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I've made it clear where I stand on Kupp. He's my guy if I'm choosing a WR in the second round. Here's how the rest of the draft could play out.
Trade
Rams trade Round 2 Pick #5
Broncos trade Round 2 Pick #19 and Round 3 Pick #37
I heard a rumor that the Broncos like Evan Engram. They also need to address the OL. It's possible that they draft Engram at #20 and trade up to the top of the second for an OL or vice versa.
NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #19 - Cooper Kupp WR Eastern Washington
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWZLQSBeV40
Summary: Kupp owns every major career receiving record across all divisions of college football. He's a four-year starter who has averaged 107 catches for 1616 yards and 18 TDs per year. In 4 games against the Pac-12 during his career, Kupp produced 40 catches for 716 receiving yards and 11 receiving TDs. As a sophomore against Washington, Kupp caught a 41 yard TD against Marcus Peters in man, a 7 yard TD against Marcus Peters in zone, a 27 yard TD against Bubba Baker in man, and 15 to 20 yard catch against Kevin King in man in a game where he posted 8 catches for 145 yards and 3 TDs. On the field, Kupp is extremely technically sound. His route running is advanced for a college WR, and his releases against press are gorgeous. I could nitpick a minor thing or two in his route running that will improve at the next level, but you can tell that he's a guy who works very hard at his craft. Even still, I'd say the strongest part of his game is his hands. He catches almost everything. When he doesn't make a spectacular catch, you want to mark it down as a drop because he usually makes it look so easy. What are the negatives? He's "only" 6'2" 204 pounds and runs a 4.62 40. However, he posted a 4.08 short shuttle and a 6.75 three cone drill, which are highly impressive for a guy his size. It's easy to see that burst, agility, and change of direction ability in his game. Some of you might say, "We have enough slot WRs." I don't care. Whether Kupp plays split end, flanker, or in the slot, he's going to get open, he's going to catch the ball, and he's going to find the end-zone. Let's hope he's doing that for us.
Round 3 Pick #5 - DeMarcus Walker DE Florida State
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_nZanLqxAw
Summary: Walker's stock is hurt because he's a tweener who only fits in certain schemes. Walker doesn't have ideal size and strength for a 2-gap 3-4 defense and doesn't have the edge speed to be an ideal 4-3 DE. The reality is that Walker fits best in the NFL as a 3-technique, but he's undersized (6'4" 280) for that role. This is to our benefit because he fits perfectly as a LDE in Wade's 1-gap 3-4 defense. Walker posted 68 tackles 21.5 TFLs, and 16 sacks as a senior at FSU. He did the most damage while playing inside. Walker's burst off the ball, ability to get skinny through gaps, polished hand use, and diverse set of pass rush moves make him very difficult to handle when facing off against interior OLs. Walker has a motor that runs hot when he's not fatigued and alpha dog attitude on defense. He's an emotional leader type who leaves it all on the field. He has a diverse set of rush moves and counters along with a powerful punch. Walker also shows the ability to stack and shed blocks in the run game when he plays with leverage. However, Walker needs to be more consistent with his pad level, as OLs can drive him off the ball when he doesn't maintain leverage. As stated earlier, Walker also lacks the juice and bend to win the corner off the edge. He's much more dangerous inside where he can burst through gaps.
Round 3 Pick #37 - Jourdan Lewis CB Michigan
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp3mHua_jSQ
Summary: With Lewis getting arrested for domestic violence, it seems likely that he'll fall further than he should. After reading about the circumstances preceding his arrest and considering his track record, I think it's pretty flimsy. As a player, Lewis is a tenacious competitor who makes up for his lack of height (5'10" 188) and elite long speed (4.54 40) with sticky cover skills, fluid hips, and extremely quick feet. Lewis camps out in the hip pocket of the WR. He's constantly challenging passes at the catch point, he displays polished footwork, and he uses his hands well while pressing. Despite his short stature, he's a highly effective press CB because of his quick feet, long arms (relative to his size), feisty nature, patient approach, and sound technical skill. I think Lewis is an outstanding fit in our scheme because he possesses the versatility to play both in the slot and outside the numbers. He can be our Chris Harris Jr. I think Wade will highly value Lewis's skill-set, and he seems to be getting underrated as people get caught up on the measurables of CBs who don't cover like Lewis does.
Round 4 Pick #5 - Chase Roullier C/OG Wyoming
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udIir9JOgLg
Summary: I stumbled onto Roullier late, but I really like this kid. As I said before, I like his skill-set for our scheme more than I do Pocic's and Elflein's. He's exactly what Kromer wants. Despite coming from Wyoming (small school), Roullier is a well-coached player exiting a pro style offense (his HC, Craig Bohl, was Carson Wentz's HC). Roullier spent his first two years as a starter at LG before moving over to Center this year. At 6'4" 312, Roullier fits what Kromer looks for in his interior OLs. Roullier is a strong player at the POA with the lower body strength, leg drive, and nastiness to move guys out of the way. Roullier does an excellent job of staying on his blocks and playing through the whistle. He displays sound technical skill and quality body control while blocking on the move. As a pass protector, Roullier shows nimble feet, sound footwork, polished hand usage, and a strong base. Roullier's weaknesses are his lack of experience at Center, his short arms, and his balance in pass protection. Roullier needs to do a better job of adjusting to stunts and twists. He also needs to get used to playing in the Center spot, as he lost his footing due to the bodies around him too often this year. All in all, Roullier is a quality all around player who fits our scheme and has few true weaknesses.
Round 4 Pick #35 - George Kittle TE Iowa
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNsmmz6t5TI
Summary: George Kittle is one of the most interesting guys in this class. He was unheralded going into the Combine out of Iowa. He had solid production as a pass catcher in college but nothing eye popping (other than his yards per catch average). At the Combine, the 6'4" 247 pound Kittle surprised a lot of people by running a 4.52 40 and posting incredible jump numbers for a man his size. However, Kittle is more than just an athlete. What separates Kittle from your typical athletic project is that Kittle is a phenomenal blocking TE. Kirk Ferentz puts out a lot of polished TEs and OLs from Iowa. Kittle is another guy cut from that cloth as a blocker. He is a tenacious run blocker who uses his athleticism, body control, polished technique, and quality strength to create lanes in the run game and take his defender out of the play. Kittle plays through the whistle as a blocker and looks to bury his man. As a pass catcher, he's still developing as a route runner, but he has shown that he has the athleticism, YAC skills, and hands to be a factor.
Round 5 Pick #5 - Avery Moss OLB Youngstown State
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3fZKiuhjp8
Summary: I'm surprised that Moss isn't getting more hype. Moss has some character red flags in his background (from his time at Nebraska) and is a raw pass rusher. However, Moss's physical talent stands out. At 6'3" 265, Moss possesses 34.5" arms and large hands. He has a vicious punch and great lower body power. He was able to overpower a lot of college OLs. He mainly relied on bullrushes and the dip and rip in college. His pass rush moves and hand usage are very unrefined. That's really too bad because he has the punch, length, and power to be a very disruptive pass rusher if he figures out how to use his hands better and attack OTs strategically. Moss needs to learn how to attack the half-man and use his punch/arm length to soften the edge. Moss did show the ability to explode off the line out of a two-point stance in college and some ability to drop into coverage. Additionally, he is a dominant run defender at times. He throws OTs around in the run game and generally plays with good leverage as a run defender. His ability to stack and shed is quite great. He has a nasty arm-over swim move that earns him a number of early wins as a run defender. However, he is an inconsistent run defender because his instincts and positioning are underdeveloped. He needs to do a better job of finding the ball and placing himself in the right spot. He too often allows himself to be pinned inside when he's supposed to set the edge.
Round 6 Pick #5 - Blair Brown ILB Ohio
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEt1mxYQ37g
Summary: At 5'11" 240, Brown isn't the size you expected a 3-4 ILB to typically be. However, Brown plays with total reckless abandon in the run game. When he sees it, he attacks. It doesn't matter who is standing between him and the ball carrier. Brown has no problem attacking fullbacks, tight ends, and offensive linemen in the hole to get to the ball carrier. His play strength for his size is highly impressive, and he showed at the Combine that he has NFL athleticism (4.65 40 and great jump numbers). Brown has excellent instincts and play recognition skills in the run game. He really flies around the field. He's also quite adept at reading and blowing up screens (both HB and WR screens). Brown's weaknesses are mainly related to his cover skills and lack of length. Brown's lack of length makes it difficult for him to disengage once bigger players latches on. That all said, Brown will still stack the block and clog the hole. In zone coverage, Brown's instincts and recognition skills aren't good. He plays his assigned area but doesn't anticipate routes or make plays on the ball often. He does, however, look to blow up any crossers who enter his area within 5 yards of the LOS. Due to his athleticism, he's quality in man coverage, but he wasn't tested often at the college level. His ball-skills are a question mark in my mind.
Round 6 Pick #22 - Joshua Holsey CB Auburn
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-MJCkkQ1Bs
Summary: Holsey is on my list of underrated CBs. This is such a deep and talented class that a guy like Holsey can go unnoticed. Holsey had two torn ACLs in his career, so that is a concern with him. However, he has exceptionally quick feet, the speed to run with WRs deep, loose hips, and good ball-skills. He can get a little grabby at times, but as we all know, some CBs use that to their advantage (*cough* Richard Sherman). Holsey is a CB who hides it well and uses it to his advantage. Holsey handled a number of top college WRs, including Mike Williams, during his senior season at Auburn.
Round 7 Pick #16 - Chad Williams WR Grambling State
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbjLsP1o7N8
Summary: Chad Williams is a flyer and the first major character risk in this draft (I don't see Lewis as a character risk). Williams had a strong showing at the NFLPA Game and earned an invite to the Senior Bowl. He also had a strong showing during Senior Bowl practices. He reportedly showed the burst to separate out of his breaks and caught the ball well. He's still a very raw route runner and needs a lot of development before he's ready to play, but he has a lot of upside. Williams posted 90 catches for 1337 yards and 11 TDs this year at Grambling. In 2015, he posted 64 catches for 1012 yards and 10 TDs. Williams's basketball background has given him impressive body control and the ability to come down with jump balls. Williams proved he has NFL athleticism when he ran a 4.37 40 at his Pro Day at 6'1" 205. Williams plays the game with a chip on his shoulder, isn't afraid to get physical, and runs hard after the catch. However, he was arrested before this season on a marijuana and firearm possession charge.
Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Todd Gurley
FB: Cory Harkey
WR: Robert Woods
WR: Cooper Kupp
WR: Tavon Austin
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Andew Whitworth
LG: Rodger Saffold
C: John Sullivan
RG: Rob Havenstein
RT: Greg Robinson
LDE: DeMarcus Walker
NT: Michael Brockers
RDE: Aaron Donald
LOLB: Connor Barwin
LILB: Mark Barron
RILB: Alec Ogletree
ROLB: Robert Quinn
LCB: Trumaine Johnson
RCB: Jourdan Lewis vs. Kayvon Webster vs. E.J. Gaines
SLCB: Nickell Robey-Coleman
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: Maurice Alexander
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
KR: Pharoh Cooper
PR: Tavon Austin
Trade
Rams trade Round 2 Pick #5
Broncos trade Round 2 Pick #19 and Round 3 Pick #37
I heard a rumor that the Broncos like Evan Engram. They also need to address the OL. It's possible that they draft Engram at #20 and trade up to the top of the second for an OL or vice versa.
NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #19 - Cooper Kupp WR Eastern Washington
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWZLQSBeV40
Summary: Kupp owns every major career receiving record across all divisions of college football. He's a four-year starter who has averaged 107 catches for 1616 yards and 18 TDs per year. In 4 games against the Pac-12 during his career, Kupp produced 40 catches for 716 receiving yards and 11 receiving TDs. As a sophomore against Washington, Kupp caught a 41 yard TD against Marcus Peters in man, a 7 yard TD against Marcus Peters in zone, a 27 yard TD against Bubba Baker in man, and 15 to 20 yard catch against Kevin King in man in a game where he posted 8 catches for 145 yards and 3 TDs. On the field, Kupp is extremely technically sound. His route running is advanced for a college WR, and his releases against press are gorgeous. I could nitpick a minor thing or two in his route running that will improve at the next level, but you can tell that he's a guy who works very hard at his craft. Even still, I'd say the strongest part of his game is his hands. He catches almost everything. When he doesn't make a spectacular catch, you want to mark it down as a drop because he usually makes it look so easy. What are the negatives? He's "only" 6'2" 204 pounds and runs a 4.62 40. However, he posted a 4.08 short shuttle and a 6.75 three cone drill, which are highly impressive for a guy his size. It's easy to see that burst, agility, and change of direction ability in his game. Some of you might say, "We have enough slot WRs." I don't care. Whether Kupp plays split end, flanker, or in the slot, he's going to get open, he's going to catch the ball, and he's going to find the end-zone. Let's hope he's doing that for us.
Round 3 Pick #5 - DeMarcus Walker DE Florida State
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_nZanLqxAw
Summary: Walker's stock is hurt because he's a tweener who only fits in certain schemes. Walker doesn't have ideal size and strength for a 2-gap 3-4 defense and doesn't have the edge speed to be an ideal 4-3 DE. The reality is that Walker fits best in the NFL as a 3-technique, but he's undersized (6'4" 280) for that role. This is to our benefit because he fits perfectly as a LDE in Wade's 1-gap 3-4 defense. Walker posted 68 tackles 21.5 TFLs, and 16 sacks as a senior at FSU. He did the most damage while playing inside. Walker's burst off the ball, ability to get skinny through gaps, polished hand use, and diverse set of pass rush moves make him very difficult to handle when facing off against interior OLs. Walker has a motor that runs hot when he's not fatigued and alpha dog attitude on defense. He's an emotional leader type who leaves it all on the field. He has a diverse set of rush moves and counters along with a powerful punch. Walker also shows the ability to stack and shed blocks in the run game when he plays with leverage. However, Walker needs to be more consistent with his pad level, as OLs can drive him off the ball when he doesn't maintain leverage. As stated earlier, Walker also lacks the juice and bend to win the corner off the edge. He's much more dangerous inside where he can burst through gaps.
Round 3 Pick #37 - Jourdan Lewis CB Michigan
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp3mHua_jSQ
Summary: With Lewis getting arrested for domestic violence, it seems likely that he'll fall further than he should. After reading about the circumstances preceding his arrest and considering his track record, I think it's pretty flimsy. As a player, Lewis is a tenacious competitor who makes up for his lack of height (5'10" 188) and elite long speed (4.54 40) with sticky cover skills, fluid hips, and extremely quick feet. Lewis camps out in the hip pocket of the WR. He's constantly challenging passes at the catch point, he displays polished footwork, and he uses his hands well while pressing. Despite his short stature, he's a highly effective press CB because of his quick feet, long arms (relative to his size), feisty nature, patient approach, and sound technical skill. I think Lewis is an outstanding fit in our scheme because he possesses the versatility to play both in the slot and outside the numbers. He can be our Chris Harris Jr. I think Wade will highly value Lewis's skill-set, and he seems to be getting underrated as people get caught up on the measurables of CBs who don't cover like Lewis does.
Round 4 Pick #5 - Chase Roullier C/OG Wyoming
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udIir9JOgLg
Summary: I stumbled onto Roullier late, but I really like this kid. As I said before, I like his skill-set for our scheme more than I do Pocic's and Elflein's. He's exactly what Kromer wants. Despite coming from Wyoming (small school), Roullier is a well-coached player exiting a pro style offense (his HC, Craig Bohl, was Carson Wentz's HC). Roullier spent his first two years as a starter at LG before moving over to Center this year. At 6'4" 312, Roullier fits what Kromer looks for in his interior OLs. Roullier is a strong player at the POA with the lower body strength, leg drive, and nastiness to move guys out of the way. Roullier does an excellent job of staying on his blocks and playing through the whistle. He displays sound technical skill and quality body control while blocking on the move. As a pass protector, Roullier shows nimble feet, sound footwork, polished hand usage, and a strong base. Roullier's weaknesses are his lack of experience at Center, his short arms, and his balance in pass protection. Roullier needs to do a better job of adjusting to stunts and twists. He also needs to get used to playing in the Center spot, as he lost his footing due to the bodies around him too often this year. All in all, Roullier is a quality all around player who fits our scheme and has few true weaknesses.
Round 4 Pick #35 - George Kittle TE Iowa
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNsmmz6t5TI
Summary: George Kittle is one of the most interesting guys in this class. He was unheralded going into the Combine out of Iowa. He had solid production as a pass catcher in college but nothing eye popping (other than his yards per catch average). At the Combine, the 6'4" 247 pound Kittle surprised a lot of people by running a 4.52 40 and posting incredible jump numbers for a man his size. However, Kittle is more than just an athlete. What separates Kittle from your typical athletic project is that Kittle is a phenomenal blocking TE. Kirk Ferentz puts out a lot of polished TEs and OLs from Iowa. Kittle is another guy cut from that cloth as a blocker. He is a tenacious run blocker who uses his athleticism, body control, polished technique, and quality strength to create lanes in the run game and take his defender out of the play. Kittle plays through the whistle as a blocker and looks to bury his man. As a pass catcher, he's still developing as a route runner, but he has shown that he has the athleticism, YAC skills, and hands to be a factor.
Round 5 Pick #5 - Avery Moss OLB Youngstown State
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3fZKiuhjp8
Summary: I'm surprised that Moss isn't getting more hype. Moss has some character red flags in his background (from his time at Nebraska) and is a raw pass rusher. However, Moss's physical talent stands out. At 6'3" 265, Moss possesses 34.5" arms and large hands. He has a vicious punch and great lower body power. He was able to overpower a lot of college OLs. He mainly relied on bullrushes and the dip and rip in college. His pass rush moves and hand usage are very unrefined. That's really too bad because he has the punch, length, and power to be a very disruptive pass rusher if he figures out how to use his hands better and attack OTs strategically. Moss needs to learn how to attack the half-man and use his punch/arm length to soften the edge. Moss did show the ability to explode off the line out of a two-point stance in college and some ability to drop into coverage. Additionally, he is a dominant run defender at times. He throws OTs around in the run game and generally plays with good leverage as a run defender. His ability to stack and shed is quite great. He has a nasty arm-over swim move that earns him a number of early wins as a run defender. However, he is an inconsistent run defender because his instincts and positioning are underdeveloped. He needs to do a better job of finding the ball and placing himself in the right spot. He too often allows himself to be pinned inside when he's supposed to set the edge.
Round 6 Pick #5 - Blair Brown ILB Ohio
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEt1mxYQ37g
Summary: At 5'11" 240, Brown isn't the size you expected a 3-4 ILB to typically be. However, Brown plays with total reckless abandon in the run game. When he sees it, he attacks. It doesn't matter who is standing between him and the ball carrier. Brown has no problem attacking fullbacks, tight ends, and offensive linemen in the hole to get to the ball carrier. His play strength for his size is highly impressive, and he showed at the Combine that he has NFL athleticism (4.65 40 and great jump numbers). Brown has excellent instincts and play recognition skills in the run game. He really flies around the field. He's also quite adept at reading and blowing up screens (both HB and WR screens). Brown's weaknesses are mainly related to his cover skills and lack of length. Brown's lack of length makes it difficult for him to disengage once bigger players latches on. That all said, Brown will still stack the block and clog the hole. In zone coverage, Brown's instincts and recognition skills aren't good. He plays his assigned area but doesn't anticipate routes or make plays on the ball often. He does, however, look to blow up any crossers who enter his area within 5 yards of the LOS. Due to his athleticism, he's quality in man coverage, but he wasn't tested often at the college level. His ball-skills are a question mark in my mind.
Round 6 Pick #22 - Joshua Holsey CB Auburn
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-MJCkkQ1Bs
Summary: Holsey is on my list of underrated CBs. This is such a deep and talented class that a guy like Holsey can go unnoticed. Holsey had two torn ACLs in his career, so that is a concern with him. However, he has exceptionally quick feet, the speed to run with WRs deep, loose hips, and good ball-skills. He can get a little grabby at times, but as we all know, some CBs use that to their advantage (*cough* Richard Sherman). Holsey is a CB who hides it well and uses it to his advantage. Holsey handled a number of top college WRs, including Mike Williams, during his senior season at Auburn.
Round 7 Pick #16 - Chad Williams WR Grambling State
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbjLsP1o7N8
Summary: Chad Williams is a flyer and the first major character risk in this draft (I don't see Lewis as a character risk). Williams had a strong showing at the NFLPA Game and earned an invite to the Senior Bowl. He also had a strong showing during Senior Bowl practices. He reportedly showed the burst to separate out of his breaks and caught the ball well. He's still a very raw route runner and needs a lot of development before he's ready to play, but he has a lot of upside. Williams posted 90 catches for 1337 yards and 11 TDs this year at Grambling. In 2015, he posted 64 catches for 1012 yards and 10 TDs. Williams's basketball background has given him impressive body control and the ability to come down with jump balls. Williams proved he has NFL athleticism when he ran a 4.37 40 at his Pro Day at 6'1" 205. Williams plays the game with a chip on his shoulder, isn't afraid to get physical, and runs hard after the catch. However, he was arrested before this season on a marijuana and firearm possession charge.
Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Todd Gurley
FB: Cory Harkey
WR: Robert Woods
WR: Cooper Kupp
WR: Tavon Austin
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Andew Whitworth
LG: Rodger Saffold
C: John Sullivan
RG: Rob Havenstein
RT: Greg Robinson
LDE: DeMarcus Walker
NT: Michael Brockers
RDE: Aaron Donald
LOLB: Connor Barwin
LILB: Mark Barron
RILB: Alec Ogletree
ROLB: Robert Quinn
LCB: Trumaine Johnson
RCB: Jourdan Lewis vs. Kayvon Webster vs. E.J. Gaines
SLCB: Nickell Robey-Coleman
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: Maurice Alexander
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
KR: Pharoh Cooper
PR: Tavon Austin
