The Best, the Worst, and the Steals of the 2014 NFL Draft

Another NFL draft has come and gone, and this year's was full of intrigue. The 2014 draft had no shortage of story lines. Who would the Houston Texans select with the number one overall pick? Who would be the first quarterback taken? Which teams were looking to trade up or down on draft night? Where would Michael Sam, the NFL draft's first ever openly gay player, be selected? These questions and so many more were answered on May 8th, 9th, and 10th as millions across the nation watched to see who their favorite team would select or where their favorite college player would be furthering his career. As always, there were some picks that I applauded, some that made me scratch my head a bit, and some that left my jaw on the floor. Soon after the draft, I began compiling a few lists, all based on my opinions and very limited knowledge of most of the players selected: the best picks, the worst picks, and the steals of this year's draft. The best and worst lists feature many star players selected in the first few rounds. The steals come mostly from the bottom of the draft and are the players I feel could one day have an impact in the league despite being drafted behind many of their peers. So here they are: The Best, the Worst, and the Steals of the 2014 NFL Draft.

Best

Honorable Mentions
Deone Bucannon- Safety, Washington State, drafted by Arizona Cardinals in first round with 27th overall pick; Bucannon is a hard hitting safety who can play close to the line of scrimmage to help control the run game or play back in coverage. He has great instincts and always finds a way to the ball carrier. Reminds me of longtime Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed.

Ra'Shede Hageman- Defensive tackle, Minnesota, drafted by Atlanta Falcons in second round with 37th overall pick; He reminds me a lot of Vince Wilfork of the New England Patriots. Hageman, like Wilfork, isn't usually the guy who makes the tackle, but he can eat up two blockers in the middle of an offensive line and free up his teammates to make plays. Most effective as a run stuffer but could develop into a good pass rusher.

5. Marqise Lee- Wide receiver, Southern Cal, drafted by Jacksonville Jaguars in second round with 39th overall pick; After botching their first round selection (see "Worst" below) by selecting Blake Bortles with the third overall pick, the Jaguars went after some help for Bortles and did not disappoint. Lee is a playmaker who can stretch the field on deep routes and pick up valuable yards after the catch on shorter routes. Many experts projected Lee to go in the mid-to-late first round, so nice job by the Jags of finally waking up and taking one of the best players still available at their draft spot.

4. Cody Latimer- Wide receiver, Indiana, drafted by Denver Broncos in second round with 56th overall pick; Latimer is a guy who really came on strong late in the draft process and boosted his stock. Despite flying under the radar for much of his time at Indiana, he began to catch the eyes of many scouts in workouts and interviews leading up to the draft. He doesn't have elite speed, but he has great hands and very rarely drops a pass. Much like Lee, Latimer was projected by many to be selected in round one. Shockingly, he came close to falling out of the second round. Denver wisely picked up another target for Peyton Manning and a receiver who can fill the void left by Eric Decker, who departed this past winter in free agency.

3. Jarvis Landry- Wide receiver, LSU, drafted by Miami Dolphins in second round with 63rd overall pick; Landry was often overshadowed by teammate Odell Beckham Jr. (selected by the Giants with the 12th overall pick) at LSU, but I believe he is just as talented. Beckham Jr. was often LSU's speed threat who could come up with the big play, while Landry handled most of the underneath routes. Like Latimer, he has great hands and catches most anything thrown in his direction. Miami not only got a great target for young quarterback Ryan Tannehill, but also got tremendous value with this pick deep in the second round.

2. Darqueze Dennard- Cornerback, Michigan State, drafted by Cincinnati Bengals in first round with 24th overall pick; Dennard was the best cornerback in this draft, and I still cannot figure out how and why 23 teams passed on him. He doesn't offer great size for a corner at 5'11", but he is a tremendous athlete and a physical player who can jam receivers at the line of scrimmage and help out in run support. I doubt the Bengals expected him to be available at this spot in the draft, but I'm sure they were thrilled, as any team would be, to add such a great player to their team late in the first round.

1. Johnny Manziel- Quarterback, Texas A&M, drafted by Cleveland Browns in first round with 22nd overall pick; If you know me, you already knew this was coming. As I watched the draft, I was disappointed but not surprised that the Texans passed on Johnny with the first pick. I was surprised, however, that the (brace yourselves) Jaguars, Raiders, Buccaneers, Browns (with their 8th overall pick), Vikings, Titans, AND Cowboys all decided that one of the best college football players in recent memory, if not of all time, wasn't who they were looking for as their franchise quarterback. The Browns, of all teams, finally wised up and traded up to 22 from their pick at 26 to select him. Although his playing style in college was unorthodox, I fully expect Manziel to transition well to the NFL and become a Pro-Bowl caliber quarterback. He has a strong and accurate arm, good pocket presence, and a high football IQ, all of which are key to becoming a good NFL quarterback. Any team would have been fortunate to draft Manziel as their next quarterback on May 8th, but for the Browns, who are known for quarterback troubles, it must have been extra sweet, especially considering they didn't draft him until the 22nd pick.

Worst

Honorable Mention
Lamarcus Joyner- Cornerback, Florida State, drafted by St. Louis Rams in second round with 41st overall pick- As is the case with most of the "Worst" picks, it's not Joyner's skill that bothers me, it's where in the draft he was taken. I think Joyner is a solid cover corner with good speed and good range. The knock on him is his size. In the age of bigger receivers, his 5'8", 190 pound frame won't be able to stand up against most NFL receivers. I saw Joyner as more of a 3rd-5th rounder selected as a slot cornerback. Instead, the Rams selected him in the second round and hope he can contribute as a top corner. So although not his fault, he lands an honorable mention spot on my worst picks list.

5. Logan Thomas- Quarterback, Virginia Tech, drafted by Arizona Cardinals in fourth round with 120th overall pick- I didn't watch a whole lot of Thomas in college, but what I saw was not impressive. Many said that his pre-draft workouts weren't either. The Cardinals selected him as a developmental quarterback, so he likely won't be asked to play immediately. Regardless, he didn't appear in college to be a guy capable of contributing at the next level. His arm strength is decent, but his accuracy and footwork need vast improvement if he is ever to see playing time on a competitive team. What makes this pick even more confusing is that two of the top developmental prospects of the draft at quarterback, Aaron Murray and AJ McCarron, were still available at this pick. Only time will tell, but I don't see Thomas becoming a competent starter in the NFL.

4. Timmy Jernigan- Defensive tackle, Florida State, drafted by Baltimore Ravens in second round with 48th overall pick- Jernigan was fairly impressive when he was on the field this past year. The only problem is that with Florida State's many blowout victories this past year, the starters, including Jernigan, only played two or three quarters in most games. As I watched him in the title game against my Auburn Tigers, I was impressed with him. He was disruptive and got penetration on most plays. However, whether due to Auburn's up-tempo system or lack of full competitive games prior to that for Florida State, he couldn't stay on the field. Auburn's running game was contained with him on the field, but when he checked out, they started to move the ball again. Multiple times he was shown on camera bent over gasping for air. It reminds me of another Ravens pick a few years back who turned out to be a bust, Alabama's Terrence Cody. Also selected in round two, Cody failed to pass his physical and hasn't contributed much for the Ravens. If Jernigan can stay in shape and stay on the field, I can see this becoming a very good pick. If not, his spot on my worst picks list will be justified.

3. Jeremy Hill- Running back, LSU, drafted by Cincinnati Bengals in second round with 55th overall pick- Hill, strictly as a football player, would have probably been a good pick in the second round. Unfortunately, he was arrested twice during his time at LSU, which threw up some obvious red flags for most teams. On the field, there is no doubt he can contribute to an NFL roster. He's a big guy who can run between the tackles and accelerates quickly for a man his size. However, he hasn't shown the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and he doesn't have top-end speed. These weaknesses, along with his off the field problems, should have dropped him to the third or fourth round. The Bengals, however, decided to pull the trigger on him despite the fact that highly touted running backs such as Carlos Hyde, Tre Mason, Devonta Freeman, and Andre Williams were still available. Hill could make an impact at the pro level, but only if he gets his act together off the field first.

2. Blake Bortles- Quarterback, Central Florida, drafted by Jacksonville Jaguars in first round with 3rd overall pick- Bortles was considered by many as the quarterback in this draft with the best potential, or "highest ceiling." Jacksonville is obviously not looking to be a Super Bowl contender next season, but they believe Bortles gives them the best shot to win down the road. He has good size and typically has good accuracy on short and intermediate throws. However, despite his size, he doesn't have elite arm strength. He also struggles with deep throws and doesn't have good speed or footwork. Jacksonville had options with this pick. They could have traded down in the first round and selected a quarterback, or they could have filled another team need and waited until a later round to select a quarterback. Instead, they chose to select Bortles as the first quarterback, who despite his big frame, doesn't have a big arm.

1. Jimmy Garoppolo- Quarterback, Eastern Illinois, drafted by New England Patriots in second round with 62nd overall pick- I can understand the Patriots logic here. Garoppolo attended a very small school and didn't play very stiff competition in college, but many experts project him as one of the top developmental quarterbacks in this year's draft. Tom Brady isn't getting any younger and only has a few years left to play. Why not bring in a young guy to be your quarterback-in-waiting and let him learn from a future Hall of Famer? It would be one thing if Tom Brady was on a terrible team and they were trying to build for the future while he rode into the sunset. But that's not the case. The Patriots are a good team. They went to the AFC Championship Game last year and have added more pieces to their roster this offseason. The draft was supposed to be their opportunity to patch up the few remaining holes on their roster, especially with their early round picks. Taking their quarterback of the future in the second round to sit on the bench for a couple of years does nothing to help the Patriots win now. They could've solidified their defensive front or given Tom Brady another offensive weapon to work with. Instead, they chose to throw their second pick towards the future and hope that Tom Brady can take his limited weapons and once again produce a contender.

Steals

Honorable Mentions
Jared Abbrederis- Wide receiver, Wisconsin, drafted by Green Bay Packers in fifth round with 176th overall pick- I didn't watch Abbrederis very much, but I was impressed with what I did see. Although he doesn't have great size or speed, he makes up for it with good shiftiness in the open field, his good hands, and superb route running. It can never hurt to give a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers another talented receiver to work with, and that's exactly what Green Bay got. Even if he doesn't work out, a fifth round pick alone doesn't kill a franchise. But if he does, he could develop into a top pass catcher in the NFL. He is worth the risk this late in the draft.

Morgan Moses- Offensive tackle, Virginia, drafted by Washington Redskins in third round with 66th overall pick- Although some would argue that Moses is not really a "steal" since he was taken so early, but for a guy who had a chance to go in the first round and was nearly a lock for the second round, he is absolutely a steal even early in the third round. Many experts rated Moses as the fourth best tackle in the draft, but an astounding eight players at the same position were selected before him. Adding to this steal is the fact that the Redskins were so poor on the offensive line last year. They needed help at the position, and they got it by selecting a good all around player to protect their young franchise quarterback, Robert Griffin III.

5. Storm Johnson- Running back, Central Florida, drafted by Jacksonville Jaguars in seventh round with 222nd overall pick- Johnson is one of the few players who really comes up big in the biggest moments. He can be a bit inconsistent, but when he gets going, he can be as good as anyone. It can only help that he is going to Jacksonville to team up with former backfield partner at Central Florida, quarterback Blake Bortles. If he can find his stride in the pros, he could become a starting running back in the NFL and provide excellent production for a seventh rounder.

4. Kevin Norwood- Wide receiver, Alabama, drafted by Seattle Seahawks in fourth round with 123rd overall pick- I absolutely love this pick. As an Auburn fan, I've had to put up with this guy for the past four years. He was a reliable receiver for Alabama throughout their run of national titles. Though few people realize it, Norwood was a huge part of AJ McCarron's historic career at Alabama. He runs great routes, rarely drops a ball, and does an excellent job of finding the open space when his quarterback is in trouble. There are often not gaping holes on the roster of a Super Bowl champion, but wide receiver was one of Seattle's weakest spots last year. Giving young quarterback Russell Wilson a receiver like Norwood to work with can only help make Seattle more formidable next season.

3. Pierre Desir- Cornerback, Lindenwood College, drafted by Cleveland Browns in fourth round with 127th overall pick- In the age of bigger wide receivers and pass catching tight ends in the NFL, teams are constantly looking for ways to slow them down. One way to combat the offense's size is to add more size on defense, especially height in the secondary. That's what Desir brings to the table. He's not the best corner in the draft, and he's also a bit raw and undeveloped because he played at such a small school. Desir's draw is his height. At 6'1", he's easily the biggest corner in the draft. He has the length to cover the big guys while also possessing the speed to stay with faster receivers. It will be up to the coaching staff in Cleveland to develop him, but he could become one of the league's most feared corners eventually. At worst, he can contribute as a slot corner and a solid backup to the outside corners.

2. Aaron Murray- Quarterback, Georgia, drafted by Kansas City Chiefs in fifth round with 163rd overall pick- Murray was my favorite developmental quarterback prospect coming into the draft, and I think he will eventually become at worst a competent starter in the NFL. I was completely shocked that he fell to the fifth round, even though he is coming off knee surgery to repair a torn ACL. While healthy, however, Murray set multiple SEC records and shredded the best defenses in college football week in and week out. His durability will be a big concern, but if he can stay healthy, he can contribute on successful teams. With current Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith's contract set to expire after this season, it is feasible that Murray could step into a starting role in the 2015 season. Whenever it may be, look for Murray to be productive when given the opportunity.

1. Michael Sam- Defensive end, Missouri, drafted by St. Louis Rams in seventh round with 249th overall pick- It's no secret why Michael Sam fell so far in the draft. After his historic announcement announcing his homosexuality, his draft stock fell instantly. It is understandable why many teams would want to stay away from the distraction of a gay player; however, from a purely football point of view, Sam was one of the top defensive ends in this year's draft. He likely would have been selected in the fourth or fifth round if he had kept quiet about his sexuality. Despite his decision, he still can contribute to a team with his ability to rush the quarterback and contain the run. If you can ignore the off the field issues, which the Rams gladly did, Sam is a great player to add to any roster. Considering the Rams were able to wait until the seventh round to add such a talent, this is the no brainer pick for steal of the draft.

Proposed Scoreboard A Bad Idea for Auburn

According to a story by al.com's Brandon Marcello, Auburn's Board of Trustees will vote Friday on whether or not to begin construction on what would be the largest video scoreboard in college football. Jay Jacobs, Auburn's athletic director, told Marcello that the scoreboard would measure approximately 200 feet wide and 55 feet tall. Most Auburn fans, especially ones that attend the home football games, are excited about the possibility, and reasonably so. I, however, think that it is a very bad idea for several reasons. Let me begin by saying that I attended all but one home game in 2013, and every home game in 2014, so I am fairly familiar with Jordan Hare Stadium and the gameday experience as a whole on the Plains. From my experiences and the experiences of several others that I have spoken with, there are far more pressing issues with the stadium that need to be addressed. (To Auburn's credit, they are in the process of planning upgrades to Jordan Hare, but none of the upgrades would be completed before the proposed scoreboard.) My seats the last two years have been in the North end zone. To access these seats, one must pass through a limited number of convenient gates to enter the stadium or go in a gate farther away and walk around the concourse. Once inside, the concourse is very narrow, probably about thirty feet wide. Thirty feet may seem like a lot, but when thousands of fans are trying to squeeze into the bowl of the stadium via walkways that are also very narrow, thirty feet of concourse space fills up very quickly. There is also a noticeable lack of major concession stands and restrooms on the North concourse, leading to very long lines for both before the game and at halftime. The concourse area needs expansion and additions, and both would be better ways to use the proposed 13.9 million dollars needed to construct the new scoreboard. Also, the sound system at Jordan Hare needs to be replaced. Auburn loves to play pump up music before big plays and during timeouts to get the crowd involved and the stadium loud, which is great. It is counterproductive, however, when the speakers are so bad that the crowd can barely make out the music as well as the public address announcer. If Auburn insists that a scoreboard is where the funds should go, they should focus on the North end rather than the South end, where the proposed video board would go. As mentioned before, I sit in the North end zone, so the current HD video board in the South end zone is perfect for me. However, above my seats, there is an outdated scoreboard that includes only the score, game clock (when it works, which is not all the time), down and distance, etc., but no video board. For fans sitting in the South end zone or on the South ends of the East and West upper decks, it is difficult or impossible to view the video scoreboard. Installing a video scoreboard on the North end of the stadium would please these fans and make the game more enjoyable for them. Lastly, there is no reason to build a massive scoreboard like the one proposed because in a couple of years, at most, someone will have one bigger and better. With college football programs around the country constantly looking to find ways to flex their financial muscles, there is no doubt that whoever has the biggest scoreboard will continue to be topped year after year. As proof of this, 2014 was the first season that Texas A&M was able to lay claim to scoreboard bragging rights, as their 7,340 square foot behemoth was finished in early June. Here we are, not quite eight months later, and another school is already making plans to take that claim by the 2015 season. Auburn cannot expect to hold onto the title any longer than A&M did. While it would be neat to lay claim to the biggest scoreboard in college football, that claim will not last long. The current scoreboard fits all of Auburn's needs, and the Board of Trustees should look to improve other areas of the stadium before spending nearly $14 million on an unnecessary piece of eye candy.