Two months since Baltimore’s first league title and the USFL is in full offseason mode. But, while many fans want to imagine all the draft, trade and free agent scenarios for their teams, we have to pause to acknowledge the news out of Michigan, where Coach Jim Johnson was forced to step down as he undergoes aggressive treatment for skin cancer. We will start off with that news, and then shift gears to cover the USFL hot stove season. We will finish up with a preview of the upcoming Territorial and Open Drafts as all eyes are on the Stags and Bandits and their pursuit of a potential franchise QB.
Coach Johnson Steps Down, McDermott Promoted
Despite all the offseason moves, free agency, retirement announcements, and hires, the big story this offseason was a tragic one. Just 2 weeks after the Summer Bowl, the Michigan Panthers held a press conference announcing that Head Coach Jim Johnson would be stepping down due to medical issues. Coach Johnson was undergoing treatment for melanoma, which according to sources, was quite advanced and required somewhat dramatic measures. The Panthers announced that defensive coordinator Sean McDermott would be taking on the role of Head Coach effective immediately. Coach McDermott spoke to the press at the event, saying that while he appreciated the vote of confidence from the Panthers, all his thoughts were for Coach Johnson and his family.
Coach McDermott takes over a team that played its way to the Western Conference Title game, in large part because of the defense he had led. He will now take over in the lead position and is expected to promote from within and maintain a strong hand in the development of the defense, while leaving his OC, Jim Skipper.
All of us, of course, wish Coach Johnson the best of care and a full and speedy recovery. Jim Johnson has coached in the USFL for most of his professional life, becoming the Head Coach of the St. Louis Knights in 1995, guiding them through the move to Nashville, and helping the franchise appear in the playoffs 12 times, with 4 division titles and a trip to Summer Bowl 1998. In his one year in Michigan, the Panthers improved from 6-10 to 10-6, a Division Title and came within 1 game of the Summer Bowl before losing to Texas in the Western Finals. He retires now after 20 seasons as a USFL Head Coach.
The news about Coach Johnson and the internal hire of Coach McDermott was felt across the league, but nowhere more so than with the 3 teams still in search of a new head coach. Sean McDermott was seen as a prime candidate in all three searches and had already met with the Jacksonville Bulls. With his promotion to Head Coach in Michigan, all three remaining clubs needed to scratch his name off their wish list and find alternatives.
The Birmingham Stallions became the first of the three to make a decision and announce their new front man for the club. To no one’s surprise, the man chosen to lead the Stallions was former stallion legend, Ernest Givens. The former All-USFL and HOF wideout for the Stallions had risen quickly as a coach within the New Orleans Breakers organization, starting as an assistant to the OC, then as the WR Coach, and the past two seasons as the Offensive Coordinator. Givens helped the Breakers break away in the Southern Division, winning the division title by 4 games this year and helping Drew Brees to one of his best seasons under center. Givens will now return to the team that made him a household name, where he will have a very talented QB in Cam Newton, but where he will have to rebuild a run game that has never lived up to its potential, and very likely work to develop a receiving corps that has not had an All-Pro receiver in nearly a decade.
As we reported during the USFL Playoffs, perhaps the most sought-after coordinator in the league was Baltimore OC Pep Hamilton. His transformation in just one year of the Blitz offense into arguably the league’s best, and one that helped win Baltimore its first title, was the kind of rocket to fame that turns a coach from a person of interest to a must-have for many owners. Hamilton’s impact on the Blitz led to two clubs going deep into interviews and essentially competing with each other for his services, as both Portland and Jacksonville both clearly had Hamilton at the top of their lists to replace Marty Mornhinweg and Mike Nolan. But in the end only one team would be able to sign Hamlton, and that team was Portland.
The Stags had a few distinct advantages over Jacksonville in the hunt for Hamilton. They had a better overall squad, one which would need some improvements, to be sure, but when compared to the 0-16 nightmare that a new coach would inherit in Jacksonville, it was a much easier path to success. Perhaps more importantly for an offensive-minded coach like Pep Hamilton, Portland had some good pieces in place, including a topflight halfback in Jonathan Stewart and a very solid, if at times inconsistent, QB in Ryan Fitzpatrick. What is more, Portland had the inside track on a player that could be the best QB available in the 2015 draft, Oregon’s Marcus Mariota. With the possibility of having both a veteran and a very-talented rookie to mold around his offense, Hamilton could see the advantage of signing with the Stags over the Bulls.
So now, once again, another loss for Jacksonville. Ownership has said that they want their new coach in place before the USFL draft in January, so this is not going to be a case of a team waiting out the NFL season to snag a hot prospect from the fall league. This is a team that is trying to rebuild their entire franchise from the ground up, and that means they want those pieces in place as early as possible. So, what do they do now? Basically, they are looking at unsigned coaches, including some let go in the NFL and the USFL not this year, but last year. We will keep our eye on the coaching search in Jacksonville, and in our post-holiday edition we fully expect to see a coach in place, though we cannot currently guess who that would be.
We start off our run through of the USFL hot stove season with the post Summer Bowl retirement announcements. It was certainly not the number of announcements that we saw after the end of the regular season, but there were a few significant names among those who filed with the league. Here is our look at the five players who may be hardest to replace as they step away from the game.
1. LB Antonio Pierce (NOR): Pierce came over from the Federals in 2013 after 12 seasons with Washington. He was an immediate impact player on the Breaker defense, leading the club with 101 tackles in 2013. This year his numbers were down, and at 35 he had clearly lost a step. Preservation of his body was a big reason he decided to step away at this point rather than give it another go with a pretty good New Orleans club.
2. Another 35-year-old defender, Texas CB Michael Boulware, also announced that 2014 would be his final season in the league. Boulware came to the Outlaws from the NFL in 2008 and in his 7 seasons with the club amassed 22 picks and over 450 tackles. So add corner to the list of positions of need for the Outlaws this offseason.
3. Atlanta’s lead receiver for nearly a decade, Josh Reed has stepped away from the game after 13 USFL seasons (4 with New Orleans and 9 in Atlanta). With the Fire, Reed had 4 1,000 yard seasons, including 2014, when he finished with 1,264 yards on 86 receptions. As you will see soon, Atlanta has already sought to address the gap in their receiving corps, so they might have had a sense that this announcement was coming.
4. Thunder wideout T. J. Houshmandzadeh joined QB Jake Plummer in not making the move to San Diego. The 36-year-old receiver spent the final 4 seasons of his career in Las Vegas with the thunder after starting in New Jersey. As a member of the Thunder he had some of his most productive years, including a 901 yard, 9-TD outing in 2012. His final season saw him catch 48 passes for 825 yards and 5 scores.
5. Finally, halfback Cedrick Benson of the USFL Champion Blitz felt that it was best to go out on top, having come over to Baltimore just in time to win a title with the Blitz, after a journeyman career that saw him play for 5 teams in 10 seasons. His best year was in Denver, back in 2007, when, as the club’s lead back, Benson rushed for 1,109 yards. This year with the Blitz he largely played the role of a short yardage back, rushing 81 times for 269 yards, but in the Summer Bowl, when Anthony Dixon went down to injury, Benson stepped up and acted as the primary back. He gets a championship ring and can now retire as a member of the league champion Blitz squad.
From the look of it, this could be a furious year on the trading block as several teams did not even wait until the Summer Bowl was concluded before beginning to make deals. We have already seen several trades that could be very impactful for next year as teams try to fill gaps in their rosters or upgrade weaker positions. The lack of a strong pool of potential draftees at the QB position seems to have influenced some of the early deals. With only 2 prospects considered to be potential first year starters, Oregon’s Marcus Mariota and FSU’s Jameis Winston, and with both very likely to be protected by QB-needy clubs Portland and Tampa Bay, teams are looking for alternatives to add talent to their QB groups. While not all the early trades have involved the position, several have been noteworthy. Here are the deals that stand out to us as the offseason kicks into gear.
Washington dealt with a budding QB controversy by removing one of the two contenders who have apparently been going head to head. They opt to keep the more veteran David Garrard, who had a very solid year despite the Federals’ disappointing season. That meant that the club would look to move Joe Webb in return for some draft capital. They found a willing partner in the San Diego Thunder, eager to find a viable option after the retirement of a team legend, Jake Plummer. The Thunder sent Washington two picks for Webb, their 2nd rounder this year and a 3rd next year. Webb is generally expected to be slated as the starter, with Case Keenum and Kevin Kolb almost certainly remaining in their backup roles.
A second QB move seems to be more about depth as Philadelphia acquired Orlando backup Chad Henne for a 4th round pick. Henne, a former NFL player, will likely serve as the veteran presence behind Matt Gutierrez, stepping ahead of Matt Moore in the depth chart, while Austin Davis was allowed to enter the free agent pool.
One final QB-centric deal as Portland made room for what they hope will be Marcus Mariota’s arrival by trading one-time starter Matt McGloin to the Memphis Showboats. Memphis famously had no luck with either Matt Cassel or Ryan Mallett as backups when Eli Manning went down this past season, so bringing in McGloin makes sense for them. McGloin started 5 games for the Stags this past season after finishing 2013 as the starter over Ryan Fitzpatrick. In his 12-game career to date, McGloin has thrown 14 touchdowns, but also 16 picks, completing a respectable 67% of his throws and accumulating 2,826 yards. In return for a new backup to Manning, Memphis has sent Portland their 4th round pick in the upcoming draft.
The first trade of the offseason, announced the day before Summer Bowl 2014, did not involve a QB, but saw Chicago and Seattle trade from areas of depth to bolster other squads that were a bit more threadbare. Chicago parted with former NFL wideout Emmanuel Sanders in order to acquire more help in their aging LB group, with Seattle sending them 3rd year LB Akeem Ayers. The addition of Sanders gives Seattle one of the oldest receiver groups in the league with 11-year vet Nate Burleson, 10-year vet Jerricho Cotchery, and 13-year vet Kevin Kasper also on the roster. Sanders will be reunited with Mike Wallace after the two spent some time together with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL.
One last trade to highlight from the early stages of the offseason as Denver and Birmingham also made a deal to help areas of concern on each team. The Stallions wanted to bolster their interior D-line and will do that with former Gold DT Sione Piuha. In return, Denver will add a nice safety valve for Matt Leinart as the Stallions part with TE Delanie Walker.
The early off-season trades were fascinating, but it is free agency where most teams both spend the most resources (money and focus) and where they hope to get immediate returns. As we see most years, the first few days were a flurry of activity, and then the pace of signings dropped off considerably. There were more than 20 significant signings in the first 72 hours of the open free agency period (a week before the NFL-USFL Transfer Window opened) as teams tried to either resign those players who had resisted before the deadline or sought out new talent. Here is our rundown of the Dozen Doozies, the moves that will certainly impact both the former and the new club for each player.
12— QB Jeff Tuel (CHA to LV): This is an interesting move by the new Las Vegas Vipers. Formerly in Nashville, the club seemed to be looking at Cody Pickett in the second half of the season. Does adding Tuel, who looked very good relieving an injured Brandon Wheedon in Charlotte, mean that the Vipers are hoping for a full-fledged QB competition. We don’t expect Tuel signed with the Vipers without some promise that he could compete for a starting nod. This will merit ongoing attention as we get into team camps this winter.
11— LB Lance Briggs (ARZ to POR): At age 32, Briggs has several good years left in him, but Arizona simply could not afford to hold onto the 11-year veteran. Briggs had 74 tackles for the Wranglers this year after winning a title with their knockout defense in 2013. He now heads to a Portland squad that is trying to create a true identity.
10— LB Sean Lee (PHI to JAX): The retirement of Mike Vrabel all but guaranteed that the Bulls would pursue a veteran option at MLB. With Lee being pushed to the strong side in Philly when Paul Posluszny was signed last offseason, the moment was ripe for the free agent linebacker to find a new home where he could reclaim the MLB role. Jacksonville fit the bill as their LB group, outside of breakout 3rd year backer Jarrett Johnson was in disarray this past season and could certainly use the leadership Lee demonstrated in Philadelphia.
9— WR Javon Walker (BAL to ATL): Cashing in on the Blitz’s championship season, WR Javon Walker will have every opportunity to take on a big role in Atlanta. After the retirement of Josh Reed, Walker could easily get a starting role opposite Demaryius Thomas, acting as the underneath and possession receiver, with still enough speed to go deep when called upon.
8— LB Donterrious Thomas (NJ to OAK): Thomas fell out of favor with the switch from Herm Edwards to Norv Turner. His production also dropped, from 96 tackles in 2013 to 68 last year, but at 30 years old, there is certainly tread left on the tires. Oakland is likely to have Thomas line up on the weak side, pursuing backs, as they are set in the middle with Bobby Wagner and very happy with a rotation of Keenan Clayton and 11-year vet Nick Koutavides on the strong side.
7— DT Ellis Wyms (CHI to BAL): The defending champs are not standing pat, adding a solid interior force to their already solid defense. Wyms comes over with the ability to allow Baltimore to maintain a 3-4 alignment while also providing interior runstuffing ability.
6— CB Cortland Finnegan (ORL to PHI): The Stars add one of the most consistent corners in the game in Finnegan. Expect him to get assigned the top receiver each week as Sam Shields gets a more comfortable assignment against every team’s number two.
5— TE Greg Olsen (ORL to TBY): With Luke Stocker taking off for Memphis, the Bandits wanted to use this as an opportunity to both upgrade at the position and damage a rival. By signing Orlando’s Greg Olsen they accomplished both. Olsen is a top-notch pass catcher, perfect for Coach Shula’s offense, and should continue to produce great numbers with the move down the road from Orlando to the Bandits.
4— HB Joseph Addai (BIR to SEA): Addai never fully showed the same explosiveness that fans had seen in the NFL while in Birmingham. The Dragons are hoping that was due to scheme and not declining skills. Addai is still only 29 and in Seattle he is likely to share carries with big, bruising back C. J. Anderson. Addai will give the Dragons more in the passing game than Anderson had, so that already is an upgrade even if we don’t see 1,000 yards from the former Stallion.
3— QB Kyle Orton (Resigned by ATL): The Fire absolutely had to get this done. Orton wanted to return, but the Fire were not coughing up what he and his agent considered a fair deal, not until he started meeting with other clubs. Atlanta finally agreed with Orton on a 4-year deal that will average just over $3M per season, keeping Orton as the starter for a Fire team that hopes this year’s Conference Final appearance was just the start of a very successful run of years.
2— DE Jason Pierre-Paul (TBY to CHI): The Machine and Coach Schiano are clearly interested in rebuilding what had once been one of the league’s best defenses. The retirement of Anthony Weaver meant that Chicago was losing 15-20 sacks per year, so they went out, spent some major money, and lured Jason Pierre-Paul away from the Bandits. JPP has averaged 10 sacks a year the past 3 with the Bandits, but still has upside that Chicago believes could push him towards a top 5 finish.
1—TE Rob Gronkowski (ARZ to STL): This is a big loss for the Wranglers. Gronkowski has been a true weapon for Coach Tomsula and David Carr since coming to the league in 2010. He now heads to a St. Louis squad that is trying to provide Josh Freeman with more weapons. Gronk can be a true force in the middle of the field, and after scoring 8 TDs for Arizona this year he moves to the Skyhawks, where the hope is that he will help them return to glory after a pair of down years.
We are not sure if the USFL was simply more aggressive this year, or if more NFL veterans wanted to wait and see, but we saw a more balanced exchange between the two leagues, with several relatively big name players still unsigned even as the NFL season began in September. With a deeper-than-usual pool, the USFL helped avoid the one-way movement we often see in the earlier transfer window. Let’s start with the outward flow, which was again considerable. Here are the top players who are leaving the USFL to start right up again with a new NFL club:
WR Lee Evans (MEM to the Bills)
SS Atari Bigby (JAX to the Copperheads)
SS Roy Williams (DEN to the Cowboys)
LB Keith Bullock (OAK to the Steelers)
CB Ricardo Colclaugh (TBY to the Dolphins0
OT Kenyatta Jones (SEA to the Oilers)
WR Doug Gabriel (ORL to the Seahawks)
WR Greg Jennings (MEM to the Packers)
WR Rashaun Woods (JAX to the Chiefs)
DE Osi Umenyiura (HOU to the Giants)
DE Jerome McDougle (PIT to the Browns)
DT Ian Scott (NJ to the Eagles)
LB D’Onte Curry (BIR to the Bucs)
LB Manny Lawson (DAL to the Jaguars)
TE Robert Royal (DAL to the Broncos)
Some big losses here, especially in Memphis where the Showboats lose not one but both of their top receivers to the NFL. Looks like new head coach Rex Ryan is going to have to expend some funds on a new receiver group, either that or run the Wishbone. Houston losing Osi Umenyiura will also be a significant blow, as willthe loss of LT Kenyatta Jones from the Seattle Dragons.
But, as we said, this year we did see just a bit more equity across the transfer window. We still expect the February window to the be the richer pool for USFL teams to plunder, but this September window produced more results than we have typically seen. Here are the top signings by USFL teams from Fall to Spring:
QB Brock Osweiler (Broncos to OHI)
HB Jacquizz Rodgers (Bears to BAL)
HB Ronny Hillman (Broncos to CHA)
WR Rueben Randle (Giants to JAX)
G Brandon Brooks (Oilers to TBY)
DE Malik Jackson (Broncos to HOU)
DT Damon Harrison (Jets to BIR)
LB Danny Trevathan (Broncos to MEM)
LB Tahir Whitehead (Lions to PIT)
CB Pacman Jones (Bengals to TEX)
S Tashaun Gipson (Browns to SEA)
The most interesting pickup here has to be Texas taking a shot at Pacman Jones, the former Bengal has had some issues with NFL offices and with his team, so now the question is whether he will be more of a distraction for the Outlaws or if his on-field gifts will outweigh his antics. Another interesting signing is in Ohio where the Glory are still hoping to resign Chris Weinke but have added a strong-armed option in former Bronco Brock Osweiler. Finally, the Blitz opt to replace Cedrick Benson not with another short yardage grinder (though one could come later on) but with a scatback with strong receiving skills, former Chicago Bear Jacquizz Rodgers. Expect to see Rodgers on kick and punt teams as well as the Blitz backfield.
We may still be several months away from the 2015 USFL Collegiate Draft, but teams are already positioning themselves, scouting their Territorial schools, and looking at top talent from across the country in anticipation of January's big event. As we go team by team, in draft order, we will look at each team's needs, the top prospects available to each in their T-Draft protected pool, and potential targets for each in the Open Draft's first round. Of course, until the T-Draft selections are made known, it is impossible to say which players will find themselves in the league's open draft, except for a few like Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, who is not at a protected school. And every year we are surprised as teams don't pick top talent in their T-Draft either due to a lack of fit or just a lack of trust that the player will fit in with their system or is leaning to the NFL. So, it is a bit of a crap shoot to try to predict picks, but we will at least give our opinion on who we think could be a good fit if he is available when your favorite team has its selection. We start with Jacksonville, who has a lot of needs, and not a lot of options, at least at QB.
JACKSONVILLE BULLS
Needs: QB, WR, LB, HB, SS
Best T-Draft Prospects: DE Dante Fowler (UF), DE Vic Beasley (Clemson), OT D. J. Humphries (UF), HB Matt Jones (UF)
Potential 1st Round Target: HB Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin): Jacksonville would love a QB here, but we do not expect either Mariota or Winston to be available in the Open Draft, so they go with the next big need for their offense. With the reshuffle of T-Draft schools after the Las Vegas and San Diego franchise relocations, the Badgers became an unclaimed school, making Gordon the best player available that we know for sure will not be drafted in the Territorial Draft.
LAS VEGAS VIPERS
Needs: WR, DE, TE, QB, FS
Best T-Draft Prospects: CB Eric Rowe (Utah), DE Nate Orchard (Utah), OG Jeremiah Poutasi (Utah), DB Robertson Daniel (BYU)
Potential 1st Round Target: The Vipers could also use a QB upgrade, though with Tuel and Pickett they may now feel the position is set. If that is the case, they could try to find a weapon here, which means possibly Amari Cooper (if B’ham lets him slip) or Kevin White of West Virginia (since Pittsburgh is not really in the market for a wideout.)
ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS
Needs: DE, DT, LB, TE, HB
Best T-Draft Prospects: OT Brandon Scherff (Iowa), DE Shane Ray (Mizzou), WR Dorial Green-Beckham (Mizzou), DT Carl Davis (Iowa)
Potential 1st Round Target: St. Louis may be in the best position in the Open Draft. Why? Because two of the best edge rushers are in Jacksonville’s T-Draft pool and that is not a position of need for the Bulls, so both could slip by and become available here. Even if the Vipers take one, there is still one left. But we think the Vipers go offense, so that means that both Dante Fowler and Vic Beasley could be here for the taking.
DALLAS ROUGHNECKS
Needs: LB, OT, DT, DE,K
Best T-Draft Prospects: DT Jordan Philips (OU), DE Geneo Grissom (OU), LB Paul Dawson (TCU), QB Bryce Petty (Baylor)
Potential 1st Round Target: Dallas could go LB with a pick like Kentucky’s Bud Dupree, but we think the better move, if he is available is a solid DT in the form of Washington’s Danny Shelton or even Texas’s Malcolm Brown. It is just a more obvious need pick.
PITTSBURGH MAULERS
Needs: HB, LB, TE, C, K
Best T-Draft Prospects: WR Kevin White (Pitt), DE Shaquille Riddick (WVU), OT T. J. Cummings (Pitt), CB Darryl Roberts (Marshall)
Potential 1st Round Target: The Maulers are very unlikely to retain the services of Ronnie Brown, who is now pitching not only for a trade, but to be cut so he can be in the NFL-USFL transfer pool in February. So, they need a back here. If Gordon is available, so be it, but if not, the best option may be Ameer Abdullah from Nebraska, an unlikely pick in the T-Draft for Denver, so possibly in the pool.
NEW JERSEY GENERALS
Needs: G, DE, DT, CB
Best T-Draft Prospects: TE Tyler Kroft (Rutg), OG Ian Silberman (BC), C Andy Gallik (BC), DE Brian Hihalik (BC)
Potential 1st Round Target: The fans want more skills players, but the roster really needs meet on the two lines, so guard or DT are the more likely picks. We reviewed the top DTs with Dallas, so let’s look at guard, and we like Duke’s Laken Tomlinson here, or possibly Mizzou’s Mitch Morse, assuming either is left unprotected.
CHICAGO MACHINE
Needs: LB, DE, CB, FS, K
Best T-Draft Prospects: S Ibraheim Campbell (NW), DE Ryan Russel (Purdue), QB Trevor Siemian (NW), HB Raheem Mostert (Purdue) – NOTE: Purdue was added to Chicago’s T-Draft list due to the lack of potential draftees from NW, Illinois, and Notre Dame.
Potential 1st Round Target: The Machine have already landed their target at DE with Jason Pierre-Paul, so now we think they will look at the secondary. How about the best corner in the draft (if Michigan passes) which is Trae Waynes of Michigan State?
MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS
Needs: WR, HB, OT, OG, TE
Best T-Draft Prospects: CB Senquez Golson (Ole Miss), DE Trey Flowers (Arkan), LB Martell Spaight (Arkan), CB Bobby McCain (Memphis)
Potential 1st Round Target: The Showboats need offensive firepower, so we think either a receiver or a halfback here. Memphis could try to trade to get a shot at Todd Gurley, if Atlanta is open to that, or they could go wideout and make a move for either Kevin White or DeVante Parker.
LOS ANGELES EXPRESS
Needs: QB, SS, DE, DT, G
Best T-Draft Prospects: DE Leonard Williams (USC), WR Nelson Agholor (USC), CB Josh Shaw (USC), HB Javorius Allen (USC)
Potential 1st Round Target: We listed QB as a need, but only because we think they need to back up Aaron Murray. Doubtful they do that with a rookie, so let’s look at strong safety, another big need area. The best safety likely to be in the Open Draft is Damarius Randall of Arizona State. The Wranglers are good at the position, so he should slip through the T-Draft unselected.
PORTLAND STAGS
Needs: QB, CB, DE, OT, LB
Best T-Draft Prospects: QB Marcus Mariota (Ore), DE Arik Armstead (ore), OT Jake Fisher (Ore), QB Sean Mannion (Or State)
Potential 1st Round Target: It’s Mariota. It has to be. Portland has traded away Matt McGloin, so the spot and the cap room are there. So, if they do pick Mariota in the T-Draft, as we all expect, then what do they do with this pick. They could go corner with Trae Waynes or Marcus Peters (Washington), or, more likely they look for a DE, especially if Vic Beasley is still on the board.
BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS
Needs: HB, DT, WR, G, FB
Best T-Draft Prospects: WR Amari Cooper (Bama), HB T. J. Yeldon (Bama), WS Landon Collins (Bama), WR Sammie Coates (Auburn)
Potential 1st Round Target: If Birmingham does what we think they will do, they will lobby hard to get both Amari Cooper and T. J. Yeldon in the T-Draft and have them signed. If either seems to be waiting out an NFL bid, then they may have to double down at one of those positions, but if they feel good about both, they can then use this pick on a DT like Shelton, Brown or FSU’s Eddie Goldman.
SEATTLE DRAGONS
Needs: DE, G, DT, OT, HB
Best T-Draft Prospects: DT Danny Shelton (Wash), CB Marcus Peters (Wash), LB Shaq Thompson (Wash), DT Xavier Cooper (WSU)
Potential 1st Round Target: Seattle is really hoping that one of the big name D-Linemen slips down to their pick. They need help both inside and outside. They may cover the DT spot with their T-Draft, so edge rushing is key. If the big 2 from FSU/Clemson are off the board, a good pickup might be Mario Edwards of FSU.
WASHINGTON FEDERALS
Needs: FS, OT, DE, CB, DT
Best T-Draft Prospects: OG Laken Tomlinson (Duke), DE Eli Harold (UVa), WR Jamison Crowder (Duke), S Kyshoen Jarrett (Va Tech)
Potential 1st Round Target: Safety Landon Collins of Alabama could be the odd man out for the Stallions’ T-Draft, so he could be right here waiting for the Federals at this pick. If not, then a cornerback is the most likely choice.
OHIO GLORY
Needs: OT, C, TE, QB, DE
Best T-Draft Prospects: LB Bud Dupree (Ohio St), TE Jeff Heuerman (Ohio State), LB Za’Darius Smith (UK), DT Michael Bennett (Ohio St)
Potential 1st Round Target: We have not seen a team take an OT yet, and that is a bit rare, but if there is a top tackle candidate on the board, we don’t see him getting past the Glory. The names we are looking at are Brandon Scherff of Iowa and Ereck Flowers of Miami.
ORLANDO RENEGADES
Needs: G, CB, WR, SS
Best T-Draft Prospect: OT Ereck Flowers (Miami), WR Breshard Perriman (Miami), OG A. J. Cann (So Car), LB Denzel Perryman (Miami)
Potential 1st Round Target: Could be a guard, could be a corner. We like Byron Jones of unprotected UConn if the pick is cornerback. If it is guard, then either Tomlinson or Morse, if they are available.
SAN DIEGO THUNDER
Needs: QB, SS, HB, CB, C
Best T-Draft Prospects: LB Erik Kendricks (UCLA), DEowa Odighizuwa (UCLA), OG Terry Poole (SDSU), QB Brett Hundley (UCLA)
Potential 1st Round Target: The trade for Joe Webb clearly indicates that the Thunder do not think a top QB will fall this far, and with both the top-rated options likely taken in the T-Draft, they are probably right. So, they could look at safety, with a pick like Jacquiski Tartt of Samford, and how could you not want a guy named Jaquiski Tartt on your team?
DENVER GOLD
Needs: WR, LB, TE, DE, C
Best T-Draft Prospects: HB Ameer Abdullah (Neb), OT Ty Sambailo (Co St), LB Randy Gregory (Neb), QB Garrett Grayson (Co St)
Potential 1st Round Target: The Gold need more speed outside. They won’t get that in the T-Draft, so we think they go for a speedster here. That may require a bit of a stretch, but there is a lot of buzz about both DeVante Parker (Louisville) and Breshard Perriman (UCF).
CHARLOTTE MONARCHS
Needs: HB, OT, QB, FB, DT
Best T-Draft Prospects: WR Tyler Lockett (K State), WR Justin Hardy (ECU), LB A. J. Johnson (Tenn), CB Randall Evans (K State)--- NOTE: Charlotte was granted Kansas State and Tennessee as T-Draft schools this year due to the lack of potential draft candidates from their initial 3 T-Draft schools.
Potential 1st Round Target: With the retirement of Fred Jackson, the Monarchs are looking for a solid 3-down back. We don’t think Melvin Gordon drops anywhere this far, and we think Yeldon will be a T-Draft pick of the Stallions. So, who is the best 3rd option? How about unprotected Tevin Coleman of Indiana? A bit of a stretch as a 1st rounder, but that may just help Charlotte sign him without much NFL interference.
OAKLAND INVADERS
Needs: SS, FS, LB, TE
Best T-Draft Prospects: OT Andrus Peat (Stan), S Jordan Richards (Stan), CB Alex Carter (Stan), WR Ty Montgomery (Stan)
Potential 1st Round Target: Both safety positions are concerns for the Invaders. They like Stanford’s Jordan Richards, but we could also see them go after someone like Tartt or Louisville’s James Sample.
NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS
Needs: LB, OT, WR, OG
Best T-Draft Prospects: CB Jalen Collins (LSU), LB Kwon Alexander (LSU), DT Rakeem Nunez Roches (So Miss), HB Kenny Hilliard (LSU)
Potential 1st Round Target: If the Breakers think they can move up a few places to get a LB prospect like Bud Dupree (Kentucky) or Shaq Thompson (Washington), they will do it. It is such a need area that they cannot just hope to luck out that a top backer drops in the draft.
HOUSTON GAMBLERS
Needs: WR, DE, C, LB, OT
Best T-Draft Prospects: OT Cedric Ogbuehi (A&M), OG Jarvis Harrison (A&M), DT Christian Covington (Rice), K Josh Lambo (A&M)
Potential 1st Round Target: We mentioned speed receivers above, with Denver. Houston would also love to get their hands on one, and could try to trade up ahead of the Gold if their favorite is off the board. If not, then they may go DE or C here, especially if FSU’s Cameron Erving is still available.
ARIZONA WRANGLERS
Needs: OT, TE, DT, LB, WR
Best T-Draft Prospects: S Damarious Randall (ASU), TE Maxx Williams (Minn), WR Jalen Strong (ASU), DE Marcus Hardison (ASU)
Potential 1st Round Target: The Wranglers covet a big, run-blocking RT, so they could be looking very long and hard at someone like Donovan Smith of Penn State, who can play lT or Rt. Another option would be Oregon’s Jake Fisher.
TAMPA BAY BANDITS
Needs: QB, WR, DE, CB, TE
Best T-Draft Prospects: QB Jameis Winston (FSU), C Cmeron Erving (FSU), DE Preston Smith (Miss St), CB Ronald Darby (FSU)
Potential 1st Round Target: We fully expect Tampa Bay to lobby hard for Jameis Winston in the T-Draft, so if we assume they feel that QB is covered, then they have to look at WR or CB. By this late stage of the draft, the best corner left may be either Eric Rowe of Utah or Senquez Golston of Ole Miss.
PHILADELPHIA STARS
Needs: OT, DE, CB, WR
Best T-Draft Prospects: OT Donovan Smith (PSU), S Adrian Amos (PSU), LB Mike Hull (PSU), TE Jesse James (PSU)
Potential 1st Round Target: Another club looking for a tackle, though we think Philadelphia feels like they need a LT more than someone on the right side. They may try to trade with St. Louis to get a shot at Scherff, but if not, they would do well to take a long look at Wisconsin’s Rob Havenstein.
ATLANTA FIRE
Needs: DT, WR, SS, CB, G
Best T-Draft Prospect: HB Todd Gurley (UGA), LB Ramik Wilson (UBA), C Shaq Mason (Ga Tech), CB Damian Swann (UGA)
Potential 1st Round Target: Defensive Tackle will be a problem this late, as could true value at wideout. The question is would Atlanta trade away a T-Draft pick to someone interested in Gurley, if it meant a Top 10 pick in the open draft? That seems logical to us.
MICHIGAN PANTHERS
Needs: DT, OT, LB, WR
Best T-Draft Prospects: CB Trae Waynes (Mich St), WR Devin Funchess (Mich), DE Frank Clark (Mich), LB Jake Ryan (Mich)
Potential 1st Round Target: LB Denzel Perryman is exactly the kind of LB that new Michigan head coach Sean McDermott loves. The Miami product could go to Orlando in the T-Draft, but if not, he would be a perfect choice for the Panthers in this slot.
TEXAS OUTLAWS
Needs: CB, OT, LB, DE, TE
Best T-Draft Prospects: DT Malcolm Brown (Texas), LB Jordan Hicks (Texas), S Mykkele Thompson (Texas), S Quandre Diggs (Texas)
Potential 1st Round Target: We think the Outlaws, who have some needs up and down their defense, could just go Best Player Available, looking at DE, LB, or CB with that pick. Or, they could throw us a curveball and snag a young pass-catching tight end like Rutgers’ Tyler Kroft.
BALTIMORE BLITZ
Needs: DT, FS, TE, K
Best T-Draft Prospecst: WR DeVante Parker (Louisv), CB Kevin Johnson (Wake), S James Sample (Louisville), WR Stefon Diggs (Maryland)
Potential 1st Round Target: Picking last in the first round is not something Baltimore is accustomed to, but they know that often there is value in trading down to get more mid-round picks, especially if doing so still gets them a top 5 pick in the 2nd round. If not, well, it could be a good spot for them to go Best Player Available, since their needs are largely for depth, not immediate impact.
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