All posts by Tyler Vesely

College Football

2018 SEC Preview

August 16, 2018 Tyler Vesely Leave a comment

East

Georgia
South Carolina
Florida
Missouri
Tennessee
Kentucky
Vanderbilt

West

Alabama
Mississippi State
Auburn
LSU
Ole Miss
Texas A&M
Arkansas

SEC Championship: Alabama over Georgia

SEC East

1. Georgia Bulldogs

Projected Record: 12-1 (8-0 SEC)

Georgia comes off a great season and heartbreaking loss in the National Championship. Getting back to the playoffs will not come easy as they must replace 8 starters on the defensive side of the ball. The roster is talented with Georgia having three out of the last four years a top five recruiting class.

On offense talented WRs Terry Godwin, Mecole Hardman, and Riley Ridley should give SEC defenses trouble along with shifty RB De’Andre Swift. It’ll be interesting whether QB Jake Fromm can hold off freshman phenom Justin Fields for the starting job. There will be new starters across the defense, but Georgia still has reliable players like CB Deandre Baker, Safety J.R. Reid and DE Jonathan Ledbetter. The schedule will not be easy with matchups against Auburn and LSU from the West. If Kirby Smart can find a way to replace the lost defensive starters Georgia should not only be in Atlanta for the SEC Championship, but the College Football Playoffs as well.

2. South Carolina Gamecocks

Projected Record: 9-3 (6-2 SEC)

There is some buzz growing for the Gamecocks to be sleepers in the East. Now, I do not believe they will be able to take down Georgia, but they do have enough talent on their roster to have a nice season. South Carolina has one of the best duos at wide receiver with Deebo Samuel and Bryan Edwards. Whether Jake Bentley continues to improve will be the difference in the Gamecocks being contenders or pretenders. The 126 yard performance against Clemson last year will not be near good enough if South Carolina has top ten dreams.

The defense is solid in the front 7 with star linebacker T.J. Brunson. Where the Gamecocks need to improve is in the secondary. Games against Georgia and Clemson will test the secondary and show if they can compete on the national stage. The Cocks also avoid Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State, and LSU in SEC play.

3. Florida Gators

Projected Record: 9-3 (5-3 SEC)

I know they had a terrible 4-8 year and still haven’t found a quarterback. But there are too many playmakers on this Florida Gators roster to stay down for long. Coming off a tragic year that was plagued by suspensions and injuries, Dan Mullen will look to turn things around.

The Gators return the entire offensive line and have talented wide receivers Tyrie Cleveland and Ole Miss transfer Van Jefferson. However, the offense will only go as far as Feleipe Franks takes them.

The defense is talented across the board highlighted by Cece Jefferson rushing the passer, David Reese at MLB and Chauncey Gardner playing a playmaker role at Nickelback. They have a tough non-conference game with Florida State and play LSU and Mississippi State from the SEC West. The talented roster should be good enough to have a solid year in the East.

4. Missouri Tigers

Projected Record: 8-4 (4-4 SEC)

Missouri had one of the worst starts to the college football season starting 1-5, but they finished the season 6-2. The Tigers have one of the most talented quarterbacks with Drew Lock along with 9 returning starters to an offense that was 8th in the nation.

The defense will need to improve, but they have the talent on the defensive line with Terry Beckner Jr. and Texas transfer Jordan Elliott. They return all of their starting linebackers including leading tackler Cole Garrett.

Part of Missouri’s schedule is absolutely brutal. They play Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama in back-to-back-to-back weeks. But if Missouri takes care of business with their winnable games in the SEC East, they should enjoy a nice season.

5. Tennessee Volunteers

Projected Record: 5-7 (2-6 SEC)

Tennessee welcomes new head coach Jeremy Pruitt after a whirlwind of a search. It will be anything but easy for Tennessee to bounce back from a 4-8 season with no conference wins. It starts with the quarterback position which will come down to Stanford transfer Keller Chryst or Jarrett Guarantano. Trey Smith is one of the best offensive lineman in the SEC and Alabama transfer Brandon Kennedy should help.

The defense has talent and should make an improvement with Coach Pruitt. However, the schedule is absolutely brutal. They start out against West Virginia and then have a five game stretch of Florida, Georgia, Auburn, Alabama and South Carolina. With the difficult schedule it will be tough for Tennessee to make a bowl game.

6. Kentucky Wildcats

Projected Record: 5-7 (1-7 SEC)

The big question for Kentucky will be at QB between Terry Wilson and Gunnar Hoak, neither have thrown a pass in a FBS game. Kentucky will instead rely on one of the best running backs in the SEC in Benny Snell and an offensive line that returns four starters.

Josh Allen leads a defense with a lot of returning starters especially in the secondary. The schedule isn’t too tough, but with the unsettled quarterback situation it is tough to see Kentucky competing for a SEC East championship.

7. Vanderbilt Commodores

Projected Record: 3-9 (0-8 SEC)

There was once upon a time that Vanderbilt wanted Alabama. The season was all downhill after that with the Commodores winning just one game. Kyle Shurmur is back and will lead the offense for his senior year. The offensive line also returns all of their starters from last season.

The defense was the strength early, but fell off in SEC play. There are only 4 returning starters on this defense, but CB Joejuan Williams and OLB Charles Wright are talented. It will be tough for Derek Mason to make a bowl game with the SEC schedule and facing Notre Dame.

SEC West

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

Projected Record: 13-0 (8-0 SEC)

The defending National Champions shouldn’t fall off. The national media is making it out like there is a quarterback controversy. There is none… Tua is the starter. The offense is loaded at Running Back with Damien Harris and Najee Harris. The receivers are young and talented. To cap it off four out of the five offensive lineman are back. Expect Alabama to average 40 points per game.

The defense should stay elite with the front seven. Defensive lineman Raekwon Davis and Isaiah Buggs lead up front. Inside linebackers Mack Wilson and Dylan Moses also make a dynamic duo.

The secondary remains the one unknown. Deionte Thompson is a dynamic safety, but there are young, unproven corners that will have to step up. The schedule sets up well with Louisville the only Power 5 test for nonconference play. A trip to LSU for a Saturday night game could be tricky as well.

2. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Projected Record: 10-2 (6-2 SEC)

Just because Dan Mullen is gone doesn’t mean this team isn’t talented. Nick Fitzgerald leads an experienced offense that includes 1000-yard rusher Aeris Williams and four of the five offensive line starters.

The defensive line is the strength of a defense, led by sack leader Montez Sweat and former five star Jeffrey Simmons. The defense was ranked 10th in the nation last year and should be good again. The schedule sets up nicely with SEC East matchups against Kentucky and Florida, as well as a home game against Auburn. Look for Mississippi State to compete in the West and possibly finish as a top ten team.

3. Auburn Tigers

Projected Record: 9-3 (5-3 SEC)

The Tigers should be back challenging for the SEC even after blowing it in the bowl game against UCF. Jarrett Stidham is one of the most talented passers in college football and has his favorite target back with WR Ryan Davis. However, the offense will have to overcome losing RB Kerryon Johnson and an inexperienced offensive line.

The defensive line is solid with Marlon Davidson, Derrick Brown and Dotavius Russell. However, the secondary has some concerns. The schedule is tough with games against Washington, Alabama, Mississippi State and Georgia.

4. LSU Tigers

Projected Record: 9-3 (5-3 SEC)

LSU has the same story every year, will the offense be at least decent? The quarterback competition is between Ohio State transfer Joe Burrow and Myles Brennan after LSU has had two transfers. Jonathan Giles is a talented WR transfer from Texas Tech that should help the new signal caller out.

The defense is LSU’s strength again with defensive lineman Breidan Fehoko (Texas Tech transfer), Ed Alexander and Rashard Lawrence. LSU’s tackle leader, Devin White, is back again along with one of the best corners in college football, Greedy Williams. LSU has a tough season opener in Arlington, TX against Miami.

5. Ole Miss Rebels

Projected Record: 7-5 (3-5 SEC)

Everyone counts out Ole Miss because of all the turnover and mess left over from the Hugh Freeze scandal. Ole Miss’s roster still has a lot of talent on it especially on the offensive side of the ball. Jordan Ta’amu is a talented QB who played just as good and maybe even better than Shea Patterson. Ole Miss also has one of the best receiving units in the country with DK Metcalf, AJ Brown, and Demarkus Lodge.

The defense will be the weakness coming off a season where they were ranked 124th against the run. Ole Miss starts off with a game against Texas Tech, but the SEC schedule isn’t too bad with their SEC East opponents being Vanderbilt and South Carolina.

6. Texas A&M Aggies

Projected Record: 6-6 (3-5 SEC)

The Jimbo Fisher era has started at Texas A&M. The first major decision he will need to make is whether Nick Starkel or Kellen Mond is the starter. Outside of the quarterback position they have talented young wide receivers led by Jhamon Ausbon. Running back they return 800-yard rusher Trayveon Williams.

The defense has a few bright spots with linebacker Otaro Alaka and defensive lineman Kingsley Keke. They will need to improve especially after allowing 55 points to Wake Forest in their bowl game. Texas A&M has a tough home game against Clemson and along with questions along the offensive line and defense, it could be a tough first year for Jimbo Fisher.

7. Arkansas Razorbacks

Projected Record: 6-6 (2-6 SEC)

The Razorbacks are coming off a tough 4-8 season and new coach Chad Morris is in charge now. Last season Arkansas finished 94th offensively and 102nd in defensively in the nation. The offense does return a veteran offensive line and a good running back with Devwah Whaley. Cole Kelley should be the new starting quarterback.

On defense there is talent to work with linebackers De’Jon Harris and Dre Greenlaw. The new defensive coordinator John Chavis is one of the best in the business so a turnaround could happen. The schedule sets up decently for Arkansas with no tough non-conference games and SEC East opponents Missouri and Vanderbilt. A bowl game would be the step in the right direction.

NFL Round 2 Mock Draft

April 27, 2018 Tyler Vesely Leave a comment

Round 2

Pick	Name	Position	School	Height	Weight
33	Harold Landry	DE	Boston College	6’2″	252
34	Connor Williams	OT	Texas	6’5″	296
35	Ronald Jones	RB	USC	5’11”	205
36	Derris Guice	RB	LSU	5’11”	224
37	Lorenzo Carter	OLB	Georgia	6’5″	250
38	Joshua Jackson	CB	Iowa	6’0″	196
39	Will Hernandez	OG	UTEP	6’3″	327
40	Isaiah Oliver	CB	Colorado	6’0″	201
41	Donte Jackson	CB	LSU	5’11”	178
42	Nathan Shepherd	DT	Fort Hays St.	6’4″	315
43	Mason Rudolph	QB	Oklahoma St.	6’5″	235
44	Ronnie Harrison	S	Alabama	6’2″	207
45	Courtland Sutton	WR	SMU	6’3″	218
46	Harrison Phillips	DT	Stanford	6’3″	303
47	Carlton Davis	CB	Auburn	6’1″	206
48	Chukwuma Okorafor	OT	Western Michigan	6’6″	320
49	D.J. Chark	WR	LSU	6’3″	199
50	James Washington	WR	Oklahoma St.	5’11”	210
51	Dallas Goedert	TE	South Dakota St.	6’5″	260
52	Jessie Bates	S	Wake Forest	6’1″	200
53	Justin Reid	S	Stanford	6’1″	207
54	Anthony Averett	CB	Alabama	5’11”	183
55	Mark Andrews	TE	Oklahoma	6’5″	256
56	James Daniels	C	Iowa	6’3″	306
57	Christian Kirk	WR	Texas A&M	5’10”	201
58	Austin Corbett	OG	Nevada	6’4″	306
59	Anthony Miller	WR	Memphis	5’11”	201
60	Mike Gesicki	TE	Penn St.	6’6″	247
61	Dante Pettis	WR	Washington	6’1″	186
62	Fred Warner	OLB	BYU	6’4″	235
63	Sam Hubbard	DE	Ohio St.	6’5″	270
64	Tyrell Crosby	OT	Oregon	6’5″	309

College Football, NFL Draft

Final NFL Mock Draft 2018

April 26, 2018 Tyler Vesely Leave a comment

Round 1

PICK	TEAM	NAME	POSITION	SCHOOL	HEIGHT	WEIGHT
1		Baker Mayfield	QB	Oklahoma	6’0″	216
1	With the recent news, it looks like Baker is on his way to the Browns. Browns get their future quarterback to build around, but leave the best QB in the draft on the board. At least they didn’t make the mistake of taking Josh Allen. With 4 picks in the top 35, Cleveland could be on the brink of turning the corner.
2		Saquon Barkley	RB	Penn St.	6’0″	233
2	The Giants get another weapon to use on offense. Barkley is a blue chip player who the offense will be built around for years to come. Eli Manning is 37 years old and there is no long term replacement so Sam Darnold could be an option. But I think the Giants want another playmaker and end up going with Barkley.
3		Sam Darnold	QB	USC	6’3″	221
3	Jets traded up in order to secure a top notch quarterback. I’m sure they were not anticipating Darnold being here, but they somehow end up with the best quarterback in the draft. Someone could hop the Jets with a trade for the second pick with the Giants in order to secure Darnold. In that scenario, I believe they would select Rosen and still be happy.
4		Bradley Chubb	DE	NC State	6’4″	269
4	They locked up their franchise with the first pick and acquire a blue chip player Bradley Chubb. The combination of Chubb and Garrett at defensive end should be a nightmare to opposing offensive lines.
5		Josh Allen	QB	Wyoming	6’5″	238
5	I believe that in this scenario Denver would probably trade back, most likely with Buffalo. However, I believe that quarterback could still be in play. Josh Allen has a lot of the qualities John Elway looks for in a quarterback and could be the call here.
6		Roquan Smith	ILB	Georgia	6’1″	236
6	Colts have one of the worst rosters in the NFL. Roquan Smith is a talented player that could be a cornerstone to the Colts defense. He’s a three down player who could be an instant impact player on this defense.
7		Denzel Ward	CB	Ohio St.	5’11”	183
7	Brent Grimes is 34 and Hargreaves is a better nickel cornerback. Denzel Ward is by far the most talented corner in this years draft and could go as high as 4. Ward gives Tampa Bay some depth and talent at corner.
8		Quenton Nelson	OG	Notre Dame	6’5″	325
8	The Bears moved on from Josh Sitton at guard, and Nelson would be an immediate starter on the line. Having Nelson fall this far would be a tremendous win for the Bears as a great match between talent and need.
9		Minkah Fitzpatrick	S	Alabama	6’0″	204
9	The 49ers have one of the best players in the draft fall to them thanks to the amount of quarterbacks taken. John Lynch loves big school talent and I believe will pick Fitzpatrick with this pick. 49ers are in a shaky position at linebacker with Reuben Foster so Tremaine Edmunds could be an option here.
10		Tremaine Edmunds	OLB	Virginia Tech	6’5″	253
10	The Raiders need an upgrade at weakside linebacker. Edmunds is only 19 years old and extremely athletic. The addition of Edmunds improves this defense right away.
11		Josh Rosen	QB	UCLA	6’4″	226
11	A great scenario where a good quarterback falls right in the Dolphins lap. The Dolphins are in a prime position to add a quarterback of the future either by moving up or hoping one falls. In this instance, Rosen is the Dolphins answer at quarterback.
12		Leighton Vander Esch	OLB	Boise St.	6’4″	256
12	Vänder Esch is a late riser in this draft and is a perfect fit with the Bills. The Bills need an upgrade at the outside linebacker position. Vander Esch is an athletic, tackling machine that could be an impact player at the next level
13		Vita Vea	DT	Washington	6’4″	347
13	The Redskins went defensive line last year with Jonathan Allen, but it still remains a need. Vea is one of my favorite players in the draft as a strong, athletic freak that man handles offensive lineman. The addition of Vea turns the Redskins defensive line from a weakness to a strength.
14		Joshua Jackson	CB	Iowa	6’0″	196
14	Green Bay’s secondary is by far the biggest need. While Calvin Ridley does look like an attractive option to pair with Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, and Jimmy Graham, improving the defense is the biggest concern. Joshua Jackson was a ballhawk at Iowa and could step into this secondary right away. Moving up for Minkah Fitzpatrick could also be a viable option.
15		Calvin Ridley	WR	Alabama	6’1″	189
15	The Cardinals will be looking for a quarterback at some point in the draft to replace retired Carson Palmer, but receiver also remains a need. With the number 1 receiver still on the board the Cardinals take a chance at trying to find Larry Fitzgerald’s future replacement.
16		Marcus Davenport	DE	UTSA	6’6″	259
16	Terrell Suggs is not getting any younger. Davenport is a little bit of a project on the edge, but is exactly what you look for as a 3-4 edge rusher with his length. I believe Ozzie Newsome takes a chance at a potential great pass rusher with this pick.
17		Derwin James	S	Florida St.	6’2″	215
17	A dream scenario for the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers corner position is highly talented, but the safety position needs a major overhaul. Derwin James is a highly talented safety. If James isn’t there, an offensive lineman is probably the most likely option.
18		Connor Williams	OT	Texas	6’5″	296
18	The Seahawks offensive line needs an overhaul. Williams played left tackle at Texas, but could possibly be kicked inside to guard. A versatile offensive lineman is exactly what Seattle needs.
19		Da’ron Payne	DT	Alabama	6’3″	311
19	Dallas lacks depth on the interior defensive line. Payne has star potential, but will need to improve his consistency. A wide receiver is a possibility, but there doesn’t seem to be a receiver worth the 19th pick in this draft.
20		Taven Bryan	DT	Florida	6’5″	291
20	The Lions hit on the draft two years ago with A’Shawn Robinson at defensive tackle. They could try that again with Bryan. Bryan has a high upside and is more of a pass rusher. He is a boom or bust prospect that could booster this Lions defensive line.
21		Rashaan Evans	ILB	Alabama	6’2″	232
21	Vontaze Burfict is suspended for four games and the Bengals need to revamp their linebacking core. Evans is a versatile linebacker who shouldn’t drop below here. Evans and Bengals would be a great match.
22		Lamar Jackson	QB	Louisville	6’2″	216
22	Yes he is a QB. Given the chance, Lamar could be a very successful NFL starter. He has a lot of zip in his passes, but will need to improve his intermediate accuracy. Lamar is going to be a matchup nightmare for defensive coordinators when he gets a shot to start.
23		Mike McGlinchey	OT	Notre Dame	6’8″	309
23	The Patriots have a major need at left tackle after Nate Solder left. Mike McGlinchey is one of the top tackles in a weak class and could be a potential starting left tackle on this team.
24		Jaire Alexander	CB	Louisville	5’10”	196
24	The Panthers need some star power at the cornerback position opposite of James Bradberry. Jaire is one of the best corners in the draft and also adds return ability for the Panthers.
25		Harold Landry	OLB	Boston College	6’2″	252
25	The Titans need pass rushers on the defense. Having Landry fall all the way to 25 would be a perfect scenario for a defense that needs to improve.
26		Maurice Hurst	DT	Michigan	6’1″	292
26	The Falcons lost Dontari Poe to the Carolina Panthers. Therefore defensive tackle is one of the Falcons biggest needs. Maurice Hurst is an incredibly quick 3 technique that could compete for time early. The Falcons will hope he can have the same kind of success as Grady Jarrett.
27		Hayden Hurst	TE	South Carolina	6’5″	250
27	The Saints lost out on getting Jimmy Graham back and Coby Fleener has not lived up to his free agent contract. Hayden Hurst is an athletic and versatile tight end that could fit the Saints need.
28		Mike Hughes	CB	UCF	5’10”	189
28	The secondary for the Steelers is the weakness of the team. Mike Hughes would help out this unit along with possibly the return game as well.
29		Isaiah Wynn	OG	Georgia	6’3″	308
29	The Jags defense is very good. The offense is the thing holding the team back. Wynn gives the Jaguars a plug and play guard that will help bolster the offensive line.
30		James Daniels	C	Iowa	6’3″	306
30	The Vikings got a steal last year in Ohio State Center Pat Elflein. Adding James Daniels could push the Vikings interior line to the next level. Elflein or Daniels could be moved to guard.
31		Isaiah Oliver	CB	Colorado	6’0″	201
31	As seen in the Super Bowl, the secondary needs some help. Isaiah Oliver is a highly athletic corner with good ball skills. With Malcolm Butler moving on to the Titans, Isaiah Oliver could start opposite of Stephon Gilmore.
32		Ronnie Harrison	S	Alabama	6’2″	207

Round 2

Pick	Name	Position	School	Height	Weight
33	Ronald Jones	RB	USC	5’11”	205
34	Will Hernandez	OG	UTEP	6’3″	327
35	Kolton Miller	OT	UCLA	6’9″	309
36	Derris Guice	RB	LSU	5’11”	224
37	D.J. Moore	WR	Maryland	6’0″	210
38	Sony Michel	RB	Georgia	5’11”	214
39	Lorenzo Carter	OLB	Georgia	6’5″	250
40	Frank Ragnow	C	Arkansas	6’5″	307
41	Donte Jackson	CB	LSU	5’11”	178
42	Nathan Shepherd	DT	Fort Hays St.	6’4″	315
43	Mason Rudolph	QB	Oklahoma St.	6’5″	235
44	Billy Price	C	Ohio St.	6’4″	305
45	Courtland Sutton	WR	SMU	6’3″	218
46	Harrison Phillips	DT	Stanford	6’3″	303
47	Carlton Davis	CB	Auburn	6’1″	206
48	Chukwuma Okorafor	OT	Western Michigan	6’6″	320
49	Arden Key	DE	LSU	6’5″	238
50	James Washington	WR	Oklahoma St.	5’11”	210
51	Austin Corbett	DG	Nevada	6’4″	306
52	Mark Andrews	TE	Oklahoma	6’5″	256
53	D.J. Chark	WR	LSU	6’3″	199
54	Anthony Averett	CB	Alabama	5’11”	183
55	Dallas Goedert	TE	South Dakota St.	6’5″	260
56	Tyrell Crosby	OT	Oregon	6’5″	309
57	Christian Kirk	WR	Texas A&M	5’10”	201
58	Jessie Bates	S	Wake Forest	6’1″	200
59	Anthony Miller	WR	Memphis	5’11”	201
60	Mike Gesicki	TE	Penn St.	6’6″	247
61	Dante Pettis	WR	Washington	6’1″	186
62	Fred Warner	OLB	BYU	6’4″	235
63	Sam Hubbard	DE	Ohio St.	6’5″	270
64	Justin Reid	S	Stanford	6’1″	207

College Football, NFL Draft

NFL Draft Fever’s Top 200 Players

April 26, 2018 Tyler Vesely Leave a comment

Top 40

I believe Chubb, Nelson, Barkley, Darnold and Fitzpatrick are the tier 1 talent of this draft. Chubb has that combination of having a great motor, but also the athleticism to give offensive tackles a lot of trouble. Nelson is the one player who really does not have many weaknesses. Saquon has rare athleticism as a running back, but will need to improve his vision in the NFL. Fitzpatrick is a do everything defensive back who will thrive with his versatility.

After that I believe Rashann Evans could be the steal of the draft. He can play inside or outside linebacker and does have edge rushing talent. Denzel Ward is by far the most talented corner in this draft with great man coverage skills. Leighton Vander Esch (LVE) gets a lot of hate for being a linebacker from Boise State, but he is a player. He is athletic and is always around the ball. He will need to improve getting off blocks to be a successful NFL player.

The bottom half of the first round has a ton of talented interior offensive lineman including James Daniels, Will Hernandez, Isaiah Wynn, and Billy Price. One guy that will most likely go first round that I am not the biggest fan of is Courtland Sutton. He is a big height-weight-speed guy, but does not always play to his size and does not get the best seperation. He could develop into a good NFL wide receiver, but he will have to improve on his route running in order to get separation at the next level.

Finally, one of my favorite second round guys is Nathan Shepherd from Fort Hays State. He may have played DII football, but he constantly was causing problems even when double and even triple teamed. Shepherd has the size and athleticism to translate into a very good NFL defensive lineman.

Best of the Rest

College Football, NFL Draft

NFL Draft Fever Position Rankings-Defense/ST

April 26, 2018 Tyler Vesely Leave a comment

College Football, NFL Draft

NFL Draft Fever Position Rankings-Offense

April 26, 2018 Tyler Vesely Leave a comment

College Football, NFL Draft

NFL Mock Draft 2018

February 27, 2018 Tyler Vesely Leave a comment

Round 1

PICK	TEAM	NAME	POSITION	SCHOOL	HEIGHT	WEIGHT
1		Sam Darnold	QB	USC	6’4″	225
1	Browns get their future quarterback to build around and the best QB in the draft.
2		Josh Rosen	QB	UCLA	6’4″	220
2	Eli Manning is 37 years old and there is no long term replacement. Rosen fills that role.
3		Bradley Chubb	DE	North Carolina St.	6’3″	275
3	Colts need a major talent upgrade to their roster. They get one of the top players in the draft and fill a defensive line need.
4		Minkah Fitzpatrick	S	Alabama	6’1″	201
4	Minkah would be a major upgrade for the Browns and would add versatility to the secondary.
5		Baker Mayfield	QB	Oklahoma	6’0″	216
5	Denver coached him at the Senior Bowl. John Elway takes a chance that Baker can translate that college success into nfl success
6		Saquon Barkley	RB	Penn St.	5’11”	223
6	Barkley slides a little due to the running back depth in the draft. Jets add an instant impact player for the offense.
7		Denzel Ward	CB	Ohio St.	5’10”	191
7	Brent Grimes is 34 and a pending free agent and hargreaves is a better nickel cornerback. Ward gives Tampa Bay some depth and talent at corner.
8		Quenton Nelson	OG	Notre Dame	6’5″	325
8	The Bears moved on from Josh Sitton at guard, Nelson would be an immediate starter on the line. this is a great match between talent and need.
9		Tremaine Edmunds	OLB	Virginia Tech	6’5″	250
9	49ers are in a shaky position at linebacker with the arrest of Reuben Foster and both the outside linebacker positions needing upgrades. Tremaine Edmunds is an athletic freak and one of the best tacklers in the draft.
10		Roquan Smith	ILB	Georgia	6’0″	225
10	The Raiders need an upgrade at weakside linebacker. Roquan Smith is a three down linebacker that will fit this need. if Navorro Bowman leaves that will increase the need.
11		Rashaan Evans	ILB	Alabama	6’2″	234
11	Evans is a do it all linebacker who can rush the passer on the edge or play the inside. This will add to the Dolphins linebacking unit that they’ve been trying to upgrade for years.
12		Orlando Brown	OT	Oklahoma	6’8″	355
12	Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher have been disappointing at tackle. Orlando Brown gives the bengals a potential franchise tackle for their offensive line.
13		Derwin James	S	Florida St.	6’3″	211
13	The Redskins need an upgrade at safety. Derwin james has star potential and would be a nice fit in Washington.
14		Vita Vea	DT	Washington	6’5″	344
14	New defensive coordinator likes a 3-4 nose tackle. Vita Vea is an absolute terror on the defensive line and would be a great fit for a Packers line that lacks depth.
15		Josh Allen	QB	Wyoming	6’5″	233
15	With the retirement of Carson Palmer, the cardinals are without a longterm option at QB. Allen could be that QB that the Cardinals take a chance on.
16		Calvin Ridley	WR	Alabama	6’1″	190
16	Ozzie Newsome loves himself some Alabama players. Jeremy Maclin is getting older and Mike Wallace could be gone in free agency. Ridley would be the ideal Mike Wallace replacement.
17		Connor Williams	OT	Texas	6’6″	320
17	The Chargers offensive line is aging. Connor Williams is a nice option as a future left tackle or kick him inside to guard.
18		Joshua Jackson	CB	Iowa	6’1″	192
18	Corner has gone from a position of strength to a need. Joshua Jackson has the height seattle looks for and the ball hawking ability.
19		Da’ron Payne	DT	Alabama	6’2″	308
19	Dallas lacks depth on the interior defensive line. Payne has star potential, but will need to improve his consistency.
20		Marcus Davenport	DE	UTSA	6’6″	259
20	Even with giving Ansah the franchise tag they still need someone on the opposite side adding a pass rush. Davenport has the potential to be a very good defensive end in the league.
21		Maurice Hurst	DT	Michigan	6’2″	282
21	The Bills need interior defensive line help. Hurst has rare pass rush ability for a DT and can help the bills on defense.
22		Lamar Jackson	QB	Louisville	6’3″	200
22	Yes he is a QB. Given the chance, lamar could be a very successful NFL starter. He has a lot of zip in his passes, but will need to improve his intermediate accuracy.
23		Mike Hughes	CB	Central Florida	5’11”	191
23	Even with acquiring Marcus Peters, the Rams still need corner help. Mike Hughes adds another playmaker to the Rams defense.
24		James Washington	WR	Oklahoma St.	5’11”	210
24	Cam Newton needs help at receiver. Washington adds a playmaker to the panthers receiving core.
25		Arden Key	DE	LSU	6’6″	238
25	Key has the talent to go much higher, but has some off the field issues. The Titans could take a chance on him adding a premier pass rusher to their defense.
26		Harrison Phillips	DT	Stanford	6’3″	303
26	The Falcons will likely lose Dontari Poe. Harrison Phillips is a possible replacement.
27		Harold Landry	OLb	Boston College	6’2″	250
27	This would be ideal for the Saints to add a pass rusher like Landry. Landry had an injury filled 2017, but is a talented edge rusher when healthy.
28		Ronnie Harrison	S	Alabama	6’3″	214
28	The secondary for the steelers is the weakness of the team. Adding a hard hitting, playmaking like Ronnie Harrison could change that.
29		Isaiah Wynn	OG	Georgia	6’3″	308
29	The Jags defense is very good. The offense is the thing holding the team back. Wynn gives the Jaguars a plug and play guard that will help bolster the offensive line.
30		Billy Price	C	Ohio St.	6’3″	312
30	The Vikings got a steal last year in Ohio State Center Pat Elflein. Billy Price could push the Vikings interior line to the next level as Price can be moved to guard.
31		Isaiah Oliver	CB	Colorado	6’1″	190
31	As seen in the super bowl the secondary needs some help. Isaiah Oliver is a highly athletic corner with good ball skills. With malcolm Butler Likely moving on he could start opposite of Stephon Gilmore.
32		Mike McGlinchey	OT	Notre Dame	6’7″	310

NFL Draft

2018 Draft Fever’s Big Board

January 6, 2018 Tyler Vesely Leave a comment

Top Ten Players:

1. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State– Barkley does not have a clear weakness and is a special player. He is a tough runner, but has an added toughness to him. Along with this he has the athleticism to run away or jump over defenders. Barkley runs with great balance as well. In the passing game he is a natural catcher of the football. Barkley leads a loaded 2018 running back class.

2. Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State– His cousin Nick Chubb, running back for Georgia, received more headlines at the beginning of his college career, but it is Bradley that will be the higher draft pick. He is a relentless rusher that plays with a great motor. Throughout the entire season Chubb was a disruptive player with North Carolina State finishing with 10 Sacks and 23 TFLs. Chubb has the athleticism and the ability to bend around the corner you look for with a top defensive end prospect.

3. Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama– The leader of the Alabama secondary is one of the most versatile players in the draft. Early in his college career Fitzpatrick started at cornerback before eventually moving to safety. Fitzpatrick displays the combination of the coverage skills of a corner and the ball hawking ability of a safety. Fitzpatrick is a playmaker finishing his Alabama career with 9 INTs and 4 of those returned for a touchdown. His scheme versatility is a secondary coaches dream.

4. Sam Darnold, QB, USC– A lot was written, tweeted and posted about how Darnold was not ready for the NFL after a poor performance by the USC offense against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Darnold faced constant pressure with the Ohio State defensive line dominating the USC offensive line. It was not Darnold’s best performance, but he still displayed the skill set which I believe makes him the top quarterback in the draft. Darnold has a great pocket presence with a live arm. He is tough enough to stay in the pocket and make a throw, but at times tries to do too much and it leads to fumbles and interceptions. The combination of his great arm and accuracy makes him the top quarterback in this class.

5. Arden Key, DE, LSU– Heading into the year Arden Key was my top rated player. Key had a good, but not a great final season. He started the season slow with an offseason that included time away from the team. However, Key’s upside is through the roof. Key displays rare athleticism and bend for an edge rusher. If he can put it all together he could be the top player in this year’s draft.

6. Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson– One of my favorite players in this year’s draft. Ferrell has flashed over the past two years as Clemson’s premier pass rusher. He is a very good pass rusher and has the size to hold up in the run game. Ferrell finished the year with 9.5 sacks. He also is known as a high character guy. After the Alabama loss he offered one of the reporters to be the person to represent Clemson if they had any questions.

7. Vita Vea, DT, Washington– Vea is a guy who has shot up my draft rankings from my first initial scouting report. He is a huge defensive tackle listed at 6’5 344 lbs, but he can move with the best of them. Vea throws offensive lineman around and takes up a massive amount of space. A few times he has literally held up offensive lineman with one arm. He is equally disruptive as a pass rusher and a run stopper. Washington moved him all around the defensive line, and I believe he has some scheme versatility at the next level.

8. Rashaan Evans, ILB, Alabama– Evans developed into the leader of the Alabama defense during his senior year. He is also one of the most athletic linebackers in this years draft and flies around the football field. Alabama moved Evans around this season and he displayed great edge rushing ability as well. The versatility along the different linebacker positions makes Evans an early first round pick.

9. Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame– Nelson is an instant plug and play starter at the offensive guard position. As a run blocker, he is one of the best with a very powerful punch. He finishes his blocks and absolutely dominated some defensive lineman. Nelson has the athleticism to pull and get to the second level. A team picking early will get a good starter with Nelson.

10. Roquan Smith, ILB, Georgia– The leader of the Georgia defense, Smith had a great Junior season. He is a smart, rangy linebacker that can play all three downs. Against Oklahoma he was exposed a little in the first half for not being able to disengage from offensive lineman. However, his athleticism, instincts, and tackling makes him a first round pick.

11-30:

College Football

Midway Review of the AP Top 25

October 24, 2017 Tyler Vesely Leave a comment

We are over half way through the College Football season and other than Alabama, I have no idea who is good. The final games late in the season should make the playoff and bowl picture more clear. But taking into account what has already happened this season here are a few problems I have with the AP top 25 rankings:

No love for Notre Dame

I’ve been talking about how underrated Notre Dame is for the past few weeks. The “usually most overrated” program in college football has been far under the radar after their 4-8 season. The rest of the country is finally starting to pick-up after their beat down of USC.

Still, Notre Dame should be ranked higher than 9. The only loss was a one-point game at home against, in my opinion, the second best team in the nation Georgia. They’ve also blown out every other team they’ve faced including USC. I think there is a case for Notre Dame to be ranked as high as number five and if they beat NC State this weekend, they should absolutely be a top 5 team. This includes being ranked over teams like Wisconsin and Miami who have yet to face a solid opponent.

Ohio State being ranked above Notre Dame makes absolutely no sense. This brings me to point number 2.

2. Ohio State ranked way too high

Apparently if you get blown out at home, all you have to do is play UNLV, Army, Rutgers, Maryland and Nebraska then everyone will forget. Ohio State has only beaten one team with a winning record and that team was Army.

What is even crazier is they are ranked above Oklahoma, THE TEAM THAT BEAT THEM IN THEIR HOUSE BY 18 POINTS. I know Oklahoma hasn’t been playing their best football, but the College Football playoff committee has proven time and time again that when two teams have a similar resume, head to head is very important. Yet, Oklahoma is ranked 10 and Ohio State is all the way up to 6.

Clemson has beaten top 25 teams Virginia Tech and Auburn, but for some reason voters have Ohio State ranked higher. A win against Penn State will be a major resume booster, but for now they have nowhere near the credentials to be ranked 6th.

3. Georgia has a better resume than Penn State and TCU

I don’t have as big a problem with this because their resumes are so close, but I believe Georgia should be the number 2 ranked team. Georgia has the best win out of anybody in the country, a win on the road against Notre Dame. They also have a blow-out win against a fringe top 25 team Mississippi State. Other than the Notre Dame game, they’ve blown out everyone.

Penn State had an impressive win against Michigan, but they’re not even a top 25 team. And that is their best win. Other than that it has been mostly blowouts other than a close 2-point win over Iowa. I wouldn’t consider moving them up to number 2 unless they beat Ohio State this week.

Finally, TCU is undefeated with a decent resume. Their best win is at Oklahoma State and also have a top 25 win against West Virginia. They’ve won the games they needed to win by a decent margin. Honestly they even have a better resume than Penn State right now, but not a better resume than Georgia.

4. Can someone explain to me how LSU is ranked

I swear, voters have the memory of a gold fish. The month of September LSU lost by 30 points to Mississippi State and also lost to Troy. A win against Auburn has made everyone forget about this. How are you going to rank LSU in the top 25, but not Mississippi State when they beat LSU in Death Valley by 30? The Auburn win is nice, but it does not erase the terrible month of September.

5. UCF has a better resume than USF

This is where voters cling onto their preseason rankings and don’t take a fresh look at the resumes. South Florida has not played a team with more than 3 wins and their opponents overall record is 13-33. They beat an average Tulane team this past weekend by only 6 points.

UCF is the exact opposite. They smoked 24th ranked Memphis by 27 points and also beat a good Navy team by 10 points this past weekend. Ranking South Florida above UCF is idiotic and shouldn’t even be a discussion at this point.

The good news is both teams play each other at the end of the year which could decide who goes to a New Year’s Six bowl.

Here is how I would vote the top 25:

1. Alabama

2. Georgia

3. TCU

4. Penn State

5. Wisconsin

6. Notre Dame

7. Miami

8. Clemson

9. Oklahoma

10. Ohio State

11. Virginia Tech

12. Oklahoma State

13. NC State

14. Washington

15. UCF

16. Washington State

17. Michigan State

18. West Virginia

19. Auburn

20. South Florida

21. Texas A&M

22. USC

23. Stanford

24. Iowa St.

25. Mississippi State

College Football

Week 2 College Football Picks

September 8, 2017 Tyler Vesely Leave a comment

Tyler Vesely’s Season Record: 7-4

A lot of Road Underdogs and Over picks in week 2. Here are the picks:

Best Bet of the Week

South Carolina +3 @ Mizzou

South Carolina beat a good NC State team. Missouri’s defense is garbage and gives up a ton of points. I think South Carolina actually wins by double digits. Easy Money.

Friday Night Game

Oklahoma State @ South Alabama, Over 67

Oklahoma State can put up points… they also can give up a decent amount of points. South Alabama scored 27 points against Ole Miss, which means if they do the same Oklahoma State just has to score 40 points. The over is the right pick here.

Saturday Games

Oklahoma +7½ @ Ohio State

Ohio State’s secondary is not good, but they do have a good defensive line. However, Oklahoma has one of the most elusive quarterback and one of the best offensive line in the country. I think it is a close game the Oklahoma ends up winning in Columbus.

Stanford +6 @ USC, Over 55

USC will score points and Stanford showed by putting up 62 points the first week they can too. USC did not look great the first week and Stanford is getting 6 points? Give me the over and Stanford.

Clemson @ Auburn, Over 54

Clemson’s quarterback showed me enough in the first game that this team will still score points. Auburn will move fast too and has a new, very good quarterback in Jarrett Stidham. I am expecting a close 35-30 game that could go either way.

Georgia +6 @ Notre Dame

6 points??? Yes please. I get Georgia won’t have Eason , but Jacob Fromm did decent in the first week. The Georgia defense also held an underrated Appalachian State offense to just ten points. I think this is a game that Georgia actually wins. Georgia and give me the points too.

Minnesota +2 @ Oregon State

It worries me Minnesota traveling to Oregon State, but the Beavers are just not good. They squeaked by last week in a 3 point win over Portland State. I’m Rowing the Boat with Coach Fleck and saying Minnesota will bounce back after an unimpressive performance against Buffalo.

Iowa -2½ @ Iowa State

Iowa pummels Iowa State every year. Think this year is closer, but Iowa still wins more than a touchdown.

Louisville @ North Carolina Over 62½

Lamar Jackson and the Louisville offense will put up a lot of points. North Carolina put up 30 points last week against Cal and the Louisville defense didn’t do so great against Purdue. I think it ends up being a 42-31 game with Louisville winning.