Mike Mayock position ranking of 2014 draft

Mayock's the best in my opinion as well. Maybe that's just because he confirms my own beliefs, or maybe I'm just that intelligent.

Anyways, it should be interesting to see his big board once it comes out. I'd like to see how he values Teddy as compared to the hoard of ESPN analysts.

 

I agreee with most everything on this list, but I dont understand why he bulks all the linebackers into 1 category. Barr, Mack and Mosley are all different types of players and it doesnt make sense to me to rank them against each other.

 

Confirming the obvious on which QB the Texans should take.

 

No Michael Sam at top 5 in his position?

Mike Mayock that homophobe!

 

Mike Mayock spoke with the media today in a pre-Combine news conference.

Here are some question and answers I picked out that involve the Texans and their selections for the draft:

Opening Statement

MIKE MAYOCK: From my perspective, this is the deepest and best draft class I've even in probably ten years. That's been reinforced by most of the general managers and scouts I've talked to throughout the league. I had one GM tell me the other day that having a top 20 pick this year is very similar to having a Top 10 pick last year.
So I think there's more depth. I think there are certain positions that are stacked this year and you can get a quality player through three or four rounds.

Q. If you could just give us your breakdown on Johnny Manziel, what you see on tape, good and bad and then maybe how you compare to contemporary quarterbacks?

MAYOCK: I am stunned it took that long to get to Johnny Manziel.
You know, he's a different evaluation, and I'll give you my take on him right now. The first tape I put in was Alabama and I put the tape down about two hours later and I said, wow, that was awesome, that was really fun to watch. The kid makes throws, he allows his other players to make plays. He gives Mike Evans a chance to make plays, he extends plays. He was like a combination of Fran Tarkenton and Doug Flutie. I really enjoyed it and there were two or three more tapes like that.
And as I worked my way through, because I wanted a minimum of five for each of the quality quarterbacks before the Combine, and I eventually got to the LSU and Missouri, neither of which were really good tapes.
And both of which the common denominator for me was I felt like he got frustrated in the pocket and I felt like LSU and Missouri did a great job with controlling their rush and keeping him in the pocket, and the more he was in the pocket, the more frustrated he got. He started to lose his accuracy. He started trying to escape the pocket way before he needed to, and I feel like he doesn't like being confined. He likes those open spaces.
And we've got to evaluate him a little differently because of that. And again, I felt like he would back out of the pocket when and he'd try all of a sudden the accuracy is down, the decision making is down. NFL teams are going to clue into that very quickly.
Having said all of that, I do believe he's got the arm strength, athletic ability, the passion for the game, at the end of the day, he's different than any quarterback I've done before. He's different than [Robert Griffin III], different than Cam Newton, different than Andrew Luck, and he's different than Russell Wilson.
But I believe in the kid. I think he's going to be a Top 10 if not a Top 5 pick. But you're going to have to live with some of those negative plays in addition to the positive ones.

Q. You've talked a little bit about Manziel and everybody is wondering if you're the Texans and you're Bill O'Brien and you're general manager Rick Smith, is it as simple as you've got to find the quarterback who is NFL ready? You mentioned Teddy Bridgewater, or Manziel with his local connections and the "It" factor you mentioned, if he is close to Bridgewater, does that become impossible to pass up from an organizational standpoint?

MAYOCK: An interesting question, because it really comes down to whether or not ownership gets involved.
And from my perspective, ownership should never push a draft pick, especially the first pick in a draft on a coaching staff. It's great when all the world comes together and everybody believes in the same kid and he happens to come from that backyard.
However, I don't think it matters whether or not he's a local kid. I think the important thing is to get the pick right and if they are not in love with any of those three quarterbacks, this is one of the best position Top 10s I've ever seen, and either pick and I'm taking a position kid or trading down makes a ton of sense for these guys.
A, they have to believe in one of those three kids. B, they have to say forget the whole local attraction thing. The most important thing is to build for the future and win football games. That will take care of itself as long as you're winning games.

Q. Since '98, we've had quarterbacks if they are anywhere near that good, they go No. 1. If Clowney goes No. 1, there have not been a lot of defensive players gone No. 1. What convinces you that this kid has got the talent and maybe the physical or mental makeup to make it with the pressure or what gives you pause that maybe he doesn't have that?

MAYOCK: You talking about Clowney?

Q. Yes.

MAYOCK: I know that he's got the physical makeup to be the best player in the draft. If you want to compare him to Mario Williams, I think he's a better football player with more upside than when Mario came out of college and he was obviously the first pick.
So from a physical skill set, this kid is as freaky as they come. He plays a position of critical importance in today's NFL which is an ability to get the quarterback. He can play multiple places on the defense, so all those things check off.
My biggest concern is just what's his mental makeup and how important is it to him when he gets a big paycheck to become the best player in football, or is he just going to be happy to be a millionaire.
So I think that's the most critical checking point here from an organization is finding out what the motivation, what kind of kid are they going to get. I know what the football player is when motivated. I just want to know what kind of kid I'm getting.

Q. What makes Teddy Bridgewater more ready and do you think he will still be around when the Browns make their fourth pick?

MAYOCK: Yeah, I mean, you're talking about with the first eight picks in the draft, if I have teams have heavy quarterback needs, including 1 and 3 ahead of Cleveland.
So from my perspective, the reason I think he's the quote most ready to play in an NFL style offense, he was in shotgun, his offense, they threw the ball short, intermediate and deep. He understands three step, five step and he reads more than just half a field.
You can put the tape in and watch him do things and say, yeah, that translates to the next level. He's not as much a wild card as [Johnny] Manziel, and I think he's more developed in his reads and throws than [Blake] Bortles.
So that's why I say, I think he's the most ready to play. Whether or not he's going to be there, that depends what Houston and Jacksonville do.

Q. Last year at this time few analysts ranked EJ Manuel among the top and he wound up being the first quarterback taken. This year are the perceived Top 3, are they safely perched atop the pack and if not, which do you see most likely to rise up after the meetings?

MAYOCK: It's an interesting question, I think the Manuel kid, the more I looked at him last year, I said, if I'm going to make a mistake, why not make it on a big athletic kid with a big arm and I think that's certainly the way Buffalo looked at it.
I do think that [Teddy[ Bridgewater, [Johnny] Manziel and [Blake] Bortles are locked in as, quote, the three top quarterbacks. I think Derek Carr from Fresno is somebody that people are trying to learn more about, and there's some interesting wild cards this year, I think at request also.
I think AJ McCarron is solid but he's a second or third round quarterback. I think Carr will fit into the end of the first round. Jimmy Garoppolo has really helped himself at east west in the Senior Bowl and two kids got hurt later in the year, indiscernible from Georgia, I think depending on how their rehab goes could be third or fourth round guys that are developmental players.
And I mentioned earlier, Logan Thomas, two years ago when I saw him play Michigan in a Bowl game I thought he would be the first pick of the entire draft, two years later, and since then, he's got two or three good tapes and the rest are really bad tapes. But he's still 6 5, big, beautiful body, can throw the ball and the other kind of wild card I would say is Tom Savage that nobody talks about from University of Pittsburgh. He's a big, strong kid that can throw also.

Q. Could you explain your breakdown of the top defensive tackles?

MAYOCK: Yeah, it's mixed bag.
The defensive tackles are kind of a mixed bag, for instance, my top two guys, [Louis] Nix and [Timmy] Jernigan couldn't be different, Nix is a typical nose tackle and Jernigan is more of that three technique. I think Jernigan can step in and be special, early. I think I can Nix is a little different kind of player. He's a 330 pound nose.
Aaron Donald from Pitt has three technique, quick, up field penetrator, but I don't think he's going until late one, early two.
And I've talked about [Ra’Shede] Hageman as a little bit of a boom or a bust, talented guy, 6 6, 320, who could play anywhere up and down that defensive line, and then Dominique Easley in my Top 5 is injured, the second ACL and I don't think he's going to go until about the third round or so.
There are two LSU players that are second or third round guys and I think there's some pretty good depth in the first three rounds, and I think Jernigan is a guy that if he's sitting there when the Bears are on the board at 14, I think you'd sprint to the podium.

Q. You touched on Zach Mettenberger, but without the injury where do you think he would figure into the quarterback rankings this year and what do you see as his strengths?

MAYOCK: Without the injury, I still don't think he's going to be a first or second round pick. I think what he is and what worries me a little bit on tape is I think he stares down some of his intended receivers, I think the ball comes out late sometimes. He's not a guy that I think can start day one in the NFL anyway.
So if you ask me how much it would impact him, the injury, I don't think quite as much as you might think on the surface, because I do believe he's got a lot of learning to do. I like his size, I like his ability and I like his arm strength. It's more just a matter of his footwork, being more consistent with the ball, his feet being lined up, getting the ball out and some of the reads he makes. I think he just doesn't get the ball out quickly enough and I think that's something that a young quarterback has got to develop.

Q. Question about trades, going back to what you said about the depth of this draft, that even a top 20 pick is like a Top 10 type of thing in your experience, when there's this kind of talent, are teams more apt to stay where they are knowing they can still get a good player, as opposed to a draft where there's maybe five or six guys you think are really worth it where everybody is trying to scramble around? Any sense of teams are really comfortable that this may be kind of a stagnant draft that way?

MAYOCK: You know, it kind of works both ways, because for instance, take Houston, sitting at 1. If there wasn't a quarterback that they are in love with, they might be, they contented to move down further than they typically would.
Both teams only want to move down a couple slots in the draft because they want to make certain they get their guy. In this draft you might be willing to move further down than usual because you still know you're going to get a great player.
On the one hand I agree with you, if you sit there at 18 or 20 you know you're going to get a good football player but on the other hand, if you need an edge rusher and there are only a couple guys this year, you really need to go get them. It all depends on your individual situation.
If you are sitting there and you think Kony Ealy is the best defensive end in this draft and [Jadeveon] Clowney is gone and you think there's a drop off after that you might want to go get him. So I think the philosophy of the trade stays the same, just a couple different variables this year with the depth.

Q. The No. 1 question in the Houston market is at quarterback, and I heard you say something about Johnny Manziel earlier and he does not like to be in a situation where he can't make a lot of moves in the pocket so I guess my first question to you is, what are your thoughts, what do you want to see from Manziel at the Combine, and two, I heard you also talk about trading down. Do you think the Texans should trade down; if they don't, who do you think they should take for the first pick?

MAYOCK: First of all, if there's a quarterback that they fall in love with and they say, he's our guy for the next ten years, you don't even think about trading down, you pull the trigger and you go to work with him and he's the face of your franchise. I don't think there's any doubt about that.
Now, if you're sitting at 1 in this draft and you've got questions, because none of these guys are Andrew Luck. None of these guys are Peyton Manning. None of these guys, you sit there and go, it's a slam dunk, this is an easy one.
So if you're concerned about all three of those quarterbacks, then I think it becomes, the next question is, okay, who is the best position player in this draft, how does that fit with our needs and if somebody wants to come and trade with us, we ought to be wide open for business. That's kind of a long way of saying, I don't know who their quarterback is right now, I don't think they do.
And if they took the Clowney kid and paired him with J.J. [Watt] that would be pretty awesome and it would start to kind of parallel what Seattle tried to do, which is getting talented pass rushers and getting after quarterbacks. And if they went after the wide receiver at No. 1, would it be surprising, yeah, but that kid is special.
So I think that they have got an awful lot of options, but the whole thing is determined by whether or not you think they are the franchise quarterback; it's what you want to do.

Q. Are Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater better prospects than Russell Wilson was, or is it more the NFL's change in the thinking about quarterbacks?

MAYOCK: I think the NFL is more open than its ever been regarding quarterbacks and I think it's a whole new breed, not just Russell Wilson and his height but [Robert] Griffin, Cam Newton, all these athletic quarterbacks, [Colin] Kaepernick.
It's about making plays and I think we are getting more and more high school and college quarterbacks that operate expressly out of shotgun and spread the field and are playmakers.
As a result, I think the NFL is a reflection of that and up until a few years ago, they kept pushing back, no, we want the big, strong, prototypical pocket guy, nobody has ever won a Super Bowl outside the pocket. All those old sayings are kind of being beaten down.
I think that if you can prove that you can make plays and that you can stay healthy, I think that the height and the size and the style doesn't matter as much anymore. NFL teams and coaches are doing a much better job of utilizing the players’ strengths as opposed to saying you just have to do it our way.

Q. Who are the FCS and division two or lower players you like in this year area draft class if you were the GM of the Top 3 teams, the Texans, Rams and Jaguars, who would you be taking?

MAYOCK: I don't think they know who they are taking yet so I'm not so sure how I would know. The problem is there's just so much it's such a process and especially with the quarterback. If I'm the GM of Houston, I'm trying to get comfortable with one of these quarterbacks, I want to get comfortable with them. [Johnny] Manziel, I'm intrigued by him.
I think [Teddy] Bridgewater is the most ready to go but I need to make sure that guy is going to be my guy and if not, I'm going to take a positional player, because I know Mack can play, Clowney can play, Watkins with play.
So the Rams, I think they probably have to go offensive line unless they take Sammy Watkins, so Jake Matthews could be logical there and Jacksonville, the same thing at the quarterback position. Are you happy with the quarterback or do you go with an edge guy. Those are the questions, and I'm not trying to dodge your question, it's just I haven't gotten to the point where in my head, I've got Top 10.

Q. You could get an energy drink commercial out of this one. Wanted to ask you, you briefly mentioned Jimmy Garoppolo's name from Eastern Illinois, wanted to get an assessment of his skills and draft values and a team pulling a trigger on an FCS player or a small school player?

MAYOCK: I like Garoppolo a lot. I was curious to watch him play at the East West game because I had seen some tape. The first tape I watched he ripped apart I want to say San Diego State, I think it was. I thought, wow, quick release, good feet, big, strong, good looking kid.
When I got to the East West game, I was anxious to watch him. What I saw on tape I saw that week and the following week at the Senior Bowl.
So I thought he handled himself well and I thought he helped himself as much as any kid in the country did through the two week period of the East West Senior Bowl, went from a mid to late round question mark to a guy that could conceivably go in the second or third round. Teams are looking at potentially a starting quarterback.

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You can read the entire transcript of the news conference by clicking on the link

http://nflcommunications.com/2014/0...nference-call-tuesday-february-18/#more-14215

 

"I think [Teddy] Bridgewater is the most ready to go but I need to make sure that guy is going to be my guy and if not, I'm going to take a positional player, because I know Mack can play, Clowney can play, Watkins with play. "

Bridgewater or positional

 

Idk anything about mayocks record on draft analysis but I know he sounds like a buffoon when calling games on nfl network

 

He's a very good scouter, in my opinion. His draft day analysis is typically the best as well. He knows far more than Kiper.

But then again, I like to listen to him on the NFL network. For a football nerd, he's a good football nerd to listen to. He brings in depth analysis of plays and players into the real-time, and it's a good thing, in my opinion.

 

Sammy Watkins is going to rock the NFL next year. He deserves a lot more attention than he's getting. IMO, only Clowney has a higher upside.

 

That's a little out of context. He mentioned Manziel right before that. By "that guy" he means any of the top 3 QBs.

 

my dark horse candidate for pick 2.1...if the Texans see that he could have potential, it makes their decision so much more easier...

 

2nd best player in the draft...any team that gets him, gets an instant #1 receiver...

 

I think that's too much of a reach. He will more than likely be available at 3.1. It's possible he may not, but more than likely, I would imagine he would. Unless he really impresses teams between now and then. Guys like Carr and Mettenberger and possibly Murray will go ahead of him, which means, in my opinion, he should be available in the 3.1 spot.

Wouldn't mind him there, though, if for some reason they don't take a qb at number one overall.


I also wouldn't mind taking a late flyer on Cornell's qb. He's a big kid with a ton of arm talent. Just needs a lot of coaching, and is a bit of a project player. He'd probably remind BOB of a smarter, less troublesome Ryan Mallet.

 

The cool thing is we get 3 picks from the list above, assuming there are 4 'others' picked in the first 64.

 

I agree.

This kid is going to be a lightning bolt wherever he lands. Not as big as AJ Green and Megatron but still has the playmaking ability of those two plus quickness and speed.

If only were were picking in the 4-7 range. I'd definitely hope on that gravy train. Will be a star for years to come.

 

Anybody else read his answers, the way I did, in Mayock's voice?

 

I think he's the best player in the draft but not sure about "rocking the NFL" next year. Look at Calvin's rookie stats (hint: they are the same as DeAndre's). It's very hard to dominate right away but if he has a Keenan Allen type year, he'll be in a great position for his career.


Anyone intrested in ranking/debating these rookies for a fantasy football dynasty (w/ IDP) perspective?

 

Not until I know what team they are on.

 

I completely disagree on Watkins. I liked Megatron coming out, liked Julio Jones, liked Dez Bryant - do not love Watkins.