NFL Mock Draft 2.0 – Rounds 4-7
Round 5
141.) Texans: DT Deandre Coleman, California (6’5, 314) — Not much of a pass rusher, but has the quickness to be one. Coleman has the ability to be more dominant than he was in college, so it could be a motor issue. He showed flashes of dominance at the Senior Bowl and could be a steal if a team can get him to play hard consistently. Coleman is already pretty good against the run, so worst case Coleman can provide good depth in the middle of the Texans D-line.
142.) Redskins: CB Chris Davis, Auburn (5’10, 202) – Will always be famous for his 109-yard TD return that shocked #1 ranked Alabama and for giving up the winning touchdown in the NCAA championship game, but if he ever wants to be known for anything in the NFL, Davis will need to clean up his technique in coverage. Davis is way too handsy and over aggressive in coverage, but does have elite speed and better strength then you would expect from his small frame. He can run with anybody but is consistently out of position and his aggression can be easily taken advantage of with double moves. Davis’ best chance to stick in the league is as a kick/punt returner and with his explosiveness he could be a great one, but he will have to drastically improve his coverage technique if he is going to see the field on defense.
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143.) Bucaneers: WR Jared Abbrederis, Wisconson (6’1, 195) – Abbrederis could make the claim that he is the best route-runner in this draft and only Jordan Matthews would have a legitimate complaint. The Bucs have solid starters in Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams but not much depth behind them. Abbrederis could give them a reliable number 3 WR with great hands and the aforementioned route running ability. He is quicker than he looks, will lay out for the tough catch, and just knows how to get open.
144.) Jaguars: G Anthony Steen, Alabama (6’3, 314) – Underrated member of Bama’s dominant O-line who has dropped a bit due to shorter then expected arm length. Steen is a very good run blocker and decent in pass pro, but was beaten occasionally by some of the elite pass rushers in the SEC. He should push for a starting job early in his career and at worst will be provide solid interior line depth.
145.) Browns: DE DE Ben Gardner, Stanford (6’4, 272) – His senior season was cut short by injury but Gardner was productive when he played with 4.5 sacks, 7.5 TFLs, and 9 QB hurries in just 8 games. He was a surprise snub from the combine, but made up for it at his pro day by posting a 39.5″ vertical leap, 10.2″ broad jump, and a 6.78 3-cone time. Gardner’s results in all three workouts would have been in the top 5 of the defensive lineman at the combine. He’s a bit small for a 3-4 DE, but he should be able to contribute at the position right away on passing downs until he gets strong enough to be a 3-down DE.
146.) Seahawks: CB Walt Aikens, Liberty (6’0, 205) – Made the freshmen all Big 10 team for Illinois before being kicked off the squad due to an arrest for theft. After a couple of weeks of jail time, Aikens ended up at Liberty where he dominated inferior competition. Aikens eased some competition concern at the Senior Bowl where he was one of the better corners in practice. Aikens has the height teams are looking for now, the strength to play press coverage, and the fluidity to play off-man. Aikens wasn’t invited to the combine but ran a 4.46 40-time at his pro day. After proving he has the straight-line speed to play in the league, the biggest concern is the jump from Liberty to the NFL. It may take him some time to adjust, but I think Aikens will end up being a solid NFL corner and he’s a perfect fit for the Seahawks scheme.
147.) Falcons: CB Ross Cockrell, Duke (6’0, 191) – The Falcons could use some depth in their secondary after the release of CB Asante Samuel. Cockrell is underrated because he played at a non-traditional football school, but Duke was a pretty darn good football team last tear. Cockrell is a three-year starter with good speed and solid coverage skills. He’s not a big time play-maker but he has the fluidity to stick with receivers and the height to match up with the taller ones. Cockrell should have value right away as a 3rd or 4th corner in sub packages and could eventually develop into a solid #2 CB.
148.) Vikings: DT Anthony Johnson, LSU (6’2, 308) – I was disappointed with Johnson’s lack of athleticism at the combine. He finished near the bottom of the D-lineman group in most drills and just didn’t look like he cared all that much out there. On tape, he looks like an intriguing mix of power and quickness, and somebody might reach for him before this point of the draft despite his poor combine performance and lack of production in college (3 sacks). The Vikings have two new starters at DT (Joseph, Floyd) and could use some depth if they don’t bring long-time DT Kevin Williams back in free agency.
149.) Bills: WR Devin Street, Pittsburgh (6’3, 198) – Good size, good hands, and tough enough to absorb contact over the middle and make the catch. Street is a classic possession receiver and maybe more after running a surprising 4.48 at his pro day. The Bills don’t have a reliable tall receiver outside of Stevie Johnson who looked like he was on his last legs in 2013, so they could use another tall play-maker. Street had a productive career at Pitt (202 receptions) and is one of my favorite under the radar receivers in this year’s draft.
150.) Jaguars: CB Rashaad Reynolds, Oregon St (5’10, 189) – Cover corner with good instincts, but doesn’t have great size or top-end speed. Reynolds does have good strength for a corner (20 reps), good agility (6.72 3-cone), and is a willing tackler. He’s fluid enough in coverage that he should be no worse then a 3rd or 4th corner which is good value this late in the draft.
151.) Titans: QB David Fales, San Diego St (6’2, 212) – The Titans are committed to Jake Locker, but they could use a back-up plan if Locker gets hurt or continues to struggle. Fales throws an accurate ball, has good pocket awareness, and all the intangibles you look for in a QB. What he doesn’t have is a big arm. Either way, drafting Fales gives the Titans another option if Locker doesn’t improve in 2014.
152.) Giants: CB Bennett Jackson, Notre Dame (6’0, 195) – Good size and ran well at the combine (4.51) but needs to improve his coverage technique. Best suited for a zone coverage scheme right now, but will excel on special teams while developing as a corner. Is an excellent tackler so could possibly be moved to safety if he can’t hack it at CB.
153.) Rams: QB Tom Savage, Pittsburgh (6’4, 228) – Publicly the Rams are saying all the right things about Sam Bradford being the man, but I would be surprised if they don’t use an early-to-mid round pick on a QB of the future. Savage has good size and a cannon arm, but showed inconsistent accuracy at the college level and he’s not very mobile. With a year or two of grooming, he has the potential to be a good NFL QB or at least a serviceable back-up.
154.) Jets: TE Crockett Gilmore, Colorado St (6’6, 260) – The Jets re-signed TE Jeff Cumberland in free agency, but need a second reliable option at the position. Gilmore was the surprise of the Senior Bowl as a late invite. Gilmore proved his blocking skill in college, but at the Senior Bowl showed great hands, crisp route-running, and surprising mobility after the catch. He didn’t run as well as expected at the combine (4.89) but showed good explosion with a top 5 vertical leap and broad jump in the tight end group.
155.) Dolphins: DE Jeffrey Pagan, Alabama (6’3, 310) – Raw DE who should have stayed in school for one more season. Pagan has good strength and size, but wasn’t very productive in his one year as a starter (2 sacks) and will need plenty of coaching and technique refinement before he can contribute in the NFL.