Pre Free Agency Mock Draft

[morasp]

A quick mock draft pre free agency to see how we could improve the team. No trades and BPA in the first two rounds using NFL.com as my big board. The simulator is nflmockdraftdatabase.com which seems a little more realistic than the others I've tried.

24 Jordan Davis NT I like to say you can't have enough pass rushers but you also have to be able to stop the run first. When I looked up the team run defense statistics the two Super Bowl teams were 5th and 6th and we were 16th which really showed up in the wild card game when we gave up 169 rushing yards. In contrast the Packers held them to 100 and the Rams held them to 50. A lot of people have said it but if you get a dominant big guy in the middle he's going to command double teams which would free up the the type of LBs he seems to prefer like Neal to go make plays. Is a first round pick too high, I think the last bullet under strengths is what we got last year and is the defintion of what you try to find in the first round.

Overview
Beefy, mountainous nose tackle with the size, power and will to clog the drain and alter the offense's desire to run between the tackles. Davis has anchor and quick-shed talent to eviscerate single blocks and successfully occupy double teams, allowing linebackers to thrive in pursuit of ball-carriers. He plays upright, lacking agility and reactive quickness to mark up a stat sheet with any consistency, but that's not what he's asked to do. Davis won't be as effective against outside-zone teams and won't offer much rush, but he could become one of the league's best run-pluggers as soon as he takes the field.
Strengths

• Assignment-oriented player but still thrives.
• Squares the block and tosses it aside when he's ready.
• Flows through an edge when he finds his positioning.
• Pure power to battle through wash-down blocks.
• Can shed blocks and transition a gap over.
• Has talent to do more than just neutralize double teams.
• Hands are pinpoint accurate into the blocker's shoulders.
• Plays with hand quickness to slap opponent's hands off of him.
• Never on the ground.
• Won't be blocked by a single block.
• Has size to overwhelm certain opponents.
• Potential to alter opponent's game plan.

56 Boye Mafe Edge You can't have enough pass rushers and we'd be foolish not to draft one in this deep draft class. He was my top ranked player at 56 31 overall, higher than Zion Johnson 35 overall, and he ran a 4.53 40 yard dash.

Overview
Mafe's evaluation requires the evaluator to focus more closely on the flashes than just the play-to-play action. His combination of rare explosive measurables with average fundamentals could make for a perfect storm of rapid development once he gets focused skill work at the pro level. His footwork is average and he lacks desired instincts as a rusher, but pairing efficient hand work with twitchy upper-body power could turn him into a productive rush bully. He has the traits and toughness to develop into an above-average starter as a 4-3 base end.

Strengths

• Explosive athlete with power.
• Jab steps can open inside/outside angles.
• Generates rush momentum with feet charging forward.
• Powerful chop obliterates outside hand of tackle.
• Leverage and power for serious stab-and-run potential.
• Flashes ability to dismantle tight ends at point of attack.
• Pursues through traffic with bend, leverage and speed.
• Long, lateral slides restrict cutback lanes on inside zone.
• Quick disengagement from block to slam into ball-carrier.
• Combination of range and play strength as tackle finisher.

88 Luke Fortner OC/OG My goal was to try to upgrade the IOL and Fortner was the second ranked OC with the smarts to make all the line calls (MS in engineering),. the versatility to play guard, and the frame to get stronger.

Overview
Center prospect with outstanding character, leadership and intelligence to go with position flexibility. Fortner has a proportional frame with adequate length and room to get bigger. He plays with above-average body control and hand usage to maximize his leverage and is consistent at the point of attack. He's not a bad athlete but has issues timing his work-up blocks, which limits his second-level success at times. He can tune-up the pass protection, but it's good enough as a foundation right now. Fortner is adequate in some areas and good in others. He could become a scheme-flexible starter in time.

Strengths

• Team captain with elite personal character on and off the field.
• Provides center/guard roster flexibility.
• Snap-to-step quickness helps leverage the A-gap.
• Fits block with bend and good hand placement.
• Plays with the body control and balance of a pro.
• Makes protection calls at the line.
• Decent arm extension into initial pass-pro punch.
• Plays with pressure recognition and finds work.

127 Cole Strange OG I wanted a viable replacement for Conner Williams but didn't get one of the top two OGs. Strange is my third ranked OG who I think could start at some point next season. A lot of prospects skipped the bench press but he didn't and showed NFL ready strength with 31 repetitions. His technique will need to be refined but is already fairly advanced.

Overview
Highly experienced interior lineman who does a nice job of staying on schedule. He shines over the first two phases of the block, which means he gains early positioning and gets into the sustain phase with proper hand usage and footwork. He will lose a tug-of-war battle as a pure man-to-man blocker, but wins with lateral quickness and an understanding of angles as a move blocker. A snappier pass punch is needed to prevent sub-package rushers with hand talent from bypassing him too easily. His frame and play strength are a little below average, but he has done some snapping in practice, so he could land as a future starting center for a zone-happy rush offense.

Strengths

• Highly intelligent and tough.
• Excellent pad level off the snap and beyond.
• Made for zone scheme with good lateral giddy-up.
• Bend and pace to lift and run defenders on stretch plays with sustain.
• Instinctive feel for his angles in space.
• Opponents struggle to unglue from his strong hands.
• Steady and reactive working his way up to linebackers.
• Finds full arm extension in pass sets.
• Feet for sudden change of direction when needed.
• Able to get out and make a difference in screen game.
• Has snapped in practice and might offer center flexibility.

166 Cade Otton TE Maybe they'll tag Schultz I don't know but Otton was the top TE on my board and great value for day three.

Overview
Four-year starter who will be next up from a program with a history of turning out NFL talent at tight end. Otton is an instinctive route-runner with agile feet in tight quarters and a great feel for changing speeds inside the route. He has sudden, reliable hands, and is skilled and athletic enough to shine against man or zone coverages. As with all UW tight ends, Otton was expected to block for the run game and did so with adequate technique. He will need to bolster his play strength and aggression levels to better execute his blocking itinerary at the next level. He's an ascending combination tight end with starting talent. He should become a more productive pro than college player as a likely Day 2 selection.

Strengths

• Bends and turns to avoid redirections from defense.
• Zips into patterns and is a threat underneath.
• Smart route-runner with basketball athleticism for uncovering.
• Changes speeds to keep coverage in defensive posture.
• Sinks, stems and separates from coverage at the break point.
• Can adjust and catch without breaking stride.
• Quick to anchor, open and secure the catch window versus zone.
• Enough talent to put coverage on notice on all three levels.
• Twitchy hands to pluck, tuck and go.
• Aggressive hand strikes into the point of attack while blocking.
• Technique and background to become adequate NFL blocker.

175 Makai Polk WR A little late for WR but I couldn't pass Polk up when he fell to the end of round 5. Put up very good numbers last year with 105 receptions, 1046 yards, and 10 yards per catch.

Overview
Upside talent with good length and impressive ball skills that could foreshadow more to come. Deciphering Polk's single season of production inside Mike Leach's pass-happy offense will take work. He's not a great separator underneath and is unlikely to scare anyone with his deep speed. It's easy to spot his high football IQ and impressive ball skills throughout the tape, but he needs additional play strength and razor-sharp route running to counteract his lack of explosiveness.
Strengths

• Very instinctive and natural for the position.
• Drives hard to set up stop routes.
• Adequate sink-and-open quickness on comebacks.
• Adjusts routes in space to avoid redirection.
• Scrambles into the open field when the route ends.
• Graceful ball-tracker and high-point leaper.
• Plus body control to turn, contort and square to the ball in mid-air.
• Catches with strong, competitive hands.
• Dots boundary catches with two feet on a consistent basis.
• Can wiggle and elude the first tackler after the catch.

200 Malcolm Rodriguez LB He might seem a little small but he's actually only one inch shorter than Kanu Neal and the same height as Nacobe Dean and a little heavier than both. At the combine he ran a 4.52 second 49 yard dash. He put up amazing stats last season with 129 tackles 16 for a loss, four FFs and four PDs.

Overview
Linebacker whose draft slotting will be a litmus test for how teams value tape and productivity against size deficiencies. Rodriguez carries a compact, sawed-off frame that is muscular but stubby. His transition from read to flow is seamless, with some of the cleanest GPS to the football in this draft. He's straight-line fast but lacks the looseness for sudden lateral bursts, which could limit his range as an NFL tackler. He can play on third downs but is very average in that department. Rodriguez has been a career gap-hog, finding and finishing runners who come his way. His floor is as a good backup and core special teams player, but the smart bet might be to project his impact production to follow him into the league, with Rodriguez eventually starting as a 3-4 inside linebacker.
Strengths

• Team captain and brain of the defense.
• Plays with a healthy level of suspicion pre-snap.
• Instinctive feel for blocking schemes and attack points.
• Stays clean sifting through traffic in the box.
• Excellent body composure and balance when scraping.
• Plays with good technique and leverage taking on blocks.
• Made 397 tackles over the last four years.
• Elite wrestling background shows up in his tackling.
• Targets thighs, and wraps to finish with a strong core.
• Forced 13 fumbles during his career.
• Early influencer on punt and kick cover teams.

Sources Tell Us

"He's tough, fast, physical and smart. He's everything you want in a linebacker, but he doesn't look the part, so that is probably going to hurt him." -- Area scout for AFC team

 

[visionary]

I’ll take it
Great job

 

[morasp]

A quick mock draft pre free agency to see how we could improve the team. No trades and BPA in the first two rounds using NFL.com as my big board. The simulator is nflmockdraftdatabase.com which seems a little more realistic than the others I've tried.

24 Jordan Davis NT I like to say you can't have enough pass rushers but you also have to be able to stop the run first. When I looked up the team run defense statistics the two Super Bowl teams were 5th and 6th and we were 16th which really showed up in the wild card game when we gave up 169 rushing yards. In contrast the Packers held them to 100 and the Rams held them to 50. A lot of people have said it but if you get a dominant big guy in the middle he's going to command double teams which would free up the the type of LBs he seems to prefer like Neal to go make plays. Is a first round pick too high, I think the last bullet under strengths is what we got last year and is the defintion of what you try to find in the first round.

Overview
Beefy, mountainous nose tackle with the size, power and will to clog the drain and alter the offense's desire to run between the tackles. Davis has anchor and quick-shed talent to eviscerate single blocks and successfully occupy double teams, allowing linebackers to thrive in pursuit of ball-carriers. He plays upright, lacking agility and reactive quickness to mark up a stat sheet with any consistency, but that's not what he's asked to do. Davis won't be as effective against outside-zone teams and won't offer much rush, but he could become one of the league's best run-pluggers as soon as he takes the field.
Strengths

• Assignment-oriented player but still thrives.
• Squares the block and tosses it aside when he's ready.
• Flows through an edge when he finds his positioning.
• Pure power to battle through wash-down blocks.
• Can shed blocks and transition a gap over.
• Has talent to do more than just neutralize double teams.
• Hands are pinpoint accurate into the blocker's shoulders.
• Plays with hand quickness to slap opponent's hands off of him.
• Never on the ground.
• Won't be blocked by a single block.
• Has size to overwhelm certain opponents.
• Potential to alter opponent's game plan.

56 Boye Mafe Edge You can't have enough pass rushers and we'd be foolish not to draft one in this deep draft class. He was my top ranked player at 56 31 overall, higher than Zion Johnson 35 overall, and he ran a 4.53 40 yard dash.

Overview
Mafe's evaluation requires the evaluator to focus more closely on the flashes than just the play-to-play action. His combination of rare explosive measurables with average fundamentals could make for a perfect storm of rapid development once he gets focused skill work at the pro level. His footwork is average and he lacks desired instincts as a rusher, but pairing efficient hand work with twitchy upper-body power could turn him into a productive rush bully. He has the traits and toughness to develop into an above-average starter as a 4-3 base end.

Strengths

• Explosive athlete with power.
• Jab steps can open inside/outside angles.
• Generates rush momentum with feet charging forward.
• Powerful chop obliterates outside hand of tackle.
• Leverage and power for serious stab-and-run potential.
• Flashes ability to dismantle tight ends at point of attack.
• Pursues through traffic with bend, leverage and speed.
• Long, lateral slides restrict cutback lanes on inside zone.
• Quick disengagement from block to slam into ball-carrier.
• Combination of range and play strength as tackle finisher.

88 Luke Fortner OC/OG My goal was to try to upgrade the IOL and Fortner was the second ranked OC with the smarts to make all the line calls (MS in engineering),. the versatility to play guard, and the frame to get stronger.

Overview
Center prospect with outstanding character, leadership and intelligence to go with position flexibility. Fortner has a proportional frame with adequate length and room to get bigger. He plays with above-average body control and hand usage to maximize his leverage and is consistent at the point of attack. He's not a bad athlete but has issues timing his work-up blocks, which limits his second-level success at times. He can tune-up the pass protection, but it's good enough as a foundation right now. Fortner is adequate in some areas and good in others. He could become a scheme-flexible starter in time.

Strengths

• Team captain with elite personal character on and off the field.
• Provides center/guard roster flexibility.
• Snap-to-step quickness helps leverage the A-gap.
• Fits block with bend and good hand placement.
• Plays with the body control and balance of a pro.
• Makes protection calls at the line.
• Decent arm extension into initial pass-pro punch.
• Plays with pressure recognition and finds work.

127 Cole Strange OG I wanted a viable replacement for Conner Williams but didn't get one of the top two OGs. Strange is my third ranked OG who I think could start at some point next season. A lot of prospects skipped the bench press but he didn't and showed NFL ready strength with 31 repetitions. His technique will need to be refined but is already fairly advanced.

Overview
Highly experienced interior lineman who does a nice job of staying on schedule. He shines over the first two phases of the block, which means he gains early positioning and gets into the sustain phase with proper hand usage and footwork. He will lose a tug-of-war battle as a pure man-to-man blocker, but wins with lateral quickness and an understanding of angles as a move blocker. A snappier pass punch is needed to prevent sub-package rushers with hand talent from bypassing him too easily. His frame and play strength are a little below average, but he has done some snapping in practice, so he could land as a future starting center for a zone-happy rush offense.

Strengths

• Highly intelligent and tough.
• Excellent pad level off the snap and beyond.
• Made for zone scheme with good lateral giddy-up.
• Bend and pace to lift and run defenders on stretch plays with sustain.
• Instinctive feel for his angles in space.
• Opponents struggle to unglue from his strong hands.
• Steady and reactive working his way up to linebackers.
• Finds full arm extension in pass sets.
• Feet for sudden change of direction when needed.
• Able to get out and make a difference in screen game.
• Has snapped in practice and might offer center flexibility.

166 Cade Otton TE Maybe they'll tag Schultz I don't know but Otton was the top TE on my board and great value for day three.

Overview
Four-year starter who will be next up from a program with a history of turning out NFL talent at tight end. Otton is an instinctive route-runner with agile feet in tight quarters and a great feel for changing speeds inside the route. He has sudden, reliable hands, and is skilled and athletic enough to shine against man or zone coverages. As with all UW tight ends, Otton was expected to block for the run game and did so with adequate technique. He will need to bolster his play strength and aggression levels to better execute his blocking itinerary at the next level. He's an ascending combination tight end with starting talent. He should become a more productive pro than college player as a likely Day 2 selection.

Strengths

• Bends and turns to avoid redirections from defense.
• Zips into patterns and is a threat underneath.
• Smart route-runner with basketball athleticism for uncovering.
• Changes speeds to keep coverage in defensive posture.
• Sinks, stems and separates from coverage at the break point.
• Can adjust and catch without breaking stride.
• Quick to anchor, open and secure the catch window versus zone.
• Enough talent to put coverage on notice on all three levels.
• Twitchy hands to pluck, tuck and go.
• Aggressive hand strikes into the point of attack while blocking.
• Technique and background to become adequate NFL blocker.

175 Makai Polk WR A little late for WR but I couldn't pass Polk up when he fell to the end of round 5. Put up very good numbers last year with 105 receptions, 1046 yards, and 10 yards per catch.

Overview
Upside talent with good length and impressive ball skills that could foreshadow more to come. Deciphering Polk's single season of production inside Mike Leach's pass-happy offense will take work. He's not a great separator underneath and is unlikely to scare anyone with his deep speed. It's easy to spot his high football IQ and impressive ball skills throughout the tape, but he needs additional play strength and razor-sharp route running to counteract his lack of explosiveness.
Strengths

• Very instinctive and natural for the position.
• Drives hard to set up stop routes.
• Adequate sink-and-open quickness on comebacks.
• Adjusts routes in space to avoid redirection.
• Scrambles into the open field when the route ends.
• Graceful ball-tracker and high-point leaper.
• Plus body control to turn, contort and square to the ball in mid-air.
• Catches with strong, competitive hands.
• Dots boundary catches with two feet on a consistent basis.
• Can wiggle and elude the first tackler after the catch.

200 Malcolm Rodriguez LB He might seem a little small but he's actually only one inch shorter than Kanu Neal and the same height as Nacobe Dean and a little heavier than both. At the combine he ran a 4.52 second 49 yard dash. He put up amazing stats last season with 129 tackles 16 for a loss, four FFs and four PDs.

Overview
Linebacker whose draft slotting will be a litmus test for how teams value tape and productivity against size deficiencies. Rodriguez carries a compact, sawed-off frame that is muscular but stubby. His transition from read to flow is seamless, with some of the cleanest GPS to the football in this draft. He's straight-line fast but lacks the looseness for sudden lateral bursts, which could limit his range as an NFL tackler. He can play on third downs but is very average in that department. Rodriguez has been a career gap-hog, finding and finishing runners who come his way. His floor is as a good backup and core special teams player, but the smart bet might be to project his impact production to follow him into the league, with Rodriguez eventually starting as a 3-4 inside linebacker.
Strengths

• Team captain and brain of the defense.
• Plays with a healthy level of suspicion pre-snap.
• Instinctive feel for blocking schemes and attack points.
• Stays clean sifting through traffic in the box.
• Excellent body composure and balance when scraping.
• Plays with good technique and leverage taking on blocks.
• Made 397 tackles over the last four years.
• Elite wrestling background shows up in his tackling.
• Targets thighs, and wraps to finish with a strong core.
• Forced 13 fumbles during his career.
• Early influencer on punt and kick cover teams.

Sources Tell Us

"He's tough, fast, physical and smart. He's everything you want in a linebacker, but he doesn't look the part, so that is probably going to hurt him." -- Area scout for AFC team

The write up for Rodriguez should say 40 yard dash and Keanu Neal.

 

[John813]

I'll take it but I think some team may take Davis higher now. The ghost of Al Davis may draft him on 40 alone

 

[morasp]

I'll take it but I think some team may take Davis higher now. The ghost of Al Davis may draft him on 40 alone

Too be fair, on that simulator he's usually gone by 24. My fall back is Jones Mathis or the DT from Iowa state later on. All of them have the arm length he likes and are good against the run.

 

[Cowboyny]

Good job, but I have to see it to believe it, that they will use a 1st rd pick on either a NT or a FS.

 

[morasp]

Good job, but I have to see it to believe it, that they will use a 1st rd pick on either a NT or a FS.

I agree but with the way our first round picks seem to go even if it's not realistic I decided to just do what I thought they should do.

 

[Stash]

A quick mock draft pre free agency to see how we could improve the team. No trades and BPA in the first two rounds using NFL.com as my big board. The simulator is nflmockdraftdatabase.com which seems a little more realistic than the others I've tried.

24 Jordan Davis NT I like to say you can't have enough pass rushers but you also have to be able to stop the run first. When I looked up the team run defense statistics the two Super Bowl teams were 5th and 6th and we were 16th which really showed up in the wild card game when we gave up 169 rushing yards. In contrast the Packers held them to 100 and the Rams held them to 50. A lot of people have said it but if you get a dominant big guy in the middle he's going to command double teams which would free up the the type of LBs he seems to prefer like Neal to go make plays. Is a first round pick too high, I think the last bullet under strengths is what we got last year and is the defintion of what you try to find in the first round.

Overview
Beefy, mountainous nose tackle with the size, power and will to clog the drain and alter the offense's desire to run between the tackles. Davis has anchor and quick-shed talent to eviscerate single blocks and successfully occupy double teams, allowing linebackers to thrive in pursuit of ball-carriers. He plays upright, lacking agility and reactive quickness to mark up a stat sheet with any consistency, but that's not what he's asked to do. Davis won't be as effective against outside-zone teams and won't offer much rush, but he could become one of the league's best run-pluggers as soon as he takes the field.
Strengths

• Assignment-oriented player but still thrives.
• Squares the block and tosses it aside when he's ready.
• Flows through an edge when he finds his positioning.
• Pure power to battle through wash-down blocks.
• Can shed blocks and transition a gap over.
• Has talent to do more than just neutralize double teams.
• Hands are pinpoint accurate into the blocker's shoulders.
• Plays with hand quickness to slap opponent's hands off of him.
• Never on the ground.
• Won't be blocked by a single block.
• Has size to overwhelm certain opponents.
• Potential to alter opponent's game plan.

56 Boye Mafe Edge You can't have enough pass rushers and we'd be foolish not to draft one in this deep draft class. He was my top ranked player at 56 31 overall, higher than Zion Johnson 35 overall, and he ran a 4.53 40 yard dash.

Overview
Mafe's evaluation requires the evaluator to focus more closely on the flashes than just the play-to-play action. His combination of rare explosive measurables with average fundamentals could make for a perfect storm of rapid development once he gets focused skill work at the pro level. His footwork is average and he lacks desired instincts as a rusher, but pairing efficient hand work with twitchy upper-body power could turn him into a productive rush bully. He has the traits and toughness to develop into an above-average starter as a 4-3 base end.

Strengths

• Explosive athlete with power.
• Jab steps can open inside/outside angles.
• Generates rush momentum with feet charging forward.
• Powerful chop obliterates outside hand of tackle.
• Leverage and power for serious stab-and-run potential.
• Flashes ability to dismantle tight ends at point of attack.
• Pursues through traffic with bend, leverage and speed.
• Long, lateral slides restrict cutback lanes on inside zone.
• Quick disengagement from block to slam into ball-carrier.
• Combination of range and play strength as tackle finisher.

88 Luke Fortner OC/OG My goal was to try to upgrade the IOL and Fortner was the second ranked OC with the smarts to make all the line calls (MS in engineering),. the versatility to play guard, and the frame to get stronger.

Overview
Center prospect with outstanding character, leadership and intelligence to go with position flexibility. Fortner has a proportional frame with adequate length and room to get bigger. He plays with above-average body control and hand usage to maximize his leverage and is consistent at the point of attack. He's not a bad athlete but has issues timing his work-up blocks, which limits his second-level success at times. He can tune-up the pass protection, but it's good enough as a foundation right now. Fortner is adequate in some areas and good in others. He could become a scheme-flexible starter in time.

Strengths

• Team captain with elite personal character on and off the field.
• Provides center/guard roster flexibility.
• Snap-to-step quickness helps leverage the A-gap.
• Fits block with bend and good hand placement.
• Plays with the body control and balance of a pro.
• Makes protection calls at the line.
• Decent arm extension into initial pass-pro punch.
• Plays with pressure recognition and finds work.

127 Cole Strange OG I wanted a viable replacement for Conner Williams but didn't get one of the top two OGs. Strange is my third ranked OG who I think could start at some point next season. A lot of prospects skipped the bench press but he didn't and showed NFL ready strength with 31 repetitions. His technique will need to be refined but is already fairly advanced.

Overview
Highly experienced interior lineman who does a nice job of staying on schedule. He shines over the first two phases of the block, which means he gains early positioning and gets into the sustain phase with proper hand usage and footwork. He will lose a tug-of-war battle as a pure man-to-man blocker, but wins with lateral quickness and an understanding of angles as a move blocker. A snappier pass punch is needed to prevent sub-package rushers with hand talent from bypassing him too easily. His frame and play strength are a little below average, but he has done some snapping in practice, so he could land as a future starting center for a zone-happy rush offense.

Strengths

• Highly intelligent and tough.
• Excellent pad level off the snap and beyond.
• Made for zone scheme with good lateral giddy-up.
• Bend and pace to lift and run defenders on stretch plays with sustain.
• Instinctive feel for his angles in space.
• Opponents struggle to unglue from his strong hands.
• Steady and reactive working his way up to linebackers.
• Finds full arm extension in pass sets.
• Feet for sudden change of direction when needed.
• Able to get out and make a difference in screen game.
• Has snapped in practice and might offer center flexibility.

166 Cade Otton TE Maybe they'll tag Schultz I don't know but Otton was the top TE on my board and great value for day three.

Overview
Four-year starter who will be next up from a program with a history of turning out NFL talent at tight end. Otton is an instinctive route-runner with agile feet in tight quarters and a great feel for changing speeds inside the route. He has sudden, reliable hands, and is skilled and athletic enough to shine against man or zone coverages. As with all UW tight ends, Otton was expected to block for the run game and did so with adequate technique. He will need to bolster his play strength and aggression levels to better execute his blocking itinerary at the next level. He's an ascending combination tight end with starting talent. He should become a more productive pro than college player as a likely Day 2 selection.

Strengths

• Bends and turns to avoid redirections from defense.
• Zips into patterns and is a threat underneath.
• Smart route-runner with basketball athleticism for uncovering.
• Changes speeds to keep coverage in defensive posture.
• Sinks, stems and separates from coverage at the break point.
• Can adjust and catch without breaking stride.
• Quick to anchor, open and secure the catch window versus zone.
• Enough talent to put coverage on notice on all three levels.
• Twitchy hands to pluck, tuck and go.
• Aggressive hand strikes into the point of attack while blocking.
• Technique and background to become adequate NFL blocker.

175 Makai Polk WR A little late for WR but I couldn't pass Polk up when he fell to the end of round 5. Put up very good numbers last year with 105 receptions, 1046 yards, and 10 yards per catch.

Overview
Upside talent with good length and impressive ball skills that could foreshadow more to come. Deciphering Polk's single season of production inside Mike Leach's pass-happy offense will take work. He's not a great separator underneath and is unlikely to scare anyone with his deep speed. It's easy to spot his high football IQ and impressive ball skills throughout the tape, but he needs additional play strength and razor-sharp route running to counteract his lack of explosiveness.
Strengths

• Very instinctive and natural for the position.
• Drives hard to set up stop routes.
• Adequate sink-and-open quickness on comebacks.
• Adjusts routes in space to avoid redirection.
• Scrambles into the open field when the route ends.
• Graceful ball-tracker and high-point leaper.
• Plus body control to turn, contort and square to the ball in mid-air.
• Catches with strong, competitive hands.
• Dots boundary catches with two feet on a consistent basis.
• Can wiggle and elude the first tackler after the catch.

200 Malcolm Rodriguez LB He might seem a little small but he's actually only one inch shorter than Kanu Neal and the same height as Nacobe Dean and a little heavier than both. At the combine he ran a 4.52 second 49 yard dash. He put up amazing stats last season with 129 tackles 16 for a loss, four FFs and four PDs.

Overview
Linebacker whose draft slotting will be a litmus test for how teams value tape and productivity against size deficiencies. Rodriguez carries a compact, sawed-off frame that is muscular but stubby. His transition from read to flow is seamless, with some of the cleanest GPS to the football in this draft. He's straight-line fast but lacks the looseness for sudden lateral bursts, which could limit his range as an NFL tackler. He can play on third downs but is very average in that department. Rodriguez has been a career gap-hog, finding and finishing runners who come his way. His floor is as a good backup and core special teams player, but the smart bet might be to project his impact production to follow him into the league, with Rodriguez eventually starting as a 3-4 inside linebacker.
Strengths

• Team captain and brain of the defense.
• Plays with a healthy level of suspicion pre-snap.
• Instinctive feel for blocking schemes and attack points.
• Stays clean sifting through traffic in the box.
• Excellent body composure and balance when scraping.
• Plays with good technique and leverage taking on blocks.
• Made 397 tackles over the last four years.
• Elite wrestling background shows up in his tackling.
• Targets thighs, and wraps to finish with a strong core.
• Forced 13 fumbles during his career.
• Early influencer on punt and kick cover teams.

Sources Tell Us

"He's tough, fast, physical and smart. He's everything you want in a linebacker, but he doesn't look the part, so that is probably going to hurt him." -- Area scout for AFC team

Great job. It’s looking like there will be an early run in pass rushers and you’ve adjusted well to draft Davis and still strengthen the defensive line. If you can promise me Mafe at #56, I love it.