An elite prospect, Byron Jones is flying under the radar largely due to a lack of attention paid to a relatively irrelevant Connecticut football program.

Jones has all the desired tools of a top pro cornerback. He has prototypical size and length and utilizes them as a physical and effective press cover guy. He demonstrates the playmaking football intelligence and sufficient ball skills to take the ball away. But he also possesses great movement skills to run, cut, and stay with wide-outs in man coverage.

Jones’ skills didn’t always translate to dominant, shut-down play on the field. His pad level was a little high and he will not get away with his overuse of hands in coverage down field.

But Jones has everything necessary to be an exceptional long term starter in the NFL and could be a relative steal after the first round.

Breshad Perriman has an intimidation factor that NFL teams will like.  He has a great combination of size and explosiveness off the line that will make cornerbacks begin the play on their heels.  Perriman has the speed to blow past the coverage and the athletic ability to make some acrobatic catches on tough throws. 

Where Perriman struggles is his precise route runner.  He tends to round off his routes and doesn’t do a good job at selling his routes off of his breaks.  He allows quicker cornerbacks to get inside of him as he tends to wait for the ball instead of coming back to it to make a catch.

His hands are unreliable and will after a few easy drops and poor routes, quarterbacks will tend to go elsewhere with the ball.  Has big play potential, but needs to develop some consistency throughout games. 

Overall, I think Perriman has special talent at the next level, but could prove to be more stressful than anything.  He’s talented enough to warrant a third round pick, but I would hold off until the fourth.

Shaq Thompson is twenty years old and is coming off a season where he dominated division one football at multiple defensive positions and as a running back.

Thompson’s career is as an off ball linebacker, preferably in a four down front. Thompson’s versatility/fit can be seen as a plus or minus. He has the athleticism and football IQ to play anywhere, but he’s a bit of a tweener in terms of size. I am a big proponent of drafting players rather than positions, so for that reason, Shaq is well worth a top 20 pick.

Thompson gets involved on every play which can be credited due to his quick reaction skills and ranginess. Thompson has the fluidity and body control to slot receivers, tight ends and backs out of the backfield. Thompson could improve the angles he takes towards ball carriers and wrapping up rather than hitting with his shoulder so often.

For Thompson’s sake, I hope he winds up on a team that lets him just play football. If so, he has Pro Bowl potential.


It’s not too often a player from the University of Florida is a sleeper, but D.J. Humphries was under the radar for much of the 2014 season. More scouts began talking about him post-season, and he performed very well at the combine to firmly place himself as a high round pick in this draft.

Humphries is a top-notch athlete for his position. He is a tough, mean player. He enjoys his battles in the trenches. There were concerns about his weight, but he added weight before the combine and his workouts didn’t suffer as a result.

Humphries is very aggressive, and as a result sometimes misses his man. He needs more patience as a blocker. Poor hand usage, among other technical errors, leads to inconsistencies in his pass blocking. The offense, and certainly coaching, at Florida didn’t do him many favors. All of his flaws are very improvable, so that is promising.

I’m not as high on Humphries as many are. He doesn’t do anything to blow me away on film, but he should turn out a solid pro career. His athleticism paired with good coaching creates intrigue as to how good he can be. It’s been reported that some teams have him as their top tackle, so he is likely to be selected in round one.


After hinting at greatness in 2013 behind Michael Sam and Kony Ealy, Shane Ray exploded onto the scene in 2014, finishing with 13.5 sacks and over 20 tackles for loss as a full time starter. He was productive outside as well as inside, where he often lined up in sub-packages on third downs.

Ray is a fantastic athlete with great movement skills. He is a pure speed rusher with a great motor and he gets into the backfield with ease and special quickness. His fluidity and change of direction project well for an outside linebacker role.

Ray lacks great length and bulk and doesn’t provide an elite level of schematic versatility. It is also unclear whether or not his predictable arsenal of moves will successfully supplement his athleticism in the pros as well as it did at Missouri. But, overall, Ray’s freakish athleticism and talent make him a bonafide top 20 prospect in this class.

Alvin Dupree is a freak athlete with positional versatility and very good collegiate production. Dupree possesses dominant explosiveness and demonstrates great closing speed. When he was asked to drop into coverage, he was very capable. After adding bulk in the offseason, Dupree has become strong holding up at the point of attack as well as using his upper body strength to separate from blockers.

But Dupree is not consistently impactful as a rusher. He can be raw as a rusher and overly reliant on his speed and explosiveness to be productive.

In the end, Dupree’s athletic gifts and his track record of production project well. Further, he should fit well in any defensive system as he continues to polish his craft.  

One of the more intriguing players in this class, evaluators are all over the place with their opinions of Texas A&M’s Cedric Ogbuehi. Once thought to be a top five selection, Ogbuehi saw his stock take a strong dip before tearing his ACL in the Aggies’ bowl game.

Ogbuehi is not on the same level as former A&M pass protectors Luke Joeckel, but he is still a decent prospect in his own right. Ogbuehi struggled at left tackle and was moved back to right tackle. So it is safe to say, at least at first, that he will play on the right side. Some scouts like him as a potential guard, but to me he belongs at right tackle.

He is similar to D’Brickashaw Ferguson athletically, but has nowhere near the upper body strength.

He is another good athlete in a class full of athletic tackles. He seems to have good     on-field awareness; understands his assignments. He has a good motor. His footwork is the best technical part of his game.

Ogbuehi provided scouts an extra year to dissect his film by staying in school, and that, coupled with his ACL tear, has not helped his case. He has a lot of holes in his technique that were frequently exposed, as he gave up seven sacks and played especially poorly on the left side. Ogbuehi is not a particularly strong tackle, so he has plenty of improvement needed in both his technique and power before reaching his peak ability.

The torn ACL has prevented Ogbuehi from workouts, but he says he will be ready for training camp. Obviously he will need to be medically checked out before a team invests in him, but that should not be a major hurdle.

Ogbuehi is one of the hardest prospects to place in this draft. He was overhyped in 2013, but now seems to be underrated following his 2014 performance. His injury will probably push him behind closely rated, healthier tackles on most teams’ boards. Ogbuehi is a potential second round selection that would provide outstanding value in the third.

Nelson Agholor took the reins from recent USC wide receiver graduates Robert Woods and Marqise Lee and took them to new heights last year.  Agholor’s production was off the charts, catching 104 passes for 1,313 yards and 12 touchdowns. 

He benefits from having a large athletic frame, but also from gaining separation from defenders with his quickness and long strides. He has a chance to be a very productive player both inside and outside with a good feel for either position. 

Agholor is a playmaker through and through.  If he can catch a ball in mid-stride, he has the unique ability to ‘glide’ through defenses on his way to big chunks of yards along the way.  Agholor averaged just under 16 yards per catch in his three years at USC. 

Agholor had problems with drops in his sophomore season at USC, but greatly improved them this past season.  He will continue to be productive at the next level due to his ability to get open on a variety of pro style routes.  He will also be able to contribute from day one on the special teams unit.

Florida State’s Cameron Erving is one of my favorite prospects in the 2015 draft. Erving is the most versatile of all the offensive linemen, being able to play any position on the line. Despite this versatility, Erving is a much better fit inside, especially at the center position.

Erving moved to center during the 2014 season following injuries and inconsistencies on the Seminoles’ line. This turned out to be an excellent move, as Erving stabilized the line and really helped his draft stock.

Some see Erving as a potential tackle, but his film against Clemson’s Vic Beasley is evidence as to why he is much better inside. He struggles against speed and athleticism on the outside.

As a center, Erving was able to create movement in the run game and showed good quickness. Erving has solid physical traits and will continue to get better as he plays more inside.

Because he has had limited time at center, there will probably be a steep learning curve when he starts facing NFL defensive lineman. He needs to learn better patience in his blocks, as well as react faster to his man. Erving consistently struggled against the bull rush.

Erving is not very powerful but still has good movement in the run game. He is my top ranked center prospect in this class and I see him as a long-term answer at the position. A team desperate for guard help can play him there as well. Erving could fill spot time at tackle, though that won’t be ideal. While his versatility is nice, if a team has plans for him as their answer at center, he should be played there immediately so he can continue his learning of the position.

Cam Erving is an excellent prospect and should be selected in the first two rounds as an interior lineman.

Marcus Peters has all the talent to be a number one NFL cornerback.  He has good size, good speed and is the best in this class at blanketing both deep threat wide receivers and short yardage receivers. 

He has tremendous physicality and doesn’t shy away from bigger running backs or receivers.  He has good pursuit to the ball carrier and has a knack for making the big turnover.  Peters is at his best as a press man coverage as he delivers a good first punch and doesn’t allow the receiver to gain any separation in the first five yards. 

Where he struggles a bit is when he is asked to play off man.  He struggles in the wide receiver screen game and the running game with shedding off of blocks.  He doesn’t do a good job of hand fighting his way off of blockers and in turn can be taken out of the play at times. 

Another major concern with Peters are his run ins with coaches.  He was dismissed from Washington for arguing with coaches on multiple occasions.  These red flags could be enough to cost him the first cornerback spot off the board in this year’s draft. 

Without the red flags, I think Peters is an elite talent.  He has the ability to be a Richard Sherman-esque shutdown corner at the next level.  If he can prove that he has matured through the draft process and can prove to be coachable and a team player, Peters has the overall talent and ability to be a multiple pro bowl player in the NFL. 

I think a team takes him off the board in the middle of the first round of the draft.  

Arik Armstead, a former high school standout recruit with basketball experience, presents an exciting blend of size and athleticism for the interior of a defensive front.

Armstead shows physicality at the point of attack as well as a burst to penetrate and get into the backfield. He is a dangerous bull rusher and offers nice schematic versatility as a 3-4 lineman or 4-3 defensive tackle.

Armstead, though, did not make enough plays at Oregon. Part of that may have been due to his scheme but, ultimately, he was too dependent on his bull rush and failed to finish plays in the backfield enough.

A good athlete at his excellent size, Armstead projects to be an NFL starting lineman and will be highly coveted come draft time. However, one can hardly expect extreme production in his career.

Kevin Johnson of Wake Forest is arguably the best cornerback prospect in this class. Johnson has excellent cover coverage skills and projects as a starting outside corner in the NFL.

Johnson has all the traits scouts look for in a future #1 corner. Johnson is a smooth athlete that can play anywhere on the field. Teams will love that versatility and they will eventually be able to match him with the opponents’ top receivinag threats. Johnson shows outstanding ability to adjust to the ball. Johnson is a confident player who will accept the challenge of going against better opposition.

There are major concerns with Johnson physically. He is very, very thin. His size and frame will scare some teams off on draft day. Johnson is not going to provide much run support. He is easily blocked when chasing the ball carrier.

Johnson’s aggression is a double-edged sword. It leads to big plays, but also makes him bite easily on fakes. His hard-hitting mentality gets him flagged at times. He needs to be more disciplined in his coverage.

Kevin Johnson is a top three cover corner in the draft. Johnson has a lot of upside and will provide a team with a starting corner from day one. Johnson has a strong chance at being selected in round one, but won’t fall far into round two if he slips.


Melvin Gordon has the skillset that translates to a top ten NFL running back from day one with the potential to refine his skills and become one of the better runners in the league.

Gordon is at his best once he gets to the second level. His moves in the open field are madden-like. He’s able to sink his hips and keep defenders off balance. Once he clears the defense, good luck catching him.

He has a second gear very similar to that of Jamaal Charles. His balance and body control is a thing of beauty. Everything is harmony and he’s really knocked off his stride by arm tackles. While he does not have elite strength, his power is definitely underrated. He’s able to churn the pile and move defenders. He keeps a good base when he runs and should be able to add strength at the next level.

Many people are concerned with his receiving skills, but I think with experience, he should be a fine third down back. He’s a very good pass blocker and is plenty explosive with the ball in the screen game.

One concern I do have with Gordon is his vision before he hits the line. I don’t think he has a hero complex where he tried to go 70 yards every snap, but he could hit the hole and take what is given to him more often.

Gordon fits any NFL scheme and should be a workhorse back from the start.

DeVante Parker has the ideal body size for an NFL receiver.  At 6’3, 209 pounds, and an 80 inch wingspan, Parker provides any NFL team with an instant target for their quarterback to aim for.  From there, Parker will do the rest. 

Parker is terrific when the ball is in the air.  His body control is the best in this year’s draft and has the hands to bring down almost any pass.  With only three drops this past year, Parker is as sure handed as it gets in this class. 

Though he has all the physical tools to be successful, he’ll need to refine his route running and run blocking at the next level.  He can be a bit lazy at times with his routes and can be see multiple times a game rounding off his routes, or not finishing plays. 

If he learns to show more effort in run blocking, his long arms and big frame would be more than enough to become a great downfield blocker for any team’s running game. 

If Parker can improve in these areas, he’ll solidify his spot in the top 20 of this year’s draft.


Andrus Peat has been a massive force during his time at Stanford. The huge tackle wins with his strength. He has the look of a starting left tackle in the NFL.

The biggest standout part of Peat’s game is his power. He knows how to use his size and length. He has overall been a good pass protector throughout his career displaying solid technique.

Peat has turned some scouts off with his inconsistency. He loses form when beaten and stays shaken up after the play. He seems to lose confidence quickly. His height leads to him playing high at times, but coaches should be able to help that. As a run blocker, Peat needs to be developed.

Peat, similar to Nate Solder in college, has technical inconsistencies that he tries to overcome using power and size. That leads me to believe there is a lot of potential growth in Peat.

While not viewed as highly as he was last season, Peat is still a top 50 player in this class. Unlike many of this year’s tackle prospects, Peat has a defined position. Peat is a good option for a team seeking a left tackle and can be developed in that spot from day one. Of course, a team with a left tackle in place could certainly play him on the right. He should be able to be an above average pass protector early on while he develops his run blocking and technique in general.

Danny Shelton is the true definition of a nose tackle at the next level and is going to demand double teams.  But unlike some nose tackles that are just there to fill space, Shelton has great athleticism for his size. 

Shelton has the ability to move outside and make a play downfield on a wide receiver or running back in the open field.  He is deceptively quick and agile and can deliver a huge pop when he tackles.  He is almost impossible to stop one-on-one on the line because he uses his big body so well. 

He has the strength to completely throw off an offensive lineman’s block with a simple hand check, but doesn’t always use his hands as much as he should.  Too often, he gets caught with his hands inside and has to ‘fight’ off blocks.  This can be easily corrected and coached at the next level. 

He is a high endurance player who rarely comes off the field.  Shelton has a few technique issues to correct, but if he can figure them out, his size and overall athletic ability make him a potential top ten pick in this draft.  He has the size and natural ability of a young Vince Wilfork.  

Trae Waynes has prototypical size and speed for the cornerback position.  He has good, long arms and great straight line speed.  This combination of size and speed makes it extremely difficult to throw it deep on him. 

Waynes does a great job of running with the deep receiver and using his big body and aggressive hands to close out passing lanes.  Waynes is also a good tackler.  He does a good job of squaring up his target and has the ability to make the tough open field tackle. 

Where Waynes struggles is with the short/quick passing routes.  He has a tightness in his hips that makes him easily exposed to quicker receivers.  He also seems to have a problem with reading these quick routes as he seems to be a step behind some slant routes and quick hitches.  This makes him a vulnerable matchup in the red zone as well.  At times, Waynes finds himself opening his hips too soon on routes and gives up huge pockets for wide receivers underneath. 

Waynes would be best matched up vs. taller, physical #1 wide receivers on the outside.  He has the ability to take these players and their vertical threat completely out of the game. If given a tough matchup vs. a quicker outside receiver however, Waynes could find himself getting picked on during some games.  He also has a tendency to be too aggressive sometimes and makes some bad pass interference penalties. 

Physically, Waynes is a very impressive cornerback.  He does the right things, plays with a high motor and can be a vital part to a good secondary.  But if your team is looking to build your secondary around Waynes, you might be biting off more than you can chew with a first round selection.  

Todd Gurley is an all-around workhorse back and without his injury concerns, would have an argument as a top ten selection. What makes Gurley special is his balance and power. He’s able to run through arm tackles like they’re nothing. He has a good sense of how to run in short yardage situations and will never go down easy.

The Georgia back also displays very solid athleticism. Before the injury, Gurley showed the ability to stop and start with the best of them. The ability to accelerate and outrun the defenders angle is a must for NFL backs and Gurley does it on a regular basis.

For a 230+ pound back, Gurley moves effortlessly. He’s shifty and quick enough to make defenders miss while always having the threat of bulldozing them over.

There are some minor concerns about Gurley’s vision, but I don’t see this as a glaring issue, but rather something that can be fixed with more time. His issue lies primarily in his lack of patience and eagerness to find the hole.

Gurley’s also a great receiver out of the backfield, but needs mechanically refined in some route running and blocking technique.

Like Steven Jackson, Gurley will need to work out some mental flaws, but will be one of the better three down backs in the league if healthy.

Former Miami Hurricane Ereck Flowers has been a heavy topic of conversation throughout this process. Opinions on him are widespread, and his combine didn’t help form a consensus. He did impressively bench 225 pounds 37 times, which was the highest of all the offensive linemen.

Flowers is a very good athlete and moves well with his frame. He uses his size to get push in the run game. He finishes his blocks and displays a good level of toughness on the field. He shows flashes of what he can become, but his faults are hard to miss.

Flowers can be sloppy with his technique. He desperately needs good coaching. His pass protection really suffers because of those technical flaws. He also needs to learn how to block smaller players, as they are able to use his own size against him. On film, you see a player that struggles with faster pass rushers. Flowers gets knocked off balance easily. His footwork is his biggest weakness.

Overall, Flowers is a project. He hasn’t impressed in workouts and leaves much to be desired on film. His flaws are fixable with good coaching. Some believe he could end up at guard, but I don’t see that as a long-term option. Flowers looks to eventually be a solid right tackle in the pros. He is projected to be a top 50 pick.

Vic Beasley is easily the best pass rusher in this draft and is the closest thing to Von Miller since Miller came out. Beasley proved all of his doubters wrong at the combine where he reached his ideal weight and still showed the explosiveness that already made him a potential top five pick.

Beasley’s athleticism shows in everything that he does. His ability to explode off the snap and bend the edge and contort his body however he needs to is a trait desire by NFL edge rushers. His speed and quickness also allows him to drop into coverage but that’s not where he will win at the next level. Beasley has the college production to show and should be an immediate producer.

I do have slight concern with Beasley’s overall play strength, but I believe an NFL weight program will be able to solve that issue and all the on-field concerns that ensue from it. Beasley should and will be a top seven or eight pick and will be haunting quarterbacks once his name is called.

Maybe the most physically gifted WR in this draft class, Kevin White possesses a huge frame, long arms and the quickness to become this year’s best wide receiver.  White has huge hands and the ability to go get the ball at its highest point when it’s in the air. 

He has a huge catch radius, and good awareness of where he is on the field.  He’ll make a bunch of nice sideline catches.  He is a guy that can work at any level of the field.  He will be production in the screen game, can run the quick routes and uses his big body to win the jump balls. 

He displays good effort blocking in the run game, but needs to work on his blocking form.  He can outrun the best defenders, but won’t break too many angles if matched up one on one in the open field. 

He will benefit by finding a system that will allow him to catch and run with the ball.  I would be surprised if White wasn’t picked in the first ten picks.

There are many things teams will love about Leonard Williams leading up to the NFL Draft in just a few weeks.

First off, he is extremely versatile along the defensive front.  He can dominate with his elite combination of power moves and explosiveness at the defensive tackle position, or he can move outside to the end position and be used to create mismatches by using his speed, agility and finesse moves to get to the quarterback off of the edge. 

He almost always delivers a devastating first punch to the offensive lineman across from him, gaining leverage by keeping his pads down allowing him to get the upper hand from the very beginning.  Once he has leverage, Williams uses good hand technique and extended arms in combination with seamless lateral agility to shed off blocks and get to the ball carrier or the quarterback. 

Williams is a lock to be a top five pick in this year’s draft because of the elite talent he already possesses along with the potential of growth as well.  Williams is only 20 years old and still has room to improve.  That’s scary. 

Williams is a little slow off of the snap of the ball and doesn’t transition well on play action play calls, but these are things that a young elite player will have plenty of time to fix at the next level. 

Williams compares himself to JJ Watt, but I think athletically, he is limited to a comparison of Richard Seymour.

Brandon Scherff shined in his career at Iowa and has long been the top offensive lineman on many draft boards. Scherff is a powerful run blocker who is likely a right tackle or guard at the next level.

Iowa has recently produced a couple of high level linemen in Bryan Bulaga and Riley Reiff, but Scherff is the best prospect of the three. Scherff has excellent football smarts and has reportedly been impressive in team interviews. He excels in run blocking and has very good lateral movement.

Scherff is considered to have a high floor, meaning the team taking him feels very confident in getting at worst an average football player. I see him as the safest lineman in this class.

Scherff must become a better pass protector to reach his potential. His arms are below average length and his hips are a bit tight. There are also concerns he will not be a long-term answer at tackle, but he would still make a phenomenal guard by my estimation. It will depend on what his new team needs in 2015 and what plans they have for him in the future.

One common comparison for Scherff is last year’s first round pick Zack Martin. Martin was a tackle at Notre Dame, but immediately stepped in at guard for the Dallas Cowboys and made the All-Pro team as a rookie. The team selecting Scherff will be optimistically hoping for that type of impact. I expect Scherff to start off at guard with a team potentially trying to develop him into a tackle down the line.

As of today, however, his best fit is at guard. Scherff stands a solid chance to be the first offensive lineman off the board and won’t get out of round one.

Cooper will be taken in the top ten in this year’s draft because of his ‘natural ability’ at the position.  He understands the nuances of the position that make him a better player.  He runs very crisp, fluid routes and can adjust his frame to allow for a bigger target for the quarterback to throw to.  

While the ball is in the air, he has the focus and hand eye coordination to high point the ball to give him the best chance of making the catch.  His overall skill set can be compared to a mix of Julio Jones and Torrey Smith, but his production and overall feel for the game will make him a consistent contributor for a long time.  Think in terms of Torry Holt – he is very similar.

He won’t blow away defenders with his speed, but his quick feet and agility allow him to gain the separation needed to come down with the ball.  Coaches will love his passion, enthusiasm and work ethic at the next level. 

Any team would be lucky to have him and wouldn’t be shocked if a team moved up inside the top five to grab him.  If not, he’s certainly a lock to be a top ten pick. 


Dante Fowler isn’t quite there yet, but he has the potential to be molded into whatever an NFL team wants him to be. At over 260 pounds, Fowler can easily play as a                          4-3 defensive end but I feel his best fit is standing up in a 3-4 front which will unveil his vaunted versatility.

There were times during Florida games in 2014 where Fowler seemed like the only player trying in the defensive front. He has a knack for getting involved in every play and his violent style of play makes him a terror for ball carriers. Fowler also has the constant motor which can sometimes be rare for athletic edge rushing prospects. He explodes off the snap and has good fight with his hands.

Fowler’s versatility will make him a fine pro even if he only pans out to be a 6-8 sack player. He has the ability to drop back in coverage and rack up tackle numbers crashing the line.

What I love the most about Fowler is that he’s only twenty years old and has already learned how to play so many positions. Fowler doesn’t have the pass rushing refine yet, but I see no reason why I can’t learn the traits necessary to be a top ten sack getter in the NFL.