This new section highlights which players have improved or worsened their 2014 NFL Draft stock as the draft approaches.
By Charlie Campbell.
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2014 NFL Draft Stock Up
Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State There are a lot of fans of Cooks in the scouting community. WalterFootball.com’s sources have said that Cooks could end up going in the top 20 of the 2014 NFL Draft. Teams are looking for speedy slot weapons, but they also feel that Cooks has the toughness and ability to line up on the outside. Momentum is a part of the draft process and Cooks has a positive buzz. It seems unlikely that he will escape the first round as there are a lot of wide receiver-needy teams picking in the 20s.
Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU Another receiver who has good momentum right now is Beckham. Sources said they don’t believe that Beckham will get out of the first round. Specifically, they believe he could easily be selected by the Ravens or Jets at the end of the top 20. Beckham is a play-maker who hasn’t gotten a lot of attention, but WalterFootball.com knows there are a lot of scouts who love him. Like Cooks, Beckham is unlikely to get out of the first round.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington There is renewed talk of Seferian-Jenkins cracking the first round. He is said to be in great shape, and WalterFootball.com knows a number of teams that are hoping he makes it to the second round. When teams dug deep into the 2012 tape, they saw a play-making tight end who could be an impact player as a three-down starter. Seferian-Jenkins could be too good to pass up for a team like New England at the end of the first round.
Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech WalterFootball.com knows that there are teams picking high in the second round that would love to have Fuller available, but those teams don’t think that he’ll get out of the first round. Fuller generated a lot of good tape at Virginia Tech and was having a tremendous senior season that was derailed by some minor injuries. If Fuller had stayed healthy, he could be in the discussion as the top corner in the 2014 NFL Draft with Justin Gilbert and Darqueze Dennard. Fuller should go off the board in the back half of the first round.
Martavius Bryant, WR, Clemson This time of year it is easy for teams to get wrapped up in size, speed athletes; Bryant definitely fits that description. This is a strong receiver class, but there could be a run on wide outs in the first round. That would help Bryant to move up in the second day and be a second- or third-round pick. He has a lot of upside that he didn’t produce up to in college. Part of that was being stuck behind some star receivers like Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins. Bryant could higher than expected.
HaHa Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama Sources told WalterFootball.com that Clinton-Dix could fall into the 20s because he isn’t a rare athlete. While that could be the case, Clinton-Dix also is helped by a number of teams picking in the top 16 needing safety help. This isn’t a deep safety class. That could compel some of those teams to target Clinton-Dix early in order to address the need with the top player at the position. He could easily go to the Lions, Rams and Bears in the first 16.
2014 NFL Draft Stock Down
Marqise Lee, WR, USC As stated above, momentum plays a part in the draft process, and Lee has it in a bad way heading into the final month of the season. Some teams are questioning Lee’s durability, hands and skill set likelihood to translate to the NFL. He isn’t overly big, and his speed was slowed down by injuries last season. When healthy, Lee didn’t blow away the Combine to compensate for those concerns. Still, WalterFootball.com knows teams that are hoping Lee makes it to their pick in the second round; they think that could happen, too.
Tre Mason, RB, Auburn WalterFootball.com has heard that some teams are grading Mason as a third-round pick. That is lower than the consensus opinion around him of being a second-round selection. He is hurt by running backs being downgraded and teams having concerns about him in pass protection. While it wouldn’t surprise NFL teams for Mason to go in the third round, it could surprise a lot of observers.
Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State WalterFootball.com’s sources said late last week that given the depth of this draft class, Jernigan is likely to go in the second round. In other years, he would be a first-rounder, but some teams have given Jernigan a second-round grade for 2014. Other teams think he could go on Thursday night, but WalterFootball.com has heard that teams think Jernigan could easily go on Day 2.
Brandon Thomas, G, Clemson Unfortunately, Thomas lands in stock down via some bad luck. He tore an ACL during training, which could easily put him on the shelf for his rookie season. Some were pushing Thomas as a potential first-round pick, while WalterFootball.com also knows teams that graded Thomas in the third round. Following the ACL tear, he would be fortunate to be selected in the third round.
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