2018 Comprehensive NFL Draft Thread

[mistertim]

8 hours ago, UK SKINS FAN '74 said:

I could see Payne being available at the top of the second round

 

I could certainly see that possibility as well. However, his lack of production and how he tends to disappear any time he has to take on a double team or a large, athletic OL (as @fordranger76mentioned earlier) is just too concerning to me. I have a feeling that in the NFL he'll basically end up as JAG. I'd be fine with taking him for depth in later rounds but I think there will be much more productive guys when we pick in the 1st and 2nd so I wouldn't use either of those picks on him. He seems to have rocketed up in the hype column after his bowl game and just the fact that he plays for Bama.

[freakofthesouth]

Lovin this big board to get an interesting take on some of the names we are throwing around here per Cagen Cantrell:

 

http://breakingfootball.com/2018-nfl-draft-roquan-smith-tops-latest-top-50-big-board/

Quote

1. Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

My love for Roquan Smith has transcended beyond potentially any prospect of the last couple of years. His athleticism, leadership, and most importantly his intelligence have him as a near perfect prospect. People will try their best to undermine his rare talents and peg him as “undersized”, but there have been many All-Pro inside linebackers with measurables aligning similar to his. Smith is on his way to receiving arguably the highest grade I’ve ever given.

...

 

8. Vita Vea, DT, Washington

Vita Vea is one of the most exciting guys to watch film on. His size matched with his athletic prowess and run stuffing talent is incredible. Vea is one of the many defensive tackles in this draft who are well developed already and will start on an NFL D-line out the gate. I expect him to be a consensus top 10 player after he shreds the Scouting Combine.

.

10. Derwin James, S, Florida State

Since Derwin James did not put up the ridiculous statistics or eye-popping highlights in 2017, folks have begun to write him off as one of the top players in the class. However, I beg to differ with the common notion among draft circles. I  believe he’s still a top 10 prospect to draft. There is a concern with James’ lack of interception production, but his instincts will always make up for that and he’ll always have play-making potential. He’s one of those guys who are destined to be a great pro.

11. Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State

DBU will continue to graduate first round talent to the NFL with Denzel Ward in 2018. Ward is one of most complete cornerbacks to be part of a draft class in recent history. Though he can struggle to get his head around in 1-v-1 coverage, that’s just part of his aggressive and confident coverage style. He’s able to blanket receivers with his close out speed, so don’t be surprised if he posts one of the fastest overall 40 times at the Combine.

12. Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama

Da’Ron Payne was already a first round talent throughout the season, but his dominance during the College Football Playoff (especially the Nat’l Championship) elevated him to the top of boards. He proved in those two games that he’s capable of making plays throughout the duration of a game. His strength and explosion off the snap give him upside to be both an elite run stuffer and pass rusher. As long as he keeps being consistent, Payne could be near the top of the league’s tackle for loss rankings on a yearly basis.

13. Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M

Ever since Christian Kirk stepped foot in College Station as a 5-star high school prospect, he’s had the electricity to change a game’s momentum at any given moment. His speed is unmatched, his routes are precise, and his hands are natural. I don’t see him as being limited to playing in the slot either. Depending on what team snags Kirk in the first round, he could be utilized all over the field*; and he’ll see dynamism similar to Odell Beckham Jr.

 

*one of the positions he can play is RB.  Seriously.  Sure, only for a handful of carries- but there are numerous creative possibilities.  He appears and moves more like an RB in space to me than a WR.

[fordranger76]

@freakofthesouth If you like Christian Kirk you should check out DJ Moore. Currently my steal of the draft. Working on WR production right now. I watched that guy for several games and boy howdy is he nice!

[freakofthesouth]

@fordranger76 yeah I’ve peeped him, yes similar in ways to Kirk, great in space, built like an RB, I can dig it.  The question is can he come in and contribute immediately?  It’s very possible.  He’s had some positive trending on the boards lately.  But does he have that breakaway speed??  We’ll see how they all test.

[wilco_holland]

2 hours ago, fordranger76 said:

@freakofthesouth If you like Christian Kirk you should check out DJ Moore. Currently my steal of the draft. Working on WR production right now. I watched that guy for several games and boy howdy is he nice!

 

Yeah, I thought he would be a steal also. But I read at many places that he could be a steal. So that will probably result in higher draft position. With a good combine I see him getting drafted on day 2*

 

*2nd or 3th round 

[actorguy1]

I keep hearing people in this thread, say  that teams might want to jump Arizona(15th) for a QB and offer Redskins(13th) a trade down offer, however Green Bay(14th)is one pick lower and still before Arizona 

[Est.1974]

4 hours ago, fordranger76 said:

@freakofthesouth If you like Christian Kirk you should check out DJ Moore. Currently my steal of the draft. Working on WR production right now. I watched that guy for several games and boy howdy is he nice!

 

Im sticking with Ateman in the draft. Very interested to see how he shows at the combine.

[Skinsinparadise]

1 hour ago, actorguy1 said:

I keep hearing people in this thread, say  that teams might want to jump Arizona(15th) for a QB and offer Redskins(13th) a trade down offer, however Green Bay(14th)is one pick lower and still before Arizona 

 

Right now judging by mocks the two possibilities could be Josh Allen or Mayfield.  If its Mayfield -- could I see Dan skipping the dude with all that buzz that would come with the pick?   Also JP Finlay has said on separate radio segments that the FO like both Allen and Mayfield (they supposedly warmed up to Mayfield). 

 

 

FanRag Sports guy, Jon Ledyard, giving his 2 cents on the draft on 106.7 just now

 

Maurice Hurst -- best pass rushing DT.

Payne too hot and cold for him to get excited by

For a DT that could stop the run, he'd go Nnadi from Florida State in the 2nd rd or later.  He doesn't see much difference from him and Payne

Loves Pettis and J. Washington at WR for the Redskins.   He thinks Pettis is polished enough to make a contribution right away.

 

 

 

 

[mistertim]

7 minutes ago, UK SKINS FAN '74 said:

 

Im sticking with Ateman in the draft. Very interested to see how he shows at the combine.

 

One guy I'm really interested in seeing how he shows at the combine is Anthony Miller. About the same size as Kirk but IMO is a more sudden route runner, faster out of his breaks and has some Jordan Reed-esque jukes. Also has incredible hands. I'm thinking he'll probably be a 2nd or 3rd rounder. Only question about him is coming from Memphis he didn't always face top competition. Might not time out as fast as Kirk but I think it will be close and you can tell he has really good "game speed". If Kirk continues to climb and has a great combine he'll definitely be a first round pick but I think 13 overall is a bit high for him. I'd rather use our 1st on DL/ILB/S and then maybe pick up Miller in the 2nd. Or better yet, in the 3rd if he falls and we can somehow recoup that pick with a trade back. Then we could go with the best RB available in the 2nd.

[freakofthesouth]

31 minutes ago, mistertim said:

 

One guy I'm really interested in seeing how he shows at the combine is Anthony Miller. About the same size as Kirk but IMO is a more sudden route runner, faster out of his breaks and has some Jordan Reed-esque jukes. Also has incredible hands. I'm thinking he'll probably be a 2nd or 3rd rounder. Only question about him is coming from Memphis he didn't always face top competition. Might not time out as fast as Kirk but I think it will be close and you can tell he has really good "game speed". If Kirk continues to climb and has a great combine he'll definitely be a first round pick but I think 13 overall is a bit high for him. I'd rather use our 1st on DL/ILB/S and then maybe pick up Miller in the 2nd. Or better yet, in the 3rd if he falls and we can somehow recoup that pick with a trade back. Then we could go with the best RB available in the 2nd.

 

As much as I’d love for team the invest at RB in the 2nd, I just can’t see how that would come to fruition given the current roster.  Unless they really like a guy.

 

I agree there are some later WRs that are certainly talented, A Miller is getting that Kendall Wright comp from nfl.com.  He’s 24... I think he’ll be productive but maybe not for his rookie season given the talent jump.  He’s got great hands and is scrappy but yeah he’s running like a 4.53 which is good but not elite...

 

I’m still watching a lot on C Kirk (imagine that) and dude is probably gonna climb big after the combine because he will test very well.  Remember McCaffrey last year?  Had a great combine and ended up going top ten.  if Kirk runs sub 4.4, which is the rumor... Well, you cant coach that, it’s pretty dang rare to my eye.  the offense needs effective speed to stretch the field, creating space for the RBs, space for Reed, Doctson, eveything opens up.  Impact return game too- special teams/ avg field position was an underrated weaknesss as well.  I clearly think he has superstar potential... the SEC was triple covering him most of the time last season... he must be accounted for...  AS knows the plays and the ways to utilize a Tyreek piece... it’s a copy cat league.  For sure check out Keim’s article on this.

 

The FO really will want the Alex Smith arrival to pan out too, I think, so there is added pressure to have the offense work... they are looking for an offensive weapon at WR2, it’s safe to assume.  The only question is, will they invest big with the 1st rounder? Or will they possibly overpay for a FA WR that wasn’t good enough to get a contract from the team they were just on?  I mean we’ll see!  It also comes down to how ready they think JDoc is.  If they need a #1 guy then it might have to be FA. If they feel like JDoc can take that next step, then it’s time to fill that hole in the offense that d Jack left and get that added speed and dynamic playmaker/movable piece.  And gamebreaking return man.

 

once again lots of depth to tackle the d line interior in FA or draft.  ILB not so much, R Smith may very well not fall to 13 and then what?  Maybe we scoop vanden Bosch in the 2nd if we’re lucky?  To me the move is z Brown, he had a great season, great speed, pay him but not too much!  Safety I see DJ as team leader, Monte as young centerfielder, sua as boxsafety/ nickel LB, yes Sua!  Draft depth at safety sure but I don't think S is a top need.  I dig Tremon Edwards as S, tremaine’s brother I think.  D James is a physical specimen and is assuming he can stay healthy will an all pro safety in a couple of years, and might be BPA at 13.

[mistertim]

@freakofthesouthI don't want to give the impression that I don't like Kirk...I definitely do but I think Miller could be a later round gem whereas Kirk will probably climb up in the first round, as you stated. As far as Miller's 40 time, where have you heard that he's running a 4.53? Not saying you're wrong, just haven't seen that myself. He definitely looks faster than that on tape IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if Kirk runs a sub 4.4 but I also wouldn't be that surprised if Miller runs a 4.4-4.45. But I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

I had never really watched Memphis or Miller until I watched some tape of their QB Ferguson and when watching his highlights the first thing that jumped out at me was "who the hell is this Miller guy that's making all these ridiculous catches??" He was far more impressive to me than Ferguson as I think many times Miller made him look better than he is. I just loved Miller's route running (definitely did not look like your typical smaller school prospect out there), separation ability, hands, and ball tracking skills...not to mention he seems like a tough son of a gun and completely made his own way from being a walk with no scholarship to breaking school records. 

[freakofthesouth]

@mistertim right on, yeah so I’ve posted a little about this site called nfldraftscout.com; they have approx 40 time, I guess based on high school times or...? Not really sure.  It seems to be a really great resource: http://draftscout.tsxfiles.com/position-rankings/

 

Obviously it could be totally different come combine day...  I think if any of these WR prospects show serious speed we’d have to take a really good look all of them.

 

i also have this theory that prospects that have an NFL projected starter, like Ferguson, kinda get just a slight knock because they had it so good.. like James Washington, for example, had of so good with Mason Rudolph.  Constrastly, Kirk had 6 different QBs and the best one was probably Kyle Allen... to me, and why I harp on it, dude is on another level to still produce as he did.

 

I also think A lot has to fall into place at CB for the team to feel comfortable enough passing on someone like Denzel Ward.

[JWB]

Haven't seen Denzel Ward play, but the above says he doesn't turn his head around?

 

Yea that's a no from me dog, seen enough of that over the years. Easy PI call from the refs all day.

[freakofthesouth]

@JWB I mean all of the rookies coming in will have stuff to work on.  I haven't dug into D Ward enough to say whether its a problem or not, but if every analyst has him as #1 CB then it's probably not that much of a dealbreaker.

 

That said, I think we have some time on the roster to develop a guy.  If Moreau has the upside to be a lock down corner, then thats a really good sign.  we still need another guy and paying for Breeland, based on his track record, I think isn't the right call.  Promote Moreau and draft a guy.  I see it happening in the 4th maybe, where you have guys like Tony Brown, duke dawson, R Gaulden, MJ Stewart even has great stats so yeah, options exist there for CB outside of the 1st.  If Moreau isn't ready then this becomes a huge need.  FA CBs are seemingly very expensive and we already have one that is arguably maybe overpaid, though at the same time, I love me some J No and love him on the team.

 

To me, WR and OG are the most scarce positions; FA offers very little and both classes in the draft have a few guys at the top and then it's a big drop off.  I do think later round guys can contribute, but if we need a guy to get on the field day one then we'd have to really think about this.

[Reaper Skins]

I don't trust Monte Nicholson to play all 16 games next season.  I also don't think he's shown enough for us to just pencil him in as our starter for the next 10 years.  He's got potential sure, but our safety position is far from "locked down".  It would be foolish to pass on the position if first round talent dropped to us there.

[wilco_holland]

28 minutes ago, Reaper Skins said:

I don't trust Monte Nicholson to play all 16 games next season.  I also don't think he's shown enough for us to just pencil him in as our starter for the next 10 years.  He's got potential sure, but our safety position is far from "locked down".  It would be foolish to pass on the position if first round talent dropped to us there.

 

To be honest. Our safety position is a mess for the roster builder. ''You can never have enough good players''....

 

D.J. sure starter. Fine with that, but the other spot? You have Sua who has a lot of question markt. Then you have Montae, looked great but can he stay healthy and be good player for a long time? You have invested a second and fourth rounder in that second safety position now, but is either of them good long term? 

 

Let's say you draft a third guy what are you going to do with the other two? Will they be back-ups? Do you hope one of the three can take D.J.'s spot in the future? 

 

I feel like you invest a lot of resources to find one starter. It's not like dlineman or passrushers, that you really rotate them (althought we did rotate our safety's last year. Yes we are weird). 

[freakofthesouth]

@Reaper Skins Monte has great size/speed and the bottom line is the team drafted him just last year and he showed a lot of promise with no training camp.  Can he stay healthy, thats the question.  Can any of these starters stay healthy?

 

Listen I think D James is a freak of nature, but he is raw, his stats did decline in 2017, and he has also battled injuries.  Maybe the team feels like he's the guy? then awesome he'll be an asset.  But similar to Sua in skillset as a box safety/SS... not a FS as of yet...  in fact a lot of what happens with Sua will dictate how the team will approach S.  If Minkah is there though then we should pull the trigger because he would be huge for the D both as a corner and a FS.

 

That said, I think S will need some depth but yeah two starters, possibly 3, currently on the roster.  S depth can be had later in the draft, not a lot though: Whitehead, Blanding, Edmunds, Van Smith, Kyzir White is worth watching tape on for WV, and Trayvon Henderson had great production in college.  Van Smith, Armani Watts maybe?

[fordranger76]

WR Rankings are up. I gotta say I love doing this. I'm learning so much just by looking at statistics and film right after. Some guys pop way more than others and it can be seen immediately. There is no doubt in my mind that the top receiver in this class and yes I said CLASS is DJ Moore. I don't care that he is undersized. I don't care that he is from Maryland. None of that matters. This guy is a complete stud. Makes circus catches, tracks the ball like a fatboy after a snickers, gains separation quickly, runs routes decisively, causes holding and PI penalties.

 

The best part about Moore is what teams he was playing against doing all of this. Number 1 SOS. Yes I said number one. Is that not enough for you? He led each category that was charted as well. This guy is Santana Moss with more upside. He is a replacement for Desean Jackson. He is what you want in a receiver. I really believe that he should be a first round pick. He is that good. But as usual this is the type of guy that wont go early because of his size or non flash combine numbers. To that I say great. Let him fall to us. I wont cry.

 

Other guys I enjoyed watching were Anthony Miller and DJ Chark. They both have that IT factor while watching the tape. Tough as nails guys that could help us big time. Christian Kirk to me is all flash. While not a bad guy to have he seems to get way more love than he should. But with that being said I can see why people like him he just doesn't do it for me. For the guys I would not touch with a 10 foot pole segment they would be Dante Pettis from Washington and Jordan Lashely from UCLA. Lashely in particular rubbed me the wrong way. Gave up on plays. Got frustrated when teammates would miss a play. Was horrible with contact. Hard pass. Pettis benefited from a super soft schedule. One of those guys that look great against garbage competition and who usually bust because someone fell in love with them and drafted them way too early.

 

The last thing I wanted you guys to be aware of is the scouting community in general that are ranking and rating prospects. A lot of these "scouts" have anyone under 6 foot rated as a slot receiver. You start to find a pattern reading these guys and you can tell a lot of them are not actually watching film on the players just watching the highlights and going oooooowwwww and aaaahhhhh. Very annoying and lazy. Of course they are not all like that but that leads me to believe why so many mocks are so close to each other in player predictions. Also why so many of them every single year are so wrong. Anywho off to the rankings!

 

Wide Receiver	Rec Yds	Receptions	Total	Worth	School	SOS	Round
D.J. Moore	53.2	45.7	28.1	127	Maryland	1	1-2
Cedric Wilson	41	29.5	26.5	97	Boise State	69	3-4
Michael Gallop	37.1	35.2	22	94.3	Colorado State	100	5
Anthony Miller	33.5	31.2	21.4	86.1	Memphis	74	2-3
Keke Coutee	32.9	26.3	23.4	82.6	Texas Tech	37	4
Calvin Ridley	35.7	30.8	15.8	82.3	Alabama	22	1
James Washington	30.6	22.7	21.1	74.4	Oklahoma State	52	3
Christian Kirk	28.1	28	17.9	74	Texas A&M	51	3
D.J. Chark	33	22.3	17.5	72.8	LSU	38	2
Deontae Burnett	26.6	27.8	16.4	70.8	USC	27	4
Jordan Lashley	28.2	20.4	21.1	69.7	UCLA	31	5
Courtland Sutton	28.3	24	17.4	69.7	SMU	72	4-5
Dante Pettis	26.3	26.2	15.3	67.8	Washington	60	5-6
Simmie Cobbs	26.3	23.5	17.7	67.5	Indiana	29	4
Javon Wims	27.1	24.1	11	62.2	Georgia	8	5-6
Marcel Ateman	22.8	18.1	15.6	56.5	Oklahoma State	52	5
Daeshawn Hamilton	22.7	17.6	14.3	54.6	Penn State	12	4
Deon Cain	22.2	18.7	12.2	53.1	Clemson	10	4
Auden Tate	21.4	19.8	11.9	53.1	Florida State	20	2-3
Equanimeous St.Brown	22.1	18.1	8.8	49	Notre Dame	2	4
Josh Doctson	29.3	24.2	18.2	71.7
Jamison Crowder	37.1	31.7	20.3	89.1

 

 

[freakofthesouth]

@fordranger76 So... Maryland had the #1 toughest schedule in college football?  I like DJ Moore, I do.

 

Totally hear ya on the slot WR delineation, it's overused; plus many effective top options thrive in the slot, its a different game. that said, a WR thats 5'8" and 170 is limited to the slot for sure.  a guy thats 5'11" 200 can play anywhere more than likely.

 

So these stats are again, marketshare? Can you just give some quick descriptions again on these numbers you have here...

 

MD was 4-8 as well and more than likely, though I am not sure, played from behind a lot.  C Kirk was triple covered much of the time and their games and defense and decent run game affected his touches, along with the QB situation- 6 QBs in 3 years for him.  and I would say that the scouting community is split on Kirk, LZ gave him a terrible grade. Plus if this is just 2017-18, yeah his year was not very good because of the team, who fired their head coach before their bowl game.  Lots of poorly exectued bubble screens affected his YPA as well... or maybe these are total college statistics???

 

However, it's true, the combine and athletic testing do factor in, and I think Kirk is going to do very well, and I want the guy that can bring breakaway speed.  I do not think he's all flash because he has the numbers in the SEC to prove it.  again his all purpose yardage was like 50 yards away from Bo Jackson's.  returned a punt for a TD once every 6 times.  just that is enough for him to be on an NFL team.  He's getting a Tim brown comp which is kinda nuts. 

 

So yeah, useful stuff, I need a little more context to understand your table Ford, but I'm all about the conversation.

[freakofthesouth]

Ok so here's this other guy at common man football talking about DJ Moore's production: 

 

 

 

I mean thats extremely productive and surprising that MD had the toughest schedule in CFB.  Very interesting and he should for sure be on our radar.  I think it's just good to know there are options in the draft for WR as these guys climb up the board.

 

and I want to mention too, re stats in a vacuum. so take this for example; I dont know how good the offense was for MD; did they have any good players other than him?? if they did then defenses couldnt afford to say, triple cover DJ Moore because of other threats.  I think I saw that with TAMU, they had like 7 of their 8 WRs were freshman, so just hypothetically, if a defense triple teams a WR and no other aspect of the offense steps up, then how do you reconcile the equal basis for the stats?  What if a team schemes their best player to be a motion decoy to get other players open??  maybe some teams did this more than others.  My point about teams playing from behind is irrelevant given the idea that this info is marketshare... however this common man guy mentions you have to look at all years of their college careers and Kirk was 2nd in this last year because he had players like JOsh Reynolds and Ricky Seals Jones to balance his production out in a sense... and he had a better QB in Trevor Knight which isnt saying much! 

 

 

Useful stats though and all good info.

[fordranger76]

@freakofthesouth According to https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/maryland/2017.html yes they do have the toughest schedule when everything is combined. And the system is again a total average worth of what they do for their particular team. So in Moore's case 53.2 percent of the yards accounted for total team passing yards were all his. The next category the reception amount percentage. And the last is for the total offense combined with rushing. So Moore is responsible for 28.1 percent of Maryland's offense. As you can see that is a huge amount for any player in the country let alone just him. Take a look at the SOS and it makes it even more interesting. The worth is just the 3 categories added together for an unofficial "grade". Once I see the numbers for these guys I go to film that I can find to see how they are getting these yards.

 

For Moore and why he stood out so much to me is the situation of Maryland and the QB is god awful. The guys he had throwing him the football probably would not start on some Texas high school teams. They were always missing him, leading him out of bounds, low throws. And he still performed with a high level. That's why he was so eye popping to me. He just stood out the most after the tape and when the numbers get factored in I just fell in love with him out of all the WR's.

 

I don't want it to seem like I am crapping on Kirk btw. I don't think he is a bad player at all. Speed kills and I get that. And I do not want to discount what he can do especially when he plays in the SEC. While he flashed on plays when you would break down the whole game the flash stood out but the grind did not. What I mean by that is the complete games he had did not pop to me. He was not overthrown much, he could not throw a block, I did not feel his routes were all that sharp etc. I still like him I am just not on his train so to speak. I would not be upset to have him he is just not a favorite of mine at the moment.

 

At the end of the day good looking prospects bust all of the time in the NFL. If someone had the magic formula for picking players they would be unstoppable. This is my dart thrown on the board with other millions of folks. With this method however it can allow you to see numbers before tape in an unconventional way to see how valuable a guy was to his team. Not to the league or his contemporaries but just his team. My logic is if he is that important to one team then they know something we don't. Either the rest of the team completely sucks or some players just rise to the top and do not get much recognition due to various factors. 

 

 

[Mannix]

3 hours ago, fordranger76 said:

WR Rankings are up. I gotta say I love doing this. I'm learning so much just by looking at statistics and film right after. Some guys pop way more than others and it can be seen immediately. There is no doubt in my mind that the top receiver in this class and yes I said CLASS is DJ Moore. I don't care that he is undersized. I don't care that he is from Maryland. None of that matters. This guy is a complete stud. Makes circus catches, tracks the ball like a fatboy after a snickers, gains separation quickly, runs routes decisively, causes holding and PI penalties.

 

 

 

Wide Receiver	Rec Yds	Receptions	Total	Worth	School	SOS	Round
D.J. Moore	53.2	45.7	28.1	127	Maryland	1	1-2
Cedric Wilson	41	29.5	26.5	97	Boise State	69	3-4
Michael Gallop	37.1	35.2	22	94.3	Colorado State	100	5
Anthony Miller	33.5	31.2	21.4	86.1	Memphis	74	2-3
Keke Coutee	32.9	26.3	23.4	82.6	Texas Tech	37	4
Calvin Ridley	35.7	30.8	15.8	82.3	Alabama	22	1
James Washington	30.6	22.7	21.1	74.4	Oklahoma State	52	3
Christian Kirk	28.1	28	17.9	74	Texas A&M	51	3
D.J. Chark	33	22.3	17.5	72.8	LSU	38	2
Deontae Burnett	26.6	27.8	16.4	70.8	USC	27	4
Jordan Lashley	28.2	20.4	21.1	69.7	UCLA	31	5
Courtland Sutton	28.3	24	17.4	69.7	SMU	72	4-5
Dante Pettis	26.3	26.2	15.3	67.8	Washington	60	5-6
Simmie Cobbs	26.3	23.5	17.7	67.5	Indiana	29	4
Javon Wims	27.1	24.1	11	62.2	Georgia	8	5-6
Marcel Ateman	22.8	18.1	15.6	56.5	Oklahoma State	52	5
Daeshawn Hamilton	22.7	17.6	14.3	54.6	Penn State	12	4
Deon Cain	22.2	18.7	12.2	53.1	Clemson	10	4
Auden Tate	21.4	19.8	11.9	53.1	Florida State	20	2-3
Equanimeous St.Brown	22.1	18.1	8.8	49	Notre Dame	2	4
Josh Doctson	29.3	24.2	18.2	71.7
Jamison Crowder	37.1	31.7	20.3	89.1

 

 

I won’t knock DJ Moore, he may be a very good player.  Ive just seen a little footage of him but I think you are smoking something if you put him above Calvin Ridley.

 

What makes Ridley so NFL ready is his suddenness in and out of breaks.  He’s just an ankle breaker.  Makes me I think of a bigger version of Marvin Harrison.  I can’t say anything about his injury history or his off field behavior (don’t know of any issues with either).  Just watching the guy run routes makes me think he’s number one.  Got to be able to get open in the NFL and secure the catch.  His hands look good.  Also seems to have above average speed.  Don’t think he had great qb play either.

 

Ive thought for a long time that WR is the riskiest/hardest position to evaluate (next to qb) and would be skiddish taking most wrs early but the more I see Ridley the more I see him as a safe bet.

[Skinsinparadise]

Speed.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000916676/article/2018-nfl-scouting-combine-top-5-candidates-to-break-40-record

 

1) Donte Jackson, CB, LSU

 

Date of Combine workout: Monday, March 5 
Analysis: Jackson is one of the most talented cornerback prospects in the 2018 draft even though he lacks ideal size (listed at 5-foot-11, 175 pounds). He makes up for that lack of size with blazing speed. He's a legitimate track star -- he's run 100 meters in 10.22 seconds. LSU coaches have timed him at 4.24 in the 40-yard dash. He's clearly this year's top candidate to break the 40 record.

 

2) Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State

 

Date of Combine workout: Monday, March 5 
Analysis: I have Ward rated as the top cornerback in the draft. I've been told by sources at Ohio State that Ward is the most explosive athlete they've had since Urban Meyer took over as head coach in 2012. He recorded a 10.49-second 100-meter time while in high school, and Ohio State strength coaches have timed him at 4.31 in the 40. If everything goes smoothly, he could run a sub-4.3 in Indianapolis.

 

3) Tony Brown, CB, Alabama

 

Date of Combine workout: Monday, March 5 
Analysis: Brown has never completely lived up to the hype on the football field, but his raw speed is undeniable. He's a track star for the Crimson Tide. He was an All-American, recording a time of 13.52 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles. He has been clocked in the 4.3s in the 40 by the Alabama strength staff and I'll be surprised if he doesn't finish with a 40 time very close to 4.30 seconds at the combine.

 

4) Nyheim Hines, RB, N.C. State

 

Date of Combine workout: Friday, March 2 
Analysis: Hines was an undersized running back for the Wolfpack, and he's another player with a track background. I love his combination of speed and quickness. I gave him a middle-round draft grade. He's recorded a 10.49-second 100-meter time for the N.C. State track team. He's also posted an impressive 6.71-second 60-meter-dash time at the ACC Indoor Championships. I don't see him running sub-4.30, but he'll be close to that number.

 

5) Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

 

Date of Combine workout: Friday, March 2 
Analysis: You might think it's crazy to mention Barkley with these other legitimate track stars. However, Barkley's play speed jumps off the tape and he's reportedly run in the 4.3s at Penn State, despite weighing 230-plus pounds. I highly doubt he'll best the 40 record, but a time in the low 4.3s at his size is arguably a more impressive feat.

[fordranger76]

41 minutes ago, Mannix said:

I won’t knock DJ Moore, he may be a very good player.  Ive just seen a little footage of him but I think you are smoking something if you put him above Calvin Ridley.

It would not be the first time I was told I was on something and it probably wont be the last haha. I am well aware I am going out on a very big limb with my projection and I am fine with it. I would love to get Ridley and would not be upset to have him. The reality of it all is players are overlooked all the time and sometimes guys are sure fire prospects that bomb. Might not happen in this case and I am cool with it even if I am totally off base. That is why I love the draft and talking about it. Just one big crapshoot.

[freakofthesouth]

2 minutes ago, fordranger76 said:

It would not be the first time I was told I was on something and it probably wont be the last haha. I am well aware I am going out on a very big limb with my projection and I am fine with it. I would love to get Ridley and would not be upset to have him. The reality of it all is players are overlooked all the time and sometimes guys are sure fire prospects that bomb. Might not happen in this case and I am cool with it even if I am totally off base. That is why I love the draft and talking about it. Just one big crapshoot.

 

I mean I think these stats are really useful and eye opening and should be considered for sure.  I like how common man factors in age and speed though because he clearly sees that as contributing factors.  That said the premise of market share production isn’t like perfect as we’re discussing here, but it’s helpful and yes great talking points.  For me, it’s gotta be speed and more speed.  D.J. Chark and Kirk, Ronald Jones even, nyhiem Hines, these guys can change a game in the blink of an eye... gotta have it, gotta stretch the field.

 

moroever though, lots and lots of media this week talking about “the next Tyreek Hill” and honestly, that’s Kirk.  No one else is really there with it.  For example Kirk in high school, For what it’s worth, had a YPC as an RB of 16.6.  I have heard his route running is polished per D.J. and that he is a decent blocker, not great, as far as I can tell... They all have stuff to work on for sure.  And I do like D.J. Moore and can’t wait to see how it shake out.  One of these guys has to be on the squad!