NEPD Editor: Mike Loyko
Early reports on the 2014 NFL Draft class are very promising. Compared to 2013 next year’s draft figures to be much deeper at key positions including Quarterback, Defensive End, Offensive Tackle and Outside Linebacker. The top of the draft especially features franchise players at multiple positions, which 2013 lacked. Each week throughout the year I will update my Big Board to reflect the top draft eligible prospects for the 2014 NFL Draft.
My ranking is not meant to be a mock draft or a projection as to where players will be drafted. The rankings reflect my evaluation of talent based on what I have scouted to this point. As the season progresses new names will be added and players will drop off.
Mike Loyko’s 2014 NFL Draft Big Board
1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
Franchise caliber defensive end. The most complete pass rusher to enter the league in years. Clowney is the total package with explosive and powerful pass rush ability. Combines his pass rush with a versatile skillset to impact the run game at any alignment on the defensive line.
2. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
Athletic and strong armed QB prospect. Should be an immediate NFL starter an impact player. Has all the tools NFL teams look for in a #1 pick — size, arm strength, accuracy, mobility and leadership skills. As of right now he is the only player that can knock off Clowney for the first overall pick.
3. Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame
Massive Nose Tackle eats space and double teams. For a player his size he move extremely well and combines quickness with power to be an impact playmaker in the middle of the Irish DL. Nix is the closest thing I’ve seen to Vince Wilfork coming out of the college game.
4. Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
Has NFL bloodlines and NFL abilities. Held down the Right Tackle position last season while last year’s #2 overall pick Luke Joeckel played the left side. Matthews gets his chance to protect Johnny Manziel’s blindside and improve his draft stock even further.
5. Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA
Former RB/FB exploded onto the national stage last season. Barr is an incredibly explosive rusher off the edge and should continue to develop as he gets more comfortable at the position. At 6’4/240 with freakish acceleration and closing speed Barr will be highly sought after in next year’s draft.
6. Marqise Lee, WR, USC
7. CJ Mosley, LB, Alabama
8. Louchiez Purifoy, CB, Florida
9. Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
10. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama
11. Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State
12. Cyrus Kounandijo, OT, Alabama
13. Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio State
14. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
15. Dominique Easley, DT, Florida
16. Antonio Richardson, OT, Tennessee
17. Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
18. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
19. Anthony Johnson, DT, LSU
20. Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor
21. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
22. De’Anthony Thomas, RB/WR, Oregon
23. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
24. Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame
25. Trent Murphy, DE, Stanford
26. Aaron Lynch, DE, South Florida
27. Cyril Richardson, OG, Baylor
28. Adrian Hubbard, OLB, Alabama
29. Will Sutton, DT, Arizona State
30. Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida
31. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson
32. Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon
33. Xavier Su’a-Filo, OG, UCLA
34. James Wilder Jr., RB, Florida State
35. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
36. Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State
37. Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo
38. Jason Verrett, CB, TCU
39. Ra’Shede Hageman, DL, Minnesota
40. Kyle Van Noy, OLB, BYU
41. Ben Gardner, DE, Stanford
42. Seantreal Henderson, OT, Miami (FL)
43. Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers
44. Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
45. Daniel McCullers, DT, Tennessee
46. Jackson Jeffcoat, DE/OLB, Texas
47. Stephen Morris, QB, Miami (FL)
48. Yawin Smallwood, LB, UConn
49. Christian Jones, OLB, Florida State
50. Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss
51. Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina
52. Antoine Exum, CB/S, Virginia Tech
53. Ed Stinson, DE, Alabama
54. Ka’Deem Carey, RB, Arizona
55. Paul Richardson, WR, Colorado
56. Zach Martin, OT/OG, Notre Dame
57. Craig Loston, S, LSU
58. Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma
59. Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech
60. Owamagbe Odighizuwa*, DE, UCLA
61. Gabe Jackson, OG, Mississippi State
62. AJ Johnson, ILB, Tennessee
63. Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
64. Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia
Just Missed: James Hurst, OT, North Carolina/Cameron Erving, OT, Florida State/Morgan Breslin, OLB/DE, USC/Alex Amidon, WR, Boston College
Tags: 2014 NFL Draft, Jadeveon Clowney, Jake Matthews, Teddy Bridgewater
Cleveland Browns just traded RB Trent Richardson to the Colts for a 2014 1st rounds pick! I feel bad for Browns fans and ticket holders to trade your season away for 1st round pick, make the right choice Cleveland or there will be a mutiny in Cleveland, i guarantee it!
Richardson wasn’t exactly lighting Cleveland on fire, so I wouldn’t say they are trading their season away by replacing him with Mcgahee (who’ I think is at least as good if not better once he gets into rhythm). Not much of productivity would be lost there considering the bar wasn’t too high to begin with – The Browns problems run deeper than the RB position anyways.
Obviously they didn’t see TR as an irreplaceable talent, and when you factor in the injuries and the question marks with far from A. Peterson-like productivity, the trade makes sense from the perspective of the Browns’ new management.
Not sure about the Colts – don’t see how adding TR helps their case considering the weak OL … I’d have rather saved myself that 1st round pick and gone with McGahee, tbh.
I looked up Dri Archer, another small very fasy player (4.43/40) Worth keeping an eye on just in case Amendola and Edelman are unable to stay healthy again this year. Archer also appears to have been injured, ankle, so unlikely to play against Penn St this week.
Steve E. I have some players in mind, just thinking about our offense and what would fit.
Always interested in prospects. Many of the sites only present the top 50 or 100 and as we have often seen plenty of NFL talent remains below those lines. Be glad to check out those you have. Love this stuff.
for the slot, i’d recommend keeping an eye on Mike Campagnaro (sp?) from Wake Forst, as well.
Archer is an interesting prospect too.
Looked up MC @WF, seems like a kid to watch, thanks amc.
I will beat the drum for Kent State RB/WR Dri Archer to become a Patriot! Just how i did for Tavon Austin before he became known.
Mike–
Two positions where we need short-term depth and long-term replacements for aging team leaders are OG (mankins and connolly are 31) and DT/NT (wilfork is 31). I see a lot of prospects at these positions on your big board right now, which is encouraging. Two that I don’t see who I am following are daquan jones (DT penn state) and david yankey (OG stanford). Any thoughts on these two prospects?
Too bad we won’t be able to get the real vince wilfork replacement in louis nix III. Crossing my fingers he gets hurt or finds another way to fall but he seems like a perfect prospect on and off the field. Thanks.
From Mike’s list I like a couple OLBs who could reasonable fall into the Pat’s range. Khalili Mack-Buff and Kyle Van Noy- BYU should be worth watching. Scouting reports give both high grades in all aspects of the position. Pats could use some depth at cover LB.