Dane Brugler

Once the games end on a college football weekend, my work begins as I pore through the coaches’ film of each game, taking notes and writing reports. Here are eight plays from Week 1 that jumped off the tape and helped illustrate the skills of several notable prospects. , QB, Let’s get a few truths out of the way. First, has a terrible defense. Second, absolutely benefited both from his supporting cast, which produced 273 yards after the catch, and a brilliant game plan cooked up by play caller…

The Athletic has live coverage of in Week 7 college football action A battle of top-10 teams, has major playoff implications for two programs legitimately in the national championship hunt. This matchup will be closely scouted by teams, too, because both teams are well stocked with draft-eligible prospects. Interestingly, Oregon and are strong at the same key positions: quarterback, wide receiver, pass rusher and offensive tackle. But who in this game is the top prospect at each of those pos…

There were a lot of standouts — and a ton of key moments — in over No. 8 . When the Huskies needed a big play, though, quarterback often turned to wide receiver . A top-50 prospect on who’s climbed ever higher since, Odunze caught eight passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns Saturday. The first of those TDs staked Washington to a 29-18 edge in the third quarter; the second, which held up as the game winner, came with 1:38 to play after Oregon had stormed back to take a lead. WASH - WR Rom…

Part I of this week’s two-part NFL Draft Watch dropped Thursday, covering — talented prospects who don’t fit the ’s mold at their respective positions. Here’s Part II, on a few prospects with big opportunities this weekend, plus a player on the rise and one who’s in need of a bounce-back effort: Three must-see NFL prospects this weekend 1. , LB, Texas A&M (vs. , Noon ET, ESPN): The SEC’s leader in tackles for loss (13.5), Cooper is having a career year and leads the in tackles (45) and sacks (…

We received well over 100 questions for this mailbag (because y’all are awesome), but obviously, I could only answer a fraction of them. We’ll do this again soon. A lot of interesting topics were left on the cutting room floor. (Note: Questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity.) With the expiring contract of Kirk Cousins, who do you expect the to look at as their QB of the future? — Derek J. Let’s eliminate Drake Maye and from the discussion and assume the cost to move up will b…

Read the latest from The Athletic’s draft expert, Dane Brugler The college football regular season is complete and is starting to take shape, making it a perfect time to unveil my first mock draft of the process. Understandably, most readers will be interested in which quarterbacks made the mock and which teams they’re connected to. But the real storyline of this first mock draft is in the trenches, as nine offensive tackles made the cut. All 32 teams could use more help at that position — so…

By Dane Brugler, Kevin Fishbain and Adam Jahns The landed the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Sunday after the lost to the and the beat the . Chicago possesses Carolina’s first-round pick for the 2024 draft, which is why the Bears (7-9) find their name in the top spot. In March, the Panthers traded for the 2023 No. 1 pick, resulting in quarterback . Advertisement Of course the big question for the Bears will be how they use the No. 1 pick. Quarterbacks like USC’s Caleb Williams and Nort…

Remember, the draft process is a marathon, not a sprint — and the finish line is not yet in sight. But we are one step closer to Detroit and the now that we know which underclassmen . We also have the official order for the first 24 picks, with the remaining eight to be decided by the playoffs. For my second mock draft, I added a second round to examine some of the interesting names that might not make the top 32. Advertisement 1. (from CAR): , QB, The Bears’ quarterback situation will be a ho…

MOBILE, Ala. — Being crowned a top Senior Bowl practice player doesn’t necessarily mean a prospect will be the first off the board at their respective position. But several players certainly helped their draft chances this week. A year ago, was the most consistent offensive tackle during Senior Bowl practices, and he ultimately was drafted top 10. made the most plays of any receiver and went from a borderline top-100 pick to the No. 50 pick by the . grabbed the attention of head coach Mike To…

Finally! It’s here. I’m thrilled to share this year’s draft guide with everyone. I don’t remember who first referred to it as “The Beast,” but I use that moniker as motivation to make sure this annual primer lives up to the nickname — and I don’t think I’ve let you down this year. Every prospect is a puzzle. And it is a scout’s job to find the puzzle pieces to create as clear a picture of each player as possible. Those puzzle pieces include everything from the player’s physical traits to his me…