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With the NFL Draft coming up, many pro teams have roster holes looking to fill. Which of these holes could be filled by the Mountaineers? Whether it be the draft or free agency, six Mountaineers have potential to compete for an NFL roster spot.This article is not a prediction piece, but a look at which teams these WVU football players could fill holes for this offseason.
Leddie Brown – Buffalo Bills
The Bills are one of the more running back-needy teams in the NFL. Their offense was carried by Josh Allen through the air and on the ground. Allen led the Bills in rushing six times last season and was the second leading rusher on the year. This is way too much to put on any single player, even one of Allen’s caliber.
The Bills lack skill and depth in the running back room and will need to shake things up in order to take the load off of Allen. After Leddie Brown’s combine performance. Brown finished near the bottom in the 40-yard dash (4.64), vertical jump (30”) and broad jump (118”). While he may not be anyone’s priority pick, He could still find himself in Buffalo.
Alonzo Addae – Detroit Lions
To say the Lions need secondary help is an understatement. They ranked 31st in the NFL in coverage grade per PFF and they have done very little in free agency to help any of the secondary. With three picks in the top 35, the Lions will probably address some of the needs there. While many project them to take a quarterback with the second overall pick, they would be wise to make some moves in the safety position in the draft.
Alonzo Addae would be a nice addition for the Lions. He would also see plenty of opportunities there. His physical talent and leadership abilities could give him some opportunities to climb the totem pole in Detroit.
Scottie Young – Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars addressed many of their offensive needs in the offseason. It is expected they will go heavy on the defensive side in the draft. They were ranked 28th in points allowed on the season and were middle of the pack in passing yards allowed per game with 227.9.
The Jaguars will need to rely on adding young depth players in the defense after grossly overpaying for wide receiver Christian Kirk. Coming off of an injury that prevented him playing in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, Scottie Young may fly under the radar for some teams. This would present a good opportunity for Jacksonville to make a move for him.
Sean Mahone – Houston Texans
If we are being honest, any of these players could wind up on the Texans. They easily have the worst roster in football and have done little to fix anything. Sean Mahone could definitely land in Houston.
There will be plenty of roster spots up for grabs before the season and Mahone could pose some competition. He is a steady tackler that reads the defense well. Houston would be wise to snatch Mahone to help with their long list of roster holes.
Evan Staley – Cleveland Browns
The kicker is never an eye-popping position when it comes to draft season in the NFL, but it’s a position teams should not take for granted. The Browns had the lowest field goal percentage in the NFL last season (72.7).
The Browns have done nothing in the kicker position aside from re-signing Chase McLoughlin, who went 15 for 21 on the season. Evan Staley primarily handled kickoffs for WVU last season, but there is no reason to think he could not get a shot as a team’s kicker.
Tyler Sumpter – Tennessee Titans
Much like the kicker position, a punter can often be overlooked. While it is not a high priority for any team in the draft, the Titans could still use Sumpter. Their long-time punter, Brett Kern, has battled with some injuries and is also getting older. Kern’s yards per punt has been going down steadily over the past few years and his longest last season was only 59 yards, the lowest of his career.
While the Titans may not move on from Kern just yet, they could find a future replacement in Tyler Sumpter. We could see a situation where Sumpter gets to sit behind Kern and develop for a year or two.
