Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan, 6-6.5, 270, 4.65, JR … 4th year junior came back from a fractured ankle that limited him to just three games in 2020 to basically earn ‘defensive player of the year’ honors in all college football this past season when he posted 13 sacks in leading the Wolverines into the national playoffs. Long, tall DE looks more like a TE or basketball power forward; in fact, he actually also played lacrosse in high school which is a scary thought. However, unlike like a lot of taller defensive lineman has the flexibility to dip his shoulders and bend at the hip and knees. He also has a quick, explosive first step, elite change of direction skills, a powerful punch, effectively uses his strong hands and long arms to get off blocks, as well as an evolving array of pass rush moves; also does a nice job setting up his moves. He also has an incredibly hot motor that runs all the time. He’s also extremely scheme versatile with the ability to play with his hand in the dirt or standing up as either a 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB. Could also kick inside on passing downs. Indeed, expect the team drafting Hutchinson to move him around a lot like Dallas does with OLB Micah Parsons, the NFL DPOY as a rookie this year. And while he is expected to run in the 4.65 range during pre-draft testing, the one thing that the Hutchinson arsenal lacks is elite closing speed and he will on occasion get pushed by the pocket by OTs that have stayed in contact.
Bottom line: Arguably the best player in college football this year has the tools to be a dominant edge rusher at the next level, along with the motor to be really special.
Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon, 6-4.5, 260, 4.55, JR … Third-year junior was a superstar recruit out of L.A. who chose the Ducks over all of college football’s big-time programs. Has generally been considered to be the top edge rush prospect for the 2022 draft with the tools to be THE best overall prospect period, although he isn’t rated in quite the same class as recent early-pick DEs like Chase Young or Myles Garrett. Has prototype length, an explosive get-off and elite closing speed, along with excellent bend and flexibility, although his technique is still somewhat of a work in progress and needs to refine his technique and learn how to set up blockers. Still somewhat lean at 260-pounds, but has decent strength and is a solid enough run defender who is strong in pursuit with the lateral agility to close down lanes, although he could do a better job anchoring at the point of attack. Had a breakout year in 2019 when he had 9.5 sacks as a true freshman, but his productivity has been hit and miss ever since. Had only three sacks in the Ducks’ truncated 7 game season in 2020, although he did dominate Oregon’s Pac-12 championship game win over USC that year. Started the 2021 season where he left off the previous year posting a couple of big plays early in the Ducks’ season opener, but hurt an ankle before the half and missed all or part of several games and wasn’t close to 100% in several others. In the end, he finished the year with 7 sacks and 5 other tackles for loss, but did have a QB-pressure rate (18%) that was among the best in the country. Thibodeaux will also have to answer some questions about his motor which has been known to run hot and cold at times, as well as his dedication to the game before the upcoming draft. On the one hand, he is a confident, almost brash young guy which you better be if you have ‘the chosen one’ tattooed on your arm and you think of yourself as a ‘brand.’ At the same time, he is something of a ‘renaisance man’ who had a 3.8 GPA in high school, plays chess, and has talked about becoming a lawyer with a focus on social issues down the road. And things like his comments about Alabama’s academics can rub a lot of people the wrong way.
Bottom line: Elite physical talent who never quite lived up to the billing in college, but has as high a ceiling as any player in the 2022 draft if the team selecting him can get it unlocked.
George Karlaftis, Purdue, 6-4, 275, 4.75, JR … Interesting guy who only started playing football in Grade 8 after his family immigrated from Greece. Third-year junior had a breakout year in 2019 when he posted 7.5 sacks as a true freshman, but barely played the following year because of an ankle injury, as well as a bout with Covid. Productivity was hard to read in 2021 because he was constantly double-teamed as just about every opponent schemed around him. In the end, he had only 5 sacks this year, but was also credited with 35 QB hurries. Lacks prototype length and elite speed, but he is a very good athlete otherwise. Indeed, he was also a track star who won back-to-back state shot put titles in high school and reportedly has a 37-inch vertical. And while he isn’t going to simply run around people to get to the QB, he is a a strong, powerful player with a thick lower body and weight-room strength who plays with excellent leverage; he’s also simply relentless attacking the pocket. He does have a very quick first step and the ability to plant and change direction without losing speed or power. He also has strong hands and a devastating punch along with an impressive array of pass rush moves. Indeed, he may be the most technically proficient DE in this year’s draft class; also a student of the game, with the ability to read opposing offensive lineman’s moves and set up his next rush. Willing run defender, although he could do a better anchoring the point of attack on plays run right at him.
Bottom line: Karlaftis has a unique combination of strength and power, technical proficiency and top-end, non-stop intensity, along with decent athleticism, although lack of sustained elite production will be a concern, as will the lack of elite footspeed which may limit his ultimate ceiling.
David Ojabo, Michigan, 6-5, 255, 4.55, JR … Third-year junior with special athleticism who is just starting to scratch the surface. In fact, was born in Nigeria, but grew up in Scotland playing soccer and basketball and didn’t actually start playing football until his junior year in high school, just 5 years ago. Also was something of an afterthought heading into the season at Michigan after posting one measly career tackle in his first two years in the program, but had a breakout campaign this fall when he registered 11 sacks. Indeed, at one point late in the season actually had one more sack than Aidan Hutchinson, his more heralded UM linemate. Ojabo is a pure speed rusher who was a state 100M titlist in high school with a 10.93 PB, but he also has the flexibility to dip his shoulder and make himself small while turning the corner, as well as the agility to plant and change direction on the fly. He also has decent hand and upper-body strength, but his usage of both is very rudimentary. He also has a very limited arsenal of pass rush moves, although they did get better over the course of the season. Willing enough run defender who is dynamic in pursuit, but isn’t very physical or instinctive and struggles to hold the point of attack on plays right at him.
Bottom line: Quick-twitch edge rusher with high-end physical skills, but still very raw and unpolished such that the team that selects him may have to give him a year or so to develop into an every down defender.
Jermaine Johnson, Florida State, 6-5, 265, 4.55; SR … Rising 5th-year senior who has taken a rather circuitous path to the top of the draft board. A 2-star recruit out of Minnesota who didn’t qualify academically, he originally went the JC route where he emerged as a potentially disruptive edge-rusher with offers from all the big-time football programs. He ended up at Georgia where he was a productive rotational performer for two years, but took advantage of the NCAA’s relaxed Covid transfer rules and switched to rebuilding Florida State for his final year where he hoped to get more playing time. Which he has in spades and has responded with close to a sack per game. Johnson has always been a gifted athlete with 4.5-type speed and explosion, along with weight room strength. He also has prototype length, but still needs to do a better job using his long arms to get off blocks. Has an evolving array of pass rush rush moves, but is still primarily a speed rusher who needs to improve the technical aspects of his game. Not the most physical run-stuffer at the point of attack, but has excellent lateral quickness and agility and does a decent job setting the edge. Also has some scheme versatility as he has lined up both as a 3-4 OLB and 4-3 DE playing with his hand in the dirt.
Bottom line: Emerging high-ceiling prospect with as much physical potential as any edge rusher in the 2022 draft, but needs a little more polish.
