Jan 032014
 
Sammy Watkins, Clemson Tigers (November 23, 2013)

WR Sammy Watkins – © USA TODAY Sports Images

January 3, 2014 Bowl Games: 2014 NFL Draft Prospects to Watch

by BigBlueInteractive.com Contributor Sy’56

OKLAHOMA STATE

#4 Justin Gilbert – CB – 6’0/200

Fourth year senior. Some believe Gilbert is the top corner in this draft. I don’t quite put him on that level but I do think he has more upside than any other defensive back. Gilbert is very tools-rich. Tall, strong, fast, explosive, agile. Physically, he has the capability to do it all. I didn’t like what I saw in 2012 out of him, but he has a few ultra-impressive game tapes from 2013. What makes Gilbert so effective is the combination of abilities to jam receivers at the line and stick with them all over the field. He has his moments of pure brain lapse too often. He mis-diagnoses a lot and his game appears to be based on guess work. It’s hard to knock that area of his game though because I don’t know the background information including his reads and scheme. All said and done, Gilbert is a top 10 athlete but I don’t think he is a top 30 player yet.

#99 Calvin Barnett – DT – 6’2/300

Fourth year senior that spent two years at a junior college. Burst on to the scene in the Big 12 in 2012, earning first team all conference honors. Barnett is a thick, country strong interior guy that can fill a couple different roles. He makes an impact each and every play because of the attention he demands. Barnett is a bit of a loose cannon. There is a certain nastiness to him. He lacks discipline with both his technique and post-play antics. There is a lot to love and hate about that attitude. Barnett will be a solid mid-round pick that can handle the power of the NFL right away.

#87 Tracy Moore – WR 6’2/215

Fifth year senior that missed most of 2012 with an ankle injury. Moore is a gifted athlete that is put together was well as one would want in a receiver. His career got off to a nice start, but a combination of injuries and trouble with the law have kept his stock down a bit. Moore is a solid possession receiver that makes things happen after the catch. He is strong and aggressive and loves to bully the defensive backs. Willing and able over the middle in traffic, Moore has proven to be a solid third down target. There is some hidden upside here as long as Moore can work on his craft without distractions. Had he not been injured and stayed away from off the field trouble, we may be discussing him as a potential 2nd rounder. Now, I see him as a 4th/5th rounder.

#8 Daytawion Lowe – S – 5’11/205

Fifth year senior that missed 2010 with a shoulder injury. Lowe is a tackling machine that lays bigger than his listed size. He led the team in tackles in 2011 and 2012, second in 2013. He’s quicker than he is fast. I like him as an in-the-box safety that supports the run and covers underneath. I think he’ll struggle to play in deep coverage, as the catch speed simply isn’t there. His hips and ankles look tight. He is a different player when moving downhill than when he moves laterally. I think he can be a solid back up and special teamer in the NFL. 5th/6th rounder.

#11 Shaun Lewis – OLB – 5’11/225

Fourth year senior. Undersized player that gets lost in the shuffle sometimes. But I’ve seen three of his games in 2013 and he makes a lot of impact plays. He is a brick house that plays as hard as any linebacker you will find. Lewis can use his height to his advantage. He can sneak underneath blockers and locate the football. Lewis struggles to sit tight and shed blocks though. He will shoot gaps without diagnosing, opening up huge cutback lanes for the opposing back. In the right scheme where he can attack, Lewis might be a guy that makes 100+ tackles per year in the league. I think he is a 5th/6th rounder at worst.

Potential UDFAs to Look For:

#31 Jeremy Smith – RB – 5’10/210
#71 Parker Graham – LT – 6’7/315
#7 Shamiel Gary – S – 6’0/210
#51 Brandon Webb – G – 6’3/328
#1- Clint Chelf – QB – 6’1/210

MISSOURI

*#47 Kony Ealy – DE – 6’5/275

Fourth year junior. Has not declared yet but many expect him to. There are some people in the Midwest that I speak with every year, and they have said Ealy has more upside that Aldon Smith and Sheldon Richardson did when they were in college. Pretty high praise if you ask me. Ealy is put together well. He is a comfortable 270+ pounds with above average movement ability. Ealy is an underachiever at the moment. He plays too high and doesn’t have the power presence you would think a player of his size would have. He doesn’t have the second gear when rushing the edge, either. I’m not high on Ealy but nobody can deny the upside. He has a lot of work to do and it will be a matter of how he approaches that. Probable 1st rounder if he comes out.

*#20 Henry Josey – RB – 5’10/190

Fourth year junior. A great story here. Suffered a gruesome, possible career ending injury in 2012. Came back in 2013 to lead the team in rushing , averaging over 6 yards per carry. Josey is quick and decisive with runaway speed. Despite being under 200 pounds, he can run inside with some force. Personally I think he needs to return for another year. His production is impressive but may be inflated due to the scheme he plays in. He isn’t what I would call a special back. A poor man’s Reggie Bush without the upside. If he comes out, we are looking at a 3rd rounder a best.

#52 Michael Sam – DE – 6’2/255

Fifth year senior. Opposite situation of Ealy. Sam has evolved in to a quality football player over his five years at Mizzou. He led the team with 10.5 sacks and 18.5 TFL this year. Sam has a ton of functional strength. He can handle the power blockers and run past the speed blockers. I think his best role will be a 3-4 OLB at the next level. He doesn’t have the length to play a DE spot play in, play out and he has shown some ability to work well in space. Top 100 pick, maybe top 75.

#31 EJ Gaines – CB – 5’11/195

Fourth year senior that has had a very accomplished career. I want to get another 2-3 looks a Gaines in the coming months. So far, I love what I see out of him. He is a physical player that sticks his hat in there against the run like a linebacker. Gaines shows nice ball skills down the field with proper balance and timing. He never seems to be playing catch up, which you have to respect a lot. He is a fluid mover that makes the game look easy. Right now I think he is a top 100 guy but I’ll need to see more before I put him in to the round 2 area.

#68 Justin Britt – LT – 6’6/315

Fifth year senior. The 2014 left tackle class might be the best in a long time. We all know the popular names like the back of our hand, but Britt is a guy that is close to their level and never gets talked about. I really like his pro potential and I think he can be a quality starter. He has experience at both RT and LT. His footwork and balance make me believe he can be a left side guy in the NFL. He carries 310+ pounds with ease and I think he has the frame for some more. His greatest asset are his movement skills and consistent technique. He’ll need some work in the weight room but in a year or two, I think we are looking at a quality starter.

#2 L’Damian Washington – WR – 6’4/205

Fifth year senior. Led the Tigers in receiving in 2013 among a group of talented receivers. Washington is a deep threat that has long strides with the ability to take a top off a secondary. His tool set is among the top 10 in the nation, but his skill set hasn’t caught up yet. When I watch him, I always ask myself why isn’t he better than what I see on tape? I’m not sure he has the physical style necessary to factor all over the field. Right now Washington is a limited player that can still be an asset to an offense that needs a deep route runner. But besides that, he is a backup. 4th/5th rounder with upside.

#85 Marcus Lucas – WR – 6’5/220

Fourth year senior. Another tools-rich kid that has not lived up to expectations. Lucas has a lot of experience and has shown flashes on a few occasions of being a big time player. His size and speed along can get him drafted. He has the speed to get behind a defense, but he was used underneath in the games I watched. He is a guy that can create mismatches. I think we are looking at a day three guy here.

#48 Andrew Wilson – MLB – 6’3/240

Fifth year senior. Leading tackler each of the past three years. Wilson has played the middle and outside in Missouri’s scheme. He has been a reliable contributor and the source of a lot of big plays. He dances left and right, back and forth pre-snap. Wilson is a strong player between the tackles but his lack of speed to the edge was exposed in the games I saw. He is a slow change of direction guy that plays too high. He does well when taking on blocks though and I think he can be a solid player in a 3-4 scheme down the road. Day three prospect.

Potential UDFAs to Look For:

#1 James Franklin – QB – 6’2/225
#7 Randy Ponder – CB – 5’10/195
#17 Matt White – S – 6’0/195

CLEMSON

*#2 Sammy Watkins – WR – 6’1/205

Third year junior. Considered by some as the top receiver in this draft. Watkins was an All-American as a freshman in 2011, but has failed to take the next step since then. 2012 was a rough year for him with a suspension, ankle injury, and stomach virus. He has come back strong in 2013 and has put himself back in to top 15 consideration. Watkins is one of the top YAC receivers you will find. He runs with the ball as if he were a running back, showing a low pad level and the power to break tackles. I can see he has strong hands, very strong hands. The ball has minimal-to-no wiggle upon contact. But he has had a case of the drops in 2013, thus I wouldn’t say he has a top grade for catching ability like most seem to give him. Watkins seems to be a very smart player that understands what opposing defenses are doing. He is an excellent route runner that knows how to set defensive backs up for failure. Combine that with his outstanding movement ability and you may have a top tier playmaker in Watkins. I will personally have him graded somewhere between 20-35 overall, but I think he gets taken in the top 15.

*#3 Vic Beasley – DE – 6’3/235

Fourth year junior that has not yet declared. After Clowney, many think Beasley is the top edge rusher. He is such an explosive, agile, flexible athlete when getting after the passer that it’s hard not to project him as a potentially special player. In the weight room, he is one of the strongest players on the entire Clemson roster and the power will show up on tape when he hits a ball carrier. While he has the frame for more weight, I question if Beasley will end up as one of the situational pass rushers that simply can’t hack it as an every down guy. He can be moved to the side by a bigger offensive tackle too easily, and that would bother me if I were trying to draft him. Teams ran the ball right at him numerous times because his impact on a game is minimal in those situations. His hustle, aggression, and speed are nullified when the action is coming his way. Beasley will be a first round pick, possibly even in the top 10. But a guy that has severe power presence concerns will needs a very specific role and scheme. I don’t like taking guys like that in the first round.

#10 Tajh Boyd – QB – 6’1/225

Fourth year senior that has re-written the record books at Clemson. A statistical compiler that has had some of the best talent and the best scheme to work with. Boyd was considered a borderline first round talent heading in to 2013, but I don’t think this year has helped him much. Boyd has a quick release and the power to shoot the ball downfield on a line. His arm talent is there. Boyd is shorter than you want and has had issue with his accuracy in 2013. He struggles when he is on the run being chased. Boyd also tucks the ball and run too early. I question his ability to stand strong in the pocket and go through progressions. He has a lot of adjustment to go though once he enters the league and I don’t see the upside being any higher than a Chase Daniel type. Quality backup, but not someone you take on day 1 or day 2 of draft weekend.

#63 Brandon Thomas – LT – 6’3/305

Fifth year senior that has started at left tackle for three years now. Thomas is a name that doesn’t get enough attention. He is going to have a much higher grade on my sheet that what’s put out there. Because of his size, he will likely move inside to guard. With that in mind, Thomas does all of the little things right to lead me to believe he will be a good one at the next level. He has a lot of power, a guy that creates a new line of scrimmage play after play when run blocking. He isn’t blessed with tremendous movement tools, but he is a consistent player because of his mechanics and strong hands. I really liked what I saw in his matchup against Clowney. Despite being out-classed talent wise, Thomas put forth an admirable performance from start to finish. His vast experience at left tackle will only help teams when building a depth chart. Thomas has a ton of value in my eyes, and may end up in the top 75 overall on my board.

*#1 Martavis Bryant – WR – 6’5/200

Third year junior that did send paper work to the advisory board. Bryant is a big time deep threat with enormous upside. He doesn’t have a lot experience in teams of balls being thrown his way, but has shown the talent to be a big time receivers. I would advise him to return to school because I think he could be a top 10 guy in 2015 if he had a nice senior year without Watkins in the picture. Bryant isn’t physical and he doesn’t get himself open underneath. He does make a lot of catches when covered though. There are some teams that will view him as a first round caliber athlete and it could get him drafted in round 2. But I would likely grade him out as a 3rd/4th rounder with big time upside.

#25 Roderick McDowell – RB – 5’9/195

Fifth year senior that has played behind some of the best RB talent that college football has seen from one school in recent years. McDowell had a huge 2013 campaign and some believe he could end up being a top 100 pick. I like him and his game, but I’m not sure he warrants something that high. McDowell comes from an extremely favorable scheme for the running game and I think his production was a result of the playmakers around him, not the other way around. At that size, you need to have game breaking speed that runs away from defenders, elite agility, and/or wide receiver-caliber hands. McDowell is average across the board. I think he gets drafted late and can stick somewhere as a 3rd string guy for a few year.

Potential UDFAs to Look For:

#33 Spencer Shuey – OLB – 6’3/240
#8 Darius Robinson – CB – 5’10/175
#62 Tyler Shatley – RG – 6’3/300

OHIO STATE

Carlos Hyde – RB – 6’0/235

Fourth year senior. Hyde did more for his draft position in 2013 than arguably any senior in the nation. Despite missing 3 games because of a suspension, Hyde rushed for 1,408 yards averaging over 7.5 yards per carry. Hyde is not your space back that has a lot of big runs because of speed and elusiveness. He is a brick house that doesn’t go down on initial contact and moves the pile forward every time he has the ball. He is an impressive, old school running back that moves the chains and grinds down the clock. There is a lot to like about his running style. I need to try and look in to his off the field trouble but if that checks out, his game tape warrants a top 75 pick.

*#10 Ryan Shazier – OLB – 6’2/230

Third year junior. Led the team in tackles in 2012 and 2013 by a wide margin. Shazier is a fun player to watch. He improved a lot as the year progressed and I‘ve had to re-evaluate my outlook on him. He is a little thin below the waist and it shows up when he takes on blocks. But when he is in space, Shazier might be one of the best linebackers in the nation. He plays really fast and maintains strength when approaching the ball carrier. He has a nasty style to him and it helps. Shazier appears lost in coverage. He isn’t much of an assignment linebacker. When you tell him to make reads and flow towards the action, he struggles. But tell him to blitz a gap and pursue, he can shine. Right now I think he is a lock for the top 75 but he could sneak in to the top 45.

*#1 Bradley Roby – CB – 5’11/192

Third year junior that has already declared. Came in to 2013 as one of the top CBs in the nation but I have been unimpressed all year. Roby has elite movement skills with legit sub 4.4 speed. He can turn his hips and change direction with ease. My issues with him are the extreme lack of ball skills. He is awful in deep coverage when it comes to locating the ball and making a play. In addition, he doesn’t always make the effort I want to see against the run. There is a lot I don’t like about his game I and won’t have a top 100 overall grade on him. He will probably be a day two pick though.

#74 Jack Mewhort – LT – 6’6/308

Fifth year senior. Mewhort started off as a guard playing both spots. He made the move to LT prior to the 2012 season and has done a nice job. Mewhort is a solid blocker all around that doesn’t jump off the screen, but gets his job done consistently. I want to really dive in to some of his tapes in the coming months. I want to see if he can play guard at the next level. I think his value will be as a versatile backup that can play multiple spots. 3rd/4th rounder I think with potential to start.

#4 CJ Barnett – S – 6’1/204

Fifth year senior. Hard hitting, downhill strong safety with a lot of experience as a starter. Has been the go-to-guy in that secondary for a few years. Barnett does a lot of little things well that are hard to pick up on if you just watch him on TV. From the All-22 angle, its easy to see the impact he has on that defense. He is a smart player with quick reaction. He is physically limited in man coverage. He has tight ankles and hips but if he is used correctly, I think he can be a starter in the NFL down the road. 3rd/4th rounder.

#10 Corey Brown – WR  6’0/190

Fifth year senior. Brown is a reliable underneath receiver that can run himself open. Very good route runner and does the little things right. Hands catcher that plays more physical than you would assume. Brown doesn’t scare anyone with speed or size, but he is quietly effective week in, week out. I think he is worth a late round draft choice. He can be a solid backup and brings some return ability to the team as well.

Potential UDFAs to Look For:

#78 Andrew Norwell – LG – 6’6/316
#7 Jordan Hall – RB – 5’9/191
#71 Corey Linsley – C – 6’3/297

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