Round 2

[Rastak]

NFL Draft Diamonds @DraftDiamonds 9s10 seconds ago
Su'a Cravens to Skins

[Rastak]

Vikings on the clock - Vonn Bell? Me hopes....

[Iron Mike]

Just found this place Thursday afternoon actually. The previous place I had been going to has been a little over run with negativity, took a look around here and thought it seemed like a pretty level headed group so I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents.

LOL

[Rastak]

Redskins:

4. SU’A CRAVENS | USC 6006|226 lbs|3JR Los Angeles, Ca. (Vista Murrieta) 7/7/1995 (age 20) #21
YEAR (GP/GS) TKLS TFL SACK FF PD INT GRADE 1st-2nd Round 2013: (13/13) 52 1.5 0.0 1 5 4 (SS) MEASUREABLES Arm: 32 1/8 | Hand: 09 1/2 | Wingspan: 78 2014: (13/13) 68 17.0 5.0 0 12 3 (SLB/SS) COMBINE BP: 16 | VJ: 27 | BJ: 09’06” 2015: (14/14) 86 15.0 5.5 2 8 2 (SLB/SS PRO DAY 40-YD: 4.66 | 10-YD: 1.58 | 2.68 | VJ: 30.5 | SS: 4.24 | 3C: 6.94 Total: (40/40) 206 33.5 10.5 3 25 9 PRONUNCIATION SOO-uh // CRAY-vuns

BACKGROUND: A five-star safety recruit out of high school, Cravens was ranked as the top prep player in the state of California and received offers from every top program in the country, committing to USC the summer prior to his senior year. He started at strong safety as a true freshman and recorded 52 tackles and four interceptions, earning All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention and numerous Freshman All-American honors. Cravens moved to a hybrid linebacker/safety role in 2014 as a sophomore and showed off his versatility by leading the team in tackles for loss (17.0) and interceptions (three), adding 68 tackles and 12 passes defended to earn First Team All-Pac 12 and All-America honors. He started all 14 games as a junior and led the Trojans in tackles (86), tackles for loss (15.0), sacks (5.5) and forced fumbles (two), earning First Team All-Pac 12 and All-America honors for the second straight year. Cravens elected to forego his senior season to enter the 2016 NFL Draft.

STRENGTHS: Fluid athlete for his size and flawlessly transfers his weight in his movements…explosive burst to beat blockers to the spot with controlled pursuit speed – sees through blockers to make the initial man miss and break down on the move…diagnoses quickly with an attacking mindset and reactive athleticism – high FBI, anticipation and sense of his surroundings…comfortable in space and can cover a lot of green, staying in phase with receivers in man coverage or making stops vs. the run in the backfield…great job leveraging blocks and will sacrifice himself to give his teammates a chance to make the play…savvy blitzer, avoiding the hands of blockers and using timing to penetrate…very good field awareness and takes correct pursuit angles…knack for making plays on the ball and creating after pick-offs, averaging 14.8 yards per interception return (9/133/1)…versatile skill-set and played all over the USC defense as a safety, linebacker or cornerback – also played on special teams coverages…team captain and praised by the coaches for the way he carries himself – eats, drinks and breathes football…strong-willed, but down-toearth and comfortable in his own skin…enjoys competition and toughness isn’t an issue…athletic bloodlines – brother (football) and sister (basketball) played athletics at Hawaii and he has multiple cousins who played football collegiately and now in the NFL, including tight end Jordan Cameron and linebacker Manti Te’o.

WEAKNESSES: Lean-muscled and lacks an ideal build or growth potential for linebacker – appears maxed out physically…core strength doesn’t always match his intentions…improved fundamental tackler, but still undisciplined in areas and has some bad habits that will lead to missed tackles – tends to drop his head and isn’t a wrap, lift and drive player…can be engulfed by blockers and eaten up near the line of scrimmage, struggling to take on bigger bodies…aggressive nature will lead to negative plays, misreading zone read plays or overpursuing his target…played most of his USC career near the line of scrimmage and was rarely in the deep half of the field…positional fit is a question mark for some schemes…missed only one game the past three seasons, but parts of several others due to injuries, including a sore right elbow (Oct. 2015), sprained right knee (Nov. 2014) and groin injury (Oct. 2013) – missed part of 2013 spring practice after surgery for torn cartilage in his knee.

SUMMARY: A three-year starter, Cravens began his career at strong safety before moving to a hybrid strongside linebacker position in the Trojans’ 3-4 base defense where he was asked to do a little bit of everything, playing mostly at the line of scrimmage. His take-on strength and physical nature as a tackler are both below average for the position, but he’s a fluid athlete with excellent reaction skills to can cover wide receivers on an island. Cravens’ best traits are his natural instincts to anticipate the play and always be around the ball – consistently in the right place at the right time and that’s not an accident. His positional fit in the NFL will vary by scheme with some viewing him as a strong safety and others as a weakside linebacker in a 4-3 base, but clever coordinators will figure out how to maximize his savvy instincts, cover skills and athleticism – top-40 prospect and will be a productive NFL player if schemed correctly.

[Rastak]

NFL Draft Diamonds @DraftDiamonds 16s16 seconds ago View translation
Vikings land CB Mac Alexander

Works for me!

[pbmax]

Good pick Ras.

[Rastak]

Vikings:

1. MACKENSIE ALEXANDER | Clemson 5103|190 lbs|3SO Immokalee, Fla. (Immokalee) 11/12/1993 (age 22) #2
YEAR (GP/GS) TKLS TFL SACK FF PD INT GRADE 1st Round 2013: Redshirted MEASUREABLES Arm: 31 3/8 | Hand: 09 1/8 | Wingspan: 75 1/2 2014: (13/13) 21 2.0 0.0 0 6 0 COMBINE BP: 11 (limited workout due to left hamstring) 2015: (15/14) 23 2.0 0.0 0 5 0 PRO DAY 40-YD: 4.49 | 10-YD: 1.56 | 20-YD: 2.63 | VJ: 37.5 | BJ: 10’01” | SS: 4.21 | 3C: 7.18 Total: (28/27) 44 4.0 0.0 0 11 0

BACKGROUND: A four-star cornerback recruit out of high school, Alexander initially verballed to Tennessee, but reopened his recruitment and committed to Clemson – twin brother committed to Auburn and is now at South Florida. After redshirting in 2013 due to a groin injury, Alexander earned a starting cornerback job as a redshirt freshman in 2014 (set a school record for snaps by a freshman) and recorded 21 tackles and six passes defended, earning Freshman All-America and All-ACC Honorable Mention honors. He started 14 games in 2015 as a sophomore and posted similar production with 23 tackles and five passes defended, earning First Team All-ACC honors. Alexander opted to forego his final two years of eligibility to enter the 2016 NFL Draft.

STRENGTHS: Quick-footed in his transition with the speed to match receivers off the line of scrimmage…fluid hips with the lower body muscle fibers to spring in any direction…nimble drive process to click-and-close…uses his body to cut off routes, understanding how to leverage the field and sideline…keeps an eye in the backfield to jump routes and intercept angles…highly physical for the position in both coverage and run support…very good high-to-low tackler downhill, throwing his body around…cocky, brash and plays with an attitude – loves to talk on the field and play mind games with receivers…applies coaching and is dedicated to honing his craft – already prepares like a pro…innately motivated and driven by his family – his fire for competition can’t be extinguished…battle tested over 27 starts, usually shadowing the opponent’s top receiving threat, lining up inside and outside – quarterbacks completed only 24.5% of passes in 2015 when targeting his receiver.

WEAKNESSES: Lacks elite size and arm length for the position…played mostly press-bail technique in college, flipping his hips early in the play, causing him to get turned around instead of staying square to the receiver…not as comfortable in off-coverage and still developing his route anticipation and understanding of
coverage indicators…struggles to locate the ball once he takes his eyes of the backfield and needs to improve his feel with his back to the ball…suspect ballskills and will leave production on the field – no interceptions at Clemson…throws his body around, but prefers to lead with his shoulder instead of wrapping up…loves to talk, but needs to keep his emotions under control…puts too much pressure on himself to be the best…marches to the beat of his own drum – guarded and idiosyncratic personality will be a turn off for some…minor durability concerns, redshirting in 2013 due to groin surgery (Sept. 2013) and missed most of the National Championship game due to a nagging right hamstring (Dec. 2015) from the Orange Bowl – missed parts of several games due to a knee sprain (Oct. 2015).

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Clemson, Alexander played mostly press-man coverage and was left on an island, relying primarily on bail technique. He didn’t record an interception in college, but wasn’t consistently targeted and didn’t give up a touchdown the last 24 games, dating back to September of his freshman season. Alexander smothers in man coverage due to his lower body fluidity and quick reflexes, but needs to improve his route anticipation, discipline and ballskills, especially in off coverage. He plays with contagious swagger and confidence to challenge any one, working hard to get in the head of wide receivers. Although still unpolished in several key areas, Alexander is wired right for the position and should start very early in his NFL career – not as big as Josh Norman, but similar skill-sets.

[Rastak]

Good pick Ras.

Not a huge need but super value and BPA.

[pbmax]

The Falcoholic @TheFalcoholic 12m12 minutes ago
Christian Hackenberg strengths: Has two arms
Christian Hackenberg weaknesses: Doesn't throw well with either one

[Rastak]

NFL Draft Diamonds @DraftDiamonds 24s24 seconds ago
Boyd to Bengals

[Rastak]

Bengels:

9. TYLER BOYD | Pittsburgh 6014|197 lbs|3JR Clairton, Pa. (Clairton) 11/15/1994 (age 21) #23
YEAR (GP/GS) REC YDS AVG TD GRADE 2nd Round 2013: (13/10) 85 1,174 13.8 7 MEASUREABLES Arm: 32 | Hand: 09 3/4 | Wingspan: 76 3/8 2014: (13/12) 78 1,261 16.2 8 COMBINE 40-YD: 4.58 | 10-YD: 1.59 | 20-YD: 2.66 | BP: 11 | VJ: 34 | BJ: 09’11” | SS: 4.35| 3C: 6.90 2015: (12/12) 91 926 10.2 6 PRO DAY 40-YD: 4.52 | 10-YD: 1.54 | 20-YD: 2.64 Total: (38/34) 254 3,361 13.2 21

BACKGROUND: A four-star wide receiver recruit out of high school, Boyd narrowed his college choice to Pitt, West Virginia and Tennessee, committing to the in-state Panthers – was a high school quarterback and also lettered in basketball and baseball. He saw early playing time as a true freshman, starting 10 games and leading the team with 85 catches (new ACC freshman record) and 1,174 receiving yards, breaking Larry Fitzgerald’s Pitt freshman records in both categories. Boyd started 12 games in 2014 as a sophomore and set a career-best with 1,261 receiving yards to become the first player in ACC history to tally 1,000+ receiving yards in both his freshman and sophomore seasons, earning First Team All-ACC honors. He started 12 games in 2015 as a junior and led the team in receiving for the third straight season with a career-best 91 catches for 926 yards (only time he finished below the 1,000-yard mark) and six touchdowns. Boyd was the lone unanimous First Team player on the All-ACC team. He chose to leave for the NFL Draft after the season, skipping his senior year.

STRENGTHS: Gliding athlete with an instant accelerator to reach his top speed with his initial strides…sharp cuts and burst off his plant foot, mixing his gears well in his patterns…quick release off the line of scrimmage with natural route running prowess, setting up defenders and selling routes with beautiful body fakes…easy body control to twist mid-air and adjust to obscure ball placement…excellent hand-eye coordination with strong hands to pluck, extending his catching radius beyond what most his size can – attacks the ball, doesn’t wait for it…lack of body strength shows in traffic, but surprisingly efficient in contested situations…tough over the middle and always looking to pick up yards after the catch – innate field awareness…highly competitive playing temperament and lunch pail worker…lined up everywhere in the Pitt offense, including outside and in the slot – also lined up as a running back (8.3 career rush average, 63/520/1) and quarterback, displaying a strong arm to be a passing weapon (3-for-4 passing in his career for 96 yards)…return man on special teams, averaging 24.4 yards on kickoff returns (46/1,124/0) and 8.8 yards on punt returns (27/238/1)…leaves Pitt with the school career records for receiving yards (3,361) and receptions (254).

WEAKNESSES: Underwhelming size with a thin torso and lean body features…limited bulk and lacks the power to fight through tackle attempts or pick up yards after initial contact…lacks an ideal build to take consistent punishment in the NFL…majority of his routes at Pitt are within seven yards of the line of scrimmage (screens, slants, etc.) and unproven as a consistent downfield threat…will hear ghosts around him, leading to concentration drops…holds the ball too loose as a ballcarrier, leading to ball security concerns…struggles to gain correct positioning as a blocker with below average functional strength – too easily pushed around and needs technique work to mask his lack of power…off-field decision-making needs investigated – arrested and charged with a DUI (June 2015), leading to a suspension over the summer and 2015 season opener.

SUMMARY: A three-year starter, Boyd played with three different starting quarterbacks each of his three years with the Panthers, but his production was consistent each season, leaving Pitt as the school’s all-time leading receiver. With streaky quarterback play and running back James Conner sidelined for 2015, the Pitt playcalling manufactured touches for Boyd, including hand-offs and shorter routes, as the clear top playmaker on offense. A graceful athlete, he trusts his hands and uses quick eyes to snatch and immediately analyze his surroundings, but his body size does lead to durability concerns, especially over the middle. Despite average measureables, Boyd is an exquisite catcher of the football and able to stand out by paying attention to the details – second round prospect and his ideal NFL fit is in the slot in a Jarvis Landry-type role.

[Rastak]

From PFF:

23 (54). Minnesota Vikings: Mackensie Alexander | Grade: A
No. 21 on the PFF Draft Board, Alexander is strong in man coverage and his movement skills allow him to stay with shifty receivers. The Clemson scheme did him no favors from a grading standpoint, but he allowed only 0.66 yards per cover snap, good for 10th in the class. He struggles with zone concepts at times, missing tackles in open space, but Alexander is a good pick at this point in the draft.

[Rastak]

Gonna take a break - gonna be a lull before the North is back in action

[pbmax]

mgoblog @mgoblog 12m12 minutes ago
mgoblog Retweeted Nick Baumgardner
you could show me Cook doing bong hits out of a still-bleeding human head and I'd take him over Hackenberg

[pbmax]

NFL Draft Diamonds @DraftDiamonds 56s57 seconds ago
Bear take cody

Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 17s17 seconds ago
Bears take OL Cody Whitehair