Draft - Football Wiretap

Risdon's Second Round Breakdown

Sep 21, 2014 8:55 AM

Illinois Draftees: The fact that four Illinois players were drafted before any players from Ohio State, Michigan, Florida, or Texas is astonishing ... especially if you watched Illini football. This comes on the heels of two Illinois defenders (Martez Wilson and Corey Liuget) going last year. I like Whitney Mercilus and the range he went on Thursday (26th to Houston), but A.J. Jenkins went at least twenty picks early. Jeff Allen was a solid pickup by the Chiefs to bolster their OL, although like Jenkins he probably went a half-round early. And then there is safety Tavon Wilson. I would like to say something intelligent about New England, but I never really considered him a remote possibility to be drafted so I did not spend any time on him. This is a much bigger reach than when the Raiders took Mike Mitchell of Ohio University in a similar spot three years ago. Rams Recap: The St. Louis Rams certainly had an interesting Friday. With the first pick of the night they took Appalachian State wideout Brian Quick, a long-levered project that I like more than most but who is not ready to contribute much in 2012. They came right back and took the bait on Janoris Jenkins, the notorious pothead/bastard factory who also happens to be an exceptionally talented cover man. In the predraft show Jenkins appeared on camera in a bandanna and tank top, looking more like he was heading to the park to play some pickup hoops than having the biggest night of his life. That is not exactly a good sign if he cannot acquiesce to common sense for his big moment. To his credit he did well on camera once the draft started and his daughter is one cute kid. But I digress... Jenkins is a huge risk, and that risk is exacerbated by the coaching situation. Gregg Williams was going to run the defense before he got busted and suspended. There are experienced coaches all over the place with Jeff Fisher, Chuck Cecil, and Dave McGinnis, but right now there is no defensive coordinator. This is also not a team with a notably strong locker room, though Chris Long and James Laurinaitis certainly command respect. To make things more interesting, the Rams took Montana DB Trumaine Johnson in the third round. Johnson is also a project and comes from a zone scheme. It appears the team is going to transition him to safety, once again without a true defensive coordinator. I really like the Isaiah Pead selection, as he is the perfect complement to Steven Jackson as the No. 2 running back. I sense Rams fans will grow impatient with this draft class. Packers, Giants Pick Well: From the "rich get richer" files, look at what the Packers and Giants came away with on Friday. Green Bay picked Jerel Worthy at #51 overall. Worthy is every bit as good as 2011 #13 overall pick Nick Fairley and the same sort of disruptive, in-your-face sort of attacking defensive lineman. He dominates when he guesses the snap count correctly, and he slips into gaps with a rare litheness for a man of his girth. The Packers badly needed an infusion of attitude up front, and they got it. He should pair nicely with first-round pick Nick Perry, who I am not overly enthusiastic about but was worth the shot where they got him. They followed that with Vandy corner Casey Hayward, a ball-hawking zone corner that is excellent insurance against Tramon Williams forgetting how to play once again. For a defense that places emphasis on forcing turnovers, he is an excellent fit even though he drops a fair share of INTs and tackles by diving at feet. The Giants, meanwhile, added Rueben Randle and Jayron Hosley to go with final pick of the first round David Wilson. Randle unexpectedly fell; he was still in the green room at Radio City until the final pick of the second round. I have heard several theories but the most credible is that Randle was not very good on the white board when teams interviewed him. No team develops talent better than the Giants, so even though I buy into the axiom that "everyone that falls, falls for a reason," this is the best possible landing spot for Randle. Hosley had borderline first-round talent but had a positive drug test and measured in shorter and slighter than expected. He remained the #4 corner on my board for his ball skills, enthusiastic run support, and field awareness, plus I am a sucker for Hokie DBs. Fellow Virginia Tech runner Wilson capably fills the Brandon Jacobs hole with more dynamic outside ability, though he is almost freakishly bad in short yardage situations (15 attempts, just 6 first downs with two fumbles and 5 carries for loss on 3rd and less than 3 in 2011) and has some injury issues. If healthy and used properly, Wilson is a great value at #32. Cincinnati Defense: The Cincinnati Bengals have some ridiculous depth on defense, which should make for a spirited training camp as the depth chart gets sorted out. Friday saw the Bengals take defensive tackles Devon Still from Penn State in the second and Brandon Thompson from Clemson in the third. Both have very good physical talent but do not always play to it, particularly Thompson. Still was widely considered a first rounder until recent weeks, while Thompson was in the top 60 of most draftniks and the Bengals got him at #93. But in a rotation with solid starters Domata Peko and Geno Atkins, they get to compete for the same active roster spot. I love that philosophy; dangle the carrot and see how bad they want it. They have five one-time first-round picks at cornerback, including Dre Kirkpatrick this year, that also get to fight it out. They also added Rutgers WR Mohamed Sanu, a great value in the third round and a classy redemptive move by the Bengals to Sanu, who was pranked by someone claiming to be the Bengals on Thursday night. Detroit Reaction: My Detroit Lions made me a very happy fan by taking Oklahoma WR Ryan Broyles and Louisiana Lafayette CB Dwight Bill Bentley. Broyles was the best inside receiver in this draft, an uncoverable demon underneath coming out of the slot. He is the all-time NCAA reception leader even though he tore his ACL in early November, and what happened to the Sooners offense in his absence demonstrates his value; QB Landry Jones went from a potential top 10 pick in this draft to maybe a third round pick in 2013 instantly. With Nate Burleson still under contract for another year, the Lions do not have to rush his recovery and then the base offense going forward looks like this: Matt Stafford throwing to Calvin Johnson, Titus Young, Broyles, and Brandon Pettigrew behind an upgraded line (hello Riley Reiff!) with 2011 second round pick Mikel Leshoure or even Jahvid Best. That unit is going to score a lot of points, and that makes me like the Bentley pick even more. He was one of my favorite players in this draft, a physical, aggressive, cocksure slot corner that is built to handle the Percy Harvins and Randall Cobbs of the world. He has his warts -- lacks great speed, average tackler, lacks ideal size, marginal competition -- but during Senior Bowl week he was better than Janoris Jenkins and proved he could more than hang with the big boys. GM Martin Mayhew is building his team to win its division and I love it. Jaguars Baffle: Jacksonville is noted for truly baffling draft picks, and this year is no exception. In the third round they chose Cal punter Bryan Anger. That is right, punter in the third round. I am not crazy about second round pick Andre Branch either, though Branch does have intriguing potential as a pass rushing end and was not a reach where they got him. I will say this with conviction: no specialist should ever be taken before the 6th round, period. There have been two exceptions in the last 35 years and both play for the Raiders right now, Sebastian Janikowski and Shane Lechler. Titans Win: I count the Tennessee Titans as winners on Friday as well, though I think they could have done even better. Zack Brown can fly all over the field and is quick to react and close, though he is not as instinctive or physical as Lavonte David, who went a few spots later. I love Michigan DT Mike Martin in the third round. He will never be a Pro Bowler but Martin is going to have a long, solid career and offers enough skill to stay on the field for three downs if needed. Mixed Reaction In Philadelphia: Philly fans got a lot of reason to cheer and a little to boo, as they do better than any other fan base. Cheer for Cal LB Mychael Kendricks, an undersized, play-making missile who will be excellent alongside Demeco Ryans. Cheer for Vinny Curry, adding more depth to the edge pass rush and insurance against Jason Babin reverting to bust status and the ongoing inability of Brandon Graham to stay on the field. Curry is one of the most natural pass rushers in this draft and fits the wide-nine scheme to a T. Boo for Arizona QB Nick Foles, an absolute reach in the third round. I know the Wildcats had turmoil around him and he still improved on his completion percentage, but Foles is Charlie Frye 2.0, a doe in the headlights. Hair Note: Can ESPN hire whoever does hair for Mel Kiper to work on Jon Gruden? Kiper has subtly toned down the volume without losing the trademark vigorous and impeccable look, but Gruden appears to have a stringy, greasy mop on his head. Kudos to Brian Billick for shaving his ridiculous looking full beard over on the NFL Network, and can someone hire this guy to coach again please? The best players available: Ole Miss T Bobby Massie Georgia CB Brandon Boykin Cal WR Marvin Jones Boise State S George Iloka Washington NT Alameda Ta’Amu Arizona WR Juron Criner Oklahoma LB Ronnell Lewis Arkansas WR Greg Childs Tennessee DE Malik Jackson Arkansas WR Jarius Wright Utah State RB Robert Turbin Georgia OL Ben Jones Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins San Diego State LB Miles Burris South Carolina S Antonio Allen Michigan State WR Keshawn Martin Nevada LB James Michael-Johnson Florida DT Jaye Howard Texas LB Keenan Robinson Iowa CB Shaun Prater Virginia DE Cam Johnson Oregon LB Josh Kaddu Coastal Carolina CB Josh Norman Alabama DB DeQuan Menzie NC State LB Terrell Manning Nevada WR Rishard Matthews Tennessee RB Tauren Poole Texas A&M RB Cyrus Gray Iowa WR Marvin McNutt

Jeff Risdon/RealGM

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Mohamed Sanu Of Rutgers Targeted In Draft Hoax

Nov 29, 2014 7:07 AM

Rutgers wide receiver Mohamed Sanu was the victim of a draft-night prank, leading him to believe he was selected by the Bengals in the first round on Thursday night. Sanu received a phone call from someone identifying himself as a member of the Bengals before Cincinnati made the 27th overall pick. The receiver and his draft party celebrated until everyone saw the name of guard Kevin Zeitler flash across the TV screen as the team's selection. "Everybody's going nuts in his home. He's like, 'I can't hear you, Mike, I'll call you soon,' " agent Mike McCartney told The Star-Ledger. "His brother calls me and he's euphoric and going nuts. We're all kind of high-fiving over the phone. And I said, 'They're about to show it on ESPN. I'll call you later.' "And then they show (Kevin) Zeitler." Sanu is over the prank and is looking forward to Friday night, when Rounds 2 and 3 of the draft will be held.

Associated Press

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Risdon's First Round Breakdown

Sep 3, 2014 12:12 AM

Favorite pick: RG3 to Washington. I know, copout pick, but this guy is a star in the making and that franchise desperately needs someone exactly like that. Robert Griffin III is going to be a pretty damn fine quarterback too. I love Michael Floyd to Arizona and Melvin Ingram to the Chargers too. Most pleasant surprise: David Decastro falling to Pittsburgh. I’m admittedly not his biggest fan but his skill set is an outstanding fit at a position of dire need for the Steelers. I mocked Amini Silatolu (more on him later) because I didn’t expect Decastro to still be available. The Steelers liked the depth at linebacker that they can get on Friday a lot more than they liked the O-line possibilities. In other words, they let the draft come to them and got what they wanted, and they’ll do the same in Rounds 2-3. Biggest surprise: Almost everyone is going to say Bruce Irvin, but I knew he was going in the first round. Granted he went higher than I thought (I mocked him to New England at 31) but the bigger shock was Dallas moving way up and getting Morris Claiborne. It’s a bold move and they paid a steep price, giving up #14 and their 2nd round pick at #45, but Claiborne was the best defensive player in this draft. Last year, the Cowboys struggled mightily in pass defense, and between the signing of Brandon Carr and trading up for Claiborne they have aggressively addressed it. I was thrilled the move was for Claiborne and not Mark Barron as widely expected, though now safety really sticks out as a glaring hole. Most underappreciated pick: Tennessee taking Kendall Wright at #20. The Baylor wideout has the kind of speed that can dictate coverages, and that can only help Jake Locker as he transitions to full-time starter at quarterback. He’s also quite proficient at catching bubble screens and quick-hit tosses and turning them into big plays. That’s important because while Wright’s calling card is deep speed, remember Locker completed just 32.7% of his passes longer than 18 yards his last year in college. By way of comparison, RG3 was at 52%. Worst move: Minnesota trading up a few spots to get Harrison Smith. Minnesota gave up #35 and #98 to obtain the 29th pick from Baltimore and take the Notre Dame safety. The only team picking between #29 and #35 that could have any feasible interest in Smith was the Ravens themselves, so the Vikings essentially surrendered six draft slots and another top 100 pick to make a move they didn’t have to make to get Smith. I know they desperately need a safety and this class is real thin, but Rick Speilman out-thunk himself here. Most overrated pick: I’m going to put aside my complete disbelief that Chandler Jones is a first round pick and go with the Eagles trading up to get Fletcher Cox. Why? He’s an interior pass rusher on a team that doesn’t lack for pass rushing oomph. Their defense stunk last year at stopping the run and containing the middle of the field. I don’t see how an attacking hybrid DE/DT helps that more than an accomplished run stuffer with arguably equal upside in Michael Brockers still on the board. I’m not thrilled with San Francisco taking A.J. Jenkins either, even though I do tend to like Jenkins more than a lot of people; they took him at least 15 picks prematurely. Lions reaction: I’m a Lions fan and I’m pretty satisfied with Riley Reiff. For months I’ve labeled him Jeff Backus 2.0, and now they will be the bookend tackles protecting Matt Stafford. Like Backus, Reiff is a very good run blocker but struggles with edge rushers that have more than one way to beat him. He’s an immediate upgrade over the frustrating Gosder Cherilus at right tackle, but I’m secretly hoping Reiff (pronounced Reef) pushes Cherilus to thrive in his contract year. That would allow Reiff to play LT and Backus to shift in to guard, where he is better suited at this point. I’m happy GM Martin Mayhew didn’t force it with a defensive end or corner, although Whitney Mercilus would have been nice. Browns reaction: Being from Cleveland, I know I have an inordinate amount of readers who are Browns fans. I really like the aggressive move up to secure Trent Richardson at #3. Holmgren and Heckert took no chances that Tampa Bay could jump ahead of them and swipe Richardson, and this also reaffirms that the team is building to compete in their own division. The late-round picks surrendered to move up were unlikely to crack the active lineup any time soon, not with the Browns still holding so many other picks. The Brandon Weeden pick is a bit of a surprise; not that they took him but that they took him in the 1st round. I’ll trust in the opinion that Weeden would not have lasted until #37. Picking him here and given his age, this almost ensures he will be starting ahead of Colt McCoy by November. As long as they come out of the next three rounds with at least one wideout and an offensive lineman, I think the Weeden pick is worth the chance. Coverage: Loved that the networks agreed to not give away the picks by showing players getting on the phone. That sentiment is shared almost universally and I’m happy they listened to the overwhelming negative feedback from a year ago. The TV coverage was often two picks behind the Twitter feed though. I also appreciated the downsizing of on-camera talent by ESPN. Mel Kiper was solid as always and Gruden is eminently fascinating if not a bit scary, while Chris Berman remains the consummate ringleader and facilitator. My best players available: 1. Courtney Upshaw 2. Amini Silatolu 3. Devon Still 4. Lavonte David 5. Vinny Curry 6. Jerel Worthy 7. Janoris Jenkins 8. Bobby Massie 9. Cordy Glenn 10. Rueben Randle 11. Lamar Miller 12. Brandon Boykin A quick mock of the next 15 picks: 33. Rams--Rueben Randle, WR, LSU 34. Colts--Colby Fleener, TE, Stanford 35. Ravens--Amini Silatolu, G, Midwestern State 36. Broncos--Devon Still, DT, Penn State 37. Browns--Cordy Glenn, G/T, Georgia 38. Jaguars--Courtney Upshaw, DE, Alabama 39. Rams--Lamar Miller, RB, Miami FL 40. Panthers--Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall 41. Bills--Bobby Massie, T, Ole Miss 42. Dolphins--Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech 43. Seahawks--Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska 44. Chiefs--Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State 45. Rams--Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia 46. Eagles--Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona State 47. Jets--Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina Thanks to all who played along on Twitter and on the RealGM NFL Draft board. I’ll be back for the attack Friday night!

Jeff Risdon/RealGM

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Dre Kirkpatrick 'Dropping' On Draft Boards

May 19, 2014 7:37 AM

With the 2012 NFL Draft just hours away, Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick is "dropping" on draft boards. "The truth is that he was already lower than the media believed," writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "Which, as more information trickles out about the actual content of draft boards, creates the impression that the player is dropping."

Pro Football Talk

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RealGM's Final 2012 NFL Mock Draft

Aug 7, 2014 3:05 PM

In years past I have tried a little too hard to get very single player/slot pick right. I consciously backed off that a little here, but probably not as much as I should. I’m not someone who takes the accuracy of my final mock all that seriously, and that’s a good thing because this is the most unpredictable year I can recall since 2006. As always, this mock represents what I think might happen with the given pick. It does not represent what I personally would do in the same situation. And beyond the first 40 picks, pay far more attention to the player and slot than the player and team. 1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford. No suspense here, nor should there be. 2. Washington Redskins (from STL): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor. New face of the franchise is a no-brainer move. 3. Minnesota Vikings: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU. I had this mocked over a month ago and everyone thought I was crazy. Now the sheeple are flocking to this idea. I still think it could be Kalil, but I’ll stick to Claiborne because Leslie Frazier is not a man with deceptive motives. 4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama. When the Browns have been competitive the last decade, it’s been with a strong, pounding runner like Jamal Lewis or Peyton Hillis. The Dawg Pound gets a bone with Richardson. Or someone (Jets?) trades up here to get him. 5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Matt Kalil, T, USC. Kalil will fall no further than #5, even if it’s not the Bucs that pick him. I do not buy the Luke Kuechly talk even though I do greatly respect some of the sources from where that is emanating. 6. St. Louis Rams (from WAS): Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State. Jeff Fisher knows he needs a commanding presence inside to take pressure off Chris Long. Cox will be free to attack at all with a stud like Laurinaitis behind him. Blackmon makes sense as well but I think they go defense. 7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State. Blaine Gabbert fully endorses this pick, as Blackmon is great at turning short routes into long gains. There is talk of Melvin Ingram or even Chandler Jones, but if this plays out I can’t see them passing on Blackmon. Now if they trade… 8. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M. A specific message here to the draftnik community on Twitter--Don’t overthink this, people…season ticket sales are down 35% in three years, and the owner wants a marquee QB come hell or high water to convince recalcitrant fans he is serious about building a winner. It might not make sense to you, but it makes sense to Stephen Ross and he’s the guy making this pick. 9. Carolina Panthers: Quentin Coples, DE, North Carolina. This could be low for Coples as he is certainly in play for both JAX and MIA above here, but his versatility up front makes him ideal for Ron Rivera’s defense. I could see Melvin Ingram or Kuechly here too. 10. Buffalo Bills: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame. It’s not their biggest need, but Floyd is the kind of receiver that can dictate coverage and open up the offense to Chan Gailey’s creativity. I’ve got an inkling they like the offensive tackle prospects available later on just as much as what they could get here. 11. Kansas City Chiefs: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College. One of the guys that Kuechly most reminds me of is D’Qwell Jackson, a guy that Romeo Crennel loved in his Cleveland tenure. I think this is as low as Kuechly falls, right or wrong. 12. Seattle Seahawks: Mark Barron, S, Alabama. Not necessarily a team/player pick here, though they could use a healthy Barron in their secondary. This is more of a trade projection pick. Could be Kuechly or Coples here too 13. Arizona Cardinals: Melvin Ingram, DE/LB, South Carolina. I have a hard time seeing Ingram fall even this far. His athleticism and speed are exactly what Ray Horton’s defense needs on the edge. I know they really like Michael Floyd, but he’s gone in this mock. 14. Dallas Cowboys: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama. I’m going back a few months here to when a trusted Cowboys insider told me the team was very high on Kirkpatrick. I do think their interest in trading up for Mark Barron is very strong. 15. Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU. I like how they addressed linebacker, and now is the time to get a widebody inside that can cover for the wide nine pass rush. Brockers is not a pass rusher, but he’s a ready and willing run stuffer with a good head on his shoulders. He’s a safer pick than Dontari Poe, who is certainly in play here, as is trading up for Barron. 16. New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, DE, Alabama. Upshaw is the epitome of a Rex Ryan football player, an aggressive, tough, intimidating attacker that doesn’t fit for everyone. Not sure I buy trading up for Richardson, but I know seeds have been planted for a move up for 17. Cincinnati Bengals (from OAK): Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina. Teams that watched his entire career have to have concerns about his inconsistency, and that lets him fall to the Bengals. They will not hesitate to pick him here if he’s still on the board. 18. San Diego Chargers: David Decastro, G, Stanford. Tough call because they are a prime candidate to trade up, and also because in this mock a lot of the offensive linemen fell. Decastro is the safest and also the most pressing need, hence the pick. 19. Chicago Bears: Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State. This is my monkey wrench pick. It is nothing more than a hunch. It could just as easily be Chandler Jones or Shea McClellin or Donta Hightower. Wild card I heard late Wed.: Bruce Irvin. Don’t shoot the messenger. 20. Tennessee Titans: Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse. I don’t understand it, I don’t like it and I sure as hell don’t endorse it, but Chandler Jones is a top 20 pick. This being #20, there you go… 21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, T, Georgia. The Bengals have had quite a bit of upheaval along the front line, and Glenn’s versatility makes him all the more attractive in that situation. Kendall Wright would be a nice fit too. 22. Cleveland Browns (from ATL): Riley Reiff, T, Iowa. Often overlooked in their dearth of offensive talent is that the Browns had a horrible RT situation a year ago. Reiff can help with that from Day One, and this is more of a priority than a QB to compete with Colt McCoy. Seriously. 23. Detroit Lions: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois. First choice is Dre Kirkpatrick but he’s long gone. I’ve heard Mercilus, I’ve head Nick Perry, I’ve heard Upshaw. Mercilus showed a real knack for forcing turnovers, a major point of attraction for Jim Schwartz. 24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Amini Silatolu, G, Midwestern State. I waffled back and forth between Silatolu, Kevin Zeitler, and Donta Hightower--all very real possibilities--but finally settled on Silatolu. He has the highest ceiling and plays with the Steelers mentality already. Depth at LB lets them wait a round or two there. 25. Denver Broncos: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis. The momentum has cooled but there is simply too much potential for Poe to fall out of the first round. He could very well be gone in the 8-12 range. Denver seizes upon that value. 26. Houston Texans: Shea McClellin, LB, Boise State. I live in Houston. I know a handful of Texans and several people close to the team. So you would think I would have a better grasp on what the Texans are going to do here. The plain truth is I believe it’s pretty open, but it will be either a pass rusher or an offensive lineman. McClellin fits nicely with the “star-less” Wade Philips defense. 27. New England Patriots (from NO): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor. Tom Brady was at his best with a legit field stretcher. Wright lacks Randy Moss’ size, but he might be just as good at catching the quick toss and breaking it open. That’s a staple of the Patriots offense and Wright makes it that much better. 28. Green Bay Packers: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC. Perry could go as high as Chicago but here he falls to the Packers. Green Bay has to improve the defensive front seven with a desperate need for an end and a pass rushing OLB opposite Clay Matthews. Perry might not do a lot right away but I will not deny his potential. 29. Baltimore Ravens: Donta Hightower, LB, Alabama. Lower than I like to put him but somebody falls every year and I’m zeroing in on Hightower as that guy here. I love this pick if it happens, and so does Ray Lewis. 30. San Francisco 49ers: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU. They have to get better receivers, period. Randle is not as sexy a name as Stephen Hill but he’s more ready to help right away and offers quite a bit in his own right. I’m reliably told this is the floor for Silatolu, and he and Iupati together would be devastating. 31. New England Patriots: Bruce Irvin, LB/DE, West Virginia. He’s a better story than football player at this point, but Irvin has two things that cannot be coached: freakish speed around the edge and a burning desire to make it. I’m buying into the 1st round talk, albeit tepidly. 32. New York Giants: Kevin Zeitler, G/C, Wisconsin. This pick could very well be Colby Fleener but I went with rising star Zeitler. He built upon a very good Senior Bowl week by acing interviews, and he can play either guard spot or center. Round 2 33. St Louis Rams: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina 34. Indianapolis Colts: Colby Fleener, TE, Stanford 35. Minnesota Vikings: Mike Adams, T, Ohio State 36. Tampa Bay Bucs: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State 37. Cleveland Browns: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech 38. Jacksonville Jaguars: Trumaine Johnson, CB, Montana 39. St. Louis Rams (from WAS): Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama 40. Carolina Panthers: Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia 41. Buffalo Bills: Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona State 42. Miami Dolphins: Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall 43. Seattle Seahawks: Devon Still, DT, Penn State 44. Kansas City Chiefs: David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech 45. Dallas Cowboys: Andre Branch, DE/OLB, Clemson 46. Philadelphia Eagles: Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State 47. New York Jets: Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame 48. New England Patriots (from OAK): Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State 49. San Diego Chargers: Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State 50. Chicago Bears: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin 51. Philadelphia Eagles (from ARI): Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest 52. Tennessee Titans: Bobby Massie, T, Ole Miss 53. Cincinnati Bengals: Rishard Matthews, WR, Nevada 54. Detroit Lions: Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska 55. Atlanta Falcons: Mitchell Schwartz, T, California 56. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mychael Kendricks, LB, California 57. Denver Broncos: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami FL 58. Houston Texans: A.J. Jenkins, WR, Illinois 59. New Orleans Saints: forfeited 60. Green Bay Packers: Kendall Reyes, DE, UConn 61. Baltimore Ravens: Jamell Fleming, CB, Oklahoma 62. San Francisco 49ers: Jonathan Martin, T, Stanford 63. New England Patriots: Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson 64. New York Giants: Orson Charles, TE, Georgia Round 3 65. Indianapolis Colts: Derek Wolfe, DE, Cincinnati 66. St. Louis Rams: Josh Robinson, CB, UCF 67. Minnesota Vikings: Juron Criner, WR, Arizona 68. Cleveland Browns: Marvin Jones, WR, California 69. Tampa Bay Bucs: Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson 70. Washington Redskins: Mike Martin, DT, Michigan 71. Jacksonville Jaguars: Kelechi Osemele, T, Iowa State 72. Buffalo Bills: Omar Bolden, CB, Arizona State 73. Miami Dolphins: Jeff Allen, OL, Illinois 74. Miami Dolphins (from CHI via CAR): Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina 75. Kansas City Chiefs: Alameda Ta’Amu, NT, Washington 76. Seattle Seahawks: Brian Quick, WR, Appalachian State 77. Houston Texans (from PHI): Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma 78. New York Jets: Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati 79. Oakland Raiders: used on Terrelle Pryor 80. San Diego Chargers: Ladarius Green, TE, LA-Lafayette 81. Chicago Bears: Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt 82. Arizona Cardinals: Brandon Brooks, G, Miami OH 83. Dallas Cowboys: Taylor Thompson, TE, SMU 84. Tennessee Titans: Olivier Vernon, DE/OLB, Miami FL 85. Cincinnati Bengals: Brandon Hardin, S, Oregon State 86. Atlanta Falcons: Ben Jones, G/C, Georgia 87. Detroit Lions: Jeremy Lane, CB, Northwestern State 88. Pittsburgh Steelers: Chris Polk, RB, Washington 89. Denver Broncos: Tyrone Crawford, DE, Boise State 90. Philadelphia Eagles (from HOU): George Iloka, S, Boise State 91. New Orleans Saints: Zebrie Sanders, T, Florida State 92. Green Bay Packers: Robert Turbin, RB, Utah State 93. Baltimore Ravens: TY Hilton, WR, Florida International 94. San Francisco 49ers: Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers 95. New England Patriots: Dwight Bill Bentley, CB, LA-Lafayette 96. New York Giants: Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego State 97. Oakland Raiders (comp pick): Ronnell Lewis, DE/OLB, Oklahoma

Jeff Risdon/RealGM

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Scouts Still Gushing About Trent Richardson

Oct 31, 2014 11:38 AM

It is rare that NFL scouts are unable to find something wrong with a prospect, but the group universally loves Trent Richardson heading into this week's draft. "Rare is the player who can escape the National Football League's version of the Great Inquisition without being nitpicked to death," Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes. "Trent Richardson, the irrepressible running back from Alabama, is the exception. The NFL people don't just like Richardson. They almost worship the ground upon which he walks." McGinn polled 20 scouts about the top running back in the draft and all 20 picked Richardson. "There's one running back," one personnel director said. "All the rest are complementary backs."

NFL.com

Tags: Draft, Draft Misc, Misc Rumor

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RealGM's 2012 Penultimate Mock Draft

Sep 5, 2014 2:21 AM

By popular demand, I have extended this one out to four rounds. I sent the first draft to two different NFL team sources, one a scout and one a front office staffer (different teams), and their feedback forced many changes that I was not expecting to make. This represents what I think might happen during the draft. It does not necessarily reflect what I would do, nor do I endorse all the decisions here. Rating players and slotting players are two completely different disciplines. I put it after the first round as well, but my goal here is more to match the player with the slot. That is especially true beyond the top 40 picks, so do not get all crazy if you think I have a strange pick listed for a team. I will have a final mock on Thursday morning for the first round, and perhaps the first three rounds if there is time. Most of the next five days will be spent milking sources and trying to get as many player/slot marriages correct as I can. If you have more team-specific questions, email me at Jeff.Risdon@RealGM.com or hit me on Twitter @JeffRisdon. Round 1 1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford Locked in, with good reason. 2. Washington Redskins (from STL): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor Also locked in, also with good reason. 3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, T, USC I like the line of thinking that taking Kalil improves two OL positions, with Kalil solidifying LT and kicking Charlie Johnson inside to LG where he belongs. I still think Claiborne is an option but I will settle with the herd on Kalil. 4. Cleveland Browns: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State Perfect type of receiver to pair with Colt McCoy at QB. It is either Blackmon or Richardson. This spot is for sale. 5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama They get their choice of Richardson or Claiborne, and I believe they go for the RB. If both are off the board, look for TB to deal this pick to a team (hello Buffalo!) looking to move up and get Kalil. 6. St. Louis Rams (from WAS): Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State Jeff Fisher loves to build the DL, and Cox is a great fit for an attacking front. 7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU Claiborne falls no further than this, but it might not be the Jaguars picking him here. This spot is the most likely to be traded in the top 10. 8. Miami Dolphins: Melvin Ingram, LB/DE, South Carolina Bucking the prevailing wisdom that Tannehill goes here. He could, but they could also trade back and still get Tannehill. Ingram has too much juice as a pass rusher to fall out of the top 10. 9. Carolina Panthers: Quentin Coples, DE, North Carolina Proximity helps, as the Panthers know better than any other team what went on around UNC the last two years. Kuechly, Gilmore, and Poe are all options. If Coples does not go here he could be sitting a long time. 10. Buffalo Bills: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame I am trusting someone here whose credibility I am unsure about, but he was so adamant that Buffalo has Floyd as a top-seven player on their board that I will humor it here. Reiff and Glenn would be the other options, and I am credibly told they prefer Glenn. 11. Kansas City Chiefs: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M This is as far as Tannehill falls, and it could be a case of the Chiefs dealing out. He makes sense there though as Cassel insurance and a long-term replacement. 12. Seattle Seahawks: Courtney Upshaw, DE, Alabama They are not hiding their desire to upgrade the pass rush, and though Upshaw does not fit any real mold he has been remarkably prolific and proficient at making plays behind the line. 13. Arizona Cardinals: Riley Reiff, T, Iowa He and Levi Brown make for an interchangeable pair of tackles that can swap sides if needed. A little birdie told me to drop Cordy Glenn in favor in Reiff here, the same bird that told me they were picking Daryl Washington and Ryan Williams in years past. 14. Dallas Cowboys: Mark Barron, S, Alabama Demand trumps supply at safety, and no team needs one worse than the Cowboys. Barron does not fall out of the next three picks. 15. Philadelphia Eagles: Devon Still, DT, Penn State It is usually around this point where someone unexpected goes, and Still is seen by most in the 30-45 range. He is a great schematic fit and the Eagles love to use premium picks along the lines. I had Dontari Poe here but I believe the reports he is falling. 16. New York Jets: Whitney Mercilus, OLB, Illinois Immediate pass rush help, but what really attracts Mercilus to Rex Ryan is his ability to force turnovers. I still think they are trading up to get Ingram. 17. Cincinnati Bengals (from OAK): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor Ample speed to burn opposite A.J. Green and drive opposing safeties nuts. His presence dictates coverages, and Andy Dalton is the kind of heady QB to exploit that advantage. 18. San Diego Chargers: Bobby Massie, T, Ole Miss Once upon a draft GM AJ Smith took a chance on a big ol boy tackle with great feet but some warts in Marcus McNeill. That worked out great until McNeill got hurt, and now they replace him with Massie. 19. Chicago Bears: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College Many ways to go here. Could be CB, could be pass rusher, could even be OL. But here they take Kuechly, who can start at SLB now and move into the middle when Urlacher finally retires. 20. Tennessee Titans: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina Fills the Cortland Finnegan void and does so with great length and athleticism. Hard to look past a pass rusher here but Gilmore is rated too high by too many to fall out of the top-20. 21. Cincinnati Bengals: David Decastro, G, Stanford Every year the Bengals throw two specific coaches early bones: DC Mike Zimmer and OL Coach Paul Alexander. Coach Alexander gets the first bone this year with the polished Decastro over some tackle prospects. The depth at corner allows them to wait some there. 22. Cleveland Browns (from ATL): Cordy Glenn, G/T, Georgia. Ideal fit for Glenn, who fits best on the right side opposite Joe Thomas. Browns have pressing needs at both RT and RG, Glenn is a Day One starter at one of those. 23. Detroit Lions: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama If he happens to fall this far, GM Martin Mayhew will take about two seconds to get this pick up to the podium. Yes, I am a Lions fan but honestly it fell this way without that influencing anything. 24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont-a Hightower, LB, Alabama Another absolute no-brainer pick, as Hightower has the prototypical Steeler mentality and physicality. Even though they like to bring their backers along slowly, Hightower starts from Day One and makes a positive impact. 25. Denver Broncos: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU Brockers is a John Fox kind of lineman, a guy that plays the run first and then goes after the passer. He has some developmental upside that could make him falling this far look silly. 26. Houston Texans: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU Tough to choose between a pass rusher and a play-making wideout. Here GM Rick Smith opts for the latter with Randle, who made some impressive plays despite some truly awful QB play and little to do creatively. 27. New England Patriots (from NO): Shea McClellin, LB, Boise State Plenty of options even amongst the positions considered. McClellin just strikes me (and many others) as a Bill Belichick kind of player, versatile and well-rounded. As always, the Patriots will trade at least one of their first round picks. 28. Green Bay Packers: Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC One of the more divisive prospects in this draft, Perry fills the need for a pass rushing threat opposite Clay Matthews, whose role he inherited at USC. If they choose they could slide back a few spots and still land Perry. Andre Branch makes sense too but I do not buy the Harrison Smith talk. 29. Baltimore Ravens: Kevin Zeitler, G/C, Wisconsin Plug and play starter to replace Ben Grubbs and perhaps transition to center when Matt Birk finally calls it a career. He has definitively passed linemate Peter Konz thanks to durability and better hands. 30. San Francisco 49ers: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis The startling fall ends here, as the Niners rescue Poe. It is a great fit as they can bring him along slowly in a strong locker room with great mentors like Justin Smith and Patrick Willis. Too much potential to pass. 31. New England Patriots: Amini Silatolu, G, Midwestern State The only real question about the small-school giant is how quickly he can adjust to the NFL. The Patriots have taken fliers on lesser-regarded linemen before with strong results. 32. New York Giants: Mike Adams, T, Ohio State I am writing this summary at exactly 4:20 PM on 4/20. Even though I did the "pick" part of this mock yesterday, I find that deliciously appropriate for Adams. Do not forget GM Jerry Reese has been rewarded for taking unpopular chances on guys like Bradshaw and Kenny Phillips. Click below to view Jeff's entire mock draft, which goes through the fourth round:

Jeff Risdon/RealGM

Tags: Draft, Draft Misc, Misc Rumor

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Scout: Matt Kalil Has 'Sense Of Entitlement'

Oct 31, 2014 6:39 AM

An unnamed scout has criticized offensive line prospect Matt Kalil ahead of next week's NFL Draft. "He doesn't have an offensive lineman's character, especially when you take into account how good his brother is in that way. He's got a real sense of entitlement," a scout told Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "Hey, he's got a lot of talent. He'll overcome some of those things if he doesn't want to wash out, if he doesn't want to end up being Robert Gallery." Kalil is widely expected to be taken with the third overall pick by Minnesota.

NFL.com

Tags: Draft, Misc Rumor

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Dont'a Hightower's Draft Stock Climbing

Oct 31, 2014 6:31 AM

Dont'a Hightower is right where he expected to be all along, projected to go in the first round of this month's NFL Draft. The former Alabama linebacker has had to convince NFL teams that he was worth such an investment and that he was fast enough to play middle linebacker at the professional level. "I always knew I was going to be a first-round draft pick," Hightower said. "That's the way I've always worked. I pride myself on going out and doing the best I can to the best of my ability. I might have started slow during the season but whenever my teammates needed me to make a play or make a call, I was always there and did my job. "It's not about what the media thinks. It's about what the team thinks."

Associated Press

Tags: Draft, Misc Rumor

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Source: Colts Tell Luck He's Top Pick

Jul 18, 2014 3:29 AM

The Colts have told Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck that they will take him with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, according to a league source. It's unclear precisely when the Colts informed Luck, but a league source said the team has known for weeks that Luck would be its pick. His style most closely resembles that of Peyton Manning, and he is the player Indianapolis wants to rebuild around, the source said.

ESPN.com

Tags: Indianapolis Colts, Draft, Draft Misc

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Report: Nick Perry Visits With Patriots
New England holds the 27th and 31st overall picks in this month's NFL draft.

NFL.com

Teams Split On Whether Blackmon Is 'Elite'
Justin Blackmon is widely considered the best receiver in this month's draft, but some teams aren't sold on him as an "elite" player.

NFL.com

Luck, Griffin III Among 26 Players To Attend NFL Draft
Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are expected to go 1-2 in the NFL draft later this month.

ESPN.com

Ryan Broyles Appears Ready For Draft
Former Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles looked well on the road to a full recovery from a torn ACL during his pro day on Thursday.

ESPN.com

Irsay Calls Tannehill 'Quiet Secret' Of Draft
Ryan Tannehill is believed to be the third-best quarterback in the NFL Draft.

NFL.com

Tannehill's Draft Stock Increasing
Many see Ryan Tannehill as a potential franchise quarterback, even though it may take a few years for him to reach his true potential.

Wes Bunting/National Football Post

Michael Floyd Invited To Attend Draft
Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd will be one of the players attending the draft in New York City.

NFL.com

Fourth Pick Will Likely Come Down To Blackmon, Richardson
The Cleveland Plain Dealer labeled Justin Blackmon as "conceivable" and Trent Richardson as "entirely possible."

Pro Football Talk

Weeden Visits Browns, Won't Attend Draft
The Oklahoma State quarterback is being projected as a possible late first- or second-round pick.

NFL.com

Claiborne Scored Four On Wonderlic Test
Six years ago, quarterback Vince Young initially got a six.

Pro Football Talk

Brock Osweiler Undecided On Draft Invitation
After a standout pro day on Friday, Arizona State quarterback Brock Osweiler has been invited to attend this month's NFL Draft.

NFL.com