According to multiple reports today, the supplemental draft can happen and will if players enter. The trouble is, none have entered thus far.
The supplemental draft and suspended Ohio State players
The belief, though, seems to be that the five Ohio State players suspended the first five games of the season may explore entering. The supplemental draft is typically held in July. A league source told ESPN today that an entry deadline hasn’t been established since none have applied.
For a player to be eligible for the supplemental draft, there have to be unique circumstances that changed since the January standard draft deadline. Whether the NFL would consider the resignation of head coach Jim Tressel changed circumstances is a mystery. Other instances of changed circumstances are when a player is ruled ineligible academically or loses his NCAA eligibility for any reason. Unless the NCAA rules quickly on the Terrelle Pryor investigation, it would certainly be a unique instance for them to be allowed into the supplemental draft.
Regardless, the five suspended Buckeyes could get in, should they apply. After the jump, see breakdowns of Pryor, offensive tackle Mike Adams, wide receiver DeVier Posey, running back Dan Herron and defensive end Solomon Thomas.
Terrelle Pryor
6'6, 235 pounds | Quarterback/Athlete | Ohio State
A lightning rod of a prospect, Pryor's pro position remains in question even after three years at quarterback. His numbers improved markedly in 2010, but some his top games were against Ohio, Eastern Michigan and Indiana. The measuring stick for Pryor should be former Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick, a second-round pick this year. Both are big, angular signal callers with strong arms, athleticism and questionable mechanics. The biggest difference between the two seems to be character and work ethic. By all accounts, Pryor lacks both and has thus far gotten by on his immense natural ability.
On the field, as a passer, Pryor has sometimes questionable decision making and is too quick to leave the pocket. Pryor’s best fit in the NFL may be split outside at wide receiver. He’s shown enough shiftiness and agility to be a natural conversion. The trouble is, no one knows if he can catch a ball. Regardless of what position Pryor plays in the NFL, he’s going to be a project both as a player and a person.
Supplemental draft value: Round 4
Mike Adams
6’8, 308 pounds | Offensive tackle | Ohio State
Adams was the Buckeyes’ starting left tackle the last two seasons and has 17 career starts. He was a first-team All-Big 10 player last season. As a pro prospect, Adams looks much more like a right tackle who needs to add strength to his frame. He’s a long player who, in comparison to other linemen, is lean. In pass protection, Adams is a little stiff moving to his left, especially in his second move. He has optimum length for the position but not the foot quickness. He’s shown the ability to anchor on the edge in the run, but isn’t a drive blocker. For a tall lineman, he gets good leverage.
Supplemental draft value: Round 5
Dan Herron
5’10, 205 pounds | Running back | Ohio State
Supplemental draft value: Round 5
DeVier Posey
6’2, 213 pounds | Wide receiver | Ohio State
Pryor's top target in 2010, Posey is a thin wide receiver who excels on comeback routes and shallow crossing patterns. He's a little inconsistent in and out of his breaks and needs to learn how fire quicker on his cuts. Has displayed good hands at times catching the ball away from his frame. Still, Posey is a wide receiver who too frequently drop easy passes (see the Iowa game last season when he dropped a wide open touchdown pass). Has a game that is similar to that of Steve Smith of the New York Giants. Posey has a lot of nice pieces in his game, but he's not a top-level prospect in any area.
Supplemental draft value: Round 4
Solomon Thomas
6’5, 255 pounds | Defensive end | Ohio State
Thomas is part of the defensive end rotation and is mostly a size/speed prospect. It’s unlikely a team would use a draft pick on him.
Supplemental draft value: UDFA
Note: As we’ve seen in the past, high picks aren’t often used in the supplemental draft. These value projections represent that trend.
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