Tag: Kelvin Joseph

Draft Wire mock sends Trey Lance and CB help to San Francisco

The San Francisco 49ers snag Trey Lance and Kelvin Joseph in a two-round Draft Wire mock.

While buzz around Mac Jones to the 49ers with the third pick grows louder, the Draft Wire is blocking it out to go a different direction for San Francisco in their two-round projections. In fact, developmental projects is a theme over the 49ers’ pair of selections in this mock.

North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance is their pick at No. 3, which is still a realistic option based on reports that the 49ers are still choosing between Jones and Lance.

The Lance selection makes sense for a lot of reasons. He needs time to develop after playing 17 college games and only one last year. The 49ers have Jimmy Garoppolo to work as the starter until they feel Lance is ready. Lance has a ton of experience working in a pro style offense and had a ton of success during his first year as a starter. There may not be a better match to maximize his big-time talent than the 49ers.

San Francisco’s second selection is spent on Kentucky cornerback Kelvin Joseph, which makes a ton of sense given their slew of needs. Joseph fits a pretty specific nook in the 49ers’ roster. He’s a bigger corner with good athleticism and a lot of raw talent. However, he played only 15 college games and had just one year as a full-time starter with Kentucky after transferring from LSU.

The lack of reps is a concern with Joseph, but he’d be stepping into a situation in San Francisco where he wouldn’t need to start right away. Emmanuel Moseley and Jason Verrett figure to be starters on Day 1. Getting time to get NFL coaching and learn the nuts and bolts of the 49ers’ secondary would allow Joseph to fully blossom into the player his skill set indicates he can be.

Panthers pick Kentucky CB in round two of new 2021 NFL mock draft

In Luke Easterling’s latest 2021 mock at Draft Wire, Carolina selects Kentucky cornerback Kelvin Joseph at No. 39.

The Panthers signed A.J. Bouye recently to what was another bargain short-term deal, meeting what was arguably their most critical defensive need of the year. Adding only one veteran at this position won’t be enough, though. The team clearly has an eye on drafting another – three of their six reported virtual meetings so far have been with cornerback prospects – including two with Asante Samuel Jr..

Bringing in Bouye and trading for Sam Darnold should help free the Panthers to take the best player available at No. 8 overall. Round two seems like a good spot to target a corner, though.

In Luke Easterling’s latest 2021 mock at Draft Wire, Carolina selects Kentucky cornerback Kelvin Joseph at No. 39.

Joseph (6-foot-1, 192 pounds) has the length you’d expect from a Scott Fitterer/Seattle type corner. He also has some ball skills, having posted four interceptions and 25 tackles last season for the Wildcats. Let’s see what we can learn from his 2020 tape.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IukqNSJ3Fxg

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Mock Draft Sunday: 4-round San Francisco 49ers projections

A quick four-round NFL mock draft for the San Francisco 49ers with trades.

Despite chatter centering mostly around the 49ers’ No. 3 pick in this year’s draft, they’ll go into the three-day event with nine picks and a number of holes to fill throughout the roster. Most mock drafts stick to one round and contain some iteration of Trey Lance, Mac Jones or Justin Fields going to the 49ers. That’s their biggest story line in this draft, but a few other key needs will need to be met in this year’s draft.

We ran through the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator and did a three-round mock to try and fill some of those needs for the 49ers.

Here’s our mock with trades:

Defensive prospects for the Lions shine at Kentucky’s pro day

The limited tape on both is a legit concern, but they should be considerations for the Lions with the No. 41 overall pick.

Kentucky Wildcats football isn’t typically a marquee destination for NFL scouts, but the program’s pro day on Wednesday attracted reps from nearly every NFL team to Lexington. Two prospects in particular stood out as potential fits for the Detroit Lions, who were confirmed to have at least one scout in attendance for the workout.

Linebacker Jamin Davis put on a freakshow of a workout. Davis measured in at 6-foot-3 and 234 pounds, and his workout numbers are astonishing for a player at his position at that size.

Davis ran the 40-yard dash at 4.37, with a 42-inch vertical and a broad jump over 11 feet. Those reinforce the game tape from 2020, which showed an impact backer with easy range, ball skills and excellent tackling power. For comparison, here’s how he stacks up against Penn State’s Micah Parsons,

Davis was a late bloomer for the Wildcats. He only emerged as a starter late in 2019 but his game tape from 2020 is outstanding. In watching five Wildcats games, his breadth of ability at least equaled what Parsons put on display in 2019 at Penn State outside of rushing the passer, which is not something Kentucky had Davis do often.

Cornerback Kelvin Joseph also showed he has the athleticism to step right into the NFL and keep up the very impressive game tape he posted at Kentucky. The LSU transfer played only nine games in 2020 after sitting out 2019 as a result of his exit from the Tigers, but he showed excellent instincts and ball skills. At 6-foot-1, he’s got desirable length. He ran stride-for-stride with Alabama WR Devonta Smith during their matchup. And the speed is legit:

https://twitter.com/TonyPauline/status/1377300858791153666?s=20

Both Davis and Joseph are most likely second-round picks, though there will be projections for each in the first. The limited tape on both is a legit concern, but they should be considerations for the Lions with the No. 41 overall pick.

Colts’ 4-round mock draft without trades

A 4-round mock without trades.

With the majority of the NFL free agency frenzy all but over, attention turns to the 2021 NFL draft for all 32 teams, including the Indianapolis Colts.

While the Colts weren’t big spenders so far this offseason they are still in a good position to add some great young players to an already talented roster.

Here we’ll be doing a four-round mock draft using The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine for the Colts first three selections this year. While I think Colts general manager Chris Ballard pulling off at least one trade in this draft is highly likely, we won’t be attempting to predict a trade in this mock.

3-Round mock draft brings Cowboys weaponry, defense system upgrades

With free agency on the doorstep and the Cowboys looking to fill multiple needs, what could their draft strategy look like?

Dallas Cowboys fans rejoiced this week as franchise quarterback Dak Prescott was signed to a four-year deal worth up to $164 million. Locking in Prescott allows the teams to silence questions regarding his future and focus on free agency and the draft. The team has worked on clearing cap space this week, both with avoiding a second Prescott franchise tag and the restructuring of highly-paid players.

These moves will allow the Cowboys to be a buyer in a loaded free-agent market. The team has quite a few holes to fill, especially on the defensive side of the ball and there are plenty of free agents who could help accomplish that goal but this coming draft is lining up well with the glaring needs the team has. Here’s a potential three-round mock scenario for the Cowboys front office using the Pro Football Network Mock Draft Simulator.

Chargers attain balance in Chad Reuter’s 4-round mock draft

The Los Angeles Chargers draft two offensive linemen, Hunter Henry and Melvin Ingram’s replacement and a cornerback.

NFL Media’s Chad Reuter released his latest four-round mock draft, where he sees the Chargers building around quarterback Justin Herbert with their first three picks and filling in the holes on the defensive side of the ball with their next two.

With their first-round selection, Los Angeles selects former Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater.

Slater is not the tallest or longest of offensive tackles, but he will be a solid starter at the next level. Not only will he help Justin Herbert’s development, but also open holes for Austin Ekeler and whomever else the Chargers line up in the backfield the next few years.

I feel like a broken record saying this but drafting Slater would be splash. Slater might be moved inside due to his lack of arm length, but he has the athletic skill set and overall technique to be an All-Pro blind-side protector in the NFL.

In Round 2, L.A. stays on the offensive side of the ball by selecting former Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth.

With Hunter Henry a pending free agent, the Bolts could be looking for his replacement if he signs with another team this offseason. Like Henry, Freiermuth is a versatile tight end to get the job done in the receiving and blocking department.

With their first selection of the third-round, the Chargers get an interior offensive lineman after finding their tackle of the future by drafting former Ohio State center Josh Myers.

With Dan Feeney set to be a free agent, the team could be looking to upgrade at the position. Myers is a seasoned run blocker who possesses good intelligence, athletic traits, and effort to block in space effectively, while possessing good strength to anchor down vs bigger rushers.

Los Angeles uses their compensatory selection at the end of the third-round to address another need, drafting former Kentucky cornerback Kelvin Joseph. Joseph is an aggressive and physical corner who thrives in press coverage with his height, length and ball skills.

Finally, with their fourth-round pick, L.A. takes former Oregon State outside linebacker Hamilcar Rashed Jr as a replacement to Melvin Ingram, who is currently a pending free agent.

Rashed’s pass-rush arsenal lacks variety, and his production is based more on effort and athleticism than technique. However, Rashed is only scratching the surface of his ability and shows the athleticism, coverage skills, competitive toughness, and physical traits to be a productive player in the NFL.

Mock Draft Watch: 247 Sports projects a fresh CB for the Browns

This is the first time we’ve seen Joseph projected to the Browns

We here at Browns Wire try to keep our eyes open for any and all new mock drafts to evaluate and despite picking at number 26 we have seen the same names over and over, but Zack Pearson at 247 Sports provided us with a name we haven’t seen in Kelvin Joseph from Kentucky.

In this scenario Patrick Surtain II, Caleb Farley, Jaycee Horn & Greg Newsome II are already off the board, but Pearson found Joseph to be worth the selection at 26, with this explanation,

“The Browns need to improve in their secondary as they look to build on a successful 2020 season that included not only making the playoffs but beating Pittsburgh and almost stunning the Kansas City Chiefs. Cleveland looks to upgrade that secondary by going with Kelvin Joseph, a player who started his career at LSU before transferring to Kentucky.”

I have no issue selecting a corner to pair opposite Denzel Ward and Joseph lived up to the hype in his lone season starting for the Wildcats after sitting out the previous season due to transfer rules, but there may be options with lengthier resumes to consider.

Other CB Options:

Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech, 6-2, 207 pounds:

Although Farley is gone in this mock as he went number ten to Denver, there have been some mocks that have him falling to the twenties. It is highly unlikely that arguably the top corner in the class will fall to Cleveland, but if he would, it would be an incredible option to have. Few players were the game changer Farley was the last two seasons and he has the length and lockdown ability to be a top corner in the NFL.

Elijah Molden, Washington, 5-10, 191 pounds:

It is odd not seeing Molden’s name in this mock draft, because he is an elite corner who has played at an All-American level the past two seasons. Although most mocks project him in the early second, it would not be insane for Cleveland to pull the trigger on such a versatile defender.

With only four games to showcase his ability in COVID shortened 2020, Molden was still third on the team in tackles with 26, tied for first in interceptions with one and tied for second in pass deflections with one. He has the potential to play either corner or safety at the next level.

Later Round CB Options:

Israel Mukuamu, South Carolina, 6-4, 205 pounds:

Mukuamu and Horn formed one of the most dangerous cornerback tandems in the SEC and Mukuamu has the ideal length NFL teams look for in an outside corner. Despite declaring early after suffering a groin injury only five games into his junior season, Mukuamu has at least one season of dominant play as he was All-SEC as a sophomore in 2019. Even though his collegiate career was short, it was certainly productive with 86 tackles, four tackles for loss and seven interceptions.

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CB Kelvin Joseph’s buzz is skyrocketing, potential Cowboys fit

Kelvin Joseph has been a hot name in NFL Draft circles as of late but how does he fit in with the Dallas Cowboys?

As the NFL offseason progresses it will begin to become more and more obvious what the Dallas Cowboys’ biggest needs are going into the draft. Cornerback stands as one of the most glaring needs coupled with the fact that some of the group from last season could be leaving in free agency. There will likely be an influx of outside talent into the position this offseason. Whether that is from the draft, free agency, or a combination of both remains to be seen.

Kelvin Joseph out of Kentucky was a relatively unknown name until a few weeks ago and now the hype surrounding him has begun to take off. Joseph (also known as Bossman Fat) is extremely intriguing because he could end up falling in the Cowboys’ lap at No. 44 overall. Let’s get into why his stock has been skyrocketing recently.

Colts land OT Christian Darrisaw in PFN mock draft

Colts get their LT in PFN’s mock draft.

Now that the Indianapolis Colts have their new quarterback in Carson Wentz, it is time for the organization to build around him. They can do so easily in the 2021 NFL draft.

Though free agency will give the Colts a chance to add some weapons and protection for Wentz, the draft is where they find their foundational pieces.

In a three-round mock draft from Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network, the Colts landed one of the best offensive tackles in the class in Christian Darrisaw out of Virginia Tech.

21. Indianapolis Colts: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech

The retirement of Anthony Castonzo opened up tackle as a significant need for the Colts, but the recent addition of Carson Wentz via trade only compounds the need for security on the offensive line. Wentz has been a very good quarterback before, and Indianapolis has the coaching and the weapons necessary to support his rebound. All they need beyond that is a stable offensive line, and a tackle at No. 21 can get them that.

By virtue of the luck of the board, the Colts get a franchise left tackle with this pick. Virginia Tech blocker Christian Darrisaw has all the tools necessary to be a high-level starter for a decade or more.

At 6-foot-5, 314 pounds, he has the requisite size, and on tape, he’s a superb athlete who thrives in the open field. He’s also an intense, physical, aggressive blocker who doesn’t hesitate to impose his will. Darrisaw does need to refine his lateral footwork and hand placement, but for the Colts, he’s the right investment at the right time.

Though taking a tackle wouldn’t be a sexy pick, it would help the offense immensely if they could land someone like Darrisaw. The Virginia Tech product is a bully in the run game and moves extremely well in pass protection for his size (6-foot-4, 315 pounds).

Having Darrisaw learn on the fly next to Quenton Nelson would give the Colts an elite offensive line without missing a beat despite the retirement of longtime left tackle Anthony Castonzo.

Because this is a three-round mock, the Colts had one other pick in the second round. Cummings had the Colts go with former Kentucky cornerback Kelvin Joseph.

The Colts haven’t seen the desired linear growth from 2019 early second-round pick Rock Ya-Sin, and after a bounce-back season in 2020, veteran Xavier Rhodes is set to hit the free agent market.

Once again, cornerback is a need for the Colts, and one under-the-radar player who fits the Colts well is Kelvin Joseph. Joseph has only recently gained buzz as a draft prospect. Standing at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, he has plus length and flashes ball skills. He also has the athleticism and fluidity to position himself well. He could still add more consistency to his game, but he has the tools the Colts look for on the boundary.

The Colts would still need to add to the wide receiver and edge rusher positions, both of which can be done during free agency as well.

But coming away with Darrisaw would be a huge win for the Colts as the look to build around Wentz.

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