By the time draft day hits, evaluations are complete, boards are set, and each team has a firm idea of who they’ll be targeting when it’s there time to pick, even beyond the 1st round. Head coaches, general managers, and owners are generally in the room as the lead decision makers, with the influence of each varying from team to team.
However, with the rest of the scouting staff in the room, it gives a chance to regional scouts to take a stand, to “Bang the Table” for a prospect. While it has begun to be a bit over-used, in the NFL, if you bang the table for a prospect, your job is all but on the line. As that prospect goes, you go with your job in the organization.
I don’t take that idea lightly. While I won’t be let go by Optimum Scouting (because I’m the man in charge), I still act, and force our evaluators to think this way, as if each grade given, my job is on the line. And I’d be willing to “bang the table” and stake my reputation on these five players.
Jonathan Cyprien in 1st Round
Before the Senior Bowl, I hadn’t evaluated this safety from Florida International nearly enough to give him a firm grade. Now, after seeing him in all-star practices, reviewing multiple games from his career, and doing background work on him, Jonathan Cyprien ended as a Top 10 player on our Big Board.
Cyprien possesses elite range in a free safety role, closing quickly as the quarterback changes reads and attacking the receiver with ideal timing and closing speed to finish as a tackler/dislodger of the football. And in run support, he’s able to close on the outside and finish plays in the short area. His upside could be in a Brian Dawkins type level in the NFL along with versatility to play both strong and free safety in the NFL, and is well-worth a Top 20 pick.
Quinton Patton in Mid-Late 1st Round
Cordarelle Patterson, Justin Hunter, and Tavon Austin certainly have the upside to be among the best playmakers in the NFL. Their size, speed, and big play ability are what each NFL team would love to have in their offense. Quinton Patton doesn’t have that same upside.
However, he does possess the most crisp and decisive routes in this draft. He does possess the best extension away from his body and the ability to separate late from his defensive back in mid-range routes. He does have a high football IQ in terms of option routes, hot reads, and the ability to set up a defensive back. Patton has the potential to be Greg Jennings-plus, which is well-worth a 1st round selection.
Terron Armstead in 2nd Round
A left tackle in college, Armstead’s remarkable upside and foot quickness was on display at the 2013 NFL Combine after a blazing forty yard dash time. But on film, he’s more than just a “fast” offensive lineman. He’s loose as he opens up in his kick slide in pass protection, works upfield as a run blocker, and even flashed the elite ability to pull laterally as a mobile, run blocking guard.
Armstead isn’t worth a Top 15 pick thanks to his need for added strength and sometimes over-finesse play in pass protection. However, in late 1st round, Armstead is a future starter at left or right tackle or kicking inside to guard, and could be the next Duane Brown (Texans left tackle), and if he’s there in round two by some miracle, he should be pounced on by NFL teams.
Khaseem Greene in 3rd Round
The term “defensive playmaker” is often thrown around for numerous linebackers and defensive backs, but Greene has optimized the term in his 2012 campaign. Greene had back to back 130+ tackle, 12+ tackle for loss seasons at Rutgers, along with 13 career forced fumbles.
Despite being undersized, Greene’s ability to work on the edge, his instincts to react vertically in coverage, and versatility to be a pass rusher and a short area coverage dropping linebacker should allow him to fit as a weakside 4-3 linebacker or a 3-4 inside linebacker. Size concerns is what pushes him past the 1st round, but if he’s available in round 3, I’ll glad take the playmaking NFL starter in the early 3rd round.
Kyle Juszczyk in 5th Round
The Harvard graduate was dominant in his senior season in the Ivy league, working as a fullback, H-back, tight end, and slot receiver throughout multiple games. Juszczyk doesn’t have the same natural fluidity or top speed of other “joker TEs” in this draft or currently in the NFL, which is what likely pushes him out of the Top 100 values.
However, with his willingness and development as a blocking fullback/H-Back as well as the versatility as a route runner and run-after-catch tight end/slot receiver is what should make him a long-term match-up playmaker in the NFL. In the Certainly worth a 4th round selection, I’ll happily vouch for Juszczyk in the last “meaningful” round in the draft and fight for him as 5th rounder.
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