Jake Rigdon

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The 2023 TE class is supposed to be amazing; the numbers show otherwise

Is the 2023 tight end class as good as it’s being portrayed? That depends on how you look at it. From a pure number’s standpoint, there aren’t as many players listed in the first- through seventh-rounds as was drafted last year. There are 16 tight ends ranked among the top 259 players in the soon-to-be-updated…

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Fanspeak Mock Draft 3.22: No draft-day trades in the first round? That largely depends on one team

We know Carolina isn’t going to trade out of the first overall pick, and Houston seems destined to snag the next-best quarterback. But what would motivate Arizona from moving out of the third-spot? If the Cardinals did, then they’d miss out on perhaps the best defensive player in the draft, Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson,…

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Myles Murphy, Bryan Bresee and Jordan Addison to Round 2? It could happen, national draft analyst says

Will Texas A&M safety Antonio Johnson drop to the third round? Is star Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee a second-round talent? And is Bresee’s teammate Trenton Simpson the fourth-best linebacker and destined for the late second-round? The always-plugged-in Trevor Sikkema certainly thinks so. The Pro Football Focus draft analyst released his three-round mock draft on…

Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter back in the news again; untested young QBs available?

Things have gone from bad to worse for Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter, once ranked as the No. 1 prospect by many draft evaluators. Media reports say the 6-foot-3 Carter weighed 323 pounds at Georgia’s Pro Day on Wednesday, which is nine pounds heavier than his weight at the Combine two weeks ago. Carter also…

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Fanspeak Mock Draft 3.15: How early free agent moves will impact the NFL draft

New Orleans has its quarterback of the future – or at least, it’s QB of “right now.” Same goes for Las Vegas. Philadelphia’s mighty defense has taken hits, although the Eagles managed to retain a big piece. Conversely, San Francisco just keeps adding players to its defense. Dallas, meanwhile, is less likely to view cornerback…

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BREAKING NEWS: Chicago, Carolina swap picks; Panthers now have No. 1 overall pick

Although Carolina paid a hefty price to move up to the No. 1 overall spot in its trade Friday with Chicago, draft trade calculators show that it was a pretty even swap. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Carolina traded its picks at No. 9 and No. 61, a first-round pick in 2024 and a second-rounder in…

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Who is Alex Austin? And more post-Combine NFL draft notes

Apologies to Alex Austin. We had no idea how popular he is. It’s rare for a player who’s coveted by other teams to go this long before being added to the Fanspeak-Jake Rigdon big board, but the Oregon State cornerback has thus far gone under the radar. Like, way under the radar. But that’s not…

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Lack of elite talent at offensive tackle should help prospects like BYU’s Blake Freeland – but it might hurt OT-needy teams

It’s not a great year draft-wise to need an offensive lineman. For starters, look at the list of free agents, and you won’t have to search far to find a young Pro Bowler (26-year-old Orlando Brown Jr.), an older Pro Bowler (Taylor Lewan) or just a solid vet (Donovan Smith, Riley Reiff, among others). How…

Fanspeak Mock Draft 3.8: What we know and think we know, post-Combine

Let’s play the what-if game. What if Arizona drafted Drew Brees with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2001 draft instead of Texas offensive lineman Leonard Davis? Brees was a three-year starter at a Big Ten school, Purdue, and finished his career with 11,792 yards passing, 90 touchdowns and 45 interceptions. He also rushed…

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NFL Combine Notes 3/3: Georgia’s Nolan Smith, Pittsburgh’s Calijah Kancey run blazing 40s

He was said to be the “glue” that held Georgia’s historically deep and talented defense together. Sure, the linebacker was a bit on the small size, but on a roster full of future NFL players, he was the captain, and his fearlessness helped him pile up stats. The problem? His size. He was measured at…

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