Colts’ 7-round mock draft post-NFL combine

A full mock draft after the NFL combine.

With the NFL scouting combine on its way out, the Indianapolis Colts now have some official measurements to add to the tape they’ve been watching on the majority of prospects entering the 2020 NFL draft.

There is still a lot left in the process for the Colts. They have to go back to the tape, compare the measurements and scores with what they see on film, talk to these players that might be on their draft board and a number of other objectives before April 23 hits.

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Free agency will also have a lot to do with how the Colts go about their draft process but it isn’t yet clear what will happen as we still have a few weeks left until the market opens.

Using The Draft Network’s mock draft machine, here is a seven-round mock draft for the Colts following the combine:

No. 13 | Henry Ruggs III | WR | Alabama

I know, I know. The Colts need a quarterback, and I ultimately think that’s the best way to go about their draft regardless of what happens over the next few months. However, the possibility of the Colts not addressing the quarterback position heavily is just as high as using this pick on a signal-caller.

General manager Chris Ballard has stated all offseason the need to get more explosive. It doesn’t come in a better package than Ruggs. Some might believe he’s just a burner, but that narrative should be put to rest. His combine numbers only backed up what he was putting on film.

We knew Ruggs would crush the 40-yard dash, which he did by posting a 4.27 time. But he also tested in elite percentiles in other important measurements:

Broad jump: 131″ (94th)
Vertical jump: 42″ (97th)
Hand size: 10 1/8″ (90th)

The Colts don’t like to invest heavily into wide receivers in the first round, but the ceiling for Ruggs is Tyreek Hill. Ballard desperately needs that type of talent in Frank Reich’s offense.

This pick could certainly address the defensive line, but Ruggs’ impact might go further because of the complete lack of explosiveness on offense.

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Prospect for the Pack: FAU TE Harrison Bryant

Profiling the abilities of Florida Atlantic tight end Harrison Bryant, a potential draft pick of the Packers in 2020.

The Green Bay Packers must use the 2020 NFL Draft to provide the finishing touches on a team that won 13 regular-season games and got within one game of the Super Bowl during Matt LaFleur’s first season as head coach.

Between now and the draft, Packers Wire will periodically break down one top prospect fitting the Packers’ roster needs.

Up next is Florida Atlantic tight end Harrison Bryant:

What he can do

– Making catching the football look easy, sometimes effortless
– Has the body control to adjust and concentration to track the ball
– Consistently made contested catches with defenders in close proximity
– Can split out into the slot or out wide and create separation, athleticism is a plus at his size
– Can really run down the seam
– Dominated 1-on-1 passing and pass pro drills at the Senior Bowl
– Good at creating easy passing windows on short throws
– Tough after the catch, can power through tackles
– Not an elite blocker but effort and want-to are both there
– Best blocking moments came as a move tight end in split zone concepts
– Won several reps against Ohio State defensive backs, including a back-shoulder fade against Jeff Okudah
– Experienced playing off schedule in the scramble game

How he fits

The Packers used a third-round pick on Jace Sternberger last year, but the tight end position is far from complete. Jimmy Graham will likely be released, and Marcedes Lewis is an unrestricted free agent. Bryant could be the Packers’ inline and move tight end of the future while Sternberger – a breakout candidate in 2020 – is used all over the formation. It’s an intriguing combo, especially given how each can impact the game as receivers. The Matt LaFleur offense needs quality and variety at tight end, a vital position in the scheme, and Bryant provides a lot of both.

NFL comp

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared him to George Kittle, noting his “toughness as a blocker” and “speed and separation talent.” There are flashes of both Greg Olsen and Dennis Pitta to his game, especially as a receiver. His value as a pass-catcher will be greater than his ability in the run game early on.

Where Packers could get him

Many publications have Bryant as a top-75 player, although his receiving ability combined with a strong Senior Bowl performance and the opportunity to make a splash at the combine could easily push his value into the top-40 range. Chad Reuter of NFL.com recently mocked Bryant to the Packers at No. 62.

Previous Prospects for the Pack

WR Tee Higgins
LB Kenneth Murray
LB Patrick Queen
WR Jalen Reagor
WR Justin Jefferson

Who and what to watch at the 2020 NFL Combine: Tight ends

The Lions Wire staff has identified which tight ends Detroit Lions fans should be watching at the 2020 NFL Combine.

The 2020 NFL Combine on-field workouts begin Thursday, February 27th in Indianapolis and the tight ends group will take the field on opening day. Adding a tight end won’t be a priority for the Lions this offseason — beyond possibly a third option — but it’s always good to scout the competition.

This is the latest in a series of articles leading up to this year’s NFL Combine, where the Lions Wire team has identified players they will be tracking in order to determine potential fits within the organization.

If you missed the previous articles in this series, be sure to check out our quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers previews.

Tight end traits to evaluate

Like with the wide receivers group, scouts will be focused on several traits that revolve around pass-catching and movement:

Natural hands: Do they fight the ball or allow it to land softly in their grasp?
Acceleration in and out of breaks: Do they throttle down, or can they maintain speed?
Quickness versus long speed: where do they gain separation?
Body control: Being fast is great but it means nothing unless they can maintain balance and focus.
Ball tracking: Do they have the patience to look late and still locate? Do they maximize their speed by not reaching early?

Cole Kmet, Notre Dame

Suggested by: Max Gerber

A two-sport athlete at Notre Dame (baseball), Kmet is a balanced tight end who is likely to find more success as a pass-catcher in the NFL. He is one of the more NFL ready tight ends in this class despite still have some areas of his game that need to be improved.

Adam Trautman, Dayton

Suggested by: Bryce Rossler, Derek Okrie, and Matt Urben

Trautman may have the highest upside at the position in this class but coming from a small school there will be some learning curve involved as he transitions to the NFL. The Elk Rapids, Michigan native grew up playing quarterback but his natural athleticism made the transition to tight end a smooth one. He’s a big target in the passing game and can handle a large volume of work.

Hunter Bryant, Washington

Suggested by: Scott Bischoff

Bryant is a move tight end who will spend the majority of his time trying to create mismatches in the slot. His athleticism shines when the ball is in the air or after the reception when it’s in his hands, as he routinely generates yards after the catch. His height (est. 6-2) and lack of impactful blocking skills will limit the schemes he will be successful in, but the right fit could be magical.

Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic

Suggested by: Jeff Risdon

This past season’s Mackey Award winner (the nation’s top tight end), Bryant is an athletic pass catcher whose experience is in the slot, but he can also survive occasionally setting up inline. He has the potential to produce at all three levels but he has a few things to clean up in his route precision in order to find consistent success.

Devin Asiasi, UCLA

Suggested by: Erik Schlitt and Scott Warheit

Asiasi was heavily recruited by Michigan, but after a brief stint with the Wolverines, he transferred back home to UCLA. The moves across the country slowed his development and with him being an early entrant into the draft, he only has one-year starting experience for analysts to evaluate. He has NFL traits, and will mostly find success in the short and intermediate areas, but he will need to improve his blocking if he wants to see the field as a TE2 or TE3.

Thad Moss, LSU

Suggested by: Zack Moran and Ty Finch

The son of NFL Hall-of-Famer Randy Moss, Thad Moss only has one-year starting under his belt due to a transfer from North Carolina State, two-foot surgeries, and declaring early for the NFL Draft. In LSU’s dynamic offense, despite a loaded roster, Moss managed to secure 47 receptions for 570 yards and four touchdowns — two of which came in the National Championship game. Despite his limited starting experience, Moss’ blocking is a plus and will help him carve out an early role as reserve/role tight end.

Steven Sullivan, LSU

Suggested by: Sonja Greenfield

While Moss was the Tigers balanced tight end option, Sullivan was slated more in the pass-catching/big slot receiver role. Despite his role, he only had about 25-percent the production Moss had last season, as LSU favored wide receivers over a bigger body with limited blocking experience. This same situation is likely to follow him to the NFL and will limit his suitors. He showed well at Senior Bowl practices, illustrating his upside, and he will need to continue to showcase those traits to prove he was a hidden gem on a loaded LSU roster.

5 TE prospects Bears should watch at NFL Scouting Combine

Tight end is arguably the Bears’ biggest offseason need. Chicago is expected to address the concern both in free agency and the NFL Draft.

There were no shortage of issues on offense for the Bears in 2019, but tight end was one of the biggest struggles. Trey Burton and Adam Shaheen both underwhelmed prior to landing on injured reserve, and Chicago will be looking to strengthen the position.

Tight end is arguably the Bears’ biggest offseason need. So much so that Chicago is expected to address the concern both in free agency and the NFL Draft.

With that said, here are five tight end prospects the Bears should watch at the NFL Scouting Combine next week:

1. Brycen Hopkins, Purdue

Perhaps the best fit for Matt Nagy’s offense, Brycen Hopkins is a player the Bears have already had an eye on. Hopkins confirmed that he’d met with Bears scouts at the Senior Bowl, which makes sense given the importance of fixing the instability at tight end.

Hopkins had 830 yards and six touchdowns with Purdue in 2019, which is the kind of production the Bears are seeking from the position. He would be the perfect fit for Nagy’s “U” tight end. He’s a strong route runner and also brings explosiveness to the position.

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5 TEs for Colts to watch at NFL Combine

TE has become a need for the Colts this offseason.

With the Indianapolis Colts likely moving on from Eric Ebron and with Jack Doyle getting up there in age, a positional need at tight end has emerged. This year’s class in the 2020 NFL draft is fairly deep with some versatility to it.

What the Colts need most is more of a move tight end, a la Ebron or Ross Travis. With two solid blockers in Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox, the need for a pass-catching tight end has become pressing.

Let’s take a look at a few tight end prospects that will take the field in late February at this NFL combine, which will be hosted again at Lucas Oil Stadium:

Harrison Bryant | Florida Atlantic | Age: 21

Bryant’s plus athletic traits, high football IQ and toughness as a blocker make him one of the most talented, well-rounded tight ends in this draft. Given the Colts need more of a move tight end and less of a blocker, Bryant would be an intriguing piece for Chris Ballard to target following the first day of the draft. Bryant caught 65 passes for 1,004 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019.

Bryant is ranked No. 6 in Draft Wire’s tight end rankings for 2020.

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4 TEs who could replace Eric Ebron for Colts

Eric Ebron is likely gone. How can the Colts replace him?

Earlier in the offseason, Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard made it clear they likely weren’t going to bring back tight end Eric Ebron, who is an unrestricted free agent.

Though his 2018 season was immaculate, Ebron’s 2019 campaign was disappointing and it ended with him deciding to get season-ending surgery—a decision it seems the Colts may have disagreed upon. Now, the Colts have to find his replacement.

Whether it’s through free agency or the draft, here are four tight ends the Colts could acquire to replace Ebron:

Hunter Henry | Age: 25 | Free Agency

The Colts tight end room currently consists of Jack Doyle, who signed a three-year extension this offseason, and Mo Alie-Cox. Doyle, while great in his own right, isn’t going to be around forever. Alie-Cox is still a work in progress but a promising one. Enter Henry, who could be a gem for the Colts.

Entering free agency for the first time, there are some hopes that Henry gets to his the market. He’s an electric pass catcher and the type of talent that can help the Colts immediately while giving them a potential future at the position.

Philip Rivers goes DEEP…

Hunter Henry hauls it in for SIX! #LACvsNYG pic.twitter.com/TLVpWwMIwY

— NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2017

The biggest risk with Henry comes with his injury history. It hasn’t been encouraging since he entered the league. He suffered a lacerated kidney (2017), a torn ACL (2018) and a tibial plateau fracture in his left knee (2019). There is obvious risk with the injuries but that could lead to getting a discount on the market.

If the Colts want an NFL-ready tight end to make a difference in the offense, they should look no further than Henry.

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3 underrated draft prospects Bears should keep an eye on

Heading into the NFL Draft, the Bears can find some underrated gems that could help them address areas of need, including TE, EDGE and CB.

The Bears are coming off a disappointing 2019 season, where some glaring needs were made obvious by the team’s struggles. While most of those concerns are on offense, there are some areas of need on defense, as well.

Heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, the Bears can find some underrated gems that could help them address areas of need, including tight end, edge rusher and cornerback.

Here are three underrated prospects that the Bears should keep an eye on:

1. TE Harrison Bryant, FAU

The Bears are looking to upgrade the tight end position, whether that’s through free agency and/or the NFL Draft. The Bears could likely get their pick of tight ends in the NFL Draft, as some have them pegged as potentially the first team to take a tight end. But if top options like Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet or Purdue’s Brycen Hopkins aren’t available, FAU’s Harrison Bryant would be a great fit for the Bears.

“He can be George Kittle 2.0,” a scout told ESPN. “He can get that status. You can spread him out. He’s good at route running, pass catching and blocking. Put him in the right situation and he can be explosive. He’s really polished. He’s athletic, runs good routes, can catch over the middle of the field. He’s a better blocker than anticipated.”

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2020 Senior Bowl: 7 prospects Bears should watch on offense

The Bears have several needs they need to address this offseason. Here are 7 prospects on offense they should be watching this week.

The road to the 2020 NFL Draft starts in Mobile, AL, with the Senior Bowl, where Bears scouts will have the chance to get to know some of the top prospects in this draft class.

More than 100 of the top collegiate seniors from schools all over the country will participate in this year’s Senior Bowl, which will take place on Jan. 25.

But prior to then, practices during the week leading up to the game give front offices a chance to evaluate players on the field and meet with them off the field.

The Bears have several needs they need to address this offseason, especially on offense. Let’s take a look at seven prospects on offense they should be watching closely this week.

1. QB Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma

Considering the uncertainty at the quarterback position, the Bears should definitely pay attention at the Senior Bowl. Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts is a dual-threat passer that can surely help his draft stock with a solid week. Hurts is likely going to fall to the second round, where the Bears happen to have two draft picks. But should they use one of their selections on Hurts?

Hurts had a career-season with 3,851 yards passing and 32 touchdowns, which led him to be a Heisman finalist. But there are questions about Hurts as a downfield passer and going through his progressions, something that current Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky has been known for.

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Alabama-Birmingham at Florida Atlantic odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UAB Blazers FAU Owls college football matchup, with college football betting odds, picks and best bets

The Alabama-Birmingham Blazers (9-3, 6-2 C-USA West) and Florida Atlantic Owls (9-3, 7-1 C-USA East) battle for the Conference USA Championship in Boca Raton, Fla. at 1:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the UAB-FAU odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

UAB at FAU: Three things you need to know

1. Saturday’s game is expected to be the final one for Lane Kiffin as the head coach of FAU, as he is expected to be named as Matt Luke’s replacement at Mississippi.

2. The Owls are tied for 27th in the nation with 34.1 points per game, and they have scored 34 or more points in each of the past five outings.

3. FAU went 8-4 against the spread this season, including 3-1 straight up across the past four at FAU Stadium. UAB enters on a three-game winning streak, but is just 2-3 ATS across the past five overall and 2-3 ATS in its past five road outings.

College football season is almost over! Place your bets on this game, or others, at BetMGM now. Place your bets and win, win, win!

UAB at FAU: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 2:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

FAU 29, UAB 20

Moneyline (ML)

FAU (-334) is an overwhelming favorite in what is expected to be the Lane Train’s final stop in Boca Raton. Will there be a lack of focus for the Owls, or will they claim their second C-USA trophy in the past three seasons under Kiffin’s tutelage? That’s the big question. They have steamrolled their C-USA brethren all season, and UAB (+260) isn’t expected to offer much resistance.

New to sports betting? Every $10 wagered on an outright win for FAU would return a profit of $3.

Against the Spread (ATS)

FLORIDA ATLANTIC (-8.5, -115) will look to send Kiffin away, if he in fact does accept the Ole Miss job officially, with a victory and a cover. It will be interesting to see if UAB (+8.5, -106) can slow down NFL prospect TE Harrison Bryant and QB Chris Robison in the pass game.

Over/Under (O/U)

The UNDER 49.5 (-110) might be the best option on Saturday’s early board among the championship games. While FAU has a high-powered offense, the under is 8-1 in its past nine games at home. The under is also 4-1 in UAB’s past five overall, 7-2 in the past nine as a road underdog, and 4-0-1 in the past five away from home. While the over has hit in each of the past six meetings, they haven’t played since 2014, so that trend can mostly be ignored.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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