On Thursday, July 9, the 2014 NFL Supplemental Draft will take place. According to NFL reporter Ian Rappoport, there are four players eligible to be selected.
The Arizona Cardinals were reportedly present for the Pro Day of defensive tackle Lakendrick Ross, who is one of the four players eligible.
The Cardinals have only taken two players ever in the supplemental draft, both in consecutive years. In 1989, with a first round pick, the team selected quarterback Timm Rosenbach. The next year, in 1990, using a ninth round pick, they drafted LSU tight end Willie Williams, whom they converted into an offensive tackle.
If a team selects a player in the supplemental draft, they forfeit a pick of that round in the following year's draft.
So who are these four players?
One is Ross, a 6-5, 366-pound defensive tackle out of Virginia-Lynchburg. He was academically ineligible in 2013.
The second prospect is New Mexico's Chase Clayton. Clayton played running back and defensive back for the Lobos, according to Sport Reference. He only appeared in one game in 2013, but was a dynamic kick returner in 2012, averaging over 30 yards per return and scoring twice. He is listed at 6-3, 204.
The third is North Carolina linebacker Darius Lipford. At 6-3, 245 pounds, he played the "bandit" position for the Tar Heels, which is a OLB/DE combo position, according to his draft profile. He missed all of 2012 with a knee injury. He had 29 tackles in 2013, six for losses and 2.5 sacks. He was a teammate of Cardinals third round pick Kareem Martin. The two combine for a turnover in this highlight:
The fourth is SMU RB Traylon Shead. At 6-2, 230 pounds, he is big. In four games last season, he rushed the ball 51 times for 197 yards and three scores, averaging 3.9 yards per carry. PFT reported that nine teams were at his Pro Day.
Here are some highlights:
Based on what information there is, it seems unlikely the Cardinals would pull the trigger on any of these guys. My guess that Ross would be the only one with any interest (hence the visit to his Pro Day), but that might have been more for free agent purposes than anything else.
Are any of these guys worthy of a supplemental pick?