NFL Draft: Midseason Prospect Stock Report
Oct 18, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; Stanford Cardinal cornerback Wayne Lyons (2) against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the first quarter at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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These are the NFL Draft prospects we have been most disappointed by up to this point.
Shawn Spencer: Wayne Lyons (CB – Michigan)
After being recruited by, but never playing for Jim Harbaugh at Stanford, Wayne Lyons transferred to Ann Arbor to play his final collegiate season for the new Michigan head coach. It seemed like a natural fit. Lyons is a physical and aggressive corner who excels in press coverage. After Blake Countess transferred to Auburn and Jabrill Peppers was moved to safety in the spring, it appeared as though Lyons would start right away.
Instead, Lyons has fallen well down the depth chart. Michigan has started four different corners this season, yet Lyons hasn’t been one of them. Even against BYU, when Michigan started six defensive backs, Lyons wasn’t on the field. The Wolverines have tried him at cornerback as well as safety, but he hasn’t been able to earn significant playing team. He has just six tackles through seven games, with three of those coming on special teams.
At this time last season, Lyons was a more highly-regarded prospect than fellow Stanford CB Alex Carter, who wound up being selected in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. Unless Harbaugh significantly shakes up his depth chart in the second half of the season, Lyons could be a forgotten commodity. He’s in danger of not being drafted at all.
Others worth noting include: Tyler Boyd (WR – Pittsburgh), Devonte Fields (DE – Louisville), Dadi Lhomme Nicolas (DE – Virginia Tech) and D’haquille Williams (WR – Auburn)
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Erik Lambert: Laquon Treadwell (WR – Ole Miss)
I’ve watched Treadwell in a couple of games and while I do see the smooth athleticism scouts have talked about and like his size, I still don’t see the kind of playmaking skill that makes him a surefire 1st round pick, let alone the best receiver in the class.
Sayre Bedinger: Christian Hackenberg (QB – Penn State)
Keeping it in the Big Ten (was most impressed with Iowa CB Desmond King), I’ve been really disappointed in Hack. He was supposed to be the next great thing since Andrew Luck, and I’ve been clinging on to that but just haven’t seen it. The offense is obviously not a good fit for him, but he’s not been good like…at all. Hopefully he’s able to play better in the NFL than he was in college.
Joe Wedra: Jarran Reed (DL – Alabama)
After watching some of his film, albeit only a few games, I came away wondering what the hype was about. To me, the talent is quite limited while nothing flashes in his game. I’ve seen second round grades, which is why his name particularly pops.
Jonah Tuls: Cardale Jones (QB – Ohio State)
I was hoping Cardale Jones would give me some assurances after his performance in the CFB playoff last year, but I have yet to see him leapfrog off of that season. He has yet to make the assurance to NFL scouts of his consistency on tape. At first, I was thinking Top 10, but now I’m wondering if he’ll drop to Day 3.
So there you have it. Those are the NFL Draft prospects who have impressed and disappointed us through the first seven weeks of the season. Who will be on this list after the second half of the season? Stay tuned to NFL Mocks as we’ll have everything from mock drafts and stock reports to player profiles, game previews and more as we get closer and closer to the 2016 NFL Draft.