With the No. 68 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders have selected tight end Clive Walford of Miami. Walford is considered one of the top tight ends in the draft alongside Minnesota's Maxx Williams.
NFL Draft picks 2015: Clive Walford to Raiders in 3rd round
Clive Walford may be a project, but his potential is high as a tight end at the next level.
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Walford is a solid blocker with a lot of potential as a receiver, but his receiving ability hasn’t come along as quickly as hoped. He had 10 drops in 2012 and 2013 combined, and didn’t do a lot to improve on that last season. However, he is fast and physical against smaller corners.
Walford is a big-bodied tight end who can catch balls over cornerbacks without leaping, and he’s being drafted a lot more for his potential than his actual college production. That’s usually the case for tight ends, though, and Walford seems to have a high ceiling. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.79 seconds and put up a 35-inch vertical jump, 120-inch broad jump and 4.57-second 20-yard shuttle at the NFL Combine in February.
Walford will need to work on his drops and still needs to improve as a blocker, but he looks like a player who can contribute as a rookie.
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