Inside: The respite from Aaron Rodgers’ headlines was shorter than we all hoped. More on that, plus Day 2 draft prospects to watch and draft guides for the Giants and Panthers. Let’s go!
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What Dianna’s Hearing: The Giants’ plan is in place
In the final week before the draft, the Giants will get one last up-close look at three quarterback prospects: Colorado’s Sanders, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Louisville’s Shough.
To many on the outside, this looks like last-minute re-shuffling — like maybe not everyone is on the same page.
After the conversations I had with a few league sources, I can tell you that’s not the case. The Giants, who are set to pick No. 3, are operating in lockstep. They know what they want in this draft, and these last-minute workouts are more about due diligence and preparing for every possible draft-weekend scenario.
Over to you, Jacob.
Aaron Rodgers on his Jets exit and future plans
Aaron Rodgers made headlines after an appearance on Pat McAfee’s show yesterday. Shocker, I know. He had some explosive things to say about his initial — and likely final — in-person conversation with Aaron Glenn.
But let’s cut to the chase: Will the 41-year-old play football again? The Steelers might not get an answer before the draft. Here’s what Rodgers said:
“Retirement still could be a possibility, but right now my focus is and has been and will continue to be on my personal life … and that’s what I told the coaches … There’s a sensitivity around some of the stuff that’s going on … (No,) I haven’t done any (ayahuasca or cave retreats).”
Rodgers also said that someone close to him is “really battling some difficult stuff,” which is why his focus isn’t on football. And, thanks to Mike Tomlin — who gave no deadline for a decision — Rodgers can focus on what matters most.
But as this storyline drags on longer than that free streaming trial you forgot to cancel (it’s been 28 days since he visited Pittsburgh), the Steelers are doing their homework on QB prospects, hosting Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and Louisville’s Tyler Shough. Syracuse’s Kyle McCord is visiting on Monday, three days before the draft.
Next: Do these pre-draft visits matter? Which Day 2 prospects are getting invited?
Mid-round gems to know
Top-30 draft visits matter even more than you might think. They are particularly telling in Pittsburgh, where five of the team’s seven 2024 draft picks visited beforehand. In 2023, Broderick Jones, Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton and Darnell Washington — their first four picks — all made top-30 visits. Yeah, these are informative (and Mike DeFabo’s tracker is invaluable).
With this draft being defined by its depth rather than star power, “The Athletic Football Show’s” recent episode on mid-round gems inspired these notes on two Day 2 prospects you should know (plus which teams are hosting them):
RB Cam Skattebo, Arizona State: The 23-year-old seeks contact similar to the LSU version of Leonard Fournette. Skattebo catches passes like Christian McCaffrey at Stanford. Last season, he ranked behind only Ashton Jeanty in total yards from scrimmage, and his 242-yard College Football Playoff performance against Texas cemented him as one of ASU fans’ most beloved players ever.
He’s a Day 2 prospect due to his age and lack of explosiveness. Daniel Jeremiah sees him as a James Connor-type. More on Skattebo here. Visits: Cardinals, Browns, Titans, Giants.
WR Tory Horton, Colorado State: Daniel and Dane Brugler aligned on Horton as a sleeper to watch. “I just think his game translates really well in the NFL,” said Daniel, with Dane highlighting Horton’s big 2023 game against Colorado (16 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown).
He’s a Day 2 prospect due to a right knee injury, which cost him the second half of 2024, and questions about his strength (though the 6-foot-2 prospect weighed in 10 pounds heavier than expected, at 196). The injury is less relevant after he ran a 4.41 40 at the combine. Visits: Packers, Bills.
For the full list of mid-round gems by Dane and Daniel, catch the podcast on YouTube.
Let’s turn to the draft guides.
Draft notes on NFC rebuilders
After covering the AFC stragglers on Wednesday, we turn to the NFC’s bottom-dwellers in today’s guide to The Athletic’s draft guides:
Giants (3-14)
Saquon Barkley’s departure and Daniel Jones’ struggles overshadowed an excellent draft by Giants GM Joe Schoen. In 2024, Schoen added a future superstar in Malik Nabers, young defensive building blocks in safety Tyler Nubin and nickel cornerback Dru Phillips, and a talented fifth round running back in Tyrone Tracy Jr.
It didn’t lead to wins, however, and they still need the following:
Don’t expect them to force a quarterback: “With the signing of (Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston), I think we put ourselves in a position where I don’t think (drafting a QB) is mandatory,” Schoen said. This makes Sanders at No. 3 unlikely. I could see them trading back into the first round, most likely with the Vikings at No. 24, to nab their quarterback of the future.
In beat reporter Charlotte Carroll’s best-case mock, she has New York adding Travis Hunter at No. 3 before reinforcing the OL with Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr., a bend-don’t-break blocker, at No. 34. She then trades up for QB Jaxson Dart at No. 36. All three are ideal.
Panthers (5-12)
Which teams drafting outside the top five can quickly fix their roster? The Athletic’s Derrik Klassen answered that this morning, writing that the Panthers are in a prime position to upgrade their inept defense by “finding an explosive pass rusher at No. 8.”
The Panthers had seven top-30 visits with edge rushers, plus a local visit with Georgia LB Jalon Walker, who went to high school near Charlotte. Beat reporter Joe Person sees Walker’s homecoming gaining steam:
The sense in league circles — and among mock drafters — continues to be that the Panthers will take Walker if he’s available.
Could they also be in the market for more offensive talent around Bryce Young? They’ve hosted Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan for a top-30 visit, but that feels unlikely. “It might not be at 8, but my sense is the Panthers will find another pass catcher for Young fairly early in the draft,” wrote Joe.
Wednesday’s most-clicked: Dane Brugler’s new seven-round (!!) mock draft, which has the Giants taking QB Milroe at No. 34.
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(Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)