Seeing as though they're still humming along in the 2024 NFL playoffs, the teams playing in the AFC and NFC championship games don't have many flaws. But what if, in an alternate universe, they could get some extra help from collegiate stars in hopes of reaching the Super Bowl?
This article jumps through the portal to enter that alternate universe, and it blends playoff football with the NFL Draft. Quite the combination, right? My favorite.
Let's choose the perfect prospect who'd most help all four conference title game teams this Sunday.
Baltimore Ravens
Prospect: Clemson CB Nate Wiggins
Wiggins is well over 6-foot and excels in man coverage thanks to smooth athleticism, length, and plus ball skills. On 172 man-coverage snaps in 2023, Wiggins was targeted just 28 times and surrendered 15 grabs for 166 yards. Overall, he had 19 pass breakups and three interceptions in his final two seasons at Clemson.
Yes, Marlon Humphrey should be returning for the Ravens on Sunday, but the rest of the cornerback room features either young, inexperienced players or journeymen. Now, the likes of Ronald Darby and Co. have performed admirably this season for Baltimore, but another intelligent, physically capable coverage type on the outside would be welcomed against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs passing attack ahead of the AFC title game.
Kansas City Chiefs
Prospect: LSU WR Malik Nabers
Nabers is the next in an incredibly long line of stellar wide receiver prospects hailing from Louisiana State University. The first three words I have written in his scouting report are "explosive, explosive, explosive." While not someone who has experience running 40 different routes, his athleticism appears off the charts on the field, he catches everything, and is a nightmare to corral in the open field.
Plus, Nabers is a dangerous downfield weapon too -- he averaged over 17 yards per grab and had 14 touchdowns in 2023.
Sounds exactly like what the Chiefs could use offensively, right? And we know Andy Reid would be able to scheme him into space in Kansas City's attack.
San Francisco 49ers
Prospect: South Carolina WR Xavier Legette
This would be a seamless switcheroo. No one would know. Legette is a rugged, YAC specialist from South Carolina, at around the same size as Deebo Samuel. Just sub Legette into Samuel's role for Sunday. No worries.
OK, so I'm not really meaning to insinuate Legette is a Samuel clone, but the contact-balance flashes after the catch, in the same jersey, make it difficult not to be reminded of what Samuel did during his time in the SEC. And even if Samuel is medically cleared to play, the 49ers would probably love to add another YAC weapon to the offense. The proof -- San Francisco has led the NFL in YAC per reception in each of the last six seasons under Kyle Shanahan.
Detroit Lions
Prospect: UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu
Aidan Hutchinson enters the NFC title game with 118 pressures. 118! Holy moly. And he's done it on 686 pass-rushing snaps. Insane efficiency at that volume. Guess who's second on the team in pressures? Nose tackle Alim McNeill (!) with 40, and he missed time late in the season with an injury.
So, yeah, for this exercise I'm sending a premier edge rusher to the Lions, who just so happens to be rather tall on the outside like Hutchinson. Also comparable to Hutchinson, the UCLA star is a squeaky clean from a technique angle. All the pass-rush moves are there, and he loves the swim. Effective with it too. For evidence -- Latu finished fifth in the country in pressures in 2023 and tied Will Anderson Jr. for fourth in 2022.
If the Lions had another formidable perimeter rusher, it'd be a massive boost to the club's chances against the 49ers on Sunday.
