Draft Nuggets #3

Draft Nuggets 2013: Entry #3

By Jeff Bowers of www.thesportsnarrative.com

Twitter: @sportsnarrative

 

Just two teams remain in the pursuit of the Lombardi Trophy. But at this time of year, every team is abuzz with activity. With turnover on coaching staffs, front offices and rosters, the NFL off-season is the time when next year’s champion is made. My name is Jeff Bowers, draft researcher for The Ticket, and this is your home for all the latest news with the Cowboys, The NFL Draft and the rest of the NFL.

The Jan 15^th deadline for college underclassmen to declare for the draft has passed and a number of college “all-star” games were played, giving those draft eligible players a chance to show their skills and earn a place in the 2013 NFL Draft on April 25-27.

For the third consecutive year, a record number of draft eligible underclassmen made them available for the NFL Draft. 73 players, including 11 from LSU alone, put their name in the hat for this year’s draft, eclipsing last year’s record of 65. With the new rookie wage scale, this trend will probably continue as players seek to get their “free agency clock” started as early as possible. Last year over half of the 1^st round selections were underclassmen, and many of these players will be high draft picks as well. Below is the complete list in alphabetical order:

Number	Player	Pos.	College
1	Allen, Keenan	WR	California
2	Amerson, David	DB	North Carolina State
3	Bailey, Alvin	G	Arkansas
4	Bailey, Stedman	WR	West Virginia
5	Bakhtiari, David	T	Colorado
6	Beckford, Dwayne	LB	Purdue
7	Bell, Le'Veon	RB	Michigan State
8	Bernard, Giovani	RB	North Carolina
9	Bray, Tyler	QB	Tennessee
10	Brown, Terrence	DB	Stanford
11	Carter, Duron	WR	Ohio State
12	Davis, Knile	RB	Arkansas
13	Edwards, Mike	DB	Hawaii
14	Elam, Matt	DB	Florida
15	Ertz, Zach	TE	Stanford
16	Escobar, Gavin	TE	San Diego State
17	Faulk, Chris	T	Louisiana State
18	Floyd, Sharrif	DT	Florida
19	Ford, Michael	RB	Louisiana State
20	Frederick, Travis	C	Wisconsin
21	Geathers, Kwame	NT	Georgia
22	Gholston, William	DE	Michigan State
23	Hankins, Johnathan	DT	Ohio State
24	Harley, Jajuan	DB	Middle Tennessee
25	Hopkins, DeAndre	WR	Clemson
26	Hunter, Justin	WR	Tennessee
27	Jamison, Jawan	RB	Rutgers
28	Jefferson, Stefphon	RB	Nevada
29	Jefferson, Tony	DB	Oklahoma
30	Jenkins, Jelani	LB	Florida
31	Joeckel, Luke	T	Texas A&M
32	Jones, Jarvis	LB	Georgia
33	Jose, Jose	DT	Central Florida
34	Kruger, Joe	DE	Utah
35	Lacy, Eddie	RB	Alabama
36	Lattimore, Marcus	RB	South Carolina
37	Lemonier, Corey	DE	Auburn
38	Logan, Bennie	DT	Louisiana State
39	Maponga, Stansly	DE	Texas Christian
40	Mathieu, Tyrann	DB	Louisiana State
41	Milliner, Dee	DB	Alabama
42	Mingo, Barkevious	DE	Louisiana State
43	Minter, Kevin	LB	Louisiana State
44	Montgomery, Sam	DE	Louisiana State
45	Moore, Brandon	DT	Texas
46	Moore, Damontre	DE	Texas A&M
47	Ogletree, Alec	LB	Georgia
48	Patterson, Cordarrelle	WR	Tennessee
49	Randle, Bradley	RB	Nevada-Las Vegas
50	Randle, Joseph	RB	Oklahoma State
51	Reed, Jordan	TE	Florida
52	Reid, Eric	DB	Louisiana State
53	Reid, Greg	DB	Florida State
54	Rhodes, Xavier	DB	Florida State
55	Richardson, Sheldon	DT	Missouri
56	Robey, Nickell	DB	Southern California
57	Ryan, Logan	DB	Rutgers
58	Sanders, Ace	WR	South Carolina
59	Sentimore, Darrington	DT	Tennessee
60	Simon, Tharold	DB	Louisiana State
61	Sims, Dion	TE	Michigan State
62	Spence, Akeem	DT	Illinois
63	Stills, Kenny	WR	Oklahoma
64	Toilolo, Levine	TE	Stanford
65	Ware, Spencer	RB	Louisiana State
66	Watson, Menelik	T	Florida State
67	Werner, Bjoern	DE	Florida State
68	Williams, Steve	DB	California
69	Wilson, Marquess	WR	Washington State
70	Wing, Brad	P	Louisiana State
71	Wood, Cierre	RB	Notre Dame
72	Woods, Robert	WR	Southern California
73	Wort, Tom	LB	Oklahoma

 

East/West Shrine Game

Played on Saturday the 19^th at Tropicana Field, the East/West Shrine Game gave several college players a chance to show their skills under NFL coaching. While most of these players are Day 3 draft picks, it’s this class of players that can provide the precious depth needed to survive the grind of a 16 game season (as demonstrated by the Cowboys this year). Here’s a few of the players that stood out during the game and at practices to keep an eye on:

 

Name	Position	School	Projection
Devin Taylor	DE	South Carolina	3rd-4th
Christian Michael	RB	Texas A&M	3rd-4th
Terry Hawthorne	CB	Illinois	4th-5th
Sio Moore	OLB	Connecticut	4th-5th
Josh Evans	FS	Florida	4th-5th
Demontre Hurst	CB	Oklahoma	4th-5th
AJ Klein	OLB	Iowa State	5th-6th
Brandon Smith	CB	Georgia	5th-6th
Caleb Sturgis	PK	Florida	5th-6th
TJ Johnson	C	South Carolina	5th-6th
Jasper Collins	WR	Mount Union	6th-7th
Earl Wolff	SS	NC State	6th-7th
Gerald Hodges	MLB	Penn State	6th-7th
Kerwynn Williams	RB/KR	Utah State	7th-UFA
Chad Bumphis	WR	Mississippi St	7th-UFA

Bottom of The Bottle

Hey it’s your old pal The Mick here with a request for the dozens of readers we have. Before I give my request I need to tell you a little story. It’s a sad little story about a kid named Manti Te’o. Now I’m sure some of you have heard this story, but, for those of you that haven’t here is as a clear a story as can be told about this.

Manti met a girl online. I don’t know how they started talking. Maybe Twitter or LonelyHawaiians.com (I don’t know if that’s real). The point is, it was online. They started emailing and chatting and from these interactions feelings began to bloom in the heart of little Te’o. For months they communicated online, Te’o at Notre Dame and the girl at Stanford. However, tragedy struck Manti. On the same day his beloved grandmother died, his online girlfriend also lost her battle with leukemia. This all happened right in the middle of a magical undefeated season. He led his team to the BCS Championship Game and was up for the Heisman Trophy. But he lost out to a Redshirt Freshman from Texas A&M. I’m shocked Manti didn’t eat a gun that night. The story gets worse by the way, so if your calm is damaged now you might want to get a drink.

Apparently, Manti’s girlfriend wasn’t real. He was a victim of an elaborate hoax which is known as “catfishing.” If you have never seen the show Catfish on MTV (and most haven’t) here is its premise: The host (which made a movie about this before the show was made) takes people to meet their online boy/girlfriend. If it is a different person than what you were presented online then you have been “catfished.” Be it a guy pretending to be a girl or a girl pretending to be a guy (which has happened on the show) or a fat guy saying they are skinny, etc etc. I really want to fill an entire page with the way you can have a Catfish. I’d be a modern Jeff Foxworthy and hang myself with someone else’s suspenders.

Here is the real bitch; people are accusing Te’o of being in on the hoax. Personally, I think he was victim, a stupid, stupid victim. Let me give you a little history lesson about the internet. Ever since ICQ, people have been lying about their identity. Of course, back then web cameras were a rare thing. So all a person had to do was just say I don’t have a photo on my computer. In today’s age, that excuse is out the f@&king window since every phone has a camera and the internet. The internet has a ton of stock photos and unsecure Tumblr accounts, so pictures are easy to come across.

The point is if you meet someone online and you really like them ask for a specific picture with a landmark that you can identify before you get too invested. Now for my request I had earlier. Poor Manti has started a new craze! Like owling, planking and Tebowing before, we now have Te’oing!!!!! You take a picture with your arm around your invisible girl/boyfriend. I have seen some kissing, eating and even proposing to the invisible partner. I want everyone to take a Te’oing picture, doing whatever you would like, and send it to thesportsnarrative@gmail.com. Please be as creative as possible and try to make Jeff hate me for doing this. Just to be fair you can also send them to themicktsn@gmail.com. Ha, Jeff, I beat you to it.

And now for a collection of random notes I call Quick Shots!

-       I watched the Judge Dredd remake creatively named Dredd. All and all it was a pretty good movie. Of course, for some God awful, f@&ked up reason every hero has strep throat. Damn it Bones take a Sucrets for s#!t’s sake. Batman has the same issue, and that make me think some very weird things are happening

-       “What else is going on?” you ask. Great question! There is some political crap. Stupid President wants to appeal to the ignorant sheeple. Oh no! Guns! Whatever! I know Britain has a complete ban on guns and has the highest rate of violent crime in Europe. Perhaps we should arm everyone for a change. I don’t know, I don’t care, to Hell with all of it.

-       As I have said before, it’s this victim mindset that is screwing us. My real question is, why do they try and make yeast infection medicine commercials casual? I don’t have a vagina, so I’ll ask Darren, but I’m sure women don’t discuss such things. It doesn’t seem like typical bar talk. Is it what girls talk about when they go to the bathroom together?

-       Alright, I think that’s all the ramblings I have for now. No! Wait! A question for the six people that read this and never comment, what does one do when their gym shorts are now too big and it’s the middle of winter? I had plumbers crack during my work out tonight and it was annoying as Hell.

Until next time . . . .

Oh, @#$% it!

This Show Does Not Exist #Catfish

Join Jeff, Darren and The Mick (in transit) as they discuss the soap operas that have taken over the sports world, preview the AFC and NFC Championship games with some terrible picks ATS, take a very quick peek at the upcoming hockey season and discuss EPL soccer with 2 guys live from England! Isn't the Internet grand?

 

http://thesportsnarrative.podbean.com/mf/web/9wh5i4/1-18-13.mp3

Darren's Scouting Reports

Draft Scout Darren Boyd

Twitter @DarrenBoyd13

Entry #2 Guards

Despite the Cowboys’ hiring of Monte Kiffin that may redirect some of their off-season resources toward the defense, this draft scout will continue to detail draft positions in the order of need as set down in our Cowboys Autopsy after the end of the regular season. This year’s guard stock in the NFL Draft is strong to quite strong and warrants some serious consideration in the first 3 rounds. While Nate Livings proved to be somewhere between serviceable and adequate, Mackenzy Bernadeau was a drastic disappointment and needs to be sent to the bench (or the street). Much like the Mavs regretting the Tyson Chandler decision, the Cowboys may come to rue the Claiborne trade-up over taking DeCastro and Peter Konz for years to come (as I humbly predicted on Draft Day). However, all that could be relieved with a rededication to the O-Line. So let’s see what is available:

 

1.      Chance Warmack 6'2 322 Alabama - Dominate!!! It is very rare that a Guard is considered in the top 10 Range. How rare, the last Top 5 Guard was John Hanna, also from Alabama, at the 4th pick in 1973 by the Patriots. You don't have to have a high football IQ to appreciate what Warmack did to Manti Te'o in the championship game. He has been doing this for 3 years at Bama. The man is an elite talent. He is a mauler at the point of attack during the running game. He moves very well in blocking for the pass game. The only knock I can find is arm length for pass blocking. I'm interested to see how he will measure at the Combine. Warmack is the best pure Guard prospect I’ve ever evaluated in my over 20 years of following the Draft. Cowboys would have to trade up to get him as I’d be shocked if he is not a top 15 pick.

2.      Jonathan Cooper 6'3 295 UNC - This left guard caught my eye while watching film on RB Giovani Bernard. He looks very athletic but sets a good base also. I was impressed with his quickness when pulling. He gets to the 2nd level in a hurry and has a high football IQ on film. Cowboys fans would be very happy with his blocking out in space during Demarco Murray screens. Solidly rated as a 1st round talent
 

3.      Larry Warford 6'3 340 Kentucky - He is the biggest guard of the top tier draft prospects at the position. He is a road grader at right guard. For a large man, as one would expect, looks very slow on film when pulling. Of course he looks very strong on tape. I can’t wait to see his bench and power numbers at the combine. My concern is additional weight gain at the pro level, can he keep it off and not become an Aaron Gibson. Playing at a high level in the SEC warrants a mid to late 2nd Round grade for me.
 

4.      Alvin Bailey 6'5 315 Arkansas - He is an early entry player. Play Right Guard but could see him at Left in the NFL. He is a large man but moves pretty well for his size. In the NFL, he will need to rely on his technique more than he does now. He appears to overpower people at the college level but the pros is a different story. I view him as a late 2 or early 3 prospect

 

Here are a few mid to late round prospects. I take the Bill Parcells approach. He looked for guys from big programs that were healthy and played a lot. They may not have elite traits but they were durable and consistent.

Travis Bond 6'6 340 UNC - He is a beast as far as size. He played since he was a true freshman. Of course with his size, the word plodder comes to mind. On film he does use his size as an advantage but is slow, thus warrants a 4-5 round pick at right guard.

Omoregie Uzzi 6'3 305 Georgia Tech - Another right guard. He has been dinged up which goes against my theory but no major injuries. He was first team all-ACC for whatever that is worth. On film, he has a good base and is a solid run blocker but pass protection skills need improvement. He is a 4-5 round grade range

Coming up in our next post will be Offensive Tackles, as the fate of Doug Free this off-season is in doubt. Until then, send me your draft questions on twitter and give me a follow! @DarrenBoyd13

Tuesday Night Fun!!!

Join Jeff, Darren and The Mick as they examine an incredible weekend in the NFL, talk Cowboys off-season moves, drop a few hot sports opinions on your punkin head and then give a ridiculous Golden Globes wrap-up with entertainment anti-reporter The Mick!

http://thesportsnarrative.podbean.com/mf/web/szyrd2/1-15-13.mp3