It is time to get excited for the NFL Draft as the month of March comes to a close.
Last week was the first installment of mock drafts for Alabama players via Touchdown Alabama Magazine and it will continue as we inch closer to April 28, the first day of a major event.
Head coach Nick Saban intends to have 18-19 players either be selected or sign as undrafted rookie free agents. Yours truly now unveils the second projections for this year’s coronation.
Projections for draft picks
Derrick Henry, RB, Carolina Panthers
He is visiting with both Dallas and Carolina in April; however, someone has to make a decision. Despite signing Alfred Morris (Washington Redskins), the Cowboys still intend on drafting a running back. Carolina has four ball carriers on its roster, but little production came from Cameron-Artis Payne and Fozzy Whittaker last season. Jonathan Stewart and quarterback Cam Newton spearheaded the run game, combining for 1,625 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.
The Panthers need someone it can pair with Stewart, and it’s answer could be Derrick Henry.
Carolina will have the 30th overall pick in the first round after ending its 2015 season at 15-1. Henry punished opponents, collecting 2,219 rushing yards and 28 scores on 395 carries.
The 6-foot-3, 247-pound back achieved a milestone for the Southeastern Conference, becoming the first player in history to record 2,000 yards in a season. He earned multiple national honors, including a Heisman Trophy. Henry was a catalyst in guiding Alabama to a national championship.
Coach Ron Rivera saw his team finish second in rushing, amassing 2,282 yards (142.6 ypg) and 19 touchdowns.
Adding Henry can increase those numbers and take more pressure off Newton.
Reggie Ragland, ILB, Green Bay Packers
Regardless of how good Clay Matthews is, he cannot run a defense on his own.
Green Bay needs an enforcer at inside linebacker, which in return places Matthews back at his natural state on the outside. He chimed in 66 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, one interception and a fumble recovery last season.
The Packers have also lost defensive end B.J. Raji to retirement. Reggie Ragland is projected to be a top 10-15 pick, yet Green Bay would be the ideal place for him if he should drop. He presents the aura of an old school linebacker.
He grew more into his role at middle linebacker last season at Alabama, after taking over the position in 2014.
Ragland’s instinctive play and lateral quickness led to him getting 102 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, seven pass breakups, six quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles.
He captained a group that led the nation in rush defense (75.7 ypg) and sacks (52).
The Packers were 21st against the run, surrendering 119.1 yards per game and 13 scores. Improvement was made in total defense as it stood at No. 15, allowing 346.7 yards a game.
Ragland had the Crimson Tide among the leaders in total defense (276.3 ypg) and scoring defense (15.1 ppg), earning him SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year honors last season.
A’Shawn Robinson, DT, Seattle Seahawks
Whether the tiredness came from either a long pro day or the NFL Combine, a team is going to draft A’Shawn Robinson in the first round. He was a fearsome leader on a dominant Alabama defense in three seasons. Head coach Pete Carroll and Seattle need help on its front line.
The Seahawks lost both defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and linebacker Bruce Irvin in free agency. Mebane was a presence in the middle, totaling 349 tackles and 15.5 sacks in nine years.
Robinson had 46 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups, 10 quarterback hurries (team-high) and a blocked kick in 2015. The 6-foot-4, 307-pound lineman is not known for his pass rush capabilities, nevertheless, he does have nine sacks and 19 quarterback hurries in his career.
Robinson’s athleticism bodes well on special teams as he has blocked three kicks.
Seattle was atop the NFL in rush defense (81.5 ypg) and scoring defense (17.3 ypg) a year ago, while standing second in total defense (291.8 ypg) and third down defense (34.4% conversion).
Todd Gurley (L.A. Rams), Chris Johnson (Arizona Cardinals) and Carlos Hyde (San Francisco 49ers) are all talented backs in the NFC West. Seattle needs men on its defensive line.
Jarran Reed, DT, Detroit Lions
Defensive end Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah has become one of the best pass rushers in the National Football League.
The former BYU standout chimes in with 30 sacks in three season, with 14.5 coming in 2015. Devin Taylor is starting to develop as an edge rusher, but Detroit needs someone in the middle of its defensive line. Haloti Ngata, 32, is set to enter his 11th season at defensive tackle.
Jarran Reed was a godsend for Alabama in two seasons after coming from East Mississippi Community College in 2014.
He posted 57 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two pass breakups and eight quarterback hurries last year.
Reed led the Tide’s defensive line in tackles during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The 6-foot-3, 307-pounder is projected as a first-round pick.
Georgia running back Nick Chubb was the lone player to rush for 100 yards against Reed and Alabama.
The Lions were 19th in the league in rush defense (112.8 ypg), 18th in total defense (349.6 ypg) and 16th in third down defense (41.0% conversion), while giving up 25 points.
Kenyan Drake, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia welcomes its former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Doug Pederson as its new head coach.
He spent the last three years under Andy Reid in Kansas City at offensive coordinator. Pederson coached the Chiefs to the sixth-best rush offense (127.8 ypg) and 5th-best scoring offense (25.3 ppg) last season, earning a berth in the playoffs.
The Eagles lost running back DeMarco Murray to the Tennessee Titans, but it has a featured guy in Ryan Mathews.
Mathews picked 539 yards rushing with six touchdowns on 106 carries. Darren Sproles is used in a variety of ways, yet the ex-Kansas State star is past his prime.
Sproles, who is about to enter his 12th NFL season (third with Philadelphia), has accomplished 2,373 all-purpose yards and 14 touchdowns in two seasons with the Eagles.
Kenyan Drake is the spitting image of Sproles, despite being much taller at 6-foot-1. Sproles could mentor him on the professional matters for one to two seasons, until he retires.
Drake served as a running back, wide receiver and return specialist at Alabama.
He would total 1,189 all-purpose yards and 9.5 yards per play.
Drake recorded 23 touchdowns, with his most memorable one against Clemson. Drake is familiar with a pro-style offense, a system in which Pederson coached at Kansas City.
Philadelphia was just outside the top 10 in rush offense (1,743, 14th), pass offense (4,087, 12th) and total offense (5,530, 12th), but it landed at No. 10 in scoring offense (23.6 ppg) last year.
Pairing Drake with Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, Josh Huff and Riley Cooper gives quarterback Sam Bradford another option on the field. Drake’s 4.45 speed makes him indispensable for an offense and a nightmare for defenses.
Ryan Kelly, C, Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati selected Russell Bodine in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft to play at center.
The former North Carolina star guided a offensive front to the playoffs last season, but endured a lot of moments in which he struggled. Cincinnati gave 32 sacks, including one against Pittsburgh in Week 13 that resulted in a broken thumb for quarterback Andy Dalton. Ryan Kelly is widely-regarded as the best center prospect in this year’s draft, according to multiple NFL Draft experts.
In taking over for Barrett Jones, Kelly did not allow sack during the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
He was a three-year starter (2013-15) at center for Alabama, anchoring a unit that won the inaugural Joe Moore Award last year. Kelly blocked for Derrick Henry’s 2,219 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns, while guiding the team to an average of 200 yards rushing in 2013 and 2014.
He was able to identify on-coming blitz packages, giving the Crimson Tide an opportunity to have three 3,000-yard passers—AJ McCarron, Blake Sims and Jacob Coker—during his tenure.
Cincinnati was in the middle of the pack in rush offense (1,805, 13th), pass offense (3,923, 15th) and total offense (5,728, 15th), while coming in at No. 4 in scoring offense (26.2 ppg).
Kelly, who won the 2015 Remington Trophy and Jacobs Blocking Trophy, excels at zone, man and gap blocking.
His intelligence on and off the field earned him SEC’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Jacob Coker, QB, Denver Broncos
Losing Peyton Manning was hard enough, but Denver is in a tough situation with Brock Osweiler now at Houston.
The Broncos acquired Mark Sanchez from Philadelphia and despite his eight years of NFL experience, Denver still needs bring him some competition.
Sanchez has been to the playoffs twice since being taken by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft.
He was one of two former USC quarterbacks—Matt Barkley—that ex-Eagles coach Chip Kelly tried to make work but could not.
Sanchez’s career touchdown to interception ratio, 86-84, leaves much to be desired. Denver has pieces around him, but is he the guy?
His toughness and mechanics may have been questioned at first, but at the end Jacob Coker led Alabama to national championship. The 6-foot-6, 236-pound quarterback had a solid pro day after not being invited to the NFL Combine.
He threw for 3,110 passing yards with 21 touchdowns to eight interceptions last season.
Coker completed 66.6 percent of his attempts for 3,513 yards with 25 touchdowns to eight interceptions on his career.
His size, deceptive athleticism and arm talent will compel a team a draft him; however, he must quicken his release.
Denver finished 14th in pass offense (3,970 yards), 16th in total offense (5,688 yards) and 21st in third down offense (35.3% conversion). Coker had a better touchdown to interception ratio than Manning and Osweiler had combined in 2015, while his 207 passing yards per game stood only 41 yards less than—248—Denver’s pass offense.
Cyrus Jones, CB, Baltimore Ravens
It sounds cliche to have the hometown guy be drafted to his childhood team, but that could very well be the case for Cyrus Jones and the Baltimore Ravens. After losing Tray Walker to a tragic dirt bike accident and Will Hill to free agency, the Ravens are in need of a textbook cornerback.
Baltimore picked up a defensive back in safety Eric Weddle from the San Diego Chargers. Pairing him with former Gators star Matt Elam might restore some magic in the secondary.
Six cornerbacks are on its roster, yet Lardarius Webb the position for the Ravens.
Coach John Harbarugh’s group finished 10th in pass defense (3,737 yards allowed), despite a poor touchdown to interception ratio. Opposing quarterbacks threw for 30 scores to six picks.
Jones, 5-foot-10 and 197 pounds, became Alabama most consistent defender in the last two seasons. He had 106 career tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, a sack, 25 pass breakups and seven interceptions. His play on special teams may have upped his draft value, totaling 530 punt return yards and four scores.
Baltimore has to defend A.J. Green (Cincinnati), Antonio Brown (Pittsburgh) and Josh Gordon (Cleveland) in a tough AFC North Division.
Jones’ 4.49 speed, solid tackling and sound ball skills is what the Ravens need.
D.J. Pettway, DE, Kansas City Chiefs
Tamba Hali, 32, enters his 12th season out of Penn State this fall. The dominant outside linebacker will need help along Kansas City’s front line as Justin Houston could miss all of next season with a knee injury. Houston recorded 30 tackles and 7.5 sacks during the 2015 season.
The Chiefs return Dee Ford, Dontari Poe and Ramik Wilson on defense, but adding more talent couldn’t hurt.
Former Alabama standout D.J. Pettway would fit here as a linebacker or defensive end. He tallied 48 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks in three years (2012, 2014-15).
Kansas City stood in the top 10 in rush defense (1,571 yards, 8th), total defense (5,269 yards, 7th), scoring defense (17.3 points, 2nd) and third down defense (33.2% conversion, 5th).
Projections for undrafted free agents
Dillon Lee, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Geno Matias-Smith, DB, Oakland Raiders
Jabriel Washington, DB, Los Angeles Rams
Darren Lake, DT, Washington Redskins
Richard Mullaney, WR, Buffalo Bills
Michael Nysewander, TE, Green Bay Packers
Denzel Devall, OLB, Indianapolis Colts
Dominick Jackson, OG, San Diego Chargers
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @ESPN_Future.
