Ron Jaworski thinks the Bucs are taking Marcus Mariota first

by Darin Gantt

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/04/13/ron-jaworski-thinks-the-bucs-are-taking-marcus-mariota-first/

ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski was already on the record saying he wouldn’t pick Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston first overall.

Now, he’s saying he doesn’t think the Buccaneers will, either.

During an interview with CSN Philly Sports Talk, Jaworski said he thinks the Bucs are going to surprise everyone and take Oregon’s Marcus Mariota.

“The latest I’m hearing now from my sources around the league, who are pretty wired in, is that he’s going to go number one now to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,” Jaworski said, via PhillyMag.com. “Mariota’s stock, remember it was quiet for a while? And there’s a reason for that. There’s a lull every year until about 30 days before the draft. Now the coaches get involved. Prior to that, it’s the scouts, it’s the roadies that are filling out the paper work. Now the coaches get involved. Now team owners get involved. Now General Managers get involved. So you’re starting to see, in my opinion, Winston’s stock starting to slide a little bit and Mariota’s stock starting to go up a little bit.”

Perhaps that rise is on the recommendation of Eagles coach Chip Kelly, who is apparently talking up his former quarterback to others in the league.

“I’ll give you a little bit of information on how much Chip Kelly loves Marcus Mariota,” Jaworski said. “This is the time of year when everyone talks, and I talk to General Managers, I’ve talked to player personnel directors, and I’ve heard it from a couple or three people that have had conversations with Chip Kelly, and Chip Kelly said, ‘Marcus Mariota will win multiple Super Bowls in the National Football League.’

“Now, he didn’t say it was going to be in Philadelphia, but that’s how much he loves this guy, and a lot of people feel the same way, that Marcus Mariota is that good that you can win multiple Super Bowls with him as your quarterback.”

Of course, Jaworski is no stranger to taking a contrarian position, and he’s also not paid to be a reporter. But coupled with Mike Mayock’s about-face last week — and the fact the Bucs put it on their own website — it might be smoke that indicates a fire is about to be made with a bunch of mock drafts.

Ten for No. 10: Andrus Peat

By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/17590/ten-for-no-10-andrus-peat

EARTH CITY, Mo. — Today we continue our series of 10 for No. 10, a look at 10 players who could be in the mix for the St. Louis Rams with the 10th overall selection.

For the purposes of this exercise, it’s a little more difficult to peg who will be available and who won’t but out of the 10 we evaluate here, there’s a good chance that some will be on the board when the Rams pick. Based on early returns, we’re going to eliminate Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams and Florida defensive end Dante Fowler from the conversation. Those three, above all else, seem all but certain to be gone when the Rams pick.

We’ve already looked at Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Scherff, Alabama receiver Amari Cooper, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory and West Virginia receiver Kevin White.

Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford

Why the Rams should consider him: The needs on the offensive line have been well-documented but just as a refresher, the Rams need a right tackle, a guard and a center. That’s at minimum. Depending on who you ask, Peat is the best pure tackle in this draft class. While guys like Scherff and LSU’s La’el Collins might be better players overall, neither necessarily projects as a tackle at the NFL level. Peat comes with an excellent pedigree as his father actually played for the old St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles version of the Raiders in a six-year career. At nearly 6-foot-7, 313 pounds, Peat is the prototype size for the position and the reach to strike defenders quickly. He also proved durable at Stanford, playing 40 of a possible 41 games in three seasons. From a scheme standpoint, Peat should be an easy and logical fit. Stanford’s pro-style power-run offense would make for an easy transition to the Rams offense and allow the Rams to fill at least one of their offensive line holes with a player who might not need a ton of work to be ready.

Why they shouldn’t: While Peat played in an offense that was power-heavy, the tape doesn’t necessarily show a player who can be the type of run blocking bully the Rams like. Comes with questions about his mean streak and some draft analysts say that he gets caught lunging a bit too often and can get caught with his frame over his feet. Peat also has a nasty streak but it comes and goes, something that might not make him ideal for what the Rams want. Although he’s solid in pass protection, doesn’t dominate in that area, either. Scouts seem to have varying opinions on Peat but some might also believe that No. 10 is too high for him.

Chances he’s available at No. 10: Barring a surprise, it seems entirely possible that Peat will be on the board at No. 10. There are teams in front of the Rams with clear needs on the offensive line but it doesn’t seem like many will jump on Peat at the expense of a more talented player. One road block should the Rams want Peat could be the New York Giants. New York has needs on the offensive line and would like to move right tackle Justin Pugh inside to guard. Drafting a pure tackle like Peat might allow them to do that. The Rams have already brought Peat in for a pre-draft visit and it looks like there’s a real chance they’ll have a shot at him if that’s the direction they want to go.[/quote]

I loved reading Daredevil when I was a teen.

http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/2015/04/2015-draft-profile-devante-parker-wr-louisville.html/

DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville – 6’3, 212 – Senior – 4.45 40

There are certainly a lot of talented wide receivers at the college level these days and while there is a feeling amongst some football minds that it is folly to over-pay and over-value this position based on this high supply to meet the demand, we must not lose sight of what special means. Special is a term we throw around a lot, but in football it means everything. It is the ability to defy the Xs and Os. Often, when we structure offensive strategy, there is a hope to deceive and perhaps to leave you with a real math problem where you caught the defense in a deployment issue where they simply don’t have enough troops dedicated to a certain area of the field which you will now exploit. This is the very basis of Chip Kelly’s system and the zone read in general – trying to catch you out of place or not on your guard.

But, that is different than requiring special talents. That actually is a design that is based on “plug and play” pieces that are interchangeable. But, “Special” is all about defying the Xs and Os. The defense does have enough guys deployed to deal with this special player, but he just beats them all with his amazing skills and talent. That is who you value. That is who you pay. And that is the type of player you consider taking with a high 1st round pick.

So, in this draft, we are looking for special wide receivers. And I believe we have found another one with DeVante Parker, a player who missed the 1st 7 games in 2014 with a broken bone in his foot. But, when he returned, he put up 855 yards in short order and thrust his way back up high in this draft. I looked at Florida State, Kentucky, and Georgia for this study.

What I liked: Parker is a large man who has all of the physical traits. He is tall, thick, fast, long arms, and quick in short spaces. He is elusive underneath and runs tunnel screens and quick outs as well as any 6’3 receiver you will encounter. Then, he dominates with down field skills that are really impressive because he can push any corner off his path and then go up and get the ball at the high point with ease. His hands are fantastic and natural and his arm length is comical. Very seldom do you find a receiver that you can’t press because he is too quick and strong, but you also can’t out-run because he is a 4.4 guy. Parker is flat-out dominant in most of his games. On top of this, he is a very willing and effective blocker and a terror underneath. Then, his best attribute might be his YAC (yards after catch) game which makes you think he is a slot receiver for his elusive skills. Defensive backs drip off him as they try to tackle him in space and you must put a safety over the top because he can out-leap and out-reach single coverage.

What I did not like: You really have to reach to find something to complain about with Parker. He is, at the very least, “fine” in every measurable category and trait. Perhaps, we at least sound the alarm that we wonder about his durability because he takes a beating with the way he fights for every yard. Sometimes, you can save your health if you go down a bit easier, so we need to watch that. Beyond that, I don’t see anything to reasonably complain about. He really does it all.

Summary: When ranking Amari Cooper versus DeVante Parker, you are honestly ranking two fantastic prospects against each other. I see the consensus is that Cooper is the “best in class” and although (as you have read) I believe Cooper is the real deal, I would personally lean in Parker’s direction as the better player and the guy I would select first. I find him better underneath, quicker and more elusive in short spaces, having better hands, and 2 inches taller. That isn’t to say I don’t believe Cooper is also a top receiver, but for me, let the history books show that I am going to be ranking Parker higher. I think this guy has real star qualities and no deficiencies at all. He is a dominant receiver who should only get better in the NFL where he gets more favorable throws and opportunities to shine. I think he is slightly under-valued because he is not on that Alabama stage and also missed half of his senior year, but make no mistake – DeVante Parker is special.

——–

http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/2015/04/2015-nfl-draft-profile-amari-cooper-wr-alabama.html/

Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama – 6’1, 211 – Junior – 4.42 40

As the trend for teams taking running backs in the draft has done nothing but go down over the years, the trends for wide receivers has done quite the opposite. It used to be rather rare for many receivers to go so quickly in the draft, but in 2014, we had 10 gone by pick #56. That means, of course, if you wait until the middle of round 2 to get your guy, you are choosing from the 9th or 10th best WR on the board.

The good news about that, though, is that because of the way football has evolved, it sure seems like the 10th and 12th best receivers each year are still NFL caliber and often quite impressive. Routinely, about a dozen WRs are now going in the Top 100, and 2015 will certainly get to that number with relative ease. On almost every list, Amari Cooper is thought of as the best of the bunch. To see if I agreed, I grabbed a number of games, but locked down on Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, and West Virginia.

What I liked: This shouldn’t take too long. He is fantastic in almost every regard. He has tremendous hands and long speed that puts him in a class of receivers that can run the entire route tree from just about any spot. He is great as an outside threat with comebacks and crosses and go-routes, but from the slot, he is a real strong, underneath threat as well. Once he hits the jets, he is off to the races with no hope of tracking him down from the opposition. He is a dominant receiver who wins in the air and can be flat out dominant down in the red zone. I have no problem saying this is a guy that really resembles Dez Bryant in many ways. Just a beast who can beat you in a number of ways. He is nearly impossible to jam and has feet that seem to knock a corner off balance if they dare play press-man against him.

What I did not like: Like everyone, I have to wonder why the drops occur when they do. He has great hands and technique most of the time, but perhaps from sheer volume or a lack of concentration he sometimes loses sight of the ball. Also, he doesn’t always appear convicted about blocking, but as you can see directly below, when he gets interested, he can really dominate a defensive back on a block inside. Beyond that, I have nothing but compliments.

Summary: When you take a Wide Receiver in the top 5, he better have superstar possibilities and have a floor that is really high (we assume his ceiling is already high). Cooper is a guy who has been so productive already with 3,500 yards in 3 years at Alabama and now is ready to take his awesome production to the next level. He played at the highest level of college football and it generally looked like he was too good for that level and capable of being the first WR to win the Heisman Trophy in years. That said, he fell just short, but it would take quite an upset for Cooper not to be the first WR off the board. He is just too versatile and excellent in so many regards. He can beat you underneath or over the top, against man or against zone, against off coverage or against tight, and is not averse to contact – in fact, he occasionally will be called for being too physical himself. He is really an impressive player – A dominant prospect and a #1 receiver for years to come it would appear.

White
http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/2015/04/2015-nfl-draft-profile-kevin-white-wr-west-virginia.html/

Kevin White, WR, West Virginia – 6’3, 215 – Senior – 4.35 40

Here is the thing – if you are going to spend a top pick on a player, you would prefer that he is obviously a special player to any one who observes his work. It doesn’t take a degree in Advanced Football Sciences to see what makes him special. You would prefer he is just a freak of nature – a guy who does things that are marvelous to behold. There are a couple such specimens in this draft, but you don’t have to go very far down that list before you get a look at West Virginia’s Kevin White. He is truly a sight.

Now, let’s be clear here. Calvin Johnson is in his own world. Calvin ran a 4.35 at 6’5, 239, with a 42.5 inch vertical leap. He broke the mold for what is possible for a wide receiver and nobody knows if we will ever see another like him. But, in this class, the guy capable of freakish feats is White. White is bigger than his contemporaries (although DeVante Parker is close) and faster. He can jump higher and when you watch him play, he is capable of some circus catches. He is a junior college transfer who only played 2 years of major college ball, but in 2014 had 109 catches for 1447 yards and 10 Touchdowns. He dominated his conference and his position and then dazzled in the spring combine. To examine just how good he is on the field in full pads, I grabbed 4 games: Texas A&M, Texas, Baylor, and Oklahoma.

What I liked: One look at the fade above – against Baylor’s 6’2 corner Xavien Howard – tells you quite a bit how he wins with speed, strength, and hands. He is impossible to press cover and even more impossible to man-on-an-island cover. If you aren’t going to give safety help, he will take very good college corners apart. Below, witness his barbecue of Oklahoma’s exceptional corner Zac Sanchez. Sanchez tried tight coverage, but could not really slow down White and then certainly could not run with him as he just ran a simple go over his head. Then, a few minutes later, Sanchez is sitting on the go, White stops, and then spins so fast that Sanchez cannot even pull his flag – let alone tackle him. He is as fast as it gets for a big receiver and therefore you cannot lose that leverage. But, then he batters you with a number of curls and stops to make sure you play honest. He is solid in the WR Screen game, too. He blocks willingly and has very natural and impressive hands to the ball.

What I did not like: A few things here: 1) I did not care for what you see below where on a couple of occasions (also with Diggs at Texas) he ran some inside routes and the corners actually beat him to the ball. When you are that big, you must wall out the corner like you are boxing out for a rebound and stay between him and the ball because the QB is throwing it in a vulnerable lane if you get beat. I think that is caused by 2) where he seems to have a very limited route tree. I figure this is the West Virginia offense, but if you are going to run 3 routes the whole game, we shouldn’t be shocked if corners are going to sit on them and jump a route. Will this happen as much in the NFL? I doubt it, but it is something to at least have on your radar. He also seems to get frustrated when a corner gives him back the physical play, but the good news there is there are very few who will risk that because he is fast enough to blow by you if you miss. Texas did a nice job of zoning him up and limiting the punishment and TCU also had a scheme that slowed him down.

Summary: I would not say he is the best receiver in the draft, but he is absolutely the most jaw dropping and perhaps the one with the highest ceiling. If one of this group turned into a superstar in 3 years, you would be wise to consider White for that job. He is really special in terms of doing what football is all about – changing the game in one second with a move that leads to a wide open speedster running into the end zone. He is very good, but you do wonder if he is as versatile at all aspects of his game as Parker or Cooper. That said, he is also working from behind in terms of major college instruction and might continue to develop with physical gifts that are unfair. You always want players who defy the Xs and Os by just doing something amazing and Kevin White can do a lot of that. The question for teams making that decision is whether they believe he can be consistent at all of the little things to invest a Top 10 pick in him. But, somebody is going to think that he is worth that, I assume.

Ten for No. 10: Kevin White

By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/17588/ten-for-no-10-kevin-white

EARTH CITY, Mo. — We continue our series of 10 for No. 10, a look at 10 players who could be in the mix for the St. Louis Rams with the 10th overall selection.

For the purposes of this exercise, it’s a little more difficult to peg who will be available and who won’t but out of the 10 we evaluate here, there’s a good chance at that some will be on the board when the Rams pick. Based on early returns, we’re going to eliminate Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams and Florida defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. from the conversation. Those three, above all else, seem all but certain to be gone when the Rams pick.

We’ve already looked at Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Scherff, Alabama receiver Amari Cooper, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota and Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory.

Kevin White, WR, West Virginia

Why the Rams should consider him: Much like with Cooper, White offers the opportunity to add a potential No. 1 wide receiver. And in White’s case, he brings a bit more size, strength and speed than Cooper to the table. White posted a dominant 2014 for the Mountaineers with 109 receptions for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns. Known for his ability to win contested balls and make catches out of frame, White does have excellent straight line speed but doesn’t even need the separation to make most catches. Plus, he’s a former West Virginia wide receiver and the Rams clearly don’t mind having those around with Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey already in house. OK, that’s not a good reason to take a player, but White is generally regarded as one of the five or so best players in the draft and would also represent good value for the Rams if he slipped into range.

Why they shouldn’t: Also like with Cooper, I’m not convinced the Rams will spend another top-1o pick on a wide receiver, especially after seeing Austin struggle to adjust in the NFL. Part of Austin’s struggles go back to a lack of playing in a pro-style offense in Morgantown. White also comes with a small sample size of production. Although he dominated in 2014, he doesn’t have any other dominant college seasons on his resume. Also, by no means is White a bad run blocker, but he still needs work in that regard, an area which the Rams don’t take lightly given their preference for a power rushing attack.

Chances he’s available at No. 10:He might not be getting the hype of Cooper, Winston or Mariota but there are draft pundits who believe White is every bit as good as Cooper and deserves to be in the discussion as a top-five selection. Looking at teams in front of the Rams that could take a receiver, there doesn’t appear to be any shortage. Jacksonville, Oakland, the New York Jets, Chicago and even possibly the New York Giants could all take a long look at White before the Rams would come on the clock. Still, there seems to be a little better chance that White lasts longer and tumbles into the Rams’ lap because he has just a couple more unknowns than some of the other top prospects.

nittany ram wrote:

But Cooper is the best sheriff.

Not Waynes?

2015 NFL Draft: Top Ten Picks For Pick Number Ten

By misone

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2015/4/10/8377639/2015-nfl-draft-top-ten-st-louis-rams

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

If you could pick anyone at the tenth pick of the 2015 NFL draft, that might have a chance of still being around, who would it be? Here’s my list of ten guys I would love to see in horns next year…

The Rams find themselves in a peculiar position in this years draft. They are not high enough to get one of the true premiere players – with the exception one – and they aren’t low enough to feast on the fruits of this years draft, which is flushed with late first round talent. They’re also in prime position for a trade down based on players that might slide due to a crammed top five picks.

I define a premiere player as someone who is not only a game changer and can impact the team immediate, but also someone who has so few flaws and questions that they are likely to start at a high level for the next 10 years.

The premiere players in this years draft are highly likely to all be gone in the top five picks. But there is one that might still be around come pick ten. That guy’s name is Amari Cooper. The drafts most pro ready receiver, and arguably the safest pick in the draft. With that being said, there are still a lot of players that the Rams could target.

Here are the ten players I would like to see rock’n the horns this coming fall:

10. Marcus Mariota: This one is pretty simple. You get Mariota and let him sit, groom him, try and mold the hell out of him. If Nick Foles takes care of business than Mariota can be used as leverage, if Nick Foles stinks, pray you did enough molding.

9. Cameron Erving: Versatility is the name of the game. Which happens to be one of Jeff Fishers favorite things to look for in a player. He’s good at everything but not necessarily great at nothing.

8. Andrus Peat: Arguably the best pass blocker in the draft, which has been a major struggle for the Rams. This would be a huge step in the right direction. The downside is he’s not nearly as good at run blocking.

7. Ereck Flowers: Super physical and has flashed legit potential. If developed correctly could be a helluva tackle or guard. More versatility is something Jeff Fisher will never ignore.

6. Trae Waynes: Two of the Rams top three corners are free agents after the season, this could be a cheaper and possibly better alternative than one of the two.

5. Shane Ray: Can never have enough pass rushers….

4. Kevin White: Has arguably the highest ceiling in the draft. Freaky good athlete and not a bad receiver either. Ala Julio Jones coming out.

3. La’el Collins: Basically a more consistent and experienced version of Flowers

2. Brandon Scherff: the most polished and versatile of all the drafts lineman and he has a nastiness that rears its head often

1. Amari Cooper: Could very well be the safest pick in the draft. It seems very likely he continues the trend of rookie 1000 yard receivers. In other words the Rams ticket to stop bringing up Tory Holt every time some mentions receiver.

DeVante Parker, Amari Cooper, Kevin White, Jaelen Strong

http://www.battleredblog.com/2015/4/9/8375607/2015-nfl-draft-brett-kollmann-ranks-his-top-four-wide-receivers-devante-parker

DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville

Size/bulk ———————————- 8/10 (6’3″, 209 lbs. Thinner than Jaelen Strong, but taller too. He’s the tallest of all the top tier receivers)

Hand size/catching ——————— 9/10 (Small 9 1/4″ hands, but he’s a natural snatcher of the football who makes lots of contested catches and doesn’t have many bad drops or inconsistencies in traffic like Strong did on a regular basis. Easily on par with White here, and in fact probably even better despite his hand size. Only three drops since 2012, which is insane)

Route running ————————— 13/15 (Very well developed route runner in a pro style system. Extremely good footwork in release off the line…by far better initial release than both White and Strong. Jabs, sells, and counters very well. Good physicality to keep hands off of him and jockeys for position against press in the first five yards of the route. Arguably as good as Cooper in this category, but my main knock on him is that he has a horrible tendency to drift way too far up field on slants – which seems like his most common route – rather than flatten down, and that has allowed corners to make far too many plays on the ball. Had several first downs taken away by his own doing because he didn’t flatten enough and let DBs make up for losing on his great release by breaking up the pass on a good recovery angle. Once he fixes that, he’s pro ready. Can also stem down field well. Clean in and out of breaks considering his long stride. Still not quite as quick at the top of a route as Cooper, but few people are. Overall he’s pro ready as a route runner once he cleans up that slant)

Body control/ deep adjustment —- 8/10 (Tracks very well. Kills people over and over on back shoulder jump balls. Looks to cross DBs’ faces and use his size to an advantage. Main knock on him here is that I think there were a few balls that sailed over his head that he might have had a shot at if he laid out or geared up earlier, but it’s tough to tell with broadcast angle. I think being out first half of the season really impacted his chemistry with the multiple QBs he had to play with, so it was tough for them to get on the same page in terms of feeling each other out on deep balls. He knew exactly what Teddy Bridgewater’s range and placement was, but these guys not so much)

Run blocking —————————– 6/10 (Want to see more effort and fire when he’s driving into people, but at least he’s not quite as awful in this area as Strong despite similar scores. Really none of these top receivers are excellent run blockers. They need to all go to Georgia Tech for a semester or two and learn how to crush DBs on the second level. Really want to see pop into pads. He more just tries to get in the way and set up an angle for the RB)

Speed/Acceleration ——————— 13/15 (Ran mid 4.4s at the combine and it definitely shows up on tape. Not necessarily world class speed, but enough to scare safeties and corners into backing up. Very Jordy Nelson-ish type of speed. Long stride, so it’s sneaky. Very good quickness on screens and he’s deadly after the catch. Racks up yardage in the open field with the ball in his hands. Breaks tackles more frequently than any other top tier receiver. Just straight up slippery despite his size)

Toughness ——————————— 7/10 (Okay toughness. Possible that his reason for drifting up field on slants is to keep himself from getting killed by linebackers, but who knows? He could also just be looking to set himself up for YAC. Saw him step out early after a long gain and leave yards on the table one time against Kentucky, which aggravated me. Fights for extra yards most of the time at least and usually doesn’t go down easy. Hard guy to press with his long arms and he’s great at not getting jammed off the line, but that’s mostly due to quickness rather than outright strength. Wish he laid out more for deep balls even if he didn’t really have the best chance at them. Can’t hurt to at least try. Again, his run blocking doesn’t have a lot of oomph to it. Willing to go across the middle. I just hope the reason for his drifting wasn’t to avoid a hit and instead was just to get more yards. Either way he doesn’t seem to be outright soft, so I’ll take it. He’s a Charlie Strong product, after all)

Durability ———————————- 7/10 (Hurt his shoulder against Temple and then missed next game against Rutgers in 2013. Missed first seven games in 2014 with fractured fifth metatarsal in his foot. Not sure if it was a Jones fracture or not, but it seemed to heal well enough for him to be a dominant player from the moment he got back on the field. Possibly even slowed him down more than we realize, which means we might not have even seen his best tape yet. Either way he’s had his share of injuries and missed games. Seems to be fully healthy now at least, so that’s good)

Character/leadership ——————- 9/10 (Obviously put in a lot of hard work to come back from his injury and be in immediate playing shape. Respect that a lot. Seems like a good guy. No arrests or suspensions. Shouldn’t be a problem off the field at all. Not a captain or anything, but I have zero issues with him as a person)

OVERALL ———————————– 80/100 (Tall, lanky, pro-ready #1 receiver with excellent length, body control, and naturally soft hands. Dominates on back shoulder fades. Good deep speed as a long strider, but he gears up much faster than Strong who tested similarly. 36.5″ vert shows up when he goes up for jump balls, but there were a few off target passes sailed deep that I think he could have contested and just didn’t lay out. Not necessarily soft, but I don’t think he’s tough as nails either when you consider not that and poor effort on run blocking. Excellent route runner, easily superior to Strong and White off the line in his releases. Stems well down field. Gets out of breaks quickly for his stride length, though not as quick as Cooper, which is to be expected. Only route I have a problem with is his slant, which isn’t nearly flat enough…possibly could be because he wants more YAC and possibly could be because he doesn’t want to flatten within range of big hitting linebackers over the middle. Ties back into questions about toughness again – not accusing him of being soft but it’s just a question. Speaking of YAC, he’s deadly in the open field with the ball in his hands. Very quick and sudden, can break and elude tackles better than any other top receiver in this class. He’s the most complete pure receiver in this draft in terms of size, speed, quickness, route running, and hands. Only questions – which are MINOR, purely speculative, and shouldn’t be taken too seriously – are toughness and durability. He’ll be a high floor WR1 and make someone very happy in the top 10)

Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

Size/bulk ———————————- 6/10 (Just a hair under 6’1″, 211 lbs. Not rail thin, can take a hit, but again not going to contend on 50/50 balls because he’s not very tall and not very long)

Hand size/catching ——————— 8/10 (10″ hands which is a plus, but he tends to let a lot of balls into his body when they aren’t at shoulder level or above. Does have a knack for bucket catches deep though. Also had a few bad concentration drops against LSU. Overall he’s reliable, but not super sticky hands)

Route running ————————— 14/15 (Tremendous route runner. About as polished as you can possibly be. Has a sick double move on deep balls, very quick feet, super-fast in and out of breaks, always flattens down away from defenders, rolls his hips into his cuts extremely fluidly. He’s ready to go day one)

Body control/ deep adjustment —- 8/10 (Not a jump ball guy, but he adjusts well to deep passes and can track very well to get himself under the ball. Showed he can work back shoulder as well and screen off defenders from having a shot at it, though again he is NOT a consistent red zone threat on fades)

Run blocking —————————– 6/10 (Terrible blocker. Whiffed a lot, doesn’t strike into DBs’ chests, didn’t churn and sustain, seemed disinterested at times. He’s a body in the way and that’s about it)

Speed/Acceleration ——————— 13/15 (Legit deep threat. 4.4 flat kind of guy. Can make people pay for biting early, and curls were always there for him because people backed off and bailed immediately if he sold the 9 route. Can accelerate very quickly off the line, and if given space in the slot or at the Z spot he can wreck people on any down as a deep threat and underneath possession receiver)

Toughness ——————————— 8/10 (Not afraid to go over the middle, didn’t seem to shy away from contact, always looking for YAC, but he wasn’t necessarily running people over either. Kind of a product of his lack of size)

Durability ———————————- 8/10 (Was banged up here and there, mostly in his sophomore year. Was out for a week before the season in 2013 with a foot injury, then had a nagging toe injury and missed two games that same year. Left against Chattanooga with a bruised knee in 2014 but didn’t miss any time. Nothing long term though at any time in his career)

Character/leadership ——————- 9/10 (Not a captain or community leader, but was never in trouble either. Just a good normal kid all around it seems)

OVERALL ———————————– 80/100 (Extremely talented slot receiver prospect that is worth a pick anywhere in the top 10 as long as his future team uses him properly. He might work as a Z, but he’s definitely not an X. He needs space, and he needs a QB with an arm. He’ll stretch defenses vertically with speed and shred people from the slot with route running. However, he won’t be a 50/50 ball type of guy and he’s not a red zone threat, so some teams won’t view him as a true #1 receiver. He’s more of a between the 20s weapon in the mold of Antonio Brown than he is a true top dog like A.J. Green or Julio Jones, simply because he can’t be used in some of the ways that big #1 guys can be used. That being said though, he has the best chance of any of the top guys this year of being a 100+ reception kind of player. He’ll get explosive plays and he’ll get a ton of first downs. As long as someone else can score the touchdowns, that is all I need from him anyway)

Kevin White, WR, West Virginia

Size/bulk ———————————- 8/10 (6’3″, 215 lbs. Good, but not elite size)

Hand size/catching ——————— 8/10 (Only 9 ¼” hands, but natural hands catcher. Attacks ball at high point on jump balls. Concentration drops here and there)

Route running ————————— 7/15 (Extremely raw. Stems well on fades and gos, but can’t release off the line with proper footwork if his life depended on it. Needs at least 2-3 years of development. Can really only run one route well (fade). The rest of his repertoire is garbage, which is to be expected from the WVU offense. Deep threat and red zone target early in his career and that’s about it)

Body control/ deep adjustment —- 9/10 (Very good at tracking and getting under fades. High points well. Knows how to set up DB’s with double stems, which is his only good route running note at this point)

Run blocking —————————– 7/10 (Willing blocker, physical at times but not always nasty. Adequate, I’d say)

Speed/Acceleration ——————— 12/15 (Very good long speed. Long strider. Once he gets going, he can stretch safeties with the best of them. Good acceleration into his route off the snap, but not necessarily elite. Deep speed is his best attribute)

Toughness ——————————— 9/10 (Willing to go over the middle, deliver hits. Sometimes tries to get too much YAC when he should just go down and protect the ball, but at least he tries. Beats press well with physicality)

Durability ———————————- 9/10 (Missed first game of junior season with shoulder injury after transfer from JC. Stayed healthy since then. No long term medical concerns…or publically known concerns at least)

Character/leadership ——————- 8/10 (Good guy off the field. Confident in himself, like most big time wide outs. Wasn’t a captain because he was still sort of new to the team, but caused no problems off the field)

OVERALL ———————————– 77 (Kind of a one trick pony at this point in his career. Excellent as a deep threat and can get you YAC on screens, but outside of that, he’s way too raw to contribute as an all around #1. Footwork on releases is awful, breaks are rounded, doesn’t push corners with his release one way or another to set up a counter and no shoulder ride to snap on his break. He can beat press well because he’s physical, but could still use more effort as a run blocker. He needs probably at least two years of development to become what he is capable of becoming, but he’s got excellent potential based on physical talent alone. At the very least he is capable of being a complementary deep threat and red zone guy, but there is a decent chance that that is all he will ever be. Really tough for me to spend a top 10 pick on someone who might just be “okay” rather than a true slam dunk at that position. If I need a guy to stretch people vertically though, I’d be okay with taking him in the middle-ish to back half of the first or even early second)

Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State

Size/bulk ———————————- 8/10 (Bigger side of 6’2″, 217 lbs. Good size, but not great or elite)

Hand size/catching ——————— 6/10 (Small 9″ hands, and I can’t bump it up at all because he showed a clear inconsistency when fighting for the ball in traffic. He isn’t like DeAndre Hopkins or Anquan Boldin with their ability to snatch a ball away from someone despite having a corner draped all over them. He does better with a clear shot at the ball, and even then he had some drops here and there. He made some really, really nice catches on back shoulder fades where he could use his bulk to screen the corner out of it, but everything else was spotty. Double catches at times as well. Had it poked out from his grip a few times on the way down. In general just small, inconsistent hands)

Route running ————————— 10/15 (Runs a wider variety of routes than Kevin White, but he’s still pretty raw. Feet on release could use work, but I like that he rides the shoulder to snap on breaks and uses his bulk to his advantage. Doesn’t stem on deeper routes as well as White either, but I think he beats press better with hand usage and strength. Another JC transfer, so again a lot of those guys are raw as hell. He has shown a lot of coachability though, so I’m optimistic about improvement. He just needs at least 1-2 years of seasoning first)
Body control/ deep adjustment —- 9/10 (Flashes requisite body control to do work on jump balls/back shoulders/deep balls, but his hands kind of ruin it for him sometimes. Very good at trying to cross DBs’ faces and put himself in between them and the ball. Good at setting up rubs. Clearly wants to give himself opportunities to use that size, which I like)

Run blocking —————————– 6/10 (Terrible blocker. Whiffed a lot, doesn’t strike into DBs’ chests, didn’t churn and sustain. He’s a body in the way and that’s about it….same exact evaluation as Cooper here, if it seems familiar)
Speed/Acceleration ——————— 10/15 (4.4 at the combine was a lie. He doesn’t play that fast at all. Long strider, slow footed in and out of breaks. Takes a while to build up speed. Flashes some agility sometimes on screens, but he’s really not a YAC guy either. Overall he will win with body control over speed and quickness 9/10 times)

Toughness ——————————— 8/10 (Not afraid to go over the middle, didn’t seem to shy away from contact. Very good at breaking press with physicality. Still a weak run blocker though, want him to bury people)

Durability ———————————- 8/10 (Never missed a game at ASU until he sat out of Wazzu with a concussion suffered against Oregon State. Was hobbled for a few weeks in his first season at ASU after an ankle injury suffered against Washington, but still didn’t miss a game)

Character/leadership ——————- 10/10 (Captain for the bowl game against Duke. Extremely hard worker. Won’t give you any trouble off the field. Very coachable and wants to learn how to be the best at his craft more than anything. Took time to go into DB meetings to learn how they were playing him so that he could learn how to counter it. Love that about him. I have more faith in his development from raw to refined than I do White, though White has better speed, quickness, and hands at this point. If Strong can learn how to improve his hands and let the coaches mold his route running, he could be very, very good. That’s a big “if”, though. At least he has the work ethic to stick on a roster and hopefully leave every practice better than when he got there)

OVERALL ———————————– 75 (Big bodied jump ball and red zone threat who has inconsistent hands on every other non-fade route he runs. Better route runner than White, but that’s not saying much. Still slow in and out of breaks, slow off the line, long strider who takes a while to build up speed and probably won’t separate from anyone. He wins with body position, which he has the size to do. Biggest pros are size, 42″ vert, and work ethic. Biggest cons are shaky hands and a lack of quickness to separate. He’ll be a complementary receiver at the next level, someone who can contribute with touchdowns and first downs on back shoulder fades and hopefully learn to work the middle with body control as well, but it’s hard for me to peg him as a number one receiver without the speed and quickness necessary to take advantage of route running and burn the most technically proficient corners. At the very least he’ll work hard, improve himself to a starting caliber #2, and be a good football player for someone. If he develops beyond that, it’s just gravy. Could be taken in the latter half of the first round or early second round for teams that need a complementary weapon)

zn wrote:

The receiver who I hear scouts gush quietly about the most is Louisville’s DeVante Parker. … I’m not sure he gets past the 10/11 range, where the Rams are looking long and hard at him

DeVante Parker, WR
School: Louisville | Conference: ACC
College Experience: Senior | Hometown: Louisville, KY
Height/Weight: 6-3 / 209 lbs.

STRENGTHS: Excellent height/length body type with the frame to get stronger. Long-striding speed with natural lower body explosion to get vertical in a hurry. Shows multiple gears in his routes to set up defenders. Quick-starter with the initial movements off the line of scrimmage to gain free release and stack corners, using field leverage to give him room to work down the sideline. Disguises routes well with a strong plant foot, selling his patterns with crisp footwork. Shows some shake in the open field with quick cuts to deceive after the catch and the vision to collect YAC. Tracks the football and extends well to attack with a large wingspan and natural body control ? usually reliable ballskills. Above average vertical with the leaping ability to hang in the air. Deceiving body strength and not a push-over, running tough and not allowing coverage defenders to slow him down in his routes. Tougher than he looks and not an easy ballcarrier to finish off. Confident competitor and won?t shrink in crunch time. Frequent visitor to the end zone with a touchdown every 4.7 catches for the Cardinals. Consistently productive in college and leaves Louisville ranked top-five in several categories, including career receiving yards (2,775) and career receiving touchdowns (33).

WEAKNESSES: Leaner-than-ideal frame and needs to add muscle and bulk. Good speed for the position, but can be caught from behind. Usually reliable hands and focus, but will allow the ball into his body at times and tends to have concentration lapses. Better with the ball away from his body where he can extend and attack. Room to improve his footwork off the line to beat press and get into his routes. Needs to improve his coverage reads to better manipulate defenders instead of using the same moves each play. Will get himself in trouble extending his arms away from his body to push off ? won?t get away with that in the NFL. Willing blocker, but has room to improve in this area. Durability concerns due to his lean frame and college injuries, including a left foot injury (Aug. 2014) that required surgery and sidelined him for the first seven games of his senior season, also missed one game as a junior due to a right shoulder injury (Oct. 2013).

COMPARES TO: A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals. Although he?s not quite on the same level as Green, Parker is just a notch below with a similar athletic skill-set with the height and length to tower over defenders.

Player Overview

Despite losing his quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, Parker passed on the NFL after the 2013 season and returned to Louisville for his senior year, although it didn?t go quite as expected, missing the first seven games after foot surgery. However when he did return, he was dominant in the final six games, averaging seven catches and almost 150 receiving yards per game. Parker will have some easy drops and needs to iron out some wrinkles in his game, but he is long-striding athlete with better catch-and-go creativity and toughness than expected, using his wingspan and natural length to play above the rim. His size/athletic dimensions are first round quality with a large catching radius to be a playmaker at every level of the field ? not quite on the same level as A.J. Green as a NFL prospect, but a notch below.

Parker was a Louisville fan growing up and committed to his hometown team as a junior in high school. He started six games as a true freshman in 2011 and led the team in receiving scores (6) and yards per catch average (16.2). Parker was again a part-time wideout as a sophomore (three starts), but led the Cardinals with 744 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He set career-highs as a junior in 2013 with a team-best 55 catches for 885 yards and tied a school-record with 12 touchdown grabs, earning First Team All-AAC honors. Parker missed the first seven games of his senior season due to a foot injury, but still managed 43 catches for 855 yards and five scores in just four starts, earning Second Team All-ACC honors.

Barksdale leaves Tennessee without a contract

By Joe Lyons

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-report/barksdale-leaves-tennessee-without-a-contract/article_0ec0bef1-2be5-5ec3-8da3-019ab8b04903.htm

Free agent tackle Joe Barksdale wrapped up a visit with the Tennessee Titans on Thursday and left Nashville without a deal.

It was the first known free agent visit for Barksdale, who recently married and spent part of the early free-agent period on his honeymoon.

The 27-year-old Barksdale has started 29 games at right tackle over the last two seasons with the Rams and remains a possibility to return. With veteran guard Rodger Saffold and left tackle Greg Robinson back, the Rams have openings at tackle, guard and center.

The only tackles on the roster are Robinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 draft, Garrett Reynolds, a recent free-agent pickup from Detroit who started four games at right tackle for the Lions last year and Steven Baker, an East Carolina product who spent nine weeks on the Rams’ 2014 practice squad.

(Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.)