Here is the latest addition in our weekly conversation with NFL Mocks lead editor, Jesse Bartolis. Now that we are nearing the end of the college football season I asked Jesse about some prospects that have surprised him as well as some other football related topics. Check out or conversation below.
Q1) The college football season is almost over and I wanted to revisit some of our player comparisons from earlier in the season to see if any one’s play has changed your mind on where you rank them.
How do you rank…
Michael Floyd, Alshon Jeffery, Justin Blackmon?
I flip back and forth between Blackmon and Jeffery and think it really comes down to this. What is a team looking for? If a team is running a system where they throw a lot of short passes and ask their players to take it up the field. Blackmon is probably a better fit. Jefffery though is a really good prospect. He’s big, athletic and always open even when he’s not open because of how he can go up and get the ball.Floyd’s off the field stuff scares you a bit and he’s behind the other two because I can’ tinterview him and get to his character. Guy is awesome at going up and getting the ball and making a play.
"Landry Jones, Matt Barkley, RGIII?"
Matt Barkley is a really nice prospect. A legitimate top five prospect in almost any draft class to me. Elite ball placement, good pocket presence are his two best attributes.RG III is second for me. He’s not Michael Vick. He’s looking to pass first run, second. He’s a much better leader as well. HIs accuracy is very good, He’s small which is a bit worrisome and he’ll have to learn a pro style offense, but I like him a lot.
Landry Jones is ok. I don’t trust his pocket presence and I’m not sure he can look down the barrell with Halotia Ngata coming at him and deliver the ball where it has to go. He’s behind Luck, barkley, and RGIII for me. I think he should come back for his senior year.
"TJ McDonald, Robert Lester, Mark Barron or Ray Ray Armstrong?"
TJ McDonald is first for me. He’s the best comto safety of the bunch.
Next is Mark Barron, though he is stricly a strong safety. He’s played .better this year than last year so his stock is back up near the first round range.Robert Lester is next for me. He’s a safe, solid player. a good last line of defense and he can make a lot of plays on the football
Ray Ray Armstrong has a ways to go. He’s a heck of a specimen, but he needs to be more consistent and improve in his coverage. I’m not sure he has the agility to be relied on for many coverage in the league, but his size will really help him against tight ends (listed at 6’4)
Q2) Where do you rank Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden? Obviously he is much older than most prospects, he will be 29 on draft day, but he has had a very good year. Will his age push him down draft boards?
I don’t know. If I’m a general manager, I’m not touching a guy like Danny Watkins, Chris Weinke or Brandon Weeden in the first two rounds. Even the Best of college prospects still need to be refined for a year or two before they can reach their potential. He has all of the tools though. Will it push him down? I’m not sure. I thought it would for Danny Watkins and he still got drafted in the first round.
Q3) There has been some speculation over the last few weeks at what Andrew Luck would be worth if a team was willing to trade the first pick in the draft. I have heard some say that because it is a deep qb class that they would not over pay for the pick, while other have said a team could garner as much as four first round picks for Luck. Luck is an incredible prospect, but where do you stand on this debate? Is he worth four first round picks or are the other quarterbacks in the class good enough that a team should not have to overpay to move up to that first spot?
Four first round picks? jeesh. That’s asking an awful lot. It depends on the team that’s trading up to get him. If you’re a team that is devoid of talent in many postions trading four first round picks for Luck is really really risky. If you’re a team that does well in free agency and really only missing a quarterback. A team that is ready to compete now (Dolphins might be if they had a quarterback) then it makes some sense.
Four is a lot. I think three is good.
Three would the 2012 pick, 2013, and 2014 picks. That way you’re really only giving up two first round picks. The 2013 and 2014 picks. Maybe you can throw in a pretty good player with that to or another mid round pick.