NFL Draft 2015: Best players available after Round 4
By Will Osgood
With the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft, here are the best players available still.
The fourth-round of the NFL draft is in the books, and more players were selected (that’s some analysis).
There were more trades, and some of the best players available after Day 2 went early in the round–namely Trey Flowers to the New England Patriots and Jeremy Langford to the Chicago Bears.
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The Atlanta Falcons took Justin Hardy who could have easily made the top-25 players available list headed into Day 3 if that list weren’t so heavy on quarterbacks.
Speaking of quarterbacks–the Jets traded up to secure the rights to pick Baylor’s Bryce Petty at pick No. 103. The question now is whether he has a legitimate shot to compete for the starting with Geno Smith in Chan Gailey’s NFL-type Spread Offense?
The run on wide receivers continued as well, in what most consider to be a deep and talented class, perhaps rivaling the one drafted a year ago.
There were also a handful of players that next to nobody had as a fourth-round player. But Day 3 is the time to focus less on consensus draft position and take your guy. There is likely less consensus in Day 3 than the first two days among the 32 NFL franchises.
If a team has a high grade on a player it makes all the sense in the world to simply go up and grab him. Teams that continued to impress in this draft were the Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans who all took potential impact players in this round–guys who may not “start” (whatever that means in today’s NFL anyway), but can be effective players for their franchises for years to come.
Also, there are no longer any players with second-round grades available, and only one with a first-round grade (LSU OL La’El Collins) and we all know why he is yet to be picked.
Without further ado, here are the best remaining players and where they fit among all other available players remaining, with comments for many of them.
First Round Grades
1. La’el Collins, OL, LSU
Third Round Grades
2. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
Only a serious injury has led him to fall this far.
3. Josue Matias, OL, Florida State
4. Grady Jarrett, DT, Clemson
Hard to believe Jarrett is still available.
5. Kevin White, CB, TCU
6. Zach Vigil, ILB, Utah State
Vigil is the best inside linebacker left.
7. Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State
Another guy it’s really hard to believe is still available especially a run on running backs in the fourth-round.
Fourth Round Grades
8. Chris Bonner, QB, CSU-Pueblo
My No. 3 quarterback in this draft somehow still available. Definitely worth a flyer now.
9. Derron Smith, S, Fresno State
10. Rannell Hall, WR, UCF
Had Hall as almost equal to Breshad Perriman. Someone’s getting great value late with Hall.
11. Blake Sims, QB, Alabama
12. Dezmin Lewis, WR, Central Arkansas
13. Tre McBride, WR, William & Mary
14. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
The nosedive Hundley has seen in his actual draft stock is stark.
15. Michael Bennett, DL, Ohio State
16. Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska
Fifth Round Grades
17. David Cobb, RB, Minnesota
18. Davis Tull, EDGE, UT-Chattanooga
19. Rakeem Nunez-Roches, DT, Southern Mississippi
20. B.J. Finney, C, Kansas
21. MyCole Pruitt, TE, Southern Illinois
22. Reese Dismukes, C, Auburn
23. Cody Prewitt, S, Ole Miss
Prewitt dominated for Ole Miss a season ago, but there are many concerns about his game. He’s a more productive player than his skill set say he should be.
24. Kurtis Drummond, S, Michigan State
25. Obum Gwachum, DE, Oregon State
26. Tony Washington, EDGE, Oregon
Like most Oregon defenders, Washington is a measureables guy who needs work as an actual football player.
27. Alani Fua, OLB, Brigham Young
28. Ben Koyack, TE, Notre Dame
Notre Dame has become “tight end U”. Koyack obviously won’t be picked as high as some of his predecessors, but he’s certainly capable of becoming a solid NFL tight end.
29. Ben Heeney, ILB, Kansas
30. Tony Lippett, WR/CB, Michigan State
31. Tyrus Thompson, OT, Oklahoma
32. Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Auburn
33. Darius Philon, DE, Arkansas
34. Durrell Eskridge, S, Syracuse
35. Xzavier Dixon, EDGE, Alabama
36. Darren Waller, WR, Georgia Tech
37. Zach Zenner, FB, South Dakota State
38. Terrence McGee, RB, LSU
39. Cedric Reed, DE, Texas
40. Shaq Reddick, DE, West Virginia
41. Zach Hodges, OLB, Harvard
42. Damian Swann, CB, Georgia
Swann is a really underrated cornerback. He’ll probably make a team.
43. Josh Robinson, RB, Mississippi State
It’s kinda hard to believe the bowling ball Josh Robinson is still around.
44. Darryl Roberts, CB, Marshall
45. Jacoby Glenn, CB, UCF
46. Lynden Trail, EDGE, Norfolk State
An upright athlete who is a SPARQ stud. Has a chance to develop as a late-round pick.
47. Bobby Richardson, DT, Indiana