South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Prospects you should want on your favorite team
Prospects you should want on your favorite team
Dolphins columnist Omar Kelly has had a respectable run of having Miami draft picks — Tua Tagovailoa, Noah Igbinoghene, Mike
Pouncey, Olivier Vernon, Kendall Langford, Sean Smith, Clyde Gates, Lamar Miller, Mike Gillislee and
Cedric Thompson — on his annual man-crush list over the years.
Take a look at the 2021 prospects he’d bang his fist on the table for if he were an NFL executive during the draft, and why and where he’d select them.
Tulsa LB Zaven Collins
Collins’ combination of size (6-5, 260), athleticism and instincts make him one of the few linebackers who can play anywhere, in any scheme. His game and build remind me of Minnesota’s Anthony Barr.
He’s not a natural rusher (7 ½ sacks in 32 games) when turned loose off the edges, and that will likely keep this elite talent from being among this draft’s top-15 selections. But his nonstop motor, and high football character gives Collins a chance to become a Day 1 starter, one who should be able to anchor a defense once he adjusts to the speed of the pro game.
Alabama RB Najee Harris
Harris is a big, powerful jump-cut runner who possesses phenomenal hands (80 receptions for 781 yards and 11 touchdowns in four seasons). There isn’t a hole in his game, and while people knock his speed (which hasn’t been timed), there’s plenty of film of him running away from defenders.
He’s handled a ton of carries (638) in college, and he might not last longer than five or six seasons playing at an elite level in the NFL. But Harris is a top-15 talent in this draft class and should be the first tailback taken. Five teams — Cardinals (No. 16), Dolphins (No. 18), Jets (No. 23), Steelers (No. 24) and Bills (No. 30) — could select him in the first round.
North Carolina State DT Alim McNeill
McNeill plays everything from 3-technique to 0-technique and has a knack for collapsing the pocket and disrupting running and throwing lanes because of his stout frame. His low center of gravity makes him perfectly suited for a 3-4 scheme, and if accompanied by the right players on the defensive line, the 6-foot-1, 317-pounder could have a Pro Bowl career.
For now, he’s a rotational nose tackle who will handle 500 snaps a season, which means he’ll likely be taken in the third round. If he’s still available on Day 3 of the draft, run to the podium to select him.
LSU LB Jabari Cox
Whether it’s his North Dakota State film or his LSU film (he transferred because of COVID-19), Cox’s play speed is faster than everyone else on the field. His ability to
diagnose plays fast is the reason he’s a fast-following linebacker, with the range to play sideline to sideline.
He’ll carve out a role for himself as a coverage specialist early but will likely have multiple 100-tackle seasons as a three-down linebacker. Some 4-3 team will fall in love and select him in the second or third round.
Wisconsin-Whitewater C Quinn Meinerz
Most evaluators have Meinerz pegged as the next Ali Marpet because he’s a small-school talent who used the Senior Bowl to show he can hang with talent from the big-name programs. Meinerz, who didn’t play football last season because COVID-19 shut down his school’s program, is an impressive athlete who plays with leg drive and leverage.
Because his tape doesn’t match what he showed at the Senior Bowl, there’s a high level of risk attached to this pick. But don’t be surprised if he’s taken at the end of the second round because there’s a limited amount of starting-caliber centers in this draft.
Louisville WR Tutu Atwell
Atwell, a South Florida product, has the speed to blow past defenders, taking the top off a defense much like Marquise Brown, whom the Ravens took in the first round of the 2018 draft. He also possesses the run-after-catch skills to be a dangerous playmaker on underneath routes.
However, Atwell’s small frame (5-9), and thin build (155 pounds) will scare off some teams. A team that views this field spacer as the missing piece to its offense will select him in the third or fourth round.
Notre Dame OG Aaron Banks
Banks is a powerful blocking guard who is a plug-and-play starter for a run-heavy offense. Banks’ film and Senior Bowl performance demonstrate that he moves people regularly.
He’s been well-coached, and should be viewed as a technician. But teams will hold his movement skills against him, and his medical report must be closely examined. For those reasons, he’ll be a Day 3 steal.
Miami TE Brevin Jordan
The Hurricanes have quietly been one of the best tight end-producing college programs, and Jordan seems to be next in line to carve out a respectable NFL career. This
6-3, 245-pounder is at his best when he’s running option routes, serving as a release value for his quarterback.
He turned 105 receptions into 1,358 yards and 13 touchdowns in his 31 games at UM, but is one dimensional. He needs work on his blocking, primarily with sustaining blocks. He should be more forceful for a player of his size, and that will likely keep him from being taken in the first three rounds.
South Carolina WR Shi Smith
Smith, who produced 2,204 receiving yards and scored 13 touchdowns in his four seasons with the Gamecocks, has the speed and ability to run away from defenders, which is needed to handle gadget plays such as jet sweeps.
His relatively small build (5-10, 185) and concerns about whether he’ll be durable in the NFL indicate that he’ll be available on Day 3. But Smith, who had a strong showing at the Senior Bowl, has the skill set needed to become an effective slot receiver, so don’t wait too late on Day 3 to select him.