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Durst's 2015 NFL Draft - Week Seven Risers, Sliders, and Big Board


Todd Gurley is averaging 154.6 yards per game through five games. (USATSI)

Week Seven Risers

1. Malcom Brown, DT, Texas:

By week three, I had Brown rated as a second-round prospect, but I now believe he is the second best 4-3 DT prospect.

In the first-half, in the Red-River Shootout, Brown was frequently able to get penetration against a very good Sooner's offensive line, which helped Texas hold 11th-ranked Oklahoma to just 29 total yards in offense in the first half.

Ranked by some as the #2 rated HS DT prospect, Brown was a reserve as a freshman, but has started every game since.

Now a 6'2/320 Junior, Brown projects best as 3-technique, in a one-gap scheme, where he is given the freedom to disrupt the backfield, but he has the size to hold-up in a two-gap scheme.

2. Cody Kessler, QB, US:

Going into last weekend, Kessler was the only QB in the country with more than seven touchdown passes that had not had a turnover (either fumble or interception), and while that has changed (he threw his first interception while scrambling to make a play on 3rd and 19), what has not changed is Kessler is no longer an afterthought in the stacked PAC-12 QB class.

After beating previously unbeaten Arizona, Kessler now has a 10-1 TD-interception ratio, with a 69% completion ration.

At only 6'1/216, may not taken in the first two round, but he is mobile, takes care of the ball, and shows enough arm-talent that a third-round pick seems realistic.

The red-shirt Junior started all 14 games last season and threw 20 TDs against just 7 INTs while completing 65 percent of his passes, but was sacked 30 times.

Kessler’s 2013 campaign started slow. In his first two games, Kessler threw for less than 100 yards in both contests and had only three touchdown tosses through the first three games.

Then, he finished the season with 2,968 yards, ending with a torching of Fresno State for 345 yards and four scores in the Las Vegas Bowl.

3. Javorius "Buck" Allen, RB, USC:

Another Trojan on the rise, Allen rushed for 205 yards (7.9 yards per carry) and three touchdowns against Arizona.

At 6'1/215, Allen has both power and elusiveness, and offers enough in the passing game to project as a three-down back.

The red-shirt Junior was USC's MVP last season, after he led the Trojans in rushing last season with 785 yards and 14 TDs. Most of his 2013 action came in the Trojan’s final 6 games and he lit it up in that span, with 648 rushing yards and 12 TDs.

4. Vince Mayle, WR, Washington State:

Against Stanford, Mayle looked like he can play. In the first quarter, he beat Stanford's #1 CB for a 40+yard catch, and finished the drive with a nine yard TD, high-pointing like a pro.

Mayle has just two years under his belt at the position. Coming out of HS, Mayle was a running back in a Wing-T offense. He was so athletic that he spent his first season of eligibility as a basketball player at Shasta Community College in Redding, Calif, before going on to play football for Sierra College (Calif.), where he took his initial snaps as a receiver.

That season Mayle was named an All-American by the California Community College Association and was the All-California MVP -- after one season as a wide receiver. Mayle accounted for 16 touchdowns and 984 yards on 61 catches.

Still quite raw, Mayle's size and athleticism are impressive. At 6'3, he supposedly has dropped 20 pounds to get to his listed 220.

He now has 57 receptions for 781 yards (good for second in the country) with seven TDs.

5. Jonathan Williams, RB, Arkansas:

My pre-season #9 RB: Jonathan Williams, made 11 starts, and finished the year with 150 rushes for 900 yards while sharing time with Fresh Alex Collins. Collins was the crown jewel of Bielema’s first recruiting class and lived up to expectations with an SEC Freshman of the Year performance.

Update: I dropped Williams earlier in the season when it appeared that he was going to be relegated to a change-of -pace RB (7 attempts, 34 yards in opener at Auburn), but the 6’0/223 Junior has remained the starter even though he is slightly less talented than the Collins.

Although, he has failed to break 100 yards rushing in either of the games I have seen him (Texas A&M and Alabama), Williams has a pro-ready build and can be a power-element to a RBBC approach.

Rob Rang stated " "Williams doesn't possess his teammates' acceleration but he's a well-built back who attacks the line of scrimmage and shows good leg drive".

6. Terrance Plummer, LB, Central Florida:

Against BYU, recorded a career high 17 tackles, adding a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. T

Last season, the 6'1/236 pound Senior led the Knights with 110 total tackles, and was the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Defensive MVP. Had 108 tackles as a Sophomore.

Questionable size for inside duty, but may not have speed for the outside.

7. Zack Sanchez, CB Oklahoma:

Against Texas, Sanchez made another interception, this one he took back for a TD.

He now has five for the season, and seven in the last nine games.

The red-shirt Sophomore is far from consistent, and at 5'11/179, his size may limit him some in the NFL, but he has a flare for the dramatic, and the confidence required for the position.

Just a three-star recruit, Sanchez started all 13 games as a red-shirt Freshman, and I have been impressed in the two games I have seen him (Texas and Tennessee).

I don't believe he is pro-ready, and should return to Norman for at least one more season, but he is draft eligible.

8. Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida:

Perriman caught six balls for 83 yards in last Thursday's 31-24 overtime victory over BYU.

TFY Draft Insider's Tony Pauline graded Perriman as a preseason Round 5 prospect.

At 6'2/214, Perriman is the son of former NFL WR Brett, and brings great size/speed.

Last season, both J.J. Worton and Rannell Hall were ahead of Perriman in receptions, but Perriman wasn’t far behind, catching 39 passes for 811 yards and four touchdowns, while his 20.8 average on receptions ranked fifth nationally in 2013.

Week Seven Sliders

1. Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia:

Georgia junior RB Todd Gurley has been suspended indefinitely during an ongoing investigation into an alleged violation of NCAA rules.

According to TMZ, Gurley was paid "just shy of $2,000 for the two" autograph sessions that resulted in his suspension.

NFL.com's Bucky Brooks recently wrote a piece in which he stated "the suspension will not have a major impact of Gurley's draft stock....it's not a criminal matter and most observers won't view it as a serious charter concern".

My take is this, Dez Bryant had a similar situation a few years back, and was still selected in the first round...but it wasn't until 24th pick, when it is conceivable he would have went top-10 if he was on the field and impressed.

Bryant was coming off a monster Sophomore season, in which he caught 87 passes for 1,480 yards with 19 TDs, but was only able to play in three games as a Junior.

Coincidentally, Bryant was ruled ineligible for the rest of the 2009 season on October 7th, while Gurley's indefinite suspension came on October 9th.

These suspensions are less a character concern, as it is a missed opportunity, in Gurley's case, an opportunity to prove he can stay healthy as a bell-cow NFL RB.

Gurley is trying to become the first RB drafted in the first round since 2012, but battled both ankle and thigh injuries in 2013. Last season, Gurley played in just ten of the Bulldog's 13 games, and missed parts of several others.

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/college/ugas-gurley-still-dealing-with-injuries-may-or-may/nd6Wh/

It has been reported that Gurley also dealt with nagging injuries (knee, shoulder, and leg) during his spectacular freshman season, a season in which he averaged only 15.9 carries per game.

http://dogbytesonline.com/rb-gurley-looking-faster-leaner-in-ugas-spring-practice-69954/

This is where the Marshawn Lynch comparisons fall apart.

Todd McShay, Bucky Brooks, and Rob Rang are just a few that compares Georgia junior RB Todd Gurley to Marshawn Lynch, and while the size and power are there, what isn't is the durability.

While Lynch has proven to be durable, racking up more carries over the past three years than any other tailback in the league, Gurley has proven to be fragile.

Lynch has averaged 300 carries in his three full seasons with the Seahawks since being acquired in a 2010 trade with the Buffalo Bills and is the only back with 300-plus carries in each of the past two seasons.

Meanwhile, Gurley had only 222 carries in 2012, and 165 in 2013. Sure, college football player play less games, but even Gurley's best game this season (against Clemson) Gurley got his 198 yards rushing and three TDs on just 15 carries.

Gurley is a powerful, and fast freak of nature, whose career yards-per-carry average (6.5) is second only to Bo Jackson among SEC runners with at least 400 rushing attempts, but I would not want my team to spend a first round pick on players whose NFL career might be just as disappointing as Bo's.

2. Blake Bell, TE, Oklahoma:

Against Texas, Bell caught two passes for 30 yards, giving him just eight receptions and 101 yards for the season.

My pre-season #2 TE, I was overly optimistic that the "Bell-dozier's" skills would easily translate to an Joker-TE role.

At 6'6/254, Bell is a former five-star recruit, who rushed for 24 TD as a back-up QB used primarily in goal-line situations before finally getting eight starts before losing his job last season.

As a fifth-year Senior, Bell is running out of time to impress scouts that his pure size and athleticism is worth an early round pick.

3. KeiVarae Russell, CB, Notre Dame:

NBC's Inside the Irish reports that Notre Dame junior CB KeiVarae Russell will not play this season but DOES intend to return to the Irish in 2015 (we shall see).

Notre Dame junior CB KeiVarae Russell is one of the five Irish players that was investigated for academic fraud, and finally the university announced that none of the five will play this season.

Of the five, Russell may be the one hurt the most, as he entered the season as a potential to-50 pick.

Recruited as a RB/WR prospect, Russell quickly shifted to CB where he started as a Freshman., earning Freshman All-American honors.

At 5'11/190, Russell has an NFL CB frame, has started 26 games had 109 tackles in his first two seasons.

Russell had been excited about the 2014 season as he anticipated playing more man-to-man coverage under new Irish defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder (former Falcons DC 2008-2011).

In fact, Russell predicted the Irish would play man-to-man 70-80% of the time, with a schedule that including potential match-ups with USC's Nelson Agholor, UNC's Quinshad Davis, Stanford's Ty Montgomery, Louisville's DeVante Parker, FSU's Rashad Greene, Arizona State's Jaelen Strong, and Michigan's Devin Funchess.

Perhaps no CB in the country had a better opportunity to showcase his skills this season.

Although, Russell have two seasons of eligibility, I think ultimately he will declare for the draft this season, and will likely be drafted around the fourth round.

4. Hroniss Grasu, Center, Oregon

My preseason #1 ranked center appeared to be one of those rare centers with first round potential, but at this point that appears to be too rich.

AT 6'3/297, Hroniss is slightly undersized, but has started all 46 games of career; and is a 2x 1st-team all-Pac-12 selection.

Against UCLA, certainly did his part , as Oregon did not allow a sack against a talented Bruin defensive line, but while he is certainly one of the top two or three centers in college football, I see him as a fringe second-rounder, likely third-round prospect whose size may limit him to a zone-blocking scheme.

5. TJ Yeldon, RB, Alabama:

Against Arkansas Yeldon ran for only 2.8 yards per carry (16/45) two weeks after averaging only 3.3 yards per carry against Florida. Although he had two catches against the Razorbacks including a 22-yard TD, he has not run for a TD since his two-touchdown performance in Bama's opening win against West Virginia.

A former five-star recruit (rated by most as the nation's #1 high school RB) Yeldon has ran for 2,343 yards and 26 touchdowns through his first two seasons, 452 and two this season.

At 6'2/218, his frame and upright running style is similar to former FSU RB James Wilder Jr, whose body started breaking down, and there already is a general belief than Alabama players enter the NFL as damaged goods.

Fumbling has been an issue in the past, and back-ups Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake are arguably more talented. Of note, the Tide is emphasizing the pass more than the ever have during Saban's time here.

Currently #32 on Scouts Inc.'s rankings, I graded him as a second rounder last spring, but predicted that Yeldon will fall "late" in the process.

The fall may have already began.

6. Ty Montgomery, WR, Stanford.

Stanford junior WR Ty Montgomery caught seven passes for 72 yards in the school's 34-17 win over Washington State.

The WSU defense is not a great barometer in which to judge offensive prospects, but I have seen Stanford play four times this season, and about five times last yr, and think there may not be another prospect that media scouts are more wrong about.

Currently ranked #19 overall by Scout's Inc, I have maintained my second round (#11WR) ranking since last sping's big board, where in my notes I expressed concern that while Montgomery is often referenced as fast, he appears to have "build-up speed".

Draftinsider.net's Tony Pauline gave Montgomery a 3-4th round grade last summer, while stating his concerns about his size and inconsistent hands.

I agree with the hands part, but at 6'2/215 with great musculature, Montgomery's size is one of his greatest assets.

Former NFL GM Phil Savage who is now the executive director of the Senior Bowl believes Stanford WR Ty Mongtomery will likely be selected in the first round.

http://www.seniorbowl.com/prospect-profiles-view.php?p=675

After making comparisons to Patrick Peterson referencing his speed, long arms, big hands, and "well-put-together" body, he goes on to say Montgomery is an "ideal flanker that can knock the top off a defense and also run with the football when running underneath the coverage."

Montgomery broke-out last season when he was 2nd nationally with a 30.3 kickoff return average, adding 61 catches for 958 yards.

While Montgomery’s role has expanded this season, as he now fields punts, serves as Stanford’s primary Wildcat back and has even taken some read-option handoffs, his route-running, catch-radius, and ability to track the ball in the air are still weaknesses.

By the end of the season, Devon Cajuste may be Stanford's #1 wideout prospect.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
QB Mariota Jameis Winston Bryce Petty Sean Mannion Jacob Coker Garrett Grayson Taylor Kelly
Hundley
Dak Prescott Wes Lunt Will Gardner Shane Carden Bo Wallace Nick Marshall
Connor Cook Nate Sudfeld Cody Kessler Kevin Hogan Connor Holliday Dylan Thompson Jeff Driskel
RB
Todd Gurley Duke Johnson Javorius Allen Malcolm Brown Trey Madden Desmond Roland

Tevin Coleman Jay Ajayi Karlos Williams

Matt Jones

Johnathan Gray Cameron Artis-Payne

TJ Yeldon Ameer Abdullah Jonathan Williams Jamal Williams David Cobb Michael Dyer
Gordan Jeremy Langford Mike Davis Storm Woods DJ Foster Rushel Shell Hilliard/Magee LSU
WR Amari Cooper Kevin White D'haquille Williams Deontay Greenberry Kasen Williams Matt Miller Mitch Matthews
Jaelen Strong Quinshad Davis Rashad Greene Dres Anderson Sterling Sheppard Jarrod West Josh Harper
Devin Funchess Stephon Diggs Antwan Goodley Justin Hardy Kenny Bell Jameon Lewis
Chris Harper
Dorial Green-Beckham Tyreek Hill Devante Davis Breshad Perriman
Phillip Dorsett Byron Marshall (RB?) Malcolm Mitchell
Sammie Coats DeVante Parker Vince Mayle Austin Hill Alonzo Russell Malcolm Kennedy Devin Smith
Nelson Agholor Ty Montgomery Tony Lippett Cayleb Jones Jamison Crowder
Deon Long Jaxon Shipley
TE
Jessie James EJ Bibbs
Jay Rome Ben Koyack Jake McGee Dillon Gordan

Clive Walford
Nick O"Leary

Blake Bell

Jeff Heuerman

Rory Anderson
Randall Telfer
Ben Koyack
Pharaoh Brown
Malcolm Johnson
Cameron Clear
OT Cedric Ogbuehi Ereck Flowers Jason Spriggs Spencer Drango Malcolm Bunche
Mickey Baucus Rob Havenstein
Andrus Peat Corey Robinson Daryl Williams Tyrus Thompson
Jamil Douglas John Theus TJ Clemmings
Brandon Scherff Donovan Smith Sean Hickey Eric Lefeld
Jake Fisher Quinterrius Eatmon Austin Shepherd
Cameron Erving Blaine Clausell
Ty Sambralio Taylor Decker Desmond Harrison
Michael Yeck Simon Goines
OG
AJ Cann Kaleb Johnso Arie Kouandjio
Adam Shead Conor Hanratty
Justin Malone
La'el Collins Tre' Jackson
Quinton Spain
Torrian Wilson
Vadal Alexander
Kyle Costigan
Alex Barr

Josue Matias Laken Tomlinson
La'Raven Clark Landon Turner Jon Feliciano Willie Beavers
OC
Hroniss Grasu Reese Dismukes
Isaac Seumalo

Shane McDermott

Max Tuerk

BJ Finney

Andrew Gallik Evan Boehm

Brandon Vitabile

Max Garcia

DE
Leonard Williams Danielle Hunter Marcus Golden DeForest Buckner Henry Anderson Ryan Muller
DE
Shane Ray Trey Flowers Owamagbe Odighizuwa Theiren Cockran Preston Smith Hau'oli Kikaha
DE
Shawn Oakman Dante Fowler Cedric Reed Martin Ifedi
Deion Barnes
Ryan Russell
Anthony Chickillo
DE

Mario Edwards

Shilique Calhoun

Frank Clark

Za'Darius Smith

Devonte Fields

Caleb Azubike

Jonathan Bullard
Darius Hamliton
Eddie Vanderdoes Noah Spence

Marcus Rush

Ray Drew

DT Eddie Goldman Danny Shelton Adolphus Washington
Kaleb Eulls
JT Surratt Travis Raciti
Isaac Gross
Malcom Brown
Carl Davis
Michael Bennett

Terry Williams

Grady Jarrett
Tyeler Davison

Luther Maddy
Brandon Ivory
David Parry
Matt Hoch
Arik Armstead Sheldon Day Gabe Wright
Ellis McCarthy Leon Orr Woods Kalafitoni Pole
ILB
Stephone Anthony Ramik Wilson AJ Johnson Hayes Pullard Jake Ryan AJ Tarpley
Benardrick McKinney Eric Kendricks Amarlo Herrera Henry Coley Tyler Matakevich
Steve Edmond
Dalton Santos

Denzel Perryman Reggie Ragland Trey DePriest Curtis Grant Mike Hull Antonio Morrison
OLB Randy Gregory Lorenzo Mauldin Jordan Jenkins Eric Striker Xzavier Dickson Norkeithus Otis JR Tavai
Leonard Floyd Alvin Dupree Eli Harold Josh Forrest Dadi Nicolas Terrance Plummer Derrick Malone
Shaq Thompson Vic Beasley Terrance Smith Tony Washington Terrance Plummer CJ Johnson James Vaughters
CB Ron Darby
PJ Williams
Alex Carter

Jalen Collins Ladarius Gunter Duke Thomas Tevin Mitchel Kevon Seymour
Trae Waynes Lafayette Pitts Zach Sanchez Quandre Diggs Byron Jones (S?) Tim Scott (S?)
Jonathan McKnight
Marcus Peters
De'Vante Harris Deshazor Everett KeiVarae Russell Blake Countess Damian Swann Justin Coleman
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu Doran Grant Julian Wilson (S?) Justin Cox (S?)
Kevin Peterson Steven Nelson Damarious Randall
S
Jalen Mills Durrell Eskridge Adrian Amos
Eric Rowe

Deon Bush

Sam Carter

Clayton Geathers Craig Bills
Landon Collins Ladarrell McNeil Cody Prewitt Josh Shaw (CB?) Ibraheim Campbell Karl Joseph Kyshoen Jarrett

Gerod Holliman Anthony Harris Kurtis Drummond Derron Smith Jordan Richards Corey Cooper

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