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Awesome stuff from BigBlueInteractive. Thanks to Romo4Prez at the Ranch and props to whoever compiled all this.
Remember, this was the source of the quotes from scouts last year that Mendenhall would fold up tent when things got tough, and even called him a p***y.
This is actually so long, I'll have to post it in parts.
========================================
Anonymous NFL scouts speak out on draft (2009 edition)
Jonny : 4/17/2009 9:22 pm
Ok, here's the deal. There are two columnists in Wisconsin, and both of them do these kinds of columns. One is Bob McGinn for the Journal-Sentinel, the other is Pete Dougherty for the Press-Gazette. McGinn's columns (which I will post next week when they come out) are only publicly published in print, while Dougherty's stuff is free to read.
Dougherty started posting his columns tonight, so I am linking to them here. YES, I understand the concept of two different series of draft columns is confusing, some people didn't get it last year. Just trust me on this, it's worth it.
I will keep this thread updated over the next week. Tell all your friends, it's gooood **** for the draftniks. Best out there IMO.
We start off today with the DE and DL rankings. Here's an example (from a longer article on Raji) to give you an idea about how good this stuff is.
Quote:
“There’s enough teams that play 3-4 (defense),” one scout said, “there’s enough people that like to build their defenses inside out, that you can stop the run with seven in the box instead of eight, that someone is going to turn a blind eye because of (Raji’s) physical gifts.”
Quote:
One personnel director said that if Raji tested positive at the combine his team wouldn’t take him at No. 9 overall, but he wouldn’t criticize someone who did, in part because the coaches at Boston College recommend Raji.
“If you can get by that (possible positive test) you would have to (take him),” he said, “especially if you’re playing a 3-4 defense, because there’s not many (nose tackles), just a handful. It’s going to come down to that (test). That would be a real tough call. We heard he might go five to Cleveland or four to Seattle (without a positive test).
“There could be some issues there, but everything they said (at Boston College) is the guy’s a good kid. They said the guy was real humbled by what happened to him with the screw-up with his academics, that sitting out that year flipped a switch and he was a completely different kid, a really good kid.”
Here's some of the preview snippets from Bob McGinn's blog. There are a couple more there, but the motherload is coming next week.
Clint Sintim
Quote:
"The first game I saw him against USC, he did not look good. I did not like him. But we took an early game, a middle game and a late game to look at. As the season progressed, he got a lot better. I thought he was a good 3-4 outside linebacker. He does all the things you want him to do. He's easier to evaluate than the other guys (who played defensive end). He reminds me a lot of Joey Porter. I don't think he's as good, but he will become like that. I don't know if he's as fast or quick (as Porter was). It's big for the coaches and scouts that you can evaluate him as a linebacker. If you play a 3-4, you can see him do the things he needs to do. Is he a great player? No. But he might become one. He's got upside."
James Laurinaitis
Quote:
Pros: "He's a very instinctive player, a team leader. The guys in the locker room really respect him. He's a great worker. All football. He can run. He can flip his hips. He could play the Tampa 2 'Mike' position and get a lot of depth on his drops. I think he's going to be a very versatile guy. He's much like A.J. Hawk in that he's into his body and watches what he puts into it. He'll be a very solid pro. He'll be there all the time. He'll be a durable guy. He has a natural feel for the game. He can play wherever he wants except he's not ideal for a 3-4 outside linebacker. He can play "Mike" or "Sam" or "Will" in a 4-3."
Cons: "There aren't a lot of negatives with him. I don't think he'll be the dynamic player you're looking for in the first round. But I think he's a safe pick. There aren't a lot of holes in the guy on or off the field. He may be a guy who's too in-tune with his body, but it's not like he didn't suck it up and play in games. Will he be stout enough to be considered someone who can take on people? That could be a negative."
Link to the first batch of DE rankings below.
DEs - ( New Window )
DTs
Jonny : 4/17/2009 9:22 pm
link below.
DTs - ( New Window )
McGinn's WR/TE stuff is up
Jonny : 4/18/2009 1:05 am
read it
Quote:
"We did a study on receivers," said Eric DeCosta, the Baltimore Ravens' director of player personnel. "If you're a junior receiver and you come out, there's a high bust potential."
In the last 12 drafts, 40 wide receivers have been selected in the first two rounds. By subjective analysis, eight became exceptional players whereas 17 turned out to be wasted picks.
The list of busts taken with top-10 choices included Troy Williamson and Mike Williams in 2005, Reggie Williams in '04, Charles Rogers in '03, David Terrell in '01, Travis Taylor in '00 and David Boston in '99.
Among the underclassmen hits were Randy Moss in 1998, Andre Johnson and Anquan Boldin '03, Larry Fitzgerald in '04, Santonio Holmes in '06 and Calvin Johnson in '07. However, vice president Tom Modrak of the Buffalo Bills pointed out that Calvin Johnson's rookie season in Detroit was something less than stellar.
"Just in general terms, receivers are a lot tougher than people think to get into the system quick," Modrak said. "It always seems so simple to the fan. And with underclassmen it's magnified."
From DeCosta's vantage point, the only receivers without flaws are Crabtree and Ohio State's Brian Robiskie, the leading senior and a solid second-round choice. DeCosta said he wasn't worried about Crabtree's surgery March 4 to repair a stress fracture in his left foot, but others fret not having a confirmed 40-yard dash time.
"That's part of the whole evaluation process," an AFC personnel director said. "You think it will be in the 4.5s but you don't know."
Eighteen scouts with national perspectives were asked to rank the wide receivers on a 1-to-5 basis, with a first-place vote worth five points, a second-place vote worth four and so on.
Crabtree led with 16 firsts and 86 points, followed by Maclin with 62, Florida's Percy Harvin with 50, Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey with 36, North Carolina's Hakeem Nicks with 15, Rutgers' Kenny Britt with 13, Robiskie with 5½, Louisiana State's Demetrius Byrd with 2 and Florida's Louis Murphy with a half.
"As weak as the position was last year, this year it is one of the deeper positions," former Cleveland general manager Phil Savage said. "You're going to get a pretty good wide receiver probably in the 20s."
Then 18 personnel people were asked to name the player they felt had the best chance to bust.
Heyward-Bey led with six votes, followed by Harvin with five, Nicks with 4½, Britt with two and Maclin with a half.
"Look at history," said Trent Baalke, San Francisco's director of player personnel. "The underclassmen, that's why the bust factor is so high. Not always, but a good majority of the time you've got a lot of questions to answer."
Another AFC scouting director was more optimistic. He hailed his top four wide receivers as worthy of top-10 selections, and said the group looked like it might be the best since the all-time first round in 1988 containing Tim Brown, Sterling Sharpe, Michael Irvin and Anthony Miller.
It should be noted, however, that Brown, Sharpe and Miller all were seniors and Irvin played three full seasons for Miami before declaring a year early.
Nicks has been compared to Irvin and Boldin. But maybe he'll eat his way out of the league, as Boston did.
Heyward-Bey is a big man with blistering speed. Williamson and Rogers, along with underclassmen disappointments like Ashley Lelie and Yatil Green, were very similar.
Britt has the exact same size and speed of Terrell, who flamed out after four years in Chicago.
Harvin is a rare player, a dynamo equally at home running or receiving, but he's regarded by some teams as a major character risk. Maclin has a propensity for big plays but his base position is just the slot.
"The thing I struggle with on a lot of receivers is character," said Shemy Schembechler, a scout for the Washington Commanders. "Inherently, some receivers are selfish, and when they don't get the ball they become inconsistent and frustrated with their production. I learned that with David Terrell."
The closest to a sure thing among the receivers is tight end Brandon Pettigrew of Oklahoma State, who was compared favorably by several scouts to the young Bubba Franks.
Pettigrew got every first-place vote (for 45 points) from a panel of 15 scouts asked to pick their top three tight ends. South Carolina's Jared Cook and Southern Mississippi's Shawn Nelson tied for second with 16 points, followed by Missouri's Chase Coffman with seven, Wisconsin's Travis Beckum with four and Florida's Cornelius Ingram with two.
"It's really difficult to find (complete) tight ends today because teams don't run the ball," an AFC director said.
Here is the print-only content. Grabbed this from Lexis...
Quote:
WIDE RECEIVERS
Name School HT. WT. 40-Yd. Dash Rd.
1. MICHAEL CRABTREE Texas Tech 6-1½ 215 4.57 1
High school QB from Dallas who broke Larry Fitzgerald's two-year NCAA record for receiving TDs of 34 with 41. "He is an exceptional athlete with much fluidity in his route-running," Atlanta GM Thomas Dimitroff said. "He shows the ability to catch all around his body and make the acrobatic grab." Two-year statistics included 231 catches for 3,127 yards (13.5 average). "The only thing you don't see is great speed," San Francisco personnel director Trent Baalke said. "But there have been great receivers that don't have great speed, from Michael Irvin to Cris Carter. I think he has a natural feel. He does a good job with his limited experience at the position of understanding spacing and coming back to the football, playing the ball and not letting it play him." Has extremely long arms (34¼ inches) and uses them to attack the ball. Scored 15 on the Wonderlic intelligence test. Tremendous after the catch. "He's not Calvin Johnson but he's similar to Braylon Edwards," one scout said. "He's got a few things that are concerns. He's got to keep himself in physical condition, learn the work ethic, separate the entourage and get his foot healthy."
2. JEREMY MACLIN Missouri 6-0 197 4.44 1
Electrifying return specialist who caught 22 TD passes in two seasons and rushed for six more. "Very exciting, very legitimate," San Diego GM A.J. Smith said. "If he seizes the moment, and all indications are that he will, he's got all kinds of talent." Appears to have his ego in check. "Even though he has been ultra productive, he is one of the most humble young men you'll ever want to meet," Washington scout Shemy Schembechler said. "I think he's just happy to play, I really do." Led the top six receivers with 25 on the Wonderlic. Played in a simplistic passing game and will need time to adjust. "He doesn't run a huge route tree and will need a lot of work route-wise," one scout said. "He's a straight-line guy with speed but he doesn't play as fast as he timed. He gets tackled in space too much." Caught 182 passes for 2,315 yards (12.7).
3. PERCY HARVIN Florida 5-11 193 4.41 1
"Probably the best athlete in the draft," one scout said. "I watched him play running back, I watched him catch balls. He might be a back, he might be a wideout. But you better find out where the hell he's lined up." Finished with 133 receptions for 1,929 yards (14.5) and 13 TDs to go with 194 rushes for 1,852 yards (9.6) and 19 TDs. "When I first saw him I thought he'd be 5-9 and 170," another scout said. "But he's a much bigger kid. He's fast and he's tough. They hand him the ball as a running back and he goes roaring up in there. He doesn't care." A highly emotional person with a 12 on the Wonderlic; has been involved with authorities several times. "He's had injuries and other issues," a third scout said. "Con man. I don't trust him."
4. DARRIUS HEYWARD-BEY Maryland 6-1½ 212 4.28 1-2
Fastest player in the draft. "He puts you somewhat in the picture of the big receivers of the past," Arizona scout Jerry Hardaway said. "Got a second gear. Not the polished route runner that Larry Fitzgerald was coming out. A good, veteran (WR) coach could mold this kid." Three-year starter with 138 catches for 2,039 yards (15.1) and 13 TDs. Posted his poorest numbers in 2008 and dropped too many balls. "In the NFL, the really good receivers are really good route runners who catch the ball and have a great feel," one scout said. "He is a project. I don't know any big, fast receivers who are really, really good who aren't skilled." Had 14 on the Wonderlic. "He could be like James Lofton," another scout said. "And he could be a bust."
5. HAKEEM NICKS North Carolina 6-1 218 4.55 1-2
Completed three years as a starter with dazzling performance in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. "He was catching them behind his back, over his head, with people on him," one scout said. "He was a classic star in that game. But he doesn't have blowout speed." Tough and competitive. "To me, as a pure football player, I like him," former Cleveland GM Phil Savage said. "He may run 4.55 or 4.6 but he runs it on the field. Great with the ball in his hand after the catch. I know his weight went up and he ran slower at pro day, but this guy can play football." Added 14 pounds between the combine and pro day a month later. "You'd like to think he could demonstrate a little bit of discipline and not eat so much," another scout said. Wonderlic of 11. Had 181 receptions for 2,840 yards (15.7) and 21 TDs.
6. KENNY BRITT Rutgers 6-3 214 4.50 1-2
Productive three-year starter with so-so hands. "More natural than Heyward-Bey and more imposing," Baltimore personnel director Eric DeCosta said. "Speed is good, not great. Kind of reminds you of Braylon Edwards in spurts. He needs to develop his routes. He's got a lot of work to do." Finished with 178 receptions for 3,043 yards (17.1) and 17 TDs. "He's good with the post-slants, those type of deals," Seattle scout Charles Fisher said. "He can shield people. He's not 4.3 speed but he's got good speed and can stretch you down the field because he has height. He's strong getting underneath." Wonderlic of 21.
7. BRIAN ROBISKIE Ohio State 6-3 207 4.49 2
Started 32 of 51 games over four years. "I love him," Smith said. "Is he a lesser talent than some other people? Yes. Will he achieve more than a couple of those people? Probably. Runs better than people thought. True professional. Born and raised in the game." His father, Terry, played RB for Oakland and Miami from 1977-'81 and has coached in the NFL since '82. "He's the exact opposite of his dad," one scout said. "His dad was a power type guy. This guy is fast and smooth but he just doesn't have the deep burst. The best Terry ever ran was 4.7." Finished with 127 catches for 1,866 yards (14.7) and 24 TDs. "I think if his name was Ryan Smith people wouldn't be quite as high on him," another scout said. "When you take a second-round receiver you're hoping to get a Greg Jennings, someone who can become really a legitimate player. To me, he's a No. 3 or No. 4. He's been in training camps his whole life, which is all positive, but I don't know much is left there to develop." Wonderlic of 26.
8. LOUIS MURPHY Florida 6-2½ 205 4.35 2-3
Two-year starter. "He's like Javon Walker but probably better at the same stage," one scout said. "He's a vertical receiver with top speed and strength. In Urban Meyer's offense every receiver has a specific responsibility, and he was a vertical guy. He's got a little bit of stiffness like Javon." Finished with 77 catches for 1,245 yards (16.2) and 13 TDs. "He was a bit of an afterthought there with the exception of a few games," Savage said. "Teams would worry so much about those little backs and all of a sudden he'd kill you. There may be more in the tank than people realize." Wing-T QB in high school. Wonderlic of 22.
9. MOHAMED MASSAQUOI Georgia 6-1½ 208 4.57 2-3
Smart (30 on the Wonderlic) and fluid. "Solid inside possession guy," Hardaway said. "Flashes compete and effort. Good frame." Three-year starter with 158 receptions for 2,282 yards (14.4) and 16 TDs. "Solid, safe kind of pick," one scout said. "Nothing spectacular. Good size, good enough speed, good enough hands. About the same as Robiskie." Dropped too many balls. "People ding him on his hands but they're more concentration-related," DeCosta said. "He's trying to run with the football. He runs good routes and he's tough. He's underrated."
10. JUAQUIN IGLESIAS Oklahoma 6-1 209 4.49 3
Three-year starter with 25 on the Wonderlic. "Speed is better than what he shows," Tennessee national supervisor C.O. Brocato said. "He's got good hands and he'll go in there and take the hit." Finished with 202 catches for 2,821 yards (14.0) and 19 TDs. "Instinctive, catches well, very polished guy," one scout said. "He won't be dynamic or anything. Just a solid player. Probably your No. 3 receiver."
OTHERS: Ramses Barden, Cal Poly; Mike Thomas, Arizona; Demetrius Byrd, Louisiana State; Mike Wallace, Mississippi; Brandon Tate, North Carolina; Kevin Ogletree, Virginia; Patrick Turner, Southern California; Derrick Williams, Penn State; Jarett Dillard, Rice; Deon Butler, Penn State; Austin Collie, Brigham Young; Brooks Foster, North Carolina.
TIGHT ENDS
Name School HT. WT. 40-Yd. Dash Rd.
1. BRANDON PETTIGREW Oklahoma State 6-5½ 264 4.82 1-2
"He can block, he can run, he catches the ball," Brocato said. "Really a complete guy." Four-year starter. "This kid is better than that," Chicago GM Jerry Angelo said, comparing him to Bubba Franks. "Same kind of blocker but he's better in the passing game. If you want more of a receiver you go in a different direction." Finished with 112 catches for 1,450 yards (13.0) and nine TDs. "Franks probably was a little more accomplished as a receiver and maybe a little flashier coming out of Miami," Savage said. "But Franks ran horribly during the predraft stuff. Pettigrew is maybe a little tougher. Has a little bit of an edge to him."
2. SHAWN NELSON Southern Mississippi 6-5 241 4.54 2
Four-year starter who gave serious consideration to declaring last year. "H-back in a pass-oriented system," Hardaway said. "He's got competitive speed." Finished with 157 receptions for 2,054 yards (13.1) and 16 TDs. "Heck of an athlete," one scout said. "Kind of a flex guy. Never blocks anyone." Earned praise from scouts by going to the Senior Bowl and sticking his nose in as a blocker. "If somebody's expecting him to be a run-block-catch tight end they may end up being a little disappointed," another scout said. "Not necessarily a bad kid but I don't know how smart he is, how into it he is. But if he's used in the proper fashion he could be a legitimate threat. He stood out at the Senior Bowl as an athlete running down the field." Wonderlic of 24.
3. JARED COOK South Carolina 6-4½ 248 4.51 2
Opened eyes at the combine with a 41-inch vertical jump, a blazing 40 and arms measurement of 35¾ inches. "I think he's probably the best overall receiver," St. Louis VP Tony Softli said. "He was a former receiver moved in. At some point they will want him in-line hitting somebody. I think he has that inner toughness to do that." Just a one-year starter. Despite a Wonderlic of 25, he has a hard time with assignments. "He's just an athlete," one scout said. "He's either going to be big-time or a bust. You would think at SC he would score more than three touchdowns this season and seven for his career." Finished with 73 receptions for 1,107 yards (15.2). "He's a specialty item," another scout said. "If you have the imagination and ability to use him properly, which teams do have, you can do it. But by the time he's a blocker we're liable to be wearing different colors."
4. CHASE COFFMAN Missouri 6-6 246 4.8 2-3
Established an NCAA record for receptions by a TE (247); finished second in yards (2,659, 10.8) and TDs (30). "His hands are probably as good as Crabtree's," one scout said. "He has made great catches. He's sort of a loping runner, a Boyd Dowler type. He's really a big wideout." Used almost exclusively from the slot. "People see him as a skinny-framed receiver but he can really catch and he's pretty good with the ball in his hands," Savage said. "He will do enough as a blocker." Father, Paul, was 3 inches shorter and 10 pounds lighter during his Pro Bowl career as a TE for the Packers. Suffered a broken bone on the final play of the Alamo Bowl and still hasn't worked out. Compared by some scouts to Jay Novacek and Jason Witten. "If you look at his combine picture he's not even developed yet," Tennessee scouting coordinator Blake Beddingfield said. "He can get bigger and stronger." Wonderlic of 23.
5. CORNELIUS INGRAM Florida 6-4 246 4.69 3
Blew out his knee in practice Aug. 5 and missed his senior season. "Mystery man," one scout said. "On the field he looked like a Greek God. You have to go back to his junior year and they flexed him out. He is an unknown. Great looking kid and prospect but he's never really done it." Flunked one team's physical because the cadaver's ligament used in the knee repair was found to be loose. "There will be teams that ignore that and take him and say, 'We'll play him until it pops,' " another scout said. "That could happen." Started just seven of 29 games. Finished with 64 catches for 888 yards (13.9) and eight TDs. "He's built like Godzilla but I've never seen him really have to block somebody," a third scout said. "Former quarterback. Terrific athlete. Just find out how healthy he is."
6. TRAVIS BECKUM Wisconsin 6-3 240 4.63 3-4
"He's always been hurt," Savage said. "I think he's a talent. He may go a little further down the list but ultimately becomes a good value, or he might wash out and we never hear from him again." Finished with 159 catches for 2,149 yards (13.5) and 11 TDs in 40 games (20 starts). "He could be a good blocker but he's not," one scout said. "He's such a horribly untechnical blocker. I think it's more in his head than anything. He was a linebacker coming out of high school and played some defensive end for (John) Palermo. Part of me thinks he's never actually bought into (tight end), especially the blocking part." Led combine TEs by bench-pressing 225 pounds 28 times. Wonderlic of 16. "People that have interviewed him at the combine, as we did, he didn't knock it out of the park," another scout said. "Kind of struck out. You kind of worried about him a little bit mentally and as a person. He was a little shaky on his off-the-field issues, confidence issues, that kind of thing. But you turn on the film and he's got pretty good hands and speed and athletic ability."
7. JAMES CASEY Rice 6-3 244 4.76 3-4
Pitched in the White Sox's minor-league system for three years before retiring from baseball in 2006. Played LB and DE initially before shifting to QB and later to TE and FB. "He's like Owen Daniels," one scout said. "He's unbelievable, that guy. Catches everything. Really heady. Gets open. Smart." Playing all over the formation, his two-season totals were 157 receptions for 1,914 yards (12.2) and 17 TDs. "He's the ultimate hybrid," another scout said. "He could be a better blocker, which is why he's not a pure tight end." Will be 25 in September. "Never be an in-line blocker," a third scout said. "Small. There are a lot of people who like him."
8. RICHARD QUINN North Carolina 6-4 260 4.87 4
Declared a year early after starting 19 of 34 games. "I think they almost ran him off," one scout said. "Then they realized, 'Wait a minute. He's a pretty decent player.' By that time it was too late. He'd be categorized as someone who blocks." Caught merely 12 passes for 124 yards (10.3) and two TDs. "He can play physical, he can catch and he can run after the catch," Hardaway said. "You didn't see the true blocking because he has this bad hand that he played with most of the year."
9. ANTHONY HILL North Carolina State 6-5 261 4.86 4-5
Three-year starter. "He's a point-of-attack blocker," Buffalo VP Tom Modrak said. Finished with 79 catches for 852 yards (10.5) and five TDs. Sat out 2007 after blowing out a knee and is off at least one team's board for medical reasons. "Durability has been a big question," one scout said. "But he has the frame and the play speed to possibly be an every-down tight end.
10. JOHN PHILLIPS Virginia 6-5½ 249 4.80 5
Started 27 of 49 games. "They all share time at Virginia but they all stuck in the league as the No. 3 tight end," Fisher said. "He'll stick. He blocks and he catches. He's been coached well. He's ready to play." Easily could add 20 pounds. "He'll give you what he can, and you'll like it," Modrak said. Finished with 69 catches for 670 yards (9.7) and five TDs.
OTHERS: Bear Pascoe, Fresno State; Cameron Morrah, California; Kory Sperry, Colorado State; Dan Gronkowski, Maryland; Davon Drew, East Carolina; D.J. Johnson, Arkansas State; Kevin Brock, Rutgers; Marquez Branson, Central Arkansas; Zach Miller, Nebraska-Omaha; Rob Myers, Utah State.
Remember, this was the source of the quotes from scouts last year that Mendenhall would fold up tent when things got tough, and even called him a p***y.
This is actually so long, I'll have to post it in parts.
========================================
Anonymous NFL scouts speak out on draft (2009 edition)
Jonny : 4/17/2009 9:22 pm
Ok, here's the deal. There are two columnists in Wisconsin, and both of them do these kinds of columns. One is Bob McGinn for the Journal-Sentinel, the other is Pete Dougherty for the Press-Gazette. McGinn's columns (which I will post next week when they come out) are only publicly published in print, while Dougherty's stuff is free to read.
Dougherty started posting his columns tonight, so I am linking to them here. YES, I understand the concept of two different series of draft columns is confusing, some people didn't get it last year. Just trust me on this, it's worth it.
I will keep this thread updated over the next week. Tell all your friends, it's gooood **** for the draftniks. Best out there IMO.
We start off today with the DE and DL rankings. Here's an example (from a longer article on Raji) to give you an idea about how good this stuff is.
Quote:
“There’s enough teams that play 3-4 (defense),” one scout said, “there’s enough people that like to build their defenses inside out, that you can stop the run with seven in the box instead of eight, that someone is going to turn a blind eye because of (Raji’s) physical gifts.”
Quote:
One personnel director said that if Raji tested positive at the combine his team wouldn’t take him at No. 9 overall, but he wouldn’t criticize someone who did, in part because the coaches at Boston College recommend Raji.
“If you can get by that (possible positive test) you would have to (take him),” he said, “especially if you’re playing a 3-4 defense, because there’s not many (nose tackles), just a handful. It’s going to come down to that (test). That would be a real tough call. We heard he might go five to Cleveland or four to Seattle (without a positive test).
“There could be some issues there, but everything they said (at Boston College) is the guy’s a good kid. They said the guy was real humbled by what happened to him with the screw-up with his academics, that sitting out that year flipped a switch and he was a completely different kid, a really good kid.”
Here's some of the preview snippets from Bob McGinn's blog. There are a couple more there, but the motherload is coming next week.
Clint Sintim
Quote:
"The first game I saw him against USC, he did not look good. I did not like him. But we took an early game, a middle game and a late game to look at. As the season progressed, he got a lot better. I thought he was a good 3-4 outside linebacker. He does all the things you want him to do. He's easier to evaluate than the other guys (who played defensive end). He reminds me a lot of Joey Porter. I don't think he's as good, but he will become like that. I don't know if he's as fast or quick (as Porter was). It's big for the coaches and scouts that you can evaluate him as a linebacker. If you play a 3-4, you can see him do the things he needs to do. Is he a great player? No. But he might become one. He's got upside."
James Laurinaitis
Quote:
Pros: "He's a very instinctive player, a team leader. The guys in the locker room really respect him. He's a great worker. All football. He can run. He can flip his hips. He could play the Tampa 2 'Mike' position and get a lot of depth on his drops. I think he's going to be a very versatile guy. He's much like A.J. Hawk in that he's into his body and watches what he puts into it. He'll be a very solid pro. He'll be there all the time. He'll be a durable guy. He has a natural feel for the game. He can play wherever he wants except he's not ideal for a 3-4 outside linebacker. He can play "Mike" or "Sam" or "Will" in a 4-3."
Cons: "There aren't a lot of negatives with him. I don't think he'll be the dynamic player you're looking for in the first round. But I think he's a safe pick. There aren't a lot of holes in the guy on or off the field. He may be a guy who's too in-tune with his body, but it's not like he didn't suck it up and play in games. Will he be stout enough to be considered someone who can take on people? That could be a negative."
Link to the first batch of DE rankings below.
DEs - ( New Window )
DTs
Jonny : 4/17/2009 9:22 pm
link below.
DTs - ( New Window )
McGinn's WR/TE stuff is up
Jonny : 4/18/2009 1:05 am
read it
Quote:
"We did a study on receivers," said Eric DeCosta, the Baltimore Ravens' director of player personnel. "If you're a junior receiver and you come out, there's a high bust potential."
In the last 12 drafts, 40 wide receivers have been selected in the first two rounds. By subjective analysis, eight became exceptional players whereas 17 turned out to be wasted picks.
The list of busts taken with top-10 choices included Troy Williamson and Mike Williams in 2005, Reggie Williams in '04, Charles Rogers in '03, David Terrell in '01, Travis Taylor in '00 and David Boston in '99.
Among the underclassmen hits were Randy Moss in 1998, Andre Johnson and Anquan Boldin '03, Larry Fitzgerald in '04, Santonio Holmes in '06 and Calvin Johnson in '07. However, vice president Tom Modrak of the Buffalo Bills pointed out that Calvin Johnson's rookie season in Detroit was something less than stellar.
"Just in general terms, receivers are a lot tougher than people think to get into the system quick," Modrak said. "It always seems so simple to the fan. And with underclassmen it's magnified."
From DeCosta's vantage point, the only receivers without flaws are Crabtree and Ohio State's Brian Robiskie, the leading senior and a solid second-round choice. DeCosta said he wasn't worried about Crabtree's surgery March 4 to repair a stress fracture in his left foot, but others fret not having a confirmed 40-yard dash time.
"That's part of the whole evaluation process," an AFC personnel director said. "You think it will be in the 4.5s but you don't know."
Eighteen scouts with national perspectives were asked to rank the wide receivers on a 1-to-5 basis, with a first-place vote worth five points, a second-place vote worth four and so on.
Crabtree led with 16 firsts and 86 points, followed by Maclin with 62, Florida's Percy Harvin with 50, Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey with 36, North Carolina's Hakeem Nicks with 15, Rutgers' Kenny Britt with 13, Robiskie with 5½, Louisiana State's Demetrius Byrd with 2 and Florida's Louis Murphy with a half.
"As weak as the position was last year, this year it is one of the deeper positions," former Cleveland general manager Phil Savage said. "You're going to get a pretty good wide receiver probably in the 20s."
Then 18 personnel people were asked to name the player they felt had the best chance to bust.
Heyward-Bey led with six votes, followed by Harvin with five, Nicks with 4½, Britt with two and Maclin with a half.
"Look at history," said Trent Baalke, San Francisco's director of player personnel. "The underclassmen, that's why the bust factor is so high. Not always, but a good majority of the time you've got a lot of questions to answer."
Another AFC scouting director was more optimistic. He hailed his top four wide receivers as worthy of top-10 selections, and said the group looked like it might be the best since the all-time first round in 1988 containing Tim Brown, Sterling Sharpe, Michael Irvin and Anthony Miller.
It should be noted, however, that Brown, Sharpe and Miller all were seniors and Irvin played three full seasons for Miami before declaring a year early.
Nicks has been compared to Irvin and Boldin. But maybe he'll eat his way out of the league, as Boston did.
Heyward-Bey is a big man with blistering speed. Williamson and Rogers, along with underclassmen disappointments like Ashley Lelie and Yatil Green, were very similar.
Britt has the exact same size and speed of Terrell, who flamed out after four years in Chicago.
Harvin is a rare player, a dynamo equally at home running or receiving, but he's regarded by some teams as a major character risk. Maclin has a propensity for big plays but his base position is just the slot.
"The thing I struggle with on a lot of receivers is character," said Shemy Schembechler, a scout for the Washington Commanders. "Inherently, some receivers are selfish, and when they don't get the ball they become inconsistent and frustrated with their production. I learned that with David Terrell."
The closest to a sure thing among the receivers is tight end Brandon Pettigrew of Oklahoma State, who was compared favorably by several scouts to the young Bubba Franks.
Pettigrew got every first-place vote (for 45 points) from a panel of 15 scouts asked to pick their top three tight ends. South Carolina's Jared Cook and Southern Mississippi's Shawn Nelson tied for second with 16 points, followed by Missouri's Chase Coffman with seven, Wisconsin's Travis Beckum with four and Florida's Cornelius Ingram with two.
"It's really difficult to find (complete) tight ends today because teams don't run the ball," an AFC director said.
Here is the print-only content. Grabbed this from Lexis...
Quote:
WIDE RECEIVERS
Name School HT. WT. 40-Yd. Dash Rd.
1. MICHAEL CRABTREE Texas Tech 6-1½ 215 4.57 1
High school QB from Dallas who broke Larry Fitzgerald's two-year NCAA record for receiving TDs of 34 with 41. "He is an exceptional athlete with much fluidity in his route-running," Atlanta GM Thomas Dimitroff said. "He shows the ability to catch all around his body and make the acrobatic grab." Two-year statistics included 231 catches for 3,127 yards (13.5 average). "The only thing you don't see is great speed," San Francisco personnel director Trent Baalke said. "But there have been great receivers that don't have great speed, from Michael Irvin to Cris Carter. I think he has a natural feel. He does a good job with his limited experience at the position of understanding spacing and coming back to the football, playing the ball and not letting it play him." Has extremely long arms (34¼ inches) and uses them to attack the ball. Scored 15 on the Wonderlic intelligence test. Tremendous after the catch. "He's not Calvin Johnson but he's similar to Braylon Edwards," one scout said. "He's got a few things that are concerns. He's got to keep himself in physical condition, learn the work ethic, separate the entourage and get his foot healthy."
2. JEREMY MACLIN Missouri 6-0 197 4.44 1
Electrifying return specialist who caught 22 TD passes in two seasons and rushed for six more. "Very exciting, very legitimate," San Diego GM A.J. Smith said. "If he seizes the moment, and all indications are that he will, he's got all kinds of talent." Appears to have his ego in check. "Even though he has been ultra productive, he is one of the most humble young men you'll ever want to meet," Washington scout Shemy Schembechler said. "I think he's just happy to play, I really do." Led the top six receivers with 25 on the Wonderlic. Played in a simplistic passing game and will need time to adjust. "He doesn't run a huge route tree and will need a lot of work route-wise," one scout said. "He's a straight-line guy with speed but he doesn't play as fast as he timed. He gets tackled in space too much." Caught 182 passes for 2,315 yards (12.7).
3. PERCY HARVIN Florida 5-11 193 4.41 1
"Probably the best athlete in the draft," one scout said. "I watched him play running back, I watched him catch balls. He might be a back, he might be a wideout. But you better find out where the hell he's lined up." Finished with 133 receptions for 1,929 yards (14.5) and 13 TDs to go with 194 rushes for 1,852 yards (9.6) and 19 TDs. "When I first saw him I thought he'd be 5-9 and 170," another scout said. "But he's a much bigger kid. He's fast and he's tough. They hand him the ball as a running back and he goes roaring up in there. He doesn't care." A highly emotional person with a 12 on the Wonderlic; has been involved with authorities several times. "He's had injuries and other issues," a third scout said. "Con man. I don't trust him."
4. DARRIUS HEYWARD-BEY Maryland 6-1½ 212 4.28 1-2
Fastest player in the draft. "He puts you somewhat in the picture of the big receivers of the past," Arizona scout Jerry Hardaway said. "Got a second gear. Not the polished route runner that Larry Fitzgerald was coming out. A good, veteran (WR) coach could mold this kid." Three-year starter with 138 catches for 2,039 yards (15.1) and 13 TDs. Posted his poorest numbers in 2008 and dropped too many balls. "In the NFL, the really good receivers are really good route runners who catch the ball and have a great feel," one scout said. "He is a project. I don't know any big, fast receivers who are really, really good who aren't skilled." Had 14 on the Wonderlic. "He could be like James Lofton," another scout said. "And he could be a bust."
5. HAKEEM NICKS North Carolina 6-1 218 4.55 1-2
Completed three years as a starter with dazzling performance in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. "He was catching them behind his back, over his head, with people on him," one scout said. "He was a classic star in that game. But he doesn't have blowout speed." Tough and competitive. "To me, as a pure football player, I like him," former Cleveland GM Phil Savage said. "He may run 4.55 or 4.6 but he runs it on the field. Great with the ball in his hand after the catch. I know his weight went up and he ran slower at pro day, but this guy can play football." Added 14 pounds between the combine and pro day a month later. "You'd like to think he could demonstrate a little bit of discipline and not eat so much," another scout said. Wonderlic of 11. Had 181 receptions for 2,840 yards (15.7) and 21 TDs.
6. KENNY BRITT Rutgers 6-3 214 4.50 1-2
Productive three-year starter with so-so hands. "More natural than Heyward-Bey and more imposing," Baltimore personnel director Eric DeCosta said. "Speed is good, not great. Kind of reminds you of Braylon Edwards in spurts. He needs to develop his routes. He's got a lot of work to do." Finished with 178 receptions for 3,043 yards (17.1) and 17 TDs. "He's good with the post-slants, those type of deals," Seattle scout Charles Fisher said. "He can shield people. He's not 4.3 speed but he's got good speed and can stretch you down the field because he has height. He's strong getting underneath." Wonderlic of 21.
7. BRIAN ROBISKIE Ohio State 6-3 207 4.49 2
Started 32 of 51 games over four years. "I love him," Smith said. "Is he a lesser talent than some other people? Yes. Will he achieve more than a couple of those people? Probably. Runs better than people thought. True professional. Born and raised in the game." His father, Terry, played RB for Oakland and Miami from 1977-'81 and has coached in the NFL since '82. "He's the exact opposite of his dad," one scout said. "His dad was a power type guy. This guy is fast and smooth but he just doesn't have the deep burst. The best Terry ever ran was 4.7." Finished with 127 catches for 1,866 yards (14.7) and 24 TDs. "I think if his name was Ryan Smith people wouldn't be quite as high on him," another scout said. "When you take a second-round receiver you're hoping to get a Greg Jennings, someone who can become really a legitimate player. To me, he's a No. 3 or No. 4. He's been in training camps his whole life, which is all positive, but I don't know much is left there to develop." Wonderlic of 26.
8. LOUIS MURPHY Florida 6-2½ 205 4.35 2-3
Two-year starter. "He's like Javon Walker but probably better at the same stage," one scout said. "He's a vertical receiver with top speed and strength. In Urban Meyer's offense every receiver has a specific responsibility, and he was a vertical guy. He's got a little bit of stiffness like Javon." Finished with 77 catches for 1,245 yards (16.2) and 13 TDs. "He was a bit of an afterthought there with the exception of a few games," Savage said. "Teams would worry so much about those little backs and all of a sudden he'd kill you. There may be more in the tank than people realize." Wing-T QB in high school. Wonderlic of 22.
9. MOHAMED MASSAQUOI Georgia 6-1½ 208 4.57 2-3
Smart (30 on the Wonderlic) and fluid. "Solid inside possession guy," Hardaway said. "Flashes compete and effort. Good frame." Three-year starter with 158 receptions for 2,282 yards (14.4) and 16 TDs. "Solid, safe kind of pick," one scout said. "Nothing spectacular. Good size, good enough speed, good enough hands. About the same as Robiskie." Dropped too many balls. "People ding him on his hands but they're more concentration-related," DeCosta said. "He's trying to run with the football. He runs good routes and he's tough. He's underrated."
10. JUAQUIN IGLESIAS Oklahoma 6-1 209 4.49 3
Three-year starter with 25 on the Wonderlic. "Speed is better than what he shows," Tennessee national supervisor C.O. Brocato said. "He's got good hands and he'll go in there and take the hit." Finished with 202 catches for 2,821 yards (14.0) and 19 TDs. "Instinctive, catches well, very polished guy," one scout said. "He won't be dynamic or anything. Just a solid player. Probably your No. 3 receiver."
OTHERS: Ramses Barden, Cal Poly; Mike Thomas, Arizona; Demetrius Byrd, Louisiana State; Mike Wallace, Mississippi; Brandon Tate, North Carolina; Kevin Ogletree, Virginia; Patrick Turner, Southern California; Derrick Williams, Penn State; Jarett Dillard, Rice; Deon Butler, Penn State; Austin Collie, Brigham Young; Brooks Foster, North Carolina.
TIGHT ENDS
Name School HT. WT. 40-Yd. Dash Rd.
1. BRANDON PETTIGREW Oklahoma State 6-5½ 264 4.82 1-2
"He can block, he can run, he catches the ball," Brocato said. "Really a complete guy." Four-year starter. "This kid is better than that," Chicago GM Jerry Angelo said, comparing him to Bubba Franks. "Same kind of blocker but he's better in the passing game. If you want more of a receiver you go in a different direction." Finished with 112 catches for 1,450 yards (13.0) and nine TDs. "Franks probably was a little more accomplished as a receiver and maybe a little flashier coming out of Miami," Savage said. "But Franks ran horribly during the predraft stuff. Pettigrew is maybe a little tougher. Has a little bit of an edge to him."
2. SHAWN NELSON Southern Mississippi 6-5 241 4.54 2
Four-year starter who gave serious consideration to declaring last year. "H-back in a pass-oriented system," Hardaway said. "He's got competitive speed." Finished with 157 receptions for 2,054 yards (13.1) and 16 TDs. "Heck of an athlete," one scout said. "Kind of a flex guy. Never blocks anyone." Earned praise from scouts by going to the Senior Bowl and sticking his nose in as a blocker. "If somebody's expecting him to be a run-block-catch tight end they may end up being a little disappointed," another scout said. "Not necessarily a bad kid but I don't know how smart he is, how into it he is. But if he's used in the proper fashion he could be a legitimate threat. He stood out at the Senior Bowl as an athlete running down the field." Wonderlic of 24.
3. JARED COOK South Carolina 6-4½ 248 4.51 2
Opened eyes at the combine with a 41-inch vertical jump, a blazing 40 and arms measurement of 35¾ inches. "I think he's probably the best overall receiver," St. Louis VP Tony Softli said. "He was a former receiver moved in. At some point they will want him in-line hitting somebody. I think he has that inner toughness to do that." Just a one-year starter. Despite a Wonderlic of 25, he has a hard time with assignments. "He's just an athlete," one scout said. "He's either going to be big-time or a bust. You would think at SC he would score more than three touchdowns this season and seven for his career." Finished with 73 receptions for 1,107 yards (15.2). "He's a specialty item," another scout said. "If you have the imagination and ability to use him properly, which teams do have, you can do it. But by the time he's a blocker we're liable to be wearing different colors."
4. CHASE COFFMAN Missouri 6-6 246 4.8 2-3
Established an NCAA record for receptions by a TE (247); finished second in yards (2,659, 10.8) and TDs (30). "His hands are probably as good as Crabtree's," one scout said. "He has made great catches. He's sort of a loping runner, a Boyd Dowler type. He's really a big wideout." Used almost exclusively from the slot. "People see him as a skinny-framed receiver but he can really catch and he's pretty good with the ball in his hands," Savage said. "He will do enough as a blocker." Father, Paul, was 3 inches shorter and 10 pounds lighter during his Pro Bowl career as a TE for the Packers. Suffered a broken bone on the final play of the Alamo Bowl and still hasn't worked out. Compared by some scouts to Jay Novacek and Jason Witten. "If you look at his combine picture he's not even developed yet," Tennessee scouting coordinator Blake Beddingfield said. "He can get bigger and stronger." Wonderlic of 23.
5. CORNELIUS INGRAM Florida 6-4 246 4.69 3
Blew out his knee in practice Aug. 5 and missed his senior season. "Mystery man," one scout said. "On the field he looked like a Greek God. You have to go back to his junior year and they flexed him out. He is an unknown. Great looking kid and prospect but he's never really done it." Flunked one team's physical because the cadaver's ligament used in the knee repair was found to be loose. "There will be teams that ignore that and take him and say, 'We'll play him until it pops,' " another scout said. "That could happen." Started just seven of 29 games. Finished with 64 catches for 888 yards (13.9) and eight TDs. "He's built like Godzilla but I've never seen him really have to block somebody," a third scout said. "Former quarterback. Terrific athlete. Just find out how healthy he is."
6. TRAVIS BECKUM Wisconsin 6-3 240 4.63 3-4
"He's always been hurt," Savage said. "I think he's a talent. He may go a little further down the list but ultimately becomes a good value, or he might wash out and we never hear from him again." Finished with 159 catches for 2,149 yards (13.5) and 11 TDs in 40 games (20 starts). "He could be a good blocker but he's not," one scout said. "He's such a horribly untechnical blocker. I think it's more in his head than anything. He was a linebacker coming out of high school and played some defensive end for (John) Palermo. Part of me thinks he's never actually bought into (tight end), especially the blocking part." Led combine TEs by bench-pressing 225 pounds 28 times. Wonderlic of 16. "People that have interviewed him at the combine, as we did, he didn't knock it out of the park," another scout said. "Kind of struck out. You kind of worried about him a little bit mentally and as a person. He was a little shaky on his off-the-field issues, confidence issues, that kind of thing. But you turn on the film and he's got pretty good hands and speed and athletic ability."
7. JAMES CASEY Rice 6-3 244 4.76 3-4
Pitched in the White Sox's minor-league system for three years before retiring from baseball in 2006. Played LB and DE initially before shifting to QB and later to TE and FB. "He's like Owen Daniels," one scout said. "He's unbelievable, that guy. Catches everything. Really heady. Gets open. Smart." Playing all over the formation, his two-season totals were 157 receptions for 1,914 yards (12.2) and 17 TDs. "He's the ultimate hybrid," another scout said. "He could be a better blocker, which is why he's not a pure tight end." Will be 25 in September. "Never be an in-line blocker," a third scout said. "Small. There are a lot of people who like him."
8. RICHARD QUINN North Carolina 6-4 260 4.87 4
Declared a year early after starting 19 of 34 games. "I think they almost ran him off," one scout said. "Then they realized, 'Wait a minute. He's a pretty decent player.' By that time it was too late. He'd be categorized as someone who blocks." Caught merely 12 passes for 124 yards (10.3) and two TDs. "He can play physical, he can catch and he can run after the catch," Hardaway said. "You didn't see the true blocking because he has this bad hand that he played with most of the year."
9. ANTHONY HILL North Carolina State 6-5 261 4.86 4-5
Three-year starter. "He's a point-of-attack blocker," Buffalo VP Tom Modrak said. Finished with 79 catches for 852 yards (10.5) and five TDs. Sat out 2007 after blowing out a knee and is off at least one team's board for medical reasons. "Durability has been a big question," one scout said. "But he has the frame and the play speed to possibly be an every-down tight end.
10. JOHN PHILLIPS Virginia 6-5½ 249 4.80 5
Started 27 of 49 games. "They all share time at Virginia but they all stuck in the league as the No. 3 tight end," Fisher said. "He'll stick. He blocks and he catches. He's been coached well. He's ready to play." Easily could add 20 pounds. "He'll give you what he can, and you'll like it," Modrak said. Finished with 69 catches for 670 yards (9.7) and five TDs.
OTHERS: Bear Pascoe, Fresno State; Cameron Morrah, California; Kory Sperry, Colorado State; Dan Gronkowski, Maryland; Davon Drew, East Carolina; D.J. Johnson, Arkansas State; Kevin Brock, Rutgers; Marquez Branson, Central Arkansas; Zach Miller, Nebraska-Omaha; Rob Myers, Utah State.
