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Analyzing the Analytics of an Analytical Draft- Part 5- DeValve, Caldwell, Drango and Scooby

On this post I'll evaluate the rest of the Browns picks that I have RAS grades for: Seth DeValve, Trey Caldwell, Spencer Drango and Scooby Wright III. Lets refresh ourselves with the criteria:

  1. Athleticism/Size- This not just how fast a player runs his 40 or how many times he bench presses 225 lbs. I will be using each player's RAS or Relative Athletic Score to determine where each player's athleticism ranks. Please follow the link to understand more on how the scores work. High RAS grades are proven to correlate to NFL success, but are not a prerequisite.
  2. Production- In my opinion PFF is the best place to go for production stats so that is what I will be using. You can look at their stats on ESPN if you want, but that doesn't take into account their competition or offense. PFF is also much more detailed than any other production stat you will find.
  3. Character- Pretty self-explanatory.
  4. Team Need/Scheme Fit- Again. Pretty self-explanatory.
  5. Age- This is not the biggest factor and is taken into account much more for free agents or trades, but nevertheless it is something to be considered.

138 Overall- Seth DeValve TE- Princeton

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1. Athleticism/Size- DeValve is not big NFL player by any means (6'2" 244) but his athleticism is off the charts (not literally). His SPARQ score of 140.2 puts him in the 95th percentile of NFL TE's, highest in his class. That takes into account his below average height and weight. Keeping the trend of drafting players with great short-area burst, DeValve grades in the 97th percentile in the 10 yard split, vertical jump and 94th percentile in his broad jump. TE, DE, DT, and OT are highest correlating positions with RAS. Lets peek at his RAS:

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2. Production- Playing for Princeton in the Ivy League DeValve didn't face top competition but he did produce. In his sophomore year he caught 49 passes for 527 yards and 4 touchdowns for a Ivy League record-breaking Princeton offense. He was stymied by injuries in his junior and senior years but still produced when he played. PFF does not grade players in the Ivy League. Not much is known about his blocking as he played WR in college. Some scouts questioned his ability to cut in and out of routes, but his shuttle and 3-cone time point to the contrary.

3. Character- No red flags.

4. Team Need/Scheme Fit- The Browns have Pro Bowler Gary Barnidge as their starter but behind that they are thin. Randall Telfer is coming off of a year on the IR and EJ Bibbs failed to produce outside of the pre-season. DeValve is undersized, so he could play an H-Back role or fullback if the Browns weren't impressed by Malcolm Johnson's work in 2015. This big unknown is if he can block.

5. Age- 23

Overall, DeValve is an elite athlete at a position where athleticism correlates to success highly. He played subpar competition and struggled with injuries which led to him falling to the bottom of the 4th round. Teams have had success taking flyers on athletes without much production at the TE position before (Antonio Gates and Jordan Cameron) which leads me to believe this pick could pan out.

173 Overall- Trey Caldwell CB- Louisiana Monroe

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1. Athleticism/Size- Caldwell is undersized (5'8" 188) and has a strange athletic profile. His SPARQ score of 114.9 put him in the 42nd percentile of NFL CB's. Guess what stat Caldwell graded very highly in? That's right, another 10-yard split stud. I think we can safely call this a pattern. You should also note that his 3-cone graded in 97th percentile, this shows great agility. Lets stake a look at his RAS:

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2. Production- Caldwell was a deep sleeper prospect in this draft, but he had the fourth-highest pass coverage grade from PFF of any cornerback in this class. He gave up just 325 yards through the air last year and came away with one interception and nine pass breakups. Honorable-mention in the Sun Belt conference in 2015.

3. Character- No red flags.

4. Team need/Scheme Fit- Cornerback was on the lower end of the Browns needs, but in this day of NFL you can never have too much talent at the position. Caldwell projects as a nickel CB because of his size, elite quickness, and ability to change direction. He should slot right behind K'waun Williams on the Browns depth chart.

5. Age- 22.

Overall, Caldwell had good reviews from PFF and graded well in agility and quickness tests. I doubt he plays outside, but maybe Ray Horton will see something I don't. I see no reason why he couldn't play nickel in the NFL.

168 Overall- Spencer Drango G/T- Baylor

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1. Athleticism/Size- Drango is a big boy at 6'5" and 315 lbs and one scout put it best saying he had a "spongebob frame." He grades out well below average in SPARQ with a 92.2 score. That puts him in the 19th percentile of all NFL OL. Lets see how his RAS looks:

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2. Production- Drango was PFF's fifth-ranked tackle in pass protection and second-ranked tackle as a run blocker. He was asked to pull a lot in Baylor's offense as a LT and most scouts projected him as a guard in the NFL. He was a 2014-2015 unanimous All-American and All-Conference selection and also a 4-year starter.

3. Character- No red flags.

4. Team Need/Scheme Fit- Drango joins Shon Coleman as the second OL drafted by the Browns in 2016. He projects as a guard, but I think the Browns are going to let him compete for RT as well. He was projected to go as high as the second round in some mock drafts. The Browns could use some depth at OL and Drango is versatile piece that could develop into a solid player.

250 Overall- Scooby Wright III LB- Arizona

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1. Athleticism/Size- Similar to Rashard Higgins, Scooby Wright III (5'11" 240) is a poor athlete by NFL standards. Thats putting it nicely. His SPARQ score of 104.6 puts him in just the 9th percentile of NFL LB's. Lets look at the crime scene:

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2. Production- Scooby might not be the best athlete in the world but man did he produce at Arizona. In his last fully healthy season in 2014 he was the second-highest-graded linebacker in the nation, with a grade higher than any linebacker in this draft class has managed over the past two seasons per PFF. He won the coveted triple crown of national awards: the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Rotary Lombardi Award and Chuck Badnarik Award in 2014. He finished the season with 163 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and six forced fumbles. Injuries shortened his 2015 campaign to just three games.

3. Character- This should be a good example.

4. Team Need/Scheme Fit- The Browns signed Demario Davis and cut Karlos Dansby this offseason. Scooby will join Schobert, Chris Kirksey, and Davis at ILB. He projects as a run defending ILB with limited coverage skills. I would expect him to contribute on special teams right away.

5. Age- 22

Overall, Scooby was an extremely productive LB in 2014 as evidenced by his trophy case. This is the kind of player that old-school football coaches love: tough, high motor, and a hard-worker. In all honesty I do not see much of a difference between Scooby and Reggie Ragland (115.1 SPARQ, 33rd percentile) except Scooby's trouble with injuries this past year. Scooby's tape in 2014 was much better. This just the kind of pick you want to make in the 7th round: high upside. One AFC East scout was quoted as saying he is Zach Thomas 2.0. Don't get your hopes up, but Scooby could be a very good player in the NFL.


Thanks for reading!

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