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DE/OLB Kasim Edebali, Boston College -- Kasim is a project that almost nobody is talking about, with a lot of the right elements to work with. While he does not seem to be a great athlete, he does play incredibly hard, with a chip on his shoulder. He doesn't seem to have anything beyond good size, either (6'2", 248 lbs), but he has consistently racked up good sack numbers with a limited number of moves. The question comes down to: how much do you trust your passrushing coaching staff? If you trust them, you look at a decent athlete with an undeniable motor and a very select number of moves in Edebali, and hope that imprinting more diverse moves into his repertoire will make a difference. For now, he's a guy who'll have to make his name on special teams.
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FB/TE Jake Murphy, Utah -- I think that if Murphy finds a place in the NFL, it's going to be as a fullback. Or at least as a one of those H-backs who plays both fullback and tight end. Honestly, however, Murphy is below-average by NFL standards in the passing game. He only had two games his senior year where he had more than 2 receptions (he was injured for a month, however). As a blocker, he is very effective. He does a great job particularly of leveraging his body to seal off blocks. And while he lacks the size to be a pure blocking tight end (6'2", 252 lbs), he does fit an athletic fullback's profile. His father was a professional baseball player, which is something to remember, since NFL teams love bloodlines.
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TE C.J. Fiedorowicz, Iowa -- I'm actually pretty high on Fiedorowicz, I don't think there's much he can't do. First thing's first, however: Fiedorowicz is a huge presence at tight end (6'5", 260 lbs). He uses every ounce of that frame to block extremely well in line, out on bubble screens, downfield... he drives linebackers back routinely, and can hold his own with most DEs. In addition to that, he looks pretty fluid running downfield in his routes. He's not a world-beating route-runner, however, but he has outstanding hands. He reminds me a lot of Heath Miller -- a big TE who can block extremely well with awesome receiving hands. He lacks some of Miller's quickness and will need some time to work through his route-running. He has a good chance of going on the 2nd day.
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CB Shaquille Richardson, Arizona -- Here is the litmus test for the entire 2014 NFL Draft. Richardson is just lousy on tape -- he gets beat deep even when he gives himself a 10 yard cushion. He takes lousy angles and misses tackles. He gets blocked out of plays by WRs of all sizes. His play is undisciplined. The one reason anybody thinks much of anything of Richardson: he is 6'0", 195 lbs, but plays like he's 6'4" -- it's seemingly impossible to throw over him. So if NFL teams are truly buying into Seahawk mode, and truly single-mindedly going to draft the tallest, biggest corners, Richardson will get selected. If not, Richardson may go UDFA.
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OLB Prince Shembo, Notre Dame -- Shembo's a really rangey linebacker who can cover the turf you want him to cover. He's pretty fast and athletic, and while the Fighting Irish never really asked him to cover a whole lot, his athleticism suggests to me that he could do very well in coverage. He can set the edge relatively well, and does a great job getting to the sideline before the RB does. Even though the Irish played him as a down lineman and as a passrusher, that doesn't seem like it'll be his strength at the next level. He struggles to shed blocks, and his passrushing leaves something to be desired. He's a great defender in space, though, and to me that projects purely as a 4-3 OLB.
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Yo Direck, thoughts on Aaron Lynch?
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CB Chris Davis, Jr., Auburn -- Davis is a hilariously fun athlete to watch; he was returned the missed field goal against Alabama for 109 yards to win the game for Auburn. He's a dynamic kick and punt returner, but of course that's only part of his contribution for your team. He's projected to "only" run a 4.5, but he looks more like a 4.3 talent to me on the field, capable of aggressively jumping routes or running deep with receivers. I like Davis a ton, but unless he blows the doors off the Combine, he's a zone-only CB. Auburn almost never put him in press-man.
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I don't know pretend to know why, but I'm sure teams will figure it out. The rumor is that he's just got a horrendous, selfish attitude. |
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Maybe... NFL teams will find out.
Some people just don't have the makeup for team sports. |
CB Pierre Desir, Lindenwood -- Soon to be the 2nd Haitian in the NFL, Desir comes with the usual small school rap sheet: played against vastly inferior, Division II competition, but boasts impressive measurable. The measurables in question: 6'1", 200 lbs, looks like he could get bigger, great athleticism, 4.4 speed. But whatever nerves you have about a Division II corner, let it be soothed by the following information: Desir was thrown at 14 times this year. That's it, 14 times. 4 of those times, he intercepted the pass. 8 of those times, he defensed the pass. Considering he held his own at the Shrine game, and looked really good at the Senior Bowl, this is a guy who, assuming his Combine goes well, is an intriguing 2nd day pick. No question.
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TE/FB? Jacob Pedersen, Wisconsin -- I fear that Pederson is going to be unfairly cast as an H-back, since (a.) he played that role in Wisconsin's run-heavy offense, and (b.) he looks the part at 6'3", 242 lbs. But I think the best part of his game are the routes he runs when he lines up either out wide or inline with the OL. He is a really underrated athlete -- he can get downfield in a hurry and has great hands. He's a good route-runner, and I think he might have 4.5 speed -- though obviously the Combine will confirm that. I think a pass-heavy offense should bring him on as a receiving TE, like a poor man's Jimmy Graham. The biggest hole in his game, sadly, is his blocking, which makes sense considering his smaller size. Perhaps some coaching will tune up his technique. Midround pick.
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He's projected at a 4.5, I think, but I do love how fast he looks in his routes. I'm a big fan. I think he'll be a really good slot receiver if he receives good coaching. |
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