2014 NFL Draft

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Raider won't take a QB at #5.

Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel
Nawrocki's take: Suspect intangibles -- not a leader by example or known to inspire by his words. Carries a sense of entitlement and prima-donna arrogance seeking out the bright lights of Hollywood. Is known to party too much and is drawn to all the trappings of the game. ... Has defied the odds and proven to be a great college-system quarterback, but still must prove he is willing to work to be great, adjust his hard-partying, Hollywood lifestyle and be able to inspire his teammates by more than his playmaking ability.

South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney
Nawrocki's take: Lacks discipline on and off the field and has had to be managed closely since he arrived on campus. Needs to learn what it means to be a pro. Plays in spurts and is too much of a flash player -- does not consistently dominate like he could. Is still immature and finding his way -- too much of a follower.

Oregon TE Colt Lyerla
Nawrocki's take: Overly emotional and prone to outbursts following a dysfunctional childhood that offered little direction and much confusion related to a divorce. Not a disciplined team player. ... Has overcome a lot of adversity stemming back to his youth and defied the odds to become an impactful performer. Talent grades could garner interest in the second round, but past history could easily knock him down several rounds and off many draft boards.

South Carolina CB Victor Hampton
Nawrocki's take: Character will require careful evaluation -- has been troubled by a number of off-field issues dating back to high school, when he attended four different schools. Has had issues with anger management, emotional outbursts and team suspensions. Will be targeted for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties given tendency to talk and taunt. ... Size and physicality will appeal to teams, though character concerns will cloud his draft status and could knock him off some draft boards. Will require close monitoring and has bust potential.

LSU RB Jeremy Hill
Nawrocki's take: Character, maturity and stability must be investigated thoroughly -- has two criminal incidents on his record and is on probation until July, 2015. ... Big, thickly built, athletic slasher with an overinflated sense of his abilities and character red flags, which could cause some teams to shy away.

Alabama OLB Adrian Hubbard
Nawrocki's take: Has a quirky personality, inflated opinion of his ability and carries a sense of entitlement that could be difficult to manage and require a patient positional coach. ... Has starter traits, but has yet to reach the impact level he thinks he makes.

Texas WR Mike Davis
Nawrocki's take: Inadequate on-field body language and temperament -- is usually at the back of the line in practice drills and does not exhibit urgency in his play or leadership traits in the locker room. ... Displays starter-caliber physical traits, yet his playing demeanor and approach turn off many evaluators and could force his draft status to sink.

Florida DE Ronald Powell
Nawrocki's take: Had his tires pumped since high school -- entitlement was an issue as a young player and his personality could rub some people the wrong way. ... Has developmental value as a stand-up rush linebacker, but must dedicate himself to the craft and realize he's no longer the big man on campus.

Western Kentucky DB Jonathan Dowling
Nawrocki's take: Talks too much and shows off-putting body language. Questionable mental toughness. Thinks he's better than he is. Character, maturity and coachability should be looked into.

Alabama State RB Isaiah Crowell
Nawrocki's take: Beats to the tune of his own drummer. Extremely immature and has a history of off-field issues. Can be difficult to coach.

The consensus top-rated offensive lineman, Texas A&M left tackle Jake Matthews, checked in at 6-foot-5, 308-pounds with 33 3/8-inch arms. The height and weight are good numbers, and Matthews should have the ability to gain 10 pounds once he enters an NFL strength and conditioning program. His arms are a little short of ideal, but that shouldn't hold him back as a pro. It was good for Matthews that he didn't measure in smaller than his listed measurements from Texas A&M (6-5, 305).

Auburn left tackle Greg Robinson (6-5, 332) checked in 12 pounds heavier than his listed weight and at the exact height. As long as the extra weight isn't bad weight, Robinson should excel in the Combine drills because he has shown a rare combination of size and speed. With 35-inch arms, Robinson has the length block the edge as well. There are already projections of him passing Matthews as the first tackle selected, and that could become more common after the Combine.

There are some who believe that Alabama tackle Cyrus Kouandjio could rise up draft boards from the Combine. Kouandjio is a good athlete with nearly ideal measurements. At the weigh-in, he checked in at 6-foot-6, 322-pounds with long 35 5/8-inch arms. Kouandjio has the strength and athleticism to be a star in the Combine field work. Don't be surprised if he is a hot prospect in a week's time.

Both of the Tennessee offensive tackles showed excellent size at the weigh-in. Left tackle Antonio Richardson (6-6, 336) and right tackle Ju'wuan James (6-6, 311) both have 35-inch arms. Richardson enters the Combine as a potential first-round pick, while James could go early on Day 2.

Michigan left tackle Taylor Lewan measured out as 6-foot-7 and 309 pounds. Those are good numbers that are nearly identical to Eric Fisher (6-7, 306) last year. The only bad number for Lewan was short arms at 33 7/8 inches. Lewan looks steady as the third-rated offensive tackle in this draft class.

Stanford guard David Yankey (6-5, 315), who has 34-inch arms, has just about quality numbers for a guard. He should fit as a man or zone blocker in the NFL. If Yankey has a strong Combine, he could put himself in contention to be a late first-round pick.

Xavier Su'a-Filo (6-4, 307) definitely fits the body type of a guard. He played both tackle and guard at UCLA, but for the NFL, he would be best on the inside. The Bruins listed u'a-Filo at 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, so he's a little smaller than advertised. That only serves to reinforce the move to the inside.

USC center Marcus Martin (6-3, 320) is very heavy for a center. If he can show quickness and athletic ability in the field drills, that could help give his stock a boost. If Martin proves to be a slow plodder, he may have to move inside to guard.

Two tackles are in the running to be this year's Justin Pugh. He was a first-round pick of the Giants in the 2013 NFL Draft after being an undersized left tackle for Syracuse. Notre Dame's Zack Martin (6-4, 308) and Nevada's Joel Bitonio (6-4, 302) are nearly identical in size. Martin has very short arms, 32 7/8 inches, but that didn't hold him back in an excellent 2013 season or Senior Bowl performance. If Martin and Bitonio perform well at the Combine, they could solidify a first-round and second-day grade, respectively.

North Carolina left tackle James Hurst was significantly smaller than what the Tar Heels listed him at. Hurst was (6-5, 296) was two inches shorter and almost 15 pounds lighter than what North Carolina billed him as (6-7, 310). His arm length, 33 3/4 inches, is on the short side for tackles. Hurst broke his left leg in the Tar Heels' bowl game against Cincinnati, so he won't be a full participant in the Combine. Sources have told WalterFootball.com that they were projecting Hurst to the third round, but slipping to Day 3 is possible as Hurst has the body type more like a guard than a tackle.

North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron (6-4, 250) has added five pounds of muscle from his listed weight. Sources have told WalterFootball.com that Ebron is going to put on a show at the Combine. He is a gifted athlete, so that isn't hard to believe, and it wouldn't be surprising if Ebron is getting plenty of top-10 buzz after his workout in Indianapolis.

Texas Tech tight end Jace Amaro (6-5, 265) has good size, but was tied for the smallest hands of any tight end with Wisconsin's Jacob Pedersen. That shouldn't hurt Amaro significantly has he showed consistent hands with 106 receptions in 2013.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins has looked like a size, speed freak since his freshman season at Washington. He checked in at 6-foot-5, 262-pounds, which was just a tad smaller than his listed numbers (6-6, 266). It wouldn't be surprising if Seferian-Jenkins plays his NFL career around 270 since he dropped some weight for the Combine in an effort to help his 40 time.

Last summer, there were projections that Colt Lyerla would be the top tight end for the 2014 NFL Draft. Lyerla (6-4, 242) quit Oregon's football team in September and followed that up with a drug arrest. His size was in line with his listed measurements, and Lyerla is a good athlete who should stand out at the Combine. The big challenge for him will be in the interview rooms. Lylerla needs to impress there to get drafted.

Notre Dame tight end Troy Niklas (6-6, 270) hit his exact measurements, so no Catholic needs to confess to lying in confessional when it comes to measuring their football players. Niklas is a bit of sleeper behind the high-profile tight ends, but he could easily impress at the Combine.

USC tight end Xavier Grimble (6-4, 257) is another player who has the skill set to be a Combine star. Grimble has the speed and strength to impress in the field work. In a great class of tight ends, Grimble could be a steal.