Post-Combine 1QB Rookie Rankings: Round Two
I gave my top 12 players post-combine in part one, and now we go on to the next 12. As you can see, there is still so much talent on the board. I think many of the players in my rankings 13 to 24 really helped themselves at the combine. Let’s go ahead and look at the rankings!
2.01 Ladd McConkey, WR Georgia
McConkey was sometimes overlooked and is very underrated for what he did in the SEC. He dealt with injuries in 2023 but had his highest yards per reception at over 16 yards. Georgia kept on bringing in talented receivers and McConkey continued to be their top receiver outside of Brock Bowers. At the Combine, McConkey put up the sixth-fastest 40-yard dash time. This backed up the film that showed his great releases and his yards after the catch. You should not overlook him because he could be a great WR2 for a team.
2.02 JJ McCarthy, QB Michigan
McCarthy is such a hard evaluation for me. You see glimpses of what he can do but also there is inconsistency. He was in a run-heavy offense but did make a lot of big throws, especially in the wins against Ohio State. McCarthy is athletic and is what the NFL is looking for in terms of being able to create off-platform. He has a strong arm as he showed at the Combine and in two years starting had a 4.8 to 1 TD/INT Ratio. The hype is moving up for him and you just cannot ignore it.
2.03 Jonathon Brooks, RB Texas
Brooks lands as the third running back in my rankings but is no fault of him. He tore his ACL, so he was not able to participate in drills. With the speed of Jaylen Wright and Trey Benson, I think they surpassed him as of now. But Brooks could very well end up being top of this class. He only had one year of good production but was behind Bijan Robinson. He is a smooth runner with good vision and shows the patience to allow for holes to open up. I think he is a three-down back who could be in RB2 conversations if he returns healthy.
2.04 Blake Corum, RB Michigan
Corum had a terrific career at Michigan with over 3,700 total yards. He came off a knee injury in 2022 and had a slow start but what a finish. Corum did not need to do much receiving in the last two years but had 24 receptions in 2021, so he is more than capable. His size might bring some detractors, but he shows power and has some of the best vision of the class. He constantly shows his moves to sidestep defenders and is a guy I think teams will just want to be a part of their roster.
2.05 Roman Wilson, WR Michigan
This is the third Wolverine in this round but Wilson had his best year in 2023 and was uncoverable at the Senior Bowl. I was surprised how fast Wilson ran at the NFL Combine and to me that solidifies him for me in this spot. He only had 48 catches in 2023 but 12 of those were touchdowns. He prides himself on his run blocking and was able to line up more outside this year. He is lethal on crosses and posts and has the speed to separate. He most likely will be in the slot but will be very good in the short and intermediate areas. I will be interested if he can develop more as a deep threat in the NFL.
2.06 MarShawn Lloyd, RB USC
Lloyd was a big-time recruit coming out of high school but just had so many injuries early on. He was displayed more at USC in 2024 and had over 1,000 total yards. Lloyd has quick feet and is explosive in the open field. He has crazy acceleration and I wonder if he could be used as a slasher similar to Jahmyr Gibbs. One thing I worry about is the lack of carries for Lloyd in college and how he can stand up to punishment in the NFL.
2.07 Troy Franklin, WR Oregon
I was wrong about Franklin, because I questioned if he reached his ceiling in 2022 but he increased his stats in every category. He is slim at 187 lbs. and did not really move the needle at the NFL Combine. I thought he may have run faster, and the gauntlet drill did not wow many watching. I still see a great player that could be a steal at this spot.
2.08 Devontez Walker, WR North Carolina
Walker had a huge second year at Kent State and decided to move up competition to the ACC at North Carolina. His season started late because of transfer issues, and he had an up-and-down season. He had three games over 100 yards and three games of under 50 yards. He is fast as he ran the fourth-fastest time for receivers at the NFL Combine but needs a lot of refining in his game. The speed and explosion are just too much not to take a chance on Walker.
2.09 Ricky Pearsall, WR Florida
Pearsall, much like Wilson, helped his stock at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine. He had his best year of his career in 2023 with 65 catches for 963 yards. Pearsall never had more than five touchdowns and is an older prospect but showed his speed at the Combine. He has very strong hands and is quick in and out of breaks, giving him great separation. That is the name of the game in the NFL nowadays.
2.10 Jermaine Burton, WR Alabama
After two years at Georgia, Burton moved to Alabama hoping for more opportunities. He did get more targets but not as many as I would have thought. Burton shows promise with his ability, but consistency has always been a problem with him. He is explosive with the ball but at times struggled in getting separation. Seeing where Burton fell shows the depth of this receiver class.
2.11 Keon Coleman, WR Florida State
Coleman burst onto the scene after transferring to Florida State this year with a three-touchdown performance in the opener against LSU. He somewhat leveled off at the end of the season with the injury to Jordan Travis. Coleman is a big playmaker and great in jump-ball situations. I did not think he would be that fast, but his 40-time is disappointing, and I do wonder if he will be next in line of big receivers who drop down the draft.
2.12 Michael Penix, QB Washington
If this had been a few years ago, I think Michael Penix Jr might be a higher prospect. He is more in line with a traditional drop-back passer. He has 400 rushing yards in six years, so he can move around but he feels more comfortable maneuvering in the pocket to throw the ball downfield. Penix put up monster numbers at Washington and has such a beautiful deep ball. His mechanics can look awkward and does struggle when you get him off his spot. Penix is tough and I put him here because of his throwing ability and I think someone is likely to give him a shot on day two of the draft.
There are still plenty of big names out there. Who will make it into part three of the rankings? Make sure to check in the next couple of days to find out.
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