Since I broke down each of their games from film in my pre-combine ranking list, I’ll mainly discuss situation/combine.
Here are my pre combine rankings http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=703612&hl=
1) Mike Evans WR Tampa Bay
6-4 3/4 231 Texas A&M
4.53= 40, 37=vert, 4.26= short shuttle, 7.08= 3 cone
2013- 69 1394 12
2012- 82 for 1105 5
Evans proved at the combine that he’s not a slow player and he has explosiveness(37 inch vertical). He has some concerns about short area quickness; however his spiderman like arms and frame can catch almost anything. I like his landing spot in Tampa Bay. It’s a warm weather city, where he doesn’t have the pressure to produce right away. He can learn from Vincent Jackson and see single coverage for the first 2 seasons before he takes over as the man in year three. I can easily see this as a Fitz/Floyd or Marshall/Jeffery situation where both players can produce in a single offense. Josh McCown showed he can produce with big WRs last season and Tampa will likely draft another QB soon to be the future. Granted I know Evans as #1 and Watkins as #2 is unpopular, I just see a higher ceiling with Evans. Oddly enough he had a better vertical and short shuttle than Watkins.
2) Sammy Watkins WR Buffalo
6-0 3/4 211 Clemson
4.43=40, 34=vert, 4.34=short shuttle, 6.95=cone, 10’6=broad jump
2013- 101 for 1464 12
2012- 57 for 708 3
2011- 82 for 1219 12
Watkins’ combine performance has cemented my thoughts of him as a FF WR2. He isn’t sudden or blazing fast and I think for a WR below 6’2 you need one of those two things to happen. I don’t like the thought of him landing in a cold weather city with EJ Manuel throwing him the football for the next 3 seasons at a minimum(no 1st rounder next year). Buffalo overpaid to move up and get him, so I assume they will give him many opportunities. He will still be a solid player in the NFL and likely a WR2-3 for most of his career.
3) Brandin Cooks WR New Orleans
5-9 3/4 189 Oregon State
4.33=40, 36=vert, 3.81=short shuttle, 6.76=3 cone, 10’=broad jump
2013- 128 for 1730 16
2012- 67 for 1151 5
2011- 31 for 391 3
I’m kicking myself for not trusting my gut on Brandin Cooks, I was worried the NFL wouldn’t like him due to his size. But I was proven wrong by the Saints trading up to obtain the turbo charged WR. Cooks blew up the Combine and measured in bigger than I had thought; he actually has the same size hands as Watkins. Cooks enters an offense desperate for a playmaker with Lance Moore/Sproles gone and Colston near the end of the road. I look for Cooks to explode out of the gates with Sean Payton designing plays and Drew Brees picking apart defenses. The concerns for Cooks are defenders getting their hands on him and Brees already being 35. But one thing you don’t have to be worried about is his character because this is what he did with his combine winnings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzmBWiyIS6A
4) Bishop Sankey RB Tennessee
5-10 203 Washington
40=4.49, 26=bench, 35.5=vert, 4.00=SS, 6.75=3 cone, Broad=10’6
2013- 327 for 1870 5.7 20 TD, 28 rec 304 1 TD
2012- 289 for 1439 5.0 16 TD, 33 rec for 249 0 TD
2011- 89 for 187 6.7 1 TD, 6 rec for 14 0 TD
Sankey separated himself at the combine with a great performance showing that he was the most complete RB in this draft. He’s fast enough, quick enough, and plays good enough to be a RB1 in the NFL. He’s good at everything, but not great at any one thing which is why he wasn’t high on some people’s lists prior to the combine. Now he lands in a perfect situation in Tennessee where the only thing he might lose out on is goal line carries in year one. I see Sankey as having a Matt Forte type of career where he never fully gets the respect he deserves and tends to always be a good value.
5) Marqise Lee WR Jacksonville
5-11 3/4 192 USC
4.52=40, 38=vert, 4.01= short shuttle, 10’7=broad jump
2013- 57 for 791 4
2012- 118 for 1721 14
2011- 73 for 1143 11
I thought Lee performed well at the combine by making some dynamic receptions and showing off his athleticism. His 40 was a little slower than I wanted, but his game speed his faster than that. Lee lands in a perfect situation in Jacksonville with a brand new QB with a great arm and plenty of targets. Shorts is an UFA after the season, Blackmon looks to be done in Jacksonville, no TE threat to speak of, no dynamic RB to get 50+ receptions and Allen Robinson is still raw. I look for Lee to gain at least an 800 yard rookie season and really make people eat their words about his junior season.
6) Odell Beckham Jr WR NYG
5-11 1/4 198 LSU
4.43=40, 38.5=vertical, 3.94=short shuttle, 6.69=3 cone, 10’2=broad jump
2013- 59 for 1152 8
2012- 43 for 713 2
2011- 41 for 475 2
This may come as a surprise, but I don’t like OBJ’s landing spot. Cruz, Jernigan, and OBJ remind me of the same type of player. They still have Randle and Cruz is signed for 5 more seasons. I like OBJ quite a bit, but combine that with Eli Manning has looked poor the last couple of seasons and I’m not as thrilled about his upcoming FF potential. I think OBJ will be a much better FF player 3-4 years from now, but not initially. With that said, OBJ is a hard worker, great in the open field, good hands, and showed at the combine what I saw film…stud athlete.
7) Eric Ebron TE Detroit
6’4 3/8 250 North Carolina
40=4.6, 24=bench, Vert=32, Broad=10’0
Ebron lands in a great spot in Detroit and will have opportunities in single coverage with Calvin. However, Ebron didn’t dominate the combine like a Vernon Davis TE freak and he is just too raw of a player. He’s lazy in his routes, has questionable hands, and doesn’t always have that go up and get the ball attitude. He has potential and flashes some of these traits, which is all you need to be a high pick at the TE position.
When I get time i'll unpack the rest of these, bu.t figured I would get them out to you guys now.
8) Carlos Hyde RB San Fransisco
I really like Hyde's landing spot for 2015 and beyond, but not for 2014. His ranking at #8 is just an indication of how much WR talent is in front of him. I think Marcus Lattimore is very overrated as a pure runner, although I commend him for his ability to fight back. Hyde is a much better overall player. Kaepernick with that OL, with Crabtree and other WRs...sounds like a great situation for Hyde in 2015.
9) Jordan Matthews WR Philadelphia
6'3 1/8 212 Vandy
4.46=40, 4.18=short shuttle, 21=bench, 35.5=vertical, 6.95=3 cone, 10=broad jump
As I said in the pre-combine, Matthews was underrated going into the combine and he impressed me. Much quicker than I thought and solid all around. Matthews isn't going to dazzle you, just Mr. Consistency. Matthews is a Chip Kelly guy because he's smart ( http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304422704579572050338722302?tesla=y ) , reliable, and is a willing blocker. Desean Jackson is gone with all his yardage and Riley Cooper went 47 for 835 8. I think Matthews can at least put up those numbers, just unsure of how soon. I think he will live in the WR2-WR4 role in FF for his career.
10) DaVante Adams WR Green Bay
6'0 7/8 212 Fresno State
4.56=40, 4.3=short shuttle, 14=bench, 39.5=vertical, 6.82=3 cone, 10'3=broad
Adams landed in a perfect situation for his game. Adams is great at positioning, high pointing the football, and can make the tough catches with defenders drapped all over him. Rodgers is great at placing footballs where his WRs can make a play. Adams has a high ceiling depending on if Nelson or Cobb leave.
11) Tre Mason RB St Louis
12) Cody Latimer WR Denver
13) Kelvin Benjamin WR Carolina
14) Allen Robinson WR Jacksonville
15) Donte Moncrief WR Indianapolis
16) Devonta Freeman RB Atlanta
17) Jace Amaro TE NYJ
18) Johnny Manziel QB Cleveland
19) Jeremy Hill RB Cincinnati
20) Paul Richardson WR Seattle
21) Jerick McKinnon RB Minnesota
22) Kadeem Carey RB Chicago
23) Jarvis Landry WR Miami
24) Austin Seferian Jenkins TE Tampa Bay
Here are my pre combine rankings http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=703612&hl=
1) Mike Evans WR Tampa Bay
6-4 3/4 231 Texas A&M
4.53= 40, 37=vert, 4.26= short shuttle, 7.08= 3 cone
2013- 69 1394 12
2012- 82 for 1105 5
Evans proved at the combine that he’s not a slow player and he has explosiveness(37 inch vertical). He has some concerns about short area quickness; however his spiderman like arms and frame can catch almost anything. I like his landing spot in Tampa Bay. It’s a warm weather city, where he doesn’t have the pressure to produce right away. He can learn from Vincent Jackson and see single coverage for the first 2 seasons before he takes over as the man in year three. I can easily see this as a Fitz/Floyd or Marshall/Jeffery situation where both players can produce in a single offense. Josh McCown showed he can produce with big WRs last season and Tampa will likely draft another QB soon to be the future. Granted I know Evans as #1 and Watkins as #2 is unpopular, I just see a higher ceiling with Evans. Oddly enough he had a better vertical and short shuttle than Watkins.
2) Sammy Watkins WR Buffalo
6-0 3/4 211 Clemson
4.43=40, 34=vert, 4.34=short shuttle, 6.95=cone, 10’6=broad jump
2013- 101 for 1464 12
2012- 57 for 708 3
2011- 82 for 1219 12
Watkins’ combine performance has cemented my thoughts of him as a FF WR2. He isn’t sudden or blazing fast and I think for a WR below 6’2 you need one of those two things to happen. I don’t like the thought of him landing in a cold weather city with EJ Manuel throwing him the football for the next 3 seasons at a minimum(no 1st rounder next year). Buffalo overpaid to move up and get him, so I assume they will give him many opportunities. He will still be a solid player in the NFL and likely a WR2-3 for most of his career.
3) Brandin Cooks WR New Orleans
5-9 3/4 189 Oregon State
4.33=40, 36=vert, 3.81=short shuttle, 6.76=3 cone, 10’=broad jump
2013- 128 for 1730 16
2012- 67 for 1151 5
2011- 31 for 391 3
I’m kicking myself for not trusting my gut on Brandin Cooks, I was worried the NFL wouldn’t like him due to his size. But I was proven wrong by the Saints trading up to obtain the turbo charged WR. Cooks blew up the Combine and measured in bigger than I had thought; he actually has the same size hands as Watkins. Cooks enters an offense desperate for a playmaker with Lance Moore/Sproles gone and Colston near the end of the road. I look for Cooks to explode out of the gates with Sean Payton designing plays and Drew Brees picking apart defenses. The concerns for Cooks are defenders getting their hands on him and Brees already being 35. But one thing you don’t have to be worried about is his character because this is what he did with his combine winnings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzmBWiyIS6A
4) Bishop Sankey RB Tennessee
5-10 203 Washington
40=4.49, 26=bench, 35.5=vert, 4.00=SS, 6.75=3 cone, Broad=10’6
2013- 327 for 1870 5.7 20 TD, 28 rec 304 1 TD
2012- 289 for 1439 5.0 16 TD, 33 rec for 249 0 TD
2011- 89 for 187 6.7 1 TD, 6 rec for 14 0 TD
Sankey separated himself at the combine with a great performance showing that he was the most complete RB in this draft. He’s fast enough, quick enough, and plays good enough to be a RB1 in the NFL. He’s good at everything, but not great at any one thing which is why he wasn’t high on some people’s lists prior to the combine. Now he lands in a perfect situation in Tennessee where the only thing he might lose out on is goal line carries in year one. I see Sankey as having a Matt Forte type of career where he never fully gets the respect he deserves and tends to always be a good value.
5) Marqise Lee WR Jacksonville
5-11 3/4 192 USC
4.52=40, 38=vert, 4.01= short shuttle, 10’7=broad jump
2013- 57 for 791 4
2012- 118 for 1721 14
2011- 73 for 1143 11
I thought Lee performed well at the combine by making some dynamic receptions and showing off his athleticism. His 40 was a little slower than I wanted, but his game speed his faster than that. Lee lands in a perfect situation in Jacksonville with a brand new QB with a great arm and plenty of targets. Shorts is an UFA after the season, Blackmon looks to be done in Jacksonville, no TE threat to speak of, no dynamic RB to get 50+ receptions and Allen Robinson is still raw. I look for Lee to gain at least an 800 yard rookie season and really make people eat their words about his junior season.
6) Odell Beckham Jr WR NYG
5-11 1/4 198 LSU
4.43=40, 38.5=vertical, 3.94=short shuttle, 6.69=3 cone, 10’2=broad jump
2013- 59 for 1152 8
2012- 43 for 713 2
2011- 41 for 475 2
This may come as a surprise, but I don’t like OBJ’s landing spot. Cruz, Jernigan, and OBJ remind me of the same type of player. They still have Randle and Cruz is signed for 5 more seasons. I like OBJ quite a bit, but combine that with Eli Manning has looked poor the last couple of seasons and I’m not as thrilled about his upcoming FF potential. I think OBJ will be a much better FF player 3-4 years from now, but not initially. With that said, OBJ is a hard worker, great in the open field, good hands, and showed at the combine what I saw film…stud athlete.
7) Eric Ebron TE Detroit
6’4 3/8 250 North Carolina
40=4.6, 24=bench, Vert=32, Broad=10’0
Ebron lands in a great spot in Detroit and will have opportunities in single coverage with Calvin. However, Ebron didn’t dominate the combine like a Vernon Davis TE freak and he is just too raw of a player. He’s lazy in his routes, has questionable hands, and doesn’t always have that go up and get the ball attitude. He has potential and flashes some of these traits, which is all you need to be a high pick at the TE position.
When I get time i'll unpack the rest of these, bu.t figured I would get them out to you guys now.
8) Carlos Hyde RB San Fransisco
I really like Hyde's landing spot for 2015 and beyond, but not for 2014. His ranking at #8 is just an indication of how much WR talent is in front of him. I think Marcus Lattimore is very overrated as a pure runner, although I commend him for his ability to fight back. Hyde is a much better overall player. Kaepernick with that OL, with Crabtree and other WRs...sounds like a great situation for Hyde in 2015.
9) Jordan Matthews WR Philadelphia
6'3 1/8 212 Vandy
4.46=40, 4.18=short shuttle, 21=bench, 35.5=vertical, 6.95=3 cone, 10=broad jump
As I said in the pre-combine, Matthews was underrated going into the combine and he impressed me. Much quicker than I thought and solid all around. Matthews isn't going to dazzle you, just Mr. Consistency. Matthews is a Chip Kelly guy because he's smart ( http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304422704579572050338722302?tesla=y ) , reliable, and is a willing blocker. Desean Jackson is gone with all his yardage and Riley Cooper went 47 for 835 8. I think Matthews can at least put up those numbers, just unsure of how soon. I think he will live in the WR2-WR4 role in FF for his career.
10) DaVante Adams WR Green Bay
6'0 7/8 212 Fresno State
4.56=40, 4.3=short shuttle, 14=bench, 39.5=vertical, 6.82=3 cone, 10'3=broad
Adams landed in a perfect situation for his game. Adams is great at positioning, high pointing the football, and can make the tough catches with defenders drapped all over him. Rodgers is great at placing footballs where his WRs can make a play. Adams has a high ceiling depending on if Nelson or Cobb leave.
11) Tre Mason RB St Louis
12) Cody Latimer WR Denver
13) Kelvin Benjamin WR Carolina
14) Allen Robinson WR Jacksonville
15) Donte Moncrief WR Indianapolis
16) Devonta Freeman RB Atlanta
17) Jace Amaro TE NYJ
18) Johnny Manziel QB Cleveland
19) Jeremy Hill RB Cincinnati
20) Paul Richardson WR Seattle
21) Jerick McKinnon RB Minnesota
22) Kadeem Carey RB Chicago
23) Jarvis Landry WR Miami
24) Austin Seferian Jenkins TE Tampa Bay
Last edited by a moderator:
