The Super Bowl in New Orleans on Sunday will bring down the curtain on the NFL’s 2024 season. But as one season comes to a conclusion after six months on the field, off the field the slow drip leading up to the 2025 regular season is about to turn into a torrent.
First came last week’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL. At the end of the month, it’s the NFL Combine in Indianapolis followed closely by the beginning of free agency in mid-March. Through it all, the laser focus of GMs, HCs, scouts — and of course the league’s rabid fans — will be on the NFL Draft April 24-26 on the (thawing) tundra of Green Bay in northeastern Wisconsin.
At the Senior Bowl, team reporter Ethan Greenberg of newyorkjets.com corralled a handful of the top draft analysts — Dane Brugler (The Athletic), Matt Miller (ESPN), Jordan Reid (ESPN), Connor Rogers (Pro Football Focus) and Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) for their thoughts on the deepest position groups ahead of the draft.
In the Trenches: Offensive and Defensive Line
“First and foremost, it’s a loaded defensive line class, both interior and on the edges, which I think is music to the ears of a lot of people around the league,” Dane Brugler of The Athletic said.
Among the top players in the DL group are: Abdul Carter, Penn State (6-3, 252) who made the move from linebacker to edge this past season; Mason Graham, Michigan (6-3, 320); Walter Nolan, Ole Miss (6-3, 305); Kenneth Grant, Michigan (6-3, 339); Deone Walker, Kentucky (6-6, 245); and Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M (6-6, 290).
“It’s a great interior defensive line group,” Matt Miller of ESPN said. “I think I have like 15 defensive tackles in my top 64 right now. And then we look at the edge group. You got guys like Mike Green [Marshall, 6-4, 251] having a great performance out here [at the Senior Bowl], and that goes through the class. My No 1. overall player is an edge rusher, Abdul Carter from Penn State.”
The big guys on the offensive line generally don’t get the publicity of the “skill” players, but their impact can’t be overstated.
“A lot of these guys are going to kick into guard at the next level, but there are guys that could play tackle, whether it’s Armand Membou [6-3, 325] from Missouri,” Miller said. “You have Josh Conerly [Oregon, 6-3, 315]. I love his ability, he was a running back in high school. And then Josh Simmons [Ohio State, 6-5, 310].
Grey Zabel (North Dakota State, 6-5, 316) turned heads at the Senior Bowl.
“I always love the small-school guys,” Miller said. “I think he’s going to be a guard or center. He comes down here, through two practices he’s dominated. So seeing those small school guys get to hold their own against the power four conferences is really what makes this event [the Senior Bowl] so great.”
