NFL Draft Notebook: Caleb Williams leads USC’s draft prospects

This week’s NFL Draft Notebook has a heavy emphasis on the USC Trojans. We start off by looking at the school’s top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft and also take a look at how former USC star Jordan Addison fits in with the Minnesota Vikings.

In addition to looking at those topics this week’s article previews the top outside linebackers in the 2024 NFL Draft, highlights a couple of rookies who are making noise in training camp, and much more.

USC NFL Draft Prospects

Caleb Williams, QB, First Round
There is no doubt who the top player at USC is and that is Heisman Throphy winning quarterback Caleb Williams.

Williams has all the traits to be a franchise quarterback including a strong arm, quick release, and the mobility to make plays happen when things break down. Going into the season Williams is the overwhelming favorit to be the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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Calen Bullock, S, Second Round
One of the best ballhawks in the 2024 NFL Draft is USC safety, Calen Bullock. Bullock made an impressive five interceptions last year, which ranked 11th in the nation. This ability to play the ball and his lack of aggression vs. the run will make most NFL teams view him as a free safety.

Dorian Singer, WR, Fifth Round
If USC’s offense wasn’t powerful enough last year, this offseason they added one of the top wide receiver transfers in Dorian Singer from Arizona. In 2022, Singer caught 66 passes for 1,105 yards and was named to the All-PAC 12 team. Singer’s top trait is his strong hands which consistently allows him to make the tough catch in traffic.

Tahj Washington, WR, Fifth Round
Tahj Washington was recently named to NFL Draft Notebook’s All-Underrated team, due to his dynamic playmaking ability. He has both the speed to get behind defenders and the agility to make defenders after the catch. In the NFL he will likely find a role as a slot wide receiver and kick returner.

Mario Williams, WR, Sixth Round
Another USC wide receiver who carries a draftable grade is Mario Williams. Williams was a highly thought of recruit coming out of high school, but unfortunately, he has yet to live up to that billing. Last season, he battled a hamstring injury that cost him two games and he was only able to finish third on the team with 40 receptions. One area he can work on is catching the ball with his hands instead of letting it get into his body.

Eric Gentry, OLB, Seventh Round
Yet another USC prospect who started his career off at another school is linebacker Eric Gentry who originally committed to Arizona State. Gentry’s biggest issue is he must add weight to his six-foot-seven frame since his 205-pound frame was routinely outmuscled last year. He has already started to address this issue by adding 18 pounds of muscle this offseason.

Jordan Addison fit with the Vikings

Last year’s top USC NFL Draft pick was wide receiver Jordan Addison who went to Minnesota with the 23rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. One of the biggest reasons he was the fourth wide receiver off the board was his outstanding college production having caught 159 passes over his last two years in college for 2,468 yards.

Another trait that stuck out to scouts on Addison was his ability to consistently get open. In this area, he showed the agility to get in and out of his cuts quickly, and also the overall football intelligence to consistently gain leverage on his defender. One other plus with Addison’s game that helped him consistently get separation was his crisp route running as he was one of the top route runners in the 2024 NFL Draft class.

This ability to get separation has already drawn plenty of praise with the Vikings as well. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has already mentioned several times how advanced Addison’s game is and how impressed the team is with his ability to consistently find open space. This high level of understanding of the game should really help Addison in the Vikings game that relies on choice routes by their wide receivers.

An area of Addison’s game that keeps improving is his hands. He really struggled with this in his first couple of years of college at Pittsburgh with drops having dropped 14.3 percent of his passes in 2020 and 9.9 percent in 2021 according to Pro Football Focus. However, he only dropped two passes last year at USC. In order to become the Vikings’ number two wide receiver he is going to need to continue to show consistent hands.

The biggest concern with Addison though might be a lack of maturity. This was a knock on him coming out of USC, and the fact he was stopped for going 140 mph does not help ease this concern. Another issue is that he missed all organized team activities and minicamps due to an injury. This shouldn’t be a major concern though since he didn’t battle any major injuries in college and was ready to go at the start of training camp.

When it comes to what role Addison will have this season he will likely be the team’s number two receiver behind Justin Jefferson. This spot will likely open up plenty of one-on-one situations for him as teams will roll their defenses towards Jefferson who is one of the top wide receivers in the NFL. Overall on the season, it is not out of the question for him to end the season with around 75 catches.

2024 NFL Draft outside linebacker class preview

Top Player: Dallas Turner, Alabama
Despite seeing his production drop this past year Alabama’s Dallas Turner is the top outside linebacker in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Turner’s top trait is his quickness off the ball which allows him to harass the quarterback on a consistent basis. In addition to his speed, he shows impressive athletic ability which should allow him to hold his own when asked to drop in coverage. These traits and hopefully a more productive season this year should allow Turner to be a top-ten pick next April.

Guy I Would Stand on the Table for: Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
One of my favorite players in the 2024 NFL Draft is Oklahoma linebacker, Danny Stutsman. The reason I am so high on him is how aggressive he is which helped him lead the Big 12 in tackles last year with 124 stops. He also is one of the best linebackers in this class when it comes to getting off blocks, and shows the ability to diagnose plays quickly. Yet another positive with him is that he is a leader who has really impressed coaches with his character.

Overrated: Laiatu Latu, UCLA
A player who is overrated going into the 2023 season is UCLA’s Laiatu Latu who some people view as a high first-round pick. While his production last year is very impressive having recorded 10.5 sacks last year, he lacks the traits to be a natural fit as an outside linebacker or defensive end in most schemes. As an outside linebacker, he lacks the ability to hold up in coverage due to his tight hips. In terms of making the move to defensive end, he lacks the pure power to hold up against the run in this role. The severe neck injury he suffered while playing at Washington which forced him to medically retire for a while, will also concern NFL teams.

Sleeper: Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri
While Missouri Ty’Ron Hopper might be an undersized linebacker (6-2 224), he more than makes up for it with speed and athletic ability. This combination allows him to excel in coverage and also make plays sideline to sideline. Another positive with him is how aggressive he plays against the run, which is one of the main reasons he was able to pick up 14 tackles for loss last season. If Hopper can work on getting off blocks better, there is no reason he can’t be a starting outside linebacker in the NFL.

Biggest Risk: Payton Wilson, North Carolina State
A player who has a long injury history is North Carolina State linebacker, Payton Wilson. This history includes having two serious knee injuries during his high school and battling shoulder injuries throughout his time with the Wolfpack. His most serious injury in college happened in 2021 against Mississippi State when he injured his shoulder blade, which cost him the rest of the season. On the positive side, Wilson has been productive on the field recording 83 tackles last year and in 2020 he led the ACC in tackles per game.

Breakout Player: Chris Braswell, Alabama
Look for this to be a breakout season for Alabama’s Chris Braswell, as it will be his first year in the starting lineup. Last season, in limited duty he was able to account for 21 tackles and three sacks. He also displayed the pass-rushing potential to be a high draft pick if he can produce at a high level this season.

Overall Rankings

Please note in parentheses is the draft grade I give them

1. Dallas Turner, Alabama (first round)
2. Barrett Carter, Clemson (first round)
3. Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma (second round)
4. Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri (third round)
5. Laiatu Latu, UCLA (third round)
6. Omar Speights, LSU (fifth round)
7. Layton Jordan, Temple (fifth round)
8. Curtis Jacobs, Penn State (fifth round)
9. Chris Braswell, Alabama (fifth round)
10. Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State (fifth round)
11. Steele Chambers, Ohio State (sixth round)
12. Karene Reid, Utah (sixth round)
13. Jestin Jacobs, Oregon (sixth round)
14. John Pius, William & Mary (sixth round)
15. Payton Wilson, North Carolina State (seventh round)
16. Josaiah Stewart, Michigan (seventh round)
17. JaQues Evans, Western Kentucky (seventh round)
18. Eric Gentry, USC (seventh round)
19. Jett Johnson, Mississippi State (seventh round)

Scouting notes

— While Dallas Turner is my top edge pass rusher in the 2024 NFL Draft, the best pure outside linebacker is Barrett Carter of Clemson. How well he holds up in coverage sticks out on his film. He shows the smooth hips and speed to match up against tight ends and even slot receivers in coverage. His speed also allows him to make plenty of plays against the run and he should have no problem be a three-down starting linebacker in the NFL.

— A Group of Five outside linebacker to watch is Temple’s Layton Jordan. The trait that will capture the NFL’s interest is his ability to get to the passer. Last season, he recorded an impressive nine sacks including 2.5 sacks against both Cincinnati and Lafayette. In this area, he shows a quick burst off the ball and the flexibility to get around the corner. He also shows a relentless motor which helps vs. both the run and the pass. He currently carries a fifth-round grade on my board which makes him one of the higher Group of Five defenders in the 2024 NFL Draft.

— One of the top players in this year’s transfer portal was former Oregon State linebacker Omar Speights who ended up at LSU. Speights was a four-year starter at Oregon State and finished his career with 308 tackles, 25.0 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. At LSU this season he will be one of the team’s top defensive players and will help the Tigers compete for a National Championship. When looking at how his game translates to the NFL he shows the instincts, speed, and cover skills to develop into an NFL starter.

— The best rookie performance from last week’s Hall of Fame game belongs to Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. In this game, he showed that he can make plays from the pocket or by taking off and picking yards with his feet. Overall on the night he completed eight of eleven passes for 82 yards and also rushed for 36 yards. The most impressive thing about his night might have been the 93 and 78-yard drives he took the Brown’s offense on. Look for Thompson-Robinson to be the Brown’s third string quarterback this year, and to be someone the team looks at as their possibile starting quarterback down the road.

— The Minnesota Vikings have been getting mixed reviews so far on their draft class. On one end cornerback Mekhi Blackmon has looked impressive and the third round pick has seen plenty of time with the first string defense. On the other end though is fifth-round pick Jaren Hall who has missed on several passes so far in camp and has also had trouble reading defenses at times. These were both concerns with him coming out of college which is why he carried a seventh round grade on my draft board.

— A member of the 2023 All-Underrated team who has looked impressive is Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby. He has impressed the team with his physical running style which should allow him to get plenty of carries in the red zone this season. He has shown impressive hands hauling in several tough catches already in training camp.

— For all the latest NFL Draft news make sure to check out The Notebook.

Quotes of the Week

“The great thing about this guy is he’s still extremely hungry and he’s still very young in terms of himself the player and his quarterback career. He’s got a long ways to go and a lot of ways to improve, which is exciting.”
USC Head Coach Lincoln Riley on quarterback Caleb Williams

“He won us over fast with his production, his heart, his football IQ and instincts and his attention to detail. He also had an off-the-meter infectious motor and will to win.”
Former Dolphins General Manager Randy Mueller via The Athletic, on what sold him on Hall of Fame linebacker Zach Thomas

“He’s doing a tremendous job, he’s making plays. He definitely has the size and intangibles of being a physical corner.”
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill on rookie cornerback Cam Smith

“I see it as fun. I like hitting people”
Michigan linebacker Junior Colson to Mlive.com on playing defense

“The kid has a unique skill set and a high, high playmaking ability. I tell people all the time that the best is yet to come from that kid.”

Tennessee linebacker coach Brian Jean-Mary on linebacker Aaron Beasley

“I need to be more explosive. Make more of those long explosive plays and hitches. Try to take them to the house, turn slants into six. Try to take them to the house. And that’s really it. Just be more explosive after the catch. That’s what my coaches pointed out when we went over my film, the things that they told me that I needed to work on. I’m paying attention.”

LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers on what he needs to work on this year via Tiger Rag

“I am my own self. The man [Mahomes] has two Super Bowls under his belt, and I have not even [won] one national championship.”
USC quarterback Caleb Williams on The Slow News Podcast, in response to being compared to Patrick Mahomes