2024 NFL Draft Stock Report Notes: National Championship
A champion has been crowned. Michigan won the National Championship and they were probably the best team all year. We’ll never know if they would have beaten Georgia, but that Michigan team was veteran-laden and loaded. Congrats to Jim Harbaugh for getting that title. You should be ashamed of yourself if you ever called for that man’s job. Trey would never say such things. Anyway… today is about what we learned from a 2024 NFL Draft perspective. Let’s get right to the notes.
Michigan
The Donovan Edwards story only got weirder in this game. He was somehow third in the running back rotation again. First attempt he runs right into his own offensive lineman only to later break it outside and score. The speed is undeniable and the pure ceiling of him just feels the best asset in the backfield.
I’ll say it again. I think he’s the best talent in that backfield. Every time he touches the ball something good happens. In this game, he scored every time he touched the ball. Finished the game with six carries for 104 yards and two scores. What more do you want?
Doesn’t Blake Corum have Mike Hart vibes? Yeah, with the mixed-in human evolution. I’m not trying to be a hater. I just want someone to be honest. What do you really think you’re getting here? Okay, the range is Maurice Jones-Drew to Mike Hart. Do you disagree? I’m watching the ball. Freaks play in the NFL. Even guys like Dameon Pierce you tell me he’s great and then he’s out here getting benched by Devin Singletary. I need grease lightning out of my back. I can only do so much with David Montgomery. How high are you going here? With the way backs are created, why would you spend a premium pick here?
Stat line is more than fine. Finished the game with 21 carries for 134 yards and two scores. I think you’re getting a solid football player. Just probably not a premium blue chip back. Be careful getting too deep in the mud.
JJ McCarthy is the opposite of the Godfather 3 meme. You want to believe. He has the talent to believe. Every time you want to he tells you not to believe. Still just so damn inconsistent. It’s all consistency in the lower half. I should say lack of. His feet are all over the place.
It’s easy to say now but this is kinda what Jordan Love looked like in college. Had arm talent except McCarthy is faster. Feet are just all over the place. Will a team be patient and develop him the right way? Landing spot is just so going to matter here.
They sure as hell didn’t win the game because of him. A couple of key runs put the game to bed. 10/18 for 140 yards isn’t championship material and it’s not NFL good. I’m not sure what to tell you other than patience will be key.
Sainristill tackles. How do you not like this guy? How about these corners in general? Sainristill is going to be a damn good nickel for someone. He’s perfect in terms of playing the ball. A converted wide receiver who’s somehow tough too. Had the game sealing interception in this one.
Will Johnson battled with Rome Odunze for much of the game. Odunze still got his but Johnson made a difference. Really felt like the first game to slow him down. Also had a pick in this one and he’s super long.
I gotta have number 55 on my team. That’s all I know. A name to remember for next year.
I think the tight end Colston Loveland might actually be good. Has real speed and a real tight end body. Like him better than Luke Schoonmaker and he went in the second round.
Washington
Michael Penix might have forgotten what Big 10 football was. Forget about the win or the loss. This game right here hopefully was the warning sign I’ve been trying to tell you for weeks. Yes, he for sure got his tail kicked in. It sure looked like his ribs were hurting. No denying that. However, the key takeaway should be what I’ve been trying to warn you.
Too stiff in the lower half. Throwing motion is never consistent. Touch accuracy isn’t good enough. The only way he makes throws is by having a clean table to work with. Any time he has to shift his feet, the throws aren’t accurate. They took a lot of his downfield attempts away and most of his success came on short throws where added YAC was topped on top. Can we be honest about that?
I’ll say it again. You’re out of your mind if you think this is a round one quarterback. That’s a death sentence waiting to happen. Especially when you factor his history of lower body injuries. Especially when you factor in that his head coach basically never loses. Just saying.
Averaged 5 yards per attempt in this game. Went 27/51 for one touchdown and two picks. That’s against what will be NFL defenses. You can ignore the warning signs and get burnt or acknowledge they exist and proceed with caution. Where will you stand?
I think we got what I expected out of Rome Odunze. Didn’t dominate the game but made his impact felt. Can’t complain about leading the team with 87 yards on five receptions. Jalen McMillan and Ja’Lynn Polk had pretty pedestrian numbers in this one. The passing totals were never going to support three guys in this one. If anything, McMillan may be a tick underrated simply by being hurt earlier in the year. I really like Odunze. Just not sure quite how high I’m willing to go.
Not a ton of standout defensive performers to go over. Did anything you see blow you away? They have some good players. The work starts now in terms of getting that sorted on an individual basis.
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