5 Studs Still Remaining Heading into Day 2 of Draft
The first round of the 2014 NFL Draft was a hectic one. We saw some surprise picks like Blake Bortles to the Jaguars early on, while elite talents like Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Aaron Donald took tumbles, sliding much further than anyone anticipated.
They still made it into the first round though, with the Browns and Vikings both trading back to land their passers.
While the excitement of round one is now in the books, a whole new level of excitement gears up with the second round of the draft. After all, with those top level players sliding, other big names inevitably were also pushed down and out of the first round.
That leaves several big names to go in the early going of round two, possibly giving some lucky NFL teams some major steals.
Let’s take a look at five guys that anyone following the draft will hope their team can get their hands on:
Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State
Carr has to head the list. With the need for franchise passers to great, Carr was a legit option at several spots in round one. As it turned out, just three quarterbacks heard their name called in the first round, and Carr wasn’t one of them. While he’s sure to fly off the board early in the second round, it will be especially interesting to see if the Houston Texans (who drafted his brother David years ago #1 overall), go back to the family name and start over at quarterback with another Carr.
Stephon Tuitt, DT, Notre Dame
Some scouts didn’t think Tuitt did enough on tape to warrant a first round selection. They apparently were right. With that said, there are few defensive lineman as hulking and as versatile as Tuitt. He should be a high pick in day two.
Marqise Lee, WR, USC
One of the most athletic and explosive receivers in this year’s draft class, Lee was a shock to slip out of the first round and should fly off the board early in round two. So far his main knock has been health and long-term durability. Despite that clearly hurting his draft standing to this point, his upside is too great for teams to get too worried about injuries in round two.
Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech
Eric Ebron was the only tight end drafted in the first round on Thursday night, with Amaro probably being the only one that could have truly competed to be the second. Amaro is a smooth, fluid pass catcher that needs to work on his blocking but is ready right now to help in the passing game.
A few teams could have called his number in round one thanks to true first round talent, but other needs climbed over that of adding a legit starting tight end. Amaro shouldn’t have to wait too long to hear his name called in round two, however, as the Buffalo Bills pick early and could use a tight end upgrade.
Ra’Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota
Hageman is a brute with amazing size and fluidity for a defensive tackle. For Hageman, it’s all about potential, as he has all the physical tools to be a very special interior defender, but just needs to get there. Plenty of teams need 4-3 defensive tackles or 3-4 defensive ends, and he has the talent to fill either need. Originally expected to hear his name called somewhere between picks 15-25, Hageman should be one of the first players off the board on Friday night.
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