Which Prospects Have Scouts Buzzing in Run-Up to NFL Draft?
With pro days wrapping up, and the opening night of the NFL draft less than three weeks away, which prospects are ascending?
Here are five players I've heard about consistently in discussions with NFL scouts—players who are generating buzz because of their potential upside, measurables and pro-day workouts.
Eric Rowe, CB/S, Utah
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Rowe isn't in that top tier of prospects at the cornerback position (with Trae Waynes, Kevin Johnson and Marcus Peters), but his name keeps popping up when I talk to scouts who grade the secondary. Looking at his size and the testing numbers, it's easy to see why: NFL teams love cornerbacks with the frame and length to play press outside of the numbers.
At 6'1", 205 pounds, Rowe checked off plenty of boxes at the NFL Scouting Combine. He ran a 4.45 40-yard dash, jumped 39 inches and was one of the top defensive backs in the three-cone (6.70) and short shuttle (3.97). A three-year starter at safety for Utah, Rowe made the switch to cornerback in 2014 and finished his college career with a ton of on-the-ball production (34 passes broken up).
I can see the why some teams would look at Rowe in the deep middle of the field at free safety, but I like him at cornerback. The scouts I talk to point to his instincts, to his ability to fit upfield versus the run game on the edge and to his legit size, which should allow him to jam, re-route and impact the release of wide receivers in the NFL.
The downside here is Rowe's lack of ability to recover versus the deep ball, and the fact that he left too many plays on the field at Utah (only three career interceptions). He doesn't have the sudden burst or natural coverage skills of a Ronald Darby out of Florida State. But if you're a team that plays some Cover 2 and targets cornerbacks with the length to get hands on receivers, Rowe needs to be a Day 2 target on your draft board.
Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida
Perriman is a prime example of a player with tremendous upside because of his athletic ability, size and speed. At his pro day on campus, the Central Florida product ran the 40 in 4.24 and 4.27 seconds. Those are ridiculous times for a wide receiver with a 6'2", 212-pound frame. Add in his vertical jump of 36.5 inches and it's easy to see why he is climbing up draft boards. This guy is a freak.
Think about the deep ball here with Perriman and the vertical threat he can provide to an NFL offense. He can get to top speed quickly, break the cushion versus defensive backs and challenge secondaries. That sells for any NFL team. Put the ball up and let him go get it.
Perriman is underdeveloped as a route-runner and he doesn't always finish plays. There are far too many missed opportunities and drops on the tape I've watched. That has to be a concern in the grading process.
However, you won't find too many rookies in this class, outside of Alabama's Amari Cooper, who will come into the league as top-tier route-runners. College receivers often rely on their athletic ability to get open on Saturdays. Perriman needs some work to master routes.
Still, his size and speed are rare, so he should be in that second tier of receivers, after the first-round run on Cooper, Kevin White and DeVante Parker. Remember, you are drafting for upside with Perriman. He isn't a finished product.
Brandon Scherff, OT/OG, Iowa
Scherff has been a first-round prospect since the beginning of the 2014 college season, but the scouts I talk to now see him as going 10th-15th overall, especially after he put his athletic ability on display at Iowa's pro day in the change-of-direction testing.
At 6'5", 319 pounds, the former Hawkeye offensive tackle finished the three-cone drill in 7.18 seconds and produced a short-shuttle time of 4.57. Big men aren't supposed to move like that, but these numbers speak to the functional athletic ability that Scherff pairs with his powerful base on the offensive line.
The talk of Scherff sliding inside to play at the guard position in the NFL is legit, but the point here is teams will be drafting a physical prospect who has the versatility to play multiple spots on the offensive line. He also brings a nasty attitude at the point of attack.
Scherff is a road-grader on film, a player who punishes defenders with a violent finish, and he could anchor a spot on the line for eight to 10 years.
Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State
For defenses that play a 30 front, put McKinney on the list as a linebacker who can compete for a job on the first day of camp. With a 6'4", 246-pound frame, McKinney has the size to play inside, but he also brings some versatility to the NFL as a possible edge-rusher due to his straight-line speed (he ran a 4.66 40 at the combine) and his athleticism (40.5-inch vertical jump).
I talked to a scout who was at the Mississippi State pro day. He raved about McKinney's movement during positional drills, comparing him to Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright. McKinney could play a key role in defensive sub packages at the next level, and he does project as a three-down prospect at the linebacker position.
College production doesn't always translate to the NFL, but McKinney led Mississippi State in tackles each of the last two seasons and has the instincts to find the football. He is a solid Day 2 prospect who could come off the board early in the second round for a team that wants to get more athletic at linebacker.
Damarious Randall, FS, Arizona State
This safety class lacks first-round talent outside of Alabama's Landon Collins, but keep an eye on Randall as a Day 2 prospect because of his ability to play the middle of the field. The former Sun Devil has range, speed (he ran a 4.46 40 at the combine), coverage versatility and the opportunity to develop into a starter at the NFL level.
Randall first caught my attention back at the Senior Bowl because of his footwork. He is smooth in his back-pedal, doesn't show signs of panic and has a good feel for when to transition to the ball.
Even though Randall lacks a massive frame (5'11", 196 pounds), he wasn't shy about coming downhill in the run game during practice sessions in Mobile. He wanted to compete—and that's the first thing I look for in defensive backs.
The key from the perspective of NFL scouts is that Randall can play free safety. He's not just a "box guy," and that sells for teams looking for prospects to play over the top in single-high safety schemes.
With any rookie defensive back, special teams is part of the job, and Randall should excel on coverage units this season. But the main goal is to develop Randall into a starter at one of the most important positions in today's league. The skill set is there.
Seven-year NFL veteran Matt Bowen is an NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report.
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