elijah Posted April 26, 2018 Posted April 26, 2018 (edited) Just some notes before I start this.. - I've been throwing this together since around 3, so I'm sure I've missed some rumors and will provide a final updated version around 7:30, right before the draft. - I don't know much about who's going where outside of the top 8 or so, this is more about the prospect profiles that are coming along with the pick. - There's a couple of players that I wish I had the opportunity to watch and study more, but college got busy over the past month or so, so a couple of the prospect profiles aren't as up to date as I would've wished. - Take my review on offensive lineman with a grain of salt, I struggle to understand how the scout them well. - I was trying to separate this out by post, but I guess you can't do that if no one replies.. So my apologies for the brick of text that's gunna get thrown at you in the first post. That being said, the Cleveland Browns are on the clock.. With the first overall pick, the Cleveland Browns select.. 1.) Cleveland Browns - Baker Mayfield I personally don’t like Baker Mayfield, but this seems to be the trending pick right now. The Browns bless themselves with Johnny Manziel 2.0, except this time they waste the first overall rather than the 22nd. Just like they passed on Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo, they’ll now be passing on Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold and Josh Allen. QB - Baker Mayfield - Oklahoma 6’1” - 220 Lbs. - Senior Pros: Mobile. Accuracy. Throw on run. Low risk. Tight spiral. Progressions. Throws receiver open. Playmaker. Footwork. Cons: Small size. Ghost pressure. Pocket awareness. Velocity. Arm strength. Pro style snaps. Offensive orientated competition. Prolonged release motion. Can’t see over the line. Throwing mechanics. Attitude. Review: (11/7) Baker Mayfield is not a quarterback that you want to see your team drafting in the first round. He’s the type of guy that with the correct team around him, has the slightest possibility of taking you to the playoffs. He leaves too many boxes unchecked to be a franchise quarterback. Mayfield lacks three of the most important traits to be a franchise quarterback, size, pocket awareness and a strong arm. He often times can be seen throwing off of his back foot and has a prolonged release, giving him awful throwing mechanics. He senses ghost pressure and tries to escape the pocket when there’s no need to, this could be a strong indication that he’s simply too short to see over the line of scrimmage. Talent-wise, Mayfield may be worth a second round project pick. However, in a league where it’s either you make it or you don’t at quarterback, Mayfield could fall out of day two and well into day three. (3/20) Mayfield has some of the best highlight reel plays of all the quarterback’s in the draft. His playmaking ability is incredible, he extends plays outside of the pocket and shows phenomenal accuracy anywhere on the field. While Mayfield lacks a great awareness for the pocket, he does show strong footwork within the pocket. Where Mayfield is going to struggle in the NFL is his inability to see over the line in front of him. This is clearly visible and it effects many areas of his game. First and foremost, you see Mayfield try to step up from invisible pressure all of the time, into a strong pocket that he then has to escape because he can’t see from inside. This leads to short-armed, side-armed and jump throws rather than delivering with strongly planted feet. Outside of this, you see Mayfield having to drop back as far as 10 yards sometimes so that he can see down the field. If he isn’t dropping that far back, he’s running around the pocket until he has a clear view. Mayfield can be the best backup in the NFL, but it’s hard to see him developing into a consistent starter. Grade: 8.2 Position & Overall Rank: 7-80 Game Films: vs Ohio State (2017), vs Texas Tech (2017), TCU (2017), Georgia (2017), 2.) New York Giants - Sam Darnold This is the man that I want in Buffalo. Unfortunately, the Giants and Saquon Barkley turn out to be a (not-so) incredible smokescreen. I mean come on, there’s been rumors of us offering the Giants three first round picks and more on top of that. You don’t turn down three first round picks to draft a running back that’ll become the fourth highest paid running back in the NFL upon drafting, in a highly-touted running back class. Not only is this year highly-touted, last year’s class that wasn’t so raved about produced two pro bowlers in the third round. Running backs are simply a dime-a-dozen with a short-shelf life. There’s been on and off reports that the only quarterback the Giants like is Sam Darnold and he falls right into their laps. QB - Sam Darnold - USC 6’4” - 220 Lbs. - RS Sophomore Pros: Willing to throw deep. Good short to mid accuracy. Playmaker. Arm strength. Mobility. Pocket climbing. Size. Cons: Indecisive. Holds ball too long. Prolonged release. Forces passes. Inconsistent ball placement. Throwing motion. Review: (9/16) After watching the tape of Darnold versus Stanford, I’m not quite sure if I buy into the early season hype he’s getting. Darnold looks like a first round or second round project quarterback that will not be ready for the NFL immediately. He holds the ball for much too long and looks indecisive in the pocket. On the other hand of this, he has a great playmaking ability and simply drops your jaw at times. He’s willing to throw deep and take risks to make the big play happen. Grade: 8.9 Position & Overall Rank: 1-5 Game Films: vs Stanford (2017), Ohio State (2017) 3.) New York Jets - Josh Rosen The back-up man that I wanted in Buffalo if Sam Darnold wasn’t available will now be playing for our division rivals. Reports of Rosen being “too smart” are just silly, what team doesn’t want a quarterback that’s “too smart”? That’s why the Patriots have destroyed us for the past twenty years. It was down to Mayfield and Rosen at number three, and luckily for Jets fans, it was Cleveland that made the mistake on Mayfield. QB - Josh Rosen - UCLA 6’4” - 218 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Quick and decisive. Great short accuracy. Decent mobility. Good footwork. Pocket presence. Quick release. Scans the field. Cons: Lacks arm strength. Questionable decision making. Past shoulder injury. Forced passes. Inconsistent accuracy. Review: (10/10) Rosen has a great pocket presence, exceptional accuracy and he repetitively shows flashes of greatness. However, his lack of arm strength and inconsistent decision making prevents him from being the best quarterback in this draft class. There’s no question about the talent that Rosen presents. He has an amazing feel for the pocket and shows great footwork. His throwing motion is quick and he gets the ball out high. But, arm strength and decision making are two of the most important parts of a quarterback’s game in the NFL. Grade: 8.7 Position & Overall Rank: 2-12 Game Films: vs Memphis (2017), vs Colorado (2017), Edited April 26, 2018 by elijah
elijah Posted April 26, 2018 Author Posted April 26, 2018 (edited) 4.) Cleveland Browns - Saquon Barkley Remember when Barkley was the sure-fire number one pick and Cleveland got their choice of the remaining at quarterback’s at number four? Well Cleveland still manages to land Barkley just not with the number one pick. Barkley will be a game-changer for almost the next decade and will be worth the money he gets. However, he is going to burn out shorter than a fourth overall pick should. Either way, after Cleveland dooms themselves with Johnny Manziel 2.0, they atleast give their fans some star power to make up for it. RB - Saquon Barkley - Penn State 5’11” - 229 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Great balance. Shifty. Explosive. Good pass blocker. Great speed. Reliable hands. Runs hard. Great field vision. Great at changing direction. Great lateral quickness. Cons: Doesn’t hit the hole hard. Review: (9/20) Barkley may be the most complete running back I’ve seen. From kick returns, to his shiftiness, to running hard, reliable hands, but most notably, his ability and willingness to block, not just for the pass but for other runners as well. Barkley has incredible speed that allows him to run as shifty as he does while also running very hard. The only knock I came away with on Barkley was his hesitation to hit the hole, but that’s becoming popularized by Le’Veon Bell, and it’s actually becoming a new style of running. Barkley may enter the NFL coming off of a Heisman year if he keeps up the efforts he’s been giving. NFL scouts and executives around the league are praising Barkley, and as of right now, he’s living up to it. (9/29) Barkley’s incredible consistency and ability to wow and amaze is cementing him as the best player in the draft. He has another level of athleticism that makes him look like a man amongst boys on the college field. With the recent fourth overall selections of Zeke and Fournette, Barkley should be guaranteed a top five spot barring a devastating injury. There’s simply no way his talent doesn’t carry onto the NFL field. Grade: 9.5 Position & Overall Rank: 1-1 Game Films: vs Pittsburgh (2017), vs Georgia State (2017), vs Akron (2017) 5.) Denver Broncos - Bradley Chubb I can’t find the tweet now that I’m looking for it, but a couple days ago it was reported that the Broncos like Mayfield, Rosen, Chubb or trade down. In this series of events, the best defensive player in the draft falls to them at number five. I personally believe Chubb is better than Myles Garrett, but I must inform you that with that statement Garrett was number six on my big board last year rather than the seemingly consensus number one. With this pick, the Bills whiff on the top three quarterbacks, and pass on their first true opportunity of a trade partner. DE - Bradley Chubb - NC State 6’4” - 275 Lbs. - Senior Pros: Quick off the line. Aggressive. Powerful, forceful. Relentless. Hand checking. Dips shoulder well. Fast. Sheds blocks well. Fast around the edge. Huge reach/wingspan. Cons: Lacks pass rush moves. Misses tackles. Review: (10/18) Bradley Chubb is an athletic freak and dominant force all over the field. He mixes a huge wingspan with great strength, speed and an aggressive mean streak that makes him a special physical specimen. He’s walked all over opponents so far this year and appears to be worthy of a top five pick. He’s shown all of the intangibles necessary to be an elite defensive end for a long time in the NFL. Chubb may be the best defensive end prospect we’ve seen since the very highly touted Jadeveon Clowney. Grade: 9.1 Position & Overall Rank: 1-2 Game Films: vs South Carolina (2017), vs Louisville (2017) 6.) Indianapolis Colts - Quenton Nelson This is more of a personal opinion than anything else that I’ve been hearing. A lot of people have the Colts passing on Nelson, but boy oh boy would that be moronic. You’re quarterback has been sacked 156 times in his 70 career games, he’s been on and off injured and just missed an entire season from a shoulder injury that was only supposed to sideline him for the first month or so. Buy him some time in the pocket, Nelson is the only sure player in this draft. The bust potential with Nelson is minimal, help out your franchise quarterback a little bit here. OG - Quenton Nelson - Notre Dame 6’5” - 330 Lbs. - Senior Pros: Quick off the snap. Blocks down field. Pulls well. Good footwork. Sustains blocks. Good balance. Hedges blocks well. Drive blocks. Quick hands. Plays with purpose. Clean blocks. Cons: Review: (10/18) Through the first couple of games I’ve seen of Nelson, I’ve yet to see him allow a negative play. His man hasn’t beat him once. Nelson seems to be a surefire successful pick. He’s quick and powerful, always blocking with a purpose and knowing his assignment. His strong legs and balance allow him to stick with power rushers while his quick hands and good footwork allow him to stick with speed rushers. Nelson is an instant starter on almost every line in the NFL. Grade: 9.0 Position & Overall Rank: 1-4 Game Films: vs Boston College (2017), vs North Carolina (2017) 7.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Derwin James Everybody else is doing in their mocks, so why the hell not? Other plausible options here are Denzel Ward and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Personally, I think Derwin James has the more all-around athletic game, but Fitzpatrick is the more polished football player. While I would take Fitzpatrick, NFL general manager’s are going with the better athlete. S - Derwin James - Florida State 6’3” - 212 Lbs. - Sophomore Pros: Lengthy. Range. Versatility. Strong edge rusher. Hits hard. Closing speed. Power. Leader. Cons: Shys away from contact. Knee injuries. Pursuit angles. Stiff in coverage. Review: (9/11) Despite being listed as a safety, James seemed to line up everywhere but safety against Alabama. He played at nickel corner, middle linebacker, edge rusher, safety and even lined up one-on-one against the outside receiver a couple times. He showed a great ability to cover the entire field. Most impressive was how much success he had blitzing from the edge. He blitzed multiple times and proved to be too much speed and power to handle. In this game he displayed the cover skills of a corner, the tackling ability of a linebacker and the pass rushing ability of a legitimate edge rusher. This is the first time I’ve seen James play, but he seems to be everything the hype train said that Jabrill Peppers would be. (3/21) Derwin James has an ultra-aggressive mindset but it gets somewhat lost in his pursuit of the ball. Rather than going straight through anyone in his path and attacking the ball, he tends to take a circuitous route. This doesn’t change the fact that he has a Kam Chancellor like mix of speed, size and power. His athleticism will make him a guaranteed top 20 pick, and he could go as high as the top 8. However, he has a raw and unpolished game that will need to shape up in order to be the elite player that his athleticism could allow him to be. Past knee injuries make James an even sketchier pick in the first round. Grade: 8.7 Position & Overall Rank: 2-15 Game Films: vs Alabama (2017), Florida (2017), 8.) Chicago Bears - Roquan Smith The Bears get a choice here between Smith, Tremaine Edmunds, Denzel Ward and Minkah Fitzpatrick. It seems that a lot of people think that Roquan Smith would be too good to pass up in this scenario. Disregard that that fact applies to the other guys, but hey, that’s the beauty of the first three picks being quarterbacks. LB - Roquan Smith - Georgia 6’1” - 225 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Explosive. Hard hitter. Tackling. Powerful build. Playmaker. Clutch. Coverage. Three-down linebacker. Awareness. Leader. Closing speed. Tenacious. Relentless motor. Cons: Angles of pursuit. Susceptible to blocks. Disengagement. Size. Review: (10/16) Roquan Smith is a hard hitting linebacker that shows occasional flashes of great athleticism. He’s a good tackler that doesn’t miss tackles often and he closes on the ball carrier quickly. Smith meets the ball carrier at the line more often than not and finds the gap well. It’s common for him to make first contact within the first two or so yards. Smith will be a capable and quality starter from day one. (3/21) Smith is a fundamentally sound tackler with tremendous closing speed. He has a small, but very powerful build that allows him to deliver punishing hits. While he didn’t drop back in coverage too often, he showed an ability to do it when called upon. His coaches have praised him as a leader and say all of the right things about him. Most signs point in the direction of elite linebacker for Smith, however, there’s a couple of knocks on his game that keep him out of that category. His small size leads to him getting lost in blocks at times and he has a poor ability to disengage. This combined with his already shady pursuit angles just won’t allow me to categorize him in the elite players in this draft. Smith is certainly an NFL caliber linebacker and worthy of a top 20 pick, however, the category of the elite top eight or ten players? Not so much. Grade: 8.7 Position & Overall Rank: 2-13 Game Films: vs Mississippi State (2017), Auburn (2017), Alabama (2017), 9.) San Francisco 49ers - Denzel Ward It’s funny how Reuben Foster’s girlfriend cleared this case up just in the nick of time. Money makes these things disappear. Thise pick would come down to Minkah Fitzpatrick, Denzel Ward and an offensive lineman. Ward is too good to pass up here despite the opportunity to protect their franchise quarterback for the future. The lineman in this class simply aren’t worth the high picks outside of Quenton Nelson. CB - Denzel Ward - Ohio State 5’10” - 191 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Press. Closing speed. Open hips. Footwork. Tenacity. Reaction time. Quickness. Mirror-like coverage. Awareness. Cons: Lacks size. Doesn’t look back at the ball. Penalty hazard. Poor tackler. Physicality. Length. Review: (9/27) Ward may have some of the biggest upside in this draft. Despite his lack of size and his failure to look for the ball in the air, he sticks to his receiver like glue and is a very quick and fast player. Ward had an unbelievable game against Indiana and followed it up with another strong game in the loss to Oklahoma. His coverage is phenomenal and he shows the potential to be a lockdown corner in the NFL. (3/21) Prior to the combine, Ward was a top cornerback prospect with starting corner potential. After the combine, Ward came away as a top prospect overall with an incredibly quick playing speed. His quickness makes up for his severe lack of physicality. Rather than stuffing a receiver at the line of scrimmage, he rather matches them step for step as they go down the field and doesn’t allow them any separation. Ward has gorilla glue type stickiness to his assignment and is always attached to their hip. Media hype is starting to place Ward in the top five of many mock drafts, but that may be a little too high. His former teammate, Marshon Lattimore, was a much higher rated prospect in last year’s draft and didn’t go until pick number ten. While Ward will one day probably be a top level corner, his lack of physicality and size will prevent him from being the best of the best. Grade: 8.8 Position & Overall Rank: 1-8 Game Films: vs Indiana (2017), Oklahoma (2017), Penn State (2017), Michigan (2017), Edited April 26, 2018 by elijah
elijah Posted April 26, 2018 Author Posted April 26, 2018 10.) Oakland Raiders - Minkah Fitzpatrick I slot Minkah Fitzpatrick as a safety, but scouts around the league place him as a cornerback. Who knows which one he’ll play in the NFL, but either way the versatility doesn’t hurt the Raiders. They’re secondary consists of Karl Joseph and a practice squad. Fitzpatrick can come in immediately and play both cornerback and strong safety for the Raiders. DB - Minkah Fitzpatrick - Alabama 6’1” - 202 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Fast. Range. Versatile. Blitzing ability. Game changing speed. Aggression. Reaction time. Footwork. Physicality. Cons: Over pursuit. Arm tackles. Breakdown. Review: (11/6) Minkah Fitzpatrick demonstrates elite athleticism. He has tremendous game-changing speed that allows him to show a gifted range and closing speed in the open field. His power and aggression makes him a dangerous, versatile option for the coach. He’s lined up at safety, corner, nickel corner and linebacker. Not only has he lined up at linebacker, but he’s often blitzed from the linebacker position. Fitzpatrick’s nose for the ball and elite speed will make him a sure fire top 15 pick in the draft. (3/21) There is no denying the elite game changing speed that Fitzpatrick offers to his team. Fitzpatrick is a dangerously fast defender that may be break too the ball quicker and more aggressively than anyone currently in the NFL. Some scouts are listing Fitzpatrick as a cornerback, but to play him at cornerback would be horribly undervaluing his extremely versatile style of football. The best use of Fitzpatrick will come as a rover style safety, one that can play safety, or the eighth man in the box or cover the slot and tight end receivers. While Fitzpatrick will be a top ten pick based solely on his athleticism, this doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a safe pick. Fitzpatrick has an apparent reckless style to his game that results in poor breakdowns and missed arm tackles. He will need to learn to measure his aggression before he can be an elite player. Grade: 8.8 Position & Overall Rank: 1-7 Game Films: Georgia (2017), Clemson (2017), Arkansas (2017), vs Clemson (2016) 11.) Miami Dolphins - Tremaine Edmunds If Edmunds can learn to dissect the hole a little bit quicker, he’s a top five linebacker in the league. His physical traits are desired by everyone in the NFL, and had this pick been Josh Allen instead, the Bills would’ve landed Edmunds. However, the Dolphins would rather let Buffalo burn down in a civil war before the faithful even sees Allen step foot on an NFL field. P.S. The noise about Miami drafting a quarterback at number eleven is just noise. They’re right in front of the quarterback-needy Bills and Tannehill is capable. It’s a smokescreen hoping to bring in some trade benefits. LB - Tremaine Edmunds - Virginia Tech 6’5” - 236 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Size. Aggression. Play recognition. Tackling. Eats blockers. Pursuit. Pass-rush. Closing speed. Range. Cons: Misreads play action. Finding the hole. Shallow zone. Review: (1/08) Tremaine Edmunds is a big, athletic and promising linebacker prospect. His size and speed combination gives him the opportunity to develop into an elite physical specimen. Standing at 6’5”, Edmunds plays a physical and aggressive brand of football. He’s as sure as they come when it comes to tackling, as he often stands running backs up and rarely ever misses a tackle. While he doesn’t quite have elite speed, he has terrific pursuit which makes up for it. His ability to play in coverage makes him an every down linebacker that will immediately improve a defense. Little mishaps such as often times misreading play fakes and struggling to find the right hole get covered up and lost when you look at Edmunds overall game. He’s a linebacker that will likely excel immediately at the next level. (3/21) Edmunds uses his devastating speed and an incredibly large frame to be an intimidating factor on the field. His speed allows for a massive range across the field, being the definition of a “sideline-to-sideline” linebacker. His speed and burst allow him to be a threat as an outside edge rusher as well, giving versatility to his game. While Edmunds plays a little shallow in his zone, allowing receivers to come behind him, his speed will make up for anything. In a man coverage scenario, Edmunds is fast enough and tall enough to play with the best tight ends in the league. If Edmunds can manage to diagnose the play and find the gap quicker, he will be an elite linebacker in all sense of the game. Grade: 8.7 Position & Overall Rank: 1-10 Game Films: vs Clemson (2017), vs Miami (2017), vs Oklahoma State (2017), West Virginia (2017), 12.) Buffalo Bills - Josh Allen Don’t shoot the messenger (although the messenger isn’t opposed to Josh Allen). Allen’s shady tweets are definitely going to insinuate some sort of draft day slide, and I have it coming to an end in Buffalo in this mock draft. I can understand how frightening this is. We’ve seen EJ Manuel in Buffalo, the big physical guy with a nice arm and putrid accuracy. Josh Allen could definitely be EJ Manuel 2.0. I’m not going to deny it. However, I’m also not going to deny that in this scenario, we keep our six picks in the first three rounds, fill our holes, while also possibly drafting Carson Wentz 2.0.. Would I rather have Darnold? Yes. Would I rather have Rosen? Yes. Hell, I’m even starting to tell myself that I might even rather want Rudolph. But at the end of the day, if this is the pick that Buffalo calls tonight, I ask you to keep a level head. His downside is greatly outmatched by his upside. Not too mention, McBeane has shown us every reason to believe that they know what they’re doing thus far (although I know some of you will say that they messed up by allowing the Jets to trade to 3 before us). QB - Josh Allen - Wyoming 6’5” - 234 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Good body size. Strong arm. Quick release. Smooth throwing motion. Good mobility. Climbs the pocket well. Throws on the run well. Goes through his reads. Touch. Athlete. Cons: Airheaded moments. Footwork can be jittery. Forces passes. Can lack composure. Spotty accuracy. Poor out routes. Deep ball. Quick to run. Pocket awareness. Review: (9/11) While Allen seems to have all of the talent in the world, it could be mental mistakes that hold his game back. Against Iowa you witnessed plenty of them. Early in the game a quick flick of the ball out of bounds about 15 yards back from the line of scrimmage resulted in a costly intentional grounding penalty. After falling behind in the game, Allen turned into much more of a gunslinger forcing unnecessary passes. Both of his interceptions were completely avoidable and were just errant mistakes that seemed to be from a lack of composure. While climbing the pocket well at first, his footwork became increasingly more jittery as the gap grew between the two teams. Despite these issues, there’s no questioning the raw talent that Allen possesses. It starts with his body size and a rocket for an arm. Along with his strong arm is a quick release and a pretty throwing motion. He shows a good ability to climb the pocket, has good mobility and throws the ball well on the run. With a strong season and less air headed mistakes, Allen displays the potential to be the number one overall pick. (10/24) As the season has progressed, Allen has both grown as a player and began to show some blaring weaknesses. He appears to be a much better runner than anticipated, with his coach willing to not only allow him to run, but add designed runs to the gameplan. He continues to show the necessary intangibles to be a successful quarterback. On the forefront, you see his strong arm, quick throwing motion and his pocket awareness. However, bigger concerns are starting to appear with his accuracy. While some of this may be blamed on the talent surrounding him, it can’t all be. Poor timing and ball placement will need to be eliminated to be a top pick. Grade: 8.7 Position & Overall Rank: 3-16 Game Films: @ Iowa (2017), vs Hawaii (2017), vs Utah State (2017), Boise State (2017), 13.) Washington Redskins - Da’Ron Payne Vita Vea would be the lazy pick to predict here. Let’s dig a little deeper. There’s four guys in this draft that I believe have truly elite potential. Vea is the least polished of them all. Analysts believe Maurice Hurst is suddenly going to slip so I won’t slot him here. Taven Bryan is fourth overall on my big board, but I suppose he has some sort of character issue. This leaves Da’Ron Payne. Payne has the most complete game as a defensive tackle in this draft and should have the smoothest transition to the NFL. DL - Da’Ron Payne - Alabama 6’2” - 308 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Maintains ground. Play recognition. Pass rush moves. Disengagement. Hands up at line. Strength. Leader. Hand checking. Forward movement. Arm extension. Disengagement. Cons: Inconsistent gap control. Pad level. Momentum reversal. Review: (11/10) For a big boy, Da’Ron Payne moves rather swiftly and smoothly. While not necessarily quick off the snap, Payne does have a quick first step and good handwork. He’s shown an ability to beat the man in front of him time and time again, proving to be an efficient pass rushing defensive tackle. While it may be the scheme, Payne rarely controls his gap providing a run stopper. This is an essential part to a defensive tackles game in the NFL and may hurt Payne a little bit on draft day. (3/28) There’s four elite, top-of-the-line defensive lineman in this draft class. You’ve got the quick backfield player in Maurice Hurst, he’ll be the playmaker, the tackle for a loss and sack interior guy. Then you have Taven Bryan, he’s the insanely athletic for his size type of guy. The one with the JJ Watt ceiling, simply unblockable if all goes well. After that you have Vita Vea, the huge road block that you can’t run against. If you want the jack-of-all-trades but master of none, you’re looking for Da’Ron Payne. He has the strength and body stature to get in the way of the run, but the quickness to also make a difference in the pass rush. He’s a strong interior guy that can maintain his ground against the best of them to hold his gap, while also having the quick hands and feet to penetrate against the pass. Payne does have weaknesses to his game, like not necessarily having an elite part of his game. When he’s contacted first off the snap, he struggles to reverse the momentum. He also stands up rather straight when he breaks out of his stance which causes for an undesired pad level. There’s times when he gets too aggressive and leaves his gap open, but these are all correctable behaviors. The athleticism for his size make his upside worth a high pick. Payne never stops moving forwards while also maintaining his ground and gap for the most part. Grade: 8.6 Draft Stock: First Round Game Films: Vanderbilt (2017), Tennessee (2017), Clemson (2017), Georgia (2017), 14.) Green Bay Packers - Joshua Jackson The Packers helped out Aaron Rodgers with the addition of Jimmy Graham this off-season. They could help him a little more by adding a little more depth to their offensive line, but they need help in the secondary. Jackson was once seen as competing for the top corner in the draft with Ward but fell off after a poor combine day. Other are slotting Hughes and Alexander here but I’m not buying. Jackson is an athletic freak that will be a lock down corner in the NFL once he polishes his skills. CB - Joshua Jackson - Iowa 6’1” - 192 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Fast. Athleticism. Lengthy. Plays the ball. Closing speed. Tackling. Body control. Mirrored hips. Awareness. Reaction time. Contain. Ball hawk. Footwork. Cons: Allows excessive separation. Limited experience. Flashy over fundamental. Physicality. Review: (11/7) So far, I’ve only seen Joshua Jackson play one game and it left me damn near awestruck. To make that statement have a little bit more of an impact, that one game was not the Ohio State game. Jackson shows great speed and athleticism allowing him to lockdown a receiver anywhere on the field. This does bring a small setback in the fact that he gives a little too much separation and relies on his closing speed, which results in him surrendering receptions that shouldn’t be completions. Other than that, he shows a great ability to play the ball and is lengthy arms give him an advantage everywhere on the field. He has great body control and shows a solid ability to tackle. I’ve yet to see Jackson’s film against Ohio State, he could surely be working his way into top fifteen, or even top ten, talks come draft time. (3/21) Jackson isn’t quite the prospect that Lattimore was last year due to some inconsistencies in his game, but his potential is definitely in the same boat. Lattimore was a little bit of a more sure player, while Jackson still might turn out to be just an average starting cornerback. However, a starting corner is a starting corner, and demand is high for that in the league, especially when the potential is higher. Jackson displays an ability to play in both zone and man coverage with very high efficiency. His tendency to play the ball makes him a turnover threat in both the air and on the ground. He has fantastic footwork that allows him to mirror his assignment and not allow for a clean break off of the line of scrimmage. Jackson will be the second corner off of the board come April. Grade: 8.8 Position & Overall Rank: 2-13 Game Films: vs Michigan State (2017), Ohio State (2017), Wisconsin (2017), 15.) Arizona Cardinals - Calvin Ridley The Cardinals wanted to draft the quarterback of their future this year, but after the top three picks went how they did, they failed to see an alley or a player worth it. Rather, they throw their pick to go all-in on this year with their mediocre roster and injury prone quarterback. P.S. Calvin Ridley isn’t in my top three receivers, nor is DJ Moore, but the draft analysts know more than some college kid typing this from his school’s library rather than working on his final exams. WR - Calvin Ridley - Alabama 6’1” - 190 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Separation. Release. Route running. Footwork. Quick burst. Relentless motor. Speed. Run after catch. Cons: Run blocking. Hands. Review: (9/11) Ridley shows potential to be a consistent receiver but lacks the elite body size or athleticism to be anything more than a deep threat. His speed and release will allow him to play a solid role for an NFL team, but he’ll never be the pure dominant force that top tier receivers are nowadays. With that being said, Ridley could make for a lethal second or third option on a pass heavy team like New Orleans, Green Bay, New England, and etc. (2/16) Calvin Ridley looks to translate to a fantastic slot receiver in the NFL. He exemplifies fantastic speed and great footwork that makes him a threat in the open field. After the catch, Ridley can turn any reception into a big play. He shows great change of direction and quick cuts that makes him a challenge to tackle in the open. His quick burst and choppy footwork allow him to release from the line of scrimmage with no problem at all. However, he allows below-average defensive backs to knock sure catches away from him, this will become a serious concern at the NFL level. (3/23) Ridley has the most elite break away quickness and speed at receiver in this draft. His ability to create separation and create after the catch makes him a high yardage per reception receiver. However, I didn’t see the type of elite, attack the ball skill that receivers need to be a number one receiver in the NFL. Ridley would be fantastic as a number two or a slot receiver in a pass happy offense. While he showed the ability to run routes at all levels in college, his quickness will likely make him more of a shallow route and create after type of guy. Grade: 8.2 Position & Overall Rank: 4-42 Game Films: Mississippi State (2017), Mississippi State (2017), Clemson (2017), Florida State (2017), Ole Miss (2016) 16.) Pittsburgh Steelers (Trade from Baltimore Ravens) - Mason Rudolph The Ravens panic as their usual best Alabama player available approach fails with the Ridley pick right before them. With Roethlisberger teeter-tottering every year, the Steelers jump the assumedly QB-needy Chargers and draft Lamar Jac… Mason Rudolph? Don’t be surprised when Rudolph goes earlier than expected. He doesn’t have quite the arm strength of Ben Roethlisberger, but his stature looks like something for Pittsburgh to pick up where they left off. QB - Mason Rudolph - Oklahoma State 6’5” - 230 Lbs. - Senior Pros: Strong arm. Comfortable in the pocket. Deep accuracy. Shows composure. Great body size. Quick and decisive. Throwing motion. Stands in the pocket. Cons: Struggles to throw on the run. Inconsistent ball placement. Single reads. System QB. Weak competition. Review: (9/17) Despite a lack of media hype this far, Rudolph may be the best quarterback in this class. He has the ideal height and size that team’s look for in a quarterback. He shows great composure and seems to be comfortable in the pocket, something that most of the other quarterbacks in this class lack. He comes equipped with a bullet but lacks the strength to have an accurate deep ball. Despite his struggles with the deep ball, his accuracy within 20 yards is pin point. I’ll be interested to see if Rudolph can climb to the top of big boards by the time the draft comes around. Grade: 8.5 Position & Overall Rank: 4-39 Game Films: vs Tulsa (2017), Oklahoma (2017), 17.) Los Angeles Chargers - Vita Vea Wow was it tempting to put Taven Bryan in this slot. For those of you that are familiar with his game, imagine the disruption that Bryan would cause right next to Joey Bosa. That’s almost a top ten defense just between the combination of them two. However, mock drafts are supposed to be about what the team would do, not what you would do. So, here I have the Chargers selecting the overrated second round prospect, Vita Vea. The rumors of Los Angeles being ready to draft their next guy at quarterback simply can’t be true. This team is too strong with too much potential over the next two to three years to waste a first rounder on a quarterback right now. They need to try and get Philip Rivers a super bowl ring before he’s gone. Would it be smart to address the linebacker position? Yeah, but with the addition of Vita Vea and an already elite secondary, you only need above average linebacker’s that you can find for cheap via-post draft cuts. DL - Vita Vea - Washington 6’5” - 340 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Eats up blockers. Awareness. Gets hand in passing lanes. Disengagement. Strength. Motor. Cons: Slow off the ball. Poor balance. Block shedding. First step. Inconsistent. Maintaining ground. Aggression. Pad level. Review: (11/1) Vita Vea is a ginormous moving road block. Weighing in at 340 pounds, Vea looks like a bowling ball ready to knock down any pin in his alley. He shows great awareness and play recognition, quickly diagnosing screens and getting his hands up in passing lanes. However, his lack of athleticism may catch up to him in the NFL. He has poor balance and his slow moves cause him to get off of blocks poorly. Vea is most successful when he’s able to bulldoze the lineman in front of him. (2/18) The biggest initial downfall on Vea was his apparent lack of mobility. However, as the season went on he proved to actually have above average mobility. He shows an ability to shed the block pretty well which will also help his draft stock. His first step can sometimes be delayed causing him to get beat at the point of attack, however, he makes up for this with his gigantic size. Vea could become a top ten pick with an outgoing combine performance. (3/28) The inconsistency of Vita Vea is troubling for me when I’m trying to come to a conclusion. On one hand, he’s a monster in the middle of the field. Vea weighs in at nearly 350 pounds and he has the quickness of a 300 pound defensive tackle. Vea clearly has the strength and it’s hard to move him off of his tracks. However, due to his slow step off of the ball, Vea sometimes allows the man in front of him to get under his pads and push him around. He struggles to activate his strength and use it to his advantage. There’s too many corrections that need to be made to Vea’s game to quite call him elite, but his sky high potential makes him a prospect to covet. Grade: 8.5 Position & Overall Rank: 4-36 Game Films: vs UCLA (2017), Oregon (2017), Penn State (2017) 18.) Seattle Seahawks - Mike McGlinchey The Seahawks have plenty of needs and guys like Marcus Davenport remain on the board. However, for them to pass on an offensive lineman here when they have their choice of the bunch would be silly. They’ve had offensive line problems for a while now and are still yet to fix them, picking McGlinchey here is a step in the right direction. Note: I can’t find my scouting report on McGlinchey, it appears that I may have accidently deleted it from my document. I can tell you that I’m not big on McGlinchey at all, but as I’ve said before in this mock draft, it’s about the professional scouts, not me. To be fair though, I’ve only watched one game of McGlinchey’s which is clearly a very limited sample size.
elijah Posted April 26, 2018 Author Posted April 26, 2018 19.) Dallas Cowboys - Taven Bryan Do the Cowboys need a receiver? Kind of, sort of. They have a bunch of misfits on their roster that they’ll let battle it out while sabotaging Dak Prescott’s career and completely relying on Zeke. In the meantime, the Cowboys begin to address a broken and battered defense by selecting, in my opinion, a top five player in the draft. Taven Bryan is going to be an unstoppable force once he matures and develops. DL - Taven Bryan - Florida 6’4” - 291 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Quick off the snap. Aggression. Strong at point of attack. Athleticism. Block shedding. Lengthy arms. Maintains ground. Balance. Strong hands. Anticipation. Pursuit. Cons: Drive. Review: (12/6) Taven Bryan is a physical specimen who is clearly the most superior athlete amongst both sides of the line any time he gets into his stance. He displays the strength and quickness to be an elite defensive lineman at the next level. The mix of his aggression and speed allows him to beat his opponent with both his pace and his power. His lengthy arms allow him to play with patience and maintain his gap against the rushing game, while also giving him balance and pass rush moves to be a threat in the backfield as well. A quick burst off the snap gives him a foot of penetration almost immediately in every play. (2/13) As the scouting process goes on and I become more familiar with Bryan, my biggest question is why the lack of hype? Bryan has a never ending list of attributes surrounding his game with very few cons holding him back. Prior character issues and a lack of drive will raise concerns about Bryan, but the vast talent should be big enough to quiet those hindrances. It is to my expectation that a jaw-dropping combine is going to sky-rocket Bryan into the top 10 on many big boards. Grade: 9.0 Position & Overall Rank: 1-3 Game Films: Florida State (2017), Missouri (2017) 20.) Detroit Lions - Marcus Davenport Don’t get me wrong, Marcus Davenport is a damn good player with unmatchable physical traits. However, the top ten hype he was getting was ridiculous. It’s much more likely to hear Davenport’s name in the second half of the round than the first half. The Lions have Ziggy Ansah on their roster already and have received solid production from him, so they stick with Ziggy Ansah 2.0 with their pick. EDGE - Marcus Davenport - UTSA 6’7” - 255 Lbs. - Senior Pros: Rare body size. Mean streak. Bull rush. Speed and strength combination. High motor. Hand work. Lengthy. Quick burst. Disengagement. Cons: Stance. Weak competition. Arm tackles. Review: (12/23) Marcus Davenport is a disruptive monster that makes his presence felt on every play that he is on the field. With his long and lanky 6’7”, 255 pound frame, he’s able to use both power and speed to beat the man in front of his. He has a rare body frame that make him a physical specimen transitioning to the next level. His lengthy arms allow him to be a factor of every play even when he is seemingly being blocked. Davenport disengages easily and makes plays at the line of scrimmage. Playing against weaker competition will hurt his draft stock, but his potential is sky high and he should be a later first to early second round pick. Grade: 8.5 Position & Overall Rank: 3-32 Game Films: vs North Texas (2017), vs Texas State (2017) 21.) Cincinnati Bengals - Frank Ragnow The Bengals dropped to this pick in the draft by trading for our very own Cordy Glenn, so here they continue to shore up their offensive line. Rumors have it that the Bengals like Ragnow over James Daniels and the freshly injured Billy Price. I personally like Daniels and Price more than Ragnow, but I have very limited context on Ragnow. C - Frank Ragnow - Arkansas 6’5” - 317 Lbs. - Senior Pros: Gets to the second level well. Strong run blocker. Cons: Stagnant against the pass rush. Struggles against speed. Lacks footwork. Inconsistent. Review: (10/2) Frank Ragnow’s run blocking and his ability to climb to the second level makes him look like a late day one prospect in the draft. However, his inconsistency and footwork drop his stock quite a bit. Ragnow rarely ever chops his feet and struggles greatly against faster lineman. While I’m not too familiar with offensive lineman, Ragnow seems to consistently look lost and questioning who his assignment is. Grade: 7.5 Position & Overall Rank: 3-111 Game Films: vs Texas A&M (2017), vs Auburn (2016) 22.) Buffalo Bills - Rashaan Evans By now, half of Buffalo has turned off their TV and are leading a riot march full of fiery pitchforks to the Ralph. The patient half of Buffalo is continually buying into the process and recognize how improved our front seven (and defense as a whole) just got with one draft pick. All of the hype surrounded Roquan Smith and Tremaine Edmunds, but Rashaan Evans truly isn’t that far off. LB - Rashaan Evans - Alabama 6’3” - 234 Lbs. - Senior Pros: Aggression. Play recognition. Hard hitter. Pass rushing. Anticipation. Pass coverage. Tenacity. Pad level. Cons: Arm tackles. Leaves feet often. Circuitous pursuit. Gap locating. Review: (11/9) Rashaan Evans is your prototypical Alabama linebacker. A mammoth of a linebacker covering the middle of the field with lethal anticipation and physical game that puts fear into opposing players. He’s gotten noticeably better as the season has progressed and will look to continue to raise his draft stock throughout the playoffs. He’s shown a struggle to complete tackles, leaving his feet early and attempting too many arm tackles. (2/7) Evans has a raw, but somewhat complete game. He’s a linebacker that you can leave on the field thanks to his pass rushing and pass coverage abilities. He has great recognition, understanding and anticipation against the pass and is able to shadow routes very well. However, there are very minor flaws to Evans game that will need to be corrected before he will ever have a chance at being a stud. His poor pursuit angles and inability to meet the ball carrier in the gap make him less effective of a rush defending linebacker than his size and aggression would lead you to believe he would be. (3/22) Evans is a fierceful and fearful presence in the middle of the defense. He has a prototype combination of speed and power to attack from anywhere. Evans is reminiscent of every top of the line linebacker we’ve seen come through Alabama. He has th size, the build and tenacious mindset. Edmunds and Smith are commonly talked about as the top guys of this class, but make no mistake in that Evans is not very far behind. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if some NFL teams preferred Evans rather than Smith due to the upper-hand in his body frame. Grade: 8.6 Position & Overall Rank: 3-18 Game Films: vs Tennessee (2017), vs LSU (2017), Clemson (2017), Georgia (2017), 23.) New England Patriots - Kolton Miller I’m not buying the Lamar Jackson to New England hype, especially not at pick 23. He’s simply the opposite of everything Brady does whether Brady endorses him or not. So, I follow the popular trend here. New England has to fill the void left from Nate Solder and they do so in drafting Kolton Miller. OT - Kolton Miller - UCLA 6’8” - 310 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Length. Athleticism. Mean streak. Awareness. Mobility. Footwork. Hip bend. Cons: Slow off the snap. High center of gravity. Review: (1/31) Kolton Miller is gifted with the size of a gigantic offensive tackle while having the uber athleticism of a tight end. His athleticism and footwork combined allow him to deal with dominant pass rushers and elite run stoppers all the same. His mobility and quick drop steps keep him in front of pass rushers around the edge, while his mean streak and length keep him attached to run stuffers down the field. He displays good awareness in switching from one defender to the next as they pass him. While he shows a good ability to bend at the waist, his huge size negatively affects him in that he has a high center of gravity. This allows quick speed rushers to get low and beat him around the edge. Miller is a starting worthy offensive tackle, but it will take time and development before he would ever be considered an all-pro caliber player. Grade: 8.4 Position & Overall Rank: 3-28 Game Films: Memphis (2017) 24.) Carolina Panthers - Will Hernandez Carolina needs to address their offensive line, and they do so with arguably the second best guard in the draft. Many will assume that Carolina goes receiver, but if they were so desperate at receiver, they wouldn’t have traded Kelvin Benjamin. While the receiving class isn’t top-heavy, it’s certainly got depth. I see Carolina addressing receiver with the 3rd rounder that they got for Benjamin. G - Will Hernandez - UTEP 6’2” - 348 Lbs. - Senior Pros: Mobility. Maintains blocks. Thick base. Size. Footwork. Initial pop. Cons: Shorts arms. Second level pursuit. Pad level. Wide grip. Review: (2/5) The combination of Hernandez’s size and speed make him a sure fire starter in the NFL, however, he has drawbacks that will prevent him from being elite. His athleticism is impressive for the size he displays, showing the ability to pull on blocks and make it up field. The mix of athleticism and good footwork gives Hernandez exceptional mobility. However, poor anticipation and short arms result in poor second level blocking. While lacking elite strength, Hernandez still shows a great initial pop and drive block ability. His wide grip could potentially become a holding hazard. Overall, Hernandez looks to be a steady starting guard with low potential to be an all-pro. Grade: 8.5 Position & Overall Rank: 2-29 Game Films: Oklahoma (2017), 25.) Tennessee Titans - Harold Landry While Tennessee will be looking to replace Avery Williamson, you can’t make an argument not to take Harold Landry who falls right into their laps at 25. Personally, I don’t think Landry has done much to separate himself from the rest of the pack, but it’s about that time in the draft. I’d say the middle 25-75 players are all in one big pack and this is where the scouts make their money. DE - Harold Landry - Boston College 6’3” - 250 Lbs. - Senior Pros: Fast around the edge. Bend and dip. Balance. Attacks the ball. Playmaker. Quick burst. Pursuit. Cons: Lacks pass rush moves. Struggles against the option. One-dimensional. Review: (10/6) If nothing else, Landry is a playmaker. The senior racked up 16 sacks during his junior season and built up his draft stock to a top five pick heading into the 2017 season. However, while watching film of Landry, it was clear that he lacks elite athleticism and elite talent. While he had a nose for the ball and was constantly making plays, I’m unsure how well this talent will translate to the NFL. He just doesn’t seem to be an elite NFL talent while watching the tape. The top ten hype he is getting right now may gradually die down as the season goes on, I’m expecting something closer to a late first round pick. Grade: First Round Position & Overall Rank: T4-40 Game Films: Virginia Tech (2017), Notre Dame (2017), Virginia Tech (2016), 26.) Atlanta Falcons - Maurice Hurst The Falcons end up missing on Taven Bryan, but take nearly as good of a prospect in Hurst. There’s been recent rumors that Hurst may fall out of round one, or even all the way to day three. This must be due to something behind the scenes that isn’t public information because Hurst’s tape is phenomenal. Whoever takes Hurst is getting a steal. DT - Maurice Hurst - Michigan 6’2” - 280 Lbs. - Senior Pros: Quick off the snap. Powerful at impact. Athleticism. Disrupts the rushing game. Footwork. Swim move. Aggression. Handwork. Disengagement. Cons: Undersize. Contain. Review: (9/27) Hurst has potential to be a first round defensive tackle, but has by no means etched his name into the spot yet. He offers decent athleticism for his size and position and is a force in the rushing game. He’s a big cinder block that teams will struggle to get around. However, he’s missed his fair share of tackles at the line of scrimmage and needs to strengthen his pass rushing abilities to be a game changing player. (1/31) It’s fair to say that Hurst’s apparent lack of size may actually help him be a better player. While weighing in shy of the 300 mark, which tends to be almost standard for defensive lineman, this makes Hurst’s quick athleticism lethal. It’s easy to point out college players that are quick off of the snap of the ball due to the extreme variations in athleticism, but to say that Hurst is quick off of the ball is an understatement. Hurst often times blows the play up in the backfield before the ball is even in the running back’s hands. This does come with a downfall in that if Hurst doesn’t get to the running back, there’s a gaping hole in the line of scrimmage. Hurst’s athleticism for a defensive tackle is something that scouts will marvel at. His aggression and attacking abilities makes him a deadly threat in the middle of the field. He has a great ability to disengage from his blocker, and even if he doesn’t disengage, he still shows the ability to make tackles with a blocker attached to him. Hurst is one of those defensive players that are never truly getting blocked, and rather just getting contained. Grade: 8.3 Position & Overall Rank: 2-6 Game Films: vs Florida (2017), Michigan State (2017), Ohio State (2017), 27.) New Orleans Saints - Mark Andrews We’re going out on a limb here. The position? I believe that the Saints are going tight end. However, which tight end is the question. Most probably have Goedert or Hurst above Andrews, but I believe Andrews has the most receiving talent at the tight end position in this draft. Also note, if the Mayfield at number one is a smoke screen, I could see Mayfield falling to 11 and New Orleans trading up for him. TE - Mark Andrews - Oklahoma 6’5” - 254 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Big target. Good blend of athleticism and size. Reliable hands. Physically dominant. Ability to create after the catch. Cons: Reluctant blocker. Review: (10/16) Mark Andrews is the prototypical, athletic and big-bodied tight end that most NFL organizations are looking for now. He’s a target big enough that quarterback’s can’t miss him and athletic enough to be able to create after the reception. He has a rare combination of size and speed that will make him a first round prospect for a coach to use. He offers a serious red zone threat with reliable hands. Grade: 8.4 Position & Overall Rank: 1-45 Game Films: vs Texas (2017), vs UTEP (2017) 1
elijah Posted April 26, 2018 Author Posted April 26, 2018 28.) Baltimore Ravens (Trade from Pittsburgh Steelers) - DJ Moore The logical fan would think that the Ravens need to draft a linebacker (Leighton Vander Esch) right here, however, the illogical Ravens continue their never ending pursuit of a receiver. Luckily for them, DJ Moore is still available and they don’t need to reach for a receiver. Moore’s quick footwork will compliment Michael Crabtree’s outside play. WR - DJ Moore - Maryland 5’11” - 215 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Run blocking. Explosive. Release. Clean cuts. Run after catch. Awareness. Back-shoulder catch. Cons: Simple route tree. Inconsistent. Hands. Review: (2/20) The first thing to jump off the tape about DJ Moore was his gritty readiness to run block. Any receiver willing to run block will get their fair share of chances in the NFL. His shifty explosiveness allows him to have clean route running and running after the catch. After the ball is in his hands, Moore runs around the field like a running back. This resulted in a lot of screen and drag routes being called for Moore, however this also extremely limits his route tree. The inconsistency within Moore’s game is a tad bit scary and will hurt his stock. While he normally has very reliable hands, there’s at least one drop each game that has to be a reception for starting NFL receiver. He also takes off on certain reps and routes that he runs. Grade: 8.2 Position & Overall Rank: T9-65 Game Films: Michigan State (2017), Northwestern (2017), Wisconsin (2017), Michigan (2017), Indiana (2017), 29.) Jacksonville Jaguars - Courtland Sutton The Jaguars allowed both Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns to walk, and then brought in Donte Moncrief. They need a big guy in the redzone and a true number, Courtland Sutton might be the best receiver in this draft. While others think it’s a toss up between Calvin Ridley and DJ Moore, I’m of the unique wagon that it’s a toss up between Sutton, Deon Cain and Anthony Miller with a heavy lean towards Miller. WR - Courtland Sutton - SMU 6’4” - 216 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Tall. Good acceleration. Field vision. Shifty. Clean breaks. Aggression. Cons: Lacks spectacular catches. Shallow route tree. Doesn’t attack the ball. Ball location. Attitude questions. Inconsistent hands. Review: (10/10) Elite receivers have a certain mentality, aggressiveness and level of athleticism that Sutton clearly lacks. He doesn’t attack the ball and he doesn’t have a great ability to separate. However, his body size and ability to create after the catch will make him a reliable number two receiver and maybe even an average number one. It’s unlikely that he’ll ever been seen as an elite guy, but he’s still bound to be a productive NFL receiver. Grade: 8.5 Position & Overall Rank: T2-40 Game Films: vs Houston (2017), vs UConn (2017), North Texas (2017), TCU (2017), 30.) Minnesota Vikings - Connor Williams The Vikings just went all-in, literally, all guaranteed money, on Kirk Cousins. They need an offensive line to protect him and keep him safe in the pocket. My personal favorite tackle in the draft falls all the way to 30th and the Vikings get what I view as a steal. OT - Connor Williams - Texas 6’6” - 315 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Athletic. Quick. Strong at the point of attack. Lengthy arms. Kick-slide. Balance. Strong hands. Consistent. Cons: Too much anticipation. Review: (11/3) Connor Williams’ athleticism makes him an intriguing offensive tackle prospect. He shows great balance and quickness in his kick slide. His lengthy arms allow him to keep speed rushers in front of him. While there’s certain questions surrounding Williams’ play against the pass rush, he appears to be a steady, consistent blocker. His strong hands, aggression and power at the point of attack allow him to be a consistent blocker. You see that Williams will occasionally over compensate in the pass rush making him susceptible to quick counter rush moves. Grade: 8.8 Position & Overall Rank: 1-9 Game Films: vs Maryland (2017) 31.) New England Patriots - Mike Hughes Well that didn’t take long. Less than two months after losing Malcolm Butler, the Patriots replace him with a man that’ll require a quarter of Butler’s new contract. At one point, we were talking about how Dion Lewis walked. Enter Jeremy Hill. Then Nate Solder walked, enter Kolton Miller. Then Malcolm Butler walked, enter Mike Hughes. Oh, and the Patriots have two more picks in the second. CB - Mike Hughes - UCF 5’11” - 185 Lbs. - Junior Pros: Aggressive. Physical. Fast. Plays the ball. Special teams. Closing speed. Zone awareness. Cons: Small. Review: (1/22) All of the skills needed to be a starting cornerback in the NFL are present in Mike Hughes game. However, Hughes is lacking the size needed to be a complete and elite cornerback. His speed and ability to get hands on the ball allows him to undercut multiple routes and prevent receptions. Most impressive about Hughes’ game is his physicality and aggression. Hughes shows no fear in tackling bigger players and is a sound tackler in the rushing game. He understands his zone responsibilities well and shows good anticipation on receivers routes. Grade: 8.6 Position & Overall Rank: 3-22 Game Films: Memphis (2017), Maryland (2017), Auburn (2017) 32.) Philadelphia Eagles - Billy Price It’s hard to find a complete roster in the NFL, but the Patriots have the closest to one that you’ll find. They add a depth offensive lineman to develop and start in the future. C - Billy Price - Ohio State 6’4” - 312 Lbs. - Senior Pros: Active feet. High-motor. Hand battles. Awareness. Hand placement. Cons: Mobility. Hip bend. Strength. Anticipation. Review: (1/12) Billy Price is an average player in every possible way. He’s not going to be an elite lineman, but he will be a quality starter for years to come in the NFL. His use of his hands allows him to maintain his blocks after getting a defender locked up. He has good initial hand placement and then fights to continue to have good hand placement. He has a high-motor and good awareness that helps him to always be busy and occupying a man. However, poor mobility and anticipation make him a weak blocker down the field. Price also lacks a bend in his hips, that combined with subpar strength will often times make you question Price’s balance. Grade: 8.4 Position & Overall Rank: 2-50 Game Films: vs Iowa (2017), Illinois (2017), Michigan (2017)
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted April 26, 2018 Posted April 26, 2018 terrible. if that's how it shakes out, they've lost me.
elijah Posted April 26, 2018 Author Posted April 26, 2018 1 minute ago, elltrain22 said: Cut and paste?? cut and paste from my google docs, I was trying to format it better as I went but certain functions wouldn't change
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted April 26, 2018 Posted April 26, 2018 1 minute ago, NewDayBills said: Allen and Evans? Yes please!! Allen's going to be a bust. Lead pipe, stone cold lock take it to the bank.
ghostwriter Posted April 26, 2018 Posted April 26, 2018 Just now, joesixpack said: Allen's going to be a bust. Lead pipe, stone cold lock take it to the bank. I don't think you have the right to have an opinion unless you've watched these guys play. Too many Bills fans piggyback off of other posters and pundits, think for yourself, Allen has more potential than any QB in the draft and by a wide margin. Evans is going to be the best LB in the draft as well.
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted April 26, 2018 Posted April 26, 2018 Just now, NewDayBills said: I don't think you have the right to have an opinion unless you've watched these guys play. Too many Bills fans piggyback off of other posters and pundits, think for yourself, Allen has more potential than any QB in the draft and by a wide margin. Evans is going to be the best LB in the draft as well. You know who else had potential? EJ Manuel. No thanks.
ghostwriter Posted April 26, 2018 Posted April 26, 2018 1 minute ago, joesixpack said: You know who else had potential? EJ Manuel. No thanks. Expert analysis, guess we won't draft players with potential anymore. Even though Allen and Manuel have literally nothing at all in common, nothing.
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted April 26, 2018 Posted April 26, 2018 4 minutes ago, NewDayBills said: Expert analysis, guess we won't draft players with potential anymore. Even though Allen and Manuel have literally nothing at all in common, nothing. Well other than a **** completion percentage
elijah Posted April 26, 2018 Author Posted April 26, 2018 54 minutes ago, joesixpack said: Well other than a **** completion percentage 57.1%, 7,000+ yards, 51 TD, 33 INT Thats Matt Stafford’s college stats. The conpletion percentage has become too big of a deal
Not at the table Karlos Posted April 26, 2018 Posted April 26, 2018 Stopped reading at the Manziel comparison.
elijah Posted April 26, 2018 Author Posted April 26, 2018 10 minutes ago, Not at the table Karlos said: Stopped reading at the Manziel comparison. Read about Mayfield, and watch Mayfield, with out a bias. You'll find that the comparison isn't too far off. You can't look for what you want to hear, rather consider what you don't want to hear.
prissythecat Posted April 26, 2018 Posted April 26, 2018 Giants going for a QB makes little sense unless they want Eli gone by next season .
elijah Posted April 26, 2018 Author Posted April 26, 2018 13 minutes ago, prissythecat said: Giants going for a QB makes little sense unless they want Eli gone by next season . eli’s gunna retire by two years from now, the mans getting old and declining
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