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Draftanomics

Honest NFL Draft analytics. The model's receipts against actual NFL teams live on the track record.

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Data + sources
RAS by Kent Lee Platte·Consensus Big Board (Arif Hasan)·nflverse·PFR·CFBD·All sources & credits·Methodology
Career-value model, live
Privacy·Terms·Press ⌘K to search·Draftanomics2026
  1. Draftanomics/
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Side-by-side comparison

Backtest

2 prospects · 2018 draft

Each spoke: percentile within the prospect's own position (OLB)
LE
Leighton Vander Esch
OLB · Boise St.
22.2 yo · — · —
UN
Uchenna Nwosu
OLB · USC
21.3 yo · — · —
Tiebreaker
Low confidence — essentially tied
Truly tied on the model.

Leighton Vander Esch and Uchenna Nwosu project within 8 picks of each other, and neither bust risk nor the historical comps can separate them. Take the one at the position of greater need.

Headline metrics

The four numbers a GM checks first.

Leighton Vander Esch
Predicted pick
#30
range #1–#86
Bust probability
0%
0%0/5 comps
Consensus rank
#28
on 27 boards
Career arc
Bust
tier · 1st Round
2nd-deal AAV
$7Mmodel
Uchenna Nwosu
Predicted pick
#99
range #42–#156
Bust probability
0%
0%0/5 comps
Consensus rank
#98
on 17 boards
Career arc
Bust
tier · Day 2
2nd-deal AAV
$20Mmodel

Feature radar

Each axis is the prospect's percentile among prospects at his position (0–100). Bigger shape = stronger across the board.

ProductionAthleticismAgeConsensusPer-play impact (PPA)Breakout ageWorkloadRAS × production
Prospects
  • Leighton Vander Esch· EDGE / DL / LB
  • Uchenna Nwosu· EDGE / DL / LB
Axis leaders
  • ProductionUchenna Nwosu93
  • AthleticismLeighton Vander Esch48
  • AgeUchenna Nwosu79
  • ConsensusLeighton Vander Esch35
  • Per-play impact (PPA)Leighton Vander Esch50
  • Breakout ageLeighton Vander Esch50
  • WorkloadLeighton Vander Esch100
  • RAS × productionLeighton Vander Esch0

Comp overlap

Top five historical comps per prospect. Shared comps highlighted.

Shared comps
  • Su'a CravensOLB · Bust→ shared byLeighton Vander EschUchenna Nwosu
  • Jaylon SmithOLB · Bust→ shared byLeighton Vander EschUchenna Nwosu
Leighton Vander Esch
  • Su'a Cravensshared
    OLB · #53
    Bust
  • Jaylon Smithshared
    OLB · #34
    Bust
  • Myles Jack
    OLB · #36
    Starter
  • Tyler Matakevich
    OLB · #246
    Backup
  • Kentrell Brothers
    OLB · #160
    Bust
Uchenna Nwosu
  • Su'a Cravensshared
    OLB · #53
    Bust
  • Jaylon Smithshared
    OLB · #34
    Bust
  • Aaron Wallace
    OLB · #222
    Contributor
  • Deiontrez Mount
    OLB · #177
    Contributor
  • Dante Fowler
    OLB · #3
    Starter

Risk and opportunity flags

Top three concerns and top two upside signals from the model.

Leighton Vander Esch
Risks
  • No athletic testing
    No Combine drills or Pro Day numbers on file while most of the class has tested — the athletic part of the grade is unmeasured.
  • Comp group bust rate
    4 of 5 closest comps with NFL outcomes washed out: Su'a Cravens, Jaylon Smith, Tyler Matakevich (+1 more). The neighborhood in feature space is dangerous.
Opportunities
No standout upside flags.
Uchenna Nwosu
Risks
  • No athletic testing
    No Combine drills or Pro Day numbers on file while most of the class has tested — the athletic part of the grade is unmeasured.
  • Comp group bust rate
    2 of 3 closest comps with NFL outcomes washed out: Su'a Cravens, Jaylon Smith. The neighborhood in feature space is dangerous.
Opportunities
No standout upside flags.

Career trajectory forecast

Projected share of his team's snaps across the first four NFL seasons. Solid = seasons already played, dashed = the forecast.

0%25%50%75%100%Y1Y2Y3Y4Y5Y6Y7Y8Snap share
Leighton Vander EschUchenna Nwosu· solid = actuals, dashed = forecast

Verdict

The model's plain-English read.

Leighton Vander Esch

Draftanomics projects Leighton Vander Esch (age 22.2 at draft) as a first-round pick at #30 (range #1-#86, very wide band — too little on him yet to project tightly). Bust probability sits at 0% — low. The comp set is dangerous: 4 of 5 closest comps with known NFL outcomes washed out as backups or busts. Closest comps: Su'a Cravens (Bust), Jaylon Smith (Bust), Myles Jack (Starter). Ceiling is Myles Jack (Starter); floor is Tyler Matakevich (Backup). 4 of 5 closest comps with NFL outcomes washed out: Su'a Cravens, Jaylon Smith, Tyler Matakevich (+1 more). The neighborhood in feature space is dangerous. The call is a hold at slot: the model's #30 and the room's #31 land on the same answer — no market edge to chase, so take him where he sits, and let the 0% bust probability break ties on draft day.

Uchenna Nwosu

Draftanomics projects Uchenna Nwosu (age 21.3 at draft) as a third-round / early Day 3 pick at #99 (range #42-#156, very wide band — too little on him yet to project tightly). Bust probability sits at 0% — low. The comp set is dangerous: 2 of 3 closest comps with known NFL outcomes washed out as backups or busts. Closest comps: Su'a Cravens (Bust), Jaylon Smith (Bust), Aaron Wallace (Contributor). Ceiling is Dante Fowler (Starter); floor is Aaron Wallace (Contributor). 2 of 3 closest comps with NFL outcomes washed out: Su'a Cravens, Jaylon Smith. The neighborhood in feature space is dangerous. The call is a lean fade: the model sits 25 spots below the room's consensus #74 — don't pay sticker price. The discount is earned — comp group bust rate leads the case against.