Welcome to the RSO Rookie Rundown, a resource to help RSO owners prepare for their upcoming rookie drafts. For more college football and NFL Draft coverage, follow me on Twitter at @robertfcowper. Throughout the offseason, the RSO Rookie Rundown will delve into dozens of future rookies for your consideration. Each prospect will be evaluated on a number of criteria including size, production, performance, character and durability. This is an inexact science but the goal is to gain a better perspective of each player through research. Each player will be given a draft round grade as well as a recent NFL player comparison. For draft round grades, it’s important to remember that some positions are valued more highly than others in the NFL. For player comparisons, it’s important to remember that it is a rough heuristic for illustrative purposes and is based on a physical and statistical basis rather than a prediction of a similar NFL career.
Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State
Dallas Goedert is an FCS star who deserves your attention. Goedert was not even on my radar when I started researching the 2017 season but an RSO reader suggested I look him up and since then I have had Goedert as a top player at the position. Goedert was selected for the Senior Bowl but ultimately had to pull out due to a hamstring injury. Luckily he was still able to weigh-in so we could get a firm handle on his height and weight. Goedert came in at 6044 (a handy shorthand that says he is 6 feet, 04 inches and 4/8) and 260lbs which was just about what we expected. I will be very interested in seeing how Goedert runs at the combine. NFLDraftScout.com predicts he’ll run about 4.81, whereas a Sports Illustrated profile from the preseason gave him 4.65 speed. That’s a huge gap (think Julius Thomas vs Kyle Rudolph). Unfortunately, the hamstring wasn’t Goedert’s first injury of the season. He left SDSU’s quarterfinal matchup against New Hampshire early with an ankle injury; the injury subsequently kept him out of the semi-final against James Madison. Goedert played in each game in 2015 and 2016 so I’m not that concerned that this is part of a bigger pattern (he was redshirted in 2013 and a limited contributor in 2014). Goedert does not have any character concerns that I came across during my research. To the contrary, he seems like a fun, quirky kid that fans will fall in love with. My research of Goedert provided the most unexpected article from AOL titled “A Walk-On Unicyclist from South Dakota Might be the NFL Draft’s Top Tight End Prospect.” The article did not skimp on unicycling details and actually included a snapshot from the local paper showing Goedert atop a six-foot high unicycle. Awesome. Let’s hope he gets drafted by the team featured on Hard Knocks so we can see him in the rookie talent show!
Stats & Accolades: As an FCS player, there are few “advanced” stats out there for Goedert. Good thing he dominated so much the last two seasons that we don’t need the advanced stats to tell us how good Goedert is. 2016 was his high water mark with a 92-1,293-11 campaign. His counting stats decreased in 2017 but his rate stat of yards per reception did increase (15.4 in 2017 vs 14.1 in 2016). I expect the decrease in 2017 was likely due to the fact that MVC defenses had more time to watch film of Goedert and to gameplan against him. Goedert has five games in his career with 10+ receptions. To give you a feel for how dominant that is, let’s compare to other top TE prospects in this class. Mark Andrews, Mike Gesicki, Hayden Hurst and Troy Fumagalli all have zero such games. Adam Breneman, featured below, is the only other top prospect with any 10+ games and he has just two. Casual fans may interject and say, “Bob, surely he dominated because he was by far the best receiver on his team.” I would point out that Goedert was sharing the targets with four-year standout WR Jake Wieneke who averaged nearly 1,300 yards and 15 TDs per season. An easy knock against Goedert (and Wieneke) will be the quality of opponent. To get a feel for how Goedert did in his team’s biggest games, I looked at a set of six games. The first was his only game against a Power 5 opponent, TCU in 2016. In that game he had a 5-96-1 line. The other five games all were against North Dakota State. I chose to concentrate on this subset of his game logs because NDSU was by far the most dominant team in the FCS in recent history (they won six of seven championships). In those five games against championship level teams, Goedert totaled 29 receptions for 389 yards and 3 TDs. On average, that would be 5.8 receptions, 77.8 yards and .6 TDs. That’s a stat line that fantasy owners would kill for from the TE position on a regular basis.
Goedert was named to the Missouri Valley Conference First Team for three straight seasons from 2015-2017. He was also named, unanimously, to back-to-back FCS All-American teams in 2016 and 2017. He was also a Walter Payton Award (i.e. the FCS Heisman) finalist both seasons. He has quite a list of accomplishments and I am looking forward to seeing him ply his trade at the next level.
| Year |
Games |
Rec |
Yards |
TD |
|
(sadly no exportable FCS stats)
|
| 2014 |
14 |
8 |
100 |
0 |
| 2015 |
12 |
26 |
484 |
3 |
| 2016 |
13 |
92 |
1293 |
11 |
| 2017 |
14 |
72 |
1111 |
7 |
Film Study: North Dakota State (2017), TCU (2016)
I watched Goedert against North Dakota State and TCU – the two key opponents mentioned above. Let’s first look at Goedert in 2017 vs NDSU. I was immediately struck by how versatile his usage was in the Jackrabbit offense. Not only did Goedert line up inline, he lined up offset, split out and in the backfield. Goedert is not a great blocker but I would say he is at least above average for the class. Two blocks, coincidentally on back-to-back plays on the tape yet separated by minutes in the game, showed decent strength and form. Don’t get me wrong, he will need improvement as a blocker in the NFL but what rookie tight end doesn’t? Here are the two blocks:
In the first play, Goedert initiates contact with the defender with a quick strike. He uses strong leg drive to push the defensive end back and hooks him to create a hole for the runner. In the second play, Goedert again initiates the contact by getting his hands on the defender first. He uses the linebacker’s aggressiveness against him as he pushes him inside just as the receiver comes past on the end-around.
Later in the game, Goedert impressed me with his concentration when he tipped a ball to himself and caught it with one hand. He gets a clean release off the line and beats the covering linebacker. He makes the tip and the catch look effortless as he walks into the endzone. It was just one of a number of good-to-great catches I saw him make while watching tape and highlight reels. Granted, it is easier to make the spectacular play when you’re playing against lesser competition.
On the ensuing two point conversion, Goedert stars in a clever trick play. The running back takes a handoff and then hands to Goedert who comes on the reverse. Goedert then pitches the ball to the quarterback who is in the flat. It’s an ugly and dangerous pitch but it worked. I don’t think there’s anything to glean from the play aside from reinforcing his versatility.
Against TCU, Goedert had a nice score that tied the game at 31. He was lined up on the line and feigned blocking long enough to sell the fake on the jet sweep. The defenders all fall for the fake and leave Goedert wide open. He catches the ball in the open field and his size advantage is immediately apparent: there’s no way that the smaller safety can bring him down before the goal line.
While watching the TCU tape, I found myself disappointed in Goedert’s route running. A number of his routes looked labored and slow. One particular play late in the third quarter just looked like a lazy post pattern. The safety is easily able to cover Goedert and break on the ball. An NFL safety may have turned it into an interception. The play ends in a defensive pass interference but that’s a moot point. He should have done better on that play with the game still in the balance.
SWOT Analysis: (SWOT analysis is a way to study the internal and external factors that may help or hinder your ability to achieve an objective. The objective here: getting drafted.)
Strengths: Size, volume of production in college, durability from 2013-2016, personality, versatility.
Weaknesses: 2017 injuries, level of competition in the FCS, speed (pending combine measurement), route running.
Opportunities: Due to his size and production in college, teams may view Goedert as a potential starter rather than a situational receiver.
Threats: Teams may get caught up on the recent ankle and hamstring injuries, or the lack of high level competition, and drop Goedert down their board. Teams may be hesitant on Goedert until after they see him run at the combine as that will greatly impact his value.
Draft Round Grade: Early 2nd Round
I believe that Goedert’s stock will continue to rise as more and more people get eyes on him. A solid combine will also propel him higher in the draft as it’ll be the first time scouts can compare him to FBS players (the Senior Bowl injury really hurt, in my opinion). Goedert isn’t the best blocker but he’s good enough that teams will view him as a more complete tight end prospect than somebody like Mark Andrews.
Recent NFL Comparison: Travis Kelce
While watching Goedert’s usage on tape, I felt there was a strong correlation to how Kelce is used by the Chiefs. Kelce lines up in multiple positions, is used heavily on screens and non-traditional TE routes, and is included on trick plays. Goedert will need to run closer to the Sports Illustrated estimate (4.65) than his NFLDraftScout.com estimate (4.81) to get close to Kelce’s speed (4.63). I don’t think he’ll get under 4.70 so he’s definitely slower than Kelce but they are of a similar build. Like Goedert, Kelce was not without some negatives (a suspension and lack of production) but he was worth the risk.
Jaylen Samuels, TE/RB/FB, North Carolina State
As the loquacious Winston Churchill might say if he were an NFL Draft analyst, Jaylen Samuels is “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” My Twitter followers may recognize the name because I groused about Samuels at numerous times last season. To say that Samuels may be the precursor to “positionless” football is not a stretch. More so than for any other prospect, Samuels’ fantasy value will come down to who drafts him and their plans to utilize him. In reality, Samuels does not fit in a preview of tight end prospects, he will most surely be drafted as a hybrid RB/FB. I kept him with the tight ends for now more out of personal convenience than anything else. At the Senior Bowl, Samuels measured in at 5114 (remember that’s shorthand for 5’11” and 4/8″) and 223lbs. Since 2010, not a single TE has measured at 6’0″ or shorter at the combine; just one weighed less than 230lbs. Like I said, he’s not a TE. He’s also too light to be a true FB because he’d be the second lightest FB since 2010. I keep talking about what Samuels isn’t, so let’s shift gears and talk about what he is: Samuels is the ultimate third down and two minute drill weapon. His versatility lining up all over the field means that he has experience running pass patterns from a variety of formations. His experience as an inline TE should mean he’s at least an average blocker (sadly the tape I watched didn’t highlight any of his blocks). His prowess as a receiver and a short yardage runner is evident by looking at his stats and a cursory glance at his tape. As far as injury or character concerns, there is not much to report. Samuels has fought through a few minor injuries (foot, hamstring, possible concussion) but did not miss any games in 2015, 2016 or 2017. I expect Samuels to be under-drafted in the NFL Draft compared to how excited some fantasy players are about his potential. Ultimately, his jack-of-all-trades versatility could be both a blessing and a curse. I’d love it if my favorite team grabbed him in the 5th round but any earlier than that may be asking too much.
Stats & Accolades: Since I included Samuels with the tight ends today, let’s start with his receiving stats. Starting with his sophomore season, he’s had 195 receptions (an average of 65) and 18 TDs. He averages 9.2 yards per reception which is quite low but he’s not meant to be a big play threat. Per Pro Football Focus, Samuels was one of the top slot receivers of 2017. 42 of his 75 receptions came from the slot and he had a 76.4% catch rate from the slot. That catch rate was good enough to rank seventh best in the FBS. Unfortunately, Samuels ranked low in PFF’s two other signature receiving stats: overall drop rate and yards per route run. Another area where he excelled was as a receiver on third and long. On third downs of four or more yards, Samuels caught 15 passes and converted 10 for first downs. He wasn’t as successful converting on third down as a rusher (just 2 for 8) but he was given the rock on fourth down seven times. Five of those seven went for first downs, including two TDs. Samuels was particularly effective in the red zone. 14 of his 16 touchdowns in 2017 came in the red zone (11 rushing, 3 receiving). His 2016 situational stats show a similar trend: 11 of his 13 scores came from inside the twenty. Not only is Samuels an interesting prospect in that he’s an equally adept receiver and rusher, but he also has limited experience as a kick returner (12 for 230 yards) and as a passer on trick plays (2 for 3, 84 yards and 1 TD). Samuels even recorded a forced fumble and fumble recovery in 2014 on a great hustle play (more on that below). Samuels was selected to the 2017 All-ACC team as an “all-purpose” player – a perfect description.
Film Study: Arizona State (2017)
Let’s start by taking a look at the aforementioned hustle play that Samuels made in 2014 as a freshman against Georgia Tech. It’s not instructive of any of his main skills but I think it further illustrates the fact that Samuels is just a good football player and a guy you would want on your team. He lines up in the slot as a receiver and his route takes him about seven yards deep into the end zone before the ball is intercepted by a line backer. Samuels does not give up on the play. To the contrary, he runs the defender down and tackles him about seventy yards later. Not only does he make the tackle but he strips the ball and recovers it to give the Wolfpack the ball back (unfortunately, Jacoby Brissett threw a pick-six on the ensuing play, oh well). Keep in mind this play came when Samuels was just a freshman. Nobody would have faulted him for not being involved in the play because he was so far out of it but he had the sense, and the speed, to make a difference.
Since Samuels is a prospect unlike others I have researched the last two years, I decided to do handle his film study differently. Rather than a brief look at two films, I decided to dive deeper on one. I chose the Arizona State game since it was the last game of the season and I felt that would give me a better representation of Samuels than tape from early in 2017 or even 2016. The first time I watched the film, I kept track of where he lined up on each snap. I realized quickly that Samuels is a player whose analysis suffers from watching on Youtube rather than a full game on television but it was my only option at the moment. One of the flaws of watching “tape” on Youtube is that cut-ups typically only show plays that a player was involved in rather than every snap. In the Arizona State game I didn’t count a single play shown where Samuels was specifically assigned as a blocker. It’s hard for me to say whether that’s a factor of Samuels’ true usage in the game or if the creator of the clip eschewed blocking highlights. I digress, my pet peeves aside, tracking Samuels’ snaps is still illustrative because it shows us that he can have an impact from myriad formations. I started my film study with four designations: inline tight end, offset tight end, slot receiver, backfield. I quickly realized that these four buckets were not enough because Samuels was lined up split out wide in a stack formation on one of the first plays shown and then shortly after at wildcat quarterback. I tracked any wildcat snaps as “backfield” and any wide snaps as “slot receiver” for simplicity’s sake. I counted zero inline, two offset, nine slot and five backfield. After doing my statistical research and reading up about Samuels, that was what I had expected but it was good to see it borne out in film.
On my second watch of the film, I took more traditional notes on Samuels, including some strengths and key plays. In my estimation, Samuels is an above average route runner. He appears to have good movement at the top of his route stem and on multiple occasions showed good field awareness by knowing how far his route needed to go for a first down. He has good hands which were shown on a couple of nice catches. He caught these passes with his hands rather than letting them get into his body. One particular example also featured a skilled mid-air adjustment. His momentum was carrying him across the field as the pass went to his back shoulder. He adjusted while in the air, caught the ball with his hands and maintained control through the ground. It was a 3rd and 17 and resulted in a first down on top of a highlight catch.
Late in the game, Samuels took a wildcat snap which he took in for a game-sealing score. He patiently presses the line after taking the direct snap and finds a hole off tackle. He gets low and plunges into the end zone. There wasn’t much to the play but I wanted to include it because it could be a signal of how he will be utilized in the NFL.
In my third watch of the film, my goal was to track the plays that Samuels carried the ball, specifically those plays when he was used as a traditional running back. I wanted to track these snaps as it’s clear Samuels will need to predominantly play running back, at least to start his career. Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed. Per the game log, Samuels had six carries in that game but only two of them were as a running back from the backfield. Two of them were from the wildcat and I counted four other plays when he was a receiver and got the ball on a pop-pass, end around or jet sweep (the pop-passes would count as receptions but functionally they are jet sweeps). Both traditional carries came late in the 4th quarter, both went for a two yard gain on 2nd down and both were stretch plays. The first was a conversion for a first down while the second came up just short of the goal line (and led to the wildcat touchdown above). Neither were bad plays, they essentially met the goal of the play call, but they didn’t assure me that Samuels can make the transition to being a traditional running back. If anything, these two plays reinforced my notion that Samuels needs to land on a team with a dynamic offense in order to be fantasy relevant.
SWOT Analysis: (SWOT analysis is a way to study the internal and external factors that may help or hinder your ability to achieve an objective. The objective here: getting drafted.)
Strengths: Clutch, red zone weapon, versatile, stayed relatively healthy, route running, hands.
Weaknesses: Size does not translate to playing either TE or FB, doesn’t do any one thing great, lacks top end speed as a RB, lack of reps as a traditional RB.
Opportunities: A creative offense will salivate over his potential to create mismatches all over the formation. Teams may see him as an ideal 53rd man as he can be serviceable at multiple positions.
Threats: Some coaches may feel that he doesn’t fit well into their scheme or into their playbook. Teams may be hesitant to invest draft capital on somebody they believe is a gadget player.
Draft Round Grade: 5th Round
I love Samuels and I wish him success in the NFL but I don’t think he’s worth a Day Two, or early Day Three pick. If he was two inches taller, fifteen pounds heavier and two tenths faster we could be talking about a first rounder but alas that is not the case. Samuels will offer his NFL team a lot but I think it may be some time before he pays off. His path to NFL success may be similar to that of Delanie Walker, another undersized TE/FB tweener, who needed eight years and a change of scenery to breakout.
Recent NFL Comparison: Joique Bell
Delanie Walker is a popular comp for Samuels but Walker is significantly bigger (6’1″ and 240lbs) than Samuels so I didn’t think it was apt to compare the two. Instead, I decided to go with a running back who succeeded in short yardage situations, was an excellent pass catcher and had just enough speed to break off an occasional big run: Joique Bell. Bell came from DII Wayne State so film is hard to find and of horrible quality. Instead, I watched highlights of Bell with the Lions to refresh my memory of his style. Bell does look larger than Samuels even though their measurements are nearly identical coming out of college. Bell struggled to catch on in the NFL initially but ultimately had four solid seasons with the Lions. I think Samuels has the perfect skill set to mirror Bell’s breakout season when he had 82 rushes and 52 receptions for a total of 899 yards and 3 TDs.
Adam Breneman, TE, University of Massachusetts
Adam Breneman, a former Penn State Nittany Lion, is one of the least talked about tight end prospects atop this class (the other being Hayden Hurst). Players like Mike Gesicki, Mark Andrews and Dallas Goedert have seen their stock fluctuate recently for varying reasons but Breneman has stayed out of the conversation for the most part. At the Senior Bowl, Breneman measured in at 6’4″ and 241lbs which was smaller than expected. Since 2010, there were sixteen tight ends drafted in the 1st through 3rd rounds who were 6’5″ or 6’6″ between 250-265lbs. For smaller tight ends (6’3″ or 6’4″ between 235-250lbs), that number of top draftees falls to just eight. One encouraging sign for Breneman though, is that three of those eight (David Njoku, Gerald Everett and Jonnu Smith) were taken last season alone. After reading a background story about Breneman on Bleacher Report, I am impressed by him as a person. After semi-retiring from Penn State due to recurring knee injuries, Breneman started working in politics for a state senator. The senator was so inspired by Breneman, then 21 years old, that he offered him a job as his chief of staff. After the respite that politics provided, Breneman’s knee was cleared by his doctors and he was convinced by UMass’ starting quarterback, Andrew Ford, to come play for the Minutemen. It didn’t hurt that Breneman and Ford had been best friends since high school. And that’s how we find ourselves here, evaluating one of the top tight end prospects from one of the nation’s worst football programs. The obvious issue with Breneman’s back story is the knee. It started as a torn ACL in high school and has lingered since; he’s had multiple procedures but the details on those are limited. NFL teams will surely do a thorough evaluation before adding him to their board. It’s unfortunate because somebody with the physical traits of Breneman should be drafted higher than he will be due to the injury history.
Stats & Accolades: Breneman has a much smaller sample size than either Samuels or Goedert so I think it’s important to take his standout numbers with a grain of salt. Similarly to Goedert, this is due to the quality of competition he has faced over the last two seasons at UMass. His season totals are very good but he was often the best player on the field so you should expect him to succeed. I looked at per-game stats to control for the fact that Breneman played in less games the last two years than most (a factor of an ankle injury this year that caused him to miss 1.5 games and the lack of any postseason games for UMass). In 2016, he was the second ranked tight end in terms of yards per game and receptions per game (behind Evan Engram). In 2017, Breneman improved and ranked first in both categories. Breneman did have a number of games against Power 5 teams (Florida, Mississippi State twice, Boston College and South Carolina) plus two against BYU. BYU may have struggled this year but prior to that they were bowl eligible for twelve straight seasons so I’ll include them in this subset. In those seven games, Breneman averaged a respectable 4.7 receptions, 52 yards and 0.4 TDs. According to Pro Football Focus, Breneman ranked seventh in Yards Per Route Run. So, not only is he targeted often, he’s targeted downfield. He was also atop the Drop Rate table checking in with a perfect 0.0% (he caught 57 of 57 catchable balls). Breneman was selected to a few post season All-American teams in honor of his accomplishments as a receiver.
Film Study: Ohio (2017), South Carolina (2016)
The two main traits I concentrated on while reviewing Breneman’s film were his blocking and his hands. Let’s start with the blocking. Compared to other tight ends in this class with approximately the same value, I would say that Breneman is a below average blocker. He is a mix of misses and near-misses when it comes to blocking. When he succeeds with a blocking assignment, it’s often not pretty. That’s not to say he isn’t ever effective but it’s important to keep in mind the quality of the rushers he’s facing. I have concerns about his ability to hold up to an NFL pass rush. Two back to back plays illustrate my “misses and near-misses” thinking. On the first play, he ultimately keeps the defender in front of him but looks stiff while doing so. The defender makes the initial contact and almost beats him to the inside which would have been devastating since it was a flea flicker and easily could have led to a fumble on the pitch back. After watching a few times in slow-mo, I noticed he grabbed the defenders jersey right from the start but it was only visible near the end of the block when the defender tried to shrug him off (no penalty was called). On the second play, Breneman does his best impression of a Spanish matador and gets beat off the snap. The play is meant to go the other direction so it’s not much of an issue but he again grabs the jersey and could have been called for a hold which would have wiped out the sixteen yard gain.
Against South Carolina, it was much of the same as far as blocking. There were a few more positive plays than I noticed against Ohio, a good sign against a superior opponent. I didn’t track such plays but my impression after watching both films is that Breneman is much better when blocking up field or when split out, likely because he’s blocking a smaller DB. He struggles most as an inline blocker. His worst play against South Carolina was probably the worst attempt at a block I have seen while watching film so far this offseason. Breneman just gets blown up at the snap by the defender’s bull rush. He doesn’t get his hands on his man and loses his feet right away. It did impact the play even though it still went for a first down. I fear this is what he may look like when blocking at the next level.
I didn’t see much evidence of Breneman’s supreme hands against Ohio but there was one worthy example in the second quarter. Breneman shows good concentration on the play as he is knocked off his route by the line backer and the safety very nearly tips the ball as it sails over his head. Breneman is able to find an opening in the back of the end zone and looks the ball into his hands without being distracted. He spots his landing and gets both feet in bounds for what would have been a score even in the NFL. The play looked simple but others could not have made it look as effortless as he did.
I was largely unimpressed with Breneman against South Carolina. He had a fumble in the first quarter. He was heavily involved throughout the game (9-94-2) but there was only one catch that I noted as a must watch. That being said, the play I do include below is fantastic. It’s 3rd and 17, with less than five minutes left, with his team down by 13. Breneman is lined up in a stack behind a receiver. He gets a free release and runs up the seam into traffic. Ford throws the ball to his outside shoulder which lets Breneman pirouette and use his body to box out the oncoming defender. He takes a big hit as he catches the ball but holds on for the score. The play serves as a fitting illustration of exactly what Breneman can offer.
SWOT Analysis: (SWOT analysis is a way to study the internal and external factors that may help or hinder your ability to achieve an objective. The objective here: getting drafted.)
Strengths: Character, leadership, hands.
Weaknesses: Health, smaller than estimated in the preseason, lacks top speed for the position.
Opportunities: Teams will fall in love with Breneman in interviews which could increase his stock.
Threats: Teams may decide to leave Breneman off their board completely due to his lengthy injury history. His disappointing measureables may cause some scouts to question what they saw on tape (i.e. “maybe he was a product of the competition”).
Draft Round Grade: Late 2nd, Early 3rd Round
I have been high on Breneman since the start of the 2017 season so I really hope he hits the high end of my projection. It’s a shame his health is such a concern otherwise we could be talking about a similar draft stock as Evan Engram from 2017 (23rd overall).
Recent NFL Comparison: Maxx Williams
Maxx Williams was one of my favorite players coming out of college football in 2015. He had a propensity for circus catches: one-handed, toe-tapping, defender-draped. Breneman doesn’t quite have the highlight reel of Williams but the similarities are numerous. They are close in size and speed, both had two years of production in college, both showcased great hands, both were below average inline blockers and sadly both had their careers derailed by injury. Williams’ worst injuries came once he landed in the NFL whereas Breneman’s started back in high school but that’s even more to the point. Scouts who see a 6’4″, sticky-handed move tight end with knee injuries may think about the wasted pick that Williams has become.
Note: When watching film for a player in the offseason, I typically pick two games at random to watch. If game film is not available I will search for highlight reels, but keep in mind these are the best plays that player had all season so they really need to jump off the screen. I do not necessarily want to watch games where they did very well or very poorly as that may not be a great illustration of their true ability. If possible, when comparing players at the same position I also like to watch film against common opponents. Full disclosure, I am not watching film of every single game any player plays, instead I am looking for a representative sample. When researching college players I use a number of resources, I would recommend bookmarking the below sites…
- Stats: espn.com, sports-reference.com, cfbstats.com, herosports.com, fcs.football, foxsports.com
- Film: 2018 NFL Draft Database by @CalhounLambeau, youtube.com (but be wary of highlight only reels)
- Draft info and mocks: draftcountdown.com, nfldraftscout.com, walterfootball.com, mattwaldmanrsp.com, draftek.com, ndtscouting.com
- Draft history: drafthistory.com
- Combine info: pro-football-reference.com, espn.com, nflcombineresults.com
- Season preview magazines: Phil Steele, Lindy’s, Street and Smith’s
- Podcasts: ESPN’s First Draft, Strong as Steele with Phil Steele, The Audible by Football Guys (specifically episodes w/ Matt Waldman), UTH Dynasty, Draft Dudes
Robert F. Cowper is a freelance writer who lives in New Jersey. Robert works as a recreation professional, specializing in youth sports, when he isn’t acting as commissioner for his many fantasy sports leagues.
