Tag: 2014 NFL draft

Teddy Bridgewater, the coach, shows he can still play quarterback

The former first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings is now a high school coach, but that doesn’t mean his arm is gone from the equation.

The former first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings is now a high school coach, but that doesn’t mean his arm is gone from the equation. The new head coach at Northwest Miami High School had to get back under center for his team.

Bridgewater came in to play quarterback for his team as a way to teach their quarterback and team a valuable lesson. In the video posted to social media, Bridgewater said he wanted his team to realize “you don’t have to create all these massive plays. Just get the ball to your guys.”

If that doesn’t perfectly encapsulate the way Teddy Bridgewater played quarterback, I don’t know what will.

During his four years with the Vikings, the former Louisville Cardinal passed for 6,150 yards and 28 touchdowns. All while leading the team to an 17-11 record as a starter. He also played for the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, and Denver Broncos before retiring to coach this past February.

27 Days, 27 Picks: WR Mike Evans

Our next entry in the 27 Days, 27 Picks series was GM Jason Licht’s first pick as Bucs GM, and what a pick it was:

In 27 Days, 27 Picks, Bucs Wire will analyze the last 27 Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round draft picks, one for each day leading up to the 2023 NFL draft. We’ll take a look at the player’s college stats, their pre-draft numbers (either via the NFL Combine or their Pro Day), their NFL stats, some player footage and analysis at the end on whether the pick itself was a good one.

The next player in our 27 Days, 27 Picks series is a man who needs no introduction for Bucs fans. He was Jason Licht’s first pick as GM, and it’s safe to say that it worked out in the end.

Check out the rundown on WR [autotag]Mike Evans[/autotag]’ draft process below:

Raiders WR Davante Adams thought he was going to the Panthers

Raiders WR Davante Adams recently revealed that he thought he was going to be taken by the Panthers in the 2014 NFL draft.

Being a fan of the Carolina Panthers, especially lately, isn’t for the faint of heart. But, after reading what you’re about to read, you might want to tell Elizabeth that you’re coming to join her.

In a recent interview that’s making the rounds on Panthers Twitter this morning, new Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams sat down with former six-time Pro Bowler Eric Allen to discuss the journey that’s led him to Las Vegas. And that journey, sadly enough for the Carolina faithful, almost went through Charlotte back in 2014.

“I was projected to go first, second, third round—but there was a lot of teams that were interested in me in the first. So had the ESPN camera crews come to the crib. Everybody there. Had a bunch of my family at the house. My mom’s small apartment—we packin’ that thing out,” he said of the 2014 NFL draft. “Right out the gate, I keep hearing all these names called. Bunch of receivers. It’s a lot of receivers going early and I don’t hear my name. And I’m like, ‘Okay, this is weird.’ Couple of teams said they was interested in me, picking not even receivers.

“So now I’m like, now I’m getting nervous. And we get to the end, I think at 28, I thought I was going to the Carolina Panthers. That’s who talked to me the most. They picked Kelvin Benjamin. I took my earpiece out, everything. I’m telling people to leave.”

So, uh, yeah . . . those two careers kinda went in opposite directions, huh?

Adams, of course, has now become one of, if not the best pass catcher in the game. That year’s 53rd overall pick—made by the Green Bay Packers—has totaled 669 career receptions with 8,121 yards, 73 touchdowns, five Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro nods to his name.

Benjamin, on the other hand, is no longer even in the league. The 28th overall selection, who was cut from the New York Giants last summer in his attempt to switch to tight end, amassed just 209 catches for 3,021 yards and 20 touchdowns (with, obviously, zero Pro Bowl and zero All-Pro distinctions.)

Welp, enjoy the beginning of your week!

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Reviewing disastrous 2014 Saints draft picks, grades, and impact

The 2014 Saints draft class was a disaster, with all players picked out of town by 2017, including Brandin Cooks and Stanley Jean-Baptiste.

Our 2021 NFL draft countdown marches on, this time reviewing the 2014 Saints draft picks. Let’s get out in front of this: it was one of the worst draft classes of the Sean Payton era, with all but one player washing out of the NFL in just three years; the only pro-qualify talent to persist was their first selection, who forced his way out of New Orleans through a trade before his rookie contract expired. Not great! But here’s how we got here.

Previous draft reviews:

Giants select WR Davante Adams in 2014 NFL re-draft

The New York Giants select WR Davante Adams in a 2014 NFL re-draft after Odell Beckham Jr. goes off the board at No. 7.

In the 2014 NFL Draft, the New York Giants hit the jackpot when they selected LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. at No. 12 overall.

Beckham would almost immediately establish himself as one of the most elite receivers in football, and he appeared destined for great things in East Rutherford.

However, that did not come to fruition as the relationship between the Giants and Beckham deteriorated, leading to a trade that sent him to the Cleveland Browns in 2019.

In a 2014 NFL re-draft courtesy of Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report, the Giants avoid that future pitfall with Beckham as he goes off the board to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 7 overall.

At No. 12 overall, the Giants stick with a wide receiver, this time selecting Fresno State’s Davante Adams.

The New York Giants bailed on Beckham after five seasons there, so this would be their chance to go in the same direction positionally and address a need while potentially avoiding the off-field tumult that they encountered with OBJ.

Like Evans and Beckham, Davante Adams is a three-time Pro Bowler. Among receivers in this class, only those two have caught more touchdown passes than his 44, and he’s one of just five qualified NFL players who have averaged more than 85.0 receiving yards per game since the start of 2018.

He would team up with Golden Tate, Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard to give young quarterback Daniel Jones a superb chance to excel.

Adams would have been an ideal fit for the current Giants roster, but that’s simply not how the cookie crumbled in 2014.

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The Idzik 12: With Quincy Enunwa hurt, only 1 of Jets’ 2014 picks remains active

Here’s an updated look at the infamous ‘Idzik 12,’ now that Quincy Enunwa’s Jets career is in jeopardy.

John Idzik’s infamous 2014 draft class is no longer represented on the Jets roster.

New York had 12 picks in the 2014 NFL Draft, the most of any team. The draft was a disaster though, as Idzik and the Jets wound up with one of the worst classes in franchise history. It’s a big reason why the Jets have the least amount of homegrown players in the NFL.

The one diamond in the rough? A sixth-round pick out of the University of Nebraska by the name of Quincy Enunwa. However, Enunwa is set to miss yet another season with yet another neck injury, which means there won’t be a single member of the Idzik 12 on New York’s active roster in 2020. Even worse, only one member of that draft class remains on any team’s active roster.

With Enunwa on the PUP list, we thought it was time to revisit Idzik’s horrid dozen picks.

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CB Kyle Fuller dubbed Bears’ best 1st-round draft pick since 2010

While the Bears haven’t fared well in the 1st round in the last decade, there have been some success stories like CB Kyle Fuller.

When it comes to first-round draft picks in recent memory, the Chicago Bears just don’t know how to pick them. So perhaps it’s a good thing that they don’t have a first-round pick for the second straight season.

For the Bears, it’s felt like bust after bust, including most recently outside linebacker Leonard Floyd and receiver Kevin White.

The jury is still out on quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, but it’s looking more and more likely that he’ll be another first-round bust the Bears can add to their collection.

While the Bears haven’t fared well in the first round in the last decade, more often than not, there have been some success stories. Among them right guard Kyle Long, cornerback Kyle Fuller and inside linebacker Roquan Smith.

Bleacher Report believes that Fuller has been Chicago’s best first-round draft pick dating back to 2010.

Since being drafted 14th overall in 2014, Fuller has been a starter at corner from nearly day one. With the exception of a 2016 season wiped out by a knee injury, Fuller has started all but two games over five years.

The 28-year-old has 18 career interceptions, including seven in 2018 (which tied for the NFL lead). In each of the past two seasons, the former Virginia Tech standout has been named to the Pro Bowl.

While Fuller’s career got off to a shaky start, he grew into a Pro Bowl cornerback for the Bears and, along with Pro Bowl safety Eddie Jackson, anchors Chicago’s secondary.

Fuller led the Bears in interceptions with seven in 2018 — which also tied for the NFL lead — and he once again led Chicago with three picks in 2019. While it was a dip from the previous year, he’s proven to be a takeaway machine for the Bears in the secondary.

The Bears will be looking to replace his former running mate opposite him at cornerback. With Prince Amukamara’s release as a cap-casualty, Chicago will be looking to bring in someone to pair with Fuller.

That starter might already be on the roster in third-year corner Kevin Toliver or newly-acquired cornerbacks Tre Roberson and Artie Burns. Or, perhaps, Chicago will turn to the NFL Draft for a young player to start Day 1.

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Martin Mayhew says he wishes he drafted Aaron Donald with Lions first pick in 2014 (Ninerswire)

Martin Mayhew is heading to the Super Bowl as the 49ers Vice President of Player Personnel.

Martin Mayhew is heading to the Super Bowl as the 49ers Vice President of Player Personnel.