All Access: OL Big Board, NFC East Bust Outs, 1-on-1 With USFL Director John Peterson
The aroma of fresh pigskin is upon us. There's big news out of the NFC East, including potential bust out players, plus the NFL Draft OL Big Board unveiled and an in-depth convo with John Peterson.
Welcome to the All Access Football Report for Wednesday, July, 26th, Presented By Sports Management Worldwide. Limited spots remain for the SMWW Football Apprenticeship, starting on August 28th. For more information and registration info, be sure to visit: www.SMWW.com and tell them RIC sent you!
NFC EAST BUST OUT PLAYERS
Big news within the division this week, as the GMen ended their contract standoff with running back Saquon Barkley, agreeing to a one-year, incentive-laden deal. Below are some additional players on each NFC East team that could be depended upon to have an increased role for the upcoming 2023 season, along with a projected look at the depth for the skill positions.
DALLAS COWBOYS
Last 5 Years
2022: 12-5 (2nd) | 2021: 12-5 (1st) | 2020: 6-10 (3rd) | 2019: 8-8 (2nd) | 2018: 10-6 (1st)
Projected Skill-Position Starters
QB Dak Prescott | RB Tony Pollard | WR CeeDee Lamb | WR Brandin Cooks | WR Michael Gallup | TE Jake Ferguson
The early season loss of Dak Prescott certainly limited the Dallas offense but it also paved the way for rookies TE Jake Ferguson and TE Peyton Hendershot to be targeted more than expected. Their production was a revelation, as they combined for 30 catches, 277 receiving yards and four touchdowns. It also enabled the front office to let Dalton Schultz (Texans) walk away during the offseason. More will be needed from both players in 2023. The Cowboys anticipate OL Tyler Smith to be a foundation on the offensive line for years to come. Selected in the first round to start at left guard, he found himself at left tackle after an injury to Tyron Smith. While the immediate starting alignment remains unknown, the second-year Smith has Pro Bowl potential.Â
It was exciting to watch DE Sam Williams utilized in pass-rush situations as a rookie. He was able to take advantage of his burst and bend, on his way to four sacks, plus 10 tackles for loss and nine QB hits. Expect Williams to be even more of a menace in the opposing backfield as the third ‘Amigo’ to Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence. One rookie who exceeded expectations was CB DaRon Bland whose versatility allows him to step in at multiple spots in the secondary.
NEW YORK GIANTS
Last 5 Years
2022: 9-7-1 (3rd) | 2021: 4-13 (4th)| 2020: 6-10 (2nd)| 2019: 4-12 (3rd)Â | 2018: 5-11 (4th)
Projected Skill- Position Starters
QB Daniel Jones | RB Saquon Barkley | WR Darius Slayton | WR Jalin Hyatt | WR Parris Campbell | TE Darren WallerÂ
It was the best case scenario for both the Giants and QB Daniel Jones to move forward with their Meadowlands marriage. However, Jones will need his weapons to step up, if New York is to take the next step into becoming serious contenders. There is an apparent log-jam at the slot position but WR Wan’Dale Robinson was chosen 43rd overall with high expectations. A healthy Robinson can provide a movement piece on offense with pre-snap motion, end arounds, bubble screens and offset looks—the type of player the Giants offense has lacked for several years. New York knew the blocking capabilities of TE Daniel Bellinger when they drafted him a year ago. His catching prowess was a pleasant surprise, as he recorded 20 receptions. With the addition of Darren Waller, team brass has done a superb job stockpiling depth.
On defense, coordinator Wink Martindale loves to apply pressure and DE Kayvon Thibodeaux showed signs of becoming a premier pass-rusher; look for a giant step forward in his development. Some were surprised with the selection of CB Cor’Dale Flott in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft but the LSU product out-played his draft stock, emerging as a starter by season’s end. Yet another player than GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll hit on.Â
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Last 5 Years
2022: 14-3 (1st) | 2021: 9-8 (2nd) | 2020: 4-11-1 (4th) | 2019: 9-7 (1st)Â | 2018: 9-7 (2nd)
Projected Skill- Position Starters
QB Jalen Hurts | RB D’Andre Swift | WR AJ Brown | WR DeVonta Smith | WR Joseph Ngata | TE Dallas Goedert
In Philadelphia, GM Howie Roseman has constructed a roster built to contend now, with vital pieces waiting in the wings to step into the voids created by the offseason turnover. A key loss was OG Isaac Seumalo, who defected to the Steelers. Next man up to assume the position is OL Cam Jurgens, who was groomed to be the eventual successor to C Jason Kelce but was cross-trained at guard under OL coach Jeff Stoutland. Jurgens owns tremendous athleticism and pulling ability.Â
The Eagles traded up in the draft for DT Jordan Davis but the rookie struggled with conditioning, leading to the midseason signings of Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh. This season, Davis is expected to be an important cog in the middle of the defense. His former Georgia teammate LB Nakobe Dean is also in line to start with the losses of LB TJ Edwards (Bears) and LB Kyzir White (Cardinals). Dean was a special teams standout and has been praised by the coaching staff for his cerebral awareness. On the backend, undrafted SS Reed Blankenship played admirably in spot duties when called upon. While he encountered his fair share of struggles, his heat-seeking ball-hawk mentality is hard to ignore.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
Last 5 Years
2022: 8-8-1 (4th)Â | 2021: 7-10 (3rd)Â | 2020: 7-9 (1st) | 2019: 3-13 (4th)Â | 2018: 7-9 (3rd)
Projected Skill- Position Starters
QB Sam Howell | RB Brian Robinson | WR Terry McLaurin| WR Jahan Dotson | WR Samuel Curtis | TE Thomas Logan
One of the more unfortunate storylines from training camp last year was the incident involving Commanders RB Brian Robinson in which he suffered two gunshot wounds. The former third-round pick survived the attack and bounced back to suit up for the final 12 games of the season! His ability to grind out the carries between the tackles brought a renowned toughness to the offense. He’ll be needed to continue in that capacity for an entire calendar season, as the ground attack duo of Robinson and backfield mate RB Antonio Gibson hold the keys to success in D.C.Â
Can this finally be the big breakout year the Commanders have been waiting to see from DE Chase Young? After an exhilarating rookie season that included seven and a half sacks, Young was deemed a ‘generational talent.’ Since then, he has missed 21 games over the past two year and has been rumored to be on the trade block. The most improved player from a year ago would be SS Darrick Forrest who went from rarely used backup, to one of the top young safeties in the league. He’s just scratching the surface, as Forrest is a future star in the making with a propensity for the big play.
This article originally appeared in Lindy’s 2023 Pro Football Magazine, now available here.
ALL ACCESS FOOTBALL NETWORK
DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL JOHN PETERSON ON STATE OF THE USFL
If you are into the business of player evaluation, enjoy tales from the scouting trails or have a lust for the USFL, our one-one interview with John Peterson is a must listen!
Topics include the 2023-24 USFL calendar, NFL Policies, GRID Camps and the overall evaluation process. In addition, Peterson sheds incredible insight into his football career that spans over five decades. Love football? Buckle up and hunker down, this will be a learning experience that lasts a lifetime.
WATCH - ALL ACCESS: JON PETERSON 1-ON-1 WITH RIC SERRITELLA
USFL will be on-site for the first-ever GRID Camp in Philadelphia on Sunday, August 13, 2023. For more information visit wwwGRIDCamps.com. | Stay tuned for the latest updates on the USFL at www.TheUSFL.com.
NFL DRAFT WATCH SERIES WITH RIC SERRITELLA & ELI NACHMANY
The dynamic draft duo of Ric Serritella and Eli Nachmany are breaking down NFLDraft prospects all year long on our All Access Football Channel (Be sure to subscribe). Here are the new player profiles uploaded this past week:
QB Spencer Rattler, South Carolina || RB Braelon Allen, Wisconsin || WR Bru McCoy, Tennessee || TE Michael Trigg, Ole Miss || DT Kris Jenkins, Michigan || DT Jer'Zahn Newton, Illinois || CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
NFL DRAFT BIBLE 2024 PRESEASON OT BIG BOARD
The Class of 2024 offensive tackles are a solid bunch. One of the top players in the group is Penn State OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu, who has already begun to rack up honors and routinely stonewalled pass rushers at left tackle for the Nittany Lions last season. Another player who could end up in the Top 10 is Notre Dame OT Joe Alt—a mountain of a man who was first-team All-American in 2022 and run blocks as well as anyone in the class. Arizona OT Jordan Morgan is also an excellent prospect who demonstrates great feel for the pocket when setting the edge. Alabama OT JC Latham could be a starter at the next level but he will need to improve a bit as a run blocker to show that he is a complete player. Miami OT Zion Nelson probably made the right decision when returning to school after missing almost all of 2022 with a knee injury; at one time, evaluators saw him as a potential first-round pick. A sleeper first-round possibility is BYU OT Kingsley Suamataia, who is a well-built blocker yet nimble enough to be effective in all phases of the game. Missouri OT Javon Foster appears to be the real deal, and he will have his work cut out for him this season in the SEC.  Â
RANK | PLAYER | SCHOOL | YEAR | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | FORTYÂ
1.    Joe Alt, Jr, Notre Dame, Jr, 6071, 317, 5.27
2.    Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State, rJr, 6045, 321, 5.14
3.    JC Latham, Alabama, Jr, 6055, 335, 5.21
4.    Jordan Morgan, Arizona, rSr, 6045, 320, 5.07
5.    Graham Barton, Duke, Sr, 6045, 306, 5.07
6.    Jack Nelson, Wisconsin, rJr, 6062, 305, 5.15
7.    Patrick Paul, Houston, rJr, 6065, 315, 5.13
8.    Kingsley Suamataia, BYU, rSo, 6045, 325, 5.08
9.    Fa’alili Fa’amoe, rSo, Washington State, 6050, 305, 5.00
10. Amariuus Mims, Georgia, Jr, 6060, 330, 5.32
11. Anthony Belton, North Carolina State, rJr, 6051, 330, 5.26
12. Reuben Fatheree II, Texas A&M, Jr, 6066, 325, 5.19
13. Blake Fisher, Notre Dame, rSo, 6055, 327, 5.32
14. Javon Foster, Missouri, rSr, 6052, 319, 5.07
15. Zion Nelson, Miami, rSr, 6051, 316, 5.06
16. Nolan Rucci , Wisconsin, rSo, 6065, 297, 4.94
17. Tommy Brockermeyer, TCU, rSo, 6051, 304, 5.02Â
18. Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma, rJr, 6055, 320
19. Kiran Amegadjie, Yale, Sr, 6050, 320, 5.10
20. Jonah Monheim, USC, rJr, 6045, 295, 5.05
21. Christian Jones, Texas, rSr, 6052, 322, 5.20
22. Caedan Wallace, Penn State, rSr, 6051, 328, 5.20
23. Walter Rouse, Oklahoma, rSr, 6052, 318, 5.21Â
24. Garrett Greenfield, South Dakota State, rSr, 6056, 295, 5.15
25. Walker Parks, Clemson, Sr, 6045, 315, 5.16
26. Kelvin Banks, Texas, So, 6036, 320, 5.21
27. Andrew Coker, TCU, rSr, 6065, 315, 5.13
28. Aaron Frost, Arizona State, rSr, 6045, 308, 5.19
29. Jonah Monheim, USC, rJr, 6045, 300, 5.09
30. Jalen Travis, Princeton, Sr, 6070, 314, 5.20
NFL DRAFT BIBLE 2024 PRESEASON OG BIG BOARD
One of the better offensive linemen in the Class of 2024 is Kansas State OG Cooper Beebe, who enters his redshirt senior season with a demonstrated track record of highly effective play over multiple seasons. He is the rare guard who makes a significantly positive impact in the passing game, and any quarterback would love to see his team pick up Beebe in the draft. Otherwise, this guard class leaves a bit to be desired. Some players, like Boston College OG Christian Mahogany, will need to come back from injury. Others, like Ohio State OG Donovan Jackson and Georgia OG Tate Ratledge, need to round out their games by becoming more-complete blockers. One prospect who could end up rising over the course of the season is Wisconsin OG Jack Nelson, who has been playing left tackle for the Badgers and could end up at either guard or tackle in the pros. He is a taller player, but he fires out with a low center of gravity. Miami OG Javion Cohen is an underrated player and will benefit from having an offensive line-loving head coach in Mario Cristobal mentoring him this season.
RANK | PLAYER | SCHOOL | YEAR | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | FORTYÂ
Cooper Beebe, Kansas State, rSr, 6026, 322, 5.32
Donovan Jackson, Ohio State, Jr, 6036, 300, 4.98
Layden Robinson, Texas A&M, rSr, 6032, 330, 5.34
Connor Colby, Iowa, Jr, 6045, 308, 5.04
Troy Fautanu, Washington, rJr, 6033, 5.15
Xavier Truss, Georgia, rSr, 6061, 320, 5.28
Zak Zinter, Michigan, Sr, 6052, 320, 5.22
Javion Cohen, Miami, Sr, 6036, 305, 5.09
Turner Corcoran, Nebraska, rJr, 6052, 300, 4.99
Christian Hayes, UConn, rSr, 6024, 316, 5.12
Brandon Coleman, TCU, rSr, 6050, 325, 5.16
Tate Ratledge, Georgia, rJr, 6052, 315, 5.29
Masoon McCormick, South Dakota State, rSr, 6040, 310, 5.15
Christian Mahogany, Boston College, rSr, 6032, 335, 5.32
Matthew Jones, Ohio State, rSr, 6032, 315, 5.27
Marcus Tate, Clemson, Jr, 6045, 325, 5.14
Kyle Hergel, Boston College, rSr, 6015, 305, 5.05Â
LaDarius Henderson, Michigan, rSr, 6043, 310, 5.24
Gottlieb Ayedze, Maryland, rSr, 6041, 309, 4.95
Nick Correia, Rhode Island, rSr, 6050, 330, 5.30
NFL DRAFT BIBLE 2024 PRESEASON C BIG BOARD
One of the best returning players on the Georgia roster, Georgia OC Sedrick Van Pran is ready to take a big step forward in his game and put himself in the late first-round conversation. He and Oklahoma OC Andrew Raym likely go into the 2023 season as 1A and 1B at the center position—Van Pran has the edge as a pass-blocker, while Raym slightly edges Van Pran in the run game. Alabama OC Seth McLaughlin could end up eclipsing both of those players; he quietly took over the starting center role for Alabama in the middle of the season and frequently steamrolled defenders for Nick Saban’s rushing attack. McLaughlin will compete against Alabama OC Darrian Dalcourt, who beat McLaughlin for the job in 2022 but missed time due to injuries. A good problem for Alabama: Both players are NFL-caliber. Clemson OC Will Putnam hopes to have the opportunity to compete in big games this season, and he has the size and athletic profile to justify watching closely in 2023 as a potential pro prospect.
RANK | PLAYER | SCHOOL | YEAR | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | FORTYÂ
Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia, rJr, 6026, 310, 5.27
Andrew Raym, Oklahoma, Sr, 6032, 305, 5.26
Zach Frazier, West Virginia, rJr, 6015, 306, 5.14
Jager Burton, Kentucky, rSo, 6032, 307, 5.02
Bryce Foster, Texas A&M, Jr, 6036, 325, 5.04
Drake Nugent, Michigan, rSr, 6010, 300, 5.24
Matt Lee, Miami, rSr, 6032, 298, 5.10
Dylan McMahon, North Carolina State, rSr, 6026, 305, 4.95Â Â
Seth McLaughlin, Alabama, Sr, 6026, 301, 5.22
Jake Renfro, Wisconsin, rJr, 6031, 308, 5.32
Beaux Limmer, Arkansas, rSr, 6051, 302, 5.17
Michael Jurgens, Wake Forest, rSr, 6042, 296, 5.17
Darrian Dalcourt, Alabama, rSr, 6026, 310, 5.24
Charles Turner III, LSU, rSr, 6040, 300, 5.05
Will Putnam, Clemson, rSr, 6041, 315, 5.15
ARCHIVES
07.24.23 | All Access: TE Big Board, AFC West Bust Outs, 1-on-1 with John Peterson
07.20.23 | All Access: WR Big Board, AFC South Bust Outs, On Location NEC Media Day
07.17.23 | All Access: RB Big Board, AFC North Bust Outs, 1-on-1 with Tom Coughlin
07.13.23 | All Access: QB Big Board, AFC East Bust Outs, 1-on-1 with Johnathan Abram
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