2014 NFL Draft Thread

[Sly]

Willie Snead IV, Wide Receiver, Ball State

Anthony Dima, Offensive Lineman, University of Massachusetts

Ray Agnew, Fullback, Southern Illinois University

Kenny Shaw, Wide Receiver, Florida State

Chandler Jones, Wide Receiver, San Jose State

Connor Shaw, Quarterback, South Carolina

Carlo Calabrese, Inside Linebacker, Notre Dame

Calvin Barnett, Defensive Tackle, Oklahoma State


Receivers are all under 6'.

 

[RedBlackAttack]

Sorry, what am I missing with Gallon?

Insanely productive, elite hands, tough, ran a 4.49, 40 inch vert, good quicks.......I feel like NE got a steal.

I get that he's short but a WR doesn't need to be tall to be productive.

7th seems like a steal for NE.

The combination of size and not great top-end speed probably sealed his fate. But, I agree with you.... I saw enough over the course of his career and against really good competition to say I think he has a real chance to succeed on the next level.

 

[Juice is Loose]

This is Taylor Martinez in 5 years...

 

[Seiklis]

Jones gone

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Back with Telvin if true! RT <a href="https://twitter.com/NEPD_Loyko">@NEPD_Loyko</a>: Christian Jones, LB, Florida State to Jaguars.. good one</p>&mdash; Shane P. Hallam (@ShanePHallam) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShanePHallam/statuses/465289342563262464">May 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[oasis05]

Very surprised jones fell out of the draft. He'll like staying in Florida I'm sure.

 

[billmac91]

I'm an FSU grad and have a good pulse on their team.

Kenny Shaw was solid at FSU but far from a game-changer. Nothing he did ever popped out and he had a very average career. I don't really see him pushing for a roster spot as a slot when Hawkins brings big play ability and Travis Benjamin has elite speed. The only real value to Kenny is his ability to go over the middle but that is probably even suspect at the NFL level. He's got a small frame and lacks elite explosiveness.

Christian Jones is blessed with an NFL body and decent measurables but I never loved what I saw. I think he was routinely over-exaggerated as a player based on his measurables and high school career especially compared to a guy like Telvin Smith who was taken in the fourth round as a 218lb MLB. Telvin really solidified that LB unit and cleaned up a lot of mistakes. Jones was OK, but hardly a difference maker. I'm not surprised he went undrafted or that Telvin Smith went earlier than projected in the 4th round. This was a case of the tape not lying.

 

[Silky Smooth]

Friend from high school(Valley Forge High School in Parma Heights), James Meder, was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. Crazy to see that.

 

[JSS2306]

I'm an FSU grad and have a good pulse on their team.

Kenny Shaw was solid at FSU but far from a game-changer. Nothing he did ever popped out and he had a very average career. I don't really see him pushing for a roster spot as a slot when Hawkins brings big play ability and Travis Benjamin has elite speed. The only real value to Kenny is his ability to go over the middle but that is probably even suspect at the NFL level. He's got a small frame and lacks elite explosiveness.

Christian Jones is blessed with an NFL body and decent measurables but I never loved what I saw. I think he was routinely over-exaggerated as a player based on his measurables and high school career especially compared to a guy like Telvin Smith who was taken in the fourth round as a 218lb MLB. Telvin really solidified that LB unit and cleaned up a lot of mistakes. Jones was OK, but hardly a difference maker. I'm not surprised he went undrafted or that Telvin Smith went earlier than projected in the 4th round. This was a case of the tape not lying.

That's what it looks like from his videos. Looks like he is able to run routes properly I guess. Kinda small.

 

[Dungong]

I was kind of hoping we would take Sam. That + Manziel + Gordon would be the ultimate media circus. I Already felt weird that the Browns had dominated coverage for one day.

 

[TheNewEra]

Friend from high school(Valley Forge High School in Parma Heights), James Meder, was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. Crazy to see that.

Hopefully with some better coaching, Meder can use his strength that he has to make some plays and get a look.

 

[I-77 NORTH]

I was kind of hoping we would take Sam. That + Manziel + Gordon would be the ultimate media circus. I Already felt weird that the Browns had dominated coverage for one day.

Fuck. No.

 

[Wulfgar1224]

I know that draft grades this early serve little purpose since it takes 2-3 years to get the feel for how a draft pans out. That said, I think it is fun to grade them anyway.

Here is my personal assessment of the draft. I thought the trade from 4 to 9 made sense and I can't complain about getting a 4th and Buffalo's 1st next season. That is huge IMO. That said, I thought it was weird that they subsequently trade up to the 8th spot. It made little sense to me despite the fact they only gave up a 5th rounder. As for Justin Gilbert, I can't complain about getting a corner since I feel it was a huge need on this team.

As for Manziel, I have questions about his ability to stay healthy and improve his passing from the pocket. But, it was clear that the Browns had to move at the time they did in order to get him. So, I give Farmer credit for seizing the opportunity and making it happen. I sure hope it pans out. He identified a guy that he like and got him.

I liked the second round pick as well. O line is a big need on the right side and Bitonio will give a much need boost to that side.

As for the third round picks, I like them both. West is going to be a solid back and will help spell Tate. Kirksey will probably be an ILB in the 34 and although not a thumper, he will help tremedously in the coverage area. He's a solid upgrade over Robertson.

I don't know much about the corner taken and it never hurts to have depth at the position. But, I probably would've gone safety there. I'm not going to hammer the Browns for not taking a receiver since it is the 2nd hardest position to learn. It takes receivers a while to develop so I doubt a rookie would've made a huge impact unless it was Evans or Watkins.

I liked the draft on balance. I thought several needs were filled and value was achieved on the picks. I'd give it a solid B.

 

[FiveThous]

I really like this draft. Seems like Farmer and Pettine got guys they thought fit their system. In addition to that it seems like all 6 have a chance to make a major impact.

Browns seem content picking up a WR either from cuts or exploring trades. I think this was a perfect start to the pettine/farmer reign. Go Browns!

 

[Biw]

Kiper's grade

Cleveland Browns: B-

Top needs: QB, CB, WR, OG

Needs: C
Value: B

Summary: Some day, somebody will probably write a book about this Cleveland draft. Maybe it'll become "Draft Day II." Unfortunately, I'm on a tighter deadline. Where do you start? The huge trade with Buffalo to swipe a 2015 first-rounder? Johnny Football? Josh Gordon? The best pass-catcher drafted is ... Pierre Desir, who plays corner? It was wild. Adding a 2015 first-round pick (and a fourth) to move down five slots is like stealing. But you do pass on the chance to take Sammy Watkins. Justin Gilbert was a minor reach at No. 8, but he's a good fit and hit a big need. And again on this theme: you move down and add major pick value, what's a minor reach, really? You can't always get to the perfect slot in terms of value. Johnny Manziel's celebrity transcends the reality of what he adds to the Browns as a football player, but let's talk football. He's a good value at No. 22 (I had him at No. 10 overall on my Big Board); he is a very good pocket passer, not just a scrambler -- he led all the draft QBs in this class in pocket accuracy -- and the Browns can block for him if he starts. Lastly, that's a big need. I really like Joel Bitonio, a player who could have gone in Round 1. Terrance West could become a good starter, combining size with good lateral agility and vision. Desir is great value, but you can temper the "steal" talk with the reality of a potentially longer developmental process given the jump in competition. The big void here is at wide receiver. Remember: I had WR as a need even with the assumption Josh Gordon was going to be around. Now that he's probably not? The Browns have potentially changed the face of their franchise, but Manziel could use somebody to throw the football to.

 

[Hurl Bruce]

Watching a lot of Big Ten football, I don't understand how the Browns don't pick Chris Borland over Kirksey.