Two reputable websites – NFL.com and Pro Football Focus – released seven-round NFL mock drafts this week. Both include two Arizona players. But not necessarily the two you’d expect.
Linebacker Scooby Wright appears in both, of course. He might not go as high as he hopes – PFF has Wright as a third-round pick, NFL.com as a fourth-rounder – but Wright is certain to be drafted.
The other player? Safety Will Parks. That in and of itself isn’t surprising; Parks is highly regarded in the analytics community (see the PFF comments), had an excellent pro day and possesses a work ethic that has to appeal to potential employers. Both NFL.com and PFF have him coming off the board in the sixth round, and that falls well within the realm of possible outcomes.
That receiver Cayleb Jones doesn’t make it in either mock draft is borderline stunning.
When the draft process began, Jones was projected to go as high as the fourth round. It still could happen.
But it has to be at least a little worrisome within the Jones camp that two separate seven-round mocks excluded him (assuming the Jones camp pays mock drafts any mind).
Is it possible that concerns about Jones’ character stemming from his off-the-field incident at Texas – as illuminated recently by Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller – have sent his draft stock plummeting? Or his tape from a mildly disappointing redshirt-junior season just not that impressive?
The answers will start coming Thursday. In the meantime, we’ll have tons of draft-related content on our site, so be sure to check back.
