2011 Comprehensive NFL Draft Database

[Dukes and Skins]

I wish I still had time to do this kind of draft analysis.

Great stuff from you guys in this thread

Nothing like having nothing but time in the summer

[Dukes and Skins]

Haven't had the time to really study the prospects this year (yet). That'll change once I have some more time. But I think it's curious to see you having Baldwin ranked ahead of Julio Jones. Considering Alabama's system and QB, I think it's universally accepted that Jones isn't being used to his potential, and that he'll be a MUCH better pro than college player.

Baldwin has the measureables (probably best in the draft), but his route running is terrible. For some reason when I watch him in games, he reminds me of Mike Williams from USC.

The difference between Jones and Baldwin is that Jones doesn't produce in big games and he's IMO an overrated prospect based on the hype he had coming out of high school. Baldwin on the other hand was the only legitimate pass catcher outside of Dorin Dickerson and he put up a monster year. I think with him you have the size and athleticism you want in a receiver and the stats to prove he's one of the best. Jones is someone who has the size and athleticism but he hasn't put up the numbers to warrant being higher rated than Baldwin

[Touchdown Redskins]

That makes sense. You're definitely on point about not producing in big games, but I still think that it's not like they've asked Jones to be the focal point of the offense.

Anyway, I was about to ask why AJ Green is getting ranked ahead of Baldwin considering his own mediocre production? And it seems like there's some confusion as to AJ Green's true 40 time. Most are quoting a 4.5 he ran in high school vs. a 4.4 projected, whereas Baldwin is projected to run a 4.35 - 4.4.

So Baldwin is bigger, faster, stronger, has better production, but plays in a worse conference. How come AJ Green is still ranked ahead of him then?

[Dukes and Skins]

That makes sense. You're definitely on point about not producing in big games, but I still think that it's not like they've asked Jones to be the focal point of the offense.

Anyway, I was about to ask why AJ Green is getting ranked ahead of Baldwin considering his own mediocre production? And it seems like there's some confusion as to AJ Green's true 40 time. Most are quoting a 4.5 he ran in high school vs. a 4.4 projected, whereas Baldwin is projected to run a 4.35 - 4.4.

So Baldwin is bigger, faster, stronger, has better production, but plays in a worse conference. How come AJ Green is still ranked ahead of him then?

I have AJ Green ahead of Baldwin not because of I think he's the better player but I think a team will take Green over Baldwin simply because he's from the SEC and teams will think he's the next Fitzgerald but as Steve said earlier he's more like Reggie Wayne. Baldwin has the ability to be a superstar and one of those athletic freaks who can dominate in games like Fitzgerald or Andre Johnson

[Going Commando]

Another thing I've been going over as I read up and watch clips on the different prospects is that I've been overvaluing the quarterbacks based on athletic potential.

First, it doesn't look like Jake Locker is actually the best prospect in the class. He's probably one of the five best, but he plays the most important position. I'm of a mind with Mel Kiper though. If you're picking first and need a QB and you've got one graded in your top 8, then he's worth the first overall pick. So having said that, I still think Jake Locker can go first, but he's got some work to do. The decision making has got to improve, as does the accuracy because his completion % and other efficiency numbers from last season are too low.

After him, things get dicey. Andrew Luck is the next guy commonly listed but he's only a sophomore and he's very rough right now. The arm strength, intelligence, and the running ability are there but his accuracy and decision making aren't even close to being ready for the NFL. I also think he'll face a lot more pressure this season without Toby Gerhart. I'm actually starting to doubt that he'll make the strides he needs to in order to become a top 8 pick by the end of this season. He's a smart guy with three years of eligibility left. I'm thinking that the only way he comes out is if Jim Harbaugh goes to coach in the NFL. Otherwise, I think he'll stay in school until next year just like Gabbert.

I also think I'm underrating Christian Ponder, who is the clear #2 in this class once you take Luck out of consideration. I had him at the end of my top 25 lists, but I think he's a potential top 16 pick. First, I think he's going to have a big year since he was really coming into his own down the stretch last season before he got hurt. He's a good runner, accurate passer, and has a decent arm. Plus coaches rave about his intelligence and work habits. That Florida State offense is going to put up crap tons of points this season and his numbers will look great, especially since he takes so many snaps from behind center. He seems to me to be a Matt Ryan style QB with a little less arm strength and much better decision making.

If Mallett has even a halfway decent year, I think he is extremely likely to declare and I predict he'll be the lone underclassman to come out early and get first round consideration. I'm not a huge fan of him right now. His delivery is very long and his feet are a mess causing his passes to fly all over the place. But his arm strength is tremendous, perhaps even better than Matt Stafford's. He's also tall and has a large frame to take a beating. Some teams will definitely take a good look at him, though I don't think he's a great fit here for lack of mobility.

I think the fourth QB in this class will probably be Patrick Devlin, Ricky Stanzi, Jerrod Johnson, or Nathan Enderle. Devlin is the most talented of that bunch and he'll play the weakest competition. His arm is impressive and he moves well. He'll need a big year to pull a Joe Flacco though. Enderle and Stanzi are both good QBs with a few flaws that will probably keep them out of first round consideration. Enderle is an efficient QB with good numbers but his arm limits his potential. Stanzi is somewhat the opposite. He's big, has a decent arm and throws a pretty deep ball but he makes far too many mistakes. He'd need a gigantic year to reach the first round.

Jerrod Johnson and Colin Kaepernick are two names to offer because of how big and athletic they are but both are very underdeveloped at this point. Johnson is probably a second rounder at this point, but he's got too much Tavaris Jackson in him right now; a little hesitant and the decision making isn't really there--too quick to run or dump off. Also his arm doesn't blow you away, but he's pretty accurate and runs very well. Kaepernick will be completely underdeveloped by the time he reaches the NFL from running that Nevada offense but his physical tools will get him drafted somewhere. He's very fast and very elusive and he's also a tall QB. He'll be nothing more than a mid to late round project, but given time, he could develop.

So those are my thoughts on the likely QB group for this draft. It's not a super impressive group like I originally thought it would be given that most of the best college prospects are class of 2012 and 2013. Jake Locker is the clear cut cream of the crop--think Tony Romo sits to pee arm talent, mechanics, and elusiveness, Vince Young speed, Donovan McNabb arm, and Brett Favre toughness. Here's my order in list format for the QBs:

1. Jake Locker, UW ~ top 8

2. Christian Ponder, FSU ~ top 16

3. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas ~ mid to late first

4. Patrick Devlin, Delaware ~ early second

5. Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M ~ second

[heytred]

I love reading this thread... I hate that I have nothing to contribute because I haven't been able to keep up with College, but you guys and your analysis make it a lot easier for me.

[Dukes and Skins]

I love reading this thread... I hate that I have nothing to contribute because I haven't been able to keep up with College, but you guys and your analysis make it a lot easier for me.

The comments like this keep me and I'm sure Steve going. Making people more knowledgeable about the possible draft prospects is all what we're trying to

[Going Commando]

I have AJ Green ahead of Baldwin not because of I think he's the better player but I think a team will take Green over Baldwin simply because he's from the SEC and teams will think he's the next Fitzgerald but as Steve said earlier he's more like Reggie Wayne. Baldwin has the ability to be a superstar and one of those athletic freaks who can dominate in games like Fitzgerald or Andre Johnson

I don't think it's just the conference. The difference between Green and Jones as prospects right now are the level of polish, production, and concentration based skills. One of Jones' biggest problems are that he's put up pretty bad film against good opponents like Joe Haden. He doesn't run routes well, has dropped some passes, and has allowed himself to be physically handled by smaller opponents like Haden.

Green on the other hand has looked polished. He runs good routes and has spectacularly good hands. He also plays very strong and uses his size to beat defenders. He also has rare open field running skills for a big receiver and is a bear to bring down after the catch. I can definitely understand ranking Green ahead of Baldwin because of those qualities. I still prefer Baldwin because of his rare measurables, but I think Green might represent the safer value if your picking early on. Like you said, he's a Larry Fitzgerald/Reggie Wayne type receiver.

Green's numbers should probably improve this season despite an inexperienced starting QB because the offensive line and surrounding backfield talent should be excellent this season. Also, remember 900 yards in the SEC is easily the match for 1100 in the Big East since Green will have to go up against elite talent like Patrick Peterson and Janoris Jenkins.

[Going Commando]

This is the first post I'm going to do in a series of posts discussing some of the top draft eligible linebacking prospects this year.

Travis Lewis, LB, Oklahoma

Red Shirt Junior, 6'2", 232 lbs.

Here's a link to his profile: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/lewis_travis00.html

As you can see, he was credited with an absurd 144 tackles as a redshirt freshman and had another productive year last year, putting up 109 tackles. Here's a really nice youtube video of him against Miami last year:

BTW, big thank you to the guy doing those videos because they are awesome. He gives us a huge variety of snaps and lumps the bad in with the good (and the mundane too). Plus he doesn't put awful music in them.

Alright, dissecting the video, the first thing that jumps out at me is Lewis' speed and versatility for the position. OU lines him up everywhere in that game--mostly at MLB, but he also plays both weak and strong side OLB in the stack and in a 9 technique as well. It's a nice variety of function. Lewis also looks really fast, particularly when he plays downhill. This shouldn't surprise, since he apparently ran a 4.34 40 yard dash coming out of high school. It looks to me like he's got elite speed for the position.

This definitely wasn't Lewis' best game, and you see him get washed a couple times by an athletic Miami offensive line. But on the whole, it wasn't a bad performance, and he made a couple of really nice plays around the LoS. He looks way more comfortable playing downhill, but he also showed an ability to sit back in zone coverage and sniff out screens and make plays in pursuit. Man coverage is a work in progress, but he's demonstrated nice ball skills when he's in position to make a play--he's got 5 career interceptions already.

What I liked best about Lewis are his toughness and his multi-tool ability. He's a very physical player who is not afraid to hurl his body into a group of blockers to blow up a play. He also has good upperbody strength and demonstrates an ability to shed blockers and work through trash with his hands. He looks great blitzing, which he does quite often, and he's got some real speed to cause mismatches for offensive linemen. He also looks smooth in zone coverage as long as you don't give him anything too fancy. He looked at home mixing it up with blockers in the phone booth ( you can tell he relishes contact), and for the most part he held his own against much bigger players although you see him get taken off his feet a couple of times. And then he looked awfully rangy and capable of sitting back and chasing the plays as sideline to sideline roamer. Literally, almost anything a linebacker can do, the OU coaches are having Lewis do in this game. It's great for NFL scouts trying to project him into the NFL in a variety of schemes. His versatile nature is also pronounced in his career stat lines: 253 total tackles, 21 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 5 interceptions, 5 passes broken up.

What I thought could use some work were his instincts and angles of pursuit. He plays a bit out of control and takes himself out of plays with bad angles a couple times in the video. He's a bit frenetic, and I think the tackling could also use some work--he also looks to hit instead of tackle a little too often for my taste. But the payoff for his rugged style can be some spectacular hits. He uses that explosive quickness to level ball carriers behind the LoS when he attacks downhill. Aside from that, I wouldn't say he's an E.J. Henderson thumper and big hitter, but he can pack a punch on occasion. My instincts complaint is mostly about the angles he takes since he has pretty good anticipation and reads the action in the backfield well. But I also notice he's got a tendency to fling himself into the fray and break his gap assignment like you see happen on that big run Miami rips off. He needs to rein it in a bit and play with more control so he doesn't make mental mistakes like that. Otherwise, I actually like his level of intensity because that's the kind of pitch good defenses seem to get from their linebackers.

What does he entail for us?

We'd be projecting him to play ILB in our front and he's got a lot of experience playing MLB in Oklahoma's base 4-3. Interestingly enough though, OU also runs a good bit of 3-4, so I'm sure he's got experience doing some of the things we'd be asking him to do in our defense. So experience is a plus for him, as is versatility--he ranges from competent to great in almost all facets of linebacking. What I like for us in particular is that closing speed and blitzing ability. It looks to me like he would be able to handle any zone blitzing we could dial up and he could provide a decent source of pressure up the middle of the line.

From the looks of things, I'd definitely project Lewis into the first round based on his speed and his first two seasons of production. This might be higher than we're looking to draft a LB, but Lewis could be the BPA when we pick, especially if we're drafting in the 20's. I like him better than all of the linebackers who went in the first two rounds last year save Ro McClain. If I were to make an NFL comparison for Lewis, I'd say he reminds me of Keith Rivers with a little less hustle and less polish. If he puts up over 100 tackles again this season and notches a couple of sacks, I think he'll probably get drafted between 10 and 20.

[Going Commando]

OK I'm going to reneg on what I said earlier and switch gears to a NT prospect that I really like. I'll get back to the linebackers after this.

Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon St.

Senior, 6'2", 310 lbs.

Paea is one of my favorite prospects in the class. That 6'2" 310# listing listing is quite generous. I'd guess he is closer to 6'0 than he is 6'2 and he played most of last season around 286. You might be asking yourself, is a 6'1 300 pounder big enough to play NT in the NFL? I think so, particularly if you add on another 10 pounds or so he'll naturally gain in the next year or two as he continues to mature and develops in an NFL weight training program. Don't take my word for it, let's look around the league:

Kelly Gregg - 6'0, 315 lbs.

Haloti Ngata - 6'4, 345 lbs.

Vince Wilfork - 6'2, 325 lbs.

Mike Wright - 6'4, 295 lbs.

Casey Hampton - 6'1, 325 lbs.

Chris Hoke - 6'2, 305 lbs.

Shaun Rogers - 6'4, 350 lbs.

Sione Pouha - 6'3, 325 lbs.

Kris Jenkins - 6'4, 360 lbs.

Aubrayo Franklin - 6'1, 315 lbs.

Ahtya Rubin - 6'2, 330 lbs.

Junior Siavii - 6'5, 315 lbs.

Jay Ratliff - 6'4, 303 lbs.

Alright that's a good sample of the NTs you'll find in various 3-4 schemes. They range from the stout Kelly Gregg to the (relatively) svelte Jay Ratliff to the enormous Kris Jenkins. One thing that stands out from this list that's a big misconception among fans is that there is no hard-line prototype for the nose tackle position. Body type is always secondary to level of athleticism, it's no different for nose tackles. PLUS, the type of NT a team drafts depends on the scheme. In some schemes all you essentially need is a fat masher who'll never have to run. Others 1 gap and require their NT to stunt or get up field and need slimmer linemen. Best of all is having a NT prospect that's a freak of nature and can do both (Shaun Rogers, Haloti Ngata, our own Albert Haynesworth).

Stephen Paea is such a player. He's cat quick and absurdly strong--there's a youtube video of him ripping off 44 reps. Paea's 6'1 height is actually an advantage IMO, and he shares similar measurables with Kelly Gregg who is the best nose tackle in the league. I don't think size will be an issue for Paea considering the truly rare strength he possesses and how much leverage he plays with. He's got a big old base to go with that hulk like upper body strength, allowing him to push around linemen at will. On to the youtube video:

Here's a terrific one of Paea versus Oregon last season:

Paea had a very nice game against an Oregon team that won the Pac-10. The thing that immediately leaps out of the video is Paea's speed. He's got massive range for a DT and can make some plays in pursuit. It comes from him being a former Rugby standout, just like Haloti Ngata was. But what stands out is just how good he is at getting penetration, and how quickly he's into the backfield almost every single play. His first step is really nice, look at him fire off the line at the 2:30 mark. In this game you see him line up mostly at the 3 and 1 techniques. Pay particular attention to him when he lines up at nose, as almost every time he does, it's to pass rush and he absolutely crushes Oregon's interior line. Paea uses his hands well, and he's got such strength, he makes shedding blockers look effortless. The level of polish he demonstrates as a pass rusher is particularly impressive because this is only his fifth year playing football! And yet he repeatedly makes heads up plays; he sniffs out a few sneaks and screens, and he makes that super impressive and opportunistic strip while being blocked out of the play. I think he's got a high football IQ and only stands to get much better with more playing experience.

And then there are the occasional breathtaking displays of strength. How about that arm bar tackle at the 3:00 mark? He's an animal, pure and simple. He also does well against the double team too--look at him split one at the 2:03 mark and run his blockers back like they were children, forcing the QB to make a bad throw. He gets doubled again on the late Oregon touchdown and almost frees himself in time to make the stop even though his linebackers blew their gap assignments and were nowhere to be found.

What does he entail for us?

Well, for starters Paea would fill a gigantic need. As you can see from our glimpse around the league at other 3-4 NTs, Albert Haynesworth is much taller than even the biggest guys like Jenkins and Rogers. He's not an ideal fit at NT even though he'll probably play it fairly well. Kemoeatu is coming off a serious injury and is 31 years old. Ostensibly, one of our biggest needs will be finding a guy who can play NT, especially since it's such an important position.

What's nice about Paea is that he's versatile and has great conditioning. He'll be able to stunt, two gap, rush, and probably even drop into the occasional zone. You don't have to sub him out depending on your packages because he's already a pretty good pass rusher. And his fitness is such that he'll get to a point where he can probably play substantially more snaps than most NTs do around the league. And when we want to go to four man lines (or more), Paea offers the versatility to swing out a bit wider in 3 and 4 techniques like he did for much of this Oregon game. Having him would allow us to move forward smoothly if Kemoeatu doesn't work out and allow us to play Albert Haynesworth anywhere we wanted.

All in all, I can't think of many reasons why Paea wouldn't be a home run draft pick if he was available to us. He's got all the tools, he's been a very productive college player, and he meets an important need. Based on his talent, I could see him going in the top 10 following a strong senior season. BUT, contrary to popular belief, the nose tackle position does not actually have very good draft value. It's extremely rare that a nose goes in the top 10, and the vast majority of them have gone in the second half of the first round or later (I think only 4 have been taken in the first round of the draft this decade). B.J. Raji was the only top 10 NT that I can recall, and he came out as a very strong prospect in a weak class. Paea's measurables are less than ideal, so stupid GMs will pass on him for this reason. Thus, I expect Paea to be available in the teens to early 20's, which is where I expect us to draft. It would seem to be a good fit all around, and in fact, Paea is prohibitively the number one player on my wishlist this year unless a miracle happens and Robert Quinn is available for us to draft (or debacle if it's because we finish in the top 5).

[Going Commando]

Chris Galippo, USC, LB

Redshirt Junior, 6'2", 250 lbs.

Unlike Travis Lewis, I don't really expect Chris Galippo to come out as a redshirt junior. The specific reasons for this, I'll get into below. But the general reason is because I don't think he's NFL ready yet and lacks the experience and production that other underclassman linebackers like Lewis bring to the table.

I'll jump right in to the youtube video and breakdown. Here's a cut up of him versus Stanford (once again, many thinks to AloAloysius for making these): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHBFZwDp_v0

From a physical standpoint, Galippo is the prototype for the 3-4 ILB position. He's a huge linebacker with bullish strength and a good sized base for a linebacker. He holds his ground against blockers extremely well and rarely gets pushed around in the running game or taken off his feet. However, his hands and block shedding leave something to be desired, at times he struggles to stack and shed. That's something that shouldn't be an issue for a linebacker his size.

His speed is good for a player his size but I wouldn't put them at an elite level. He looks fast closing on the ball downhill, but he's not super rangy like some of the other prospects you'll see this year and is probably best when he stays in the box. To put it simply, he's not as fast as Maualuga was. However, I love Galippo's agility and I think he might have better feet and CoD than Maualuga did. Galippo's light on his feet and scrapes really well, feeling his way through the trash and putting himself in position to make plays. And he also shows nice fluidity in coverage--good balance and he limits his steps. He's a heads up pass defender and makes a lot of plays in coverage. He's comfortable sitting in zone coverage and reading the QB and he's got outstanding hands and ball skills for the position, picking off two passes and breaking up 6 more last season. That's not to say he's completely polished in coverage though, he's slow to make a read on one play and gave up a touchdown in the flat in this video. He's not a productive pass rusher, but I think that could be mostly because that's not his role in the USC defense. I don't think they dial him up to blitz very often so I'm not sure what his potential in this area could be.

My criticisms are few but they are notable. First and foremost, he takes a lot of bad angles on plays in this video, and he occasionally struggles in pursuit. He also breaks containment and loses control of his gap too often for my taste. In general, he overruns a lot of plays and his tackling form becomes erratic as a result. He misses a little too many tackles and looks a little tentative at times. He can pack a hellacious punch on ball carriers when breaking downhill, but in general I wouldn't call him a big hitter, especially not for a LB his size. He's more of the wrap up/drag down type, except that his technique stands to improve quite a bit. On the play where he strips Toby Gerhart, it was really just a fluke play on a bad tackle that happened as a result of a mistake Gerhart made in ball security, not anything special that Galippo did. So I would question Galippo's instincts a bit at this point. He was a young player, but if he's thinking about leaving early, that's not first round tape that he put up last season.

What does he entail for us?

Not a whole lot really because I don't think he'll declare early. He's too nascent right now and I think he should play out his full eligibility to refine his skills and get game experience since he hardly played his RS freshman season. I want to see him improve his tackling quite a bit and especially his instincts. The flashes of a great play making linebacker are definitely there, and he's already far in front of the curve in his coverage ability. By his senior season, I think he could be the best ILB prospect in the country and a legitimate first round pick. But he's got a ways to go to get there. One thing working in his favor is his intelligence. By all accounts he's a very smart player with a tremendous work ethic. Apparently he's an excellent leader too with a great attitude, so the intangible skill set is all there.

If he DID come early for the 2011 draft, I think he could be a solid second round pick based on potential. He's got all the tools you could want and a good head--it's not too much of a stretch to project a nice level of growth from him. We could do far worse with a second round pick. 3-4 ILB might be a substantial need following this season because Rocky could move on, London could retire, and/or Perry Riley could founder. Galippo has a nice potential skill set to play ILB too since he's big, strong, and plays the pass well. But given all I've said before, I think it's more sensible to look for Galippo in the 2012 draft.

[theboomking]

Awesome post re Paea mcqueen. I've been too busy to post, but have been reading. I'm going to check out his youtube clips when I get a chance.

I wanted to go back and add a little footnote to our Hudson discussion. Tyler Polumbus was just released by the Broncos because he was a better fit for the old ZBS than the new power man system. Polumbus signed as an UDFA with the Bronco's, after the 2008draft. What I found interesting about Polumbus is that he is listed at 6'8" and 300 pounds. Maybe being taller isn't an absolute contraindication to the ZBS. I still say however, that Hudson didn't look like a first rounder in his highlights.

[Touchdown Redskins]

Wow great stuff guys. One thing I've always been curious about is how to draftniks compare players in different classes. For example, how would AJ Green compare to Dez Bryant this year or Crabtree from the year before?

[Going Commando]

Wow great stuff guys. One thing I've always been curious about is how to draftniks compare players in different classes. For example, how would AJ Green compare to Dez Bryant this year or Crabtree from the year before?

I think Green would compare well to either. I think he's a little better prospect than Dez Bryant was and somewhat worse than Crabtree. Bryant had too many problems despite a ridiculous level of production--the suspension, the reputation, the mediocre quality of his routes. Green doesn't come close to matching Bryant's college numbers, but he is still putting up good numbers in a very tough conference and I like his skill set better than Bryant's. Crabtree was widely considered the best player in that 2009 class, I don't think we'll see another prospect like him come along for a little while. To my mind, Crabtree, Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, and Calvin Johnson were the receiver prospects of the decade and so in ten years, you can count the number of guys like them on one hand.

That said, I wasn't a fan of drafting Crabtree at the time because of my concerns over his character and intelligence. In hindsight, these were overblown as he's actually a nice guy by most accounts. Green is good though. Like I said, I think players like Reggie Wayne serve as a nice base-line for him and have paved the way for Green to be drafted in the top ten.

[Going Commando]

Awesome post re Paea mcqueen. I've been too busy to post, but have been reading. I'm going to check out his youtube clips when I get a chance.

I wanted to go back and add a little footnote to our Hudson discussion. Tyler Polumbus was just released by the Broncos because he was a better fit for the old ZBS than the new power man system. Polumbus signed as an UDFA with the Bronco's, after the 2008draft. What I found interesting about Polumbus is that he is listed at 6'8" and 300 pounds. Maybe being taller isn't an absolute contraindication to the ZBS. I still say however, that Hudson didn't look like a first rounder in his highlights.

Thanks boomking. My ambition is to do a little profile like that on each of the big name front 7 prospects I can find a youtube cut up of. I've found videos of some cornerbacks too, I'll consider doing some on them too if I get around to it. If it isn't clear, my early hope is that we'll look for a stud front 7 prospect in the first two rounds this offseason.

Are you sure you don't mean Solder in the second part of your post instead of Hudson? Hudson isn't very tall. That's interesting that Polumbus would have caught on for the Broncos that year, unless Alex Gibbs had already moved on at that point. I don't think Shanahan is the purist Gibbs is, but I think it's highly irregular to see a lineman that tall in the scheme.

I want to go back and specify a few things about Solder from that Mizzou video. Colorado was in the middle of a massive meltdown from the bottom of the rungs all the way up to the AD so nobody was playing well last year, Solder can be much better once things quiet down. Second, the level of talent Solder went up against that game was far from the norm as Aldon and Jacquies Smith are probably the best end tandem in the country and Aldon Smith is probably one of the three or four best defensive ends in the country. Don't judge Solder too harshly for getting his ass whipped against him. If you think that was bad, just wait until you see Anthony Castonzo's film against Robert Quinn. You'll think he's a ghastly player when Castonzo is actually pretty decent.

[Laron Burgundy]

With all the talk about Jones, Green and Baldwin, I'm surprised NOBODY has really mentioned Floyd. WR may be a need after this year is done and he looks like a young anquan boldin. At the very least I don't see us picking in the top 10 this year and he may be a player available to us (Green almost definitely will not be). Just like Boldin, he isn't extremely fast. Heck, I almost hope he runs a terrible 40 time so we can get him in the 2nd round.

[mi6]

I would like us to draft:

1/ A great franchise QB

2/ A young talented RB

3/ WR -- Torrey Smith (The guy does it all for the Terps ... WR, KR, PR)

4/ LB -- Alex Wujaik (sp? -- LB, Terps! Incredible talent. And, we do need talented LBs)

[Touchdown Redskins]

To my mind, Crabtree, Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, and Calvin Johnson were the receiver prospects of the decade and so in ten years, you can count the number of guys like them on one hand.

Hmmm, not to get too off track, but it's interesting that Crabtree gets put in the same sentence as those other three in hindsight. Sure Crabtree had the production, but he was in a much different offense than the others. Otherwise, he doesn't have breakaway speed or the height (the 6'1"+ at the combine was a revelation) the others do. The only thing similar is that he plays bigger than he is, and his route running is superb, and of course the amazing hands.

Anyway, back to this year. It seems like a relatively weak year for running back, which will probably be a need for us down the road. It might be a blessing in disguise that DeMarco Murray has the injury concerns and the relative lack of production now that he's been splitting carries. We might be able to steal him in the 3rd round. I've always like his size/speed combination, and thought he could be a first rounder if he just got the carries. What do you guys think?

[tml6157]

Shanny is not known for drafting WRs or RBs high.

Allen Bailey would be a monster 3-4 DE in our system. Take Sam Acho another Texas OLB to play opposite Rak and our defense will be freaking nasty!

[Going Commando]

Hmmm, not to get too off track, but it's interesting that Crabtree gets put in the same sentence as those other three in hindsight. Sure Crabtree had the production, but he was in a much different offense than the others. Otherwise, he doesn't have breakaway speed or the height (the 6'1"+ at the combine was a revelation) the others do. The only thing similar is that he plays bigger than he is, and his route running is superb, and of course the amazing hands.

I actually think hindsight works against Crabtree, not for him. He dropped all of the way to 11 in the draft where those other guys I mentioned got taken 2nd or 3rd. Second, his rookie season was underwhelming because he spent a good portion of it in a contract holdout. The evaluation I was referring to was contemporary to that draft--most people had him graded as the first or second best prospect in that class. I know Mayock did, and I think Kiper did too even though he was high on the quarterbacks. The consensus was that the Seahawks would take him at 4 after the Chiefs took Aaron Curry or Brian Orakpo at 3. We see how that turned out.

Anyway, back to this year. It seems like a relatively weak year for running back, which will probably be a need for us down the road. It might be a blessing in disguise that DeMarco Murray has the injury concerns and the relative lack of production now that he's been splitting carries. We might be able to steal him in the 3rd round. I've always like his size/speed combination, and thought he could be a first rounder if he just got the carries. What do you guys think?

It is a weak RB year following two other weak RB years. I think 2008 just took everything out of the college game. That RB class might go down for RBs what 1983 was for QBs; Chris Johnson, Ray Rice, Darren McFadden, Jonathan Stewart, Felix Jones, Rashard Mendenhall, Matt Forte, Steve Slaton, Jamaal Charles, Kevin Smith, Tashard Choice, Tim Hightower, Justin Forsett, and our own Ryan Torrain were all drafted.

This year might not have much after Ryan Williams and Mark Ingram (if they declare). The herd really thins down and you're left with Murray, Royster, and Devine. I agree that DeMarco Murray would be a bargain in the third round and I think that's actually a realistic projection since that's where Joe McKnight got taken. They are similar players. Murray is tall and fast and catches the ball extremely well and he has been productive in college but he's made of glass. I still like the Shane Vereen call, and if we're searching for a speedy playmaker, he could be a nice option. All in all, there is plenty of room at the top of this draft class for a few previously unheralded running backs to climb after breakout seasons.

[Skins199021]

There are 2 md boys that i think can be really big sleepers and be good in the NFL

RB Darell Scott- the kid is 5-11 and blazing fast and can catch. If he could gain like 15 more pounds he would be legit. I think he is perfect for shanny's system.

WR Torrey Smith (If he comes out early). Fast, and 6-1, and a very good route runner. Honestly he is a better version of devin thomas with better hands and much better route running.

[theboomking]

Thanks boomking. My ambition is to do a little profile like that on each of the big name front 7 prospects I can find a youtube cut up of. I've found videos of some cornerbacks too, I'll consider doing some on them too if I get around to it. If it isn't clear, my early hope is that we'll look for a stud front 7 prospect in the first two rounds this offseason.

Are you sure you don't mean Solder in the second part of your post instead of Hudson? Hudson isn't very tall. That's interesting that Polumbus would have caught on for the Broncos that year, unless Alex Gibbs had already moved on at that point. I don't think Shanahan is the purist Gibbs is, but I think it's highly irregular to see a lineman that tall in the scheme.

I want to go back and specify a few things about Solder from that Mizzou video. Colorado was in the middle of a massive meltdown from the bottom of the rungs all the way up to the AD so nobody was playing well last year, Solder can be much better once things quiet down. Second, the level of talent Solder went up against that game was far from the norm as Aldon and Jacquies Smith are probably the best end tandem in the country and Aldon Smith is probably one of the three or four best defensive ends in the country. Don't judge Solder too harshly for getting his ass whipped against him. If you think that was bad, just wait until you see Anthony Castonzo's film against Robert Quinn. You'll think he's a ghastly player when Castonzo is actually pretty decent.

Of course you are correct. I meant Solder. Trying to read a bit at work when you're in a hurry leads to brain scramble. In any case, I know that you don't hold that game against Solder because of the quality of his competition, but his competition is going to be as good or better every week in the NFL. That doesn't mean he can't play. It just means I wouldn't drop a top 20 pick on him, and honestly, if he and Hudson were both available in the early to mid 20's where I'd guess we'll be choosing, I'd take Hudson.

In terms of video analysis, how about one of my favorite guys, who may be available in the teens or twenties, Adrian Clayborne. He is 6'4, 285, stout against the run, and is also a good pass rusher. He doesn't have the long arms and build that you think of for a classical 5 technique, and I'm not sure he will measure out at his listed height.

vs Georgia Tech

vs Ohio State

I really like how powerful Clayborn is with his hands and core. He is adept at ripping the hands of the OL away while continuing to drive towards the QB. As much power as he seems to play with at times however, there are also times that Clayborn seems to get too high against the run, allowing the offensive tackle to engulf him or drive him back. Clayborn's motor is fantastic, as he can often be seen pursuing plays from the backside, running from sideline to sideline, or disengaging from multiple blockers before making the tackle. His awareness also seems elite, as his his ability to stack and shed. I think he'd be a great candidate for our RDE spot, and in some ways, he reminds me a bit of Darnell Dockett.

[Going Commando]

Of course you are correct. I meant Solder. Trying to read a bit at work when you're in a hurry leads to brain scramble. In any case, I know that you don't hold that game against Solder because of the quality of his competition, but his competition is going to be as good or better every week in the NFL. That doesn't mean he can't play. It just means I wouldn't drop a top 20 pick on him, and honestly, if he and Hudson were both available in the early to mid 20's where I'd guess we'll be choosing, I'd take Hudson.

I agree with you that I'd take Hudson over Solder. I think he's just flat out better. He'll probably be the best lineman in this year's class when all is said and done because all of the offensive tackles have put out some bad film already and none of them particularly stand out. But I don't actually think Solder will face better competition than Aldon Smith on a weekly basis in the NFL relatively speaking. His competition will be better, but so will he. If you judge the talent discrepancy you find between Solder and his opponent in this game and then project his growth into the NFL and compare it to him facing an NFL opponent like Justin Tuck, I actually think it'd be close. Plus there aren't a ton of athletes like Aldon Smith, even in the NFL. As I said earlier, I think Smith is on his way towards a top 5 pick which makes him rare even by Pro standards. Still you're right, this isn't first round tape. Playing stud opponents is a time for first round OTs to put in competent performances, at least in run blocking. Solder's game was a bad one and if you want to find the positives, you have to focus on minutiae like his running speed and arm length. In any case, I doubt we'll draft him unless he goes much later than expected.

In terms of video analysis, how about one of my favorite guys, who may be available in the teens or twenties, Adrian Clayborne. He is 6'4, 285, stout against the run, and is also a good pass rusher. He doesn't have the long arms and build that you think of for a classical 5 technique, and I'm not sure he will measure out at his listed height.

If he hits the 6'3 mark, he'll be fine to play 5 technique. He doesn't look like he gives up much in size to the offensive tackles he faces. I also don't think his arm length is an issue just from looking at him. His arms look like they reach about mid thigh when standing which seems proportional. He is a little heavy looking around the middle, but hey, he'll be a 300 pounder. His quickness and impressive range belies his size. He might not be the utter prototype but I wouldn't say his body type veers from the norm you'll find accross the league other than he's probably at least 15-20 pounds little lighter than most NFL 5 techs.

I really like how powerful Clayborn is with his hands and core. He is adept at ripping the hands of the OL away while continuing to drive towards the QB. As much power as he seems to play with at times however, there are also times that Clayborn seems to get too high against the run, allowing the offensive tackle to engulf him or drive him back. Clayborn's motor is fantastic, as he can often be seen pursuing plays from the backside, running from sideline to sideline, or disengaging from multiple blockers before making the tackle. His awareness also seems elite, as his his ability to stack and shed. I think he'd be a great candidate for our RDE spot, and in some ways, he reminds me a bit of Darnell Dockett.

I think Darnell Dockett is a spot on comparison in many ways--body type, speed, range, motor, functional strength, ability to dominate in streaks. The one thing that impressed me the most about these games was how Clayborn was able to shed blocks at will. He's an explosive player and it's like he just flips a switch on when he wants to get free and then blows by his man. I think I saw one play in the GT game where he just shoves the lineman and he runs backward 7 yards. I also liked his impressive display of instincts in the orange bowl. You couldn't fool him with that triple option and he made some awesome plays around and behind the line of scrimmage. That game was about as dominant a game as you'll see from a college lineman. What did he have, about 8 tackles and 3 sacks? I think he's much better than Tyson Jackson was in college.

As a pass rusher, he looks like he'd be incredible for a five technique. He would have had like 6 sacks against Ohio St if Terrelle Pryor wasn't such a phenomenal athlete. Clayborn's MO is to beat tackles to the punch, get his hands on their numbers, and then put them on skates until the play comes his way and he decides to disengage. He's just and impressive, impressive player and a great prospect worthy of top ten consideration.

Now to my thinking, it looks like we've got 4 first round caliber 5 techs jockeying for position in this class: Clayborn, Cameron Heyward, Marcell Dareus, and Alan Bailey. If I were grading them today, I'd go Clayborn 1, Dareus 2, Heyward 3, Bailey 4.

Clayborn has shown up the best on film so far and he's also got an absolutely sterling reputation despite the racial incident with the cab driver. He's NFL ready and only has to maintain the status quo from last season to justify himself as a first half, first round selection. Dareus had a great BCS championship game and will probably have a big year and he's already impressed scouts with his ratio of athleticism versus size, plus he's got lots of experience in a 3 man front. Heyward is absolutely at times, but I have to agree with Matt McGuire's analysis of him that he disappears too often. He came on stronger as the year progressed last year but his peaks and valleys are too pronounced right now. He's kind of like how Calais Campbell was in college. Now I don't think Heyward is strictly a second rounder like McGuire does, but I think he's got a lot to work to do to become a top 16 pick. Ditto for Bailey. He's easily the most gifted player of the bunch, and when he's on, almost no offensive lineman can match up with him. A brilliant year and he'll probably be the top banana in this group. I'm not quite comfortable predicting that though. I think he's probably the least NFL ready of the bunch despite having a good amount of game experience.

[theboomking]

I agree with you that I'd take Hudson over Solder. I think he's just flat out better. He'll probably be the best lineman in this year's class when all is said and done because all of the offensive tackles have put out some bad film already and none of them particularly stand out. But I don't actually think Solder will face better competition than Aldon Smith on a weekly basis in the NFL relatively speaking. His competition will be better, but so will he. If you judge the talent discrepancy you find between Solder and his opponent in this game and then project his growth into the NFL and compare it to him facing an NFL opponent like Justin Tuck, I actually think it'd be close. Plus there aren't a ton of athletes like Aldon Smith, even in the NFL. As I said earlier, I think Smith is on his way towards a top 5 pick which makes him rare even by Pro standards. Still you're right, this isn't first round tape. Playing stud opponents is a time for first round OTs to put in competent performances, at least in run blocking. Solder's game was a bad one and if you want to find the positives, you have to focus on minutiae like his running speed and arm length. In any case, I doubt we'll draft him unless he goes much later than expected.

One positive about Solder from that game was that he did look good in space, and with his cut blocks. He didn't move like a guy who is 6'8" and his flexibility looked excellent.

If he hits the 6'3 mark, he'll be fine to play 5 technique. He doesn't look like he gives up much in size to the offensive tackles he faces. I also don't think his arm length is an issue just from looking at him. His arms look like they reach about mid thigh when standing which seems proportional. He is a little heavy looking around the middle, but hey, he'll be a 300 pounder. His quickness and impressive range belies his size. He might not be the utter prototype but I wouldn't say his body type veers from the norm you'll find accross the league other than he's probably at least 15-20 pounds little lighter than most NFL 5 techs.

A lot of the good prospects for next year have a size knock against them. Hudson is probably going to be fairly light. Paea is not going to fit a 34 mold at DE or NT, and Clayborne and Romeus are a bit light for a 5 tech.

BTW, I agreed completely about Paea. He could be fantastic as a penetrating NT. I wonder however how Haslett would feel about his fit for the scheme. Haslett seems tremendously enamoured of size on the DL. Does Paea remind you of Mike Patterson of the Eagles, when he was at USC? They remind me a lot of each other. Patterson is about 6'1" and 300#, very strong, cat quick, and a great leverage player. I didn't realize how good the Eagles front looks. Graham at LDE, Bunkley and Patterson at DT and Cole at DE, is a studly group.

That also reminds me that I was going to point out that my can't miss player from last year, Brandon Graham, and yours, Maurkice Pouncey, have both cracked the starting lineups per PFT.

I think Darnell Dockett is a spot on comparison in many ways--body type, speed, range, motor, functional strength, ability to dominate in streaks. The one thing that impressed me the most about these games was how Clayborn was able to shed blocks at will. He's an explosive player and it's like he just flips a switch on when he wants to get free and then blows by his man. I think I saw one play in the GT game where he just shoves the lineman and he runs backward 7 yards. I also liked his impressive display of instincts in the orange bowl. You couldn't fool him with that triple option and he made some awesome plays around and behind the line of scrimmage. That game was about as dominant a game as you'll see from a college lineman. What did he have, about 8 tackles and 3 sacks? I think he's much better than Tyson Jackson was in college.

I know that this is a very odd comparison, but with his tremendous awareness and intensity, Clayborn reminds me a bit of a DT version of Brandon Spikes. I agree that his tape is much better than Tyson Jackson's. That was a classic reach pick.

As a pass rusher, he looks like he'd be incredible for a five technique. He would have had like 6 sacks against Ohio St if Terrelle Pryor wasn't such a phenomenal athlete. Clayborn's MO is to beat tackles to the punch, get his hands on their numbers, and then put them on skates until the play comes his way and he decides to disengage. He's just and impressive, impressive player and a great prospect worthy of top ten consideration.

I agree. He would really help with the pass rush out of our front 3. As would Paea. I wish we could get both. Imagine rushing Clayborn, Haynesworth and Paea on 3rd down.

Now to my thinking, it looks like we've got 4 first round caliber 5 techs jockeying for position in this class: Clayborn, Cameron Heyward, Marcell Dareus, and Alan Bailey. If I were grading them today, I'd go Clayborn 1, Dareus 2, Heyward 3, Bailey 4.

I like that same order. What I need to figure out is where I would put Greg Romeus.

Clayborn has shown up the best on film so far and he's also got an absolutely sterling reputation despite the racial incident with the cab driver. He's NFL ready and only has to maintain the status quo from last season to justify himself as a first half, first round selection. Dareus had a great BCS championship game and will probably have a big year and he's already impressed scouts with his ratio of athleticism versus size, plus he's got lots of experience in a 3 man front. Heyward is absolutely at times, but I have to agree with Matt McGuire's analysis of him that he disappears too often. He came on stronger as the year progressed last year but his peaks and valleys are too pronounced right now. He's kind of like how Calais Campbell was in college. Now I don't think Heyward is strictly a second rounder like McGuire does, but I think he's got a lot to work to do to become a top 16 pick. Ditto for Bailey. He's easily the most gifted player of the bunch, and when he's on, almost no offensive lineman can match up with him. A brilliant year and he'll probably be the top banana in this group. I'm not quite comfortable predicting that though. I think he's probably the least NFL ready of the bunch despite having a good amount of game experience.

Heyward would be more of the same for us, a large run stuffing DE. Could we use another? Sure. Carriker has his injury history and Al is Al. I'm just not sure he'd be a big upgrade for the starting unit.

Baily REALLY worries me. I watched a lot of him last year, and just rewatched his youtube highlights last night. Bailey is built like the Hulk, and often beats his OL right off the snap with his quickness and power. The problem is that on a lot of plays, he isn't a factor at all. When he doesn't win his matchup outright, he seems to get stymied. Unlike Suh last year, Bailey also was rested a lot by Miami. His play count always seemed quite low. Most of all however, he doesn't seem to be an intensity/motor guy. When I look at him, I see too much Courtney Brown. He's got that same elite athleticism paired with a gentle/demure deep south affect that Brown had. Maybe he'll be fine, but he is the classic hit or miss prospect.

[Going Commando]

BTW, I agreed completely about Paea. He could be fantastic as a penetrating NT. I wonder however how Haslett would feel about his fit for the scheme. Haslett seems tremendously enamoured of size on the DL. Does Paea remind you of Mike Patterson of the Eagles, when he was at USC? They remind me a lot of each other. Patterson is about 6'1" and 300#, very strong, cat quick, and a great leverage player. I didn't realize how good the Eagles front looks. Graham at LDE, Bunkley and Patterson at DT and Cole at DE, is a studly group.

That's a good comparison of play style actually, but I didn't realize Patterson was that strong and he definitely doesn't share Paea's musculature. Patterson has a similar base, but he's soft around the middle and maxes out his frame at about 300. Paea is fairly toned and could probably stand to gain weight. I also don't think Patterson had Paea's upside at a similar point in his college career. Paea's only played football for five years and I think he's still got plenty of room to develop. He might not make an instant impact in the NFL, but I think he owns the higher ceiling.

BTW, it's funny you should mention the Eagles front because I looked at them the other day and noticed the exact same thing. I think you can forget about the Vikings, I believe the Eagles have the most talented 4 man line in the league.

As for Haslett and his love of size, you're on to something. He did make everyone bulk up and our current nose tackle candidates (Kemo, Bryant, and Green) are all over 360 pounds I think. That's too damn big though unless he wants to keep 8 or 9 linemen. I think it's better to have a nose that can run these days, even Terrence Cody looked great moving around in the preseason as big as he is. Let's hope Haslett doesn't view Paea's weight as an issue. If he looks good against the run then that really should be the end of it IMO.

That also reminds me that I was going to point out that my can't miss player from last year, Brandon Graham, and yours, Maurkice Pouncey, have both cracked the starting lineups per PFT.

That's unsurprising. It looks like a lot of first round picks might get to start this year. NFL teams don't like to sit their rookies any more.

I know that this is a very odd comparison, but with his tremendous awareness and intensity, Clayborn reminds me a bit of a DT version of Brandon Spikes. I agree that his tape is much better than Tyson Jackson's. That was a classic reach pick.

Hmmm. Interesting. I see what you mean though. I think it's a maturity/leadership quality both possess. And Clayborn does play nasty. He's probably not as dirty and mean as Spikes but few are. Clayborn is very New England Patriots like that. Don't Warren and Wilfork always draw complaints for being among the dirtiest in the NFL? We've got Al, but we could always use some more salt in our front 7.

I agree. He would really help with the pass rush out of our front 3. As would Paea. I wish we could get both. Imagine rushing Clayborn, Haynesworth and Paea on 3rd down.

That would be awesome. I don't know how we would make that happen, but it would be awesome. As much of a fan of Haynesworth's game as I am, I would swap him without hesitation for a draft pick that could get us Clayborn or Paea. We'd be better served by the youth and we could use our own pick for the other. We'd set ourselves up on defense, and free up our future drafts to get the best skill position players available. Quarterback in 2012?

I like that same order. What I need to figure out is where I would put Greg Romeus.

Romeus plays like a beast but I don't know about forcing him to bulk up. Certainly he has the length to, but in a year where there are plenty of natural 5 tech candidates near the top of the draft, wouldn't it be better off just letting Romeus pass to a 4-3 team? Maybe not, I'll have to sit down and really look at him against the others and think about how he might be able to grow and fit into a 3-4 scheme. It could be one of those situations where you keep him at his weight and play him as an OLB/DE Terrell Suggs style player in a multi look 3-4 front like the Ravens run. I wouldn't mind that kind of defense or player at all under those circumstances.

Heyward would be more of the same for us, a large run stuffing DE. Could we use another? Sure. Carriker has his injury history and Al is Al. I'm just not sure he'd be a big upgrade for the starting unit.

Heyward can surprise with his ability to penetrate. He's definitely not as good in that department as Clayborn, Dareus, or Romeus, but he's no Marcus Spears.

Baily REALLY worries me. I watched a lot of him last year, and just rewatched his youtube highlights last night. Bailey is built like the Hulk, and often beats his OL right off the snap with his quickness and power. The problem is that on a lot of plays, he isn't a factor at all. When he doesn't win his matchup outright, he seems to get stymied. Unlike Suh last year, Bailey also was rested a lot by Miami. His play count always seemed quite low. Most of all however, he doesn't seem to be an intensity/motor guy. When I look at him, I see too much Courtney Brown. He's got that same elite athleticism paired with a gentle/demure deep south affect that Brown had. Maybe he'll be fine, but he is the classic hit or miss prospect.

Miami has brought Bailey along too slowly while at the same time stymied his growth by changing his position every offseason. I think their head coach just sucks and has squandered so much of the ridiculous talent Miami is privy to by virtue of being surrounded by the three most HS football talent rich counties in the country. It could be an issue of instincts with Bailey, perhaps he just doesn't have the football smarts that Clayborn and Paea do. It's a whole different ball game playing on instincts for linemen and linebackers--look at how smart Andre Carter looks playing end and how clueless he can be playing LB. I guess you just read the plays in very different ways.

When you see Bailey make a great play, it's something like him chasing down a quarterback for 25 yards at the speed of a bullet. It's not him sitting back and reading a play perfectly and blowing it up before it gets started like Clayborn or Paea does. It's phenomenal displays of athleticism rather than awareness. Bailey can only deal with single blocks and can't take over the LoS on his own--he needs great play from his surroundings to break the plays down for him to go and chase. A LB in a defensive tackles body? This may sound absurd but I wonder if his best NFL position wouldn't be as a monstrous ILB or OLB? It's what he played all of the way up until last year. Most guys are the other way around--better at DL than LB but Bailey is unique. He runs a 4.6 at 280 pounds which is faster than most linebackers anyway. Levan Kirkland was 280 pounds and only 6'1 and Haslett got to coach him. You could get Bailey to lose a bit of weight and he could become the smoothest and biggest ILB in the NFL.