This week’s NFL Draft Notebook takes a look at why Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford has a legitimate shot of winning MVP and more
Over the past couple of weeks, NFL Draft Notebook has picked our surprise team of the upcoming season, prediction for offensive rookie of the year, and this week we take a look at why Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is a smart bet to win MVP this season.
Along with taking a look at why Matthew Stafford is in a great situation this week’s article also looks at the following NFL Draft topics
- Why TCU offensive tackle Obinna Eze is a name you need to know
- Why the Los Angeles Rams might look at offensive tackle in the 2022 NFL Draft
- Preseason offensive tackle rankings for the 2022 NFL Draft
- And much more
Why Matthew Stafford will be the 2021 MVP
The biggest move of this offseason is when the Detroit Lions traded quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Goff and a 2021 third-round pick, 2022 first-rounder and 2023 first-rounder. While this is a lot to give up for a quarterback with zero playoff wins, it will be well worth it if Stafford can take the Rams to a Super Bowl championship and win the 2021 NFL MVP.
One of the reasons the Los Angeles Rams and Matthew Stafford can make these goals a reality next season is his willingness to push the ball downfield. One of the Rams’ biggest issues last year was that Goff refused to take chances down the field as his average pass only went downfield just 6.5 yards which ranked 38th in the NFL. On the other hand, Stafford averaged 9 yards per pass which ranked sixth in the NFL despite playing with a worse supporting cast.
Another trait Matthew Stafford has working in his favor is his ability to be clutch in critical situations. He has proven he can throw under pressure and off-platform on a consistent basis. He also has the ability to lead his team at the end of games as no quarterback had more game-winning drives from 2014 to 2017. This aspect of his game could be crucial this year since he finally has the supporting cast to compete with the top teams in the NFL.
Stafford also went into a situation with the Los Angeles Rams that should be a great fit for him. One of the reasons why Stafford should see his game improve this year is he is working with one of the more creative offensive minds in the NFL in head coach Sean McVay. McVay has proven over the years he knows how to set up his quarterback for success and create mismatches in the passing game, which Stafford should now be able to take advantage of.
This is also a great situation for Matthew Stafford as he will be surrounded by the best supporting cast he has ever had. The Los Angeles Rams have two upper echelon receivers in Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp and also a tight end in Tyler Higbee who is a threat in the passing game. In addition to these treats, he has a running back who is just starting to come into his own in Cam Akers.
When you look at all these factors it is easy to see why 2021 will be a big season for Matthew Stafford and one where he easily could walk away with both the MVP and Vince Lombardi Trophy.
One of the more interesting players in the 2022 NFL Draft is TCU offensive tackle Obinna Eze. Eze spent most of his childhood growing up in Nigeria before moving to America in 2015. He spent his first two seasons in the USA focusing on basketball but finally decided to give football a chance during his senior year in high school. It didn’t take long for colleges to notice him either as he was rated as a four-star prospect and earned offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and several other Power Five schools.
Obinna Eze pulled a bit of surprise though when he chose to play at Memphis over these more high-profile schools and was the second-highest-rated player in his recruiting class to choose to go to a Group of Five school. Eze spent his first year with the Tigers redshirting and studying film to get a better grasp of the game, He started to see game action in 2018 when he started six games and in 2019 became a full-time starter to give him a total of 25 starts at left tackle. In January, Eze announced he will play his final season at TCU where he is expected to be a day one starter at left tackle.
When projecting Eze to the next level several traits stand out about him that makes him an intriguing developmental prospect. One of these traits is his enormous size coming in at 6-foot-8 and 315 pounds. He has the long arms to go with this size and does an excellent job of extending his arms and keeping his defender at bay. Another positive with Eze is his strength and his ability to control his man once he has his hands on him.
While Eze is far from a bad athlete he likely lacks the athletic ability to play left tackle in the NFL. He will need to switch to right tackle due to this lack of fluidity to hold up against the top speed pass rushers in the NFL, who will be able to beat him off the edge. His biggest deficiencies in this area are he tends to lunge when blocking, especially when he gets to the second level, and having poor lower body flexibility. This poor flexibility also hurts him when it comes to his pad level which is an even bigger issue for a player who is as tall as Eze is.
Going into the 2021 season Eze is graded as a fourth-round prospect, however, if he can compete against the top players in the Big 12 that grade will likely rise. It would not be a shock if he earned a day two draft grade in the 2022 NFL Draft if he holds up against tougher competition this year, performs well at an all-star game, and tests well at the NFL combine.
- One position the Las Vegas Raiders may need to upgrade next offseason is wide receiver. The team lost Nelson Agholor via free agency this offseason and both rookie wide receivers Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards had disappointing seasons last year. While the Raiders do have a good slot receiver in Hunter Renfrow Las Vegas would benefit from a true number one receiver. Two players the team could look at in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft are Drake London of USC and Justyn Ross of Clemson.
- Look for the Los Angeles Rams to focus on the offensive tackle class in next year’s draft. While this is not a weakness currently, the team could lose several players at this position next year. Starting left tackle Andrew Whitworth will be 40 in December and is not expected to back next year. The team could also lose Joseph Noteboom in free agency next offseason. While the Los Angeles Rams traded their first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft they are scheduled to have 11 picks in this year’s draft and it would be a shock if they didn’t take at least one offensive lineman with these selections.
- While the San Fransico 49ers have George Kittle who is one of the best tight ends in the NFL it would not be a surprise if San Francisco looked to add a young player at this position in the 2022 NFL Draft. The team would be wise to spend a mid-round pick on this position since George Kittle was limited to eight games last year, and there is little depth behind him. A tight end who might make sense in the fourth or fifth-round area is Jake Ferguson of Wisconsin. Ferguson is the physical type of tight end Kyle Shanahan prefers and is both a strong blocker and reliable receiver.
- The New York Jets are another team that will likely take a strong look at the tight end prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft. Last season, the team got very little production out of this position and only made minor upgrades at this position this offseason. The team’s current starting tight end Chris Herndon has had back-to-back disappointing seasons and will be a free agent after the season. Some of the tight ends the Jets would be wise to consider in the second or third round include Cade Otton, Jahleel Billingsley, and Jeremy Ruckert.
- Blaise Andries of Minnesota is one of the larger linemen in the 2022 NFL Draft coming in at 6-foot-6 and 335 pounds. While this size works in his favor when it comes to overpowering opponents it might also force him to shift to offensive guard. This is due to him lacking the flexibility you want to see from your tackles and shows only average quickness. An NFL team that could be an ideal fit for him is the Miami Dolphins who love to draft massive offensive linemen.
- Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal has made an impact from day one at Alabama, starting 13 games as a true freshman. This past season Neal made the move from offensive guard to right tackle where he again had a strong season. Looking at how Neal transitions to the NFL he has the size, strength, and feet to be a first-round pick. One concern with him that could see him slip in the 2022 NFL Draft is his body control as he tends to get off balance.
- Aaron Johnson might be the first player to be drafted from South Dakota State since Jordan Brown went to the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Johnson shows impressive strength and is a strong run blocker overall. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the quickest feet which could force him to play right tackle or shift inside to guard in the NFL.
- While a lot of NFL Draft sites have Ohio State offensive tackle Thayer Munford graded as the top offensive tackle in the 2022 NFL Draft, it is unlikely he will go that high if he doesn’t improve his technique. The biggest issue with him is his slow punch which allows defenders to get into his body and overpower him. He also has some footwork concerns including stopping his feet on contact at times.
- A player who is still learning the offensive line position but already shows intriguing pro potential is BYU offensive tackle Blake Freeland. Freeland, who played quarterback in high school, has only played on the offensive line for two years yet has already started 18 games. As a pro prospect, he displays the athletic ability and quick feet to play left tackle. One thing he needs to work on though is getting stronger as defenders can push him around at times.
Top offensive tackle: Jaxson Kirkland, Washington
A player who could be a franchise left tackle in the 2022 NFL Draft is Jaxson Kirkland of Washington. He has all the tools to be a great NFL player including size, quick feet, and overall strength. It would not be a shock if Kirkland went in the top ten of next year’s NFL Draft.
Most underrated: Jack Snyder, San Jose State
One of the highest-graded players in college football last season was Jack Snyder of San Jose State. Pro Football Focus graded Snyder as the second-best pass blocker and the third-best run blocker in college football last year. When looking at how Snyder transitions to the NFL he has the skills to be a developmental left tackle. He has the quick feet needed to play this position in the NFL and also possess the athletic ability to get to the second level.
Most overrated: Tyler Vrabel, Boston College
To say Tyler Vrable’s film against Pittsburgh is not very impressive is an understatement. In his game against Pittsburgh, he was beaten several times off the edge and was off-balance countless times. He also showed only average power and had trouble with defenders bull-rushing him at times. Despite these struggles, he is still ranked as one of the top ten offensive tackles by NFL Draft Scout, which is much different than the grade he receives here which is not even a priority free agent
Offensive tackle that should significantly improve his stock: Zion Nelson, Miami
Miami offensive tackle Zion Nelson had a disastrous freshman season where he allowed 38 pressures and 12 sacks during the 2019 year. His struggles caused him to lose his starting job going into the 2020 season, which he did not regain until the last six games of the year. In these six games, he looked like a completely different player allowing only two sacks in these games. This season Nelson should see his stock continue to improve as he will be a full-time starter again.
Biggest risk: Daniel Faalele, Minnesota
The biggest concern with Minnesota offensive tackle Daniel Faalele is his enormous size. Faalele is listed at 6-foot-9 and 400 pounds, which makes him one of the biggest NFL Draft prospects in recent memory. Even though he moves well for someone his size, weight will likely always be an issue with him.
Top small school offensive tackle: Trevor Penning, UNI
Last year, UNI saw offensive tackle Spencer Brown go to the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the NFL Draft and they could see Trevor Penning go even higher this year. Penning was recently rated as the sixth-best senior prospect by National Football Scouting which is one of the scouting services the NFL uses. When watching his film it is hard to not come away impressed by his combination of quickness and strength which is why he enters the 2021 season with a second-round grade.
Overall Rankings
1. Jaxson Kirkland, Washington (first round)
2. Evan Neal, Alabama (first round)
3. Charles Cross, Mississippi State (first round)
4. Zion Nelson, Miami (first round)
5. Trevor Penning, UNI (second round)
6. Thayer Munford, Ohio State (third round)
7. Rasheed Walker, Penn State (third round)
8. Nicholas Petit-Frere, Ohio State (third round)
9. Obinna Eze, TCU (fourth round)
10. Abreham Lucas, Washington State (fifth round)
11. Jack Snyder, San Jose State (fifth round)
12. Blake Freeland, BYU (fifth round)
13. Daniel Faalele, Minnesota (fifth round)
14. Joey Claybrook, Tulane (sixth round)
15. Max Mitchell, Louisiana (sixth round)
16. Dare Rosenthal, Kentucky (sixth round)
17. Wanya Morris, Oklahoma (sixth round)
18. David Kroll, Delaware (seventh round)
19. Aron Johnson, South Dakota State (seventh round)
20. Jordan Tucker, North Carolina (seventh round)
21. Braxton Jones, Southern Utah (seventh round)
22. Darnell Wright, Tennessee (seventh round)
23. T.J. Storment, Texas Tech (free agent)
24. Austin Deculus, LSU (free agent)
25. Kellen Diesch, Arizona State (free agent)
26. Jake Fuzak, Buffalo (free agent)
27. Raymond Gillespie, James Madison (free agent)
28. Dylan Wonnum, South Carolina (free agent)
29.Matt Waletzko, North Dakota (free agent)
30. Dylan Cook, Montana (free agent)
31. John Ojukwu, Boise State (free agent)
- Look for the Indianapolis Colts to use 2021 fourth-round pick Kylen Granson in a similar way to how they used Trey Burton last year. In 2020, Burton caught 28 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns while playing the F tight end spot. The main reason the Colts took Granson in the fourth round was his hands and ability to be a mismatch in the passing game which makes him a good fit for this role in Indianapolis’s offense.
- Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Gus Bradley has been impressed with fifth-round pick Nate Hobbs. Hobbs was a four-year starter at cornerback for Illinois and posted some impressive numbers at his pro day including a 40.5-inch vertical jump and 4.46 40-yard dash. Hobbs will be to be the team’s nickel cornerback this coming season.
- It has not been a great start for New York Giants wide receiver Kadarius Toney’s career. He has already missed significant time due to numerous issues including equipment, injury, contract, and personal issues. The most surprising one of these is him missing three weeks of voluntary workouts despite signing a waiver that would allow him to take part in these workouts. While Toney might be the team’s starting punt returner this season, his touches on offense could be limited partly due to his poor route running. Overall, it would not be a shock if Toney is one of the more disappointing rookies this season.
- Another player who will likely see most of his action on special teams this year is Los Angeles Rams third-round pick Ernest Jones. While Jones was a productive linebacker in college having recorded 199 tackles, he was highly overdrafted. The fact he lacks the skills you want to see from a third-round pick and the Los Angeles Rams already have plenty of linebackers on their team does not bode well for Jones making much of an impact this season.
- Earlier this offseason Oklahoma picked up former Tennessee offensive tackle Wanya Morris as a transfer. Morris is a former five-star recruit who was a 2019 freshman All-SEC pick.
- The NFL won’t hold a supplemental draft in 2021. This is the second year in a row where the league has canceled the supplemental draft.
- A player who will likely raise some scouts’ eyes with the number of schools he has been at is Texas Tech offensive tackle T.J. Storment. Storment has spent time at the following schools Old Dominion, Fullerton College, Colorado State, TCU, and now Texas Tech.
- The East-West Shrine Bowl will move to Las Vegas and be played at Allegiant Stadium. The game will take place on the Thursday before the Pro Bowl and aired on NFL Network.
- Last week, we reported on how Isaac Slade-Matautia was leaving the University of Oregon, and this week it was announced he would be attending SMU this season. Slade-Matautia has been one of the more productive linebackers in college football over the last two years finishing with 45 tackles in 2020 and 62 tackles and 11 pass breakups in 2019.
- Utah center Nick Ford‘s draft grade for the 2021 NFL Draft came back as a third or fourth-round pick. Ford is hoping to improve his stock to a second-round pick with a strong season this year.
- The following quarterbacks recently took part in the Elite 11 Spencer Rattler, Sam Howell, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Malik Willis.
- According to Sports Illustrated, Florida linebacker Brenton Cox Jr. should be ready to go for week one of the 2021 season. Cox underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his left foot this June. Last season, he had 42 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and ten tackles for loss
- Kentucky picked up a legitimate NFL prospect in the transfer portal this week in Dare Rosenthal who comes from LSU. Rosenthal started five games last season for LSU at left tackle but did miss five games due to a suspension. If Rosenthal can stay on the field and out of trouble he could be a day two pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.