So it begins: Early Draft Declarations

[Heismanberg]

Stanford S Ed Reynolds
LSU RB Alfred Blue
LSU OG Trai Turner

[Fenwyr]

FSU WR Benjamin

[Heismanberg]

Stanford OT Cameron Fleming declares

Didn't think he'd come out, but he should be a riser.

[Johnny English]

Vic Beasley is staying in school.

[Badger]

We're past the deadline now, right? What was the total number of underclassmen? I think I read 96 somewhere.

[Cane]

We're past the deadline now, right? What was the total number of underclassmen? I think I read 96 somewhere.

They said it was unofficially 96 during the NFLPA game coverage today.

[Badger]

They said it was unofficially 96 during the NFLPA game coverage today.

Considering ~250 players will be drafted, that's kind of an amazing number. I wonder what % of early exits go undrafted.

[Heismanberg]

Cal RB Brendan Bigelow

Late round sleeper with elite wheels

[JFIF]

Cal RB Brendan Bigelow

Late round sleeper with elite wheels

Joe Flacco Wheels?

[hawk]

Besides Manziel, Smith is the best athlete at the position in this year's draft class. 

Purely a developmental passer at this point, but he has a ton of upside.

Was just watching some videos on draft breakdown, and came away quite impressed.  I also was going to post that he looked like a poor man's Manziel.  I did a search on here, and found your guys discussion.

When I first started watching, I was like "What the freak is up with his mechanics?", and after a couple of videos I haven't figured it out.  However, his pocket presence or better yet, his escape ability is pretty impressive.  I was also pretty impressed with his ball placement.  His release is pretty quick as well, but damn he looks funny throwing the ball. 

[hawk]

I see the athleticism, but I don't know how good his arm really is because his mechanics are so far away from NFL caliber.  Like you said, he works as a developmental guy, and I think he'd be a nice fit in the middle rounds for a team that can take the time to bring him along (Green Bay is the team that sticks out in my mind).  If any team takes him before that (unless he does some miraculous stuff this offseason) then they are going to be asking way too much of him.

I think I mentioned that in another thread.  I can't tell how fast the ball is moving with him.  It's weird. 

Arizona, Green Bay, Dallas, and Cincinnati are teams where he fits as mid-rounder. 

I think he'll either work his way into the late second round or he'll fall far.  He has to put on a show at the combine and at his pro day. 

Right now, I'm banking on him moving up.  He has the scanner trait, which I like to see in spread QBs.  He hangs in there and finds the open guy. 

Smith goes to the combine and runs in the 4.5s, and I think he'll go on the second day.

I guess I wasn't that far off with his mechanics.