NFL Draft 2015 Scouting Report: TE Clive Walford, Miami, Fla.

*Our TE grades can and will change as more information comes in from Pro Day workouts, leaked Wonderlic test results, etc. We will update ratings as new info becomes available.

**Our TE formulas had some slight changes in the offseason—an adjustment to better identify and value TE prospects that are smaller physically and are primed for the era ahead...the era of Jordan Reed and Delanie Walker-type TEs. Our historical grades will have changed some on various prospects as well, to show their grades by comparison. 

Clive Walford and Maxx Williams are almost identical humans according to the measurables. I mean eerily so.

The tale of the tape (Walford listed first):

 — Height 6’4” vs. 6’3.7”

 — 251-pounds vs. 249-pounds

 — 4.79 40-time vs. 4.78 40-time

 — 20 bench reps vs. 17 bench reps

 — 34” arm-length vs. 33.5” arm-length

 — 10 1/4” hands vs. 10 3/8” hands

The slight nudge on which one has the ‘better’ measurables has to go to Walford—he’s stronger, a touch taller with slightly longer arms. For all intents and purposes, they ran about the same speed and agility times.

So why is it that Williams is a fringe 1st-round pick projection, while Walford is only a fringe 2nd-round pick projection at best…but more 3rd-round on projections? Quite frankly, I think it’s because of their highlight reels.

When you watch Maxx Williams ‘best plays’, they are more eye-candy than anything Walford offers. Walford is more of a ‘hard hat and lunch pail’ worker—not sexy. With Williams, you see a few one-handed grabs on deep balls. You get some leaping catches. It’s pretty graceful. I got sucked in, initially, by his highlights. However, when you start grinding through play-by-play, you realize Williams is ‘good’ not great…and then the Combine data more reveals he is around average-at-best for the NFL.

When you watch Walford work, you don’t get the flashiness. You want to write him off as a dull TE prospect. However, when you watch his play-by-play, you see a more physical, aggressive play with very underrated ‘hands’. He doesn’t jump off the page, but you start to appreciate that he is a quality/decent TE prospect the more you watch.

When I scout Walford, I see a guy working like a weaker, less-talented blocking Dwayne Allen. You may think that’s a pretty decent praise, and it is respectable, but consider that if Allen played for Jacksonville (or the majority of NFL teams) you would never know he existed. Dwayne Allen is not as talented as Jacksonville’s Clay Harbor. Andrew Luck, and the Indy passing game, breathes a little life into Dwayne Allen…and Clay Harbor, well, you know…

Walford is headed for a similar NFL fate as Allen or Harbor. You put Walford on Green Bay—he’s better than 2014 Packers’ draft pick TE Richard Rodgers, and then Walford starts to matter some in the NFL right away…you’ll notice him. You put him on the Bills with E.J. Manuel, and you’ll never hear from him again for four-years.

Clive Walford is a solid NFL TE prospect, but he’s more backup TE than starter…and not a difference-maker. He can hold down the fort ‘OK’ for you.

I watch the tape of Walford, and I see a tough receiver. A guy not afraid to take a hit over the middle. I didn’t see that as much with Maxx Williams. Walford is a more willing blocker with results a little better than Williams.

Walford has big, reliable receiving hands…like Williams. Where both Williams and Walford get in trouble is their lackluster speed-agility. It will be hard for them to get open in the NFL. In that case, Walford is a little taller, longer-armed, and physically tougher catching passes in tight quarters. Williams is more suited to split out and play some hybrid TE/WR, a more finesse TE…he’s no Jimmy Graham or Rob Gronkowski.

Walford has a place in the NFL, but he doesn’t have 2nd-round skills to me…unless you are utterly desperate at TE. There are so many possible team-changing talents to take in the 2nd and 3rd-rounds of an NFL Draft, and Walford is not one of those guys. You’d like him on your team, but you don’t want to pay a lot for him. There’s no need to.

Clive Walford, Through the Lens of Our TE Scouting Algorithm:

One of the main differentiators between Maxx Williams and Clive Walford is what they meant to their offenses. Walford was a nice cog in Miami’s passing game, along with 4-5 other options. He led the team in catches and was 2nd in receiving TDs in 2014—a nice season. Maxx Williams WAS the Minnesota passing game, and everyone knew it, and he still had nice numbers…about double-triple any other Golden Gopher receiver on the team.

Walford really started coming on as a pass game weapon down the stretch of the 2014 season: 5.0 rec. for 82.0 yards and 0.8 TDs in his final five games is very impressive for a TE. He might be a better receiver than our computer models give him credit, if you see him as a late bloomer.

Walford was never dominant or jaw-dropping in games. However, he was a steady assassin in some of them—catching passes in traffic, and holding onto the ball while absorbing big hits. He was steady.

Physically, you cannot get that excited—a 4.79 runner, a decent, but not special 6’4” height with a 30.5” vertical and a so-so 20 reps on the bench press. None of Walford’s measurables get you overly excited. He has big hands 10”+, but that’s about it for ‘wow’ factor.

There is nothing that screams “future star” here, but there is enough to let you know he is an NFL-worthy talent.

The Historical TE Prospects to Whom Clive Walford Most Compares Within Our System:

It’s an encouraging list of comparisons for Walford in our system. Guys like Brent Celek, Fred Davis, and Zach Miller…players who were sneaky good as receivers in the right offensive situation, but were easily forgotten at times as well. They are useful bodies. Celek and Miller stayed relevant because they improved as a blocker. Davis didn’t, and fell off the face of the earth (and has other issues too). The upside for Walford is more weight room work, and becoming a dominant blocker who can catch passes is a decent offense.

*A score of 7.0+ is where we start to take a TE prospect more seriously. A score of 8.50+ is where we see a stronger correlation of TEs going on to become NFL good/great/elite. A score of 10.00+ is more rarefied air in our system and indicates a greater probability of becoming an elite NFL TE.

All of the TE ratings are based on a 0–10 scale, but a player can score negative, or above a 10.0 in certain instances.

 “Speed-Agility Metric” = A combination of unique metrics surrounding speed, agility, physical size, mixed with some on-field performance metrics. High scorers here project to have a better YAC and show characteristics to be used as deep threats/create separation.

“Power-Strength Metric” = A combination of unique metrics surrounding physical size profiling, bench press strength, etc.  High scorers here project to be more physical, better blockers, and less injury-prone.

“Hands Metric” = A combination of unique metrics surrounding on-field performance in college, considering the strength of opponents played. Furthermore, this data considers some physical profiling for hand size, etc. High scorers here have a better track record of college statistical performance, and project the combination of data for receiving success at the next level.

2015 NFL Draft Outlook:

Most people have Walford as either a late 2nd or 3rd-round projection in Mock Drafts, and while I would see him more as a 3rd or 4th-round player, I also get that there is a void at TE in the 2015 NFL Draft, and that might push him into the #50-70 range. In the end, I think he gets drafted right around #60-70 overall.

If I were an NFL GM, I’d say the same thing on Walford as I did about Maxx Williams—I am not wasting a valuable 2nd-round pick on a mildly talented TE…and I don’t care if my team has the need. I’ll sign Rob Housler and Derek Carrier in free agency. I’ll try to make a trade, etc. I’d want that 2nd-pick for something else more impressive.

NFL Outlook:   

The good news for Walford is that given the shallow pool of TEs this year, he should be taken by a team with some TE despair. He could see decent usage right away. His best projection would be a move by Atlanta to add him—he can thrive in the shadows of Julio Jones, et al.

I cannot predict Walford’s NFL future, because he is so dependent upon which team he goes to/what QB he plays with. My guess is he has some moments, but becomes a semi-drifter TE like a Zach Miller or like where Lance Kendricks is headed. Walford will wind up NFL useful, but not very memorable.

3/16/2015