Tag: Troy Pride Jr.

Giants select Mekhi Becton, stock up in Draft Wire’s 7-round mock

In Draft Wire’s most recent seven-round mock draft, the New York Giants select OT Mekhi Becton and stock up at positions of need.

Now that the NFL has announced the compensatory draft picks for the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft, we can take mock drafts a little more seriously.

Luke Easterling of USA Today’s Draft Wire released his full seven-round mock draft on Wednesday. Here’s how he sees the New York Giants making out.

Round 1, Pick 4: Mekhi Becton, offensive tackle, Louisville

Taking Becton over Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons and Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs is going to disappoint many Giant fans. So is not trading back at No. 4 and still getting one of the three. But Becton is a monster of a prospect and should be a Pro Bowl-caliber left tackle n this league. It’s not the sexiest pick, but with a young quarterback and an offensive line that is in dire need of upgrades, I’ll take this pick all day long.

Round 2, Pick 36: Terrell Lewis, EDGE, Alabama

The Giants need to address the pass rush and their defensive end roles. Lewis is 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds and is seen as an ascending prospect who hopefully has put his injury woes behind him. He did not run the 40 at the Combine, so his pro day will tell more of the tale of where he is physically.

Round 3, Pick 99: Troy Pride Jr., cornerback,  Notre Dame

Highly productive college player with polish and should be able to walk right into the Giants’ secondary and secure a role. The Giants are young and inexperienced at corner and need some steady hands at the position.

Round 4, Pick 110: Brandon Jones, safety, Texas

Average skills and size but played aggressively. The Giants need more depth at safety with Jabrill Peppers coming off injury and Antoine Bethea turning 36 in July, a young safety is needed.

Round 5, Pick 150: Michael Divinity Jr., linebacker, LSU

Ran a 4.85 40 at the Combine and doesn’t appear to be more than backup material at first glance. Would’ve gone with another player here.

Round 6, Pick 183: Quartney Davis, wide receiver, Texas A&M

Probably coming out a year too early but that’s the nature of the games these days. Davis is fast (4.54 40) and productive and could be a sleeper the way Darius Slayton was last year.

Round 7, Pick 218: John Molchon, offensive lineman, Boise State

Pegged as in interior guy with decent size (6’5″, 310) but has short arms for his size. It may not matter if he can hold his own in the NFL. He was all-conference two years running in spite of that.

Round 7, Pick 238 (from NO): Rodney Smith, running back, Minnesota

A fifth-year senior, Smith was second-team All-Big 10 last year and was the 2016 Holiday Bowl MVP. The Giants are concerned with Saquon Barkley’s durability after last year’s ankle injury and are in the market for running backs.

Round 7, Pick 247: Harrison Hand, cornerback, Temple

Athletic Jersey kid who is worth taking a flier on. They need both depth in the secondary and on special teams and Hand might fit both roles.

Round 7, Pick 255: Trevis Gipson, defensive line, Tulsa

Still a developing talent, Gipson exploded last year at Tulsa with 15 tackles for loss and eight sacks with two forced fumbles in 11 starts. Doubtful he’s here to be taken with the Mr. Irrelevant pick.

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10 potential Eagles draft targets who impressed at the NFL Combine

10 potential Eagles draft targets who impressed at the NFL Combine

The 2020 NFL Combine is over and the now the Eagles will spend the next two months evaluating and scouting via tapes, interviews and pro days.

Philadelphia will utilize free agency to help retool the roster, but the future will be built via the draft, where the Eagles have the opportunity to land an impact wideout in the first round.

There were several players that impressed at Lucas Oil Field and with the Eagles having several holes to fill, here are 10 potential draft targets that raised their stock.

***

1. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU

LSU’s star wideout eliminated any doubts about his speed, running a 4.43-second 40-yard dash while excelling in the gauntlet and endzone fade drill.

Jefferson firmly entrenched himself in the first round with his performance and the Eagles could truly have a dynamic slot receiver.

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10 defensive backs for the Eagles to watch at the 2020 NFL Combine

NFL Combine 2020: 10 defensive backs for the Eagles to watch

The 2020 NFL Draft is fast approaching and with the Eagles looking to make changes up and down the roster, Howie Roseman and company could have a few surprises in store.

The Eagles have been linked to Henry Ruggs III and Tee Higgins for weeks now, but what if Howie Roseman believes in the depth at receiver in the draft and decides to lean another way in the first round?

The Eagles have several big needs and there’s been some discussion about a full-scale rebuild in the secondary.

Malcolm Jenkins wants a new contract, and Roseman has been transparent about both parties doing what’s best for both parties. Rodney McLeod is an unrestricted free agent along with cornerbacks Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby.

If the Eagles do choose to use a first or second-round pick on a defensive back, here are 10 defensive back options that make the most sense.

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1. Kristian Fulton — CB — LSU

With Jalen Mills set to hit free agency, the Eagles could replace the former LSU cornerback with one of the current Tiger greats.

Fulton made an immediate impact when thrown into the fire and over the past two seasons, he’s been the highest-graded cornerback in America, according to PFF.

Fulton is elite at the point of attack, as he owns the highest forced incompletion rate in the past two years, allowing just 23.7% of contested targets to be caught.

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How to watch the 2020 NFL Combine – DBs: Preview, date, time, live stream

The cornerbacks and safeties take the field at the 2020 NFL Combine. Here’s how you can watch the 2020 NFL Combine live stream drills

It’s the final day of the 2020 NFL Combine and after a flashy day for the defensive linemen and linebackers, the defensive backs are going to want to show off. You can catch the 2020 NFL Combine drills on FuboTV.

The next star cornerback or safety could very well be in this group. As could be a record-breaking 40-yard dash. Guys like Javaris Davis, Javelin Guidry and Troy Pride Jr. will all be looking to post the new fastest 40-yard dash in NFL Combine history, beating John Ross’ 4.22-second time from 2017.

While Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah is widely expected to be the first defensive back off the board in the 2020 NFL Draft, guys like CJ Henderson, Trevon Diggs and Bryce Hall are all fighting to be the second cornerback taken. Grant Delpit and Xavier McKinney will hope an impressive performance at the 2020 NFL Combine could make them the first safeties taken in the draft as well.

With the NFL pushing more into pass-happy offenses, good defensive backs are beginning to be worth a lot more. So, expect scouts and general managers to be paying close attention to who shines and who falters in the final day of the 2020 NFL Combine.

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Sign up for FuboTV now to watch the 2020 NFL Combine and other sports live on all your devices.

How to watch the 2020 NFL Combine:

Who: Defensive backs

When: Sunday, March 1, 2:00 p.m. ET

Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

2020 NFL Combine streams:

2020 NFL Combine live stream: FuboTV

2020 NFL Combine TV channel:

TV channel: NFL Network

2020 NFL Combine schedule:

Feb. 27 – QB, WR, TE

Feb. 28 – OL, RB, ST

Feb. 29 – DL, LB

March 1 – DB

2020 NFL Combine drills:

  • 40-yard dash
  • Bench press
  • Vertical jump
  • Broad jump
  • 3 cone drill
  • 20-yard shuttle
  • 60-yard shuttle

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Troy Pride, Jr. Listed as Contender for Fastest 40 Time at NFL Combine

For what it’s worth, wide receiver John Ross of Washington ran a 4.22 40 yard dash at the 2017 NFL Combine which is the recorded for fastest dash to this day.

A ton has been made about Troy Pride, Jr. who we discussed last week for despite not having the most impressive statline, having quite a resume and seemingly having his stock rise ahead of the NFL Draft.

Pride’s coverage skills were always good at Notre Dame even if his size isn’t exactly that of a traditional NFL cornerback, at least not of the traditionally sized stars.

However, his speed is truly elite.  The former track team member at Notre Dame ran a 10.5 second 100 meter dash at the ACC Outdoor Championships in 2018, good enough for a fifth place finish before he moved on from track and focused solely on football.

The USA TODAY tried to guess who will run the fastest 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine this week and named a few of the favorites to walk away with the fastest time.  Pride is by no means their pick but he’s listed with the following writeup:

Troy Pride Jr., CB, Notre Dame

One of our earlier picks as a sleeper to watch at the combine, Pride could seize the stage at the combine by following a standout Senior Bowl with another impressive workout. Pride said he’s “way faster now” than when Notre Dame hand-timed him at 4.30, and he was recognized as one of the Athletic Coast Conference’s top sprinters during his freshman and sophomore years.

For what it’s worth, wide receiver John Ross of Washington ran a 4.22 40 yard dash at the 2017 NFL Combine which is the recorded for fastest dash to this day.

2020 NFL Draft: Eagles land 2 impact DB’s in round-3 of mock draft

Eagles land 2 impact defensive backs in 3-round 2020 NFL mock draft

We are a week away from the 2020 NFL Combine and with the league year just three weeks away, the Eagles will have major decisions to make in the NFL draft.

Chief among the concerns, is whether the Birds will reload in the secondary via the draft or free agency?

NFL.com recently did a thorough three-round mock draft and the first two rounds went as expected.

The Birds landed a wide receiver at No 21 and then settled on the eventual replacement for Jason Kelce, snagging center Lloyd Cushenberry out of LSU with pick No. 53.

The former LCU center worked his way from being a 2-star prospect to team captain and being rewarded with wearing the illustrious No. 18 jersey prior to last season.

Ever-improving, Cushenberry would be a quality second to mid-round target for the Eagles.

In the third round, the reloading of the secondary begins, as the Birds snagged talented Notre Dame cornerback, Troy Pride Jr. at pick No. 85.

The Notre Dame star is solidly built at 5-foot-11, 193 pounds, and can run, predicting that he’ll run in the 4.2s at the NFL combine. Pride Jr. excels in man-to-man and rarely gets beat.

With pick No. 91 in the third round, the Eagles address the safety position, grabbing K’Von Wallace out of Clemson with a compensatory pick.

A top-10 rated safety, Wallace is athletic and solid in coverage and has the advantage of playing at Clemson, where you know he was well-coached and prepared on game day.

7 potential Chargers that should blow up NFL Scouting Combine

Chargers Wire lays out who Los Angeles Chargers fans should watch at the NFL Scouting Combine.

The 2020 NFL Combine is just around the corner. The event is a useful tool for player evaluation, and some teams put more stock in it than others.

It is a big opportunity for prospects to showcase their athleticism and skillset through a series of tests, including the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump and on-field drills.

With that, we have compiled a list of seven prospects all Chargers fans must watch in Indianapolis next weekend, in addition to a handful of others Los Angeles could be targeting in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Below are the players to keep an eye on:

QB Justin Herbert, Oregon

Herbert has been commonly linked to the Chargers since the start of the pre-draft process. The 6-foot-6 and 227 pound quarterback’s tape shows a lot of good things, but two things stand out: arm strength and mobility.

I believe Herbert is going to run a 4.7 second 40-yard dash and his polarizing arm will be on display during the on-field drills, where he will make all the throws to all parts of the field, especially on the deep ball.

The interview process will be the most important for Herbert. This will be his opportunity to show that he can lead a team and impress the coaches when they put him on the whiteboard.

OT Josh Jones, Houston

The offensive tackle position is a glaring need for the Chargers, and Jones should be at the top of their board in the second-round (if he’s already not taken). With his basketball background, the athleticism is evident. He plays with long arms, coordinated feet and lower body movement skills in pass protection. Jones should do really well in the agility drills, but he should light up the on-field drills.

LB/S Isaiah Simmons, Clemson

Like safety Derwin James, Simmons is a true chess piece on the defensive side of the ball. He can blitz, play the run, cover in the slot and play special teams. Think about that for a second, two James on the field at the same time.

Everyone is familiar with the 6-foot-4 and 230-pound hybrid defender after putting together such a polished resume for the Tigers. But the Combine is going remind people how much of a freakish athlete he is.

Simmons has a vertical jump of 40 inches and a broad jump of 11-0. He routinely jumps onto a 52-inch box for single-response jump work. He also has run a sub-4.4 40 this off-season, per The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.

WR Jalen Reagor, TCU

The Chargers are in need of another deep threat, given the underwhelming production from Travis Benjamin and the guys behind him on the depth chart this past season. If they choose to go that route early on in the draft, Reagor should be on their radar.

Reagor is one of the fastest receivers in this year’s class. The 5-foot-11 and 195-pounder showed breakaway speed to burn corners week in and week out. This past offseason, he clocked a 4.29 40-yard, and his strength numbers are also eye-popping: a 620-pound squat, a 380-pound bench and a 380-pound clean, per Feldman.

CB Troy Pride, Jr., Notre Dame

The Chargers will be in the market for a cornerback. Pride Jr. got on my radar at the Senior Bowl, but it won’t be long until he catches the attention of others that aren’t familiar with him.

At the 2018 ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships he ran a personal-best 6.73 seconds in the 60-meter dash. His 10.50 100 time is one of the fastest in school history. This past offseason he ran a 4.32 40-yard dash, per Feldman.

The 5-foot-11 and 193 pounder would be a perfect zone defender for the Chargers since he has a knack for reading and getting a feel for route concepts before making a play on the ball. His speed, mirroring ability and spatial awareness are all plus traits of his.

OT Matt Peart, UConn

Peart, a four-year starter at UConn, is a good athlete that boasts terrific length. The 6-foot-5 and 310 pound tackle doesn’t have overwhelming power to dominate his opponents, but he quickly finds his landmarks and uses his natural movement skills, base and length to keep rushers busy. His quick feet will be evident during the on-field drills.

OT Ben Bartch, St. John’s

The 6-6, 308-pound Bartch is coming off a stellar Senior Bowl week, where he showed that he could hang with some of the best pass-rushers in the nation. Now, he is bound to stamp himself as the first Division III player to be drafted since Buccaneers’ Ali Marpet, who has turned into a quality starter.

Bartch, the former tight end, is likely to run under five seconds in the 40-yard dash. But the on-field drills will be a major plus for him because on tape he showcases a silky smooth set in pass protection with beautiful footwork, lateral range and quickness in his kick slide to protect the edge.

NFL Draft: Is Troy Pride, Jr. Still A Sleeper? USA TODAY Says Yes

His numbers don’t jump off the page at you as he intercepted four passes in his Notre Dame career which feels rather low for a two-year starter and regular contributor for even longer.

If you’ve been paying attention to NFL Mock Drafts or the off-season work to get to April’s NFL Draft, a Notre Dame player you’ve heard great compliments about over the last month has been cornerback Troy Pride, Jr.

Pride was a mainstay in the Notre Dame secondary over the last three seasons, appearing in 37 games in that time.  His numbers don’t jump off the page at you as he intercepted four passes in his Notre Dame career which feels rather low for a two-year starter and regular contributor for even longer.

He also started all 13 games on Notre Dame’s 2019 squad that not only went 11-2 but also allowed the third-fewest pass yards in all of college football.  If he wasn’t intercepting passes, he certainly wasn’t allowing big plays either.

Pride’s speed has been discussed at length and will be on full display at the upcoming NFL Combine.  For those paying attention he’s been seemingly climbing draft boards for a while now and his rise doesn’t feel like a surprise.

The USA TODAY Wednesday gave names of 11 draft sleepers and mentions Pride:
It’s hard to fathom a two-year starter at Notre Dame who also ran track would end up on this list. Pride, however, hasn’t received widespread recognition, even after an impressive Senior Bowl week in which he flustered nearly all of his opposition. At 5-11 and 195 pounds, he won’t be confused for Richard Sherman or Patrick Peterson, particularly given he recorded just four interceptions in three years. But his quick feet and recognition skills allow him to stick close to pass catchers and deny them any easy opportunities.

His size will keep him from ever being seen as a truly elite NFL prospect and if he his ultimately limited in the league, that’ll likely be why.  But his tape doesn’t lie and giving up a few well-thrown back shoulder throws this year may have urked some Notre Dame fans, but his skills and speed speak for themselves.

He might not be some superstar in the NFL but assuming health (which can be risky) I have trouble believing his skill-set and speed won’t keep him cashing league checks for a good amount of time.

Giants address multiple needs in Draft Wire’s latest four-round mock

The New York Giants addressed multiple areas of need in Draft Wire’s latest four-round mock, but several concerns remain.

Yes, it’s NFL mock draft season again and we’re required to bite into the apple as well. Luke Easterling of USA Today’s Draft Wire just released his latest four-round mock of the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft to be held in Las Vegas from April 23-25.

Here’s who he sees the New York Giants selecting:

Round 1, Pick 4 – OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia

If the Giants want Daniel Jones to become a true franchise quarterback, they’re going to have to protect him. General manager Dave Gettleman is as old-school as they come, so don’t be surprised when he spends this pick in the trenches. Moving back would be ideal given this year’s depth at both tackle and along the interior, but if they’re stuck here, Thomas is a strong pick.”

Couldn’t agree more. I never argue with a high pick that is used on a player that either keeps your quarterback vertical or the opposing quarterback horizontal.

This pick does several things. It gets Nate Solder off left tackle and perhaps over to the right side, where it would be a win-win for the Giants. Again, trading back is probably the best move here since the Giants really could use the third round pick they gift-wrapped the New York Jets in the Leonard Williams deal.

Round 2, Pick 36 – EDGE Terrell Lewis, Alabama

Again, a pass rusher with a ton of upside. We’ve seen this two years running in Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines. Maybe they’ll get it right this time.

Round 3, Pick 68 – Traded to the New York Jets in exchange for DI Leonard Williams. The Giants are likely to have a compensatory selection at the end of this round as a result of losing Landon Collins in free agency last March.

Round 4, Pick 100 – CB Troy Pride Jr. Notre Dame

Pride is a gifted athlete who can come right in and compete for a role on the Giants’ defense, but the bigger question is why are they taking another cornerback after loading up on them the past two drafts?

Analysis: Personally, I feel like this draft should be all about recouping the picks that Gettleman wasted away in the Williams trade. There will be inquiries from teams seeking to move up to grab a quarterback, but will he listen? With just four picks in the top 100, this roster could surely use at least six in the first 100, so if Gettleman does not trade back many will see this as a missed opportunity.

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3 underrated draft prospects Bears should keep an eye on

Heading into the NFL Draft, the Bears can find some underrated gems that could help them address areas of need, including TE, EDGE and CB.

The Bears are coming off a disappointing 2019 season, where some glaring needs were made obvious by the team’s struggles. While most of those concerns are on offense, there are some areas of need on defense, as well.

Heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, the Bears can find some underrated gems that could help them address areas of need, including tight end, edge rusher and cornerback.

Here are three underrated prospects that the Bears should keep an eye on:

1. TE Harrison Bryant, FAU

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The Bears are looking to upgrade the tight end position, whether that’s through free agency and/or the NFL Draft. The Bears could likely get their pick of tight ends in the NFL Draft, as some have them pegged as potentially the first team to take a tight end. But if top options like Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet or Purdue’s Brycen Hopkins aren’t available, FAU’s Harrison Bryant would be a great fit for the Bears.

“He can be George Kittle 2.0,” a scout told ESPN. “He can get that status. You can spread him out. He’s good at route running, pass catching and blocking. Put him in the right situation and he can be explosive. He’s really polished. He’s athletic, runs good routes, can catch over the middle of the field. He’s a better blocker than anticipated.”

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