On The Clock: 2017 RCF NFL Mock Draft

[Soda]

With the 19th pick in the 2017 RCF NFL Mock Draft,

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers select...

Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State

The Buccaneers thought about going several directions in this spot, but ultimately took McDowell as he represents an impact player at a premium position. McDowell can play both end and tackle in Mike Smith's defense. The opportunity to upgrade the offense was present; however, the premium on defensive linemen motivated Jason Licht to make this selection early. With Gerald McCoy, this line suddenly becomes a terror for a team that is expected to make a postseason push in 2017-18.

STRENGTHS
Slippery and long. Combination of arm length and flexible torso allow him to slither into gaps and create disruptions for blockers. Freaky combination of size and athleticism. Can overwhelm blockers with pure strength and explosiveness when his feet are right. Strong enough in lower half to play through contact and cause stress in the pocket. Has tremendous amount of untapped potential waiting to be unlocked. Quick, strong hands in pass rush. Able to attack the edge with club-and-swim pet move. Can crank up a pocket-caving bull rush. Can redirect his weight and maintain pursuit of scrambling mobile quarterbacks. Long frame and play speed can close out perimeter runs and foil them before corner is turned. Elite playmaking radius. Explosive lateral movement and quickness. Can bound from one gap to the next in Sparty's slanting defensive front. Will be extremely difficult to cross face as he learns the position. Has experience up and down the defensive line.

WEAKNESSES
Footwork and technique are a mess. Plays with inconsistent base width and overall balance. Struggles to keep feet clean and ends up on the ground. Lines up in narrow, three-point stance from interior and struggles to fight back against down blocks and double teams. Can be washed out of his gap too often. High center of gravity made interior work a challenge at times. Can bend, but lets high pad level get the best of him. Doesn't consistently utilize his length with first hands. Has to become better at controlling the point of attack with his natural attributes. Needs to punch and control rather than leaning on blockers. Production doesn't match up with the traits and the talent. Scouts concerned about work ethic and leadership.

SOURCES TELL US
"He has a chance to be a dominant player in our league. I mean dominant. It hasn't turned on for him all the way yet but if it does, he could be like Mario Williams. He's just a little lazy and I worry about whether he is going to be a self-starter." -- NFC North area scout

NFL COMPARISON
Ezekiel Ansah

BOTTOM LINE
Has similar physical traits and abilities of Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner, but may not share their football character. McDowell lacked production along the interior and could benefit from a move to a defensive end spot in a 4-3 or 3-4 front. McDowell is raw, but when he flashes, it can be blinding. McDowell is an explosive, ascending prospect with All-Pro potential if he grows into his body and takes the necessary coaching.

The Denver Broncos and @getBUCKED are on the clock.

 

[Otsego Mar]

Update on Baltimore's 1st round pick

Here is an excellent video on OJ Howard and why he's going to be a very good player in the league for a long time and why the author feels he may end up in Cleveland should he fall that far (7 minutes into video).

***

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[kriegs]

Can you edit the OP to reflect the trades that happened? 49ers didn't get Trubisky because of the trade so it's confusing.

 

[getBUCKED]

With the 20th pick in the 2017 RCF NFL Mock Draft,

The Denver Broncos select...

Garett Bolles , OT, Utah

• 6'5"HEIGHT
• 34"ARM LENGTH
• 297LBS.WEIGHT
• 9 3/8"HANDS

OVERVIEW
Every year there's at least one player who has overcome self-destructive behavior to take advantage of his athletic gifts. Bolles fits that bill because of his troubled teenage years. With the help of those around him, he embraced religion and hard work, enrolling at Snow College near his Utah home to turn his life around. He was a two-time all-conference pick at Snow, earning national junior college All-American honors as a sophomore. The top junior college prospect in the country chose to stay near home again to attend Utah. Bolles played well enough at left tackle to garner first-team All-Pac 12 recognition.

ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS
Elite athletic ability with the sweetest feet at the tackle position in this draft. Movement skills are smooth and unencumbered. There isn't an angle block he can't get to. Smooth climbs to linebackers as a work-up blocker, and has rare ability to accelerate from that block up to a third target. Has lateral quickness in run game to cross-face from backside and seal on the play-side. Can take quick settle steps, sinks and scoops defensive ends on base blocks. Quick feet allow for more patience to scan for stunts. Can meet edge speed with quick sets in pass pro. Plays with a mean streak and loves to finish. Outstanding change of direction to mirror without a hitch in his transition. Keeps weight on inside foot in his slides. Moves feet into position against inside counters. Balanced in his pass sets and keeps blocks centered. Should get bigger and stronger with more weight work after unorthodox path to the draft.

WEAKNESSES
Frame is a little narrow and legs appear to be shorter than normal. Devoid of drive power in his lowers. Pad level rises and he struggles to generate much movement against stout outside linebackers at point of attack. Needs better knee bend into second-level contact. Inconsistent in sustaining his blocks. Power can toss him off balance. May be limited by scheme fit. Needs to keep hands inside to bolster strength in his base. Lacks trust in his core power against speed-to-power. Leans into blocks with feet behind him to brace up. Will need sharper punch and more sink in his sets. Gives initial ground against power and doesn't always anchor quickly. Will be 25 years old by opening of fall camp.

SOURCES TELL US
"Most athletic offensive lineman I've done since I took over this area of the country. He's also mean on the field, which you love. I'm projecting him to get stronger once he locks into an NFL strength-and-conditioning program. He's underdeveloped right now. What you see isn't what you are going to ultimately get, in my opinion." -- West area scout for NFC team

NFL COMPARISON
Cedric Ogbuehi

BOTTOM LINE
Because he's only played one year of FBS football and hasn't been able to fully fill out his frame over the last five years, Bolles will require a projection and conjecture than most of the tackles in this year's draft. He clearly has elite athletic ability and foot quickness, but his lack of core strength and ability to sustain blocks against power across from him is a concern at this time. While he has Pro Bowl potential for a zone-scheme team, his floor will be a little lower than you might like in an early round pick.


The Detroit Lions and @Amherstcavsfan are on the clock.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

When's someone gonna take Ol' Noodle Arm

 

[Stitches]

Dolphins are open to moving down some, if anyone is interested in moving up.

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

With the 21st Pick in the NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select

Haason Reddick
LB'er Temple

PLAYER OVERVIEW
A two-year starter at Temple, Reddick lined up at a left and right defensive end (two- and three-point stance) in Temple's scheme, also standing up and dropping as a spy linebacker. A no-star safety recruit out of high school, Reddick battled injuries as a junior and senior at Haddon Heights so his recruitment went from meager to non-existent due to his lack of exposure. His persistence earned him a walk-on opportunity at Temple, redshirting in 2012. Reddick played mostly special teams in 2013, but made the transition to linebacker and eventually defensive end where he earned four starts, posting 4.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack. He served as a reserve as a sophomore in 2014 (two starts) and finished with 7.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Reddick won a starting defensive end job a junior in 2015, collecting 46 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and two forced fumbles. He had his best season as a senior (13 starts) and finished third in the FBS with 22.5 tackles for loss, adding a team-best 10.5 sacks and three forced fumbles to earn First Team All-AAC honors.


Once a 185-pound walk-on, Reddick developed into a hybrid pass rusher and lived in the opponent's backfield as a senior with a team-best 22.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks. However due to size, he needs to transition to an off-ball linebacker role in the NFL, displaying the athleticism to make the change, but he lacks ideal experience operating in coverage. Although his evaluation requires a leap of faith due to his position change, Reddick is a balanced, loose athlete with the instincts and upside to play inside or outside linebacker in various schemes, especially with his pass rush value on passing downs, projecting as a first round player.

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
STRENGTHS: Finely tuned athlete with coordinated movement skills. Masterfully controls his throttle in space to break down and finish ballcarriers. Flexible to drop his pads and turn the corner around edge blockers. Initial burst to attack gaps and squeeze into the backfield. Best trait is his secondary quickness working off contact. Very good pursuit speed and motor. Backfield vision to track the ball, avoid blockers and track down the ballcarrier. Alert to see plays develop, trusting his reads and not getting fooled by much. Well-developed muscle tone and worked hard to max out his body - added 50+ pounds of good weight since enrolling at Temple. Blossoming leadership skills with the inner competitive drive and appetite for football. Former walk-on and played the first four seasons at Temple without a football scholarship - awarded a scholarship the summer prior to his senior season. Tied the single-season school record with 22.5 tackles for loss in 2016.


WEAKNESSES: Tweener frame and lacks the size potential to stay at defensive end in the NFL. Lacks ideal arm length to efficiently engage, stack and shed in the trenches. Doesn't have the anchor or upper body power to control the point of attack, allowing blockers to engulf and move him from lanes. Doesn't consistent convert his speed to power as a rusher. Room to improve his finishing skills as a tackler, slipping off his target at times. Needs to transition to an off-ball linebacker position, lacking experience in that role. Wild footwork in reverse when asked to drop and cover backs or tight ends. Suspended from the Temple football program for three months (along with Dion Dawkins) following his connection with an off-campus fight (Jan. 2015) - put on probation after felony aggravated assault charges were later dropped.



--Dane Brugler (2/6/17)

For the Lions, it's really simple. They need another defensive playmaker outside of Ansah. With Reddick, you get a high end prospect from the middle who still has very good pass rushing skills. He's a potentially high impact player and could become an absolute beat on the inside and situational pass rusher for them.

Next up is the Miami Dolphins.

@Stitches

 

[Otsego Mar]

First 25 picks see 5 players drafted from Alabama :

#3 - DT, Jonathan Allen (Bears)
#6 - LB, Reuben Foster (Bengals)
#13 - CB, Marlon Humphrey (Jets)
#16 - TE, OJ Howard (Ravens)
#23 - OT, Cam Robinson (Giants)

 

[Stitches]

With the 22nd pick in the 2017 RCF Mock Draft, the Miami Dolphins select,

Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt!

Cunningham is a guy that we have been eyeying for some time, and we think even with the addition of Lawrence Timmons, we'll be able to have Zach slide into one of the trio of starting LB spots (ideally bulking up and learning before transitioning to MLB) and take significant snaps in nickel formations capitalizing on his length and athleticism. Despite not having much help from teammates in the playmaking department, Zach didn't let his play lapse and instead went out and got everything he could culminating with a stellar JR season that saw him lead the SEC in tackles. His type of heart and desire is certainly appreciated and further cements our opinion of him.

We have little doubt that Zach will become a quality player and defensive fixture for the team going forward.

http://dailydolphin.blog.palmbeachp...onstantly-linked-to-vandy-lb-zach-cunningham/

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCl0Nw5QJ20



@Snowblind and the Giants are on the clock

 

[Snowblind]

With the 23rd pick in the 2017 RCF Mock Draft, the New York Giants select..


Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama.

via cbs -

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS: Given his massive frame, Robinson is surprisingly quick off the ball, showing good lateral agility and balance to mirror pass rushers. He can fire off the ball in the running game, showing the initial burst to pull and climb to the second level, where he is an intimidating presence that most defenders look to avoid at all costs. His greatest attribute, however, may be his iron grip rather than elite footwork, which could prompt a switch to right tackle or even inside to guard at the next level, like his Alabama predecessors. Robinson strikes opponents with a powerful initial punch, showing excellent hand placement and strength to control defenders. Robinson generates impressive power at the point of attack, rolling his hips and driving his legs to steer opponents away from the ball. Though his pad level rises as he tires, Robinson rarely loses the leverage battle, keeping his knees bent through contact.

WEAKNESSES: While powerful and statistically impressive in pass protection, Robinson is not the dancing bear most NFL teams are looking for at left tackle. He can be a tick late off the snap, showing limited ability to recover if beaten initially and can struggle against speed rushers when the quarterback holds the ball. Robinson has been protected a bit in Alabama's scheme with tight ends and backs providing chip blocks and the dominant running game forcing pass rushers to throttle down. Further, Robinson needs to show greater anticipation and change-of-direction while blocking on the move. Too often defenders are able to slip by him at the second level. Robinson comes with legitimate off-field concerns, as well. He was arrested (along with Alabama teammate Hootie Jones), at closed park in Robinson's hometown of Monroe, Louisiana on troubling drug and weapons charges. Though the charges - which included felony possession of a stolen gun and marijuana -- were later dropped due to insufficient evidence, the incident resulted in both players being placed on indefinite suspension by head coach Nick Saban as well undergo weekly drug tests, meet regularly with police and drug counselors and perform at least 20 hours of community service.



IN OUR VIEW: Scouts will have to do their homework on Robinson's off-field issues but on the field, he's shown toughness, strength and athleticism - attributes which will help him quickly earn a starting role early in his NFL career, though not necessarily on the blindside.



COMPARES TO: Cordy Glenn, Buffalo Bills: Like the 6-foot-6, 345 pound Glenn, Robinson lacks the light feet to remain at left tackle in every scheme but he's powerful enough to latch on and control opponents and comes with a proven track record against top competition.



--Rob Rang (1/6/17)

With Ereck Flowers not panning out like he should at LT, the Giants try again with Alabama's monstrous left tackle (6’6″ and 322 pounds at the Combine). Robinson, the reigning Outland Award winner as the nation's top blocker, possesses the size and strength to compete against NFL defenders right away. This could move Flowers to the RT spot to help shore up two spots on the line. Robinson is an athletic mover for his size, but the technical flaws and balance issues need to be addressed. This pick should help out the offensive line which needs to keep an aging Eli Manning upright.

 

[MoFlo]

Giants are taking Cam Robinson. I'm out at the bar and will pretty up this post later.

Still posting your pick and not making everyone wait while out boozin' it up?

You the real MVP

 

[Snowblind]

Still posting your pick and not making everyone wait while out boozin' it up?

You the real MVP

Learned my lesson last year. You guys don't like waiting 30 hours for someone to pick.

 

[The Oi]

When do I pick next?

 

[Randolphkeys]

Giants are taking Cam Robinson. I'm out at the bar and will pretty up this post later.

I'm on a date night at a hotel, no kids, Michelin star restaurant with the wife... And I'm going to fake a monster dump when we finally get to my pick.

 

[Ohdang]

I'm on a date night at a hotel, no kids, Michelin star restaurant with the wife... And I'm going to fake a monster dump when we finally get to my pick.

If there's one thing I've learned over my years of posting here its that you don't ever need to fake being full of shit.

I'm just kidding, but you threw a perfect lob, I couldn't just watch it pass by