By Cole Mantell (@LightningDragon)
It’s the fifth season of the CFSL Pro Draft, and this season has 153 players ready to be drafted to their next pro stops beyond the CFSL. As always, while these players may be done 153 guys need new stops and we will be ranking these guys into tiers to predict which rounds they may go into. With so many guys, once again we will be dividing this series into offense and defense. We will start here with the offense, and then go over defense next.
For newer readers of this series, I scout the draft-eligible players into four tiers. They are based on these tiers and while I never am 100% right on where the guys are picked, the stat-based evaluations take previous drafts into account and help guide drafters and draft viewers alike to judge where these many great players who have graduated will go. Players in each tier are listed in alphabetical order by last name. There is no ranking within tiers. With that said, here are the draft tiers we use for this series:
| Tier | Description |
| Tier 1 | 1st Round Draft Grade |
| Tier 2 | 2nd-3rd Round Draft Grade |
| Tier 3 | 4th-6th Round Draft Grade |
| Tier 4 | 7th-8th Round Draft Grade |
Quarterback
Tier 1: Jay Duke, Leisa Pink, Kevin Price
Tier 2: Windham Carter, JK Matthews, Brandon Petty, Gunner Rice, Sky Sanders
Tier 3: N/A
Tier 4: N/A
It’s a much larger QB class this season, with some very interesting names. This season, it feels like less of a lock than ever that a QB will go #1 overall. We’ll get into some of the other positions shortly, but needless to say, some incredible talents are pushing for that top spot. But, all three of the Tier 1 QBs argue to go 1st. Duke has the most passing yards of any graduating QB, and 7th most overall in CFSL history. His 142 passing touchdowns in his career are also 4th most all-time. Pink has the storyline factor, with her last CFSL game being a National Championship that she won. Then there is Kevin Price, who got better after each of his four seasons, including a Most Improved Player Award in Season 20.
You’ll notice I have no QBs in Tiers 3 and 4 and five guys in Tier 2. This may be one of my toughest QB classes to grade. All five of these QBs could go as high as Round 1 or as low as Round 3. I think the number of QBs taken in Round 1 is three, and have those locks in Tier 1.
But each of the five other QBs argues to jump up a round or two. Carter was maybe the best statistical QB in the CFSL this regular season. Matthews brings experience and a penchant for accurate passing. Petty nearly hit 4000 passing yards twice. Sanders is a dynamic passer and runner who is my pick for most likely of these five to jump into Round 1. And while Gunnar Rice’s win/loss record wasn’t the best, he was an All-American who won four Player of the Week awards, including All-Purpose POTW in Season 21. What QB can claim they did that?
That is all to say, these eight guys will be gone early. I’d be shocked if any of them are available after Round 2. While I don’t know if one will go first overall, I think all eight have pro talents to bring to the next level. It’s rare I put so many guys this high of a grade, and these QBs deserve it. Expect heavy competition for trades to get these QBs. And while this isn’t the best QB class I’ve ever graded, it’s up there and only beaten by QB classes much larger and more pass-heavy.
Halfback
Tier 1: Bo Yost
Tier 2: Cole Marks, DJ Yost
Tier 3: William Avery, Terrell Collins, Chase McDougal
Tier 4: Emily Davis, Skye Mills
Hello, welcome to the Bo Yost show. The 4th best rusher in CFSL history is up for grabs, and my pick for the consensus #1 overall pick in this draft. To put into context how absurd that statistic is, Bo Yost was the first person to break into the Top 10 of the rushing career leaders list since Season 15. Though Taylor James will almost certainly join Yost on that list next season, for now, there is no modern equivalent.
Yost is by far the best HB prospect I’ve ever graded and argues for the best prospect overall I’ve ever graded in the history of the Pro Draft. That’s how good he is compared to his peers. Put in simple terms, Yost won thirteen awards in his career, from All-American HB, Freshman of the Year, to Offensive Player of the Week. The rest of this HB class won zero such awards. Yost has sucked up the award oxygen (with help from Taylor James) his entire career. If the CFSL had a cover athlete for this modern era, my argument is that it should go to Bo Yost.
So, where does that leave the rest of this class? Well, Cole Marks and DJ Yost were both very good HBs on their own. Whoever doesn’t get Yost will have a shot at these two, and maybe that has them jump into the 1st Round. Nevertheless, while Bo Yost will take up the conversations, there is talent behind him in this class. Every guy in Tier 3 I think has some underrated talent. All three played in a more balanced rushing offense and can contribute to the next level. And while Skye Mills doesn’t have a bunch of rushing yards, she was a two-time National Champion at USC.
Wide Receiver
Tier 1: Malachi Cobb, Ace Shephard, Jamarcus Simpson III, Buck Stackhouse, Troy Tree
Tier 2: Landon Adams, Jaxon Brooks, Kyle Claxon, Aloysius Jefferies, CJ Jones, Trenell Scott, Thanatos Shockley, Marquis Towns, Ahmad Williams
Tier 3: Lance Lyde, Josh Mizikar, Nasir Pope, Dyllan Reed
Tier 4: Jacob Archer, Beau Bailey, Evan Browand, Crosby Donahoo, Tristan Jacobs, Jaice Jones Jr, Elijah Miller
Those who read these articles each season know that the WR class is always one of the biggest groups to cover. This season, I have five guys in Tier 1. But that number could easily jump to eight or nine. Some of the names, like Cobb, Simpson III, and Stackhouse, I think go early in Round 1.
Once you get later in Round 1 into Rounds 2 and 3, it becomes a real mess. There are some guys like CJ Jones and Thanatos Shockley who have some great seasons behind them but might get lost in the shuffle of the glut of WRs. I think there is a clear gap between the top guys, the middle, and the later-round guys.
All three groups have clear talents available, and with so many guys again, it will be very difficult to stand out. Look at names like Josh Mizikar, Nasir Pope, and Jacob Archer who could be sneaky risers above their draft grades.
Tight End
Tier 1: N/A
Tier 2: Ryan Campbell, Sean Huff, Connor Keane
Tier 3: Cade Baker, Buck Hunter, Jaylon Shaikh, Patrick Sullivan
Tier 4: Jacob Bennett, Chris Leon, Lee Manzo, Rocky Reese
There are no Tier 1 guys among the 11 draftable talents, but don’t sleep on this class. Campbell, Huff, and Keane all could get drafted in the 1st Round, but I don’t know if a team will reach for it. The main key here is that there is a lot of depth at this position, but no game-breakers like in seasons past. Look as well for maybe a Buck Hunter or Jaylon Shaikh to rise, but I would think with the amount of talent you have at HB and WR this season, TE’s might be a bit overlooked. However, later in the draft, you will see plenty of talent available at the position who can contribute to the next level. At Tier 4 as well, while there are a lot of guys without flashy stats, someone like Chris Leon or Rocky Reese might be a great block TE or even spot FB candidate at the next level.
