James Proche – Page 6 – Syndication Server

Todd McShay: ‘There’s no denying’ Ravens got better in 2020 NFL Draft

With 10 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, ESPN draft expert Todd McShay believes the Baltimore Ravens got even better than their 14-2 2019 season

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The Baltimore Ravens added 10 new players through the 2020 NFL Draft. For ESPN draft expert Todd McShay, Baltimore’s haul was one of the best in the league for both filling needs and finding great value.

McShay looked over the entire 2020 NFL Draft to find the teams that made the biggest improvements. Though the Ravens held the best record last season and are already Super Bowl LV favorites, McShay believes Baltimore had one of the best drafts in the NFL and improved.

“There’s just no denying that Baltimore, a 14-win team in 2019, got even better in April.”

The Ravens entered the draft with inside linebacker clearly being their biggest need. Following the departure of C.J. Mosley last year and both Josh Bynes and Patrick Onwuasor this offseason, Baltimore didn’t even have enough depth at the position, much less a starting lineup. In true Ravens fashion, they saw one of the top-rated linebackers fall into their laps with the 28th overall pick, selecting LSU’s Patrick Queen. McShay considers Queen to be a “plug-and-play starter who can be the quarterback” of Baltimore’s defense.

McShay specifically noted the selection of Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins in the second round. Though he noted it wasn’t one of the Ravens’ immediate needs, McShay pointed to Mark Ingram’s contract having a potential out after this season and called Dobbins “one of the better pass-protection backs in this class.”

McShay was especially excited about the selections of defensive tackle Justin Madubuike and wide receiver Devin Duvernay, calling them both “pure steals” since Baltimore grabbed them in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. McShay figures both will contribute immediately, with Madubuike potentially getting “15-20 snaps per game” as a rookie.

Sixth and seventh-round selections, wide receiver James Proche and safety Geno Stone respectively, were picks McShay also called out for their value. Though both players are a little undersized, McShay loved Proche’s hands and Stone’s instincts, making both long-term factors for the Ravens.

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Ravens sign 6 of 10 draft picks, including RB J.K. Dobbins

The Baltimore Ravens are quickly getting their massive draft class under contract, officially signing six of their 10 2020 NFL Draft picks.

The Baltimore Ravens aren’t messing around when it comes to getting their 10-man 2020 NFL Draft class signed. The Ravens have been making quick work of the paperwork, officially having six of their 10 picks now signed.

The Ravens announced they’ve signed the following of their draft picks to rookie contracts:

RB J.K. Dobbins – 2nd round

DT Justin Madubuike – 3rd round

OL Ben Bredeson – 5th round

WR James Proche – 6th round

S Geno Stone – 7th round

Baltimore was the first team in the NFL to sign one of their draft picks, getting fifth-round defensive tackle Broderick Washington Jr. under contract on Tuesday. With six of their draft picks under contract, the Ravens have just four players remaining, including first-round pick Patrick Queen.

Though the rookie pay scale makes getting contracts ironed out a lot easier than a decade ago, it’s still not a done deal from the moment the phone rings on draft day. In recent years, we’ve seen picks get signed just before training camp begins and even players hold out into the regular season over intricacies in their contracts. The Ravens getting so many of their draft picks signed this early eliminates just one hurdle in what has already been a tumultuous offseason.

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5 winners and 4 losers from the Ravens’ 2020 draft

With all the 2020 NFL Draft picks in, which Baltimore Ravens have to look over their shoulders and who can breathe a sigh of relief?

The 2020 NFL Draft came and went, and Baltimore Ravens once again were able to secure another impressive draft class. The team had 10 total draft picks and were able to capitalize on each of them by either taking the best player available on the board or getting great positional value.

Baltimore filled a lot of holes on their roster, got new weapons on both sides of the ball, and continued to stock up not only for the upcoming season but for the future as well. The long-term view by general manager Eric DeCosta and company is a big reason why the franchise has stayed so successful for years.

Although the Ravens got a great haul in the draft, 10 draft picks is a lot to house on a roster that is already so deep and went 14-2 just a season ago. For all the excitement a new draft class brings, it also means a few players have to look over their shoulders as their role on the team could be reduced or their roster spot will go elsewhere entirely.

Let’s take a look at four winners and three losers for Baltimore based on their 2020 draft.

Winner: QB Lamar Jackson

Jackson already led the Ravens to their best regular-season record in franchise history, won the league MVP and set a ton of franchise and NFL records in the process. While his second year was magical, a third-year ascension could be in play thanks to all the work DeCosta and the front office put into the 2020 NFL Draft.

While the team addressed defense in the first round, they selected running back J.K. Dobbins with the 55th overall selection. Dobbins was considered one of the best, if not the best, running back in the class. His selection proves that the Ravens are committed to building up the system that fits Jackson so well.

In the third round, the Ravens selected Devin Duvernay, the wide receiver out of Texas. In the sixth round, the team traded up and selected SMU wide receiver James Proche. The two wide receivers come to Baltimore known for their great hands and they’ll help Jackson by catching everything he throws while being versatile enough to be moved around to create mismatches. They’re a great fit with what offense the Ravens currently run.

The addition of extra offensive linemen are always welcome, and Tyre Phillips and Ben Bredeson should immediately compete for a starting job with Ben Powers and D.J. Fluker.

Jackson might have been sitting around watching the draft this year but he automatically becomes a winner in this process. The Ravens built around him, giving him weapons and protection for the next few years, clearly believing that he can grow even more as a quarterback in his third year.

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Ravens earn ‘B’ grade for WR James Proche pick in 6th round

Proche’s jaw dropping catches are the kind that turn heads, undoubtedly exciting any fan who now realizes the potential joining their team.

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The Ravens only had one pick remaining in the 2020 NFL Draft when they saw an opportunity to trade and move ahead to acquire a dynamic and relatively speedy WR in James Proche out of SMU for the 201st overall pick.

Draft Grade: B

After watching some highlights of the 5-foot-11, 210-pound prospect, his jaw-dropping catches are certainly the kind that turns heads, undoubtedly exciting any fan who now realizes the potential of joining their team.

That said, the Ravens gave up a bit of their future (a 2021 draft pick) to acquire a player who doesn’t have a guaranteed shot of even making the 53-man roster, let alone being a starter, in a field of talented receivers.

But if Proche replicates and expands on any of the versatility he’s shown in college during mini-camps, OTAs, and eventually the preseason, he may find himself moving quickly up the depth chart toward a bright future with the Ravens franchise.

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Watch: New Ravens WR James Proche highlights from SMU

The Baltimore Ravens double-dipped at wide receiver, getting the prolific James Proche from SMU in the sixth round. Check out his highlights

The Baltimore Ravens pulled off a trade, jumping from the seventh round all the way back into the sixth to get SMU wide receiver James Proche. Granted, it’s not the biggest trade in the 2020 NFL Draft but a move of that size still clearly indicates the Ravens were big fans of Proche and didn’t want to risk him going elsewhere.

When looking at his highlights, it’s easy to see why. Proche was one of the most prolific receivers in college over the last two seasons, catching 204 passes for 2,424 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns.

Not afraid of contact, Proche can be spotted coming over the middle or battling on jump balls, running over defenders that get in his way. But Proche also has some deep speed and his highlight reel shows plenty of instances where he’s wide open, streaking down the field for an easy long touchdown.

Don’t let me tell you how good Proche looks on tape, check it out for yourself below.

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Instant analysis of Ravens 6th-round WR James Proche

The Ravens have doubled up on yet another position in the 2020 NFL Draft: wide receiver James Proche.

The Ravens have doubled up on yet another position in the 2020 NFL Draft, taking wide receiver James Proche in the sixth round. After taking the productive Devin Duvernay in the 3rd round, Baltimore selected another prolific 5-foot-11 200-pound wide receiver who can be a burner and is strong after the catch.

Proche played all 13 games for SMU in 2019, tallying 111 receptions (tied for the national lead), 1,225 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns.

Proche has unnatural ball skills, especially when tracking deep passes and he can win at the point of attack with strong hands. He also commands attention when lined up to the outside, as he saw a lot of stacked coverage in college. Proche excels in fluidly catching back-shoulder passes while keeping enough room between himself and the sideline. Proche also has the speed and sureness of hands to command respect as a punt or kick returner, which is a big need for Baltimore.

Proche only had four games where he managed to top 100 or more receiving yards even though he had 111 receptions. His routes tend to be a little more rounded which opens them up to cornerbacks jumping them for interceptions. He also takes too many unnecessary steps during some routes which hurts his speed and effectiveness there. With limited length, Proche can also have some issues against press coverage which will limit his ability to go deep at times.

However, a lot of his negatives can be coached up. And when looking at his film or the stat sheet, you can’t help but see that he gets the job done regardless. Proche can play both inside and outside but might get more time in the slot in Baltimore.

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Ravens trade up to No. 201 and pick SMU WR James Proche

The Baltimore Ravens pull off a trade with the Minnesota Vikings and get SMU WR James Proche at No. 201

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With just one final pick remaining, the Baltimore Ravens had to get one last trade-in. They trade with the Minnesota Vikings for the No. 201 pick in the sixth round and grab SMU wide receiver James Proche.

According to Courtney Cronin of ESPN, the Ravens packaged their No. 225 (seventh round) and a 2021 fifth-round pick in order to move up to No. 201 and gain a seventh-round pick (No. 219).

Despite being a sixth-round selection, Proche was highly productive at SMU. He played in 49 games, catching 301 passes for 3,949 yards and 39 touchdowns over four seasons. Part of the reason for Proche’s excellent production was because he knows how to get open, using route running and good footwork to find open space. Proche is physical in jump-ball situations and tracks deep passes well, which should come in handy with Baltimore’s aggressive offense.

More importantly and likely why the Ravens were interested in him here, is that Proche has experience as a return specialist, both on punts and kickoffs. With no clear-cut starter at either return spot, adding a capable player there is a smart move this late in the draft.

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2020 NFL Draft: Giants could benefit from deep WR pool

The New York Giants could benefit from an exceptionally deep wide receiver pool in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The 2020 NFL Draft is loaded at the wide receiver position. It is so saturated with NFL-level pass catchers, each team should be able to come away from the draft table with at least one potential starter or contributor.

Both the haves and the have-nots of the NFL are going to get better at the wide receiver position this offseason. The New York Giants have to be smart and beat teams to the wideouts that fit them best.

The Giants already have an impressive lot at wideout, but considering Sterling Shepard suffered two concussions, Golden Tate is 32 years old and Corey Coleman is on a one-year contract, the future at the position looks like Darius Slayton and several other unprovens.

The Giants can fortify their depth chart in this draft. Now’s the time.

They likely won’t take a receiver in the first round, and maybe not even in Rounds 2 or 3, but the depth of this class goes beyond three rounds. Last year, they found Slayton in the fifth round. This year, they can easily find another viable receiver in that round — or beyond.

Here are some mid-to-late round options they should consider:

Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State (6’4″, 210) – Big outside and red zone target with good hands and ability to win the contested catch.

Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan (6’2″, 212) – Underachieving college player who could find his niche in the NFL. Has size, speed and hands to make it at the next level.

Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty (6’4″, 223) – Smaller-school prospect that is on everyone’s sleeper list. Can do it all.

James Proche, SMU (6’0″, 195) – Speedster who averaged 20.4 yards per catch. Caught 112 passes for 1,225 yard and 15 touchdowns in 2019.

Tyler Johnson, Minnesota (6’1″, 206) – Powerful frame allows him to bully defenders. Is one of the Gophers’ all-time productive receivers.

K.J. Hill, Ohio State (6’0″, 196) – The Buckeyes’ all-time receiving leader who is a reliable pair of hands. He’ll be on an NFL roster in 2019.

Kalija Lipscomb, Vanderbilt (6’1″, 207) – Coming off a disappointing 2019 campaign, but led the SEC in receiving in 2018 and is a versatile option.

Quez Watkins, So. Mississippi (6’0″, 195) – Ran 4.35 40 at the NFL Combine and is still scratching the surface of his ability.

Collin Johnson, Texas (6’6″, 225) – A huge target who will likely find his niche in the NFL as a downfield/red zone option.

Quartney Davis, Texas A&M (6’1″, 201) – Has 4.5 speed and is built to play in the slot in the NFL.

Others who interest me: Juwan Johnson, Oregon; John Hightower, Boise State; Dezmon Patmon, Washington State; Stephen Guidry, Mississippi State; Ja’Marcus Bradley, Louisiana and Jauan Jennings, Tennessee.

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2020 NFL draft: The Panthers Wire dueling mock drafts edition

Then vote at the end for which mock you like best.

Self-quarantining may be a bummer, but some of the online content that’s emerged as a result has been pure gold. Perhaps the most notable comes courtesy of the music industry’s biggest names, who have taken to Instagram Live to go head-to-head in some heated beat battles. We’ve seen Timbaland vs. Swizz Beatz, Lil’ Jon vs. T-Pain and Scott Storch vs. Mannie Fresh, to name a few.

For our latest 2020 mock draft, we decided to follow their example and put out a mock draft battle between two of our Panthers Wire contributors: five-year veteran Anthony Rizzuti and the up-and-coming rookie Erik Williams.

Read on to take a look at their mock picks, conducted via the PFF Draft Simulator, to see how they ran their respective drafts for the Panthers. Then vote at the end for which mock you like best.

Round 1: pick No. 7 overall

Rizzuti: Isaiah Simmons, LB/S, Clemson

Carolina’s new head coach Matt Rhule places a premium on athleticism and versatility and there’s no player in this draft on either side of the ball who has a better combination of both.

Simmons’ blend of tools – particularly his physical abilities and natural feel for the game – have earned him a variety of reps as a linebacker, edge, both safety spots, outsite corner and even some slot corner. He’d make for an ideal fit for the positionless prototype being brought in by Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow.

Whether you see him as Luke Kuechly’s heir apparent or as a Derwin James-like playmaker, it doesn’t really matter seeing as the team has needs at practically every single position on defense. Simmons offers depth at most of them.

Williams: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

This has been a popular mock pick this year, but Brown is simply too good to pass on, here. The Panthers get the best player available in one of their greatest areas of need: the interior of the defensive line.

Brown’s draft stock has taken a bit of a hit following his sub-par combine performance, but he is still considered by most to be the best defensive tackle in this class, if not a close No. 2 behind South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw.

Brown plays with unbelievable strength and explosiveness, tremendous gap penetration ability, and a motor that never stops. He is exactly the kind of prototype player Rhule wants to work with, and he can start right away.

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Colts add high-upside prospects in Sporting News mock draft

Who did the Colts take in Sporting news latest mock?

The 2020 NFL draft is less than two weeks away and while it will be a different format than we’ve ever seen before, the biggest event of the offseason is going to arrive.

The Colts have seven selections in the upcoming draft, all of which are in Rounds 2–6. Trades are a part of their draft plan and are almost a guarantee for Chris Ballard whether he’s looking to move up to grab a player or move back and add a later pick.

Sporting News ran a seven-round mock draft on Friday. Here’s what the haul looked like for the Colts:

Day 2: Rounds 2–3

No. 34: WR Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State
No. 44: TE Cole Kmet, Notre Dame
No. 75: QB Jacob Eason, Washington

After making some big moves to the defensive side of the ball during free agency, the Colts went and added some playmakers to the other side in this mock draft. Aiyuk should be an exciting prospect for the Colts given what he can do vertically and after the catch. However, there are concerns about his ability to beat press coverage on the boundary, which means he’d likely be relegated to the slot.

Kmet is one of the top tight ends in the draft and would be a fantastic addition to a room that needs a future. His blocking needs development, but he’d be a nice fit in the scheme for Frank Reich.

Eason is a volatile prospect with a high ceiling given his arm talent. His footwork and decision-making have to improve but there would likely be more optimism given that he would sit at least a year behind Philip Rivers.

Day 3: Rounds 4–6

No. 122: OT Alex Taylor, South Carolina State
No. 160: EDGE Alex Highsmith, Charlotte
No. 193: LB Jason Strnad, Wake Forest
No. 197: WR James Proche, SMU

All developmental players on Day 3 for the Colts here. Taylor is intriguing as a prospect given his size (6’8″ – 308) and length (36.125″). He’s a mauler on the edge with a mean streak in the run game but needs to refine his technique with his pass protection.

Highsmith would be a solid addition in the fifth round. He’s explosive off the edge and would fit nicely in the one-gap front for the Colts. Have him develop behind Justin Houston, Kemoko Turay and Ben Banogu.

Strnad is an intriguing linebacker prospect for the Colts and fits the bill of being a rangy playmaker in the middle of the field. He’d slide as a WILL behind Darius Leonard but has some intriguing traits to fill in as a depth piece.

Proche is a contested-catch receiver with strong tracking skills and the ability to challenge on 50/50 balls. But his lack of refinement as a route runner could keep him lower on the depth chart while working on special teams.