2016 NFL Draft: Bust candidates
With the NFL Draft only weeks away. here is a look at five players who will most likely be taken in the first round who run the risk of being busts in the pros.
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The skinny: Hargreaves was the top-rated cornerback and the second-best recruit in the 2013 class behind DE Robert Nkemdiche. A week before his eventual commitment, Hargreaves tweeted a top five that had the Gators listed No. 1. Then that week, the five-star visited Gainesville and upon his return home, Hargreaves announced he had committed to Florida over Clemson, Miami, Notre Dame and Vanderbilt. USC was a frontrunner for a while but the Trojans slipped off.
Farrell’s take: Hargreaves was No. 2 in the nation the year he came out of high school and one of our highest rated corners in history, but yet I still see him as a potential bust, especially if he’s taken as high as projected. He’s not very long, he has solid speed but not burner speed and he takes too many chances. I also worry about his willingness to hit near the line of scrimmage. The ball skills and anticipation in coverage that made him elite coming out of high school are still there, but there are too many questions marks since that have me worried.
The skinny: The former Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman star was rated as the No. 15 offensive tackle and No. 176 overall in the 2012 class. He was the top prospect in the Nevada state rankings. Stanley picked Notre Dame over Arkansas and Nebraska. In a tweet that looks true now, fellow four-star Joshua Garnett (who signed with Stanford) leading up to Stanley's commitment stated whichever team landed Stanley is "gaining a first-round draft pick."
Farrell’s take: Stanley is technically sound and has good feet but many, including myself, worry about his physical and nasty nature and strength overall. He was a finesse kid out of high school as a four-star with excellent athleticism and those questions still need answering. You can be a finesse tackle in the NFL if you have the smarts, feet and technique, but it’s a bit harder especially when linemen discover your weakness is getting into your body. The scouting report on how to beat Stanley could quickly make the rounds in the NFL.
The skinny: Floyd was ranked as the No. 13 weak-side defensive end and No. 177 overall in the 2012 class out of Eastman (Ga.) Dodge County. He remained a four-star after a prep year at Chatham (Va.) Hargrave Military Academy. Georgia and Alabama were the two frontrunners for Floyd, who landed his first offer from the Bulldogs and decided to stick with the local school.
Farrell’s take: Floyd has always been long and lean and that’s an advantage but also a disadvantage at the NFL level. I’ve seen him projected as high as top 10 and as low as end of the first round and he is a good fit for many teams, but I worry about his size and strength. This is a freaky athlete for sure, but he's also very skinny at 6-foot-6. He weighed in at 244 pounds at the combine, but he struggles when the play comes right at him, especially against the run. He’s a finesse guy who can get skinny when he needs to, but also lacks the size and strength he needs to take on blockers.
The skinny: The Loganville (Ga.) Grayson standout was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2013 class. Nkemdiche waited until National Signing Day to announce what everyone sort of expected by then -- that Ole Miss was the school for him. LSU was also a finalist, but with his brother at Ole Miss and his mother's wishes that they play together, the Rebels always seemed like the top team.
Farrell’s take: There is no guarantee Nkemdiche will be a first-rounder, but if he is, he has bust written all over him. The No. 1 player in the class of 2013 did not have a great college career, underachieved overall, admitted he took plays off and has off field baggage. I know it’s tempting to take a 6-foot-3, 294-pounder who runs a 4.87 and is off the charts athletic, but there are too many question marks for me here.
The skinny: Rated as the fifth-best running back in a loaded 2013 class, the Yulee, Fla., standout was the first player at his position outside of five-star status. Henry was No. 36 overall and sixth in the Florida state rankings. An early Georgia commit, Henry picked Alabama over the Bulldogs and Tennessee months later.
Farrell’s Take: OK, I’ll doubt Henry again. We had him on the cusp of being a five-star out of high school but held back because we thought he was too tall, upright and didn’t have enough wiggle. That didn’t work out well at all. So now I’ll say the same thing about him in the NFL and see what happens. He’s not a surefire first-rounder like a few of the others on this list, but it wouldn’t surprise me if someone went on him late. If they do, they could regret it. But then again, Henry loves it when people doubt him.
