Hayden Fox's "Man Crush", Underrated and Overrated List

[Hayden Fox]

As we are less than a month out from the 2014 NFL Draft, I have composed my “man crush”, underrated and overrated lists for the upcoming draft. I have narrowed my selections to 25 players per category.

Man Crush- The following are players that I would be thrilled to have in a Fins uniform.

· QB Jimmy Garoppolo- I love the quick release.
· QB Zach Mettenberger- You cannot teach size or the experience he received in the SEC and working for a former NFL Coach.
· RB Bishop Sankey- Low center of gravity. Cuts on a dime. Odometer is not too bad.
· WR Sammy Watkins- IMO the most talented player in the draft.
· WR Brandin Cooks- Electric and confident.
· WR Donte Moncrief- Easily could be on the underrated list, but I like him too much to put there. Shocked at the lack of buzz. Fired up to see he visited with Fins recently.
· TE Eric Ebron- Seam and red zone nightmare for opponents. Wishful thinking he is at 19. My question is does he go to another AFC East team.
· TE C.J. Fierdorowicz- He can do everything you need a TE to do. Might be able to excel in the red area.
· OT Morgan Moses- Big, athletic, intelligent and ascending. Connections to Bill Lazor, but that rarely is an indicator of player moves under Philbin. No doubt he is gone by 50.
· OT Zach Martin- Will be a good tackle, but great inside. Scary the consensus that he will go to Miami, but I think he is gone by 19.
· OT JuWuan James- Immediate starter and strong candidate at 50. Frees up the possibility of BPA at 19.
· OG Joel Bitonio- Fits best at OG. Tough kid that is good on the move.
· OG Billy Turner- Debates ensue about where he fits best. I think he would be best inside.
· OG Xavier Su’a-Filo- One of the safest picks in the draft IMO. Immediate starter and will be able to take on the tough DT’s in AFC East. High character.
· DE Dee Ford- I do not believe the fact he HAS TO BE an OLB. I think he will find a way to produce at DE.
· DT Aaron Donald- Simply disruptive and motor off the charts. Production equals his workouts balanced by great character. Will be an awesome pick for a team.
· DT Dominique Easley- Undersized, but super quick. Not worried about his injury. He will go on Day Two and people will say a few years from now, “why didn’t we take him earlier?” Good player.
· LB Ryan Shazier- A perfect fit for the Fins. Run and chase. Explosive. Production meets athletic ability. One of Hayden Fox’s favorites in this draft.
· LB Kyle Van Noy- Highly productive player that always jumped out to me when I was trying to watch Ziggy Ansah last year.
· LB Chris Borland- High character, intelligent and productive. He is small, but it will not matter ultimately.
· LB Shayne Skov- Medical must be analyzed carefully, but he could be an instant addition to helping stop the run. He will not go early, but will find a way to contribute right away.
· CB Justin Verrett- “Cortland Finnegan” of the 2014 draft. He can play inside, but will compete for a starting job. Shoulder issue is a major red flag. Fiesty and competitive.
· CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste- Tall CB that fits Miami’s scheme.
· CB Lamarcus Joyner- Seems to always to left out of the discussion with the other top CB’s, but has experience in big spots.
· FS Calvin Pryor- Safety that lays the boom. Productive and showcases big play ability.

Underrated- These are players that I feel are not getting “love” from the media in the lead up to the draft. Eventually, they will become contributors to their team in some capacity.

· QB Connor Shaw- Gutsy. Battle tested. Finds ways to “get it done”.
· RB Lache Seastrunk- Compact runner that once he starts going more North and South, will make an impact. Baylor skill players seem to play well in the NFL.
· RB Terrance West- Just a fun kid to watch. Will be productive.
· RB Lorenzo Tallaferro- RB that could help a team in the passing game with strong blitz pick up skills. He will go undrafted, I bet.
· WR Allen Robinson- The kid belongs in the first round.
· WR Jarvis Landry- His teammate gets more pub. However, Landry will go later, but be more productive.
· WR Martavis Bryant- Physically eye-popping. Very intriguing.
· WR Cody Hoffman- He might get out-physicaled at the next level because of his weak build, but his catch radius has my attention.
· WR Dri Archer- Small build, but might give opponents fits in the open field.
· TE Crockett Gillmore- I liked him during the Senior Bowl week. He might not have the goods as the kids ahead of him, but I think he helps a team.
· OT Corneilus Lucas- Has a stress fracture, but a mountain of a man. Mocks have him going late in the draft. He would be a steal at that point.
· OT Wesley Johnson- Undersized, but with a year in the weight room, he might become a versatile sub that is active on game day.
· C Matt Paradis- Nice player that could develop into a starter in the pivot.
· C Weston Richburg- Richburg could also play guard. The versatility is vital to the composition of the roster come late August.
· DT Kelcy Quarles- I would not be shocked if Quarles is more productive than his famous teammate in time.
· DT Ryan Carrethers- Huge man. Worth a project as space eating DT.
· DT Calvin Barnett- Great build and experienced. Manned the Cowboy’s D-line. Will help in a rotational capacity.
· LB Christian Kirksey- Very underrated talent that might go earlier than the pundits state. Great consolation prize if you miss on one of the top prospects.
· LB Jeremiah Attaochu- Raw OLB that will help a 3-4 possibly.
· LB Trevor Reilly- Older. When reading his story, I cannot help but cheer for him. No doubt he is grounded. Also, a pretty productive player.
· CB Kyle Fuller- He goes in the first round, but I had to add him here. That he is not discussed more with Gilbert and Dennard, amazes me.
· CB Walk Aikens- Will succeed in a zone or off man scheme. 6 foot 1. Will not start immediately, but will develop over time.
· CB Kendall James- The Black Bear will not only make a team’s roster, but will contribute in sub packages and special teams as rookie. Mark it down.
· FS Ed Reynolds- Some team will snag him on Day 3 and have themselves a nice player.
· FS Christian Bryant- Very small. Will never win jump balls. However, he has some big game experience and moves well. Could be a special teams dynamo.


Overrated- my definition of “overrated” are players that I feel are either getting too much hype or are going to get drafted higher than they should.

· QB Johnny Manziel- How can anyone argue his game translates to the NFL? Total bust.
· QB Derek Carr- Prime example of how a pro day outweighs the tape which will lead to a mistake for a team.
· QB A.J. McCarron- I am bothered he did not perform in Mobile. He had every advantage at ‘Bama. If Manziel did the reality TV show, he would be killed for it.
· RB Andre Williams- Great person, but he will never help in the passing game.
· RB Ka’Deem Carey- College standout that will struggle in the pros.
· WR Odell Beckham- He did some nice things at LSU, but he is not a round one talent.
· WR Kelvin Benjamin- He will never be able to separate.
· WR Cody Latimer- Just what exactly are the “experts” seeing when he is pegged as a possible first round talent?
· TE Jace Amaro- I do not like his build and I think he gets pushed around in the NFL.
· OT Greg Robinson- Comparisons to Larry Allen or Orlando Pace? Please. He might be a productive player, but he is not going to be elite.
· OT Cyrus Kouandijo- Big and slow. The Sugar Bowl was alarming to me. Medical red flag?
· OT Antonio Richardson- Big and slow. I am not sure what the buzz is about. His teammate on the other side of the line is far superior.
· OG Trai Turner- Too slow footed to compete in the NFL.
· OG Cyril Richardson- Baylor linemen have busted. No reason to trust Richardson.
· DE Jadeveon Clowney- I question how important football is to him. I think he plays with no leverage either. He seems to always standup at the snap. NFL OT’s will win that battle every time. Finally, he will never surpass his hype. Bust.
· DT RaShede Hageman- Great story, but the motor is too hot and cold for me. Disappeared in big spots for the Gophers.
· DT Stephon Tuitt- I think he has been in a walking boot seemingly forever. Seriously, I am not sure, outside of being at Notre Dame, what is so special about him.
· DT Will Sutton- Bad body. Not tough enough.
· LB C.J. Mosley- Red flags for multiple injuries. Steady player, but does nothing to “wow”. Putting him in the top ten is laughable.
· LB Max Bullough- Character issues and not sure if he loves football.
· CB Darqueze Dennard- Stiff, lacks speed. Prediction: goes in the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] round.
· CB Bradley Roby- I question how productive he has been. Better athlete than football player.
· CB Marcus Roberson- Undiscpline and will be picked on at the next level by opposing QB’s.
· CB Keith McGill- He has no business playing CB. Safety? That would serve him best.
· FS Ha Ha Clinton-Dix- Is he a bad player? No. However, some mocks have him in the top 15…that is too rich for me.

 

[nick1]

The more i think about hidden gems Dri Archer comes to the top of my list. That is tavon Austin speed. His highlight film is impressive doesn't go down easily

 

[Hayden Fox]

This is a draft to watch gavel to gavel as there are players that will help that will come on Day 3.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

I agree with a lot of this, but I'm going to pick one player from each list to agree with and one to disagree with.

Agree: Ryan Shazier - I don't think most fans understand how many plays there are for the WLB in this defense, and Shazier isn't a player you can get in any draft. When he takes his firs snap as a rookie, he'll be one of the 2 or 3 most talented players at his position in the NFL (whether he's a WILB in a 3-4 or a WOLB in a 4-3). Aside from Robinson and Clowney, he's the only player in the draft with that kind of talent relative to his (would-be) peers. He also had one of the most productive two-year runs you'll ever see from a LB.

Disagree: Chris Borland - Good player, but he's not very good athlete, and his size is a concern. Said it in a different thread, but for him to be a good, starting LB in the NFL, his instincts and football IQ will have to be off the charts. That's a lot to expect from a guy and extremely difficult to project (imo).

Agree: Allen Robinson - Might not be a 1st RD player in this draft, but he would be in most. His lack of top-end speed isn't deal breaker for me. His RAC ability is outstanding - probably the most underrated WR in the draft in that regard. He can also high-point the ball.

Disagree: Martavis Bryant - He's a risk/reward guy, and as such, I think he's appropriately ranked in that 3rd-4th RD range.

Agree: Kelvin Benjamin - On the brink of too big, and he's an overrated athlete. I agree that he'll have a hard time creating separation in the NFL, and if I'm taking a guy on upside, I want better upside than he provides.

Disagree: Greg Robinson - Alluded to it when covering Shazier, but he's going to be one of the best 2 or 3 athletes at his position from Day 1. He's the best run blocker I've ever seen at the college level, and he has the feet and size to excel in pass protection. I rarely use the term weapon when discussing O-linemen, but Robinson will be just that. Whether you need him to collapse an entire side of the line or you need him to get out in space, he can do it all. If I'm a LB or DB playing against Robinson, I'm afraid for my life.

 

[Roman529]

If we take a QB late I would like Connor Shaw of the Game****s.

 

[xXwarXx]

I don't understand this love of Garopollo.

What do you mean by Amaro's build? Is he the rookie version of Tom Brady underneath those pads?

There's some things here and there I disagree with overall about the list, but I surprisingly agree with the majority of it.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

I don't understand this love of Garopollo.

What do you mean by Amaro's build? Is he the rookie version of Tom Brady underneath those pads?

There's some things here and there I disagree with overall about the list, but I surprisingly agree with the majority of it.

If you're implying that Amaro is plenty physical, plenty strong, I agree. I think people see how much he lined up in the slot and assume that he's not an interested blocker or weak as a blocker. He has a big frame, and he - generally - uses it well. I don't think he's a 1st RD TE, but he's solid in the 2nd.

 

[spiketex]

Hayden - Do you think that Allen Robinson could still be available when we select in the 2nd round? He would add some nice size to the receiving corps.
6'2" 225 lbs - good hands - I like him a lot. However it may be more necessary to get the MIKE LB like Borland in the 2nd round. Skov could be the solution and could be taken later, if fully healthy.
I agree with a lot of your thoughts. You have a lot of horses in the race.

 

[jim1]

Some of those comments are a little curious. Manziel has a very solid arm, is highly mobile and his performance level is off the charts. He's short but like Drew Brees has big hands, which is obviously important for a passer. Greg Robinson is one of the most powerful OTs in recent memory with tremendous movement skills and as to Trai Turner, if you've watched him play his movement skills are very good, he's quick and has very good straight line speed. The guy is 6-2.5 310 lbs and ran a 4.93 at that size, which is not only excellent, it was the fastest time of any Guard at the combine. He plays fast and he is very fast for a man of his size- your comment that he's "Too slow footed to compete in the NFL" is a little absurd. Watch him play a bit, see for yourself.

 

[Hayden Fox]

Hayden - Do you think that Allen Robinson could still be available when we select in the 2nd round? He would add some nice size to the receiving corps.
6'2" 225 lbs - good hands - I like him a lot. However it may be more necessary to get the MIKE LB like Borland in the 2nd round. Skov could be the solution and could be taken later, if fully healthy.
I agree with a lot of your thoughts. You have a lot of horses in the race.

I think Robinson could. Receivers that some think will go in round one always slip to the 2nd. Peerless Price, Chad Johnson and Desean Jackson are all receivers of the top my head that many thought might go back half of the 1st only to go in the second.

 

[Hayden Fox]

Some of those comments are a little curious. Manziel has a very solid arm, is highly mobile and his performance level is off the charts. He's short but like Drew Brees has big hands, which is obviously important for a passer. Greg Robinson is one of the most powerful OTs in recent memory with tremendous movement skills and as to Trai Turner, if you've watched him play his movement skills are very good, he's quick and has very good straight line speed. The guy is 6-2.5 310 lbs and ran a 4.93 at that size, which is not only excellent, it was the fastest time of any Guard at the combine. He plays fast and he is very fast for a man of his size- your comment that he's "Too slow footed to compete in the NFL" is a little absurd. Watch him play a bit, see for yourself.

No issues on my end that you might disagree. That is what makes draft time fun.

Manziel I do think busts because he will not get away with his college decision making. Also, Robinson is strong and powerful, but has little experience in pass pro. He will be a good player, but the recent comparisons to HOFers is silly. Turner's workout does not match what I see during his games. Sometimes (like David Carr) that bothers me most about a player.

 

[jim1]

No issues on my end that you might disagree. That is what makes draft time fun.

Manziel I do think busts because he will not get away with his college decision making. Also, Robinson is strong and powerful, but has little experience in pass pro. He will be a good player, but the recent comparisons to HOFers is silly. Turner's workout does not match what I see during his games. Sometimes (like David Carr) that bothers me most about a player.

As to Greg Robinson, who is the last college OT that you've seen that had the power and explosion of Greg Robinson? Who is the last college OT that you've seen who has the combination of size, power, speed and agility that Robinson has?

Regarding Trai Turner, not only was he the fastest Guard at the combine, but he plays fast as well. Pulls fast, gets to the second level fast and is quick in getting where he has to go on the LOS. I don't agree with your comment at all as per Turner, but we all do have our own opinions and that's what makes the draft go round.

 

[xXwarXx]

If you're implying that Amaro is plenty physical, plenty strong, I agree. I think people see how much he lined up in the slot and assume that he's not an interested blocker or weak as a blocker. He has a big frame, and he - generally - uses it well. I don't think he's a 1st RD TE, but he's solid in the 2nd.

I wasn't implying anything, I was generally wondering what he was talking about. When I watch amaro I like what I see, the guy is massive, and wherever he goes, IMO he will end up leading that team in targets, hes a massive sized Wes Welker. IMO that makes him worthy of a 1st rnd pick.

I would like to see him get physical though, but when Hayden says he doesn't like he's build, I really don't know what he's talking about.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

That's a great list. I'm also a big fan of Ryan Shazier and would love to get him at #19 and then a tackle like James in R2. I like CJ Mosley a lot, though, but I understand the injury concerns.

Some of my underrated are James Wilder Jr. In terms of a power, short-yardage, complement to Lamar Miller this guy has what you are looking for. And, he could be had late in the draft. I think Gaines on Missouri is really under the radar as well. Would be a nice pickup in the 3rd round range. Plays the ball very well. I agree with you on Kelcy Quarles and another DT that I think isn't getting enough talk is Jones on Penn State. He's mostly a run stuffer, but does get pressure. Shaw on Florida State is a late round wr that I like.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I agree with a lot of this, but I'm going to pick one player from each list to agree with and one to disagree with.

Agree: Ryan Shazier - I don't think most fans understand how many plays there are for the WLB in this defense, and Shazier isn't a player you can get in any draft. When he takes his firs snap as a rookie, he'll be one of the 2 or 3 most talented players at his position in the NFL (whether he's a WILB in a 3-4 or a WOLB in a 4-3). Aside from Robinson and Clowney, he's the only player in the draft with that kind of talent relative to his (would-be) peers. He also had one of the most productive two-year runs you'll ever see from a LB.

Disagree: Chris Borland - Good player, but he's not very good athlete, and his size is a concern. Said it in a different thread, but for him to be a good, starting LB in the NFL, his instincts and football IQ will have to be off the charts. That's a lot to expect from a guy and extremely difficult to project (imo).

Agree: Allen Robinson - Might not be a 1st RD player in this draft, but he would be in most. His lack of top-end speed isn't deal breaker for me. His RAC ability is outstanding - probably the most underrated WR in the draft in that regard. He can also high-point the ball.

Disagree: Martavis Bryant - He's a risk/reward guy, and as such, I think he's appropriately ranked in that 3rd-4th RD range.

Agree: Kelvin Benjamin - On the brink of too big, and he's an overrated athlete. I agree that he'll have a hard time creating separation in the NFL, and if I'm taking a guy on upside, I want better upside than he provides.

Disagree: Greg Robinson - Alluded to it when covering Shazier, but he's going to be one of the best 2 or 3 athletes at his position from Day 1. He's the best run blocker I've ever seen at the college level, and he has the feet and size to excel in pass protection. I rarely use the term weapon when discussing O-linemen, but Robinson will be just that. Whether you need him to collapse an entire side of the line or you need him to get out in space, he can do it all. If I'm a LB or DB playing against Robinson, I'm afraid for my life.

Another advantage to Shazier is that you can move him inside on passing downs. That would give Miami the chance to get Jordan, Vernon and Wake on the field in passing downs (Jordan at LB in that scenario). I like Borland, but my question with him is in coverage. I think that's his weakness, but I love everything else about his game.