2014 NFL Draft Thread

[Hurricane Season]

I feel this needs to be said prior to the draft, so everyone listen:
 
Don't be a shitlord.  If you feel like spoiling yourself by following the assholes on twitter, don't post the pick in this thread before it's announced and spoil it for everyone else.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

I don't think he's on a Julio/Green level, but he's close to being an elite receiver prospect.

Going to school in South Carolina, I've seen plenty of him and I think he's overrated. He's not a bad WR by any means but he shouldn't be picked as high as he will be. I'd take Evans over him and I might also take Beckham over him.

There's some players that just get way overblown come draft time. Stephon Gilmore was another one and he went to Carolina. Most Carolina fans hated Gilmore because he got burned so often, but he was what a top 10 pick? I'm rambling, but trust me.

 

[bosoxlover12]

Watkins was at Clemson

 

[bosoxlover12]

Might just be me consistently not liking the #1 WR in a draft every year, but I see nothing that differentiates Beckham and Watkins really. I'd take Cooks over both of them though. He's so explosive, and has great awareness. Steve Smith 2.0

 

[CameronCrazy06]

Watkins was at Clemson

Obviously haha. Clemson is located in South Carolina, and they're big rivals. My roommates watch most of the Clemson games to root for them to lose

 

[Hurricane Season]

Watkins has it all, man.  Silky smooth routes, ridiculous hands, elusiveness, top end speed, everything.  The only thing he lacks is size, but it doesn't even really hurt him.  If they didn't keep track of player heights, you'd honestly believe he was 6'4+.  He has tremendous ball skills.

 

[Hurricane Season]

I wouldn't compare him to Julio, though.  I'd say rich mans Pierre Garcon meets Stevie Johnson.

 

[bosoxlover12]

Obviously haha. Clemson is located in South Carolina, and they're big rivals. My roommates watch most of the Clemson games to root for them to lose

I know that, I thought you meant SCAR since you mentioned Gilmore too

 

[Hurricane Season]

Derek Carr was 11 years old when David Carr was drafted... Has it really been that long?

 

[CameronCrazy06]

Watkins has it all, man.  Silky smooth routes, ridiculous hands, elusiveness, top end speed, everything.  The only thing he lacks is size, but it doesn't even really hurt him.  If they didn't keep track of player heights, you'd honestly believe he was 6'4+.  He has tremendous ball skills.

Is he really getting labeled with "ridiculous hands"? I remember him dropping passes all the time. A couple years back against SC he dropped like two easy touchdowns.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

I know that, I thought you meant SCAR since you mentioned Gilmore too

No it was just another example

 

[bosoxlover12]

His size does hurt him though. I just quickly watched tape on Watkins: nobody played press on him! I find that absolutely astonishing. When teams played 10 yards off, he ran screens. When teams played 6 yards off, he ran slants. When 3 yards off, he ran corner and fade routes. But nobody pressed him, and that blows my mind. In the NFL, unless he's just a Victor Cruz slot guy, he won't be nearly as good. Put on press coverage and have a high safety and he's done.

That being said, he's a perfect fit as a slot receiver, especially for Detroit. But he's more of a #2 Cruz/#3 WR for me than a #1

 

[Hurricane Season]

Every receiver has some bad drops from time to time.  What I meant though, is that he doesn't catch with his body.  You'll almost always see him pluck the ball out of the air, and he's capable of making incredible catches in the most awkward body angles.  Passes thrown behind him on crossers, balls at his ankles, overthrown balls, his hands are very impressive.

 

[bosoxlover12]

Just some comparisons:

Manziel- lesser version of McNair
Bridgewater- Alex Smith
Bortles- more mobile Kyle Orton
Watkins- Victor Cruz
Fuller- Devin McCourty

I'll think of more later

 

[Hurricane Season]

His size does hurt him though. I just quickly watched tape on Watkins: nobody played press on him! I find that absolutely astonishing. When teams played 10 yards off, he ran screens. When teams played 6 yards off, he ran slants. When 3 yards off, he ran corner and fade routes. But nobody pressed him, and that blows my mind. In the NFL, unless he's just a Victor Cruz slot guy, he won't be nearly as good. Put on press coverage and have a high safety and he's done.

That being said, he's a perfect fit as a slot receiver, especially for Detroit. But he's more of a #2 Cruz/#3 WR for me than a #1

 
You rarely see press coverage in college football on a consistent basis.

 

[Hurricane Season]

I'm not convinced Mike Evans can create separation at the next level without pushing off... but Dez Bryant seems to get away with it all the time, so who knows?

 

[TTN2810]

Agree with almost everything Jake has said in here.
 
For me, the WR's go
Watkins > ODB > Evans > Cooks.
 
I honestly can't believe that people don't like Watkins though! Even at 6'1, he can go up and get the ball as good as anyone. Getting pressed won't be an issue either, he's really strong. Just look at the way he runs. If he isn't wrapped up he isn't going down. Plus he has shown moves to get passed defenders getting physical with him.
 
Like I said, I think he's better than Julio and AJ, TBH. He can do everything they do but more, IMO.
 
But we all see players differently.

 

[TTN2810]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7Kjkh3yV8YA#t=19
 
The first play in this video shows his ball skills. Second shows some craaazy speed to catch up to the ball, and the third shows his strength and toughness and his speed again, as well as some dirty hands. 
 
How can you not love this guy!

 

[CameronCrazy06]

Keep in mind the ACC isn't really the strongest football conference in America, and that's coming from a Duke fan.

He never really made an impact against South Carolina in the three years he played so that's probably a big reason why SC fans have such a negative view of him. I think I'd like him as a prospect a lot more if he were being looked at as a slot guy like bosox has been referring to rather than as an elite WR prospect/#1 type of guy. He isn't that.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

I still don't think it's necessary for the Lions to move up to get Watkins. Defense should be the target. They would have to give up quite a bit to move up and I just don't think that's what they need to do but I guess we'll see what happens.