of length. However, he has a strong traits profile to play outside corner. Smith-Wade is less than 5-foot-10, which for most NFL teams would prohibit him from playing on the outside. 

That said, he possesses high-level athleticism with sudden, quick feet and loose, fluid hips with easy transitions and direction changes. That allows him to play mirror-match press man effectively, and he is explosive with plant and drive from off-coverage with the kind of burst not many corners in this draft class have. 

Smith-Wade has almost no experience playing in the slot, but his 2023 tape showed a highly competitive run defender who was always willing to embrace the physical part of the game. That is a trait you need to move inside to the slot.

He possesses the athletic traits to play corner in the NFL, and he has shown he can play press man and off-coverage effectively with his sudden, twitchy movement and loose hips. The question is where does he fit at the next level?

My sense is he will play outside and inside, depending on the team, scheme and opponent, but he will likely begin his career as a high-level backup with the ability to step in if needed.

OTHER NOTES

Smith-Wade was a two-year starter (2022, 2023) at Washington State but only played in seven games in 2023 due to injury. He came out of high school in Chicago as a three-star recruit, having been a running back and defensive back. However, he was recruited to Washington State as a corner. 

Smith-Wade lined up predominantly at left corner, which gave him extensive experience playing to the field and to the boundary, but there were also significant snaps at right corner. 

In 2023, he played almost exclusively on the outside with only six snaps in the slot. Smith-Wade was deployed as a blitzer at times when he was aligned to the boundary.

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 Jamari Thrash.

Jamari Thrash's 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

• Height: 5-foot-11
• Weight: 188
• 40-yard dash: 4.46
• 10-yard dash: 1.54
• Vertical jump: 34"
• Broad jump: 10"
• Arm: 31"
• Wingspan: 74 1/2"

Jamari Thrash 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• He was a smooth, fluid wide receiver who, at times, showed he could be a route technician attacking leverage of corners. 
• He showed a sense of route running, understanding how to defeat press coverage, and how to use his vertical stem. 
• Lower-body strength to stop on a dime on hitch routes (three-step drop timing) and nine-stop routes (five-step timing).
• Showed contact balance and elusiveness run after the catch. Natural quickness to his movement with the ball in his hands.
• Flashes of quickness off the ball and as a short to intermediate route runner. Some strong releases vs. press.

WEAKNESSES

• Small hands often made him a bent arm catcher rather than a hands catcher. Did not snatch the ball.
• Not comfortable as a hands catcher. Struggled to catch the ball away from his frame. Caught the ball past his eyes.
• Tendency to hesitate in his release off the LOS when he has free access. Dropped hips, which added an extra beat.
• Did not show an extra gear as a vertical receiver or run-after catch. More smooth and more fluid than explosive.
• Not a vertical dimension. Did not show a second gear on vertical routes. Predominantly a one-speed receiver.
• Not a contested catch WR. Did not show body control or hands to make tough catches or highpoint the ball.

NFL TRANSITION

Thrash will be a difficult projection, given that he does not have great size and lacks any kind of vertical dimension (play speed does not match his good 40 time). He does not have reliable hands, too often gathering to catch the ball or letting the ball get past his eyes on in-breaking routes. 

Thrash has a marginal traits profile and looks small on tape. It is hard to see how he will transition to the NFL in any meaningful way since he struggled to win 1-on-1 at Louisville in 2023. Thrash looked like a different receiver at Georgia State in 2022, with more natural quickness to his movement, including catching some balls with his hands away from his frame, better vertical speed and overall route running.

He tracked the deep ball with excellent hand-eye coordination. Thrash has few snaps in the slot, so it is a significant projection to say he will best transition to the NFL as a slot receiver. Yet, he lacks unique quickness, high-level spatial awareness, natural toughness and play strength as a receiver, given the number of collision catches that happen working out of the slot.

The bottom line is that Thrash still lacks the higher-level traits to be a top-three wide receiver in 11 personnel packages. With his lack of size and play strength, it would be hard to envision him as an outside receiver in the NFL. His less-than-reliable hands will likely be an issue whether you see him as an outside or slot receiver.

OTHER NOTES

Thrash finished his college career with one season at Louisville after four seasons at Georgia State. Thrash originally came out of Georgia as a three-star recruit.

Thrash almost exclusively lined up on the right side of the offensive formation and was almost exclusively an outside receiver with only a low percentage of his snaps coming in the slot. The high percentage of his big plays in 2023 came on schemed concepts that broke down the defense as opposed to individual route running beating corners.

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 Jeremiah Trotter.

Jeremiah Trotter's 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

• Height: 6-foot
• Weight: 228
• 40-yard dash: DNP
• 10-yard split: DNP
• 20-yard shuttle: 4.4
• Vertical jump: DNP
• Broad jump: DNP
• Arm length: 31 1/2"

Jeremiah Trotter Jr. 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Plays bigger than his size with suddenness, twitch and explosiveness. Played fast and furious with control.
• Good feel for key and diagnose in the run game, navigating the box cleanly, then triggering with burst to the ball.
• Excellent short-area quickness and burst as a run defender in the box. Eluded blocks without losing gap integrity.
• Given lack of desired length, thrived and made plays in the run game with quickness, balance and body control.
• Run game snaps in which used arm extension with some force to stack and shed OL blocks to find the ball.
• Inside out, sideline-to-sideline play speed and range. An efficient mover who played fast and covered the ground easily.
• Strong blitzer with downhill velocity and burst and strength to power conversion. Lateral quickness to beat OL.
• Comfortable dropping into zone coverage. Easy movement with awareness of routes and reaction quickness.
• 2023 – Quick to attack downhill when he saw double teams in the run game. Attacked gaps with calculated control.
• Consistently showed an excellent feel for keeping himself clean in the box, working through traffic to find the ball.
• Again showed lateral quickness as inside blitzer, beating running backs with shake moves more than power.
• Lateral quickness in confined space showed up. Beat OL blocks with quickness without losing gap integrity.
• Showed the body control to bend and contort his body to avoid blockers and get himself in a position to tackle.
• Played fast with a plus range outside the box. See ball get ball element to his game with inside-out closing burst.
• Excellent blitzer. High-level athleticism, beating running backs with lateral quickness, body control and burst.
• Showed excellent awareness in underneath zone coverage, reading and feeling routes and reading the QB's eyes.

WEAKNESSES

• 2023 – Run game snaps in which he was swallowed up by climbing OL and, at times, tight ends. Lack of size was a factor.
• There will be teams that see him as too small for stacked LB. The critical factors template for specific positions.
• Not an explosive, high-level athlete. Not sudden or twitchy. Much more of a measured and controlled mover.
• Run-game snaps in which he looked a little stiff and segmented when he had to re-direct and change direction.
• At times in underneath zone coverage showed some hip stiffness re: lateral transition and change of direction.
• There were pass-game snaps in which he was slow to get out to his flat responsibility and was out-flanked.

NFL TRANSITION

Trotter was a fascinating evaluation, and you could easily argue that his 2023 tape was the best of any LB in the 2024 draft class.

Given his size, lack of length and explosiveness, the question is one of projection and transition to the next level. But he compensated for those “deficiencies” with high-level football intelligence regarding positioning, key diagnoses, balance and body control to contort to play around blockers and play speed and range to make plays inside out sideline-to-sideline.

Trotter also showed he is an excellent blitzer with the lateral quickness, balance and body control to beat running backs and close with burst to the QB. He is not a high-level athlete for a stacked LB. That, in combination with his lack of size and length, will drop him on some team's draft boards. However, his instinctive ability to navigate the box to evade and deconstruct blocks in the run game was as good as any LB in this draft class.

The question is whether teams see Trotter as a starting stacked LB in their base defense. With his excellent blitzing ability, will they also see him as a nickel LB? My sense is it will be team, scheme, and coach-specific.

Trotter does not check all the necessary boxes to be a starting stacked LB in the NFL, yet his tape is consistently strong, and he makes plays in all phases of the game. You see the athletic and physical limitations on tape, and that raises a level of concern.

Overall, Trotter sees things quickly and clearly with high-level key and diagnose and anticipatory traits. You see little wasted motion, poor angles or lack of awareness regarding play development and blocking schemes. Can that compensate for his lack of desirable measurables and ideal movement traits?

That Is not an easy question to answer. My guess is Trotter will be evaluated and projected differently by different coaches and teams. Is there a T.J. Edwards comparison to be made? Trotter is a better prospect than Nakobe Dean when he came out of Georgia a few years ago.

OTHER NOTES

Trotter came out of national power St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia as a consensus five-star recruit and the nation's No. 1 LB prospect. In his final two seasons at Clemson, Trotter recorded 28.5 TFL, 12 QB sacks and four interceptions, returning two for touchdowns.

In 2022, Trotter was used as a pass rusher at times in Clemson’s sub-defenses with snaps as a looper in stunt concepts. He was also deployed as the middle-hole defender in Cover 2.

In 2023, Trotter continued to be deployed as a blitzer in specific third-down and selected other situations. He was featured in multiple inside stunt concepts as the looper and the penetrator.

Trotter was also deployed as a spy at times vs. mobile quarterbacks. When Clemson went man coverage, Trotter predominantly matched up to the running back. Depending on the offensive formation, Trotter was the overhang LB playing in space.

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 Brennan Jackson.

Brennan Jackson's 2024 NFL Combine RESULTS

• Height: 6-foot-3
• Weight: 264
• 40-yard dash: 4.69
• 10-yard split: 1.62
• Vertical jump: 33.5"
• Broad jump: 9'6"
• Arm Length: 32 ¾”

Brennan Jackson 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Good size and length for an edge defender. Consistently played with high-level aggression and competitiveness.
• Effective use of arm length to extend and lockout, keeping feet clean to play off contact. Short-stroke power.
• Consistently used his hands effectively to work through and play off OL/TE blocks to make plays in the run game. 
• Physical at POA in the run game when he used his hands effectively. Showed strength to control and displace. 
• Strong, heavy hands are a part of his traits profile.  Snaps where he shocked and jarred the OT with quick strikes off the snap.
• What immediately stood out was his quickness off the ball and physicality. Played with assignment discipline. 
• Flashed speed-to-power as a wide edge rusher with a runway to generate velocity and speed creating torque. 
• Showed an explosive inside spin move. Balance and body control to accelerate to the QB.
• Desirable combination of strength and plus athleticism. Made impact plays resulting from both traits. 
• Outstanding playing personality with high-level competitiveness. Played with tenacity through every snap

WEAKNESSES

• More straight-line linear than loose-hipped in his movement. Not a great change of direction or re-direct athlete.
• Not a true pass rusher at this point. Lacks needed lateral quickness and is limited with his approach.
• Not many tools in his tool box as a pass rusher. Relied almost exclusively on speed-to-power with few counters. 
• Did not show the body flexibility and bend at the top of pass rush arc to flatten rush path and close with speed.

NFL TRANSITION

Jackson was a fun player to watch with his high-intensity, competitive approach on every snap that left no mystery as to how he played the game. Jackson, while not a sudden, explosive athlete, possesses a desirable combination of plus athleticism and movement enhanced by his non-stop motor and outstanding playing personality, strength and power. 

His short-stroke power showed within 6 to 10 inches off the line to shock OL and TEs off the snap. What consistently stood out watching Jackson’s tape was his persistent effort, playing with an urgency that bordered on maniacal. That mindset resulted in his competitiveness to drive through blockers with physical toughness and plus play strength. 

As a pass rusher, Jackson did not bring many moves with him. Speed-to-power is his foundation, but he did flash an inside spin move that had some explosiveness to it. He also brings some front versatility with his ability to line up inside and be a factor as a pass rusher.

Overall, Jackson showed first-step quickness off the ball with plus power when he had some runway and strong hands to play contact. Those traits usually translate to the next level. Jackson also showed POA strength as a run defender, shedding 1-on-1 blocks and aggressively taking on double teams.

Coaches will like Jackson, and he will become an important rotational piece in 6-8 DL fronts that are now prevalent in the NFL. Can Jackson also transition as a standup OLB in the five-man fronts that many teams now feature?

I think he can, and that gives him a lot of positional versatility. Jackson’s height/weight and athletic testing measurables were similar to George Karlaftis’. Karlaftis exceeded Jackson somewhat meaningfully in the vertical and broad. The question is how evaluators and coaches see that regarding his projection. 

OTHER NOTES

Jackson played five years at Washington State after coming out of California as a three-star recruit. He played DL and TE in high school. Jackson earned his first start as a redshirt sophomore in 2020. He became a three-year, full-time starter and was named Second-Team All-Pac 12 in 2022 and 2023.

He almost exclusively lined up on the outside at DE but there were some snaps inside at DT.

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 Ainias Smith.

Ainias Smith'S 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

• Height: 5'9"
• Weight: 190 lbs
• 40-Time: DNP (Did Not Participate)
• 10-Yard Split: DNP
• Vertical: DNP
• Broad Jump: DNP
• 3-Cone: DNP
• Shuttle: DNP

Ainias Smith 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS:

• Predominantly lined up in the slot in Texas A&M's offense. He has natural quickness as route runner and mover. 
• Loose-hipped, fluid mover with easy re-direct and change of direction. Some wiggle and shake to his movement.
• Showed in-and-out of break separation quickness. At times, he looked sudden and explosive in his movement.
• Caught the ball easily with his hands away from his frame on the move. Seamless transition to run after catch.
• From the slot, he ran by and got on top of off-coverage defensive backs on vertical routes with shake and burst.  
• Showed run after catch juice with sudden lateral agility, movement, excellent balance and body control.

WEAKNESSES:

• Has the lateral quickness to be a strong separation generator but needs more subtlety and refinement in his routes.
• More quick than straight-line fast. Not likely to transition as a vertical dimension, unless it is schemed.
• While highly competitive, Smith is not likely to make contested catches. More of a movement receiver.

NFL TRANSITION:

Smith predominantly lined up in the slot in Texas A&M’s offense but was also deployed as a motion receiver. That is the role he will likely play in the NFL. Smith is a loose, fluid athlete with stop-start suddenness and smooth change of direction. He also showed quickness and burst as a route runner and run after the catch.

Smith is quicker than straight-line fast, which, more often than not, projects and transitions well to the slot and to movement and motion. He showed some electric playmaking traits with the ball at Texas A&M.

In an NFL where motion and formation multiplicity is more the norm than the exception, Smith can have a significant role as a location-versatile receiver, who an offense will want to get the ball in space with run-after-catch opportunities.

Smith consistently caught the ball away from his frame and transitioned easily to run after the catch, where he is among the best in the 2024 wide receiver class.

Overall, Smith is a strong prospect who some could see as a team- and scheme-specific but dynamic playmaker. In today’s NFL, quick-game and run-after-catch prowess is in demand. If Smith can stay healthy, he can develop into a volume receiver much in the way Amon-Ra St. Brown has for the Lions after coming out of USC as a fourth-round pick.

OTHER NOTES:

Smith played five years at Texas A&M with his 2022 shortened by a season-ending injury after four games.

Smith was predominantly a slot receiver in Texas A&M’s offense in 2023, with 59 of his 80 targets coming out of the slot or motion into the slot with 39 receptions for 641 yards (16.4) and two TD. Smith ran by Alabama corner Terrion Arnold on a slot go route, showing some wiggle and short-area burst to get on top of Arnold.

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 Jaylon Carlies.

Jaylon Carlies 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS

• Height: 6-foot-3
• Weight: 227 pounds
• 40-yard dash: 4.5 seconds
• 10-yard split: 1.54 seconds
• 20-yard shuttle: N/A
• Vertical jump: 32.5"
• Broad jump: 10' 5"
• Arm length: 34 ¼"

Jaylon Carlies 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

• Outstanding size and length for safety position with back end and box versatility. Smooth and rangy movement.
• Easy fluid pedal as back-end safety with comfortable transition and change of direction. Controlled movement.
• Flipped his hips and opened his stride smoothly on back end. Covered ground easily with his size and length.
• Executed speed turns in back end coverage with smooth fluidity. Effectively matched vertical routes in phase.
• Has length and movement traits to match up man-to-man to tight end both attached and detached, especially in the red zone.
• Played downhill from back end in the run game with aggression and physicality. Took on blocks with some force.
• Run game snaps in the box where he was physical and strong attacking offensive linemen. Played off blocks and made tackles.
• When aligned in the box or in an overhang alignment, shot gaps with timing and burst, making tackles in the run game.
• Good tackler playing downhill in the run game. Came to balance and squared up with body control and balance.

WEAKNESSES

• Much more of a straight-line, linear athlete than a loose, change-of-direction athlete. Transitions can be sticky.
• Little tight in his hips with his long yet compact frame. At times, had a negative impact on the change of direction.
• Got stuck at times in both man and zone coverage transitions when reacting to routes.
• At times, from back end safety, he took poor angles reacting downhill in run game. Too narrow with slow vision.
• Needs to play with more discipline with his eyes. Too often in the wrong place, negatively affecting responsibilities.

NFL TRANSITION

Carlies may be one of the most intriguing defensive players in the 2024 draft class with his highly desirable combination of size and athleticism, which was reflected in his strong athletic testing measurables but also showed up consistently on his tape.

Carlies is a big, linear athlete with some explosive straight-line burst and acceleration, and there were snaps where he showed outstanding closing speed and force into tackles. While he does not possess higher-level transition and change of direction, there were many examples throughout his tape where he showed he could flip his hips, open his stride on the back end and plant and drive on routes in front of him.

Carlies has extensive experience as a versatile safety playing on the back end, in the box and as an overhang defender. He had multiple responsibilities in zone coverage and matched up man-to-man on tight ends and running backs.

In an NFL where big nickel is becoming more prevalent, Carlies' physical and athletic traits profile may well fit that personnel package (think: Dan Quinn with his heavy emphasis on big nickel with the Dallas Cowboys and now as the head coach of the Washington Commanders).

I believe Carlies can play a more conventional safety position, especially for defenses whose foundational structure is quarters (think: the way Brandon Jones was deployed with the Miami Dolphins in 2021 and 2022 or how Kam Curl was deployed with the Commanders in recent years).

OTHER NOTES

Carlies came out of Florida as a 3-star recruit and made spot starts at safety in his freshman season (2020). He ended his Missouri career with 40 starts.

In 2022, Carlies was a versatile safety playing on the back end both in split safety shells and as the post safety addition both aligned in the box and as an overhang defender. There were nickel snaps where he played the linebacker position and snaps where he matched up man-to-man on the tight end.

In 2023, Carlies again played both on the back end — and had snaps at post, in the box and as an overhang defender. There were also snaps where he matched man-to-man on the tight end, even when the tight end was detached from the formation. Carlies was the middle-hole defender in some Cover 2 snaps, and he was both an underneath hook-to-curl defender and a flat defender in Cover 3. He was also deployed as an edge blitzer at times and showed the downhill burst to blow up running backs