2014 Official Draft Thread

[Steve]

Part of this may be the NFL relaxing rules about when teams can start to work with their rookies. In the past, it was driven strictly by the graduation date for the school. Now, they may be going to allow the players to just work full time once they get drafted. Most colleges will be graduating starting the beginning of May.

Personally, I still think if you want to get teams more in line with not drafting underclassmen, don't allow the juniors and other underclassmen to join the team until the last school graduates (schools still on quarters really screw things up). But any player that has already gotten their bachelors should be free to participate with their team. That would encourage kids to stay in school to get a head start.

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

Roby pleads guilty to reduced charge

Posted by Mike Florio on April 29, 2014, 11:05 AM EDT

The pre-draft legal issue for cornerback Bradley Roby has been resolved almost as quickly as it arose.

On Tuesday morning, Roby resolved a citation for operating a vehicle while under the influence by pleading guilty to having “physical control” of a vehicle while under the influence.

“Though my client, Bradley Roby, maintains his innocence and feels he would have been completely exonerated had he taken this matter to trial, Bradley has accepted the prosecutor’s offer of a reduced charge to ‘physical control’ to bring closure and finality to this situation ahead of next week’s NFL draft,” agent Michael Perrett of SportsTrust Advisors said in a statement issued to PFT. “A ‘physical control’ citation is a non-moving violation that will not result in any points being added to his driving record and there will be no license suspension. Bradley is scheduled to complete a three-day alcohol educational class this week which will effectively terminate the case. This plea was accepted by the judge and entered into the record today. Bradley is very focused and is excited about starting his NFL career.”

While a 911 caller claimed that Roby “almost hit a bunch of kids” while driving at 3:00 a.m., the prosecutor obviously believed that it would be impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Roby was indeed driving under the influence.

Roby ultimately was found behind the wheel of a parked car, with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.008 percent, one-tenth of the legal limit.


So he was buzzed and driving at 3 AM weeks before the draft... Not smart...

[bonehead]

If Jeffrey Dahmer ran a 4.38 forty his agent would have said he had an eating disorder.

[Mister Hoarse]

There are plenty of GMs before us that will gamble on his raw athleticism before he gets to us. The one shred of hope I have is that he really doesn't seem like he would "fit" at DE so those 4-3 teams may pass on him if they have some doubts. Sadly there are plenty of 3-4 teams nowadays then ever before so...

Big thing with Barr is technique. He has to learn to counter when lineman get a hold of him. He has the speed rush off the edge down. One thing that would probably take him to that next level is a spin move ala Freeney. He also needs to get stronger to be able to bull rush more often and be successful doing it.

The point that some evaluators are making about him needing 2-3 years to fully become that dominant player is pretty spot on. That said, he can still drop back into coverage and be a pass rush specialist coming off the edge for us early in his career.

This is another reason why he is a perfect fit for us.

[Mister Hoarse]

I don't disagree with Mack being better then Barr, but I think draft gurus are going overboard on Barr. Teams are willing to draft raw guys with pass rush potential very high, and I don't see Barr being any different. He is far more productive then a lot of college pass rushers are, and that is despite the fact he only played OLB for 2 years.

I don't disagree with what Brandt said, but that doesn't mean that Barr isn't going to be a high pick too.

I think he won't go top 10 because of the contract length. At that point, he would be the only guy I would trade up for.

[Steve]

I don't disagree with the thought that he doesn't really fit a 43 as a DE, but with the success Orakpo had as a rookie, and Von Miller has had as a situational rusher while playing OLB, I wouldn't put it past a 43 team to draft him.

[sandiego17]

ESPN Mocks. Apologies if this has already been posted:

McShay 5.0

Anthony Barr
San Diego Chargers (9-7)
COLLEGE: UCLA
Class: Sr
HT: 6-4, WT: 255, POS: OLB

Analysis: This could be a good time for the Chargers to bring in a developing pass-rusher like Barr, with Dwight Freeney getting up in years, Melvin Ingram returning from a torn ACL and Jarret Johnson's cap number for 2015 being $7.5 million. There's more finesse to Barr's game at this point in his career than I'd like to see, and he isn't a great finisher on tape, but he has upside as an edge-rusher because of his elite top-end speed for the position.

He has Verrett going 24 and Roby, Hageman and Tuitt drafter afterwards, Nix falling out of round 1.

Kiper 5.0

Anthony Barr
San Diego Chargers (9-7)
COLLEGE: UCLA
Class: Sr
HT: 6-4, WT: 255, POS: OLB

Analysis: I was tempted to put Fuller here -- as that's a pretty big need and I think he can help them early -- but there's a certain point at which you see this level of productivity from a pass-rusher, consider your own need at that spot and have to take a guy like Barr, who needs some developmental work but got to the quarterback plenty, even while he was figuring it out on defense after a conversion from fullback. Cleaning up your ability to defend the pass doesn't just come through better personnel in the secondary. It can start up front.

He has Fuller, Verrett, Hageman, Tuitt still on the board and Nix not drafted in the first.

[Mister Hoarse]

That's why I'm with most of you: This May 7th draft is just...too much. Too much time to wait, too much OVER analyzing, too many mock drafts. Just about every player - from Manziel, to Bridgewater, to Barr - has been mocked from Top 5 to 2nd round. How ridiculous is that?

I guess the only benefit I see is that, with such a wide range of opinions, perhaps there will be a few surprises along the way, which will make for a more interesting draft.

And - for Chrissakes - get the damn thing back on the weekend! Saturday/Sunday was just perfect. I bet if you polled the true NFL draft geek-a-zoids across the League (fans), they would agree.

Draft starts May 8

:QSmokey:

[Formula 21]

Roby pleads guilty to reduced charge

Posted by Mike Florio on April 29, 2014, 11:05 AM EDT

The pre-draft legal issue for cornerback Bradley Roby has been resolved almost as quickly as it arose.

On Tuesday morning, Roby resolved a citation for operating a vehicle while under the influence by pleading guilty to having “physical control” of a vehicle while under the influence.

“Though my client, Bradley Roby, maintains his innocence and feels he would have been completely exonerated had he taken this matter to trial, Bradley has accepted the prosecutor’s offer of a reduced charge to ‘physical control’ to bring closure and finality to this situation ahead of next week’s NFL draft,” agent Michael Perrett of SportsTrust Advisors said in a statement issued to PFT. “A ‘physical control’ citation is a non-moving violation that will not result in any points being added to his driving record and there will be no license suspension. Bradley is scheduled to complete a three-day alcohol educational class this week which will effectively terminate the case. This plea was accepted by the judge and entered into the record today. Bradley is very focused and is excited about starting his NFL career.”

While a 911 caller claimed that Roby “almost hit a bunch of kids” while driving at 3:00 a.m., the prosecutor obviously believed that it would be impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Roby was indeed driving under the influence.

Roby ultimately was found behind the wheel of a parked car, with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.008 percent, one-tenth of the legal limit.


So he was buzzed and driving at 3 AM weeks before the draft... Not smart...

A bunch of kids at 3:00 am? That sounds like BS to me. And a ticket for .008 while you're not driving is still ridiculous.

[Mister Hoarse]

ESPN Mocks. Apologies if this has already been posted:

McShay 5.0

Anthony Barr
San Diego Chargers (9-7)
COLLEGE: UCLA
Class: Sr
HT: 6-4, WT: 255, POS: OLB

Analysis: This could be a good time for the Chargers to bring in a developing pass-rusher like Barr, with Dwight Freeney getting up in years, Melvin Ingram returning from a torn ACL and Jarret Johnson's cap number for 2015 being $7.5 million. There's more finesse to Barr's game at this point in his career than I'd like to see, and he isn't a great finisher on tape, but he has upside as an edge-rusher because of his elite top-end speed for the position.

He has Verrett going 24 and Roby, Hageman and Tuitt drafter afterwards, Nix falling out of round 1.

Kiper 5.0

Anthony Barr
San Diego Chargers (9-7)
COLLEGE: UCLA
Class: Sr
HT: 6-4, WT: 255, POS: OLB

Analysis: This could be a good time for the Chargers to bring in a developing pass-rusher like Barr, with Dwight Freeney getting up in years, Melvin Ingram returning from a torn ACL and Jarret Johnson's cap number for 2015 being $7.5 million. There's more finesse to Barr's game at this point in his career than I'd like to see, and he isn't a great finisher on tape, but he has upside as an edge-rusher because of his elite top-end speed for the position.

He has Fuller, Verrett, Hageman, Tuitt still on the board and Nix not drafted in the first.

Uhhh...

[Mister Hoarse]

A bunch of kids at 3:00 am? That sounds like BS to me. And a ticket for .008 while you're not driving is still ridiculous.

Yeah, how buzzed do you get on mouthwash levels of alcohol?

[sandiego17]

Uhhh...

Not sure what you're talking about...