Tag: K.J. Hill

POLL: Vote on who the Lions should select at pick No. 109 overall

Heading into Day 3 of the 2020 NFL draft, vote on who you would like the Detroit Lions to select at No. 109th overall

Heading into Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft, general manager Bob Quinn has done a great job so far at getting quality players at positions of need.

With the selections of Jeff Okudah, D’Andre Swift, Julian Okwara, and Jonah Jackson, the Lions addressed some of the major weaknesses that were plaguing this team and set them up for potential success.

The Lions will open the draft with the 109th overall pick, and there are still quite a few quality players available that Lions could consider at this selection.

Alight Lions fans, who would you like Bob Quinn to select at 109th overall?

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10 players for the Lions to consider on Day 3 of the NFL Draft

Identifying 10 players that the Detroit Lions should consider on Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft.

In what already looks like the best draft of general manager Bob Quinn’s career with the Detroit Lions, it appears that every glaring hole on the roster has been filled.

Now, on Day 3 of the draft, the Lions can focus on finding some key depth pieces and rotational contributors for the 2020 season.

The team currently possesses one pick in each of the remaining rounds, so they will have plenty of options available to them.

Here are the top 10 players still available for Detroit to draft:

K.J. Hill, WR, Ohio State

The Lions could secure their slot receiver of the future by selecting Hill. He’s fast, shifty, and a solid route runner. On top of all of that, he’s known to make some spectacular catches. Detroit has the chance to nab a trustworthy target for Matthew Stafford in the fourth round.

Curtis Weaver, EDGE, Boise State

Though they already got themselves a pass rusher in the third round, it wouldn’t hurt the Lions to double-dip at the position. He’d be an instant contributor on defense by providing capable depth on the edge.

Bradlee Anae, EDGE Utah

Speaking of EDGE rushers, Anae could be an option if the Lions want an extra JACK linebacker in their rotation. He’s not as athletic as Weaver, but still fits the mold of what Detroit is looking for. The Lions spent a lot of time with him at the Senior Bowl, so expect him to be on their radar.

Troy Dye, ILB, Oregon

Dye was a four-year starter for the Ducks who excelled at dropping into coverage. The Lions have long struggled at finding linebackers who can cover both running backs and tight ends in space, and Dye could be that guy for them.

Jack Driscoll, OT, Auburn

Driscoll started two seasons at right tackle for Auburn, and the Lions have a battle going on at that very position. He’s a tremendous athlete who can use his mobility to his advantage. Whether he starts or serves as a backup, he’s a perfect match in Detroit.

Ben Bredeson, IOL, Michigan

Another position that Detroit could double up on is the interior offensive line. Bredeson is a big-bodied lineman who could come in and challenge Joe Dahl for the left guard spot or provide solid depth at the position.

Jason Strowbridge, IDL, UNC

After losing A’Shawn Robinson and Mike Daniels in free agency, the Lions are in desperate need of depth at the 3T and 5T spots. He’s an excellent run defender who can easily be a contributor in the defensive line rotation.

Leki Fotu, IDL, Utah

A former rugby player, Fotu was able to translate that athleticism into his defensive line play. At 330 pounds, he doesn’t lose easily against offensive lineman. He would bring a unique skill set to the Lions as a nose tackle with a knack for rushing the passer.

K’Von Wallace, S, Clemson

Wallace is an elite athlete who projects best as a contributor in three-safety sets. His best play is in the box, where he excels in coverage. He’d provide excellent depth at the position in 2020.

Braden Mann, P, Texas A&M

With longtime punter Sam Martin now in Denver, the Lions need a young guy who they can rely on for years to come. Mann is the best punter in this draft and would be a great pick for Detroit in the later rounds.

Dwayne Haskins is pining for Redskins to draft WR K.J. Hill

Haskins obviously wants the Redskins to draft his former Ohio State teammate, as we can see by his activity on Twitter.

Washington Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins is throwing more shine on his former teammate K.J. Hill, a wide receiver who is expected to be drafted in the middle rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft this weekend.

The Redskins are expected to grab a receiver somewhere within the first few rounds, and many believe that Hill is a player who they could end up targeting should he be available in the fourth round. As a former teammate of Haskins, as well as Terry McLaurin and the expected new Redskins Chase Young, Hill would have some familiar faces around him if he were to come to Washington. A reunion with his college quarterback would also be highly anticipated as well, due to the fact that Hill’s stats were highly-impressive with Haskins throwing him the ball in 2018.

It’s obvious that Haskins has been pining for the Redskins to draft the former Buckeye, and this shout out on Twitter is just another ploy in the long con to bolster Haskins arsenal with weapons he is familiar with.

So will we see Hill join his former teammates this weekend? One can only hope.

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Best WR for the Ravens in each round of the 2020 NFL Draft

The Baltimore Ravens have been building up their wide receiver corps but could find more weapons for MVP Lamar Jackson in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Baltimore Ravens finally have a good receiving corps. It’s something fans can say for the first time in eight years since Anquan Bolding and Torrey Smith suited up in purple. That’s thanks to Baltimore investing their draft capital in the position over the last two years.

Marquise Brown, Willie Snead and Miles Boykin are integral parts of what makes the Ravens’ offense hum. But with a prolific wide receiver class in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Ravens will undoubtedly look to expand upon the group and could potentially find their true No. 1 receiver if they grab one early enough.

Let’s take a look at the best wide receiver for the Ravens in each of the seven rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

1st Round: WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama

You knew it had to be Jeudy, right? The combination of speed and crisp route running would make an excellent weapon for offensive mastermind Greg Roman. Jeudy fits the mold of a prototypical starting wideout, although his frame could benefit from the addition of more muscle.

Jeudy has 65-plus receptions in each of the last two seasons at Alabama and could be a valued target of reigning MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, who produced 36 passing touchdowns last season. Jeudy will likely be the first receiver off the board, so the only way the Ravens would acquire him would be to trade up.

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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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NFL Draft: A WR in each round for the Philadelphia Eagles

7 wide receivers the Eagles could target in the NFL Draft based on the round.

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The NFL draft is just 11 days away and although the Philadelphia Eagles will look to add some high profile wide receivers with their eight picks.

We all know the big names of Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, and Henry Ruggs, but there talented wide receivers in this draft and the Eagles can find a player from round-one through round-seven.

The Eagles don’t have a pick in every round but in case of some wheeling and dealing, we decided to project one wide receiver from every round that the Eagles could target.

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a fast and elusive playmaker

Round 1. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU

If the Eagles stay put at pick No. 21 and Jefferson is available, the birds won’t go wrong with the former LSU star.

Jefferson is a fast and elusive playmaker who caught 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns for the nation’s No. 1 team.

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2020 NFL Draft: 6 receivers the Jets could target in later rounds

Jets Wire takes a look at six late-round wide receiver prospects the Jets should target in the 2020 NFL draft.

This year’s wide receiver draft class is nothing short of loaded.

Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy and Alabama’s Henry Ruggs III and Oklahoma’s CeeDeeLamb steal most of the headlines, but the depth of the class is what sets it apart. Given how deep the pool of talent runs, it is not unrealistic to expect to find a starting-caliber receiver on day two or even day three of the draft.

It remains to be seen if the Jets will go with an offensive lineman or wide receiver with the 11th pick. Either way, it’s safe to assume Douglas will look to add additional talent at receiver later in the draft regardless of what he does in the first round.

So, who are some late-round prospects the Jets should be interested in? Let’s take a look.

Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

In 2018, Shenault was one of the best receivers in college football, catching 86 passes for over 1,000 yards and six touchdowns. His numbers took a hit last season due to Colorado’s quarterback struggles and injuries, which caused his draft stock to take a major hit.

Shenault’s medicals will dictate where he gets drafted. His injury history and the fact that he just underwent core surgery after the combine is not encouraging. Shenault’s combine interviews were also reportedly underwhelming.

When he’s healthy, Shenault is an elite receiver with the size and ball skills to make plays downfield. If he slips late into day two as some are now projecting, it would be worth the Jets’ while to take a chance on him.

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Ohio State Football Profile Card: Chris Olave

A profile of Ohio State star receiver Chris Olave.

Name: Chris Olave

Number: 2

Position: WR

Class: Junior

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 188 lbs

Hometown: San Marcos, CA

High School: Mission Hills High School, Kennesaw, GA

2019-2020 Stats:

GP Rec YDs Avg TD Rec YPG Rush ATT Rush YDs Rush TDs Rush YPA Total YPG
13 48 840 17.5 12 64.6 2 5 0 2.5 65

Overview:

Olave might not have been the expected heir to Ohio State’s tremendous receiving corps in previous seasons–he certainly didn’t show it for most of his freshman season. However, he had a huge game against Michigan in 2018, and ever since then he has been the go-to guy for the Buckeyes, and for tremendous reason.

Olave’s relationship with quarterback Justin Fields is going to be a huge asset for Ohio State this coming season. Olave’s development into his own player and a very difficult-to-guard receiver will only make him better and better as he continues to grow and develop.

Don’t let the numbers fool you–Olave is the heart and soul of Ohio State’s passing game. The Buckeyes had a very spread out attack, with each of Olave, K.J. Hill, Binjimen Victor, Garrett Wilson, and Austin Mack all pulling in over 300 yards on the season. Ohio State also had a potent rushing attack, led by J.K. Dobbins’ 2,000 yards.

It is noteworthy how rarely the Buckeyes ran from the wide receiver position this past year. Olave had the most carries of any Ohio State receiver, with two. That’s a far cry from what we were used to seeing with guys like Jalin Marshall in the backfield. We’ll see if that changes going forward, though Austin Mack might be the most likely to get more carries.

Of course, the lasting memory of Olave–in both his mind and fans’ minds–is the final offensive play of the Fiesta Bowl. Olave and Fields were not on the same page, and it led to a game-ending interception. Don’t let that sit for too long, though. Olave is too good and too essential to this team to let that define him. He will provide plenty more happy highlights when he next gets back on the field.

Highlights

Want to know what makes Olave so good? Check out his best plays from last season.

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Two Ohio State players in PFF’s top ten 2020 NFL draft sleepers

Both Jonah Jackson and K.J. Hill have been named as two of ten sleeper 2020 NFL draft picks by Pro Football Focus.

There’s no denying that there will be a slew of Ohio State players taken in this year’s NFL draft, just like almost every year. You know about guys like Chase Young, Jeff Okudah, and J.K. Dobbins, but there’s more than that.

Most NFL mock drafts have seven or eight players going in the first four rounds, and it could be even better than that — especially when you look out through all seven rounds.

But who are the sleepers? There are always some guys that go earlier than most anticipate, and Ohio State isn’t immune to it. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin made a name for himself and went earlier than most projections had him, and someone’s going to jump up and surprise this April.

According to Pro Football Focus, there are two guys in their top ten sleepers that wear the scarlet and gray. Its top sleeper overall is offensive lineman Jonah Jackson, the other is wide-receiver K.J. Hill who checks in at No. 7. Both men excelled at the Senior Bowl, and that’s a good place to start.

The other place to look is on film. Hill routinely hauled in catches in big situations and left Ohio State as the all-time leader in receptions. Jackson came in as a graduate transfer from Rutgers and immediately solidified the left side of the offensive line. He was recognized as First Team All Big-Ten by the coaches.

Here’s what PFF says about both players.

Next … the rationale

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What is the Redskins’ plan when it comes to wide receiver?

We know that the Redskins absolutely need to add another WR before 2020, but we don’t really know how they plan to do so.

The free agency period in the NFL is a time for all 32 teams to take stock of their roster and try to fill their positional needs. For the Washington Redskins, several areas need to be addressed, like the offensive line, tight end position, and wide receiver position. So far this month, they’ve done a few small things to better their roster, but nothing spectacular.

So as we continue through the NFL offseason, one question kept sticking in the back of my mind: What is Washington’s plan at the wide receiver position? What will the starting lineup look like come September, and who will the rotational players be? Let’s try to answer that question by breaking down what we know, and go from there.

Projected starters: Terry McLaurin, Kelvin Harmon, Steven Sims Jr.

Is it ideal to have your top three options all be entering their second year in the league? Not exactly, but it could be a lot worse. What we saw from McLaurin all year should provide enough confidence to label him as your WR1 for the extended future, and Sims late-season heroics were highly encouraging as well. Putting him in a Scott Turner offense should be fun to watch. As for Harmon, he was the least impressive of the three, but his size and physicality still paints a bright future for him as more reps come his way.

Projected rotation: Trey Quinn, Cam Sims, Darvin Kidsy

This is where the problem lies… Depth is a buzz word for any fan who is uncertain about their roster strength, and the Redskins currently don’t have much depth at the position. Sure, all three of these players have shown flashes of ability that warrants more playing time, but none of them have taken advantage of those minutes on the field. If you had to trust any one of them to come up big in a key moment, my guess is that you would struggle to do so. It’s not out of the question that any one of these players makes a jump this offseason and becomes a reliable option, but until we see it, I’m not going to pencil them in there.

Potential Targets: Breshad Perriman, Devin Funchess, Robby Anderson

The Redskins were expected to make a splash in free agency by picking up a big name receiver, and so far it hasn’t happened. They did everything they could to convince Amari Cooper to rejoin many of his college teammates in Washington, but the Dallas Cowboys were able to lure him back to Jerry World.

Luckily for Washington, the free agency market is moving pretty slow this year, and there are still some solid names on the open market. Perriman had a breakout end of the 2019 season when he was asked to take over as the WR1 in Tampa Bay, and he showed what he could do when given the spotlight. Redskins coach Ron Rivera is also very familiar with Funchess, who he coached in Carolina for a couple of years. As for Anderson, he may be the hottest name on the market, but until he starts asking for a little bit less money, I don’t see anything happening there.

Draft Targets: K.J. Hill, Antonio Gandy-Golden, Chase Claypool

One of the reasons that free agency has been moving so slowly for the WR position is due to the deep draft class we have at the position this season. There are a number of WRs expected to be drafted in the first round, with names like Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, and CeeDee Lamb highlighting the leaderboard. For the Redskins, assuming that they draft Chase Young with the No. 2 pick — all signs point towards that — they will be forced to wait until the third or fourth round to take a WR. They can still get some great prospects in that range, but it won’t be the projected WR1 type like the aforementioned names.

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