Two of Winston's teammates — defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan and
wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin — also enjoyed strong performances
against the Auburn. While the Tigers ultimately were disappointed
with the loss, redshirt sophomore left tackle Greg Robinson's stock
continues to skyrocket following a stellar performance on the big
stage.
The Big Board isn't a mock draft. There is no attention given to
team needs or the projected selection order. It is simply a ranking
of the 32 best prospects potentially eligible for the 2014 NFL
Draft.
1. DE Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina (6-6, 268, 4.65)* — There is
no denying that Clowney failed to live up to expectations
statistically-speaking. He also inflamed concerns about his maturity
with two speeding tickets before the Gamecocks' bowl game. Clowney's
red flags are real, but so is his talent. Imposing, explosive and
more technically sound than many realize, Clowney competes only with
former No. 2 overall pick Julius Peppers (2002) as the most gifted
defensive end prospect I have ever seen.
2. QB Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville (6-3, 220, 4.65)* — In an era
in which college quarterbacks' numbers are often inflated by short
passes and relatively simplistic schemes, Bridgewater's sparkling
production is due to Pro Bowl-caliber accuracy. His success (71
percent completion rate with 31 touchdowns against just four
interceptions) comes out of a pro-style offense that requires him to
make adjustments at the line of scrimmage and complete NFL throws.
Those traits make Bridgewater an ideal fit in new Houston Texans
head coach Bill O'Brien's offense, making him the favorite to be the
No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 draft.
3. OT Jake Matthews, Texas A&M (6-5, 305, 5.14) — The son of Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews, Jake proves the cliche true — the apple
doesn't fall far from the tree. He has played well at left tackle
this season after starring at right tackle over his first three
years. Matthews is a terrific football player, demonstrating
impressive technique, strength and consistency. He is not, however,
an elite athlete and some view his future back on the right side in
the NFL.
4. OT Greg Robinson, Auburn* (6-5, 320, 5.38) — Redshirt offensive
linemen rarely earn more than a whisper in scouting circles, but the
buzz generating around the Tigers' star left tackle is venturing
into deafening. Physical and tenacious, Robinson is a grizzly bear
in the running game, mauling opponents with an exciting blend of
size (6-5, 320 pounds), strength and athleticism. Auburn's reliance
on the running game, however, has given Robinson few opportunities
in pass protection, meaning he could struggle initially in this
role. Robinson isn't as polished as Matthews, which is why he ranks
behind the Aggies' star for me, but the redshirt sophomore possesses
an extraordinary upside which could lead to his earning a higher
selection come draft day.
5. OLB Anthony Barr, UCLA (6-4, 238, 4.73) — Barr's emergence as one
of the nation's elite NFL prospects has been well documented. A
running back early in his career, Barr exploded in 2012 in his first
season on the defensive side of the ball and backed it up with
another spectacular campaign in 2013, including 65 tackles, 20
tackles for loss, 10 sacks and five forced fumbles, earning him the
Lott IMPACT Trophy. His burst, length and power make him tough to
handle on the edge.
6. WR Sammy Watkins, Clemson (6-1, 200, 4.49)* — NFL scouts love
players who rise to the occasion in big games, and no one played
better under the bright lights of bowl mania than Watkins, whose 16
catches for 227 yards and two scores guided Clemson to a 40-35
victory over Ohio State in the Orange Bowl. Watkins is an explosive
athlete whose instant acceleration, impressive body control and
natural hands to pluck the ball should earn him Pro Bowl
consideration early in his NFL career.
7. OLB Khalil Mack, Buffalo (6-3, 248, 4.66) — With an FBS-record 16
career forced fumbles and record-tying 75 career tackles for loss,
Mack's statistics jump off the page. Against the most gifted
opponents he faced this year (Ohio State, Baylor, Connecticut), it
was his game that jumped off the screen. His size, instincts and
agility as an edge rusher make him equally intriguing to teams
operating out of a 4-3 or 3-4 alignment.
8. OT Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M (6-5, 300, 5.15)* — Overshadowed by
all of the talent on the Aggies' roster, Ogbuehi is an exciting
prospect in his own right. A standout at right guard a year ago,
Ogbuehi (pronounced ah-BOO-hee) took over for Jake Matthews at right
tackle in 2013 and has excelled. Possessing long arms and light
feet, Ogbuehi offers higher upside than his more celebrated teammate
and projects as a left tackle in the NFL.
9. OLB C.J. Mosley, Alabama (6-2, 232, 4.56) — While a bit
undersized, Mosley might be the best pound-for-pound player in the
country. Athletic and instinctive, he is a true three-down
linebacker capable of making plays against the run and pass. Mosley
lacks the bulk scouts want in a pass rusher but his awareness in
coverage is special. While the tape is phenomenal, Mosley has
undergone multiple surgeries (knee, shoulder) over his career and
could be the latest Alabama player to receive medical red-flags from
some evaluators.
10. WR Marqise Lee, Southern Cal (6-0, 195, 4.51)* — A nagging left
knee injury hampered Lee for much of the 2013 season, robbing the
2012 Biletnikoff Award winner of his trademark elusiveness and
acceleration. Finally healthy in the Las Vegas Bowl against Fresno
State, however, Lee showed off his playmaking ability, hauling in
seven passes for 118 yards and two scores. Lee's relatively slight
frame could lead to durability issues in the NFL, but his first
round skill-set is undeniable.
11. CB Darqueze Dennard, Michigan State (5-11, 197, 4.52) — Quick
feet, loose hips and a fluid turning motion make Dennard a classic
cover corner capable of shutting down half the field. Dennard
allowed only three completions in 31 passes of 15-plus yards
targeted against him this season. His ability in coverage played a
huge role in the Spartans' run to a Rose Bowl victory, and was
recognized with Dennard winning the Thorpe Award as the nation's
elite defensive back. The only factor keeping Dennard from a
selection in the top half of the first round is the question about
his straight-line speed.
12. TE Eric Ebron, North Carolina (6-4, 245, 4.67)* — Ebron
possesses a jaw-dropping combination of size and athleticism that
has earned comparisons to 49ers star Vernon Davis. Like Davis,
however, Ebron struggles with consistency, relying too much on his
athleticism rather than dedicating himself to learning the finer
techniques of the position. Ebron will forgo his senior season and
enter the 2014 draft.
13. QB Blake Bortles, Central Florida* (6-3, 230, 4.78) — A
prototypically-built pocket passer with good awareness, athleticism
and arm talent, Bortles looks the part of an NFL starting
quarterback. He is methodical in his set-up and delivery of the ball
and is a bit inconsistent with his accuracy, but the mettle he
showed in guiding UCF to several comeback victories in 2013 has
scouts buzzing. Bortles isn't as polished as Bridgewater, but he may
possess an even higher upside. A top 10 pick is likely and it isn't
out of the question that he'll rank as the best quarterback for
some, potentially including new Houston Texans head coach Bill
O'Brien, who Bortles' UCF team beat in 2013.
14. QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M (5-11, 210, 4.45)* — Manziel's
vision, elusiveness and accuracy while on the move make him a
mesmerizing prospect who will almost surely be drafted earlier than
I rank him. While dynamic throughout his career — including in the Aggies' thrilling comeback over Duke in the Chick-fil-A Bowl — red
flags were raised with mediocre performances against LSU and
Missouri to end the regular season. Bottled in the pocket by both,
Manziel was unable to throw his receivers open and he struggled. The
NFL rule books have never been more accommodating to dual-threat
passers, but consistent accuracy from the pocket remains the most
critical element to quarterback play at the next level.
15. OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama (6-5, 312, 5.12)* — Nick Saban
questioned draft analysts for pegging Kouandjio as a first-round
talent before the season, but given the junior left tackle's
exciting skill-set the projection has been an easy one. Long-armed,
athletic and aggressive, Kouandjio boasts many of the traits scouts
are looking for in a potential Pro Bowl offensive tackle. However, a
lack of elite foot quickness was exposed by the Oklahoma Sooners
pass rush in their Sugar Bowl upset win over the Tide.
16. QB Derek Carr, Fresno State (6-3, 215, 4.78) — Carr's staggering
production (68.2 completion percentage, 50 TDs, 8 INTs) was
certainly inflated by head coach Tim DeRuyter's QB-friendly spread
attack and legitimately talented receiving corps, but there is no
denying his talent. His release and velocity are as impressive as
any college quarterback in the country. Unfortunately, Carr's career
ended with a thud in a disappointing performance against Southern
Cal in the Las Vegas Bowl. Hit early by an athletic USC front, Carr
developed happy feet and misfired often in the 45-20 beat down. The
loss left Carr 0-2 in bowl games and may add fuel to the speculation
that he'll struggle with pressure in the NFL, just as his older
brother, David, did after leaving Fresno State as the No. 1 overall
pick in 2002 and playing behind a poor offensive line for the
expansion Houston Texans. Carr needs to restore his slipping stock
with an impressive performance at the Senior Bowl.
[to top of second column] |
17. WR Mike Evans, Texas A&M (6-5, 225, 4.58)* — Like Manziel, Evans is just a redshirt sophomore, but he has shown
star ability in dominating the SEC. Deceptively fast and
possessing great body control as well as timing, Evans is an
exciting split end prospect who reminds scouts of Tampa Bay
Buccaneers star Vincent Jackson. Of concern, however, is the
fact that Evans does not possess elite top-end speed and
struggled when defenders matched his physicality. 18. OT
Taylor Lewan, Michigan (6-7, 310, 5.04) — Possessing an impressive
combination of size, strength and toughness, Lewan has earned
comparisons to former Michigan standout Jake Long throughout his
career with the Wolverines. Lewan was one of the bright spots in an
otherwise disappointing 2013 campaign in Ann Arbor. Before drafting
him, however, NFL teams will want to investigate Lewan's role — if
any — in an alleged assault on an Ohio State fan following this
year's Big Game.
19. TE Jace Amaro, Texas Tech (6-5, 260, 4.67)* — The NFL is
looking for seam threats rather than extra blockers at tight end in
today's game and there wasn't a more impressive prospect in the
country in 2013 in this role than Amaro, who finished the regular
season with 106 catches for 1,352 yards — the most ever from a tight
end in FBS history. Despite Amaro's size, he doesn't provide much as
a blocker as he was split out wide as a glorified slot receiver
throughout most of his collegiate career. In this role he has proven
to be a Jimmy Graham-like matchup nightmare for defenders.
20. DE Kony Ealy, Missouri (6-5, 275, 4.77)* — While teammate
Michael Sam garnered more hype, scouts are increasingly intrigued by
Ealy due to his impressive combination of size and athleticism. A
highly versatile defender with experience inside and out for the
Tigers, Ealy projects nicely to both the 4-3 and 3-4 alignments and
the first-team All-SEC pick is just scratching the surface of his
potential.
21. DL Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame (6-5, 303, 4.89)* — Clowney isn't
the only highly regarded defensive lineman who struggled under the
burden of monstrous expectations in 2013. After dominating as a
sophomore, Tuitt began his junior campaign out of shape (after
missing spring due to hernia surgery) and struggled with consistency
all season. Highly athletic and possessing the frame to star as
either a 4-3 defensive tackle or 3-4 defensive end, Tuitt's upside
is just too tantalizing to ignore.
22. OLB Ryan Shazier, Ohio State (6-2, 226, 4.58)* — Shazier may be
10-15 pounds lighter than scouts would prefer but his instincts,
speed and bone-jarring hits make him a fearful defender that
offenses must account for on every snap. Statistics don't always
tell the story, but they do with Shazier, whose 143 tackles,
including an eye-popping 22.5 tackles for loss, not only led the Big
Ten this season, they combine to rank among the best seasons from
any Buckeye defender over the past quarter century.
23. WR Brandin Cooks, Oregon State (5-10, 186, 4.52)* — Beavers
coach Mike Riley has made a career out of finding undersized
pass-catchers to star in his offense, but Cooks is a different level
of athlete than Sammie Stroughter, Markus Wheaton and the Rodgers
brothers (James and Jacquizz). Boasting a combination of
elusiveness, acceleration and toughness that is earning comparisons
to Tavon Austin, the Biletnikoff Award winner shattered school and
conference records and has already announced his intentions to enter
the draft.
24. DE Trent Murphy, Stanford (6-6, 261, 4.85) — Used as a standup
outside linebacker as a well as a down defensive lineman for the
Cardinal, Murphy is equally impactful in the passing game, running
game and on special teams due to his instincts, physicality and
awareness. His play and production (62 tackles, 23.5 tackles for
loss, 15 sacks) should have earned him the Pac-12 Defensive Player
of the Year award that went to Arizona defensive lineman Will
Sutton. Though he has starred in Stanford's 3-4 scheme, Murphy
projects best as a 4-3 defensive end in the NFL as he does not
possess ideal athleticism.
25. DT Ra'Shede Hageman, Minnesota (6-6, 311, 4.95) — Blessed with
an extraordinary combination of size and athleticism, Hageman could
join Michael Brockers and Dontari Poe as recent big defensive
tackles whose real rise up draft boards doesn't begin until the
Scouting Combine. Hageman has looked unblockable at times, but he
struggles with consistency.
26. CB Jason Verrett, TCU (5-10, 182, 4.49) — Verrett lacks the size
so en vogue in today's NFL, but agility and ball-skills never go out
of style for cornerbacks. Verrett led the Big 12 with 22 passes
defended and six interceptions in 2012. Through the end of the 2013
regular season he led again in pass deflections (16) while recording
two pass thefts. While light, Verrett is scrappy and tenacious,
making him an ideal nickel corner with the tackling ability to
threaten on an occasional blitz.
27. CB Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma State (6-0, 200, 4.52) — In terms
of size, agility and speed, no cornerback offers a more intriguing
skill-set than the Cowboys' star. Gilbert, a Thorpe Award finalist,
led the Big 12 with six interceptions this season and has returned
just as many kickoffs for touchdowns during his time in Stillwater.
28. OG Cyril Richardson, Baylor (6-5, 335, 5.27) — A dominating
drive blocker who projects best at guard but spent the entire 2011
season protecting Robert Griffin III at left tackle, Richardson is
massive, powerful and shockingly athletic. Richardson was recognized
with the Jim Parker Award as the nation's top blocker and headlines
a strong class of interior linemen.
29. OC Travis Swanson, Arkansas (6-4, 318, 5.26) — If Richardson is
the elite interior lineman of the 2014 senior class, Swanson ranks
as a close second. Athletic, powerful and versatile (some view him
as a potential guard convert), Swanson will continue former
Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema's tradition of churning out
quality NFL prospects along the offensive line.
30. OG David Yankey, Stanford (6-5, 314, 5.08)* — Stanford may have
met its match against Michigan State in the Rose Bowl, but don't
blame Yankey for the loss. Athletic and powerful, the talented left
guard is earning similar grades from some clubs as his former
teammate, David DeCastro, the No. 24 overall selection of the 2012
draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
31. DE Scott Crichton, Oregon State (6-3, 265, 4.73)* — Crichton
will not test as well as Clowney or Ealy, but he has been the more
consistent defender over his respective career, racking up an
eye-popping 51 tackles for loss and 22.5 sacks over the past three
seasons. He has an impressive initial burst, uses his hands well to
defeat blocks and plays a tough, tenacious brand of football that I
expect will help him out-perform some of the players selected ahead
of him in the NFL.
32. OLB Vic Beasley, Clemson (6-2, 235, 4.64) — As Bruce Irvin
proved as a "surprise" first round pick by the Seattle Seahawks two
years ago, the NFL is willing to gamble on pass rushers. In his
first full season as a starter Beasley led the ACC with 13 sacks,
including a takedown of Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller in the
Orange Bowl, among four other tackles for loss. While possessing
less than ideal size, Beasley's burst and overall athleticism is
intriguing to 4-3 and 3-4 teams.
Just missed the cut:
-
DT Will Sutton, Arizona State
-
CB Bradley Roby, Ohio State*
-
RB Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona*
-
WR Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt
-
DT Timmy Jernigan, Florida State*
-
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington*
-
ILB Yawin Smallwood, Connecticut*
-
WR Allen Robinson, Penn State*
-
OT La'el Collins, LSU*
-
OG Xavier Su'a-Filo, UCLA*
-
DE/OLB Trevor Reilly, Utah
-
WR Kelvin Benjamin, Florida State*
-
DT Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh
-
OLB Kyle Van Noy, BYU
-
OL Zack Martin, Notre Dame
___ Rob Rang (@RobRang) is a senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, a
property of The Sports Xchange distributed in partnership with
CBSSports.com.
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