Prospect Profile News & Rumors

Prospect Profile: Blake Bortles

April 24th, 2014 at 6:12pm CST by Zachary Links

For much of 2013, Jadeveon Clowney was widely regarded as the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft. While that absolutely could still be the case, Central Florida’s Blake Bortles might wind up being the first player to shake Commissioner Goodell’s hand on May 8th.

The first thing that strikes most people about the UCF product is his size. At 6’5″ and 232 pounds, Bortles has the height to see over the outstretched arms of defensive linemen and the frame to absorb repeated blows a la Ben Roethlisberger. That’s not to say he’s resigned to taking a sack when the pocket collapses. Bortles has pretty solid mobility – no small feat for a QB his size – and can escape pressure when he needs to. He can keep a play alive longer than most and that will be a major asset for him as he makes the leap to the next level.

Not unlike Kyle Boller heading into the 2003 draft, Bortles has scouts raving over his fastball. With major zip on his throws, Bortles is able to take advantage of tiny openings and get his ball to the receiver from short and medium distance. Bortles throws an extremely catchable ball to his receivers with solid accuracy and has the intuition to lead his receivers to open space. He’s not the best at bombing the ball downfield (more on that in a bit), but his receivers tend to gain serious yards after the catch because of the opportunities he gives them.

The one thing that NFL scouts tend to drool over in a quarterback – other than size – is poise. Bortles both on and off the field, has shown that he’s an even-keeled and calm personality that doesn’t fold under pressure. This season, Bortles helped spearhead comeback victories against Penn State and Louisville on the road en route to leading UCF to a BCS bowl game. Off the field, Bortles has wowed coaches with his positive attitude in interviews and overall work ethic. Because he’s a notorious film room geek, front offices believe that the signal caller will work hard to identify his weaknesses and either neutralize them or turn them into positives.

So, what are his weaknesses? For starters, Bortles doesn’t have the kind of cannon arm that you might expect from a quarterback projected to go in the top five. His deep ball tends to float and that precision accuracy that he offers from close/medium distance has a significant dropoff. On passes thrown 16 yards or deeper, Bortles completed 49.3%, putting him in the middle of the pack for the top QBs in this class.

While Teddy Bridgewater is regarded by many as being an “NFL ready” prospect, you won’t find many scouts saying the same of Bortles. He has a high ceiling, but no one should expect to get perfection out of him in 2014 if he’s thrown into the fire. Bortles is also coming out of a UCF offense that didn’t ask him to survey the field for multiple targets as a lot of their players were pre-designed to go to one specified receiver. The other advantage the towering QB had in college was the weather on his home turf. While he ultimately came out on top against SMU in a December showdown, he was clearly affected by the 24 degree weather and many of his throws looked wobbly.

Ultimately, even though Bortles will have a learning curve ahead of him, he stands as a very solid option and one that is regarded by most as the best quarterback prospect of them all. While Clowney would be a welcome addition to anyone’s defense, the Texans know that the offense and the QB position are a higher priority. Also, this is just speculative, but Houston may be weary of a tremendously gifted defensive end prospect who has some question marks regarding motivation after their experience with Mario Williams.

If the Texans do take a pass, it’s hard to see him sliding far. The Rams at No. 2 appear very willing to trade down and there are several clubs looking to come away with a QB. Of course, the Jaguars at No. 3 and the Browns at No. 4 are among those in the market for a signal caller and he’ll get heavy consideration there. Some may prefer the makeup of Bridgewater or the excitement of Johnny Manziel, but I’d be genuinely surprised to see either player taken ahead of Bortles.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Prospect Profile: Mike Evans

April 23rd, 2014 at 8:46pm CST by Rob DiRe

Earlier today, Zach Links looked at the consensus top receiver in the upcoming draft, but Sammy Watkins might not be the only playmaking pass catcher selected in the top ten. Texas A&M standout Mike Evans might not have the pedigree of Watkins, but after two seasons with the Aggies he has jumped to the top of draft boards across the league.

Evans has a strength that makes him extremely valuable in the current NFL. Standing tall at 6’5″, even if he cannot separate with cornerbacks running down the field, Evans has the ability to separate with anyone vertically. Time and time again during his two seasons at College Station, Johnny Manziel was able to throw the ball up and watch Evans go up and over smaller defenders to come down with the football.

Where Watkins is considered the more polished receiver with the highest upside, he surrenders four inches or more when compared to Evans. While Zach writes that Watkins could have a similar impact to A.J. Green or Julio Jones did during their first two seasons, both those players are 6’3″ or taller. Other notable receivers that are 6’3″ or taller include Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Hakeem Nicks, Dez Bryant, Josh Gordon, Jordy Nelson, Vincent Jackson, and Jimmy Graham to name a few.

If that list of names does not include all of the best receivers in the modern NFL, it includes nearly all of them. The gives Evans a huge upside that could rival even Watkins. While taller receivers sometimes do not possess the top end speed required, Evans eased the minds of scouts when he ran a surprisingly fast 40-yard dash, posting a time of 4.53 seconds.

More importantly than his combine performance, Evans produced on the field. As a redshirt freshman, Evans caught 82 passes for over 1,100 yards and added five touchdowns. He only got better as a sophomore, catching 69 passes for 1,394 yards, for an incredible 20.2 yards per catch. His 12 touchdowns were tied for most in the SEC, as he torched some of the best defenses in the country. The Aggies lost to Alabama, but Evans caught 7 passes for 279 yards and a touchdown in that game. Texas A&M went on to beat the eventual SEC champion Auburn Tigers, behind Evans’ 287 yards on 11 catches, with four of those catches ending in the endzone.

Evans still will most likely have to wait for Watkins to come off the board ahead of him, but both players are looking at being selected in the top ten. The Buccaneers (No. 7) are rumored to be interested in Evans, and the Lions (No. 10) have been interested as well. The Bills (No. 9) could be a possibility, and it would be a surprise if he is passed on by both the Giants (No. 12) and the Rams (No. 13), assuming the Rams do not take Watkins with their earlier pick.

Prospect Profile: Sammy Watkins

April 23rd, 2014 at 8:26am CST by Zachary Links

In a draft chock full of talented wide receivers, no one has the kind of upside that Sammy Watkins offers. The Clemson star is a mortal lock for the top ten and highly likely to go inside of the top five thanks to his top-level speed and playmaking ability.

Watkins has the ability to burn cornerbacks deep, but that’s far from his only tool to make an impact on the field. The wide receiver has routinely shown the ability to take a short pass and turn it into a major gain with his agility and quickness. Beyond the physical skills, Watkins has the innate knowhow to get away from cornerbacks that you rarely see from someone his age. Nothing is ever guaranteed in the long-term, but his makeup implies that he could have an instant impact in the NFL ala A.J. Green or Julio Jones.

A team that embraces a west coast offense could really help Watkins flourish. Some have said that Watkins is a product of the offensive system at Clemson – a valid concern – but the liberal use of short passes and bubble screens could help make him feel like he’s still wearing neon orange on a Saturday. Taking that a step further, Watkins might be a good match for a rookie or sophomore quarterback. Veteran receivers can help with the maturation process, but having a safety blanket like Watkins who can take a five-yard pass deep down the field can bring additional comfort.

That’s not to say that there aren’t concerns about Watkins’ transition to the next level. For starters, at 6-foot and change (or 6’1″, depending on who you ask), the speedster could have some trouble against larger cornerbacks out of the Seahawks mold. You also won’t mistake Watkins for David Boston – he’s got a good sized frame and is defined at 211 pounds, but he doesn’t have the kind of major body mass that can offset his stature. Most of this league’s elite wide receivers stand at 6’3″ or taller, and that’s no coincidence. Watkins will have to adjust his game to find the football amongst the trees if he wants to get into the same stratosphere as Green, Jones, Brandon Marshall, Larry Fitzgerald, and all the rest.

Beyond that, Watkins has yet to show the ability to run a wide range of routes in game action. That doesn’t mean that he couldn’t run a multitude of crisp routes, but that is something of an unknown about Watkins since the Tigers aren’t known for mixing things up too much with their receivers. Can you blame Clemson? When dumpoff passes and bubble screens fluster opponents on a weekly basis, there’s no reason to fix what isn’t broken.

So where will Watkins wind up? Looking at the top of the draft, the Jaguars (No. 3) would be a logical landing spot since Justin Blackmon is on thin ice, but Jacksonville’s needs go far beyond receiver. At No. 4, the Browns have been frequently talked about as a team that would make sense for Watkins and we’re inclined to agree. Cleveland needs a signal caller too, but they could have a few attractive options in play at No. 26, including Fresno State’s Derek Carr. if the Browns go quarterback at No. 4, the Raiders (another team with multiple needs) will have to give some serious thought to drafting Watkins. If the late Al Davis was still with us, there’s no way he’d turn down Watkins and his 4.43 second 40-yard-dash time. The Buccaneers (No. 7) and the Lions (No. 10) are also high on Watkins, but they’ll probably have to move up if they want to grab him. Any way you slice it, it’s hard to see the Clemson star falling out of the top ten.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.