NFL Draft 2014 Preview (56 page)

Weaknesses:
Could stand to bulk up and get stronger — weak jam to hem and reroute. Still honing technique as instincts as a cornerback. Tends to react instead of anticipate. Choppy transition. Allows too much separation too often. Leaky tackler. Ordinary production on the ball.

Future:
Looks the part and has developmental value given his athleticism and desirable makeup, but did not take a significant step forward as a senior. Has traits to contribute initially on special teams while he works on becoming a more well-rounded cornerback.

Draft projection:
Fourth- to fifth-round pick.

RCB KENDALL JAMES, #5

MAINE
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Grade: 5.26

Ht: 5-10 1/4 | Wt: 180 | Sp: 4.44 | Arm: 29 1/2 | Hand: 8

History:
Defensive back-receiver who also played basketball and was a member of a state-champion track squad as a New Jersey prep. Redshirted in 2009. Played in 11 games in ’10 and made 16 tackles with zero pass breakups and zero interceptions as a reserve defensive back and special-teams player. Started 13 games at right cornerback in ’11 and had 50-4-3 with one forced fumble. In ’12, he registered 46-12-3 with two forced fumbles in 11 starts at RCB. Scored his lone collegiate touchdown on a 100-yard interception return at Bryant. In ’13, recorded 36-9-2 with 2 1/2 tackles for loss in 13 starts at RCB. Also had a blocked field goal against New Hampshire. Did not broad jump at the Combine (hamstring).

Strengths:
Outstanding timed speed and leaping ability (39-inch vertical). Terrific balance, body control and agility. Fluid and flexible with loose hips and ankles to transition and change direction smoothly. Mirrors in man coverage. Aware in zone. Plants and drives quickly. Shows burst to close and recover. Good ball skills. Will come up and stick his nose in run support. Has special-teams experience as a gunner. Three-year starter.

Weaknesses:
Does not look the part — is skinny with extremely short arms and his hands measured the smallest of all players at the Combine. Must bulk up and get functionally stronger — gets wired to blocks. Benchpressed 225 pounds just nine times at the Combine, one of the lowest totals among DBs. Does not have strength to press — will be outmuscled by larger receivers outside the numbers. Tackles low and needs help from the cavalry when he cannot chop down ball carriers with momentum. Lacks experience playing inside.

Future:
Undersized, extremely short-armed, feisty corner with potential to contribute as a sub-package defender. Offers appealing fluidity, twitch, speed and ball skills, though he will always face size and strength limitations..

Draft projection:
Fourth- to fifth-round pick.

RCB stanley JEAN-BAPTISTE, #16

NEBRASKA
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Grade: 5.29

Ht: 6-2 5/8 | Wt: 218 | Sp: 4.61 | Arm: 32 3/8 | Hand: 8 5/8

History:
Was a wide receiver/safety as a Miami prep. Following high school, he spent one year at North Carolina Tech Preparatory Christian Academy, catching 36 passes for 580 yards. He attended Fort Scott (Kansas) Community College for one year, but did not see any football action. Redshirted as a receiver with Nebraska in 2010. Began the ’11 season as a wide receiver before being converted to cornerback early in the campaign. Went on to play in nine games (including one start at right cornerback) and had nine tackles, one pass breakup and one interception. Saw action in 14 games in ’12 (five starts at left cornerback) and registered 24-9-2. Had a 48-yard interception return for a score against Minnesota. Was Nebraska’s top cover cornerback in ’13, starting all 13 games and registering 41-12-4 with three tackles for loss and one sack. Had an interception in each of his first four games, including a 43-yard score against Southern Miss.

Strengths:
Physically impressive on the hoof — looks every bit the part with outstanding size and length to mix it up with bigger receivers. Good balance and body control. Jumps routes. Has good hands to intercept and can highpoint throws. Flashes functional strength to reroute receivers, discard blocks and tackle ball carriers. Very productive on the ball in limited time as a starter — 22 pass PBUs and seven INTs in 19 starts at Nebraska. Works to get better and made strides as a senior. Explosion was on display at the Combine, where he posted a 41 1/2-inch vertical jump (best among defensive backs) and 10-foot, 8-inch broad jump.

Weaknesses:
Has relatively small hands. Not especially strong for his size. Stiff hips. Is not a quick-twitch athlete and struggles to mirror sudden receivers. Lacks elite top-end speed (long-strider). Green positional instincts. Picks and chooses his spots to be physical — inconsistent run defender. Has tweener traits. Football aptitude is lacking — could struggle to grasp and execute complex assignments. Will be a 24-year-old rookie.

Future:
A converted receiver, Jean-Baptiste possesses intriguing ball skills, rare leaping ability and clear upside, though he lacks ideal speed and flexibility, is smoother than he is sudden and does not consistently play to his size. Warrants developmental consideration from teams employing press or Cover-2, and will be in demand given the league’s trend towards bigger defensive backs.

Draft projection:
Fourth- to fifth-round pick.

Scout’s take:
“I didn’t care for his tape. He is not very aware. He’ll go in the third round on his size alone, but he plays small.”

LCB-FS DONTAE JOHNSON, #25 (JUNIOR)

NORTH CAROLINA STATE
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Grade: 5.32

Ht: 6-2 1/8 | Wt: 200 | Sp: 4.46 | Arm: 31 1/2| Hand: 8 5/8

History:
His first name is pronounced “DAHN-tay.” Safety-receiver who also played basketball as a New Jersey prep. Played in 13 games (one start) as a true freshman for North Carolina State in 2010 and had 22 tackles, one pass breakup and zero interceptions. His first career start came at free safety against Boston College. Also returned three kickoffs for 40 yards (13.3-yard average). Played primarily as a nickel defender in ’11, appearing in 13 games (two starts) and tallying 27-4-0 with three tackles for loss and three sacks. Moved to the boundary cornerback starting slot in ’12 and recorded 70-8-0 with six tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble. Teamed with Redskins ’13 second-rounder David Amerson to make up the tallest pair of starting cornerbacks in the country. Opened ’13 at cornerback before switching back to free safety midway through the year. In 12 games (five starts at cornerback, seven at safety), he totaled 82-5-3.

Strengths:
Good height, balance and athleticism. Can run with tight ends in coverage. Zone aware. Efficient plant-and-drive. Has a 38 1/2-inch vertical jump. Sets a hard edge in run support — works to get off blocks, throws his weight around and tackles aggressively. Has played safety, cornerback, nickel and special teams. Smart and hardworking.

Weaknesses:
Is lean and needs to bulk up and get stronger. Has short arms and small hands. Lacks elite top-end speed (struggled mightily to contain Clemson WR Sammy Watkins). Hesitates to diagnose from depth and takes some inaccurate angles. Shows tightness in transition. Struggles to break down and tackle in space. Ordinary ball production.

Future:
Wiry, narrow-framed, high-cut, athletic defensive back who would be best in a predominantly zone scheme where he would have value as a versatile backup.

Draft projection:
Fifth- to sixth-round pick.

Scout’s take:
“I liked him a little bit. He’s a decent tackler with size and range ability. I put him in the middle of four. He’s playing safety now, but if you want him at corner, it might push him up.”

RCB-NS LAMARCUS JOYNER, #20

FLORIDA STATE
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Grade: 5.24

Ht: 5-8 | Wt: 184 | Sp: 4.56 | Arm: 31 1/2 | Hand: 9 1/2

History:
Elite defensive back recruit out of Florida prep powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas, where he played cornerback and piled up 1,090 all-purpose yards on just 79 touches en route to being named USA Today’s National Defensive Player of the Year. Arrived at Florida State in 2010 and played in all 14 games as a true freshman, recording 23 tackles, three pass breakups and one interception. Returned 16 kickoffs for 329 yards (20.6-yard average). Started all 13 games at free safety in ’11 and tallied 54-3-4 with two tackles for loss and one sack. Was 13-397-0 (30.5) returning kickoffs. Moved into the strong safety role in ’12, starting 14 games and totaling 51-5-1 with 1 1/2 tackles for loss. Was 18-424-0 (23.6) as a kickoff returner. Was a Jim Thorpe Award finalist in ’13, starting six times at cornerback and eight times in a nickel position for the national champions — posted 69-4-2 with seven tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks and three forced fumbles. Also went 5-110-0 (22.0) returning kickoffs. His sack total ranked first among NCAA defensive backs. Did not miss a game in his four years at Florida State, concluding his time there with 41 consecutive starts.

Strengths:
Instinctive and anticipatory. Advanced understanding from the back end — makes subtle, pre-snap adjustments and diagnoses plays. Steps downhill quickly. Outstanding overall production in all facets. Good competitive playing speed — runs as fast as he needs to. Very good football-playing demeanor — confident and opportunistic. Showed up in big games and made clutch plays (see Clemson). Times up the blitz very well and plays bigger than his size. Has contributed as a gunner and displayed good short-area burst in the return game. Exceptional work ethic and leadership traits. Respected, vocal team leader with an infectious attitude that can unite a locker room. Has been extremely durable, especially given his size and playing style.

Weaknesses:
Average athlete. Tight-hipped and rounds off breaks — not sudden. Lacks foot speed to carry receivers vertically from the slot and is seldom placed in situations where he can be distressed in downfield coverage. Lacks size and stature for press coverage. Can be out-quicked by shifty slot receivers. Marginal recovery speed and catch-up burst when he gets caught peeking. Struggles to match up with size and speed in man coverage. Very average 3-cone drill (7.26 seconds) and short shuttle (4.40) for his size. Makes mental mistakes too much in banjo coverage and struggles to sort out bunch sets. Does not have a body ideally built to withstand a 16-game season.

Future:
A terrific college football player and galvanizing leader for a national champion, Joyner is a tweener lacking unique physical traits for the pro game, and his dimensions leave him vulnerable to mismatches. However, he possesses special intangibles which could enable him to make his mark on special teams and compete for a sub-package role as a short-hole plugger where he can make plays on the ball in front of him.

Draft projection:
Fourth- to fifth-round pick.

Scout’s take:
“I like him. He is just small. He is best as a nickel safety. He has pretty good cover skills. He is a little tight-hipped so he can get beat off hard breaks. He is not sudden so he will give up separation to a (Julian) Edelman. That is where he gives up catches in games. When he can play off and react to (routes) underneath, he does a really good job. At corner, he is the same way — his size and stature work against him. He doesn’t have elite speed to be a corner, but he’s a helluva little football player. I put him in the fourth (round).”

FS KENNY LADLER, #1

VANDERBILT
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Grade: 4.95

Ht: 6-0 1/8 | Wt: 207 | Sp: 4.69 | Arm: 31 5/8 | Hand: 9 5/8

History:
Stone Mountain, Ga. product who also ran track in high school. As a true freshman in 2010, played all 12 games at strong safety (nine starts) — had 57 tackles, two pass breakups and one interception with 5 1/2 tackles for loss and one forced fumble. Appeared in 13 games in ’11, making six starts at free safety, and recorded 53-3-1 with one tackle for loss. Made 12 starts at FS in ’12 and totaled 90-1-2 with 3 1/2 tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble. Missed one game with an undisclosed injury. In ’13, he saw action in 13 games at FS (12 starts) and registered 91-4-5 with one tackle for loss and a school-record five forced fumbles (tied for the most in the NCAA). Led the team in tackles and interceptions, while his 65 solo tackles ranked second in the SEC. Did not start the Wake Forest game after being ejected the previous week for a targeting infraction. Did not run shuttles or participate in drills at the Combine (right hamstring).

Strengths:
Good size, movement and flexibility. Efficient plant and drive on throws in front of him. Shows the ability to swoop downhill and support the run. Tries for the strip (forced five fumbles as a senior). Asset in the building — terrific character. Durable and experienced. Was a 21-year-old senior. Benchpressed 225 pounds 24 times at the Combine, second most among DBs.

Weaknesses:
Pedestrian timed speed. Average instincts and anticipation — can be a tick late to read and react. Poor center fielder. Manipulated by QBs. Unreliable last line of defense. Inconsistent open-field tackler. Average tackle strength — catches contact. Strong safety only.

Future:
Lean, athletic, finesse free safety with the chops to hold down a backup job in a system where he could react to plays in front of him, though he will have to demonstrate utility on special teams to stick.

Draft projection:
Priority free agent.