Tag: elijah moore

10 players we love for the Packers in the first round of 2021 NFL draft

Highlighting 10 players we’d love to see the Packers draft in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers hold the 29th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 draft. General manager Brian Gutekunst could trade up or trade down, or he could stay put and take a player at No. 29 late on Thursday night.

While impossible to predict who will be available to the Packers so late in the first round, we can make some educated guesses. And like every year, draft crushes emerge after months and months of evaluating prospects.

Here are 10 players we’d love for the Packers in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.

10 potential 2nd round picks for the Lions

10 potential 2nd round picks for GM Brad Holmes and the Lions to consider in the 2021 NFL draft

So much of the focus for the upcoming 2021 NFL draft is on the first round. But there are seven full rounds, and the Detroit Lions sit near the top of the second round with another critical pick.

Rookie GM Brad Holmes and the Lions need to get a player with the No. 41 pick who is capable of contributing right away and emerge as a good long-term starter at his position. No matter what happens in the first round, the new regime has to be ready to land an impact fit on Friday night of draft weekend, too.

Here are 10 players at various positions who generally project to be available when the Lions draft in the second round. Not all will be on the board when Holmes and his experienced braintrust make the pick, and the unknown first-round selection could render some of them moot.

Prospect for the Pack: Ole Miss WR Elijah Moore

Draft profile for Ole Miss WR Elijah Moore, a potential draft pick for the Green Bay Packers in the 2021 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers will enter the 2021 NFL draft hoping to find a few more valuable pieces to add to an otherwise talented roster after winning 26 regular-season games and making the NFC Championship Game in back-to-back seasons under coach Matt LaFleur.

Between now and the draft, Packers Wire will periodically break down one top prospect capable of landing in Green Bay later this month.

Up next is Ole Miss receiver Elijah Moore:

What he can do

– Wins with explosive movement ability from a variety of alignments. Certainly not just a slot player. Think Tyler Lockett-like versatility

– Size is a concern. Only 5-9, 178. Won’t hit Packers thresholds, but plays much bigger. Size probably won’t limit his role as a receiver

– Catches just about everything. Teams are going to love his hands and toughness. Made difficult catches down the field despite size and made a ton of plays in the middle of the field in traffic

– Surprisingly good at making contested catches. Again, size shouldn’t define him as a pass-catcher

– Ole Miss found all the ways to get the ball in his hands. Teams like the Packers should do the same at the next level. Experienced with jet sweeps, touch passes, screens, quick throws. Can handle the gadget role

– Tape is filled with moments of excellence within scheme concepts that will translate easily to Green Bay’s offense

– Physical part of the game won’t intimidate him or change him as a player. Fearless receiver. May need to avoid more contact at the next level to avoid injury

– Terrific testing numbers. Explosiveness and straight-line speed all backed by the measurements. Elite athlete

– Tracks the ball well down the field. Uses late hands to trick defenders

– Caught 11 passes vs. Alabama and ended up breaking school record for total catches in a season in 2020

– Experience returning punts and kicks

– Still only 21 years old

How he fits

Of all the slot or gadget type receivers in this draft class, Moore might be the best fit. Not only can he handle all the duties of a Tyler Ervin type in Matt LaFleur’s offense, but he won’t be pigeonholed as a slot only. His potential for production while playing any receiver spot on the field enhances his overall value greatly. Moore lacks size and won’t fit the Packers usual tendencies at wide receiver, but his unique profile can’t be ignored. His transition into the Packers offense would be an easy one, especially based on his usage at Ole Miss. He could fill holes on the roster in the slot and on special teams, giving him Randall Cobb-like impact potential for the Packers early in his career.

NFL comp

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared Moore to Antonio Brown, the ultimate compliment for a receiver his size. Tyler Lockett is an easy comparison given the size similarities and expected usage at the next level. Moore’s skill level entering the NFL is high.

Where Packers could get him

Getting Moore might require a first-round pick. Trading back into the second round or up from No. 62 might also put him in Green Bay’s range. Keep in mind: Lockett went 69th overall in 2015, and Cobb went 64th in 2011. The Packers getting Moore at No. 62 would be a tremendous value.

Highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRr4yBqyFnI

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Lions mock draft watch: CBS makes questionable moves in 7-round mock

CBS has released their latest 7-round mock draft, but left many holes and questions surrounding the Detroit Lions selections.

Mock drafts are a fun way to get accustomed to players that may have flown under the radar or look at possible scenarios that you may not have thought of, and this one is no different.

CBS’ Josh Edwards constructed his 7-round mock draft on how he visions how the draft could go and the haul and direction the Lions could go heading into the draft.

1st round (9, trade with Denver)- Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

2nd round (41)- Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss

3rd round (72)- Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford

3rd round (101)- Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State

4th round (112)- Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse

5th round (154)- Daelin Hayes, Edge, Notre Dame

To kick off the draft, the Denver Broncos get aggressive and trade with the Lions to select Justin Fields, but the major problem with this trade is the compensation. As you can see, the mock draft kept with all the Lions’ original picks without any from Denver coming back in the trade this year. It could be future picks, but it’s highly doubtful the Lions don’t receive some compensation from this year.

Either way, Edwards makes a curious move by doubling down on receiver with consecutive picks for the Lions, going with Waddle and Moore, who stylistically are similar players. Selecting these two receivers instantly turns the receiving corps from a weakness to a strength overnight.

If it was one of the picks from Denver, it could be realistic, considering these two receivers are playmakers the Lions desperately need. Not knowing how the compensation went and the limited number of picks in the trade, this is a luxury the Lions can’t afford, especially when Jabril Cox, Landon Dickerson, and Richie Grant still on the board who can instantly upgrade positions of need.

Next, Edwards turns all his focus to the secondary by selecting two cornerbacks and safety, which is also a curious move.

Safety is a big concern for the Lions, and you could do worse than Nasirildeen. He comes with questions concerning his position fit as a safety/linebacker tweener, but he brings athleticism and physicality to bring the hammer down on the ball carrier.

Cornerback is a sneaky need, but like mentioned before, with the limited amount of picks, selecting two cornerbacks feels like overkill considering the amount of quality free agents the Lions could go after. Adebo relies more on his instincts, whereas Melifonwu is a reactive player, but both player’s skill-sets and traits translate best to a press-man/Cover 3 scheme. Like with the Waddle/Moore selection, it feels like they are selecting very similar players.

Hayes is one of those types of players who might be a better pro than a college player with his agility and explosiveness to win off the edges with superb burst. His pass-rushing moves need refinement and has had shoulder issues dating back to high school, but he has the intangibles you can’t teach that allow him to be an effective rusher, either standing up or hands in the ground.

Without knowing what the Lions received from the trade, it’s hard to get a feel for this draft, especially when they kept all the Lions original picks and just essentially moved the Lions down from seven to nine in the mock. Also, the selection of two players in the same position and who are quite similar not just once but twice makes it cloudy as to what direction this mock was heading.

Now the selected players are fine players and could make a solid impact, it just felt like the majority were luxury picks, and resources could’ve been used more wisely than what was executed.

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The 3 prospects fans are mocking to Titans most using PFF simulator

Titans fans have been drafting three players from two positions of need the most in simulations.

Pro Football Focus recently revealed the player NFL fans are choosing the most for their team in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft using the site’s mock draft simulator, and then put together a mock using those picks.

For the Tennessee Titans, it was none other than Ole Miss product and wide receiver, Elijah Moore, who was the consensus selection of fans using the simulator.

Coming in behind Moore was cornerbacks Greg Newsome II out of Northwestern and Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley.

Here’s what PFF’s Jarad Evans had to say about the pick of Moore:

After knocking it out of the park two years ago with an Ole Miss receiver by the name of A.J. Brown, the Titans go right back to the well with Elijah Moore. Though this seems like a high draft selection for a slot receiver, there is a distinct possibility that Moore can also play on the outside despite the fact that he rarely lined up there at Ole Miss. He possesses an ideal combination of speed and quicks for the slot while also maintaining the ability to get behind a defense. He is an after-the-catch dynamo with reliable hands, dropping only two passes last season.

Moore is an intriguing prospect and could be an explosive receiver and the future in the slot for the Titans, but we feel he’s a better value in the second round.

If the Titans were to go receiver in the first round, we’d prefer Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman over any of the other realistic possibilities. He went to the Chicago Bears at No. 20 in this particular mock, though.

While Newsome’s stock has been rising, the Titans might still be able to nab him later in the first round, enabling them to trade back and acquire another pick.

Farley is the more intriguing prospect of the two cornerbacks by far. The Virginia Tech product is a top-10 talent in this year’s class but may slide because of injury concerns.

However, Farley would be well worth the risk should he be available to Tennessee at No. 22 overall.

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2021 NFL draft: WR prospects in each round for Colts

A look at WR prospects for the Colts.

As the 2021 NFL draft approaches, the Indianapolis Colts will be taking a look at the wide receiver position in order to add some talent to a room that has been lacking elite production for a few years now.

There are promising players in the room. Michael Pittman Jr. could take that step as the WR1 to Carson Wentz in 2021. The Colts also re-signed T.Y. Hilton to a one-year deal, giving the room some stability. Then there is the ever-reliable Zach Pascal, who led the Colts in explosive receiving plays in 2020, while Parris Campbell is hoping third time is the charm when it comes to injuries.

Even with that group of four players locked in, the Colts still need more weapons for Wentz. The 2021 draft class might be lacking size, but they have playmakers all over the board in what is another deep class.

It’s unlikely Chris Ballard will use a Day 1 pick on a wide receiver and depending on how the board falls, he may not even use a Day 2 pick either.

But let’s take a look at potential wide receiver prospects in each round for the Colts in the 2021 draft:

Lions 2021 NFL draft: A wide receiver for every round

Identifying a WR prospect for each round of the 2021 NFL Draft for the Detroit Lions

The ongoing series of Detroit Lions prospects at a position for each round of the 2021 NFL draft moves to offense. After covering linebackers, safeties and cornerbacks, the shift to wide receiver spotlights the biggest positional need on offense.

Right now, the Lions depth chart is loaded with NFL journeymen on short-term deals. Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman and Kalif Raymond are the top three after signing in free agency, with holdover Quintez Cephus and 2020 opt-out Geronimo Allison rounding out the crew.

In short, wide receiver a position of dire long-term need for both high-end impact and depth for Detroit. Expect at least one Lions pick to get devoted to wide receiver, and it’s certainly possible multiple WRs come off the board to the Lions in this deep, diverse draft class.

The projected rounds here are based on a sampling of mock drafts and projections as of April 10. The Lions do not have picks in the sixth or seventh round as of now but we included prospects for those rounds just in case…

Re-evaluating the Jags’ needs after Week 1 of free agency

It’s a over a week past free agency and the Jags roster is improved. However, they still have a lot of needs to address in the draft.

Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer and his staff have wrapped up one of the most important parts of his first season as an NFL head coach, and that’s the first week of free agency. Typically, that’s the timeframe where the most significant additions are made to the roster, and also the point where fans and the front office can gauge the team’s biggest needs heading into the draft.

In early January, we assessed the Jags’ needs heading into free agency. With the free agency additions made over the last week-plus, we’ve now re-evaluated those needs to give fans an idea of what the Jags can do in the draft.

From their biggest needs to their minor ones, here is how we’ve ranked the Jags’ needs heading into the draft:

Podcast: Diving deeper into Jags Wire’s latest 7-round mock

Jags Wire James Johnson and Phil Smith go over their newest mock for the Jags as the first week of free agency is over.

In this week’s episode of “Bleav in the Jaguars,” Jags Wire contributor Phil Smith and myself started things off re-ranking the Jacksonville Jaguars’ needs  now that free agency has been ongoing for over a week. Overall, there were eight needs discussed though some weren’t as pressing as others.

Afterward, we dove deeper into the recent mock draft released on Jags Wire this week. It’s one that knocked out all eight of the needs we discussed before hand and utilized all 10 Jags selections.

The full episode can be heard below in the media player, while our archived episodes can be revisited here.

Feel free to subscribe to “Bleav in the Jags” via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify.

Did Elijah Moore just run himself into the 1st-round conversation?

Ole Miss wide receiver Elijah Moore may have just run himself into the first-round conversation after an impressive pro day workout

Every NFL team is looking for the kind of speed and explosiveness that makes pass-catchers like Tyreek Hill such dangerous weapons, and the 2021 draft class might just have that kind of prospect in Elijah Moore.

The Ole Miss product lit up his pro day, as expected, running a blazing 40-yard dash, and showing off his overall athleticism throughout the entire workout.

While the top of this year’s wide receiver class appears to be a clear-cut, three-horse race between LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase and Alabama’s tandem of Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith, Moore could be gunning for that No. 4 spot after putting up these numbers.

Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman, Florida’s Kadarius Toney and LSU’s Terrace Marshall Jr. could all have something to say about that, but don’t be surprised if Moore ends up coming off the board in the first round.

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