Tag: jedrick wills

TDN analyst predicts 8 Alabama players in the first round

The Draft Network, a site dedicated to analyzing, predicting and breaking down the NFL Draft, has started putting out mock drafts ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft. Their most recent mock draft, this time from Joe Marino, has a total of eight Alabama …

The Draft Network, a site dedicated to analyzing, predicting and breaking down the NFL Draft, has started putting out mock drafts ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Their most recent mock draft, this time from Joe Marino, has a total of eight Alabama players being selected in the first round.

Here’s where Marino believes members of the 2019 Alabama Crimson Tide will start their NFL careers:

3. Miami Dolphins – Tua Tagovailoa, QB

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Marino believes that the unfortunate injuries Tagovailoa has sustained late in his Junior season aided the struggling Miami Dolphins win the ‘Tank for Tua’ sweepstakes.

7. New York Jets – Jedrick Wills, OT

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The reasoning behind this pick: Sam Darnold can’t throw if Sam Darnold keeps getting sacked. He needs protection, and Wills is one of the best at offering it in this draft class.

10. Denver Broncos – Jerry Jeudy, WR

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Jerry Jeudy’s route-running paired with a healthy Drew Locke? Sounds like an SEC Football reunion in Denver. Can the Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton combo replace the elite Denver duo that was Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas?

13. Oakland Raiders – Henry Ruggs III, WR

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Marino’s reasoning for this pick has nothing to do with how well Ruggs would fit into the Raiders’ offensive scheme, but rather how big of a weapon he would be on an offense with his speed and versatility.

14. Cleveland Browns – Alex Leatherwood, OT

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Much like the Jets’ pick of Jedrick Wills earlier in the draft, this is a team with offensive talent and promise, but they are no use if Baker Mayfield can’t get the ball off without getting hit. If the Browns want to protect Mayfield, Leatherwood is their guy.

27. New Orleans Saints – Dylan Moses, LB

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Marino recognizes the fact that Moses didn’t play a single snap in the 2019 season due to injury, but cites that it shouldn’t hinder his draft stock because of how well he’s played in previous years. He believes Moses will fill a hole the Saints have in the secondary.

28. San Francisco 49ers – Xavier McKinney, S

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Marino believes that McKinney could offer some versatility to the secondary that the 49ers need. He cites the different skillsets McKinney has learned while at Alabama which could make him a valuable asset to the San Fransisco defense.

32. Baltimore Ravens – Terrell Lewis, EDGE

(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

Would the Ravens really be the Ravens if they didn’t at least consider and Alabama player for their first round pick? Marino doesn’t believe so. He also feels that Lewis could be a big help for the ravens defense as a monster with the blitz.

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2020 NFL draft order: Jets have 7th pick after getting some help over weekend

The New York Jets are projected to pick No. 7 in the updated 2020 NFL draft order, according to Tankathon.

The Jets’ loss to Baltimore on Thursday Night Football wasn’t all bad.

Sitting at home over the weekend, New York got some help in the NFL draft pecking order. With the Falcons and Jaguars both winning on the road on Sunday, New York was able to better its position.

The Jets now have the seventh pick behind the Bengals, Giants, Redskins, Dolphins, Lions and Cardinals, according to Tankathon.

A shot at the top-five is still in reach with Pittsburgh and then Buffalo both still on New York’s schedule. With the Jets having only pride to play for in the next two games, it’s unlikely that they will be able to upset the Steelers and Bills. Both teams are still not locked into their playoff spots.

The Jets could play spoiler the next two weeks, but it would spoil having a top pick, which would hurt in the long run.

Picking in the top 10, the Jets will be in a position to take a plug-and-play starter and find an impact player. Names like Alabama WRs Jerry Jeudy and OT Jedrick Wills, Georgia OT Andrew Thomas, Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb, Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs and Ohio State CB Jeffrey Okudah come to mind.

The Jets will need more help moving up further in the draft order, but jumping a Cardinals team that still has Seattle and Los Angeles left on its schedule doesn’t seem all that feasible.

At this point No. 7 seems to be the highest the Jets can go, but stranger things have transpired.

CBS Sports NFL mock draft has five Alabama players in first round

CBS Sports’ NFL draft analyst Chris Trapasso has released his most recent mock draft for the 2020 NFL Draft. In this mock draft, Trapasso has a player named for all 32 picks in the first round, along with his reasons why he believes that player is …

CBS Sports’ NFL draft analyst Chris Trapasso has released his most recent mock draft for the 2020 NFL Draft.

In this mock draft, Trapasso has a player named for all 32 picks in the first round, along with his reasons why he believes that player is best suited for that team.

He did not hold back on his belief that the 2019 Alabama Crimson Tide football team was loaded with first round talent as he has five draft-eligible Crimson Tide players going in the first round.

Here’s where those players lined up:

4. Washington Redskins – Jerry Jeudy, WR

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Trapasso believes that this selection for the struggling Redskins is more of a “best available player” situation. This selection should be beneficial to the team as it’s offense lacks any strength in the receiving corps which would offer some much needed help to Washington’s 2019 first round-pick Dwayne Haskins.

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Chargers beef up offensive line in PFF’s latest mock draft

Chargers add much-needed offensive tackle in mock draft.

There are two positions that will be in contention for the Chargers’ first-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft — quarterback and offensive tackle.

On one hand, you have uncertainty with the future of Philip Rivers, leaving the team needing to find his potential replacement. On the other hand, you have a line that’s been hit with injuries and has struggled with consistency for years.

This year’s offensive tackle class is loaded with talent, but there are a select few at the top that could really draw the attention of Los Angeles.

One of the prospects is Alabama’s Jedrick Wills.

Pro Football Focus released their latest mock draft and felt that Wills and the Bolts would be the perfect matchmake with the No. 10 overall selection in the 2020 NFL draft.

Back-to-back Alabama offensive tackles in the top-10 and they’re both that good. The last time the Chargers drafted an Alabama right tackle, it didn’t work out so well, but Wills is a different breed from D.J. Fluker. At 6-5, 320 pounds, Wills is far more explosive than he is a brute in the run game. It’s a big reason why he earned a freaky 91.4 run-blocking grade this year.

By no surprise, Wills has been on our radar this season. He was included in our Scouting Notebook in Week 11.

Wills isn’t technically refined as Leatherwood in the pass protection department, but he is a strong, physical tackle who is an adept run blocker and has the tools to be a well-rounded NFL offensive tackle with more nuance in his footwork.

For Chargers fans, it’s easy to see an offensive tackle from Alabama and be swayed away because they have a clear memory of how D.J. Fluker panned out for him. But Wills is far more superior than Fluker coming out of college.

The best way to describe Wills is a “people mover”. Even though he’s stronger in the run blocking department, he’s got the wide base and length to keep defenders at bay in pass protection.

Whether it’s blocking for Rivers, Tyrod Taylor or the quarterback of the future, Wills would be plug-and-play right tackle for Los Angeles.

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Prospects for Jags fans to watch: Alabama OT Jedrick Wills

The Jaguars are in need of some offensive line help this coming offseason and I think Alabama RT, Jedrick Wills, could just be their guy.

The Southeastern Conference has become the meat and potatoes of the college football world. The conference churns out the country’s best trench play, becoming a factory for the NFL teams in need of some big men. That’s especially the case for Alabama, a university that has routinely sent offensive and defensive lineman to the league.

Like most years, Alabama is again flooded with NFL talent all over their starting lineup. Both of Alabama’s offensive tackles have garnered the close watch of NFL scouts, those being left tackle, Alex Leatherwood, and right tackle, Jedrick Wills. While Leatherwood is a talented lineman in his own right, I wanted to focus on Wills in this particular post.

The Jaguars’ offensive line play has been plagued with penalties and has been too inconsistent to be considered a finished product. Knowing Tom Coughlin and Doug Marrone’s tendency to focus heavily in the trenches, the offensive tackle position certainly isn’t out of question. Whether the team would move a player like Wills inside or not, he should, without a doubt, be on their scouting radar.

Wills is an absolute powerhouse. Alabama plays some nasty, physical football and Wills is no different. Wills’ favorite breakfast meal has to be a big stack of pancakes, because this guy sure knows how to make them.

Wills is just plain mean in the run game. He’s physical and gets to the second level nicely as a run defender. He can clear out massive lanes and is always looking to make defenders become acquainted with the ground. Most scouts who’ve watch him tend to believe that both traits are his greatest strengths.

If that wasn’t enough, here is another clip of just how effective Wills is in the run game:

While his strength is definitely in the run game, Alabama’s No. 74 is no slouch in pass protection. Wills strength again helps immensely in pass protection. He has some heavy hands and has quite the strong anchor. I would like to see him become a little cleaner with his technique, but the 6-foot-5, 316 pound tackle is still very much developing.

Here in this clip against Ole Miss, Wills physically abuses the Rebel defensive end, hitting him with a strong initial punch which eventually causes the defender to get off balance. This goes on to further demonstrate the type of strength that Wills has.

While his strength allows him to bully edge rushers, he does a nice job of reading and reacting to rushers as well. He does not possess the quickest feet, but can mirror defenders fairly well for a man of his size.

In pass protection he does not offer the same type of dominance as he does in the run game, however, he’s solid enough in the category for scouts to believe in him as a starter. Besides, with a team like the Jags, it’s his abilities as a run blocker that will count the most.

If the Jaguars were to select Wills, he could see a move to guard. With the uncertainty of Norwell and Cann, this could be a very realistic situation. Using their best available player philosophy could land them a player like Wills in 2020, and with their willingness to keep Cam Robinson at left tackle while Jawaan Taylor develops at right guard, Wills without a doubt would give the Jags a mauler at guard and an upgrade they could really use.

For those who to watch Wills this week, the Alabama Crimson Tide will be taking on the Mississippi State Bulldogs Saturday, Nov. 16 at 12 p.m. EST on ESPN.