Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images The Rams overpaid Joseph Noteboom, but he’s getting a second chance with the Ravens Former L.A. Rams offensive lineman and third round pick Joseph Noteboom has finally found a new team, signing with the Baltimore Ravens after the draft on a one-year deal. The longtime Rams utility backup has now earned $35 million to date, which amounts to a payment of almost exactly $1 million per career start. Will the Ravens be the team that finally turns Noteboom into a starter, or will he continue to be one of the richest backups in NFL history who isn’t a QB? Just watched a few games of film on the @Ravens latest signing, Joseph Noteboom. Here are my takeaways: Good: In pass pro, once engaged he tends to win with sound pad level & body control. Creates movement in run game with leverage. Bad: Below average footwork. Not very fluid… pic.twitter.com/Da071oQ3Dg — Chris Cooper (@ChrisCooper_NFL) May 4, 2025 The Ravens have Pro Bowl tackle Ronnie Stanley on the left side (Stanley re-signed on a three-year, $60 million contract this offseason) and 2024 second round pick Roger Rosengarten on the right. It seems like the team will be happy with Rosengarten moving forward and tackle would be Noteboom’s absolute worst spot. Rookie Tackle Roger Rosengarten (@roger_70r) was 2nd among all OTs in run block win rate last season (84%). The @Ravens have struck gold with the 2nd round pick out of Washington! pic.twitter.com/xB4s4Ey8Rz — SleeperRavens (@SleeperRavenss) April 10, 2025 The Ravens do perhaps have more competition at guard, where they have 2022 fourth round pick Daniel Faalele, 2023 seventh round pick Andrew Vorhees, and former third round pick Ben Cleveland. Baltimore also drafted Emery Jones in the third, Carson Vinson in the fifth, and Garrett Dellinger in the seventh. It would seem as though Noteboom, who got $6.75 million from the Ravens, is going to be an insurance policy for whatever might happen between now and the season. Which feels very familiar to his role on the Rams: Make more money than most of us will see in a lifetime in order to not start. Noteboom has appeared in 24 of a possible 51 games over the past three seasons and made 18 starts. He has averaged 5 starts per season in seven years. It’s great, amazing work if you can get it and congratulations to Noteboom for once again finding it in Baltimore.
Will Noteboom become an NFL starter with new team?
Raiders 2025: Linebacker group light on experience post-free agency and draft
At 31 years old, Elandon Roberts is the most experienced linebacker for the Las Vegas Raiders. It’s a young group overall and there’s potential for players to step up this coming season. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images Elandon Roberts, Devin White lead a young core in Las Vegas; A look at available options Elandon Roberts and Devin White. That duo are the elder statesmen of the Las Vegas Raiders linebacker group at age 31 and 27, respectively. Both were signed in free agency to one-year deals to add much-needed experience and veteran presences in the linebacker room — one that is young and light on NFL snaps. Of the seven linebackers officially on the Raiders roster — that number doesn’t consider the undrafted free agents Las Vegas reportedly came to terms with, mind you — five are 24 years old and under. Six are incumbents and only one is a brand-new addition: Cody Lindenberg, a seventh-round selection by the Raiders in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Minnesota. General manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll waiting until the final stanza in the draft and inking Roberts and White without any other moves is quite telling. It seems the starters are amongst the group of seven — including the undrafted prospects. And offseason competition will determine the finality of things. Considering all that, it’s not outside the realm of possibility for Roberts and White to impress and lead the pack this offseason and earn starting spots in defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s defense. One that used the 4-2-5 alignment extensively meaning there were rarely three linebackers on the field at the same time. Las Vegas Raiders Linebackers: Elandon Roberts, 31 years old, 10th season Devin White, 27, 7th season Amari Burney, 24, 3rd season Amari Gainer, 24, 2nd season Tommy Eichenberg, 24, 2nd season Brandon Smith, 24, 2nd season Cody Lindenberg, 23, Rookie #Raiders roster move: – Signed unrestricted free agent LB Devin White (@DevinWhite__40)@Raiders | #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/hIJvgI3Q7r — Raiders PR (@RAIDERS_PR) March 31, 2025 The “Old” Heads Between Roberts and White, the older duo brings a bevy of NFL games, starts, and snaps. Roberts has 140 career games and 105 starts to his name (17 games played, 14 started with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024) along with 4,223 defensive snaps over his nine-year career. White has 83 career games and 76 starts under his belt (a career-low seven games played with one start in 2024 with the Houston Texans). He’s got 5,042 defensive snaps over his six years in the league. You can combine the games played, starts, and snaps of the rest of the linebackers on the Raiders roster and it won’t even come remotely close Roberts’ and White’s tallies. Roberts is expected to be the starting middle linebacker this coming season due to his physical play style and aggressive demeanor. He’s a classic two-down thumper that punishes the offense and our Matt Holder did an excellent job of breaking down how much of a human battering ram the linebacker truly is. White, meanwhile, has the look of a classic Silver & Black first-round reclamation project. After having a productive first four years in the league with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (he was taken with the fifth overall pick in the 2019 draft — after the Raiders picked Clelin Ferrell), white began to drop off with career-low marks in 2024 with the Texans. Spytek was part of the Bucs front office that picked White, so familiarity is there. And if White still has the athleticism and tackle-machine capability, he can claim the other starting spot alongside Roberts. #Raiders roster move: – Signed unrestricted free agent LB Devin White (@DevinWhite__40)@Raiders | #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/hIJvgI3Q7r — Raiders PR (@RAIDERS_PR) March 31, 2025 Youth & Other Options Eichenberg, Gainer, Burney, and Lindenberg should be hungry and motivated this offseason. Eichenberg, a fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft has good size at 6-foot-2 and 239 pounds to be an inside linebacker. Burney, an athletic 6-foot-2 and 228 pounds and a 2023 sixth-round pick, has the speed to be an outside linebacker. Gainer also offers solid size at 6-foot-3 and 236 pounds with plus athleticism. And Lindenberg, who stands 6-foot-2 and 236 pounds, showcased the tackling ability and leadership skills to captain a defense with the Golden Gophers. But unless that group showcases the ability to operate in the scheme Graham and linebackers coach John Glenn are putting together and prove they can outperform the veterans in front of them, it’s an uphill climb for starting spots. Backups and special teams work appears on the horizon. There’s something about #45 Cody Lindenberg game. Noth of these plays are 3rd and 1 and 3rd and 2. He makes sure he communicates with everyone and you can tell based on formation and film study he knows the plays. pic.twitter.com/J7ZD4Vgu4y — Leger Douzable (@LegerDouzable) April 9, 2025 The free agent market is thin with veterans C.J. Mosely, Ja’whuan Bentley, and De’Vondre Campbell the top inside linebackers available. (Mosely does have a neck issue, though). It gets even thinner at outside linebacker where most are pass-rush types, however, Duke Riley, Nick Vigel, and Kamu Grugier-Hill are more off-ball types that are available. With the market being so barren, rolling with what the Raiders have thus far and awaiting camp cuts down the road is the best route. Carroll has preached competition and earning snaps ever since he was hired to right the Raiders ship alongside Spytek, so we’ll see how it plays out soon enough. An open competition can result in the entire group pushing each other giving Las Vegas the ability to pick the best two or three to start.
Vikings Fans Are Pretty Excited About This Year’s Draft Class
Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images And with good reason We have the results from this week’s SB Nation Reacts poll about our Minnesota Vikings, centered around the five players that the purple selected in last week’s NFL Draft. Let’s get to them without any further ado, shall we? Our first question was about whether or not the first player the Vikings selected, Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson, will be out there with the starting offensive line when the team lines up in Week 1. Turns out that. . .well, yeah, of course we think he will. A full 97% of folks who responded to our poll feel that Jackson will be one of the five starters when the regular season gets underway. Since that’s one-sided enough to not really require any further commentary, I’ll simply direct you to Warren’s outstanding breakdown of Jackson for the reasons why. The Vikings drafted four other players last week as well, and we’re not about to leave them out of this whole thing. We asked you which of the non-first-round picks you were the most excited to see this season, and I was a bit surprised by the results of this one. The name that topped our poll for this one was the team’s fifth-round pick, Georgia defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. He garnered 41% of the vote in our poll, followed by the team’s third-round selection, Maryland wide receiver Tai Felton. Penn State linebacker Kobe King came in third with 19%, and the team’s last pick, Pitt tight end Gavin Bartholomew, was at the bottom with 7% of the vote. I picked Ingram-Dawkins as well, even though I thought more people would go with Felton just because of the position he plays. However, as I said in the piece when he was selected, there are worse ideas that NFL teams can have than a) picking guys who are a part of the front seven at Georgia and b) giving Brian Flores a ridiculously athletic young talent to mold and shape into a productive NFL player. I think Ingram-Dawkins is going to be making an impact for this team sooner rather than later. Those are the results of our poll for this week, folks! Thanks to everyone who participated in this week’s SB Nation Reacts, both by voting in the poll itself and getting involved in the comments section.
Eagles sign rookie minicamp tryout wide receiver/returner
Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images In corresponding roster news, Philadelphia waived one of their depth running backs. The Philadelphia Eagles announced some roster moves on Sunday afternoon. Here’s an overview: WR Giles Jackson was signed to the roster. RB Tyrion Davis-Price was waived. Let’s sort through this news on a player-by-play basis. GILES JACKSON Jackson is signing with the Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent after not being selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. The 23-year-old attended Philly’s rookie minicamp on a tryout basis and apparently impressed the team enough to warrant a roster spot. Jackson attended Michigan from 2019-2020 before transferring to Washington, where he played from 2021-2024. The majority of the super senior’s production came last year, when he had 85 receptions for 893 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. He also logged 33 rushing attempts over six years for 183 rushing yards (5.5 average) and two rushing scores. Jackson also brings returning experience to the table. He returned 71 kickoffs for a 24.4 average and two touchdowns. He returned 25 punts for a 7.2 average. The 5’8”, 187 pound Jackson profiles as a return specialist/slot receiver/gadget guy in the NFL. He could be competing with veteran free agent signing Avery Williams for a similar role on the Eagles’ 53-man roster. Jackson is likely a long shot to stick around, so, even making the practice squad would be a good outcome for him. He could be an interesting player to monitor during offseason practices and preseason games. Watch Jackson’s highlights video: Scouting report via Tony Pauline: Small yet explosive wideout coming off a career season. Quickly gets off the line, immediately gets to top speed and possesses a burst. Tracks the pass in the air and displays focus as well as concentration and eye/hand coordination. Adjusts to the errant throw, comes away with the difficult reception in contorted positions and extends to make the catch away from his frame. Quickly gets into routes, separates from defenders and is effective running after the catch. Experienced as a return specialist. Undersized and loses out in battles. Marginally productive for most of his college career until last season. Jackson is a quick and surehanded slot receiver who needs space to work. He offers possibilities in a timing offense, and his deep speed and potential as a vertical threat will be attractive. Relative athletic score: Giles Jackson is a WR prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 7.55 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 936 out of 3815 WR from 1987 to 2025.https://t.co/aFcsf7xyNU pic.twitter.com/a4SWg0XUMj — RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 12, 2025 TYRION DAVIS-PRICE The Eagles originally signed TDP — a 2022 third-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers — in February 2024. He spent last offseason competing for a spot on the Eagles’ roster. There was thought the Birds might keep him on the 53 as a fourth running back but he was waived and signed to Philly’s practice squad instead. It seemed like TDP was going to have another chance to prove his worth to the Eagles but that’ll no longer be the case. The Birds decided to cut him to free up a roster spot to sign Jackson. It’s worth noting that the Eagles signed two UDFA running backs to give them six total: Saquon Barkley, Will Shipley, AJ Dillon, Lew Nichols, Montrell Johnson Jr., and ShunDerrick Powell. We’ll see if another team claims TDP off waivers. OTHER TRYOUT PLAYERS If the Eagles were going to sign another rookie minicamp tryout player(s), it seems like they would’ve announced that along with the Jackson news. Here are the other players who were trying out at the NovaCare Complex this weekend. UNDRAFTED ROOKIES Toledo RB Jacquez Stewart Sam Houston WR Ife Adeyi Delaware Valley WR Nahsir Morgan South Carolina WR Dalevon Campbell TCU TE Drake Dabney Middle Tennessee State TE Holden Willis Clemson OL Marcus Tate Minnesota OL Quinn Carroll Tennessee OL Andrej Karic Miami (FL) DL Anthony Campbell North Carolina OLB Kaimon Rucker Florida LB R.J. Moten UNLV OLB Antonio Doyle Illinois LB Ryan Meed LB Carsen Patuc (Australian rugby player) Virginia OLB Chico Bennett Indiana DB Nico Toomer North Texas DB Ridge Texada Wyoming CB Wyatt Ekeler (Austin Ekeler’s younger brother) Campbell S Isaiah Greene Texas A&M CB Trey Jones Connecticut DB Jordan Wright South Carolina P Kai Kroeger NON-ROOKIES WR Ahmarean Brown WR Malik Knowles DL Michael Dogbe LS Niko Lalos
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25969375/Screenshot_25_4_2025_143428_www.pff.com.jpeg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "Breaking Down Donovan Jackson")
Breaking Down Donovan Jackson
With the 24th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected Donovan Jackson, guard, Ohio State. Jackson was ranked #37 on the consensus board and the third ranked interior offensive lineman (after Tyler Booker (#31) and C/G Grey Zabel (#32)) and the third interior offensive lineman selected in the draft. The Vikings were widely expected to trade down with this pick, given they have only four picks in this draft. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah acknowledged that there were offers to trade down, but apparently they were insufficiently compelling. It appears that the New York Giants were offering teams trading ahead of the Vikings (and likely the Vikings as well) a late third round pick (#99) and change to move up. At least a couple teams ahead of the Vikings turned down the Giants’ offer, as did the Vikings. The Texans, picking at #25, accepted the Giants offer of #34 and #99 and a 2026 third-round pick to move back. Looking at the trade from a trade value chart perspective, it wasn’t a bad deal to trade down. However, doing so would’ve likely resulted in foregoing Donovan Jackson and several other good prospects for pick #99, which is beyond the sweet spot of talent in this draft. Jackson is a plug-and-play left guard- he played the position most of his career at Ohio State before playing the last nine games at left tackle due to a Josh Simmons injury- who can start on day one and hold down the job for the next decade. The Vikings also may also have gotten an offer from the Falcons, who traded up with the Rams at #26 for their #46 (second-round) pick, their 2026 first-round pick, and #242 (7th round) pick. The Falcons also received the Rams’ late 3rd round pick (#101). Adding another first-round pick next season would’ve been nice but would also compromise the Vikings’ ability to add any starters this season. There is no pressing reason for the Vikings to accumulate another first-round pick next season (like moving up for a quarterback), so this offer probably wasn’t all that appealing had it been made to the Vikings. Of more importance to the Vikings was completing the overhaul of their interior offensive line this year, which was also a major focus of free agency, to give J.J. McCarthy the best offensive line available to them between free agency and the draft. It was also important in the context of improving their running game as well. Now the Vikings can check that off their to-do list. Top Line Assessment Donovan Jackson was born to be a guard. He was a five-star recruit and the top interior offensive line recruit in the nation in the 2021 recruiting class out of high school. He received his first scholarship offers (one from Ohio State) before he even started high school. He played three seasons with the Buckeyes and started 40 games- 31 at left guard and his last nine at left tackle providing him with ample experience against high level competition that should help his transition to the league. Jackson was a steady, reliable starter for Ohio State who was never overpowered or outmatched despite facing some of the best defensive tackles in college football. He showed good overall technique and footwork and did well passing off stunts and twists. The main flaws in his game heading into the league are mainly improving his recovery when a defender gets the jump on him (he lost a couple reps to well-timed gap shooters) and becoming more of a finisher. He wasn’t a dominant force at left guard in college, but he was very steady and reliable, giving up an average of just under one pressure per game in pass protection at guard. Academically, he had the highest GPA on the team at 3.85. Jackson also had nine starts at left tackle to end his career at Ohio State, which clouded his scouting reports in some cases where he was assessed as a tackle. But after a rough first start against Abdul Carter, Jackson did well the rest of the way to the national championship at left tackle. What that means for him at left guard in the league is that he should hold up well against edge rushers who move inside on passing downs in addition to more athletic defensive tackles. Overall, Jackson has the size, length, strength, experience, and technique to be a week one starter for the Vikings at left guard. Physical Traits Jackson possesses a near ideal body type and good athleticism for the guard position, although his RAS score likely overstates his overall athleticism due to not completing the speed and agility drills. But his size, length, strength, and explosion will serve him well. In terms of athleticism, he’s shown that he’s very capable of pulling, making reach blocks, and being effective at the second level on tape, so his athleticism is more than adequate for his position. College Stats & PFF Profile Jackson started 40 games for Ohio State, 31 at left guard and nine at left tackle. He allowed 27 pressures over 31 games at left guard (3 sacks, 5 QB hits, 19 hurries) and 15 pressures in nine starts at left tackle (2 sacks, 3 QB hits, 10 hurries). He was named First-Team All-American and First-Team All-Big 10 in 2024, First-Team All-Big 10 in 2023, and Second-Team All-Big 10 in 2022. PFF Profile Scouting Reports Lance Zierlein, NFL.com Broad-framed three-year starter with core power and leg drive to hold the line of scrimmage or change it. He can stick and sustain in-line or on the second level and is a plus finisher. Jackson has the athleticism for all tasks as an outside-zone blocker. He is also able to accelerate and lead the way on long pulls or counters. He leans against stunting/slanting fronts, and he can be tardy in opening his hips and activating his feet for recoveries. He’s long but punches with wider hands and struggles to consistently
Notes: The Athletic’s data and math gives Lions’ 2025 draft class an ‘F’
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The Linc – “Does Howie Roseman have compromising pictures of everyone?”
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 5/4/25. Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links … 2025 NFL Draft: Ranking all 32 rookie classes; plus, overall grades, favorite picks and Day 3 sleepers – NFL.com11) Philadelphia Eagles. GRADE: B+. Why did the rest of the league allow Jihaad Campbell to fall right into Philadelphia’s lap? Everyone saw it coming, and yet, nobody tried to stop it from happening. Well, I guess the Chiefs kind of did, making the Eagles trade up a spot to claim their prize. But in the end, the reigning Super Bowl champions landed Daniel Jeremiah’s No. 12 overall player with the 31st pick. Does Howie Roseman have compromising pictures of everyone? The linebacker’s recent shoulder surgery played a part, sure, but it still feels like this will ultimately be a case of the rich getting obnoxiously richer, with Campbell and Zack Baun forming a second-level duo that’s equal parts dynamic and devastating. The Eagles boast the best roster in the NFL, and it feels like they’re only increasing their talent advantage over everyone else. Eagles rookie jersey numbers for 2025 NFL Draft picks and UDFA signings – BGNNo. 30 for Campbell isn’t ideal. That’s just not a linebacker number (although it is more of a LB number than an edge rusher number). He did wear it at Alabama before switching to No. 11 last season, so, at least there’s some history there. But it’d be good to see him switch. No. 59 could be good if Thomas Booker IV doesn’t make the team or is willing to change his number. I think No. 95 could’ve looked cool for a pass rushing linebacker, like how it worked for Mychal Kendricks. Roob’s Observations: Figuring out what Eagles’ new revamped secondary will look like – NBCSP1. With free agency and the 2025 draft in the books, we can finally get a sense of what the Eagles’ revamped secondary will look like following the departures of Darius Slay, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Avonte Maddox and Isaiah Rodgers from the Super Bowl-championship secondary. We know Quinyon Mitchell is a starting outside corner and Cooper DeJean is a starting inside corner. We know Reed Blankenship is a safety. After that? There’s an intriguing group of young defensive backs who are going to compete this summer, and it’s going to be fun to watch. Second-round pick Andrew Mukuba will battle Sydney Brown for the second safety spot, and Mukuba is the favorite as a 2nd-round pick, but Brown is going into his third season healthy and has two years of NFL experience and a bit of a head start on Makuba. Brown has some clear strengths – fast, tough and physical – and he’s a very good practice player, so he’s not going to let Mukuba win that job without a fight. The competition for that second outside corner spot starts with Kelee Ringo, also going into Year 3, and Adoree’ Jackson, a 1st-round pick back in 2017, with Eli Ricks also in the equation. I have to think Ringo has the edge based on what I saw his rookie year. Ringo is still only 22 and Jackson is 29, and we can all see how the roster is trending younger. Whoever loses that battle could become the top outside backup, but don’t count out Ricks. If Ricks has a good summer, Jackson becomes expendable. Backup slot is an interesting one. If Jackson isn’t starting, he can play slot, but with a good camp 5th-round rookie Mac McWilliams from Central Florida could challenge for that spot. If Jackson goes, that makes Blankenship – who turned 26 in March – the oldest d-back on the roster. And if Mukuba isn’t starting at safety, he’d be an option as well as a backup slot. It looks like Howie Roseman and Vic Fangio want as many young guys on the field as possible, and if they line up with DeJean, Mitchell and Ringo as the top three corners and Blankenship and Mukuba as starting safeties, that’s an average of just under 23 years old. This is a lot of change in one position group after the Eagles had the top pass defense in the NFL a year ago. But if the idea is to get younger and faster, it sure looks like that’s happening. Spadaro: Inside Eagles Rookie Camp, an integral first step on the road to becoming a pro – PE.comThe pace is fast, faster than they were accustomed to in college. The stakes are higher, of course, now that the players taking part in this weekend’s Eagles Rookie Camp – a total of 52 players in all for practices on Friday and Saturday – understand that this is their job now. “It’s all about learning how to be a professional,” said cornerback Mac McWilliams, the team’s first of three fifth-round draft picks. “Nothing is given to you here. You have to earn everything. I know, for me, after the long NFL Draft process, I can’t wait to get on the field.” That is what this weekend, and the weeks to follow, are all about for the youngest Birds. Nobody is offering any quick evaluations and while the physical side of things is certainly top of mind, even more important is the player’s ability to absorb reams of information and process it quickly and translate it from the meeting rooms to the practice fields. 2026 NFL mock draft: Reid’s early first-round predictions – ESPN31. Philadelphia Eagles. Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt. The Eagles have broken some of their draft trends recently. In 2024, they drafted a corner in Round 1 (Quinyon Mitchell) for the first time since 2002. This year, they drafted an off-ball linebacker in Round 1 (Jihaad Campbell) for the first time since 1979. Let’s keep that going with Stowers, who would be their first Round 1 tight end since 1988. Stowers broke out last season, catching 49 passes for 638 yards and 5 touchdowns. His ability to create after the
Silver Minings: Rookies receive numbers
Ashton Jeanty | Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Carlson is going back to his original number with the club The Las Vegas Raiders added 11 players via the 2025 NFL Draft last weekend, and the draft class recently received their jersey numbers, which answers the question of what digit first-round pick Ashton Jeanty will wear with the Silver and Black. Jeanty wore No. 2 at Boise State, but Raiders’ kicker Daniel Carlson has been wearing that number over the last four seasons. However, Carlson wore No. 8 in 2018 and 2019—his first two years with the club—before switching numbers when Marcus Mariota was signed in 2020. The kicker will accommodate the rookie running back by going back to his original digit, allowing Jeanty to continue wearing two. At the time of writing, there has been no word on how much that cost the sixth overall pick. Whatever the compensation to Carlson was, Jeanty certainly had a few dollars to spare after signing a nearly $36 million contract with a signing bonus of about $22.7 million, per Over The Cap. Below is the full list of the 2025 draft class’ numbers: Ashton Jeanty 2 Jack Bech 18 Darien Porter 26 Caleb Rogers 76 Charles Grant 60 Dont’e Thornton Jr. 10 Tonka Hemingway 97 JJ Pegues 92 Tommy Mellott 19 Cam Miller 5 Cody Lindenberg 54 In Other Raiders’ Links: UDFAs with chance to make roster: Las Vegas has openings on defense that the undrafted rookies could take advantage of, as explained in this week’s mailbag. AFC West draft best and worst: “Bringing good size at 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds, Bryant has strong hands and is confident,” Silver and Black Pride’s Ray Aspuria wrote. “But he’s not going to scare teams with his average speed or separation skills. He’s a possession receiver who struggled to separate from defensive backs in college. Bryant’s lack of dynamic athleticism is only going to become more apparent in the pros.” Jeanty received prank draft call: “Some dude called me and was like, ‘We just traded with the Raiders, and you’re coming to the Cowboys,’” Jeanty said on the ‘Stacking The Box’ podcast (h/t Las Vegas Review-Journal). “I just hung up, bro. I was like, ‘Come on, bro.’” Raiders’ offense taking shape via draft: “Another part of improving Smith’s supporting cast was taking Bech at No. 58 after trading back twice to do so,” ESPN’s Ryan McFadden wrote. “Given the depth at wide receiver, Bech will compete for a starting role right away. Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker and Kyle Philips, who didn’t play in 2024, are the only wide receivers with more than 10 career receptions.”
Giants UDFAs: Get to know Makari Paige, S, Michigan
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Can Paige crack the Giants’ safety depth chart? The New York Giants did a good job of reinforcing their secondary in free agency, but didn’t invest highly in the secondary in the draft. Instead, they brought in four defensive backs with their class of undrafted free agents, in addition to drafting Korie Black in the seventh round. Michigan safety Makari Paige has an intriguing blend of size, speed, and experience. Will that be enough for him to make the Giants’ 2025 roster? What does he bring? The biggest thing Paige brings with him is experience. He’s a red-shirt senior who’s played in 38 games over the last three seasons, and has been playing in “NFL” defenses since 2021. Mike Macdonald (Ravens’ DC turned Seahawks head coach) called the defense in 2021, Jesse Minter (now Los Angeles Charger defensive coordinator) called the Wolverines’ defense in 2022 and 2023, and finally Wink Martindale ran the defense in 2024. Paige is coming to the NFL with plenty of experience in three different, and sophisticated, defenses. Kent Lee Platte | RAS.football Paige is a little light for a strong safety at 197 pounds, but his size and speed jump out at you. He has rare length for the position at 6-foot-3, with 32½-inch arms (and 10½-inch hands), as well as 4.52-40-yard dash speed, both of which are very good for the position. Paige can cover a lot of ground and his length should allow him to cover a relatively large area around himself. On the field, Paige seems to process quickly when coming downhill and takes solid angles to the ball in run support. He’s rangy enough to play deep coverage zones in Cover 2 or Cover 3, and also big enough to play as a box safety in the second level. That said, he’s a high-cut athlete and his change of direction skills are limited. He doesn’t have the agility to match up with receivers in man coverage, and can lose his balance if he has to change direction very suddenly. Can he stick? The fact that Paige plays safety could be a mark in his favor. The Giants have Tyler Nubin and Javon Holland set at the top of the depth chart and Dane Belton should probably be penciled in as their third safety. From there? The Giants have Anthony Johnson Jr. and Raheem Layne at safety. If the Giants choose to carry more than three safeties, Paige could have a solid chance of beating the fringe veterans for a spot. He’ll also be in competition with fellow UDFA South Carolina cornerback O’Donnell Fortune, who could be viewed as a “defensive back”. As with all of these players, Paige’s path to the roster is going to depend on his special teams play. His background as a defensive back, as well as his speed and willingness to come downhill and hit could bode well for his chances.
Detroit Lions 2025 draft roundtable: Least favorite pick
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