2012 NFL Draft - Thurs. April 26th

[BINGO]

Trade-down for Denver?
11:29AM ET
Denver Broncos

The hot rumor this week regarding the Denver Broncos in the draft is that they may be targeting Arizona St. passer Brock Osweiler with their second-round pick (No. 57 overall) as an eventual successor to Peyton Manning. But before that happens, they do have a first-round pick to invest somewhere else.

While some have speculated that a WR or RB could be added with the No. 25 overall selection, defense appears to be a better bet. But what about trading down if they don't like what they see when it's their turn?

Jeff Legwold of the Denver Post isn't ruling it out, but only believes it's a good idea if the pick to which they move back is near the top of Round 2. This team should be focusing on contending soon, and finding impact players is generally more difficult further down in the draft. Such a scenario is not too far-fetched -- especially if one of the team's at the top of Round 2 is hellbent on landing Brandon Weeden, for example -- and it was one of the hypotheticals assessed by Todd McShay of Scouts, Inc. in his latest multi-scenario mock draft:

- Tim Kavanagh​

Todd McShay
Scenario 3: the trade-down

"If the defensive players they value are not available, the Broncos could look to trade back and pick up extra selections. That could allow them the luxury of taking Peyton Manning's heir apparent (Brock Osweiler?) in the second round while also addressing a need at running back (Boise State's Doug Martin), corner (North Alabama's Janoris Jenkins) or defensive tackle (Washington's Alameda Ta'amu)."

 

[BINGO]

A non-OLB for G.B. in Round 1?
11:06AM ET
Green Bay Packers

There is somewhat of a consensus that the Green Bay Packers will look to bolster their OLB corps at some point in the upcoming draft -- with some even hinting that they could trade up to do so -- but that's not the only spot that could use an upgrade heading into 2012. In fact, in the opinion of Rob Reischel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, there's another position that is in equally dire straits: defensive end.

"Green Bay was second in the NFL in sacks in 2010 with 47, then plummeted to 27th a year ago (29). A huge reason for that was the Packers never adequately replaced Cullen Jenkins. Mike Neal will miss the first four games of 2012 for violating the league's policy on performance enhancing substances. Regardless, Neal hasn't shown the ability to stay healthy. Free agent signee Anthony Hargrove should help, but he could be suspended for his role in the bounty saga when he played in New Orleans. Others like C.J. Wilson and Jarius Wynn have shown little."

Reischel believes that LSU's Michael Brockers or Connecticut's Kendall Reyes could be a good fit here, though Brockers may be gone by then given the need for DTs amongst the teams picking above Green Bay. And if they elect to go OLB with their first-round pick, there should be a number of good prospects available to them in Round 2 and beyond.

- Tim Kavanagh​

 

[BINGO]

Two CB options for Detroit
10:46AM ET
Detroit Lions

Earlier this week, a report indicated that the Detroit Lions were unlikely to take North Alabama CB Janoris Jenkins based upon the character concerns that come as part of the package. But that doesn't mean that they won't take another player at that position in the first round.

In a conference call on Wednesday, draft analyst Nolan Nawrocki of Pro Football Weekly opined that Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick and South Carolina's Stephon Gilmore could both be viable options for Detroit at No. 23 overall, according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. However, there is some concern with both.

On Kirkpatrick: "He's one of those guys who could fall into that bust category -- not because of the talent, because he is very talented, but more so because you just don't know what you're getting. Are you going to be able to control him? Is he going to stay in line and be disciplined enough to follow what the coaches want him to do?"

And on Gilmore: "You see the same kind of thing on tape, in terms of him getting beat [in key situations]. Go back to the SEC championship game against Auburn, Cam Newton was able to pick him apart. ... There were other games earlier in the year that he struggled against lesser competition. So there are concerns about where he is at this stage of his development."

Of course, at that spot in the draft, any prospect will have strengths and weaknesses, it's up to the Lions to develop the former while working to nullify the latter.

- Tim Kavanagh​

 

[BINGO]

Texans' thoughts at No. 26
10:18AM ET
Houston Texans

The Houston Texans are in a goodspot when it comes to this year's draft in that they don't have any glaring needs. Sure, they'd do well to find a durable replacement for Mario Williams, Eric Winston or DeMeco Ryans, and finding a running mate for Andre Johnson would open things up even more on offense. But they have the luxury of going with a best player available strategy, and it appears that this is what they'll be doing, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Some names to keep in mind: WRs Kendall Wright (Baylor), Stephen Hill (Ga. Tech), Mohamed Sanu (Rutgers), OLs Kevin Zeitler (Wisconsin), Jonathan Martin (Stanford), Kelechi Osemele (Iowa St.), and OLBs Nick Perry (USC), Shea McClellin (Boise St.), Whitney Mercilus (Illinois) and Andre Branch (Clemson).

McClain's colleague Stephanie Stradley also raised the possibility of a draft-day trade -- either up or down -- depending upon how the draft unfolds. If, for example, they have a particularly high grade on one of the players cited above, and that player falls to the early 20s, GM Rick Smith may be inclined to move up a few picks to ensure that this player is a Texan. On the flip side, if the Texans don't have high grades on any of the remaining players, they could market their pick, especially to the QB-needy teams at the top of Round 2 who might be interested in a player like Brandon Weeden there.

- Tim Kavanagh​

 

[clyde_carbon]

NFL Draft: Instant Impact Prospects | National Football Post

 

[BINGO]

NFL Draft: Instant Impact Prospects | National Football Post

"The best running back prospect I've seen since Adrian Peterson. ."

This is BS! IMO RunDMC was a much better prospect than Richardson when McFadden was entering the draft.

 

[BINGO]

Rounding up the Tannehill buzz
9:10AM ET
Ryan Tannehill

As we hit the two week warning for the first night of the NFL Draft, it's a fine time to check in on where we stand regarding the interest around the league in Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill.

The earliest that any player not named Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III will be taken -- at least according to the general consensus at this point -- is No. 3 overall. However, the Minnesota Vikings are most likely not going to be taking Tannehill, since they just drafted Christian Ponder with a first-round pick last offseason, but they could trade down with a team that falls in love with the passer and wants to ensure that they pick before the Cleveland Browns. Let's run down a list of teams that have been discussed as potentially interested in trading up with Minnesota or who might take Tannehill should he fall to them.

Cleveland Browns (No. 4 overall). If the Browns value Tannehill over any of their other rumored selections -- including Trent Richardson, Morris Claiborne and Justin Blackmon -- then they are in a tense spot. There is a chance that the Vikes will be able to find a suitor for their No. 3 pick, and by sitting at No. 4, Cleveland risks being jumped. Nevertheless, GM Tom Heckert has indicated that the Browns will not be moving up from their current spot. So do they actually want Tannehill over those other choices? It's hard to get an entirely clear read on anyone's interest at this time, but the Browns do need a long-term answer at QB. Tannehill's drawback is that he may not be ready to start right out of the box, which would mean another season of Colt McCoy and/or Seneca Wallace. Grabbing Tannehill would be a nice investment in the future, but the return may not be realized until the 2013 season.

Miami Dolphins (No. 8 overall). Earlier this week, the concept of the Dolphins "overpaying" for Tannehill was analyzed, with the ultimate conclusion being that if Tannehill winds up being the club's next great QB -- a figure that has been their white whale since Dan Marino's retirement -- it won't really matter if he was the No. 8 pick or if they had to trade up a few spots to get him. As for the Dolphins' actual interest, they too have been playing it somewhat cool in recent weeks -- especially in light of the fact that Tannehill's college coach Mike Sherman is in place as Miami's OC. However, with Matt Moore already in the mix, they do have a reasonable current option to start while developing Tannehill. The general feeling we've been getting is that the Dolphins won't trade up to get Tannehill, but he'll be under consideration (likely against the available pass-rushers and WRs) if he falls to them at No. 8. But again, the tea leaves can be hard to read at this time of the year, so a trade-up remains a possibility.

Kansas City Chiefs (No. 11 overall). Early on this offseason, Chiefs GM Scott Pioli made comments insinuating that he would not trade up, though that could obviously just be a smoke-screen. The price tag for K.C. would be high to get either to No. 3 overall (ahead of Cleveland) or No. 7 overall (to get ahead of Miami), and they do have a viable starter in Matt Cassel, a former first-round pick as a backup in Brady Quinn and a developmental option already in Ricky Stanzi. Then again, the team has been sending mixed signals on its faith in Cassel this offseason. If Tannehill falls, he may be under consideration, but it's not likely that they'll sacrifice future picks to get him in a higher spot.

After these three, there are some teams -- with starters in place, but in need of a future starter -- that we cannot rule out as potential destinations. That list includes the Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos (though in order for the Broncos to take him, he'd have to pass by Cleveland's second first-rounder). It's tough to see that scenario playing out, but again, it's not impossible.

While it remains to be seen whether the interest in Tannehill leads to his being taken in the Top 5, it does appear that he'll be off the board at some point on the draft's first night.

- Tim Kavanagh​

 

[BINGO]

Redskins' plans after RGIII
4:15PM ET
Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins sent oodles and oodles of draft picks to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for the second overall selection, and they didn't do it to take a tight end. We know they're walking away with either Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III, but what next? The Redskins still have plenty of holes, and with no second-rounder (it went to the Rams), they're going to have a lot of work to do in the later rounds of the draft. Rob Rang of CBS Sports has projected each pick of the Redskins' draft, from Griffin in Round One to BYU defensive lineman Hebron Fangupo in Round Seven. Obviously this is all speculative, but Rang's argument for his third-round projection -- Illinois offensive tackle Jeff Allen -- makes a lot of sense.

"At first glance, the Redskins might appear stable at offensive tackle," Rang writes. "Trent Williams has shown flashes of the form that led to his being the No. 4 overall pick of the 2010 draft, but is just one failed drug test away from a year-long suspension. Furthermore, veteran Jammal Brown hasn't been the steadying force the Redskins expected after adding the former New Orleans Saints' standout. Willie Smith, an undrafted free agent signed last year out of Memphis, played well when given the opportunity but the team still may look to the draft for reinforcements. Allen is rising up the board as the draft approaches and has the athleticism the Shanahans prefer at the position. He'd be considered a bit of a reach at No. 69 overall, but what good is investing all of those picks in a trade up for a quarterback if you can't protect him?"

- Vince Verhei​

 

[BINGO]

Tampa Bay's draft decision
3:58PM ET
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In his latest mock draft, ESPN draft expert Todd McShay has the Cleveland Browns doing something of a favor for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, taking Alabama running back Trent Richardson. That would make Tampa Bay's decision at No. 5 easy, as they'd jump all over the chance to take LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. But what if the Browns pass on Richardson, and the Bucs must choose between the corner and the running back? ESPN.com NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas says that Claiborne's the more likely pick, but there's a third option nobody seems to be considering:

- Vince Verhei​

Pat Yasinskas
Richardson, Claiborne, or ... Blackmon?

"The common logic in the NFL these days is that you don't take a running back in the upper half of the first round, unless he truly is special. McShay, and others, are saying Richardson is the best running back to enter the draft since Adrian Peterson. If the Bucs agree, they may take a shot at Richardson. But I think Claiborne's the safe choice. He's the top cornerback in this draft and the Bucs are hoping they aren't in position to draft top corners in the coming years. They can find a quality running back later in the draft. I'm also wondering if Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon could be a consideration here. I know the Bucs just paid big money to free agent Vincent Jackson, but it seems like they want to surround quarterback Josh Freeman with as much talent as possible."

 

[BINGO]

McShay on Cleveland pick
3:47PM ET
Cleveland Browns

Andrew Luck to the Colts at No. 1, Robert Griffin III to Washington at No. 2, then the Vikings either take Matt Kalil at No. 3 or trade down so that somebody else can take Ryan Tannehill. The first three picks of the draft seem awfully predictable, but then the Cleveland Browns pick at No. 4. The team that made some of the biggest noise in the 2011 draft (trading down with Atlanta in the Julio Jones deal) holds the pivotable pick in 2012. ESPN draft expert Todd McShay says the Browns have a number of options on the table, including taking Tannehill or Oklahoma State wideout Justin Blackmon. However, McShay says the most likely pick here is Alabama running back Trent Richardson:

- Vince Verhei​

Todd McShay
Why Browns will turn to Trent

"From an overall standpoint, Richardson ranks ahead of Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon and Tannehill, in that order, but from a positional-value standpoint the list would be reversed. The Browns face a tough decision, but Richardson is likely to be the pick."

 

[BINGO]

Latest Eagles draft buzz
3:11PM ET
Philadelphia Eagles

In his latest Blogger Blitz video, ESPN.com NFC East blogger Dan Graziano addresses the Philadelphia Eagles and what they might do with the 15th pick in the first round. The Eagles have traded for middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans and re-signed defensive tackles Cullen Jenkins, Antonio Dixon and Derek Landri, and Graziano says they may not be done boosting the interior of their defense. He names Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe as a possible first-round selection:

- Vince Verhei​

Dan Graziano
Run defense key to return to playoffs

"[The Eagles] absolutely need to get tougher against the run on defense if they want to improve on last year's 8-8 season, and that's why so much of their offseason focus has been on those positions"

 

[BINGO]

Vikes trade rumors pick up steam
1:49PM ET
Minnesota Vikings

UPDATE: The Indianapolis Colts aren't competing with the Minnesota Vikings for division championships or wild card spots, and only play each other every four years. So there's not much reason for Colts owner Jim Irsay to comment on what the Vikings might do with the third pick in the draft, but he took it upon himself to pump up trade possibilites anyway, saying that some team should move up to No. 3 to select Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

"Tannehill is a hidden gem in this draft, a quiet secret who was always sneaking up to #3," Irsay Tweeted. "you want him, you better talk to Zigi The Biggie!"

"Zigi" would be Vikings owner Zygi Wilf, who must be happy to hear Irsay promoting the value of his draft pick. ESPN.com NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert says that there may be some fire behind the smoke Irsay is blowing (see below).

- Vince Verhei​

---

While many suspect that the Minnesota Vikings will take USC OT Matt Kalil with the third overall pick in the draft later this month, there's a chance that they'll trade the pick, presumably with a team trying to secure Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill. But according to new insight from Tom Pelissero of 1500 ESPN Radio, there's a limit to how far down they're willing to move in such a swap.

In Pelissero's view, the No. 6 pick (currently held by the St. Louis Rams) is the lowest the Vikings will likely go. Based upon our earlier analysis of potential trade partners, that limits the teams potentially trading up for Tannehill to just one: the Cleveland Browns (currently at No. 4 overall).

To be clear, Pelissero isn't reporting this notion as a fact, and Vikings GM Rick Spielman and his associates may be more willing to move down further in the first round than the scribe believes. But, with each additional team that would hypothetically be picking ahead of them, that's another chance that they'll miss out on Kalil. In a sense, it's become a balancing act: maximize potential return with a trade while also securing the prospect that is most desired. Trade down too far and the plan backfires with Kalil landing elsewhere, and a big drop-off to the other OTs, a position of distinct need for Minnesota.

- Tim Kavanagh​

Kevin Seifert
What to make of this chatter?

"For the most part, quarterbacks and top-of-the-draft trades are the hottest topics in the final weeks before the actual event. So it's no surprise that so many people are discussing Tannehill's final destination. But what started out as a theory has at least advanced into public discussion among a wide swath of people who know more about it than you or I. Take that for what it's worth."

 

[CalamityX11]

Ziggy the Biggy

 

[BINGO]

Weeden is better than Tannehill
Plethora of reasons support Cowboys' QB over Aggies' late bloomer
Originally Published: April 12, 2012
By KC Joyner | ESPN Insider

Ryan Tannehill has been rising up draft boards, while scouts are worried about Brandon Weeden's age.

Maintaining a rational perspective this time of year is an invaluable trait, but it seems that perspective is being lost when it comes to measuring the relative draft day merits of Oklahoma State Cowboys quarterback Brandon Weeden and Texas A&M Aggies passer Ryan Tannehill.

Tannehill's huge edge in age (he will be 24 years old at the end of the 2012 NFL season, while Weeden will be 29) is a primary reason he has been vaulted over Weeden on many draft boards, but a variety of metrics reveal that Weeden is the better QB prospect and more than makes up for the calendar difference.



Overall metrics

Let's start by reviewing their 2011 route depth metrics in contests against BCS conference-caliber foes (sans the Kansas game for Weeden).

Here are Tannehill's numbers.

Ryan Tannehill's 2011 stats
Route Depth Comp Att Yds TD Int Pen Pen Yds YPA
Short (1-10 yards) 203 266 1545 13 1 2 -12 5.7
Medium (11-19 yards) 61 104 1016 5 6 0 0 9.8
Deep (20-29 yards) 11 35 332 4 3 1 15 9.6
Bomb (30+ yards) 5 23 267 3 1 1 15 11.8
Other (throwaways, etc.) 1 41 3 0 3 0 0 0.1
Total 281 469 3163 25 14 4 18 6.7
Vertical (11+ yards) 77 162 1615 12 10 2 30 10.0
Stretch Vertical (20+ yards) 16 58 599 7 4 2 30 10.5



And here are Weeden's.

Brandon Weeden's 2011 stats (sans Kansas game)
Route Depth Comp Att Yds TD Int Pen Pen Yds YPA
Short (1-10 yards) 250 299 1887 10 1 3 11 6.3
Medium (11-19 yards) 63 100 1147 13 4 2 13 11.4
Deep (20-29 yards) 16 28 539 2 0 1 15 19.1
Bomb (30+ yards) 3 16 103 1 1 1 15 6.9
Other (throwaways, etc.) 0 17 0 0 2 0 0 0.0
Total 332 460 3676 26 8 7 54 8.0
Vertical (11+ yards) 82 144 1789 16 5 4 43 12.4
Stretch Vertical (20+ yards) 19 44 642 3 1 2 30 14.6

Weeden beat Tannehill in yards per attempt (YPA) at every route depth level except for the bomb pass category, and his 4 YPA lead in stretch vertical passes shows that he was still more productive on aerials deep downfield.



Consistency

Weeden was also much more consistent than Tannehill.

Tannehill completed 70 percent of his passes in two of his 2011 contests against BCS conference teams. Weeden topped that mark six times.

Tannehill posted a YPA total of 8 yards or higher in three games. Weeden did that five times.

Tannehill notched a passer rating mark of 140 or higher three times (if the Northwestern game in which he came up just short of this level is counted in his favor). Weeden reached that mark nine times and actually only had two games in which he did not achieve this goal.



Career growth

Tannehill started on a high note in his first three starts of the 2010 season (switching over from WR), but when the competition level increased dramatically over the last three games of the season (versus Nebraska, at Texas, versus LSU in the Cotton Bowl), he went 55-for-94 for 504 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. That equates to an abysmal 5.4 YPA and an equally bad 107.7 passer rating.

The late-season swoon for Tannehill recurred in 2011 during the last seven BCS-caliber games of that season, as he posted a YPA mark of 6.1 or less five times. Take the contest against the abysmal Kansas Jayhawks' defense (ranked No. 118 in passer rating allowed) out of his totals during that time frame and Tannehill had a 5.9 YPA and a 113.8 passer rating, both of which are quite comparable to the aforementioned poor statistical marks he had in 2010.

To get an idea of how much Weeden's passing performance grew from 2010 to 2011, note that he topped the 140-passer rating mark in only five BCS games in the 2010 campaign; in 2011 he did it nine times.



Ability to raise the level of play of those around him

This factor is huge for Weeden, because contrary to popular belief, Justin Blackmon did not have a dominant 2011 campaign. This was a primary reason Blackmon ended up ranking sixth in my recent review of the top 10 wide receiver prospects in this year's NFL draft class.

Blackmon's overall YPA numbers were more than three yards off of his dominant junior season totals yet Weeden was able to keep the Cowboys' offense scoring points at an even higher rate.

Tannehill did face something of the same issue with one of his star wideouts, as Jeff Fuller regressed from a 9.1 YPA against BCS teams in 2010 to a 6.5 YPA mark in that category in 2011, but a lot of that credit has to go to Ryan Swope. Swope set Aggies single-season totals in receiving and receiving yards last year and established himself as the team's true No. 1 wideout. Weeden did not have the luxury of an alternate No.1 wide receiver (Josh Cooper, the Cowboys' second-best wideout, is merely a possession receiver), and thus his achievement here still ends up being superior.



Big game performance

The most disturbing part of this analysis is that Tannehill fell apart when the Aggies needed him the most. The most egregious example is when he posted a career-low 80.45 passer rating in Texas A&M's farewell Big 12 contest against the archrival Texas Longhorns. That passer rating was not a statistical anomaly, either, as Tannehill made a slew of passing errors and looked rattled by the Longhorns' defense.

Weeden did not have a dominant statistical performance in the Cowboys' biggest game of the year, a blowout victory over the archrival Oklahoma Sooners in a Bedlam game that decided the winner of the Big 12 conference, but he had zero interceptions and zero bad decisions in that contest (a bad decision being a mental error, such as a dropped interception, that leads either to a turnover or a near turnover). That stands in stark contrast to the three interceptions he posted against the Sooners in 2010 and again shows how Weeden was able to grow with experience.



Age isn't a big issue

Trent Dilfer made a terrific point when he noted in a recent Insider article that NFL teams rarely think of their quarterbacks along the lines of a 10-year plan.

History affords many cases of elite quarterback play over the age of 29. According to the seasonal NFL YPA leaders chart on pro-football-reference.com, 47 out of the 95 quarterbacks who have led or tied for the lead in that category since 1936 have been 29 years or older.



Biography

In some ways this may be the most important factor of all.

Tannehill wasn't able to win the Aggies' starting job in 2008 and was only moved back into that role two a half years later when Jerrod Johnson's injuries and erratic play left the Texas A&M coaches with little choice.

By contrast, Weeden came into a program that had a record-setting starter in Zac Robinson, so he had to wait until Robinson graduated to get a shot at the job. Once he received that opportunity, Weeden won the gig and dominated from day one, breaking Robinson's marks and winning all-conference honors.

This leads to an obvious question. If Tannehill had trouble winning over his collegiate coaches less than two years ago and his play since that time has been inconsistent at best and Weeden's path has been pretty much the exact opposite, why are people banking on Tannehill as the better prospect?

A five-year age edge is certainly significant, but when the entirety of the evidence is taken into account, Weeden is by far the better quarterback prospect.

 

[BINGO]

2012 NFL draft - Linebacker Luke Kuechly tackles every challenge - ESPN

 

[BINGO]

Two ILBs could be first-rounders
April, 12, 2012 12:22PM ET
By Steve Muench

There's a lot to like about the top of the 2012 inside linebacker class, especially when you consider recent draft history at the position.

The only true inside linebacker taken in the first round during the past four drafts is the Oakland Raiders' Rolando McClain, who was drafted eighth overall out of Alabama in 2010. What about Houston's Brian Cushing (15th, 2009) and New England's Jerod Mayo (10th, 2008), you might ask?

Cushing was one of the best strongside linebackers in the country coming out of USC and didn't move inside until the Texans went to the 3-4 in 2011, and while Mayo played in the middle while at Tennessee, he was seen as a versatile prospect -- so in the NFL he lined up primarily on the outside until last season.

Even if you include Mayo in the conversation, that still makes only two inside linebackers taken in the first round over the past four years, and during that stretch the average number of ILBs drafted in the first two rounds is only 1.25.
This year's inside linebacker group could buck that trend. Two prospects are likely to come off the board in the first round and another could be taken before the second round is over. The class isn't extremely deep, but the remainder of the top five includes a pair of intriguing middle-round prospects.

Here's how each player breaks down and he they might fit in the NFL.


Luke Kuechly, Boston College (Scouts Inc. Grade: 95)
Kuechly's instincts are impressive. He consistently reads his keys, tracks the ball well and beats blockers to the point of attack as a run defender, while he reads quarterbacks and shows above-average awareness in underneath coverage.

There's also a lot to like about his range and tackling. At 6-foot-3¼ and 242 pounds, he's fast enough (4.58 seconds in the 40-yard dash) to make plays from sideline to sideline. He's not perfect, though. Kuechly could do a better job of taking on offensive linemen and doesn't have the fluid hips to match up with quicker backs in man coverage.

Kuechly ends up in Kansas City in Todd McShay's latest mock draft, which makes sense from both a value and need standpoint. The Chiefs could take Memphis DT Dontari Poe (grade: 94) to fill their need at nose tackle, but Poe is too much of a reach there. Kuechly is the safer pick and Kansas City has a pressing need at inside linebacker, where the Chiefs have struggled to find a quality starter alongside Derrick Johnson in their 3-4 scheme.



Dont'a Hightower, Alabama (93)
Hightower's aggressiveness can get him in trouble at times against counters and misdirection, but he has above-average overall instincts, and on tape he's regularly the first Alabama linebacker to diagnose plays. And at 6-2¼ and 265 pounds, he's even better than Kuechly when caught in a phone booth against blockers, where he sinks his hips and uses a powerful punch to discard them.

In terms of range, Hightower ran a 4.68 at the NFL combine (and doesn't cover as much ground as Kuechly on film) but moves well for his size and is still fast enough to make plays outside the box and in pursuit.

Hightower and Kuechly are different players on third down, as well. While Kuechly is at his best making plays in underneath zone coverage, Hightower's game is rushing the passer. He has the flexibility and speed to provide pressure off the edge in addition to the instincts, hands and burst to provide pressure up the middle. In fact, he could even play outside linebacker in a 3-4.

Tennessee drafted Colin McCarthy in the fourth round last year, but the Titans' taking Hightower with the 20th overall pick is an interesting possibility for two reasons. First, they need to strengthen the interior run defense. Secondly, they need to build on the signing of free agent Kamerion Wimbley and continue to address the pass rush after finishing with the second-fewest sacks (28) in the NFL last season.



Mychal Kendricks, California (85)
One of the first things scouts consider when evaluating inside linebackers is whether they have to come off the field on pass-heavy downs, and Kendricks passes that test with flying colors. The speed he showed at the combine (4.47) shows up on film in his ability to provide pressure off the edge and locate seams in the protection when he blitzes up the middle, and he can match up in man coverage and shows above-average range in zone coverage.

At 5-11⅛ and 239 pounds, Kendricks will get engulfed by blockers at times and doesn't read blocks as well when tracking the ball, but his quickness makes it tough for offensive linemen to get their hands on him when teams don't run right at him, and he is a sideline-to-sideline run defender who tackles well.

The Houston Texans traded ILB DeMeco Ryans to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier in the offseason, and while Darryl Sharpton should compete for the job, he's coming of a season-ending quadriceps injury. Houston is likely to address a need at wide receiver or offensive tackle at No. 26 overall, but if Kendricks is available to the Texans late in the second round, he would make a lot of sense. Kendricks' range and athletic ability would be a nice complement to Cushing's strength and toughness in the middle.



Utah State's Bobby Wagner (65)
Wagner (6-0¼, 241) is a disciplined run defender with above-average instincts and range, thanks in part to sound pursuit angles. He could shed blockers more quickly at times, but Wagner flashes above-average upper-body strength so he's capable of improving in this area. On third down, he's an instinctive pass-rusher who exploits weaknesses in protection and tracks the quarterback as he works upfield. And while he has limited man-to-man cover skills, Wagner is rangy and he uses his hands to reroute receivers.

Chicago is an interesting possibility in the middle rounds because Brian Urlacher turns 34 this year and free-agent signing Blake Costanzo isn't the long-term answer. Wagner has enough range to drop to the deep middle in the Bears' Tampa 2 scheme, and like any other young linebacker he would benefit from playing behind Urlacher and WLB Lance Briggs.



James-Michael Johnson, Nevada (64)
The main reason Johnson doesn't grade out higher is his instincts. Four-year starters who take as many false steps as he does on film raise a red flag. However, there is a lot to like otherwise when it comes to defending the run.

Johnson (6-1⅛, 241) has the long arms (32⅞ inches) and upper-body strength (23 reps on the 225-pound bench press) to keep blockers off his frame when teams run at him. He also has above-average speed (4.68) and flashes the ability to chase backs down from behind. While his awareness and footwork raise concerns about his ability to contribute on third down right away, he has the natural ability to develop adequate coverage and pass-rush skills.

Detroit could target Johnson in the fourth round thanks in part to his versatility. Lions MLB Stephen Tulloch is back in the fold, but his production dipped last season in his first year in Detroit and the team struggled to slow the inside running game. Johnson could improve the depth and competition there, and he also has the ability to provide depth behind SLB Justin Durant.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Man, I've been on this guy since day one, but..

Doug Martin emerging as the second-best back in the NFL draft | ProFootballTalk

 

[Yadahell]

NFL Draft: Instant Impact Prospects | National Football Post

 

[ChrisPozz]

NFL.com news: Janoris Jenkins' continued problems could be issue on draft day

 

[I_am_1z]

Man, I've been on this guy since day one, but..

Doug Martin emerging as the second-best back in the NFL draft | ProFootballTalk

Are you agreeing with the article title? Is he the 2nd best RB in the draft?

Trent Richardson
Lamar Miller
David Wilson
Even Ronnie Hillman, IMO, are better backs