1. St. Louis (1-15) - Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma- Despite the fact that Suh is the best overall player in the NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams are in a position offensively where they are a franchise quarterback away from becoming solid at the very least. With Steven Jackson running the ball, young receivers with potential, and bookend tackles to look forward to, the Rams simply cannot pass up on Bradford who is extremely accurate and smart. Despite former top 15 pick Adam Carriker being traded to Washington, St. Louis grabs their franchise guy.
2. Detroit (2-14) - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska- This is a no-brainer for Detroit. Suh is the best overall player in the draft, and while they may not want to pay top dollar for yet another top 5 pick, he’s just a can’t miss prospect. They need a lot of help on the defensive line, despite the acquisition of Corey Williams and Kyle Vanden Bosch, and Suh is their guy.
3. Tampa Bay (3-13) - Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma- Like the Lions, this is another no-brainer considering McCoy is just about on the same level as Suh. With the Buccaneers finishing 2009 being 5th worst in the NFL in sacks, and worst against the run, they need a big time presence in the trenches.
4. Washington (4-12) - Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State- The Redskins were tied for 4th most in the league in sacks given up to young quarterback Jason Campbell. On top of that former Pro-Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels is being forced into retirement due to a neck injury. The athletic, and quick footed Okung is the right fit in the nation’s capitol. With the acquisition of Donovan McNabb, you can bet that Washington is going to protect their new veteran quarterback.
5. Kansas City (4-12) - Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa- Kansas City’s biggest problem offensively was the fact that they just couldn’t keep their 60 million dollar man on his feet. Scott Pioli’s ties to Kirk Ferentz and the dominance of Bulaga make him a prized possession and the franchise left tackle of the Kansas City Chiefs.
6. Seattle (5-11) – Eric Berry, S, Tennesse- Seattle needs help in the secondary, and Berry is the best player available, while playing a huge position of need. Berry is thought to be in the mold of Ed Reed, and certainly didn’t disappoint anybody with his combine performance. Berry could go sooner, but safeties aren’t usually coveted in the top 5, and sometimes not even the top 10, but he’s the real deal.
7. Jacksonville (7-9 trade up with Cleveland) – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State- The Jaguars really need a receiver that can make plays like Bryant can. Despite not playing much in 2009, Bryant’s physical skills are ideal for a true #1 wide receiver in the NFL. Any quarterback would love to have a strong, physical receiver like Bryant who can also make plays after the catch. Jacksonville gets their future stud wide receiver here.
8. Oakland (5-11) - Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland- This really is an obvious pick considering Raider quarterbacks were sacked 3rd most in the league with 49. Campbell is a physical freak, who displayed his athleticism in the combine. As long as Al Davis is running the show, you can always bank on him reaching on a physical specimen like Campbell. With the failure of Robert Gallery who was a former top pick, the Raiders are in dire need for a true stud at left tackle.
9. Buffalo (6-10) - Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame- Buffalo’s quarterback problems just never seem to go away. They’ve plugged in numerous starters over the years, and none of them seem to pan out. While they could use a lot of help on the offensive line, they just can’t pass up on a potential franchise quarterback in Jimmy Clausen who did a fantastic job in combine interviews and really pushed the “maturity” issues aside. Clausen comes from a pro-style offense in Notre Dame in which he put up big numbers without a lot of help. While Gailey is said to prefer more mobile quarterbacks, you cannot pass on a guy with Clausen’s ceiling.
10. Cleveland Browns (5-11 trade with Jacksonville) Dan Williams, NT, Tennesse- The key component to running a 3-4 defense is the nose tackle position. Although it is currently filled by Shaun Rogers, many believe that Rogers will be traded on draft day as he is aging, and is rumored to not want to be in Cleveland. Worst case scenario is that Rogers would be retained, and play the 5 technique, while Williams would play nose tackle. Williams is excellent value here.
11. Denver [from Chicago] (7-9) – Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama- Denver could go a couple different ways here, but with a newly installed 34 defense, a signing of Justin Bannan to play some nose tackle, and the need for a Patrick Willis type linebacker in the middle, they grab McClain here. McClain can do it all. His weaknesses are very limited, as there are no glaring weaknesses. He’s the best sideline to sideline linebacker in this class who can cover as well as be a key in the run game.
12. Miami (7-9) – Earl Thomas, S, Texas- Miami’s biggest problem is on the defensive line, but they are equally as bad at the free safety spot. Thomas is just slightly below the talent of Eric Berry who Seattle grabbed at pick number 6. Thomas’ speed allows him to cover a lot of ground, and he’s very aggressive like a ball hawk.
13. San Francisco (8-8)- Joe Haden, CB, Florida- After Haden’s disappointing forty time at the combine, he slips a few picks, but not too far. Haden is still the best cornerback in the 2010 NFL Draft. He still has great change of direction, and terrific ball skills, as well as being a very physical corner. San Francisco could really use an upgrade at the cornerback position after giving up 226 pass yards a game, which was the one of the worst in the league.
14. Seattle [from Denver] (8-8) – Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech- Seattle had just 28 sacks in 2009, and lack have a big problem getting to the quarterback. Derrick Morgan is the best pick at the 14th spot, being an excellent pass rusher who’s also stout against the run. He’s an athletic player who can be a game changer. Seattle gets to use their second 1st round pick to get another defensive stud, just like last season when they drafted linebacker Aaron Curry.
15. New York Giants (8-8) – Brian Price, DT, UCLA- With the loss of Fred Robbins, defensive tackle becomes the number one need for the G-Men. Brian Price is a dominant defensive tackle who just blows up plays in the backfield. He can get to the quarterback, and disrupt the backfield better than any other defensive tackle not named Suh or Gerald McCoy. The Giants get a bargain here with Price.
16. Tennessee (8-8) – Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State- Best pick available here, and a huge need filled for the Titans drafting the speedy Wilson who has seen his stock rise quite a bit since the beginning of the 2009 football season. Wilson is a guy that can come in immediately and make an impact for a team who was 2nd to last in the NFL against the pass.
17. San Francisco [from Carolina] (8-8) – Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho- Iupati is one of the best offensive guards in the last few NFL Drafts. He’s also quite versatile as he can get work at right tackle and potentially even left tackle. The 49ers are in dire need of a dominating offensive guard for Gore and Company to run behind. Iupati fills that hole.
18. Pittsburgh (9-7) – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma- Pittsburgh quarterbacks were sacked a total of 50 times last season. The Steelers have had offensive tackle woes for quite awhile now, and this is the year they look to fix it with Williams filling in the left tackle spot. With Rashard Mendenhall looking to take control, the Steelers will want a big tackle in there to push the pile and open up holes for the big running back, while keeping their two time Super Bowl winning quarterback off the ground.
19. Atlanta (9-7) – Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri- Weatherspoon is the type of player that all 32 football teams should have on their team. He’s a defensive leader who can go sideline to sideline and make tackles. On top of that he’s one of the better coverage linebackers in this draft and is a no brainer here for the Falcons who have a huge vacancy at the SAM linebacker position.
20. Houston (9-7) – C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson- Spiller is a quick runner who’s also very effective between the tackles and out of the backfield. Houston was 30th in the league in 2009 in the rushing department, and with a quarterback as good as Schaub, they could be a stud rusher away from being a legit playoff team. Spiller gives them a dynamic at the running back position that they have never seen before.
21. Cincinnati (10-6) – Taylor Mays, S, USC- It’s hard for the Bengals to pass up on the athleticism and potential of Mays. Cincinnati lacks that intimidating safety in the defensive backfield, despite the signing of Roy Williams, who has regressed significantly. Mays has a high ceiling, and with proper coaching could become an elite player in the NFL.
22. New England (10-6) – Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/OLB, South Florida- New England lacks that feared pass rusher on defense. Adalius Thomas is regressing, as he had the highest tackle/missed tackle ratio of last season, and has slowed down quite a bit. New England’s coaching staff can develop this physical freak into an effective outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense.
23. Green Bay (11-5) – Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama- Charles Woodson had an excellent season for Green Bay, but he’s aging, and they still need another cornerback as Tramon Williams is strictly a nickel guy. Jackson is a speedy corner with quick hips who isn’t afraid to make a tackle and is very instinctive. Jackson could take over as a dominant number one corner in the NFL one day, especially if he spends more time with Woodson.
24. Philadelphia (11-5) – Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers- After losing Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown, the Eagles are desperate for a speedy corner opposite Pro-Bowler Asante Samuel. Their cornerback depth is weak, and McCourty is a player who can step in right away and play in the number two spot. He can cover speedy receivers down the field, and isn’t too bad against the run either.
25. Baltimore (9-7) – Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State- Baltimore lost Dwan Edwards, and has an aging defensive end in Trevor Pryce. Odrick fits as a 3-4 defensive end or a 4-3 defensive tackle. He’s a powerful guy who plays well laterally and is excellent at the point of attack. Baltimore getting Odrick would make the transition to outside linebacker much easier for Paul Kruger, who is going to be asked to play a bigger role in 2010.
26. Arizona (10-6) – Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan- Arizona lacks a true pass rusher at outside linebacker, and both of their starters are over age 33. Graham’s stock has really risen after the Senior Bowl, and even more so at the combine posting a nice forty time, and 31 reps on the bench. Graham is a steal at the end of the first round and is looked at as a potential elite pass rusher in the form of Dwight Freeney.
27. Dallas (11-5) – Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers- The Cowboys need help on the offensive line. Flozell Adams is regressing, and it’s too hard to tell if Doug Free can man the left side or not. Davis’ hopes are at left tackle, but I’m not 100% sold on his ability to protect the quarterback. His best fit is on the right side as a mauling right tackle, while the Cowboys keep Free at left tackle.
28. San Diego (13-3) – Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State- San Diego just let go their future Hall of Fame running back in LaDainian Tomlinson, and have only Darren Sproles back to the team. Even with LT last season, they were the 2nd worst in the league in rushing yards per game, and need an impact player at the running back spot. Mathews is an every down back who can run well between the tackles, and has the speed to get outside and break a long run and be a number one running back for the nest 5-7 seasons.
29. New York Jets (9-7) – Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida- Dunlap is a bit of a question mark when it comes to motivation and preparation issues, but is top 15 talent if coached up. What better defensive mind to go to than Rex Ryan? The Jets need help at defensive end and Dunlap could play 3-4 defensive end effectively. He fits the mold of Calais Campbell in that he can rush the passer while still holding the point of attack allowing the linebackers to make plays.
30. Minnesota (12-4) – Javhid Best, RB, California- With all of the better cornerbacks already selected, the Vikings look to replace Chester Taylor as Adrian Peterson’s backup runner. Best can catch the ball well out of the backfield and is elusive, much like Taylor, only he’s a bit quicker. In a league where many teams are running with two backs consistently, this move makes sense considering the better members of the secondary are already off the board.
31. Indianapolis (14-2) – Charles Brown, OT, USC- With Tony Ugoh being a disappointment, the Colts are in need of a left tackle that can protect Peyton Manning and give them a few more shots at winning a Super Bowl ring. Brown is an agile tackle with long arms. He’s more of a finesse offensive tackle who doesn’t over power people, and is only mediocre in the run game. Brown would be able to fit right in protecting Manning’s backside.
32. New Orleans (13-3) - Everson Griffen, DE, USC- The Saints have a glaring need at defensive end opposite Will Smith who had 13.5 sacks in 2009. They get good pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but with a standout guy like Griffen, they can get better against the run, and penetrate the backfield much easier. Griffen is stout against the run, and is excellent with contain.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
St Louis: Still Going Quarterback
With the draft just under 48 hours away, the St. Louis Rams cut ties with, injury-prone, Adam Carriker. Carriker was the 13th pick of the 2007 NFL out of Nebraska. Many thought Carriker to be the ideal 3-4 defensive end, while still being a guy that could shut down the run and get to the passer as a 4-3 under tackle. Carriker was sent to the Washington Redskins for a seventh round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.
So did dealing Carriker make room for Ndamukong Suh as the first overall pick in the NFL Draft? Perhaps it did. The Rams were 27th against the run last season from a yardage perspective. However, stats also show that they weren't as bad against the run as most would think. Profootballfocus.com has them as the 14th best rush defense last season. The secondary and pass rush seemed to be the biggest problem in St. Louis.
However, Suh is a phenomenal pass rusher as well, and warrants the first pick overall for virtually any team. Don't forget that a successful pass rush helps out the secondary significantly. However, will one defensive tackle solve all of their defensive problems? Most likely not.
The debate since the end of the college football season has been Suh vs. Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen. Until the middle of February, most everyone had Suh as the first overall pick, being the best pick available.
The million dollar question is "Why wouldn't St. Louis draft a quarterback?". Many teams in St. Louis' position on draft day generally don't have the offensive situation that the Rams are 'blessed' with. You may ask me why I think they are 'blessed' despite being one of the most ineffective offenses in 2009, and I'm here to tell you why.
First off, not many teams drafting number one overall have a franchise running back like St. Louis has with Steven Jackson. Jackson is coming off of his 5th consecutive 1,000 yard season. Two of the last four seasons that Jackson has played 15 or 16 games, he's rushed for over 1,400 yards. He still eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark despite playing in only 12 games in 2007 and 2009. He's a workhorse running back who can carry the load.
The next thing to look at is the offensive line. While young, they have two potential bookend tackles. Jason Smith was drafted #2 overall in the 2009 to take over at the left tackle spot for Alex Barron who has disappointed in pass protection, and even worse with penalties. However, Barron is a very stout run blocker and could switch to the right side, while giving the left tackle spot to Smith, who looks to be a dominate pass blocker at the next level. The Rams didn't get to see much of Smith as he went down with an injury in the middle of the season.
Don't forget last off-season's free agent acquisition of reliable veteran Jason Brown, and the Rams have a respectable offensive line. The guards are what will hold the Rams down, but the Rams should look to find guard help in the second or third round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
The last aspect to look at are the wide receivers. Donnie Avery will be in his third season after having a solid year in 2009. Last season, rookie Brandon Gibson also made a small splash as a number two wide out after Laurent Robinson went down. Gibson had just five drops after being thrown at 64 times. The problem was the quarterback last season for the Rams. The last big piece of the wide receiver corps is Laurent Robinson who showed promise in his first few games after grabbing 13 passes. Robinson could be a very promising wide receiver. He a very good size and speed combo as well as hands of glue.
When you look at it, the Rams are in a very good position to draft a quarterback at number one. Many teams that are drafting with the first pick don't have a franchise running back, or a potential franchise left tackle. Looking at the Rams options of Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford, it's hard to tell which one they'll choose, however, it's looking like Bradford will be the guy.
Don't rule out Suh completely at number one overall, but with quarterback being the most important position on the football field, and given the Rams somewhat promising offense, they're in a good position to grab their franchise quarterback.
So did dealing Carriker make room for Ndamukong Suh as the first overall pick in the NFL Draft? Perhaps it did. The Rams were 27th against the run last season from a yardage perspective. However, stats also show that they weren't as bad against the run as most would think. Profootballfocus.com has them as the 14th best rush defense last season. The secondary and pass rush seemed to be the biggest problem in St. Louis.
However, Suh is a phenomenal pass rusher as well, and warrants the first pick overall for virtually any team. Don't forget that a successful pass rush helps out the secondary significantly. However, will one defensive tackle solve all of their defensive problems? Most likely not.
The debate since the end of the college football season has been Suh vs. Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen. Until the middle of February, most everyone had Suh as the first overall pick, being the best pick available.
The million dollar question is "Why wouldn't St. Louis draft a quarterback?". Many teams in St. Louis' position on draft day generally don't have the offensive situation that the Rams are 'blessed' with. You may ask me why I think they are 'blessed' despite being one of the most ineffective offenses in 2009, and I'm here to tell you why.
First off, not many teams drafting number one overall have a franchise running back like St. Louis has with Steven Jackson. Jackson is coming off of his 5th consecutive 1,000 yard season. Two of the last four seasons that Jackson has played 15 or 16 games, he's rushed for over 1,400 yards. He still eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark despite playing in only 12 games in 2007 and 2009. He's a workhorse running back who can carry the load.
The next thing to look at is the offensive line. While young, they have two potential bookend tackles. Jason Smith was drafted #2 overall in the 2009 to take over at the left tackle spot for Alex Barron who has disappointed in pass protection, and even worse with penalties. However, Barron is a very stout run blocker and could switch to the right side, while giving the left tackle spot to Smith, who looks to be a dominate pass blocker at the next level. The Rams didn't get to see much of Smith as he went down with an injury in the middle of the season.
Don't forget last off-season's free agent acquisition of reliable veteran Jason Brown, and the Rams have a respectable offensive line. The guards are what will hold the Rams down, but the Rams should look to find guard help in the second or third round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
The last aspect to look at are the wide receivers. Donnie Avery will be in his third season after having a solid year in 2009. Last season, rookie Brandon Gibson also made a small splash as a number two wide out after Laurent Robinson went down. Gibson had just five drops after being thrown at 64 times. The problem was the quarterback last season for the Rams. The last big piece of the wide receiver corps is Laurent Robinson who showed promise in his first few games after grabbing 13 passes. Robinson could be a very promising wide receiver. He a very good size and speed combo as well as hands of glue.
When you look at it, the Rams are in a very good position to draft a quarterback at number one. Many teams that are drafting with the first pick don't have a franchise running back, or a potential franchise left tackle. Looking at the Rams options of Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford, it's hard to tell which one they'll choose, however, it's looking like Bradford will be the guy.
Don't rule out Suh completely at number one overall, but with quarterback being the most important position on the football field, and given the Rams somewhat promising offense, they're in a good position to grab their franchise quarterback.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
First Round Mock
1. St. Louis (1-15) - Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma- Despite the fact that Suh is the best overall player in the NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams are in a position offensively where they are a franchise quarterback away from becoming solid at the very least. With Steven Jackson running the ball, young receivers with potential, and bookend tackles to look forward to, the Rams simply cannot pass up on Bradford who is extremely accurate and smart.
2. Detroit (2-14) - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska- This is a no-brainer for Detroit. Suh is the best overall player in the draft, and while they may not want to pay top dollar for yet another top 5 pick, he’s just a can’t miss prospect. They need a lot of help on the defensive line and Suh is their guy.
3. Tampa Bay (3-13) - Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma- Like the Lions, this is another no-brainer considering McCoy is just about on the same level as Suh. With the Buccaneers finishing 2009 being 5th worst in the NFL in sacks, and worst against the run, they need a big time presence in the trenches.
4. Washington (4-12) - Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State- The Redskins were tied for 4th most in the league in sacks given up to young quarterback Jason Campbell. On top of that former Pro-Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels is being forced into retirement due to a neck injury. The athletic, and quick footed Okung is the right fit in the nation’s capitol.
5. Kansas City (4-12) - Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa- Kansas City’s biggest problem offensively was the fact that they just couldn’t keep their 60 million dollar man on his feet. Scott Pioli’s ties to Kirk Ferentz and the dominance of Bulaga make him a prized possession and the franchise left tackle of the Kansas City Chiefs.
6. Seattle (5-11) - C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson- Despite the emergence of 3rd year pro Justin Forsett, Seattle still averaged a measly 97.9 yards per game on the ground. With new Executive VP/Head Coach Pete Carroll at the helm, one should know how you can never have too many good tailbacks. Spiller is a quick runner who’s also very effective between the tackles and out of the backfield. While Forsett may be in the same mold to an extent, the NFL is becoming a league in which you almost need to have 2 good backs to succeed, and being an offensive guy, Pete Carroll pulls the trigger on Spiller.
7. Cleveland (5-11) - Eric Berry, S, Tennesse- Cleveland needs help all over the place, but the fact that they had a wide receiver playing safety for most of the season goes to show just how desperate they are in need of a true safety, especially a play maker and game changer like Berry. Berry is thought to be in the mold of Ed Reed, and certainly didn’t disappoint anybody with his combine performance. Berry could go sooner, but safeties aren’t usually coveted in the top 5, and sometimes not even the top 10, but he’s the real deal.
8. Oakland (5-11) - Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland- This really is an obvious pick considering Raider quarterbacks were sacked 3rd most in the league with 49. Campbell is a physical freak, who displayed his athleticism in the combine. As long as Al Davis is running the show, you can always bank on him reaching on a physical specimen like Campbell. With the failure of Robert Gallery who was a former top pick, the Raiders are in dire need for a true stud at left tackle.
9. Buffalo (6-10) - Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame- Buffalo’s quarterback problems just never seem to go away. They’ve plugged in numerous starters over the years, and none of them seem to pan out. While they could use a lot of help on the offensive line, they just can’t pass up on a potential franchise quarterback in Jimmy Clausen who did a fantastic job in combine interviews and really pushed the “maturity” issues aside. Clausen comes from a pro-style offense in Notre Dame in which he put up big numbers without a lot of help.
10. Jacksonville (7-9) – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State- The Jaguars really need a receiver that can make plays like Bryant can. Despite not playing much in 2009, Bryant’s physical skills are ideal for a true #1 wide receiver in the NFL. Any quarterback would love to have a strong, physical receiver like Bryant who can also make plays after the catch. Jacksonville gets their future stud wide receiver here.
11. Denver [from Chicago] (7-9) – Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama- Denver could go a couple different ways here, but with a newly installed 34 defense, a signing of Justin Bannan to play some nose tackle, and the need for a Patrick Willis type linebacker in the middle, they grab McClain here. McClain can do it all. His weaknesses are very limited, as there are no glaring weaknesses. He’s the best sideline to sideline linebacker in this class who can cover as well as be a key in the run game.
12. Miami (7-9) – Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee- Some people may question this pick, but when you’re running a 34 defense, the nose tackle is the biggest key to success. I personally believe much of the average play of the linebackers in Miami was due to the fact that they do not have a defensive line that can eat up blockers and take up space, forcing the line backers to get mauled by the offensive lineman who are able to get to the 2nd level. Williams is a 1 or 2 gap DT and is absolutely dominant.
13. San Francisco (8-8)- Joe Haden, CB, Florida- After Haden’s disappointing forty time at the combine, he slips a few picks, but not too far. Haden is still the best cornerback in the 2010 NFL Draft. He still has great change of direction, and terrific ball skills, as well as being a very physical corner. San Francisco could really use an upgrade at the cornerback position after giving up 226 pass yards a game, which was the one of the worst in the league.
14. Seattle [from Denver] (8-8) – Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech- Seattle had just 28 sacks in 2009, and lack have a big problem getting to the quarterback. Derrick Morgan is the best pick at the 14th spot, being an excellent pass rusher who’s also stout against the run. He’s an athletic player who can be a game changer. Seattle gets to use their second 1st round pick to get another defensive stud, just like last season when they drafted linebacker Aaron Curry.
15. New York Giants (8-8) – Brian Price, DT, UCLA- With the loss of Fred Robbins, defensive tackle becomes the number one need for the G-Men. Brian Price is a dominant defensive tackle who just blows up plays in the backfield. He can get to the quarterback, and disrupt the backfield better than any other defensive tackle not named Suh or Gerald McCoy. The Giants get a bargain here with Price.
16. Tennessee (8-8) – Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State- Best pick available here, and a huge need filled for the Titans drafting the speedy Wilson who has seen his stock rise quite a bit since the beginning of the 2009 football season. Wilson is a guy that can come in immediately and make an impact for a team who was 2nd to last in the NFL against the pass.
17. San Francisco [from Carolina] (8-8) – Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho- Iupati is one of the best offensive guards in the last few NFL Drafts. He’s also quite versatile as he can get work at right tackle and potentially even left tackle. The 49ers are in dire need of a dominating offensive guard for Gore and Company to run behind. Iupati fills that hole.
18. Pittsburgh (9-7) – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma- Pittsburgh quarterbacks were sacked a total of 50 times last season. The Steelers have had offensive tackle woes for quite awhile now, and this is the year they look to fix it with Williams filling in the left tackle spot. With Rashard Mendenhall looking to take control, the Steelers will want a big tackle in there to push the pile and open up holes for the big running back, while keeping their two time Super Bowl winning quarterback off the ground.
19. Atlanta (9-7) – Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri- Weatherspoon is the type of player that all 32 football teams should have on their team. He’s a defensive leader who can go sideline to sideline and make tackles. On top of that he’s one of the better coverage linebackers in this draft and is a no brainer here for the Falcons who have a huge vacancy at the SAM linebacker position.
20. Houston (9-7) – Earl Thomas, S, Texas- Houston has some holes to fill in the secondary, and with Earl Thomas falling to pick 20, he’s an obvious choice to fill the free safety position currently manned by John Busing. Thomas also may be able to translate to the NFL as a cornerback, which is another big need for the Texans with the loss of Dunta Robinson, who’s been disappointing in his last two seasons.
21. Cincinnati (10-6) – Taylor Mays, S, USC- It’s hard for the Bengals to pass up on the athleticism and potential of Mays. Cincinnati lacks that intimidating safety in the defensive backfield, despite the signing of Roy Williams, who has regressed significantly. Mays has a high ceiling, and with proper coaching could become an elite player in the NFL.
22. New England (10-6) – Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/OLB, South Florida- New England lacks that feared pass rusher on defense. Adalius Thomas is regressing, as he had the highest tackle/missed tackle ratio of last season, and has slowed down quite a bit. New England’s coaching staff can develop this physical freak into an effective outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense.
23. Green Bay (11-5) – Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama- Charles Woodson had an excellent season for Green Bay, but he’s aging, and they still need another cornerback as Tramon Williams is strictly a nickel guy. Jackson is a speedy corner with quick hips who isn’t afraid to make a tackle and is very instinctive. Jackson could take over as a dominant number one corner in the NFL one day, especially if he spends more time with Woodson.
24. Philadelphia (11-5) – Daryl Washington, LB, Texas Christian- Washington is a hard-nosed linebacker who plays well sideline to sideline. Washington is also quite versatile and could realistically play all 3 linebacker positions in a 43 or 46 scheme, and with Philadelphia not having a true weak side linebacker, and an unreliable veteran in Trotter, Washington is a no brainer.
25. Baltimore (9-7) – Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State- Baltimore lost Dwan Edwards, and has an aging defensive end in Trevor Pryce. Odrick fits as a 3-4 defensive end or a 4-3 defensive tackle. He’s a powerful guy who plays well laterally and is excellent at the point of attack. Baltimore getting Odrick would make the transition to outside linebacker much easier for Paul Kruger, who is going to be asked to play a bigger role in 2010.
26. Arizona (10-6) – Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan- Arizona lacks a true pass rusher at outside linebacker, and both of their starters are over age 33. Graham’s stock has really risen after the Senior Bowl, and even more so at the combine posting a nice forty time, and 31 reps on the bench. Graham is a steal at the end of the first round and is looked at as a potential elite pass rusher in the form of Dwight Freeney.
27. Dallas (11-5) – Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers- The Cowboys need help on the offensive line. Flozell Adams is regressing, and it’s too hard to tell if Doug Free can man the left side or not. Davis’ hopes are at left tackle, but I’m not 100% sold on his ability to protect the quarterback. His best fit is on the right side as a mauling right tackle, while the Cowboys keep Free at left tackle.
28. San Diego (13-3) – Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State- San Diego just let go their future Hall of Fame running back in LaDainian Tomlinson, and have only Darren Sproles back to the team. Even with LT last season, they were the 2nd worst in the league in rushing yards per game, and need an impact player at the running back spot. Mathews is an every down back who can run well between the tackles, and has the speed to get outside and break a long run and be a number one running back for the nest 5-7 seasons.
29. New York Jets (9-7) – Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida- Dunlap is a bit of a question mark when it comes to motivation and preparation issues, but is top 15 talent if coached up. What better defensive mind to go to than Rex Ryan? The Jets need help at defensive end and Dunlap could play 3-4 defensive end effectively. He fits the mold of Calais Campbell in that he can rush the passer while still holding the point of attack allowing the linebackers to make plays.
30. Minnesota (12-4) – Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers- With the Vikings injuries at cornerback, they need to draft one early. Cedric Griffen tore his ACL against the Saints, and Antoine Winfield has a nagging foot injury that kept him from performing up to his usual self last season. Griffen will most likely start the season on the PUP list, and the Vikings lack depth. McCourty is a speedy corner who can cover the burners of the NFL and potentially be a number one corner.
31. Indianapolis (14-2) – Charles Brown, OT, USC- With Tony Ugoh being a disappointment, the Colts are in need of a left tackle that can protect Peyton Manning and give them a few more shots at winning a Super Bowl ring. Brown is an agile tackle with long arms. He’s more of a finesse offensive tackle who doesn’t over power people, and is only mediocre in the run game. Brown would be able to fit right in protecting Manning’s backside.
32. New Orleans (13-3) - Everson Griffen, DE, USC- The Saints have a glaring need at defensive end opposite Will Smith who had 13.5 sacks in 2009. They get good pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but with a standout guy like Griffen, they can get better against the run, and penetrate the backfield much easier. Griffen is stout against the run, and is excellent with contain.
2. Detroit (2-14) - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska- This is a no-brainer for Detroit. Suh is the best overall player in the draft, and while they may not want to pay top dollar for yet another top 5 pick, he’s just a can’t miss prospect. They need a lot of help on the defensive line and Suh is their guy.
3. Tampa Bay (3-13) - Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma- Like the Lions, this is another no-brainer considering McCoy is just about on the same level as Suh. With the Buccaneers finishing 2009 being 5th worst in the NFL in sacks, and worst against the run, they need a big time presence in the trenches.
4. Washington (4-12) - Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State- The Redskins were tied for 4th most in the league in sacks given up to young quarterback Jason Campbell. On top of that former Pro-Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels is being forced into retirement due to a neck injury. The athletic, and quick footed Okung is the right fit in the nation’s capitol.
5. Kansas City (4-12) - Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa- Kansas City’s biggest problem offensively was the fact that they just couldn’t keep their 60 million dollar man on his feet. Scott Pioli’s ties to Kirk Ferentz and the dominance of Bulaga make him a prized possession and the franchise left tackle of the Kansas City Chiefs.
6. Seattle (5-11) - C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson- Despite the emergence of 3rd year pro Justin Forsett, Seattle still averaged a measly 97.9 yards per game on the ground. With new Executive VP/Head Coach Pete Carroll at the helm, one should know how you can never have too many good tailbacks. Spiller is a quick runner who’s also very effective between the tackles and out of the backfield. While Forsett may be in the same mold to an extent, the NFL is becoming a league in which you almost need to have 2 good backs to succeed, and being an offensive guy, Pete Carroll pulls the trigger on Spiller.
7. Cleveland (5-11) - Eric Berry, S, Tennesse- Cleveland needs help all over the place, but the fact that they had a wide receiver playing safety for most of the season goes to show just how desperate they are in need of a true safety, especially a play maker and game changer like Berry. Berry is thought to be in the mold of Ed Reed, and certainly didn’t disappoint anybody with his combine performance. Berry could go sooner, but safeties aren’t usually coveted in the top 5, and sometimes not even the top 10, but he’s the real deal.
8. Oakland (5-11) - Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland- This really is an obvious pick considering Raider quarterbacks were sacked 3rd most in the league with 49. Campbell is a physical freak, who displayed his athleticism in the combine. As long as Al Davis is running the show, you can always bank on him reaching on a physical specimen like Campbell. With the failure of Robert Gallery who was a former top pick, the Raiders are in dire need for a true stud at left tackle.
9. Buffalo (6-10) - Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame- Buffalo’s quarterback problems just never seem to go away. They’ve plugged in numerous starters over the years, and none of them seem to pan out. While they could use a lot of help on the offensive line, they just can’t pass up on a potential franchise quarterback in Jimmy Clausen who did a fantastic job in combine interviews and really pushed the “maturity” issues aside. Clausen comes from a pro-style offense in Notre Dame in which he put up big numbers without a lot of help.
10. Jacksonville (7-9) – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State- The Jaguars really need a receiver that can make plays like Bryant can. Despite not playing much in 2009, Bryant’s physical skills are ideal for a true #1 wide receiver in the NFL. Any quarterback would love to have a strong, physical receiver like Bryant who can also make plays after the catch. Jacksonville gets their future stud wide receiver here.
11. Denver [from Chicago] (7-9) – Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama- Denver could go a couple different ways here, but with a newly installed 34 defense, a signing of Justin Bannan to play some nose tackle, and the need for a Patrick Willis type linebacker in the middle, they grab McClain here. McClain can do it all. His weaknesses are very limited, as there are no glaring weaknesses. He’s the best sideline to sideline linebacker in this class who can cover as well as be a key in the run game.
12. Miami (7-9) – Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee- Some people may question this pick, but when you’re running a 34 defense, the nose tackle is the biggest key to success. I personally believe much of the average play of the linebackers in Miami was due to the fact that they do not have a defensive line that can eat up blockers and take up space, forcing the line backers to get mauled by the offensive lineman who are able to get to the 2nd level. Williams is a 1 or 2 gap DT and is absolutely dominant.
13. San Francisco (8-8)- Joe Haden, CB, Florida- After Haden’s disappointing forty time at the combine, he slips a few picks, but not too far. Haden is still the best cornerback in the 2010 NFL Draft. He still has great change of direction, and terrific ball skills, as well as being a very physical corner. San Francisco could really use an upgrade at the cornerback position after giving up 226 pass yards a game, which was the one of the worst in the league.
14. Seattle [from Denver] (8-8) – Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech- Seattle had just 28 sacks in 2009, and lack have a big problem getting to the quarterback. Derrick Morgan is the best pick at the 14th spot, being an excellent pass rusher who’s also stout against the run. He’s an athletic player who can be a game changer. Seattle gets to use their second 1st round pick to get another defensive stud, just like last season when they drafted linebacker Aaron Curry.
15. New York Giants (8-8) – Brian Price, DT, UCLA- With the loss of Fred Robbins, defensive tackle becomes the number one need for the G-Men. Brian Price is a dominant defensive tackle who just blows up plays in the backfield. He can get to the quarterback, and disrupt the backfield better than any other defensive tackle not named Suh or Gerald McCoy. The Giants get a bargain here with Price.
16. Tennessee (8-8) – Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State- Best pick available here, and a huge need filled for the Titans drafting the speedy Wilson who has seen his stock rise quite a bit since the beginning of the 2009 football season. Wilson is a guy that can come in immediately and make an impact for a team who was 2nd to last in the NFL against the pass.
17. San Francisco [from Carolina] (8-8) – Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho- Iupati is one of the best offensive guards in the last few NFL Drafts. He’s also quite versatile as he can get work at right tackle and potentially even left tackle. The 49ers are in dire need of a dominating offensive guard for Gore and Company to run behind. Iupati fills that hole.
18. Pittsburgh (9-7) – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma- Pittsburgh quarterbacks were sacked a total of 50 times last season. The Steelers have had offensive tackle woes for quite awhile now, and this is the year they look to fix it with Williams filling in the left tackle spot. With Rashard Mendenhall looking to take control, the Steelers will want a big tackle in there to push the pile and open up holes for the big running back, while keeping their two time Super Bowl winning quarterback off the ground.
19. Atlanta (9-7) – Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri- Weatherspoon is the type of player that all 32 football teams should have on their team. He’s a defensive leader who can go sideline to sideline and make tackles. On top of that he’s one of the better coverage linebackers in this draft and is a no brainer here for the Falcons who have a huge vacancy at the SAM linebacker position.
20. Houston (9-7) – Earl Thomas, S, Texas- Houston has some holes to fill in the secondary, and with Earl Thomas falling to pick 20, he’s an obvious choice to fill the free safety position currently manned by John Busing. Thomas also may be able to translate to the NFL as a cornerback, which is another big need for the Texans with the loss of Dunta Robinson, who’s been disappointing in his last two seasons.
21. Cincinnati (10-6) – Taylor Mays, S, USC- It’s hard for the Bengals to pass up on the athleticism and potential of Mays. Cincinnati lacks that intimidating safety in the defensive backfield, despite the signing of Roy Williams, who has regressed significantly. Mays has a high ceiling, and with proper coaching could become an elite player in the NFL.
22. New England (10-6) – Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/OLB, South Florida- New England lacks that feared pass rusher on defense. Adalius Thomas is regressing, as he had the highest tackle/missed tackle ratio of last season, and has slowed down quite a bit. New England’s coaching staff can develop this physical freak into an effective outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense.
23. Green Bay (11-5) – Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama- Charles Woodson had an excellent season for Green Bay, but he’s aging, and they still need another cornerback as Tramon Williams is strictly a nickel guy. Jackson is a speedy corner with quick hips who isn’t afraid to make a tackle and is very instinctive. Jackson could take over as a dominant number one corner in the NFL one day, especially if he spends more time with Woodson.
24. Philadelphia (11-5) – Daryl Washington, LB, Texas Christian- Washington is a hard-nosed linebacker who plays well sideline to sideline. Washington is also quite versatile and could realistically play all 3 linebacker positions in a 43 or 46 scheme, and with Philadelphia not having a true weak side linebacker, and an unreliable veteran in Trotter, Washington is a no brainer.
25. Baltimore (9-7) – Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State- Baltimore lost Dwan Edwards, and has an aging defensive end in Trevor Pryce. Odrick fits as a 3-4 defensive end or a 4-3 defensive tackle. He’s a powerful guy who plays well laterally and is excellent at the point of attack. Baltimore getting Odrick would make the transition to outside linebacker much easier for Paul Kruger, who is going to be asked to play a bigger role in 2010.
26. Arizona (10-6) – Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan- Arizona lacks a true pass rusher at outside linebacker, and both of their starters are over age 33. Graham’s stock has really risen after the Senior Bowl, and even more so at the combine posting a nice forty time, and 31 reps on the bench. Graham is a steal at the end of the first round and is looked at as a potential elite pass rusher in the form of Dwight Freeney.
27. Dallas (11-5) – Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers- The Cowboys need help on the offensive line. Flozell Adams is regressing, and it’s too hard to tell if Doug Free can man the left side or not. Davis’ hopes are at left tackle, but I’m not 100% sold on his ability to protect the quarterback. His best fit is on the right side as a mauling right tackle, while the Cowboys keep Free at left tackle.
28. San Diego (13-3) – Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State- San Diego just let go their future Hall of Fame running back in LaDainian Tomlinson, and have only Darren Sproles back to the team. Even with LT last season, they were the 2nd worst in the league in rushing yards per game, and need an impact player at the running back spot. Mathews is an every down back who can run well between the tackles, and has the speed to get outside and break a long run and be a number one running back for the nest 5-7 seasons.
29. New York Jets (9-7) – Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida- Dunlap is a bit of a question mark when it comes to motivation and preparation issues, but is top 15 talent if coached up. What better defensive mind to go to than Rex Ryan? The Jets need help at defensive end and Dunlap could play 3-4 defensive end effectively. He fits the mold of Calais Campbell in that he can rush the passer while still holding the point of attack allowing the linebackers to make plays.
30. Minnesota (12-4) – Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers- With the Vikings injuries at cornerback, they need to draft one early. Cedric Griffen tore his ACL against the Saints, and Antoine Winfield has a nagging foot injury that kept him from performing up to his usual self last season. Griffen will most likely start the season on the PUP list, and the Vikings lack depth. McCourty is a speedy corner who can cover the burners of the NFL and potentially be a number one corner.
31. Indianapolis (14-2) – Charles Brown, OT, USC- With Tony Ugoh being a disappointment, the Colts are in need of a left tackle that can protect Peyton Manning and give them a few more shots at winning a Super Bowl ring. Brown is an agile tackle with long arms. He’s more of a finesse offensive tackle who doesn’t over power people, and is only mediocre in the run game. Brown would be able to fit right in protecting Manning’s backside.
32. New Orleans (13-3) - Everson Griffen, DE, USC- The Saints have a glaring need at defensive end opposite Will Smith who had 13.5 sacks in 2009. They get good pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but with a standout guy like Griffen, they can get better against the run, and penetrate the backfield much easier. Griffen is stout against the run, and is excellent with contain.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Cleveland Browns current Off-Season Summary
The 2010 Cleveland Browns off-season has taken a huge turn in the last few weeks. The Browns got started immediately by giving up the rights to wide receiver Donte Stallworth. Stallworth missed the 2009 season after being suspended by Commissioner Goodell for a drunk driving incident in which a pedestrian was killed. Shortly after Stallworth was released, Holmgren sent defensive end Corey Williams to the Lions for a 5th round pick in 2010. Williams will go back to his undertackle position in which he succeeded in Green Bay in a short time as a situational pass rusher.
A few days later the Browns made a surprising release of veteran Hank Fraley, who served as a viable option playing center and some guard since 2006. Following the Fraley release, we witnessed the inevitable departure of Derek Anderson, who was due a roster bonus of 2 million dollars on March 19th, to go with a 7.45 million dollar salary in 2010 had he stayed. To make up for the loss of Derek Anderson, we traded a conditional 2011 NFL Draft pick for quarterback Seneca Wallace who is a 7 year year veteran out of Iowa State who's spent his career in Seattle, most of it under Holmgren. The following move was the releasing of tight end Steve Heiden, who's had a quietly productive career with Cleveland since 2002.
Throw in the signings of Scott Fujita, who's brought in more for his experience and leadership abilities, as well as mauling right tackle Tony Pashos, and you've got a pretty boring off-season involving mostly average players. With the exception of Fraley getting released, there were no true surprises. Seneca Wallace was a small surprise, but being a Holmgren guy who's filled in nicely for Hasselbeck when injured, it wasn't a huge deal. However, it's a question whether or not Holmgren thinks that Wallace can be a 16 game quality starter. The most exciting signing has been tight end Ben Watson, who can catch the ball well (despite a mediocre 2009 season), and has enough speed to do damage in the middle of the field. Watson is like a poor man's Kellen Winslow.
Here's where things started to get interesting. Jake Delhomme was brought in to Cleveland last Wednesday to work out and show the management that he could still throw the ball well, and has gas in the tank. Coming off of an 11 start, 18 interception performance in Carolina, which he was recently released, teams were a bit skeptical on the 35 year old veteran who's best year came in 2004. Delhomme passed the workout, but left Cleveland without a deal in place, stating that he would be visiting the New Orleans Saints to try out for a backup role behind Super Bowl winner Drew Brees. Delhomme also left New Orleans without a contract, in which Holmgren jumped on and signed him to a deal for a base salary of 900,000 with 7 million dollars available in incentives, providing he starts and hits the escalators.
The Delhomme move made many speculate the fate of Brady Quinn. Could Delhomme have been brought in for veteran leadership, or is Holmgren hoping to start Delhomme and develop a young quarterback in which is drafted, or even Wallace? It was all up in the air, until it was announced on Sunday that quarterback Brady Quinn was traded to the Denver Broncos for running back/fullback Peyton Hillis and 2 draft picks. In what Holmgren stated in his press conference on March 15th, Heckert, Holmgren, and Mangini made a "collective decision" in that Brady Quinn wasn't what they looked for as the quarterback in the 2010 NFL season. Holmgren stated that the Browns "couldn't go into the season like we entered the 2009 season", meaning that there was no need for a quarterback controversy or to start out the season with either Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn.
To add to the quarterback drama in Cleveland, former first round pick Kamerion Wimbley was traded to the Oakland Raiders for a 3rd round draft pick in 2010. Wimbley has been very disappointing since racking up 11 sacks in his rookie season with Cleveland in 2006, only averaging barely over 5 sacks in each of his last 3 seasons. The move was somewhat surprising considering Wimbley's name was not one that was brought up often, if at all, while speculating trades in the Cleveland Browns off-season.
So what do all of these moves mean, and how will they effect the Browns? To be honest, it's extremely hard to tell. If Delhomme starts in 2010, what Jake do we see? Can we see a guy that completes 60% of his passes or better, as well as 7+ yards per attempt? If we can, that could mean good things for Cleveland. But the chances of a 35 year old quarterback putting up those numbers with virtually no talent around him are quite slim, which make the signing questionable. I could understand if we had some talented wide receivers, and a consistent running game. If we had a potential playoff team that just needed an experienced quarterback, then this move may make more sense, but when you're starting fresh with a team, you don't bring in a 35 year old quarterback coming off of a horrendous season, despite having one of the best rushing games in the league, to help turn around your team.
Losing Wimbley may not hurt as much as we thought, and getting a third round pick out of him was a steal for this draft. Had this been any regular draft, then it may be questionable, but there will be a lot of starting talent around in the 3rd round, and Wimbley just didn't seem to grasp the 34 outside linebacker position. Like I said earlier, the Scott Fujita signing seems more of a veteran presence, and locker room leadership guy. He's always been a hard worker, and is a smart player, however, he's in no way a long term option. Tony Pashos should step in right away at right tackle, despite being poor in pass protection. Either way, he'll be an upgrade over the terrible John St. Clair who had one of his worst seasons of his career.
The signing of Ben Watson, is my favorite as he is a guy that can stretch the field from the tight end position, and was under utilized in New England simply due to the fact that New England has so many targets for Tom Brady to get the ball to, which made him expendable in New England's eyes.
The Browns will not miss Corey Williams, who should have never been traded for in the first place, especially for a second round draft pick by Phil Savage. He is a situational pass rusher who got more of his sacks coming off the bench in Green Bay than actually starting. Savage made the mistake of thinking that he could just plug in a semi-talented defensive tackle to play in a 34 defensive system to play defensive end. I was baffled by the move in the first place, and Williams will not be missed. Derek Anderson will not be missed for obvious reasons. 2 completions against the Buffalo Bills in 2009, despite them missing 3 starters in the secondary in that game is just uncalled for, whether you have talent to throw to or not.
By far the biggest question mark is the trading of Brady Quinn. Many Cleveland fans were convince after just 12 starts that he was a terrible quarterback and would never amount to anything. It's very possible that it's true, and he did not play much better than Anderson at times, but he was a young guy who did show improvement, most notably not throwing any interceptions since coming back from the bye week in 2009, until the last game of the season. Before you say "hey, he threw 2 against Baltimore", you have to recognize that in that game, both of those interceptions came off of passes that were right to the wide receiver which were dropped and tipped up into the hands of Raven defenders. Quinn showed improvement, and it seems a bit unfair not to give him a chance, which makes this move quite bold for Holmgren. It's very possible that Quinn goes into Denver and starts, and succeeds with a solid offensive line, running game and legit wide receivers to get the ball to. On the flip side, it's very possible that Quinn falls on his face and the Holmgren trade looks genius.
It's too early to tell where all of these moves will take the Browns, and it's quite possible that there will be many more moves. With 12 draft picks on the table for the 2010 NFL Draft, we could trade for players, or we could trade up in the draft to obtain better positions to draft starters and potential starters. It appears that nobody is safe in Cleveland, and that Holmgren is ready to clean house and start completely fresh. Whether or not that decision is a wise one is, obviously, yet to be determined. Let's give it 3 seasons to find out.
__________________
A few days later the Browns made a surprising release of veteran Hank Fraley, who served as a viable option playing center and some guard since 2006. Following the Fraley release, we witnessed the inevitable departure of Derek Anderson, who was due a roster bonus of 2 million dollars on March 19th, to go with a 7.45 million dollar salary in 2010 had he stayed. To make up for the loss of Derek Anderson, we traded a conditional 2011 NFL Draft pick for quarterback Seneca Wallace who is a 7 year year veteran out of Iowa State who's spent his career in Seattle, most of it under Holmgren. The following move was the releasing of tight end Steve Heiden, who's had a quietly productive career with Cleveland since 2002.
Throw in the signings of Scott Fujita, who's brought in more for his experience and leadership abilities, as well as mauling right tackle Tony Pashos, and you've got a pretty boring off-season involving mostly average players. With the exception of Fraley getting released, there were no true surprises. Seneca Wallace was a small surprise, but being a Holmgren guy who's filled in nicely for Hasselbeck when injured, it wasn't a huge deal. However, it's a question whether or not Holmgren thinks that Wallace can be a 16 game quality starter. The most exciting signing has been tight end Ben Watson, who can catch the ball well (despite a mediocre 2009 season), and has enough speed to do damage in the middle of the field. Watson is like a poor man's Kellen Winslow.
Here's where things started to get interesting. Jake Delhomme was brought in to Cleveland last Wednesday to work out and show the management that he could still throw the ball well, and has gas in the tank. Coming off of an 11 start, 18 interception performance in Carolina, which he was recently released, teams were a bit skeptical on the 35 year old veteran who's best year came in 2004. Delhomme passed the workout, but left Cleveland without a deal in place, stating that he would be visiting the New Orleans Saints to try out for a backup role behind Super Bowl winner Drew Brees. Delhomme also left New Orleans without a contract, in which Holmgren jumped on and signed him to a deal for a base salary of 900,000 with 7 million dollars available in incentives, providing he starts and hits the escalators.
The Delhomme move made many speculate the fate of Brady Quinn. Could Delhomme have been brought in for veteran leadership, or is Holmgren hoping to start Delhomme and develop a young quarterback in which is drafted, or even Wallace? It was all up in the air, until it was announced on Sunday that quarterback Brady Quinn was traded to the Denver Broncos for running back/fullback Peyton Hillis and 2 draft picks. In what Holmgren stated in his press conference on March 15th, Heckert, Holmgren, and Mangini made a "collective decision" in that Brady Quinn wasn't what they looked for as the quarterback in the 2010 NFL season. Holmgren stated that the Browns "couldn't go into the season like we entered the 2009 season", meaning that there was no need for a quarterback controversy or to start out the season with either Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn.
To add to the quarterback drama in Cleveland, former first round pick Kamerion Wimbley was traded to the Oakland Raiders for a 3rd round draft pick in 2010. Wimbley has been very disappointing since racking up 11 sacks in his rookie season with Cleveland in 2006, only averaging barely over 5 sacks in each of his last 3 seasons. The move was somewhat surprising considering Wimbley's name was not one that was brought up often, if at all, while speculating trades in the Cleveland Browns off-season.
So what do all of these moves mean, and how will they effect the Browns? To be honest, it's extremely hard to tell. If Delhomme starts in 2010, what Jake do we see? Can we see a guy that completes 60% of his passes or better, as well as 7+ yards per attempt? If we can, that could mean good things for Cleveland. But the chances of a 35 year old quarterback putting up those numbers with virtually no talent around him are quite slim, which make the signing questionable. I could understand if we had some talented wide receivers, and a consistent running game. If we had a potential playoff team that just needed an experienced quarterback, then this move may make more sense, but when you're starting fresh with a team, you don't bring in a 35 year old quarterback coming off of a horrendous season, despite having one of the best rushing games in the league, to help turn around your team.
Losing Wimbley may not hurt as much as we thought, and getting a third round pick out of him was a steal for this draft. Had this been any regular draft, then it may be questionable, but there will be a lot of starting talent around in the 3rd round, and Wimbley just didn't seem to grasp the 34 outside linebacker position. Like I said earlier, the Scott Fujita signing seems more of a veteran presence, and locker room leadership guy. He's always been a hard worker, and is a smart player, however, he's in no way a long term option. Tony Pashos should step in right away at right tackle, despite being poor in pass protection. Either way, he'll be an upgrade over the terrible John St. Clair who had one of his worst seasons of his career.
The signing of Ben Watson, is my favorite as he is a guy that can stretch the field from the tight end position, and was under utilized in New England simply due to the fact that New England has so many targets for Tom Brady to get the ball to, which made him expendable in New England's eyes.
The Browns will not miss Corey Williams, who should have never been traded for in the first place, especially for a second round draft pick by Phil Savage. He is a situational pass rusher who got more of his sacks coming off the bench in Green Bay than actually starting. Savage made the mistake of thinking that he could just plug in a semi-talented defensive tackle to play in a 34 defensive system to play defensive end. I was baffled by the move in the first place, and Williams will not be missed. Derek Anderson will not be missed for obvious reasons. 2 completions against the Buffalo Bills in 2009, despite them missing 3 starters in the secondary in that game is just uncalled for, whether you have talent to throw to or not.
By far the biggest question mark is the trading of Brady Quinn. Many Cleveland fans were convince after just 12 starts that he was a terrible quarterback and would never amount to anything. It's very possible that it's true, and he did not play much better than Anderson at times, but he was a young guy who did show improvement, most notably not throwing any interceptions since coming back from the bye week in 2009, until the last game of the season. Before you say "hey, he threw 2 against Baltimore", you have to recognize that in that game, both of those interceptions came off of passes that were right to the wide receiver which were dropped and tipped up into the hands of Raven defenders. Quinn showed improvement, and it seems a bit unfair not to give him a chance, which makes this move quite bold for Holmgren. It's very possible that Quinn goes into Denver and starts, and succeeds with a solid offensive line, running game and legit wide receivers to get the ball to. On the flip side, it's very possible that Quinn falls on his face and the Holmgren trade looks genius.
It's too early to tell where all of these moves will take the Browns, and it's quite possible that there will be many more moves. With 12 draft picks on the table for the 2010 NFL Draft, we could trade for players, or we could trade up in the draft to obtain better positions to draft starters and potential starters. It appears that nobody is safe in Cleveland, and that Holmgren is ready to clean house and start completely fresh. Whether or not that decision is a wise one is, obviously, yet to be determined. Let's give it 3 seasons to find out.
__________________
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Who are the hardest players to place in mock drafts?
Every off-season, NFL scouts are all over the country finding new talent, and watching old talent. They are looking for that diamond in the rough, the guy that they can draft in the 6th round and turn into a star. Some teams reach for players, while other teams pass on players that seem to be too talented to drop, and for unknown reasons. Most notably, in the 2003 NFL Draft the Cleveland Browns selected a linebacker out of a win-less West Texas A&M school in the 2nd round, despite the fact that he was rated as a 6th-7th round prospect at best. On the flip side, the 2005 NFL Draft featured former Michigan standout Ernest Shazor who some believed would be a 2nd round pick, only to watch him not be drafted and sign as an Un-Drafted Free Agent with the Cardinals. You can see that it's hard to place some players, and each player has their reasoning. So who are the hardest players to place in this year draft?
#10- Brandon Spike-ILB-Florida
Brandon Spikes had a very solid career with the Florida Gators. Prior to the 2009 season, many people had him pegged as a top ten linebacker for the 2010 NFL Draft. Statistically, Spikes didn't have a bad 2009 season after being named a First Team All-American for the 2nd straight season. However, many scouts are wondering just how well he can get off blockers, and if his hips are fluid enough to drop back in coverage, while also being a dominant presence inside the box on defense. On top of that, some character concerns are raised following the Georgia/Florida game, in which he was seen gouging out an opponents eyes. I've seen Spikes go as high as #10 in mock drafts, and as low as #65 in mocks. I have him right in the middle, around the top half of the 2nd round, probably in the 40 range. He is definitely a difficult player to place.
#9- Dexter McCluster-RB/WR-Ole Miss
Dexter McCluster is a talented player, and there's no doubt about it. However, prior to the end of the 2009 season, not much was being said about him until the bowl game, and then the Senior Bowl. Many people had McCluster as a 5th-6th round running back/wide receiver with high upside, but hold his size (5'8 165 pounds) against him. McCluster's speed is elite, and his catching ability is great. However, he's too small to really be an effective #1 or #2 receiver, so he'll have to be a running back? Right? Honestly, I have him as a 2nd round pick with the 3rd round as his floor, mostly because he's a guy that just needs to get touches. He's a utility player who will get the ball whether it's in the slot, the left side of the field, the right side. Whether it's in the air, or whether it's on the ground, he's going to find a team that wants to utilize his speed and cutback ability, along with his great hands.
#8- Jevan Snead-QB-Ole Miss
Jevan Snead is one of the most confusing declarations for the 2010 NFL Draft. After throwing 20 interceptions in 2009, and having a 54.4% completion percentage, Snead decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. What makes Snead such a hard player to place is knowing what kind of talent he has. He's got a very good arm, and while he could work on his accuracy, it's not terrible. So what happened? Was it immaturity? Was it a lack of intangibles? Right now, I have Snead as a 5th-6th round player, but he's a guy that has the talent to go into the 2nd round, as hard as it is for me to say it. Poor decision making can be improved as he gets groomed in the NFL, as well. I've seen some mocks have him as a 3rd rounder and a few having him as a 6th-7th round pick.
#7- Mike Williams-WR-Syracuse
Not many people really know much about Mike Williams, other than that he has the same name as a former Detroit Lion wide receiver who was a bust in the NFL. Mike Williams is one of the most talented players in the draft. Had he been able to play in 2008, and finished the 2009 season, he could easily be a 1st-2nd round draft pick. However, character issues have marked red flags all over him. After finishing 2007 with sixty catches and ten touchdowns, he became suspended for 2008 for theory of academic dishonesty. After coming back in 2009, he played seven games and had 746 yards off of 49 receptions. He left the team in the middle of the season in fear of being suspended. He flat out quit on his team. He was to be suspended for breaking team rules after he was involved in a car accident off the field. Prior to that he was suspended against Akron for undisclosed reasons. It's too hard to pin where this guy could go with owners like Al Davis out there. Some teams want talent and will disregard character issues. However, I think he'll end up in the 4th round strictly based on talent.
#6- Colt McCoy-QB-Texas
Colt McCoy has all the stats that NFL owners love to see. He throws for a very high percentage (70.6% in 2009), and throws quite a few touchdowns. Questions about his footwork, the system he played in at Texas, as well as his throwing motion are big concerns. The killer is the injury he suffered in the National Championship game from Marcel Dareus. McCoy is poised to throw at the combine, but if he can't, then NFL scouts will only be able to judge what he did at Texas and question whether or not they can improve him. If he can throw, and he throws well, he could end up being a late first round pick. If he can't throw, I could see McCoy slipping to the bottom of the 2nd or top of the 3rd round if not later.
#5- Toby Gerhart-RB-Stanford
A heck of a season Gerhart had in 2009, after rushing for 1,871 yards and 28 touchdowns. Right after his bowl game, he started moving into the first round of a lot of mock drafts. It seems some of the talk has cooled, however, and many have him as a 2nd rounder, and I've seen him as low as a 5th round pick. Personally, I have him as a 3rd-4th rounder assuming he runs a 4.58 or lower at the combine. Rumor has it he's been working on his forty time for over a year and that he could run in the 4.4's. However, I'll believe it when I see it. He's powerful, but he's a one dimensional north/south runner who ran behind a mauling Stanford line and behind Owen Marecic, his very underrated fullback. I think Gerhart is talented, but not 2nd round talent. If he runs in the 4.4's, I'll reconsider, and maybe be a little less hard on him.
#4- Jonathan Dwyer-RB-Georgia Tech
Many believed that Dwyer was a top 5 pick over a season ago. His combination of speed and power made him a hot commodity. However, his stock seems to be slipping based on the fact that maybe his speed still isn't good enough. Many people also question his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, and run efficiently outside the tackles. I've seen Dwyer as early as pick number 11, and as far down as a mid-2nd round draft pick. Personally, I think he's right in the middle, probably between New England's pick at 22 and San Diego's pick at 28. I'm one of the few people that think he excelled in a triple offense that limited his abilities, but we'll see.
#3- Terrence Cody-NT-Alabama
Terrence Cody is one of the hardest guys to place in this draft, simply because we don't know what he's fully capable of. Is he strictly a two down nose tackle with weight issues? Or can we believe that he's been working hard after losing 60 pounds prior to 2008? Laziness is commonly associated with Cody, but perhaps we don't know the entire story. Nick Saban wouldn't let him play 3rd downs because of his weight issue, so one would question his drive. One thing we don't have to question is his size and strength. He clearly demands double teams, and can be dominant and very hard to block. But where is his value necessarily? I've seen him as high as #12 overall and as low as the top of the 3rd round. I've got him around pick #42 or so, with potential to move up if he can have some good interviews and have a good combine.
#2- Bryan Bulaga-OT-Iowa
Bulaga is one of the bigger question marks, and it's not because of his talent. It's because of the depth of offensive tackles, and because of his arm length. The combine is going to answer a big question in his arm length. Many have reported that his arms may only be around 33-33.5 inches long, which is just an average at best size. Anybody that knows offensive tackles knows that arm length is an integral part of success. While it's not that you cannot be successful, but it's definitely not ideal. I've seen Bulaga as high as pick #6 overall and as low as the middle of the 2nd round. That's a big jump. Right now, I think that with his talent, drive, and hard work ethic, he's a mid-1st round player, probably around pick 14 or 15.
#1- Tim Tebow-QB-Florida
The hardest player to place in Mock Drafts is easily Tim Tebow. His throwing motion, and footwork is a huge question mark, but his intangibles most certainly are not. You can't help but wonder what NFL team owner doesn't want this guy strictly for ticket sales and leadership ability, but how high is too high to draft for such a big risk? He's a guy that may not even play quarterback in the NFL, and could be suited for a halfback or even tight end. I've seen people who still believe Jacksonville will take him in the first, and personally, I have him as a 2nd, strictly because a team will reach for him. As a quarterback, his talent level is a 4th or 5th rounder. As a football player, his talent is a 2nd rounder. It's too hard to say where this guy is going to go, and he's by far the hardest player to place in mock drafts for 2010.
#10- Brandon Spike-ILB-Florida
Brandon Spikes had a very solid career with the Florida Gators. Prior to the 2009 season, many people had him pegged as a top ten linebacker for the 2010 NFL Draft. Statistically, Spikes didn't have a bad 2009 season after being named a First Team All-American for the 2nd straight season. However, many scouts are wondering just how well he can get off blockers, and if his hips are fluid enough to drop back in coverage, while also being a dominant presence inside the box on defense. On top of that, some character concerns are raised following the Georgia/Florida game, in which he was seen gouging out an opponents eyes. I've seen Spikes go as high as #10 in mock drafts, and as low as #65 in mocks. I have him right in the middle, around the top half of the 2nd round, probably in the 40 range. He is definitely a difficult player to place.
#9- Dexter McCluster-RB/WR-Ole Miss
Dexter McCluster is a talented player, and there's no doubt about it. However, prior to the end of the 2009 season, not much was being said about him until the bowl game, and then the Senior Bowl. Many people had McCluster as a 5th-6th round running back/wide receiver with high upside, but hold his size (5'8 165 pounds) against him. McCluster's speed is elite, and his catching ability is great. However, he's too small to really be an effective #1 or #2 receiver, so he'll have to be a running back? Right? Honestly, I have him as a 2nd round pick with the 3rd round as his floor, mostly because he's a guy that just needs to get touches. He's a utility player who will get the ball whether it's in the slot, the left side of the field, the right side. Whether it's in the air, or whether it's on the ground, he's going to find a team that wants to utilize his speed and cutback ability, along with his great hands.
#8- Jevan Snead-QB-Ole Miss
Jevan Snead is one of the most confusing declarations for the 2010 NFL Draft. After throwing 20 interceptions in 2009, and having a 54.4% completion percentage, Snead decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. What makes Snead such a hard player to place is knowing what kind of talent he has. He's got a very good arm, and while he could work on his accuracy, it's not terrible. So what happened? Was it immaturity? Was it a lack of intangibles? Right now, I have Snead as a 5th-6th round player, but he's a guy that has the talent to go into the 2nd round, as hard as it is for me to say it. Poor decision making can be improved as he gets groomed in the NFL, as well. I've seen some mocks have him as a 3rd rounder and a few having him as a 6th-7th round pick.
#7- Mike Williams-WR-Syracuse
Not many people really know much about Mike Williams, other than that he has the same name as a former Detroit Lion wide receiver who was a bust in the NFL. Mike Williams is one of the most talented players in the draft. Had he been able to play in 2008, and finished the 2009 season, he could easily be a 1st-2nd round draft pick. However, character issues have marked red flags all over him. After finishing 2007 with sixty catches and ten touchdowns, he became suspended for 2008 for theory of academic dishonesty. After coming back in 2009, he played seven games and had 746 yards off of 49 receptions. He left the team in the middle of the season in fear of being suspended. He flat out quit on his team. He was to be suspended for breaking team rules after he was involved in a car accident off the field. Prior to that he was suspended against Akron for undisclosed reasons. It's too hard to pin where this guy could go with owners like Al Davis out there. Some teams want talent and will disregard character issues. However, I think he'll end up in the 4th round strictly based on talent.
#6- Colt McCoy-QB-Texas
Colt McCoy has all the stats that NFL owners love to see. He throws for a very high percentage (70.6% in 2009), and throws quite a few touchdowns. Questions about his footwork, the system he played in at Texas, as well as his throwing motion are big concerns. The killer is the injury he suffered in the National Championship game from Marcel Dareus. McCoy is poised to throw at the combine, but if he can't, then NFL scouts will only be able to judge what he did at Texas and question whether or not they can improve him. If he can throw, and he throws well, he could end up being a late first round pick. If he can't throw, I could see McCoy slipping to the bottom of the 2nd or top of the 3rd round if not later.
#5- Toby Gerhart-RB-Stanford
A heck of a season Gerhart had in 2009, after rushing for 1,871 yards and 28 touchdowns. Right after his bowl game, he started moving into the first round of a lot of mock drafts. It seems some of the talk has cooled, however, and many have him as a 2nd rounder, and I've seen him as low as a 5th round pick. Personally, I have him as a 3rd-4th rounder assuming he runs a 4.58 or lower at the combine. Rumor has it he's been working on his forty time for over a year and that he could run in the 4.4's. However, I'll believe it when I see it. He's powerful, but he's a one dimensional north/south runner who ran behind a mauling Stanford line and behind Owen Marecic, his very underrated fullback. I think Gerhart is talented, but not 2nd round talent. If he runs in the 4.4's, I'll reconsider, and maybe be a little less hard on him.
#4- Jonathan Dwyer-RB-Georgia Tech
Many believed that Dwyer was a top 5 pick over a season ago. His combination of speed and power made him a hot commodity. However, his stock seems to be slipping based on the fact that maybe his speed still isn't good enough. Many people also question his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, and run efficiently outside the tackles. I've seen Dwyer as early as pick number 11, and as far down as a mid-2nd round draft pick. Personally, I think he's right in the middle, probably between New England's pick at 22 and San Diego's pick at 28. I'm one of the few people that think he excelled in a triple offense that limited his abilities, but we'll see.
#3- Terrence Cody-NT-Alabama
Terrence Cody is one of the hardest guys to place in this draft, simply because we don't know what he's fully capable of. Is he strictly a two down nose tackle with weight issues? Or can we believe that he's been working hard after losing 60 pounds prior to 2008? Laziness is commonly associated with Cody, but perhaps we don't know the entire story. Nick Saban wouldn't let him play 3rd downs because of his weight issue, so one would question his drive. One thing we don't have to question is his size and strength. He clearly demands double teams, and can be dominant and very hard to block. But where is his value necessarily? I've seen him as high as #12 overall and as low as the top of the 3rd round. I've got him around pick #42 or so, with potential to move up if he can have some good interviews and have a good combine.
#2- Bryan Bulaga-OT-Iowa
Bulaga is one of the bigger question marks, and it's not because of his talent. It's because of the depth of offensive tackles, and because of his arm length. The combine is going to answer a big question in his arm length. Many have reported that his arms may only be around 33-33.5 inches long, which is just an average at best size. Anybody that knows offensive tackles knows that arm length is an integral part of success. While it's not that you cannot be successful, but it's definitely not ideal. I've seen Bulaga as high as pick #6 overall and as low as the middle of the 2nd round. That's a big jump. Right now, I think that with his talent, drive, and hard work ethic, he's a mid-1st round player, probably around pick 14 or 15.
#1- Tim Tebow-QB-Florida
The hardest player to place in Mock Drafts is easily Tim Tebow. His throwing motion, and footwork is a huge question mark, but his intangibles most certainly are not. You can't help but wonder what NFL team owner doesn't want this guy strictly for ticket sales and leadership ability, but how high is too high to draft for such a big risk? He's a guy that may not even play quarterback in the NFL, and could be suited for a halfback or even tight end. I've seen people who still believe Jacksonville will take him in the first, and personally, I have him as a 2nd, strictly because a team will reach for him. As a quarterback, his talent level is a 4th or 5th rounder. As a football player, his talent is a 2nd rounder. It's too hard to say where this guy is going to go, and he's by far the hardest player to place in mock drafts for 2010.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Senior Bowl Risers/Fallers
Risers
Offense
Jeremy Williams, WR, Tulane- Despite not having the ideal size and speed combination, Williams made the most of his Senior Bowl opportunity. Starting with 1 on 1 drills on Tuesday’s first full pads practice, he showed his ability to get in and out of his cuts, and separate from the defensive back. He also showed an excellent ability to come back for the ball, rather than letting it come right to him. Following a solid week of practice, he caught 6 balls for 82 yards, while also having a 27 yard scamper on the ground. Again, because he’s not extremely fast, he could slip into the 3rd round, but he’s a guy that could step into a team right away and get quality playing time.
Dexter McCluster, RB/WR, Ole Miss- 3 carries for -1 yards in the Senior Bowl doesn’t keep me from thinking that McCluster helped his stock immensely this week. He showed more promise in the passing game than anything, pulling a nice double move on Javier Arenas and making a diving catch. Also, on Tuesday he had a great quick slant, in which Arenas was burned. He caught 3 balls for 30 yards in the Senior Bowl, while also having a costly fumble, but the important thing is that he showed his versatility even more. You can put him in the slot, in the backfield, or returning kicks, and he’s going to produce, which is why I think he’s going to be a hot commodity in the 2nd round.
LaGarrette Blount, RB, Oregon- Blount has had a rough year following the Boise State game. After being suspended for most of the season, Blount came back strong in his last two games, despite getting limited carries, averaging around 6 yards a carry with a pair of touchdowns. This week he showed good vision in practice, and continued that in the game for a 14 yard touchdown that he bounced to the outside. Blount’s character issues may push him down to the 3rd or 4th round, but he could be a steal. Coming in at 245 pounds, he also seemed to be in great shape.
Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan- While I don’t see LeFevour as a 2nd round pick like Corey Chavous, I think he did move up a round, possibly 4th, in the draft. LeFevour really did all he could to make a smooth transition to playing under center, as he ran a shotgun spread offense for 4 years at Central Michigan. He made several nice throws in 7 on 7 drills, a couple in which he squeezed in between defenders. He’s always been able to make plays on his feet, while also throwing on the run, which may make a team covet him a bit more to put him in the bottom of the 3rd round, but most likely middle of the 4th.
Defense
Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan- Graham just had a great week, and really showed scouts that he wants to be a top 15 draft pick. Despite a lack of ideal size, he embarrassed some of the offensive tackles this week. He showed a great display of power and finesse, which threw the tackles off. He just adjusted to the blockers very well, and knew what moves he needed to put on to get to the QB. He had 2 sacks and a forced fumble in the North defenses dominance of the Senior Bowl. Graham may have pushed his way into the top 20 after this performance.
Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee- Other than Graham, I can’t think of another defensive lineman that helped themselves more. Williams just proved doubters wrong about him gaining those 15-20 pounds this season, and he played a great Senior Bowl, following an effective week. In double team drills he did a great job of holding the point of attack, and also showed that he can be both a 1 or 2 gap player, making him more versatile. Right now he looks like he could be a dominant NT in either a 34 or a 43. He’s a top 20 pick in this draft.
Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State- What we knew about Wilson was that he was fast. However, he showed an excellent ability to break on the ball and also get physical at the line. His best trait is his breakaway speed. He baits quarterbacks to throw it his way, so that he can jump in for a deflection, if not a pick. He’s very versatile as he can play safety as well as corner, and he was great in one on one’s this week. He also has a lot of value as a kick returner for teams and may have pushed himself into the first round.
Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri- Weatherspoon is a guy that’s very underrated. Many people have him as a first round pick (albeit a late one), but don’t really know why. The reason why is because he’s a phenomenal athlete who can do it all. He’s a defensive leader and very vocal, and that’s another great trait. One of the best things about Weatherspoon is his ability to cover as a linebacker. The Senior Bowl showed that he also has an uncanny ability to read and react, much like his defensive teammate Daryl Washington, who also excelled for the North defense. Weatherspoon should be a lock for the first round.
Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State- I really liked what I saw out of Odrick. Being a Big Ten follower, I’ve enjoyed watching Odrick for the last couple of seasons, and he just seems to be getting better. He’s a great space eater because he’s very strong, and he showed that in the double team drills, as well as in the game for the North defense. He was a big reason that the North defense held the talented South running backs to just 30 yards on the ground. There’s no reason why Odrick would slip out of the 1st in any other draft. However, he could make it to the early 2nd because of the depth of DT, among talent in general in this 2010 NFL Draft.
Daryl Washington, LB, TCU- Daryl Washington may be the linebacker that’s going to rise the highest. In the NFL today, you have to be able to excel in coverage being that we’re evolving into a passing football league, and Washington may be the best cover linebacker in the entire draft. Washington’s worries were that he didn’t get off blocks and may not be physical enough due to his size, but he showed nothing but physicality in this one, even making a great tackle off of a nice coverage sack on Tebow. Washington may be able to slip into the first round, assuming he’ll have a good combine, however, size may be of a bit of a concern for some teams.
Fallers
Offense
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida- Tebow struggled in practice his first day fumbling snaps, and really struggling to get the hang of being underneath a center. In no pressure throwing drills, he struggled to have accuracy when putting zip on the ball. His most accurate passes were lobs going for 15-20 yards. In a few 7 on 7 drills he had a couple tipped balls that appeared to be nowhere near the wide receivers. He’s got a slow throwing motion, and bad footwork, really struggling in 3 and 5 step drops. His touch is another aspect of his game he needs to improve to become a quality quarterback at the next level. He really needs a good amount of work to really prove that he deserves to be higher than a 3rd round draft grade.
Tony Pike, QB, Cincinnati- Pike is a guy that I’ve never been high on. I honestly see him as a Derek Anderson like player, who was bailed out by solid offensive talent, and playing mediocre or worse defenses. Pike has a decent arm, but lacks the touch you need as a QB in the NFL. His footwork is very poor and he’s another shotgun/spread offense quarterback that seemed to struggle a lot under center just like Tim Tebow, unlike his counterpart, Dan LeFevour. Pike should be a 5th round pick, as a developmental guy, with a 4th round ceiling.
Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho- After Mike Mayock hyped Iupati up as a guy that can play all 5 offensive line positions, he sure disappointed. Excelling in the run game, Iupati really showed his weakness in the passing game while playing RG lined up against Geno Atkins. On one drive he should have been called for blatant holds twice. Atkins got the best of him almost every passing play, and he just embarrassed Iupati. However, Iupati played pretty well at offensive tackle, which is confusing because his calling seems to be offensive guard. I think he’s still a first round draft pick, as he is a versatile guy, with long arms who excels in the run game, but if he plays like he did Saturday in the NFL, he could bust easily.
Taylor Price, WR, Ohio- Price just did not have a good week overall. He was consistently getting jammed at the line of scrimmage, rounded off his routes, and dropped a few balls. Despite having a few balls thrown at him, he had 1 catch for 8 yards in the Senior Bowl, and really struggled with getting separation from corners. Lacking top end speed, he really needed to show a display of soft hands and crisp route running, and he failed to do that. He’s still a guy that could go fringe 4th round.
Defense
Taylor Mays, S, USC- Let it be known that I’ve never been a Mays fan. For 2 seasons, I’ve had people try to convince me how great of a player he is and I just don’t see it. This week didn’t help his cause. Tuesday’s practice was just ugly for him. He won’t be playing corner, so it may be unfair to rate his man coverage, but he grabs all over players when he knows he’s been beat, and he struggles to turn back for the ball. Watching the game, I saw no improvement on wrap up tackling. He had Bell for a 6 yard gain, and instead he just put a shoulder into him, allowing Bell to stay on his feet to pick up 5 more yards. He had a great interception, but that one play doesn’t make up for all of his faults during the week. I think a team is going to grab him in the first simply because he’ll most likely have a great combine, but I think he could easily slip into the 2nd round with guys like Earl Thomas evolving as true play making safeties.
Javier Arenas, CB, Alabama- Arenas already is a shorter cornerback at 5’8, so he’s already going to shoot down the boards, however, he’s always made up for it in speed. In practices, he just could not cover speed receivers and got in trouble a couple times trying to sit on a WR’s route. He did poorly trying to break on the ball, and while he made a few nice tackles and shows a lot of heart, just doesn’t look like a guy that can make a significant impact in the NFL. I’m saying he ends up a 5th-6th rounder, with a potential bright future as a special teamer.
Brandon Lang, DE/OLB, Troy- One of the most disappointing players for me this week was Lang, who I was a fan of for the last couple seasons. He showed poor burst, and only seems to have one move when pass rushing. He seemed to really struggle against stronger offensive lineman, and had trouble adjusting to the quicker offensive tackles. Lang could be a good later round project for a team, in the mold of Larry English, who got significant playing time this season with San Diego.
Terrence Cody, NT, Alabama- The biggest problem with Cody is the weight he came in at. Showing up to the Senior Bowl at 370 pounds really raised some eyebrows, and not in a good way. Being overweight limits the snaps he’ll get in the NFL, making him less likely to be taken in the first round. Character issues because of potential laziness will be on the back of the scouts’ minds. Cody slips to the middle of the 2nd round, despite being a great run stuffer.
Trevard Lindley, CB, Kentucky- Lindley was one of my personal disappointments. I really thought he’d come in and really show that he can be up there with guys like Kyle Wilson and Perrish Cox. Instead, Lindley failed to be physical at the line, didn’t look back for the ball, and at times gave way too big a cushion for receivers, which got exposed in one on one drills and a few times in 7 on 7’s. For a guy that’s as physical as him, I was surprised to see a lack of push at the line, which is why he’s going to need to have a great combine to get back into the bottom of the 2nd round.
Offense
Jeremy Williams, WR, Tulane- Despite not having the ideal size and speed combination, Williams made the most of his Senior Bowl opportunity. Starting with 1 on 1 drills on Tuesday’s first full pads practice, he showed his ability to get in and out of his cuts, and separate from the defensive back. He also showed an excellent ability to come back for the ball, rather than letting it come right to him. Following a solid week of practice, he caught 6 balls for 82 yards, while also having a 27 yard scamper on the ground. Again, because he’s not extremely fast, he could slip into the 3rd round, but he’s a guy that could step into a team right away and get quality playing time.
Dexter McCluster, RB/WR, Ole Miss- 3 carries for -1 yards in the Senior Bowl doesn’t keep me from thinking that McCluster helped his stock immensely this week. He showed more promise in the passing game than anything, pulling a nice double move on Javier Arenas and making a diving catch. Also, on Tuesday he had a great quick slant, in which Arenas was burned. He caught 3 balls for 30 yards in the Senior Bowl, while also having a costly fumble, but the important thing is that he showed his versatility even more. You can put him in the slot, in the backfield, or returning kicks, and he’s going to produce, which is why I think he’s going to be a hot commodity in the 2nd round.
LaGarrette Blount, RB, Oregon- Blount has had a rough year following the Boise State game. After being suspended for most of the season, Blount came back strong in his last two games, despite getting limited carries, averaging around 6 yards a carry with a pair of touchdowns. This week he showed good vision in practice, and continued that in the game for a 14 yard touchdown that he bounced to the outside. Blount’s character issues may push him down to the 3rd or 4th round, but he could be a steal. Coming in at 245 pounds, he also seemed to be in great shape.
Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan- While I don’t see LeFevour as a 2nd round pick like Corey Chavous, I think he did move up a round, possibly 4th, in the draft. LeFevour really did all he could to make a smooth transition to playing under center, as he ran a shotgun spread offense for 4 years at Central Michigan. He made several nice throws in 7 on 7 drills, a couple in which he squeezed in between defenders. He’s always been able to make plays on his feet, while also throwing on the run, which may make a team covet him a bit more to put him in the bottom of the 3rd round, but most likely middle of the 4th.
Defense
Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan- Graham just had a great week, and really showed scouts that he wants to be a top 15 draft pick. Despite a lack of ideal size, he embarrassed some of the offensive tackles this week. He showed a great display of power and finesse, which threw the tackles off. He just adjusted to the blockers very well, and knew what moves he needed to put on to get to the QB. He had 2 sacks and a forced fumble in the North defenses dominance of the Senior Bowl. Graham may have pushed his way into the top 20 after this performance.
Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee- Other than Graham, I can’t think of another defensive lineman that helped themselves more. Williams just proved doubters wrong about him gaining those 15-20 pounds this season, and he played a great Senior Bowl, following an effective week. In double team drills he did a great job of holding the point of attack, and also showed that he can be both a 1 or 2 gap player, making him more versatile. Right now he looks like he could be a dominant NT in either a 34 or a 43. He’s a top 20 pick in this draft.
Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State- What we knew about Wilson was that he was fast. However, he showed an excellent ability to break on the ball and also get physical at the line. His best trait is his breakaway speed. He baits quarterbacks to throw it his way, so that he can jump in for a deflection, if not a pick. He’s very versatile as he can play safety as well as corner, and he was great in one on one’s this week. He also has a lot of value as a kick returner for teams and may have pushed himself into the first round.
Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri- Weatherspoon is a guy that’s very underrated. Many people have him as a first round pick (albeit a late one), but don’t really know why. The reason why is because he’s a phenomenal athlete who can do it all. He’s a defensive leader and very vocal, and that’s another great trait. One of the best things about Weatherspoon is his ability to cover as a linebacker. The Senior Bowl showed that he also has an uncanny ability to read and react, much like his defensive teammate Daryl Washington, who also excelled for the North defense. Weatherspoon should be a lock for the first round.
Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State- I really liked what I saw out of Odrick. Being a Big Ten follower, I’ve enjoyed watching Odrick for the last couple of seasons, and he just seems to be getting better. He’s a great space eater because he’s very strong, and he showed that in the double team drills, as well as in the game for the North defense. He was a big reason that the North defense held the talented South running backs to just 30 yards on the ground. There’s no reason why Odrick would slip out of the 1st in any other draft. However, he could make it to the early 2nd because of the depth of DT, among talent in general in this 2010 NFL Draft.
Daryl Washington, LB, TCU- Daryl Washington may be the linebacker that’s going to rise the highest. In the NFL today, you have to be able to excel in coverage being that we’re evolving into a passing football league, and Washington may be the best cover linebacker in the entire draft. Washington’s worries were that he didn’t get off blocks and may not be physical enough due to his size, but he showed nothing but physicality in this one, even making a great tackle off of a nice coverage sack on Tebow. Washington may be able to slip into the first round, assuming he’ll have a good combine, however, size may be of a bit of a concern for some teams.
Fallers
Offense
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida- Tebow struggled in practice his first day fumbling snaps, and really struggling to get the hang of being underneath a center. In no pressure throwing drills, he struggled to have accuracy when putting zip on the ball. His most accurate passes were lobs going for 15-20 yards. In a few 7 on 7 drills he had a couple tipped balls that appeared to be nowhere near the wide receivers. He’s got a slow throwing motion, and bad footwork, really struggling in 3 and 5 step drops. His touch is another aspect of his game he needs to improve to become a quality quarterback at the next level. He really needs a good amount of work to really prove that he deserves to be higher than a 3rd round draft grade.
Tony Pike, QB, Cincinnati- Pike is a guy that I’ve never been high on. I honestly see him as a Derek Anderson like player, who was bailed out by solid offensive talent, and playing mediocre or worse defenses. Pike has a decent arm, but lacks the touch you need as a QB in the NFL. His footwork is very poor and he’s another shotgun/spread offense quarterback that seemed to struggle a lot under center just like Tim Tebow, unlike his counterpart, Dan LeFevour. Pike should be a 5th round pick, as a developmental guy, with a 4th round ceiling.
Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho- After Mike Mayock hyped Iupati up as a guy that can play all 5 offensive line positions, he sure disappointed. Excelling in the run game, Iupati really showed his weakness in the passing game while playing RG lined up against Geno Atkins. On one drive he should have been called for blatant holds twice. Atkins got the best of him almost every passing play, and he just embarrassed Iupati. However, Iupati played pretty well at offensive tackle, which is confusing because his calling seems to be offensive guard. I think he’s still a first round draft pick, as he is a versatile guy, with long arms who excels in the run game, but if he plays like he did Saturday in the NFL, he could bust easily.
Taylor Price, WR, Ohio- Price just did not have a good week overall. He was consistently getting jammed at the line of scrimmage, rounded off his routes, and dropped a few balls. Despite having a few balls thrown at him, he had 1 catch for 8 yards in the Senior Bowl, and really struggled with getting separation from corners. Lacking top end speed, he really needed to show a display of soft hands and crisp route running, and he failed to do that. He’s still a guy that could go fringe 4th round.
Defense
Taylor Mays, S, USC- Let it be known that I’ve never been a Mays fan. For 2 seasons, I’ve had people try to convince me how great of a player he is and I just don’t see it. This week didn’t help his cause. Tuesday’s practice was just ugly for him. He won’t be playing corner, so it may be unfair to rate his man coverage, but he grabs all over players when he knows he’s been beat, and he struggles to turn back for the ball. Watching the game, I saw no improvement on wrap up tackling. He had Bell for a 6 yard gain, and instead he just put a shoulder into him, allowing Bell to stay on his feet to pick up 5 more yards. He had a great interception, but that one play doesn’t make up for all of his faults during the week. I think a team is going to grab him in the first simply because he’ll most likely have a great combine, but I think he could easily slip into the 2nd round with guys like Earl Thomas evolving as true play making safeties.
Javier Arenas, CB, Alabama- Arenas already is a shorter cornerback at 5’8, so he’s already going to shoot down the boards, however, he’s always made up for it in speed. In practices, he just could not cover speed receivers and got in trouble a couple times trying to sit on a WR’s route. He did poorly trying to break on the ball, and while he made a few nice tackles and shows a lot of heart, just doesn’t look like a guy that can make a significant impact in the NFL. I’m saying he ends up a 5th-6th rounder, with a potential bright future as a special teamer.
Brandon Lang, DE/OLB, Troy- One of the most disappointing players for me this week was Lang, who I was a fan of for the last couple seasons. He showed poor burst, and only seems to have one move when pass rushing. He seemed to really struggle against stronger offensive lineman, and had trouble adjusting to the quicker offensive tackles. Lang could be a good later round project for a team, in the mold of Larry English, who got significant playing time this season with San Diego.
Terrence Cody, NT, Alabama- The biggest problem with Cody is the weight he came in at. Showing up to the Senior Bowl at 370 pounds really raised some eyebrows, and not in a good way. Being overweight limits the snaps he’ll get in the NFL, making him less likely to be taken in the first round. Character issues because of potential laziness will be on the back of the scouts’ minds. Cody slips to the middle of the 2nd round, despite being a great run stuffer.
Trevard Lindley, CB, Kentucky- Lindley was one of my personal disappointments. I really thought he’d come in and really show that he can be up there with guys like Kyle Wilson and Perrish Cox. Instead, Lindley failed to be physical at the line, didn’t look back for the ball, and at times gave way too big a cushion for receivers, which got exposed in one on one drills and a few times in 7 on 7’s. For a guy that’s as physical as him, I was surprised to see a lack of push at the line, which is why he’s going to need to have a great combine to get back into the bottom of the 2nd round.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Post Deadline for Declaration Top 150 for April
1. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska- 6’4 300
2. Gerald McCoy*, DT, Oklahoma- 6’4 297
3. Eric Berry*, S, Tennessee- 5’11 203
4. Jimmy Clausen*, QB, Notre Dame- 6’3 224
5. Rolando McClain*, LB, Alabama- 6’4 260
6. Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State- 6’5 305
7. Joe Haden*, CB, Florida- 5’11 190
8. Derrick Morgan*, DE, Georgia Tech- 6’4 270
9. Anthony Davis*, OT, Rutgers- 6’6 325
10. Dez Bryant*, WR, Oklahoma State- 6’2 220
11. Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma- 6’5 315
12. Brian Price*, DT, UCLA- 6’2 300
13. C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson- 5’11 195
14. Sam Bradford*, QB, Oklahoma- 6’4 225
15. Bryan Baluga, OT, Iowa- 6’6 312
16. Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida- 6’6 290
17. Earl Thomas*, S, Texas- 5’10 195
18. Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee- 6’3 325
19. Jerry Hughes, DE, TCU- 6’3 257
20. Jason Pierre-Paul*, DE, South Florida- 6’5 262
21. Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida- 6’2 250
22. Everson Griffen*, DE, USC- 6’4 280
23. Johnathan Dwyer*, RB, Georgia Tech- 6’0 230
24. Arrelious Benn*, WR, Illinois- 6’2 220
25. Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho- 6’6 330
26. Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma- 6’6 258
27. Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri- 6’2 246
28. Taylor Mays, S, USC- 6’4 225
29. Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan- 6’2 260
30. Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama- 6’5 360
31. Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati- 6’1 189
32. Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State- 6’5 295
33. Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida- 6’3 251
34. Golden Tate*, WR, Notre Dame- 5’11 195
35. Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State- 5’11 193
36. Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas- 6’4 255
37. Bruce Campbell*, OT, Maryland- 6’7 310
38. Brandon LaFell, WR, LSU- 6’3 210
39. Navorro Bowman*, LB, Penn State- 6’1 230
40. Nate Allen, S, South Florida- 6’2 205
41. Vladimir Ducasse, OG/OT, Massachusetts- 6’5 330
42. Daryl Washington, ILB, TCU- 6’3 235
43. Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona- 6’6 265
44. Ricky Sapp, DE, Clemson- 6’6 240
45. Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State- 5’11 220
46. Perrish Cox, CB, Oklahoma State- 6’0 197
47. Eric Norwood, LB, South Carolina- 6’1 253
48. Javhid Best*, RB, California- 5’9 200
49. Darrell Stuckey, S, Kansas- 6’1 205
50. Damian Williams*, WR, USC- 6’1 210
51. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida- 6’3 245
52. Arthur Jones, DT, Syracuse- 6’4 293
53. Charles Brown, OT, USC- 6’6 290
54. Brandon Ghee, CB, Wake Forest- 6’0 190
55. Jon Asomoah, OG, Illinois- 6’6 315
56. Dexter McCluster, RB, Ole Miss- 5’8 170
57. Maurkice Pouncey, OG, Florida- 6’5 318
58. Chad Jones, S, LSU- 6’3 218
59. Anthony Dixon, RB, Miss St.- 6’1 235
60. Greg Hardy, DE, Ole Miss- 6’5 240
61. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas- 6’2 215
62. Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama- 5’11 195
63. Jermaine Cunningham, DE, Florida- 6’3 251
64. Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech- 6’3 229
65. Amari Spievey, CB, Iowa- 6’0 190
66. George Selvie, DE, South Florida- 6’4 250
67. Joe McKnight, RB, USC- 6’0 192
68. Dominique Franks, CB, Oklahoma- 6’0 192
69. Jordan Shipley, WR, Texas- 6’0 190
70. Syd’Quan Thompson, CB, California- 5’9 190
71. Reshad Jones, S, Georgia- 6’2 212
72. Tyson Alualu, DT, California- 6’3 290
73. Sean Canfield, QB, Oregon State- 6’4 214
74. Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers- 5’11 190
75. Danario Alexander, WR, Missouri- 6’5 215
76. Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford- 6’1 235
77. Donovan Warren, CB, Michigan- 6’0 190
78. Sean Lee, LB, Penn State- 6’2 236
79. O’Brien Schofield, OLB, Wisconsin- 6’3 243
80. Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State- 5’10 190
81. Tony Washington, OT, Abilene Christian- 6’7 205
82. Corey Wootton, DE, Northwestern- 6’6 281
83. Kyle Calloway, OT, Iowa- 6’7 315
84. Morgan Burnett, S, Georgia Tech- 6’1 210
85. Lamarr Houston, DT, Texas- 6’2 300
86. Mike Johnson, OG, Alabama- 6’3 305
87. Jason Worilds, DE, Virginia Tech- 6’2 262
88. Eric Decker, WR, Minnesota- 6’2 215
89. Darryl Sharpton, ILB, Miami (Fl.)- 6’1 235
90. Anthony McCoy, TE, USC- 6’5 245
91. Tony Pike, QB, Cincinnati- 6’6 225
92. Lindsey Witten, DE, UConn- 6’5 260
93. Dekoda Watson, LB, Florida State- 6’2 228
94. Dezmon Briscoe, WR, Kansas- 6’3 200
95. Selvish Capers, OT, West Virginia- 6’5 298
96. Myron Lewis, CB, Vanderbilt- 6’2 205
97. Jeremy Williams, WR, Tulane- 6’1 205
98. Jerome Murphy, CB, USF- 6’1 190
99. Jacoby Ford, WR, Clemson- 5’10 185
100. Riley Cooper, WR, Florida- 6’3 215
101. Dennis Pitta, TE, BYU- 6’5 248
102. Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA- 5’11 180
103. Vince Oghobaase, DT, Duke- 6’5 305
104. Javier Arenas, CB, Alabama- 5’9 195
105. Ed Dickson, TE, Oregon- 6’5 243
106. Trevard Lindley, CB, Kentucky- 6’1 185
107. Larry Asante, S, Nebraska- 6’1 215
108. Thaddeus Gibson, DE, Ohio State- 6’2 245
109. Charles Scott, RB, LSU- 6’0 232
110. Colin Peek, TE, Alabama- 6’6 255
111. Harry Coleman, S, LSU- 6’2 205
112. J.D. Walton, C, Baylor- 6’3 304
113. Austen Lane, DE, Murray State- 6’7 270
114. James Starks, RB, Buffalo- 6’2 210
115. Ciron Black, OT, LSU- 6’5 322
116. Montario Hardesty, RB, Tennessee- 6’0 215
117. Roddrick Muckelroy, LB, Texas- 6’2 235
118. Rashawn Jackson, FB, Virginia- 6’1 245
119. Micah Johnson, ILB, Kentucky- 6’2 258
120. Major Wright, S, Florida- 6’0 204
121. John Skelton, QB, Fordham- 6’5 255
122. Antonio Brown, WR, Central Michigan- 5’10 181
123. Garrett Graham, TE, Wisconsin- 6’3 250
124. Jason Fox, OT, Miami (Fl.)- 6’7 314
125. Rodger Saffold, OG, Indiana- 6’5 305
126. Brandon Lang, DE, Troy- 6’4 255
127. Geno Atkins, DT, Georgia- 6’1 290
128. AJ Edds, LB, Iowa- 6’4 245
129. Ben Tate, RB, Auburn- 5’11 218
130. Zane Beadles, OG, Utah- 6’4 305
131. Kam Chancellor, S, Virginia Tech- 6’4 230
132. Rennie Curran, S, Georgia- 5’11 225
133. D’Anthony Smith, DT, Louisiana Tech- 6’2 298
134. Sergio Render, OG, Virginia Tech- 6’3 313
135. Jevan Snead, QB, Ole Miss- 6’3 220
136. LeGarrette Blount, RB, Oregon- 6’2 240
137. Pat Angerer, LB, Iowa- 6’1 235
138. T.J. Ward, S, Oregon- 5’11 200
139. Koa Misi, DE, Utah- 6’3 263
140. Justin Cole, LB, San Jose State- 6’3 240
141. Tony Moeaki, TE, Iowa- 6’4 250
142. Boo Robinson, DT, Wake Forest- 6’2 295
143. Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, CB, Indiana (PA)- 6’1 205
144. Linval Joseph, DT, East Carolina- 6’6 322
145. Kevin Haslam, OT, Rutgers- 6’7 295
146. Freddie Barnes, WR, Bowling Green- 6’0 205
147. Chris Brown, RB, Oklahoma- 5’10 200
148. Jamar Chaney, LB, Mississippi St.- 6’1 240
149. C.J. Wilson, DE, East Carolina- 6’4 276
150. Kurt Coleman, S, Ohio State- 5’11 197
2. Gerald McCoy*, DT, Oklahoma- 6’4 297
3. Eric Berry*, S, Tennessee- 5’11 203
4. Jimmy Clausen*, QB, Notre Dame- 6’3 224
5. Rolando McClain*, LB, Alabama- 6’4 260
6. Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State- 6’5 305
7. Joe Haden*, CB, Florida- 5’11 190
8. Derrick Morgan*, DE, Georgia Tech- 6’4 270
9. Anthony Davis*, OT, Rutgers- 6’6 325
10. Dez Bryant*, WR, Oklahoma State- 6’2 220
11. Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma- 6’5 315
12. Brian Price*, DT, UCLA- 6’2 300
13. C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson- 5’11 195
14. Sam Bradford*, QB, Oklahoma- 6’4 225
15. Bryan Baluga, OT, Iowa- 6’6 312
16. Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida- 6’6 290
17. Earl Thomas*, S, Texas- 5’10 195
18. Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee- 6’3 325
19. Jerry Hughes, DE, TCU- 6’3 257
20. Jason Pierre-Paul*, DE, South Florida- 6’5 262
21. Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida- 6’2 250
22. Everson Griffen*, DE, USC- 6’4 280
23. Johnathan Dwyer*, RB, Georgia Tech- 6’0 230
24. Arrelious Benn*, WR, Illinois- 6’2 220
25. Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho- 6’6 330
26. Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma- 6’6 258
27. Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri- 6’2 246
28. Taylor Mays, S, USC- 6’4 225
29. Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan- 6’2 260
30. Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama- 6’5 360
31. Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati- 6’1 189
32. Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State- 6’5 295
33. Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida- 6’3 251
34. Golden Tate*, WR, Notre Dame- 5’11 195
35. Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State- 5’11 193
36. Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas- 6’4 255
37. Bruce Campbell*, OT, Maryland- 6’7 310
38. Brandon LaFell, WR, LSU- 6’3 210
39. Navorro Bowman*, LB, Penn State- 6’1 230
40. Nate Allen, S, South Florida- 6’2 205
41. Vladimir Ducasse, OG/OT, Massachusetts- 6’5 330
42. Daryl Washington, ILB, TCU- 6’3 235
43. Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona- 6’6 265
44. Ricky Sapp, DE, Clemson- 6’6 240
45. Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State- 5’11 220
46. Perrish Cox, CB, Oklahoma State- 6’0 197
47. Eric Norwood, LB, South Carolina- 6’1 253
48. Javhid Best*, RB, California- 5’9 200
49. Darrell Stuckey, S, Kansas- 6’1 205
50. Damian Williams*, WR, USC- 6’1 210
51. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida- 6’3 245
52. Arthur Jones, DT, Syracuse- 6’4 293
53. Charles Brown, OT, USC- 6’6 290
54. Brandon Ghee, CB, Wake Forest- 6’0 190
55. Jon Asomoah, OG, Illinois- 6’6 315
56. Dexter McCluster, RB, Ole Miss- 5’8 170
57. Maurkice Pouncey, OG, Florida- 6’5 318
58. Chad Jones, S, LSU- 6’3 218
59. Anthony Dixon, RB, Miss St.- 6’1 235
60. Greg Hardy, DE, Ole Miss- 6’5 240
61. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas- 6’2 215
62. Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama- 5’11 195
63. Jermaine Cunningham, DE, Florida- 6’3 251
64. Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech- 6’3 229
65. Amari Spievey, CB, Iowa- 6’0 190
66. George Selvie, DE, South Florida- 6’4 250
67. Joe McKnight, RB, USC- 6’0 192
68. Dominique Franks, CB, Oklahoma- 6’0 192
69. Jordan Shipley, WR, Texas- 6’0 190
70. Syd’Quan Thompson, CB, California- 5’9 190
71. Reshad Jones, S, Georgia- 6’2 212
72. Tyson Alualu, DT, California- 6’3 290
73. Sean Canfield, QB, Oregon State- 6’4 214
74. Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers- 5’11 190
75. Danario Alexander, WR, Missouri- 6’5 215
76. Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford- 6’1 235
77. Donovan Warren, CB, Michigan- 6’0 190
78. Sean Lee, LB, Penn State- 6’2 236
79. O’Brien Schofield, OLB, Wisconsin- 6’3 243
80. Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State- 5’10 190
81. Tony Washington, OT, Abilene Christian- 6’7 205
82. Corey Wootton, DE, Northwestern- 6’6 281
83. Kyle Calloway, OT, Iowa- 6’7 315
84. Morgan Burnett, S, Georgia Tech- 6’1 210
85. Lamarr Houston, DT, Texas- 6’2 300
86. Mike Johnson, OG, Alabama- 6’3 305
87. Jason Worilds, DE, Virginia Tech- 6’2 262
88. Eric Decker, WR, Minnesota- 6’2 215
89. Darryl Sharpton, ILB, Miami (Fl.)- 6’1 235
90. Anthony McCoy, TE, USC- 6’5 245
91. Tony Pike, QB, Cincinnati- 6’6 225
92. Lindsey Witten, DE, UConn- 6’5 260
93. Dekoda Watson, LB, Florida State- 6’2 228
94. Dezmon Briscoe, WR, Kansas- 6’3 200
95. Selvish Capers, OT, West Virginia- 6’5 298
96. Myron Lewis, CB, Vanderbilt- 6’2 205
97. Jeremy Williams, WR, Tulane- 6’1 205
98. Jerome Murphy, CB, USF- 6’1 190
99. Jacoby Ford, WR, Clemson- 5’10 185
100. Riley Cooper, WR, Florida- 6’3 215
101. Dennis Pitta, TE, BYU- 6’5 248
102. Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA- 5’11 180
103. Vince Oghobaase, DT, Duke- 6’5 305
104. Javier Arenas, CB, Alabama- 5’9 195
105. Ed Dickson, TE, Oregon- 6’5 243
106. Trevard Lindley, CB, Kentucky- 6’1 185
107. Larry Asante, S, Nebraska- 6’1 215
108. Thaddeus Gibson, DE, Ohio State- 6’2 245
109. Charles Scott, RB, LSU- 6’0 232
110. Colin Peek, TE, Alabama- 6’6 255
111. Harry Coleman, S, LSU- 6’2 205
112. J.D. Walton, C, Baylor- 6’3 304
113. Austen Lane, DE, Murray State- 6’7 270
114. James Starks, RB, Buffalo- 6’2 210
115. Ciron Black, OT, LSU- 6’5 322
116. Montario Hardesty, RB, Tennessee- 6’0 215
117. Roddrick Muckelroy, LB, Texas- 6’2 235
118. Rashawn Jackson, FB, Virginia- 6’1 245
119. Micah Johnson, ILB, Kentucky- 6’2 258
120. Major Wright, S, Florida- 6’0 204
121. John Skelton, QB, Fordham- 6’5 255
122. Antonio Brown, WR, Central Michigan- 5’10 181
123. Garrett Graham, TE, Wisconsin- 6’3 250
124. Jason Fox, OT, Miami (Fl.)- 6’7 314
125. Rodger Saffold, OG, Indiana- 6’5 305
126. Brandon Lang, DE, Troy- 6’4 255
127. Geno Atkins, DT, Georgia- 6’1 290
128. AJ Edds, LB, Iowa- 6’4 245
129. Ben Tate, RB, Auburn- 5’11 218
130. Zane Beadles, OG, Utah- 6’4 305
131. Kam Chancellor, S, Virginia Tech- 6’4 230
132. Rennie Curran, S, Georgia- 5’11 225
133. D’Anthony Smith, DT, Louisiana Tech- 6’2 298
134. Sergio Render, OG, Virginia Tech- 6’3 313
135. Jevan Snead, QB, Ole Miss- 6’3 220
136. LeGarrette Blount, RB, Oregon- 6’2 240
137. Pat Angerer, LB, Iowa- 6’1 235
138. T.J. Ward, S, Oregon- 5’11 200
139. Koa Misi, DE, Utah- 6’3 263
140. Justin Cole, LB, San Jose State- 6’3 240
141. Tony Moeaki, TE, Iowa- 6’4 250
142. Boo Robinson, DT, Wake Forest- 6’2 295
143. Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, CB, Indiana (PA)- 6’1 205
144. Linval Joseph, DT, East Carolina- 6’6 322
145. Kevin Haslam, OT, Rutgers- 6’7 295
146. Freddie Barnes, WR, Bowling Green- 6’0 205
147. Chris Brown, RB, Oklahoma- 5’10 200
148. Jamar Chaney, LB, Mississippi St.- 6’1 240
149. C.J. Wilson, DE, East Carolina- 6’4 276
150. Kurt Coleman, S, Ohio State- 5’11 197
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