This new section highlights which players have improved or worsened their 2015 NFL Draft stock as the draft approaches.
By Charlie Campbell.
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2015 NFL Draft Stock Up
Philip Dorsett, WR, Miami Dorsett is a player who went under the radar this season, but the senior performed really well. Miami is using a freshman quarterback and has leaned on running back Duke Johnson, thus Dorsett hasn’t seen many targets and had only 31 receptions in the regular season. However, he has demonstrated his talent by averaging 27 yards per reception for 826 yards and nine touchdowns. A knee injury took away a chunk of his junior year, but as a sophomore, he had 58 catches for 842 yards and four touchdowns.
Sources say that the 5-foot-10, 195-pounder could be a steal on the second day of the 2015 NFL Draft. They say he has elite speed and will be a vertical weapon in the NFL. As a prospect, Dorsett is said to have a similar skill set to Mike Wallace, but Dorsett is more polished as a route-runner than Wallace was coming out of Ole Miss in 2009. Dorsett has gone from a Day-3 pick to a second- or third-rounder according to league contacts.
Devontae Booker, RB, Utah If I were an advisor to Booker I would recommend that he return to the Utes for his senior season as the 2015 class is already loaded at his position. On top of that, Booker has only played one season of college football and needs to improve as a pass-blocker, but he put together an impressive season on the ground. Booker closed out the year by ripping off 162 yards on 26 carries with a touchdown and making four receptions for 24 yards against Colorado State in the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl.
Booker averaged 5.2 yards per carry in 2014 for 1,512 yards with 10 touchdowns. He also caught 43 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns. Booker (5-11, 203) has quickness and strength as a runner. If he enters the 2015 NFL Draft, his stock should be on the rise, but he will still probably be a mid-round pick since this year’s draft is so crowded with runnings backs. If Booker has a big senior year, he could rise higher as a potential second-day pick.
David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa Johnson was impressive enough to earn an invitation to the Senior Bowl. 2014 was the senior’s best season as he ran for 1,553 yards and gained almost another 1,000 yards in all-purpose yardage. Johnson racked up for 1,286 yards with 393 yards receiving in 2013. He ran for 1,021 yards and 18 touchdowns the year before. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Johnson has good size for the next level. Given the a deep running back class, Johnson could be sleeper who ends up being a nice value pick.
Nick Boyle, TE, Delaware Boyle (6-5, 273) is another FCS player who has earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl. He has good size, and the defenders in Mobile should provide a nice test of his speed and athleticism. Boyle caught 37 passes for 304 yards with four scores in 2014. He made 42 receptions for 474 yards with seen touchdowns the year before. If Boyle doesn’t have the skill set to be a receiver in the NFL, he could be a blocking tight end. Boyle looks like he could be one of the few Y tight end prospects in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Devante Davis, WR, UNLV The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Davis has excellent size for the next level, plus has a skill set to work with. He had 34 receptions for 599 yards and four touchdowns in 2014 but also missed five games. The Rebels talented standout impressed enough to land an invite to the Senior Bowl.
Helping Davis to land the invite was a track record of production. He caught 87 passes for 1,290 yards with 14 touchdowns in 2013. He had 61 catches for 854 yards and four scores as a sophomore. It will be critical for Davis to use his time in Mobile to show that he has the speed to separate from defensive backs. If Davis manages that, his stock could skyrocket.
Vince Mayle, WR, Washington State Mayle produced a big senior year for Washington State. In the Cougars aerial offense, he caught 106 passes for 1,483 yards with nine touchdowns. That more than doubled his 42 receptions for 539 yards and seven scores in 2013. Mayle will participate at the Senior Bowl. He lit up some of the weaker secondaries he played against this year, yet was decent against Oregon (7-75) and Stanford (6-78). The 6-foot-3, 219-pound Mayle will be a challenge for the defensive backs in Mobile.
Dezmin Lewis, WR, Central Arkansas Lewis is a big-bodied receiver who could end up being a mid-round pick. He totaled 64 receptions for 945 yards and nine touchdowns in 2014. Lewis impressed enough to receive an invitation to the Senior Bowl. If he can demonstate the ability to separate via quickness and route-running, his stock could really rise.
Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon There is talk that Armstead is going to enter the 2015 NFL Draft and could go high in the first round. He is similar to former Duck Dion Jordon in that both have significant athletic skill sets, but have had some injury issues and lack a history of production.
Armstead started 2014 with 10 tackles with four for a loss and one sack across the first four games. He injured his ankle against Arizona in early October and was in and out of the lineup for some time. Armstead played in the final five games of the regular season. He has 33 tackles with 5.5 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks so far.
Armstead played in all of Oregon’s games in 2013 and had five starts. The sophomore totaled 15 tackles with 2.5 tackles for a loss and a sack that year. The 6-foot-8, 290-pounder has a rare combination of size and speed, but he needs to show in the playoff game against Florida State that he can produce up to his skill set.
2015 NFL Draft Stock Down
Tyler Sambrailo, OT, Colorado State Sambrailo faced the challenge of going against Utah pass-rusher Nate Orchard in the Las Vegas Bowl. After a strong start for Sambrailo, Orchard gave the tackle a lot of problems with his speed rush. After giving up some pressures, Sambrailo allowed some big plays for the Utes.
ambrailo had his man blocked in the third quarter, but after a while, he worked free to get in on a strip-sack of quarterback Garrett Grayson. It got worse later on. In the final minute of the blowout, Sambrailo was beaten on a speed rush around the corner by Orchard’s backup, who strip-sacked of Grayson from behind.
Sambrailo didn’t allow a sack in 2013, and the senior hadn’t given up a sack this year until playing Utah. Overall, this tape will hurt Sambrailo’s draft stock as he struggled with the Utes’ speed rushers. He could bounce back with a strong week at the Senior Bowl. Sambrailo has a nice skill set, but he needs development in his technique before being ready to start at left tackle in the NFL. This tape would indicate he belongs more on the second day of the 2015 NFL Draft rather than the first round.
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon Despite his lack of height, Ekpre-Olomu (5-10, 195) was in the running to be the first cornerback selected in the 2015 NFL Draft. However, those hopes took a serious hit when he tore an ACL during bowl practice. The senior notched two interceptions, nine passes broken up and 58 tackles this year. He had impressive games against Stanford, UCLA, Arizona and Michigan State. With his ACL tear happening in December, Ekpre-Olomu may not be ready for the start of training camp of his rookie season. The highest that Ekpre-Olomu can probably hope to go is the second day of 2015 NFL Draft.
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