Some school coaches spend the ultimate weekend of April wrapping up spring observe. Others are hitting the highway or making ready for a recruiting push.
However most carve out time and be a part of thousands and thousands of different Individuals in watching the NFL draft. Properly, maybe not Curt Cignetti of Indiana, the reigning nationwide champion. Whereas different school coaches joined prime prospects in Pittsburgh or at their houses, Cignetti scheduled IU’s spring recreation on the identical evening as Spherical 1, which kicked off, as anticipated, with Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza going No. 1.
“You get so absorbed in your [current] group, you discuss turning the web page,” Cignetti informed ESPN days earlier than the draft. “However I am excited for all of them. They’ve earned that day. I am excited to see the place all of them land.”
The thrill is shared by coaches round school soccer, who carry distinct views to draft analysis. They’ve coached the prospects, scouted them as recruits or opponents, and are in a position to acknowledge the traits, most closely fits, potential issues, place values and extra.
I spoke with head coaches and coordinators in each Energy 4 league, forward of and after the draft, to collect opinions on what in the end unfolded April 24-26 in Pittsburgh.
Here is the analysis of the NFL draft by the eyes of school coaches.
(Word: Coaches are listed in line with their roles throughout the 2025 season.)
The Simpson shock
In a draft gentle on top-end quarterbacks, Alabama’s Ty Simpson generated vital debate. The Los Angeles Rams’ collection of Simpson at No. 13 rattled the primary evening of the draft.
Simpson, who spent just one season as Alabama’s starter, by no means critically challenged Mendoza for the No. 1 spot. Nonetheless, there was optimism, each internally at Alabama and past, that he would hear his identify known as on the draft’s first evening in Pittsburgh. Simply not essentially at No. 13 and to a group, led by franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford, that’s nonetheless in its championship window.
“I actually was shocked,” an SEC defensive coordinator stated. “I used to be shocked by the group, too.”
One other SEC defensive coordinator stated Alabama’s earlier two quarterbacks, Jalen Milroe and Bryce Younger, had been harder to arrange for than Simpson.
“For him to go that top, I used to be just a little bit like, ‘Wow, OK,'” the coach stated. “I do not know the way he practices, I do not know his thoughts. They had been saying he was banged up within the again stretch, however he was simply OK. Possibly he has these qualities that you may’t coach that a few of these [NFL teams] fell in love with.”
Different SEC coaches acknowledged that Simpson’s profile has some clear considerations — “He isn’t able to go be a starter within the NFL proper now, he is acquired work to do,” one SEC coordinator stated — however famous that he carried out effectively for a lot of final season, even with an offense that had limitations with its run recreation. One other SEC coordinator stated he anticipated Simpson to go late within the first spherical, however curiosity from the Arizona Cardinals sparked the Rams to pick him earlier.
“It is a terrific match for him from a system standpoint, and who he’ll be behind for a yr,” an SEC coach stated. “There’s numerous similarities [with Stafford]. [The pick] was the most important [surprise], a man who did not have a ton of begins, however when he performed, he performed effectively. His lengthy recreation goes to be actually good.”
Different first-round takeaways
The draft in the end had no drama on the prime. Mendoza’s near-flawless efficiency throughout the School Soccer Playoff, capped by his heroics within the nationwide title recreation in opposition to Miami — with Las Vegas Raiders majority proprietor Mark Davis, minority proprietor Tom Brady and others watching — secured his place at No. 1.
A Massive Ten coach who has spent most of his profession within the league stated Mendoza is among the extra full quarterback prospects he has seen. The coach pointed to Mendoza’s shortage of turnovers or ill-advised throws, and his mixture of intelligence, measurement and motion.
“His motion abilities had been very underrated, and I feel his arm energy may be very underrated,” Cignetti stated.
A coach who had confronted Mendoza within the ACC (whereas he performed for Cal) was much less bullish on his NFL outlook.
“He is a great decision-maker, however I do not assume he is acquired the NFL traits,” the coach stated. “They’re all back-shoulder [throws]. That is not working within the NFL. His receivers made performs to make him look higher than he’s. Within the NFL, these throws are getting picked off.”
A Energy 4 defensive coordinator added: “He had numerous assist, lot of assist there, so we’ll see what he can do. What I used to be impressed with him is arising large. You possibly can’t educate that, and he has it.”
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Why the Jets chosen David Bailey with the 2nd decide
Wealthy Cimini breaks down what the Jets are getting in Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey.
The No. 2 choice had a bit extra suspense, because the New York Jets debated defensive standouts in Texas Tech’s David Bailey and Ohio State’s Arvell Reese. I spent a great chunk of the spring visiting or speaking with Massive 12 coaches, they usually all known as Bailey top-of-the-line pure cross rushers they’ve seen.
Massive Ten coaches additionally had been complimentary of Reese, who had a breakout season in 2025, however his influence was considered as much less constant than that of Bailey, who was chosen by the Jets after main the FBS with 14.5 sacks and posting 13 quarterback hurries. Reese was chosen at No. 5 by the New York Giants.
“All people would discuss totally different guys and their upside or their means, however individuals neglect that David lastly performed a place that allowed him to do what he does at a excessive stage,” Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire stated of the Stanford switch. “In case you return to Stanford, they had been doing numerous the identical stuff that Ohio State did with their guys. And every time [Bailey] acquired right here, we recognized him actual early, like, this man goes to hurry the passer. We do not want him dropping, we do not want him enjoying off the ball. And so he put that on tape, and he did it persistently.”
Alabama offensive deal with Kadyn Proctor additionally generated totally different opinions getting into the draft. His mixture of measurement (6-foot-6, 352 kilos) and athleticism was laborious to match, however he additionally anchored a Tide line that blocked for the nation’s No. 123 speeding assault, and allowed 2.13 sacks per recreation (ninetieth nationally).
“He has extra potential than manufacturing,” an SEC coordinator stated. “He is an enormous, sturdy child that is athletic. I did not assume he was all the time as dominant as he ought to have been, for the traits.”
Ultimately, Proctor’s distinctive profile pushed him into the highest half of the primary spherical, as he went No. 12 to the Miami Dolphins.
“Anyone who sees this man work out, they are not going to have the ability to resist,” an SEC coordinator stated. “Even when they wished to, they will see him transferring round they usually’re like, ‘Shoot we have to take this man.'”
Sure prospects present a window into how the NFL views place teams as Notre Dame working again Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State security Caleb Downs did on Evening 1. Some NFL evaluators considered Love and Downs because the draft’s finest general gamers. A Massive Ten coach just lately informed me that Downs was clearly the nation’s finest defender in 2024, when Ohio State ended its nationwide title drought. He earned All-America honors in each 2024 and 2025, when he received the Jim Thorpe Award as the highest school defensive again.
However neither Downs nor Love performs a premium place.
Love in the end did not wait lengthy, going at No. 3 to the Arizona Cardinals, and turning into the highest-drafted working again since Penn State’s Saquon Barkley went No. 2 to the Giants in 2018. Downs, in the meantime, went eleventh to the Dallas Cowboys, extending the drought of safeties lacking the highest 10. LSU’s Jamal Adams is the newest, going No. 6 to the Jets in 2017, and solely eight safeties have gone within the prime 10 since 2000. If a security as embellished as Downs — Matt Miller’s favourite decide of the draft — could not crack the highest 10, who can?
“I do not assume there was any doubt that he’s a generational participant, speaking to totally different golf equipment, the suggestions we acquired in his interviews,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day stated. “Watching the draft yr in and yr out, you see sure issues that form of make you have a look at issues sideways. … Simply sitting there as a coach, if you see some guys come off the board in entrance of anyone like Caleb Downs, it simply makes you assume, ‘I’m wondering the place they will be in 5 to 10 years, wanting again on this draft, and if they’ve any regrets.’ However I do know the Cowboys acquired a terrific one.”
Florida defensive deal with Caleb Banks was a considerably stunning first-round decide, after being restricted to 3 video games final fall due to a left foot damage. The 6-foot-6, 327-pound Banks, who entered the 2025 season as a projected excessive draft decide after recording 4.5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss in 2024, broke a bone in the identical foot on the NFL mix in February.
He underwent surgical procedure in March, and the Minnesota Vikings chosen him at No. 18, even if gamers like large receiver Makai Lemon, security Dillon Thieneman, and coveted offensive and defensive linemen had been nonetheless accessible.
“The difficult half is the damage; it was very unlucky,” former Florida (and present James Madison) coach Billy Napier informed me. “Clearly, it could have made an enormous distinction in our group to have a first-round draft decide sort of caliber, an explosive participant. Caleb can play on third down. I feel that makes him totally different. Not solely is he 6-6, 325, however he is acquired the twitch to be a matchup problem on third down as a rusher.”
One other SEC defensive lineman within the first spherical who generated consideration was Auburn finish Keldric Faulk, who went No. 31 to the Tennessee Titans. At 6-5 and 276 kilos, Faulk has wonderful size on the sting, defends the run very effectively and joins a coach (Robert Saleh) who has had success with taller linemen like DeForest Buckner.
“He is highly effective, he can play [on the inside shade of an offensive tackle], he is a very good run-stopper and he is nonetheless studying the right way to cross rush,” an SEC coordinator stated.
Faulk’s general cross rush numbers do not pop, although, as he had 10 profession sacks at Auburn and two final season.
“He undoubtedly had movie,” an SEC offensive coordinator stated. “… There have been instances the place he simply form of acquired floor up just a little bit and did not know the way devoted he was to the run recreation. He has a ton of means. When he performed and went, he was a great participant. I used to be to see, as a result of some individuals had been speaking about him being early first spherical, and I simply thought there’s higher edge gamers, however actually, actually lengthy guys are powerful to search out.”
San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson was the one Group of 6 participant drafted among the many first 57 picks, going at No. 27 to Miami. Aztecs coach Sean Lewis thought Johnson could be a Day 2 decide after the group’s season ended, however Johnson’s performances on the mix and through group interviews elevated his outlook.
“I used to be speaking with [an NFL evaluator] the Monday or Tuesday earlier than the draft, and I used to be like, ‘Oh, one other day, one other name about Chris,'” Lewis stated. “And he was like, ‘We ain’t even going to have the ability to contact Chris. Like, he isn’t going to be accessible once we decide.’ He wished to speak about another person. In that second. I used to be like, ‘This man’s not going to get out of the primary day.’ In order that was fairly cool.”
Johnson earned second-team AP All-America honors in 2025 and had 4 interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, 9 cross breakups, a pressured fumble and three tackles for loss. Lewis stated his loyalty to this system additionally helped throughout NFL interviews, as groups peppered him about why he stayed at SDSU slightly than going to the Energy 4.
“That basically differentiated himself from others, as a result of that’s the unusual path now,” Lewis stated. “It was an enormous piece of the method, his loyalty, his dedication. And it was simply actually attention-grabbing to listen to the NFL aspect of it, of how that was such an enormous plus for them, particularly with the funding that they made in him and the choices that they had been making, like, ‘That is going to be a man that we are able to pour into, and he’ll be dedicated to us.'”
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What Carson Beck brings to the Cardinals
What Carson Beck brings to the Cardinals
A down yr for QBs
Again in November 2024, nobody would have envisioned the next quarterback state of affairs for the 2026 draft: Mendoza at No. 1, zero QBs within the second spherical, Carson Beck kicking off the third spherical, Drew Allar going halfway by the third, Cade Klubnik ready till the fourth and Garrett Nussmeier being the final quarterback drafted, behind Rutgers’ Athan Kaliakmanis and Texas Tech’s Behren Morton within the seventh spherical.
Many elements fueled the quarterback draft order, however a number of gamers pegged as prime picks throughout or after the 2024 season noticed their shares fall. Beck went by an damage and a switch from Georgia to Miami, which he helped attain the nationwide title recreation, however he wasn’t slotted as an early-round candidate, like he was following his 2023 season at Georgia.
Arizona chosen Beck at No. 65.
“He is in all probability reaching full well being now,” coach Mario Cristobal informed me. “Different groups had quarterbacks that missed the summer time, too, and people guys did not even have successful seasons. He was a man that missed numerous time and nonetheless discovered a means to assist us obtain postseason standing and win a number of New 12 months’s Six video games and finally play for the [national] title. In order that man’s finest soccer is forward of him, too. He is wholesome, and I feel he’ll do nice.”
“… I feel what you see is what you get,” a Energy 4 defensive coordinator stated. “I feel he’ll be stable. I do not assume he’ll be particular. Whether or not it is poise or accuracy at key moments, he simply appears to have too many misses. However he is a great, stable participant.”
Allar helped Penn State attain the CFP semifinals after the 2024 season and sure would have been among the many prime quarterbacks drafted in 2025 if he skipped his senior season. He returned to State School and had a slower-than-expected begin, earlier than breaking an ankle in a midseason loss to Northwestern, the day earlier than coach James Franklin was fired.
The 6-5, 228-pound Allar went No. 76 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Massive Ten coaches had been lukewarm on Allar however famous that he went by a number of techniques and wasn’t all the time set as much as succeed.
“Hopefully [Pittsburgh] shall be a training workers that may maximize what he is good at,” a Massive Ten coach stated. “I am probably not positive that was the case [at Penn State].”
When LSU and Clemson opened the 2025 season, the sport was billed as a matchup of potential No. 1 draft picks at QB. Clemson’s Klubnik posted a profession excessive in completion share (65.6) however noticed vital drops in passing yards and landing passes. He joins the Jets (one hundred and tenth decide).
“He is a two-time ACC championship MVP with a pair titles, however he is additionally had some moments that weren’t so good,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney informed me. “All these issues make you higher in case you’re made from the correct stuff, and he’s made from the correct stuff, and it has made him higher. Particularly going to a spot like New York, you higher have some thick pores and skin. … I feel Cade has an opportunity to be an impressive professional.”
LSU’s Nussmeier handled a number of accidents, together with a cyst on his backbone found throughout testing on the mix. He landed with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (No. 249).
“Who is aware of why he fell to this point, however I studied him and that child is a stud,” stated a defensive coordinator who confronted Nussmeier. “Clearly, did not have a terrific season, however he is a great participant.”
0:51
D’Angelo Ponds NFL draft profile
Take a look at among the prime highlights from Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds.
Day 2 and the run on tight ends
A draft that did not pop at among the typical positions, reminiscent of quarterback and defensive deal with, created vital intrigue on Day 2, when groups usually discover essentially the most worth.
After solely two cornerbacks went within the first spherical — LSU’s Mansoor Delane (No. 6, Chiefs) and San Diego State’s Johnson — the second spherical included 5. Tennessee’s Colton Hood went No. 37 to the Giants after recording two takeaways for touchdowns, 50 tackles and eight cross breakups in his solely yr with the Vols after transferring in from Colorado. Hood was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
“He was a one-year starter, did an amazing job,” an SEC coordinator stated. “His finest soccer remains to be forward of him. He is a troublesome man, can run. He’ll do effectively.”
Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds rounded out the highest 50, going to the Jets. Ponds was the Hoosiers’ prime particular person defensive performer throughout the group’s nationwide title run, incomes defensive MVP honors at each the Rose and Peach Bowls. He earned All-America honors in every of the previous two seasons, was twice first-team All-Massive Ten and recorded 5 interceptions, 8.5 tackles for loss and 116 tackles with the Hoosiers.
Coaches at Indiana and past stated Ponds’ measurement (5-foot-8, 182 kilos) was the one issue preserving him out of the primary spherical.
“I do not know if I’ve seen a nook that small who’s that large of an influence participant,” stated an offensive coordinator who confronted Indiana final season. “He is simply so savvy and hard. Gosh, he is a great participant.”
The Philadelphia Eagles’ decide of Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers at No. 54 kicked off a surge of tight finish picks that went by the tip of Day 2. Eight tight ends went between Stowers and Notre Dame’s Eli Raridon, who went No. 95 to the New England Patriots.
The general variety of tight finish choices jumps out, however so does the vary of profile sorts. Stowers received the Mackey Award as the highest school tight finish with 62 receptions, 769 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. Ohio State’s Max Klare, who went late within the second spherical to the Rams, had 94 receptions in his final two school seasons.
However Texas A&M’s Nate Boerkircher and Michigan’s Marlin Klein every had fewer than 40 profession receptions in school. Boerkircher, who went No. 56 to the Jacksonville Jaguars, had simply 19 receptions in 4 years at Nebraska however matched the overall in his lone season with Texas A&M, together with the game-winning landing catch at Notre Dame.
“As individuals began diving into Nate, his inventory was rising all through the draft course of,” Texas A&M coach Mike Elko stated.
Ohio State’s second tight finish, Will Kacmarek, is an in-line participant with no school season of greater than 22 receptions however nonetheless went No. 87 to Miami. Even NFL groups seemingly arrange effectively on the tight finish spot, such because the Chicago Bears, had been desperate to take one on Day 2, including Stanford’s Sam Roush at No. 69.
“All people desires to be in 12 personnel,” an ACC defensive coordinator stated, referring to a grouping with one working again and two tight ends. “All people’s creating that second tight finish as both a flex man or an H-back form of man. That is why they’re looking for as many tight ends as they will. … Offenses are looking for a technique to have their new reply for what these defenses are doing. All these three excessive security [formations] ain’t no good in case you acquired two stud tight ends within the recreation.”
A Massive Ten coach famous that the tight finish “lean” stems from prospects bringing worth past catching passes. Many seem on a number of particular groups models and may help with blocking prime cross rushers.
“Week to week, you see extra good guys enjoying that place than perhaps 10 years in the past,” the coach stated. “We have in all probability leaned that means just a little bit in school, too. There could be extra two-tight finish stuff than there was 10 years in the past.”
School groups that had been all around the draft
A number of school groups stood out throughout draft weekend, and coaches weighed in on how issues unfolded and who went the place.
Texas Tech Purple Raiders: Texas Tech’s spending spree grew to become a prime storyline earlier than the 2025 season. The Purple Raiders delivered their first Massive 12 championship and School Soccer Playoff look after which shined on draft weekend with a team-record 9 choices, three greater than the earlier mark set in 1956, and 5 greater than the report within the frequent draft period, set in 2009.
Much more spectacular, 5 of Texas Tech’s choices got here within the prime 75, together with two non-transfers in linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (No. 42, Miami) and large receiver Caleb Douglas (No. 75, Miami).
“Lots of people can sit there and say, ‘Properly, these are transfers, they usually’re solely there a yr,’ however each a kind of guys had their finest yr,” McGuire stated. “There have been some projections final yr, or once we’re taking a look at David Bailey, that he was a third-round draft decide, and he comes right here, and he is a first-round draft decide, performs his finest soccer by far, and he is put ready to play his finest soccer. The identical means with [defensive end Romello Height] after which having the yr that Jacob [Rodriguez] had, I used to be so proud that he went so early.
“It exhibits that we’re placing these guys in the correct place.”
McGuire admitted being nervous about Rodriguez, who had unbelievable numbers final season — 128 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, seven pressured fumbles, 4 interceptions, two fumble recoveries — however as an off-ball linebacker did not play a premium place. After Ohio State’s Sonny Types went No. 7 to the Washington Commanders, McGuire felt good about Rodriguez within the second spherical however wasn’t positive the place he’d be drafted. He ended up being the primary of 4 linebackers chosen within the spherical.
“I felt like he did sufficient, and on the professional day and on the mix,” McGuire stated. “As we talked to totally different individuals, they stored saying, ‘This child, he is acquired his stuff collectively, he is so mature.’ So, I assumed that was going to be an enormous assist for him.”
Miami Hurricanes: Mario Cristobal improved Oregon’s output of NFL linemen towards the tip of his tenure in Eugene and had even greater aspirations when he returned to Miami. His first full class of recruits and transfers produced three first-round picks in offensive deal with Francis Mauigoa (No. 10, New York Giants) and defensive ends Rueben Bain Jr. (No. 15, Tampa Bay) and Akheem Mesidor (No. 22, Los Angeles Chargers).
Miami had essentially the most linemen drafted within the first spherical, 4 within the prime 70 picks and 5 general. Cristobal stated 6-foot-9, 346-pound deal with Markel Bell, who went No. 68 to Philadelphia, might have been a first-round decide if he had come again.
“That places us heading in the right direction,” Cristobal stated. “I consider the observe report, we had been at Oregon and a pair years into it, [offensive tackle Penei Sewell] is seventh general and [defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux] is seventh general, so that is the blueprint of our applications. We have all the time felt actually strongly about that. It is a lot of validation because it pertains to growth, notably on the line of scrimmage. [Offensive line coach] Alex Mirabal and [defensive line coach] Jason Taylor, they’re the perfect at what they do.”
Mauigoa began at proper deal with all through his profession at Miami, and Bain and Mesidor mixed for 11.5 sacks in propelling Miami in its first CFP look.
“You have to lower them free and allow them to play a bodily model of disruptive, explosive soccer,” Cristobal stated. “Akheem is strictly what they had been in search of there, and in Tampa and up in New York, they wanted an enormous, bodily, proficient man that might play a number of positions, they usually acquired one of the best of one of the best in school soccer. These guys are going to be unbelievable professionals.”
Texas A&M Aggies: Texas A&M made its first CFP look in coach Mike Elko’s second yr. The Aggies achieved one other milestone throughout draft weekend with 10 choices, tying a group report set in 1976 and marking their most within the seven-round draft period. Texas A&M’s earlier excessive was seven draft picks in 2019.
“In case you have a look at the higher applications, yr in and yr out, 10 appears to be the quantity that you simply’re making an attempt to hit,” Elko informed me. “That was one of many targets we got down to attempt to get once we acquired employed right here, and it has been a very long time since we did it.”
The Aggies’ contingent had seven top-100 choices, together with large receiver KC Concepcion, who went No. 24 to the Cleveland Browns. Concepcion and others transferred in, whereas offensive lineman Chase Bisontis, a second-round collection of Arizona, and others developed throughout the program.
Seven of Texas A&M’s draft picks had been linemen, which continued a development on the defensive aspect — the Aggies had 10 D-linemen drafted between 2019 and 2025, together with first-rounder Shemar Stewart final yr — and began a brand new one on offense.
“To get it on the offensive line as effectively is an enormous step ahead,” Elko stated. “The SEC is a line-of-scrimmage league. For us to win the issues that we need to win, being actually good within the trenches is an enormous a part of it.”
Clemson Tigers: Earlier than the 2025 season, coach Dabo Swinney predicted Clemson would have 9 or 10 gamers drafted and 15 complete in camps. Regardless of a 7-6 report, Clemson matched or exceeded Swinney’s forecast with 9 choices, tying the group report within the frequent draft period, and 16 signed with NFL groups. All 9 drafted gamers went within the prime 175 picks.
“We have developed effectively for a very long time right here, so it is simply extra affirmation,” Swinney stated. “We did not get among the outcomes that we wished final yr, however that is on us as coaches. NFL groups, they do not simply decide guys as a result of they like them. They decide them due to what they see on tape.”
Clemson’s draft achieved one other milestone as deal with Blake Miller (No. 17, Detroit Lions) grew to become the college’s first offensive lineman chosen within the first spherical within the frequent draft period. Miller set a group report for snaps with 3,778, made 54 profession begins and, in line with Swinney, missed solely two practices throughout his school profession.
The three-time All-ACC choice is the possible substitute for Taylor Decker.
“I hadn’t had a first-round OL,” Swinney stated. “I stated, ‘If Blake Miller ain’t a primary rounder, I am by no means going to have one.’ This man’s nearly as good as we have ever seen. There’s nothing you could possibly low cost Blake Miller on. He is acquired unbelievable measurement, size, athleticism, flexibility, he is sturdy as an ox, good, excessive character. I imply, he actually checked each single field.”
Miller ended up leapfrogging defensive linemen Peter Woods and T.J. Parker, who went at Nos. 29 and 35, respectively. Swinney praised the 6-foot-2, 298-pound Woods, who performed at a number of weights and at totally different positions at Clemson.
“He is actually discovered the right way to deal with his physique, however this man’s a brick home, man,” Swinney stated. “I informed everyone, he is form of 1 of 1. I actually have not had a man like Peter, simply his mixture of velocity and energy, energy. He is acquired twitchiness. He is a very, actually good soccer participant. The Chiefs acquired a great one.”
Iowa Hawkeyes: The correlation between recruiting/switch rankings and NFL draft output is all the time a subplot of draft weekend, however some applications, reminiscent of Iowa, simply persistently overperform their recruiting outlook. The Hawkeyes have had 4 or extra draft picks in every of the previous 4 years, and eight instances since 2017.
However Iowa’s complete of seven choices marked its most beneath coach Kirk Ferentz and for the seven-round draft period. Iowa did not produce a first-round decide however had illustration in every of the ultimate six rounds. Ferentz attributed the overall to a supersized senior class that developed throughout its 4 or 5 years in this system.
“We did not have a first-round-type participant, essentially, however we had numerous actually good gamers,” Ferentz stated. “Most of them needed to work their means up the ladder to turn out to be NFL prospects.”
Iowa had three offensive linemen drafted in heart Logan Jones (second spherical, Chicago), proper deal with Gennings Dunker (third spherical, Pittsburgh) and left guard Beau Stephens (fifth spherical, Seattle Seahawks). The offense’s bottoming-out in 2022 and 2023 may very well be traced to issues with the road, however Iowa now has had 5 linemen drafted prior to now two years, and in 2025 received the Joe Moore Award as the highest school offensive line.
“All three of those guys clearly performed their finest soccer final yr,” Ferentz stated. “They stored going up a stage yearly, and that is the concept of the sport. Actually consultant of the road, after which additionally consultant of our group.”
Iowa’s draft output wasn’t all brawn. Kaden Wetjen, who had solely 23 profession receptions and 23 runs with the Hawkeyes however shined as a returner with 2,492 yards and 5 touchdowns, went within the fourth spherical to Pittsburgh.
“I do not know if I’ve ever been round a greater returner, at any stage, in my profession,” Ferentz stated. “It has been actually cool to look at him, from a man three years in the past, you did not know the right way to predict what he’ll do, to being such a great participant, so productive and so impactful.”
