Talking Draft Prospects - Page 31

Direckshun · 08:24 PM

We've got perhaps the biggest, most consequential draft coming up for this franchise since 2008. The Chiefs have all seven of their picks, and will certainly be picking up an additional four in compensatory picks, one of which is assuredly a 3rd rounder.

As a result, it's important to familiarize ourselves with as much of this draft class as possible. I started a thread last offseason that discussed late rounders that was generally well liked and spurred tons of great conversation on all sorts of draft picks we normally wouldn't talk about, so I'm going to duplicate that idea this year, only discussing all talents, rather than just the mid- and lower-round ones.

The OP will be continually updated to show the talent I'm reviewing by position. Keep in mind as I list these players that I am generally listing their round projections, but it is not a strict big board, as I likely won't have a big board put together until May.

Spoiler!

Direckshun · 01-17-2015, 03:17 PM

RB Duke Johnson, Miami -- There may not be a more exciting player to watch, just in terms of visceral enjoyment, than Duke Johnson. Johnson plays with an energy that is just contagious as a spectator, and it must be energizing as a teammate as well. If I had to describe Johnson's play with one word, it would be "relentless." Johnson (5'9", 210 lbs) is the rare speed back who plays with plenty of power, and absolutely refuses to go down on first contact, requiring either a square hit or a gang tackle. He has phenomenal change of direction and uses his legs very well to leverage up against a defender. He's excellent in the passing game, running WCO route options flawlessly (much like what the Chiefs ask their RBs to run) with excellent hands. He needs coaching in the pass protection aspect of his game, but with his fantastic enthusiasm on the field I see no reason why that's not something you couldn't coach him into, easily. Johnson is very much a first round pick quality player who might not get picked that early just because he happens to be in the same draft class as Gordon and Gurley in a league that currently doesn't value his position. That provides some outstanding value with him in the 2nd round, and I can't wait to see what he can do in the NFL. He's perfect for a West Coast Offense that utilizes versatility in its RBs. He would be a perfect fit for the Chiefs offense, and the Chiefs should honestly have him on the shortlist if he survives to the 2nd round, because we're going to have to replace Charles sooner rather than later.

Direckshun · 01-17-2015, 03:59 PM

ILB Eric Kendricks, UCLA -- I'm a little less high on Kendricks than most people, and I think he could actually be in for a slide when the Draft rolls around. Kendricks (6'0", 230 lbs) is a very physical linebacker with good who relishes contact and plays with ton of energy, but there's not really a part of his game that doesn't need a lot of work. He doesn't seem to be exceptionally athletic, and struggles mightily in coverage against the better teams he plays. His coverage just isn't going to work in the NFL as it stands right now, and he's going to end up a two-down SILB for at least a year or two, assuming he ever progresses enough to play obvious passing downs (questionable). The area of his game you'd expect him to shine would be in run defense, and even there he needs to be better at picking the right gap, as he can get washed out with the trash sometimes. He also needs to be nailing tackles more often, and while he's still a very good tackler, you better be an Eric Berry-grade tackler to be a 1st round quality player, which too many people are suggesting he is. His aggressiveness can be exploited as well, as play actions and misdirections exposed him more than a few times. His role looks to be a two-down SILB in a 3-4, as I don't know how well he'd handle the space of being a MLB in a 4-3 defense. That said, I do think he's worth a 3rd-4th rounder at that position, depending on how much you value the position on your team. Despite paying decent money to Joe Mays, the Chiefs don't particularly value the position, only keeping it on the field about 40% of the time, so I don't see why such a high investment, in Kendricks or anybody else, would be necessary.

Saccopoo · 01-17-2015, 04:27 PM

Are you sure you're watching the same Eric Kendricks?

If he measures 6'0", 230 lb. at the combine, I'll be surprised.

Direckshun · 01-17-2015, 06:01 PM

Yep, you're dead right. I got my notes wrong...

Will need to edit that.

Direckshun · 01-17-2015, 06:06 PM

Man... he's super overrated then, isn't he?

Kinda undersized to be a thumper, and I really don't like him as a three-down back at this point...

Saccopoo · 01-17-2015, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Man... he's super overrated then, isn't he?

Kinda undersized to be a thumper, and I really don't like him as a three-down back at this point...

I don't think he's overrated. I guess he could be if he's being looked at prior to the third or fourth round, but he should go around there. Maybe fifth. He's really good on the college level but I'm having a hard time seeing his particular game translate to the pros.

You know who he reminds me of? Former Chief and Butkus award winner Erick Anderson from Michigan. Absolutely legit at the college level, instinctive and plays hard, but just not big enough, strong enough or fast enough to play in the pros. He was a seventh round pick as the Butkus award winner.

It's an interesting transition.

Direckshun · 01-19-2015, 09:53 AM

RB Jay Ajayi, Boise State -- Jay Ajayi is NOT Marshawn Lynch. I want to make that clear. Marshawn Lynch is a Hall of Fame quality, true force of nature RB. But one of the reasons Lynch is so good is because he has an insane sense of balance, anticipating contact, and leveraging that contact to benefit him in all ways at all times. I see a lot of this in Ajayi -- in particular, he has an ability to lower his shoulders, absorb contact, and spin off the tackler... He does this particular move a ton, it's a very Lynch move, and it makes him very hard to tackle. That's Ajayi's best quality, like Lynch. He's not particularly speedy, and he's not particularly gigantic (though he is a good-sized back at 6'0", 216 lbs). But he's very physical, breaks arm tackles, and demands more than one guy to take him down. Very much a poor man's Lynch, and while I think he probably works better in a committee than he does as a feature back, he still could have feature back potential if he times very well at the Combine. He's very productive in the passing game -- he runs WCO routes for the RB much like the Chiefs RBs run, so there is something to keep in mind. He's already pretty stout in pass protection, so he very much does have three-down capabilities at the next level. He also has a stupendous nose for the end zone: 28 TDS in 2014, 40+ over the past two years. His ability in the red zone reminds me a lot of Bernard Pierce, and honestly that is probably the career he'll have in the NFL. My biggest concern with Ajayi, outside of what seems to be his limited athleticism, is that he's had 700 touches over the past two years, including 400 touches last year. That never bodes well for a RB, especially a high-contact one like Ajayi. I have him down as an early 4th rounder.

Direckshun · 01-20-2015, 12:06 AM

DT Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma -- The first thing you notice about this 6'6", 330 lbs monster, is his surprising arsenal of passrush moves. You see a guy that is just absolutely massive like Phillips, and that's about the last thing you expect, but it's there. Phillips has a great swim move, shoots gaps extremely well, and has a whole array of moves and counter-moves that torture centers just trying to somehow reel him in. As can be expected for a man his size, Phillips packs a lot of power into his coiled-up three-point stance, and when he comes off the blocks low and hard... he's damn near unblockable by one lineman; the best you can hope for is to run the play away from him or straight-up double him. In this, he looks like a perfect one-gap NT in a 3-4 or 4-3. The two biggest weaknesses in his game are playing too high and on-field limitations. Phillips comes in waaaaaay too high far too frequently, and he needs a good DL coach to teach him how to consistently engage the OL low to the ground. His 6'6" frame is epic, but it works against him when he comes in too high. Also, Phillips is a good athlete for someone his size, but his effectiveness on the field will only be in the phone booth. He can be very effective, but he's not going to be the guy to single-handedly shut down the line of scrimmage, by crashing down on plays down the line. Instead, he's reliable for shutting down his gap assignments, and little after that. But there's definitely a place for that in a league that is dropping more of its defenders into coverage and asking its DL to do more with less help. Phillips has Pro Bowl potential with the right coach.

Direckshun · 01-20-2015, 01:03 AM

OG Josue Matias, Florida State -- Oh hell yes, now we're talking. Arguably the biggest hole on the Kansas City Chiefs right now is left guard, and you're arguably not going to find a better one in this draft (and possibly free agency) than Josue Matias, a power guard with the size of a building and the athleticism of a locomotive. It is almost shocking watching him play, both in how large he is, but how frequently he pancakes people and his outstanding athleticism getting out of his stance and out to the second level. Men his size (6'6", 330 lbs) shouldn't be able to move like him, taking quick, long strides. The Seminoles almost never asked him to get out in space and pull, unfortunately, but with his quickness and speed there is almost no reason why he couldn't be very adept at that with enough coaching. Matias gets excellent push in the run game, and as I mentioned above, he pancakes top-tier defenders quite a lot. Matias does struggle some with fast passrushers, especially if they're able to get off the ball well and get low, so perhaps some coaching will be necessary to keep his base low. But he's 6'6", and it's (almost) a fair trade-off considering it's flat impossible to bullrush him. Matias plays with light feet, great mirroring, and excellent recovery ability. Few players in this draft match what the Chiefs do on offense better than Matias, and if the Chiefs end up drafting at the bottom of the 1st or the top of the 2nd, or if Matias somehow survives to the Chiefs' 2nd rounder where it is right now, he needs to be on a very short list to be our choice. Matias is my #1 guard right now, and I'd say he's a borderline 1st round pick.

Direckshun · 01-20-2015, 03:18 PM

SS Anthony Harris, Virginia -- Anthony Harris is the rare strong safety with the ability to be an all-around force on the football field. One of the biggest things you need a SS to excel at is run support, and despite his slender frame by SS standards (6'1", 190 lbs), he throws himself into run support with gusto. He's a solid (if somewhat flawed) tackler, and is absolutely fearless hurdling himself into the line of scrimmage. He's exceptionally fast, too, and should time well at the Combine, capable of running from the opposite side of the field to come across and beat a RB trying to turn the corner. There's some talk that his exceptional athleticism could play into him transitioning to CB in the NFL, which gives him positional flexibility. His coverage is very strong for a strong safety, and the Cavaliers dropped him back as a zone safety with regularity. His coverage is pretty solid, his great speed and fast hip-turning allows him to keep most receivers close, though he obviously has some work to do there, particularly on crossing routes, which are getting evermore popular in the NFL. However, it's not clear how much more weight/muscle, so he'll struggle with tight ends, which is a major liability for a strong safety. But ultimately, the Cavaliers played him exactly how the Chiefs played Ron Parker this year, but unlike Parker, Harris has great hands, having snagged ten interceptions over the past two seasons. Parker is a free agent, so if the Chiefs let him go, Harris seems like a natural replacement, though it may take a third rounder to reel him in.

kccrow · 01-20-2015, 09:27 PM

Sleeper O-Lineman for you to wrap your head around Direckshun...

Mark Glowinski - OG - West Virginia. He'll be in my next mock.

Sandy Vagina · 01-21-2015, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kccrow

Sleeper O-Lineman for you to wrap your head around Direckshun...

Mark Glowinski - OG - West Virginia. He'll be in my next mock.

Good call. Tenacious scrapper, he is. Doubt he is selected until day 3 though.

RunKC · 01-21-2015, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

OG Josue Matias, Florida State -- Oh hell yes, now we're talking. Arguably the biggest hole on the Kansas City Chiefs right now is left guard, and you're arguably not going to find a better one in this draft (and possibly free agency) than Josue Matias, a power guard with the size of a building and the athleticism of a locomotive. It is almost shocking watching him play, both in how large he is, but how frequently he pancakes people and his outstanding athleticism getting out of his stance and out to the second level. Men his size (6'6", 330 lbs) shouldn't be able to move like him, taking quick, long strides. The Seminoles almost never asked him to get out in space and pull, unfortunately, but with his quickness and speed there is almost no reason why he couldn't be very adept at that with enough coaching. Matias gets excellent push in the run game, and as I mentioned above, he pancakes top-tier defenders quite a lot. Matias does struggle some with fast passrushers, especially if they're able to get off the ball well and get low, so perhaps some coaching will be necessary to keep his base low. But he's 6'6", and it's (almost) a fair trade-off considering it's flat impossible to bullrush him. Matias plays with light feet, great mirroring, and excellent recovery ability. Few players in this draft match what the Chiefs do on offense better than Matias, and if the Chiefs end up drafting at the bottom of the 1st or the top of the 2nd, or if Matias somehow survives to the Chiefs' 2nd rounder where it is right now, he needs to be on a very short list to be our choice. Matias is my #1 guard right now, and I'd say he's a borderline 1st round pick.

It's so close between him and Laken Tomlinson. Right now I like Tomlinson more.

Direckshun · 02-24-2015, 11:40 PM

Updated a handful of players following post-Combine.

Not that many players' statuses changed, really. Only guys that super tanked (Mike Davis, Hau'oli Kikaha) and guys who super exploded (Vic Beasley).

Direckshun · 02-25-2015, 12:46 AM

CB Quentin Rollins, Miami (OH) -- Somebody PLEASE tell me why I should give a shit about this guy. I've seen nothing on tape that's been remotely impressive about Rollins, yet I am assured time and time again that he's this great athlete, that he has the measurables NFL teams want, that teams will love his tools that he's working with. Well, the Combine popped several balloons, but none perhaps more resoundingly than Quentin Rollins. His 4.57 40 disqualifies him from virtually every defense but strict zone teams -- which Rollins has no experience playing anyway, since he only played man defense. And while his 5'11", 195 lbs frame is usually what the doctor ordered, his 30" arms might as well shrink him down an inch (or two). All of this could be excuseable if his tape was exceptional, which, sadly, it isn't any time he plays real competition. His biggest weakness, in both press and off man, is that he gives up the inside very easily. His ability to mirror and track routes is poor in general, as he gets beat on a lot of comeback routes and drag routes as well. He is a pretty strong and aggressive tackler, possibly one of the best this draft has to offer. But what happens before the ball arrives is what matters, and Rollins simply doesn't cut it.

09-24-2014, 02:22 AM
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2033447	Talking Draft Prospects We've got perhaps the biggest, most consequential draft coming up for this franchise since 2008. The Chiefs have all seven of their picks, and will certainly be picking up an additional four in compensatory picks, one of which is assuredly a 3rd rounder. As a result, it's important to familiarize ourselves with as much of this draft class as possible. I started a thread last offseason that discussed late rounders that was generally well liked and spurred tons of great conversation on all sorts of draft picks we normally wouldn't talk about, so I'm going to duplicate that idea this year, only discussing all talents, rather than just the mid- and lower-round ones. The OP will be continually updated to show the talent I'm reviewing by position. Keep in mind as I list these players that I am generally listing their round projections, but it is not a strict big board, as I likely won't have a big board put together until May. Spoiler! QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon Jameis Winston, Florida State Brett Hundley, UCLA Connor Cook, Michigan State RB Todd Gurley, Georgia Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska Mike Davis, South Carolina T.J. Yeldon, Alabama Tevin Coleman, Indiana Duke Johnson, Miami Jay Ajayi, Boise State FB WR Sammie Coates, Auburn Amari Cooper, Alabama Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma Ty Montgomery, Stanford Kevin White, West Virginia DeVante Parker, Louisville Jaelen Strong, Arizona State Josh Harper, Fresno State Breshad Perriman, Central Florida Devin Smith, Ohio State Rashad Greene, Florida State TE Devin Funchess, Michigan Maxx Williams, Minnesota OT Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M Brandon Schwerff, Iowa Andrus Peat, Stanford La'el Collins, LSU Spencer Drango, Baylor Ereck Flowers, Miami Cameron Erving, Florida State T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame Ty Sambrailo, Colorado State Jake Fisher, Oregon OG La'el Collins, LSU A.J. McCann, South Carolina Cameron Erving, Florida State Ty Sambrailo, Colorado State Josue Matias, Florida State Laken Tomlinson, Duke C Cameron Erving, Florida State Reese Dismukes, Auburn NT Danny Shelton, Washington Eddie Goldman, Florida State Malcom Brown, Texas Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma 4-3 DT and/or 3-4 DE Leonard Williams, USC Michael Bennett, Ohio State Mario Edwards, Jr., Florida State Malcom Brown, Texas Arik Armstead, Oregon Carl Davis, Iowa 4-3 DE Randy Gregory, Nebraska Shilique Calhoun, Michigan State Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida Shawn Oakman, Baylor Bronson Kaufusi, BYU Alvin Dupree, Kentucky Nate Orchard, Utah Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA Danielle Hunter, LSU 3-4 OLB Randy Gregory, Nebraska Vic Beasley, Clemson Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida Shayne Ray, Missouri Bronson Kaufusi, BYU Lorenzo Maudlin, Louisville Alvin Dupree, Kentucky Nate Orchard, Utah Hau'oli Kikaha, Washington Eli Harold, Virginia Danielle Hunter, LSU 4-3 OLB/WILB Vic Beasley, Clemson Shaq Thompson, Washington Paul Dawson, TCU MLB/SILB Bernardrick McKinney, Mississippi State Denzel Perryman, Miami Eric Kendricks, UCLA CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomo, Oregon P.J. Williams, Florida State Marcus Peters, Washington Trae Waynes, Michigan State Jalen Collins, LSU Alex Carter, Stanford Quentin Rollins, Miami (OH) Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest SS Landon Collins, Alabama Anthony Harris, Virginia FS Gerod Holliman, Louisville K P Last edited by Direckshun; 03-04-2015 at 08:24 PM..
Posts: 59,693

01-17-2015, 03:17 PM	#451
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2033447	RB Duke Johnson, Miami -- There may not be a more exciting player to watch, just in terms of visceral enjoyment, than Duke Johnson. Johnson plays with an energy that is just contagious as a spectator, and it must be energizing as a teammate as well. If I had to describe Johnson's play with one word, it would be "relentless." Johnson (5'9", 210 lbs) is the rare speed back who plays with plenty of power, and absolutely refuses to go down on first contact, requiring either a square hit or a gang tackle. He has phenomenal change of direction and uses his legs very well to leverage up against a defender. He's excellent in the passing game, running WCO route options flawlessly (much like what the Chiefs ask their RBs to run) with excellent hands. He needs coaching in the pass protection aspect of his game, but with his fantastic enthusiasm on the field I see no reason why that's not something you couldn't coach him into, easily. Johnson is very much a first round pick quality player who might not get picked that early just because he happens to be in the same draft class as Gordon and Gurley in a league that currently doesn't value his position. That provides some outstanding value with him in the 2nd round, and I can't wait to see what he can do in the NFL. He's perfect for a West Coast Offense that utilizes versatility in its RBs. He would be a perfect fit for the Chiefs offense, and the Chiefs should honestly have him on the shortlist if he survives to the 2nd round, because we're going to have to replace Charles sooner rather than later.
Posts: 59,693

01-17-2015, 03:59 PM	#452
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2033447	ILB Eric Kendricks, UCLA -- I'm a little less high on Kendricks than most people, and I think he could actually be in for a slide when the Draft rolls around. Kendricks (6'0", 230 lbs) is a very physical linebacker with good who relishes contact and plays with ton of energy, but there's not really a part of his game that doesn't need a lot of work. He doesn't seem to be exceptionally athletic, and struggles mightily in coverage against the better teams he plays. His coverage just isn't going to work in the NFL as it stands right now, and he's going to end up a two-down SILB for at least a year or two, assuming he ever progresses enough to play obvious passing downs (questionable). The area of his game you'd expect him to shine would be in run defense, and even there he needs to be better at picking the right gap, as he can get washed out with the trash sometimes. He also needs to be nailing tackles more often, and while he's still a very good tackler, you better be an Eric Berry-grade tackler to be a 1st round quality player, which too many people are suggesting he is. His aggressiveness can be exploited as well, as play actions and misdirections exposed him more than a few times. His role looks to be a two-down SILB in a 3-4, as I don't know how well he'd handle the space of being a MLB in a 4-3 defense. That said, I do think he's worth a 3rd-4th rounder at that position, depending on how much you value the position on your team. Despite paying decent money to Joe Mays, the Chiefs don't particularly value the position, only keeping it on the field about 40% of the time, so I don't see why such a high investment, in Kendricks or anybody else, would be necessary. Last edited by Direckshun; 01-17-2015 at 06:02 PM..
Posts: 59,693

01-17-2015, 04:27 PM	#453
Saccopoo Kindness in words... Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Zion Casino cash: $10025483	Are you sure you're watching the same Eric Kendricks? If he measures 6'0", 230 lb. at the combine, I'll be surprised.
Posts: 15,450

01-17-2015, 06:01 PM	#454
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2033447	Yep, you're dead right. I got my notes wrong... Will need to edit that.
Posts: 59,693

01-17-2015, 06:06 PM	#455
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2033447	Man... he's super overrated then, isn't he? Kinda undersized to be a thumper, and I really don't like him as a three-down back at this point...
Posts: 59,693

01-19-2015, 09:53 AM	#457
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2033447	RB Jay Ajayi, Boise State -- Jay Ajayi is NOT Marshawn Lynch. I want to make that clear. Marshawn Lynch is a Hall of Fame quality, true force of nature RB. But one of the reasons Lynch is so good is because he has an insane sense of balance, anticipating contact, and leveraging that contact to benefit him in all ways at all times. I see a lot of this in Ajayi -- in particular, he has an ability to lower his shoulders, absorb contact, and spin off the tackler... He does this particular move a ton, it's a very Lynch move, and it makes him very hard to tackle. That's Ajayi's best quality, like Lynch. He's not particularly speedy, and he's not particularly gigantic (though he is a good-sized back at 6'0", 216 lbs). But he's very physical, breaks arm tackles, and demands more than one guy to take him down. Very much a poor man's Lynch, and while I think he probably works better in a committee than he does as a feature back, he still could have feature back potential if he times very well at the Combine. He's very productive in the passing game -- he runs WCO routes for the RB much like the Chiefs RBs run, so there is something to keep in mind. He's already pretty stout in pass protection, so he very much does have three-down capabilities at the next level. He also has a stupendous nose for the end zone: 28 TDS in 2014, 40+ over the past two years. His ability in the red zone reminds me a lot of Bernard Pierce, and honestly that is probably the career he'll have in the NFL. My biggest concern with Ajayi, outside of what seems to be his limited athleticism, is that he's had 700 touches over the past two years, including 400 touches last year. That never bodes well for a RB, especially a high-contact one like Ajayi. I have him down as an early 4th rounder.
Posts: 59,693

01-20-2015, 12:06 AM	#458
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2033447	DT Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma -- The first thing you notice about this 6'6", 330 lbs monster, is his surprising arsenal of passrush moves. You see a guy that is just absolutely massive like Phillips, and that's about the last thing you expect, but it's there. Phillips has a great swim move, shoots gaps extremely well, and has a whole array of moves and counter-moves that torture centers just trying to somehow reel him in. As can be expected for a man his size, Phillips packs a lot of power into his coiled-up three-point stance, and when he comes off the blocks low and hard... he's damn near unblockable by one lineman; the best you can hope for is to run the play away from him or straight-up double him. In this, he looks like a perfect one-gap NT in a 3-4 or 4-3. The two biggest weaknesses in his game are playing too high and on-field limitations. Phillips comes in waaaaaay too high far too frequently, and he needs a good DL coach to teach him how to consistently engage the OL low to the ground. His 6'6" frame is epic, but it works against him when he comes in too high. Also, Phillips is a good athlete for someone his size, but his effectiveness on the field will only be in the phone booth. He can be very effective, but he's not going to be the guy to single-handedly shut down the line of scrimmage, by crashing down on plays down the line. Instead, he's reliable for shutting down his gap assignments, and little after that. But there's definitely a place for that in a league that is dropping more of its defenders into coverage and asking its DL to do more with less help. Phillips has Pro Bowl potential with the right coach.
Posts: 59,693

01-20-2015, 01:03 AM	#459
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2033447	OG Josue Matias, Florida State -- Oh hell yes, now we're talking. Arguably the biggest hole on the Kansas City Chiefs right now is left guard, and you're arguably not going to find a better one in this draft (and possibly free agency) than Josue Matias, a power guard with the size of a building and the athleticism of a locomotive. It is almost shocking watching him play, both in how large he is, but how frequently he pancakes people and his outstanding athleticism getting out of his stance and out to the second level. Men his size (6'6", 330 lbs) shouldn't be able to move like him, taking quick, long strides. The Seminoles almost never asked him to get out in space and pull, unfortunately, but with his quickness and speed there is almost no reason why he couldn't be very adept at that with enough coaching. Matias gets excellent push in the run game, and as I mentioned above, he pancakes top-tier defenders quite a lot. Matias does struggle some with fast passrushers, especially if they're able to get off the ball well and get low, so perhaps some coaching will be necessary to keep his base low. But he's 6'6", and it's (almost) a fair trade-off considering it's flat impossible to bullrush him. Matias plays with light feet, great mirroring, and excellent recovery ability. Few players in this draft match what the Chiefs do on offense better than Matias, and if the Chiefs end up drafting at the bottom of the 1st or the top of the 2nd, or if Matias somehow survives to the Chiefs' 2nd rounder where it is right now, he needs to be on a very short list to be our choice. Matias is my #1 guard right now, and I'd say he's a borderline 1st round pick.
Posts: 59,693

01-20-2015, 03:18 PM	#460
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2033447	SS Anthony Harris, Virginia -- Anthony Harris is the rare strong safety with the ability to be an all-around force on the football field. One of the biggest things you need a SS to excel at is run support, and despite his slender frame by SS standards (6'1", 190 lbs), he throws himself into run support with gusto. He's a solid (if somewhat flawed) tackler, and is absolutely fearless hurdling himself into the line of scrimmage. He's exceptionally fast, too, and should time well at the Combine, capable of running from the opposite side of the field to come across and beat a RB trying to turn the corner. There's some talk that his exceptional athleticism could play into him transitioning to CB in the NFL, which gives him positional flexibility. His coverage is very strong for a strong safety, and the Cavaliers dropped him back as a zone safety with regularity. His coverage is pretty solid, his great speed and fast hip-turning allows him to keep most receivers close, though he obviously has some work to do there, particularly on crossing routes, which are getting evermore popular in the NFL. However, it's not clear how much more weight/muscle, so he'll struggle with tight ends, which is a major liability for a strong safety. But ultimately, the Cavaliers played him exactly how the Chiefs played Ron Parker this year, but unlike Parker, Harris has great hands, having snagged ten interceptions over the past two seasons. Parker is a free agent, so if the Chiefs let him go, Harris seems like a natural replacement, though it may take a third rounder to reel him in.
Posts: 59,693

01-20-2015, 09:27 PM	#461
kccrow MVP Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Michigan Casino cash: $-1210000	Sleeper O-Lineman for you to wrap your head around Direckshun... Mark Glowinski - OG - West Virginia. He'll be in my next mock.
Posts: 14,096

02-24-2015, 11:40 PM	#464
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2033447	Updated a handful of players following post-Combine. Not that many players' statuses changed, really. Only guys that super tanked (Mike Davis, Hau'oli Kikaha) and guys who super exploded (Vic Beasley).
Posts: 59,693

02-25-2015, 12:46 AM	#465
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2033447	CB Quentin Rollins, Miami (OH) -- Somebody PLEASE tell me why I should give a shit about this guy. I've seen nothing on tape that's been remotely impressive about Rollins, yet I am assured time and time again that he's this great athlete, that he has the measurables NFL teams want, that teams will love his tools that he's working with. Well, the Combine popped several balloons, but none perhaps more resoundingly than Quentin Rollins. His 4.57 40 disqualifies him from virtually every defense but strict zone teams -- which Rollins has no experience playing anyway, since he only played man defense. And while his 5'11", 195 lbs frame is usually what the doctor ordered, his 30" arms might as well shrink him down an inch (or two). All of this could be excuseable if his tape was exceptional, which, sadly, it isn't any time he plays real competition. His biggest weakness, in both press and off man, is that he gives up the inside very easily. His ability to mirror and track routes is poor in general, as he gets beat on a lot of comeback routes and drag routes as well. He is a pretty strong and aggressive tackler, possibly one of the best this draft has to offer. But what happens before the ball arrives is what matters, and Rollins simply doesn't cut it.
Posts: 59,693