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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