Future Drafts

[Cloud@Heart]

Seeing the thread about Nebraska being one of 5 schools to get a couple athletes drafted every year made me think toward the future.

At this point, who seems most likely to get drafted next year? The following?

Everyone is talking about our interior defensive lineman, along with a few corners and safety, being the real deal. Anyone going in the first round? How about on the offensive side of the ball? Tight end, offensive linemen?

 

[FlintTown]

I'll be surprised if Collins doesn't go 1st round, 2nd at the latest.

 

[rrthusker]

Seeing the thread about Nebraska being one of 5 schools to get a couple athletes drafted every year made me think toward the future.

At this point, who seems most likely to get drafted next year? The following?

Everyone is talking about our interior defensive lineman, along with a few corners and safety, being the real deal. Anyone going in the first round? How about on the offensive side of the ball? Tight end, offensive linemen?

I think Collins will stay at least that is what RSS is saying. Lewis will be drafted, Davie could be and if Kondolo and Sterup have very good years they could get a look.

 

[ReuniteGondwanaland]

I'm seeing Collins show up really early in some 2016 mock drafts, like here at #12. If he's in a position like Gregory where you're a first round pick (as long as you don't do something stupid off the field) then the money will get hard to argue with. Not many likely first round picks come back.

If Davie stays healthy and continues to improve he'll get drafted somewhere. Cockrell could be a day three pick. Valentine's size and newfound fitness could make him a lot of money starting next year.

McMullen is a future NFL 3-4 DE starter but hopefully in 2 years. Banderas went quickly from looking like a bust to looking like a future NFL player in the new defense, if he does turn into a 2017 NFL pick that obviously makes our defense a whole lot better. Nate Gerry in a couple years.

Alex Lewis plays like the guy we expected last year he's an NFL pick. Possibly Kondolo and don't rule out Price. He's still only 20 and not nearly done getting better.

Westerkamp will get a look on offense in 2017. If he can show he's athletic enough there's a spot on somebody's roster for those hands. Long term if Pieson-El stays healthy he's a good enough return specialist to get drafted for that alone. One of our running backs but I don't have even a good guess as to which yet--except I don't see Cross as an NFL player.

 

[beerdawg69]

If they came out early. Collins and Valentine early. Also Nate Gerry. Seniors Lewis and Kondo. Middle rounds. Also Daniel Davie middle to late round.

 

[worldstarhusker]

The following WILL GET drafted:

Maliek Collins (1st rd)
Alex Lewis

I'm pretty sure maliek is a 1st rounder. Lewis will get drafted but i can't predict him. The following have a good chance:

Valentine
Davie
Kondolo

Valentine is a big NFL prospect, but there's a chance he might stay for his senior year. Davie has size (6'1), quickness, and his cover skills looked good last year. NU also has a reputation putting DB's in the league. Kondolo is underrated and should have started last year. He has good athleticism and size.

Have a shot:

Banderas
Gerry
McMullen
K-Will

Gerry is a legit NFL prospect, but might want to return his SR year. Banderas could excel in this new scheme that requires less thinking and become NFL prospects. Same with McMullen. Reminds me of Ankrah's situation, who is a backup LB for the Texans after not getting drafted. He didn't wow the scouts because of Pelini's scheme which involves a lot of containment from the DE's. McMullen could excel in the new scheme. K-Will is scary when he's healthy.

Others not listed, but could surprise some this year:

Jackson
Rose-Ivey
Turner

 

[SC_'sker]

McMullen will have an awesome combine if he doesn't get injured this season. If he gets his production to match his athletic ability this year I could see him as a late 1st/2nd round pick.

 

[BornNBredRed]

I'm seeing Collins show up really early in some 2016 mock drafts, like here at #12. If he's in a position like Gregory where you're a first round pick (as long as you don't do something stupid off the field) then the money will get hard to argue with. Not many likely first round picks come back.

If Davie stays healthy and continues to improve he'll get drafted somewhere. Cockrell could be a day three pick. Valentine's size and newfound fitness could make him a lot of money starting next year.

McMullen is a future NFL 3-4 DE starter but hopefully in 2 years. Banderas went quickly from looking like a bust to looking like a future NFL player in the new defense, if he does turn into a 2017 NFL pick that obviously makes our defense a whole lot better. Nate Gerry in a couple years.

Alex Lewis plays like the guy we expected last year he's an NFL pick. Possibly Kondolo and don't rule out Price. He's still only 20 and not nearly done getting better.

Westerkamp will get a look on offense in 2017. If he can show he's athletic enough there's a spot on somebody's roster for those hands. Long term if Pieson-El stays healthy he's a good enough return specialist to get drafted for that alone. One of our running backs but I don't have even a good guess as to which yet--except I don't see Cross as an NFL player.

Why do people think Banderas is all of a sudden going to be a good player. It was athletically that he was seriously lacking last year. He was always chasing backs and receivers across the middle....two steps behind. Scheme is not going to change that. They should bulk him up and play him at DE, where he wouldn't look out of place athletically. His 4.8 forty would be about average for that position.

 

[ssmith84]

No. Absolutely not. Scheme can definitely affect how fast you play. Bando has most if not all of the physical tools required to play at a high level. Strength and conditioning changes and not being coached by Ross Els will pay huge dividends for him.

Can you link the 4.8 40 time? I hadn't seen that.

 

[BornNBredRed]

No. Absolutely not. Scheme can definitely affect how fast you play. Bando has most if not all of the physical tools required to play at a high level. Strength and conditioning changes and not being coached by Ross Els will pay huge dividends for him.

Can you link the 4.8 40 time? I hadn't seen that.

We saw the 4.8 time all season last year on the field. It may be closer to 4.9. I was being nice. In all seriousness, he looks like he has the frame to add the weight to play DE, where he could possibly be above average or even good. He does not have the skill set to be a playmaker at LB. He just doesn't.

 

[ReuniteGondwanaland]

Banderas played slow last year. He definitely played like a guy with a 4.9 40. That doesn't mean he IS that slow, but he played that way. He was hesitant, regularly behind the play, and often starting from a near stop, from behind, trying to catch a runner going full speed.

He looked like a different player this spring. Will that carry over into real games? Hope so. His high school testing 40 and 110m high hurdles track times were not slow, at all.

 

[SC_'sker]

We saw the 4.8 time all season last year on the field. It may be closer to 4.9. I was being nice. In all seriousness, he looks like he has the frame to add the weight to play DE, where he could possibly be above average or even good. He does not have the skill set to be a playmaker at LB. He just doesn't.

With an eye like that it is baffling that the NFL doesn't just have you measure 40 times at the combine.

 

[ssmith84]

We saw the 4.8 time all season last year on the field. It may be closer to 4.9. I was being nice. In all seriousness, he looks like he has the frame to add the weight to play DE, where he could possibly be above average or even good. He does not have the skill set to be a playmaker at LB. He just doesn't.

Can you elaborate on what you think he lacks in terms of skillset that stops him from being a playmaker LB. Please be specific.

Also, do you have a 40 time link? Or are you just assuming that because he played slow, he is physically slow?

 

[BornNBredRed]

Can you elaborate on what you think he lacks in terms of skillset that stops him from being a playmaker LB. Please be specific.

Also, do you have a 40 time link? Or are you just assuming that because he played slow, he is physically slow?

There are two years of on field evidence that he is not a playmaker at the position. Most people don't run slower than their ability when they are sprinting behind a running back or tight end and losing ground with every step. Zaire was the only backer who flashed skills last year. That is just a sad fact about the talent that Bo put on the field.....and Zaire didn't see the field nearly as much as he should have, particularly early in the year.

 

[ssmith84]

There are two years of on field evidence that he is not a playmaker at the position. Most people don't run slower than their ability when they are sprinting behind a running back or tight end and losing ground with every step. Zaire was the only backer who flashed skills last year. That is just a sad fact about the talent that Bo put on the field.....and Zaire didn't see the field nearly as much as he should have, particularly early in the year.

Lol

 

[Dean Pope]

Banderas played slow last year. He definitely played like a guy with a 4.9 40. That doesn't mean he IS that slow, but he played that way. He was hesitant, regularly behind the play, and often starting from a near stop, from behind, trying to catch a runner going full speed.

He looked like a different player this spring. Will that carry over into real games? Hope so. His high school testing 40 and 110m high hurdles track times were not slow, at all.

I agree. They (draft experts) say that all of the time. Heard it said about Kenny Bell this year-- that he didn't play as fast as his pro day time. Banderas has been the "king of bad angles" so far in his career. Hope he can turn it around. I can't think of another Husker who was jerked around by the coaches worse than Banderas has been thus far. Maybe the Moore kid who started at tackle, made one pre-snap penalty and got benched for the rest of the season.

 

[BornNBredRed]

I agree. They (draft experts) say that all of the time. Heard it said about Kenny Bell this year-- that he didn't play as fast as his pro day time. Banderas has been the "king of bad angles" so far in his career. Hope he can turn it around. I can't think of another Husker who was jerked around by the coaches worse than Banderas has been thus far. Maybe the Moore kid who started at tackle, made one pre-snap penalty and got benched for the rest of the season.

How was he jacked around? He was given every opportunity last season to prove it on the field when, at the beginning of the year, it was obvious to everyone that he was in over his head. If anything, the staff gave him way too much of a leash.

 

[ssmith84]

And you don't expect a simler scheme and improved s&c to help him at all?

 

[jackie_moon33]

Bray>Els

That is why Banderas and the rest of the LBers will be much improved this year.

 

[BornNBredRed]

And you don't expect a simler scheme and improved s&c to help him at all?

Unless he was giving out no effort at all with the prior staff, I don't think better S&C will improve his speed by two tenths. Was the level of S&C really that bad with the prior staff?

 

[ssmith84]

Can you please link the 40 yard time, as you seem to be putting a ton of stock and it certianly can't be based solely on you "eyeballing" it?

I should have known better than continuing this conversation. Shame on me.

 

[Dean Pope]

How was he jacked around? He was given every opportunity last season to prove it on the field when, at the beginning of the year, it was obvious to everyone that he was in over his head. If anything, the staff gave him way too much of a leash.

He made a start as a true freshman. Made a mistake or two and wound up benched. Seriously benched. Not heard from again for weeks. That was two years ago. I am not a fan of benching players. Sure you can demote a player, but give him a chance at least. With Bo, you could go from one extreme to another-- starting and playing every snap to third string and zero snaps. Bizarre.

 

[FlintTown]

He made a start as a true freshman. Made a mistake or two and wound up benched. Seriously benched. Not heard from again for weeks. That was two years ago. I am not a fan of benching players. Sure you can demote a player, but give him a chance at least. With Bo, you could go from one extreme to another-- starting and playing every snap to third string and zero snaps. Bizarre.

Are you sure he wasn't benched in order to preserve a redshirt?

 

[ssmith84]

I can't remember him being injured that year.

 

[BornNBredRed]

Can you please link the 40 yard time, as you seem to be putting a ton of stock and it certianly can't be based solely on you "eyeballing" it?

I should have known better than continuing this conversation. Shame on me.

Unless all of the running backs and tight ends that ran away from him last year run a 4.3 or 4.4, he runs in the neighborhood of 4.8.

 

[ssmith84]

No I don't.

Thanks, I appreciate the honesty. Take care.

 

[Yossarian23]

Are you sure he wasn't benched in order to preserve a redshirt?

I'm relatively certain (and if someone is 100% sure, please correct me) that redshirts cannot work that way.

Even a medical redshirt, I believe you have to show that the injury actually sidelined the player...not just that you shut them down to get an entire year out of them in the future.

 

[BornNBredRed]

Thanks, I appreciate the honesty. Take care.

Good one!

 

[Cornicator]

BornNBred, are you Maker of Moves over on Red Sea Scrolls? You 2 posters consistently make the worst possible points with no logical explanation. Your opinions of Banderas are so flawed that I don't even know where to start:

1. Banderas runs in the high 4.68 to 4.72 range. I know that info because its been released over on RSS. NFL Draft Scout has his low 40 listed as 4.72. Scouts recorded that #. They don't just make that number up.

What's really funny though is how you say he runs in the 4.8 to 4.9 range. A 4.85 forty would've placed him in the top 5 of all Inside Linebacker 40 times at the 2015 NFL combine.

2. Bando "looking" slow was two fold. One he was dicked around so much by Bo that he never had the chance to play much in a very complex scheme. Two, Bo's matchup zone principals were so easily exploited by opposing coordinators that it made everyone "look" slow. Every player on the defense was responsible for reading multiple keys on each play. Opponents quickly realized they could leave the linebackers in no man's land by disgusing multiple keys on each play. Players like Banderas, with virtually no experience, were often caught with their pants down.

3. By season's end Bando was playing at high level. This was evident in the USC game. Josh had 14 tackles and looked dominant at times. But.. the exploitation continued. On 4 different plays vs. USC, the Trojans realized they could exploit the scheme by isolating Freshmen Walk On LB Austin Williams in coverage on Nelson Freaking Agoholor. Think about that, a LB, who had never played a down all year, and may honestly never play more than Special teams going forward, was in one on one coverage with a likely NFL Rookie Starter.

Banderas will thrive in Banker's scheme as the MIKE Linebacker. His responsibilities are simple:

1. Run downhill to stop the run.
2. Blitz, Blitz, Blitz behind stunting defensive tackles.
3 Occasionally take the deep middle in coverage on Cover 2.

He will no longer have to worry about RB or TE Coverage. He will no longer need to worry about flat coverage.


Now.. for the Original question:

Alex Lewis
Chongo
David Santos
Daniel Davie

Byerson Cockrell will get a shot, but I think he's going to get beaten out by LeRoy Alexander.

Will all be drafted in 2016.

Maliek will be a fringe 1st rounder, so I think he he stays. The DT class in 2016 is really deep. He might be better off sticking around and push for a top 10 pick in 2017.

Ryne Reeves has a lot of talent, but he can't seem to stay healthy. Sterup has a TON of improvement to make, but the NFL will certainly look at his body and follow him around for a while.

I also think there is a chance the NFL will give Imani Cross a shot at Fullback.

Jamal Turner needs to prove he can stay healthy.


None of the 2017 guys will leave early.

 

[BornNBredRed]

BornNBred, are you Maker of Moves over on Red Sea Scrolls? You 2 posters consistently make the worst possible points with no logical explanation. Your opinions of Banderas are so flawed that I don't even know where to start:

1. Banderas runs in the high 4.68 to 4.72 range. I know that info because its been released over on RSS. NFL Draft Scout has his low 40 listed as 4.72. Scouts recorded that #. They don't just make that number up.

What's really funny though is how you say he runs in the 4.8 to 4.9 range. A 4.85 forty would've placed him in the top 5 of all Inside Linebacker 40 times at the 2015 NFL combine.

2. Bando "looking" slow was two fold. One he was dicked around so much by Bo that he never had the chance to play much in a very complex scheme. Two, Bo's matchup zone principals were so easily exploited by opposing coordinators that it made everyone "look" slow. Every player on the defense was responsible for reading multiple keys on each play. Opronents quickly realized they could leave the linebackers in no man's land by disgusing multiple keys on each play. Players like Banderas, with virtually no experience, were often caught with their pants down.

3. By season's end Bando was playing at high level. This was evident in the USC game. Josh had 14 tackles and looked dominant at times. But.. the exploitation continued. On 4 different plays vs. USC, the Trojans realized they could exploit the scheme by isolating Freshmen Walk On LB Austin Williams in coverage on Nelson Freaking Agoholor. Think about that, a LB, who had never played a down all year, and may honestly never play more than Special teams going forward, was in one on one coverage with a likely NFL Rookie Starter.

Banderas will thrive in Banker's scheme as the MIKE Linebacker. His responsibilities are simple:

1. Run downhill to stop the run.
2. Blitz, Blitz, Blitz behind stunting defensive tackles.
3 Occasionally take the deep middle in coverage on Cover 2.

He will no longer have to worry about RB or TE Coverage. He will no longer need to worry about flat coverage.


Now.. for the Original question:

Alex Lewis
Chongo
David Santos
Daniel Davie

Byerson Cockrell will get a shot, but I think he's going to get beaten out by LeRoy Alexander.

Will all be drafted in 2016.

Maliek will be a fringe 1st rounder, so I think he he stays. The DT class in 2016 is really deep. He might be better off sticking around and push for a top 10 pick in 2017.

Ryne Reeves has a lot of talent, but he can't seem to stay healthy. Sterup has a TON of improvement to make, but the NFL will certainly look at his body and follow him around for a while.

I also think there is a chance the NFL will give Imani Cross a shot at Fullback.

Jamal Turner needs to prove he can stay healthy.


None of the 2017 guys will leave early.

As you said, 4.8 is not abnormal for MLBs at the combine. That is where legitimate numbers come out. We will see what he runs at the combine, if he is invited. Pro day times are nearly always .05-.1 better.