NFL Draft 2014 Preview (16 page)

Strengths:
Good size and athletic ability — looks the part. Makes the hard catch look easy and can make the acrobatic, in-air catch extending high outside the numbers. Is capable of stretching a defense and creating chunk plays in the passing game. Good field awareness working along the sideline.

Weaknesses:
Very stiff. Average play speed. Is easily rerouted and fazed by traffic. Not strong after the catch and makes few big plays. Has a case of the drops — inconsistent hands. Lackadaisical route-runner and blocker. Inadequate on-field body language and temperament — is usually at the back of the line in practice drills and does not exhibit urgency in his play or leadership traits in the locker room. Reprimanded by the Big 12 for a late hit on a defender’s knees after the whistle vs. Iowa State.

Future:
A big, long, athletic receiver with inconsistent hands and questionable toughness and effort. Displays starter-caliber physical traits, yet his playing demeanor and approach turn off many evaluators and could force his draft status to sink. Is at his best outside the numbers as an “X” receiver.

Draft projection:
Late draftable pick.

Scout’s take:
“He is very tight-hipped and I didn’t like the way he ran routes. He is a fourth receiver in the league, maybe a fifth. He doesn’t make a good team. I wouldn’t draft him. If you draft him, you draft him late. He doesn’t make plays. If the ball is placed in the right spot, he doesn’t make any adjustments. He does not make tough catches in traffic.”

WR [F]-RS BRUCE ELLINGTON, #23 (JUNIOR)

SOUTH CAROLINA
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Grade: 5.39

Ht: 5-9 3/8 | Wt: 197 | Sp: 4.52 | Arm: 31 | Hand: 9 5/8

History:
Cousin, Andre Ellington, starred as a running back for Clemson and plays for the Arizona Cardinals. South Carolina native was a highly recruited two-sport star who won a state championship as a quarterback and lettered four times in basketball. Did not play football in 2010. Played all 13 games in ’11, starting two, and caught 17 balls for 211 yards (12.4-yard average) and a touchdown with 20 kickoff returns for 463 yards (23.1). Started all 13 games in ’12, producing 40-600-7 (15.0) receiving with 18-406 (22.6) on kickoff returns. Started 11-of-13 games in ’13 when he led Gamecock receivers with 49-775-8 (15.8). Added 5-108 (21.6) on kickoffs and 3-16 (5.3) on punts. For his career, carried 25 times for 148 yards (5.9) and one touchdown. Also was the starting point guard on the basketball team for three seasons. Graduated.

Strengths:
Bursts off the line — eliminates cushion and threatens vertically. Field-fast — accelerates in a hurry and turns over a fluid stride. Highly athletic. Excellent balance and agility. Gets in and out of cuts quickly. Good hands. Can turn a short throw into a long gain. Is not afraid to work the middle and take a hit to make a play. Tough and competitive. Has traits to be considered as a kick returner. Highly respected with special intangibles — leads by example and is smart, determined and hardworking.

Weaknesses:
Is short and small-framed — durability could be an issue. Could stand to become a more nuanced route runner. Can be outmuscled in a crowd — not a go-up-and-get-it guy. Limited run strength. Underpowered blocker. Too often was a non-factor — was held to one catch or less in five games as a junior. Was not a home-run hitter in the return game. Split his time with basketball.

Future:
A two-sport athlete who has already graduated, Ellington opted to forgo basketball and his senior football season to enter the draft. While he lacks desirable height and might not be an elite tester, Ellington brings explosiveness, hands and playmaking ability to the slot. Arrow is pointing up, and his desirable intangibles inspire confidence he’ll reach his potential, especially now that he’s able to focus solely on football.

Draft projection:
Third- to fourth-round pick.

Scout’s take:
“I think he’ll bring more value in the return game initially than he does as a receiver. I wasn’t real excited about him.”

WR [Z, X] QUINCY ENUNWA, #18

NEBRASKA
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Grade: 4.80

Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 225 | Sp: 4.46 | Arm: 32 5/8 | Hand: 9 1/2

History:
Prepped in California, where he also competed in the high jump. Saw very limited action in 10 games as a true freshman in 2010 and had one catch for 10 yards (10-yard average) and zero touchdowns. Started 7-of-13 games in ’10, catching 21-293-2 (14.0). Started all 27 games 2012-13 — produced 42-470-1 (11.2) in ’12 (14 games) and 51-753-12 (14.8) in ’13 (13 games). Team captain.

Strengths:
Looks the part with terrific size, long arms and an NFL musculature. Can elevate and snatch throws above his head. Strong after the catch. Sheer size and brawn to block out corners outside. Has hustle traits. Knows where the sticks are and is very football smart. Excellent intangibles — team captain with a professional approach and leadership traits. Was a 21-year-old senior.

Weaknesses:
Lacks elite top-end speed to separate vertically. Shows some hip tightness. Is not fluid or sudden out of breaks (wastes steps). Not a natural catcher — lets throws into his body, double catches some and drops catchable throws.

Future:
Big, tough, athletic, West Coast receiver who broke out as a senior. Has a mixture of “Z” and “X” traits and could even be viewed as a developmental H-back prospect.

Draft projection:
Priority free agent.

WR [Z, F] SHAQ EVANS, #1

UCLA
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Grade: 5.42

Ht: 6-1 1/4 | Wt: 213 | Sp: 4.46 | Arm: 32 | Hand: 9 3/8

History:
Highly recruited California prep. Began his college career at Notre Dame in 2009 when he saw action in six games and caught seven balls for 61 yards (8.7-yard average) and zero touchdowns. Transferred to UCLA and sat out ’10 per NCAA rules. Played 13 games in ’11, starting five at flanker, and tallied 19-309-2 (16.3) with 17 punt returns for 115 yards (6.8). Served a one-game suspension against California for his role in a fight against Arizona. Started all 14 games at the “Z” receiver in ’12, snagging 60-877-3 (14.6) with 8-85 (10.6) on punt returns. Was the Bruins’ leading receiver for the second straight season in ’13 when he started 12-of-13 games at the “Z” and totaled 47-709-9 (15.1). Non-start was against New Mexico State when the Bruins had 10 players on the field for the first play from scrimmage.

Strengths:
Good size. Good enough hands — catches balls that he should and makes hard catches look easy, yet drops easy catches. Extends outside his frame for the ball and can pluck it. Competes in a crowd and can make contested catches. Tied for the fastest 10-yard split (1.47 seconds) of any Combine participant.

Weaknesses:
Average production. Lacks top-end burst, acceleration and long speed. Does not threaten the field vertically. Soft-tempered blocker. Displays little creativity after the catch. Struggles to shake tight man coverage and create separation.

Future:
Good-sized, sure-handed possession receiver with the toughness to work through the middle and catch in a crowd. Can make a living as a zone-beating, move-the-chains target.

Draft projection:
Third- to fourth-round pick.

Scout’s take:
“I would like to have Shaq Evans. He is a good athlete. He is big and pretty. His M.O. is that he doesn’t play hard. The staff is disappointed they could not get more out of him. His production is not great. I gave him a late third-round grade. The consensus is in the fourth-fifth. He is not a blatant soft guy. On height-weight-speed alone, he should get in the fourth (round), I would think.”

WR [Z, X] MIKE EVANS, #13 (SOPH-3)

TEXAS A&M
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Grade: 6.35

Ht: 6-4 3/4 | Wt: 231 | Sp: 4.53 | Arm: 35 1/8 | Hand: 9 5/8

History:
Father, Mickey, was murdered when Mike was nine. Native Texan who only played one season of varsity football — averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists on the hardwood and was considered a Division I basketball recruit. Redshirted in 2011. Started all 26 games 2012-13 and was the Aggies’ leading receiver both seasons — catching passes from quarterback Johnny Manziel, racked up 69 receptions for 1,1394 yards (20.2-yard average) and 12 touchdowns in ’12 and 82-1,105-5 (13.5) in ’13.

Strengths:
Outstanding size and length. Functionally strong to power through the jam. Boxes out defenders and is a big red-zone target. Hardwood background is evident — outstanding leaper with “above-the-rim” skills to go over top of smaller DBs and highpoint throws. Creates late, subtle separation. Tracks and adjusts. Makes contested grabs — attacks throws and outmuscles defenders in a crowd. Nearly unstoppable executing back-shoulder catches. Strong, reliable hands. Very strong after the catch — slams into tacklers, is a load to bring down and leans for extra yardage. Productive playmaker — averaged 20 yards per catch in 2013 and showed up in big games (18-566-5 vs. Alabama and Auburn). Good blocker. Physically dominant and tough. Will be a 21-year-old rookie.

Weaknesses:
Monotone mover with pedestrian speed — cannot separate vertically or pull away from the pack. Unsudden acceleration. Stiff hips. Will have to make a living in traffic at the next level — will struggle to separate vs. quick-twitch NFL cornerbacks. Did not run a full route tree and could require patience learning the nuances of refined route running. Backyard element to his college success — must become savvier instead of depending on superior size and improvisational production. Can be hotheaded and lose control of his emotions. Basketball was first love.

Future:
A prep hoopster with shooting-guard size, Evans combined with Johnny Manziel to form one of the most dominant quarterback-receiver connections in the nation the last two seasons. He’s a big, physical, strong-handed, West Coast possession receiver with playmaking ability who projects as a No. 2 in the pros where he will make his money as a chain mover and red-zone target.

Draft projection:
First-round pick.

Scout’s take:
“He has deceptive speed. He’s still a No. 2 in the league. I will say this — he made that quarterback. If you look at all the circus catches he makes down the field, it’s unbelievable how much he bails out Johnny Football. If you have a quarterback that can’t see over the pocket and likes to just heave the ball up in an area, Evans is the guy you want on the receiving end. He’ll make an inaccurate quarterback look good.”

WR [Z] BENNIE FOWLER, #13

MICHIGAN STATE
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Grade: 5.03

Ht: 6-1 1/4| Wt: 217 | Sp: 4.52 | Arm: 32 | Hand: 9 1/2

History:
Michigan native who also competed in track, won a state long jump championship and a state basketball championship. Missed five games during his junior season because of a broken collarbone. Redshirted in 2009 while dealing with a stress fracture in his foot. Appeared in 13 games in ’10 (one start) and recorded 14 receptions for 175 yards (12.5-yard average) and a touchdown. Also returned 15 kickoffs for 336 yards (22.4). Scratched 2-20-0 (10.) in ’11, but was limited to five games (foot). Recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a touchdown against Wisconsin. Started 7-of-13 games in ’12 — five as the third receiver, one at “Z” and one at “X” — and tallied 41-524-4 (12.8). Started 8-of-13 games in ’13, catching 36-622-6 (17.3). Also had 16 career rushes for 102 yards (6.4) and a touchdown. Did not play against Purdue (hamstring).

Strengths:
Looks the part with excellent size. Shows the ability to track and adjust. Extends to snatch throws away from his body. Strong and productive after the catch. Good leaping ability. Flashes playmaking ability. Has special-teams experience. Untapped potential.

Weaknesses:
Needs to get functionally stronger and play with more physicality. Lacks elite top-end speed to separate vertically. Route running needs refinement. Average suddenness in and out of breaks. Lets some throws into his body and drops have been an issue. Intermittent intensity. Has underachiever traits — motivation and work ethic should be examined.

Future:
Big, talented, underachieving flanker who showed signs of life as a senior after injuries and inconsistency plagued his previous seasons. Is still rough around the edges and questionable hands and passion for the game could prevent him from reaching his ceiling.

Draft projection:
Priority free agent.

WR [F]-KR AUSTIN FRANKLIN, #4

NEW MEXICO STATE
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Grade: 5.10

Ht: 5-10 5/8 | Wt: 189 | Sp: 4.58 | Arm: 31 1/4 | Hand: 10

History:
Played receiver, defensive back and kick returner in addition to playing basketball as a Texas prep. Played all 12 games in 2011 and caught 32 balls for 508 yards (15.9-yard average) and three touchdowns. Started all 12 games at the “Z” receiver in ’12, totaling 74-1,245-9 (16.8). Sat out ’13 spring practice as well as the first four games of the season because of academics — returned to play eight games, starting the final six at the “H” receiver, and led the team in receiving for the second straight season with 52-670-7 (12.9). For his career, returned 29 kickoffs for 605 yards (20.9) and 12 punts for 1 yard (0.8). Also carried 28 times for 130 yards (6.4) and zero touchdowns.
Strengths:
Accelerates smoothly off the line and chews up ground with long strides. Sinks his hips and is sudden out of breaks to create separation. Slippery underneath. Quick, soft hands to catch off his frame. Catches in stride. Has springs to elevate and highpoint. Creates after the catch and turns short throws into long gains — darts upfield quickly, dances past tacklers in space and shows long speed. Has experience covering kicks.