After a taking a week off from the NFL Draft Twitter Mailbag we are back for another great week to answer your NFL Draft questions. Two weeks of college football action have created plenty of storylines and questions about this year’s draft class. Some of the headlines found their way into our mailbag this week along with questions about players who have had some big performances. Have an NFL Draft question you want answered, send it to me on Twitter @ThreefortheWin.
@ledontrae32: With the news that Colt Lyerla is leaving Oregon and Austin Seferian-Jenkins has his own questions, who is a tight end that you think could step up into the top spot?
For months Lyerla was my top tight end in the 2014 NFL Draft and while I still believe in him as a player, he will fall down the draft board. While there are plenty of options to pick from in this tight end class who can emerge I have quickly become a fan of Texas Tech’s Jace Amaro.
We are now in an era where the passing game is king and wide receivers need to be faster, stronger and the ability to stretch the field. The same can be said about the tight end position as we are starting to see more tight ends move from the line to the outside lined up to the wide receiver. We have seen it from guys like Jimmy Graham, Jermichael Finley and Jordan Cameron.
Amaro is just the type of player who fits into that mold and he will become a highly coveted player on draft day for teams hoping to find the next Graham or Cameron. This season despite the struggles at quarterback for Texas Tech, Amaro has hauled in eight or more receptions the past four games and has gone over 80 receiving yards as well. All of this despite having numerous passes overthrown in his direction or behind him, but proof that he continues to get open. Amaro is rarely seen with his hand in the dirt and is traditionally lined outside for the Red Raiders, but he is still a great fit in the NFL.
What stands out about Amaro is his incredible mixture of size, speed and paired with great hands. As a tight end he obviously has a big frame at 6’5” and is often matched up with safeties and linebackers. But what makes him so hard to cover is the fact that he is just too fast for linebackers to cover; he can split the seam and get right behind them and once he has that space he is open down field and the quarterback will get him the football. But if you decide to bring a safety in to cover him you give up the size advantage where Amaro can just make plays using his big body and bring the ball in. What has made Amaro a reliable target for Texas Tech though is his hands, when a ball is thrown his way he will get it and you know if he can get his hands on it there is a great chance it’s going to be caught. He doesn’t let the ball come into his body, he secures the ball with his hands then secures it and starts looking downfield to create a big play.
I really have become a fan of Amaro’s game and think he has all the tools to be a star at the next level. He still needs to improve on his route-running and has a lot of room to grow as a blocker but his skills as a receiver are unquestioned. With legal issues surrounding some of the other tight ends in this class Amaro has a great opportunity to be one of the first tight ends selected on draft day and emerge as a second-round pick.
@Sneak_PSD: Who is a wide receiver prospect who you really like that you feel is under the radar?
Without a doubt one of my favorite wide receivers in this class and a player who doesn’t get enough respect is Louisville wide receiver DeVante Parker. You could call it the “Teddy Bridgewater effect” in a way, but Parker doesn’t get nearly enough credit for the plays he makes and his chance as an NFL prospect.
Don’t get me wrong I love Bridgewater and realize he is the type of quarterback who can lift those around him but Parker is a valuable commodity for this offense and will be a starting wide receiver in the NFL. He has the size, speed, body control and concentration that scouts look for in a wide receiver.
The first thing that pops out when you watch Parker is his concentration on the ball and ability to control his body to make a catch. While his athleticism has helped him make highlight reel catches in the end zone it’s his ability to track the football and come down with it. Whether it’s going up in the air or adjusting himself to catch the ball, Parker does an excellent job maneuvering his body and making adjustments to catch the football. He can adjust his body in any direction, which really expands his catch radius and has helped him become Bridgewater’s go-to target.
Of course you can’t ignore the size that Parker brings to the table and it certainly stands out. He stands at 6’3” and at 206 pounds still has room to add on weight without giving up his speed. He does a nice job using his height to his advantage especially against smaller corners and reaching over corners to take the ball away. He matches that size with great speed and agility in the open field and a tendency to make big plays. He can take a short pass to the house by just using a single cut move to get past the safety then sprinting the rest of the way for the touchdown.
Just look at this week’s game against Rutgers where Bridgewater faced some struggles especially on throws inside the red zone as he was missing his favorite target. Parker has been the guy who can go up and make a leaping catch in the corner of the end zone and bring his feet down for the score. There is no question in my mind Parker is one of the most underrated wide receivers in this class and definitely worth a second-round pick.
@Zach_Remsberg: Do you think Keith Price gets drafted if he continues his current pace for the season?
If you asked me this before the year I would tell you there would be very little chance Price even heard his name called in the seventh round of the draft. After a strong 2011 season Price was just awful and really didn’t look anything like a potential NFL quarterback. But now five games into the 2013 season I think Price will be drafted in May.
Price is certainly a project quarterback and the team that drafts him will have to be willing to invest time to work on everything in his game especially his pocket presence, patience and decision-making. But despite the size limitations there is enough raw talent with Price that is worth investing a late pick into and potentially having a solid quarterback.
Price has always had great athleticism and that hasn’t changed since he started his first game for the Huskies in 2010. But what Price has done this year is shown steady improvement in his accuracy, decision making and poise. His completion percentage has jumped from 60.9 percent in 2012 to 71.3 percent this year on 160 pass attempts. Price is doing a nice job cutting down on the turnovers and making smarter decisions, he has cut his interceptions down to just three this season compared to last season when he had four two-interception games. Washington’s reliance on the running game and Bishop Sankey have helped take pressure off Price and allowed him to settle in without dealing with a lot of pressure. Price is doing a better job not rushing his throws and instead is moving around in the pocket waiting for a receiver to get open before he throws the ball. He did a nice job battling back on the road against Stanford and managed to throw for over 300 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, but under throws including one on a failed game-winning drive cost the Huskies the game.
Price has without a doubt shown improvement this season and we are starting to see much more of the 2011 version of Price than 2012. He will never have great arm strength or touch but his athleticism and potential certainly stand out. He has a lot of room to grow and mature as a quarterback, but if a team is willing to spend time working with him they will be rewarded. I absolutely believe that Price will be drafted this May as a third-day selection.