The NFL Supplemental Draft will be held on Thursday with six players making themselves eligible. As is often the case, the players eligible for the Supplemental Draft are far from household names.
To get a better idea of who the players are and what kind of NFL impact they may have, we enlisted the help from several writers around the SB Nation network. The Q&As with those writers can be found below.
Dewayne Peace is considered by many to be the top NFL prospect in the Supplemental Draft. SB Nation's Dan Kadar of Mocking the Draft weighed in on Peace, Central Florida defensive end Toby Jackson and South Alabama defensive back Damond Smith.
On Peace:
1. What kind of college career did Peace have?
Peace had a journeyman college career. He committed to Michigan, signed with Arizona, transferred to Blinn College before finishing his last two seasons at Houston. He basically had one solid to good season at Houston.
2. What led to him entering the Supplemental Draft?Peace was ruled academically ineligible. He also served a three-game suspension last season for a violation of undisclosed team rules.
3. What are some of his strengths and weaknesses?He's largely solid across the board. He's not a big receiver, but not too small. He's not a burner or athletic freak, but he has decent natural tools. Peace has average hands, but he tends to catch with his body. That means he too frequently has balls bounce off his pads.
4. How would you say Peace projects in the NFL?The ceiling for Peace is that of a traditional possession receiver. He does well picking holes in zone coverage, but doesn't do a lot in man situations.
On Jackson:
1. What kind of college career did Jackson have?Jackson was a highly rated recruit who initially committed to Georgia. Instead, he went to a junior college before finishing at Central Florida.
2. What led to him entering the Supplemental Draft?Like most supplemental draft players, he became academically ineligible at UCF.
3. What are some of his strengths and weaknesses?I didn't get a chance to study Jackson. Sorry.
4. How would you say Jackson projects in the NFL?Because I'm not really familiar with him, I'm not sure. The buzz on him seems minimal.
On Smith:
1. What kind of college career did Smith have?Smith got on the field straight away at Western Michigan, playing in 11 games as a true freshman. As a sophomore, he played in seven games, starting six. He was often matched up against the opposing team's top corner at WMU. That included Michael Floyd at Notre Dame and T.J. Graham at North Carolina State. Although Smith has solid size, Floyd picked him apart pretty well in 2010. He left WMU after getting into a fight with a teammate. He was suspended at South Alabama after just four games for a rules violation.
2. What led to him entering the Supplemental Draft?Of all the players in the supplemental draft, Smith has maybe the strangest path. He originally played two seasons at Western Michigan before transferring down to South Alabama. He seemed to think he was in the standard draft this year, but wasn't eligible. My guess would be that he didn't file paperwork with the league because he's been signed with an agent since at least early March.
3. What are some of his strengths and weaknesses?Smith is a physical corner with average size. While he's not Richard Sherman in terms of physicality, he can press some and reroute wide receivers. He's been played inside and outside and been a gunner on special teams. The biggest knock on Smith is the off-field issues that led to his departure at WMU and South Alabama. Because of his lack of game reps the past two years, Smith is probably a raw prospect.
4. How would you say Smith projects in the NFL?Unless he develops rapidly, Smith looks like a practice squad or dime cornerback who probably won't get picked up. Green Bay was interested in him after the draft before the league said he wasn't eligible to sign.
Former Purdue wide receiver O.J. Ross entered the Supplemental Draft after being suspended. Travis Miller of Hammer & Rails on Ross and his chances in the NFL.
1. What kind of college career did Ross have?
Ross was one of the very few 4-star recruits that Purdue ever gets and his career was decent, but not overwhelming in anyway. Since Purdue rarely gets 4-stars (usually 2-3 tops per class) I expect them to come in and be instant impact players. Ross did play as a true freshman, but only caught 11 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. He also returned a few kicks for about a 24 yard average. As a sophomore he caught 33 passes for 356 yards and three touchdowns. Unfortunately, he was suspended for our bowl game due to academics. This was after he missed much of training camp due to a personal issue. This past season was his best with 56 catches for 454 yards and two scores. His per catch averages were down mostly because we had a bubble screen-heavy offense that sometimes played three quarterbacks. Basically, our offensive coordinator had no idea what he was doing.
2. What led to him entering the Supplemental Draft?
He was suspended indefinitely by the incoming football staff after the season and that led to him not returning for his senior season. The official reason was the catch-all "violation of team rules," so the official reason is a mystery. Since it was his second suspension that likely played a large role in him not returning.
3. What are some of his strengths and weaknesses?
Ross has decent, but not elite speed and pretty good hands. Unfortunately, he rarely had a chance to showcase his abilities not on screens since offensive coordinator Gary Nord was completely averse to any kind of a downfield passing game. He was very reliable as a pass catcher, but he wasn't overly big and not a good downfield blocker. As I said, his speed is good, but not anything fantastic. In truth he never really blew anyone away while at Purdue. He was an average college receiver that didn't even have 1,000 receiving yards.
4. How would you say Ross projects in the NFL?
I would be surprised if he made it in the NFL. He has some talent, but I never really thought of him as an NFL talent this past year unless he had a great senior season. That might have allowed him to appear on people's radar especially since Purdue is going to play only one quarterback and actually throw downfield on occasion.
Former UNLV teammates James Boyd and Nate Holloway also entered the Supplemental Draft. Boyd and Holloway played alongside each other on the defensive line. Jeremy Mauss, who covers all things in the Mountain West Conference on Mountain West Connection, weighed in on both, beginning with Boyd.
1. What kind of college career did Boyd have?
Boyd did not have much of a college career, he played one season at UNLV and saw time in just eight games, and at defensive end. Prior that he was at USC for two seasons, and one of those years he redshirted. There he played in just two games. He is very athletic as he played quarterback in addition to defensive end at high school, and supposedly has a great deal of upside. He went to three different college which include West Los Angeles Community College, but he never played there.
2. What led to him entering the Supplemental Draft?
Most likely grades, but no official reason was found.
3. What are some of his strengths and weaknesses?
Out of high school he was rated as a four-star player, and in his senior year he recorded 106 tackles and threw for 4,266 yards and 44 touchdowns, so he is a known for his athleticism. His main aspect is his speed rush off of the line of scrimmage, but that is the only move he really has. His weakness is that he has just one move and it only works against less competition.
4. How would you say Boyd projects in the NFL?
With his speed being well above average, there could be a team who would take a flyer on him with a sixth- or seventh-round pick. However, if he does not pick up another move then his time in the NFL, if he gets a chance, will be very short.
And Mauss' thoughts on Holloway.
1. What kind of college career did Holloway have?
Holloway was plagued by academic issues and has not seen actual football action since the 2011 season. His career at UNLV was nothing special, Hollaway did play in 25 career games, but his stats were not overwhelming. There were just 28 tackles and five for a loss, but had he stayed eligible he would have competed for a starting nose tackle job at UNLV.
2. What led to him entering the Supplemental Draft?
Grades are the unofficial reason, he withdrew from school this past June and sat out 2012 due to academic issues.
3. What are some of his strengths and weaknesses?
His size is his biggest asset as he is 6'3 and 365 pounds, and that makes him ideal to be a run stuffer at the next level. Hollaway's weakness is that he has not played since November of 2011, and also not managing to stay eligible does not put him in the best light.
4. How would you say Holloway projects in the NFL?
Just because of his size, there probably will be a team that will offer him a chance to prove himself at nose tackle to provide some depth. As for sticking to a team, it probably will take the right fit and probably a team that runs a 3-4 defense and needs a big body at nose tackle.
The Supplemental Draft will be held on Thursday at 1 p.m. ET.
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