Yaccarino’s favorite NFL Draft Prospects 1.0

Here are some players that I think will have great NFL careers.

One of the hardest things to do when looking at prospects in the NFL Draft is to know if they will be successful in the NFL. There are always draft busts, and there are players drafted in late rounds who become amazing in the NFL. I tried to find some prospects that will be successful no matter where they are drafted.

Braden Fiske DT – Florida State

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Since January, Braden Fiske has been among my favorite prospects in the 2024 Draft. At that time, he was projected to go around the 5th round, but now he has been slated to go in the 2nd round. Fiske was arguably the best player at this year’s Senior Bowl. He dominated in drills and the Senior Bowl game. Fiske also showed a lot of character, having to be traded to the opposing team because of roster space. He was totally fine with it, even though he had to play under a new game plan. As I said before, he played really well, even when faced with adversity.

Going into the NFL combine, many expected Fiske to duplicate his prior Senior Bowl performance. He didn’t just duplicate it; he exceeded any expectations put on him. Fiske’s outstanding performance made him one of the top performers at the combine and propelled him into the second or even the first round.

If the Saints end up going with the best player available at pick 45, Braden Fiske must be in consideration. Defensive tackle is not the biggest need for the Saints, but having another dominant tackle next to Bryan Breese would be exceptional. The Saints have been looking for more speed on defense all season, for example, the signing of Chase Young and Willie Gay. Picking Fiske would be another example of upgrading the speed, but it would also improve the run defense.

Cooper Beebe OG – Kansas State

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Cooper Beebe is a newer prospect to my favorites list, but that is more due to my unfamiliarity with him than his play. Beebe is an absolute mauler on the offensive line and has great athleticism. Beebe is very versatile at the run-and-pass game, in particular lead blocking. At 6-foot-3, 322 pounds, he can move with exemplary patience while lead blocking and can find the perfect player to target so that the runner can gain more yards. In pure pass protection, Beebe can dominate, not allowing anyone to outstrength him. This was evident when he faced fellow 2024 NFL prospects T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy. Beebe was able to hold his own against Sweat, known for his strength, and Murphy, known for his finesse/speed.

At the NFL Combine, Cooper Beebe had an impressive performance. As I mentioned before, Beebe is 6-foot-3, 322 pounds, and a player of this size usually cannot move like he can. In the 40-yard dash, Beebe ran a 5.03, which is insanely impressive for his size, but there are two drills that are most important for interior offensive linemen. Although it is not perfect, the three-cone drill and the shuttle are the best predictors of the success of guard prospects in the NFL. In Cooper Beebe’s case, he had amazing numbers in these drills. In the shuttle, he did it in 4.61 seconds, which is in the 80th percentile. Even more impressively, he did the three-cone drill in 7.44 seconds, which fell in the 92nd percentile.

For the New Orleans Saints, Beebe would be a perfect pick. He is unlikely to make it out of the third round at the latest. If the Saints were to pick him, it would be at pick 45, which is absolutely fine. If the Saints end up not going with an offensive lineman in the first round, they need to in the 2nd round. Currently, the team does not have a starting left guard on the roster, so filling that need before next season is vital. Beebe can contribute right away at that guard position and could become a vital part of the Saints’ offensive line. He would fit perfectly in the new scheme, dominating in the zone run game. Another interesting point is that he was invited to the Senior Bowl but did not participate, which still counts for the Saints checklist.

Cam Hart CB – Notre Dame

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Since I started looking at prospects before the season started, this player has been one of my favorite prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. Cam Hart is a very talented cornerback prospect out of Notre Dame. He is primarily a man corner and is great at securing tackles. In coverage, Hart has the speed to stay with his matchup while also being able to recognize a route and hit the ball away. As I mentioned, Hart is a really good tackler who can consistently hit hard behind the line of scrimmage. In this past season, Hart’s best game was against Marvin Harrison Jr., who is a top player in the draft.

Cam Hart’s draft stock has absolutely skyrocketed this offseason. Going into the draft process, Hart was a little bit of an unknown in comparison to other corner prospects. Hart did not have much production stats-wise in college, which was a worry for some people, but he showed a lot of talent. Cam Hart participated in the Senior Bowl and there, he shined. In the Senior Bowl game, Hart showed his great tackling ability very early. Hart also participated in the NFL Combine, measuring 6-foot-3, 202 pounds. These are very good measurements, and with that, he also ran a 4.50-second 40-yard dash. By having a great Senior Bowl and NFL Combine, Hart has improved his draft stock to a top 100 prospect.

For now, the Saints do not have to target a cornerback prospect very early in the draft, but they love to draft DBs. If Hart drops to the 4th round, it would be very possible that the Saints would want to trade up for him. Hart ticks many boxes: He is a senior bowl prospect, great size, great tackling, and is primarily a man coverage corner. Hart has a lot of potential but also has a lot of intangibles that any defensive head coach would want.