Tag: Justin Jefferson

Winners and losers from Thursday’s scouting combine drills

Here’s who showed out — and who should have stayed home — during Thursday’s scouting combine drills.

The scouting combine is but one element of the evaluation process for any draft prospect, though it’s an incredibly important one. If you blow it in team interviews or on the field for drills, it can absolutely affect your stock. And we all have our favorite combine performers whose feats put them in a different stratosphere in the eyes of NFL teams.

With that in mind, here’s who showed out — and perhaps who should have stayed home — during the Thursday combine drills that featured quarterbacks, tight ends, and receivers.

Winners

Jalen Hurts, QB, Alabama/Oklahoma

(Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports)

Hurts transferred from Alabama to Oklahoma following Tua Tagovailoa’s ascent with the Crimson Tide, and put up a career yards per attempt average of 9.1, and 80 touchdowns to 20 interceptions in two of the most schematically rigorous NCAA offenses. Still, concerns about his defensive recognition and hesitation when his first read is covered will linger.

Hurts did as much as he could to eliminate those issues in Indianapolis, running a 4.59 40-yard dash — the second-fastest time for any quarterback behind Hawaii’s Cole McDonald — and showing off-season work in the passing drills.

Hurts looked good on the short and intermediate throws that required timing and anticipation, but I was especially impressed by his ability to throw deep balls with touch, arc, timing, and accuracy. There are those who will tell you that Hurts could succeed in a dual role like a Taysom Hill. I think Hurts has developed beyond that. He may not be an immediate starter, but Hurts has the potential to put it all together in more than a gimmicky future.

Chase Claypool. WR/TE, Notre Dame

(Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)

On Monday, Claypool measured at 6-foot-4 and 238 pounds, with a 9 7/8″ hand size, 32 4/8″ arm length, and an 80-inch wingspan. Claypool’s body type has a lot of NFL people thinking of moving him to a “Y” tight end, removed from the formation in a Travis Kelce style.

“I really haven’t put a lot of thought into that because I’ve been a receiver this whole time,” Claypool said this week. “But it’s something that I think could add versatility to my game. Right now, I’m just focused on being the best receiver I can be.”

Well, it worked out on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, as Claypool ran a 4.42 40-yard dash and put together a 40.5-inch vertical jump and a 126-inch broad jump. This particular statistic puts Claypool’s evening in perspective.

If you’re in Megatron’s class, that’s a good landmark going forward.

Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan

(Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)

The combine worked out very well for Peoples-Jones, who caught 103 passes for 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns over three years for the Wolverines in a limited passing offense. While he struggled to gain separation on the field, Peoples-Jones set himself apart with his measurements on this field.

This won’t eliminate the questions about his game tape, but it’ll have people talking more about him as more than a career backup.

Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU

(Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)

Before he ran his drills on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, Justin Jefferson got a little moral support from his quarterback — a guy whose name may be familiar.

Yeah, well, it worked. Jefferson, who exploded in 2019 with 111 catches for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns in LSU’s national championship campaign last season, continued that momentum with a 4.43 40-yard dash at 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds. He also posted a 37.5-inch vertical jump and a 126-inch broad jump.

Moreover, Jefferson was aggressive and definitive when making his catches, especially in the gauntlet drill. Jefferson came into this environment with an obvious confidence that permeated his performance, and he likely made himself some money tonight, because everything you saw in the drills transfers to the tape.

Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

At 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds, Mims established himself through four years at Baylor as one of the most aggressive deep threats and blocking receivers in the nation. He caught 186 passes for 2,925 yards and 28 touchdowns, and though the drop rate spoke to some focus issues through his collegiate career, there was no questioning his focus during the combine drills. Mims had a 38.5-inch vertical leap and a 10’11” broad jump, and both of his 40 times were in the 4.4 radius. Mims will have to develop his route tree beyond slants and go routes at the NFL level, but he did a lot to establish his athletic potential here in Indianapolis — especially after his strong Senior Bowl week.

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Eagles met with several big-named WR prospects at the 2020 NFL Combine

Eagles met with several big-named WR prospects at the 2020 NFL Combine

The Philadelphia Eagles are in Indianapolis for the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine and wide receivers are all the rage.

With the most historic group of pass-catchers set to enter the NFL, Howie Roseman and company started the process of getting familiar with many of those top names, meeting with and interviewing several big named prospects thus far.

Wide receiver prospects will take part in on-field drills at the Combine in primetime on Thursday (Feb. 27) from 4:00 PM through 11:00 PM.

49ers meet with 2 top WRs at NFL combine

The 49ers’ search for a wide receiver in the NFL draft began early at the combine.

The order of the 49ers’ list of needs in the NFL draft is unclear, but they’ll very likely add a wide receiver in the first couple days for the third year in a row. They’ve already met with a pair of the draft’s top wide receivers at the NFL combine.

LSU’s Justin Jefferson and TCU’s Jaelen Reagor both said in their combine press conferences that the 49ers were among teams they’d met with.

Jefferson was exceptionally productive for the national champion Tigers last season as a junior. He posted 111 catches for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns. At 6-1, 202 pounds, he’d bring a combination of size and playmaking ability the 49ers don’t have on their roster going into the offseason.

Reagor is a much different receiver than Jefferson. He’s a touch shorter at 5-11, but weighs in around 206 pounds. He also had a more consistently productive college career. Reagor posted 33 catches for 576 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman for the Horned Frogs. He backed that up with 72 catches, 1,061 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore – all career highs. His junior year was still strong despite a downtick in productivity. He had 43 catches for 611 yards and five touchdowns.

It’ll be interesting to see what type of receiver the 49ers do target in this year’s draft. Jefferson is a good route runner who utilizes his size well, while Reagor is better at stretching the field vertically and making plays after the catch. San Francisco could use either style of playmaker in their offense.

Early meetings don’t necessarily mean the team is targeting either one of Jefferson or Reagor. These meetings are the 49ers’ first chance to get to know the prospects – an important step in the evaluation process, especially for a team that values team culture so highly.

Giants trade down, select Mekhi Becton in latest Chad Reuter mock draft

Chad Reuter of NFL Network recently released a trade-filled mock in which the New York Giants move back and select OT Mekhi Becton.

In recent weeks, countless mock drafts have been released and the vast majority are relatively basic — they follow the 2020 NFL Draft order to perfection, which is an unrealistic expectation of what will happen in April.

NFL Network’s Chad Reuter recently sought to change that with a mock draft full of trades, including one involving the New York Giants and pick No. 4 overall.

In Reuter’s latest mock, he has the Giants and general manager Dave Gettleman trading pick No. 4 to the Los Angeles Chargers, who select Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert. Meanwhile, at No. 6, the Giants take Daniel Jeremiah’s recent suggestion — Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton.

GM Dave Gettleman moves down two spots to re-gain the third-round pick he sent to the Jets for Leonard Williams, plus a 2021 second-round selection. An additional asset could be included in this deal, as well, like in the Bears- 49ers trade from three years ago, when Chicago gave up two third-rounders and a fourth to move up one spot and select Mitchell Trubisky. The Giants’ choice between Becton, Jedrick Wills and Andrew Thomas will be one of the more interesting storylines in the early part of the draft.

As Reuter notes, the Giants would recoup a third-round pick in this scenario, giving them an extra pick that had previously been shipped to the New York Jets as part of the Leonard Williams trade.

In Round 2, Reuter has the Giants selecting LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Then, with that projected third-round pick, Big Blue takes Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette.

If the Giants were to take this path and go into Round 4 sans a game-changing linebacker or edge rusher, they’ve done something wrong.

What do you think, Giants fans? Sign up and tell us over on our new forums.

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2020 NFL Draft: Daniel Jeremiah breaks down the Eagles WR options at pick No. 21

Daniel Jeremiah breaks down the Eagles WR options at pick No. 21

The NFL Draft season is in full effect and on Friday, one of the biggest names from an analyst standpoint, weighed-in on the prospects and where they could land.

On Friday, former Eagles scout and current NFL Network star Daniel Jeremiah held a conference call previewing the upcoming 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

During the call, the Eagles were brought up and Jeremiah was asked about the options at wide receiver with pick No. 21 in the first round.

The Eagles need speed and dynamic playmakers on the outside. Jeremiah believes the Eagles have a shot at some good players, but not necessarily the two players they covet.

“Well, they could use all different styles of receivers, when you talk about getting a Z or an X slot. Like, I think they would prefer to have the speed, which is Jerry Jeudy. I don’t anticipate that — not Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs. Jeudy will be long gone. I assume that Henry Ruggs will be long gone as well.”

When the topic of LSU star Justin Jefferson was broached by Jeremiah, he compared the Tigers star to the Chargers Keenan Allen.

“But I think Justin Jefferson has got a chance to be a high, high volume slot receiver a lot like Keenan Allen, can fill that role, can work in traffic. He’s really good down in the red zone. He led the — he led this entire draft class with touchdowns down in the red zone this year at 12. So, he’s a point producer and he would be a great fit for them.”

Jeremiah went on to discuss Arizona State star Brandon Aiyuk as a great fit for the Eagles as well.

Latest Kiper mock draft sends WR Justin Jefferson to Packers

Mel Kiper and Todd McShay agree! The long-time ESPN draft analyst sent LSU WR Justin Jefferson to the Packers his latest mock draft.

The latest mock draft from Mel Kiper Jr. has the ESPN draft analyst following in the footsteps of a colleague.

Just as Todd McShay projected earlier this month, Kiper’s second mock draft of the season has the Green Bay Packers taking LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson at No. 30 overall of the 2020 draft.

Kiper’s first mock draft, which was posted in January, sent Penn State receiver KJ Hamler to the Packers at the end of the first round. Now, it’s the prolific slot receiver from the national champions ending up in Green Bay.

From Kiper: “Aaron Rodgers isn’t getting any younger; it’s time for the Packers to use a first-round pick on a receiver. Davante Adams was the only Green Bay pass-catcher to have more than 53 targets last season, and he had 127. This team needs a competent No. 2 wideout. Jefferson broke out in a big way last season, catching 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns. You might remember him from his four-touchdown performance against Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff semifinal. He led the FBS in total catches and first-down receptions (66). If Green Bay cuts Jimmy Graham, it would become a candidate to take the first tight end off the board in this class.”

Receiver and inside linebacker continue to be the favorite positions for the Packers to address in national mock drafts, a sensible thought for a team that needs so much help at both positions. The 2020 draft class is deep at receiver, so it’s only reasonable to expect the Packers to grab one – or even two – pass-catching prospects.

Jefferson, the favorite target of Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, could give Aaron Rodgers a reliable weapon in the slot and a potentially dangerous threat in the middle of the field and in the red zone. At the very least, Jefferson would serve as a massive upgrade on Geronimo Allison, who struggled mightily over almost 700 snaps in Matt LaFleur’s offense in 2019.

Lance Zierlein’s draft profile of Jefferson labeled him as a “quarterback’s best friend” who is “slippery in space” and “naturally instinctive” as a pass-catcher.

Jefferson was the fifth receiver off the board in Kiper’s mock. CeeDee Lamb (No. 11), Jerry Jeudy (No. 12), Tee Higgins (No. 21) and Henry Ruggs (No. 22) went before him. Linebacker Kenneth Murray, another popular Packers pick, came off the board at No. 19. Linebacker Patrick Queen was slotted in at No. 28.

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Colts take offense early in Draft Wire’s latest mock draft

Draft Wire’s 4-round mock draft gives the Colts a new QB.

Though the NFL Combine is just getting here in a week, the Indianapolis Colts are already running through their list of prospects on the big board ahead of the 2020 NFL draft.

There will be a lot of changes to the draft stock of several players between now and April 23. However, that isn’t keeping the mock drafts from flowing freely out on the interwebs.

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Our friends over at Draft Wire conducted a four-round mock draft, in which the Colts have five selections. Here’s how it looks:

No. 13 | Jordan Love | QB | Utah State

“This may seem early for Love, but after a solid week at the Senior Bowl, he just might be the clear-cut QB4 in this year’s class. That being the case, don’t be surprised if a team like the Colts pulls the trigger to make sure they land him. Jacoby Brissett would be a solid bridge option while Love smooths out the rough edges in his game.” – Luke Easterling, Draft Wire

No. 34 (from WAS) | Justin Jefferson | WR | LSU

After getting their potential future quarterback in Love, the Colts went with Jefferson to beef up the wide receiver room. While there are plenty of debates as to whether Jefferson is the best fit for the Colts, there some intriguing aspects. He’s shown sticky hands and contested-catch ability. His speed overall might be a bit of a concern and there are questions whether he will be able to carry the WR1 role.

No. 44 | Neville Gallimore | DL | Oklahoma

Adding to the interior defensive line is one of the biggest needs for the Colts this offseason. Getting Gallimore at No. 44 might be a steal given what he could bring to the Colts defensive line. Likely best suited for the one-technique, Gallimore has penetrating traits that could work extremely well in the Colts’ one-gap front.

No. 75 | Josh Uche | EDGE | Michigan

Uche brings a lot of upside to the Colts in the third round here. A strong run defender and bendy edge rusher, the Colts would be able to work him in behind Justin Houston, Kemoko Turay and Ben Banogu. He didn’t have the best production at Michigan, but there is plenty to like about Uche in the third round.

No. 112 | Lavert Hill | CB | Michigan

With Pierre Desir regressing in 2019 and the Colts needing more depth in the cornerback room, Hill would be a project in the secondary. He’s shown an ability to be strong in press coverage, which is a trait that has been increasingly common in the cornerbacks the Colts have drafted.

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2020 NFL Scouting Combine: LSU WR Justin Jefferson named a player for the Eagles to watch

LSU WR Justin Jefferson named a player for the Eagles to watch at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine

The Philadelphia Eagles are deep into their NFL Draft preparation with most mocks having the Birds land a wide receiver in the first round.

Most of the mock drafts have centered around Tee Higgins and Henry Ruggs III, but according to NFL.com, a National Champion and one of LSU’s most explosive athletes is the player for the Eagles to watch at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Justin Jefferson put on a show for the Tigers in the College Football Playoffs, and NFL.com believes he’d be a perfect fit for Carson Wentz.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU. The Eagles were extremely thin (and, to be fair, injury-riddled) at wide receiver last season, so expect them to look at this receiver class as a whole. Jefferson could pique their interest.

A fast and elusive playmaker who caught 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns for the nation’s No. 1 team last season, Jefferson projects to be selected between the late first round and the second, giving the Eagles ample opportunity to snag another explosive target for Carson Wentz.

In LSU’s dominant 42-25 win over Clemson, Jefferson had nine catches for 108 yards.

2020 NFL Draft: Ranking the top-7 WR prospects

2020 NFL Draft: Ranking the top-7 WR prospects

The Philadelphia Eagles enter the 2020 NFL offseason with a need for dynamic playmakers on offense as Howie Roseman and company look to upgrade the roster at several pertinent positions.

Despite carrying a hefty load at wide receiver from a salary perspective, the Eagles are expected to be active during a historic NFL Draft that could see more than 8 wideouts selected in the first round.

Philadelphia doesn’t have to draft a receiver with their first-round pick, but this year would be as good as any year to take the leap.

With the Eagles needing a big-time playmaker on the outside or in the slot, here are the rankings of the top-7 wide receiver prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft.

***

1. Jerry Jeudy — Alabama

The cream of the 2020 NFL Draft crop, Jeudy is arguably the best route runner in the class, and he marvels former Crimson Tide star Julio Jones with his ability to torment defenders on the perimeter.

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2020 NFL Draft: MJD mock draft has Bills take fifth WR

Buffalo Bills pick WR Justin Jefferson in Maurice-Jones Drew’s first mock draft.

Former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew knows a thing or two about offense. The former player-turned-analyst is very high on the upcoming class of wide receivers slated to enter the 2020 NFL Draft in his first mock draft of the offseason, too.

In total, seven wide receivers are selected in the first round of his mock, which very well might be a record. In that portion, the Bills take the fifth one off of the board.

At pick No. 22, the Bills select LSU’s Justin Jefferson.

Here’s why MJD pegs him for Buffalo:

School: LSU | Year: Junior

Jefferson has the size to go up and get the ball, and he’s willing to cross over the middle of the field to make plays.

Adding to the intrigue of the Bills getting on board with the wideout train in the first round, they complete a hat trick, of sorts.

Jerry Jeudy is selected at 12 (Raiders), then CeeDee Lamb is gone at 15 (Broncos). The next three wideouts picked, including Jefferson, all go three in a row. Tee Higgins goes to the Jaguars at 20, the Eagles pick Henry Ruggs at 21, and then the Bills get their man in Jefferson.

Jefferson’s stock is certainly a question mark at this time. With the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine at the end of February, his draft stuatus will likely settle. Currently he goes anywhere from mid-first round to mid-second round in mock drafts. A good scouting combine workout could mean all the difference for him.

In Jefferson, the Bills would land a potential project for their No. 1 wideout spot in the future. After getting rid of Zay Jones, the Bills have a need for youth there as John Brown and Cole Beasley are playing well, but are vets. The 6-foot-2 Jefferson would give the Bills a bigger body the offense and Josh Allen needs on the outside, as MJD mentions as well.

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