NFL Draft 2014 Preview (6 page)

Strengths:
Terrific size and musculature. Inside-outside ability. Nice vision, instincts and patience. Has good speed for a back his size — opens up his stride in the clear. Strong runner — heavy on contact. Powers through arm tackles and runs with forward lean. Wields an effective stiff-arm. Looks to have good hands in limited exposure. Flashes playmaking ability. Has tread on his tires — averaged just 52 carries per season at LSU. Has experience in a pro-style offense and on special teams. Clear upside.

Weaknesses:
Average initial quickness and lateral agility. Smoother than he is explosive. Can run with more consistent intensity and pad level on a carry-by-carry basis — does not always run angry or lower his pads. Shows some stiffness as a route runner. Weak in pass protection — needs to improve willingness, awareness, technique and physicality. Was never the feature back at LSU (seven career starts). Suffered a torn ACL in 2012. Made controversial, homophobic remarks and maturity should be looked into. Recorded a 4.56-second, 20-yard shuttle time, the second-slowest of any back at the Combine.

Future:
A physically gifted runner who would have been the No. 1 back at most schools given his combination of size, speed, power and competitiveness. Is a second-round talent on talent alone, but injuries and a stacked stable of LSU runners limited Blue’s opportunity to shine. Scheme-versatile runner who is a prime candidate to elevate his stock prior to the draft and be a far more productive pro than college player if he proves he can stay healthy.

Draft projection:
Fourth- to fifth-round pick.

Scout’s take: “
When you see him in person, he looks like the spitting image of (Vikings RB) Adrian Peterson athletically and the way that he is built. (Blue) is big, strong and athletic with soft hands. He has good strength, balance and burst. He pushes the line of scrimmage. Take away the injury factor, and I don’t know what there is not to like if you’re grading him on his traits. What’s crazy there is they live by a running back-by-committee approach — 1-2-3. They have four guys in rotation and all of them are talented. That’s why you see guys like Stevan Ridley and Joseph Addai coming out of there with little production and still having success in the pros.”

RB KA’DEEM CAREY, #25 (JUNIOR)

ARIZONA
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Grade: 5.42

Ht: 5-9 3/8 | Wt: 207 | Sp: 4.69 | Arm: 31 3/4 | Hand: 9 1/2

History:
Had a storied Arizona prep career, rushing for nearly 4,500 yards and 71 touchdowns during his final two high school seasons. Played in 11 games for Arizona as a true freshman in 2011 and rushed 91 times for 425 yards (4.7-yard average) and six touchdowns with 15 receptions for 203 yards (13.5) and two touchdowns. Also returned 26 kickoffs for 549 yards (21.1). Missed the season finale against Louisiana-Lafayette after suffering a concussion during practice. Moved into the starting lineup in ’12 and led FBS in rushing yards (1,929) and rushing yards per game (148.4), amassing 303-1,929-23 (6.4) on the ground and 36-303-1 (8.4) receiving. Started all 13 games, setting a school single-season rushing mark. In a five-touchdown performance November 10 against Colorado, he rushed for 366 yards to set the Pac-12 and UA single-game rushing records. Had a pair of run-ins with the law following the season. In December, he was charged with misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct stemming from a domestic violence incident with his then-pregnant ex-girlfriend (the charges were later dropped). In January ’13, he was kicked out of a UCLA-UA basketball game at McKale Center following an altercation with a campus security officer. As a result, he was suspended for the ’13 season-opener and did not start the second game. Once he returned to the playing field, he appeared in 12 games (11 starts) and piled up 349-1,885-19 (5.4) rushing and 26-173-1 (6.7) receiving. Surpassed the 100-yards rushing mark in all 12 contests, extending his overall streak to 16 games — the longest streak in Pac-12 history. Had a pair of four-touchdown games, including a 48-206-4 effort vs. Oregon. Was a consensus All-America selection for the second straight year and concluded his Arizona career as the school’s all-time leader in rushing yards (4,239), rushing touchdowns (48) and all-purpose yards (5,483).

Strengths:
Outstanding two-year production — piled up 3,814 yards and 42 touchdowns on the ground from 2012-13, ranking among the nation’s most prolific. Terrific compete level and determination — runs with energy, doesn’t go down easily and punctuates runs. Tries to punish tacklers and keeps his legs pumping — grinds out yards after contact. Good feet, acceleration and lateral agility. Spins off contact. Reliable dump-off option. Gets upfield with urgency after the catch and has enough shiftiness to create. Willing to throw a shoulder blow into rushers. Can handle a heavy workload — averaged 26 carries per game the last two seasons.

Weaknesses:
Lacks ideal size and has a narrow, high-cut build with a lean lower body. Upright running style exposes his body to some direct hits and durability could be an issue. Does not string moves together and does not have elite breakaway speed. Average wiggle and elusiveness (cuts off his heels). Faced light boxes in a spread, zone-read offense. Had nearly 850 touches in college and body has already endured a lot of punishment. Has been removed from some team boards for off-the-field transgressions/suspensions. Must prove commited.

Future:
Highly productive, hard-charging slasher who runs more competitively than he does powerfully and picks up yardage in chunks. Has some first-round traits and is one of the most instinctive runners in this year’s draft class, though his stock could be affected by off-the-field troubles and an average Combine showing.

Draft projection:
Second- to third-round pick.

Scout’s take:
“(Carey) does not have home run speed — I only saw one big run this year for 30 yards when he reversed field and scored. He is very good in the hole and has great agility and balance. It’s why he is getting all those yards. I think he is talented enough to sneak into the first if you’re just grading the talent. …He showed up at his pro day and looked like he hadn’t worked out in two months. He looked very heavy and slow. He will be a steal if he ever gets his life in order. He could drop like a rock after the way he worked out.”

FB J.C. COPELAND #44

LSU
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Grade: 5.09

Ht: 5-11 1/8 | Wt: 271 | Sp: 4.97 | Arm: 32 | Hand: 10

History:
Full name is Javoddron Reon Holloway Copeland. Was a highly recruited defensive tackle as a Georgia prep, recording 27 sacks in his senior year and signing with LSU after initially committing to Tennessee. Moved in as a surrogate with his high school football coach, Bubba Jeter, in order to lessen the burden on his mother — who was struggling to find work and care for his three sisters. Arrived on the LSU campus in 2010 and was converted to fullback in fall camp. Appeared in four games as a true freshman, but did not have any stats. Saw action in all 14 games in ’11, including four late-season starts, and carried the ball twice for zero yards. Was LSU’s primary fullback in ’12, playing in 13 games (12 starts) and rushing 21 times for 67 yards (3.2-yard average) and four touchdowns with three receptions for 54 yards (18.0) and zero touchdowns. Had some on-field issues, committing three personal fouls over a four-game span. Played in 11 games (six starts) in ’13, rushing 13-25-3 (1.9) and receiving 4-31-0 (7.8). Missed two games after suffering a concussion when he slipped leaving the team shower room and landed on the back of his head. Returned to the field for the Alabama game and had a costly fumble — his only lost fumble as a collegian. Did not touch the ball again during LSU’s final three-plus games. Was invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and earned game MVP honors after scoring on a pair of 1-yard runs — his first-ever multiple-touchdown game.

Strengths:
Exceptional bulk. Good upper-body strength to lock on and torque defenders. Can move the pile with sheer mass in short-yardage/goal-line situations.

Weaknesses:
Could improve sustain on the move (slips off some blocks). Gets hung up in traffic. Average athletic ability, leg drive and contact balance. Does not consistently generate movement as much as he should. Can improve ball security (see Alabama on goal line). Runs upright — struggles to sink and unlock his hips. Limited route runner. Recorded a 4.63-second 20-yard shuttle time.

Future:
Split time as a senior and did not look as powerful as he did as a junior in an isolation-lead blocking role. Could benefit from slimming down and gaining some agility to connect better with moving targets.

Draft projection:
Priority free agent.

Scout’s take: “
He’s strong, but he’s too heavy and can’t redirect. He’s too much of a hit-and-whiff blocker for my liking. He is a dinosaur in today’s game.”

RB TIM CORNETT, #35

UNLV
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Grade: 5.02

Ht: 6-0 1/4 | Wt: 209 | Sp: 4.48 | Arm: 31 | Hand: 9 1/4

History:
The Houston-area prep turned in a huge senior year in his only year of varsity football, rushing 152 times for 1,569 yards — an average of 10.3 yards per carry. Also lettered in track. Played in all 13 games (six starts) for UNLV in 2010 and became the first freshman to lead the Rebels in rushing, carrying the ball 144 times for 546 yards (3.8-yard average) and six touchdowns with 13 receptions for 98 yards (7.5) and two touchdowns. Also returned 14 kickoffs for 333 yards (23.8). Saw action in 11 games (six starts) in ’11 and had 119-671-7 (5.6) on the ground, 10-54-0 (5.4) receiving and 6-202-1 (33.7) in kickoff returns. Was suspended for one game for a violation of team rules. In ’12, he piled up 242-1,232-7 (5.1) on the ground and 14-108-0 (7.7) receiving in 13 starts. Tore the labrum in his left shoulder in fall practice and played all year with it before undergoing post-season surgery. In ’13, he became just the second UNLV player to have multiple 1,000-yard campaigns, amassing 264-1,284-15 (4.9) rushing and 30-164-0 (5.5) receiving. Had a career-best 220-yard performance November 21 at Air Force, scoring four touchdowns. After entering the year with only one collegiate fumble, he had two fumbles as a senior — including his only career turnover September 28 in his 589th Rebel rushing attempt. Became the first player to lead UNLV in rushing four times, finishing his college career with 3,733 rushing yards.

Strengths:
Thick, muscular build. Outstanding timed speed. Is tough and will play through injuries (battled through a torn left labrum as a junior). Very good weight-room worker. Terrific production — UNLV’s all-time leading rusher. Has kickoff-return experience.

Weaknesses:
Tight-hipped and straight-linish. Marginal power and tackle-breaking strength — limited yards after contact. Minimal creativity to set up runs — takes little more than the defense gives him. Runs tall and is easily turned on contact. Struggles to take the corner. Average balance and body control. Struggles negotiating through traffic. Does not play to his timed speed. Passive blocker.

Future:
A one-cut zone runner lacking ideal balance and competitiveness desired on the front lines and the temperament for special teams. More of a workout warrior than football player at this stage of his development and will be challenged to produce against better competition.

Draft projection:
Priority free agent.

RB ISAIAH CROWELL, #1 (JUNIOR)

ALABAMA STATE
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Grade: 5.10

Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 224 | Sp: 4.57 | Arm: 31 3/8 | Hand: 9 1/4

History:
The highly coveted Georgia prep began his college career at Georgia. The five-star recruit, a four-year letterwinner in football and track, rushed for nearly 4,900 yards and 61 touchdowns during his prep career. Was the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2011, playing in 12 games (seven starts) and rushing 185 times for a team-high 850 yards (4.6-yard average) and five touchdowns with eight receptions for 59 yards (7.4) and one touchdown. Missed one game with a sprained left ankle and was suspended one game after failing a UGA-administered drug test. His Georgia career came to a swift end in June 2012 when he was arrested for three weapons charges, including two felonies (the charges were later dropped). A week after being dismissed from the team, he transferred to Alabama State — an FCS school — in order to avoid redshirting. Was the SWAC Newcomer of the Year in ’12, recording 159-843-15 (5.3) on the ground and 11-95-0 (8.6) receiving in 11 starts. Despite battling a nagging ankle injury for much of ’13, he amassed 170-1,121-15 (6.6) rushing and 7-27-0 (3.9) in 12 games (11 starts).

Strengths:
Good vision and run strength — runs hard and has a knack for finding seams. Presses the line of scrimmage and shows nice short-area burst to attack the outside.

Weaknesses:
Average balance and tackle-breaking power. Cannot make his own holes and goes down too easy on contact, especially inside. Minimal receiving production. Soft, disinterested pass protector. Lacks top finishing speed. Effort waned late in games. Beats to the tune of his own drummer. Extremely immature and has a history of off-field issues. Can be difficult to coach.

Future:
An adequate-sized back with the run instincts and perimeter running skills to compete for a job in a situational role if he learns to commit himself to the process and figures out what it means to be a pro.

Draft projection:
Late draftable pick.

Scout’s take:
“Crowell tapped out of a game in the first quarter last year. He only wants to do what he wants to do. He doesn’t like the process. It’s all about him. There are more issues than the gun incident. He’s immature. ...He runs hard, but he only runs hard when he has a seam. He’s not a fit-and-drive a hole-type where he will run you over.”