2020 Draft Thread...
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Simpleton
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Plan9Misfit
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If they want to be stupid enough to move up for a CB, then we'll be the beneficiary of that awful decision.
NoDak
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Here's a late round sleeper for you guys...
Bryce Sterk. OLB/DE from Montana St. 6' 5" 260lbs. 4.65 40 yd. 15 sacks 20 tackles for loss. 65 total tackles Comes from an FCS school, but I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on his production in the 6th (if we end up with one) or 7th. That's about where he's projected. Has the tag of tireless motor (yeah, he's white) Gave my Bison fits when they played. Very good side line to sideline defender with good pursuit.
Bryce Sterk. OLB/DE from Montana St. 6' 5" 260lbs. 4.65 40 yd. 15 sacks 20 tackles for loss. 65 total tackles Comes from an FCS school, but I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on his production in the 6th (if we end up with one) or 7th. That's about where he's projected. Has the tag of tireless motor (yeah, he's white) Gave my Bison fits when they played. Very good side line to sideline defender with good pursuit.
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Those are some really nice numbers.
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Please!
Plan9Misfit
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McGinn’s NFL Draft Series: Scouts on top wide receivers and tight ends
Bob McGinn Apr 15, 2020
This is the 36th year Bob McGinn has written an NFL Draft Series. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017) and BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-19). Through 2014, scouts often were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of most scouts. This will be a nine-part series, starting with receivers.
So many conversations about this class of wide receivers began with a common refrain.
“This is maybe the deepest wide receiver group,” said one longtime AFC personnel man. “But as far as like a Julio (Jones) or Calvin Johnson, absolutely not.”
Johnson (6-5, 239, 4.35) had it all. When he left Georgia Tech a year early to enter the draft in 2007, he was compared by scouts to Jerry Rice, James Lofton, Randy Moss, Larry Fitzgerald and Keyshawn Johnson. Jones (6-2 ½, 220, 4.39) left Alabama after his junior year and became the sixth overall selection in 2011. People dug deep to come up with comparables for him as well. After nine seasons of superstardom, Johnson walked away from the Detroit Lions whereas Jones’ drive still burns hot after nine years in Atlanta. Their physical gifts led to a consistently unique level of play. Although this certainly rates as the year of the wide receiver, Johnson and Jones have more dominant traits than anyone in the class. Obviously, that doesn’t mean a decade from now there won’t be a player or two who deserves to stand in their company.
The sheer numbers at wide receivers are astounding. “Deepest I’ve ever seen,” said one 20-year scouting veteran. “I like so many of them, and for different reasons.”
One scout counted at least 20 wideouts that “in the right circumstance could actually become a player in this league.” Another said a starter could be uncovered in the fourth round, much like how Washington found Terry McLaurin, its top receiver, in the third round a year ago. “The first 13 or 14 names that we have are all going to play,” an AFC executive said. “There’s some wild cards beyond that. There’s not any game-changers.”
The result, of course, are the NFL’s ever-expanding scouting departments grinding endlessly at tape machines. “It’s the most over-scouted position just because there’s so damn many of them, especially in today’s game,” said one scout. All the attention makes perfect sense given the product that the league office and ownership have promulgated through rules changes favoring scoring. “That’s natural because of the evolution of football,” an executive said in reference to the scrutiny of wide receivers.
As draft boards are made final, we hear about speed, ball skills, explosiveness, run after the catch and other physical traits that are most often weighed to loosen packs of receivers with similar grades. We don’t hear a lot about intelligence, which some scouts have said often separates the haves from the have-nots.
“To me, the hardest transition from college to pro is the wide receiver position,” said an executive. “You have to be smart. Dummies won’t make it.”
The oldest method used by NFL teams to measure intelligence is the 12-minute, 50-question Wonderlic test. Many in the industry understand the test has its limitations. It’s why the continuing usage of matrices testing involving shapes and other non-reading material is thought by some to provide a clearer model of intellect. Yet, the Wonderlic has survived because teams still view it as a valuable tool in the evaluation of pro football players. The average score of the eight wide receivers voted to the Pro Bowl in 2019 was 21.6. The average score of my top 13 wide receivers in this draft is 17.1.
Two of the three lowest scores among the 2019 Pro Bowlers belonged to first-rounders DeAndre Hopkins (17) and Jones (15). Another first-round pick, Mike Evans, scored 25. The other five players, including two second-round choices, two third-round choices and one fifth, possess a wide array of strengths and weaknesses. The common bond, however, could well be their ability to think on their feet and make critical pre- and post-snap adjustments. Tyreek Hill led that group of five with a Wonderlic score of 27, followed by Chris Godwin (26), Jarvis Landry (23), Michael Thomas (21) and Keenan Allen (19).
My polling of 17 executives in personnel took place in the last 2 ½ weeks. Each scout was asked to rank the wide receivers on a 1 to 6 basis, with a first-place vote worth 6 points, a second worth 5 and so on.
CeeDee Lamb, with 87 points and 10 first-place votes, nosed out Jerry Jeudy, who had 86 and five. Following, in order, were Henry Ruggs (66, one), Justin Jefferson (28 ½), Tee Higgins (25 ½, one), Bryan Edwards (13), Brandon Aiyuk (12), Laviska Shenault (11), Jalen Reagor (10), KJ Hamler (4 ½), Denzel Mims (four), Lynn Bowden (three), Quez Watkins (three), Van Jefferson (two), Gabriel Davis (one) and Michael Pittman (one-half).
Then the personnel men were asked who among the top 10 or 12 players had the best chance to bust. Shenault led the way with eight votes followed by Mims with four, Higgins with two and Hamler, Reagor and Ruggs, each one.
“It’d be foolish for a team to sit there (in the teens) and take a wideout,” one scout said. “You can get another wideout in the second or third, a Bryan Edwards, a Michael Pittman, a Lynn Bowden … it’s a real deep pool but it’s shallow at the top. There’s nobody that’s super elite, height-weight-speed freakish Julio, Calvin Johnson.”
Could someone such as Aiyuk, Edwards, even Quez Watkins emerge as the best in the class three years from now?
“Sure,” said an AFC evaluator. “It all depends on where they go, what the system is and who’s coaching them.”
An NFC personnel director summed up the talent pool at tight end thusly: “It’s the shits.”
Before conducting the poll at tight end, the decision was made to classify Chase Claypool, a wide receiver at Notre Dame, as a tight end. This time, votes were asked to rank the tight ends on a 1-2-3-4-5 basis.
Cole Kmet easily won with 78 points and 11 first-place votes. Following, in order, were Adam Trautman (44, one), Claypool (41, two), Harrison Bryant (29, one), Albert Okwuegbunam (22, one), Devin Asiasi (16, one), Hunter Bryant (nine), Brycen Hopkins (six), Thaddeus Moss (five), Colby Parkinson (four) and Dalton Keene (one).
“It’s not a strong group,” one personnel man said, “when you’re more excited to work with a wide receiver projection (Claypool) than guys that played tight end their whole life.”
Tight ends often are divided into Y (play-side base blocker), U (back-side base blocker), F (detached as a receiver) and H (move). The numbers of conventional Y and U players continues to dwindle. As scouts debate whether a tight end has the speed to threaten a two-deep secondary or blocks well enough in-line, intelligence seems to be a very important factor for the position.
“That’s a killer at tight end,” said one scout. “They’re asked to do so much. It’s hard to play with dumb tight ends.”
My top seven tight ends posted an average Wonderlic score of 27.1.
RANKING THE RECEIVERS
WIDE RECEIVERS
1. CEEDEE LAMB, Oklahoma (6-1 ½, 198, 4.48, 1): Compared by one scout to Chad Johnson. “You throw the ball up, he’s coming down with it,” said one scout. “He’s got courage. He has better feet than (Justin) Jefferson. I had no idea he could run as good as he did. He’s a great kid on top of it. He’s a no-brainer.” A third-year junior from Richmond, Texas, he “catches the crap out of the ball,” according to another scout. “Great hands. He runs 4.48, which is way fast enough. He runs really good routes. He can go against press and off.” Finished with 173 receptions for 3,292 yards (19.0 average) and 32 touchdowns. “Just a competitive and strong guy,” said a third scout. “Almost an Anquan Boldin-type of receiver. I don’t think he’s a superstar. Lamb kind of maximizes what he has.” Jumps were pedestrian: vertical (34 ½ inches, 10-foot, 4-inch broad jump). So was the bench press (11 reps). “They scheme him up a lot,” said a fourth scout. “Bubble passes. He comes flying around in motion and catches it. It’s like watching the CFL. If you think you’re just going to line him up as a classic X or Z and he’s going to run a full route tree, no. He’s a work in progress, too.” Scored 12 on the 12-minute, 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test. “He’s wildly overrated,” said a fifth scout. “I don’t see an overwhelming trait. A lot of people point to his run after the catch, but I think you have to evaluate the guys trying to tackle him. He’s playing against some really bad Big 12 defenses. You’re just not going up against NFL people in that league. I’m just not a big believer in his skill set transitioning.”
2. JERRY JEUDY, Alabama (6-1, 193, 4.44, 1): The third-year junior is one scout’s “favorite player to watch in the draft because he’s a very accomplished, precise route runner. You don’t often see that in a draft prospect. He’s very advanced in the route-running.” Backed up in 2017 before starting the past two years. Finished with 159 catches for 2,742 (17.2) and 26 TDs. “He has more of that superstar potential than anyone,” said another scout. “Just a phenomenal route runner. Explosive. Just makes things happen. He had some drops in the LSU game but he came back after that and caught a touchdown and a 2-point conversion. So he’s a competitor and rises up.” Posted a 9 on the Wonderlic. “He was good in the interview with us,” a third scout said. “He really understands football … He’s lived life in the ultimate football playground. Speed merchants on the outside. Point guard at quarterback. 5-star offensive line. Draftable running back. He plays in the slot and was never pressed. He’s got a three-way go every route. If you draft him to be your No. 1 and you put him at X and they have a 6-1 corner rolled up in his face with a safety over the top and a linebacker buzzing from inside, life can be a heck of a lot different. All his game is instincts, getting in and out of breaks. It’ll knock your socks off against Southern Miss and New Mexico State. If you’re set everywhere and you just need a slot guy, he’s like a luxury pick.” From Deerfield Beach, Fla. “I think Calvin Ridley, his former teammate, was a little bit better of a route runner,” a fourth scout said. “He’ll be able to get open. He can really slam on the brakes and lose people. All the physical traits are good, but nothing’s elite.”
3. HENRY RUGGS, Alabama (5-11, 188, 4.24, 1): Ruggs, who’s from Montgomery, Ala., followed a similar career arc as Jeudy, backing up as a freshman and starting two years. “He has a chance to be special because he’s got the rare trait of speed,” said one scout. “But he’s not a one-trick pony. He’s not Ted Ginn, he’s not Darrius Heyward-Bey. He’s not just an outside-the-numbers guy. He’s super athletic (vertical jump of 42), he can run every route. He’s extremely tough. When you talk to the people in Tuscaloosa, he’s the most competitive kid in the program. You want to draft playmakers, and he’s got a chance to be a great playmaker. He’s a significantly better player coming out than Tyreek Hill was.” Finished with 98 catches for 1,716 (17.5) and 24 TDs. “Does that guy turn into Brandin Cooks or Ted Ginn?” said another scout. “Often, when teams try to make (speedsters) into more than they are, they struggle. He may turn into more than that. We’ll see. I don’t see Tyreek Hill.” Third-year junior with a Wonderlic of 20. “If you expect him to come in and be your No. 1 receiver I don’t see that,” said a third scout. “He was really a specialist in their offense where they designed certain plays for him … He is fast, but when people get on him you don’t see the same speed and route running. When he gets the ball, if he has a clear path, he can go. But he’s not a make-you-miss player. I don’t think he’s timid (in traffic). But he’s not a playmaker on the ball so when bodies are around him he doesn’t catch the ball. He’s a space-vertical linear route runner that needs space to catch the ball.”
4. JUSTIN JEFFERSON, LSU (6-1, 202, 4.47, 1-2): Jefferson surprised a segment of the scouting fraternity with his fast 40. “The big thing on him was going to be his speed because he’s such a smooth athlete,” said one scout. “His workout was really good. I don’t think he’ll ever be a Pro Bowl No. 1 guy, but he’s a really good No. 2.” He destroyed Oklahoma in the national semifinals not long before declaring as a third-year junior. “Polished, good hands, does most of his damage from the slot,” another scout said. “Good all-around skill set.” A two-year starter with 165 catches for 2,415 (14.6) and 24 TDs, a third scout says he’s “a solid No. 2, but I don’t see him as a good No. 2,” a third scout said. “I don’t see ultra explosiveness. I don’t see the test numbers. He had a lot of production, but the guys he plays on this level (NFL) will be able to take some of those opportunities away. He can make contested catches. I saw him go through a lot of zone and I saw a lot of clean, free access getting off the line. I want to see him beat more press. I didn’t see that.” Jefferson is from St. Rose, La and scored 19 on the Wonderlic.
5. BRANDON AIYUK, Arizona State (5-11 ½, 205, 4.53): Aiyuk played in junior college for two seasons. He played second fiddle to N’Keal Harry in 2018 before breaking out in ’19. “He’s (5-11½) but he’s got an 80-inch wingspan, which is so disproportionately long for his body, so he’s really a big target for a smaller guy,” one scout said. “He has ranginess to him, yet he’s compact enough where his change of direction is great. He’s really explosive on tape. Even going back to his junior year, he only had 33 catches but just grading the flash plays he was better than N’Keal Harry.” He caught 65 balls as a senior, finishing with 98 for 1,666 (17.0) ands 11 TDs. “The first three or four games this year it was kind of whatever,” said another scout. “Then something clicked and he really turned it on. Their offensive line was horrible, so a lot of his deep routes didn’t really have time to develop because the quarterback (freshman Jayden Daniels) had to get the ball out. He became that quarterback’s best friend. He’s underrated. Early on, he comes in as your No. 1 punt returner and kickoff guy.” He has a Wonderlic score of 23. “Explosive with a 40-inch vert, excellent route runner, quickness,” said a third scout. “You could compare Greg Jennings to him. He’s better than Nelson Agholor.” From Reno, Nev.
6. TEE HIGGINS, Clemson (6-3 ½, 215, 4.58, 1-2): More than one personnel man identified him as having the best hands in the draft. “He’s an outside-only guy,” one scout said. “He’s a contested, 50-50 ball guy with strong hands and a big catching radius. He may need some help getting open, but he can catch it. He’s going to be covered a lot but he’s got the catching radius.” Arms measured a position-best 34 1/8 but hands were a small 9 ¼. “Just worried about the 40 time and his inability to separate,” said another scout. “They match up. He is really good down the field going up and getting the football. But getting off press, which you don’t see a lot at the college level, for a guy that isn’t real twitchy, he’ll have to win with size at the line of scrimmage. I think eventually he’ll be able to do it, but it’s going to be a transition for him.” Caught 135 passes for 2,448 (18.1) and 27 TDs. “Behind Ruggs, he’d be my next pick to bust,” a third scout said. “For a big, athletic kind of guy I don’t think he plays very strong. I don’t think he plays very sudden. And I don’t think he’s very tough. For the type of receiver he has to be, being that big guy making plays over people, I just don’t see that grit and toughness that you need. I wasn’t surprised at all (by the slow 40). He’s a buildup (speed) guy. Lot of that (production) was scheming him.” Wonderlic of 11. From Oak Ridge, Tenn.
7. BRYAN EDWARDS, South Carolina (6-2 ½, 212, no 40, 1-2): A four-year starter from Conway, S.C, “he excited me,” one scout said. “There’s a ceiling on him because I don’t think he’s a dynamic athlete. He’s a 4.5’s kind of guy, like a big, physical banger, a guy who will do dirty work. He can play big slot. It’s not like he’s lightning quick, but he’s fluid enough to be a good enough route runner. He’s a lot like Sterling Sharpe was except he doesn’t have the run after. You probably have to have some other pieces around him, guys that are more dynamic playmakers. But if you have that and you throw him in the mix then he’s interesting. I think he’s a great third-round pick.” His value was diminished by the broken foot he suffered while training in February, a meniscus tear in November, a concussion and sports hernia surgery in 2017. “He’s very physical, which I love about him, but it’s kind of counterproductive for him,” said another scout. “Durability is a big problem. I don’t think people give him credit for how athletic he is. I just think he does a lot of things that really matter for that position. He’s one of my favorite players.” Finished with 234 catches for 3,045 (13.0) and 22 TDs, surpassing ex-Gamecock Sharpe in several statistical categories. “He’s really lost steam because of the injury,” a third scout said. “He’s kind of your old school West Coast (receiver) catching slants, breaking tackles and go. There’s a lot of love for that guy in the league.” Edwards scored 28 on the Wonderlic and ranked second among the top 13 wideouts.
Eight. JALEN REAGOR, TCU (5-10 ½, 206, 4.46, 1-2): The third-year junior posted the best broad jump (11-6) of the top 25 wideouts. “Holy shit, he’s exciting,” said one scout. “His speed and run after … we’re looking for explosive playmakers. His punt returns were like holy hell. … His skill set is outstanding.” Finished with 148 catches for 2,248 (15.2) and 22 TDs. “He’s faster and quicker than CeeDee or (Justin) Jefferson,” said a second scout. “He’s tough, he’ll catch in the middle and he takes the ball away from people. But, if the ball’s not coming to him, he doesn’t do much. He doesn’t block. He hardly gets off the line of scrimmage sometimes. He is a talented, talented kid, but his body language and attitude, from film only, is bad. Kind of a reluctant football player. When the ball’s coming to him he’s full-speed.” He posted 13 on the Wonderlic. “He may be the most explosive guy coming out of this draft,” said a third scout. “Quick and aggressive, plays fast, quick hands. Can he be a slot receiver, too? I think he can.” From Waxahachie, Texas. Added a fourth scout: “If I want a jet sweep guy I want Reagor. That (guy) is fast.”
9. DENZEL MIMS, Baylor (6-3, 207, 4.38, 1-2): Among his many achievements at the combine was a position-best 6.66 3-cone. “The 6.6 3-cone is crazy for a guy with that lever system,” said one scout. “He can really go up and make acrobatic plays on the ball. He showed at the Senior Bowl he can beat press coverage and get open at the top of routes. He’s better than Lamb and maybe better than Jeudy. He’s bigger, faster, longer. You’ve got a chance to really hit on Denzel Mims.” Mims was a three-year starter for a Baylor program that has never had a receiver make it big in the NFL. “He’s big, but I see a finesse guy who dropped too many balls in traffic,” a second scout said. “He’s got the height, weight, speed. I’ve seen too many guys with traits like that come in and fail out, and he doesn’t play special teams. I don’t see that kind of dog in him.” A three-year starter, he finished with 186 receptions for 2,925 (15.7) and 28 TDs. “He’s got vertical speed, he does have tracking skills and he understands how to use his size in the red zone,” said a third scout. “He’s an outside receiver. He’s going to need a lot of work on how to run routes. He has tight shoulders. Better high-ball catcher than low-ball catcher. More of a 400-meter guy. He’s got inconsistent hands. He’s going to need work on how to get off press. He’s just got average body control. I got him in the second round.” He’s from Daingerfield, Texas and posted a Wonderlic score of 17.
10. LAVISKA SHENAULT, Colorado (6-0 ½, 227, 4.58, 2-3): Classic boom-or-bust prospect. “Mental and injury,” one scout replied when asked why Shenault was his choice to bust. “He’s always been the best guy on his team. You put him in one position and he’s just going to flounder. He’s head and shoulders in the bust factor above everyone else. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a big fall.” Played split end for the Buffaloes but also did extensive damage as a ‘wildcat’ quarterback. “Little bit immature but, my God, is he big and powerful,” a second scout said. “His ’18 film was way better than his ’19 film. He’s a power guy, and those guys play.” He’s coming off of core muscle surgery in late February and also has had shoulder and turf toe surgery. “He’s kind of got some Cordarrelle Patterson to him in terms of his role,” a third scout said. “Not as explosive. With that body type, I don’t see A.J. Brown. A.J. made so many contested catches and was so productive for three years. A.J. was a receiver when he came out. This guy is an athlete. He’ll have to make a transition to a receiver, and I think he’s going to have a tough time.” Finished with 149 catches for 1,943 (13.0) and 10 TDs. “He’s not bad, just not a lot of personality,” said a fourth scout. “Kind of low-key.” Wonderlic of 14. Small hands (9). A third-year junior from DeSoto, Texas.
11. VAN JEFFERSON, Florida (6-1 ½, 200, no 40, 2-3): His father, Shawn, has been an NFL wide receivers coach for most of the past 20 years after a 13-year career in which he caught 470 passes for 7,023 (14.9) and 29 TDs. “Arguably he’s the best route runner in the class, and he’s got great hands and he’s mature and his dad is one of the best wide receivers coaches in the league (now with the Jets) and was a good player in his own right,” said one scout. “You knew he’d have some of that stuff just being a coach’s kid. Van is not just some polished kid, an overachiever. He’s got serious juice. He’s got a lot more speed than I thought he had. He can break people off and get open.” Jefferson started 41 of 48 games, finishing with 175 catches for 2,159 (12.3) and 16 TDs. He was unable to work at the combine after doctors discovered a foot fracture that required surgery. “He had a really good game against LSU,” another scout said. “Just kind of thin. Not really a speed guy. He’ll be a good backup. Your worry about Van is this guy is maxed out.” Wonderlic of 12. From Brentwood, Tenn. “Interesting guy,” said a third scout. “Terrible quarterback, terrible offense, but did really well at the Senior Bowl. He’s got size, really good quickness and route savvy. He can separate. He’s going to be a really good pro. He doesn’t have that explosive speed so he’s going to slide. This guy really knows how to play.”
12. MICHAEL PITTMAN, USC (6-4, 223, 4.52, 2-3): His father, Michael, played 11 years as an NFL running back gaining 5,627 yards (4.0 average) and scoring 25 TDs. “Doesn’t get a lot of love because he’s on the West Coast,” said one scout. “But he’s a big-body guy that belongs in the top-10 conversation (at wideout). Tough guy in traffic.” Started 30 of 48 games over four seasons, catching 171 passes for 2,519 (14.7) and 19 TDs. “Same type of guy as Bryan Edwards,” a second scout said. “Makes most of his catches in traffic. Strong after the catch. He surprised me with his speed. He and (Tee) Higgins are basically the same guy. Higgins played with a better team. I remember Pittman’s father in the Super Bowl when he played hard and tough even though the Raiders got beat badly. The son has that type of attitude as well. It’s going to be tough to stop him.” He led the leading wideouts with a Wonderlic of 29 and hails from Woodland Hills, Calif.
13. KJ HAMLER, Penn State (5-8 ½, 178, no 40, 3): Third-year sophomore. “He’s small, but his speed is rare,” said one scout. “He is electric after the catch. He’s a human joystick. He has home-run ability. You’re going to have to scheme him a little bit to get him the ball.” One scout said he had the worst hands in the draft. “He’s like a 50-50 guy,” said a second scout. “He probably has the best chance to bust because he can’t catch. He can stretch the field. He played tough. He went up for balls. The thing that killed me is he can be a return guy, but he just didn’t perform, which is weird. He was just average in every sense of the word.” Finished with 98 catches for 1,658 (16.9) and 13 TDs. “He would run across the formation and he wouldn’t even look and the quarterback is looking at him,” said another scout. “After seeing that three, four, five times, something was up with this kid. He’s a slot receiver. To play outside I think would be ridiculous. He is tiny. Third round.” From Pontiac, Mich, with a Wonderlic of 15.
OTHERS, in order: Lynn Bowden, Kentucky; Quez Watkins, Southern Mississippi; Gabriel Davis, Central Florida; Devin Duvernay, Texas; Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State; Isaiah Coulter, Rhode Island; James Proche, SMU; Darnell Mooney, Tulane; Collin Johnson, Texas; K.J. Hill, Ohio State; Dezmon Patmon, Washington State; John Hightower, Boise State; Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan; Joe Reed, Virginia; Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty; Trishton Jackson, Syracuse; Quintez Cephus, Wisconsin; Tyler Johnson, Minnesota.
TIGHT ENDS
1. COLE KMET, Notre Dame (6-5 ½, 262, 4.68, 1-2): Kmet reminded one scout of ex-Cowboy Jason Witten (6-5 ½, 260, 4.67). “If you want an all-around guy, kind of a Kyle Rudolph-type guy, he’s it,” said another scout. “He’s faster than Kyle, but he doesn’t have the ball skills. He’s had some durability issues. He’s got great intangibles. He can run. He can catch. He doesn’t have an elite trait but you really love the body type and everything about him.” Third-year junior with 60 catches (43 in 2019) for 691 (11.5) and six TDs. “He’s not a talent like Vernon Davis or Evan Engram,” a third scout said. “He’s more of a throwback, classic Y tight end. He’s solid. He won’t fail.” From Lake Barrington, Ill. “I don’t see a great blocker and I don’t see a great receiver,” said a fourth scout. “I see a guy that’s more of a U. I don’t see a great Y. He reminds me a lot of the (Drew) Sample guy that came out last year out of Washington and plays with the Bengals. Some of the workout (numbers) were better than the player he is. I don’t see first round. I think he’s always going to be a solid No. 2 (tight end), maybe a good No. 3.” Wonderlic of 28.
2. CHASE CLAYPOOL, Notre Dame (6-4, 238, 4.44, 1-2): Made 33 starts at WR over four seasons. Some teams are vociferous about him playing outside in the NFL. Others see him as a TE. “I think he’s big enough to be a tight end,” said one scout. “He’s every bit as big as Travis Kelce. He’s faster than Kelce. That’s who I saw.” His combine numbers were the best by a tight end. “I just don’t see the blocker at tight end,” a second scout said. “I don’t see how he holds up. People had the same conversation with Devin Funchess. You’re talking about the Jared Cook’s of the world. That’s just a different body type.” Finished with 150 catches for 2,159 (14.4) and 19 TDs. “The big ones that don’t make it, like Jonathan Baldwin, is because they’ve got a long ways to go because of (lack) of polish,” the second scout continued. “He’s not that far away. He’s fast, aggressive, has good hands. He was a dog on special teams. If you try to make him a multi-cut route runner, it’s going to be a problem. Let him be a big, fast, vertical, take-the-lid-off, contest-catch-winning guy. Mike Evans is a vertical route runner. I’m not calling this kid Mike Evans, but there are some comparable traits.” From Abbotsford, B.C., Claypool is the first Notre Dame signee from Canada since 1994. He posted a Wonderlic score of 27.
3. ADAM TRAUTMAN, Dayton (6-5, 255, 4.78, 2-3): Often compared to TE Adam Shaheen (6-6 ½, 278, 4.81), the Bears’ disappointing second-round pick in 2017 from NCAA Division II Ashland (Ohio), Dayton is a member of the FCS but non-scholarship Pioneer League. “It looked like (NCAA Division III) when I showed up at practice,” said one scout. “Some of the teams they played down south were good. I liked him. He didn’t back down at the Senior Bowl. They (the Flyers) kind of just used him as a pass-catching tight end. He has a big catch radius, soft hands. Needs to work on his lower-body strength and his blocking.” Started 40 of 44 games, catching 178 passes for 2,295 (12.9) and 31 TDs. “He played against little people, but he dominated that level of competition as a receiver and a blocker,” a second scout said. He ran a blazing 3-cone of 6.78. “He’s a poor man’s Cole Kmet,” said a third scout. “He does a lot of things well. He doesn’t do things great. He’s not that fast, not that strong. He’s a good route runner but he’s better laterally than stretching the field.” He scored 27 on the Wonderlic. “If the guy from the Bears (Shaheen) goes in the second, this guy goes in the third,” a fourth scout said. “He’s got a lot of football to learn but he’s got a lot of upside. Good blocker. Works to finish.” Trautman is from Elk Rapids, Mich.
4. HARRISON BRYANT, Florida Atlantic (6-4 ½, 243, 4.73, 3-4): “I have him shadowed across tight end and fullback,” said one scout. “He’s not an old-school thumper where you can run iso with him. With the way it is now, I could see him in a West Coast (offense) almost like San Fran uses their fullback (Kyle Juszczyk). He can line up on the wing, the edge of a formation and run across the formation and you can throw him the ball. He functions enough as a blocker.” Played a flex position under FAU coach Lane Kiffin, surpassing 1,000 yards as a senior. Finished with 148 receptions for 2,137 (14.4) and 16 TDs. His major negative might be an arm length of 30 5/8, shortest at the position. “Not real high on him,” said another scout. “He doesn’t have top size. He has no length. He’s not real strong. The athletic traits are just average.” He posted a Wonderlic of 26 and is from Gray, Ga.
5. ALBERT OKWUEGBUNAM, Missouri (6-5 ½, 258, 4.50, 3-4): A fourth-year junior, one scout said Okwuegbunam is “kind of an enigma to me. Really talented human being in terms of size and athleticism but just doesn’t put it all together. Someone’s going to take him based off potential. If they can get through to the mind to get it out of the body he’ll have a chance. It’s a risk-reward pick that I don’t have interest in. Someone might be silly enough to go second round.” He caught 43 passes from Drew Lock in 2018 but nabbed just 26 in 2019 to finish with 98 for 1,187 (12.1) and 23 TDs. “You’re talking about a 6-6 guy that runs 4.5,” another scout said. “He had a really good junior year. The senior year was off. At least he has dominant traits. You see guys like that go in the third, fourth and fifth rounds and become really good players.” His father emigrated from Nigeria. Okwuegbunam, from Springfield, Ill., posted a Wonderlic of 28 and has the longest arms among tight ends (34 1/8). “He oozes around on routes, lots of drops, timid blocker,” said a third scout. “Non-factor.”
6. DEVIN ASIASI, UCLA (6-3, 257, 4.79, 3-4): He spent one year at Michigan before departing for off-field reasons. He sat out at UCLA in 2017, backed up in ’18 and started in ’19. Almost all of his production (44 catches, 789, 15.2, six TDs) came as a fourth-year junior. “He is a ball-playing Jesse,” said one scout. “You love watching him. He is a competitive kid that will block. He’s tough, he finishes and he’ll go down inside. He’s got good hands, although they didn’t use him much as a receiver. He can run a little bit. He can flex, but he’s not going to challenge the safeties. He is a great utility player to have on your team.” He scored 25 on the Wonderlic and has had weight problems in the past. “He’s one of those dumpy-body looking guys that makes you think he isn’t athletic but he is,” another scout said. “Really good all-around player.” From Shoreview, Calif.
7. HUNTER BRYANT, Washington (6-2, 248, 4.75, 4-5): Personnel men for several teams expressed considerable concern about Bryant, a third-year junior with a long medical history (knee, back, hamstring). He missed time in his first two seasons but started all 12 games in 2019. “He’s a sawed-off, muscled-up dude,” said one scout. “Definitely a receiving tight end. He’s somebody you can move around and kind of take advantage of some mismatches against linebackers. Really good hands. Gives effort in the run game. He does enough. He gets in the way or seals people off. You can put him in the backfield. He’s not going to be that physical root-somebody-out kind of guy when you line him up at fullback. The versatility is what attracts me to him.” Finished with 85 catches for 1,394 (16.4) and five TDs. “I didn’t like him,” said another scout. “Most of these guys will try. He doesn’t even try to block. I don’t think he’s that athletic for being that small. Very inconsistent. Late pick.” He scored 29 on the Wonderlic and is from Issaquah, Wash.
OTHERS, in order: Brycen Hopkins, Purdue; Thaddeus Moss, LSU; Colby Parkinson, Stanford; Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech; Sean McKeon, Michigan; Cheyenne O’Grady, ex-Arkansas; Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt; Stephen Sullivan, LSU; Charlie Taumoepeau, Portland State; Jacob Breeland, Oregon; Ahmad Wagner, Kentucky; Kyle Markway, South Carolina; Mitchell Wilcox, South Florida.
THE SKINNY
UNSUNG HERO
Isaiah Coulter, WR, Rhode Island: Bidding to become the Rams’ first drafted player since 1986 when T Bob White went in the seventh round to the Jets. Lightly recruited, he improved each of his three seasons before surprisingly declaring a year early. Lean at 6-2, 198, but ran fast (4.42) and is a smooth route runner.
SCOUTS’ NIGHTMARE
Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU: As the son of Hall of Fame WR Randy Moss, there are advantages and disadvantages. Moss played just one season for the Tigers as the fifth wheel in a wildly explosive offense, so scouts wonder how much of his production (47 receptions, four TDs) was the result of defenses basically ignoring him. Medically excluded at the combine, Moss’ 40 time has been estimated at 4.85 and 4.9. At his size (6-2, 250), that type of speed won’t cut it.
SCOUT TO REMEMBER
C.O. Brocato: Anyone who ever scouted the Southwest knew him and no doubt liked him. For more than 40 years he worked for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, driving from his home in Arlington, Texas to colleges throughout Texas, Arkansas and elsewhere. Not only was Brocato an engaging personality, he also was a pioneer in terms of drills used at the combine and elsewhere. He deserves credit for coming up with the 3-cone run of today that replaced the outmoded four-square run. He died in 2015 at age 85.
QUOTE TO NOTE
NFC personnel executive: “Lamb, Shenault and Aiyuk aren’t your natural, traditional, fluid, route-running receivers. They’re almost Anquan Boldin types, but today people say Deebo Samuel. You get the ball out quick, run after catch, end around, slip screens, that kind of stuff they’re doing so much more now of with receivers.”
Bob McGinn Apr 15, 2020
This is the 36th year Bob McGinn has written an NFL Draft Series. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017) and BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-19). Through 2014, scouts often were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of most scouts. This will be a nine-part series, starting with receivers.
So many conversations about this class of wide receivers began with a common refrain.
“This is maybe the deepest wide receiver group,” said one longtime AFC personnel man. “But as far as like a Julio (Jones) or Calvin Johnson, absolutely not.”
Johnson (6-5, 239, 4.35) had it all. When he left Georgia Tech a year early to enter the draft in 2007, he was compared by scouts to Jerry Rice, James Lofton, Randy Moss, Larry Fitzgerald and Keyshawn Johnson. Jones (6-2 ½, 220, 4.39) left Alabama after his junior year and became the sixth overall selection in 2011. People dug deep to come up with comparables for him as well. After nine seasons of superstardom, Johnson walked away from the Detroit Lions whereas Jones’ drive still burns hot after nine years in Atlanta. Their physical gifts led to a consistently unique level of play. Although this certainly rates as the year of the wide receiver, Johnson and Jones have more dominant traits than anyone in the class. Obviously, that doesn’t mean a decade from now there won’t be a player or two who deserves to stand in their company.
The sheer numbers at wide receivers are astounding. “Deepest I’ve ever seen,” said one 20-year scouting veteran. “I like so many of them, and for different reasons.”
One scout counted at least 20 wideouts that “in the right circumstance could actually become a player in this league.” Another said a starter could be uncovered in the fourth round, much like how Washington found Terry McLaurin, its top receiver, in the third round a year ago. “The first 13 or 14 names that we have are all going to play,” an AFC executive said. “There’s some wild cards beyond that. There’s not any game-changers.”
The result, of course, are the NFL’s ever-expanding scouting departments grinding endlessly at tape machines. “It’s the most over-scouted position just because there’s so damn many of them, especially in today’s game,” said one scout. All the attention makes perfect sense given the product that the league office and ownership have promulgated through rules changes favoring scoring. “That’s natural because of the evolution of football,” an executive said in reference to the scrutiny of wide receivers.
As draft boards are made final, we hear about speed, ball skills, explosiveness, run after the catch and other physical traits that are most often weighed to loosen packs of receivers with similar grades. We don’t hear a lot about intelligence, which some scouts have said often separates the haves from the have-nots.
“To me, the hardest transition from college to pro is the wide receiver position,” said an executive. “You have to be smart. Dummies won’t make it.”
The oldest method used by NFL teams to measure intelligence is the 12-minute, 50-question Wonderlic test. Many in the industry understand the test has its limitations. It’s why the continuing usage of matrices testing involving shapes and other non-reading material is thought by some to provide a clearer model of intellect. Yet, the Wonderlic has survived because teams still view it as a valuable tool in the evaluation of pro football players. The average score of the eight wide receivers voted to the Pro Bowl in 2019 was 21.6. The average score of my top 13 wide receivers in this draft is 17.1.
Two of the three lowest scores among the 2019 Pro Bowlers belonged to first-rounders DeAndre Hopkins (17) and Jones (15). Another first-round pick, Mike Evans, scored 25. The other five players, including two second-round choices, two third-round choices and one fifth, possess a wide array of strengths and weaknesses. The common bond, however, could well be their ability to think on their feet and make critical pre- and post-snap adjustments. Tyreek Hill led that group of five with a Wonderlic score of 27, followed by Chris Godwin (26), Jarvis Landry (23), Michael Thomas (21) and Keenan Allen (19).
My polling of 17 executives in personnel took place in the last 2 ½ weeks. Each scout was asked to rank the wide receivers on a 1 to 6 basis, with a first-place vote worth 6 points, a second worth 5 and so on.
CeeDee Lamb, with 87 points and 10 first-place votes, nosed out Jerry Jeudy, who had 86 and five. Following, in order, were Henry Ruggs (66, one), Justin Jefferson (28 ½), Tee Higgins (25 ½, one), Bryan Edwards (13), Brandon Aiyuk (12), Laviska Shenault (11), Jalen Reagor (10), KJ Hamler (4 ½), Denzel Mims (four), Lynn Bowden (three), Quez Watkins (three), Van Jefferson (two), Gabriel Davis (one) and Michael Pittman (one-half).
Then the personnel men were asked who among the top 10 or 12 players had the best chance to bust. Shenault led the way with eight votes followed by Mims with four, Higgins with two and Hamler, Reagor and Ruggs, each one.
“It’d be foolish for a team to sit there (in the teens) and take a wideout,” one scout said. “You can get another wideout in the second or third, a Bryan Edwards, a Michael Pittman, a Lynn Bowden … it’s a real deep pool but it’s shallow at the top. There’s nobody that’s super elite, height-weight-speed freakish Julio, Calvin Johnson.”
Could someone such as Aiyuk, Edwards, even Quez Watkins emerge as the best in the class three years from now?
“Sure,” said an AFC evaluator. “It all depends on where they go, what the system is and who’s coaching them.”
An NFC personnel director summed up the talent pool at tight end thusly: “It’s the shits.”
Before conducting the poll at tight end, the decision was made to classify Chase Claypool, a wide receiver at Notre Dame, as a tight end. This time, votes were asked to rank the tight ends on a 1-2-3-4-5 basis.
Cole Kmet easily won with 78 points and 11 first-place votes. Following, in order, were Adam Trautman (44, one), Claypool (41, two), Harrison Bryant (29, one), Albert Okwuegbunam (22, one), Devin Asiasi (16, one), Hunter Bryant (nine), Brycen Hopkins (six), Thaddeus Moss (five), Colby Parkinson (four) and Dalton Keene (one).
“It’s not a strong group,” one personnel man said, “when you’re more excited to work with a wide receiver projection (Claypool) than guys that played tight end their whole life.”
Tight ends often are divided into Y (play-side base blocker), U (back-side base blocker), F (detached as a receiver) and H (move). The numbers of conventional Y and U players continues to dwindle. As scouts debate whether a tight end has the speed to threaten a two-deep secondary or blocks well enough in-line, intelligence seems to be a very important factor for the position.
“That’s a killer at tight end,” said one scout. “They’re asked to do so much. It’s hard to play with dumb tight ends.”
My top seven tight ends posted an average Wonderlic score of 27.1.
RANKING THE RECEIVERS
WIDE RECEIVERS
1. CEEDEE LAMB, Oklahoma (6-1 ½, 198, 4.48, 1): Compared by one scout to Chad Johnson. “You throw the ball up, he’s coming down with it,” said one scout. “He’s got courage. He has better feet than (Justin) Jefferson. I had no idea he could run as good as he did. He’s a great kid on top of it. He’s a no-brainer.” A third-year junior from Richmond, Texas, he “catches the crap out of the ball,” according to another scout. “Great hands. He runs 4.48, which is way fast enough. He runs really good routes. He can go against press and off.” Finished with 173 receptions for 3,292 yards (19.0 average) and 32 touchdowns. “Just a competitive and strong guy,” said a third scout. “Almost an Anquan Boldin-type of receiver. I don’t think he’s a superstar. Lamb kind of maximizes what he has.” Jumps were pedestrian: vertical (34 ½ inches, 10-foot, 4-inch broad jump). So was the bench press (11 reps). “They scheme him up a lot,” said a fourth scout. “Bubble passes. He comes flying around in motion and catches it. It’s like watching the CFL. If you think you’re just going to line him up as a classic X or Z and he’s going to run a full route tree, no. He’s a work in progress, too.” Scored 12 on the 12-minute, 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test. “He’s wildly overrated,” said a fifth scout. “I don’t see an overwhelming trait. A lot of people point to his run after the catch, but I think you have to evaluate the guys trying to tackle him. He’s playing against some really bad Big 12 defenses. You’re just not going up against NFL people in that league. I’m just not a big believer in his skill set transitioning.”
2. JERRY JEUDY, Alabama (6-1, 193, 4.44, 1): The third-year junior is one scout’s “favorite player to watch in the draft because he’s a very accomplished, precise route runner. You don’t often see that in a draft prospect. He’s very advanced in the route-running.” Backed up in 2017 before starting the past two years. Finished with 159 catches for 2,742 (17.2) and 26 TDs. “He has more of that superstar potential than anyone,” said another scout. “Just a phenomenal route runner. Explosive. Just makes things happen. He had some drops in the LSU game but he came back after that and caught a touchdown and a 2-point conversion. So he’s a competitor and rises up.” Posted a 9 on the Wonderlic. “He was good in the interview with us,” a third scout said. “He really understands football … He’s lived life in the ultimate football playground. Speed merchants on the outside. Point guard at quarterback. 5-star offensive line. Draftable running back. He plays in the slot and was never pressed. He’s got a three-way go every route. If you draft him to be your No. 1 and you put him at X and they have a 6-1 corner rolled up in his face with a safety over the top and a linebacker buzzing from inside, life can be a heck of a lot different. All his game is instincts, getting in and out of breaks. It’ll knock your socks off against Southern Miss and New Mexico State. If you’re set everywhere and you just need a slot guy, he’s like a luxury pick.” From Deerfield Beach, Fla. “I think Calvin Ridley, his former teammate, was a little bit better of a route runner,” a fourth scout said. “He’ll be able to get open. He can really slam on the brakes and lose people. All the physical traits are good, but nothing’s elite.”
3. HENRY RUGGS, Alabama (5-11, 188, 4.24, 1): Ruggs, who’s from Montgomery, Ala., followed a similar career arc as Jeudy, backing up as a freshman and starting two years. “He has a chance to be special because he’s got the rare trait of speed,” said one scout. “But he’s not a one-trick pony. He’s not Ted Ginn, he’s not Darrius Heyward-Bey. He’s not just an outside-the-numbers guy. He’s super athletic (vertical jump of 42), he can run every route. He’s extremely tough. When you talk to the people in Tuscaloosa, he’s the most competitive kid in the program. You want to draft playmakers, and he’s got a chance to be a great playmaker. He’s a significantly better player coming out than Tyreek Hill was.” Finished with 98 catches for 1,716 (17.5) and 24 TDs. “Does that guy turn into Brandin Cooks or Ted Ginn?” said another scout. “Often, when teams try to make (speedsters) into more than they are, they struggle. He may turn into more than that. We’ll see. I don’t see Tyreek Hill.” Third-year junior with a Wonderlic of 20. “If you expect him to come in and be your No. 1 receiver I don’t see that,” said a third scout. “He was really a specialist in their offense where they designed certain plays for him … He is fast, but when people get on him you don’t see the same speed and route running. When he gets the ball, if he has a clear path, he can go. But he’s not a make-you-miss player. I don’t think he’s timid (in traffic). But he’s not a playmaker on the ball so when bodies are around him he doesn’t catch the ball. He’s a space-vertical linear route runner that needs space to catch the ball.”
4. JUSTIN JEFFERSON, LSU (6-1, 202, 4.47, 1-2): Jefferson surprised a segment of the scouting fraternity with his fast 40. “The big thing on him was going to be his speed because he’s such a smooth athlete,” said one scout. “His workout was really good. I don’t think he’ll ever be a Pro Bowl No. 1 guy, but he’s a really good No. 2.” He destroyed Oklahoma in the national semifinals not long before declaring as a third-year junior. “Polished, good hands, does most of his damage from the slot,” another scout said. “Good all-around skill set.” A two-year starter with 165 catches for 2,415 (14.6) and 24 TDs, a third scout says he’s “a solid No. 2, but I don’t see him as a good No. 2,” a third scout said. “I don’t see ultra explosiveness. I don’t see the test numbers. He had a lot of production, but the guys he plays on this level (NFL) will be able to take some of those opportunities away. He can make contested catches. I saw him go through a lot of zone and I saw a lot of clean, free access getting off the line. I want to see him beat more press. I didn’t see that.” Jefferson is from St. Rose, La and scored 19 on the Wonderlic.
5. BRANDON AIYUK, Arizona State (5-11 ½, 205, 4.53): Aiyuk played in junior college for two seasons. He played second fiddle to N’Keal Harry in 2018 before breaking out in ’19. “He’s (5-11½) but he’s got an 80-inch wingspan, which is so disproportionately long for his body, so he’s really a big target for a smaller guy,” one scout said. “He has ranginess to him, yet he’s compact enough where his change of direction is great. He’s really explosive on tape. Even going back to his junior year, he only had 33 catches but just grading the flash plays he was better than N’Keal Harry.” He caught 65 balls as a senior, finishing with 98 for 1,666 (17.0) ands 11 TDs. “The first three or four games this year it was kind of whatever,” said another scout. “Then something clicked and he really turned it on. Their offensive line was horrible, so a lot of his deep routes didn’t really have time to develop because the quarterback (freshman Jayden Daniels) had to get the ball out. He became that quarterback’s best friend. He’s underrated. Early on, he comes in as your No. 1 punt returner and kickoff guy.” He has a Wonderlic score of 23. “Explosive with a 40-inch vert, excellent route runner, quickness,” said a third scout. “You could compare Greg Jennings to him. He’s better than Nelson Agholor.” From Reno, Nev.
6. TEE HIGGINS, Clemson (6-3 ½, 215, 4.58, 1-2): More than one personnel man identified him as having the best hands in the draft. “He’s an outside-only guy,” one scout said. “He’s a contested, 50-50 ball guy with strong hands and a big catching radius. He may need some help getting open, but he can catch it. He’s going to be covered a lot but he’s got the catching radius.” Arms measured a position-best 34 1/8 but hands were a small 9 ¼. “Just worried about the 40 time and his inability to separate,” said another scout. “They match up. He is really good down the field going up and getting the football. But getting off press, which you don’t see a lot at the college level, for a guy that isn’t real twitchy, he’ll have to win with size at the line of scrimmage. I think eventually he’ll be able to do it, but it’s going to be a transition for him.” Caught 135 passes for 2,448 (18.1) and 27 TDs. “Behind Ruggs, he’d be my next pick to bust,” a third scout said. “For a big, athletic kind of guy I don’t think he plays very strong. I don’t think he plays very sudden. And I don’t think he’s very tough. For the type of receiver he has to be, being that big guy making plays over people, I just don’t see that grit and toughness that you need. I wasn’t surprised at all (by the slow 40). He’s a buildup (speed) guy. Lot of that (production) was scheming him.” Wonderlic of 11. From Oak Ridge, Tenn.
7. BRYAN EDWARDS, South Carolina (6-2 ½, 212, no 40, 1-2): A four-year starter from Conway, S.C, “he excited me,” one scout said. “There’s a ceiling on him because I don’t think he’s a dynamic athlete. He’s a 4.5’s kind of guy, like a big, physical banger, a guy who will do dirty work. He can play big slot. It’s not like he’s lightning quick, but he’s fluid enough to be a good enough route runner. He’s a lot like Sterling Sharpe was except he doesn’t have the run after. You probably have to have some other pieces around him, guys that are more dynamic playmakers. But if you have that and you throw him in the mix then he’s interesting. I think he’s a great third-round pick.” His value was diminished by the broken foot he suffered while training in February, a meniscus tear in November, a concussion and sports hernia surgery in 2017. “He’s very physical, which I love about him, but it’s kind of counterproductive for him,” said another scout. “Durability is a big problem. I don’t think people give him credit for how athletic he is. I just think he does a lot of things that really matter for that position. He’s one of my favorite players.” Finished with 234 catches for 3,045 (13.0) and 22 TDs, surpassing ex-Gamecock Sharpe in several statistical categories. “He’s really lost steam because of the injury,” a third scout said. “He’s kind of your old school West Coast (receiver) catching slants, breaking tackles and go. There’s a lot of love for that guy in the league.” Edwards scored 28 on the Wonderlic and ranked second among the top 13 wideouts.
Eight. JALEN REAGOR, TCU (5-10 ½, 206, 4.46, 1-2): The third-year junior posted the best broad jump (11-6) of the top 25 wideouts. “Holy shit, he’s exciting,” said one scout. “His speed and run after … we’re looking for explosive playmakers. His punt returns were like holy hell. … His skill set is outstanding.” Finished with 148 catches for 2,248 (15.2) and 22 TDs. “He’s faster and quicker than CeeDee or (Justin) Jefferson,” said a second scout. “He’s tough, he’ll catch in the middle and he takes the ball away from people. But, if the ball’s not coming to him, he doesn’t do much. He doesn’t block. He hardly gets off the line of scrimmage sometimes. He is a talented, talented kid, but his body language and attitude, from film only, is bad. Kind of a reluctant football player. When the ball’s coming to him he’s full-speed.” He posted 13 on the Wonderlic. “He may be the most explosive guy coming out of this draft,” said a third scout. “Quick and aggressive, plays fast, quick hands. Can he be a slot receiver, too? I think he can.” From Waxahachie, Texas. Added a fourth scout: “If I want a jet sweep guy I want Reagor. That (guy) is fast.”
9. DENZEL MIMS, Baylor (6-3, 207, 4.38, 1-2): Among his many achievements at the combine was a position-best 6.66 3-cone. “The 6.6 3-cone is crazy for a guy with that lever system,” said one scout. “He can really go up and make acrobatic plays on the ball. He showed at the Senior Bowl he can beat press coverage and get open at the top of routes. He’s better than Lamb and maybe better than Jeudy. He’s bigger, faster, longer. You’ve got a chance to really hit on Denzel Mims.” Mims was a three-year starter for a Baylor program that has never had a receiver make it big in the NFL. “He’s big, but I see a finesse guy who dropped too many balls in traffic,” a second scout said. “He’s got the height, weight, speed. I’ve seen too many guys with traits like that come in and fail out, and he doesn’t play special teams. I don’t see that kind of dog in him.” A three-year starter, he finished with 186 receptions for 2,925 (15.7) and 28 TDs. “He’s got vertical speed, he does have tracking skills and he understands how to use his size in the red zone,” said a third scout. “He’s an outside receiver. He’s going to need a lot of work on how to run routes. He has tight shoulders. Better high-ball catcher than low-ball catcher. More of a 400-meter guy. He’s got inconsistent hands. He’s going to need work on how to get off press. He’s just got average body control. I got him in the second round.” He’s from Daingerfield, Texas and posted a Wonderlic score of 17.
10. LAVISKA SHENAULT, Colorado (6-0 ½, 227, 4.58, 2-3): Classic boom-or-bust prospect. “Mental and injury,” one scout replied when asked why Shenault was his choice to bust. “He’s always been the best guy on his team. You put him in one position and he’s just going to flounder. He’s head and shoulders in the bust factor above everyone else. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a big fall.” Played split end for the Buffaloes but also did extensive damage as a ‘wildcat’ quarterback. “Little bit immature but, my God, is he big and powerful,” a second scout said. “His ’18 film was way better than his ’19 film. He’s a power guy, and those guys play.” He’s coming off of core muscle surgery in late February and also has had shoulder and turf toe surgery. “He’s kind of got some Cordarrelle Patterson to him in terms of his role,” a third scout said. “Not as explosive. With that body type, I don’t see A.J. Brown. A.J. made so many contested catches and was so productive for three years. A.J. was a receiver when he came out. This guy is an athlete. He’ll have to make a transition to a receiver, and I think he’s going to have a tough time.” Finished with 149 catches for 1,943 (13.0) and 10 TDs. “He’s not bad, just not a lot of personality,” said a fourth scout. “Kind of low-key.” Wonderlic of 14. Small hands (9). A third-year junior from DeSoto, Texas.
11. VAN JEFFERSON, Florida (6-1 ½, 200, no 40, 2-3): His father, Shawn, has been an NFL wide receivers coach for most of the past 20 years after a 13-year career in which he caught 470 passes for 7,023 (14.9) and 29 TDs. “Arguably he’s the best route runner in the class, and he’s got great hands and he’s mature and his dad is one of the best wide receivers coaches in the league (now with the Jets) and was a good player in his own right,” said one scout. “You knew he’d have some of that stuff just being a coach’s kid. Van is not just some polished kid, an overachiever. He’s got serious juice. He’s got a lot more speed than I thought he had. He can break people off and get open.” Jefferson started 41 of 48 games, finishing with 175 catches for 2,159 (12.3) and 16 TDs. He was unable to work at the combine after doctors discovered a foot fracture that required surgery. “He had a really good game against LSU,” another scout said. “Just kind of thin. Not really a speed guy. He’ll be a good backup. Your worry about Van is this guy is maxed out.” Wonderlic of 12. From Brentwood, Tenn. “Interesting guy,” said a third scout. “Terrible quarterback, terrible offense, but did really well at the Senior Bowl. He’s got size, really good quickness and route savvy. He can separate. He’s going to be a really good pro. He doesn’t have that explosive speed so he’s going to slide. This guy really knows how to play.”
12. MICHAEL PITTMAN, USC (6-4, 223, 4.52, 2-3): His father, Michael, played 11 years as an NFL running back gaining 5,627 yards (4.0 average) and scoring 25 TDs. “Doesn’t get a lot of love because he’s on the West Coast,” said one scout. “But he’s a big-body guy that belongs in the top-10 conversation (at wideout). Tough guy in traffic.” Started 30 of 48 games over four seasons, catching 171 passes for 2,519 (14.7) and 19 TDs. “Same type of guy as Bryan Edwards,” a second scout said. “Makes most of his catches in traffic. Strong after the catch. He surprised me with his speed. He and (Tee) Higgins are basically the same guy. Higgins played with a better team. I remember Pittman’s father in the Super Bowl when he played hard and tough even though the Raiders got beat badly. The son has that type of attitude as well. It’s going to be tough to stop him.” He led the leading wideouts with a Wonderlic of 29 and hails from Woodland Hills, Calif.
13. KJ HAMLER, Penn State (5-8 ½, 178, no 40, 3): Third-year sophomore. “He’s small, but his speed is rare,” said one scout. “He is electric after the catch. He’s a human joystick. He has home-run ability. You’re going to have to scheme him a little bit to get him the ball.” One scout said he had the worst hands in the draft. “He’s like a 50-50 guy,” said a second scout. “He probably has the best chance to bust because he can’t catch. He can stretch the field. He played tough. He went up for balls. The thing that killed me is he can be a return guy, but he just didn’t perform, which is weird. He was just average in every sense of the word.” Finished with 98 catches for 1,658 (16.9) and 13 TDs. “He would run across the formation and he wouldn’t even look and the quarterback is looking at him,” said another scout. “After seeing that three, four, five times, something was up with this kid. He’s a slot receiver. To play outside I think would be ridiculous. He is tiny. Third round.” From Pontiac, Mich, with a Wonderlic of 15.
OTHERS, in order: Lynn Bowden, Kentucky; Quez Watkins, Southern Mississippi; Gabriel Davis, Central Florida; Devin Duvernay, Texas; Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State; Isaiah Coulter, Rhode Island; James Proche, SMU; Darnell Mooney, Tulane; Collin Johnson, Texas; K.J. Hill, Ohio State; Dezmon Patmon, Washington State; John Hightower, Boise State; Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan; Joe Reed, Virginia; Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty; Trishton Jackson, Syracuse; Quintez Cephus, Wisconsin; Tyler Johnson, Minnesota.
TIGHT ENDS
1. COLE KMET, Notre Dame (6-5 ½, 262, 4.68, 1-2): Kmet reminded one scout of ex-Cowboy Jason Witten (6-5 ½, 260, 4.67). “If you want an all-around guy, kind of a Kyle Rudolph-type guy, he’s it,” said another scout. “He’s faster than Kyle, but he doesn’t have the ball skills. He’s had some durability issues. He’s got great intangibles. He can run. He can catch. He doesn’t have an elite trait but you really love the body type and everything about him.” Third-year junior with 60 catches (43 in 2019) for 691 (11.5) and six TDs. “He’s not a talent like Vernon Davis or Evan Engram,” a third scout said. “He’s more of a throwback, classic Y tight end. He’s solid. He won’t fail.” From Lake Barrington, Ill. “I don’t see a great blocker and I don’t see a great receiver,” said a fourth scout. “I see a guy that’s more of a U. I don’t see a great Y. He reminds me a lot of the (Drew) Sample guy that came out last year out of Washington and plays with the Bengals. Some of the workout (numbers) were better than the player he is. I don’t see first round. I think he’s always going to be a solid No. 2 (tight end), maybe a good No. 3.” Wonderlic of 28.
2. CHASE CLAYPOOL, Notre Dame (6-4, 238, 4.44, 1-2): Made 33 starts at WR over four seasons. Some teams are vociferous about him playing outside in the NFL. Others see him as a TE. “I think he’s big enough to be a tight end,” said one scout. “He’s every bit as big as Travis Kelce. He’s faster than Kelce. That’s who I saw.” His combine numbers were the best by a tight end. “I just don’t see the blocker at tight end,” a second scout said. “I don’t see how he holds up. People had the same conversation with Devin Funchess. You’re talking about the Jared Cook’s of the world. That’s just a different body type.” Finished with 150 catches for 2,159 (14.4) and 19 TDs. “The big ones that don’t make it, like Jonathan Baldwin, is because they’ve got a long ways to go because of (lack) of polish,” the second scout continued. “He’s not that far away. He’s fast, aggressive, has good hands. He was a dog on special teams. If you try to make him a multi-cut route runner, it’s going to be a problem. Let him be a big, fast, vertical, take-the-lid-off, contest-catch-winning guy. Mike Evans is a vertical route runner. I’m not calling this kid Mike Evans, but there are some comparable traits.” From Abbotsford, B.C., Claypool is the first Notre Dame signee from Canada since 1994. He posted a Wonderlic score of 27.
3. ADAM TRAUTMAN, Dayton (6-5, 255, 4.78, 2-3): Often compared to TE Adam Shaheen (6-6 ½, 278, 4.81), the Bears’ disappointing second-round pick in 2017 from NCAA Division II Ashland (Ohio), Dayton is a member of the FCS but non-scholarship Pioneer League. “It looked like (NCAA Division III) when I showed up at practice,” said one scout. “Some of the teams they played down south were good. I liked him. He didn’t back down at the Senior Bowl. They (the Flyers) kind of just used him as a pass-catching tight end. He has a big catch radius, soft hands. Needs to work on his lower-body strength and his blocking.” Started 40 of 44 games, catching 178 passes for 2,295 (12.9) and 31 TDs. “He played against little people, but he dominated that level of competition as a receiver and a blocker,” a second scout said. He ran a blazing 3-cone of 6.78. “He’s a poor man’s Cole Kmet,” said a third scout. “He does a lot of things well. He doesn’t do things great. He’s not that fast, not that strong. He’s a good route runner but he’s better laterally than stretching the field.” He scored 27 on the Wonderlic. “If the guy from the Bears (Shaheen) goes in the second, this guy goes in the third,” a fourth scout said. “He’s got a lot of football to learn but he’s got a lot of upside. Good blocker. Works to finish.” Trautman is from Elk Rapids, Mich.
4. HARRISON BRYANT, Florida Atlantic (6-4 ½, 243, 4.73, 3-4): “I have him shadowed across tight end and fullback,” said one scout. “He’s not an old-school thumper where you can run iso with him. With the way it is now, I could see him in a West Coast (offense) almost like San Fran uses their fullback (Kyle Juszczyk). He can line up on the wing, the edge of a formation and run across the formation and you can throw him the ball. He functions enough as a blocker.” Played a flex position under FAU coach Lane Kiffin, surpassing 1,000 yards as a senior. Finished with 148 receptions for 2,137 (14.4) and 16 TDs. His major negative might be an arm length of 30 5/8, shortest at the position. “Not real high on him,” said another scout. “He doesn’t have top size. He has no length. He’s not real strong. The athletic traits are just average.” He posted a Wonderlic of 26 and is from Gray, Ga.
5. ALBERT OKWUEGBUNAM, Missouri (6-5 ½, 258, 4.50, 3-4): A fourth-year junior, one scout said Okwuegbunam is “kind of an enigma to me. Really talented human being in terms of size and athleticism but just doesn’t put it all together. Someone’s going to take him based off potential. If they can get through to the mind to get it out of the body he’ll have a chance. It’s a risk-reward pick that I don’t have interest in. Someone might be silly enough to go second round.” He caught 43 passes from Drew Lock in 2018 but nabbed just 26 in 2019 to finish with 98 for 1,187 (12.1) and 23 TDs. “You’re talking about a 6-6 guy that runs 4.5,” another scout said. “He had a really good junior year. The senior year was off. At least he has dominant traits. You see guys like that go in the third, fourth and fifth rounds and become really good players.” His father emigrated from Nigeria. Okwuegbunam, from Springfield, Ill., posted a Wonderlic of 28 and has the longest arms among tight ends (34 1/8). “He oozes around on routes, lots of drops, timid blocker,” said a third scout. “Non-factor.”
6. DEVIN ASIASI, UCLA (6-3, 257, 4.79, 3-4): He spent one year at Michigan before departing for off-field reasons. He sat out at UCLA in 2017, backed up in ’18 and started in ’19. Almost all of his production (44 catches, 789, 15.2, six TDs) came as a fourth-year junior. “He is a ball-playing Jesse,” said one scout. “You love watching him. He is a competitive kid that will block. He’s tough, he finishes and he’ll go down inside. He’s got good hands, although they didn’t use him much as a receiver. He can run a little bit. He can flex, but he’s not going to challenge the safeties. He is a great utility player to have on your team.” He scored 25 on the Wonderlic and has had weight problems in the past. “He’s one of those dumpy-body looking guys that makes you think he isn’t athletic but he is,” another scout said. “Really good all-around player.” From Shoreview, Calif.
7. HUNTER BRYANT, Washington (6-2, 248, 4.75, 4-5): Personnel men for several teams expressed considerable concern about Bryant, a third-year junior with a long medical history (knee, back, hamstring). He missed time in his first two seasons but started all 12 games in 2019. “He’s a sawed-off, muscled-up dude,” said one scout. “Definitely a receiving tight end. He’s somebody you can move around and kind of take advantage of some mismatches against linebackers. Really good hands. Gives effort in the run game. He does enough. He gets in the way or seals people off. You can put him in the backfield. He’s not going to be that physical root-somebody-out kind of guy when you line him up at fullback. The versatility is what attracts me to him.” Finished with 85 catches for 1,394 (16.4) and five TDs. “I didn’t like him,” said another scout. “Most of these guys will try. He doesn’t even try to block. I don’t think he’s that athletic for being that small. Very inconsistent. Late pick.” He scored 29 on the Wonderlic and is from Issaquah, Wash.
OTHERS, in order: Brycen Hopkins, Purdue; Thaddeus Moss, LSU; Colby Parkinson, Stanford; Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech; Sean McKeon, Michigan; Cheyenne O’Grady, ex-Arkansas; Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt; Stephen Sullivan, LSU; Charlie Taumoepeau, Portland State; Jacob Breeland, Oregon; Ahmad Wagner, Kentucky; Kyle Markway, South Carolina; Mitchell Wilcox, South Florida.
THE SKINNY
UNSUNG HERO
Isaiah Coulter, WR, Rhode Island: Bidding to become the Rams’ first drafted player since 1986 when T Bob White went in the seventh round to the Jets. Lightly recruited, he improved each of his three seasons before surprisingly declaring a year early. Lean at 6-2, 198, but ran fast (4.42) and is a smooth route runner.
SCOUTS’ NIGHTMARE
Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU: As the son of Hall of Fame WR Randy Moss, there are advantages and disadvantages. Moss played just one season for the Tigers as the fifth wheel in a wildly explosive offense, so scouts wonder how much of his production (47 receptions, four TDs) was the result of defenses basically ignoring him. Medically excluded at the combine, Moss’ 40 time has been estimated at 4.85 and 4.9. At his size (6-2, 250), that type of speed won’t cut it.
SCOUT TO REMEMBER
C.O. Brocato: Anyone who ever scouted the Southwest knew him and no doubt liked him. For more than 40 years he worked for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, driving from his home in Arlington, Texas to colleges throughout Texas, Arkansas and elsewhere. Not only was Brocato an engaging personality, he also was a pioneer in terms of drills used at the combine and elsewhere. He deserves credit for coming up with the 3-cone run of today that replaced the outmoded four-square run. He died in 2015 at age 85.
QUOTE TO NOTE
NFC personnel executive: “Lamb, Shenault and Aiyuk aren’t your natural, traditional, fluid, route-running receivers. They’re almost Anquan Boldin types, but today people say Deebo Samuel. You get the ball out quick, run after catch, end around, slip screens, that kind of stuff they’re doing so much more now of with receivers.”
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Predicting picks, trades and surprises for the first round of the NFL Draft
By Sheil Kapadia 1h ago
The first round of the NFL Draft will take place on Thursday, April 23. Teams will be working out of their home offices and communicating picks remotely to the league office. What you’ll find below is a rundown of exactly how things will play out.
8 p.m. ET – Millions of viewers excitedly tune in for their first live sporting event in six weeks. They are greeted by a close-up of commissioner Roger Goodell’s chin. Goodell takes a few seconds to adjust the camera at his home studio, his face eventually comes into focus, and he welcomes the audience to the start of the 2020 NFL Draft. Even though boos rain down in living rooms across America, there are none on the actual broadcast. Already, this draft feels a little bit different.
8:07 – Dolphins GM Chris Grier calls the Bengals to discuss trade possibilities for the first pick, but he keeps getting their voicemail. Finally, he offers Cincinnati all of the Dolphins’ picks for the next 10 years just to see if anyone is actually listening. They are not. As expected, the Bengals select LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. He will go on to produce the best rookie season by a quarterback in NFL history and lead the Bengals to the playoffs.
8:16 – The first pick goes just as Washington suspected. The club has had a plan all along, and that was to take Ohio State edge defender Chase Young. But owner Daniel Snyder is having second thoughts. In a Slack channel named “draft-intel” he lets it be known that he thinks Washington should go wide receiver to help out Dwayne Haskins. But nobody responds. Little does he know that Ron Rivera set up “draft-intel” as a dummy channel just for Snyder. Rivera and the personnel people he trusts are in “draft-intel2” going over their options. Rivera calls in the Young pick as Snyder stares at his computer screen and stews.
8:25 – Our first trade of the night. Goodell announces that the Dolphins have moved up to the three spot. They give the Lions the No. 5 pick, two second-rounders and a third. Miami selects Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with the third overall pick. “I can’t believe these fools thought we were taking (Oregon QB Justin) Herbert over Tua,” Grier tells a family member who’s joining him in his home office. “We’ve spent an entire year plotting and broadcasting our plans to take Tua!” Grier forgets he’s on a livestream on the Dolphins’ website, and the clip goes viral.
8:33 – Giants GM Dave Gettleman’s phone blows up with trade offers for the fourth overall pick, but he doesn’t pick up. He’s never traded down in the first three rounds, and he’s not about to start now. Gettleman stares at the one lonely poster hanging on his wall and remembers his vow to ownership to finally embrace analytics. He turns back to the massive three-ring binder on his desk. He looks up the heights and weights of the offensive tackles he’s considering. Louisville’s Mekhi Becton is 6-foot-7. That’s taller than Alabama’s Jedrick Wills and Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs. Becton weighs 364 pounds. That’s also more than Willis and Wirfs. Satisfied that he’s now effectively combined scouting and analytics, Gettleman calls in the Becton in and gives himself a fist-bump for a job well done.
8:46 – Lions GM Bob Quinn is ecstatic. Detroit was able to add three extra picks by trading down and can still select Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah at No. 5. But in the team’s Slack channel, coach Matt Patricia expresses some concern about Okudah. During a pre-draft interview, Patricia quizzed Okudah about the history of Detroit, and Okudah was unable to recall that Marshall Chapin was the city’s mayor in 1831 and 1833. If he didn’t know that, how’s he going to learn the playbook, Patricia writes. Quinn doesn’t respond with words and instead uses the thumbs-down emoji on Patricia’s post before sending in the Okudah pick.
9:10 – With the sixth pick, the Chargers take Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert. And at seven, the Panthers select Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown. The Cardinals are up next. They entered the draft with just six overall picks and two in the first three rounds, so GM Steve Keim is looking to trade back. The Buccaneers, who sit at 14, are interested. Keim asks for Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Shaq Barrett and three future firsts. After his negotiations with Bill O’Brien during the DeAndre Hopkins/David Johnson trade, Keim has completely lost sense of what’s reasonable and is asking for crazy compensation like that annoying guy in your fantasy league. Bucs GM Jason Licht shoots him down but offers a third and a future second. Deal. Tampa moves up to No. 8 and selects Alabama offensive tackle Jedrick Wills to shore up the offensive line in front of Tom Brady.
9:25 – The Jaguars are in complete tank mode and look to trade back with an eye toward 2021. The Broncos move up to No. 9, trading the 15th pick, a second-rounder and one of their thirds. They select Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. Browns GM Andrew Berry is up next, and he finds his left tackle in Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs.
9:42 – In the Jets’ draft Slack channel, GM Joe Douglas expresses his frustration. Not only did Mike Maccagnan leave him with a train wreck of a roster, but now the top three tackles are off the board, and Douglas has to shift to Plan B. Adam Gase suggests trading Le’Veon Bell for an offensive tackle. For the 400th time this offseason, Douglas has to explain that no one is trading for Le’Veon Bell.
Douglas gets a call from Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff. Atlanta wants to move up, which surprises Douglas. The Falcons have just six overall picks. He thought they might trade back.
“I just traded a second for Hayden Hurst and signed Todd Gurley. Does it look like I’m worried about the future?” Dimitroff says before cackling loudly on the other end of the phone.
The Falcons send the 16th overall pick, along with a third and a fourth to the Jets for the 11th pick and select Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson.
9:51 – The Raiders know they’re going with a wide receiver at No. 12, but they can’t decide whether to pick Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb or Alabama’s Henry Ruggs III. Jon Gruden gets everyone on a conference call for a vote.
“CeeDee Lamb, knock on wood if you’re with me,” he tells his staffers. “OK, now Henry Ruggs.”
Gruden’s not sure, but he thinks the knocks were louder for Lamb, so that’s whom the Raiders go with. Mike Mayock lets out a big sigh of relief. He’s not sure about Gruden’s process, but he wanted Lamb, so everything turned out alright in the end.
10:07 – John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan are tempted to trade down. The 49ers have two first-round picks but then are not scheduled to pick again until the fifth round. Ultimately though, they decide they can’t pass on Ruggs after the team lost Emmanuel Sanders in free agency. They go with the speedy Alabama receiver and decide they’ll try to trade back from 31 to get more picks later.
10:15 – The Cardinals are up at 14, but Keim gets another trade offer — this one from GM Howie Roseman. The Eagles are desperate for receiver help and don’t want to risk losing out on LSU’s Justin Jefferson. Roseman sends a third and a fourth to Arizona and moves up from 21 to 14 to select Jefferson. He texts Doug Pederson “LET’S GOOOO!!!” after making the move. Confused by the message, Pederson FaceTimes Roseman. He explains that he was crushing some Haagen-Dazs and watching a replay of Super Bowl LII and had forgotten that the draft was tonight but is happy to land a talented receiver.
10:21 – After trading down, the Jaguars go with South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw at No. 15. The Jets still end up with an offensive tackle — Georgia’s Andrew Thomas — at 16. At 17, the Cowboys add LSU edge defender K’Lavon Chaisson. And the Dolphins go with Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons, who surprisingly drops all the way to 18.
10:48 – The Raiders own the 19th pick, but with just seven overall selections, they look to trade back. The Saints have their eyes on LSU linebacker Patrick Queen. They send the No. 24 pick, along with a third and next year’s fourth, to the Raiders and take Queen. After the pick, Sean Payton tweets “YOLO” with a GIF of Will Smith doing the running man.
10:55 – The Jaguars grabbed Kinlaw earlier but trade back again from 20. Given that the Packers didn’t make a major move at receiver during free agency, Aaron Rodgers decides to take matters into his own hands. He hacks into GM Brian Gutekunst’s computer, contacts Jags GM David Caldwell and offers the 30th pick, plus a third and a fourth, to move up to 20. Rodgers then selects TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor. Gutekunst contacts Goodell about the security issue, but it’s too late. The Cardinals are on the clock. They take USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson at 21.
11:20 – The Vikings use the 22nd pick on Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims. Twitter starts buzzing before the Patriots’ pick with rumors floating that they might go with Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. But instead, Bill Belichick goes all-in on the idea of winning games 13-10 next season and opts for Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray at 23.
11:33 – Two cornerbacks go off the board next. The Raiders select Alabama’s Trevon Diggs at No. 24, and Mike Zimmer breathes a sigh of relief. On one hand, the Vikings loved Diggs’ game and thought he would be a great replacement for Xavier Rhodes. On the other hand, it would have been awkward having Stefon’s younger brother on the roster. Now the Vikings don’t have to worry about that. Instead, they land on Clemson’s A.J. Terrell with the 25th pick.
11:58 – The Dolphins go with Alabama safety Xavier McKinney at 26, which puts the Seahawks on the clock. The broadcast goes to suburban Seattle where GM John Schneider is wearing a hoodie that reads “TRADE-BACK KING” with a picture of his face on Joe Exotic’s body. Schneider gets a call from Bill O’Brien. The Texans began the night without a first-round pick, but they want to make a move. Houston sends a second, a third and a future third to the Seahawks for the 27th pick and selects Arizona State pass-catcher Brandon Aiyuk. The move leaves the Texans with just a fourth, a fifth and three sevenths for the rest of the draft. O’Brien is asked later in the night about the reasoning behind the trade. “We needed a receiver,” he said.
Meanwhile, Schneider and Pete Carroll agreed to allow the broadcast to have inside access to their draft process. After Schneider told Carroll what they got back in the trade, Carroll shotgunned a LaCroix, slammed the can on the ground and ran a few laps around his house before returning to discuss the team’s options in the second round.
12:16 a.m. – At 28, the Ravens consider moving back, but the thought of adding more talent to their offense is too attractive, and they select Colorado wide receiver Laviska Shenault. The Titans go with Auburn defensive lineman Marlon Davidson at 29. And later during the draft, they announce that they’ve agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Jadeveon Clowney, giving the defensive line a huge boost with two new players.
The Jaguars, meanwhile, select Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos at 30.
12:22 – The 49ers, in need of additional picks, trade out of 31. It’s the Colts moving up for Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. Love will back up Philip Rivers in 2020 and gives Indianapolis a future QB option. In addition to the 34th pick, the 49ers also acquire a fourth-rounder from the Colts.
12:35 – With the final pick in the first round, the Chiefs select LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. GM Brett Veach messages Andy Reid about potentially adding a corner or linebacker. “Defense? How about we just average 40 a game?” Reid replies before giving the Lombardi Trophy by his side a big smooch.
The broadcast turns to Kansas City to interview Reid after the pick, and surprisingly he’s got on a dress shirt, a tie and a jacket with a pocket square. After answering a couple of questions about Edwards-Helaire, Reid stands up and reveals Hawaiian board shorts on the bottom. “Gotcha!” Reid yells as he winks at the camera. He makes a joke about going to have a cheeseburger and says he’ll see everyone Friday. Thus concludes the first round of the NFL Draft.
By Sheil Kapadia 1h ago
The first round of the NFL Draft will take place on Thursday, April 23. Teams will be working out of their home offices and communicating picks remotely to the league office. What you’ll find below is a rundown of exactly how things will play out.
8 p.m. ET – Millions of viewers excitedly tune in for their first live sporting event in six weeks. They are greeted by a close-up of commissioner Roger Goodell’s chin. Goodell takes a few seconds to adjust the camera at his home studio, his face eventually comes into focus, and he welcomes the audience to the start of the 2020 NFL Draft. Even though boos rain down in living rooms across America, there are none on the actual broadcast. Already, this draft feels a little bit different.
8:07 – Dolphins GM Chris Grier calls the Bengals to discuss trade possibilities for the first pick, but he keeps getting their voicemail. Finally, he offers Cincinnati all of the Dolphins’ picks for the next 10 years just to see if anyone is actually listening. They are not. As expected, the Bengals select LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. He will go on to produce the best rookie season by a quarterback in NFL history and lead the Bengals to the playoffs.
8:16 – The first pick goes just as Washington suspected. The club has had a plan all along, and that was to take Ohio State edge defender Chase Young. But owner Daniel Snyder is having second thoughts. In a Slack channel named “draft-intel” he lets it be known that he thinks Washington should go wide receiver to help out Dwayne Haskins. But nobody responds. Little does he know that Ron Rivera set up “draft-intel” as a dummy channel just for Snyder. Rivera and the personnel people he trusts are in “draft-intel2” going over their options. Rivera calls in the Young pick as Snyder stares at his computer screen and stews.
8:25 – Our first trade of the night. Goodell announces that the Dolphins have moved up to the three spot. They give the Lions the No. 5 pick, two second-rounders and a third. Miami selects Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with the third overall pick. “I can’t believe these fools thought we were taking (Oregon QB Justin) Herbert over Tua,” Grier tells a family member who’s joining him in his home office. “We’ve spent an entire year plotting and broadcasting our plans to take Tua!” Grier forgets he’s on a livestream on the Dolphins’ website, and the clip goes viral.
8:33 – Giants GM Dave Gettleman’s phone blows up with trade offers for the fourth overall pick, but he doesn’t pick up. He’s never traded down in the first three rounds, and he’s not about to start now. Gettleman stares at the one lonely poster hanging on his wall and remembers his vow to ownership to finally embrace analytics. He turns back to the massive three-ring binder on his desk. He looks up the heights and weights of the offensive tackles he’s considering. Louisville’s Mekhi Becton is 6-foot-7. That’s taller than Alabama’s Jedrick Wills and Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs. Becton weighs 364 pounds. That’s also more than Willis and Wirfs. Satisfied that he’s now effectively combined scouting and analytics, Gettleman calls in the Becton in and gives himself a fist-bump for a job well done.
8:46 – Lions GM Bob Quinn is ecstatic. Detroit was able to add three extra picks by trading down and can still select Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah at No. 5. But in the team’s Slack channel, coach Matt Patricia expresses some concern about Okudah. During a pre-draft interview, Patricia quizzed Okudah about the history of Detroit, and Okudah was unable to recall that Marshall Chapin was the city’s mayor in 1831 and 1833. If he didn’t know that, how’s he going to learn the playbook, Patricia writes. Quinn doesn’t respond with words and instead uses the thumbs-down emoji on Patricia’s post before sending in the Okudah pick.
9:10 – With the sixth pick, the Chargers take Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert. And at seven, the Panthers select Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown. The Cardinals are up next. They entered the draft with just six overall picks and two in the first three rounds, so GM Steve Keim is looking to trade back. The Buccaneers, who sit at 14, are interested. Keim asks for Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Shaq Barrett and three future firsts. After his negotiations with Bill O’Brien during the DeAndre Hopkins/David Johnson trade, Keim has completely lost sense of what’s reasonable and is asking for crazy compensation like that annoying guy in your fantasy league. Bucs GM Jason Licht shoots him down but offers a third and a future second. Deal. Tampa moves up to No. 8 and selects Alabama offensive tackle Jedrick Wills to shore up the offensive line in front of Tom Brady.
9:25 – The Jaguars are in complete tank mode and look to trade back with an eye toward 2021. The Broncos move up to No. 9, trading the 15th pick, a second-rounder and one of their thirds. They select Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. Browns GM Andrew Berry is up next, and he finds his left tackle in Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs.
9:42 – In the Jets’ draft Slack channel, GM Joe Douglas expresses his frustration. Not only did Mike Maccagnan leave him with a train wreck of a roster, but now the top three tackles are off the board, and Douglas has to shift to Plan B. Adam Gase suggests trading Le’Veon Bell for an offensive tackle. For the 400th time this offseason, Douglas has to explain that no one is trading for Le’Veon Bell.
Douglas gets a call from Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff. Atlanta wants to move up, which surprises Douglas. The Falcons have just six overall picks. He thought they might trade back.
“I just traded a second for Hayden Hurst and signed Todd Gurley. Does it look like I’m worried about the future?” Dimitroff says before cackling loudly on the other end of the phone.
The Falcons send the 16th overall pick, along with a third and a fourth to the Jets for the 11th pick and select Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson.
9:51 – The Raiders know they’re going with a wide receiver at No. 12, but they can’t decide whether to pick Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb or Alabama’s Henry Ruggs III. Jon Gruden gets everyone on a conference call for a vote.
“CeeDee Lamb, knock on wood if you’re with me,” he tells his staffers. “OK, now Henry Ruggs.”
Gruden’s not sure, but he thinks the knocks were louder for Lamb, so that’s whom the Raiders go with. Mike Mayock lets out a big sigh of relief. He’s not sure about Gruden’s process, but he wanted Lamb, so everything turned out alright in the end.
10:07 – John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan are tempted to trade down. The 49ers have two first-round picks but then are not scheduled to pick again until the fifth round. Ultimately though, they decide they can’t pass on Ruggs after the team lost Emmanuel Sanders in free agency. They go with the speedy Alabama receiver and decide they’ll try to trade back from 31 to get more picks later.
10:15 – The Cardinals are up at 14, but Keim gets another trade offer — this one from GM Howie Roseman. The Eagles are desperate for receiver help and don’t want to risk losing out on LSU’s Justin Jefferson. Roseman sends a third and a fourth to Arizona and moves up from 21 to 14 to select Jefferson. He texts Doug Pederson “LET’S GOOOO!!!” after making the move. Confused by the message, Pederson FaceTimes Roseman. He explains that he was crushing some Haagen-Dazs and watching a replay of Super Bowl LII and had forgotten that the draft was tonight but is happy to land a talented receiver.
10:21 – After trading down, the Jaguars go with South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw at No. 15. The Jets still end up with an offensive tackle — Georgia’s Andrew Thomas — at 16. At 17, the Cowboys add LSU edge defender K’Lavon Chaisson. And the Dolphins go with Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons, who surprisingly drops all the way to 18.
10:48 – The Raiders own the 19th pick, but with just seven overall selections, they look to trade back. The Saints have their eyes on LSU linebacker Patrick Queen. They send the No. 24 pick, along with a third and next year’s fourth, to the Raiders and take Queen. After the pick, Sean Payton tweets “YOLO” with a GIF of Will Smith doing the running man.
10:55 – The Jaguars grabbed Kinlaw earlier but trade back again from 20. Given that the Packers didn’t make a major move at receiver during free agency, Aaron Rodgers decides to take matters into his own hands. He hacks into GM Brian Gutekunst’s computer, contacts Jags GM David Caldwell and offers the 30th pick, plus a third and a fourth, to move up to 20. Rodgers then selects TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor. Gutekunst contacts Goodell about the security issue, but it’s too late. The Cardinals are on the clock. They take USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson at 21.
11:20 – The Vikings use the 22nd pick on Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims. Twitter starts buzzing before the Patriots’ pick with rumors floating that they might go with Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. But instead, Bill Belichick goes all-in on the idea of winning games 13-10 next season and opts for Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray at 23.
11:33 – Two cornerbacks go off the board next. The Raiders select Alabama’s Trevon Diggs at No. 24, and Mike Zimmer breathes a sigh of relief. On one hand, the Vikings loved Diggs’ game and thought he would be a great replacement for Xavier Rhodes. On the other hand, it would have been awkward having Stefon’s younger brother on the roster. Now the Vikings don’t have to worry about that. Instead, they land on Clemson’s A.J. Terrell with the 25th pick.
11:58 – The Dolphins go with Alabama safety Xavier McKinney at 26, which puts the Seahawks on the clock. The broadcast goes to suburban Seattle where GM John Schneider is wearing a hoodie that reads “TRADE-BACK KING” with a picture of his face on Joe Exotic’s body. Schneider gets a call from Bill O’Brien. The Texans began the night without a first-round pick, but they want to make a move. Houston sends a second, a third and a future third to the Seahawks for the 27th pick and selects Arizona State pass-catcher Brandon Aiyuk. The move leaves the Texans with just a fourth, a fifth and three sevenths for the rest of the draft. O’Brien is asked later in the night about the reasoning behind the trade. “We needed a receiver,” he said.
Meanwhile, Schneider and Pete Carroll agreed to allow the broadcast to have inside access to their draft process. After Schneider told Carroll what they got back in the trade, Carroll shotgunned a LaCroix, slammed the can on the ground and ran a few laps around his house before returning to discuss the team’s options in the second round.
12:16 a.m. – At 28, the Ravens consider moving back, but the thought of adding more talent to their offense is too attractive, and they select Colorado wide receiver Laviska Shenault. The Titans go with Auburn defensive lineman Marlon Davidson at 29. And later during the draft, they announce that they’ve agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Jadeveon Clowney, giving the defensive line a huge boost with two new players.
The Jaguars, meanwhile, select Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos at 30.
12:22 – The 49ers, in need of additional picks, trade out of 31. It’s the Colts moving up for Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. Love will back up Philip Rivers in 2020 and gives Indianapolis a future QB option. In addition to the 34th pick, the 49ers also acquire a fourth-rounder from the Colts.
12:35 – With the final pick in the first round, the Chiefs select LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. GM Brett Veach messages Andy Reid about potentially adding a corner or linebacker. “Defense? How about we just average 40 a game?” Reid replies before giving the Lombardi Trophy by his side a big smooch.
The broadcast turns to Kansas City to interview Reid after the pick, and surprisingly he’s got on a dress shirt, a tie and a jacket with a pocket square. After answering a couple of questions about Edwards-Helaire, Reid stands up and reveals Hawaiian board shorts on the bottom. “Gotcha!” Reid yells as he winks at the camera. He makes a joke about going to have a cheeseburger and says he’ll see everyone Friday. Thus concludes the first round of the NFL Draft.
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People are going to be pissed when he is the pick at 17. But he will be a really good starter for us. It's just such a safe pick and you know Dallas loves their O-lineman. It will get called a reach like Fredrick was and yet he will start and be really good for a long period of time.
That or you take Chaisson who could be a double digit sack RE or he could be a total bust. It's hard to tell in my opinion. You're better on the athleticism but we have seen a lot of those guys flame out in the NFL too.
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Simpleton
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There's not much top tier talent at TE but I feel like there's a decent amount of depth. I also feel like with the new staff we aren't going to be as rigid in what we want out of a TE and could go with a guy like Claypool who is basically just a big slot who is almost never going to line up inline and block. I think even WR's like Higgins, Mims or Pittman could kind of play that big slot/quasi TE-type of role where they're basically just threatening from 15 yards and in out of the slot.
A guy like Kelce might block about 8 times a game, the rest of the time he's split out wide or in the slot and primarily working within 10-15 yards, guys like Pittman, Higgins and Mims can do that without the inline blocking, but they could come chip and crack down here and there with their size.
Kmet and Asiasi are nice old school inline types, and while Kmet will probably go too high for my blood I'd like Asiasi in the 4th or whatever.
A guy like Kelce might block about 8 times a game, the rest of the time he's split out wide or in the slot and primarily working within 10-15 yards, guys like Pittman, Higgins and Mims can do that without the inline blocking, but they could come chip and crack down here and there with their size.
Kmet and Asiasi are nice old school inline types, and while Kmet will probably go too high for my blood I'd like Asiasi in the 4th or whatever.
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I'm actually a big fan of Pittman. I agree, I think you'd see multiple WR's sets in Dallas where one of the WR's is a big blocker, essentially replacing the TE. Plus I think Jarwin and Bell are a pretty nice combo when you do want to run a tight formation.
Simpleton
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Yea, Jarwin kind of sucks as a blocker but hopefully he improves, he definitely has enough size to, and Bell is a legitimately very good blocking TE.
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I beg someone to take Austin Jackson that high as long as it's not Dallas. Epenesa made him his bitch in the bowl game. And while I think Epenesa is a really good player, there are a lot of really good DE's in the NFL.
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