Lance Zierlein Profile

Which NFL draft picks MUST provide immediate returns? With the start of the 2023 regular season fast approaching, Lance Zierlein identifies the one rookie who is most pivotal to each team's success this year. 

Lance Zierlein ranks his top 10 candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023. Will a Jets player win for the second season in a row? Could the Lions have two of the league's top contenders?

Lance Zierlein ranks his top 10 candidates for Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023. While the first-year quarterbacks are in good position to thrive, a non-QB could be the frontrunner for the award.

Which teams are in position to receive extra draft capital next year? Lance Zierlein provides his 2024 NFL Draft compensatory picks projections.

With Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft in the books, Lance Zierlein projects how Rounds 2 and 3 will play out on Friday night. In the third round, the Vikings take their quarterback of the future, while the Chiefs select another offensive weapon.

With Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft in the books, Lance Zierlein projects how Rounds 2 and 3 will play out on Friday night. The second round opens with the Steelers grabbing a familiar name. A bit later, QB Will Levis' wait comes to an end.

In Lance Zierlein's final first-round mock of the 2023 NFL Draft, Will Anderson Jr. and Tyree Wilson take center stage. Which edge rusher goes No. 2 overall? Which one slides? Check out the full rundown, 1-31.

In his third mock of the 2023 NFL Draft, Lance Zierlein projects the Texans will pass on taking a quarterback at No. 2 and the Ravens will trade Lamar Jackson to the Colts, shaking up the outlook for Round 1.

Lance Zierlein takes a look at the 2023 NFL Draft class and ranks the 11 position groups from strongest to weakest. Which spot boasts the most talent? And where does the quarterback position slot?

In his second mock of the 2023 NFL Draft, Lance Zierlein has four quarterbacks coming off the board within the first nine picks. Which team trades up for C.J. Stroud? Who pounces on combine star Anthony Richardson?

In his second mock of the 2023 NFL Draft, Lance Zierlein has four quarterbacks coming off the board within the first eight picks, with Will Levis replacing a former MVP as part of a blockbuster trade.

Anthony Richardson possesses extraordinary physical traits, but lacks polish. Someone's going to place a serious bet on the enticing quarterback prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft, but who? And when? Lance Zierlein spotlights eight teams, providing odds on each potential landing spot.

In his first mock of the 2023 NFL Draft, Lance Zierlein projects the Buccaneers and Raiders to begin new eras at quarterback. Check out the full first-round forecast, 1-31.

Which 2023 NFL Draft prospects helped themselves on Day 2 of Senior Bowl practice? Lance Zierlein and Eric Edholm provide a look at five stars from Wednesday and more takeaways from the all-star game.

Which 2023 NFL Draft prospects helped themselves on Day 1 of Senior Bowl practice? Lance Zierlein and Eric Edholm provide a look at five stars from Tuesday and more takeaways from the all-star game.

Which draft picks MUST provide immediate returns? With the start of the 2022 NFL regular season fast approaching, Lance Zierlein identifies the one rookie most pivotal to each team's success this year. 

Lance Zierlein ranks his top 10 candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022. Which player will grab the spotlight at the head of a talented class of first-year pros?

Will the competition for Offensive Rookie of the Year be dominated by wide receivers in 2022? Which player has the best shot? Lance Zierlein ranks his top 10 contenders for the award.

Lance Zierlein breaks down projected compensatory picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. How many extra selections can John Lynch and the 49ers expect to be awarded?

With Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft in the books, Lance Zierlein projects how Rounds 2 and 3 will play out on Friday night. In the third round, the Packers grab a new tight end for Aaron Rodgers.

With Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft in the books, Lance Zierlein projects how Rounds 2 and 3 will play out on Friday night. And in this projection, we get a second-round quarterback run, with Malik Willis, Desmond Ridder and Matt Corral all coming off the board.

In Lance Zierlein's final mock of the 2022 NFL Draft, he sees the Steelers trading up for a quarterback -- the only one picked in Round 1.

In Lance Zierlein's third mock draft, the Panthers eschew quarterback at No. 6 to add someone who can help right away. Check out how he sees the 2022 NFL Draft unfolding.

Lance Zierlein takes a long, hard look at the 2022 draft class and ranks the 11 position groups from strongest to weakest. Does edge defender boast the most talent? How deep is this cornerback crop? And where does the quarterback position slot?

In the wake of the NFL Scouting Combine and the blockbuster Russell Wilson trade news, Lance Zierlein reveals his second mock of the 2022 NFL Draft. Who goes No. 1 overall? Who do the Seahawks take with the first-round pick they will acquire from the Broncos? Check out the full rundown, 1-32.

The intrigue continues to build around Malik Willis at the NFL Scouting Combine. Lance Zierlein ranks the top seven contenders to draft the Liberty QB in Round 1.

Two trades mark Round 1 in Lance Zierlein's first mock of the 2022 NFL Draft, with the Steelers moving up to select the second quarterback off the board. Check out his forecast for picks 1-32.

Which 2022 NFL Draft prospects helped themselves on Day 2 of Senior Bowl practice? Lance Zierlein and Chase Goodbread provide a look at five stars from Wednesday and more takeaways from the all-star game.

Which 2022 NFL Draft prospects helped themselves on Day 1 of Senior Bowl practice? Lance Zierlein and Chase Goodbread provide a look at five stars from Tuesday and more takeaways from the all-star game.

Two of the nation's top quarterback prospects faced off on Saturday with plenty of NFL eyes watching them. Lance Zierlein provides five takeaways on how Ole Miss' Matt Corral and Liberty's Malik Willis fared in the spotlight.

Lance Zierlein identifies one pivotal rookie for each of the 32 NFL teams, a list that includes only one of the five quarterbacks selected in the first round of this year's draft.

Lance Zierlein ranks his top 10 candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Will Cowboys LB Micah Parsons grab the spotlight at the head of a stacked class of first-year pros?

Which players have the best shot to keep No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence from taking home some hardware after the 2021 season? Lance Zierlein ranks his top 10 candidates for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Lance Zierlein projects which teams will receive compensatory picks for the 2022 NFL Draft. How many extra selections might Les Snead's Los Angeles Rams earn for their offseason transactions? 

Which 2021 NFL Draft picks did draft analyst Lance Zierlein like most? He breaks down his three favorite picks from each round, including Kyle Pitts to the Falcons at No. 4 overall and Amari Rodgers to the Packers in Round 3.

With Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft in the books, Lance Zierlein projects how Rounds 2 and 3 will play out on Friday night. Will the Packers' third-round selection of a wide receiver help smooth things over with Aaron Rodgers?

With Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft in the books, Lance Zierlein projects how Rounds 2 and 3 will play out on Friday night. In the second round, the Bucs take a QB to apprentice under Tom Brady, while the Chiefs give Patrick Mahomes another weapon and some protection.

In his final mock of the 2021 NFL Draft's first round, Lance Zierlein projects the Packers will trade up to land a weapon for Aaron Rodgers.

Lance Zierlein ranks the position groups in the 2021 NFL Draft -- including a star-packed receiver group led by Ja'Marr Chase and DeVonta Smith.

Lance Zierlein updates his Round 1 forecast after two blockbuster trades altered the outlook for the 2021 NFL Draft. Which prospect is most likely to land with the Eagles after Philly moved down to No. 12?

The first wave of free agency has altered the league landscape. How does the roster reshuffling impact Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft? Lance Zierlein provides his Mock Draft 2.0, with a juicy trade shaking up the top 10.

With the COVID-19 pandemic eliminating workouts from the NFL Scouting Combine, pro days are taking center stage in the pre-draft process. Lance Zierlein spotlights 10 prospects who could use a pro day boost.

In Lance Zierlein's first mock draft of the year, he has four teams -- including the 49ers and Patriots -- taking a QB within the first 15 picks of the 2021 NFL Draft. 

Which newbies must deliver for their respective teams to succeed in 2020? Lance Zierlein identifies one pivotal rookie for each of the NFL's 32 organizations.

Chase Young seems primed for a big first season, but which of his fellow rookies poses the biggest threat to his chances of winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award? Lance Zierlein unveils his top eight contenders for the hardware.

Will Joe Burrow follow up his Heisman Trophy season with an Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign? Lance Zierlein ranks his top 10 candidates for the award.

Which 2020 NFL Draft picks did draft analyst Lance Zierlein like most? Start with Jeff Okudah going to the Lions at No. 3, but who else caught his eye? Check out Zierlein's three favorite picks from each round.

Lance Zierlein projects which teams will be receiving compensatory picks for the 2021 NFL Draft. Will the Dallas Cowboys' offseason transactions lead to extra choices for Jerry Jones' team?

With Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft in the books, Lance Zierlein projects how Rounds 2 and 3 will play out on Friday night. Are we about to see a major run on running backs? Which quarterback could the Patriots target?

With Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft in the books, Lance Zierlein projects how Rounds 2 and 3 will play out on Friday night. Are we about to see a major run on running backs? Which quarterback could the Patriots target?

It's draft day! Before the first round kicks off tonight, Lance Zierlein provides his final predictions on the top 32 picks. Could Justin Herbert fall into the bottom half of the first round?

When it comes to the prospect pool for the 2020 NFL Draft, which position group is the best? The worst? Lance Zierlein ranks 'em all!

The dust might be settling from the first wave of free agency, but Lance Zierlein shakes things up all over again with his mock draft 2.0, starting with a trade between the Bengals and Dolphins.

Is CeeDee Lamb a perfect fit for the Jets? Would the Saints be an ideal landing spot for Jalen Hurts? Lance Zierlein provides takeaways from his visit to Oklahoma's pro day.

As his hip continues to heal, Tua Tagovailoa becomes more intriguing by the second. Lance Zierlein ranks the top contenders to draft the former Alabama quarterback.

In his first mock for the 2020 NFL Draft, Lance Zierlein predicts the Raiders will be the first of five teams to pick a receiver in Round 1. Who might Mike Mayock select to kick off the franchise's new era in Las Vegas?

Lance Zierlein revisits the players selected in Round 1 of the 2016 NFL Draft, handing out grades for Jared Goff, Carson Wentz and the rest of the first-round picks based on their performance through three seasons.

Will Devin White be the latest linebacker to be named Defensive Rookie of the Year? Can Nick Bosa follow his brother's DROY-winning path? Lance Zierlein lists the top eight candidates for the award.

Will Kyler Murray be the first QB since 2016 to take home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors? Or can Josh Jacobs keep the award among RBs? Lance Zierlein lists the top 10 OROY candidates for 2019.

Lance Zierlein takes a stab at projecting the compensatory picks for the 2020 NFL Draft. The Patriots and Seahawks are the teams positioned to receive the most value when the picks are awarded next year.

Which 2019 NFL Draft picks popped for Lance Zierlein, who wrote scouting reports for 500 prospects this spring? Start with Kyler Murray at No. 1. But that wasn't the only Cardinals selection he loved.

The first round of the 2019 NFL Draft is in the rearview, so ... where do we go from here? Lance Zierlein projects every pick in Rounds 2 and 3, with three quarterbacks coming off the board.

The first round of the 2019 NFL Draft is in the rearview, so ... where do we go from here? Lance Zierlein projects every pick in Rounds 2 and 3, with three quarterbacks coming off the board.

Lance Zierlein unveils his final forecast for Round 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft. There's a trade in the top 10, and the Raiders add some major firepower to their offense after addressing the defense first.

With rumors cascading upon us ahead of the 2019 NFL Draft, Lance Zierlein cuts through the fog to deliver 10 nuggets we can believe in.

With three seasons in the books for the class of 2016, Lance Zierlein takes another crack at that year's NFL draft. Do Jared Goff and Carson Wentz still go 1-2? Which team drafts Dak Prescott?

What are the strong suits of the 2019 NFL Draft? Which areas of this prospect pool leave something to be desired? Lance Zierlein ranks all of the position groups in this class.

Armed with two first-round picks following the OBJ trade, the Giants decide to reload at wide receiver before addressing their need for a young QB in Lance Zierlein's new forecast for Round 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft.

The intrigue around Kyler Murray and his potential landing spots continues to grow at the NFL Scouting Combine. Lance Zierlein ranks the top contenders to draft the Oklahoma QB.

The Raiders kick off an early quarterback run in Lance Zierlein's first mock draft of 2019. His first-round forecast also includes new QBs for the Giants, Jaguars and Broncos.

Who will NFL scouts have an eye on this fall? As we head toward the 2018 college football season, Lance Zierlein identifies the top 13 linebackers to watch.

Who will NFL scouts have an eye on this fall? As we head toward the 2018 college football season, Lance Zierlein identifies the top 12 running backs to watch.

Who will NFL scouts have an eye on this fall? As we head toward the 2018 college football season, Lance Zierlein identifies the top 11 defensive linemen to watch.

Who will NFL scouts have an eye on this fall? As we head toward the 2018 college football season, Lance Zierlein identifies the top 11 quarterbacks to watch.

Who will NFL scouts have an eye on this fall? As we head toward the 2018 college football season, Lance Zierlein identifies the top 10 defensive backs to watch.

Lance Zierlein dives into the pass catchers in the college football pipeline and finds some intriguing depth at the wide receiver position. He unveils his top 10 to watch in 2018.

Lance Zierlein forecasts a Year 2 breakthrough for five 2017 first-round draft picks, including Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. Who else makes his list?

Will Nick Bosa outdo big brother Joey at Ohio State? Is Jim Harbaugh's new QB set for a breakthrough season? Those are just a couple of the burning questions on Lance Zierlein's mind this offseason as he turns his attention to the next wave of top prospects.

Lance Zierlein takes a stab at projecting the compensatory picks for the 2019 NFL Draft. The Patriots and Rams are among the teams positioned to receive the most value when the picks are awarded next year.

Now that they have a couple years in the NFL under their belt, which 2016 first-round picks are poised for a breakout year in 2018? Lance Zierlein says the Redskins' Josh Doctson and Saints' Sheldon Rankins are among five players that fit the bill.