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NCAA Scouting
2013 Draft – NFC West Draft Review
by Paul Emery
May 22nd 2013
Having finished equal 12th with Mike Mayock (and ahead of Mel Kiper) in the Huddle Report’s Top 100 rankings this year, Paul Emery now rates your team’s 2013 Draft Class.
Assigning Draft grades has never been my thing, although the last couple of years I’ve done so. But many have shown much comes down to opportunity as well as talent, so I’ll avoid them this year but I will give my general impression. I’ll give a player by player analysis of each Draft pick and throw in a few of my favourite undrafted free agents (UDFA’s) as well.
I did try and watch every draftable prospect, but in some cases that wasn’t possible (access/money or time usually!) and in those cases I’ll state that and make no comment, rather than trying to fudge it or saying it was a reach just because the player wasn’t on my list of prospects or something!
Arizona Cardinals
This might well be my favourite class in the entire NFL. There are a couple of players I wasn’t that high on (Taylor and Swope) but I had both with this kind of grade, so the value is good. Ellington late in the Draft has medical red flags which caused him to slide but if healthy he will give them a game breaking threat. There is risk with Mathieu off the field, but this might be the best possible situation for him as his mentor is Patrick Peterson. This class should give the Cardinals a spring board to move forward as long as the QB situation is better this year
1. Jonathan Cooper OG North Carolina. I’ve had Cooper ranked above Chance Warmack for a long time, so it was gratifying with both on the board the Cardinals agreed with me and took the North Carolina man. Cooper is far more athletic than Warmack and I don’t understand why it took Combine numbers for people to realise it it was there on the tape (I’m not convinced some experts watch much). He played in a high octane spread offense in 2012, playing at a lighter weight but with no Bowl game he was able to add weight back on before the post season process. I thought Cooper improved with his pass protection technique in 2012 he had some problems against power at times (A.J. Francis of Maryland particularly in the first half of that game) but the added weight should solve this. You can do much more with him than Warmack as he moves so much better and it’s not out of the realms of possibility that he could play center at some point in his career.
2. Kevin Minter ILB LSU. I do get why Minter was still around in the second round, he measured in under 6’0 at the Combine and the NFL usually likes ILB’s to be around the 6’2 mark. However, his tape was better than any other ILB this year and to be honest I’m not worried about his height at all. With this pick the Cardinals can be confident that they are getting a really good player he’s been productive and consistent, so I think can start from day one and produce. His read and react was excellent, he has good range and showed some ability to get off blocks, a dying trait for LB’s. I would have been happy with someone taking him in the 20’s in the first round so clearly from a value stand point I think this pick is excellent. Cardinals fans should really enjoy watching him play as I did.
3. Tyrann Mathieu CB LSU. Mathieu was suspended for the 2012 season for multiple failed drug tests. Unlike Janoris Jenkins last year, he elected not to transfer down to the Division 2 level (where he wouldn’t have had to sit out a year under transfer rules), play and stay clean. Indeed in late October he was arrested for drugs possession, so he has only been clean since that time. There is considerable risk off the field with the pick, but he has been taken under Patrick Peterson’s wing and being around him every day should help Mathieu stay on the straight and narrow. On the field he just makes plays. He’s not that big, so projects best over the slot WR (they may try him at safety, but he’s not like a Shamarko Thomas with a thick build, so I’m not sure this is the way forward from a physical standpoint). He reads QB’s like books and also has a knack for forcing fumbles. An added bonus is that he’s a dynamic punt returner and he can therefore contribute there from day one. This is a decent spot for where risk meets reward, his size might mean he’s a niche player but with the NFL so wide open he’ll probably end up the field a fair amount.
4a. Alex Okafor DE Texas. I’m not entirely sure why Okafor fell this far. I think he was in pretty much every top 100 I saw, so he seems to be a prospect that was over rated by the media. I had him as my 9th ranked edge rusher, so it’s not a huge fall based on my rankings. Okafor wasn’t always consistent this year. He had 4.5 sacks in the Bowl game, but didn’t play that well on a consistent basis. To be fair to him, his bookend Jackson Jeffcoat was hurt in the Oklahoma game and missed the rest of the year, so protections slid to him after that. Okafor is not a big time speed rusher off the edge he has decent size and some power. He did win in college with speed at times, but I don’t think that’s going to get him much in the NFL. He’ll need to work on a counter when his initial move doesn’t work, which is one the reasons he had some quieter games. Overall though I can’t argue with the pick here.
4a. Earl Watford OG James Madison. The Panthers took another small schooler a few picks before (Edmund Kugbila, Valdosta State) and comparing the two players Watford is miles better. This pick gives me a chance to mention the live feed for James Madison home games free and HD quality and for anyone looking to see a good standard of football (the CAA is the best FCS division) at no charge, then I’d highly recommend checking out the JMU website. Listed at 290 lbs, he showed good movements skills on tape he was up to 300 lbs at the Combine and tested out very well. He has a few things to clean up. In the run game he tips when he’s going to pull (and if I can see it NFL defenses sure will) and at times was a little out of control when getting to the second level he’s athletic, but sometimes just slowing down before contact is the way forward. In pass protection anchor was an issue, which is to be expected at 290 lbs. He does make every effort to sit in his stance in pass protection, but needs to make sure he keeps his hands inside. His Combine numbers really pushed him up boards and it’s just about OK value wise although one of the weaker picks in an otherwise strong group (so watch him be the best player from this group!).
5. Stepfan Taylor RB Stanford. For much of the year Taylor was being touted as a day two pick and so when talking about him in my weekly prospect tracker articles, it’s slanted with that in mind. Now, had Taylor’s pre-season and media grade been a fifth rounder, then I would have said that’s about right and my write-ups sounded a little more positive. Taylor did not run well at the Combine, which saw his stock fall in media eyes but I think that was there to see on tape. He is a powerful runner though and there is a place for him in the NFL in a BenJarvus Green-Ellis kind of role. He can pass protect well but I really don’t like cut blocking (in the NFL athletic defenders will just hurdle the attempt) and too often he didn’t want to absorb a big hit and went for the cut. He’s a reliable receiver he does lack game breaking athletic ability but he will get yards after contact and the tough yards in short yardage situations.
6a. Ryan Swope WR Texas A&M.; Swope was another that I wasn’t especially high on, but as a sixth round pick I have no problem with the value. Swope was ranked as a mid rounder throughout the season and I thought that was too high. He then ran much faster than he showed on tape (partly because of the horizontal passing game) and he was then being talked about as a second rounder. It could have been that a history of concussions prevented him from being taken higher or just scouts agreed with me that his tape wasn’t worthy of such a high pick. He was highly productive during his college career, but did have a slow start to his senior year with a new QB. To his credit, he improved as the season went on and had a terrific game against Alabama. He needs to improve on his routes but I had pegged him more of a possession type receiver but with his speed he does have the upside to be much more.
6b. Andre Ellington RB Clemson. Ellington was another who fell on Draft day and again it would appear to be a medical concern. Ellington struggled with injuries in 2012 and was nursing a hamstring injury throughout the post season process. He did run at his pro day, but he reportedly was reluctant to run his 40 at full speed for fear of re-injuring it. He ran in the low 4.5’s, which isn’t as fast as he looked on tape. A pairing of Taylor and Ellington would be ideal Taylor could get the hard yards then Ellington can get 10 touches a game and will probably break one or two. He’s a dynamic runner who can also help in the return game. Perhaps it was just the number of injuries over his career that was the concern but he’s very much worth the gamble here and if they can keep him healthy then look out!
7. D.C. Jefferson TE Rutgers. All year I could see the potential with Jefferson, but he didn’t have great production (20 catches) and ran poorly at the Combine (high 4.9’s), so I wondered if he would be drafted. I’m pleased to see that my eye was right with him as the Cardinals clearly also saw his potential. His lack of speed was evident on tape, but his route running was very good so he was able to get separation. He’s not great as a blocker, which means he’s a short range receiver only. I’ve just got a feeling about Jefferson the Combine numbers don’t back it up, but I think the talent is there.
Top UDFA’s
Not a huge class for the Cards, but a couple of names stand out. Tony Jefferson (SS, Oklahoma) was surprisingly not drafted he didn’t run well at the Combine, but is still a downhill type who can help on special teams. Matt Summers-Gavin (OT, California) has major knee problems which caused him to slip had he been healthy he might well have been a top 100 pick
San Francisco 49ers
There are four picks here that I absolutely love (Carradine, Lemonier, Patton and Lattimore) but the rest is only so-so. To be honest, the last two picks I know nothing about, but I think they could have done better than Dial and Moody. Daniels is a system fit, but needs a lot of work he never lived up to his potential in college. However, looking to push themselves over the top this year the pass rush is certainly much improved and Patton might just be the steal of the entire Draft.
1. Eric Reid FS LSU. They traded up to get Reid, so clearly felt it wasn’t just NFL Network’s Charles Davis was in love with this guy. Reid did not have a great 2012. He looked less explosive, particularly in the first half of the season and I wonder if he had added some weight which slowed him down. He was much better in 2011, including that huge performance against Alabama and the 49ers are betting he can be that player again. There’s always risk with taking a player coming off a down year and the Draft graveyard is littered with guys like this who didn’t make it (prime example Brian Brohm Louisville/Packers). He should be able to play center field for the 49ers and using a zone/blitz defense he shouldn’t be asked to cover man to man that much, which was a concern (even against North Texas where he was beaten for 2 TD’s). I’m not a huge fan value wise of the pick I had safeties ranked ahead of him but based on 2011 tape this looks a better pick than after a down 2012 season.
2a. Cornellius Carradine DE Florida State. Carradine was the backup to Brandon Jenkins coming into the year, but after Jenkins went down with a lisfranc injury in week one which caused him to miss the rest of the year Carradine stepped in and took the chance with both hands. Indeed, I thought he played better than Bjoern Werner (round one, Colts). Unfortunately he tore his ACL in the Florida game in late November and although he is well on the way to recovery (reportedly should be ready to go full speed in training camp) it did cause him to fall out of the first round. Had he not injured his knee, I think he would have been the pick for Detroit at 5 his tape was that good. A powerful man, he does a fantastic job of dropping his hips and getting underneath his man where that power has even more of an impact. He sets the edge in the run game better than any prospect in this Draft. He will need to work on staying low off the snap he was a little too upright initially at times but considering he was a one year starter for FSU, he still has room to improve. It seems the 49ers are going to do a number of things with him, including using him as a DT in the nickel. He was one of my favourite players on tape this year and as long as his recovery keeps going as it appears to have been, then he should be able to make a big difference right away.
2b. Vance McDonald TE Rice. Senior Bowl director Phil Savage was high on this young man all year, but I never really connected with him. Indeed, thinking back to when former Rice TE James Casey came out, I liked him a bunch more than McDonald. He doesn’t look that explosive running his routes but does have a smoothness to him, which often fools you speed wise. Certainly, he ran in the high 4.6’s in the Combine which is very much fast enough. His strongest point was after the catch where he has no wasted motion and gets north-south quickly. He had some problems with his hands during Senior Bowl week and that’s a big concern. He’s not much of a blocker at this stage but at 267 lbs he does have the body type to improve. A little early for me.
3. Corey Lemonier DE/OLB Auburn. Lemonier’s stock was all over the place I saw him in some first round mocks even in the days leading up to the Draft but equally he was left off some top 100’s. I was very much in the first round camp for him so for me this is superb value. Production wise he did not have a great 2012 he had some success early, but as soon as SEC play kicked in he was shut out. However, from tape study I thought has had the right idea but just needed a counter when his initial burst didn’t work. His hand placement is first class and with a little more of an idea technique wise I think he can turn that into big time production. He tested out very well at the Combine, with a nice 10 yard split time so has the speed to cause problems off the edge. He’s a little like Jamie Collins (round 2, Patriots) in that on a poor team he didn’t step up and say enough, I’m going to win us the game but on a team that will be pushing for the Super Bowl he might just fit better and end up being part of the reason the 49ers can win the Super Bowl this year.
4a. Quinton Patton WR Louisiana Tech. There are always lots of players that slide on draft day and of all of those players, this one bemuses me the most. From a value stand point this is not just a steal, it’s a robbery! If you believe the talk, Patton fell because he’s over confident well, that will put him in company with about half of the WR’s in the NFL!! Work ethic was not a concern and indeed right after he was picked he flew to San Francisco to get started. His tape was excellent and indeed he was my number two ranked WR. Separation was not a problem for him and indeed his routes were excellent. He did have problems against press coverage when up against D.J. Hayden in the Houston game but against the same from Will Davis he had a big game. He had one or two concentration drops, but he should be able to produce from day one. Unbelievable that someone who had multiple failed drug tests can go in the third round, but someone who is brash/over confident falls to the fourth. I have a feeling those who passed on this young man will be made to pay.
4b. Marcus Lattimore RB South Carolina. Lattimore is likely to start his pro career on the PUP list or even IR. He suffered a second serious knee injury in two years against Tennessee, this one being even worse than the first and will need time to get back to 100%. Lattimore is perhaps the highest character prospect in this Draft. That’s not always easy to quantify when you are just studying tape but as he was being carted off, the entire Tennessee bench cleared to wish him well so in his case it’s easy to work out. Highly touted coming out of high school, he was a major signing for Steve Spurrier and helped take them to the next level (and then entice recruits like Jadeveon Clowney to come on board). Lattimore is a powerful runner who is also a very natural receiver. He’s the complete package as he is also very good in pass protection, so when healthy he can help in the passing game as well. The two major knee injuries clearly make him a risk medically, but I don’t think too many people are betting against him his worth ethic and determination are amazing and I think I join most people in wishing him all the best in his pro career.
5. Quinton Dial DE Alabama. There are so many top prospects to watch with Alabama, that Dial flew under the radar. I did study him more closely in a couple of games, but he didn’t do much for me. Having studied two gap technique a few years back, I do appreciate this ability but he didn’t stand out as being great at it. However, he has a nice frame with long arms so does have the potential moving forward. Likely more of a contributor in the base defense than the nickel, I must admit to not paying him a great deal of attention, but I think a couple of rounds too early for me.
6. Nick Moody OLB Florida State. Moody wasn’t a starter for FSU, so I don’t have a great many notes on him but he is a good special teams player and it would seem he has been drafted with that in mind. A little tough to judge, drafted to fill a niche role perhaps not a bad idea on a Super Bowl team…
7a. B.J. Daniels QB South Florida. Daniels burst onto the college scene in 2009, but never seemed to progress and take his game to the next level. To be fair to him, a coaching change which didn’t work (Skip Holtz was fired at the end of this season) and not the best supporting cast contributed but his decision making was questionable despite his experience and that’s a concern. Daniels is a big man with a good arm but can also move around. He is therefore a nice pick in terms of the fit if he were called into the game, then they could run exactly the same offense which is a plus. If they can find a way to get him to live up to that obvious potential, he could well be a valuable asset in two or three years time in a Matt Flynn way. I think worth the risk here.
7b. Carter Bykowski OT Iowa State. He wasn’t on any lists I had, so can’t comment.
7c. Marcus Cooper CB Rutgers. Again, he wasn’t on any lists I had, so can’t comment
Top UDFA’s
The big name for British fans is discus thrower Lawrence Okoye who stood out at one of the regional combine events realistically, his best hope is a practice squad place. D.J. Harper (RB, Boise State) was so good he was starting ahead of Doug Martin early in his career however, injuries hit and he had to wait until 2012 to start again. An ideal zone blocking scheme back with some burst. Luke Marquardt (OT, Asuza Pacific) missed the year with injury, but has huge athletic upside. MarQuies Gray (athlete, Minnesota) was a QB in college, but likely will be tried at TE. Chuck Jacobs (WR, Utah State) has some kick return ability there is a vacancy here, so he has a shot. Mike Purcell (DT, Wyoming) is a tough guy who fits best in the base defense.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks traded for Percy Harvin, so lacked a first rounder and took a gamble with their first pick. Christine Michael saw little time in 2012 as he was in the new coaching staff’s dog house but he does have talent. They took two DT’s one (Hill) I’m not a big fan of but they got good value with Williams (medical red flag). The later round picks look good and there could be some pleasant surprises here, so in all a decent effort but not a great day two haul for me.
2. Christine Michael RB Texas A&M.; Pete Carroll is the type of coach who can get the most out of guys who have character concerns and clearly he feels that’s the case with Michael. Michael has had durability concerns, but was healthy for the 2012 season unfortunately he fell out with the new coaching staff. He didn’t play in the SMU game and although he saw a little more time as the season moved forward his opportunities were limited. He stood out at the Shrine Game which really pushed him up boards and then had an excellent Combine workout to push him to day two.
3. Jordan Hill DT Penn State. This was a classic Seahawks pick, I don’t think too many people had Hill ranked this high but they didn’t care and took him. I didn’t think Hill played as well in 2012. In 2011 he had Devon Still (Bengals) lined up next to him, so he generally was single blocked but the attention was all on him this season and he struggled to deal with it. Certainly when double teamed he really struggled to anchor and that’s a major concern for a one technique player. He flashed ability, but looking at my notes one such game he was up against a backup center. At least two rounds early, but it’s not the first time the Seahawks have just gone ahead and taken someone they like.
4. Chris Harper WR Kansas State. Harper is built like a RB and at 230 lbs is heavier than most NFL WR’s. He ran fast enough at the Combine to be taken here and I like the pick. He played in a run heavy offense with a QB who struggled with his accuracy, yet he still managed to produce. So, with a better QB that production could increase even more. He makes every effort to catch balls away from his body, which I always like. His routes were good he showed a nice ability to run CB’s off and then come back to the ball. Separation wasn’t a concern for me, although it seemed to be leading into the Combine where he tested out well. I thought his tape was good enough for him to be thought of as a day two prospect, but I don’t think he’s the average WR frame wise so it knocked him slightly. But I like him and the pick.
5a. Jesse Williams NT Alabama. Williams was on every single top 100 except mine so it was a gamble that paid off for me. Nothing much came out about him before the Draft, but Mike Mayock did mention in his pre-Draft press conference that he was a medical red flag (knee). When I did some digging, it seems that Williams had surgery on the same knee coming out of junior college and with more surgery post season reading in between the lines it seems there is a degenerative issue there. The other reason he fell was because he offers zero as a pass rusher and the modern day NFL has no use for the old school two down run stuffer this is often one or even no downs these days with teams in the nickel so much. However, Williams is a very good NT much better than predecessor Terrence Cody (who long time readers will remember I was never high on). He’s an Australian native who is relatively new to the game but I thought the came along with his hand use during 2012. He can hold up extremely well against double teams he’s a thick bodied guy and very strong you just can’t budge him. He will take over the Alan Branch role and as long as the knee holds up I think he can fill it very well.
5b. Tharold Simon CB LSU. Simon was arrested just before the Draft and may have cost him a couple of rounds as teams didn’t have time to do detective work on the situation and get comfortable with any longer term character concerns. LSU have been like Alabama, placing a number of DB’s into the league but Simon isn’t as good as Patrick Peterson or Morris Claiborne. Rather like Xavier Rhodes, the main concern with him is an inability to change directions. He rarely was thrown on in 2012 but Clemson went after him and he had no answer to DeAndre Hopkins routes. However, in this system he is a perfect fit and like Richard Sherman could end up being a fifth round steal because of the fit.
5c. Luke Willson TE Rice. Willson was the backup TE to 49ers second rounder Vance McDonald and I didn’t see a huge difference between them, so although most people will have never heard of him, I very much like him. He received an invitation to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and stood out in the game, making some nice catches. He tested out extremely well at his Pro Day running in the mid 4.4’s at 251 lbs and his all around workout was better than any TE from the Combine. He was used more as an inline TE for Rice to McDonald’s move TE/HB role and showed up well as a blocker. He wasn’t used that much as a receiver, but clearly it was there in the All-Star Game. It wouldn’t be the biggest surprise to me if he actually ended up as the better pro despite backing up McDonald in college. He’s an interesting upside pick and I really like it.
6. Spencer Ware RB LSU. Ware got lost in the LSU rotation, partly because of injuries, and was a big of a surprise that he came out early. He had about 50% less carries this year and was only given double digit carries in two games in 2012. Checking in at 228 lbs at the Combine, he’s a bigger back but he carries his weight very well. He runs with good body lean and has some power. He needs to clean up his pass protection but with limited carries to get a real feel for him, I think he showed enough to warrant this slot.
7a. Ryan Seymour OG Vanderbilt. Seymour isn’t that big, but he is quick he gets to the second level very quickly in the run game. Prior to contact, it would help him to slow down slightly as he looks a bit out of control at times. Rather oddly he seemed to struggle against speed in pass protection in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl but he does off some athletic upside. Might need a year on the practice squad to bulk up…
7b. Ty Powell DE Harding. On one of the Draft forums small school scouting expert Josh Buchanan (he works for a number of teams and sells weekly small school reports) asked for comments on his rankings. I saw Harding ranked as a fifth rounder and said for me it was too high. Turns out I was right. Buchanan had Saints 6th rounder Rufus Johnson rated below Powell, but like their Draft positions I had Johnson well ahead. I watched two full games of Powell and part of another but I saw very little from him. He was in his first year at DE (former safety) and did have production, I just didn’t see any of it in the games I watched. He rotated heavily playing 50% of the defensive snaps, so had the advantage on a number of prospects even from bigger schools with deeper rosters in that he was always fresh. He did test out well at the Combine and does fit the Bruce Irvin mould for their system but for me there wasn’t anything on tape, so it’s just an athletic numbers roll of the dice and I guess here it’s OK as he would have been popular in the undrafted market.
7c. Jared Smith DT New Hampshire. I only saw New Hampshire once and then against a triple option team in Wofford. He looked like a classic three technique, flashing some nice quickness. In that game he did have that burst used against him just being moved blindly up the field too much. He needs to improve in terms of getting off blocks and indeed at times in that game had his back to his blocker, showing zero hand use. He didn’t test out that well at the Combine in terms of his 10 yard split time, which surprised me some but the test of his workout was excellent. Certainly he would have been a hot property as an undrafted free agent, so drafting such a player makes a lot of sense.
7d. Michael Bowie OT Northeast Oklahoma State. I didn’t see Bowie at all, so can’t comment.
Top UDFA’s
This is a large class, but not much stands out Ramon Buchanan (OLB, Miami (FL)) is a weakside LB who had injury problems the last two years if healthy he might stick. Alvin Bailey (OG, Arkansas) was rated in one major sites top 150 an early entry only to go undrafted he does have some talent, but lacks quick feet. Jajuan Harley (SS, Middle Tennessee) is another junior entry who went undrafted he has some experience at CB and did test out very well at his pro day his tape didn’t stand out however. John Lotulelei (OLB, UNLV) will battle Buchanan for a weakside LB slot very active on tape he should also do well on special teams. Matt Austin (WR, Utah State) was a six year player who had injury problems tall with good hands he has a shot at sticking.
St Louis Rams
This was generally a good effort, but there are a couple of picks I’m not sold on. They were aggressive in going after Tavon Austin and he should help them tremendously offensively as well as in the return game. His college team mate Stedman Bailey is under rated, but runs very good routes and should also contribute from day one. Trying to replace Steven Jackson they took my pick to be this years Alfred Morris in Vanderbilt’s Zac Stacy we’ll see if he’s the latest day three guy who can crack the 1,000 yard barrier.
1a. Tavon Austin WR West Virginia. Austin is a smaller WR who projects best as a slot/move guy even five years ago he would not have been a first round pick but the league is changing and the value of such players has clearly dramatically increased. Austin is a game breaking talent West Virginia did a great job of using him creatively, including some time at RB but also on fly sweeps, swing passes, slip screens and also the return game. Every single time he touches the ball he’s a threat to take it the distance. Despite being smaller than the average NFL WR, he has not had durability concerns at all unlike T.Y Hilton last year who fell a little due to those concerns. He’s a fantastic weapon for Sam Bradford and it should help his young QB considerably.
1b. Alec Ogletree LB Georgia. Ignoring the off the field concerns (suspended early in 2012 and then arrested for a DUI right before the Combine), I was not this high on Ogletree and therefore I’m not a fan of the pick. Ogletree is one of the biggest boom or bust types in this draft class on and off the field. When he’s on his game he is simply amazing. The Florida game for example but also the fourth quarter of the Bowl game against Nebraska. However, he’s all or nothing there were a number of games where he did nothing. Part of that is that he has a complete inability to get off blocks. Now, perhaps this is me living in the past yes, LB’s need to be more athletic to cover but if you watch play off football then it’s still big boy physical stuff and he’ll just get swallowed up in that kind of game (and in division against the 49ers). His read and react is also not good quite a few plays I think he was just given one gap and that’s where he had most success. He projects best for me as a weakside LB and at least he has Michael Brockers in front of him to eat up blockers. He can certainly help in the nickel right away (former safety with good coverage ability) but against the run I worry about him.
3a. T.J. McDonald FS USC. McDonald played in a Cover-2 system in college and therefore you only got to see him in a limited capacity and mostly as a downhill type of guy. So the post season was important for him and I thought he did a nice job at the Senior Bowl. He also put up very nice Combine numbers and reportedly showed excellent change of direction as his pro day and I think this cemented him as a day two prospect. From tape he’s a very physical guy who seems to take a step or two to build up speed. Interestingly his 10 yard split time was good, so it would seem that he doesn’t always trust his eyes. He did take too many personal fouls, but that’s the case for quite a few safeties in this class. He’s the son of former 49er Tim McDonald, which probably also helped his stock. He didn’t necessarily have a great 2012, but he’s a very good athlete and I think the value here is sound.
3b. Stedman Bailey WR West Virginia. Perhaps because college and now pro team mate Tavon Austin got all the attention, Bailey was flying under the radar. I actually had Bailey ranked as a second round talent and really liked him, so for me this is very good value. Bailey did not test out that well at the Combine but the crucial thing is that he was consistently able to separate because of first class route running. That’s not always something you expect from a spread offense WR, so it’s was quite refreshing watching him quietly go about his business. He was highly productive and is another nice weapon for Sam Bradford.
4. Barrett Jones OG/C Alabama. Jones suffered a lisfranc injury in the BCS Championship game and did not work out for scouts prior to the Draft, which caused him to slip. He’s a highly versatile prospect who has started at guard, left tackle and in 2012 center. He’s 6’4 with fairly long arms, so his most natural position for me is guard but his intelligence may see him stay at center. When prospects get the Nick Saban seal of approval that goes a long way and that was the case with Jones, who Saban loved. Some of Jones tape wasn’t as good he struggled against quicker guys (e.g. Texas A&M; game) but even with the foot injury he held up against big Louis Nix in the BCS Championship game. He may start his career on the PUP, but he’s the type that will stay in the league for 10+ years and hold down a starting job therefore it’s a nice pick.
5a. Brandon McGee CB Miami (FL). McGee ran in the low 4.4’s at the Combine, which was enough to secure his spot here despite never quite figuring it out in college. He clearly has athletic upside, but you have to worry about prospects who don’t show it in college. His speed indicates he may be better in man, but he played more in zone where he showed a decent break on the ball in off coverage. He has a little press experience, but more often would be in bail to Cover-3. He can get a bit grabby with his hands, so will need to clean that up. This is a pick based mainly on Combine numbers he has athletic raw tools to work with, but I have more questions than answers with him right now.
5b. Zac Stacy RB Vanderbilt. Last year I decided to have a go at picking the next Arian Foster the late round/undrafted guy who enjoys huge success. I ended up picking Brandon Bolden who ran for 274 yards before getting suspended and then struggling to get the ball back so it was an OK pick but I missed on Alfred Morris. This year my pick was Stacy and I feel even better about it now seeing as how the Rams have a big hole at RB. Stacy ran in a zone/stretch scheme in college and is very skilled doing so. He’s patient but not so patient that he gets stretched out too far on wider runs. He’s decisive with his cuts, has good vision and when hit he can break tackles (he’s short, but has a solid build, so he’s tough to tackle). He’s very good in pass protection and can certainly stay on the field on passing downs, which often keeps young backs on the sideline. I have my fingers crossed for him and hopefully the weight of my expectation won’t slow him down Rams fans will know who to blame if it does!
Top UDFA’s
This is a nice class with one particular name standing out. Robert Steeples (CB, Memphis) graduated from Missouri and was thus able to transfer to Memphis for his senior year where he started. A taller corner with decent speed, he showed some press ability and I really like him. Cannon Smith (SS, also Memphis) is actually the son of the founder of FedEx he’s a Miami transfer who has had some off the field troubles. Cody Davis (SS, Texas Tech) worked out very well at his pro day and should at the very least show up well on special teams. SS Ray Ray Armstrong transferred from Miami (FL) to Faulkner College but was not ruled eligible to play so he was therefore an assistant coach. He has good size and can get downhill, but he does miss a few too many tackles like Davis he should be good on special teams. Philip Lutzenkirchen (TE/HB, Auburn) missed most of the year with injury but is talented enough to make the roster. Garrett Goebel (DT, Ohio State) played the NT position for the Buckeyes this year with Giants 2nd rounder Johnathan Hankins out at DE, not much of a pass rusher but can eat up blocks.
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