DANIEL BARKER TE / ILLINOIS
Barker has an unusual combination of size, balance, and agility, as well as having long arms and soft hands. He holds the program’s record for career touchdowns with 11, despite sharing targets in a crowded tight end room and battling through struggling quarterback play. Large catch radius, good in the run block game, and explosive after the catch in space regardless of his 255 lb frame. With solid performances and interviews at the Senior Bowl & NFL Combine, Barker could see his stock skyrocket from a projected mid-to-late Day 3 prospect to somewhere in the mid-to-late Day 2 range of the NFL Draft in April.
DAVID BELL WR / PURDUE
Could be the most polished, pro-ready WR in a very deep class in 2022. Capped off a remarkably productive career with the Boilermakers with 232 receptions for 2,946 yards & 21 touchdowns. Not a burner in the open field like some of his higher regarded classmates, but Bell makes up for his lack of explosiveness with outstanding hands, body control, ball skills, and route running. Leaving with a year of eligibility left makes sense for Bell considering the iron for him will never be quite as hot next season as it is now.
ISAIAH PACHECO RB / RUTGERS
One of the biggest kept secrets and most intriguing talents in this RB class. While the overall rush yards and yards-per-carry were never impressive, Pacheco’s elite blend of size (5’11”, 215 lbs) and sub-4.4 speed make him a prospect NFL scouts have had an eye on since his freshman season. He was stifled by a disappointing offensive line and poor QB play throughout his career but still managed to ring up 18 TDs, including three of 80, 57, and 66 yards. Could have gone almost anywhere in the country coming out of high school but chose to remain home in his state of New Jersey and play for the hometown Rutgers. Expect an explosive NFL Combine performance!
GEORGE KARLAFTIS DE / PURDUE
No big surprise here! Potential top-10 pick in next April’s draft. Karlaftis has imposing size and power with a nonstop motor for wrecking game plans. He put the entire NFL world on notice with his dominating freshman season in 2019 and wrapped it up with an impressive 2021 campaign on film. What you see is what you get from George Karlaftis, and that is enough to have him projected gone no later than the first round. You can read more about him on our website using this link.
AUSTIN ALLEN TE / NEBRASKA
First-Team All-Big Team, 6’8”, 260 lbs, and moves like a gazelle! Allen had very little to no production in his career at Wisconsin until 2021 (where he had his best season by far), but the physical traits and tools are definitely present. Like most college tight ends, he wasn’t showcased a ton within the realms of the passing game and was delegated to a lot of inline and pull blocking. Therefore, his statistical output doesn’t support his skillset. With an already deep tight end class that’s expected to get deeper by the passing weeks, it’s going to be very riveting to see how the entire process plays itself out and who becomes the first one off the board.
TYLER GOODSON RB / IOWA
Yet another explosive running back from the Big Ten declared himself eligible for the upcoming draft, and he brings along 1,151 yards & 6 TDs from the 2021 season. Goodson amassed 3,116 yards and 19 TDs from scrimmage in just three seasons at Iowa. He’s 5’10” and 199 lbs, with the frame to fill out more if needed, and he has a second gear to reach paydirt, which is highly coveted in the NFL. This particular running back class has a very unique vibe to it, and the deciding factor in how they all come off the board could be based more on scheme fit and complementary value over just sheer talent.
DREW SINGLETON LB / RUTGERS
A former Michigan Wolverine transfer after the 2018 season due to lack of playing time, Singleton spent the past three seasons at Rutgers, steadily improving and showing scouts just exactly what he is capable of. He has proven himself to be a very instinctual player in the run game and a sure tackler if nothing else. At 6’2” and 235 lbs, he has enough explosiveness to rush the passer, but only racking up one sack in three years could really hurt his perception in the NFL’s eyes when it comes to his pass rush value.
Edited By: Rupayan “Abs” Samanta.
