Ummm… is something totally bananas about to happen today?

I shared this last night, but I thought it was worth posting again:

2024 NFL Draft Position Rankings: Interior Defensive Linemen

1) JER’ZHAN NEWTON, ILLINOIS
BIG BOARD RANK: 10
Newton, an all-around interior defensive lineman, is productive as both a run defender and a pass-rusher. His overall size is on the smaller side, but his first step and elite hand speed allow him to live in backfields.

2) LEONARD TAYLOR III, MIAMI (FLA.)
BIG BOARD RANK: 33
Big men don’t often get the athlete label as a prospect, but at 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds, that’s what Taylor is. His pass-rush win rate is one of the highest at his position, making him one of the best — perhaps the best — pass-rushing defensive tackles in the class.

3) BYRON MURPHY II, TEXAS
BIG BOARD RANK: 44
T’Vondre Sweat gets most of the notoriety among Texas’ defensive linemen, but Murphy is also a future pro and showed that this season. He’s not a size monster like Sweat — Murphy is listed at 6-foot-1, 305 pounds — but his quickness and strength at the three-technique position yielded a 91.8 pass-rush grade in 2023. He also made Bruce Feldman’s “College Football Freaks List” for his strength, front squatting 455 pounds and power cleaning 375.

4) KRIS JENKINS, MICHIGAN
BIG BOARD RANK: 48
Jenkins is a powerful player in the middle of a defense. His run-defense abilities give him a very high floor as a projected pro. While his pass-rush production won’t pop out at you, it is improving.

5) BRANDON DORLUS, OREGON
BIG BOARD RANK: 52
Dorlus is a versatile defensive lineman. He has the size and strength to play on the interior, yet a surprisingly quick first step and hands to be a plus pass-rusher. He would be a great fit for defenses that stay multiple in their fronts.

Happy Pi Day, everyone! Dig in!

2024 NFL Draft Position Rankings: Running Backs

1) JONATHON BROOKS, TEXAS
BIG BOARD RANK: 64
At over six feet tall and over 200 pounds, Brooks shows impressive wiggle, agility, body control and long speed for a player with his build. He’s been one of the most productive backs in the country and is in the conversation to be the first back selected if he declares.

2) TREY BENSON, FLORIDA STATE
BIG BOARD RANK: 86
Benson forced missed tackles at one of the highest rates we’ve ever recorded in 2022. This season hasn’t been as flashy, but his speed, balance and agility remain.

3) BLAKE CORUM, MICHIGAN
BIG BOARD RANK: 95
Vision is the most important trait for any back, and Corum has it. He also has elite contact balance. His size (stride length) limits his long speed, but outside of that, he’s the total package as a runner with good receiving skills, too.

4) BUCKY IRVING, OREGON
BIG BOARD RANK: 103
Irving earned back-to-back 90.0-plus rushing grades to finish his college career, with his 90.8 mark from 2023 good for the third-best mark in the Pac-12. He’s averaged at least 3.9 yards after contact per attempt and forced at least 63 missed tackles in each of the past two seasons.

5) AUDRIC ESTIME, NOTRE DAME
BIG BOARD RANK: 106
Estime looks like an NFL back at 5-foot-11 and 227 pounds. His hulking frame makes you think he’s just a bruiser, but he has surprisingly quick feet for missed tackles and good explosiveness to convert speed-to-power in the form of yards after contact. His 94.0 PFF rushing grade was the best in the FBS this season, and his 0.30 missed tackles forced per attempt is a very high mark for a player of his size.