2016 NFL Draft Scouting Notebook for Week 14

When NFL teams start to get together for scouting meetings over the next two weeks, big questions will be answered. Jared Goff or Paxton Lynch? Jalen Ramsey or Vernon Hargreaves? Laremy Tunsil or Ronnie Stanley?

Some of the big questions surrounding the 2016 draft class cannot be answered just yet, but as the draft order starts to come into focus and as underclassman declarations start to come in, the draft picture is getting straightened out. And as that happens, more and more info gets shared with you guys every Friday.

What can you expect this week? An in-depth look at Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson, an updated Connor Cook report (and some free advice for him), team needs for all 32 NFL teams and a look at the current Senior Bowl rosters. But let's get started with some news and notes...

The Scout's Report

— The biggest draft news of the week is that Notre Dame left tackle Ronnie Stanley will enter the 2016 NFL draft. That's directly from the source, as Stanley confirmed his plans to me in a conversation this week. He currently ranks as my No. 1 tackle and a top-five player.

— NFL.com's Chase Goodbread shared the news this week (first reported by Anthony Chiang of the Palm Beach Post) that Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III will "most likely" declare for the 2016 draft. If so, Hargreaves will be the top-ranked corner in this class.

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

— In speaking with an Ohio State player this week, he passed on the information that underclassmen Eli Apple, Vonn Bell and Jalin Marshall are all expected to leave the Buckeyes early and head to the NFL.

— What did one college scouting director tell me this week about Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson? "He's a top-10 player. Defensive ends like that go high."

— Clemson redshirt sophomore cornerback Mackensie Alexander is one of the hottest names among college prospects. However, one area scout I spoke to this week pointed out that Alexander hasn't recorded an interception in his two years on the field. Per the scout, that's the biggest red flag on their report of him.

— One name I'm hearing a lot of buzz on lately is Houston wide receiver Demarcus Ayers. There isn't strong word on if he'll declare for the draft early, but with 4.3 speed and great production in the Houston offense, he's drawing the eye of NFL scouts.

— Ohio State defensive tackle Adolphus Washington was cited for solicitation, according to a Fox 28 report from Sean Rowe. While it's too early to accurately judge how this will affect his NFL draft stock, this isn't a good look for the second-round prospect.

Five Names to Know

5. No. 1 Cornerback Harlan Miller, SE Louisiana

As far as small-school sleepers go, this is one to keep an eye on. The 6'0", 180-pound cornerback received and accepted a Senior Bowl invite, and with his confirmed 4.55 time in the 40-yard dash, he has the length and speed teams love on the edge. Playing a small-school schedule doesn't offer much competition, but Miller's film looks good.

4. No. 9 EDGE Kyler Fackrell, Utah State

One of my favorite under-the-radar players in this class, Kyler Fackrell has the size (6'5", 245 pounds) and burst to bend the edge and make plays in the backfield. He's also a Senior Bowl invitee and has the look Nate Orchard brought to Mobile last year (also from Utah, but this time from the University of Utah). Fackrell could have a big impact down in Alabama.

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

3. No. 55 Guard Cody Whitehair, Kansas State

Cody Whitehair has some of the most impressive game film you'll see among offensive linemen in the 2016 draft class. Whitehair, who plays tackle at Kansas State, will most likely move to guard in the NFL. That might make you think of Zack Martin or Joel Bitonio, but I see more James Carpenter in his mean streak.

2. No. 70 Center Ryan Kelly, Alabama

The top-ranked center on my Big Board, Alabama's Ryan Kelly has pro size (6'4", 296 pounds) and the toughness to handle nose tackles, but he's agile enough to get in space and attack linebackers. Kelly's meanness and aggressiveness jump off the page, but he also plays under control and with patience. He's looking like a top-50 pick.

1. No. 10 Linebacker Skai Moore, South Carolina

An undersized (6'2", 218 pounds) linebacker for the Gamecocks, Skai Moore has the speed off the edge to impact the game, but he moves like a safety in space. Moore needs to put on weight—I'm told he's already up to 225 pounds—but this underclassman fits the mold of the smaller, athletic linebacker that's trendy in the NFL right now.

Scouting Report: Shaq Lawson, Clemson

Throughout the 2016 draft season, I'll highlight one draft prospect each week with a first-look scouting report.

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

No. 90 Defensive End Shaq Lawson, Clemson (6'3", 275 lbs)

Strengths: A one-year starter at defensive end, Shaq Lawson has declared for the 2016 NFL draft as an early entrant, per an interview with Fox 26 in Houston, Texas (via ESPN.com's Andrea Adelson). Lawson posted 3.5 sacks as a backup in 2014 and impressed with 22.5 tackles for a loss and 9.5 sacks in his first year as a starter in 2015. Lawson is 21 years old and a Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management major.

Lawson has a big frame with broad shoulders and thick legs. He has a muscular frame that looks to be capable of adding more muscle and bulk without sacrificing flexibility. From an eyeball-test standpoint, he looks the part of a 4-3 defensive end.

Lawson lines up at right defensive end and generally takes a 6-technique alignment outside the shoulder of the left tackle. Lawson will play standing up in a two-point stance but is comfortable in a three-point stance with his hand in the dirt.

Film study shows Lawson to be a very smart football player. He doesn't get fooled by misdirection and knows how to read the pass set or run set of the offensive lineman in front of him. He reads and reacts quickly and is rarely caught out of position. Because of this he does a good job countering blockers and shows the tools to have a strong secondary pass-rush move. With a nice mix of power, length and quickness, Lawson can be a handful when blocked one-on-one.

Perhaps my favorite thing about Lawson is that you don't see him loafing or taking plays off. His motor is nonstop, and he appears to be a player who genuinely loves playing football.

Weaknesses: Being a one-year starter is a concern, and you have to wonder if Lawson is the real deal or a flash in the pan.

Clemson defensive ends are coached to play both the run and pass by assignment and must handle a big defensive playbook, but that may work against Lawson, as he can get caught hesitating at the snap and not engaging the offensive lineman in front of him. That hesitation to take a first step can result in being washed down in the run game or allow an athletic offensive tackle to handle his delayed rush. Fans will remember this was a question with Randy Gregory last year too.

The biggest complaint you'll hear on Lawson is that he doesn't have a great burst step or much quickness in space. He's a power rusher more than a pure speed rusher. That's not to say he's too slow or heavy-footed for the NFL, but he doesn't look scheme-versatile enough to stand up in a 3-4 scheme.

Pro Comparison: Kony Ealy, Carolina Panthers

A big defensive end with adequate quickness off the snap and a good mix of power and length: I see a lot of Kony Ealy in Shaq Lawson's game—and that's a compliment. Ealy was one of my favorite players in the 2014 draft class, and he's starting to pay off with pass-rushing numbers for the Panthers this season.

Currently, Lawson projects as a top-15 player and the No. 2-ranked defensive end (behind Joey Bosa) in this class.

The Big Board

In case you missed it, a new three-round mock draft and a new Top 100 Big Board were posted this week. That doesn't leave much for this section, but one area that hasn't been updated this week is a look at each team's needs. Factoring in free agency and attrition, here are the top three needs for each club.

Pick	Team	Need 1	Need 2	Need 3
1	Cleveland	QB	WR	ILB
2	Tennessee	OT	ILB	RB
3	San Diego	WR	OLB	C
4	Baltimore	WR	FS	EDGE
5	Jacksonville	CB	DT	C
6	Dallas	LB	RB	QB
7	St. Louis	QB	WR	CB
8	New Orleans	WLB	CB	QB
9	San Francisco	QB	RT	WR
10	Detroit	OT	CB	DT
11	NY Giants	DE	RB	SS
12	Miami	CB	DE	G
13	Oakland	CB	S	T
14	Philadelphia	QB	T	EDGE
15	Chicago	EDGE	LT	CB
16	Atlanta	S	LB	TE
17	Tampa Bay	DE	CB	T
18	Houston	QB	RB	NT
19	Buffalo	DL	RT	SS
20	Pittsburgh	CB	S	G
21	NY Jets	EDGE	T	TE
22	Seattle	CB	WR	DT
23	Kansas City	T	ILB	DE
24	Minnesota	WR	OLB	S
25	Washington	DL	CB	C
26	Indianapolis	T	CB	EDGE
27	Green Bay	EDGE	NT	ILB
28	Arizona	OLB	C	DE
29	Cincinnati	FS	SS	WR
30	Denver	T	G	TE
31	Carolina	LT	S	WR
32	New England	CB	WR	RB

Parting Shots  

7. The 2016 Senior Bowl roster is starting to take shape with another announcement of accepted invitations coming out each Tuesday. Here's the roster as it stands now, but remember, players can (and will) drop out between now and late January.

QB Jeff Driskel, La. Tech	DE Dadi Nicolas, Virginia Tech
QB Carson Wentz, North Dakota State	DE Noah Spence, Eastern Kentucky
QB Jacoby Brissett, North Carolina State	DE Jihad Ward, Illinois
RB Tyler Ervin, San Jose State	DE Jason Fanaika, Utah
RB Jonathan Williams, Arkansas	DE Charles Tapper, Oklahoma
RB Kenneth Dixon, La. Tech	DE Sheldon Rankins, Louisville
FB Chris Swain, Navy	DT Matt Ioannidis, Temple
FB Dan Vitale, Northwestern	DT Adolphus Washington, Ohio State
WR Leonte Carroo, Rutgers	DT Vernon Butler, La. Tech
WR Sterling Shepard, Oklahoma	ILB Blake Martinez, Stanford
WR Jay Lee, Baylor	ILB Tyler Matakevich, Temple
WR Kolby Listenbee, TCU	ILB Jared Norris, Utah
WR Braxton Miller, Ohio State	ILB Kentrell Brothers, Missouri
WR Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia	ILB Nick Kwiatkoski, West Virginia
WR Chris Moore, Cincinnati	ILB Antonio Morrison, Florida
TE Bryce Williams, East Carolina	OLB Deion Jones, LSU
TE Nick Vannett, Ohio State	OLB Jordan Jenkins, Georgia
TE Jake McGee, Florida	OLB Kyler Fackrell, Utah State
T Cole Toner, Harvard	OLB Joe Schobert, Wisconsin
T John Theus, Georgia	OLB Joshua Perry, Ohio State
T Jason Spriggs, Indiana	OLB Eric Striker, Oklahoma
T Le'Raven Clark, Texas Tech	CB Tavon Young, Temple
T Joe Dahl, Washington State	CB Eric Murray, Minnesota
T Taylor Decker, Ohio State	CB Deiondre' Hall, Northern Iowa
T Willie Beavers, Western Michigan	CB Harlan Miller, SE Louisiana
T Kyle Murphy, Stanford	CB Maurice Canady, Virginia
T Vadal Alexander, LSU	CB Sean Davis, Maryland
G Cody Whitehair, Kansas State	CB William Jackson III, Houston
G Christian Westerman, Arizona State	CB DeAndre Houston-Carson, William & Mary
G Josh Garnett, Stanford	CB James Bradberry, Samford
G Connor McGovern, Missouri	S Darian Thompson, Boise State
G Sebastian Tretola, Arkansas	S Miles Killebrew, Southern Utah
C Evan Boehm, Missouri	S Jordan Lucas, Penn State
C Nick Martin, Notre Dame	S Jalen Mills, LSU
LS Jimmy Landes, Baylor	S Kevin Byard, Middle Tennessee
LS Jeff Overbaugh, San Diego State

6. Underclassman declarations are starting to be announced as players make plans before the January 18 deadline to enter the 2016 NFL draft. Here's a look at the notable announcements thus far.

Expected to Enter	Expected to Return
RB Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State (declared)	WR Will Fuller, Notre Dame
RB Jonathan Williams, Arkansas (declared)	WR Mike Williams, Clemson
WR Tyler Boyd, Pitt	TE Jake Butt, Michigan
WR Corey Coleman, Baylor	T Jack Conklin, Michigan State
WR Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina	G Pat Elflein, Ohio State
WR Demarcus Robinson, Florida	DE Chris Wormley, Michigan
WR Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss	DL Darius Hamilton, Rutgers
T Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame (declared)	LB Jarrad Davis, Florida
T Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss	CB Jourdan Lewis, Michigan
DE Joey Bosa, Ohio State	CB Tre'Davious White, LSU
DE Shaq Lawson, Clemson (declared)
DL Kenny Clark, UCLA
DL Yannick Ngakoue, Maryland (declared)
LB Leonard Floyd, Georgia (declared)
LB Myles Jack, UCLA (declared)
LB Darron Lee, Ohio State
LB Scooby Wright, Arizona
CB Mackensie Alexander, Clemson
CB Vernon Hargreaves, Florida
CB Jalen Ramsey, FSU
S Jayron Kearse, Clemson

5. When my new Big Board came out this week, many fans responded on Twitter asking why Michigan State senior quarterback Connor Cook was ranked so low. It's a question asked often enough to expand on.

On the field, Cook looks the part at 6'3" and with a sturdy build around 220 pounds. He's a big right-hander and stands tall in the pocket while showing the footwork to escape the rush and pick up yards as a scrambler. Playing in a run-first scheme, Cook has posted respectable numbers (24 touchdowns, five interceptions, 2,921 yards) but only completed 56.9 percent of his passes this season. That accuracy question is my biggest one in what we see him do as a passer.

Cook's accuracy isn't up to the level I look for in a starting-caliber prospect—and accuracy is the one trait I believe a passer can't completely change once he becomes a pro.

Whether you like to look at quarterback wins or not, Cook's numbers there are very impressive with a 34-4 record when starting.

Off the field, I've heard things running from Cook's being arrogant and a prima donna to just being a bit prickly with the media. Depending on the scout, Cook's intangibles (leadership, attitude, work ethic) will be a very big part of his grade. The fact that this three-year starter at quarterback wasn't voted a team captain by teammates is something he'll have to answer for, even if it seems like a subplot from the movie Draft Day.

Looking at Cook on the field, I'd give him a grade in the late second round to early third round. Factor in the off-field questions, and he's not in my top 100 players.

The best advice I could give Cook or his family: Get to the Senior Bowl. A week in Mobile with every NFL scout watching Cook work with teammates and coaches and open himself up to interviews with clubs would go a long way in repairing some of the negative information that's out there.

4. The San Francisco 49ers are going through a formative year, and many fans have pointed the finger at general manager Trent Baalke for the troubles of 2015. Baalke should shoulder some of the blame for the team's downfall, but I'm not willing to put the unexpected retirements of Anthony Davis, Justin Smith, Patrick Willis and Chris Borland on his plate.

One area I hope fans appreciate is the quarterback position and how two moves made by Baalke's front office have set the 49ers up for success—the team-friendly contract signed by Colin Kaepernick and the trade to acquire Blaine Gabbert before he hit the open market.

Kaepernick signed a contract before the 2014 season that allows the 49ers to release him before April 1 and owe him no guaranteed money. The move to sign Kaepernick to a deal that gave San Francisco an out after each season, while owing Kaepernick only what's left of his prorated signing bonus, was a stroke of genius.

And how about the move to trade for Gabbert? The 49ers were widely criticized at the time, but moving a sixth-round pick for even a backup quarterback is a bargain—especially when that quarterback was talented enough to be drafted in the first round back in 2011. And let's be honest: Gabbert has played better this season than Kaepernick did. He may not be the long-term answer at quarterback, but getting even a short-term answer for a late-round pick is a great move.

I'm still crafting my Pro Player Comparisons, but I see a lot of Emmanuel Sanders in Corey Coleman. Both are shorter guys with great quickness in space and good ability to move around the formation. As for Josh Doctson, I'm not sold on any one comparison so far, but he's closest to Keenan Allen in that he's a taller (6'3") wide receiver who has a lean build but not great speed.

I'm a big Carson Wentz fan—he may eventually be in my top 32 players—but outside of him, the small-school class isn't really impressing me right now. One player I like a lot, and who got mentioned in previous weeks, is Southern Utah strong safety Miles Killebrew. He reminds me a lot of Jaquiski Tartt from last year's draft. He's big, strong, runs with good range and could play some nickel linebacker right away.

I'm not sure how other draft analysts feel about this year's interior offensive line group, but I really like it. As for the top guy, that's Arkansas guard Denver Kirkland. He's just a junior, and he plays left tackle for the Razorbacks, but he looks like the next La'el Collins as a left guard prospect. As for the top center, Ryan Kelly from Alabama is my guy.

Matt Miller covers the NFL and NFL draft for Bleacher Report.