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[Dynasty] 2014 Draft Prospects (1 Viewer)

It makes you wonder why he came to the combine so heavy? 6'2+ 210 with 4.49 speed would have looked a lot better than 220 4.6 speed. Still on tape I think he shows some decent fast twitch/explosiveness, good power, and elite vison. Plus that size and vert are pretty tasty.

He def could pop at the next level.

 
2014 NFL Draft: Deep draft for DBs could yield some steals

Pat Kirwan

Excerpt:

The draft class for defensive backs is a deep one. Here are a few who are not likely to go in the first round but appear ready for solid pro careers:

Bradley Roby, CB Ohio State: Roby may go in the first round but right now looks like a second-round steal. Watched him in the Cal game and his off- coverage techniques are impressive. He comes out of his peddle and can close. His interception for a touchdown in the Illinois game was another example of his ability to come off a peddle and break on a ball. He likes contact and will try to lay the wood on receivers.

Pierre Desir, CB Lindenwood: Pierre played at a small college and was not out of place at the Senior Bowl. He does compete for the ball and knows what to do with an interception. He is not a blow-up tackler but he can get a ball carrier or receiver to the ground. I wouldn't be surprised to see him drafted in the third or fourth round.

Stanley Jean Baptist, CB Nebraska: He is a big, rangy zone corner that has anticipation and solid hands to see and grab an interception. He has speed to run away from opponents and will hit with toughness. The more I watch him the more I like what I see, especially if it is a zone scheme.

Jimmie Ward, S Northern Illinois: Ward is tough and has range to play in the middle. I went to two of his games, against Iowa and Purdue. The Huskies won both games and Ward had 25 tackles and two interceptions. Some believe a late first round is his spot, so if he's there in the second he will be a bargain.

Deone Bucannon S, Washington State: Any time a guy has 15 interceptions in college, which was more than Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Calvin Pryor combined. This guy can play in the box as well as deep middle or half field. I might consider him in the late first round, but one personnel guy told me second or third round for Bucannon.

Surprise quarterback may emergeTwo reliable NFL evaluators of quarterbacks pointed me to the quarterback they like the most in this draft and the name was not Bortles, Manziel, Bridgewater or Carr. In fact it isn't the fast-rising Zach Mettenberger but a guy some thought would be an undrafted free agent a month ago.

First the description. He's a 6-foot-5 guy and a pocket passer who can throw from any position. Also, he dealt with an offensive line that struggled to protect him and he was able to slide and shuffle in the pocket. His name? Tom Savage from Pittsburgh is the one who has grabbed the attention of a couple of clubs.

Offense or defense for McKinnon?I interview 10 to 15 draft candidates a week on my radio show and while most are impressive, every so often one of them is really special.

Jerick McKinnon is a former quarterback from Georgia Southern who went to the Senior Bowl to prove he could become a running back in the NFL. After a four-year career where he rushed for 3,899 yards and 42 touchdowns he might be a good running back candidate. McKinnon rushed for more than 100 yards against Georgia and Florida in games way over Georgia Southern's head when it came to talent on the field.

But here's my twist on McKinnon: I think I would draft him and put him at corner for a team that plays a lot of press man coverage. The kid benched 225 pounds 32 times, ran 4.35, and had a 40 1/2-inch vertical -- all better numbers than any corner in the draft. McKinnon can run, flip his hips and is explosive. McKinnon admitted two clubs were coming in to work him out as corner. Believe me that's a good idea.
 
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For those of you who track these metrics (I'm one of you); do record both combine and pro-day results or just one or the other? If it's the latter, which do you choose?

I don't want to record both because I like to create customized calculations while looking for trends, so I think I've been going with combine exclusively (if both were done). If they only did a pro-day, then I use that by default. I feel like the combine may be more accurate if only because it seems to always be the worst of the two times, hence, the possibility of home school favoritism with the measurements.

 
It makes you wonder why he came to the combine so heavy? 6'2+ 210 with 4.49 speed would have looked a lot better than 220 4.6 speed. Still on tape I think he shows some decent fast twitch/explosiveness, good power, and elite vison. Plus that size and vert are pretty tasty.

He def could pop at the next level.
Oh yeah. I'm a huge fan and had him as my #1 just a few weeks ago. I find myself changing my mind on my WR rankings frequently and it probably won't slow up until the NFL draft. But yeah, I love A-Rob. First thing I noticed on tape, was that elite vision you mentioned. This guy is a Demaryius/B-Marsh/Boldin hybrid and I think he will be one of the best from this class. There are soooo many potentially studly WRs from this class. My count is 5-6 that all have equal chance of being best in class. My goal is to nab 3/5.

 
He looks and plays more like a 26.X BMI WR than a 27.8 BMI WR, so I'm not surprised he came in leaner at his pro day.

He is a quick, shifty guy. Not really one for powering through tackles.

 
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He looks and plays more like a 26.X BMI WR than a 27.8 BMI WR, so I'm not surprised he came in leaner at his pro day.

He is a quick, shifty guy. Not really one for powering through tackles.
He's quick and shifty but he's pretty powerful to. There's tape of him throwing DB's out of bounds.

He def plays faster than a 4.6. I'd just call him a low 4.5 guy that is very explosive. I heard his hands looked bad at the combine though. I need to watch that tape.

 
He looks and plays more like a 26.X BMI WR than a 27.8 BMI WR, so I'm not surprised he came in leaner at his pro day.

He is a quick, shifty guy. Not really one for powering through tackles.
He's quick and shifty but he's pretty powerful to. There's tape of him throwing DB's out of bounds.

He def plays faster than a 4.6. I'd just call him a low 4.5 guy that is very explosive. I heard his hands looked bad at the combine though. I need to watch that tape.
Here you go:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-combine/0ap2000000334765/2014-Combine-workout-Allen-Robinson

Speed is his biggest weakness. He can't beat defenders deep on a go route and gets caught from behind in the open field. On the other hand, speed isn't really THAT important at WR (most of the best guys in the league aren't burners either). I think he has a lot of the "right" traits for a pro WR and might be the most impressive WR in this draft on tape. He reminds me quite a bit of Reggie Wayne, but also has some of the possession/RAC traits of guys like Crabtree, Boldin, and Allen. He is not as powerful as Boldin or Crabtree though. I think he has a fairly weak lower body. Thus he's more of a finesse player. But you're right that he's strong enough to combat the jam and come up with the ball in a crowd.

 
For those of you who track these metrics (I'm one of you); do record both combine and pro-day results or just one or the other? If it's the latter, which do you choose?

I don't want to record both because I like to create customized calculations while looking for trends, so I think I've been going with combine exclusively (if both were done). If they only did a pro-day, then I use that by default. I feel like the combine may be more accurate if only because it seems to always be the worst of the two times, hence, the possibility of home school favoritism with the measurements.
I ignore pro days altogether unless a prospect does a drill that he didn't do at the combine. The combine is a level playing field.

Pro-days are non-standard timing (sometimes with friendly timers), non-standard shoes/clothes, wet/cold/hot/dry/fast turf/long grass, different equipment, no days of interviews/medical exams beforehand, fewer nerves, etc etc. etc.

 
Thanks EBF.

The first thing I noticed on that 40 run is he got a terrible jump off the line. In the drills he was getting off the line a lot better. Looked explosive in the drills sluggish in the 40. He tracked the ball fine over his shoulder but he didn't look natural catching the ball in gauntlet.

 
He looked better running routes than he did running out of a sprinting stance. On the other hand, I don't know if I'd agree that he "plays fast." He doesn't really have a second gear on the field. However, I'd argue that this isn't an essential trait for success at WR in the NFL. Assuming that the prospect can run a little bit, I think quickness/economy of movement are more important than sheer speed, and those are two areas where Robinson shines. He has an explosive first step. He's quick. He becomes like a RB with the ball in his hands. Hence the Boldin/Crabtree/Allen comparisons. None of those guys are fast, but they're all really agile.

This is a pretty good example of how he can create separation even though he's not fast.

http://youtu.be/8XjPVcKDF00?t=4m39s

That little stutter gets the DB guessing and then his decisive first step is enough to put a gap between him and the defender.

Similar example to beat tight coverage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XjPVcKDF00#t=368

Another good one here at the bottom of the screen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XjPVcKDF00#t=176

People talk about speed all the time, but football isn't played in 40 yard increments for the most part. A lot of success comes down to how well the players move in tight windows, and Robinson is great in this regard. His superior quickness, body control, and agility makes him very tough to handle.

Putting all that aside, while elite speed really isn't that important at WR, you'd still like to have someone who can run a bit. Almost all of the elite NFL guys clocked 4.52 or faster. As a 4.60 guy, Robinson is some ways off the mark. So there's a question of whether or not he'll have enough speed to go deep at all. If he can't sell those routes, it's possible that he'll get gobbled up by DBs cheating on short stuff. But as we saw with Keenan Allen this year, if you can separate with your first step then it doesn't really matter all that much. Even if they bump him all game, he can still shake them. Boldin and Crabtree have made their living that way as well.

Robinson probably isn't going to be your dominant TO/Andre/Fitz type of #1, but if you look at him as a really good #2/1B guy then I think he can deliver.

 
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If Robinson had put up his pro day numbers (4.47 40, 42" vert, 131" broad, 208 lb.) at the combine, he would be 3rd in my purely quantitative WR ratings (instead of 6th).
you could say that about almost any player - Pro day numbers are almost always better.
Name three.

Did anyone improve at their 40 & jumps as much as Robinson did (assuming these numbers hold up)? De'Anthony Thomas is the only one who comes to mind - he cut 0.11 off his 40 time according to nflds, but his jumps were basically unchanged. (Latimer also blew up his pro day, but that was after missing the combine.)

Out of my top 10 (by the numbers) WRs, Davante Adams is the only other one I know of who improved noticeably at his pro day. He allegedly cut his 40 time by .08 seconds, which would be enough to move him up a spot or two (from 8th to either 6th or 7th, depending on whether we're also counting Robinson's pro day).

These reports have Robinson adding 3" to his vertical, 4" to his broad jump, and cutting 0.13 sec from his 40. Even if I add 0.05 sec back to his 40 time (making it 4.52, to account for questionable timekeeping) and downgrade him for his drop in weight, that's still an extremely impressive improvement and enough to push him past Cooks into 3rd place in my ratings.

 
For those of you who track these metrics (I'm one of you); do record both combine and pro-day results or just one or the other? If it's the latter, which do you choose?

I don't want to record both because I like to create customized calculations while looking for trends, so I think I've been going with combine exclusively (if both were done). If they only did a pro-day, then I use that by default. I feel like the combine may be more accurate if only because it seems to always be the worst of the two times, hence, the possibility of home school favoritism with the measurements.
I ignore pro days altogether unless a prospect does a drill that he didn't do at the combine. The combine is a level playing field.

Pro-days are non-standard timing (sometimes with friendly timers), non-standard shoes/clothes, wet/cold/hot/dry/fast turf/long grass, different equipment, no days of interviews/medical exams beforehand, fewer nerves, etc etc. etc.
What about the jumps?

 
If Robinson had put up his pro day numbers (4.47 40, 42" vert, 131" broad, 208 lb.) at the combine, he would be 3rd in my purely quantitative WR ratings (instead of 6th).
you could say that about almost any player - Pro day numbers are almost always better.
Name three.

Did anyone improve at their 40 & jumps as much as Robinson did (assuming these numbers hold up)? De'Anthony Thomas is the only one who comes to mind - he cut 0.11 off his 40 time according to nflds, but his jumps were basically unchanged. (Latimer also blew up his pro day, but that was after missing the combine.)

Out of my top 10 (by the numbers) WRs, Davante Adams is the only other one I know of who improved noticeably at his pro day. He allegedly cut his 40 time by .08 seconds, which would be enough to move him up a spot or two (from 8th to either 6th or 7th, depending on whether we're also counting Robinson's pro day).

These reports have Robinson adding 3" to his vertical, 4" to his broad jump, and cutting 0.13 sec from his 40. Even if I add 0.05 sec back to his 40 time (making it 4.52, to account for questionable timekeeping) and downgrade him for his drop in weight, that's still an extremely impressive improvement and enough to push him past Cooks into 3rd place in my ratings.
Yeah I agree is was an incredible improvement. It makes me think he just had a bad run at the combine. He's doesn't seem like a 4.4 guy on the field. 4.52 with his size/explosiveness is fine though.

 
For those of you who track these metrics (I'm one of you); do record both combine and pro-day results or just one or the other? If it's the latter, which do you choose?

I don't want to record both because I like to create customized calculations while looking for trends, so I think I've been going with combine exclusively (if both were done). If they only did a pro-day, then I use that by default. I feel like the combine may be more accurate if only because it seems to always be the worst of the two times, hence, the possibility of home school favoritism with the measurements.
I ignore pro days altogether unless a prospect does a drill that he didn't do at the combine. The combine is a level playing field.

Pro-days are non-standard timing (sometimes with friendly timers), non-standard shoes/clothes, wet/cold/hot/dry/fast turf/long grass, different equipment, no days of interviews/medical exams beforehand, fewer nerves, etc etc. etc.
What about the jumps?
They let him use a springboard.

 
Good post. I have watched a lot of tape on Robinson and I like him a lot. He has that knack for getting open/creating separation like Allen for SD. It's going to be interesting where he goes. He's not a 4.6 wr on the field though. He's not a burner but he's not slow either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-cuNKb4Kjk#t=177
He's mostly running sideways on that play, so it's tough to gauge his speed.

When he gets the ball in the open you can see that he is not a blazer:

http://youtu.be/WkRgWc8pSQw?t=35s

The scouting reports echo that as well:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1889923/allen-robinson

STRENGTHS: Fluid and flexible athlete for his larger frame with room to get stronger. Deceiving acceleration with sharp cuts to be a dangerous catch-and-go pass catcher. Physical ballcarrier with balance and body strength to shake off defenders and pick up chunks of yards after contact.

Does a nice job working back to the ball and finding soft spots in zones. Works well in traffic and tight areas to fight for the ball and win jump-ball situations. Uses his hands to fight through the jam and create room to work. Tough and won't shy from contact. Large catching radius with a good vertical to attack the ball. Willing blocker in run support.

Extremely productive the past two seasons, setting several single-season school and Big Ten records and finishing with a conference-best 97 catches and 1,432 yards in 2013.

WEAKNESSES: Average vertical speed. Upright route-runner and needs to tighten his footwork in/out of his breaks - will tip off defenders to his intended path and needs to better sell and deceive his patterns. Plays rushed at times and needs to stay under control through the snap, catch and whistle.

Focus will run hot/cold at times and needs to be more reliable finishing with his hands - bad habit of making unnecessary body catches. Room to improve his field and spatial awareness along the sideline. Maturity needs to be investigated after a first half suspension in the 2013 season opener for "disciplinary issues."

COMPARES TO: Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers - Robinson doesn't have elite speed, but like Boldin he is a good-sized athlete with deceiving acceleration and strength at the catch point to be both a possession target and big play-threat.
Analysis Strengths Excellent size. Good line release -- defeats press. Sinks his hips, breaks off sharply and creates separation. Works back to the ball. Climbs the ladder -- has elevation and body control to contort and make plays in the air. Turns short throws into chunk plays -- gets upfield quickly and shows shiftiness, vision and run strength. Executed a full route tree in a pro-style offense. Highly productive -- totaled 174-2,445-17 (14.0) in last two seasons. Will be a 21-year-old rookie. Weaknesses Lacks elite top-end speed -- needs double moves to separate vertically and gets tracked down from behind. Occasionally tracking and leap timing are off. Is more confident in his hands outside the numbers or in the air than he is over the middle. Traps throws against his body and double-catches some. Tends to cradle throws or go down to the ground. Swings the ball loosely as a runner. Can improve physicality and sustain as a blocker. Bottom Line

The Big Ten's leading receiver the last two seasons, Robinson is a big, fluid, outside receiver with a nice combination of "above-the-rim" prowess and run-after-catch ability. Offers possession skills, playmaking ability and red-zone utility to develop into a solid No. 2 option.
I like the guy, but he's just not that fast. OTOH, 4.60 isn't really THAT slow. Obviously we are used to seeing better times than that from elite NFL WR prospects, but that's still a fast human being.

 
Yeah he's not a burner but I think he's faster than 4.6 and his pro day kind of proved that. Not sure why he wanted to go to the combine at 220. He would have been rated higher if he went in @ 212 ish and ran a 4.49 instead.

 
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Rotoworld:

ESPN's Todd McShay said on the "First Draft" podcast that Pittsburgh QB Tom Savage "could be a second-round pick" and "definitely projects as a Day 2 pick."
And just like that, a prospect once thought of as a late Day 3 selection or possibly even a UDFA has moved solidly onto the Day 2 line. NFL.com's Bucky Brooks argued on Monday that Savage should be picked no higher than Day 3 (Rounds 4-7) and enter the NFL as a No. 3 QB, but Savage has too much momentum behind him to last that long.

Source: ESPN's First Draft Podcast
Pittsburgh QB Tom Savage "keeps coming up when I talk to decision makers," writes NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah.
"The Tom Savage buzz is legitimate," he wrote. ESPN's Todd McShay said on this week's "First Draft" podcast that Savage isn't getting out of Day 2 (the third round, in other words). Savage is simultaneously one the draft's most polarizing and fastest rising prospects. McShay calls him the draft's biggest QB sleeper, Smart Football's Chris Brown says he's "fool's gold for scouts," and Scout Inc.'s Kevin Weidl believes he's "one of the most underrated quarterbacks in this class." Savage's bazooka arm makes it easy to dream on him.

Source: Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter
 
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For those of you who track these metrics (I'm one of you); do record both combine and pro-day results or just one or the other? If it's the latter, which do you choose?

I don't want to record both because I like to create customized calculations while looking for trends, so I think I've been going with combine exclusively (if both were done). If they only did a pro-day, then I use that by default. I feel like the combine may be more accurate if only because it seems to always be the worst of the two times, hence, the possibility of home school favoritism with the measurements.
I ignore pro days altogether unless a prospect does a drill that he didn't do at the combine. The combine is a level playing field.

Pro-days are non-standard timing (sometimes with friendly timers), non-standard shoes/clothes, wet/cold/hot/dry/fast turf/long grass, different equipment, no days of interviews/medical exams beforehand, fewer nerves, etc etc. etc.
What about the jumps?
If a guy didn't jump at the combine I use them. If he did jump at the combine I throw them out.

 
NFL exec: 'Streaky' Mettenberger looks 'terrible' at timesBy Mike Huguenin

College Football 24/7 writer

LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger had surgery for a torn ACL on Jan. 2, but says he doesn't have any physical limitations and will prove it Wednesday with his workout on LSU's pro day.

"The biggest milestone I want to hit is when the lights are on and all the coaches are here, do explosive five-step drops, be able to redirect in the pocket and still throw downfield, roll out, throw the ball on the move, and show that my knee is not going to slow me down," Mettenberger told NFL Media insider Albert Breer. "I'm not going to be on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list to start the season. I'm going to be ready to go for rookie camp."

Breer reports that LSU trainer Jack Marucci said they tested Mettenberger's reconstructed left knee Friday and that and it came back at 97 percent. Marucci also said that if the national title game were Thursday, Mettenberger would be able to play.

Mettenberger measured in at 6-foot-5 and 224 pounds at February's NFL Scouting Combine, but was unable to work out then. His prototypical size and strong arm has led to speculation that he could be drafted as early as the second round in May's draft; he is expected to be off the board by the end of the second day.

His workout will be heavily scrutinized by NFL decision-makers. One AFC personnel director told Breer that Mettenberger "can make all the throws" and has one of the stronger arms in the draft. But there are issues.

"I really think, on the field, his accuracy is the issue" the personnel director said. "He can get cold, and you can't answer that between now and draft. That's a coach saying, 'We can fix this, tweak his fundamentals and reads.' With his accuracy, he's streaky; he'll get hot and rip off nine straight, or come out and look terrible."

There also are some concerns about his lack of mobility. In addition, there are some off-field issues: He was dismissed from Georgia as a freshman for an incident that led to him eventually pleading guilty to sexual battery charges. He was sentenced to 12 months of probation and 80 hours of community service.

"This kid was living the life. He lived it at Georgia, he was still like that at community college and he came in out of shape and heavy to LSU (in 2012)," an AFC area scout told Breer. "That lifestyle will do that to you, especially if you're a big body like his. But those guys can grow up, and he matured at the rate you'd expect of a college kid. ⦠If wasn't for the incident, none of the stuff he's done is that bad. ⦠And I think he probably learned his lesson."

Mettenberger threw for 3,082 yards, 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2013 before tearing the ACL in his left knee in LSU's regular-season finale against Arkansas. He had knee surgery Jan. 2 but began throwing again early in February. Mettenberger has had mechanical and accuracy issues, though former NFL head coach and assistant Cam Cameron's hiring before the 2013 season helped Mettenberger improve in those areas.

"This being his first year in a pro offense, I think he thrived, playing in a system that emphasizes all the things we do - - dropback passing, play fakes, making progressions in the pocket," the AFC area scout told Breer. "He did a nice job. The only thing that limits him is his mobility: He's a traditional, old-school pocket passer. And in today's NFL, with the all the speed out there, for a throwback pocket passer to be successful, they have to be an absolutely tremendous passer and they have to be able to function if moved off (their) spot."

Mettenberger already has met with New England, Oakland and Tennessee, and will travel to Jacksonville to meet with Jaguars representatives Thursday. He will work out for Detroit on Saturday in Baton Rouge. Jacksonville, Oakland and Tennessee could be potential landing spots early in the second round.

Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
 
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Casserly: Jimmy Garoppolo has 'best release' in draft but is rawRotoworld:

NFL Network's Charley Casserly believes Eastern Illinois QB Jimmy Garoppolo is the best prospect at the position on tape.
"Now level of competition is way below everybody else," Casserly began. "Very good vision. Best release in the draft. Can move in the pocket. Arm seems to be good enough. Totally raw, got to start from scratch on him." The main issue with Garoppolo is frenetic movement, and that is only escalated when pressured. Buzz seems to point to Garoppolo being selected in the second-round.

Source: 620 WDAE



Eric Galko ‏@OptimumScouting

Won't last long in 2nd RT @dpbrugler: Working the phones to get current pulse of this QB draft class. Garoppolo quietly very coveted player
@dpbrugler

RT @JoshCollacchi is it just his quick release makes teams that excited? >>> Also what he has upstairs. Bright, quick-thinker
Eric Galko ‏@OptimumScouting

Garoppolo, Bortles and Carr are on same level for me as prospects. All dependent on situation they walk into. All could be long-term staters
 
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If he was 'quietly' coveted no one would be telling Dane Brugler. Same thing with Mettenberg. Reminds me of Jonathan Franklin and how he was 'pushing his way into the first round' on a bunch of boards last year.

There may not be a worse signal/noise ratio on the entire planet than the BS that gets slung around ahead of the NFL draft.

 
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Video Links:

Game Changers: On the field with QBs
05:11 – Kurt Warner hits the field with Teddy Bridgewater, Tajh Boyd and David Fales to teach them balance, accuracy and decision-making. See how the quarterbacks fare under the tutelage of the Super Bowl winning QB.
Game Changers: Mayock's take on Teddy Bridgewater
00:57 – NFL draft analyst Mike Mayock projects Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's NFL potential.
Game Changers: Teddy Bridgewater opens up
01:38 – Steve Mariucci sits down with NFL draft prospects David Fales, Teddy Bridgewater and Tajh Boyd. Bridgewater explains what makes him the best quarterback in the draft.
Game Changers: Irvin shares his 'Playmaker' wisdom
01:51 – Michael Irvin not only teaches the "Game Changers" wide receiver group how to impose their wills on DBs, but also some top secrets from the "Playmaker".
Game Changers: Wide receivers on the hot seat
01:39 – Steve Mariucci asks the 2014 class of wide receivers what they need to improve on between now and the NFL Draft.
Game Changers: Irvin takes WRs through drills
05:05 – Michael Irvin shows the "Game Changers" wide receiver group how to execute some crucial drills the young squad will need to master to succeed in the NFL.
Game Changers: The best WR class ever?
01:44 – Top wide receiver prospects Kelvin Benjamin, Jarvis Landry, T.J. Jones and Allen Robinson tell Steve Mariucci what makes the 2014 wide receiver draft class the best in years.
 
Move over Manziel: Coach says Garoppolo would've started at A&MBy Mike Huguenin

College Football 24/7 writer

Eastern Illinois' Jimmy Garoppolo is the best quarterback in this draft -- at least on tape.

NFL Network analyst Charley Casserly, a former NFL general manager, told WDAE-AM in Tampa that Garoppolo "probably is the best player on tape" among the quarterbacks in this draft. While noting that Garoppolo's level of competition was "way below everybody else," Casserly also said Garoppolo has the best release in the draft.

But Casserly also said Garoppolo -- who was the FCS player of the year and threw for 5,050 yards and 53 touchdowns in 2013 -- was "totally raw" and teams would have to "start from scratch on him." And despite his praise of Garoppolo, Casserly said UCF's Blake Bortles was the No. 1 quarterback on his draft board.

Garoppolo's college coach, Dino Babers, doesn't have any reservations.

"Everybody's going to figure out real quick how good this young man is," Babers told CBS Sports Radio.

Babers, who was hired as Bowling Green's coach in January, said Garoppolo has "one of the fastest releases I've probably seen (since) Dan Marino" and that Garoppolo would have been the starter at Texas A&M.

Consider most of that to be "I was his coach and he is great" hyperbole. Yes, Garoppolo has an extremely quick release. But comparing him to Marino? And saying Garoppolo would've beaten out Johnny Manziel? It's one thing to light up the likes of San Diego State, Austin Peay and Southeast Missouri State, as Garoppolo did. It's another thing to light up SEC defenses, as Manziel did for two seasons.

The bottom line is that Garoppolo is an intriguing prospect, and he is making the rounds with numerous team visits. Given the need for quarterbacks throughout the league, it seems likely that he goes in the second round, and he surely will be off the board by the end of the third round.

Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
 
I won't get into the debate about who Garoppolo would or wouldn't have beat out in college or compare him to Marino, there's no point in that.

However, there are a lot of things you can teach a QB but from what I can tell an elite release like his isn't one of them.

The biggest problem with Garoppolo is that he folds under pressure. Waldman seems really down on that but if I were a QB coach I'd rather try to coach him up on his pocket presence than teach a guy like Byron Leftwich to get rid of the ball quicker.

 
Rotoworld:

The Patriots will work out Virginia Tech QB Logan Thomas on Wednesday, according to draft insider Tony Pauline.
Receiver DJ Coles will also be involved in the workout. The Patriots have certainly spent plenty of time with quarterbacks in this draft, which leads us to think they will select one. A big question is if the Patriots will sign Ryan Mallett after his contract is up following the season. If they select a quarterback in the top three-rounds, that is doubtful.

Source: Tony Pauline on Twitter
Eagles WR coach Bob Bicknell worked out Rutgers WR Brandon Coleman on Monday.
Quron Pratt was also involved in the workout. Coleman generated plenty of buzz prior to his final season, but his play dipped and his production was not helped by a poor quarterback. Coleman should be a day three pick.

Source: Tony Pauline on Twitter
 
I'm not buying what Tony Pauline is selling. The draft buzz about the Vikings supposedly targetting Mettenberger reminds me of the buzz about the Vikings targetting Manti Te'o. Mettenberger looks like a reach in the 2nd round just like Te'o looked like a reach at pick 23 last year.

 
Tony Pauline ‏@TonyPauline

Early results from LSU pro-day: Jarvis Landry/WR 4.58s Jeremy Hill/RB 4.52s in first run of forty..Hill ranked as #2 RB on a lot of boards..
Tony Pauline ‏@TonyPauline 2m

2nd forty times at LSU: Jeremy Hill/RB 4.54s, Jarvis Landry/WR 4.58s, JC Copeland/FB 4.95s, Kadron Boone/WR 4.45s(U) Boone is a legit #5 WR
Adam Caplan ‏@caplannfl

Watching Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham get in and out of their breaks, you can see the stark contrast in speed up close.
 
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I'm not buying what Tony Pauline is selling. The draft buzz about the Vikings supposedly targetting Mettenberger reminds me of the buzz about the Vikings targetting Manti Te'o. Mettenberger looks like a reach in the 2nd round just like Te'o looked like a reach at pick 23 last year.
We may never know, as the Raiders pick before the Vikings in the second round:

Tony Pauline ‏@TonyPauline 16h

Zack Mettenberger/QB/LSU is with the Oakland Raiders this evening before tomorrow's pro-day...
 
‘14 Draft: News/Notes/Visits & WorkoutsTony Pauline

Excerpt:

The latest rumors and insider notes as well as updates on visits and workouts. Update: April 7th- Eagles going receiver heavy.

April 7th

[SIZE=10pt]- I’m told besides working out Rutgers receivers Brandon Coleman and Quron Pratt today, the Philadelphia Eagles had both Kelvin Benjamin/WR/Florida State and Cody Latimer/WR/Indiana at their facility for an official visit.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]– Add the San Diego Chargers to the list of teams bringing in Cody Latmer/WR/Indiana in for an official 30 visit. While most feel the Chargers will look for a true burner in the draft there’s some concern about depth at the receiver position with questions surrounding the Malcolm Floyd and Danario Alexander.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]– The San Diego Chargers are also bringing in New Mexico offensive lineman Darryl Johnson, who primarily lined up at both left and right tackle for the Lobos but projects to guard in the NFL. The New Orleans Saints will be working out Johnson, who has next level size as well as athleticism and should, at the very least, be a practice squad developmental prospect.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]– Even before today’s pro-day workout at Towson running back Terrance West had already worked out for the Atlanta Falcons and made an official visit to see the Tennessee Titans. I’m told the Minnesota Vikings are also interested in the record setting ball carrier. The belief right now is Tennessee would be the frontrunner to select West.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]- John Ulrich[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt], a sleeper offensive tackle from Georgia State who recently ran 4.93s in the forty at 290lbs during a regional combine, has trips lined up to see the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]– Last week sources told me they expect an offensive tackle heavy draft from the Seattle Seahawks next month. The hope is to select a versatile edge blocker as protection in case the team cannot resign Russell Okung when his contract is up in two years.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]– Even with their recent moves in free agency I’m told the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hope to come out of the draft with at least one offensive tackle and/or offensive guard with starting potential. The Bucs want versatility and a blocker who can handle multiple positions.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]– After his terrific performance at pro-day last week I was informed Chaz Sutton/DE-OLB/South Carolina met with both the Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders.[/SIZE]
 
Jarvis Landry - 4.58 at pro day on 2 good hammies. Welcome back to Round 2, young man.
With Landry and Hill both improving by over a tenth of a second, it makes me wonder about the timing conditions.

 
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Simms on QBs in draft: From Manziel 'circus' to Bridgewater 'red flags'

Pat Kirwan

For 10 years, one highlight leading up to the NFL draft is talking with Phil Simms about the quarterbacks. We prepare by watching as much game tape as possible before discussing the candidates.

Simms has strong opinions about the signal callers and, as always, came up with some "wild card" candidates who aren't projected particularly high. In a few weeks, Simms will rank his top 10 and assign a round for each.

Simms says he doesn't see any of the QBs as sure-fire locks worthy of going in the first round nor does he see an elite NFL arm. When it comes to pro days, Simms said, "I expect a quarterback to really show off, his workout should look really good. ... It should kind of look like Tiger Woods would on a driving range or Kobe Bryant alone in a gym shooting 3s." When it doesn't look like that, Simms has a problem with the passer. He added that the private workout is the only way to go and applauded Cleveland for working out QBs that way.

Simms told me when he came out he had 20 private workouts, sometimes four a week with a minimum of 120 throws per workout and he ran a 40 for every staff that came in to his school. No loud music, no orchestrated workout, just tons of throws.

Here are a some of Simms' thoughts on this draft class at QB:

1. Blake Bortles: Simms is impressed with with Central Florida QB's size and the great physical shape he's in, and also what he demonstrated on tape. He believes Bortles could use another year of college experience to sharpen his craft but likes his leadership.

The key point: "Bortles has to work hard to throw the ball well, it doesn't come easy for him. I don't see great rotation on the ball."

Simms feels Bortles is not a top-level NFL passer. I told Simms two different NFL QB evaluators described him in different ways to me. One compared Bortles to Blaine Gabbert and the other suggested Ben Roethlisberger. Simms didn't buy either comparison, saying Bortles has more going for him than Gabbert but does not have Roethlisberger's natural throwing skills.

2. Johnny Manziel: When I mentioned Manziel, the first thing Simms said was: "Get ready, because the circus is coming to town," and that the team drafting Manziel has to be all in with who Johnny Football is as a quarterback.Simms is "bothered by his size and that speed is such a big part of his game," pointing out that all QBs slow down as their pro careers advance, but NFL defenses never slow down.

Simms' main question about Manziel: "How will he be when he loses speed?"

As for Manziel's throwing, Simms said, "He throws fairly well, but not by NFL standards," adding a concern that Manziel's arm was less crisp later in the season. When I noted how good his arm looked in the bowl game, Simms was quick to point out getting a month off to rest for a bowl game is no measuring stick because NFL quarterbacks never get a month off.

I asked Simms about Manziel's relatively small body of work in college -- only 26 regular-season games -- as a foundation for NFL readiness. Simms said Manziel should come out now because he may not get any better at Texas A&M, where he's already taken a lot of hits.

3. Teddy Bridgewater: Simms was quick to say Bridgewater's spotty pro day performance was a "red flag." The Louisville QB should have looked a lot better than he did and some of his bad throw tendencies that show up in games were present at the pro day.

We focused on the glove Bridgewater wore during the season and what it meant. Simms said, "The glove is important to him because it hides a deficiency in his motion. Bridgewater is not a classic thrower, he dips under his ball and the elbow drops, the glove saves his throws." Simms also felt Bridgewater's arm faded late in the season, which is a concern.

4. Derek Carr: Simms was surprised I asked about Carr in the same context of the other three because he hadn't heard anyone talk about the Fresno State QB along with the others.

Simms said some would hold his brother (onetime No. 1 overall pick David Carr) against him, but wasn't sold on Derek Carr as a first-round talent anyway. Simms did say Carr can spin the ball and has some God-given talent, but there are just too many screens and lob balls to get excited. As for Carr's mechanics, Simms thought he was a bit tight and too much like he's been lifting a lot of weights.

5. Zach Mettenberger: Simms says the LSU QB is interesting guy but has some concerns, wondering if his feet were just a half-step slow and he might have to work on quickness to drop. He also termed Zettenberger's arm a bit loose, causes occasional throws that makes you ask, "Where did that come from"

Wild cards: Simms found two QBs he would take a chance on later in the draft: Virginia Tech's Logan Thomas Pitt's Tom Savage.

Simms recognizes Thomas is raw, saying, "He might have the best 20 throws you will see from any of these quarterbacks, but he might also have the 20 worst throws."

As for Savage, Simms likes the way he can get a good throw off from any physical position, and make accurate throws across the field, and throws off his back foot are solid.
 
Donnybrook said:
I'm not buying what Tony Pauline is selling. The draft buzz about the Vikings supposedly targetting Mettenberger reminds me of the buzz about the Vikings targetting Manti Te'o. Mettenberger looks like a reach in the 2nd round just like Te'o looked like a reach at pick 23 last year.
QB in round 2 does make some sense though. I know many are down on Dalton, but the Bengals had a big decision to make 3 years ago. Grab somebody like Blaine Gabbert at #4 (who many ranked that highly going into the draft) or grab AJ Green/Julio Jones and come back with a QB later. That decision obviously worked out very well for the Bengals. Gabbert without AJ would have been a disaster. Green and Dalton have won 30 games in 3 seasons.

I suspect Zimmer sees this draft class similarly. A lot of really, really good position prospects. And a lot of QBs with question marks, but pretty good depth. If not Mettenberger, I think it will be another QB at the top of the 2nd for the Vikings.

 
wdcrob said:
If he was 'quietly' coveted no one would be telling Dane Brugler. Same thing with Mettenberg. Reminds me of Jonathan Franklin and how he was 'pushing his way into the first round' on a bunch of boards last year.

There may not be a worse signal/noise ratio on the entire planet than the BS that gets slung around ahead of the NFL draft.
Silver could have literally written his entire book with NFL Draft examples, lol.

 
Zach Mettenberger throws; Craig Loston cuts hair, looks fastGil Brandt

More than 150 personnel representing NFL teams — including five head coaches (Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints, Mike Zimmer of the Minnesota Vikings, Rex Ryan of the New York Jets, Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chip Kelly of the Philadelphia Eagles), as well as offensive line coaches from the Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers — were present to see 17 athletes work out at LSU’s pro day on Wednesday.

The workout was held indoors and run on FieldTurf.

Quarterback Zach Mettenberger (6-foot-4 1/2, 229 pounds) is just five months removed from knee surgery (following a left ACL tear in the Tigers’ regular-season finale), and was unable to go through the runs and jumps. He did, however, throw the ball. LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron orchestrated the entire part of the offensive portion of the pro day.

Odell Beckham, WR (5-11, 195 pounds) — Beckham stood on his numbers from the NFL Scouting Combine (he was a top performer in his position group in both the 20-yard and 60-yard shuttles). He was sensational in catching passes and punts in the on-field workout (Beckham was a first-team All-SEC selection as an all-purpose player, third-team All-American pick as an all-purpose player and earned the Paul Hornung Award as a result).

Jarvis Landry, WR (5-11 5/8, 196) — Landry — who was at the combine — ran the 40-yard dash in 4.63 and 4.60 seconds. He had a 30 1/2-inch vertical jump and 9-foot-5 broad jump. He did the short shuttle in 4.59 seconds and the three-cone drill in 7.59 seconds.

Trai Turner, G (6-2 3/8, 306) — Turner stood on his 40 time from the combine (he was a top performer in his position group in the event). Turner had a short shuttle time of 4.77 seconds and a three-cone drill time of 8.10 seconds. He had an 8-foot-6 broad jump.

Ego Ferguson, DT (6-2 7/8, 302) — Ferguson ran the 40 in 5.16 and 5.13 seconds. He had a 29 1/2-inch vertical jump and an 8-foot-3 broad jump. He did the short shuttle in 5.03 seconds and the three-cone drill in 8.00 seconds. He worked out really good in the positional drills.

Lamin Barrow, LB (6-1 3/4, 237) — Barrow ran the short shuttle in 4.31 seconds and opted to stand on the rest of his numbers from the combine (he was a top performer in his position group in the 40 and broad jump). Barrow was worked out by a linebackers coach from the New Orleans Saints and was described as being a very good athlete.

Anthony Johnson, DT (6-2 1/8, 311) — Johnson stood on his numbers from the combine and went through a position drill conducted by five defensive line coaches from the NFL. He was described as looking good moving around.

Alfred Blue, RB (6-2 1/4, 221) — Blue ran the 40 in 4.72 seconds on both attempts. He had a 32-inch vertical jump, and then stood on the rest of his numbers from the combine. Blue is described as a very good receiver coming out of the backfield.

J.C. Copeland, FB (5-11 3/4, 268) — Copeland ran the 40 in 4.97 and 4.94 seconds, and then stood on the rest of his numbers from the combine (he was a top performer in his position group on the bench press). Copeland is a former offensive tackle who was moved to fullback. He showed very soft hands catching the ball out of the backfield during the pro-day workout.

Jeremy Hill, RB (6-0 3/4, 234) — Hill ran the 40 in 4.53 seconds on both attempts. He had a 31-inch vertical jump and did the short shuttle in 4.59 seconds. He is described as being a smart player with an ability to play all downs. He is another LSU running back who also has soft hands catching the ball. At LSU’s pro day, he worked out as both a running back and flanked out wide with the ball being thrown to him as if he were a wide receiver. This is a player who has a chance to be the first running back selected in the draft.

Craig Loston, SS (6-0 1/2, 213) — Loston had a 32-inch vertical jump and then stood on the rest of his numbers from the combine. He had a very good day working out. The most notable thing about Loston between the Senior Bowl and LSU’s pro day was that he cut his hair. He looked sharp and quicker with his hair cut. Loston likely improved his draft position, and probably has a chance to get picked sometime between the bottom half of the second round to the early portion of the third round.
Rotoworld:

LSU WR Jarvis Landry ran a pair of 4.58 forties at the Tigers' Pro Day on Wednesday.
Landry also dropped "three to four passes" in what is being described as a "rough" day. This all comes on the heels of a disastrous Combine that saw Landry run a painfully-slow 4.77 forty before dropping out of the drill altogether with a calf problem. He was also significantly shorter than LSU listed him in college. Landry is staring at a slide possibly into the 4-7 round range.

Source: Aaron Wilson on Twitter
 
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2014 Pro Days: LSU's Zach Mettenberger rusty but recoveringBy Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

Zach Mettenberger underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL just a few months ago. On Wednesday, he wowed scouts with his quick recovery, donning shoulder pads and a helmet to throw dozens of passes during a Pro Day workout in front of representatives from every NFL team.

The workout, which was orchestrated by former Miami Dolphins head coach and Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator Cam Cameron (who now serves as LSU's OC), wasn't an easy one, I'm told. While Mettenberger elected not to compete in measureable drills, he surprised onlookers with his willingness to throw while on the move, completing several passes after rolling to his right.

The 6-foot-4, 229 pound Mettenberger boasts impressive arm strength, though he clearly tired as the workout went on. His accuracy wasn't ideal either, especially on shorter passes.

Given the fact that his injury took place in LSU's final regular season game, however, the fact that he's advanced enough to compete at all likely endeared him to some of the big names who attended the workout, including head coaches Chip Kelly (Eagles), Sean Payton (Saints), Rex Ryan (Jets), Mike Tomlin (Steelers) and Mike Zimmer (Vikings). A number of general managers were also on hand including Ruston Webster of the Titans, Jerry Reese of the Giants, Rick Spielman of the Vikings and Mickey Loomis of the Saints.

Mettenberger reportedly met with representatives of the Oakland Raiders last night and has plans to visit with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions next.

While the strong-armed quarterback certainly was the star attraction Wednesday, his talented former teammates also drew plenty of interest.

Wideout Jarvis Landry helped his cause early by shaving over two-tenths of a second off of his Combine 40-yard dash time with an unofficial 4.58-second showing. Unfortunately, he followed this up with several uncharacteristic drops during the positional workout.

Fellow pass-catcher, Odell Beckham, Jr. was the exact opposite, electing not to perform during measureable drills after a impressive Combine session but starring during the positional workout as both a receiver and returner.

LSU's talented defensive tackles, Anthony Johnson and Ego Ferguson, also put forth contrasting workouts.

Johnson enjoyed a solid positional workout after electing not to participate in measureable drills. Ferguson, on the other hand, helped his cause by shedding 15 pounds from his Combine measurement of 318 pounds and looked good with a 40-yard dash time of 5.08-5.11 seconds, according to LSUSports.net's unofficial Pro Day score card.

Unfortunately for Ferguson, he didn't show a great deal of explosiveness otherwise, registering a relatively average 29.5" vertical jump and 9'3" broad jump on Wednesday. He was also clocked at 7.94 seconds in the 3-cone drill, a time which would have beaten only Notre Dame's Louis Nix III among the 16 defensive tackles who tested in this drill in Indianapolis. The former Irish nose guard, for the sake of comparison, weighed in at 331 pounds, 29 pounds heavier than Ferguson.

While Ferguson's workout wasn't eye-popping, he did demonstrate his health, which some questioned after he missed the Combine workout due to a right ankle injury.

Running back Jeremy Hill enjoyed a solid workout, shaving nearly .15 seconds off of his Combine 40-yard dash time (4.66) with efforts ranging from 4.52-4.55 seconds.

While LSU's current stars were the focus, a number of former Tigers were on hand to take advantage of all the NFL eyes in attendance. Defensive end Sam Montgomery and quarterback Jordan Jefferson were among the ex-Tigers working out.
 
Davis: Austin Seferian-Jenkins 'more complete' than Eric EbronBy Bryan Fischer

College Football 24/7 writer

If you happened to be scrolling through NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah's latest mock draft, you probably were surprised to see the presence of Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins so high up in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

Seferian-Jenkins is generally considered the second- or third-best tight end available, but Jeremiah has him going 21st overall to the Green Bay Packers, the highest he's been on anybody's board in a while. Though he won the Mackey Award as the best tight end in the nation, he was hampered by off the field issues and injuries during his final year at Washington.

But at least one analyst agrees with Jeremiah that a lot of folks are underrating Seferian-Jenkins heading into May's draft.

"I've heard great reports on him lately," NFL Media analyst Charles Davis said on "Path to the Draft." "He's cut weight and looks like he's headed in an upper track and is the number two tight end. He should have always been challenging to be the number one tight end in this draft. I think he's more complete than Eric Ebron when his game is on."

Seferian-Jenkins caught 69 passes his sophomore season but saw his numbers fall off a bit in his final year with the Huskies. That was a red flag for some after he topped just about everyone's draft board heading into the 2013 season. His stock fell as the year went on, but Seferian-Jenkins still was able to haul in eight touchdown passes and keep his name in the NFL conversation.

It's been tough for Seferian-Jenkins to truly make a run at Ebron for the title of the draft's best tight end, however. Seferian-Jenkins didn't perform at the NFL Scouting Combine and missed his pro day in early April as he continues to deal with a pesky foot injury. With a late personal pro day and a handful of private workouts in the lead up to the draft, though, he still has a shot to make up some ground and show teams he has what it takes to be an impact player at the next level.

"When you talk about last season and his lack of production, Washington went to a different offense, too," NFL Network's Curtis Conway said. "He's 6-foot-6, 265 pounds, and he does remind me of Rob Gronkowski. The X-factor for me between Seferian-Jenkins and Ebron is in the red zone.

"Seferian-Jenkins in his career has 21 touchdowns. Ebron? Eight."

It would be a surprise if Seferian-Jenkins went ahead of Ebron in the draft, but he has the physical tools and ability on tape to develop into a better player at the next level for some team. Ebron will win every category related to athleticism and yards after the catch, but Seferian-Jenkins' ability to block and score near the goal line will have a number of tight-end coaches around the league begging to have him on their team.

One thing is certain: Seferian-Jenkins' size and mismatch ability will probably make him the best friend of whatever quarterback he finds himself playing with in the fall.

Follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter @BryanDFischer.
 

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