First Round
Dan McLaurin
WR – Arizona State – 6’ 0” – 192 lbs
1st Round. Pick #1-5. #5 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 6.90
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 6.90
Key Combine Scores: Solecismic 33, 40 Time 4.31, Agility 6.77, Position Drill 59
When the draft class was released, ACI targeted 4 players with their pick at #5. This included 3 wide receivers (Oakes, Patten and McLaurin) and a safety (Mahoney). With DE Stokley selected #1 overall, the Phantoms were guaranteed to get one of their targeted players. Oakes and Patten were the top 2 receivers on the board and were selected at the #2 and #3 slots. When Tucson selected DE Gray at #4, ACI was left with a tough choice.
Safety Mahoney was a combine beast, while also clocking a 4.32 40 time. With excellent size and the previously noted speed, he could be left at safety or moved to cornerback. Either way, Mahoney could be an all-pro for many years to come. The one problem was a possible conflict with defensive leaders on the Phantoms roster.
McLaurin is rated a bit below Mahoney, and almost a full point below the top 2 receivers, but still looks like a big time receiver. He clocked a 4.31 40 time at the combine while also excelling in agility, solecismic and position drill.
In the end, McLaurin was the pick. ACI has been looking for a big time receiver for the last 10 years and hope they finally found one. If nothing else, they add some much needed speed and big play ability to the two-te offense that has been struggling for the past season or two.
Second Round
TRADE – Atlantic City traded pick 2-4 to Cleveland for pick 2-20 and a future 2nd round pick.
Diego Loupe
FB – Virginia Tech – 5’ 9” – 233 lbs
2nd Round. Pick #2-20. #52 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 5.40
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 5.40
Key Combine Scores: Solecismic 37, 40 Time 4.58, Bench Reps 25, Agility 7.00, Broad Jump 9’ 11”, Position Drill 34
ACI may regret not staying at 2-4 and selecting one of the center options that was available but the decision was made to add a high future draft pick and move down in the round. Loupe was another workout warrior who looks like he could be a big time player. The question is was it worth a second round pick? The way the Phantoms have drafted in the past, getting a good player at any position is better than getting a scrub with a 4 year contract.
Fourth Round
Vince Wimmer
T – Boston College – 6’ 5” – 320 lbs
4th Round. Pick #4-2. #98 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 5.70
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 5.70
Key Combine Scores: Solecismic 30, 40 Time 5.00
The Phantoms have had terrible luck drafting offensive lineman in the first round (two busts in the past 5 years) so they waited until the fourth round to get some line help. Wimmer dropped quite a bit from his projection of a low 2nd round pick. Endurance is a bit of a concern but if his huge run blocking numbers (71-99) are not an aberration than he could be a contributor on the line.
Fifth Round
Chris Erickson
Note - Do you know how hard it is to find a picture of an SMU defensive back who is NOT getting beat by his opponent? It took much longer than any other player. Just sayin'.
S – SMU – 6’ 0” – 212 lbs
5th Round. Pick #5-1. #129 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 4.60
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 4.60
Key Combine Scores: Agility 7.00
After choosing a WR over a S in round 1, it was only a matter of time before ACI selected a prospect for the secondary. Erickson had a good but not great combine but his preliminary ratings look pretty good across the board.
Sixth Round
William Green
CB – Iowa State – 5’ 9” – 190 lbs
6th Round. Pick# 6-5. #165 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 4.90
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 4.90
Key Combine Scores: Solecismic 28
Like Erickson, Green looks to have good numbers across the board with a good combine (broad jump being his only weakness but not of importance). Size may be an issue so we will see how that pans out. On a team with very few options at cornerback, Green may see the field regardless of how his ratings are.
Seventh Round
Tim Strom
CB – Indiana – 5’ 11” – 195 lbs
7th Round. Pick #7-4. #196 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 4.70
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 4.70
Key Combine Scores: Solecismic 29, 40 Time 4.40, Agility 6.96
Strom is a late round flyer based on his combine results. He looks to be a great athlete and fills a hole for a man to man corner, as opposed to Green and most of the other cornerbacks on the roster who are zone specialists. His special team ratings should make him a contributor from day one.