Tag: Skyy Moore

Lions check out Skyy Moore, Kaleb Eleby at Western Michigan pro day

Western Michigan has a few prospects that could interest the Lions in the 2022 NFL draft class

Even with the free agent frenzy kicking off on Monday, the Detroit Lions continued to do their due diligence for the 2022 NFL draft. The Lions had multiple personnel on the scene in Kalamazoo for Western Michigan’s pro day for Broncos prospects.

Western Michigan has two prominent prospects for 2022: WR Skyy Moore and QB Kaleb Eleby. Moore is a 5-11 dynamo who can play inside or outside. He did not work out, choosing to keep his NFL scouting combine workout numbers. But Moore did run routes and catch passes from Eleby.

The quarterback did do workout drills, unofficially timed at 4.84 by one scout in attendance in the 40-yard dash. His exit velocity on throws stood out, and the passing drills reinforced the strong accuracy he showed on game tape.

Moore is generally projected in the second or third round, while Eleby gets slotted a couple of rounds later.

Two other Broncos to watch for Lions fans are likely undrafted free agents. EDGE Ali Fayad bagged 13 sacks in 2022 and has some good finishing power. He weighed in at just 248 pounds and did not have a great workout, however (32-inch vertical, 4.82 40-yard dash per one scout).

Offensive lineman Mike Caliendo was a five-year starter with experience at both guard and center. He thrived during the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and has the intelligence and strength in the run game to merit a priority free agency look from Detroit.

 

Colts’ pre-free agency 7-round mock draft

Before free agency starts, here’s a 7-round mock draft for the Colts.

Monday marks the start of the legal tampering period, which means the Indianapolis Colts will unofficially begin negotiating with players set to become free agents when the new league year begins on Wednesday.

What better time to do a mock draft than just before everything will change in a few days?

The Colts lead the NFL in salary-cap space but that won’t change their plans of building through the draft. It’s a core concept that general manager Chris Ballard believes is the key to sustained success even if the Colts have struggled to stay consistent in recent seasons.

How free agency goes will undoubtedly determine how the draft goes. We still have no idea who the quarterback will be and that may change the entire landscape of the draft for the Colts. Fortunately, the Colts added a few more picks after trading away Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders.

But we’ll still do our best with what we know entering Monday’s offseason mile marker.

As the Colts enter free agency, here’s a seven-round mock draft using Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator:

6 risers and fallers from WR workouts at the NFL combine

The Saints are sure to be watching wide receivers at the combine. Chris Olave and Christian Watson helped themselves, while others took a tumble, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

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The NFL scouting combine kicked off Thursday night with wide receivers, quarterbacks, and tight ends taking center stage. It was the wideout group that stole the show with blazing 40 times and impressive showings of athleticism. While some pass catchers might have driven their stock up, others could their names slip down early boards after the first night of action. Either way, the New Orleans Saints are sure to be keeping a close eye on this class, so here are seven risers and fallers among the wide receiver group

Winners, Losers from WR, TE workouts at 2022 scouting combine

Day 1 of the combine allowed the Cowboys to get their eyes on TE and WR prospects. Tyler Browning (@DiabeticTyler) looks at who exceeded or failed to live up to expectations.

Every year NFL Draft prospects and teams gather in Indianapolis, Indiana for the NFL combine. The combine is a crucial part of the evaluating process in which teams get to interview players who weren’t at any of the all-star games, and get to see various players perform in on-the-field workouts. On the first day of on-the-field workouts, quarterbacks, tight ends, and wide receivers performed as well as all other positions getting their official measurements.

This is an integral part of the process, as colleges routinely fudge the weights and heights of their players in order to make them seem more intimidating. So who saw their stock rise after weigh-ins? Who out of the quarterbacks, tight ends, and wide receivers performed well enough to be the talk of Indianapolis after Day 1? Let’s talk about that.

7 takeaways from the top QB, WR, TE performances at NFL Combine

2022 #NFLCombine recap: 7 takeaways from the top QB, WR, TE performances at Lucas Oil Stadium #NFLDraft2022 #Olave #GarrettWilson #MalikWillis #TyquanThorton

The NFL Combine got off to a blazing start on Thursday night when the quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends took the field for the workout portion of events at Lucas Oil Field.

Fans, scouts, coaches, executives, and insiders were on hand to watch guys like Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett, Sam Howell, Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and others put on an aerial display that should shake up many NFL draft boards around the league.

Here are seven takeaways from the first night.

5 Chargers targets who stood out on Day 1 of NFL Scouting Combine: Wide receivers

Highlighting five wide receivers who stood out on the first day of the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine.

The first day of on-field workouts at the Senior Bowl did not disappoint. The wide receivers, especially, put on a show at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN, as they went through the crucial stage of testing in the NFL draft process.

Here are five pass-catchers who increased their stock with eye-opening demonstrations of athleticism.

Christian Watson, North Dakota State

The 6-4, 208-pound weapon from North Dakota State was unguardable at the Senior Bowl, flashing elite short-area quickness, dependable hands, and keen ball tracking skills. He continued his success with a freakish performance in the preliminary drills at the Combine, recording a 38.5” vertical leap and 11.4” broad jump. Then Watson ran an unofficial 4.28-second 40-yard dash, which was later corrected to 4.36. That’s still blazing fast for a receiver of his size.

According to Next Gen Stats, Watson is just one of three receivers standing 6-4 or above to record an athleticism score over 90 in the model since 2003. Watson’s draft stock continues its meteoric rise as his dominance in each task proves that out of all the tasks thrown at him, there is nothing he can’t do at a high level.

Chris Olave, Ohio State

A contender for the title as the best route runner in his class, Olave confirmed his stature as a 6-foot receiver and the silky route running style that earned him canyons of separation at Ohio State. Olave recorded the most surprising 40-yard dash time of the group, initially flying to a 4.26 before its amendment to 4.36. The result should make NFL scouts and evaluators feel better about his top-end speed and abilities as a vertical threat.

Bo Melton, Rutgers

Crafty releases and quickness popped in Melton’s tape at Rutgers and he brought his bag with him to the Senior Bowl, earning him a label as one the draft’s most underrated pass catchers. Melton torched the 40-yard dash with two times in the 4.3 range, with his second attempt confirmed at 4.34 seconds. Melton also had a 38” vertical jump, which ranked among the top 10 receivers that tested at the Combine. He should be firmly on the radar of evaluators now.

Calvin Austin III, Memphis

At the Senior Bowl, Austin illustrated that his size as a 5-7, 170-pound receiver are just ornamental numbers. Cornerbacks failed to touch him off the line and allowed Austin to slash his way to an electrifying performance in the three days of 1-on-1 matchups with rapid foot fire, snappy cuts, and overall elusiveness throughout his route. The Combine was another stop for Austin to stick it to the underestimators, which he accomplished in the form of a 39” vertical and 4.32-second 40-yard dash (third-fastest among this year’s receivers). The former Memphis walk-on’s history of overcoming obstacles he has met in his football journey carries on.

Skyy Moore, Western Michigan

Moore has been shooting up draft boards in recent weeks as his ball skills, instincts, and toughness after the catch earned him supporters. Despite measurements at 5-10 and 195 pounds, Moore ran a 4.41 40-yard dash. His natural catching ability and mid-flight adjustments were on display in the forthcoming drills while the gauntlet exercise verified the sturdiness of his massive 10.25” mitts, which enveloped the ball. A strong showing in Indy might have solidified his bid for a Day 2 selection.

Receiver standouts from the first day of scouting combine drills

These receivers did the most to improve their draft stock during Thursday’s scouting combine drills.

If you like speedy receivers, the 2022 scouting combine is for you. Before this combine, the record for receivers running official sub-4.4 40-yard dashes was seven. In this class, a full 14 ran unofficial sub-4.4 40-yard dashes, and while that number will drop when the times become official, the speed on the track at Lucas Oil Stadium was obvious.

Of course, there’s more to the position than running in a straight line. NFL evaluators will tell you that the tape tells you at least 80% of the story, and bowl games and postseason activities (combine, pro days) rack up the remainder. But from a pure traits perspective, here are the receivers who helped themselves the most at the 2022 scouting combine.

4 mid-round slot WRs Titans should watch at NFL combine

We know the big names, but who are some lesser-known WRs the Titans should be watching at the 2022 NFL Combine?

It’s safe to say that the Tennessee Titans will have an interest in selecting a wide receiver in the 2022 NFL draft. Last season revealed the ugly truth of how anemic the Titans’ offense can be without A.J. Brown and Julio Jones in the lineup.

While both returned to the lineup in the playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Jones turned 33 last month and is coming off two injury-plagued seasons in a row.

Tennessee has a number of wide receivers set to become free agents; however, none are likely to fill the void at the slot receiver position.

There figures to be plenty of high-end wide receiver talent available at the 26th overall pick in the draft, but should the Titans decide to wait until the third round to grab a much-needed slot receiver, here are four the team could target that they should be watching at this week’s NFL Scouting Combine.

Texans should keep tabs on Western Michigan WR Skyy Moore at the combine

If the Houston Texans want a younger receiver to add to their corps, Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore has to be a consideration.

The Houston Texans need help all along their roster throughout the offseason.

One area where the Texans could get decent value in the draft is at receiver.

According to Mark Schofield of the Touchdown Wire, Western Michigan receiver Skyy Moore is one of 11 prospects worth watching at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

Moore is a fascinating study on film. Many will look at him from a size standpoint and have him pegged as a pure slot receiver in the NFL, but the Broncos aligned him all over the field, and was set up on the boundary for almost 70% of his snaps for Western Michigan this past season, according to charting data.

As such, he has an impressive release package, including a hand swipe/chop move to beat press-aligned defenders at the snap. His experience against press, even coming out of the MAC, will have some teams intrigued. It is hard to get past a potential comparison to Julian Edelman, and view Moore as a receiver who can play out of the slot, but is not a slot-exclusive receiver. How he tests in Indianapolis will also start to fill out the picture of how he is viewed by teams, and how he can be used at the next level.

Danny Amendola was the Texans’ slot receiver in 2021, but given the fact he will turn 37 in the middle of next season, Houston could use a younger upgrade if available.

In Moore’s last season at Western Michigan, he caught 95 passes for 1,292 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The Texans have Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins, Phillip Dorsett, Jalen Camp, and Damon Hazelton under contract for 2022. Clearly wideout will be an area general manager Nick Caserio adds a few more pieces throughout the offseason.

Daniel Jeremiah identifies first-round prospects to land with Patriots

The list includes a top-tier linebacker and multiple highly-touted receivers for the Patriots to consider in the draft.

The New England Patriots will have to use the 2022 NFL Draft with precision and efficiency.

Bill Belichick doesn’t have the money to toss around like he did last offseason and the Patriots have some dire needs. Fortunately for the Patriots, Belichick had a great draft after selecting Mac Jones, Christian Barmore and Rhamondre Stevenson. He has the opportunity to build on that momentum with a draft that carries many players who would fit perfectly with the Patriots.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah discusses the draft and details the depth of really good players this year.

“I think this is a really good depth draft, especially when you get into the second, third, fourth round,” Jeremiah said. “There’s a lot of quality there, a lot of starters. I mean, I’ve said similar things in years past, but this year especially, the difference between the 15th player and the 60th player in this draft is very small, and teams are going to have these guys in all different orders.”

Jeremiah dives specifically into players that would fit with the Patriots.

“You can kind of identify — the teams I worked with, you kind of look at, okay, this is a Patriots’ type player,” he said. “What does that look like? Usually, it’s somebody that’s got some versatility, they’ve got outstanding football intelligence so they can be able to do different things, and they can handle volume because it’s an offense and a defense that morphs and changes all the time. Those types of players I think you can try and identify them in that way.”

Jeremiah’s first option to consider is Devin Lloyd, a versatile linebacker out of Utah. He has athleticism, quickness and agility that the Patriots desperately need.

“In terms of like the do-everything guys off the ball, on the edge, Devin Lloyd is my first choice there,” Jeremiah said. “He’s explosive. He’s not going to run as fast as Micah [Parsons] did, but he’s got length, he’s got instincts, he’s outstanding in pass coverage. Like if you watch the Stanford game, he’s got a pick six in that game that’s pretty cool.”

When it comes to receivers, Jeremiah pointed out two players who had excellent seasons in 2021.

“The two guys I would keep an eye on with that first-round pick who I think are going to probably come off the board right around there — now, I say that going into the combine know that — I’m talking about Chris Olave from Ohio State and Jahan Dotson from Penn State,” Jeremiah said. “Both these guys are going to run in the 4.3s, so they’re going to fly around in Indy, and maybe that helps elevate them up the board a little bit. But both those guys are pristine route runners with big time speed, and I think that would give them some play-making ability.

“Talk about Mac and the deep ball he was able to throw in college. He throws a beautiful touch deep ball. When you got guys that can get over the top, takeoffs, posts, double moves, things like that, that what’s Olave and Jahan Dotson can do.”

Jameson Willams is potentially the best receiver in the draft, but he tore his ACL in the National Championship Game. He still needs some time to recover, but he could be a steal in the draft position due to the injury.

“The other one in the first round, we’ll see what happens with Jameson Williams from Alabama, because in a world where he doesn’t get hurt, he’s a top-10 pick,” Jeremiah said. “But coming off of an ACL you would think there would be a full recovery there, and that could end up being — man, it could end up being a tremendous value for towards the bottom of the first round if he ends up sliding down there.”

A player who truly resembles a Patriots slot receiver is Skyy Moore out of Western Michigan.

“A couple other guys that I think are kind of like Patriot-type players, Skyy Moore from Western Michigan,” Jeremiah said. “Probably going to go in the second or third round, but he’s got some– maybe it’s just the Mac thing, but I saw some Antonio Brown traits from him when you studied him, minus some of the newer Antonio Brown info. But that dude with just eat cushion, he’s really dynamic and crisp. The Patriots love guys like that.”

Jeremiah went deep in the receiver class — which is necessary for a team with out a clearcut star at the position.

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