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CB Michael Jackson leaning towards entering the draft
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Doesn't want to compete against Storm '18. Best of luck.
Everything I've read about his draft stock has projected him 6-7 round at best. Some people are saying UFA. What round did Adrian Colbert get drafted in? I believe the 7th and that was because he blew up the combine with surprising 40 times. I don't think MJ is as fast as Colbert. He can make whatever decision he wants but personally, I believe leaving early to be a 7th rounder is a mistake. Another good season and he could oplay his way into the middle rounds where not only will he make more money but his chances of making the team drastically improve. NFL GMs don't like admitting they screwed drafted poorly so a 4th rounder has a much higher chance of making the roster than a 7th rounder or UFA. Nobody cares if those guys get cut during camp but fans get ****ed if they see a mid round choice go to the scrap heap before the season has even started.
• Senior receiver Braxton Berrios: Pauline: “Potentially a pro prospect. Came into the year as a low level free agent. Not really big. Really needs to run well in workouts to show he can play in the slot. He has quickness the first 10 yards and catches the ball well. If he runs well [in workouts], he will get consideration as a late round pick.”
The AFC executive said Berrios is a “late-round pick. Good hands. Underrated speed. Can return punts. I see similarities to Danny Amendola.”
• Senior defensive end Chad Thomas: Pauline: “I like him but he’s very streaky. Makes a lot of plays and then disappears for a while. Hasn’t wowed me at any point. Came into the season with a fourth-round grade, maybe late third. I think that’s where he is. Has incredible size speed numbers. Has a lot of upside.”
The executive calls him a third- or fourth-round pick. “Strong, physical guy” and improved against the run.
• Senior tight end Chris Herndon: Pauline: “Had a sixth round grade coming into the season.” He believes he could have gone a bit higher than that before last month’s MCL injury. But that injury is damaging.
AFC scout: “I thought he would be my sleeper. But with the ACL, he is not going to be ready [for an offseason program]. Sixth, seventh round pick. Would have said fifth or higher before the injury. A better athlete than he gets credit for.”
• On senior offensive linemen Kc McDermott and Trevor Darling: Pauline: “McDermott wasn’t even graded by scouts coming into the year. I had him as a sixth round selection and he played relatively well. Decent size at 6-4, 295. I could see him sneaking into the late rounds. Darling is a marginal free agent.”
The executive said he rates both as undrafted free agents.
• Cornerback Dee Delaney: Pauline sees him as a potentially mid-to-late round pick who can play in nickel or dime packages. The executive said he has been unimpressed by Delaney and wouldn’t draft him.
• Senior defensive end Trent Harris, who has eight sacks:
Pauline: “He came into this season graded as a priority free agent. You can’t dismiss the production, but was it him or everyone else [playing well that helped him] be able to exploit [teams]? He’s 6-1. He is going to have to play standing up” if he makes the NFL instead of playing defensive end.
The executive: “I like him. I would take him in the late rounds. He’s a surprise to me. Can rush the quarterback.”
• Pauline said of running back Mark Walton, who’s turning pro after his October season-ending ankle injury: “A lot is dictated on the Combine medicals. It would be a reach for him to get into third round.”
The AFC executive deems Walton a fourth-round pick. “He would be higher if he hadn’t had the injury. I like that he can return kicks.”
• The AFC executive said neither Jaquan Johnson nor cornerback Michael Jackson should turn pro and that he’s not sure either is an NFL player: “Johnson makes plays but he’s small. Jackson wouldn’t be drafted.”
UM people aren’t expecting Johnson to turn pro. Caneinsight’s Peter Ariz reported Jackson is leaning toward turning pro.
• That AFC executive said the two areas where UM particularly needs to improve to be on Clemson’s level are quarterback and offensive line.
He said the line simply isn’t physically talented enough and UM must hope either Malik Rosier improves substantially or N’Kosi Perry wins the job next spring. “Rosier is just a guy; he needs to work on a lot of things,” the executive said.
The AFC executive said Berrios is a “late-round pick. Good hands. Underrated speed. Can return punts. I see similarities to Danny Amendola.”
• Senior defensive end Chad Thomas: Pauline: “I like him but he’s very streaky. Makes a lot of plays and then disappears for a while. Hasn’t wowed me at any point. Came into the season with a fourth-round grade, maybe late third. I think that’s where he is. Has incredible size speed numbers. Has a lot of upside.”
The executive calls him a third- or fourth-round pick. “Strong, physical guy” and improved against the run.
• Senior tight end Chris Herndon: Pauline: “Had a sixth round grade coming into the season.” He believes he could have gone a bit higher than that before last month’s MCL injury. But that injury is damaging.
AFC scout: “I thought he would be my sleeper. But with the ACL, he is not going to be ready [for an offseason program]. Sixth, seventh round pick. Would have said fifth or higher before the injury. A better athlete than he gets credit for.”
• On senior offensive linemen Kc McDermott and Trevor Darling: Pauline: “McDermott wasn’t even graded by scouts coming into the year. I had him as a sixth round selection and he played relatively well. Decent size at 6-4, 295. I could see him sneaking into the late rounds. Darling is a marginal free agent.”
The executive said he rates both as undrafted free agents.
• Cornerback Dee Delaney: Pauline sees him as a potentially mid-to-late round pick who can play in nickel or dime packages. The executive said he has been unimpressed by Delaney and wouldn’t draft him.
• Senior defensive end Trent Harris, who has eight sacks:
Pauline: “He came into this season graded as a priority free agent. You can’t dismiss the production, but was it him or everyone else [playing well that helped him] be able to exploit [teams]? He’s 6-1. He is going to have to play standing up” if he makes the NFL instead of playing defensive end.
The executive: “I like him. I would take him in the late rounds. He’s a surprise to me. Can rush the quarterback.”
• Pauline said of running back Mark Walton, who’s turning pro after his October season-ending ankle injury: “A lot is dictated on the Combine medicals. It would be a reach for him to get into third round.”
The AFC executive deems Walton a fourth-round pick. “He would be higher if he hadn’t had the injury. I like that he can return kicks.”
• The AFC executive said neither Jaquan Johnson nor cornerback Michael Jackson should turn pro and that he’s not sure either is an NFL player: “Johnson makes plays but he’s small. Jackson wouldn’t be drafted.”
UM people aren’t expecting Johnson to turn pro. Caneinsight’s Peter Ariz reported Jackson is leaning toward turning pro.
• That AFC executive said the two areas where UM particularly needs to improve to be on Clemson’s level are quarterback and offensive line.
He said the line simply isn’t physically talented enough and UM must hope either Malik Rosier improves substantially or N’Kosi Perry wins the job next spring. “Rosier is just a guy; he needs to work on a lot of things,” the executive said.
Those of you saying he likely won’t improve as a player or increase his draft stock if he comes back - why? What’s the logic there?
I’m not going to say he will be a first rounder next year, but ****, he was a JAG before this year but now he has suddenly reached his ceiling? That’s nonsense. He played well but there is a ton he can improve and continue to be coached up on.
And as another pointed out, you think he shouldn’t come back because of high school kids coming in, but should declare for the draft and compete against pros for a spot on an NFL team? Good lord, please think before posting.
I’m not going to say he will be a first rounder next year, but ****, he was a JAG before this year but now he has suddenly reached his ceiling? That’s nonsense. He played well but there is a ton he can improve and continue to be coached up on.
And as another pointed out, you think he shouldn’t come back because of high school kids coming in, but should declare for the draft and compete against pros for a spot on an NFL team? Good lord, please think before posting.
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They're putting dummy juice in the water in Coral Gables. That NFL-U **** is a double-edged sword, and I think we need to get away from that sort of branding.
These dopes are in a hurry to leave to get drafted in the 6th round. Hopefully, some of these dummies are open-minded enough to at least listen to Rick and the NFL draft advisory committee.
These dopes are in a hurry to leave to get drafted in the 6th round. Hopefully, some of these dummies are open-minded enough to at least listen to Rick and the NFL draft advisory committee.
How fast is Mike? Didn't he run in the 4.3s during our testing? If he's a sub 4.4 guy he'll shoot up some boards. But its still a huge gamble.
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If Delaney had a 4th round grade before last year's draft then it wouldn't surprise me if MJ gets a similar grade.
Still, what a huge mistake this would be.
Walton I can understand because of the short shelf-life of an NFL RB, but this is just heinous.
Still, what a huge mistake this would be.
Walton I can understand because of the short shelf-life of an NFL RB, but this is just heinous.
LOL at "strike while the iron's hot." The Mike Jackson iron isn't hot anywhere except with him, the dummies advising him, and the dopey UM fans who think every UM player should leave the minute they become draft eligible. The guy's played one season of football.
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I have to think that these kids are reading these boards and allowing these homers who believe everyone is a 1st round pick to affect their thinking.
The lesson: stop being such giant homers
The lesson: stop being such giant homers
I said the same thing regarding NFLU. Tough to build a consistent contender when even your decent guys are looking to bolt early. It makes recruiting even more important also. You can't miss a year on a position the way guys high tail it out of Coral Gables. Right now, we're bemoaning our sophomore linebackers because for the most part none took the next step, yet imo we aren't recruiting the numbers that we need to be recruiting. Watch what happens next year. We're going to have people saying there's no way so and so should leave early while he revs the engine blazing out of town.
100% chance some idiot “agent” is in his ear
Ummm no. I'll tell you what we have. We have a **** agent/handler problem.
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These dopes just automatically say for every player "he can't really improve much by coming back." That's their go-to line every time some dope decides to leave to be a late-round pick and get cut.
Jackson reached a plateau last 3 games. He did not play well against Pitt.
He'd be best served to stay and ball out his senior season.
He'd be best served to stay and ball out his senior season.
He's not that fast. I watched him in chase mode a few times when guys got beat, and he didn't usually close that much ground. He'll probably run a 4.58 to 4.64.
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Jackson didnt start playing well until the gt game. He lost his starting spot early in the year to young. So a dude who basically only played good for about 7 games should leave early for the draft?
Yea that definitely wouldn't cut it of 1 year tape.
Look first at the DT position. We can replace a guy like Mike Jackson. But the DTs are always at their best in their 4th year in the program.
We have 2 guys poised to be absolute beasts after they had decent junior years. Instead of coming back and winning a NC and being first round picks, they are going to bolt for the NFL for shorter money. That DL position, if you can't keep veterans, will cripple you.
You'd think that facing off with an elite team like Clemson and getting your teeth kicked in, like all of our underclass draft-eligible players did (Norton, McIntosh, etc.) would be a "Come to Jesus" moment. Nope. Not here. These dudes got overwhelmed in that game and got worked and pushed around.
Look at Wilkins from Clemson and then look at McIntosh and Norton. Wilkins is an immediate impact high-pick NFL guy. He jumped off the screen at you in that game. Our guys faded into the woodwork.
You said if he comes back he will play his way into the mid rounds. So he would go from late rounds to mid rounds. Thats not much improvement considering he is a 6'1 200lb cornerback with long arms, ball skills and good speed. Sorry I didnt quote you exactly but dont make it seem like you are expecting this quantum leap from him either.
You are basically saying you dont see him as a top 3 round pick and my point in all this is that he can definitely play his way into those rounds easily with another year of development and film work. And to boot he will be a known player with tons of hype coming into next year. We all know how far hype can take you. (Derwin James)
