10 players the Lions should consider on Day 2 of the draft

Identifying 10 players the Detroit Lions should consider selecting on Day 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Detroit Lions filled a very important role on Day 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft, selecting corner Jeff Okudah in the first round, but Day 2 brings a whole new crop of players and the Lions hold three picks in the next two rounds.

The Lions will begin the day with picks No. 35, 67, and 85, and while there could be some trade movement, they should still be able to land a few key players.

Here are 10 options — five who were with the Lions at the Senior Bowl — who should be considered on Day 2.

A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa

The Lions have a need at EDGE rusher and Epenesa is the perfect fit for the Lions scheme. In my final 7-round mock draft, Epenesa was my choice at pick No. 35 and a player I still believe to be a Top-10 player on the Lions draft board.

Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor

Senior Bowl

If it’s not Epenesa, Mims’ ability to drastically improve the Lions offense would make him incredibly tempting in the second round. At 6-3, 207, with 4.38 speed, Mims is an ideal vertical threat with starter upside as a rookie.

Zach Baun, LB, Wisconsin

Senior Bowl

A hybrid linebacker who fits the mold of what the Lions have recently targeted in their second-level defenders. He would play primarily off-the-ball but has the ability to situationally pass-rush from the JACK linebacker spot.

Josh Uche, JACK/LB, Michigan

Senior Bowl

Uche is also a hybrid linebacker but his insane speed off the edge would keep him pass-rushing often, while also offering the ability to drop into coverage. Both Uche and Baun would fit in like perfect puzzle pieces with the Lions linebackers and would allow them to disguise the defense’s intentions.

Josh Jones, OT, Houston

Senior Bowl

Jones is an athletic tackle who could line up on the right side as a rookie and his ability to be a left tackle would give the Lions insurance if they move on from Taylor Decker in 2021.

RBs J.K. Dobbins (OSU) and Jonathan Taylor (Wisc)

Pick your flavor here as both backs would fit in nicely in the Lions scheme. I have Dobbins slightly ahead of Taylor on my tiered Lions draft board, but if the Lions decide to upgrade their backfield, it’s hard to argue with either player.

Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado

A first-round talent who likely dropped to Day 2 because of injuries. He has a versatile skill set and plays physical, creating yards after catch (YAC) with power and athleticism.

K.J. Hamler, WR, Penn State

Hamler is a YAC machine who fits the mold of a pure slot receiver, similar to what the Lions have in Danny Amendola. The Lions met with Hamler at the Combine and if they are looking for an explosive playmaker, he would be high on their list.

Terrell Lewis, EDGE, Alabama

Lewis is another first-round talent who has a lengthy injury history that is surely going to impact where he gets selected. At 6-5, 262 pounds and 33.88″ arms, Lewis is a prototype player in coach Matt Patricia’s defensive scheme.

Bradlee Anae, EDGE, Utah

Senior Bowl

Anae is likely more in play in the third round, but there is no doubt that Lions’ coaches loved what they saw from him at the Senior Bowl. Anae is a high effort pass rusher who lives off his first step as we saw in Mobile when he registered three sacks:

Bonus names to keep in mind for Round 3

In my final 7-round mock draft, my Lions picks in the third round were Robert Hunt (RT/G, Louisiana) and McTelvin Agim (DT, Arkansas), and are names Lions fans should keep in the back of their minds.

2020 NFL Draft: Tristan Wirfs gaining traction as Giants’ choice in first round

As the 2020 NFL Draft approaches, it’s becoming more obvious that experts anticipate Tristan Wirfs going to the New York Giants.

The New York Giants hold the No. 4 overall selection in this month’s NFL Draft and one player is being linked to them more and more as the mock drafts keep rolling in.

Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs is not only our internal favorite, but that of our sister site Draft Wire. They have the Giants taking the 6-foot-5, 320-pound athletic left tackle prospect at No. 4 and not looking back.

In his weekly Monday column, veteran football reporter Peter King also agreed that offensive tackle will the Giants’ top choice in this draft.

Hard to see Dave Gettleman go anywhere but tackle in this urgent draft for the G-men. Gettleman shocked the world with Daniel Jones at six last year, but the meat-and-potatoes GM is likely to go meat-and-potatoes this year with a tackle. Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs or Alabama’s Jedrick Wills are 1-2 or 2-1 on many draft boards.

The latest Draft Wire mock, compiled by Luke Easterling, goes the full seven rounds. After the Giants take Wirfs in Round 1, here’s how he sees the rest of the draft playing out:

Day 2

  • Round 2, Pick 36: Zach Baun | EDGE | Wisconsin
  • Round 3, Pick 99: John Hightower | WR | Boise State

Some have Baun as a late first-rounder, but it’s possible he slides the Giants here in the second. If he’s on the board, they’ll almost have to take him. He’s a very productive, full-service linebacker that can get to the passer. By passing on Isaiah Simmons, they can make up for it here by taking Baun.

Hightower is a bit of reach here for me. He’s more of late rounder, not only in my eyes but many others. He’s got 4.43 speed, but that’s not enough to warrant taking him on Day 2. He can, however, return kicks so if the Giants are thinking multi-prong usage with him then it makes the selection more palatable.

Day 3

  • Round 4, Pick 110: Matt Hennessy | OL | Temple
  • Round 5, Pick 150: Markus Bailey | LB | Purdue
  • Round 6, Pick 183: Jordan Fuller | S | Ohio State
  • Round 7, Pick 218: Kindle Vildor | CB | Georgia Southern
  • Round 7, Pick 238: Dalton Keene | TE | Virginia Tech
  • Round 7, Pick 247: Javon Leake | RB | Maryland
  • Round 7, Pick 255: Bravvion Roy | DL | Baylor

Hennessy is a nice fourth round pick up. Chances are, though, he’ll be gone by then. The rest of these picks address the Giants’ needs across the board. I’m not sure if these particular players would have been my choices, but at least they will be bringing in new blood at some positions that sorely need it.

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2020 NFL Draft: The 6 best edge rushers the Jets should target

Jets Wire takes a look at six edge rushers the Jets could potentially target in the 2020 NFL draft.

It’s safe to assume the Jets won’t be in the market for an edge rusher with the No. 11 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but that does not mean Joe Douglas and company will not look to address the position later on in the draft.

New York has lacked an elite pass rusher since the days of John Abraham. This year’s draft class is not exactly stacked with pass rushers as it has been in the past, but there are still plenty of solid players available for the taking.

So, who could the Jets target once day two of the draft rolls around? Let’s take a look.

Zach Baun, Wisconsin

Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

Since the Jets are all but a guarantee to not use their first-round pick on an EDGE, that excludes LSU’s L’Kavon Chaisson from this list. Don’t slip on what Wisconsin’s Zach Baun brings to the table, though.

Baun is trending more towards the end of the first round, but there is still a chance he slips into day two of the draft. If he does and he is still on the board when it’s New York’s turn to pick, it would be foolish to pass on easily the second-best EDGE in this year’s class.

Touchdown Wire’s mock draft 4.0: Anticipating trades and surprises

In Touchdown Wire’s mock draft 4.0, trades alter the strategy of several teams, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at the heart of the action.

 

Touchdown Wire’s mock draft 4.0: Anticipating trades and surprises

In Touchdown Wire’s mock draft 4.0, trades alter the strategy of several teams, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at the heart of the action.

NFL mock drafts can take on a variety of forms. You can see a predictive mock draft, where the author assembles selections based on what he or she expects to see happen. You can see a what I would do mock, where the author makes selections based on what they would do with each pick.

Touchdown Wire’s 2020 Mock Draft 4.0 for blends the predictive with the suggestive. While the majority of positions for each team are predictive, there are some suggestive elements based on scheme fit and potential usages for each player upon arrival in the league.

So sit back, pour your #QuarantineLife drink of choice, and enjoy.

Giants select Tristan Wirfs, Zach Baun in latest Draft Wire mock

In the latest three-round Draft Wire mock, the New York Giants select OT Tristan Wirfs, EDGE Zach Baun and a young safety.

The New York Giants have not satisfied their need at offensive tackle despite the free agent addition of Cam Fleming, which is why many believe it’s the position they’ll address in the 2020 NFL Draft.

That was Luke Easterling’s line of thinking when he compiled the latest mock over at Draft Wire, where he has the Giants selecting Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs at No. 4 overall.

Any of this year’s top four offensive tackle prospects could make a strong case to go here, which is good news for the Giants, who need a franchise player at the position. Wirfs is a rare athlete for his size, and has as much upside as any other tackle in the class. He’s ready to protect Daniel Jones from Day 1.

The selection of Wirfs comes with both cornerback Jeff Okudah and linebacker/safety Isaiah Simmons still on the board, which will undoubtedly lead to some intense debate. It also came with every other offensive tackle still available, which will lead to even further debate.

In Round 2 and Round 3, the Giants addressed their needs along the edge and at safety, selecting Wisconsin linebacker Zach Baun and Clemson safety K’Von Wallace, respectively.

Prior to taking their scouts and personnel off the road, the Giants had expressed a significant interest in Baun and were working directly with him. Meanwhile, Wallace would add another young talent to an already very young secondary.

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How adding Jamie Collins impacts the Lions roster

Examining how agreeing to terms with hybrid linebacker Jamie Collins impacts the Detroit Lions roster.

The 2020 tampering period is just over a day old and the Detroit Lions have already agreed to terms with several players, including hybrid linebacker Jamie Collins.

Early predictions for where Collins will play in the Lions scheme are all over the map. And for good reason. Of the game film I studied when trying to ascertain where Collins would play, I arrived at one answer — everywhere.

Collins played for the New England Patriots last season, and because their scheme is as close to the Lions as there is in the NFL, it was easy to do an apples-to-apples comparison of how he would be used in Detroit.

In 2019, Collins lined up at all four of the Patriots linebacker spots, even shifting over the slot on occasion. In the games that I watched, he rarely lined up at the same position on back-to-back plays, illustrating his true versatility.

Collins is able to play at all these spots for three major reasons. He has a freaky level of athleticism, can effectively rush the passer, and is one of the better coverage linebackers in the NFL. This combination of skills makes him a unique player and one that fits the Lions like a glove.

Like in New England last season, I don’t expect Collins to stay put at any one position, and honestly, that will complement the way the other Lions linebackers are trending as well.

Lions LBs trending towards positional fluidity

After the conclusion of the 2019 season, I did a film study, examining how the Lions linebacker roles were changing. The results showed that while Jarrad Davis and Devon Kennard — who was released yesterday — held static roles, Jahlani Tavai and Christian Jones’ roles were more fluid.

Now the Lions have three fluid linebackers all signed to multi-year contracts. Collins just signed a three-year deal, Tavai’s rookie contract expires in 2022 and Jones got a mid-year extension that expires in 2021.

Meanwhile, the static off-the-ball linebackers that remain, Davis and Jalen Reeves-Maybin, are in the final year of their contracts. Reeves-Maybin has consistently made the final roster based on his special teams ability, while Davis began to expand his duties to the WILL position in the latter parts of the season, something he may need to do more moving forward.

Will the Lions add more LBs?

If they do, it will surely be a player who is positionally fluid so that they can mesh with the other linebackers currently on the roster.

The most obvious name remaining in free agency is Kamalei Correa, formerly of the Tennessee Titans, who was directly coached by new Lions’ linebacker coach Tyrone McKenzie over the last two seasons. Correa has experience playing the JACK linebacker role, can rush the passer and drop into coverage. He has been a career rotational player, but on the Lions roster, that’s what they likely need right now.

If the Lions look to the draft, there are four top-100 players they are surely watching. Zach Baun (Wisconsin) is an off-the-ball linebacker who has shown a knack for rushing the passer. Josh Uche (Michigan) is lightning quick off the edge and can drop into coverage better than most JACK linebackers. Bradlee Anae (Utah) is primarily a pass rusher but has shown the ability to win from his feet. While Curtis Weaver (Boise State), who at 6-63, 265-pounds, is physically as close to a Dont’a Hightower clone as you will find. Weaver is a junior, but Baun, Uche, Anae were all on the North roster at the Senior Bowl and were coached by the Lions staff.

Adding any one of these players would give the Lions front a significant boost in 2020, even if they are in a limited role to begin the season.

Giants taking a particular interest in LB Zach Baun

The New York Giants appear to be honing in on Wisconsin LB Zach Baun, whom the team scouted heavily on Wednesday.

Wisconsin edge rusher/linebacker Zach Baun is drawing interest from many NFL teams as a potential late first-round, early second-round draft target.

Baun worked out at Wisconsin’s pro day on Wednesday and New York Giants outside linebackers coach Bret Bielema, a former head coach there, was on hand to see Baun and other prospects up close such as running back Jonathan Taylor, center Tyler Biadasz and wide receiver Quintez Cephus.

Baun (6’2″, 238) ran a 4.65 40 at the NFL Combine several weeks ago and could be there when the Giants select at No. 36 early in the second round. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein likens Baun to former Green Bay Packers All-Pro Clay Matthews.

“Ascending prospect whose explosive production on the field has begun to mirror his explosive athletic traits,” writes Zierlein. “Baun’s twitchy get-off and deep bend at the edge is nightmare fuel for Big Ten tackles and he’s still at the early stages of pass rush development. He is aggressive to flow downhill in run support, has sideline-to-sideline range and is fluid dropping into coverage. He’s strong but a little light as an edge-setter so teams will need to figure out how best to align him. Baun is a scheme-diverse linebacker with high-impact potential whose best days are ahead of him.”

Sounds like Braun is not going to make it past the first round, so he would be a steal at No. 36. The Giants are seeking pass rushing help in any and all forms. They will likely sign at least one in free agency but as Ernie Accorsi used to say, you can never have enough.

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Titans select Wisconsin OLB in Touchdown Wire’s post-combine mock draft

The Titans should be looking to add an EDGE at some point this offseason.

The Tennessee Titans don’t exactly have a ton of tweaks to make ahead of the 2020 season, which was clear to see as the team came up just one game short of playing in Super Bowl LIV.

But there are still some small things to improve upon that can be addressed both in free agency and the 2020 NFL Draft.

And in the first round of the latter, Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield has the Titans taking Wisconsin outside linebacker Zack Baun to fill their need for a pass-rusher.

“They (the Titans) do have some decisions to make, and recent reports are that they will use the franchise tag on running back Derrick Henry and let Ryan Tannehill test free agency, according to reporting from Matthew Berry of ESPN, citing a Titans’ insider,” he wrote.

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“If they do not use the tag on Henry, then running back would be a need, and Jonathan Taylor from Wisconsin would be a smart pick at this spot in the draft. Assuming that both Henry and Tannehill are back, they could go elsewhere with this pick. Zack Baun, the Wisconsin outside linebacker, makes a good bit of sense for the Titans. He is a very versatile player that the Badgers left on the field for all three downs, and used as a pass rusher off the edge in a three-point stance as well as more of an overhang defender in space. He has the athleticism to run with tight ends, but the motor to get after the passer. He could really help this defense up front.”

The Titans’ defense in general will be interesting to watch, as head coach Mike Vrabel is expected to be heavily involved after the departure of former defensive coordinator Dean Pees.

Whether or not the Titans choose to add Baun to the mix remains to be seen, but there’s no question that he brings a lot of potential to the table.

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Touchdown Wire’s post-combine mock draft: How Indianapolis changed the game

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.

Picks 1-8 | 9-16 | 17-24 | 25-32

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

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

Chase Young 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.

7. Carolina Panthers: Isaiah Simmons, Defense, Clemson

(Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)

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.

8. Arizona Cardinals: Mekhi Becton, OL, Louisville

(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

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.

Picks 1-8 | 9-16 | 17-24 | 25-32