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Excerpts from the draft gurus of the top 10 guys I've ranked

Hot Rod in Florida : 4/26/2015 8:38 am
I'm tired of hearing the argument of position or need or BPA. It's all of those. Here are the top 10 guys, and we will take the one the Giants feel gives us the most impact. Here's a composite of what's being said about these guys. My best guess is it will be White or Cooper if they fall, or else Beasley or Shelton, and if they aren't there, then it's probably Flowers.


EXCERPTS FROM THE DRAFT GURUS

1) Leonard Williams, DT, 6-5, 302, 4.97

Rob Rang
comparisons to everyone from Houston Texans' defensive end J.J. Watt to Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

Sy from BBI
Williams is a true nightmare for offensive linemen. He is too big and fast for a lone blocker to take on. He can be moved around the defensive line in any scheme. His short area explosion and power presence can be a dominant force within the tackle box against the run. His speed out of his stance and variety of rush moves can collapse the edge of the pocket against the pass. There isn’t much that Williams cannot do and his impact on the NFL will be immediate.

Walter Football
NFL teams, they like Williams, but don't grade him in the same range as Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy or Jadeveon Clowney when they were coming out. Teams aren't as high on Williams as some in the media have rated him. They feel that Williams wasn't consistent or dominant enough to be the No. 1-rated player on their draft boards.

At the Combine, Williams solidified his standing as the top defensive lineman for the 2015 NFL Draft. He ran well in the 40 and looked good in the field drills.

Williams would fit a 3-4 or 4-3 defense in the NFL. He would be an excellent five-technique for the former since he has the strength and length to set the edge while also being able to rush the passer. Williams could play three-technique defensive tackle in a 4-3 or be a power left end who moves inside to tackle in passing situations. Really, Williams can be lined up anywhere on the defensive line.

With his combination of speed and strength, Williams looks like a first-day NFL starter. He is very strong to shed blocks and is fast off the snap. Williams consistently blows by tackles or guards on the pass rush. He is well suited for left defensive end as he gives right tackles a lot of problems. Williams is generally a tough mismatch against all offensive linemen. He is too strong for most left tackles and too fast for right tackles or interior linemen. Off the snap, Williams has a fast burst to fire his gap and achieve penetration into the backfield.

In the ground game, Williams can burst into the backfield to blow up runs and can hold his ground at the point of attack. However, there are areas that Williams can improve. He gets in trouble when he stands up too high, which allows offensive linemen to get under his pads and push him back when they run downhill at him. Williams also had some quiet games where he seemed to disappear in stretches.

Williams totaled 80 tackles, seven sacks, 8.5 tackles for a loss, one interception, three forced fumbles and three passes batted in 2014.

Pro Football Focus
Williams graded out as one of the best interior players in FBS this year. He began the season by tearing into the Fresno State offensive line before suffering a down spell against Stanford, Boston College and Oregon State.
Those three games accounted for his only three average or worse performances of the year, but after that he notched nine straight positive games and finished his year much the same way as he began it, tearing an offensive line to ribbons, notching a sack and nine hurries against Nebraska in their bowl game.

Overview & Stats
Williams certainly popped when watching the tape. He was visibly much stronger than most of the blockers tasked with containing him and would routinely toss them aside to make when things came his way.
He notched 55 defensive stops, which led all defensive interior players in the FBS this season. His rate of a stop on 14.3% of his run snaps was also the best. He tallied five more stops than any other interior lineman graded by CFF this year. Only DeForest Buckner tallied more solo tackles than Williams’ 59, though Danny Shelton matched him and had 11 more assists over the year.

Williams was also a productive pass rusher, notching 51 total pressures and three batted passes from his pass rushing snaps. Only two defensive interior players had more total pressures this year and one of those played far more snaps as an edge presence than Williams did over the season.
There is no doubt that he is a far superior player to the majority of people he was going up against, and clearly a level above most guys he faced. His stats look great on the surface, but he didn’t look as consistently dominant as perhaps he should have given his physical abilities.
Williams appeared to be far too passive on tape too often. He had the ability to rag-doll his blockers and make plays in the backfield seemingly any time he wanted, but far too often he would only deploy that ability once he read the play coming in his direction, rather than using it as a proactive weapon to penetrate the line of scrimmage and play the game on the opposition’s side.
Multiple PFF/CFF staffers came up with the same line to describe Williams after watching his tape: “Reactive, not active”.

There’s no doubt that some of this is scheme. Williams was a 3-4 defensive end often asked to control two gaps and read and react, but that doesn’t explain it all. Looking only at third and long plays this season – plays where everybody is going after the quarterback – his numbers are actually worse than the FBS average among defensive interior players and he recorded only eight total pressures from 94 pass rush snaps. When he definitely had the freedom to get after the quarterback without any restrictions Williams’ numbers were worse than usual. That is a red flag.
If there’s one thing that doesn’t seem to show up that often on tape it’s elite burst off the line and penetration. His combine numbers represent a bit of a mixed bag in terms of showing explosion. His 40- and 10-yard times were good, but his broad jump and vertical leap were both far less impressive, and both are designed to show a player’s explosive ability.

Maybe Williams has that ability and can be coached to be more disruptive at the next level, to penetrate and attack more, playing the game in the backfield rather than disengaging from blocks at the line of scrimmage and allowing a certain inbuilt gain before he makes the play. On the other hand maybe that is an inherent negative in his play. If it is, that is likely to limit the impact he can have in the NFL, where blockers are bigger, stronger and play with better technique, and any delay in attacking gaps results in bigger gains by the offense.

If that is the case, Williams is always likely to be a better run defender at the next level than he is a pass-rusher at a time when the opposite is more desirable in an ever more pass-oriented league.
There is no doubt that Williams is supremely talented, but there are question marks that get thrown up on tape and his CFF grades. Are those question marks enough to scare teams away from taking him inside the Top 5 picks of the draft, or will they be confident they can coach the best out of a player with all the raw tools they could wish for?


2) Dante Fowler Jr., DE, 6-3, 261, 4.60

Rob Rang
He isn't as explosive off the snap or productive as some of the other pass rushers but is the most pro-ready.

Sy from BBI
Versatile edge player with the tools and skills to be moved around all over the defense. Has the short area explosion and turns speed in to power on a whim. Bendy and stout at the same time. Can get under the blocker’s pads with force and all of his balance. Has the speed in space to run with backs and receivers. High effort, aggressive nature that plays hard through the whistle. Pursues to the sidelines and shows the functional speed and strength to factor all over the field in any role. Heavy hands and powerful leg drive. Has an array of rush moves that appear natural for him to use.

Weak Points: Technique and mechanics have flaws every time I see him on tape. Inconsistent presence and approach. Struggles to recover after being beat off the ball. Won’t disengage from the more powerful blockers. Timing off the snap isn’t always there. Limited exposure in coverage, may be a downhill-only type player. Light in the pants, needs more weight below his waist.

Summary: Junior entry. All American season in 2014. Won the team’s MVP award in 2014 as well. Turned in to the feature player on this defense once Dominique Easley went down with an injury in 2013. Easley is a disruptor off the edge that played standing up and with his hand in the dirt. Fowler lost over 20 pounds over his three year career with the Gators and it looks like that may one of the main reasons he broke out in a big way this past season. He is a lot more explosive and fluid when he is playing at or below 260 pounds. His best role is at outside linebacker in a 3-4 front where he can be turned loose and blend his short area power and explosion. He will need to improve his approach from a mechanical perspective and he could use more lower body strength, but he is an immediate impact guy on the edge.

*Fowler isn’ the athletic freak that some make him out to be. He really gets by on grit, hustle, and a level of aggression that a lot of players don’t have. His production in college was back and forth because of his constantly-changing role and body. He was 20 pounds heavier at one point, putting his hand in the ground and playing inside gaps at times. In 2014 Fowler found his best role with 20 pounds off his frame and he’s now a top 10, possibly top 5 prospect. He can play DE in a 4-3 but I don’t think it’s his best role. He performs better standing up and he could play a Von Miller/Khalil Mack type role. If he is there at #9 somehow, NYG has to consider him strongly.

Walter Football
Fowler put together an excellent Combine. He ran well with a 4.61-second time in the 40-yard dash, plus recorded one of the fastest times in the first 10 yards of any front-seven defender at 1.59 seconds. In the field drills, Fowler showed he had quick feet and athleticism. Sources say they were impressed with Fowler in the meetings and he has good leadership and character.

For the NFL, Fowler looks like he has the potential to become a double-digit sack-artist. Fowler is very fast and athletic off the edge. He beats tackles around the corner with his speed and can dart back to the inside or use a spin move. Fowler also is tough. He has some shock to his hands and uses them to shed blocks and bull rush effectively on occasion. Fowler is a versatile edge rusher who can rush standing up, putting his hand in the ground, or moving over the interior linemen. Florida moved him all over the front seven, and he was tough for offensive linemen to block.

Fowler is physical with blockers while being a violent hitter at times. Routinely, he would put quarterbacks and running backs into the turf hard while showing the ability to make some momentum-changing plays.

Fowler can get the job done in the ground game as well. He is strong and does well in pursuit, though he could use more power to shed blocks and hold his ground when runs come downhill straight at him.

Fowler racked up 60 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 15 tackles for a loss, one pass broken up and a forced fumble in 2014. He fought his tail off versus LSU, recording 11 tackles with a sack. Fowler also should have drawn some holding and face-mask calls going against LSU left tackle La'el Collins, but the officials were terrible. Fowler had six tackles, two tackles for a loss and a sack against Kentucky. He caused a lot of havoc for Kentucky and was very impressive. Fowler nailed the quarterback for a sack and had a good game against Tennessee. He gave the Volunteers right and left tackle a lot of problems. Against Alabama, Fowler had some issues in run defense, but also forced a fumble and caused some disruption in the backfield.

Pro Football Focus


3) Amari Cooper, WR, 6-1, 211, 4.42

Rob Rang
production this season looks like something out of a video game. terrific route-runner whose agility and acceleration make his elusiveness appear almost effortless.

Sy from BBI
he is the perfect compliment to Beckham for the end of Manning’s career. Whether Cruz returns to his former self or not, Cooper fits this offense. He is an NFL-ready route runner with NFL-caliber ball skills and yard-after-catch ability. There isn’t anything he struggles with. The only reason he isn’t elite (90+) is the amount of times he has been nicked up due to his style of play. It is my only concern with him.

Walter Football
Cooper is a future No. 1 NFL receiver who clearly has the size/speed combination to present a constant mismatch. The junior had a string of dominant performances in 2014 that showed his great route-running, speed, hands, run-after-the-catch ability and skills to fight for 50-50 balls. Cooper had a number of huge games against the likes of Auburn (13-244-3), Tennessee (9-224-2), and Florida (10-201-3). He amassed 124 receptions for 1,727 yards with 16 touchdowns for the season.

Cooper has the speed to get separation with size to outfight defensive backs for the ball. He seems to get overeager at times, and that can lead to some drops, but he is generally reliable. As a prospect, Cooper isn't as elite as Sammy Watkins or A.J. Green. However, Cooper could be a similar level prospect to Odell Beckham Jr., and that means Cooper is a good bet to turn into a future No. 1 and Pro Bowl-caliber wideout.

Pro Football Focus
Amari Cooper is head and shoulders above the rest of the receivers in this draft class. He finished the season as the top-graded wide out when looking only at his work as a receiver, and though his iffy blocking dragged him down a little, he was still right at the top overall. When you turn on the tape you see not only one of the most physically impressive receivers available, but also by far the most sophisticated when it comes to route running, understanding of zones and intelligence on the field.
Cooper was made the focal point of the Alabama offense and carried that load easily, finding space against zone coverage and beating man coverage with equal comfort. He is a smooth athlete with good hands, speed, size and athleticism after the catch and should produce at a high level from Day 1.

Signature Stat: Led FBS with 174 total targets, 124 receptions and 26 missed tackles forced over the season.


4) Vic Beasley, OLB, 6-3, 246, 4.53

Rob Rang
a lightning-quick first-step and the agility to stalk mobile quarterbacks. His combination of speed and strength (35 repetitions of 225 pounds) demonstrated at the combine shows up on tape,

Sy from BBI
Strong Points: Explosive edge rusher that can accelerate quickly. Bends well and can sneak both by and under offensive tackles. Good uses of hands, he can use them with power and quickness. Can deliver a violent swipe on the move when a blocker tires to lock him up. Violent hitter and tackler. He can really make his presence felt when he reaches the ball carrier. Consistent aggression. Hustles across the field with top tier pursuit speed. Combination of pass rush moves can be called upon at any point. At his best from a pure speed rush stance, but he can rip/spin/uppercut his way to the inside shoulder. Developed upper body with explosive power in space.

Weak Points: Lack of size, especially below the waist. Doesn’t fill the back side of his pants. In tight space, his strength and power appear to be on the weaker side. His impact play to play isn’t there. Doesn’t factor much against the run when it’s right at him. Struggles to control the engagement and get rid of blockers going right at him. Doesn’t break through the double team, nor does he anchor his position against them. Most likely not a fit for every scheme.

Summary: Beasley is an All American and Clemson’s all time leading sack artist. His game is based purely on speed, quickness, and hustle. There are some developed skills to his game as well when it comes to pass rush moves of different sorts. His struggle, however, has always been and will likely always be strength-based. He is light in the pants and he struggles to hold up against the bigger blockers in traffic. Boom or bust type player that needs a scheme that will boost his strengths and really hide his weaknesses. Could end up being strictly a situational player at the next level.

*Clemson was one of my main schools I was assigned to last summer, so I’ve seen pretty much every single one of Beasley’s games over the past two years. I was on him being a top 15 guy right away and I think there is still a shot he is the first edge guy taken. His get off and bendability are top tier. He has good upper body strength with powerful, quick hands and the foot speed of a wide receiver. Beasley is a pass rush specialist that will make tackles look downright silly, and good ones too. He is a hard guy to touch, let alone block out on an island. Are there concerns with his lower body strength and run defense? Absolutely. He isn’t a perfect, elite prospect. But the upside here may be the highest among all these guys. If NYG took him at #9, it could be the perfect fit for the role they have tried to create with much lesser athletes.

Walter Football
Beasley may have been the star of the Combine. He raced a fast 40 time after impressing on the bench press a day earlier. Beasley officially ran the 40 in 4.53 seconds. That blistering time was especially impressive considering Beasley just added about 10-15 pounds of weight that was apparently muscle as he excelled in the bench press.

Beasley gave NFL evaluators further evidence in 2014 that he has to move to outside linebacker and isn't large enough to get any consideration as a defensive end outside of obvious passing situations. However, the senior is strong for his size, so once he moves to outside linebacker, he should be a well-rounded player. Beasley clearly is fast and athletic enough to play linebacker. He has natural pass-rushing skills and is a terror in the backfield.

Beasley totaled 12 sacks, 33 tackles, 21.5 tackles for a loss, three passes batted and three forced fumbles in 2014. He was very consistent with sacks, recording them in the vast majority of games, including a string of six straight outings. In November, Beasley was banged up with a hand and shoulder injury that held him back. He closed out the regular season versus South Carolina with five tackles, two sacks, another tackle for a loss and a forced fumble. He overwhelmed left tackle Corey Robinson and guard A.J. Cann. Beasley totaled three tackles, a pass batted and two sacks against Florida State. After a quiet first quarter, he ate up left tackle Cameron Erving. Overall, that tape will help Beasley in his bid to be a first-round pick.

Pro Football Focus
Unsurprisingly, Beasley graded out as one of the best pass rushers in this year’s draft class and that in spite of a relatively slow start to the season against Georgia. He came alive with a three-week spell against North Carolina, NC State and Louisville before finishing strongly against South Carolina and Oklahoma with four positive pass rush grades in his final five games.

Beasley’s midseason lull came in a four-week stretch against Boston College, Syracuse Wake Forest and Georgia Tech, a month-long span in which he recorded only six pressures and graded positively as a pass rusher only once. Aside from that span he recorded at least one sack or hit in every game except the season opener against Georgia.
Overview & Stats

Beasley’s explosiveness is plain to see when you put the tape on. His burst off the line was too hot to handle for most of the tackles he faced and he used that to pick up a lot of pressure burning opposing offensive tackles to the outside without the need to worry too often about a counter or power move off that outside rush.
Two thirds of the pressure Beasley generated this season came to the outside of opposing blockers with only Markus Golden of Missouri and Hau’oli Kikaha generating more in terms of sheer volume than Beasley’s 26 pressures including six of his sacks. That doesn’t leave a great volume of pressures that Beasley gained in other ways but what he did was capitalize fully on his rarely successful inside moves converting four of his seven inside pressures into sacks.

The lack of a truly all-around game is also reflected in Beasley’s play as a run defender where while he wasn’t a liability he also was not a particularly active component of the Clemson defense. By the grades he was a solid-but-quiet run defender reflected in a Run Stop Percentage of 6.8% which places him only just inside the Top 30 edge defenders in this class by that signature stat.
However, with the pass-first nature of the NFL, if Beasley can avoid being a liability against the run (as he was on a Karlos Williams touchdown run against Florida State) then his potential impact as a destructive pass rusher would comfortably balance his lack of impact in that area.

The question of balance in Beasley’s game that he will need to answer is whether he is simply a one-trick pony as a pass rusher or whether he was so one-dimensional as a pass rusher because college pass protectors couldn’t deal with his outside move, so he never had to counter it. Some NFL offensive tackles will be able to live with his speed off the edge more consistently so he will have to prove that he can work off of that outside rush as he showed glimpses of this season for the Tigers.

The question of which scheme suits an edge defender best is always a question that comes up when they enter the NFL and as an under-sized edge defender Beasley has had to face those questions as well.

He spent time rushing both with his hand up and his hand down last season but was far more productive with his hand in the dirt and even if he winds up in a 3-4 defense he should get ample opportunity to rush from a down position in sub-packages. The Eagles, for example, run a 3-4 defense yet last season Trent Cole rushed the passer 100 times more with his hand down than in a two-point stance.

So where does Beasley fit best? A brief summary of his skill-set could read something along the lines of him being an undersized speed rusher who relies heavily on his explosiveness, doesn’t contribute a great deal against the run. That reads like a player who needs to be a situational pass rusher to start with in the NFL but that doesn’t
necessarily need to be an indictment of Beasley as a player.
While the ideal might be to find an immediate starter near the top of the first round, would a team like the Jags complain if they got production comparable to what the 49ers got from Aldon Smith in 2011? Smith played on 506 snaps but his production as a pass rusher was comparable to a full-time starter on half the snaps.

Beasley and Smith are, of course, very different pass rushers, but if a team can get even close to that kind of production from Beasley as a rookie then even if he can’t be a full-time player right away you will hear very few complaints from their coaches or their fans.


5) Kevin White, WR, 6-3, 215, 4.35

Rob Rang
size, strength and ability to come down with contested throws.

Sy from BBI
*I wouldn’t necessarily argue against those that say White has a higher ceiling than Cooper. His triangle numbers (height/weight/speed) are better by a nice margin and he is a much more aggressive, power-based type athlete. He would scare an opposing defense more than Cooper. If he is there at #9, there is a very small amount of players I would take over him. White is a top 5 overall guy in this class, perhaps even top 3. I think he will need more development time than Cooper, as he can be a pretty sloppy route runner and he doesn’t show the natural awareness and feel for the game. I am getting way ahead of myself and perhaps I shouldn’t…but part of me would be worried about the personalities of White and Beckham being on the field together. They both have a little “diva” in them.

Walter Football
White was a star of the Combine with a surprisingly fast 40 time. At his size, that speed is very rare. White has a unique combination with size and quickness. He can get separation and can make contested catches with the strength to outfight defensive backs for the ball.

For the NFL, White is a future No. 1 receiver who could lead a potent passing attack. He has a unique combination of size and speed. White consistently achieved separation, yet he also made contested catches with the strength to outfight defensive backs for the ball. White can get downfield quickly while beating cornerbacks with his speed and burn defenses for long touchdowns. He's too fast for safeties and corners struggle to run with him as he easily gets separation out of his breaks. White is a deep threat receiver who has the ability to work all levels of the field.

Pro Football Focus The offseason darling of the draftnik community, White rivals Amari Cooper for many analysts, but the best he can manage is a photo finish with Parker for us. White played a huge number of snaps in 2014, leading the FBS with 1,078, nine more than any other receiver. He doesn’t have Parker or Cooper’s quick step but has better speed than either and really accelerates away from defenders after he makes the break or when he gets the ball in his hands.

Big, fast and adjusts well to errant passes, and, unusually, White is a pretty good blocker — significantly better than Cooper in that regard. White might be the most physically gifted receiver in this draft, but he ran a far more Spartan route tree than Cooper or Parker, and will find a bigger adjustment from his college to NFL playbooks.
Signature Stat: Played 1,078 snaps over the season to lead the FBS, including a ridiculous 111 in a single game, away to Marshall.

There are several people out there who would take West Virginia’s Kevin White over Alabama’s Amari Cooper as the top wide receiver in this class and, while I think Cooper is comfortably the top guy, I can understand that line of thinking. He has the size that people look for in what is considered the prototypical No. 1 receiver these days and at times was a truly dominant receiver in college.
He graded well, if not spectacularly in CFF in 2014, but did we see enough to think he can become a better NFL receiver than Cooper, justifying a team taking him in the top five picks in the NFL Draft?

White finished the year as the 18th-highest graded receiver in this draft class, but he began the season in dominant form before slipping away at the end of the year. In fact, from Weeks 1 to 11 he had just one negatively-graded game, while his final three games all earned negatives.
Dropping six passes in the final two games alone, after dropping just three the rest of the year, it was definitely a frustrating end to his college career. Still, it’s hard not to be impressed with the majority of his 2014 season, which saw him rack up 120 yards or more in five consecutive games between Week 3 and Week 8.

Overview & Stats
What pops out the moment you watch White on film is that he does indeed have the look that we’ve come to know and expect from a top receiver. At 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, and a sub 4.4 40-yard dash time, it’s easy to see why so many are drooling over White’s potential.
He pulled in seven touchdowns on passes traveling 20 yards or more through the air this past season, second in the class to Ohio State’s Devin Smith. Again that adds to White’s appeal and when you combine his size, speed, and big play ability, it’s not surprising that some view him as the top receiver in this class.

He’s strong enough to beat press coverage at the line of scrimmage, while having nifty enough footwork to shake himself a free release at the line of scrimmage, too. His strength is an asset when the ball is in his hands, and he’s more than capable of dragging a defensive back for extra yards after the catch if they don’t wrap him up well.
So, if all of this is true, why isn’t he as good as Cooper?
White was a reliable target for his quarterback in 2014, seeing a QB Rating of 104.3 on all passes thrown his way and, despite his nine drops, they came of a high enough number of catchable targets that he still finished the year with a Drop Rate of 7.63. That’s not necessarily a great number, but it still saw him rank 19th amongst the 43 draft eligible receivers with enough targets.

Well, for one it’s not a slight on him that we have him a step behind Cooper because, as Sam Monson will explain in Cooper’s player profile, we really like the Alabama prospect. White is right there with Louisville’s DeVante Parker as the second- and third-best wide receivers in this class, with both looking worthy of being drafted in the first round.

There’s no doubt that White will provide some challenges to NFL cornerbacks from Day 1, such is his ability to get downfield and his impressive blend or size, speed and power, but he does still require a bit of refinement. As good as he looks on go routes, and he looks very good on those, his footwork can sometimes be a little bit sloppy and obvious on shorter routes like hitches. If he can learn to make his cuts a little cleaner, he’s going to find himself in more space, with the ability to run at defensive backs, which should lead to plenty of broken tackles and additional yards after the catch.

Arguably the most physically gifted wide receiver in this draft class, I can see why some would take him over Cooper. You could make the case that his ceiling is higher than that of the Alabama standout, but Cooper just seems like the safer bet. Still, it’s hard to not be excited at what White can add to plenty of offenses around the league, so somebody is likely to take a chance on him before too many other players are off the board come draft day.


6) Danny Shelton, DT, 6-2, 339, 5.64:

Rob Rang
Broad-shouldered, powerful and surprisingly passionate in pursuit, classic two-gap run defender with the gaudy statistics nearly unstoppable during Senior Bowl practices.

Sy from BBI
Shelton has improved each and every season of his career both on and off the field. His maturity issues appear to be a thing of the past but those they still need to be investigated. Between the sidelines Shelton is a terror for linemen to block. He has tremendous functional power and strength. He is a high effort player that plays through the whistle with consistency. He outplays what his body type says he can do. He improves as the play goes on because of his rare ability to get off blocks and chase down the action. Shelton can fit in to any scheme and start from day one in the NFL.

*Shelton turned in to the favorite player of many people over the past 8 months. His senior season helped his draft grade as much as anyone in the class with All-American caliber production. I’ve seen a lot of him and I can’t say there is a “special” here, but by no means do I overlook his potential to be a terror for a defense from the inside. He can be a valuable run defender for any kind of scheme, not just the 3-4. He will absorb blockers but there is also a level of effort and ability that gets him involved on a lot of tackles. Pairing him with Hankins would create a sense of inside dominance against the run for NYG. He doesn’t fit the mold of what NYG usually goes for at DT, but I think there is still a good possibility he is their pick at #9 overall. NYG needs more consistent and reliable presence inside and pairing Shelton with Hankins would do exactly that. With a defense that needs more attitude, Shelton could be an immediate game changer.

Walter Football
Shelton is a massive lineman who has a lot of power at the point of attack. Not only can he bulldoze his way into the backfield, he is very quick and athletic for a heavy nose tackle. Shelton can collapse the pocket quickly. He destroys single-blocks and commanded consistent double-teams. Shelton is an ideal nose tackle for a 3-4 defense. There are a lot of teams that love him.

In 2014, Shelton was one of the nation's leaders in sacks for a defensive tackle with nine. Not only was he getting to the quarterback, but he also stuffed the run. Besides his nine sacks, Shelton had 87 tackles with 16.5 tackles for a loss and two fumble recoveries in 2014. He battled hard against Stanford, Oregon and UCLA.

At the Senior Bowl, Shelton was phenomenal. He was a load for the offensive linemen and couldn't be single-blocked. Shelton won in the pass-rushing one-on-ones and was excellent in the run scrimmages. That week in Mobile could push Shelton into the top 10 of the 2015 NFL Draft. He also did well at the Combine as he was impressive in the bench press and field drills.

Pro Football Focus
The 2015 draft has a small number of players before the talent seems to drop and plateau beyond the end of the first round. One such player, in our eyes, is Washington interior defensive lineman Danny Shelton.
A monster of a man at 339 pounds, Shelton played well enough in 2014 that we believe he’s the best player on the defensive interior available in this draft, even ahead of the highly-rated Leonard Williams from USC. What makes Shelton so impressive in our eyes, is that for as big a player as he is physically, we think he can be so much more than the 0-technique nose tackle so many have him pegged as.
Overview and Stats

Our third-highest graded defensive tackle in this draft class, Shelton excelled as an all-around player in the middle of the Huskies’ defensive line in 2014. One of the first things that stands out about Shelton is how much he played last year. I remember early in the year feeling like he looked tired late in games and considering this a massive knock on him, but when I looked at the numbers at the end of the year, he’d played 958 snaps including the senior bowl. That’s a huge amount of snaps for anyone, let alone a 339-pound defensive tackle, so it’s no wonder that he looked a little tired at points.

Despite that high usage, Shelton had just one negatively-graded game all year (the Senior Bowl), and routinely overpowered and outmatched opposing offensive linemen repeatedly during games. That helped him finish the year grading positively against the run and as a pass rusher, where he registered 10 sacks, 11 hits and 27 quarterback hurries. Shelton even dropped into coverage on a few rare occasions, and did a good job chasing down screen passes, which saw him produce a positive grade in coverage, too. Here’s how that all compared to his fellow defensive tackles from this draft class during the 2014 season:

The Tape
It’s easy to see why Shelton is seen by many as a true nose tackle, and it’s hard not to pigeon hole him given the size he brings to the table, offering teams a huge physical presence in the middle of the defensive line. However that’s doing him a bit of a disservice, as the way he played last season showed that he could be even more productive in a role where he’s asked to be more disruptive.
As a 0-tech nose tackle he shows what you want to see on film. He is very tough to move, even with double teams, stopping opposing offensive linemen from being able to get to the second level and helping to keep his linebackers clean. Beyond that, he impressed when squeezing the point of attack, narrowing the lanes available to running backs.
What stands out that makes him more than that, however, is how well he sheds blocks. Using his hands to disengage from blockers, he stayed active and forced his way into the backfield plenty of times. That included his best game of the season against Arizona, where he had five solo tackles resulting in defensive stops, giving him a Run Stop Percentage of 17.2%.

To be a disruptive force in the NFL it will take more than all of that, but Shelton also brings with him some really nice footwork. Especially for someone his size, his ability to beat opposing offensive linemen with a quick first step and some nimble footwork really stands out.
The one concern with Shelton is his consistency. He played a ludicrous amount of snaps for a defensive linemen, and it’s unlikely he’ll see that much in the NFL, but you are taking a little bit of a gamble that it was the high number of snaps that caused him to look a little tired, and not that he was taking plays off. Still, he was highly productive despite that, so it’s not too much of a stretch to think that the high snap count was the primary reason for it.

It’s obvious that Shelton has the size that many teams look for in a nose tackle, but is that where he fits best in the NFL? He’s so active with his hands and feet that it really feels like he could be a special player if he’s allowed to attack. It’s interesting that in this draft class Leonard Williams is considered the disruptive force and Shelton the solid run defender, when we feel that the opposite is true. He projects well as an NFL player regardless, but I’ll be excited to see Shelton with a team that give him a little bit of freedom to go after and terrorize opposing offensive linemen.


7) Ereck Flowers, OT, 6-6, 329, 5.31

Rob Rang
Flowers played left tackle at Miami but may need to move to the right side in the NFL. Despite his massive frame, Flowers is light on his feet and balanced in pass protection. He is aggressive and active as a run blocker, including looking for defenders in pursuit -- offering precisely the type of "nastiness" scouts prefer.

Sy from BBI
Flowers shows the ability to dominate his opponent on every play when he maintains the proper body position and technique. He has all the ability a player needs to be a quality left tackle in the NFL. He moves well, has tremendous power and functional strength in addition to the size to factor as an immediate contributor at the next level. His nasty on-field demeanor and talent can make him one of the top run blocking tackles in the league. He needs to refine his pass blocking technique and mechanics before he is trusted to protect the blind side of a quarterback, though.

*There is a good amount of speculation that Flowers is being targeted by NYG at #9. I haven’t head anything that gives that rumor credence and I just can’t imagine how they could believe he is one of the top 10 overall players in this draft class. I wouldn’t say that I dislike him. He is graded as a 2nd round caliber player and I do think he can start for a team, possibly even right away. Flowers has the size and power to factor as a RT day one. I can’t watch a quarter of his on tape without seeing significant technique and mechanical issues though. It is prett maddening. He can improve there with good coaching and a good approach, thus the upside may be a solid starting left tackle. I’m just a little scared off b the fact there are more questions than answers with him.

Walter Football
Scouts tell WalterFootball.com that they feel Flowers could be a stud who turns into a NFL franchise left tackle. He already is a powerful presence in the ground game. Multiple teams told WalterFootball.com that they've given Flowers a first-round grade - some put him in the top 20. Most project Flowers to start out at right tackle, and they'll see if can move to left tackle after some development.

Flowers had a strong Combine. He led all the offensive linemen with 37 reps. Flowers plays with a lot of power, and his bench press total is even more impressive considering he has long arms (34 1/2 inches). Flowers' 40 time was quick considering he is heavier than most of the top offensive linemen. In the field work, Flowers slid well while showing real power and shock in his hands in the pads drills. He did well in the mirror drill, but needs a little work to stay compact and not get his arms out wide. Flowers is only 20 years old and is full of potential.

Flowers finishes plays really well and has a mean streak. The only thing that might keep him from being a top-10 pick is bending. Some times he does more waist bending rather than knee bending, which NFL teams prefer. However, that often comes with the territory of a big blocker.

Flowers put together an excellent 2014 season. The junior demonstrated excellent feet, quickness, length and agility to block on the blind side. In the ground game, Flowers opened a lot of holes for Duke Johnson. Flowers even played well while dealing with a recurring knee injury from a torn meniscus. That knocked him out against North Carolina, but he came back quickly to play well against Florida State. Flowers was absolutely dominant against South Carolina to conclude his 2014 season. He illustrated his tremendous skill set as he was rock solid in pass protection and moved defenders in the ground game.

Pro Football Focus
Flowers is the most curious prospect in the class with possibly the highest ceiling of any tackle in the draft. The Miami left tackle is an ox that can flatten a downblock on one play and then beautifully kickslide out and stone a speed rush on the next. He was extremely productive in both run and pass blocking, but Flowers is about as raw as they come — while some guys have problems in one area or another, he had head-scratching issues sprinkled throughout his entire game.

The biggest concern is that Flowers’ form will completely break down for no apparent reason and it’s like you’re watching a different player altogether. There is no better example of this than his pass blocking effort with 6:55 remaining in the first quarter against Nebraska.
On that play he’s bent so much at the waist upon first contact with Randy Gregory that his upper body is almost parallel to the ground. Flowers then ducks his head and tries to wrap his arms around the Nebraska end. This allows the 235-pound Gregory to gain leverage on Flowers and walk the 329-pound tackle all the way back to the quarterback for a hit.

He got away with that kind of sloppy play far too often in college because of his tremendous strength (37 reps at combine) and length (34 ½” arms), but that won’t be the case if he continues it in the NFL.
Signature Stat: Had one negatively-graded game all season and didn’t allow a sack.


8) Andrus Peat, OT, 6-7, 313, 5.18

Rob Rang
Peat signed possesses the combination of size and athleticism scouts drool over, however, he experienced notable lapses as a junior, from getting blown up by Notre Dame and struggling mightily against Utah's Nate Orchard. Peat's upside warrants early consideration but unless he develops more nastiness to his play, there is doubt that he will fulfill his potential.

Sy from BBI
He has the best footwork. He has the most length and girth. He can produce more short area power than any OTs in the class. Peat is what I said he was all year, a fantastic football player. I don’t consider him to be elite and he may need a year at RT. But Peat is definitely an option for #9 overall and I think he can be a long term solution at LT.

Walter Football
Peat is a reliable in pass protection and solid in run blocking. He needs to improve his knee bend as he can get caught reaching too much. Still, Peat has excellent size, length and athleticism. He also has a strong lower body built to get movement at the point of attack. Peat had a performance at the Combine.

Peat was impressive against Maryland to close out 2014. The Terrapins have some fast edge rushers who gave Iowa left tackle Brandon Scherff a lot of problems, so it speaks well of Peat that he was able to impress against Maryland. Peat did well in his matchup with talented defensive end Owa Odighizuwa in closing out the regular season against UCLA. However, Peat had some issues with penalties. Against Oregon, Peat was challenged more in pass protection and allowed some defenders to get upfield, but he didn't give up a sack. Peat did also well in the ground game. In pass protection against Notre Dame, he didn't have issues with the Fighting Irish's defensive ends. Peat showed his athleticism and quickness on a few plays.

Peat's game against Washington was similar to his performance against USC. Overall it was good, but he had a few plays where Huskies outside linebacker Hau'Oli Kikaha gave him problems. Generally, Peat won his blocks. He had a good game against USC in Week 2 and did well in his plays against Leonard Williams and was generally rock solid. However, Peat had a mental mistake on Stanford's last play that led to a sack-fumble for the Trojans to clinch their win.

Pro Football Focus
Peat is another player that we’ve already profiled. At 6-foot-7 with 34 3/8” arms, he has the frame of a Top-10 tackle, but he doesn’t have the natural feet or change of direction ability of one. The problem is that you can’t teach change of direction so it’s likely an issue Peat will have to deal with over the course of his career. There’s still so much to like, though, as he’s only 21 and already has prodigious lower body strength. Peat was born to play in Stanford’s offense and caved in the left side of the line with down blocks routinely. That strength held up in pass protection as well as he allowed one pressure from a bull rush all season.

Signature Stat: Yielded six pressures in Pac-12 play against a slate of Leonard Williams, Hau’oli Kikaha, Nate Orchard, and DeForest Buckner.


9) La'el Collins, OT, 6-4, 305, 5.12

Rob Rang
Surprisingly agile in pass protection and is a mauler in the running game. Collins isn't an elite athlete and will likely wind up inside at guard or right tackle.

Sy from BBI
I think in terms of immediate contribution, he is the best of the top three. His violence and effort are what the NYG offensive line needs the most. I love how hard he plays and it’s rare to find a player that so commonly takes his defender out of a play. He takes pride in being a protector of his teammates. NYG needs more attitudes like this one. I think he could be a day one starter at LG or RT for NYG.

Walter Football
Collins was decent for LSU in 2014 as both a reliable pass-protector and run-blocker. He has some vocal supporters who claim he's a top-10 pick, but some of his critics think he should play guard or right tackle in the NFL.

In speaking with multiple NFL teams, one says Collins has a second-round grade and views him as a guard. Another feels Collins can be a very good guard who plays right away and possibly develops into a tackle, while a third team feels Collins is a right tackle who could go late in the first round, but more likely in the second round. They all feel he needs to improve his technique.

Collins helped his chances of going in the first round by playing well at the Senior Bowl and showing athletic ability at the Combine. When properly motivated, Collins has the ability to be a special blocker.

LSU destroyed Kentucky while Collins did his part to keep Wildcats defensive end Bud Dupree from recording a sack. Versus Florida and its dangerous edge rushers, including Dante Fowler Jr., Collins had a quality outing. He wasn't beaten for any sacks and opened some running lanes, though he did get away with a few plays on which he should have been called for hol

Pro Football Focus
Our own Khaled Elsayed gave a full breakdown of Collins’ skillset earlier this week, but what specifically makes him the top of the crop? With offensive line it’s not necessarily about the most pros, but the fewest cons and there just aren’t many knocks against the LSU left tackle. The biggest issue was how he dealt with speed to power as he can sometimes be low and late with his hands in pass protection, but even that showed up infrequently. Strong hands, smooth hips, and quick feet, there’s not much to dislike about La’el Collins game.

Signature Stat: Led the SEC in run blocking grade and Pass Blocking Efficiency (98.6).


10) Brandon Scherff, OT, 6-5, 319, 5.05.

Rob Rang
one of the "safer" prospects in the draft, though his ultimate position in the NFL could be at right tackle or guard.

Sy from BBI
Scherff is the best athlete and I’ve been saying it for months. The label of him being too unathletic for LT that some were using was erroneous. This guy can really move. He, like Collins, plays hard and will make the effort to drive defenders through the ground consistently. When he has everything clicking mechanically, he can block anyone in any situation. My main issue with him is a lack of consistency and a lack of ability to finish plays. Way too often did I see his defender make tackles, sacks, hurries…etc. He was probably tested the least among the top OTs in this class when it came to playing against eventual NFL caliber players in college but probably allowed the most tackles and hurries. Another guy I think is best suited inside a la Joel Bitonio and Zack Martin.

Walter Football
For the NFL, Scherff fits as a guard and maybe a right tackle. He was strong and athletic at the Combine to solidify his stock as a top-25 pick. Sources also said that Scherff interviewed well. He has short arms (33 3/8 inches) and doesn't have the feet for left tackle.

Scherff was a tough run-blocker throughout 2014, but there still remain questions about his ability to handle NFL-caliber speed rushers. Scherff looks a little stiff for defending them. He could be a stud at guard.

Overall, Scherff was solid against Tennessee in Iowa's bowl game. Volunteers freshman defensive end Derek Barnett beat Scherff on a few plays, but didn't record a sack against Scherff. Scherff was cruising along in 2014 until a horrible outing against Maryland. He allowed pressure on the quarterback throughout that contest. Scherff was beaten for one sack, but easily could have allowed another handful. He struggled with speed rushes and also was run over in some bull rushes. It was bad tape that could indicate that Scherff should maybe not be a left tackle in the NFL. However, he is pretty quick with the ability to fire to blocks on the second level, so perhaps his problems can be fixed with coaching.

Early in the year, Scherff looked good against a string of easy opponents. He injured his knee in Week 2 against Northern Iowa and had a minor surgical procedure a few days after the game. The senior was expected to miss a few games, but didn't miss one as he played in Iowa's loss to Iowa State.

Pro Football Focus
After grading all of Scherff’s plays in 2014 and then reviewing those positives and negatives, we just couldn’t see Scherff as a tackle in the NFL. His problems on the edge in pass protection don’t look fixable and he’ll likely never be better than average in that respect. That’s not to say he can’t be a successful player at guard, he has more tools than any other interior offensive linemen in the draft, we just haven’t seen him play there yet. Investing a high pick in a non-premium position for a guy who hasn’t played there in years seems like far too risky a proposition.

Signature Stat: Allowed seven pressures in the Maryland game alone and 24 on the season.
Thanks for the  
Headhunter : 4/26/2015 8:43 am : link
time and effort
Nice job Hot Rod  
section125 : 4/26/2015 9:01 am : link
. Thanks
Great stuff.  
Crispino : 4/26/2015 9:02 am : link
I'll come back to this post after the draft to review when the Giants have made their selection. Thanks.
This is Defenderdawgish (a huge compliment)..  
Big Blue '56 : 4/26/2015 9:31 am : link
Extremely helpful to non-college football guys such as myself..

From all I can gather(if the WRs are gone), Scherff appears to be the safest and closest to a can't miss prospect(if such existed) available and he brings the nasty..

RE: This is Defenderdawgish (a huge compliment)..  
Mike in NY : 4/26/2015 9:38 am : link
In comment 12249728 Big Blue '56 said:
Quote:
Extremely helpful to non-college football guys such as myself..

From all I can gather(if the WRs are gone), Scherff appears to be the safest and closest to a can't miss prospect(if such existed) available and he brings the nasty..


My concern with Scherff is his upside. He could be a solid OG for years but I do not see the potential to totally take his opponent out of the game like I saw from Collins or Flowers, who both carry more risk. If we are looking at a solid OG I wonder if there really is a lot separating Scherff from what will be there in Round 2 while WR and front 7 appears to have a greater drop
RE: RE: This is Defenderdawgish (a huge compliment)..  
Big Blue '56 : 4/26/2015 9:40 am : link
In comment 12249732 Mike in NY said:
Quote:
In comment 12249728 Big Blue '56 said:


Quote:


Extremely helpful to non-college football guys such as myself..

From all I can gather(if the WRs are gone), Scherff appears to be the safest and closest to a can't miss prospect(if such existed) available and he brings the nasty..




My concern with Scherff is his upside. He could be a solid OG for years but I do not see the potential to totally take his opponent out of the game like I saw from Collins or Flowers, who both carry more risk. If we are looking at a solid OG I wonder if there really is a lot separating Scherff from what will be there in Round 2 while WR and front 7 appears to have a greater drop


You certainly know a helluva lot more than I do with this stuff..
wow  
blueblood : 4/26/2015 9:52 am : link
impressive work... Thanks
Truly a fine public service.  
CT Charlie : 4/26/2015 9:55 am : link
Thanks for the time and effort.
Good stuff  
ZogZerg : 4/26/2015 9:56 am : link
You should have waited until Thursday so I can easily find this once our pick is made;).
RE: RE: RE: This is Defenderdawgish (a huge compliment)..  
Mike in NY : 4/26/2015 10:04 am : link
In comment 12249734 Big Blue '56 said:
Quote:
In comment 12249732 Mike in NY said:


Quote:


In comment 12249728 Big Blue '56 said:


Quote:


Extremely helpful to non-college football guys such as myself..

From all I can gather(if the WRs are gone), Scherff appears to be the safest and closest to a can't miss prospect(if such existed) available and he brings the nasty..




My concern with Scherff is his upside. He could be a solid OG for years but I do not see the potential to totally take his opponent out of the game like I saw from Collins or Flowers, who both carry more risk. If we are looking at a solid OG I wonder if there really is a lot separating Scherff from what will be there in Round 2 while WR and front 7 appears to have a greater drop



You certainly know a helluva lot more than I do with this stuff..


Thanks. I may be totally wrong here as I do not have a crystal ball. Just my personal reaction based on when I saw them, which is admittedly less than the people sourced for the post
What a hell of a lot of great work.  
Montreal Man : 4/26/2015 10:46 am : link
I've been confused at all the posts, since they naturally come in a scattershot way and it's hard to keep them all in mind.

You post solidifies my understanding. Excellent.
Hot Rod  
Jay on the Island : 4/26/2015 10:58 am : link
great job organizing all these reports. That was a great read and it was nice to see multiple POV's on the prospects.
I Want Scherff - and the positive recommendation from Snee was  
PatersonPlank : 4/26/2015 11:23 am : link
the icing on the cake for me. Snee said he is ready now versus Flowers who is a project. I could see Scherff at RT or G. He is the only OL pick who you know will be a year 1 starter at some position.
RE: Good stuff  
BMac : 4/26/2015 11:42 am : link
In comment 12249754 ZogZerg said:
Quote:
You should have waited until Thursday so I can easily find this once our pick is made;).


Why not copy and paste it somewhere?
good thread  
Osi Osi Osi OyOyOy : 4/26/2015 12:41 pm : link
.
thank you  
snickers : 4/26/2015 1:10 pm : link
Wonderful read, thanks for your effort. Will look at this again once the pick is made.
Comments about Shelton are extremely positive.  
cosmicj : 4/26/2015 1:27 pm : link
A really worthwhile read. Thanks.
The whole draft process is mind boggling  
Hot Rod in Florida : 4/26/2015 3:20 pm : link
Everyone has an opinion. Since I don't watch much college football, I have to rely on what other experts say. But as you can see, the experts have varying opinions. Just looking at the opinions given on the offensive linemen, we all will have different opinions as to who is best. Everyone of them have warts. Each of us will read these excerpts and decide who they feel is best for the team. Some will prefer to go with who they feel is the safest pick, others will prefer to go with the player they feel has the greatest upside.

For instance, a player like Flowers has many comments about his technique. Those are legitimate concerns. But I kind of like the statement that he could become the franchise left tackle. Personally, I would wait for that and let him develop. I also kind of like the fact that despite all the negatives on his technique, he had only one negative game and only one sack all year. If that's bad, I'll suffer gladly. Whereas, Scherff, who is supposed to be the safer prospect, gave up a lot more sacks.

Well, it's all very confusing and that is why I started compiling what all the experts were writing about player and trying to sift through it all and come up with my ranking of where I think the Giants would rank these guys if they had to read the same scouting reports we are presented with. That is not the case I realize and they will have their own rankings. But it is fun to guess!
Great stuff  
mitch300 : 4/26/2015 3:28 pm : link
I also fall into the group that don't follow college football. Appreciate it.
Hot Rod,  
Coach G : 4/26/2015 3:34 pm : link
Great Post!
Well done Hot Rod  
HomerJones45 : 4/26/2015 3:45 pm : link
and many thanks.
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