NFL analysts’ opinions regarding Arizona Football players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft

For an Arizona sports fan, March usually means postseason basketball and nothing else, but not this year. For the first time in a long time, there’s a cause to get excited about the NFL Draft this year. Tanner McLachlan and Michael Wiley will probably be selected as late-round flyers, while Jordan Morgan and Jacob Cowing are starting to show themselves as surefire picks.

Morgan is even listed among NFL Media Analyst and former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah’s Top 50 Draft Prospects. Scouting reports by famous NFL Draft Analyst Lance Zierlein are fairly telling about how NFL teams assess prospects. We will be searching through the scouting reports and gathering expert opinions on the most popular playmakers from the previous season for this activity.

OT Jordan Morgan

Projection: Late 1st/Early 2nd

The native of Tucson, Morgan, has been living in the late first and early second round limbo for the entire offseason, but he won’t make it past the top 50 picks. Morgan is ranked No. 44 by Daniel Jeremiah in his Top 50 Prospects list, and this is reflected in his most recent mock draft, which is limited to the first round and excludes Morgan. Throughout the offseason, the Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, and Washington Commanders have all surfaced as possible destinations for Morgan.

However, in his most recent mock draft, NFL analyst Bucky Brooks did predict Morgan to the Baltimore Ravens with the 30th overall pick in the first round. In his most recent four-round mock draft, draft analyst Chad Reuter projected Morgan favorably but outside the first round, sending him to the Washington Commanders with the fourth choice in the second round (36th overall).

Finally, Zierlein makes the following comment to conclude his scouting report:

“Morgan has the traits and talent to become a solid starting left tackle.”

He lists Morgan’s assets in his game as having a strong grip, athleticism, timing, pocket knowledge, and moments of resilience after being defeated. Zierlein highlights his arm length, body control following initiation, choppy/slow footwork, and uneven weight placement as areas where he still has to improve. Morgan’s attributes and style of play are compared by Zierlein to that of veteran Chicago Bears starting left tackle Charles Leno Jr.

WR Jacob Cowing

Projection: 4th-5th Round

Over the last four years, Cowing has been a lock-and-loaded starter at the slot wide receiver position for both UTEP and Arizona. He will see action in the NFL. For Cowing, the one unanswered question is where he will fall on the depth chart. Although he’s not even close to being a first- or second-round pick, he’s among the top 25 wideouts in one of the strongest classes at the position in recent years.

Zierlein refers to Cowing’s video as “a fun watch,” and he’s not wrong to do so as it showcases his knack for finding the goal line, his ability to read coverages and run successful option routes, and his unexpected ability to elude tacklers. But given his diminutive size and dubious hands, it’s reasonable to exercise caution when the pass is contested. He lacks the long speed to eliminate a defender from the play at the next level and will leave room for error. Zierlein ends his report with the following conclusions:

“Cowing needs to limit drops, improve as a route-runner and display some punt-return talent to give himself the best chance of sticking on an NFL roster for a while.”

Though some of the smaller ones have him going close to the end of the fourth round, none of the major sites have him featured in any of the extended mock drafts. If he wants to catch on, he’ll need to put in some work, but he has the means to do it. The ideal storyline would have Cowing begin as a wide receiver and punt returner before becoming a full-time member of the offense, a la Tyreek Hill.

TE Tanner McLachlan

Projection: 6th-7th Round

During the evaluation process, McLachlan definitely caught Zierlein off guard, but the main issue is that he plays larger than his true stature. Although he has demonstrated flashes and is willing to run-block, he lacks the size and consequent leverage to do it consistently. To be honest, his measurables were a little lackluster. Nevertheless, McLachlan’s effort is more apparent on film than his flaws. He puts in the grunt work and won’t hesitate to sacrifice himself to gain a few extra yards. Regarding McLachlan, Zeirlein concludes as follows:

“There are boxes that go unchecked, but his “whatever it takes” mentality is the kind of intangible that often turns prospects into pros.”

RB Michael Wiley

Projection: 7th Round/UDFA

When Zierlein assesses Wiley, he sees what I see: a downhill, one-cut runner with good receiving upside. Wiley’s streaky vision and average-at-best speed are among of the problems preventing him from being a greater prospect; he frequently gets caught attempting to push his way up the gut. He moves more akin to a freight train, requiring some time to accelerate before punishing potential tacklers while in motion. Like Cowing, he also steps it up when he smells a six-point play and projects best as a third-down receiver who gets back immediately. Zierlein said the following of Wiley:

“Wiley has some third-down potential but will need to prove he can play faster and with better vision to stay ahead of NFL defenses.”