Tag: NFL Draft

2020 NFL draft: Antonio Gandy-Golden scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Liberty wide receiver prospect Antonio Gandy-Golden

Antonio Gandy-Golden | WR | Liberty

Elevator Pitch

Gandy-Golden was productive for his last two seasons at a small school. At Liberty, he produced back-to-back 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns seasons for the Flames. He is a big wide receiver prospect who can be a jump-ball and red zone threat for a team that could potentially develop into more of a complete prospect.

Vitals

Height | 6-4

Weight | 223

Class | Senior

College Stats

College Bio

Combine Profile

Strengths

First thing that stands out about Gandy-Golden is his his size. At 6’4″ with 31 3/4″ arms, he is a long wide receiver prospect that can catch passes outside of his frame. Climbing the ladder poses no problem for him. He is also known to make the circus catch with one hand when corners are draped all over him. Catch radius is another big trait that scouts will absolutely love. Shows good body control when airborne.

His 2019 tape is much better in terms of his ability to catch the ball, despite the fact that his numbers in 2018 were better. Does show some down the field speed on deep routes. Just throw the ball near him and he likely will come down with the ball. Great target for jump balls and back shoulder fades in the end zone.

Weaknesses

He is somewhat a one trick pony at this point in his football career. Deep routes and jump balls are the name of his game. AGG’s route tree development leaves a lot to be desired. He won a lot against lesser opponents with his ability to out jump and muscle smaller defenders. He will struggle with the NFL’s physical cornerbacks.

Along with needing to develop as a route runner, Gandy-Golden needs to work on his release at the line. Despite his size, he will likely struggle with press coverage knocking him off his route. Contested catches at Liberty were much of a problem but with cornerbacks in the NFL that remains to be seen. He struggled when Liberty played Auburn.

Projection: Day 3

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2020 NFL draft: Anthony Gordon scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Washington State quarterback prospect Anthony Gordon

Anthony Gordon | QB | Washington State

Elevator Pitch

In recent years, air raid quarterbacks in the NFL haven’t fared very well until the likes of Jared Goff and Patrick Mahomes. Gordon played in Mike Leach’s offense and put up some huge numbers. He waited his turn which is unique in the transfer portal era. He has the tools to be a backup at the NFL level.

Vitals

Height | 6-2

Weight | 205

Class | Redshirt Senior

College Stats

College Bio

Combine Profile

Strengths

Gordon is a player who can win from different platforms throwing the ball. This allows him to complete passes despite the pass rush and coverage down the field. He can extend plays from the pocket, not a huge candidate to run the ball but will move around to allow his receivers to find soft spots in the scramble drill.

Gordon throws with consistent touch underneath and in the intermediate areas of the field. Can drop the ball in the basket. He shows the toughness to stand in the pocket and deliver the ball despite pressure from pass rushers. Does a good job of going through his progressions.

Weaknesses

Only one year of production at the college level, in which he put up some big numbers in the Air Raid offense. He lacks the arm strength to be a starter at the NFL level. Velocity can be truly lacking. Not sure how well his frame would hold up against the pounding a quarterback takes in the NFL.

The easiest way to rattle Gordon is the interior pressure. Getting out of the pocket allows him to create some but that is more of a weakness as he is not consistent enough to make teams pay. Gordon is really a developmental project and could wind up being a quality backup in the league.

Projection: Day 3

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2020 NFL draft: Devin Duvernay scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Texas wide receiver prospect Devin Duvernay

Devin Duvernay | WR | Texas

Elevator Pitch

A compact slot receiver with plenty of ability after the catch, Duvernay is an electric playmaker who brings athleticism and toughness to the wide receiver position. His skill set isn’t one of anything more than a complementary weapon at the next level, but he should be a serviceable starter in the pros.

Vitals

Height | 5-10

Weight | 200

College Bio Page

Career Stats

Strengths

Duvernay exploded onto the scene in 2019, and he showcased that explosiveness in both a figurative and literal sense.

He is a fluid athlete who does a solid job of flipping his hips and accelerating out of his breaks. His coordination is impressive, as he is able to make tough adjustments to the ball in high-pointing situations and change direction seamlessly as a route runner. Duvernay’s acceleration off the ball is noticeable, and his agility after the catch gives him plenty of upside. He excels at making defenders miss and has the spring in his step to make some flashy moves in space. His deep speed allows him to stretch the field pretty well as a vertical threat.

In addition to his athleticism, Duvernay brings surprising power for a slot receiver. He is a tough runner to bring down after the catch, as he carries a compact frame and a low center of gravity. He is able to run through arm tackles and keep churning his legs through contact. His hands are also incredibly strong, as he does a great job of maintaining focus throughout his route and hanging onto tough grabs. That reliability will serve him well across the middle of the field.

Weaknesses

Duvernay is admittedly a victim of a strong class at wide receiver that pushes him down into Day 3 territory, but he does have some flaws in his game. Among them is his technique as a route runner, as the sharpness in his cuts is inconsistent, allowing cornerbacks to stick onto him at times. He doesn’t do a great job of using his hands to separate from man coverage, either.

As a shorter receiver, Duvernay doesn’t have the length to play on the outside at the next level. His catch radius isn’t all that good, and his size makes him a bit of a liability when asked to go up and grab 50/50 balls. In addition to his lack of height, he also doesn’t do a great job of boxing out defenders, whether it be on a jump ball or in tight-window situations.

Projection: Day 3

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2020 NFL draft: Jordan Elliott scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Missouri defensive line prospect Jordan Elliott

Jordan Elliott | DL | Missouri

Elevator Pitch

Elliott is a lengthy defender who has value as both a run defender and as a pass-rusher along the interior. His technique is a bit raw, but he brings good athleticism, quick hands and a high motor for the defensive line position. He has the potential to step into a starting role as a late Day 2 selection.

Vitals

Height | 6-4

Weight | 302

College Bio Page

Career Stats

Strengths

Elliott has some developing to do, but his ceiling is palpable when you watch his tape.

The Texas transfer had his first season in Mizzou’s starting lineup in 2019 after sitting on the bench in 2018 and redshirting in 2017, and he made the most of the opportunity. Elliott showcased plenty of value against the run, playing with plenty of play strength in both his lower body and his hands. He plays with a high motor and does a good job of churning his legs through contact to drive his opponents back. He does a good job of eating up gaps, holding up blocks and clogging lanes to give opposing ball carriers nowhere to go.

In addition to his gap-eating abilities, Elliott has also proven to be a quality gap penetrator. He has good athletic ability for the interior defensive line: when he times his jumps off the ball well, he has the slipperiness to dip past interior blockers and utilize his flexibility to wreck havoc. His frame offers plenty to be impressed with, as he has good length and an overall chiseled physique.

Weaknesses

Given that Elliott only started for one season in college, it’s no surprise that he’s still a bit raw in some areas. One of those areas is in his pad level: although he’s flexible, he doesn’t always sink his hips at the point of attack to maintain pad leverage and generate more power than he already does. His hand placement could be a bit more consistent, though he has shown some flashes in that regard.

Elliott’s solid athleticism gives him some value rushing the passer, but he can do a better job of having a concrete plan when doing so. He can look lost at times and can do better at stringing together moves so that if his first technique doesn’t work, he has a counter move in his back pocket to work with. His pass-rushing production isn’t all that impressive either, as he didn’t have more than three sacks in a single season.

Projection: 3rd Round

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2020 NFL draft: Lucas Niang scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about TCU offensive tackle prospect Lucas Niang

Lucas Niang | OT | TCU

Elevator Pitch

Niang is a massive and athletic offensive tackle prospect who brings plenty of physical upside to the table. He plays with heavy hands and can move around well in space, giving him the raw power and the agility to project well at the next level. His technique could be improved, but the upside he brings should find him selected on Day 2 if the medicals check out.

Vitals

Height | 6-6

Weight | 315

College Bio Page

Strengths

Niang brings plenty of enticing physical tools to work with at the offensive tackle position.

His length offers plenty of intrigue, and his frame still carries more room to get in better shape, so the potential from a physical standpoint is definitely there. He has shown some impressive lateral agility when healthy, moving very well for somebody his size and advancing to the second level seamlessly. His footwork and overall quickness allows him to counter speed rushes in pass protection and keep up with explosive defenders off the snap.

In addition to his quickness for such a big tackle, Niang also possesses plenty of power in his game. He plays with good grip strength when he engages with defenders, allowing him to seal off running lanes for his teammates and knock defenders out of place. He packs a powerful punch at the point of attack and drives his legs when engaged with an opponent. A two-year full-time starter who took over the starting right tackle spot in the middle of the 2017 season, Niang has plenty of experience as a collegiate starter, as well.

Weaknesses

Niang was shut down for the 2019 season in November with a hip injury that he had been playing through since the year before. The injury prevented him from taking part in Combine drills, so he’ll have to rely on the medicals checking out on him. Playing through that ailment had a bit of an effect on his 2019 tape, as he didn’t look as nimble and flexible in his hips while playing hurt. His ability to adjust his set points was hurt by the injury, too. He’ll have to prove that his athleticism will come back to full form upon recovering.

While he has impressive physical traits, Niang’s technique could be improved upon a bit. He struggles with his hand placement at times, as while he shows potential when he places his punches correctly, there are times he mistimes or is inaccurate with his punches. He could also do a better job of working on his pad level and consistently fighting to get leverage in the form of maintaining lower pads.

Projection: Day 2

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2020 NFL draft: Antonio Gibson scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Memphis offensive weapon Antonio Gibson

Antonio Gibson | RB/WR | Memphis

Elevator Pitch

Gibson is a dynamic and versatile offensive weapon who offers an intriguing combination of size, speed and vision in the open field. He’s a determined runner with great straight-line athleticism, the lateral quickness to make defenders miss, and plenty of upside as a kick returner. He probably won’t be more than a gadget player in the pros, but what an effective gadget player he can be.

Vitals

Height | 6-0

Weight | 228

College Bio Page

Career Stats

Strengths

Gibson is a player who can make an impact from several positions.

Used primarily as a slot receiver at Memphis, Gibson can line up as a wideout if necessary. He has great speed off the snap and has dynamic long speed, making him a worthy vertical threat if utilized in that role. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he’s quick to accelerate, and he also has the vision to discover opportunities in which he can extend the play and break free for a big gain. He has solid burst coming out of his breaks, and his overall fluidity and body control when running routes across the middle of the field is pretty solid. His 2019 production, while sparse in quantity, was promising, as he had 735 yards and 8 touchdowns on just 38 catches.

Despite technically being a receiver in college, many believe Gibson is better suited as a running back in the pros. He tallied 369 yards and 4 touchdowns on just 36 carries, racking up an insane 11.2 yards per carry on the ground. Plenty of his traits indicate he can move over to running back, as he’s an electric athlete who also has a strong and powerful frame. His contact balance is impressive: he’s a determined runner who runs with a low center of gravity. Gibson was also an effective kick returner in 2019, as he had 645 yards and a touchdown on 23 returns. He also has experience covering kicks and offers high upside as a special teams gunner. He projects very well as a Cordarrelle Patterson-like piece for an offense at the next level.

Weaknesses

While there’s plenty to like about Gibson, there is some room for concern. As a receiver, his hip-sinking ability and his stems could be improved, and his route tree was fairly limited at Memphis, so he’s still quite raw when running routes. As a running back, he could do a better job of demonstrating patience in the backfield and running with more discipline. For as much physical upside and versatility he offers, there’s some polishing to be done in his game.

Regardless of how one projects Gibson in the NFL, one thing that’s undisputed is relative lack of production in college. He was an all-state player at East Central Community College before playing at Memphis the past two seasons, but his numbers at the FBS level lack substance. He only had 33 career rushing attempts, which is a very small sample size for any player, let alone an NFL prospect. Basically all of his collegiate production came in 2019, as he only had six catches for 99 yards – and no runs – in 2018. Granted, he scored on two of those catches, but the fact still remains that he’s still a raw and fairly unproven talent.

Projection: Day 3

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With No Randall Cobb, Duvernay to the Dallas Cowboys Could Make Sense

After one season with the Cowboys, WR Randall Cobb has moved on. To replace him, Dallas should look at Devin Duvernay in this year’s draft.

After one season with the Dallas Cowboys, wide receiver Randall Cobb has moved on. Signing a three-year deal with the Houston Texans worth $27 million, Cobb is on to his third career team after also spending eight seasons in Green Bay with the Packers.

For Dallas, Cobb was the replacement for Cole Beasley. Both receivers were smaller, more agile players who would line up in the slot and be reliable targets. Since Dak Prescott took over as the starting quarterback in 2016, Beasley and Cobb caught nearly 70% of all passes thrown towards them.

Now, new head coach Mike McCarthy will be looking for a replacement to Cobb and give Prescott another slot receiver to rely on. With former Texas wide receiver Devin Duvernay more than likely available in the later rounds of this year’s NFL Draft, he would make perfect sense in the Cowboys’ offense.

Firstly, from a size comparison, the two are eerily similar. Cobb comes in at 5 feet 10 inches and 192 pounds, while Duvernay is 5 feet 11 inches and 210 pounds. The former Longhorn is slightly bigger, but still fits the role of a typical slot wide receiver in the NFL.

Looking at their combine numbers, Duvernay has better numbers across the board than Cobb. Speed is an important factor, with Duvernay running a 4.39 40-yard dash, while Cobb ran a 4.46 out of college. The Longhorn also has bigger hands, a higher vertical jump, a faster 20-yard shuffle, and a longer broad jump.

What Duvernay does well on the field is catch passes and make people miss. In 2019, Duvernay had 106 receptions, most in the Big 12 and third-most in the entire country. In his junior season in 2018, Duvernay had 41 catches, including no drops.

Having at least six catches in all but one game last season (Alamo Bowl against Utah), Duvernay caught 10 or more passes against LSU, Oklahoma State, and Baylor. Anything quarterback Sam Ehlinger threw at him, Duvernay caught.

According to PFF College, nobody had more broken tackles when thrown a screen pass than Duvernay. His quickness and his shiftiness are what make him such an exciting prospect to many NFL teams.

Wide receiver is a glaring hole for the Cowboys and filling it through the Draft would be the smart route. Needing to spend early-round picks on other positions of need, Duvernay will be sitting there for Jerry Jones to take in the later rounds.

If he does end up in Dallas, he would be linking up with Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, Blake Jarwin, and Ezekiel Elliot as targets for Prescott. For a Cowboys offense that was ranked No. 1 last season, Duvernay could come in and make them even more prolific.

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Locked On Longhorns Podcast: Twitter Tuesday on St Patrick’s Day

Cami and Patrick return with a new episode of the Locked on Longhorns podcast where they discuss NFL Free agency and Sam Ehlinger.

Cami and Patrick take to Twitter once again in the latest Locked On Longhorns podcast episode. Is there a rivalry between defensive backs coach Jay Valai and Recruiting Coordinator Bryan Carrington? The duo jump into NFL Free Agency talk surrounding a particular former Longhorn.

Sam Ehlinger decided to return for his senior year, how has his progression been since stepping on campus in Austin. Patrick asks Trevor Sikkema of the Draft Network on what his ceiling is?

Plus we take your questions from Twitter, including which unit do we trust the most for the 2020 season?

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5 takeaways from the Bills’ trade for Stefon Diggs

The Bills made a bold move to acquire Stefon Diggs in a massive trade that can shake up the AFC.

The Buffalo Bills made a big splash in free agency via trade late Monday by acquiring former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver, Stefon Diggs. The new wide receiver is coming off a season where he averaged 17.9 yards per catch, caught six touchdowns, and amassed 1,130 yards on 63 catches.

Diggs was clearly unhappy in Minnesota, and got the move he wanted out and to Buffalo. There are plenty of variables going into this trade, but here some key things to note.

Here are five takeaways from the Bills’ trade for Stefon Diggs:

Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

Receiver depth

The Bills made strides in improving their receiver corp last offseason with the additions of John Brown and Cole Beasley. The two made instant impacts during their first season, but the receiving corp around them lacked. The pair combined for 1,838 receiving yards and 12 total touchdowns.

The rest of the Buffalo’s pass catchers, including running backs, (15) totaled 1,251 receiving yards and caught eight touchdowns. There was clearly room for improvement behind the pair of Beasley and Brown. The addition of Stefon Diggs will give Buffalo another option whether, it be downfield or in the slot. This sort of versatility can create a more dynamic, and unpredictable offense. Plus, it’s assumed that Diggs will be the No. 1 wideout on Buffalo’s depth chart. Brown put up 1,060 yards last season while Beasley had six touchdowns. Both of those were career-highs for them, and now they’re going to draw weaker defensive backs from opponents as Diggs will get all the attention.

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The Vikings trading Diggs gives Rick Spielman more room to move up or down in the NFL Draft

Sure, the Vikings lose Stefon Diggs, but the NFL Draft becomes a lot more interesting. Here are some options for the team.

The Vikings made headlines late Monday night, trading their star receiver away for multiple draft picks.

Stefon Diggs, once hero in the state for the Minneapolis Miracle, is on his way to Buffalo in exchange for the Bills first, fifth and sixth round picks in 2020 and a fourth-round pick in 2021. 

After his numerous cryptic tweets this offseason, Diggs is now officially out the door in Minnesota. This means the Vikings now have an even bigger hole to fill at the wide receiver position, but they also have 13 picks in the draft to address that need.

The combination of those 13 draft picks with the 2020 draft class being historically deep at the receiver position is good news for the Vikings. Not only is the class deeper than normal, but the Vikings have done a phenomenal job at finding talented receivers in the later rounds of the draft. 

Rick Spielman has been known for moving up and down the draft in the past and this draft shouldn’t be looked at any differently. If a player falls that the team has a high rating on, then don’t be surprised to see Spielman and company decide to jump on him.

On the other side of that, don’t be surprised if they decide to move back to acquire even more picks in this loaded draft class. Spielman has been known for moving back and getting more depth on his roster. This draft class will allow the team to move back and still have talented players available on day two and three of the draft. 

The receiver position is now a bigger need for the team, but they are also thin at cornerback, defensive line and offensive line. Trading Diggs isn’t the easiest pill to swallow for all Vikings fans, but now they have the draft stock needed to freshen up their roster.Â