Last-Minute Mock Draft

I’m ignoring the teams at each slot for now since some analysts are projecting as many as 10 trades. After being buried in information for the last few weeks, here’s my final guess at how the first round shakes out.

1. Andrew Luck

2. Robert Griffin III

3. Trent Richardson

4. Matt Kalil

5. Morris Claiborne

6. Justin Blackmon

7. Fletcher Cox

8. Ryan Tannehill

9. Mark Barron

10. Michael Floyd

11. Melvin Ingram

12. Luke Kuechly

13. Cordy Glenn

14. Michael Brockers

15. Quinton Coples

16. Chandler Jones

17. Stephon Gillmore

18. Dontari Poe

19. Whitney Mercilus

20. Dre Kirkpatrick

21. Courtney Upshaw

22. Stephen Hill

23. Riley Reiff

24. Dave DeCastro

25. Jerel Worthy

26. Coby Fleener

27. Shea McLellin

28. Nick Perry

29. Dont’a Hightower

30. Peter Konz

31. Harrison Smith

32. Jonathan Martin

 

Draft Profile: Tom Compton

The Draft Daze interview tour continued with one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft, South Dakota tackle Tom Compton. Compton, a native of Rosemount, Minnesota, never expected to be on the NFL’s doorstep, as one of the players expected to be picked in the middle rounds of next week’s draft. Compton was lightly recruited out of high school, gaining scholarship offers from mostly Division II schools in Minnesota and the Dakotas.

But he blossomed at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, a city of just 10,000 people in the southeast corner of the state. He was a four-year starter on the offensive line and added about fifty pounds to his frame, which is now prototype tackle-size (6-5, 314 pounds).  Add that to a kid who possesses a good work ethic and athleticism and you’re left with a possible sleeper pick in the draft’s middle rounds. He’s had personal interviews with the Texans, Saints, and Chargers, and made a pre-draft visit with the Minnesota Vikings, the team he rooted for growing up.

Compton’s story is already an interesting one. But next week, it will get even better.

Here’s an excerpt from my interview with Compton. Everything else will appear in the book.

It’s been a while since your school has had someone drafted (Chul Swanke in the 11th Round of the 1986 Draft). Is that exciting for you to perhaps get some publicity for your school?

It’s a really cool position that I’m in. Being the first guy drafted in the seven-round format would mean a lot to me, getting to represent the people I’ve come to know. It would be a cool way to pay back the school and maybe bring in some good recruits and help their program.

Did you think the NFL might be a possibility coming out of high school?

I hadn’t even thought of the NFL at all really. I just wanted to play college football at the best school I could go to. I wanted to play Division I, whether it was Division I or Division I-AA. I didn’t want to walk on, I just wanted to have a good experience at college and play football.

Did you get a lot bigger during colllege?

I got there at about 260 pounds and played my reshirt freshman year at 285. I was fortunate enough to start as a redshirt freshman and start every game for four years. That definitely was a cool thing to have happened. It allowed me to put a lot of tape out there.

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Many thanks to Tom for the interview amid the hectic nature of draft season. Look for his name during next week’s draft coverage on ESPN and the NFL Network.  

Inside the Draft: Ralph Cindrich

Ralph Cindrich provides a unique perspective on the NFL Draft, having faced it as a player and an agent for more than 30 years.

The Draft Daze interview tour continued with Ralph Cindrich, a former standout player who has had a very successful career as an agent. Cindrich has negotiated the NFL’s Draft for more than 30 years with a list of clients that has included Jeff Saturday, Mark May, Gary Clark, and Al Toon among others.  This year, things come full circle as Cindrich serves as a co-representative for Al’s son, Nick, a wide receiver from Wisconsin. He also wins bonus points for having the best draft day story of any interview subject so far (which is so good I’m saving most of it for the book) and being one of the most entertaining people on my Twitter feed.

Here are a few highlights of the interview that I’m not hoarding for later use. The first one focuses on Cindrich’s own frustrating experience as a draft prospect. After being an All-American in both wrestling and football at the University of Pittsburgh, injuries pushed Cindrich all the way into the fifth round.

What’s it like to slide into the later rounds on draft day?

You have so many emotions flowing, you see guys getting picked that you absolutely know you’re better than. Each round, each time someone else is picked, it keeps going and going. When it happened with the Atlanta Falcons, it was great. It was one of those things, once it was all over, it was great.

What do you think has helped you be so successful as an agent?

I was very fortunate that I grabbed onto – at a very early age – extremely rugged individuals mentally who would listen to about anything I would say. With guys like that, you can do about anything. You can actually manipulate the draft.

What’s draft day like as an agent?

Generally speaking where it happens (where someone is picked),  is not as important for most as long as it happens. Getting the call is a tremendous relief. After the first day, you have to get on the phone (and talk to players who went undrafted), even if the guy had no chance of being drafted. A lot of times they won’t have the chance of going where they think they want to go.

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Many thanks to Ralph for the interview time amidst the busy dealings of free agency and the approaching draft. Follow him on Twitter (@RalphCindrich) and visit his website here. 

Inside the Draft: ESPN’s John Wildhack

ESPN's John Wildhack has had a front-row seat for the tremendous growth of the NFL Draft.

John Wildhack, one of ESPN’s key players behind the scenes, gave us some interesting stories and information in yet another interview for the book, Draft Daze. Wildhack has been at ESPN since its infancy in the 1980s and has played important roles in the NFL Draft broadcast and a number of other events as ESPN’s Executive Vice President of Production. Here are a few highlights from the interview. (Everything else will appear in the book).

When ESPN first started airing the draft, did anyone have any idea how big it would get?

Not really. I think if any of us told you anything different, we would be a little disingenuous. We knew it was a property that had growth potential. What it has ultimately developed into now is truly amazing. I don’t think anyone foresaw that 30 years ago.

What has Mel Kiper meant to ESPN’s draft coverage?

When he started, he looked like he was about 15…(Laughs). His preparation was unbelievable and his knowledge was encyclopedic. He was really, really valuable for us. His expertise and his passion (were tremendous) and we had the platform to give him the time. It was a perfect combination. He was young and energetic and knew his stuff cold. We had the platform and the opportunity to give him time and fans instantly gravitated  to him.

The draft seems to be one of the biggest events on the spring sports schedule.

No question. If you look at the second quarter for us, clearly the draft, along with the Masters and the women’s (basketball) national championship, is one of our signature events. The NFL and college football continue to enjoy tremendous popularity and when you blend those two together with the draft, it’s very powerful.

Do you feel the energy when draft day finally arrives?

I think you have to, no question. With the fans in attendance and outside there’s a great energy about it. It’s an enormously complicated show to do and an incredibly complex (process). That and the combination of the unknown makes it so much fun.

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Many thanks to John for the interview. Check out his ESPN bio here. 

 

Inside the Draft: Ozzie Newsome

Ozzie Newsome and the Baltimore Ravens have had tremendous success in the NFL Draft.

The Draft Daze interview tour continued with the “Wizard of Oz” Ozzie Newsome, a Hall of Fame player and standout general manager for the Baltimore Ravens. Newsome has been running the draft since the Ravens arrived in Baltimore and has long been celebrated for overseeing drafts that have produced a Super Bowl champion and a number of future Hall of Famers. Here’s a snippet of the interview. Everything else will be covered in the book.

Are there any drafts that stick out in your mind?

That very first one (with the Ravens). I live through the creed of ‘take the best player on the board.’ We took Jonathan Ogden and we haven’t looked back. I’ve had a lot of great picks, but none probably none better than those two (Ogden and Ray Lewis, both first-rounders in 1996).

How does your draft preparation affect the draft?

We try to do as much work and preparation for the draft as we can, so that when we get in the draft or on the clock, 80-90 percent of the work is already done. (The other 10-20 percent?) Some of that is based on who we’ve taken in the picks before or whether you have a trade offer or not. If you get a trade offer, you have to evaluate the trade versus taking a player.

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Many thanks to Ozzie for the interview. Check out his Ravens bio here. 

Draft Rewind: Reggie Kelly

Even after 13 years in the NFL, Kelly hasn't forgotten the magic of draft day.

I spoke with tight end Reggie Kelly recently and we turned back the clock 13 years to talk about the 1999 draft, when Kelly was selected in the second round…

The phone rang in Kelly’s house and his dad picked it up. Kelly was a little annoyed, thinking someone was bothering him during the draft, on perhaps the most important day of his life.

But that emotion subsided pretty quickly when he took the phone. On the other end was Dan Reeves, head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.

“I got up in an angry mood and all the anger quickly drained away,” Kelly said. “It was none other than the head coach for the Atlanta Falcons, Dan Reeves. I was in awe, a man who could quite possibly be in the Hall of Fame was calling me, Reggie Kelly, a little country boy from Mississippi…I was ecstatic, I was getting to live out my childhood dreams of being in the NFL.”

In addition to his draft-day memories, Kelly offered a lot of other insight on the draft process that will be featured in the book. He’s a free agent heading into what will be his 14th season in the NFL and his career has been filled with productive plays and plenty of highlights.

But it’s clear that even after all these years, the memories of that draft day 13 years ago still hold a special place in his heart.

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Many thanks to Reggie for the interview. Check out his line of Kyvan salsas and sauces here, which are perfect for tailgating, and follow him on Twitter, @ReggieKelly82

Draft Spotlight: Brandon Brooks

Brooks is an interesting player to watch in the upcoming draft. The smaller-school guard just might make it big.

For every Andrew Luck and RG3, for every player at a high-profile position who dominates the headlines and seems destined for the top of the draft, there are many others like Brandon Brooks, talented players shining at lesser-known positions. Brooks performed well at his recent pro day and was just named a draft “riser” by ESPN guru Mel Kiper, but he still isn’t quite sure where and when he’ll be drafted.

Round Two? Round Three? Even later? It’s anyone’s guess.

Such is the reality of being an offensive guard at a Mid-American Conference school (Miami of Ohio), away from the hype and hysteria of bigger schools and brand names. Still, Brooks has remained upbeat, focusing on what he can control and seeming to ignore everything else. It’s that same mindset coupled with some great measurables (6-5, 353, sub 5-second 40-yard dash) and impressive versatility (he’s played every position on the offensive line) that could make him a solid pick for some team in April. In whichever round that may be.

Here are a few thoughts from Brooks as the draft approaches. Everything else will appear in the book.

What’s this whole draft process like?

It’s a crazy experience and a crazy time in my life. I’m just trying to understand that – one, I’m blessed and a lot of people don’t have the same opportunities. And two, that I just need to have good people around me. I feel that if you have a solid group around you, they will always keep you on the straight and narrow.

Did your pro day go about as well as you could hope for?

Yeah it really did. At this point, I had a little chip on my shoulder after not getting invited to the combine. I felt like not getting invited to combine made me want to prove them wrong and make them see I was supposed to be there.

Have you thought about what it will be like on draft day when you hear your name called and your lifelong dream comes true?

I haven’t. I’m sure I won’t be able to be put in words how joyful (I’ll feel) and it’s hard to put in words right now. I’ll just be overjoyed, it’s a lifelong dream come true. How many times does someone who wants something so bad…How many times does it happen the way you want it to?

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Many thanks to Brandon for the interview minutes amid his hectic schedule of draft workouts and preparation. Listen for his name on draft day. 

Draft Forecast: Drugstore List’s Jerry Jones

The Draft Daze interview tour continued with The Drugstore List’s Jerry Jones, who’s not to be confused with the Dallas Cowboys owner. This Jerry Jones has been producing books on the draft’s prospects since 1972 and has been inside the legendary Paul Brown’s war room. As Dick Leabeu put it, “Jones was into the draft before it was cool to be into it.” Here’s what Jones thinks about this year’s prospects:

1. As many others have noted, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are at the top of the draft class.

2. The draft boasts a strong crop of offensive tackles, with headliners like Matt Kalil and Riley Reiff, and potential impact players like Jonathan Martin and Mike Adams among others.

3. The draft is deep at cornerback (Morris Claiborne, Janoris Jenkins, and Dre Kirkpatrick lead the way), but pretty weak at safety.

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Many thanks to Jones for corresponding with me in the midst of  his ongoing battle with lung cancer. Wish him well. And click here to order the draft books that have become respected by so many organizations.

Draft Forecast: Gil Brandt

Gil Brandt was a key player in many of the Dallas Cowboys' greatest drafts.

The interview circuit for Draft Daze continued with one of the draft’s most experienced evaluators, Gil Brandt. Brandt has been involved with the NFL Draft for more than 50 years now, starting his career with Tex Schramm and the L.A. Rams and continuing it through the Dallas Cowboys’ glory years, serving as vice president of player personnel for Dallas from 1960 – 1989. Brandt now works as a writer for NFL.com and also appears on Sirius NFL Radio.

Here are a few thoughts from Brandt on the upcoming draft. Everything else will appear in the book.

1. Brandt is high on Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Ryan Tannehill, the quarterback who converted from wide receiver before excelling as a signal caller at Texas A & M. Tannehill provides an interesting challenge for draft evaluators because he has a lot of ability, but not a lot of experience.

2. Matt Kalil and Riley Reiff, two highly-touted linemen, have impressed Brandt as well. But Brandt is also a fan of a two wide receiver prospects who are potential sleepers. He likes Chris Givens of Wake Forest and Stephen Hill of Georgia Tech to be potential playmakers in the NFL.

3. Brandt believes all the extra effort invested into the combine, the player workouts, and everything else have made a difference in terms of the draft. He believes the prolonged tryout and workout period allow the blue-chip players to rise to the top, while the rest fade into the later rounds. It’s a lot different than some of the early days he remembers, when teams might use a single phone call to determine a draft pick. Clearly, times have changed.

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Many thanks to Brandt for the interview time as he prepared for a busy week filled with the myriad activties at the NFL Combine. Follow his work on NFL.com and listen for him on Sirius NFL Radio. 

Draft Forecast: Mel Kiper

The Draft Daze interview tour continued with a conversation with Mel Kiper. His experiences after more than 30 years in the draft business made for some interesting stories.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper, the draft guru who has helped transform the event into the television phenomenon that it is today,  gave me a few minutes of his time and I got a lot of great stories and analysis in return. Kiper took me back in time to his first draft in 1984 and also previewed this year’s draft in April. Here are a few of his thoughts on this year’s draft class. Everything else will be covered in the book.

1. Andrew Luck is Kiper’s highest-graded player since John Elway in 1983. In fact, Kiper said he believes Luck would have went No. 1 overall last year before Cam Newton, who set some records on his way to becoming the NFL’s Rookie of the Year. Luck’s talent level makes the Colts’ selection – and their corresponding dilemma with Peyton Manning – all that more interesting.

2. Kiper thinks 17 – 18 underclassmen could be selected in the first round. He also predicts a defense-heavy early round, with as many as six defensive tackles being selected on the draft’s first night, April 26th.

3. Trent Richardson might be the only running back taken in Round One according to Kiper. After T-Rich, Kiper believes Lamar Miller, David Wilson, and Doug Martin could all slide into Round Two or beyond.

4. The draft is deepest on the offensive and defensive lines. Although Kiper thinks four wide receivers could go in the first round, he sees the skilled players taking a back seat to the lesser-known guys in the trenches. There might not be the flurry of quarterbacks that dominated last year’s draft, but there are a lot of good interior players who can really impact some teams.

All in all, Kiper didn’t disappoint. He was the fast-talking, entertaining, and opinionated guy that has made for such good television over the years.  Follow his upcoming work on ESPN’s NFL Draft page, his updates on Twitter (@MelKiperESPN), and his appearances with Todd McShay on the captivating podcast, First Draft.