NFL Draft 2014 Preview (30 page)

Weaknesses:
Has short arms. More strong than explosive — doesn’t roll his hips and blow nose tackles off the ball. Falls off blocks when he bends at the waist. Pedestrian foot athlete — slow to cut off linebackers, labors to pull and lacks lateral quickness to recover when beaten. Stressed by quicker rushers. Tied for the lightest offensive lineman at the Combine.

Future:
Strong-bodied, heavy-handed, short-area mauler who anchored one of the nation’s most physical, productive rushing attacks. Has athletic limitations, but compensates with strength, smarts and competitiveness. Has the makeup to overachieve, and could increase his value by proving versatile enough to back up at guard.

Draft projection:
Late draftable pick.

ORG SPENCER LONG, #61

nEBRASKA
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Grade: 5.26

Ht: 6-4 5/8 | Wt: 320 | Sp: 5.25e | Arm: 33 1/8 | Hand: 10 3/4

History:
Native Nebraskan. Walked on and redshirted in 2009. Did not see action in ’10. Stepped into the lineup in ’11, starting all 13 games at right guard. Played through a torn right meniscus in ’12, starting all 14 games at RG. In ’13, started the first six games at RG before tearing his right MCL against Purdue and undergoing season-ending surgery and did not work out at the Combine because of it (medical exclusion). Elected not to lift at the Combine because of a appendectomy. Team captain.

Strengths:
Very solidly built with a good frame. Good leg drive — can create a push in the run game and position-sustain. Solid in pass protection — good anchor, shadow and mirror. Good base and balance — controls and steers defenders. Flashes some nastiness. Intense, competitive battler. Smart and instinctive. Lunchpail worker will do a lot of extras and is very ambitious and driven to succeed. Excellent weight-room strength — can squat a small house. Good versatility — has played inside and outside. Very tough and played much of final two seasons through knee injuries. Possessed the biggest hands of any offensive linemen at the Combine.

Weaknesses:
Average athlete. Is tight-ankled and heavy-legged — lumbers to the second level. Labors to cut off the inside rush. Struggles to adjust and pick off linebackers and is not efficient pulling and trapping.

Future:
Big, tough, physical, ornery blocker with starter-quality positional traits and intangible qualities. Is best in a phone booth, where he excels as a run and pass blocker, and is smart and savvy enough to contribute outside in emergency situations.

Draft projection:
Fourth- to fifth-round pick.

OLT CORNELIUS “LUKE” LUCAS, #78

KANSAS STATE
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Grade: 5.16

Ht: 6-8 3/8 | Wt: 316 | Sp: 5.33 | Arm: 36 3/4 | Hand: 10

History:
New Orleans native. Redshirted in 2009. A reserve/special-teams contributor 2010-11, appeared in 12 games in each season. Started all 13 games at left tackle 2012-13.

Strengths:
Rare length (body and arms) with a wingspan of a small aircraft — led all Combine participants at 881/8-inches. Fairly light on his feet for as big as he is and overall length allows him to recover to inside counters.

Weaknesses:
Thin-framed. Lacks weight-room and functional football-playing strength. Not stout at the point of attack. Plays too upright and is not a natural knee bender. Not explosive and does not generate power through his lower body. Marginal finisher. Struggles to cut off the wide rush. Just a two-year starter.

Future:
Exceptionally sized, underpowered, developmental positional wall-off blocker lacking ideal foot quickness to handle edge speed and the grit and toughness desired to match up vs. power. Needs to spend more time in the weight room and develop his core strength. Could be most ideally suited for a swing-backup-tackle role and has upside to be groomed, with traits better suited for the right side.

Draft projection:
Late draftable pick.

OLG-OLT-C ZACK MARTIN, #70

noTRE DAME
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Grade: 6.18

Ht: 6-4 1/4 | Wt: 308 | Sp: | Arm: 32 7/8 | Hand: 9 1/2

History:
Won a pair of state championships at Indianapolis Bishop Chatard. Redshirted in 2009. Started all 13 games in ’10, including 11 at left tackle and two at right tackle. Started all 39 games at LT 2011-13. Two-time captain’s 52 career games are the most in school history. Did not run the 40 at the Combine (tight hamstring).

Strengths:
Engages quickly. Flexible and light on his feet. Can work his hips and maneuver. Good blocking posture — bends his knees, sits in his stance and can shuffle, slide and mirror. Good hand placement (can pop and recoil). Seals running lanes. Can combo block and fit on linebackers. Athletic to pull and trap. Passes off stunts and is alert to blitzers. Started all 52 games of his career. Played well against Alabama in the BCS Championship and was MVP of the Pinstripe Bowl. Sparkling intangibles. Highly respected, hardworking leader who does all the right things. Two-time captain.

Weaknesses:
Lacks ideal length to stay outside in the pros — relatively small wingspan. Not a pure road grader who rolls off flat-backed and buries defenders. Could be stressed by bigger, more powerful defensive tackles. Can improve balance and sustain on the second level. Does not have experience at guard. Could stand to bulk up in preparation for a move inside.

Future:
Athletic, smart, competitive, dependable college left tackle whose length dictates a move inside, where he has plug-and-play ability in a zone-blocking scheme. One of the cleanest prospects in this year’s draft.

Draft projection:
First-round pick.

Scout’s take:
“He’s fun to watch. He’s easy on the eyes. He’ll get beat at times, but he has such a good feel for angles and leverage and uses his hands so well that it’s not easy to beat him. There’s not much not to like about the guy.”

C-OG MARCUS MARTIN, #66 (JUNIOR)

USC
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Grade: 5.60

Ht: 6-3 3/8 | Wt: 320 | Sp: 5.25e | Arm: 34 | Hand: 10

History:
Prepped at Crenshaw (Calif.) High, where he won two L.A. City championships. Cracked the lineup as a true freshman in 2011, starting the final 10 games at left guard. Started 10-of-12 games at left guard in ’12. Moved to center in ’13 and started all 13 games played — dislocated his left knee cap and sustained a high left ankle sprain against UCLA, knocking him out of the Las Vegas Bowl against Fresno State. Team captain. Did not perform at the Combine because of left knee injury (medical exclusion).

Strengths:
Naturally thick and wide-bodied. Walls off and seals defenders. Can work his hips to maneuver and seal. Athletic enough to step to the second level. Plays with his head on a swivel. Good anchor ability in pass protection — can dig his cleats in the ground vs. big-bodied pluggers and match size with size. Three-year starter with experience at guard and center. Was a 20-year-old junior.

Weaknesses:
A bit knock-kneed and pigeon-toed with herky-jerky movement. Soft puncher. Gets top-heavy and bends at the waist. Average initial quickness, balance and sustain. Ordinary hip snap — power element missing. Limited lateral agility and recovery ability. Struggles to connect with moving targets. Is not a strong finisher or an aggressive go-getter. Does not dominate the way he is capable. Only benchpressed 225 pounds 23 times at the Combine.

Future:
Outstanding-sized, barrel-chested finesse pivot with center-guard versatility. Grades out highly as a position-sustain blocker and possesses untappped strength and power in his body. Lacks desirable grit, toughness and finishing strength to maximize his talent and is stronger than he plays. Has instant-starter potential as a center or right guard, but could stand to benefit from some time to be groomed.

Draft projection:
Second- to third-round pick.

Scout’s take:”
Of all the centers, USC’s is the best of all of them. If he had any kind of finish or nasty and pushed anyone around, he would go higher. He’s more finesse than mauler. He can get his body on (defenders) — he just does not get much push.”

OLT-OLG-C JAKE MATTHEWS, #75

TEXAS A&M
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Grade: 7.20

Ht: 6-5 1/2 | Wt: 308 | Sp: 5.06 | Arm: 33 3/8 | Hand: 9 7/8

History:
Son of Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews. Uncle, Clay Matthews Jr., was a Pro
Bowl linebacker for the Browns; cousin, Clay III, is an All-Pro linebacker for the Packers; and cousin, Casey, is a linebacker for the Eagles. Jake was a USA Today and Parade All-American. Played 10 games as a true freshman in 2010, starting the final seven at right tackle. Started all 26 games at RT 2011-12. In ’13, replaced Jaguars first-rounder Luke Joeckel at left tackle and started all 13 games. Team captain.

Strengths:
Big, strong, athletic, natural bender. Exceptional technician. Explosive six-inch punch — quick, active hands. Outstanding base, balance, body control and hand placement. Drives defenders off the ball — outstanding run blocker. Explosive hip snap. Takes good angles to the second level. Plays with very good awareness — shows very good athletic ability flipping his hips and adjusting to moving pockets with a jitterbug quarterback. Keen to recognize and quick to adjust to the blitz. Strong finisher — displays a mean streak and seeks to finish. Has long-snapping experience. Hails from football royalty family — third-generation NFLer. Tough competitor. Very focused and determined. Humble and grounded. Outstanding all-around character. Film junkie. Started in the SEC for 3-plus seasons. Extremely durable — missed no time to injuries.

Weaknesses:
Arm length appears too short — limited reach and extension. Operated in a spread offense. Can do a better job sustaining (though was presented with a near-impossible task of knowing where the pocket would be to protect). Has only one year of experience at left tackle.

Future:
Smart, tough, versatile franchise left tackle capable of playing all five positions on the line. Can plug into a starting lineup immediately and will play a long time at a consistently high level. One of the safest picks in the draft, Matthews’ best position might even be center.

Draft projection:
Top-10 pick.

Scout’s take:
“The A&M tackle is the best that I have seen this year. Even watching some of the games last year — I think he was better than (Luke) Joeckel, and I loved Joeckel. He reminds me a lot of the guy the Jaguars drafted second overall — Tony Boselli. They have similar body types. You can play him any position you want. I’d love to have him. He’s one of the best I’ve seen. Factor in the bloodlines — he’s a can’t miss.”

ORT JACK MEWHORT, #74

OHIO STATE
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Grade: 5.55

Ht: 6-6 | Wt: 309 | Sp: 5.38 | Arm: 34 | Hand: 9 3/4

History:
Ohio native. Was a reserve as a true freshman in 2010 when he appeared in 10 games. Started all 13 games in ’11 — the first five at left guard, the final eight at right guard. Suffered two broken ribs (when teammate Carlos Hyde slammed into him) against Nebraska, but did not miss any games. Was temporarily suspended from team activities in June ’12 after being arrested for public urination (pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct). Started all 26 games at left tackle 2012-13. Team captain.

Strengths:
Good size. Engages with urgency. Reestablishes the line of scrimmage in the run game. Can drive block, widen the hole and seal lanes. Stout base — good anchor strength. Plays with a load in his hands to jar defenders. Locks on and controls. Good enough feet to slide and mirror. Alert to stunts and blitzes. Versatile. Has an ideal temperament for the trenches — breathes fire. Smart, tough and competitive. Three-year starter. Is passionate about the game and works at his craft. Highly respected vocal leader.

Weaknesses:
Has a soft midsection. Stronger than he is explosive. Lacks ideal length and foot quickness for the left side (not a dancing bear). Vulnerable to strong bull rush when he gets tall and narrow-based. Occasionally gets top-heavy and slips off blocks. Average blocking range. Tight hips and ankles show when he pulls or climbs to the second level. Struggles to cut off fast-flowing linebackers. Lets his pads rise outside the phone booth. Recorded a very ordinary 1.92-second 10-yard split at the Combine, indicating average short-area quickness for the left side.

Future:
Thickly built, physical, highly competitive lineman who manned left tackle competently in college, but is better suited for the right side in the pros. Has starter-caliber strength, athleticism and technique supplemented with desirable intangibles. Versatility to play guard or left tackle in a pinch adds to value.

Draft projection:
Second- to third-round pick.

Scout’s take
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“(Mewhort) is a right tackle to me. He’s tough and ornery. He’ll fall off some blocks and get overextened, but he’s tough, tough, tough. He’ll be very good in the run game. Carlos Hyde picked up a lot of yards running behind him.”

ORT MORGAN MOSES, #78

VIRGINIA
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Grade: 5.30

Ht: 6-6 | Wt: 314 | Sp: 5.36 | Arm: 35 3/8 | Hand: 9 7/8

History:
Virginia native and Parade All-American. Was a non-qualifier out of high school and attended Fork Union (VA) Military Academy in 2009. Played 11 games in ’10, starting six of the final seven at right tackle. Sprained his left ankle during ’11 fall camp, but started all 13 games at RT. Started 11-of-12 games at left tackle in ’12 — did not start against Wake Forest (undisclosed injury) and sprained his ankle against North Carolina. Started all 12 games at LT in ’13. Did not lift at the Combine because of a left shoulder injury (medical exlusion).