National Football Post's N.F.L.P.A. game notebook: Risers & Fallers.

[cowboyjoe]

Risers
http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/...d-fallers.html

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Gaitor has been a tough guy to separate from this week.
CB Anthony Gaitor: Florida International
He isn’t the biggest of defensive backs, but the guy is feisty off the line, possesses good awareness down the field and can make plays on the football. He’s still a bit raw and will get overextended off the line with both his punch and footwork, but with some time/development I could definitely see this guy playing inside as a tough, savvy nickel defender.

OC Zane Taylor: Utah
He checked in at nearly 6-3 with 32-inch arms and has the type of anchor to hold the point of attack in the pass game and create some movement off the line as an in-line guy. He’s a bit limited as an athlete and will lose his balance at times through contact, causing him to fall off blocks. But he’s a tough, nasty interior blocker who has a passion for the game and looks like a draftable pivot.

DE Roberto Davis: NW Missouri State
In all honesty I never even saw a lick of Davis until this week, but he’s one of two small-school guys who really jumped out to me in San Antonio. He displayed a good first step off the snap, has some bend when asked to flatten out around the corner and uses his length/hands well to keep himself clean. Plus, he played the run game well shooting gaps inside and looks like at worst an intriguing priority free agent who could get a real shot as a 3-4 OLB to make a camp.

[TheCount]

Bah, Ellis is rising already. NFL Draft Scout had him as a 3rd rounder and I didn't want to believe it, hoping we could get him in the 3rd but it's looking like it's going to have to be 3rd or never.

[silverbear]

Originally Posted by TheCount

Bah, Ellis is rising already. NFL Draft Scout had him as a 3rd rounder and I didn't want to believe it, hoping we could get him in the 3rd but it's looking like it's going to have to be 3rd or never.

Count, I have to wonder if you've investigated Ellis, or if you're just going by his computer numbers and some blurbs from online draft gurus...

I say that because Kenrick has some SERIOUS character concerns... first he gets kicked off the team at South Carolina, after a coupla suspensions (seems he's real proud of his Jamaican heritage, and proves it by smoking weed), then he was suspended for the first game of this season as well, for reasons undisclosed... here's how Scott Wright of Draft Countdown sized up his character issues:

After reading that glowing description you might be wondering how such a gifted player wound up at Hampton, a Divison I-AA program, and therein lies the rub. A highly-regarded recruit coming out of high school, Ellis actually began his college career in the SEC at South Carolina. After redshirting in 2006 and working as a backup in 2007 Ellis was dismissed from the school for “violating university policy”. According to sources Ellis had failed multiple drug tests during his time with the Gamecocks. Ellis eventually transferred to Hampton, which has been a haven for other talented but troubled prospects, where he proved to be a man amongst boys. Unfortunately Ellis ran afoul of the law this past April when he was arrested for assault after breaking a man’s nose and jaw in a fight.

Ellis was high on my draft board too, until I learned about his aspect of his life... now, my take is that a pothead who gets into brawls is an NFL suspension waiting to happen, and I don't want any part of him...

[Biggems]

I am rooting for TE Rob Housler Florida Atlantic to get drafted....he graduated from the same HS as me.....I would love to see some Rocket Pride playing in the Shield.

[TheCount]

Originally Posted by silverbear

Ellis was high on my draft board too, until I learned about his aspect of his life... now, my take is that a pothead who gets into brawls is an NFL suspension waiting to happen, and I don't want any part of him...

I'm aware of his background. I'm fine with taking him as long as the staff does their homework. Smoking weed and fighting are legit concerns, but not something I would put beyond some 20something guy.

Especially when it comes to fist fights which could have been over anything.

[texbumthelife]

Originally Posted by silverbear

(seems he's real proud of his Jamaican heritage, and proves it by smoking weed)

I am a big fan of ganja and against censorship, but with all the other stuff this board warns against, maybe some should chill with the blatantly derogatory and inflammatory posts.

If you did a little research on "Jamaican heritage" you will find that marijuana isn't very prevalent.

[chip_gilkey]

Originally Posted by texbumthelife

I am a big fan of ganja and against censorship, but with all the other stuff this board warns against, maybe some should chill with the blatantly derogatory and inflammatory posts.

If you did a little research on "Jamaican heritage" you will find that marijuana isn't very prevalent.

Kinda what I was thinking as well.

[TheCount]

Originally Posted by texbumthelife

I am a big fan of ganja and against censorship, but with all the other stuff this board warns against, maybe some should chill with the blatantly derogatory and inflammatory posts.

If you did a little research on "Jamaican heritage" you will find that marijuana isn't very prevalent.

I didn't even catch that. I think Silver was trying to joke around but I agree it wasn't in the best taste.

[burmafrd]

its dumb to have anything to with a prospect that might have problems with any kind of drug. You can be as diligent as you want but that does not mean you can be really sure. Its an uneccesary risk.

[TheCount]

Originally Posted by burmafrd

its dumb to have anything to with a prospect that might have problems with any kind of drug. You can be as diligent as you want but that does not mean you can be really sure. Its an uneccesary risk.

You can't be really sure about anybody. You do your best.

[silverbear]

Originally Posted by texbumthelife

I am a big fan of ganja and against censorship, but with all the other stuff this board warns against, maybe some should chill with the blatantly derogatory and inflammatory posts.

If you did a little research on "Jamaican heritage" you will find that marijuana isn't very prevalent.

Uhhh, that was a joke... I have on occasion admitted to a fondness for smokin' weed from time to time my own self...

My real point is the same as burma's, that I'm just not willing to risk a high draft pick on a player who has been in and out of trouble his whole college career...

Particularly a guy with drug issues, that's a suspension waiting to happen... and if he got into a brawl that ended up with a guy gettin' his jaw broken, that suggests to me he was hangin' out sampling the night life of Hampton... if he can't even avoid trouble in that scene, how can you trust him if he gets a taste of the Metroplex night life??

Like I said, he was high on my draft list too, until I read about these issues... now, he's not on my draft list at all...

[silverbear]

Originally Posted by TheCount

You can't be really sure about anybody. You do your best.

To me, doing your best means scratching players with this kind of character concern off your draft list... of course, you might wind up drafting some choir boy in college who goes completely nuts once he makes the NFL, there's no protecting against that (which I think is what you really meant), but I say don't draft a guy with two strikes against him already... no matter how talented the guy is, he doesn't help you much if he winds up suspended by the league...

[TheCount]

Originally Posted by silverbear

To me, doing your best means scratching players with this kind of character concern off your draft list... of course, you might wind up drafting some choir boy in college who goes completely nuts once he makes the NFL, there's no protecting against that (which I think is what you really meant), but I say don't draft a guy with two strikes against him already... no matter how talented the guy is, he doesn't help you much if he winds up suspended by the league...

I don't consider a fight a red flag, it's not like there was a weapon involved or something crazy like that. Kids fight, and I think that's more a testament to his maturity but without knowing the circumstances of the fight, I think it's difficult to judge. He's a huge guy, so I would imagine it wouldn't take much to break someone's nose and jaw.

That leaves the weed, which is a legitimate concern. Not because it's such a terrible thing to do, but because it's illegal to do it.

To me, even with all this, Ellis is still worth a late 3rd round pick, maybe even a high third if they he interviews well and there is some kind of evidence he can and has changed.