Tag Archives: NFL Draft

BROWNS PHOTOS FROM THE 2014 NFL DRAFT

“JOHNNY FOOTBALL” Johnny Manziel Money Sign On Stage at NFL Draft

JOHNNY MANZIEL and COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL Manziel Jersey - Commish

NUMBER 1 PICKS JUSTIN GILBERT and JOHNNY MANZIEL TALK TO THE MEDIA Johnny Manziel and Justin Gilbert Photo Presser 5-9-14

MANZIEL and GILBERT GET THEIR JERSEY’S FROM HC MIKE PETTINE and GM RAY FARMER Manziel-Gilbert-Farmer-Pettine Jersey Photo

BROWNS DRAFT DAY 2014 Browns Johnny and Justin Collage Pics

JOHNNY FOOTBALL IS OFFICIALLY A CLEVELAND BROWN Johnny Manziel Smiling at NFL Draft

SI.Com’s THOUGHTS ON HOW THE BROWNS HAVE DRAFTED THROUGH 3 ROUNDS

1st Round – 8thJustin Gilbert   – CB –   6-0, 200 – Oklahoma State (Trade down with Bills, up with Vikes)

The Browns and new head coach Mike Pettine pick up a major asset in Gilbert, making their defense that much more formidable. They’ll just have to hope the much-needed quarterback they desire is still there later in the first round. – Doug Farrar – SI.com

 

1st Round – 22ndJohnny Manziel   – QB   –   5-11, 210 – Texas A&M (Trade up with the Eagles)

Getting Manziel at this spot is a win for both sides. The Browns get the quarterback they so clearly need, and Manziel gets the pressure taken off a bit. The question is, who mentors him? New head coach Mike Pettine is a tough guy, Kyle Shanahan really isn’t, but the risk has been taken. The upside is enormous, and the potential pitfall is just as deep. – Doug Farrar – SI.com

 

2nd Round – 35 – Joel Bitonio   –   OT/OG   –    6-4, 315 – Nevada

Bitonio turns a solid spot — the offensive line — into an obvious strength for Cleveland. The versatile Nevada product could handle a starting guard job or bump Mitchell Schwartz inside from his RT tackle position. This draft spot is pretty fair for Bitonio’s talent level. But when are the Browns going to get Johnny Manziel a receiver, now that Josh Gordon may be done for the year? – Chris Burke – SI.com

 

3rd Round – 71 – Christian Kirksey   –   OLB   –  6-2, 220 – Iowa

A bit higher than Kirksey was projected to go, but he fits the mold of linebacker that the Browns want. He’s physical and can do a lot of different things on defense, including dropping effectively in coverage. Cleveland likely will slot him at an inside LB spot. – Chris Burke – SI.com

 

3rd Round – 94 – Terrance West   –   RB   –    5-11, 222 – Towson (Trade up with the 49ers)

Strength of opponent questions will undoubtedly dog West, but when you isolate his skillset, it becomes clear that the 5-11, 222-pound back can get to the edge in a big hurry, and has an impressive second burst for his size. West doesn’t have much of a learning curve. – Doug Farrar

BROWNS GM RAY FARMER and HC MIKE PETTINE TRANSCRIPT – RECAPPING DAY 2 INCLUDING JOSH GORDON and NATE BURLESON

Opening statement:

Farmer: “First and foremost, thank to everyone for hanging around late tonight. I know there’s been a lot of shocking supposedly news that we’re not going to comment on in regards to (Browns WR) Josh Gordon. We’re not going to comment on our players’ health status and anyone that’s on this roster. If there are any other questions pertaining to the draft we’ll be happy to answer those questions and move forward.”

 

On not answering players’ health statuses:

Farmer: “I think the regards of any players’ status, with regards to their contract or their health, it’s a private matter. To that end, I would say that it doesn’t behoove anyone if the player isn’t going to miss any time from any games that may be played.”

 

On the report that the Browns staff knew about Josh Gordon’s possible suspension before the draft:

Farmer: “I opened the press conference with the idea that we’re not going to comment about anything that has to do with Josh Gordon or any status of our players, in regards to their health.”

 

On why the Browns are not commenting on the reports in regards to Gordon:

Farmer: “To the end that the league has really stated what we can say and what we cannot say. Until we have definitive clarity as to what those things are, we’re going to remain silent.”

 

On if the reports affected how the Browns drafted players:

Farmer: “The reason why we pick and how we pick is truly predicated on our process. We go through the board, and again to add some clarity and some insight as to how the structure is worked or oriented – we organize the players, we rank them, we stack them, we stick to it. We believe in – you do the work for a reason. You take the best players available. You establish your team by going through that process and making sure you draft the best guys and how you had them ordered of who were the best players in college football.”

 

On if the reports regarding Gordon put a damper on what was a big day for the Browns:

Farmer: “I think it still is a big day for the Browns. We picked up three good football players. We went into this draft, and we had an opportunity to acquire players, and we did just that. The first young man that we took (OL) Joel Bitonio, is going to help this football team tremendously, as well as (LB) Christian Kirksey, as well as (RB) Terrance West.”

 

On if he is concerned with the depth at wide receiver:

Farmer: “I’m not concerned with my depth at wide receiver.”

 

On why the Browns haven’t drafted a wide receiver:

Farmer: “At the time that we made our selections, we took the best player available for what we wanted to do. There were players available, we stuck with our board, as we looked at that board when it was our turn to select, we took the name that was the best name for us at that time.”

 

On why he is not concerned with the depth at wide receiver:

Farmer: “I’m not concerned with the depth at wide receiver because we play games in September, and right now there’s still plenty of opportunity for us to acquire players and to make things happen. Whether its trades, whether it’s drafting someone the next day, whether it’s players that get cut or we acquire somebody from the street. There’s always opportunities to acquire players. From our prospective, that where we’re focused on is using every opportunity to acquire players that become available.”

 

On what they saw in West:

Farmer: “We saw a young man that was strong. He was tough. He was physical, and he played like a Brown. He embodied those properties that we talked about before. Not to be a tall back, he’s a shorter back, but he’s a thick-framed kid over 220-pounds. He ran well. He caught the ball well. He was able to demonstrate he could take contact and stay on his feet. He was also light-footed enough to make people miss. There were plenty of good things to like about Terrance West.”

 

On if acquiring tough players in the draft has been an emphasis:
Pettine:
 “Yeah, we have a plan of how we’re going to build this team. We’re going to build it on character. We’re going to build it on toughness. I think what we’ve done so far in this draft embodies that, and that was important to us, not just to talk about it. You’re not going to stand in front of a room and say, ‘Hey, let’s get tougher.’ What you do is you get tough people in that room. As we’ve said all along, that’s football, a tough sport for tough people, and we feel for us to compete in this division and in the NFL that that’s the model we’re going to take.”

 

On Kirksey’s ability to play inside or outside linebacker:

Pettine: “That’s one thing we like about him is his position flexibility. We’re in the business of adding outstanding football players who fit the ‘play like a Brown’ attributes, and we’ve always been one in our system to really cherish a player that can play multiple spots. He can play the MIKE, play the WILL, play outside on the edge if he had to. He has some strong safety type attributes, which I think today’s linebacker is something you’re looking for given the athletic tight ends and the spread formations you’re getting.”

 

On if Kirksey fits the mold of what he said previously about wanting more speed instead of size:

Pettine: “I think that’s fair to say, that you’re always looking to improve your speed, defensively, I think at certain positions that you’re willing to sacrifice speed because I also think that adding strength and adding bulk is among the easier things to do once a player gets to this level. It’s hard to get them significantly faster. We’d rather take the better athlete, the faster guy, and trust in our strength program and what we do nutritionally and in the training room that we can add that.”

 

On how RB Terrance West complements RB Ben Tate:

Pettine: “I think it will be a good mix. I think it’s very difficult in this league, especially in this division and especially in our mindset; we’re going to run the football to put all of that on one player. I think when you have guys who can play off of each other and feed the hot hand and have a guy go for a series or two and replace him, what’s nice about both of these guys is that they can both catch the ball so there’s no issue with this guy can’t be on the field on third down.”

 

On if it’s easier to project a running back from a small school’s NFL capabilities than other positions:

Farmer: “I wouldn’t say it’s easier, but I do think when you watch the tape, there are several opportunities that you can watch a guy like Terrance West play against bigger competition. I think that helps the projection some. When you get a guy that has opportunities, I’ll give the easiest example of Khalil Mack, how big of a prospect would Khalil Mack have been had he not played Ohio State and had that type of game in that situation? I think that when you see guys have these opportunities against the bigger schools and they demonstrate how they belong in that environment, it does make a little bit of the projection easier.”

On the need on the offensive line and where OL Joel Bitonio will play:

Pettine: “The great thing about Joel is that he has position versatility. He’s a guy we think can play all five spots. We’ll get him here and see what the best spot is for him. It’s likely at guard, but when you talk about Play Like a Brown and what we’re looking for in an offensive lineman, he truly embodies that. We wanted to upgrade our toughness, our nastiness and that’s one of the things that jumps off the tape when he plays.”

 

On comparing West to other running backs:

Farmer: “That’s interesting. I will tell you that the best attributes about this kid, again, he’s a shorter, more compact-frame kid. I don’t want to say he’s quite as short as… It’s kind of interesting because I actually piece guys together in my head. I don’t just give a simple comparison. He’s kind of like a Maurice Jones-Drew build, but he’s actually a slightly taller kid, but he’s got the same kind of thick-ish frame when you look at him – big legs, barrel-chested kind of kid – but he’s a nifty-footed kid. People are going to say it sounds like an egregious comparison, but he kind of has the (former NFL RB) Jerome Bettis nifty-footed guy kind of feel to him when you watch him play.”

 

On where running backs were selected in 2014 was a result of the class or the position and how the position is currently valued:

Farmer: “That’s a really interesting question because when you look at that fact, a lot of running backs didn’t go. After they did start to go, there’s always a thing that we call “runs”. They started to make a run on running backs, and even the linebacker crew, there were no real linebackers selected after the first two, as far as guys who were considered inside guys that play stacked and off the ball. There was a wide gap, I guess, in the league’s view of the top two guys in (Ravens LB) C.J. Mosley and (Steelers LB) Ryan Shazier that went early and then you through a lull of those guys not going. It could speak to the fact that people thought this draft was deeper in other areas and people wanted to make sure they capitalized on those other players sooner, but eventually like you saw here recently, there was a big push in both the linebackers and the running backs to try to catch those numbers up to some of the league averages that usually exist.”

 

On if the Browns hesitated to trade in the third round, considering the number of picks it left for Rounds 4-7:

Farmer: “I don’t think there was any hesitation. I think that at the end of the day, the object of the draft is to get good football players. In a general context, the closer you are to the front, supposedly, the better chance you have at the talent that is available. From our perspective, we took an opportunity to get a young man that we thought really was going to go soon. Getting back into the back end of the third round, we had an inkling that other teams were going to try to circle the wagons on (RB Terrance West) when it got to the compensatory picks and so we felt that we needed to jump back in before he disappeared and we had a chance to select him at 106.”

 

On when the Browns may have clarity on Gordon’s status:

Farmer: “Again, I don’t know the answer to that question so whenever we do have clarity, we will definitely express our sentiments then.”

 

On explaining why the team hasn’t shared more information on Burleson or Gordon:

Farmer: “I would tell folks that until I have something to tell them, there’s nothing I can say.”

 

On not providing more information on Burleson’s reported injury status:

Farmer: “I will tell you that in the context of what we’re doing, Nate Burleson is not going to miss any games for our football team. Does it really matter if he was here or if he was missing or if he decided not to come to the offseason program at all? The two are somewhat in my mind really not that big of a deal of where the guy is going to be in training camp. Is he going to be available to play and practice? If those things are legitimate, then I don’t know if they really matter for us to get into what the details are.”

 

On if Burleson will participate in mandatory minicamp:

Farmer: “Again, we’re not going to comment on players and what their statuses are.”

Pettine: “The league doesn’t require us to discuss injuries at this point.”

 

On spending time with Manziel today:

Pettine: “I did. He had an excellent visit.”

 

On learning about Manziel today:

Pettine: “To me, it was more about starting to go in-depth with some of the football stuff. We had a pretty good feel for what he knew football-wise, but I think we were more interested in Johnny the person during that process. I didn’t personally get much of a chance to speak football with him yet, the coaches did. In the brief amount of time I got with him today, we got into some of the stuff that he was taught, some of the stuff that he enjoys doing football-wise.”

 

On a concern with media, particularly entertainment media, scrutinizing Manziel as a face of the franchise, specifically referencing the TMZ photos with champagne:

Farmer: “Anytime you have a celebrity or you’re popular, there’s going to be people following you and giving you unwanted attention. I think there are definitely opportunities. The average person has had champagne or has drunk out of a bottle, but they just don’t get pictures taken of them. The fact that he is that and he knows what his celebrity is or his star, he’s going to have to learn to understand that people are going to follow him and take pictures of him. He’ll get there. I said this the other day: He’s had a steep learning curve with regard to how quickly popularity and fame can affect someone’s life. When a guy does things and the pictures surface, it’s a part of a process. To say that he’s completely the face of the franchise, I don’t know if that’s the case at this moment.”

 

On having a large gap between picks tomorrow and if he’s still looking to trade more picks:

Farmer: “Assuming someone would want to come and make a trade, we would definitely listen. If opportunities present themselves and there’s a trade that makes sense for us, then we’ll definitely look to potentially move a pick, move around or do the things we need to do to acquire the players that are available.”

 

On if this draft is deep enough to find starters through three rounds, and if Kirksey could be part of the rotation this year:

Pettine: “Our draft philosophy as we’ve already stated is to bring players in to compete. We’re not going to have players walk into jobs. We are confident that he will come in and be able to compete and be in a position to potentially win a starting job. We’re also very confident in the linebackers that we have here. The tremendous value where we had him rated on the board and where we took him, it was an outstanding pick for us. We’re looking forward to getting him here and seeing him go to work.”

 

On trades and watching the draft unfold during the past 24 hours:

Farmer: “It’s been painful. When you watch guys that you really want go, it’s not good to watch them go. There’s a reason you do all the work. There’s a part of being a scout that you start to endear yourself to certain guys. You like certain players. You want certain guys. Sometimes you watch guys go, and you (sighing noise) and you get the devastated look and the feel of ‘I wanted that one,’ but, there’s nothing you can do. All of the boards are different. All boards are completely different than everyone else’s in the league. To that end, I don’t know where the other 32 teams have a specific player ranked. As he comes up on our board, and we think there’s value there, we take him. That’s the same with everyone else. They look at the guy and they look at their board, and as those players fit their needs, their wants or desires, they make the selection. Oftentimes, there are names that get called that you were hoping, ‘Man I hope this guy lasts until this point or I hope he makes it to this point in the draft,’ and there are just opportunities where other teams valued that player higher than you did.”

 

On positiions of need that the the Browns may address tomorrow:

Farmer: “Getting a good football player and making sure that he’s the right type of guy for us. Again, the No. 1 thing I think we’ve been focused on is letting players come to us, staying focused on and relying on what we know about each guy, relying about what we know about each team, working the phones so that we understand what’s happening in and around that position that we may have to take a player and then making those adjustments. Like I said previously with Terrance West, we didn’t think he’d make it to 106. We wanted the player so we did what we had to go to make sure that we got the player. Those are the things that I think really come into play. When there’s an opportunity to make the selection or to put yourself in a position to make a selection, then you take those liberties and those chances when they’re available.”

 

On if it is optimal to acquire certain position players during the draft compared to others:

Farmer: “I think as we said, we’re going to stay focused on the board and let the players come to us as they come.”

 

On comments about doing backflips when DB Justin Gilbert was selected:

Pettine: “That wasn’t literal that was a metaphor (laughter).”

 

On the experience of watching the board and staying with the process:

Pettine: “The staff has done a good job, and I’ve tried to do it a little more subtle than the staff has as far as letting them know what positions we’d like. Ray’s been great in taking the input from the scouts, set the board and then adjusted it based on what the coaches saw. I think that this was an important year for that to happen given that it’s first year of new systems, where are idea of a SAM linebacker and a safety and an offensive guard and what those look like in our system. There are some subtle differences from team to team, and it was important for Ray. He was great with it to listen and take in that input and adjust the grades accordingly, and I think that he kind of leaned toward the coaches some in certain situations in knowing that we knew best what we were looking for system-wise. If you would’ve said to me that after two days of the draft that we’d be sitting with the guys that we got and the value that we got for those picks, I would’ve done two mental backflips instead of one.”

 

On Kirksey’s leadership traits:

Pettine: “Those were the things that we were looking for, a two year captain. Those are the things that you are looking for, the intangible stuff. I know that it’s a cliché and we use over and over again, but we truly look for those attributes. He’s passionate about football he loves football and that comes across very clearly when you talk to him, and that’s one of the reasons why we were thrilled to turn the card in.”

 

On evaluating the Bronws’ draft process as it related to trades and selecting Manziel:

Farmer: “We managed that situation very carefully. From the time that we made our selection of Justin, we had our eyes on multiple players. Johnny was in a bundle of guys, and as we went through that process, you know a team’s needs or you think you know a team’s needs and kind of where they may go or where they may strike. We worked through that process diligently of making phone calls, monitoring time on the clock and who could potentially trade, and it just really came down to just a final phone call with the Eagles to where we finally got that deal done. We monitored that situation from one point in the draft until we picked him.”

 

On being confident that there is currently a No. 2 receiver on the roster:

Farmer: “I do. I feel like there are multiple receivers that can have a chance to contribute to our team. In that I think that those guys that are here, as well as guys that may not be here, will have that chance. Yes, I do feel that we have a guy on the roster that can definitely contribute in that starting capacity.”

JOHNNY MANZIEL and JUSTIN GILBERT PRESS CONFERENCE

Browns first round picks Johnny Manziel and Justin Gilbert met and answered questions from the Cleveland media in Berea today. Listen to the entire presser right here.

Johnny Manziel and Justin Gilbert Photo Presser 5-9-14

DAY 1 OF THE NFL DRAFT WAS A SUCCESS IN MANY WAYS FOR THE BROWNS

In his first draft as the Browns G.M. Ray Farmer made like Monty Hall  on Day 1 and played “Lets Make A Deal” and came out a winner!

Manziel Jersey - Commish

Lazor Insurance & Financial Services

 

BROWNS – JOHNNY MANZIEL CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT

On watching 21 players be drafted ahead of him:

“I knew the TV part of it was going to come. I knew that would be part of it. For me, it was a little nerve-racking, but at the same time, I went into the situation telling myself that everything would happen for a reason, that I would land wherever I did tonight for a purpose. Whether I thought or knew the situation, I thought it would all work out for me, and I truly believe leaving here tonight that the situation did work out for me. I’m in a great place.”

Manziel Jersey - Commish

On what it’s like to constantly be critiqued and his response to critics:

“I’m used to that by now. In the two years that I’ve had in college, I think I’ve been very scrutinized and nitpicked, as far as my game goes. For me, the one thing I’d like to say is I improved from my first year playing to my second. I got better. All I’m trying to do throughout these next few years is continue to get better and hone in on my skills and become a better player. I think if I do that, I can be really good.”

 

On his conversations with the Browns and if he thought he would be drafted by them:

“I thought that going into it. Also, at the same time, I didn’t really know what all was going to happen or what all was going on. I figured it could be a potential landing spot. I felt like I had a good relationship with (Browns quarterbacks) coach (Dowell) Loggains and (Browns offensive coordinator) coach (Kyle) Shanahan and had a good talk with (Browns Owner) Mr. (Jimmy) Haslam, as well. From top to bottom, I felt like I had good relationships with everyone.”

 

On playing with a chip on his shoulder, and being picked 22nd overall adding to it:

“I believe so. At the same time, I’ve accomplished a dream of mine, being drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. What a blessing, what an honor it is. At the same time, there are a lot of teams that did pass me up. Just like I think with anybody in this draft that a team didn’t select them that they thought they might go to or thought that there was a possibility, you do grow a little bit of a chip. For me, just continue to try and get better and become a good football player.”

 

On bringing to Cleveland an attitude to make others regret that they didn’t select him:

“I’m going to take a very aggressive mindset into it. I’m going to work extremely hard to get what I want, and I know what that is. I want to win, and I want to be successful. The amount of time I put in and the heart I put into this, which I know I’m capable of doing, will tell the tale.”

 

On how his style of play and mobility will translate in Cleveland and how excited he is to come to the Dawg Pound:

“I’m very excited to be a part of Cleveland and the Dawg Pound and the city and the love they have for the Browns. My style of play is obviously pretty exciting, and I will continue to try to get better; but I feel like the forces and everything that’s combining in Cleveland, I feel like we can be successful. More than anything, we want to win games.”

 

On if it’s possible for the Browns to win now and if can be the catalyst now:

“I believe it’s a team game. There are a lot of factors that play into everything. I feel like in my situation coming in, whatever’s best for the team, I’m going to do and try to contribute in any way I can. I know from the top, the front office to everybody in the building when I was there, they wanted nothing more than to win and be successful, and I feel like I match that attitude.”

 

On being drafted on the 50th year anniversary of the Browns’ last championship:

“I think it’s really cool. Obviously, championships are what every single team in the league strives for. I wouldn’t go out on a limb and say this year we’re going to win a Super Bowl or anything like that, but we’re going to be competitive and try to win as many games as we can and put our team in the best position possible to move as far as we can. I feel like there are a lot of really good forces already on the team, from receiver to defense, and you look at a defensive coach being hired that has had a lot of success. I feel like it’s a good combination and there is success to be had in the future.”

 

On having to beat out QB Brian Hoyer to become the starting quarterback:

“I don’t go into it like that. Brian obviously is a very good player who I really do respect, and he’s a teammate of mine now. I’m going in to try and show these guys that I’m obviously here to compete and see what I bring to the table. Obviously, that’s the coaches decision, and whatever happens in that regard will happen. That’s a teammate of mine, a guy who played extremely well last year until unfortunately he was sidelined by an injury. I’m just going to go in and get a chance to meet Brian and work with him. We’ll be together a lot. That’s a teammate of mine.”

 

On why it feels right to him to have been selected by the Browns:

“You can even say that to yourself, ‘Does it feel right, Johnny Manziel being in Cleveland with the Browns?’ There’s a lot of excitement. Obviously, the team really wants to win and they want to win now. I’ve been a winner everywhere that I’ve been. Whatever the situation may be, I’m going to work extremely hard to put myself in the best position to continue that trend of being a winner. I’m ready to work extremely hard. For me, I say that knowing there’s a higher power out there that placed me in the situation because today was out of my control. I hoped one team liked me, and it ended up being Cleveland.”

 

On Head Coach Mike Pettine’s comments about starting rookie quarterbacks and how to potentially make him ‘change his mind’:

“I think Coach Pettine knows what’s best for this team and what’s best for us moving into this year. Obviously, there is a gap for rookie quarterbacks to learn and grow and to get to the point where they need to be to play. That’s his decision, and for me, I’m going to showcase my skills and come to work every day with a smile on my face and work extremely hard to try and obviously play this year; but  if that’s not what’s meant to be, and that’s not what’s best for this team, then that’s the case.”

 

On his knowledge of the Browns history and recent results:

“Obviously, there have been some struggles, but for me, you look at teams around the league that have struggled and a couple years later, they’re in contention to do really good things, win playoff games and get to the playoffs. I feel like the pieces they had last year they were a better football team. You have a very good receiver; you have a great offensive line. You have good weapons. You have a great tight end. You have a defense that’s really strong, and we also helped our team tonight, picking up a defensive player, as well, earlier in the round. I feel like there is opportunity there for us to grow and be better as a team.”

 

On if he feels his pocket passing is underrated by some evaluators:

“I feel like I got better this year and got more comfortable in the pocket. I’m growing as a quarterback and continuing to get better as a player. I’m not sitting here today saying I have all of the answers or I’m an all-world player or have it all figured out. For me, I know there’s room to grow, in the pocket and just get more comfortable in the pocket in general. There’s room for me to grow, and I’m looking forward to closing that gap with a great quarterbacks coach and a great offensive coordinator that can help me there.”

 

On if the Browns asked him several questions regarding off-field matters, and reassuring the team of his character:

“I think the Browns did a very good job of asking me their due-diligence questions and asking me and seeing what was out of the media or what was heard; what they heard was actually the truth. There was never a time where I lied or shied away from a question. For me, it was go into the situation and be very honest and be very upfront with them, and let my true character show and let them find out who I really am. I think that alleviated some concerns with them.”

 

KENNY RODA 2014 NFL MOCK DRAFT 2.0

One of the craziest years in trying to figure out who will do what and who’s going where. If I get six of these right I will be thrilled. So with that said, here’ my final Mock Draft for the 2014 NFL Draft.

1   Houston                      Jadeveon Clowney           DE            South Carolina

2   St. Louis                      Greg Robinson                 OT           Auburn

3   Atlanta                        Khalil Mack                       LB            Buffalo (In a Trade w/Jags)

4   Cleveland                   Sammy Watkins               WR          Clemson

5   Oakland                      Jake Matthews                 OT           Texas A&M

6   Jacksonville                Mike Evans                     WR      Texas A&M (In a Trade w/Atlanta)

7   Tampa Bay                 Johnny Manziel                QB           Texas A&M

8   Minnesota                  Blake Bortles                     QB            UCF

9   Buffalo                        Taylor Lewan                    OT           Michigan

10  Detroit                       Darqueze Dennnard        CB            Michigan State

11  Tennessee                 Justin Gilbert                    CB            Oklahoma State

12  NY Giants                  Zack Martin                       OT           Notre Dame

13  St. Louis                    Calvin Pryor                       SS             Louisville

14  Chicago                     Aaron Donald                      DT            Pitt

15 Pittsburgh                  Odell Beckham Jr.            WR           LSU

16  Dallas                         Ha Ha Clinton-Dix            FS             Alabama

17  Baltimore                  Eric Ebron                          TE            North Carolina

18  NY Jets                       Brandin Cooks                  WR          Oregon State

19  Miami                        Cyrus Kouandjio                OT           Alabama

20  Arizona                      Derek Carr                         QB          Fresno State

21  Green Bay                 Timmy Jernigan                DT          Florida St.

22  Philadelphia              Anthony Barr                    LB            UCLA

23  Kansas City                Marqise Lee                     WR          USC

24  Cincinnati                  Kyle Fuller                         CB           Virginia Tech

25  San Diego                  Jason Verrett                    CB           TCU

26  Cleveland                  Teddy Bridgewater          QB           Louisville

27  New Orleans            Marcus Martin                    C             USC

28  Carolina                    Moses Morgan                   OT           Virginia

29  New England            Stephen Tuitt                    DL           Notre Dame

30  San Francisco           Ryan Shazier                      LB           Ohio State

31  Denver                      Trent Murphy                    LB           Stanford

32  Seattle                       Louis Nix III                        DT          Notre Dame

 

FRANK CALIENDO AND HIS FRIENDS DISCUSS JOHNNY MANZIEL AND THE NFL DRAFT

If Mel Kiper, Jon Gruden and John Madden all got together to talk about Johnny Manziel and the 2014 NFL Draft it might sound something like this…..Enjoy!


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A SIX PACK OF SLEEPERS IN THE 2014 NFL DRAFT

WR – Devin Street – Pitt – A big receiver (6’2) with a 37 inch vertical jump and a solid all-around athlete. He doesn’t wait on the ball, rather he attacks it at its peak. Left his mark in the Panthers record book as the school’s all-time leading receiver with 202 catches and was a captain as a senior. Best fit is as a slot receiver for now. Great value pick in the 5th or 6th round.

QB – Keith Wenning – Ball State – In 4 years as a starter for the Cardinals he threw for 11,187 yards and 91 touchdowns, both school records. Good size at 6’3 and 220 pounds.  Average arm, with good accuracy and a quick release. Has bigger hands (10 inches) than Johnny Manziel. Not a great athlete, but has a good football IQ to make up for it. Has played in bad weather and handled it well. Could go as early as 5th round, but more than likely in the 6th or 7th.

OG – Trai Turner, LSU – 6’2 and 310 pounds with good balance, strength and uses his hands well. Succeeded in the toughest conference (SEC) in America. A better run blocker than pass blocker right now, but should round into an all-around pro bowl caliber guard. As high as the  2nd round, no lower than the 4th round.

CB – Stanley Jean-Baptiste – Nebraska – If you want size and build (6’2.5 – 215) in a corner with decent speed (4.57) in the forty and an all-around great athlete (41.5 inch vertical), then this is your guy. He only started 19 games with the Cornhuskers, so he’s a bit inexperienced, raw, but has a ton of potential with great upside. Worst case scenario he ends up as a safety for you. Big corners are the envy of every G.M. and coach in the NFL. As high as the 4th round, no lower than the 6th.

CB – Aaron Colvin – Oklahoma – Tore his ACL at the Senior Bowl so he’s flying under the radar with all the hype other corners are getting in this draft and the fact that he may not be able to help you until the 2015 season. But if you have patience you could be rewarded with a cornerback who could be a good nickel-back for you. Has long arms, understands the game and his position very well. Can play man or zone, is physical and attacks the ball and the receiver with good timing. Probably a 5th or 6th round pick. If he falls to the 7th round someone will be getting a steal.

RB – Ka’Deem Carey – Arizona – A strong, powerful runner (5’10-210) who also has some nice spin moves and can be shifty at times. Has soft hands coming out of the backfield, so much so you can line him up in the slot. Also likes to deliver the blow as a runner and a blocker.  Racked up over 1,900 yards rushing last season and over 3,300 yards the last 2 seasons. Does have some off the field issues that are red flags and could affect his draft status. Look for him to go as early as the 3rd round or as late as the 5th.

PICKING APART THE NFL DRAFT PROSPECTS

The negatives.  Areas of concern. The warts. Must improve these parts of his game. Aw yes, as teams and media members prepare for the NFL draft we’re always looking for a player’s weakness and how that may affect the decision to draft him if you’re a team, or where to rank him if you’re a media member. So today I figured I’d share with you some of the negatives I’ve heard from talent evaluators that I’ve talked to about some of the top players in this draft.

DE – Jadeveon Clowney – Takes plays off. Injury issues. Plays to stiff and upright. Can be pushed up field. Maturity issues on and off field. Is he discipline enough and can he set the edge?

WR – Sammy Watkins – Only 6 foot. Caught a lot of balls at or behind the line of scrimmage. Occasional concentration issues.  Arrested for drug possession as a sophomore. Needs to stay in shape.

LB – Khalil Mack – Didn’t play against elite talent. Got in a fight with a teammate. Needs to use his arms better.

OT – Greg Robinson – Not a good pass blocker. Needs better balance. Speed rushers gave him problems.

OT – Jake Matthews – Needs to get stronger and add a few pounds. Has trouble at times with the bull or power rush. Run blocking isn’t as good as his pass blocking.

WR – Mike Evans – Has trouble getting off press coverage. Must improve his route running.  Not a guy with that burst of speed at the line or downfield.

QB – Blake Bortles – Played against few elite teams. Lack of pin-point accuracy. Not enough juice on the ball at this time for NFL throws. Doesn’t lead receivers with his throw.  Will try and force the ball. Overall fundlamentals need fine tuning. Footwork needs work.

QB – Johnny Manziel – Too short. Durability will be a factor. Is a system guy. Bad weather could affect him so he needs to play in a dome or in a warm weather city. Wants to escape the pocket too soon. When he stays in the pocket will he be able to see the receivers. Fundamentals are not good. Off the field issues, will they follow him to the NFL? Can he takes snaps from under center and read a defense?

TE – Eric Ebron – A wide receiver playing tight end. Bad blocker. Route running is suspect. Must get stronger in upper and lower body to play tight end in the NFL. Too many drops.

CB – Justin Gilbert – Needs to improve his technique. Relies too much on just his athletic ability. Doesn’t tackle well at all. Plays too far off receivers and not physical enough when at the line of scrimmage.

CB – Darqueze Dennard – His size is a factor at only 5’10 and some change. Has trouble playing zone coverage. Because of his size he grabs a lot and in the NFL he’ll get caught.

QB – Teddy Bridgewater – Has a funny build and his bone frame is a concern. Numerous injuries throughout his career going back to high school. Small hands. Deep ball accuracy is not good. Competition level he played against was suspect. Horrible pro day. To glove or not to glove on his throwing hand?

QB – Derek Carr – Didn’t play against enough elite competition and when he did, he didn’t perform well. Struggles when under pressure and will try and force the ball. Isn’t very mobile and doesn’t make many pass rushers miss. Throws off his back foot at times. A lot of completions were short and quick. Can he play under center?

OT – Taylor Lewan – Needs better knee bend and balance. Gets beat inside. A hot head or a dirty player.  Grabs too much.  Needs to be more powerful to play left tackle at the NFL level. Is he going to have off the field issues like he did at Michiagn?