2015 NFL Draft Prospects: The Top-10 Most Pro Ready by Carl Cockerham 3hr ago 
The 2015 NFL Draft prospects had a chance to show us how athletic they are at the combine and pro days. And we’ve gone back to look at more tape to confirm or deny who they are based on the results. So now, it is as easy a time as ever to pick out who the most pro ready 2015 NFL draft prospects are.So what makes a pro-ready draft prospect?I’m only dealing with who the player is on the field because the organizations will make those decisions. This isn’t about upside either as upside and pro-ready are two different things altogether. This also isn’t about intangibles because we won’t know really know until they get in the NFL.So I measure it by impact and production, ability, and understanding of how to play the game.Impact and ProductionThe obvious way a prospect shows you he is ready for the NFL is dominating college football. Statistics are important but circumstances like having the bull’s eye on your back are as well. Are you unstoppable to the point of opponents game-planning for you, making things easier for your teammates?AbilityThe NFL is trying to weed out players that had great collegiate stats but lacked the physical ability to do it in the NFL. They want to know how a prospect produced in college so they can project it to the NFL to see how they can use the him. Can a receiver separate because of his agility and-or speed or does a defensive lineman beat offensive linemen with quickness, power or technique.UnderstandingSpeaking of technique, technical skills are most important because the NFL is full of great athletes. Being a good football player comes more from understang how to play football than athleticism. Football I.Q., with Xs and Os is everything too because I’ve seen the best athlete’s flop because they didn’t understand the game.That being said, turn the page to get a look at my Top-10 NFL Draft Prospects.
No. 10: Andrus PeatAndrus Peat is the best tackle in the draft this year but for some reason doesn’t get enough credit. It’s mainly because the supposedly doesn’t have the mean streak some the other tackles have. And then some of it is because he doesn’t have the build of a guy Dallas Cowboys center Tyron Smith.Impact and ProductionPeat was named an All-Amerian and won the Morris Trophy for best offensive lineman in the Pac 12. In his time at Stanford, the offensive lines he played on were always among the best in college football. They were always right there at the top as far as of rushing yards and sacks allowed.AbilityPeat is 6’7?, 313 pounds with long arms at 34 3/8 inches and huge paws (hands) at 10 5/8 inches. He didn’t do the bench press but he is big and powerful with plenty of play strength to do the job. He ran a 5.18 in the 40 dash and displayed plenty of foot quickness in drills to protect on the left side.UnderstandingPeat’s technique is solid with good hand placement to go with a solid kick-slide, staying patient instead of lunging. He also comes from a pro style offense so he will know his protections according to the defensive alignments. Peat has been well-coached at Stanford and he’s one of the most pro-ready offensive linemen in the 2015 draft.
No. 9: Trae WaynesTrae Waynes showed out at the 2015 Scouting Combine to let the Nation know who he is. He’s one of the most athletic corners to come into the NFL in quite some time now. But it’s not just about his athleticism, it’s about his skills as he uses both to put himself in the position he’s in to get drafted.Impact and ProductionWaynes played in 36 games over three seasons with Michigan State Spartans, starting 27. He made first-team All-Big Ten in 2014 and was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award (top defensive back). Waynes had three interceptions and eight pass breakups and finished sixth on the team with 46 tackles in 2014.AbilityWaynes was the fastest corner at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.31 and I haven’t seen a time by a corner that fast since. He also showed some strength at the combine with 19 reps of 225 pounds and some hops with a 38-inch vertical leap. To go with the recovery speed and hops, Waynes is 6’0?, 186 pounds and has good length with 31-inch arms.UnderstandingHe’s at his best in deep, man coverage, using his body and length to gain inside leverage to keep receivers from getting comfortable. Waynes is confident is his technique and doesn’t try to change things when beaten. And he’s well-coached to maintain proper technique in coverage while he uses his speed and length get a hand on the ball.
No. 8: Brandon ScherffBrandon Scherff is the best offensive lineman prospect that coming out in this year’s draft. He’s going to go in and become one of the best and most dominant players in the NFL at his position. The only thing here is whoever gets him needs to makes sure that left tackle isn’t the position he plays for them.Impact and ProductionScherff is the 2014 Outland Trophy winner, a unanimous Consensus All-American and the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year in the Big-10 Conference. His unit was nothing special but he did his thing out on the island of the offensive line. He did well to protect the quarterbacks blindside as well as open up holes for his running backs.AbilityHe has elite ability for and offensive lineman but it translates more to guard than it does left tackle. Scherf is 6’5?, 320 pounds with 33 3/8-inch long arms, a little short for a left tackle and 10-inch hands. And while he doesn’t have the good feet required of a tackle, he’s fast for his size, running a 5.05 40-yard dash and he’s a road grader in the run-game.UnderstandingIowa has turned out many NFL offensive lineman over the years as they are taught the correct technique. Scherff is no exception as his hand placement and knee bend, make him a force in the running game. He also has great hand punch to jolt pass-rushers to keep defensive lineman from getting in his chest.
No. 7: Marcus PetersMarcus Peters is the best cover corner on the field in the 2015 NFL Draft period, end of discussion. The fact that so many scouts still have him rated in the first round despite his character issues should tell you something. He just looks like the next guy to come into the NFL and have his own island where footballs seldom go.Impact and ProductionAs a sophomore in 2013, cornerback Peters made the second team All-Pac-12 team. And as a junior in 2015, Peters appeared to be on his way to the first team All-Pac-12 and All-American. In 2013 and 2014 combined, only 38.1 percent of the passes against him were completed, as he defensed 24 passes and had 8 interceptions.AbilityPeters was not a combine star with blazing speed, only running a 4.56 40 and his 3-cone drill was over seven seconds. He’s known for being a physical corner, jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage to disrupt routes. He has the size to do so at 6’0?, 197 pounds with 31-inch long arms and fluid hips to turn and mirror.UnderstandingPeters is very aggressive and intimidating with his physical tactics as he himself never hesitates. The guy just knows what he’s doing as route recognition is one of the things he’s best at. He often jumps short routes and plays the receiver very well on deep routes, turning back toward the ball like receiver, getting defenses or interceptions.
No. 6: Melvin GordonEveryone likes to say that the running back position has been devalued but that’s not true. If anything, it’s the players that devalued it as your Adrian Peterson type athletes play receiver now. If you think about it, he and Marshawn Lynch were the last truly special running backs to come out in the draft.Impact and ProductionMake room for one more on that special list because Melvin Gordon has shown he’s just that with 2,587 yards rushing in 2014. He had 1,619 yards the year before so we don’t have to worry about the one-hit wonder thing with him. And don’t worry about this first-team All-American, first-team All-Big Ten and Heisman runner-up’s competition either because he had 251 yards against Auburn of the SEC and 408 against Nebraska.AbililtyHe doesn’t have the greatest speed, running a 4.52 40-yard dash and he has been hawked (caught from behind). But he takes one step to get to full speed, helping him get 40 runs over 15 yards in 2014. He isn’t the strongest either with 19 reps of 225 but as Herb Adderley once said of Gayle Sayers, “He could stop on a dime tell you if it’s heads or tails and keep going and not break stride.”UnderstandingGordon has excellent vision and patience to follow blocks and find holes to daylight. He also improved his ability to catch passes over the second half of the season, and it has continued into the offseason. He also improved in picking up the blitz, making himself a running back you don’t have to take of the field.
No. 5: DeVante ParkerDespite the success of last year’s rookie class, the receiver position is one of most difficult to play as a rookie. You have to read the defense just like the quarterback does and run your route accordingly. If your not in the right place with a timing route with the quarterback, you can cost your quarterback an interceptionImpact and ProductionDeVante Parker missed the first seven games of his senior year with a broken foot. But when he came back, he exploded with 43 catches for 855 yards and five touchdowns, making the All-ACC team. And if you want to talk consistent hands, Parker has only three drops since the 2012 season.AbilityAt 6’3?, 209 pounds and 33 1/4-inch long arms, Parker has the size to provide a huge catch radius. His 36 1/2-inch vertical leap helps that catch radius and he has good strength with 17 reps of 225 pounds. He also has good speed with a 4.45 40-yard dash at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine.UnderstandingParker runs his routes at different speeds, to set up defenders, often getting past them for big plays. He also does well at the start of a play to get himself a release off the line of scrimmage. Parker comes from the West Coast offense at Louisville so the verbiage and reading defenses won’t be a problem when he gets to the NFL.
No. 4: Vic BeasleyVersatility is an important trait for edge-rushers to have these days with the hybrid defenses. And Vic Beasley is one of those guys that’s tailor made for any type of hybrid defense. He was defensive end in college with his hand in the dirt but has the speed and athleticism to play outside linebacker.Impact and ProductionIn four seasons at Clemson, Beasley had 52.5 tackles for a loss, 29 quarterback hurries and 33 sacks, all of which came in the final 39 games of his career. He is a two-time first-team All-American and two-time first-team All-ACC selection. He also a finalist for the Bednarik, Lombardi and Hendricks Award in 2014 while he was selected as ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2014.AbilityBeasley is 6’3? 246 pounds, a little small for a defensive end but repped 225 35 times to show his strength. He ran a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash had a 40-inch vertical leap at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine, showing he has the speed and athleticism to play linebacker. Beasley also looked good in his linebacker drills and showed he will have no problems in coverage.UnderstandingFowler’s mental capacity for the game starts first and foremost with rushing the passer. To go with his explosive first step, Beasley has counter moves, including a spin-move. He also has good technique with his hand fighting and swim moves to get past opposing offensive tackles.
No 3: Amari CooperAmari Cooper was too pro-ready for the defensive backs that tried to cover him in 2014. That’s because Cooper wasn’t just pro-ready, he was a pro playing in college, that’s how he got so wide open. The young man has every aspect of the pro game down and it just didn’t seem right watching college corners try to cover him.Impact and ProductionIn 2014, he was the winner of the Biletnikoff Award, for the nation’s most outstanding receiver and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. Cooper was a unanimous first-team All-American and was SEC Offensive Player of the Year. He led the nation with 124 catches and was second with 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns.AbilityCooper is 6’1?, 211 pounds, with 31 1/2-inch long arms for good size and length with huge, 10-inch hands. And to go with that size, he has tremendous speed as he ran a 4.3 40 at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine. He also had an impressive 6.71 3-cone drill time and 3.98 short shuttle time to show his acceleration out of his breaks.UnderstandingCooper runs every route at top speed to get defenders leaning before putting his foot in the ground and exploding in the other direction. He’s able to use his short-area burst and shakes to get a clean release against press coverage. He also knows how to set cornerbacks up and comes from the West Coast offense so he will always know where to be for his quarterback.
No. 2: Leonard WilliamsLeonard Williams is known as the best prospect in the draft regardless of position and they are right. He looks like he is sure to take his place among the J.J. Watt’s Richard Seymours and Reggie Whites of the world. Williams will make a big impact right away but he’s only scratching the surface of how good he’s going to be as he has plenty of room to grow.Impact and Pr0ductionIn 2014, Williams had 80 total tackles, 9.5 for loss, seven sacks, an interception and forced three fumbles. He was USC’s MVP, a first-team All-Pac-12 selection, and somehow a second-team Walter Camp All-American. He was also a finalist for the Hendricks Award and a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award, Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy.AbilityWilliams is 6’5?, 302 pounds with long arms at 34 5/8 inches and big paws at 10 5/8. And at the size, he’s a good athlete that runs the 40 in just under five seconds and has a vertical of just under 30 inches. Williams is also pretty agile as evidenced by his 3-cone drill time of 7.59 and 20-yard shuttle time of 4.53 seconds.UnderstandingWilliams knows how to fully use those long arms, exploding into offensive lineman with them to gain control. Once his there, he easily tosses opponents aside and it’s off to the ball carrier or quarterback. He can use some more pass-rush moves but the way he knows how to use his hands alone is enough to make him an immediate impact.
No.1: Jameis WinstonOn the football field, Jameis Winston is the best and most pro-ready football player in the draft period. The scouting media agrees but they take the off-the-field concerns into consideration. But for me, this article is about on the field and there is no one more ready for the NFL than he is.Production and ImpactWinston is the first quarterback in college football since 1964-65 to win his first 26 starts. He won the double whammy of Heisman Trophy and National Championship as a redshirt freshman. Winston was also a Consensus All-American that year then was a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year award in 2014.AbilityWinston is 6’4?, 231 pounds and built sturdy, often breaking tackles when the rush gets to him. He’s not a workout warrior like fellow quarterback Marcus Mariota but he comes into the NFL with elite arm strength. He also has great accuracy and touch to put a ball into some spots most quarterbacks can’t put a ball in.MentalWinston comes from a pro style offense and he plays just like a pro quarterback plays the game. He throws the ball into tight windows before the receiver makes his break , showing anticipation and accuracy. He also reads defenses well and often manipulates the safety with his eyes.
Bottom LineNo, I didn’t penalize edge-rusher prospect Randy Gregory because of he failed drug test. He’s just one of those guys along with Dante Fowler that are getting more looks for their upside than pro-readiness. I’m not saying their not pro-ready at all, they just aren’t as pro-ready as the 10 guys on the list.Another guy I can’t call pro-ready right now is Todd Gurley and that’s for no other reason than the injury. Being pro-ready is being able to start Week, 1 and I’m not sure he’ll be ready by then. Football in the NFL is extremely physical so you have to go in making sure that you are ready.As much as you have to be able to do some things physically, that isn’t the whole of the game. You need to be able to understand the game in relation to what your role is with the team. And coming from a pro style system is a big help because you must understand pro Xs and Os to even get on the field.So this is why these are my 10 most pro ready.link
