As they come to campus as freshman, players have to quickly distinguish themselves as elite-talented players on their rosters at their position, especially at major football universities. For if they don’t, the next “top recruit” can come in the next day and steal their spot. That constant “nudge” can either drive players to be great, or expose their weaknesses and push them down the depth chart.
The NFL Draft is somewhat similar. Prospects need to showcase their skills on their respective teams to move up the “depth chart” that are NFL team’s draft boards. But by the time their draft eligible, they no longer have to be concerned about battling it out for playing time, it’s about working with your teammates to get the most attention possible.
This year, I counted sixteen sets of teammates in which both play the same position for draft evaluators and both have the strong potential to both be drafted. We’ll see if that drive of competition then and now as well as pure talent can push one teammate over another on draft day.
Jimmy Smith and Jalil Brown, CBs, Colorado (Proj Rounds: 2nd and 3rd)
Our rankings have these two cornerbacks neck and neck as late second round values, with Jalil just ahead because of more versatility and much less character concerns. Smith could go as high as the mid-first round because of his ability to stick in man coverage and play physical towards the ball, but likely falls into the late first or early second round area. Brown is coming from the backside of the draft, viewed by some as a 4th-5th rounder but many teams have shown interest in him, as he can fit in many systems. Jimmy may get drafted higher, but Jalil may be the better NFL player.
Bruce Carter and Quan Sturdivant, LBs, North Carolina (Proj Rounds: 3rd and 3rd)
Bruce Carter would have been the best true outside linebacker in this draft, being a 4-3 outside linebacker and not a 3-4 rusher. Carter is an outstanding athlete, good vision in pursuit, slides and scrapes well, finishes tackles, and has the ability to drop in coverage, but a devastating knee injury kept him out this year and teams will have major concerns with that. His teammate, Quan, is a classic between the tackles downhill attacker who can blow plays up inside and likely would be an ideal fit as a 3-4 inside linebacker where he can take on blocks and get into the backfield.
Brandon Harris and Demarcus Van Dyke, CBs, Miami (FL) (Proj Rounds: 2nd and 3rd)
In what some consider a “down year” for cornerbacks, I think this class has quite a bit of depth in the early to middle rounds, and these two very different cornerbacks have the ability to be potential NFL starters in the next few years. Van Dyke is a faster, lankier of the two and while he’ll need to bulk up to last in the NFL, he has the fluidity, speed, length, and ball skills to be successful. Harris is the more complete cornerback, as he can play all types of receivers and though he was inconsistent a bit in college, he’s still a fringe first round prospect because of how developed he is at certain skills in his game.
Jabaal Sheard and Greg Romeus, DEs, Pittsburgh (Proj Rounds: 2nd and 4th)
Both players are first round talents in our book for the most part, but both likely will not being in the Top 50 picks because of character and injury, respectively. Sheard was charged with assault, among other charges, for throwing a man through a window and needing police enforcement to stop the fighting. That incident alone will scare teams, especially because it happened fairly recently in his college career. Romeus was set to be a Top 10 pick in this year’s draft if it wasn’t for two injuries during the season that will have team cautious about spending a high pick on the guy. However, if both of these players concerns check out, they both could be dominant players in the NFL.
Aaron Williams and Curtis Brown, CBs, Texas (Proj Rounds: 2nd and 5th)
Williams is viewed as a potential safety convert, but I think ideally his best fit is a physical cornerback in a 3-4 system or even a zone/man hybrid defense. He can play physical at the line, doesn’t have the speed to be a rangy cornerback, but makes good plays on the ball. Curtis is a bit more raw than Williams and doesn’t have a set position and scheme right now, but could be like a Tarrell Brown (former #2 cornerback prospect from Texas of Aaron Ross) who played a meaningful amount of time so far as a same type of player.
Titus Young and Austin Pettis, WRs, Boise State (Proj Rounds: 2nd and 5th)
Young is the more explosive of the two receivers, and can be a threat for deep plays in the NFL. He needs to be a more reliable catcher, show better route running, and get more separation before he can be an outside receiver, but has the tools to be a starter in the NFL. Pettis struggles at times getting off press coverage, he doesn’t have great speed or explosiveness, and his in air ball skills are limited, but he has great hands, great rounds, and can be a polished depth and possession slot receiver in the NFL.
Ryan Williams and Darren Evans, RBs, Virginia Tech (Proj Rounds: 2nd and 5th)
Both running backs were 1,000 yard rushers as freshman, and both showed great promise as potential NFL draft prospects. But Evans took a backseat to Williams because of Williams being such an explosive and speedy runner. Williams could go as high as late round one to a team like the Patriots or Packers, but likely falls someplace in the early part of round two, while Evans hopes to fill a Brandon Jacbos like role for some team in the 4th-5th round region.
DeMarcus Love and Ray Dominguez, OTs, Arkansas (Proj Rounds: 3rd and 6th)
Both players had the luxury of the experience of playing both the right and left side throughout the past year because of the Bobby Petrino offense. That gave both players the comfort-ability of playing both sides of the line and that could make the fit in easier as a right or left guard in the NFL. Love is probably a right tackle in a power run scheme and because the tackle class is so weak after the Top 40, he could go anywhere pick 50-96. Dominguez is a tackle/guard in-between-er and should be more of a later round pick.
The Other Eight Teammates
KJ Wright and Chris White, LBs, Mississippi State (Proj Rounds: 3rd and 6th)
Adrian Clayborn and Karl Klug, DEs, Iowa (Proj Rounds: 2nd and 7th)
Denuta Williams and Da’Norris Searcy, Ss, North Carolina (Proj Rounds: 4th and 5th)
Ahmad Black and Will Hill, Ss, Florida (Proj Rounds: 4th and 6th)
Jeremy Kerley and Jimmy Young, WRs, TCU (Proj Rounds: 4th and 6th)
Vincent Brown and Demarco Sampson, WRs, San Diego State (Proj Rounds: 3rd and 7th)
Doug Hogue and Derrell Smith, LBs, Syracuse (Proj Rounds: 5th and 7th)
Graig Cooper and Damien Berry, RBs, Miami (FL) (Proj Rounds: 6th and 7th)
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
