Prospect News and Rumors

Paxton Lynch - QB - Tigers



Memphis QB Paxton Lynch recorded a ball velocity of 59 mph at the NFL Combine, according to Dan Shonka.

We would not put too much into this, especially with Jared Goff checking in at 58 mph and Carson Wentz at 57. These "arm strength" measurements could be used as thresholds, like hand size and arm length at other positions. The standout number might be Connor Cook's 50 mph.

I believe the record is 60 MPH recorded by Cutler and Logan Thomas.


Joey Bosa - DL - Buckeyes



When speaking with Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman, one NFL scout called Ohio State DE Joey Bosa a "football meathead."

The evaluator praised Bosa's awareness as a pass rusher who wins the power and hand use. Feldman did ask about potential off-field issues that led to a one game suspension to open the 2015 season, but the scout said Bosa was just "hanging around with some of the wrong people and that he's since separated himself from them." We believe the major question teams will internally discuss is Bosa's ceiling. You know you are getting a violent pass rusher and run defender, but is he "a double digit sack player each year?" is the type of question posed in draft meetings.


Carson Wentz - QB - Bison



NFL Media's Gil Brandt relayed word from a recent conversation with Jerry Jones, stating the Cowboys owner said the team will "unequivocally not take a quarterback at No. 4."

Brandt is the Cowboys former general manager and the godfather of evaluation season. The news and statement makes complete sense, as the Cowboys are currently in their window to win the Tony Romo at quarterback, and the first-round pick could go a long way to elevating the talent around Romo on offense or finding a difference maker on defense. The Cowboys need to focus on the "now," because windows to win are real.

Darron Lee - LB - Buckeyes



Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman spoke with one NFL personnel member who believes LB Darron Lee will be Ohio State's top prospect in the 2016 NFL Draft.

"He also is extremely smart," another scout told Feldman. "His interview stuff was impressive. Has high football intelligence. I just wish he was bigger." We have loved Lee's game for quite some time, and many who had questions might look past them now after Lee tested as the top linebacker at the NFL Combine. Lee played a hybrid role between safety and linebacker and projects to a three down player in the NFL.


Joey Bosa - DL - Buckeyes



Ohio State DE Joey Bosa had an 85-percent similarity score with Preston Smith based on Combine athletic testing.

The 6-foot-5, 269-pound Bosa posted the second-best DL time in the three-cone drill at 6.89 seconds. He also topped his positional field in the 20-yard shuttle with a 4.21 second showing. Bosa's 40-yard dash of only 4.86 seconds drew a small amount of jeers, but look: Joey Bosa will rarely find himself in a position to have to run 40 yards in a straight line on an NFL field. As for Mr. Smith, he went No. 38 overall (second round) to the Washington Redskins last year. Bosa is going to go more than 30 slots higher.

William Jackson - DB - Cougars



Per College Football Focus' Sam Monson, Houston CB William Jackson III "may be the best cornerback available in the 2016 NFL draft."

The preface that Monson doesn't consider FSU's Jalen Ramsey a corner comes early, but boy this is quite a statement anyhow. Before he even wowed scouts at the Combine with a 4.37 second forty, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Jackson was a PFF favorite. Last year, he out as the site's No. 2 cornerback in coverage. On 93 targets, he surrendered only 46 catches (49.5 percent) with five interceptions and 12 pass breakups for a passer rating of just 57.9. "His size is evident, but his speed shows up on tape," Monson wrote. "He has no fear of being beaten deep, and even when he bites on double moves he has the quickness to spin back around and the recovery speed to make up ground and quickly close the window for the throw. If he displays the kind of speed on the Lucas Oil Stadium field that he did on tape, we are going to be seeing his name featuring high on a lot more draft boards and mock drafts in the near future."


Sean Davis - DB - Terrapins



Maryland CB/S Sean Davis had a 99-percent similarity score with Eric Rowe based on Combine athletic testing.

Rotoworld's Josh Norris says the 99-percent similarity score is the highest he's ever seen (typically, a strong comparison begins at around the 85th-percentile or so). Since both Davis and Rowe have extensive experience at both corner and safety, the comp is all the more interesting. The 6-foot-1, 201-pound Davis (31⅜" arms) ran a 4.46 forty in Indy and also posted a 6.64 3-cone, 3.97 20-year shuttle, 37½" vertical and 126" broad jump. For the record, his doppelgänger Rowe went No. 47 to the Eagles last spring. Davis had late Day 3 projections coming into the process, but perhaps his showing in Indy will move the needle a bit.

Noah Spence - DL - Colonels



At the NFL Combine, Eastern Kentucky DE Noah Spence only tested out in the 57th percentile among NFL EDGE rushers according to SPARQ.

The system comps Spence athletically to Akeem Ayers, drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and now a member of the Rams. Spence may not have dropped to the second stanza because of his lackluster Combine testing, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. He needs a big pro day. And better interviewing skills. Lastly, if you thought about Akeem Spence while reading that Noah Spence was compared to Akeem Ayers, then you watch too much football good sir. And if you didn't? Well, then we didn't either.


Noah Spence - DL - Colonels



Multiple NFL teams indicated to NFL Media's Kimberly Jones that Eastern Kentucky DE Noah Spence was "very shaky" during the Combine interview process with another adding he "didn't see anything special" on the field either.

"Perhaps now we can stop the narrative that he's going to be a first-round pick," a source told Jones. Spence badly needed to ace interviews because of off-field character questions dating back to an Ecstasy addiction at Ohio State. Instead, Spence reportedly muffed those while checking in smaller (6-foot-2 1/2, 251 pounds) and slower than expected (4.80). "When you look at the Super Bowl and (conference) championship games, it was pass rush," an NFL GM said. "You have to have a pass rush, guys who can win one-on-one matchups. He's got that unique ability to win one-on-one matchups. Jones then asked if Spence was trustworthy. "I don't know yet," the GM said. NFL Media's Mike Mayock added: "His 35-inch (vertical) was in the ballpark, but his broad jump hasn't been, and I thought his 40 was disappointing. 4.8? I thought he'd be somewhere between 4.65 and 4.7. It will be interesting to see if he can improve that [at his pro day]."

Ezekiel Elliott - RB - Buckeyes



ESPN's Louis Riddick would be "shocked" if Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott was not selected in the top four picks of the 2016 NFL Draft.

We all love Elliott's game, but wow. Specifically, Riddick says before or at number four, so the Titans, Browns, Chargers and Cowboys are on notice with how the order stands right now. The Chargers and Browns can likely be eliminated, as the former drafted a running back in the first round last year and the latter has more pressing needs. We consider Elliott a foundation piece of an NFL offense and a top five prospect. Riddick adds Elliott received a ridiculous amount of praise for his football intelligence.


Ezekiel Elliott - RB - Buckeyes



An NFL scout called Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott a "complete three-down back" who's "really good."

This is basically what everyone says. There are essentially no nits to pick with Elliott except that he got frustrated after the Michigan State game and vented publicly. But no scout would waste his anonymous quote talking about those two minutes. Well, except this Bad Vibe Brad: "Declaring for the draft and making those statements right after a loss were very disappointing. Is he a selfish player? Is it all about him? He's going to have to answer a lot of questions." Elliott ran a 4.47 40 at the Combine. ESPN's Bill Polian and NFL Media's Lance Zierlein comp Elliott to former Colts RB Edgerrin James.

Smokey Robinson said:

Darron Lee - LB - Buckeyes



Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman spoke with one NFL personnel member who believes LB Darron Lee will be Ohio State's top prospect in the 2016 NFL Draft.

"He also is extremely smart," another scout told Feldman. "His interview stuff was impressive. Has high football intelligence. I just wish he was bigger." We have loved Lee's game for quite some time, and many who had questions might look past them now after Lee tested as the top linebacker at the NFL Combine. Lee played a hybrid role between safety and linebacker and projects to a three down player in the NFL.


Joey Bosa - DL - Buckeyes



Ohio State DE Joey Bosa had an 85-percent similarity score with Preston Smith based on Combine athletic testing.

The 6-foot-5, 269-pound Bosa posted the second-best DL time in the three-cone drill at 6.89 seconds. He also topped his positional field in the 20-yard shuttle with a 4.21 second showing. Bosa's 40-yard dash of only 4.86 seconds drew a small amount of jeers, but look: Joey Bosa will rarely find himself in a position to have to run 40 yards in a straight line on an NFL field. As for Mr. Smith, he went No. 38 overall (second round) to the Washington Redskins last year. Bosa is going to go more than 30 slots higher.

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I'm not a professional blogger like many CCS members so I know my opinion doesn't count for much... But I'd be very happy with Lee in the first.

Elliot going before us in the 1st would be AWESOME news!

BaBaBlacksheep said:

I'm not a professional blogger like many CCS members so I know my opinion doesn't count for much... But I'd be very happy with Lee in the first.

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Same here. He might be best as a 43 WILL but I think Fangio would have no issues finding a role for a guy like that.

I'll trust the game film on Spence where he looks plenty fast over anything else.

Connor Cook - QB - Player



Michigan State's Connor Cook registered a velocity measurement of just 50 miles per hour on the radar gun at the NFL Combine.

Paxton Lynch (59 MPH), Jared Goff (58), and Carson Wentz (57) all exhibited strong velocity at the Combine. Per Rotoviz's Jon Moore via Ourlads' Dan Shonka, Cook's miles-per-hour measurement was the weakest of all quarterbacks invited to Indianapolis. Cook also opted out of the Senior Bowl, which is where NFL scouts assess throwing strength live. A big-named passer in college, Cook is likely headed for a draft-day plunge. And there are several additional red flags on Cook not related to his underwhelming passing ability.

Have read the most back and forth reports on Cook from he's satisfied questions and is back in the conversation for first round draft to, he didn't satisfy his issues and doesn't have a strong enough arm. It's lying season though so everything we hear for the next seven weeks will be hot air on kids.

Louis Riddick was loving up William Jackson today on Twitter.

BearsFan51 said:

Have read the most back and forth reports on Cook from he's satisfied questions and is back in the conversation for first round draft to, he didn't satisfy his issues and doesn't have a strong enough arm. It's lying season though so everything we hear for the next seven weeks will be hot air on kids.

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Yeah, polarizing prospect for sure. I've seen Cook gun balls into tight coverage (mistakenly often times). But I wouldn't say he this cannon of an arm. Worst case, his arm is in the Andy Dalton/Matt Ryan vein, which is good enough. I personally am not soured on Cook. I don't think he's a 1st round guy necessarily, but I wouldn't hate the pick in the 2nd. If everyone else is down on him, I'd love him in the 3rd.

Zeke to Dallas maybe? With that O-line? Demarco Murray 2.0.

William Jackson continues to intrigue. I haven't watched him at all. Is he closing the gap on Hargreaves and Alexander?

Smokey Robinson said:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCgimxTDEeh/?hl=en&taken-by=espnnfl

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People are going to start criticizing Gruden's QB camp more and more but for me it's just quality draft entertainment.

Not sure if this was posted before so sorry if I repeat it.

"According to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report, an NFL scout blasted the offensive talent in the upcoming draft.

"This is one of the worst drafts for offensive talent in the past four or five years," the scout said.

"There is talent there, but it's marginal," said the scout on the quarterback class of 2016. "They've all been inflated by the fact they know how to work out at the combine, but the tape isn't really all that impressive to me. Not a single one who makes you go, 'Wow.' The best teams can hope for is that one of these guys becomes Trent Dilfer.""

BearsFan51 said:

People are going to start criticizing Gruden's QB camp more and more but for me it's just quality draft entertainment.

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This video is gold. I did not expect him to rush the QB like that.

I thought for a second Gruden wanted to get on him for a different reason.
That last part of the video could've been the start of a budding romance.

ob1force said:

Not sure if this was posted before so sorry if I repeat it.

"According to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report, an NFL scout blasted the offensive talent in the upcoming draft.

"This is one of the worst drafts for offensive talent in the past four or five years," the scout said.

"There is talent there, but it's marginal," said the scout on the quarterback class of 2016. "They've all been inflated by the fact they know how to work out at the combine, but the tape isn't really all that impressive to me. Not a single one who makes you go, 'Wow.' The best teams can hope for is that one of these guys becomes Trent Dilfer.""

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No TE one WR it's kind of a mess.