[Dynasty] 2014 Draft Prospects (1 Viewer)

[Ilov80s]

Let's say Watkins lands in a good spot. Where's he ranked in dynasty rankings right out of the box? And how likely is he to produce immediately?

I can't decide how high I should be on Watkins. If a guy isn't going to have 6'2+ type ideal height, Watkins is pretty much the best you can expect, right? And yet look at the top 6-8 dynasty WR's. They're all the tall, physically dominating type.

But there will always be the Wayne, Harvin, Maclin, DJax, Steve Smith types that succeed in the NFL. Watkins is bigger than Marqise Lee.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

Let's say Watkins lands in a good spot. Where's he ranked in dynasty rankings right out of the box? And how likely is he to produce immediately?

I can't decide how high I should be on Watkins. If a guy isn't going to have 6'2+ type ideal height, Watkins is pretty much the best you can expect, right? And yet look at the top 6-8 dynasty WR's. They're all the tall, physically dominating type.

Reminds me a little bit of Mike Wallace and Torrey Smith. Like a hybrid between those two, but better than either.

I prefer the agile/big body type of WR over the straight-line speedsters. Definitely not taking Watkins as a top 5-6 dynasty WR or trading any of those guys for him. I think you can make a case that he belongs in competition with the next tier like Cruz, Cobb, and Harvin. So for me he's probably a WR8-WR15 candidate.

I think thats a fair valuation, especially before we know his actual draft pedigree and landing spot.

The owner in one of my devy leagues wants an exorbitant amount for him--Brandon Marshall +

Of course if he has a good rookie year, he'll be untouchable. But there's a lot of potential downside to be paying that much for a prospect that doesn't have prototype size.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

Let's say Watkins lands in a good spot. Where's he ranked in dynasty rankings right out of the box? And how likely is he to produce immediately?

I can't decide how high I should be on Watkins. If a guy isn't going to have 6'2+ type ideal height, Watkins is pretty much the best you can expect, right? And yet look at the top 6-8 dynasty WR's. They're all the tall, physically dominating type.

But there will always be the Wayne, Harvin, Maclin, DJax, Steve Smith types that succeed in the NFL. Watkins is bigger than Marqise Lee.

That's true, but rankings/value-wise those guys have almost always played second fiddle to the bigger, more physical guys.

 

[ffgiant]

Let's say Watkins lands in a good spot. Where's he ranked in dynasty rankings right out of the box? And how likely is he to produce immediately?

I will take him around Top 10 WRs with the expectation of Immediate production i.e. weekly starter

 

[ConnSKINS26]

Let's say Watkins lands in a good spot. Where's he ranked in dynasty rankings right out of the box? And how likely is he to produce immediately?

I will take him around Top 10 WRs with the expectation of Immediate production i.e. weekly starter

Look at the WR position right now, it's loaded, and it's young. Who are you booting to make room for Watkins?

 

[aggs]

I think of the top 10 PPR scorers, only Antonio Brown and Garcon were "undersized" as far as fantasy.

The top 10 WRs in TDs were all big WRs. So it's why if I could redo my 2012 rookie draft I'd take Alshon Jeffrey over Kendall Wright...although I could just have easily taken Quick or Hill.

 

[Slapdash]

South Carolina junior WR Bruce Ellington will forgo his final season of eligibility and enter the NFL draft.

Ellington posted a huge game in the school's bowl win over Wisconsin, hauling in six passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns. If he was 50-50 on a decision prior to the game, that performance certainly did not hurt. Ellington, who also played basketball at South Carolina, appears to be in the third- to fourth-round range rather than a top-64 pick.

Source: Rixon Lane on Twitter Jan 3 - 10:40 AM

I haven't heard a lot about his pro prospects? I watched him tear up the Badgers on New Years Day. He looked more like a RB than a WR. Does he project as a WR or RB or both??

He projects as a WR. Normally supportive of Gamecocks getting paid by turning pro, but I don't see it here. He has made tons of clutch catches and has great hands/positioning. However, he is small and not especially big or quick.

Hope I'm wrong, but he should have stayed for another year under a more pass-happy system.

 

[coolnerd]

The concern with undersized guys is that there has to be more trust in his football skill and/or situation. There have been years (probably 2011) where there were as many average and below sized WRs in the top 12 as big guys. Being bigger faster stronger create stuff, but even if a draft class like this one (appearing to have really good depth) how many true big guys are there for us to ignore trying to figure out the better of the undersized?

 

[Spike]

Is it just me or does this seem to be the deepest draft for skill players (ok, mainly RB/WR/TE) as a whole than in recent memory?

 

[Concept Coop]

Is it just me or does this seem to be the deepest draft for skill players (ok, mainly RB/WR/TE) as a whole than in recent memory?

At WR, I'd say so. Last year was deeper at TE, just not as top heavy. RB doesn't seem any deeper than most years, to me.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

QB and WR are both pretty good. And RB and TE look about average -- though maybe without a true RB stud at the top of the class. So overall a strong class (at least I think so pre-combine).

 

[KiddLattimer]

Also, sometimes being the only viable option on a horrible team can be pretty good for a player's FF output. Like Josh Gordon, Mike Williams, Anquan Boldin, and Michael Clayton when they were rookies. I won't be downgrading any receivers based on going to the Raiders or Jets. Any decent talent on one of those teams will have a chance to get 130+ targets next season.

Yea that's fair. I should qualify what I said... if it was down to Evans on the Lions vs Lee on the Jets or something like that I'd be a little more torn. It's not that I wouldn't want Lee at all, but it would be important as a tie breaker.

 

[IHEARTFF]

so yeah, Watkins continues to amaze

 

[Soulfly3]

ya... im gonna need the #1 dyno pick

 

[slackjawedyokel]

Watkins = 1.01

I won my Dyno league AND have the 1.01 pick via savvy trades... has it reached consensus yet?

 

[Andrew74]

Watkins = 1.01

I won my Dyno league AND have the 1.01 pick via savvy trades... has it reached consensus yet?

Exact same for me...I was leaning Watkins at 1.01 (0.5PPR) and he's doing nothing to dissuade me tonight.

 

[32 Counter Pass]

He makes me salivate. ) But we could be saying the same thing about Benjamin if he has a monster game and declares. This WR class looks stack!

 

[Zab]

Sammy Watkins is a bad man.

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Leading up to the 2014 NFL Draft, Texas Tech junior TE Jace Amaro has accepted an unpaid internship at the San Antonio Express-News.
Amaro declared for the NFL Draft on New Year's Eve. Players and agents go to all kinds of lengths to improve an athlete's draft stock, but this is one of the most clever that we've seen. Amaro, who was arrested in 2012 on two state felony charges for credit/debit card abuse and misrepresentation of age by a minor, is going to face character questions from NFL teams. His decision to accept an internship as a a sports blogger speaks well to his character (as a soon-to-be-millionaire who will work for free) and endears himself to fans. It also gives him a forum in which he can directly or indirectly address the NFL's questions. "I'm about to have a big change when I go from Lubbock to the NFL," Amaro wrote. "I'll be one of 50 players on a team, and everything I do is scrutinized. I want to see how the press has changed in the social media age. I think people are quicker to jump to conclusions based on what they see online, and they can get the wrong image of you."

Source: San Antonio Express-News

UCF redshirt junior QB Blake Bortles received mostly first-round grades from the draft advisory board, reports CBS Sports' Jeremy Fowler.
After Wednesday's 52-42 upset win over Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl, NFL.com's Gil Brandt tweeted that Bortles was waiting on the advisory board's opinion before deciding whether or not he'd declare for the 2014 NFL Draft. Now that he's received the first-round answer most suspected, expect Bortles to make the leap; he has until Jan. 15 to officially do so. ESPN's Todd McShay has ranked the 6-foot-5, 230-pounder as the second-best quarterback prospect.

Source: Jeremy Fowler on Twitter

 

[Rodeojones]

Rotoworld:

Leading up to the 2014 NFL Draft, Texas Tech junior TE Jace Amaro has accepted an unpaid internship at the San Antonio Express-News.
Amaro declared for the NFL Draft on New Year's Eve. Players and agents go to all kinds of lengths to improve an athlete's draft stock, but this is one of the most clever that we've seen. Amaro, who was arrested in 2012 on two state felony charges for credit/debit card abuse and misrepresentation of age by a minor, is going to face character questions from NFL teams. His decision to accept an internship as a a sports blogger speaks well to his character (as a soon-to-be-millionaire who will work for free) and endears himself to fans. It also gives him a forum in which he can directly or indirectly address the NFL's questions. "I'm about to have a big change when I go from Lubbock to the NFL," Amaro wrote. "I'll be one of 50 players on a team, and everything I do is scrutinized. I want to see how the press has changed in the social media age. I think people are quicker to jump to conclusions based on what they see online, and they can get the wrong image of you."

Source: San Antonio Express-News

UCF redshirt junior QB Blake Bortles received mostly first-round grades from the draft advisory board, reports CBS Sports' Jeremy Fowler.
After Wednesday's 52-42 upset win over Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl, NFL.com's Gil Brandt tweeted that Bortles was waiting on the advisory board's opinion before deciding whether or not he'd declare for the 2014 NFL Draft. Now that he's received the first-round answer most suspected, expect Bortles to make the leap; he has until Jan. 15 to officially do so. ESPN's Todd McShay has ranked the 6-foot-5, 230-pounder as the second-best quarterback prospect.

Source: Jeremy Fowler on Twitter

Jace Amaro's first blog is up.

Link

 

[Faust]

2014 NFL Draft: WR Marqise Lee going pro with an eye on the first round


By Dane Brugler | NFLDraftScout.com Senior Analyst

January 3, 2014 10:45 pm ET

USC junior wide receiver Marqise Lee will bypass his senior year and enter the 2014 NFL, he announced via his Twitter account Friday night.

Lee is ranked as the No. 3 draft-eligible wide receiver and the No. 17 prospect overall by NFLDraftScout.com. He ranks just behind Clemson's Sammy Watkins and Texas A&M's Mike Evans among the wide receivers. Lee didn't have the 2013 season most expected due to a knee injury that caused him to miss three games, but Lee leaves the Trojans with several school receiving records.

Listed at 6-0, 195, Lee has average height and a lanky build, but his athleticism and playmaking ability with the ball are why he's viewed as a first round prospect. He tracks the ball well and does a nice job elevating to attack it in the air. Lee is a gliding athlete with fluid movements, using his ankle flexion and joint flexibility to elude tacklers and be dangerous after the catch. He has the body control and focus to make some impressive grabs, but he'll also drop too many easy ones.

Despite missing three games and parts of several others, Lee still led the Trojans in receptions (57) this season, but he had only four scores. He set several records last season as a sophomore when he finished with 118 catches for 1,721 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

The biggest question mark for Lee as scouts project him to the next level might be the durability of his left knee. Is it a lingering issue or will it be at full health by NFL training camp? Those questions will be answered at the Combine when Lee goes through the medical process of the pre-draft gauntlet.

With Watkins and Evans projected as top-20 picks in the first round, Lee is a tad underrated after a quiet junior season. But he is still very much in the first round discussion.

 

[Faust]

2014 NFL Draft: McCarron, Kouandjio struggle in Sugar Bowl loss

 

[Soulfly3]

Watkins 1.01, 110% guaranteed in Dyno

wowwwwwwwwwwwww

 

[BoltzNBrew]

Picking 2nd and Watkins is gone....what do you do?

 

[IHEARTFF]

yup, WATKINS :IBTL:

 

[Milkman]

Good. I think he'll have a hard time ever cracking the top 10 wr because he doesn't have elite size. He's going out with a bang tonight though.

 

[Soulfly3]

Picking 2nd and Watkins is gone....what do you do?

evans or lee based on team drafted to and gut feeling on who will excel in the league

 

[BoltzNBrew]

Picking 2nd and Watkins is gone....what do you do?

evans or lee based on team drafted to and gut feeling on who will excel in the league

Thinking the same way not really needing RB or QB. I also have #8 and #15. Plan on seeing which RB/WR falls there at 8 and maybe 1 of the 3 TE at 15. All that could change over the next 4 months though.

 

[Milkman]

Picking 2nd and Watkins is gone....what do you do?

I think you happily take Seastrunk or Hyde.

 

[slackjawedyokel]

Good. I think he'll have a hard time ever cracking the top 10 wr because he doesn't have elite size. He's going out with a bang tonight though.

I kind of agree... And depending on where he is drafted he could be in a hodgepodge situation. Still, 1.01 is his to lose. Which team is most likely to grab him early? Maybe the Jets.

 

[ILUVBEER99]

Picking 2nd and Watkins is gone....what do you do?

I think you happily take Seastrunk or Hyde.

hyde is grossly underrated by FF folks. He's not flashy but a complete RB who is a great blocker and capable receiver. Many are sleeping on him, he's gonna be a starting RB in the NFL.

 

[ShaHBucks]

Let's say Watkins lands in a good spot. Where's he ranked in dynasty rankings right out of the box? And how likely is he to produce immediately?

I can't decide how high I should be on Watkins. If a guy isn't going to have 6'2+ type ideal height, Watkins is pretty much the best you can expect, right? And yet look at the top 6-8 dynasty WR's. They're all the tall, physically dominating type.

But there will always be the Wayne, Harvin, Maclin, DJax, Steve Smith types that succeed in the NFL. Watkins is bigger than Marqise Lee.

I noticed that the smaller/speed WRs are generally more QB dependent than the big WR tend to be. If someone like Marqise Lee went to Oak I'd have no interest.

 

[Milkman]

Good. I think he'll have a hard time ever cracking the top 10 wr because he doesn't have elite size. He's going out with a bang tonight though.

I kind of agree... And depending on where he is drafted he could be in a hodgepodge situation. Still, 1.01 is his to lose. Which team is most likely to grab him early? Maybe the Jets.

He'll be gone before the Jets make a selection.

 

[aggs]

What's likely to happen is Watkins gets drafted in the Top 10 on a team who doesn't know how to use him.

 

[Milkman]

When I watch Watkins I see a bigger Steve Smith. If he falls to me @ 1.02 I hope I'm right.

 

[jeter23]

What's likely to happen is Watkins gets drafted in the Top 10 on a team who doesn't know how to use him.

Did you watch the Rams or Vikings much this year?

 

[Faust]

Clemson's Sammy Watkins has record night in Orange BowlBy Mike Huguenin

College Football 24/7 writer

Clemson junior wide receiver Sammy Watkins seems certain to turn pro. That means the best game of his career came in his final college game.

Watkins (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) put on a show in Clemson's 40-35 thriller over Ohio State in Friday night's Orange Bowl in Miami. Watkins, playing about two hours from his hometown of Fort Myers, Fla., set school and Orange Bowl records for receptions in a game with 16 and receiving yards in a game with 227. He had two TD receptions, including a gorgeous 30-yard grab in which he high-pointed the ball in the end zone.

He was effective on short routes and intermediate routes, showing off his excellent hands and big-time speed. His first TD came on a 34-yarder in which he simply blew past Ohio State's Vonn Bell; the Buckeyes didn't bump him off the line, nor did Bell have help deep, so Watkins ran in untouched.

After the game, Watkins told reporters he will decide whether he will turn pro once he talks to his parents and coaches.

"That's going to be a short conversation with me," said Tigers coach Dabo Swinney, who has said he doesn't expect Watkins to return.

Watkins got some help from senior quarterback Tajh Boyd, who against Ohio State's sieve-like secondary went 30 of 39 for 370 yards and five TDs. He did throw two interceptions, including a horrible pick in the final two minutes as the Tigers were attempting to run out the clock. Luckily for the Tigers, the Buckeyes promptly turned it right back over.

Boyd also ran for a team-high 127 yards on 20 carries and scored on a 48-yard burst up the middle; he finished with 497 total yards. Boyd is a tough, physical runner and also showed off better-than-expected speed on the 48-yarder.

His decision-making still causes some concerns, though; in addition to the two interceptions, he also was called for intentional grounding while standing in the end zone in the first quarter. That shouldn't happen to senior quarterbacks.

Two of Boyd's TD passes went to junior Martavis Bryant (6-5, 200), who also may have played his final game. Bryant's second TD grab was one of the best plays of the night, as he was interfered with but still grabbed a tipped ball and got his feet in to give Clemson a 34-29 lead with 32 seconds in the third quarter.

Bryant has an excellent combination of size and speed, but he drops a lot of easy passes and has been criticized by coach Dabo Swinney in the past for a lack of focus both on the field and off.

It also might have been the final game for junior defensive end Vic Beasley (6-2, 235), whose quickness gave Ohio State star offensive tackle Jack Mewhort fits all night. Beasley and the rest of Clemson's defensive line were in Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller's face all night.

Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.

 

[Faust]

NFL Draft: Sammy Watkins catches Orange Bowl win for Clemson


By Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

January 4, 2014 12:18 am ET

There were plenty of star-worthy performances in an instant classic of an Orange Bowl between Clemson and Ohio State but junior wideout Sammy Watkins shined brightest with a record-setting performance in the Tigers' heart-stopping 40-35 victory.

In a game that featured two shocking, inexecusable interceptions from star quarterbacks Tajh Boyd and Braxton Miller in the final two minutes of the game, Watkins was the constant.

Watkins caught 16 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns, demonstrating the agility, acceleration and strong hands which has earned him NFLDraftScout.com's top spot among potentially NFL draft-eligible receivers.

With Ohio State's star cornerback Bradley Roby unable to suit up due to a bone bruise suffered against Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship game, Watkins was expected to perform well. He did more than that. Watkins dominated.

A more dynamic athlete than former teammate and Houston Texans' 2013 first round pick DeAndre Hopkins, Watkins caught his passes on a variety of routes, including quick screens to take advantage of his ability to make defenders miss in close quarters, deep passes due to his acceleration and jump balls to highlight his leaping ability and hand-eye coordination.

Watkins' first touchdown was actually one of his easiest receptions of the night. Lining up in the slot, he took off on a deep vertical down the middle, hauling in a well thrown pass from Boyd to give the Tigers a 14-7 lead in the first quarter.

His third quarter touchdown also came after lining up in the slot. As he ran down the field, however, Watkins slipped outside, saw Boyd's pass was short and leaped into the air, snatching the pass at its highest point to steal away any chance of Ohio State's Doran Grant knocking the ball free.

Watkins was at his best catching screens, where his extraordinary burst made him a constant threat to turn a short pass into a long gain.

Every college football team in the country uses screen passes to get the ball into the hands of their top playmaker in space. Most teams rely on blocking to free their athlete. Watkins showcased the vision to follow his blockers when they were in position but rather than wait, he often simply caught and ran in one fluid motion, consistently catching a fast Ohio State defense flat-footed. This wasn't a demonstration of lethargy or poor coaching by the Buckeyes, instead it was a lesson for scouts that Watkins' engine has a nitro burst.

The third-year junior is expected to join USC's Marqise Lee and Texas A&M's Mike Evans in making himself eligible for the 2014 draft soon. Lee announced his intentions to enter the draft Friday night, despite a disappointing junior campaign. Evans, a redshirt sophomore, made his announcement known on Thursday.

While Watkins was the unquestioned star for the Tigers, the beauty of this bowl game was that impressive performances were turned in by each team's top stars. Ohio State rode stars Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde throughout the game. Boyd threw for five touchdowns and ran for another while defenders Vic Beasley and Spencer Shuey were all over field on defense.

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Missouri redshirt junior RB Henry Josey rushed for 92 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries in a 41-31 victory over Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl.
Only two years removed from a gruesome knee injury, the speedy back toasted the Cowboys in a huge game for the Tigers' program. Josey may have been playing in his final collegiate game. He told the Colombia Missourian in the days leading up to the game that he was thinking of bolting for the NFL. "Admits the possibility of another injury could factor in to decision," tweeted Missourian reporter Matthew Fairburn. Josey's decision could come down to what he hears back from the NFL's draft advisory board.

Source: Matthew Fairburn on Twitter

Ohio State junior QB Braxton Miller completed 16 of 24 attempts for 234 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 40-35 loss to Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
He ran for 35 yards and a pair of TDs on 18 carries. It was Miller's fourth career game with two or more touchdowns through both the air and on the ground; the only two active players with more are Jordan Lynch and Johnny Manziel, both of whom are expected to spend next season in the pros. Miller will announce his draft intentions over the next few days.

Clemson junior WR Sammy Watkins caught an Orange Bowl record 16 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns against Ohio State in Friday's win.
This was Watkins' riding-off-into-the-sunset collegiate moment. Watkins (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) finishes his junior (and probably final) season with 113 catches for 1,659 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. NFL.com's Bucky Brooks tweeted during the game: "Sammy Watkins is making a strong case tonight. Big-time playmaker. He is the epitome of a No.1 receiver." Rotoworld's Josh Norris ranks Watkins the No. 6 overall prospect in May's draft. "An explosive player with the ball in his hands, gets up to high gear very quickly," Norris writes. "Will go across the middle and catch passes in tight windows. Cuts routes off very quickly."

Source: Bucky Brooks on Twitter

Clemson QB Tajh Boyd completed 31 of 40 attempts for 378 passing yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions in a 40-35 victory against Ohio State in Friday's Orange Bowl.
He also gashed OSU on the ground, running for 127 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. Boyd finished the season by throwing for three or more touchdowns in four of five games. Despite a stellar performance in an upset win, the polarizing prospect drew heat from analysts during the contest after throwing a pair of interceptions. "At this point, it would be a surprise if Boyd cracks the top-32 picks," CBS Sports' Dane Brugler tweeted during the game, "and it wouldn't surprise me if he's not drafted in the top-75 either." He added in another tweet: "Over the summer, I thought Boyd could be a 1st rounder but in my opinion he showed almost no improvement from 2012, especially with accuracy."

Source: Dane Brugler on Twitter

CBS Sports' Dane Brugler tweeted that "people are going to be shocked when" UCF redshirt junior QB Blake Bortles "goes No. 1 overall to the Texans."
"Bortles going top-10 isn't a media creation," Brugler tweeted on Thursday. "Because some scouts think he's the top QB, does that mean a GM will draft him top-10? Of course not. But it's not as crazy as most think." The NFL's draft advisory board gave Bortles mostly first-round grades and it would be an utter shock if he doesn't declare for the draft prior to Jan. 15's deadline. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound signal caller's movement skills and strength in the pocket remind us of Andrew Luck and Ben Roethlisberger.

Source: Dane Brugler on Twitter

Arizona junior RB Ka'Deem Carey is leaning toward entering the 2014 NFL Draft, reports Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports.
Getlin passes along that Carey has received a second-round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board. If he indeed declares, the 5-foot-10, 207-pounder will have finished his collegiate career with 16 consecutive 100 yard games. Carey told reporters last month that he'd probably declare for the draft if he receives a first- or second-round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board. The junior is shiftier than a cheap lawyer and has drawn comparisons to Bengals rookie Gio Bernard and Eagles star Shady McCoy.

Source: Rand Getlin on Twitter

 

[Time Kibitzer]

Clemson QB Tajh Boyd completed 31 of 40 attempts for 378 passing yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions in a 40-35 victory against Ohio State in Friday's Orange Bowl.
He also gashed OSU on the ground, running for 127 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. Boyd finished the season by throwing for three or more touchdowns in four of five games. Despite a stellar performance in an upset win, the polarizing prospect drew heat from analysts during the contest after throwing a pair of interceptions. "At this point, it would be a surprise if Boyd cracks the top-32 picks," CBS Sports' Dane Brugler tweeted during the game, "and it wouldn't surprise me if he's not drafted in the top-75 either." He added in another tweet: "Over the summer, I thought Boyd could be a 1st rounder but in my opinion he showed almost no improvement from 2012, especially with accuracy."

Source: Dane Brugler on Twitter

Boyd's a real interesting prospect to me, I think he's really underrated right now. Guy has a cannon, nice touch, a stocky build, and his production is pretty ridiculous. His CMP% and YPA are both super high, and when you take into account his rushing TDs he's TD/turnover ratio is damn good. I know a lot of draft experts say he's inconsistent, but I think those claims are overblown. Boyd's completed 60+% of his passes in all but 1 game this season, and really has only played poorly 3 times over the past 2 seasons. Though I will say at times he can trust his arm too much and end up making some dumb decisions by forcing some passes.

Overall his game kind of reminds me of a combination of Donovan McNabb and Russell Wilson. I think he'll be a steal for the team that drafts him if he falls to the 3rd or 4th round like nfldraftscout projects him to go, and I think his running ability will make him real relevant for fantasy purposes. Though it might take him a year or 2 to get used to taking snaps under center.

 

[Gandalf]

Sammy Watkins... Orange Bowl record of 16 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns. Wow. That is the definition of domination. He's top 5 overall in real NFL in my book. I think St. Louis should take him at 2 actually.

 

[Spike]

Maybe I just missed them, but did Watkins catch anything other than a swing pass or a WR screen pass?

 

[tdmills]

Yeah, I know this is an odd thing to say, but I really think most of the non-FF draftniks are missing the boat on Seastrunk big time.

He's going to murder the combine, then shoot up to where he should have been in rankings all along. And some will say he's just benefiting from the combine because he's a workout warrior, which won't be true at all.

Obviously the injury in the middle of an incredible season shifted the spotlight away from him at the worst time. But people are really missing on this guy.

He'll definitely kill the combine and i like him, but still not 100% sold on him as a workhorse NFL RB.

I'm not sure he has to be viewed as a workhorse. Bernard had a few TD's and some explosive plays and he was annointed top-10, top-5 for some people. He hasn't proven his own team even WANTS him to attempt a workhorse role, nevermind whether he can handle it or not.

If Seastrunk looks natural catching the ball at the combine, watch out.

The guy is a really good prospect (a better prospect than Bernard was IMO). With Ray Rice, MJD, and Shady McCoy there were obvious reasons why they weren't first round picks (lack of prototypical size for the first two, bad workout for McCoy). I think it's going to be harder to find a real flaw with Seastrunk when the dust settles. His production is strong. He has the right kind of frame for an elusive type of back. Very solid for his height. He makes game-changing plays.

The only major negatives I can see are that he plays in a gimmicky offense where every RB produces, he's had some minor injury issues, and he has a bit of an oddball personality from what I gather. I'm not sure that will be enough to keep him out of the first. Provided that he catches the ball pretty well, I see him being rated approximately along the same lines as Gio Bernard/David Wilson/DeAngelo Williams. So I think a team in the late 1st might snatch him. We'll see.

It's a bit of a surprise to me that he's not going higher in mocks and that the draft sites don't seem to like him a little more. While I don't quite view him as a slam dunk lock, at this exact moment in time I actually have him rated as the best NFL prospect at RB plying his wares in college football right now. I'd take him over Gurley/Yeldon/Gordon and none of the freshmen have shown enough yet to be rated higher.

I might have only Lesean McCoy rated higher as a dynasty RB over Todd Gurley right now in the entire world. But you have Lache Seastrunk rated higher over Gurley...smh.

Seastrunk is not a natural RB, he's a fast guy trying to play RB. What does that mean? It means he doesn't have those instincts to play that position and it shows up on the field all the time. That's why you'll see him running at 45 degree angles to the sideline and then up field(won't work in the league). I literally saw him stop during a run at the 2nd level this year vs Kansas because he was unsure of where to go next. Vs Iowa State this year, he was 1 on 1 with a defender and made a move. It didn't work, so he just turned his back into the defender and tried to get a couple yards. Really? Your back? Try that in the NFL and he'll get drilled. He's not going to have all of that time in the NFL, like he had because of the benefit in Baylor's really wide offense. He has poor vision, many times I saw him running into his blockers. He doesn't break many tackles and he doesn't look smooth doing it. I was always a big C. Patterson supporter (see an article I wrote last year http://mattwaldmanrsp.com/2013/04/04/the-elusiveness-factor-patterson-austin-woods-by-nick-whalen/) and Patterson is smooth in making people miss. Smooth=making it look easy. Seastrunk is the opposite of that, in that it doesn't come natural and looks hard for him to do it. I also don't think he possesses great lateral agility. He has some, but if you're going to be a speed back...you need to make people miss or you're a Michael Bennett type.

My comparison for Seastrunk is Spiller/David Wilson. He's a great athlete, but doesn't have a feel for the position. Hence, some FF owners are going to geek all over him because of his speed. However, that doesn't always translate to the NFL. Reggie Bush has 10X better lateral agility, but he didn't have the mindset to play RB in the NFL for many years...just like Seastrunk. Spiller still is struggling, David Wilson, etc.

 

[jurb26]

Maybe I just missed them, but did Watkins catch anything other than a swing pass or a WR screen pass?

Not really. He ran 3 routes pretty much all game. Bubble screen, go route and a skinny post. We never saw him best a jam or really run any NFL routes. I think his performance last night is being blown out of proportion in fantasy circles. He was the top WR in this class prior and he still is. Personally, I didn't see anything last night that I hadn't before and don't see it as worth moving him up. Another Clemson WR should be on the draft radar though, Martavis Bryant. He's had an impressive season, 828 yds and 7 TDs. I posted about him in the 2015/2016 thread but he very likely will come out this year now. He's 6'5" with sub 4.3 speed (according to sources at Clemson). Some say he's the fasted player on the team, including Watkins. I'm not sure about that. I've heard he is the closest guy to Watkins in Clemson workouts but Watkins edges him pretty consistently. I like his range, catch radius, ability to separate, body control and ability to fight for the ball in tight spaces. Right now he's probably a 5th or 6th round guy who could move up boards. He could post Herculean numbers at the combine.

 

[Gandalf]

Watkins catch.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?list=TLFpif1HnNPbJwWT4CIywnP5zmNSX-w2Jm&v=SACKxzn9YJA&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DSACKxzn9YJA%26list%3DTLFpif1HnNPbJwWT4CIywnP5zmNSX-w2Jm

Simply awesome.

 

[jurb26]

I might have only Lesean McCoy rated higher as a dynasty RB over Todd Gurley right now in the entire world. But you have Lache Seastrunk rated higher over Gurley...smh.

Seastrunk is not a natural RB, he's a fast guy trying to play RB. What does that mean? It means he doesn't have those instincts to play that position and it shows up on the field all the time. That's why you'll see him running at 45 degree angles to the sideline and then up field(won't work in the league). I literally saw him stop during a run at the 2nd level this year vs Kansas because he was unsure of where to go next. Vs Iowa State this year, he was 1 on 1 with a defender and made a move. It didn't work, so he just turned his back into the defender and tried to get a couple yards. Really? Your back? Try that in the NFL and he'll get drilled. He's not going to have all of that time in the NFL, like he had because of the benefit in Baylor's really wide offense. He has poor vision, many times I saw him running into his blockers. He doesn't break many tackles and he doesn't look smooth doing it. I was always a big C. Patterson supporter (see an article I wrote last year http://mattwaldmanrsp.com/2013/04/04/the-elusiveness-factor-patterson-austin-woods-by-nick-whalen/) and Patterson is smooth in making people miss. Smooth=making it look easy. Seastrunk is the opposite of that, in that it doesn't come natural and looks hard for him to do it. I also don't think he possesses great lateral agility. He has some, but if you're going to be a speed back...you need to make people miss or you're a Michael Bennett type.

My comparison for Seastrunk is Spiller/David Wilson. He's a great athlete, but doesn't have a feel for the position. Hence, some FF owners are going to geek all over him because of his speed. However, that doesn't always translate to the NFL. Reggie Bush has 10X better lateral agility, but he didn't have the mindset to play RB in the NFL for many years...just like Seastrunk. Spiller still is struggling, David Wilson, etc.

I'm totally with you on Seastrunk. I've tried over and over again to see him as a top RB prospect but I just never come away feeling like he is when I watch him. I've been keeping him atop my rankings the past few months thinking I'm just not seeing something. I'm not willing to do that any longer though. I agree, he seems like a great athlete running in a lot of open spaces thanks to Baylors offensive scheme. He isn't in the same stratosphere as Gurley as a prospect. That's not saying a lot from me however because I've been a long time Gurley fan and think he's a Peterson level prospect. Regardless, I think there are at least 3 RBs in next years class better than Seastrunk, much better actually. I think there could be at least 2 better in this class.

 

[Soulfly3]

I think there could be at least 2 better in this class.

who, may I ask?

 

[jurb26]

I think there could be at least 2 better in this class.

who, may I ask?

Hyde, Sankey and potentially Freeman.

 

[MAC_32]

How does the 2014 WR class look compared to last year?

Right now it doesn't look as good, but there is some upside, in my opinion.

could not disagree more.

 

[MAC_32]

Picking 2nd and Watkins is gone....what do you do?

I think you happily take Seastrunk or Hyde.

I have picks 1 and 3. Original plan was seastrunk then Watkins or Lee. Re thinking that plan now...