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1. Kyle Fuller CB Virginia Tech
STRENGTHS: Physical demeanor with good length, playing with excellent toughness and energy as if he were 25 pounds thicker. Good vertical leap and smooth hip action to flip-and-go. Smart route recognition and outstanding read/react quickness to mirror or plant-and-drive to attack.
Above average anticipation and cover instincts - obviously studies receivers and does his homework to know what to look for without hesitation. Physical in run support and works hard to get off blocks.
Closes in a flash with a fierce attitude. Heady and opportunistic player, always looking to strip the ball and force turnovers. Very good ball awareness and NFL ballskills.
Experience lining up in the slot and using his timing to penetrate the backfield as a blitzer. Experience playing inside and outside and at safety, linebacker and special teams. Four year starter with productive numbers.
WEAKNESSES: Very lean with limited muscle definition and overall growth potential to get much bigger. Overaggressive nature will get him in trouble at times, overpursuing in coverage or run support.
Lacks elite speed and to recover after initially beat off the line of scrimmage. Too hands on at times and will have some mental errors, getting caught out of position when trying to freelance. Needs to consistently wrap up when he makes initial contact and will miss tackles due to inconsistent form, including ducking his helmet before contact. Strong durability concerns with his physical style and lean body type. Senior season ended prematurely due to hernia surgery in Nov. 2013.
2.Marcus Smith DE/OLB Wanted Attaochu here but have a feeling he will be gone.
STRENGTHS: Broad-shouldered, long-armed athlete. Good initial quickness out of the three-point stance, showing enough burst to cross the face of offensive tackles on the perimeter. Good club move to break free from pass blockers as well as the power to effectively push opponents into the pocket on the bull rush. Alert defender who locates the ball quickly and shows good balance to pursue laterally and downfield. Shows vision and savvy as a walk-up blitzer, timing his rush with the snap nicely to penetrate his initial gap or when looping on stunts. Awareness and underrated athleticism evident when asked to cover tight ends and slot receivers on underneath routes. Gets an effective jam on his target and is athletic enough to handle coverage duties for a few yards. Physical, reliable tackler who wraps his arms securely and arrives with a thud. Good strength to rip away at the ball while making the tackle. WEAKNESSES: May be viewed as a 'tweener by some. Strong enough to create a pile in the running game but struggles against double-teams. Productive pass rusher but many of his sacks (and pressures) come while looping in untouched on stunts. Quicker and more powerful than most opponents at this level but does not possess much variety in his pass rush technique. Too often gets caught up in the hand-fighting at the line of scrimmage. A bit stiff in his midsection, showing only fair ability to bend and explode around the corner and may not possess preferred straight-line speed. COMPARES TO: Jabaal Sheard, Cleveland Browns - Like Sheard, Smith is a productive, albeit undersized pass rusher. While neither is an elite athlete, each plays with just enough burst, power and savvy to win as either a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 rush linebacker. --Rob Rang (2/3/14)
3. Will Clarke DE West Virginia
STRENGTHS: Possesses a rangy, athletic build with a broad wingspan. Good initial explosion off the snap. Can cross the face of left tackles, forcing them wide and creating gaps for stunting or blitzing teammates, as well as zip inside for an impressive counter-move. Shows some core flexibility to dip under the reach of pass-blockers and flashes good hand use to rip free from their grasp. Attentive, especially in the passing game. Has learned to use his length and overall athleticism to distract quarterbacks, waving his arms and timing his leap in an attempt to tip passes at the line of scrimmage... jumped from zero to three to seven PBUs over his three seasons as a starter... Good strength to hold up surprisingly well in the running game. Anchors well, locking out would-be blockers and keeping his knees bent and butt down to create a pile. Hard worker.
WEAKNESSES: Too stiff to change directions fluidly so that while he is capable of rushing upfield, Clarke struggles to turn the corner and truly wreak havoc off the edge. Possesses a very rangy build and may struggle to gain weight. Reacts surprisingly well to cut-blocks, showing good recognition but his long legs leave him prone to these against quicker, more technically refined athletes he'll face in the NFL.
COMPARES TO: Chandler Jones, New England Patriots - Jones has quickly developed into one of the league's better young pass rushers as his 11.5 sacks in 2013 can attest. Think of Clarke as a poor man's version, whose sack total will probably hover close to half of Jones' in a given year once he acclimates to the NFL. Scouts will love Clarke's length and dedication, however, two traits which have helped Jones become successful so quickly.
4. Travis Swanson C Arkansas
STRENGTHS: Has the athleticism to pull in the running game. Able to seal off defenders from the action when blocking straight ahead. Can anchor well against strong run defenders. Good explosiveness to deliver his snaps and awareness in making line calls.
WEAKNESSES: Lack of ideal straight-line apparent when unable to make the edge at times. Struggles to generate movement against stronger defenders.
5. DeAnthony Thomas, Return Specialist, Oregon Try him at WR/RB but viewed as a return specialist anything else would be a bonus
STRENGTHS: Without question, Thomas is the most electric player in the 2014 draft. He boasts remarkable elusiveness, instant acceleration and the speed to pull away from defenders to make him a legitimate threat to score each time he touches the ball. Shows good vision, locating holes and slithering through them to get into the open field. Has soft, natural hands for the reception, easily snagging passes and securing them quickly. Tougher than he looks, showing a willingness to lower his shoulder and fight through initial contact to gain as much yardage as possible. Offers the versatility to play several roles, potentially freeing up a roster spot due for other players.
WEAKNESSES: There is not an NFL offense better suited to taking advantage of Thomas' skill-set than the one he's leaving at Oregon, where wide splits, a dual-threat quarterback and up-tempo play-calling all exaggerated his talents. Does not possess the size and power to play more than a complementary role as an NFL running back. Most teams prefer a larger, tougher player at kick returner, as well. While a highly productive receiver with the Ducks, caught most of his passes on simple passes to the flats and quick screens and therefore while certainly possessing the quickness and balance to ultimately gain separation as a receiver, Thomas is a raw route-runner. Thomas' production and durability dropped each of his three seasons at Oregon...
COMPARES TO: Tavon Austin, St. Louis Rams - Thomas possesses a stouter frame and obviously more experience at running back than Austin had while at West Virginia and therefore could be viewed as even more versatile than last year's No. 8 overall pick. While boasting soft, reliable hands, he's also much more of a project as a route-runner than Austin, who, recorded "just" 418 yards receiving as a rookie... Early in their respect careers, expect both to make their biggest contributions as returners. Given the decreasing role of returners in today's NFL, it begs the old sports car analogy. They're flashy but how practical are they and will their amount of use ever match the high price tag?
6. Jeff Janis WR Saginaw Valley State
STRENGTHS: Looks the part with a tall, muscular body type. Has worked hard to fill out his frame. Fleet of foot with very good build up speed to accelerate away from defenders. Controlled routes and shifts his momentum well with smooth footwork in/out of his breaks. Good hesitation to sell patterns. Good tracking skills and judgment on deep throws. Solid functional strength for the position, making it a chore for tacklers to finish him off. Strong competitor with an intrepid, fearless approach to the game. Very tough and holds onto the ball after jarring hits. Ambitious worker with strong intangibles and excellent character on and off the field. Try-hard player who gets the most out of his ability. Productive resume (37 career starts) with back-to-back 1,500+ receiving yard seasons the past two years. Holds the school record for single-season receiving yards (1,635), single-game receiving yards (300) and single-game catches (18).
WEAKNESSES: Marginal initial burst and needs a few steps to get back up to full speed after gearing down. Bad habit of rounding some routes and will try to freelance too much. Will have some double-catches and fight the ball at times. Hand/eye coordination appears to very average. Limited after the catch and lacks suddenness in space to create much separation. Not the most consistent in traffic. Limited experience as a return man on special teams. Career production and experience came against a lower level of competition.
7. Victor Hampton CB South Carolina
STRENGTHS: Possessing a broad-shouldered, tapered frame that looks more like a safety than a cornerback, Hampton certainly passes the eye test. Better yet, his raw athleticism holds plenty of promise.
Boasts the quick feet, fluid hips and sudden acceleration to handle press coverage duties, alternately punching the receiver to jam him at the line of scrimmage or waiting to run with him downfield.
Good instincts for the position. Peeks back at the quarterback and reads the body language of receivers to diagnose the play and breaks on the ball with confidence, showing the quick, active hands to knock passes to the ground. Physical tackler, who flashes as a true striker capable of forcing fumbles with his big collisions.
Experienced punt and kick returner. Good vision, elusiveness and acceleration with the ball in his hands.
WEAKNESSES: Not yet the sum of his parts. Relies on his physicality and athleticism in coverage, rather than technique. Stands tall, rather than crouched low often when in press position, leaving himself vulnerable to quick underneath routes.
A little grabby as he rides receivers downfield and will occasionally lose track of the ball while battling for position. Entered 2013 as South Carolina's primary punt returner but averaged just three yards on nine opportunities over the regular season.
COMPARES TO: Brandon Carr: Athletic and gritty, each cornerback boasts obvious upside. Consistency, however, is tougher to predict without better technique.
**In the 5th round thought about taking Chris Davis the CB and returner from Auburn
***Used CBS rankings to value picks
STRENGTHS: Physical demeanor with good length, playing with excellent toughness and energy as if he were 25 pounds thicker. Good vertical leap and smooth hip action to flip-and-go. Smart route recognition and outstanding read/react quickness to mirror or plant-and-drive to attack.
Above average anticipation and cover instincts - obviously studies receivers and does his homework to know what to look for without hesitation. Physical in run support and works hard to get off blocks.
Closes in a flash with a fierce attitude. Heady and opportunistic player, always looking to strip the ball and force turnovers. Very good ball awareness and NFL ballskills.
Experience lining up in the slot and using his timing to penetrate the backfield as a blitzer. Experience playing inside and outside and at safety, linebacker and special teams. Four year starter with productive numbers.
WEAKNESSES: Very lean with limited muscle definition and overall growth potential to get much bigger. Overaggressive nature will get him in trouble at times, overpursuing in coverage or run support.
Lacks elite speed and to recover after initially beat off the line of scrimmage. Too hands on at times and will have some mental errors, getting caught out of position when trying to freelance. Needs to consistently wrap up when he makes initial contact and will miss tackles due to inconsistent form, including ducking his helmet before contact. Strong durability concerns with his physical style and lean body type. Senior season ended prematurely due to hernia surgery in Nov. 2013.
2.Marcus Smith DE/OLB Wanted Attaochu here but have a feeling he will be gone.
STRENGTHS: Broad-shouldered, long-armed athlete. Good initial quickness out of the three-point stance, showing enough burst to cross the face of offensive tackles on the perimeter. Good club move to break free from pass blockers as well as the power to effectively push opponents into the pocket on the bull rush. Alert defender who locates the ball quickly and shows good balance to pursue laterally and downfield. Shows vision and savvy as a walk-up blitzer, timing his rush with the snap nicely to penetrate his initial gap or when looping on stunts. Awareness and underrated athleticism evident when asked to cover tight ends and slot receivers on underneath routes. Gets an effective jam on his target and is athletic enough to handle coverage duties for a few yards. Physical, reliable tackler who wraps his arms securely and arrives with a thud. Good strength to rip away at the ball while making the tackle. WEAKNESSES: May be viewed as a 'tweener by some. Strong enough to create a pile in the running game but struggles against double-teams. Productive pass rusher but many of his sacks (and pressures) come while looping in untouched on stunts. Quicker and more powerful than most opponents at this level but does not possess much variety in his pass rush technique. Too often gets caught up in the hand-fighting at the line of scrimmage. A bit stiff in his midsection, showing only fair ability to bend and explode around the corner and may not possess preferred straight-line speed. COMPARES TO: Jabaal Sheard, Cleveland Browns - Like Sheard, Smith is a productive, albeit undersized pass rusher. While neither is an elite athlete, each plays with just enough burst, power and savvy to win as either a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 rush linebacker. --Rob Rang (2/3/14)
3. Will Clarke DE West Virginia
STRENGTHS: Possesses a rangy, athletic build with a broad wingspan. Good initial explosion off the snap. Can cross the face of left tackles, forcing them wide and creating gaps for stunting or blitzing teammates, as well as zip inside for an impressive counter-move. Shows some core flexibility to dip under the reach of pass-blockers and flashes good hand use to rip free from their grasp. Attentive, especially in the passing game. Has learned to use his length and overall athleticism to distract quarterbacks, waving his arms and timing his leap in an attempt to tip passes at the line of scrimmage... jumped from zero to three to seven PBUs over his three seasons as a starter... Good strength to hold up surprisingly well in the running game. Anchors well, locking out would-be blockers and keeping his knees bent and butt down to create a pile. Hard worker.
WEAKNESSES: Too stiff to change directions fluidly so that while he is capable of rushing upfield, Clarke struggles to turn the corner and truly wreak havoc off the edge. Possesses a very rangy build and may struggle to gain weight. Reacts surprisingly well to cut-blocks, showing good recognition but his long legs leave him prone to these against quicker, more technically refined athletes he'll face in the NFL.
COMPARES TO: Chandler Jones, New England Patriots - Jones has quickly developed into one of the league's better young pass rushers as his 11.5 sacks in 2013 can attest. Think of Clarke as a poor man's version, whose sack total will probably hover close to half of Jones' in a given year once he acclimates to the NFL. Scouts will love Clarke's length and dedication, however, two traits which have helped Jones become successful so quickly.
4. Travis Swanson C Arkansas
STRENGTHS: Has the athleticism to pull in the running game. Able to seal off defenders from the action when blocking straight ahead. Can anchor well against strong run defenders. Good explosiveness to deliver his snaps and awareness in making line calls.
WEAKNESSES: Lack of ideal straight-line apparent when unable to make the edge at times. Struggles to generate movement against stronger defenders.
5. DeAnthony Thomas, Return Specialist, Oregon Try him at WR/RB but viewed as a return specialist anything else would be a bonus
STRENGTHS: Without question, Thomas is the most electric player in the 2014 draft. He boasts remarkable elusiveness, instant acceleration and the speed to pull away from defenders to make him a legitimate threat to score each time he touches the ball. Shows good vision, locating holes and slithering through them to get into the open field. Has soft, natural hands for the reception, easily snagging passes and securing them quickly. Tougher than he looks, showing a willingness to lower his shoulder and fight through initial contact to gain as much yardage as possible. Offers the versatility to play several roles, potentially freeing up a roster spot due for other players.
WEAKNESSES: There is not an NFL offense better suited to taking advantage of Thomas' skill-set than the one he's leaving at Oregon, where wide splits, a dual-threat quarterback and up-tempo play-calling all exaggerated his talents. Does not possess the size and power to play more than a complementary role as an NFL running back. Most teams prefer a larger, tougher player at kick returner, as well. While a highly productive receiver with the Ducks, caught most of his passes on simple passes to the flats and quick screens and therefore while certainly possessing the quickness and balance to ultimately gain separation as a receiver, Thomas is a raw route-runner. Thomas' production and durability dropped each of his three seasons at Oregon...
COMPARES TO: Tavon Austin, St. Louis Rams - Thomas possesses a stouter frame and obviously more experience at running back than Austin had while at West Virginia and therefore could be viewed as even more versatile than last year's No. 8 overall pick. While boasting soft, reliable hands, he's also much more of a project as a route-runner than Austin, who, recorded "just" 418 yards receiving as a rookie... Early in their respect careers, expect both to make their biggest contributions as returners. Given the decreasing role of returners in today's NFL, it begs the old sports car analogy. They're flashy but how practical are they and will their amount of use ever match the high price tag?
6. Jeff Janis WR Saginaw Valley State
STRENGTHS: Looks the part with a tall, muscular body type. Has worked hard to fill out his frame. Fleet of foot with very good build up speed to accelerate away from defenders. Controlled routes and shifts his momentum well with smooth footwork in/out of his breaks. Good hesitation to sell patterns. Good tracking skills and judgment on deep throws. Solid functional strength for the position, making it a chore for tacklers to finish him off. Strong competitor with an intrepid, fearless approach to the game. Very tough and holds onto the ball after jarring hits. Ambitious worker with strong intangibles and excellent character on and off the field. Try-hard player who gets the most out of his ability. Productive resume (37 career starts) with back-to-back 1,500+ receiving yard seasons the past two years. Holds the school record for single-season receiving yards (1,635), single-game receiving yards (300) and single-game catches (18).
WEAKNESSES: Marginal initial burst and needs a few steps to get back up to full speed after gearing down. Bad habit of rounding some routes and will try to freelance too much. Will have some double-catches and fight the ball at times. Hand/eye coordination appears to very average. Limited after the catch and lacks suddenness in space to create much separation. Not the most consistent in traffic. Limited experience as a return man on special teams. Career production and experience came against a lower level of competition.
7. Victor Hampton CB South Carolina
STRENGTHS: Possessing a broad-shouldered, tapered frame that looks more like a safety than a cornerback, Hampton certainly passes the eye test. Better yet, his raw athleticism holds plenty of promise.
Boasts the quick feet, fluid hips and sudden acceleration to handle press coverage duties, alternately punching the receiver to jam him at the line of scrimmage or waiting to run with him downfield.
Good instincts for the position. Peeks back at the quarterback and reads the body language of receivers to diagnose the play and breaks on the ball with confidence, showing the quick, active hands to knock passes to the ground. Physical tackler, who flashes as a true striker capable of forcing fumbles with his big collisions.
Experienced punt and kick returner. Good vision, elusiveness and acceleration with the ball in his hands.
WEAKNESSES: Not yet the sum of his parts. Relies on his physicality and athleticism in coverage, rather than technique. Stands tall, rather than crouched low often when in press position, leaving himself vulnerable to quick underneath routes.
A little grabby as he rides receivers downfield and will occasionally lose track of the ball while battling for position. Entered 2013 as South Carolina's primary punt returner but averaged just three yards on nine opportunities over the regular season.
COMPARES TO: Brandon Carr: Athletic and gritty, each cornerback boasts obvious upside. Consistency, however, is tougher to predict without better technique.
**In the 5th round thought about taking Chris Davis the CB and returner from Auburn
***Used CBS rankings to value picks
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