Tag: Mel Kiper

Mel Kiper and Todd McShay go after each other about Tua Tagovailoa

This is fun to watch.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay have strong and differing opinions on the prospects for Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Kiper suggested on Wednesday that he heard rumblings from the Miami Dolphins that the team may be more interested in Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert at No. 5 overall. That is, in large part, because of medical concerns surrounding Tagovailoa, who dealt with ankle and hip injuries. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, NFL teams have had limited medical access to prospects and, therefore, have less information about how these injuries might impact a player’s NFL career.

McShay, however, is not hearing bad things about Tagvailoa’s draft stock.

“I can’t ignore Justin Herbert’s tape. I would much rather Justin Love out of Utah State. There’s potential — if I have a quarterback coach and a head coach and the opportunity to develop someone — he’s going to be a better quarterback than Justin Herbert in five years,” McShay said on Wednesday on ESPN. “So I would rather take Love than Herbert. But unless it was completely medical (on Tagovailoa) where my staff came to me and said, he’s off the board, then it blows my mind.”

For McShay, it’s a no-brainer. The Dolphins should take the Crimson Tide quarterback, Tagovailoa.

In a recent mock draft, we humored the idea of the Dolphins deciding to trade up to No. 1 overall, where the team drafted LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. The Cincinnati Bengals then fell back to fifth overall, where they took Herbert, in whom they have some interest, according to NBC Sports’ Peter King.

With the jockeying of Burrow, Herbert, Tagovailoa and Love, the NFL draft is shaping up to be a compelling piece of live sports television, something we haven’t had in quite some time. It would be a welcome bit of drama.

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WATCH: Xavier McKinney calls Mel Kiper and Todd McShay out

Xavier McKinney called out ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay on Tuesday during Sports Center, and it was epic.

Xavier McKinney called out ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay on Tuesday during Sports Center, and it was epic.

Here is the conversation:

McKinney: “So, I’ve watched a lot of safeties in this year’s draft. And so for Mel, I just want to ask, how am I not the No. 1 safety in this year’s draft, based solely off of film? Nothing else, just film. And for Todd, I want you to please explain to Mel why I am the No. 1 safety in the draft, based solely off of film because film never lies. Ever.”

Kiper: “He’s the best pure safety. Antoine Winfield is a slot corner/safety with more versatility, ran 4.45. Xavier ran 4.63. But as a pure safety, Xavier McKinney is No. 1 on my board. But as a versatile guy who can do a lot of things and wear a lot of hats, it would be Antoine Winfield Jr. Both are going to go in that 20-25, 20-28 range.”

McShay: “I’ll tell you what, Mel. You were on Winfield earlier, and I admit it — I hadn’t watched the Minnesota tape, but my goodness, he’s good. That Penn State game, that first drive. The ability to get off of a block and then make the tackle and then turn run and go up and get the ball, I mean, he’s special. There’s no question. But he’s not McKinney. I mean, McKinney, to me, is the difference-maker in terms of the safety position this year.

“Now, Grant Delpit coming in from LSU, I thought was going to be a top-10, top-15 pick. But these other two players, Winfield — I agree with you — but also McKinney have outplayed, and I think they’re going to both be somewhere in that top 20. I think Delpit’s going to be a little bit later in the first if not early in the second round.”

Simply put, McKinney isn’t letting anyone undervalue his draft stock, and I admire him for that.

McKinney finished the 2019 season with 95 tackles, 3 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions (one of which was returned 81 yards for a TD) 5 pass breakups and 5 QB hurries.

Most NFL Mock Draft have McKinney being drafted towards the end of the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft which will take place from April 23-25.

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Mock draft watch: Mel Kiper’s latest stirs the pot for the Lions

Mock draft watch: Mel Kiper’s latest stirs the pot for the Lions with an updated projection at No. 3

The latest updated mock draft from ESPN guru Mel Kiper Jr. is out, ready to stir up the 2020 NFL Draft pot of conversation.

For the Detroit Lions, the stirring up produces a new entree at No. 3 overall. After rolling with Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa in his last mock draft, Kiper changes flavors and serves up Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah.

Kiper’s explanation and analysis of Detroit’s offseason so far is pretty upbeat,

The Lions’ best-case scenario with this pick? Field offers for teams trying to trade up to draft Tua Tagovailoa — the Dolphins (Nos. 5, 18 and 26 picks) and Chargers (No. 6 pick) make the most sense — and still land Okudah. That would give them extra premium draft picks and the top corner in the class to replace Darius Slay and pair with free-agent signing Desmond Trufant. After a 3-12-1 season, general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia need wins now, and the additions of Jamie Collins, Danny Shelton and Nick Williams will help their defense immediately.

It’s nice to see Kiper has acknowledged the talk about trading Matthew Stafford and subsequently drafting Tagovailoa is utter nonsense, and Okudah fills a major need now with Darius Slay in Philadelphia.

Broncos make predictable pick in Mel Kiper’s latest NFL mock draft

In his latest NFL mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Broncos landing Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs with the 15th overall pick.

In his third 2020 NFL mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Broncos selecting Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs with the 15th overall pick (subscription required for link). Ruggs has become a wildly popular pick for Denver in mock drafts.

That might change in the coming weeks as there is growing speculation that Ruggs might be the first receiver selected in April’s draft. In Kiper’s mock, Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy goes off the board first (to the 49ers at No. 13), followed by Ruggs (No. 15) and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys, No. 17). Any of those receivers would make sense for the Broncos.

Kiper’s second mock draft had Denver selecting Houston offensive tackle Josh Jones with the 15th pick. Todd McShay, Kiper’s ESPN colleague, has the Broncos selecting Lamb in his most recent mock draft.

At the moment, the draft is still scheduled for April 23-25. That might change due to the league’s concerns about the coronavirus.

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Mel Kiper projects Seahawks select defensive end in Mock Draft 3.0

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper projects the Seattle Seahawks select Penn State defensive end, Yetur Gross-Matos, in his Mock Draft 3.0.

The NFL offseason is in full swing despite the coronavirus outbreak and the league’s premier event is just a month away. As of now, the NFL draft is still scheduled for April 23-25, however, the format is likely to be much different, with reports of an in-studio broadcast and cameras at team headquarters replacing the live action.

Pundits are still pumping out their mocks, including ESPN draft analyst, Mel Kiper. In his latest Mock Draft 3.0, Kiper has the Seahawks selecting Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos with the No. 27 pick overall.

“This is a tough one for me because the Seahawks are still in the hunt to re-sign Jadeveon Clowney,” Kiper writes. “If they spend a bunch of money to bring Clowney back, they might not want to spend the capital on an edge rusher here, particularly after drafting L.J. Collier in Round 1 last year. Still, the 6-foot-6, 266-pound Gross-Matos makes a lot of sense, because we know that Pete Carroll likes big defensive ends who could move inside and rush the passer on passing downs.

“Offensive tackle should be an option here, and Seattle also has an extra second-round pick.”

The Seahawks and Clowney have yet to reach a deal and the silence on the progress of the negotiations has been deafening. Kiper is correct – until Seattle knows whether or not Clowney will be back in the lineup it needs to keep its options open.

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2020 NFL Draft: Mel Kiper pairs Jets with Alabama OT Jedrick Wills in new mock

The Jets take Alabama OT Jedrick Wills in ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft, which was released before Robby Anderson left for Carolina.

Even though the Jets have splurged on the offensive line position during free agency, they still have big question marks at both tackle positions.

This offseason, Joe Douglas has re-signed Alex Lewis and added free agents Connor McGovern, Greg Van Roten, Josh Andrews and George Fant. As of now, Fant and Chuma Edoga are the Jets’ projected starters at left and right tackle, respectively. Neither has much starting experience.

That’s why ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Jets taking Alabama OT Jedrick Wills with the 11th pick in his latest mock draft.

Here’s his explanation for the pick:

The Jets made an effort to fix their porous offensive line in free agency, bringing back guard Alex Lewis and adding tackle George Fant and interior linemen Connor McGovern, Greg Van Roten and Josh Andrews. But that’s not enough. They need another infusion of talent, particularly at right tackle, where Chuma Edoga played last season. Wills was a two-year starter at right tackle for the Crimson Tide, and he could step in on day one and be New York’s most talented lineman. Wide receiver is a position to watch here, though free agent Robby Anderson could still return. I also thought about pass-rusher, but this is a little too high for second-ranked edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson.

Kiper released his mock draft before Robby Anderson elected to reunite with his college coach, Matt Rhule, in Carolina. Anderson joined the Panthers on a two-year, $20 million deal on Tuesday.

Interestingly enough, Kiper’s projection comes with the thinking that Anderson was going to return, which was the belief around the league with his market cooling. Without Anderson returning, the Jets could take a receiver with the 11th pick. While two tackles, Tristan Wirfs and Mekhi Becton, off the board when the Jets picked in this scenario, receivers Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb and Henry Ruggs III were all still available.

Joe Douglas still has over a month to decide what his next move is at wide receiver. He’s already tried to make up for losing Anderson by replacing him with Breshad Perriman, who the Jets signed to a one-year deal on Tuesday night.

Obviously, a tackle like Wills is still very much in play with the 11th pick. Wills fits the bill of the typical offensive lineman Douglas and his front office are looking for: versatile and athletic. Wills could be a plug-and-play option at either tackle position, but he seems more comfortable on the right side. Wills playing right tackle, with the Jets adding a veteran OT like Kelvin Beachum or Jason Peters on a one-year deal, would ensure that the Jets have a perfect combination of youth and experience.

Wills is viewed as a potential top-five pick in the draft and arguably the best offensive lineman in this year’s draft. It would be a surprise if Wills makes his way out of the top-10 due to his sheer athleticism and testing at the combine.

Wills also recorded a 90.1 Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade in the SEC this past season, a remarkable number for an underclassman. Those figures make the Jets’ decision with the 11th pick that much harder. Wills is the safer bet and the Jets can’t go wrong with upgrading their o-line again.

Mel Kiper’s new 2020 mock draft has Bucs prioritizing protection for Brady

With Tom Brady now the man under center for the Buccaneers, it’s time for the team to shore up the offensive line.

The NFL draft is a month away, and while we may not be treated to the same extravagance and festivities like in years past due to the coronavirus pandemic, the draft itself will still offer plenty of excitement.

With several teams in the market for quarterbacks, guys like Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert and perhaps even Jordan Love could find themselves selected in the top 10.

One team that won’t be looking for a quarterback, at least not in round one, is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who came out the big winners in the Tom Brady sweepstakes. With Brady on board, the priority for Bruce Arians and co. is to make sure Brady gets protection along the offensive line. Jameis Winston was sacked 47 times last season, while Brady was sacked only 27 times in New England.

The draft should provide Tampa Bay with the perfect opportunity to find a reliable offensive tackle, and in his newest mock draft, Mel Kiper Jr. foresees the Bucs using the 14th pick on Georgia OT Andrew Thomas.

Per Kiper:

“After the Bucs largely bypassed free agency to address their offensive line — they did add swing tackle Joe Haeg — this is the spot in which they need to get help protecting Tom Brady. (It felt strange to type that.) With Demar Dotson still a free agent, the right tackle spot is wide open. Thomas played both left and right tackle for the Bulldogs, and he would help keep Brady’s jersey clean. I also thought about a running back to help Brady, with D’Andre Swift a great option to catch a bunch of passes from the future Hall of Famer. But offensive tackle feels like a lock at this point.”

The thought of Swift in the Bucs’ backfield seems almost too good to be true. It would be a real-life Madden game every time the Bucs take the field. Even if the Bucs don’t grab Swift, Chad Reuter over at NFL.com predicted the Bucs would select Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins with the 45th pick in round two. Not a bad pick up.

But, let’s face it, Brady’s addition to the offense is what matters most. Protecting him comes first.

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Mel Kiper mock draft 3.0: Ravens solidifying their defense with next star LB

The Baltimore Ravens are finally finding their answer to the departure of C.J. Mosley in Mel Kiper’s third mock of the 2020 NFL Draft.

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With the first week of free agency down and most teams having addressed their top needs with the top free agents, all attention now shifts to the 2020 NFL Draft. It’s there that NFL teams will be able to further fill their immediate needs as well as build for the future.

Though the Baltimore Ravens have been aggressive at the start of free agency, they still have a load of needs they need to fill before Week 1 of the regular season. While they’ll undoubtedly use the second wave of free agency following the draft to find low-cost additions to bolster their roster, it’s the first few rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft where Baltimore can find real stars.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper has put together his third mock draft of the season, using the first week of free agency to readdress every first-round pick to see what changed. However, like his last two mock drafts, Kiper has the Ravens selecting LSU linebacker Patrick Queen at No. 28.

“The Ravens didn’t really address the inside linebacker position in free agency, which means I don’t see a reason to change from my first two mock drafts. Queen fills a direct void as a replacement for C.J. Mosley, who Baltimore lost in free agency a year ago.”

As I noted in my list of team needs, there’s a solid case to be made that inside linebacker might actually be Baltimore’s most pressing issue right now. Though things could certainly change before draft day, the Ravens need at least one other legitimate starter if they plan on having L.J. Fort man the weak-side spot. Even with another player added to the mix, Baltimore could use even more depth at inside linebacker on top of that.

In Queen, the Ravens find their unquestioned starter. He’s a fast, agile and hard-hitting linebacker that’s capable of doing anything defensive coordinator Don Martindale would ask of him. With the team revamping their defensive line, Queen can come down and scrape to make tackles in the run game. He can drop back into coverage. Queen can be sent on blitzes to generate quarterback pressure. In all, Queen looks to be the type of true three-down linebacker Baltimore absolutely needs.

Kiper also noted that he had interior offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz as an option for the Ravens in the first round too.

“I also considered center/guard Cesar Ruiz, who could take over for the retired Marshal Yanda at guard.”

That wouldn’t be a bad investment either, though Baltimore likely feels good about letting Ben Powers have the first crack at the starting job right now. However, if the Ravens love what they’ve seen from Ruiz and believe he could be Yanda’s immediate heir, solidifying their offensive line would be a wise, albeit less exciting, selection.

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Mel Kiper Mock Draft 3.0: Lamb gives Cowboys best WR trio?

The Cowboys ignore the CB hole and fortify their offense as one of the league’s best.

The Dallas Cowboys started free agency with 30 former players who were not under contract. They’ve worked tirelessly to bring many back, and have made some inroads in replacing a few of the positions wgere attrition set in. Still, there will be areas the club can improve on in the coming NFL draft, and one of those is at wide receiver.

In his latest mock draft for ESPN + (pay wall) draf prognosticator Mel Kiper, Jr. reveals that while the Cowboys should consider other options, if this player slides down the draft boards some they shouldn’t hesitate to turn in his card. Or send the DM; whatever way they are going to conduct this year’s draft. Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb, welcome to Dallas.

Testing Results

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Film Study

vs Alabama (2018)

vs Houston (2019)

vs Texas (2019)

College Stats

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What The Experts Say

The Draft Network’s Joe Marino

CeeDee Lamb profiles as No. 1 wide receiver at the next level that can be the focal point of the passing attack. He’s a threat at all levels of the field with bluechip body control, ball skills, hands and instincts. Lamb has a notable transition ahead of him in terms of applying his traits against NFL corners compared to the ones he toyed with in the Big 12 but his natural gifts should accelerate his acclimation period to the NFL. Lamb has the upside to develop into one of the premiere offensive playmakers in the NFL by Year Three.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein

Explosive, three-level playmaker and vital cog in one of the most potent offensive machines in college football over the last three seasons. Lamb uses speed and separation quickness to dominate competition in a scheme that frequently created open throws in space. His routes will need to become more efficient and crisp to beat man-to-man coverage against NFL size and speed, but his ball skills and explosiveness with the ball in his hand should allow teams to scheme him into explosive opportunities right away. Lamb has the potential to play any of the three receiver positions as a pro and should benefit greatly from the NFL’s continued movement toward college-style passing attacks.

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Seahawks select defensive tackle in Mel Kiper’s mock draft 2.0

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper projects the Seattle Seahawks select Texas A&M defensive tackle Justin Madubuike in the year’s NFL draft.

The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine kicks off next week and mock draft season is in full swing.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper has now released his second mock of the new year and has the Seattle Seahawks selecting defensive tackle Justin Madubuike out of Texas A&M at No. 27 overall.

“Get to know Madubuike’s name, because I expect him to rise at the combine,” Kiper writes. “The 6-3, 305-pound defensive tackle put up stellar numbers as an interior penetrator for the Aggies the past two seasons, racking up 11 sacks and 22 total tackles for loss. He wreaked havoc on SEC offensive linemen.”

“Seattle could see huge turnover along its defensive line with Jadeveon Clowney, Ezekiel Ansah, Jarran Reed, Quinton Jefferson and Al Woods all free agents, so Madubuike would help it reload after a down season in which the Seahawks had just 28 sacks,” Kiper continued. “They have an extra second-round pick to help them restock.”

The defensive linemen are scheduled to work out Saturday, Feb. 29 from 1-8:00 p.m. PT.

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