Daily Slop – 25 Mar 25 – Boston College DE Donovan Ezeiruaku could be who the Commanders are looking for

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Mock Draft Monday | FOX Sports’ Rob Rang gives Commanders top safety prospect

This week, we’re focusing on a mock draft from FOX Sports’ Rob Rang, who thinks Washington could take one of the best safeties in the class.

Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

The safety position didn’t start as a need for the Commanders this offseason, but it certainly became one once Jeremy Chinn agreed to terms with the Las Vegas Raiders on a two-year contract.

Washington has since addressed the position by adding veteran Will Harris, who has experience playing alongside cornerback Marshon Lattimore. At 29 years old, Harris is the physical, competitive player head coach Dan Quinn desires on his roster. He’s a willing tackler and can handle himself in coverage — two qualities the Commanders needed more of on their defense in 2024.

Even with Harris’ addition, the Commanders could benefit from finding a young player who could immediately fall into the rotation while developing into a more impactful player. And with safety not being considered a “premium” position similar to offensive line, cornerback and pass rusher, there’s a chance such a prospect falls to them at No. 29.

Fox Sports’ Rob Rang has the Commanders taking Malaki Starks, widely considered one of this year’s best safeties, off the board and bolstering their secondary.

“Washington addressed the issue in free agency by signing Will Harris from the Saints, but should the instinctive Starks still be on the board, the Commanders would be wise to double down at the position,” Rang wrote.

There are other safeties in this draft class with a more athletic profile than Starks. For example, South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori — Starks’ best competition for being the best safety in the draft — drew attention at the combine for recording a 4.38 40-yard dash in addition to position-best numbers in the vertical jump (43 inches) and broad jump (11-foot-6). Like Starks, Emmanwori is physical and excels at the line of scrimmage with 88 tackles and four interceptions in 2024.

However, Kiper ranks Starks as the best safety on his board because of his position flexibility, overall talent and intelligence. Most analysts view him as someone who can start and raise a defense’s ceiling as a rookie.

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Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)

NFL Draft Profile: DE Donovan Ezeiruaku

Last week in the State of the Roster breakdowns I wrote, I said I believed defensive end was the biggest need for the Commanders going into the draft, so this week I’m going to look at some edge rushers.

One of the most common names I’ve seen linked to the Commanders at 29, and one of the most requested names I received on twitter for a breakdown, was Donovan Ezeiruaku. Ezeiruaku comes out of Boston College and at the NFL combine he measured in at 6-foot-2, 248 pounds with 34-inch arms. 6-foot-2 is a little undersized and it does show up at times, but the arm length does help make up for it too. But with that shorter frame comes some upside too.

The thing that jumps off the screen when watching Ezeiruaku is his ability to bend and dip around the edge. He has an elite ability to get low and turn the corner sharply which makes it very hard for tackles to secure the edge against him.

This clip shows two great examples of Ezeiruaku’s bend and dip around the edge. On the first play of the clip, Ezeiruaku comes off the snap slightly slow and fakes working inside against the right tackle. However, after his second step, he suddenly bursts outside towards the edge. You can see his ability to get low and dip underneath the tackle who attempts to use his hands to cut him off. By getting so low, he gives the tackle very little to target. Once he gets beyond the tackle we can see the ability to bend the edge. He stays low and turns the corner sharply, showing good ankle flexion to cut that angle down and get past the tackle in a hurry. From there he’s able to close quickly and make the sack.

On the second play of the clip, Ezeiruaku gets chipped by the tight end, which delays him getting into his rush. Despite that, Ezeiruaku makes up for lost time. He dips and bends at an insane level to get under and around the right tackle. The tackle barely gets a hand on him and Ezeiruaku closes quickly on the quarterback. Unfortunately, the chip help bought the quarterback just enough time to make his throw, but the rush from Ezeiruaku was still a good one.

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The Athletic (paywall)

Commanders NFL Draft big board 2.0: Hunting for edge rushers, cornerbacks, playmakers

Trading for five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel increased the Commanders’ number of high-end players while addressing areas of need. Yet the core of the over two dozen moves allows the front office to consider any prospect in next month’s draft, regardless of position.

One-year contracts remaining the norm ensured that incoming draft prospects would not be blocked on the depth chart in the name of short-term fixes.

Washington likely will target weaker areas with its premium selections, Nos. 29 and 61: edge defender, cornerback and offensive playmaker at running back or wide receiver. Linebacker, tight end and line depth might be the focus for Washington’s trio of Day 3 selections. The Commanders can roll out viable rotations within every position, which means that, like the selection of defensive tackle Johnny Newton in last year’s second round, Peters should feel comfortable drafting the best talent available.

Please keep that in mind as we explore prospects to consider for the Commanders over the three days of the April 24-26 NFL Draft. Thanks to three significant trades since November, the most crucial change is that, at least for now, Washington holds only five selections after drafting nine players in 2024.

Ezeiruaku, a bendy edge rusher with 16 1/2 sacks and 21 tackles for loss last season, and the explosive Pearce (17 1/2 sacks and 28 tackles for loss since 2023) have comparable upside with a lower floor.

Ezeiruaku’s 248-pound frame isn’t the poster child for a stout defender able to shut off the perimeter for a defense that ranked 30th against the run last season. Pearce is also built for edge rushing. His 1.56 time in the 10-yard split — best among all defensive ends at the combine — will have Peters swooning. Reports about his shaky football character make it challenging to gauge where or whether Pearce is selected in Round 1. The Athletic’s draft insider Dane Brugler ranked Pearce 21st before the combine:

“Long and athletic, Pearce is able to convert his speed to power, and he rushes from a low position to forklift blockers using his extended levers,” Brugler wrote. “There are some question marks about his ability in the run game, but he chases with terrific effort to make stops near the sideline.”

Public perception has Jackson (13 sacks, 24 tackles for loss over his final two seasons with the Razorbacks) and Scourton (led Big Ten with 10 sacks in 2023) closer to top-50 prospects than first-rounders. Both are mentioned here because their fierce playing styles, larger frames and leadership qualities (each was named a college captain) align with Washington’s desires. Therefore, the chances of either being the call at No. 29 or early second round following a trade-down cannot be ruled out.

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Riggo’s’ Rag

Commanders projected to gamble on Asante Samuel Jr. despite injury concerns

Kristopher Knox from The Bleacher Report tabbed Asante Samuel Jr. as a viable possibility for the Commanders before the draft. The analyst highlighted an injury concern that has put teams off up to this point. However, the gifted defensive back would have a friend in the building to vouch for his credentials and smooth the transition to a different environment.

“Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. likely remains available because of health concerns. According to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, the stinger injuries that Samuel dealt with in 2024 have been a persistent ailment that the cornerback was “born with.” Samuel appeared in only four games last season because of the condition. Samuel would also fit well with the Washington Commanders. Washington doesn’t have a dire need for defensive backs after ranking third in passing yards allowed last season. However, defensive backs coach Tommy Donatell was Samuels’ secondary coach in L.A. for his first three seasons.”

Kristopher Knox

Everything must be checked out on the health front before this becomes more realistic. Samuel’s stinger complications are an ongoing concern — something he’s learned to live with and carve out a productive career for himself. The player’s competitive fire and willingness to take on the biggest challenges are traits Quinn always looks for, so there are far worse avenues the Commanders could go down.

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NFL trade grades, 2025 offseason: Who won Deebo Samuel, DK Metcalf deals?

Deebo Samuel trade

Commanders receive:

• WR Deebo Samuel – Grade B+

49ers receive:

• 2025 fifth-round pick (No. 147) – Grade B

Deebo Samuel’s fit in Washington is legit. He might be coming off a down season, but he can still gobble up YAC. In 2024, Samuel tied with Zay Flowers for the fifth-most yards after the catch over expected (YCOE) among NFL receivers, with 120, behind only Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb , A.J. Brown and Puka Nacua . That’s good company for a wideout who recently admitted to being 10 pounds over his listed weight of 215.

Commanders coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s love of screens and getting his playmakers in space should be a boon, setting up a potential bounce-back season for Deebo. This move is much like Houston’s acquisition of Stefon Diggs last year; Washington is getting “a motivated” player who will match well with WR1 Terry McLaurin .

Taking on Samuel’s big $17.46 million cap figure for 2024 and giving up a pick dings the grade slightly for Washington, but another playmaker for Jayden Daniels was never going to come cheap. The recent contract revision that added $3 million in incentives was a savvy move by the front office, adding another carrot for Samuel to chase.

In a world where pick swaps have become en vogue, snagging a fifth-round choice while dumping salary isn’t a bad return for a player who might have been outright released if the Niners had found no takers. Samuel struggled last year, posting the lowest yards-per-touch mark (8.7) of his career, and the team seemed to sour on the situation. With the club apparently aiming to get its books in order after several seasons of spending big, Samuel always looked like a target to be moved. Kyle Shanahan has pieces to help fill the void — presuming they can stay healthy. The key is Ricky Pearsall , who showed big-time flashes down the stretch as a rookie. He won’t be blocked by costlier teammates from the jump in Year 2.

Laremy Tunsil trade

Commanders receive:

• OT Laremy Tunsil
• 2025 fourth-round pick (No. 128)

Grade A-

Texans receive:

• 2025 third-round pick (No. 79)
• 2025 seventh-round pick (No. 236)
• 2026 second-round pick
• 2026 fourth-round pick

Grade B-

I’m already on record with this being a positive trade for Washington. There are only so many wall-sealing left tackles on the planet. The Commanders had a chance to acquire one, and they pounced. It’s smart. If Laremy Tunsil cleans up his penalties — which I expect him to — they have a lock-down tackle to protect star young quarterback Jayden Daniels . This move wasn’t cheap, and it could cost more if an extension comes down the pike, but these are the types of swings clubs on the up-slope should take. And I don’t expect the 30-year-old to fall off a cliff.

Houston traded its best blocker on a horrific offensive line. That hurt. However, acquiring assets for an older player gives the Texans more bites at the apple to fix the unit over time. The crew was already bad with Tunsil last season. Adding Cam Robinson as a follow-up move is a downgrade, and it likely won’t ease the penalty issue, but he’s still an experienced player who should work in coordinator Nick Caley’s system. Houston also scooped up veteran OT Trent Brown on a one-year deal. The next phase is to use the picks from the Tunsil trade to strengthen the group for the long haul.

Kenneth Murray Jr. trade

Cowboys receive:

• LB Kenneth Murray Jr.
• 2025 seventh-round pick (No. 239)

Grade C

Titans receive:

• 2025 sixth-round pick (No. 188)

Grade C+

The Cowboys won’t spend in free agency but were comfortable taking on a linebacker with a $7.66 million cap hit. Seems odd. Kenneth Murray Jr. is an innings eater with 67 career starts and 416 total tackles. Given the Cowboys’ struggles against the run, you’d have thought players they’d chase this offseason would excel, but Murray has been below-average as a run-defender.

Dallas certainly needed aid in the middle of the defense with DeMarvion Overshown’s injury. On the positive side, it didn’t cost much draft capital and Murray is just 26 with a lot of experience. I’d be more excited if Murray had a history with Matt Eberflus, but this is an average add.

The low trade cost suggests that the Titans were planning on moving on from the linebacker, so kudos to the front office for getting something, even if it was just moving up 51 draft spots near the end of the selection process.

Kaiir Elam trade

Cowboys receive:

• CB Kaiir Elam
• 2025 sixth-round pick (No. 204)

Grade C

Bills receive:

• 2025 fifth-round pick (No. 170)
• 2026 seventh-round pick

Grade C

Dallas lost Jourdan Lewis in free agency and responded by taking a swing at a former first-round pick who had worn out his welcome in Buffalo long ago. Kaiir Elam never looked comfortable in Sean McDermott’s scheme, immediately getting bypassed by sixth-round draftmate Christian Benford.

In three seasons, Elam generated a +23.5 target EPA with a +10.6 completion percentage over expected (CPOE) allowed (negatives are better for corners). When forced into duty in games where McDermott needed to play more man (i.e., against Patrick Mahomes), Elam was picked on incessantly.

This trade was about two years in the making in Buffalo, and the light asset recoup shouldn’t be a surprise for a first-round pick who played just 533 coverage snaps over five years.

The Cowboys are taking a swing that, in Matt Eberflus’ scheme — another zone-heavy one — Elam can find a stride and become the player scouts projected during the draft process. It’s a cheap play but isn’t a surefire answer to Dallas’ corner questions heading toward the draft.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade

Texans receive:

• S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
• 2026 sixth-round pick

Grade A-

Eagles receive:

• OG Kenyon Green
• 2026 fifth-round pick

Grade C+

Houston gave up a struggling lineman who’d been injured/benched in exchange for a starting safety who can bring attitude to DeMeco Ryans’ secondary. A former first-rounder, Kenyon Green was either hurt or highly ineffective. There was no coming back in Houston. Moving him for a starter with plus attributes to replace Eric Murray, who signed in Jacksonville, is a boon.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson provides multifaceted ability to the Texans’ secondary alongside Calen Bullock and Jalen Pitre. Gardner-Johnson’s ability to play deep, near the line and — if needed — at nickel fits nicely in Ryans’ D. That he brings attitude to the AFC South adds some pizzazz.

After the trade, the justifying scuttle surrounding CJGJ in Philadelphia was that the safety missed too many tackles and gave up big plays for the Super Bowl champion defense. However, it was mainly about shedding the contract. The Eagles will miss his physical style as they lean into youngsters.

The move did give Howie Roseman his latest first-round reclamation project in Green. The Eagles will hand the 24-year-old, who started 23 games in his career, to O-line guru Jeff Stoutland and hope he works magic again. Stoutland did wonders for Mekhi Becton, moving him from tackle to guard. Reclaiming Green might be a tougher task.

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Philly Voice

What’s left for the Eagles to do in free agency?

Safety

A few weeks ago, the Eagles had good depth at safety, but after the surprise trade of Gardner-Johnson, they don’t.

Are they Eagles good to go at safety? Brown hasn’t been a starter yet in his career, and the depth is suspect. What the Eagles could use is a depth piece who can double as a safety and slot corner after losing Avonte Maddox in free agency.

Interior offensive line

Mekhi Becton left in free agency, and the Eagles traded C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Texans for Kenyon Green, setting up a potential camp battle at RG between Green and Tyler Steen. The Eagles also don’t really have a backup center. Brett Toth and Nick Gates were on the roster last season for that purpose, but whenever Cam Jurgens went down, the Eagles slid Landon Dickerson to center from LG. They still need a position-versatile interior offensive lineman backup.

Are the Eagles good to go along the interior of their offensive line? No, but there really isn’t anything left in free agency. The Eagles have had a bunch of linemen in for Top 30 visits, so it feels like they’re waiting for the draft to fill the offensive line pipeline.

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ftnfantasy.com

2024 AGL: 49ers Get Smacked Down by Injuries

The 49ers ranked 31st in offensive AGL and 30th in defensive Adjusted Games Lost (AGL). It was a huge change from the 2023 season, when the 49ers won the NFC after finishing fourth in fewest AGL.

Adjusted games lost doesn’t just add up total injuries. It accounts for both absent players and those playing at less than 100%, and it specifically measures injuries to expected starters and important situational players rather than little-used backups. As such, AGL estimates the impact of injuries on teams and provides a comparable total that often succinctly explains why teams improved or declined from one year to the next.

Other teams that had a ton of AGL last season included Las Vegas, New Orleans, Carolina, and Miami. The top seven teams in AGL missed the playoffs. The highest AGL for a playoff team belonged to Detroit, which ranked second in fewest AGL on offense but 32nd with the worst AGL on defense. The Lions had the sixth-worst total of defensive AGL ever measured, going back to 2001.

On the other side of the docket, the Baltimore Ravens finished first with just 16.3 AGL. This was the lowest total since the 2017 Falcons and less than half of any other team’s AGL in the 2024 season. The Ravens had the fewest number of important injuries on both offense and defense. Only one player we counted for AGL missed more than two games this season: wide receiver Nelson Agholor, who missed three games.

Other teams with very few injuries included the Super Bowl champion Eagles as well as Chicago and Atlanta. Six of the eight best teams in AGL made the playoffs: Ravens, Eagles, Commanders, Broncos, Packers, and Bills.

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Discussion topics

Sportico

Investing in Athlete Futures Proves to Be a Hard Sell

It’s a simple idea that seems to have lots of obvious appeal: An athlete sells a future stream of income in return for a bucket of money today. For the players, the cash helps bridge the time to the pros, pay for travel or extra training that will boost their chances or simply allow them hedge with the reality that only a few athletes ever make it big. In return, investors get to participate in the upside, with fan-investors getting the added frisson of a future star to cheer for.

But it seems athlete income-sharing, in most cases, just isn’t getting off the ground.

“It’s hard predicting what 16, 17 year-old kids are going to do,” said Chris Heller, the cofounder of Cordillera Investment Partners, an alternative investment firm planning to direct hundreds of millions of dollars into sports in the coming years. “What is their career going to be? If you get to them early enough, your expected returns are going to be higher, but the volatility—the range of outcomes—is much wider as well. It’s a problem.”

On the institutional side, the main problem is how to evaluate and invest in enough players to start to have predictable returns.

While fundraising is not necessarily a reflection of BLA’s investment performance, its third fund, which was targeted to raise $250 million, had $41.6 million in assets as of a March 2024 regulatory filing. That suggests that even at scale, the big money of the type that would invest through BLA isn’t sold on the player investing idea.

Reviewing all of the retail-focused deal terms show the fan-focused offerings probably have two stumbling blocks. One is that these offerings tend not to be attractive from an investment standpoint. In the case of Kyrgios, each $2 security will initially receive a $0.04 yield annually, a dividend that changes based on a complex algorithm that tracks the tennis player’s social media growth.

The other stumbling block is simpler and probably the reason these deals haven’t seen greater demand: There is no example of a big win for buyers. Sports betting firms can promote the parlay that paid a bettor thousands of dollars, while meme stocks, the fervor for which athlete stock issuers dream of creating, also provide the thrill of huge profits, even if just briefly and just on paper for most. In athlete investing, there’s been no big winner to point to….

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The top pick in the 2025 Draft

The Athletic (paywall)

Charting Cam Ward: What numbers say about star’s 2025 NFL Draft prospects

Cam Ward’s reputation as a prospect suffers because the rest of the class is not up to snuff.

So much air has been spent this offseason talking about how this is not the year to draft a quarterback — compared to last year, it’s hard to argue that. Six quarterbacks went in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and at least three of them (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye) would have been top-five picks in any class. Even prospects a tier or two below those guys (namely, Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr.) acquitted themselves well down the back half of their rookie seasons.

The 2025 class, by contrast, has just Ward and Sanders as prospects worth any first-round discussion. The volume of quality prospects just isn’t there, like it was a year ago.

That disappointment about the class at large has inadvertently dampened Ward’s profile. He too often gets cast as “QB6 or QB7, if he were in last year’s class,” because that helps represent how much worse this year’s group is overall. In reality, though, Ward would have been no worse than QB4 in the 2024 class — and he would have been an easy top-10 pick, even with all the other competition.

Imperfect as he may be, Ward is the kind of player I’m going to bet on every time. The arm talent, athleticism, poise, and playmaking creativity are all present. Ward also clearly has gotten better the more he has played, turning from a zero-star high school prospect signed by Incarnate Word to leading Miami to one of its best seasons in recent memory. Improvement is a skill, and Ward seems to have it.

Ward is a step down from the elite prospects of the 2024 class, but he’s still a top-10 pick in his own right. In a class without any other obvious star quarterbacks, it’s easy to understand why he could be the first player off the board come April.

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Deadspin

Abdul Carter Says He Will Be No. 1 Overall NFL Draft Pick: Will He Be?

Abdul Carter took to social media Monday afternoon to manifest himself as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The first round of the draft is exactly one month away. After a very successful career at Penn State, Carter is lined up to be the top defensive lineman selected.

“Don’t let all this QB need talk fool y’all,” Carter said. “It’s already known who’s the best, and no QB is in that discussion! Like I said, the best player goes number 1.”

The Tennessee Titans hold the No. 1 overall pick, and despite Carter’s theory that the best player goes No. 1, there’s a desperate need for a quarterback in Nashville.

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All aTwitter

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