A new mock has Washington slotted to draft a QB in the seventh round, which seems to fill a hole that they don’t have while ignoring others.
With the NFL Draft just over a week away, we are starting to get a great feel for what our respective teams need to walk away with, and everyone has a list of 7-10 names they’d like to see come their way.
While the Redskins main areas of need stand at the TE, LT and WR positions, a new seven-round mock draft from The Athletic has Washington taking a flyer on a position that they’re seemingly set on with their final pick in the draft.
That player is Cole McDonald, the quarterback from the University of Hawaii.
Here is the full list of players that Washington made away with in this mock:
(2) Chase Young — DE, Ohio State
(66) Cole Kmet — TE, Notre Dame
(108) Josiah Scott — CB, Michigan State
(142) Francis Bernard — LB, Utah
(162) Saahdiq Charles — OT, LSU
(216) David Woodward — LB, Utah State
(229) Cole McDonald — QB, Hawaii
Overall, it seems like a solid draft and one that many Redskins fans would be happy to walk away with, though many would be making note of their lack of a WR pick to add to the depth chart. But the question still remains — is there a chance that Washington adds a quarterback to the roster with one of their later picks?
That all depends on how many QBs you think should be on the 53-man roster, and what the Redskins other options are. If the plan is to have three healthy option, though not all three may dress for a game, then it makes sense that Washington could take a flier on a QB prospect, depending on what they think of Josh Woodward, the fourth-stringer who saw his season end in the preseason last year. If Woodward is unlikely to return, then sure, picking McDonald in the last round could make some sense, but when you compare the need for a third-sting QB vs. the need for any receiving help? This might be a tough pick to sell.
The Bears still have some needs to address on the offense and defense, which Colton tackles in his first mock draft of the season.
With the NFL Draft season in full swing, there’s no better time for a mock draft.
The Chicago Bears went into the offseason with a lot of holes on offense and defense. They filled out some defensive holes but it still needs work, and on the offensive side, they traded for Nick Foles and signed Jimmy Graham.
General manager Ryan Pace still needs to address the offensive line, cornerback, tight end, wide receiver, and safety. Yes, I know they just signed Graham but do you really feel comfortable with him playing tight end all year? I sure don’t.
The offensive line was the biggest problem for the Bears last year and it led to Mitchell Trubisky having a down year, and it also led to the running game not doing so well. So heading into the draft, addressing the offensive line should be at the top of the list.
Chicago’s wide receiver core is good, but I still think we can add to it, especially following the departure of Taylor Gabriel. It’d be nice if Pace went out and signed Robby Anderson in free agency, but his price tag is a bit too high for the Bears. So it looks like Pace will have to go get a receiver in the draft.
One of the most underlying needs for the Bears heading into the offseason is cornerback. Kyle Fuller has turned into one of the best corners in the NFL, however, Chicago, lacks solid depth around him. Although Buster Skrine is set in the slot, the Bears could use an outside presence to help Fuller. Instead of drafting a cornerback in the draft, the Bears can still go out and sign a guy like Jimmy Smith.
The Bears have seven picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, including a pair of second-rounders, one fifth round selection, as well as two picks in each the sixth and seventh rounds.
Without further ado, let’s get this mock draft on:
Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Hawai’i quarterback prospect Cole McDonald
Cole McDonald | QB | Hawaii
Elevator Pitch
Hawaii has been known to produce some highly productive passers, such as Colt Brennan. McDonald is next on the list. His has a NFL-sized frame for the position. He is more of an athlete than he is a passer but could get some looks from NFL teams that should follow during the free agent scramble after the NFL Draft.
McDonald is more of an athlete at the quarterback position, rather than a passer at the quarterback position. If he can break contain of edge rushers, look for McDonald to burn a defense with his legs. Not afraid to mix it up with safeties and corners. He will drop his shoulder in hopes of bulldozing an attempting tackler. Has shown some breakaway speed for a quarterback that could potentially lead to big plays.
McDonald’s ability to navigate the pocket helps with some big play opportunities in the scramble drill. Keeps his eyes downfield scanning for the open receiver. He uses play action and read options well with the threat to run. Uses those opportunities to sling it down the field for touchdowns. He does a good job of attacking the seams of a defense that resulted in a lot of points for Hawaii.
Weaknesses
Mechanics will be the main aspect of McDonald’s game that will need the most work. His release just doesn’t promote confidence in his deep ball accuracy. The release point being the biggest issue. With proper throwing mechanics, he could improve but his velocity is below average for a NFL quarterback. Fixing his throwing motion should help alleviate some of his throws, the ball needs to come out clean to help velocity as well.
On the topic of his release, a lot more issues arise when you look at his throwing set up. He takes too long to get the ball through his wind up and throw. Being just a tick quicker could be the difference in a complete catch and run by a receiver or a pick six going the other way when you allow a defensive back to close on the play.
Not a quarterback who can win consistently with tight window throws as he suffers with ball placement. At the NFL level those windows will be tighter. Doesn’t have the arm strength to fit the ball into his receiver. He can be late on getting the ball out as well which will increase his turnover worthy throws at the next level.
Scheme fit and landing spot are critical to the development of a QB. What teams make sense for this year’s quarterback class?
The more we study and evaluate prospects, the more we in the media come to a rather uncomfortable truth: Despite all the time we spend watching tape and breaking quarterbacks down and debating traits and skill-sets, none of it matters.
Why?
Because what matters more to a potential NFL prospect, especially at the quarterback position, is the scheme fit and landing spot.
Take the last two Most Valuable Players. Sure, there were some who believed Patrick Mahomes could be a great NFL quarterback, but is Mahomes reaching his level of play under a Jeff Fisher? Or Lamar Jackson. He also had believers, but he needed the right organization to buy into what he brings to the table as a quarterback.
Landing spot and scheme fit matter.
Looking at some of the prospects in this draft, where are the best landing spots for them?
Joe Burrow: Cincinnati Bengals
(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Let’s get the obvious selection out of the way first.
Burrow to the Cincinnati Bengals with the first overall selection makes too much sense. Almost to the point that if you pitched this as a movie, studio executives might call it a bit “over the top.” A hometown kid comes back to Ohio to resurrect a franchise that badly needs saving. Along the way he helps raise money for a downtrodden area of Ohio while collecting his Heisman Trophy.
But the “Rise of Burrow” is real, and why he fits with the Bengals is a reason why.
While anticipation throws over the middle were something Burrow was showing a year ago, this past season he demonstrated three things critical to his NFL fit: Pocket presence, ball placement and processing speed. This season, Burrow showed that he could handle pockets breaking down around him while still extending plays, he could deliver on almost every throw with tremendous ball placement, and he attacked defenses as well with his mind as he did his physical traits.
In addition, under Joe Brady the LSU passing game evolved as well. During Burrow’s 2018 campaign, the Tigers relied on a heavy amount of maximum protection concepts in the passing game. The numbers were pointed out by Neil Hornsby from Pro Football Focus:
Interesting piece on Joe Burrow in @peter_king 's FMIA today. It mentioned the way LSU had reduced the # of pass protectors this year. While I knew something of this I'd never run the numbers so I did… Pretty stark. pic.twitter.com/gE2M3OSqMt
On an overwhelming majority of LSU’s passing plays in 2019, Burrow was in effect the sixth man in protection.
Aside from quarterback, offensive line is a critical piece the Bengals need to upgrade in 2020. Even if Jonah Williams lives up to expectations at left tackle and Trey Hopkins shows he was worth his recent contract extension, there are still holes that need patching. With the OL a question mark, a quarterback with a proven track record of pocket management, quick decision-making and the ability to handle things when protection breaks down – or he is the sixth man in the protection scheme – makes a great deal of sense.
Finally, consider Zac Taylor’s system. Given his background with Sean McVay, the Bengals implement a lot of quicker passing concepts that attack the defense and create space. Spacing concepts, West Coast concepts, all designs that will be very familiar to Burrow given what LSU was running last season. Mix in some A.J. Green over the top, and now you’re cooking with gas as an offense.
Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald impressed at the NFL Combine, and he could fall to Minnesota in the draft.
The Vikings could use a backup quarterback, but with needs at other positions, it would make sense for the team to wait and take a player later in the draft, or find a young quarterback in free agency that Minnesota could develop.
As Sports Illustrated pointed out, McDonald ran a 4.58-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. He’s a guy whose stock could rise because of that. I think similar to Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts, he hasn’t always looked like the perfect pro prospect. Also like Hurts, though: he can add a new dimension to the Vikings’ offense with his speed.
Overall, I would like to see any of these guys go to the Vikings, especially if the team can get any of them past the fifth round.
Previewing Saturday’s San Diego State at Hawaii college football matchup with college football odds, bets, and picks.
[jwplayer 64hUO9C8]
The San Diego State Aztecs (8-2, 5-2) meet the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (7-4, 4-3) Saturday night in a Mountain West Conference game. Kickoff is set for 11 p.m. ET at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.
We analyze the San Diego State-Hawaii odds and betting lines while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.
San Diego State at Hawaii: Three things you need to know
1. Hawaii relies a lot on its QB, Cole McDonald. The dual-threat junior can run (396 yards) and throw (3,007). He does take a few too many shots in the open field and down the field which has led to 12 interceptions and 25 touchdowns — a pick for every two TDs thrown. Last season he had 3.6 touchdowns for every interception.
2. San Diego State has one of the stingiest defenses in the nation that few know about. The Aztecs yield just 270.1 yards per game (eighth in the nation) and their eye-popping 65.8 yards yielded per contest on the ground is second in the FBS. SDSU’s 13.7 points allowed per game is also eighth in the nation but the Aztecs’ 20.4 points scored per game is 113th in the nation.
3. Hawaii must start quickly and force San Diego State’s offense into mistakes. If the Aztecs get a few stops early, their defense can feed off of that momentum and make this a low-scoring match.
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San Jose State at Hawaii: Odds, betting lines and picks
Hawaii is a -143 favorite playing at home. The Rainbow Warriors enjoy a solid home-field advantage but San Diego State is an astonishing 5-0 on the road.
San Diego State has an efficient offense but is nowhere near as dangerous with the ball as is Hawaii. Again, it is the Aztecs defense that will be key in determining how this game will go. The visitors should hold Hawaii down enough to keep this game interesting.
New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors to win straight up returns a profit of $6.99.
Oddly enough, Hawaii is 2-4 ATS at home enough while SDSU is 4-1 on the road, hitting 4.7 points per game above projections.
Lately, Hawaii is turning the ball over way too much and getting burned too often. The funny thing is they went ahead and won a defensive slugfest at UNLV last week 21-7. This week may be somewhat similar, but with the Rainbow Warriors favored at -3.5, +105, it may be too close for the spread here. AVOID.
The O/U is 48(-110 on both sides). The final could come close but more than likely, this comes down to the fourth quarter.
That over will still be dicey as point projections are right around 48 for this game. This game comes down to a possible backdoor cover at the end. TAKE THE UNDER here and hope San Diego State’s defense does not crumble.
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Chevan Cordeiro was 23-31, 309yds, 3 TDs in the win over San Jose State Saturday night at Aloha Stadium.
In what was the biggest decision Hawai’i head coach Nick Rolovich has to make in his still young coaching career he decided to start the redshirt freshmen over his one and a half year starter Cole McDonald.
After the game coach Rolo praised both quarterbacks with how they handled themselves both on and off the field. It’s not easy being on the sideline watching his backup run the run and shoot offense like Cordeiro has since his high school days at Saint Louis Schools. But being a good teammate McDonald is he is always the first to congratulate or give Coideiro some encouragement or insight when he comes off the field.
It looks like now coach Rolo has another tough decision going into the UNLV game next week in Las Vegas. While Coideiro has proven he can lead the team to many scores at Aloha Stadium we have not seen him start yet on the mainland. If Rolo wants to roll the dice again and start Coideiro next week this might be the one opponent to do it in a 2-7 Rebels team.
McDonald understood Rolo’s decision to start Cordeiro and told his head coach that he will work even harder next week to win back his job. So does this mean Rolovch can start McDonald again?
Absolutely. Look Hawai’i probably wouldn’t be in the situation they are in right now without Cole starting being 6-4 and having a slight chance to win the West Division and play for the Mountain West Championship. You have to give him credit for always believing he is “the guy” even when the local critics are hard on him.
So looking at the good situation Hawai’i has that they can start either quarterback and have a good chance of success. Let’s look at some facts to determine who should start:
Cole McDonald has the experience with 21 starts including a career record of 5-2 on the road against MW teams.
McDonald’s QBR is 68.0(47th best in the country) and despite throwing nine interceptions in the first four games McDonald has only thrown three on the last five.
Everyone can see that Cole is a confident guy whether through media interviews or on the field. He likes his chances of throwing into small windows in the secondary.
Cole’s tendencies still seem to be going through his progressions a bit slower than Chevan and his thought process of taking off is too late. Also, McDonald in the RPO gives the ball to the running back about 85% of the time instead of pulling it back and running with it.
Cordeiro albeit only started two games in his career has made the most of his time on the field with the two victories and also several comeback wins on his belt.
He has been in eight games in 2019 with a QBR of 84.1 and threw for six touchdowns to one interception.
Chevan can throw the long ball and connect with the highs of 71, 57, and 50 yards the last three games. But some deep passes can hang in the air and the receivers have to come back on it or it could easily be a pick but so far it hasn’t hurt UH.
He may be a quiet leader but he will boast about his teammates after the game every time.
It will come to if Cole McDonald can have stellar practices and prove he is still “the guy” for Coach Rolo. If Rolo is impressed and can trust Cole to make the throws he knows he can make he will start at UNLV.
After that week though we might see another change and start Cordeiro and give the San Diego State defense another thing to prepare for in his elusiveness. It will be like an MLB team having two-star pitchers and putting them against the team they know they have a better chance of winning based on personnel.
The future for Hawai’i football is with Cordeiro no doubt about it but the last three games (possibly four) can determine if McDonald will play in a Rainbow Warrior uniform next year. I’m thinking the future is now.
