2015 NFL Draft: Matt Miller's Scouting Notebook, Pre-Conference Championships

January 15 is a big day on the NFL calendar, as it's the day when all college underclassmen must declare for the upcoming NFL draft by. Technically, 11:59:59pm EST is the deadline, with an added 72 hours for those players who change their mind after declaring.

As of this writing, an incomplete list is available (there are always unreported declarations) and gives us a good picture of what this draft class looks like. And with NFL teams finally making hires at head coach and for coordinator spots, we can start to connect dots as to team fit and scheme for draft prospects.

And with the East-West Shrine Game ending and the Senior Bowl kicking off in four days, this week's "condensed" version of the Scouting Notebook is loaded with information. 

The Scout's Report

— With extended film study I planned to move Pitt tackle T.J. Clemmings up my board this week, so I reached out to an area scout for background info on him. Clemmings, the scout added, was a top prep basketball player with offers from Rutgers, Seton Hall and Rhode Island. He's also the owner of the most powerful punch this scout had seen in college football this season.

— I'm told by a source close to Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson that his decision to pull out of the Senior Bowl was to focus on adding weight and getting healthy for the combine. Johnson, per the same source, played around 175 pounds this season at 6'0". 

— Another player expected to pull out of the Senior Bowl is West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White. White, I'm told by a source, is focusing on speed training and hopes to be a top 10 pick in the spring if he runs well at the combine.

— I wasn't able to attend the East-West Shrine Game, but asked scouts in attendance to send me a few players to circle back on. Their collective replies: John Crockett (RB, North Dakota State), Darren Waller (WR/TE, Georgia Tech), Keith Mumphery (WR, Michigan State), Wes Saxton (TE, South Alabama), Blake Bell (TE, Oklahoma), Devin Gardner (WR, Michigan), Leterrius Walton (DT, Central Michigan), Kasen Williams (WR Washington), Xavier Williams (DT, Northern Iowa) and Craig Mager (CB, Texas State).

— I asked our Michael Schottey, who was at the practices, for a standout player and he noted LSU running back Terrence McGee as a powerful runner who could be better in the pros than in college.

— Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland tweeted that he was returning for his senior season. The athletic inside 'backer will be my top-ranked player at the position heading into next season.

— Georgia Tech wide receiver Darren Waller measured in at 6'6 1/4" and 243 pounds per a scout in attendance at the Shrine Game. When I asked the scout if Waller could transition to tight end, he told me they were worried he lacked the toughness to play there. Regardless, Waller is a huge player with an interesting upside.

— Notre Dame left tackle Ronnie Stanley tweeted that he would return for his senior season. Stanley would have been my top-ranked tackle in this class, so he heads into 2015 with big expectations.

Scouting Report: DT Danny Shelton, Wash.

Throughout the 2014 college football season, one prospect will be highlighted each week with a first-look scouting report. 

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Defensive Tackle Danny Shelton, Washington (6'2", 322 lbs)

Strengths

• Powerful with great burst off the line of scrimmage.
• Shows rare athleticism playing the nose and can move around the defensive line.
• Has a wide, powerful base that allows him to be a factor driving off the ball.
• First-step and short-area quickness are off the charts for his size.
• Pass rushes with a plan. Shows a good counter move.
• Can mix up speed and bull rushes without losing a step.
• Has improved every season and is a consistent performer.
• Runs down ball-carriers in space and has a good zone drop into the hole.
• Chases down screen passes and makes plays in the flats.
• Played the 3 and 1 techniques for Washington and can move around.
• Has some wiggle in his hips when working in space.
• Recognition in the run game is high-level.

Weaknesses

• Can play too high with his pads at times. Only 6'2", so naturally good leverage.
• Will lose his spot and get pushed in the run game if an angle block catches him from the side.
• Going back to my '13 notes, was inconsistent at times and disappeared for stretches.
• Hand use and arm extension can be late/missing in the run game.

Pro Player Comparison: Dontari Poe, Kansas City Chiefs

The Big Board

Big Board or Mock Draft? I put that to a vote on Twitter and it was an overwhelming reply that a new mock draft is needed. So this week, with head coaching and coordinator hires finally happening, here's an updated two-round mock. Enjoy.

Team	Pick	Team	Pick
1. TB	QB Jameis Winston	1. TEN	CB Alex Carter
2. TEN	OLB Randy Gregory	2. TB	DE Hau'oli Kikaha
3. JAX	DT Leonard Williams	3. OAK	WR Nelson Agholor
4. OAK	DT Danny Shelton	4. JAX	ILB Eric Kendricks
5. WSH	OLB Shane Ray	5. NYJ	CB Jalen Collins
6. NYJ	QB Marcus Mariota	6. WSH	DE Arik Armstead
7. CHI	WR Amari Cooper	7. CHI	CB Ronald Darby
8. ATL	OLB Dante Fowler	8. NYG	ILB Denzel Perryman
9. NYG	OT La'el Collins	9. STL	QB Brett Hundley
10. STL	OT Brandon Scherff	10. ATL	WR Sammie Coates
11. MIN	WR DeVante Parker	11. CLV	TE Maxx Williams
12. CLV	WR Kevin White	12. NO	OLB Vic Beasley
13. NO	ILB Shaq Thompson	13. MIN	RB Todd Gurley
14. MIA	ILB Benardrick McKinney	14. SF	CB P.J. Williams
15. SF	WR Devin Funchess	15. MIA	DT Michael Bennett
16. HOU	OT T.J. Clemmings	16. SD	RB Tevin Coleman
17. SD	OT Andrus Peat	17. KC	WR Deontay Greenberry
18. KC	SS Landon Collins	18. BUF	OT/G Jake Fisher
19. CLV	DT Malcom Brown	19. HOU	CB Quentin Rollins
20. PHI	CB Trae Waynes	20. PHI	OLB Nate Orchard
21. CIN	CB Marcus Peters	21. CIN	DE/T Mario Edwards
22. PIT	OLB Bud Dupree	22. PIT	CB Charles Gaines
23. DET	DT Eddie Goldman	23. DET	CB Lorenzo Doss
24. ARZ	DT Jordan Phillips	24. ARZ	OLB Danielle Hunter
25. CAR	OT Ereck Flowers	25. CAR	FS Derron Smith
26. BAL	CB Kevin Johnson	26. BAL	RB Melvin Gordon
27. DAL	DE Eli Harold	27. DAL	OT Cedric Ogbuehi
28. DEN	OT Ty Sambrailo	28. DEN	DE Markus Golden
29. IND	FS Gerod Holliman	29. IND	OLB Lorenzo Mauldin
30. GB	ILB Paul Dawson	30. GB	WR Rashad Greene
31. NE	WR Jaelen Strong	31. NE	FS Durell Eskridge
32. SEA	WR Devin Smith	32. SEA	RB T.J. Yeldon

Parting Shots

10. The 2015 Senior Bowl is shaping up to be a good one. The Senior Bowl committee announced more accepted invitations this week. Here is the complete list of accepted invitations thus far:

QB Shane Carden	TE E.J. Bibbs	DE Henry Anderson	OLB Lynden Trail
QB Garrett Grayson	TE Nick Boyle	DE Deion Barnes	CB Imoan Claiborne
QB Sean Mannion	TE Jeff Heuerman	DE Corey Crawford	CB Quandre Diggs
QB Bryce Petty	TE Ben Koyack	DE Bud Dupree	CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (inj)
QB Blake Sims	TE Nick O'Leary	DE Trey Flowers	CB Senquez Golson
RB Ameer Abdullah	TE Clive Walford	DE Markus Golden	CB Doran Grant
RB Cameron Artis-Payne	T Trenton Brown	DE Geneo Grissom	CB Ladarius Gunter
RB David Cobb	T T.J. Clemmings	DE Hau'oli Kikaha	CB Kevin Johnson (x)
RB David Johnson	T La'el Collins	DE Owa Odighizuwa	CB Steven Nelson
RB Jeremy Langford	T Jamil Douglas	DE Nate Orchard	CB Quinten Rollins
FB Jalston Fowler	T Cam Erving	DE Preston Smith	CB Eric Rowe
FB Connor Neighbors	T Jake Fisher	DT Michael Bennett	CB JaCorey Shepherd
FB Tyler Varga	T Rob Havenstein	DT Carl Davis	CB D'Joun Smith
WR Dres Anderson	T Ali Marpet	DT Caleb Eulls	CB Kevin White
WR Sammie Coates	T Cedric Ogbuehi (inj)	DT Grady Jarrett	S Cody Prewitt
WR Jamison Crowder	T Ty Sambrailo	DT Joey Mbu	S Damarious Randall
WR Devante Davis	T Austin Shepherd	DT Danny Shelton	S Derron Smith
WR Phillip Dorsett	T Donovan Smith	DT Louis Trinca-Pasat	S Adrian Amos
WR Antwan Goodley	T Daryl Williams	DT Gabe Wright	S Anthony Harris
WR Rashad Greene	G Tre' Jackson	ILB Stephone Anthony	S Jaquiski Tartt
WR Justin Hardy	G Arie Kouandjio	ILB Eric Kendricks	S Clayton Geathers
WR Josh Harper	G Shaq Mason	ILB Jeff Luc	S Ibraheim Campbell
WR Dezmin Lewis	G Josue Matias	ILB Denzel Perryman	S Kurtis Drummond
WR Tony Lippett	G Robert Myers	ILB Hayes Pullard	P Kyle Loomis
WR Tyler Lockett	G Laken Tomlinson	ILB Ramik Wilson	K Tom Obarski
WR Donatella Luckett	C Reese Dismukes	OLB Jordan Hicks	K Justin Manton
WR Vince Mayle	C Andy Gallik	OLB Zack Hodges	LS Andrew East
WR Ty Montgomery	C Max Garcia	OLB Mike Hull	LS Joe Cardona
WR Devin Smith	C Hroniss Grasu	OLB Lorenzo Mauldin
WR Kevin White (x)	C Chris Jasperse	OLB Martrell Spraight

9. As the season winds down, it's time for underclassmen to make their draft decisions before the Jan. 15 deadline. Here's a list of all reported underclassmen declarations:

WR Nelson Agholor	DE Mario Edwards	QB Brett Hundley	DE Shane Ray
RB Jay Ajayi	FS Durell Eskridge	DE Danielle Hunter	RB Josh Robinson
LB Kwon Alexander	WR George Farmer	TE Jesse James	WR Shaq Roland
RB Javorius Allen	T Ereck Flowers	RB Duke Johnson	SS James Sample
DL Arik Armstead	DE Dante Fowler, Jr.	RB Matt Jones	TE Jean Sifrin
DE Deion Barnes	WR Devin Funchess	WR Nigel King	T Donovan Smith
DT Malcom Brown	CB Jacoby Glenn	TE Tyler Kroft	DE Noah Spence
CB Alex Carter	DT Eddie Goldman	QB Marcus Mariota	WR Jaelen Strong
WR Sammie Coates	RB Melvin Gordon	DT Ellis McCarthy	LB Shaq Thompson
RB Tevin Coleman	WR Dorial Green-Beckham	ILB Benardrick McKinney	OLB Max Valles
CB Jalen Collins	WR Deontay Greenberry	T Patrick Miller	CB Trae Waynes
SS Landon Collins	DE Randy Gregory	G Tyler Moore	DT Leonard Williams
WR Amari Cooper	RB Todd Gurley	DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches	TE Maxx Williams
DE Xavier Cooper	SS Chris Hackett	T Andrus Peat	CB P.J. Williams
DT Christian Covington	DE Eli Harold	WR Breshad Perriman	RB Trey Williams
CB Ronald Darby	WR Chris Harper	CB Marcus Peters	QB Jameis Winston
RB Mike Davis	RB Dee Hart	DT Jordan Phillips	RB T.J. Yeldon
WR Stefon Diggs	RB Braylon Heard	DT Darius Philon
CB Lorenzo Doss	FS Gerod Holliman	P Bradley Pinion
WR Lemar Durant	T D.J. Humphries	T Jeremiah Poutasi

8. In the draft media, very few people are standing in line to point out when you hit on a player, but they'll come out of the woods to remind you that you missed on a guy. With that in mind, and because I like to admit when I'm wrong about a player, I'll be doing a "Hit and Miss" each week until the draft.

Up first, a miss (with a new format this week):

In the 2012 NFL draft I fell hard for Trent Richardson out of Alabama. Ranked at No. 3 overall that year, Richardson was eventually drafted in that spot by the Cleveland Browns. Early on, it looked like a hit. Then he started playing, and as each week of his career passes he looks more and more like a bust. Richardson's signature power and burst from Alabama are gone, and his vision has become worthless in the NFL. Being a timid, blind running back is a bad thing.

7. And now for a player I hit on. A "hit" can be defined a few ways—a player ranked/drafted higher than the NFL viewed him is how I categorize a hit, though.

The 2013 class was a good one at cornerback, but I particularly liked Desmond Trufant out of Washington—enough to give him a ranking as my No. 2 cornerback behind Dee Milliner. I remember seeing Trufant at the Senior Bowl, and my notes from that week read as this: "Runs like an NFL cornerback. Transitions like an NFL cornerback. Built like an NFL cornerback. He's an NFL cornerback." Trufant has gone on to become one of the best young cornerbacks in football through his two seasons of play.

6. A lot of dumb things get said on Twitter every day, but Joe Theismann's tweet from Thursday may take the cake in the NFL stratosphere. 

"

Love listening to people talk about the QB position & have never played it.

— Joe Theismann (@Theismann7) January 15, 2015"

This would be like saying Bill Belichick isn't worthy of evaluating quarterbacks, but Ryan Leaf is. To quote the great theatre classic Tommy Boy, "I can get a pretty good look at a t-bone steak by sticking my head up a bull's ass, but I'd rather take the butcher's word for it."

There are so many bright, articulate, helpful former NFL players working in the media who do a great job adding to this space. Theismann often does not, and this tweet is yet another example of why.

5. The January 15 deadline for underclassmen to enter the draft has passed, so which players made what looks like a wrong decision right now. The players listed below weren't on my radar at all as underclassmen—which honestly, is hard to do—making their decision look very questionable today.

WR Lemar Durant, Simon Fraser — WR George Farmer, USC — RB Braylon Heard, Kentucky — T D.J. Humphries, Florida — WR Nigel King, Kansas — P Bradley Pinion, Clemson

4. With the 2015 Reese's Senior Bowl up next week, here is a quick list of players who could make themselves a ton of money with a strong performance.

DT Danny Shelton, Washington — T T.J. Clemmings, Pitt — T La'el Collins, LSU — QB Bryce Petty, Baylor — WR Sammie Coates, Auburn — DE Bud Dupree, Kentucky — WR Devin Smith, Ohio State

3. The Senior Bowl is such an important part of the draft process—more important for true evaluation than pro days, the Combine or other all-star games. I'd put the Senior Bowl behind game film (which I like to be about 90 percent of a grade) and any private/individual workout a player does for a team. Since we're often not privy to those workouts, the Senior Bowl becomes the second most important tool for an evaluator in the media space.

2. This will be the last time I type or talk about Cardale Jones until at least spring practice, but hopefully until August: Good for him.

Jones is 22 years old, married and a father. His education is important to him, and it should be. He made a decision that was well-researched and with the guidance of many people. I'm hoping the best for him, and that in a year we'll all be talking about him in this space.

1. I want to end on something I've been working on a lot these past few weeks. My 10 rules of player evaluation. Hopefully these work as a good guideline (or at least a discussion point) for others.

10. A lot of great football players are crappy people. A lot of crappy football players are good people.

9. What a college coach or scheme asked the player to do isn't always all that he can do.

8. Production must be the result of traits—not a result of scheme or competition.

7. Russell Wilson is the exception, not the rule.

6. Three games are a minimum before any report can be filed. Don't cheat it.

5. Fall reports are meant to be updated. Don't hold yourself to early season grades. Change is OK.

4. Football character and personal character are different, but both can't be bad.

3. Look for what a player can do, not what a player can't do.

2. The Teddy Bridgewater Rule: Trust the film, not workouts 

1. When you're wrong, and you will be, admit it and learn from it. Self-study is crucial.