Prospects to Watch

YtownBrownsBacker

Aloysius said:
Laurinaitis isn't a 3-4 guy. Curry is - on SportsCenter this morning, Todd McShay said that Curry's "a terror in the run game" & compared him to Patrick Willis. I think that's a good comparison.
@ Solon: William Moore's a pretty good, physical safety, but there are some concerns about his coverage skills. As Brent "SOBO" Soblieski put it:

nfldraftscout has Moore projected as a Round 1 prospect, but I could see those coverage deficiencies knocking him down into Round 2. Though it'd be nice to have him has an option then, you have to wonder: if he's that much of a liability in the passing game, would he really be a good fit for our defense?

Laurinaitis may be a better fit in the 3-4 then the 4-3. He is a very good cover ILB which you need as your Strongside ILB in the 3-4. He gets off of blocks well and is very physical. If you watched a lot of OSU this year you shuld realize that the way they used him (in coverage a lot) made his stats look not overly impressive. He wasn't used like Maulauga, who was a pass rush ILB and still didn't have the stats of JL.

JL might just supprise a lot of people at the next level and won't make it past pick #10.

What a lot of people don't take into consideration is the scheme players play in and how that influenced their play. That is the toughest job of scouts and the reason why we hae high draft picks that are busts and late picks that prosper at the next level.

? Aloysius

Just to prove that I'm a real college football guru, here's what I wrote about Colorado State's Gartrell Johnson:

Stocky back has rushed for over 1,000 yards in two consecutive seasons. Kind of a RB-FB hybrid: doesn't have the speed (4.67 40) to be a halfback, doesn't have the size (225 lbs.) to be a fullback. Still, Johnson's tough running style should lead to him getting an opportunity to showcase his skills as a short-yardage back in the NFL.

And here's his stat line from today's game:

27 carries, 285 yards, 2 TD's; 5 catches, 90 yards

Just a short-yardage back, huh?

On a more serious note, Johnson looked phenomenal today. He displayed great vision and did a good job of following his blockers for very long gains. That said, it was obvious that he lacks the long-speed to take it to the house in the NFL.

After today's performance, he may end up getting drafted & playing more than a short-yardage role. But he'll still get caught from behind by NFL DB's and linebackers.

? Aloysius

Troy State vs. Southern Mississippi
Sunday, December 21st - 8:15 PM, ESPN

Troy State Prospects:

Brandon Lang, DE, #91 (Junior)
- 6'4", 250 lbs., 4.68 40 (e)
- Projected: Round 2
- If you want to see speed, watch Brandon play Sunday night. Despite suffering a serious knee injury last season, Lang plays with a freakish combination of speed and athleticism.
  And he'll be a perfect fit as a 3-4 OLB. When the coaches drop him back into coverage, he looks like he's been playing linebacker his entire life.
  
  However, it's clear that Lang could use another year of seasoning before jumping to the NFL. Though he may weigh 250 lbs., he has a very wiry frame that needs to be developed. Right now, he looks like a skinnier version of Alex Hall. And though he's quite accomplished as a speed rusher, he doesn't seem to have the strength to effectively bull-rush OT's. He'll be fairly one-dimensional until he develops that part of his game.
Sherrod Martin, CB-S, #6
- 6'1", 193 lbs., 4.46 40
- Projected: Round 5
- Versatile defensive back has been a leader of Troy's defense, notching a team high 80 tackles this season. Though he played free safety this season, scouts think he may be athletic enough to play cornerback in the NFL; he's expected to take reps at that position at the Senior Bowl.
  If he proves capable at that position, his draft stock could rise.

Southern Mississippi Prospects:

Gerald McRath, LB, #24 (rJunior)
- 6'3", 220 lbs., 4.59 40
- Projected: Round 2
- Tackling machine made 126 tackles this season. Not big enough to play 3-4 ILB, but he could play OLB for us if we switch to a 4-3 defense.
Shawn Nelson, TE, #1
- 6'5", 242 lbs., 4.65 40
- Projected: Round 4
- Receiving TE had back to back 100 yard games this season. Don't think he'll be on our draft radar - we already drafted a receiving TE with this year's 3rd (Martin Rucker) - but it should be interesting to see him try to block & run by Brandon Lang.

? Aloysius

Quick hits on some of the prospects I've mentioned in this thread:

Boo Robinson, DT, Wake Forest (rJunior): Showed enough athleticism for me to think he could play 3-4 DE, though he doesn't fit the typical physical profile (6'2", 325 lbs.). If he declares, he could be an interesting Day Two option.
Gartrell Johnson, RB, Colorado State: Gartrell looked phenomenal in his bowl game. He displayed great vision and did a good job of following his blockers for very long gains. That said, it was obvious that he lacks the long-speed to take it to the house in the NFL.
I wouldn't mind us expending a late-round choice on this guy. He could be the third, short-yardage back in a RBBC rotation.
Clinton McDonald, DT, Memphis: Scott Wright was wrong about McDonald being a 3-4 guy. Not only does Clinton look shorter than 6'2", he doesn't appear to have the strength to take on double teams. I was also expected the interior pass-rusher (7 sacks) to be a little quicker - I guess there's a reason why McDonald's a late Round 5/early Round 6 prospect.
Nate Allen, FS, USF (Junior): I mentioned in my pre-game report that I hadn't seen Allen make a lot of plays. Unfortunately, Allen didn't do anything to change that perception on Saturday. He even missed a few tackles.
Allen needs to spend another year refining his skills before entering the NFL. If he declares, I hope the Browns pass on him.
Dennis Pitta, TE, BYU (Junior): The athletic pass-catching TE will have a tough decision to make. He's been projected to be drafted as high as Round 2, but an MCL sprain has hobbled him for much of the second half of the season, possibly dropping his draft stock.
Pitta barely played in his bowl game. If he's not healthy enough to play now, then he probably will have trouble running through the training regimen necessary to look good at the Combine. My guess: Pitta returns for his senior season.
Austin Collie, WR, BYU (Junior): Collie made one of the best catches I've ever seen, only for the refs to overturn it upon review. The sure-handed receiver did a lot to impress scouts in the first half, but he was far less impressive in the second half. He made what would have been costly fumble deep in BYU's own territory (it was turned into an incompletion on review), dropped a deep ball when his vision was temporarily blocked by a DB, and - most importantly - he waited on what could have been a TD pass instead of fighting for it, therereby resulting in an INT.
Collie's got great hands, but I'm a little skeptical about his NFL upside. He's Hines Ward without the physical style of play.
Eben Britton, LT, Arizona (rJunior): I was wrong to call Britton a mauling-style OT. After watching him closely last night, I'd say he's more a finesse blocking type, albeit with elite skills. I saw him compared on another board to Joe Thomas - that's a fairly good comparison. Britton's got a wider base and may not have feet as good as JT's, but he's a great pass-blocker; BYU's Jan Jorgensen never got close to Arizona's QB. However, Britton won't be dominant in the run game, and he may benefit from spending another year in college bulking up.
If he declares, Britton should be a 1st Round pick. And considering that he played RT last season, I can think of crazier things than us trading down in Round 1, finding our defensive targets all taken, and taking Britton to solidify our o-line.
Mike Thomas, WR, Arizona: I hate this kid. Really. He started the game by dropping an easy catch, getting stripped of the ball (though the refs whistled the play dead), and botching a punt return. And when his coach got in his face about it, he pushed his coach away. This small receiver's got a Steve Smith mentality, but he's not nearly good enough for us to have to put up with his crap. Fortunately, we've already got a guy with a similar skillset (Syndric Steptoe), so we probably won't be taking a flier on this guy late in the draft.

? Aloysius

Here's a Brandon Lang draft prospect dialogue, courtesy of the game thread from last night:

Aloysius said:
Troy's junior DE Brandon Lang could be a top-flight 3-4 OLB prospect, either this year or next. He's #91 and lines up at LE (opposite the right tackle).
He hasn't done much as a pass rusher in this game, but he's shown great athleticism dropping back into coverage.

@jewdago said:
you're right about lang being a natural in coverage. he's dropped from a three-point stance, bumped a TE and then covered him down the field. kid's great in coverage.

Aloysius said:
Lang finally got a sack...in OT

@jewdago said:
it was a garbage sack, though. the QB stepped up to avoid pressure and ran into lang, who was on the turf after being flattened when he tried a spin move, a move that he'd tried before and looked quite ineffective doing.
he looked good in coverage but terrible rushing the passer. he picked a bad time to get handled all game.

After last night's game, I expect Lang will return to Troy for his senior season. That's what he was saying he'd do last week, and he didn't really do anything last night to change that.

I look forward to watching this guy next year.

? Aloysius

TCU vs. Boise State
Tuesday, December 23rd - 8PM (ET), ESPN

TCU Prospects:

Jerry Hughes, DE-OLB, #98 (Junior)
- 6'2", 248 lbs., 4.67 40 (e)
- Projected: Round 2
- Hughes led the nation with 14 sacks this season, also adding 18.5 tackles for loss. A classic hybrid prospect, Hughes likely will play 3-4 OLB in the NFL. If he declares to the draft, he could be one of our targets in the 2nd Round.
Jason Phillips, ILB, #39
- 6'1", 235 lbs., 4.58 40 (e)
- The redshirt senior led TCU in tackles three of his four years in school. Phillips could fill in at any of the linebacker spots in a 4-3, but he's exclusively an ILB in the 3-4. Could be the kind of guy we bring in to be D'Qwell's backup. nfldraftscout compares him to former Brown Ben Taylor.
Rafael Priest, CB #10
- 5'10", 168 lbs., 4.44 40 (e)
- Projected: UDFA (though some sources say he'll be a Day One pick)
- Priest is an undersized ballhawk who may make a break for the NFL after this season. Not sure we're in the market for another small CB, but he's another guy to take note of.

Boise State Prospects:

Kyle Wilson, CB-FS, #1 (rJunior)
- 5'10", 190 lbs., 4.48 40 (e)
- Projected: Round 2
- Last year, Wilson received a list of things he needed to improve in order to become a complete cornerback. What did he do with it? Hang it up in his locker.
  With another Boise CB (Orlando Scandrick) achieving some success in Dallas, Wilson likely will get drafted on the first day. Though he could use another year of development, he's got all the physical tools to be a starting CB in the NFL.
Jeremy Childs, WR, #9 (rJunior)
- 6'0", 196 lbs., 4.48 40 (e)
- Projected: late Round 4/early Round 5
- Junior receiver's number were slightly down from last year, when he had over 1,000 yards receiving and scored 9 TD's. Part of that drop may have been due to struggles adjusting to a new QB, freshman Kellen Moore. Scouts expect Childs to return for his senior season, though he did submit his name to the NFL advisory committee for feedback about his NFL status.
Ian Johnson, RB, #41
- 5'11", 198 lbs., 4.53 40 (e)
- Projected: Round 6
- One of the main characters in Boise State's storybook bowl victory two years ago, Johnson's college career has declined since that big game (& marriage proposal). For the first time since his freshman year, Johnson was held under 1,000 yards this season, and he's likely looking at a Jason Wright-like backup role in the NFL.

? Aloysius

Hawaii vs. Notre Dame
Wednesday, December 24th - 8PM (ET), ESPN

Hawaii Prospects:

David Veikune, DE, #94
- 6'2", 265 lbs., 4.89 40 (e)
- Projected: late Round 4/early Round 5
- Veikune caught on fire towards the end of this season, notching 5.5 sacks over a three game stretch. Also made 15 tackles for loss, indicating that he isn't a liability in the run game.
  
  My big question is whether he's athletic enough to play 3-4 OLB in the NFL. For what it's worth, nfldraftscout compares him to Brian Robison, a backup 4-3 DE for the Vikings who may be better served playing OLB in a 3-4 alignment.
John Estes, OC-OG, #55 (rJunior)
- 6'2", 295 lbs., 5.14 40 (e)
- Projected: late Round 3/early Round 4
- All-WAC first team center is strong and athletic enough to play any of the interior line spots. In his redshirt freshman season, he started 14 games at right guard.
  
  He probably won't declare for the draft this year. But if he does, he could be an interesting center prospect for us to consider taking in the middle rounds.

Notre Dame Prospects:

David Bruton, S, #27
- 6'2", 212 lbs., 4.55 40 (e)
- Projected: Round 5
- Tough run-defender had a great year amidst Notre Dame's disastrous season, notching close to 100 tackles. Stiff hips and questions about his speed may make him a mid-Day Two pick, but he'll contribute wherever he goes: either as a starting safety or as a special teams demon - he serves as the Irish's gunner on specials.
Maurice Crum Jr., LB, #40
- 5'11", 235 lbs., 4.72 40 (e)
- Projected: Round 7/UDFA
- Undersized linebacker may have trouble getting drafted, but his combination of instincts and good character should earn him a spot on an NFL roster. Reminds me of Joe Mays, another small 'backer (5'11", 240 lbs.) who made the Eagles' roster this year after signing as a UDFA.

damajuki

Alo, thanks for putting these up. Really interesting, great reads.

As one of the resident ND fans, I feel confident that Bruton will stick somewhere and I'd have NO problem with him on the Browns. He's big and can hit but can cover enough.

He's not the most athletic guy but I don't remember him getting beat deep. He seems to have a good feel for the passing game and knows where he should be. He's rarely out of position.

And, as you pointed out, he looks good on ST. I like this kid. I think he's a player.

Mr. T

@damajuki said:
Alo, thanks for putting these up. Really interesting, great reads.
As one of the resident ND fans, I feel confident that Bruton will stick somewhere and I'd have NO problem with him on the Browns. He's big and can hit but can cover enough.

He's not the most athletic guy but I don't remember him getting beat deep. He seems to have a good feel for the passing game and knows where he should be. He's rarely out of position.

And, as you pointed out, he looks good on ST. I like this kid. I think he's a player.

Why should we settle for second best? if you state he cant cover then why do we want him? we need the best talent available, period!

? Aloysius

You're welcome, Juki.

@ T: we're talking about a guy we may be able to draft in Round 5. At that point, BPA very well may be a safety whose coverage ability isn't great but is a hard hitter & can contribute on special teams.

? Aloysius

Jerry Hughes, a junior 3-4 OLB prospect from TCU, made an appearance on McShay's Top 32 at #26.

Here's what I wrote about Hughes a few days ago:

Jerry Hughes, DE-OLB, #98 (Junior)
6'2", 248 lbs., 4.67 40 (e)

Projected: Round 2

Hughes led the nation with 14 sacks this season, also adding 18.5 tackles for loss. A classic hybrid prospect, Hughes likely will play 3-4 OLB in the NFL. If he declares to the draft, he could be one of our targets in the 2nd Round.

You can see Hughes play tonight at 8PM on ESPN.

? Aloysius

Here's Todd McShay previewing tonight's game:

lemosley01

Aloysius, why does Hughes not project as a round 1 pick?

? Aloysius

I heard Todd McShay say today that Hughes will be taken in Round 1 if he declares, but he's got him ranked #26 on his list of prospects - that sounds like a guy who could easily slip into the 2nd Round. FWIW, the 2nd is where nfldraftscout has him projected.

As for why, I'm guessing that a lot of it has to do with Hughes only having a year of college success under his belt. Last year, he played behind Tommy Blake and Chase Ortiz, only notching one sack and 3.5 TFL's. Teams may be concerned about whether his great junior season is a Wimbley-like aberration.

Also, I suspect that Hughes is slower than his projected 4.67 40 time. Doesn't really affect his pass-rushing, but it could quell interest among teams looking for a real physical freak to convert into a 3-4 OLB.

? mz.

Alo, though this is far from documented, one of the "in the know" guys on my 'Cuse board has received word that Arthur Jones will be returning to Syracuse for his Senior season.

Another great season and this guy creeps into Round 1 IMO.

lemosley01

Aloysius said:
I heard Todd McShay say today that Hughes will be taken in Round 1 if he declares, but he's got him ranked #26 on his list of prospects - that sounds like a guy who could easily slip into the 2nd Round. FWIW, the 2nd is where nfldraftscout has him projected.
As for why, I'm guessing that a lot of it has to do with Hughes only having a year of college success under his belt. Last year, he played behind Tommy Blake and Chase Ortiz, only notching one sack and 3.5 TFL's. Teams may be concerned about whether his great junior season is a Wimbley-like aberration.

Also, I suspect that Hughes is slower than his projected 4.67 40 time. Doesn't really affect his pass-rushing, but it could quell interest among teams looking for a real physical freak to convert into a 3-4 OLB.

Thanks - as I was watching him a little last night, he didn't seem ridiculously fast. He does have a knack for getting to the football, and that certainly can't be undervalued.

Sounds like another year of college ball will do him good.

? Aloysius

mz. said:
Alo, though this is far from documented, one of the "in the know" guys on my 'Cuse board has received word that Arthur Jones will be returning to Syracuse for his Senior season.
Another great season and this guy creeps into Round 1 IMO.

Yeah, both Jones and Duke DT Vince Oghhobaase announced that they'll be returning to school. Both are solid 3-4 DE prospects, and both could make it into Round 1.

Another guy who'll be up there is Oklahoma's Gerald McCoy. As a redshirt sophomore, he's already ranked #14 on McShay's Top 32. If he doesn't declare this year, he should be the top DT taken in 2010.

? Aloysius

@lemosley01 said:
Thanks - as I was watching him a little last night, he didn't seem ridiculously fast. He does have a knack for getting to the football, and that certainly can't be undervalued.
Sounds like another year of college ball will do him good.

I agree. Hughes probably should stay in college another year and solidify his Round 1 grade.

Another concern I've heard from draft geeks is that Hughes may be a product of TCU's incredible defense. Chase Ortiz, the DE-OLB we signed (& cut) as a UDFA this year, was able to notch 9 sacks and 16.5 TFL for TCU last year.

With that in mind, perhaps Hughes' 14 sacks aren't quite as impressive. However, if he can replicate that success with opposing offenses gameplanning for him next year, that'll be extremely impressive.

? Aloysius

Here's a little porn for Notre Dame fans:

Crum's career defined by toughness

? mz.

Dammit, Alo. You're more on top of my Cuse prospects than I am!

Bonus points for linking to the Daily Orange.