The talk leading up to the 2014 NFL Draft has been been a near constant refrain about the available depth, depth and more depth. Some analysts are even calling this year's class one of the best ever when factoring in elite players and the quality of players from top to bottom.
NFL Media analyst Bucky Brooks put the 2014 crop of players under the microscope to take a look at three tiers of possible first-round picks: elite prospects, blue-chip prospects and red-chip prospects. Elite prospects are considered those who eventually rank among the top five players at their respective positions in two to three years. Blue-chippers are prospects regarded as difference makers based solely on their talent. Finally, red-chip prospects should contribute as part-time players initially but finish the season as starters for whatever team ends up drafting them.
Who's considered elite? Well, it's no surprise to see Jadeveon Clowney as the top name in said group. In all, Brooks lists a pair of offensive tackles (Greg Robinson and Jake Matthews), one linebacker (Khalil Mack), one tight end (Eric Ebron), two wideouts (Sammy Watkins and Mike Evans) plus Clowney as the cream of the crop this season. Noticeably absent? A quarterback.
"From a quarterback standpoint, there are a number of headliners -- including Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles -- but scouts are divided on which signal caller is a franchise-caliber player at the position," Brooks wrote. "In fact, there have been plenty of conversations within league circles that the talent within the second tier at the position isn't drastically different from the 'Big Three.'"
That doesn't mean any of those signal-callers aren't considered difference makers in the minds of scouts. All three players are labeled as blue-chippers, with Manziel and Bridgewater both near the top of the list. Manziel has earned high praise over the past few months for his skills, but his height and unorthodox style of play keep him out of the elite prospects group. Bridgewater has been picked apart since his subpar pro day performance but still grades out favorably as a blue chipper based on the resume he put together at Louisville.
The 25 players who fall into Brooks' elite or blue-chip groups are considered locks to go in the first round, and only UCLA guard Xavier Su'a-Filo and Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier slip into the 30's in various NFL.com mock drafts.
Identifying the red-chip players is where things get a bit more interesting and evaluations start to diverge from draft perception. Cornerbacks Bradley Roby, Kyle Fuller and Justin Verrett and quarterback Derek Carr all appear to be likely first-day selections when the draft rolls around but might need some seasoning in the league before developing into starters, according to Brooks. A few surprises in this category include LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger, who is coming off ACL surgery; Alabama offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio; and quarterback AJ McCarron.
While some of those players might end up being picked on the second day of the draft, depending on where each player lands, Brooks sees Fuller, linebacker Kyle Van Noy, McCarron, running back Jeremy Hill and safety Deone Bucannon as possible breakout rookies next season.
It will take a few years before we see who will live up to the hype, but one thing is for sure -- a large number of NFL teams will be quite excited at the caliber of player they get early in this year's draft.
Follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter @BryanDFischer.
