Way too early 2014 NFL Draft Board
The value of this is probably nothing other than as a "conversation piece" as I doubt Eric Fisher was showing up on these lists a year ago, but nonetheless, it gives us something to talk about in regards to who draft experts view as the top CFB guys this upcoming season. It does take into account underclassmen declaring early so at least it's better than a list of only seniors. Some highlights:
- Clowney at #1 - because...yeah.
- Taylor Lewan at #4 - scout says he has all the physical traits, needs to improve technique. Can't disagree with that assessment.
- Bradley Roby (OSU) at #8 - sounds about right where the Lions may be picking and a likely a position of need unless Slay gets the job done.
- Ryan Shazier at #21 - 3 B1G prospects in the top 21. Considering the conference only had one 1st rounder this year, I suppose this means good things for the reputation of the B1G.
- AJ Mccarron at #33 - Ken Dorsey, anyone? I see a winner and a solid intangible guy, but an NFL QB? No.
- Ka'deem Carey at #44 - I live out here in AZ now and this guy was electric in RR's zone read. How his skills will translate to the NFL are a bit of a question, ala Steve Slaton.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/rob-rang/22166940/2014-nfl-draft-early-top-50-draft-board
April 30th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^
No Manziel? Is he expected to return following his redshirt sophomore season?
April 30th, 2013 at 11:54 AM ^
April 30th, 2013 at 12:02 PM ^
I think after what happened to Barkley, you will see more QBs come out early. That poor guy lost millions by coming back.
April 30th, 2013 at 12:24 PM ^
How quickly people forget, the last man to get PAID as a rookie (because of NFL rules): Sam Bradford. Came back after his junior year, dislocated his shoulder, put on ice the rest of the season, and still number 1.
The track record of drafting a QB after 3 years of college is not good, either.
April 30th, 2013 at 12:44 PM ^
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing except that the talk surrounding him last year was so much greater that I think some hapless GM would have taken him in the 2nd round at the least. So he might have cost himself a couple of million up front, but again if he plays well then he'll hopefully make up much of that lost money in subsequent contracts.
Yeah, that's possible, but not the crazy money like people are suggesting as if he would have taken GRIII's draft spot last year or something.
Now, I bet Pete Carroll picks Barkley instead of Russell Wilson last year, so if you take a look at Wilson's contract and minus what Barkley got, that's about what he lost, which I'm willing to bet isn't too much.
After looking it up, Barkley's contract is 500k below Wilson's, over the course of the contract, both of which are for four years. Wilson has a 4 yr. 3MM deal, and Barkley's is 4 yr 2.5MM.
So he got to live in campus for free for a year and start all season for half a million. That's not that bad of a deal, really.
Geno Smith was supposed to go #1 according to some of the mock drafts. Damontre Moore was considered a possibility for the Lions at #6. He went at #81. There's no way to tell where Barkley would have gone once teams looked at him closely, but I suspect this year's draft is a better indicator than the early mocks.
I think after what happened to Tyler Bray, you will see more QBs stay in school. That poor guy lost millions by coming out early.
April 30th, 2013 at 11:39 AM ^
are saying the Lions will be awful again next year?
April 30th, 2013 at 11:44 AM ^
Hey, picking 8th instead of the top 5 would be a great season per Lion standards!
I think there is potential for a better season this year, but just as must potential for an awful season again. So many uncertainties. Will the safeties be a vast improvement and can Delmas stay healthy? How will Ansah and Willie Young do replacing KVB and Avril. Will the LB's improve? How much of an impact does Reggie Bush's recieving ability make on the offense? Will LeShoure and Bell improve their ball safety? Does David Akers blow close games?
As a non-Carnac, I can't guess the answers to those questions so I'm taking the safe way out and assuming they will do what they always do.
April 30th, 2013 at 11:52 AM ^
April 30th, 2013 at 12:00 PM ^
i think you confused depth with having another saftey that probably doesnt suck.
April 30th, 2013 at 12:03 PM ^
April 30th, 2013 at 12:24 PM ^
I still can't believe Bacari Rambo was on the board and we drafted the 10th rated punter.
Wolverine fan in Washington D.C. here, and I can tell you we Redskins fans were happy to capitalize on that. I mean, punters matter, right?!
Go Blue!
He was a 3rd/4th round talent that fell b/c of two drug tests. Maybe he's not a starter but given Delmas' injury history some depth back there on a flier like him wouldn't have been a bad move. I understand we needed help punting but in all likelihood, we could have picked him up in free agency. Minnesota apparently had interest in him but given that they cleaned up in the first round and got Greg Jennings in the off-season they coulda afforded to take a bigger gamble. The only other punter drafted was the number one rated punter in the draft (Kid outta UCLA). IDK just doesn't make sense. I mean he seems like a really good punter and all but IDK I thought there were better player on the board that filled needs. It all boils down to drafting on need vs. value. I felt that we could have addressed our punting needs elsewhere. Hopefully it pans out.
The Lions just aren't in the position to be taking chances on guys with character issues right now. Their off-season arrests the last two years (Fairley x2, Culbreath, Berry, Spievey, Lewis)has led the league and the instability those arrests has created has definitely had an on-field impact, not to mention has made them (even more of) an NFL punch line.
You pretty much need to go a few years as an organization out of the legal spotlight before you can draft those guys it seems.
April 30th, 2013 at 11:53 AM ^
Seems more reasonable than saying they won't be awful.
Don't get me wrong, I love me some Lions football, but I'd be hard pressed to say the Lions aren't likely to be the 4th team in the NFC North again.
April 30th, 2013 at 11:45 AM ^
Shazier really goes that high? He's very athletic for his position, but I don't know if he has the discipline or top-flight instincts. I didn't watch him much last year, but in 2011 he got blocked pretty easily and caught out of position against Michigan.
Slaton's problem was dropping the ball all over the place, so Carey should theoretically do just fiine.
Intangibles and all that, but Murray goes before McCarron. Also, Bridgewater's great, but I wouldn't be surprised if he dropped due to injury concerns.
April 30th, 2013 at 11:47 AM ^
Shazier took some steps forward this past season. He was significantly improved since 2011.
April 30th, 2013 at 11:45 AM ^
April 30th, 2013 at 11:50 AM ^
Obviously it will depend on how the season goes, but I think Michael Schofield can work his way into a top 50 pick as well. And I believe Devin Gardner will be a 1st rounder whenever he decides to leave school.
April 30th, 2013 at 12:39 PM ^
Teams aren't generally looking for their future RT in the top 50. Unless that team is the Jaguars, of course. He also needs to show he's more than just a road grater if he wants to move up that much.
I agree. Similar to Jake Matthews from Texas A&M, that would be more of a projection of him at LT.
The difference is I think Matthews is a better athlete than Schofield, and will have a year at LT under his belt before the pros.
April 30th, 2013 at 11:49 AM ^
The Lions just blow again this year and take Clowney? Can't help but think this is a once in a decade type player (Peppers is who he reminds me of) that could be great for a long time
April 30th, 2013 at 12:42 PM ^
Frack it, why not? The last time the Lions blew their wad on the same position over and over (counting DE/DT as just DL) they ended up with Megatron, who was another once-a-decade guy.
April 30th, 2013 at 11:51 AM ^
How do they figure Mettenberger goes first round? He's Anthony Morelli incarnate - great arm, but has absolutely no football smarts whatsoever. I'd take Manziel (who should be on this anyway), Murray, and McCarron before I take Mettenberger.
And what's with all these M-named QBs?
April 30th, 2013 at 11:53 AM ^
April 30th, 2013 at 11:55 AM ^
The technique criticisms I've seen of Lewan and I saw of Omameh leading into this last draft make me wonder about Funk especially given the interior Oline play last season. Link for scathing criticism of Omameh technique.
April 30th, 2013 at 11:56 AM ^
April 30th, 2013 at 12:07 PM ^
I have my concerns about Funk, too. I think the offensive line should have been better than they were last season.
April 30th, 2013 at 12:17 PM ^
Gulp. This makes me concerned about Braden, Kalis, and Miller. Louis Nix is a stiff test in Week 2.
An underachieving OL is not what we want...
April 30th, 2013 at 12:12 PM ^
oline might not have been great at run blocking but their pass protection was solid all season. omameh was always at his best either releasing out onto the linebacker (see denards run at notre dame in 2010), he was never that mauling guard that just shoved people out of the way
Are the Funk concerns just based upon this one year of bad OL play? IMO, I would say we'll see what this year looks like then we can really judge his effectiveness as a coach.
He had two years with the guys who just left (Omameh, Barnum, Mealer). It seems a lot of the problems should have been fixed by the 2012 season.
That first year was a lot of scheme that he didn't use at SDSU. Not a lot of man blocking, which, from what I remember, he prefers. That is not to say that he doesn't coach zone schemes, as they did employ a lot of stretch and inside zone at SDSU... I'm not sure if you're saying he sucks or what, but I just think it's still a little early.
I'm not saying he sucks, but the interior offensive line should have been better in 2012. Whether you want to blame that on the players, Funk, Borges, or Hoke, the blame has to fall somewhere.
April 30th, 2013 at 11:55 AM ^
April 30th, 2013 at 11:57 AM ^
One thing that we learned in this draft is that no matter how hyped dual threat QB guys are, they are unlikely to go in the top 10. I think Bridgewater and Boyd are good quarterbacks, but I don't think the NFL will be so interested in them to draft them that high.
April 30th, 2013 at 12:00 PM ^
April 30th, 2013 at 12:01 PM ^
This year's draft was weak at the QB spot, but Cam Newton, RGIII, etc. show that plenty of teams are willing to take the dual threat QBs top 3. It will depend, obviously, on how Bridgewater and Boyd develop this season.
April 30th, 2013 at 12:11 PM ^
RGIII wishes to introduce himself to IndyBlue90 as well.
April 30th, 2013 at 12:13 PM ^
lets not forget vince young and michael vick now
April 30th, 2013 at 12:32 PM ^
...I think you're mistaking 'dual threat' for 'black'. Sure, Bridgewater can buy himself time in the pocket, but he's up there on draft boards because of his arm strength and football IQ. Running isn't any more a part of his game or the Louisville offense than it was for Geno Smith, although people assumed he was 'dual threat' too.
April 30th, 2013 at 12:39 PM ^
Agree. Steve Young and Aaron Rodgers are two QBs who were/are VERY good runners out of the pocket who are pasty white guys.
Neither were/are considered 'dual threat' though.