2014 Official Draft Thread

[Kyle]

I'm guessing the Texans take Clowney, so you can bet they won't.

I still think they take Bridgewater. He's the most NFL ready QB in the draft.

To me it would make more sense for them to take Clowney and try to get Carr or McCarron later. Their defense would be sick but they'd have to be patient at QB.

[Mister Hoarse]

I think Houston would do better to get the top player on the board with their first pick and then move back up into the first round later on for a QB they like.

[bonehead]

I think Bridgewater dropped on that weak pro day of his

[Steve]

There are a host of guys who have dropped because of pro days, or other thing that didn't matter very much. Guys like Drew Brees, Dan Marino fell, Vontaze Burfict, Randy Moss are just a few. They fell not because of things on the field as much, but the off field perceptions. Some of it was certainly concerning, but when you start to read too much into these things, you eliminate some of the best people.

Pro days have their place, but you have to remember it is just one workout. Plus, I wouldn't put it pas an NFL GM to start rumors early in the draft process, to try and get a guy to fall. IF I had to address some other need in the 1st, but still wanted a shot at him in the early 2nd. IN this draft, all you really have to do is get that cluster at the top of the draft to doubt themselves enough to pass on him as a high 1st round pick. You just need to whisper enough in the right places to the right people, and the doubting will begin. Then they will even do the dirty work for you. Just pick some scout who is still a little biased on some quality or not, talk to him when he is half way accross the country, looking at someone else, and hopefully some GM who is hung up on measurables will take it from there. I think there was a reason AJ called it liars month.

[Kyle]

These pundits don't really know in March where guys rank on each teams draft boards. The draft is over a month away. Agree with Steve that a Pro Day isn't going to have that big of an effect on Bridgewater's draft stock.

[bonehead]

These pundits don't really know in March where guys rank on each teams draft boards. The draft is over a month away. Agree with Steve that a Pro Day isn't going to have that big of an effect on Bridgewater's draft stock.

No one knows where guys rank on team draft boards.....teams don't even know where other teams have players ranked

The pundits (Mayock, Gosselin, Jeremiah )know a lot more than anyone on this board including Steve....

[Steve]

These pundits don't really know in March where guys rank on each teams draft boards. The draft is over a month away. Agree with Steve that a Pro Day isn't going to have that big of an effect on Bridgewater's draft stock.

I do think some people put too much faith in pro days. But I am not among them, and I don't think TT does either.

Again, TT keeps saying 80% of the draft is done during the season, and if you include interviews and medical, it doesn't leave much for a pro day, or any other workouts. But why do workouts really matter, except to prove how serious you are about preparation?

Pundits and some coaches put so much emphasis on pro days because:
1). They are usually the last chance to see a guy, and the human brain tends to focus on that far more then a large body of information. Sometimes that is good, sometimes not.
2). Measureables are a easy way out for most scouting types. It is far easier to point to a guy's 40 time to prove a player has speed, then it is to do it off a video screen. Yet, the video screen is a far better way of doing it, because it is on a football field and includes how quick a guy thinks, his feel for the game, the scheme, as well as speed and quickness.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

I think the case of Manziel shows at least some utility for the pro days from the team perspective.

By all accounts, he showed that he was able to clean up some mechanical flaws. While that isn't a definitive statement about him, he's shown that he can progress fairly quickly with some diligent work. Now if you can pair that info with other information you have about his make-up that leads you to believe he will be a dedicated pro (or won't), that could be useful in supporting a decision on him.

[Beerman]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pat-kirwan/24504704/mock-draft-no-7-atlanta-for-clowney-raiders-for-carr-make-deals

Sooo many recent mocks have penciled in Nix for us it's getting slightly ridiculous. Not that I would complain, I think he's a value pick at 25. If he gets past Dallas, I think he drops all the way to us.

Of note in that mock, really hope CJ Mosley doesn't drop to the Bronco's. He would be a huge upgrade for them.

[Steve]

The other guy who was able to really prove something was Michael Sam. The guy was a big question mark in terms of where he fit (like a lot of tweeners). HE didn't do well in the combine, although with the media circus, it doesn't take a lot of imagination to see why. But then to come back and do well in his pro day, answers some of the questions people have. Had he done really well, it would have answered more, but if he had really great physical tools to begin with, there never would have been then question marks to begin with.

I agree with BKR about Manziel, but I could also see some teams being a little turned off by the whole thing. I don't think the vikings were impressed by the workout as much as some others, but it is also liars month, so who really knows.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000337556/article/mike-zimmer-johnny-manziel-pro-day-was-sideshow

[Beerman]

One aspect that will be appealing to some teams is the hype that Manziel will bring to a team. He WILL sell season tickets. A team like the Raiders/Browns could really use that type of exposure and fanfare.

[Steve]

That is another reason teams miss on draft picks. Manziel can probably succeed if you do things like Seattle handled Wilson. Run the ball, develop his passing, and let him do some zone read. But those teams need to put more talent around him if he is going to Riader/Browns.