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| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 8 2009, 10:36 PM (1,006 Views) | |
| twinkiemonsta | Mar 21 2009, 05:31 PM Post #31 |
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* I haven't talked much about Arkansas this year. They don't have a big Senior class and really don't have any top prospects. They do have a pair of talented offensive linemen. OT Jose Valdez is a 2-year starter. He played both RT and LT. Valdez (6'4, 315) doesn't stand out as a pass blocker. He hops more than you'd like. Pro teams like guys with good feet who can kick slide as they retreat in pass protection. He also plays too upright, which hurt his ability to anchor. Valdez is a good run blocker. He can down block on a DT or engage the DE. He's agile enough to get to LBs and be effective in space. He has pretty good hands. I haven't seen him really maul guys, but the effort is good. He looks much more comfortable on the right side than the left. I think RT is definitely where he'll play in the NFL. He did have a good workout at the Combine and he does have some athletic ability. One concern is that he only did 15 reps in Indy. He improved that to 16 at his Pro Day, but either one would be the lowest total of all OL at the Combine. Probably a 5th round type prospect. * C Jonathan Luigs had an excellent career for the Hogs. He started at RG for part of his Freshman year. He then moved to C in 2006 and started there for 3 years. He was a finalist for the Rimington Award in '06 and won it in 2007. Luigs (6'3, 301) won't be a guy that every team loves. He's not a huge, powerful guy. This isn't the player you want to block Shaun Rogers or Pat Williams. Luigs is a good athlete and that will really interest a good number of teams. He is quick off the ball. He is good at getting to the 2nd level and taking on LBs. He's also quite good at pulling and blocking out in space. Jonathan arguably had the best workout of any C at the Combine. He has good game tape. Should be a solid 4th round prospect, but Centers don't always carry great value and that may drive him down a round or so. * This is the time of year when workouts start to confuse people. Workouts prove that a player has athletic ability. They do not make the prospect a good football player. They also do not take a marginal player and make him a valued prospect. You will see teams start to pay attention to guys who do have good workouts. This isn't a case of teams necessarily getting overly excited so much as them doing research to find out why a prospect didn't play up to that ability. Good workouts obviously do help players. No one is disputing that. Just be careful when reading articles where they make it out as if a player is flying up draft boards because of a good workout. That kind of stuff is more myth than reality. Now let's talk about some workouts. * Virginia WR Maurice Covington is 6'4, 220. Put on the game tape and you see a solid player. He has pretty good hands. He looks athletic. Maurice didn't stand out in terms of production. His career numbers...65 catches, 12.1 ypc, and 3 TDs. He did have a 40-inch vertical at his Pro Day. That leaping ability and his size make him intriguing for teams looking for a big guy who can go up and play the ball up high. He's still far from a lock to even be picked. * Indiana WR Andrew Means had a terrific Pro Day. He ran sub 4.4 and had a 3-cone time of 6.89. He's 6'1, 213. This kid is big, fast, and quick. He caught 102 passes in 3 years. He's a gifted baseball player. Means is a very intriguing guy. The one thing that scares you is that he only scored 2 TDs in his career. He only averaged 12.5 ypc. How can a guy with his size and ability not come up with more big plays? That tells you he's got potential, but has to fall into the category of project. * Vandy CB DJ Moore hurt himself. He ran 4.57 at his Pro Day. On tape he looks like a borderline 1st round CB. That 40 time will drop him. He now could be looking at round 3 or 4. He's only 5'9, 184. Small guys who lack speed just don't have value. His 3-cone time was only 7.00. He's not exceptionally quick or fast. Bad day for the young man. * Va Tech CB Macho Harris was just the opposite. He made up for a slow 40 at the Combine by running 4.46 and 4.50. That's not great speed, but is okay for Harris (5'11, 197). He never looked super fast on tape. He is quick. That showed in his 3-cone and short shuttle times, 6.68 and 4.00. I like Harris because of his playmaking ability and think of him as a 3rd round player. * LSU OL Herman Johnson was down to 356 pounds at his Pro Day. I picked on him a lot during Senior Bowl week, but Herman has helped himself by dropping down from 382. He is showing teams that he understands 382 pounds isn't what NFL teams want to see. Good for him. Herman has talent and potential. He relied on size too much of the time in college. Technique and positional skill will be needed if he wants to make it in the NFL. * There were reports out of Penn State that LB/DE Aaron Maybin ran sub 4.6 and WR Derrick Williams ran 4.37. I don't buy that. That would be a .25 improvement from the Combine for each guy. That just doesn't happen. Be careful to believe numbers reported from newspapers, especially 40 times. The best source for info is Gil Brandt of NFL.com. Tony Pauline of TFY and SI.com also is a very good source for reliable info. Both men get info from actual scouts and not just reporters. |
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| twinkiemonsta | Mar 22 2009, 01:20 AM Post #32 |
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- PSU - Cadogan - Pulls well on runs up the middle. Excellent cut block of LB. Plays too upright in pass pro. Effective pass blocker when he's able to extend his arms and lock onto the defender. Doesn't have the kind of quick feet you'd ideally like for pass pro. Will lunge at times and get too far out over his feet. Good down block on off-tackle run. Has some plays where he is really impressive. Will looks okay in pass pro. Will drive DL off the ball when run blocking. Played very well in the ILL game. Shipley - Tenacious. Has some pop. Plays with good body lean. Quick off the ball. Positions himself well. Butler - Can make tough catches. Made an impressive sliding TD catch vs SYR. Adjusts well to the ball. Will go up for the ball. Can handle press coverage. Can be elusive. Norwood - Elusive in space. Effective downfield receiver. Slot and outside. Will work the middle and take a big hit. Adjusts to the ball. Hands catcher. Has some quickness. Williams - Tough guy. Will take a pounding. Lots of slot. Has some drops on catchable passes. Elusive with the ball. Has a good burst. Doesn't make many standout catches. Muffed a punt vs Temple. Good RS. PR and KOR. Lawlor 33 - Slender build for FB. Sort of dives at his targets. Solid power runner. Doesn't show the kind of strength and pop you'd really like in a FB. Maybin 59 - Plays both sides. Has a tendency to fly up the field. Can he flatten out? Will use an inside move. At times he will shed blocks and play the run. At his best when he's able to come upfield and stay wide. That allows him to round his way to the QB instead of having to flatten out. Evans 48 - Has some quickness. Knows how to be physical to beat blocks. Okay motor. Plays the run well. Uses a good inside move. Gaines 47 - Short, but uses that to his advantage by staying low as he tries to get by blockers. Poor COD. Stiff hips. Sales 46 - Plays a lot on STs. Rubin 9 - Solid tackler. Will fight off blocks. Excellent size. Good athlete. Can be a good hitter. T. Davis 11 - Sargeant - ************************ - ILL- W. Davis - Impressive play. Started upfield, then turned to chase Derrick wide on a swing pass. Looked quick, fast, athletic. X. Fulton - Works to mirror DEs. Can pull. B Miller - Always hustles. STer. Good effort guy. Runs okay. ************************ - SYR - Durand - LG. Good awareness. Uses his hands well. Fiametta 43 - Lines up like an H-back at times. Brinkley 22 - J. Flaherty 45 - B. Williams 15 - Former WR. Sloppy diving tackle attempt of Royster. Sloppy tackler. ************************ T. Knighton - Big DT. Thick butt, thighs. Finished his career with 6 sacks and 26 TFLs. Has size, talent, and potential, but needs to be more consistent. Gets blocked too much for a guy with his ability. Must do a better job of shedding blocks. Edited by twinkiemonsta, Mar 22 2009, 04:47 PM.
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| twinkiemonsta | Mar 23 2009, 12:52 AM Post #33 |
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__SJSU__ Francies 21 - RCB. Likes to press. Can also play off. Has some pop when he tackles. Can really get a good jam on WRs. Owens 29 - LCB. Can press or play off. Good tackler. Has pretty good feet. Can blitz. Can be a good hitter. Smart. Good awareness. Doesn't really backpedal. Shuffles his feet sideways as he goes downfield. Pretty good break on the ball. Gilbert 90 - Lots of time in the backfield. Very disruptive. Quick enough to beat blockers. Also knows how to shed blocks. Good swim move. Shows excellent awareness. Is fast as well as quick. Makes teams pay when they don't get him blocked. Doesn't miss tackles. Will use a spin move. Jeff Schweiger 17 - 6'4, 275. Plays both sides. Has some COD ability. Has some burst. Doesn't look to be a good run defender. Richmond 8 - Has good hands. Can pluck the ball. Good body control. Quick. Physical, strong enough? Tackled too easily on one play. Jurovich 6 - Yonus Davis - Okay feet. Cuts pretty well. Will run between the tackles. 490 touches, but only 16 TDs in his career. Elusive. Good in space. Has potential as a PR. ************************* > -- NMSU -- < Holbrook - Big QB. Accuracy looks okay. Sloppy mechanics. Doesn't lead with his left shoulder. He's too open with his throwing stance. Moves around in the pocket okay. Harris 18 - Williams 28 - Will work the middle. Good hands. RAC ability. Hands catcher. Quick. Richardson 22 - Fonoti 9 - ___________________ Cal Davis ... DT John Faletoese Bear Pascoe - Can make really tough catches in the seam. Lacks vertical speed or athletic ability. Edited by twinkiemonsta, Mar 23 2009, 11:42 PM.
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| twinkiemonsta | Mar 23 2009, 04:39 PM Post #34 |
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* The Jacksonville Jaguars are showing interest in QB Mark Sanchez. They have either met with him already or have set up a meeting. Are they interested in a QB at #8? Could Sanchez be a surprise pick at that spot? I don't think so. I have no inside info, but I don't buy the Jags being interested in Sanchez. Coach Jack Del Rio is on the hot seat. Adding a young QB doesn't help the 2009 season. Sure, we all saw Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco last year, but those were anomalies. Don't count on that happening this year. I think the Jags are hoping to trade down. I don't see a good fit for them at pick 8. I think they'd love one of the WRs or BJ Raji or an OT, but those guys are likely to be off the board. Why reach for someone when you can drop back 2 to 5 spots and get better value plus an additional player? I could see the Jags targeting WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, RB Chris Wells, MLB Rey Maualuga, Eben Britton, or a CB. Those are 11-20 type of targets, not pick 8. In order to trade back you need some other team to want your pick. The best way to do that is show interest in a QB. You could see the Niners, Jets, and maybe even Bucs being interested. Depending on what goes on in Denver, the Broncos could have interest. If Michael Crabtree or Jeremy Maclin falls I could see the Jags staying put. I think they'd love to add a weapon to the passing game. With those guys gone, the smart move probably is to drop back a few spots. That would allow you to get another player for better value and add an extra pick into the mix. Like I said, though...this is just a hunch on my part. * It is hard to say Jarron Gilbert is underrated at this point. I think most serious draftniks know who he is. There is a lot of talk about his size and workout numbers. Gilbert is 6'5, 284. He ran a 4.86, had a 37-inch vertical, and did the SS in 4.4. This is a big man with speed, agility, and quickness. He shows up on game tape. He's not one of these terrific athletes that was an underachiever. Those guys drive me crazy. Jarron led FBS with 22 TFLs this year. He had 42 TFLs for his career. One of the things I like most about Jarron is that he isn't just disruptive. There are plenty of DL who can get penetration and affect plays. Jarron is able to make plays. He's quick off the ball and that helps him get penetration. He uses a very good swim move to go over/by blockers when needed. He'll use a spin move at times, but that is marginally effective. Pro coaches will probably have him drop that one. Jarron gets into the backfield under control. Watch a guy like Ziggy Hood. He flies into the backfield at 100 mph. He's often out of control. Jarron gets back there and has his head up so he can find the ball. He has long arms and gets them extended so he can grab the RB or QB. He also has good closing speed. Jarron gets into the backfield and then a step later he just engulfs the player with the ball. The big question with Gilbert is his value. He looks like a Top 50 player at the very least. I think some teams are going to love him. It would not surprise me to see him go in the middle of the 1st round. Think about the Chargers. They could put him at DE. Their DL had a total of 8.5 sacks last year. Gilbert could help that area. Detroit at pick 20 could take him. Coach Jim Schwartz knows the value of a top DT. There are several 3-4 teams in the 21-32 range who could go for him. I've been thinking that Gilbert's best value would be as a DE to a 3-4 team. I'm now thinking that 4-3 teams could covet him just as much. It won't shock me to find out some teams have Gilbert as the #2 DT behind BJ Raji. He could grow to be 6'5, 300. As he adds bulk and learns to play with power Gilbert could become a very good DT. * I get a lot of questions about Brandon Pettigrew. Most people are concerned because he ran a slow 40 at the Combine. Pettigrew ran a 4.83. That doesn't bother me at all. Brandon is a 263-pound TE. He isn't fast. He never was supposed to be fast. Speed isn't part of his game. Workout numbers need to match a player's skill set. Brandon is a very good blocker. He has very good hands. He isn't the guy who will catch the pass in the flat and put on some moves and run 50 yards. That's not his game. You get him to block for you and catch passes over the middle of the field. Brandon is my number one TE. He deserves to be a Top 25 pick. The 40 time isn't important for him. If a guy like Cornelius Ingram or Travis Beckum ran a slow 40, that would be different. Their skill sets are built around athletic ability. Their value comes in the form of being playmakers. The other thing to remember in this is that Pettigrew plays fast (enough) on tape. You don't see him struggling to run. You won't see him break off any super long plays, but he's not some slow, stiff guy that is ineffective as a receiver. * |
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| twinkiemonsta | Mar 24 2009, 01:43 AM Post #35 |
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### Kansas ### Fields 88 - Herftford 13 - Mayes 66 - Holt 12 - Good tackler. Wraps up. Solid in coverage. Sits in the middle of the field and gets to the ball. Has a nose for the ball. Plays some DE. Good pass rusher. Disruptive and productive. Mortensen 8 - Hands? Okay awareness. Will battle blockers. Rivera 40 - Some DE. Has pass rush skills. Not a speed rusher, though. Strong, physical. Can shed blocks. Effective tackler in space. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ --- Kansas State --- J Freeman -- Good arm. Solid mechanics. Pocket presence? Scans the field. Doesn't need to be set to throw accurately. Throws crisp passes to the flats. Runs well. Strong enough to run through arm tackles. Can put good touch on his throws. Must protect the ball better. I. Campbell 98 - Sometimes he's in a 3-point stance, other times he stood up. More effort than talent. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ## USF ## Huners 71 - LG. Good awareness. Pulls okay. Uses his hands well. Effective on LBs. Plays with good leverage. Schmidt 65 - LT. Waist bender. Moves his feet okay, but isn't light on them or agile. Gets pushed back some in pass pro. Sloppy on LBs. Johnson 89 - KOR. Will work the slot. Body catcher. Sorta elusive. Dile 78 - RT. JAG. Griffin 77 - C. Can he anchor? Buie 90 - Runs pretty well. Speed guy. Chris Clemons type. McKenzie 27 - Good tackler. Active. Hustles in pursuit. Limited athlete. Speed? Williams 32 - Trouble. Edited by twinkiemonsta, Mar 25 2009, 01:31 AM.
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| twinkiemonsta | Mar 25 2009, 08:58 AM Post #36 |
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--- Kansas State --- J Freeman -- Good arm. Solid mechanics. Pocket presence? Scans the field. Doesn't need to be set to throw accurately. Throws crisp passes to the flats. Runs well. Strong enough to run through arm tackles. Can put good touch on his throws. Must protect the ball better. Will force the ball at times. Can absolutely throw a rocket when he wants to. I. Campbell 98 - Sometimes he's in a 3-point stance, other times he stood up. More effort than talent. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Missouri *** Colin Brown - Chase Coffman - J. Maclin - Z. Hood - Can shed blocks. W. Moore - #25? - Sulak - Fast. Gets off the ball very quickly. B Christopher - Needs to tackle with more power. |
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| twinkiemonsta | Mar 27 2009, 09:35 AM Post #37 |
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WISC Pressley - Stiff. Too upright when he blocks. #11 Levy - Okay feet. Speed, range? Fights off cut blocks. #2 Casillas - Has power when he hits. Trouble with cut blocks in space. Speed? #54 - Not stout. Too light. # 17 - Good tackler. Tough, competitive cover guy. ___________________ CP Barden - Dropped sideline pass. Went up high for the ball, but bobbled it as he brought it down. Hands catcher. Has good feet. Solid run blocker. Sean Lawyer - 6'1, 260 - |
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| twinkiemonsta | Mar 30 2009, 09:10 AM Post #38 |
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Sammie Lee Hill - 91 - Plays LDE. Natural size. Not a fattie. Quick off the ball. Has some agility. Lacks the motor to be a top pass rusher. Lacks the speed to make plays in space. Can just engulf the QB. Not as physically dominant as I expected. Tries to beat blocks with speed and skill instead of just over-powering guys. Very little bull rushing. Jogs on the field too much for my liking. Pacing himself? 2 sacks TFL Batted pass |
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| twinkiemonsta | Apr 2 2009, 12:06 AM Post #39 |
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* WIU * *Jason Williams - Plays ILB. He will fight off blocks. Uses his hands well. Stays up close to the LOS a lot. Shows some pass rush ability. Athletic enough to come off the edge and make plays in the backfield. Works to get to the football. Fights through trash. *Herb Donaldson 3 - MVC career rushing leader. Good runner between the tackles. Reads his blocks well. Can take a hit and will run through some tackles, but lacks ideal strength and power. Mainly a N-S runner. Has an okay stiff arm. Speed? ___________________________ |
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| twinkiemonsta | Apr 2 2009, 01:39 AM Post #40 |
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Brian Toal - ILB. Somewhat athletic, but I'm not sure he's good enough for WLB. Lacks the ideal size for MLB. Effort guy. Tough. Robert Francois 35 - Looks agile. Good feet. Kevin Akins - Good hitter. Good blitzer. Joe Burnett - Locates the ball well. Can play off. Good awareness. Fluid hips. Can press. 45 - Quick feet. 29 - Good tackler. ____________________________________ T. Roehl - Jerimiah Wurzbacher 80 - Looks sorta skinny. Willing blocker. Needs to get stronger. Nick Schommer 29 - Misplayed downfield pass. Corey Lewis 1 - Everette Pedescleaux 95 - Played LDT. Has some athletic ability. Looks like a DE playing inside. De'Veon Harris 15 - MLB. Terrell McMoore 24 - Edited by twinkiemonsta, Apr 2 2009, 11:26 PM.
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