American Football Super Fan

Football strategy and Football scouting for coaches and fans alike!

[coach-cole]

2019 NFL Mock Draft Par 3

Here is the final part of my 2019 mock draft

21.       Seattle Seahawks: Noah Fant, TE, Iowa: The Seahawks could go several directions here with needs in the defensive backfield but given how much they spent to sign Russell Wilson, they might want to keep him happy and a top notch receiving threat like Fant makes a lot of sense. Fant is more of a big receiver and has shown tremendous speed and explosion to create separation against linebackers and the strength to dominate smaller defensive backs. Fant should step in immediately and become an effective receiver on the inside.

22.       Baltimore Ravens: Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma: The Ravens have said that a major part of their offseason will be giving Lamar Jackson the weapons that he needs to succeed and that starts by giving him an athletic downfield threat to take the top off of a defense and create separation. Brown is blessed with top notch speed and explosion to create separation against any pro defensive back and will make the big play when needed. However he lacks great size and strength and could be an injury risk at the next level.

23.       Houston Texans: Cody Ford, OL, Oklahoma: Ford is the best offensive lineman available at this point in the draft and the Texans desperately need to add talent along the offensive front. Ford is a powerful run blocker with enough length and strength to be effective as a pass blocker. Ford is overweight and will likely need to move inside at the next level, though he could work as a right tackle in a pinch. They need to protect Deshaun Watson and Ford could give him that extra half second to find the receiver downfield.

24.       Oakland Raiders: Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama: The Raiders luck out and give John Gruden a powerful inside runner to take the pressure off of Derek Carr. Jacobs is a stout and powerful inside rusher with a low center of gravity and driving legs that can consistently get those tough 3-4 yards between the tackles, though he lacks elite speed and explosion and likely will never be able to create massive plays in the air.

25.       Philadelphia Eagles: Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State: I fully believe that the Eagles will take the best player available, though they could move up to get Josh Jacobs. However in this mock they take Jeffery Simmons, a player that has top 10 talent and likely would be the best defensive tackle prospect in most other drafts. Simmons has some off the field issues and has dealt with injuries but he possesses a tremendous mix of strength and athleticism that allows him to play all over the defensive line and could be a top notch player once he gets back from injury.

26.       Indianapolis Colts: Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple: The Colts would have loved Simmons here but this allows them to address their defensive backfield that has had issues defending the pass all year. Ya-Sin is an athletic corner prospect that could play inside or outside and shows tremendous ability as a man coverage corner that easily tracks the ball downfield. Ya-Sin could evolve into a lock down corner but will need to clean up his footwork to consistently lock receivers down.

27.       Oakland Raiders: Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson: The Raiders could go QB here but I believe that they need to spend one of their 1st round picks on an outside pass rusher and Ferrell happens to be the best player left on the board. Ferrell has all the attributes you could want from and athletic edge rusher with a top notch get off, a array of pass rushing moves and the raw speed to chase down ball carriers when he wants to. However getting him to show consistent effort is an issue and he has issues rushing the passer when he doesn’t have his hand in the ground.

28.       Los Angeles Chargers: Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss: This is a bit of a surprise pick but adding offensive line help to protect Phillip Rivers during the final part of his career should be a major need and Little is quietly one of the best pass blockers and athletes along the offensive line. Little has consistently performed since coming out of high school and though he doesn’t have elite strength to anchor he has the quickness and technique to keep between the pass rusher and the QB.

29.       Seattle Seahawks (from KC Chiefs): Greedy Williams, CB, LSU: The Seahawks have a lot of needs, especially since they traded away their best pass rusher for this pick and they could very easily select Brian Burns here. However I fully believe that they will go defensive back here and Williams has the look of a prototypical Seattle cornerback with impressive length, great athleticism and ball skills to knock passes down at a very high rate. Williams had a decrease in production from his freshman to his sophomore year but he would make a lot of sense here.

30.   Green Bay Packers: Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama: The Packers could use another receiving threat for Aaron Rodgers and, despite the new coaching staff, I can’t imagine that the new coaches picking a QB at this point in the draft. Smith is a complete tight end, though he is a top notch receiver in an H-back mold. He shows the speed to consistently create separation on safeties and linebackers and is very physical at the point of attack. Smith will likely need to add some weight to be used as an inline tight end but his receiving talent should guarantee that he stays on the field.

31.   Los Angeles Rams: Erik McCoy, C, Texas A&M: The Rams need to add more talent along the offensive line, and with most of the 1st round tackles off the board they go with the best remaining center. McCoy is very athletic with top notch technique and control and despite not being massive he is able to stonewall larger defenders with leverage and technique. He needs to add more strength at the pro level and needs to show better lower body strength consistently but he should be a day 1 starter and could reach the Pro Bowl.

32.   New England Patriots: N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State: The Patriots are always a wild card and they could go several different directions with this pick, including trading down, but with the loss of Gronkowski they will need a powerful downfield threat that can go up and get the ball and Harry fits that role perfectly. Harry brings huge size and power to the receiver position and shows tremendous tracking ability downfield along with being arguably the best blocking receiver in the draft. Harry creates the same matchup issue for defenses and could be played all over the field as a rookie.

[coach-cole]

2019 NFL Mock Draft Part 2

Here is the 2nd part of my 2019 mock draft

11.       Cincinnati Bengals: Devin Bush, LB, Michigan: The Bengals could go several different ways with this pick and could very easily select their QB of the future with the new coaching staff, however the lack of talent at linebacker could very easily cause the Bengals to go defense with this pick. Bush has shown tremendous athleticism and should be an every down player with his sideline to sideline speed and coverage ability.

12.       Green Bay Packers: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston: The Packers will likely go best player available with this pick and could use an athletic defensive lineman. Oliver has been a dominant presence during his college career and has shown the raw athleticism to play anywhere on the defensive side of the ball. However he lacks elite strength for an interior lineman along with being small for a defensive tackle. He should step in as an athletic 5 technique in the Packers defense.

13.       Miami Dolphins: Rashan Gray, DL, Michigan: Based on their selections in the past few drafts I think that adding an athletic and versatile player like Gray will fit perfectly in Miami. Gray is a man without a position but has shown the speed to play on the outside along with the bulk and strength to be on the inside and could see snaps all along the defensive line. However he is incredibly raw and has shown little ability to produce without a heavy dose of athleticism.

14.       Atlanta Falcons: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson: The Falcons have not been shy when addressing their defensive line and adding a versatile interior threat could take their defense to the next level. Wilkins is a very well rounded player, showing good strength in the run game along with a great first step and pass rush ability in several different spots and could see snaps inside and outside in the defense.

15.       Washington Redskins: Daniel Jones, QB, Duke: Despite being a relatively weak QB class, Jones will be the 4th QB selected. Jones is a prototypical pro QB with a good arm and good size along with enough speed to make plays with his feet. However he didn’t run a pro system in college and has had issues when it comes to turnovers even in his best games. Jones is raw but could become a very good pro QB with some time behind a veteran. There are several other needs on the Redskins roster but QB will likely be in the forefront on draft day.

16.       Carolina Panthers: Byron Murphy, CB, Washington: The Panthers could draft along with offensive line, but history and a lack of talent in the defensive backfield should force them to take a corner with their first pick. Murphy shows tremendous natural talent with natural lockdown ability. However he lacks any outstanding physical trait with average size, speed and strength but his polish as a man coverage player should allow him to excel at the pro level.

17.       New York Giants: Jawaan Taylor, OL, Florida: The Giants need to protect their QB of the future and adding some help opening  up running lanes for Saquon Barkley is never a bad idea. Taylor isn’t a dominant pass blocker but he is effective and is a dominant run blocker with the power to move around most defenders off of the ball. He is still relatively raw but he could easily learn the right tackle position and eventually take over at left tackle when Nate Solder retires.

18.       Minnesota Vikings: Garrett Bradbury, C, NC State: The best center in this draft class he is what you want from an NFL center, stocky, powerful, athletic and intelligent he could very easily be a pro bowl performer during his first season. The Vikings have a good center in Pat Elflein but Bradbury can easily move to right guard and start immediately or force Elflein to move to right guard so he could take his natural spot at center.

19.       Tennessee Titans: Jonah Williams, OG, Alabama: The Titans spent top draft picks to select top notch young tackles and with Marcus Mariota needing as much protection as possible, adding a versatile and athletic guard to the team seems like the obvious choice. Williams played tackle for the Crimson Tide but his natural position at the pro level given his length is inside at guard. Blessed with great athleticism and strength he should be able to work well in the run heavy Titan offensive scheme.

20.   Pittsburgh Steelers: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss: The Steelers could add some talent along the offensive line or at cornerback, but with the loss of Antonio Brown, adding a talented playmaker on the outside should help to soften the blow. Metcalf had an impressive combine in terms of his strength and straightline speed, 2 things that the Steelers like in their outside receivers and could very easily be the deep threat to lighten the box for James Conner. Metcalf is very raw but should be able to learn well from other Steelers receivers.

[coach-cole]

2019 NFL Mock Draft part 1

Here is the first part of my 2019 mock draft. 

1.       Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma: I want to start out by saying that this will likely be traded away to a lower team who needs a QB or believes that they need a new face of the franchise. Murray stole the Heisman Trophy this year by showing a rocket arm, tremendous leadership and incredible athleticism to extend plays and run with the ball. Murray however is tiny and his issues against Alabama, where he had issues escaping the powerful ‘Bama line, could spell issues at the pro level. However Murray is the most explosive offensive threat in this draft and should receive a lot of attention for his raw ability.

2.       San Fransico 49ers: Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State: I am not a huge lover of Joey Bosa and still believe that he could see some issues due to his knee injury and still needs to show better overall athleticism to become a dominant defensive edge rusher. However his polish as a rusher is impressive and he very easily could notch double digit sacks in the near future. Bosa could easily step into the spot opposite Dee Ford

3.       New York Jets: Josh Allen, DE, Kentucky: Quinnen Williams is the best player on the board but the Jets need an edge rusher more than anything else and Allen has the athleticism and production to become a very effective pass rusher from Day 1 for the Jets and could match with Leonard Williams to create a good defensive front.

4.       Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama: Arguably the best defensive tackle prospect since Ndamukong Suh, Williams has an elite first step, powerful hands and pass rush ability to become a Pro Bowl player as a rookie and could become the defensive threat to greatly help the Raiders defensive woes.

5.       Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Devin White, LB, LSU: The Buccaneers have needs all over their team but having an effective linebacker to pair with Lavonte David and White has the raw athleticism and coverage ability to become a top notch nickel defender and starting mike linebacker for a new Buccaneers defense.

6.       New York Giants: Drew Lock, QB, Missouri: I have Dwayne Haskins as the top QB in the draft but the word is that the Giants are not a fan of the Ohio State Quarterback. Lock has a lot of similarities to Eli Manning, large with a rocket arm and good production in the SEC and could hold a clipboard during the final years of Eli’s contract and step up to create a great, young offensive backfield for the future.

7.       Jacksonville Jaguars: Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State: Though they could easily add another athletic interior defensive lineman I believe that the first thing in Doug Marrones mind is to protect the new Quarterback Nick Foles and Dillard is the most polished pass protector and could easily become a bookend tackle along with Cam Robinson.

8.       Detroit Lions: Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State: Sweat had one of the most surprising combine performances in recent memory with a record 40 yard dash for a defensive lineman and has shown the athleticism to become a dominant edge rusher. However he doesn’t have elite bulk for a defensive end and had a small heart issue that will need to be watched over his pro career.

9.       Buffalo Bills: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa: The Bills need to add receiving threats to help Josh Allen along and Hockenson has the blocking and receiving ability to become a top notch player and could easily become the security blanket for Allen. Hockenson is a complete tight end and is dominant on shorter routes.

10.   Denver Broncos: Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State: Haskins, in my mind is the best NFL Quarterback in this draft, showing the arm, touch and accuracy to make every throw on target and has shown that he can be an elite passer at the college level. Haskins doesn’t have a lot of starting experience with only a single year as the starter for the Buckeyes but he should be able to step in and start at a high level for whatever team drafts him in 2019. Despite trading for Joe Flacco i still see the Broncos picking a QB with their first pick and with Haskins falling he should be a no brainer.

[coach-cole]

How the Rams can win the Super Bowl

The Rams come in with a simple, but high flying offense along with a dominant defensive front that has masked the deficiencies of their young but athletic secondary. The Rams have a young and talented offensive coach and I would suspect that Sean McVay will have a few special plays to take advantage of a Patriots defense that should have speed on the field to match up against the 3 wide receiver sets and athletic runners out of the backfield. The best course of action for the Rams is to minimize the time that Tom Brady has with the ball by running down the clock with the offense centered around Todd Gurley and spell back C.J. Anderson while creating pressure with Suh and Donald and likely getting the athletic outside rushers in one on one situations with the more powerful but less athletic offensive tackles. The Rams need to play aggressive on defense to take away the quick game of Tom Brady and will likely need to bracket cover Gronkowski whenever he is on the field, regardless of the situation. The Patriots will likely use their rotation of athletic backs and should take advantage of the matchups with linebackers whenever it occurs though they could cause issues if they leave in nickel back Mark Barron and bring in nickel and dime backs while playing more aggressive on early downs. The Patriots will likely use their quick game to counter the defensive line so the corners should play close and physical to disrupt the timing of the offense and force Brady to hold onto the football for that extra half second. The Rams are in a bad situation with the playoff and Super Bowl experience of the Patriots but every team that has been able to beat New England in the Super Bowl brings and impressive pass rush along with an offense that can successfully run the ball though I doubt that even in the best case scenario the Rams would build a sizeable lead and we could see a football game that again comes down to the final drive of the game with the edge coming to whoever has their hand on the ball at the end.

[coach-cole]

How the Patriots can win the Super Bowl

The Patriots are very fortunate to have the most hardcore and successful tandem in Head Coach Bill Belichick and Quarterback Tom Brady. They are widely known to never sleep on an opponent and likely will be able to isolate the weakness of a defense and exploit it for success. I fully expect them to take advantage of the height advantage that Rob Gronkowski has over the smaller and faster Rams secondary  with vertical routes. The Pats defense will likely counter the 11 personnel that the Rams prefer to run by keeping in a dime personnel, similar to how they countered the Rams in the 1st Super Bowl between the Rams and the Patriots and should keep the coverages varied and unusual to confuse younger Quarterback Jared Goff. The Rams will have to hope that the power of Todd Gurley can keep the offense on the field and bring up points but the game will likely hinge on the success (or lack thereof) of 3rd year Quarterback Goff. The protection scheme of the Pats will be very interesting based on the tremendous ability to the Rams interior with Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers and Ndamukong Suh getting the lions share of attention though they will likely show maximum protection a significant portion of the time and use their quick game to take the dominant defensive front out of the game. The Patriots will not take the Rams lightly and should be able to produce on offense and if their defense is able to take the ball away from the powerful Rams offense they should be able to come out with a victory and Super Bowl win number 6.

[coach-cole]

Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl

University of Alabama Birmingham vs Northern Illinois

The Blazers of UAB are a run heavy team that use the size and power along their offensive line to impose their will on the opposing defense. The Blazers are blessed with a tremendous offensive line with all but one of their starters along the offensive line being all conference in some capacity with right tackle Justice Power being named to the 1st team squad with Rishard Cook (LG), James Davis (LT), and Malique Johnson (RG) being named to the 2nd team squad. The offense usually goes with runningback Spencer Brown not only leading the team in rushing he also has more touchdowns than anyone on the team and often is the main catalyst for success and failure in the offense with the only 3 loses for the Blazers coming in games that Brown had less than 100 yards rushing. The Blazers passing game is average and has more interceptions than touchdowns and combined for less than 60% completions. The defense runs a versatile 3-4 hybrid scheme with linebackers Jamell Williams-Garcia and Tre Crawford having the most impressive season as the pass rushers with Anthony Rush also being named to the 2nd team all conference squad. The best player on the Northern Illinois squad by far is undersized pass rusher Sutton Smith who was named MAC defensive player of the year while racking up 15 sacks and 24.5 tackles for loss while consistently disrupting opposing offenses though Antonio Jones-Davis led the team in tackles and being named 1st team all conference. John Corcoran often had single coverage opposite of Smith and Safety Mykelti Williams was name 2nd all conferce after racking up 69 tackles and 1 interception. Northern Illinois plays in a run heavy spread system that uses the legs of Quarterback Marcus Childers heavily and use quick passing game to move down the field. Offensive lineman Max Scharping (LT) and Luke Shively (C) get movement along the offensive line and can take over games allowing great lanes for the running backs. Overall I believe that the strength along the offensive line for the Blazers should be a tremendous asset for UAB though they will only be successful if they are able to stop, or at least slow, dominant pass rusher Sutton Smith that has shown the ability to completely take over games over the past 2 years. Overall the passing ability of Northern Illinois should be able to move the ball down the field better than the more conservative playing style of the Blazer leading to a close win.

[coach-cole]

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Middle Tennessee vs Appalachian State

The Middle Tennessee offense begins and ends with Graduate Transfer Quarterback Brent Stockstill who was able to rack up 3203 passing yards and 28 touchdowns while completing 70.4% of his passes during his final season showing top notch ball placement and decision making along the way. The line starts with all conference guard Chandler Brewer who has shown the power to possibly make it to an NFL roster. Ty Lee is the most explosive receiving threat for the Blue Raiders with 82 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns during his junior year and is often the go to threat when they line up in their 4 receiver sets. On defense they use a 3-4 scheme mostly, with sophomore safety Reed Blankenship racking up the most tackles while intercepting 2 passes and making 8 tackles behind the line while getting 1st team all conference honors. Linebacker Darius Harris is 2nd on the team in tackles and is another all conference 1st teamer. Wesley Brooks led the team in interceptions with 6 and versatile hybrid player Khalil Brooks making plays in the run game with other starting linebacker DQ Thomas getting 14.5 tackles for loss and 8 sacks. The Appalachian State offense was supposed to run with all conference runningback Jalin Moore before his injury during the year, however backup runners like Darrynton Evans and Marcus Williams more than picked up the slack while QB Zac Thomas led the team in all passing categories along with 10 rushing touchdowns. The Mountaineers have 3 offensive lineman on the conference 1st and 2nd teams starting with left tackle Victor Johnson on the 1st team and Chandler Greer (LG) and Noah Hannon (C) on the 2nd team. App State likes to roll with a 3 man line has all conference players with MyQuon Stout at defensive tackle, Jordan Fehr at linebacker, Clifton Duck at Desmond Franklin at safety. They have shown dominance over the season only letting up 15.7 points on defense with several players in specialized roles based on the offensive scheme. I fully believe that Appalachian State is going to run all over Middle Tennessee with the depth in the offensive backfield and talent on the defensive side I think they should be able to bait Stockstill into some dangerous throws and come away with the W.

[coach-cole]

Raycom Media Camellia Bowl

Georgia Southern vs Eastern Michigan

Georgia Southern runs a very clean version of the triple option with a great and intelligent passer who not only showed great speed and throwing ability while not throwing an interception all season and having 23 total touchdowns. Currently 5 players have over 300 rushing yards with several speedy options though they don’t have a high carry power compliment in the offensive scheme. The Eagles use a 3-4 scheme with several intelligent players in the front 7 but the playmaker of the defense is cornerback Kindle Vildor who has shown the ability to lock down offensive passing weapons and a great ability to take the ball away. Eastern Michigan is more of a balanced offense with a short passing game and usually would run a one back system with an all conference guard  Jimmy Leatiota who shows good power and ability in the run game. The East Michigan 4-3 defense has several all conference players on it with defensive ends Jeremiah Harris (7 tackles for loss and 5 sacks) and Maxx Crosby (18 tackles for loss and 7 sacks) creating pressure on the edge and defensive backs Vince Calhoun and Brody Hoying making plays thru the air and in the box. Kyle Rachwal has the most impressive numbers with 115 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and 2 interceptions currently on the season. I believe that the run heavy Georgia Southern squad should be able to take over the game in the 4th quarter while their defense should make just enough plays to come away with the win, though Eastern Michigan should have good showings by the safety duo of Hoying and Calhoun.

[coach-cole]

Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl

Arizona State vs Fresno State

Both of these schools are looking to end their season with a W but unfortunately the fact that the leading receiving weapon for the Arizona State K’Neal Harry is skipping the Bowl game to prepare himself for the upcoming NFL draft. Arizona now looks to be a 2 man team with Quarterback Manny Wilkins and Eno Benjamin taking over as the main offensive threats. Arizona is a heavy zone read school with Benjamin taking the majority of handoffs while Wilkins uses high percentage passing to move the ball down the field while minimizing big mistakes. The offensive line is led by 2nd team all conference center Cohl Cabral and has shown the athleticism to be very effective in the zone run scheme of Arizona State. The defense runs a 3-4 scheme and lacks any big names with none of their defenders being named to the all conference team, though the future looks bright with Freshman of the year defender Merlin Robertson who let the team in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks. Utah State however is an explosive offense that is limited by the coaching staffs desire to run the ball showing a top notch threat with Quarterback Marcus McMaryion who has 3453 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns along with a sterling 69.8% completion percentage with only 3 interceptions to his name. The offensive line is led by their left tackle who was named all conference and has shown good athleticism in pass pro. The Fresno State defenses strength is its defensive backfield with Tank Kelly, Juju Hughes and Mike Bell all being named to the All Conference team this year, but the true powerhouse in this defense is linebacker Jeffrey Allison, who has consistently made plays on the ground along with picking the ball off in coverage all year with outside rusher Mykal Walker creating pressure and causing disruption. I believe the game will come down to the ability of Arizona State to make plays thru the air without their top wideout and the game could come down to the mistakes made by the Quarterback though Fresno State should have the defense to come down with the win despite the Arizona State conference advantage.

[coach-cole]

New Mexico Bowl

Utah State vs North Texas

These 2 schools are similar in many aspects, both possess tremendously high powered offenses powered by a successful and intelligent pocket passer along with aggressive 3-4 defenses. Utah State had more success this season with a 10 win season and showed a more balanced offensive scheme taking advantage of explosive runningback Darwin Thompson while Quarterback Jordan Love has shown tremendous ability to spread the ball around to his offensive weapons with All conference center Quin Ficklin taking control of the offensive line. The  defense runs behind linebacker David Woodwards, pass rusher Tipa Galeai, and versatile safety Jontrell Rocquemore and should match up well with the UNT offense. The UNT defense has a lot of talent with 1st team All Conference linebacker E.J. Ejiya racking up the tackles and big plays behind the line though needs to show more consistency in pass coverage while LaDarius Hamilton and Brandon Gardener have been used to disturb opposing defenses while the gambling secondary racks up the turnovers, led by Kemon Hall and Nate Brooks, both with 5 interceptions. The UNT offense is explosive and will often go 4 and 5 wide to spread out the defense and will take the matchup he likes before the snap of the ball often going to his long outside receiver Rico Bussey Jr. and Jalen Guyton. Mason Fine is the top offensive weapon for the Mean Green and has shown off the ability to rack up passing yards at will during the season including the ability to pick apart even power 5 defenses without too much trouble. This should be another very explosive bowl game due to the aggressive natures of both teams but I believe the success of this game will be decided on the line of scrimmage where the lacks of size and power on the UNT side could spell the end for UNT.

[coach-cole]

AutoNation Cure Bowl

Tulane vs Louisiana Lafayette: Both of these schools possess pounding offenses with both schools averaging more than 200 yards rushing over the season. Tulane runs a spread triple option with a compliment of a vertical passing attack though new starting quarterback Justin McMillan came into his own during the Navy game with a season high in completion percentage and passing touchdowns while still showing burst in the running game. The offense runs around pounding runningback Darius Bradwell though undersized receiver Darnell Mooney has shown the speed to take the top off of opposing defenses while keeping them honest. The player you have to worry about on the Tulane defense is end Patrick Johnson who had 14 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks though senior linebacker Zach Harris has the speed to cover a lot of ground and can make tackles from sideline to sideline. Lafayette played for the Sun Belt Championship against Appalachian State and lost but were still awarded a playoff game, they are another powerful running team behind runningback tandem of Trey Ragas and Elijah Mitchell but also have speedster Raymond Calais to compliment the power of Ragas and Mitchell. Andre Nunez works well as the Lafayette Quarterback with 19 touchdowns and a %64.4 completion percentage though he can be erratic as a passer and is coming off his worst performance of the year against App State. The Lafayette defense runs under Jacques Bodreaux who is a tremendous run defender, though he lacks the speed in coverage but they could be taken advantage of during the season with a porous defense. I believe that the defensive strength of Tulane should allow this to be a very exciting offensive game though I believe that the offensive stability of Lafayette along with the defeat in the Championship game should motivate them to beat Tulane in a tight and high scoring conflict.

[coach-cole]

Heisman Trophy Candidates with Pro Prospects

Here is an overview of the 3 top Heisman Candidates along with their likely draft position when they come out for the NFL draft

2018 Heisman Trophy Candidates and their Pro Prospects

1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama: He has had one of the most impressive campaigns by a sophomore Quarterback in NCAA history along with being on what is considered the top team in college football by a widening margin. However I still believe it is too early to crown him as the next #1 overall selection in the 2020 NFL draft though he has interesting raw talent with good athleticism in the pocket along with flashes of both great arm strength and ball placement in the Alabama offense. His best attribute is his consistency despite massive pressure though he is helped greatly by the supporting cast that he has at Alabama and despite his great numbers the fact is that he has not had to bring back his team from a deficit since the National Championship game. His ability to create along with the success of undersized passers like Russell Wilson and Baker Mayfield could allow him to be a high pick and could evolve into a top pick depending on his showing in the playoffs and in his 2nd full season as a starter.

2. Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma: Murray would have been the story of college football if Tagovailoa wasn’t playing. An explosive athlete at the Quarterback position along with showing great accuracy and arm talent there are only 2 things that are holding him back from being a top pick in the NFL draft; his height and his promising baseball career. Murray was already a 1st round selection in the MLB draft and will likely leave the gridiron to pursue a career in pro baseball. Murray is an electric offensive playmaker with a legitimate chance to run for over 1000 yards and pass for 4000 with 47 total touchdowns to his name at this point in the season though many Heisman voters might put an asterisk by his stats thanks to the Big 12 defensive stereotype. I believe that Murray will focus fully on baseball once his college career is over, but who’s to say if he doesn’t try to play both if an NFL squad gives him a chance at QB.

3. Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State: In a suddenly heavy pass Ohio State team, Haskins has put up previously unheard of passing numbers in a conference known better for 3 yards and a cloud of dust than 300 yard passers. Haskins has the look of an NFL Quarterback, standing just under 6’4” he has the size that teams dream about with good athleticism despite preferring to stay in the pocket and shred opposing defenses. Haskins has tremendous statistical numbers with over 4000 yards passing along with over 40 passing touchdowns and the national exposure helps him get in front of the Heisman voters. Haskins will have a major hurdle to overcome at the pro level given the beliefs about the Air Raid system along with the limited success of Urban Meyer passers at the next level, though with Meyer leaving after this season Haskins should have a great chance to show that he is a great player and not just a product of the system. Haskins could slide in the draft due to his system, though the relative success of Air Raid passers at the pro level could limit the slide a bit.

Even with the tremendous success of Kyler Murray in the Oklahoma offense, and the injury by Tua Tagovailoa along with the great performance by backup Jalen Hurts in the SEC championship game, I fully expect for Tua Tagovailoa to win the Heisman this season. As a pro prospect I believe Tagovailoa will have a better chance of being a high pick though Haskins size and arm strength could make him a top 5 selection if he proves he can produce without Urban Meyer.

[coach-cole]

LA Rams 2018 Draft Grade

Here is the grade for the Los Angeles Rams 2018 draft

The Rams first selection was in the 3rd round when they took athletic offensive lineman Joseph Noteboom from TCU, he will likely need to make the team as a swing tackle and learn behind Andrew Whitworth. The next pick was Michigan State center Brian Allen who is technically clean but doesn’t consistently show elite strength or agility. John Franklin-Myers, defensive end from SFA was the next selection and showed very impressive production, size and burst and could be used as a 5 tech or possibly an edge rusher in the Rams 3-4 defense. Micah Kiser, linebacker from Virginia and though he doesn’t consistently show great pass coverage ability he can be an elite run defender. The next pick is outside linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo form Oklahoma and will need to show the burst and pass rushing ability to make the roster, likely showing up as a situational pass rusher on the outside. John Kelly, runningback from Tennessee and will likely need to show the ability as a special teamer and inside the tackles runner. Jamil Demby is another athletic offensive lineman but will need to show the ability to play as the swing interior lineman. Sebastian Joseph, defensive tackle from Rutgers will likely need to play as a 5 tech in the Rams defense. The final 3 players picked are Louisville outside linebacker Trevon Young, TCU linebacker Travin Howard and SMU defensive end and pass rusher Justin Lawler. All will need to show the ability on special teams along with pass rushing ability to make the final cut. The Rams are another team without a 1st round selection but they were able to add impressive offensive line help and outside pass rushers along with a key situational linebacker in Kiser. Overall they deserve a B+ though not having an obvious starter hurts the grade

[coach-cole]

Kansas City Chiefs 2018 Draft Grade

Here is the grade for the Kansas City Chiefs 2018 draft

Another team without a 1st round selection the first picks is Ole Miss defensive tackle Breeland Speaks, Speaks is an athletic playmaker who was able to use his length and burst to make plays in college. Derrick Nnadi, defensive tackle from Florida State is one of the strongest players in the draft along with naturally low pad level and the ability to push the pocket. Dorian O’Daniel, linebacker from Clemson is an athletic playmaker who will need to work on pass coverage. Armani Watts, safety from Texas A&M has shown the ability to play in man and zone coverage but will be slow at times to quickly react to the run. Tremon Smith, corner from Central Arkansas is selected in the 6th round and is selected more on raw athletic potential but could see playing time due to the limits of the Chiefs defensive backfield. The final pick is Kahlil McKenzie, defensive tackle from Tennessee and will need playing experience to reach his athletic potential. Having triple dipped at the defensive tackle position the Chiefs were unable to select cornerback help early and overlooked the offensive unit completely though they are without a first round selection. The Chiefs earn a C

[coach-cole]

Houston Texans 2018 Draft Grade

Here is the grade for the Houston Texans 2018 Draft

Justin Reid, safety from Stanford was the Texans first selection in the 3rd round and has the speed to play in coverage along with strength in run support. Martinas Rankin, offensive lineman from Mississippi State has the ability to play every position on the line, though he doesn’t consistently show the feet to play tackle. Jordan Akins, tight end from Central Florida was the next pick and has impressive receiving ability, though he is an older prospect. Keke Coutee, wide receiver from Texas Tech was the next pick and has shown the raw speed to take to top off of a defense at the college level. The next pick is Duke Ejiofor, defensive lineman from Wake Forest, he lacks great length but plays with very good strength and pad level and can play effectively all over the defensive line in several different positions and techniques. Jordan Thomas is another tight end from Mississippi State and has shown the length and athleticism to play outside receiver along with inline tight end. Peter Kalambayl, defensive end from Stanford and Jermaine Kelly, defensive back from San Jose State finish up the draft. Despite several picks being forfeited for Deshaun Watson, the Texans were able to add several roles players for their young roster with several backups and role players, though starters were hard to come by when they had neither a 1st or 2nd round pick. They earn a B

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Philadelphia Eagles 2018 Draft Grade

Here is the grade for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2018 NFL draft

The Eagles 1st pick was South Dakota State offensive weapon Dallas Goedert, a top notch receiver who showed the speed, strength and soft hands to be a top notch receiving tight end, though he will need to work heavily as a blocker. Avonte Maddox, corner from Pittsburgh was a gamble based on athleticism but could be effective as a nickel early. Josh Sweat, defensive end from Florida is another athletic marvel who was unable to put it together on the field, though he will have time to learn behind the talented Eagles defensive line. Matt Pryor, offensive tackle from T.C.U. was the next pick and possesses impressive size and strength and could be a stop gap solution if the offensive line has issues. The final pick is Jordan Mailata, a rugby player hoping to make the leap to pro football and could see time at offensive line and defensive line based on his raw athleticism. Despite having only 1 selection in the first 3 rounds they Eagles were able to add a possible starter at tight end along with role players at end and cornerback along with a lottery pick in the 7th round earning them a grade of A-

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Minnesota Vikings 2018 Draft Grade

Here is the grade for the Minnesota Vikings in the 2018 draft

Mike Hughes, corner from Central Florida is the first pick and was often looked to as the lockdown corner that brought the UCF defense to the next level during the 2017 season. Brian O’Neill is widely considered to be the best ball carrying tackle of all time and has top shelf athleticism, though he will need to show better power and strength to crack the starting lineup. Jalyn Holmes, defensive end from Ohio State has the versatility to play on the inside and outside at the pro level and could be in the rotation early. Tyler Conklin, tight end from Central Michigan will need to show blocking ability early as a pro to make the roster. Daniel Carlson, kicker from Auburn should be the starting kicker for the Vikings. Colby Gossett, guard from Appalachian State should be the swing interior lineman with good power in run blocking. Ade Aruna, defensive end from Tulane is an athletic marvel who needs to put it together when he steps onto the field. Devante Downs, linebacker from Cal was the last pick and will need to show top notch ability on special teams to make the roster. The Vikings very rarely start rookies, especially on defense so the opportunities for Hughes to  play considerable time seems far fetched but Brian O’Neill and Jalyn Holmes could see playing time in specific roles on the offense and defense respectively. Overall a grade of B- based on limited production early.