NFL 2017 - Draft Edition

[bleedspeed]

Kind of have gotten hooked on the mock draft machine at fanspeak

Went through and did 3 different boards and it was interesting to see how players come off the board differently. Tried Bleacher, CBS, and Walters.

Bleacher
48: R2P16 DL MALIK MCDOWELL MICHIGAN STATE
79: R3P15 S OBI MELIFONWU UCONN
86: R3P22 TE GERALD EVERETT SOUTH ALABAMA
120: R4P13 RB MARLON MACK SOUTH FLORIDA
128: R4P21 C ETHAN POCIC LSU
160: R5P16 CB JOURDAN LEWIS MICHIGAN
199: R6P15 DL TANZEL SMART TULANE
232: R7P14 QB JEROD EVANS VIRGINIA TECH

RB and OL go early on this board. Mixon was gone when I picked in 2nd. Very happy with how this draft turned out. McDowell, Melifonwu,, Mack, and Pocic all have day one starter potential. Obi Melifonwu lasted late and had to grab him. 6'4" safety that can do it all to line up next to Harrison. Mack and Everett are big play type players for the offense. Picked up a good slot corner and backup DT late. Smart was a steal on this board. I wanted an LB in 7th, but had to take Evans as a development QB.


CBS
48: R2P16 DL CALEB BRANTLEY FLORIDA
79: R3P15 RB JOE MIXON OKLAHOMA
86: R3P22 G ISAAC ASIATA UTAH
120: R4P13 TE GEORGE KITTLE IOWA
128: R4P21 C PAT ELFLEIN OHIO STATE
160: R5P16 S JOHN JOHNSON BOSTON COLLEGE
199: R6P15 LB JIMMIE GILBERT COLORADO
232: R7P14 S DAVID JONES RICHMOND

OL go early here. Had to take Brantley in 2nd. Starter day one. Mixon made it 3rd round and I had to take him. Picked up Asiata as RG that will open huge holes for run. Elfien was best rated run blocking C/G so I picked him over Pocic. Kittle is a complet TE that is fast and good run blocker so I picked him up. See the theme here. Power football. Ended draft with 2 FS/SS that have played corner. Picked up Gilbert as an LB that produced and forced 9 fumbles in college.

Walters
48: R2P16 G FORREST LAMP WESTERN KENTUCKY
79: R3P15 DL DALVIN TOMLINSON ALABAMA
86: R3P22 DL JALEEL JOHNSON IOWA
120: R4P13 OT RODERICK JOHNSON FLORIDA STATE
128: R4P21 TE JAKE BUTT MICHIGAN
160: R5P16 CB JOURDAN LEWIS MICHIGAN
199: R6P15 LB JALEN REEVES-MAYBIN TENNESSEE
232: R7P14 RB JOE WILLIAMS UTAH

RBs went very early here. Lamp landed in 2nd and had to take him. He starts LG day one and Boone moves to RG. 2nd Tier DTs gone by 3rd so doubled up on 3rd tier guys to battle for starting job. Robert Johnson lasted to 4th which was the first time I saw that. I had to take him as project LT. Last pick in the 4th with both top centers still on the board (all 3 drafts) I went Butt even though he is injured. He looks like Rundolph replacement in time. Go Lewis as a good slot corner and Reeves Mabin as a special teams LB and possible 3 down LB. Lastly I went with a RB. Joe Williams was my guy. Best back left after 4th round, but retired in fall and unretired when they lost started. Had a huge year and 4.4 40 time. Lost 6 fumbles, but worth a look.

I would be a happy with those 3 drafts.



Favorite Draft "Bleacher" - Looks like it would be 4 starters. DT, FS, RB, and C. Everett would push Rudolph for playing time. Mack and Evertt are big play makers at RB and TE. McDowell and Melifonwu would transform the defense. Smart would be a rotational DT.

[Monster]

I like that Asiata guy.

I thought this was an interesting write up about Kareem Hunt

http://www.scout.com/nfl/vikings/story/1768598-vikings-visitor-analysis-kareem-hunt

[bleedspeed]

Love that Hunt never fumbles. I am a fan of back that either are power or shifty and fast. Hunt seems to be the shifty, but not speed.

Asiata was a guy that went all over the board. Elfein was rated a better run blocker by PFF.

Here is a good breakdown on OL.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-ranking-the-top-o-line-prospects-entering-the-2017-draft/

Reading it made me think we should look at adding Moton and reuniting him with Beavers.

[Monster]

Love that Hunt never fumbles.

Asiata was a guy that went all over the board. Elfein was rated a better run blocker by PFF.

Here is a good breakdown on OL.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-ranking-the-top-o-line-prospects-entering-the-2017-draft/

Reading it made me think we should look at adding Moton and reuniting him with Beavers.

Interesting thanks for posting.

[bleedspeed]

Love this.

4. Willie Beavers, OT, Minnesota Vikings
It's difficult to imagine a tackle who played as poorly as Beavers did in college ever becoming a viable player in the NFL. He was the second-lowest-graded tackle in all of college football last year, and the lowest-graded tackle at the Senior Bowl practices. Beavers has an insanely long way to go to ever be a viable contributor in the league.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-the-16-worst-picks-of-the-2016-nfl-draft/

[bleedspeed]

Monster

I saw this on your guy Hunt.

6. Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo
There seems to be a consensus on the top five running backs in this class to some degree. The sixth slot is up for grabs, though, and on our board, that spot is filled by Hunt. His 1,473 yards and 5.6 yards per attempt average aren't eye-popping, but he still came out as PFF's highest-graded running back by far in 2016. Much of that was due to his 76 broken tackles on 261 handoffs (second-most in the country) and 22 broken tackles on 41 receptions (third-most in the nation).

And some love for Gerry

4. Nathan Gerry, S, Nebraska
In terms of production grades at the safety position in 2016, LSU's Jamal Adams was PFF's top safety. It may surprise that second on that list was the unheralded Nebraska safety, Nathan Gerry, who collected four interceptions and six more pass breakups. What's even more impressive, though, is that he allowed only one completion of 20-plus yards into his coverage all season long. That reliability on the back end has considerable value in the NFL.

I am a fan of Smart
9. Tanzel Smart, DT, Tulane
As it stands, this defensive tackle class leaves a lot to be desired. There are a handful of guys in the Day 2 mix, with only "tweeners" like Jonathan Allen and Solomon Thomas getting first-round hype. One guy who we believe should be firmly in that Day 2 mix is the ultra-productive Tulane defensive tackle, Tanzel Smart. Smart was an iron man, playing 100 snaps in a game against Louisiana-Lafayette this season. Even though he rarely came off the field, Smart was still PFF's ninth-highest-graded interior defender last season.

Maybe the LB we are looking for.
Blair Brown is another non-Power-5 mid-round prospect whom we believe is more than that. Brown was the second-highest-graded off-ball linebacker in the entire country a season ago, trailing only Alabama's Reuben Foster. Brown is not only a fantastic athlete for the position, but he's also an unbelievably sure tackler. On 134 attempts last season, Brown missed only three tackles.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-10-prospects-were-higher-on-than-most/

[Monster]

Monster

I saw this on your guy Hunt.

6. Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo
There seems to be a consensus on the top five running backs in this class to some degree. The sixth slot is up for grabs, though, and on our board, that spot is filled by Hunt. His 1,473 yards and 5.6 yards per attempt average aren't eye-popping, but he still came out as PFF's highest-graded running back by far in 2016. Much of that was due to his 76 broken tackles on 261 handoffs (second-most in the country) and 22 broken tackles on 41 receptions (third-most in the nation).

And some love for Gerry

4. Nathan Gerry, S, Nebraska
In terms of production grades at the safety position in 2016, LSU's Jamal Adams was PFF's top safety. It may surprise that second on that list was the unheralded Nebraska safety, Nathan Gerry, who collected four interceptions and six more pass breakups. What's even more impressive, though, is that he allowed only one completion of 20-plus yards into his coverage all season long. That reliability on the back end has considerable value in the NFL.

I am a fan of Smart
9. Tanzel Smart, DT, Tulane
As it stands, this defensive tackle class leaves a lot to be desired. There are a handful of guys in the Day 2 mix, with only "tweeners" like Jonathan Allen and Solomon Thomas getting first-round hype. One guy who we believe should be firmly in that Day 2 mix is the ultra-productive Tulane defensive tackle, Tanzel Smart. Smart was an iron man, playing 100 snaps in a game against Louisiana-Lafayette this season. Even though he rarely came off the field, Smart was still PFF's ninth-highest-graded interior defender last season.

Maybe the LB we are looking for.
Blair Brown is another non-Power-5 mid-round prospect whom we believe is more than that. Brown was the second-highest-graded off-ball linebacker in the entire country a season ago, trailing only Alabama's Reuben Foster. Brown is not only a fantastic athlete for the position, but he's also an unbelievably sure tackler. On 134 attempts last season, Brown missed only three tackles.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-10-prospects-were-higher-on-than-most/

Interesting stuff thanks for posting. I thought the DT spot was stronger than PFF is saying. Shrug

One of the issues with Gerry is he got suspended for a game for something early in the season and also was academically ineligible for the bowl game because he didn't do well in a class and as I remember the quote "thought he would get thrown a bone". So basically he is probably sort of a more talented version of Sendejo in how he plays and smarter on the field (although he has gotten a number of targeting penalties) with some red flags. Also the top CBs for Nebraska were pretty good Chris Jones is a guy that's a possible draft pick next year and Josh Kalu is switching over to saftey for the upcoming season but has been a pretty solid player for a couple years at CB. Idk where NE defense ended up but Gerry played with some good players IMO in the secondary which may be worth considering when evaluating him. I'm a fan but yeah.

[bleedspeed]

DT is a spot if you don't get a guy by before the end of the 3rd round you probably won't get a guy that can contribute.

Safety and corner you could get guys into 5th round. Lots of good options.

I am not sold on this being a stellar RB class. Maybe solid, but I am not seeing any great backs after Forunette/Cook is off the board.

I think there are some great TE's in this class. I think if our boy Morgan was in this group he might not get drafted. I really like Kittles from Iowa. Ranked highly as a blocked and flashed speed and hands that didn't get used in college.

If the mocks are right. OT's will go quickly and even projects are gone by end of round 3. G's can be had through 4th round. I would like to get Elfein or Pocic in round 4.

[bleedspeed]

Some EPSN Insider stuff on DB's we might have a shot at.
http://insider.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/19103185/the-best-defensive-backs-every-category-2017-nfl-draft

Colorado, Washington, Michigan, Ohio State all had really good secondaries last year.

Best press-man skills

Kevin King, Washington

Along with Sidney Jones, the Huskies featured two of the best press-man corners in the country last season. These guys have the length and technique to challenge routes at the line of scrimmage: compete and stick to receivers.

At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, with 32-inch arms, King has the ideal size for a press corner. But what's even more impressive are the testing numbers King dropped at the combine, given his linear frame: 4.43 speed, 39.5-inch vertical, a 3.89 short shuttle and a 6.56 three-cone. And that three-cone? It was the top overall time -- for any position.

On tape, King can lock guys down outside of the numbers. He plays a physical game. And he's going to tackle. King is a great fit for defensive systems in Seattle or Kansas City. He's at his best when he can get in the grill of opposing wide receivers, impact the release, stay on top of the route and play the ball. (See example below.)

I love this play from King versus Arizona State, because he shows how to take away the fade in the red zone. Aligned in a press position, King uses the "taxi" technique at the release and stays square to the receiver. That allows King to stay on top of the release, open his hips and press (or pin) the receiver into the boundary. Now, King is in total control of the route. He stacks, eliminates the receiver's path to the ball and goes up at the highest point (with one hand) to make this play. That's textbook.

Given his combine workout, plus the high-level tape and production at Washington (two interceptions, 13 passes broken up in 2016), King is rapidly climbing up boards. He has first-round ability for defenses that cater to his strengths.

Most overlooked DB

Budda Baker, Washington

Baker lands in this spot because he doesn't get the same national attention of Adams, Hooker and Peppers in the discussion of the draft's top safeties. And we could really say the same thing about playing in a Washington secondary in which King and Jones grabbed the majority of the hype.

However, Baker is legit, an ultra-productive safety with the versatility to make an impact early in "big nickel" packages for NFL clubs. Last season, Baker led the Huskies in tackles (71) and tackles for loss (10), and he recorded three sacks, picked off two balls and broke up six passes. A good fit as the third safety in sub-packages as a rookie, Baker has the speed (4.45 40) and athleticism to play multiple roles on the field. Take a look at the example below, which features Baker blitzing off the edge:

The Huskies show coverage at the snap here, rotate the free safety and send Baker (orange circle) to get home. With the quarterback looking to unload the ball to the running back on the swing route, Baker immediately closes the distance and puts the QB on the ground.

Baker doesn't have great size for the position (5-foot-10, 195 pounds), and that could impact his draft stock. But a team could find some real value if they scoop him up on Day 2.

Biggest freak

Obi Melifonwu, Connecticut

When Melifonwu walked onto the field for the first day of Senior Bowl practices, I thought this cat was a linebacker, standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 224 pounds. He has a long, athletic frame. He's yoked up, too. But I was curious about his movement skills in the secondary. At that size, would Melifonwu be exposed as a deep-half or middle-of-the-field safety?

Man, he was impressive in drill work, showing the fluidity, speed, range and enough flexibility to transition in coverage. Melifonwu also showed up in one-on-ones. He can pedal, play press and challenge routes. He's a very smooth athlete in the secondary.

The combine? Come on. Melifonwu tore that thing up with a 4.40 40-yard dash and a 44-inch vertical. And he almost hit 12 feet on the broad jump (11 feet, 9 inches). That's freakish stuff. And it tells us that Melifonwu, while still a little raw, has super rare ability and massive upside.

Best tackling corner

Desmond King, Iowa

We know King (5-foot-10, 201 pounds) has top-tier ball skills at the cornerback position after he posted 14 career interceptions at Iowa. King played both press and off-man coverage, showing a really good feel in zone coverage. Read the QB and break on the throw. He's a smart, competitive player whose 4.52 40 at Iowa's pro day answered questions about his top-end speed.

However, King's best trait, in my opinion, is his ability to tackle. He embraces the physicality it takes to put ball carriers and receivers on the ground. When playing off the ball, King is quick to diagnose his run/pass keys, come downhill and drop his pads on contact. Take a look at this lick King dished out during an Iowa practice last summer:

There has been some talk about King transitioning to the safety position in the pros. I'm not a huge fan of that move, because King has the skill set to play inside over the slot and the flexibility in his hips (6.67 three-cone time) to transition in coverage outside of the numbers. But given his ball skills and tackling ability, I wouldn't be surprised if a pro team tries to move him to safety.

Biggest hitter

Rayshawn Jenkins, Miami

Jenkins (6-1, 214 pounds) projects as a classic box safety. Similar to the Titans' Johnathan Cyprien when he came out of FIU, Jenkins is that downhill thumper. He's a hitter, a safety who is going to size up running backs when he fills the hole and find wide receivers working back to the middle of the field. Drop the pads and deliver a strike.

At the Senior Bowl, Jenkins consistently showed up in my notes. He has the size to play in the box and he's aggressive. He also tested very well in Indianapolis at the combine, running a 4.51 40 and jumping 37 inches in the vertical. He has the athleticism to fit in an NFL defense, and he could also find a role as a nickel linebacker.

Best slot corner

Jourdan Lewis, Michigan

Lewis played outside the numbers at Michigan, but he projects more as a slot defender in the NFL because of his size (5-foot-10, 188 pounds) and lateral ability. Lewis has the footwork to mirror a "two-way go" in the slot (inside or outside release), and he can change directions with speed to break on the ball. (See video below.) That's key when defending option routes or intermediate cuts.

Lewis ran a 4.54 40 at the combine, but I'm not overly concerned with that time if we are discussing a slot cornerback. I'll take the footwork, the quickness and the ability to break with clean angles to the upfield shoulder of the receiver. That's where I see Lewis making an impact in the pros. He can compete inside and play a ton of football as a rookie.

[Monster]

DT is a spot if you don't get a guy by before the end of the 3rd round you probably won't get a guy that can contribute.

Safety and corner you could get guys into 5th round. Lots of good options.

I am not sold on this being a stellar RB class. Maybe solid, but I am not seeing any great backs after Forunette/Cook is off the board.

I think there are some great TE's in this class. I think if our boy Morgan was in this group he might not get drafted. I really like Kittles from Iowa. Ranked highly as a blocked and flashed speed and hands that didn't get used in college.

If the mocks are right. OT's will go quickly and even projects are gone by end of round 3. G's can be had through 4th round. I would like to get Elfein or Pocic in round 4.

Bleed I was just going to ask for some of your draft class takeaways and I think you provided a lot here but I'm interested if you have any more even if they have nothing to do with the Vikings needs. It seems like a pretty meh draft for top end prospects at QB.

To me Morgan is a Rhett Ellison type TE people won't get excited about him but for the next X amount of years but will probably be an important solid versatile piece of the team. Ellison might have actually been a little more athletic but Morgan has a better pass catching resume coming out of college. The Vikings seem to love TEs and seem to be willing to go after some guys that are splash guys as well as lunch bucket types. I'd expect that to continue as they must have stepped up with a better offer than other teams to get Truesdell signed.