Dontae Johnson, CB, N.C. State University ……… (SLEEPER PICK!!!!!!!)

Height: 6’2″ Weight: 200 lbs.

Arm Length: 31 1/2″

Hand Length: 8 5/8″

Vertical: 38.5 inch.

Broad Jump: 10 1/4 ft.

Official 40 yard Dash: 4.45 sec.

Projected Pick: 3-5 round

 

Overview:

Every year, I test myself to dig deep in the crates of college football film and pull out a draft prospect that will go unnoticed during the offseason and will most likely be selected late in the draft, but has the highest ceiling to succeed in the NFL. And just in the nick of time before the 2014 NFL Draft, the results are in and the winner is….. DONTAE JOHNSON FROM NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY! And ladies and gents, he probably isn’t a household name by now, but he will be in 2-3 years.

Dontae Johnson was a star two sport athlete at Pennington Prep in New Jersey. He played safety for coach Jerry Eure at Pennington Prep and was considered the sixth-best prospect in the state. By the end of his high school tenure, he was a first-team New Jersey all-prep performer. Johnson committed to North Carolina State University in 2010.

During his time at North Carolina State University, he had to take a backseat to more well-known names in the wolfpack secondary, such as David Amerson and Earl Wolff, whom are now starters for the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles. But he should not be dismissed, because he was solid player for the N.C. State program for four years.

						Tackles					Def Int					Fumbles
Year	School	Conf	Class	Pos	G	Solo	Ast	Tot	Loss	Sk	Int	Yds	Avg	TD	PD	FR	Yds	TD	FF
*2010	North Carolina State	ACC	SR	DB	13	12	10	22	0.0	0.0	0	0		0	1	0	0	0	0
*2011	North Carolina State	ACC	SR	DB	13	16	11	27	3.0	3.0	0	0		0	4	0	0	0	0
*2012	North Carolina State	ACC	SR	DB		52	18	70	6.0	1.0	0	0		0	8	0	0	0	1
2013	North Carolina State	ACC	SR	CB		50	31	81	0.0	0.0	3	21	7.0	0	2				0
Career	North Carolina State					130	70	200	9.0	4.0	3	21	7.0	0	15	0	0	0	1

STRENGTHS:

While everybody is looking for the next Richard Sherman in this year’s cornerback draft class, let us all just accept the facts for what they are, THERE ISN’T ANOTHER RICHARD SHERMAN! Now that I got that out of the way, I found another tall and physical corner football fans should fall in love with. Plain and simple, Dontae Johnson has all of the tools to succeed at the next level, without all of the fancy statistics to back it up. He has a large enough frame to defend tight ends, and is fast enough to run with wide receivers. He has good balance and athleticism. He uses his height well in coverage and can compete on any jump ball that is in his vicinity. He has the fundamentals to be solid  in any coverage scheme. He is a feisty player that can be aggressive in coverage. He can play off and press man coverage, but mostly played off at NC State. He has good hips and breaks well on the ball. One of my favorite attributes to his game, is that he is an absolute bully on the perimeter. He sets a hard edge when taking on a block from a receiver, and it is very rare that anything gets around him. He  is really good at shedding blocks and attacking the ball-carrier. He throws his weight around well and tackles aggressively. Finally, you have to love the kid’s versatility on the football field. He has played safety, cornerback, nickel and special teams.  He is experienced in every aspect of the secondary. Johnson could eventually compete at all four positions at the next level. Johnson has excellent size and speed to play either cornerback or safety position.

WEAKNESSES:

As with all tall cornerbacks, his major flaw lies in his hip movement. He caught a few breaks in the game versus Wake Forest, but his stiff hips could have left him vulnerable on a few plays in that game. Which can sometimes cause him to hesitate to diagnose from depth and take some inaccurate angles. His change of direction is pretty good for a man his size, but it is not elite. He has to anticipate routes better and play the break in the route before it happens. It is the tightness in his transition to break on the ball or to break on routes that allowed him to get beat badly when he went up against Sammy Watkins this past season. The matchup against Clemson star receiver Sammy Watkins exposed his acceleration and lateral quickness. Although Watkins is a rare athlete, Johnson clearly did not have the ability to mirror him and stay with him at all times.

 

Johnny “Football” Manziel, QB, Texas A&M

Height: 5’11” Weight: 207

Arm Length: 31 3/8” Inch.

Hand Length: 9 7/8′ Inch.’

Vertical: 31.5” Inch.

Official 40 Yard Dash: 4.68

Projected: Top 10 pick

Career Achievements: 2012 – Heisman Trophy winner, Davey O’Brien National Quarterback award, Manning award, First Team All-American, Sporting News College Football Player of Year, SEC Offensive Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year. 2013 – SEC Male Athlete of the Year, 2013 Chick-Fil-A Bowl offensive MVP.

 

OVERVIEW:

     Unless you have been living under a rock for the pass two years, there is no way that you couldn’t have heard the cries of fans from all around the world, praising the name of JOHNNY FOOTBALL!!!

     After the Tim Tebow circus left college football, most thought that America wouldn’t see a polarizing athlete of that nature for another 10-20 years. But little did we all know the ruckus that would follow once Johnny Manziel took over the reigns in College Station, TX. It seems as though that since Johnny Manziel has started behind center, he has done nothing but make headlines time and time again. In his time as a Texas A&M Aggie, Manziel has broken numerous records, received countless awards, and nobody can forget all of his miraculous plays that he seem to make routinely every game.

          The “Texas kid” was born in Tyler,Tx. but he developed into a Friday night sensation at Kerrville Tivy. After a redshirt season at Texas A&M, Manziel was catapulted into the national consciousness when he engineered an upset victory at No. 1-ranked Alabama and in 2012 became the first freshman in NCAA history to win the Heisman Trophy.

    Though, Johnny Manziel  is widely known for his play on the field, it is the person he is off of the field the field that might turn some NFL GM’s away from selecting the talented quarterback. Even when Manziel is not on the field, he can still be found under the lights with other stars. He has been spotted on different occasions with celebrities and athletes such as Lebron James, Drake, Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, and other high-profile names that most other college athletes wouldn’t have the chance to meet at this stage in their careers. Given that Manziel isn’t your ordinary student-athlete that you can find on any college campus, but with the fame he already has as at the collegiate level, that would be amplified 10x more once he enters the NFL. One may question that his love for the game may be tainted by the allure of fame, which could take away from his focus and training that is needed to play at the elite level.

     Besides the media circus he draws, he has also had a few run ins with the law. Manziel has a lot to prove to potential NFL employers that he has matured from his checkered past highlighted by social media mistakes, underage drinking and run-ins with the NCAA over his famous signature.  

KEY STATS
GP	PYDS	PCT	TDS	INT
13	4114	69.9	37	13

 

STRENGTHS:

The first thing that stands out about Johnny Manziel is that he is a gamer. He is a big time competitor, that lives to take center stage for the big games. He doesn’t shy away from spotlight, he prefers to play under them. It is his passion for the game that allows him to play on the biggest of stages and revels in having his back against the wall. Stepped up against a national-championship Alabama defense in 2012 and has proven he can command come-from-behind victories, as he capped his career in the Chick-fil-A bowl vs. Duke by overcoming a 21-point halftime deficit. Manziel has a natural ability to keep the play alive when the play is crumbling beneath his feet. He has terrific scrambling ability that buys time in the pocket while continuing to scan the field. But even when he is on the move he can still set his feet, alter his throwing motion and manipulate his arm and throw an accurate dart down-field. Carries the ball with a fearless confidence that he will find a way to create and usually gains positive yardage on broken plays when he appears trapped. Is mentally and physically tough — will pop back up from hard collisions and respond to a challenge. Record-setting and award-winning two-year production. Has a knack for sustaining drives and possesses playmaking ability to create on third downs and in critical situations to keep the sticks moving.

WEAKNESSES:

Johnny Manziel is 6 feet and 207 pounds of unrestrained excitement. But with that body type and his playing style, his career is destined to be hunkered by injuries. He will need to learn to do a better job protecting his body and sliding. He would need to work on his pocket-passing mechanics t succeed at the NFL level.Due to his lack of height, he cannot see over the pocket easily and almost never steps up into it, creating extra difficulties for OL coaches to coordinate blocking schemes and for offensive linemen to anticipate where the pocket will be. Has not worked from under center, and footwork and set-up will require refinement. He has a tendency to throw up pop-flies, hoping that the receiver can adjust to it. Something that Mike Evans has coincidentally benefited from by using his large frame. I do also question his character in the locker room. Due to the fame he has garnered on and off the field, makes me sometimes believe that he thinks more of himself than others, and has a “me-first” type of attitude. Which wouldn’t mesh well with NFL veterans in the locker room that have worked hard for years to get where they are. He carries a sense of entitlement and prima-donna arrogance seeking out the bright lights of Hollywood. Is known to party too much and is drawn to all the trappings of the game. 

 

 

 

Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor

Height: 5-10. Weight: 201.

Arm Length: 30″

Vertical: 41.5′

Official 40 Time: 4.51

Projected 40 Time: 4.48.

Projected Round (2014): 2-4.

Bench Press: 15 reps

Career Achievements: 2013: First-team All-Big 12, Doak Walker Award Semifinalist

2012: Honorable mention All-Big 12, Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year  2011: Transferred to Baylor from Oregon and sat out season due to NCAA rules.

I understand the new trend of the “pass happy” league the NFL is forming into, but having an equally strong ground game is still important to succeed in this league. Look no further than the newly crowned Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks for an example of why it is so important to have a premiere runningback to balance your offense. Because without Marshawn Lynch that team would have failed to obtain the success it did offensively this past year.And with the solid depth in this year’s runningback class, teams should consider fortifying their offensive backfield to be able to compete with the elite teams of the league.

Overview:

One of my favorite runningbacks in this draft class has to be Lache Seastrunk. Seastrunk came out of Temple High School (Temple,Texas) a standout athlete in football and track.  While at Temple High School he finished his high school career with 4,127 yards and 52 touchdowns and broke three High School records in track. He was a  2009 USA Today All-USA selection and  was listed as the No. 3 running back in the class of 2010. He chose to go to the University of  Oregon to continue his football career.

He attended Oregon for his freshman year, but requested and was granted release from the program due to “personal reasons,” and transferred to Baylor University to be closer to family. In his two years at Baylor, Seastrunk had great success on the field:

		Rushing					Receiving
Year	Team	Att	Yards	Avg	Long	Rush TDs	Rec	Yards	Rec TDs
2012	Baylor	131	1,012	7.7	80	7	9	107	1
2013	Baylor	158	1,177	7.4	80	11	0	0	0
Career		289	2,189	7.6	80	16	9	107	1

Strengths:

Three things jump out at me as I watch Seastrunk on tape, and that is ; speed, balance and vision. The first thing that is distinctly obvious about Seastrunk is how fast he is. Though he does posses quick feet that allows him to be nifty and make cuts on a dime, I say he is more so fast because he has the elite speed to pull away from defenders in the open field. Seastrunk also displays  great balance on his feet because no matter the contact, he keeps his feet moving. His balance also plays apart when he makes cuts and  allows him to elude the first defender frequently. Very good run balance to stop and start. And last but not least, he has elite vision that will translate well to the next level, where patience is key. Something that he does that really amazes me is that he has the ability to get real low to the ground and weave through traffic and he is athletic enough to take off as soon as sees the open field. On tape, it appears as though he disappears for a split second and by the next second he is off to the races. But it is his vision to see those cutback lanes that really separates him from other runningbacks in this year’s draft class. He approaches the line of scrimmage patiently and shows great anticipation for attacking an opening gap in the defense and reach the second level of the defense with ease. And once he gets to that second level, that extra gear of speed he has takes care of the rest. Which is what makes him a home run threat every time he touches the ball. 

Weaknesses:

One thing that I will like to see him improve on is his inside running game. Albeit that the Baylor offense is predicated on giving their skill players a chance to make plays in space on the perimeter. Though it would still be nice to see Seastrunk to make plays inside hash-marks as well. You can tell by his running style that he is a natural east-west runner. He has a hard time running big through the hole. There are times when it is necessary for him to run behind his pads and pick up the tough yards. Instead he gets to the line of scrimmage and start stuttering his feet which makes it easy on the defenders to pin him down behind the line. I will also like him to be more patient with his game, and let the game come to him. He has a tendency for trying to press and try to do too much in one play. But in the NFL, that will only lead to turnovers and injuries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI6jD8mRiK0

Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo

Height: 6-3. Weight: 251.

Arm Length: 33 1/4″

Projected 40 Time: 4.63

Official 40 Time: 4.65

Vertical: 40 inch.

Bench Press: 23 reps
Projected Round (2014): Top 10 Pick

Career Stats: 186 tackles (75 tackles for loss), 28.5 sack, 16 forced fumble, 4 interceptions (2 returned for TD), 22 Pass Defended

Awards & Achievements: 2013 (MAC Defensive Player of the Year and Jack Lambert Linebacker of the Year),

Usually I try to stay away from small school prospects, for two simple reasons. One obviously being that the prospect isn’t going up against the best competition that is available at the collegiate level. And that isn’t too reassuring of what type of prospect you’re getting once they reach the NFL level. The second reason is that there is always a reason for why that prospect didn’t land with a bigger college football program. Whether it’s for on-the-field or off-the-field issues, there is always a reason behind the decision to go to a small football program. But in all fairness, I wasn’t reporting at the time of Khalil Mack’s departure from High School, so  I won’t speculate on why he chose to play football at Buffalo. I’m sure he and his family wouldn’t have made that decision if it wouldn’t be beneficial for everyone involved.  But with what Khalil has accomplished at Buffalo, I’m sure there isn’t school a school in the country that wouldn’t mind doing a do-over just to have a chance to get him in their program. And that speaks volumes of the character of Khalil Mack to stick with that program and to do his best to lead Buffalo to new heights.

Now that we have gotten all of the formalities out-of-the-way, let me just say that Khalil Mack was DOMINANT at Buffalo, no matter the level of competition.  And Scouts don’t mind investing high picks in relatively small school prospects as long they dominate at the lower level. With a FBS record 75 tackles for loss and 16 forced fumbles over his career, the MAC Defensive Player of the Year and Jack Lambert Linebacker of the Year recipient certainly established himself as a dominant presence.

Mack has just about everything you look for in a prototypical pass rusher. At 6’3″ and around 250 pounds, he’s long, quick and strong for his size. Not only is Mack a handful for opposing teams rushing the passer, but he’s a willing and capable run defender as well. He enters the 2014 NFL Draft as probably the most “for-sure” prospect that can produce immediately.

Strengths:

The biggest area Mack wins on the field is just his overall athleticism. He has the ability to not only beat offensive lineman off the edge with his speed and bend around the edge, but he can also over power offensive lineman with his bull rush and walk them backwards.Consistently productive despite seeing double-teams and chips at a high rate.

He does a nice job converting speed to power and setting up an inside release move, which has netted him a few of his sacks. He is fast and strong Mack is a downhill defender who makes lots of plays in the backfield. Keeps contain against perimeter runs by diagnosing quickly and controlling blockers.

Versatility is another area where Mack shines. He was more of a 3-4 outside linebacker in Buffalo’s scheme, but he’s shown that he agile and fluid in space, not having many issues playing coverage or the run. He is adept at shedding blocks with the speed and athleticism to be an edge-rusher in the NFL.  Mack has the athleticism to match up with tight ends down the seam if necessary and seems comfortable in zone coverage.

Weaknesses:

The biggest area Mack needs to improve in my opinion is using his hands. While he can overwhelm offensive lineman with his speed and power, sometimes he tends to get swallowed up by offensive lineman because he doesn’t use his hands well yet, to rip free of blocks.

Another area of concern is while Mack’s first-step off the snap isn’t slow, it’s not necessarily quick either. He didn’t play a lot of snaps with his hands in the dirt often at Buffalo.This could be a reason why Mack stands up to rush so often, as it can lessen the effect of a slower first step.

Finally, with a player of Mack’s stature, being long and lean, he comes with a small frame that is more compact. There were times at Buffalo when his size became a problem. Such as being stood up at the line by much bigger offensive linemen, or being ineffective rushing the passer from the interior, where he would get lost in the shuffle of linemen. Which is why he is most effective from the edge, where he has more space to operate. Not to say that once he reaches the NFL, he can’t be maxed out physically, cause if so he could be an even more imposing defender.

Jason Verrett, CB, TCU

Height: 5-9. Weight: 189.

Projected 40 Time: 4.48.

Official 40 Time: 4.38

Arm Length: 30 5/8

Vertical: 39 inch.

Projected Round (2014): 1-2

Career Stats: 160 tackles (10 tackles for loss), 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 9 interceptions, 34 pass deflections

Awards & Accomplishments: 2011 (honorable-mention All-Mountain West), 2012  ( Third-team All-American by AP, First-team All-American by SI.com, San Antonio Express-News Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and All-Big 12 First team), 2013 (First & Second team All-American selections from several outlets, Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year by the conference’s coaches, First-team All-Big 12 selection)

With the recent success of the Seattle Seahawks defensive secondary, or the “Legion of Boom”, scouts are literally driving themselves crazy to recreate that secondary with every 6’0” and above corner that hits the market. And then there is Jason Verrett, the pre-historic model of a cornerback, whom standing at a daunting 5’10”, will scare off a lot of teams that are looking to create their own “Legion of Boom” defensive backfield. But in Verrett’s case, they may want to reconsider that decision due to the fact that he just may be THE BEST CORNERBACK  IN THIS DRAFT.

Strengths:  To me, the best feature of Verrett’s game is that he is very physical. Physical. Physical. Did I mention that he is physical…  There isn’t another corner on the collegiate level that is as aggressive at the point of attack than Verrett.  Given that at TCU they play a lot of man coverage, and their scheme requires them to beat their match-up at the line of scrimmage every down, but Verrett doesn’t just meet requirements, he exceeds them.

In this past season, he went up against some pretty stiff competition. For instance, he locked up Texas Tech’s star receiver, Eric Ward, for the entire game and held him without a catch. In games against Baylor and LSU, he covered the best receivers on both teams, Antwan Goodley and Odell Beckham Jr., and held them to ONE catch a piece.  I’ll pause for a moment just to let those facts sink in……………..

Jason Verrett is as solid in man coverage (both in press and off) as they come. In a TCU defense where success is measured by beating the man in front of you, he made a habit out of putting receivers on islands and shutting them down. And his ability to do so has a major impact on every game.

You can see for yourselves in the video below, TCU vs. Baylor, at the 5:16 mark, his tight coverage on Goodley was so good that it took away, Baylor quarterback, Bryce Petty’s first read and he had to pull the back to find another receiver. But Verrett’s coverage was so good that it messed up the timing of the play and Petty was eventually sacked for a loss.

Jason Verrett does not shy away from contact and seems to give effort on every play on tape..He loves hitting and will get involved against the run with success. Verrett can make plays on the ball and defends the pass as good as anyone in college football. He is very good  with his timing of hand checking receivers when they go after the ball. He was also used on cornerback blitzes often and he looked very comfortable going after the quarterback. Verrett is very fast and stays very tight in coverage. He ran an average of 4.49 on the forty-yard dash and had a low of 4.38.

Weaknesses:

Sadly enough, his only downside can not be fixed in the classroom nor on the field, his size. Will it hold up in the NFL? His height may not concern a lot of people because despite the new trend of tall cornerbacks, 5’10” is still pretty average. But his weight still raises a lot of questions. Though it seems that he may have the skills to overcome his height in coverage. But weighing in at a  sub 180 lbs. in the modern NFL…that raises a lot of durability issues and questions about getting guys to the ground. His skill-set warrants a first round pick, but those measurables can get in the way of any team’s draft decision. If the coaches think he can get around 185-187 range and maintain his athletic ability…. there will be no other reason not to add him to the team.

Ha’sean “Ha Ha” Clinton Dix, FS, University of Alabama

Height: 6-1. Weight: 208.

Arm size: 32 3/8″

Bench Press: 11 reps

Vertical: 33

Projected 40 Time: 4.60.

Official 40 Time: 4.58

Projected Round (2014): 1-2

Career Stats: 98 tackles 1 forced fumble, 7 interceptions, 2x national champ I must admit that I was late on reserving a seat on the Ha Ha Clinton-Dix bandwagon. But I made sure to officially join the party once I saw the performance he had at the 2013 BCS National Championship game. He single-handily made life hard for Notre Dame’s passing attack. It seem like he was everywhere on the field , always around the ball, and making plays. Now looking forward towards the 2014 NFL Draft, he is locking in his position as arguably the best safety in this draft. Pros: As I said before, Clinton-Dix has a natural nose for the ball. You can’t find a better safety in this draft that has better play recognition than he does. He has a great mental “clock” that allows him to determine if he should come up for run support or to drop back in pass coverage. He is very versatile in pass coverage, in that he can play man and zone. Above all, his most impressive feature to his game is that he has an extreme range. Clinton-Dix is very good in pass coverage as a deep defender and roving free safety. He covers a lot of ground, defends big receivers and has ball skills. He is the true definition of a  sideline to sideline player. He is good in run support and always willing to come up and make a play. Though he is not a big hitter, he is a “thumper” that can always be relied on to make a tackle. Negatives: As I explained before, he has great range, that stands true, but he doesn’t have great speed, he has average speed. Which is understandable because those type of players that are not speedsters, will rely on anticipation and recognition to compensate for the lack of athletic ability. And maybe at his height and weight that will not be a problem for him because he can still be physical with faster receivers.Another knock on his draft stock is his off the field issues. He served a two game suspension at the beginning of the 2013 season for accepting a loan from a staff member. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBj6kUU9R-g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXN9fEGpvUY

Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State

Height: 6-0. Weight: 202.

Arm Length: 33 1/8″

Projected 40 Time: 4.47.

Official 40 Time: 4.37

Bench Press: 20 reps

Vertical: 35.5 inch.

Projected Round (2014): 1

Scouting DB’s is a tough task because tape doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about the player. It’s a harsh reality that in football, all cornerbacks will get beat at some point and time. So it’s not easy to decide whether which cornerback has what it takes to get it done on Sunday’s. But I think I found one, that really has the whole package to succeed at the next level.

At 6-foot-0, 200 pounds, Justin Gilbert has the size, strength, and speed to face a broad range of receivers that a cornerback will encounter at the NFL level. Gilbert really looks the part of a corner with his length and incredible athleticism.  He has impressive agility and tremendous straight line speed.  His hips are pretty good and he has the ability to make plays on the football as well as being a contributor on special teams.   Gilbert has all the athletic tools to become a shutdown corner if he refines his game.

Positives

Gilbert has great speed and he demonstrates impressive agility in spots.  He shows pretty good hips and is able to make plays as a result. Gilbert has long arms and is able to punch the ball and deflect passes but he is also able to go up and high point the football.  Because of his height and overall length, Gilbert can take up quite a bit of space and really be competitive when it comes to going up and competing for the football.  He definitely has the ability to get turnovers and break up passes. Gilbert excels in man coverage and has the speed to run with most anyone and his length proves to be useful to body opponents out and to make plays on the football. He is also a special teams ace, which is validated by his 6 career kickoff returns for touchdowns.

Negatives

As with most cornerbacks of Gilbert’s stature, you can imagine that he is not a tackling machine. He tends to avoid coming up to make the tackle when he has to.  He has bad form when coming up to make the tackle, he tends to throw himself at ball-carriers, which usually leaves him empty-handed. Not only is Gilbert a poor tackler, but he is miserable in run support.  His physical strength is underwhelming and opposing blockers can dominate him consistently.  Gilbert struggles to take on and beat blocks and tends to get ran out of the play without too much trouble.

Senior Year

37 tackles. 0 tackles for loss. 5 passes deflected. 6 interceptions.

Junior Year

63 tackles. 2.5 tackles for loss. 9 passes deflected. o interceptions.

Sophomore Year

59 tackles. 1 tackle for loss. 15 passes deflected. 5 interceptions. 1 forced fumble.

Cody Hoffman, WR, BYU

Height: 6-4. Weight: 223.

 Arm Length: 33 1/4″

Projected 40 Time: 4.59.

Official 40 Time: 4.65

Bench Press: 13 Reps

Vertical: 27.5 inch. 

Projected Round (2014): 2-4. 

Cody Hoffman is a highly anticipated draft prospect, who has serious talent that I am really excited to see transition to the next level. He is a big receiver with amazing athleticism. Hoffman has been a consistent producer for BYU in his three years there. The big wide out has contributed every season he’s been on the field for the Cougars.

Positives

Obviously, he is a tall receiver, so with that package, comes the long arms, long legs, and big hands combination. But with Hoffman, you get a receiver that can catch the ball really well and can jump up and snag any pass thrown his way. He is an effective leaper with go-up-and-get-it mentality, large catch radius and always high-points the ball. He also the acrobatic ability to twist and turn his body to make difficult catches. He is a polished, excellent route runner; master of the double move, sells fakes and creates separation with quickness and suddenness of movement in and out of his breaks.

Negatives

Though he has long legs, he doesn’t have great, breakaway speed.  Most of his splash plays are due to breakdown in defensive coverage and him overcompensating with his athletic ability. I predict that he will run a high 4.5, 40 yard dash at the combine this coming February.

Senior Year

The senior missed the 2013 opener with a hamstring injury. Hoffman has recorded 45 receptions for 727 yards and five touchdowns this year.

Junior Year

Hoffman was one of the most productive receivers in the nation in 2012, despite inconsistent quarterback play. He caught 100 passes for 1,248 yards with 11 touchdowns.

Sophomore Year

Hoffman had solid production as a sophomore with 61 receptions for 943 yards and 10 touchdowns. He hauled in 42 catches for 527 yards and four scores in 2010.

Hoffman is a big receiver who uses his size well. He is a serious weapon in the red zone as he runs good routes and has excellent hands. However, the big question about Hoffman is if he has enough speed to get separation from NFL defensive backs.