September 07, 2024
During the college football season each year, as long as you're watching the games, we point out five players each week to keep an eye on who make logical sense for the Philadelphia Eagles in the following year's NFL Draft.
Loveland is one of the top tight ends in the country, and a receiving threat who can line up all over the formation. He averages over 14 yards per catch over his career at Michigan:
| Colston Loveland | Rec | Yards | YPC | TD |
| 2022 | 16 | 235 | 14.7 | 2 |
| 2023 | 45 | 649 | 14.4 | 4 |
He's a good route runner and a big target with a tall frame who can break tackles and get yards after the catch.
Loveland is also a willing blocker at the line of scrimmage and a very good blocker out in space in front of screens and other catches down the field.
Spoiler: We'll be previewing a lot of tight ends this year with Dallas Goedert turning 30 and 2025 being the final year of his contract.
Jackson is a high ceiling type of prospect with an impressive blend of size and athleticism, but who is a bit of a late bloomer and needs more development. In 2023, he had 44 tackles (13.5 for loss) and 6.5 sacks. He had a breakout game against Alabama when he had 3.5 sacks.
He's primarily an edge defender, but he can also play inside. Plays hard, good motor. He's a possible first-round pick if he builds on his breakout season of a year ago.
A year ago, Corleone came in at No. 16 on Bruce Feldman's "freaks" list, a rarity for a nose tackle.
He has size 18 shoes and size 11 hands. He emerged as a star last season in his debut for the Bearcats. His 94.7 percent run grade was the best, according to PFF, since Micah Parsons in 2019. Corleone was PFF’s highest rated defensive player last year, landing a spot on the AP’s third-team All-American squad — and as a backup nose tackle...
His power is something special. He benches 485, squats 605 and deadlifts 700. He also can really move, clocking 18 MPH on the GPS and running a 4.68 pro shuttle. The only defensive tackle over 300 pounds at the combine with a faster shuttle this year was Wisconsin’s 309-pound Keeanu Benton, who ran a 4.65.
He was 31st on Feldman's updated list this summer.
In 2022, Corleone had 44 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 recoveries. In 2023, Corleone had 39 tackles, 3 sacks, and a forced fumble.
The Eagles don't really have a backup nose tackle, and if they're going to have speed guys on the edges they may have to overcompensate with brick walls on the interior to stop the run.
And, of course, "Don" Corleone is a Hall of Fame prospect name. Late Day 2 guy.
Nwankpa was a five-star recruit coming out of high school who decided to stay in his home state of Iowa. He has great size, good speed, and he is quick to attack downhill against the run. He plays a variety of roles in Iowa's defense, but will probably be best suited closer to the line of scrimmage at the pro level. Here he is making a spectacular INT from the deep middle.
Xavier Nwankpa. My goodness. pic.twitter.com/m3nl2isC48
— Brennen Rupp (@Brennen_Rupp) August 6, 2024
Vic Fangio prioritizes versatility in his defense, and Nwankpa is a safety who can do a lot of different things.
Belton originally enrolled at Georgia Military College in 2019, spent two years there, and then transferred to NC State in 2021. He didn't play much in 2021, but he was the starting LT in 2022 and 2023. So, you know, he's old, and thus will likely be a Day 3 pick. But... he's big and powerful. There are a bunch of fun videos of his tossing dudes on Twitter. Like this:
Vacation isn’t gonna stop me from watching Anthony Belton (LT 74) finish his blockspic.twitter.com/iY1y28KiwD
— Draft Guy Jared (@DraftGuyJared) August 19, 2024
And this:
Anthony Belton just burying dudes out here in the flat! pic.twitter.com/IppL8rUUet
— Mike Spencer Hrynyshyn (@MikeHrynyshyn) June 24, 2024
He'll have a tough assignment against Tennessee's potential top 10 pick, edge rusher James Pearce.
I think the Eagles will view Belton as a guard.
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