2015 NFL Draft

HigginsJ

I will eat my hat if the Bucs go Mariota over Winston, it also looks like the quotes from Winston's agent were taken out of context for a sound bite. He was making a general point not a direct comment on Winston. At this time of year there is nothing else to talk about so might as well create some stories.

Paully D

Bus Eireann/Dublin Bus strike penciled in for May 1st. 1st round of the draft is the 30th April. Any drivers that are NFL fans will be loving that! :pac:

Paully D

If anyone's looking for a draft guide, I'd highly recommend Dane Brugler's of CBS and NFLDraftScout.

I downloaded it and have found it to be very good. It's 187 pages of virtually all text, so there's a hell of a lot of proper content in it and not just filled up with loads of pictures like you see in other guides. It came to around €6.60 from what I remember which is a bargain for what you get IMO and it's a PDF download.

It's broken down by position. So Brugler gives a full ranking list and then a background, strengths, weaknesses and summary of each prospect listed. I've included a couple of pages below so you can see the style of it etc:





Here's a link to download it for anyone interested:

http://www.myfootballnews.com/product/2015-Guide

HigginsJ

Another useful guide comes courtesy of Matt Miller from Bleacher Report. He & his team have reviewed at least 3 games from 400 prospects & graded them accordingly (& handily broke down by position). The reports wouldn't be as detailed as the link Paully gave you but it's free which is always nice.

http://bleacherreport.com/nfl-draft-400

(It's a daily update so not all positions revealed yet)

JaMarcusHustle

I've always found Matt Waldman's guide to be the best, albeit it's only for offensive skill positions. But the level of detail and research is astounding. Here's a sample of Randall Cobb's entry from a few years ago:

https://mattwaldmanrsp.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/randallcobb.pdf

JCTO

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

I've always found Matt Waldman's guide to be the best, albeit it's only for offensive skill positions. But the level of detail and research is astounding. Here's a sample of Randall Cobb's entry from a few years ago:

https://mattwaldmanrsp.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/randallcobb.pdf

Waldman is fantastic and if you haven't checked it already check out the breakdown on Mariota he did with Will Hewlitt. Hewlitt has made a name for himself in world of football with his work with QBs. I had the pleasure of been at a clinic a few years back and his lecture was awesome.

Here is their Mariota breakdown:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E695BlVYLGM

Session Notes

Why Mariota would best fit with a team using an Aaron Rodgers development timeline.
Why Tom Brady is an example of a task-oriented quarterback.
Mariota comps: Robert Griffin? Colin Kaepernick? Alex Smith?
Mariota’s skill at seeing the field: Where it’s a positive and when it can be a negative.
How Mariota’s throwing motion, a “lift-and-pull-down” method, generates high-low inaccuracies.
When a narrow base is problematic for a passer.
Examples of Mariota displaying excellent control to reset and throw after maneuvering the pocket.
Why the NFL’s approach to young quarterbacks is like driving a new race car on a track without learning the ins and outs of it first.
Will and I discovering that we both have Brett Hundley ranked ahead of Mariota.
Leadership discussion with quarterbacks.

ScummyMan

Eagles to trade all 4 qbs to the Bucs for the #1 pick?? :pac: :pac:

Alfred Borden

https://twitter.com/dpbrugler/status/590218879323901953

helimachoptor

Gregory is apparently wasting away, concerns over his weight intensify after a couple of team visits has him we weighing less than 230lbs, speculation him not taking some supplements means muscle mass is falling off

franglan

Anyone know if/when Mike Mayock's second conference call is on?

HigginsJ

helimachoptor wrote: »

Gregory is apparently wasting away, concerns over his weight intensify after a couple of team visits has him we weighing less than 230lbs, speculation him not taking some supplements means muscle mass is falling off

That is awful light for a guy standing over 6-6. He was 235 at the combine (apparently was sick in the lead up so lost weight). It pretty much rules him out as a 4-3 end at that weight. When you look at guys at that height who play DE (JPP & Clowney for example) they weighed in between 265-270lbs at the come. JPP plays about 280lbs now. It means he will have to play OLB and would have a hard time winning with anything but speed. Even Bruce Irvin at the Hawks (who is shorter) and considered nothing but a passing down player weighed in at 245lbs.

Alfred Borden

Should help his stock some more

https://twitter.com/dpbrugler/status/590239816911982592

Paully D

Mel Kiper's latest 3 round mock draft from ESPN Insider is available to view thanks to a Reddit user by the name of 'moralesupport':

http://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/32tyxx/kipers_grade_a_mock_draft_espn_insider/

Just click the below to view:

http://imgur.com/a/PuIXK#0

JaMarcusHustle

Paully D wrote: »

Mel Kiper's latest 3 round mock draft from ESPN Insider is available to view thanks to a Reddit user by the name of 'moralesupport':

http://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/32tyxx/kipers_grade_a_mock_draft_espn_insider/

Just click the below to view:

http://imgur.com/a/PuIXK#0

Perriman at number 7 is insane. I'd be surprised if he went in the first, let alone the top 10.

He has 5 receivers in the top 18. Can't see that happening at all.

Morrison J

franglan wrote: »

Anyone know if/when Mike Mayock's second conference call is on?

Supposedly Thursday. Not confirmed though.

Realt Dearg Sec

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Perriman at number 7 is insane. I'd be surprised if he went in the first, let alone the top 10.

He has 5 receivers in the top 18. Can't see that happening at all.

His record on Bears picks is pretty good using this system though. He got Kyle Long right with it when nobody expected it, and last year he got the positions correct for our picks in every round (but not the players).

i find the experts projecting landon collins to the eagles lazy to be honest chip has already said he wants a safety that is versatile and can man cover a reciever. collins is not as bad as people seem to think he is in coverage but he does not really fit the eagles d its very rare they have a safety in the box they can blitz any of the front 7 but i think there was very very few instances where our safteys where in the backfield. an expert should be able to do more than "that team needs a safety this guy is a safety" its like drafting danny shelton to a team because they need a pass rush

limerickfc

Would have thought Atlanta would have taken Beasley over Ray..wouldn't be happy as a packer fan if that's how the draft worked out

limerickfc

limerickfc wrote: »

Would have thought Atlanta would have taken Beasley over Ray..wouldn't be happy as a packer fan if that's how the draft worked out

beasley (who has to get the nickname vic beastly at some stage) and ray seem to be an interesting comparison ray played at a higher level in college but people believe his ceiling is a bit low for a top of the first round pick due to alleged physical limitations whereas beasley has all the physical tools you want but can't seem to convert all that speed to power if a tackle drops with him (although iv only watched a bit of tape on him to be honest)

i would say shane over beasley is a very reasonable pick to be honest.

davegrohl48

heyjude wrote: »

Give me a college star anyday over a guy that was okay in college but had a fabulous broad or vertical jump. NFL games are played on the field, so surely on the field stats should be the dominant factor in drafting players.

I believe the best differentiator of talent at WR is catching skills and ability to make yards after the catch. Especially being able to make contested catches where the WR has to attack the ball in the air. If a guy is making difficult catches even when covered in College football then I think there is a fair chance he can take that through to NFL level.

kennyb3

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Perriman at number 7 is insane. I'd be surprised if he went in the first, let alone the top 10.

He has 5 receivers in the top 18. Can't see that happening at all.

Agree - i'd be disgusted if the Bears draft like that. I don't even like Perriman in the first full stop.

I'll be setting up a fire Pace website if that's how it plays out.

Also he has us picking an OLB and a DE neither of which is particularly good at rushing the passer. Actually judging by his DE/DL entry beside their names rather than DE & OLB I think he thinks we're still a 4-3 defense!

Not to mention me passed up Perriman & Kendricks in the 2nd round when we've no inside LBer of note on the roster.

Overall looking at all teams it looks a bit poor & lazy.

HigginsJ

The latest rumour surrounding Rivers & the Chargers

The Eagles would receive the No. 2 overall pick from the Titans, which they would then use to draft Mariota.
The Chargers would receive Sam Bradford, the Eagles’ first-round pick and the Titans’ second-round pick.
The Titans would receive Philip Rivers and the Eagles’ third-round pick.

Don't think either the Chargers or the Titans would do that to be honest

HigginsJ

Mathew Red Climber wrote: »

Don't think either the Chargers or the Titans would do that to be honest

Chargers would end up with Bradford & 4 picks in the top 50. Would be very hard to pass it up if Rivers is unlikely to commit long term.

helimachoptor

Yeah not likely to happen that way imo, Chargers GM was on radio earlier saying no wat a trade is happening

Paully D

With just over a week to go, what are your plans for draft night lads?

I've booked Thursday and Friday off work. Thursday because there's little point in me being in anyway as I will just be in "draft mode" - constantly checking here, Twitter, NFL.com, mock drafts etc for the latest, and then Friday obviously to sleep all day! :pac:

Logging off social media before La Canfora and co start revealing picks in the early evening, a few beers and snacks on the night watching ESPN to avoid Mayock's pissing contest. Perfect!

Paully D

Paully D wrote: »

With just over a week to go, what are your plans for draft night lads?

I've booked Thursday and Friday off work. Thursday because there's little point in me being in anyway as I will just be in "draft mode" - constantly checking here, Twitter, NFL.com, mock drafts etc for the latest, and then Friday obviously to sleep all day! :pac:

Logging off social media before La Canfora and co start revealing picks in the early evening, a few beers and snacks on the night watching ESPN to avoid Mayock's pissing contest. Perfect!

college off on the friday anyway thank god other than that pretty much the same although I'm stuck watching nfl network so i hope to god mayock stops being a dick this year if i remember correctly he did stop in the later rounds last year so hopefully he got the message. made all rounds last year i may miss the later ones this year unfortunately

franglan

Is it the normal Sky Sports=round 1 only job as last year?

kennyb3

Paully D wrote: »

With just over a week to go, what are your plans for draft night lads?

I've booked Thursday and Friday off work. Thursday because there's little point in me being in anyway as I will just be in "draft mode" - constantly checking here, Twitter, NFL.com, mock drafts etc for the latest, and then Friday obviously to sleep all day! :pac:

Logging off social media before La Canfora and co start revealing picks in the early evening, a few beers and snacks on the night watching ESPN to avoid Mayock's pissing contest. Perfect!

I was going to stay up - but realising it starts at 1 and not finished till 5 an due in work at 9. 18 month old twins too so would be little point going to bed as they are up at half 6.

So going to record it now, avoid computer Friday and watch friday night.

Did same last year and worked fine.

Prefer live for the drama but not worth it really.

mikemac1

Now that the rowdy Jets fans won't be around screaming Whaaaaaaaat at the commish are the Bears fans in Chicago going to do the same?

kennyb3

Just a rumor but

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2015/04/nfl_draft_2015_edge_rusher_prospect_shane_ray_migh.html

Edge rushers dropping like flys

Morrison J

Still think Ray is the most overrated prospect in the draft. Wouldn't take him till the late 2nd personally. Completely one dimensional pass rusher with very little ability to shed blocks..

Morrison J

Morrison J wrote: »

Still think Ray is the most overrated prospect in the draft. Wouldn't take him till the late 2nd personally. Completely one dimensional pass rusher with very little ability to shed blocks..

less one dimensional than beasley though who people seem to think is a top 10 pick now.

and the more i watch leonard williams the more i question his ability to pressure the qb he two gapped a lot in fairness to him but i would want more disruption from a top 5 pick

Morrison J

I do a top 50 prospects list each year and just finished it last week. Like to have it in front of me come draft day to see if some go earlier/later than expected.

Mine this year if anyones interested..

1. Leonard Williams DT
2. Vic Beasley EDGE RUSHER
3. Bud Dupree EDGE RUSHER
4. Kevin White WR
5. Marcus Mariota QB
6. Jake Fisher OT
7. Brandon Scherff OG
8. Jameis Winston QB
9. DJ Humphries OT
10. Eric Kendricks ILB
11. Amari Cooper WR
12. La'El Collins OT
13. Randy Gregory OLB
14. Todd Gurley RB
15. Jaelen Strong WR
16. Alex Carter CB/FS
17. Dante Fowler Jr EDGE RUSHER
18. Kevin Johnson CB
19. Brett Hundley QB
20. Trae Waynes CB
21. Jay Ajayi RB
22. Nelson Agholor WR
23. Eric Rowe CB/FS
24. Owamagbe Odighizuwa EDGE RUSHER
25. Byron Jones CB
26. Andy Gallik C
27. Eddie Goldman DT
28. Eli Harold EDGE RUSHER
29. Stephone Anthony ILB
30. Jeff Heuerman TE
31. Cameron Erving C
32. Danny Shelton DT
33. DeVante Parker WR
34. Marcus Peters CB
35. Malcolm Brown DT
36. Damarious Randall FS
37. AJ Cann OG
38. Carl Davis DT
39. Daryl Williams OT
40. Melvin Gordon RB
41. Tre Jackson OG
42. Tyler Lockett WR
43. Ereck Flowers OT
44. Arik Armstead DT
45. John Miller OG
46. Benardrick McKinney ILB
47. David Cobb RB
48. Andrus Peat OT
49. Ty Sambrailo OT
50. Michael Bennett DT

Morrison J

Mathew Red Climber wrote: »

less one dimensional than beasley though who people seem to think is a top 10 pick now.

Beasley is far greater the athlete than Ray is though in my opinion. Ray struggles to move laterally or to change direction quickly at all.

Beasley has the pass rush moves to beat the OT consistently and not just rely on a quick first step like Ray does so often. Can't see that cutting it in the pros.

Morrison J

Morrison J wrote: »

Beasley is far greater the athlete than Ray is though in my opinion. Ray struggles to move laterally or to change direction quickly at all.

Beasley has the pass rush moves to beat the OT consistently and not just rely on a quick first step like Ray does so often. Can't see that cutting it in the pros.

does he though beasley was excellent at getting a sack once he beat the tackle but i dont think vic beat the tackle that much considering the athlete he is and pretty much his only move is using his quick first step and athleticism to get outside the tackle. i dont think nfl tackles will be susceptible to just that and he very very rarely used his speed to set up an inside move. beasley was a 2nd round talent before the combine and thats what shot him up but for me day one he is a situational player and needs to add a lot of bows to his arsenal

HigginsJ

Morrison J wrote: »

I do a top 50 prospects list each year and just finished it last week. Like to have it in front of me come draft day to see if some go earlier/later than expected.

Mine this year if anyones interested..

Fair play. Would love to get your reasoning for rankings of Fisher & Carter (which are way higher than the consensus), Shelton (who is very low imo) and Landon Collins not making the 50 (I see him as a 2nd round prospect at best btw)

ed maryonwitz (eagles gm) did a call yesterday he said he (read probably the eagles leadership group) believes there is 8-10 studs in this years draft and its a deep draft of other good players after that.

for all the mariota to eagles conspiracists out there ed also mentioned that there are player(s) they would consider trading up for if the cost was reasonable

Morrison J

HigginsJ wrote: »

Fair play. Would love to get your reasoning for rankings of Fisher & Carter (which are way higher than the consensus), Shelton (who is very low imo) and Landon Collins not making the 50 (I see him as a 2nd round prospect at best btw)

Just to be clear I don't claim to be an expert by any means. Just get a good kick out of watching tape on my daily commute and then seeing where my analysis stands come draft day.

Heres what I see in those players mentioned anyway:

Think Jake Fisher is just one of the best movers in the class. Immense foot speed. Plays with a real mean streak as well which I love in an O-Line man and you often see him 15 yards down the field blocking at the second level. You'll get 110% effort every time with him. Think it said a lot how Oregon struggled mightily when he was injured for a couple of games. Once he returned they were straight back to normal. Reckon he may slot into guard at first before making the transition to LT. Obviously depends where he lands though.

Carter I have a big soft spot for. No outstanding speed which I think must be the main reason for his draft stock but he plays really physical and has the length to hold up against any receiver in the pros imo. Give some safety help behind him and let him use his physicality in man coverage and he should be really good. His ball skills makes me think he could do really well at safety too if he bulks up a bit. Great leap on him and seems to have those instincts and patience you need as a free safety to know where the ball is going. Sure tackler too.

Shelton is a tough one for me. His size and the clear leadership he brings makes me want to believe in him but his tape just doesn't tell me he's this lock top 10 pick that many experts think. Can't fault his effort or stamina given his size but he always seems to really struggle when put against multiple bodies. Theres a lot of upside there without a doubt but he just doesn't convince me that he can consistently disengage with blockers.

Collins for me is the most overrated prospect in the draft alongside Ray. Great tackler and plays with a lot of aggression but coverage skills wise he scares me. Lacks discipline in coverage and I've seen him get burned for it on too many occasions. Don't really see the upside with him. Wouldn't be surprised if he slipped down to end of round 1/early round 2. Damarious Randall is the clear stand out in a poor safety class for me.

kennyb3

Danny Shelton @ 32? I know nose tackle isn't a sexy position but IMHO he has the best tape of any defensive prospect.

Also bud Dupree at 3? Not a fan of his tape at all, way too inconsistent. Flashes but that's not enough at no. 3. If I'm taking someone at 3 I want them to step in and contribute strongly right away.

But fair play for sticking up a list to be shot at, it's all about opinions anyway.

Edit: totally agree with your jake fisher assessment above.

Morrison J

kennyb3 wrote: »

Also bud Dupree at 3? Not a fan of his tape at all, way too inconsistent. Flashes but that's not enough at no. 3. If I'm taking someone at 3 I want them to step in and contribute strongly right away.

I just think Kentucky's scheme held Dupree back more than anything. Asked to drop into coverage a lot more than I'd have liked to see. Compare that to Ray in Missouri's scheme being given the sole role of rushing the passer and racking up the flashy sack and hurry numbers in the process its puts the likes of Dupree at a disadvantage.

I just think Dupree has every tool you need in a pass rusher. Freak athlete with that combination of size and explosiveness ye want. So versatile and so much upside. Very close to being my top edge rusher.

Paully D

Audio from Mayock's conference call today. It's around an hour and a half long. Just ignore the fact you have to click onto a Steelers website :pac:

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2015/04/audio-mike-mayock-final-2015-nfl-draft-media-conference-call/

Morrison J

Transcript of it here if you dont have the spare hour and a half https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/mike-mayock-2015-nfl-draft-conference-call-transcript.pdf

i agree on fisher 100% i think he's about as safe a pick as you can get and he's got some impressive upside to boot id be surprised if he was not a first rounder

UnitedIrishman

Was looking at players for the Boards mock draft (at the wrong team and wrong position :rolleyes:), was looking at Jaquiski Tartt (safety, Samford) and he looks a monster hitter and made for the NFL (despite having only started playing football in his last year of highschool). Anyone seen much of him?

kennyb3

Morrison J wrote: »

I just think Kentucky's scheme held Dupree back more than anything. Asked to drop into coverage a lot more than I'd have liked to see. Compare that to Ray in Missouri's scheme being given the sole role of rushing the passer and racking up the flashy sack and hurry numbers in the process its puts the likes of Dupree at a disadvantage.

I just think Dupree has every tool you need in a pass rusher. Freak athlete with that combination of size and explosiveness ye want. So versatile and so much upside. Very close to being my top edge rusher.

I agree with most of what you say about Dupree - he spent a lot of time in coverage. Thing is a) I don't think he's all that good when in coverage b) it's not helped the development of his pass rush moves and c) he just seems to lack instincts and natural football ability.

He is a brilliant athlete and clearly a hard worker which will really help but I'd question at this point if he's a talented enough football player with enough pure football instincts.

On Ray I think people are being unfair on him I'm not sure he is a top 5-7 pick but at same time he has won from the edge and from the 3 tech position consistently. He has an elite first step, which is one more elite trait than most of the other rushers. At times he just whips around dudes before they're even out of their stance and that type of first step explosion is rare. His first step is something he can convert to power because when at OT is cheating outside he can get him off balance in the OTs base and beat him with power. His speed to power conversion ratio is also elite, he need only to learn to use it more consistently as another weapon.

Remember people criticised Aaron Donald for the same thing - all first step, gets glued to bigger guards etc.

Here he is shoving a 300lb tackle out of the way with good hand usage, playing physical and sticking with the play.



And here he is beating DJ Humphries twice with that first step and snap anticipation. And Mayock said this on his conference call about Humphries 'he's a gifted foot tackle. He's got great feet. He's got starting left tackle feet' and 'that's going to be an outstanding pass
protector' for a bit of perspective




[/QUOTE]

His clear weaknesses are his maxed out frame, his limited coverage ability (not necessary in a lot of scheme's) and his over reliance on the speed rush but in contact he has shown ability to win with smart leverage and go man to man.

Anyway with the foot injury he's sure to drop now but someone will likely get some serious value.

JaMarcusHustle

Never heard about this until today. There's inept NFL franchises.... and then there's the CFL.

From NY Times article dated March 15, 1996

Canadian Team Drafts Dead Man

TORONTO, March 14— For the second time in a year, a Canadian Football League team has drafted a dead player.

The Montreal Alouettes selected defensive end James Eggink of Northern Illinois in the fifth round of the league's Canadian college draft today, only to learn a few hours later that Eggink died of cancer last December.

Last April, the Ottawa Rough Riders sought defensive end Derrell Robertson, who had died on Dec. 5, 1994.

kennyb3

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Never heard about this until today. There's inept NFL franchises.... and then there's the CFL.

Wow, and we hired Marc Trestman (Alouettes HC) a couple of years ago. Not only that but ahead of reigning coach of the year Bruce Arians. What a clown Phil emery was!

brinty

Lads you're all more knowledgeable than me so where can you watch the draft next week. Is it sky psorts cos if so I'm out.

Have the ESPN package and their coverage of sports is soooooo good. I really must get into the college football next season..

Dallas draft at #27 so i'm not waiting up for that pick regardless of where its on.

And its almost certain we'll be taking a corner back, Defensive end or running back...

The mock drafts on Cowboys accounts are pretty set on who's coming in if available ...