CFB Report

The Carolina Panthers have drafted Ole Miss wide receiver Jonathan Mingo with their 39th pick in the second round. Mingo stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 220 pounds, making him a strong slot receiver with outstanding capability to gain yards after catching the ball. Throughout his career, he has managed 1,758 yards on 112 receptions and scored 12 touchdowns, averaging 15.7 yards per catch in 34 games with the Rebels.

Mingo has mainly modeled his game after fellow Ole Miss alumni A.J. Brown and DK Metcalf, and he’s . excited to join a wide receiver lineup that includes new teammates DJ Chark and Adam Thielen. He was awarded second-team All-SEC honors during his senior year in 2022 and is noted for his close relationship with the new wide receivers coach, Shawn Jefferson.

Being a versatile and reliable target for his new teammate and quarterback Bryce Young, Mingo has the ability to transform short throws into big touchdowns. The Panthers have high expectations for Mingo as they aim to utilize his skills and solidify their roster for the upcoming season.

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Life in Hankinson, North Dakota, has been transformed by the NFL Draft. Native to the town, Cody Mauch is receiving attention from the community with signs of support throughout the area. His aunts have been planning a celebration for him at the Hankinson Community Center.

Mauch, an offensive lineman, played high school football in Hankinson and went on to play for North Dakota State. Nobody in the town will forget this week, as big events and family gatherings take place.

Mock drafts predicted Mauch would be picked in the last few selections of the first round, but that did not happen. He now awaits his fate on Friday night, with visits from the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, and Houston Texans under his belt. However, prior contact with teams is not always indicative of being drafted by them.

Whenever Mauch is selected, it’s sure to set off a grand party in Hankinson. The town will come together to celebrate one of their own, who has the whole community behind him.

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In the 2023 NFL draft, NFL fans eagerly awaited the selection of University of Cincinnati players. Following the previous year’s high pick of Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner by the Jets, expectations were high for the Bearcats.

During day two of the draft, Tre Tucker, an explosive kick returner, got the call from the Raiders, making him the 100th overall pick in round three. Tucker was understandably ecstatic, expressing his excitement to join the Raiders and work with their talented receiver group.

Despite projections placing his teammate Tyler Scott higher in the draft, Tucker was the first Bearcat off the board this year. The friends texted throughout the event and maintained positivity, even when Scott’s name hadn’t yet been called.

Tucker became the eighth Bearcats’ wide receiver to be selected in the NFL draft and the second straight year a Bearcat was chosen with the 100th overall pick, following Myjai Sanders in 2022. His draft selection also continued the trend of Bearcats wide receivers being chosen, joining Alec Pierce, who was picked by the Indianapolis Colts in 2022.

During his time at the University of Cincinnati, Tucker showcased his speed, versatility, and determination both on and off the field, earning a sports administration degree and participating in the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl. He looks forward to joining the Raiders, a team he has always admired, and bringing his talents to Las Vegas.

At the Raiders, Tucker will join forces with second-round draft pick Michael Mayer, a Notre Dame player with impressive skills. Tucker looks forward to the exciting atmosphere and spirited fan base of the Las Vegas Raiders and is eager to embark on this new chapter in his career.

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Indianapolis Colts chose BYU offensive tackle Blake Freeland with their No. 106 pick in the fourth round of this year’s NFL draft. Colts general manager Chris Ballard had expressed interest in the offensive line depth remaining in the draft.

Freeland is set to become the Colts’ swing tackle, providing depth behind left tackle Bernhard Raimann and right tackle Braden Smith. His previous experience includes 15 games as a right tackle and 26 games as a left tackle.

Standing 6-foot-8 and weighing 302 pounds, Freeland has a large frame but reportedly lacks some flexibility in his game. He has, however, consistently improved by adding weight and was a third-team All-American last season.

Freeland is considered one of the most athletic tackle prospects in the draft. He ranks in the top 1% all-time with a 37-inch vertical jump and 10-foot broad jump. His speed is also noteworthy, with a 4.98-second 40-yard dash.

Throughout his career, Freeland has focused on adding weight to fill out his frame. He started as a quarterback in high school before moving to tight end and defensive line as a senior. He also played basketball and was a track star, earning the 2019 Gatorade Utah boys track athlete of the year.

Freeland began consuming 2,000-calorie protein shakes to transition to the offensive line. Despite weighing 302 pounds now, he still ranks only in the bottom 31% of all-time tackle prospects by weight. Freeland met with the Colts at the combine and Senior Bowl, and remained on Ballard’s radar for Day 3.

The Colts will likely continue with most of their current line, with Freeland aiming to offer depth at both tackle positions. This will play a crucial role in protecting rookie quarterback and No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson.

Freeland has studied former Bengals and Rams Pro Bowler Andrew Whitworth to learn techniques and balance as a tall tackle. Upon receiving the call from the Colts, Freeland said he was “freaking pumped about it.”

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The Detroit Lions raised eyebrows with their first-round selections in the 2023 NFL Draft, taking Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12 and Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell at No. 18. Neither player was considered a first-round prospect, and Campbell was expected to be a third-round pick. Despite media skepticism, Lions general manager Brad Holmes showed his excitement for the picks.

Holmes took a straightforward approach, stating, “They’re football players. If you believe that they can have an impact for you on the football field, then you just go ahead and take them.” Both picks earned “F” grades from Yahoo Sports’ Charles McDonald, but Holmes remained unwavering in his belief in the players.

Positional value didn’t matter to Holmes, who said, “It’s not about just ‘don’t pick a running back’ because it’s not how we really view [Gibbs]. And it’s the same thing about ‘don’t pick an off-ball linebacker.’ That’s not really how we view Jack.” He maintained both players were the Lions’ top-rated prospects at the time.

Although the Lions had other options with their positions in the draft, Holmes disagreed with the notion of focusing strictly on premium positions. Instead, he affirmed that they simply took the best players for the team. He also dismissed the importance of mock draft placements in his decision-making process.

Gibbs will have a significant role in the Lions’ offense alongside running back D’Andre Swift and free-agent acquisition David Montgomery. At the same time, Campbell will start as a middle linebacker for the team. The Lions are currently the favorite to win the NFC North at +130 odds, and their first-round picks will surely play a crucial part in the outcome.

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Tight end Sam LaPorta from Iowa was selected in the second round, 34 overall, during the NFL Draft. Standing at 6-3 and weighing 245 pounds, LaPorta clocked a 4.59 40 at the combine. Over his four-year college career, he posted impressive numbers with 53 catches for 670 yards in 2021 and 58 catches for 657 yards in 2022.

LaPorta is the latest player in a long line of Iowa tight ends who made it to the NFL, following in the footsteps of T.J. Hockenson, George Kittle, and Noah Fant. Over his college career, LaPorta played in 46 games, starting 32 of them. He now joins fellow Iowa player, linebacker Jack Campbell, who was drafted in the first round.

The Detroit Lions’ tight end roster includes Derrick Deese Jr., James Mitchell, Brock Wright, and Shane Zylstra. Analyst Lance Zierlein described LaPorta as having “average-starter potential” for his ability to threaten zone coverage and make basic catches, while still needing to improve on his run-blocking skills.

Detroit Lions reporter Mike O’Hara said LaPorta fits the mold of production and effort seen in Iowa players, especially in positions like tight ends, linebackers, and defensive linemen. Tim Twentyman also noted LaPorta’s versatility and ability to play both inline and out wide in the slot, factors that offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will appreciate. LaPorta finished his college career with a record 153 receptions for the tight end position.

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The San Francisco 49ers selected Michigan kicker Jake Moody as the 99th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, making him the first kicker chosen this year. Moody will replace veteran Robbie Gould, who left the 49ers after six seasons.

During his time at Michigan, Moody claimed the Big Ten’s top kicker title in both 2021 and 2022. He successfully converted 29 of 35 field-goal attempts and posted a perfect 60-for-60 mark on extra points in his final season with the Wolverines.

As a 2021 consensus All-American, Moody earned a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2022 and was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award. He holds Michigan’s single-season record for most field goals made and is the program’s all-time leading scorer with 355 points. Moody’s career highlight came with a 59-yard field goal during Michigan’s Fiesta Bowl defeat against TCU.

Moody’s selection marks the second consecutive draft where a kicker was chosen one round higher than the previous year. In 2021, the Bengals selected Florida kicker Evan McPherson in the fifth round, and the Browns picked LSU kicker Cade York in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. If Moody is the only kicker selected in the 2023 draft, it will be the third straight year with only one kicker drafted.

The 49ers also picked Penn State safety Ji’Ayir Brown at No. 87 and Alabama tight end Cameron Latu at No. 101 in the third round.

Other notable selections from the 2023 NFL Draft include Georgia tight end Darnell Washington to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee wideout Jalin Hyatt to the New York Giants, and Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker to the Detroit Lions.

The Green Bay Packers picked Oregon State tight end Luke Musgrave and Michigan State wide receiver Jayden Reed in the second round, followed by South Dakota State tight end Tucker Kraft in the third round.

The Carolina Panthers drafted Ole Miss wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, while the Las Vegas Raiders traded with the Indianapolis Colts to select Michael Mayer. Lastly, the Titans traded with the Cardinals to pick Kentucky quarterback Will Levis.

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The Philadelphia Eagles have reunited two Georgia football defensive pairs by selecting defensive tackle Jalen Carter and edge rusher Nolan Smith in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Carter and Smith will join their former teammates Jordan Davis and NaKobe Dean from the Bulldogs’ historically dominant 2021 defense, which allowed only 10.2 points per game.

As a rookie, Davis appeared in 13 games, with five starts and 18 tackles as a defensive lineman. He will now compete with Carter for playing time, as they did in 2021 when they formed a powerful one-two punch on the defensive interior. Dean played in 17 games as a reserve and special teams player for the Eagles.

Carter was the first Georgia player selected in the draft after being involved in an off-field controversy, where he pled guilty to reckless driving and racing. His selection was followed by offensive tackle Broderick Jones at No. 14 and Nolan Smith at No. 30, making it a total of three Georgia players in the first round.

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Ohio State University (OSU) Football team achieved a unique honor in becoming the first school in NFL draft history to have 90 players selected. With three first-round selections, OSU has shown enduring success in producing top players for the next level. The team’s continued development and recruitment efforts ensure the future continues to look promising.

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The Cincinnati Bengals selected Clemson junior edge player Myles Murphy with the 28th pick in Thursday night’s first round of the NFL draft. At 21 years old, the 6-5, 268-pound defensive lineman is the youngest Bengal and the first defensive lineman chosen by the team in the first round since 2001.

Murphy recorded 18.5 sacks and 36 tackles for loss in 35 games, contributing to one of the NFL’s most feared rush tandems along with Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard. He is the only player in the nation to have at least 10 tackles for loss and one forced fumble in each of the last three seasons.

The Georgia native was unable to showcase his skills at the NFL scouting combine due to a pulled hamstring, but his recent 9.71 relative athletic score out of ten demonstrates his impressive athletic abilities. With a high motor, natural knee bend, and versatility as an edge defender, Murphy is an exciting addition to the Bengals’ defense.

In the second round, the Bengals picked up Michigan cornerback DJ Turner II, known for his exceptional speed. With six rounds remaining, fans eagerly await further additions to the roster as the team builds a strong lineup for the upcoming season.

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