Photo Credit: University of Arkansas Athletics
College football is a whirlwind, one day USC and UCLA are playing in the deserts of Arizona as a member of the Pac-12, the next they’re in the Big Ten trying to stay warm as they play a snow game against Michigan State. In the modern age of college football everything can change at the snap of the right person’s finger. In just the last few days we’ve had the Pac-12, Big Ten, and potentially the Big 12 get shaken up while also seeing Florida and Miami fans get in an online argument about NIL collectives. College football is the best, baby!
Just like with conferences and commitments, prospects NFL Draft trajectory can change out of the blue. An injury, a stalling of development, or even a coaching change can shake up how a player is viewed by the NFL just months after they were being praised. But when that player returns to glory and finds redemption, that’s when almost every fanbase in America can get behind them and cheer them on—ESPN’s College GameDay will certainly do their part with a feature story or two on the player.
Seeing a prospects light burn bright as a freshman or sophomore only to see them fall off a year later can be a disheartening story, but every NFL Draft sees the rise of a player who was once a prominent up and coming figure in the game. In the era of the transfer portal sometimes all it takes is a fresh start, other times a player just needs to get healthy or to have everything click as they mature in a system. Some of the NFL’s shining young defensive players have had to find redemption at the collegiate level before becoming high draft picks in the NFL. Which defensive prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft class will be able to redeem themselves the way Derwin James, Jaelan Phillips, and Aidan Hutchinson once did?
Interior Defensive Lineman: Nesta Jade Silvera, Arizona State
The biggest reason the transfer portal—and free transfer year—were sorely lacking in college football for decades was because coaches could up and leave while the players they recruited to the program were essentially stuck (unless they wanted to sit out a year).
Alternatively, when a kid puts in four years of work for the coach they committed to, and then that coach gets fired, it puts them in an uneasy situation. Will they fit into the new coaches scheme? Will they be able to gain the attention of the new coach even though he didn’t recruit them there? Will they even retain their starting spot on the depth chart? Every year kids have to confront those questions, but now they at least have the option to transfer if they don’t like the answer.
That’s a situation Nesta Jade Silvera found himself in when Manny Diaz was fired at the U, and Oregon’s Mario Cristobal came home to Miami. After four years with the Hurricane, and two starting, Silvera opted to head west. Despite the mess Herm Edwards has Arizona State in, he’s done a good job utilizing the portal this offseason (to make up for players transferring out due to the situation). Though Silvera might not get the same attention as some of the other transfers headed to Tempe, he’s the crown jewel of the Sun Devils portal class.
The former No. 54 overall recruit (24/7 Composite) in the 2018 class brings new defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson (who replaced Antonio Pierce after Pierce resigned amid the recruiting violations scandal) a true playmaker in the trenches. Silvera’s versatility to play nose tackle in three-man fronts (ASU’s base) and both 1-technique and 3-technique in four-man fronts should allow Henderson to use him as an interior chess piece to take advantage of mismatches.
In his four seasons at Miami, Silvera accumulated 16 TFLs thanks to his quickness off the snap and his leverage to get underneath linemen to shoot gaps. When he wasn’t asked to hold the point playing nose as a two-gap player, he was a disruptive force around the line of scrimmage. Even with his lack of size at nose (6-2, 306 pounds), Silvera is able to sink his hips and anchor down to some extent, but he’s best utilized as a 3-tech on run downs at the next level.
As a pass rusher, Silvera does his best work lining up at nose where he consistently pushes the pocket as a power rusher. With his bull rush, he’s able to generate power thanks to a low center of gravity and plenty of leg drive and it helps him take advantage of centers. Though he’ll mix in a swim move at times, the next step to becoming a top-100 prospect will be adding to his repertoire and unlocking his hands (he only has 2 career sacks and had zero in 2021).
Overall, Silvera is being overlooked right now in a conference rich with interior defensive linemen, but if he quickly assimilates to the Sun Devils, his traits should lead to plenty of production in the Pac-12 this season.
Miami transfer Nesta Jade Silvera frequently wrecked plays with his ferocity and quickness. He’s going to be a big boost to Arizona State’s DL as a gap shooter who can play all over the line. pic.twitter.com/VDpyECMnDk
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) July 1, 2022
Honorable Mention: Keondre Coburn, Texas
EDGE Rusher: Zach Harrison, Ohio State
It’s become tradition at Ohio State for five-star pass rushers to spend three seasons dominating the Big Ten under the tutelage of defensive line coach Larry Johnson before they inevitably become a top-three pick in the NFL Draft. First it was Joey Bosa (51 TFLs, 26 sacks at Ohio State), then younger brother Nick (29 TFLs, 17.5 sacks), and finally Chase Young (40.5 TFLs, 30.5 sacks). The three of them have spent a combined 11 seasons in the NFL and have racked up seven Pro Bowls, three Defensive Rookie of the Year awards, and 91.5 sacks. That’s why when Zach Harrison was set to be the next Buckeyes five-star pass rusher up, expectations were high.
Harrison was the No. 12 overall recruit (24/7 Composite) in the ’19 class and despite some flashy moments, he’s yet to live up to the hype. He certainly looks the part at 6-6, 272 pounds, but entering his senior season in Columbus he has yet to break through with just 17 TFLs and 8.5 sacks in three seasons.
After a bright freshman season playing across from Young, Harrison looked poised to be Johnson’s next protege to put Big Ten offensive linemen through hell. During the COVID-shortened 2020 season he had some good moments as part of the rotation up front, laying the groundwork for a predicted breakout last season—which landed him in the first-round of plenty of “way-too-early” NFL mock drafts.
While he once again had some good moments last season (Minnesota, Nebraska, Purdue), the consistency from snap-to-snap and game-to-game just isn’t there yet. Harrison will disappear for stretches as a pass rusher and too often it feels like there isn’t a plan and he’s just making it up as he goes.
What made the Bosa’s and Young so good was the depth of their pass rush repertoire and the way they would set their moves up. For Harrison, you’ll see him utilize his hands in similar fashion to them every once in a while—he too has the patented Bosa double swipe in his tool box—but then he’ll spend two quarters trying to rely solely on his size, power, and athleticism.
What’s helped him make up for his pass rush coming along slowly is his willingness and ability to play the run. He sets a strong edge and has the length and hand strength to stack and lock out tackles before shedding them when he’s playside. The effort and traits are there for him to continue to grow as a run defender and become one of the best in the conference.
Now, as he enters what will likely be his last collegiate season, Harrison must show that he’s no longer neglecting the importance of his hands as he adds more moves to his pass rush plan. Without the natural bend to lean on his speed rush, he must focus more on being a technician and less on being the best athlete on the field. Overall, Harrison looks like a top-100 draft pick with his size, versatility (he can kick inside to 3-tech on passing downs), twitch, and flashes of pass rush ability. The only thing that’s working against him in 2022 is that the Buckeyes have two more young five-star pass rushers waiting in the wings to break out in JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer.
Honorable Mention: Xavier Thomas, Clemson
Linebacker: Justin Flowe, Oregon
It’s been a wild ride for the 2020 recruiting class, and as the players from it gear up for their final season at the collegiate level, they’ll be both nitpicked and celebrated like they never have before ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. The top-10 players (24/7 Composite), include a Heisman winner (Bryce Young), a National Champion (Kelee Ringo), and three of the potential top trench players in the draft (Bryan Bresee, Myles Murphy, and Paris Johnson Jr.). It also includes a handful of players who haven’t become the stars they were expected to when they signed their letter of intent (Julian Fleming, Arik Gilbert, Justin Flowe, Jordan Burch, and DJ Uiagalelei).
Four of those five players have played more than 10 games in the FBS, but the one who hasn’t might be the most intriguing of them all come fall. Justin Flowe was the No. 6 recruit and was supposed to quickly become one of the building blocks for Mario Cristobal’s reload with Oregon coming off a Rose Bowl victory. Instead, another linebacker from the same recruiting class became that player. Noah Sewell (Penei’s younger brother) was the No. 13 recruit that year and after two seasons in Eugene, he’s shaping up to be the top off-ball linebacker in the 2023 NFL Draft. In 21 games, Sewell has made 162 tackles with 15 TFLs and 6 sacks—he’s a force of nature on the football field. Meanwhile, in that same timeframe Flowe has played in just two games due to injury.
So, why is there so much excitement building around Flowe as both a prospect and Sewell’s running mate on the Ducks defense? Because despite his limited time on the field, it’s easy to see why he was a blue chip recruit. Before a foot injury last season as a redshirt freshman, he earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors after making 14 tackles with a TFL and forced fumble against Fresno State. To put it simply, he was all over the field when he was on the field.
With Cristobal off to Coral Gables, new head coach Dan Lanning comes over from Georgia where he ran one of the best defenses in college football history. Although there were stars at every level of that defense (each group produced a first-round pick), Lanning’s history as a linebackers coach and the way he deployed All-American Nakobe Dean, first-round pick Quay Walker, and second-team All-SEC thumper Channing Tindall has got to have Ducks fans fired up to see Sewell and Flowe running the show.
Obviously it’s all about the health of Flowe, who plays with absurd downhill aggression and a motor that doesn’t quit. In April Lanning said of Flowe, “he’s just eager. He’s eager to get to work. You know he has an infectious personality and enthusiasm in the way he approaches every day. He knows he’s got a long way to go. We’re gonna continue to chart his progress and see what it looks like as he moves forward, but definitely fun to see him out there.”
With Flowe sitting atop the depth chart as the Ducks “Mac” backer (the same position Dean played for the Bulldogs), it sounds like Lanning will get the most out of him if he can stay on the field. With his physicality and range, Flowe has the tools to be a devastating run defender if he can improve both his feel for the game (which should come with reps) and his ability to stack and shed blocks to make plays in the box. It’s hard to say much on a player who has played so little, but it’s clear Oregon fans and draftniks alike are jazzed up about what Flowe could be on the football field.
Justin Flowe was the No. 6 recruit in the ‘20 class but has only played in two games at Oregon. In the opener last year against Fresno State he was all over the field flashing athleticism and aggression. He could turn in a huge season next to Noah Sewell if he can stay healthy. pic.twitter.com/nT5YTlL1zB
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) July 3, 2022
Honorable Mention: Payton Wilson, NC State
Cornerback: Tiawan Mullen, Indiana
Two years ago it looked like Tom Allen might be building something special in Bloomington. After two straight 5-7 seasons to start his tenure, the Hoosiers were coming off an 8-5 season before going 6-2 in the COVID-shortened season and finishing No. 12 in the final rankings. Allen, who moved from defensive coordinator to head coach after the resignation of Kevin Wilson in 2016, led Indiana to upsets of Penn State, Michigan, and Wisconsin that season and went toe-to-toe with a National Championship bound Ohio State squad.
That team was carried by a tenacious defense that finished 20th in the country in points allowed per game and gutsy quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Well, 2021 wasn’t so pretty for either as Indiana limped to a 2-10 record as Penix Jr. spent most the season banged up (he has since transferred to Washington) and the defense finished 109th in the country in opponents points per game.
One of the most important players on that 2020 team was Tiawan Mullen. Often regarded as the best NFL prospect on the roster during that magical 2020 season, the younger brother of Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Trayvon Mullen was limited to just seven games in 2021 due to a foot injury. In his first 18 games with Indiana, the younger Mullen was able to account for 21 passes defensed while nabbing 3 interceptions and logging 8 TFLs and 3.5 sacks. Last season though, he finished with just 3 passes defended.
A drop-off in the statistical realm doesn’t necessarily mean a drop-off in play on tape, but Mullen’s lack of playmaking certainly led to an eyebrow or two being raised. Once viewed as a potential top-100 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, his return to Bloomington seemed inevitable with his inconsistent play and nagging injury robbing him of a second straight first-team All-Big Ten honor.
Before injuries got in the way, Mullen was off to a hot start with an impressive performance in the opener against Iowa and one of the best games of his career against Western Kentucky. When the injuries kicked in he missed time before struggling against Ohio State, Maryland, and Purdue. The good sign though is that every time he’s been healthy in his career, he’s been one of the best corners in the country.
What makes a healthy Mullen so good is his understanding of route concepts and the trust he has in his eyes. He’s rarely out of position with his cover instincts and ability to read quarterbacks while playing receivers with his body. In off-zone, he’s at his best because he can sit back and watch the play develop before snapping down and closing in on the action to disrupt the catch point.
Though he’s more natural playing off in zone, Indiana also asks him to come down and play press-man from time to time, where his balance and ability to find the ball in phase helps him hold up against bigger threats.
At just 5-10, 180 pounds, Mullen’s best spot might be at nickel in the NFL. Inside at nickel his feistiness and instincts can be utilized around the line of scrimmage and his short area quickness will help him handle craftier slots and his balance and ball skills will help him against power slots. But the most important thing for Mullen is staying healthy in 2022.
A healthy Tiawan Mullen is set to be one of the best CBs in the Big Ten. He’s not the biggest DB but his feistiness allowed him to match up with TEs in man when Indiana needed it. Really strong eye discipline and cover instincts. pic.twitter.com/rU7HsqfU6J
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) July 3, 2022
Honorable Mention: Sevyn Banks, LSU
Safety: Jalen Catalon, Arkansas
The NFL has become increasingly enamored with the safety position. There aren’t many true free or strong safeties in today’s day and age with most defensive coordinators wanting those players to be interchangeable and to have the capability to do a bit of everything. More and more NFL teams are relying on playing two-deep to help combat the uber talented quarterbacks who seem to keep getting more athletic with bigger arms each year. With safeties being the quarterbacks of the defense, because they’re able to see the whole field and get everyone set, they not only need to be able to have the range to protect the backend and the physicality to come up and fit the run, but they need to have high IQs.
In the last five NFL Draft classes, 18 safeties have been selected in the top-50 picks. Not all these players have panned out but the recurring theme with the ones who have has been versatility, physicality, twitchy explosion, and high IQs (among them are Derwin James, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Kyle Dugger, Antoine Winfield Jr., and Jevon Holland). Point being, safeties do more than ever and are more important than ever. Gone are the days of the true box safety or exclusively single-high safety. The more you do, the better you make your defense.
One player in college football who looked like he fit that mold perfectly coming off the 2020 season was Arkansas’ Jalen Catalon. A safety who liked to get downhill and take your head off while also having the fluidity and range to cover the deep half. Catalon was one of the catalysts for a shockingly competitive Razorbacks team that went 3-7 in Sam Pittman’s debut season with the program as he finished with 99 tackles and 3 interceptions.
Last year though as Arkansas leveled up with a 9-4 season on their way to finishing ranked No. 21 on the season, Catalon struggled. Before hurting his shoulder against Ole Miss and missing the remainder of the season, his tackling became a major issue. A player known for throwing his body into every hit, quickly became a liability when form became less important than going for a shoulder knockout—he bounced off plenty of running backs in the hole and receivers in space. After earning first-team All-SEC in 2020, he fell short of the preseason All-American and potential top-50 pick hype—the injury just rubbed salt in the wound.
When he’s at his best, Catalon has proven to be a player who can move around from playing two-deep to single-high to being a playmaker in the box. His instincts to fit the run and his ability to instantly hit top gear and get downhill have proven he has the potential to be a top-notch run defender if he fixes his tackling issues. Rather than go for the highlight hit each time, he needs to break down and wrap up and if he doesn’t he’ll quickly find himself in the coaches doghouse in the NFL.
When it comes to playing in coverage, Catalon is a natural mover with the ability to open his hips and run with receivers. He does a good job diagnosing route combos and rarely finds himself out of position in zone. When it comes to man, he needs to continue to work on his ball skills (especially in phase) and play with more balance and bounce in his feet.
As Arkansas gets ready to make a push in the SEC West and shoot for the programs first double digit win season since 2011, a bounce back from Catalon is imperative. He has the makeup of a top NFL safety prospect and a star defender who can be a game changer in the toughest conference in football.
Jalen Catalon showing his range, ability to flip his hips in motion, and tracking skills to break up the over route. Brackets the inside receiver on the 9 with his body while playing the outside with his eyes until the very last second and then goes and finds the ball. pic.twitter.com/r4DlcVmqpH
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) July 4, 2022
Honorable Mention: Tykee Smith, Georgia
