Contract talks resume with Dak Prescott. Landing spots for Byron Jones. Mike McCarthy’s draft philosophy.
The Dallas Cowboys are going to lose Byron Jones. It’s not a foregone conclusion, because in the land of NFL contracts anything can happen, but teams are seemingly lining up for the five-year veteran and he walked away from Indianapolis’ scouting combine with the understanding of where Dallas stood financially. It’s not at the top of the corner market. That has a cascading effect, in both free agency and the draft, yet most mocks have yet to catch up to that realization. Touchdown Wire’s post-combine mock has.
In the grander scheme of things, the NFL has a secret the general public hasn’t caught on to, at least those who are complaining about the possibility their favorite team (cough, Dallas) will pay a top star (cough, Dak Prescott) at the top of the market.
The 2020 Cowboys Offseason Manifesto series at Cowboys Wire is underway. In the first edition, we look into the overall financial landscape of the league. With the NFL pressing the players to agree to a new CBA prior to the season, with 18 months left of negotiating before any games are missed, there has to be a solid reason why.
There is. NFL salaries look to be on the verge of an NBA-style jump. The evidence and what it means is all gathered in one neat package.
One of the few first-round mock drafts that seems to acknowledge the Cowboys being prepared to lose CB Byron Jones, Florida CB C.J. Henderson makes his way to the stage for Dallas at No. 17.
The Dallas Cowboys have a ton of decisions to make this off-season. How do they handle Dak Prescott? How do they handle Amari Cooper? How do they handle Byron Jones? With it seeming likely that Jones tests the free agency market (and the Philadelphia Eagles seem all too willing to swoop ini with an offer) it is likely the Cowboys need to find a cornerback early in this draft.
They find that in Henderson, the Florida CB. He faced questions this past season about his willingness to stick his nose in against the run, and people have wondered if he made a few “business decisions” last year. But you draft corners to shut down receivers first, and help against the run second.
Henderson can do the first part of the job description, and do it very well. That, plus the 40-time he posted of 4.39, is going to help his draft position. If Dallas has to go corner here — and signs seem to indicate they will need to — Henderson makes a ton of sense.
Dallas might be as busy as any team league-wide when the new league year and free agency start on March 18. There’s a plan in place and there are a few layers to it.
Javon Kinlaw, Xavier McKinney, and Henry Ruggs III have been linked to the Cowboys with the 17th pick. Who does Matt Miller have at that spot in his latest mock draft after the combine?
The safety position has been and will be a huge topic when it comes to the Cowboys until it fully gets solved. Alabama’s Xavier McKinney has been a named linked as much as any to the Cowboys in the first round.
As usual, the Dallas Cowboys were the talk of the NFL Combine with all the free agency news and potential players they could add in the draft. Also, Jerry Jones admits he thinks of Dez Bryant.
The Cowboys have had the mindset that the best way to build a team is through the draft. New head coach Mike McCarthy could provide a different direction to their plans in that regard.
Most mock drafts have the Cowboys going defense in the first round. Now, an offensive player gets some shine in the form of Oklahoma receiver CeeDee Lamb.
The biggest topic in Dallas these days would have to be when is Dak Prescott getting his new deal? David Moore, Calvin Watkins, and Michael Gehlken breakdown what could be holding up a long-term contract as well as free agency needs and players that need to step in 2020.
The agent of Byron Jones met with the Cowboys at the NFL Combine, and the understanding was that the former All-Pro would hit free agency once the two sides parted. Patrik Walker dives into all the latest surrounding the shutdown corner.
With the Combine in the rear view mirror, whose stock is rising, whose is falling and how has the board potentially changed?
Ah, mock draft season. With Indianapolis behind us, we can now start to imagine how the draft could play out given what we saw from the prospects at the 2020 Scouting Combine. Whose stock is rising, whose is falling, and how could — I repeat, how could — that impact the draft?
Here’s just one man’s shot at putting it together.
We can work our way into this mock with a selection that makes the most sense. The Bengals are moving on from Andy Dalton, and Joe Burrow’s magical season has rocketed him to the top of many draft boards. His decision-making, pocket presence and leadership abilities are perfect for what Cincinnati needs right now. Plus, the storyline of “local boy comes home” is sure to get fans excited.
Schematically, Burrow is a fit for what Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is looking to do offensively. With some weapons around him and some additions to the offensive line, Burrow could be in position to contribute early in his career.
2. Washington Redskins: Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
(Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sport)
There does seem to be some smoke building around the idea of Washington doing this year what the Arizona Cardinals did a season ago: Let a new regime pick their quarterback. Last year the Cardinals hired Kliff Kingsbury and let him pick the quarterback he wanted to build around. The result? Arizona moved on from Josh Rosen after a single season and drafted Kyler Murray.
Could the same thing happen to Dwayne Haskins? Rumors around Indianapolis last week seemed to indicate that it was at least a possibility. Washington reportedly met with Tua Tagovailoa and the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that new head coach Ron Rivera told the Alabama passer that, according to a source, “[t]hey want to bring in Tua, just get it going and compete.”
My thinking here is this: This is lying season. Most people believe the draft begins at the second pick, and Washington holds a lot of cards. They could stay pat and select the best overall player in the draft, the Ohio State edge rusher. But if a team is dying to move up to draft a quarterback, they’ll entertain offers. One way to drive up the price? Float the idea that you are in the quarterback market as well.
For now, I think these are all smoke screens. Washington stays pat and takes the pass rusher.
3. Detroit Lions: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
(Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports)
Here is where things could really get sporty.
There are concerns in Detroit regarding the status of quarterback Matthew Stafford. Back injuries the past few seasons have some wondering if it is time to prepare for a world without Stafford in Detroit. The issue is, Stafford’s contract is such that it makes much more sense from a salary cap perspective to move on from Stafford in 2021, rather than 2020.
Under Stafford’s contract, if he were to be traded or cut before June 1st, the Lions would be hit with $32 million in dead cap space for 2020, and would have a cap “savings” of minus $10.7 million for the 2020 league year.
However, if they decide to move on from Stafford prior to 2021, they would actually free up around $14M of cap space.
So the thinking here could be: Draft Tagovailoa, redshirt him for a season while Stafford plays through 2020, and then move on when Tagovailoa is fully healthy and it makes more sense from a cap perspective.
So it is a possibility that the Lions could go with a quarterback here.
At the same time, Matt Patricia must be feeling the urge to win now, and the idea of drafting a quarterback to simply redshirt him while the flames are fanned under your seat cannot feel too pleasant. In the end Detroit entertains the idea of Tagovailoa, but goes with the potential shutdown corner in Okudah.
4. Los Angeles Chargers (via trade with New York Giants): Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Now we have our first trade.
A running theme of this mock draft so far has been the Alabama quarterback. In the mix to Washington with the second pick. A potential option for Detroit with the third pick. Now this draft enters a stretch where quarterback is a possibility for a number of teams, including the Chargers at six and the Carolina Panthers at seven.
Tagovailoa has been linked to the Dolphins for a long time now, and the Chargers can read the tea leaves as well as anyone else. If they decide that Tagovailoa is their quarterback of the future, they’ll need to get in front of Miami to ensure that he is wearing the powder blues next season.
Conceptually, while there might be better fits for Tagovailoa’s skill-set, such as the Panthers as we argued yesterday, the Chargers will have the time to build around Tagovailoa and construct an offense around his strengths: His accuracy in the short area, his processing speed, and his familiarity with run/pass option designs.
5. Miami Dolphins: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
(Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Interestingly enough, Miami might be just fine with the Chargers leap-frogging them, as they end up with the passer that some in the building have been targeting for over a year. It was just a year ago when reports out of Miami were that Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross was interested in two quarterbacks: Tagovailoa and Herbert.
Now, with both an option for the Dolphins in this year’s draft, many have linked Miami to Tagovailoa. But the decision to hire Chan Gailey as their offensive coordinator does give them a potential schematic fit with both quarterbacks. As we argued yesterday, the Dolphins are a great fit for Herbert’s skill-set, given his background in Oregon’s spread system. That would ease his transition to the pro game, and with both Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick in place, they could potentially move one of those players late in training camp, depending on Herbert’s progress as a rookie this summer.
6. New York Giants (via trade with Los Angeles Chargers): Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
(AP Photo/Butch Dill)
New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman said a number of things during his media session in Indianapolis that stuck with me. Two in particular. One I will take to heart, and the other I will ignore with this move to trade down and select the Georgia offensive tackle.
When addressing the media, Gettleman indicated that trading down does carry a bit of risk. What if you trade down, he theorized, from four to eight with four players that you like on your board? You might miss out on all of them is the fear he expressed.
But given how Gettleman could play the board, and still select one of the four impressive offensive tackles in this draft, gives him an option to pick up some additional selections in this draft and continue to build around Daniel Jones.
So while I dismissed the idea of Gettleman’s trade down fear, I will take to heart something else he said. He was asked about the most important position to help a young quarterback and he instantly delivered an incredible response: “Offensive line. I’ve found that it is hard to complete a pass when lying on your back.” And in, perhaps, a shot at all the discussion over Gettleman’s thoughts on analytics he added: “I’ve done that study.”
Here, the Giants trade back and get an NFL ready offensive tackle with experience on both the right and the left sides of the line. Given his SEC pedigree, Thomas has faced some imposing pass rushers during his time in Athens, and he’ll be ready to go up against some of what the NFL has to offer. The combine might have vaulted Tristan Wirfs and Mekhi Becton up many boards, but something tells me that Gettleman will value what Thomas put on tape.
The Panthers could go in a number of directions with this pick. Quarterback is in play, depending on what new head coach Matt Rhule decides to do with Cam Newton and how he handles Kyle Allen and last year’s draft pick Will Grier. Rhule has said all the right things about Newton, he likes Grier dating back to their games against each other in the Big 12, and Allen showed promise at times last year. So it is likely that Rhule keeps all three in Carolina and looks to address other needs.
Offensive line is also an area they could address, and given what we saw from Tristan Wirfs, Mekhi Becton at the combine as well as what we saw on film all season from Jedrick Wills Jr., any one of those players could be in play if the board falls this way.
They also have needs on the defensive side of the football. They could use help up front, they could use some help at linebacker in the wake of Luke Kuechly’s retirement, and they could also use some help in the secondary.
In Simmons, they could get help at all three levels of their defense. They would get a player who has lined up on the defensive line, in the slot, as a box safety and even as a boundary cornerback. They would also get an explosive athlete who posted a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine, to go with a vertical leap of 39” and a broad jump of 11’. All while measuring in at 6’3 and ½” and weighing 238 pounds. He is an absolute freak of nature, and would revamp their defense in an instant.
In a draft that is talent-laden at the wide receiver position, we have yet to hear one WR called. That streak continues, as the Cardinals pass on every wide receiver on the board to address another glaring need: Offensive line. The Cardinals desperately need to protect Murray next season, and Becton can help in that effort.
Murray was sacked 48 times last season, tied with Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan for the most times sacked in the league. Now yes, sacks are not an offensive line statistic and the quarterback contributes to those sack totals, but the Cardinals do need to give him more time in the pocket. Murray was hurried 63 times last season, fifth-most in the league. With D.J. Humphries and Justin Murray as their starting tackles last season, this position could use a boost.
They get that in Becton. The massive left tackle showed some power and explosiveness both on film and during his combine workout. He has very fluid footwork for a man of his size, and his length will be an asset in Kingsbury’s offense. He could be the guy to protect Murray’s blindside for the next decade.
The 49ers may need a top safety in the NFL draft, but they probably won’t stay in the first round to take one.
The 49ers’ list of NFL draft needs will get a shake up once free agency opens, but for now, it a safety is a popular choice in mock drafts for San Francisco.
Todd McShay’s mock didn’t change for the No. 31 pick after the combine, with LSU safety Grant Delpit heading to the 49ers. McShay’s colleague Mel Kiper Jr. also has Delpit falling to San Francisco.
NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah has the 49ers taking a different safety – Alabama’s Xavier McKinney.
It’d make sense for San Francisco to prioritize that position in the event that they lose Jimmie Ward in free agency. Ward is coming off the best season of his career and played a pivotal role in the back end of the 49ers’ No. 1-ranked pass defense. Letting him walk without addressing the vacancy is a risky proposition with Tarvarius Moore as the only logical replacement on the roster. Moore is a fine player, but leaning on him to be the surefire Day 1 starter is a heavy burden for an unproven third-year player.
The bigger key for the 49ers, regardless of their top positional need, will be restocking draft picks. Jeremiah’s mock is the only one that explicitly states San Francisco won’t pick at the No. 31 spot since they’ll need to trade back to recoup some picks in the middle rounds.
While replacing Ward – if they lose him – with a first-round talent is ideal for the 49ers, it doesn’t seem feasible given their slew of needs and the likelihood of a trade back. Unless one of Delpit or McKinney or any other safety getting first-round buzz sees a slide outside of the top 32 picks, chances are they won’t last long enough for San Francisco to draft one of them.
The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine was a massive success for several former Alabama players, and now it’s time to see how mock drafts are reflecting that success. Most recently, Daniel Jeremiah, a draft analyst for NFL.com, mocked six former Crimson Tide …
The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine was a massive success for several former Alabama players, and now it’s time to see how mock drafts are reflecting that success.
Most recently, Daniel Jeremiah, a draft analyst for NFL.com, mocked six former Crimson Tide standouts in his latest first-round projections, which included the following players:
Miami Dolphins, No. 5: Tua Tagovailoa, Quarterback
Jeremiah’s thoughts:If Tua’s medical reports continue to come back clean, he won’t get out of the top five.
Our thoughts: If Miami wants Tua, they’re going to have to trade up with either the Redskins at No. 2 or Detroit at No. 3. The positive reports on his medicals will force a team’s hand.
Arizona Cardinals, No. 8: Jedrick Wills Jr., Offensive Line
Jeremiah’s thoughts:The Cardinals re-signed left tackle D.J. Humphries in February; adding Wills would give QB Kyler Murray two athletic bookends to work with.
Our thoughts: All signs point to Arizona getting Murray more help at No. 8 overall on the offensive side of the football, whether that’s at wide receiver (CeeDee Lamb or Jerry Jeudy) or offensive line.
Las Vegas Raiders, No. 12: Jerry Jeudy, Wide Receiver
Jeremiah’s thoughts:The Raiders (26.2 points per game in 2019, 24th in the NFL) need to score more. Enter Jerry Jeudy.
Our thoughts: Jeudy would be everything that Jon Gruden and company wanted Antonio Brown to be in that offense. Pick No. 12 would be excellent value too.
Miami Dolphins, No. 18: Henry Ruggs III, Wide Receiver
Jeremiah’s thoughts:The Dolphins have needs everywhere, but it would be fun to watch Ruggs reunite with Tua to ignite a stagnant offense.
Our thoughts: Hard to imagine the Broncos passing on Ruggs if he’s available at No. 15, but their loss is Miami’s gain in this mock. Ruggs would add a much-needed speed element to the offense to complement DeVante Parker and Preston Williams.
Jeremiah’s thoughts:This is a perfect scheme for Diggs, who has elite ball skills.
Our thoughts: Seattle loves the length and ball skills at cornerback, but is Diggs enough of a willing tackler to keep Pete Carroll happy? If the answer to that question is yes, he should thrive.
San Francisco 49ers, No. 31: Xavier McKinney
Jeremiah’s thoughts:The 49ers will not pick here. They don’t have a single pick in the second, third or fourth round, so trading back for more selections is a necessity.
Our thoughts: Completely agree that San Francisco will be looking to move down here, but where does that leave McKinney? I do like that Jeremiah has McKinney going ahead of LSU safety Grant Delpit, who wasn’t listed in the first round.
Daniel Jeremiah sends Xavier McKinney to San Francisco in his post-combine mock draft, but with an important trade caveat.
The 49ers probably aren’t going to use the No. 31 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Their roster doesn’t necessarily require a first-round talent, and they wind up skipping one of the draft’s top safeties in Daniel Jeremiah’s post-combine mock draft … sort of.
Alabama safety Xavier McKinney is on Jeremiah’s board when the 49ers pick with the penultimate pick in the first round. Jeremiah mocks McKinney to San Francisco, but his explanation of the selection includes an important, realistic caveat.
“The 49ers will not pick here,” he wrote. “They don’t have a single pick in the second, third or fourth round, so trading back for more selections is a necessity.”
This seems like the most logical route for San Francisco to go. A first, two fifths, a sixth and two sevenths probably isn’t enough draft capital to restock the 49ers’ roster in a year where they’ll be somewhat handcuffed in free agency.
Moving back from No. 31 could net multiple Day 2 and early Day 3 picks, and adding multiple players in the top 150 is more crucial than adding one in the top 32.
There is a scenario though where they simply don’t find a trade partner and wind up using their first-round pick. A player like McKinney sliding to them would be ideal, especially if they lose free safety Jimmie Ward in free agency.
McKinney (6-0, 201 pounds) showed a lot of versatility as a tackler and in coverage while playing for the Crimson Tide. The ability to hold his own down in the box while also bringing the athleticism to play the ‘eraser’ role at the back end of the defense. That multifaceted skill set gives the 49ers an advantage when it comes to mixing up and disguising coverages.
His numbers match the style of play he showed at Alabama. He filled the stat sheet during his three years with 175 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, five interceptions, 15 pass breakups, a fumble recovery and six forced fumbles.
If the 49ers aren’t able to trade back from their first-round slot, landing a player like McKinney to insert into their secondary wouldn’t be a bad consolation.
The defense took their turn over the weekend, but not everyone rose to the occasion, including one of the Cowboys’ top targets at safety.
Mere mortals spent the weekend running errands, going out with friends, sleeping in, and maybe enjoying a little downtime from work. For those looking to make a living playing defense in the National Football League, though, the stakes this past Saturday and Sunday were exponentially higher.
Defensive linemen and linebackers competed in their drills in Indianapolis on Day Three of the NFL Scouting Combine, while safeties and cornerbacks had to wait until the final day to show teams what they can do on the field. Representatives from Dallas were undoubtedly paying close attention, as the Cowboys’ defense in 2019 exposed several glaring weaknesses that need to be addressed heading into next season.
Here’s a quick look at who overperformed and who underdelivered in Indy.
Day 3 Winners
Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
Simmons is sure to be one of the defensive darlings from the 2020 Combine, and with good reason. The Clemson junior torched the competition with 4.39-second 40-yard dash, even beating the combine times of noted speedsters Derwin James (Chargers safety, 2018) and Jalen Ramsey (Rams cornerback, 2016). And remember, he’s a linebacker. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow said that Simmons was the single biggest thing he had to worry about in the national championship game. High praise, indeed. the 2019 Butkus Award winner didn’t even participate in drills in Indianapolis, but his freakish workouts will make him a blazing-hot commodity out of the Day 3 position group.
Gay may have been something of an under-the-radar secret before Indianapolis, but his weekend work at the combine assured that it’s not just the hardcore draftniks who know his name now. His bench press, broad jump, vertical jump, and 40 scores were all Top 5 for linebackers, and he demonstrated notably quick feet during drills. If there’s knock, it’s off-the-field issues; Gay has admitted to cheating on a chemistry exam in 2019 and getting an 8-game suspension because of it. He also reportedly got into a physical altercation with his team’s quarterback late in the season. But his combine numbers will help some team decide he’s worth taking a chance on.
Gallimore doesn’t move like a big man, but the 304-pounder ran the fastest 40 for a three-bill D-lineman since 2000. He went on to show incredible change of direction skills, impressive power, and quick feet every time he was asked. Gallimore was the top high school prospect coming out of Canada in 2015, and ended up leading the Sooners to a Big 12 championship as a college senior with a season that earned him third-team AP All-American honors.
Zuniga is known to evaluators as a player who’s shown flashes of greatness, but couldn’t do it consistently. Last year, he played just five games for the Gators due to an ankle injury. The redshirt senior needed a great combine. He had it. With good speed, a position-best broad jump, and a solid vertical score, Zuniga put himself in a much better light by the end of Day Three.
Athleticism Scores for the 2020 edge rusher class are now official.
Jabari Zuniga (Florida) tops our list with a 93 Athleticism Score, followed by James Smith-Williams (NC State), Malcolm Roach (Texas), Kenny Willekes (Michigan State) and Alton Robinson (Syracuse). pic.twitter.com/0qQavgPPHS
“Loser” is a harsh label to slap on the 2019 unanimous All-American and SEC Defensive Player of the Year. But Brown has drawn early comparisons to NFL legends thus far, and his combine performance was just average at best. Some drills were legendarily poor; his 3-cone time was the fourth-worst in combine history. Of course, a subpar workout doesn’t make Brown a bust, but it could cause him to slip a bit in April’s draft and cost him some dollars on his rookie deal.
Derrick Brown didn't work out well Saturday. Big deal. Guy will be a star. I remember when Terrrell Suggs had a bad pro day. Phil Savage walked by after and said, "not good." He later laughed about it because he didn't care. Savage and the Ravens picked Suggs, who became a star.
The junior had been a standout on the Hawkeyes defensive line since his freshman year, but his combine stood out in all the wrong ways. Once projected to be a first-round selection, the consensus now says his weekend’s lack of athleticism will drop Epenesa into the second round. There’s already talk of the 275-pounder needing to put on some weight in order to play at the pro level.
Here's A.J. Epenesa's numbers compared to EDGE defenders since 1999:
The junior lit up the stopwatches in his 40-yard dash after impressing scouts with 20 reps in the bench press. He drilled well, too, showing off a nice catch radius. That will serve him well in the upcoming draft, since most of the concerns about Henderson are about his tacking abilities. They’re probably not serious enough to drop him out of the first round, though. And for some evaluators, it’s a nitpicky gripe about a true shutdown cover man who’ll be paid to do his best work to prevent catches, not clean up after them.
#Florida CB C.J. Henderson was excellent today. I asked a scouting buddy about him yesterday about his tackling concerns. He said “who cares? When is tackling ever brought up about these free agent CBs that are about to get paid? Can he cover? That’s all I need to know.”
Chinn showed that the small-school guys can play, too. The safety’s broad jump was the second-best across all positions at the combine, and he wowed with most of his other drills, too. The Southern Illinois Saluki continued to attract big buzz following his invitation to the Senior Bowl. That could translate to a draft day leap for Chinn, of whom CBS Sports insider Jason La Confora says, “multiple teams… have a late-first/early-second grade on him.”
Okudah came in to the weekend as a near-lock to be one of the first players selected in April. His workouts did nothing to dampen that expectation, with excellent 40 times and vertical and broad jumps that were near the very top. The unanimous first-team All-American did go down awkwardly during a drill, though, and had to skip the rest of the Day Three events. The hit to his head/neck area isn’t expected to be much to worry about, but it cut short a superb combine performance.
The first thing most evaluators mention regarding Bassey is his lack of size. But during coverage drills, in Indianapolis, the Wake Forest product showed great hands and fluid movement that could well put the three-year college starter on track for a Day Two selection in April’s draft.
Sharing the Buckeye secondary with Jeffrey Okudah is tough duty, but Arnette didn’t do much to shine on his own in Indy. After a wrist injury in college, he had returned to Ohio State for one more season in hopes of catapulting his draft stock, but a relatively slow (for his position) 40 time didn’t move him out of being projected Day Two pick.
Speed kills in the NFL, but the lack of it can also kill a prospect’s chances of grabbing a first- or second-round look. Dantzler was once projected as a Top 5 corner in the 2020 Draft, but a 4.64 time in the 40 is going to make that tough to achieve. That comes after he skipped the team’s bowl game specifically to prepare for the draft. He’s tall and physical, but teams won’t like the fact that he couldn’t turn on he jets when he needed to. Dantzler may fall as far as the third round now.
Only one cornerback in recorded Combine history (https://t.co/7upObwAeU3) has run 4.64 or slower and been a good (by really any definition) CB in the NFL.
One of the Cowboys’ supposed top targets did not have a good weekend. The Crimson Tide junior came up limping at the end of his first 40-yard dash and had to withdraw from on-field drills. Still projected to be a first-round pick, McKinney will now have to wait until Alabama’s pro day to solidify his draft status.
Appreciate the @nfl for allowing me to participate in this year’s combine. Was a dream come true. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to fully compete due to leg cramps. Looking forward to further competing @AlabamaFTBL pro-day.
In the aftermath of the 2020 NFL Combine, prospects have helped or hurt their NFL Draft stocks. Now we see players falling to the Ravens
The 2020 NFL Combine is finished and we have a better idea of where prospects will go come the 2020 NFL Draft. As draft boards for teams and analysts begin to change given the results of the NFL Combine, we can better figure out which players should be available to the Baltimore Ravens when they’re on the clock.
I used mock draft simulators from both FanSpeak and The Draft Network, which actually saw the same players fall right into my lap. So we have our first double-confirmed mock draft of the offseason folks.
You better believe defensive coordinator Don Martindale would love life if things worked out this way. He’d get two weapons he could plug and play just about anywhere on the field, especially in his blitz-heavy scheme. After getting a new deal this offseason, 2020 is looking mighty good for Martindale.
Let’s take a closer look at who I grabbed for the Ravens in the first and second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
AP Photo/Sam Craft
1st round (No. 28): S Xavier McKinney, Alabama
I know that safety is pretty low down on Baltimore’s list of needs this offseason. But when a guy falls to the Ravens, they have a tendency to take him, especially if it’s a defensive back. In this mock draft, the top safety prospect fell right to me and I just couldn’t say no.
McKinney won’t start as a rookie but that hasn’t stopped Baltimore in the past, most notably when they picked cornerback Marlon Humphrey in the 2017 NFL Draft. He’ll get some time on the field in 2020 but as a primary backup to Chuck Clark and Earl Thomas. Where things get exciting though is 2021 when after having him sit and learn under Thomas, the Ravens could part ways with Thomas’ large cap hit ($6 million cap savings, according to OTC) and turn to the younger and cheaper option.
McKinney is a smart player, has good acceleration, is a thumper when he tackles and is a ball hawk (five interceptions over the last two seasons at Alabama). Given the type of guys Baltimore has plugged in at safety over the years (Eric Weddle, Thomas, Clark, Ed Reed), McKinney is clearly their type of player.
The Dallas Cowboys are in attendance at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and they took the time to meet with LSU safety Grant Delpit
The NFL Scouting Combine has wrapped up and the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff and scouts seemed to take full advantage of the opportunities to meet with possible draft fits come April. The club had to be strategic, with teams now limited to just 45 18-minute interviews.
One of the players the Cowboys have met with was LSU safety Grant Delpit. Delpit has been shipped to the Cowboys in the first round of many mock drafts, due to the fact Dallas needs help in the secondary.
The Cowboys meeting with Delpit was productive according to USA Today’s Jori Epstein.
Cowboys' meeting with LSU safety Grant Delpit went well, per source. Team needs to upgrade its secondary, likes college football's top DB.
During Delpit’s three-year career at LSU he helped bring a National Championship to Baton Rouge, he totaled 120 tackles, eight interceptions and forced two fumbles. But many seem to still be questioning his ability to do what a safety is expected to do and that’s being a consistent tackler.
“That’s definitely a thing I had to improve on from last year. I got it fixed toward the end of the season. It’s all about the approach and not trying to do too much, just getting ’em on the ground. It’s a part of football, and I know I can do it,” Delpit said when speaking to the media on Friday in Indianapolis. “I’ve been doing it my whole life.”
The projected first-round pick did not participate in any of the combine drills due to him recovering from an ankle injury, which he played on during his junior season at LSU. But according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Delpit is will participate in drills during LSU’s Pro Day on April 3.
#LSU highly regarded S Grant Delpit, who played on an injured ankle this season, is here is Indy for Combine medicals and meetings and he’s close to full-go, source said. He’ll be full throttle for drills at LSU Pro Day on April 3.
The Cowboys need help on the defensive side of the ball, especially in the back end. Delpit has been mocked to Dallas in many of them, but so has Alabama safety Xavier McKinney. Delpit spoke Friday on why he thinks he should be the first safety drafted in April.
“I honestly think I’m the best safety in this draft without a doubt. Most versatile player, put me anywhere in the secondary, and I’m gonna play it. Make plays all over the field. Natural leader on the field,” Delpit said at the combine Friday. “I definitely think I’m the right choice, but it’s a team preference.”
The last time the Cowboys drafted a pure safety in the first-round was all the way back during the 2002 NFL Draft, when they selected Roy Williams.
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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For Alabama defensive backs Xavier McKinney and Shyheim Carter, playing against Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III made them infinitely better.
INDIANAPOLIS — One of the reasons Alabama has had so many outstanding defensive backs during Nick Saban’s tenure is the simple fact that Alabama has also had a ton of great receivers during Nick Saban’s tenure. For multi-position DBs such as Shyheim Carter and Xavier McKinney, their times with the Crimson Tide was defined in part by the requirements to cover Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III. Not an easy thing, which is why Carter said flat-out during his Friday media session that no other receivers gave him more headaches than his own.
“The receivers at our school,” he said. “Man, it’s hard. It’s definitely hard. But they bring out the best in you every day. You really have to be on your Ps and Qs. You can never take a play off, or you’ll get beaten for a touchdown. Then, it’s the band playing in the background. It’s great going against those guys every day. You get a chance to showcase your talent in practice, and then you do it in a game, and for me, the practices were harder than the games. Then, there are 100,000 people in the stadium, and you’re just out there playing. Practice is like, that’s where you really play the game.”
Nov 23, 2019; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Shyheim Carter (5) smiles for a photo during Senior day before the start of their game against the Western Carolina Catamounts at Bryant-Denny Stadium. (John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)
And then, if you do get beaten on a play, there’s the inevitable jawing. Followed by the inevitable Nick Saban yelling. Not a pleasant experience.
“Oh, yeah. It’s a great competition. When the receivers beat us, or we shut the receivers down, they talk a little bit. Coach Saban, he really doesn’t like that. He’ll get on everyone about that.”
Getting beaten, or hearing the talk? Which doesn’t Saban like?
“He doesn’t like either, actually. He coaches hard. If you get beat on a technique, you’d better do it the right way next time. But if we’re like, jawing at each other? He definitely gets on us.”
With that in mind, I asked both Carter and McKinney for scouting reports on Jeudy, the premier route-runner in this draft class, and Ruggs, who is clearly the No. 1 speed-burner.
Carter on Jeudy: “Oh, man… quick-twitch guy, he’ll get in and out of his breaks, and you can never really tell when he’s getting in and out of his breaks. It all looks the same. He’s just a really hard guy to cover. You’ve definitely got to be on your Ps and Qs on every play. Even when it’s a run, he’ll do a great job of selling the double-move, selling the play-action. Yeah, he’s just fast.”
So with him, I asked, the hardest thing is that you don’t really know what you’re getting off the line based off what he does. What his release is.
“Yeah, it’s definitely hard.”
What about Ruggs,” I asked Carter. We know he’s fast.
“Obviously, yeah,” Carter said with a laugh. “But he’ll go up and make the contested catches; he’ll definitely come down with it. He’ll get in and out of his breaks really well, too. He’s so fast – with guys like that, you try to deny them the ball as much as you can, because if he gets the ball in his hands, he can go.
He’ll take a screen and just house it whenever he wants, I said.
“Right, exactly.”
INDIANAPOLIS — Alabama defensive back Xavier McKinney speaks during his media session at the 2020 scouting combine. (Doug Farrar/USA Today Sports Media Group)
“That was a great group of receivers,” McKinney said when asked about that particular challenge. “Going into the NFL, that will really help me improve, knowing that I played against a lot of good receivers during my time at ‘Bama.”
McKinney on Jeudy: “Fast. Quick. Runs good routes. Can catch the ball. A good all-around receiver. That’s somebody that… I faced him every day in practice, and he’s a nightmare. I’ll tell you that. Being able to practice against him has made me better in so many ways. It’s sharpened me and helped me improve my game. I’ve also helped him improve his game, so being able to face a guy like Jerry, it’s been nothing but a blessing.
What about Ruggs? “Man, all of those guys. I’d face them every day in practice. We’d go two-on-two slot coverage, and those are the guys I want to go against, continuously. Those guys, and then [receiver Jaylen] Waddle… just knowing that those guys would make me better is something that I like. I like competing, and you want to go against those guys as much as you can.”
Both Jeudy and Ruggs project to be high first-round talents in the NFL. McKinney does as well, and while Carter might be more of a third-day guy, there’s no question that these turf wars every day in practice made everyone involved better players.
Touchdown Wire editor Doug Farrar previously covered football for Yahoo! Sports, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, the Washington Post, and Football Outsiders. His first book, “The Genius of Desperation,” a schematic history of professional football, was published by Triumph Books in 2018 and won the Professional Football Researchers Association’s Nelson Ross Award for “Outstanding recent achievement in pro football research and historiography.”
