At least one NFL scout believes that Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya made a “huge mistake” by declaring for the 2017 draft, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. In fact, nearly every source at the Senior Bowl thinks that Kaaya will still be on the board on Day 3 of the draft, when Rounds 4-7 take place. The Bears, for one, have already been linked to Kaaya, whom some scouts have called the smartest of this year’s QB crop.
Here’s more on the draft:
- Several NFL teams are moving Iowa defensive back Desmond King from their cornerback boards to their safety lists, per Pauline. King, whom Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com (Insider link) ranks as the sixth-best CB available, has teams worried due to his lack of speed, which could be negated by shifting to the back end. King manged 14 interceptions and 33 passes defensed during his four-year run with the Hawkeyes.
- Clubs are split on North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky due to his lack of starting experience, Pauline writes in a separate article. Trubisky started only 13 games, all in 2016, before deciding to enter the draft, but is still likely to become a first-round selection. The Jets are reportedly high on the Tar Heel signal-caller, but Pauline said that enthusiasm has been somewhat “tempered,” though New York is still among the cadre of teams that will consider Trubisky.
- Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon did not receive a first-round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board as he previously stated, and in fact, did not receive a grade at all as Oklahoma did not submit his name to the committee, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Mixon, of course, was caught on video striking a woman during an altercation in a restaurant, and some evaluators believe he may now go undrafted. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, however, hears Mixon could be selected as high as the second round.
- Miller passes on quite a few more notes in his must-read Scouting Notebook, including the fact that Florida’s Quincy Wilson has surpassed Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore on many cornerback boards, and that scout are infatuated with the depth of this year’s running back class.
Whoever drafts Trubisky high should get their pink slip right after they make that pick. This is a guy who will need to sit for years to be successful. He’s had one good game against elite talent, and as an FSU fan, I can say that doesn’t say much with the issues that pass defense has had with any up tempo team for 3 years now. So that leaves you with a guy who was underwhelming against everyone else he played outside of a defense that hasn’t stopped an up tempo team under their current DC, Charles Kelly, yet and only has 13 starts. If you convince yourself to draft that, you’re stupid.
It’d be hilarious to see the Jets take Trubisky. Would prove that the Jets are just one of the most poorly run franchises considering they just took Hackenberg last year with an early round pick. I’m not a fan of Hackenberg, but at least see what he can do before drafting another QB early.
I’m a Penn State fan and I can tell you Sackenberg can’t do anything. He has absolutely no pocket-awareness and very low football IQ
If anybody made a mistake by declaring for this years draft, it’s Joe Mixon (in my opinion) . 2 years of eligibility left and a legitimate chance to contend for the Heisman, again, just my opinion. Very foolish to come out a month after the video. Cost himself Millions. Someone gave him some bad advice