Post-Combine Rookie Mock Draft: Round Two
The scouting combine has come and gone – that means pro teams as well as die hard football fans have all had the chance to see (and in some cases drool over) the newest crop of rookies. In some cases, the combine changed everything, in others, it changed absolutely nothing.
In order to figure out which is the case for each player, here is the second in our series of rookie only mock drafts. This particular draft features three rounds and was conducted one week after the NFL combine in order to give you an idea of how much has changed. There are still an awful lot of items that can and will change our opinions, the largest of which is of course the NFL Draft, but here is what people are thinking right now.
For this mock draft, we assumed it was a standard scoring PPR league with normal lineup requirements, meaning no IDP, super flex, or two quarterback leagues. Trades were not allowed. Draft order was randomly assigned and each drafter was asked to make a brief comment about why they made the pick they did. I’ll follow up each pick with some brief thoughts of my own. I’m not a draft expert, and like many of you, my rookie analysis is far from complete. I’m just sharing my thoughts so you get two opinions on each pick. In cases of disagreement, I’ll be the first to admit I might be the one that is wrong.
Once all three rounds are complete, I’ll give a wrap up of the major risers and fallers so you can get a feel for which players seem to be moving about the most thanks to the combine. If you want to take a look for yourself, you can look back at the pre-combine round 1 and round 2 mock drafts.
To see the 1st round of the post-combine draft which was posted yesterday, click here.
2.01 – Zach Ertz, TE Stanford
Ghost’s thoughts: Grabbing one of the top two TEs in this draft at this point became too hard to pass up since many of the top running backs and wide receivers are gone. Ertz should be a very interesting player at the next level, especially if he goes to a competitor at the end of the first round in the NFL draft.
My thoughts: As I’ve mentioned many times before, I’m not a huge fan of tight ends going early – the position just isn’t worth a ton. Is Ertz really a superior prospect to Dwayne Allen or Jared Cook? They will most likely come for a cheaper price than the 2.01. Anyway, Ertz’s combine showing dropped him a bit for me. He is now in the second tier of tight ends instead of competing for the top tight end spot.
2.02 – Robert Woods, WR USC
Ryan’s thoughts: Woods’ value has fallen over the past year after a disappointing season at USC. A year ago at this time, he was thought of as a contender for the top rookie spot in fantasy drafts. I often look for those types of players who might have been affected by circumstances in College, but have shown they have the talent to succeed. In the second round, Woods makes for great value.
My thoughts: Out of all of the players in the top 20 or so in this year’s draft, Woods is the one I’m the most conflicted about. He has natural talent when it comes to catching the ball. However, his 2012 season and the combine were less than stellar, which is being kind. I’m starting to feel like Woods has bust written all over him, but it is tough to deny the potential. He could be a great value at this point in the draft or he could be a completely wasted pick. Tough for me to decide right now.
2.03 – Christine Michael, RB Texas A&M
Mark’s thoughts: Perhaps a bit of reach with Taylor, Lattimore and Patton still on the board, but he’s a back I’m excited about and didn’t think he’d make it back to me next round.  He has great size, short area burst and strength.  He was the top performer in the bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, 20 yard shuttle and 3-cone drill.  He has some significant character concerns, but he’s a player I wanted on my team and felt okay reaching for.
My thoughts: This might be a bit too early, but there is no denying the potential. He was a standout at the Shrine game and when you look back at his game film and what he did at the combine, there is a lot to like. There are some concerns including the character issues, a rather large injury history (broken leg followed by ACL injury), and some problems with ball security. He’s a gamble, especially early in the second round, but one that could pay off.
2.04 – Geno Smith, QB West Virginia
Jeff B’s thoughts: I continue to be amazed at how undervalued Smith is, especially with a pretty stellar showing at the NFL Combine. Getting him with the 16th overall pick makes me feel guilty in the way a kid who stole a candy bar from the grocery store without getting caught might feel. In this case, it’s not a parent or a store manager to whom I feel the need to confess my transgression, but rather the other owners who passed up instant production for the chance to win the lottery.
My thoughts: Jeff and I still don’t agree on Smith, because I really don’t see any quarterback in this year’s class who has QB1 upside. Smith said in interviews that he doesn’t want to be a read-option quarterback. He wants to be a pocket passer. I think I would probably rather have guys like Josh Freeman or Sam Bradford as a developmental quarterback than anyone from this class. However, I’m much more comfortable with the pick coming in the second round instead of the early first like it did in the last mock.
2.05 – Marcus Lattimore, RB South Carolina
Chad’s thoughts: I was shocked to see Lattimore sitting there midway in the second round. Heckl, I even thought about taking him at 1.05 (only for a second). Obviously has big question marks on how his knee will be going forward, but from everything I’ve heard, rehab is going ahead of schedule. While his injury is completely different from that of Jamaal Charles or Adrian Peterson, they aren’t injuries I fret about as much now. If he can come back 90-95% of what he was in college, I think he’s a complete steal at 2.05.
My thoughts: He fell from mid-first to mid-second, due to other people getting into the spotlight at the combine. I think where Lattimore goes in rookie drafts will ultimately be determined by where he goes in the NFL Draft. If NFL team doctors feel he is in a good enough place in his rehab to go on day one or two, he’s probably going in the first round of rookie drafts. Recent reports say his recovery is going well, but also that he might not see the field in 2013. If you take him, expect to sit on him for at least a year, if not two.
2.06 – Stedman Bailey, WR West Virginia
Eric’s thoughts: A prototypical slot receiver, Bailey will be a PPR stud if he lands in the right situation. If New England doesn’t re-sign Wes Welker or St. Louis doesn’t re-sign Danny Amendola, Bailey would make a whole lot of sense.
My thoughts: I’m starting to warm up a little bit to Bailey. I still have some concerns about his transition to the pro game, but I think he has the tools to eventually be effective in the NFL as a complementary or slot receiver. I don’t think he’ll ever be the top target on a team, but he could easily be a NFL WR2 or WR3. With that said, I feel like this is a bit early for him as I have a few other players still available in the tier above Bailey.
2.07– Da’Rick Rogers, WR Tennessee Tech
My thoughts: At this point in the draft, I was shocked to see two players still on the board that I have in my personal top 12. Out of all the receivers in this draft, Rogers just might have the most upside. His measureables combined with his ability to play the game make him one of the few players in this draft that have a chance to one day be considered elite at their position.
There is a reason that Rogers is pretty low on the list for a lot of people, though. The fact he spent this last year at Tennessee Tech after being kicked off the Tennessee team for repeated drug violations doesn’t sit very well with many people. This could be a Ricky Williams type of situation, but he just might be the highest reward gamble in this year’s draft.
2.08 – Johnathan Franklin, RB UCLA
Andy’s thoughts: Everyone keeps doubting my number three ranked running back. Franklin had a good Combine running just under 4.5 in the 40. He is explosive in the open field, cuts back well, has great vision and shows amazing burst. Franklin can get small and wiggle away from defenders. Most dynasty owners think he is a change of pace back, but I do not. Keep him in mind in the second round of your rookie drafts.
My thoughts: He’s the other one of my top 12 rookies that was still available. After Andy picked him in the previous mock, I looked into him a little bit more and was impressed with what I saw. He is a bit smaller than I was hoping, but outside of that he has just about everything you could hope. It also helped when his College coach, Jim Mora, said he was the best back he’s ever coached, and he has coached players like Pro Bowler Warrick Dunn.
2.09 – Quinton Patton, WR Louisiana Tech
Steve’s thoughts: Quite frankly, I was pretty surprised Patton was still on the board in the late second. I expected him to go late first or the early second round. He’s coming out of LA Tech and, therefore, his competition wasn’t as strong, but his measureables and on-field production are solid. I expect Patton to be a second rounder at worst and his value to spike over the next few months.
My thoughts: The fact that Patton is still here late in the second round speaks to the strength of this year’s draft – the sheer number of potential NFL WR2s. While there aren’t many NFL number ones out there in this draft, however, there are many who can step up and be solid starters. While he isn’t the most explosive of receivers, he is very solid and consistent across the board, which makes him a great compliment to a lead receiver.
2.10 – Ryan Swope, WR Texas A&M
Jon’s thoughts: His stock is on the rise after a great Combine. Some teams have a second-round grade on him, which tells me he’ll be given every opportunity to succeed.  I’m happy to get this kind of upside 22 picks into this draft. Swope, who is the Aggies’ all-time leader in career receptions, has decent size at 6-0 and 205 pounds, but he showcased speed during combine drills. He finished tied for second-best time in the 40-yard dash (4.34), not only among receivers, but of any position.
My thoughts: There is another receiver who I would definitely have taken here instead, but outside of him, this is the point where this draft gets wide open. There are probably no fewer than ten players who could go at the end of the second round in rookie drafts and you could make solid arguments for all of them. Swope is a player who has the physical tools, but is a little bit undersized. He should probably be an outside receiver in the NFL, but he’ll need to show the ability to beat the press as well as the ability to go get the jump balls outside.
2.11 – Le’Veon Bell, RB Michigan State
Jeff’s thoughts: These days, there aren’t many backs who have size and speed with the production in College to be every down backs. Bell is a big back, but he’s more agile than his size would suggest. In a situation like Atlanta or with the New York Jets, he could have real upside.
My thoughts: I envision Bell as being a Brandon Jacobs clone. His size is a huge asset and it is combined with surprising agility. I don’t know if he can be a bell cow back any more than Jacobs was, but Bell would be the perfect complement for a speed guy like Jacquizz Rodgers. The question is if he will end up being picked by a team that could use someone like him.
2.12 – Marquess Wilson, WR Washington State
Coleman’s thoughts: Total flier here. He’s a character concern, depending on who you believe in his squabble with Washington State. I’ll take a flier on a wide receiver with great hands and outstanding body control. He’ll need to put on weight, but he could end up being a pretty good pro receiver.
My thoughts: Wilson isn’t someone who I expected to see go in this mock, but everyone has their favorites and it’s worth taking a shot on someone that you really believe in at this point. I view him as a gamble with limited upside in the pros. There are safer picks, there are also picks with more upside, so I’m not a huge fan of him here. He is more of a late third or fourth round pick in my eyes.
Stay tuned for the third round of picks coming tomorrow.
- Final 2021 Pre-Draft Rookie Mock: Round Three - April 28, 2021
- Final 2021 Pre-Draft Rookie Mock: Round Two - April 26, 2021
- Final 2021 Pre-Draft Rookie Mock: Round One - April 25, 2021
