2019 NFL Draft Scouting Report - Nick Bosa

Despite questions about quitting on his team, Nick Bosa could still find himself as the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draftt

Nick Bosa, Jr., DE, Ohio State

6-foot-4, 263 pounds, #97

Nick Bosa was a five-star prospect coming out of high school, having been ranked in the top ten overall by nearly every major recruiting agency. Hailing from St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Bosa was a two time State Champion, a two time All-State selection, and an Under Armor All-American.

Bosa followed his older brother Joey (former All-American defensive end and the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2016) to Ohio State. Like his brother, both Bosa's father (John) and uncle (Erik Kumerow) were former NFL first round draft picks. 

While Bosa only started for one season with the Buckeyes, he played a significant role as a true freshman on what was a defensive line laden with NFL talent.

Bosa finished his Freshman season with 29 tackles, 7 tackles for a loss, and 5 sacks. Those efforts earned him a spot on ESPN's Freshman All-American Team, and he was also an Ohio State Scholar Athlete.

Following a Sophomore season in which Bosa notched 34 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble., he was named First Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, and a First Team All-American. Bosa was also named Academic All-Big Ten and a Ohio State Scholar Athlete. 

Bosa started out strong during his Junior season with 14 tackles, 6 tackles for a loss, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 touchdown in just three games before suffering a core muscle injury that required surgery.

Given a projected 12-week recovery period, it was speculated that Bosa could return in time for the Buckeye's game against rival Michigan, or with Ohio State being a legitimate National Championship contender, for the College Football Playoffs. However, Bosa raised eyebrows when he quit the team shortly after his surgery to focus on his rehabilitation and training for the NFL draft.

With ideal size and athleticism to play the edge in the NFL, Bosa should have no trouble playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme or weakside defensive end in a 4-3 system. Having been situationally moved along the line at Ohio State, Bosa also has the size and versatility to slide to the interior on passing downs if needed.

Bosa uses a combination of speed and power to get to the passer. While the speed rush is his primary move, he frequently attacks the outside shoulder of opposing linemen knowing that he has the extra gear and bend to beat his man and turn the corner.

As a counter move, Bosa is able to quickly change directions and attack inside with his fluid hips and a strong swim move in the event that opposing blockers cheat wide in order to try and negate his speed rush.

Bosa should be strong enough to set the edge at the NFL level. His quickness and strength make him a disruptive force when it comes to getting penetration against the run. His strong grip allows him to bring down ball carriers if he so much as gets a single hand on them. 

Bosa was not asked to drop into coverage much at Ohio State, but he has the athleticism to do so on occasion if needed. However, his elite pass rushing skills make him better suited to play on the weakside and attack the passer on a regular basis.

If there is one criticism about Bosa, it is the concept of whether he puts himself before his team.

While Bosa's family has stated that he likely would not have been fully healthy for the CFP's despite his initial 12-week projected absence (which very well may have been a correct statement), he had already left his team before he could legitimately know how quickly his rehab was progressing.

If the prospect of competing for a National Championship, or at least remaining with your teammates as they compete for a title, wasn't enough to keep Bosa from packing it in, you have to wonder how he'll handle playing on an expiring contract for a team that may not be a playoff contender.

Bosa very well may be able to address these concerns, but if I'm a general manager and my job is ultimately on the line, I'm going to thoroughly vet him on his decision making during the pre-draft interview process...Especially since Bosa's family was actively vocal about his brother's holdout prior to his rookie season.

NFL Comparison: Joey Bosa

NFL Draft Projection: First Round (top two pick)

2019 NFL Draft Scouting Report - Josh Allen

Josh Allen, Edge rusher of Kentucky, is a projected early first round draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and potentially one of the best pass rushers to enter the NFL in decades. 

Josh Allen, Sr., Edge, University of Kentucky
6-foot-5, 260 pounds, #41

Despite being a First Team All-State defensive end in New Jersey, Josh Allen was a lightly regarded, two star recruit coming out of high school. A one time Monmouth commit, Allen accepted a late offer to play in he SEC at the University of Kentucky.

After gaining close to 40 pounds, Allen developed into a three-year starter at defensive end for the Wildcats, starting with a breakout Sophomore season where he notched 62 tackles, 8 tackles for a loss, 7 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles.

Allen earned 2nd and 3rd team All SEC honors following his Junior season where he put up 66 tackles, 7 sacks, 10.5 tackles for a loss, 2 forced fumbles, and an interception.

Bypassing the NFL Draft as a probable second day pick, Allen returned to Kentucky for his Senior year where he finished the season with 88 tackles, 17 sacks, 21.5 tackles for a loss, and 5 forced fumbles.

For those efforts, Allen earned First Team All SEC honors, SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors, First Team All American honors, and National Defensive Player of the Year honors from multiple media sources.

A physical freak, Allen has ideal size and athleticism to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He is also heavy enough to play weakside defensive end in a 4-3 system.

Allen's lean, but muscular physique makes it unlikely that he'll put on much more weight at the NFL level without losing speed, but he'll probably add another 10 to 15 pounds as he naturally matures.

Allen is an extremely high motor edge rusher who simply blows opposing blockers away with his elite speed and burst, which allows him to get off the snap faster than just about any pass rusher I can remember. Opposing linemen are frequently forced to resort to reaching and grabbing, making him an offensive holding penalty in waiting.

On the rare occasion where his blocker is able to force him wide and/or deep in his pass rush, or in the event that the quarterback steps up in the pocket, Allen has the ability to quickly change directions and attack the passer from behind. This allows him to be an elite playmaker when it comes to forcing fumbles.

An instinctive player, Allen does well dropping into coverage. His motor also allows him to pursue opposing ball carriers from the backside of plays.

Although he's probably not yet stout enough to consistently set the edge against the run at the NFL level, Allen should grow into that role in time. For now, he's better utilized in pass rush and run pursuit given his athleticism and persistent drive towards the ball.

If there is one criticism about Allen's game, it's that he could use a secondary move to compliment his speed/power rush. It may be that he's just so dominant at the college level that he doesn't need to resort to secondary moves, but he's clearly athletic enough to add a spin or swim move to his repertoire (if he doesn't already have them) with proper tutelage at the NFL level.


NFL Comparison: Von Miller
NFL Draft Projection: First Round (top four)

2018 NFL Mock Draft - 2nd Round

33. Cleveland Browns – Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia

34. New York Giants  - Harold Landry, Edge, Boston College

35. Cleveland Browns - Connor Williams, T, Texas

36. Indianapolis Colts - Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa

37. Indianapolis Colts – Ronald Jones, RB, USC

38. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn 

39. Chicago Bears – Lorenzo Carter, Edge, Georgia

40. Denver Broncos - Will Hernandez, G, UTEP

41. Oakland Raiders - Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado

42. Miami Dolphins – James Daniels, C, Iowa 

43. New England Patriots – Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State

44. Washington Redskins – Donte Jackson, CB, LSU

45. Green Bay Packers - Tyrell Crosby, T, Oregon

46. Cincinnati Bengals – Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan

47. Arizona Cardinals - Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M

48. Los Angeles Chargers - Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State

49. Indianapolis Colts – Josh Sweat, Edge, Florida State

50. Dallas Cowboys – Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU

51. Detroit Lions - Derrius Guice, RB, LSU

52. Philadelphia Eagles - D.J. Chark, WR, LSU

53. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Justin Reid, S, Stanford

54. Kansas City Chiefs - Arden Key, Edge, LSU

55. Carolina Panthers - James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State

56. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn

57. Tennessee Titans - Sam Hubbard, Edge, Ohio State

58. Atlanta Falcons - Nathan Shepherd, DT, Fort Hays State

59. San Francisco 49'ers - Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State

60. Pittsburgh Steelers - Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas

61. Jacksonville Jaguars - Mark Andrews, TE, Alabama

62. Minnesota Vikings - Austin Corbett, G, Nevada

63. New England Patriots - Kyle Lauletta, QB, Richmond 

64. Cleveland Browns - Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford

2018 NFL Mock Draft - Final Competition Version

Here is my final competition version 2018 NFL Mock Draft:

1. Cleveland Browns – Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming

2. New York Giants  - Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

3. New York Jets (from the Indianapolis Colts) - Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

4. Cleveland Browns (from the Houston Texans) - Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State

5. Denver Broncos – Sam Darnold, QB, USC

6. Buffalo Bills (Projected trade with the Indianapolis Colts, from the New York Jets) - Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Quenton Nelson, LB, Notre Dame

8. Chicago Bears - Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

9. San Francisco 49'ers - Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech

10. Oakland Raiders – Mike McGlinchey, T, Notre Dame

11. Miami Dolphins – Derwin James, S, Florida State

12. Indianapolis Colts (projected trade with the Buffalo Bills, from the Cincinnati Bengals) – Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State 

13. Washington Redskins - Vita Vea, DT, Washington

14. Green Bay Packers – Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama

15. Arizona Cardinals - Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

16. Baltimore Ravens - Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama 

17. San Diego Chargers – Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama

18. Seattle Seahawks – Marcus Davenport, OLB, UTSA

19. Dallas Cowboys - D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland

20. Detroit Lions - Harold Landry, OLB, Boston College

21. Cincinnati Bengals (from the Buffalo Bills, via the Kansas City Chiefs) - James Daniels, C, Iowa

22. Indianapolis Colts (projected trade with the Buffalo Bills) - Will Hernandez, G, UTEP

23. New England Patriots (from the Los Angeles Rams) - Kolton Miller, T, UCLA

24. Carolina Panthers - Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville 

25. Tennessee Titans - Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State

26. Atlanta Falcons - Taven Bryan, DT, Florida

27. New Orleans Saints - Connor Williams, T/G, Texas

28. Pittsburgh Steelers - Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama

29. Jacksonville Jaguars - Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU

30. Minnesota Vikings - Isaiah Wynn, T/G, Georgia

31. New England Patriots - Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida  

32. Philadelphia Eagles - Derrius Guice, RB, LSU 

FINAL 2018 NFL TOP 100 DRAFT BOARD (COMPETITION VERSION)

1.       Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

2.       Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State

3.       Sam Darnold, QB, USC

4.       Quenton Nelson, G, ND

5.       Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

6.       Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

7.       Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming

8.       Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech

9.       Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

10.   Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State

11.   Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama

12.   Derwin James, S, Florida State

13.   Vita Vea, DT, Washington

14.   Harold Landry, Edge, Boston College

15.   Marcus Davenport, Edge, UTSA

16.   Mike McGlinchey, T, ND

17.   Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama

18.   Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville

19.   Will Hernandez, G, UTEP

20.   James Daniels, C, Iowa

21.   Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

22.   Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa

23.   D.J. Moore, WR, Iowa

24.   DaRon Payne, DT, Alabama

25.   Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State

26.   Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama

27.   Taven Bryan, DT, Florida

28.   Kolton Miller, T, UCLA

29.   Derrius Guice, RB, LSU

30.   Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida

31.   Isaiah Wynn, OL, Georgia

32.   Connor Williams, OL, Texas

33.   Sony Michel, RB, Georgia

34.   Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan

35.   Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State

36.   Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU

37.   Justin Reid, S, Stanford

38.   Billy Price, C, Ohio State

39.   Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia

40.   Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State

41.   Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado

42.   Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina

43.   Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M

44.   James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State

45.   Sam Hubbard, Edge, Ohio State

46.   Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford

47.   Orlando Brown, T, Oklahoma

48.   Donte Jackson, CB, LSU

49.   Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama

50.   Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State

51.   D.J. Chark, WR, LSU

52.   Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas

53.   Tyrell Crosby, T, Oregon

54.   Rasheem Green, DE, USC

55.   Brian O’Neill, T, Pitt

56.   Justin Sweat, DE, Florida State

57.   Lorenzo Carter, Edge, Georgia

58.   Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis

59.   Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma

60.   Ronald Jones, RB, USC

61.   Martinas Rankin, T, Mississippi State

62.   Jessie Bates, S, Wake Forest

63.   Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas

64.   Arden Key, Edge, LSU

65.   Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn

66.   Austin Corbett, G, Nevada

67.   Braden Smith, G. Auburn

68.   Ian Thomas, TE, Indiana

69.   Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego

70.   Nathan Shepherd, DT, Ft. Hays State

71.   B.J. Hill, DT, N.C. State

72.   Darius Leonard, LB, S.C. State

73.   Chukwuma Okorafor, T, Western Michigan

74.   Dante Pettis, WR, Washington

75.   Michael Gallup, WR Colorado State

76.   Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn

77.   Kyle Lauletta, QB, Richmond

78.   Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama

79.   DaShawn Hand, DT, Alabama

80.   Ogbonnia Okoronokwo, Edge, Oklahoma

81.   Deon Cain, WR, Clemson

82.   Rashaan Gaulden, CB, Tennessee

83.   Terrell Edmunds, S, Va Tech

84.   Duke Dawson, CB, Florida

85.   M.J. Steward, CB, North Carolina

86.   Holton Hill, CB, Texas

87.   Tyquan Lewis, DE, Ohio State

88.   Daesean Hamilton, WR, Penn State

89.   Jerome Baker, LB, Ohio State

90.   Geron Christian, T, Louisville

91.   Deadrin Senat, DT, South Florida

92.   Cole Madison, G, Washington State

93.   Uchenna Nwosu, LB, USC

94.   Jaylen Holmes, DE, Ohio State

95.   Kemoko Turay, Edge, Rutgers

96.   Joseph Noteboom, T, TCU

97.   Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon

98.   Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, ND

99.   Tarvarius Moore, DB, So. Miss

100 Nyheim Hines, RB, N.C. State

Is Darius Phillips of Western Michigan the best corner in the 2018 NFL Draft?

I have Darius Phillips of Western Michigan as my top CB prospect in the 2018 NFL Draft. 

While Darius Phillips may not exactly be a household name when it comes to college football and the NFL Draft, he probably should be.

After all, he did help lead his Western Michigan Broncos to the 2017 Cotton Bowl, a remarkable achievement for a MAC school that has not traditionally been a football power even at the mid-major level.

Not only is this converted wide receiver possibly the most versatile player in all of college football, excelling at cornerback, kick returner, punt returner, and even wide receiver, but he very well might be the best cover corner in the 2018 NFL Draft.

While Phillips has been reported to run anywhere from a 4.45 to a 4.6 forty-yard dash, he plays extremely fast no matter what his official time turns out to be.

A quick twitch athlete, Phillips demonstrates the ability to bait receivers by laying off, only recover while the ball is still in the air and make plays due to his late closing speed. His burst is also evident in his return skills, and he has elite ability to not only out run, but also make opposing tacklers miss in the open field.

Phillips' speed and quickness allow him to shadow and lock down wide receivers when needed, but equally as important, he has the football instincts to locate and make a play on the ball when it's in the air when he's challenged, which is a skill that comes natural to the former wide receiver.

While Phillips is overlooked as an NFL prospect given that he typically plays against mid-major conference opponents, he has excelled against top level competition when he has been on the bigger stage.

As a sophomore, Phillips tallied two interceptions against an Ohio State team that was ranked #1 at the time. He also returned a punt for touchdown against a Michigan State team that finished the season ranked #5 overall in 2015.

Phillips earned All-MAC Defensive honors and was named the conference Special Team Player of the Year his junior season. In doing so, he played lock down coverage in an upset victory over Northwestern, as well as in a close defeat against Wisconsin in the Cotton Bowl. Overall, he finished his 2016 season with five total touchdown returns (3 INT's, 1 KO, & 1 PR).

As a senior, Phillips opened the season with a kickoff return touchdown against #4 ranked USC, and then followed that up by returning both a fumble (that he created) and a kickoff for scores a week later against a Michigan State team that finished the season ranked #16 in the Coaches Poll and #15 by the AP.

If there's a knock on Phillips, it's his size. At 5'10 and 188 pounds, Phillips is built more like a nickle than an outside NFL corner. However, he plays much bigger than his height, as his wide receiver skills allow him to highpoint the ball against taller opponents better than they do.

Even though he's only 5'10, Darius Phillips was able to use his football skills and take the ball away from 6'4 Michigan State receiver Felton Davis, who's known for his ability to win jump balls. 

Phillips' forty yard dash time will still be a factor in determining where he gets drafted, but if he clocks in anywhere under a 4.5 he should be in the mix for being a day two pick in the 2018 NFL draft. Again, Phillips is being overlooked by the talking head draft experts, and will likely outperform his draft slot.

While I am confident in Phillips' straight line speed after watching his tape, his quickness and change of direction are as good as any player in the country, and I expect him to perform extremely well in the cone drills at the NFL Combine.

NFL Comparisons: Phillips has 2017 third round pick Jourdan Lewis' cover skills (Lewis fell in the draft due to a domestic violence allegation, but played like a first round pick in Dallas), with the return skills of Detroit Lion rookie All-Pro punt returner, Jamal Agnew.

Draft Projection: Third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. I don't think Phillips will end up being the first corner drafted in 2018 since he's coming from a mid-major program, but I still see him as ultimately ending up the most productive corner in his class.