Ohio Football Topic
Topic: Day Three of the 2020 Draft
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Rufusbobcat94
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Posted: 4/25/2020 9:05 AM
Well, the MAC had no players picked in the first two days but it looks like we should see some players taken today.

If the number of NFL.com player profiles are any indication, this will be a down year for the number of players drafted from the MAC when compared with last year. In 2019, NFL.com had several more player profiles compared with 2020. 9 players who at least played some time in the MAC were drafted in 2019. This year looks to be less.

The highest-ranked MAC prospects this year are WMU TE Gio Ricci and Ball State G Danny Pinter

NFL.com posted draft profiles for Ohio's Nate Rourke and Javon Hagan this week:

https://www.nfl.com/draft/tracker/prospects/allPositions?...

The profiles are by Lance Zierlein who I think usually does a pretty good analysis of MAC players.

He has Hagan as having the best overall grade, slightly better than Rourke. Zierlein sees both as priority free agents.

He sees Rourke's accuracy as an issue, which is fair. While Rourke has improved significantly since he arrived at Ohio, his 61% completion was 58th best in the FBS in 2020. That being said, there must be a lot more to it as first round pick Jordan Love from Utah State completed only 61.9% in 2019.

I think Zierlein sees the main point with Rourke being his overall production, which, I agree, was 'staggering.' There is something to be said for being the qb of an offense that ranked in the top 20 the last three years in the FBS in terms of scoring.

I disagree that Rourke's running numbers were a function of the system. Go back to the 2018 game vs cincy and it is easy to see how great Rourke is as an improviser/scrambler.

I'm intrigued by someone like Baltimore Ravens taking Rourke as he seems to fit what they are about with QBs like Lamar Jackson and RGIII. The Ravens did take Trace McSorely last year so that might be their developmental guy

Hagan could be drafted but I was overall disappointed with his numbers the past few years, especially coming off his stellar freshman year. As has been mentioned in other posts here, he did make a lot of tackles but also missed too many tackles last year and did not make enough big plays.

I think Hagan could make a roster as a special teams guy. He is highly-motivated, fearless, a big hitter...

I think K Zervos and P Farkas could get looks somewhere as free agents. I really like Farkas' potential.
Last Edited: 4/25/2020 9:08:54 AM by Rufusbobcat94
Pataskala
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Posted: 4/25/2020 11:22 AM
If Rourke is taken in the fourth or fifth round by a team that really has a need at QB he should consider going the NFL route. Otherwise he should skip the NFL and go CFL, where he'll be a first round pick for sure and probably the #1 pick in the draft next week. If he's picked by an NFL team that just wants to look at him, he shouldn't waste his time.
Maddog13
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Posted: 4/25/2020 11:44 AM
I would love to see Nathan get drafted by an NFL team. Unfortunately, there are way too many higher valued quarterbacks on the board halfway through the draft to see that happening. Don't forget either that Jameis Winston and Cam Newton are still out there in the form of unsigned free agents. I think that Nathan's best chance is to make some noise in the CFL and prove his critics wrong.
cc-cat
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Posted: 4/25/2020 12:20 PM
given that most if not all off season nfl programs will be suspended due to the virus, few “flyers” / “projects” will get a fair shake by nfl teams. he’s better off taking the cfl route at this time.
shabamon
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Posted: 4/25/2020 3:28 PM
A Rhode Island receiver just got drafted and it wasn't the one that torched us.
WxM
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Posted: 4/25/2020 5:06 PM
shabamon wrote:expand_more
A Rhode Island receiver just got drafted and it wasn't the one that torched us.

They've got two draftable receivers and a draftable guard, too.
Pataskala
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Posted: 4/25/2020 5:14 PM
shabamon wrote:expand_more
A Rhode Island receiver just got drafted and it wasn't the one that torched us.
ESPN did show the TD he scored against us.

HTW, the CFL has pushed the start of its season back to July.
shabamon
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Posted: 4/25/2020 6:55 PM
And. Louisiana running back is picked, but not one of the two who ran wild on us.
brucecuth
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Posted: 4/25/2020 7:31 PM
Congrats to Austen Pleasants, FA signing with Jags.
ohio9704
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Posted: 4/25/2020 8:56 PM
Javon Hagan to Tampa.
Bobcatzblitz
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Posted: 4/26/2020 1:22 AM
Thats awesome hope they both do well.
Maddog13
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Posted: 4/26/2020 4:56 PM
Diamond Cat
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Posted: 4/26/2020 7:29 PM
I am certainly feeling for Nathan. It is really a bummer. I watch a ton of college football. I have seen most, if not all, the QB's drafted. Nathan has the ability to play on Sundays.

I am also concerned as to what a QB recruit may think given out G.O.A.T. wasn't even given a FA offer after compiling 7,457 yards and 60 touchdowns over three seasons and rushing for 2,639 yards and 49 touchdowns!

Hard to accept this one but I can't even imagine how Nathan must feel right now.

Here's to my favorite CFL Team (TBD).
Pataskala
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Posted: 4/26/2020 11:14 PM
The MAC hasn't advertised this, but this year's draft was the worst for the MAC since 1996, when only one MAC player was drafted (BSU's Keith McKenzie by the Pack in the 7th round). For a history of the MAC in the NFL draft, see https://getsomemaction.com/news/2020/4/21/football-mac-hi... .

I know the MAC had a bad year but it has done better than this even in bad years. I wonder how much cancelled pro days had to do with it.
GoCats105
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Posted: 4/27/2020 10:57 AM
Pataskala wrote:expand_more
I know the MAC had a bad year but it has done better than this even in bad years. I wonder how much cancelled pro days had to do with it.
I don't like basing my assumptions off things talking heads like Mel Kiper say, but he did mention the pro days are a huge asset for the small schools. It had to make a difference.
Maddog13
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Posted: 4/27/2020 1:25 PM
https://buffalonews.com/2020/04/25/lean-crop-of-prospects... /

To add insult to injury, QB Kevin Davidson of Princeton was just signed by the Cleveland Browns as a rookie free agent. Davidson barely played for Princeton during his first three years there. You are telling me that he has more potential upside than Nathan? I know that the draft is not a science due to the NFL scouts getting it wrong more often than right, but give me a break!
shabamon
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Posted: 4/27/2020 1:56 PM
If I were Nathan, I would kindly say no thank you to any NFL free agent contract. He's probably all in on the CFL now.
Tyler
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Posted: 4/27/2020 3:09 PM
shabamon wrote:expand_more
If I were Nathan, I would kindly say no thank you to any NFL free agent contract. He's probably all in on the CFL now.
I agree 100%. The CFL hasn't had a Canadian QB as a regular starter since the 60s. Nathan could be the face of the league
UpSan Bobcat
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Posted: 4/27/2020 5:31 PM
Former MAC players represent 2.9% of NFL rosters, but only 0.8% players drafted were from the MAC. Non-Division I players make up 5.6% of NFL rosters but only 1.2% of players drafted this year. This year's draft was one overwhelmingly made up of P5 players. The only non-P5 player in the first round was Jordan Love. This year could just be a rare situation for a number of reasons or it could be an indication that the MAC is moving further away from the level of the top conferences.
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 4/27/2020 5:59 PM
Rourke, as good as he was for OHIO simply does not meet the mold or skill set of an NFL QB. Canada fits him much better
Long Train Runnin'
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Posted: 4/27/2020 7:25 PM
Tyler wrote:expand_more
If I were Nathan, I would kindly say no thank you to any NFL free agent contract. He's probably all in on the CFL now.
I agree 100%. The CFL hasn't had a Canadian QB as a regular starter since the 60s. Nathan could be the face of the league
Especially if he goes somewhere like Toronto, who has the #2 pick.
OUcats82
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Posted: 4/28/2020 3:16 PM
It could very well be possible that Nathan had a few FA offers but declined them as he think's the CFL is his best option?

If I were in his shoes I think I would want to be where I could play and be QB1 early rather than bounce around on practice squads, hold clip boards etc.

Money opps may be higher in the NFL if you can make a roster but he'll still be making more in the CFL than most 22-23 year olds right out of school.
UpSan Bobcat
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Posted: 4/29/2020 9:27 PM
Apparently a quarterback has never been taken higher than #15 overall in the CFL draft.
Pataskala
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Posted: 4/29/2020 10:21 PM
The final CFL scouting bureau rankings has Nathan 7th overall among CFL prospects, but it was released before the NFL draft. The top two in the rankings (Neville Gallimore and Chase Claypool) were drafted by NFL teams and #6 (Michael Hoecht) signed a UFA contract with the Rams. https://torontosun.com/sports/football/cfl/neville-gallim...
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 4/30/2020 10:18 AM
Pataskala wrote:expand_more
The final CFL scouting bureau rankings has Nathan 7th overall among CFL prospects, but it was released before the NFL draft. The top two in the rankings (Neville Gallimore and Chase Claypool) were drafted by NFL teams and #6 (Michael Hoecht) signed a UFA contract with the Rams. https://torontosun.com/sports/football/cfl/neville-gallim...
CFL teams still often draft NFL players, and they often draft them pretty high, so that’s no guarantee
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