2014 Official Draft Thread

[blueman]

The Rams for starters....they could end up w with Clowney and Marqise Lee with their first two picks....and still have six more picks

Now if only they'd move back to LA.

[rikardo]

I think ball control (running the ball and short pass) has help and can continue to help the D. Draft Oline sign veteran D in free agency

[Kyle]

Would love to grab Davonte Adams if he falls to the 3rd. Unbelievable production and if the ball is anywhere near him he comes down with it. Never drops.

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

NFL Terrance West a sleeper to watch at NFL Scouting Combine

Jim Corbett, USA TODAY Sports

Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports Former Towson running back Terrance West works out at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. as he prepares for the NFL Scouting Combine.

BRADENTON,Fla. —Terrance West says the NFL scouting combine is his opportunity to validate an improbable journey from Towson University walk-on to record-setting, draft-worthy power back.

"The combine is a chance to make some noise," West told USA TODAY Sports at IMG Academy, where he trained the past month. "I had a long journey to get here, but I never thought of giving up.

"I can definitely be a three-down NFL back. I want to become a name that rings a bell."

TANIER: Your guide to the combine

West led all 2013 college football players with a Football Championship Subdivision single-season record 2,509 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns. West intends to prove he is more than a feel-good story of a player who refused to quit on his dream, even when doors kept slamming in his face.

So those 20-,60-yard shuttles and three-cone drills at the combine in Indianapolis shouldn't pose a problem, given the gantlet 5-11, 223-pound West already has navigated.

"I grew up in the so-called, 'hood, Baltimore City, where a lot of people can't survive," West said. "I learned from a lot of people's mistakes, saw a lot of talented guys get caught up in the streets."

After high school at Northwestern High in Baltimore, West took a prep year at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia for the 2009-10 school year. West thought he had a walk-on offer from Maryland for the following season, but it didn't pan out. He then tried Morgan State but missed the filing deadline.

So West sold shoes to support his son, Brendan, now 5, and began researching schools.

After two seasons without football, West joined Towson following a 1-10 campaign in 2010.

"I thought, 'They're just missing one piece —me.' So I went up there and coach Rob Ambrose said I could walk on," West said. "I killed it that spring."

Three 1,000-yard seasons later,he's hoping to live up to the NFL Draft Advisory's projection of him as a third-round selection.

"This kid is special and will not fail," said Chris Weinke, director of football at the IMG Academy. "(Washington Redskins 2012 sixth-round gem) Alfred Morris was an unassuming kid who trained here. He was so methodical in his approach and you saw what happened with his (1,613-yard) rookie season.

"Same thing with Terrance, one of those diamonds in the rough. You can't teach his heart and drive. He is explosive with one of the best sets of hands I've ever seen on a back. And he's overcome as much adversity as any kid.''

Former Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been inspired by West.

"Terrance is the guy who really opened my eyes with his talent and work ethic," Bridgewater told USA TODAY Sports.

Bridgewater talked about the energy West brought as one of his receivers during 90-minute throwing sessions with Weinke.

Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports Towson Tigers running back Terrance West (28) scores a touchdown against the more

"Once Terrance was done with his running back drills, he'd come spend an extra hour catching,'' Bridgewater said. "That's the kind of guy you want around."

West is a one-cut, downhill runner in the mold of Green Bay Packers rookie standout Eddie Lacy. Former NFL and current IMG Academy speed coach Loren Seagrave says West could clock a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash, which could help him climb into the second round.

Other running backs to watch at the combine, which begins Wednesday and finishes Feb. 25:

—Oregon speed back De'Anthony Thomas. "De'Anthony can emerge in the combine's fastest-man category," said NFL Network analyst Charles Davis.

—Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert, whom Seagrave said could also post a 4.4 40-time.

—Weinke expects Michigan left tackle Taylor Lewan, Notre Dame left tackle Zack Martin and 6-5, 305 Notre Dame defensive end Stephon Tuitt, who shed 25 pounds in six weeks, to flash impressive athleticism for big men.

[bonehead]

Would love to grab Davonte Adams if he falls to the 3rd. Unbelievable production and if the ball is anywhere near him he comes down with it. Never drops.

and his name is Davontayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[Beerman]

Adams definitely fits the mold of a potential outside WR for us the few times I've seen him.

[SFW]

Mike Mayock said this is the deepest draft in 10 years. Some have any said a top 20 pick this year is similar to having a top 10 pick in last years draft.

Mayock's top 5 at each position-

WR-Watkins, Marqise Lee, Mike Evans, Benjamin, Jarvis Landry
RB- Hyde, Jeremy Hill, Sankey, Andre Williams, Tre Mason
OT- Jake Matthews, Robinson, Lewan, Zack Martin, Kouandijo
OG- Yankey, Su'a-Filo, Gabe Jackson, Chris Watt, Cyril Richardson
DT- Nix, Jernigan, Donald, Hageman, Easley
DE- Clowney, Ealy, Dee Ford, Scott Crichton, Trent Murphy

[Fleet]

I felt Spurrier wanted to throw him under the bus at one point.

"If he doesn't want to play, he doesn't have to play. It's as simple as that."

To me i translate that as a red flag thrown up by his own coach. But the spin afterwards to protect Clowney from Spurrier was even more of a production imo. I think Spurrier was told to make it right because of the reasons i listed above. For the protection of the program.

Who knows about his combine status but he needs to help himself by being there. At this point he looks like a player who cared more about trying to secure his future(5 miilion Insurance Policy) by sacrificing the present.(this last season)

In fact if im him and i was truly injured i would just come back and prove im the top pick in the draft. I would consider all my efforts to save myself for the draft a failure if i dropped out of the top 10. Which probably wont happen but could.

Thought this might happen. Also Clowney often saw single coverage and couldn't capitalize.


South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier called edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney a "team player" but stopped short of praising his work ethic.
The old ball coach admitted that Clowney's work habits aren't as good as former Gamecocks like Marcus Lattimore, Stephon Gilmore, or Melvin Ingram, but "when the ball snaps, he has something that nobody else has." Spurrier compared Clowney to Julius Peppers. Although Spurrier said Clowney's "production this year wasn't near what it was last year," the coach blamed the difference on double- and triple-teaming (a line of thinking, for the record, that Rotoworld buys). Fortunately, the NFL doesn't triple team. Clowney collected 130 tackles, 24 sacks and nine forced fumbles during his three-year career under Spurrier. The 6-foot-6, 274-pound Clowney is rated by many as the draft's No. 1 overall prospect. He reportedly ran a 4.54 40 and vertically jumped 38 inches last spring.

[Bolt-O]

And the underwear olympics begin... OL and TE's today.

[Beerman]

And the underwear olympics begin... OL and TE's today.

Ha just tuned in! Got a chance to see some OL running around. Kinda funny seeing the evolution of OL, these guys are so much more muscular/athletic than they used to be. Sure would love to get an athletic OG somewhere in this draft that can actually pull. An excellent pulling OG would take the running game to a new level with the run blocking ability of our tackles. (Who would have imagined that being said last season? Man our OT's were dog shit in 2012).

[Steve]

Who cares if they can pull|? We play a zone running game. The whole reason for teams inventing zone blocking was to AVOID having to have OL pulling.