2014 NFL Draft Mailbag
I received many e-mails and tweets about my 2014 NFL Mock Draft and the upcoming NFL Draft in general. To share the answers to the questions publicly, I decided to start up a mailbag column. Pass along your NFL draft questions and comments. I'll put together a mailbag periodically that answers questions/comments sent via email draftcampbell@gmail.com or on Twitter @draftcampbell.
5/16/13
From Vinny, Staten Island, New York
"With the news that the Jets are moving Ouinton Coples to outside linebacker and Sheldon Richardson to his spot on the 3 man line, how much do you believe the Jets' pass rush will be improved? Also what is a realistic expectation for Geno Smith's first and second years in the league?"
I definitely think the Jets' pass rush is going to be improved in 2013. Richardson was a disruptive pass-rusher for Missouri last year and had success rushing from defensive end as well as tackle. He is an excellent fit as a 3-4 defensive end. Coples has the speed and athletic ability to be a standup edge-rusher as well. I think he'll be improved in his second pro season.
I think Coples, Richardson and Muhammed Wilkerson will form a formidable trio. In my opinion, the team would probably do a better job of putting pressure on the quarterback from a four-man defensive line with Richardson and Wilkerson rushing from tackle. The Jets used a lot of four-man line sets in 2012, so I think these three guys will be used in a variety of ways.
I think New York is one more edge-rusher away from having maybe the best young defensive line in the NFL. If the Jets somehow could land Jadeveon Clowney in the 2014 NFL Draft, they could have the makings a legendary unit.
From twitter Justin Wall, @jwalluww
"You gotta think no Buddy Nix puts E.J. Manuel on a very short leash...."
I don't think Buddy Nix leaving the general manager position has a real impact on Manuel. The Bills took Manuel because he was the quarterback of choice for Doug Marrone. The new coaching staff and front office staff were on board with Manuel being their guy, so I think he will get every opportunity to succeed. The Bills made a big investment in Manuel, and I would expect them to give him two to three years to pan out.
From twitter Craig Davis, @CraigDavis2695
"If you compare a current pro to Teddy Bridgewater who would it be?"
That's an interesting question and one I hadn't thought of yet. I'm just in the very preliminary stages of studying the 2014 prospects, so this comparison could change. If I had to say one right now, I would probably go with Ryan Tannehill. Bridgewater may not be as fast or athletic, and he doesn't run as much as Tannehill did in college, but they have similar styles of play. Both move well in the pocket with strong, accurate arms.
I think Tannehill is going to take a big step forward in 2013 and Bridgewater looks poised for a big junior season. I think both could have successful careers in the NFL.
From Dave, Pensacola, Florida
"A lot of attention has been given to the Vikings' draft picks of Sharrif Floyd and Cordarrelle Patterson. What are your thoughts of their pick of Xavier Rhodes?"
I think Rhodes landed with a perfect team. Minnesota will use him to the best of his abilities with zone coverage and press man. He gives the Vikings a big corner to matchup against Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall and Jordy Nelson. I thought Rhodes played better in the first half of the 2012 season compared to the back half. In speaking with some friends around the FSU program, they said it seemed like he was maybe taking some plays off and protecting himself to avoid getting injured before the 2013 NFL Draft.
That won't be tolerated with Leslie Frazier and Mike Singletary. Having a former NFL defensive back in Frazier will be good for Rhodes, while Singletary will provide plenty of motivation. I agree with you that Rhodes hasn't received the attention of the Floyd or Patterson pick, but Rhodes could be the safest selection of the three.
From Terrell Harvey, Mobile, Alabama
"Why did Jesse Williams fall so far on draft day?"
I was never a believer of Williams being a first-round pick and had him lower than most. I had him in the third round of my final mock draft. In my opinion, Williams was a one-dimensional run stuffer who offered very little as an NFL pass-rusher.
In speaking with some scouts, they gave Williams a mid-round grade because of the lack of pass rush. Another reason why they had him lower was that he struggled with double-teams. Eating up double-teams would be one of his primary roles in the NFL as a two-gap defensive tackle or zero-technique nose tackle.
That being said, I think Williams is a quality selection in the fifth round for Seattle. I wouldn't expect big things from him, but I think Williams could be a serviceable rotational player.
From Ryan Davis, San Jose, California
"Do you think that Terrelle Pryor can electrify the Raiders' offense the way Colin Kaepernick did for the 49ers? If he can't, Oakland has to get a future franchise quarterback unless Tyler Wilson turns out to be a steal."
I think the odds are better that Tyler Wilson is a surprisingly successful rookie rather than Pryor having a Kaepernick-like impact for Oakland. From what I've heard, Pryor isn't the sharpest signal-caller in the classroom and at knowing the playbook. That is going to make it tough for him to see the field in the NFL.
If Wilson had entered the 2012 NFL Draft, the junior probably would've at least been a second-day pick. Last season was such a nightmare for the Arkansas program it is very understandable that Wilson's production declined. He lost his head coach, playcaller and group of good receivers. Along with the turmoil, Wilson also dealt with a concussion.
Wilson was well prepared for the NFL by former head coach Bobby Petrino, so I think he could make a quick transition to the Raiders' West Coast offense and is legitimate competition with Flynn and Pryor. It would certainly accelerate the Raiders' rebuilding effort if Wilson proved to be a steal because Oakland could address a non-quarterback need in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
From Gary Rudd, Ann Arbor, Michigan
"I see that you had Larry Warford as your favorite second-day prospect. Who is your favorite for the 2014 NFL Draft?"
It is too early to pick one, but my top candidate, right now, would be Tennessee left tackle Antonio Richardson. He could easily turn into a first-round pick with a strong 2013 season. The Volunteers were able to move Dallas Thomas inside to guard last year because of Richardson. He did an impressive job of protecting Tyler Bray's blind side.
If Richardson plays well against South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney, he could give his stock a real boost. I bet Tennessee will let Richardson take on Clowney in some one-on-ones. If Richardson does well in those plays, ir could be huge for his draft stock. The 6-foot-6, 332-pounder has good size for a left tackle with surprising quickness and agility. Not a lot of people project him as a first-rounder right now, but I think that could easily change later this fall.
From twitter Eric Westlund, @EricWestlund
"Still going Johnny (Manziel) that high, huh? The scouting community is starting to go the other way."
Well I'm not sure which scouts you're referring to, but the area scouts who I talk to haven't seriously started the 2014 process. They are mostly on vacation until August.
There are some directors of college scouting in the NFL who have already started watching 2014 players, but the area scouts who give players their round grade haven't started that process yet. Plus Manziel is an underclassman. Most area scouts just focus on the seniors and then go back and review the underclassmen once they've declared for the draft. It is way too early to make an estimation on how the scouting community feels about any 2014 prospect.
Once again send questions/comments via email draftcampbell@gmail.com or on Twitter @draftcampbell.
2014 NFL Draft Mailbag Archive:
2014 NFL Draft Mailbag - May 16
2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 22
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - May 22
2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 21
Charlie's 2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 20
NFL Picks - Feb. 3
5/16/13
From Vinny, Staten Island, New York
"With the news that the Jets are moving Ouinton Coples to outside linebacker and Sheldon Richardson to his spot on the 3 man line, how much do you believe the Jets' pass rush will be improved? Also what is a realistic expectation for Geno Smith's first and second years in the league?"
I definitely think the Jets' pass rush is going to be improved in 2013. Richardson was a disruptive pass-rusher for Missouri last year and had success rushing from defensive end as well as tackle. He is an excellent fit as a 3-4 defensive end. Coples has the speed and athletic ability to be a standup edge-rusher as well. I think he'll be improved in his second pro season.
I think Coples, Richardson and Muhammed Wilkerson will form a formidable trio. In my opinion, the team would probably do a better job of putting pressure on the quarterback from a four-man defensive line with Richardson and Wilkerson rushing from tackle. The Jets used a lot of four-man line sets in 2012, so I think these three guys will be used in a variety of ways.
I think New York is one more edge-rusher away from having maybe the best young defensive line in the NFL. If the Jets somehow could land Jadeveon Clowney in the 2014 NFL Draft, they could have the makings a legendary unit.
From twitter Justin Wall, @jwalluww
"You gotta think no Buddy Nix puts E.J. Manuel on a very short leash...."
I don't think Buddy Nix leaving the general manager position has a real impact on Manuel. The Bills took Manuel because he was the quarterback of choice for Doug Marrone. The new coaching staff and front office staff were on board with Manuel being their guy, so I think he will get every opportunity to succeed. The Bills made a big investment in Manuel, and I would expect them to give him two to three years to pan out.
From twitter Craig Davis, @CraigDavis2695
"If you compare a current pro to Teddy Bridgewater who would it be?"
That's an interesting question and one I hadn't thought of yet. I'm just in the very preliminary stages of studying the 2014 prospects, so this comparison could change. If I had to say one right now, I would probably go with Ryan Tannehill. Bridgewater may not be as fast or athletic, and he doesn't run as much as Tannehill did in college, but they have similar styles of play. Both move well in the pocket with strong, accurate arms.
I think Tannehill is going to take a big step forward in 2013 and Bridgewater looks poised for a big junior season. I think both could have successful careers in the NFL.
From Dave, Pensacola, Florida
"A lot of attention has been given to the Vikings' draft picks of Sharrif Floyd and Cordarrelle Patterson. What are your thoughts of their pick of Xavier Rhodes?"
I think Rhodes landed with a perfect team. Minnesota will use him to the best of his abilities with zone coverage and press man. He gives the Vikings a big corner to matchup against Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall and Jordy Nelson. I thought Rhodes played better in the first half of the 2012 season compared to the back half. In speaking with some friends around the FSU program, they said it seemed like he was maybe taking some plays off and protecting himself to avoid getting injured before the 2013 NFL Draft.
That won't be tolerated with Leslie Frazier and Mike Singletary. Having a former NFL defensive back in Frazier will be good for Rhodes, while Singletary will provide plenty of motivation. I agree with you that Rhodes hasn't received the attention of the Floyd or Patterson pick, but Rhodes could be the safest selection of the three.
From Terrell Harvey, Mobile, Alabama
"Why did Jesse Williams fall so far on draft day?"
I was never a believer of Williams being a first-round pick and had him lower than most. I had him in the third round of my final mock draft. In my opinion, Williams was a one-dimensional run stuffer who offered very little as an NFL pass-rusher.
In speaking with some scouts, they gave Williams a mid-round grade because of the lack of pass rush. Another reason why they had him lower was that he struggled with double-teams. Eating up double-teams would be one of his primary roles in the NFL as a two-gap defensive tackle or zero-technique nose tackle.
That being said, I think Williams is a quality selection in the fifth round for Seattle. I wouldn't expect big things from him, but I think Williams could be a serviceable rotational player.
From Ryan Davis, San Jose, California
"Do you think that Terrelle Pryor can electrify the Raiders' offense the way Colin Kaepernick did for the 49ers? If he can't, Oakland has to get a future franchise quarterback unless Tyler Wilson turns out to be a steal."
I think the odds are better that Tyler Wilson is a surprisingly successful rookie rather than Pryor having a Kaepernick-like impact for Oakland. From what I've heard, Pryor isn't the sharpest signal-caller in the classroom and at knowing the playbook. That is going to make it tough for him to see the field in the NFL.
If Wilson had entered the 2012 NFL Draft, the junior probably would've at least been a second-day pick. Last season was such a nightmare for the Arkansas program it is very understandable that Wilson's production declined. He lost his head coach, playcaller and group of good receivers. Along with the turmoil, Wilson also dealt with a concussion.
Wilson was well prepared for the NFL by former head coach Bobby Petrino, so I think he could make a quick transition to the Raiders' West Coast offense and is legitimate competition with Flynn and Pryor. It would certainly accelerate the Raiders' rebuilding effort if Wilson proved to be a steal because Oakland could address a non-quarterback need in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
From Gary Rudd, Ann Arbor, Michigan
"I see that you had Larry Warford as your favorite second-day prospect. Who is your favorite for the 2014 NFL Draft?"
It is too early to pick one, but my top candidate, right now, would be Tennessee left tackle Antonio Richardson. He could easily turn into a first-round pick with a strong 2013 season. The Volunteers were able to move Dallas Thomas inside to guard last year because of Richardson. He did an impressive job of protecting Tyler Bray's blind side.
If Richardson plays well against South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney, he could give his stock a real boost. I bet Tennessee will let Richardson take on Clowney in some one-on-ones. If Richardson does well in those plays, ir could be huge for his draft stock. The 6-foot-6, 332-pounder has good size for a left tackle with surprising quickness and agility. Not a lot of people project him as a first-rounder right now, but I think that could easily change later this fall.
From twitter Eric Westlund, @EricWestlund
"Still going Johnny (Manziel) that high, huh? The scouting community is starting to go the other way."
Well I'm not sure which scouts you're referring to, but the area scouts who I talk to haven't seriously started the 2014 process. They are mostly on vacation until August.
There are some directors of college scouting in the NFL who have already started watching 2014 players, but the area scouts who give players their round grade haven't started that process yet. Plus Manziel is an underclassman. Most area scouts just focus on the seniors and then go back and review the underclassmen once they've declared for the draft. It is way too early to make an estimation on how the scouting community feels about any 2014 prospect.
Once again send questions/comments via email draftcampbell@gmail.com or on Twitter @draftcampbell.
2014 NFL Draft Mailbag Archive:
2014 NFL Draft Mailbag - May 16
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TS
07-08-2012
05:49 am
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@RD
There's a whole lot of wrong in that wall of text. #1. Cooley is not a good TE, he was 2 years ago but injuries have made him little more than an over hyped decoy. Fred Davis is a top 10 talent when not suspended though. #2. Helu had 5 starts last year, and in those 5 starts he had 428 rushing yards and 223 extra receiving yards. 4 good games in 5 starts as a rookie? That sounds like a lot more than "nothing" to me. Also Shanny excels at getting production out of any RB. The running game won't be a problem for the Redskins this season. #3. Your lack of knowledge regarding the Redskins D is goddamn laughable. In addition to Fletcher, Kerrigan, and Orakpo there's also Barry Coefield who had a Pro Bowl caliber year at NT, Perry Riley who at times outplayed Fletcher at ILB, and CB Josh Wilson who had an excellent season despite awful Safety play and being forced to compensate for Deangelo Hall's ineptitude. The secondary sans Wilson is pretty bad, but the rest of the D is good to great. #4. Everyone claimed that the Panthers receivers were terrible too before Cam Newton came to town. While Steve Smith is better than Santana Moss, Garcon is certainly better than Brandon LaFell, and barring a suspension Fred Davis is probably better than Greg Olsen. Helu is a talented back, your ignorance notwithstanding, and like I said Shanhan excels at making no name RBs into fantasy football gods. While the Redskins backs might not be as talented as Deangelo Williams or Jonathan Stewart they're still solid, Helu being a good starter while Tim Hightower is a very good 3rd down back. Another Shanny staple which you've ignored is that he takes offensive lineman people have never heard of and makes them look passable. They might not have the name recognition that a Ryan Kalil or Jordon Gross has, but I doubt they'll be significantly worse. Prior to Williams being suspended and a slew of injuries the Redskins line looked very solid last season. That's with incompetent QBs John Beck and Rex Grossman holding the ball all day, I doubt RG3 will have such a fondness for getting sacked as those two clowns did. #5 The enter key, use it. I'm not even going to address that random gibberish you descended into at the end because it hurts my eyes to look at the abomination that is your post.
RD
06-16-2012
06:35 pm
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Well, Tony has a point (tho they have more weapons then he mentioned)... WAS has a crap cast... they have a washed up vet (moss), a decent, but unproven youngster (hankerson), 2 crap signings (morgan and garcon... and I'm a 9er fan, I know all about Morgan) at WR, good safety valves in TE's cooley and davis, and nothing at rb (come on guys, I know you like him an all, but helu has had like 4 good games in his career, he can't be counted on), and a line with more holes than swiss cheese (williams and brown are the only decent o-line men, and brown is almost done)... as for defense, whoever said that carriker is a weapon is stupid, that idiot got released by the RAMS when they drafted #1... he is garbage, along with the rest of the d, except orakpo, fletcher, and now kerrigan. RG3 is going to struggle big time in his 1st season. at least newton had smith (he's an old speedster, but can still catch unlike moss) with lafell, a solid TE in olsen, a great committee of RB's in williams and stewart, and a solid line anchored by 2 multiple pro-bowlers and all-pros (gross and kalil). can WAS boast ANY of those things? Maybe better at the TE position w/ 2 good TE's, but they are solid, not spectacular (see: Gronk, Graham, Gonzo, Davis, etc.) and honestly, how many times will they use both TE's? even if they do it 1/2 the time (very generous, the 9ers didn't even do that 1/2 the time, and they have a HC who specializes in this), thats 1/2 the time 1 of their 2 best receivers are on the bench. As great as RG3 maybe, w/o a cast, he'll turn into another david carr or alex smith (in his early years).
Amar
05-28-2012
03:37 pm
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I just recently discovered the site but I find it to be a breathe of fresh air, keep up the good work. Anyways, what do you think of Casey Pachall? We saw the kind of impact Andy Dalton had as a rookie and Pachall exceeded any season that Dalton ever put up statistically and is bigger with more physical tools. Any chance he could be a first rounder next year with another big season?
i think
05-20-2012
05:46 pm
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(total posts: 2)
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somebody loves the word i think...this dude who writes this crap hasent a clue,rg 3 has played qb how long?and be is the next cam newton..lol
@Tony
05-20-2012
05:36 pm
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Charlie answers the mailbag questions so yea....you're dumb. And why can't Griffin come in and play just as well as Cam Newton?
He's a better passer than Cam was coming out of college. The Redskins have just as good a supporting cast on offense, if not better than the Panthers had last season They have Pierre Garcon, Leonard Hankerson, Josh Morgan, and Santana Moss at WR; Fred Davis and Chris Cooley at TE; Roy Helu (over 100 yards in 3 out of 4 of his starts) and Tim Hightower at RB, and a decent offensive line with solid depth. How is that nothing on offense? They have more depth at WR and better TEs than the Panthers and their offensive lines are basically equal when healthy? And only 2 players on defense? They have Barry Cofield at NT, who was a beast last year. They have a solid rotation of Jarvis Jenkins, Stephen Bowen, Adam Carriker, and Kedric Gholston at DE. Orakpo and Kerrigan are one of the best pass rushing duos in the NFL at the OLB spots. London Fletcher is still one of the best ILB in the league and Perry Riley is a good young player as the other ILB. And they have good depth there with Jonathan Goff and Keenan Robinson. The only big issue on the entire team is the Defensive Backs. But they are more talented than people might think, they just have various behavior, consistency, and health issues. But they can be good enough if they put it all together. So next time you criticize someone, make sure you are actually criticizing the right person, idiot. And also make sure you know about the team you want to criticize them for liking because you obviously forgot to do both
@buttkisser
05-20-2012
04:37 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx58.4
(total posts: 2)
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somebody is mad b/c their team sucks this year haha
@tony
05-20-2012
04:36 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx58.4
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Think for yourself and stop reading what retards post on comment boards. I could go on about how you're horrifically wrong but i'm just going to save my time. have a good one.
NlGGA WIT THA BIG NUTZ
05-20-2012
01:46 pm
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(total posts: 1)
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@Tony
A Washington fan? There's pages of Snyder trashing on this site.
BUTT KISSER
05-20-2012
01:02 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx.152
(total posts: 2)
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GUY YOU KNOW ZILCH ABOUT FOOTBALL,WHAT ARE YOUR CREDENTIALS?YOU WRITE LIKE A 5TH GRADER,SHOW NO IN DEPTH ANALAYSIS OR FACTS TO BACK ANYTHING YOU SAY AND DRAW CONCLUSIONS ON WHAT?????????YOUR GUT FEELINGS?YOU SUCK
Ryan
05-20-2012
10:35 am
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(total posts: 1)
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A GM taking players that he likes the most is a GM picking off of his big board. You act like your big board or the big board of other "experts" are the end all of who these guys are ranked. Each GM has a different big board and each board is much different that that of a sports sites or channels big board. A GM taking someone he likes is more than likely taking someone at the top of his big board that is still available or at least the highest rated person at their position that is still available. There is not a GM out there who is going, "Well I really like John Doe even though it's the 4th round and I have him rated in the 7th, might as well just take him."
Tony
05-20-2012
09:17 am
xxx.xxx.xxx12.4
(total posts: 1)
17
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Is Walt a Redskins fan or what? Dude goobers over Griffin like he's going to come in the league slinging like an elite QB. Washington's supporting cast is absolute trash save two players on defense. People seem to push aside the fact that Shan is a stubborn old goat whose philosphies are outdated and he's not all that great of a coach to begin with. They'll win 5 games tops and Walt looks dumb again.
Pats fan
05-15-2012
05:30 am
xxx.xxx.xxx7.54
(total posts: 1)
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It's hilarious that the Jets took Gholston in 2008 just so the Patriots wouldn't get him. How'd that work out for you guys?
Donald
05-15-2012
04:04 am
xxx.xxx.xxx49.2
(total posts: 1)
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13
Can you bring back the old format of your scouting reports?
aaaa
05-11-2012
12:00 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx48.8
(total posts: 1)
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woody paige sucks
Salsa
04-24-2012
10:33 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx.195
(total posts: 1)
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Woody Paige of the denver post put Walter on blast in his article today. The king of denver sports journalism.
Congrats Walter. You've arrived. |
2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 22
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - May 22
2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 21
Charlie's 2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 20
NFL Picks - Feb. 3
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