Fanspeak: NFL Draft News

Darrell Taylor is coming off two very good years against some of the top competition in football while playing at a highly coveted position. At 6-foot-4, 267 pounds, his height and weight put him in elite company among outside linebackers, where the Tennessee senior ranked in the 93rd and 98th percentiles, respectively (Mockdraftable). He’s got … More »

As part of an occasional series, Fanspeak will offer tips and best practices for its wildly popular and first-of-its-kind On The Clock draft simulator. Today’s topic: Bad news for all trade-crazy NFL draft fans: There might not be many this year due to the unusual circumstances of the draft. The then-San Diego Chargers took Eli … More »

Aside from his 40-yard dash time, there’s nothing about Wyoming linebacker Logan Wilson that stands out. Most of his testing results at the Combine are in the 40th- to upper-50th percentile. But there was nothing average about Wilson’s college production. The 6-foot-2, 241 pound senior closed out his career with 409 tackles, 34.5 tackles for … More »

As part of an occasional series, Fanspeak will offer tips and best practices for its wildly popular and first-of-its-kind On The Clock draft simulator. Today’s topic: If your team needs a special teams player like a kicker, punter or long-snapper, it’s best not to wait until priority free agency. New England wide receiver Matthew Slater … More »

Xavier McKinney has big shoes to fill. Five Alabama safeties have been drafted since 2015. Of note: Pittsburgh’s Minkah Fitzpatrick, the No. 11 overall pick in 2018 by Miami, is considered one of the top safeties in the AFC. Chicago’s Eddie Jackson, taken with the No. 112 overall pick (fourth round) in 2017, is considered … More »

As part of an occasional series, Fanspeak will offer tips and best practices for its wildly popular and first-of-its-kind On The Clock draft simulator. Today’s topic: It’s easy to develop tunnel vision when your team has particular draft needs, which makes “surprise” picks so cringe-worthy. But those players often wind up being smart picks. The … More »

There’s a theory going around among draft analysts that, absent medical checkups and one-on-one interviews, teams will value production over projection this year, especially among the Day 1 and Day 2 prospects. If that’s true, then it should bode well for Boise State edge Curtis Weaver. At 6-foot-2, 265 pounds, Weaver is seen as a … More »

As part of an occasional series, Fanspeak will offer tips and best practices for its wildly popular and first-of-its-kind On The Clock draft simulator. Today’s topic: Are you hoping your team nabs a particular player or two in rookie free agency? It’s best not to leave it to chance – draft him late on Day … More »

He may never lead his team in sacks. Same goes for tackles. Still, Baylor defensive lineman James Lynch is one of the safest Day 2 to Day 3 picks in the draft. At 6-foot-4, 289 pounds, Lynch was one of the most productive linemen in college last season, picking up 13.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles … More »

Already a fringe first-rounder, draft analysts say Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has likely dropped out of Day 1 consideration after the senior underwent surgery on Tuesday. Aiyuk (6-feet, 205) turned in a somewhat pedestrian 4.5 second 40 during the Combine – a good but not great time. Prior to that, Aiyuk was a … More »