2014 Official Draft Thread

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

2014 Sleeper RB: Terrance West

By Ken Scudero Jan 27, 2014 4:28 AM EST

Terrance West's numbers in 2013 were ridiculous: 413 carries, 2,509 rushing yards, 41 TDs. Photo by David Dermer/Diamond Images/Getty Images.

Every week leading up to the 2014 NFL Draft, we will focus on one specific position. This week, the spotlight is on RBs.

With a weak running back draft class, it's been easy for prospects to move up the ranks. Each passing week during and after the bowl season has seen different backs considered the top prospects in that position. There is still not a solid top 5 among running back prospects, and it's anyone's guess which back will be selected first. This has allowed small school prospects to become more easily noticed. Runner-up FCS Player of the Year Terrance West of Towson is probably one of the most intriguing running back prospects in the draft. The 5-foot-11, 223-pound halfback has come out of nowhere, and his draft stock is growing by the day.

To say West had a "heavy workload" in 2013 would be an understatement. He was handed the ball 413 times in 16 games. That's 99 more times than the NFL leader, LeSean McCoy, carried the ball. West broke FCS records with 2,509 rush yards and 41 rushing TDs. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his three college seasons and scored 86 total TDs. With a resume like that, it makes sense for him to forego his senior season for the NFL.

West's game relies heavily on his ability to find holes quickly and fake out defenders at the line of scrimmage. He isn't a speed demon by any means, and there often are times when he runs out of steam near the end of a long run. His vision and ability to find the right spots to cut are impeccable. He's a tough runner who can break tackles and isn't taken down easily. West proved this year he could catch out of the backfield, too, with 26 receptions for 258 yards and a TD.

There have been four players from Towson selected in NFL Draft history, and West will be the 5th. He is getting a 3rd-round grade, though I don't think he will be selected that high. There are questions about how his speed will translate in the NFL and in the tape I watched, I saw a ball pop right out of his hands after a clean handoff from the quarterback. With average speed but great vision, natural juking ability and toughness, West looks to be a solid running back prospect. And a 2,509-yard season cannot be ignored.

Still, I think West is climbing the ranks so quickly simply due to the weakness of the competition in this running back class. He's a solid 4th-round draft pick who can step in as a backup runner with the potential to start in another season.

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

[bonehead]

NFL ProspectQuits Job, Lives In Van To TrainForDraft

You won't recognize Rashid Williams's name, and it might not even be called in the NFL Draft, but he gave up so much for the mere possibility of being picked by a team this May.

Kristian Dyer talked to Williams for Shutdown Corner; it's an impressive tale of one man's dedication to strive for a goal that isn't really guaranteed. Williams last played competitive football in high school, but after a couple of indoor football tryouts, he chose to hone his skills for the NFL Draft by enrolling at the TEST Parisi Football Academy. He has no agent, and the training facility is in New Jersey, so Williams quit his job as a Frito Lay sales rep and sold his car for a minivan that he currently lives in while he trains.

Predictably, it is awful to live in a van in the winter:

The northeast has been struck by a deep-freeze this new year, with night temperatures routinely dropping into the single digits and 18 inches of snow expected this week in Martinsville. Williams sleeps in the back seat of his van with multiple layers of sweatpants and sweatshirts on. He huddles underneath three blankets to stay warm. He reads at night to keep his mind off the cold.

His body has acclimated to the cold temperatures he says; after six weeks of the lifestyle it has become his new norm. He eats a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as well as consuming protein drinks. As for creature comforts, there are none. He just wants to not freeze at night.

Dyer took a couple of photos of Williams's living arrangement that accompany the article. Yeah, it looks like it sucks.

With seven siblings and his mother, Williams wants to support his family with an NFL career. He was a track athlete at Holy Family University and has stayed in shape for the past few years, so he's just hoping for one chance to prove himself and find a team.

A more cynical person might point out that even if Williams was drafted, he'd have to avoid injury, roster cutdowns, and other obstacles for a career that averages three years. But he's already a longshot, so what difference is a couple of digits added onto his odds?

Wow, nice story , looks like an UDFA....bring him in!!! Could he be any worse than poor Derek Cox?

[bonehead]

2014 NFL Draft Interview: Jacoby Browder, CB, Tuskegee

Should have asked about his head butting skills

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

Wow, nice story , looks like an UDFA....bring him in!!! Could he be any worse than poor Derek Cox?

As long as he is not a freezie poo by the draft!!

[Formula 21]

Ok the CBS draft list is iffy, especially right now, but you can make a case for any of these players going to the Bolts. And I'd be happy with any of them. They're all upgrades.

15 *Marqise Lee WR 3 Southern California Jr 6-0 195 1
16 C.J. Mosley ILB 1 Alabama Sr 6-2 232 1
17 *Kony Ealy DE 2 Missouri rJr 6-5 275 1
18 *Louis NixInjured DT 1 Notre Dame rJr 6-2 345 1
19 *Hasean Clinton-Dix FS 1 Alabama Jr 6-1 208 1
20 Justin Gilbert CB 2 Oklahoma State Sr 6-0 200 1
21 Dee Ford DE 3 Auburn rSr 6-2 243 1
22 Aaron Donald DT 2 Pittsburgh Sr 6-1 288 1
23 *Timmy Jernigan DT 3 Florida State Jr 6-2 298 1
24 *Cyrus Kouandjio OT 5 Alabama Jr 6-5 310 1
25 *Kelvin Benjamin WR 4 Florida State rSo 6-5 235 1

[blueman]

That's a pretty sweet cluster. I'd take Lee in a heartbeat.

[Formula 21]

That's a pretty sweet cluster. I'd take Lee in a heartbeat.

I'd love to have Lee too, but since 10 teams have to pass on him as BPA when they pick, our odds of seing him there at 25 are about 1 in 10. But I'm pretty happy at the apparent group of players we'll have to pick from.

[Beerman]

Brandin Cooks – Wide Receiver

Size – 5010e – 188e – 4.45e

Strong Points – Very productive, hands, routes, run after catch, has returned kicks

Weak Points – Lacks ideal size

Summation – Cooks is a third-year junior who entered the Draft as an underclassmen. He was one of the most productive receivers in the country for the 2013 season with 128 receptions for 1730 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also ran for 217 yards on 32 carries.

Cooks is not the biggest receiver. He is listed as being 5010 – 188 and may not be that big. He is an excellent athlete with speed and very good body control. I would estimate his play speed as being in the 4.45 area. He has very good quickness, instant change of direction, and can stop and start as quickly as any player I have ever seen.

In the Oregon State offense, he isn’t required to run a lot of different routes, but he does run very good routes. He can cut very quickly and easily gains separation. His ability to cut multiple times in a route and stay under control is rare. He is used mostly on bubble screens, comebacks, crossing routes, and go routes. He has very good hands and easily adjusts to the ball in the air. He consistently catches the ball away from his body.

Despite his lack of top size, he is fearless in traffic and very competitive going after the ball. After the catch, he has excellent run skills. He is an instinctive runner who can make multiple defenders miss in space. With his burst and speed, he is a threat to turn any short catch into a long gain. As a blocker, he is willing but not consistently effective. As a freshman, Cooks returned kickoffs and averaged better than 22 yards per return. He returned punts this year for a six yard average.

Brandin Cooks is a very exciting receiver to watch. He is quick, fast, elusive, and competitive. I see no reason why he wouldn’t step in and start as a rookie in the right situation. Big receivers are in vogue in the NFL right now but Cooks has a special skill set. He will be best off as a slot receiver and should put up big numbers once he gets accustomed to the NFL game. I see no reason why he wouldn’t be a top return guy, also. His size may keep him out of the first round but he will be long gone before the midway part of the second round.

Grade – A 6.7

If we do decide to move on from Royal, Brandin Cooks is the guy I want to replace him. The guy is just awesome. Excellent acceleration and ability to separate. He has fantastic hands as well. He would be a great addition to our short passing game with the ability to take the ball to the house every time he touches it.

[blueman]

If Royal leaves, isn't Brown the slot guy?

Brown's a funny player, an adequate WR without a true spot.

[Beerman]

How would Brown be better in the slot? He would be even worse. Slot guys run a ton of short, quick routes.

[Beerman]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/nfl-draft-pre-combine-mock-draft-texans-taking-194811280--nfl.html

25. San Diego Chargers — Clemson CB Bashaud Breeland
This is a bit of a projection, and there are a few corners (Florida’s Marcus Roberson is another) who might surprise people with how high they end up going. But Breeland fits the mold of the big corner that NFL teams are in love with these days, and in a division with Demaryius Thomas, Dwayne Bowe and other tall, physical receivers, the Chargers need someone to combat that.

Am I the only scared to death of taking a CB in the first? So many of these guys end up sucking ass.