Noles in NFL Training Camps

Florida State has quite the list of NFL players on current rosters. The list is about as impressive a list as humanly possible from one school. It of course was bolstered by a NFL record number of draftees over the past few drafts. Jimbo Fisher has done outstanding with player development and getting guys ready for the NFL. This list will help prove that. It is also a way to see which Noles will be doing what in the recently started training camps.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills

We start with the team that has become a pipeline for FSU. The Buffalo Bills have drafted several FSU players in the past including multiple draft selections in 2015 from Florida State. I will take a look at the list alphabetically and describe what each player will be competing for in training camp. The Bills have 9 Seminoles on their training camp roster which is more than any other team.

Nigel Bradham

The fourth year pro out of Crawfordville, FL is one of Bobby Bowden's most memorable final recruits. He was a hard-hitting linebacker in college and that has not changed in the pros. The only thing that has changed with Bradham is that he has become an even more disciplined players. One of the leaders and best players on Buffalo's defense, Bradham will be starting again in 2015. He will look to build off of last season where he had 104 tackles before his season was cut short due to injury.

Ronald Darby

The 50th pick in the 2015 NFL Draft has made an early impression at camp. All signs seem to be pointed towards Darby earning a starting job for his efforts in camp. He is competing for a starting cornerback spot and has been said to be the best cover corner that Buffalo has got so far. Should Leodis McKelvin's ankle injury linger, it makes it more likely that Darby will be a starting corner for Buffalo. The Bills best option though is for Darby snd McKelvin to be starting next to each other. 

Andre Fluellen

Fluellen is a 7 year journeyman that is looking to make the 53 man roster. There is no chance of him starting barring an injury as Buffalo has one of the most dominant defensive lines in football. There is a somewhat decent chance of him making the 53 man though.

EJ Manuel

The most interesting battle in this camp and perhaps in any camp is the QB battle here in Buffalo. This battle will be between Matt Cassell, Tyrod Taylor and former Seminole EJ Manuel. You saw in my post last week who I think will win the job. I still say Manuel wins the job and has an outstanding season, but there is a possibility that is not the case. The other two quarterbacks were not brought in to just back him up. They were brought in to compete for the starting quarterback job with Manuel. It is put up or shut up time for EJ and hopefully he seizes the opportunity.

Nick O'Leary

Nick O'Leary was my favorite Seminole this past season besides the QB. I really enjoyed him over his career as a Nole. He is competing for a spot as the #2 TE with 4 other guys. One or two of the group will be cut with the others getting some serious playing time most likely. O'Leary is coming off the devastating torn hamstring suffered in the Rose Bowl warmups. That injury seriously impacted his performance in that game, but he showed a great deal of toughness in powering through. Now that he is healed, he will need that toughness and then some to win some PT in the league.

Garrison Sanborn

Sanborn has done a fantastic job as the Bills long snapper and will be their distance snapper again in 2015.

Karlos Williams

Karlos Williams is competing for carries as the number 3 RB behind LeSean McCoy and Fred Jackson. He is also competing to take a few goal line carries. It is all but assured that he will be that 3rd back for the Bills. With Jackson currently injured though, there is a chance that Williams can move as high as the #2 RB.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins surprisingly have no Florida State Seminoles on their Training Camp roster.

New England Patriots

The Patriots won the Super Bowl last year with FSU rookie Bryan Stork as the starting center, Stork is joined on the offensive line currently by a former FSU teammate. This makes 2 Seminoles on the Patriot training camp roster.

Tre Jackson

Rookie Tre Jackson reunites with Stork and is competing to win a starting job. Jackson looks to not only start, but have the same impact that Stork had in 2014. The two make a powerful duo and Jackson is glad to reunite with Stork in New England. FSU's most consistent offensive lineman last season looks to start in New England.

Bryan Stork

Started last year and won a Super Bowl ring. After winning a national championship and a Super Bowl ring in a little over a year, nothing should change in the playing time department for Stork.

New York Jets

After a poor season saw their coach receive a pink slip, the Jets upgraded and added a Seminole to the team. They have just that one Seminole in camp.

Antonio Cromartie

Bad at keeping track of his kids, but good at keeping track of receivers. I enjoy Cromartie and his play on the field, but I am embarassed by his lack of parenting off of it. As one of the better corners in the league though, there is no doubt that Cromartie will start.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

Some Ravens rookies played huge roles for the Ravens in 2014 and those roles look to expand in the coming season. Those two Seminoles will look to get the Ravens another Super Bowl ring.

Terrance Brooks

Following an injury, Terrance Brooks is buried on the depth chart. He faces the possibility of being a roster casualty although I don't expect that to happen. There is still a chance that Brooks can compete for a starting job too, but that seems unlikely given his current position on the depth chart. Unfortunately for him, his NFL career may need to take flight somewhere else.

Timmy Jernigan

Timmy Jernigan seemed to have a very solid rookie season and really emerged in the playoffs. Now, with Haloti Ngata gone, he will really take center stage. Jernigan is going to start for the Ravens this season and they need him to play well. The team is really going to rely on a big season from the big man. Let's be honest too, there a few better to take that spotlight.

                                                                Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals only have 1 Seminole on their training camp roster and its a guy that had no impact in 2014.

James Wilder Jr.

Wilder is a guy that is loaded with talent and potential. If there was a recruit Jimbo had that was expected to do more, but didn't quite pan out, it is Wilder. However, Wilder has still been successful and had a decent career at FSU. While he did disappoint slightly at FSU everyone associated with the Noles would not be surprised of a breakout from Wilder. We are all rooting for it. Wilder is fighting for a spot on the 53 and a chance to make an impact.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns have one of the worst offensive rosters in football. One thing that Browns do have working for them though is that they have four Seminoles on their training camp roster.

Cameron Erving

Erving is competing for and will likely win an offensive line starting spot. He is likely to be the starting center for Cleveland. His versatility sure helps him and the Browns.

Kevin Haplea

Haplea is an unknown because he got such little playing time at Florida State behind Nick O'Leary. He was a transfer from Penn State (after the scandal) that played in mostly blocking situations. He is competing for a similar role with the Browns.

Jacobi McDaniel

Jacobi McDaniel was a victim of the move to FSU's new defense under Jeremy Pruitt and the emergence of Timmy Jernigan while at FSU. He didn't get the reps he likely would have got in the previous defense that senior year. Because of that he has become a bit of an unknown. That being said, much like last year, he is fighting for a roster spot.

Rodney Smith

Rodney Smith has outstanding size and decent speed, but has yet to make an NFL reception in a game. That needs to change this year for the Browns to have success. This receiving core is pathetic. Out of that comes opportunity to Smith. I don't believe he is a candidate to start, but he is a candidate to make the roster and get playing time because the Browns other options are that bad.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers in many ways have been the model NFL Franchise. Behind their recent success and their Super Bowl runs, they have had Seminoles starting for the team. That will be no different in 2015. The Steelers have 2 Seminoles on their training camp roster and both will likely start.

Lawrence Timmons

Timmons showed incredible play making ability last year in recording 134 tackles for Pittsburgh. Following the retirements of Troy Polomalu and Ike Taylor, he is likely now the leader of the defense as well. There is no doubt that Timmons will start in 2015 and that he will make an impact.

Vince Williams

Williams has been a starter in parts of each of his first two seasons. This season, Williams looks to be a full time starter for the first time in his NFL career. He is hoping to equal or better his 96 career tackles in just this one season. Two Seminoles starting on the same unit in the pros for a contending team is an incredible accomplishment.

AFC South

Houston Texans

The Texans only have 1 Seminole in training camp and he might be a longshot to make the roster.

Terrance Parks

Terrance Parks played in just one game for Seattle last season and made no impact. Getting a fresh start in Houston is nice, but he will have to put in a lot of work to make the 53 man roster.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are a trendy Super Bowl pick for a lot of media outlets this season. They employ one starter from Florida State and he is the only player in camp from the Noles.

Bjoern Werner

The legend of Bjoern Werner is a fine one at Florida State and you could argue that he is still learning the game. You can still count on your hands the amount of years that Werner has played football. That means that he has a lot left in the tank and should continue to become a better player. Werner looks to improve on his solid 2014 and hit 10 NFL sacks for the 1st time in 2015.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars have been awful for a while now, but seem to be headed in the right direction. This upbeat attitude about the future of the Jaguars is centered on an oustanding rookie class in 2014. That rookie class contained a Seminole. He is joined by one other Seminole in camp this year. 

Rashad Greene

Greene was arguably the most productive receiver in FSU history and part of one of the greatest receiving cores in history. That 2013 National Championship receiving core also included Kelvin Benjamin and Kenny Shaw. Greene's production likely won't be quite the same in Jacksonville, but he is a weapon. He is currently projected as Jacksonville's number 4 receiver and has an outside shot to be their number 3 guy. It could take some time for him to work into a starting role, but don't write it off from happening. Greene runs fantastic routes and has very reliable hands. That being said he is also incredibly undersized.

Telvin Smith

Telvin Smith played at a Pro Bowl level in 2014 as a rookie. Smith had 104 tackles, 2 sacks, an INT, a forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries. He did all this despite only starting the last 9 games of the season. Smith will start and in my opinion is the best player on the Jaguars defense.

Tennessee Titans

Remember that the Tennessee Titans are my pick to finish with the worst record this season. I see it as inevitable. They should have made the trade with the Eagles. They lack impact players from any school and that includes Florida State. They do have one Seminole, but it is the most frustrating player on the Seminoles roster.

Josue Matias

Matias was the weak link of the offensive line once Roderick Johnson stepped in last season. He got abused in the National Championship game by Oregon's scheme. It will be a surprise if he makes the 53 man roster let alone get any substantial time.

AFC West

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are once again most people's favorites to win the AFC. That projection has absolutely nothing to do with Florida State. A Seminole could help land the team in the playoffs though.

Tony Carter

Carter has 3 career starts in 6 seasons with the Broncos and has spent most time as a nickel corner for the team. He likely holds that role again in 2015, although he could be the #4 corner depending on what happens in camp. Though he is unlikely to star, corner depth is critical as we saw in the Super Bowl last season.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs no longer have Rodney Hudson and thus have no Seminoles remaining on the roster.

Oakland Raiders

If there is one other team besides the Bills that can be considered to have FSU as a pipeline team it is the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders, who also seem to be headed in the right direction, have 5 Seminoles in training camp currently.

Mario Edwards Jr.

Edwards is the former #1 player in America and was a 2nd round draft pick of the Raiders after a disappointing final season. Edwards was mentally checked out for the Seminoles with an eye on the pros already. While it was disappointing, he did play a large portion of the season injured and he was still quite effective. There is no doubting the amount of talent and potential that Edwards has. He will likely compete for a starting spot with the Raiders.

Rodney Hudson

Hudson was the most consistent player at the end of the Bowden era. He has also been a solid player for years in the NFL and was instrumental in the Chiefs turnaround. The center got a big paycheck this offseason and was tapped into because Oakland wants to upgrade their offensive line. Hudson will be starting for the Silver and Black.

Sebastian Janikowski

Janikowski was the 1st in a now long line of FSU kickers in the NFL. He is joined by Graham Gano and Dustin Hopkins. Soon Roberto Aguayo will be added to the list. Janikowski is perhaps the highest profile of the list as he was selected in the 1st round for his big leg. He will once again be kicking for the Silver and Black.

Christian Ponder

Ponder gets a fresh start in Oakland after a rough finish in Minnesota. He will be looking to resurrect his career out West and is battling for the #2 QB job.

Menelik Watson

Watson came to FSU as a very talented, but very raw offensive lineman. The Raiders still selected him early despite him still being raw when he entered the NFL draft. Watson looks to start a full season for the Raiders now after starting in 12 games across his first two seasons.

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers look to once again battle for a playoff spot and will at least partially be relying on a Seminole to help get there.

Patrick Robinson

After 5 seasons in New Orleans, Robinson left the Saints to come to sunny San Diego and play with the Chargers. He has 33 starts in those 5 seasons and will try to compete for a starting job here as well. As of right now, he is projected to be the starter opposite Brandon Flowers. However, there is some stiff competition for that #2 corner spot.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are the reigning NFC East Champions, but it has nothing to do with any Seminoles on the roster. There are 0 Seminoles on the Cowboys training camp roster.

New York Giants
The Giants are always some level of threat to win the Super Bowl. They have won 2 of them since 2008. In fact, they have won the Super Bowl on a consistent pattern that would mean this year will be a Super Bowl win. This year is year 4 which would follow the pattern. To go with those 2 recent Super Bowls, the Giants have two Seminoles in camp.

Mike Harris

Harris was a consistent performer as a corner for FSU. Since joining the NFL, he has been a solid, but unspectacular player at the position. Harris has played in 36 games with 8 starts in his 3 NFL seasons. While there is an outside shot that Harris could start for the Giants, he is competing for a 2nd string spot and an assurance that he will make the roster. Harris could very well be playing for another team or on a practice squad again.

Bobby Hart

Hart had 37 career starts at FSU and had moments of brilliance as the right tackle. He is young and still has tremendous upside. All of that being said, he was disappointing at times and many were surprised to see him get drafted. I am happy he was drafted because it allowed FSU to break the record, but not sure he deserved it based on inconsistent play. The Giants are surely going off of Hart's tremendous upside and potential. Hart seems to have moved inside with the Giants which should allow him to be more effective. He is listed as the number 3 left guard though currently and is a longshot to make the roster.

Philadelphia Eagles
With all the crazy offseason player movement by the Eagles, it is insane to think that not one of their moves involved a Seminole. That being said, that is exactly the case. There are no Seminoles in Eagles camp. They will have to search for their 1st Super Bowl Ring Seminole free.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins have been struggling for years now and they haven't had an impact player from the Seminoles in years either. This year they have one in camp and it will be interesting to see what he does for the Redskins.

Chris Thompson

Thompson is the off-injured back from FSU that spent most of his college career sidelined by injuries. He has incredible talent and vision, but really struggles at staying healthy. On a personal level, I am really hoping that Thompson succeeds because he is one of the nicest football players that I have met. The guy is just a class act that everyone who knows him wants to succeed. You don't win football games and get playing time for being nice though. Thompson will have to really work to get playing time with the Skins. According to this report though, Thompson is emerging as the 3rd down back in Washington. The runningback looks to finally be catching on and getting playing time with the Skins after being mistakenly used as a kick returner.

NFC North

Chicago Bears
The Bears are a trendy pick to surprise people across the league this year. I don't see it, but then again I didn't see Christian Jones making a major impact with the Bears as an undrafted rookie FA. He did so well that the Bears picked up another Seminole early in the draft. These transactions gave the Bears two Seminoles in camp.

Eddie Goldman

Goldman was an early draft pick by the Bears after he had a very impressive final season despite being plagued by injuries. The Seminoles had few players as consistent as Goldman and he dominated the Clemson game. His late forced fumble helped the Seminoles pull off the massive victory. He joins a Bears defense that under-performed last season and looks to get back to a normal dominating Bears defense. Goldman is expected to start and should win a starting spot in camp.

Christian Jones

An undrafted free agent rookie last season, Jones was supposed to be one of the few players that didn't make a major impact off of FSU's championship roster. He was outstanding though and made a tremendous impact. The linebacker was able to crack Chicago's starting lineup and start 5 games for the Bears. There is no reason to believe that he won't compete for another starting spot this season.

Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions have no Florida State Seminoles in camp.

Green Bay Packers
The Packers had a Seminole that made an impact on their near Super Bowl run. That Seminole is the only one in camp.

Letroy Guion

Guion had a breakthrough season in 2014 and started all 16 games for the Packers. He also made some outstanding plays for the Packers as a starter in the playoffs. Because of the stellar season, it is expected that Guion will once again be a starter for the Pack in 2015. 

Minnesota Vikings

One high profile Seminole in Christian Ponder has left the Vikings for a job in Oakland. It was best for both parties to move on that one. However, the Vikings still have one Seminole and its a guy that happens to be one of the best in the league at his position.

Xavier Rhodes

While Rhodes was at Florida State, he had NFL superstar written over him. The opposing team completely avoided Rhodes then because he was such a stud corner. It didn't happen the same way for Rhodes in the pros right away. That being said, it has happened. Xavier Rhodes is officially one of the best cornerbacks in the league and a guaranteed starter. Rhodes is a true shutdown corner and gives the Vikings a legitimate weapon on defense. He is the top guy on a now stellar CB unit after Terrance Newman and Trae Waynes have been added to the fold. At that position at least the vikings are set. The Rhodes are truly closed for opposing passing games.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are lacking Seminoles on their training camp roster. They are also lacking crowd noise and wins. That being said, they do have 2 Seminoles at the same position.

Devonta Freeman

Freeman was the starting RB during FSU's 2013 season and looked to be in line for some major carries for the Falcons before a small injury in the preseason. The same thing has happened this season, but should Freeman be able to recover, he could win the starting job. Freeman showed a lot of versatility and promise in his rookie season. He had a touchdown receiving and one rushing while playing in all 16 games. While he was not starting any of them, he got a lot of exposure as a rookie. The question for him at this point is injuries. He will need to avoid another injury to stay in the mix. Unfortunately, he already sustained a injury in camp and will likely miss another week due to it.

Antone Smith

I like Antone Smith, but he's hanging on by a thread on this roster. He is at best the 3rd RB and will really have to fight to stay on this roster, let alone get carries. In 5 NFL seasons, Smith has just 29 carries in the regular season. He needs to prove himself.

Carolina Panthers
The Panthers advanced to and won a playoff game in large part due to their Seminole contribution. This team still has the same two Seminoles in camp.

Kelvin Benjamin

Benjamin will always be an icon for Florida State fans for his national championship clinching catch. His performance against Florida that season likewise will always be remembered. He was Jameis Winston's big target and big play threat with the Seminoles. Last season, after being selected in the 1st round, he was the same for Cam Newton. Benjamin was a serious rookie of the year contender all year long. He finished the season with 1,000+ yards and 9 touchdowns. There is no doubt that he will be starting and contending for a pro bowl spot.

Graham Gano

Gano is a part of the now long list of outstanding kickers from Florida State University. This guy was loved for his incredible and unprecedented athleticism as a kicker. Back then, he handled punting and kicking, but now is only a kicker in the NFL. He will return as the Panthers placekicker for the 2015 season.

New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints added two Florida State Seminoles to their roster in 2015 that were not with the team last season.

Dustin Hopkins

Hopkins was the kicker after Gano at Florida State that broke several scoring records. The kicker is best known for the gold shoes he wore while at FSU.  He is now in New Orleans and will take over placekicking duties for the Saints.

PJ Williams

Williams had a frustrating and injury plagued final season at Florida State. However, despite that, he will always be loved by Seminole faithful for how he played in the National Championship win. This guy was unbelievable that game and has a lot of talent. The question after last season has to be whether his heart will always be in the game. He is competing for a starting cornerback job.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa only has one Seminole in camp.

Jameis Winston

Tampa only has one Seminole, but it is also the guy that was selected #1 overall. This Seminole is one of the true legends of college football. The former Heisman winner and National Champion has only lost one game as a starter in college. A total record of 26-1 as a major college quarterback is quite the impressive resume. It gets more impressive when you consider that he helped set a team scoring record during that 2013 National Championship season. The team was simply incredible both years he played. That lead to him being selected #1 overall because of his incredible football IQ and ability to handle the QB position right away. He has handled it brilliantly in Tampa and has already been named the starter for the season. Tampa is in a much better spot this year than last and it is because of Winston. His incredible moxie and potential has even led to some very high praise from his teammates.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals have had a steady Seminole presence for years in Darnell Dockett, but Dockett has left this season for a division rival. That leaves the Cardinals with no Seminoles in camp.

San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers had a lot of player loss/movement this offseason with some unexpected player retirements. Those unexpected retiring players opened up some opportunities for others. Including in that other group are several former Seminoles.Now, there are 4 former Florida State Football players lining up in Cardinals training camp.

Anquan Boldin
Anquan Boldin is probably the best known Seminole from the pre-Jimbo Fisher era that is still currently in the pros. He was a spectacular wideout that was a team leader for the Seminoles. Boldin also played QB during a BCS Bowl game while with that talent. That exposure at FSU led him to be selected in the 2nd round despite concerns about his speed. Those concerns were greatly exaggerated. Boldin now has 940 receptions for 12,406 career yards and is a borderline Hall of Fame candidate. This past season was another 1,000 yard campaign for Boldin despite everything in San Francisco falling apart. Boldin was that one rock. He doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon either.

Tank Carradine
Carradine really emerged as a senior for the Noles and not until then. He made a major impact as a senior though until devastated by a late injury. The injury dropped him from the 1st round to the 2nd where the 49ers snatched him  up. He has been a valuable backup since then but stuck behind some very talented people on the depth chart. Carradine will work to crack that starting lineup in 2015 but it will be difficult.

Darnell Dockett
Dockett is perhaps the most outspoken former Seminole. This guy seems to chime in on anything and everything in the world of sports and beyond. He is one of the most talented to every lace up the garnet and gold, but also one of the most controversial. Dockett is famous for a Dillard's incident very similar to that of Peter Warrick. He received a very similar suspension from Bobby Bowden. Once he left FSU, he has stayed out of trouble and made a major impact on the field. He now has 40.5 sacks in 12 seasons and is anxious to get back on the field after an injury filled 2014. Dockett spent his entire career in Arizona, but just left to join the division rival and make his former team pay.

Nick Moody
Nick Moody was not as exposed as some other Seminoles in college, but gained a reputation as FSU's hardest hitter. I and many other Noles loved Moody and the way he played in garnet and gold. It was no surprise that Moody caught on and made an early impact with his NFL team eventually becoming a starter. With the retired linebackers that the 49ers lost this offseason, there is little doubt that Moody will be starting again in 2015. 

Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks have had two incredible seasons with no Seminoles on their roster, and nothing changed in that department this offseason.

St. Louis Rams
The Rams have a lot of new faces for the 2015 season, but the studs they had on defense remain. One of those studs is a promising defensive back from Florida State University.

Lamarcus Joyner

Joyner was the emotional defensive leader on a dominating 2013 National Championship defense for Florida State. Scouts were able to see that and its ability to transfer to the pros despite Joyner's small stature. He had a decent rookie campaign, but can get better and is said to be making progress, Joyner is currently listed as the #2 Free Safety for the Rams, but was drafted as a nickel corner. I believe that he projects better as a free safety and will eventually be the start there. It will be difficult for that to happen this season though.

-Noland

Looking Back At My Draft Grades

It is difficult to really reflect on a draft until at least three years out, but we are going to try to look at my draft grades from last year in this post. All of my draft grades can be found before the section that I discuss so they are there for your reference.

AFC East
I gave the Bills a B for their draft class and I think that is a solid grade still today. They gave up way too much to move up to get Sammy Watkins in a deep receiver class. He was outperformed by Kelvin Benjamin, Mike Evans, and Odell Beckham Jr. yet the Bills moved up to nab him and don't have a 1st rounder this year as a result. However, their pick of Seantrel Henderson was magnificient as I stated at the time.Henderson was picked in the 7th round and started all 16 games. Great value for Buffalo with that pick.
I said the Dolphins reached on Juwan James and James had a decent rookie season. He started all 16 games and turned out to be a solid round 1 selection or at least it appears that way right now. However, Billy Turner who I said was the Dolphins best pick, has yet to make a start. The draft class is still pretty weak, but James has been better than I thought. I would put their best pick as Jarvis Landry if I were filling this out today.
The Patriots won the Super Bowl and had a decent draft class. I gave them a D+ which was probably a bit harsh. However, I said their best pick was Bryan Stork which is not really arguable. Stork was a starter for the Pats at Center and a key piece of the Super Bowl run. The real value in this class will be decided though when Brady hangs up his cleats and it becomes Garoppolo's team.
Finally, I raved about the Jets class and especially Calvin Pryor. He was good, but not great and was not the defensive rookie of the year as I imagined. However, he still has a lot of potential and I am excited about that pick still. Not much else came out of this draft class though and I think I may have been a little too bullish about it.

AFC North
The Baltimore Ravens had one of the best drafts around. I firmly stand by the fact that their draft was quite good. Timmy Jernigan who was their best pick according to me had a fine rookie season.Terrance Brooks was playing well prior to his injury. Brooks and Jernigan were not full time starters as expected, but great picks. CJ Mosely was a starter as expected and performed even better than I thought he would. Mosely had 133 tackles and was the runner-up for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named to the Pro Bowl. My most accurate prediction about the draft for the Ravens though was that undrafted free agent James Hurst was an absolute steal. If they re-did the draft he would go in the first 15 picks. Hurst was the starting left tackle for the Ravens and on one of the best lines in the entire NFL. Hurst was a superstar all year for Baltimore.
Hurst's college teammate Russell Bodine was the best pick for the Bengals as I stated last year. Bodine was a 16 game starter for Cincinnati and helped lead them to the playoffs. Eventhough their 1st round pick provided very little last year, Cincinnati had immediate returns from this class that rivals any team. Jeremy Hill was great for the Bengals and I'd rate this draft even higher if I did it today. However, I still hate the AJ McCarron pick.
The Browns draft was worse than I thought. I had it at a C+, but I'd change it to a D- today. It didn't swing the right way and Johnny Manziel was an absolute disaster as predicted. They also did not keep either of the Noles that they signed. The good news for Cleveland is that they got great value out of signing the undrafted Connor Shaw.
As always, the Steelers had a very solid draft. Their best pick was Martavis Bryant not Stephon Tuitt as I predicted. Well that is for last year at least, Tuitt could develop into quite the player. During the 2014 season though, Bryant caught 8 touchdowns. He wasn't selected until the 4th round either. Their season went as I expected out of their draft picks, just very solid all around. Nothing spectacular, but quite solid.

AFC South
I had the Houston Texans draft listed as being spectacular and Louis Nix was a big reason why. However, Nix ended up having his 3rd knee surgery and did not play a game. It appears that NFL teams did their homework with Nix and his knee and that is why he fell. Jadeavon Clowney's injury also impacted this draft class a great deal, but it was a solid class. The book is still open on what Tom Savage can do, Sua Filo looks like he can be a decent guard, CJ Fiedorowicz caught a TD, Alfred Blue had a 100 yard game and 3 touchdowns, and Jay Prosch had 5 starts.
Donte Moncrief does seem to be the best player in what was a weak draft for the Colts. Jonathan Newsome and Jack Mewhort were also solid as rookies. However, there is nothing spectacular in this class by any means.
Telvin Smith was not only the best pick by the Jaguars, but the best pick of the entire draft. What incredible value Smith provided and I would bump up their entire draft because of it. Telvin Smith had 104 tackles in what was a spectacular rookie season. Blake Bortles still has plenty of time to develop and has 3000 yards passing, but didn't do anything special as a rookie. The second best pick the Jaguars had was another ACC guy in Luke Bowanko. The Virginia product started 14 games for the Jags and did a good job at center. That was an impressive class the Jags had.
Taylor Lewan disappointed for the Titans and only started 6 games. He leaves a lot to be desired on the line and it looks like I may have overrated the youngster. If not for finding a solid QB in the 6th round this draft would have been a disaster. The emergence of Zach Mettenberger as the starter could save this class. Mettenberger had a QB rating of 83.4 last season and will likely be the Titans starter in 2015.

AFC West
I think the Broncos had a quite weak draft and stand by my below average grade. Roby was solid, but the rest was disappointing. Wasting a 2nd rounder on Cody Latimer with all the depth at WR in the last draft was a huge miscalculation. He was not and is not a top 15 receiver in that draft for me. How did he go in Round 2?
De'Anthony Thomas only got 14 rushing attempts in 2014, but turned those attempts into 113 yards and just may have been the Chiefs top pick in 2014. The biggest reason I believe that has nothing to do with Thomas and more to do with the junk around him.
Khalil Mack had a really solid rookie season for Oakland, but not a top 5 season. He was not their best pick as I stated. It appears that they may have found their QB though which skyrockets this class. Derek Carr threw for 3200 yards and 21 touchdowns and appears to be a solid guy for Oakland. If Carr turns into a franchise QB, than this class was fantastic. Either way, he appears to be the 2nd best QB of this class (some say the best) and was great value in the 2nd round. Carr was easily their best pick. The Raiders also found a starting guard in Gabe Jackson. Solid draft from Oakland especially if Carr and Mack pan out.
I raved last year about the Chargers selection of Jeremiah Attaochu. He had a great debut as well, but then virtually disappeared the remainder of the season. Quite disappointing. Jason Verrett likewise did nothing as a rookie. It is hard to give a team an above average grade when their first two picks do virtually nothing over the season. This draft class as far as production was probably the worst as rookies. I gave them a B, but they were awful. Hopefully, they produce more this season for the sake of their fans.

NFC East
Zach Martin being picked by the Cowboys allowed them to have the best offensive line in the entire NFL and helped them win the division. It was a fantastic selection as I pointed out at the time. As a whole I was unfair to the rest of this draft because the trade to get Demarcus Lawrence was so bad. It was just that bad. Each of the picks they traded to get up to take Lawrence are and will continue to be better pros than him. However, this was a solid draft in some spots. I vastly underrated Anthony Hitchens who had a decent rookie season for one.
When the Giants selected Odell Beckham Jr., I stated that he would be one of 4 fantastic rookie receivers along with Kelvin Benjamin, Mike Evans, and Sammy Watkins. It seemed to me that picking between them was like splitting hairs and I was right about that. Each was quite productive, but it was Beckham that was Rookie of the Year. He was also the guy that ended up with one of the best catches in NFL history. You won't remember much else about that Giants class, but you can't complain about the Beckham pick.
Marcus Smith compiled 0 stats for the Eagles in 2014 so based on last year it is difficult to justify him as being the best pick by the team. It seems though that it was just a weak team draft overall. The bright spot had to be Jordan Matthews and his 872 yards and 8 touchdowns. Matthews will likely be the Eagles #1 WR in 2015.
Although I would say it was a poor roster decision Morgan Moses only started 1 game in 2014. Based on that season, it is difficult to justify him as their best pick. I would have to say that Bashaud Breeland was the top Redskins rookie. Breeland played a pretty darn good corner for Washington and was a great pick in the 4th round. I talked about how I liked that pick at the time, but I thought the Moses pick was slightly better. I may have slightly overrated this class, but I still have high hopes for Moses and stand by the fact that Breeland and Seastrunk were fantastic selections.

NFC North
The Chicago Bears had a solid draft last year and I predicted that it would be that way. Their top pick according to me was Brock Vereen and he had a solid rookie season. Vereen ended up starting 4 games and made some plays for the Bears as their 4th round pick. Their first round pick Kyle Fuller was also quite good and he was able to make 14 starts. Fuller played a solid corner for the Bears last season. Charles Leno also got a start for the Bears despite being a 7th round selection.
I thought Travis Swanson would start from Day 1 and was a fantastic selection for Detroit. He was a solid selection in round 3, but he made 5 starts and not 16 as I anticipated. Ebron was a bit of a reach and did not produce much. It will be interesting to see what he does in the future. I had Detroit's draft at a C- and that seems about right. With Swanson's struggles I think my assessment is even more accurate that this draft was below average.
I raved about the Packers selection of Jared Abbrederis in Round 5, but he played 0 snaps in 2014. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was a solid pickup and made an immediate impact as expected. Richard Rodgers proved to be good value as I said and his 2 touchdown grabs as a rookie to go with 5 starts show signs of promise. Linsley was even better value as a 16 game starter out of Round 5. The C proved to be the strongest pick of the draft to date. I also stated Bradford was good value and he accumulated no stats
The Vikings draft depends on the success of Tedy Bridgewater, but the early returns are good and they got him at a great spot. David Yankey was not their best pick based on early returns as he didn't see the field. McKinnon got lots of PT early because of the Adrian Peterson disaster last year. Anthony Barr had a very solid rookie season just as expected.

NFC South
I gave the Falcons a top 10 draft grade because overall they picked quite well. Jake Matthews was the safest pick in the draft as I said at the time and started 15 games. He will be a great tackle for them for years to come and was clearly their top selection. Their second pick Ra'Shede Hageman was a huge disappointment in year 1 though and had virtually 0 production. Former FSU RB Devonta Freeman played in all 16 games and caught a TD, as well as rushing for a TD. Freeman has a bright future in Atlanta. Prince Shembo started 3 games at LB and recorded 59 tackles as a high value 4th rounder.
At pick 28 Kelvin Benjamin was the best value in Round 1. Well unless Tedy Bridgewater develops that is. Benjamin had 78 catches for 1,008 yards and 9 touchdowns despite erratic quarterback play. He proved what I was saying about the top receivers having very little seperating them and was tremendous value for Carolina. Kony Ealy had 4 sacks and an INT and looks to gain even more playing time in 2015. Trading down to get him was a fantastic idea. 3rd round pick Trai Turner had 9 starts. 4th round safety Tre Boston had 5 starts. 5th round corner Bene Benwikere had 6 starts. The majority of their selections ended up starting which is why this draft was rated in the top 3. I'd go so far as to say because this team easily had the best draft in the division they were able to repeat as NFC South Champs. The rookies made the difference in the division race.
Before injury himself for the season, Brandin Cooks may have been on pace for a Rookie of the Year campaign. The future is bright for Cooks. I said though that New Orleans' best pick was Ronald Powell the former Gator linebacker. Powell only recorded 2 tackles and showed why you should never trust a UF football player. Other than Cooks this draft had zero production and through year 1 would have to be graded lower than the C+ grade I gave it.
Finally, Jameis Winston's future home in Tampa. Mike Evans did not disappoint at all in his rookie season. He was as good as I said he was and caught 12 TD passes. Evans also had 68 catches for 1,051 yards. Not only was he the Bucs top choice, but he may have been the best receiver in a loaded class. Sefarian Jenkins caught 2 TDs and shows promise. I was also intrigued by Charles Sims who provided very little help. In 2014 the Bucs did nothing to address their weaknesses along the offensive line or at QB and it showed. However, that lack of addressing QB will work to their advantage when they select Mr. Winston at the end of the month.

NFC West
Not taking Bridgewater in Round 1 was a colossal mistake for the Arizona Cardinals. Had Tedy been the QB and not Ryan Lindley, they would have won the Super Bowl IMO. Pittsburgh State receiver John Brown did have a solid rookie year to save a weak draft for the Cardinals. He had 48 catches for 696 yards and 5 touchdowns.Bucannon had a decent rookie season in being selected over Bridgewater as he had 9 starts. However, he wasn't the impact in Round 1 that several other players could have been. This draft goes down as a major missed opportunity for Arizona.
I said that I thought the 49ers reached in each of the 1st two rounds. Their first pick Jimmie Ward spent the majority of the year injured and confirmed my suspicions that he was a reach. Carlos Hyde will be the top back in San Francisco and I like that he is in fold, but I still think it was a reach. The reason I say it was a reach is I hate when backs are selected before round 3 unless it is an absolute game changer like Adrian Peterson. Carlos Hyde is not that level in my opinion. I thought that Marcus Martin was their best pick and moving forward that appears to be true. Martin started 8 games and the best competition he had for their top pick was Chris Borland who just retired.
The Seattle Seahawks had one of the worst drafts last year according to my grades, but they performed better than I thought in year 1. Seattle of course was still able to make the Super Bowl for 1. While I was right that Richardson was an awful selection, this class had several contributors. Justin Britt was a 16 game starter on the offensive line and he was selected in Round 3. However, their top pick according to me in Cassius Marsh only recorded 5 tackles in his rookie season.
Finally, comes the St. Louis Rams who I said had a top 3 draft. This draft looks like the very best after a year. The Rams got 12 starts out of Greg Robinson. Aaron Donald was Defensive Rookie of the Year. LaMarcus Joyner had 40 tackles and a start in the defensive backfield. Tre Mason had 765 yards and 4 touchdowns and looks like the back of the future. EJ Gaines had 15 starts despite only being a 6th round selection. Gaines looks like one of the best values of the entire draft following a tremendous rookie season and is St. Louis's best pick from last year's draft. None of the 7th round selections worked out, but the Rams picked up 5 starters for 2015 in this draft. The team did a great job.

Now, I will give some input on this draft and especially its top player as this year's draft approaches in the coming weeks.

-Noland

AFC North Draft Grades

Here is the second installment of my draft grades. Today we look at the AFC North...

Baltimore Ravens

1(17) CJ Mosley (LB, Alabama)

2(48) Timmy Jernigan (DT, Florida State)

3(79) Terrance Brooks (FS, Florida State)

3(99) Crockett Gilmore  (TE, Colorado State)

4(134) Brent Urban (DE, Virginia)

4(138) Lorenzo Taliaferro (RB,  Coastal Carolina)

5(175) John Urschel (OG, Penn State)

6(194) Keith Wenning (QB, Ball State)

7(218) Michael Campanaro (WR, Wake Forest)

Best Pick: Timmy Jernigan

Timmy Jernigan was a top 10 pick in just about every mock draft prior to the National Championship. So what happened? Jernigan came off the field dehydrated  at the end of the game in crucial moments. Now, Jernigan was outstanding all game long, but the time when he missed had to play a factor. He was #6 on Scouts.Inc’s board until the National Championship and then dropped drastically. He tested ok, but Aaron Donald blew him away in testing off the field as well and passed him on all those draft boards. Add a failed drug test in at the combine and Jernigan fell to round 2. Now, the failed drug test was a diluted sample and not the typical failure (a dilution Jernigan’s agent said was from overhydrating). This is possible, but it’s always hard to believe guys nowadays so I will let you be the judge. Even with all of that, I had Jernigan rated as the 5^th best player in this draft. On the field, Jernigan is as good as anyone and a drug test combined with one series don’t change that for me. The Ravens got amazing value here.

Summary: The Ravens had one of the three best drafts. For me, three are head and shoulders above the rest. Baltimore is the first of these revealed so far. I’d lean towards this draft being the best of all. The Ravens picked up three starters on defense to add to an already solid unit. Three guys that will have a major impact for this team were added here. Safety was a huge need for them and they got a great fit in Terrance Brooks. Add in one of the best 7^th round picks in Michael Campanaro along with several other strong picks and they had a fantastic draft.

Grade: A

Undrafted Free Agents

 Xavius Boyd (LB, Western Kentucky)

Levi Brown (DT, Temple)

Jeremy Brown (WR, Tenn-Martin)

Jace Davis (WR, Northern Colorado)

Parker Graham (OT, Oklahoma State)

Derrick Hopkins (DT, Virginia Tech)

James Hurst (OT, North Carolina)

Tramain Jacobs (DB, Texas A & M)

Richie Leone (P, Houston)

Jamie Meder (DT, Ashland)

Dexter Moody (DB, Albany State)

Deji Olatoye (DB, North Carolina A & T)

Zachary Orr (LB, North Texas)

AJ Pataiali'i (DT, Utah State)

Avery Patterson (DB, Oregon)

Sammy Seamster (DB, Middle Tennessee State)

Brett Van Sloten (OT, Iowa)

Before breaking his leg in the bowl game, Hurst was predicted by many to be a 1st rounder. He is one of the most decorated offensive lineman in NCAA and I was shocked he wasn't drafted. His signing along with Derrick Hopkins help to make this a great group of undrafted free agents. They will have a ton of competition to make the Ravens roster because it is such a strong group, they have the veterans and they had a great draft. However, I am sure that's a problem the Ravens love to have.

Cincinnati Bengals

1(24) Darqueze Dennard (CB, Michigan State)

2(55) Jeremy Hill (RB, LSU)

3(88) Will Clarke (DE, West Virginia)

4(111) Russell Bodine (OG, North Carolina)

5(164) AJ McCarron (QB, Alabama)

6(212) Marquis Flowers (LB, Arizona)

7(239) James Wright (WR, LSU)

7(252) Lavelle Westbrooks (DB, Georgia Southern)

Best Pick: Russell Bodine

Bodine is a really solid blocker who is very strong. I was pretty shocked that he was available in round 4. This is a guy that will be starting for the Bengals by the end of this season at either center or guard. It was a huge coup to get this guy in round 4. He was quite good for the Tar Heels last season.

Summary: I am not a fan of AJ McCarron and personally wouldn’t have picked him, but if you are going to pick him, Round 5 is not a bad spot for that. James Wright is probably the only LSU fan in the draft I wasn’t a huge fan of either. However, other than those two, this team did quite nice. Solid draft picks at every position. Good value throughout the draft especially with Russell Bodine and 7^th round pick Lavelle Westbrooks. Unfortunately, for Jeremy Hill this probably is not the best locker room for him with his off the field issues. The Bengals have had success with players with checkered past, but not the locker room I’d want to go into if I was him.

Grade: B

Undrafted Free Agents

Jimmy Bennett (OT, UCONN)

James Davidson (DL, UTEP)

Curtis Feight (OL, West Virginia)

Dan France (OL, Michigan State)

Ryan Hewitt (FB, Stanford)

Trey Hopkins (OG, Texas)

Isiah Lewis (S, Michigan State)

Colin Lockett (WR, San Diego State)

Alex Neutz (WR, Buffalo)

Nikita Whitlock (DL, Wake Forest)

James Wilder Jr. (RB, Florida State)

It is absolutely crazy to me that Texas did not have a player drafted for the first time in my lifetime. One of the reasons is that a guy like Hopkins gets drafted most years, but this draft was so very deep. He is a good signing for Cincy. James Wilder is a high upside signing as he was one of the top RBs in HS. Coming into FSU he was the next great RB, but he was outshined by Freeman his entire tenure with the Noles. It was a poor decision for Wilder to go pro, but he can be quite successful. Wilder showed flashes of brillance at FSU, but he was never the absolute dominant force that most of us were expecting. I'd love for him to be that guy in the pros and realize his potential, but he may never reach his high ceiling. Nikita Whitlock makes this team.

Cleveland Browns

1(8) Justin Gilbert (CB, Oklahoma State)

1(22) Johnny Manziel (QB, Texas A & M)

2(35) Joel Bitonio (OT, Nevada)

3(71) Christian Kirksey (LB,  Iowa)

3(94) Terrance West (RB, Towson)

4(127) Pierre Desir (CB, Lindenwood)

Best Pick: Justin Gilbert

Several people did not like this pick. I love this pick. You trade down and pick up a 1^st rounder for next year on a team that needs a push if they want to contend. In addition to this you get the top player on your board who happens to be the best corner in the draft. Drafting Gilbert gives the Browns the best corner tandem in the league. Even as a Gator Hater, I recognize that Joe Haden is the best there is and he just shuts everyone down. Now, teams will have a harder time staying away from Haden because Gilbert is fantastic in coverage. It just got a lot harder to pass against the Browns and it wasn’t exactly easy before. This will be a lesson to teams, pick the best player available!

Summary: The Browns did very well in my opinion other than the Manziel pick. I have never been a Johnny Football fan and his money sign walking across the stage surely did not change that pick. I would have continued to build my team outside of the QB and give Hoyer a shot at this thing. Johnny needs an O-line and some WR to succeed and Cleveland doesn’t have the best guys there. Few guys go from college to pros and have less weapons in addition to worse protection, but that’s what just happened to Johnny Manziel with the impending Gordon suspension. Getting a weapon and putting the a QB next year in a better position would have been my move, but I see why the Browns did this. Kelvin Benjamin would have been my choice followed by a trade up for Hundley from UCLA next year. Who knows though maybe it will work out. The rest of the picks were quite good though and every pick could end up starting which stopped the Manziel pick from derailing the draft. I would have liked to see more picks though since it was the deepest draft of my lifetime.

Grade: C+

Undrafted Free Agents

Ray Agnew (FB, Southern Illinois)

Greg Blair (LB, Cincinnati)

Carlo Calabrese (LB, Notre Dame)

Isiah Crowell (RB, Alabama State)

Anthony Dima (OL, UMASS)

Jason Hendricks (S, Pittsburgh)

Blake Jackson (WR, Oklahoma State)

Chandler Jones (WR, San Jose State)

Jonathan Krause (WR, Vanderbilt)

Corey Robinson (QB, Troy)

Connor Shaw (QB, South Carolina)

Kenny Shaw (WR, Florida State)

Willie Snead (WR, Ball State)

Kenny Shaw was my favorite Seminole since he went over the middle against Oklahoma a few years back and put his body on the line for the Noles. He was a fearless receiver and a strong punt returner. The guy had really good hands and you could always count on #81 to deliver. With the lack of quality receivers in Cleveland this was a must to sign Shaw.

The other Shaw, Connor, was a great signing as well. Shaw was the one QB who beat Missouri in the regular season. You know those Missouri defenders Kony Ealy and Michael Sam everyone has been obsessing over? Connor Shaw came in injured against their team and led a 14 point comeback, but nobody talked about whether he would be drafted. No disrespect to Missouri, or to the other QBs in this draft, but I'd rather have Shaw than a few guys picked before him.

Pittsburgh Steelers

1(15) Ryan Shazier (LB, Ohio State)

2(46) Stephon Tuitt (DT, Notre Dame)

3(97) Dri Archer (RB, Kent State)

4(118) Martavis Bryant  (WR, Clemson)

5(157) Shaquille Richardson (DB, Arizona)

5(173) Wesley Johnson (C, Vanderbilt)

6(192) Jordan Zumwalt (LB, UCLA)

6(215) Dan McCullers (DT, Tennessee)

7(230) Rob Blanchflower (TE, Massachusetts)

Best Pick: Stephon Tuitt

The Steelers struck gold with their second round selection of Stephon Tuitt. For me, Tuitt was a 1^st round talent and most analysts agreed. To get him In the middle of the second round had to be exciting for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Expect Tuitt to be a fixture on the Steelers defense for years to come. Other teams will not be happy that they passed on such a talent.

Summary: The Steelers didn’t reach for anything and did quite well in the draft. I absolutely love what the Steelers did in round 2-5 and was impressed with the quality they picked up throughout. If I was a fan of the Steelers I would have loved their draft. To me, these guys were just off the top 3 teams. They had the 4^th or 5^th best draft and picked up several quality players.

Grade: A-

Undrafted Free Agents

Devon Carrington (S, Stanford)

Chris Elkins (OG, Youngstown State)

Ethan Hemer (DE, Wisconsin)

Kaycee Ike (OT, UAB)

Howard Jones (LB, Shephard)

Brendon Kay (QB, Cincinnati)

Josh Mauro (DE, Stanford)

Roy Philon (DT, Louisville)

Will Simmons (OG, Eastern Carolina)

Eric Waters (TE, Missouri)

Eric Waters is one of those super athletic tight ends. He could not only make the team, but contribute a great deal if he gets better with his hands. The guy has the tools, but his hands are not reliable. The Missouri tight end is certainly one to watch. Roy Philon is another one to watch. I could see Philon making the team as he certainly has the talent to do so. Brendon Kay is very unlikely to stick. Some of the other guys like Devon Carrington have a lot better chance. Solid group the Steelers signed.

-Noland

FSU's Top 10 Returning Players

During Athlon Sports coverage of FSU yesterday, they ranked FSU's best returning players. I will post their list here along with my list and why I picked who I picked.

Athlon's Picks
10. Christian Jones LB
9. Dustin Hopkins K
8. Timmy Jernigan DT
7. Rashad Greene WR
6. LaMarcus Joyner S
5. Greg Reid CB
4. Bjoern Werner DE
3. EJ Manuel QB
2. Xavier Rhodes CB
1. Brandon Jenkins DE

My Picks
10. Devonta Freeman
9. Nick Moody
8. Christian Jones
7. Rashad Greene
6. EJ Manuel
5. Timmy Jernigan
4. LaMarcus Joyner
3. Bjoern Werner
2. Xavier Rhodes
1. Brandon Jenkins

I took Greg Reid out of my rankings because I think he is too much of an all or nothing player. Reid does not play assignment football and struggles in pass coverage 1 on 1. He has a lot of big play capability, but he gets beat in coverage far too often. Without Bradham though we can afford a player like Reid on defense. I also took Dustin Hopkins off my list because as good as he is, he is a kicker and kickers don't belong in the top 10. Other than maybe Sebastian Janikowski.

The #1 and #2 spot on each list is identical. Brandon Jenkins is clearly the best Seminole football player and was MVP of spring practice. Jenkins has a chance to be a top 10 pick in April and is an All-American candidate. The guy is poised for a monster year. Xavier Rhodes has the same potential and is expected to be one of the top DBs in the country. It is easy for those two.

EJ Manuel is lower on my list because I didn't put him high just because he is a QB. Based on his performance so far I can't put him higher than our defensive standouts. An argument can be made that Rashad Greene can be ahead of him as well due to his awesome freshman season. It is more like T-6 for me there instead of 6 and 7.

Bjoern Werner was an absolute animal last year and was an easy choice for me at #3. With him and Jenkins I legitimately believe we have the best DE duo in the country. Name one better. Go ahead. Timmy Jernigan was a stud last year as a freshman and is my pick to have a breakout season. With those two studs at defensive end, who is going to block this defensive line? Good luck.

Lamarcus Joyner is one of the most underrated players in the country. He had a great year last year in his first season at safety and it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect him to do even better. This is another legit NFL guy.

Christian Jones had a great year last year and is now the leader of the linebacker corps. As Athlon said, Jones is poised for a breakout season and will likely be a key figure on their defense. Also, Jones wears #7. You remember the other Christian who was #7? CJ7 anyone?

Nick Moody hits harder than anyone on the team. He seems to fire everyone up. I think this guy will make it happen this year.

I posted about the 5'8 runningback earlier today, but I am a fan of Devonta Freeman. He will likely lead the Noles in rushing again this season.

-Noland