NFL Draft 2015: Prospects Who Helped Themselves Most in January Bowl Games
For most draft prospects, the bowl process does not have the same swing effect as it does in college basketball.
Whereas a fringe first-rounder can vault into the lottery with a couple of red-hot performances and the combine is relatively meaningless in basketball, the opposite is true in football.
Bowl games are (very smartly, I might add) viewed as part of the larger package. They're viewed as being high-profile and important games and therefore thrown atop the streaming pile, but it's incredibly rare for a player to jump multiple rounds off one performance.
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Instead, it's about moving within a certain tier. Going from the third round being the best possible scenario and that becoming a lock can all come crumbling down in individual workouts and at the combine, but playing on the nationally televised stage does mean something—even if it isn't a ton.
With the bowl season winding down, there have been enough notable performances that at least a few stick out. Here's a look at the players who have helped themselves most thus far.
RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin
Everyone knew Melvin Gordon was having a great season. He'd plowed over Big Ten defenses with ease (with the exception of Ohio State) and was having one of the best running back seasons in modern history.
That said, he picked one hell of a way to cap off his junior campaign, rushing for 251 yards and three touchdowns in Wisconsin's 34-31 win over Auburn.
It feels like there is no way he slips out of the first round at this point. Gordon finished 2014 with 2,587 yards and 29 touchdowns, putting him behind only Barry Sanders on the all-time single-season list.
We know now more than ever that running back is a fungible position. First-round picks are supplanted by undrafted nobodies almost every week, and even the superstars only have an eight- or nine-year shelf life before hitting the dreaded age of 30.
There is a reason no running back has been taken in the first round in either of the last two drafts. There's also a reason Trent Richardson is among the worst top-five choices of this decade and possibly league history. Knowing there is always value to be found in later drafts, it's going to take a special talent for a running back to get taken on Day 1.
Gordon has done everything in his power to prove he's worth the risk. His combination of size, speed and production is unmatched in this class—especially with Todd Gurley recovering from an ACL surgery. A disappointing 40 or less-than-ideal athletic measurables may still knock him out of the first round come April, but he looks like a lock right now.
QB Bryce Petty, Baylor
Opinions have and will continue to vary on Bryce Petty's pro readiness. Despite the proliferation of spread-style offenses in the NFL, pro scouts are still inherently biased against players who come from that scheme in college.
Windows are exponentially tighter at the next level, and guys like Petty may need more developmental time than a more traditional passer.
It was nonetheless impossible to watch Petty lead Baylor's offense and not see a leader, even if it came as part of a Bears collapse. The senior quarterback threw for a Cotton Bowl-record 550 yards, completing 36 of 51 passes while carving the Spartans for big plays.
Petty has thrown for 61 touchdowns against 10 interceptions the last two seasons. While he was better as a junior than he was in 2014—in part because of a few lingering injuries—he remains an interesting mid-round choice. A team could grab him somewhere between the late-second and early-fourth rounds and think they're selecting their quarterback of the future.
Remember, it's not as if Art Briles' system has a history of producing busts. Robert Griffin III had one of the best rookie seasons for a quarterback in NFL history before a combination of bad coaching, injuries and mental errors threw him into a career crossroads.
Petty doesn't have the athletic makeup of Griffin, and he's not as naturally gifted as a passer. But he's firmly the fourth-best quarterback in the draft behind Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston and Brett Hundley.
WR Tyler Lockett, Kansas State
Like Petty and Gordon, few could have come into the bowl season without knowing Tyler Lockett. The senior has emerged as one of the Pac-12's best receivers over the last two years, blowing up the single-season and career record books at Kansas State.
What's somewhat intriguing is who held most of the records Lockett broke. His father, Kevin Lockett, was a burner in his own right and a second-round pick in 1997. While the elder Lockett never became a star as a pro—he played eight seasons in the league, mostly as a backup—Tyler may just become an instant contributor at the next level.
Listed at 5'11" and 175 pounds, Lockett's size is his biggest red flag. I'd imagine he will measure at least an inch or so shorter at the combine, and every millimeter could be the difference between teams deciding whether he's worth the risk.
As a wideout, Lockett has the potential to be an impact player in the slot and can beat smaller corners over the top. He should have one of the quickest 40 times among receivers at the combine. His combination of initial burst and top-end speed make him someone who might have a Tavon Austin-like leap, though Austin's measurables are more freakish.
Concerns about production shouldn't be a problem. Lockett's 13-catch, 164-yard game against UCLA capped off a 2014 campaign that saw him finish with 106 catches for 1,515 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Wide receiver has a bunch of mid-round talent in this class, guys who could come off the board anywhere from the second through to the fourth rounds. The sheer number of those players means a few will wind up sliding well into Day 3.
Lockett might not have ideal size, but his production and potential as a special teams maven should keep him in Day 2.
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