Each year I write this column. Usually, the players turn out to be pretty good because I pay zero attention to anything other than their football games, with this year’s exception of a punter doing bench press reps. I don’t care about their forty times. I don’t care about their three-cone. I just know what happened when they played football games against other football players.
Editor’s Note I: These are not the players I think are the five best in the draft. These are the five I like best.
Editor’s Note II: I loved Mitch Trubisky. I was wrong.
#6. Michael Turk, P, Arizona State
Why is a punter benching this much? Why is a punter benching at all?
He’s a good punter. He’s a legacy player. And he’s got toughness to him. Don’t be surprised if he’s still punting in the league a decade from now.
#5. K.J. Hamler, WR, Penn State
Here are the names usually associated with Hamler:
Ted Ginn Jr.
Tyreek Hill.
Tavon Austin.
Speed. Speed. Speed for days and night and long weekends and bank holidays. The Bears desperately need speed. Hamler has enough to fire up the grill and cook the hot dogs.
But here’s what stood out to me, watching Hamler’s tape. When he was lined up against the top corner in this draft, Ohio State’s Jeffrey Okudah, he shook him in press coverage. (Thanks to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com for pointing that out.) Hamler isn’t going to fit every offense. But there’s an offense in the midwest that he fits perfectly.
