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| Johnny Manziel aka Johnny Football doing his signature move at Texas A&M |
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Friday, May 16, 2014
Where Are Those "Golden Gloves"?
I don't care what anyone ever says, the greatest sport in which mens' physical ability to take a pounding is tested is boxing. That's all to it. MMA is nice, but lets be honest, it's really just a glorified self-defense class mixed with some type of street fight you would see or be apart of after a night out at a bar and bumping into the wrong drunk guy. Now I'm not saying that those who do it, don't take a horrible beating and pounding to their bodies (in fact, it gets pretty bloody and disgusting). I'm just a person who feels that boxing is [somewhat] more civil than MMA. But thats just my opinion; to each is own. My real reason for this article is to talk about what is happening to the world of boxing, and the problem that may cause the sport to fall apart. And that problem is the lack of big-name boxers.
If you can, just think of the last big-name boxer that you remember hearing about besides Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. and/or Manny Pacquiao. Most people, wherever you are, would probably know the most famous name to have ever graced his presence in boxing, Muhammad Ali. For those that can remember seeing him or have seen his highlights, Ali was a prolific and outstanding fighter in the ring, and even more outspoken outside of it. From 1960 to 1981, there was definitely a golden era in boxing as Muhammad Ali fought big-name boxers like Sonny Liston, George Foreman, Ken Norton, Floyd Patterson, Jimmy Young, Leon Spinks, Ernie Shavers, Oscar Bonevena, Jerry Quarry, Ron Lyle, and Ernie Terrell. The man that was probably Ali's greatest opponents was Joe Frazier, who fought Muhammad in what is still considered the one of the greatest boxing matches in history: The Thrilla in Manila. The fight was the two's final match between one another for the Heavyweight Championship of the World, which went 14 rounds before Ali grabbed a technical knockout against Frazier. To this day, they are considered to be one of the top sports rivalries in history. The other fighter I want to mention as well is Ali's former sparring partner Larry Holmes because he is in the Boxing Hall of Fame. The problem with putting Holmes on here is that he fought Ali at the very end of his career, and boy was it brutal to watch. But regardless, think of what boxing would be like if we had names like those in the ring again or men of those fighters' capacities (like that'll ever happen).
So Muhammad Ali is kind of a no brainer because even people who don't even like to watch or know about sports, would be able to tell you who Muhammad Ali is. So lets talk about some of the other top names in boxing. Anyone ever seen a documentary by ESPN's 30 for 30 called "No Mas"? If you have never seen it, I recommend it. The documentary takes us back to the time when two welterweight fighters began to rule the ring named "Sugar" Ray Leonard and "Manos de Piedra" (Hands of Stone) Roberto Durán. Both fighters were becoming the next big names in boxing as Ali began to come the end of his career. Both fighters squared off in a toe-to-toe fight that took place in Montreal, where Durán won the decision against Leonard for the WBC Welterweight Championship. The next match between the two came in New Orleans and would become one of boxing and sports' shocking moments in history as Leonard who back the title after Durán threw his hands up and walked away to his corner in the eighth round, and said two words: "No Mas" (means no more in spanish). It sparked the nation with controversy, conspiracy, and just pure shock. Their final fight came in Las Vegas where Leonard held the WBC Super Middleweight Championship against Durán in a unanimous decision. While Leonard and Durán were considered the top names, the 1980s saw fighters such as Wilfred Benitez, Marvin Hagler, and Thomas Hearns while being the openings for 1990s greatest and most memorable boxing duo, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.
Speaking of which, the 1990s brought the careers of both Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield to the highest highs. The most memorable moment of these two came when Tyson and Holyfield were locked in a grudge match that eventually ended with Holyfield losing a piece of his ear from Tyson biting and ripping it off. Both men were considered the new Frazier-Ali rivalry in boxing, but others also began to make themselves known such as Pernell Whitaker, Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Roy Jones Jr., "Buster" Douglas, Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis, and of course Floyd Mayweather Jr. By this point, boxing was not in a golden era any longer, but the money that was paid to fighters at this point was so insane that it might as well have been gold.
By the 2000s, only those that really follow boxing would know the names that were around by then. Floyd Mayweather Jr. was starting to rise. There was Oscar De La Hoya, who fought Julio Cesar Chavez for the Light-Welterweight belt, clashed in great matches against "Sugar" Shane Mosley for both the Welterweight and Light-Middleweight titles, and then tried to make a comeback where he eventually would face off against Mayweather Jr. in 2007. During the 2000s, their were two twin brothers from Ukraine that are the kind of fighters you'd probably see in a Rocky movie. Those men are Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. Both men were heavyweight contenders with 6'5" 270 lbs. figures to back it up. For Vitali, his career ended just this past December as he decided to take a position in politics and run for the 2015 Ukrainian presidential election. He retired with a record of 45-2 with 41 knockouts. Wladimir still continues to fight and is challenging my fighter by the name of Bermane Stiverne for the Heavyweight title.
And that's my question: whose left in the world of boxing besides maybe a handful of guys that actually have some kind of name to themselves? Honestly, there isn't anyone from what I have tried to watch and see. I mean, it's amazing to see the 37 year old Mayweather Jr. have an untouched 46-0 record in his professional career, but you got think about just who the man has really fought. And not only that, but even Mayweather has to realize that the only man that can probably challenge him is Manny Pacquiao. I mean, I honestly believe it would probably be the biggest fight in quite some time I'd have to say. As for Klitschko, I've seen this guy Bermane Stiverne fight when the Heavyweight Title was on the line against Chris Arreola (I have know idea who he is)in which he earned a TKO and won the title. After that fight, I turned to my dad and just said, " Well, Wladimir is gonna have a field day with this target." To me, I love watch two guys go head-to-head for 12 or so rounds as they try to knock the other guy out. But anyone can see that the sport is dying, and it's being caused by the fact that there are no big names holding up the ceiling and walls with Mayweather, Klitschko, Pacquiao, Marquez, and a few other sprinkled in there. Well, who knows what'll happen by the end of it all. All I can really do is just wonder what people will remember from boxing from the the earliest forms of it that date back to early 1900s, all the way to the moment when Mayweather Jr. retires.
Speaking of which, the 1990s brought the careers of both Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield to the highest highs. The most memorable moment of these two came when Tyson and Holyfield were locked in a grudge match that eventually ended with Holyfield losing a piece of his ear from Tyson biting and ripping it off. Both men were considered the new Frazier-Ali rivalry in boxing, but others also began to make themselves known such as Pernell Whitaker, Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Roy Jones Jr., "Buster" Douglas, Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis, and of course Floyd Mayweather Jr. By this point, boxing was not in a golden era any longer, but the money that was paid to fighters at this point was so insane that it might as well have been gold.
By the 2000s, only those that really follow boxing would know the names that were around by then. Floyd Mayweather Jr. was starting to rise. There was Oscar De La Hoya, who fought Julio Cesar Chavez for the Light-Welterweight belt, clashed in great matches against "Sugar" Shane Mosley for both the Welterweight and Light-Middleweight titles, and then tried to make a comeback where he eventually would face off against Mayweather Jr. in 2007. During the 2000s, their were two twin brothers from Ukraine that are the kind of fighters you'd probably see in a Rocky movie. Those men are Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. Both men were heavyweight contenders with 6'5" 270 lbs. figures to back it up. For Vitali, his career ended just this past December as he decided to take a position in politics and run for the 2015 Ukrainian presidential election. He retired with a record of 45-2 with 41 knockouts. Wladimir still continues to fight and is challenging my fighter by the name of Bermane Stiverne for the Heavyweight title.
And that's my question: whose left in the world of boxing besides maybe a handful of guys that actually have some kind of name to themselves? Honestly, there isn't anyone from what I have tried to watch and see. I mean, it's amazing to see the 37 year old Mayweather Jr. have an untouched 46-0 record in his professional career, but you got think about just who the man has really fought. And not only that, but even Mayweather has to realize that the only man that can probably challenge him is Manny Pacquiao. I mean, I honestly believe it would probably be the biggest fight in quite some time I'd have to say. As for Klitschko, I've seen this guy Bermane Stiverne fight when the Heavyweight Title was on the line against Chris Arreola (I have know idea who he is)in which he earned a TKO and won the title. After that fight, I turned to my dad and just said, " Well, Wladimir is gonna have a field day with this target." To me, I love watch two guys go head-to-head for 12 or so rounds as they try to knock the other guy out. But anyone can see that the sport is dying, and it's being caused by the fact that there are no big names holding up the ceiling and walls with Mayweather, Klitschko, Pacquiao, Marquez, and a few other sprinkled in there. Well, who knows what'll happen by the end of it all. All I can really do is just wonder what people will remember from boxing from the the earliest forms of it that date back to early 1900s, all the way to the moment when Mayweather Jr. retires.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Is 19 is the new 23?
Just today, my dad and I decided to watch the 2014 NBA Combine (that is here in Chicago) that was being covered on ESPN2 to see just who was there, who were some of the unknown favorites coming out, and who might the Chicago Bulls want to consider taking with their two first round picks from this year's strong draft class. As we watched, we saw that Michigan State's senior forward Adrian Payne was there. They then went to the so called "experts" at the table so that they could each give their take on what Payne could do in the NBA. Some said that Payne had one of the best bodies of work already for the NBA, but one of the experts made a comment that just made my eye twitch and head hurt. Although I'm paraphrasing here and cannot remember the guy's name (He's the bald headed one on the right if you watch the NBA Combine), but he said that if Adrian Payne were 19 years old, then he would be a guaranteed Top 3 draft pick. Now I ask you, the readers of this articles, to just think about that statement. Now, Adrian Payne is a 23 year old senior coming out of MSU which according to the "expert" that made the comment, puts him between picks No. 10 and 20 of the NBA Draft. I bold the age numbers and draft places because I think it is just unbelievably ridiculous to say that because a man like Payne is much more matured than say a kid like Kansas' freshman guard Andrew Wiggins (who is 19 years old), then that means he is not worth a Top 5 draft pick. Now, even those of you who know every aspect of the game of basketball have to agree that there seems to be something wrong with that picture. Now, I am not saying that Adrian Payne should or should not be the No. 1 overall pick in 2014, but it seems so insane to say that he would not be there because of his age. However, as surprised as I felt to hear someone actually say that, I have to be honest and say that I did see this kind of thinking coming in sports.
For basketball, it all stems from the roots of the "one-and-done" rule which allows players to qualify for the NBA Draft after being removed from high school for at least one year and/or are 19 years of age by the time of the draft. Since 2006 (the year the rule was implemented), the NBA Draft has seen a number of college freshmen come out of the draft and be tabbed by experts as the next "great" NBA players. For example, does anyone remember a young man named Michael Beasley? If you don't remember or know who he is, understand that Beasley was once considered one of basketball's greatest young forwards. He was named the No. 1 recruit in the country coming out of high school in 2007 and eventually committed to Kansas State. After one season of averaging 26.2 PPG (points per game) and 12.4 rebounds a game, Beasley declared for the 2008 NBA Draft and was considered one of the possibilities to be the No. 1 pick. Once draft day came, Beasley was taken No. 2 by the Miami Heat after the Chicago Bulls selected Memphis' freshmen guard Derrick Rose. Since then, Michael Beasley has played for the Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Phoenix Suns while averaging just 13.2 PPG and about 5 rebounds per game in six seasons in the NBA. I now I'm no "expert", but that does not sound like any All-Star numbers. Now yes, there are players in the NBA that declared for the draft after their freshman year of college that have become All-Stars, but that number is microscopic compared to the numerous amount of players that declared for the draft after one year of college basketball and did not make it or were not drafted.
Believe it or not, the original seeds for the rule were actually planted some time ago. So lets all think back even farther. So far, that I was about 2 or 3 years old. It was 1995 and the NBA Draft was on its way to being the the breaking point for players to come out early. And who broke this ground you may wonder? Incredibly, it was a younger, slimmer, and more dominate Kevin Garnett. That's right! The former Boston Celtics and current Brooklyn Nets' forward was originally drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 5th overall pick in the '95 NBA Draft, making him the first player to be drafted out of high school since Bill Willoughby was in 1975. Once Garnett had been drafted, the NBA watched as it sparked a number of high school players enter the draft very year. Two of those high school players were Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. What's scary about this is that they are the two most notable players to ever been drafted out of high school when you considered that before the "one-and-done" rule, god only knows how many kids declared for the draft coming out of high school and were either not drafted or did not make it at all. And it's not just basketball who have had trouble with this, as the games of baseball and soccer have long histories of signing and drafting young men that are just out of high school and even younger. So just imagine if you were told that you were good enough to play professionally out of high school, so you declare yourself for the draft, and you either do get picked and don't make the roster or don't get drafted at all. Now what? Ultimately, the ability to allow such young athletes into the draft is creating a heck of a lot of unemployment in sports. But for now, we are going to stay focused on the NBA.
Whether you may or may not know, the NBA is currently at a crossroads about what to do with the "one-and-done" rule. The request that has been made by coaches, GMs, and owners is to eliminate the rule and replace it with one that requires players to have two years of college basketball before they are eligible to enter the draft. Now if it were up to me to make the rules, I would scrap that plan and make it like the NFL, in which players must be at least three years removed from high school. But again, I am just the man that expresses how he feels about this. So why is it GMs, coaches, and owners think that two years of college basketball would best for players before they are eligible? Well if you think back to the 1980s or look back at those highlights, kings of the court like Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Isaiah Thomas, Julius "The Doctor" Erving, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell all went to college for four years before being entering the NBA Draft. And just look how they all turned out. Honestly, it is just that simple: the longer you stay and play, the better you will become and more ready you will be for the next level. This year, college stars like Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins, Aaron Gordon, Julius Randle, Marcus Smart and countless more are coming out for the chance to become 1 of the 60 names that will be called June 26th. I ask all of you who read this to think about if those players stayed in college just one, two, or even three more years. We would probably be looking at one the NBA's greatest draft classes in history. But since most of these players are coming out so young nowadays, only time will tell how "great" these players really are.
Even today, I can't seem to get that comment out of my mind. I mean seriously, does that seem to be right anyone at all? I used the words MATURE, MAN, and KID to describe the difference between Adrian Payne and Andrew Wiggins because Payne made the decision to stay in school all four years in order to not only perfect his style of play, but also get his education so if the NBA does not work out in his favor (I think it absolutely will), he has something to be able to fall back on. As for Wiggins, he'll be able to go back to school and finish his education at Kansas I'm sure, but more than likely, he'll just stick to the money that he makes off of whatever team drafts him and probably spend it frivolously on things that he does not even need. And that's the problem that they never understand: what happens when all the money's gone, you're out of the NBA, sponsorships are gone, and you have no college degree to be able to use to get a real job? For some, they have to take whatever job they can. For others, they may take the opportunity to go back to school and get their degree. Whatever the situation at hand, I guess we'll just have to sit tight and wait to see what happens this summer on the night of June 26th, 2014. And I want to let my Chicago Bulls' fans know that if teams do pass on Payne because of such a stupid reason like his age and he does go to the middle of the draft, we have picks No. 16 and 19. Just a little "food for thought" if you will.
2014 NFL Draft: Chicago Bears Recap
As a kid who has been born and raised in Illinois, it's no surprise that I'm a Chicago Bears fan. I've learned about everything I can that is Bears related from things such as George Halas being the man who founded and created the team in the early 1900s for a mere $100. In the 1950s and 60s, the Bears had Doug Atkins, Gale Sayers, Mike Ditka, Bobby Douglas, and Dick Butkus. Then came the 1980s, where the Bears had players Dan Hampton, Steve McMichael, William "The Fridge" Perry, Richard Dent, Mike Singletary, Otis Wilson, Wilber Marshall, Gary Fencik, Jim McMahon, and the great Walter Payton win Super Bowl XX in 1985. during my time, I was able to witness the Bears of the 2000s like Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman, Devin Hester, Olin Kreutz, and Robbie Gould lead the Bears to their second Super Bowl in their history in 2006 (Yes they lost, but it was still impressive) Now this isn't about the Bears History, but all those players named above were Bears draft picks that helped them to become world champions or Super Bowl Champions. So I took a look back at what the Chicago Bears did in the 2014 NFL Draft, and also looked for what was both the good and the bad.
1st Round: CB Kyle Fuller
So lets kick this off with what was good for the Chicago Bears in the 2014 NFL Draft. The first thing that was good was the team's first round pick, where at No. 14, the Bears drafted Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller.
The Good: Now, it is no surprise that the Bears have needed help in the secondary since about the time that Charles Tillman hit age 30. Not to say that Tillman still isn't a very good corner, but even I have to admit, he seems like he has lost a step in the speed department while continuing to hold onto intuitive ball hawk skills that have landed him 14 of his 36 INTs in four of all eleven seasons since being drafted by Chicago. Lucky for us, his talent and intelligence seemed to have rubbed off on his partner CB Tim Jennings, who has accumulated 16 INTs in the four seasons he has been with Chicago. But, a lot of the INTs comes from the fact that Tillman usually shuts down whoever their opponent's No. 1 wide receiver is that week. So now you're thinking, "why did he spend all that time on the Bears' corners right now and not Fuller?" Well, it was just to explain what his situation will be like in Chicago, in which he has two highly impressive veteran corners to learn from while transitioning to the NFL. Along with learning, Fuller comes into the Bears defense with a great assortment of skills such as 4.40s forty yard dash and a 38 1/2" vertical jump. This is all just proof that he is the perfect man to replace the aging hero Tillman once he has retires. His four years at Virginia Tech was pretty good, raking up 173 total tackles with 6 INTs and 4 forced fumbles. Not really anything phenomenal, but still proved himself to be one the draft's top CBs. The reason why I like Fuller is he has the 6' tall figure we need combined with the impressive speed we desire. Overall, Kyle Fuller will become a talented corner for the Bears in the long run, and if he can get into the action this season, the Bears defense will be just that much better.
The Bad: Now we cannot have one without the other so here we go. First things first, Fuller is a CORNERBACK, which means he will line up with a receiver most times on the line. Now yeas, The Bears do need help at cornerback, but not as bad as they need help at the safety positions behind them. In many mock drafts, experts thought Fuller would be a good pick for the Bears if he was still there at No. 14. They also said that a defensive tackle like Pittsburgh's Aaron Donald would be good, but there were other defensive linemen with promise to look at in later rounds. The player that many thought would be a good choice to help the Chicago Bears in the position of safety was Louisville's Calvin Pryor. Pryor was a talented former hard-hitting corner who turned into a talented hard-hitting safety in his junior year in school. At 5' 11"209 lbs. he looks like the average safety in the NFL probably would. He showed a knack for tackling and wrapping up the ball carrier, landing big hits, and playing the ball well in the air. In the end, all I am trying to say was I thought he or at least one the other safety in the draft that was first round material named Hasean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix would be that pick. Back to Fuller, he does have problems in things like recovering ground if he gets beat off the ball, does need to improve on being in the right spot where needed, needs to be a more solid tackler, and is also could become a problem in the injury department since his senior year was cut short thanks to season ending surgery in November. The one thing that I will not tolerate, nor any other fans, is the mental lapses that he has trouble with too much. Clips of his play are shown in highlights, but you can see that he might be a problem with holding and defensive pass interference penalties called. In the end, Kyle Fuller will need some real gritty work and time to develop him into a truly elite star defensive back.
2nd Round: DT Ego Ferguson
The Chicago Bears' 2nd round pick was just as many intended it to be: a run stopping defensive lineman. After last year's embarrassing fiasco in the run defense, the team drafted LSU defensive tackle Ego Ferguson.
The Good:Specifically, Ferguson was drafted because he is a physically gifted DT that has a keen sense for stopping the ball carrier in the back field. Now, another little thing about myself is that I love LSU football because of how they are capable of putting out NFL defensive talent every single year, and this year was no different. His size is perfect as he stands 6'3" and weighs about 315 lbs. The best thing about his stature is that he looks like a solidly-built defensive linemen. This helps Ferguson have a very explosive first step into his opponents on the OL along with quick moving hands to help fight off the block. Watching him play against teams like Alabama and Florida, Ferguson showed excellent vision and awareness on the line in being able to identify the ball carrier fairly quick in order to make the tackle. Even though his specialty can be seen in the run, his ability to disrupt the pass in notable as well when in the game against Alabama, he made sure that NFL prospect QB A.J. McCarron felt his presence in their game just about three or four times. Not too shabby against the defending national champs this past season. In the overall, Ego Ferguson has all the potential and skills that can allow him to become a starting defensive linemen in the NFL for the Bears, so long as he progresses and continues to get better and keep stopping the run.
The Bad: It pains me to do this to a defensive tackle from LSU, but even they have their downsides. Some of the knocks on Ego Ferguson is that while he has the ability to be explosive off the ball, he does not do it consistently enough. He also been noted as not having the instinctive quickness compared to some of the NFL Draft's pass rushing prospects. One of Ferguson's biggest issues is that he has trouble using his hands to control his opponents along with swipe and shed their hands off of him, which can lead him getting beat in one-on-one blocking situations. Another problem is in his pass rushing ability and needs to develop a balanced attack against both the run and the pass, especially since he only had just one sack at LSU in 2013. The other issue with Ferguson, which similar to Fuller's, is that he also has problem with having stupid penalties against him and has to become more disciplined in his game on the field. Overall, Ego Ferguson's going to need to bring his A-game to training camp if he is going to be one of two men in the middle.
3rd Round: DT Will Sutton
Again, it was just another pick that I think me and the fans of Chicago all saw coming for the Bears. In the 3rd round the NFL Draft, the Bears selected Arizona State defensive tackle Will Sutton.
The Good: Believe it or not, I had heard of this kid the year before in 2012, when ASU played against UCLA and Sutton blasted through the gap of the offensive line only to just miss a chance at sacking the quarterback. And when I say he blasted through, I mean he right through! He's only 6'1" but weighs 303 lbs. Sutton is just another reason why defensive linemen do not have to be like Jadeveon Clowney in order to be successful. Will Sutton has an explosive first step off the snap of the ball. His ability to use his vision to identify the ball carrier quickly and use his quickness to slide past offensive linemen in both the pass rush and stopping the run, makes him the type of defensive tackle that the Chicago Bears need in the middle. He also is one of those players that plays with "a chip on his shoulder" and can come back quickly from and/or even play through bumps and bruises that would sidelined most players. Along side his aggressive play, he has a motor that does not ever seem to quit and helps him be able to close on the tackle fast. His career stats from Arizona State over four years just helps boost his credibility as he recorded a total of 161 tackles, 45.5 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, and forced 4 fumbles which impressed people in 2012 when he was voted to the All-American team and was awarded Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. Overall, I could see Will Sutton paired up with rookie DT teammate Ego Ferguson and both of them becoming the starting defensive linemen in the middle so long as they both work hard and show that they can play at the next level.
The Bad: As good as Will Sutton sounds in his stats and even looks in his highlights, he does have some things that do need some working on and changing. Sutton has short arms and is considered undersized when compared to other defensive tackles in the NFL which could mean that his success could be very limited, but I doubt that it'll really be that much of an issue honestly. One issue with his physicality is that he maybe top heavy as most of the 303 lbs. are in his mid section while having smallish legs when compared to other NFL defensive tackles. His only was able to pull out 24 reps on the bench, which is low for DLs. This means that he will have to transition some of that weight in the middle into muscle in his arms so that he can be more dominant against blocks. He also has had problems with being able to secure the tackle to the ground and has a tendency to stop trying if he gets beat off the ball, which if he makes the starting lineup, had better be changed immediately. Sutton has also been called "too aggressive" at times and can take plays off once his high motor starts to heat up. Although he can play through pain and small bumps and bruises, he has trouble with more severe bumps and bruises because of quite a bit of double team blocking he was dealt in college. Speaking of college, Sutton also had a problem in that department when in 2010, he was named academically ineligible because, as he admitted, he was just "lazy". So when in comes to Will Sutton, he'll have to work on getting himself into a much stronger and more physically dominating shape along with keeping his aggressive style of play under control.
4th Round: S Brock Vereen
Finally, on the third day of the draft, the Chicago Bears drafted a safety. Late in the 4th round of the draft, after a trade with the Denver Broncos, the Bears decided to select Minnesota safety Brock Vereen.
The Good:Now, I've watched the Illinois Fightin Illini and Northwestern Wildcats play football in the Big Ten, but I never saw Brock Vereen when either of them played against Minnesota. After looking around for stuff on Vereen, I got to say that this unknown kid could be an asset to the team if they can develop his skills at safety more. A couple of things that stand out for me when looking at Vereen is his speed and quickness, vertical, and most especially his strength. His speed and quickness were shown as he was the top performer in the combine among safeties in the forty yard dash (4.47s), 3 cone drill (6.90s), and twenty yard shuttle (4.07s). As a safety, his vertical jump deserves mentioning and was about 34", which is about average for all DBs. But what is really impressive is his strength, which he showed off by hitting the bench press 25 times in the NFL Combine, ultimately making him the top performer out of both safeties and cornerbacks. His work ethic was seen in the combine as unbelievable as he just never seemed to stop trying to top his performance after the last one. Vereen showed that he also has great vision and sense of ball recognition skills on the field. Overall, Brock Vereen could be a potential starter at one of the safety positions, so long as the coaching staff is willing to work with him and try to see if he works in the system.
The Bad: I was surprised by the lack of issues that people had with Vereen. It might be because of the fact that he played at Minnesota University where he got almost little to no publicity because the Golden Gophers are not just not national spotlight news. Regardless, Brock Vereen does have some problems. One of them is that he is considered to have small hands, shorts arms, and not be bulky enough for a safety, which again, there is nothing that he can do about that nor do I believe any of that will be any kinds of an issues so long as he goes to his spot during the play. He will have trouble matching up against tight ends when in coverage. Though he can tackle the ball carrier to the ground, he does not deliver any kind of explosive blows or forceful hits. Along with those small hands that will supposedly hurt him, he struggles to get his hands on interceptions as he only has 4 INTs in his whole career at Minnesota. The other issue that the Bears must keep an eye on is his durability during the season. In the end, Brock Vereen will need to really step up to overcome his lack of physicality and stature in order to be a technically sound safety in Chicago's defensive back system.
4th Round: RB Ka'Deem Casey
Before the Chicago Bears drafted Brock Vereen, they had their very own 4th round pick, which they used to draft Arizona running back Ka'Deem Casey.
The Good:Casey is an Arizona native which mad e him considered the hometown hero and state prodigy of Arizona football considering how he played in high school, which he raked up about 4,500 rushing yards with 71 touchdowns in just the final two years of his high school career. But at Arizona University, he continued to impress the state, as well as the nation. From 2012 to 2013, Ka'Deem Casey rushed for a little over 3,800 yards and scored 42 touchdowns which put him in the ring as one of the nations most productive running backs. He has shown that his mentality and playing level is one that just will never allow him to quit or give up which makes him a hard RB to be able to knock down or off balance as his powerful legs pump away down the field and gets great leverage over the tacklers with his shoulders. All this makes his yards after contact an insane amount. Casey is also considered a strong receiver with "yards after the catch" running ability. One of his biggest upsides is his ability to be a work horse when running the ball, as he averaged 26 carries per game over his last two seasons. To sum up Ka'Deem Casey, I think he will be a strong backup for Matt Forte and could possibly even be considered the starting running back if Forte were to ever leave for some reason or when he retires.
The Bad: So when it comes to Ka'Deem Casey, one of his big problems that the supposed "experts" have listed is his lack of size. He stands 5'9" and weighs only 207 lbs. but size has never been an issue at RB. If you honestly think it is, just talk to Hall of Fame running backs Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith and current NFL RBs like 49ers' Frank Gore and Redskins' Alfred Morris. However, Casey is not like Sanders in that he does not have blazing 4.40s and under speed to match with his tough, power running back style. At the combine, Casey ran a 4.70s forty yard dash which is incredibly slow for a running back compared to this day and age. But again, Emmitt Smith's best forty yard dash time was 4.50s flat. More incredibly, both Frank Gore and Alfred Morris both had forty yard dash times around the low to mid 4.60s. In other words, I believe that none of those "problems" with his speed and size are really an issue at all. His biggest issue would be his ability to stay healthy for a whole season as he is a running back who has taken quite a bit of punishment after having some 850 carries in his career. Some teams were reported to have taken him off their draft boards as their was talk him being a controversial player with issues stemming from off-field altercations and suspensions. All in all, Ka'Deem Casey will need to prove his commitment to Chicago by having a strong training camp and should build himself up more in order to get faster, quicker, and be able to take the NFL's punishing hits.
6th Round: QB David Fales
After trading their 5th round pick to the Denver Broncos for the 4th round pick that became safety Brock Vereen, they waited till the 6th round to draft themselves a possible backup quarterback in San Jose State's QB David Fales.
The Good: David Fales is one of these kids that was is similar to Brock Vereen in that no one heard of them until the draft talk started, the combine, and then the draft itself started, but once you saw they were picked, their highlights and numbers said just how good they could be. Fales is one of these players that I can identify with as he is a hard working "gym rat" that is the first in the weight room and the last to leave, which makes him a well built and tough individual at QB (maybe he should teach Jay Cutler a few things). He has an easy and balanced dropback. One of his key components that the Chicago Bears most definitely loved was his ability to sell it to the defense on the play fakes. He shows a quick, clean release on the pass that gives him a good, accurate spiral when throwing short and medium passes. Fales shows great confidence in the pocket along with his competitive nature. His intangibles are considered outstanding in both his personal and football character. Those intangibles make him a great leader both vocally and by example to his teammates. An overall on David Fales, he will be a good backup for the Bears for years to come so long as he does not lose his drive and ability to work hard on and off the field.
The Bad: Like many of these picks, Fales is seen to be a QB that supposedly lacks the ideal height (didn't seem to bother Russell Wilson at all) and is considered to have relatively small hands (even though he'll hold it for maybe like three to five seconds per play). Another knock against Fales is that he is not considered a very mobile QB outside the pocket (which would be nice for a change considering Cutler) and inside as well. One problem that will time to develop is that his vision is not yet at the "NFL level" (whatever that means) and tends to stare down his target, which means that he could have some issues in making the right throws to the open man. Fales also will need to strengthen his arm, as he does not have the deep ball arm or straight line pass that NFL quarterbacks "should have" (I think that is a straight lie). The biggest thing that he'll to do is just grab more on the field experience, as he was only a two year starter at San Jose State University, but with a QB Guru head coach like Marc Trestman to soon get his hands on him, he'll surely improve. I basically am just trying to stick up to QB David Fales because, other than switching Jordan Lynch back to QB, he will be the only other backup QB to Cutler besides Jordan Palmer, who actually was the one who helped work out and train with Fales in Florida.
6th Round: K/P Pat O'Donnell
I think everyone was shocked by the Chicago Bears drafting a punter in the draft, as most teams wait till free agency to pick one up and try to develop them. But, in the 6th round, the team decided to go ahead and take Miami K/P Pat O'Donnell.
The Good: I was just in awe of the Bears "wasting" a pick on a player we probably would've picked up in free agency, but I looked into Pat O'Donnell more and I gotta tell you, there is a reason why he is on the SPECIAL team (It's because he is special if you didn't get it). The first think about this kid is he is a big punter. He stands 6'4" and weighs around 220 lbs. which already gives him a good advantage in the kicking game. Now most people do not ever watch the kickers and punters in the NFL Combine, but me being a football junkie and fan of the sports world, I decided to keep my eyes out on the them to see what they could do. When O'Donnell was up in the forty yard dash, his time was 4.64s which made him the fastest special teamer at the combine and could mean that we see the Bears do a couple of fake punts and trick plays with this kid. His strength was amazing as he banged out 23 reps on the bench press, again making him the top performer among the special teamers, but also he had done more reps than 6 tight ends, 19 running backs, 21 defensive linemen, and all 37 wide receivers. Now as a punter, that is definitely something. Along with that strength was a 30.5" vertical jump that will be promising if high snaps occur in punting situations. But lets talk about what he does best: kicking. O'Donnell started four out of five of his college years, with 3 of those 4 at Cincinnati and then spending his senior year at Miami, which means that we have a player with some strong experience. At Cincinnati, he averaged about 42.5 yards per punt in his three years as a starter there, with his longest punt being a 76 yarder. Once he had transferred to Miami, he set a school record by averaging 47.1 yards per punt, with his longest punt being a 71 yarder. If O'Donnell can bring those numbers to the Bears, then we'll be getting some prime field position for the defense to work against. One big positive I saw in his game was that he is one those special team kickers, that when it is just him at the return man, he is not afraid to try and take him down. Although he only made three tackles, his highlights (from what I could find) showed that he isn't afraid to get up and after the return man like the rest of the team. Essentially, I think Pat O'Donnell will be the punter that we've been looking for after the Adam Podlesh issues that occurred.
The Bad: Now that just tried to glorify a punter like O'Donnell, it's time to take a look at some of the things that might need fixing. One big thing is that his hang time can be inconsistent which means that prime field position could be a problem at times and possibly have some punts brought back for TDs. The inconsistency probably stems from trouble with placement and accuracy. Although O'Donnell had great combine numbers, overall he is just an average athlete at best. He also has been said to be very analytical and overthink easy and simple situations which could result in muffing snaps, whiffing kicks and punts, and miscommunication happening on the field. In the overall analysis of P Pat O'Donnell, he will simply have to get more mentally tough on the field which will come with time and experience. Plus, he'll have a great kicking teacher in Chicago's most beloved Robbie Gould.
7th Round: OT Charles Leno Jr.
If I did not understand the Bears drafting a punter, you probably can guess how I felt when they decided to go with an offensive linemen as their last pick. I thought that we had all the guys we needed for the OL, but the Bears went and drafted Boise State offensive tackle Charles Leno Jr. with their final pick of the draft in the 7th round.
The Good: I guess I can't be too critical toward Leno Jr. as he is a nice sized OL at 6'4" and 303 lbs. But that isn't what made me go "wow!"; that happened when I learned that his arm length is ridiculous! Now I played with teammates of mine at Glenbard North High School that were offensive line that were just as tall and big and I thought had some long arms, but Charles Leno Jr.'s arm length is 34 3/8" long! I love my teammates and respect them, but i don't think any of them extended that far out. Leno Jr. is considered a very talented pass protector, who once he is underneath guys, can move them wherever he wants. He has a good ability to get to the second level which means he could become a very versatile in the playing both offensive tackle and guard. He also demonstrates an ability to be durable and intelligent as he was a three year starter at Boise State at both left and right tackle. An sum up of OT Charles Leno Jr. would be that he could develop into a very good backup for either Jeremy Bushrod and/or Jordan Mills.
The Bad: So since I think everyone knows what's coming, lets get to it. Charles Leno Jr.'s biggest issue for the Bears could be that he tends to not perform very well when pass protecting and can even get walked back toward the QB. Another problem might be his impressively long arms. While they are his most impressive quality and greatest weapon against defenders, Leno Jr. also has a tendency to over extend and lose his balance. His hand placement is also considered too low, and the explosive pop that should come from the snap of the ball to his opponent's chest just does not seem to be there. Leno Jr. is considered a average strength OL as he only had 21 reps on the bench at the NFL Combine which restricts his ability to strong and leads to him catching guys. For OT Charles Leno Jr., He'll need to improve his strength and pass protection in order to make this Bears team that is starting to move into the NFL's "pass happy" game.
Undrafted: QB (RB) Jordan Lynch
Just one day after the 2014 NFL Draft concluded, the Chicago Bears were not done looking for players to sign onto the team by signing Northern Illinois' Heisman Trophy finalist QB (RB) Jordan Lynch.
The Good: First things first on Lynch, he's a hometown commodity, after playing at Chicago's Mount Carmel High School, where he played both quarterback and safety. He is considered quite a fiercely competitive athlete. Lynch's biggest plus side is that he is a physically tough runner that lowers his shoulder to blow up his opponents like any power running back in the NFL. At the combine, Lynch was able to post the best time (6.55s) in the three-cone shuttle drill to demonstrate his agility and showed off his ability to change directions in RB drills. Some experts believed him to be have talent that we had not seen in a QB since Michael Vick came into the NFL. Along with great physical skills, Lynch has amazing work habits to help craft those skills along with a fiery attitude that can help drive his teammates to play hard and with intensity. For QB (RB) Jordan Lynch, he'll be a very nice drawing card for the Bears if he is able to make the roster along with contributing to the the run game as he tries to make the teams as a RB, but since he played safety in high school, maybe he would be worth the look there.
The Bad: Now I continue to argue the height "issue" that seems to occur with the Bears' draft picks as Jordan Lynch's 6'0" stature is considered short to play QB (didn't stop QB Drew Brees from winning a Super Bowl). Another question mark that connects to his height was that he played out of the shotgun with a rolling pocket to help Lynch be able to see and scan the field, but that is if he ever gets a chance to play QB again (which he might). As a QB, many of the throws he made came from the bad habit of starring down his receivers and passing to those who were still targets. Probably the reason why he will be making the transition to RB in Chicago is because he almost always seemed to be very anxious to tuck and run the ball when in the pocket. If he does become a QB, he'll have to look at improving his overall accuracy, his timing, and anticipation. Overall, QB (RB) Jordan Lynch would need to improve his skills as a QB overall, but he will more than likely make the team as either a running back or possibly even a safety if they give him a try there (cause we might need him).
Team's Draft Analysis
Looking at what the Chicago Bears did in the 2014 NFL Draft, it's not too shabby. I personally would've gone a few different paths if I was the GM, but I'm only the fan who can write and speak my opinion. Once the season starts up, we'll all be able to see just what these draft picks can really do. As I think and picture the 2014 Chicago Bears' season kickoff, I see CB Kyle Fuller making it into the starting lineup at the nickel cornerback position, DTs Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton being in a situation rotation on the defensive line, S Brock Vereen and K/P Pat O'Donnell both making the starting lineup, RB Ka'Deem Casey and QB David Fales being the backups at their position, QB/RB Jordan Lynch making the practice squad, and Charles Leno Jr. released from the roster before the season starts.
1st Round: CB Kyle Fuller
So lets kick this off with what was good for the Chicago Bears in the 2014 NFL Draft. The first thing that was good was the team's first round pick, where at No. 14, the Bears drafted Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller.
The Good: Now, it is no surprise that the Bears have needed help in the secondary since about the time that Charles Tillman hit age 30. Not to say that Tillman still isn't a very good corner, but even I have to admit, he seems like he has lost a step in the speed department while continuing to hold onto intuitive ball hawk skills that have landed him 14 of his 36 INTs in four of all eleven seasons since being drafted by Chicago. Lucky for us, his talent and intelligence seemed to have rubbed off on his partner CB Tim Jennings, who has accumulated 16 INTs in the four seasons he has been with Chicago. But, a lot of the INTs comes from the fact that Tillman usually shuts down whoever their opponent's No. 1 wide receiver is that week. So now you're thinking, "why did he spend all that time on the Bears' corners right now and not Fuller?" Well, it was just to explain what his situation will be like in Chicago, in which he has two highly impressive veteran corners to learn from while transitioning to the NFL. Along with learning, Fuller comes into the Bears defense with a great assortment of skills such as 4.40s forty yard dash and a 38 1/2" vertical jump. This is all just proof that he is the perfect man to replace the aging hero Tillman once he has retires. His four years at Virginia Tech was pretty good, raking up 173 total tackles with 6 INTs and 4 forced fumbles. Not really anything phenomenal, but still proved himself to be one the draft's top CBs. The reason why I like Fuller is he has the 6' tall figure we need combined with the impressive speed we desire. Overall, Kyle Fuller will become a talented corner for the Bears in the long run, and if he can get into the action this season, the Bears defense will be just that much better.
The Bad: Now we cannot have one without the other so here we go. First things first, Fuller is a CORNERBACK, which means he will line up with a receiver most times on the line. Now yeas, The Bears do need help at cornerback, but not as bad as they need help at the safety positions behind them. In many mock drafts, experts thought Fuller would be a good pick for the Bears if he was still there at No. 14. They also said that a defensive tackle like Pittsburgh's Aaron Donald would be good, but there were other defensive linemen with promise to look at in later rounds. The player that many thought would be a good choice to help the Chicago Bears in the position of safety was Louisville's Calvin Pryor. Pryor was a talented former hard-hitting corner who turned into a talented hard-hitting safety in his junior year in school. At 5' 11"209 lbs. he looks like the average safety in the NFL probably would. He showed a knack for tackling and wrapping up the ball carrier, landing big hits, and playing the ball well in the air. In the end, all I am trying to say was I thought he or at least one the other safety in the draft that was first round material named Hasean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix would be that pick. Back to Fuller, he does have problems in things like recovering ground if he gets beat off the ball, does need to improve on being in the right spot where needed, needs to be a more solid tackler, and is also could become a problem in the injury department since his senior year was cut short thanks to season ending surgery in November. The one thing that I will not tolerate, nor any other fans, is the mental lapses that he has trouble with too much. Clips of his play are shown in highlights, but you can see that he might be a problem with holding and defensive pass interference penalties called. In the end, Kyle Fuller will need some real gritty work and time to develop him into a truly elite star defensive back.
2nd Round: DT Ego Ferguson
The Chicago Bears' 2nd round pick was just as many intended it to be: a run stopping defensive lineman. After last year's embarrassing fiasco in the run defense, the team drafted LSU defensive tackle Ego Ferguson.
The Good:Specifically, Ferguson was drafted because he is a physically gifted DT that has a keen sense for stopping the ball carrier in the back field. Now, another little thing about myself is that I love LSU football because of how they are capable of putting out NFL defensive talent every single year, and this year was no different. His size is perfect as he stands 6'3" and weighs about 315 lbs. The best thing about his stature is that he looks like a solidly-built defensive linemen. This helps Ferguson have a very explosive first step into his opponents on the OL along with quick moving hands to help fight off the block. Watching him play against teams like Alabama and Florida, Ferguson showed excellent vision and awareness on the line in being able to identify the ball carrier fairly quick in order to make the tackle. Even though his specialty can be seen in the run, his ability to disrupt the pass in notable as well when in the game against Alabama, he made sure that NFL prospect QB A.J. McCarron felt his presence in their game just about three or four times. Not too shabby against the defending national champs this past season. In the overall, Ego Ferguson has all the potential and skills that can allow him to become a starting defensive linemen in the NFL for the Bears, so long as he progresses and continues to get better and keep stopping the run.
The Bad: It pains me to do this to a defensive tackle from LSU, but even they have their downsides. Some of the knocks on Ego Ferguson is that while he has the ability to be explosive off the ball, he does not do it consistently enough. He also been noted as not having the instinctive quickness compared to some of the NFL Draft's pass rushing prospects. One of Ferguson's biggest issues is that he has trouble using his hands to control his opponents along with swipe and shed their hands off of him, which can lead him getting beat in one-on-one blocking situations. Another problem is in his pass rushing ability and needs to develop a balanced attack against both the run and the pass, especially since he only had just one sack at LSU in 2013. The other issue with Ferguson, which similar to Fuller's, is that he also has problem with having stupid penalties against him and has to become more disciplined in his game on the field. Overall, Ego Ferguson's going to need to bring his A-game to training camp if he is going to be one of two men in the middle.
3rd Round: DT Will Sutton
Again, it was just another pick that I think me and the fans of Chicago all saw coming for the Bears. In the 3rd round the NFL Draft, the Bears selected Arizona State defensive tackle Will Sutton.
The Good: Believe it or not, I had heard of this kid the year before in 2012, when ASU played against UCLA and Sutton blasted through the gap of the offensive line only to just miss a chance at sacking the quarterback. And when I say he blasted through, I mean he right through! He's only 6'1" but weighs 303 lbs. Sutton is just another reason why defensive linemen do not have to be like Jadeveon Clowney in order to be successful. Will Sutton has an explosive first step off the snap of the ball. His ability to use his vision to identify the ball carrier quickly and use his quickness to slide past offensive linemen in both the pass rush and stopping the run, makes him the type of defensive tackle that the Chicago Bears need in the middle. He also is one of those players that plays with "a chip on his shoulder" and can come back quickly from and/or even play through bumps and bruises that would sidelined most players. Along side his aggressive play, he has a motor that does not ever seem to quit and helps him be able to close on the tackle fast. His career stats from Arizona State over four years just helps boost his credibility as he recorded a total of 161 tackles, 45.5 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, and forced 4 fumbles which impressed people in 2012 when he was voted to the All-American team and was awarded Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. Overall, I could see Will Sutton paired up with rookie DT teammate Ego Ferguson and both of them becoming the starting defensive linemen in the middle so long as they both work hard and show that they can play at the next level.
The Bad: As good as Will Sutton sounds in his stats and even looks in his highlights, he does have some things that do need some working on and changing. Sutton has short arms and is considered undersized when compared to other defensive tackles in the NFL which could mean that his success could be very limited, but I doubt that it'll really be that much of an issue honestly. One issue with his physicality is that he maybe top heavy as most of the 303 lbs. are in his mid section while having smallish legs when compared to other NFL defensive tackles. His only was able to pull out 24 reps on the bench, which is low for DLs. This means that he will have to transition some of that weight in the middle into muscle in his arms so that he can be more dominant against blocks. He also has had problems with being able to secure the tackle to the ground and has a tendency to stop trying if he gets beat off the ball, which if he makes the starting lineup, had better be changed immediately. Sutton has also been called "too aggressive" at times and can take plays off once his high motor starts to heat up. Although he can play through pain and small bumps and bruises, he has trouble with more severe bumps and bruises because of quite a bit of double team blocking he was dealt in college. Speaking of college, Sutton also had a problem in that department when in 2010, he was named academically ineligible because, as he admitted, he was just "lazy". So when in comes to Will Sutton, he'll have to work on getting himself into a much stronger and more physically dominating shape along with keeping his aggressive style of play under control.
4th Round: S Brock Vereen
Finally, on the third day of the draft, the Chicago Bears drafted a safety. Late in the 4th round of the draft, after a trade with the Denver Broncos, the Bears decided to select Minnesota safety Brock Vereen.
The Good:Now, I've watched the Illinois Fightin Illini and Northwestern Wildcats play football in the Big Ten, but I never saw Brock Vereen when either of them played against Minnesota. After looking around for stuff on Vereen, I got to say that this unknown kid could be an asset to the team if they can develop his skills at safety more. A couple of things that stand out for me when looking at Vereen is his speed and quickness, vertical, and most especially his strength. His speed and quickness were shown as he was the top performer in the combine among safeties in the forty yard dash (4.47s), 3 cone drill (6.90s), and twenty yard shuttle (4.07s). As a safety, his vertical jump deserves mentioning and was about 34", which is about average for all DBs. But what is really impressive is his strength, which he showed off by hitting the bench press 25 times in the NFL Combine, ultimately making him the top performer out of both safeties and cornerbacks. His work ethic was seen in the combine as unbelievable as he just never seemed to stop trying to top his performance after the last one. Vereen showed that he also has great vision and sense of ball recognition skills on the field. Overall, Brock Vereen could be a potential starter at one of the safety positions, so long as the coaching staff is willing to work with him and try to see if he works in the system.
The Bad: I was surprised by the lack of issues that people had with Vereen. It might be because of the fact that he played at Minnesota University where he got almost little to no publicity because the Golden Gophers are not just not national spotlight news. Regardless, Brock Vereen does have some problems. One of them is that he is considered to have small hands, shorts arms, and not be bulky enough for a safety, which again, there is nothing that he can do about that nor do I believe any of that will be any kinds of an issues so long as he goes to his spot during the play. He will have trouble matching up against tight ends when in coverage. Though he can tackle the ball carrier to the ground, he does not deliver any kind of explosive blows or forceful hits. Along with those small hands that will supposedly hurt him, he struggles to get his hands on interceptions as he only has 4 INTs in his whole career at Minnesota. The other issue that the Bears must keep an eye on is his durability during the season. In the end, Brock Vereen will need to really step up to overcome his lack of physicality and stature in order to be a technically sound safety in Chicago's defensive back system.
4th Round: RB Ka'Deem Casey
Before the Chicago Bears drafted Brock Vereen, they had their very own 4th round pick, which they used to draft Arizona running back Ka'Deem Casey.
The Good:Casey is an Arizona native which mad e him considered the hometown hero and state prodigy of Arizona football considering how he played in high school, which he raked up about 4,500 rushing yards with 71 touchdowns in just the final two years of his high school career. But at Arizona University, he continued to impress the state, as well as the nation. From 2012 to 2013, Ka'Deem Casey rushed for a little over 3,800 yards and scored 42 touchdowns which put him in the ring as one of the nations most productive running backs. He has shown that his mentality and playing level is one that just will never allow him to quit or give up which makes him a hard RB to be able to knock down or off balance as his powerful legs pump away down the field and gets great leverage over the tacklers with his shoulders. All this makes his yards after contact an insane amount. Casey is also considered a strong receiver with "yards after the catch" running ability. One of his biggest upsides is his ability to be a work horse when running the ball, as he averaged 26 carries per game over his last two seasons. To sum up Ka'Deem Casey, I think he will be a strong backup for Matt Forte and could possibly even be considered the starting running back if Forte were to ever leave for some reason or when he retires.
The Bad: So when it comes to Ka'Deem Casey, one of his big problems that the supposed "experts" have listed is his lack of size. He stands 5'9" and weighs only 207 lbs. but size has never been an issue at RB. If you honestly think it is, just talk to Hall of Fame running backs Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith and current NFL RBs like 49ers' Frank Gore and Redskins' Alfred Morris. However, Casey is not like Sanders in that he does not have blazing 4.40s and under speed to match with his tough, power running back style. At the combine, Casey ran a 4.70s forty yard dash which is incredibly slow for a running back compared to this day and age. But again, Emmitt Smith's best forty yard dash time was 4.50s flat. More incredibly, both Frank Gore and Alfred Morris both had forty yard dash times around the low to mid 4.60s. In other words, I believe that none of those "problems" with his speed and size are really an issue at all. His biggest issue would be his ability to stay healthy for a whole season as he is a running back who has taken quite a bit of punishment after having some 850 carries in his career. Some teams were reported to have taken him off their draft boards as their was talk him being a controversial player with issues stemming from off-field altercations and suspensions. All in all, Ka'Deem Casey will need to prove his commitment to Chicago by having a strong training camp and should build himself up more in order to get faster, quicker, and be able to take the NFL's punishing hits.
6th Round: QB David Fales
After trading their 5th round pick to the Denver Broncos for the 4th round pick that became safety Brock Vereen, they waited till the 6th round to draft themselves a possible backup quarterback in San Jose State's QB David Fales.
The Good: David Fales is one of these kids that was is similar to Brock Vereen in that no one heard of them until the draft talk started, the combine, and then the draft itself started, but once you saw they were picked, their highlights and numbers said just how good they could be. Fales is one of these players that I can identify with as he is a hard working "gym rat" that is the first in the weight room and the last to leave, which makes him a well built and tough individual at QB (maybe he should teach Jay Cutler a few things). He has an easy and balanced dropback. One of his key components that the Chicago Bears most definitely loved was his ability to sell it to the defense on the play fakes. He shows a quick, clean release on the pass that gives him a good, accurate spiral when throwing short and medium passes. Fales shows great confidence in the pocket along with his competitive nature. His intangibles are considered outstanding in both his personal and football character. Those intangibles make him a great leader both vocally and by example to his teammates. An overall on David Fales, he will be a good backup for the Bears for years to come so long as he does not lose his drive and ability to work hard on and off the field.
The Bad: Like many of these picks, Fales is seen to be a QB that supposedly lacks the ideal height (didn't seem to bother Russell Wilson at all) and is considered to have relatively small hands (even though he'll hold it for maybe like three to five seconds per play). Another knock against Fales is that he is not considered a very mobile QB outside the pocket (which would be nice for a change considering Cutler) and inside as well. One problem that will time to develop is that his vision is not yet at the "NFL level" (whatever that means) and tends to stare down his target, which means that he could have some issues in making the right throws to the open man. Fales also will need to strengthen his arm, as he does not have the deep ball arm or straight line pass that NFL quarterbacks "should have" (I think that is a straight lie). The biggest thing that he'll to do is just grab more on the field experience, as he was only a two year starter at San Jose State University, but with a QB Guru head coach like Marc Trestman to soon get his hands on him, he'll surely improve. I basically am just trying to stick up to QB David Fales because, other than switching Jordan Lynch back to QB, he will be the only other backup QB to Cutler besides Jordan Palmer, who actually was the one who helped work out and train with Fales in Florida.
6th Round: K/P Pat O'Donnell
I think everyone was shocked by the Chicago Bears drafting a punter in the draft, as most teams wait till free agency to pick one up and try to develop them. But, in the 6th round, the team decided to go ahead and take Miami K/P Pat O'Donnell.
The Good: I was just in awe of the Bears "wasting" a pick on a player we probably would've picked up in free agency, but I looked into Pat O'Donnell more and I gotta tell you, there is a reason why he is on the SPECIAL team (It's because he is special if you didn't get it). The first think about this kid is he is a big punter. He stands 6'4" and weighs around 220 lbs. which already gives him a good advantage in the kicking game. Now most people do not ever watch the kickers and punters in the NFL Combine, but me being a football junkie and fan of the sports world, I decided to keep my eyes out on the them to see what they could do. When O'Donnell was up in the forty yard dash, his time was 4.64s which made him the fastest special teamer at the combine and could mean that we see the Bears do a couple of fake punts and trick plays with this kid. His strength was amazing as he banged out 23 reps on the bench press, again making him the top performer among the special teamers, but also he had done more reps than 6 tight ends, 19 running backs, 21 defensive linemen, and all 37 wide receivers. Now as a punter, that is definitely something. Along with that strength was a 30.5" vertical jump that will be promising if high snaps occur in punting situations. But lets talk about what he does best: kicking. O'Donnell started four out of five of his college years, with 3 of those 4 at Cincinnati and then spending his senior year at Miami, which means that we have a player with some strong experience. At Cincinnati, he averaged about 42.5 yards per punt in his three years as a starter there, with his longest punt being a 76 yarder. Once he had transferred to Miami, he set a school record by averaging 47.1 yards per punt, with his longest punt being a 71 yarder. If O'Donnell can bring those numbers to the Bears, then we'll be getting some prime field position for the defense to work against. One big positive I saw in his game was that he is one those special team kickers, that when it is just him at the return man, he is not afraid to try and take him down. Although he only made three tackles, his highlights (from what I could find) showed that he isn't afraid to get up and after the return man like the rest of the team. Essentially, I think Pat O'Donnell will be the punter that we've been looking for after the Adam Podlesh issues that occurred.
The Bad: Now that just tried to glorify a punter like O'Donnell, it's time to take a look at some of the things that might need fixing. One big thing is that his hang time can be inconsistent which means that prime field position could be a problem at times and possibly have some punts brought back for TDs. The inconsistency probably stems from trouble with placement and accuracy. Although O'Donnell had great combine numbers, overall he is just an average athlete at best. He also has been said to be very analytical and overthink easy and simple situations which could result in muffing snaps, whiffing kicks and punts, and miscommunication happening on the field. In the overall analysis of P Pat O'Donnell, he will simply have to get more mentally tough on the field which will come with time and experience. Plus, he'll have a great kicking teacher in Chicago's most beloved Robbie Gould.
7th Round: OT Charles Leno Jr.
If I did not understand the Bears drafting a punter, you probably can guess how I felt when they decided to go with an offensive linemen as their last pick. I thought that we had all the guys we needed for the OL, but the Bears went and drafted Boise State offensive tackle Charles Leno Jr. with their final pick of the draft in the 7th round.
The Good: I guess I can't be too critical toward Leno Jr. as he is a nice sized OL at 6'4" and 303 lbs. But that isn't what made me go "wow!"; that happened when I learned that his arm length is ridiculous! Now I played with teammates of mine at Glenbard North High School that were offensive line that were just as tall and big and I thought had some long arms, but Charles Leno Jr.'s arm length is 34 3/8" long! I love my teammates and respect them, but i don't think any of them extended that far out. Leno Jr. is considered a very talented pass protector, who once he is underneath guys, can move them wherever he wants. He has a good ability to get to the second level which means he could become a very versatile in the playing both offensive tackle and guard. He also demonstrates an ability to be durable and intelligent as he was a three year starter at Boise State at both left and right tackle. An sum up of OT Charles Leno Jr. would be that he could develop into a very good backup for either Jeremy Bushrod and/or Jordan Mills.
The Bad: So since I think everyone knows what's coming, lets get to it. Charles Leno Jr.'s biggest issue for the Bears could be that he tends to not perform very well when pass protecting and can even get walked back toward the QB. Another problem might be his impressively long arms. While they are his most impressive quality and greatest weapon against defenders, Leno Jr. also has a tendency to over extend and lose his balance. His hand placement is also considered too low, and the explosive pop that should come from the snap of the ball to his opponent's chest just does not seem to be there. Leno Jr. is considered a average strength OL as he only had 21 reps on the bench at the NFL Combine which restricts his ability to strong and leads to him catching guys. For OT Charles Leno Jr., He'll need to improve his strength and pass protection in order to make this Bears team that is starting to move into the NFL's "pass happy" game.
Undrafted: QB (RB) Jordan Lynch
Just one day after the 2014 NFL Draft concluded, the Chicago Bears were not done looking for players to sign onto the team by signing Northern Illinois' Heisman Trophy finalist QB (RB) Jordan Lynch.
The Good: First things first on Lynch, he's a hometown commodity, after playing at Chicago's Mount Carmel High School, where he played both quarterback and safety. He is considered quite a fiercely competitive athlete. Lynch's biggest plus side is that he is a physically tough runner that lowers his shoulder to blow up his opponents like any power running back in the NFL. At the combine, Lynch was able to post the best time (6.55s) in the three-cone shuttle drill to demonstrate his agility and showed off his ability to change directions in RB drills. Some experts believed him to be have talent that we had not seen in a QB since Michael Vick came into the NFL. Along with great physical skills, Lynch has amazing work habits to help craft those skills along with a fiery attitude that can help drive his teammates to play hard and with intensity. For QB (RB) Jordan Lynch, he'll be a very nice drawing card for the Bears if he is able to make the roster along with contributing to the the run game as he tries to make the teams as a RB, but since he played safety in high school, maybe he would be worth the look there.
The Bad: Now I continue to argue the height "issue" that seems to occur with the Bears' draft picks as Jordan Lynch's 6'0" stature is considered short to play QB (didn't stop QB Drew Brees from winning a Super Bowl). Another question mark that connects to his height was that he played out of the shotgun with a rolling pocket to help Lynch be able to see and scan the field, but that is if he ever gets a chance to play QB again (which he might). As a QB, many of the throws he made came from the bad habit of starring down his receivers and passing to those who were still targets. Probably the reason why he will be making the transition to RB in Chicago is because he almost always seemed to be very anxious to tuck and run the ball when in the pocket. If he does become a QB, he'll have to look at improving his overall accuracy, his timing, and anticipation. Overall, QB (RB) Jordan Lynch would need to improve his skills as a QB overall, but he will more than likely make the team as either a running back or possibly even a safety if they give him a try there (cause we might need him).
Team's Draft Analysis
Looking at what the Chicago Bears did in the 2014 NFL Draft, it's not too shabby. I personally would've gone a few different paths if I was the GM, but I'm only the fan who can write and speak my opinion. Once the season starts up, we'll all be able to see just what these draft picks can really do. As I think and picture the 2014 Chicago Bears' season kickoff, I see CB Kyle Fuller making it into the starting lineup at the nickel cornerback position, DTs Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton being in a situation rotation on the defensive line, S Brock Vereen and K/P Pat O'Donnell both making the starting lineup, RB Ka'Deem Casey and QB David Fales being the backups at their position, QB/RB Jordan Lynch making the practice squad, and Charles Leno Jr. released from the roster before the season starts.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
The 2014 NFL Draft: Picks #6 to #10
Well, it's been quite some time since I last had free time to write, but now that I have the chance, it's time to talk more on the draft as it creeps closer to the date of May 7th. If you follow and read my blog, then you may have seen where I talked about and gave my incite as just what the first five picks in the 2014 NFL Draft could potentially look like. Now obviously, I'm no expert. I'm just a huge fan of football and love o look and study the game as much as I can. But, I feel confident that my picks are are a fair evaluation of what could occur based on the needs of the NFL teams and the players that are entering the NFL Draft this year. So to continue with my predictions, I present my thoughts and predictions on the draft picks No. 6 through No. 10.
Quick Note: There are two terms that I will use for each new player I put on the list whenever I am writing about draft prospects for any sport. My first is what I call a "Fine Wine" player, meaning that while he may not be a starter or Pro Bowler his first year, which some time and development, they will become better like Fine Wine. The other term I use is called a "Win-Now" player, which means that the player's skills seem strictly suited for making an impact now and a few years more before leaving to go elsewhere.
Quick Note: There are two terms that I will use for each new player I put on the list whenever I am writing about draft prospects for any sport. My first is what I call a "Fine Wine" player, meaning that while he may not be a starter or Pro Bowler his first year, which some time and development, they will become better like Fine Wine. The other term I use is called a "Win-Now" player, which means that the player's skills seem strictly suited for making an impact now and a few years more before leaving to go elsewhere.
No. 6 Overall Pick: Atlanta Falcons
So the Atlanta Falcons did not have themselves a championship season like many were predicting they would, finishing with 4-12 record. The Falcons' No. 6 overall pick is a good place for them because it seems to me that it will help "trim away the fat" leaving several choices to be made depending on who gets draft by what team. Some thought for a time after the season, that Jadeveon Clowney would be a good pick at No. 6 in order to bring back the size and speed they once had in former defensive end and current Arizona Cardinals Linebacker John Abraham. But more than likely, Clowney will be leaving the board in the Top 5 of the draft. So who would be good the Atlanta? Well, if we stick to defense, Buffalo outside linebacker Khalil Mack would be a good pickup here. His strength, speed, and versatility to play either defensive end or linebacker would upgrade the Falcons tremendously after finishing 21st in opposing passing yards and 31st in opposing rushing yards. One of the big options that have been mentioned lately for the team is to take an offensive lineman, specifically an offensive tackle. If that's the case, then the Falcons could turn to Greg Robinson or Jake Matthews as potential picks depending on what the top 5 teams do. Both men are about the same size as fair as height (6' 5") and weight (average 315 lbs. between two) go, but Robinson differs as a more athletic and quicker offensive lineman whereas Jake Matthews is more of a bulldozer and overpower type of offensive lineman. The offensive tackle that experts and analysts see the Falcons drafting seems to be Michigan's Taylor Lewan. Lewan was quite a force on the Michigan Wolverines' offensive line. His teammate, quarterback Devin Gardner, said that Lewan was the team's "enforcer" and I can see why. His draft status is supported by his size of 6' 7" 309 lbs., quickness (4.79s 40 yd dash), and strength. His aggressive and gritty personality on the field is the question mark as it could lead him to be the next Incognito (not bullying wise), but if he learns to keep it under control and uses it right, his aggressive and gritty play could be his greatest asset to the team. He has also has some questionable conduct off the field, as he is expected to be charged with aggravated assault and two counts of assault and battery which could prove to be the beginning of a bad habit. But overall football wise, he seems like that type of guy you'd want for your offensive line in order to add some beef to it. However, I do see Lewan as more of a "Win-Now" player as of now, but over time, experience, and control over his anger, he could be valued as "Fine Wine". There is another possible choice that few have mentioned for a defensive pick, and that pick is UCLA outside linebacker Anthony Barr. At 6' 5" 255 lbs., he is one of the biggest linebackers in the draft. What is even more incredible from his size, is the set a skills that he carries with quickness and a niche for getting past his man. But like every player, Barr has his downsides. His highlights have shown a player that lacks the natural ability to pick up the ball carrier and can often be fooled by the simplest juke or move. He also lacks the strength that is desired for someone at his size and tends to jump offsides if tempted just right. There's no doubt that Anthony Barr is good, but needs time develop his game before he becomes an true NFL starter, and even then, I think he his only going to be a "Win-Now" player just based on what his skills are now. All in all, I think Atlanta will look at taking an offensive tackle with either Lewan or Matthews, or OLB Khalil Mack.
No. 7 Overall Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay having the No. 7 pick is right where they usually land it seems. The top ten picks are no stranger to this team, but it is becoming familiar with the Bucs making good picks now. Tampa Bay is looking to make a changing impact that started with Greg Shiano's firing, a new logo, and new uniforms. The biggest change hopefully will be the 4-12 record the team posted last season. As I've seen and heard, the Bucs are being looked at to take Texas A&M's wide receiver Mike Evans. Evans was Johnny Manziel's favorite target over the past two seasons at Texas A&M, in which Evans had 151 total receptions for 2,499 total receiving yards and 17 total receiving touchdowns. Mike Evans is one of the tallest wide outs in the draft, standing at 6' 5" and weighing at 231 lbs. Along with his height, his 37 inch vertical jump and 4.53s 40 yd dash make him a deadly weapon in the passing game for any team looking to give their quarterback a package-deal wide out. not to mention his size and strength makes him a perfect receiver to throw the ball to and get yards after the catch. Now in the NFL, a 4.53s 40 yd dash is not very impressive for a wide receiver and is deemed as slow, but with Mike Evans' size, I think it fits him perfectly to be a wide out at best and a slot receiver at the least. Also, because of his size, Evans has not really grasp the ability to run every type of route there is to run in the NFL. Most times, he tried to beat guys down the field and if he couldn't, he used his 6' 5" figure and 37 in. vertical to get the ball. The other route always seemed to be a comeback route or curl of some sort because Johnny would hold the ball too long and under throw or because Evans couldn't beat his man one-on-one. If Mike Evans does land in Tampa Bay at No. 7, quarterback Josh McCown will have a field day with him and the other 6' 5" wide out Vincent Jackson, who Evans has been compared to quite a bit. In my opinion, I think Mike Evans will be a "Fine Wine" player for whichever team drafts him, so long as he stays healthy and out of trouble. Another pick here, though very slim, could be a quarterback like the Florida native and Central Florida's Blake Bortles or even Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel. However, I don't think Bortles will be on the board very long and Manziel is a question mark on where he may land. Plus, with Mike Glennon being drafted last year and signing Chicago Bears' backup QB Josh McCown this offseason, the desire for another QB wouldn't come till maybe about the 6th or 7th round. There could be a chance that they take an offensive lineman like Jake Matthews or Taylor Lewan, depending on how the other teams draft. Lewan I think could be that guy, but there is also Notre Dame's Zach Martin. Martin is shorter (6' 4") than Taylor Lewan, but weighs about the same amount. Martin's positives include quick feet and movement, strong upper and lower body, and very nice vision. some of his setbacks are that his arm length could make him easy to move around for the NFL's tall, strong defensive linemen. He also has trouble with staying balanced against some opponents and does not have much experience at guard which many believe he will move. For Zach Martin, I think he has what it takes to be a very talented and versatile offensive lineman which is why I say he seems like a "Fine Wine" player. In my opinion, I think that an offensive tackle will be the direction the Tampa Bay Buccaneers go in.
No. 8 Overall Pick: Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota had quite a few struggles over last season, particularly to find themselves a consistent quarterback that they could stick in as the starter and win. Their season ended with record of 5-10-1. But, the team went through three different quarterbacks in Matt Cassel, Josh Freeman, and Christian Ponder. So after hearing that, many of people would perceive the Vikings to go and take a quarterback. But the question is: which one? The way I view it, both quarterbacks Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater (while some have listed being at the No. 8 overall pick) will probably be gone within the top 5 picks. And while OLB Khalil Mack could still be there for the Vikings, I think they'll either miss him to Atlanta or just stick with a QB, So then that leaves college's most exciting yet questionable quarterback, Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M. Johnny has been seen as a good fit for the Vikings. Some have drawn comparison to former Vikings and Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton with Johnny's ability to be shifty and elusive in order to escape pressure and is also seen as too small to play quarterback. Honestly, I'm not a fan at all of Manziel because of all his off field problems that I think will reappear on the pro level and that his personality comes off very cocky and arrogant in the wrong way. But, I could see him being good for the Minnesota Vikings by bringing some excitement to the team and helping take some pressure off of Vikings' Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson. Plus then I'd get to see my Chicago Bears play volleyball with him all day. But there are other quarterbacks out there in the draft that have that "it" factor to their names [Warning: this could be a long one]. The first quarterback I'd recommend to the Vikings is Alabama's A.J. McCarron. At 6' 3" 220 lbs., A.J. definitely passes the eye candy test as far as prototypical quarterbacks go. And although his combine numbers were nothing spectacular, you still have to marvel in amazement at this guy throwing the football. Like probably quite of few of you, I hate hearing about how great and mighty Alabama football will be. Plus, I've been an LSU Tigers fan since the Saban years so it hurts even more. But there's no doubt, I love what I've seen from McCarron. In his three seasons at Bama, A.J. McCarron had a great career, finishing with a 36-4 record, three national championships, and school records in passing yards in a season (3,063) and career (10,019) while also holding the record for most passing touchdowns in a career (77). He has been deemed by some as being the best "NFL Ready" QB, which much thanks coming from Saban and the Crimson Tide. Just some of things he does so great are his ability to work in the pocket, use his stellar vision to see the entire field, has a nice soft touch on the ball to make it easy to catch, is very accurate in throwing football, and has a confident vibe he gives off when he is under center and off the field. Some of his skills that are seen as a possible issue are that he does not possess a great bombing arm, and he tends to have the ball float in the air instead of fly. In hindsight, I believe that A.J. McCarron is the best "Fine Wine" player because he seems like he wouldn't need 3 or even 2 years of just sitting and learning. The other QB I think they might show interest in is Fresno State's Derek Carr. So if you are wondering, yes he is the younger brother of former No. 1 overall pick from of Fresno State, quarterback David Carr. So there are some that think he's gonna be the same at David. But, Derek's highlights showed more positives to his name than Derek's highlights did. the first thing you notice about Carr is that big arm of his. At an average height of 6' 2" and about 215 lbs., I was almost shocked to he him launch that rocket down field. The next thing is his ability to read a defense and make plays on the fly with his rocket arm. Now of course, Derek Carr is not perfect. He has had some instances throughout his college career where his accuracy was just not on which is something Minnesota cannot afford. He also tends to become raddled and make poor choices when pressure is one the way toward him. As far as Carr, I think his skills are one of a "Win-Now" player and could potentially grow into a "Fine Wine" with the right coaching and system in place. As for this pick, I find it being a three way tie between Manziel, McCarron, and Carr. But keep in mind that both Johnny and A.J. have faced off twice before and both have are 1-1 against each other.
No. 9 Overall Pick: Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills have gone through a lot this past season and offseason. The regular season was filled with combination of both injuries and inconsistent play, which got them to a 6-10 record at the end. The offseason wasn't any better. The worst new came this past March when the Buffalo Bills' owner, Ralph Wilson, pasted away after being the longest active owner in the NFL. But, I wouldn't doubt that the intelligent businessman that Mr. Wilson was did not let his voice go unheard in what to do with the No. 9 pick. The Bills' free agency has been good as so far they've been able to sign LBs Brandon Spikes and Keith Rivers, and OL Chris Williams. Now, as far as the No. 9 pick goes, just where do the Bills go to? Many experts have the team pegged all over the board in what they might draft. One definite possibility is for them to take a linebacker. Of course, Buffalo's Khalil Mack has got to be named here because he could be there for the Bills, which would give them a team with a devastating, pass rushing trio just from the linebacker corp of Mack, Kiko Alonso, and Mario Williams. The other linebacker that they could take is UCLA outside linebacker Anthony Barr, giving Buffalo a Twin Towers effect between Barr (6' 5" 255lbs.) and Williams (6' 6" 292 lbs.) that could probably intimidate a majority of teams' offenses. Yet it's the linebacker that no one is really talking about, that just might be the one with the best body of work and best chances. I am talking about Alabama inside linebacker C.J. Mosley. Mosley is rated the best ILB in the draft and has been projected as going as high as the top 10 and about as low as either No. 21 or No. 22 in the draft. But I have got to say that I think Mosley is the best overall Alabama linebacker to be in the draft out of those that have come out from the three championship seasons with Nick Saban. So what makes C.J. Mosley so amazing? Well one is that his looks the part of an NFL linebacker. Mosley stands 6' 2" and weighs in at about 235 lbs. which sounds like every other middle linebacker already in the NFL. His 4.63s 40 yd dash isn't crazy fast, but shows that his ability to move is there. Mosley also has 35 inch vertical jump, which will be handy in knocking down passes that come in his zone. But besides the combine stuff, his on-field play in amazing. He has a big explosive first step, hits hard, wraps up ball carrier in a tight grip, really good in coverage, studies film like crazy, and has the greatest attitude and enthusiasm on the field in order to get the job done. He seems like he would be a good pick to have, but he does have his flaws. Although he is 235 lbs., Mosley's frame is considered to be on the narrow side of things. His biggest thing that teams are concerned for is his health, as Mosley has had injuries to his elbow, shoulder, and hip that could potentially come back to haunt him and the team that drafts him. He also showed signs of struggling against tight ends that have abilities similar to those of Jimmy Graham and Vernon Davis, who would come out of the slot and go either cross field or head straight up the field. For me, I think Mosley is a "Win-Now" type of player, mostly because I feel that his injuries shall return and slow him down some in his ability to progress. Aside from defense, there talk on them possibly looking toward offense as well. Some experts think that they may take Notre Dame's OT Zach Martin to help give protection to Bills' starting quarterback E.J. Manuel. But, there seems to be more of a necessity to give Manuel some fresh targets to throw to next season. There are a few analysts that have Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans going to the Bills at No. 9, but more than likely, it would be North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron. Ebron is one of these tight ends that shows an ability very similar to that of Vernon Davis, meaning he is versatile in playing as both a down-on-the-line tight end or a possible slot receiver option. His combine numbers very nice with 4.60s 40 yd dash, 24 reps on bench, a 32 inch vertical, and a 10 ft. broad jump which shows that he has a great set and assortment of skills already. Ebron is also equipped with and figure that is 6' 4" 250 lbs. with some very "handy" 10 inch hands to be able to grab the ball out of the air. Now, he is considered a bit small when it comes to tight ends and also needs to show a more effective ability to block in both the pass and especially the run game. But I think it's fair to say that Ebron's skills will be better suited as a pass catcher than a blocking tight end. His biggest detriment may turn out to be his excessive taunting and boasting if someone doesn't have a talk with Ebron, someone put him in his place on the practice field, or he just realizes that he has to cut it out. Depsite his downsides, I see Ebron becoming a "Fine Wine" player over the next few seasons if he lands with the Bills or another team looking to take a top tight end that can snatch balls out of the air. AS far as what I believe will happen with Buffalo, I think the Bills will consider taking an LB in either Mosley or Barr, or possibly TE Eric Ebron, but only if the best offensive linemen on the board are already gone.
No. 10 Overall Pick: Detroit Lions
Ok, so I think we all saw this one coming...once again. The Lions are holding another top 10 pick with the No. 10 overall pick after a 7-9 regular season record that ended with even more bad news when one of the two of the longest NFL owners, William Clay Ford Jr. (other being former Bills' owner Ralph Wilson) pasted away at the end of the season. So the Lions are definitely looking to get this pick right and start becoming competitive. Now, I have heard a lot of people, friends, and a few experts that are saying that this could be the pick that either "makes" or "breaks" this team for the playoffs for possibly the next two seasons. So before we go flying off the edge on something like that, lets see some possibilities could be there for the Detroit Lions to take at No. 10. So, some of the possible picks could be some repeat names (of course) in TE Eric Ebron, OT Taylor Lewan, and WR Mike Evans. Ebron doesn't make much sense because of then already having tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Lewan would help upgrade to offensive line and protection from QB Matthew Stafford, but the seem to good with the offensive line that they have. Now, WR Mike Evans might be a possible pick there at No. 10 in order to make the Lions a devastating passing attack with All Pro, Pro Bowl wide receiver Calvin Johnson (6' 5"), tight end Brandon Pettigrew (6' 6"), and the other man that showed off his impressive skills to be a productive wide out and slot receiver option in Kris Durham (6' 6"). With Evans (6' 5"), the Lions would have the NFL's tallest receiving corp of the year, and quite possibly in NFL history. Currently, there are many analysts are projecting the Lions to take a defensive back with the No. 10 overall pick, in which the experts are naming Alabama safety Hasean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix. This guy's nickname, "Ha Ha", was enough to make me notice, but his playing ability is right there too. Clinton-Dix is one of these 6' 1" 208 lbs. safeties that has an ability to play like a linebacker in the box. He has shown decent speed with a 4.58s 40 yd dash, but in the game, his closing speed on the ball carrier seems to be faster than that. He shows a good ability to track the ball down and is great support in the secondary. Clinton-Dix also has shown in his highlights that he can certainly put a lick on someone whenever possible. To some, he can best compared to Seattle Seahawks' safety Earl Thomas. In my opinion, he reminds me quite a bit of former Lions and current Miami Dolphins safety Louis Delmas, with his ability to hit receivers hard coming across the middle, and occasionally can make the clutch interception. However, Clinton-Dix downfalls seem to be that he can be overaggressive in the game and lunge at his opponents with no control which causes him to miss tackles here and there, but those tackles he does make are mostly the "big hit" type where he leads with his shoulder, causing him to miss those tackles and give up easy makable plays. He also has a problem with getting fooled very easily by ball carriers who are known for being very shifty. For "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix, I think his future will be a short one as he shows his talents as a "Win Now" type of football player. The other DB that is predicted to be here could be Oklahoma State's star cornerback Justin Gilbert. Right from the start, Gilbert physically looks like an NFL ready corner with a 6' 1" 202 lbs. frame. What is truly amazing is that he ran a 4.31s 40 yd dash, bench pressed 225 lbs. about 20 times, and has a vertical jump of 35 1/2 inches in the combine. He shows great skill in his quick backpedal while keeping a lock on his receiver and the quarterback's eyes. He can also change directions very quickly and is always willing to tackle the ball carrier. Gilbert also is able use his keen vision and quickness to take kick offs and interceptions back to the house. Gilbert's weaknesses consist many of the fact that he has been known to be a little hot tempered from time-to-time, so as long as he can grow and adjust to the NFL level, there shouldn't be any major flaws in his game, I see Gilbert and have to say that he should be a "Fine Wine" player by the time he has matured some. IN the end, I see Detroit going for a safety, most like to be Clinton-Dix.
And so, here is my prediction of Draft Picks No. 6 to No. 10
-No. 6) Atlanta Falcons => Khalil Mack
-No. 7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers => Jake Matthews
-No. 8) Minnesota Vikings => Johnny Manziel
-No. 9) Buffalo Bills => Taylor Lewan
-No.10) Detroit Lions => Hasean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix
No. 9 Overall Pick: Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills have gone through a lot this past season and offseason. The regular season was filled with combination of both injuries and inconsistent play, which got them to a 6-10 record at the end. The offseason wasn't any better. The worst new came this past March when the Buffalo Bills' owner, Ralph Wilson, pasted away after being the longest active owner in the NFL. But, I wouldn't doubt that the intelligent businessman that Mr. Wilson was did not let his voice go unheard in what to do with the No. 9 pick. The Bills' free agency has been good as so far they've been able to sign LBs Brandon Spikes and Keith Rivers, and OL Chris Williams. Now, as far as the No. 9 pick goes, just where do the Bills go to? Many experts have the team pegged all over the board in what they might draft. One definite possibility is for them to take a linebacker. Of course, Buffalo's Khalil Mack has got to be named here because he could be there for the Bills, which would give them a team with a devastating, pass rushing trio just from the linebacker corp of Mack, Kiko Alonso, and Mario Williams. The other linebacker that they could take is UCLA outside linebacker Anthony Barr, giving Buffalo a Twin Towers effect between Barr (6' 5" 255lbs.) and Williams (6' 6" 292 lbs.) that could probably intimidate a majority of teams' offenses. Yet it's the linebacker that no one is really talking about, that just might be the one with the best body of work and best chances. I am talking about Alabama inside linebacker C.J. Mosley. Mosley is rated the best ILB in the draft and has been projected as going as high as the top 10 and about as low as either No. 21 or No. 22 in the draft. But I have got to say that I think Mosley is the best overall Alabama linebacker to be in the draft out of those that have come out from the three championship seasons with Nick Saban. So what makes C.J. Mosley so amazing? Well one is that his looks the part of an NFL linebacker. Mosley stands 6' 2" and weighs in at about 235 lbs. which sounds like every other middle linebacker already in the NFL. His 4.63s 40 yd dash isn't crazy fast, but shows that his ability to move is there. Mosley also has 35 inch vertical jump, which will be handy in knocking down passes that come in his zone. But besides the combine stuff, his on-field play in amazing. He has a big explosive first step, hits hard, wraps up ball carrier in a tight grip, really good in coverage, studies film like crazy, and has the greatest attitude and enthusiasm on the field in order to get the job done. He seems like he would be a good pick to have, but he does have his flaws. Although he is 235 lbs., Mosley's frame is considered to be on the narrow side of things. His biggest thing that teams are concerned for is his health, as Mosley has had injuries to his elbow, shoulder, and hip that could potentially come back to haunt him and the team that drafts him. He also showed signs of struggling against tight ends that have abilities similar to those of Jimmy Graham and Vernon Davis, who would come out of the slot and go either cross field or head straight up the field. For me, I think Mosley is a "Win-Now" type of player, mostly because I feel that his injuries shall return and slow him down some in his ability to progress. Aside from defense, there talk on them possibly looking toward offense as well. Some experts think that they may take Notre Dame's OT Zach Martin to help give protection to Bills' starting quarterback E.J. Manuel. But, there seems to be more of a necessity to give Manuel some fresh targets to throw to next season. There are a few analysts that have Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans going to the Bills at No. 9, but more than likely, it would be North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron. Ebron is one of these tight ends that shows an ability very similar to that of Vernon Davis, meaning he is versatile in playing as both a down-on-the-line tight end or a possible slot receiver option. His combine numbers very nice with 4.60s 40 yd dash, 24 reps on bench, a 32 inch vertical, and a 10 ft. broad jump which shows that he has a great set and assortment of skills already. Ebron is also equipped with and figure that is 6' 4" 250 lbs. with some very "handy" 10 inch hands to be able to grab the ball out of the air. Now, he is considered a bit small when it comes to tight ends and also needs to show a more effective ability to block in both the pass and especially the run game. But I think it's fair to say that Ebron's skills will be better suited as a pass catcher than a blocking tight end. His biggest detriment may turn out to be his excessive taunting and boasting if someone doesn't have a talk with Ebron, someone put him in his place on the practice field, or he just realizes that he has to cut it out. Depsite his downsides, I see Ebron becoming a "Fine Wine" player over the next few seasons if he lands with the Bills or another team looking to take a top tight end that can snatch balls out of the air. AS far as what I believe will happen with Buffalo, I think the Bills will consider taking an LB in either Mosley or Barr, or possibly TE Eric Ebron, but only if the best offensive linemen on the board are already gone.
No. 10 Overall Pick: Detroit Lions
Ok, so I think we all saw this one coming...once again. The Lions are holding another top 10 pick with the No. 10 overall pick after a 7-9 regular season record that ended with even more bad news when one of the two of the longest NFL owners, William Clay Ford Jr. (other being former Bills' owner Ralph Wilson) pasted away at the end of the season. So the Lions are definitely looking to get this pick right and start becoming competitive. Now, I have heard a lot of people, friends, and a few experts that are saying that this could be the pick that either "makes" or "breaks" this team for the playoffs for possibly the next two seasons. So before we go flying off the edge on something like that, lets see some possibilities could be there for the Detroit Lions to take at No. 10. So, some of the possible picks could be some repeat names (of course) in TE Eric Ebron, OT Taylor Lewan, and WR Mike Evans. Ebron doesn't make much sense because of then already having tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Lewan would help upgrade to offensive line and protection from QB Matthew Stafford, but the seem to good with the offensive line that they have. Now, WR Mike Evans might be a possible pick there at No. 10 in order to make the Lions a devastating passing attack with All Pro, Pro Bowl wide receiver Calvin Johnson (6' 5"), tight end Brandon Pettigrew (6' 6"), and the other man that showed off his impressive skills to be a productive wide out and slot receiver option in Kris Durham (6' 6"). With Evans (6' 5"), the Lions would have the NFL's tallest receiving corp of the year, and quite possibly in NFL history. Currently, there are many analysts are projecting the Lions to take a defensive back with the No. 10 overall pick, in which the experts are naming Alabama safety Hasean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix. This guy's nickname, "Ha Ha", was enough to make me notice, but his playing ability is right there too. Clinton-Dix is one of these 6' 1" 208 lbs. safeties that has an ability to play like a linebacker in the box. He has shown decent speed with a 4.58s 40 yd dash, but in the game, his closing speed on the ball carrier seems to be faster than that. He shows a good ability to track the ball down and is great support in the secondary. Clinton-Dix also has shown in his highlights that he can certainly put a lick on someone whenever possible. To some, he can best compared to Seattle Seahawks' safety Earl Thomas. In my opinion, he reminds me quite a bit of former Lions and current Miami Dolphins safety Louis Delmas, with his ability to hit receivers hard coming across the middle, and occasionally can make the clutch interception. However, Clinton-Dix downfalls seem to be that he can be overaggressive in the game and lunge at his opponents with no control which causes him to miss tackles here and there, but those tackles he does make are mostly the "big hit" type where he leads with his shoulder, causing him to miss those tackles and give up easy makable plays. He also has a problem with getting fooled very easily by ball carriers who are known for being very shifty. For "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix, I think his future will be a short one as he shows his talents as a "Win Now" type of football player. The other DB that is predicted to be here could be Oklahoma State's star cornerback Justin Gilbert. Right from the start, Gilbert physically looks like an NFL ready corner with a 6' 1" 202 lbs. frame. What is truly amazing is that he ran a 4.31s 40 yd dash, bench pressed 225 lbs. about 20 times, and has a vertical jump of 35 1/2 inches in the combine. He shows great skill in his quick backpedal while keeping a lock on his receiver and the quarterback's eyes. He can also change directions very quickly and is always willing to tackle the ball carrier. Gilbert also is able use his keen vision and quickness to take kick offs and interceptions back to the house. Gilbert's weaknesses consist many of the fact that he has been known to be a little hot tempered from time-to-time, so as long as he can grow and adjust to the NFL level, there shouldn't be any major flaws in his game, I see Gilbert and have to say that he should be a "Fine Wine" player by the time he has matured some. IN the end, I see Detroit going for a safety, most like to be Clinton-Dix.
And so, here is my prediction of Draft Picks No. 6 to No. 10
-No. 6) Atlanta Falcons => Khalil Mack
-No. 7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers => Jake Matthews
-No. 8) Minnesota Vikings => Johnny Manziel
-No. 9) Buffalo Bills => Taylor Lewan
-No.10) Detroit Lions => Hasean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix
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