With bowl game season in full swing, early declarations for the NFL draft are starting to roll in. Below are the declared players to this point, and some brief notes on their college profiles. I’m updating a spreadsheet with all declarations pinned on my Twitter account @mcnamaradynasty and can be found here.
Mark Walton, RB, Miami
Mark Walton was a four-star recruit entering Miami but his college career never lived up to expectations. He leaves Miami after a junior year that was limited to five games because of injury. Walton only had one season of full-time production in 2016, but his tape shows flashes. He has 56 career catches in 31 games, and his tape shows good movement skills. Walton is listed at 5’9” and 205 pounds, so his testing will be very important. Walton has the movement and pass-catching ability to be an attractive back in the round three range rookie drafts with a good pre-draft process.
Antonio Callaway, WR, Florida
Antonio Callaway entered the draft after missing the 2017 season with a suspension after involvement in a credit card fraud ring. Callaway also was the subject of sexual assault investigation in 2016 and has arrested multiple times on drug charges. Callaway has deep perimeter speed, but has inconsistent hands. He can stretch the field and get open, but he drops the ball too much. He presents off field problems like Ishmael Zamora did in the 2017 draft class, and seeing him go undrafted after not playing football for a year would not be surprising.
Richie James, WR, Middle Tennessee
Richie James has strong supporters in the dynasty community. He plays predominately in the slot, but can stretch the field and is stronger at the catch point than would be expected for a 5’9” receiver. Like Walton, James exits on a down note after injuries limited him to only five games in 2017. The pre-draft process is key with a short small school receiver like James. He will need a strong combine to warrant later day two consideration in a John Brown type of valuation.
D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland
D.J. Moore is not a household name, but he has a very intriguing draft profile. He played in a putrid offense at Maryland but exceeded 40% market share in receptions, touchdowns and yards in 2017. He is listed at 5’11”and 215 pounds, and represents the thick and productive wing of the receiver position. Moore was a do it all receiver at Maryland, but the biggest question to answer is his overt athleticism. He is a sneaky bet to be a day two pick and a target player later in the second round of rookie drafts. While we generally stress caution with Day 2 receivers, Moore is the type of profile that is an exception to the rule.
Simmie Cobbs Jr., WR, Indiana
Simmie Cobbs is a very strong receiver at the catch point. He really elevated his stock early in the season, dominating Ohio State’s cornerbacks on contested throws. Cobbs missed all of 2016 with an injury, but rebounded with a solid 2017 season (72/841/8). On tape, the biggest question is whether Cobbs has the athleticism to separate from NFL corners. While he is good at the catch point, it is tough for a receiver to make a consistent career when they cannot separate, and his 11.7 yards per catch in 2017 is an ominous sign.
