The Official 2014 Lions Draft Thread

[Old Lion]

In this years draft: What if?

Clowney falls and both Mack and Watkins are still there at 10? What do you do? Pick one? trade out?

 

[RobBase]

Why is he falling? Drugs? Beats up Women? Gay? I need to know the reason first.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Old Lion...... LMAO


That was pretty much how my thought process went. I still like to read countless article's. I simply draw my own conclusion on the subject matter. Knowledge is POWER.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

I wouldn't care what the reasons are/were. Clowney in a landslide. Ansah, Suh, Fairley, Clowney as a D-Line.....

 

[jalopy]

I really don't think Van Noy lasts until the Lions pick in the second round. I think he goes late 1st.

Yeah, I probably agree with that. Like I've said before, it is an exercise in futility trying to guess how the draft will go before free agency gets going. For instance, if the Lions go out and sign 2 OLB in free agency, I don't think many people will be calling for Mack or Barr.

 

[Rollingthndr]

I wouldn't care what the reasons are/were. Clowney in a landslide. Ansah, Suh, Fairley, Clowney as a D-Line.....

.... It's Clowney then a drop off, Watkins/Robinson then a drop off. I might be wrong on Mack but dude played teams like Stoney Brook on the regular. Guy needs to put up some impressive numbers at the combine for me to be sold 100% on him.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Yeah, I probably agree with that. Like I've said before, it is an exercise in futility trying to guess how the draft will go before free agency gets going. For instance, if the Lions go out and sign 2 OLB in free agency, I don't think many people will be calling for Mack or Barr.

Not just that. When Seattle drafted West Virginia's Bruce Irvin he was ranked anywhere from 39-78 on the big boards (McShay, Kiper, CBS) and he was taken top 15.

Seeing what teams do in FA can lead us to cross off some needs for teams but there always exists many surprises. Minny taking DT Shariff Floyd was ranked top 10-12 last year and fell all the way down to 25 or so...

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

.... It's Clowney then a drop off, Watkins/Robinson then a drop off. I might be wrong on Mack but dude played teams like Stoney Brook on the regular. Guy needs to put up some impressive numbers at the combine for me to be sold 100% on him.

I can understand why people question the talent he played against and all the records he set versus that competition but watching him on the field reminds me of the way Kuechly played college LB. An Absolute terror on the field.

I realize Mack is a top 10 prospect but your eyes should confirm what you see on the field. from most players. It can go both ways too. Look at ex-LB's Aaron Curry (Wake Forest) or Rolando McClain (Bama) so a Big_time SEC player who all talking heads touted as the next Ray Lewis failed. Seattle's Bobby Wagner (granted a 2nd rd pick) came from Utah ST. Cortland Finnegan from Samford (where is that school, Birmingham AL., played in the southern conference).

 

[RobBase]

Mack dominated in the Ohio State game.

I guess Clowney falling would be similar to Fairly falling. We still need CB's. Pass rush is only good for as long as the WR's can be covered.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Mack dominated in the Ohio State game.

I guess Clowney falling would be similar to Fairly falling. We still need CB's. Pass rush is only good for as long as the WR's can be covered.

Getting a FS that can lock down the deep/centerfield would be a major help too all the way around including the DL/rush LB's

Having an "NFL proven blanket/press/man cover corner" takes half the field away. I sure as hell can't say Dennard or Gilbert will provide that this year or next year or ever. They might project from a scouts perspective being capable of doing so.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

In the NFL, speed matters. So it's little wonder that the 40-yard dash is annually one of the most hotly anticipated drills at the NFL Scouting Combine. Running a blistering time is one of the quickest ways for a prospect to build buzz, especially if he can nab the title of combine's fastest. Think of how receiver Marquise Goodwin turned heads in 2013 after he posted a 4.27-second 40 -- the best time in five years.
Who will go down as the fastest player in Indianapolis this year? Here's a list of five candidates with a great shot:
1) Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State

NFL Scouting Combine


​

» Participants | Top performers | Results tracker

Combine coverage:
» Mayock's position-by-position prospect rankings
» Position focus: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB
» Brandt: Who will be combine's breakout star?
» Jeremiah: 2014 combine's fastest players
» Brooks: Freaks and flops of recent combines
» College Football 24/7 Podcast: Latest draft buzz

Photos:
» Mind-blowing stats for the combine
» NFL Scouting Combine through the years
» Combine's best: The 40 | Bench press | Broad jump

Video:
» Mayock explains importance of combine workouts
» Players to watch at 2014 combine


I asked several area scouts and personnel executives to give me the names of a few players that they thought would run blazing times, and Gilbert's name was easily the most mentioned during those discussions. He's a very big cornerback, checking in at 6-foot, 200 pounds -- and still, it's easy to notice his breakaway speed in the return game and his make-up speed in coverage. To use a scouting term, Gilbert has "easy speed." He doesn't labor when he runs and he picks up ground in a hurry. He's expected to run in the mid-to-low 4.3s.
2) Dri Archer, RB, Kent State


Archer battled injuries during the 2013 campaign, and his numbers subsequently took a dramatic hit; after rushing for 1,429 yards during his junior season, he was limited to 527 yards this fall. That said, when he's fully healthy, Archer is one of the most explosive players in the country. In the 2012 season, he recorded eight games in which he produced a run of 40 yards or more. Archer also has an impressive track-and-field résumé. He finished second in the 100-meter final of the Florida high school state track meet, beating out former Michigan quarterback and current Jacksonville Jaguars running back Denard Robinson, who took third. At last year's combine, Robinson ran a 4.43 40.
3) De'Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon


Thomas had an extremely productive career at Oregon, averaging a ridiculous 7.8 yards per carry and posting four touchdowns on kick returns. Those numbers reflect his speed and explosiveness. He also has legitimate track speed, having posted the fastest time in the 200 meters (20.61 seconds) by a high school track athlete in the nation during the 2010 season; additionally, he competed on the Oregon track team. It wouldn't surprise anyone in the scouting community if Thomas ended up posting the fastest time in Indy.
4) Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State


Cooks has a track background (he set the Oregon State record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.81 seconds in 2012) and his suddenness was easy to spot when I studied him on tape. Everyone in Corvallis, Ore., has told NFL scouts that Cooks is going to test much better than former Beavers receiver Markus Wheaton, who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds at last year's combine before being drafted in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. I think Cooks has a legitimate shot at running a sub-4.40 40.
5) Paul Richardson, WR, Colorado


Debate: Most exciting prospect?

Sammy Watkins is just one of the prospects expected to dazzle at the combine. Our analysts discuss who they can't wait to see. READ



Though he has a very thin build, Richardson is an explosive athlete who bursts off the line of scrimmage in his release and can find another gear once the ball is in the air. He has been compared to Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, who has a similar frame and explosiveness. I don't think Richardson is quite as polished as Jackson as a route-runner, but I do believe he can match Jackson's top speed. Richardson posted respectable track times while in high school (10.62 seconds in the 100-meter dash) and he should produce one of the best times at the combine.
Other top candidates: Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson; Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor; Robert Herron, WR, Wyoming; Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU; Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State; Tevin Reese, WR, Baylor.
Follow Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter @MoveTheSticks.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Xavier Su'a-Filo set to be combine's breakout star

• 
• By Gil Brandt
• NFL Media senior analyst

INDIANAPOLIS -- For a handful of football players, freshly removed from the amateur ranks, the next seven days or so will represent the most important time they'll spend in the pre-draft process.

NFL Scouting Combine
​

Their resumes have been mostly built on their days in college, and for the vast majority of the 335 players who will attend the NFL Scouting Combine here nothing will change.
But for some, this will make or break their draft standing.
My NFL.com colleague Bucky Brooks did a nice job this week discussing the freaks and flops of previous combines, guys who made and lost a lot of money from their four-day stay in Indianapolis.
Last year I predicted the stock for EJ Manuel and Cordarrelle Patterson would soar coming out of the combine. Both players entered Indy with second-day grades. Both, because of their showings, were taken in the first round of the draft.
This year, the player who I believe will make the biggest jump is UCLA OG Xavier Su'a-Filo.
Su'a-Filo has an interesting backstory, having served a two-year Mormon mission that split up his college career. He started 13 games at left tackle for the Bruins as a freshman in 2009 (becoming the first UCLA player ever to start from Day 1), was gone for the next two years on the mission in Florida and Alabama, then returned to become UCLA's full-time starter at left guard. He gave up his final year of college eligibility to enter the draft.
Su'a-Filo, who is scheduled to work out with Group 2 on Friday, will have an opportunity at the combine to show off his athleticism and speed, which should be enough to land him in the first round of the draft. Right now, most teams have assigned him a second-day grade, but he'll move up.
And the team that drafts him will have a Day 1 starter at guard.
Follow Gil Brandt on Twitter @Gil_Brandt.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

With the NFL Scouting Combine beginning on Feb. 22, Mike Mayock unveils the first of his position-by-position rankings for the 2014 NFL Draft.
Quarterback
1. Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville
2. Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
3. Blake Bortles, Central Florida
4. Derek Carr, Fresno State
5. AJ McCarron, Alabama

NFL Scouting Combine


​

» Participants | Top performers | Results tracker



Running back
1. Carlos Hyde, Ohio State
2. Jeremy Hill, LSU
3. Bishop Sankey, Washington
4. Andre Williams, Boston College
5. Tre Mason, Auburn
Wide receiver
1. Sammy Watkins, Clemson
2. Marqise Lee, USC
3. Mike Evans, Texas A&M
4. Kelvin Benjamin, Florida State
5. Jarvis Landry, LSU
Tight end
1. Eric Ebron, North Carolina
2. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington
3. Jace Amaro, Texas Tech
4. Troy Niklas, Notre Dame
5. C.J. Fiedorowicz, Iowa
Center
1. Marcus Martin, USC
2. Weston Richburg, Colorado State
3. Travis Swanson, Arkansas
4. Bryan Stork, Florida State
5. Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma
Guard
1. David Yankey, Stanford
2. Xavier Su'a-Filo, UCLA
3. Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State
4. Chris Watt, Notre Dame
5. Cyril Richardson, Baylor
Offensive tackle
1. Jake Matthews, Texas A&M
2. Greg Robinson, Auburn
3. Taylor Lewan, Michigan
4. Zack Martin, Notre Dame
5. Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama
Defensive tackle
1. Louis Nix III, Notre Dame
2. Timmy Jernigan, Florida State
3. Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh
4. Ra'Shede Hageman, Minnesota
5. Dominique Easley, Florida
Defensive end
1. Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina
2. Kony Ealy, Missouri
3. Dee Ford, Auburn
4. Scott Crichton, Oregon State
5. Trent Murphy, Stanford


Linebacker
1. Khalil Mack, Buffalo
2. C.J. Mosley, Alabama
3. Anthony Barr, UCLA
4. Chris Borland, Wisconsin
5. Ryan Shazier, Ohio State
Cornerback
1. Darqueze Dennard, Michigan State
2. Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma State
3. Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech
4. Jason Verrett, TCU
5. Bradley Roby, Ohio State
Safety
1. Calvin Pryor, Louisville
2. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Alabama
3. Lamarcus Joyner, Florida State
4. Jimmie Ward, Northern Illinois
5. Deone Bucannon, Washington State

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

INDIANAPOLIS -- Steelers GM Kevin Colbert thinks this year's draft class is the deepest he's seen, but it's also the most immature class he's evaluated in his 30 years in the profession.
"Experience has told us that a lot of these younger players aren't ready for this," Colbert said Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine. "It's a huge leap. I don't think a lot of them understand that until they actually get on a playing field and see the increase in the quality of play."


He's hinted before that this year's class is heavy with players unready for the NFL, but this was strongest critique yet of the group.
"We have to be prepared for more player development-type programs or maybe enhancing your player development so as to get the most out of these younger players."
With a record number of underclassmen declaring for this year's draft, it won't be a surprise to hear other personnel executives share similar views during the week in Indy.
Many of the underclassmen, including Jadeveon Clowney and Johnny Manziel, are among the highest-rated prospects available this year, and the juniors and redshirt sophomores that declared will be getting a particularly close look from teams at the combine. Given their shorter careers, there's less game tape available to evaluate than there is for seniors, and that means more work during the draft process for general managers to find out just what they're getting in a younger prospect.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Mind-blowing stats for the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine

Can a strong performance at the combine predict NFL success?

NFL success

Since 2002, many notable players have made it onto an NFL roster without attending the combine. That list includes Victor Cruz in 2010 (undrafted), Jay Ratliff in 2005 (seventh round, 224th overall), Wes Welker in 2004 (undrafted), Osi Umenyiora in 2003 (second round, 56th overall) and James Harrison in 2002 (undrafted).

Draft picks
Over the last eight drafts, on average, the first player picked that did not attend the NFL Scouting Combine has been selected with the 90th pick. The earliest drafted non-combine invitees since 2006 have been Duron Harmon in 2013 (third round, 91st overall by the Patriots), Tavon Wilson in 2012 (second round, 48th overall by the Patriots), Kris Durham in 2011 (fourth round, 107th overall by the Seahawks), Jacques McClendon in 2010 (fourth round, 129th overall by the Colts), Mike Mitchell in 2009 (second round, 47th overall by the Raiders), William Hayes in 2008 (fourth round, 104th overall by the Titans), Usama Young in 2007 (third round, 66th overall by the Saints) and Domenik Hixon in 2006 (fourth round, 130th overall by the Broncos).

Tight ends

This year, 22 tight ends were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, the most to have been invited from that position since 2002. In the last 10 years, 17 tight ends have run the 40-yard dash in 4.60 seconds or less and all 17 have been drafted, including Vernon Davis (4.40 in 2006), Jimmy Graham (4.56 in 2010), and Jordan Cameron (4.59 in 2011). During the last 10 years, no tight end has run over a 5.00 second 40-yard dash and been drafted in rounds 1-4.

Receivers

In the last five years, 15 wide receivers have run a sub-4.40 40-yard dash. Of those 15, Mike Wallace is the only player to produce a 1,000-yard season (2010 and 2011). Wallace, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Johnny Knox are the only three players to have even reached 1,000 career receiving yards. The receiver with the best 40-yard dash time, Marquise Goodwin (4.27 in 2013), had 17 receptions for 283 yards and 3 touchdowns for the Bills last season.

Roll Tide

Over 20 percent of the players invited to the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine are from SEC schools, with a total of 71 players invited from those schools. Of those 71 players from the SEC, 12 are from the University of Alabama -- more than the entire MAC Conference is sending to Indianapolis (10). The conference with the second most players invited to this year's combine is the ACC with 48 players.

Roll Tide

Over 20 percent of the players invited to the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine are from SEC schools, with a total of 71 players invited from those schools. Of those 71 players from the SEC, 12 are from the University of Alabama -- more than the entire MAC Conference is sending to Indianapolis (10). The conference with the second most players invited to this year's combine is the ACC with 48 players.

First round

Over the last 10 years, just 14 players not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine have been selected in the first three rounds of the NFL draft.

Combine as Path to the Draft

Since 1985, when each NFL team began participating in the combine, only three players have been selected in the first round of the draft without attending the combine. Those three make up 0.34 percent of the 874 first rounders selected in the last 29 years (since the combine began). Cornerback Darrien Gordon (drafted out of Stanford, 22nd overall in 1993 by the Chargers) is the last player selected in the first round who was not invited to the combine. The only other two players drafted in the first round who were not invited to the combine are defensive end Aaron Jones (1988 -- 18th overall by the Steelers) and defensive tackle Eric Swann (1991 -- sixth overall by the Cardinals). Swann did not attend college and was not eligible to be invited under combine policy.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Sammy Watkins should be class of WRs at 2014 combine - NFL.com

Austin Seferian-Jenkins should be top TE performer at combine - NFL.com

Jadeveon Clowney, Michael Sam top DLs to watch at combine - NFL.com

Taylor Lewan, Seantrel Henderson seek momentum at combine - NFL.com

Anthony Barr, Ryan Shazier lead LBs seeking big combine - NFL.com

Darqueze Dennard, Bradley Roby top DBs to watch at combine - NFL.com

 

[lionstop1]

Some of us have been mentioning Evans quite a bit and the fact that a lot rides in his 40 time.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Trade Down 1st rd.? Who do U Target ?

Should the expected occur; Clowney, Jake Matthews, G. Robinson, Watkins and Mack be gone before our slot at #10, who would you target and why ? How far would you be willing to trade down ? With 6 picks this year, not counting a possible 4th or 5th round compensation pick for losing Cherilous, would it not be beneficial to acquire additional picks (possibly 1-2 slots drop down at a time should a trade become available) in an attempt to hit on those picks ? All prospects are suspects until proven they're NFL caliber players...We have a lot of depth issues and there still exists very good talent in this draft thru the 4th or maybe even early portion of the 5th round. Because of Mike Thomas, we have no 5th round pick this year.

2014 NFL Draft Trade Value Chart

 

[Clayton]

Some of us have been mentioning Evans quite a bit and the fact that a lot rides in his 40 time.

Imo, his 40 time doesn't mean squat. He is slow on the football field. A team shouldn't be drafting him for his speed. They should be drafting him for his ability to catch the football

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Imo, his 40 time doesn't mean squat. He is slow on the football field. A team shouldn't be drafting him for his speed. They should be drafting him for his ability to catch the football

Alshon Jeffrey doesn't possess great speed