2015 NFL Draft Day-Two Values: Offense
2015 NFL Draft Day-Two Values: Offense | 2015 NFL Draft Day-Two Values: Defense
2015 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Offense | 2015 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Defense
2015 NFL Draft Day-Three Sleepers
Published April 30, 2015
By Charlie Campbell – @draftcampbell
2015 NFL Draft Day-Two Values: Offense
By Charlie Campbell – @draftcampbell
2015 NFL Draft Day-Two Values: Offense
In the recent weeks there have been a lot of questions about who are my value picks in the 2015 NFL Draft. A value or sleeper prospect is basically a player who gets drafted after the first round and proves to be a steal. The second day of the draft is where the men are separated from the boys among NFL general managers. All the players have strengths and flaws, but the top evaluators find future starters and team building blocks on Day 2. Every year, I pick my favorite second-day value. Here is my record.
2015: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
2014: Jeremy Hill, RB, LSU
2013: Larry Warford, G, Kentucky
2012: Derek Wolfe, DL, Cincinnati
2011: Justin Houston, OLB, Georgia
2010: Brian Price, DT, UCLA and Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida
2009: Mike Wallace, WR, Ole Miss
2008: Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech
Overall, this list is very strong with the one exception being Brian Price. Unfortunately, family tragedies robbed him of being able to put an NFL career together. Flowers has had a Pro Bowl career. Wallace has been a good pro receiver and helped get the Steelers to a Super Bowl. Houston is a pass-rushing terror for the Chiefs, while Warford is one of the best young guards in the NFL. Hill flashed as a rookie and could be in store for some huge years as soon as next fall.
Here is a breakdown of a sleeper prospect at each offensive position for the 2015 draft class. All the players will be prospects who are going on the second or third day of the 2015 NFL Draft. If a player is a possible late first-round pick, I don’t include him as an option.
Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State In speaking with NFL sources, they identified Grayson as a sleeper prospect who has really impressed them. He has a strong arm that can make all the throws. As a junior and senior, Grayson showed the ability to work through his progressions and distribute the ball to the right receiver. He displays some good accuracy at times, but needs to get more consistent, especially on the deep ball. Grayson has some mobility to make throws on the run. His character receives good marks as he is viewed as a good teammate with leadership skills. Grayson completed 65 percent of his passes in 2014 for 4,006 yards with 32 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He hasn’t gotten much attention, but he has potential to develop for the NFL.
T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama Yeldon is a smooth runner who has quickness, balance, cutting ability and vision. He has some ball-security issues, in part because of his height, which results in him running a little too uprigh. Yeldon can improve on those issues at the next level. In 2014, Yeldon averaged five yards per carry for 979 yards with 11 touchdowns. He had 15 receptions for 180 yards and a touchdown, too. It was his third-straight quality season for Alabama. If the 6-foot-2, 226-pounder could drop some weight, he would likely get some speed back and be a more dynamic runner like Le’Veon Bell did with the Steelers. Yeldon is a similar runner to Arian Foster and could develop into a three-down play-maker in the NFL.
Clive Walford, TE, Miami Minnesota’s Maxx Williams could be a late first-rounder, so I don’t consider him to be an option for this selection. This is a weak tight end class, but if one ends up being a nice value pick, I think it will be Walford. Walford totaled 44 receptions for 676 yards and seven touchdowns in 2014 despite inconsistent quarterback play. He had a huge week at the Senior Bowl and really helped himself by showing excellent receiving ability. Walford has soft natural hands, and with this time in Mobile, he showed more quickness and athleticism than previously thought. Walford has some sneaky receiving skills, and I could see him being a good contributor as a three-down starting tight end.
Justin Hardy, WR, East Carolina This is a tough call because Phillip Dorsett is probably going to be a first-round pick. If he was in the second round, he would be my choice for value of the year. Since I can’t pick Dorsett, this came down to Hardy and Kansas States’ Tyler Lockett. I decided to go with Hardy, but it was close. Hardy recorded 121 receptions for 1,494 yards and 10 touchdowns during 2014. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Hardy is just a true football player. He plays bigger than his listed numbers and is faster than his 40 time suggested. Hardy is a tough, polished, reliable receiver who gets the job done. I don’t think he’s going to be a future No. 1, but I think he could he a solid pro wide-out similar to Cecil Shorts, Nate Washington or Eddie Royal.
Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M If it weren’t for a torn ACL, Ogbuehi would be a first-round pick, and there are still some projections of him cracking Thursday night. Even with a torn ACL, I think Ogbuehi is going to become a good starter at left tackle in the NFL for a decade. His athleticism and quickness are off the charts for the position. It is clear that Ogbuehi is extremely quick and athletic. He has fast feet and is a natural knee-bender. His amazing feet and agility make him a potential franchise left tackle for the NFL. Ogbuehi is just missing strength, which hurt him repeatedly in 2014 with his inability to sustain blocks after his athleticism got him in the right position. If Ogbuehi can add strength, he could be an dominant tackle at the next level. Ogbuehi also has experience at guard and right tackle. If he stays healthy, he will be a good NFL blocker and could become an elite pass-protector. Looking back at the 2015 NFL Draft years from now, Ogbuehi (6-5, 306) could be a steal as a first-round talent who ends up going in the second or third round.
2015 NFL Draft Day-Two Values: Offense | 2015 NFL Draft Day-Two Values: Defense
2015 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Offense | 2015 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Defense
2015 NFL Draft Day-Three Sleepers
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