2014 Draft Class Preview: Quarterbacks

It's been a little over a week since the 2013 NFL Draft ended, and it's never too early to start looking ahead. Today, in the first of my six part series looking at the top 2014 NFL Draft prospects, I'm going to start at the most important position on the field, the quarterback. The class of quarterbacks in this years draft was disappointing to say the least, with only one going in the first round, and by all accounts he shouldn't have been drafted that high. The 2014 class, however, should be considerably better, especially if underclassmen decide to declare. Without further adieu, let's begin:

1.) Teddy Bridgewater, University of Louisville*. Bridgewater is only a junior this season, but he headlines a class of quarterbacks who, although stronger than this years class, is in my eyes pretty weak. By all accounts, he is NFL ready and will almost certainly declare for the draft. Despite being an athletic quarterback, Bridgewater is also an accomplished pocket passer and should be a good fit for any system, whether it be the read option that is sweeping the NFL lately or a more conventional, pocket passing system.

2.) Tajh Boyd, Clemson University. It was thought that Boyd would declare himself eligible for this years draft, as he also seems ready for the NFL game. After a disappointing junior campaign, Boyd decided to go against the conventional thought and decided to come back for his senior season. This is a great choice for Boyd, as he probably would have been the fourth or fifth selection at his position in this draft after such a disappointing season. By choosing to come back, Boyd will give himself the chance to redeem himself and answer some of the questions that remain about him. I anticipate him answering these questions in a resounding manner and pushing Bridgewater for the top of this class.

3.) David Fales, San Jose State University. Not much is known about this small school kid. He started last season for San Jose State after transferring from the junior college level. Fales is a conventional quarteback with ideal size and a cannon for an arm. After watching some tape on this kid, I fully expect him to be in the discussion with Boyd and Bridgewater, assuming that he can reproduce and improve upon the successes of his first season with the Spartans. 3,800 yards, 31 touchdowns and a 73% completion percentage is a pretty good start to his quest to prove that you don't have to come from a powerhouse school to succeed as a quarterback at the next level. 

4.) Aaron Murray, Georgia University. When focused and playing up to his potential, Murray is the best quarterback in this class. He has all the physical tools necessary to be a Heisman trophy winner (which is a possibility for Murray this season) and a top 10 pick in the draft. Murray's problem is that he struggles with consistency. Murray reminds me a lot of Tyler Bray in this respect, a kid who is immensely talented, but doesn't always look like he's into the game. Murray has a strong arm and is more athletic in the pocket than people give him credit for, and if he can work on his poise and concentration in big games and situations, he should end up higher on this list.

5.) A.J. McCarron, Alabama University. McCarron is a guy that I don't see making much of an impact at the next level. He's a natural born leader and has had a lot of success at the college level, but I'm not sure that his game translates well to the next level. I think he's more in the mold of Tim Tebow in that respect, though he has a much more NFL caliber game than Tebow does. The reason I have decided to put McCarron on this list ahead of some other notable quarterbacks (Logan Thomas being the most obvious one) is simple. Two championships in three years with a chance to make it three in four years has to earn you some respect. I don't care how much your game doesn't translate to the next level, if you have a winning pedigree like that, you're going to be looked at by some NFL clubs. I guarantee you will see McCarron at the next level, but most likely as a backup who the crowd chimes for every time the starter makes a mistake.

Tomorrow I'll be taking a look at who I think are the top 5 Running Backs for the 2014 draft. Come back tomorrow and every day this week!

A League of His Own

LeBron James joined elite company today, winning his fourth MVP award. James joins a list comprised of arguably the four greatest players in NBA history. Only Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Michael Jordan have equaled the feat that James accomplished today. Only Russell and James have won four in five years. While Chamberlain, Russell, Abdul-Jabbar, and Jordan are arguably the four greatest players of all time (I would listen to the argument for Oscar Robertson, but that's about it), it begs the question: Does James deserve to be talked about in the same class?

The NBA is a game that is all about championships. One player can so dominate a game that you have to win multiple championships to be considered among the all-time greats. Assuming that James seals the deal this year and wins his second championship, I think he absolutely belongs in the same class as the previously mentioned four, and here's why. James is one of the greatest all-around players that the NBA has ever seen. Let's look at scoring: James averages 27 points per game, which is more than Jordan, Abdul-Jabbar, and Russell. This number is also only 3 points per game behind Chamberlain. Not only that, but it's nearly double the points per game that Russell put up in his career.

Now, let's take a look at what makes James not only a scorer, but an all-around player. James averages more assists per game (6.9) than any other player on this list. Michael Jordan is generally considered the best player in NBA history, but consider this: James averages more than one assist per game more than Jordan did over the course of his career. His assists per game average is also better than Russell and Chamberlain by two assists per game and better than Abdul-Jabbar by three per game. When it comes to rebounding, which didn't become an official stat until the 1973-74 season, James is better than Jordan again by more than one rebound per game and trails Abdul-Jabbar by only 0.6 per game (though it should be noted that Russell and Chamberlain played before rebounds were official, otherwise they would be far and away better than James, but I have to go with what I'm given).

"But Chris," you say, "what about championships?!" James will, assuming his team gets it done this year, have two championships under his belt, which is four behind Jordan and seven behind Russell. Let's forget Russell for now. No one is ever going to equal eleven championships and it's unfair for us to base our argument solely upon that number. But it is a fair question. I would argue that James' other stats makes up for his lack of championships. Everyone considers Chamberlain in this discussion, but he only won two championships in his career as well. I am of the opinion that James having the edge on Jordan in rebounds and assists per game has to have the same weight in this discussion as at least two of Jordan's championships. Jordan was also surrounded by better talent in his career than James has been. While much is made of the "Big 3" that James plays with, they are nothing when compared to the big 3 that Jordan played with. Scottie Pippen is one of the 50 greatest players of all time and possibly the best "wing man" to ever play. Dennis Rodman was a better rebounder than anyone in the game today and miles ahead of Chris Bosh. I feel like this discrepancy in talent needs to nullify at one more of Jordan's rings.

By every statistical measure, LeBron James belongs in the discussion as one of the greatest players in the history of the game. If you're looking at the statistics without a bias, you can even come to the conclusion that, despite not having the amount of titles as some on the list, he belongs at the top. Do I think he's there yet? No, but the case can be made.

Tyson Clabo

The Miami Dolphins have signed veteran right tackle Tyson Clabo today, in a move that all but ensures that they are going to line up on opening day with Johnathan Martin penciled in as the starter on the left side. Clabo is a very serviceable option at the right tackle position, ranking fifth among all right tackles last season according to the rankings site Pro Football Focus. Clabo was ranked as the seventh right tackle in pass blocking and tenth in run blocking. Tyson has been fairly consistent in his performance too, ranking fifth in pass blocking and thirteenth in run blocking the year before in 2011.

The addition of Clabo to the right side of the line should not only bring in some much needed stability and depth, but also some quality, veteran leadership. Coming from the Atlanta Falcons, Clabo has a history of winning. With management seeming to be "all-in" this season, adding a veteran presence such as Clabo should be invaluable when it comes to teaching these guys what it means to be a winner. Miami hasn't had a playoff win since the days of Dan Marino, so Clabo's (along with Mike Wallace who came over from the Steelers) past successes should go a long way in teaching the rest of the guys how to handle success. I still think that Miami needs to do something to address the left side of the line (though with the addition of Clabo, it allows draft pick Dallas Thomas to compete with Martin for the job), but if we went into the season with this starting line up, I would be confident that things are looking up in South Beach.

Don Jones

With Miami having traded away their pick in the sixth round, they made their final selection of 2013 in the seventh round. The final Dolphin to be added to the roster was the athletic corner/safety from Arkansas State, Don Jones. Despite possessing rare athleticism, Jones will most likely struggle to make the roster, needing to really shine on special teams if he wants to stick around. Let's take a look at the last man in our recap of the draft.

What he does well: When you watch any tape on Jones (and, being from Arkansas State, there isn't much), two things stand out to me right away. His athleticism and his aggressiveness. At his pro day, Jones exhibited his athletic ability, running the 40 yard dash in 4.41 seconds, putting up a mark of 10' 7" in the broad jump and leaping 42" in the vertical jump. This athleticism, along with his size (5'11" 190lbs) showcases the fact that Jones, despite being from a relatively unknown school, has the physical tools to play his position at the next level. When watching his tape, you see that Jones makes decisions quickly and doesn't over-think situations. He sees what he sees and attacks. He's very aggressive in both the pass game and the run game, and is not afraid to stick his nose in there and hit someone.

What he needs to improve: Along with the aggressiveness comes the possibility of being out of position. From the little film that I've watched on the guy, he seems to be out of position quite often. He's aggressive almost to a fault, running past the ball carrier or right into where the blocker wants him to go, completely taking himself out of position to make a play.

Where he fits: If Jones is going to make the team this season, it's most likely going to be as a special teams player, most likely in the gunner position on punts. Miami has drafted several DB's as well as already having several on the roster and it is very unlikely that a seventh round pick from the Sun Belt conference is going to be able to unseat one of those veterans in his rookie season. If Jones is able to showcase his abilities in the special teams game, he should be able to stick around, possibly long enough to further learn the safety position and potentially make the team in the future not only as a special teamer, but as a full blown safety.

Highlight video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpIk4xUTRA0

Well, that's it folks, my look into the Miami Dolphins draft class has come to an end. All in all, it was a very successful draft for us, despite almost completely ignoring our biggest problem area. The need for a left tackle to protect Tannehill's blindside is still something that needs to be addressed, and the fact that they didn't do so in the draft is the reason that I can't give Miami any higher grade than a B on this draft class. Though you never really know about a draft class until three to four years after, so this may turn out to be a much better draft than we initially thought.

Gillislee and Sturgis

With two picks in the fifth round (I'm sensing a theme here), the Miami Dolphins chose to plug two more holes, this time at Running Back and Kicker. Yes guys, kickers are people too. With the addition of these two, Miami has added depth at a critical position, giving Lamar Miller competition for the back-up/third down back role behind Daniel Thomas. The acquisition of Sturgis should allow Miami to part ways with current kicker Dan Carpenter, a move that will save the Dolphins nearly $3 million in salary cap space. Let's take a look at both former Gators.

What they do well: Gillislee is big enough (5'8" and 206lbs) to handle being a featured back in the NFL, with a size adequate enough to take a beating and power the ball through the line of scrimmage. However, he is also agile enough to come in off the bench as a quick, change-of-pace back. This dual threat potential is something that has been absent in Miami since Ricky Williams discovered marijuana. Gillislee is also a capable blocker in the backfield, which is essential to any running back wanting to see significant playing time. As for Sturgis, there's not much breakdown to be done on a kicker, either you can kick the ball or you can't. This kid definitely can. During his three healthy years at Florida, Sturgis connected on 81% of his field goals, including 8 of 13 from 50+ yards and a career long of 56 yards.

Where they need to improve: Sturgis is the easiest to address here, he needs to work on his touchback percentages. He improved last year, raising his touchback percentage from 17 percent in 2011 to 45 percent in 2012. While this is a significant improvement, he still has a long way to go to be where he needs to be at the next level. As for Gillislee, he has a tendency to be unsure what to do with the ball once he gets it. He's not a decisive runner, opting to dance and wait for a hole to open up instead of just trusting his instincts and hitting the hole right away with confidence in his line to do what they are supposed to. In the blocking game, Gillislee will occasionally go in for a cut-block too early, allowing the defender an opportunity to adjust and avoid the block. He will also occasionally carry the ball in the wrong arm, which just invites a defender to come in and cause a fumble.

Where they fit: I fully expect Sturgis to be our kicker come week 1, beating out Dan Carpenter in training camp and allowing us to cut Carpenter. That move would save us $3 million in salary cap space, which will afford us more room to address some of our expiring contracts next year. There are several key players whose contracts will need to be addressed in the next off-season and Miami will need as much cap space as they can get. I also fully expect Gillislee to beat out Lamar Miller for the back-up running back position, possibly leading to his release as well. Miller has been nothing but a disappointment since he arrived in Miami and I think we're looking to move on from him.

Highlight Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46F1Yt3jF10 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYsQT5qar3U

Dion Sims

With today's post, we're going to look at the latter of Miami's two fourth round selections. Having some questions along the offensive line and with no offensive tackles left on the board worth picking, Miami chose to select a predominantly blocking tight end in Michigan State's Dion Sims. Coming from the Big 10 conference, Sims is well versed in what it means to block in a rush-first style of offense. That's what they do in the Big 10, and that experience should be a help to whomever Miami decides is the answer to their gaping hole at left tackle. Let's take a look at Sims.

What he does well: First and foremost, Sims is a blocking tight end. Le'Veon Bell was a huge part of the Spartan offense, and he would not have been able to perform were it not for the blocking skills of Sims. At 6'5" and 260lbs, Sims is a mountain of a man who, once he's on a block, will stick to his man like glue and is very difficult to shake. Sims also, surprisingly, possesses some pretty quick feet given his massive frame. This allows him to get into position for the blocks and stay there without fumbling over his feet, wondering where they might be. His size is not only an asset in blocking, but also in the passing game. Sims is a huge target in the red-zone and knows how to use his body to shield defenders from the ball. Sims also has huge, soft hands which allows him to catch the ball with ease and get his hands around the ball to keep defenders from being able to knock it free.

Where he needs to improve: Being such a large man, Sims isn't the most agile individual. This leads to him having difficulties adjusting to bring in difficult catches. Sims doesn't flip his hips very smoothly and can get caught in bad positions if the throw is off the mark slightly. Despite his extensive experience, he will occasionally fail to get his hands in the correct position when asked to block, ending up with his hands outside the frame of the lineman instead of inside. This can lead to being called for holding during a pivotal moment in a game and is something that his coaches will drill into him, I have no doubt.  

Where he fits: Sims will be listed as the second-string tight end, but make no mistake about it, this kid will be used extensively. Today's NFL utilizes two tight end sets far more often than it did even five years ago, so you may as well say he's a starter. It's rare that you find a guy in the fourth round who is going to be a week 1 starter, but with Sims' blocking abilities, I expect just that from him. Obviously he's not going to leapfrog Keller on the depth chart, but I expect to see both on the field most of the time, with Sims lined up on the left side to assist in protecting Ryan Tannehill's blindside.

Highlight Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyutgYUJsMQ

Jelani Jenkins

We are halfway through our in-depth look at the 2013 Miami Dolphins draft class. The next man up is the first of Miami's two fourth round selections, former Florida Gators linebacker Jelani Jenkins. Jenkins possesses some qualities that are quite rare for a man at his position, but he does have quite a few concerns too. Let's take a look at his breakdown.

What he does well: Jenkins possesses rare speed for a linebacker. When healthy at the University of Florida, Jenkins was asked on many occasions to split out and cover a tight end or wide receiver. This is something he excelled at, as he has the speed and agility to maintain coverage on even the smaller, speedy slot receivers. He is also very fluid in his movements for a linebacker, possessing a rare (for his position) ability to flip his hips smoothly and run with whomever he is asked to cover. This ability will make him valuable at the next level, as it is rare these days to find a linebacker with the ability to stick with his man consistently in coverage. When healthy, Jenkins is also very adequate in his blitzing and tackling abilities. He tallied 151 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss (a tackle on a ball carrier behind the line of scrimmage), and 4 sacks in his two fully healthy seasons as a Gator.

What he needs to improve: For all his athleticism, Jenkins does not possess ideal size for a linebacker. At only 6' and 32" arm length, Jenkins has a tendency to get held up on blocks. He doesn't always use his hands well to fight of interior linemen and once they get inside position, Jenkins struggles to get off the block and get to the ball carrier. There are also significant medical concerns with Jenkins, as he was forced to redshirt his freshman season after playing in just two games. He also missed significant time this past season with injuries. In total, Jenkins has had a lingering hamstring issue as well as a surgery on his left foot and one on his left hand.

Where he fits: If Jenkins is healthy, there is no doubt in my mind that he is a very talented linebacker. Had he not had the medical issues at Florida, I would have projected him as a second round prospect. Assuming that Jenkins is healthy and his medical issues are in the past, his versatility as an athlete should guarantee that he makes the roster. I'm not sure that he'll amount to anything more than a special teams player in his rookie season, but if he comes into camp healthy and impresses the coaching staff, I wouldn't be surprised to see him push Koa Misi for the starting strongside linebacker position, though his natural position is over on the weakside.

Highlight video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SXCVI5IJJE