MONTRAVIUS ADAMS/DT/6’4/296/AUBURN JR #11
If you watched AUBURN outlast Louisville last weekend then you don’t need game stats to tell you what kind of impact ADAMS had in the Louisville backfield/pocket. It was one the most dominating performances I have seen in a few years since a Guy named SUH patrolled the plains of Nebraska, wreaking havoc. ADAMS is pretty much unblockable with his combination of quickness, strength, hand use and effort. He has been a good player along the Auburn DL the past couple of seasons but it looks as though new DC WILL MUSCHAMP has really lit the fire under ADAMS. MUSCHAMP has reportedly reminded ADAMS during practices that every play he takes off costs him money in the eyes of pro scouts. ADAMS has taken that concept to heart and is playing harder than in previous years. He was in the Louisville backfield on seemingly almost every snap Week One. At this pace there is no way he doesn’t come out for the 2016 DRAFT.
TRAVONE BOYKIN/QB/6’2/205/TCU #2
So here comes the next great athlete, run/option college QB, whom the pros have to find a spot for in 2016. Good luck with this evaluation folks. BOYKIN, quite frankly, has almost no grasp of QB throwing fundamentals, ala TEBOW. He’s really a thrower more than a passer much of the time. He throws the ball from way too many throwing angles and release points to make plays against pro-level pocket pressure. But he almost single-handedly makes one of college football’s most explosive offenses click. And at the end of a game, like the win over MINNESOTA, his stats look just fine. In warm weather reminiscent of home practices back in Texas, BOYKIN was 26/42 (that’s 62%), for 246 yards, with 1 TD and 1 INT. He also ran 18 times for 92 yds, 5.1 ypc, 1 TD. He is both quick and fast. He has a well above average arm when he actually throws overhand instead of side-arm. Pick the names like VICK & RG3, and then tell me some organization isn’t going to be highly temped next April to draft him by Round 3, if not before. Then God help the Head Coach who must develop him as his franchise QB.
AMARA DARBOH/WR/6’2/215/MICHIGAN #82
New MICHIGAN Head Coach JIM HARBAUGH was asked last week what he thought of his receiving corps and replied he thought he had good talent there but he needed to see who could catch the ball in game action. Pleasant surprise number one, DARBOH. DARBOH was second on the team with 36 catches last season, but looks like he could easily eclipse that number with an opening game 8 catch effort against a solid Utah secondary. He gained 101 yards and scored 1 TD on that catch total. He’s not a speedster, nor is he a real deep threat, but he runs good patterns and will fight for the ball with defenders. He showed some decent after the catch run ability. He may have to earn his first NFL roster spot primarily on Special Teams play and potential, but looks to me like a late round pick who could be some team’s No. 4 receiver in the League.
TAYLOR DECKER/OT/6’7/315/OHIO STATE #68
Watching DECKER against VA TECH on Monday night, I was prepared to be skeptical of a tall, almost skinny looking guy, who was unlikely to display the foot quickness I feel is needed for an NFL LT. After the runaway Buckeyes victory I must confess I came away more impressed than skeptical. DECKER is light on his feet in all directions and uses his long arms very well to punch defenders away and even off balance. I actually saw them pulling him all the way across the formation on a couple of sweeps to the right. He appeared to have very good balance in his back-pedal keeping his pads over his feet, not over-extending. He did everything an OT must do at the pro level, including getting downfield for second and third level blocking assignments. I feel I saw a better athlete than I had expected. Id be hesitant right now to declare him as a First Rounder, but he’ll have to really mess up the rest of his season to not be gone in ROund 2 next April.
JOSHUA GARNETT/OG/6’5/325/STANFORD #51
He’s a big road grader who has surprising athleticism for his frame. Coming from Stanford he’s played in a pro type scheme and can both run block and pass pro. Against a solid, athletic Northwestern team I was especially impressed with his ability to pull across the field on running plays. He got to second level blocks well. He also uses his hands effectively to control defenders. It looked as though his hand punch can really shock defenders. He’s a bit limited in foot quickness and is served well to be slotted inside in a shorter area. His primary speed is straight line forward, not back pedaling. If he has a good senior season he might crack the Top 100 prospect list.
DERRICK HENRY/RB/6’3/242/ALABAMA #2
It’s HENRY’s turn to be the bell cow and star of the ‘BAMA running attack, after being second fiddle (and a damn effective one) to a guy named YELDON for 2 seasons. HENRY actually out-gained YELDON last season and averaged almost 1 yard per carry more than his ex-teammate. HENRY is a smash-mouth runner with surprising speed once he gets rolling. He’s also surprisingly quick to-and-thru the crease. After he makes his one-cut, he bounces off tacklers and accelerates to open territory. He did major damage in the opener against Wisconsin, carrying 13 times for 147 yards and 3 TD. That’s a whopping 11.3 ypc against a Top 25 Wisconsin team. Expect for him to gain 1,000 yards for the first time this season and head for the NFL. He reminds me very much of another giant freight train from the SEC named JAMAL LEWIS/Tennessee.
JAY LEE/WR/6’3/215/BAYLOR #4
This big, smooth running wideout was 4th on the team with 41 catches, which included 6 TD. He’s the big guy option compared to the quicker guys, CANNON & COLEMAN. He showed great efficiency of performance in the opening win over a surprisingly tough SMU squad. Despite not being a speedster he has those long gliding strides that eat up yards in big chunks. At the end of the day LEE had recorded a modest 3 catches, for a 20 yard plus average, 70 yards total. But given that the object of the game is still to score he was efficiency in motion. All three of his catches went for TD. When open he’s a good “hands catcher” who can pull away from most smaller defenders. He looks like a guy who can stretch the field somewhat like former Bear wideout TERRANCE WILLIAMS, but not as flat out fast. He should be another late round prospect.
DEAN LOWRY/DE/6’5/280/NORTHWESTERN #94
LOWRY is a solid, set the edge, DE in a 4-3 scheme right now. He pursues well and can collapse the pocket primarily on inside spin moves. He uses his hands quite well to keep defenders off him and pursues well. His frame is solid, and he looks like bulking up another 10-15 pounds in an NFL weight room would not be a problem. He is not a flash, edge-rusher by any means. I would project him to best fit as a 5-Technique in a 3-4 base scheme as a pro. He should be late draftable. He battled two solid OT from Stanford and had an impact on the game for the solid NORTHWESTERN defense. I noticed that on several occasions when he was taken off the field in favor of a smaller, quicker DE Stanford immediately ran over and through his replacement. Once back in the game LOWRY set the edge. The Wildcats D won this game and LOWRY was an integral part of that effort.
BLAKE MARTINEZ/ILB/6’2/247/STANFORD #4
If productivity is what you look for in a player then MARTINEZ should be a favorite. He’s very aggressive and plays all-out, all day long. He’s not dissimilar to former Cardinal ILB SHAYNE SKOV. He seems to always be around the ball. STANFORD’s leading returning tackler topped the 100 tackle mark last season. He pursues the ball well and also does a solid job dropping into pass coverage. Short dump passes over the middle are not an easy throw for opponents with MARTINEZ on hand. The Wildcats did most of their passing damage to the sidelines not in BLAKE’s area of the field. He grabbed 3 INT last season. He held his own in the opener with lots of new bodies working that defense with him. Rightly or wrongly, a big part of his final prospect ranking will hinge on numbers he is able to post at the Combine. Just like his solid effort against Northwestern, game tape will expose him favorably.
SKAI MOORE/LB/6’2/218/SOUTH CAROLINA #10
MOORE is one of those undersized (for their position in pro eyes) college athletes, with more than enough athleticism to play the pro game. But the search for his best pro position will be a big deal this year. He is clearly the Gamecocks’ most talented returning defender. He led the team with 93 tackles last season, and was all over the field against UNC. Many scouts question his speed as a potential Safety. But MOORE had 3 INT last season, and had 2 Picks against UNC, both of them in the End Zone. He’s clutch and should be an absolute Special Teams ace at the next level. Luckily, for a guy like MOORE most NFL coaches will take the time to teach and find pro slots to get really talented/productive players on the field. MOORE will make them look extra hard if he plays the balance of the year like he did in the opener.
ERIC MURRAY/CB/6’0/196/MINNESOTA #31
Just watching this savvy veteran against TCU you get a quick feel for what a solid athlete he is, as well as what good technique he uses at his position. He is solid in man-cover and can stay with his man deep. He is quick to come up in run support. Despite being juked out of his jock by TCU’s BOYKIN on a TD run, he is a solid tackler overall and does not shy away from contact. His gameday play, highlighted by a 3rd Quarter Red Zone INT, helped keep the Gophers in the ball game against a Top 10 ranked team. A perfect player? No, but he’s fundamentally sound and a smart player. MURRAY may not be a flash player, and does not have big time name recognition right now, but he clearly plays like a top 5 senior CB prospect, as evidenced by his work against TCU. He is certainly on the cusp of being a Top 100 Prospect, even after you consider underclassmen.
ADOLPHUS WASHINGTON/DT/6’4/300/OHIO STATE #92
Just standing around in warm-ups WASHINGTON looks like a man among boys. His frame appears bigger than his listed size and he is massive without looking flabby. When he lines up on the line of scrimmage he stands out from those around him even before the snap. Once the play is underway he engages his blocker and finds a way to shed him. But in the first half against TECH he seemed always a step late to the ball or the QB. Perhaps it’s because at times he stands up too tall, too quickly. It may also be that he was double teamed often, probably due to the absence of suspended super-star JOEY BOSA. Then late in the half he put a big hit on the QB. On a last minute goal line stand he stayed low and penetrated, helping to force a TECH FG. That seemed to light a fire, and in the 3rd Quarter he was dominant. He stayed lower out of his stance. He was a step quicker and helped knock BREWER out of the game. He discarded blockers with his hands and arms to open his way to the ball. He looks like a potential NFL starter, who could shine in a 4-3 as a T, or as a 3-4 scheme 5-Technique, ala CAMERON HEYWARD, another ex-Buckeye. I will be curious to see him in action once BOSA returns to his side. He’s a Top 100 prospect, but how high? Stay tuned for further study.
TRAVIS WILSON/QB/6’7/233/UTAH #7
This long, drink of water could make a surprise run his senior season as an NFL QB prospect. Not all the way to the top of the list, but maybe an early Day 3 guy in Round 4 or so. He looks too gangly to impress as a future pro at first, but when he takes off under pressure he can make people miss. He ran for one TD against Michigan and had 12 rushes for 53 yards, overall. He has a good/average arm, but throws from way too many arm slot positions ala MATTHEW STAFFORD. Against a Michigan D that was stacked to stop the run, but has some nice athletes in its secondary, he was 24/33, 208 yards, 0TD, 1 INT. He really manages the game well and has a knack for sustaining long possession drives for the UTES. Needs better, more consistent mechanics, which might improve his throwing accuracy. He could get a lot more YAC from his receivers if he hit them in stride more often with accurate throws. By the end of the season he could have interest from multiple NFL teams who liked BROCK OSWEILER coming out of Arizona State.
Happy Scouting… PIGSKIN
