NFL scouts, GMs have interesting things to say about big-name SEC players
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What are scouts and general managers saying about some of the most notable former SEC players in this year’s NFL Draft?
Bleacher Report NFL Draft lead writer Matt Miller has some insight into what some of them had to say with the draft just about seven weeks away.
LB Reggie Ragland (Alabama)
Miller pointed out that one scout watching Reggie Ragland at Alabama’s Pro Day wasn’t impressed. He texted Miller to say that the 6-foot-1, 247-pounder looked “slow, sluggish and heavy.” Despite deciding not to run the 40-yard dash in the Pro Day, Ragland ran a 4.72 at the NFL Combine, which was viewed positively as it was middle of the pack among players at the position that participated. Miller expressed concerns that he’ll fall to the second round.
DT A’Shawn Robinson (Alabama)
Scouts also have worries about Ragland’s former teammate, A’Shawn Robinson. After the Pro Day, Miller says an AFC East general manager told him that his team sees Robinson as a two-down player and not an option for them in the first round. We don’t want to speculate too much as the general manager didn’t necessarily need to be in attendance to tell Miller that info, but according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times, only two teams sent their general managers to the Tide’s Pro Day. Only one of them was from the AFC East, and that was Buffalo Bills’ Doug Whaley.
QB Dak Prescott (Mississippi State)
Another general manager had a positive outlook of Dak Prescott, telling Miller, “I’d rather have Dak in Round 2 than the Memphis kid (Paxton Lynch) in Round 1.” The latest mock draft by CBS Sports has the Denver Broncos taking Lynch with the final pick of the first round. According to Miller, that comment came from a general manager of a team that needs a young quarterback to develop. I didn’t even know NFL teams still sought to develop young quarterbacks. Interesting.
DT Robert Nkemdiche (Ole Miss)
One general manager was blunt about Robert Nkemdiche. The GM, either the Cardinals, 49ers or Rams, had this to say: “Take (Robert) Nkemdiche out of your mock drafts. No one is that stupid.” We’ll see about that.
LB Deion Jones (LSU)
Miller had Deion Jones as one of his “5 names to know.” That’s because Jones fits the bill for modern NFL defenses with his ability to play sideline-to-sideline and assist in pass coverage. Because of that, Jones may be taken higher than expected. Among linebackers at the combine, Jones had the 4th-fastest time in the 40-yard dash (4.59) and had very respectable showings in the vertical leap (33 inches) and broad jump (10 feet).
Born and raised in Gainesville, Talal joined SDS in 2015 after spending 2 years in Bristol as an ESPN researcher. Previously, Talal worked at The Gainesville Sun.
