Just another Rams Leap Year – Back to LA Mock

I just can’t help myself. Honestly, this is just really a way for me to justify sitting in front of my pc every spring reading about these guys.

15: Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/2079755/vernon-hargreaves-iii

Player Overview
It isn’t often that a true freshman comes into the SEC and is an immediate standout, but that’s precisely what Hargreaves accomplished in 2013, earning first team All-SEC honors from the media and league coaches after tying Janoris Jenkins’ freshman record at Florida with 11 pass breakups and intercepting three passes.

He was even better as a sophomore, leading the conference with 13 pass breakups and intercepting another three passes, including one in the end zone with just 1:20 remaining to seal Florida’s Birmingham Bowl win over East Carolina. A finalist for the Thorpe Award in 2015, Hargreaves earned All-SEC honors for a third straight season as a junior with a career-high four interceptions,

Strengths Weaknesses
STRENGTHS: It is hard not to gush about Hargreaves as he combines quickness, balance and route-recognition to excel in coverage with rare physicality and open-field tackling ability to be just as effective in run support and when blitzing off the corner. He possesses good size for the position with a compact, athletic frame.

When lining up in press man coverage, Hargreaves gets a stiff initial punch in on the receiver at the snap and shows good balance and light feet dropping into coverage, fluidly changing direction and the acceleration to remain in the hip pocket of receivers. He’s equally effective in off coverage, reading the quarterback’s eyes and breaking quickly downhill to disrupt passes. Hargreaves’ lack of height is mitigated by impressive body control, timing and competitiveness in jump-ball situations. He possesses excellent hand-eye coordination to slap the ball away as it arrives as well as good hands for the interception (six in two seasons).

Scouts will also appreciate that unlike some of the other highly regarded defensive backs throughout the country, Hargreaves is far from just a cover corner. He’s very aggressive in run support, fighting his way through blocks and showing zero hesitation in taking on bigger ballcarriers. On most occasions, Hargreaves makes the effective stop, often significantly cutting short the yards gained in impressive fashion.

WEAKNESSES: An inch or two shorter than scouts would prefer, which shows up too often on film. Hargreaves can get himself in trouble by attacking ballcarriers too high, clawing at the football while ‘rassling opponents to the ground rather than wrapping up and driving them to the turf. He also takes such aggressive angles in pursuit that he can be forced to lunge at ballcarriers, occasionally missing as he swipes at their legs.

Needs to improve his cushion and spacing, allowing his eyes to spend too much time in the backfield.

IN OUR VIEW: Hargreaves plays with a decisive reactor to maintain proper positioning and make plays on the ball (38 career passes defended), but his timing and spacing have room for improvement. Although he has only ordinary size, Hargreaves is above average in three main areas for the position: play speed, instincts and competitive toughness.

NFL COMPARISON: Joe Haden, Cleveland Browns — More than just the Florida jersey, Hargreaves and Haden are similar in that they aren’t the biggest or fastest but both exhibit the instincts and competitive toughness needed for the NFL.

–Rob Rang & Dane Brugler (2/9/16)

43: Kevin Dodd – DE, Clemson

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1983517/kevin-dodd

Player Overview
With Shaq Lawson commanding most of the attention at right defensive end, Dodd was able to blossom at left defensive end in his first year as a starter. He finished the 2015 season with 23.5 tackles for loss and 12.0 sacks, which ranked second on the team behind Lawson. A relative unknown prior to the 2015 season, Dodd made the most of his starting opportunity and is an ascending NFL prospect.

Strengths Weaknesses
STRENGTHS: Passes the eye test with the quickness and power blend to win the edge, showing development throughout last season with this hand technique and timing. Shows terrific initial quickness to beat tackles and guards, as well as the agility and balance to get skinny to penetrate the gap between them.

His quick, strong hands allow him to rip his way through would-be blocks and he uses his long arms to lasso ballcarriers. Improved discipline and patience to hold back-side contain, stack the edge and cut off runs to the outside. High motor player and fights through the whistle, wearing down offensive linemen. Pushed himself in the film room and on the practice field to seize his opportunity to start in 2015.

WEAKNESSES: Not a twitched up rusher who can easily change speeds in his rush, lacking cat-like quickness. Needs to better keep his balance through gaps. Doesn’t consistently use his hands to convert speed to power and isn’t much of a bully.

Undeveloped pass rush repertoire and needs to add more to his bag of tricks to fool blockers. Tends to think too much and play overly patient at times. Lack of hand tactics will cause his rush to stall. Only one season of starting experience and productivity. Benefited from playing opposite Shaq Lawson, rarely facing double-teams.

COMPARES TO: Kony Ealy, Carolina Panthers – Similar to when Ealy entered the league two years ago, it will take some time for Dodd to adjust to the pro game, but all the skills are there for him to develop into a reliable starter.

IN OUR VIEW: Based on traits, Dodd checks several boxes for the NFL with the size, length, athleticism and strength potential to be effective in the NFL. He also improved his ball awareness and discipline as his reps increased last season, showing encouraging growth that indicates he isn’t near his football ceiling.

–Dane Brugler & Rob Rang (2/10/16

45: Braxton Miller – WR, Ohio State

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1824414/braxton-miller

Player Overview
Miller made the switch to wide receiver from quarterback over the 2015 offseason, and his athleticism and versatility paid off for the Buckeyes throughout the year. He finished fourth on the team with 26 catches for 341 yards and three touchdowns, added 260 yards and a touchdown on 42 carries and even completed his only pass – albeit for three yards.

Miller told the Columbus Dispatch in June that he is the “best athlete” in all of college football, and he might be correct with that assessment. While he may not have had the traits to play quarterback at the next level, he is a very interesting prospect as a receiver.

In 2013 as a junior, he passed for 2,094 yards, 63.5 percent completions and a 24-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio, earning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors. Miller showed improvements as a passer throughout the season, compelling scouts to take a “wait-and-see” approach as the Ohio State quarterback entered his senior year. But he missed the 2014 season with another injury to his throwing shoulder and J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones helped lead the Buckeyes to last year’s College Football Playoff.

Many thought Miller would transfer to pursue playing quarterback elsewhere, but he chose to stay in Columbus and focus all of his energy on transitioning to wide receiver.

Strengths Weaknesses
STRENGTHS: Athletic body type and solidly-built for the position. Extraordinary athleticism and speed with sudden, explosive cutting ability. Tremendous balance and body control in all of his movements.

Multiple gears to separate in his routes or as a ballcarrier. Understands hesitation in his patterns, setting up defenders before bursting in different directions. Vision to be a home-run threat whenever he touches the ball.

In his one season as a receiver, showed the locating ability to track and keep his focus through the catch. Capable of the acrobatic reception. Strong arm as a passer and spins a pretty ball. Deceiving body strength to squirm out of would-be tackles. Highly productive three-year quarterback and looked natural making the transition to a skill player in 2015 – versatile player who affected the game as a receiver and rusher.

Holds several school records and was a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Mature leader and determined individual who wants to be great.

WEAKNESSES: Raw route-runner and lacks experience at the receiver position. Needs work with his footwork, especially at the stem of patterns. Natural hands, but had some drops in 2015, especially with the fastball.

Still learning how to properly adjust to throws and attack at the highest point. Too much east-west and will get himself in trouble looking for the big play. Alligator arms and too concerned with what’s going on in the middle of the field – often braced himself for contact or showed tentativeness in space before securing the catch.

Willing blocker, but still very raw and needs technique work. Ball security needs tightened with 30 career fumbles (three fumbles in 2015 as a non-quarterback). Doesn’t have any special teams experience.

Health is a concern with his past medical issues – missed two games due a left knee sprain (Sept. 2013); injured his throwing (right) shoulder in the 2013 Orange Bowl that required surgery (Feb. 2014); re-injured the same shoulder that summer (Aug. 2014) and missed the 2014 season after labrum surgery; left game due to concussion symptoms (Nov. 2015).

IN OUR VIEW: After starting three seasons as Ohio State’s quarterback, Miller moved to a hybrid H-Back position in 2015 for his final season of eligibility and adapted well. He enters the NFL as a wide receiver or running back, not a quarterback and his 2014 shoulder surgery ended up being a blessing in disguise, allowing Miller to speed up the inevitable transition to a skill position for the next level.

Miller is a gifted and exciting open-field athlete with game-changing speed and the twitched-up ability to be elusive, not slowing down in his cuts. He showed signs of being able to translate his ability to read defenses as a passer to reading coverages in his routes, but is still unpolished in this area and will need time as he continues his development at wide receiver.

The No. 1 concern moving forward for Miller is durability – true competitor, but can he stay healthy? Overall, while still raw, Miller is a special athlete for his size with considerable upside, putting him in the top 50 overall range. He will likely be a gadget player as an NFL rookie before competing for a starting role in year two.

–Dane Brugler (1/25/16)

76: Sterling Shephard WR, Oklahoma

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1996786/sterling-shepard

Player Overview
Shepard finished his Sooners career with 223 receptions for 3,482 yards and 26 touchdowns and was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award as a senior. He earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl, where he earned the Practice Player of the Week award among wide receivers.

Shepard’s family connection with Oklahoma football is a heart-warming tale. He wore No. 3 for the Sooners in honor of his late father, Derrick Shepard, who was a receiver for OU from 1983-86.

“That’s been a lifelong goal of mine to play at Oklahoma,” Shepard told Texans TV at the Senior Bowl. “I’ve seen a lot of great receivers go through there and seen the mark they’ve made for themselves and I definitely wanted to be one of those top guys. Fortunately, I was able to do that with some great coaching and a lot of guys around me that are good.”

The Sooners’ pass catcher also has the talent that makes it more than simply a feel-good story.

He led Oklahoma in receiving as a junior in 2014 with 51 catches for 970 yards and five touchdowns, averaging a conference-best 19.0 yards per reception.

Strengths Weaknesses
STRENGTHS: Coordinated athlete with electric feet off the line of scrimmage and at the top of his route to gain separation and give his quarterback a target. He has quick eyes to make snap decision, tracking the ball well to make tough grabs look easy. Displays quick feet and movements at the line of scrimmage to avoid press and works well in tight spaces with his shifty moves and quick eyes.

Shepard is a nightmare to cover because he possesses the straight-line speed to beat defenders over the top, as well as the quickness and balance to change directions in a flash. He shows soft, reliable hands to pluck the ball outside of his frame, as well as the awareness and toughness to “body catch” when necessary to protect the ball.

Brings additional value with punt return experience.

WEAKNESSES: Shepard has an undersized frame that makes him often out-matched vs. physical corners. Quicker than he is fast.

IN OUR VIEW: Shepard routinely proved to be a mismatch during one-on-one drills against cornerbacks at the Senior Bowl, using his short-area burst to create spacing and give his quarterback a clean target. If the corner doesn’t make contact with Shepard off the line of scrimmage, it’s too easy for the smallish, but talented receiver to make something happen.

Shepard has shown toughness throughout his career and frankly, he’ll need to continue to play with this chip on his shoulder to enjoy similar success at the next level.

–Dane Brugler/Rob Rang (2/1/16)

111: Tyler Higbee, TE Western Kentucky

Player Overview
Higbee signed with Western Kentucky as a wide receiver in 2011 and left in 2015 as a first-team All-Conference USA pick who tied for the nation’s best among tight ends with eight touchdowns.

During his first fall at Western Kentucky, Higbee played in 11 games, starting one contest. He finished that season with two receptions but scored one time from 63 yards out.

In 2012, Higbee made the move fulltime to tight end and redshirted. In 2013, he played in seven games with three starts. He finished with 13 receptions for 169 yards and a touchdown.

In 2014, Higbee had 15 receptions for 230 yards and four scores as the backup. He enjoyed his finest season as a senior, playing in nine games, catching 38 passes for 563 yards and scoring eight times.

Strengths Weaknesses
STRENGTHS: Outstanding size and a terrific frame. Has length and above average straight-line speed. Can move for a 250-pounder.

In terms of hands, Higbee gets the job done. He pretty much catches everything thrown his way and can make the tough grab in traffic. Can go high and get the ball as well as getting down low. Former wide receiver is a good route runner. A load to bring done and has shown the ability to break tackles after the reception and gain additional yardage.

Solid as a blocker; tough and physical at the point of attack and does his job. Doesn’t blow anybody off the ball but he will put his hat on a defender and stay in front of him.

WEAKNESSES: Good, solid, all-around player without being a standout in any one area. Could be a little more dominating in the run game. Limited production until his senior season, and the jump in the level of competition will be significant. One-year starter still learning nuances of position.

IN OUR VIEW: This is a nice looking tight end prospect who has worked hard to put himself in this position, especially after making the position change. Along the way, Higbee has added 60 pounds. He’s athletic and versatile and in the right offensive system Higbee could really be a nice weapon in the NFL because he’s a guy that can be good in the run game and evolve into a tight end that work the middle of the field in the passing game and become a real threat.

–Jamie Newberg (1/12/16)

193: Joe Schobert – OLB, Wisconsin

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/2001175/joe-schobert

Player Overview
Schobert was a semifinalist for both the Bednarik and Lombardi awards following a senior season in which he ranked fourth in the FBS with 14.5 tackles for loss and sixth with 9.5 sacks to go along with six forced fumbles and 12 pass breakups.

That culminated a productive career in which Schobert started 24 of 41 games, compiling 149 tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks. He also recorded six forced fumbles and 12 pass breakups.

Strengths Weaknesses
STRENGTHS: Despite a frame which appears better suited off the line of scrimmage, Schobert’s quickness, underrated strength and awareness make him a tough draw for offensive linemen at the point of attack. He frequently slips past blockers, showing terrific spatial awareness, balance and lateral agility to dance and disrupt, often “making the play” by forcing ballcarriers into the arms of his teammates, who get the credit in the stat book.

While he lacks ideal bulk, Schobert doesn’t shy from contact, generating space from blockers (offensive linemen, tight ends and backs, alike) with an impressive punch. He attacks double-teams, ducking his head and squirming his way through the gap, showing terrific balance, determination and leverage in doing so. His quick, light feet allow him to close quickly on the ballcarrier and he’s a generally reliable open-field tackler, showing patience and sound technique.

Schobert plays with terrific instincts, latching onto backs to destroy screens and releasing from his primary downfield coverage responsibilities to attack once the ball has been delivered. He shows good vision and awareness to slice through traffic, taking calculated risks on his pursuit angles. Sells out to make the tackle, tripping up ball-carriers with extension and hand-eye coordination.

WEAKNESSES: While surprisingly stout for his size, Schobert is more pesky than powerful at the point of attack. His limited frame gets Schobert washed out too often in the running game, with a number of his tackles coming yards downfield only after he has spun away from blockers.

His lack of ideal length also shows up in pass coverage, where bigger tight ends were able to use their size advantage to win on contested throws. Schobert flirts with over-aggression, taking risky angles in pursuit and leaving his teammates in precarious positions.

IN OUR VIEW: More than the sum of his parts, Schobert is the kind of hyper-active, ultra-productive defender who can “surprise” at the next level despite his less-than-ideal size. He’s effective in a variety of roles, showing terrific quickness, balance and surprising strength to be a factor in run support, coverage and rushing the quarterback.

Though he played mostly outside linebacker and defensive end at Wisconsin, Schobert’s instincts and comfort in the pit could allow his future NFL team to experiment with him inside, as well.

–Rob Rang (@robrang) (2/13/16)