Mocking the Draft: Day Three Odds and Ends

via foxsports—that’s a lotta beef…

More precisely, I’m going to cover defensive tackles and ends. That will be it for this year. All that remains is to publish my final Momma’s Mock Draft tomorrow, and then wait and see whether Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin and all have taken my advice or gone off on their own as usual.

Once again this will be a combination of players suggested for the Steelers after my original Rounds 1-3 posts were written, along with Day 3 prospects mocked to the Steelers. After, naturally, they have been subjected to my usual winnowing process. I know you only want to see the best of the best!

Here are the various suggestions for the later rounds:

  • Miles Killebrew, S; Tom Hackett, P; Keith Marshall, RB; Roger Lewis, WR (Dan Brugler, Charles Campbell)
  • Jatavis Brown, S; Kevin Peterson, CB; Giorgio Newberry, DT; Joe Schmidt, ILB (draftek)
  • Joshua Perry, OLB; Brandon Allen, QB; Derrick Alexander, DE; DeAndre Elliot, CB (big jay71)
  • Javon Hargrave, DT; Morgan Burns, CB; Jared Norris, ILB; Alex Redmond, G (nfl spinzone)
  • Pharoh Cooper, WR; Cory James, LB; Tavon Young, CB; Caleb Benenoch, OL (bleacher report)
  • Dak Prescott, QB; Temarrick Hemingway, TE; De’Runnya Wilson, WR; Bralon Addison, WR/RB (fansided)
  • Brandon Allen, QB; Shawn Oakman, DE; Drew Kaser, P; Josh Forrest, LB (The Point of Pittsburgh)
  • Bryce Williams, TE; Tyler Marz, OT (Invictus XI)
  • Avery Young, OT/OG; A.J. Stamps, S; Drew Kaser, P; Cayleb Jones, WR (nfl draft geek)
  • Paul Perkins, RB (Brown)
  • Hunter Sharp, WR (Reuter)

These are the 123rd, 220th, 229th, and 240th guys on the draftek big board, regardless of position or team:

  • Adam Gotsis, DE; Devon Johnson, RB; Storm Barr-Woods, RB/FB; Jacob Coker, QB

Since today’s focus is on some Big Eaters, it’s a bit tougher to find some guys. But here are a few I think could help the Steelers:


web1_4-12-16-Derrick-Alexander-mtWebDerrick Alexander, DE/DT

A prospect for my All-Alexander draft, he is the brother of the more highly-ranked Dominique Alexander, who is a linebacker. Derrick and Dom share the same agent, but unlike his brother Derrick doesn’t have quite as clear a path to the NFL. As the Examiner-Enterprise reported last week, Alexander has kept his options open:

“I would play anywhere,” Alexander said Tuesday, during the adult chapter luncheon of the Bartlesville Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “From the word I’ve gotten, I think people want me to play defensive tackle.”

To prepare for that possibility, Alexander — who was listed at Tulsa as a 6-foot-2, 284-pound defensive end — has bulked up to 300 pounds.

He said he’s also heard some teams might be looking at him to play fullback.

For Alexander, it’s all the same —he just wants to play.

He’s well aware that there are no guarantees, and he has graduated with a degree in business management and is working towards another degree in finance. Sounds like he’s right up Franco Harris’ alley. He even looks a little bit like him.

The Steelers did their due diligence by meeting with him at the Tulsa Pro day. I had a hard time finding much information on the “footbally” stuff, as the big sites didn’t profile him. Chad Reuter did put him in his top 200, saying:

Though a bit of a tackle-end ‘tweener for some NFL scouts’ liking, Alexander (6-2, 270) brings exceptional hustle to every play. The second-team All-AAC pick in 2014 (12 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks) is difficult to keep away from the ball and will earn comparisons to Green Bay Packer Mike Daniels and other undersized 3-4 rush linemen.

javonJavon Hargrave, DT

Rob Rang declared Hargrave and QB Carson Wentz his top diamonds in the rough” in this draft, saying:

With all due respect to the “skill position” players, what makes the 2016 NFL Draft unique from recent years is the remarkable talent at defensive tackle. Hargrave is a perfect example of this. Despite recording an eye-popping 29.5 sacks over the past two seasons and turning heads at both the East-West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl, only the most passionate of NFL Draft fans are familiar with him in part because there are simply so many other defensive tackles to choose from. In terms of slicing through gaps and wreaking havoc behind the line of scrimmage, however, few are better than Hargrave.

He has recently completed his degree (Sports Communications). I was amazed and amuse to find Hargrave went to the same high school as my mother. (Admittedly, she has never been much of a football player.) A profile of Hargrave in the Salisbury Post notes:

Hargrave is one of the standout defensive linemen in the country, and for the second season in a row he was named the BOXTOROW Defensive Player of the Year and the MEAC’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Though Hargrave often faced double and triple teams this past season, he still led his conference with 13.5 sacks, the second highest total in FCS. He also registered 22 tackles for loss and 59 tackles overall. He was credited with 11 quarterback hurries.

Hargrave said he is working on strength and speed techniques that will improve both his hands and his times in the 40. He stands 6 feet, 2 inches, and wants to be a solid 305 pounds by the time his pro day comes around.

More to the point for Steeler fans, he won the 2015 SBN/Mel Blount Defensive Player of the Year. He was also the 2014 SBN Sports Mel Blount Defensive Player of the Year.

NFL.com’s scouting report assigns him a grade of 5.5, and says:

Raw, but athletic one­-gap penetrator who dominated his level of competition with effort and quickness. Credited with 16 sacks and 23.5 tackles for losses, Hargrave has the ability to play on the other side of the ball, but the jump in talent and size could be challenging for him. Hargrave is better than a “”project,” but he will require patience and much more coaching to realize his potential.

Feb 26, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Georgia Tech defensive lineman Adam Gotsis speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Adam Gotsis, DE

Another of the players Rob Rang considered for his “diamonds in the rough” article referenced above, Gotsis is an Aussie who never imagined himself playing American football.

He hasn’t played any sort of football for a while, as he sustained an ACL injury last November. He expects to be ready for training camp this summer.

He was a Business Administration major, graduating in three and a half years.

NFL.com graded him at 5.5, and said:

Three-year starter and team captain who came over from Australia and became an immediate factor for the Georgia Tech defense. Gotsis is strong and gritty and may have some value in both 3­-4 and 4­-3 fronts. Gotsis is on schedule to play next season provided his medicals check out at the combine. As a two-­down player likely to come out on passing downs, there is a ceiling on his draft value, but he should be a solid back­up with eventual starter potential.

Can you tell I’m getting tired? Well, this gives us plenty to chew on. Be sure to check out the winners tomorrow morning!

To see my coverage of Round One, click here and here and here.

For Round Two, click here and here and here.

For Round Three, click here and here and here and here.

For everything else, click here and here and here and here.

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