2014 NFL Draft: 6 Late-Round Options To Watch

The best term to describe the upcoming NFL draft would be to call it a hypothesis, an educated guess backed up by scientific data that leads to an agreed upon solution or reasonable conclusion.  The draft experts research hundreds of hours of video evidence on each athlete; they dive into the backgrounds and do as much due diligence to come up with a supposed value proposition for each possible draftee. 

A good percentage of the time they are correct in their estimation of the needs of a team, and the value that a player can bring to the NFL; however there are countless times when the value system backfires and teams draft a dud.

For every Andrew Luck, there are a JaMarcus Russell and Tim Couch.  Currently, there are 11 first overall picks in the Pro Football Hall of Fame; and there were 11 first overall picks in the past 30 years that many consider to be “flops,” with several of these picks out of the league in less than five years.

Many NFL executives have come to realize that the player does not have to be the top pick to be considered crucial to the success of a team, and recently, we are seeing that the late-round draft picks are becoming more valuable to the long-term success of the franchise due to their salary cap status.  A few years ago, Richard Sherman was selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks with the 154^th pick, and has developed into one of the premier cornerbacks in the game today.

There were 23 cornerbacks drafted before him that year, but because the Seahawks and coach Pete Carroll looked beyond the scientific numbers, the team was able to land one of the most dominant players in the game and have a contract that allows for additional growth within the franchise.

Here are six players to keep an eye on in the draft that may slip to the later rounds due to the scientific data that was collected, but will surely become solid professionals in the NFL.

Shayne Skov (Stanford) – At 6’2″ and 245 pounds, Skov from Stanford University, is a physical specimen that you would imagine a prototypical inside linebacker to look like in the NFL with his size and stature.  He has been described as a “tackling machine,” and has been the leader for the Stanford defense for the past three seasons.  Skov has a feel for the game that many cannot match, and many have described his ferocity on the field as “pedal to the metal at all times.”  Skov is also highly intelligent and recently completed his degree in Management Science and Engineering.

The biggest drawback for Skov that will drop him into the later rounds is that he tested slowly in the 40-yard dash and agility drills.  Skov has never been known to be fleet of foot, but makes up for the lack of speed with his vision on the field.  He has been working out at CAL Strength in Northern California with renowned trainer Dave Spitz, and has been elevating his speed skills on a daily basis.  Skov may never be the fastest man on the field, but he has two qualities that make up the difference; his passion for the game and intelligence on the field.

Richard Rodgers (Cal) – The tight end position has drastically changed in the past few years in the NFL.  More teams are utilizing the tight end position as a multi-faceted spot that has been needed as a receiver more than just an extra blocker on the line. Rodgers has been described as a reliable receiver with great hands and has the desired size at 6’4″ and 257 pounds to be a tight end in the NFL.

Rodgers has been around football his entire life, as his father was a player and current special teams coach in the NFL, and many have described Rodgers as a dedicated athlete that is always trying to do what is best for his team.  Rodgers suffered through a rough 2013 campaign with the California Bears, as he did not really fit into their new offensive system and came off a tough injury that slowed his progress.

Rodgers has average speed, and still needs to learn the position a little more in depth, but has tremendous upside due to his dedication to his craft and knowledge of the game.  Cal has produced solid tight Ends and receivers in the past few years, and Rodgers can possibly continue on in that proud tradition.

George Atkinson III (Notre Dame) – Atkinson, son of former Oakland Raiders All-Pro cornerback George Atkinson, is an interesting possibility for any NFL franchise.  Atkinson has tremendous speed as he was clocked at a 4.48 in the 40-yard dash, and has the size to be an every down back in the NFL.  Atkinson can also be a benefit to any team on the special teams side of the ball as he had two kickoff returns as a freshman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-ip9nHmjrY

Atkinson was never able to fully showcase his skills at Notre Dame since the team had so many top athletes at the position, and there is not a lot of game tape on Atkinson available, so many scouts would consider him to be a raw talent.  Atkinson has an NFL pedigree, and many believe may be best suited to return kicks, but with proper coaching may turn out to be a surprise pickup.

Max Bullough (Michigan State) – Bullough is a throwback linebacker that many have considered his playing style to emulate former greats Jack Lambert and Mike Singeltary.  Bullough is a vocal leader that has a tremendous football IQ, and many have described him as a coach on the field. He has what many say, “a nose for the ball,” and is a great tackler.

At 6’3″ and 249 pounds, he has decent quickness, but still needs to work on his agility, and his coverage skills.  The reason why Bullough is not a higher draft pick is due to the fact he has had a few issues off the field, including being suspended from the team for the Rose Bowl.  Teams are taking a deeper look at character issues and Bullough would benefit greatly from a veteran locker room.

Ben Gardner (Stanford) – At 6’4″ and 262 pounds, Gardner stood out as a member of the vaunted Cardinal defensive line for the past few seasons.  Gardner has a high motor, and good speed as a defensive end.  He is a tough competitor and has great skills in stuffing the rush attack.

Gardner is a lighter defensive end at this point and many scouts or NFL teams would like to see him at around 270 pounds.  He also is coming off a season-ending pectoral injury that may scare off a few teams since it cost him most of his senior season.  Gardner has been described as an intelligent, tough, and extremely hard worker; that with proper coaching can be very successful in the NFL.

David Fales (San Jose St.) – Fales is a winner, pure and simple.  He has won at all levels of competition, and has excelled on and off the field.  Fales is in tremendous physical shape, and throws the ball with a tight spiral.  Fales has been described as intelligent, highly confident, and extremely competitive.

Recently, San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said that Fales should be considered a “top-five Quarterback,” as he is able to make the long pass with a short and compact motion.  Fales however lacks the traditional quarterback size at 6’2″, and 212 pounds.

Fales has average speed, and needs to work on his footwork outside the pocket.  The ideal situation for Fales is to be drafted as a backup to learn for a few years, when he will blossom into a solid professional.

Photo: Cary Emondson, USA Today