[Dynasty] 2014 Draft Prospects (4 Viewers)

[Faust]

Why Tre Mason's skills may be best suited for NFL over trio of fellow RBs

By Greg Cosell

How does one determine the NFL draft value of running backs? Is it the number of backs selected in the first round on an annual basis, which was none last year? Is it the value of backs in today's NFL, a position essentially diluted and thus merely supplementary given that offenses have become so pass-oriented?

For the second consecutive year, many evaluators do not project a running back going in the first round. This raises the question of how their respective skills impact the way they'll be utilized in the NFL.

One distinction that personnel people in many organizations will be discussing this year is the significant number of backs who weigh less than 210 pounds, normally considered a touch light to be a foundation back in the NFL. Those backs are widely considered to be complements, not starting points for an offense. Think Giovani Bernard of the Cincinnati Bengals, 5-foot-9 and 208 pounds. He was an early second-round pick in the 2013 draft, a dynamic runner/receiver who carried 170 times and caught 56 passes playing about 56 percent of Cincinnati's offensive snaps. Bernard's receiving ability was a critical component; it allowed him to be on the field far more than if he was just a complementary runner.

There are four backs in this year's draft whose NFL value will be debated intensely: Tre Mason (Auburn), Ka'Deem Carey (Arizona), Lache Seastrunk (Baylor) and Bishop Sankey (Washington). All are in the 5-9 to 5-10 range, and are short of 210 pounds. What will their roles be on Sunday afternoons? How that is determined by respective NFL organizations will determine their draft status.

Let's start with Sankey. He ran almost exclusively out of one-back shotgun spread formations at Washington. Always keep in mind that spread formations in college provide far more space than similar formations in the NFL. The reason: the wider hash marks in college football force the defense to stretch its personnel. "Power," with the guard pulling around the center as the lead blocker to the point of attack, was a featured run out of that set for the Huskies. That's an NFL run. Sankey is subtly elusive, with smooth change of direction and lateral agility. At times, he showed stop and start, and jump-cut ability in confined areas, a positive as you envision him running in the NFL.

One thing that stood out the more you studied Sankey was the majority of his big runs came with no challenge at the point of attack. That's often the case with college shotgun spread backs; they often run through large gaps in the defense. The concern as you try to define an NFL role for Sankey, and concurrently determine his draft status, is that he showed little functional run strength. He did not run behind his pads with any natural power. He's a smooth space runner without any finishing strength. That limits his utilization in a transition to the league. Sankey is best used, and maybe only capable of being utilized, out of "11" personnel packages (one back, one tight end, three wide receivers). He is not what we call a foundation runner; you cannot run your offense through Sankey.

Seastrunk also ran out of a one-back shotgun spread offense, often with no tight end on the field, which stretched the defense even more, and limited the number of defenders in the box. He ran with good overall balance, showing the lateral quickness to avoid and create in small areas. He was more naturally shifty and elusive than Sankey, a little smoother with the agility to slide and cut effortlessly. Seastrunk showed outstanding short-area burst, with speed through the hole; you saw explosive traits. Seastrunk's body type was also more compact; he was a tougher runner, not shy about hitting it up inside. But he weighs only 201 pounds, so that toughness and willing physicality did not advance to the needed strength and power. And again, he was running out of spread looks versus compromised defenses. Can he consistently run out of base personnel and tight formations against loaded boxes in the NFL? Can he be like Frank Gore in the 49ers' offense? That would be a major projection at this point.

One element that is essential in evaluating spread college backs is they are rarely tested physically over the course of a game, and by extension, a season. Fewer defenders in the box, more space, a less demanding challenge. That's why Arizona's Carey is an interesting evaluation. Carey, like Seastrunk and Sankey, worked out of a one-back shotgun spread offense, yet he's a different runner. He lacks the subtle elusiveness of Sankey, and the short-area explosion of Seastrunk; his skills necessitated more between-the-tackles running, and he embraced the physical nature of the job.

Few backs in this draft class run as competitively as Carey. He ran with consistent strength and leg drive to run through tacklers and sustain, working through traffic very effectively with excellent contact balance and deceptive lateral quickness and agility. Carey was a finisher; he did not go down easily, grinding out yards after initial contact. He was more of a downhill slasher than a true make-you-miss runner but he occasionally flashed some wiggle. His college film showed a tough and determined inside runner with a resolute and unwavering mentality. These are the attributes you look for when evaluating a feature back transition to the NFL.

Is Carey, overall, in that class of back? Remember, we're talking about a 207-pounder with the traits and mindset of a between-the-tackles power runner. My sense is most will see him more like Knowshon Moreno, a productive runner/receiver in a predominant "11" personnel offense, but not the starting point and foundation of an NFL offense. Moreno, of course, was drafted 12th overall in 2009, with the clear expectation he would be a feature back. A case could be made that Carey is a similar prospect at equivalent points (when Moreno came out of Georgia), and will best transition to the NFL the way Moreno ultimately has.

The final back in this group is Mason. Like Carey, Mason is 207 pounds. He ran in a run-heavy college offense that featured significant two-back sets; Auburn's shotgun often deployed a fullback. That changes the defensive dynamic; more defenders in the box, tougher to find space in the middle of the defense. You need to be both a stronger, more powerful runner, and a back capable of working through small cracks at the point of attack. Mason is that back.

He was a patient runner, with an innate understanding that burst and acceleration is a function of speed through the hole, not speed to the hole. Mason is a sturdier behind-his-pads runner than Carey, Seastrunk and Sankey; that gives him a lower center of gravity and more natural power. It also showed in his outstanding balance and body control, with deceptively quick feet and subtle change of direction to make defenders miss in space.

His fluidity and low-to-the-ground running style belied his explosive feet. For those old enough to remember, Mason reminded me of Billy Sims from Oklahoma, the No. 1 pick in the 1980 draft, in an era when almost all NFL offenses began with the running game, and a great back was seen as a more important piece than a quarterback.

Mason is a glider, with very smooth cutting ability, almost a darting feel to his running. What makes him different from the other three backs is he has the overall skills to be effective in any run game, whether it's zone-based or power-based, or in any system, whether it's conventional (like the Seahawks and 49ers) or spread (with multiple wide receivers). The more I watched and evaluated Mason the more I came to the conclusion he could be a foundation back in a run-based NFL offense. That makes Mason the best NFL projection of the four backs mentioned. Whether he's the first off the board next week remains to be seen.

 

[Faust]

NFL Draft Under the Microscope: Georgia QB Aaron Murray

 

[Faust]

NFL Draft Under the Microscope: Oregon RB De'Anthony Thomas

 

[BigTex]

Why Tre Mason's skills may be best suited for NFL over trio of fellow RBs

By Greg Cosell

How does one determine the NFL draft value of running backs? Is it the number of backs selected in the first round on an annual basis, which was none last year? Is it the value of backs in today's NFL, a position essentially diluted and thus merely supplementary given that offenses have become so pass-oriented?

For the second consecutive year, many evaluators do not project a running back going in the first round. This raises the question of how their respective skills impact the way they'll be utilized in the NFL.

One distinction that personnel people in many organizations will be discussing this year is the significant number of backs who weigh less than 210 pounds, normally considered a touch light to be a foundation back in the NFL. Those backs are widely considered to be complements, not starting points for an offense. Think Giovani Bernard of the Cincinnati Bengals, 5-foot-9 and 208 pounds. He was an early second-round pick in the 2013 draft, a dynamic runner/receiver who carried 170 times and caught 56 passes playing about 56 percent of Cincinnati's offensive snaps. Bernard's receiving ability was a critical component; it allowed him to be on the field far more than if he was just a complementary runner.

There are four backs in this year's draft whose NFL value will be debated intensely: Tre Mason (Auburn), Ka'Deem Carey (Arizona), Lache Seastrunk (Baylor) and Bishop Sankey (Washington). All are in the 5-9 to 5-10 range, and are short of 210 pounds. What will their roles be on Sunday afternoons? How that is determined by respective NFL organizations will determine their draft status.

Let's start with Sankey. He ran almost exclusively out of one-back shotgun spread formations at Washington. Always keep in mind that spread formations in college provide far more space than similar formations in the NFL. The reason: the wider hash marks in college football force the defense to stretch its personnel. "Power," with the guard pulling around the center as the lead blocker to the point of attack, was a featured run out of that set for the Huskies. That's an NFL run. Sankey is subtly elusive, with smooth change of direction and lateral agility. At times, he showed stop and start, and jump-cut ability in confined areas, a positive as you envision him running in the NFL.

One thing that stood out the more you studied Sankey was the majority of his big runs came with no challenge at the point of attack. That's often the case with college shotgun spread backs; they often run through large gaps in the defense. The concern as you try to define an NFL role for Sankey, and concurrently determine his draft status, is that he showed little functional run strength. He did not run behind his pads with any natural power. He's a smooth space runner without any finishing strength. That limits his utilization in a transition to the league. Sankey is best used, and maybe only capable of being utilized, out of "11" personnel packages (one back, one tight end, three wide receivers). He is not what we call a foundation runner; you cannot run your offense through Sankey.

Seastrunk also ran out of a one-back shotgun spread offense, often with no tight end on the field, which stretched the defense even more, and limited the number of defenders in the box. He ran with good overall balance, showing the lateral quickness to avoid and create in small areas. He was more naturally shifty and elusive than Sankey, a little smoother with the agility to slide and cut effortlessly. Seastrunk showed outstanding short-area burst, with speed through the hole; you saw explosive traits. Seastrunk's body type was also more compact; he was a tougher runner, not shy about hitting it up inside. But he weighs only 201 pounds, so that toughness and willing physicality did not advance to the needed strength and power. And again, he was running out of spread looks versus compromised defenses. Can he consistently run out of base personnel and tight formations against loaded boxes in the NFL? Can he be like Frank Gore in the 49ers' offense? That would be a major projection at this point.

One element that is essential in evaluating spread college backs is they are rarely tested physically over the course of a game, and by extension, a season. Fewer defenders in the box, more space, a less demanding challenge. That's why Arizona's Carey is an interesting evaluation. Carey, like Seastrunk and Sankey, worked out of a one-back shotgun spread offense, yet he's a different runner. He lacks the subtle elusiveness of Sankey, and the short-area explosion of Seastrunk; his skills necessitated more between-the-tackles running, and he embraced the physical nature of the job.

Few backs in this draft class run as competitively as Carey. He ran with consistent strength and leg drive to run through tacklers and sustain, working through traffic very effectively with excellent contact balance and deceptive lateral quickness and agility. Carey was a finisher; he did not go down easily, grinding out yards after initial contact. He was more of a downhill slasher than a true make-you-miss runner but he occasionally flashed some wiggle. His college film showed a tough and determined inside runner with a resolute and unwavering mentality. These are the attributes you look for when evaluating a feature back transition to the NFL.

Is Carey, overall, in that class of back? Remember, we're talking about a 207-pounder with the traits and mindset of a between-the-tackles power runner. My sense is most will see him more like Knowshon Moreno, a productive runner/receiver in a predominant "11" personnel offense, but not the starting point and foundation of an NFL offense. Moreno, of course, was drafted 12th overall in 2009, with the clear expectation he would be a feature back. A case could be made that Carey is a similar prospect at equivalent points (when Moreno came out of Georgia), and will best transition to the NFL the way Moreno ultimately has.

The final back in this group is Mason. Like Carey, Mason is 207 pounds. He ran in a run-heavy college offense that featured significant two-back sets; Auburn's shotgun often deployed a fullback. That changes the defensive dynamic; more defenders in the box, tougher to find space in the middle of the defense. You need to be both a stronger, more powerful runner, and a back capable of working through small cracks at the point of attack. Mason is that back.

He was a patient runner, with an innate understanding that burst and acceleration is a function of speed through the hole, not speed to the hole. Mason is a sturdier behind-his-pads runner than Carey, Seastrunk and Sankey; that gives him a lower center of gravity and more natural power. It also showed in his outstanding balance and body control, with deceptively quick feet and subtle change of direction to make defenders miss in space.

His fluidity and low-to-the-ground running style belied his explosive feet. For those old enough to remember, Mason reminded me of Billy Sims from Oklahoma, the No. 1 pick in the 1980 draft, in an era when almost all NFL offenses began with the running game, and a great back was seen as a more important piece than a quarterback.

Mason is a glider, with very smooth cutting ability, almost a darting feel to his running. What makes him different from the other three backs is he has the overall skills to be effective in any run game, whether it's zone-based or power-based, or in any system, whether it's conventional (like the Seahawks and 49ers) or spread (with multiple wide receivers). The more I watched and evaluated Mason the more I came to the conclusion he could be a foundation back in a run-based NFL offense. That makes Mason the best NFL projection of the four backs mentioned. Whether he's the first off the board next week remains to be seen.

Thank you for posting, I love articles like this. Knowing what type of system a college player ran in the NCAA is very important at most positions.

ETA: I couldn't decide between Mason and Sankey so this made it a lot easier for me now let's see where they land.

Tex

 

[BuzzCagney]

AJ Green would be 1 or 2 if he had played his SR year. Yearly yardage leaders seems pretty relevant.
2013 Jordan Matthews* 1477 Vanderbilt

2012 Cobi Hamilton 1335 Arkansas

2011 Jarius Wright* 1117 Arkansas

2010 Alshon Jeffery* 1517 South Carolina

2009 Shay Hodge* 1135 Mississippi

2008 A.J. Green* 963 Georgia

2007 Steve Johnson* 1041 Kentucky

2006 Robert Meachem* 1298 Tennessee

2005 Sidney Rice* 1143 South Carolina

2004 Reggie Brown* 860 Georgia

2003 Michael Clayton* 1079 Louisiana State

2002 Taylor Jacobs* 1088 Florida

2001 Josh Reed 1740 Louisiana State

2000 Jabar Gaffney 1184 Florida

Anyway, all of this just combines with his other attributes to make him a great prospect.

Your definition of great must differ GREATLY from the 17 personnel men that McGinn polled. [SIZE=medium] [/SIZE]

who are these 17 personnel men?

Top men.

They're anonymous, for obvious reasons. Take it how you want to take it. McGinn is regularily one of the best with his rankings and draft coverage given his connections in the league and insider info he gets on prospects. Choose it ignore it if you like and stick to looking at college stats... please join the leagues I'm in while you're at it. Please.

"Receivers that have two years of very good production have a much higher rate of success," an executive from that club said. "Guys that catch a lot of balls end up being pretty good players."

 

[Faust]

NFL Draft smokescreens, draftable depth and tight-end breakdown

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

ESPN's Mel Kiper believes Kent State OW Dri Archer could go as high as Round 3.
"At just 5-8, 173, you expect Archer to be fast -- and he is. He ran a blazing 4.26 40 and put up a 38-inch vertical, but Archer is also seriously strong. He put up 20 reps at 225 pounds. Think about that total from a player his size," Kiper wrote. He ran that 4.26 forty in 18 steps, tying Calvin Johnson's combine record for fewest needed. Archer's injury-plagued 2013 campaign hurt his draft stock (he ran for 1,429 yards during his junior season and fell to 527 in 2013), but scouts haven't forgotten about him.

Source: ESPN Insider

ESPN's Mel Kiper writes that Georgia Southern's Jerick McKinnon "is a major sleeper at running back."
"A compact but powerful 5-9, 209, he ran the second-fastest 40 among all RBs at the combine at 4.41 -- behind only the diminutive Dri Archer -- but also had six more reps at 225 pounds than any other RB (32 total), and showed off a 40.5-inch vertical," Kiper wrote. The former quarterback switched positions as a senior and is still raw as an RB. On the positive side, he hasn't taken as much damage as some of his contemporaries. Kiper's ESPN colleague Todd McShay has called McKinnon the draft's most intriguing RB sleeper.

Source: ESPN Insider

 

[Faust]

NFL Draft Top 50, Nos. 31-40: DL talent strong with Lawrence, Jernigan, others

 

[Brewtown]

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-path-to-the-draft/0ap2000000346302/Cluster-Buster-Separating-the-RBs

Video discussing the RB Prospects

 

[Brewtown]

Ranking the 2014 RB prospects

Running back cheat sheet: Rankings, market trends, teams in need

Updated: May 2, 2014, 11:42 AM ET

By Todd McShay | ESPN Insider

This year's draft class of running backs isn't likely to have a player selected in the first round and might not have one go in the early second round, either. But there is a lot of depth to this class for teams looking to take a runner in the middle or later rounds.

How does the board stack up? I've ranked the running backs below and grouped them based on their round grade and included the average number of running backs to go off the board in each round over the past five years. You'll also see the traits we study when evaluating runners and the teams that most need to select a running back in the 2014 draft.

RB market value

This is a useful tool that many NFL teams use to study position trends when setting up their draft boards -- the number of RBs selected in each round over the past three drafts.

Round 2013 2012 2011 Average

1 0 3 1 1.3

2 5 2 4 3.6

3 1 2 3 2.0

4 2 2 6 3.3

5 5 2 3 3.3

6 6 4 3 4.3

7 3 4 5 4.0

Total 22 19 25 22

First-round grades

None

Second-round grades

1.Carlos Hyde, Ohio State (Grade: 86): A tough, aggressive, physical runner with prototypical size and good top-end speed for a power back. Has the versatility to catch passes out of the backfield and help in pass protection.

2. Bishop Sankey, Washington (Grade: 82): A hard runner with above-average instincts and a good blend of height, weight and top-end speed. Makes violent cuts and has very good lateral quickness.

Third-round grades

3. Jeremy Hill, LSU (Grade: 79): Downhill runner with very good size, body control and burst to and through the hole. He has impressive short-area agility but lacks breakaway speed and elusiveness in space.

4. Tre Mason, Auburn (Grade: 72): Undersized back with below-average strength and ball security. Quality instincts and feel for the cutback lane and quick feet with very good lateral agility and stop-start ability.

5. Charles Sims, West Virginia (Grade: 70): Has a prototypical combination of height and weight with very good top-end speed. Good quickness and acceleration but can be impatient at times. Very good as a pass-catcher.

Fourth-round grades and later

Rank Player School Grade

6 Devonta Freeman Florida State 69

7 Andre Williams Boston College 68

8 De'Anthony Thomas Oregon 66

9 Dri Archer Kent State 65

10 Terrance West Towson 62

11 Ka'Deem Carey Arizona 61

12 Storm Johnson UCF 60

13 Lache Seastrunk Baylor 59

14 Tyler Gaffney Stanford 56

15 Jerick McKinnon Georgia Southern 51

16 Marion Grice Arizona State 49

17 George Atkinson III Notre Dame 48

18 James Wilder Jr. Florida State 46

19 Damien Williams Oklahoma 45

20 Ladarius Perkins Mississippi State 43

21 Lorenzo Taliaferro Coastal Carolina 42

22 Kapri Bibbs Colorado State 41

23 James White Wisconsin 38

24 Isaiah Crowell Alabama State 37

25 Silas Redd USC 35

26 Alfred Blue LSU 33

27 Antonio Andrews Western Kentucky 32

28 Rajion Neal Tennessee 31

RB evaluation process

Competitiveness: An insatiable desire to gain as many yards as possible on every play. Ball security counts in this category as well.

Vision/patience: The ability to anticipate creases and cutback lanes before they open up.

Agility/acceleration: Ability to accelerate quickly through the hole, lateral quickness to navigate tight spaces and stop-and-start ability to avoid defenders in space. Great runners have the extra gear to hit the home run play in the open field.

Power/balance: Ability to absorb initial contact and stay upright, keep legs churning, run through arm tackles and push the pile.

Passing game: Can pluck on the run and adjust to poorly thrown balls and get open against man and zone coverage. Shows good awareness to pick up blitz and is a willing, tough and strong blocker.

Who needs a RB?

These teams have either a primary or secondary need at the running back position.

Primary Titans

Secondary Bears, Vikings, Rams, Ravens, Browns, Broncos, Texans, Jaguars, Dolphins, Patriots, Raiders

http://insider.espn....-back-prospects

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Indiana WR Kofi Hughes has met with the Redskins, Bears, Colts and Bengals, reports the National Football Post.
Hughes, coming off a career in which he collected 132 receptions for 1,956 yards and 13 touchdowns, ran a forty between 4.49 and 4.52 seconds at his pro day. Hughes (6-foot-1, 215 pounds) could sneak into the end of the Day 3.

Source: National Football Post

Nebraska WR Quincy Enunwa has visited the Raiders and Steelers, according to the National Football Post.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder possesses solid speed to go with his sturdy frame, as his 4.45 second forty at the combine attests. Enunwa sustained a hamstring injury at the event, though that doesn't affect his stock. Enunwa, who caught 51 passes for 753 yards and a dozen touchdowns last season, is a mid- to late-round prospect.

Source: National Football Post

New Mexico State WR Austin Franklin had a pre-draft visit with the Giants.
Franklin surprisingly declared early for the draft after the 2013 campaign, perhaps a foolish decision considering how incredibly deep this WR class is. The 5-foot-11, 189-pounder collected 160 receptions for 2,439 yards and 19 touchdowns over his three-year career. Franklin ran a 4.56 second forty at the combine.

Source: National Football Post

Iowa TE C.J. Fiedorowicz says he took pre-draft visits with Denver, Detroit, San Francisco, Atlanta, New England, the New York Jets and Tampa Bay.
After the top-tier group of TE prospects -- Eric Ebron, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jace Amaro and Troy Niklas -- most rank Fiedorowicz No. 5. The Hawkeyes' regrettable QB play and conservative offensive scheme (those issues were related) over the past few years conspired to keep Fiedorowicz under the radar, but the NFL never forgot about him. The 6-foot-5, 265-pounder has a spectacular frame, soft hands, surprising straight line speed and is one of the class' best inline TE blockers, to boot. He should hear his name called on Day 2.

Source: Alex Marvez on Twitter

 

[Brewtown]

Extinction of the NFL running back?

By Jerry McDonald jmcdonald@bayareanewsgroup.com

Has the stud running back gone the way of the leather helmet?

A year ago, for the first time since the AFL and NFL merged into a single draft in 1967, there wasn't a single running back drafted in the first round. And according to most prognosticators, it will happen again Thursday night when the NFL begins its three-day selection process at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

It's been clear for some time that the position isn't producing the iconic NFL stars it once did. The Vikings' Adrian Peterson is one of the few modern-day running backs performing at a level that could one day put him among the position's all-time greats: Jim Brown, Earl Campbell, Walter Payton, O.J. Simpson, Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders.

But why?

Given the swing-and-miss potential of any selection, the draft is a chancy proposition. But the running back position is extra risky given the wear and tear those athletes endure. Most teams aren't willing to spend first-round dollars for a player so susceptible to injury.

OFFENSE HAS CHANGED

Another big factor is scheme. Both the college and NFL games are now driven by the quarterback, often as both a runner and passer, paired with running backs who are typically smaller, shiftier and utilized in open space rather than sent directly into the line.

"Thirty years ago, tailbacks were the most important thing, controlling the football, controlling the clock. Now everybody's throwing the ball 40 times a game," said NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock.

In one five-year period starting in the late 1970s, running backs were the first pick of the draft four times -- Ricky Bell by Tampa Bay (1977), Earl Campbell by Houston (1978), Billy Sims by Detroit (1980) and George Rogers by New Orleans (1981).

There hasn't been a running back taken No. 1 overall since Ki-Jana Carter by Cincinnati in 1995.

ESPN analyst and former Raiders and Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden also cited backs such as Herschel Walker, who signed with the USFL's Houston Generals in 1983, and Bo Jackson, taken first by Tampa Bay in 1986, as examples of do-it-all power backs who used to be ideal centerpieces for an offense.

"If you wanted a strong running game, you needed to get a great running back," Gruden said in a recent conference call. "That was how your offense was set up, to run the football, be a good play-action team. Those times obviously have changed."

Gone are the days when Heisman Trophy winners such as Simpson in 1969 and Campbell in 1978 were brought in to rescue struggling offenses with 25 to 30 carries and a combination of power, instinctive running ability and game-day breakaway speed.

Bruce Kebric, a former Raiders scout who was with the Oilers in the late 1970s, said the Oilers never even put a stopwatch on Campbell.

"Fred Akers, the Texas coach, told me he was the fastest guy on their team -- and they had sprinters like Raymond Clayborn and Derrick Hatchett," Kebric said. "Line them up, and he wouldn't win. Put him on a football field, and he'll beat them."

BACKS ARE CRAPSHOOT

The production level of running backs is unpredictable. Six running backs have been top five picks since 2005 -- Trent Richardson (No. 3 to Cleveland in 2012), Darren McFadden (No. 4 to Oakland, 2008), Reggie Bush (No. 2 to New Orleans, 2006), Ronnie Brown (No. 2 to Miami, 2005), Cedric Benson (No. 4 to Chicago, 2005) and Cadillac Williams (No. 5 to Miami, 2005).

All were outperformed by backs taken later in the draft -- in some cases much later.

This season's top backs include Ohio State's Carlos Hyde, Washington's Bishop Sankey, Auburn's Tre Mason, LSU's Jeremy Hill and Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey. It will be a surprise to analysts if any of them have their names called before Friday's second and third rounds.

"I'm definitely going to make sure they know when I step onto the field they made a good pick and running backs aren't going extinct," Carey told reporters at the NFL scouting combine.

The Raiders and 49ers have usually spent their first-round picks on other positions. The 49ers have used only four first-round picks on running backs since 1967, and the Raiders have used three. Oakland took McFadden in 2008, Napoleon Kaufman at No. 18 in 1995 and Marcus Allen at No. 10 in 1982.

The 49ers haven't used a first-round pick on a running back in the modern draft since Dexter Carter at No. 25 in 1990, and the only others were Terrence Flagler (No. 25, 1987), Earl Cooper (No. 13, 1980) and Wilbur Jackson (No. 9, 1974).

Frank Gore, the 49ers' all-time leading rusher, was a third-round draft pick out of Miami in 2005. Roger Craig and Ricky Watters were second-round choices in 1983 and 1991.

Gore is a rarity in that he is entering his 10th NFL season while playing a position with an average career span of less than three years, according to the NFL Players Association.

YOU CAN PICK THEM LATE

With the NFL dominated by the passing game and a growing number of quarterbacks who can also run, general managers are more apt to use their first-round picks on every-down players.

"There's a realization that you can find running backs in the second, third, fourth and fifth round -- and even beyond that who are going to produce," Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff told USA Today.

When NFL rules began to restrict contact against wide receivers in the 1980s, teams gradually came to see passing as a more explosive way to score points.

NFL teams have in a sense been forced to follow the lead of college football, which is heavy with option-style offenses that spread the ball around and often have the quarterback doing much of the running.

Teams realize that at the college level, there are very few guys averaging 25, 30, 35 carries a game," ESPN analyst Todd McShay said. "Teams are looking to get guys in space. Running backs, for the most part, aren't those big, bruising backs who can do everything."

Said Gruden: "When you look at running backs in college football, you never know if they're going to get the ball because the quarterback pulls it out of his stomach half the time and keeps it himself."

SPEED OVER POWER

Option offenses demand runners with more speed and cutting ability rather than raw power, and as Kebric noted, "Guys who are 225 pounds don't change direction that quickly."

Given the potential for injury and basic economics, teams prefer a centipede approach, with alternating running backs and fresh legs.

"If teams are rotating guys in and out and certain players are better in certain areas than others, they're thinking maybe we should be spending on two backs what we used to be spending on one," McShay said.

In a copycat league, Mayock believes the run-first personalities of the 49ers and Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks could bring back the classic power back.

"The two best teams in the league utilized the tailback and the running game, and I wouldn't be surprised to see if that comes back in vogue," Mayock said.

Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie understands the trend has gone away from running backs but is hesitant to see it as anything more than a cycle.

"There could be five running backs taken in the first round next year," McKenzie said. "You never know."

 

[Brewtown]

On science, draft evaluation, and the future of the NFL Combine

For much of it's history, football has been a traditionalist sport when it comes to two particular things: Statistics, and prospect evaluation. With the exception of a few statistical additions ala the sack in 1982, players have been adjudged by the same numbers throughout history; things such as passing yards, touchdowns, QB rating, rushing yards, interceptions, tackles, sacks, receptions, etc. The basic stats, easily accessible by any historical NFL data website. Likewise, NFL draft prospects have gone through the same NFL Combine drills for as long as we've had a Combine, running the 40 yard dash, vertical leap test, the 3 cone drill, and positional drills.

However, within the past decade, we have seen rapid and radical change in the area of football statistics, similar to the Bill James sabermetric revolution we have seen in baseball. It started with STATS LLC as well as KC Joyner, the "Football Scientist", who began to record metrics such as cornerback completion percentage allowed, YPA when throwing to a wide receiver, and a quarterback's "bad decision percentage", in an attempt to have a more comprehensive look at the real context of the game. From there, we went on to Football Outsiders and their host of statistics, and more recently the rise of the website Pro Football Focus where they have even more innovative numbers. Even ESPN has jumped onto the metric cycle with their invention of Total QBR, a stat which considers the estimated value added by a quarterback on every action play, combined into one neat number. While the basic stats are still around, and still hold importance, nowadays we talk in terms of DVOA, pass rush productivity, yards per route run, Total QBR, and deep ball accuracy percentage. When it comes to draft evaluation, however, there has not been the same rush to innovation. Sure we have some people who calculate some of these advanced stats for college prospects, and places like Football Outsiders have attempted to create some stats that show general trends like the "Speed Score" (which in my opinion is absolutely worthless), but largely the NFL still runs the same drills they always have. However, we could be on the cusp of a game changer.

Over the past 7 years, ESPN Sports Science has done their own "Combine" for NFL draft prospects, and it has expanded to the point where the past 2 drafts they have had an hour long ESPN special detailing the Sports Science Combine. If anyone is unfamiliar with ESPN Sports Science, it is a show filmed in a Los Angeles airport hangar where they wire athletes to high tech devices to take a very comprehensive set of measurements as they perform athletic tests. In the Combine special particular context, the Sport Science team has designed a series of tests, specific to position, meant to measure position relevant athleticism and the science of it. Some quarterback specific examples of what they measure include ball velocity, angular release velocity, release time, target recognition speed, release point, touch passes, and accuracy while avoiding swinging heavy bags meant to simulate blitzers. After running the prospects through this series of tests, the team comes up with a comprehensive score that is meant to measure the overall potential level of a prospect. Another layer to their testing is the the fact that the players are in shoulder pads (and helmets for some tests), and any speed based tests are not based on the athlete's movement (which can lead to an inaccurate number ala the NFL Combine 40), but rather on a buzzer (more realistically simulates real football, and gives an accurate measurement while also judging reaction time).

Last year, while the general consensus still held that Geno Smith was the top guy (and maybe the only guy), ESPN Sports Science, through their comprehensive testing, determined that EJ Manuel was the best quarterback prospect in the draft, due to high scores in the accuracy test and a measured quick release. As we all know, Manuel wound up being the first QB taken and the only one taken in the first round. GMs have noticed the Sports Science Combine; there is a clip in the beginning from Bills GM Doug Whaley stating that Sports Science's piece on Manuel gave them another layer of information in making their decision because they had never tested Manuel's release speed, which at .333 seconds was the fastest Sports Science recorded for that draft and faster than the typical average of .4 seconds. Rick Spielman, the Vikings GM, stated that Sport Science was helpful in their evaluation of Cordarrelle Pattterson, and Seahawks GM John Schneider says that he believes

The Sports Science Combine manages to pull in quite a few of the top prospects for the lab and I believe the list continues to grow of players who attend. This year, some of the names at the lab include Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, Bishop Sankey, Carlos Hyde, Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Eric Ebron, Anthony Barr, Darqueze Dennard, De'Anthony Thomas, Calvin Pryor, Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix, Aaron Donald, Jason Verrett, Brandin Cooks, Dee Ford, and Ra'Shede Hageman.

Sports Science also comes up with some unconventional ideas solely based on their science. In the special, the Sports Science team theorizes that you want running backs to fall into a certain size and speed range- not too big or too small, not too fast or too slow. This is because through the simple physical equation force = mass x acceleration, it is measured that a back of Steven Jackson's size (240 pounds) vs. LeSean McCoy (210 pounds), all else equal, will take 14% more force per tackle, which leads to more injuries and wear down.

With GMs beginning to take notice of Sports Science and their testing, could this be the road that player evaluation heads towards? My personal feeling is that the NFL establishment will start to trend in this direction. With escalating veteran salaries and so much turnover and parity in the sport, the draft has taken on added importance. Anything that cuts down on uncertainty and adds to the data points is something that will be of interest to GMs. Much like the statistical revolution, however, I don't think this will ever overcome the regular Combine much like advanced numbers have yet to truly overcome the basic stats. In this case, the expense and logistics of running all the Combine prospects through these types of drills would be astronomical and difficult. However, perhaps this is something that the individual teams can adopt. Any decision maker would be wise to have all the available data in his possession prior to making such an investment, and this is far more comprehensive than can be obtained by the regular Combine.

Unfortunately, all of the data is not readily accessible. There is no list of all the comprehensive numbers compiled through ESPN Sports Science, nor is there even a list of all the prospects who ran through the drills. The ESPN special only goes through certain prospects or the stand outs, as they cannot focus on everyone for a 45 minute long TV show. However, if this starts to take off as the NFL Combine has with the fans and media, who knows? The NFL Combine as we know it could be rocked to it's very core.

Here are some tidbits from this year's special that I found to be pretty interesting:

- Teddy Bridgewater actually excelled in the Sports Science arm strength test. He was measured with an angular velocity (how fast the ball moves in his throwing motion) of 2,200 degrees per second and a 54 mph pass, which was the fastest they measured this year, which included players like Bortles, McCarron, and Boyd. McCarron's ball was 48 mph. This led to a .1 second additional window.

- Bortles had the best performance in their "Ultimate QB Test" in which he has to throw through a ring while either standing still (in the pocket) or rolling out. Overall, the Sports Science team picked Bortles as their top QB prospect.

- Bishop Sankey recorded the fastest time of the RB group through the agility poles, a group that included KaDeem Carey (who had the strongest measured stiff arm), Carlos Hyde, De'Anthony Thomas. Sankey also recorded the fastest split in the "work test", where the back must drag a 120 dead weight bag and run 10 yards. De'Anthony Thomas was the best in the explosion/high jump test and also recorded the fastest 5 yard split of any offensive player tested in 2014 in the acceleration test. Overall, Sankey was their top RB.

- Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix can swat a pass anywhere within 8 feet of him without taking a step due to his leaping and length (80 inch wingspan). Jason Verrett explodes off the line with 20 Gs of force, which they said was almost twice as much as any other DB, and at full sprint has a diving range of over 20 feet to swat a pass.

- Darqueze Dennard performed tremendously well. Dennard shifts from back pedal to forward in .36 seconds, which was faster than Patrick Peterson (.53) and our own Dee Milliner who ran through this last season (.50). He rotates his hips at about the same speed as Milliner did, and recorded the fastest 5 yard split Sports Science has ever recorded.

- Hageman within 1.26 seconds can push a sled 6 feet and get 8'4" into the air to swat a pass and hits with 2500 pounds of force.

- Aaron Donald had a average reaction time of .23 s off the buzzer and running through 5 300 pound heavy bags to go 5 yards only slowed Donald down by half a second.

- Dee Ford's 20 yard split off the buzzer was faster than the average time for the 2014 receivers tested.

- The team measured Davante Adams's catch radius as larger than AJ Green's and has a diving catch range of 19 feet (largest in the class). Jarvis Landry displayed the sofest hands, with only 3% of his palms in contact with the ball at the catch. Brandin Cooks finished top 3 in every acceleration test, and blistered the out and up test with the fastest time recorded in the past 2 Combines (3.33 vs. a 3.71 WR average). Mike Evans had the catch radius of a garbage truck and was only a tenth of a second behind Watkins in the acceleration test (20 yard split). Watkins had the fastest acceleration to 20 mph of any WR in the past 2 classes and was just a hundredth of a second behind Cooks in the out and up test.

- Anthony Barr can lower his center of mass when changing direction to the same height as Giovani Bernard even though Barr is 6-5 and Bernard is 5-9.

- Eric Ebron has a .18 second reaction time off the line and his catch range was measured as bigger than Gronkowski's. Ebron was also measured as reaching his top gear faster than any TE they have ever tested.

Anyone interested in seeing the special can find it on ESPN on Demand on their cable. Videos on the spotlighted prospects can be found on the Sports Science archives found here. I recommend it highly. It may change the way you view prospect evaluation and the NFL Combine.

http://www.ganggreennation.com/2014/5/4/5680082/on-science-draft-evaluation-and-the-future-of-the-nfl-combine

 

[Brewtown]

Eric Ebron : http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=10824158

 

[Brewtown]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2051254-nfl-draft-2014-forecasting-top-contenders-for-offensive-and-defensive-rookies

 

[Sabertooth]

Updated NFP Big Board with 302 players listed

I like their board, surprised to see Ebron as the 7th overall prospect.

 

[Donnybrook]

Updated NFP Big Board with 302 players listed

I like their board, surprised to see Ebron as the 7th overall prospect.

I'm not impressed when they can't even be bothered to update the players heights and weights.

 

[Biabreakable]

Updated NFP Big Board with 302 players listed

I like their board, surprised to see Ebron as the 7th overall prospect.

I'm not impressed when they can't even be bothered to update the players heights and weights.

That is kind of problematic when NFL.com the official website doesn't update theirs with the combine data (even though they add combine data to those pages). What is the official source for this information?

I noticed the same discrepency with PFR listing Nawrocki's estimates on their web site (which I love above all others) instead of the official combine measurements.

It would be nice to have some consistency here but when you cannot even get that from NFL.com I am not sure what the best solution would be.

 

[werdnoynek]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/rating-the-nfl-draft-prospects-running-backs-b99260511z1-257816971.html

Rating the NFL draft prospects: Running backs


The Journal Sentinel's Bob McGinn assesses the top running backs and fullbacks in the draft. Included is each player's height, weight, 40-yard dash time and projected round.

RUNNING BACKS
1. CARLOS HYDE, Ohio State (6-0, 232, 4.61, 2) – Came off a three-game suspension for off-field trouble to start 2013 and had his finest season. "Complete player," one scout said. "Stud. He's powerful. Great athlete. Great run feel. Catches the ball very well. He'll block. Picks up all the protections, even calls some protections. He's a good-hearted kid but he needs mentoring." Finished with 523 carries for 3,198 yards (6.1) and 37 touchdowns, and 34 receptions. Carried 53 times for 372 (7.0) to help overpower Michigan the past two seasons. "He doesn't have the burst or acceleration to be a difference-maker," said another scout. "He doesn't have much juice." Scored extremely low (9) on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test before improving to 13 at the combine. "It's the overall type person," said a third scout. "When you meet him you don't totally buy in. They don't sell him at the school as your eat-sleep-drink football type. He enjoys the night life. Not as big on the work ethic during the week. Loves Saturdays. Doesn't really put in the time. Kind of plays on talent." From Naples, Fla.

2. JEREMY HILL, Louisiana State (6-0½, 233, 4.65, 2) – Third-year sophomore declared after rushing for 1,401 yards in 2013 and averaging 6.9, breaking Garrison Hearst's Southeastern Conference record of 6.8 set in 1992. "He's a complete back," said one scout. "He can be an every-down player and carry the load. He's really good in the passing game, too. Smooth runner. Natural run instincts." Pleaded guilty in January 2011 to carnal knowledge of a juvenile in a high school incident, was given two years probation and redshirted. Finished with 345 carries for 2,156 yards (school-record 6.3) and 28 TDs, and caught 26 passes. "That big (expletive) is faster and a better athlete than Hyde, and he catches the (expletive) out of it," another scout said. "Damn right I like him as a starter." Wonderlic of 22. From Baton Rouge, La. "I don't like his makeup and the way he runs," a third scout said. "He's soft for a big guy. Some people say he's strong. He's not at all. He's got athletic talent and he's big, but he's a soft runner."

3. BISHOP SANKEY, Washington (5-9½, 209, 4.53, 2) – Third-year junior. "He's got a little bit of Emmitt Smith in him," said one scout. "He's like a poor man's Emmitt Smith. He can run everywhere. He's just not a real burner. But he's got quickness and vision, and he's a hell of a kid. He's tougher than (expletive)." Gained 1,870 yards last year, breaking Corey Dillon's school record. Finished with 644 carries for 3,496 yards (5.4) and 37 TDs, breaking Napoleon Kaufman's school mark of 34. "Napoleon Kaufman was much more straight-line than Sankey," said a second scout. "This guy has more moves and more pure speed. He's not as strong as Emmitt but looks the way Emmitt looked when he came to the Cowboys. I just don't think he will be big enough to take the every-day pounding." From Spokane, Wash. "He's pretty damn good," said a third scout. "He's not dynamic but the kid's got great feel and is quick as hell. Real similar to Giovani Bernard."

4. TRE MASON, Auburn (5-8½, 206, 4.48, 2-3) – Third-year junior. "I think he's built for the league the way it is now," one scout said. "Now it (his size) is fine. He'll be a great screen runner but he'll make his carries, too." Saved his best performances for the last three games; broke Bo Jackson's school record for yards in a season (1,816) on his final carry. "He maximizes all the talent he's got," another scout said. "Runs hard. Gives you everything he's got. Knows how to run." Finished with 516 carries for 2,979 yards (5.8) and 31 TDs, and caught 19 passes. Sixth in Heisman Trophy voting. "He fumbles left and right," a third scout said. "I like his grit, and he's tough as hell. But I don't think he's going to last. They'll beat the hell out of him." His father, Vincent, is a hip-hop artist for the influential early rap group De La Soul. From Palm Beach, Fla. "He's not real elusive," a fourth scout said. "Doesn't break enough tackles." The doctors for two teams said he needs wrist surgery.

5. ANDRE WILLIAMS, Boston College (5-11½, 230, 4.52, 2-3) – Compared by one scout to Shonn Greene. "Really tough kid," one scout said. "If you want somebody to carry the ball 25 times a game between the tackles this is your guy. He's an old-time running back. He would do better without a rotation just wearing people down. Not real elusive, but once he gets out there he just makes plays." Blossomed when BC switched from a zone to power ground game in 2013 and led the nation with 2,177 yards and finished fourth in the Heisman voting. "Lacks twitch, elude," said a second scout. "Strong, tight, downhill, straight-line runner. Needs a lane." Finished with 704 carries for 3,754 yards (5.3) and 28 TDs. Didn't catch a pass as a senior and had merely 10 in career. "Worst hands I've ever seen," said a third scout. "I never even saw them pitch it to him. You would be crazy to pitch it to him. It's so bad, you feel bad for the kid. I saw a game and the pregame was atrocious. He's working on it, but it's, like, 'What have you been doing for four years?'" His inadequacies as a receiver were keenly evident in combine drills. Highest Wonderlic (23) of leading backs. From Allentown, Pa.

6. TERRANCE WEST, Towson (5-9, 225, 4.56, 3) – Was working selling shoes after high school graduation in Baltimore when he hopped on two different buses each day to try out at nearby Towson. "He made it that way," one scout said. "He has a little bit of an edge. He's a real street kid. But the guy has some hunger and football's important to him." Carried 802 times, most by one of the top backs, for 4,849 yards (6.1) and 84 TDs to go with 36 receptions. "Dominated I-AA football," the scout said. "He's not a blazer but he's a 4.5 guy. He's a yoked-up 225. Good feet. Knows how to play. Good hands. For a guy that was the back of I-AA football, pretty good pass pro guy. He's been the king of his level and school." Turned off one scout with what he described as a know-it-all attitude. "Doesn't take coaching," he said. "You might as well not even waste your time." Fourth-year junior.

7. DEVONTA FREEMAN, Florida State (5-8, 205, 4.54, 3) – First 1,000-yard rusher (1,016) for Seminoles since Warrick Dunn in 1996. "He's a tough guy and he does everything," said one scout. "He's just not big. That's the problem. He tries in blitz (pickup), but that will be an issue." Third-year junior with 404 carries for 2,255 yards (5.6) and 30 TDs to go with 47 catches. "Love him," another scout said. "Not high (in the draft) but love him. That (expletive) is a football player." From Miami. "Pretty exciting little player," said a third scout. "Very focused. This kid will never be a problem."

8. CHARLES SIMS, West Virginia (6-0, 214, 4.49, 3-4) – Graduated in May 2013 after a successful career at Houston, his hometown school, and joined the Mountaineers. "He did the same thing in one year at West Virginia he did at Houston," one scout said. "He's got a little more juice than some of these senior backs. He's got the quickness and catches the ball well." Finished with 592 carries for 3,465 yards (5.9) and 40 TDs to go with a whopping 203 receptions for 2,108 yards (10.8) and 11 TDs. "I'm not a fan," another scout said. "I see a guy that isn't very tough and isn't strong. For as big as he is he doesn't break a lot of tackles and doesn't get a lot of yards after contact. He has no run instincts. His vision is bad. I see a guy that will battle for like a practice-squad job."

9. KA'DEEM CAREY, Arizona (5-9½, 208, 4.69, 4) – Third-year junior with tremendous two-year production in coach Rich Rodriguez's spread attack. "He's a power guy," one scout said. "He's got vision. He runs inside pretty well. He's got some off-the-field stuff that you need to check into." Was ejected from a basketball game on campus in January 2013 following an altercation. Wonderlic of 9. "Then he verified his lack of speed at the workout," another scout said. "I just didn't think he had that extra spurt. That offense really helped him a lot." Carried 743 times for school-record 4,239 yards (5.7) and 48 TDs to go with 77 catches. "Doesn't thrill me," a third scout said. "Not a particularly skilled runner. Picks up some yards but takes a lot of hits." Endured a dreadful gauntlet drill trying to catch the ball at the combine. From Tucson, Ariz.

10. STORM JOHNSON, Central Florida (5-11½, 214, 4.58, 4-5) – After one season he decided to transfer from Miami to UCF following an incident on campus and then sat out '11. "Quick, athletic, fast," said one scout. "Good pass catcher. He'll be a starter." Carried 335 times for 1,765 yards (5.3) and 19 TDs to go with 40 receptions. Also fumbled eight times in last two seasons. "He's got to be consistent and stop putting the ball on the ground," another scout said. "A lot of that comes from flagging and trying to shake people. Not a burner but he's got good speed. He's got quick feet and can catch out of the backfield." Fourth-year junior from Loganville, Ga. "He's run of the mill," said a third scout. "He's a big back that runs like a small back and doesn't have really good balance. Dime a dozen."

11. LACHE SEASTRUNK, Baylor (5-9½, 200, 4.45, 4-5) – Five of his 19 TDs were longer than 68 yards. Played better in 2012. "His problem this year was he was dinged up," said one scout. "You're talking about a guy who can fly. He's better than all the (small) backs." Posted the best vertical jump (41½ inches) and broad jump (11-2) of the leading RBs. Fourth-year junior had 289 carries for 2,189 yards (7.6) and 18 TDs but caught just nine passes (none in '13). Wonderlic of 9. "He's dynamic," another scout said. "Rare speed. Not very powerful. His deal is he had no receptions. Nine test, lost in protections. Cannot play in the pass game." Began career at Oregon in 2010 but transferred after being embroiled in recruiting violations. From Temple, Texas.

12. DE'ANTHONY THOMAS, Oregon (5-8½, 174, 4.39, 4-5) – "He's like a subpackage subpackage guy," one scout said. "There's only going to be so much what you can do with the guy." Third-year junior from Los Angeles. "He doesn't play with any strength at all," a second scout said. "He's pure speed and quickness but he gets swept off his feet. If they get an arm on him down low he'll go down. He'll have the same problem in the NFL that all little returners have. Those big linebackers pull him apart and there goes the ball." Rushed 243 times for 1,890 yards (7.8) and 26 TDs to go with 113 receptions for 1,296 (11.5) and 15 TDs. "Name me an Oregon running back that has played in the NFL," a third scout said. "They can't play. They're too small." Wonderlic of 14. Nicknamed "The Black Mamba."

OTHERS: Jerick McKinnon, Georgia Southern; James White, Wisconsin; Tyler Gaffney, Stanford; Alfred Blue, Louisiana State; Antonio Andrews, Western Kentucky; David Fluellen, Toledo; Damien Williams, ex-Oklahoma; Ladarius Perkins, Mississippi State; Lorenzo Taliaferro, Coastal Carolina; George Atkinson, Notre Dame; Isaiah Crowell, Alabama State.

 

[werdnoynek]

Running backs have fallen out of favor

Green Bay — From the inception of the common draft until the late 1970s, you could hardly convince National Football League teams to use a high draft choice on a cornerback.

Some thought coach-general manager Dan Devine of the Green Bay Packers was off his rocker in 1972 when he took cornerback Willie Buchanon with the seventh selection.

From 1967-'83, Mike Haynes (No. 5, 1976) was the only cornerback selected earlier than Buchanon.

The NFL was governed by the ground game back then and teams saw minimal importance in a position so far removed from the ball.

In order to feed the voracious rushing attacks, five running backs — Ricky Bell, Earl Campbell, Billy Sims, George Rogers and Bo Jackson — were the first overall draft pick in a 10-year period from 1977-'86.

It has been 19 years since Cincinnati took Ki-Jana Carter first in 1995. That worked out so terribly for the Bengals that no running back has been taken first since.

Today, running backs have fallen so far out of favor that they can't even land in the first round, let alone lead off a draft. Last year was the first time since 1963 (then a 14-team draft) that no running back was chosen in the first round, and if projections are accurate there won't be any Thursday night, either.

"You don't have Adrian Petersons around much anymore in college," said Rick Reiprish, the New Orleans Saints' director of college scouting who is marking his 36th season of personnel work. "A running back would have to be super to be a first-round pick.

"The way the game's played, you don't see the big back that's going to pound at you all the time. You're going to get backs that are equally as good receivers as they are runners. That's just the way the game is."

The average of first-round running backs has decreased from 4.9 in the 1980s to 3.4 in the 1990s to 3.1 in the 2000s to 1.8 in the first four drafts this decade. The draft didn't expand to 32 picks per round until 2002, either.

In 2007, Peterson arrived with the seventh choice followed by Marshawn Lynch at No. 12.

Fifteen running backs have been taken in the first round since 2008, and the results have been so poor (seven misses, five hits, three OKs) that clubs apparently see no reason to go there again.

"It's too hard to be Jim Brown," one longtime personnel man said. "It's a split-time job pretty much now."

Of those 15 first-round backs taken in the last six years, the list of players whose careers were damaged at least partially by major injury were Darren McFadden, Jahvid Best, Beanie Wells, Rashard Mendenhall and David Wilson. Trent Richardson, the only single-digit back in the last three years, has been common, to say the least.

"This year they're just a bunch of guys as far as I'm concerned," an AFC personnel man said. "They'll get drafted because you've got to have two running backs. At least.

"Because they don't last. They take such a pounding."

The Journal Sentinel polled 18 scouts with national responsibilities to name their five top backs. A first-place vote was worth five points, a second was worth four and so on.

Here were the point totals: Carlos Hyde, 72 (nine firsts); Jeremy Hill, 69 (seven firsts); Bishop Sankey, 43 (one first); Tre Mason, 35 (one first); Andre Williams, 13; Terrance West, 11; Devonta Freeman, 10; Charles Sims, seven; Storm Johnson, five; Lache Seastrunk, three; and Ka'Deem Carey, two.

"There are some very good running backs with some very good running skills and talent that are worthy of being picked from 20 to 32," Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said.

"However, we understand where the value is...those guys may very easily fall into the second round and be very good values for teams interested in bolstering their running attack."

That's exactly what happened a year ago when clubs found outstanding value in the second round with Eddie Lacy, Giovani Bernard, Le'Veon Bell and Montee Ball.

Five scouts said the Packers' Lacy would have been the top back in this draft if he had returned for his senior season at Alabama. Four other scouts said Lacy would have ranked at or near the top.

"Lacy is exactly what Green Bay needed," an AFC personnel man said. "It's really what they were missing."

It's another unexciting year at fullback, where an average of only three have been selected in the last four drafts.

Jacob Hester, a third-round choice by San Diego in 2008, was the only fullback taken before the fourth round in the last decade. He lasted five seasons, blocked OK and scored six touchdowns.

"It's a position that's going the way of the dinosaur," said Phil Savage, an NFL personnel man from 1994-2008 who now runs the Senior Bowl. "There's just not that much of a need for a true fullback."

He might have included expensive, workhorse running backs, too.

***

UNSUNG HERO
James White, RB, Wisconsin: Not big (5-9, 205), not fast (4.58) and not especially athletic. "But I do like him," said one scout. "Boy, he's smart and has a good feel for everything. As a third-down back I think he does all that stuff well. He doesn't make any big plays but just a smart, good football player. We got him in the fifth (round)."

SCOUTS' NIGHTMARE
Damien Williams, RB, ex-Oklahoma: Possesses the talent to be drafted in the third round but might be fortunate at this point just to get into a camp. Kicked off the team in November after messing up too many times. "He can be a three-down back," said one scout. "But there's something wrong with the kid."

PACKERS' PICK TO REMEMBER
Bill Butler, RB, Tennessee-Chattanooga: Native of Berlin, Wis. Was drafted in the 19th round in 1959. Served as the primary punt and kickoff returner on Vince Lombardi's first team, averaging 9.1 and 22.5. Enjoyed six-year career, also playing for Dallas ('60), Pittsburgh ('61) and Minnesota ('62-'64). Started at free safety for Vikings in '62 and intercepted five passes.

QUOTE TO NOTE
NFL personnel man: "When they had the draft two weeks after the Senior Bowl you had your best drafts. You went on what you saw in October and November and not what you saw in March and April. Also, the coaches couldn't get involved. We'd give them maybe 10 players to watch. Now there's so much second-guessing.

"It's just totally ridiculous but that's the National Football League. All they care about is money. Their excuse for the delay this year is they couldn't use the venue (Radio City Music Hall). Well, they can find some other venue. That's the sad thing about all of sports today. They don't care about fans."

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/running-backs-have-fallen-out-of-favor-b99260471z1-257816581.html

 

[Sabertooth]

Updated NFP Big Board with 302 players listed

I like their board, surprised to see Ebron as the 7th overall prospect.

I'm not impressed when they can't even be bothered to update the players heights and weights.

I get what your saying but I like the opinions more-so than the website.

 

[Faust]

Monday NFL Musings: 10 draft names scouts think are overrated

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

NFL Media draft analyst Mike Mayock believes the Chargers would be a good fit for Clemson WR Martavis Bryant in the second round.
Mayock said the Tigers' burner had "an awe-inspiring skill set" but also called him a "one-year wonder." The 6-foot-4, 211-pound wideout ran a 4.42 forty at the combine and is one of the draft's best deep threats. After catching lightning in a bottle with Keenan Allen in the second stanza last year, will San Diego swing for the fences on a prospect that needs plenty of coaching in the game's finer aspects? We'll see. Mayock added that the Seahawks also might be interested in Bryant in Round 2.

Source: NFL.com

The Detroit News reports that ESPN's Jon Gruden believes San Jose State QB David Fales and Clemson QB Tahj Boyd, "might appeal to the Lions" as late-round possibilities for the Lions.
The Lions were unable to sign Shaun Hill in the off-season, and now have Dan Orlovsky as Stafford's back-up. Currently, Kellen Moore sits behind Orlovsky on the depth chart and new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and QB coach Jim Bob Cooter may look to the draft to find their own developmental quarterback. Potential prospects David Fales and Tajh Boyd, are projected to go anywhere from the fifth to the seventh-round in the draft.

Source: The Detroit News

The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson reports, that the Miami Dolphins sent special teams coach Darren Rizzi to see how Wyoming WR Robert Herron "could do as a returner" during his private workout.
Herron wrote in his USA Today diary: "My workout with the Dolphins went very well. I was catching punts and kicks. This was the first time I actually did that. The other workouts were running routes. I didn't catch punts at all in college. At practice, I did some, but I haven't in a game. I told them I haven't done it since high school. It actually went very well, though. I caught them more fluidly than I thought I would," Herron wrote. The Cowboys prospect could hear his name called in the third-round of the draft.

Source: Miami Herald

 

[Faust]

NFL Draft Top 50, Nos. 21-30: Who is the better wide receiver, Benjamin or Cooks? NFL Draft Top 50, Nos. 11-20: Manziel, Bortles, Bridgewater jockey for position

 

[Faust]

Hot 100 + 25: Johnny Manziel, Khalil Mack top 2014 draft class

By Gil Brandt

NFL Media senior analyst

Gil Brandt's draft board 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0We're days away from the 2014 NFL Draft, and I'm ready to reveal my fourth and final set of rankings for this year's top prospects. There's been a lot of moving parts over the last few months, but one player has stayed put atop my list since January, and that's Johnny Manziel.

One reason why my evaluation of Manziel hasn't changed is because I know so much about him. Everybody sees different things in different people, but when you've talked to someone personally and have spent time with him personally, in addition to attending his games, the combine and his pro day, you get a pretty good feel for him and the kind of person and player he is. There isn't much I can find out about Manziel that I didn't know before.

Manziel's pro day only cemented how I felt about him. I also talked to several people he's worked out for, and everybody had the same positive evaluation that I did.

As far as I'm concerned, there's no debate about this year's best prospect. If I'm drafting and I have the No. 1 pick, I'd have already announced that Johnny Manziel is the guy I'm taking.

Here is my final Hot 100 plus 25. Remember that this list isn't a projection of where I think the players will be drafted, it's my opinion of who the best players are. For example, I have four wide receivers ranked in my top 12, but that doesn't mean I think four will be drafted in the top 12.

1. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M

Previous rank: 1

Manziel (5-foot-11 3/4, 205 pounds) is a unique athlete who produced 10,000 yards of offense in two seasons with the Aggies. I had his 40 timed at 4.56 seconds at the combine. He's a very smart player and has great vision at quarterback.

2. Khalil Mack, LB, Buffalo

Previous rank: 3

Mack (6-foot-2 5/8, 251 pounds) is the real deal. He broke Kansas City Chiefs LB Derrick Johnson's NCAA career record for forced fumbles. In 2013, he had 10.5 sacks and three interceptions and was especially impressive against Ohio State in the season opener, posting nine tackles and 2.5 sacks. He ran a hand-timed 4.62-second 40 at the combine and posted a 40-inch vertical.

3. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina

Previous rank: 2

Clowney (6-foot-5 1/4, 266 pounds) did not play well in his last season, but he has great talent and is an outstanding athlete with speed -- he was clocked at 4.47 seconds (hand-timed) in his combine 40.

4. Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn

Previous rank: 4

A third-year player, Robinson (6-foot-5, 332 pounds) played guard in high school in Louisiana and redshirted in 2011 before starting 24 games the past two years. He ran the 40 in 4.84 seconds (hand-timed) and had 32 reps in the bench press.

5. Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M

Previous rank: 5

Matthews (6-foot-5 1/2, 308 pounds) stayed in school for his fourth year and learned the left tackle position. He can also play guard or tackle and is a good pass blocker. At the combine, he ran a hand-timed 4.91-second 40 and had 24 reps on the bench press.

6. Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson

Previous rank: 6

Watkins (6-0 3/4, 202 pounds) is a very strong receiver with great speed -- he ran a hand-timed 4.34-second 40 at the combine. He had a great first year in 2011, when he had 82 catches and 12 TDs and averaged 25 yards per kickoff return, then missed three games in an up-and-down sophomore season. The highlight of his 2013 campaign -- in which he had 101 catches and 12 touchdowns -- was a 16-catch, 227-yard performance against Ohio State in the Orange Bowl. He finished his college career with 240 catches.

7. Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M

Previous rank: 7

Evans (6-foot-4 3/4, 231 pounds) is a mismatch for cornerbacks. Watch his game against Auburn, in which he had 11 catches for 287 yards and four touchdowns. He's a very good athlete who played basketball in high school. He has outstanding hands and great upside. He needs to work on his route running, and I believe he'll learn.

8. Blake Bortles, QB, UCF

Previous rank: 8

Bortles (6-foot-5, 232 pounds) has emerged as a top QB prospect after receiving only two offers out of high school, including one from Purdue, which recruited him as a tight end. He completed 68 percent of his passes last season, with 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has great upside but needs to work on his footwork and mechanics.

9. Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan

Previous rank: 9

A fifth-year player, Lewan (6-foot-7 1/8, 309 pounds) didn't play as well in 2013 as he did in the 2012 season, which ended with him holding his own against Jadeveon Clowney in the Outback Bowl. He does things very easy and has the strength to play left tackle, but he's a better run blocker than pass protector. He ran a 4.85-second hand-timed 40 at the combine.

10. Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State

Previous rank: 11

At 6-0 1/2, 205 pounds, Gilbert is a big corner but also a very fast one who can flip his hips to run with fast receivers. He ran a hand-timed 4.35-second 40 at the combine. He played better in 2013 than in 2012, posting seven interceptions. He averaged close to 26 yards per kickoff return last season.

11. Odell Beckham, WR, LSU

Previous rank: 15

Beckham (5-foot-11 1/4, 198 pounds) will be a star in the NFL both catching passes and returning kicks. He won the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile player last season. At the combine, he ran a hand-timed 4.31-second in the 40, 3.94 in the short shuttle, and 6.69 in the three-cone drill.

12. Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State

Previous rank: 16

Cooks (5-foot-9 3/4, 189 pounds) is short but is a great athlete with excellent hands and toughness. He was one of the fastest guys at the combine, running a hand-timed 4.30 in the 40, 3.81 in the short shuttle and 6.76 in the three-cone drill.

13. Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina

Previous rank: 12

Ebron (6-foot-4 1/8, 250 pounds) has outstanding athletic ability and ran a hand-timed 4.50-second 40 at the combine. He's more of a receiver than a blocker and broke Vernon Davis' single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end in the ACC, with 973 yards on 62 catches. He played some defensive end in 2012 and can line up in the slot.

14. Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame

Previous rank: 14

Martin (6-foot-4, 308 pounds) was the MVP of the Pinstripe Bowl against Rutgers. He has good athletic ability and plays left tackle, but his best position as a pro might be at guard.

15. Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA

Previous rank: 10

Like his father (former Notre Dame player Tony Brooks), Barr (6-foot-4 7/8, 255 pounds) is a former running back. He had 23.5 sacks over two seasons and can rush as well as play in space. Barr ran two 40s at UCLA's pro day timed under 4.50: 4.41 and 4.49 seconds. He also had 19 reps in the bench press.

16. Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh

Previous rank: 17

Donald (6-foot 3/4, 285 pounds) never stops working and has great quickness. He had 28.5 tackles for loss in 2013, best in college football. You wish he were a little taller, but he has good arm length (32 5/8 inches). He ran the 40 in a hand-held time of 4.65 seconds at the combine.

17. Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State

Previous rank: 19

Shazier (6-foot-1 1/2, 227 pounds) lacks size for the position but makes plays all over the field, totaling 258 tackles in his junior and sophomore seasons. He can also play in space.

18. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville

Previous rank: 13

In two seasons, Bridgewater (6-foot-2 1/8, 214 pounds) had 58 TD passes and only 12 interceptions and a completion percentage of nearly 70 percent. He had a less-than-great pro day, but it was better than most people think. He ran the 40 once, clocking 4.79 seconds on a surface that wasn't as fast as the softer FieldTurf used at the combine. His thin frame remains a concern; at his pro day, he weighed 208 pounds.

19. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama

Previous rank: 18

Clinton-Dix (6-foot-1 3/8, 208 pounds) has very good ball skills and reminds some people of Chiefs safety Eric Berry. He was a two-year starter at safety, acting as the quarterback for Alabama's defensive backs. He has long, 32-inch-plus arms and ran a hand-timed 4.50-second 40 at the combine.

20. Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri

Previous rank: 22

Ealy (6-foot-4, 273 pounds) is a very athletic player with great quickness and a lot of upside. He came to Mizzou at 217 pounds; at his pro day he weighed 265. A two-year starter, Ealy had one good year, in 2013, which included a great game against Auburn: two forced fumbles and three tackles for loss. He ran the 40 in 4.69 seconds at his pro day.

21. Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville

Previous rank: 21

Pryor (5-foot-11 1/8, 207 pounds) is a big hitter who is smart, tough and physical. He ran a hand-held 4.60-second 40 at the combine and improved his three-cone time to 6.98 at his pro day on a slower turf. He had 175 tackles, five interceptions and nine forced fumbles in three years at Louisville.

22. Marqise Lee, WR, USC

Previous rank: 20

Lee (5-foot-11 3/4, 192 pounds) is an outstanding athlete who ran a hand-timed 4.44 40 at the combine and had a 38-inch vertical. He also ran a sub-7.00 three-cone drill at his pro day. He isn't the most advanced route runner. A knee injury and inconsistent QB play held him back last season, but he finished with a big game in the Vegas Bowl. In three seasons at USC he had 248 catches and 29 touchdowns.

23. C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama

Previous rank: 23

Mosley (6-foot-2, 234 pounds) does everything you want on the field out of a linebacker. He plays all downs and is good in pass coverage. His knee injury is a concern. He didn't run at the combine, but posted hand-held 40 times of 4.62 and 4.66 seconds at his pro day.

24. Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama

Previous rank: 24

Measured 6-foot-7 and 321 pounds at his pro day, and ran 5.42 and 5.53 seconds in the 40. Some issues remain concerning Kouandjio's knee, but Dr. James Andrews, the renowned orthopedic surgeon, tried to alleviate them with a letter he sent to all 32 teams, explaining how many years he expected the tackle to be able to play. Kouandjio needs work on his pass protection vs. speed rushers, but is still a good player. If you have any doubt, put on the LSU tape from last year; he was dominating. He had 25 lifts at his pro day but was only credited with 21 because he didn't "lock out" on four attempts. I could see him going as high as 20th overall in the draft. Could be a perfect pick for a team like the Seahawks at the back end of the first round.

25. Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech

Previous rank: 25

Fuller (5-foot-11, 3/4, 190 pounds) has good man coverage ability, which he showed off vs. Alabama's Amari Cooper in Week 1, and is also good playing the run. He put up impressive numbers at the combine: a 4.40-second hand-timed 40 with a 1.50 10-yard split; a 38 1/2-inch vertical; and a 6.90 three-cone drill.

26. Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State

Previous rank: 26

Carr (6-foot-2 3/8, 214 pounds) is the type of player a team might trade up to get if he drops to the bottom of Round 1. He has a very strong arm, which is a plus if you play outdoors in cold-weather cities late in the year. In the past two years he had 87 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions, with a 67 percent completion rate. He ran the 40 in 4.65 seconds at the combine and had a very good pro day in March.

27. Xavier Su'a-Filo, OL, UCLA

Previous rank: 27

Su'a-Filo (6-foot-4 1/8, 307 pounds) played some left tackle in 2013, but his best NFL position will be guard. He did not play football in 2010-11 because he was serving on a Mormon mission, but he started all 14 games as a true freshman. He ran the 40 in 4.90 seconds (hand-held) and had 25 strength lifts at the combine.

28. Stephon Tuitt, DT, Notre Dame

Previous rank: 28

Tuitt (6-foot-5 1/2, 304 pounds) could be a real steal in the draft. He wasn't as good in 2013 as he was in 2012, but he plays the run well, is athletic and can play end in a 3-4 or 4-3 defense. He has 34 3/4-inch arms and had 31 reps in the bench press at the combine.

29. Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota

Previous rank: 29

Hageman (6-foot-5 7/8, 310 pounds) has size, power and explosion but lacks consistency, otherwise he would be ranked higher. He might be too tall to play defensive tackle in the NFL but is good enough to convert to end. At the combine, he ran the 40 in a hand-timed 4.97 seconds. He has 34 1/4-inch arms and posted 32 reps in the bench press.

30. Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia

Previous rank: 30

There are some questions about Moses' work habits and toughness, but he has outstanding size for the position (6-foot-6, 314 pounds) and very long arms (35 3/8 inches). He played right tackle before moving to the left side in 2013.

31. Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State

Previous rank: 31

A three-year player, Jernigan (6-foot-1 5/8, 299 pounds) played as a true freshman in 2011 and started two games in 2012. His quickness allows him to be a very disruptive player, although he is better vs. the run. His hand-held 40 times at the combine were 4.93 and 5.09 seconds.

32. Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State

Previous rank: 32

Dennard (5-foot-10 7/8, 199 pounds) is very well coached and thrives in playing press coverage. He has good instincts and is a playmaker, with seven interceptions the past two years. He showed good speed at the combine, running the 40 in a hand-timed 4.42 seconds.

33. Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame

Previous rank: 34

Nix (6-foot-2 3/8, 331 pounds) missed much of last season with a torn meniscus and finished with only 27 tackles; he had 50 in 2012. He looks the part of a defensive tackle, with good size, quickness and lateral movement. He ran the 40 in a hand-timed 5.35 seconds at the combine and had 24 bench-press reps at his pro day.

34. Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State

Previous rank: 35

Roby (5-foot-11 1/4, 194 pounds) has good size and speed -- he ran the 40 in a hand-timed 4.40 at the combine -- but he was much better in 2012 than he was in 2013; he didn't play up to his potential last season and was beaten a lot in coverage. He's likely to be picked in the No. 25-40 range.

35. Joel Bitonio, OT, Nevada

Previous rank: 38

Bitonio (6-foot-4 1/2, 302 pounds) ran a hand-timed 4.91-second 40 at the combine. He's a good athlete who played tackle at Nevada, but he might be better at guard. He needs to get stronger, and if he does I think he'll play a long time in the NFL.

36. Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern Illinois

Previous rank: 37

Garoppolo (6-foot-2 1/4, 226 pounds) had 53 touchdown passes in 2013. He has good arm strength to go with good accuracy and vision. He's also a very hard worker who is tough -- he played linebacker in high school.

37. Demarcus Lawrence, DE, Boise State

Previous rank: NR

Lawrence (6-foot-2 3/4, 250 pounds) was previously unranked because I wanted to check on his off-field problems. He was redshirted as a junior college player in 2010, although the reasons are unclear, and he was twice suspended while at Boise State. His coaches say he has no major problems. Lawrence is a very athletic player with long arms and big hands, and he totaled 20 sacks from 2012-13.

38. Dee Ford, DE, Auburn

Previous rank: 36

Ford (6-foot-2 1/8, 252 pounds) is an edge rusher who has speed and quickness but isn't big enough to be a 4-3 DE. He weighed 244 pounds at Auburn's pro day, where he put up good numbers, including a hand-timed 4.59-second 40. He had an outstanding week at the Senior Bowl, otherwise he would not be ranked this high.

39. Ja'Wuan James, OT, Tennessee

Previous rank: 39

Not many true freshmen start in the SEC, but James did, and he ended up starting 49 consecutive games at right tackle for Tennessee. I think he can start as a rookie in the NFL. He's a good run blocker who plays hard every down, and he played well against Jadeveon Clowney when they were matched up.

40. Jason Verrett, CB, TCU

Previous rank: 40

Verrett (5-foot-9 1/2, 189 pounds) has very good cover skills and recorded eight interceptions in the past two years, but he's small for the position; I think he could work as a slot receiver. He posted a 40 time of 4.41 (hand-timed) at the combine.

41. Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State

Previous rank: 33

Benjamin (6-foot-5, 240 pounds) is a big target with very good hands, but his attitude is a question. At one of his workouts, he told a coach who had just arrived that he was too tired to work out. He played only two years with Florida State after redshirting in 2011. He ran the 40 in a hand-held time of 4.53 seconds at the combine.

42. Tom Savage, QB, Pittsburgh

Previous rank: 41

Savage (6-foot-3 7/8, 228 pounds) is a good leader and throws a lot like Troy Aikman. He has a very strong arm and will put it where the receiver can catch it. If he had played four years at one school, he might have been projected to go in the top half of the first round.

43. Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt

Previous rank: 42

Matthews (6-foot-3 1/8, 212 pounds) had 206 receptions for 2,800 yards over the past two years. He has great ball skills and should catch a lot of passes to move the chains, and no one will outwork him. He ran the 40 in a hand-held time of 4.40 seconds at the combine.

44. Jimmie Ward, S, Northern Illinois

Previous rank: 44

Ward (5-foot-10 5/8, 197 pounds) has everything you want in a safety except size. He isn't big, but he's a tough player with very good instincts. At his pro day, he posted a 4.47-second 40, 38-inch vertical and 6.89 three-cone drill.

45. Ego Ferguson, DT, LSU

Previous rank: 45

Ferguson (6-foot-2 7/8, 302 pounds) most likely would have been a first-round pick if he had stayed in school for his final year. He's a very athletic lineman who is strong at the point of attack. He'll be a starter in his second year and play in the NFL for a long time.

46. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington

Previous rank: 46

Seferian-Jenkins (6-foot-5 1/2, 262 pounds) is still recovering from a foot injury and did not run or jump for teams in the pre-draft process. The Huskies ran more in 2013, which contributed to him catching only 36 passes for eight touchdowns. He can and will block. He served a one-week suspension last season after a DUI arrest in the spring.

47. Jeremy Hill, RB, LSU

Previous rank: 47

Hill (6-0 5/8, 233 pounds) is a big back with speed, quickness and power. He worked out very well at his pro day, looking good catching the ball and running the 40-yard dash in a hand-timed 4.53 seconds. He's had some off-the-field troubles, but his coaches say he's a good young man.

48. Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State

Previous rank: 43

Hyde (5-foot-11 7/8, 230 pounds) ran for 1,521 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, averaging 7.3 yards per carry. He's a power runner who has the quickness needed to be successful in the NFL. He ran the 40 in a hand-timed 4.62 seconds at the combine and had 19 bench-press reps.

49. Cameron Fleming, OT, Stanford

Previous rank: 48

Fleming (6-foot-4 7/8, 323 pounds) is a right tackle and a very good run blocker. He left school one year early, but started for three years. I think he will play this position for a lot of years. He needs to improve as a pass blocker, and I believe he will.

50. Cody Latimer, WR, Indiana

Previous rank: 58

Latimer (6-foot-2 5/8, 215 pounds) is a big receiver with outstanding hands, along with 4.44 speed and a 39-inch vertical. A three-year player, he'll need time, but this is a player who can be very good.

51. Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State

Previous rank: 49

Robinson (6-foot-2 5/8, 207 pounds) played as a true freshman and totaled 174 catches the past two years. He's a great leaper, a skill he showed off when he made a big catch late in the fourth quarter against Michigan last season. He improved on his combine 40 at his pro day, running a 4.49.

52. Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington

Previous rank: 51

Sankey (5-foot-9 1/2, 209 pounds) has good quickness and running skills and will work hard on every play. He ranked No. 1 in the nation last year at breaking tackles. He has good hands and can be an every-down back. At the combine, he posted a hand-timed 4.45-second 40 and 41 1/2-inch vertical.

53. Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech

Previous rank: 50

Amaro (6-foot-5 3/8, 265 pounds) will be a tough matchup in the NFL. He caught 106 passes and seven touchdowns last year. He wasn't asked to block a lot at Tech and will need work in that area. At the combine, he ran a hand-timed 4.63 seconds in the 40, but his stock dropped a bit after he interviewed poorly. He also has had some off-field problems in the past.

54. AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama

Previous rank: 52

McCarron (6-foot-3 1/4, 220 pounds) led Alabama to two national championships and completed 67 percent of his passes over two years (2012-13) with 58 TDs and 10 interceptions. He's a very smart player with slightly above-average arm strength and ran a hand-timed 4.91-second 40.

55. Deone Bucannon, DB, Washington State

Previous rank: 53

Bucannon (6-foot 7/8, 211 pounds) has above-average ball skills for a safety and provides good support against the run, with 13 interceptions and 300 tackles in three years. He's a physical player with 4.5 speed and should also be good on special teams.

56. Jeremiah Attaochu, DE, Georgia Tech

Previous rank: 55

Attaochu (6-foot-3 3/8, 249 pounds) has long, 34 1/4-inch arms and is Georgia Tech's all-time sacks leader. Last year he had 12.5 sacks to go with 16 tackles for loss. He played outside linebacker before this year, and it's not clear what his best position will be in the pros. He ran a 4.57-second 40 at his pro day.

57. Preston Brown, LB, Louisville

Previous rank: NR

Brown (6-foot-1 1/4, 250 pounds) played as a true freshman in a good program and is a very good tackler who plays aggressive and smart. He was the team's leading tackler with 207 over the past two years. If he can't play all downs I have him rated too high -- he probably drops to Round 4 if he has to come out on passing downs -- but I think he can do it.

58. Keith McGill, CB, Utah

Previous rank: 54

In addition to his height, McGill (6-foot-3 1/8, 213 pounds) has long arms (33 inches) and big hands (10 inches). He had 37 tackles and 12 pass breakups in 2013 and played well at the Senior Bowl. One question for him is why he didn't have more interceptions at Utah (one in two seasons).

59. Trent Murphy, LB, Stanford

Previous rank: 57

Murphy (6-foot-5 5/8, 260 pounds) led the nation in sacks in 2013 with 15 after having 16.5 the previous two years. He'll be a good NFL player for many years, but it's uncertain whether he'll be a defensive end or a strong-side linebacker in a 3-4 defense. He ran a hand-timed 4.82-second 40 at his pro day.

60. Carl Bradford, LB, Arizona State

Previous rank: 56

Bradford (6-foot-1 1/8, 251 pounds) had 27 sacks in three years. He can play in space or rush the passer and play the run. His best position is strong-side linebacker. He ran a 4.72-second 40 at his pro day.

61. Cyril Richardson, OL, Baylor

Previous rank: 59

Richardson (6-foot-4 1/4, 333 pounds) has 34 3/8-inch arms and put up 30 bench-press reps at his pro day. He didn't play as well in 2013 as he did the previous season and might have been too heavy at around 345 pounds. A four-year starter, he's a good run blocker and pass protector.

62. Troy Niklas, TE, Notre Dame

Previous rank: 60

Niklas (6-foot-6 1/2, 268 pounds) is a three-year player who played linebacker in 2011 as a true freshman. He can block and catch (32 receptions, 498 yards, five TDs in 2013) and is very athletic. He did not run for teams after having double-hernia surgery in March.

63. Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State

Previous rank: 61

Crichton (6-foot-2 7/8, 273 pounds) isn't a great athlete but plays hard every down. He had 22.5 sacks and 10 forced fumbles in three years as a starter. He ran the 40 in a hand-timed 4.78 seconds at the combine.

64. Tre Mason, RB, Auburn

Previous rank: 62

Mason (5-foot-8 1/2 207 pounds) has outstanding quickness for his position; that was the trait that made Tony Dorsett so good. Mason gained 2,818 yards the past two years and scored 31 TDs. The only question is whether he can be effective on blitz protection. At the combine he ran a hand-timed 4.4-second 40 and 38 1/2-inch vertical. This ranking assumes his wrist checks out medically.

65. Dominique Easley, DT, Florida

Previous rank: 64

Easley (6-foot-1 5/8, 285 pounds) played as a true freshman in 2010 and gives excellent effort with good leverage. He has had ACL surgery on both knees and has not run for teams yet. If he checks out medically -- and he is said to be OK -- this is a very good player who can be a disruptive presence when healthy. I think defensive end is his best position.

66. Kareem Martin, DE, North Carolina (66): 6-foot-5 3/4, 270 pounds, 4.68 40

67. Marcus Martin, C, USC (68): 6-foot-3 1/8, 318 pounds, 5.22 40

68. Weston Richburg, C, Colorado State (67): 6-foot-3 3/4, 304 pounds, 5.07 40

69. Dion Bailey, S, USC (63): 5-foot-11 5/8, 211 pounds, 4.68 40

70. Christian Jones, LB, Florida State (65): 6-foot-3 5/8, 239 pounds, 4.60 40

71. Jack Mewhort, OL, Ohio State (72): 6-foot-6, 315 pounds, 5.19 40

72. Donte Moncrief, WR, Mississippi (71): 6-foot-2, 198 pounds, 4.39 40

73. Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State (79): 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, 4.50 40

74. Stanley Jean-Baptiste, CB, Nebraska (78): 6-foot-2 5/8, 218 pounds, 4.53 40

75. Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin (73): 5-foot-11 1/2, 247 pounds, 4.81 40

76. Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU (74): 6-foot-3 1/4, 246 pounds, 4.60 40

77. Phillip Gaines, CB, Rice (102): 6-foot 1/8, 191 pounds, 4.34 40

78. Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida (70): 6-foot 1/4, 191 pounds, 4.59 40

79. Ed Reynolds, S, Stanford (69): 6-foot 7/8, 206 pounds, 4.51 40

80. Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson (75): 6-foot-4, 217 pounds, 4.34 40

81. Paul Richardson, WR, Colorado (76): 6-foot, 175 pounds, 4.34 4082. DaQuan Jones, DL, Penn State (81): 6-foot-3 3/4, 322 pounds, 5.28 40

83. Marcus Smith, DE, Louisville (80): 6-foot-3 3/8, 253 pounds, 4.63 40

84. Andre Williams, RB, Boston College (84): 5-foot-11 1/2, 230 pounds, 4.54 40

85. Travis Swanson, C, Arkansas (77): 6-foot-5, 312 pounds, 5.16 40

86. Garrett Gilbert, QB, SMU (NR): 6-foot-3 7/8, 221 pounds, 4.83 40

87. Michael Schofield, OL, Michigan (82): 6-foot-6 1/4, 305 pounds, 4.90 40

88. Anthony Johnson, DL, LSU (83): 6-foot-2 1/8, 311 pounds, 5.25 40

89. Chris Smith, DE/LB, Arkansas (85): 6-foot-1, 266 pounds, 4.60 40

90. Ka'Deem Carey, RB, Arizona (86): 5-foot-9 1/4, 209 pounds, 4.72 40

91. Brock Vereen, DB, Minnesota (87): 5-foot-11 5/8, 197 pounds, 4.42 40

92. Marqueston Huff, DB, Wyoming (88): 5-foot-11 1/8, 195 pounds, 4.47 40

93. Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina (89): 5-foot-9 3/8, 197 pounds, 4.31 40

94. Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU (93): 6-foot-4 7/8, 224 pounds, did not run

95. Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia (92): 6-foot 1/2, 207 pounds, did not run

96. Billy Turner, OT, North Dakota State (90): 6-foot-4 7/8, 315 pounds, 5.06 40

97. Terrance West, RB, Towson (91): 5-foot-9 1/8, 225 pounds, 4.56 40

98. Trai Turner, OL, LSU (94): 6-foot-2 5/8, 310 pounds, 4.84 40

99. C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa (95): 6-foot-5 1/2, 265 pounds, 4.80 40

100. Telvin Smith, LB, Florida State (96): 6-foot-3 1/2, 224 pounds, 4.41 40

101. Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas (98): 6-foot-3, 247 pounds, 4.60 40

102. Terrence Brooks, DB, Florida State (109): 5-foot-10 7/8, 198 pounds, 4.41 40

103. Caraun Reid, DL, Princeton (121): 6-foot-2, 305 pounds, 4.85 40

104. Lamarcus Joyner, DB, Florida State (117): 5-foot-8, 181 pounds, 4.52 40

105. Gabe Jackson, OL, Mississippi State (104): 6-foot-3 1/4, 339 pounds, 5.43 40

106. Anthony Steen, OL, Alabama (105): 6-foot-3 5/8, 310 pounds, 5.33 40

107. Daniel McCullers, DT, Tennessee (106): 6-foot-6 7/8, 348 pounds, 5.30 40

108. Jared Abbrederis, WR, Wisconsin (107): 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, 4.44 40

109. Dez Southward, DB, Wisconsin (113): 6-foot 7/8, 212 pounds, 4.38 40

110. Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia (103): 6-foot 1/8, 214 pounds, 4.47 40

111. Devonta Freeman, RB, Florida State (116): 5-foot-8 3/8, 205 pounds, 4.50 40

112. Deandre Coleman, DT, California (111): 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, 5.06 40

113. Walt Aikens, CB, Liberty (112): 6-foot 5/8, 203 pounds, 4.49 40

114. David Yankey, OL, Stanford (101): 6-foot-6, 317 pounds, 5.50 40

115. Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor (114): 5-foot-9 1/8, 199 pounds, 4.37 40

116. Bashaud Breeland, CB, Clemson (99): 5-foot-11 3/8, 188 pounds, 4.58 40

117. E.J. Gaines, CB, Missouri (NR): 5-foot-9 3/4, 191 pounds, 4.51 40

118. Dri Archer, RB, Kent State (110): 5-foot-7 3/4, 176 pounds, 4.28 40

119. Jordan Tripp, LB, Montana (125): 6-foot-2 3/4, 235 pounds, 4.58 40

120. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OT, McGill (NR): 6-foot-5, 298 pounds, 5.05 40

121. Justin Ellis, DL, Louisiana Tech (120): 6-foot-1 1/2, 342 pounds, 5.12 40

122. Loucheiz Purifoy, CB, Florida (97): 5-foot-11 5/8, 191 pounds, 4.63 40

123. Trevor Reilly, LB, Utah (122): 6-foot-4 1/2, 244 pounds, 4.66 40

124. Antonio Richardson, OL, Tennessee (118): 6-foot-5 7/8, 326 pounds, 5.34 40

125. Robert Herron, WR, Wyoming (123): 5-foot-9 1/8, 193 pounds, 4.45 40

Wildcard: Seantrel Henderson, OL, Miami

A few weeks ago, I listed Cyrus Kouandjio as my draft wildcard; I've moved him up to No. 24 in the Hot 100 plus 25. Henderson (6-foot-7 1/8, 331 pounds) takes Kouandjio's place as my new wildcard. I think his draft position could be anywhere from 97th overall to undrafted.

Follow Gil Brandt on Twitter @Gil_Brandt.

 

[Faust]

NFL draft prospect Seantrel Henderson reportedly failed drug test, previously quit during pro day workout

 

[Bojang0301]

Along with this being one of the deepest draft classes I've seen, it is also the most polarizing. I'm not sure where anyone will go, there are a huge amount of variables all over the draft.

 

[Faust]

Along with this being one of the deepest draft classes I've seen, it is also the most polarizing. I'm not sure where anyone will go, there are a huge amount of variables all over the draft.

The record number of underclassmen declaring makes this a very deep class; however, underclassmen can also be be more challenging to evaluate for their likelihood of projecting to NFL success, and the maturity of this draft class has been called into question:

2014 NFL Draft: Steelers GM Colbert fears deep draft also 'immature'

 

[Faust]

The Tease of Rookie WRs

 

[jurb26]

NFL draft prospect Seantrel Henderson reportedly failed drug test, previously quit during pro day workout

Once a top recruit in the nation out of high school, this guy has disappointed every step of the way since transferring to Mia.

 

[Faust]

Video Links:

2014 Draft: Position Breakdown—Quarterbacks

2014 Draft: Position Breakdown—Pass Catchers

Position Analysis: Running Backs

 

[Faust]

How top 2014 NFL draft prospects ranked as high school recruits

 

[Faust]

2014 NFL Draft: Mike Mayock's top 100 prospects

By Mike Mayock

NFL Media draft analyst

A rundown of NFL Media draft analyst Mike Mayock's top 100 prospects heading into the 2014 NFL Draft.

1. Khalil Mack, LB, Buffalo

2. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina

3. Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn

4. Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson

5. Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M

6. Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan

7. Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M

8. Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina

9. Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame

10. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M

11. C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama

12. Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh

13. Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech

14. Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA

15. Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida

16. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama

17. Odell Beckham, WR, LSU

18. Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State

19. Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State

20. Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State

21. Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State

22. Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville

23. Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State

24. Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama

25. Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State

26. Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State

27. Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington

28. Marqise Lee, WR, USC

29. Jason Verrett, CB, TCU

30. Stanley Jean-Baptiste, CB, Nebraska

31. Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State

32. Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech

33. Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame

34. Marcus Martin, C, USC

35. Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State

36. Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame

37. Dee Ford, DE, Auburn

38. Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern Illinois

39. Joel Bitonio, OT, Nevada

40. Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU

41. Demarcus Lawrence, LB, Boise State

42. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville

43. Deone Bucannon, S, Washington State

44. Xavier Su'a-Filo, G, UCLA

45. Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri

46. Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State

47. Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia

48. Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota

49. Jeremy Hill, RB, LSU

50. Cody Latimer, WR, Indiana

51. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington

52. Davante Adams, WR, Fresno St.

53. Marcus Smith, LB, Louisville

54. Jimmie Ward, S, Northern Illinois

55. Tre Mason, RB, Auburn

56. Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU

57. Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU

58. Troy Niklas, TE, Notre Dame

59. Jack Mewhort, OT, Ohio State

60. Ja'Wuan James, OT, Tennessee

61. Trent Murphy, LB, Stanford

62. Weston Richburg, C, Colorado St.

63. Trai Turner, G, LSU

64. Dominique Easley, DT, Florida

65. Lamarcus Joyner, S, Florida St.

66. Bashaud Breeland, CB, Clemson

67. AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama

68. Pierre Desir, CB, Lindenwood

69. Ed Stinson, DE, Alabama

70. Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt

71. Gabe Jackson, G, Mississippi St.

72. Telvin Smith, LB, Florida St.

73. Will Clarke, DE, West Virginia

74. Andre Williams, RB, Boston College

75. C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa

76. Brent Urban, DE, Virginia

77. Allen Robinson, WR, Penn St.

78. Devonta Freeman, RB, Florida St.

79. Ego Ferguso, DT, LSU

80. Jeremiah Attaochu, LB, Georgia Tech

81. Terrence Brooks, S, Florida St.

82. Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin

83. Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina

84. Keith McGill, CB, Utah

85. Marqueston Huff, CB, Wyoming

86. Jaylen Watkins, CB, Florida

87. Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson

88. Kareem Martin, DE, North Carolina

89. Justin Ellis, DT, Louisiana Tech

90. Tom Savage, QB, Pittsburgh

91. Terrance West, RB, Towson

92. Paul Richardson, WR, Colorado

93. Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma

94. Dontae Johnson, CB, N.C. State

95. Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss

96. Preston Brown, LB, Louisville

97. DaQuan Jones, DT, Penn St.

98. Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia

99. Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia

100. Brandon Thomas, G, Clemson

 

[Faust]

Tre Mason, Zach Mettenberger among those facing injury questions ahead of draft

 

[identikit]

@BenVolin


Failing drug tests at the Combine: Miami OT Seantrel Henderson (ESPN), FSU DT Timmy Jernigan (Fox) and Mettenberger had diluted sample (PFT)

 

[Faust]

6th annual Wes Welker Watch List: Potential impact undrafted FAs

 

[Donnybrook]

Just read this. Can anyone confirm?

Shane P. Hallam ‏@ShanePHallam

Wow, a lot of failed drug tests at the combine. Going to be interesting to see how this affects the players stocks (if at all).

Shane P. Hallam ‏@ShanePHallam

Telvin Smith, Christian Jones, Anthony Johnson, Zach Mettenberger, Seantrel Henderson, Timmy Jernigan RT @ben890: @ShanePHallam who failed?

 

[Donnybrook]

Jay Glazier mentions the same players here > Glazer: Mettenberger, Jernigan failed drug tests at Combine

 

[Biabreakable]

Along with this being one of the deepest draft classes I've seen, it is also the most polarizing. I'm not sure where anyone will go, there are a huge amount of variables all over the draft.

The record number of underclassmen declaring makes this a very deep class; however, underclassmen can also be be more challenging to evaluate for their likelihood of projecting to NFL success, and the maturity of this draft class has been called into question:

2014 NFL Draft: Steelers GM Colbert fears deep draft also 'immature'

This may be just nostalgia on my part. But the influx of so many juniors over the past 2 years reminds me of 1989 when they first allowed Juniors to enter the draft. That draft had a lot of quality players and the success of rookie players boomed.

With changes to the CBA and so many juniors declaring, it just has a similar feeling to me although what happened back in 1989 was a one time event, the 1st time juniors could declare and therefore a deeper influx of talent into the league.

 

[Brewtown]

http://ipad.sportsgrid.com/sportsgrid/#!/entry/fantasy-football-sammy-watkins-tops-the-nfl-draft-rankings,536801b1e56d0bb8535d1b63

 

[Faust]

Inside Slant: Digging deeper on QB class

 

[Faust]

Countdown to on the clock: Kevin Norwood

 

[Faust]

2014 NFL Draft: 126 FBS programs, 126 possible UDFAs

2014 NFL Draft: 126 FBS programs, 126 possible UDFAs (Part 2)

 

[Faust]

2014 NFL Draft: Jimmie Ward headlines my Better-Than Team

 

[Faust]

Five OCs for top NFL draft quarterbacks give parting words

Jeremy Fowler

The evaluations are over, the draft is here and, after more media misdirection than an Oregon handoff, the batch of potential first-round quarterbacks seemed muddled at best.

Is there a clear-cut top quarterback? The answer might be more elusive now than four months ago -- maybe not for general managers, but there's no denying the volatility of a quarterback market with promise and imperfection.

That's why this is a good time to circle back with the coaches that know quarterbacks well: college offensive coordinators.

CBSSports.com caught up with the coordinators that worked with five of the top quarterback prospects – UCF's Charlie Taaffe (Blake Bortles), Texas A&M's Jake Spavital (Johnny Manziel), Texas' Shawn Watson (Teddy Bridgewater, Watson's quarterback at Louisville), Fresno State's Dave Schramm (Derek Carr) and Michigan's Doug Nussmeier (A.J. McCarron, Nussmeier's quarterback at Alabama).

These coordinators were asked why, when this draft is judged in five years, their quarterback will be considered the best of the group.

Of course, these coaches want to stump for their guys. But they also know the prospects better than most and can offer unique insights into their play.

Would have liked to talk with coordinators for Zach Mettenberger, Aaron Murray, Jimmy Garoppolo but these five made a good start.

With the draft less than three full days away, consider these parting words (or shots, in some cases).

The case for Blake Bortles – as told by UCF offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe

* "All I know is a year ago at this time nobody knew who Blake was. He's probably made the largest leap of any of the guys that have been identified by whoever does that. If he continues to progress at that same level, he'll make quantum leaps in the next few years."

* "I think he has durability, prototypical size, athleticism and a great work ethic. He's gone from a spread offense to being under center where he has to check plays, not from the sideline where you have to look over. I read these things saying he's never been under center. They must not be watching film. Back to 2012, we had fullbacks in our system and he was under center about 50 percent of the time. I think he's got the best raw ability of the guys in the draft quarterback wise. He's smart and he works."

* "He kind of welcomed competition, He said 'I'm going to go to the combine to show I'm a pro quarterback,' and he did everything he was asked to do… None of these guys are cut out of a cookie cutter. They all have strengths. They are all good. They are all talented. But I think Blake has the tangibles and I think he has the intangibles. He understands the commitment it takes. I think he's pretty well grounded."

* "Five years from now, I would think he'd be an upper-echelon quarterback in the NFL. I'll be surprised if he's not."

The case for Johnny Manziel – as told by Texas A&M OC Jake Spavital

* "Johnny will be the most successful because of his competitive nature. It's how exciting of a player he is, of course, and the things he does are unique and fun to watch and all that, but his competitive nature in everything he does is what sets him apart. He's a winner. His goal is to win at anything, on and off the field. He'll play you in golf or in chess and he's ultra competitive."

* "When it comes to Johnny adapting to offenses (an alleged point of concern in draft evaluations), what is considered an NFL offense these days? Chip Kelly is having success in the NFL. You have Russell Wilson with the playaction game, Peyton Manning throwing the ball all over the place, the Packers throw the ball a lot. There's enough diversity in the NFL now where a guy like Manziel can thrive. A good offense will utilize his skill set. It's all about fit and being put in the right place to be successful."

* "He can make all the throws you need. He certainly made all the throws we needed. He's been getting ridiculed in the draft process by the base of his footwork and being unconventional, but just look at the bowl game (against Duke). He was deadly accurate. He threw corners. He threw fades. He threw back shoulder. I thought that was the best example of how Johnny can make the throws a team needs."

The case for Teddy Bridgewater – as told by former Louisville OC Shawn Watson (now with Texas)

* "In five years Teddy will be a franchise quarterback. It's character and work ethic. I know it to be true that the game truly slows down for him on the field, with a million things going on. He's got it. He works every day like he's got something to prove. Slowing the game down can be developed but it's a skill and it comes from being a gym rat."

* "He has a photogenic mind. He sees things and never forgets. I've never had to tell him anything twice. He's always a quick study. He's played in an NFL system and is an NFL-ready player. I've never been able to go this far with a kid on the field as far as the responsibility, getting us into the right play and commanding the line of scrimmage. He understand the little things, situational management, led the country in third down management."

* "He knows how to handle the full-field-read passing game. He's not throwing a bunch of bubble screens. He was in an offense that's meant to be aggressive. His eyes are a weapon. He'll move defenders and throw the opposite."

* "He's done amazingly well in (NFL) team meetings with studying install and being quizzed on that install. He's enjoyed all of it because he loves the game so much. That will help him at the next level."

The case for Derek Carr – as told by Fresno OC Dave Schramm

* "With all young quarterbacks, hopefully they succeed because they weren't thrown into the fire too early with a team that couldn't protect or without players that can get open. It's all about the situation and the fit and getting with the right coaches. That said, if Derek can stay healthy, his Football IQ and his quick release will be what makes him the most successful. As far as the way he throws the ball and his velocity and his recognition of defenses and the way he can command an offense, being able to change angles with his arm, Derek has all of that with no issues."

* "The knocks on Derek about getting rattled in the pocket are a little overblown. All quarterbacks get a little rattled when they are getting hit. There are plenty of examples of Derek staying in a collapsing pocket and delivering."

* "Considering what we asked him to do – he threw the ball 50 times a game for us – his accuracy is at an elite level. He might be the most accurate passer in this draft. I always told Derek, as a quarterback, you don't have to do everything. You just have to put your team in a position to make plays. And he does that so well."

* "He's motivated by his brother's past but knows he can be the best Derek Carr he can be. That's his plan, and that's ultimately why I think he'll be a successful NFL quarterback.”

The case for A.J. McCarron – as told by former Alabama OC Doug Nussmeier (now Michigan's OC)

* "His accuracy and his anticipation are stellar. The big thing about him is he plays his best when he's needed the most. When you look at his best games in the college game and the stakes of those games, it was really good."

* "He's a tremendous leader. He relates to all the guys in the locker room very well. They respect him, the way he plays, the way he competes day in and day out."

* "People look at arm strength on all the quarterbacks, but if you watch the great ones, the ability to anticipate and throw with timing is a lot more important in the NFL game. He has a great feel for the game and that allows him to anticipate. With that he's very accurate."

* "He's been exposed to a pro style offense. He's going to relate well to things that are going to happen at the next level, which should allow him to contribute earlier. The way our offense was at Alabama, you can translate that to the NFL. The terminology will be different, the reads, the protections will all be the same. He'll be used to making all the checks at the next level he'll need to."

* "With all guys and footwork, you've got to be so good at that level to be successful. He's worked hard on it, getting those feet right and making sure they are patterned so that he consistency in the drops and the footwork is the same. It felt like he got better and better every year at that."

 

[Faust]

Poor man's prospects carry similar traits to elite players without the high draft spot

 

[massraider]

Along with this being one of the deepest draft classes I've seen, it is also the most polarizing. I'm not sure where anyone will go, there are a huge amount of variables all over the draft.

Yes. Completely awesome.

 

[Faust]

Rookie Fantasy Value

 

[Faust]

John Pollard ‏@JPSTATS

Top WR Prospects: 2013 Most Receptions vs. Top 50 CBs (Lowest Burn %) pic.twitter.com/Xg5AYnur6o

John Pollard ‏@JPSTATS

Top WR Prospects: 2013 Most Receptions vs. Top 100 CBs (Lowest Burn %) pic.twitter.com/1lpBQQsrXo

An X-Info™ Analysis of select 2014 NFL Draft Prospects from the Sports Information Leader

 

[Faust]

NFL Draft Top 50, Nos. 1-10: Jadeveon Clowney tops the list despite carrying risks