This 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
Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State This is the second week in a row that Strong has been able to repeat as a Stock Up. Free agency has really helped his draft stock as there were a lot of teams that were pursuing veterans Randall Cobb, Jeremy Maclin and Torrey Smith. Obviously a lot of those teams were unable to get one of those wideouts under contract. Strong’s great Combine with an official 40 time of 4.44 seconds, much faster than expected, and a tremendous vertical leap of 42 inches, one of the largest in recent years, will draw the interest of a lot of teams. There is a lot of need around the NFL for receiving help, and the 6-foot-2, 217-pounder could be a tough possession receiver and red-zone threat. With the teams missing out on veterans, Strong could end up getting top-20 consideration.
DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville This is the second week in a row for Parker as well. WalterFootball.com has heard from teams in the top 20 that like Kevin White and Amari Cooper, that they are looking harder at Parker because White and Cooper could easily be gone even ealier. These teams also didn’t sign any of the top free agent receivers.
Parker also had an excellent Combine to keep himself in top-20 consideration. He ripped off a fast 40 of 4.45 seconds, and that was better than expected. In the field drills, Parker looked like a natural with how he attacks the football. The 6-foot-3, 209-pounder could easily go in the top 16 with all the receive- needy teams picking in the top half of the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Ali Marpet, OT, Hobart The Division III star Marpet had a breakout Senior Bowl. He got better each practice and held his own against the tougher competition. Marpet was a gritty blocker who showed the strength and athleticism to win his blocks.
After a nice week in Mobile, Marpet continued his upward climb with his Combine performance.At the Combine, the Hobart product had the fastest 40 times for his class – with an official time of 4.98 seconds. Marpet also moved smoothly in the field drills and showed some natural athleticism.
Marpet could end up sneaking into the second day of the 2015 NFL Draft.
La’el Collins, OT, LSU Across the net and on TV, many are projecting Collins to be moving up draft boards. Some analysts have him as a top-16 or top-20 pick. They feel that Collins did well enough at the Senior Bowl and the Combine to help his draft stock. Some teams are still split on where Collins belongs – guard, right tackle or left tackle – but momentum appears to be on his side.
Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke There has been a lot of recent buzz about Tomlinson. Some feel that he could go as high as the second round and be one of the top guards selected. WalterFootball.com knows some teams that have graded him in the third round, but also think that the team likes Tomlinson enough to draft him could do so during the second round. Tomlinson had strong outings at the Senior Bowl and the Combine to help his draft stock.
2015 NFL Draft Stock Down
Landon Collins, S, Alabama There is little doubt that Collins will end up being a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. However, how high he goes is another question. Teams we’ve spoken with that could consider a safety in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draf felt that taking Collins in the top 20 was too rich considering he has some limitations in pass coverage. Sources believe that Collins is more appropriately a late first-round pick. That is lower than many project for Collins, but he still is a favorite to be a Thursday night selection.
Chris Hackett, S, TCU Hackett was part of a tough Horned Frogs defense in 2014. The 2015 NFL Draft features a weak safety class, so some have projected Hackett to go in the mid-rounds and possibly on Day 2. However, some teams have told WalterFootball.com they’ve placed Hackett in the undrafted ranks. They felt that Hackett was too slow to run with NFL receivers, and that was given credence by his 40 time of 4.81 seconds at the Combine. Hackett (6-0, 195) will have to run a lot better before the 2015 NFL Draft in order to force some organizations to reconsider their evaluations.
Jacoby Glenn, CB, Central Florida Evaluators had speed concerns about Glenn entering the Combine, and he validated those by running very slowly. The 6-foot, 179-pounder ran the 40 in 4.64 seconds. That’s a very slow time for a cornerback. Glenn needs to improve on his 40 at his pro day, but sources feel that he is a zone corner who isn’t fast enough to run with NFL receivers in man coverage. That limitation could push Glenn well into the third day of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU Some feel that Hunter is going to be an early-round pick, but multiple teams have said they have Hunter in the mid-rounds of the 2015 NFL Draft. Multiple teams said they had a fifth-round grade on him, while one team valued him in the third round. Hunter only recorded 1.5 sacks in 2014 and needs to add weight for the NFL. He probably should have gone back to LSU for another season.
Max Garcia, OL, Florida In speaking with teams, Garcia is coming in with late-round grades. Sources say they are disappointed in Garcia’s lack of athleticism, and he isn’t overly strong to make up for it. Garcia has some versatility after playing left tackle, guard and center in college, but these same sources aren’t confident that Garcia will develop into a starter at any position. They are certain though that he definitely should play on the inside.
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