Season 27 Draft News

Week 3
"Hard thrower - the Pittsburgh baseball team will have to find another power arm now that Jason Bramlet has announced he will dedicate himself exclusively to playing quarterback."
SMLE Draft Expert: There are a number of cannons who who can really chuck it in the 1st round but Bramlet's laser accuracy separates him from the pack...for now.
Combine Review: 5.9 - Everyone expect Bramlet to throw but not much else. He came prepared and had a great surprise combine, how do you improve on the No1 pick?? 
Player Comparison: John Elway - Rocket arm but with signs of touch, without the magic he's Matthew Stafford.
Draft Prediction: No1 pick - Legendary Player

Week 6
"Tweet: about QB Frank Corliss being quite good (missed it sorry)"
SMLE Draft Expert: Corliss is looking solid this season, with a good arm and decent accuracy but not great on what should be routine throws. 
Combine Review: 4.8 - Noone really expected Corliss to do better but he'll move about the pocket fine. 
Player Comparison: Ryan FitzMagic - Corliss has smarts and some talent but needs to catch fire to play at a level to carry a team. He'll get paid, suck, cut, sign and play lights out!
Draft Prediction: Top10 pick - Good QB with lots of needy teams

Week 7
"Tweet: RG Jordan Parks no longer the darling of the draft like we thought he'd be. Looking very vulnerable."
SMLE Draft Expert: Parks was looking a first round lock until the recent footage exposed his weakness in the power game. He's not the complete OL we thought. 
Combine Review: 6.1 - Parks looked great at the combine with speed, agility and burst but the bad game tape now reflects more on his poor technique and questionable development. 
Player Comparison: Ali Marpet - great agile technician but without that mean streak and brute force. 
Draft Prediction: Rounds 1-3 - Decent G but low potential

Week 9
"Tweet: Long Waters, a great D line prospect, just went down with a long term injury. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]."
SMLE Draft Expert: Waters wasn't having a brilliant campaign but a good one, seen to have a lack of toughness and possibly take plays off, but then when he went down his absence was greatly noticed.
Combine Review: 6.6 - Waters returns after a season of rehab and looked formidable in the drills. Great speed and power but the injury looks to have sapped his burst and lateral movement. 
Player Comparison: Shariff Floyd - Whilst the injury wasn't either of their faults, the comparison of an athletic DT who will miss time throughout his career is there.
Draft Prediction: Rounds 3-5 - Unknown, see on combine.

Week 11
"Shutdown Coverage - it was a showcase for Dixon Gates this week as he kept Angelo Pettway from having any impact at all in the victory for USC."
SMLE Draft Expert: SS Gates had a great game demonstrating elite instincts, positioning and coverage but its because Vanderbilt went away from the run game which exposes Gates weaknesses. 
Combine Review: 6.9 - WOW Gates just locked down his top10 standing! He moved so fluid with enough speed for the safety position. 
Player Comparison: Jordan Poyer - High effort superb coverage safety that struggles with tackling. 
Draft Prediction: 1st round - Good coverage safety but what's the league demand?

Week 12
"Tweet: Oscar Jenkins can be a shutdown DB on his good weeks. The next week, he gets torched. Needs consistency." 
SMLE Draft Expert: Jenkins can produce highlight reel performances but his reliance on blowing up the WR as a coverage strategy leaves him exposed at times. Enforcers don't get paid in the NFL anymore.
Combine Review: 6.3 - Jenkins looked a little stiff in the hips which explains his bad film but his vertical and speed make up for that if put in the right scheme. 
Player Comparison: Calvin Pryor iii - Hard hitting enforcer in the run game but a liability in coverage. Jenkins hits less but covers more. 
Draft Prediction: Rounds 2 to 4 - Decent box safety, will be good Special Teams/Backup

Week13
"Tweet: Daryon Phillips showed how much he can impact a game. A total difference maker at DB."
SMLE Draft Expert: Phillips is a new breed safety in the NFL. The height to cover TEs but the fluidity to cover WRs. Look for him to be an elite safety with Derwin James and Obi Wan in a few years! It depends on what's his potential ceiling?
Combine Review: 7 - Phillips almost snuck past Gates in the rankings, awesome agility and burst with decent enough speed. Locked into the top16 picks. 
Player Comparison: George Iloka - the height and the build are there but Phillips will be successful in any scheme unlike Iloka who needed Zimmer to be great. 
Draft Prediction: Top20 pick - Great Safety with height, so likely picked before Gates.


Week 14
"Tweet: QB Cooper Schilling must've really wrestled with this decision. Such a talented player. Shocked he's walking away."
SMLE Draft Expert: Schilling decided to focus on his studies for a life after the NFL, he doesn't have enough tape to make it to the 1st round now but scouts will still be impressed with his smarts and intangibles.
Combine Review: 5.6 - Schilling showed decent movement in the drills so will have a good pocket movement and the rare scramble. Great west coast bootleg QB.
Player Comparison: Christian Ponder - Has a bit of an arm and great short accuracy, exceeds in the classroom but doesn't wow on the field.
Draft Prediction: 1st/2nd Round - There's enough needy teams and a lack of talent after Schilling.

Week 15
"Heisman goes to Bundren - In a much anticipated ceremony, Paul Bundren was announced as the winner of the Heisman Trophy, capping a season of unparalleled success for the LSU QB."
SMLE Draft Expert: Bundren just knocked Corliss out of the no2 QB spot and is challenging Bramlet as the No1 QB. It all comes down to coach playstyle and taking the risk that Bundren has the potential to make all the throws.
Combine Review: 6 - He's fast enough but everyone expected Bundren to separate from Bramlet at the combine. He did okay and proved he can move well but the expectations were a lot higher. 
Player Comparison: Fran Tarkenton - Bundren doesn't quite have the arm yet, but he's a Houdini of a QB.
Draft Prediction: Top 5 pick - likely to go 1, 2 with Bramlet in this legendary QB class!

Superbowl
"Tweet: QB Stuvaints is being looked at in a whole new light after the All-star game. Everybody talking about him now. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]"
SMLE Draft Expert: Stuvaints isn't going to knock Bramlet and Bundren off the top spots but is now in the mix with Corliss and Schilling. He doesn't have the accuracy that they do, but he's got youth over Corliss and potential over Schilling.
Combine Review: 5.1 - He looked strong with good bulk to last a season but is definitely a tower in the pocket. 
Player Comparison: Nathan Peterman - Big body athlete with potential but doesn't have a cannon or natural touch.
Draft Prediction: 1st Round, slip to 2nd - there's enough teams with needs but it depends on trades and pending retirements.

Combine
"Tweet: The NFL is about to get its next great DB. Reggie Beard is a star in the making"
SMLE Draft Expert: SS Beard came in with big holes in his film, he can tackle but struggles to cover and then wow'd the combine to move in behind Gates and Phillips. He'll need a good scheme and not to be left in isolation against a good WR but this workout warrior just made some money.
Combine Review: 6.8 - Good speed and amazingly fluid! Okay vertical and came in at 5'11, great compact strength and the best hips of the class. 
Player Comparison: Jabrill Peppers - Likely more potential than Peppers but has that agile CB body with LB Power whilst still working on his technique. 
Draft Prediction: Rounds 1 to 2

"Graham Marks is not taking it easy, he's working out hard and NFL scouts are noticing"
SMLE Draft Expert: QB Marks was invited along as a drill thrower for the WR and looked like he had fantastic technique and smarts. He needs a tonne of work on his deep ball and lacks zip. 
Combine Review: 4.8 - Whilst not wowing with speed and agility, Marks showed decent footwork and a great burst and leg strength to drive on the ball.
Player Comparison: Kurt Warner - We're not talking HoF Kurt, we're talking still developing bags of potential Kurt pre Rams. 
Draft Prediction: Rounds 2 to 3, legendary classes like this will be remembered for the top picks but Marks could sneak into the top of the draft!

"Tweet: Just a rumor of Pippens wanting to take a year off before he enters the NFL have sent his draft stock tumbling"
SMLE Draft Expert: Everyone is questioning CB JJ Pippens effort and dedication but some motivational coach might be able to get his head screwed on right next year. 
Combine Review: 7 - A tad slow with stiff hips but great leaping ability and elite strength.
Player Comparison: Eli Apple - Decent athlete but poor technician with locker room problems who needs coaching up in the right scheme. 
Draft Prediction: 5th to 7th round, he could retire before he sees the contract through...

"Worst thing that could happen to Joey Parsons before the draft. An injury that just won't go away"
SMLE Draft Expert: TBC
Combine Review: DNP
Player Comparison: TBC
Draft Prediction: TBC

Pro-Day
"Tweet: An eye popping day for LE Harris Peck. Amazing physical tools for a big D-lineman"
SMLE Draft Expert: Up to this point the consensus was this was a terrible draft for top pass rushers. Peck would be a 1st round pick in any other draft based on his physicals but in this class he's top shelf. 
Combine Review: 6.3 - Super fast with good bend & agility, good burst and strength but limited vertical. 
Player Comparison: Clay Matthews - Short, compact, edge rusher with great bend and elite speed. 
Draft Prediction: Top16 pick - There are no other obvious elite edge rushers which pushes his stock further. 

"Tweet: FS Kona Underwood laid an egg at his pro day. Opened the door for the other DBs to move in front of him on draft boards"
SMLE Draft Expert: Underwood isn't a bad player, it's just the era of heavy run support safeties is over and the game is faster and more spread out now. Someone will fall in love with his motor but can you improve his knowledge of coverage concepts?
Combine Review: 6.2 - One of the slower safeties but decent hips and moderate strength. 
Player Comparison: Andrew Sendejo - Slow run support safety but with the potential to develop a better well rounded game. 
Draft Prediction: Rounds 2 to 3 - There's a wealth of better safeties out there, no cover means no cash. 

"Tweet: LG Jacolby Briggs didn't do much to help himself on pro day but it wasn't a total disaster. Still a top O-lineman."
SMLE Draft Expert: Briggs is still a great pass protector and amazing athlete, but the pro day exposed his weakness in hand placement and aggression in the run game causing a minor drop in stock. 
Combine Review: 6.4 - Good strength and agility, middling speed but no weakness athletically. 
Player Comparison: Michael Oher - Both strong athletes with a desire to protect the blindside but lack the natural aggression to succeed on a run first team. 
Draft Prediction: Rounds 1 to 2 -- He's shown the cap on his potential but someone will want him for their scheme.

Bump for combine

Thanks mate