2014 NFL Draft: Ra’Shede Hageman visits three teams
Minnesota Golden Gophers product Ra’Shede Hageman is one of the most physically gifted interior defensive linemen in the 2014 NFL Draft class, and he will most likely go in the 20-32 range this year. Hageman has some concerns over his consistency, but there is no doubt that he’s a disruptive presence with an elite combination of tools and size. He carried Minnesota’s defense last season, but there are plenty of people who think that he could end up busting in the NFL and is a risky prospect overall.
The National Football Post’s Aaron Wilson reports that Hageman recently worked out for or visited with the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, and Indianapolis Colts. His short-area quickness, agility, athleticism, and size could make him a tantalizing prospect for any of those three teams due to his upside, even if none of those teams have a massive need for a defensive lineman.
Although the Falcons say they aren’t going to move to a 3-4, I would honestly consider them a 3-4 (or a 3-4 hybrid) team after all of the moves they made on the D-Line in free agency. The Cardinals and Colts are undoubtedly 3-4 teams, and Hageman could fit as a 1-tech DT or 3-tech DE in the 3-4 scheme. It’s going to be interesting to see how he fits in the NFL, but he might be best off as a 4-3 DT playing the 1-tech in that scheme.
The Colts signed Arthur Jones, the Cardinals have excellent talent on their line, and the Falcons made big moves at DL, so it’s possible that these teams think Hageman could slip on draft day and view him as a final piece to the puzzle. After all, the Colts don’t have a first-round pick in this year’s draft. However, I couldn’t see a player with Hageman’s raw talent and upside lasting past the first, so the Falcons and Cards would have to snap him up if they like him enough.