Arizona

Cardinals

After bouncing between reserve duty at Texas and a 2024 transfer to Nevada, Kitan Crawford turned heads with explosive tape and elite athletic testing. His 9.72 RAS includes a blistering 4.41 40-yard dash (91st%), a 41.5” vertical, and a ridiculous 4.03 shuttle – all traits that show up in his aggressive play style and electric special teams production. He capped his final season with 76 tackles, 7 PBUs, 2 interceptions (1 TD), and a forced fumble. Crawford allowed just a 56.7% completion rate on 30 targets with a strong 88.5 PFF coverage grade in 2024, rebounding from subpar years in Austin. Despite his size limitations (5’10, 31” arms), he brings juice as a slot/safety hybrid with twitchy hips and the demeanor to crash down as a run defender. With over 1,000 special teams snaps and blocks on both a punt and field goal, Crawford profiles as a late draft sleeper with instant gunner value.

A three-year starter at left guard for Texas, Conner (6'6/314) was stellar in pass protection in his final year on the 40 Acres, notching a PFF pass blocking grade below 70.9 just twice in 16 appearances. Unfortunately, one of those contests was against Ohio State in the playoff, a game where he allowed three pressures. The former Katy High School product is an easy projection to guard (he was announced as such on draft day) in the pros but doesn’t have any special athletic traits. He does have a chance to become an eventual NFL starter.

As a freshman in 2021, Burke (5’11/186) immediately established himself as a high-level collegiate player, becoming the first freshman to start the opener for OSU since Andy Katzenmoyer. His play crested in 2023 when he earned First Team All-B10 recognition with eight PBUs 23 stops three interceptions and an 81.7 cover grade. Despite starting all 16 games of Ohio State’s National Championship run, Burke allowed a troubling 72.3% catch rate for 413 yards with a meager 7.2% forced incompletion rate. Enthusiastic in run support, the four-year starter recorded 48 tackles with 3.0 TFLs last season. He ran a 77th percentile 4.48s 40, but opted out of any further testing at the Combine. Burke is a little sluggish mirroring receivers through their breaks and has difficulty with double moves on vertical routes. This deficiency was exploited by Oregon with Burke getting smoked for seven receptions on seven targets in a 162-yard baptism by fire, allowing the only two touchdowns he would surrender all season. More comfortable in zone (81.0 zone grade) than man (58.5 grade), Burke should be able to carve out a role in the zone-heavy NFL.

Simon (6’2/229) followed in the footsteps of his older brother Shayne who was also a linebacker for Notre Dame and Pitt. He was used in a part-time rotational role for his first four years on campus due to OSU’s well stocked depth chart. A team captain in DC Jim Knowles’ stalwart defense last year, Simon paced the Buckeyes with 112 tackles while adding 12.5 TFLs and seven sacks while chipping in 45 stops and 20 pressures for a masterful 87.7 defensive grade that ranked 3rd overall among Power Four linebackers. The Third Team All-B10 performer was at his best during OSU’s playoff, being named Defensive MVP of both the Rose Bowl and National Championship when he recorded a team-leading eight tackles. His 8.35 RAS shows adequate athleticism with a dense, muscular frame that allows him to snuff out ball carriers between the tackles, but he isn’t cut out for covering lengthy tight ends or sideline-to-sideline pursuit. Simon is at his best flowing to the ball in run support where he rarely misdiagnoses run fits. While he lacks the prototypical size for a thumper and struggles to shed blocks when engaged, Simon has sound fundamentals and should be able to assist on special teams while he learns the ropes.

A former five-star recruit, Burch (6’4/279) finally put it all together in 2024 after a career that included three seasons at South Carolina before transferring to Eugene. He posted career-highs in TFLs (11.0), sacks (8.5), and pass breakups (5) despite missing four games due to injury. A smooth-moving edge rusher in a power end’s frame, Burch is a heavy-handed disruptor whose favorite tool is brute strength, bull-rushing blockers into reverse or uncorking a violent club-rip to soften edges. He posted an 83.9 pass rush grade — best of his career — and an 81.2 tackling mark, missing just one tackle all season. His athletic testing wasn’t full-spectrum, but his 4.67 forty was a 91st percentile mark, flashing the juice needed to win early in reps. However, Burch’s tape is often feast-or-famine. He lacks a diverse counter arsenal, and inconsistent get-off timing lets linemen gain leverage. He is more reactive than instinctual versus the run and will be 24 as a rookie, with multiple injuries in his college history. That said, Burch offers high-floor traits and scheme versatility as a power end with pass-rush upside.

Johnson would have gone much, much higher than this if not for concerns about his knee. He also succumbed to a turf toe injury that derailed his final season early, while a hamstring injury caused him to not run the 40-yard dash at the Combine or pro day. He allowed 12.2 yards per reception in 2024, which was a nice improvement from the 15.7 YPR he gave up in 2023, but his disappointing 48.7 tackle grade left much to be desired. Somewhat prone to overrunning plays which caused Johnson to post an elevated 15.7% missed tackle rate over his three years on campus. He possesses a long frame and is strong enough to disrupt receiver’s tempo and break on the ball with a gambler’s mentality. Johnson flashes big play ability with three interceptions returned for touchdowns, and has the skill set to be a top corner at the highest level.

The No. 1 overall recruit from the 2022 prep cycle, Nolen (6’4/296) was the crown jewel of Texas A&M’s best all-time recruiting class. He rotated through the Aggies defensive front shuttling between three tech and edge for two seasons, earning a middling 72.5 overall grade in 2023 with 21 stops and zero missed tackles. He left College Station following Jimbo Fisher’s firing and blossomed into a fully-formed, game-wrecking three tech for Ole Miss. Nolen ranked second nationally with a 91.6 run grade and fifth with 26 stops on running downs. The First Team All-American is a bit undersized at 296 pounds but he is able to uncoil and strike with the force of a much larger man thanks to his impressive raw power. A plus athlete who has a brisk get off and can keep blockers off balance with speed or power, Nolen can rush the passer with an undisciplined technical approach and get away with it thanks to his physical gifts. However in the run game he plays with outstanding leverage routinely discarding blockers and breaking through double teams. A true havoc creator on the interior, Nolen needs to work on secondary rush moves but has every-down starter potential.

Skattebo has already met with the Browns, Cardinals, and Giants, as the rookie continues to make his pre-draft visits ahead of the weekend. The do-it-all running back from Arizona State significantly boosted his draft stock during the 2024 season after running for 293-1,711-21 on the ground while adding another 45-605-3 through the air. While we shouldn’t read too much into these prospect visits, Skattebo landing in Detroit feels like a move that would immediately strike a blow to his rookie year value with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery firmly in the mix. There are numerous teams Skattebo could help in his first season. Assuming he earns Day 2 draft capital, he should have a chance to make an immediate fantasy impact.

Kyler Murray retains his shifty slot receiver. Dortch flashes fun talent at times but has largely settled into a complementary role at this point. He caught 37-of-46 targets for 342 yards and three touchdowns last season and has a chance to produce similarly this year. Should Marvin Harrison Jr. make a second-year leap, Dortch’s target share will likely be impacted, though.