DantheMan 2016 Draft Thread

[dantheman41]

Brandon Doughty QB - 6'3 220 lbs (Western Kentucky)

Positives: Shows nice size and length with room to grow on his frame. Shows a nice touch on deep balls.

Negatives: Has a very slow release, almost looks like slow motion. Telegraphs his throws too much. Very jittery in the pocket when rush is closing down. Can't fit the ball in tight windows. Very average arm. Is a statue in the pocket, movement skills are extremely limited. Really struggled against LSU, best opponent all year. Competition was not great. His accuracy is very inconsistent, receivers look like they are always adjusting to the ball. Very simple 1 read offense with very simple routes.

Where He Fits and My Opinion: Not seeing a draftable player. I understand he put up HUGE numbers in his conference, but that isn't saying a ton. I don't see a lot of outstanding traits to work with.

 

[dantheman41]

Cody Kessler QB - 6'1 215 lbs (USC)

Positives: Very quick release getting rid of ball quickly. Very elusive to escape rush and extend plays longer. Shows nice accuracy and touch on the short to immediate routes. Seems to really know where his receivers are going to be, and puts them in good situations.

Negatives: His size will be a big concern. Doesn't throw the prettiest pass, constantly fluttering in the air. Very average arm rarely throws it down the field. A dink and dunk type of QB.

Where He Fits and My Opinion: Backup QB in the NFL. Late round guy IMO. I don't see an NFL starter, possibly a backup. Nothing special with the player, had elite athletes at RB and receiver at USC and still really struggled at times.

 

[cowboyinwashington]

Interested in your opinion on Alex Collins, RB, Arkansas; Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas; and Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Brandon Doughty QB - 6'3 220 lbs (Western Kentucky)

Positives: Shows nice size and length with room to grow on his frame. Shows a nice touch on deep balls.
Negatives: Has a very slow release, almost looks like slow motion. Telegraphs his throws too much. Very jittery in the pocket when rush is closing down. Can't fit the ball in tight windows. Very average arm. Is a statue in the pocket, movement skills are extremely limited. Really struggled against LSU, best opponent all year. Competition was not great. His accuracy is very inconsistent, receivers look like they are always adjusting to the ball. Very simple 1 read offense with very simple routes.

Where He Fits and My Opinion: Not seeing a draftable player. I understand he put up HUGE numbers in his conference, but that isn't saying a ton. I don't see a lot of outstanding traits to work with.

Wow! This is one of the worst (meaning flat wrong) scouting reports I've ever read. Doughty is anything but jittery in the pocket. He hangs in regardless of the rush and goes through his progressions. A statue in the pocket? Ridiculous. He isn't Russell Wilson, but he is quite athletic. He didn't have to show it very often because WKU has a very good oline. As far as the LSU game, It was a 6 point game in the third quarter until the turnover bug bit the team. Oh, the game was also played in a damn drenching rain. By the way, Doughty's accuracy is fantastic. Check out his completion percentage, even on long passes. This writer doesn't have a clue. I do. Why? Because I watched just about every game he played in college, at least half of which were watched live. Doughty is projected in the 3rd or 4th round. He will be a starting NFL QB.

 

[TwoDeep3]

Not certain if this is the right thread for my opinion, or even the right messageboard (sometimes), but here goes.

Paxton Lynch



I am intrigued by this guy. Read option doesn't scare me. Nor does the shotgun formation. He reminds me of Kaepernick to a degree, but the velocity on his passes is phenomenal.

At the 1:29 mark, they do a double reverse pass. He is standing on his own 41 yard line and throws it four yards deep into the endzone. The oen at the other end of the field. Now correct me if I am wrong, but he doesn't look like he winds up for a Hail Mary. That was a 60-yard pass that dropped right over the shoulder of the receiver.

I'd also like to come away with a stud running back and a stud WR. Maybe asking too much but this team needs to lean on Dez with competition and get his head screwed back on right. Along with another threat to score.

 

[Cebrin]

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on QB Wentz.

Also as a personal favor...down the road could you review a few WVU players for me...

Karl Joseph
KJ Dillon

Nick Kwiatkoski

Big fan of Wentz. I think he'should the best QB in the draft.

 

[ghst187]

The Memphis offense scares me too, but how many schools are running something even resembling a pro style offense anymore? I know there are still some out there, but there aren't many and even fewer with QB's that have legit NFL tools. Avoiding a QB that ran the shotgun spread/read option is going to be pretty difficult to do.

True. Although when I think of Lynch I think more of Alex smith. Took him a while to catch on in the pros and he was initially thrown into a no-win situation but has turned out okay.

 

[Hardline]

Trevone Boykin QB - 6'2 205 lbs (TCU)

Positives: Throws the ball effortlessly. Looks like he can make all the throws at the next level. Very relaxed and confident. Always keeps his eyes down the field looking to make a big play. Can create with both his legs and his arm, tends to look with his arm first. Throws a beautiful deep ball with outstanding touch.
Negatives: His size will be a question at the next level. His weigh in measurables will be huge. Don't think he will ever be a pure pocket passer, relies on his feet quite a bit. Holds on to the football way too long. Runs a very college offense out of a shotgun all the time. His accuracy is all over the place, misses the easy throw way too often. Plays a little too careless at times especially when under pressure. Had an excellent offensive line that gave him a ton of time to through the ball.
Where He Fits and My Opinion: Definitely a late round type of guy. The way he throws the football definitely merits a draft pick. A lot to work with this kid. If he measures in at 6'2 or higher, I think he can be a mid round guy. Really like this kid as a whole especially where his current draft stock is. Would certainly consider 5th or later.

Not relevant to this thread but Boykin was arrested last night for punching a police officer and will not be allowed to play in the Alamo Bowl.

 

[DuDa]

Carson Wentz QB - 6'5 223 lbs (North Dakota State)

Positives: Outstanding and prototypical NFL size with the frame to continue to get stronger. This kid is a playmaker. Will stand in the pocket and deliver the ball even with pressure bearing down. Dual threat QB, can run on designed run plays or when play breaks down. Shows outstanding elusiveness and rb traits in the open field. Really tough kid who will fight for every yard and really frustrate defenses. Can throw with precise accuracy on the run. Excellent feet in the pocket. Shows good decision making, will rarely throw to a receiver who is not open. Will put the ball where only receiver can get it, or no one can get it. Plays in somewhat of a pro style offense, can take the ball under center. Has a good feel for defenses and understanding the mental side of playing QB. Can make every throw. Has a really good arm.
Negatives: Played against inferior competition, really interested to see what he does competing in the senior bowl against top competition. Too many designed run plays that won't work in NFL against NFL athletes. Balls can sometimes flutter and accuracy is a little inconsistent.

Where He Fits and My Opinion: Watched closely his game against Iowa St last year because of solid competition and he didn't disappoint at all. This kid is an absolute playmaker. My guess is he is going to rise up draft boards during the evaluation process in the spring. Going to take more stock in his senior bowl week and pro days then I would most. This kid is my favorite QB in the draft. 1st rounder in my opinion. The only real difference maker I've seen. Will only get better.

I think you nailed this scouting report. I was stunned when I watched his vids--I was not expecting to see that kind of elite traits and playmaking ability. He needs a little work but would not be upset if we drafted him in a trade down scenario.

 

[btcutter]

Can you do Wentz.I like him but his throwing motion is funky.he needs a major correction imo.

You lost me when you said "Major corrections". Forget it. He is what he is. No changing his throwing motion. I keep hearing that "oh...just need to adjust his mechanics"....minor ok but MAJOR? No way.

Look at Rivers, still that funky shot put deliver. Leftwitch...long wind up....

 

[dantheman41]

Ezekiel Elliott RB - 6'0 225lbs (Ohio State)

Positives: Very physical player who likes contact. Outstanding in blitz pickups and in open field blocking down the field. Shows really nice patience before bursting through hall. Great vision tends to always find the right lane. Very powerful lower half, ankle or lower leg tackles very rarely work. Breaks so many open field tackles. Always falls forward and fights for the extra yard. Shows nice soft hands in the passing game. Just an absolute handful to have to deal with.

Negatives: Doesn't have that extra gear in the open field, don't get me wrong he is fast and explosive but I've seen caught from behind quite few times. Can sometimes get in trouble when he tries going backwards and getting cute, and doesn't possess a ton of elusiveness more of a power back.

Where He Fits and My Opinion: Explosive open field player. More FAST then quick. Takes a second to get going. An all-around back that we could desperately use. Doesn't have a ton of weaknesses that I noticed. Be a great addition to our team.

 

[dantheman41]

You lost me when you said "Major corrections". Forget it. He is what he is. No changing his throwing motion. I keep hearing that "oh...just need to adjust his mechanics"....minor ok but MAJOR? No way.

Look at Rivers, still that funky shot put deliver. Leftwitch...long wind up....

Not sure I agree with that. Throws the ball very impressively from my eyes. To each his own I guess

 

[dantheman41]

Kenneth Dixon RB - 5'10 212lbs (LA Tech)

Positives: Incredibly quick and elusive. Slices and dices through so many different piles. Can be used as a receiver, similar to Lance Dunbar. So hard to get a clean tackle on. Makes so many guys miss. Outstanding in the open field, amazing some of the moves he is able to pull off. For being so small, he is a fighter and will fight for the extra yards. Has outstanding vision.

Negatives: A willing blocker, but gets over powered and pushed back. Struggles in short yardage situation. Is he an every down back? I'm not sure he is capable of doing it in the NFL. Lack of competition wasn't the best, he was clearly the most athletic player on the field in most games. Goes down very easily when defender is able to get 2 hands on him.

Where He Fits and My Opinion: Great little player, just not sure he is a fit here. Have a player very similar in Dunbar. Granted, Dixon is a little bigger and even more explosive. Someone is going to get themselves a good football player who will make a lot of plays.

 

[btcutter]

Not sure I agree with that. Throws the ball very impressively from my eyes. To each his own I guess

I am not talking about this kid per say. Never watched him throw. I was referring to the comment that people think they can correct these college kid's throwing motion and make MAJOR changes to their mechanics which to me more often fails.

 

[bodi]

QB Paxton Lynch, Memphis

QB Jared Goff, California

QB Christian Hackenberg,

RB Ezekiell Elliott, Ohio State

RB C.J. Prosise

RB Jonathan Williams, Arkansas

RB Keith Marshall, Georgia

RB Devon Johnson, Marshall

RB Kelvin Taylor, Florida

RB Dwayne Washington, Washington

RB Jordan Howard, Indiana

RB Paul Perkins, UCLA

RB/WR Byron Marshall, Oregon

WR Corey Coleman, Baylor

WR Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina

WR Demarcus Robinson, Florida

WR Cayleb Jones, Arizona

WR Daniel Braverman, Western Michigan

WR Demarcus Ayers, Houston

WR De’Runnya Wilson, Mississippi State

WR Tyler Boyd, Pittsburgh

OG Alex Redmond, UCLA

OT Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame

OT Germain Ifedi, Texas A&M

DE Shaq Lawson, Clemson

DE Noah Spence, Eastern Kentucky

DE Alex McCalister, Florida

DE Ron Thompson, Syracuse

DE Joey Bosa, Ohio State

DE Carl Lawson, Auburn

DT Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss

DT Hassan Ridgeway, Texas

DT Quinton Jefferson, Maryland

DT Maliek Collins, Nebraska

DT Kenny Clark, UCLA

DT Austin JohnsonPenn State

DT Darius Latham, Indiana

OLB Yannick Ngakoue, Maryland

OLB Darron Lee Ohio State

OLB Leonard Floyd, Georgia

OLB Su’a Cravens, USC

OLB Kamalei Correa, Boise State

ILB Myles Jack, UCLA

ILB Dominique Alexander Oklahoma

ILB Steve Longa, Rutgers

CB Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida

CB Kendall Fuller, Virginia Tech

CB Cleveland Wallace III, San Jose State

CB Damontae Kazee, San Diego State

CB Artie Burns, Miami(Fla.)

CB Corey Tindal, Marshall

CB Zack Sanchez, Oklahoma

 

[starfrombirth]

Not certain if this is the right thread for my opinion, or even the right messageboard (sometimes), but here goes.

Paxton Lynch



I am intrigued by this guy. Read option doesn't scare me. Nor does the shotgun formation. He reminds me of Kaepernick to a degree, but the velocity on his passes is phenomenal.

At the 1:29 mark, they do a double reverse pass. He is standing on his own 41 yard line and throws it four yards deep into the endzone. The oen at the other end of the field. Now correct me if I am wrong, but he doesn't look like he winds up for a Hail Mary. That was a 60-yard pass that dropped right over the shoulder of the receiver.

I'd also like to come away with a stud running back and a stud WR. Maybe asking too much but this team needs to lean on Dez with competition and get his head screwed back on right. Along with another threat to score.

Granted that this is a youtube highlight video... somethings are self evident and translate in any environment. He has an effortlessly strong arm... I'm talking Aaron Rodgers strong.. and can make any throw in the NFL. He can throw to open receivers and tightly covered receivers. As for his pocket awareness and desire to take off and run.. it seems Romo-esque. I'm not saying he is Romo just that he's willing and able to extend the play until his receivers open up a little bit. I wouldn't be upset with him with our 1st pick either. I'd like to do a little couch scouting on him and Wentz to get some better Ideas but definately thanks for posting the video.

 

[dantheman41]

Derrick Henry RB - 6'3 242lbs (Alabama)

Positives: Is an absolute load to have to tackle or bring down. Big, bruising, physical back. Long strider who is faster then quick. Can take it all the way to the house, for a big back that is very impressive. Don't ever see him run down in open field. Willing blocker, will get down the field and block for his receivers or other backs at times as well. Very good in goal line or short yardage situations. A straight-line runner, not a lot of wiggle to his game. Outstanding one cut runner. Shows good vision in finding the hole. Played against some of the best defenses in college football.

Negatives: Don't see him create a lot of plays on his own, his offensive line consistently opened up HUGE holes. Doesn't do anything exceptional. Alabama RB's haven't as a whole held up to their reputation they had in college. Has a lot of wear and tear on his body already the way Alabama has used him. Very rarely used to catch the ball or as a receiver.

Where He Fits and My Opinion: I see a player very similar to Eddie Lacy. Is a handful in the open field, but takes a little while to get his motor going. Not going to create or make any outstanding plays on his own. Actually like him more then Eddie Lacy. I hate to say it, but if he was wearing a different uniform I would be a lot higher on. Very skeptical about Alabama RB's because of how great their system is for RB's. Not an elite NFL prospect, but can definitely be a really good RB in the NFL. I see as a late 2 or early 3rd round pick.

 

[Randy White]

Paxton Lynch:

The measurable are there. We'll see about the mental and background aspect. I'm not worried about the read option offense or the transition to pro style because, hopefully, he would not play very much for at least 1, if not 2, seasons while Romo is still here. He'll have plenty of time to develop. I'll wait until the pre-draft process plays out, but I'm getting very excited about the thought of drafting him and nervous at not having a shot at drafting him.

 

[AbeBeta]

Carson Wentz QB - 6'5 223 lbs (North Dakota State)

Positives: Outstanding and prototypical NFL size with the frame to continue to get stronger. This kid is a playmaker. Will stand in the pocket and deliver the ball even with pressure bearing down. Dual threat QB, can run on designed run plays or when play breaks down. Shows outstanding elusiveness and rb traits in the open field. Really tough kid who will fight for every yard and really frustrate defenses. Can throw with precise accuracy on the run. Excellent feet in the pocket. Shows good decision making, will rarely throw to a receiver who is not open. Will put the ball where only receiver can get it, or no one can get it. Plays in somewhat of a pro style offense, can take the ball under center. Has a good feel for defenses and understanding the mental side of playing QB. Can make every throw. Has a really good arm.
Negatives: Played against inferior competition, really interested to see what he does competing in the senior bowl against top competition. Too many designed run plays that won't work in NFL against NFL athletes. Balls can sometimes flutter and accuracy is a little inconsistent.

Where He Fits and My Opinion: Watched closely his game against Iowa St last year because of solid competition and he didn't disappoint at all. This kid is an absolute playmaker. My guess is he is going to rise up draft boards during the evaluation process in the spring. Going to take more stock in his senior bowl week and pro days then I would most. This kid is my favorite QB in the draft. 1st rounder in my opinion. The only real difference maker I've seen. Will only get better.

When draft day comes around it will likely take a trade up (or back) into the 20s or so to land him. We could likely do that with our 2 and 3 but I think we are losing important depth in that scenario for a guy who needs to sit and learn for a few years. Now a trade back ... that might work out.

 

[tyke1doe]

Derrick Henry RB - 6'3 242lbs (Alabama)

Positives: Is an absolute load to have to tackle or bring down. Big, bruising, physical back. Long strider who is faster then quick. Can take it all the way to the house, for a big back that is very impressive. Don't ever see him run down in open field. Willing blocker, will get down the field and block for his receivers or other backs at times as well. Very good in goal line or short yardage situations. A straight-line runner, not a lot of wiggle to his game. Outstanding one cut runner. Shows good vision in finding the hole. Played against some of the best defenses in college football.
Negatives: Don't see him create a lot of plays on his own, his offensive line consistently opened up HUGE holes. Doesn't do anything exceptional. Alabama RB's haven't as a whole held up to their reputation they had in college. Has a lot of wear and tear on his body already the way Alabama has used him. Very rarely used to catch the ball or as a receiver.
Where He Fits and My Opinion: I see a player very similar to Eddie Lacy. Is a handful in the open field, but takes a little while to get his motor going. Not going to create or make any outstanding plays on his own. Actually like him more then Eddie Lacy. I hate to say it, but if he was wearing a different uniform I would be a lot higher on. Very skeptical about Alabama RB's because of how great their system is for RB's. Not an elite NFL prospect, but can definitely be a really good RB in the NFL. I see as a late 2 or early 3rd round pick.

I agree. I think he could drop into the deep second and wouldn't be surprised if he goes in the third. However, I think the Heisman will help him to get picked higher than he normally would.

Henry and Nkemdiche are the two top prospects I expect to drop in the draft.