Tag: robert hunt

The ‘what I would do’ Lions mock draft for 2020

The ‘what I would do’ Lions mock draft for 2020 from Lions Wire’s Jeff Risdon

We’ve all seen the mock draft projections about what everyone thinks will happen. For this edition, I’m stripping away the reality component. This one is all about what I want.

In this version, I’m grabbing my bat and pretending I’m Bob Quinn, lording over the teleconference and calling the shots from what serves as Allen Park for the weekend.

I’m not reinventing the Lions here. This is a draft designed with Matt Patricia as the coach in mind, because if I’m really Bob Quinn I know that if Patricia can’t get it done, I’m looking for a new job with him.

1st round: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State

Joe Burrow and Chase Young are off the board as the Lions go on the clock. My goal here would be to try and trade back a handful of spots and still land the best remaining player on the board, Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah. I’m not trading back any farther than what I perceive to be the lowest I can still get Okudah, which is probably the 6-7 overall range.

I’d consider DTs Derrick Brown or Javon Kinlaw in a trade back, but it would have to be a great deal. Tristan Wirfs as a right tackle holds significant appeal in a move back as well. But Matt Patricia’s defense is built upon having great coverage above all else, and there hasn’t been a better CB prospect than Okudah in a long time.

To determine realistic player availability, I ran 10 simulations with The Draft Network’s machine. If a player was available at the pick five or more times, I considered him available. I ruled out all others. 

2nd round: A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa

Epenesa wins as a pass rusher on technique, power and football IQ. All are incredibly well-developed for his position already. Sounds like Trey Flowers, eh? Imagine having two bookends on either a 3- or 4-man front that can win inside or outside thanks to their power-to-speed style and versatile ability.

The one area where Patricia has really implemented being “multiple” on defense is on the line. Epenesa is a perfect piece to add to that front. He’s ready right out of the box and upgrades the pass rush significantly.

3rd round: Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado

Shenault is a top-25 player on my personal big board. Landing a younger, faster version of Anquan Boldin in the third round is a no-brainer. Shenault has some legit durability concerns, but his ability to win short over the middle bit also deep down the sideline definitely make him worth the risk at the third pick of the third round.

3rd round: Robert Hunt, OL, Louisiana

Hunt plays tackle like a street fighter with a 2 x 4, nasty and powerful and intimidating. He’s 6-5 and 336 but he can move well and has good balance. Hunt played tackle in college and could in a pinch for Detroit, but his NFL home is at right guard. He should be a very good one right away.

4th round: Darrynton Evans, RB, Appalachian State

I profiled Evans earlier this offseason and still strongly believe he’s a perfect fit for the Lions offense. I’m not even considering a running back before this point, and the quality of RBs still on the board here justifies it.

5th round: Lynn Bowden, WR, Kentucky

Another versatile weapon, Bowden is a quicker-than-fast wideout who also happens to be very fast. The ability to make defenders look incompetent in space is something he does very well, and he can do it from the slot or out of the backfield. Bowden takes over the J.D. McKissic role and brings the upside of taking over for Danny Amendola as the slot receiver in 2021 and beyond.

5th round: Raequan Williams, DT, Michigan State

Williams can play the nose tackle position as either a 0- or 1-tech and play it very well. He can 2-gap but will really thrive at soaking up blocks and freeing the LBs to fly around and make plays. Williams is a powerful tackler on the interior with some ability to bull-rush and collapse the pocket from the inside.

6th round: Bryce Huff, EDGE, Memphis

Huff made the cut as the sixth-rounder in the previous “A pass rusher for every round” and I still like the fit. I prefer to roll the dice on high-upside athletes more than high-floor pluggers in the final two rounds. Huff could be an impactful situational rusher right away. Just as easily he could be on three different practice squads by the end of 2021. In the sixth round, I’ll buy that lottery ticket.

7th round: Nathan Rourke, QB, Ohio

My draft, my choices, my quarterback. I’m a proud Ohio Bobcat and watched Rourke do great things as a dual-threat passer in Athens. He’s smart, accurate on the move and can unleash the deep ball. I envision Rourke in Detroit the way the Saints have deployed Taysom Hill, a backup QB who can get on the field on special teams and as a gadget player. “Air Canada” is worth the bottom-of-draft flyer.

10 potential targets for Cardinals in the 3rd round of the draft

The Cardinals have one selection on Day 2 as of right now – pick 72 in Round 3. Here are ten players they could look to select.

The NFL Draft is finally upon us this week. While there has been a lot of talk about what Arizona could do at pick 8, how about at pick 72?

This player could also play a big role in this upcoming season, even if they aren’t a full-time starter.

Here are 10 players that could make sense for the Cardinals.

Zack Moss, RB, Utah

 Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona has shown quite a bit of interest in Moss, having a FaceTime visit with him and spent time with him at the combine. He makes some sense in Round 3. He’s not a back that fits every system, but would make for a good one-two punch with Kenyan Drake.

Moss would bring a bigger body to the backfield room, but not only that, he would bring a surprising amount of elusiveness and ability to cause miss tackles. Those traits are what led him to be PFF’s number one ranked running back.

Moss finished 2019 with 1,416 yards for the Utes to go along with 28 catches out of the backfield and 17 total TDs.

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5 interior offensive linemen Bears should target in 2020 NFL Draft

It might a weak interior linemen class, but there are some prospects that would be good fits for the Bears.

Offensive line is no doubt one of the biggest roster concerns for the Bears. While the Bears brought in offensive linemen Germain Ifedi and Jason Spriggs during free agency, it wouldn’t be a surprise for the Bears to target a guard in the draft.

With a starting right guard spot up for grabs, Chicago figures to be in the market for a young guard. But while the offensive tackle class is a deep one, the same can’t be said for the interior linemen. With that said, there are some prospects that would be good fits for Chicago.

Let’s take a look at five offensive guards the Bears should target in the NFL Draft:

1. Cesar Ruiz, Michigan

AP Photo/Carlos Osorio

Ruiz is arguably the best interior lineman in this draft class, and he’d be an immediate contributor for the Bears. While Ruiz has lined up at center for the last two seasons with the Wolverines, he’s capable of playing either left or right guard. Ruiz’s combination of athleticism, skills and technique make him a player that should develop into a solid interior lineman at the professional level.

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Scouting breakdown: The 11 best interior offensive linemen in the NFL draft

Tackles get the attention, but interior offensive linemen are critical. Who are the 11 best interior line prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft?

Sure, offensive tackles grab the headlines, and prospects that have a chance to be drafted on the edge of the offensive line want to make that stick in the NFL. Because that is going to translate to a bigger contract when it is time for your second deal in the league.

But there are only two tackle spots up front, and three in the interior line. Yes, perhaps guards and centers are devalued a bit come draft time, as well as in free agency, but study Tom Brady sometime and ask yourself this: What bothers him more, pressure off the edge, or pressure in the interior?

Guards and centers matter schematically. So you better have some good ones. Teams looking to address these positions would be wise to keep these eleven players in mind.

1. Cesar Ruiz, IOL, Michigan

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Height: 6’3″ Weight: 307
40-Yard Dash: 5.08 seconds
Bench Press: 28 reps
Vertical Jump: 33 inches
Broad Jump: 9 feet 6 inches
3-Cone Drill: 7.91 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.64 seconds
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A

Bio: Cesar Ruiz was the top center prospect in the country coming out of IMG Academy, and had no list of suitors. Ruiz joined IMG Academy after starting his high school career in Camden, growing up in a very tough neighborhood. Almost 30 schools gave Ruiz a scholarship offer, including Florida, Auburn and North Carolina, but he chose to play for Michigan.

Ruiz was pressed into action early, starting in Week 10 of his freshman year and finishing the season as the Wolverines’ starting right guard. He was moved to center for the 2018 season and started every game for Michigan that season. He locked down that spot for the Wolverines again last season.

Ruiz’s story is also one of personal tragedy. His father passed away in December of 2007, when Cesar was only eight years old. His father, Cesar Edwin Ruiz, had pulled over to the side of the road to help another driver with a flat tire. A driver then collided with both the elder Ruiz and the stranded motorist, killing Ruiz’s father. It was two years later that Ruiz turned to the sport of football, putting him on a path towards the NFL. As he told the media during the Scouting Combine, everything he does, he does with his father on his mind.

Stat to Know: Ruiz allowed just three sacks on 2,116 snaps while at Michigan.

Strengths: Ruiz is a versatile offensive lineman, given his experience at both guard and center. On film he displays good lateral quickness with fast hands, and he is usually the first to initiate contact in pass protection and starts with the advantage as a result. His athleticism is something to behold, as his impressive 20-yard shuttle (95th percentile) illustrates. He is quick when asked to long pull to the outside, and shows the athleticism, footwork and vision to consistently climb to the second level and take on linebackers.

In pass protection, Ruiz is extremely aware, constantly scanning for loopers or twisters and if uncovered, he is always looking for work. He displays good awareness and recognition of blitzers, whether early or late in the snap, and he is adept at handling/passing off interior stunts and twists. He also maintains control of the situation when a defensive lineman attempts a secondary pass rushing move, and is able to counter those attempts with ease. He also fights hard to maintain his anchor, or reanchor his base, against slanting bull rushers who have a leverage advantage pre-snap.

Ruiz is also a finisher. He will block his assignment until the whistle – or a little longer if he wants to – and loves to get his guy to the turf. Ruiz does a solid job of continuing to chug his feet post-contact, leading to his reputation as a finisher. He also has what you can describe as textbook “secondary” technique. For example on some zone running schemes he uses a rip technique of his own to counter the initial contact from the defender and get himself to the outside.

Weaknesses: Ruiz tends to drop his eyes before contact, which leads to some whiffs either at the point of contact or in space when he is pulling or working to the outside on a zone running design. There are questions about his athleticism, and therefore his ability to fit in a zone-heavy scheme, but on film he displayed to me the athleticism and technique to operate in such an offense.

Conclusion: Ruiz has the experience, athleticism, strength and mental approach to be a stout interior offensive lineman in any NFL system. He uses his hands and feet well, he wants to finish plays on every snap, he is always looking for work and fights to the whistle every chance he gets. Set to turn 21 this summer, the sky could be the limit for this Michigan offensive lineman.

Comparison: Pro Football Focus compared him to Maurkice Pouncey, and that seems apt given what Ruiz offers as a prospect. There are some flaws but he is a very complete player.

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Tennessee Titans showing interest in Louisiana OL Robert Hunt

Robert Hunt has met with the Titans virtually.

The Tennessee Titans have some holes left to fill ahead of the 2020 NFL season, with the offensive line among the units that need addressing.

The team has taken advantage of this time in the offseason to explore doing that through the 2020 NFL Draft and is showing interest in prospects like offensive tackle, Robert Hunt.

Hunt had pre-draft FaceTime meetings with the Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals, in addition to the Titans.

The Titans are seeking to fill the void left by departed right tackle Jack Conklin, and Hunt could be a guy they bring in to be the long-term solution at the position.

The 6-foot-5, 323-pound lineman started all 13 games at left guard as a redshirt freshman, and split time between left guard and left tackle in the following season.

He played right tackle for the entirety of the 2018 season, and was voted to second-team all-conference.

Hunt only played in seven games of his senior season due to injury, but still earned first-team All-SBC honors for his performance at right tackle.

The Louisiana product projects to be a Day 2 pick in the upcoming draft.

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Philadelphia Eagles have pre-draft meeting with Louisiana-Lafayette OT Robert Hunt

Philadelphia Eagles have a pre-draft meeting with OT Robert Hunt

The Philadelphia Eagles are preparing to land a stud wide receiver in the NFL Draft but depth for the league’s best offensive line must be addressed next week as well.

The Birds lost Jason Peters and Halapoulivaati Vaitai in free agency but will have 2019 first-round pick Andre Dillard to take over the reins at left tackle.

With Brandon Brooks returning from injury, Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson a year older, the Eagles could start to look for reinforcements along the offensive line.

According to the Draft Wire, the Eagles held a virtual predraft meeting with Louisiana-Lafayette offensive tackle Robert Hunt.

The 6-foot-5, 323 pound Hunt has experience at guard and was a four-year starter for the Ragin’ Cajuns, but he’s raw and must improve his footwork if he wants to become a competent starter in the NFL.

2020 NFL Draft player comps that matter: Silver screen edition

Hollywood gets football right. From “The Program” to “Rudy” football movies inspire. What comparisons be found in the 2020 NFL Draft?

Player comparisons are an inevitability in every draft evaluation process. Some find them useful, others think they’re useless. But they give people a good general thumbnail of a prospect’s traits and attributes.

That said, we’re going a bit outside the box with these comparisons. Here, we align 2020 draft prospects with their fictional football doppelgangers.

Joe Burrow: Jonathan Moxon, Varsity Blues

(Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)

Joe Burrow is regarded by most as the complete quarterback in this draft class, and almost a lock to be the first player drafted when the NFL Draft begins.

Jonathan Moxon, however, was a backup. The caddy to Lance Harbor, the All-State quarterback with a scholarship waiting for him at Florida State. While Harbor was throwing touchdown passes all over the field for the West Canaan Coyotes and making the student body swoon with interesting pep rally speeches, Moxon was waiting on the sidelines, reading “Slaughterhouse-Five” instead of his playbook on Friday nights.

But when Harbor goes down due to a brutal knee injury, Moxon gets his chance. One of the things he installs in the new Coyotes offense in the movie’s critical final game – an offense he tried to install earlier, much to the chagrin of old school coach Bud Kilmer – is Mississippi Valley State’s “Oop-de-oop” offense. A five-receiver system that as Moxon points out, has MVS averaging over 44 points per game. Of course, it leads to Kilmer delivering a rather amazing comparison in this clip (which, by the way, is not exactly safe for work, but since you are likely working from home, just make sure the kids are in another room):

Now, it is important to remember for this comparison not that Burrow was an afterthought in the Ohio State quarterback room, which led to his transfer to LSU, but rather the offense that Burrow ran last season. Under Joe Brady, the LSU Tigers were predominantly a five-man protection scheme. Very similar, in that regard, to that vaunted Mississippi Valley State offense. That made Burrow responsible for the sixth man in any potential defensive pressure scheme. What does that look like on film?

That is going to have Burrow ready for whatever he will face in the pros.

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Bills have pre-draft meeting with Robert Hunt

Buffalo Bills have 2020 NFL pre-draft meeting with offensive lineman Robert Hunt.

The Buffalo Bills are certainly looking into their long-term options along the offensive line.

The Bills are returning all their starters in the trenches from last season, but the team has still had several pre-draft meetings with offensive line prospects. The latest is Louisiana-Lafayette’s Robert Hunt, according to Draft Wire:

While not a Power Five lineman, Hunt is certainly experienced as a four-year starter in college. He does have some versatility in that experience, playing guard early in his career, and later playing tackle for the majority of last season. Hunt also played on both sides of the offensive line.

The 6-foot-5, 323 pounder also got a familiar comparison by NFL.com‘s draft analyst Lance Zierlein. He compared Hunt to current Bills right tackle Cody Ford. Draft Wire also reported that Hunt and the Bills had a meeting at the recent 2020 NFL Combine.

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Bears held pre-draft meeting with Louisiana-Lafayette OT Robert Hunt

Bears GM Ryan Pace figures to consider drafting an offensive lineman with one of Chicago’s 2nd-round picks.

The Chicago Bears have no shortage of roster needs heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, especially when it comes to the offensive side of the ball.

You figure general manager Ryan Pace will be considering drafting an offensive lineman with one of Chicago’s second-round picks. And they have certainly been doing their homework on offensive linemen.

The Bears recently held a pre-draft meeting with Louisiana-Lafayette offensive tackle Robert Hunt over FaceTime, according to Draft Wire’s Justin Melo.

While the Bears are financially committed to left tackle Charles Leno Jr. and right tackle Bobby Massie in 2020, this draft presents itself as a chance to build toward the future.

Hunt played most of his collegiate career at right tackle, and he’d be a great developmental player that could be groomed to replace Massie should Chicago decide to part ways with him.

But the Bears are also looking for a right guard, and CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards has mentioned that Hunt was garnering some interest as an interior lineman at the NFL Scouting Combine.

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Report: Patriots have met with top offensive line prospect

The New England Patriots have met with a prospect that could bolster their offensive line.

The New England Patriots are looking to improve every area on offense, and that includes the line. They have held meetings with several top offensive line prospects. Offensive lineman Robert Hunt has met with the organization, according to Draft Wire.

Hunt was a four-year starter for the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns. He played the left guard position for his first two seasons before making the jump to right tackle in 2018.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic has him as the top guard in this year’s draft class. Hunt has allowed just two sacks and 11 total pressures over the last two seasons. He would certainly add depth to a New England line that is lacking bodies on the line at the moment.

One particular area of note is an injury that he suffered last season, one that caused him to miss the second half of the year. He did not work out at the NFL Scouting Combine

Hunt measures in at six-foot-five, 325 pounds. There could be additional help for the line on the way. The Patriots have two draft picks from last season that did not see the field. Hjalte Froholdt and Yodny Cajuste missed time last season with injuries. They should be able to have an opportunity to prove themselves once football resumes.

New England needs to rework the line as protection for the next quarterback is key. New England has been notorious for having some of the best offensive lines in football. Now with some veterans gone and others returning from injury, Bill Belichick is back to reevaluating talent for that positional group.

Hunt would be able to add additional size and blocking to the line. Depending on how the New England Patriots utilize their offense, addressing the line could be vital for the team’s future success.

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