2014 Mock drafts/Big boards

[Funkytown]

Thanks for the link!

I certainly won't complain if the Vikings draft him.

I don't see you complaining regardless of who the Vikings pick. It's just not your style.

[Mothman]

I don't see you complaining regardless of who the Vikings pick. It's just not your style.

I got tired of it during the Childress years.

I might complain if they did something completely unorthodox and out of left field but otherwise, you're right. I just try to keep an open mind about the draft. After all, nobody really knows how the players will perform in the pros.

[S197]

Finally got around to watching Bridgewater's pro day. Maybe it's because it was hyped as being so awful but I didn't think it was that bad. I recall someone saying he missed multiple slant routes but on the video I watched, he didn't miss any. A few throws were obscured from the camera but I'm pretty certain it was the full workout. His accuracy on some of the longer throws did leave something to be desired, quite a few were underthrown (a few over). But he also throw a couple nice go and seam routes. Overall I wouldn't say it was impressive but the way the media was portraying it, I thought I was going to see a McNabb dirtball outing.

[Funkytown]

Mayock on Bridgewater:

"I would say in general, tape is worth about 85 percent of an overall grade, and the rest of the process is set up for red flags, and to go back and watch more tape to try to confirm what you saw or didn't see," Mayock said. "I saw about four of his tapes prior to the combine, and I really liked him. I thought he had a chance to be a franchise quarterback from what I saw on the tape. ... Except you've got to see the quarterbacks throw the ball live. I've never seen a top-level quarterback in the last 10 years have a bad pro day, until Teddy Bridgewater. He had no accuracy, the ball came out funny, the arm strength wasn't there, and it made me question everything I saw on tape because this was live.

"I went back and watched a bunch more tape and compared him to the rest of the guys in the draft," he said. "And like it or not, I've come to a conclusion -- if I was a GM in the NFL, I would not take him in the first round of the draft."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap200000 ... uarterback

Other thoughts on the QB class:

"Most teams feel the two top quarterbacks are Johnny Manziel and Blake Bortles. But there are other guys in that conversation, and I've heard 10 quarterbacks get grades of first, second or third round.''
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Mayock notes that if he had to take one quarterback in this draft in the top 10, it would be Manziel.
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"I think either one or two quarterbacks will go in the top eight,'' Mayock said. "That's at the most."
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Mayock predicts a quarterback run beginning late in the first round and extending through the second.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nf ... n/8172865/

[Demi]

Bridgewater goes from a top 5, to out of the top 10, after the last actual game is played.

Do NFL teams really just ignore the NCAA until a couple months after the season is over, or does the media just catch up then?

Considering some previous guys who've been hyped and suddenly plummeted, not sure if Bridgewater was just over blown, or what, but probably not worth the gamble that a first round Qb is?

[Mothman]

Bridgewater goes from a top 5, to out of the top 10, after the last actual game is played.

Do NFL teams really just ignore the NCAA until a couple months after the season is over, or does the media just catch up then?

If anything, it's the latter. NFL teams have scouts at NCAA games all season. They're paying attention.

[dead_poet]

Composite rankings of "experts": http://nesn.com/2014/04/jadeveon-clowne ... -rankings/

Some interesting things I found:

- Manziel ranks from 1-28
- If teams go BPA, based on this, no chance Mack gets to 8
- Donald went from previous average of 26 to 8
- Mosely ranked between 7-23
- Barr ranked between 8-30
- Fuller went from previous of average 48 overall to 27, Ward from 50-35, Beckham from 32 to 17
- Su'a-Filo ranked 22-44. Probably there at our R2 pick.
- Dennard still consensus #1 corner
- Nix has dropped quite a bit
- Kiper is bigger on Kelvin Benjamin, Kyle Van Noy, Derek Carr, Cody Latimer, Chris Borland than many and down on Anthony Barr, Ealy, Nix

[Mothman]

Composite rankings of "experts": http://nesn.com/2014/04/jadeveon-clowne ... -rankings/

Some interesting things I found:

- Manziel ranks from 1-28
- If teams go BPA, based on this, no chance Mack gets to 8
- Donald went from previous average of 26 to 8
- Mosely ranked between 7-23
- Barr ranked between 8-30
- Fuller went from previous of average 48 overall to 27, Ward from 50-35, Beckham from 32 to 17
- Su'a-Filo ranked 22-44. Probably there at our R2 pick.
- Dennard still consensus #1 corner
- Nix has dropped quite a bit
- Kiper is bigger on Kelvin Benjamin, Kyle Van Noy, Derek Carr, Cody Latimer, Chris Borland than many and down on Anthony Barr, Ealy, Nix

Interesting info. thanks!

Look at Ward climb.

At this point, I'm with Kiper on Carr. Maybe he'll be an NFL bust but I think he's one of the most intriguing players in this draft. To me, he just seems ready to become an NFL QB.

[dead_poet]

Look at Ward climb.

I thought you'd like that.

At this point, I'm with Kiper on Carr. Maybe he'll be an NFL bust but I think he's one of the most intriguing players in this draft. To me, he just seems ready to become an NFL QB.

Why do you think he's "ready"?

[Mothman]

Why do you think he's "ready"?

Sorry, I should have been more specific.

I think any rookie is likely to need some work so I'm sure he'll need some too. I meant he seems "ready" mentally. The more I read about him, the more I love everything I hear about his "intangibles": experience, maturity, leadership, attitude (coachable, responsible, good work ethic, etc.). He strikes me as the kind of quarterback who has the confidence and personality to lead his team and the type a team responds to in a positive way, a player who will work hard to make the most of his opportunity.

Other than being a little shorter than optimal, he also seems to have what it takes physically: a great arm, quick release and good mobility. I'm hoping he's one of the QBs the Vikes are seriously considering.

[dead_poet]

Sorry, I should have been more specific.

I think any rookie is likely to need some work so I'm sure he'll need some too. I meant he seems "ready" mentally. The more I read about him, the more I love everything I hear about his "intangibles": experience, maturity, leadership, attitude (coachable, responsible, good work ethic, etc.). He strikes me as the kind of quarterback who has the confidence and personality to lead his team and the type a team responds to in a positive way, a player who will work hard to make the most of his opportunity.

Other than being a little shorter than optimal, he also seems to have what it takes physically: a great arm, quick release and good mobility. I'm hoping he's one of the QBs the Vikes are seriously considering.

It's funny, other than perhaps "great arm" that analysis could have described the now-and-forever-He-Who-Shall-Remain-Nameless.

Such a crapshoot.

[Mothman]

It's funny, other than perhaps "great arm" that analysis could have described the now-and-forever-He-Who-Shall-Remain-Nameless.

Such a crapshoot.

Yes, it is... it's a search for the player with "the right stuff' and whatever that stuff is, it's elusive.

Another thing I like about Carr is that he improved each season and that he stayed in school through his senior year (meaning he has the experience of being on the team for full seasons, three as a starter).

[S197]

Yes, it is... it's a search for the player with "the right stuff' and whatever that stuff is, it's elusive.

Another thing I like about Carr is that he improved each season and that he stayed in school through his senior year (meaning he has the experience of being on the team for full seasons, three as a starter).

As you know I'm not the biggest Carr fan but he certainly does have an elite arm and it appears he has a good head on his shoulders. As for staying in school, I think he really had no choice. His mechanics were very poor in his junior season, particularly his footwork. That plus playing for Fresno St. (level of competition) probably kept his stock rather low. His brother being a bust probably didn't help, even if that's an unfair assessment to put on him.

I saw him play at the beginning of his senior season and came away unimpressed. I do agree that he improved as the season went on, however. I find him intriguing because I think if he can get his mechanics down (it still needs a lot of work) and he can improve his poise under pressure, he has the traits to be very good. But taking everything into consideration, I don't think he's worth a 1st like some draft analysts predict. He would be a solid second round choice IMO. I would not trade up back into the 1st for him.

[Mothman]

As you know I'm not the biggest Carr fan but he certainly does have an elite arm and it appears he has a good head on his shoulders. As for staying in school, I think he really had no choice. His mechanics were very poor in his junior season, particularly his footwork. That plus playing for Fresno St. (level of competition) probably kept his stock rather low. His brother being a bust probably didn't help, even if that's an unfair assessment to put on him.

Good points but just to be clear, it isn't the choice to stay in school itself that I like so much as the fact that he has the experience of being in a program for all 4 years.

I saw him play at the beginning of his senior season and came away unimpressed. I do agree that he improved as the season went on, however. I find him intriguing because I think if he can get his mechanics down (it still needs a lot of work) and he can improve his poise under pressure, he has the traits to be very good. But taking everything into consideration, I don't think he's worth a 1st like some draft analysts predict. He would be a solid second round choice IMO. I would not trade up back into the 1st for him.

Your assessment of him is one of the only things keeping me from being more enthused about him.

[dead_poet]

Cross-post:

SI-64 releases top player in 2014 NFL draft: http://nfl.si.com/2014/04/29/2014-nfl-d ... idgewater/

Entire Top-64: http://nfl.si.com/2014/04/03/2014-nfl-d ... prospects/

Not too many surprises here. Evans just over Watkins; Barr, Mosely, Nix and Pryor ranked higher than some would put them (6, 7, 12 and 16, respectively). Some would say McCarron is ranked fairly high and that Jernigan's stock has cooled in recent months. Dennard's profile was encouraging.