2024 NFL Draft: Top prospects at Baylor and BYU feat. Kingsley Suamataia
The Big 12 welcomes BYU into the conference and the Cougars enter the league with an incredibly talented roster.
Meanwhile Baylor, at one time a conference powerhouse, will struggle as their roster is depleted.
Top NFL prospects at Baylor
Baylor has had a lot of recent success on the field and in the NFL Draft. Over the past two Aprils, the program had five players selected on Day 2 of the draft. It’ll be tough sledding moving forward, as the majority of Baylor’s prospects have mid-Day 3 grades.
Baylor's Garmon Randolph has the name of a CPU-generated recruit, and he's also massive at 6'7", 265 pounds, but he's an interesting pass-rusher who looks more comfortable dropping into zone than expected.
Has a long way to go consistency-wise but he was a fun find. https://t.co/RHl4tPBXpo
If there's one player who could move up draft boards and crack the top 100 selections, it would be Garmon Randolph. A talented pass rusher who comes out of a three-point stance or stands over tackle, Randolph shows a lot of athleticism in his game and easily moves around the field, penetrating the line of scrimmage and chasing plays in backside pursuit.
He has an NFL frame at 6-foot-6, 253 pounds, and times the 40 in the low 4.7s. If he pulls it together this season, Randolph could charge up draft boards.
Keep an eye on Drake Dabney, an underrated pass catcher with terrific hands. Dabney has excellent length and finds ways to split the seam. He’s been marginally productive the past two years, but like Randolph, he will start to get much more notice if he turns in a good campaign.
Baylor pro prospects to keep an eye on in 2023
Top NFL prospects at BYU
After maintaining independent status since 2011, BYU jumps back into league play with their entrance into the Big 12. This is a talented roster that could impact the conference and extend that impact into the NFL Draft.
Most of the top prospects on the Cougars depth chart reside on offense.
Oregon transfer Kingsley Suamataia was very impressive during his first season at BYU and is gaining a lot of steam in the scouting community.
He’s a large yet mobile tackle who quickly gets to the second level and shows a lot of ability in motion. Suamataia displays terrific footwork in pass protection and the ability to slide off the edge and shut down pass rushers. He’ll need to max out that skill this season since he's making the move from right tackle to the blind side. He presently holds a second-round grade on my board, but the first round is not out of the question.
Isaac Rex struggled with injury last season, yet he has shown a lot of ability since 2021.
He’s your typical BYU tight end who consistently gets down the field and catches the ball extremely well. With so many receivers graduating from BYU, Rex must prove he is the main pass-catching target this season.
If there is a super sleeper on the offensive line few are talking about, it’s Caleb Etienne. He is a massive lineman who moves incredibly well and consistently dominates opponents. Etienne did a good job at left tackle for Oklahoma State last season, but he moves to the right side at BYU, which is a more natural spot for him and his best position at the next level.
BYU QB @Kedonslovis walks us through his decision to transfer to BYU. Slovis, started his career at USC, then Pitt, now finds himself as the Cougars starting QB https://t.co/sGZbZlVAO0
Kedon Slovis is now the starting quarterback for a third college team. After beginning his college career at USC and then moving to Pittsburgh last season, many were surprised Slovis transferred to BYU.
He is a nice-sized passer with big hands and a live arm. Slovis has all the potential to be a middle-round pick, and the BYU offense should fit him like a glove.
At #17, it's Micah Harper. He finished last season as BYU's third-leading tackler with 62 stops (35 solo), 2.5 tackles-for-loss, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles. His performance earned him the status of Honorable Mention Freshman All-American by CFN. #30Cougs30Days https://t.co/a1crnG276U
The top defensive prospect on the Cougars roster is safety Micah Harper, a smaller but fierce defensive back with great range in center field. Harper, who holds a third-round grade on my board, shows terrific awareness as well as ball skills in coverage and is very aggressive defending the run. I’m told if he has a good season, Harper will likely enter the draft.
There is a lot of love in the scouting community for linebacker Ben Bywater, a fierce run stuffer who makes a lot of tackles. He has great computer numbers (6-foot-3.5, 240 pounds, 4.65 seconds in the 40), yet they don’t always translate on film. An older prospect, I’m told Bywater will enter the draft after the 2023 season.
BYU pro prospects to keep an eye on in 2023