1.
Jalen Ramsey, DB Florida State
Ramsey is the best player in this draft. For a long time I
stood hard on Bosa, but the more tape I watch the more I realize that Ramsey is
simply a dominant player. I think he will potentially be among the top 3
safeties in the league the minute he walks in the door. He could be a top 10 to
15 cornerback as a rookie as well, and can dominate people in the slot. There’s
no knock on his game.
NFL Comparison: Charles Woodson
2.
Joey Bosa, DE Ohio State
People want to compare Bosa to JJ Watt but I don’t think
he’s there. While Bosa is a dominant run defender, and a very solid pass
rusher, particularly from inside, he’s a notch below Watt as an overall player.
That being said, he’s a damn good player, with very little about him you don’t
like. He can play 34 DE, 43 DE, or 43 DT on passing downs. He’s someone you
won’t ever have to take off the field, and he will help any team in the league
immediately.
3.
Laremy Tunsil, OT Ole Miss
Tunsil is a tremendous offensive tackle prospect. He’s got
the size and length to cause major problems for opposing defensive ends, and
he’s a rare tackle prospect who likely won’t struggle immediately on the left
side. His tape is very good and he more than held his own against big time
talent opposite him. While he may not be quite as good as Ramsey or Bosa is as
a prospect, he’s not far behind, and he will definitely be considered at the
top pick by Tennessee and it’s not a reach.
4.
DeForest Buckner, DL Oregon
Buckner is a really good football player. I believed he was
overrated for the majority of the season but the more tape I watched the more I
realized how good this guy is. He can absolutely dominate a game on the
defensive front, and despite constant double teams he still made a ton of
plays. The guy is a really good run defender and sets the edge as well as can
be expected from a 5 technique. I think he can play anywhere along a defensive
line, although the 34 defensive end spot could be his calling. He can rush the
passer when he gets one on one’s as well as anyone in this class.
NFL Comparison: Calais Campbell
5.
Ezekiel Elliot, RB Ohio State
It’s not that I think Elliot should be taken 6th
overall, this is just where I think he is in terms of as a football player in
this class. Elliot is a fantastic runner with good vision, a nice burst, and
breakaway speed. His height/weight/speed combination is extremely enticing.
What separates Elliot though as a player is his ability without the football.
Elliot is without question the best blocking running back I’ve ever scouted. He
hammers people without the football. His ability as a pass catcher is very good
and the combination of all these factors means you’re getting a tremendous
player with Zeke.
NFL Comparison: Edgerrin James
6.
Myles Jack, LB UCLA
I think Jack would be a lot higher on my draft board if he
hadn’t gotten hurt this season. His medicals came back with overwhelmingly
positive grades at the combine so I feel comfortable if he were to go somewhere
in the top 5. Jack is the new age linebacker in the NFL, with tremendous
athletic ability, the best coverage linebacker in the nation, and an ability to
attack the football. While his size isn’t perfect for a linebacker prospect
he’s what the NFL is looking for now. Someone who can cover, run, and is a true
playmaker. The injury concern and being smaller than prototype drops him a
couple points in overall ranking, but his skill set is fantastic.
7.
Carson Wentz, QB North Dakota State
I’m in the minority at this point but Carson Wentz is the
top quarterback prospect on my board and the odds are very slim he makes it
past the fourth pick in the draft. Wentz is a very big, strong, athlete who can
make every throw you want at every trajectory. He is careful with the football
for the most part, but when there is a chance to make a play, he usually does.
I think he and Goff are very similar in terms of overall passing ability and
poise, and they both receive high marks there. The difference between the two
is Wentz has great size and therefore is more likely to hold up than Goff,
giving him the nod.
8.
Vernon Hargreaves, CB Florida
Hargreaves is the best pure cover corner in this year’s
draft class. While he doesn’t have perfect H/W/S combination, his ability to
play each type of coverage and scheme means he literally would fit any
defensive system. Hargreaves has tremendous ball skills, attacks the football,
and you almost never see him panic in coverage. I think the transition to the
NFL for him should be fairly seamless. I’d be very surprised if he makes it out
of the top 10.
9.
Ronnie Stanley, OT Notre Dame
Stanley isn’t a perfect athlete but he’s athletic and tough
enough to be a really quality tackle in the NFL. I think Stanley could struggle
a touch as a rookie, but eventually he will turn into a nice starter on the
blindside. Stanley has prototype size and length and does a good job mirroring
in pass protection. He doesn’t drive people off the ball in the run game, but
he gets enough movement to be a solid run blocker. I’m not sure Stanley is ever
going to be a true stud in the NFL but he’s extremely solid and will be a
quality starter for a very long time. While some people have problems with his
lack of power, I think it’s plenty good to play left tackle in the NFL and do
it at a high level.
NFL Comparison: D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Ryan Clady
10.
Jack Conklin, OT Michigan State
Conklin was in a battle on my board with Taylor Decker for a
long time to be the 3rd offensive tackle in this draft class.
Conklin ended up winning that battle pretty easily actually, and has since
closed the gap on Ronnie Stanley for the second spot. The more tape I watch on
him the better I like him. There were games when he completely dominated his
competition. That being said he is going to struggle a bit against speed
rushers in the NFL and therefore may end up sticking more on the right side
than on the left. I think his power at the point of attack makes him a better
fit on the right side overall anyway. I think he could kick to the left side
eventually and would be a solid player over there. Conklin’s tape is good and
he’s a very tough guy to get through at the point of attack. Conklin will
likely never be a star in the league at tackle because of his lack of initial
quickness, but his power and strong base mean he’ll be a really good player
from day one in the league.
11.
Jared Goff, QB Cal
Goff is a really solid pro-prospect at quarterback. Goff put
up tremendous numbers in the air-raid offensive of Sonny Dykes with very
mediocre talent around him, particularly on the offensive line. Goff can make
absolutely every throw and does a nice job of getting the ball down the field.
I think he takes adequate risks and shows pretty good pocket awareness overall.
I like the kid’s mental make-up and how he hangs in the game despite score or
situation. I think he’d be a nice pick for a team that may lose a bit before
they win. The question about his small size does bother me as he’s 6’4 and 215
pounds but he looks a bit lean to me. That being said he’s clearly a top 10
pick and I really doubt he makes it past four on draft day.
NFL Comparison: Matt Ryan
12.
Sheldon Rankins, DT Louisville
Rankins is one of my absolute favorite prospects in this
year’s draft. He reminds me a bit of Aaron Donald light, in that he doesn’t
possess perfect H/W/S that you’re looking for in a defensive tackle but he’s so
quick off the ball that he can simply get leverage so fast that offensive
lineman can’t recover. He was tremendous at the Senior Bowl and looked like
perhaps the best prospect there. I’m not sure he fits every scheme as he’d
probably be best as a 3 technique, but someone will take him and get a really
productive interior player, which is exceptionally valuable in today’s NFL.
13.
Reggie Ragland, LB Alabama
Reggie Ragland is the exact type of guy I like using a draft
pick on. Ragland is going to be a good professional football player. He is a
very good pass rusher from the interior or off the edge. Ragland is a good
tackler, has good size for the position and can play all three downs. I don’t
think he’s a perfect athlete or he’ll end up being the best inside linebacker
in the league, but his ability to do everything well and his very high floor
means he’ll likely be a really nice piece one someone’s defense for a decade.
The thing I like most about him is that on 3rd down you can either
blitz him up the middle or drop him down off the edge to rush the quarterback.
I think he’s a bit better in coverage than people give him credit for too,
although that’s definitely the weakest part of his game. Really solid player.
14.
Darron Lee, LB Ohio State
Lee helped himself more than anyone at the NFL combine. His
fluidity and size, coupled with ridiculous speed for a linebacker shot him up
many draft boards. Lee ran a 4.43 for a guy who can potentially play inside
linebacker, which is just an insane number. He played that fast on tape as
well, and being a guy who can play any linebacker position means that he will
be on everyone’s draft board. He’s a guy who can run with any tight end in the
league and most wide receivers as well. He’s a tremendous player and a guy with
great upside. He could easily go in the first half of round one.
15.
Shaq Lawson, DE Clemson
If Darron Lee helped himself the most at the combine, Lawson
probably pulls in a close second. Lawson showed both more size that we thought,
at 270 pounds, and even better speed at a 4.7. That’s a dangerous combination
of size and speed for someone who showed he can play both 34 outside linebacker
and a 43 defensive end spot. Lawson is a really solid pass rusher, sets the
edge better than people think, and plays the run better than his former first
round running mate, Vic Beasley. With a draft bereft of edge rushers, Lawson is
the best of the bunch. That means his draft stock is sky high and someone in
need of a pass rush will pull the trigger on him early.
16.
A’Shawn Robinson, DL Alabama
I think I have Robinson ranked higher than anyone else I’ve
seen but I’m comfortable with the ranking overall. Robinson is a really good
football player with tremendous H/W/S combination of tools. He fills out his
pads as well as anyone that size that I’ve seen in the past few drafts. There
are times Robinson loses pad level and he’s not a terrific finisher when
rushing. That being said, he generates plenty of pocket pressure with a
straight bulrush. When he gets his hands on you as a runner, you are going
down, and he can absolutely hold his own against double teams immediately in
the NFL. While his stats may never blow someone away at the next level, he is
already a good player and he has a serious amount of upside.
17.
Mackenzie Alexander, CB Clemson
Alexander is another guy that I absolutely love in
comparison to where other evaluators have him ranked. I know he doesn’t have
top flight size at only 5’10, 190 pounds, but his athletic ability and shutdown
ability in man to man is rare. Alexander allowed less than 30% completions
against throws his way and zero touchdowns this past season. Those are flat out
ridiculous numbers. He made Sterling Shepherd look completely mediocre in the
two games against the Sooners and that was enough right there. His technique
and lack of tremendous quickness could hurt him a bit in year one, but if he
gets a good defensive back coach, Alexander could develop into a pro-bowl
player. Question mark for his game is the fact that he has zero interceptions
in two seasons, that’s a crazy statistic.
18.
Paxton Lynch, QB Memphis
Lynch was one of my tougher prospects and evaluations on him
range all over the board. To me Lynch’s overall tools are completely off the
charts and his toughness means to me he’s obviously a first round prospect at
quarterback. Lynch has all the measurables you’d ever want out of a prospect.
He comes in at 6’7 and 244 pounds, and has tremendous athletic ability. Lynch
ran a smooth 4.8 40-yard, and jumped an insane 36 inches. Lynch also has a
howitzer attached to his shoulder, and supposedly recorded the third hardest
throwing mph in combine history. His accuracy isn’t perfect and the game can
definitely look a little too fast for him at times, but his tools are off the
charts. He’s a bit of a project, but damn there is huge upside here.
19.
Jarran Reid, DL Alabama
Reid is a really nice player on the interior. I’m not sure
exactly where I’d want him to play, whether as a defensive tackle in a 43 or a
defensive end in a 34, but either way you’re getting a solid player who is
exceptionally difficult to move. I know a lot of draft profiles say he’s an
average pass rusher, but I think there is some extra you can get out of him at
that spot, and he may not have tested off the charts in terms of quickness but
I watched him on tape run people down to the edge. Where Reid is going to make
his money in the league though is as a completely elite run defender. The guy
is so tough to move and he will require double teams or he’ll make plays. He’s
an instant two-down starter in the league who could potentially develop into a
three down player.
20.
Laquan Treadwell, WR Ole Miss
Treadwell is a really solid football player. While he isn’t
an explosive runner and doesn’t blow by defenders on the outside he is a very
savvy route runner and is a natural creator of separation. Treadwell has
tremendous hands, good size, and attacks the football when it’s in the air. Treadwell
has prototypical size for the position at 6’2 and over 220 pounds. Faster guys
give him problems, but overall the kid is a really good player and projects as
a potential number one down the line or at worst a really good number two.
21.
Cody Whitehair, OG Kansas State
The best interior offensive lineman in this draft class
isn’t up for debate. Whitehair is the man. He could probably play at literally
any spot along the offensive line including left tackle, where he shows more
than adequate quickness to hold off speed rushers. He’s a strong and athletic
interior lineman, who will probably project best as a guard at the next level.
Whitehair is strong enough to anchor against power and quick enough to maintain
balance against speed to power guys. I’m not sure he has great length and
although everyone says how hard he works in the weight room he only weighs in
around 300 pounds. I think he’s a really quality player though, and likely a
starter in the league for a decade or more. Plus his versatility to play any
position in a pinch is huge and means that even though he’s an interior lineman
he shouldn’t make it out of round one.
NFL Comparison: Reminds me a lot of a poor man’s Zach
Martin. I think he’s about 90% as good as Martin which means he could end up
making pro-bowls
22.
Braxton Miller, WR Ohio State
Miller is best known for being a converted star quarterback
into a “slash” type role as a senior. Miller has all the qualities you’d look
for in a star receiver in the NFL though. He’s got prototypical H/W/S and shows
absolutely ridiculous quickness. Miller could be a star slot receiver
immediately and his 4.50 40 means that he has more than enough speed to take
the top off the defense. He’s perhaps the draft’s most dangerous player with
the ball in his hands. He has come along very quickly as a route runner and
although he’s clearly got some rawness to his game, it’s not nearly as much as
some people want you to believe. Miller could play running back, wide receiver,
in the slot, as a returner or even as a wildcat quarterback. He’s simply a
great football player so get him on your team and then find ways to get him the
ball.
23.
Vernon Butler, DT Louisiana Tech
One of my absolute favorite players in this year’s draft. I
think any team that ends up with Butler is going to end up being very happy
with the selection. Butler has tremendous size at 6’4 and over 320 pounds but
he moves exceptionally well for his size. The guy can make plays at any
position along a three man front and his height, power, and athleticism are
very enticing. I think if this guy goes to a team with a good defensive line
coach, Butler could end up being a pro-bowl caliber player. He’s a bit raw and
because of his height he can sometimes lose his pad level, something that need
to be coached into him more. It may take a season to really get him up and
running but he’s already a really nice player and his upside is even higher.
Just a side-note, he’s an interior defensive lineman with 35+ inch arms, that’s
scary.
24.
Corey Coleman, WR Baylor
I honestly wasn’t that high on Corey Coleman until the last
month where he’s shot up my draft board. I’ve heard out of every prospect at
the combine that Coleman had the best interviews. To me that’s gigantic, as
there’s nothing at the annual underwear Olympics more important than the
interviews. As a player Coleman’s tape is actually pretty damn impressive. He’s
not without warts as Coleman did have a drop rate of around 10%, which is way
too high, but I think it’s something that can be overcome. Coleman is a rare
player that has both crazy straight line speed as well as elite quickness. I
think he could end up being a really good NFL second WR. Coleman is a guy who
can flat out blow by you on the outside and his ability to win right away off
the snap means that if he goes to a team with a favorable quarterback
situation, Coleman could be a tremendous asset. Plus Coleman has tremendous
return ability as well.
NFL Comparison: Ted Ginn Jr.
25.
William Jackson III, Houston
Jackson had a solid second round grade on him for most of
the year and then the more tape I watched the more I liked him. I was really
needing him to run a good 40 at the combine to verify what I’d seen on tape,
and then the kid goes out and dominates the combine. The kid has amazing ball
skills and ended the season leading the entire nation with 23 passes defended,
and tacked on 5 INT for bonus measure. I think he’s pretty below average in run
support and if he could keep his speed up to go along with adding a dozen
pounds of muscle it’d help him. He’s got good length but doesn’t play press
exceptionally well. Overall though, his size and speed coupled with tremendous
ball skills means he has a great chance to go in round one.
26.
Jaylon Smith, OLB Notre Dame
This poor guy. Smith was the number one ranked player on my
entire draft board until he got hurt. Then the guy goes to the combine and is
pretty much ruled out for the entire 2016 season. If he comes back and is
anywhere near the player he was projected to be though, he would be a steal at
the end of round one or the beginning of the second round. Smith does
everything well from the linebacker position, he is great in coverage, takes on
blocks well, and has tremendous instincts. He had great athleticism and power
at the point of attack as well. Overall he has superstar potential but the
injury risk is obviously substantial, and he will likely miss the entire 2016
season. The question is where someone believes the risk is worth taking him.
27.
Josh Doctson, WR TCU
Doctson is a receiver with a nice high floor. Doctson has
good size and straight line speed at 6’2 and runs a really good 4.50 40. I
think he shows better than average hands, and does a really good job getting
the ball at its apex, meaning he projects as a good redzone player as well as a
good possession receiver. He was targeted a ton at TCU, over 30% of the balls
thrown went his way, but in the NFL he isn’t going to be a number one option. I
think his ability to create first downs means he’ll be a good WR2 in the
league, and his downside is as a quality number 3. Doctson does have some
problems with press and a bit with quicker corners, but overall he could be a
guy who could catch 60-80 passes a year sooner rather than later.
NFL Comparison: Eric Decker
28.
Hunter Henry, TE Arkansas
Hunter Henry’s value in this draft is very high because of
the gap he has over the other tight end prospects in this class. Henry is a
borderline first round prospect who will likely have no shot to get out of
round one. Henry’s got prototype size at 6’5 and 250 pounds but he runs pretty
well for his size. He’s got a really good feel against zone coverage and does a
really good job getting upfield after making the catch. He’s a tremendous run
blocker and does everything well. He can get a bit aggressive against the run
and can reach sometimes but I’d rather have that than a tight end you can’t put
inline. Best tight end in the draft by at least one full round and more like
two full rounds. Crazy Henry stat of the day, he had 51 catches this season,
and dropped a grand total of… wait for it…. Zero. Only player in the draft to
boast a 100% catch rate.
NFL Comparison: Jason Witten, this one is actually really
easy.
29.
Leonard Floyd, OLB Georgia
Floyd is someone who I could see going higher than this come
the draft, but right now he sneaks into my top 32. He’s a guy who has a lot of
potential to be a double digit sack guy in the NFL. Athletically he was off the
charts at the combine and he was very impressive He’s 6’6 and 250 pounds and
yet runs a 4.60 40 which is simply ridiculous. He runs and moves very well and
I could see him turning into a really good zone or man cover guy if he’s asked
to play a 43 or be a sub package guy. He lacks functional strength and despite
his length he’s not a run player. Overall though, his ability to rush the
passer, probably as a sub-player only early in his career, means he could end
up being a very nice chess piece for a defensive coordinator. The kid needs to
gain some muscle mass, but very high ceiling.
30.
Ryan Kelly, C Alabama
Kelly is simply a fantastic football player. I was worried
that Kelly would end up under 300 pounds and drop his stock, but coming in at
6’4 and 311 pounds was a really good number for the former Crimson Tide stud. I
think Kelly is a tremendous player and does a very good job diagnosing blitzes
and different defensive schemes. A site I trust said that he didn’t allow a
one-on-one sack the past two seasons! I think he does a nice job of getting
good movement in the run game and he will absolutely blow people up in the run
game on double teams. Sometimes he gets a bit out of control at the second
level and he can get a bit too excited at times and drop his head or whiff in
open space. Overall though the guy is an immediate starter in the league at
perhaps the second most important offensive position. I could see him going in
the first round without question, maybe even as high as 20.
31.
Eli Apple, CB Ohio State
I’m not as high on Apple as everyone else is, but if he goes
in the back half of round one I think that’s pretty fair. Apple’s got the H/W/S
thing down for a corner no question. He’s a legit 6’1 and runs a 4.40 which is
exactly what I’d want out of a cornerback prospect. I think the talent here is
obvious. He’s got great length, can turn and run with anyone, and shows a
really nice ability to mirror in man. The kid could become a really good
player. The issues I have with him are the fact that he can panic at corner. If
he gets beat, which he does sometimes because I don’t think he’s great at
diagnosing routes, particularly in zone, he gets super grabby. The kid is going
to make some serious plays but he’s also going to get flagged a lot early. The
potential for him is to be a superstar.
32.
Andrew Billings, DT Baylor
If you want someone who is an absolute beast in terms of
overall strength Billings is your guy. He was a former weight lifting champion
who reportedly squats over 800 pounds, and can bench press over 500. He plays with obvious power and despite being
less than 21 years old already looks like a seasoned NFL player. Billings did a
nice job with good production despite playing a zero or one technique 90% of
the time for the Bears. He isn’t a fluid athlete though and he has a hard time
stopping when a play gets going one way. This kid at 311 pounds ran a 5.05 40
and shows a really good upside. I think there is room for him to grow into a
really nice player, and at worst you get someone who is going to be difficult
to move on the interior.
33.
Will Fuller, WR Notre Dame
This guy can flat out fly. Fuller earned himself squarely
into the first round conversation by his ridiculous 4.33 40 time in Indy. What
casual fans don’t realize though is that Fuller is also a very good route
runner and not just an over the top guy. Fuller is a very good receiver but he
does struggle with letting the ball get into his body. He double catches some
passes and drops a few and in college he got away with that because he gained
so much immediate separation, but those windows will be closed in the NFL and
those double catches could end up being drops. His size also is a bit of a
detriment. He’s 6’0 tall which is okay for height but he has a smaller lower
body, which means I don’t think he could survive full time underneath. All in
all though Fuller would be an immediate deep threat and projects as a really
dynamic WR2 for an NFL team that wants someone to take the top off the defense.
34.
Karl Joseph, S West Virginia
I love Joseph as a player but the ACL and lack of ideal size
push him down squarely into the second round consideration. Joseph plays so
hard and attacks the football whether in the run or against the pass. He’s a
good playmaker on defense, ending his career with 9 interceptions and about
three dozen pass break ups. Joseph already didn’t have tremendous speed so the
ACL scares me a bit more than it would another player. Joseph is 5’10 and only
around 200 pounds so there are some body concerns overall. He can do everything
you ask of him as a safety and all scouts and coaches rave about his character
and football IQ.. That being said he would have had a high 80s or low 90s grade
with health.
35.
Taylor Decker, OT Ohio State
Decker has slid down my big board a bit throughout this
process, but I don’t really think it’s anything against him, he’s stayed solid
in the mid 80’s as a prospect for me. The reason for his slide is that some
players, particularly defenders and wideouts have started to climb a bit.
Decker is a good solid tackle prospect with some nice tape. He’s not a natural
knee bender but he does a good enough job that he doesn’t frequently get beat
with speed, although that may be more of a problem in the NFL than in the Big
10. When he can double team and get to the second level he’s dangerous as he’s
a thumper. He’s tall but his arm length is below average for his height. I
think left tackle may be a stretch for him but he could turn into an average to
slightly above average left tackle. On the right side is where I see him making
his money though. He’s got good power and moves well enough that he could be a
nice run blocker on the outside. This guy will likely be in the league a long
time.
36.
Derrick Henry, RB Alabama
Henry was probably around number 50 on my board until his
display at Indianapolis. I truly believed that he was going to show that his
tape was a bit fluky behind that massive Tide offensive line, but instead his
explosiveness and straight line speed at almost 250 pounds was remarkable.
Someone of his size to have a 37 inch vertical and run a 4.52 is absolutely
stupid. Now looking back on the Heisman winning tape was even more impressive.
He’s a tremendous downhill runner, and although he doesn’t make many people
miss he has good vision in the hole and always falls forward. Henry was likely
a mid second round pick, but now pairing his tape up with his performance in
Indy means he could go potentially as high as number 20 in this draft and I
don’t think it’d be a big reach.
37.
Kevin Dodd, DE Clemson
Kevin Dodd is the perfect second round pick for my overall
draft strategy. I don’t think Dodd will ever be a dominant pass rusher or
defensive end in the NFL, but I’m damn sure he’s going to be a good one. He has
a really nice floor on him as he shows good overall ability against the run,
and when he gets one on one situations he has a good ability to finish off
plays against the pass. Dodd has really good size at 6’5 and 277 pounds,
meaning he will likely have to play in a 43 base which limits him a bit. He’s a
bit raw as a pass rusher at times and needs to get a few more moves, but I
think he could end up sliding inside on some passing downs and giving guards
and centers fits. Dodd is a guy who could end up getting close to double digit
sacks at some point in his career, and at worst you get a solid rotational
defensive lineman who can help you immediately.
NFL Comparison: I read someone compared him to Michael
Bennett, and I liked it a bit. I think Bennett is definitely Dodd’s ceiling,
but even if he’s 80% of Bennett, that’s a damn solid starter.
38.
Sterling Shepherd, WR Oklahoma
This is a really good football player right here. Shepherd
is a dynamic slot receiver, who can win with quickness, but shows enough
straight line speed to get on top of slower corners easily. He plays extremely
tough, catches the football well, and is at his best after the catch. I think
he gives you exceptional value as a return guy as well, perhaps even the best
one of those in this class. He’s a guy who can help you make first downs and
can get extra yards with his ability to make someone miss. Shepherd isn’t
without warts of course, he’s a small guy at just 5’10 and 190 pounds. He
likely can’t be someone who can consistently play on the outside, and slot guys
simply aren’t as valuable as outside guys given the fact you can typically find
cheaper solutions on the inside. If he
isn’t allowed to move or be stacked in front of at the line he’s easy to
redirect. Overall though, Shepherd is a fantastic football player who gives a
team a dynamic playmaker on the inside. I can’t take a slot receiver in round
one, but in round two I wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.
NFL Comparison: Randall Cobb
39.
Kenny Clark, DT UCLA
Clark is a guy who I have a bit of mixed feelings about. If
he were in a draft without so much depth at defensive tackle, he would probably
be ranked a bit higher, but my rankings are not only based on overall talent
but on positional draft depth and positional value. Clark is a good player who
does a really good job recognizing rushing lanes and getting his hands in
passing lanes. He’s productive from the interior which is a tough thing to find
in the league. I think he projects better as a 43 defensive tackle, but he
could play the nose in an odd man front as well. He doesn’t have great length
and does sometimes fail to finish plays but he’s disruptive. Clark’s a high
character guy. He can split double teams by seeing the play develop. He’s not a
great athlete and lacks the length to make every tackle and he isn’t quick on the
inside. He’s only 20 years old though so you’re getting someone who you can
develop early on. I like Clark better as a round two pick, but his football IQ
and good size for a young draft prospect means someone could take him in the
back half of round one and it wouldn’t be a huge reach.
40.
Emmanual Ogbah, DE/OLB Oklahoma State
Ogbah is another one of those long pass rushers off the
edge. Ogbah actually came in a lot faster at the combine than he did on tape or
during the season. Ogbah can at times get tackles on skates and move them back
into the quarterback. The issues that I have with him are that he’s not quite
as athletic or powerful as you’d want out of him based on his size and ability.
While every once in a while he flashes an amazing move or counter and
completely jumps off the screen. The kid was pretty consistent, recording a
sack in 75% of his games over the past two seasons. He has a really nice speed
to power move and ends up setting the edge well when he puts in the effort. I
question his motor a bit, and think that as a second round pick he’d be a
better overall value.
41.
Robert Nkemdiche, DT Ole Miss
The toughest guy in this class to evaluate for probably
everyone is Nkemdiche. He was the best high school player in the country and
was the number one ranked player on my board until he fell out of a freaking
window high and drunk before a bowl game. It not only showed his immaturity
which was already a question mark in most evaluator’s books, but also made you
question his intelligence. Nkemdiche is a monster athletically and possesses
rare H/W/S combination. He can flash on tape and absolutely dismantle offenses,
and then he’ll disappear for a quarter or half at a time. While the kid has all
the talent in the world, he’s too risky in round one, but a second round pick
could net you a future pro-bowl player if he decides he actually loves
football. Huge Risk – HUGE reward.
42.
Joshua Perry, LB Ohio State
If Nkemdiche is the riskiest player in this draft class then
Josh Perry is probably the safest. I think Perry is exactly what you’re looking
for if you want a super high character guy who simply always makes the right
play. Perry had the best tackling rate in the nation this past season, missing
just 5 tackles and ending up with unofficially 120 tackles for the year. Perry
has good size to play the Mike or Sam linebacker in a 43 or an inside spot or
jack spot in a 34. He’s probably only a two down linebacker but he did run
better than I thought he would at the combine. This guy is simply a good player
with a super high floor. His ceiling isn’t through the roof, but you rarely
having a guarantee in terms of draft picks, and this guy is a good safe
investment of draft capital.
43.
Nick Martin, C Notre Dame
Martin is a really good football player, and one that should
be in the conversation in the first half of day two of this draft. While his
Brother was a can’t miss prospect, Nick is pretty close to a sure thing in the
2016 draft. Martin can play any position along the offensive line although I
think he projects best as a center in the NFL. Martin moves well, can get to
the second level, and shows high football IQ, as do most players coming from
Brian Kelly’s system. He’s good in the run game and gets to the second level
exceptionally well, he’s a guy who can call out protections as early as his
rookie year and his versatility gives him another level of value. His upside
isn’t as high as his brother’s who is arguably the best guard in the league,
but his floor is really high. Someone will get an instant starter. He’s not
really big, so scheme will be a bit of a challenge, but a team who wants
someone who can move on the interior will likely pull the trigger in the first
two rounds.
44.
Joshua Garnett, G Stanford
Garnett is probably the best pure run blocking offensive
lineman in this class. He can absolutely maul people with power off the line of
scrimmage. He does a good job on short pulls like traps and powers but
struggles when asked to get out in space a bit more. I think he could struggle
on screens and draws when asked to get off the initial block and get to space
more. Long pulls are not great. As a pass protector he’s okay but he dips his
head too much and will miss some delayed blitzes and stunts. When he gets you
locked up though, you aren’t going anywhere. If you get a team that wants to
play downhill football though Garnett is the guy you pull the trigger on.
45.
Chris Jones, DT Mississippi State
Jones is a guy I’ve had all over my board and honestly I
don’t feel super confident in any place that I’ve put him. Most people have him
squarely in round one, but I think he’s more of a round two guy. He’s so
inconsistent on tape, that when he loses off the snap or doesn’t get that
initial push he can kind of give up on the play. His sophomore tape wasn’t very
good but this past year he improved a lot. I’m not really sure what to think of
him, he’s extremely powerful when he gets his ass down but at 6’6 he plays way
too high at times. I’m not sure I can say for sure he’ll be a starter in the
league, let alone a pro-bowl guy, but then again I wouldn’t be surprised either
way. He’s got a ton of potential, so taking a shot on him in the middle of
round two would be a good risk, I think he’s too rich for round one right now
for me with too much inconsistent tape.
46.
Kendall Fuller, CB Virginia Tech
Fuller was a guy who I had a borderline first round grade on
until he ended up getting hurt. I think to me I had him at the beginning of
round two and he probably falls on my board to the end of round two or
beginning of round three. Fuller is better suited as a zone corner who can play
some press. He doesn’t have recovery speed and at times can get a bit grabby,
particularly against quicker or faster receivers. I think the kid projects as a
nice number two corner in the league, but I think his lack of speed and need to
gamble on throws means he could end up dropping to the 3rd round.
He’s a ball hawk and very aggressive, which are playmaking traits, and you can
tell he wants to be a playmaker at all times. I actually think he could end up
being a really good free safety.
NFL Comparison: Devin McCourty. A guy who could start at
corner but shift to safety eventually.
47.
Vonn Bell, S Ohio State
Vonn Bell is arguably the best safety prospect in this
class, depending on how you classify Myles Jack of course. Bell is a good
tackler but is better probably as a cover safety, ending his career with 9
interceptions and 30 pass breakups. As a
freshman Bell primarily played the nickel spot before shifting full time
to safety so you know his man cover skills are solid. I wish Bell was a bit
stronger and a bit faster and I think if he plays single high safety in the NFL
there will be times he’ll get beat to the boundary by faster receivers. He’s
not big at 5’11 and 200 pounds but he does make his share of tackles. I think he
projects as a good starting safety in the league but he’ll have to get stronger
and probably put on 10-15 pounds if he wants to turn into a better player in
the box. Safely in the second round though.
48.
Michael Thomas, WR Ohio State
Thomas is a big bodied receiver who gives you an instant red
zone threat. He’s 6’3 and runs 4.57 with gigantic hands. Thomas catches the
ball with his hands, and does a good job going and getting the ball with a low
drop rate. He gets out of his breaks pretty well but his route running
definitely needs some work. He wasn’t asked to run a full route tree or figure
out coverages much at Ohio State, and therefore his adjustment to the league
may take a bit. I think he has the potential to be a really good possession
receiver and red zone guy but while he has the potential to develop over time
it may take a year or two. While there is high potential here, there is also
high risk, probably higher than the other receivers at this point.
49.
Miles Killebrew, S Southern Utah
Perhaps the biggest hitting safety in this draft class is
Killibrew from Southern Utah. The kid brings the wood at 6’2 217 pounds,, and
has great athleticism with a 127 inch broad jump and a 38 inch vertical. That
means he’s exactly what you’re looking for from a safety prospect, along with
Killebrew running a respectable 4.65 in Indy. You add in the fact that he had a
ridiculous 240 tackles the past two seasons from a safety position means you
have a really intriguing strong safety prospect here. With those good things said
there are some question marks in Killebrew’s game. He doesn’t have great
instincts in pass coverage, and therefore will arrive to the football a bit
later than you’d want. Run game schemes means he sometimes is wading through
blockers instead of finding the guy with the ball. I think his size and decent
speed shows he can man up fairly well with tight ends, so that’s a net positive
there. I think he’s okay in coverage and excellent against the run. It’s super
hard not to just say he reminds everyone of Jaquiski Tartt who went to San
Francisco last year who came in at 6’1 220 pounds and ended up getting taken
with the 46th pick.
50.
Kamalei Correa, OLB Boise State
Correa is a guy who gets some mixed reviews from evaluators.
I think if someone takes him in round one that’s a pretty major reach for a guy
who ended up with just 6 sacks in the MWC this past season. Correa does have a
really good initial burst and can beat flat footed tackles with that jump off
the snap. I think his hand placement and work is pretty weak overall, so he
would need to be coached up. He projects as a 34 OLB but his coverage skills
need some serious work, he looks lost sometimes. I like his straight line speed
and his motor is very good, particularly chasing down from the backside. There’s
some talent there but there are more question marks than exclamation points at
this time so I would say a second round developmental guy could earn you long
term dividends here.
51.
Kentrell Brothers, ILB Missouri
I understand that Brothers isn’t a phenomenal athlete and
that he’s undersized for the position at just a hair over 240 pounds. I get
that he ran a 4.9 40 at the combine and that he can sometimes get washed out by
bigger guards and centers. He’s not
great on third down at this point, as he’s only okay in coverage and doesn’t
flash major production as a blitzer. All those negatives aside the guy is a
tackling machine. Brothers finished with 150 tackles this season in the SEC,
that’s an absurd number. I think he does a lot better job taking on blockers
than people give him credit for and his zone cover skills are above average.
No, he’s not going to flash or jump off the screen, but he’s exceptionally
productive and I firmly believe he’ll be a triple digit tackle guy in the NFL.
NFL Comparison: D’Qwell Jackson
52.
Su’a Cravens, S USC
Cravens was listed as a linebacker at USC but he’ll likely
develop into some sort of hybrid safety / linebacker in the NFL. At just 6’1
225 pounds it’d be hard to imagine him playing in the box 60-70 plays per game
but shifting him to a sub package linebacker and letting him play strong safety
on run downs could utilize his skill set to its fullest. He’s a really good
football player regardless of position although I think there are a lot of
teams who would want him to play that LaVonte David “Will” position. Cravens is
a good blitzer off the edge, can cover fairly well down the field, and attacks
at all levels in all facets. I worry about his size and I wish he had more
explosiveness and straight line speed. To me I loved David coming out of the
draft but Cravens is a solid 20 plus picks behind him. That being said, he’d be
a really quality get in the second round of this draft.
53.
Germain Ifedi, OT Texas A&M
Ifedit has the perfect frame for an NFL offensive tackle,
and therefore he gets the checkmark in that category. Ifedi has another really
good piece of the puzzle as well as he played guard his freshman year and
shifted out to tackle after that. I think his spot in the NFL is at right
tackle, although early in his career if you can play him at guard he could
probably give you a nice return there. There is the ability to be a really good
player here as he can make every block, moves well, and has the power to get
people out of position. All of that being said, I feel like it’s all a
projection as his tape simply wasn’t that good. It wasn’t bad but for a lot of
people to say he’s going to end up being a top 40 guy, I simply would not pull
the trigger there. I’d feel a lot better about taking him in round three than
round two, but there is some potential here to be a pretty good player.
NFL Comparison: Will Beatty, had a buddy of mine do some
work on him and he came up with the Beatty comparison and I thought it was spot
on.
54.
Noah Spence, OLB Eastern Kentucky
Ugh, what the hell to do with Spence. This kid is arguably
the best pass rusher in the entire 2016 draft class but character concerns and
lack of a good showing in Indy push him down to the second round for me. I
really believe someone will take him in the first round, maybe as high as all
the way up to number 9 overall. Now, the return on investment may be worth it
there if he gets his crap together, but you have to have serious character
concerns. The other thing I have to worry about is that while he was good at
Eastern Kentucky, the way scouts talk about him he should have had around 18
sacks and he only had 11.5. Look I get that there is talent there, as far as
that goes he could be worthy of the 9th overall pick, but the drug
issues, plus the fact that his numbers or explosiveness didn’t jump off the
stage at Indy worries me. Those things, along with the fact that he’s a bit of
a tweener for positions means that I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking him in
round one.
55.
Connor Cook, QB Michigan State
Here’s a guy that I think is a great person to draft if you
have a team that wants to win by defense. Cook knows how to win, having won the
most games in Michigan State history, and winning two Big 10 titles. Cook has
all the tools you’d want in a quarterback, he moves pretty well, has a good
arm, and can make every throw. He does a good job of pushing the ball down the
field, understands offensive schemes, and takes care of the football. I think
his ability to make big plays down the field and get the safeties to move is a
big plus. He’s very ready to play quarterback in the NFL right now. The
problems I have with him though are he’s inaccurate on short throws, and is
inconsistent on intermediate throws as well. He misses some open guys and there
are some questions about leadership and maturity, although I think based on
what his teammates have said, are blown way out of proportion. Cook I believe
is a guy who can win games at the next level, but I wouldn’t use a first round
pick on him, as a second round guy though, you get good value.
NFL Comparison: Andy Dalton
56.
Shilique Calhoun, DE Michigan State
I’m not going to go too deep on Calhoun here, but he’s a guy
with a high floor for NFL evaluators. He’s a good pass rusher, racking up tons
of quarterback hurries, I saw a stat that said he ended up with over 120
pressures in his college career. He plays the run okay, but he doesn’t play
super aggressively against the run or setting the edge. While he’s not bad in
those situations there is definitely room for improvement. My opinion on Calhoun
is he is what he is. He’s going to be a decent to slightly above average
starter at defensive end or outside linebacker in a 34 set, with a bit of pass rushing upside. He’s a nice piece
in round two or three and will likely be a good player in the league.
57.
Jonathan Bullard, DE/DT Florida
I like Bullard as a player but he likely wouldn’t end up on
one of my teams as I have him ranked a bit lower than most people do. Bullard
was productive, especially against the run in Florida’s attacking defensive
front. I think he could probably be okay as a 34 defensive end, but likely
he’ll end up kicked inside in sub packages or as a 3 technique 43 defensive
tackle. Bullard is a good football player, who can generate pretty good pass
rush. I think he isn’t an explosive player and therefore with that frame, he
won’t be able to simply jump NFL guards so I believe his production will drop
down a bit. While I believe taking him in round two is a nice play for him,
there are some people who don’t think he’ll make it out of round one, and to
me, that’s a fairly decent sized leap. He’s a good tackler, which helps his
grade a bit.
58.
Austin Johnson, DT Penn State
I think Johnson projects as a solid starter on the defensive
line in the NFL. He does a nice job against double teams and holds the point of
attack very well. He’s not a great pass rusher from the inside but he does a
pretty good job pushing the pocket and can get effort pressures and sacks at
times. He’s very good against the run, and is an excellent interior tackler
with great productivity. To get 75 tackles in a season from the interior is
exceptional. I think he gets leaned on by offensive lineman at times and he can
get beat up by longer interior players on passing downs. That being said I
watched four tapes this year of Penn State and I only saw him get totally
beaten on a snap 5 times in 226 snaps, that’s a terrific in play percentage.
He’s a good player who could end up being a nice piece for defensive
coordinators who value high effort interior players. He’s got a nice high floor
on day two.
59.
Jeremy Cash, S Duke
Cash is your prototypical in the box safety. Cash is a
tackling macine, racking up over 100 tackles in each of his past three seasons.
He’s got toughness in spades and plays the run like a middle linebacker. He
does a nice job of setting the edge when he’s playing on an “over” defense,
despite only weight around 215 pounds. Cash isn’t a great guy in coverage, and
at times he can get beat pretty bad in man to man coverage, struggling at times
against quicker running backs and tight ends. Overall though, if you can keep
him in the box and have him play downhill he can be exceptionally effective.
Going to lose some battles in coverage though, but there is a place in the
league for a guy like Cash. He’s a second round guy to me though, maybe early 3rd
but he definitely can’t get out of day 2.
NFL Comparison: T.J. Ward, this was one of the easier
comparisons I’ve done. He plays so hard and hits so hard against the run but he
has tight hips and struggles a bit in coverage.
60.
Hassan Ridgeway, DT Texas
This kid has huge upside. He’s a really good athlete for his
size, running a 5.02 40 at 310 pound is a pretty impressive feat unto itself.
He’s pretty explosive off the snap, and you almost never see him get beat by a
single blocker. That being said the film this year wasn’t quite what I was
hoping after going through a couple tapes from his sophomore film where I
thought the dude was going to be a clear first round player. Conditioning seems
to be a pretty major concern, which stinks because he’s a guy who has the
attributes to play all three downs. Heard two different people say he has more
talent than Malcolm Brown, and when I first heard that I scoffed, but there are
times I can totally see that. He loses the ball and wasn’t nearly as productive
as Brown, and with the conditioning issues, his floor is significantly lower. I
think someone taking him in round 2 is taking a decent risk with good upside.
If someone could get him after pick 50-55 it’d be a really nice selection.
61.
Jayron Kearse, S Clemson
Honestly I have no idea what he’s going to end up being in
the NFL, and he’s the toughest defensive back I’ve evaluated this year. I think
he has the talent and physical traits to be an All-Pro level safety, but his
production wasn’t nearly as good in college as I would have hoped for. Kearse
is gigantic at 6’4 and almost 220 pounds. Kearse can run well in a straight
line and he looks good in cover 3 and cover 2 looks. He’s not as good against
the run as his frame is and his coverage skills against quick receivers aren’t
fantastic. A major plus on Kearse though is he’s already a fantastic special
team’s player, a guy with literally unlimited potential in that phase of the
game. I think the guy could be a steal in round two or a bust in round 5, he’s
so difficult to project. I would think taking him at the start of round three
you’d at worst get a fantastic special teams player and rotational safety, and
at best you could get a huge return on investment as a playmaking, big hitting,
safety.
62.
Carl Nassib, DE Penn State
I know everyone thinks that Nassib isn’t that talented
because he was a former walk on and only ended up really having one year of
production. Granted that production led to 15.5 sacks and him becoming the Big
10 defensive player of the year. Nassib does have good length, pretty good
burst off the football, and holds his weight and pad level well. He’s a
tireless worker and has an awesome motor, he could be even more effective in
the NFL with a few snaps per game on the
sideline. He has a nose for the football as well, and he forced half a dozen
fumbles this past season. While he’s still raw in his pass rushing moves when
he can get a bit of a head of steam on defenders he uses his angles extremely
well and tackles have a very hard time squaring him up. I think if you run a 43
defense, this guy could end up developing into a really effective pass rusher.
He misses too many tackles and leaves some plays on the field, but the more he
plays the better he’ll get. I think there is some upside here.
63.
Landon Turner, G North Carolina
Turner is a beast against the run, and he’s mediocre in pass
protection. While he is in the conversation as the best run blocker in this
class, he’s only okay in pass protection. Turner lacks much athleticism and
when he gets to the second level he struggles and misses too many blocks. When
he’s allowed to simply just move the pile and the man in front of him though
Turner can absolutely demolish defenders. All of that said his 2015 tape was
way better in pass protection than the 2014 tape which means there is potential
growth in that department. Turner needs to fit the correct scheme in order to
be successful, but if he gets that opportunity he could end up being a high
quality NFL guard.
NFL Comparison: Larry Warford
64.
Dak Prescott, QB Mississippi State
I really like Prescott as a second day quarterback prospect.
Prescott is more accurate than people think and although he came from a spread
offense, he did a nice job understanding defensive concepts. He takes good care
of the football and does a nice job driving the ball down the field. Prescott
has prototype NFL size and above average arm strength. I question his
consistency at times, as sometimes he’ll make tremendous throws and other times
he’ll miss open guys. His accuracy and footwork could use a lot of work. On the
plus side, Prescott is extremely mobile and gives a team a really nice added
dimension with his ability to run designed quarterback runs, and use his feet
to pick up first downs. I think in round two he’d be a nice pickup, but in
round three he’d be a steal. The kid could end up being a starter in the
league, and at worst a dynamic backup. I honestly wouldn’t really have an issue
if he was the fourth quarterback off the board.
65.
Kenneth Dixon, RB Lousiana Tech
I love Dixon as a running back. He’s a guy who can break
tackles, make people miss, and finishes his runs falling forward on most downs.
He averaged over 3 yards per carry this past season after contact, which is an
astounding number. He isn’t built great, but he does come in at 215 pounds, which
is a plus. He’s scored over 80 touchdowns in his career, so he could help you
in those situations. He isn’t good in pass protection, in fact, out of the top
10 running backs in this draft class for me I have Dixon rated the worst, so
that’s going to be a problem early in his career. He doesn’t have breakaway
speed, but he hits the hole hard and does a great job of seeing daylight and
hitting it. I think in round three, you
could find someone who could end up being a really nice starting caliber running
back in the league.
66.
Sheldon Day, DL Notre Dame
I think Day is a guy you would really like to add to your
roster on the second day of the draft. There is a chance that he falls to day
three because he’s the definition of a “tweener” in NFL circles. Day is only
6’1 so he’ll struggle to play with the length needed as a 5 technique, but at
only 293 pounds it’s unlikely he’ll be able to play on the inside consistently.
A double team blows him off the ball on the inside. That being said this kid is
a really good football player. He is exceptional at dropping off on zone
blitzes, makes plays in the backfield, gets good movement inside when he’s
blocked one on one. Day is a good player, I think if you put him on a roster he
will end up making plays for you as a good rotational lineman. He’s got good
value in round three especially, and if he falls to day three I’d snatch him up
regardless of need in round four.
67.
Deion Jones, LB LSU
Jones is a guy who could very well go in round two of this
draft and I wouldn’t think it was a reach. Jones is a very good athlete, moves
extremely well, and can cover sideline to sideline. He may be better off
playing some sort of safety/linebacker hybrid with his lack of prototype
linebacker size, weighing in at only 222 pounds. I think though, with a decent
amount of athleticism he could end up being a really nice Will linebacker in
the league. Jones can really cover in man to man defense as well, with an
ability to stay with any tight end he’ll match up with. With Jones, scheme and
a plan for how to use him effectively is going to determine his success in the
league. A second round grade could be totally appropriate, or a fourth round
grade could be a reach if you don’t have a plan. Where I think Jones could be
elite is on special teams, where his combination of open field tackling and
speed could make him a tremendous addition. He’s a good football player, a team
captain, but he’s got limited experience and lack of size. An intriguing guy
who I could see being a nice piece for someone on day two.
68.
Tyler Boyd, WR Pittsburgh
Boyd is an interesting receiver prospect in this draft
class. He doesn’t possess rare combinations of H/W/S but he was highly
productive at Pitt. I think he’s a nice player, with strong hands, the ability
to create first downs, and a good feel for route running and zone schemes. He’s
a good solid possession receiver with the ability to make tough contested
catches consistently. The main issues I have with him are that he weighs less
than 200 pounds at 6’1, which concerns me a bit with his frame. He also doesn’t
really do a great job getting open because he lacks quickness and has decent
but not great speed at 4.58. To me Boyd projects as a solid number two or a
really good number three receiver with a good floor. He should be taken in
round two or three.
NFL Comparison: A poor man’s version of Jarvis Landry or
Keenan Allen
69.
Jason Spriggs, OT Indiana
I’m lower on Spriggs than most others but there is
undeniable ability here. I don’t think there’s any way you can let this guy get
out of round two but from most of what I’ve seen he likely won’t make it out of
the first round. Spriggs is very athletic for his size, mirrors well, and is a
natural knee bender at the position. The guy looks like a power forward playing
tackle, which is both a good and a bad thing. I think he lacks much power at
all, which is a pretty major cause for concern. He would only fit certain
schemes, and downhill blocking schemes are not for him. Bulrushers and power
moves can get him on skates. I think that if you get him in a movement scheme
and allow him some help on power rushers, Spriggs could be a nice piece along
an offensive line. His success in the NFL is going to be dependant on where he
goes, if he goes to the right system he could be very successful, the wrong one
and he could really struggle.
NFL Comparison: Eric Fisher
70.
Jalen Mills, DB LSU
I think Mills is a guy who could end up playing in the
league for a long time. I think personally he’s a better fit as a nickel
or a free safety, but other people see
him as a true corner. He’s got good overall size, but he’s a bit thinner than
you’d want from a safety prospect. I think he’s got decent straight line speed,
although he’s quicker than fast. Mills is a tough player, coming back through
major injuries in his career. He’s started a ton of games for the Tigers and
has a really good feel for zone coverage. To me the kid should be taken on day
two of this draft because he understands offensive concepts and is a tough
playmaker. Some character concerns though means to me I’d rather take him in
round three than round two. Some size deficiencies mean the 3rd
round would probably be the max I’d take him, and round four would make me even
more comfortable.
71.
Paul Perkins, RB UCLA
Perkins isn’t a guy who is
going to be able to touch the ball 300 times per season in the NFL, but
that doesn’t mean he might not be a really valuable piece to the right NFL
coordinator. Perkins is extremely shifty, making more people miss than any
player in college football according to some analytics. He’s much quicker than
he is fast, but his straight line speed isn’t bad. Perkins is a good but not
great guy in the passing game, but you can see unlimited potential in that spot
as he could be very difficult to cover for some linebackers. He’s willing
against the blitz but at 208 pounds, he can be pushed back easily by bigger
linebackers. To me this kid would be great as a second back in the league as
part of some sort of committee. Likely
somewhere in the round 3 to 5 range. I wouldn’t hesitate to take him in round
three if you already have a bell-cow.
72.
Anthony Zettel, DT Penn State
Everyone wants to say that Zettel is a defensive tackle, but
I actually think he could be a nice 43 defensive end who kicks inside on pass
rushing downs. He has a ridiculous motor, potentially the best in this entire
draft class. He creates havoc on the outside, has the power to get tackles on
skates, and does a good job getting his hands in passing lanes. He has decent
lateral quickness and solid length. I think that Penn State kicking him inside
to defensive tackle this year hurt his draft stock on some boards. On mine it
raised it, showing he’s willing to do the dirty work if asked. I think in round
three you’d get a really nice player who could potentially play three downs at
times. Not a gigantic ceiling, but I think he could end up being a decent
player in the league. I do worry a bit about his short arm though, at just 31.5
inches.
73.
Christian Hackenberg, QB Penn State
Dear lord what a tough evaluation. Hackenberg has legit top
tier quarterback talent and arm strength. He’s got good size at 6’4 and 223
pounds, although the 9 inch hands do bug me a bit. He can make every throw on
the route tree, can drive the ball as well as anyone in the draft, and throws
with good overall trajectory. Hackenberg was the number one rated high school
player in the country and hung in with his teammates after sanctions came down
on the Penn State program, so you gotta love the kid’s character. He was hit
more than any quarterback in the country the last two seasons, and after a
stellar freshman year his play dropped off significantly. I think another year
in school would have given him a first round grade. Hackenberg’s accuracy is a
major issue, he simply missed too many throws, and I think the consistent
pressure he was under the last two seasons made him a bit gunshy. Where there
is A+ talent here his tape is C- over the past two seasons. I think he’s worth
a late second round or early third round grade, but you’re going to have to
give him a good quarterback coach in the league. If you give him a chance to
develop, you may end up with a damn good player. He doesn’t come without risk
though.
74.
Adolphus Washington, DT Ohio State
This guy was one of my ten toughest to evaluate during the
draft process for a number of reasons. Number one, his play was inconsistent.
At times Washington looked like a top 10 pick, and that’s not hyperbole. When
he’s single blocked he absolutely can wreak havoc on an opposing game plan.
Then there were times where good powerful lineman would just wear him down to
nothing. The second half of the Michigan State game was embarrassing for
Washington, as those big lineman just flat wore him out. He’s really tough to
block single handedly, can create big plays against the run, and his lateral
quickness and awareness closes off run and passing lanes quickly. He’s
extremely talented when asked to twist or stunt, arguably as good as any
interior pass rusher in this class except Rankins in that regard. Then he looks
extremely average against bigger blockers or when doubled, he can lose knee
bend and leverage and get blown off the ball sometimes. Then you have his off
the field questions, which were not addressed well at the combine from what
I’ve heard and read. These issues mean to me he’s a second day guy. He’s a
tough evaluation, and you’d have to really trust your evaluators and personnel
people if you are going to pull the trigger on him in round two or three.
75.
Jordan Jenkins, DE Georgia
To me Jenkins is a really nice player in the middle part of
round two. He’s extremely stout against the run, holds the point of attack as
well as any outside player in this class, and has massive hands and really good
length. Jenkins isn’t athletic enough to dominate or blow by offensive tackles
as a pass rusher, but he’s got a good motor and seems to really understand
offenses. Jenkins plays as tough as any player in this class and does a really
solid job getting upfield and setting the edge. I wonder if Jenkins will
register much pass rush at all in the NFL, but he’s someone you can trust to do
his job every single play and play as hard and as smart as anyone on the field.
To me I’d prefer him in round three, but if you want a solid piece you could
take him in round two with a fairly high floor and rather low ceiling.
76.
Keanu Neal, S Florida
I think Neal was the player who potentially hurt himself the
most in this entire draft by coming out early. He’s a guy who could have found
his way into second round consideration easily if he came back for his Senior
season with the Gators. Neal is a terrific athlete and is a vicious hitter,
throwing his body around any chance he gets. He’s not a great tackler though as
he tries to deliver a kill shot with every chance he gets. He’s decent in
coverage and has the athleticism to turn and run with every tight end he comes
up against. The issues with Neal are that he misses too many tackles and he
isn’t tremendous in zone coverage yet. The H/W/S are ideal though. I think
coming out is going to cost him a round, as I see him falling to round three as
being likely, or possibly round four. He has second round talent without
question.
77.
Eric Murray, CB Minnesota
I have Murray ranked higher than anyone else I’ve seen so
far but I’m not dropping him down my board. The kid is extremely tough and
doesn’t back down from anyone. He has 39 career starts despite his physical
play. He is a good zone corner, who reads the flats well, and projects as a
good slot corner in the league. I think despite average size and fairly stiff
hips he can play on the outside as a number two corner despite what many draft
pundits think. He’s got good straight line speed at 4.49, and showed a 40 inch
plus vertical, meaning I think he can challenge throws down the field. I think
he’s best suited to play zone because he’s such a physical player, particularly
if you allow him to play some sort of cover 1/3. I wouldn’t hesitate to take
him somewhere in the middle of day two though. I think you’re getting a
quality, tough football player who tackles well and has good vision and
instincts.
78.
Jordan Howard, RB Indiana
Howard is A nice running back prospect and he shouldn’t
escape the second day of the draft. He runs with good power, has ideal size at
6’0 and 230 pounds, and has tremendous overall vision. He struggles with
quickness, but shows good patience, allowing him to get to the second level
without having to have big holes open up in front of him. He breaks a lot of
arm tackles and gets to the linebackers with regularity. I’m not sure he can
hold up in the passing game, as he wasn’t used in that capacity at all in his
three full seasons. I don’t know if he has the speed to make a ton of huge
plays at the NFL level but I think he’s a player who can find you a lot of
double digit yard runs. To me he’s someone who can give you a lot of high
quality carries, but his straight up running style scares the hell out of me. I
keep wondering in these games if he has a chance to stay healthy despite his
230 pound frame. He missed four games
due to injury and part of three others with various bumps and bruises. I think
he’s someone who can start in this league as a quality first two down running
back if he can stay healthy.
79.
Christian Westerman, G Arizona State
Westerman projects as a really quality starting guard in the
NFL. He doesn’t have the size to play in any scheme, as he’s a bit under 300
pounds, meaning those teams running power schemes will likely want to avoid the
athletic Westerman. He does play much stronger than his size, but he’ll have a
tougher time moving the big defensive tackles in the NFL than he did the
quicker ones in the Pac 12. Westerman is a solid pass protector as well, moving
and mirroring like a tackle in most cases. He has enormous hands and when he
gets locked on and squared up, it’s extremely difficult to get around him.
Westerman plays with really nice technique as well, and he’s a notorious hard
worker. I think his lack of ideal size means that only about half the teams in
the league will look to take Westerman as a guard, but he could easily
transition to center with his size and athleticism. I think he could end up
being a good center in the league as well. He simply shouldn’t make it out of
day 2. I saw someone compare him to Alex Mack, I think that’s a reach for his
skill set, but overall though that shows you what some people think of his
potential. Good football player.
80.
Kyler Fackrell, OLB Utah State
I’m not quite as high on Fackrell as some other sites, I’ve
even seen some mock drafts list him at the end of round one. That being said,
it doesn’t mean I don’t think he’s a good football player, because he is. Fackrell
has good size at 6’5 and around 250 pounds, and he moves extremely well,
especially for someone who tore his knee up in 2014. He’s highly productive,
generating over 250 tackles the past three seasons despite consistently being
asked to drop into zone coverages. He has great potential with length and speed
to power moves to become a really good pass rusher. My issues with people who
want to draft him in the top 40 is that he simply hasn’t done it yet and that’s
against lower level competition. Everyone says he’s going to be this tremendous
pass rusher, and maybe he will be, but ultimately he only has 5 sacks as his
maximum in a season twice, and 13 in 30 career games. I know he was asked to
drop into coverage a lot, but that seems like a low number for someone who
you’re going to list as an edge rusher on draft day. I’m not saying he’s not a
really nice player, he is. Fackrell is versatile, has good upside, and is solid
tackling and in coverage. I just think in round two and especially in round one
it’d be a large reach on upside. In round three though, or even the end of
round two perhaps if you have a plan for him, you could find better return on
your investment.
81.
Jacoby Brissett, QB North Carolina State
An ideal developmental quarterback to take on the second day
of the draft. Brissett has all the tools you would look for in an NFL starting
quarterback. He can make every throw, has a big arm, ideal size, and above
average movement skills. He played behind a bad offensive line, with mediocre
playmakers but kept his team in virtually every game the past two seasons. He
has developed some really bad habits because of his below average offensive
line play and at times can take off out of the pocket before he needs to due to
perceived pressure. He doesn’t throw the deep ball very well at this point
despite above average arm strength. He played in a pro-style system so he’s a
bit further along than a lot of the developmental prospects in this class and
his toughness under fire and throws extremely well on the move. I think
Brissett could end up being a really quality starter in the league, but he throws
too many balls too low right now and he’ll need a couple years to develop. Long
term though, I could see Brissett as a very quality player in the NFL. If you
are in a situation with an aging quarterback and want someone to pass the torch
to, Brissett in round two or three could pay big time long-term dividends.
82.
Will Redmond, CB Mississippi State
Redmond is a good player who would have been squarely in the
round two consideration had he not tore his ACL this past season. While he
doesn’t have plus size or overall speed he has great recognition skills, and
does an exceptional job mirroring in man to man. He’s a really aggressive
player in run support despite weighing in around 185 pounds. He misses a lot of
tackles in that regard though, which makes sense due to his size. I think his
overall cover skills are well above average though, and his route recognition
is exceptional. He is extremely quick and that with good recognition skills
means he’s a very good cover corner. Now his ACL injury and fact that he could
miss most of the 2016 season obviously limits his value, I think taking Redmond
in round three would be tough, but if you can red-shirt him for a season, he
could definitely develop into a starting quality cornerback by year two without
question. At worst you’ve found a very good slot corner, which essentially is a
starting caliber player in today’s NFL.
83.
Devontae Booker, RB Utah
Booker is a really good football player, who projects as an
ideal third down back and change of pace back in the NFL. Booker is quicker
than fast and has an ability to make people miss and creates good angles with
his vision and cutting ability. Dennis Erickson, one of his two offensive
coordinators, said that he has the best hands of any running back he’s ever
coached. I disagree with that assessment as I have seen him drop a pass or two,
but all in all it says that the kid is excellent as a receiver out of the
backfield or split out wide. He weighed in at almost 220 pounds at the combine,
which was bigger than I expected based on his tape. Booker doesn’t have the
speed to get the edge consistently in the NFL, but his shiftiness and
elusiveness mean that he’ll likely be tough to tackle one on one. While I don’t
think he necessarily is going to be a true lead back, I think using him in a
rotation as someone who you could get in space in the passing game would be the
best use for Booker. A pick on him in round three or four makes all the sense
in the world.
84.
Darian Thompson, S Boise State
A ballhawking safety who attacks the football at every level
of your defense. Thompson is a big safety at 6’2 and 210 pounds, and was
unbelievably productive for the Broncos. Thompson ended up with 19 career
interceptions as well as 250 total tackles in his career. He ran a decent 4.69
40 which is borderline for a safety prospect, but terrific instincts help
mitigate average speed. Thompson is a good tackler, flies all over the field,
and makes huge game-changing plays. He also takes some strange angles, isn’t
good in man to man coverage, and is too aggressive at times, allowing big plays
over his head too consistently. He’s someone who you don’t want to just sit
back in a cover one and not let anyone behind him because he’s too aggressive
for that, but he’s a good enough football player and a big enough playmaker a
lot of teams will want him on their roster. He should get taken on day 2 of the
draft.
85.
Le’Raven Clark, OT Texas Tech
There are some people who love Clark, I’m not in on
that boat. I think Clark is a “leaner”
who gets his weight moving forward in pass protection which will kill him
against experienced defensive lineman in the NFL. He’s got all the tools you’d
want at 6’5 315 pounds with really quick hands. His footwork is sloppy though,
although some of that can be attested to the weird wide open Texas Tech
offense. His film is extremely difficult to gauge because of the offense but he
doesn’t look like he has great power, mainly due to lack of balance in his
footwork. A good offensive line coach could end up getting him to become a good
player in the NFL, the tools are all there. I’d think a third round pick seems
right to me at this point, there is a lot of upside here but the technique and
footwork, plus an adjustment to an NFL offense means you may have to wait a
year to get the dividends you’d want. I do love the fact he’s started over 50
games in his career.
86.
Yannick Ngakoue, DE Maryland
Ngakoue is a very high motor productive defensive end. He
had a ton of pressures this season, depending on who you read it was somewhere
between 43 and 51, and he ended up with 13 quarterback sacks which ended up
second in the entire country. He doesn’t have the length or hand fighting
ability you’d want out of an edge guy, but he’s extremely quick and twitchy. He
does a decent job setting the edge despite his length though and so he won’t be
too bad against the run despite only being around 250 pounds. I don’t think
he’s really refined and his footwork out of his stance and on counter moves
need work. While he doesn’t have exceptional power or length, it’s really hard
to coach quickness and motor and this kid has both of those. Couple those two
pieces with high productivity and you have someone who should find a spot in
the third round range for me.
87.
Charone Peake, WR Clemson
All the H/W/S you’d ever want in a number one receiver
prospect with none of the productivity. He was a top 10 player in the country
coming out of high school and you can see why scouts and evaluators will fall
in love with this guy. He is 6’2 210 pounds and runs a 4.4 40 yard dash. Now
all of those things scream number one receiver to me, but everything else
screams number three. He’s got inconsistent hands with almost a 10% drop rate.
He has trouble getting off of press and his route running isn’t very good,
which is now typically for a Clemson receiver. Look at the last three beasts to
come out of Clemson in Hopkins, Watkins, and Bryant and all of them are dynamic
H/W/S guys who all are below average route runners upon entering the league.
Peake has small hands and not enough production but someone is going to jump on
him because his potential is that of a true number one. I’d take him
potentially in the 3rd round because there is hope he could become a
stud. At worst his measurable are good enough that he’ll be a three or a four
in an NFL offense.
88.
Cyrus Jones, DB Alabama
A burner with exceptional return ability, Cyrus Jones is a
guy that could get drafted by and help virtually every team in the NFL. He’s a
good cover guy who looks better guarding receivers in press man than in any other
coverage, although he likes to play the flats so you could see him in a cover 2
or 3 role as well. I think he projects as a good inside corner who can kick
outside when you need him to. At worst the kid is going to develop into a nice
nickel corner, but who I believe could end up being a good number two corner in
the league. He doesn’t have the prototypical size at 5’10, but he did run a
4.49 at the combine, better than perhaps
even what his tape shows. He wants to be good in the run game but when he gets
in man to man he can get too focused on the route and forgot his run
responsibilities. Overall, though the main reason people would draft Jones is
he’s without question the best punt returner in this draft class, with 4 return
touchdowns on punts this season. The kid is going to immediately help a team in
sub packages and as a dynamic returner. Day two guy for sure.
89.
Antonio Morrison, LB Florida
Morrison is as tough of a player as you’re going to find,
which is why for me despite the fact that his measureables aren’t good and that
he has an injury history I’d take him on day two of the draft. He plays
downhill, takes on blockers, and is a well above average tackler. He probably
won’t end up beign someone who can play on third down, although I actually think
when he knows it’s a passing down he’s a bit better. He does want to come after
you on every down so he struggles against play action, particularly when he’s
asked to turn and run or recover. That being said he is an exceptionally hard
worker, came back from a major injury way quicker than he was supposed to, and
then had an excellent year. I thought he was terrific in the Senior Bowl and
that week he was solid based on the tape I’ve seen. I think there’s an
opportunity here for him to become a really good blitzer in the NFL as well as
he can at worst push that pocket with his ability to square up or get on the
shoulder of a guard or center with power. There are some off the field
questions, but those are all about three years in the past and it seems they’ve
been cleaned up. I think he’s the perfect round three pick, someone who can
play two downs consistently in the league and who can turn into a solid blitzer
or even potentially a man cover guy down the road. I just want his toughness on
my team.
90.
Max Tuerk, C USC
Tuerk projects as a quality starting center in the NFL. I
wonder about his overall power when he comes in right around 300 pounds, but he
plays hard and drives his feet well to get decent movement in the power run
game. He’s played all over the offensive line so his ability to mirror is
exceptional. He gets to the second level and pulls as well as any interior
player in this class and when he gets to that point he puts a hat on someone
virtually every time. Rarely if ever seen looking for work. Understands all
defensive concepts and has great recognition skills. The only real question I
have with Tuerk is his ability to hold up against bigger stronger interior
defensive players. He’s tall and lean which some see as a negative but I think
gives him even bigger upside. If an NFL team can add 15 pounds to his frame and
help him keep it on, the kid could turn into a pro-bowl caliber player. I think
someone could take him in round two or at worst in round three. If he falls to
day three, he’s a steal even if you don’t need a center because of his
versatility and athleticism.
91.
Xavien Howard, DB Baylor
Howard is a very aggressive attacking cornerback with really
good ball skills. He’s got good size for a corner prospect and I was super
surprised by his 40 time at the combine at 4.57. I’m glad that when he ran at
the Baylor pro-day he killed that time because he looked like he played way
closer to a 4.4 than a 4.6 on all the film I’ve watched. He’s grabby and got
away with a lot in college that he won’t get away with in the NFL, so there’s
going to be a learning curve there. Even in college the kid ended up with
almost 20 penalties, so he will panic at times if he feels like someone got the
better of him. I’ve got him for 44 passes defensed or interceptions in two
seasons at Baylor so he will flat out go and get it. If you have a team that
values ball skills and big plays instead of consistent fundamentals then go get
this guy. If you want safe consistent corners then he’s someone to take off
your board. Howard also plays a physical brand of football and has the size to
hold up against the run as well. He’s not everyone’s flavor of ice cream but if
he goes to the right team he could turn into a really nice player at the next
level.
92.
Harlan Miller, CB SE Louisiana
Not sure why I like small school corners so much, but the
last one I really liked was this guy named Trumaine Johnson from Montana and he
just got freaking franchise tagged. So there’s a reason these guys get long,
hard looks from me. Miller was exceptional during the Senior Bowl week, and
showed really good quickness and length. Miller doesn’t have great straight
line speed, which means he may need a switch to safety, but with his
aggressiveness and tackling ability it could ultimately be a good move for him.
As he played at a smaller school, Miller could simply attack at every level and
get away with it because he could recover when beaten, he’d jump double moves
and with his athleticism he’d get back. That won’t be the case in the NFL so
there will need to be some more film study and picking and choosing his spots
at the next level. Miller’s a good football player and a second day pick of him
would make sense to me. He’s a round three guy.
93.
Rashard Robinson, CB LSU
This kid would probably be the third best cornerback in this
class if it weren’t for a litany of off field issues and behavioral problems. I’m
not going to get too into it on this analysis, but let’s just say the kid
didn’t like going to class and it was one of many reasons he was kicked off the
LSU team indefinitely. He also needs to add serious weight, as he weighs less
than 175 pounds and stands a legit 6’1. All of those issues are problems, but
what isn’t a problem is his man to man cover skills which are second to only
Vernon Hargreaves in this class. Robinson is very fast, quick for someone his
height, and has a tremendous ability to mirror. I question if he could play
zone because he’s just so damn thin though. If you have a team where you want
someone who you can just put on an island though, Robinson might be your guy.
There is big risk here though, whether he’s mature enough, whether he’s
selfish, whether he’ll watch tape. All that said, there is a ton of upside
here. One of the bigger risk reward guys in this draft class.
94.
Jerrell Adams, TE South Carolina
A very good blocking
tight end, Adams is someone who can play in the NFL right now. While his size
isn’t perfect and he looks more like a “Y” tight end than you’d like for
someone who can block inline, he does a really good job, particularly on the
double teams. Adams has better speed than most tight ends running a 4.65 40 at
the combine. He’s got good, not great hands, and does a good job after the
catch. He’s a little stiff, so I think he’s more of a seam and crossing route
guy than a stick or nod or option type tight end. I think he’s the type of guy
you want on your team as a really quality second tight end who can be a good
special teams player and play in the league for a long time. I’d have no
problem with a 3rd round pick, but I’d love him in round 4.
95.
Tyvis Powell, S Ohio State
A tall rangy safety, Powell has a lot of the measureables
you want in a defensive back prospect. Powell is 6’3 and 211 pounds and runs a
4.47 in the 40 yard dash. All of that means he has prototypical H/W/S and
therefore there aren’t any questions about whether or not he can physically
play in the NFL, because he’s one of the top 10 players in this draft when you
look for ideal size/speed. For a really big guy he doesn’t make a lot of
tackles, averaging less than 5 per game as a starter despite playing in and
around the box frequently. I think some teams are going to want to use him as a
strong safety but he doesn’t seem to love contact. He doesn’t do a perfect job
in zone coverages as he can sometimes get caught staring in front of him and
get beat over the top. He’s an interesting guy to watch because you’d want him
to play up because of his size but he gets caught flat footed too often against
the pass. I really think he has a chance to be a good football player in the
NFL, and his measureables are off the charts but his tape is just average at
this point. I wouldn’t get mad at a team for taking him in round two as he has
all the talent to be worth that slot, but to me he’s a round three or four guy.
96.
Tyler Ervin, RB/ATH San Jose State
Everyone has their, who is the next Darren Sproles guy and
Ervin is going to be that guy in this draft class. Outside of Christian
McCaffrey, Tyler Ervin was the guy with the most big all-purpose yard games
this season playing within a few miles of McCaffrey at San Jose State. Ervin’s
not very big, weighing it at 191 pounds but he has tremendous quickness and
explosiveness. His combine showing was impressive, and even at his small frame
he managed to pump out 17 reps on the bench. I know there are people who have
him in the 7th round discussion but I think someone with his
quickness and speed, 4.41, means he could be taken as high as the 3rd
round by someone. Ervin is a tremendous kick returner, shows plus hands, and
has the quickness and shiftiness to carry the ball a few times per game as
well. He’s small and rarely breaks tackles but it’s impossible to teach speed,
and its rare to find someone with his combination of speed and quickness. If he
goes to the right team who knows how to use him, he could be a dangerous chess
piece.
97.
Alex Collins, RB Arkansas
Collins is exactly what I look for in what I like to call a
“volume back.” What that means is that if you give the guy his 15-20 carries
he’s going to get you somewhere between 60 and 80 yards consistently. He’s got
good overall size and strength, and decent straight line speed. Collins does a
nice job of feeling the inside running lanes, slashes into the opening and
falls forward. He doesn’t break a ton of tackles but it usually takes more than
one guy to bring him down. He’s good in the red zone and shows a decent idea in
pass protection as well. There are some warts on Collins though, he fumbled the
ball a lot in college, losing 9 of them throughout his tenure. He also has
shown virtually nothing in terms of an ability to catch the football. I think
that Collins is a good football player who would be a nice rotational back and
someone you would feel comfortable feeding the rock to consistently on first
and second down, short yardage, or in the red zone.
98.
Matt Ioanadis, DT Temple
I think Ioanadis really helped himself during the offseason
workup to the draft. I liked his tape at Temple, he played inside a lot at
Temple, but I really think he could end up being a nice 34 defensive end in the
NFL. He’s got decent length and shows good power at the point of attack, I
think his lateral quickness is better than he’s given credit for from most
people. Ioanadis is a powerful player who almost never gets truly beat at the
point of attack, his tape shows he very rarely gets a true minus when he’s
asked to hold the point or a double team. He’s not going to be a guy who gets
you a ton of productivity or double digit sacks from the interior, but he’ll do
the dirty work. He’s got some limitations but someone who can hold the point of
attack as a 43 DT or a 34 DE and someone who can kick inside and rush the
passer with strength and decent quickness on passing downs. He’s someone who
could go as early as the third round. I’d love him in round four or especially
five though.
99.
Sean Davis, FS Maryland
A super aggressive big hitter, Davis shows all the ability
you’d ever want in a safety prospect. He played a lot of man defense at
Maryland and to be honest he was pretty bad in coverage. He would get turned
around and double moves destroyed him. He also had over 300 tackles the past
three seasons and led the nation in fumbles forced. Davis also is 6’1, 200
pounds, and ran a 4.47 40 as a safety which is pretty much prototype stuff
there. He played better in zone coverage and while he was forced to play corner
this season, that could actually help him down the road. Davis could help as a
backup corner at 6’1 and play safety the rest of the time. Plus his ability to
absolutely destroy players as a hitter, with great speed means he could be a
top tier special teams player. I worry about his man coverage ability and
missed tackle percentage which was over 10%, but the kid has a lot of potential
and productivity with ideal H/W/S. Could see him go on day two.
100.
Victor Ochi, OLB Stony Brook
I’d be lying to you if I said I watched a ton of tape on
Ochi and just loved him, because well there wasn’t much I could find. However,
his Shrine Game week was ridiculous, he was simply unblockable. Ochi had 13
sacks this season to lead FCS. He has good length and very good power, plus
Ochi plays with a great motor, chasing down plays from the backend on numerous
occasions during his career. He doesn’t really have a wide array of pass rush
moves and hasn’t develop a second speed move yet. I think his size at 6’2 250
pounds means he’d be better off as a 34 outside linebacker, but he doesn’t
quite have the drop back and play zone physical traits. I think he projects by
far the best as a situational pass rusher in the league, and one who may
struggle to transition in year one, but the kid’s skill set and effort means he
could develop into a good weapon later on in his career.
101.
Willie Henry, DT Michigan
I’m a big Henry guy when it comes to this draft. I think he
could easily go on the second day of the draft. He played really good football
this year for Michigan and seemed to truly come into his own this season under
coach Harbaugh. Henry is a decent pass rusher from the inside, racking up a
half dozen sacks this season. Where he plays well though is against the run.
He’s 6’3 but plays with excellent leverage consistently. He projects best as a
3 technique in a 43 defense but I think he wouldn’t have any problem at all as
a 5 technique as a 34 defensive end. He can two gap on the inside despite being
right around 300 pounds, but his leverage and functional strength, along with
good interior arm length means it’s tough to block him one on one. He’s one of
the better interior players in this draft at playing defensive line
“games”. I think he gets washed down the
line too often against zone blocking teams and outside runs at times. He
doesn’t win one on one all the time when asked to rush the passer, but shows
good burst from the outside. I think his ability to stunt and twist means
eventually he could find his way onto the field on third down but at the start
of his career, he’ll likely be a two down player. He has starters upside
without question, but at worst is a really solid rotational defensive lineman.
102.
Shawn Oakman, DE Baylor
Oakman is an extremely hard evaluation not just for me but
for anyone who has to do draft evaluations this offseason. Oakman was
productive at Baylor, has ideal H/W/S numbers, and has first round upside and
none of that is up for debate. Then he goes to the Senior Bowl and ends up with
a couple sacks and looked very disruptive during the game. However, his week
was as inconsistent as his tape was. His effort is questionable, his technique
hasn’t improved much, and a lot of his
sacks are a result of athleticism or scheme. Oakman is 6’8 and 285 pounds, has
35 inch arms, ran a 4.87 40, and broad jumped over 10 feet. I think he needs to
add some weight to his legs, but he was disruptive against the run, and showed
the ability to 2-gap pretty consistently. There is a chance this kid could end
up being a really good pro, but he has zero pass rush moves other than a
bulrush and I wonder about his effort. Damn there is good upside here,
particularly as a really good edge setter, but I think round three is the
better spot to take him. Now with the off the field stuff I’m thinking sometime
on day three if you even feel comfortable taking him. Has the look of a 7th
round flier, but as I’m not privy to background checks it’s tough to say when
and if this kid should get a look.
103.
Sebastian Tretola, G Arkansas
A powerful interior offensive lineman who can blow people
off the ball in a phone-booth. Tretola isn’t a guy who you are going to want to
pull and get out in space, but if you want someone who can dominate one on one
in the run game or blow people off the ball on a double team, Treotola’s a good
get. He isn’t a natural knee bender so his pass protection isn’t where it needs
to be yet, but his power and strength along with an ability to anchor is good.
The kid has really good recognition skills and blitzes and games rarely if ever
confuse him. To me he’s a starting caliber guard who can immediately help a
team in the run game but it may take him two to three years to develop into
a good pass protector. High character
guy who coaches love with good power and high football IQ. Round three or four
is where I’d look for a guy like Tretola.
104.
Scooby Wright, LB Arizona
Wright is an excellent football player. He’s a tackling
machine, a playmaker, a guy who has perhaps the best inside linebacker
instincts in this entire draft class. Extremely productive, he tore up his knee
before the season and he was slowed way down when he came back which is why it
was so surprising he came out this season. He’s got really good lateral agility
and mobility and his ability to read the play before it happens makes up for
very average athleticism. All of that said Wright is way undersized at 6’0 and
235 pounds, doesn’t run very fast at 4.9, and will struggle to cover in man to
man. I think to me he’s a really solid
round three or four guy, and I always want great football players, even
if they don’t have the prototype athletic ability. Wright is that type of guy,
you can give him to me and I’ll take him all day.
105.
Maliek Collins, DT Nebraska
If this draft weren’t so ridiculously deep at the defensive
line position, particularly inside, Collins would probably be in the discussion
to be a second round pick. That being said, my evaluations are partly based on
overall value and therefore he drops to somewhere between rounds three and five.
Collins has borderline first round talent at 6’2 315 pounds running very close
to a 5 flat 40 yard dash. He has tremendous quickness and explosiveness off the
football. All of that said his 2014 tape was much better than his 2015 tape
where I think he fell off significantly. He doesn’t pass rush under attack and
gets too far up field at times when running stunts or twists, giving
quarterbacks way too much space to operate within the pocket. To me Collins is
a three technique who doesn’t have the overall strength to anchor as often as
you’d like. I think he can continue to develop and become a better football
player, there is upside here to gain and at worst you get a rotational lineman.
That’s where we get the fourth round evaluation.
106.
D.J. Reader, DT Clemson
Reader is someone I think would be rated significantly
higher on most draft boards had he not had some strange off the field question
marks. The guy is someone who at about 330 pounds can flat out hold up against
double teams. While he’s not really able to get off of blocks and make a ton of
plays in the backfield, his ability to eat up blocks and hold the point of
attack is going to intrigue some team potentially as early as the second day of
the draft. Before the season Reader left Clemson’s football team for personal
reasons, but came back. I think at worst this kid is a solid backup in the
league, but his strength at the point makes him a valuable run plugger, and if
someone needs a zero technique or a one technique, they could do a lot worse
than this kid.
107.
Nick Vannett, TE Ohio State
Vannett is going to be a nice second tight end in the NFL.
That means his upside is that of a third round pick but he could go somewhere
in rounds four or five without any issue from myself. He is a good run blocker
with nice size at 6’6 257 pounds and has good short area quickness. He’s got
good hands although he was way under utilized as a pass catcher in OhIo State’s
attack. Vannett waits when pass blocking and at times will get put on skates
despite his strength. He was good as a blocker when he was put in motion and
did a really nice job when doubling and then getting out in space. He needs a
lot of route work and it may take him a full year before he’s really ready to
contribute in that phase of the game, but he’s pretty damn athletic so there is
upside there. I wouldn’t mind a third round pick for Vannett, there’s upside
with a decent floor, but to me I’d like him a lot more in rounds four or five.
108.
Graham Glasgow, C Michigan
Glasgow projects as a potential starter who can play either
guard or center. He’s bigger than a traditional center at 6’6, which is a bit
weird when doing an evaluation. As you can imaging he does lose leverage
against defensive tackles at time, but does a nice job reanchoring after taking
the initial punch in the nose. He’s not a great athlete but he’s strong and has
a good punch. Great length for an interior player leaves him to being above
average in pass protection despite less than desired quickness from the snap.
He does a decent job when asked to block down and does a good job with double
teams. He doesn’t have a huge ceiling but he’s a nice player. There are some
off the field questions with him which likely means there’s not a chance he
goes on day two, but in round four or five there is a place on a roster for
someone who can play all three interior positions and is an average to above
average power blocker in the run game with good length in pass protection.
109.
Isaac Seumalo, C/G Oregon State
Seumalo is someone who could legitimately be a second round
draft pick had injuries and position changes cost him a couple of seasons. I’ve
watched every snap the kid has ever played and he was probably better as a
freshman than he was this past season. He’s extremely talented, quick, and has
great feet. He’s played all over the offensive line, and that versatility and
talent means he should go probably in the fourth round. He’s someone who could
probably play any of the five offensive line positions, although in the NFL
playing center is where the best value lies for Seumalo. He has good power and
really good movement skills, and when he gets out in front of you he rarely
misses. The injuries slowed him a bit and his power wasn’t as good as you would
have hoped at this point in his career. I think he still has much room to
improve though as he should finally be fully healthy after two straight years
of fighting serious injury problems. This is the type of guy someone will use a
draft pick on because of injury history and end up getting at worst a really good
rotational sixth lineman and at best someone who should have went in the second
round had he stayed healthy. Good football player.
110.
Kyle Murphy, OT Stanford
Murphy is a smart football player with good length and
movement skills for a tackle once he gets going. He’s got good speed at the
second level and doesn’t miss often in the open field. Murphy’s got adequate
length to play left or right tackle in the NFL. The issue everyone has with
Murphy and I agree is that he just simply isn’t strong enough yet. When he gets
to get out in space or get movement with double teams or combo blocks he’s
extremely effective but he simply lacks the power to really hold up against
good strong edge rushers. He uses leverage well so he’s good in the run game
but there is going to be a transition period where NFL pass rushers cause him
some problems with speed to power moves. He’s not super quick so he may
overstep and then get that rusher right into his breast plate. I think a year
where he’s a swing tackle or a 6th lineman would do him a ton of
good because eventually I could see him being a pretty decent piece as either a
right or left tackle in the league. A fourth to sixth round pick makes some
sense to me for Murphy.
111.
Brien Boddy-Calhoun, S Minnesota
Boddy-Calhoun is a guy who is tough to rate as an evaluator
because he simply doesn’t have the ceiling that other guys do at only 5’9 190
pounds. He’s quick and diagnoses plays very quickly but doesn’t have the true
burst the top end guys do and ends up getting there right when the ball does
instead of a step early. He played outside a decent amount for the Gophers but
will kick inside full time in the NFL. I actually think he could end up
shifting to free safety in the league with his combination of zone reading
ability and straight line speed. He’s a really good cover guy, I like his
toughness and grit, he almost never panics, only one penalty this season and I
think he only had three in 2014, but I can’t confirm that without all the
tapes. He’s a really good player but he’s simply too small to be outside full
time so consider him a really good nickel prospect with round three being his
absolute ceiling but I could see him going all the way to round six or seven.
In my book, he’s a good nickel corner and if you need one you can get a
positive player in round four or five.
112.
CJ Procise, RB Notre Dame
Procise is a guy I would target in the mid rounds if I were
an NFL general manager. The reason is he has ideal H/W/S at 6’ 220 pounds and a
4.48 40 yard dash. He has very little ware on the tires, only one season as a
starter but looked dynamic during that season. On top of that in 2014 he was
Notre Dame’s special team’s player of the year with 11 tackles, while leading
his team in yards per reception. He can help you right away, plus he’s solid
between the tackles and runs hard and with patience. Procise isn’t without
warts though, he’s terrible in pass protection at this point which is going to
hurt him early in his career and at times I wish he’d stop dancing and just get
upfield. He also has a little bit of a fumble problem, so you have to be aware
of that. Those things aside he has the talent of a second round running back
with more tread to run down. I think getting him in round four would be a
terrific grab for any team.
113.
Jihad Ward, DE Illinois
I am not nearly as high on Ward as other people are, as I
have him squarely in the fourth round where a lot of guys like him in the
second, or even in round one. I get that people are enamored with the H/W/S at
6’5 and almost 300 pounds he moves very well for a defensive end prospect. He
played safety in junior college so there is a lot of ability in his movement
skills. He’s super raw as a prospect and when someone latches onto him he loses
the rep consistently. Ward doesn’t have any counter moves at this point and
simply gets blocked too often. There’s not much really to say about him except
he’s got good movement skills but it’s going to take a while to get what you
want out of him if you can. He’s a three year project and to me that screams
day three not round two.
114.
Vadal Alexander, G LSU
Alexander is a big guy with a powerful punch and long arms.
There is a lot to like about him in terms of what he could become, as he has a
dominant ability when he’s asked to play in a phone booth. The issue with
Alexander is his complete lack of movement skills, he’s very slow and when
asked to really kick step on quicker players he simply can’t keep up. Some
people think he can play tackle in the league and I’m going to ask them what
the hell game they are watching because he’s much too slow to deal with that.
He doesn’t sustain blocks very well so there would be some issues there as
well. To me this is all potential, he could be a great player if he can get
good coaching, but right now his tape is that of a 5th to 7th
rounder, where his potential is as a first rounder. I think in round four is
the valuation I’d give on him.
115.
Shon Coleman, OT Auburn
One of the guys in this draft I am rooting for. Coleman
fought and beat cancer early in his career at Auburn and then came back to earn
all SEC honors this past season. He’s got really good length with 35 inch arms
and uses his length well to direct opposing pass rushers. Coleman has decent
technique and really heavy hands, when he punches you there you are. He’s
effective with reach blocks and getting to the second level on screens and bubbles.
The talent is there without question but he’s not simply a great football
player at this point, his overall pass protection grades are okay but not
great. The talent is better than the tape at this point. There is some serious
talent here though, I think taking him on day two wouldn’t be a reach and if he
gets to round four he’s a tremendous developmental tackle prospect. A knock on
him is he is going to be 25 next season.
116.
James Cowser, OLB Utah State
The defensive player of the year in FCS, Cowser is a
non-stop relentless worker on defense. I have room on my roster for guys like
that. He’s the all time leader in FCS history with 43 sacks, and is just as
prolific against the run with 80 total stops in the backfield. At 6’3, and 250
pounds Cowser has good size for a outside linebacker in a 34 defense. He’s got
a nasty swim move and big hands to latch and rip through offensive tackles. All
of that being said he’s not a great athlete, hasn’t been asked to drop into
coverage often at all, and lacks great play speed. I think Cowser is someone
who could help you as a rotational pass rusher and special teams player. His
motor and productivity is through the roof so he’s a guy who I think sometime
early on day three of the draft could help a team.
117.
Vernon Adams, QB Oregon
Adams is an undersized mobile quarterback who has never
played in a traditional offense. With that said, the kid can spin it and his
mobility and decision making skills means he could project as a good backup
quarterback in the NFL. He looked great in postseason work and showed an
ability and aptitude to meld quickly with a new group of receivers. Adams
playing at Oregon and Eastern Washington in wide open systems may hamper his
growth a bit but with the league completely bereft of talented backup
quarterbacks Adams could find himself in demand on the third day of the draft.
He’s small, and his arm is good but not great meaning his upside is definitely
limited, but he’s better than a lot of backups right now which gives him value.
Round four should be his ceiling, but in rounds 5 or 6 I could see him coming
off the board and competing for a backup spot.
118.
Charles Tapper, DE Oklahoma
Tapper is a guy who has ideal H/W/S at 6’3, 270 pounds and a
sub 4.6 40 yard dash. He has massive 11.5 inch hands and good length overall.
There is talent here, but he’s not a natural football player so there is going
to be some development needed there. He doesn’t have an array of pass rush
moves and at times he gets too upright and loses leverage even though he has the
power to bulrush people. Tapper can get into the pads of tackles and get them
on skates at times. That being said he has the power and speed to become a good
edge setter and his ability means there is potential for him to grow into a
good player but he has a ways to go. Tapper needs to develop but he has a ceiling of a top end player. At worst he
could be an electric special teams player.
119.
Artie Burns, CB Miami
There are a lot of differing evaluations on Burns. He is a
solid 6’ tall and weighs almost 200 pounds at the cornerback spot, giving him
the ideal size to play the position in the NFL. Burns is a ridiculous athlete,
competing very well in the 110 and 330 hurdles as well as running a 4.45 40 in
Indy. There is zero debate about how talented Burns is, but his tape isn’t very
good. He has bad footwork, and takes way too many chances, relying on his
ability to pick up his mental mistakes. Burns gets beat too badly at times and
sometimes will allow throws in front of him as he doesn’t seem to always understand
down and distance. Enormous potential but poor technique means me to me I’d
take him in round four and hope he turns into the player he can be, and if not
at least you have a freak athlete who you can stick out there in sub packages
or on special teams.
120.
DeAndre Houston-Carson, S William & Mary
Clearly I don’t have a ton of film on DHC but what I do have
shows that the kid has NFL potential. He’s a safety with good size at 6’1 and
205 pounds and runs a very good 4.54 40 for a safety, showing a very good
combination of H/W/S. He is a very good tackler and attacks the football at all
levels of the field, perhaps the most important thing he does though is
dominate special teams. The kid has 9 career blocked kicks and punts and was
one of the best gunners I’ve watched on tape, granted it was only two full
games and parts of one other. To me he’s someone who can play in the NFL as a
special teams stud and I think he can develop into a potential starting caliber
player. He’s got all the tools you’d want, and if he can add ten pounds in the
next year or two you could have a steal on day three. I’ve moved him up from a
7th round grade to a 5th round grade, and he may even
creep into my top 100 by the time the draft rankings are done.
121.
Leontee Carroo, WR Rutgers
Carroo is someone who is an interesting prospect on day 3 of
the draft. He has some off the field issues that seem to perhaps be a little
overblown but still, with a borderline day two prospect you need to factor that
situation on your draft board. Carroo is a big play guy, mostly based on the
offense he was in, as his deep speed is good but not great. He’s got decent
size at 6’1 and does a nice job in the run blocking game. He’s an average route
runner, stiff in his breaks, and too upright. However, his route tree down the
field is much better. He’s got solid hands and does a good job going up and
getting the football. He doesn’t dance when he catches the rock and picks up
good yardage after the catch. I think his upside is limited and he remind me of
someone who could develop into a number two receiver at some point if you can
fix the route running, but he’s like a number three receiver in the NFL, and
maybe a four the first year or two.
122.
Roberto Aguayo, K Florida State
I don’t really do evaluations on kickers but Aguayo is the
best kicker to come out in the past five years so if you want one, pull the
trigger on him, he’s very good.
123.
Maurice Canady, CB Virginia
Canady is a long rangy corner with good overall quickness
and better straight line speed than people think. I think he needs to get
stronger because he isn’t really into contact and you can see if a receiver
starts to get the edge on him, he starts to doubt himself, which is not what
you’re looking for in a cornerback. He’s not going to help you much in the run
game, which is why I think I could see him being some sort of nickel or dime
hybrid in the league, as he has played both inside and outside. There is some
potential here for him to play safety as well, which I haven’t seen anyone else
suggest but I think free safety is an option. There is some talent here, and
although he only had three picks and gave up more big plays than you’d like, I
have him credited with 11 Td’s against, there’s something here for defensive
back coaches to work with. I wouldn’t mind if he went as high as round three,
because it’s hard to find 6’1 quick corners who run 4.49. He needs a good
defensive backs coach though. He project as a nickel or dime guy with the
upside of a number two corner or a free safety. I worry about his floor a bit
though because I wonder if he has the toughness to play special teams. I’d feel
better about drafting him in round 4 or 5, but I could see someone falling in
love with the tools and taking him in round 3.
124.
Bronson Kaufusi, DE BYU
A long, effort player with good size, Kaufusi ended a nice
career at BYU with 26 sacks. Kaufusi played as an interior and edge rusher for
the Cougars and made a lot of plays.
He’s got really good lateral quickness and uses quick hands to get where
he wants to go in team’s backfields. He plays way too upright against the run
and when teams double him he allows them to get off and get to the second level
a lot more often than you’d want. He doesn’t have a lot of functional strength
or big hands so he can get washed out of plays easier than you’d like. Backside
effort is tremendous and he will always work to finish plays. His dad was a
coach and so his technique is good. Overall he’s an effort pass rusher with
limited run stopping ability at this point. Two or three more years in an NFL
weight room will do nothing but help him. To me he’s a round four through six
guy
125.
Nick Kwiatoski, LB West Virginia
A good tackler who was highly productive at West Virginia,
leading the team in tackles three consecutive seasons will playing all three
linebacker spots. He’s got good athleticism and decent straight line speed. He
looked like he put on weight from his tape and came in at the combine weighing
in the 245 pound range, which helps his stock a bit. Kwiatowski was a safety and
wide receiver in high school and kept pounding in the weight room to add about
50 pounds since his freshmen year. He’s not really strong or fast, so there is
obviously a limit to his game, but the kid is a good football player who could
end up being really strong on special teams. His ability to play decent zone
coverage, and his versatility to play all three linebacker spots means he would
be an extremely valuable backup. With decent speed and great aggressiveness I
think he’d make a really good special teams player as well. Sometime on day
three for Kwiatowski.
126.
Willie Beavers, OT Western Michigan
Beavers has a lot of talent, as much as many of the upper
echelon tackles in this draft. I think while I have him in the fourth, someone
could easily fall in love with him at the end of round two or in round three
and I wouldn’t hate the pick. He looked pretty damn good in his tapes against
Ohio State and Michigan State. I don’t think the jump in competition is going
to hurt him as much as some others do. He’s got great feet and excels when
asked to get out in space. He’s got good size at 6’4 and 320 pounds and I think
he could play either guard or tackle spot in the league, but with the footwork
to play the left tackle spot if needed. He’s a bit frenetic on film, not a calm
guy in pass sets or when asked to move and get to the second level. His hands
are all over the place, you’d like to see someone kick step and then move and
he’s all over. Beavers needs some hand placement work and footwork needs to get
cleaned up. He gives good effort consistently. He needs technique work without
question but there is good talent here. If he escapes day two I wouldn’t
hesitate to pounce on him in the fourth round.
127.
Jonathan Jones, CB Auburn
An extremely fast undersized cornerback, Jones has a chance
to be a rotational defensive back in the NFL. At 5’9 and just 183 pounds Jones
is very small for NFL standards, but his 4.33 40 will be enticing for some
teams in the draft. His 2014 tape was better than his 2015 tape, but there is enough
there to warrant a pick early on day three. He will likely have to kick inside
at nickel and he’s not a zone guy, so there are some obvious limitations to his
game, but there is good talent here to man up in the slot. He isn’t going to
help you a ton in the run game but again, you draft him and kick him inside to
help defend from the nickel and I think the talent is there for him to help a
team guard that position consistently.
128.
DJ White, CB Georgia Tech
White is a guy who has had a ton of reps at the position as
a three-year starter for the Jackets. He’s got decent ball skills and plays
with good balance and rarely panics. He plays well in press coverage, and has
good overall athleticism to play both inside and on the outside in the NFL.
White has above average recovery speed and that allows him to be a bit more
aggressive and play more traditional press despite below average size. White
doesn’t play the run exceptionally well, as he’s not a big guy or strong enough
to consistently play tough zone or press against bigger stronger NFL receivers.
The kid projects as a third cornerback with the potential to grow into a two.
At worst the kid is a good rotational corner and someone who could potentially
shift to safety if a team needed as he has a good feel for coverage and route
concepts.
129.
Austin Hooper, TE Stanford
Hooper has good overall athleticism and power for the
position and could end up being a nice second tight end in the NFL. Hooper can
play inline or flexed out and therefore he has the ability to play in virtually
every system in the league, upping his draft stock. Hooper doesn’t create great
separation as he lacks the quickness to get open but he looks better down the
field with above average straight line speed for the position. He’s a good
blocker and he posts up his body well to catch the ball in traffic. My biggest
knock on Hooper is that he is going to have to make a lot of contested catches
because he’s not a great route runner and his hands aren’t as good as you’d
want from a Y tight end. He had a double digit drop rate over the past two
seasons. Hooper is your traditional day three, number two tight end with good
upside as a special teams player and the potential to develop into a starter
after a year or two.
130.
Javon Hargrave, DT South Carolina State
Hargrave was exceptional during the East-West Shrine game,
and the tape showed he was the best player there. He’s all over the place on
tape and moves really well for a guy at 6’1 and 310 pounds. A quick interior
defensive tackle Hargrave moves well enough and has a good burst for the
position. He’s raw as a pass rusher but his athleticism will allow him to win
sometimes against better competition. Hargrave has short arms and small hands
and can get directed easily by bigger players inside. He does okay holding up
against the run but won’t get confused for a
double gapper. Kid has virtually no go to pass rush moves so it’s going
to take him a while, but it’s really hard to find guys who can be productive
pass rushers from the inside and you could get a good return on your investment
sometime early on day three with Hargrave.
131.
Keith Marshall, RB Georgia
Marshall is a guy with absolutely all the tools and size to
be a really good back in the NFL. At almost 6’, 215 pounds running a 4.31 40,
Marshall can do everything you’d want in a feature back and the size and speed
to make it work. I think the torn ACL Marshall had during his sophomore season
is going to be a major knock against him but to me it just means it saved him a
ton of ware on the tires. He’s not a decisive runner and not that he had the
knee injury there are going to be even more questions about how hard he hits
the hole. That being said, Marshall shows good potential in the pass game and
his ability to take a routine hand off the length of the field is special. He
doesn’t have great feel for the position or running lanes yet but the H/W/S and
low carries is extremely enticing. A round four or five pick could pay major
dividends.
132.
Josh Ferguson, RB Illinois
A lightning quick back out of the big 10, Ferguson is
extremely shifty. Ferguson has better speed than most quick back with a 4.48 40
but he never really produced at a high level for the Illini. The main reason
for that is Ferguson is typically around 185 pounds and couldn’t touch the ball
25 times a game in the big 10. In the NFL Ferguson projects as someone you can
give the ball to 8-12 times a game, primarily as a pass catcher. His quickness
and good hands with over 100 career catches, means that he could cause serious
problems for opposing defenses on third down. I don’t think he has the size to
hold up as a blocker, but his quickness and pass catching ability means that in
round five or six he could provide a nice little boost to a team’s passing
attack. You have to be worried a bit about fumblitis though. Limited upside due
to size and small stature, but if you draft him knowing you want someone to
touch the ball at a maximum of 150 times per season you could get a good role
player on day 3.
133.
Parker Ehringer, C Cincinnati
A good pass protector with average functional strength and
power. Ehringer played for four years for the Bobcats and played both inside
and outside along the offensive line. He does a good job understanding
defensive concepts and schemes and picks up blitzes and stunts very well. What
Ehringer struggles with is powerful pass rushers, or guys that can convert
speed to power. He’s not going to get great movement in the run game as he
simply lacks the lower body power that you’d like out of an inside guy. To me
though, while he has decent quickness on the outside, he’s not quite as
athletic as you’d want from a left tackle or as strong as you’d want from a
right tackle. To me that means that his best position in the NFL might be as a
center. I’m projecting here but I think there’s potential for him to develop
into a borderline starter at the position and as a swing tackle. That’s decent
value even if he just becomes a versatile backup, with starter’s upside.
134.
Daniel Lasco, RB Cal
One of the best pure athletes in this class, a late round
pick on Lasco is one of those that could pay good dividends. Lasco’s
performance at the combine was extremely impressive and he continued that with
what everyone said was a fantastic pro-day. The kid has decent size at 210
pounds but shows great quickness and shot area burst with better than average
long speed. Lasco really shows good ability in the passing game and project as
potentially a really dangerous kick returner and third down back. The issues I
have with Lasco is that he really doesn’t look like he has great vision and he
doesn’t hit the hole as hard as you’d like. He’s much better in open space and
looks better running draws and stretches than anything inside. To me he’s a
third down back with high upside, if he can figure out running lanes or gets
behind a plus offensive line he can develop into a solid pro. I don’t think I’d
use a pick on him on day one or two but on day three there is good potential
here.
135.
Dadi Nicolas, OLB Virginia Tech
A massively undersized defensive end for the Hokies, he’ll
have to kick to an outside linebacker in the NFL. The main question with that
is whether or not Nicolas can cover in space or play an outside spot at just
235 pounds. Nicolas lacks any semblance of strength but he is extremely quick
as a pass rusher, with a bevy of pass rushing moves. He can’t play and set the
edge and therefore he’s a complete liability in the run game as he has good
speed for an outside guy but he’d have to play the Will spot. If someone runs
at him he’s not going to be able to get off the block or set an edge. To me
Nicolas has a terrific pass rushing skill set and therefore he could turn into
a good situational pass rusher in sub packages, but that’s the extent of his
upside. Third day guy.
136.
Bryce Williams, TE East Carolina
Williams is more of a flex tight end who shows the potential
to be a nice receiving threat. I think he’s a pretty weak route runner at this
point and he desperately needs to get some NFL level coaching at the position.
That’s one of the reasons I like Williams is that he’s so raw but he’s still
adding weight and his potential as a receiving threat is pretty high. He’s not
a good blocker yet, as he doesn’t have
the power you’d want to line him up in-line, but he did add a dozen pounds last
season and he still runs well. He’s faster than quick which means seam routes
and drags along with fades are going to be his early route tree. I think the
kid could develop into a quality starter
down the road and at worst you have a flex tight end who can be a nice passing
threat early in his career. He played H-back for the past two seasons before
shifting to tight end full time this season which gives him added versatility. There
are good special team’s capabilities here
as well with top end speed.
137.
Joe Schobert, OLB Wisconsin
Schobert is a good college football player with a highly
productive career. The major knock on Schobert is that he absolutely doesn’t
have ideal size and length to play at the NFL level and his speed and quickness
was just average at Wisconsin and will be a hurdle to him playing in the
league. What he does have going for him is a very productive special team’s
career at Wisconsin and he projects as someone who plays hard and can really
help a team on that level. He had good productivity as a pass rusher although
almost all of his sacks were effort sacks or long developing plays. To me he’s
someone who can make a roster based on special teams and effort and could
rotate along the linebacking corps, mostly as a weakside guy because he lacks
the functional strength to play the strong side. I like him more than most but
at best he’s a round four guy, more like a round 5-7 guy.
138.
Zach Sanchez, CB Oklahoma
Sanchez is an aggressive corner who is too thin to play consistently
at the NFL at his size. You want him to add about a dozen pounds for him to
play consistently. I think an NFL redshirt would be super helpful for him to
develop into someone who can play inside and outside. He has good cover skills
and attacks the football every single play, which also leads him to giving up
big plays on the outside. He’s got decent size and runs around a 4.5 40 which
is plenty fast, he also has good quickness. A player with good hands and ball
skills, if you want a defender who will go get the football but may give up big
plays Sanchez could be your cup of tea. He’s someone who is going to be
interesting to watch in the draft because his ball skills means some teams may
have him as high as a second round pick whereas others may have him deep on day
three. To me he’s a guy who I would definitely consider in round four, but I
would like him a lot better down the road a bit. Someone who may struggle as a
rookie, but there is a chance he develops into a really good player with plus ball
skills.
139.
Spencer Drango, OL Baylor
Drango is strong and his game is ugly as hell, but I kind of
like him. He’s got decent length at 6’6 with almost 34 inch arms but he lacks
almost any quickness at all and therefore playing tackle is simply something
that isn’t going to happen in the NFL. Some people think he’s not strong enough
to block interior NFL players but I totally disagree. Despite much quickness he
still does a decent job when he’s out in space, and when he gets ahead of you
on a running rep, you are going down. He doesn’t change direction well so his
pass blocking is projected to be average at best in the NFL. To me he’s a guy
who can play guard in the league and i wouldn’t be surprised if some team wants
him to play some right tackle. At worst he’s a good rotational backup type guy
who can play right tackle in a pinch, at best he develops into a quality
starting NFL guard. Day three guy who I wouldn’t mind if my team pulled the
trigger on him in round four or five.
140.
Tyler Higbee, TE Western Kentucky
A guy who could provide major upside later in the draft at
the tight end position. Higbee is a tremendous catcher of the football and he
runs very well when he’s healthy. There are some injury concerns and he’s not a
great blocker yet, but his frame looks like he can add ten to fifteen pounds of
muscle easily. He rarely drops the ball and looks tough when catching the
football in traffic. He’s a guy I think
could develop into a true number one tight end, particularly one that can run
the seam routes that NFL teams are running more and more. His size at 6’6 and
250 pounds, along with I believe somewhere in the 4.7 range, although
unconfirmed means that he could be a matchup nightmare. We have to project him
getting better as a blocker because right now he projects below average there,
but the talent as a pass catcher will be very enticing to some team. I’d take
him in round three without any problem currently. Was my 81st ranked
player until the pre-draft red flags came up. Now I’m not sure I’d even draft
him
141.
Geronimo Allison, WR Illinois
Allison wasn’t on my radar at all until the post-season
games came around and then man he looked like someone who could develop into a
potential number two receiver. At worst he looks like someone who can play a
bit in the league as a third or fourth receiver and a good possession type guy.
A tall rangy guy at 6’3 and 200 pounds, Allison has the size to become a solid
chain mover in the league. He’s not a fast guy running in the 4.55-4.6 range
and despite long strides he doesn’t eat up cushion like you’d want from someone
6’3. He high poinst the football well though, providing a potential for a good
red zone threat. A good blocking receiver as well, he provides some upside as a
third potential receiver. He did have some drops this past season and his route
running needs some help, but there is more potential here to develop into a
decent player. Round 5-6 would be a nice spot for him. Work ethic and decent
size means some special teams potential too.
142.
Jack Allen, C Michigan State
I think Allen could turn into a starting center in the NFL.
He’s not a big guy and lacks good power so if you want a mauling offensive line
Allen is likely not your guy. He shows great toughness, is an incredible
leader, and has a very high football IQ, picking up blitzes and stunts with ease.
He doesn’t have good quickness or speed despite his size and his length is
mediocre at best. This is a tough guy to evaluate because his size and lack of
length or quickness means he doesn’t necessarily measure up to NFL standards
for the position but he’s a damn good player so you can overlook some of that
stuff. Intelligence and toughness give him a fourth round grade but his size
limitations means a lot of teams will pass on him, so he’s not everyone’s
flavor of ice cream.
143.
Darion Griswald, TE Arkansas State
An extremely raw prospect who has all the potential in the
world to become a good tight end down the line. He’s not going to help you much
in the first couple of seasons in the league and he’s definitely someone who is
going to take a while to develop, but there is a chance for him to be a really
good player in a few years. He has very average productivity as he was
dramatically under-utilized for Arkansas State. He was a terrific basketball
player and has very dependable and tough hands on contested throws. He can’t
block very well yet, but he shows good potential in that area, he just needs to
learn how to play with better blocking balance. To me he’s someone in round
four through six that you can develop and hope he turns into a player by year three.
144.
Kenyan Drake, RB Alabama
The typical jack-of-all-trades type player, Drake can return
kicks, catch the football, and runs with a purpose. Drake has good size at 6’1
210 pounds and runs a very impressive 4.45 40 yard dash. He lacks patience as a
running back and he chops his feet constantly, hitting the hole instead of
watching and waiting for it to develop. He’s got decent hands and looks to be a
solid blocker on third downs, meaning he can play right away in the NFL. Drake
wants to hit the home run with every play instead of just getting inside and
picking up the yards that are there. To me I don’t know if his body can hold up
as an everydown back but as a situational player and someone who can return
kicks, help on third down, and has the H/W/S you’d want there is some serious
value here on the third day of the draft.
145.
Tyler Matekavich, LB Temple
A great college football player with tremendous production,
Matekavich is someone who is going to be interesting to see whether he can
transition to the NFL. Matekavich is much too small to play on the inside in
the NFL at just 231 pounds with a lack of length. He’s not fast enough to play
as a Will and not big or strong enough to play as a mike or a Sam so you’ve got
to wonder where he’s going to fit on an NFL roster. He’s a tremendous tackler
and plays extremely hard, a tenacious leader for the Owls. Overall though the
guy doesn’t possess the H/W/S to play in the league as a linebacker but he’s a
good player so who knows. To me no way I can take him in the top four rounds
but after that why not grab him. He plays hard and I think he could be a good
special teams players and a backup to any linebacker spot.
146.
Jerald Hawkins, OT LSU
Hawkins has a lot of potential to become a good NFL
offensive lineman. He’s got really active quick feet and good length at 6’6
with 34 inch arms. His tape is a bit sporadic as there were games when I would
have pulled the trigger on him as a second round pick and others where he was
obviously a day three guy. He needs to improve his footwork and technique as
his length and athleticism allowed him to keep guys at bay despite average
footwork and hand placement. He lacks true strength and when asked to simply
move the defender in front of him he leads him instead of blows through them. I’m
really disappointed he came out because next year he would have easily been a
day two pick. There is good talent here, but he needs to improve footwork and
power to become a starter. Year one he should sit or be a swing tackle, sixth
lineman type player. After that though he has the potential to be a starter.
147.
Joe Dahl, G Washington State
Dahl is someone I could see starting for an NFL team as soon
as this season. He’s got average length for a tackle prospect but he will
definitely be looked at as a guard in the NFL. Dahl isn’t a terrific athlete
and doesn’t project as someone who is going to dominate people in the league,
but he has good overall footwork and toughness and shows a willingness to play
through injuries. When his injuries mounted his tape got worse but when he
played healthy he was very good. I think to play guard in the league he needs
to add ten pounds or so but his hands and good base means he can start right
now. He’s a good football player, but I think he has a limited ceiling. To me
he’s someone you take on day three and he could be a plug and play starter but
I doubt there’s much more that he’ll become other than an average NFL guard who
can be a swing tackle if you absolutely need him to be.
148.
Evan Boehm, G/C Missouri
I really like this kid. He’s tough as hell, played in 52
consecutive games, and was perhaps the overall leader of that Missouri team.
He’s got really short arms, and he’s not a terrific athlete so there are teams
that won’t have him on their board because he lacks the length and quickness
you’d want out of a center. To me though, his power and toughness means he’s
without question on my board, plus anyone that plays in 52 straight games and
has the type of power he has is on my board. He’s never caught looking for
work, can dominate players when asked to double team, and linebackers can’t get
him on skates because he has rare power for the position. He’s not laterally
quick but I don’t care as much about that from my center. Does a really nice
job in pass protection in terms of understanding defensive concepts. I think
the kid is a good player and a starter in the league, his lack of length means
his upside is limited but I’ll take him all freaking day on my roster and in my
locker room.
149.
Jake McGee, TE Florida
I like McGee more than most people do but it’s because I
think he could end up developing into a really nice second tight end in the
NFL. He’s sort of a combination of Owen Daniels and Vance McDonald in that he
has a good feel for the position and good enough hands and speed to create
separation on underneath routes. He’s not going to ever be a really good
blocking tight end but he has tremendous hands and looks really good when going
against zone defenses. To me he ends up as a second tight end and someone who
can catch 40-50 passes per season. There is some talent here for a day three
guy.
150.
Deon Bush, S Miami
Other people like Bush a lot more than I do, but for me he’s
a round four or five safety. He’s got good special teams ability and likes to
tackle but his ability to diagnose plays is mediocre at best. Bush has decent
size for a safety and decent speed at the 4.6 range but a lot of people thought
he was going to blow up the combine with athleticism and his numbers came back
as decent and not great. He had two tapes this season where he wasn’t even an
ACC starter let alone an NFL player, but for the most part he played okay
football. He’s a good kid, works hard, and has some ability but to me he
projects as a third safety and really good special teams player. Round five
grade to me.
151.
Jason Fanaika, DE Utah
Fanaika is a really good run stopping defensive end who
plays with good leverage and strength. He lacks really any noticeable skill as
a pass rusher and his skill set is going to be as an edge setter and run
stuffer for a 43 team. Some people think his tape wasn’t as good in 2015 as it
was in 2014 but I somewhat disagree. In 2015 he was asked to eat up blocks more
and hold the point and not rush the passer as much and he did a really good job
with that. He’s an older guy due to mission work with limited upside as a pass
rusher, but this guy can be a really solid two down defensive lineman who can
stop the run. To me he’s a mid day three guy who can help a team as a two down
run stopper.
152.
Devon Cajuste, TE Stanford
A big bodied receiver/tight end who reminds a lot of people
of Devin Funchess. Cajuste is a tweener who can’t really block inline like a
tight end or run fast enough to play wide receiver. He has big hands and plays strong at 235
pounds. Cajuste is tough working in the middle of the field as a tight end type
player and does a good job high pointing the football down the sideline and in
the redzone. His lack of quickness means that corners will be able to cover him
but his size and decent straight line speed means that safeties and linebackers
will have a hard time with him. To me he’s a day three guy who offers upside as
a possession receiver, red zone guy, or an interesting inside guy when you play
an open offense. He wants to be a good blocker but lacks tight end strength so
he’s an intriguing guy.
153.
Deiondre Hall, DB Northern Iowa
A long corner with good overall athleticism and burst, Hall
is going to get drafted higher than his tape says he should because he has
really terrific potential. Hall is a legitimate 6’2 200 pound corner with super
long 34.5 inch arms. The main issue most NFL people will have with Hall is that
he runs in the mid 4.6 range and lacks good functional strength. To me he will
likely have to transition into a safety spot where he did play a bit for
Northern Iowa. He has tighter hips than you’d like in man coverage and his
diagnostic skills are okay but not great. There is a lot of talent here but
there is going to be a learning curve. Day three guy with upside of a second
day player as a safety. At worst provides some upside as a special teams
player.
154.
Pharoah Cooper, WR South Carolina
A burner with great acceleration, Cooper has a chance to be
a nice third receiver and return man in the NFL. His upside is limited because
he doesn’t run great diversity of routes and he’s limited to one cut or zero
cut routes to be effective as he doesn’t wind down well. His speed and
quickness is scary though and he has the ability to eat up cushion quickly.
Cooper doesn’t do a good job with contested catches and anything over the
middle is a problem for him. He’s a good receiver with a limit to his upside as
a three because of his lack of route tree and inability to make tough catches
or track the ball down the field well. He has a really good opportunity to be a
good kick returner in the league. Round 4-5 guy, and upside of a three with
floor of a five and a good kick returner or gunner.
155.
Rashard Higgins, WR Colorado State
Higgins seems like he’s been coached well at Colorado State
because his measurables are borderline for an NFL receiver prospect. A hugely
productive career put him on the radar but it’s the nuances of the position
that he has at this point that interest me. He creates separation at the top of
his routes and tracks the deep ball as well as anyone in this class. Higgins
has tremendous hands, and I had him as the second best drop rate in this entire
class. I wonder about his ability to create space in the NFL particularly
against corners who have any strength at all as Higgins has average quickness
and below average play strength. I think he’s a guy who can develop into a
competent number three receiver but projects as a four or five because of good
hands and decent after the run ability. Mid to late day three guy.
156.
Kolby Listenbee, WR TCU
This dude is super crazy fast. The other thing that I kind
of like about Listenbee is that he does have decent size at 6’0 and 200 pounds,
so he’s not just a tiny burner who can outrun you, but his size gives him a
chance to make some plays down the field that other smaller guys can’t make. He
lacks quickness but has good hands so there is some potential as an outside guy
who runs inside crossing, digs, or drags but running slants or quick routes is
going to be a problem. I think the lack of his potential to play the slot due
to lack of blocking prowess and suddenness hurts his stock a bit. He does have
good hands though and with decent size he projects as someone who could scare
defenses over the top. He reminds me a bit of a better Lance Moore. I’d totally
use a day three pick on him as a go get it type guy.
157.
Cole Toner, OL Harvard
I think Toner is a guy who can play in the NFL. He’s got
really good footwork and hand placement and his tape was very impressive.
Overall he actually had top ten offensive lineman tape in this draft but he was
playing against a lower level of competition. He’s got decent foot quickness,
as he was a former basketball player, but it’s not quite as quick as you’d
like. I think he has the frame to go from 305 pounds to 320 pounds relatively
quickly. He is extremely aggressive in pass protection and goes after
defenders, perhaps as much as any player in this class, but he rarely gets
caught lunging. I think he needs to add strength and needs to play with better
leverage as he stands too straight up at times and in the NFL someone will put
him on skates if he does that. To me though, despite some average NFL qualities
his tape and fundamentals are good. I think he could play any offensive line
position as well. At worst a solid five spot backup but with upside of a
starter. If I could grab him in round five I’d pull the trigger all day long.
158.
Nile Lawrence-Sample, DT Florida State
A rotational two down run stuffing defensive tackle, is what
you’re getting here. Sample is below average as a pass rusher but he’s very
solid against double teams and has the short area burst to make some plays if
single blocked. He lacks play speed so anything away from him is gone but his
strength allows him to make plays at or near the line of scrimmage. I can get
deep into this evaluation but it’s a very simple one, a day three guy who can
be a rotational defensive tackle in a 43 or 34. Little upside but a cheap
source of beef up front on day three. Virtually zero pass rush ability.
159.
Joe Haeg, OT North Dakota State
Haeg is a really good athlete for a tackle but he lacks the
power to play in every scheme. A zone team could find Haeg really intriguing as
his footwork and lateral quickness are very solid. He’s played both tackle
spots, has over 50 career games played, and is very calm in pass sets. I think
he lacks strength to hold up against people who go speed to power and he can
get caught pushed back into the pocket. Teams that want to run zone type
schemes could find him a very enticing day three pick as I think there is
potential here for him to get stronger and maintain his good quickness. Someone
like Denver, San Francisco, or New Orleans could look for someone like Haeg to
develop and get stronger before eventually landing a starting spot.
160.
Keivarae Russell, DB Notre Dame
This kid is a good player in man to man coverage and
therefore he’ll get drafted on day three. He has good cover skills, decent size
and length, and adequate straight line speed and quickness. I worry a bit about
his lack of ball skills and so some teams will lower him significantly on their
draft boards. I care more about ball skills than some teams do so for me he’s a
round 5 or 6 type guy because he simply doesn’t play the ball well enough. He’s
got good cover skills though and seems to watch a lot of tape as when he was
matched up with better players he more than held his own. I think he can play
in the slot as a younger player and develop into a number two cornerback. That
being said a lack of potential for interceptions and pass break ups bothers me
and limits his ceiling. I’d be happy if my team grabbed him on day three though
because he is a good player just with limited upside as a playmaker. Plus there
is some injury history there so you have to take that into account. Honestly
just in terms of pure cover skills, could be potentially a top 6 corner in this
draft.
161.
Aaron Burbridge, WR Michigan State
Burbridge is someone who could help a team as a third or
fourth receiever as early as his rookie season. The issues I have with him is
that is probably his ceiling as well, as he doesn’t exactly have the skill set
to jump up and become a number two or a true starter in the NFL. I think he’s a
tough guy, blocks well, plays hard and makes contested catches. He ran a better
40 on his pro-day than what the tape showed in terms of quickness and straight
line speed. He dropped too many catchable passes this season and I watched
every game MSU played this year and while he had 85 catches he probably could
have had closer to 100 if he had a better “true catch radius”. He wasn’t nearly as good against better
competition, just look up his game logs against better defenses and he became
quite average. I think he’s tough, and I think he runs good routes, but to me
he’s a number three guy as a rookie because he can play immediately, but that’s
likely what he ends up as for his career, and that’s okay. Just know his
ceiling is low but his floor is high, he simply is what he is.
162.
John Theus, OT Georgia
Theus is a good day three pick for an NFL team in that he’s
a solid offensive lineman who can likely be at worst a good backup in the
league. I don’t think he’s a starter as some people do but I think he can play
a number of positions and his intellect and toughness means he should stay in
the league for a while as a rotational backup or starter in a pinch. He’s a
good football player but lacks the punch or movement skills you’d want in
someone to dominate inferior players and good solid pass rushers have given him
fits. He’s got a lot of starts, and he’ll battle his butt of, but he just isn’t
strong or fast enough to consistently play on the edge in the NFL. As a backup
he’ll give you everything he has. Round 5-6 guy.
163.
Tom Hackett, P Utah
I’m not going to get into evaluating a punter except to say
he’s the best in the country. I usually don’t advocate taking a punter in the
draft but he’s pretty much head and shoulders above every other punter so there
is some value there.
164.
Cardale Jones, QB Ohio State
Jones has perhaps the biggest arm of any quarterback in this
class but man there is a long way to go if you want him to be a true NFL signal
caller. He’s got the size and strength to be a very quality NFL player but his
accuracy at this point is very limited and if asked to come off his first read
his accuracy plummets. He’s got decent movement skills and he’s enormous so
he’s difficult to bring down. I could discuss him and the pros and cons all day
but ultimately he’s a major project with good upside. Wouldn’t hesitate to take
a flyer on him on day three because the tools are very good, but he’s super
raw. It will take him at least two and possibly three or four years until you
see what he can truly become.
165.
Aziz Shittu, DE Stanford
Shittu is difficult to evaluate because I have no idea where
he’d play on a defensive line. I don’t think he can play in a 34 defense
because he’s not long enough to play a 34 defensive end and definitely not big
enough to play a 34 defensive tackle. He could potentially kick inside as a 43
defensive tackle on passing downs and play the strong side defensive end in
rush downs but that obviously limits his upside. He’s strong as hell when he
plays with leverage and is an excellent tackler. Shittu has some talent as he’s
fairly quick and boasts a solid array of pass rushing and run stopping moves
but he’s inconsistent with hand placement and leverage. I think he’s a day
three guy for a team looking for a rotational defensive lineman for a 43.
There’s some hope here that he can help you with a good motor and some
potential, but at best he’s a rotational defensive lineman.
166.
Travis Feeney, LB Washington
A super fast linebacker who showed out at the combine. Feeney is super lean at 6’4
and around 230 pounds, so he looks a bit strange out there playing the
linebacker spot. That being said 6’4 with 33.5 inch arms, running a 4.50, with
a 40 inch vertical, 130 inch broad jump, and a sub 12 60 yard shuttle is
freaking ridiculous. He’s not a guy who can hold the point of attack as a 34
outside linebacker but he has a bevy of pass rushing moves and the quickness to
beat flat footed tackles at times. To me he’s someone who can be a really good
nickel linebacker because of a combination of speed and pass rush skills. Where
he could end up being special though, pun intended, is on special teams. To me
he has a chance to be the best special teams player in this draft. Was the
Huskies special teams player of the year in 2014 and that could transition into
a really good career at that spot. If I needed someone who I could project as a
special teams ace, I’d take Feeney on day three.
167.
Storm Barrs-Woods, RB Oregon State
I’ve watched every game Barrs-Woods has ever played and to
me he’s someone I think that could play in the NFL. He’s got okay size at 6’0
210 pounds and runs with a purpose. Woods has plus vision and does a really
good job staying patient and waiting for blocks to develop. Oregon State
offensive line wasn’t great when Woods was at school but he still managed to
have a really solid career there. He has good hands and is a very good pass
protector which some team will be interested in. He’s not a great athlete but
good vision leads to numerous double digit yard runs. To me he projects as a
third running back and someone who could potentially play a bit of special
teams and give you a reliable third down pass protector if needed. Round 6 or 7
guy, because of ability to pass protect and catch the football.
168.
Derek Watt, FB Wisconsin
Everyone is going to mention he’s JJ’s little brother but I
don’t care about that. Watt is a really good overall football player with very
good upside as a special teams player. He’s a really good tackler and a great
blocker, which to me means I want him on my team. I wish he weighed 255 instead
of 240 because at times he gets in good position but doesn’t blow people off
the ball. He’s a good lead blocker and he even did a nice job in pass
protection when lined up at tight end. He’s got reliable hands out of the
backfield. There is obviously a limited value here as fullbacks and H-backs
simply aren’t that important in today’s NFL, but his versatility and special
teams value mean that he should get picked in the draft and whatever team takes
him is getting a guy who you won’t be able to cut. Hell I’d love it if he came
to my team on day three, maybe because I’m a Texans fan and it’d be super cool
to have two Watt’s.
169.
D.J. Foster, RB Arizona State
I’m not exactly sure what I’d do with Foster if I drafted
him but I think I’d like to have that problem. He was a really good running
back for the Devils before shifting to wide receiver more this past year. He’s
got really good hands particularly out of the backfield and gave linebackers fits
when asked to cover him in space. While a lot of teams have him listed as a
wide receiver, and there is some talent there particularly in the slot, I think
where he will be the most dynamic is as a third down back or a slot guy. He
doesn’t have the power to hold up in pass protection so that’ll hurt his stock
and his route running was totally mediocre as a receiver so there are some
issues here. Ultimately though, Foster is very quick with good straight line
speed, around 4.50. I think he could end up being a really good kickoff
returner and perhaps a gunner on special teams. I would be really interested in
him in some sort of Dion Lewis / Danny Woodhead type role.
170.
Keenan Reynolds, ATH Navy
He’s not an NFL quarterback but I don’t care, I want this
guy on my team. I’m not sure if he’s a running back at 5’11 and 205 pounds, but
he has really good quickness and makes people miss consistently. I heard a stat
saying he had 30 missed tackles this past season, which is ridiculous. He’s not
strong and doesn’t break tackles but you don’t really expect that from a 200
pounder. He’s a great leader, extremely intelligent, and obviously has great
character which is definitely worth something in a locker room. I don’t know if
he has the strength to shift to safety and have no idea if he has the hands to
play in the slot. Again no clue where I’d play him but I would love to have him
on my roster as a return man, special teams guy, running back, jack of all
trades. I would work him out and see if he can catch the ball because if he can
then I could see Julian Edelman or Antwon Randle-El with his toughness and
leadership.
171.
Cody Kessler, QB USC
A backup quarterback prospect, Kessler is a guy who reminds
me so much of Chad Pennington. Kessler is a very conservative quarterback who
almost never puts his team in a bad position. He has below average NFL arm
strength but very good short to intermediate accuracy. He makes a lot of checks
at the line of scrimmage and takes care of the football, putting his team in
good situations. I don’t think he has the arm talent or size to be an NFL
starter but his accuracy and intelligence means that he could be a really
quality backup for a long time.
172.
Jeff Driskel, QB Louisiana Tech
Almost the opposite of Kessler is Driskel who has all the
talent in the world but misses too many throws and takes too many chances. The
kid is super dangerous and has all the tools you’d want in a quarterback with
good size at 6’4 and 235 pounds while running in the 4.55 range. He has a big
arm and there isn’t a throw he can’t make. The big problem with Driskel is that
he just misses too many open receivers and costs his team a lot of YAC yards
even on completions by not throwing with proper anticipation or timing. A huge
arm but I counted 11 underthrown passes this last season, which is just strange
with someone who can launch it 65 yards. He’s a developmental guy but if I had
a quarterback with just a few years left I might draft Driskel and hope I could
develop him into what he has the chance to be. All the tools you’d ever want,
they just need to be tweaked.
173.
Justin Simmons, S Boston College
Simmons is a guy with good ball skills and length while possessing adequate H/W/S.
Simmons is a long, lanky kid with a bit of tightness in his hips which means
he’s clearly a safety and can’t play corner like he did in college for a while.
He looked much more comfortable in center field this past season and made a lot
of big plays for a really bad Boston College team. At 6’2 and 200 pounds with a
40 inch vertical I like the combination of ability. He also ran a 4.61 so
that’s right in the acceptable range for safeties. I think he’s a decent
football player with some talent. I know people are thinking he could go all
the way in round two, but for me the kid is a day three guy. Just not quite as
good of a player as I’d want in the first two days so likely I’d pass on him
during draft day as I wouldn’t use a pick in the first two days on him.
174.
Matt Skura, C Duke
Super smart football player with very long arms for a
center, Skura has some ability. I think getting a center with 35.5 inch arms,
and high intelligence definitely peaks my interest. Skura doesn’t play with a
lot of power but he understands what every defense is going to do before the
snap. He’s decently athletic but doesn’t have great quickness, particularly off
the snap when asked to move. When he pulls from the center position with the
quarterback under center he’s below average. That said, he’s got potential to
be a plus pass protector who uses his angles and understanding of defenses to
get the job done as a run blocker. Played guard as a freshmen so possibility of
being a high end backup at multiple positions is there, but he has the ceiling
of a starter.
175.
Ben Braunecker, TE Harvard
A nasty blocker at the college level, Braunecker just
dominated Ivy League competition at the point of attack. He has good
athleticism for the position and used it to blow people off the ball. No joke
at times he looked like a third tackle just knocking the snot out of people.
There is upside as a pass catcher as he has good speed and shows some fluidity.
I think the level of competition was a major boon for Braunecker as he could
outrun and overpower his lesser competition. To me though as someone who wants
to block, has good athleticism, and showed the ability to adjust to throws down
the field. He’s the exact type of guy I’d want to draft on day three and
develop. Plus the dude went to Harvard so you know you’re getting a very
intelligent player and he could be a really nice special teams player as well.
176.
Kevin Hogan, QB Stanford
Hogan’s got all the tools you’d want in an NFL quarterback
with the wins to back it up. In fact Kevin Hogan has more wins for Stanford
than any other quarterback in school history, including John Elway or Andrew
Luck. To me he’s a really smart kid, showed very good short area accuracy at
over 75%, and can move and throw from a variety of platforms. The issues I have
with Hogan are that his down the field accuracy has some major problems,
primarily. Second, the kid has just horrible footwork and throwing mechanics,
meaning throws will sail on him and he’ll miss open guys. He also doesn’t have
good pocket awareness and when he’s getting pressure, particularly up the
middle he’ll walk into pressure. All of those things said, the kid has a chance
to develop. I would take him as a backup on day three because there is talent
and intelligence here. He may need 2-3 years to work on mechanics and footwork
but as far as understanding an intricate passing game and having the tools,
Hogan is already there.
177.
Joe Thuney, OL North Carolina State
This kid screams long time backup to me. He literally played
every single position on the offensive line for NC State and showed marked
improvement each year. That being said he’s not quick enough to stay long at
offensive tackle, doesn’t have the power you’d want in a guard, and lacks the
length to keep long defenders off his body. He seems like a guy who gets
schematics and protection schemes but his lack of ideal H/W/S and quickness
means that he would probably need some time to develop strength in the NFL.
Thuney has potential to be an NFL backup because of position versatility and
grit, but it’d be tough for him to develop into an NFL starter. 7th
round grade.
178.
Henry Krieger-Coble, TE Iowa
Someone who doesn’t have the strength to play inline as a
blocker although he puts forth good effort. Krieger-Coble shows good overall
athleticism and wiggle and uses that to get open when he gets the correct match
up. He’s got average hands but decent feel for the position and understands
zone concepts better than most. To me he’s a borderline NFL guy because while
he’s athletic he only will fit a handful of schemes as he’s not a dominant
athlete and I don’t think he can inline block well enough at this point. Day
three kid, I like his work as a pass protector as it’s better than you’d think
for someone who lacks the physical ability, and he does have a bit of feel for
the game.
179.
Tyler Johnstone, OT Oregon
I watched every single tape Johnstone ever had and I can
tell you that the Oregon offensive line missed him tremendously when he wasn’t
there. A guy with great mobility before he blew his knee out in 2013, he lost a
lot of that in 2015, but I think an extra year removed from surgery gives him a
chance to gain some of that back in 2016. He’s got decent length and doesn’t
panic when someone gets into his body. He does a decent job anchoring, but
Johnstone shows he’s got a frame to put on 10-15 pounds. To me he’d benefit
greatly from a “redshirt season” in the NFL because there is a chance here he could
be a nice player, but learning an NFL system and another year to get healthy
could pay big dividends for Johnstone and whatever team he ends up on.
180.
Trae Elston, SS Ole Miss
A productive guy with a propensity to make big plays, Elston
is going to have someone pull the trigger on him. He had two touchdowns on
INT’s this past season and had a handful of monster hits as well. The issues
with him are pretty obvious as he’s undersized, doesn’t cover in man very well,
and has average to below average speed. His instincts are pretty good and he’s
a playmaker so someone should draft the guy. He also has a ton of starts in his
career as he started for four seasons and was productive the entire time. He’s
an aggressive guy with lots of reps and good productivity so I’d take him in
round 6 or 7 and see what you’ve got.
181.
Stephane Nembot, OT Colorado
I could get really far into this evaluation of Nembot but
I’ll keep it pretty simple. The kid is a complete project who simply could not
help you as a rookie. He is a very big guy at 6’6 and 325 pounds and has decent
short area quickness. His length is where you’d want it and he has gigantic
paws. I think he has potential for days, as he’s only been playing football for
6 years. Every year the kid got better and this past season was clearly his
best. His body positioning and control is below average at this point and some
of his bad reps are really bad. That being said, the kid has a lot of
potential, seems like he’s continuing to get better, and I think if you have
the patience to sit him for a couple seasons he could end up giving you a
really nice player. Plus I think eventually the kid could play both guard spots
as well, meaning at worst in year two or three you’d have a guy who can play
four positions as a backup. He’d be someone I would look at hard on day three.
182.
Jake Brendel, C UCLA
A really small center who more than half the teams in the
league won’t even look at as he weighs less than 290 pounds. Brendel plays much
stronger than his 286 pound frame, and I think his tape is as good as any of
the top centers except Martin and Kelly. I really like him as a player and I
believe you could add 15 pounds to his frame fairly quickly. He’s got great
quickness, is extremely smart, and plays with a lot more toughness than you’d
think. Plus he whipped out 27 reps on
the bench during his pro-day which is damn good. A leader and reliable, playing
in something like 94% of his teams snaps… I read 92 one place and 95 one place
so not sure which one is accurate. I’ve watched almost every game he’s played
and he’s a good football player. Obviously the size issue is extremely
important, he’s got short arms and when some guys get into his body he gets
tossed back. He may not be able to help you immediately but if you can add a
little size to him and you play in a zone blocking scheme this kid could really
be a nice pick on day three. If I ran a ZBS and had a center who may not be on
the team in 2-3 years due to free agency, retirement, etc I’d pull the trigger
on Brendel this year and groom him to be my starter.
183.
Dominique Alexander, LB Oklahoma
I think where this kid could end up being great is on
special teams. The kid doesn’t have the strength to play inside so as a
linebacker he’d likely have to play on sub packages or as a will in a 43. I
think his lack of ability to get off blocks even in the Big 12 will cause him
big problems. It looked like on tape he’d run in the low 4.6 range and the 4.75
at the combine definitely made me go back and watch more tape. While there is
some potential here because he does look really good in man coverage and he
gets deep in his zones quickly. I think he’s a sub package linebacker with
major upside as a special teams player. Could end up being a nice chess piece
as a day three pick, but the 4.75 was disappointing, and his lack of play
strength means he’s a 6th to 7th rounder for me.
184.
Connor McGovern, G Missouri
Most people like McGovern more than I do, and to be honest I
had a rough time doing his evaluation. I don’t know if I should base his eval
on his ability and obvious talent, as he’s a freaking beast in terms of pure
strength. He may be the strongest guy in this draft all in all, but his pass
protection, particularly on the outside was really borderline some games. He
really struggles with quicker pass rushers and he doesn’t bend his knees well.
He’s good pretty good recognition skills for the most part and shows some
potential at times against good players. His tape just wasn’t great all the
time but damn the potential here is really good. I think I’d let someone else
pull the trigger on him as I have a 6th round grade on him and there
are some teams who will want him on day two. I understand why they would as
well, the talent, strength, and power along with position versatility to play
guard or tackle is enticing. I just don’t love his tape and wonder if he’s just
a workout warrior or if there is a stud there. I’m super torn here.
185.
Nate Sudfeld, QB Indiana
Super inconsistent but the ability and size are ideal,
Sudfeld is someone I would love to work with. He’s the exact type of guy you’d
want to draft in rounds 5-7 if you have an aging quarterback because the talent
here is very good. He had a really nice senior season this year, and actually
averaged over 8 yards per attempt playing in a pro-style system. At 6’6 and 240
pounds he gives you what you want in terms of H/W/S although he does dip his
shoulder, throwing more like someone who is 6’3, but that’s correctable. A
mediocre offensive line gave him some bad habits, but ultimately the kid got much
better each year. His game to game tape, and even throw to throw can drive you
nuts though. Sudfeld can make every throw and then miss a wide open crossing
route ten yards down the field. A good quarterback coach and a couple of years
could make this kid a quality starter. At worst you have a backup who you can
leave the playbook wide open for because he has the talent to make that happen.
Likely will take 2-3 years to see what you have.
186.
Brandon Allen, QB Arkansas
A guy who lacks the size you want with really small hands,
Allen does have a good arm and mobility, and showed good improvement each
season. I think he’s a backup in the league, and a guy who can make more throws
than people would think based on his frame. He’s 6’1, 215 pounds, but has under
9 inch hands which freak out some teams, particularly those who don’t play in
ideal weather. He really likes one read throws and was definitely boosted by
playing in such an effective run system. Allen made a lot of his yardage and
touchdowns on play action where there wasn’t a secondary option. Can make all
the throws when not asked to read a defense, but struggles when coming off read
one. To me he’d be good in a boot and go system or a simplistic one side of the
field offense, like a Shanahan or Kubiak style offense. Could struggle with
more complex schemes like Green Bay’s etc. Backup guy who could go to the right
scheme and be effective.
187.
Jared Norris, LB Utah
Norris wants to be a take-on linebacker and attacks gaps very
well. That being said he’s only 240 pounds so he’s not going to be able to
simply hold his spot in the NFL gaps as well as he could in the Pac 12. He’s
got good instincts but doesn’t square up as often as you’d like so he can get
pushed out of holes or off of tackles more often than you’d like. He’s almost
always helping on a play, either making tackles or creating piles and eating up
blockers. Norris is a good football player and shows some potential as a
special teams player as well. Not going to be great in coverage as he wants to
play downhill as often as possible. He’d be a decent volume tackler in the
league but he’s a limited guy and to be honest there are a lot of guys just
like him so if I wanted someone like that I’d grab him in round 7 but wouldn’t
waste more draft capital than that.
188.
Jordan Payton, WR UCLA
A nice third or fourth receiver option for an NFL team at
6’0, 200 pounds with 10 inch hands. Payton also ran a really nice 4.47 40 and
showed good production in college with over 200 catches. Payton has good hands,
runs decent routes, and plays well when he gets a free release. Payton also
really struggles with better cornerbacks, and lives off of schematic approaches
to get open down the field. He looks a lot better when allowed a free release
meaning he’ll likely be much better in the slot in the league than on the
outside but he has borderline quickness and plays faster than sudden. I think
he could be a decent fourth option in the NFL with some potential ability in
coverage for special teams.
189.
Denver Kirkland, G Arkansas
A gigantic guy with good power and nice productivity,
Kirkland has some potential. With that said he also has really poor
fundamentals and drops his head and stands straight up getting put on skates
despite weighing almost 350 pounds. Kirkland also struggles with any quickness
so that along with the fact that he drops his head too often means he’ll miss
some stunts and twists that most players would pick up. He’s a big, strong guy,
but his lack of balance and poor technique scares me. I think there’s a chance
here but I’d have to get him in camp and see what my offensive line coach could
do with him.
190.
Malcolm Mitchell, WR Georgia
I like Mitchell and think that he could become a reliable
third option for an NFL team. My major issues with him as a prospect is he has
decent size but not great, decent speed but not great, and decent quickness but
not great. That means he simply doesn’t have a high ceiling. He’s an average
blocker and runs okay routes. What I do like about him is that he has huge
hands, shows a nice ability to feel coverage, and he does a really good job
adjusting to poor throws, meaning that despite average size his catch radius
and abiltity to turn misses into hits is well above average. Plus Mitchell
rarely drops a pass and is someone quarterbacks can trust to come back to the
ball and make plays that other guys won’t make. Would like him as a three or
even better as a four in the NFL.
191.
DeAndre Washington, RB Texas Tech
A 5’8 200 pound scat back, Washington shows excellent short
area quickness and better straight line speed than you’d think at 4.49. He’s
not a big guy and wasn’t asked to pick up blitzes often at Texas Tech. He plays
tough and doesn’t mind running inside but vision is just average, and is a lot
more effective in space. Washington is at his most effective catching the
football in space and he accelerates so quickly that screen game, draw game,
and particularly out of the slot he’s scary. To me he’s a really interesting
guy who could help you as a kick returner and on third downs immediately. Day
three at some point, obviously lacks the size to become an every down runner so
limited to day three and third down contributions.
192.
Ka’imi Faibairn, K UCLA
Second best kicker in this draft. Never had a kick blocked,
hit a 60 yarder in college and busted out a 70% touchback rate. Should be
drafted.
193.
Dan Vitale, FB Northwestern
Super versatile guy who played the unique “superback” spot
for Northwestern. The guy has over 1000 receiving yards as essentially a
fullback, so a nice piece there. He also is a plus blocker, and shows great
versatility, lining up all over the field. He doesn’t drive his feet as a
blocker but he uses angle blocks well and gets into position more often than
not. He’s stronger than his size indicates and did 33 reps at 225 which is
ridiculous. He also showed tremdendous quickness for a 240 pounder and had a
38.5 inch vertical so the kid is a really good athlete. To me he’s someone you
can move around, is very intelligent, and projects as a good special teams
player. I’d pull the trigger on him sometime in the last couple rounds.
194.
Justin Duarte, WR/TE UCLA
To me Duarte is going to be a “y” tight end in the NFL
flexed out and moved around to create mismatches. He isn’t a blocker and at 6’2
and 235 pounds he doesn’t have the size to develop into one. He also doesn’t
have the speed to play a true wide receiver spot at 4.75 so he’s the epitome of
a tweener. My personal belief is the kid’s success or failure totally depends
on what team drafts him and if they have a plan to use him. He has some
potential as a move tight end but he needs free releases and some help to be
effective. Borderline guy.
195.
KJ Dillon, S West Virginia
Versatile safety who could play both free or strong and zone
or man giving him some extra ability in comparison to some safeties in this
draft. Most people like him more than I do as I think he’s a bit stiff and
doesn’t hit or tackle well enough for someone who is 210 pounds. I also don’t
love how grabby he is in coverage and I think he panics when he guesses wrong,
which he does some time. The kid will likely get drafted sometime early on day
three but to me he’s a 6-7 round guy as he simply doesn’t read the plays as
well as I’d like and he projects as average at best against run and pass.
Decent player, will likely make a roster due to versatility, but to me if he’s
there in round 6 I’d probably pull the trigger, but not before that point.
196.
DJ Pettway, DE Alabama
A guy with rotational ability for an NFL roster but lack of
production and some character concerns means he gets a 7th round
grade from me. He’s got good power and balance at the point of attack but
doesn’t have the explosiveness or pass rush ability to really give you much as
a pass rusher. He may be better off kicking inside on pass rushing downs to
give you a bit of a push. He does a tremendous job of squeezing and reading
meaning he’s been coached well and has good recognition skills. Some character
concerns that you’d have to wonder about, and that along with limited ceiling
means I could use him as a 7th round guy, but that’s the highest
spot I’d grab him.
197.
Glenn Gronkowski, FB Kansas State
A solid if unspectacular fullback/tight end prospect in the
NFL. He’s an okay run blocker who lacks the power you’d want but he does show
good fundamentals and understands offensive and defensive schemes. He’s decent
out of the backfield as a pass catcher and actually pass protects fairly well
despite only weighing in at 240 pounds. To me he’s a late round guy who could
potentially be a scheme versatile fullback/ h-back type guy.
198.
Avery Young, G/T Auburn
Young is a guy I’ve got as a borderline NFL prospect, but
probably not as a tackle. While I could see a lot of teams thinking with his
length and potential he could play right tackle but he just doesn’t have the
power or hand work to get in that spot. He’s got decent short area burst so a
team could become intrigued by him at guard, which is where I’d play him. He
has some potential I think but his footwork and hand placement are below
average at this point and you would need to sit him for at least a season and
maybe two before you could really see what you have here. To me he’s someone
you take in round 6 or 7 if you have the roster space to sit him for a year and
build his technique up. If you don’t have the space for a developmental guy
with potential to sit for a year or two
don’t have him on your board.
199.
Bralon Addison, WR/KR Oregon
An undersized receiver who was aided a lot by a spread
system, Addison does have some ability that teams will find enticing. Addison
is a tremendous returner and shows great vision on kickoff returns, getting
more out of returns than most people in this draft. Much quicker than fast,
Addison at 5’9 would have to play in the slot, and his ability to read defenses
and make adjustments is average at best. To me he’s a guy who could develop as
a slot guy but you would draft him as a return man and hope he can develop the
other skills necessary to play wide receiver in the league.
200.
Austin Blythe, C Iowa
To me Blythe is likely a backup center for zone blocking
schemes and he’s a very borderline draft prospect. He showed good reliability,
starting for four years, and obviously has very good technique as Kirk Ferentz
is the best offensive line developer in the nation. The kid has good short area
quickness and plays tough, but just doesn’t have the size you want or need from
an NFL center. Can only play in ZBS’s and that limits him, plus his 40 time and
lack of true speed or power will scare off some other teams. To me he’s a 7th
round pick.
201.
Wendell Williams, WR University of the
Cumberlands
I honestly know virtually nothing about Williams except the
fact that he’s ridiculously fast. Probably the fastest guy in this draft, so
someone could pull the trigger on someone who runs in the 4.3 range.
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