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- Jan 14, 2013
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Well, Santa delivered us a win in Seattle which definitely made my day. I was going to post this last night but decided to wait until after the game to see the result.
Hire
Rob Boras OC
I think Fisher will stick with him. Not sure how I feel about it but don't know if we can attract better.
Cut
Jared Cook TE
Chris Long DE
Nick Foles QB
Re-sign
Janoris Jenkins - 5 years $55 million (after being franchised)
Trumaine Johnson - 5 years $45 million
Rodney McLeod - 3 years $10.5 million
Greg Zuerlein - 1 year $1.5 million
Will Hayes - 3 years $9 million
Tim Barnes - 2 years $2 million
Daren Bates - RFA Tender
Benny Cunningham - RFA Tender
Cody Davis - RFA Tender
Case Keenum - RFA Tender
Cory Harkey - 2 years $3 million
I can't take any more of Nick Foles at QB. We don't save much when we cut him but he's just not worth the roster spot. Mark Barron filled in admirably for Ogletree but he doesn't really have a spot once Alec comes back. Cutting Chris Long hurts but it's time. He can't stay healthy and his skills are declining. Britt has played well enough this year to keep as a deep threat imo. We bring Case Keenum back as the backup QB. Zuerlein gets a "prove it" deal.
Free Agency
Rishard Matthews WR - 4 years $20 million
Vinny Curry DE - 4 years $20 million
Billy Winn DT - 2 years $3 million
Matthews was on pace for a 1000 receiving season before breaking multiple ribs in the 11th game this year. I liked him as a prospect coming out of Nevada and this was the first year he got a chance to play a big role in Miami and he delivered 2 100+ games and 7 50+ yard games in the 10 healthy games he played. He played their #2 WR role this year but DeVante Parker stepped into the starting lineup when he was injured and Miami already has Kenny Stills and Jarvis Landry. Thus, he's a talented young player but they have no reason to keep him. Matthews is a 6'0" 217 pound WR with good YAC skills, the speed to take slants to the house, and a solid pair of hands.
Vinny Curry steps in to replace Long. He will rotate with Hayes and Westbrooks at LDE and give Quinn a breather at RDE. Has been a fairly productive pass rusher in the Eagles 3-4 scheme the past two years with 9 sacks in 2014. I think he's a better fit in the 4-3 so there's potential for him to step up and take the starting LDE job here.
We need a body behind Donald and Brockers. Winn is a cheap body with some talent and upside left. He's shown some flashes but ultimately has proven only to be a rotational guy. That's probably what he is but the truth is, that all he needs to be. Come in, spell one of the two DTs, and don't be a major liability.
Trade
Rams trade Round 3 Pick #18
Steelers trade WR Markus Wheaton
Rams trade Round 1 Pick #18 and Round 2 Pick #18
Buccaneers trade Round 1 Pick #10
Rams trade HB Tre Mason
Cowboys trade Round 4 Pick #5
Wheaton is a WR that I think we need to pursue this off-season. He's entering the final year of his deal in Pittsburgh so I think if they get a good enough offer, they'll be willing to trade him since they still have to pay Bell, Brown, and Bryant. Emmanuel Sanders has come out of that offense and tore it up. I've been impressed with the steps forward Wheaton has taken this year and he's really made the most of his opportunities. I think in a bigger role, he's capable of putting up a 1000+ yard season.
The Buccaneers have a franchise QB in the making and a good start on offense so they're willing to trade down to grab an additional premium pick to help build around Winston and build up their defense. The Rams are going after their franchise QB. They're not willing to bet on him falling to them at #18.
Mason's touches have been going down since Gurley took over as lead back and frankly, we shouldn't have to worry about having to get Mason touches to keep him happy. He's a talented kid and I understand him wanting to play. Dallas has a need at HB, Mason is a good fit for their system, and they're willing to give up a 4th for a guy that was a 3rd rounder only a couple years ago and is currently still on his rookie deal. Rams no longer have to take Gurley off the field when he's not needing a breather (and Cunningham is more than capable of giving Gurley a breather) and the Cowboys get a young, talented HB.
NFL Draft
Round 1 Pick #10 - Connor Cook QB Michigan State
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-7kA4kL0Bw
Analysis: I already know this pick isn't going to be popular with everybody but I just don't care. I've done a thorough film review of Cook and I've done my damnedest to convince myself that he isn't the guy. I haven't been able to do it. The truth is that I came into the season not liking Cook based on the little film I had seen but the progression he's made over his career and the traits he has shown have really impressed me this year. Some are stuck on his completion percentage but Kellen Moore, Case Keenum, and Brandon Weeden are some of the most prolific college QBs in terms of completion percentage and look what they are in the NFL. Yes, Cook is streaky and goes through periods of inaccuracy. However, we're picking a QB outside of the top 5 picks, he's going to have flaws. Cook's flaws are his streakyness and his footwork. But the things he offers more than offset all of that. Cook is a three year starter in a pro style offense with good arm strength, solid mobility, and prototypical QB size. His team has been highly successful with him as a starting QB with a 36-4 record in his 3 years as a starter. Cook, himself, has outproduced previous Michigan State QBs including Kirk Cousins, Brian Hoyer, and Drew Stanton. The things in Cook's game that stand out to me that make me believe he'll be a quality NFL QB are his mental acuity, instincts, toughness, poise, and competitiveness. Cook has things on film due to the offense he played in that most other QBs don't. These things include throwing WRs open, throwing with anticipation, making tight window throws, moving defenders with his eyes, moving within the pocket, and throwing a NFL route tree. Cook has plenty of doubters but I think he fits perfectly here. He's a pro ready kid coming from a run first offense that will understand his role here and play it to perfection. And he'll offer us more in terms of playmaking ability than the QBs we've had the past couple years.
NFL Comparison: Eli Manning
Round 2 Pick #14 - Cody Whitehair OG/OT Kansas State
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFfYBjqTvdc
Analysis: Cody Whitehair played LT at Kansas State but is expected to slide inside to OG at the next level. Some scouts have gone on the record that they believe he can play all 5 OL positions at the NFL level but will be best off inside. I think his versatility will be valuable here. He's lacking in length to play LT but you never know as a lot of people felt that way about David Bakhtiari, the Packers starting OL. Of course, the plan is for Whitehair to play OG but if Robinson continues to struggle at LT, there's a possibility he could compete for that job down the line. As a player, Whitehair has a wide base and a strong anchor. He's smooth on his feet even at LT. He also displays outstanding grip strength and once he engages the defender, they very rarely get his hands off of them. This makes him very effective at engaging blocks. However, he needs to improve his hand/arm positioning in his pass set and his hand placement when punching. His hands get outside the chest-plate too often which will get flagged at the NFL level. He's a natural knee bender with no flexibility issues. As a run blocker, Whitehair is a good technician and uses angles extremely well. He sustains his blocks and can drive defenders off the ball with his natural leverage. However, he only possesses solid power and doesn't possess much of a mean streak. All in all, Whitehair is excellent technician that has the ability to be a top tier pass protecting OG and a good run blocker although he lacks a true mean streak.
NFL Comparison: Josh Sitton
Round 4 Pick #5 - Scooby Wright III ILB/OLB Arizona
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PUWnNxGqYE
Analysis: According to Arizona, Scooby Wright had 163 tackles, 29 TFLs, 14 sacks, and 6 FFs in 2014 ALONE. Unfortunately for him, he's missed almost this entire season thus far with injuries. This is a kid that doesn't have the NFL look. He's listed at 6'1" 246. I think he'll come in closer to 5'11" 240. But he's a guy that plays with so much passion, relentlessness, and heart that his average athleticism and underwhelming size don't limit his game. He has top tier instincts, great play strength (gym rat), and plays with reckless abandon. Sometimes, that reckless abandon will cause him to miss tackles but it's worth it with how often he's in the back-field making plays. He's Arizona's defensive leader, he is the guy that makes sure everyone is lined up properly, and he's the heart of that defense. They also will move him down to DE on certain passing downs and he's a disruptive, relentless pass rusher. This guy is James Laurinaitis's heir apparent. If Wright isn't available, Tyler Matakevich from Temple and Kentrell Brothers from Missouri are also worth considering. But right now, Wright is being considered a mid round pick due to his lack of measurables and his injury keeping him out all year. He has reportedly already hired an agent, though, and is set on declaring.
NFL Comparison: Chris Borland
Round 4 Pick #18 - Bryce Williams TE East Carolina
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imwLMD_8MO4
Analysis: Bryce Williams is a former walk-on at East Carolina that has proven himself to be a very intriguing tight end prospect. At 6'6" 260, Williams has NFL size and a frame that still has growth potential. He'll need to get a bit stronger to be able to block in line at the NFL level. However, Williams played FB in the past at East Carolina and is a very willing blocker. His technique needs a lot of refinement but the mechanics are in place and there's no lack of want-to. He actually looked surprisingly good in pass protection when I saw him so there's definitely upside there. As a receiver, he was one of the most productive TEs in college football with 58 catches for 588 yards and 4 TDs this year. Williams displays good agility and burst with solid top-end speed. He's not going to be torching teams up the seam but he has the athleticism to get open in the short to intermediate range. He also is a sure-handed TE that is willing to make catches in traffic, will go up and get the football, and will battle defenders for the ball when it is in the air. He's willing to get physical and use his big body. After the catch, he's got some elusiveness for a big man and doesn't go down without a fight but he's not Rob Gronkowski in terms YAC. Solid overall YAC skills, though. As a rookie, he'll likely see limited snaps. Will need some time to get his blocking up to par and get the pro game down but he should be able to contribute on 3rd downs early on as a reliable target and has potential in the red-zone.
NFL Comparison: Todd Heap
Round 6 Pick #18 - Mike Matthews C Texas A&M
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6osh3LY1VXk
Analysis: Yep, there's another Matthews. Mike isn't blessed with the size that Jake had but he's definitely got the same sort of athleticism and feet that Jake has. Body is a hindrance. Undersized at 6'2" 290ish and he appears to have short arms. My guess is around 32 inches. Wouldn't be surprised if they're shorter than 32. This does cause him some occasional problems. As a pass blocker, he's an absolute rock. He knows when to help, he's an intelligent player that handles stunts and blitzes well, and I didn't notice any issues with bad snaps. In 1-on-1 situations, he consistently shut his man down. Even when his man lands a jarring blow, Matthews is able to drop his butt and widen his base while establishing proper hand positioning and locking on which allows him to stonewall the bullrush after a step or two. When his man tries to knife past him with agility, Matthews shows great footwork and body positioning to slide with the defender, push him up-field, and position his body between the defender and QB at all times. However, Matthews will occasionally duck his head and lunge at defenders because of his arm length and he doesn't have a powerful punch. Often is catching the defender but he's strong and polished in the lower body which allows him to handle this well. As a pass protector, he looks like a quality player and a pro ready guy. As a run blocker, he needs work. Great movement skills, feet, and fluidity which allows him to reach defenders and pull or attack the second level effortlessly. However, he needs to play under control and use angles better on the second level and in the open-field. Too often misses his man because he doesn't position himself well. When blocking 1-on-1 on the LOS, he has enough sand in his pants to get push but he doesn't sustain blocks well. Again, I think the short arms hurt him here and he needs to play with better leverage. As a run blocker, he certainly has upside especially in a zone blocking scheme but will be hit and miss until his OL Coach polishes some technical aspects of his game. Frankly, I'm shocked that NFL teams don't seem to be higher on the guy as I have him as a Day 2/early Day 3 pick but then again, Center is probably my worst position when it comes to evaluations.
NFL Comparison: Jason Kelce
Projected Starters
QB: Connor Cook
HB: Todd Gurley
FB: Cory Harkey
XWR: Markus Wheaton
ZWR: Rishard Matthews
SLWR: Tavon Austin
TE: Lance Kendricks
LT: Greg Robinson
LG: Jamon Brown
C: Tim Barnes
RG: Cody Whitehair
RT: Rob Havenstein
LDE: Will Hayes
LDT: Michael Brockers
RDT: Aaron Donald
RDE: Robert Quinn
OLB: Alec Ogletree
MLB: James Laurinaitis
OLB: Akeem Ayers
LCB: Trumaine Johnson
RCB: Janoris Jenkins
SLCB: E.J. Gaines
FS: Rodney McLeod
SS: T.J. McDonald
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
A few interesting things to note: I kept Rodger Saffold which is very different than my normal mocks but I figured that the $3 million we save won't be enough to get an OL that will provide his level of play and versatility. Saffold will not be starting. Instead, he'll be our 6th OL which should be quite good for us because it gives us a guy that can play 4 positions on the OL off the bench that will not be a liability. We also keep Garrett Reynolds who provides similar versatility. Why? Because we keep getting bitten in the ass by OL injuries. It's time we make sure we have the depth. Better safe than sorry.
Scooby Wright, Bryce Williams, and Mike Matthews probably won't start as rookies. All have upside but will need some time to polish up their mechanical flaws and get used to the pro game. I think all three have the potential to start for us in 2017 which is a major positive. There's a remote possibility that Mike Matthews wrestles the starting Center job away from Tim Barnes. There's also the possibility that Cody Whitehair isn't ready to start week 1. If that happens, Garrett Reynolds steps in and starts. I'd rather keep Saffold on the bench for when we have OL injuries and Reynolds has played pretty well this year which would give us continuity with the guys on the OL.
As I said before, I know there are some people that won't be pleased by the Connor Cook pick. There's not much I can do to change your mind. All I can tell you is that I've gone through an exhaustive evaluation of him and done everything I can to convince myself that he isn't the guy. The film has convinced me every single time that he is the guy. I think he's going to be a quality NFL QB. I still have him ranked below Goff and Lynch but I am assuming both are gone by the time the #10 pick rolls around.
Hire
Rob Boras OC
I think Fisher will stick with him. Not sure how I feel about it but don't know if we can attract better.
Cut
Jared Cook TE
Chris Long DE
Nick Foles QB
Re-sign
Janoris Jenkins - 5 years $55 million (after being franchised)
Trumaine Johnson - 5 years $45 million
Rodney McLeod - 3 years $10.5 million
Greg Zuerlein - 1 year $1.5 million
Will Hayes - 3 years $9 million
Tim Barnes - 2 years $2 million
Daren Bates - RFA Tender
Benny Cunningham - RFA Tender
Cody Davis - RFA Tender
Case Keenum - RFA Tender
Cory Harkey - 2 years $3 million
I can't take any more of Nick Foles at QB. We don't save much when we cut him but he's just not worth the roster spot. Mark Barron filled in admirably for Ogletree but he doesn't really have a spot once Alec comes back. Cutting Chris Long hurts but it's time. He can't stay healthy and his skills are declining. Britt has played well enough this year to keep as a deep threat imo. We bring Case Keenum back as the backup QB. Zuerlein gets a "prove it" deal.
Free Agency
Rishard Matthews WR - 4 years $20 million
Vinny Curry DE - 4 years $20 million
Billy Winn DT - 2 years $3 million
Matthews was on pace for a 1000 receiving season before breaking multiple ribs in the 11th game this year. I liked him as a prospect coming out of Nevada and this was the first year he got a chance to play a big role in Miami and he delivered 2 100+ games and 7 50+ yard games in the 10 healthy games he played. He played their #2 WR role this year but DeVante Parker stepped into the starting lineup when he was injured and Miami already has Kenny Stills and Jarvis Landry. Thus, he's a talented young player but they have no reason to keep him. Matthews is a 6'0" 217 pound WR with good YAC skills, the speed to take slants to the house, and a solid pair of hands.
Vinny Curry steps in to replace Long. He will rotate with Hayes and Westbrooks at LDE and give Quinn a breather at RDE. Has been a fairly productive pass rusher in the Eagles 3-4 scheme the past two years with 9 sacks in 2014. I think he's a better fit in the 4-3 so there's potential for him to step up and take the starting LDE job here.
We need a body behind Donald and Brockers. Winn is a cheap body with some talent and upside left. He's shown some flashes but ultimately has proven only to be a rotational guy. That's probably what he is but the truth is, that all he needs to be. Come in, spell one of the two DTs, and don't be a major liability.
Trade
Rams trade Round 3 Pick #18
Steelers trade WR Markus Wheaton
Rams trade Round 1 Pick #18 and Round 2 Pick #18
Buccaneers trade Round 1 Pick #10
Rams trade HB Tre Mason
Cowboys trade Round 4 Pick #5
Wheaton is a WR that I think we need to pursue this off-season. He's entering the final year of his deal in Pittsburgh so I think if they get a good enough offer, they'll be willing to trade him since they still have to pay Bell, Brown, and Bryant. Emmanuel Sanders has come out of that offense and tore it up. I've been impressed with the steps forward Wheaton has taken this year and he's really made the most of his opportunities. I think in a bigger role, he's capable of putting up a 1000+ yard season.
The Buccaneers have a franchise QB in the making and a good start on offense so they're willing to trade down to grab an additional premium pick to help build around Winston and build up their defense. The Rams are going after their franchise QB. They're not willing to bet on him falling to them at #18.
Mason's touches have been going down since Gurley took over as lead back and frankly, we shouldn't have to worry about having to get Mason touches to keep him happy. He's a talented kid and I understand him wanting to play. Dallas has a need at HB, Mason is a good fit for their system, and they're willing to give up a 4th for a guy that was a 3rd rounder only a couple years ago and is currently still on his rookie deal. Rams no longer have to take Gurley off the field when he's not needing a breather (and Cunningham is more than capable of giving Gurley a breather) and the Cowboys get a young, talented HB.
NFL Draft
Round 1 Pick #10 - Connor Cook QB Michigan State
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-7kA4kL0Bw
Analysis: I already know this pick isn't going to be popular with everybody but I just don't care. I've done a thorough film review of Cook and I've done my damnedest to convince myself that he isn't the guy. I haven't been able to do it. The truth is that I came into the season not liking Cook based on the little film I had seen but the progression he's made over his career and the traits he has shown have really impressed me this year. Some are stuck on his completion percentage but Kellen Moore, Case Keenum, and Brandon Weeden are some of the most prolific college QBs in terms of completion percentage and look what they are in the NFL. Yes, Cook is streaky and goes through periods of inaccuracy. However, we're picking a QB outside of the top 5 picks, he's going to have flaws. Cook's flaws are his streakyness and his footwork. But the things he offers more than offset all of that. Cook is a three year starter in a pro style offense with good arm strength, solid mobility, and prototypical QB size. His team has been highly successful with him as a starting QB with a 36-4 record in his 3 years as a starter. Cook, himself, has outproduced previous Michigan State QBs including Kirk Cousins, Brian Hoyer, and Drew Stanton. The things in Cook's game that stand out to me that make me believe he'll be a quality NFL QB are his mental acuity, instincts, toughness, poise, and competitiveness. Cook has things on film due to the offense he played in that most other QBs don't. These things include throwing WRs open, throwing with anticipation, making tight window throws, moving defenders with his eyes, moving within the pocket, and throwing a NFL route tree. Cook has plenty of doubters but I think he fits perfectly here. He's a pro ready kid coming from a run first offense that will understand his role here and play it to perfection. And he'll offer us more in terms of playmaking ability than the QBs we've had the past couple years.
NFL Comparison: Eli Manning
Round 2 Pick #14 - Cody Whitehair OG/OT Kansas State
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFfYBjqTvdc
Analysis: Cody Whitehair played LT at Kansas State but is expected to slide inside to OG at the next level. Some scouts have gone on the record that they believe he can play all 5 OL positions at the NFL level but will be best off inside. I think his versatility will be valuable here. He's lacking in length to play LT but you never know as a lot of people felt that way about David Bakhtiari, the Packers starting OL. Of course, the plan is for Whitehair to play OG but if Robinson continues to struggle at LT, there's a possibility he could compete for that job down the line. As a player, Whitehair has a wide base and a strong anchor. He's smooth on his feet even at LT. He also displays outstanding grip strength and once he engages the defender, they very rarely get his hands off of them. This makes him very effective at engaging blocks. However, he needs to improve his hand/arm positioning in his pass set and his hand placement when punching. His hands get outside the chest-plate too often which will get flagged at the NFL level. He's a natural knee bender with no flexibility issues. As a run blocker, Whitehair is a good technician and uses angles extremely well. He sustains his blocks and can drive defenders off the ball with his natural leverage. However, he only possesses solid power and doesn't possess much of a mean streak. All in all, Whitehair is excellent technician that has the ability to be a top tier pass protecting OG and a good run blocker although he lacks a true mean streak.
NFL Comparison: Josh Sitton
Round 4 Pick #5 - Scooby Wright III ILB/OLB Arizona
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PUWnNxGqYE
Analysis: According to Arizona, Scooby Wright had 163 tackles, 29 TFLs, 14 sacks, and 6 FFs in 2014 ALONE. Unfortunately for him, he's missed almost this entire season thus far with injuries. This is a kid that doesn't have the NFL look. He's listed at 6'1" 246. I think he'll come in closer to 5'11" 240. But he's a guy that plays with so much passion, relentlessness, and heart that his average athleticism and underwhelming size don't limit his game. He has top tier instincts, great play strength (gym rat), and plays with reckless abandon. Sometimes, that reckless abandon will cause him to miss tackles but it's worth it with how often he's in the back-field making plays. He's Arizona's defensive leader, he is the guy that makes sure everyone is lined up properly, and he's the heart of that defense. They also will move him down to DE on certain passing downs and he's a disruptive, relentless pass rusher. This guy is James Laurinaitis's heir apparent. If Wright isn't available, Tyler Matakevich from Temple and Kentrell Brothers from Missouri are also worth considering. But right now, Wright is being considered a mid round pick due to his lack of measurables and his injury keeping him out all year. He has reportedly already hired an agent, though, and is set on declaring.
NFL Comparison: Chris Borland
Round 4 Pick #18 - Bryce Williams TE East Carolina
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imwLMD_8MO4
Analysis: Bryce Williams is a former walk-on at East Carolina that has proven himself to be a very intriguing tight end prospect. At 6'6" 260, Williams has NFL size and a frame that still has growth potential. He'll need to get a bit stronger to be able to block in line at the NFL level. However, Williams played FB in the past at East Carolina and is a very willing blocker. His technique needs a lot of refinement but the mechanics are in place and there's no lack of want-to. He actually looked surprisingly good in pass protection when I saw him so there's definitely upside there. As a receiver, he was one of the most productive TEs in college football with 58 catches for 588 yards and 4 TDs this year. Williams displays good agility and burst with solid top-end speed. He's not going to be torching teams up the seam but he has the athleticism to get open in the short to intermediate range. He also is a sure-handed TE that is willing to make catches in traffic, will go up and get the football, and will battle defenders for the ball when it is in the air. He's willing to get physical and use his big body. After the catch, he's got some elusiveness for a big man and doesn't go down without a fight but he's not Rob Gronkowski in terms YAC. Solid overall YAC skills, though. As a rookie, he'll likely see limited snaps. Will need some time to get his blocking up to par and get the pro game down but he should be able to contribute on 3rd downs early on as a reliable target and has potential in the red-zone.
NFL Comparison: Todd Heap
Round 6 Pick #18 - Mike Matthews C Texas A&M
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6osh3LY1VXk
Analysis: Yep, there's another Matthews. Mike isn't blessed with the size that Jake had but he's definitely got the same sort of athleticism and feet that Jake has. Body is a hindrance. Undersized at 6'2" 290ish and he appears to have short arms. My guess is around 32 inches. Wouldn't be surprised if they're shorter than 32. This does cause him some occasional problems. As a pass blocker, he's an absolute rock. He knows when to help, he's an intelligent player that handles stunts and blitzes well, and I didn't notice any issues with bad snaps. In 1-on-1 situations, he consistently shut his man down. Even when his man lands a jarring blow, Matthews is able to drop his butt and widen his base while establishing proper hand positioning and locking on which allows him to stonewall the bullrush after a step or two. When his man tries to knife past him with agility, Matthews shows great footwork and body positioning to slide with the defender, push him up-field, and position his body between the defender and QB at all times. However, Matthews will occasionally duck his head and lunge at defenders because of his arm length and he doesn't have a powerful punch. Often is catching the defender but he's strong and polished in the lower body which allows him to handle this well. As a pass protector, he looks like a quality player and a pro ready guy. As a run blocker, he needs work. Great movement skills, feet, and fluidity which allows him to reach defenders and pull or attack the second level effortlessly. However, he needs to play under control and use angles better on the second level and in the open-field. Too often misses his man because he doesn't position himself well. When blocking 1-on-1 on the LOS, he has enough sand in his pants to get push but he doesn't sustain blocks well. Again, I think the short arms hurt him here and he needs to play with better leverage. As a run blocker, he certainly has upside especially in a zone blocking scheme but will be hit and miss until his OL Coach polishes some technical aspects of his game. Frankly, I'm shocked that NFL teams don't seem to be higher on the guy as I have him as a Day 2/early Day 3 pick but then again, Center is probably my worst position when it comes to evaluations.
NFL Comparison: Jason Kelce
Projected Starters
QB: Connor Cook
HB: Todd Gurley
FB: Cory Harkey
XWR: Markus Wheaton
ZWR: Rishard Matthews
SLWR: Tavon Austin
TE: Lance Kendricks
LT: Greg Robinson
LG: Jamon Brown
C: Tim Barnes
RG: Cody Whitehair
RT: Rob Havenstein
LDE: Will Hayes
LDT: Michael Brockers
RDT: Aaron Donald
RDE: Robert Quinn
OLB: Alec Ogletree
MLB: James Laurinaitis
OLB: Akeem Ayers
LCB: Trumaine Johnson
RCB: Janoris Jenkins
SLCB: E.J. Gaines
FS: Rodney McLeod
SS: T.J. McDonald
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
A few interesting things to note: I kept Rodger Saffold which is very different than my normal mocks but I figured that the $3 million we save won't be enough to get an OL that will provide his level of play and versatility. Saffold will not be starting. Instead, he'll be our 6th OL which should be quite good for us because it gives us a guy that can play 4 positions on the OL off the bench that will not be a liability. We also keep Garrett Reynolds who provides similar versatility. Why? Because we keep getting bitten in the ass by OL injuries. It's time we make sure we have the depth. Better safe than sorry.
Scooby Wright, Bryce Williams, and Mike Matthews probably won't start as rookies. All have upside but will need some time to polish up their mechanical flaws and get used to the pro game. I think all three have the potential to start for us in 2017 which is a major positive. There's a remote possibility that Mike Matthews wrestles the starting Center job away from Tim Barnes. There's also the possibility that Cody Whitehair isn't ready to start week 1. If that happens, Garrett Reynolds steps in and starts. I'd rather keep Saffold on the bench for when we have OL injuries and Reynolds has played pretty well this year which would give us continuity with the guys on the OL.
As I said before, I know there are some people that won't be pleased by the Connor Cook pick. There's not much I can do to change your mind. All I can tell you is that I've gone through an exhaustive evaluation of him and done everything I can to convince myself that he isn't the guy. The film has convinced me every single time that he is the guy. I think he's going to be a quality NFL QB. I still have him ranked below Goff and Lynch but I am assuming both are gone by the time the #10 pick rolls around.
