NFL Draft intel: Speedy SEC QB lands on radar for Steelers

In four seasons with the Buckeyes, Henderson (5-foot-10, 202 pounds) finished fourth in program history in rushing yards (3,761). Keep in mind he split carries with Quinshon Judkins (6-foot, 221 pounds) in his final season with Ohio State.

In Tankathon’s latest mock draft, the Dallas Cowboys take Henderson with pick No. 44 in the second round. 

Renowned QB coach shares notable tidbit about Syracuse’s Kyle McCord

At the East-West Shrine Bowl in January, private QB coach Jordan Palmer — who has trained Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen — held a “QBX Throwing Session.” During the session, QBs tossed footballs with data sensors measuring spin rate. A higher spin rate typically equals a tighter spiral.

According to The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner, McCord’s average spin rate during the session was 699 rpm. The NFL average is 592. His top spin rate was 740, and 16 of his 28 throws were above 700.

“That data showed that Kyle, for a lot of the starters that I worked with — I can’t name names here — but when he’s in that 95th percentile on some of these, it’s not just against other guys at the Shrine,” Palmer told Baumgardner in a story published Tuesday. “It’s everybody.”

McCord’s ability to consistently throw a tight spiral should help him climb draft boards. Kiper rates the 6-foot-3, 218-pounder as his No. 6 QB. In 13 starts in 2024, he led the FBS in passing yards (4,779).

Could Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart still land with this AFC East team?

The New York Jets signed QB Justin Fields to a two-year, $40M deal in free agency. However, in a story published Wednesday, ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported the Jets could still draft a QB, perhaps Dart. 

On March 5, The Athletic’s Mike Sando released his mock draft featuring opinions from five NFL executives. One had the Jets selecting Dart or another QB with pick No. 7, but that was before they signed Fields. 

Fields has yet to prove he can be consistently accurate. In four seasons with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers, the 2021 No. 11 overall pick completed a below-average 61.1 percent of his passes. 

If Fields flops in New York, Dart (6-foot-2, 223 pounds) could be a solid fallback plan. In 13 games in 2024, he completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 4,279 yards and 29 TD passes.  

How will Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan’s 40-yard dash time affect his draft stock?

According to The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler, McMillan’s 40-yard dash times at his pro day Monday ranged from 4.46 to 4.53.

Taller WRs like McMillan (6-foot-4, 219 pounds) don’t always have elite speed. Bengals WR Tee Higgins (6-foot-4, 219 pounds) ran a 40 in the mid-4.5s at Clemson’s pro day in 2020, per CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo. 

Like Higgins, McMillan can use his frame to make catches in tight pass coverage, which may offset concerns about his speed. Per Pro Football Focus, he tied for seventh in the FBS in contested catches (18 in 12 games) in 2024.

In his latest mock draft, NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah has the Los Angeles Chargers taking McMillan with pick No. 22.