The Lay
of the Land
by Colin Lindsay
GBN Editor and Publisher
April 8, 2013
Looking for a little clarity on how the 2013 draft is
evolving. You’ve probably come to the wrong place! Indeed, the more one
tries to figure it out, the less one feels one knows. There is, for
example, no consensus #1 prospect like Andrew Luck or Cam Newton the
past couple of drafts. Kansas City still looks prepared to take Texas
A&M OT Luke Joeckel with this year’s top pick, although its hardly
a lock; however, it also appears that other teams would take different
players if they had the #1 selection. As well, even with just 17 days
to go until the actual draft, there still appears to be a significant
amount of movement on draft boards around the league that may very well
continue right up until draft day.
Who’s hot: Arguably the hottest player in the 2013 draft class looks to
be Oregon DE/LB Dion Jordan. Until recently, NFL teams weren’t quite
sure the 6-6, 248-pound former Duck was a 4-3 DE or a 3-4 edge rusher,
but it appears that most of the team’s with top picks in this year’s
opening round have concluded he has elite potential as either. There
are still concerns about a bad shoulder and the fact that Jordan was
never super productive Oregon, but it appears he has joined the top row
of prospects for this year’s draft which also likely includes Joeckel,
Central Michigan OT Eric Fisher and Florida DT Sharrif Floyd. At the
same time, one continues to hear that just about every team in the
league thinks that West Virginia WR Tavon Austin is the most dynamic
playmaker in this year’s draft. Because he isn’t very big at barely
5-9, 174, Austin isn’t a lock to go in this year’s top 10 picks, but
the sense is that teams with picks 6 through 10 are definitely giving
him a long look.
At the same time, it appears that blue/red chip pot could be shrinking
as the draft approaches. In particular, it is very possible that WRs
Cordarelle Patterson of Tennessee and Cal’s Keenan Allen, along with
CBs Xavier Rhodes of Florida State and Washington’s Desmond Trufant,
who have all been considered mid-first round type prospects could be
slipping. Patterson, for example, has uncommon physical skills, but
isn’t a polished route-runner or receiver, while Allen, who was never a
burner to begin with, will only try and work out for pro teams later
this week after missing the combine and his pro day while rehabbing
from a knee injury. Meanwhile, Rhodes has impressive size, but may be
strictly limited to press coverage schemes as he isn’t all that quick
or agile. For his part, scouts love Trufant’s feisty attitude and
terrific recovery speed, but was way too inconsistent on tape last
fall. The bottom is hardly going to fall out on any one of these guys,
however, no one should be surprised if one or all slip into the bottom
third of this year’s opening round.
The jury is also still deliberating about Florida State DE Bjoern
Werner. A top 5 prospect heading into the combine, Werner’s status
appears to have been in something of a free fall after he tested poorly
in Indianapolis, especially given that he lacks ideal size and length
for a prototype NFL DE. Bottom line is that Werner could be a real wild
card on April 25th who could go literally go anywhere from just outside
the top 10 to deep into the opening round. There are also some very
curious vibes regarding Alabama OG Chance Warmack, who a lot of
analysts have rated one of the top prospects period this year. However,
Warmack isn’t getting much love from teams with top 10 picks this year.
Indeed, while the rest of players considered to be top 10 prospects
have been crisscrossing the country dropping in on teams with early
selections, the only invites Warmack has apparently received to date
are from Dallas and the Giants who pick 18th and 19th respectively this
April. Of course, the danger for a guy like Warmack has always been
that OG just isn’t a valued first-round position; plus he’s just not
that athletic; indeed, we aren’t sure if anyone who runs a 5.5 40 can
be a top 10 prospect just on principle. Time will tell.
At the same time, just about every year, a player or two not on the
first-round radar pops up in the middle of the opening round. Last
year, for example, DEs Bruce Irvin and Shea McClellin, neither of who
was considered to be more than a fringe first-round candidate, were
selected 15th and 19th overall respectively last April by Seattle and
Chicago. Of course, NFL teams don’t make their picks off the consensus
draft-guru grades, but use their own value board. And there’s just no
accounting for taste! Guys not generally considered to be first-round
characters this year, but who could pop up in the middle part include
Florida State Menelik Watson, arguably the next best LT prospect this
year after the big three of Joeckel, Fisher and Johnson, Boise State CB
Jamar Taylor, Tennessee WR Justin Hunter and Florida State DE Tank
Carradine.
*******
WHO'S
HOT; WHO'S NOT HEADING TO INDY
February 20, 2013
Perhaps the fastest rising prospect
heading into the scouting combine this week in Indianapolis is Florida
DT Shariff Floyd. Indeed, there’s a growing buzz around the draft
community that more than one team has Floyd with a potential top 10
grade for the upcoming draft, although most teams appear to still have
Star Lotulelei of Utah as the #1 rated player at the position. Floyd is
a stoutly built 303-pounder with a thick lower body who does a nice job
anchoring at the point of attack, although he is primarily a 3-tech
type interior defensive lineman who is most effective jumping into
gaps. Floyd is explosive off the snap, keeps his pads low and has a
nice good motor. This past season Floyd led the Gators with 13 tackles
for loss including 3 sacks. The big issue for Floyd, though, is does he
have the natural closing speed to be a consistent factor rushing the
passer on 3rd downs at the next level. Purdue DT Kawann Short also
appears to be moving up draft boards across the league. In fact, no one
ever doubted that Short has first-round physical tools, but there were
questions about his motor and work ethic. However, after a solid week
at the Senior Bowl, Short is again starting to get some serious opening
round consideration.
One of the leading stories entering the combine is the very real
possibility that no offensive skill position player - QB, RB or
receiver - will be chosen among this year’s top 10 picks. Of course, it
is always possible that some team will ultimately reach for a QB such
as West Virginia’s Geno Smith. At the same time, Tennessee WR
Cordarelle Patterson will be looking to make the case at this week’s
combine that he has the big-play athleticism to warrant an early
selection this coming April. If nothing else, Patterson appears to have
supplanted California’s Keenan Allen, who won’t workout in Indianapolis
while he continues to rehab from a torn PCK suffered late last season,
as the top WR prospect. Patterson actually only played one-year of
major college football after transferring to Tennessee from a junior
college where he was a two-time All-American who was rated the #1 JC
recruit in the country last fall. Indeed, Patterson is still an
unpolished route runner and needs to maintain focus on every reception,
but is a freakish athlete with good size and 4.4 type speed who has
explosive acceleration with the ball in his hands. In fact,
Patterson, who averaged almost 17 yards per reception this past season,
also doubles as a dangerous punt and kick returned who had a couple of
return TDs this season, while he is also dangerous on sweeps and bubble
screen plays.
Like Tennessee’s Patterson, Florida State OT Menelik Watson doesn’t
have a lot of experience at the D1A level. In fact, Watson doesn’t have
a lot of football experience period as he only took up the game two
years ago after coming to the US from England on a basketball
scholarshp. Watson, however, is another freakish athlete with the
potential to blow up the combine. At 6-5 and 320 pounds, he’ll be
looking to run in the 4.9 range at the combine. Watson also has the
light feet and long arms of a prototype LT and has the strong hands to
deliver a solid initial punch. Needless to say, Watson is also as raw
as they come and can be slow to react at times and will play too high
at others. There also concerns about how committed he will be to the
game down the road, however, in a year in which there aren’t many true
LT prospects other after the likes of Luke Joeckel of Texas A&M,
Eric Fisher of Central Michigan and Oklahoma’s Lane Johnson, Watson has
seen his grade rise at least into the late second round area.
Meanwhile, other players who stock appears to be on the rise include
LSU MLB Kevin Minter, who isn’t quite there yet, but is starting to get
mentioned in the same sentences as Manti Te’o of Notre Dame and
Georgia’s Alec Ogletree, the top-rated prospects at the position who
have to explain away some off-field stuff at this week’s combine.
Louisiana Tech WR Quinton Patton, Southern Miss OLB Jamie Collins and
Missouri Southern DT Brandon Williams also appear to be on the rise.
On the other hand, the stock of Texas DE Alex Okafor and Alabama C/G
Barrett Jones may be slipping. No one is questioning Okafor’s college
productivity; he also has an unquestioned motor and is as technically
proficient as any DE to come out in a while, however, he lacks that
quick-twitch explosion off the snap and as a result could drop into the
middle of the second round. Same story for Alabama’s Jones, arguably
the most versatile lineman in the country who played LT, OG and C on
the Tide’s recent national championship winning teams, but may lack the
overall strength to be considered a late-first round pick. It is also
possible that the grade of Clemson WR DeAndre Hopkins could also be on
the decline. Like Okafor and Jones, Hopkins was a phenomenally
productive college player who had 82 receptions in 2012 for over 1,400
yards and 18 TDs, but may lack the pure foot speed to be a true
big-play threat at the next level.
WAITING
IN THE WINGS
by
David Syvertsen January 17, 2013
While the grading process still has a
ways to go, I’ve
noticed that the media and public opinion have yet to get past
preseason
rankings of NFL prospects.As time
passes and the more games tapes that are watched, I expect a good
amount of
players to move up the big board while pushing down the guys that
underachieved.Here are three
names that will surge upward and the players at their respective
positions I
expect them to replace.
LB Dion Jordan –
Oregon - 6-7/243 .... What coaches and general managers want
at the top of round
one is upside, versatility, and the ability to contribute early on.Dion Jordan has all three.A freakish athlete with his ability to
play low despite his height.Technically
sound with good arm/hand use.Very fast,
very fluid in space.Jordan
spent a lot of time rushing the edge, out wide in
coverage against wide receivers, and filling lanes against the run.He has the frame for more weight, and
he will fit in to any scheme.Jordan is an
explosive athlete with length, aggression,
and
versatility.He is a top 10
caliber player. <>
Who He Will Replace:
LB Barkevius Mingo – 6’4/240
Mingo has been overhyped because
of his tool set.I’ve seen plenty of LSU
over the past
two years and he is not a guy that shines for an entire game.He shows small flashes here and there,
but I don’t see the potential superstar here.He
is a great athlete, but he lacks a true physical
presence.A few years of weight
training may help, but some guys simply don’t have the explosive upper
body to
win the one on one battles.Speed
is attractive, but the power still needs to be there.Mingo is a guy I think will struggle to be more than a 3rd
down pass rusher.
<>DE Ezekiel Ansah –
BYU – 6-6/270 ... <>Anash is a raw football
player.He
is relatively new to the game, and he still has a ways to
go when it comes to football IQ.Keeping
that in mind while I watch his game tapes hard to
believe at
times and it makes me believe he has the highest ceiling of any
defensive end
in this class.Ansah is a huge
body that is already well developed.He is
very physical.Often
sends a jolt to offensive linemen upon contact when he plays low and
has his
weight behind him.Bends well, can
play low while maintaining power.Put him
in to an NFL weight training program and you may
have a mix of
Jason Pierre-Paul and Mario Williams.Ansah
will steal the show at the combine and that could
throw him in to
the top 10. <>
Who He Will Replace:
DE DaMontre Moore – Texas A&M – 6’4/250
Moore is arguably the most
productive defensive player in
this draft when looking at the past two seasons.38.5
tackles for loss and 21 sacks, with one of those
seasons in the SEC.Moore has
upside, especially considering 2012 was his first full year as a
defensive
end.He has the frame and length
to add bulk.Very aggressive,
explosive upper body.The more I
see him on tape though, I notice a lot of his production comes on
broken down
plays.That speaks volumes about
his hustle.While important, a
high draft pick needs a certain tool set to go along with the
aggression.I question his ability to
consistently
win the one on one battles against NFL blockers.
<>DT Sharrif Floyd –
Florida – 6-3/303 ... <>Pound for pound, Floyd
may be one of the most explosive
athletes in the entire class.He
carries 300+ pounds with ease.Very
powerful player that can stand up interior blockers.Has the quickness to sneak by them and
disrupt the action in the backfield.Floyd
has been moved back and forth between the inside and
outside.No matter what, he makes an
impact
because he creates a mismatch.NFL
defenses is all about mismatches, especially in the trenches.He is too elusive for guards, too
powerful for tackles and tight ends.He
fits in to any scheme and in the era of amoeba defenses
and altering
schemes, Floyd has a lot of value. <>
Who He Will
Replace:Johnathan Hankins – Ohio
State – 6’3/335
Another guy that is moved along
the defensive line, Hankins
brings a different kind of versatility.He
carries a lot of weight, possibly too much.He
moves well in pursuit, a guy that can get
after it
laterally.Dancing bear type.As big as Hankins is, I don’t see the physical
presence against the inside run.He does
not anchor well, often leaving his gap and getting
out too
wide.Hankins has the right
size/athletcism ratio to be drafted in the first round, but if you lack
the
power, your grade suffers.
*********
MAYBE SHOUDDA STOOD IN SCHOOL
by David Syvertsen January 14, 2013
A big group of underclassmen have made the decision to sign
with agents and declare themselves eligible for the 2013 NFL Draft.Most were expected, but a few surprises
caught my eye.We have to remember
that these decisions are not always based on their projection handed
out by the
NFL Draft Advisory Board.Some
youngsters need to provide money for their families.Others want to escape the rigors of academia.With that said, there are a handful of
guys that I feel made the jump 12 months too soon, forfeiting their
opportunities to fine tune their respective games and mold themselves
in to
much higher selections in 2014. <>
Tharold Simon – CB – LSU – 6-3/193 .... Was a nickel/dime
package guy for the first two years of his
career, playing behind Tyrann Mathieu and Morris Claiborne.Still saw plenty of action leading up
to 2012.Full time starter and did
really well.Quarterbacks avoided
throwing to his side week after week.May
be the best deep pass defender in the nation.Incredibly
long.Can
run with anyone down the
field.Long strider with savvy
ball skills.Taller, longer
athletes are heavily sought after in defensive backfields these days.Simon has that.He
struggles underneath however, and he
has minimal physical presence.One
of the softest cornerbacks you’ll find in this draft class.Appears to be afraid of contact.Simon’s cover skills are close to being
first round caliber.He simply
needs to add a more physical element to his game and work on his
footwork
against short and intermediate routes.
<>
Levine Toilolo – TE – Stanford – 6-8/265 .... Has played the
same position as first round caliber players
his entire career.Coby Fleener
and Zach Ertz were ahead of him on the depth chart since 2009.Still saw plenty of playing time in
2011 and 2012, but his receiving skills are a little bit of an unknown.Big time blocker with tremendous reach,
powerful legs.Stanford uses their
tight end as a focal point in the passing game.Toilolo
would have been the guy next year.Passing
on the opportunity leaves a big
question mark on the scouting sheet when it comes to his ability as a
receiver.
<>Jelani Jenkins – LB – Florida – 6-0/237 ... Very
puzzled by this decision.Coming in to
2012, Jenkins was one of the players to watch
on the Gator defense.Has experience
at middle linebacker and on the weak side.Very
explosive.Can fill a lane fast and hard.Can close a gap between him and the ball
carrier in a
blink.Good blitzer, tough guy to block.Jenkins missed a lot of time in 2012
though.Between injuries to his
thumb and hamstring, Jenkins was not on the field enough in 2012 to get
a good
feel for his NFL potential.He has
the speed and quickness, but he may not be strong enough for the league
yet.While he plays aggressive and
physical,
he lacks presence against linemen.More of
a pursuit linebacker.Those kind of guys,
especially ones with injury woes,
don’t fare well in
the grading process.A full year
in 2013 playing against SEC offenses could have done a lot for his
final grade.
Alec Ogletree – LB – Georgia – 6-3/232 .... <>May be
the
best overall athlete among all the linebackers in
this class.But if you pop in any
game tape from 2012, you’ll notice Ogletree’s lack of ability to play
the
inside run.He is relatively new
to the position, does not have a lot of experience there.Plays upright and lacks any sort of
staying power against blockers.Can be
ridden out of plays time after time.Undisciplined
in pursuit, leaving wide open cutback
lanes.Makes a ton of tackles in
space and can chase defenders from behind, but he is a liability inside.If he opted to return for another year
and prove he could shed blocks, play bigger inside, Ogletree would have
ended with
a higher grade then any inside linebacker we’ve seen a long time.
********
Who’s not
#1 this year, but just wait … by Colin Lindsay,
Editor
and Publisher, Great Blue North Draft Report
December 17, 2012
With
the college
football regular season in the books, the bowls just under and the top
post-season all-star games now just over a month away, there is still
no
consensus top prospect for the 2013 draft.Part
of the problem, of course, is that it does not appear
as if there
will any QBs worth the top pick this year, although Geno Smith of West
Virginia
and/or Southern Cal’s Matt Barkley are still potential top ten
prospects. Take
a poll of pro scouts as to who is the top prospect, though, and you’ll
get a
myriad of answers. Some teams, for example, have Texas A&M junior
OT Luke
Joeckel at the top of their board, while a number of other teams have
either Georgia
junior OLB Jarvis Jones or Utah DT Star Lotolelei in the #1 slot. We’ve
even
heard some whispers that no one should be surprised if Texas A&M
junior DE
Damontre Moore is ultimately the first guy off the board this coming
April.
Take the same poll of pro scouts and the
current college
player that just about every team in the league would snap up with the
top pick
if they had it would be South Carolina sophomore DE Jadevon Clowney.
However,
the 6-6, 260-pound Clowney who had 21 sacks in his who had 21 sacks in
his two
years of eligibility including 13 this past season, won’t be draft
eligible
until 2014. In fact, a pretty good case could be made that true
sophomores
would make up a crowd at the top of the 2013 draft if they were
eligible for
this year’s draft. What Clowney is to the defense, for example,
Southern
California WR Marqise Lee is to the offense. Indeed Lee, a speedster
who also
runs track for the Trojans in the off-season, emerged as college
football’s
most dangerous receiver this fall when he caught 112 passes for 1,700
yards and
14 scores.Meanwhile, Clemson WR Sammy
Watkins isn’t all that far behind, although he wasn’t able to duplicate
his
fabulous freshman year this past season as he dealt with some off-field
stuff
as well some injury issues; still, like Lee, he’s a top 5 prospect with
track
speed. And while the defensive line appears to be the strength of the
2013
draft, there is a better than even chance that Notre Dame 5-tech DE
Stephon
Tuitt, a 305-pounder who had 12 sacks this past season, would also come
off the
board within the first 5 or so picks were he eligible this spring,
especially
given the fact that he will no doubt get plenty of looks as 4-3 DT
whenever he
does enter the draft. Then there is Arizona RB Ka’Deem Carey who led
the nation
in rushing this fall with almost 150 yards per game and topped it off
with
another 172 yards and three scores in the Wildcats improbable comeback
win over
Nevada in the New Mexico Bowl. For the year, the 5-9, 200-pound Carey
ran for
1,929 yards and 23 scores, while adding another 300-plus yards on 36
carries.Of course, those guys have to
stay healthy
and productive, but suggests that 2014 could be something of a special
draft.
Guess who’s
coming to dinner … It’s that time of year when
invites to next month’s major all-star games start to dribble out. Indeed, one of the intriguing aspects of
events like the Senior Bowl is exactly who does get invited. NFL teams,
for
example, are consulted as to which players get invited to games like
the Senior
Bowl and of course they want to see the best competing against the
best. One
player who definitely fits that category is Fresno State SS Phillip
Thomas who
has been invited to Mobile despite the fact he has not been generally
rated as
highly as some other safeties around the county. However, Thomas was a
legitimate consensus all-American this past season in which he led the
nation
with 8 interceptions, three of which he returned for TDs; Thomas, a
solid
215-pounder with decent 4.55-type speed,
also led the Bulldogs with 82 tackles including 4 sacks and 8 other
tackles for
loss. All that after Thomas missed the entire 2011 season after
suffering a
broken leg and dislocated in pre-season drills.
It
is also hardly a stretch to suggest that
neither of Georgia Southern FS J.J. Wilcox nor Cornell OT J.C. Tretter
are
exactly household names even among the most diehard draft watchers.
However,
both are late bloomers from lower-level programs who will also be in
Mobile for
the Senior Bowl next month. Wilcox, for example, actually played
offense his
first three years at GSU where he switched from wide receiver to
slotback and
then finally to RB before converting to safety this fall. The 215-pound
Wilcox
responded with 88 tackles and a couple of picks for the Eagles whose
season
ended this past weekend with a tough loss to #1 ranked North Dakota
State in
the D1AA national semi-finals. For his part, Tretter also started his
collegiate
career as a receiver, although as a TE, but started the past two years
at LT.
Tretter isn’t all that big at barely 6-3, 300 and likely will have to
slide
inside to OG at the next level, however, he’s a former high school
basketball
star with very light feet, good football smarts and a solid work ethic.
October
25
Arguably the top draft story of the first half of the
season was the meteoric rise of West Virginia QB Geno Smith to the top
of boards around the league as he put RGIII type numbers through the
first half of the campaign. Over the past couple of weeks, though, the
Mountaineers have crashed back to earth with lopsided losses to Texas
Tech and Kansas State in which they were outscored 104-28. Along with
the rest of the Mountaineers, Smith’s play the past two weeks has been
very ordinary leading - heck, he’s even thrown a couple of picks - to
questions as to whether his grade his inflated. And while its hard to
get an accurate reading after just two down games, the simple answer
seems to be ’no’ although Smith will certainly be subjected to some
intense scrutiny over the final 5 weeks of the season. The fact is that
pro teams don’t draft guys to play college football. Rather, they are
looking for players with the tools to make impact plays at the next
level and Smith still appears to have an intriguing skill set including
a strong arm and quick release. And despite the current slump, Smith
still has posted incredible overall numbers this season including a 74%
completion rate and 26 TD passes against just 2 interceptions. At the
same time, though, there aren’t many scouts out there that currently
rate Smith as anywhere nearly as good a prospect as Cam Newton who went
first overall two years ago and Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin, the
first two players off the board this past April.
A couple of other prospects who can expect some extra scrutiny over the
next month are LSU junior DEs Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo. Both
have been rated as potential top 10 prospects pretty much all season,
but truth be told, neither have been that dominating this fall. Indeed,
through 7 games to date this fall, Montgomery has just 4 sacks, while
Mingo has only three. That’s not bad, but hardly the stuff expected of
elite pro prospects. The duo had a chance to show off their stuff this
past weekend when LSU played at Texas A&M and its star junior
bookend OTs Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews. And while the Tigers
survive a tough road date, the decision up front clearly went to the
Aggie tackles. Mingo and Montgomery, for example, had just 5 tackles
between them, and while Mingo was credited with a sack, it came when he
was blocked by a TE.
The LSU DEs performance also paled in comparison with that of Texas
A&M tweener junior DE Damontre Moore who was a one-man wrecking
crew against the Tigers as he rang up 10 tackles including a sack and
another tackle for loss despite the fact he actually played less than a
half as he was forced to leave the game early with a leg injury. In
fact, Moore leads the entire country with 9.5 sacks and has really
started to attract serious opening round interest from NFL scouts.
Moore is a solidly built 250-pounder with good lower body strength; he
also has a quick, powerful first step and gets great leverage turning
the edge. Moore is also relentless in pursuit and is reasonably
comfortable in coverage, although there are still some questions about
his pure foot speed and pro scouts aren‘t sure he‘ll necessarily clock
a real fast 40 time, although anything in the 4.70 range would
probably lock up a spot in the mid-to-late first round.
Needless to say, A&M OTs Joeckel and Matthews were able to solidify
their current grades with their solid outings against LSU. Joeckel, in
particular, looks to be a serious top 10 possibility this coming April
if he opts to turn pro this winter, while Matthews is a later opening
round prospect. In fact, it would appear that it could be a solid year
at OT this year with Michigan junior LT Taylor Lewan also sitting
nicely in the middle of the opening round. Meanwhile, one of the
fastest risers in the 2013 draft class is Central Michigan OT Eric
Fisher who currently appears to be the top-rated senior OT prospect who
is starting to attract some late first round interest of his own. At
over 6-6 and 305 pounds, Fisher has nice length, along with very good
balance and body control for a guy that size. He is also very light on
his feet and does a nice job cutting off the edge against speed
rushers. Fisher is also a solid run blocker, although he is a more of a
seal-off blocker than a mauler and could stand to add some bulk and
strength. Of course, playing in the MAC, Fisher doesn’t see a lot of
quality opponents on a week-in, week-out basis so will be really tested
in the post-season all-star game process.
There is actually a second MAC OT making a move up draft boards around
the league as Brian Winters of Kent State is also making a name for
himself. Winters is 6-5, 310 with very good quickness, and while he
isn’t rated anywhere as nearly as highly as CMU’s Fisher has at least
some mid-round potential. Meanwhile, other veteran OTs who are
attracting second looks by pro scouts include John Wetzel of Boston
College, Oscar Johnson of Louisiana Tech, LaAdrian Waddle of Texas
Tech, Terron Armstead of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Jeff Nady of Nevada and
Luke Marquardt of Azusa Pacific. Meanwhile, for those wondering where
OT Manase Foketi is in Kansas State's unbeaten run so far this season
that has the Wildcats thinking BCS championship, he's playing at DII
West Texas A&M after transferring prior to the start of the season.
Foketi, who started all 13 games at LT in 2010, but missed most of last
season with an ankle injury, wanted out at K-State for some reason and
ended up going the DII route when KSU refused his requests to release
him from his scholarship.
October
11
Prior to the start of the season, pro scouts figured that QB was going
to be one of the primary strengths of the 2013 draft. However, despite
the remarkable performance so far of West Virginia’s Geno Smith, who is
now considered to be among the top 2-3 prospects for next April’s
draft, it has not been a particularly good year at all at the position.
The struggles of Matt Barkley of USC and Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson, who
had been considered to be top 5 prospects for 2013 prior to the start
of the season, have been well documented.
At the same time, the expectation prior to the season was that a cadre
of very good junior QBs would be adding some talented depth to the
position. Logan Thomas of Virginia Tech, for example, who reminded a
lot of scouts of Cam Newton, the first player selected at the 2011
draft who went on to become the NFL’s rookie of the year last year with
Carolina, was thought to have the kind of special physical talent to
move well up into the top 10. Meanwhile, Tennessee’s Tyler Bray was
considered to have mid-first round type potential while Aaron Murray of
Georgia, LSU’s Zach Mettenberg and Casey Pachall of Texas Christian
were thought to be second round candidates.
However, it hasn’t quite worked out that way. Thomas has struggled with
his accuracy and decision-making in the pocket as the Hokies have lost
three games already this year, while Pachall is currently in rehab as a
result of substance use issues and Mettenberg is struggling to hang
onto his starting job at LSU. Meanwhile, Bray and Murray have
thrown the ball reasonably well most of the year, but haven’t
consistently been able to raise the level of their play in big games.
Murray, in particular, was just 11 for 31 passing this past weekend
when UGA got blown out 35-7 at South Carolina. The end result is that
no one is talking much about any of these guys as being likely to leave
school early and enter the upcoming draft, although Bray could still
attract some late first round attention.
One junior QB who does appear to have been able to polish his draft
grade among pro scouts is Derek Carr of Fresno State. Carr is the
younger brother of David Carr, the first player selected at the 2002
draft. Like his older brother, Derek is a good athlete with 4.7 speed,
but is a little taller and has better mechanics. So far this year,
Derek has completed almost 70% of his passes, including 18 for TDs
against just three picks as he has directed the Bulldogs‘ spread
offense to almost 40 points per game to date this season. Carr is
still a long shot to enter this year’s draft, but could get some top
100 consideration as a potential developmental QB should he make the
decision to turn pro this winter.
In fact, Fresno State has more than its share of interesting prospects
for the upcoming draft. RB Robbie Rouse, for one, isn’t very big at
barely 5-7, 185, but he’s been one of the most productive backs in the
country over the past couple of seasons. This year, for example,
Rouse is on pace to rush for over 1,500 yards and catch close to 70
passes. Again, because of his size, Rouse isn’t going to move the
pile, however, he runs with good vision and patience, can turn on a
dime and has a burst when he gets a seam. Rouse will likely ever
be a full-time starter in the NFL, but could start to get some looks in
the middle rounds as a potential complimentary back with the running
skills to be one of those guys that teams like New England turn into
productive players despite the lack of prototype measurable. Meanwhile,
SS Phillip Thomas has quietly emerged as a safety prospect after
missing the entire 2011 season when he broke a leg and dislocated an
ankle prior to the start of the season. This year, though, Thomas
currently leads the country with 6 interceptions so far this fall. At
6-0, 215, Thomas has good size and is solid wrap-up against the run.
And there does not appear to be anything freakish about his coverage
skills as he had 5 picks in his first two years with the Bulldogs and
broke up 9 passes in 2010. Thomas has good ball skills, breaks nicely
on the ball and covers a lot of ground with a projected 40-clocking in
the mid-4.5 range. Thomas, though, is better in zone than man coverage
as he lacks the agility to match-up with quicker slot
receivers.
Speaking of emerging players, no one in college football outside West
Virginia is generating as much buzz these days as BYU junior DE/OLB
Ziggy Ansah, the latest in the growing group of immigrant DEs including
Bjoern Werner of Florida State and SMU‘s Magnus Hunt who took up
football late after coming to the U.S. for others reasons, but have NFL
teams drooling over their freakish athletic ability. Ansah, who is a
native of Ghana, was originally a track athlete at BYU who didn’t start
playing football until 2010 when he quite literally didn’t know how to
get his equipment on. He also barely played with the Cougars until this
year, but this fall has emerged as a key cog in what may be the
nation’s best defense posting three sacks and 5 other tackles for loss
to date. Needless to say Ansah is still as raw as they come, however,
he is also as freakish as they come in that he’s 6-5, 270, but has run
under 11 seconds over 100 meters. In fact, it may be a testament to how
new he is to football as Ansah reportedly has never run a 40. For good
measure, he is a quiet humble kid with a great work ethic who has
nothing but upside. Ansah has played both DE and OLB at BYU and could
be especially attractive to pro teams looking for a 3-4 rush LB. October 3
New #1 at QB ...
There was really only one story in college football this week, at least
as it relates to the 2013 draft. And that was the remarkable
performance of West Virginia QB Geno Smith in leading the 8th ranked
Mountaineers to a 70-63 win over #25 Baylor in the school’s first ever
Big XII game. Smith completed 45 of 51 passes for 656 yards and 8 TDs
and did not turn the ball over. For the season, Smith is on pace to
throw for over 5,000 yards as he has completed 83% of his pass attempts
including 20 for scores, while he has yet to be picked off. In fact,
Smith has almost as many TD passes this year (20) as he has
incompletions (28).
Ironically, this weekend’s performance by Smith came against Baylor
which has seen it all before. Last year at this time, the talk of
college football was Bears’ QB Robert Griffin who was rocketing up
draft boards across the NFL after posting early season numbers very
similar to what Smith is putting up these days. Griffin, of course,
went on to become he 2nd player selected as the 2012 draft by
Washington and while it is still very early, has been arguably the
NFL’s best rookie so far this season.
Needless to say, the NFL is paying attention, and again while it is
still early, it appears that Smith may have moved ahead of Southern
Cal’s Matt Barkley to become the top-ranked QB prospect for the
upcoming draft. The Trojans had a bye last week, but so far this season
Barkley’s decision making in the pocket has been questioned and he just
hasn’t shown the arm strength that one normally associates with an
elite passing prospect. At the same time, pro scouts still have
concerns that Smith is something of a system QB, but for the most part
has demonstrated all the tools that NFL teams look for in a top QB.
Smith is an angular guy who sees the field well, has a very compact
release and throws darts all over the field with nice touch. Smith is
also very athletic and can run away from trouble, but actually doesn’t
run all that much.
And Smith will get a chance this coming week to show his wares on the
national stage as the Mountainers play at Texas Saturday evening in a
game that will be carried on Fox. In that game, will be challenged by
the Longhorns’ DE duo of Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor, both of whom
are considered to be first-round prospects for the upcoming draft in
their own right. Should be fun!
Ouch and stuff!With the college football season now into
its second month here is a quick rundown on some of the players
eligible for the 2013 draft who are currently dealing with a an injury
or related issue that could ultimately impact their draft grade.Western Michigan QB Alex Carder
hurt his throwing hand last week and is listed as questionable for this
week’s game; Missouri LB Xavier Gooden remains questionable with
a hamstring injury; Ohio State S C.J. Barnett has missed the last two
games with an ankle injury and remains questionable, while RB Jordan
Hall is out again with a knee injury; Florida junior OLB Jelani Jenkins
remains out indefinitely with a thumb injury, while OT Matt Patchan,
who has missed the first four games of the season with a strained
pectoral muscle, remains questionable; Minnesota QB MarQueis Gray has
not played since mid-September because of a high ankle sprain and
remains questionable; Syracuse OT Justin Pugh is expected to be back in
the line-up this week after missing a month with a shoulder injury;
Miami (Ohio) junior WR Nick Harwell has missed the last two games with
a knee injury and remains questionable; Michigan State DT Fou Fonoti is
out indefinitely because of a broken foot; Oft-injured Boston College
DT Kaleb Ramsey is out again with an undisclosed leg injury; California
DE Aaron Tipoti is listed as questionable due to a knee injury, while
G/T Matt Summers-Gavin missed the last four games due to a knee injury
and remains questionable; Baylor S Mike Hicks remains questionable with
a knee injury; Colorado S Ray Polk has missed the last four games with
an ankle injury and remains questionable; UConn DE Jesse Joseph will
miss the remainder of the season with a torn Achilles' tendon; Florida
State DT Jacobbi McDaniel has an ankle injury and is not expected to
play again this season; Kansas OG Nick Puetz has not played since
suffering a foot injury in the first game of the season and remains
questionable; Penn State DE Pete Massaro has missed the last two games
with a shoulder injury and remains questionable; Washington State OG
Dan Spitz missed the last two games due to a personal issue.
Who's hot September 27, 2012 The first month
of the college football season has produced some considerable
reshuffling of draft boards around the NFL. Most of the players making
big moves upwards were already pretty well-known prospects such as
Florida State DE Bjoern Werner and Texas A&M LT Luke Joeckel.
However, several other players who weren't quite as highly rated at the
start of the season have seen their draft status rocket up. Here's
quick preview of a half-dozen guys in the latter class.
FS Eric Reid, LSU, 6-2, 210, 4.58, JR … This was supposed to be
a relatively strong year for the safety position, but the position has
taken some real hits with the off-field troubles experienced by guys
like Georgia’s Baccari Rambo and former Miami FS Ray-Ray Armstrong. The
one constant at the position appears to be LSU junior Eric Reid who is
now considered to be a potential top 15-20 candidate should he opt to
leave school early this winter. Reid is a heady FS with good size and
instincts; he’s also a physical player who does a solid job in run
support, although he doesn‘t get into backfield a lot. Reid is also a
well rounded DB who is equally comfortable in coverage; he reads the
field well, breaks well on the ball, has some fluidity for a guy that
size and can change direction; he also has excellent body control and
decent ball skills; he also covers a lot of ground despite lacking
sprinter speed; indeed, that is the only real issue with Reid who is
projected to run the 40 in close to 4.6 seconds; as such he is still
better in zone than man coverage. In particular, Reid doesn’t match up
well with wideouts, but is solid covering TEs. WR Terrance Williams,
Baylor, 6-1, 205, 4.48, SR … Baylor, which had two players
selected in the opening round of the 2012 in QB Robert Griffin and WR
Kendall Wright who went 2nd and 20th overall respectively to Washington
and Tennessee, could make it 2 years in a row with a #1 pick as
Terrence Williams has emerged as one of the top big-play threats in
college football. In fact, Williams, who is over 6-1 and 205 pounds and
runs the 40 in under 4.5 seconds, has better physical tools than former
teammate Wright. He is a long receiver with the straight-line speed to
get deep, as well as an extra gear when the ball is in the air.
Williams also uses his size well to shield DBs away from the ball on
underneath and medium routes. He also has decent hands, but will drop
the occasional catchable ball and could run crisper routes.
OT Brennan Williams, North Carolina, 6-6, 315, 5.15, SR …
Williams is a hulking RT who has shown steady improvement the past
couple of years, but still has plenty of upside. He has outstanding
size and strength with a huge wingspan and some short-area quickness
and agility. He‘s a physical run blocker with a decent get-off,
although needs to concentrate on keeping pads low and feet moving. He’s
also a reasonably effective pass blocker who gets good arm extension
and uses his hands well, but lacks the light feet to consistently cut
off the edge against quicker outside pass rushers.
DE Cornelius Carradine, Florida State, 6-4, 265, 4.75, SR …
Rising edge rusher tends to get lost in the growing shadow of Bjoern
Werner shadow, but has emerged as a very good DE in his own right with
mid second potential this coming April. He was actually a relatively
highly recruited prep DE out of Ohio who originally signed at Illinois,
but didn’t qualify academically so went the JC route where he had 26
sacks in two seasons. He is a solid all-around defender who uses hands
well to get off blocks and slide to the ball against the run and has
enough bulk and strength to hold the point of attack. Also very quick
off the snap attacking the pocket with a nice array of pass-rush moves;
also gets good leverage and can change direction, while closing speed
is good, although not necessarily great.
OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan, 6-6.5, 315, 5.15, SR … Fisher
doesn’t get a ton of national media attention - heck, he doesn’t get
any at all - but arguably is the best senior LT in the country. He has
a prototype frame for the position with long arms and very light feet.
Fisher still needs to get into an NFL weight room and an add some
strength, but he is still a good run blocker with a good get-off who
does a nice job sealing off defenders from the ball and can get to the
second level. Also has the wingspan and quick feet to consistently cut
off the edge protecting the passer with the ability to change direction
and re-anchor, although he can be bull-rushed at times. Of note,
though, he missed the final two games of 2012 with a knee injury that
will have to be checked out at pre-draft workouts. QB Zac Dysert, Miami
(Ohio),
6-3, 215, 4.85; SR … While a number of top QB prospects for the 2013
draft have struggled at times this fall, Dysert has seen his grade
improve as he has been able to build on a solid year last fall when he
completed 67% of his pass attempts for over 3,500. In fact, Dysert is
closing in on 10,000 career passing yards, although he doesn’t
necessarily have the strongest arm. What he is though is a very
accurate passer who reads the field well, has a quick release and
throws a very catchable ball; he also makes good decisions in the
pocket. Dysert can also slide away from trouble in the pocket and
throws well on the run, although he isn’t all that fleet afoot; plus he
could also stand to add some bulk, especially since he suffered a
lacerated spleen that ended his 2010 season prematurely. Dysert is a
good athlete who was actually a hockey all-star before committing to
football full-time.
College football updates August 24, 2012 The family of former LSU CB Tyrann Mathieu has
confirmed that he will not play at all this fall. Mathieu, who would
have been a junior this fall, was college football’s defensive player
of the year last fall, but was unceremoniously booed from the team
earlier this summer amid rumors that he had failed multiple drug tests.
After exploring his options at several smaller college, Mathieu ended
up in substance abuse rehab clinic run by former NBA star John Lucas.
There are also unconfirmed reports that Mathieu will attend classes at
LSU this fall. Indeed, it appears that his preference would be
play for the Tigers next year. As such, one option for the Honey Badger
would be to try and get clean this semester and try and regain his
eligibility at LSU; however, if by the New Year nothing is happening on
that front, he considers entering the 2013 NFL draft … It will be a big
night for Arkansas RB Knile Davis later this evening as he is scheduled
to take part in a full-contact scrimmage later this evening. At this
time last year, Davis was being projected to be one of the first couple
of backs off the board at the 2012, but hasn’t played since he broke
his ankle in fall camp last August … Pitt junior RB Ray Graham also
returned to practice earlier this week and took part in several
full-contact workouts during which he took some contact on his
surgically repaired right knee. Graham was leading the country in
rushing last fall when he tore an ACL in the 5th week of the schedule
and missed the rest of the season as well as spring practice this year.
Graham, though, has still not been cleared to play in the Panthers
season opener next week against Youngstown State … And so far its been
all good for South Carolina junior RB Marcus Lattimore, the top-rated
back for the upcoming draft, who has reportedly been participating in
full contact drills with the Gamecocks without any setbacks. Lattimore
tore his ACL last October 15th … Florida officials have confirmed that
star junior Buck LB Ronald Powell, who would likely be considered a top
15-20 prospect for the upcoming draft if he’s healthy, will not return
to the field until at least October. Powell tore his ACL in spring
practice and was expected to be out 4-6 months, which would take him to
that October date … Miami junior OT Seantral Henderson has been cleared
to return to practice after missing time with a concussion suffered in
a pre-season car accident; however, Henderson, the top recruit in the
country in 2009 who has also had back issues, has not been cleared to
play in the Hurricanes season opener next week.
Who's Who in 2012 Supplemental Draft
The NFL will hold its annual summer
supplemental draft on July 12th. A total of 8 players. Any teams
wishing to select one of the 8 players available for this year's supp
draft will submit to the NFL the round in which they would take the
player; if more than one team submit’s the same round for the same
player, the player will be awarded to the team with the higher pick in
the 2012 draft. Teams that are awarded a player at the supplemental
draft will forfeit their pick in the round bid in 2013. Here's a quick
profile of the eight players who will be available in this year's
supplemental draft.
WR
Josh Gordon, Baylor, 6-3, 225, 4.40 ... In many ways, Gordon is
the wild-card in this year's supp draft. Certainly, no player has the
same kind of upside asGordon has a really intriguing set of physical
tools including ideal size combined with sub-4.4 speed that can really
stretch defenses. However, Gordon also has enough red flags to hold his
own parade. He left the Bears in 2011 after being suspended for a drug
offense and transferred to Utah, but never played for the Utes and
ultimately left a second program, this time for undisclosed reasons.
Prior to leaving Baylor, though, Gordon showed some big-play ability as
he averaged 17 yards per catch and scored 7 TDs as a part-time
sophomore in 2010. And while he looks like an elite prospect, Gordon is
still somewhat raw as a recever as his hands are inconsistent, while
his route-running and understanding of the passing game are rather
rudimentary.
RB
Ed Wesley, Texas Christian, 5-8.5, 196, 4.70 ... Perhaps the
best
known of the players in this year's supplemental draft, Wesley
announced earlier this summer
that he was leaving the Horned Frogs because of family reasons. Wesley has
been a productive member of the TCU RB rotation the past three rushing
for over 2,400 career yards, including a team-high 1,078 in 2010 when
he was named to the All-Mountain West first team. Wesley isn't all that
big and isn't going to move the pile, but he is a compact north-south
runner with good vision and decent football speed and acceleration.
However,
he ran a disappointing 40 somewhere in the 4.7 at a pro day workout
prior to the supplemental draft. He also lacks the lateral agiltiy to
find the secondary hole and
isn't going to make anyone miss in the open field. Wesley, though, is
also a good punt returner who averaged 10.9 yards per return last fall.
He has also been hampered by injuries during his TCU career including a
shoulder problem that forced him to miss three games last season.
LB
Larry Lumpkin, Carson-Newman, 5-11,
240, 4.70 ... Originally signed at Alabama A&M, but didn't
play much for two years before transferring to DII Carson Newman where
he had 94 tackles last fall to lead the team, but was ruled to be
academically ineligible for his senior season. Squat run-stuffer does a
nice job patrolling between the tackles but isn't overly athletic and
has limited range. Also has a reputation of being a difficult player to
control as he reportedly regularly missed meetings and even practices
at Alabama State.
DE
Montez Robinson, Georgia,
6-5, 255, 4.60 ...
Robinson may be to the defense what WR Gordon is for the offense. He's
a physically talented kid with some upside, but comes with a passel of
character concerns. In particular, Robinson was kicked off the UGA team
in 2010 after multiple run-ins with the law for
domestic abuse. As a player, though, he's an angular, athletic edge
with a lot of natural tools. Robinson has long arms, a quick first step
and outstanding closing speed; he also has a pretty good motor.
Robinson, though, isn't all that polished. He isn't all that
instinctive and doesn't use his hands effectively to get disengage from
opposing blockers.
G/T Andrian Haughton, Iowa
State, 6-3, 340, 5.35 ... Haughton is an interesting story as
he was originally recruited to ISU primarily as a DT (when he was known
as Scott), but ended up starting four games at RT as a true freshman in
2008 and all 13 games the following season. Out of football in 2010 he
played last season with the Orlando Predators of the Arena league. He's
a wide-body offensive lineman with good strength and some short-area
quickness who lacks the length to play OT in the pros, but could find a
home as an OG as he is a strong drive blocker with some pass blocking
skills.
FB Adam Harris, Syracuse, 6-2,
248, 4.82 ... Rugged lead blocker was forced to give up football
mid-way through his senior year in 2011 after suffering a third career
concussion, but since has been medically cleared to give it another
shot.
Tough, physical blocker has some athleticism, but will never be much of
a threat with the ball. Good athlete who was a LB at Cornell before
transferring to SU and threw the shot put for the Orange track team
after leaving the football squad.
CB Quaylon
Ewing-Burton, Boise
State, 5-11, 180, 4.50 ...
Young player who is probably a
long-shot even to get a free agent look if not selected next week.
Ewing-Burton made some progress on the field this past season when he
started 4 games as a sophomore, but still has a long way to go before
being considered even a decent prospect. He isn't very big or physical,
and while he does have some quickness, isn't all that instinctive or
aggressive. Plus, he's a very immature player who was kicked off the
team this winter for violating those proverbial team rules. That comes
after a high school career in which he was suspended a number of times.
WR Houston
Tuminello, McMurry, 5-11, 190, 4.58 ... Tuminello
originally signed at Louisiana Tech where he had a total of 22
receptions (for less than 200 yards) before quitting the team 4 games
into his sophomore season. He ended up at DIII McMurray, which is
currently coached by legendary passing guru Hal Mumme, although
Tuminello also appears to have been associated with both Stephen F
Austin and Midwestern State after leaving Louisiana Tech. For the
record, Tuminello had 4 receptions in three games for McMurry, not
exactly the kind of resume that sends pro scouts scurrying to the
tapes!
********
RISING
SLEEPERS
April 5, 2012:
While most of the pre-draft attention has been focused on the Andrew
Lucks and Robert Griffins of the football world, NFL teams and draft
fans alike both dream about finding that special player in the rough.
In the end, the vast majority of players with the 'sleeper' label never
amount to much, if anything at all, in the pros, every once in awhile
one does blossom into a solid contibutor if not a bona fide star. So
the search goes on. And this year there seems to be an inordinate
number of very good small-school prospects with some potential. In
fact, there are probably far too many to name them all. The following,
though, are several players from lower-level programs who have yet to
generate much national draft buzz, but who have been confirmed as
drawing legitimate interest from more than one NFL team.
Perhaps no small-school player has created a bigger buzz this spring
than WR Cody Pearcy from unheralded Huntingdon College, a Division III
school in Alabama who turned in one of the best pro day type workouts
of any prospects this spring; indeed, there were some scouts thta
described it as one of the most impressive on-campus workouts ever. In
fact, Pearcy reportedly was timed in 4.31 seconds in the 40, had a
remarkable 44-inch in the vertical jump and 10-6 broad jump, while
posting very quick times in the agility drills including the short
shuttle (3.76 seconds) and 3-cone drill (6.67). Here’s the problem
though. Pearcy isn’t all that big at barely 5-10 and 161 pounds - and
the latter while reportedly soaking wet - plus he was never all that
productive in his college career. Pearcy did catch 51 passes last fall
for over 1,000 yards, but one normally expects a Division III player to
really dominate at that level to figure as more than a passing draft
fancy. Still, its hard for the NFL not to notice that pure speed and
quickness.
Pearcy is one of several smaller school sleeper prospects who are
starting to generate some interest. Old Dominion DT Ronnie Cameron, for
example, has received an invitation from more than one team to a
pre-draft visit. Cameron is a quick 6-2, 305-pound interior defender
who racked up 6.5 sacks and 11 other tackles for loss this past season.
Cameron actually originally played at Hofstra, but transferred when the
latter program was disbanded. Cameron needs to get stronger, but has
good quickness and lateral range; he also has a nice motor and has
racked over 70 tackles in each of the past couple of seasons. In fact,
he’s a smart, solid character player who is in the school’s MBA program.
Same story for Ryan Davis a 6-2, 260-pound edge rusher from
Bethune-Cookman who had 12 sacks and 10 other tackles for loss last
fall while forcing 8 fumbles. Davis lined up as a down DE in college,
but projects to OLB in a 3-4 scheme at the next level. Davis is a
solidly built guy with pretty good athleticism; indeed, he was
recruited as a TE and ran under 4.8 seconds for the 40 at Miami pro
day. Davis can be engulfed at the point of attack defending the run,
but is a good pass rusher with a nice first step and decent strength to
maintain leverage. Plus, he’s another high motor guy who never gives up
a play.
Not many DIII players get serious looks from NFL teams, but Albion CB
Chris Greenwood is bucking that trend. He’s a long (6-1, 195) cover
corner with good straight-line speed; indeed, he was reportedly timed
in under 4.45 seconds for the 40 at the Michigan pro day. He also has
the size to physically match-up with bigger receivers, although his
technique is very raw and he may be more fast that quick. Greenwood
also wasn’t able to not post much in the way of numbers last fall as
opposing teams tended to avoid his side of the field. However, corners
with that combination of length and speed are sometimes hard to find
and will usually get a second look or two no matter what the pedrigree.
Ever since New Orleans literally stole WR Marcus Colston with the 252nd
pick in the 7th round of the 2006 draft, teams around the league have
been looking for the next gem of a big receiver. One reason that
Colston lasted as long as he did was that NFL teams really weren’t sure
whether he was indeed a big WR or a smallish TE/H-back type. Maybe the
closest thing this year to Colston is WR Devin Goda of Slippery Rock.
Like Colston he‘s a thickly built 6-3, 225-pound receiver with better
than average athleticism. Indeed, Goda ran in the sub-4.6 range at the
team‘s pro day and had a 37-inch vertical leap. Goda was also a
productive receiver in college with soft hands and the ability to get
open. In 2011, for example, he caught 75 passes for over 1,000
yards on a team that really didn’t throw the ball all that well. What
teams also like about Goda is that he increased his production in
college by around 20 catches per season in each of his 4 years.
PRO DAY WINNERS
April 2, 2012:
Because most top prospects now work out at the scouting combine, pro days have tended to lose some their
value in recent years. That said, on-campus workouts are still a useful
tool in evaluating bubble players who for one reason or another did not
get an invite to the combine. In no particular order, the following
players who were not invited to the combine had solid pro day workouts
that may have vaulted themsleves back into the draft picture. Miami (Ohio) OG Brandon
Brooks: One of the most notable players in all college football
not invited to the combine, Brooks was able to make up for lost time at
the Redhawks' pro day. Brooks measured in at a robust 6-5, 345, but
still put on an athletic display running the 40 in around 5.10 once the
quick track was accounted for; Brooks also posted 36 reps in the bench
press, had a 32-inch vertical and posted times in both the short
shuttle and 3-cone drill that would have been among the leaders among
offensive linemen at the combine. In fact, all of Brooks' numbers would
have been near the top for the position at Indianapolis. Brooks still
isn’t the most agile of offensive linemen, but has a chance to be a
mid-round pick later this month.
Oregon State DB Brandon Hardin:
Hardin put on an athletic show at the Oregon State that if nothing else
would also qualify him for the “All-workout Warrior Team“, Hardin can
also play. Hardin, a big corner who could also project to safety in the
pros, ran in the low-to-mid 4.4 range for the 40, while posting 24
reps, more than any DB at the combine, in the BP. The big question for
Hardin, though, is whether he is fully healed from a shoulder injury
that shelved him for the 2011 season.
Vanderbilt DE Tim Fugger:
Fugger may have put himself on the draft/free agent radar when he ran
in the 4.6 range for the 40 and posted 29 reps in the BP.
Boise State WR Tyler Shoemaker:
Had a strong surprisingly strong performance at the BSU workout where
Shoemaker caught every pass thrown to him after running the 40-yard
dash in 4.45 seconds, while posting a 37-inch vertical, 14 reps in the
BP. Shoemaker also posted times of 4.25 in the short shuttle and 6.83
in the 3-cone drill.
Western Kentucky RB Bobby Rainey:
Rainey, WKU’s all-time leading rusher, ran well at his pro day clocking
the 40 in the low-to-mid 4.5 range. For good measure, Rainey showed
even better quickness in the 3-cone drill where his time of 6.61
seconds would have been the second best among RBs at the combine.
Northwestern WR Jeremy Ebert:
Ebert emerged as a potential big-play threat at the next level when he
ran a quick 4.38-second 40-yard dash, managed 16 reps in the bench
press and reportedly looked smooth in his route running and receiving.
Auburn SS Neiko Thorpe:
The Tigers’ Thorpe was another somewhat surprising omission from this
year‘s combine, especially given how thin the position appears to be
for the 2012 draft. However, Thorpe, who actually started for three
years as a CB for the Tigers, ran under 4.45 seconds for the 40 at the
Auburn, while posting a vertical leaps of 38 inches in the vertical and
11-5 in the BJ. Thorpe, who measured in at a solid enough 6-1, 198,
still managed only 4 reps in the bench press, and needs to get stronger
to become an every down safety at the next level.
Houston LB/DE Sammy Brown:
A productive collegiate tweener who had 13.5 sacks and 30 total tackles
for loss last fall, Brown still didn’t get a combine invite, at least
in part, because NFL teams just aren’t sure where he fits. Brown,
though, flashed impressive physical skills at the Cougars‘ pro day by
running under 4.70 seconds in the 40, while posting a 37-inch vertical,
along with a time of 7.15 in the 3-cone.
Colorado RB Rodney Stewart:
One of the top RB prospects not invited to the
combine, Stewart ran a decent 4.54 40, but was quicker in the agility
drills
where he timed 4.01 in the short shuttle and 6.81 in the 3-cone drill,
both of which would have put him among the leaders at the position at
the combine. Stewart also had decent numbers in both the BP (21 reps)
and vertical (36).
Miami DT Micanor Regis: The Hurricnes had as many bubble players
not invited to the combine this year and several of those had solid
performances at the Miami pro day including DT Micanor Regis, who
measured in at 6-2.3, 304 and ran a very respectable 5.10 40 for a man
that size; Regis also had a 30.5-inch vertical and posted 26 reps in
the bench press. Manning to
throw for Broncos March 15, 2012:
The latest chapter
in the “Where will Peyton
end up?’ saga/soap opera is underway in North Carolina where Peyton
Manning will work out in front of a full contingent from Denver
including John Elway and head coach John Fox. The Broncos are one of
three teams with a shot at signing Manning along with Tennessee and
Arizona. Tennessee will also reportedly work out Manning, although no
date has been set. Manning has reportedly told Miami that they are no
longer in the running. Time may also be running out on Arizona as the
Cardinals owe Kevin Kolb, their incumbent starter a $7M roster bonus as
of 4 PM ET this afternoon. If the Cardinals don’t pay the bonus, Kolb
becomes a free agent. As a result, Arizona is expected to bite the
bullet and re-up Kolb, if as expected, Manning hasn’t agreed to terms
with the Cardinals by that time. Meanwhile, Miami has apparently
quickly moved on from Manning and will host QB Matt Flynn, who spent
the past several years backing up Aaron Rodgers in Green, tomorrow.
That is, if Flynn doesn’t sign with Seattle beforehand. Flynn is
wrapping up a two-day visit with the Seahawks as we speak and its not
uncommon for teams to put a big money offer on the table to free agents
like Flynn with the proviso that it comes off the table once they leave
town. While all this is going on, it appears that Cleveland is going to
sit out the bidding for a veteran QB. The Browns were never a player in
the Manning sweepstakes and there is no indication that they have any
interest in pursuing Flynn. What Cleveland did want to do was move up
to the #2 spot in the draft to acquire Baylor QB Robert Griffin, but
were beaten to the punch by Washington, a fact which Browns’ president
Mike Holmgren continues to bemoan. It as also hasn’t left Cleveland
with many options at the position. Indeed, Browns’ officials are
starting to squeak that maybe Colt McCoy has the makings of a quality
NFL starter afterall. The Browns, though, are thought to be
interested in Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill, the 3rd rated passer in
this year’s draft. However, while the Browns have two picks in this
year’s opening the round - the 4th and 22nd picks - they may have to
make a deal to get Tannehill as he likely isn’t worth the 4th pick
overall and may not last until the 22nd. And Holmgen is on the
record as saying that he's discouraging G.M. Tom Heckert from trading
down from the #4 overall pick this year. Last year, the Browns received
a package of picks, including the 22nd this year, in a trade with
Atlanta for the 6th pick in 2011 which the Falcons used to select
former Alabama WR Julio Jones. In fact, with QBs Andrew Luck and
Griffin petty much locks to go first and second overall, and USC OT
Matt Kalil likely going to Minnesota at #3, the 2012 draft will
proverbially start with the Browns at the 4th pick where they will
have a choice of Alabama RB Trent Richardson, Oklahoma State WR
Justin Blackmon or LSU CB Morris Claiborne, each of whom makes some
sense for Cleveland. That is if the Browns don’t trade out or get it
over with and select Tannehill at that spot. Stay tuned!
*********
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