2017-18 CFB SEASON / '18 NFL DRAFT

[NinerSickness]

Niners need to look hard at Simmie Cobbs Jr. and Equanimeous St. Brown now that Allen Robinson will get the tag. Equanimeous St. Brown would be getting more attention if his QB didn't suck, and I don't think these guys will go in the first 2 rounds. But that could change after the combine...

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Luke Falk - QB - Cougars

In his scouting report of Washington State QB, Walter Football's Charlie Campbell compares Luke Falk to Kirk Cousins.

"Scouting sources have compared Falk to Cousins, which makes sense," writes Campbell. "They don't have great skill sets or overpowering arms, but they are accurate rhythm throwers." Cousins faced similar concerns about his arm strength coming out of the 2012 NFL Draft, but has become an upper-echelon quarterback who is about to get paid an awful lot of money by someone. He ended up going to Washington in the fourth-round that year, and Campbell writes that Falk could go right around that range in 2018. If he does, he could be a steal for a team that gives him a chance to play, or become a competent backup.
Source: Walter Football

Feb 19 - 6:57 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Leighton Vander Esch - LB - Broncos

NFLDraftScout's Rob Rang believes that Boise State LB Leighton Vander Esch will be the combine's "breakout star."

Vander Esch was a breakout star for the Broncos in 2017 -- going from virtual unknown to winning the Mountain West Conference's defensive player of the year -- and multiple analysts have named him as a player they expect to do well in Indianapolis. Rang is not an exception. "Don’t be surprised when Vander Esch produces some of the top marks in 40-yard dash, shuttle drills and laps (among similarly sized prospects), regardless of position," he writes. The tape matters more, but if Vander Esch does stand out like Rang expects, he could start earning more first-round talk.
Source: NFL Draft Scout

Feb 19 - 6:46 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Michael Gallup - WR - Rams

NFL Network Analyst named Colorado State WR Michael Gallup as one of the ten players he's excited to watch at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.

Gallup (6'1/198) has long been one of the analytical darlings of the class, but some analysts have expressed concerns about his athleticism and ability to get open against better corners. Smith doesn't appear to be one of them. "Gallup, a.k.a. "Big Smooth," has a PhD in route running," he writes. "The 6-1 wideout has great body control and can out-jump defenders regularly." Smith does note that Gallup at times can "look bored" when he's not getting the football, and he wonders if that could hinder his stock. We're excited to see what kind of numbers he can put up in Indianapolis.
Source: NFL.com

Feb 19 - 4:01 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Deshon Elliott - DB - Longhorns

Draft Analyst's Tony Pauline writes that he was "blown away" studying Texas DB Deshon Elliott's tape.

Elliott (6'2/210) departed school with a year of eligibility left, and if teams feel the way Pauline does about the safety, he made a wise choice. "I was blown away by Elliott, who showed me a complete game," he writes. "He’s a violent run defender who does a great job making plays in space while also showing solid ball skills." Pauline does note that one area he'll need to work on is playing deep passes, but he believes he can be a "great strong safety who can play in zone coverage." He also gives him a second-round grade, so he likely comes off the board at the end of Day 2, at the latest.
Source: Draft Analyst

Feb 19 - 3:42 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Sam Darnold - QB - Trojans

CFB Film Room notes that Sam Darnold threw zero touchdowns and seven interceptions when under pressure in the pocket.

Darnold (6'4/220) completed 36-of-67 passes while facing pressure in the pocket, and averaged 8.6 yards-per-attempt, and that does not include throw aways. Compare that to Deshaun Watson -- a player that was criticized for turning the football over too much in his final year at Clemson -- who threw for six touchdowns and three picks under the same circumstances. There's no denying Darnold's arm strength, athleticism or upside, but that number sticks out like a sore thumb, and it's one that analytic teams are going to scrutinize until April.
Source: CFB Film Room on Twitter

Feb 19 - 3:30 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo - LB - Sooners

Draft Analyst's Tony Pauline believes that Oklahoma edge-rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo would be a "bargain" after round two.

Pauline calls Baker Mayfield a player that is likely to be overdrafted, but his teammate Okoronkwo (6'1/243) could be a steal. "While he’s a little short, he plays big football," he writes. "Okoronkwo is strong for his size, holds his ground against blocks and is almost never off his feet. He showed great edge speed during Senior Bowl practices, and on film he showed tremendous lateral quickness and the ability to make plays in space." Pauline expects Okoronkwo to go in the third-to-fourth round at this point, and anything after round two makes the former Sooner a "bargain."
Source: Draft Analyst

Feb 19 - 1:38 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Josh Rosen - QB - Bruins

NFL.com Analyst Derek Carr lists Josh Rosen as the fourth-best QB worth pursuing in free agency or the NFL Draft.

Rosen ranks as the top draft option for Carr, as the top three are Drew Brees, Kirk Cousins and Case Keenum. "He's the most pro-ready quarterback in this draft class, and I believe Rosen could win a starting job in a lot of places due to his football IQ and physical ability," Carr writes. He also compares him to Eli Manning in terms of football acumen; and notes that he believes that what some people believe is arrogance is actually boredom. "Some evaluators will see this trait as arrogant, but the teams that aren't intimidated by his intellect will challenge him," says Carr. "Give Rosen a playbook and a few months, and he'll bring it to life."
Source: NFL.com

Feb 19 - 1:51 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Lamar Jackson - QB - Cardinals

Appearing on ESPN Radio's Golic and Wingo show, former NFL GM Bill Polian called Louisville QB Lamar Jackson "too short" to play quarterback.

This is not the first time that Polian has called Jackson something other than a quarterback. He has repeatedly called the 2016 Heisman Trophy a wide receiver, albeit a dynamic one. He doubled down on those comments on Monday. "Exceptional athlete, exceptional ability to make you miss, exceptional acceleration, exceptional instincts with the ball in his hands, and that’s rare for wide receivers," Polian said. "This guy is incredible in the open field. But again, short, and a little bit slight, and clearly, clearly not the thrower the other guys are. The accuracy isn’t there." We don't agree with Polian's views -- even if they are sort of a backhanded compliment to Jackson -- but an NFL team might be very tempted to see what he could do as a skill-position player. We'll see.
Source: SB Nation

Feb 19 - 1:15 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Kolton Miller - T - Bruins

NFLDraftScout believes that UCLA T Kolton Miller is one of the players getting the most mixed reviews before the scouting combine.

As the site notes, Miller was ranked 13th on ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr's big board, and he's been mentioned as a first-round pick in several mock drafts. Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout is far less convinced, saying he didn't see a top 100 player when he viewed his tape. They do acknowledge that he has an impressive frame (6'8/308), but note that he struggles with hand placement, and he struggles with quicker pass-rushers. Miller will likely impress during the NFL Scouting Combine, but teams that study his tape might not be as enthralled. This will be a name to watch over the next few weeks.
Source: NFL Draft Scout

Feb 19 - 12:36 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Tim Settle - DL - Hokies

NFL Media's Lance Zierlein compares Virginia Tech DT Tim Settle to former Patriots DT Vince Wilfork.

Lofty territory, and it speaks to Settle's (6'3/335) scintillating size/athleticism combination and upside. "Settle has rare gifts for a big man with good mass, play strength, quickness, and agility," Zierlein wrote. "He has the potential to become a very good starter with a Pro Bowl ceiling if he controls his weight and maintains his conditioning." An AFC defensive line coach broke Settle down to Zierlein thusly: "I need to watch him more but Bud (Foster) moved him around and I saw a guy who can play both nose spots, 3 (technique), 4, and maybe 5. Reminds me of when (Dontari) Poe came out. He ain't Poe, but he can play all over the line like Poe could."
Source: NFL.com

Feb 19 - 10:04 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Da'Ron Payne - DL - Crimson Tide

NFL Media's Lance Zierlein compares Alabama DT Da'Ron Payne to Baltimore Ravens DT Brandon Williams.

"Payne possesses one of the most impressive combinations of strength and athleticism that we've seen from an interior lineman," he wrote. Pro Football Focus ranked Williams as the No. 3 run-stuffing 3-4 DE in the NFL last season. The 6-foot-2, 319-pound Payne is also a vicious, powerful run defender. Payne also acquits himself on tape as a player who'll be a better pass-rusher in the NFL than he was at Alabama. With the Tide, he was often asked to eat blocks to clear space for linebackers, a task he's exceptionally good at. An NFL executive told Zierlein that Payne will be a better NFL player than former Tide standout A'Shawn Robinson: "I think A'Shawn Robinson was more talented than Da'Ron (Payne) and I know Robinson had better (tackle-for-loss) and sack production than him, but Payne plays harder and I think he'll be the better NFL player. He's thick and strong, but he's also a really good athlete and I see his best football in front of him."
Source: NFL.com

Feb 19 - 9:39 PM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Minkah Fitzpatrick - DB - Crimson Tide

Alabama DB Minkah Fitzpatrick revealed he is most comfortable as a slot CB.

Fitzpatrick also stated he models his game after Tyrann Mathieu, so a hybrid safety/slot role. This fits in line where Fitzpatrick played at Alabama, as he only spent 13 snaps as an outside corner in 2017, per PFF. This makes Fitzpatrick's discussion quite different than Jalen Ramsey, who starred on the outside. With that said, Fitzpatrick would be on the field for over 60 percent as the snaps as just a slot corner and could be on the field for more if he stayed on the field in two safety sets. Not playing outside corner might limit Fitzpatrick's financial ceiling, but he knows where he wins.
Source: Fist N Goal on Twitter

Feb 20 - 9:16 AM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Josh Rosen - QB - Bruins

Peter King of the MMQB has been told by multiple "NFLers" they expect the Giants to pass on a QB at No. 2 overall.

The goal would be to fill a much bigger need. And just like King, we do not believe it. Dave Gettleman is smart enough to know the goal is to not be in position to have the opportunity to select a quarterback one year from now. Or the next, or the next. Eli Manning is 37 years old. The Giants are not a few pieces away. A forward-thinking decision maker knows this will likely be his only opportunity to pick in the top two.
Source: The MMQB

Feb 20 - 9:31 AM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Saquon Barkley - RB - Nittany Lions

The MMQB's Peter King questions selecting Penn State's Saquon Barkley, or any RB, in the top 5.

King notes that just as impressive as Leonard Fournette, Ezekiel Elliott and Todd Gurley have been, Alvin Kamara, Kareem Hunt and David Johnson have been tremendous values. This comes down to ease of evaluations. Talented top 10 running backs are much easier to identify than running backs outside of the top 50 picks. If those evaluations were as clear, those three talented values would not have been on the board as long.
Source: The MMQB

Feb 20 - 9:48 AM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Anthony Miller - WR - Tigers

NFL Media's Steve Smith says Memphis WR Anthony Miller "is good at a lot of things, not great at one."

Miller missed the Senior Bowl due to injury as he was seen on crutches after hurting his right foot following the school's bowl game. Miller made Steve Smith's list of receivers he's excited to see at the NFL Combine, but we will see if Miller will participate. Miller was outstanding in the slot (and basically everywhere else) in 2017, winning contested and in the redzone.
Source: NFL.com

Feb 20 - 10:18 AM

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Parry Nickerson - DB - Green Wave

NFL Media's Lance Zierlein believes it will be difficult to find "a more competitive CB with better ball skills" than Tulane CB Parry Nickerson.

"Just an absolute dog on contested catches and plays with good technique and excellent ball skills," Zierlein tweeted about the potential draft weekend gem. Nickerson does not possess the height many in the NFL now covet, likely standing around 5-foot-10. Outside versus inside corner are quite different spots, but Zierlein seems certain Nickerson can make it in the NFL, possibly in the slot.
Source: Lance Zierlein on Twitter

Feb 20 - 11:01 AM

[ChrisPozz]

Report: Bears won’t pick up Josh Sitton’s option

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/02/20/report-bears-wont-pick-up-josh-sittons-option/

That'll only ramp up the Quenton Nelson stuff a hair more. They already hired his college OL coach to be their new OL coach. I wouldn't fault anybody if they wanted to say that Nelson's floor is 8.

[NinerSickness]

Report: Bears won’t pick up Josh Sitton’s option

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/02/20/report-bears-wont-pick-up-josh-sittons-option/

That'll only ramp up the Quenton Nelson stuff a hair more. They already hired his college OL coach to be their new OL coach. I wouldn't fault anybody if they wanted to say that Nelson's floor is 8.

...See what I did there?

[Ray_Dogg]

Sitton seems interesting...