Top NFL Draft Prospects From The ACC
Jan 1, 2013; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan (8) leaves the field after warms ups before the start of the game against the Northern Illinois Huskies at the 2013 Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The Atlantic Coast Conference is rife with NFL draft caliber talent in the 2013 season. Play making wide receivers, workhorse running backs and game-changing defensive stars are among the top pro prospects around the league.
Clemson’s Best NFL Prospect: WR Sammy Watkins 6’1”, 205 lbs.
• NFL Comparison: Falcons’ WR Roddy White 6’0”, 211 lbs.
Sammy Watkins has one of the most complete set of receiving skills in the ACC and reminds me of Falcon’s wide out Roddy White. Both players have similar builds and deceptive speed due to their long and effortless strides. Both players also have great sets of mitts, able to pluck the ball down out of mid air with relative ease.
Florida State’s Best NFL Draft Prospect: DT Timmy Jernigan 6’2”, 294 lbs.
• NFL Comparison: Bengals’ DT Geno Atkins 6’1”, 303 lbs.
The name Timmy Jernigan may not be on the tip of the tongue of the casual Florida State football fan. Playing behind big-time names like Bjorn Werner and Tank Carridine, the junior spent two years in “obscurity”. But in his first year as a starter, Jernigan will be a force in the middle of the Seminoles’ defense.
Like Bengals’ tackle Geno Aktins, Jernigan is immensely powerful, quick and can push a guard into the quarterback’s lap on a consistent basis.
NC State’s Best NFL Draft Prospect: DB Dontae Johnson 6’2” 195 lbs.
• NFL Comparison: Seahawks’ CB Richard Sherman 6’3”, 195 lbs.
The guy wearing #25 in red and white for the Wolfpack this season looks and plays a lot like the guy wearing #25 in navy blue, action green wolf grey and white for the Seahawks. Both Dontae Johnson and Richard Sherman are scrappy players with very long frames.
Getting physical with receivers, stuffing ball-carriers in run support or draping themselves all over receivers in coverage, both these guys have the knack to make life miserable for opposing offenses.
Maryland’s Best NFL Draft Prospect: WR Stefon Diggs 6’0”, 195 lbs.
• NFL Comparison: Seahawks’ WR Percy Harvin 5’11”, 184 lbs.
Electric, dynamic, shifty, explosive are fitting adjectives for wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Percy Harvin. The unique start-and-stop element of these guys games are so advanced, that it is almost impossible to get a hand on them in the open field.
Diggs’ versatility, like Harvin’s, can be used in multiple ways on the field. Whether it is as a receiver, return man, running back (Diggs even threw a touchdown in 2012), both players are ultimate weapons for their respective squads.
Dec 29, 2012; Bronx, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange running back Prince-Tyson Gulley (23) runs into the end zone for a touchdown during the third quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at the 2012 New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Syracuse defeated West Virginia 38-14. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Syracuse’s Best NFL Draft Prospect: RB Prince-Tyson Gulley 5’10”, 194 lbs.
• NFL Comparison: Colts’ RB Ahmad Bradshaw 5’10”, 214 lbs.
While senior Cuse running back Jerome Smith gets the bulk of the carries and notoriety, his backup Prince-Tyson Gulley may be the better pro, in my opinion. Their heights are comparable and although Gulley doesn’t have the size of Ahmad Bradshaw, he is tough to bring down with an arm tackle and has an awesome open field burst that helps him get away from defenders.
Teamed with the bigger and more powerful Jerome Smith, this Orange backfield might have the same ‘Bash & Dash’ dynamic as Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs from a few years ago.
Wake Forest’s Best NFL Draft Prospect: FL Michael Campanaro 5’11”, 190 lbs.
• NFL Comparison: Patriots’ WR Danny Amendola 5’11”, 188 lbs.
I hate to do the whole short, white wide receiver comparison thing, but their games are almost identical. Quicker than fast, both Campanaro and Amendola possess ideal NFL slot receiver qualities.
Both receivers can go over the top on safeties but really excel on underneath routes, depending on their run-after-the-catch ability. They both catch anything that is thrown in their zip code.
Boston College’s Best NFL Draft Prospect: LB Kevin Pierre-Louis 6’1”, 225 lbs.
• NFL Comparison: Panthers’ LB Luke Kuechly 6’3” 235 lbs.
Through his freshman and sophomore years at Boston College, linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis finished second on the team in tackles behind (you guessed it) Luke Kuechly. Neither player has the ideal size for an NFL linebacker, but use their speed and high football IQ to their advantage.
Kevin Pierre-Louis knows offenses so well, you’d think he was in the offensive huddle. Sometimes is seems like he beats the ball-carrier to the point of attack (and delivers quite a thump when he arrives).