2017-18 CFB SEASON / '18 NFL DRAFT

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Deon Cain - WR - Tigers

NFL Media's Lance Zierlein ranks Clemson's Deon Cain as the No. 2 WR in the 2018 class.

To be fair, there is a huge drop off from Calvin Ridley's 6.8 grade to Cain's 6.0, but this is the highest ranking of Cain we've seen. Zierlein hypes up Cain's ability to attack defenses vertically and also be a weapon at all three levels thanks to his smooth route running. In the end, Zierlein concludes "Cain has the chance to become a very good NFL starter but is better suited to handle the WR2 rather than a role as the alpha target." Christian Kirk, Courtland Sutton and a few others frequently draw the wide receiver two tag. Be sure to check out Zierlein's full report.
Source: NFL.com

Feb 15 - 9:12 AM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Kerryon Johnson - RB - Tigers

One regional scout believes Auburn RB Kerryon Johnson plays with a style similar to Le'Veon Bell.

"He glides until he sees it and then 'bang'," the scout said. The evaluator believes Johnson can be helpful on third downs, which really elevates his evaluation for NFL teams. It can be difficult to project a ball carrier out of Gus Malzahn's scheme as it differs greatly from many NFL running concepts. The same could be said for Auburn tackles.
Source: NFL.com

Feb 15 - 8:59 AM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Saquon Barkley - RB - Nittany Lions

Penn State RB Saquon Barkley hinted that he will fully participate in all activities at the NFL Combine.

"I'm not just going to bash anybody that decides not to (participate). Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. But me, I think it’s important," Barkley told Alex Marvez in an interview. Barkley says he's been watching the event since he was a child and that it is a dream to attend. Barkley has a chance to put on a show and prove he is the most athletic running back in this class.
Source: Sporting News

Feb 15 - 10:49 AM

[Ray_Dogg]

He's the size of a DB. Can he be a 3-down player at that size?

I assumed the 3 and 0 were transposed. He's got to be 230, no? That's still undersized for an NFL LB, but 203 would be ridiculous.

Good catch. I didn’t even noticed when I initially read it, because my brain must have seen it as 230. No way he’s 203.

6' 230 would actually be a good thing for him. For all we know he's 5'11" 220.

NFLDRAFTSCOUT has him listed at 6' 2/8" 225 lbs. That seems pretty accurate.

[ChrisPozz]

Roquan Smith - LB - Bulldogs

Draft Analyst's Tony Pauline passes along that Georgia LB Roquan Smith "could drop a little later in the first round than most anticipate."

"His deficiencies in coverage, especially when manned up against running backs or tight ends, are a concern for teams," Pauline writes. While the analyst tends to agree with this assessment, he does offer a counterweight in noting that the 6-foot, 203-pounder is "terrific" in zone coverage. Even if Smith does end up sliding by degrees, he's a lock for Day 1 come the spring and it's not out of the question that he could come off the board within the first 10 selections.
Source: Draft Analyst

Feb 14 - 4:50 PM

He's the size of a DB. Can he be a 3-down player at that size?

I assumed the 3 and 0 were transposed. He's got to be 230, no? That's still undersized for an NFL LB, but 203 would be ridiculous.

Could be a typo or another mistake. If he's 203 as we speak, there's an issue. Whether that's receiving bad advice, a poor personal decision, or an issue with his body, or somehow a combo of things. We'll see. I'm not going to get too animated yet though. Until these guys actually put up a known weight taken by someone else after their seasons are over with I don't freak out too much one way or the other about it.

This is another fun element with these guys that kind of doesn't get covered very much that's part of the process and that's these guys fluctuating more than people realize though. I'm not sure if the average fan knows the type of fluctuation that a lot of these guys go through as the season goes on and the different adjustments each one needs to make in order for them to be in as top shape physically and conditionally as they can be at each point in the season given what they're putting their bodies through.

If anybody EVER hears a player start to talk about that part of the athletic process take the time to listen to the ones that are educated and can speak on it because it's so interesting how each guy attacks that part of the game. For instance, I know that Willis and Bowman were two guys who started the year bigger than what they'd normally like to be because the pounds would come off so easily for them as time went on and they found out that if they didn't start out big enough, in whatever ways, that it would hurt them by the time the end of the year got around. I remember Bowman specifically talked about the process when he started going into seasons having to prepare for what was likely going to be playoff runs and just how much more on top of things you had to be because it's so hard to make up ground for a lot of these guys once the season gets rolling.

It's a fascinating part of the developing process that you have to be so good with these days and be so in tune with your S&C staff if you want to be a complete HC in my opinion. It's a huge part of connecting with your players and giving each of them the best possible plan for success.

I've heard of many disputes that have affected the player-coach relationship because they were asking them to do things that their bodies weren't capable of doing based on the S&C plan he had laid out for them before the season started and didn't have the plan or the awareness to see how that part of the game has played a part in all this. The fact that practices are different these days with contact rules and all that is also something that's a little different now that you have to take into account for, too.

---------

One last thing on Roquan though. Say he would come in at 215-220 (I still have a have hard time believing he'd come into a year at 203. By the end of the year? Maybe). You would still have to have serious discussions on that because he's not a guy that plays bigger than he looks and has some issues playing against size and tackling size. That would make for more of a head coach-strength & conditioning conversations for sure.

Heck, even if he comes in at a rocked out 230+, I still grill him about it just because of how he plays and the size problem he plays with. What's he started out the last 2 years at? How much does he fluctuate as the year goes on? What's his coaches say about his weight? Does it line up with what he says he's started years out at and finished the season at? All those things are still things I'd want to find out with him specifically.

[ChrisPozz]

Kerryon Johnson - RB - Tigers

One regional scout believes Auburn RB Kerryon Johnson plays with a style similar to Le'Veon Bell.

"He glides until he sees it and then 'bang'," the scout said. The evaluator believes Johnson can be helpful on third downs, which really elevates his evaluation for NFL teams. It can be difficult to project a ball carrier out of Gus Malzahn's scheme as it differs greatly from many NFL running concepts. The same could be said for Auburn tackles.
Source: NFL.com

Feb 15 - 8:59 AM

Yeah, sure. It's easy to see the comparisons. And I'm saying this as a guy that's very intrigued by Kerryon and would probably have a fun time trying to fix the scary stuff with him. But where he differs with Le'Veon is Le'Veon didn't scare me with the vision stuff as much. Kerryon is beyond maddening because he'll lose yards on so many plays where he should gain positive yards. He'll turn a 3 or 4 yard run into a 1 yard loss. He'll turn a 8-yard run into a 3-yard gain.

I liked Le'Veon the runner but I didn't love him because with Le'Veon it was always going to be (for me), "What kind of body are you going to want to have after you get paid? What are you going to consistently show up as and how much work are you going to want to put in?" He completely blew me away so far on that part of his game. I did not think he'd transform himself body wise as much as he has to make the jump he has.

Kerryon is very talented and does stuff a lot of guys aren't able to do and in ways other guys can't even try to mimic. I'd even like to work with him and put my name on the transformation process. I just would caution people before using the LB comparison because while it works in some ways, it's unfair to KJ because he doesn't quite have that ceiling potential IMO.

[wco81]

Yeah if Roquan runs fast But comes in light, what about putting him on the outside as a Will or even as a safety?

Or maybe more of a nickel LB


I still remember back in the day, seeing a breakdown of how Gary Plummer played. He never had speed but he added bulk after he came to the NFL and he did a textbook job of taking on OL trying to block him with the correct shoulder every time.

Of course he came out in obvious passing situations. But for run defense, his technique made him way more useful than bigger, stronger, faster players who didn't have the technique down.

[ChrisPozz]

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[NinerSickness]

That’s why I give him a late second early 3rd round grade:

Hayden Hurst - TE - Gamecocks

One NFC executive believes South Carolina TE Hayden Hurst is maxed out physically since he will be 25 years old prior to his first NFL game.

"Now we have to see how much better he gets as a football player," the personnel member concluded. Factoring age into an evaluation can be a bit of a struggle, but a clear line is to assume dominating college players at age 24 is easier than age 22 or younger if only due to physical and mental maturation.In comparison, Hurst is already four years older than 2017 first round pick David Njoku. The tight end position is also one of the slowest developing positions in the NFL.
Source: NFL.com

Feb 15 - 10:16 AM

Solid prospect. I like this guy. He's a complete TE. Won't be the next Gronk by any means...

However, I want Tyler Eifert.

[CrimsonCrew]

I assumed the 3 and 0 were transposed. He's got to be 230, no? That's still undersized for an NFL LB, but 203 would be ridiculous.

Good catch. I didn’t even noticed when I initially read it, because my brain must have seen it as 230. No way he’s 203.

6' 230 would actually be a good thing for him. For all we know he's 5'11" 220.

NFLDRAFTSCOUT has him listed at 6' 2/8" 225 lbs. That seems pretty accurate.

Sure. Not accepting what would likely be from the college listing for height and weight. Just figured 203 was way too small for him.

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Frank Ragnow - G - Razorbacks

Pro Football Focus's Analysis Team rates Arkansas C Frank Ragnow was one of the most versatile offensive weapons in the class.

Ragnow missed significant time after going down with an ankle injury, but prior to that was rated one of the best centers in the country; finishing with a run grade that ranked only below Notre Dame's Quenton Nelson. "Ragnow is nearly 6-foot-5 and weighs 307 pounds and he has 33 2/8-inch arms so he doesn’t have any physical limitations that would force him into just one offensive line position," they write. "Ragnow mostly played center the last two seasons but has played 15 career games at right guard as well and performed admirably." He currently projects as a Day 2 selection.
Source: Pro Football Focus

Feb 16 - 8:41 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Josh Allen - QB - Cowboys

NFL Media draft analyst Mike Mayock ranks Josh Allen second on his list of the top five quarterbacks eligible for the 2018 NFL Draft.

Allen ranks behind USC signal-caller Sam Darnold, and comes in ahead of UCLA's Josh Rosen, Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield, and Louisville's Lamar Jackson ties for fifth with Oklahoma State's Mason Rudolph. The 6-foot-4, 237-pound signal-caller made a (mostly) positive impact during the Senior Bowl, and he joins other major draft pundits who ranks at or near the top of the quarterback rankings. How Allen performs at the Senior Bowl/pro day will go a long way towards cementing his draft status.
Source: NFL.com

Feb 16 - 5:54 PM

[ChrisPozz]

Frank Ragnow - G - Razorbacks

Pro Football Focus's Analysis Team rates Arkansas C Frank Ragnow was one of the most versatile offensive weapons in the class.

Ragnow missed significant time after going down with an ankle injury, but prior to that was rated one of the best centers in the country; finishing with a run grade that ranked only below Notre Dame's Quenton Nelson. "Ragnow is nearly 6-foot-5 and weighs 307 pounds and he has 33 2/8-inch arms so he doesn’t have any physical limitations that would force him into just one offensive line position," they write. "Ragnow mostly played center the last two seasons but has played 15 career games at right guard as well and performed admirably." He currently projects as a Day 2 selection.
Source: Pro Football Focus

Feb 16 - 8:41 PM

And I think many will find him to be a coach's dream as a guy and student. As these coaches start to get their hands on some of this information and get involved in part of the process his name will only be pushed further in a lot of circles IMO.

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Josh Rosen - QB - Bruins

Benjamin Allbright reports that the Bills are trying to trade up into the top ten of this year's draft, presumably to acquire a quarterback.

The Bills have both the 21st and 22nd pick in this year's draft, as they acquired Kansas City's first-round pick last spring in the Patrick Mahomes deal. What quarterback they'd be targeting remains to be seen, but there has been recent speculation tying them to UCLA's Josh Rosen. His arm strength should play fine in the cold wind of Buffalo, and many consider him the most "NFL ready" signal-caller in the class. Stay tuned; we often see trade movement around the combine, and that's just around the corner.
Source: Benjamin Allbright on Twitter

Feb 17 - 8:14 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Anthony Miller - WR - Tigers

NFL.com Draft Analyst Chad Reuter calls Anthony Miller one of the ten safest NFL draft prospects in the 2018 class.

Miller (5'11/196) saw his stock slip slightly after an uneven season at Memphis, but Reuter still sees value in the wideout. "Miller is not the tallest, biggest, or fastest receiver in the class, he writes. "But I'll tell you what he's going to do -- go get the ball, and then make a play after the reception." Reuter also notes that teams have begun to see value in the smaller wideouts like Antonio Brown, Brandin Cooks, etc. Miller isn't likely to go in round one, but because of his playmaking potential, he could be a steal on Day 2.
Source: NFL.com

Feb 17 - 7:54 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Sony Michel - RB - Bulldogs

NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock compares Georgia RB Sony Michel to Saints RB Alvin Kamara.

Mayock notes that Michel (5'11/208) has similar size to Kamara, and that both players have the ability to make tacklers miss with their shiftiness, but also run with a toughness. The only thing he questions about the comparison is whether or not he can be as effective as Kamara in the pass game. Kamara was a revelation in 2017; arguably the most impressive rookie in the NFL when you combine his impact in special teams, running the football and the pass game. If a team can get a player like that in Michel, that team will be jumping for joy for a long time.
Source: NFL.com

Feb 17 - 8:33 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Quenton Nelson - G - Fighting Irish

NFL.com Draft analyst Chad Reuter ranks Notre Dame G Quenton Nelson as the safest prospect in the NFL Draft class.

Nelson (6'5/325) ranks near the top of many draft boards being released, and a select few have him at the top of the class. It's no surprise given his ability as a run and pass blocker that he is considered close to a sure thing. "Nelson is as close to the top of the heap as any guard has been since Hall of Famer John Hannah destroyed New England's opponents for 13 seasons," Reuter writes. "Whichever team selects Nelson in the top 10 will watch him become a perennial Pro Bowler as a nasty and athletic leader on the line."
Source: NFL.com

Feb 17 - 7:09 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Lamar Jackson - QB - Cardinals

Pro Football Focus notes that Lamar Jackson had 8.6 percent of his passes dropped in 2017.

That's the highest percentage of passes dropped by any of the "big 6" quarterbacks; which are made up of Jackson, USC's Sam Darnold, UCLA's Josh Rosen, Wyoming's Josh Allen and Oklahoma State's Mason Rudolph. Darnold had the lowest percentage with just 3.9 percent of his passes dropped. It's worth noting that one of the criticism's of Jackson is that he doesn't always show great touch on the ball, so some of those drops could be passes that were zoomed in when they could have been thrown with a bit more loft. That's nitpicking, however, and it shows that Jackson's completion percentage should have been considerably higher in 2017.
Source: Pro Football Focus on Twitter

Feb 17 - 6:45 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Sam Darnold - QB - Trojans

Washington State HC Mike Leach went on SiriusXM radio and stated that he believed both USC QB Sam Darnold and UCLA QB Josh Rosen should have stayed in school.

"I thought they both should have stayed," Leach said on SiriusXM NFL radio. "I think that Rosen measures out better in some areas, the ball he throws is real pretty, but to me it seems like Darnold elevates his team and I think those guys play around him a little better." According to most draft analysts, Darnold and Rosen are the top two quarterback prospects in the class, with Darnold having a chance to be the first-overall pick. The Pirate seems to feel they could have used another year of seasoning.
Source: USC Diehards

Feb 17 - 6:31 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Jordan Lasley - WR - Bruins

ESPN's Mel Kiper ranks UCLA WR Jordan Lasley as the second best wide receiver in his updated position rankings.

Lasley (6'0/190) ranks only behind Alabama's Calvin Ridley, who is the only wideout who makes Kiper's Big Board of the top 25 draft prospects at 14. Lasley left school with a year left after putting up big numbers for the Bruins (69/1,264/9), but we haven't seen much talk about him going ahead of players like Texas A&M's Christian Kirk or Oklahoma State's James Washington, among others. How well he tests at the combine compared to those players will go a long way towards determining if he has a chance to be a late-first, early-second round selection.
Source: ESPN

Feb 17 - 5:52 PM