2018 NFL Draft: Runningbacks

RUNNINGBACKS

Saquon Barkley, Penn State

Game Film Evaluated:

Iowa (2017)

Michigan State (2017)

Ohio State (2017)

Analysis: Ideal frame for the back, adequate bulk and built low to the ground. Quick feet, he is a jump cutter. Instant acceleration and smooth receiver out of the backfield. Good vision, runs with patience and then explodes to daylight. In pass protection, uses his hands well once engaged. However he lacks the bulk to prevent blitzers pushing him back into the pocket. He can be indecisive understanding who to take with blitzers, he allowed 2 blitzers to get pressure vs Michigan State not sure which he should have gotten. He can run routes like a receiver. He protects himself and does not take hits unnecessarily. Needs work in pass protection, he drops his head and can miss the defender when going low. He can make cuts that will leave defenders with nothing. The moves he is capable of is on par with any back in the country. Excellent speed and he will be able to get to the perimeter at the next level. His ability to bounce the run outside, turn the corner with balance and accelerate is elite. Pass protection was much better vs Iowa than in other games observed. Needs to shift hands when carrying the ball in the open field and shield it away from the defense. He can stop on a dime and then go at a rate faster than any of the defenders close to him. His best game was against Iowa. Counted 7 broken tackles and all were against Iowa. Solid kickoff returner, took one back for a score to open up the game vs Ohio State.

Summary: Saquon Barkley has elite level elusiveness skills. His ability to cut will leave defenders on the ground thinking they had him but in reality were never even close. His vision, super quick and shifty feet are top of the scale. Excellent hands and an option to make plays as a receiver out of the backfield. He is best as a perimeter runner than an inside physical type runner. He will go down and not take unnecessary hits. The offense at Penn State ran him exclusively out of the spread and was not used in the pistol during the games observed. He is not polished in pass protection, flashes good ability to stick defenders, needs to be more consistent handling blitzers bull rush on him and surrendering too much penetration into the pocket. He needs to be more consistent breaking tackles, utilize his balance to absorb contact and keep the feet moving. An elite level athlete who is a plus speed type runner who can run inside but prefers to bounce it outside. Elite 1st round grade due to unparalleled gamebreaking ability. 

Sony Michel, Georgia

Game Film Evaluated:

Notre Dame (2017)

Tennessee (2017)

Auburn (2017)

Alabama (2018)

Analysis: Elite quickness and speed. He will be able to get around the corner at the next level. Tremendous ability to find the smallest holes, hit it with authority and accelerate to top speed. Runs physical inside. He will take on safeties and not afraid of contact. Flashes well in pass protection, very well vs Tennessee. Plus vision. The dual threat of him and Chubb stretched defenses thin and several big plays were gift wrapped for him, not his fault but reality. Physical pass protector, he doesn’t just want to take his man on, he wants to dominate them. There is upside for him as a receiver, ran a few routes downfield creating separation but were never able to connect on them. Catches the ball well on dump offs. Doesn’t run with great deal of power, doesn’t use a stiff arm.

Summary: Sony Michel is an extremely talented one cut type runner. He projects well to the pros with plus speed to turn the corner, has the home run ability, vision to find holes and fit through tight places, handle himself in pass protection and run physical inside. He is an average receiver but there is good upside in that area, just didn’t get enough opportunities during the games observed to make a opinion. His best football is without question ahead of him. While not a power/strength type back, he excels at reading the play, making one cut and running to daylight. He is one of the few rookie ready backs in the draft and he may very well challenge for rookie of the year honors. He is legit a first round talent but the lack of carries drops his grade to the 2nd. There isn’t enough to see how productive he will be after 25 carries and still have the same authority and ability to generate yards when he’s tired. 2nd round grade.

Kerryon Johnson, Auburn

Game Film Evaluated:

Alabama (2017)

Mississippi State (2017)

Missouri (2017)

Analysis: Adequate size and bulk for the position. Runs with excellent balance and he breaks a lot of tackles after engaged as a result. He is a patient runner, able to bounce it outside with a plus jump cut. Deceptive quickness, average long speed. He isn’t the biggest of backs but has no issues running the ball inside and getting the tough yards. Solid receiver and catches the ball well out of the backfield. Good vision and breaks to daylight. He isn’t an explosive type of runner, there isn’t elite burst or home run type speed. He flashes well in pass protection when he wants to, he is more than capable of sticking the defender and stopping them in their tracks. Other times he is proper position but gets pushed into the pocket against the same defender earlier he stood up.

Summary: Kerryon Johnson is one of the prospects that will not test well in drills or the combine but he will beat out many other backs on the field. He brings good inside and outside running ability, patience with vision and excellent cut back ability. He can break tackles once engaged and should be one of the best backs at yards after contact. Capable of being one of the most complete backs in the class, solid receiver, needs to be more consistent as a pass protector. Nothing about him says elite but the kid produces on the field at a high level against excellent competition. Projects best to a zone blocking one cut type scheme to allow him to let his vision, cut back ability flourish at the next level. 2nd round grade.

Ronald Jones II, USC

Game Film Evaluated:

Stanford (2017)

Ohio State (2017)

Texas (2017)

Analysis: Elite level speed and elusiveness. Does not run with power, not someone who can get you the tough yard inside in short yardage or goaline situations. Excellent balance and able to have defenders just fall off him when moving, reminds of Jammal Charles. He goes down once engaged, will not generate a lot of yards after engaged but he is able to shake loose from defenders when the feet are going. He brings home run hitting ability, his spin move to get out of tackles is impressive. He can go from 0-100 mph extremely fast especially on stretch plays cutting it upfield. Poor technique in pass protection, saw him throwing the shoulder into blitzers and not use his feet or proper hand use to keep blitzers at bay. He has excellent hands but was not used consistently as a threat out of the backfield. Not comfortable running routes.

Summary: Ronald Jones II is an elite athlete and brings tremendous game breaking potential to the position. He is a threat to score any time he touches the ball, he can run away from even fast defenders. He brings good balance, ability to break out of tackles when he keeps those feet moving. However he is not a good short yardage runner, he doesn’t run with power. Exciting player but snap to snap consistency may be an issue. He has got to improve his pass protection, it will keep him off the field on 3rd down until he improves it.  There is significant upside to him as a runner and receiver and should become a better pro than he was in college. However there is considerable concern to his game since he doesn’t run with power, is a liability in pass protection and will struggle in short yardage and goaline situations decreasing his value.  Late 2nd round grade due to the elite game breaking skills but high risk.

John Kelly, Tennessee

Game Film Evaluated:

Florida (2017)

Georgia (2017)

Missouri (2017)

Analysis: Compact frame and runs with tremendous balance and low center of gravity. There is no wasted motion to him and moves extremely well laterally. Allows him to shake defenders with good juke and cut moves. Fluid in space and has good upside as a receiver and was used as a weapon against LBs in man coverage. Runs physical and has a violent running style absorbing a lot of contact. Dropped his head and not properly set in pass protection vs Florida and got absolutely run over by a blitzer. One of the best tackle breakers in the class. A powerful and highly effective stiff arm. He’s a talker on the field, got a personal foul penalty due to it against Missouri. Awful pass protector, drops his head consistently and displays no technique to get set to handle rushers. Plus receiver out of the receiver with good hands and can make the difficult catch adjusting to passes behind him.

Summary: John Kelly brings one of the most physical styles to the RB class. He is a fine athlete who has excellent quickness and plus agility who runs with tremendous balance low to the ground to break a lot of tackles. There is no wasted motion when he is running, he gets to full speed immediately and has ideal patience and explode to daylight. He can make himself small in close quarters and no issues running inside and getting the tough yards. He has average long speed but plus quickness.  He had virtually no help at Tennessee, the QB and OL were sub standard. He often had to handle defenders on him in the backfield and make something out of nothing. He runs angry.  His best football is ahead of him and think he could become one of the most physical runners the league. He needs to get to work to improve his pass protection, that will keep him off the field as a rookie until it gets to at least an average level. Once he does that, he is a starting RB in the NFL. Until then, he could become a plus closing type back to punish a defense in the second half similar to Marion Barber coming out of Minnesota. Late 3rd round grade.

Nick Chubb, Georgia

Game Film Evaluated:

Oklahoma (2018)

South Carolina (2017)

Auburn (2017)

Alabama (2018)

Analysis: Strong compact frame with strong lower body. Runs physical and power type back. More quick than fast. Solid long speed. Effective side step away from defenders and keeps the feet moving once engaged. Not an explosive type runner, getting to the outside will be a struggle at the next level. He can break tackles once engaged when he keeps his feet moving going north and south. Defenders cannot bring him down one on one when they go waist up. Most effective when he has momentum behind him, not the type of back who can create much from nothing. Only observed a few instances in pass protection, results were not good. He struggles to locate the biggest threat or get into proper position. His receiver and ability to consistently protect the QB are unknowns.

Summary: Nick Chubb is one of the more traditional RBs in the class who brings good size and speed combination to the next level. He runs with power and authority, he can do the impossible and break away from multiple defenders tackles. He brings plus quickness and has the ideal lower body strength. However he is not an overly dynamic back until he gets to the second level of the defense. He will be dependent on the OL to create holes for him, not someone who can create much when the play doesn’t work as drawn up. His ability to protect the QB and be an adequate receiver are questionable and could not be determined based on the games observed. He should be a solid starter in the NFL and one of the old school type backs who can get dirty and would be fun to watch in the northeast playing in bad weather with his physical running style. 3rd round grade.

Mark Walton, Miami

Game Film Evaluated:

Duke (2017)

Florida State (2017)

Toledo (2017)

Analysis: Smaller back who runs physical and plus muscle tone. Elite level quickness, ability and one of the best cut runners in the game.  Penalized for unsportsmanlike for throwing dice after a TD run. Explosive change of direction ability. Indecisive runner who waits for something to open up. Runs with good balance and broke a few tackles once engaged. Went down with ankle injuries during all 3 games observed. Used mostly on check downs and occasional screen passes as a receiver. Dances too much in the backfield trying to make something happen. Gives excellent effort as a pass protector, can get overwhelmed strength wise by a blitzer giving up ground in the pocket. However he has underrated core strength and moves feet well. When he locates the blitzer and gets into position, he generally can neutralize blitzers. Can sometimes be late to locate and caught reaching and off balance to make much of an impact preventing pressure. He wants to bounce runs outside consistently but he will cut it up inside and take the punishment.  Not an effective short yardage runner, his dancing behind the line prevents him getting the 1-2 yards for the FD.

Summary: Mark Walton is an exciting elusive speed back who brings similar skillset to Saquon Barkley. Their change of direction ability and acceleration are elite. Walton is not just a speed back, he brings excellent vision and can make a big play out of nothing. However he needs to become a smarter back, understanding when 1-2 positive yards is acceptable and when to try and make the big play. He struggles with short yardage and red attempts dancing too much in the backfield allowing penetration from the defense and eliminating conversions. He ran exclusively out of the shotgun in college. He needs to improve as a pass protector but the tools are there for him to be successful in that area, effort is not the issue at all. Just needs to get set up more consistently and add some lower body strength to held him absorb the rush more without surrendering as much ground in the pocket. There is definite starting upside with Walton assuming the ankle is cleared, he went down with ankle injuries during all games observed eventually requiring season ending surgery after Florida State. Early 3rd round grade who could become one of the most exciting backs in the NFL if he continues to round out his game and the medical checks are acceptable. Exciting player for sure.

Royce Freeman, Oregon

Game Film Evaluated:

Washington (2017)

Arizona (2017)

Stanford (2016)

Analysis: Patient runner. Good vision and allows his blocks time to set it up. He has a good stiff arm to break tackles. Bit of a dancer behind the LOS, like to see him more decisive and cut upfield. Plus vision and able to cut effectively without losing any speed. He has deceptive quickness and can outrun angles bouncing it outside. He can step up to take on a blitzer but he fails to stay engaged with them. He needs to improve his footwork and effort level in pass protection. He runs with a short stride and allows him to get to max speed quickly and outrun defenders much smaller than him. 

Summary: Royce Freeman is a physical and athletic runner with ideal size and speed combination that projects well to the next level. He needs a lot of work in pass protection but he was at his best vs Arizona. However he must become more consistent to earn the trust of his coaches. He is a patient runner that allows his blockers to open up holes for him. He gets to full speed quickly and can break a few tackles although not a dynamic game breaker in that area. He wasn’t used as a pass receiver consistently in the games observed. He projects best to a zone blocking offense to allow his vision, cutting ability and patience to be best utilized. He cuts to daylight and often not where the play is drawn up. He can be a rookie starter but he isn’t polished as a pass protector nor comfortable as a regular receiving threat. Early 3rd round grade.

Rashaad Penny, San Diego State

Game Film Evaluated:

Stanford (2017)

Senior Bowl (2018)

Analysis: Excellent vision and will go against the grain to find daylight. Good hands and no issues as a receiver in space as a safety valve or screen passes. He did fumble vs Stanford. Good balance and runs low to the ground allowing him to move forward after contact and shake off tackle attempts. He has good patience to allow the hole to open and then get through it with an impressive burst. He has the speed to get outside on a defense but is definitely more of an inside runner. He lacks top strength or power type rusher. His pass protection needs a lot of work, his technique is poor along with his footwork.

Summary: Rashaad Penny is fine RB prospect who should surprise people as a top rookie contributor in the NFL. He is a speed one cut type runner who excels at going north/south in a hurry with speed, no wasted motion juking or trying to find the hole. His vision, ability to run with patience and then accelerate to daylight is impressive. He brings a good receiving element to his game to be a weapon on option, wheel routes but also safety vales and screen passes. The only real concern is his pass protection which could keep him off the field if he doesn’t improve in a hurry. He needs to improve his technique, hand placement and footwork to become an average protector. At this point, his QB will not trust him to pick up a blitzer. He also is not a power runner who has a strong stiff arm or a powerful lower body to run through tackles. Top 100 player and late 3rd round grade. 

Derrius Guice, LSU

Game Film Evaluated:

Alabama (2017)

Ole Miss (2017)

Auburn (2017)

Florida (2016)

Louisville (2016)

Analysis: Indecisive runner, ran up the back of his lineman often. He got the yards the line provided to him, did not make something happen out of nothing. He excels at getting through the smallest of holes and exploding to daylight. He is capable of making the big play but it is overshadowed by many other pedestrian runs. Not the type of back who can cover up for mistakes of others. Adequate pass protector, gets into proper position, sets his feet and uses adequate hand placement to neutralize most blitzers. Solid receiver out of the backfield but not a dynamic threat. Struggles to break tackles one on one. He needs to stay north/south when running, he can get out of a few tackles when he keeps the feet moving but doesn’t happen nearly enough. Lacks the home run speed to run away from defenders. Plus quickness and can turn it on once he finds daylight. Better cut ability and flashed improved balance in 2016.

Summary: Derrius Guice is a better athlete than football player heading into the draft. He lacks the balance, strength in the lower body, elusiveness to project that he will be a dynamic back in the pros. He is a product of the offensive line, good or bad. If the line gives him 8 yards then that is what he will produce in most instances. He is a adequate pass protector and has good hands to be on the field in 3rd down situations. There is little separation between other prospects and lacks any plus trait to suggest he will be more than an average player in the NFL. He projects as as a back up player who can get some early playing time as a 3rd down back and earn about 8-10 touches per game. There are reports he fought through injuries in 2017 and that resulted in the average film performance. However his 2016 film did not showcase a much different player than the one from 2017 in my opinion. Average prospect who is a far better athlete than football player at this point. Perhaps those 2 will meet and he can become an impactful pro RB. 4th round grade.

Bo Scarbrough, Alabama

Game Film Evaluated:

Clemson (2017)

Georgia (2018)

Florida State (2017)

Fresno State (2017)

Analysis: Has the look of a LB and a big one at that. Taller frame than ideal for the position. Extremely powerful in the lower body, he excels at getting yards after contact but not because he breaks tackles. He just keeps his legs moving and consistently gains multiple yards after the defender wraps him up. Not a quick lateral back or someone who is shifty in close quarters. He has good straight line speed. Solid hands out of the backfield and can make the difficult catch. Below average vision, runs up the backs of his offensive line too often. He doesn’t run to daylight, might be result of coaches insisting him to run where it is designed. Solid pass protector showcasing solid footwork and good strength to absorb contact and prevent defenders from pushing him into the pocket. Flashed a good jump cut vs Fresno State but did not come up consistently. He is able to break tackles when he uses his free hand on defenders but often he is focused more on protecting the ball.

Summary: Bo Scarbrough is a plus athlete similar to former Alabama back Derrick Henry. He is physically imposing and runs a violent high style that dishes out a lot of contact on defenders. However he is not overly quick, shifty or someone who can make much out of nothing. He can create a big play when blocked up well for him but that can be true for any pro prospect. However he is an adequate receiver out of the backfield and plus pass protector for the QB. He may never be a starter at the next level but a fine rotational back especially for a team that likes to run power football. 4th round grade.

Nyheim Hines, North Carolina State

Game Film Evaluated:

North Carolina (2017)

Louisville (2017)

Analysis: Very short and thin frame for the position. Ultra quick and shifty type back. Needs to be more decisive as a stretch runner, he often sticks with the play when the cut back lane is there. He runs up the back of his lineman and then realizes to cut it back. Needs to make that decision quicker and put his foot in the ground and cut it upfield. Zero power but will stick his nose inside when running the ball. He will take punishment running between the tackles. Doesn’t possess elite balance or low center of gravity to be capable of breaking tackles at the next level. He runs with good patience and then really take off like a bullet when he sees daylight. Excellent elusiveness when he gets some space either by spin or good cut. He will out run angles and safeties will have to readjust their angle when trying to cut him off. He ran routes in college and projects well to be an asset in the passing game especially when matched up against a LB in man coverage.  Served as a kick off returner.

Summary: Nyheim Hines is an extremely undersized back with elite quickness and elusiveness but does not bring much power. He is not a feature type back but could be a guy serving as a rotational guy and underneath receiver in a Christian McCaffrey type role. His value as a kick off returner increases his stock and would be a guy want to get around 5-7 touches per game in addition to his duties as a returner. 5th round grade.

FULLBACK

Dimitri Flowers, Oklahoma

Game Film Evaluated:

Iowa State (2016)

Ohio State (2017)

Analysis: Solid frame with adequate bulk and good athlete. He runs well with the ball and is a tremendous receiver. He is a weapon out of the backfield capable of running routes like a TE or WR. He made catches in traffic, going up and getting it for TD and making the catch down the seam. Average blocker who is more of a position blocker than someone with good strength. He is not a impact blocker who can knock his man out of the hole. Used as an H back option at Oklahoma lining up in the backfield, on the line as a TE. Solid pass protector and moves his feet well in pass protection.

Summary: Dimitri Flowers is a unique prospect, he is only prospect in the class that can run the ball inside, a plus receiving option out of the backfield and challenge the intermediate areas of the defense and be at least an average blocker in the run game. If you need a run blocker to add value with your rushing attack, look elsewhere but he is your guy if you want to add a dynamic option capable of creating mismatches against the defense base personnel. 4th round grade.

2018 NFL Draft: Quarterbacks

QUARTERBACKS

Sam Darnold, USC

Game Film Evaluated:

Ohio State (2017)

Texas (2017)

Washington (2016)

Analysis: Adequate size, good arm. He moves well in the pocket. In 2016, his footwork was poor and threw off balance often vs Washington. He stared down receivers and brought defenders to where he wanted to go with the ball. He can progress on reads and makes decisions quickly. The ball comes out over the top with quick windup. Excellent mobility and can buy time with his feet, capable of taking off and running with the ball. Excels at throwing on the move and does not need a clean pocket or set his feet to make a throw on target. Recognize blitzes presnap and knows where to go with the ball on the hot route. He can look off coverage with his eyes but needs to be more consistent. He can make the difficult throw into tight spots and put it only a position for his receiver to have a chance at it. He can get baited into throwing a ball into coverage, this happened vs Washington. He can let pressure rattle him when he doesn’t recognize it and throw it into traffic. Consistently puts the ball on target giving receiver chance to run with the ball after the catch. Footwork continued to be an issue into 2017 and this is likely the main reason for the occasional pass that is off the mark. He needs to drive through with his entire body on throws in the pocket. When he anticipates the blitz, he looks to take advantage and make a big play against the defense. Darnold struggled during the first 3 quarters vs Texas but he was lights out dominant when it mattered the most. Needs to recognize zone or man coverage especially on the WR screen passes. This led to a few INTs. He was overwhelmed vs Ohio State, USC OL could not stop their pass rush and Darnold was running for his life most of the game.

Summary: Sam Darnold is the best QB in the draft. He brings good size, a plus quick arm with advanced feel for the position that projects well to the pros. He can read coverage, recognize the blitz pre snap and already has experience working under center. His footwork got better in 2017 but it still needs to be more consistent. He showed ability to look off coverage, progress on reads and work across the field. He needs to do better when pressured and this is about preparation when he gets to the pros. The pressure got to him and knocked him off his game against Ohio State. He needs to adjust his velocity on passes, at times he fires a missile on shorter throws and causes the WR to deflect the pass for potential INTs when he needs to take a little off it. His ability to get passes off on target and quickly when he doesn’t have a clean pocket or when he sets his feet properly is amongst the best in the country. He is a good athlete and able to run and more than capable of sliding around the pocket to buy the extra second he needs to make the play. He does not look like a franchise QB but he is more than capable of being one of the top 10 best QBs in the league. He doesn’t have a large learning curve and should be able to start as a rookie. He needs to improve recognizing the defensive coverage presnap and his preparation against the blitz. I don’t like the throwing motion, takes too long and he can shorten it using all arm but that can lead to inaccuracy. He reminds me a lot of Aaron Rodgers with his mobility, accuracy when he breaks the pocket and able to throw a pass on target despite off balance or without proper footwork. However the comparisons end there, needs to improve his accuracy on deep throws, learn when to give up on plays and cut down on the sacks. 1st round grade.

Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma

Game Film Evaluated:

TCU (2016)

Houston (2016)

Texas (2017)

Ohio State (2017)

Senior Bowl (2018)

Analysis: Undersized but able to deliver the ball over the line and downfield without being knocked down. Above average arm and flashes real good footwork. Able to thread the needle and put touch on his throws. Holds the ball extremely long in the pocket and has no understanding when to just toss it out of bounds and try again on the next play. He is a one read QB who relies on the system to know where to go with the ball presnap. Virtually no experience working under center. Good athlete who can easily buy time with his feet but needs to learn to get rid of it and not take unnecssary hits. A bit wreckless with the ball when under pressure, he fails to keep it close to his body in the pocket and it can be knocked out. He will throw off his back foot when pressured and holds the ball way longer than he should trying to keep the play alive. Too often he throws short of the first down marker on 3rd downs.  Needs to be more consistent with his feet, he aligns his feet correctly but fails to step into his throws causing inaccuracy and too much air into his passes at times. When his primary read is not open, he is hesitant in his decision making and causes him to hold the ball too long. He fails to progress on his reads quickly. 

Summary: Baker Mayfield is a puzzling prospect as he is a talented player with good skills but comes from another up tempo system that relies on one read and go type QBs. He is athletic with good but not great arm strength. He lacks the physical frame to hold up being a running type QB. He is not someone who is comfortable reading the defense presnap, progressing on reads or comfortable throwing into tight areas with top accuracy. His instincts when the play breaks down are where he is at his best but he needs to learn to execute the play more consistently using his head and arm. I fear that Mayfield is in for a rude awakening at the next level when escaping the pocket won’t be as easy as it was in college nor receivers as open as they were. He needs a head coach/OC that really forces him to play the game smarter, fit the pass into tight windows and beat teams more with his arm instead of his feet. In addition to the on field performance comes his lengthy off the field baggage. He was arrested in February 2017 on public intoxication and fleeing charges in addition to multiple on field unsportsmanlike conduct penalties from the leader of the offense. He is not in the same category as Johnny Manziel or Jameis Winston in terms of character problems but QBs are held to a higher standard and Mayfield needs to grow up and do it quickly. If he does and works his tail off in the NFL, he could be an exciting to watch starting QB who could thrive in an offense suited to his skills like what Seattle did for Russel Wilson or Philadelphia for Carson Wentz. Late 1st round grade who needs to grow up both on and off the field but the skills are there.

Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State

Game Film Evaluated:

Texas (2017)

Virginia Tech (2017)

Iowa State (2017)

Analysis: Excellent size but just an average arm. Doesn’t have a rocket arm but he able to make the throws to the short and intermediate levels of the defense. He has to put a lot of the air when he wants to go deep. Not overly athletic but he can buy time with his feet and looks to throw it instead of run it. He feels pressure and steps up in the pocket. Spread QB. He can work across the field, progress on reads from inside the pocket. He at times throws with anticipation. Inconsistent footwork, needs to reset his feet more consistently. One of the most accurate passers in the class. When he throws off balance, the velocity disappears and his passes bounce to the WR too often. Strong QB who can shake off defenders in the pocket and keep the play alive. Responds well in clutch situations. He will stand tall in the pocket when pressure comes and wait until the last second to make the throw.

Summary: Mason Rudolph is a spread QB from the tempo offense at Oklahoma State. He has the size, solid arm but struggles on downfield throws. He seems to play his best when the game gets close even if he struggled earlier in the game. This showed up in the Texas game and vs Iowa State when they went to overtime. He needs to get better reading defenses and coverage, he threw into zone coverage thinking it was man a few times. However he sees the field well and is definitely not a one read type QB. He fights to keep the play alive and will move in the pocket and look to always beat the defense with his arm. He needs to learn how to call plays in a huddle, work under center and refine his footwork to before he can make an impact as a pro. He is not a system QB and can be a successful pro QB. His size, ability to stand tall in the pocket, buy time with his feet despite not being overly athletic and see the field so well reminds me of Ben Roethlisberger. 2nd round grade.

Josh Rosen, UCLA

Game Film Evaluated:

Washington (2017)

Texas A&M (2017)

USC (2017)

Analysis: Good size, moves well and has an excellent arm. Happy feet. Holds the ball and indecisive. He doesn’t move off his reads hoping they will eventually clear. Pressure can get to him, he escapes the pocket unnecessarily. Excellent mobility to buy time in the pocket with his feet but prefers to throw once he escapes. Late on his throws. He wants for the receiver to break open before releasing and defenders got a jump on his routes often. When he fires it quickly, the throw consistently sails and requires his receivers to fully extend to bring in the pass. Does not throw a catchable ball consistently, requires his receivers to make adjustments consistently.  Gets a lot of passes knocked down at the line despite adequate height and arm slot. Lacks the internal clock in the pocket and he will take a beating. He will change his release point and deliver it side arm when pressure is closing in. He will throw it up for grabs and can be wreckless with the ball. Led an amazing comeback vs Texas A&M but due to using his athletic TE abuse man coverage on one read and go type reads over the middle. Even during the comeback, there were multiple instances the ball should have been INT by A&M but failed to make the play. Does not recognize blitz presnap. Needs to find windows to throw passes, got at least 2 passes knocked down per game. Defenders follow his eyes and relatively easy to get into position to get their hands on it. Flashed ability to progress on reads and work across the field vs USC but doesn’t reset his feet.

Summary: Josh Rosen has a tremendous skillset for the QB position that all translate well to the pro level. However his on field performance has yet to meet the potential and he has a long way to go. He took an absolute beating at UCLA and has shown a disturbing lack of ball security when the defense gets to him early. He needs a year on the bench before he should be counted to make any impact in the NFL. He needs to learn to read the defense presnap, and make decisions quicker. He stares down receivers and needs to move off reads more quickly. He throws the ball up for grabs way too often and has to protect the ball better. He has got to use his mobility to find windows in the pocket to throw the ball to prevent them from being knocked down as much as they did in college. He must learn to throw with anticipation and throw it before the receiver makes his break. His receivers bailed him out of a lot of bad decisions during the games observed. He doesn’t have the internal clock to know when to get rid of it and on target. The player on paper looks like a legit franchise QB but he is a wreckless gun slinger type who will throw multiple INTs per game and take a lot of hits in the pocket. I fear he will never recover if he goes to a bad team that looks to him to take their game to another level. His college head coach Jim Mora said this about Rosen the month of the draft, “He needs to be challenged intellectually so he doesn’t get bored. He’s a millennial”. This was part of a discussion relating to USC prospect Sam Donald whom Mora described as having a “blue-collar, gritty” attitude. This suggest Rosen may not be a self starter or have the drive to want to improve which is one of the strongest indicators separating a NFL starter to a bust that fails to meet their potential. Early 3rd round grade.

Lamar Jackson, Louisville

Game Film Evaluated:

Clemson (2017)

Purdue (2017)

Florida State (2017)

Analysis: Elite level athlete. Built like a wide receiver with a super quick release. He throws with the arm instead of getting his entire body into the throw. Footwork is inconsistent and needs to step into his throws more often. He keeps his feet too close together. He looks off safeties and throws a nice deep ball. He delivered 2 perfect passes for game winning scores against Florida State but the WR dropped the ball both times. Awful accuracy. Even when he has proper footwork and a clean pocket, he still misses the target consistently. He forces his receivers to make adjustments on simple passes. He has a live arm and can make all the throws and his athleticism will be second to none at the QB position. He doesn’t have the elite speed that Michael Vick did but he has everything else. Runs the ball inside and doesn’t shy away from contact. He did not respond well to adversity vs Clemson, his play steadily declined throughout the game even when the defense wasn’t swarming.

Summary: Lamar Jackson has video game QB skills that on paper would look too good to be true. He has the frame of a wide receiver with RB moves and a good arm. However his accuracy, inability to read coverage, footwork, throwing motion are going to make it difficult for him to make it as a pro QB. He has legit ability, the question is whether he will put in the work to improve in all the other aspects of his game and get enough patience as well as confidence from the coaching staff to fulfill his potential. if that doesn’t happen, he will have to make a position change to receiver. Even if he stays at QB, he may have a hard time staying healthy as he is a skinny kid and the punishment trying to run the ball is on another level in the pros. He needs to work his tail off refining his throwing motion, get the entire body into his throws and step into those throws with proper footwork. It will take time before it becomes second nature but there is hope that will address his inaccuracy. There hasn’t been a QB like this since Michael Vick, not even Kaepernick was at this level of athleticism at the QB position. Early 4th round grade.

Josh Allen, Wyoming

Game Film Evaluated:

Colorado State (2017)

Boise State (2017)

Iowa (2017)

Senior Bowl (2018)

Analysis: Ideal frame, quick release and strong arm. He is athletic and able to buy time with his feet and scramble when necessary. Atrocious footwork, rarely ever sets his feet properly and throws from an ideal position. His accuracy suffers dramatically as a result. He is a plus athlete and able to run away from defenders. Has experience working under center. He consistently has the ball elevate on him when he steps up into his throws. He does not look off safeties or manipulate safeties with his eyes to create openings for receivers. This led to an INT vs Boise State. The lacks the internal clock to feel pressure and escape the pocket. He had one of the worst scrambles and attempts to throw the ball away vs Iowa. He is late on decisions and everything needs to happen faster with his reads and decisions. 

Summary: Josh Allen has excellent tools for the position with an ideal frame, arm strength and quick release with plus athleticism. His footwork and accuracy is awful. He is slow on his reads and careless with the ball. He is no where close to ready to contribute as an NFL QB. He will impress in workouts to highlight his arm and mobility but there is more to it and he consistently failed to impress in games against quality competition. 4th round grade.

Kyle Lauletta, Richmond

Game Film Evaluated:

Villanova (2017)

William & Mary (2017)

James Madison (2017)

Analysis: Average frame, looks around 6-1. He is able to find windows to throw passes effectively. Solid arm and throws a tight spiral. His receivers dropped several catchable passes and deflected a few that should of been INT. Solid athlete who can buy time with his feet and moves well outside the pocket. Experience taking snaps under center. Missed his TE sailing it right to the safety for INT. Doesn’t feel pressure, he can hold the ball in the pocket for too long. Throws in the intermediate area sail often but down the seams are among his best. He will force passes in traffic especially across the middle. Tough kid who will run the ball inside and take the hit when going for a score. No feel for looking off safeties or play like he knows where the safety is. He stares down receivers especially when going downfield. Good touch on his passes and good consistent footwork.

Summary: Kyle Lauletta is one of the more intriguing sleeper type prospects in the draft. He brings a solid QB skillset with athleticism, solid arm who can make throws at all levels of the defense. He was not a one read and go spread type QB at Richmond. He made throws downfield and had the arm to get it there. However I project him best to a team that doesn’t have to deal with much bad weather. He needs to do better reading the defense presnap, identify blitz packages and get rid of the ball quickly when needed. Often he held the ball too long and needs to have that clock go off in his head when he needs to escape the pocket. He needs to go to work in the film room and understand how to manipulate safeties. He needs to know where the safeties are and then identify the areas to attack downfield. His eyes brought the safety into the target area too often. There is a lot to like and held his own at the Senior Bowl especially in the game after a solid of practice. It didn’t happen often but there were times in the games observed he missed open receivers despite a clean pocket and good footwork especially in the intermediate areas. Early 4th round grade.

Mike White, Western Kentucky

Game Film Evaluated:

Georgia State (2017)

Alabama (2016)

Memphis (2017)

Analysis: Excellent size and stands tall in the pocket. Solid arm, throws with touch and capable of firing it downfield. Not that mobile but he can buy some time with his feet but looks to get rid of it when he gets a chance. Accuracy disappears when facing pressure. Comfortable progressing on his reads across the field. He’s a statue in the pocket, he holds it too long. Inconsistent footwork which leads to accuracy issues. He is not comfortable throwing it from inside the pocket when he’s got someone closing in on him. Stares down receivers and small college defenders were able to get their hands on a lot of his passes. He can let the pressure affect his play. Almost every throw vs Alabama in 2016 was in the 5 yard range. Not an accurate thrower.

Summary: Mike White has the traditional look and arm of a pro style QB. He has the frame and more than adequate arm to make all the throws. However he lacks the internal clock, mobility to escape the pocket vs top athletic defenders. He needs a clean pocket, time to progress on multiple reads to be effective. However that is not a luxury most pro QBs get on a consistent basis. He needs to be quicker with his reads, identify the safeties and not stare down receivers. He can become a solid back up QB if he develops the mental side of the game, play a much quicker game and have more consistent footwork which should improve the accuracy issue. 5th round grade.

Luke Falk, Washington State

Game Film Evaluated:

Utah (2017)

Stanford (2017)

Colorado (2017)

Minnesota (2017)

Senior Bowl (2018)

Analysis: Inaccurate on downfield throws. Excellent frame and very capable arm. Indecisive decision maker. He holds the ball longer than he should. A bit reckless with the ball when under pressure. Quick release with just a flick of the wrist. He showed ability to progress on reads. Average athlete who can escape the pocket but not a strong runner or a threat on any run-pass options. Struggles to buy time with his feet, reset and throw the ball accurately. Accuracy beyond 10 yards is an issue. He has got to learn to buy time with his feet and beat a defense with his arm. Too often he drops his eyes from the receivers and focus on the pressure. The QB either drops his eyes from receivers when pressured or he throws off his backfoot into the middle of the field, neither is good. 

Summary: Luke Falk has impressive frame and capable arm to make the throws. He has an effortless quick delivery and shows the ability to progress on reads after the snap. However there are serious concerns to his game with accuracy, reading a defense and handling pressure. His mechanics and footwork disappear when pressured and is not decisive against the blitz. The QB must always protect the ball and Falk was consistently careless with the ball when pressured. His accuracy beyond 10 yards is an issue even when his footwork and pocket is clean. I see a backup in Luke Falk unless he can learn to read a defense, become more decisive in his reads especially when blitzed and improve his accuracy in the intermediate areas. 5th round grade.

2018 NFL Draft: War Room Board

Happy NFL Draft Day!

Below is my board with all 143 players ranked by position and round.

There are 3 elite players and 18 that earned a first round grade.

2018 All Knucklehead Team

2018 ALL KNUCKLEHEAD TEAM

It is that time to unveil my "All Knucklehead Team".  The team consist of eligible NFL Draft prospects from each position who have significant off the field concerns or even displayed a knack for knucklehead on the field decisions.  This idea came from listening to Norm Hitzges show on KTCK AM 1310 in Dallas, home of the only radio station in the country that covers the draft pick by pick. 

Unfortunately, this team has become increasingly less difficult to fill out each year thanks to colleges complete disregard for character in recruiting, the price of continued winning. To their credit, the offensive line is consistently the hardest position to fill which is a good thing. Check out the blog at MikeRay34.blogspot.com for the archive of prior year’s teams.

You can find each of my prior All Knucklehead teams going back to 2014 here.

2017 team

2016 team

2015 team

2014 team

Enough talk, onto to the starting lineup for the 2018 All Knucklehead Team! 

QUARTERBACK

Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma - Arrested February 2017 for public intoxication, disorderly conduct, fleeing and resisting arrest. His arrest was captured on video showing him attempting to run away before officers take him to the ground.  He was not suspended by the school but they did make him attend alcohol education and perform 35 hours of community service.  During the 2017 game at Kansas, he grabbed his crotch toward the Jayhawks bench after their captains refused to shake hands during the coin toss.  After beating No. 2 ranked Ohio State, he planted the Oklahoma flag in the middle of the Buckeye’s logo.  He was offended because Ohio State sang their fight song on Oklahoma’s field after beating the Sooners the previous year.  Mayfield also intentionally hit a TCU player with a football during warm ups during their November 2017 match up. This was in response due to TCU running onto the field through their stretch lines which was due to miscommunication with Oklahoma’s field staff. TCU’s Gary Patterson said this about Mayfield during warm ups at their 2017 bowl game, “If Baker Mayfield wants to blame TCU for 128 BCS schools not offering him a scholarship, that’s fine. But ask Kliff Kingsbury why he didn’t offer him a scholarship at Texas Tech. Ask about Baker’s dad [James]. He’s an arrogant guy who thinks he knows everything. If people knew the whole story, they might not have a great opinion of Baker or his father.”

RUNNINGBACK

Kamryn Pettway, Auburn - An AFC regional scout said this about Pettway, “He’s a mess. They were done with him over there and he’s got too many character flags to be drafted.” WIAT in Birmingham reported he was “no longer welcome to any team activities,” prior to Auburn’s game vs Central Florida in the Peach Bowl. He’s reportedly “immature and unreliable by people inside the program”.

WIDE RECEIVER

Antonio Callway, Florida - Suspended for an entire season. Facing felony charges after he and other teammates made purchases on school issued debit cards and sold the goods. The players then reported the cards stolen and disputed the charges which is a felony. He also had a sexual assault allegation in 2016 and was suspended due to marijuana use.  He was found “not responsible” for the sexual assault by an independent hearing officer Jake Schnickel, an attorney who is a former Florida Gator athlete and donor to the Florida football program.

Jordan Lasley, UCLA - Suspended for 3 games during the 2017 season. He missed the first week of training camp for an unspecified violation of team rules. He was also dismissed from practice during the spring 2015 after getting into a fight with a teammate. He also missed the team bus on a trip to Arizona causing him to be suspended again. He was arrested twice in 2016, first was due to alcohol possession as a minor and the second for presenting a fake ID at a Hollywood club.

Kalib Woods, Florida Atlantic - Arrested in June 2017 and pleaded not guilty to 2 felony battery charges. Woods allegedly struck two men in January at a party, in what was described by one of the victims as retaliation over a foul that was committed in a pick up basketball game about a year earlier. One victim suffered a broken jaw and the other had internal bleeding. He was suspended for 6 games as a result of his felony battery arrest.

Deon Cain, Clemson - He was suspended for the college football playoff after the regular season of his freshman season for failing a drug test for marijuana.  He was sent home 2 days before Clemson played Oklahoma in the playoff semifinal game.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Will Richardson, North Carolina State - Suspended for the first 2 games of the 2017 season due to reportedly a failed marijuana drug test.  He was arrested for a DUI in the early morning hours of November 1, 2015 and suspended for one game.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Arden Key, LSU - Scouts are concerned about his personal discipline. Key left the team during the spring 2017 for “personal reasons”.  He gained a lot of bad weight during that time ballooning up to 270 pounds while also having surgery on his shoulder causing him to miss part of the 2017 season in recovery. Key has not commented publicly for why he left the team.  However, his father said this about his sons decision. “Let the past be the past…All those rumors are going to surface through his career.  As a family, we had challenges and we worked through them, and we’re still working through them.”

LINEBACKERS

Azeem Victor, Washington - Aggressive to borderline wreckless on the field. Suspended for the first half against Oregon after being ejected the prior week vs USC for targeting. He was then suspended after a DUI charge during his senior season.  Also suspended for the season opener for breaking team rules.

CORNERBACKS

Mike Hughes, Central Florida - Suspended in October for violating team rules after being part of an incident at a fraternity house. He then left North Carolina as a result.

Holton Hill, Texas - Suspended for the final 3 games of the 2017 season for violating team rules. Scouts feel that teams will simply not be able to trust him.

SAFETIES

Tray Matthews, Auburn - Got into a verbal altercation with a professor and arrested for theft.  He allegedly double cashed checks from the athletic department. He was then dismissed from Georgia and transferred to Auburn.

Jordan Whitehead, Pittsburgh - Suspended for the first 3 games of the 2017 season for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

What happened to the Texas offensive line?

The Texas Longhorns offensive line was supposed to be a strength this season.  It has now turned into the achilles heel of a 3-4 team and also makes for a strong argument for why they are not 6-1.

Just prior to the season opener, Tom Herman said, “Excitingly I think our strength on both sides of the ball is the line, offensive and defensive lines.” He added “I think we still need to find a consistent, product right tackle. Those other four guys may be the national championship year at Ohio State that I was a part of, that might be the only other offensive line that could compare with these guys. So I’m excited to see them play.”

The offensive line had already suffered one injury when Herman made this statement as junior Elijah Rodriguez went down with an ankle injury a week into fall camp. He was the top backup in 2016 appearing in every game and starting 3 at multiple positions. Rodriguez was leading the battle for the right tackle job over incumbent Tristan Nickelson and talented sophomore Denzel Okafor at the time of his injury. The staff had already lost another tackle in former top recruit Jean Delance who decided to transfer to Florida just prior to the season.

Even with the losses, here is the group Herman was confident with heading into the season.

1.        Connor Williams, LT

2.        Patrick Vahe, LG

3.        Jake McMillon, RG

4.        Elijah Rodriguez, RT (Suffered ankle injury August 8^th)

5.        Zach Shackelford, C

The team planned to use 3 backups regularly to have a solid 8-man rotation on game days.

6.        Patrick Hudson

7.        Tristan Nickelson

8.        Denzel Okafor

So, what happened?

The season ending injury to Rodriguez prior to the season immediately forced offensive line coach Derek Warehime into his depth inserting senior Tristan Nickelson into the lineup at RT vs Maryland. Nickelson has struggled to execute his blocks due to his 6-10 frame making it difficult to generate leverage against his opponent. He also lacks the quick feet to consistently handle speed rushers on the outside.

You may recall that Connor Williams had his worst game while at Texas vs Maryland giving up pressure and  committing 2 crushing holding penalties late in the 4^th quarter.  Patrick Vahe struggled in pass protection causing Shane Buechele to run for his life even when the opponent brought just 3 defenders. The line struggled to pick up blitzes primarily due to miscommunication instead of ability, adding to the frustration at a perceived strength of the team.

Texas dominated San Jose State 56-0 in week 2 and one of the highlight plays in the game was redshirt freshman guard Patrick Hudson helping Chris Warren into the endzone for a score in the 2^nd half. Unfortunately, on the next possession, Hudson suffered a torn ACL in his knee and would be lost for the season.

Herman has now lost his starting right tackle and his top interior backup lineman. This makes the line extremely thin and not able to withstand any more injuries or underperforming starters heading into week 3.

The most devastating injury of all strikes in that week 3 matchup vs USC as left tackle Connor Williams goes down with a knee injury.  This forces Denzel Okafor into the game to play on the right side and Nickelson to flip to the left. Okafor has all the tools for the position and Herman was hopeful he would earn more playing time possibly starting this season. However, the plan was not to play him extensively unless he earned it based on performance.

Texas enters conference play down 3 linemen from their top 6, has zero depth and weak at offensive tackle to run the ball on the perimeter and making them vulnerable on the pass rush.

During the bye week after USC, Herman decided to further change things up and give an opportunity to true freshman Derek Kerstetter over Okafor at right tackle.  The three-star recruit Kerstetter impressed Herman during the bye week with his toughness and willingness to get physical in the trenches. “He’s still got years worth of development from a strength and size standpoint to work on. But this is a guy that’s going to scratch and claw and scrape for everything and give you everything he’s got to make sure his guy doesn’t make the tackle,” Herman said.

Let’s take another look at the top lineman as the Longhorns enter conference play vs Iowa State.

1.        Connor Williams, LT (hurt knee Sept 16^th, underwent surgery)

2.        Patrick Vahe, LG

3.        Jake McMillon, RG

4.        Elijah Rodriguez, RT (hurt August 8^th with high ankle sprain and season ending surgery)

5.        Zach Shackelford, C

6.        Patrick Hudson, OG (Torn ACL Sept 9^th ending his season)

7.        Denzel Okafor, OT (Dropped due to performance)

8.        Tristan Nickelson, LT

9.        Derek Kerstetter, RT

As a result, the offense began to grind to a halt and failed to generate yards outside of the improvised Sam Ehlinger rollout and just find someone open.

The unit is hit again in their next game October 7^th vs Kansas State when right guard Jake McMillon suffers a hand injury. Without any quality depth, the team turns to junior Terrell Cuney to start at guard against Oklahoma. Cuney arrived at Texas in 2014 as a highly touted center recruit but has only played in 4 games over 3 years in Austin.

The injury to McMillon caused him to miss 2 games and also appeared to have severely impacted sophomore center Zach Shackelford. He’s since had issues snapping the ball and handling bull rushers lined up on his nose at the snap. He lacks the strength to be able to anchor and doesn’t have the support from McMillion he had earlier in the season. Pressure up the middle at the snap is the easiest way to disrupt an offense and Shackelford was unable to prevent this against Oklahoma State in their latest loss.

As Texas prepares to travel to Waco to face the winless Baylor Bears, the aforementioned Shackelford will be sidelined with a concussion missing his first game of the season. Cuney should start at center as McMillon returns to the lineup.

While offensive coordinator Tim Beck can be criticized for his lateral offense and refusal to use the middle of the field, this offensive line restricts the offense’s ability to compete consistently.

Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells says, “you are what your record says you are” and these Longhorns are a bad football team with a 3-4 record.

What would you change about the NFL?

NFL viewership is down.

You may be aware that Nielsen recently reported that total viewership is down 7.5% from this time last year and it has gotten the attention of the commissioner and the owners.

There are several suggestions as to why, consider these:

• National anthem protest
• Lack of toughness on domestic abuse
• Roger Goodell's handling of Ray Rice and Zeke Elliott
• Quality of play (too many penalties and length of games)

Whatever the reason might be, the stats are clear.

Local television markets and national viewership are down for the NFL when comparing to last season or even since 2013.

It is true that ratings are down across the board but this is primarily due to cord cutting and other options available to customers.

But make no mistake, NFL owners and Goodell are concerned about this and have already met to try and figure out what they can do about it.

It made me think, what would I change about the game to make me come back to watch every game available to me?

What would you change to make you want to come back to the NFL?

Here is what it would take for me...

1. Remove the weekly Thursday night game and reinstate the afternoon doubleheader on Fox and CBS.  One of the best things about college football is having so many games to choose from at any given time and able to switch to watch whichever game is the most interesting.  There is also a competitive impact to teams playing on a short week or another having more days to rest and prepare.
   
2. Reduce the NFL preseason by two and add them to the regular season.  The players are going to demand this when the current labor deal expires in 2021.  Currently, owners do not have to share preseason revenue with players nor other owners. Adding them to the regular season is a benefit to players as potentially more money for the same risk they had been facing anyway.
   
3. Injury reports must be filed with the league office by 8am EST every Sunday during the regular season including the Monday night game.  Coaches should be able to keep this information private during the week for game planning and preparation.  There are obvious gambling and fantasy impacts so that is the reason for a uniform deadline to submit all injury reports.
   
4. Allow players who participate in less than 10% of offensive or defensive snaps to have unlimited access to the team facility during the offseason.  The players union demanded less offseason work and practice time during the last CBA but this has negatively impacted the quality of play. It has also hurt the ability for bottom of the roster players to develop from one season to another without any development leagues for them to improve.
   
5. Eliminate the 45 man game day roster. This rule was obsolete 30 years ago and has survived for no good reason. If you are on the 53 man roster, you are eligible to play.
   
6. Reduce replay challenges to 1 per half and any successful challenge allows to team to retain their challenge. In addition, all reviews should be conducted in the booth and the results communicated to the head referee. It is inefficient to require the referee to review a monitor on the field when the booth is already set up to do this.
   
7. Simplify what is a catch. The NFL has lost their way in determining what is a catch and seem to have allowed lawyers to write the rule book using the most confusing language possible. A catch is a receiver who gets 2 feet down in the field of play with possession. No more what happens if he goes to the ground, no more what is a football move or did he maintain control.
   
8. Reduce penalties across the board.  


• Any non-personal fouls committed by the receiving team on a special teams play are automatically dismissed if the receiving team elects a touchback or fair catch.
  
• Eliminate the illegal contact penalty.  Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy are out of the league and the penalty they pushed to create needs to go as well.  This has dramatically shifted advantage to the offense and the passing game allowing QBs to dice up defenses with relative ease. There needs to be competitive balance in games and defenses need this one back.  The rule designed by Manning and Dungy to beat the Patriots got them one championship but it didn't stop Brady and Belichek. It did open the floodgates for every other QB in the league though.
  
• Eliminate the tuck rule.  Speaking of those Patriots, we all know that is a stupid rule and should of been removed following that season.

What would you change to make you want to come back to the NFL?