When it comes to the NFL Draft, Dane Brugler is one of the most respected names to cover the event. His years of reporting and work on the NFL Draft for CBS Sports and for NFL Draft Scout are second to none. Today, Dane put out his 7-Round Mock Draft, and in it, he has Miami selecting an edge rusher, a pass catcher, and a few players late who should help Danny Crossman on Special Teams.
Round 1, Pick #21: Laiatu Latu, EDGE – UCLA
“The Dolphins weren’t scared off by Jaelan Phillips’ injury past, and I don’t think they will shy away from Latu’s either. With Bradley Chubb and Phillips working their way back from injury, Latu and his savvy pass-rush skills can contribute immediately in Miami.”
NFL.com Draft Profile
Overview
Latu possesses the kind of rare maturity to his game that you usually see from NFL veterans. He rarely stays blocked by tackles as a run defender and dominates blocking tight ends on the collegiate level. His pass-rush approach is both well conceived and instinctive, and he’s brilliant at taking possession of the rep using clever hands and slippery angles to pry open opportunities. His eyes play beyond blockers, and he feeds off of a voracious motor that keeps him pushing forward as a run defender and pass rusher. Concerns surrounding his neck injury (while at Washington) will certainly come into play when he gets to medical exams, but his durability and play at UCLA are certainly promising. Everything about Latu’s skill set and production is translatable to the NFL, and he could become a Pro Bowler as a 3-4 outside linebacker with a heavy influence on the game.
Strengths
- Menacing portfolio of movement and entry angles in his rush.
- Mensa-level hand usage with slaps, swats, rips, counters and stabs at his disposal.
- Motor and strength to drive through redirect blocks once he finds an opening.
- Times up bull rush to attack tackle’s change of weight distribution in his slide.
- Quick-win rusher when allowed to reduce inside against guards.
- Brutish take-on typically eliminates blocking tight ends in short order.
- Stacks and sheds blockers with good timing to sink into running backs.
- Has the athletic ability to drop and swerve in short-area coverage.
Weaknesses
- Medical concerns surrounding his neck injury (while at Washington) will need to be evaluated.
- Frame build-out and body type are average.
- Legs straighten out during rush engagement, robbing him of leverage.
- Plays with good power but doesn’t carry a firm anchor against the run.
- Pursuit speed to boundary or sideline is very average.
Round 2, Pick #55: Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE – Texas
NFL.com Draft Profile
Overview
Talented pass-catching tight end with an exciting floor if he can handle the rigors of the pro game. Sanders possesses an average build, but he has room for more muscle. He flashes as a run blocker, but he isn’t consistent at the point of attack. He can get up the field from in-line or from the slot, beating man coverage at his route stems or separating quickly from turns. He is able to dig in and win combat catches underneath and has proven to be highly effective running the seam or catching intermediate throws into zone pockets. Teams looking for a tight end with a more complete game might pass on him, but his potential to open up the passing game and become a highly productive pass-catcher should be hard to pass on.
Strengths
- Size and play strength to play through route traffic.
- Well-coordinated making leaping catches on the move.
- Eventually outruns most linebackers across the field or up the seam.
- Frames off defender and catches with strong hands when contested.
- Run-after-catch features quick vertical burst and getaway speed.
- Fits run blocks with good hand placement and hip lift.
- Has the tools to become a more effective move blocker.
Weaknesses
- Will need to get much stronger for in-line blocking chores.
- Inconsistent aggression taking on bigger opponents at the point.
- Allows defenders to play through his base blocks.
- Displays consistent break drift on out-breaking routes.
Round 5, Pick #158: Khristian Boyd, DT – Northern Iowa
PFN Boyd’s Scouting Report
Strengths
- Sports a dense, squatty, and compact frame with excellent mass and density.
- Gets off the line with an explosive first step and has great initial acceleration capacity.
- Flashes the lateral explosiveness to cover large swaths of ground, engaging tackles.
- Shows glimpses of impressive twitch and energy for his size on pass-rushing reps.
- Has the elite core strength to one-gap zone blocks and establish half-man relationships.
- Can two-gap against interior power blockers and force runners to bounce outside.
- Able to violently stack and shed in the run game with his suffocating grip strength.
- Has the mass and lower-body strength to eat double teams and combo blocks.
- Can use his natural leverage and lower-body mass to minimize displacement at the line.
- Explosiveness and frame density amount to impressive raw power in the passing game.
- Can plow linemen off their spot with initial power, then stack inside arm-over counters.
- Can channel his rotational freedom and torque through long-arms and hump moves.
- Flashes the ability to stack swipes and cross-chops while stressing angles across gaps.
- Has a hot motor in pursuit between the hashes and will fight to traverse gaps.
- Has the versatility to line up from 0-tech to 3-tech, inheriting schematic flexibility.
Weaknesses
- Has below average length for the position, which can detract from his power capacity.
- Relatively stiff lateral mover who, past cylindrical twitch, lacks great movement freedom.
- Somewhat lumbering athlete past initial explosion whose pace falters through reps.
- Lumbering short-area mobility can impact recovery capacity against opposing power.
- At times over-extends off the line to compensate for reach, putting his balance at risk.
- Despite natural leverage, sometimes diverts too far upright at contact, nullifying base.
- Can get beaten to the punch by longer linemen and lose his balance as a result.
- Sometimes sells out for specific gaps too soon, opening cutback lanes for runners.
- On occasion, widens his base too much on the attack, causing power load to dissipate.
- Can be uncontrolled with his leg churn and attack footwork, drifting too far upfield.
- Sometimes veers past optimal landmarks on the rush, losing opportunities to counter.
- At times, can be late to stack hand counters when decoupling anchors in the run game.
- Sometimes lacks a defined pass-rush plan and can improve his hand efficiency.
- Naturally with his denser frame, lacks high-end ankle flexion and torso flexibility.
- Will be a 24-year-old rookie at the start of the 2024 season.
Round 6, Pick #184: Kingsley Eguakun, C – Florida
NFL.com Draft Profile
Slightly undersized three-year starting center whose lack of leverage and play strength could make the NFL game a tough nut to crack. Eguakun has the quickness to get into space as a pulling center or second-level climber but needs to do a better job of dominating those targets once he strikes. He’s a fighter and a strainer at the point of attack but it’s unlikely to be enough when facing off against a willful NFL nose tackle. Bull rushers will cause trouble for him due to his lack of lower-body anchor, but his sets and punch are fairly well-schooled. Eguakun could be a later-round pick but might not have enough marks in his favor to make a roster.
Strengths
- Throws pass punch from a wide, balanced base.
- Hands are sudden and direct firing into targets.
- Displays dual-gap awareness throughout the set.
- Accelerates into space as a pulling center and locates his work.
- Strains hard to stay connected to base blocks.
Weaknesses
- Below-average bender who plays too tall to create needed leverage.
- Unable to dig defenders out of the A-gap with leg drive.
- Has a tendency to lean into blocks rather than bringing his feet under him.
- Rushers with active hands tend to overtake him in protection phase.
- Doesn’t have the natural anchor to withstand forceful charges.
Round 6, Pick #198: Chigozie Anusiem, CB – Colorado St
NFL Draft Diamonds Profile
Player Summary:
RS Senior CB from La Habra, CA. 4 year player at Cal, transferred to CSU prior to 2022, wore #7 last season but will wear #1 in 2023. Primarily utilized as a boundary corner at CSU but occasionally rotates to safety. Lean, muscular frame with thick lowers. Elite HT/WT and looks to have very high-level length. Listed 40 time is sub-par, but game speed looks adequate. Quick, twitchy player. Fluid hips. Patient and physical off the LOS. High level hand fighter, does a great job of preventing receivers from getting their hands on his frame. Stays in phase, almost always in great position to make a play on the ball. Smart player, recognizes what offenses are trying to do. Plays through picks and doesn’t lose his assignment in traffic. Calm and steady in man coverage, never looks nervous or frantic. Takes aggressive angles to jump routes, but can occasionally lose a receiver by jumping the route too early. Can do a better job of being patient and careful of double moves. Exceptional reaction speed. Closes on the ball carrier quickly with instincts and speed. Breaks on underneath routes and brings violence on contact. Does a great job of playing through the receiver’s hands and ripping the ball out at the catch point. No interceptions, but always in position to break up passes. Likes to be physical and willing to tackle. Attacks the ball carrier and shows impressive form tackles for the position. Not afraid of open-field tackles or bigger ball carriers. Fights through and around blockers to pursue screens. He is limited film in the zone, and would need to see more reps to fairly assess his zone coverage ability. Impressive conditioning plays every snap. Well-rounded player.
Scheme Fit:
Best fit for an aggressive defense that allows him to jam receivers and play tight man coverage
Power Statement:
Anusiem is a smart, physical man corner that is capable of locking down #1 receivers and willing to support in the run game. He projects as someone who can step directly into a 2 deep for a professional team and grow into an NFL starter by the end of his rookie contract.
Round 7, Pick 241: Isaiah Williams, WR – Illinois
NFL.com Draft Profile
Three-year starter and two-time team captain who stair-stepped his production and impact in each season. Williams’ size limits his contested-catch success, but he’s still a tough player. He’s an NFL slot but has aligned around the field at Illinois. He has the makings of becoming an above-average route runner with an expanded route tree, but his 4.63-second 40-yard dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine could hurt his stock despite solid testing in other areas. His limited catch radius requires a more accurate quarterback, but he plays with talent and determination once the ball is in his hands. He can be asked to work across all areas of the field and has both gadget and punt return ability. Williams is competitive and versatile but must prove he can play fast to become a WR4 as a Day 3 pick.
Strengths
- Excellent competitiveness and plays bigger than his size.
- Has footwork and change of direction for trickier routes.
- Manipulates defender’s leverage and runs routes with speed variance.
- Slippery with the ball in his hand after the catch and on punt returns.
- Former quarterback with run/pass potential on gadget plays.
Weaknesses
- Routes lack crisp cuts and attention to detail at times.
- Frequently has potential catches jarred loose by defender’s impact.
- Struggles to bring in off-frame throws with heat on them.
- Has had three muffed punts over the last two seasons.
