2015 NFL Draft Prospects

[DKphin]

QB Byrce Petty, Baylor 6-3 230lbs.

[video=youtube;qizi9bmYPok]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qizi9bmYPok[/video]

STRENGTHS: He has a lot of positive throws out there along with size, mobility and resilient toughness to rally the troops. Has more than enough arm strength to make every throw, displaying excellent timing within Baylor's pass-happy, shotgun offense.
When he gets in a rhythm, Petty is highly efficient passing downfield, showing touch, timing and placement, especially when peppering zone coverage with quick throws underneath. Has shown improvement with functional mobility to extend plays outside of the pocket and hit targets downfield for big plays vertically.
WEAKNESSES: Often predetermines his reads and locks in to his primary target, struggling to consistently diagnose the defense to work through his progressions. He is always in shotgun formation and isn't asked to move his feet unless he has to and once he's pressured, Petty is out of his element, struggling to reset his base or eyes.
Petty tests a lot of vertical throws with a lot of bucket tosses, but he doesn't throw for a high percentage downfield and often throws up passes that can be best categorized as 50-50 balls.
NFL teams are already weary about quarterbacks from spread offenses, and some of Petty's 2014 game tape won't help his draft stock.
COMPARES TO: Brandon Weeden, Cowboys -- Petty is reminiscent of a younger, more athletic version of Weeden, coming from a spread offense that relies on a lot of quick, one-read plays that make it easy to identify single match-ups.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1664902/bryce-petty

 

[DKphin]

WR Jaelen Strong, Arizona St. 6-3 215lbs.

[video=youtube;_yiS42DapaQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yiS42DapaQ[/video]

STRENGTHS: Strong is aptly named as he is a well-built receiver whose height, body control and leaping ability make him a difficult matchup for cornerbacks. He runs hard and forces defenders to take him to the ground, fighting through arm tackles to generate good yardage after the catch. His size makes him equally effective on the perimeter (where he excels on back-shoulder fades) and when dragging across the middle.
Strong accelerates quickly off the line, making him an effective vertical threat. Shows impressive balance and quickness to shake cornerbacks.
WEAKNESSES: Strong's talent is undeniable but he's far from a finished product. He generally catches the ball with his hands and can make the dazzling acrobatic reception but fights the ball on occasion and needs to do a better job of extending his arms fully to high-point passes and take full advantage of his height advantage. He's going to need to sharpen up his route-running, as well, as too often he gets by on simply posting up defenders at this level.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/2061051/jaelen-strong

 

[DKphin]

RB Mike Davis, South Carolina 5-9 226lbs.

[video=youtube;jOJjWSmp7QY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOJjWSmp7QY[/video]

STRENGTHS: Sports a compact, powerful frame and the combination of burst, agility and power to project as a lead back in the NFL. When presented with a hole, Davis accelerates through it quickly and has enough straight-line speed to gain yardage in chunks, with four of his touchdowns last season coming from 45-plus yards. He also shows the patience to allow holes to develop, as well as the vision to attack cut-back lanes.
Davis is a natural runner with subtleties to his game that help rack up yardage, including good lateral agility, a dead-leg hesitation move, a quality spin and the determination to keep his legs grinding through contact.
WEAKNESSES: While Davis' talent is clear, there are certainly areas in which he can improve. Davis wore down last season and coughed up critical fumbles against UCF and Missouri. While a reliable receiver out of the backfield, too often Davis resorted to dropping a shoulder or a cut-block when pass protecting, rather than facing up defenders.
Davis has good bloodlines. His older brother, James, was a star running back at Clemson and played three seasons in the NFL with Cleveland and Washington. At this time, he appears likely to beat his brothers' sixth round grade but it is worth remembering that James, too, looked like a star after his sophomore season, rushing for eerily similar numbers (1,187 yards) on the same number of carries (203).

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/2000079/mike-davis

 

[DKphin]

TE Jeff Heuerman, Ohio St. 6-5 255lbs.

[video=youtube;knCR5W_vM8Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knCR5W_vM8Y[/video]

STRENGTHS: Reliable option as both a blocker and pass catcher, using his size, strength and deceiving speed to be a versatile weapon.
Gets up to his full speed quickly and sustains with a physical demeanor after the catch, looking to capitalize each time he touches the ball. Heuerman displays natural body adjustments to contort his frame and use his length to snare catches while staying balanced in his route.
In Urban Meyer's offense, Heuerman has lined up inline, in the backfield and as a wideout in the slot, also seeing snaps on special teams and giving Meyer options due to his tight end's versatility. As a blocker, Heuerman is tough-minded and gritty with the brute strength to eliminate his man from the play or hold his ground as a brick wall in pass protection.
Although he struggled with some fastballs on tape, he has usually reliable ball skills, looking the ball into his large mitts.
WEAKNESSES: He doesn't have explosive traits, and is not a big-play threat or dynamic athlete.
A high character team leader, he isn't elite in any one area, but is well-rounded and has a pro skill-set that makes him one of the top 10 senior tight end prospects in the country.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1824413/jeff-heuerman

 

[DKphin]

C Jake Smith, Louisville 6-3 312lbs.

[video=youtube;WMAC4I-vyQk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMAC4I-vyQk[/video]

STRENGTHS: What makes Smith so reliable is his consistent technique. Though not an elite athlete by any means, he's light on his feet, is a natural bender, and utilizes good hand placement to establish leverage enabling him to anchor and hold ground against much larger opponents. He keeps his feet moving and does a good job of resetting without panicking when initially knocked back, and as a run blocker is quick enough in a short area to take on sequential blockers and stay ahead of the play.
WEAKNESSES: At this point, Smith's game is more technique than physicality as he's not a guy you'll see blowing defenders up frequently, and in rare cases where he does lose leverage, he can be easy to thwart.
All in all, Smith's durability, strong fundamentals, instincts, and versatility to play any of the interior positions outweigh the few drawbacks and should be enough to merit at least mid-round consideration next spring if he puts together another strong year.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1760027/jake-smith

 

[DKphin]

OG Jarvis Harrison, Texas A&M 6-3 325lbs.

[video=youtube;rlqJS2BVwxI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlqJS2BVwxI[/video]

STRENGTHS: Harrison has impressive initial quickness, including a burst to get to the second level that belies his massive frame. He has a thick build, especially in his lower body, that helps him absorb bull rushes and generate power as a drive blocker and is surprisingly fluid in pass protection.
WEAKNESSES: Harrison is too satisfied with getting an initial block on his opponent and doesn't work hard enough to sustain. Harrison carries a little too much weight around his middle, which causes him to bend at the waist rather than at his knees, making him top-heavy. He must show improved awareness and balance to re-direct towards moving targets when run blocking at the second level.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1759923/jarvis-harrison

 

[DKphin]

OT Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M 6-5 300lbs.

[video=youtube;H8R2tPPWtTM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8R2tPPWtTM[/video]

STRENGTHS: Blessed with prototypical traits for today's tackle. Possesses broad shoulders, a trim middle and excellent first-step quickness and balance. He looks the part of a future NFL Pro Bowler with his easy knee bend and lateral agility. Ogbuehi has vines for arms and strong hands to latch and control, as well as the core flexibility to anchor.
He is light on his feet and can adjust in space when run blocking at the second level and, because of his rare combination of agility and length, is one of those few tackles capable of recovering if initially beaten off the snap.
Ogbuehi isn't just athletic; he's powerful, demonstrating the strength to simply drive defenders off the ball. He has started at guard as well as right tackle already and if he excels on the blind side in 2014 as expected, Ogbuehi's experience should provide his future NFL team plenty of flexibility.
WEAKNESSES: Upper body technique hasn't improved, with inconsistent hand placement and a streaky punch, leaving him off-balance and allowing rushers to attack his breastplate.
Some passivity to his game, preferring to "catch" rather than control opponents. By over-setting on his initial kick-slide, he leaves his chest plate open to power rushes and will occasionally lean into defenders rather than keeping his feet shuffling.
Has a tendency to get too high off the snap when drive blocking, which leaves him vulnerable to swim moves over the top.
Ogbuehi has missed five games over his career with injury, sustaining an ankle injury in 2011 that caused him to miss three games and an undisclosed injury in 2013 (reportedly to his groin) that forced him out against Vanderbilt and UTEP. His overall effort level has been questioned in 2014, as if he doesn't want to get hurt while protecting his draft value.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1737334/cedric-ogbuehi

 

[DKphin]

DT Malcolm Brown, Texas 6-4 320lbs.

[video=youtube;RgrOO79gThc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgrOO79gThc[/video]

STRENGTHS: He definitely passes the eye test with a tall, wide frame and carries his 315-325 pound frame very well, showing easy movement skills. Brown looks natural on his feet with the range and redirection skills to make plays away from the line of scrimmage. Frequently among the quickest off the ball, showing the ability to penetrate and create havoc on behind the line of scrimmage. Brown locates the ball quickly, keeping his eyes up even as he is fighting through multiple blockers and works hard to get to the action, spinning and sliding to get involved. Gets his hands up in passing lanes, showing good body control and timing on his leaps to bat passes down at the line of scrimmage (six over his career). Still developing talent whose best football appears to be ahead of him. The NFL may also appreciate his maturity. Brown is married with two children and volunteered for Adams Angels, an organization for families who have children with cancer or have lost children to cancer.
WEAKNESSES: Shows good core strength and flexibility to anchor but needs to show greater power and technique in his hands to disengage and to latch onto (and drag down) ball-carriers as they attempt to run past him. Relies on his agility to slip by blockers, showing more tenacity and effort than an array of pass rush moves.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1996819/malcom-brown

 

[DKphin]

DE Danielle Hunter, Louisiana St. 6-6 240lbs.

STRENGTHS: Looks more like a tight end than a traditional pass rusher, with broad shoulders, very long arms and plenty of room for additional muscle. His exciting combination of length, balance, awareness and agility helped him make plays against the run and pass.
Hunter's quickness allows him to dip under would-be blockers, beating them inside rather than relying on his length and strength to string run plays out wide, as tackles expect. He's aggressive and physical, showing a willingness to sacrifice his body uncommon for edge players with his body type.
Shows surprising strength at the point of attack and is passionate in pursuit. Gets his hands up in the passing lanes when he can't get to the quarterback and knocks down passes. He's aggressive and physical and shows a willingness to sacrifice his body uncommon for edge players with his body type.
WEAKNESSES: One potential red-flag is Hunter's inconsistent get-off. Too often he is the last of LSU's rushers off the ball. Hunter's length makes him susceptible to the run, though he does show surprising strength at the point of attack and is passionate in pursuit.
COMPARES TO: Barkevious Mingo, Cleveland Browns - Like his former teammate, Hunter is much more dangerous off the edge than his rather pedestrian sack numbers would indicate.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1984262/danielle-hunter

 

[DKphin]

OLB Vic Beasley, Clemson 6-3 246lbs.

[video=youtube;-zFMVMMNh9w]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zFMVMMNh9w[/video]

STRENGTHS: Beasley may possess the country's best first step. His burst off the ball frequently catches tackles off-balance and he's able to cross their face.
Has the flexibility to be able to duck their reach and turn the corner, showing excellent speed to close. Beasley complements his speed rush with a balanced and tight spin back to the inside and a surprisingly effective bull rush.
Beasley is certainly smaller than scouts would prefer but he is more powerful than he looks, sporting broad shoulders, long arms and well-developed upper body. He's able to sneak his hands under the tackle's reach and can walk unbalanced pass-blockers into the pocket.
Excellent pursuit speed, showing the fluidity to stalk unsuspecting ballcarriers from behind and the explosive closing burst that jar the ball loose. Beasley shows good awareness of the ball, ripping at it when he sees the opportunity and has seven career forced fumbles.
Graduated before the 2014 season with a degree in Sociology.
WEAKNESSES: Despite his natural ability as a pass rusher, Beasley does struggle against the run as he seems to lose track of the play at times and will take bad angles or even appear unmotivated when the play flows to the opposite side of the line, and when he takes on blockers too high he's easily swept out of the play.
He offers little in terms of ability to anchor or set the edge with power against the run, as he simply lacks the girth to hold position against tackles and even tight ends at times.
COMPARES TO: Von Miller, Denver Broncos: Like the 6-3, 246-pound Miller, Beasley does not possess the size and strength to set the edge consistently, but few are better off it on their way to the quarterback.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1765885/vic-beasley

 

[DKphin]

ILB Denzel Perryman, Miami 5-11 242lbs.

[video=youtube;M8_DVlXrumM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8_DVlXrumM[/video]

STRENGTHS: Despite lacking desirable height, Perryman has the look of a prototypical inside 'backer with a stout, thick frame. He is an instinctive and tough in-the-box defender who showed improved closing speed and explosiveness as a hitter in 2014.
He's difficult to latch onto at the second level due to strong, active hands, agile feet and good use of leverage when taking on bigger blockers, and he exhibits good burst and solid angles to either sideline when asked to pursue plays on the edges. Good lower-body flexibility to sprawl or dead-leg would-be blockers, slipping by them.
He's fast to pick up on routes when dropping into coverage, and possesses quick enough hips to hitch himself to a crossing route and maintain stride-for-stride coverage on slot receivers and tight ends. Played in 47 games at Miami, with the only injury that caused him to miss time being a high-ankle sprain in 2012. Voted team captain.
WEAKNESSES: Short, squatty frame that leave him overmatched at the line of scrimmage and best suited to remaining inside at the next level. Highly aggressive. Will occasionally takes false steps towards the line of scrimmage and leave himself trailing and vulnerable in play-action.
COMPARES TO: London Fletcher, retired: Perryman has a long way to go to warrant comparison to Fletcher, a four-time Pro Bowler who never missed a game to injury in 16 seasons in the NFL. Like the 5-10, 242-pound Fletcher, Perryman is a compact, instinctive defender whose open-field tackling and awareness could result in a long and distinguished pro career.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1860814/denzel-perryman

 

[DKphin]

CB P.J. Williams, Florida St. 6-0 196lbs.

[video=youtube;mJHeu-Q4gBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJHeu-Q4gBE[/video]

STRENGTHS: Demonstrates an impressive combination of speed, fluidity and physicality that make him an ideal outside corner prospect for the next level.
Displayed reliable open-field tackling as the boundary corner defending Georgia Tech's triple-option attack. Will slip or fight through blocks and aggresively pursue ballcarriers to deliver foreceful hits.
WEAKNESSES: Can be a victim of his own aggressiveness, and give up big plays when attempting to jump passes. While he is willing in run support, Williams also will miss the occassional tackle, leading to backs receivers picking up significant extra yardage.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1998196/pj-williams

Williams was honored as the defensive MVP of last year's BCS national championship game after his fourth-quarter interception helped the Seminoles rally to win the title. He finished the 2014 season with 74 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception. Williams' combination of size and speed is expected to make him a high draft pick despite an underperforming junior season that was affected by injuries.

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=125837&draftyear=2016&genpos=CB

 

[DKphin]

FS Cody Prewitt, Mississippi 6-2 217lbs.

STRENGHTS: Looks the part of an NFL safety, sporting a well-built frame with long limbs. He is an alert, active defender with good vision and the athleticism to handle deep coverage responsibilities. He changes directions fluidly and is a smooth accelerator.
Prewitt generally is asked to play two-deep or the single high free safety role, rarely dropping down close to the line of scrimmage to cover slot receivers. From this center-field vantage point, Prewitt shows good understanding of route concepts, anticipating where the ball is going and getting a jump on it. He has good hands for the interception and times his leap to take the ball at its highest point.
As a tackler, Prewitt lets his teammates do the dirty work and doesn't jump on a pile just to do so but breaks down well in the open field to make the secure wrap-up, whether as the last line of defense or as a gunner on the punt coverage unit. He takes advantage of vulnerable receivers catching passes across the middle by timing his collision well with forceful but clean hits.
WEAKNESSES: Possesses good (but not great) top-end speed and can get himself in trouble with aggressive pursuit lines that leave him little room for error.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1878019/cody-prewitt

 

[DKphin]

QB Garrett Grayson, Colorado St. 6-2 220lbs.

[video=youtube;vG7u_TRnYmY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG7u_TRnYmY[/video]

STRENGTHS: Good instincts for the position. Keeps his eyes downfield and shows good spatial awareness to slide up and laterally in the pocket to avoid rushers and extend the play. Good overall athleticism for the position, showing balance and coordination when asked to roll out, as well as good accuracy.
Attempts to lead receivers away from hits, showing above average accuracy in doing so. Good touch on deep passes, including wheel routes, post-corners and verticals. The ball doesn't explode out of his hand on intermediate routes but he shows good zip on quick passes and isn't to challenge tight windows over the middle. When given room to step into throws, Grayson can hurl it 60-plus yards, giving teammates opportunities to make big plays.
Doesn't possess ideal size but sports a compact build. Good bloodlines. Uncle Danny Grayson was an All-American linebacker at Washington State and was selected in the 1990 NFL Draft by Pittsburgh.
WEAKNESSES: Grayson has a unique wind-up and delivery of the ball that could irk some scouts. His delivery is slower than most and he holds the ball further back, theoretically leaving it all the more vulnerable for defenders to slap away.
He wasn't often asked to drive the ball to the sidelines in CSU's offense and shows only average velocity when doing so. Stares down his primary receiver, rather than quickly progressing through his reads and delivering the football. Has a tendency to wait until his receiver breaks before throwing, raising concerns about his willingness to throw with anticipation.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1737770/garrett-grayson

 

[DKphin]

WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma 6-5 225lbs.

[video=youtube;ei7USo7lq8Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei7USo7lq8Q[/video]

STRENGTHS: Physical specimen with freakish athleticism for his tall, long frame. Long-strider with the speed to be a legitimate vertical threat.
Natural body power to trample defensive backs after the catch and uses his hands well downfield to fight for positioning without blatantly drawing attention to himself. Hangs in the air with the leaping ability to highpoint and tower over defenders with above-the-rim skills. Improved ballskills and rhythm in his routes to finish and be a dangerous catch-and-go receiver.
Experienced lining up inside and outside with various patterns in Missouri's spread offense. Became full-time starter as a sophomore in 2013 and led the team in catches and touchdown grabs.
WEAKNESSES: Still developing his body type and needs to devote himself in the weight room to physically mature. Doesn't have NFL work ethic yet and needs to develop a more professional demeanor in between games.
Tall in his routes and needs to play with more flexibility and burst in his breaks. Needs to better disguise his patterns at the stem and improve his footwork to deceive defensive backs. Will struggle at times vs. press and isn't as physical a blocker as he appears.
Strong off-field and maturity concerns after multiple marijuana-related offenses and other incidents that led to his dismissal from Missouri. Was in and out of foster care his entire life and hasn't had much structure in his life.
COMPARES TO: A.J. Green, Bengals - Green-Beckham still has a long way to go to reach his football ceiling, but flashes the potential of past first rounders like Green.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/2028286/dorial-green-beckham