NFL Draft Notebook: Jalin Hyatt, Hendon Hooker Top Week 7 Performers

Week seven of college football saw the best game of the year between Tennessee and Alabama. In this game, we saw several standout performances, and three players (Hendon Hooker, Jalin Hyatt, Bryce Young) make it on the 2023 NFL Draft “Prospects Top-Ten Performances” list.

In addition, this week’s NFL Draft Notebook also highlights Army edge defender Andre Carter II, evaluates how several rookie cornerbacks are doing this year, and much more.

NFL Draft Prospects Top-Ten Performances of Week Seven

1. Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
In a game that had several outstanding performances, Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt had the top performance. In this game, Hyatt showed his big play ability by catching two touchdown passes that went for at least 60 yards. Overall on the day, he accounted for six receptions for 207 yards and five touchdowns.

2. Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
In his first loss of the season, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young proved he is the top quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft. In this game, he showed terrific pocket presence oftentimes moving in the pocket, yet keeping his eyes downfield, which led to big plays in the passing game.

He also showed elite accuracy consistently hitting receivers in stride or in only places where the wide receiver could come away with the ball. These two traits are the main reasons he was able to throw for 455 yards while completing 67% of his passes.

3. Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
Yet another outstanding performance in the Tennessee-Alabama game was by quarterback Hendon Hooker. In this game, Hooker was able to account for 385 passing yards and five touchdowns while also rushing for 56 yards.

When watching his film, the trait that stood out was his decision-making as he routinely found the open receiver and showed complete command of the Volunteer’s offense.

4. Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
Utah’s Dalton Kincaid showed receiver-like skills in the Utes’ big win over USC. He caught 16 passes on the day, which was the most any Utah tight end has caught in a game. Several of these catches were in spectacular fashion too. This ability and his speed to be a threat in the deep passing game are the main reasons some team will pick him on day three of the 2023 NFL Draft and make him an H-back.

5. David Perales, DE, Fresno State
A player who carries an undrafted free agent grade and had an outstanding game was Fresno State defensive end, David Perales. He accounted for four sacks vs. San Jose State, which now gives him 6.5 sacks on the season. He is someone who should get a strong look by the East-West Shrine Bowl; if he has a terrific week, he could earn a seventh-round NFL Draft grade.

6. Olusegun Oluwatimi, C, Michigan
One of the main reasons Michigan was able to account for 418 rushing yards against Penn State was the blocking of Olusegun Oluwatimi. In this game he showed the power to move defenders off the ball, and also the mobility to block on the move. If Oluwatimi falls to the third day of the NFL Draft, he could be a steal as he shows the potential to develop into a starting center in the NFL.

7. Blake Watson, RB, Old Dominion
Old Dominion running back Blake Watson had by far the best game of his career against Coastal Carolina. Watson was only able to account for 255 yards and one touchdown in the first four games of the year but vs. the Chanticleers, he was able to rush for 256 yards and three touchdowns. While it is unlikely the junior running back will declare for the NFL Draft, if he does, he will likely get looks as an undrafted free agent.

8. Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
An intriguing day-three quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft is LSU’s Jayden Daniels. His game against Florida highlighted several of his skills that make him the ideal developmental quarterback.

In this game, he showed nice zip on his passes and also improved pocket presence while throwing for 349 yards. He also displayed the athletic ability to be a dual-threat quarterback at the next level. Overall, on the day Daniels was able to account for 393 yards and six touchdowns.

9. Akheem Mesidor, DT, Miami
Miami defensive tackle Akheem Mesidor had a strong day both against the run and the pass vs. Virginia Tech. His day was highlighted by his 3.5 sacks on the day, and it is worth noting he was able to pressure the quarterback at both the defensive tackle and defensive end spots. He helped Miami hold Virginia Tech to just 78 rushing yards and 2.6 yards per carry.

10. Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska
After accounting for just 458 receiving yards and one touchdown in his three years at LSU, Trey Palmer already piled up 781 receiving yards and five touchdowns in just seven games at Nebraska. His best game of the year came this weekend against Purdue, hauling in seven passes for 207 yards and also running the ball once for 60 yards.

2023 NFL Draft Prospect of the Week

Army has not had a first-round pick since 1947, but that could all change this year. The prospect who could sneak into the first round is defensive end Andre Carter II, who is one of the premier pass rushers in college football.

Carter did not make much of an impact as a true freshman, not playing in a single game. This was partly due to the fact he lacked the bulk to hold up at the FBS-level, coming in at only 220 pounds. However, things started to change in 2020.

In the first game of his college career he recorded a sack, a forced fumble, picked off one pass, and also blocked a kick. This effort led Georgia Southern coach Chad Lunsford to say, “Make that guy a general right now,” when asked about Carter’s performance.

While 2020 was a strong year for Carter, he really started to appear on the NFL Draft radar last year. He became the first player from Army to be named a first-team All-American since 1990.

He was selected to this team after recording 15.5 sacks which finished second in the nation behind Alabama’s Will Anderson. In addition to his 15.5 sacks, Carter was also able to force four fumbles and came away with one interception.

The start of this season has been a little quieter for him, as he has only recorded sacks in one game this year. However, in that game against UTSA, he was able to register 2.5 sacks and also came away with six tackles on the day.

When scouting Carter, the first that stands out with him is his length. Coming in at 6-foot-7, and with a 6-10 wingspan, he has the measurables NFL teams love to see. He also does a good job utilizing his size, consistently keeping blockers away from him and also using his long arms to knock down his share of passes.

Another positive with Carter is his versatility. He has shown the ability to play in both a two and three-point stance at Army, and will likely get looks at both defensive end and outside linebacker in the NFL.

As a defensive end, he shows a quick burst off the edge that will allow him to challenge offensive tackles off the edge. As an outside linebacker, he shows the ability to hold up in coverage and has the speed to play sideline to sideline evident by his 4.2 pro agility time.

While Carter is a promising prospect, and someone who could sneak into the first round, I only have a third-round grade on him for several reasons. The first one is his lack of ability to hold up vs. the run, especially as a defensive end. In this area his high pad level allows defenders to move him off the ball, and he also lacks the bulk you want to see from a prospect his size.

Another concern with him is he is still raw, especially when it comes to pass-rushing moves. This lack of refinement in his game has hurt him against top-level college players having only recorded two sacks in four games against Power Five teams. One more concern teams might have with him is if he will be allowed to join the NFL next season, or will the Army force him to fulfill his commitment to them first.

The perfect fit for Carter in the NFL will likely be a 3-4 outside linebacker, or situational pass rusher. As an outside linebacker in an odd front defense, he would be allowed to stand up and rush off the edge which would fit the undersized defender perfectly.

The other possibility is him seeing limited time next year in pass-rushing situations. This would still allow him to make an impact at the next level, while he tried to add weight to his 260-pound frame and becomes a more completer defensive lineman.

2022 NFL Draft Rookie Report

Bailey Zappe, QB, New England Patriots
This week’s NFL Draft Notebook Rookie of the Week is New England’s Bailey Zappe. Zappe had the best game of his short career vs. the Browns, throwing for 309 yards and two touchdowns. He also became the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to win his first two games and post a 100+ passer rating in each matchup.

Troy Andersen, OLB, Atlanta Falcons
On the defensive side of the ball, a rookie who had a terrific week was linebacker Troy Andersen. In his first start of the year, Andersen recorded 13 tackles and was a big reason the Falcons were able to hold the 49ers to 14 points. The fact Andersen had such a nose for the ball though should not come as a surprise as he recorded 147 tackles last year at Montana State.

Kaiir Elam, CB, Buffalo Bills
For the second consecutive week, Buffalo cornerback Kaiir Elam has recorded an interception. In the game against Kansas City, Elam picked off a pass in the end zone, which was a turning point in Buffalo’s 24-20 win. In addition to picking off a pass, Elam also held up well in coverage the rest of the night, earning a season-high coverage grade of 75.5 by Pro Football Focus.

Kyler Gordon, CB, Chicago Bears
Another cornerback who had the best week of his season was Chicago Bear, Kyler Gordon. He only allowed three catches for 13 yards against Washington and earned an 80 coverage grade by Pro Football Focus. This is quite an improvement as he struggled the first couple of weeks of the season.

NFL Draft Scouting Notes

Cedric Gray, LB, North Carolina

Despite playing on a team that has struggled on defense this year, North Carolina linebacker Cedric Gray is having an impressive season. His best games of the year so far have come against Miami and Notre Dame.

Gray recorded 13 tackles and pressured Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke on a consistent basis vs. the Hurricanes. He also had a strong outing against Notre Dame, where he again posted 13 tackles on the day.

As a prospect, he is a fluid athlete who holds up well in coverage, yet can defend the run sideline to sideline. If he can continue to play at a high level the rest of this season and tests well at the NFL Combine he could be a third or fourth-round pick if he declares for the NFL Draft.

Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama

One player who may regret transferring is former LSU cornerback Eli Ricks, who moved on to Alabama. At LSU, Ricks was one of the better cornerbacks in college football, ranking third in the SEC in single coverage and second in press coverage according to Pro Football Focus.

However, since transferring to Alabama he has seen very little playing time and has not impressed coaches with his work ethic. It will be interesting to see if Ricks’ lack of time on the field this year will cause him to go back to college next season, or if he decides to take his chances in the 2023 NFL Draft despite seeing his stock slide significantly this season.

Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU

In last week’s NFL Draft Notebook we talked about how wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was having a down year. However, this past Saturday he had his best game of the season, and for the first time since Oct. 2 of 2021, had a 100-yard receiving day.

In his game against the Florida Gators, he showed the ability to catch the ball in traffic, catching one pass in between two defenders, and also displayed the quickness and strength to pick up yards after the catch. Overall, on the day he was able to come away with six catches for 115 yards and led the Tigers in both receptions and receiving yards.

Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina

South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith looks like the top corner in the 2023 NFL Draft. What stands out about Smith is the physical way he plays the game. He does a great job of pressing wide receivers at the line of scrimmage and also challenges them at the catch point.

Another positive with him is his ball skills. He broke up 14 passes last year, and his 1.3 passes defended per game ranked second in the SEC in 2021.

Caleb Murphy, DL, Ferris State

A Division-Two prospect to watch is Ferris State’s, Caleb Murphy. Murphy has twice been named the D2Football.com National Defensive Player of the Week and already has 20.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in just six games this season. He has also earned his share of NFL interest, being named to the Senior Bowl watchlist and having numerous scouts check him out in person this year.

As a prospect, he shows good flexibility coming off the corner and is a proven pass rusher. The biggest questions with him will obviously be the level of competition and whether or not the 245-pound defensive end will stick on the defensive line or move to linebacker at the next level.

Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse

A big reason why Syracuse is off to a 6-0 start, and is bowl eligible for the first time since 2018, is the play of offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron. Bergeron is a physical lineman who uses his 6-foot-5 322-pound size and impressive strength to consistently open up running lanes.

He also shows the athletic ability to play either left tackle or right tackle at the next level, which will only help his NFL Draft stock. He currently carries a third-round grade on my board, but with a strong finish to the season, he easily could move up to a possible late first-round pick.

J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is a player to watch for the 2024 NFL Draft. He does a great job of moving around in the pocket and buying time to allow receivers to get open. He also does a good job of protecting the ball and has only thrown two interceptions on the year.

While he doesn’t have outstanding arm strength, he definitely has the arm strength to throw any pass in an NFL offense. One area he will need to continue working on over the next year and a half is his pocket presence.

Quote of the Week

“All those guys that make decisions about who the best receivers are in the country are still going to look at Kayshon and go, ‘That is a really, really good wide receiver’. Numbers are numbers. At the end of the day, he’s going to continue to play this game at the next level and the numbers won’t dictate where he gets drafted. It’s his ability to continue to play the game at the highest level. When you turn on the film, he’s running full speed, he’s beating the guys, and the ball didn’t come to him for whatever reason. That’s out of his control. So what Kayshon continues to do better each and every week is he controls what he can control. He does that in practice now and he does that in games. “

-LSU Head Coach Brian Kelley on wide receiver Kayshon Boutte