re: Mock Draft Simulator 2015

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If the Saints don't draft a pass rusher at No. 13, ESPN's Kevin Weidl thinks Virginia DE/OLB Eli Harold will appeal to them at No. 31. The analyst is discussing the pick New Orleans acquired in the Jimmy Graham trade with the Saints. "This may be a little early for Harold, but with edge-rushers such as Beasley, Nebraska's Randy Gregory, Florida's Dante Fowler and Missouri's Shane Ray all likely off the board, he is next in line," Weidl wrote. "He has the developmental upside as a rusher that makes him worthy of taking a chance on in the late first round. While he needs to continue to get stronger, Harold has a lot of natural tools as an edge-rusher. He displays above-average first-step quickness and good torso flexibility bending the edge and flashes some savvy abilities both in working his opponents and maneuvering his pads to get skinny and slip through tight creases." Harold (6-foot-3 and 247 pounds), who will be 21 as a rookie, ran a 1.56 10-yard split on his 4.60 forty at the combine.

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Virginia DE/OLB Eli Harold "is held in high regard," noted the National Football Post's Greg Gabriel, "in NFL draft rooms around the country." "Harold is a very solid high second round pick, but some teams must be considering that with his age and upside, is he worth taking in the first?" Gabriel wrote. Harold (6-foot-3 and 247 pounds) has great size for a 3-4 outside linebacker, and he'll be only 21 years old as a rookie. In addition, his combine numbers were sensational, where he finished 4.6, 1.56 and 4.16 in the 40-yard dash, the 10-yard split and the short shuttle, respectively. "Where Harold needs to improve is with his ability to shed blocks in the run game. Better technique and added strength in the upper body will help achieve that," Gabriel wrote.

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