NFL Draft Notebook: Rookie minicamp standouts and much more

2022 NFL Draft Scouting Notes

• A player who could really help his draft stock this season, if he can produce like he did last year is South Carolina edge defender Jordan Strachan. Last season, Strachan played for Georgia State and led the nation in sacks with 10.5. This season he will see if he can put up similar numbers in the much tougher SEC. As a prospect, he shows good athletic ability and the flexibility to get around the edge. He must improve his strength though, which he will likely do since he has already added 25 pounds to his frame this offseason. He needs to use his hands better as well when it comes to both getting off blocks and using his pass-rushing moves.
• Rogan Wells of Tusculum is a small school quarterback to watch next season. While playing at the Division II level he has put up some incredible numbers including completing 72% of his passes and throwing for 2,650 yards in 2019 while playing at Valdosta State. This past season Wells followed his offensive coordinator Kade Bell to Tusculum and threw for 370 yards a game. While Wells lacks great arm strength and needs to refine his mechanics with another outstanding season in 2021 he could get looks late in the 2022 NFL Draft.
• Ohio State running back Master Teague is a prospect who is overrated going into the season. Teague is currently rated as the number four running back by NFL Draft Scout and is rated as the 95th best player in the 2022 NFL Draft by CBS. This is an awfully high ranking for someone who has had only average production during his college career so far and might lose his starting job to a true freshman next year. In order for Teague to be a day two pick, he is going to have to stay healthy this year which has been a problem for him in the past, and be much more of a threat in the passing game. If he is not able to do both of these he will likely be more of a fifth or sixth-round pick.
• 2020 was a breakout season for USC defensive end Nick Figueroa. After posting only 10 tackles and a sack in 2019, he registered 20 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in just six games. If that was not impressive enough he did this while playing with a torn labrum. As a prospect, his best fit might be as a 3-4 defensive end or one-gap defensive tackle which he played a lot of last year for the Trojans. He fits well in this role because he has the size and strength to hold up against the run, and due to the fact he is not the most explosive edge rusher.
• Last year, Northern Iowa produced 40% of the FCS players drafted in the 2021 NFL Draft, and they definitely have some interesting prospects this year as well. One of those is wide receiver Isaiah Weston who despite having a horrible spring season is still a player who could hear his name called next April. Wilson is a big wide receiver who when healthy puts up impressive numbers. In 2019 he finished with 43 receptions for 1,053 which averages out to an eye-popping 24.4 yards per catch. If Wilson can stay healthy this coming season and UNI can find a reliable quarterback, look for him to become one of the more dominant receivers yet again.