Draft Nuggets 2014: Entry #8
By Jeff Bowers of www.thedraftnarrative.com
Twitter: @sportsnarrative
Scouting Combine Recap – Offense:
The NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis is the place where NFL careers can begin or end. Every team in the league sends a contingency of coaches, scouts and personnel guys as the players are measured, interviewed and put through a variety of drills. Here is a brief look at the offensive players who most helped and hurt their causes this weekend. The defensive players will follow in the next post.
Stock Up
Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida – Though he did not run as fast as I expected, Bortles was the only top QB to throw in drills and earned high marks there. That and his 6’5” stature has him cemented at the top of the draft.
Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville – Though he did not throw or run, the biggest question about Bridgewater was his size and durability. Weighing in at 214lbs should assuage some doubters and stop his stock from sliding out of the top 8.
Logan Thomas, QB, VA Tech – Thomas blazed a class best 4.61 forty to go along with his 6’6” 248lb frame. Though his footwork is a mess, someone will take a chance on him in the middle rounds based on upside alone.
Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington – Sankey was easily the best RB in drills, making it look almost too easy. Add to that his 4.49 forty and 26 reps on the bench and he could quickly ascend to the #1 RB taken.
Tre Mason, RB, Auburn – Mason showed some great speed (a 4.5 flat forty) and quickness in drills. His only issue is best said by Mike Mayok “The next time he pass blocks will be the first!”
Terrence West, RB, Towson – West is a great story and proved he belongs with a 4.54 forty and excellence in drills. West should be hearing his name on day 2 of the draft in May.
Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State – Putting up the fastest 40 time will always garner some attention, but Cooks followed up his performance with some amazing work in drills and could slide into the bottom of the round 1.
Odell Beckham Jr, WR, LSU – Beckham Jr caught everything thrown at him on Sunday to go with a 4.43 forty. He is another guy who could hear his name on Day 1 of the draft.
Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M – Evans needed to prove he had the speed to match his 6’4” frame and he did with a respectable 4.53 and catching everything in drills. He cemented his status as the #2 WR on the board.
Eric Ebron, TE, UNC – Ebron was already penciled in as the top TE on the board but after posting a 4.6 forty he vaulted into the top half of round 1 potentially.
A C Leonard, TE, Tenn St – The biggest questions around Leonard involve more off the field issues than on, but with the best forty in the class by far (4.5) and note-worthy drills he may cause some teams to overlook that.
Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn – When a 6’5” 332lb man runs a sub 5 forty (4.92) and does 32 reps of 225lbs, that’s going to raise eyebrows. Robinson was the early star of the Combine and likely jumped to the #1 OT on many boards.
Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan – Lewan had the fastest 10 yard split and 40 time among the O-linemen, showing incredible burst and locking in a top 3 spot among tackles, if he answered the character questions for teams.
Joel Bitonio, OG, Nevada – Bitonio was a pleasant surprise at the Combine, running a sub 5 forty and looking so smooth in space. Bitonio looks like an ideal fit in a zone-blocking scheme and could be an instant starter out of the mid-rounds.
Stock Down
Jordan Lynch, QB, No Illinois – It was painful to watch Lynch throw in drills. It is likely Lynch’s future might be at another position in the NFL.
A J McCarron, QB, Alabama – The NFL Network announcers heaped praise on McCarron early in drills for deciding to throw and on short to intermediate routes; but when those same announcers laugh at your attempts on deep throws, that’s not a good sign.
Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State – Hyde was my biggest disappointment among the RBs, as his 4.66 forty really underwhelmed and he looked slightly plodding in drills.
Ka’deem Carey, RB, Arizona – Carey, also a candidate to be the first RB off the board, was equally underwhelming, running a 4.7 in the forty.
Adam Muema, RB, San Diego St – Muema left the Combine prior to workouts on Sunday, citing religious reasons. Given that most NFL football is played on Sundays, Muema may not have to worry about his religious convictions interfering.
Marqise Lee, WR, USC – Lee fell back to the pack after once being separated into the top 3 WRs with his Combine performance. He shrunk an inch, measuring under 6’ and ran much slower than expected. Though outstanding in drills, Lee is no longer assured his top 20 status.
Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU – The two LSU WR had very different experiences at the Combine, with Landry running a 4.77 forty and struggling with his hands in drills. With that and some character issues too, Landry may slide well into Day 2 of the draft.
Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State – Like Landry, Robinson was once thought of as a potential late first-rounder, but a very pedestrian day all-around at the Combine got him passed by several other WRs.
Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech – Amaro really struggled catching the balls in drills and for a primarily pass-catching TE, that’s not good. With the smallest hands in the class, this could prove to be a long term problem in his career.
Austin-Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington – During the medical exams, it was revealed ASJ had a broken bone in his foot that may require surgery. Bummer way to end your Combine.
Cyrus Kouandijo, OT, Alabama – It was painful to watch Kouandijo workout and possibly for him too. After an OL class worst 5.59 forty, a medical check revealed some knee issues for the Bama OT. With the top 3 tackles separating for the pack, Cyrus will likely fall out of round 1 entirely.
David Yankey, OG, Stanford – The biggest concern about Yankey headed into the Combine was his athleticism and that question remains. Struggling in almost every measurable (5.48 forty, 22 reps), Yankey is no longer the top guard on the board.
Travis Swanson, C, Arkansas – Much of this year’s Combine was confirming things already seen on tape or at the Senior Bowl. Swanson got dominated by the DTs in Mobile and his class-worst 20 reps on the bench show why.
Players of Note
Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M – Manziel had a mixed Combine, depending upon who you ask. Measuring under 6’ and running an ok forty (4.68) but nothing spectacular, Manziel also really impressed in interviews, having been coached up well. Overall, Manziel still has the “it” factor persona that will cause many teams to overlook his faults.
Dri Archer, RB, Kent State – Straight line speed and “football” speed can be two very different things, as is the case with Combine 40 champ Archer. Even with his 4.26, Archer lacks ideal vision and quickness as a RB and might be best served as a kick returner in the pros.
De’Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon – Something was weird about the NFL Network’s hand timer in the 40 yard dash. The discrepancy was most apparent and Thomas, whose unofficial 4.34 forty became a 4.5 officially. Given than Thomas is a track guy, I think some of these numbers may be suspect.
Michael Campanaro, WR, Wake Forest – My sleeper pick among the WR class leaving the Combine is Campanaro. He was near perfect in drills, ran a 4.46 forty and had a 39” vertical. He does have some injury red flags, but his performance sent me scrambling back to watch more tape on him.