bubba9497 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft09/insider/columns/story?columnist=kiper_jr_mel&id=4054797 Click link for entire article Kiper's Top 5 by position: Offense With less than a month to go, here's the latest intelligence on the biggest names Jr. By Mel Kiper Jr. *Asterisk denotes underclassman Quarterbacks 1. *Matthew Stafford, Georgia 2. *Mark Sanchez, USC 3. *Josh Freeman, Kansas State 4. Stephen McGee, Texas A&M 5. *Nate Davis, Ball State Stafford is worthy of being the No. 1 pick in the draft, while Sanchez is definitely one of the top five to eight players available. If he slides to the 10th spot or later, he'll qualify as a major steal. Had he returned to USC for his final season of collegiate eligibility, Sanchez more than likely would have been the top pick in the 2010 draft. Freeman is an interesting prospect, from the standpoint that he throws accurately and has imposing size at nearly 6-foot-6, 245 pounds. However, his occasional periods of inconsistent play slot him in the boom-or-bust category, so he's a borderline mid-to-late first-rounder or early second-rounder. Davis' stock has dropped since the latter portion of the college football season, but picking him in the third or fourth round would make sense for a team. Pat White is the "slash" type, a third quarterback or wide receiver slot guy and return man, so I wouldn't be surprised at all if he were gobbled up in the late second round or third round. Meanwhile, Texas A&M's McGee has emerged as a potential diamond in the rough, displaying the overall skill level to warrant fifth-round consideration as a developmental signal-caller. After that, good luck trying to find a potential future starting quarterback, although prospects such as Sam Houston State's Rhett Bomar, Purdue's Curtis Painter, Hartwick's Jason Boltus, Fresno State's Tom Brandstater, Central Washington's Mike Reilly, Arizona's Willie Tuitama, Clemson's Cullen Harper, Buffalo's Drew Willy, Central Arkansas' Nathan Brown, Louisville's Hunter Cantwell, Missouri's Chase Daniel and Alabama's John Parker Wilson all figure as late-round or undrafted free-agent possibilities. Running backs 1. *Knowshon Moreno, Georgia 2. *Chris "Beanie" Wells, Ohio State 3. *Donald Brown, Connecticut 4. *LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh 5. *Shonn Greene, Iowa No one in this group comes remotely close to the talent and depth we had at this spot last year. I expect only two running backs, Ohio State's Chris "Beanie" Wells and Georgia's Knowshon Moreno, to go off the board in the first round. They probably won't be selected until the mid-to-late portion of that round. Pitt's LeSean McCoy has first-round ability but more than likely won't come off the board until the second round. That's the same scenario I see for Connecticut's Donald Brown, who could end up being one of the more productive rookie running backs in the NFL because of his all-around skills and tremendous character. Iowa's Shonn Greene enjoyed a terrific 2008 campaign with the Hawkeyes, but he could drop to the third round. North Carolina State's talented but inconsistent Andre Brown could go a little higher than expected. A couple of underrated backs to keep a close eye on are Alabama's Glen Coffee and Oregon's Jeremiah Johnson. Also figuring to carve a niche as a solid No. 2 back or situational type at the pro level are Purdue's Kory Sheets, Texas A&M's Mike Goodson, Wyoming's Devin Moore and Virginia's Cedric Peerman. Liberty's Rashad Jennings also brings some skills to the table as a decent prospect from the Football Championship Subdivision ranks. Fullbacks 1. Tony Fiammetta, Syracuse 2. Quinn Johnson, LSU 3. Brannan Southerland, Georgia 4. Conredge Collins, Pittsburgh 5. Marcus Mailei, Weber St. Although this position basically has been phased out in the NFL, I like several prospects, including Pitt's versatile Conredge Collins and LSU's experienced and highly skilled lead blocker Quinn Johnson. Wide receivers 1. *Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech 2. *Jeremy Maclin, Missouri 3. *Percy Harvin, Florida 4. *Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland 4. *Kenny Britt, Rutgers Crabtree's foot injury shouldn't impact his draft status. He has figured all along to be the fourth overall pick and go to the Seattle Seahawks, not the first or second pick as his rating indicates. He's a big-time player who should have a Larry Fitzgerald-type of career in the NFL. Maclin will have to adjust to an NFL offense, but I really like his big-play capability and that he's much more explosive with the pads on than his 4.46-second 40 clocking at the combine workout would lead you to believe. I've been saying for months that Percy Harvin reminds me of the Reggie Bush we see with the Saints. You can use him in a number of ways, and like Bush, he was a scoreboard changer in college. Although durability is a concern for both, I think Maclin should go within the top picks, while Harvin deserves serious consideration in the middle of Round 1. Heyward-Bey's awesome size-speed ratio should allow him to be selected in the mid-to-late portion of the first round. Nicks won't wow you in a workout, but on game day, he makes the tough catches and is the type who wants the ball thrown his way in clutch situations. Kenny Britt of Rutgers has a ton of talent and is just beginning to touch the surface of his potential. I expect him to be selected late in the first round or among the early or middle picks of the second round. Ohio State's Brian Robiskie should be a very good possession-type No. 2 receiver, as could Oklahoma's Juaquin Iglesias. Penn State's Derrick Williams enjoyed a solid performance during Senior Bowl week, then struggled at the combine workout. Although Williams is versatile, trying to hold off former teammate Deon Butler for draft position will present a challenge. Butler ran a blistering 40 at the combine and seemed to garner attention in each game with a play that made you stand up and take notice. Butler has a keen understanding of the position and uses real good footwork near the sideline. Abilene Christian's Johnny Knox will move up draft boards after running a sub-4.30 time at the combine workout. If you factor in his 19.1 yards-per-catch average and 13 touchdowns this past season, plus his punt- and kickoff-return experience, you can easily understand why he could be in the fourth-round mix. From the major college ranks, Ole Miss' Mike Wallace is another vertical threat, coming off an excellent season in the talent-laden SEC. Sammie Stroughter of Oregon State is another player who knows how to make things happen on the football field. I see him as a very good later-round selection. There is a host of quality wide receivers who could be drafted in the third through seventh rounds. A few names in that large group are Georgia's Mohamed Massaquoi, Arizona's Mike Thomas, Florida's Louis Murphy, Rutgers' Tiquan Underwood, South Carolina's Kenny McKinley, BYU's Austin Collie, Ohio State's Brian Hartline, Boise State's Jeremy Childs, Rice's Jarett Dillard, Washington State's Brandon Gibson, Oklahoma's Manuel Johnson and Texas' Quan Cosby. Tight ends 1. Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma State 2. *Jared Cook, South Carolina 3. Shawn Nelson, Southern Mississippi 4. Cornelius Ingram, Florida 5. *Chase Coffman, Missouri Pettigrew has been and remains the No. 1 tight end at this spot, but South Carolina's Cook and Rice's Casey have been able to close the gap. Forget Pettigrew's average 40 time. He is a huge, athletic target who also can get the job done as an inline blocker. Cook is adept at making the difficult reception and, with his exceptional speed/athleticism, should be one heck of a pass-receiving option at the pro level. Casey has the natural pass-receiving skills and feel for getting open that should make him a very productive H-back type. Cook figures as an early-to-mid second-rounder, and Casey should go off the board late in the second round or in the early or middle parts of the third round. Nelson has the height, athletic ability and hands to present quite a threat as well, and he looks like a third-rounder. Injuries affected the final collegiate campaigns of Ingram and Wisconsin's Travis Beckum, but both should have decent careers in the NFL because they can catch the football well. Missouri's Chase Coffman was supremely productive in college but tends to lumber a bit and has no experience as an inline blocker. He's more of a middle-round possibility. Carrying the underrated tag is Virginia's John Phillips, a terrific blocker who has good hands. I also like the potential this season that Cal underclassman Cameron Morrah displayed. He came through with more catches this past season than he did the two previous seasons combined with the Golden Bears while also proving to be a key factor in the red zone with six touchdown receptions. I would have preferred Morrah to remain at Cal for another season, but even so, he deserves serious consideration during the early-to-mid portion of Day 2. Offensive tackles 1. Jason Smith, Baylor 2. Eugene Monroe, Virginia 3. *Andre Smith, Alabama 4. Michael Oher, Mississippi 5. *Eben Britton, Arizona The offensive tackle spot is strong at the top with Jason Smith and Monroe, while Andre Smith has quickly become a first-round wild card. Jason Smith, a former tight end, is supremely athletic and exactly what you want in a left tackle, who must be someone you can count on to protect the blind side of your quarterback. Monroe falls just a shade below Andre, in my opinion, figuring as a legit top-five or top-10 pick. Andre must manage his weight at the pro level to remain at left tackle. If not, he'll be a mauler at right tackle who could really assist the running game and also do the job at that spot in pass protection. Unfortunately, he missed the Crimson Tide's bowl game because of a suspension and really mismanaged the combine workout. Although his stock has dropped, Andre has a ton of ability. Hopefully, he'll maximize his skills level in the NFL by paying more attention to detail. If he doesn't, you are looking at a major bust. That's why there figures to be a wide range of opinion on where he should come off the board. Stay tuned. Oher is one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft. He's loaded with talent and can dominate the defensive end he works against, but he also seems to have lapses in concentration when he struggles to keep his opponent at bay. I would have liked to have seen a talented kid such as Britton return for his senior year, when I really believe he could have locked up a first-round grade. Jamon Meredith of South Carolina has the skills to operate at left tackle or inside at guard and figures to be a very good second-round draft choice. OU's Phil Loadholt could develop into a capable right tackle in the NFL, and he figures to go off the board late in the second round or early in the third round. Moving up some of late have been Connecticut's William Beatty, Nebraska's Lydon Murtha and Illinois' Xavier Fulton. On the slide has been Ohio State's Alex Boone. Offensive guards 1. Andy Levitre, Oregon State 2. Duke Robinson, Oklahoma 3. Kraig Urbik, Wisconsin 4. Tyronne Green, Auburn 5. Louis Vasquez, Texas Tech At guard, Meredith is the top guy if you project him to that spot. Robinson has slipped some since his struggles in the national championship game against Florida. Johnson has awesome physical skills but doesn't always manhandle the opposition as expected. Levitre is a versatile veteran who should have a solid pro career, and the same is true of Urbik and Auburn's Tyronne Green. Centers 1. Alex Mack, California 2. Eric Wood, Louisville 3. Max Unger, Oregon 4. Antoine Caldwell, Alabama 5. A.Q. Shipley, Penn State Center has been a solid spot in this draft class. I've always viewed Mack as the top guy, and I still feel that way. He should be a Pro Bowl-type anchor. Unger has that same potential, but his struggles at the Senior Bowl keep him in the second spot, just slightly ahead of Wood, who is climbing up draft boards. Both Unger and Wood should come off the board in the second round. Caldwell also has a chance to become a starting pivot man in the NFL, figuring as a fourth- or fifth-round possibility. Luigs' stock has dropped some from what it was at the start of the 2008 season. One sleeper to keep an eye on as a late-round pick or undrafted free agent is Tennessee State's Cecil Newton. Place-kickers 1. Graham Gano, Florida State 2. David Buehler, USC 3. Louis Sakoda, Utah (and punter) 4. Jose Martinez, UTEP 5. Jeff Wolfert, Missouri Punters 1. Kevin Huber, Cincinnati 2. Thomas Morstead, SMU 3. Chris Miller, Ball State 4. Justin Brantly, Texas A&M 5. Matt Fodge, Oklahoma State http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=4054798&type=story Kiper's Top 5 by position: Defense Defensive ends 1. Brian Orakpo, Texas 2. *Aaron Maybin, Penn State 3. Robert Ayers, Tennessee 4. Tyson Jackson, LSU 5. *Everette Brown, Florida State As many as seven defensive linemen could be picked in Round 1, and both positions provide enough depth that teams could select a few quality players in the middle rounds. I view Orakpo as a 4-3 defensive end who also could play on his feet in a 3-4 as an attacking outside linebacker. He's super athletic and incredibly strong. The only concern with Orakpo is durability. Maybin is another combo type who is explosive out of the blocks and relentless in his pursuit of the quarterback. Brown is next in line. He's not at the level of Orakpo and Maybin but should draw mid-first-round consideration. Jackson would be ideal in a 3-4 scheme and could shift inside to defensive tackle in passing situations. He's another mid-first-round type. Ayers enjoyed a solid season in the SEC and stood out at the Senior Bowl practices. I thought he'd run about a 4.6-second time in the 40 at the combine workout, but he clocked only a 4.80. If during individual testing he can push that number down closer to what I expected, he'll come off the board between picks No. 20 and No. 32. Players on the rise at defensive end include Cincinnati's Connor Barwin, USC's Kyle Moore, Connecticut's Cody Brown, Hawaii's David Veikune and San Jose State's Jarron Gilbert. Brown could end up as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, while Gilbert has prior experience at defensive tackle. The enigma at defensive end is Georgia Tech's Michael Johnson. He's blessed with a ton of ability and pass-rush potential but didn't come through with anything close to the dominating senior season I expected of him. As you noticed if you followed the big board every week all season, he slid down gradually the entire way until he was no longer in the top 25 at all. If he steps up his intensity and plays a more physical brand of football, you could be looking at one heck of a player in the NFL. He's a roll of the dice, though, because he could be a major disappointment. Defensive tackles 1. B.J. Raji, Boston College 2. Peria Jerry, Mississippi 3. Ziggy Hood, Missouri 4. Ron Brace, Boston College 5. Roy Miller, Texas At defensive tackle, Raji is the top guy, figuring as an early-to-mid first-round pick. I've always liked Jerry. I still feel he's very underrated. Brace should be an excellent stay-at-home type, while Hood figures to be ideal in a rotation. Marks has talent and upside but really could've used another season in the SEC to maximize his rating. USC's Fili Moala should assist a defense as a nice early-to-mid Day 2 pick, as should Texas' Roy Miller. I will be interested to see how a hardworking, overachiever type like Iowa's Mitch King will fare at the pro level. If you are looking for a few non-FBS players to keep an eye on, look at Hampton's Chris Baker and Stillman's Sammie Lee Hill. Michigan's Terrance Taylor has a strong, low base, while Purdue's Alex Magee has the ability to make the grade at the next level. LSU's Ricky Jean-Francois is the enigma of the defensive tackle group. At times during his college career, he looked like an All-American-caliber performer and future first-round pick. However, he wasn't able to maintain such lofty status, needing to play with better leverage and hand placement. He's one of the true wild cards heading into the draft. You may hit the jackpot, or he could just fall by the wayside. Inside Linebackers 1. Rey Maualuga, USC 2. James Laurinaitis, Ohio State 3. Jason Phillips, TCU 4. Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina 5. Scott McKillop, Pittsburgh Oregon State's Victor Butler has been on the rise since September. On the inside, Maualuga has the capability to be a quality mike linebacker in the NFL, but he needs to use his hands better to ward off blocks and maintain more of a consistent performance from week to week. He's a late-first-round possibility. Guessing where Laurinaitis will come off the board is tough. I like the way he plays the game, but he needs to be protected by quality defensive tackles and didn't perform this past season at the level of his junior campaign. Back in August, I thought there was no way Laurinaitis would be picked later than the middle of the first round. Now, though, he could drop all the way into Round 2. Phillips is instinctive, tough and provides outstanding leadership. I also like the way McKillop goes about his business. Both are mid-Day 2 types. Southern Miss' Gerald McRath has ability, as does South Carolina's Jasper Brinkley and LSU's Darry Beckwith. Georgia's Dannell Ellerbe is the wild card at this spot, looking like a later-round possibility. Outside linebackers 1. Aaron Curry, Wake Forest 2. Brian Cushing, USC 3. Larry English, Northern Illinois 4. Clay Matthews, USC 5. Kaluka Maiava, USC There are more questions than answers at inside linebacker, but at outside linebacker, there are four potential first-round draft choices. One of them, Curry, was the top player on my draft board in October and is at that same spot today. He's a complete outside linebacker with great character and a solid work ethic, so it wasn't surprising when he nailed the combine workout. Matthews has enjoyed a monumental rise up the draft board since August. He's versatile and productive, has tremendous bloodlines and came through with an impressive showing at the combine workout. Cushing's ability to fit at either outside or inside linebacker is the reason I've always viewed him as a surefire first-rounder. English set the all-time sacks record at Northern Illinois, and could be drafted late in the first round. Sintim is more of a second-rounder. After that, the quality of the linebackers drops off. I like South Florida's Tyrone McKenzie as a fourth-round possibility. Ohio State's Marcus Freeman was unable to maintain his second-round grade from August and figures to slide into the middle portion of Day 2 of the draft. Cornerbacks 1. Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State 2. *Vontae Davis, Illinois 3. Darius Butler, Connecticut 4. *D.J. Moore, Vanderbilt 5. Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest Several prospects at cornerback are worth evaluating, but none is a lockdown type. As a whole, this group lacks the type of recovery speed and explosive athleticism scouts look for. I grade only two cornerback prospects as legit first-rounders, and they are not without question marks. The players I'm referring to are Jenkins and Davis, both of whom played in the Big Ten. Jenkins has all the qualities you look for except topflight catch-up speed, which is an obvious concern. Even so, he's too good an overall performer to pass up in the middle portion of Round 1. Hopefully, he'll run a little better than the 4.55-second 40 time he posted at the combine workout. Davis is an impressive physical specimen, but he wasn't consistent and didn't always perform at the elite level you would expect from a player who has his natural talent and ability. He'll be a gamble on greatness in the middle of Round 1. After those two, I like Moore, Smith and Butler, but they appear to be second-round possibilities. Neither Moore nor Smith ran the type of 40 at the combine that would compensate for their lack of ideal size. One major college under-the-radar prospect is Ohio State's Donald Washington. He's what scouts look for both physically and athletically, plus he played at a first-round level during several games in college. I can't believe a player with Washington's potential would be picked later than the second round, and don't be shocked if some team pulls the trigger during the latter stages of Round 1. I liked what I saw of San Jose State's Coye Francies during the season, but he failed to run as well as expected at the combine. The same was true of USC's Cary Harris. Two players from the same school who did run well were Oregon State's Brandon Hughes and Keenan Lewis. Oregon's Jairus Byrd played well for the Ducks, but his individual workout will provide the first accurate idea of just how fast he is. Utah's Sean Smith has the size to get your attention and was a playmaker with the Utes, and the former wide receiver's feel for the position continues to improve. Whether he'll run fast enough when matching up against NFL wide receivers is another story. Middle-round types at cornerback include South Carolina's Captain Munnerlyn, Auburn's Jerraud Powers, New Mexico's Glover Quin, Michigan's Morgan Trent and Cincy's DeAngelo Smith, Mike Mickens and Brandon Underwood. Norfolk State's Don Carey deserves late-round consideration. Safeties 1. William Moore, Missouri 2. Louis Delmas, Western Michigan 3. Rashad Johnson, Alabama 4. Patrick Chung, Oregon 5. Chris Clemons, Clemson At safety, I graded Moore as the sixth-best senior on my big board when the season began. After all, he had picked off eight passes as a junior and was making his presence felt all over the field. However, despite playing a strong game against Illinois, he suffered a sprained foot late in the game. The injury forced him to sit out one game and hampered his performance in several others. Later, during the week leading up to the Big 12 championship game against Oklahoma, he sustained a rib injury during practice. When at full strength, Moore is one heck of a football player. The big-time athlete is tough, and he ran well at the combine workout, posting a 40 time of 4.52. Although he more than likely has slid out of the first round, he'll be an excellent addition to an NFL defense and will have a solid pro career. Delmas is a true ball hawk with a 4.50 40 speed and 12 career interceptions under his belt. He was a borderline top-25 guy on my big board all season. I'd view him as an early-to-mid second-round draft choice. Johnson is an extension of the defensive coordinator, but his lack of ideal size may push him into the third or fourth round. Chung figures in that same general area. A player climbing up the draft board is Wake Forest's Vaughn. A versatile safety/cornerback to keep a close eye on is Troy's Sherrod Martin. Don't be shocked if he comes off the board before the first day of the draft is over. Others who certainly could help an NFL defense include Notre Dame's David Bruton, Texas Tech's Darcel McBath and South Carolina's Emanuel Cook. A host of safeties could be picked in the later rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagletooth Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Kiper keeps saying Tyson Jackson is best fit for a 3-4 and can move inside on passing downs, to DT? Do 5 tech. guys shift to the nose on passing downs? I see 4-3 ends shifting inside. I guess they do in the 3-4 too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redskins2473 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 His DL order seems a bit out of wack compared to other evaluators. How a guy like Brown slips behind a one year wonder like Ayers is beyond me. Actually like him over Orakpo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsNorth Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 His DL order seems a bit out of wack compared to other evaluators. How a guy like Brown slips behind a one year wonder like Ayers is beyond me. Actually like him over Orakpo. Ayers' stock is scorching, most analysts show Ayers with a top 15 grade, if anything Kiper has him a bit low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsdude Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I heard this morning that Kiper has OT Andre Smith going as high a the sixth pick. I was hoping that there was someway that he would last until 13. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JVSkins n Hokies Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I heard this morning that Kiper has OT Andre Smith going as high a the sixth pick. I was hoping that there was someway that he would last until 13. that sucks. i think he'd be a steal at 13. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veretax Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I'm not sure I agree with Kiper. Quarterbacks 1. *Matthew Stafford, Georgia 2. *Mark Sanchez, USC 3. *Josh Freeman, Kansas State 4. Stephen McGee, Texas A&M 5. *Nate Davis, Ball State Nate Davis and Stephen McGee Over Pat White? That's stupid. He doesn't even mention Pat White. Silly ESPN has him as a WR, and he's not played a single down at that position. Wide receivers 1. *Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech 2. *Jeremy Maclin, Missouri 3. *Percy Harvin, Florida 4. *Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland 4. *Kenny Britt, Rutgers What does he have against Hakeem Nicks, that guy is awesome, better than Heyward-Bey, and Britt. Place-kickers 1. Graham Gano, Florida State 2. David Buehler, USC 3. Louis Sakoda, Utah (and punter) 4. Jose Martinez, UTEP 5. Jeff Wolfert, Missouri Punters 1. Kevin Huber, Cincinnati 2. Thomas Morstead, SMU 3. Chris Miller, Ball State 4. Justin Brantly, Texas A&M 5. Matt Fodge, Oklahoma State Okay now I know he must be smoking something. No Pat Mcafee for punter or kicker? I don't get it I guess. He had better numbers for both the PK and P awards in college this year than the guys who won the awards last year. Oh well, its just Kipers opinion after all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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