2019 NFL Draft Chatter

Risen Star

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I'm starting this thread now for miscellaneous blurbs, tweets, whatever throughout the college season and the lead up to the draft that don't really warrant a new thread. I'm thinking the interest in this draft will skyrocket very soon as the Cowboys will be picking high.

Anyway, DJ Melly Mel and the Fresh Todd....


Almost famous under-the-radar prospects
Keep an eye on these potential Day 2 or Day 3 picks:

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Khalil Hodge, LB, Buffalo
You know all about former Buffalo defender Khalil Mack, who just signed the richest deal for a defensive player in NFL history, but the Bulls have a prospect to watch for in the 2019 class. Hodge is a versatile and complete linebacker whose 154 tackles last season ranked No. 2 in FBS. With the ability to cover backs and tight ends, he can be a three-down linebacker in the NFL, likely as an inside linebacker. He shows good pursuit to the football and he can take on blocks. Hodge had 10 tackles and two pass breakups in Buffalo's win over Temple on Saturday. I have him graded as a third- or fourth-round pick right now. -- Kiper

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Kelvin McKnight, WR, Samford
McKnight had a monster game against the Seminoles, with 14 catches for 215 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He's not a big guy at 5-foot-8 and 186 pounds, but he has some twitch to him and was able to get behind Florida State coverage for a 54-yard touchdown on Samford's first offensive play of the game. He did a nice job finding pockets in the coverage and was great on scramble plays, finding space when his QB was on the run. -- McShay
 

Risen Star

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Prospects on the rise
These are the 2019 NFL draft prospects moving up boards:

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Jarrett Stidham, QB, Auburn
This is obviously more about Week 1, when Stidham went 26-for-36 for 273 yards and a TD against a very good Washington secondary. (Stidham had just 11 throws in a Week 2 blowout of Alabama State). Against the Huskies he was poised and limited mistakes -- he had two poor decisions the entire game and neither was debilitating. The 6-3, 215-pound signal-caller is a natural passer and you're seeing a more comfortable version in 2018, his second season under Gus Malzahn. The more I'm around Stidham, the more I like his calm demeanor and maturity. Scouts were impressed with his work against Washington. -- McShay

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Kaden Smith, TE, Stanford
The third-year sophomore might be the best tight end prospect in the country. At 6-5, 252 pounds, he's a complete player. Smith made several nice catches in the Cardinal's win over USC -- four total for 77 yards -- consistently finding open zones and making plays down the field. I love his ability to sustain blocks in the run game, too -- that's what NFL teams are looking for in pro-ready tight ends. He was extremely impressive, and he's one to watch for Round 1 in April -- if he decides to enter the draft. -- Kiper
 

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Kaden Smith, TE, Stanford
The third-year sophomore might be the best tight end prospect in the country. At 6-5, 252 pounds, he's a complete player. Smith made several nice catches in the Cardinal's win over USC -- four total for 77 yards -- consistently finding open zones and making plays down the field. I love his ability to sustain blocks in the run game, too -- that's what NFL teams are looking for in pro-ready tight ends. He was extremely impressive, and he's one to watch for Round 1 in April -- if he decides to enter the draft. -- Kiper

White......Smith.....Touchdown, Dallas.
 

Risen Star

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College Football's Most Valuable Players
These aren't the top candidates for the Heisman Trophy -- these are the MVPs of CFB.

Kiper's top three:

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1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama: The sophomore has been lights out in two games, and the Bama offense looks unstoppable. Tagovailoa is a precise passer with an effortless motion -- he's a big-time prospect for the 2020 class.

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2. Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State: I have also been impressed by Haskins, who has nine touchdown passes and one pick so far. The ball just jumps out of his hand. He could take the Ohio State offense to a new level -- the Buckeyes have already crushed two Power 5 teams.

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3. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin: Taylor is averaging 7.8 yards on his 51 carries through two games, and he already has five touchdowns. Now, can we get some more targets in the passing game?


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McShay's top three:

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1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin: No. 3, Mel? Taylor might be the most explosive out of all the Wisconsin running backs of recent years, a list that includes names like Melvin Gordon and Montee Ball.

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2. Will Grier, QB, West Virginia: Grier is averaging 381 passing yards per game through two weeks, but he has thrown the ball only 60 times. Conference play awaits.

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3. Ed Oliver, DT, Houston Two games, 4.0 tackles for loss and two wins for his team. If Oliver continues to dominate and the Cougars keep winning, he's an MVP candidate from the defensive side of the ball.
 

RS12

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Here is the basic problem with the 2019 draft: Its strength in particular is in the defensive trenches, a position I never mind drafting. As usual this team will be drafting the other side of the ball and for need.
 

Risen Star

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Here is the basic problem with the 2019 draft: Its strength in particular is in the defensive trenches, a position I never mind drafting. As usual this team will be drafting the other side of the ball and for need.

Wrong. We are picking too high for that next year.

We're taking Ed Oliver.

To play the 1.
 

RS12

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Wrong. We are picking too high for that next year.

We're taking Ed Oliver.

To play the 1.
Oh I agree we'll be picking high in 2019 and I love Ed but you arent looking at it through the eyes of a Jones. Ed doesnt sell tickets, gear, or hope. Not only is this team bad right now, but it isnt particularly interesting either.
 

Johnny23

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Oh I agree we'll be picking high in 2019 and I love Ed but you arent looking at it through the eyes of a Jones. Ed doesnt sell tickets, gear, or hope. Not only is this team bad right now, but it isnt particularly interesting either.
Then the pick is either AJ Brown or N'keal Harry qt wide reciever. If we're looking through the eyes of the Jones.
 

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Let's talk 2020: Time to get excited about Tagovailoa, Haskins?

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Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
Yes. Tagovailoa has all the tools to be the No. 1 overall pick ... eventually. He's a pinpoint passer who throws with great anticipation and touch. He has good velocity on throws to the boundary. And he has some swagger; his teammates love him, and people around the program rave about his ability as a leader. Tagovailoa, a true sophomore who has at least another year in Tuscaloosa, has 19 touchdown passes and just two interceptions in his career, and he has taken the Crimson Tide offense to a whole new level. His 98.3 Total QBR leads the country.

Now, he's only 6-foot-1 and 218 pounds, but Baker Mayfield broke the mold in the 2018 draft, and Tagovailoa is bigger than Mayfield. Why can't Tagovailoa be the top pick? He is that talented. The lefty is a lights-out player with an extremely high ceiling. I'm keeping my eye on the Nov. 3 game in Baton Rouge; LSU won't be a cakewalk. Let's see how Tagovailoa does against some NFL-caliber defensive backs. -- Kiper


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Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State

It's early, but yes, you're allowed to be thinking about the NFL with this guy. He is the most naturally gifted passer under Urban Meyer since he had Alex Smith at Utah more than a decade ago (Smith went No. 1, of course).

Haskins anticipates well, and he has touch on shorter throws and the high-level arm to drive the ball down the field with accuracy. We saw it again this weekend, even as Haskins had a number of throws dropped. This season, he has 12 completions for 20 or more yards. And against a standard rush of four or fewer rushers, Haskins was 20-for-28 for 302 yards and a pair of touchdowns against TCU. Now, it's early, and he has just three starts. There is not enough of a catalog of film on him to have a legitimate conversation about the 6-foot-3, 220-pound quarterback's ability to emerge as a good NFL starter just yet, but based solely on his physical tools and what I've seen to date, the bar is really high. I also have to point out that Haskins is available for the 2019 draft just based on classification -- he's a third-year sophomore. But we're talking about 2020. -- McShay
 

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Almost famous under-the-radar prospects
Keep an eye on these potential Day 2 or Day 3 picks:

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Daniel Cooney, OT, San Diego
The 6-foot-7, 315-pound Cooney, a three-year starter at left tackle for the Toreros, shows promise as a developmental prospect. I kept a close eye on Cooney in San Diego's loss to Harvard on Saturday, and the fifth-year senior didn't disappoint. He is powerful in the run game, and he showed off his feet to get to the second level and take on linebackers. Now, he's not consistent enough as a pass-blocker -- he needs to keep his base lower against smaller edge rushers -- but there also were times in which he dominated. Cooney is a Day 3 prospect right now, and he's more likely to be a right tackle in the NFL. -- Kiper

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Tommy Sweeney, TE, Boston College
Sweeney caught five passes, including a touchdown, in the Eagles' 41-34 win over Wake Forest. I was especially impressed with his body control while adjusting to the ball on the touchdown catch. He is 6-foot-4 and 259 pounds with longer-than-average 33-inch arms, but Frank Leonard, Boston College's tight end coach who has NFL coaching experience, also emphasizes Sweeney's football intelligence. Sweeney has the frame, toughness and technique to become an effective in-line blocker in the NFL and enough athletic ability and route-running skill to develop into an effective short-to-intermediate target. -- McShay
 

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Prospects on the rise
These are the 2019 NFL draft prospects moving up boards:

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Dre'Mont Jones, DT, Ohio State
Jones is really loaded with talent and starting to come into his own for the Buckeyes. He has been more consistent with his hands and is finishing more frequently than he did over the past two years. Against TCU, the 6-foot-3 lineman had six tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack. He also penetrated and was in the right place at the right time for a pick-six in that Week 3 win. Jones had a Day 2 grade entering the season, and he certainly is on the rise. -- McShay

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Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma
If it seems like Brown shows up on SportsCenter every week, it's because he does. The 5-9, 168-pound speedster has at least one catch of 50-plus yards in seven of his past nine games. He had another one on Saturday -- for 75 yards -- while putting up nine catches for 191 yards and a touchdown in the Sooners' win over Iowa State. Brown has game-changing speed, and he is dynamic after the catch. He can play in the slot or outside, creating easy separation with that speed. Brown just blows by cornerbacks. And he's not one-dimensional; he runs every route that NFL teams want to see. He's small, of course, but why can't Brown be a first-round pick in the 2019 draft? He should work out well, and he fits the NFL perfectly. -- Kiper
 

Bigdog

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Let's talk 2020: Time to get excited about Tagovailoa, Haskins?

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Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
Yes. Tagovailoa has all the tools to be the No. 1 overall pick ... eventually. He's a pinpoint passer who throws with great anticipation and touch. He has good velocity on throws to the boundary. And he has some swagger; his teammates love him, and people around the program rave about his ability as a leader. Tagovailoa, a true sophomore who has at least another year in Tuscaloosa, has 19 touchdown passes and just two interceptions in his career, and he has taken the Crimson Tide offense to a whole new level. His 98.3 Total QBR leads the country.

Now, he's only 6-foot-1 and 218 pounds, but Baker Mayfield broke the mold in the 2018 draft, and Tagovailoa is bigger than Mayfield. Why can't Tagovailoa be the top pick? He is that talented. The lefty is a lights-out player with an extremely high ceiling. I'm keeping my eye on the Nov. 3 game in Baton Rouge; LSU won't be a cakewalk. Let's see how Tagovailoa does against some NFL-caliber defensive backs. -- Kiper


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Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State

It's early, but yes, you're allowed to be thinking about the NFL with this guy. He is the most naturally gifted passer under Urban Meyer since he had Alex Smith at Utah more than a decade ago (Smith went No. 1, of course).

Haskins anticipates well, and he has touch on shorter throws and the high-level arm to drive the ball down the field with accuracy. We saw it again this weekend, even as Haskins had a number of throws dropped. This season, he has 12 completions for 20 or more yards. And against a standard rush of four or fewer rushers, Haskins was 20-for-28 for 302 yards and a pair of touchdowns against TCU. Now, it's early, and he has just three starts. There is not enough of a catalog of film on him to have a legitimate conversation about the 6-foot-3, 220-pound quarterback's ability to emerge as a good NFL starter just yet, but based solely on his physical tools and what I've seen to date, the bar is really high. I also have to point out that Haskins is available for the 2019 draft just based on classification -- he's a third-year sophomore. But we're talking about 2020. -- McShay
I like Tua. He throws a nice accurate ball.
 

stilltheguru88

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Stidham is the best qb if he comes out. Him and White and the guy for Iowa are the only guys.
 
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