[Dynasty] 2014 Draft Prospects (2 Viewers)

[Sabertooth]

Has Berman called him Bridge over Troubled Waters yet?

 

[Xue]

Jayson Braddock continues to be one of the worst evaluators out there (at least when it comes to RB/WR evaluation):

https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452126748679741440

https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452127167615627264

https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452127595740405760

My Top 20 WRs: 1) Sammy Watkins 2) Allen Robinson 3) O'dell Beckham 4) Mike Evans 5) Cody Latimer 6) Bruce Ellington 7) Jarvis Landry

Top 20 WRs cont'd: 8) Michael Campanaro 9) Robert Herron 10) Brandin Cooks 11) Marqise Lee 12) Davante Adams 13) Jared Abbrederis

Top 20 WRs: 14) Jordan Matthews 15) Josh Huff 16) Martavis Bryant 17) Kelvin Benjamin 18) Jalen Saunders 19) Donte Moncrief 20) Devin Street

I like the Latimer ranking. But Davante Adams and Jordan Matthews that low? Campanaro 8th? Just another slot guy who wasn't that good at the Senior Bowl.

He then says this about Cooks: https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452131078535254016

Brandin Cooks - Adjusts to ball well. Great hands. Willing over the middle. Fast w/ twitch. Not the accel of Lee, much better hands.

How's this for acceleration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldy9DbnryAo

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

ESPN's Ashley Fox writes there is a "growing sentiment" that Fresno State QB Derek Carr could be the Browns pick at No. 4.
"Cleveland could decide that Carr is its guy and use the fourth overall pick on him despite owning three picks in the top 35, including No. 26 overall," Fox writes. The comment comes directly after citing a statement from ESPN's Louis Riddick, a former NFL exec, saying Carr "was very comfortable with the footwork, timing, mechanics, accuracy that he's going to need at the NFL level," which was displayed at the Senior Bowl and during his pro day.

Source: ESPN.com

The Sideline View's Lance Zierlein expects Pitt QB Tom Savage and LSU QB Zach Mettenberger to be selected in the second-round.
"Anyone who believes that Tom Savage is going late in this draft doesn't realize how many teams are heating up on him," Zierlein previously tweeted, ending the statement with "Arm Talent." Traditional NFL evaluators will certainly fall for aspects of Savage's game, including a big arm and big frame who does his best work in the pocket, but it can be tough to conclude if the poor pocket movement he displayed in 2013 was due to a poor offensive or his lack of poise.

Source: Lance Zierlein on Twitter

 

[Faust]

Aaron Murray ready to throw for teams at Georgia's pro day

 

[Donnybrook]

The Sideline View's Lance Zierlein expects Pitt QB Tom Savage and LSU QB Zach Mettenberger to be selected in the second-round.
"Anyone who believes that Tom Savage is going late in this draft doesn't realize how many teams are heating up on him," Zierlein previously tweeted, ending the statement with "Arm Talent." Traditional NFL evaluators will certainly fall for aspects of Savage's game, including a big arm and big frame who does his best work in the pocket, but it can be tough to conclude if the poor pocket movement he displayed in 2013 was due to a poor offensive or his lack of poise.

Source: Lance Zierlein on Twitter

I'm not high on Mettenberger or any of the middle tier QBs. It seems odd that tall strong armed pocket passer like Foles didn't get drafted until the late 3rd but Mettenberger coming off an ACL and Savage who transferred twice before finding a home are expected to be drafted in the 2nd. I pretty sure that 4 possibly 5 QBs will get drafted before these guys. The demand is high but probably not that high IMO. It is not like these guys have the upside of Kaepernick or Dalton for that matter.

I won't be surprised if many of these supposed 2nd round QBs don't go until the 4th.

 

[Time Kibitzer]

Personally I like Mettenberger quite a bit, makes for a great project guy imo. Dude looks really natural throwing the ball, and his stats were very good in his senior year. He's gonna need to work on his footwork a decent bit though, he looks like a statue out there.

I agree on Tom Savage being overrated though. He certainly looks the part, but his statistics are pretty weak. He's definitely not someone I'd be comfortable spending a 2nd rounder on.

 

[Brewtown]

Personally I like Mettenberger quite a bit, makes for a great project guy imo. Dude looks really natural throwing the ball, and his stats were very good in his senior year. He's gonna need to work on his footwork a decent bit though, he looks like a statue out there.

I agree on Tom Savage being overrated though. He certainly looks the part, but his statistics are pretty weak. He's definitely not someone I'd be comfortable spending a 2nd rounder on.

I like Mettenberger as well.... I think he will be leading an NFL team by mid 2015....

 

[Rhythmdoctor]

Rotoworld:

ESPN's Ashley Fox writes there is a "growing sentiment" that Fresno State QB Derek Carr could be the Browns pick at No. 4.
"Cleveland could decide that Carr is its guy and use the fourth overall pick on him despite owning three picks in the top 35, including No. 26 overall," Fox writes. The comment comes directly after citing a statement from ESPN's Louis Riddick, a former NFL exec, saying Carr "was very comfortable with the footwork, timing, mechanics, accuracy that he's going to need at the NFL level," which was displayed at the Senior Bowl and during his pro day.

Source: ESPN.com

Speaking of Carr, the more tape I watch on Davante Adams, the more apparent it becomes that David Carr has phenomenal accuracy. I'm not sure why he hasn't been more in the discussion for top QB in this class. I think Carr might be my #2 QB after Bridge over troubled Waters!

 

[Donnybrook]

Personally I like Mettenberger quite a bit, makes for a great project guy imo. Dude looks really natural throwing the ball, and his stats were very good in his senior year. He's gonna need to work on his footwork a decent bit though, he looks like a statue out there.

I agree on Tom Savage being overrated though. He certainly looks the part, but his statistics are pretty weak. He's definitely not someone I'd be comfortable spending a 2nd rounder on.

Do teams take project guys in the 2nd round? Take a look of his lowlights/highlights against Old Miss: http://draftbreakdown.com/video/zach-mettenberger-vs-ole-miss-2013/ Good thing LSU has a good defense and running game. Most teams would get blown out if their QB played like that.

 

[Mingooch]

As a Rutgers Alum, Savage is horrible on a good day. I don't get the hype for him this year. Good size and all, but that is where it ends.

 

[Brewtown]

Personally I like Mettenberger quite a bit, makes for a great project guy imo. Dude looks really natural throwing the ball, and his stats were very good in his senior year. He's gonna need to work on his footwork a decent bit though, he looks like a statue out there.

I agree on Tom Savage being overrated though. He certainly looks the part, but his statistics are pretty weak. He's definitely not someone I'd be comfortable spending a 2nd rounder on.

Do teams take project guys in the 2nd round? Take a look of his lowlights/highlights against Old Miss: http://draftbreakdown.com/video/zach-mettenberger-vs-ole-miss-2013/ Good thing LSU has a good defense and running game. Most teams would get blown out if their QB played like that.

Are you a glass half full or half empty type of guy....

 

[Time Kibitzer]

Personally I like Mettenberger quite a bit, makes for a great project guy imo. Dude looks really natural throwing the ball, and his stats were very good in his senior year. He's gonna need to work on his footwork a decent bit though, he looks like a statue out there.

I agree on Tom Savage being overrated though. He certainly looks the part, but his statistics are pretty weak. He's definitely not someone I'd be comfortable spending a 2nd rounder on.

Do teams take project guys in the 2nd round? Take a look of his lowlights/highlights against Old Miss: http://draftbreakdown.com/video/zach-mettenberger-vs-ole-miss-2013/ Good thing LSU has a good defense and running game. Most teams would get blown out if their QB played like that.

Teams spend top 10 picks on project guys, of course they take them in the 2nd round. And one bad game doesn't make me hate a player any more than one great game makes me love a player; one game makes for a pretty terrible sample size. After 12 games he had a 65% CMP%, a 10.4 YPA, and a 2.75 TD/INT ratio, all very fine numbers.

 

[ShaHBucks]

As a Rutgers Alum, Savage is horrible on a good day. I don't get the hype for him this year. Good size and all, but that is where it ends.

He makes jaw-dropping throws at times. At times he's reckless with the ball. His size, his velocity and his release throwing the ball combined might be best in class. I think most of the interested teams are taking into account that he was at his third program in 4 years and are looking for a hidden gem. He was starting to dail it in as the season went along. 56.2% Comp. Pct., 247.8 yards passing, 2.0 TD/1.2 INT = Savage per game, first five games of 2013

64.3% Comp. Pct., 248.5 yards passing, 1.7 TD/0.5 INT = Savage per game, final six games minus Bowl game (iinjury)

Not stunning output, but my point is you can see he was getting better. A bunch of 'what if's' start to pop up. He might not be ready now, but for the price I'd 'overpay' a round to see how he develops with some continuity. He is worth the investment over some of the fraud QB being touted. I have my eye on if he gets drafted by a team with a mess at QB like Jacksonville.

 

[ShaHBucks]

Jayson Braddock continues to be one of the worst evaluators out there (at least when it comes to RB/WR evaluation): https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452126748679741440https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452127167615627264https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452127595740405760

My Top 20 WRs: 1) Sammy Watkins 2) Allen Robinson 3) O'dell Beckham 4) Mike Evans 5) Cody Latimer 6) Bruce Ellington 7) Jarvis Landry

Top 20 WRs cont'd: 8) Michael Campanaro 9) Robert Herron 10) Brandin Cooks 11) Marqise Lee 12) Davante Adams 13) Jared Abbrederis

Top 20 WRs: 14) Jordan Matthews 15) Josh Huff 16) Martavis Bryant 17) Kelvin Benjamin 18) Jalen Saunders 19) Donte Moncrief 20) Devin Street

I like the Latimer ranking. But Davante Adams and Jordan Matthews that low? Campanaro 8th? Just another slot guy who wasn't that good at the Senior Bowl. He then says this about Cooks: https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452131078535254016

Brandin Cooks - Adjusts to ball well. Great hands. Willing over the middle. Fast w/ twitch. Not the accel of Lee, much better hands.

How's this for acceleration:

You really put that much stock in an all-star game? I like Campanaro. He'd be great for a team that employs a "Wes Welker-type."

 

[Xue]

Jayson Braddock continues to be one of the worst evaluators out there (at least when it comes to RB/WR evaluation): https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452126748679741440https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452127167615627264https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452127595740405760

My Top 20 WRs: 1) Sammy Watkins 2) Allen Robinson 3) O'dell Beckham 4) Mike Evans 5) Cody Latimer 6) Bruce Ellington 7) Jarvis Landry

Top 20 WRs cont'd: 8) Michael Campanaro 9) Robert Herron 10) Brandin Cooks 11) Marqise Lee 12) Davante Adams 13) Jared Abbrederis

Top 20 WRs: 14) Jordan Matthews 15) Josh Huff 16) Martavis Bryant 17) Kelvin Benjamin 18) Jalen Saunders 19) Donte Moncrief 20) Devin Street

I like the Latimer ranking. But Davante Adams and Jordan Matthews that low? Campanaro 8th? Just another slot guy who wasn't that good at the Senior Bowl. He then says this about Cooks: https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452131078535254016

Brandin Cooks - Adjusts to ball well. Great hands. Willing over the middle. Fast w/ twitch. Not the accel of Lee, much better hands.

How's this for acceleration:

Much more than the Combine. Campanaro is very good against zone. And there are a number of guys like that in the draft every year. Why rank him so high? I'd much rather have a slot receiver who is good against Zone AND Man/Press.

 

[ShaHBucks]

Jayson Braddock continues to be one of the worst evaluators out there (at least when it comes to RB/WR evaluation): https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452126748679741440https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452127167615627264https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452127595740405760

My Top 20 WRs: 1) Sammy Watkins 2) Allen Robinson 3) O'dell Beckham 4) Mike Evans 5) Cody Latimer 6) Bruce Ellington 7) Jarvis Landry

Top 20 WRs cont'd: 8) Michael Campanaro 9) Robert Herron 10) Brandin Cooks 11) Marqise Lee 12) Davante Adams 13) Jared Abbrederis

Top 20 WRs: 14) Jordan Matthews 15) Josh Huff 16) Martavis Bryant 17) Kelvin Benjamin 18) Jalen Saunders 19) Donte Moncrief 20) Devin Street

I like the Latimer ranking. But Davante Adams and Jordan Matthews that low? Campanaro 8th? Just another slot guy who wasn't that good at the Senior Bowl. He then says this about Cooks: https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452131078535254016 Brandin Cooks - Adjusts to ball well. Great hands. Willing over the middle. Fast w/ twitch. Not the accel of Lee, much better hands.

How's this for acceleration:

He's not just a workout warrior. There is no debating what he accomplished on a very mediocre WF team. I found him to be a really savvy rout runner. He looks like Welker, lulling you to sleep by changing gears and using head fakes. He looks natrual at it. I didn't find too many situations where he couldn't get open. Check his heatmap vs Cooks'.

 

[Sabertooth]

Rotoworld:

ESPN's Ashley Fox writes there is a "growing sentiment" that Fresno State QB Derek Carr could be the Browns pick at No. 4.
"Cleveland could decide that Carr is its guy and use the fourth overall pick on him despite owning three picks in the top 35, including No. 26 overall," Fox writes. The comment comes directly after citing a statement from ESPN's Louis Riddick, a former NFL exec, saying Carr "was very comfortable with the footwork, timing, mechanics, accuracy that he's going to need at the NFL level," which was displayed at the Senior Bowl and during his pro day.

Source: ESPN.com

The Sideline View's Lance Zierlein expects Pitt QB Tom Savage and LSU QB Zach Mettenberger to be selected in the second-round.
"Anyone who believes that Tom Savage is going late in this draft doesn't realize how many teams are heating up on him," Zierlein previously tweeted, ending the statement with "Arm Talent." Traditional NFL evaluators will certainly fall for aspects of Savage's game, including a big arm and big frame who does his best work in the pocket, but it can be tough to conclude if the poor pocket movement he displayed in 2013 was due to a poor offensive or his lack of poise.

Source: Lance Zierlein on Twitter

So we are looking at what? 6 QBs in the first 60 picks? I doubt it.

 

[Faust]

Aaron Murray will throw at Georgia Pro Day, 'looks great'By Will Brinson | NFL Writer

Pro Days are wrapping up in advance of the 2014 NFL Draft and while most of the big names have already shown their stuff, there's still plenty of interesting teams and players on the docket. For instance, Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray.

Murray's a special case because he tore his ACL in November while Georgia was playing Kentucky ... and is somehow going to throw at his UGA's April 16 pro day anyway.

“He looks great,” Murray's agent Pat Dye told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I mean his body composition looks great, his knee looks great, he's moving around really well, he's not favoring it at all. His strength and conditioning coaches and his movement coaches down there say they've very rarely had anybody come through there with the kind work ethic, drive and passion that he has. He not only will he be able to give them a representative workout at Pro Day, but he'll be able to do all his drops and roll-outs.

"He's not going to run the 40 or do any of the timed drills. There's no point in that. But he's throwing the ball great."

Murray is NFLDraftScout.com's 8th-ranked quarterback (and 141st overall player) and is projected to be drafted in the fourth or fifth round of May's draft.

His stock obviously took a hit after suffering the ACL injury; some thought he could be mentioned among the top quarterbacks, although his size (6'1") is a concern.

It's fantastic news that things are going well for the quarterback now, however. If he's as improved as Dye says, it could certainly spice up the draft a bit.

“Everything's going great,” Dye said. “He wakes up every day trying to get better. Things look good. We've still got a little time. I think teams will be pretty shocked at what they see.

 

[Faust]

NFL Prospect Focus: Donte Moncrief and Cody Latimer

Source: Cody Latimer has visited Bills, to visit Eagles, Lions, Raiders, Seahawks, Chargers, Panthers

 

[Faust]

Zach Mettenberger could be second-round pick if healthy

By Gil Brandt

NFL Media senior analyst

Excerpt:

Most people know Zach Mettenberger as the quarterback at LSU, but he actually began his college career at Georgia, where his mother is an administrative assistant for head coach Mark Richt. Mettenberger graduated from high school early and enrolled at Georgia for the spring semester in January 2009 to take some classes and also participate in spring practice.

He didn't play in any games at Georgia that year, and at the end of spring practice in 2010 he transferred to Butler Community College in Kansas after some off-the-field issues. That move opened the door for a quarterback named Aaron Murray, who was just starting out at Georgia after redshirting in 2009. Murray went on to be the Bulldogs' starting quarterback the next four seasons.

(Pretty amazing that Georgia had two freshman quarterbacks in the same year who both are now on their way to being drafted by an NFL team.)

Mettenberger played very well that season at Butler, where he threw for 32 touchdowns to only four interceptions and was rated the best JC quarterback prospect in the nation before transferring to LSU. He played in five games in 2011 but did not start, then started 13 games in 2012. Going into the 2013 season, he was ranked the 14th-best senior quarterback by NFL scouts as well as Phil Steele.

In the spring of 2013, LSU hired a new offensive coordinator in Cam Cameron, who I think is one of the best quarterback coaches in football, regardless of whether it's in college or the NFL. I was lucky enough to be on the sideline at LSU in its opening game last season against TCU, and during pregame warmups, Cameron came over to me and pointed to Mettenberger and said, "This guy is going to be special."

As it turned out, Cameron was right.

Mettenberger always had the tools to be a big-time college quarterback. He has good size at 6-foot-5, 224 pounds, with 10-inch hands and a strong arm. He's smart, accurate and can make all the throws. But he never really put it all together until he started working with Cameron last spring. Mettenberger was having a great senior season until he was injured in the last game of the season, tearing his ACL against Arkansas. But he made big strides in his game, including a 10-percent improvement in his completion percentage, which was up to 64.9 percent last year.

Before Cameron's arrival, Mettenberger might have been a seventh-round pick. Now, if he's healthy, I believe he could go as high as the second round based on his performance as a senior.

At his pro day Wednesday, assuming he's healthy enough to work out, I want to know if we're going to see the Mettenberger who was tutored by Cameron, or whether he's fallen back. I'll be looking to see if his knee injury hurt his movement and will stunt his ability to avoid rushers.

 

[Faust]

‘14 Draft: News/Notes/Visits & WorkoutsTony Pauline

- Earlier this week I reported that insiders informed me the Minnesota Vikings hope to select one of the higher rated linebackers early in round one (Khalil Mack being their preference) then grab their quarterback in round two. Zach Mettenberger being their signal caller of choice. Since then more sources have confirmed my report, verifying the team is high on Mettenberger who they believe is a perfect fit for Norv Turner’s system. Depending on how he does at pro-day next week many question if Mettenberger will even be available to Minnesota in round two.

- Who could take Mettenberger before the Vikings are called on the clock in round two? The Cleveland Browns, that’s who. While many have the Browns taking a quarterback with the fourth pick of the draft, most believe they’ll nab a signal caller with either the 26th or 35th pick of the process. If they don’t go quarterback in round one where does Cleveland look? Most believe it will be offensive tackle. Several sources tell me the team is hot and cold on Mitchell Schwartz and will look for an upgrade. In fact I’m told the Browns made a play for Eugene Monroe when he was on the trading block. Many claim “you don’t draft a right tackle with a top ten pick” but looking at the versatility and interchangeability of the tackle prospects excepted to be available at fourth pick its understandable why any team would go that route.

- Back to Zach Mettenberger. I’m told its very unlikely he’ll do any of the shuttles, 3-cone, etc, next week at pro-day but will complete a full passing workout. In recent weeks Mettenberger has had no issues on sprint outs or roll outs in preparation for his workout.

- Word in scouting circles has Dakota Dozier of Furman building momentum for himself recently. Scouts point to way Dozier stepped up against better competition the past two seasons, specifically mentioning the game film against LSU and Clemson. I’m told Dozier has had private workouts with the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars.

- Thus far the reviews from private workouts have been positive for Logan Thomas. For example, last week when the Arizona Cardinals worked him out I’m told he was accurate on all his throws including dropping a few in the bucket deep downfield to end the workout. From a physical and character stand point Thomas continues to impress teams.

- The other prospect impressing scouts in these workouts is DJ Coles, who benefits from being the practice receiver for Logan Thomas. Coles is physically impressive and very much looks the part. He’s been looking sharp since pro-day. Injuries stunted Coles development but go back and watch his 2011 tape if you have the availability and you’ll see the makings of a legitimate NFL receiver.

- Scouts are still buzzing over the performance of Ben Gardner during Stanford’s pro-day. Teams believe Gardner could develop into a Jarret Johnson type of player, i.e. a college defensive end with decent size who’ll stand up over tackle in a 3-4 at the next level.

- I’m told Johnson’s present squad, the San Diego Chargers, worked out Akron offensive lineman Jarrod Pughsley today. Pughsley, who lined up primarily at tackle for the Zips, is a fairly athletic blocker who projects to guard at the next level.

 

[Donnybrook]

Has GIl Brandt ever met a QB he did not like? He hyping up all most all of them. Some examples attributed to Brandt:

Mettenburg a possible "2nd round" pick. I believe Savage and Wenning are both the best QBs no one has heard of. He probably forgot he use that description twice. Garrett Gilbert is the best QB not invited to the combine and likely a 4th round pick. After a while all the hype gets watered down and makes a Gil Brandt endorsement not mean much.

 

[Faust]

More picked-up pieces from Mel Kiper Jr.

By Mike Reiss | ESPNBoston.com

Some more picked-up pieces, with a New England Patriots twist, from a recent discussion with ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.:

Run on interior OL should start in second round. Kiper sees plenty of depth at guard while adding “there will probably be five second-round guards, maybe as many as six that go in round 2, early round 3.” As for center, Southern Cal’s Marcus Martin is also projected in that second-round range, while Colorado State’s Weston Richburg and North Carolina’s Russell Bodine are also prospects of note at the position. Looks like a solid year for teams seeking interior offensive line help. From a Patriots' perspective, the athleticism to pull and versatility to play multiple positions (center and guard) are key areas.

Eyes on Boston College’s Andre Williams and overall RB crop. When the scenario was presented of a team looking for a running back in the fourth-round range, Kiper pinpointed Williams as a player to watch. “He doesn't catch the ball well, but he's an outstanding runner. He has a lot of talent and had a tremendous year,” he said, adding his viewpoint that there won’t be a running back taken in the first round this year. Kiper believes “this year, more than any other … you’re going to get some real good ones on Day 3 [rounds 4-7].” With the top three running backs on the Patriots' depth chart entering the final year of their contracts, it wouldn't be a surprise if New England is in this mix.

Super seven at the top. With such mixed opinion on this year’s quarterback class, Kiper identified the following prospects as the tops in the draft -- South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson, Buffalo outside linebacker Khalil Mack, Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins, Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews, Texas A&M receiver Mike Evans and Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan. “After that, that’s it. Some would argue four or five, but I think you could argue seven, down to Lewan. That's your 'Super Seven.' After that, I don't see anybody that belongs in that group right now. … After that, you’re getting into the range where the eighth guy could be 18th guy on somebody else’s board.” It goes without saying -- the more quarterbacks picked early help the Patriots, who figure to be focusing on other areas.

Kenny Guiton this year’s Matt Cassel? The Patriots had a solid draft hit when they selected Southern Cal backup quarterback Matt Cassel in the seventh round of the 2005 draft. The pick was a bit off the radar because Cassel had hardly played in college. Some are drawing the connection to Cassel/2005 and Ohio State’s Kenny Guiton/2014 as Guiton backed up Braxton Miller but played well when filling in. Guiton (6-3, 208) is viewed as a late-round/priority free agent type and we know the Patriots are looking closely at the quarterback crop this year. Something to consider.

 

[Faust]

Video Link:

Best QB prospect outside of the first round

05:31 – The guys discuss which quarterback prospect that won't be selected in the first round could be a steal in the later rounds.

 

[Faust]

Film review: Is Pitt QB Tom Savage worthy of draft-sleeper buzz?

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

The Dolphins invited Clemson WR Martavis Bryant to visit team headquarters for a pre-draft visit.
No word yet on if the invitation has been accepted or when the meeting would take place. Bryant is a strict vertical weapon with imposing measurements at 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds with forty times in the mid 4.3s. He's been compared to Justin Hunter and the late Chris Henry.

Source: Miami Herald

FSU RB Devonta Freeman will work out for the Dolphins this week.
The Miami Herald is also reporting that the organization will host Arizona CB Shaquille Richardson and his teammate OLB Marquis Flowers. Clubs are allowed to bring in as many as 30 non-local players, so Richardson and Flowers will count towards that allotment while Freeman is a freebie. Freeman, a compact runner who is slippery between the tackles and is a plus receiver out of the backfield, scampered for 1,016 yards on 5.9 yards per carry in helping FSU win the title last season.

Source: Miami Herald

ESPN's Todd McShay and Mel Kiper agreed on the "First Draft" podcast that they "aren't sold" on LSU QB Zach Mettenberger.
"Big arm/tall guys that can't move very well and had wide receivers that were exceptional and made a ton of plays for you and an offensive coordinator that made your life really easy... those guys don't tend to fare well in the National Football League," McShay said. The analyst believes that on many plays last season, ball placement was determined by the coaching staff. McShay loves Mettenberger's arm and character, but that's about it.

Source: ESPN's First Draft Podcast

ESPN's Todd McShay believes USC WR Marqise Lee is "going to fall a little bit" in May's draft.
"I think at worst he's the fifth wide receiver taken," McShay said. "I know there are a lot of guys that still think he's the third best receiver." The analyst said Lee is difficult to evaluate because, while healthy in 2012, he was "one of the most explosive players in college football." McShay had Lee rated as a top 10 prospect entering 2013, but then the wideout dropped 12.3% of the balls thrown to him, a bizarre stat after he caught everything in his vicinity in 2012. "It makes it very difficult to know who he is," McShay said.

Source: ESPN's First Draft Podcast

 

[Faust]

Zach Mettenberger meeting with five NFL teams this week

By Mike Huguenin

College Football 24/7 writer

Wednesday's pro day is just one part of a busy week for LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger.

NFL Media insider Albert Breer reports that Mettenberger will have meetings Tuesday and Wednesday with representatives from Oakland, Minnesota, Detroit and Tennessee in Baton Rouge, La. Following his pro day, he will fly to Jacksonville on Thursday to meet with Jaguars representatives. All but Detroit would seem to be in the market for a starting quarterback.

NFL Media senior analyst Gil Brandt says that if Mettenberger is healthy, he could be a second-round pick in May. Oakland picks fourth, Jacksonville seventh, Minnesota eighth, Tennessee 10th and Detroit 13th in the second round.

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 and remains ahead of schedule with his rehab. He has said he will be ready for rookie camp.

LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, a former NFL assistant and head coach, has said Mettenberger can make all the needed throws.

"In some ways, he may be made more for the NFL game than he is the college game," Cameron said.

Mettenberger (6-foot-5, 224 pounds) has prototypical dropback passer size, but he lacks mobility and can get flustered in the pocket. In addition, he has had mechanical and accuracy issues, though Cameron's hiring before the 2013 season helped Mettenberger improve in those areas.

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

 

[Faust]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers bring in Teddy Bridgewater for visit

 

[Faust]

Johnny Manziel, AJ McCarron headline Heisman finalists in draft

 

[Faust]

Has GIl Brandt ever met a QB he did not like? He hyping up all most all of them. Some examples attributed to Brandt:

Mettenburg a possible "2nd round" pick. I believe Savage and Wenning are both the best QBs no one has heard of. He probably forgot he use that description twice. Garrett Gilbert is the best QB not invited to the combine and likely a 4th round pick. After a while all the hype gets watered down and makes a Gil Brandt endorsement not mean much.

Gil Brandt ‏@Gil_Brandt 18m

Let me say this about Tom Savage: is he a finished product? No. But arm reminds me of Aikman's and teams covet that, as they should.

 

[Xue]

Jayson Braddock continues to be one of the worst evaluators out there (at least when it comes to RB/WR evaluation): https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452126748679741440https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452127167615627264https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452127595740405760

My Top 20 WRs: 1) Sammy Watkins 2) Allen Robinson 3) O'dell Beckham 4) Mike Evans 5) Cody Latimer 6) Bruce Ellington 7) Jarvis Landry

Top 20 WRs cont'd: 8) Michael Campanaro 9) Robert Herron 10) Brandin Cooks 11) Marqise Lee 12) Davante Adams 13) Jared Abbrederis

Top 20 WRs: 14) Jordan Matthews 15) Josh Huff 16) Martavis Bryant 17) Kelvin Benjamin 18) Jalen Saunders 19) Donte Moncrief 20) Devin Street

I like the Latimer ranking. But Davante Adams and Jordan Matthews that low? Campanaro 8th? Just another slot guy who wasn't that good at the Senior Bowl. He then says this about Cooks: https://twitter.com/JaysonBraddock/status/452131078535254016 Brandin Cooks - Adjusts to ball well. Great hands. Willing over the middle. Fast w/ twitch. Not the accel of Lee, much better hands.

How's this for acceleration:

It's easy to get open when you're running 5-yard routes most of the time. Very nice production metrics, except for YPT. I would imagine defenses are willing to give up underneath completions to him all day long. Someone to keep an eye on in PPR leagues.

 

[Faust]

SI 64, Nos. 54-50: Carlos Hyde, Kyle Fuller, Bradley Roby and more

 

[Faust]

Allen Robinson Is A First Round Talent

 

[Faust]

Chris Burke ‏@ChrisBurke_SI

If I list Jordan Matthews' player comp as "like if Brian Hartline and Keenan Allen had a baby", would that make anyone uncomfortable?

 

[Unwrittenlaw]

Jordan Matthews is going to be a star. Unless there's a serious injury to his career, his metrics score is in the same range as Fitzgerald, Braylon Edwards, Nicks, Jeffery, Danario, Dez Bryant, Julio, Miles Austin.

That's some good company.

 

[Rhythmdoctor]

Jordan Matthews is going to be a star. Unless there's a serious injury to his career, his metrics score is in the same range as Fitzgerald, Braylon Edwards, Nicks, Jeffery, Danario, Dez Bryant, Julio, Miles Austin.

That's some good company.

He's someone I've been overlooking, that's for sure.

 

[Faust]

Conway: Tajh Boyd closest to Russell Wilson in 2014 draftBy Bryan Fischer

College Football 24/7 writer

The difference between being a good team in the NFL and a great one is often based on whom a team finds in the middle or later rounds of the draft. Everybody's heard the story about where Tom Brady was picked. Some can probably recall exactly where Russell Wilson was selected and what his wife's crazy reaction was like.

We know those in New England and Seattle can.

With such depth in the 2014 NFL Draft, teams will be bargain hunting with a very talented group of prospects to pick from. Might one of them wind up with a similar type of success story by picking a quarterback outside the top tier of players?

NFL Network's Curtis Conway thinks one club will be well served if they take a flier on former Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd. Conway heaped plenty of praise on Boyd on Monday's "Path to the Draft."

"A couple of years ago, there was a guy by the name of Russell Wilson -- this guy reminds me of Russell Wilson," Conway said. "He may be the closest guy."

That's going out on a limb for some, but it's easy to see why Conway thinks that. Like Wilson, Boyd had a very successful college career but is going through the pre-draft process with little fanfare.

Physical stature has always been an issue when evaluating Boyd's pro potential -- and his "Fat Boy" nickname probably won't help -- but the 6-foot-1 Boyd clearly has some impressive tape from his days in Death Valley. He is the ACC's all-time leader in touchdown passes thrown and made a good number of plays with his legs, too. Sure he was throwing to Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins, among others, in college, but he terrorized more than a few defenses with his arm over the years.

"If you look at all the quarterbacks, Boyd arguably has the best college career out of any of those guys," Conway said. "He can throw every ball. That deep out we love to see from a quarterback? He can do that. He has nice touch on the deep ball. He is mobile enough where he can escape the pocket and throw the ball."

Wilson was taken in the third round, but that might be the upper end of the spectrum for Boyd, who will probably be a third-day pick in May. He didn't leave a great impression at the Senior Bowl but steadily rebuilt his reputation at the NFL Scouting Combine and at Clemson's pro day.

Boyd will be an intriguing name for teams looking for another backup in the latter stages of the draft. Who knows if he'll wind up following Wilson's career path, but as they say, all it takes is one team to fall in love with you.

Follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter @BryanDFischer.

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock says Georgia's Aaron Murray is as accurate as any QB in the 2014 class.
"This kid gets it," Mayock said. "He's as accurate as any quarterback in the draft is. ... I really like the kid. I've got to do some more homework on him, because he's kind of changing my perception right now." The analyst said that the more tape he watched of Murray, the more that he liked him. Murray, of course, is the all-time SEC record holder in passing yards (13,166) and TD passes (121). Murray's agent Pat Dye, Jr. said last month that the signal caller has garnered interest from Cincinnati, Jacksonville, Arizona, Minnesota, New Orleans, St. Louis, Cleveland, Houston, Dallas, Oakland, Tennessee and Kansas City. Over the weekend, Dye said "dozens" of NFL teams have contacted him about his client.

Source: Houston SportsTalk 790

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah calls the buzz surrounding Pittsburgh QB Tom Savage "legitimate" and says Savage's name "keeps coming up" when Jeremiah talks to NFL "decision makers."
However, Jeremiah's colleague, Bucky Brooks, writes that Savage is "nowhere near ready to compete for a starting job in the NFL." Savage is 6-foot-4 and 228 pounds and has loads of arm talent. But he's been described as "erratic" and needs better mechanics to make up for his lack of athleticism. Savage's stock has been steadily rising. He could be selected as early as the second round.

Source: Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter

At least 22 organizations were present for Towson RB Terrance West's Pro Day.
West chose to stand on his combine numbers, but worked out during positional drills. Scouts came away impressed by how speedy and smooth West is at 225 pounds. He also displayed natural hands and route running ability despite rarely being used in the Towson passing game. West projects as a third- to fourth-round pick and will be a high-ceiling Dynasty prospect.

Source: CBSSports.com

 

[Faust]

Jeremiah: Zach Mettenberger good fit for Patriots, Cardinals

 

[Beefeaters]

Anybody else checking in here multiple times each day hoping to find the pre-draft Bloom 100?

 

[Faust]

‏@Gil_Brandt

WR Allen Robinson having big day at #PennState pro day. 42 VJ, 11 BJ, sub-4.5 40. Stock will be up after today. #NFLDraft

 

[Faust]

SI 64, Nos. 49-45: Trent Murphy, Jordan Matthews, Stephon Tuitt and more

 

[Faust]

Brandt: Allen Robinson's draft stock on rise after big pro dayBy Mike Huguenin

College Football 24/7 writer

In a draft that's deep on wide receivers, one receiver who often is overlooked is Penn State's Allen Robinson. Perhaps his pro day Tuesday will change that.

Gil Brandt @Gil_Brandt Follow

WR Allen Robinson having big day at #PennState pro day. 42 VJ, 11 BJ, sub-4.5 40. Stock will be up after today. #NFLDraft

One interested observer surely would have been Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly, whose team is likely to draft a wide receiver or two this year. Robinson is seen by most analysts as a second-rounder, though he doesn't seem likely to be around when the Eagles pick 22nd in the second round.

The big question about Robinson (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) is his speed, but his 40 time at his pro day was a noticeable improvement over his 4.60 time at February's NFL Scouting Combine. Robinson's vertical jump was measured at 39 inches at the combine, when he also turned in a 10-foot, 7-inch broad jump. That he improved from good numbers in both categories Tuesday also had to intrigue scouts.

Robinson led the Big Ten in receptions and receiving yardage in each of the past two seasons. He had 174 receptions and 2,445 receiving yards in that span under since-departed coach Bill O'Brien.

With the Nittany Lions, Robinson proved to be effective as a deep threat and also on wide-receiver screens. According to cfbstats.com, he had 10 receptions of at least 40 yards in 2013, a figure that tied for the national lead with Utah's Dres Anderson and was two more than Oregon State's Brandin Cooks, Texas A&M's Mike Evans and Clemson's Sammy Watkins.

Teams that own top-10 picks in the second round who could be interested in a receiver include Buffalo, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Oakland and Tampa Bay.

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

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Conway: Tajh Boyd closest to Russell Wilson in 2014 draft

By Bryan Fischer

College Football 24/7 writer

The difference between being a good team in the NFL and a great one is often based on whom a team finds in the middle or later rounds of the draft. Everybody's heard the story about where Tom Brady was picked. Some can probably recall exactly where Russell Wilson was selected and what his wife's crazy reaction was like.

We know those in New England and Seattle can.

With such depth in the 2014 NFL Draft, teams will be bargain hunting with a very talented group of prospects to pick from. Might one of them wind up with a similar type of success story by picking a quarterback outside the top tier of players?

NFL Network's Curtis Conway thinks one club will be well served if they take a flier on former Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd. Conway heaped plenty of praise on Boyd on Monday's "Path to the Draft."

"A couple of years ago, there was a guy by the name of Russell Wilson -- this guy reminds me of Russell Wilson," Conway said. "He may be the closest guy."

That's going out on a limb for some, but it's easy to see why Conway thinks that. Like Wilson, Boyd had a very successful college career but is going through the pre-draft process with little fanfare.

Physical stature has always been an issue when evaluating Boyd's pro potential -- and his "Fat Boy" nickname probably won't help -- but the 6-foot-1 Boyd clearly has some impressive tape from his days in Death Valley. He is the ACC's all-time leader in touchdown passes thrown and made a good number of plays with his legs, too. Sure he was throwing to Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins, among others, in college, but he terrorized more than a few defenses with his arm over the years.

"If you look at all the quarterbacks, Boyd arguably has the best college career out of any of those guys," Conway said. "He can throw every ball. That deep out we love to see from a quarterback? He can do that. He has nice touch on the deep ball. He is mobile enough where he can escape the pocket and throw the ball."

Wilson was taken in the third round, but that might be the upper end of the spectrum for Boyd, who will probably be a third-day pick in May. He didn't leave a great impression at the Senior Bowl but steadily rebuilt his reputation at the NFL Scouting Combine and at Clemson's pro day.

Boyd will be an intriguing name for teams looking for another backup in the latter stages of the draft. Who knows if he'll wind up following Wilson's career path, but as they say, all it takes is one team to fall in love with you.

Follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter @BryanDFischer.

OOOF

 

[Faust]

Wideout Allen Robinson makes first-round statement at Penn StateBy Jeff Reynolds | NFLDraftScout.com

Penn State wide receiver Allen Robinson put on a show the Nittany Lions pro day Tuesday.

Robinson, the No. 34 overall prospect in the NFLDraftScout.com rankings and seventh-ranked receiver, showed Tuesday much-improved burst and the kind of explosiveness some scouts expected at what proved to be a marginal workout at the Scouting Combine.

With a 4.47 time in the 40, 42-inch vertical and 6.53 three-cone at State College, Robinson vastly improved his athletic results from Indy: 4.60, 39-inch vertical, 7.00 three-cone. He also added four inches to his broad jump (131 inches Tuesday).

The effort to show more suddenness was evident in Robinson's frame. He weighed 220 in Indianapolis and was 208 at pro day.

Robinson left Penn State with one season of eligibility remaining as one of the most productive in conference history with a combined 174 receptions and 2,445 receiving yards.

On tape, the record-setting receiver doesn't consistently show top-end acceleration or quick-twitch explosion. He does flash in those areas with deceptive acceleration and sharp cuts to be a dangerous catch-and-go receiver. He is physical and will be viewed as an excellent consolation prize from picks 20-40 for teams that miss on the upper-tier prospects.

Among those present from NFL teams were Eagles head coach Chip Kelly and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. Beyond the common state ties, they also have a need at the wide receiver position. Robinson would fill an immediate need outside, particularly for the Steelers. The Eagles would seemingly be in the market for more of a vertical home-run threat or slot receiver type following the release of DeSean Jackson.

 

[Faust]

Debate: Which WR in 2014 draft will have biggest impact in NFL?

 

[Milkman]

Wow.

With a 4.47 time in the 40, 42-inch vertical and 6.53 three-cone at State College, Robinson vastly improved his athletic results from Indy: 4.60, 39-inch vertical, 7.00 three-cone. He also added four inches to his broad jump (131 inches Tuesday).

If Robinson would have done that at the combine he would have been a top 15 pick.

 

[Xue]

Robinson only weighed 208 today: http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2014/04/penn_state_football_news_and_n_1.html

 

[gchip]

Wow.

With a 4.47 time in the 40, 42-inch vertical and 6.53 three-cone at State College, Robinson vastly improved his athletic results from Indy: 4.60, 39-inch vertical, 7.00 three-cone. He also added four inches to his broad jump (131 inches Tuesday).

If Robinson would have done that at the combine he would have been a top 15 pick.

He did have to lose 12 pounds to do this though (220 to 208).

There's also a full month left before the draft so there's lot of time for some team to bump him up their board if they wish.

 

[Milkman]

I also read he weighed in at 208 pounds at his pro day. That might explain his faster 40 time.

Slow pony.