BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Whether it was New England's Bill Belichick feeding a treat to his dog or Green Bay's Matt LaFleur engaging his two young sons, Luke and Ty, between picks — an oft-repeated scene between head coaches and general managers and their children — the virtual 2020 NFL Draft was more humanizing than virtually any ever held.
Aside from grandiose scenes of Arizona's Kliff Kingsbury in his $4.5 million mansion or Dallas owner Jerry Jones on his $240 million yacht, it was refreshing and comforting seeing so many influential decision-makers working out of their offices or rec rooms, including commissioner Roger Goodell kicking back in his basement or Kansas City's Andy Reid sporting his Tommy Bahama shirts.
"It was different not being with all the guys in the (draft) room and the comradery of it, but we kept it pretty loose on our Zoom call," conceded Indianapolis Colts GM Chris Ballard, 50, who attended the UW on a football scholarship in the late '80s (under Don Morton) and early '90s (under Barry Alvarez), but had his football career cut short by knee injuries.
Speaking at his post-draft presser, he went on to stay, "My family being here (with me) made it really special. I think you saw that throughout the league with families and their kids. Look, they sacrifice a lot for us … time away from home … all of us at the office … crazy hours … and with things we miss ...
"And for them to be a part of that this weekend will last them the rest of their lives. I'm very appreciative and thankful for that. How about the NFL raising over 100 million dollars in the (COVID-19) relief efforts? Sometimes what adversity does is bring people together. It brings our country together.
"It's going to bring the world together. That's why we'll overcome this and get through it."
The top players were also cast in a different light and setting during the 2020 draft.
Previously, the projected first-rounders were assembled backstage in a "green room" waiting at tables with select family members to hear their name called. Las Vegas was the scheduled site of this year's event. But the coronavirus pandemic forced a Plan B — or Plan V, for Virtual — featuring more than 60 players in their homes surrounded by the people most responsible for their success.
Among them was tailback UW Jonathan Taylor, who was taken by Indianapolis in the second round. Taylor should be a good fit with an offensive scheme highlighting cutbacks off the inside and outside zone actions. Head coach Frank Reich envisions Marlon Mack and Taylor as complementary pieces and a lethal one-two punch at running back. Mack rushed for over 1,000 yards last season.
Prior to the draft, Reich and Ballard had staff discussions on how to get more explosive on offense and it led them to Taylor with the 41st overall pick. "With that size and 4.3 speed," Reich observed, "we want to turn those 10-yard gains into 50- and 60-yard gains."
Kevin Rogers, the Colts' Director of Pro Personnel, told the Indianapolis Star that he was not bothered by the fact that Taylor had 926 career rushes in three seasons at Wisconsin.
"When Bill Polian was here," Rodgers said of Indy's former general manager, "he used to always say the great backs, they get tackled, they don't get hit. That's the case with Jonathan. You very rarely saw him take a hit, just because he's so nifty. He can avoid contact as he's going down."
Rogers called him a "bell cow" and "genetic freak."
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How much did the New Orleans Saints covet UW linebacker Zack Baun? Enough to deal with Cleveland and move up 14 spots (from No. 88 to 74) to take Baun in the third round. Baun was one of only four selections that the Saints had in the entire draft. They didn't have a pick in the second round.
"As that round was unfolding, we were trying to get back up (in the third round) for this player (Baun)," head coach Sean Payton told ESPN on Saturday. "It took about a half hour to 45 minutes. But finally, we were able to make a trade and we were glad that we were able to.
"There's some versatility with this player that is a little unique. He can be a designated pass-rusher, someone who can help you on third down and be involved in some of your pressures. But I do think this is a player who can play inside at Mike (middle) and at the Sam (strongside) position.
"He's got a great football makeup, a great motor."
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UW Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez has always appreciated the blue-collar workers in the offensive trenches. As a head coach, his initial promise was to build a recruiting wall around the state of Wisconsin to make sure its most precious commodity (offensive linemen) didn't get away.
On Saturday, the Dallas Cowboys tabbed center Tyler Biadasz in the fourth round.
Since 2011, he's the 12th Badgers offensive lineman to be drafted.
"He had a very good career, a consistent career," Alvarez said last week, prior to the draft. "He's a typical tough guy, smart guy, physical player. He'll play for a long time. Unfortunately, he had that (shoulder) surgery and wasn't able to test at the combine or Pro Day. It might cost him a round or two."
There are some small-town parallels between Travis Frederick, a UW All-America center who just retired in Dallas, and Biadasz, also a first-team All-American. Frederick is from Sharon, Wisconsin (Population: 1,563) and Big Foot High School. Biadasz is from the Town of Stockton (2,955) and Amherst High School.
"This is the perfect kind of guy for the Dallas Cowboys," ESPN analyst Louis Riddick said of Biadasz, "in what they want to do offensively, meaning they want to be run-centric with Ezekiel Elliott. He has the kind of physicality on the interior that Dallas likes to really establish as far as their running game.
"They may have found themselves the steal of the draft."
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Not many college wide receivers go 672 days between touchdown catches and still get drafted. But that was the narrative for Quintez Cephus, who went in the fifth round to the Detroit Lions. He was the first UW receiver to be drafted since 2012, when Nick Toon was picked in the fourth round.
On November 4, 2017, Cephus caught a scoring pass at Indiana. He was injured in that game and sidelined for the rest of the season. Coupled with being out of school in 2018, he had to overcome 20-plus months away from football.
In the 2019 home opener against Central Michigan, he got back in the end zone for the first time since that trip to Bloomington. Cephus had six catches overall for 130 yards and two scores, which set the tone for the season. The high point was seven receptions for 122 yards against Ohio State.
At the NFL scouting combine, Buckeyes cornerback Jeff Okudah, who was Detroit's first-round pick, had this to say about Cephus: "He's the best receiver I went against. It doesn't matter what his 40 time is. Football is played between the lines and he's a technician."
UW linebacker Chris Orr noticed a difference in Cephus' game.
"I would say he's more explosive now," Orr said after Cephus stretched the Central Michigan defense with touchdowns of 36 and 46 yards. In '18, the Badgers had only two pass plays of 36-plus yards. "The old Quintez might not have separated. He's added some speed and quick twitch to his game."
Cephus plays faster than he clocks in the 40.
"He's a guy who technically has to win at all three phases of playing wide receiver," Riddick said, "meaning getting off the line of scrimmage, setting up routes and then finishing at the catch point. And he does that. It doesn't matter how many times he runs the 40. He's a 4.65-4.7 guy. That's what he is.
"But he has really good body control, strong hands. He's a tough runner after the catch, although not very elusive. But he will make plays and he should have a productive career."
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Orr didn't get drafted. But he has signed a free agent contract with Carolina.
(For the record, his older brother Zach didn't get drafted, either, out of North Texas. But he wound up playing three seasons at linebacker in Baltimore. In 2016, he led the Ravens in tackles and was named second-team All-Pro. A congenital neck/spine condition forced Zach Orr to retire.)
Interestingly, under first-year head coach Matt Rhule, the Panthers used all seven of their draft picks on defensive players: one defensive end, two tackles, two safeties and two cornerbacks.
A week ago, Alvarez had a very telling comment on Orr:
"Someone will take him," Alvarez said. "I don't know if he'll get drafted. But he's going to get an opportunity. And they'll like him. The linebacker coach will like him. The coordinator will like him. The head coach will like him. He'll get a chance and then he'll make the team."
