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Best, worst draft picks in the NFC South
Now that the NFL Draft is completed, it's time for us to weigh in on bests and worsts. (By the way, the 2024 draft is April 25–27 in Detroit.)
BEST | Panthers, WR Jonathan Mingo (second round): The front office made a great move by selecting Mingo in the second round. If he follows in the footsteps of recent Ole Miss wideouts DK Metcalf and AJ Brown, Mingo will be a future No. 1 option for first-overall pick Bryce Young. His hands (10 3/8 inches) were the biggest among wide receivers in the 2023 class, which came in handy on some impressive catches at Ole Miss, as did his breakaway speed. After years of being an internal issue, the Panthers' offense might finally be a problem for everyone else.
Don’t sleep on @OleMissFB WR Jonathan Mingo
— NFL (@NFL) April 19, 2023
: 2023 #NFLDraft -- Starts Thursday, April 27 on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/PwyqhGsyrB
WORST | Falcons, DE Zach Harrison (third round): Harrison's selection represents the trickle-down effect of Atlanta's decision to select running back Bijan Robinson eighth overall. Harrison's length should translate well to the NFL; per The Athletic's Dane Brugler, he had "the longest arms (36 1/4 inches) and wingspan (85 1/2 inches) among defensive linemen in this draft class." But he struggled at getting sacks in college, something the Falcons desperately needed to improve this offseason. He had 3.5 sacks last season and 13 in 46 college appearances (28 starts).
NFC: East | West | North | South | AFC: East | West | North | South
According to ESPN, Harrison was the ninth-best defensive end in the class; Brugler ranked him 13th. He could have a positive impact in Atlanta but he needs to become something he wasn't in college for the Falcons not to regret passing on more productive pass rushers earlier in the draft.
BEST | Falcons, CB Clark Phillips III (fourth round): Few expected Phillips to drop as far as he did and the Falcons wisely scooped up a corner who showed great instincts in college. Last season, he had six interceptions, tied for third-most in college football. In three seasons, he had nine interceptions, four of which he returned for touchdowns.
Per data from Pro Football Focus, he allowed 511 yards and four touchdowns on 66 targets a year ago. With A.J. Terrell manning one side of the field, Phillips could end up being a worthy running mate.
WORST | Saints, RB Kendre Miller (third round): New Orleans likely got a productive player in Miller, but the selection came at a high pick and over higher-graded backs including Devon Achane, Roschon Johnson, Tank Bigsby and -- most painfully -- local Tulane product Tyjae Spears, who went 10 picks later to the Titans.
Miller had 224 carriers, 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns last season, but is coming off an MCL injury that forced him to miss the Horned Frogs' national championship game massacre. Spears helped lead Tulane to an improbable Cotton Bowl win over USC in January and could have received a storybook beginning to his NFL career. Saints fans will undoubtedly roar after every Miller touchdown, but also quietly wonder what could have been.
BEST | Saints, WR A.T. Perry (sixth round): Three rounds later, New Orleans got arguably the biggest steal in the draft of any team in the division when it landed Wake Forest wide receiver Perry 195th overall. He's a big target for new QB Derek Carr to throw to at 6-foot-3 and was productive for the Demon Deacons with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2021 and 2022. He was exceptional at using his big frame -- and deceptive speed -- to get separation.
A thing of beauty
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) September 10, 2022
: SEC Network https://t.co/5f5qyYecgX pic.twitter.com/jFwtvIpyLY
"Look, Ma - one hand!" - A.T. Perry ️@WakeFB | #ACCFootball
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) November 6, 2021
: https://t.co/kmVUnPe8sA pic.twitter.com/g3dRiCqcgn
Per Brugler, he was the 98th-ranked prospect in the entire 2023 class.
WORST | YaYa Diaby (third round): The Bucs selected Calijah Kancey, a quick, 281-pound defensive tackle in the first round and could have beefed up the line with the 335-pound Siaki Ika, a top-100 prospect according to The 33rd Team, The Athletic, PFF and The Ringer. Diaby's selection gives the Bucs fresh legs along the edge but Ika would have given Tampa Bay some needed depth behind Vita Vea in the interior of the line.
More must-reads:
- Best, worst draft picks in the AFC East
- Best, worst draft picks in the AFC West
- The '2018 NFL Wild Card round franchise record holders' quiz
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Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's biggest find is ready to take a huge step forward, and it could be huge for Brian Flores' defense
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Steelers' Rookie Defender Receives Strong Stamp Of Approval Following 2nd Preseason Game
The Pittsburgh Steelers are finding out a lot about their young players in the 2025 preseason, but there may be nobody who has surprised as much as rookie defensive end Yahya Black. A fifth-round pick out of Iowa, Black was touted as a stout, plugging run defender with not much else to offer. Through two preseason games, he's poised to prove everyone wrong. Black gained some notoriety in 2025 training camp from batting down passes at the line of scrimmage, something he likely learned from veteran defensive end Cameron Heyward. In his first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, his presence didn't go unnoticed among NFL analysts. While rushing the passer was supposed to be a weakness, Black hasn't shown it so far. Pro Football Focus gave him a pass rush grade of 82.3 in Week 1, logging a pressure, a hurry, and two tackles on only 11 total snaps. In addition, he had a respectable run defense grade of 72.6. Black was PFF's fourth highest graded rookie interior defensive lineman in Week 1 of the preseason. Playing only seven pass-rush snaps, he had an impressive 42.9% pass rush win rate. Brian Baldinger and PFF aren't the only ones taking notice of Black. Bob Labriola of the Steelers' official website, in his recent asked and answered segment, wrote that he believes that Black won't only make the roster, but will be a regular in the defensive line rotation. "With training camp and 1 preseason game under his belt, I believe Yayha Black is on the path to showing enough to be a part of the regular season gameday rotation along the defensive line." Those are certainly strong words towards day three draft pick, but they definitely aren't unwarranted. Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin also had some encouraging remarks for the young lineman following the 2025 NFL Draft, comparing him to a Ford F-350. In a limited sample size, and coming off of a good camp, Black has proven that his supposed weaknesses may have been misguided, and that there's more to him than early scouting reports suggested. There's no longer a question of whether he will make the team, and now the focus moves onto how much he will contribute right away in a crowded defensive line room. If Black can continue to show some pass rush versatility in addition to his already promising run defense, it'll be hard to keep him off of the field. Steelers' Yahya Black Is Dealing With A Concerning Arm Injury While Black got off to an explosive start in his first preseason game, things quieted down on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At least part of his disappearance in Week 2 can be attributed to an arm injury that Black suffered between the two games, prompting him to wear an arm brace that undoubtedly limited mobility. Black's PFF grade in game 2 plummeted to 54.3, with only a 50.5 pass rush grade. These grades are reflected in the box score, where Black played over double the snaps from the previous week and failed to record a single stat. Nonetheless, Black is looking to build on his promising start in the final week of the 2025 preseason, when the Steelers travel to Charlotte to take on the Carolina Panthers. Will Black continue to build on his promising first performance, over a week removed from injury, and make his case for the starting defensive line rotation? The Steelers certainly hope so.
Raiders’ Pete Carroll gushes about key offseason acquisition after loss to 49ers
While most Las Vegas Raiders fans are excited about Ashton Jeanty in the preseason, other players under the radar made an impact in the 22-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday. When the Raiders signed former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Terrell Edmunds, people were wondering how he would perform, as he’s already caught the attention of head coach Pete Carroll. After Edmunds recorded five total tackles (fourth on the team), three of them solo, against San Francisco, Carroll would be asked about his thoughts on the former first-round pick’s performance. Carroll would say how much he “really” likes Edmunds and how much of a “very versatile player” he is for the system, according to Anthony Galaviz. “I like him. Yeah, I really like him. I like the experience that he brings,” Carroll said. “He’s been in a lot of situations. He’s been a very versatile player in the style that he’s been asked to play, and that’s shown up already.” Edmunds would speak with reporters for the first time last Tuesday since being signed by Las Vegas and shared how “excited” he was to start a new chapter in his NFL journey. “My first thoughts when the opportunity presented itself, I was just excited,” Edmunds said, via the team’s YouTube page. “Excited to come and join a new team, excited to come and join these guys. I saw how much they were grinding. I watched the (preseason) game before I even came out here.” Pete Carroll on the Raiders losing to the 49ers in the preseason Despite the loss from the Raiders to the 49ers, Carroll would point out the one positive being that it was a “hard-fought game from start to finish,” with many areas that need correction. “First off, I thought this was a really good, hard-fought game from start to finish,” Pete Carroll said in his post-game press conference, via the team’s website. “We had some things that we needed to correct from the practice that we had, and we did. Played the running game much more with impact than we did in practice.” “The adjustments the coaches made worked out well, players were able to adapt in just a couple days time,” Carroll continued. “Against a really formidable running team that loves to run the football, I thought we did that really well. Just a terrific game back and forth the whole time.” Consequently, as Edmunds looks for Las Vegas to be his permanent team, they open the season on Sunday, Sept. 7, against the New England Patriots.
Shane Steichen dropped a big hint about the Colts’ QB battle
The Indianapolis Colts have yet to name their starting quarterback for the 2025 season, but coach Shane Steichen may have dropped a big hint about who the choice may be. Steichen said Saturday that he was close to making a decision between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson in the ongoing camp battle. He may have tipped his hand, however, when answering a question about what traits he was looking for in his starter. “I think it’s the most consistent guy,” Steichen said, via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. “I really do, because at the end of the day, you’ve got to be able to move the football consistently up and down the field, and making good decisions. You know what I mean? I mean, at the end of the day, you can have splash plays, but if you’re doing that sparingly and up and down. … I think it’s got to be on a consistent basis, to get to where we want to go.” The knock on Richardson all along has been his inconsistency, and it is a bad sign for his prospects that Steichen put such an emphasis on that as part of his answer. Richardson’s physical talents are undeniable, but his decision-making has left something to be desired, and the offense has at times stalled out with him at the helm of it. Jones does not bring Richardson’s big-play potential, but would likely leave the Colts with a better idea of what they will get every Sunday. Richardson has put in extra work to try to win the job, but has been sidelined for a large part of the offseason with a shoulder injury, coupled with a dislocated pinky suffered during the preseason opener. It has also been suggested that Jones entered camp as the favorite, so Richardson had to play well enough to supplant him. Jones started Saturday’s preseason game and went 7-of-11 for 101 yards. Richardson went 6-of-11 for 73 yards, but he had one big play negated due to a penalty. The Colts ultimately lost 23-19 to the Green Bay Packers.
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