Analysis

Scouting The Scouts – 2023 NFL Draft

Featured Photo Credit: © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn.com, LLC.

My hobby is scouting which games the Bills scouts attend each week. I’m only listing schools scouted more than once, with an asterisk by those Brandon Beane has attended. I haven’t listed players who will be long gone by our #28-to-#31 pick.

I have listed each group below from most-probable to less-probable.

Mazi Smith. Credit: © Bryon Houlgrave for USATODAY via Imagn.com, LLC.

MOST LIKELY (2 games attended by Beane)

MichiganMazi Smith, DT1T DT3T * * — “Mozzie” is a freak. He benches 22 reps at 325 lbs. DaQuan Jones needs a breather.
MichiganOlusegun Oluwatimi, C * * — Say “oh-loo-shah-GOON, oh-loo-wuh-TIM-me” ranked No. 1 in Beane’s ACC in Tackles For Loss Allowed.


Dawand Jones. Credit: © Matthew OHaren for USATODAY via Imagn.com, LLC.

VERY VERY LIKELY (3 or more scouted games, once by Beane)

Ohio StateDawand Jones, RT * or – You done with Spencer Brown? Very nice laterally. Here, his down-block springs Williams. If Beane trades up, he’d take super slot Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, who broke Lee Evans’ 20-year-old B1G receiving yards record (1,545). One of the best blocking receivers.

GeorgiaNolan Smith, EDGE * – OUT for season, torn pec, so he will drop. How far?? He was #2 EDGE per PFF. Quick off the ball.

TennesseeJalin Hyatt, WR * – Incredibly fast, runs good routes, and is very polished. Rec Yds in 2022 (1267 so far) is #1in SEC.

Florida StateJared Verse, EDGE * – Beane saw 2 of the top 8 EDGEs in pressures, Verse and Smith. Verse is more solidly built, had less help.


Noah Sewell. Credit: © Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn.com, LLC.

VERY LIKELY (3 or more scouted games, just not by Beane yet)

ClemsonTrenton Simpson, OLB SS EDGE -Comps to Isaiah Simmons, violent downhill, quick skilled blitzer, versatile (OLB, SS, and 5-tech).

OregonNoah Sewell, ILB OLB – More tackles per game than my #1, Will Anderson; his older brother, Penei, was selected with the No. 7 pick in 2021.

MarylandJaelyn Duncan, LT – Very nice footwork, 3x scouted by Bills by mid-November. Misdirection pull here, watch 3 plays here.

OklahomaAnton Harrison, LT – Pass 92% Run 80% per DraftBuzz. Anton wasn’t getting help to accomplish his grades. He’s not Cody Ford.


O’Cyrus Torrence. Credit: © Michael O. Curley, Lafayette Daily Advertiser via Imagn.com Content Services, LLC.

QUITE LIKELY (2 games scouted)

FloridaO’Cyrus Torrence, Swing Guard, xfer Louisiana, now on team with Top 20 Pass-Blocking. Nasty, unrelenting. quickest out of stance.

AlabamaBrian Branch, CB NCB FS – Branch plays the Star CB, and is listed as Safety on Ourlads. Time to move on from Jaquan.

SyracuseGarrett Williams, CB – Aggressive ballhawk who sticks his nose in the fan. Played hurt here and there, but high tackles per game.

Mississippi State-Emmanuel Forbes, CB – INT machine, and he leads all active FBS players in pick sixes. Kick returner as well. SEC competition.

BaylorSiaki Ika, DT1T – xfer LSU, a character, loves his culture, knows Aranda-McDermott system. But…and it’s a big but…Slowest draftable IDL.

UtahClark Phillips III, CB NCB KR – Top 5 Tkl per Game, Top 1 in PAC12 in PBU. Flawless technique. Short, but he sure handled Drake London.

LSUB.J. Ojulari, EDGE or Kayshon Boutte, WR – Ojulari has Top5 forty time, top 4 in production…OLB in 2020, DE in 2021 coming in on money downs. Boutte is top 4 in the WR class as a fearless pass catcher over the middle. His route-running can be described as Diggs-like.

SMURashee Rice, WR – My buddy Jake calls him “a Courtland Sutton starter kit.” Natural hands, tight breaks, wizard at the corners of the end zone.

ArmyAndre Carter II, EDGE – It’s a big no from me, dog. It’ll take tape to dispel the RD1 raves.

Texas TechTyree Wilson, EDGE (I predict he’ll be gone when Bills pick) – Long, strong arms like Groot’s, and a nonstop motor.


Calijah Kancey. Credit: Kimberly Moss-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn.com, LLC.

Prospect More Likely RD2

Pittsburgh-Calijah Kancey, DT3T – Top 5 in pressures per game, Can be an Ed Oliver in his disruption. First Team All-ACC. hands, leverage and power.

MiamiTyrique Stevenson, CB – Fastest CB in the draft is my bet. He’s the fastest draftable in the ACC at any position. Transfer from Georgia.

TCUTre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB – Tiny, but led the Big 12 in PBU due to quick recognition and timing. LaDanian Tomlinson’s nephew.


Payton Wilson. Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn.com, LLC.

Prospect More Likely RD3 or Later

NC StatePayton Wilson OLB – the leading tackler in the ACC a year ago, but sometimes misses tackles, sometimes takes bad angles.

UCLA-Zach Charbonnet, RB KR – Pet cat for me. Fastest RB in draft, 6-1 220 4.34. Physical and violent runner. 6.8 ypc vs AP teams. Nice jukes here.

Oklahoma StateBraydon Johnson WRS KR ST – So far this year: 18.8 ypr against AP teams. He’s speedy (6-0 205 4.38). Ideal slot and KR.

NebraskaOchaun Mathis EDGE – Quick and Bendy, Bats down pass here, Slow-plays to seal edge then quick closes on RB. Long arms, power.

RutgersAvery Young, FS CB KR – Has played in every game in his career, all 56 of them. Should mention Adam Korsak, Punter, too: his net average is above the NCAA record.

Editor’s babble: This is a great primer for watching college football. We can’t thank Dean Kindig enough for his many in-depth contributions to our blog. You can also find Dean on Twitter @TCBILLS_Astro.

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