Nailor is a speedster who was a track star back in high school, and he translated that into being a big play machine for the Spartans in his two years as a starter. Overall, Nailor is a receiver who played on the outside and ran the entire route tree. But thats not the only athletic tool he has in his tool chest. Notable prospects: Below, you can see where Kenneth Walker III, Jalen Nailor and Connor Heyward are projected to go by draft experts around the country. With the 191st pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings have selected Jalen Nailor, the wide receiver from Michigan State University Nailor has had his share of injury issues. With his age, injury history, and room for further development, Nailor might not command early-round capital. If the Big Ten scraps divisions and goes to the 3-6-6 model - who should Michigan State get as its three permanent rivals? 134 overall. Says NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlien: "He can handle RB1 workload in terms of carries but needs work as a third-down option. Nailor joins Kenneth Walker III, Connor Heyward and Kevin Jarvis as Michigan State players who are forgoing their remaining college eligibility. On the sliding scale of acts that cause NFL prospects to fall down draft boards, two misdemeanors for a prospect that profiles as a future All-Pro at his position can get ignored fairly easily. Nailor did 14 reps on the bench but otherwise only did on-field work.. Minnesota. In high school, ran track and won four state titles his senior year (100, 200, 400 relay, 800 relay) Hes likely an early-to-mid Day 3 pick, but with a strong Combine performance, Day 2 isnt out of the question. Has not been very durable in college. Does not always use his hands to secure deep throws, allowing the ball into his pads and chest. One could argue that Nailor left school before a complete breakout season. He had a streak of two or more receptions in six-straight games as part of a 15-game streak with at least one catch halted by going without a catch in Nebraska game and also has 163 rushing yards and one TD on just 17 carries (9.6 avg. But on Day 3, for a team that knows how to use him and can develop receiver talent, Nailor could be a diamond in the rough, who at the very least can catalyze an offense as a rotational spark plug and deep threat. Nailor and Willekes were teammates for two seasons at Michigan State (2018-19), and they talked briefly after Nailor became the ninth former Spartan ever selected by the Vikings in an NFL Draft and third since 2015 (Trae Waynes). His arm length is below average. 4. And down the field, he can seep into blind spots, and he tracks the ball in the air exceptionally well. Warrants were issued on Wednesday for the arrest of Jalen Carter, a potential top-five pick in the coming N.F.L. Current Player Value/Potential Player Value. He also resorts to body catches at times and can better pluck the ball with his hands. The ball can easily be jarred loose through the catch process, and in tight spaces, Nailor loses track of the ball and struggles to secure. With his speed and explosiveness, Nailor has two-pronged appeal as a deep and a run-after-catch threat. His long, energetic strides cover a lot of ground, and he can swiftly get upfield on screens. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. With the draft beginning on Thursday, and just enough seven-round mock drafts available for perusal, let's check out some potential landing spots for these former Spartans. On deep throws he tracks the ball very well and is comfortable making over-the-shoulder receptions. Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem? MSU has three players with legit chances of being picked: running back Kenneth Walker, wide receiver Jalen Nailor and tight end Connor Heyward. Latest on WR Jalen Nailor including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on NFL.com . Jenkins against Northwester in 2011. born March 2, 1999 (23) The native of Palmdale, California, headed about 240 miles northeast to Las Vegas and joined powerhouse Bishop Gorman as a sophomore. Nailor is MSUs active leader with 1,346 receiving yards and over the last two seasons, 45-of-57 (78.9 percent) receptions have gone for either a first down or TD. For his speed, Nailor has struggled when asked to return kicks and likely isnt suited for that role at the next level. Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Jalen Nailor runs an official 4.50-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Expanding on Nailors profile, the Michigan State WR can still expand his route tree and employ more sharpness and deception with his routes. Predictably, it is. He has a 4.39 40-yard dash on record and could go on to eclipse that at the NFL 2022 NFL Combine. Toughness was also shown willing to go over the middle and take a big hit. Team Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins throws a 47-yard touchdown completion to wide receiver Jalen Nailor. ), along with eight punt returns for 48 yards (6.0 ypr) and eight kick returns for 163 yards, for 1,720 career all-purpose yards (63.7 ypg). Body control is lacking for a deep-ball specialist, doesnt look natural when adjusting to imperfect ball placement. Similarly, Nailor only caught 38 of 75 targets on the year. He can stack defensive backs and get into space, and he can also take short passes and blast through congestion. He showed enough promise to earn an increased role early on in 2019. Michigan State footballs historic NFL draft streak ended last season, but it looks ready to start a new one with three players likely to be selected from a class headlined by award-winning running back Kenneth Walker III. Here is the fourth version of our Vikings 2023 Mock Draft Tracker, which features 16 recent predictions from around the world of . An early look at Michigan State's 2023 NFL draft prospects. He has the field vision to find the space and speed and acceleration to make things happen. He ran a 4.50 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and had a 38-inch vertical leap. Pro Football Network and The Athletic have Heyward as a seventh-round pick, 257th overall to the Cardinals and 258th to the Green Bay Packers, respectively. The top of the wide receiver depth chart appears to be set in stone for the Los Angeles Rams right now. Very good acceleration, gets up to speed quickly Michigan State football's 80-year NFL draft streak is officially over, but Spartan Nation breaks down five prospects for next season. Some cosmetic factors work against the Michigan State WR, but there are tools to mold. After starting the first eight games of 2021 and missing the next four because of a hand injury, Nailor returned to help Michigan State defeat Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl with six catches for 108 yards, highlighted by a one-handed catch that gained 50 yards. He does a lot of little things that add to his game. 51 in total TDs (13 (12 receiving, 1 rushing). Those having Walker going two picks later to the Bills at 57 including The Athletic's Dane Brugler, the Sporting News and Draftek. Nailors deep speed demands help and often opens things up for other receivers underneath, as well as for the run game. Finally, if you wish to not see this dialog box, please turn off your adblocker, and enjoy content normally, 2022 NFL Scouting Combine Results Tracker, 2021 NFL Pro Day Results Tracker Scouting Combine Invitees, Steelers Rookie Class Placed Just Outside Of Top 10 In Final Rankings From CBS Sports, The Steelers Shouldnt Focus On Drafting Wide Receiver Early, George Pickens, Kenny Pickett Land In Daniel Jeremiahs Final Top 25 Rookie Rankings For 2022 Season. Has only average height and overall length. He is high school teammate of fellow Michigan State offensive lineman Jacob Isaia. Hes a sudden, twitchy mover with great stop-and-start ability. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Kenneth Walker III can be that back with his open-field burst, balance, vision, and high-level creative instincts.". Even though the Rams were able to win the Super Bowl, the team may not want to rely on as bad as it sounds Tutu Atwell or Skowronek for depth in 2022. Nailor helped the Gaels win the state football title in each of his three seasons and finish No. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Nailor has at least one catch in 24 of 27 total career games played and MSU has an 19-8 record when Nailor is in the lineup. Nicknamed Speedy. Negatives: Possesses a thin frame and struggles in battles. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Improved route running on all levels He would choose to attend Michigan State in college, spending four years with the Spartans. It remains to be seen what Odell Beckham Jr. elects to do in free agency, especially as he recovers from a torn ACL that will force him to miss part of the 2022 campaign. *Go All Access - Subscribe to NFL Draft Bible today and receive a one-year subscription to Sports Illustrated the magazine, for FREE! Using strength at the top of the route to create space was not commonly used. He landed with the Spartans in East Lansing, Michigan, and made a big impact. He is a receiver who was used on both sides of the Spartan offensive alignment and was used throughout the route tree on all three levels. historically in the player's position group (Higher value represents better perfomance). 17 on career yards per catch list (16.83 ypc), tied for No. From now until the 2022 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. Human development and family studies major Lacks a second gear. Doesnt project as an impact special teamer. Nailor initially planned to enroll at Arizona State, but a coaching change there prompted him to seek another option. EAGAN, Minn. The Vikings selected Michigan State receiver Jalen 'Speedy' Nailor in the sixth round with the 191st overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. He also has good blind-spot awareness and can sneak into open zones downfield with his speed. And he might just push Leonard Fournette for touches. . He was also able to manipulate DBs to turn their hips as well on deep routes and has plenty of speed to consistently stack cornerbacks. Has the strong hands any NFL wide receiver coach and quarterback would covet. But the Spartans' streak will almost certainly begin anew when the 2022 draft begins Thursday with the first round and runs through Saturday. Jalen Nailor NFL draft projections The highest projection for Nailor comes from CBSSports.com's Ryan Wilson , who has "Speedy" going to the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round, 134th overall. Vs Pittsburgh, at the top he uses an arm over and then a little shove to create space on this slant route. He was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention by the media this season, after catching 37 passes for 695 yards (18.8 yard per catch) and six touchdowns. Doesn't have the size to consistently win on the outside, but can be productive working the middle of the field and as a return man. He has all the traits and flashed against press but can be vanilla off the line at times. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens throws a 37-yard completion to wide receiver Jalen Nailor on fourth down. Areas to improve include consistent ability to beat Press coverage, adding some play strength and eliminating slips coming out of his breaks. Given the depth at wide receiver in this years draft class, Nailor is expected to be available on Day 3. Not going to break a lot of tackles Nailor came to East Lansing during the Mark Dantonio era, first arriving in 2018, and has 86 receptions for 1,454 receiving yards (16.9 yards per catch) and 12 touchdowns in four seasons (28 career games played) with Michigan State. The lessons learned tonight are going to reset expectations for the postseason. "Walker can add a more consistent rushing element to their offense," writes Sporting News, while Draftek says, "Here, the Bills land an every-down back that if he improves in pass protection will take a tremendous amount off of Josh Allen's plate offensively. (89%*), Drafted: ROUND: 6 - Pick Number: 191 (MIN), (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance), SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION HOLIDAY BOWL. Hundreds of prospects ranked and updated throughout the season. Dangerous if you miss on a press, but Nailor struggles to get off press when it lands. He was a preseason All-Big Ten selection by Phil Steele (second team) and Athlon Sports (third team). Jalen Nailor is an exciting playmaker who has 80 catches for 1,346 yards, reaching the 1,000 career yards mark in the Western Kentucky game, becoming the 46th player in MSU history to reach 1,000 career receiving yards. Potential to play all three WR spots, Handling press consistently Vikings' Jalen Nailor: Has four receptions in win. https://theramswire.usatoday.com/lists/rams-nfl-draft-2022-jalen-nailor-profile/, Rams 7-round mock draft: TE at No. He has 12 receiving TDs in 27 games (eight in 2018, four in 2019, seven in 2020, eight in 2021), including 20 starts (one in 2018, four in 2019, seven in 2020, eight in 2021) and has three career 100-yard receiving outings (vs. Iowa, 11/7/20; vs. Western Kentucky, 10/2/21; vs. Rutgers, 10/9/21) and one 200-yard outing (vs. Rutgers, 10/9/21). Of course, Nailor is far from a finished product. Michigan State. Jalen Nailor Draft Projections. This demands some extra cushion for corners who cant match the speed, which Nailor will punish with a good ability to plant his feet and turn on curl routes. MSU fans are probably a little weary of mock drafts right now, considering Shakur Brown was projected as a fourth-round pick but wasnt selected last year. This might be the steal of the draft. Sixth-round projections include the Sporting News (196th to the Baltimore Ravens) and The Athletic (199th to Carolina Panthers), while Draftek has Nailor as a seventh-round pick to the Washington Commanders, 240th overall. All Rights Reserved. He can also expand his release package. On quick passes, he doesnt always get his head around in time. Nailor finished his college career with 1,844 all-purpose yards, adding 179 on kick returns, 163 on rushes and 48 on punt returns to his receiving tally. Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. Three Spartans were invited to the NFL Combine, which begins on March 1: tailback Kenneth Walker III, wide receiver Jalen Nailor and tight end/H-back Connor Heyward. Nevertheless, let's take a look at some NFL Draft prospects the Raiders could target in our projections. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Luckily for Nailor, he was able to preserve his redshirt in 2019, and so he returned as a redshirt sophomore in 2020. But after just four games, hed be knocked out for the rest of the season with a broken foot. Today Ill be profiling a wide receiver that I believe is flying under the radar right now. NFL Draft Projections: 2022 prospects the Las Vegas Raiders should target. 191 overall in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. 191 overall pick [via a trade with the Baltimore Ravens]. He will lower his shoulder to try to gain extra yardage when being tackled. These players include center Matt Allen, defensive end Drew Beesley, kicker Matt Coghlin, quarterback Anthony Russo, defensive end Drew Jordan, offensive lineman AJ Arcuri, offensive lineman Luke Campbell and defensive end Jacub Panasiuk. The Michigan State WR also struggles to work through contact at the catch point and can struggle with drops. 36, Round 4 trade-up, Rams grade out poorly in NFLPA's player-survey report card, 10 cornerbacks for Rams to watch at NFL combine, Peter King shares what he thinks the Rams could get for Jalen Ramsey, Rams are in a tough spot with Allen Robinson heading into 2023, Rams 2023 Draft Prospect Profile: Hendon Hooker (QB, Tennessee), 5 safeties for Rams to watch at NFL combine, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Nailor played high school football at the vaunted Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. Upon doing a draft profile for Tyquan Thornton out of Baylor, the next wideout Ill be doing a deep dive on is Jalen Nailor out of Michigan State. Whether on the move or stationary he has good hands catching the ball away from his body. I see a mid-late day three player who will have to earn his spot in camp, but you cant teach sub 4.4 speed and he has to be accounted for when on the field. And with some fine tuning I wouldnt be surprised to see him as an X. I am much higher on him than what I have seen from others. He has all the tools to be a Z receiver but I think he can also play the slot right away. Will get you yards if he has space. Nailor had 37 catches for 695 yards and eight touchdowns during his senior season and was an All-Big Ten honorable . CBS Sports No. 2021 37 receptions, 695 yards, 18.8, ypr, 6 TD, 1 carry, -3 yards, 5 KR, 81 yards, 16.2 ypr Washington totaled 172 receptions for 3,087 yards and 23 touchdowns in six seasons, making two Pro Bowls along the way. Walker has 4.3-second speed, awesome power at the second level and the vision to be an effective inside or outside runner. The Michigan State WR gears up deceptively quickly and can blow by unsuspecting defensive backs. 5 Things to Know About Vikings Rookie T Vederian Lowe, 5 Things to Know About Vikings Rookie RB Ty Chandler, 5 Things to Know About New Vikings Cornerback Akayleb Evans, 5 Things to Know About Vikings New DL Esezi Otomewo, 5 Things to Know About New Vikings Linebacker Brian Asamoah, 5 Things to Know About Vikings New G Ed Ingram. The Bills cant sleep should Walker fall a little bit despite the fact hes a complete back and they got a good finish with Devin Singletary last season. He angles to the outside to get the DB to open his hips and then cuts back in to sell the deep route before dropping his hips and working back to the QB. It would be shocking, however, if Walker wasnt taken around where he is projected. 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Prospects ranked and updated throughout the season with a broken foot well and is making!