This content is a tantalizing teaser of my larger Incoming Rookie Guide, which will be out after the NFL Combine! You will receive the tools to win your rookie IDP league drafts within its confines.
In this article I will give you my number one ranked player at each position and then I will toss you an “Under the Radar” player who you can hopefully slide by most of your league mates, but not if you are in a league with me! *Included are the blank, as of now, NFL Combine categories I feel are the most important..
Incoming Rookies: Offense
Running back
#1 – Darrell Henderson – Memphis Tigers 5’9” 200 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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Even though he faced some weaker stacked defensive fronts, Mr. Henderson averaged 8.9 ypc over his last 344 attempts. He runs with some stiffness but his last two years of production cannot be denied. This Tiger can take the top off the defense with spin moves and fire in his feet. I see an Alvin Kamara with some Tevin Coleman thrown in because of his run style. Grab him early and reap the benny’s next year when he becomes an asset in a PPR league that is leaning more towards the smaller and more lean running back.
#Zzz – James Williams – Washington State – 5’11” 196 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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This kid kept creeping up in my social media feeds and on my late night west coast football game catch up sessions. He was a dual threat who led his team in receiving in 2017 with 72, and I think that pass catching production can continue in the NFL. Mr. Williams helped his QB, Gardner Minshew in 2018 in a big way with 16 overall touchdowns. (12 on the ground and 4 through the air.)
So, let’s all hope he is not this years Ronald Jones and you can find a spot on your taxi for this kid because I think he pays off sooner than Mr. Jones…
Tight End
#1 – T.J. Hockenson – Iowa – 6’5” 251 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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A while ago I got back into doing CFB fantasy football again. While others were swooning over Noah Fant, (Not that they shouldn’t, in some ways) I zagged as they zigged and noticed how much they were utilizing this promising prospect in the offense. He is all the blocker that my dude George Kittle is, (Who I am still stoked I got to interview!) and he was a pancake block machine! Mr. Hockenson is the closest comparison I have seen to Travis Kelce.
#ZzzZzz – Kahale Warring – SDSt. – 6’6” 250 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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First thing that jumps off the film is his get off the line of scrimmage. This is always a trait I look for first in a lot of prospects, offense and defense. If he can work on his technique as a pass blocker and gains some much needed playing time and experience, I can see this dominant athlete all around become a better tight end in the pros then he ever could have become in his college program.
Wide Receiver
#1 – D.K. Metcalf – Ole Miss – 6’4” 223 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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If you didn’t see the picture going around the Twitter-verse then you do not know that this kid has a 12 pack for a stomach. Yeah, not a six or eight, a friggin twelve pack of abs. He reminds me of Josh Gordon with hopefully less baggage when all is said and done. He is a freak in bigger terms than Jevon Kearse. With very little field time he has become the darling wide-out of this years draft, even surpassing at this point his draft mate, N’Keal Harry, a highly touted receiver out of Arizona State. Keep in mind that it may take some time and work one on one with a solid quarterback in this league for you to get the return you want on your rookie pick of this raw yet supreme talent.
#ZzzZzz – Anthony Johnson – U of Buffalo – 6’2” 220 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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Now this is one player I was upset I did not grab in my CFB league! I did grab his teammate, K.J. Osbourn, who is another name to put away in your head for the future. Mr. Johnson is the cousin of Jadeveon Clowney and Jonathan Joseph, so he has that athletic lineage. I watched a lot of him the past two seasons and he is a tough nosed, play when hurt kid. He also did stay to graduate before he headed into the draft, which I find awesome.
What stood out the first time for me was his frame and long limbs which makes his other negatives fall by the wayside. In a lot of games when he blew up it was against stacked safeties and coverage rolled his way. The best hope is that he lands with a team that can develop him alongside a heavy play action game plan.
Quarterback
#1 – Dwayne Haskins – OSU – 6’3” 220 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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I will tell all my new readers now that quarterback evaluation is my weakest scouting attribute, Ha! So, I do my best because playing defensive tackle in Ohio means you don’t care about what any ball carrier is doing, especially the QB!
I am a Buckeyes fan since birth and I got to see the full spectrum of the player in question here. He is maybe the best QB in recent history to come out of Columbus in my opinion and has been groomed for it since he was very young. Also he may end up being the one that has the most fantasy success in his near future in the NFL. I can see him sitting this year so he can add knowledge and a little more bulk or muscle to that smaller frame. Leading FBS in passing doesn’t always translate to the NFL, much like my next QB on this rank, Kyler Murray and his smaller frame.
#ZzzZzz – Gardner Minshew – Washington St. – 6’1” 225 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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One thing you want to look for while scouting incoming rookies for your dynasty teams is how is the kid perceived in the locker room and do the other players play better when they are around this one player. Well, you can check off all of the above for this kid. These players had this kids back all year and even in his first year there. I think he is a winner and he has just as much moxie as any QB in this class. He also has the accuracy and ability to take a shot in the pocket and deliver, which is a needed thing we learned in this years Super Bowl with the younger Jared Goff. Draft him late and stash him on your taxi.
Incoming Rookies: Defense
Defensive Tackle
#1 – Christian Wilkins – Clemson – 6’3” 315 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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I was on the Ed Oliver bandwagon for a solid year but after I really started to compare him to some of the current pros and his draft mates coming out, I seemed to lean more towards this kid. Mr. Wilkins has a variety of moves off the line. He can swim move you and be in your face so quickly. This former Tiger can win with low pad level and his ability to rack up tackles and sacks which will keep him on the field more and racking up more points. He is your best bet as the top rookie IDP defensive tackle.
#ZzzZzz – Jeffery Simmons – Miss St. – 6’4” 305 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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Wow, what a year for defensive linemen! So much talent coming into the league and your IDP squads. First thing I look for in a defensive tackle on my squads is can they tackle and how much? This kid right here is not really a sleeper to me but some may count him out already for his violent act right after signing on to play at Mississippi State. Since then he has kept his act together and played at a high level. The numbers I adore here are, 40, 60 and 63. His tackle totals for all three years at school. I drool when I see these numbers coming into my IDP team. I hope he goes to a place where they can keep his nose to the grindstone because when the dust clears he could be a standout player from this draft.
Defensive End
#1 – Rashan Gary – Michigan – 6’4” 283 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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As much as I am an Ohio State fan since 1976 when I was born, I have to say that I would not want to defend Mr. Gary before Mr. Bosa. He is a very disruptive player on that Wolverine defense. What I saw first on film was his strong base and foundation while taking on blocks. If you need a player for your NFL team that can stop that “R.P.O.” (Run-Pass-Option), offense you have to play multiple times a year, this is your kid.
His 66 tackles in 2017 shows that he can attack in both the run and pass game. Some scouts say that he relies on his bull rush and power only. I saw a lot of that for sure but I also saw offensive lineman manipulation and use of his strong base in leverage situations. I love this kids motor and non stop dedication to get the ball carrier.
#ZzzZzz – Charles Omenihu – Texas – 6’6” 275 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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This young man checks all the boxes for me and showed it at the Senior Bowl a couple weeks ago. His length and willingness to be a tackler, not only a pass rusher, makes me see him staying on the field more. One of the traits I love the most that is not rated at the combine is relentlessness. I have watched Mr. Omenihu run down plays that went the opposite way of him. Most players just stop when the play is way gone, not him. So keep an eye out for him and grab him deeper on your IDP squads.
Linebacker
#1 – Devin White – 6’1” 240 lbs. – LSU
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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We all had that bully in elementary school that we avoided because we wanted to have a full lunch that day. Well, this kid is that kid that will take all your lunch money if he gets next to you! Devin White is ready to play in the NFL right now or maybe even when he was in 4th grade! He is a full-grown, “Stripping the ball machine”. He led the SEC in tackles in 2017 with 133 and in 2018 he played one less game and had 123 tackles. That is the production I love to see coming into the league and IDP. He is, as of now, your Roquan Smith of 2019. Plug and play into your 2019 lineups and reap the benefits.
#ZzzZzz – Germaine Pratt – NC State – 6’2” 240 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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Wow does this kid have a lot of fluid lateral movement while playing. He can get to that corner in a hurry to meet the ball carrier with violence as a tackler, which I Love!
He demonstrates grit in moving down the line to the target and securing it and destroying it. In coverage, he shines from his days as a safety. His pad level and upright style may be a problem that needs to be corrected. I did not see many gap fillers in this LB class overall and he is not one of them as of yet. He is my current sleeper at this position and I consider defensive line and this to be my personally best scouted positions, unlike quarterback! HA!
Safety
#1 – Nasir Adderley – 5’11” 201 – Delaware
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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Another player who is a full grown man among boys in a lot of his film. Some may say level of competition was not up to par with the bigger schools but I have to disagree. I think Mr. Adderly, who has NFL roots, will have a chip on his shoulder the rest of his life because of a ridiculous thing some say, “Level of Competition”. If you can flat out play, then you can play. His strengths, to me, are his insane change of direction, his pursuit lanes, his ability to play multiple DB spots, his ability to handle’s himself in traffic, how he can man handle some tight ends and can close in and even catch back up to the play.
If this kid can fix a couple things like being too amped up and getting too honed in on one player, he will excel. He needs to make sure he does not get mentally taken off his assignment by a smarter QB and he needs to clean up his deep coverage game. Good Luck Nasir! Whoever drafts him will get a steal, in real football and IDP.
#ZzzZzz – Jaquan Johnson – Miami U. – 5’11” 200 lbs.
3 Cone 40 yd dash Arm Length Vertical Bench
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As for my last player in this appetizer to the main course, he is a player who really caught more of my attention near the end of last season. He stepped up and made the Senior Bowl and really showcased himself there. Overall, he has many good qualities: like bringing the wood when hitting and his fine pursuit angles. I liked the way he handled tight ends and lineman trying to man handle him. He was aggressive and showed that he belongs in the NFL. It may take him a full year to see the field, but when he does, expect him to fill the IDP stat sheet. His last two years at the “U”, he had 188 tackles. Don’t sleep on him, be that dude to grab him earlier than others in your drafts, and thank me later!
I want to Thank Nate for this opportunity with IDP Guys! If you enjoyed reading, please come join me on Twitter @FatAdamSchefter or @TheDynastyScout and we can continue the IDP and Dynasty Football talk!
Good Luck with all your upcoming leagues and drafts/Auctions. My FULL Incoming Rookie Guide with full position coverage will be out post Combine. Always remember, IDP=Life.