Great Blue North Draft Report

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.

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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 3^rd 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.

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!

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