Round 4, Pick 25
Walt Aikens, CB
Liberty | Senior
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
6-1 / 203 lbs.

ESPN INSIDER ANALYSIS **

WHAT HE BRINGS
Aikens has excellent size and is a explosive athlete. While he lacks ideal top-end speed, he shows strong eyes in coverage and has above-average ball skills. Aikens has a lot of upside as a press man- or zone-type corner.

OVERALL FOOTBALL TRAITS

Production 1
2009: Illinois (10/5)  32-2-0 2010: DNP 2011: (11/11)  49-1-32012: (11/11)  51-6-1 2013: (12/10)  62-6-3 Career: 3 sacks, 6 FFs

Height-Weight-Speed 2
Athletic, muscular and well-built frame. Long arms (32 ¼) with adequate hand size (9 3/8). Ran strong 40 times at Pro Day (high 4.4's).

Durability 1
Possesses a thick and sturdy frame and has remained durable throughout his career. Above average top-end speed.

Intangibles 3
Outgoing personality and engaging individual. Comes from a supportive home. Adequate work ethic and does what is asked of him from coaches. Dismissed from Illinois after getting arrested for felony possession of stolen property in connection with theft of electronics from a dorm room in 2010. Pled guilty to misdemeanor theft.

1 = ExceptionaL | 2 = Above average | 3 = Average | 4 = Below average | 5 = Marginal

CORNERBACK SPECIFIC TRAITS

Instincts/Recognition 3
Strong eyes and awareness in zone coverage. Does a nice job of marking targets coming in and out of his area. Average anticipation and route recognition skills in man coverage. Makes quick diagnosis against the run.

Cover Skills 3
Feet are quicker than hips. Has some tightness in off man coverage. At his best utilizing press technique where he can use his size, length and strength to his advantage. Also fits well in a heavy cover-two scheme.

Ball Skills 3
Above-average size, strength and leaping to hold up in jump ball situations. Occasionally will be late getting his head around and locating the ball in trail technique. Shows quality hand-eye coordination and body control to secure catch. Not a threat after the catch.

Run Support 3
Steps up and willing to set the edge in the run support. Above-average strength and uses hands well to shed blocks. Takes adequate angles in pursuit. Strong wrap to latch on and get defenders off feet. Has a tendency to drop head and eyes which can lead to a few missed tackle in space.

1 = Exceptional | 2 = Above average | 3 = Average | 4 = Below average | 5 = Marginal

NFL DRAFT SCOUT DRAFT ANALYSIS **

STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES

STRENGTHS:
Boasts a tapered, athletic build with long arms (32 1/4") and good overall muscle definition. Light feet and loose hips give him the fluidity to handle coverage responsibilities. Asked to play press-man and off-man often for the Flames, showing the athleticism and confidence to handle either role.

Gets an initial jam on the receiver when in press, turning and running with receivers fluidly. Good patience when off or zone but keeps his eyes peeled on the quarterbacks and has a quick burst to close on the ball. Good (perhaps not great) straight-line speed down the sideline, but accelerates smoothly and has a second gear, when necessary.

Highly competitive in run support. Aggressively fights through blocks, extending his arms to initial contact with receivers and is willing to sacrifice his body to knock ball-carriers to the ground. Sound drag-down tackler who rips at the ball. Good vision to set up blocks with the ball in his hands.

Impressed at the Senior Bowl with his confidence, quickly proving that he belonged on the same field.

WEAKNESSES:
May not possess elite top-end speed. Gets a little grabby down the sideline, as he's highly aggressive and will extend his arm. Tracks the ball well but shows only average ball-skills overall.

Pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft charges in July 2010 and served two weeks in Champaign County jail for possessing a computer taken from a dorm room.

COMPARES TO: Keenan Lewis, New Orleans Saints - Aikens will have to work hard to develop into the consistent starter that Lewis has proven himself to be in successful stops with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Saints, but the aggression and athleticism are there to project him as a legitimate rotational player early in his career with the possibility of developing into a starter as he adjusts to the speed of the NFL.

--Rob Rang

PLAYER OVERVIEW

Aikens isn't your typical small-school prospect. He chose Illinois after being recruited by Clemson and Louisville and impressed as a freshman, starting five games at safety, recording 32 tackles and two passes broken up.

An arrest for theft prompted then-Illinois head coach Ron Zook to kick Aikens off the team and he wound up at Liberty, where he starred on the football team and also spent time with the Flames' basketball and track and field squads.

Aikens is a three-time Big South all-conference honoree, taking first-team honors in 2013 and second-team accolades in 2011 and 2012. His impressive play earned him a spot at the Senior Bowl, where he played well, impressing with his frame, athleticism and confidence.

He tied for the team lead in 2013 with 62 tackles and helped Liberty rank No. 5 in the country in interceptions (19), individually recording three interceptions to give him seven for his career. Aikens also forced six fumbles over his career.

NFL.COM ANALYSIS **

OVERVIEW

2013: First-team All-Big South selection. Played in 12 games and started 10. Tied for team lead with 62 tackles. 2012: Second-team All-Big South. Played in all 11 games, starting 10. 2011: Second-team All-Big South. Started in all 11 games. Led conference with three forced fumbles. 2010: Dismissed from Illinois coach Ron Zook after arrest on felony possession of stolen property. Pled guilty to stealing a laptop computer and other electronics from a dormroom.

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS
Outstanding size. Good press strength. Good athletic ability. Can keep stride with receivers down the field and ride the hip pocket in man coverage. Aggressive tackler (though often shoots low) -- led the team in tackles as a senior and is unafraid to mix it up. Takes on blocks with physicality and attacks the run. Adequate production on the ball. Has gunner experience.

WEAKNESSES
Is tight-hipped and lacks ideal foot speed, which creates separation in man coverage. Average instincts -- can be late to diagnose run-pass reads and locate the ball, is a tick slow to sort out routes and too easily lured by nods and fakes. Often plays into the boundary. Benefits from facing average competition. Character will require closer examination following dismissal from Illinois after a misdemeanor theft conviction.

DRAFT PROJECTION
Rounds 6-7

BOTTOM LINE
Exceptional-sized, Illinois transfer with enough physicality to function as a short-area, press corner and contribute on special teams.

-Nolan Nawrocki

"EXPERT" OPINION

Draftinsider.net’s Tony Pauline
Positives:
" ---."

Negatives:
"---."

Final word:
"---."

Billy Turner, OT
School: North Dakota State | Conference: GATE
College Experience: Senior
Hometown: Shoreview, MN
Height/Weight: 6-5 / 315 lbs.

ESPN INSIDER ANALYSIS **

WHAT HE BRINGS
Turner is a developmental prospect who got away with bad habits playing against FCS level competition. He'll have to improve is footwork in pass protection and pad level in the run game to succeed in the NFL, but he has the natural ability to develop into an above-average starter at right tackle. He has good arm length (34 inches) and upper-body strength. He presses blockers off his frame in the run game and can stun edge-rushers with a violent punch. At 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, he also has good quickness and athletic ability.

OVERALL FOOTBALL TRAITS

Production 1
2010: (13/12) 2011: (14/14) 2012: (15/15) 2013: (15/15)

Height-Weight-Speed 1
Good looking frame with thickness throughout. Hits all the marks in terms of arm length (34'), bulk, height and hand size (10'). Excellent top-end speed for position.

Durability 1
Appeared in 57 games in college and hasn't sustained any serious injuries to best of our knowledge.

Intangibles 1
Son of Maurice and Keren Johnson Turner. Father played running back at Utah State. Minnesota drafted father in 1983 and he played for three teams during five-year career. Brother Bryan Kehl played linebacker at BYU. Giants selected Kehl in the fourth round of the 2008 draft and he played for Washington last year. Brother Maurice Turner played receiver at Northern Iowa. Major is communications.

1 = ExceptionaL | 2 = Above average | 3 = Average | 4 = Below average | 5 = Marginal

OFFENSIVE TACKLE SPECIFIC TRAITS

Pass Protection 2
Upper body strength big part of game (25 reps on bench is right on five-year OT average at Combine). Above average hand placement and stuns edge rushers with powerful punch. Can knock defender on back when he leaves feet to tip pass. Adequate mirror once locked on. Digs in and holds ground against power but top-heavy. Good length but doesn't cover enough distance with kick step. Better fit on right than left.

Run Blocking 3
Above average power and can move defenders off the ball when stays low. Quick getting up to second level and knocks linebackers off course with punch. Pads rise too much though and can get stood up at point. Adequate foot speed and can seal edge when footwork is sound but inconsistent and not ideal fit for zone heavy scheme.

Awareness 3
Above average recognizing and picking up pressure off edge in pass pro. Keeps head on a swivel but late seeing some line stunts. Ducks head and below average locating linebacker on combination blocks. Adequate locating assignment when pulls.

Toughness 3
Got some mean in him. Can put assignment on ground and not let him up. Above average initial aggressiveness but doesn't always block to and through the whistle. Content to get into position and wall off assignment at times.

1 = Exceptional | 2 = Above average | 3 = Average | 4 = Below average | 5 = Marginal

NFL DRAFT SCOUT DRAFT ANALYSIS **

STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES

STRENGTHS:
Athletic with good shuffle to protect the edge, staying light on his feet to mirror. Good set up quickness, patience and reflexes with body coordination and bend.

Strong at the point of attack with powerful initial jolt, generating power from his built upper body and long arms. Doesn't slow at contact, showing latch-and-drive quickness and fight through the whistle. Good vision at the second level and the open field to come off initial block and eliminate the LB/DB - looks natural on combo blocks. Has the frame to get stronger.

Looks to punish and plays with a mean, nasty temperament. Easy to appreciate his on-field demeanor. Energetic finisher and plays through the whistle. Football bloodlines as his father played RB at Utah State and was drafted by Minnesota Vikings (1983), brother played LB at BYU and was drafted by NY Giants (2008).

Four-year starter with time at both left and right tackle (56 career starts - 44 left tackle, 12 right tackle) - two-time consensus All-American (2012-13) and part of three straight FCS National Championships.

WEAKNESSES:
High cut body type with leaner-than-ideal lower body. Needs to keep his belt and butt low to stay balanced and win with leverage. Needs to keep his pad level low and dig his cleats in the ground, can be knocked off balance in space.

Bad habit of lunging and allowing his upper half to be overextended. Needs to stay under control on the move to better break down. Late to protect the edge at times and looks more comfortable when not asked to cover a large area. Needs to do a better job with hand placement to better redirect rushers and keep defenders from attacking his body.

Level of competition is a question mark - didn't face top-flight talent week-to-week in college. All of his experience is at tackle, not inside at guard.

--Dane Brugler

PLAYER OVERVIEW

Turner was a two-star recruit out of high school and didn't receive any FBS scholarship offers, enrolling at North Dakota State where he quickly took over the starting right tackle job.

He moved to left tackle as a sophomore in 2011 where he started 44 straight contests for back-to-back-to-back FCS National Title teams - two-time First-team All-MVC and FCS All-American honors (2012-13).

Turner looks the part with NFL size, length and athleticism, staying light on his feet with natural body control. He needs to learn to consistently sink his hips and not bend so much at the waist, but he has the on-field demeanor and mean attitude to do damage in the NFL.

Turner can play tackle if needed, but is best suited inside and with technique development, he has Pro Bowl potential down the road.

NFL.COM ANALYSIS **

OVERVIEW

Father, Maurice, was a running back and kick returner drafted in the 12th round of the 1983 draft by the Vikings -- played 27 games with the Vikings, Packers and Jets (1984-85, 1987). Half brother, Brian Kehl, is a seven-year NFL linebacker. Billy also played baseball as a Minnesota prep. As a true freshman in 2010, stepped into the lineup in Week Three, starting 12 of 13 games played at right tackle. Suffered a torn right thumb ligament in '11 fall camp -- sat out the season opener, but started all 14 games played at left tackle. Started all 30 games at LT 2012-13. Won three straight I-AA national championships.

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS
Big hands and nice length. Light on his feet. Flashes strength in his punch. Tries to run his feet on contact. Is athletic enough to fan the rush when all his moving parts are coordinated. Aware to handle stunts. Energetic playing temperament -- competes and blocks to the whistle. Four-year starter for the nation's preeminent I-AA program. Smart, hardworking and dependable. Has NFL bloodlines.

WEAKNESSES
Needs to improve his core strength and fortify his base. Plays too tall and narrow-based -- pad level fluctuates. Does not explode on contact. Footwork and technique need refinement. Carries his hands low. Tends to overextend and bend at the waist. Average contact balance and body control. Slides off blocks. Struggles to clear his feet as a puller. Inconsistent connecting and sustaining on the second level.

DRAFT PROJECTION
Rounds 3-4

BOTTOM LINE
Big-framed, raw, aggressive FCS standout who flashes a nice combination of foot quickness, punch strength and nastiness to warrant consideration as a project. Has a bit of a bull-in-a-china-shop element at this stage of his career, but has moldable tools and could easily develop into at least a swing backup and potentially more.

-Nolan Nawrocki

"EXPERT" OPINION

Draftinsider.net’s Tony Pauline
Positives:
" Four-year starter named to numerous all-America teams since his junior season. Athletic, college left tackle who projects to the right side or guard in the NFL. Blocks with good knee bend and tremendous leverage and strong at the point of attack. Gets movement run blocking and annihilates opposing defensive lineman. Plays with a nasty attitude and works blocks. Sees the blitz and gets a pad on opponents to disrupt them from their angle of attack. Keeps his feet and hands active throughout the play, quick off the snap, and makes outstanding use of blocking angles. Easily gets out to the second level and shows the ability to hit a moving target. Takes out as many opponents as necessary off a single snap. Controls defenders once engaged in a block then seals them from the action."

Negatives:
"Mechanical in his footwork. Does not display great lateral blocking range. Lacks balance and haphazard in his movement. Struggled at the Senior Bowl when he was outclassed almost every day in practice."

Final word:
"Turner is a talented prospect who showed steady development in his game. He lacks the natural footwork and the ability to stay at left tackle but will have an opportunity on the right side. Turner offers starting potential down the road if he receives proper coaching and development at the next level."

Jarvis Landry, WR
School: LSU | Conference: SEC
College Experience: Junior
Hometown: Convent, LA
Height/Weight: 6-0 / 205 lbs.

ESPN INSIDER ANALYSIS **

WHAT HE BRINGS
Landry is a better football player than athlete. He lacks an ideal speed and quickness combo but is a fearless working the middle of the field and has a great feel for the position. He plays with great effort and has one of the better sets of hands in this class. Landry does the little things right and compares to former Steelers WR Hines Ward.

HOW HE FITS
The Dolphins are set on the outside with Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline. By drafting Landry, they now provide QB Ryan Tannehill with a reliable slot receiver who has the toughness and natural feel to thrive in the middle of the field. Landry is also an underrated run-blocker who gives great effort sustaining blocks, which should help the run game grow in Miami.

OVERALL FOOTBALL TRAITS

Production 2
2011: (14/1)- 4-43-10.1-0 2012: (13/1)- 56-573-10.2-52013: (13/10)- 77-1,193-15.5-10

Height-Weight-Speed 4
Slightly below average height and arm length (31 3/4'). Adequate bulk and possesses big hands (10 1/4'). Below average speed and explosiveness combination. Clocked in a 4.77 40 yard dash at combine but pulled up with a hamstring injury. Improved time at pro day to 4.65 but still below average. Did not jump well during testing VJ (30 ½') and BJ (9'5') which are both below average.

Durability 2
Played in all 40 games (12 starts) during his three seasons at LSU. Is tough and has proven to be a durable athlete. Suffered stress fracture in foot prior to 2012 fall camp, but did not miss any games.

Intangibles 1
Emerged as a team leader. Named team captain. From a small town in Louisiana. No off the field issues. Mother is Dietra Landry. Has one brother, Gerard, who played football at Southern University.

1 = ExceptionaL | 2 = Above average | 3 = Average | 4 = Below average | 5 = Marginal

WIDE RECEIVER SPECIFIC TRAITS

Separation Skills 2
Good experience in pro-style route tree with wide variety of routes. Doesn't have elite top-end speed or huge frame but uses quickness and savvy to consistently separate from tight man coverage, and excels at finding soft spots in zone coverage. Does a great job of using hands to subtly gain separation from defender when ball is in air. Shows graduate level route running skills, especially using quick hands to get of press and the stemming of his routes.

Ball Skills 1
Excellent focus and natural hand-eye coordination. Has very good body control to adjust. Comes down with more than his share of 50-50 balls. Excellent job competing for ball in traffic and strong hands to secure. Makes tough catches over his head look easy.

Big play ability 4
Has slightly above average height and adequate top-end speed. Not an explosive vertical threat or a make-you-miss runner after catch. Will take jump balls away from defenders vertically. Will spring long runs with his downfield blocking.

Competitiveness 1
One of the tougher WRs in the 2014 class. No fear over the middle. Will take big shot and hold onto ball. Physical, competitive and effective blocker. Competes hard. Love the way this guy plays the game.

1 = Exceptional | 2 = Above average | 3 = Average | 4 = Below average | 5 = Marginal

NFL DRAFT SCOUT DRAFT ANALYSIS **

STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES

STRENGTHS:
Solidly-built frame with above average toughness and body strength. Good build-up speed with smooth quickness and body control. Strong cuts and controlled momentum down the field - very good catch-and-go receiver. Good depth and lean in his routes and won't slow down in his breaks - good patience and plays off defenders to create some room to work.

Above average hands-catcher with quick reflexes and ball skills to pluck fastballs away from his body. Strong hands and very good in contested situations - uses his body and arms to out-muscle defenders. Excellent hand-eye coordination. Nice job catching the ball in stride with a little wiggle after the catch - deceiving moves, balance and toughness and not an easy guy to tackle. Fearless and resilient pass-catcher over the middle and in traffic - very determined.

Always looking for someone to block. Led LSU in catches and receiving scores the past two seasons. Good special teams coverage experience.

WEAKNESSES:
Good size and speed, but limited in both areas. Only average height and length for the position. Takes a few moments to get up to his top-end speed and can be slowed in his routes by physical defenders - will struggle at times vs. press. Not naturally explosive and takes a few moments to gear down - doesn't show the burst to consistently separate with his quickness.

Will get his feet tied up at times in his patterns and has room to tighten his footwork. Strong hands, but he'll have his share of focus drops.

COMPARES TO: Eric Decker, Denver Broncos - Landry is more reliable with his hands and isn't quite as tall, but he projects similar to Decker with their movements, body control and toughness after the catch.

--Dane Brugler

PLAYER OVERVIEW

Landry was ranked as the No. 1 receiver in the nation by MaxPreps.com and No. 4 by Rivals.com and Scout.com coming out of Metairie, La. A five-star recruit, he played in 14 games with one start as a freshman.

He played in 13 games with one more start in 2012, leading the Tigers in receptions (56) and touchdown catches (5) and finishing second with 573 receiving yards. Landry also played significantly on special teams, recording nine tackles and returning four kickoffs for 76 yards and one punt for seven yards.

Landry led LSU with a career-high 77 catches for 1,193 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior, but didn't figure as heavily into the special teams action, returning only one punt for no gain.

Landry is a smooth athlete capable of making dazzling catches, but inconsistently has prevented him from warranting first-round consideration. Landry was particularly adept at getting open on underneath routes for LSU, quickly uncovering at the line of scrimmage while attacking soft zones in coverage before showing his numbers to the quarterback.

He is tough and brave in tight coverage and routinely shows the ability to win in contested situations. While teammate Odell Beckham is probably more of a home-run threat, Landry is the better pro prospect because of his large, reliable hands and natural build and athleticism to do something with the catch.

NFL.COM ANALYSIS **

OVERVIEW

Cousin of 49ers defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, who starred at LSU (2004-07). Highly sought after recruit out of Louisiana. Suffered a stress fracture in his foot in the summer of 2011. As a true freshman in the fall, saw limited action in 14 games (one start) and scratched four receptions for 43 yards (10.8) and zero touchdowns. Added 11 tackles on special teams. Played all 13 games in '12 (one start), producing 56-573-5 (10.2) with nine special-teams tackles. Was the Tigers' leading receiver in '13 -- started 10-of-13 games and racked up 77-1,193-10 (15.5). Was bothered by a foot injury in October. Strained his right hamstring running the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and ran only one route in drills. Team captain.

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS
Good balance and body control. Savvy route runner -- uses stems and nods and works back to throws. Confident hands-catcher -- snatches throws off his frame. Extends and high points. Attacks throws and wins "50-50" balls. Makes some spectacular, acrobatic grabs. Good concentration and toughness over the middle. Does not go down without a fight after the catch. Willing blocker. Lined up outside and inside. Likes to compete and it shows. Has special-teams experience covering kicks. Team captain.

WEAKNESSES
Has a fairly lean frame -- could stand to bulk up and get stronger in order to combat the jam. Lacks elite explosiveness and top-end speed -- does not have an extra gear to take the top off. Average line release, acceleration and suddenness. Could struggle to separate vs. quick-twitch cornerbacks. Large percentage of catches are contested. Lacks ideal height and is not a great leaper. Started just 12 career games.
Draft Projection

DRAFT PROJECTION
Rounds 2-3

BOTTOM LINE
Polished, quarterback-friendly, sure-handed possession receiver with a flare for the highlight-reel catch. Could be an effective No. 3 option, capable of lining up as a "Z" or slot, working short-to-intermediate and beating zone coverage.

-Nolan Nawrocki

"EXPERT" OPINION

Positives? “Consistent receiver best running underneath routes. Displays quickness, sells routes, and separates from opponents exiting breaks. Resilient, works to make plays, and shows tremendous eye-hand coordination. Comes back to the ball to make himself an available target, effective when he extends and catches away from his frame. Makes the difficult catch in the middle of the crowd. Easily makes receptions running down field at full speed and effortlessly adjusts backwards to snatch the ball from the air. Despite his 40-time displays a burst, which he switches on in a single step.”

Negatives? "Possesses average size-speed numbers. Lacks top-end speed and the second gear. Started just one year on a full-time basis at LSU."

Bottom line: “Landry's not a prospect who passes the eyeball test rather a receiver who does the little things well and plays with consistent fundamentals. He has physical limitations but is a savvy route runner who would do very well in a timing offense.” (link)