Official 2017 2nd Round Of The NFL Draft Thread

[Joemailman]

Joe Mixon - RB - Oklahoma

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Outstanding burst to go from first level to third level. Goes from glide to burst quickly and can hit chunk plays between tackles and around corners. Can go from elusive to banger when he needs to. Will drop the pads and drive through tacklers in short yardage spots. Flashy feet for his size. Can jump-cut around defenders in tight quarters. Smooth hips help him swivel around the second and third levels. Able to show and go leaving linebackers diving as he escapes out of the side door. Strong stiff-arm helps would-be tacklers catch grass stains. Can turn the corner and create a straightaway to the end zone. Was Big 12 leader in percentage of explosive carries (15-plus yards) at 11.9 percent. True three-down back. Devastating pass catching option. Excellent route runner creating immediate separation. Soft hands to make the easy catch and the one-hander. Will step in and square up his blocking responsibilities in pass game.

WEAKNESSES Some in scouting community concerned with character beyond his domestic violence incident. Inconsistent as inside runner. Can be too patient at times. Looks for wide-open points of entry before he hits the gas. Can be nonchalant approaching line of scrimmage. Dances downhill allowing running lanes to become creases. Feet lag behind when headed into congestion and will get loose with his rush track inviting tacklers a chance to get a hand on him. Lacks creativity in initial stages of his run at times. Vision is just average. Fails to see backside cuts developing on stretch plays. Hops into his downhill cuts rather than a crisp plant-and-go.

DRAFT PROJECTION Round 2-3

SOURCES TELL US "I'm not going to talk about any character issue because every team has to go through and make their own decisions. As a player, he can play all three downs but he's not going to create for himself like Fournette or Cook. But he can also have an impact on the passing game that they can't have. I see him as a top-40 player. Obviously, he won't go there." -- NFC North area scout

NFL COMPARISON Le'Veon Bell

BOTTOM LINE I've decided to give Joe Mixon a draft grade based on his talent and expected output if given a chance as an NFL running back. His draft slot will likely be impacted by his domestic violence issue. Mixon has the talent to be an every-down, all-day running back with the potential to take over a game on the ground or through the air. Life against weaker Big 12 defenses has created a more relaxed rushing approach for Mixon who will have to play at a faster pace as an NFL back. Mixon's vision is just average and he could struggle to create for himself in front of a subpar offensive line; however, he can play in any rushing scheme and can be moved all over the field as a matchup option.

[smuggler]

No surprise that the Bengals took Mixon. Typical-ass move for them.

[Joemailman]

Ryan Anderson - OLB - Alabama

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Thick through shoulders and chest with good upper-body power. Exhibits professional approach on the field. Disciplined and married to his assignments. Stays clean. Comes into the league with NFL-caliber hand work. Ready hands at point of attack with a willingness to stick and move to avoid being swallowed by size. Sets a sturdy edge and makes a point to physically challenge tight ends early in the game. Will "dead arm" inside shoulder to alter blocker's balance and sneak around the outside hand. Relentless charge as a pass rusher and gets home thanks to his effort. Leverages runners to the sideline and rarely gives up a cut-back lane. Tackle finisher who is always hustling. Plays teammate ball over hero ball. Has experience at outside linebacker in both 3-4 and 4-3. Forced five fumbles over last two seasons.

WEAKNESSES Relatively average athlete for the position. Lacks desired pursuit speed and closing burst as a 4-3 linebacker. Hips are a little stiff and he lacks plus range of motion. Could struggle with cover skills in space. Short arms could become an issue if asked to stack the edge against NFL tackles. Effort rusher missing desired traits found in consistent NFL pass rushers. His edge rush is more elongated and gradual than tight and sharp. Gets punched by tackles while shoulders are still square, causing him to flatten out as a rusher.

DRAFT PROJECTION Rounds 3-4

SOURCES TELL US "Size is more suited for 4-3 SAM but he could play some rush outside backer in a 3-4. He would fit Baltimore and Pittsburgh as a 3-4 SAM, too." -- NFC area scout

NFL COMPARISON Ahmad Brooks

BOTTOM LINE Well-schooled with a high football IQ and a history as a winner. His disciplined, assignment-based approach to the game should resonate with defensive coordinators. Lack of length and average athletic traits could put a cap on his draft stock, but he should be a safe pick and a long-time starter as an outside linebacker.

[Joemailman]

Justin Evans - S - Texas A&M

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Tremendous athlete who was heralded as a baseball pitcher, and receiver and defensive back in football coming out of high school. Has feet and hips for easy toggle between backpedal and angled shuffle as high safety. Ball skills of a slot receiver. Plays with excellent passion for the game. Can snare at the highest point thanks to well-timed leaps, great arm extension and supple hands. Big accelerator to close out crossing routes and disrupt the passing lane. Very good plant-and-go twitch. Looks to make plays taking aggressive routes to the ball. Logged four interceptions and seven pass breakups as a senior. Fast with ability to range over the top from high safety. Seeks out collisions and doesn't shrink from contact. Completely laid-out Alabama's Derrick Henry during hit in 2015 game. Wrap-up tackler who explodes into target and runs his feet through the finish.

WEAKNESSES Needs improved eye-balance. Has issues splitting focus between ball and man. From second level, hyper-focuses on receiver keys and is late finding running back headed his way. Aggressive nature could make him a play-action target on pro level. Instincts dwindle the further away from line of scrimmage he goes. Inconsistent seeing and breaking on throws from high safety. Needs to come to balance in tackle-ready position more quickly on third-level stops. His heart is bigger than his body. Needs more bulk to withstand fallout from his physical play. Gets stuck to blocking tight ends from slot and struggles to unglue.

DRAFT PROJECTION Rounds 2-3

SOURCES TELL US "His interception against UCLA at the beginning of the year was one of those plays that not many safeties can make. But I'm worried about his missed tackles. Hard hits are great for Sportscenter or YouTube but getting guys to the ground is top priority." -- Front-office executive for AFC team

NFL COMPARISON Karl Joseph

BOTTOM LINE Soft-spoken but carries a walloping stick. Plays the game with an elevated sense of urgency and excitement. He is a little undersized, but has plus speed, is an extremely physical hitter and can play deep or near the line of scrimmage. Athleticism and ball skills might lead a team to test him out as a slot corner. Regardless of where he plays, he has the talent to become a plus NFL starter and a potential Day 2 (Rounds 2-3) draft selection.

[Rastak]

Oh wow, Floyd Little. Been awhile since I've seen him.

[Joemailman]

DeMarcus Walker - DE - Florida St.

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Ties quick swim move to his jump-step in order to climb over top of pass protection. Posted eye-popping sack production (25) over last two seasons at FSU. Attempts to play past the blocker rather than giving in. Always searching for new opening when original rush move is stymied. When rush stalls, he spies quarterback and gets hand in alleys. Eight career passes defensed. Gathers blockers to set up teammates when first on twists. Active, heavy tackler. Stack-and-shed power on the edge when pad level is right. Thick bubble and thighs with ability to carry more mass. Able to stuff cut blocks and keep his feet clean. Hasty with hands and lands first. Engages and mirrors flow of running back with square pads. Durable and dependable; played in 90 percent of the defensive snaps 2016.

WEAKNESSES Inconsistent motor. Allows backside tackle opportunities to escape his grasp when he's not hustling. Range as a tackler is average. A step slow when sliding down line to constrict cutback lanes. Needs to show quicker feet. Struggles to work feet and hips back into playmaking position once beaten on reach blocks. Pops straight and loses his leverage when fatigued. Doesn't have the juice or hips to consistently bend the edge as a pro rusher. Needs two-way goes to do his best pass rush work. Moves well, but lacks suddenness and play speed is average. Level of play greatly impacted by fatigue level.

DRAFT PROJECTION Rounds 2-3

NFL COMPARISON Mario Edwards

BOTTOM LINE Walker's sack totals are impressive, but he's not the type of "early win" sack artist that generally post those types of numbers. He's a base end with power to hold up at the point, but better suited to reduce inside as interior rusher on passing downs. Walker lacks the desired size and physical traits teams look for off the edge; a move to three-technique isn't out of the question.

[Rastak]

Damn, Jim Brown is looking old.

Kizer goes, Packers will rue the day they didn't pull the trigger like they planned on for this guy......(joke)

[Joemailman]

DeShone Kizer - QB - Notre Dame

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Big quarterback with a big arm. Can make all of the throws. Has step and crank power to drive throws into the seams. Has the arm talent and willingness to challenge safeties on both intermediate and deep throws. Looks the part with thick frame to withstand NFL punishment. Over the top delivery creates tight spirals. Has powerful grip allowing for aggressive pump fakes to move defense around. When he's comfortable, will tie feet with his eyes as he scans the field. Adequate drive accuracy. If he feels a completion is imminent, he'll stand in and take a punishing shot. Strong, authoritative runner with the speed to hit a big play with his feet. Two-way threat in the red zone. Posted 18 rushing touchdowns over last two seasons.

WEAKNESSES Gets stuck on primary read missing out on early openers around field. May not have eyes or compact release to spot and hit flashing targets. Can be too reliant upon arm strength over mechanics. Wants open throwing window rather than operating with early anticipation. Can improve in leading receivers and throwing stationary targets open. Too hesitant. Gets caught in pump fake vortex at times. Quick to drop his eyes and halt progressions when pocket warms up. Inconsistent decision-maker. Showed dreadful lapses in judgement that lead to interceptions. Too willing to make off-balanced heaves. Benched against Stanford. Had at least one interception in 15 of his 23 starts. Will take a sack despite having ample time to read and throw.

DRAFT PROJECTION round 1-2

SOURCES TELL US "I could tell you he should have gone back to school, but he also has some things you can work with. We need to find out how he will handle the board when our coaches put him through different reads. That's going to be huge for him. He's a bright kid, but I'm not sure he sees what he needs to see all time." - NFC midwest area scout

NFL COMPARISON Steve McNair

BOTTOM LINE The comparison to Steve McNair could raise eyebrows, but that is based primarily on size, mobility and arm strength. The aforementioned traits often land a quarterback in the first round, but Kizer's second-half drop in production combined with inconsistent decision-making and accuracy should be a speed bump for teams ready to jump in head-first on the traits. Kizer has the ability to become a quality starter, but has to improve his ball placement and field vision first.

[Joemailman]

Damn, Jim Brown is looking old.

Kizer goes, Packers will rue the day they didn't pull the trigger like they planned on for this guy......(joke)

Kizer is really talented, but inconsistent. He'll need a lot of coaching.

[Joemailman]

Lions are on the clock.

[Rastak]

Lem Barney, helluva lineup this year.

[Joemailman]

Teez Tabor - CB - Florida

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Prototypical size and athleticism. Plays with bouncy feet in coverage. Good initial patience and foot quickness to mirror receiver's release from press. Has the quick twitch to accelerate and pattern match receivers throughout their routes. Has recovery speed to bird-dog crossers. From zone, can split high/low routes and is quick enough to challenge the catch on either. Has agility and change of direction to come off of one route and pick up the next. Shines when the ball is in the air. Pro-ready closing burst. Has excellent hand-eye coordination. Hands and timing help turn opportunities into interceptions. Posted 28 passes defensed over the last two years. Finished career with nine interceptions at Florida. Willing to unload into receiver's ribs in order jar a ball free.

WEAKNESSES Whispers in scouting circles that Tabor fears deep speed. Often played excessively deep off-coverage. Shows balance issues in space. Occasionally loses footing in coverage during his transition. Shows willingness to sit on routes and grab receivers trying to go vertical rather than flipping hips to chase. Can be undisciplined from zone losing track of his responsibilities. Appears to be hit or miss with instinctive playmaking. Doesn't play to his listed size. Finesse cornerback. Avoids mixing it up with physical receivers away from the ball. Too many weak tackle attempts. Charted with 13 missed tackles in 2015. Scouts consider him to be a high-maintenance prospect. Has been suspended due to drug tests and a run-in with a teammate in practice.

DRAFT PROJECTION Rounds 2-3

SOURCES TELL US "With Vernon (Hargreaves) there last year he played with a lot more confidence. I don't think he's a lockdown cornerback. He's a good football player and can cover in our league, but he's also going to be a pain in the ass for whoever takes him." -- AFC Southest area scout

NFL COMPARISON Darius Slay

BOTTOM LINE Tabor has terrific size and quickness, but his pedestrian 40 times at both the combine and his pro day workout are hard to ignore. While he has some lapses in judgement and awareness in coverage, his nine career interceptions didn't happen by accident. Tabor can pattern match around the field, but he may need safety help over the top if he's playing on the outside. If he's going to be a zone corner, he'll have to do a better job of tackling. Tabor looks like a second day pick.

[texaspackerbacker]

Good Pick for the Lions - instinctive. I HOPE the guy we drafted has decent coverage instincts like that.

[Joemailman]

Raekwon McMillan - LB - Ohio St.

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Downhill movement after the snap is his norm. Understands angles. Can outpace pulling guards to the spot with his play quickness. Reads his keys and responds. Plays with good anticipation of lane choice by the runner. Attacks hands-first into blockers with good arm extension to keep his frame clean. Good zone-cover ability. Reads quarterback's eyes and slides into passing lanes. Has added additional thickness during his tenure.

WEAKNESSES Struggles to leverage his gap as a take-on linebacker. Gets widened out of his gap by size. Gets trapped on the wrong side of the block. Tends to play over the top of a block rather than under it. Slow to disengage and tackle. Tight in his lower half. Missing the quick, reactive change of direction to consistently secure shifty runners. Delayed in stop-start pursuit to the sideline. Has some limitations in man coverage.

DRAFT PROJECTION Round 3

SOURCES TELL US "I see him as a backup early on who will become a starter at SAM (strong-side) for a 4-3 team. He's been pretty productive but I don't see anything special." -- South area scout for NFC team

NFL COMPARISON Mason Foster

BOTTOM LINE McMillan has too many issues standing his ground and leveraging his gap as an interior run defender and could end up outside in the pros. He might have benefited from playing alongside a slew of NFL talent, but he's active and plays the game with good instincts. He has the potential to become an average starter in the league.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Boo!!