In one day the NFL draft will take place, and some of the most talented players from college football will be selected to go pro. Much like last year the West Virginia Mountaineers have produced some great talent and this draft class maybe the most
explosive in recent years. Last year the Seattle Seahawks shocked everyone by drafting Bruce Irvin in the first round with the 15th overall pick. In his first season Irvin recorded 16 total tackles, eight sacks for a loss of 80 yards, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Those players drafted from West Virginia will try to surpass Irvin’s success, but on the offensive side of the ball.
The Mountaineers have four top players in the draft this year; quarterback Geno Smith, wide receiver Tavon Austin, wide receiver Stedman Bailey and center Joe Madsen. While most players from West Virginia don’t have too much success in the NFL this draft class could very well change that.
Player Analysis:
Geno Smith-Quarterback
Bio: Smith has been the quarterback at West Virginia since his sophomore year. He has excelled at the position and is now ready to move to the next level. With Matt Barkley suffering an injury this season, Smith moved into the number one ranked quarterback spot. This bodes well for him since he will be a high draft pick, and the higher a player goes the more money they will likely make. During his career as a Mountaineer, Smith amassed 11,662 passing yards with 98 touchdowns and only 21 interceptions.
Combine Results: Smith suprised many teams at the combine with his speedy 40 yard dash time. He was able to record a 4.59 40 which helped his draft stock even more. Smith jumped 33.5 inches in the vertical jump and he was able to record 124 inches in the broad jump.
Teams that could use him:
Jacksonville Jaguars: Rumors have begun to circulate that the Jaguars may take a crack at Smith. With the second round pick in the draft it wouldn’t be the worst idea since both their quarterbacks last year had horrible seasons, to say the least. Starting quarterback Blaine Gabbert went down with an injury which gave the starting job to Chad Henne. Before he got hurt, Gabbert racked up 1,662 yards through the air with 9 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Henne on the other hand put up 2,084 passing yards with 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Smith would be a good fit here since the team has some pretty good receivers in Cecil Shorts and Justin Blackmon. It’s safe to say to if the Jaguars do draft Smith then Shorts and Blackmon should be ecstatic about it.
Oakland Raiders: With the Raiders suffering in all aspects of the game one of their biggest concerns is quarterback. While they did pick up Matt Flynn through a trade with the Seahawks and with Terrelle Pryor getting some action late last season this could be a stretch for Smith. Flynn was projected to be the starter for the Seahawks, but lost the job to Russell Wilson. This could encourage the Raiders to take a chance on Smith and let him battle it out for the starting job in training camp. The only problem with this is Smith wants to be the starter and it doesn’t seem like Smith wants to fight for the starting spot. However, if the Raiders did draft Smith he should be able to connect with the speedy receivers that the Raiders have drafted in the past.
Philadelphia Eagles: During West Virginia's pro day the Eagles were one of the teams that put Smith through a grueling workout. Reports stated that Smith passed their tests and this could end up being the team that eventually drafts him. With Michael Vick getting older and a lot less productive, Smith could end up being a good fit in the city of brotherly love. Vick threw 10 interceptions last year and lost three fumbles. The way he plays is very physical and he eventually ends up getting hurt. The Eagles could be getting tired of this seasonal occurrence with Vick. With Philadelphia hiring new head coach Chip Kelly, he may want to start his pro career with a new fresh quarterback.
Projected Round Early 1st to Mid 1st
Tavon Austin-Wide Receiver
Bio: Austin is a multi-dimensional player and can fit in many offensive roles. He was a very productive receiver for West Virginia, breaking many season and game records with his incredible speed. This is his biggest asset going into the draft. As a Mountaineer, Austin recorded 288 receptions for 3,413 yards and 29 touchdowns. After Dana Holgorsen became head coach, Austin was used in the running back position from time to time, where he churned out a total of 1,031 yards with 6 touchdowns in the ground war. Aside from receiving and running, Austin was a force in the return game. Over two years of returning punts he clocked 433 yards and a touchdown. He was more successful in the return game racking up 2,407 yards and four touchdowns.
Combine Results: Austin had an outstanding combine and nothing was more impressive than his 40 yard dash time of 4.34, which solidified his position as one of the fastest receivers coming out of college. He also participated in the bench press where he did 14 reps, the vertical jump where he recorded 32 inches, the broad jump with 120 inches (which was shorter than Geno Smith’s) and in the 20 yard shuttle with a time of 4.01. If Austin’s speed can transfer over to the NFL, he should be burning secondaries for years to come.
Teams that could use him:
Minnesota Vikings: With Percy Harvin going over to the Seattle Seahawks, the Vikings need a wide receiver to fill the void. This is where Austin comes in; he is almost an exact replica of Harvin. He can match Harvin’s speed and versatility if not surpass it. If he is drafted by them, Austin will be doing pretty much everything he did at West Virginia. Austin isn’t as injury prone as Harvin, which is a big plus. Harvin led the Vikings in receptions and yards even with the injury he suffered. Assuming Austin gets drafted by them he should be able to continue the trend set by Harvin, not only in the receiving game, but the return game as well. It will also be interesting to see if Austin does head to Minnesota, if the Vikings decide to run more end round plays with him on the roster.
Detroit Lions: Rumors began this week that the Lions are interested in Austin. Once again this team could be a perfect fit for him. With Titus Young getting kicked off the team and with receivers not named Calvin Johnson putting up less than spectacular numbers, Austin could be a very effective number two receiver. Johnson may be able to draw some attention away from Austin which would allow for him to use his breakaway speed to put up points. Austin would also be an effective return man since the one the Lions have now hasn’t put up the numbers they were hoping for. With this team it will be interesting to see if they try to use him in the running back role at certain points since the backs they have now aren’t the fastest in the league.
New York Jets: Once again this is a team that is in desperate need of a wide receiver. Even though the emergence of Jeremy Kerley and a few other receivers throughout last season helped out quarterback Mark Sanchez, none of them possess the speed or talent that Austin brings to the table. Even though Santonio Holmes is the number one receiver, he is never assured to make it through a full season without getting injured. With Austin on the team he would definitely open up the receiving game and maybe even help Sanchez turn his career around, though rumors are that Sanchez’s time in New York could be up. One area that Austin may not be playing in is the return game. Joe McKnight can be very explosive when returning kicks and during his time he has racked up plenty of touchdowns. However, Austin could be used on punt returns since the Jets have no talent there whatsoever.
Projected Round: Early 1st to Mid 1st
Steman Bailey-Wide Receiver
Bio: Much like Austin, Bailey is an extremely explosive receiver who can rack up big amounts of yardage. Bailey started three years at West Virginia recording 210 receptions for 3,218 yards and 41 touchdowns. He will more than likely only be used in the wide receiver role and he will probably end up as a number two or even three wide receiver on a team’s depth chart. One thing to keep in mind is that he and Geno Smith went to high school together so don’t be surprised to see the same team that drafted Smith draft Bailey also.
Combine Results: While he wasn't as fast as his counterpart Austin, Bailey was still able to put up a decent 40 yard dash time. He logged a 4.52 40 time, which isn’t the fastest for a receiver, but it should be good enough for him to get drafted in either the second or third round. He also did 11 reps in the bench press, jumped 34.5 inches in the vertical jump, jumped 117 inches in the broad jump, completed the three cone drill in 6.81 seconds and did the 20 yard shuttle in 4.09 seconds. With him participating in more timed events than Austin, there should be enough information for scouts to determine where he should go.
Teams that could use him:
One team that could use him is whichever one drafts Geno Smith. Since Bailey won’t go until the late second or mid third round, whomever drafts Smith should take this into account and draft Bailey as well. Bailey has been with Smith since high school, and if the duo can continue into the pros, then both will have bright futures ahead of them.
Carolina Panthers: With Steve Smith getting up there in age and with the other receivers on the team being inconsistent, Bailey could end up being a good fit for them. One thing to keep in mind, he is not a number one receiver so he will probably be behind Smith on the depth chart. However, Smith should get most of the defensive attention, leaving Bailey wide open or in single coverage. While Brandon LaFell can be a solid receiver, Bailey could definitely work alongside him and Smith to make the Panthers’ receiving corps just as deadly as it was a few years ago.
St. Louis Rams: Much like the Panthers the Rams are in desperate need of a wide receiver. None of the current receivers pose a real threat to defenses, but if Bailey was added to the mix then the Rams could finally start doing some damage in the passing game. Not a single receiver on the team had more than 1,000 yards receiving and if they brought in Bailey that would likely change. Bailey can go deep when needed or do a short route and still bust off huge amounts yards. By doing this he can take some pressure off the other receivers and allow the Rams to finally score some points. If Bailey is a member of the Rams, Sam Bradford may finally have a consistent receiver to throw the ball to.
Projected Round: Late 2nd to mid 3rd
Joe Madsen-Center
Bio: Madsen played three years at center for West Virginia, and during that time started all 38 games. In his junior year he was selected to All-Big East First Team by ESPN.com as well as All-Big East Second Team by Phil Steele. In his junior year he averaged 4.2 knockdowns per game with 55 total knockdowns on the season.
Combine Results: Madsen was the fourth and final Mountaineer to participate in the combine. However, he did not put on quite the performance that Smith, Austin and Bailey did. He ran a 5.20 40 time, which is okay for a center of his stature and if his is drafted and can either get it to exactly 5 or even a little lower than that should help his cause in starting later on in his career. Madsen also took part in the bench press in which he did 25 reps, the vertical jump where he reached 25 inches, the broad jump where he jumped 98 inches, the three cone drill where he timed in at 7.60 seconds and 20 yard shuttle run with a time of 4.83 seconds. His times were decent, but if he can somehow get a little faster than he could have a successful career in a few years. This is a very tough year for centers since the position is very low on teams' needs. However, having a backup never hurts.
Teams that could use him:
Green Bay Packers: With Jeff Saturday retiring after a Hall of Fame career, the Packers could snag Madsen late in the draft. While the Packers do have two other centers on their team neither one of them has started a game. If the Packers do in fact draft Madsen then it could be a battle of the centers when training camp rolls around.
St. Louis Rams: Rams' center Scott Wells is injury prone and with only one other center on the roster, Madsen could easily step in here and possibly grab the starting position. Tim Barnes only has one year of experience, but it is still unknown have effective he can be if Wells goes down for an extended period of time. Plus with Madsen on the line, it may give Sam Bradford enough time to release the ball.
Tennessee Titans: Here is another spot where Madsen could fill an empty spot. The Titans’ current center Fernando Velasco is a restricted free agent and if he is unable to make a deal then the Titans may want to draft someone that isn’t as greedy and has a fresh set out legs. Madsen can do an excellent job of blocking for Jake Locker and opening up holes for Chris Johnson.
Projected Round: Late 6th to Late 7th
This is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing drafts for West Virginia players entering into the NFL. Most predict that Smith and Austin will be first round picks and will be major contributors to whoever drafts them. Bailey is also projected to be a dynamic player who can bring a lot to a team. Madsen could end up being taken later on in the draft, but could still end up making an impact on the team that drafts him. Come Thursday fans of the Mountaineers will see where their favorite players are headed. Draft begins Thursday at 8 PM Eastern Time on ESPN.
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