2/22/2018 football Edit

Q&A: Draft guru Chris Trapasso breaks down NC State prospects, part II

Matt Carter • TheWolfpackCentral

Editor

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Trapasso believes there is a wide range of draft possibilities for Jaylen Samuels. (Ken Martin/The Wolfpacker)

Chris Trapasso covers the NFL Draft for CBSSports.com, and this week he updated his big board, which has eight NC State players in his top 267. Sitting at No. 1 on the board is Wolfpack star defensive end Bradley Chubb.

The Wolfpacker caught up with Trapasso this week to get his thoughts on each NC State player. Here is part II of that Q&A:

Related link: Part I of Trapasso's Q&A

Do you see Jaylen Samuels as a runner at the next level or an H-back, have you been able to put your finger on what he might be?

“I think how they used him at NC State as kind of an H-back. I know at the Senior Bowl he was pretty much as a running back. He’s not really a tight end, he’s not really that size. But to be that extra back in the backfield who can maybe take the ball in the jet sweep like he did at NC State, can run a few shallow routes and run the football [is his fit].

“I think hopefully whoever drafts him will have a good plan for him because if you try to make him just a running back or just have him split out wide, then you’re not really letting him reach his own potential and what he is comfortable with like he did at college.

“I really think he’s a player that can be good in the NFL. Is he ever going to be an All-Pro? I’m not sure, but he needs to be with an imaginative offensive coordinator and in that sense he can be someone that adds 300-500 rushing yards or 300-500 receiving yards and be a very valuable multi-faceted guy.”

Is he one of the more difficult guys to pin down where he might go?

“Yes, definitely. I have him in the late third right now myself, that’s just where I view him and not where I view him getting picked. I think there could be some teams, certainly teams with some younger offensive coordinators that could be more creative with him, they could have him in the second round just because of all he’s able to do. There could be some teams that say this guy is not spectacular in anything and have him in the fifth or sixth round.

“There are a few guys in this draft, and he certainly would be one of him, that some teams could have him in the second and some could have him in the fifth, so it’s kind of have hard to peg him in a range at this point.”

Will Richardson at right tackle left NC State early. What are your early thoughts on him?

“I actually really liked his film. I’m interested to see how he stacks up. It’s not that this is huge for an offensive linemen, but I’m interested to see how he stacks up with the top offensive linemen at the combine with his length, athleticism, stuff like that. His film is really, really good. I was very impressed.

“Even watching during the season, Ryan Finley was not under pressure a ton. Richardson, to me this is very important, I don’t know how great a run blocker he is at this point — his film wasn’t loaded with a bunch of highlight-reel pancake blocks — but as a pass protector I think he kind of married his upper body and lower body. He's very strong up top and his feet are very balanced. He usually is very under control and has his base under him.

“In today’s NFL if you can come in and be a good pass protector, I think that’s much more important than if you have a highlight tape where you are pulling to the second level and just demolishing linebackers. We’ve seen those really athletic, great run blockers struggle because they need to protect for the pass 30, 40 maybe even 50 times a game.

“Richardson is someone that is third-, fourth-round draft range at this point, could move up a little bit. I think he will ultimately be one of the better value picks. This is not a great offensive tackle class. … The right tackle spot is very important today. What he’s able to do in pass protection and how that translates in the NFL today is very important.”

Also on the offensive line was Tony Adams. Any thoughts on him?

“He was kind of a combine snub. It’s interesting that when I talked about Will Richardson they are both good pass protectors, but Adams is such a big, wide kind of power blocker I don’t think he’s the most balanced. I’m not going to say he’s not the most coordinated, but I think for what you need at the guard spot he would need to maybe even lose a little weight and get his agility from side to side a little better.

“He’s someone I think is sixth to seventh round at this point. He did have a long and pretty good career at NC State. I was surprised that he didn’t get invited to the combine because he’s another one when you watch his film you’re not seeing too many guys get past him. The NFL might be just looking at his measurables and not seeing someone in terms of his mobility that is an NFL-caliber guard.”

If he could prove he could snap the ball and play some center, would that help him?

“I totally agree. He did almost seem out of position. If you are playing center you are helping out with both guards a little bit, you’re facing the nose tackle. He’s certainly, like I said, wide and super strong. I think he would actually be better … playing center. He would be a perfect guy to face those bigger nose tackles.

“If he moved to center in a power-blocking scheme he’s a guy that a team could pick fifth or sixth round and have starting.”