DE Justin Blazek
Wisconsin-Platteville
6-3 252
Two-time Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year … Div. III Region 6 Defensive Player of the Year … Div. III first-team All-American … Three-time captain … Team MVP this past season with 8.5 sacks, 17 TFLs, 10 QB Hits, three forced fumbles, two interceptions … 19.5 sacks in 32 career games … Named to Bruce Feldman's "Freaks List," before the season … Ripped off 6.91 seconds in three-cone drill, 4.25 seconds in short shuttle, vertically jumped 36.5 inches and ran 40 in 4.85 seconds at pro day after no combine invite … HOMETOWN: Naperville, Ill. Date of Birth: 2/27/01.
SCOUT'S TAKE: Those guys at the line of scrimmage in that conference know what they're doing. He's used to playing against big guys. Really productive. Gets sacks. Gets fumbles. He played some offense there. Ten carries for four touchdowns in goal-line situations.
WR Cole Burgess
Suny Cortland
6-1 192
Led SUNY Cortland to its first Div. III national title with 11 catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl win over unbeaten and defending national champ North Central … Scored the winner with 1:41 left … 87 receptions, 1,375 yards and 16 TDs during season … As junior earned first-team All-ECAC and All-Empire 8 with 11 of his 37 catches going for TDs … HOMETOWN: Greenwich, NY; Date of Birth: 2/11/00
SCOUT'S TAKE: Very productive player. Big, fast, explosive, tough. We want him to play to his testing numbers. Great numbers. He's got a 41.5-inch vertical jump. Benched 21 reps. He has the height, weight, speed to play in the NFL. Can he make the jump from Div. III is the question.
RB Noah Cain
LSU
5-10 222
In 51 career games at Penn State and then LSU, rushed for 1,396 yards on 4.6 yards per carry with 25 TDs … Had a 10-TD season for LSU … Forced to re-locate to Denton, TX after Hurricane Katrina … Graduated from Penn State in May of 2022 with communications degree … Pursuing master's at LSU … Spent 10 days in Africa with 10 teammates for LSU's Study Abroad trip … HOMETOWN: Baton Rouge, LA; Date of Birth: 12/17/00
SCOUT'S TAKE: Big, physical, downhill runner who does a good job breaking tackles, picking up yards after contact. He has good strength in pass protection and he has upside as a three-down back.
LB Aaron Casey
Indiana
6-1 231
Given No. 44 in honor of Indiana's George Taliaferro, the first African-American drafted by a National Football League team when the Bears took him in 1949 … Number worn by an upperclassman who showcases Taliaferro's ideals: Great teammate, leading the locker room, student … Captain this past season … Three-year starter … Productive OLB with 109 tackles, 22 for loss, 6.5 sacks, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles in 2023 … First 100-tackle season for school since 2016 … Led Power 5 with tackles for loss or no gain (Pro Football Focus) … Nickname "Ace" … HOMETOWN: Douglasville, Ga.; Date of Birth: 6/12/2000
SCOUT'S TAKE: "Pretty cool he 'll be able to keep that No. 44 here. Heartbeat of that defense. Multi-year special teams starter. Left a big legacy over in Bloomington. Culture guy. Very instinctive. Good against the run. Good QB spy on third down."
RB Elijah Collins
Oklahoma State
6-0 212
Eli … Before playing for the Cowboys last season, played in 41 games for Michigan State, where he was a captain … Finished career in Lansing with 1,506 yards and 11 touchdowns on 353 carries and a media and information degree … At Oklahoma State last season finished with 30 carries for 142 yards, two catches for 19 yards and a kickoff return for 10 yards … Had a 210-yard game in high school … As a high school junior, had 19 touchdowns rushing, receiving, kick return and interception … Played for a state championship basketball team .… HOMETOWN: Detroit; Date of Brith: 8/1/00
SCOUT'S TAKE: A starter at Michigan State in 2019, when he almost went for more than 1,000 yards, but Kenneth Walker comes in and has a historic career there. Saw him at Oklahoma State and what stood out was his size and build. He flashed some, but they had Ollie Gordon who rushed for over 1,500 yards. You're talking about a guy when he was the guy he showed real 1,000-yard production at the Power 5 level, but the best runner in the conference just happened to be the starter on his team. Big, powerful guy who can carry the load throughout the preseason. Reminds me of Jacques Patrick, who we had here and has been in the league for a few years on practice squads.
SS Michael Dowell
Miami of Ohio
6-0 220
After transferring from Michigan State last season, started 12 games and had 97 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, six pass breakups … Career-best 17 tackles, plus a sack, at Bowling Green … Played all 12 games in 2021 during 19-game career at Michigan State … Made 40 tackles that season with three PBUs …Rated top safety prospect in Ohio coming out of high school by ESPN.com and 247Sports … Rated No. 2 cornerback by Rivals.com … HOMETOWN: North Ridgeville, OH; Date or Birth: 1/28/00
SCOUT'S TAKE: Good guy. Good size. He's strong. Tough. Smart. More of an in-the-box guy. Great attitude toward special teams. He's played at two quality programs. Good guy to have.
TE Cam Grandy
Illinois State
6-5 253
Consensus First-Team FCS All-American for AFCA, FCS Football Central, the Associated Press, Phil Steele, Stats Perform, FCS ADA, and Walter Camp Football Foundation … After playing four seasons at Missouri Western, started all 11 games at ISU despite playing four games with a cast on his hand … … 63 receptions, 612 yards, three touchdowns … Seven games with five receptions and 50 yards or more … All-Conference quarterback in high school … Peoria Journal Star Offensive Player of the Year … News Tribune Small School Player of the Year …HOMETOWN: Benson, Ill.; Date of Birth: 11/19/99
SCOUT'S TAKE: Former hIgh school quarterback who turned himself into a pretty good tight end at Missouri Western. He went to a bigger stage and was a reliable safety blanket in the pass game and high-effort run blocker with NFL size. His tape is solid. He's got good hands. He can block. He'll have a good opportunity with a couple of guys not being full- strength yet.
SS P.J. Jules
Southern Illinois
6-0 203
Finished sixth in voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, which goes to the nation's top FCS defensive player …Multi-year captain … Leader of defense ranked top five nationally in most metrics with 104 tackles, a sack, 12.5 TFLs, 11 PBUs … School record holder in career pass breakups during five seasons and 56 games … Had double-digit tackles in five games, including 15 once … Grew up with Lions safety Kirby Joseph … HOMETOWN: Orlando, Fla; Date of Birth: 5/14/01
SCOUT's TAKE: "Extremely high character guy. A high school wrestler. He pulled his groin at the Northwestern pro day and he continued to test and vertically jumped 34.5. His strength coach says his vertical jump is closer to 38. Extremely productive box safety. Did a little bit of everything for them. More of a box guy for us. Very impactful special teams player there. Very physical. He got hurt at his workout and clearly kept grinding it. Awesome."
QB Rocky Lombardi
Northern Illinois
6-4 225
With medical redshirt, spent seven seasons playing college in career that started at Michigan State … … During three seasons at NIU, 17-12 as a starter … Finished ranked second on the school's career passing yards per game list (183.9), third in completions per game (14.5), fifth in completions (439), sixth in passing yards (5,516) … Ranks in the top 10 on NIU career charts in 10 passing and four total offense categories .. Directed NIU to eight scoring drives with less than a minute in a game or half on way to leading Huskies to 2021 MAC title … Three-year letter winner at Michigan State, where he made nine starts … Beat Michigan in one of them … Threw for 1,902 yards with 11 TDs and 14 interceptions … 116 yards on 74 rushes … Working on grad degree in sport and exercise psychology … Father Tony played at Arizona State in early '80s and has more than 30 years of high school coaching experience …Grandfather Bob member of Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame …Brother Beau offensive lineman at West Point … Top heavyweight performer in wrestling-mad Iowa … Had a national-record three-second pin … HOMETOWN: Clive, Iowa; Date of Birth:7/30/98
SCOUT'S TAKE: Big, strong, he's got a cannon. Huge arm. He has the fastest first 10 yards of all 37 quarterbacks in our system. A four-year captain between his time at NIU and Michigan State. He's physically imposing. He was actually their PP on a couple of punt reps the same season he was playing quarterback at Michigan State. The coaches at NIU valued his insight so much, he'd bring plays to install during game-planning. His production this year was kind of average, but his wide receiving corps was in the top 5 for most drops in college football.
P Austin McNamara
Texas Tech
6-5 204
Ended five-year career as Texas Tech's all-time punter with a 45.91-yard average, the highest in Big 12 history … his average ranked 10th in NCAA history among punters with at least 150 career punts … became first Red Raider ever to earn All-Big 12 first-team accolades three times in career … This past season was the first Red Raider to win a major conference award since 2014 when Patrick Mahomes was named Big 12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year … Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year as a super senior this past season to become the first Red Raider all-time to get the award … Just the second Red Raider punter all-time to participate in the Senior Bowl … Owner of 87-yard punt in 2020 … eight punts of least 50 yards vs. Oklahoma State in 2021 set NCAA record … HOMETOWN: Gilbert, Ariz.; Date of Birth: 2/24/01
SCOUT'S TAKE: Great get. Easily could have gotten drafted. Big hitter. Good head on his shoulders. He's used to the limelight. It's been on him for a couple of years. In a year one punter was drafted, I've got to believe he was next or close to it.
OT Eric Miller
Louisville
6-8 311
In his one season for the Cards, started all 14 games at right tackle, where he played 920 snaps and where he'll play here …Allowed just two sacks, one QB hit, and 24 QB hurries on 482 passes … Before transferring, played 2,034 snaps in 41 games and 29 starts for Purdue … allowed only eight sacks, eight QB hits, 49 QB hurries … Career pass-blocking efficiency of 97% in 2,955 snaps in 54 games and 42 starts … HOMETOWN: Mason, Ohio; Date of Birth: 6/29/00
SCOUT'S TAKE: "He did a good job at the local workout. He's tall. He's long. He's a good pass protector. He has the size and length to play in the NFL. We'll see how his movement translates. He followed the coach to Louisville from Purdue and has played productive football in two conferences."
WR Tre Mosley
Michigan State
6-1 196
Started 28 of 43 career games in Lansing … 126 catches … 1,464 yards … 10 TDs … Missed last four games of last season with hand injury… named game captain all eight games he played … Ranked No. 1 receiver in Michigan coming out of West Bloomfield High School by 247Sports, ESPN.com and Rivals.com . . . Dream Team selection by the Detroit Free Press, Detroit News and MLive … Graduated with advertising management degree … attended "B1G Life Series: Selma to Montgomery" trip … volunteered during Operation Teammate's military families visit to campus … HOMETOWN: Pontiac, Mich.; Date of Birth: 9/25/01
SCOUT'S TAKE: "They went through a couple of quarterbacks this season. Smart. Good size. He'll give us a good camp. We'll see what kind of explosion he'll show."
ILB Maema Njongmeta
Wisconsin
6-0 230
Four-time Big Ten All-Academic… 21 TFLs over last two seasons … Last year against No. 3 Ohio State had 10 tackles and a sack … capped off 33-game career with 10 tackles vs. LSU in ReliaQuest Bowl … Year before in Guaranteed Rate Bowl win over Oklahoma State had seven tackles and TFL … Master's in finance … First name pronounced "Moo-Ma; HOMETOWN: Buffalo Grove, Ill.; Date of Birth: 3/9/01
SCOUT'S TAKE: High-level person on and off the field. High-achieving student. The type of person who'll be successful in any environment. On the field he flies around, climbing offensive linemen, and taking down big-body backs. He's a block-defeater. He ran slow at the combine, which is probably why we got him, but he's longer than he is tall. Ripped up. Strong. Really intelligent guy from a really intelligent family. I thought his best game was against Ohio State. He's a very strong, run-down linebacker. Both linebackers we signed are pretty high-level players from programs that have a legacy of putting out high-level NFL linebackers at Wisconsin and Indiana.
CB Lance Robinson
Tulane
5-11 185
Childhood friend of Bengals Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase … Played 10 games to start career at Kansas State before coming back home for final three seasons and 36 games … In 2022 helped Tulane overcome Hurricane Ida on way to conference title and Cotton Bowl win over USC's Caleb Williams … Coming off a four-pick year in which he also had a fumble recovery and forced fumble … Helped 2015 De La Salle High School track team break school record for the 4x100 relay and win state … In elite world of New Orleans prep football, named District 9-A Defensive MVP as senior while leading 11-1 Cavs to state finals … HOMETOWN: New Orleans; Date of Birth: 3/20/00
SCOUT'S TAKE: "Most athletic of the cover corners at Tulane. He tested out really well and has good career production. Plays bigger than his size. Plays with quickness and good technique. He had a standout game in the '23 Cotton Bowl against USC."
