Draft Nasty NFC East Draft Review (Corey Chavous)

dbair1967

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I think this was written by Chavous, who is a pretty bright guy. When he was still playing ESPN had him on several different years to give his views on prospects etc etc.

NFC East: 2014 NFL Draft Recap
May 14th, 2014 By DraftNasty Staff Reports

Can Matthews and Huff make up for the loss of Jackson in Philly? Washington put its trust in Moses and the Giants went back to Eli's high school to find a Louisiana native. And when it was all said and done, the Cowboys went for substance over style.

NFC East






New York Giants



Synopsis: They opted to discard Zack Martin and go for speed with their second LSU wide receiver in three drafts when they took the versatile Beckham. He’ll operate outside, inside and work the return game. Williams is a banger who will operate well in November and beyond. Bromley’s hand violence stood out in the postseason, but he’ll have to learn to get his pads down for sixty minutes. He brings a pass rush presence to the front four. Berhe didn’t get a lot of ink, but he wins in the pre-snap and shoots his hips when tackling. While Kennard will have to find a true NFL home, he does have NFL bloodlines. Jackson’s ball skills stand out as a former WR. He’s been a productive cover man and was once Notre Dame’s best player on special teams before earning a full-time role. The Giants got better in the draft by snagging two of the draft’s Top 25 players in its first two selections.



Selection/Position
DN Big Board Rank/Grade
“Nasty” Take

1st Round, 12thoverall-Odell Beckham, Jr.

WR/5’11 198

LSU
20/2nd Round
A Greg Jennings-type with similar bend coming out of school, Beckham Jr. brings elite return ability to the table. He’ll need to avoid concentration lapses at the next level.

2nd Round, 43rdoverall-

Weston Richburg

OC/6’3 300

Colorado State
24/2nd Round
Impressive snap-and-step quickness is complemented with underrated anchor ability in pass protection. Richburg has a chance to develop into a front line starter.

3rd Round, 74thoverall-

Jay Bromley

DT/6’3 307

Syracuse
87/3rd Round
Bromley is one of the better three-technique pass rushers in the 2014 NFL Draft. He flashed the inside post hand to consistently move guards and centers off the spot during 2014 East-West Shrine practices. Jay doesn't always play fundamentally sound and is somewhat of a liability versus combo blocks.

4th Round, 118thoverall-

Andre Williams

RB/6’0 230

Boston College
59/2nd Round
He hasn’t been featured in the passing game and runs a little bit heavy-footed at times. Explosive in the lower half (10'9" BJ, 38" VJ), he’s a finisher who can get yards after contact once he gets his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage.

5th Round, 152ndoverall-

Nat Berhe

S/5’10 190

San Diego State
206/4th Round
Quite simply one of the better safeties in the nation for much of his career, Berhe led the Aztecs in tackles in each of the last two seasons. He plays a lot bigger than his size and wins in the pre-snap.

5th Round, 174thoverall-

Devon Kennard

DE/6’3 249

USC
421/5th Round
NFL bloodlines. Decent movement. Versatile player who’s started at MLB, SLB, DE and Rush OLB. Functional size for a Sam LB, yet played on the weak side (2010).

6th Round, 181stoverall-

Bennett Jackson

CB/6’0 195

Notre Dame
151/4th Round
Converted WR with some ball skills. Solid feet and hip movement. Stays square in his pedal and can re-direct to drive to the reception point. Tendency to get a little tall when transitioning results in wasted steps.






Philadelphia Eagles



Synopsis: Opting to trade back from Pick No. 22 didn’t stop them from getting the player they targeted all along in Smith. He’s a versatile Rush OLB with underrated pass coverage skills. They may have been able to secure his services a round later. Huff and Hart were two Oregon standouts who Kelly had familiarity with from his days coaching them. Don’t be surprised to see Huff used on reverses and in the slot. He built up his resume’ with a strong close to his senior year and a solid postseason. The same holds true for Matthews, who caught over 40 passes on screens in his senior year. Watkins’ value is magnified by his ability to play safety or corner and his 4.41 speed will improve the special teams units at a gunner spot potentially. Reynolds pilfered six passes as a junior and Allen’s size could be a fit inside. This was a solid draft which ultimately will be defined on how quickly Matthews and Huff can grow within the offense.



Selection/Position
DN Big Board Rank/Grade
“Nasty” Take

1st Round, 26thoverall-

Marcus Smith

LB/6’3 251

Louisville
135/3rd Round
While we had Smith ranked lower, the AAC Defensive Player of the Year is still growing into the player he can become. He adds an athletic dimension to the Eagles front seven.

2nd Round, 42ndoverall-

Jordan Matthews

WR/6’3 212

Vanderbilt
46/2nd Round
Perhaps the best run after the catch threat in the draft, Matthews will work until he gets every ounce out of his ability. His size/speed combination enhances his long range projection.

3rd Round, 86thoverall-Josh Huff

WR/5’11 206

Oregon
201/4th Round
It didn’t take long for Huff to make an impact at Oregon. He accounted for over 1,000 all-purpose yards as a freshman. His ability to create with the ball in his hands is underrated.

4th Round, 101stoverall-

Jaylen Watkins

CB/5’11 194

Florida
109/3rd Round
He sacrificed his draft position for the team in 2013 by moving to safety. During Senior Bowl week, he re-introduced himself at the position. Watkins’ best attribute may be his versatility.

5th Round, 141stoverall-Taylor Hart

DE/6’6 281

Oregon
162/4th Round
Blessed with a high football IQ, Hart has a chance to compete for a spot as a five-technique. He’s even stood up on occasion while in school.

5th Round, 162ndoverall-

Ed Reynolds

FS/6’1 207

Stanford
191/4th Round
It didn’t take long for Reynolds to transition to defense after being a standout prep level RB. While not a banger, he matches routes from the top down and baits QBs from split safety looks.

7th Round, 224thoverall-

Beau Allen

DT/6’2 333

Wisconsin
479/6th Round
Allen was forced to change his game after being a pass rusher earlier in his career. He improved defending zone schemes as his career went on, but still needs work on staying square consistently.






Dallas Cowboys



Synopsis: It was encouraging to see the Cowboys opt for one of the draft’s true Day 1 starters in Martin, who could play at any of three different spots for the Cowboys. He saves a roster spot on game day. Lawrence’s best football may be ahead of him and he was the 16th-best player in the draft on our board. These two selections make their draft a success in our view, but there were some sleepers down the road who could pay dividends. Hitchens will be a factor at LB if he can stack better, while Street’s body control and catching radius stand out. Gardner’s not a pass rusher, but he’s an active run defender. Smith seemed to get better every season and Dixon could become a factor running down on kickoffs in Year 1. Bishop is a squatty interior DL who plays bigger than his size. Mitchell may regret his decision to leave school a year early, but he seems like a solid fit in zone coverage with his size and ball skills.



Overall, this was a very good draft for the Cowboys. They decided to draft for substance rather than style.



Selection/Position
DN Big Board Rank/Grade
“Nasty” Take

1st Round, 16thoverall-Zack Martin

OT/6’4 304

Notre Dame
18/2nd Round
Martin’s experience and Senior Bowl performance suggests he’ll be an immediate starter at either RT or LG in 2013 for the Cowboys. This was a very solid pick.

2nd Round, 34thoverall-

Demarcus Lawrence

DE/6’3 251

Boise State
16/2nd Round
Don't let his 4.8 time in the 40-yard dash mislead you, because he plays a lot faster on game day. His ability to bend and get skinny is complemented by a heavy-handed punch (11” hands) that jolts tight ends and offensive tackles off the snap. He will immediately improve the team’s pass rush presence.

4th Round, 119thoverall-

Anthony Hitchens

LB/6’0 240

Iowa
239/4th Round
Plays with energy. Good athleticism. Active. He’s efficient as a curl/flat dropper vs. Smash/7 or Smash/4 route combinations. Reads through route progressions in zone coverage. He contributed 113 tackles, 2 QB sacks and 13.5 TFLs as a senior.

5th Round, 146thoverall-

Devin Street

WR/6’3 198

Pittsburgh
148/4th Round
Athletic mover. Sort of a bigger slot, WR-type of projection. He’ll need to become more definitive off the LOS to defeat press coverage in the NFL, but he has outstanding body control.

7th Round, 231stoverall-

Ben Gardner

DE/6’4 262

Stanford
252/4th Round
Versatile. While he’s primarily a five-technique, he played up and down the DL to the team’s plethora of fronts (3-technique, shaded one-technique, NG and 5-technique). Plays with a chip on his shoulder.

7th Round, 238thoverall-

Will Smith

LB/6’2 231

Texas Tech
N/A
The MVP of the 2013 Holiday Bowl (14 tackles, 2 TFLs) runs all over the field and matches routes in coverage. He’ll need to play a bit stronger in the briar patch.

7th Round, 248thoverall-

Ahmad Dixon

S/6’0 212

Baylor
313/5th Round
He plays a lot faster than he times and hits more explosively than he tests in workouts. On the down side, he’ll need to come to balance better when tackling in the open field.

7th Round, 251stoverall-

Ken Bishop

DT/6’0 301

Northern Illinois
267/4th Round
Explosive in the lower body. Has lined up at FB on offense. Tough to move off the LOS. Runs relatively well. Flashes sneaky first-step quickness. He has had some issues with not protecting his thigh boards.

7th Round, 254thoverall-

Terrence Mitchell

CB/5’11 192

Oregon
268/4th Round
While he doesn’t have elite speed, Mitchell’s size could project well if he can impress on special teams. He intercepted five passes in 2013.






Washington Redskins



Synopsis: It seemed as if the Redskins ignored players who weren’t system fits in Jim Haslett’s 3-4 schemes. Murphy is strictly a 30-front ‘Backer who’ll be a third down matchup player. Moses was a steal in the third round if he can keep his weight under control. If Long can learn to pass protect more consistently, he’s a player who can succeed on the move. They got solid value with Breeland, who can play corner or safety. Grant will surprise with his savvy and route-running skill. Seastrunk can be a change of pace, but can he return kicks? Bolser’s ability to flex out is noteworthy. Hocker will compete for a roster spot because he has range and can kickoff. With new HC Jay Gruden in place, this was a team which decided to concentrate on getting bigger along their line. It may have not been a bad place to start.



Selection/Position
DN Big Board Rank/Grade
“Nasty” Take

2nd Round, 47thoverall-

Trent Murphy

LB/6’5 250

Stanford
176/4th Round
While we may not agree with where they took Murphy, he is a system fit. We just wonder where he’ll play on first and second down with Orakpo and Kerrigan still on the roster. Jim Haslett will find a way to get him on the field on passing downs.

3rd Round, 66thoverall-

Morgan Moses

OT/6’6 314

Virginia
26/2nd Round
After a strong Senior Bowl week, Moses underwhelmed in postseason workouts. We are excited about his commitment to staying in shape as his career concluded. He has Anthony Davis-like potential at the RT spot, a position he used to play earlier in his career.

3rd Round, 78thoverall-

Spencer Long

OT/6’5 320

Nebraska
389/5th Round
This was a curious pick because Long has struggled in pass protection throughout his career. However, with that said, he was one of the better pulling guards in college football.

4th Round, 102ndoverall-

Bashaud Breeland

CB/5’11 197

Clemson
100/3rd round
Although he was not in the limelight for much of his career at Clemson, Breeland often drew the assignment of covering each team's best wide receiver. In addition, Breeland is a comfortable and experienced player when it comes to operating out of a press-man technique.

5th Round, 142ndoverall-

Ryan Grant

WR/6’0 200

Tulane
127/3rd Round
Versatile player who aligns both inside and outside. Creates mismatches down the seams when running vertical routes from the No. 3 slot position. Changes the angle of slot defenders (crosses their faces) with different gears (Rutgers ’12).

6th Round, 186thoverall-

Lache Seastrunk

RB/5’9 201

Baylor, Oregon
161/4th Round
His vast lower body explosiveness provides a fit as an inside zone runner. He won’t be asked to be a receiver until he can prove he can hold up as a pass blocker. The real question is whether he can return kicks on a regular basis.

7th Round, 217thoverall-

Ted Bolser

TE/6’5 257

Indiana
220/4th Round
While he’s not very nifty avoiding LBs in traffic zones, he does have enough girth and length to box-out defenders. A build-speed strider with efficient ball skills.

7th Round, 228thoverall-

Zach Hocker

PK/6’0 189

Arkansas
471/6th Round
For him to make an NFL roster, he'll have to clean up his trajectory on deeper field goals which require him to drive the ball. He had three kicks blocked in college. Washington’s special teams coach may want him to tinker with his pre-snap alignment moving forward.




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