Tag: Troy Franklin

Troy Franklin’s success acts as motivating factor for Ducks’ WR room

Oregon’s current generation of young receivers have a good legacy to look up to in Troy Franklin.

Troy Franklin was arguably the best wide receiver to ever play for the Oregon Ducks. For the current receivers on the roster, those who watched Franklin work up close and personal, the next step is trying to follow in his footsteps and continue his legacy.

The Ducks don’t have a long history of receivers getting selected early in the NFL draft, but that is something that Franklin will likey change this year, with some mocks projecting that he will be selected in the first or second rounds later this month. Being able to see that ultimate success bear out for someone who put in the work in Eugene is what wide receiver coach Junior Adams says is one of the biggest motivating factors for his current WR group.

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“A lot of those guys have been in the room with him and they saw him, they see now that the process works,” Adams said on Saturday. “They’ve seen someone in the same seat that they sit in that lived it on a day-to-day basis here in this organization and now have the opportunity that he has. Obviously, that’s going to be a really good example for those guys in the room.”

Besides Traeshon Holden, Tez Johnson, and Gary Bryant, the Oregon receiving corps is a fairly young group, but the talent is oozing out everywhere. The young Ducks saw what talent coupled with work ethic can do to opponents and set up a nice professional career, something Franklin is preparing for currently.

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Panthers trade down, select interesting WR prospect in newest ESPN mock draft

ESPN’s Field Yates gives the Panthers a relatively new name in his latest 2024 mock draft.

Maybe the Carolina Panthers aren’t done positioning themselves on this spring’s board.

ESPN insider Field Yates just mocked up a fresh set of two-round projections for the 2024 NFL draft. He begins the second round by shipping off Carolina’s first pick (33rd overall) to the Tennessee Titans, who use the deal to select Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson.

In exchange, the Panthers received a pair of fourth-rounders and the 38th overall selection—which they invest in Florida wideout Ricky Pearsall. Yates writes:

The interior offensive line and pass rush have been fortified through free agency, but the Panthers are still looking to beef up the receiver room for second-year quarterback Bryce Young. Pearsall — who had 965 yards last season — is an explosive, powerful pass-catcher with a wide catch radius.

Pearsall is not a name we’ve been used to seeing around these parts. Nonetheless, the 6-foot-1, 189-pound receiver could be the reliable and oft-open target head coach Dave Canales is looking to add.

What’s also interesting is that Yates opted for Pearsall over quite a few familiar prospects. Georgia’s Ladd McConkey, Florida State’s Keon Coleman and Oregon’s Troy Franklin were all left on the board when Pearsall was taken.

Yates then scoops up Iowa State cornerback T.J. Tampa for Carolina with the very next pick. With Donte Jackson now gone in the team’s trade for former Pro Bowler Diontae Johnson, the defense is still without a clear starter across from Jaycee Horn in the secondary.

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Oregon WR Troy Franklin in Cleveland ahead of the 2024 NFL draft

Franklin would add much needed verticality to the offense

The 2024 NFL draft is set to kick off in about three weeks, and the Cleveland Browns are hard at work finalizing their board. Wide receiver is near the top of the list of needs in a loaded class, and a top option, Oregon’s Troy Franklin, is in Cleveland around the time the Browns would be hosting prospects for a visit.

A post on Franklin’s Instagram suggests he was in Cleveland, presumably on a Top 30 predraft visit with the Browns. Franklin is undersized, but he brings a ton of speed and explosiveness to the table, which Cleveland could use more of at wide receiver. His ability to stretch the field vertically would help take the passing attack of Cleveland to a whole other level.

An underrated part of Franklin’s game is his route running. He has such reasonable body control, and he gets in and out of his breaks well. Franklin creates a good amount of separation and tracks the ball when it’s in the air so well. Having a player like this for Deshaun Watson, with all the other weapons, would be great for Browns fans in 2024.

2024 NFL Draft: Oregon WR Troy Franklin scouting report

Oregon receiver Troy Franklin can scald any defense in the deep third, and if he works a few things out, he’s a legitimate X-iso receiver in the NFL.

When Greg Cosell and I recently watched tape with Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, the one receiver who came up more often than any other in the plays we sorted was Troy Franklin. And for good reason — last season, Franklin caught 81 passes on 114 targets for 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns. More specifically (and key for his playing profile), Franklin caught 14 passes of 20 or more air yards on 25 targets for 558 yards and seven touchdowns, and that’s what his game is about — deep speed, and understanding how to use it to tear a pass defense apart.

In today’s NFL, it’s all about creating and defending explosive plays. Franklin is more than adept at creating them, and if you’re trying to defend him… well, good luck. Franklin has a few things to work out before he’ll be able to realize his full NFL potential, but it’s hard not to be excited about what he brings to the field.

PLUSES

— Oregon ran a ton of hi/lo concepts last season, and Franklin proved to be one of the NCAA’s best receivers when taking the top off a defense on post/go/over routes.

— Gliding vertical speed with a discernible extra gear to get to the deep ball.

— Has a great understanding of how and when to slip into voids in zone coverage.

— Speed cuts are immediate and nasty; Franklin can leave a cornerback high and dry with one simple move.

MINUSES

— Nine drops last season, and a lot of them were on simple screens, slants, and comebacks. He’ll need to get his eyes and hands together at the next level.

— Contested catches are hit-and-miss; he’ll lose a 50/50 battle for every one he wins.

— YAC ability is more about winning in the open field than breaking tackles with physicality.

— Could use a bit more suddenness against press coverage from the snap; he’s certainly got all the speed necessary to blow by cornerbacks in the open field, but they’ll stick with him off the line.  The 14-yard catch against Washington State below is the ideal example of how he could win vs. press more often.

Franklin is a top receiver if you understand exactly what he is at this point in his development, and where he still needs work. With some time in the weight room and work on focus drops, he has WR1 potential with X-iso attributes. For now, put him in a heavy 3×1/2×2 offense and watch him work the deep third to your team’s advantage.

Over half-dozen Ducks selected in latest 7-round mock draft from ESPN

According to the latest mock draft from ESPN, seven Ducks will be selected in the NFL selection process in April.

The NFL draft is less than a month away and we can then see how accurate, or inaccurate, all of the mock drafts are.

To be fair, most are fairly accurate and in the latest mock draft from ESPN, more than a half-dozen Oregon Ducks are expected to be selected.

Writer Matt Miller has turned in his best guess of how the NFL selection process will go and the first Duck to be picked will be quarterback Bo Nix to the Las Vegas Raiders, with the No. 13 overall pick in the first round.

Miller says Nix would “give the Raiders’ offense the dual-threat aspect it needs for new coordinator Luke Getsy. The Raiders could also be in play for a right tackle or wide receiver at this spot after being quiet on the offensive side of the ball in free agency.”

Speaking of receivers, the Ducks had a good one with Troy Franklin and he would go to Detroit at pick No. 61. For an offensive-oriented team with a quarterback like Jared Goff, the Lions would be a great place for Franklin.

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But before Franklin is picked in the second round, Oregon would see someone get to go on stage and shake Commissioner Roger Goodell’s hand and that would be Duck center Jackson Powers-Johnson at No. 20 to Pittsburgh. He would be snapping the ball to their new signal-caller Russell Wilson.

In the third round, defensive back Khyree Jackson would be heading to the nation’s capital and play for the Commanders as selection No. 78. Ten spots later, defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus goes to Green Bay at No. 88.

To round out the draft for Oregon, a pair of Ducks go to Baltimore. Running back Bucky Irving would be picked in the fourth round at No. 130, and defensive back Evan Williams joins him as a seventh-round selection at No. 228.

The draft gets underway less than a month from now on April 25th.

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2024 NFL draft: Texans take a 2nd-round WR in new mock

The Houston Texans had a need a wide receiver and grab one of the best in the 2024 draft with their first pick in the second round.

The Houston Texans won’t make a selection until Day 2 of the NFL draft after the team traded away its No. 23 overall to the Minnesota Vikings. While a trade back into the first round isn’t out of the question, the Texans will have to wait until the No. 42 pick before adding a new young player to their team.

There are a few different directions Houston can go down in the second round, which will be entirely dependent on how the draft board falls.

Defensive tackle is a huge need after Sheldon Rankins left in free agency and the Texans traded away Maliek Collins. Wide receiver is another option after the attempted trade for Keenan Allen. Cornerback remains an issue, too, despite the addition of two former 2020 first-round picks to pair with Derek Stingley.

The Athletic did a post-free agency mock draft and while the Texans didn’t trade into the first round, Houston did add a speedy wide receiver with the No. 42 pick for C.J. Stroud. The Texans drafted Oregon wideout Troy Franklin to play alongside Nico Collins and Tank Dell on offense.

From reporter Mike Jones:

“Arming Stroud with another weapon should rank among the Texans’ priorities. Franklin, who had 81 catches for 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior at Oregon, would give him another speedy receiver (4.41 40) who is a precise route runner and possesses good size at 6-2, 176”

Franklin and Dell would be an impressive 1-2 speed punch, while Collins proved to be one of the best receivers in the NFL in 2023. However, Franklin isn’t necessarily the type of receiver the Texans need for their offense.

When Houston tried to trade for Keenan Allen, it was reportedly that Texans were looking for a possession receiver in the mold of Allen who could catch passes in the middle of the field. That’s not necessarily Franklin’s skillset, although he was the best receiver left on the board after Adonai Mitchell and Ladd McConkey went earlier in the mock draft.

The Texans have a need a receiver, though, so the pick isn’t inherently a mistake. We’ll see which direction general manager Nick Caserio goes down in a little more than a month.

2024 NFL draft: Colts met with Troy Franklin at Oregon pro day

The Colts met with Troy Franklin ahead of Oregon’s pro day.

The Indianapolis Colts reportedly met with wide receiver Troy Franklin ahead of Oregon’s pro day this week.

Franklin is considered a fringe first-round pick and profiles as a potentially successful deep threat at the NFL level. The Colts reportedly were among a few teams to meet with him ahead of the pro day, per Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.

Franklin broke out during the 2023 season as one of Oregon’s most productive players overall. In 13 games, he recorded 81 receptions for 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 17.1 yards per catch.

Though he weighed in a bit light at the NFL combine (176 pounds), he weighed in at 183 pounds at Oregon’s pro day. He also logged a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash and a 39-inch vertical.

The Colts are going to be in the market for a wide receiver during the draft, and Franklin’s trump card as a deep threat is likely going to intrigue the front office in some capacity.

It seems unlikely that they would use the No. 15 overall pick on Franklin, but there is a chance he could be in the mix in the event Chris Ballard trades back during the first night of the draft.

Adding a vertical threat to Shane Steichen’s offense is one of the priorities of the offseason so this should be something to keep an eye on over the next month leading up to the draft.

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2024 NFL Mock Draft: Trades for QBs shake up Round 1; Ravens retool offensive line

We’re looking at an updated three round NFL mock draft for all 32 teams after the first wave of free agency

The Ravens are still in the crux of a potential Super Bowl window. Still, they’ll look drastically different on both sides of the football after undergoing massive changes to player personnel and the coaching staff. Eric DeCosta started the off-season with urgency, signing Justin Madubuike, one of the league’s best defensive linemen, to an extension. After inking Madubuike to a deal, Baltimore seemed to win the first wave of the free agency period after getting Derrick Henry for two years and $16 million. The talented running back could earn $20 million throughout the deal. All wasn’t perfect, as the Ravens suffered significant free-agent losses. Patrick Queen (Steelers), Geno Stone (Bengals), and Gus Edwards (Chargers) were among eight free agents to sign elsewhere. Baltimore also traded Morgan Moses to the Jets and released Tyus Bowser in a cost-cutting move. With the second wave of free agency set to begin, we’re looking at an updated three-round mock draft.

Jets send five club reps to Oregon Pro Day Tuesday

The Jets will have several team reps on site for the Oregon Pro Day on Tuesday.

The New York Jets are making their presence felt in Eugene, Oregon on Tuesday as the team sent five club members to Oregon Pro Day.

Per Jim Nagy of the Senior Bowl, the Jets will be helping position workouts at quarterback, wide receiver, defensive line and defensive back.

While it’s unlikely the Jets land quarterback Bo Nix in the draft, wide receiver Troy Franklin, running back Bucky Irving, offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson, defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus and defensive backs Khyree Jackson and Evan Williams could very well be on their boards.

This comes on the heels of the Jets having a presence in Corvallis, Oregon Monday for Oregon State’s Pro Day, namely offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga, a very strong candidate to be the selection at No. 10 for the Jets.

The Bears show loads of interest in offensive prospects at Oregon’s pro day

All 32 NFL teams were at Oregon’s pro day workouts, but nobody sent more coaches than the Chicago Bears

Tuesday’s top collegiate pro day was in Eugene for the Oregon Ducks workouts. All 32 NFL teams were in attendance, though some were represented more heavily than others.

No team sent more resources and high-level personnel to the Ducks pro day than the Chicago Bears. Specifically, the Bears had six members of their staff in Eugene to check out the plethora of prospects.

Per Jim Nagy of the Senior Bowl, the Bears dispatched head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron were there for the festivities. Other sources on the ground indicate new Chicago WR coach Chris Beatty was in attendance. Offensive line coach Chris Morgan was also there, a day after he witnessed Oregon State standout Taliese Fuaga at the Beavers’ pro day.

Among the Ducks prospects they got to watch, listed in expected order of draft selection:

IOL Jackson Powers-Johnson

QB Bo Nix

WR Troy Franklin

RB Bucky Irving

CB Khyree Jackson

DT Popo Aumavae