2016 Preseason NFL Draft Tidbits

2016 NFL DRAFT SUMMER TIDBITS

SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT

Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle was considered a 2^nd-3^rd round value by NFL scouts, based on 2015 film but some off field issues forced him to enter the Supplemental Draft where the St. Louis Rams took him in the 5^th round.

No other player was picked and Battle was the first since the Browns took Josh Gordon back in 2011.

Battle was the only player who we believe will make a NFL roster but his issues are serious and he will have to work on them if he wants to have a long NFL career, which we believe he can. Battle is a gifted player with good feet, length, a powerful punch, and upside as he brings raw technique that the Rams should be able to coach up.

OVERRATED/UNDERRATED

Every year there are players who are rated much lower by NFL teams than the media and those who the NFL is higher on than the media realizes.

UNDERRATED

DT ADAM GOTSIS, GEORGIA TECH

Most people don’t have this former walk-on as an elite prospect but he ranks highly among NFL circles. We are hearing 3^rd round from a lot of people. They love his upside, production, and body at 6’5, 285 plus pounds. If he can run in the 4.7s or better he will almost certainly be a 2^nd or early 3^rd round pick, at the latest.

SS MILES KILLEBREW, SOUTHERN UTAH

His name barely appeared online when we did a Google search 2 months ago but it will be all over the internet by August. Killebrew is getting high praises. We are told he could go in the 3^rd or 4^th round as of right now. Scouts love his measurables (6’2, 225, 4.4) and his range. He can cover ground and is a hard hitter. Keep an eye on him. Killebrew will be a Senior Bowl invite and top 100 draft pick if he lives up to the hype.

OLB JARED NORRIS, UTAH

After an honorable mention All-Pac 12 season view people viewed him as a top tier prospect but he is considered one of the top three senior outside linebackers in the draft by everyone we have pooled. Norris is just 6’1, 232 pounds but he can fly, showing 4.6 type speed on tape. His speed and athleticism make him a potential top 50 pick. Some are saying he is a top 15 senior prospect.

OT NATHAN THEAKER, WAYNE STATE (MI)

Nobody hardly knows this name either but Theaker is another player who should easily end up at the Senior Bowl and as a 5^th round or higher pick. He has good strength and was a consistent player in 2014. Expect him to kick inside to guard at 6’4, 300 plus pounds.

S DARIAN THOMPSON, BOISE STATE

Nobody views him as a top tier prospect in the media but NFL teams not only see him as a potential 1^st or late 2^nd round pick but as a top 5 senior prospect. We have heard no lower than the late 2^nd round from scouts with some having him as high as a late 1^st round choice. This is partly after he ran 4.5s at his junior pro day and measured in at 6’2, 200 plus pounds. He finished with seven interceptions last year and 71 tackles to earn 1^st-team All-Mountain West honors.

OVERRATED

OG VADAL ALEXANDER, LSU

When you earn All-SEC honors as an underclassmen you are automatically pegged a high draft pick but Alexander is not one of them, according to NFL teams. Most scouts who have evaluated him already stamped the 6’5 335 pounder as a mid round or priority free agent prospect rather than a 2^nd rounder like many in the media have him.

QB TREVONE BOYKIN, TCU

Boykin is not 6’2 like many believed he is. He measures around 5’11 ½ and is considered a marginal draft pick by scouts right now. We have seen opinions from free agent to 7^th round from sources and believe that the undersized passer who finished high on Heisman ballots is considered more of a good college player than a blue chip NFL prospect.

ILB KENTRELL BROTHERS, MISSOURI

The media seems to view Brothers as a top 100 pick in some circles, likely because he was 2^nd team All-SEC last year, but NFL teams view him as a priority free agent or 7^th round pick. This doesn’t mean he can’t go much higher but he has work to do in order to go where the media views him. One thing that may be hurting his stock is the fact he measures just 6’0, 240 plus pounds and is considered a sub 4.9 speed guy.

QB JAKE COKER, ALABAMA

If you have looked around the internet there are websites who have had him in the top 10. He’s considered a fringe free agent type prospects by scouts. Coker measures over 6’5 229 pounds but hasn’t been a starter yet so with a productive 2015 season as the starter he could perhaps move up boards.

OT SPENCER DRANGO, BAYLOR

Baylor has had some high draft picks at tackle over the years and they have all been over drafted. Maybe the NFL is learning with Drango. He is considered a late round pick by scouts, rather than a 1^st or 2^nd round pick that the media has him projected after he earned All-America honors last year.

TE DILLON GORDON, LSU

At 6’4, 300 pounds Gordon is a heavy tight end and someone who was rated highly because of high school hype but scouts also view him as a fringe free agent. It will be interesting to see if scouts keep that opinion or if he is able to show the ability once believed to have in high school.

S LADARRELL MCNEIL, TENNESSEE

NFL scouts don’t view McNeil as a legit draftable player and many don’t view him as more than a fringe free agent. At 6’0 plus, 205 plus pounds he has size but will need to improve if he is to be a draft pick. McNeil has a long way to go to get his stock in the draftable range.

CB FABIAN MOREAU, UCLA

At 6’0, 195 pounds Moreau is a good size corner but is more of a late round or priority free agent grade by NFL scouts right now than a top 3 round pick as he appears to be in the media. The 2014 2^nd-team All-Pac 12 selection will need a strong senior year to be a top 100 pick.

DE SHAWN OAKMAN, BAYLOR

Oakman is perhaps the most overrated by the media there is. He is considered a top 10 pick by most media outlets but is rated as a 4^th-5^th round prospect by NFL sources we have spoken with. They tell us he looks like a million dollars but is stiff, inconsistent, and had his best production against lower rated linemen. He will probably end up in the 2^nd or 3^rd round because someone will fall in love with the size and length but many people believe he is just too stiff and inconsistent to be more than a backup or role player in the NFL, instead of a future Pro Bowler like many in the media have pegged him.

CB KEVON SEYMOUR, SOUTHERN CAL

Seymour did not earn any all-conference honors in 2014 but he is very highly regarded by NFL teams. We have spoken with west coast scouts who have him as high as the 2^nd round right now and no lower than the 4^th round. At 6’0, 185 pounds with one pick and 13 pass breakups in 2014 scouts believe his physical tools and ability to shut down his side of the field make him a likely top 50-75 pick at this point.

POTENTIAL RISERS

CB MORGAN BURNS, KANSAS STATE

It’s easy to go unnoticed when you don’t earn postseason accolades and Burns did not. However, NFL teams like him because of his 4.3 speed. If the 5’11, 195 pounder can clock 4.3s in the postseason and have an impressive senior campaign he is a name to watch because scouts already view him as a priority free agent who could easily rise into the mid rounds.

RB KENYAN DRAKE, ALABAMA

Drake has never been a starter and won’t be again in 2015 but he is a big, talented back with speed. At 6’0, 210 plus pounds he brings 4.4 speed and a lot of talent. He is viewed as a late round pick right now but if he can stay clean off the field and have a good postseason, we believe he could end up in the 3^rd-5^th round range.

WR TAJAE SHARPE, UMASS

Sharpe is a tall, lean receiver with speed and good hands. If he can run 4.4s in the postseason and put up another strong fall campaign he could move from a projected mid round pick to a top 100 selection. Sharpe had 85 catches for 1,281 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior and should have an even better senior year with his quarterback returning.

WERE CLOCKS FAST AT SOUTHERN UTAH?

We talked to a source who was at the Southern Utah pro day and we heard that three players ran impressive times. While we don’t know the exact times we are told that they had a wide receiver run a 4.3 and a corner run a 4.4 while Killebrew also ran a 4.4. Southern Utah should be a team to watch in FCS as they are loaded with potential NFL draft picks or free agent signings.

QB RANKINGS

NFL teams indeed have Southern California’s Cody Kessler and Michigan State’s Connor Cook as the top two passers but some scouts have Kessler ahead of Cook, which would surprise most media outlets. Cook stands at 6’4 220 pounds while Kessler measures at just 6’1, 215 pounds. We think Cook is the better player but there are scouts who believe Kessler is.

NOTABLE AWARD WINNERS UNDER THE RADAR

Here is a list of all-conference players from last year who we are told are either rated very low or not even considered a NFL prospect at this point. Surely many of these will fly onto NFL radars but it’s interesting to see so many who were among the best in their conference but not even considered a priority free agent or higher by scouts right now.