Hype a Prospect!

[TheFinisher]

This is an idea I got from another board I post on but we have a lot of fun with it and thought it would be cool to start up here. It's basically just hyping up some of your favorite prospects and getting us excited for the upcoming draft. There's no right or wrong way to do it but typically the more you put into it the better. I'll start it off...

Introducing.... from the University of Georgia


#9 Alec Ogletree

“You describe him in one word, which is ‘beast,'" - Jarvis Jones.

2012 Stats:

98 Tackles
8.5 TFLs
3 Sacks
6 PBU
1 INT
2 FF
1 TD

2nd Team All-SEC




For your viewing pleasure:

[youtube]24FvP-tyyTs[/youtube]

Few linebackers possess the natural athleticism and range of Ogletree. Once a highly touted Safety recruit, Ogletree spent his freshman season seeing time in the secondary starting 5 games and earning the team's 2010 Newcomer of the year award. Poised to be the next great Bulldog safety, Coordinator Todd Grantham had other things in mind. Realizing Ogletree's freakish combination of size and speed, Grantham suggested he move to Inside Linebacker. Ogletree blossomed, and is now garnering momentum to become a 1st Round pick come April.

Over the course of the season I had admired Ogletree from afar, but being that we ran a 3-4 defense with 2 mainstays in Lee and Carter, I never gave much thought to him being a Cowboy... that is, until Monte Kiffin arrived.

Ogletree is the prototype Mike for Kiffin's Tampa scheme, maybe the best one to come along since Brian Urlacher back in 2002. Tree's range for the position is second to none, and a LB core of Lee, Tree and Carter patrolling the middle of our defense makes it a no fly zone... talk about speed and playmaking ability. I have no doubt Alec will grab Kiffin's eye throughout the draft process and I'd welcome him gladly come 2013.

Fast Risers: Alec Ogletree, Georgia Linebacker
Oct 12th, 2012 at 8:00 am by Greg Maddox

Jarvis Jones is the big, powerful v8 that drives the Georgia Defense, but Alec Ogletree is the turbocharger that pushes that defense to the next level.
Ogletree is a former highly-touted safety who has had significant playing time ever since his freshman year. After his first season he appeared to be outgrowing his defensive back-body and the coaches asked him to switch to linebacker. Unfortunately he suffered a foot injury and hasn’t gotten onto the field much until this year.
His physical attributes are quite impressive. At 6’3″ 235 pounds he has ideal linebacker size combined with above-average athleticism stemming from his background as a safety. He was suspended once as a freshman and then missed all but one quarter of last season with a foot injury.
Ogletree’s main opponent for the top inside linebacker spot is Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o. Te’o is bigger, stronger, but less mobile than Ogletree. Te’o could play in the middle of either a 4-3 or 3-4 defense, though he would be best as a 3-4 Mike-backer. Ogletree does not have the strength or frame to take on blockers in a 3-4 would be much better-suited to roam in a 4-3.
There is a good chance Ogletree will return to Georgia because he does have one year of eligibility left and this is his first season of consistent playing time. He is still very raw and needs to improve on his instincts at the linebacker position. His first step tends to be backwards rather than aggressively towards the line of scrimmage. He is good in coverage, but at this point it is probably due to his excellent athleticism and less to do with actual coverage ability.
Ogletree is definitely a player to keep an eye on. His athleticism will jump off the page at the linebacker position, but his raw talents may be better served with another year of polish.
Te’o is still my top inside linebacker due to his versatility and aggressiveness at the line of scrimmage, but Ogletree is an interesting name to keep an eye on.

http://withthefirstpick.com/2012/10/12/fast-risers-alec-ogletree-georgia-linebacker/

 

[ABQcowboyJR]

I like the idea, ill throw a couple of my pet cats out there.

1. Larry Warford. The guy is a monster in the trenches, my must have guy of this draft.

2. Joe kruger. DE Utah. The guy is a manchild, plays with great strength and consistently rag dolls his guy.

 

[tm1119]

Like all the prospects posted so far....

Im gonna go with the homer pick of Gerald Hodges from linebacker U Penn State. This kid grew up about 15 minutes from where I live and played against my former high school twice a year so I've seen him in person a few times. I watched him torch my former high school as a QB/RB and as a safety/LB on D. Incredible athlete all around. Also an all state wrestler in High School

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcH-tZQJtck

109 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 1 sack, and 2 INTS for a very good Penn State D this year. Great in coverage for a LB and a very sure wrap up tackler(you can see the wrestling back round come out a lot). Would fit great along side Sean and Bruce in the new 4-3 scheme. Looking like a 3rd round prospect as of right now which is a steal in my opinion.

 

[Future]

I don't have the patience to post stats or pics but


RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO
RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO
RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO
RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO
RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO RAMBO

 

[robert70x7]

Phillip Thomas. If you notice, he has the ball in his hand which is something you won't find our safeties doing a lot.

He was one of 5 players to be ranked in NCAA FBS in both forced fumbles and interceptions. Lead the country in takeaways this year with 8.

61 Tkls
8 TFL
3.0 Sacks
7 INT
3 TD
4 BrUp
3 FF

Thorpe award finalist, numbers were better across the board than winner Johnathan Banks.

Sports Illustrated story

Thomas is keying a major defensive turnaround. A team that ranked 116th nationally in turnover margin last season is up to 11th in 2012, thanks in large part to a player who spent most of his junior year watching from the sidelines on one good leg.

“When we first got here, in the weight room, he obviously stood out,” said DeRuyter. “He looked like a safety’s supposed to look like. He had the right measurables. But when we first went out to practice, he was a little tentative at first, trying to push off that foot. Like many athletes do when they’ve had a major injury, he just didn’t have that confidence. So we were a little nervous about what we were really getting in him, but as spring went on, he really started to show up on tape.

“He was a 170-pound kid,” said McDonald, “and he’d turned into this 6-1, 215-pound behemoth. You couple that size with the athletic ability that he naturally had, and I knew he could be something special.”

“There’s a lot of guys out there that are athletic, talented,” said McDonald. “But Phillip’s got a great feel for the game. He’s a very instinctive kid. He’s the guy that gets it. He’s able to pick things up by feel that may not make sense on the board.” And he’s doing so with a success rate that’s infected his teammates with confidence in their new system.

I want this guy. Maybe we could get him in the 3rd.

 

[TheFinisher]

Nice post on Thomas, he's definitely someone I'd be on board with.

Rambo, Warford and Hodges are all intriguing guys too.

 

[Shinywalrus]

Melvin White, CB/FS Louisiana-Lafayette
6'3, 191

Tall, lanky defensive back. Technique is raw, but he's fast enough on the recovery to be an extremely effective Tampa 2 corner or a roaming safety, a role he played effectively at Louisiana-Lafayette. Long arms with a history of batting passes and kicks, this is a guy we plug into special teams on Day 1 and who could potentially see meaningful snaps at various DB positions in the first season.

Tackles aggressively and, for a guy who can play corner, reasonably soundly. If we're looking to spend a 4th-5th on a strong Tampa 2 prototype with raw technique, this is the guy I like.

NFLDraftScout has him (stupidly) at something like their 40th best corner. Absolute silliness. Huge fan of this kid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yqCFTDO2eo

 

[AsthmaField]

People need to change the way they now think about LB's in the Dallas defense. Shorter, smaller and quicker is what we will be seeing with the OLB's while guys like Ware and Spencer are now thought of as DE's.

In that line of thinking there is an absolutely terrific LB that played for Schiano at Rutgers named Khaseem Green. He started as a safety and Schiano moved him to LB, where he made an impact every single game.

He isn't big, but as a WLB in Kiffin's system, he wouldn't have to wade through much trash and would be simply asked to run to the ball and cover like Schiano asked him to do.

He could be had later in the draft (maybe round 3 if another Tampa-2 defense doesn't get him first), and could be an instant starter at WLB, with Lee at MLB and Carter at SLB.

Even if he didn't start right away, he is the type to be dominant on special teams, and the kind of guy we need on the team.

Here is some info on him:

Khaseem Green 6-1, 234 LBS.:

12/28/2012 - PLAYERS TO WATCH: LB Khaseem Greene had as dominating a two-year run as the Big East has seen in recent memory, leading the league in tackles with 10.45 per game. He's got 5.5 sacks, picked off two passes, and returned a fumble for a touchdown. In seven of the 12 games, he's had 10 or more tackles. And as a redshirt senior, he's one of the key leaders on the squad.

OVERVIEW

Greene is a perfect example of one reason why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are excited about head coach Greg Schiano after his first season with the team. Greene signed with Rutgers as a relatively low priority safety prospect but as he grew, Schiano and his staff elected to move him to weak-side linebacker, where he emerged as arguably the most impactful defender in the Big East in 2011.

This wasn't the case of a talented player riding the bench. Greene demonstrated his playmaking ways early on, tying for the team lead in interceptions as a redshirt freshman (despite only starting one game) and then leading the team with three interceptions as a full-time starting free safety in 2010 (also posting 77 tackles and four forced fumbles).

While productive as a defensive back, few anticipated Greene's explosion in 2011 as the Big East's leading tackler (141), earning him the conference's co-Defensive MVP honors. Greene would have been even more productive had he not suffered a gruesome broken right ankle in the Pinstripe Bowl victory over Iowa State. He recovered from the injury and proved as a senior no worse for wear, leading the Big East yet again with 125 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and an eye-popping six forced fumbles.

Greene's size (or rather, lack thereof) limits his potential in the NFL. He isn't athletic enough to move back to safety and his struggles taking on and shedding blockers means he'll likely only fit as a chase (weak-side) linebacker in the 4-3 alignment. In this role, however, he has the speed and playmaking skills to flourish.


ANALYSIS


STRENGTHS: Rare athleticism for the position. Possesses the agility and straight-line speed to elude blockers and beat backs to the edge. Showed improved patience and awareness in his second season at linebacker, rarely taking false steps and exploding towards the ball.

Reliable open-field tackler, generally wrapping both arms around the ballcarrier. Best trait might be his incredible ability to create turnovers. Rips violently at the ball as he makes tackles, showing excellent hand-eye coordination and impressive strength.

Times his blitz well, showing a quick burst to close. Fluid in coverage due to his experience at safety and possesses good ball skills. Shows some natural open-field running skills once the ball is in his hands, as well.

Good bloodlines. Is the half-brother of Pittsburgh running back Ray Graham, also expected to be drafted in 2013. Competitive. Served as a member of the punt and kickoff defense squads in 2012.

WEAKNESSES: Obvious size limitations. Isn't just short; possesses a rocked-up frame that isn't likely to be able to handle much additional weight.

Can get lost in the traffic in tight quarters, losing sight of the ball. A bit inconsistent in his overall physicality. Prefers to slip by blockers, rather than physically taking them on. Sometimes spends too much time going for the strip, rather than simply driving the ballcarrier to the turf.
Teams will want to check Greene's medical grade due to the broken ankle suffered in 2011.


http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1724998/khaseem-greene


_________________________________

*Not sure how to imbed Vid. so here are some links:

Note: Not a lot of great highlight vids for the guy, but you can get the idea from these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2n2iXjoUms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9EJoH_WfHc



http://media.nj.com/rutgers_football/photo/rutgersjpg-fbb07f2d89b66e20.jpg



http://cbssports.com/images/visual/rapidreports/Khaseem_Greene_09122012.jpg

 

[Tezz]

I dont want to say much due to the Mockdraft coming up haha, but since I mentioned him before Xavier Rhodes. He's a lock for the first round to me if he runs well since 40 times effect DBs stock a lot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw9oHp46Yqs

 

[TheFinisher]

That's what I'm talking about, great write up on Greene!

Also gonna have to learn more about Melvin White, looks interesting.

Maybe the Mods can sticky this thread? Would be cool to keep it up and running through the off-season.

 

[ajk23az]

Dri Archer - Yes, he may be diminutive in size but this guy is something else. He has speed like you have never seen before and is actually difficult to bring down despite his 5'8'' 175 lb frame. This guy is lethal out of the backfield, receiving and returning.

He wears the #1 because Kent St was the only school to offer him a scholarship.

Watch at the 1:05 mark in the video how he outruns the defender who has a huge angle on him.

[youtube]MJ6KTBV5vqk[/youtube]

 

[AsthmaField]

I like Archer as a later round pick for punt returner. However, the Dallas scouts really like length (height) in a prospect, so he might not even be on our board.

If he's there in later rounds though, I'd probably take a flier on him.

 

[ajk23az]

I like Archer as a later round pick for punt returner. However, the Dallas scouts really like length (height) in a prospect, so he might not even be on our board.

If he's there in later rounds though, I'd probably take a flier on him.

Oh definitely. I wouldn't take him ahead of the 5th round. But I believe he is going to be a dangerous weapon in the NFL.

We all know our coaches don't like to cause matchup problems though so I doubt he becomes a Cowboy.

 

[ajk23az]

Wow. I actually just read that Archer isn't even entering the draft this year. I thought all along he was a Senior. Damn...

 

[WhizKid]

Phillip Thomas. If you notice, he has the ball in his hand which is something you won't find our safeties doing a lot.

He was one of 5 players to be ranked in NCAA FBS in both forced fumbles and interceptions. Lead the country in takeaways this year with 8.

61 Tkls
8 TFL
3.0 Sacks
7 INT
3 TD
4 BrUp
3 FF

Thorpe award finalist, numbers were better across the board than winner Johnathan Banks.

Sports Illustrated story

I want this guy. Maybe we could get him in the 3rd.

Thomas is my must have player this year.

 

[WhizKid]

Rouse Rouse, has very small measurables at 5'7"/190 but is it's one thing Rouse is, he is a player. This guy makes people miss like crazy and can do all the runs. The best part about Rouse is he has phenomenal vision and hits that hole like no other. A back who plants his foot and goes.

His career numbers at Fresno State are 886ru for 4,577yds 37td 5.3ypc
He also has 105rec 766yds 5td

His stat line for 2012: 269ru 1468yds 12td 5.5ypc 58rec 406yds 2td
His stat line for 2011: 329ru 1549yds 13td 4.7ypc 32rec 228yds 1td

He got his first start at the position in 2010 where he also eclipsed 1000 yards on the ground. Here is a link to his player profile so you can see the consistency in his game in his game log.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/players/183724

He is the type of small back who can run with the best of them and has good hands out of the backfield. A true gamer and I would be ecstatic if the boys grabbed him 3rd or 4th round. He'd be a great compliment to Murray and great fill-in or potential starter if called to play that role.



Here are some Highlight videos. Unfortunately, no 2012 highlight video yet.

2010:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxdeq...hannel&list=UL

2011:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_0nQjfSw0A

Another clip talking about him being the all-time rushing leader at Fresno State with some game footage and him being interviewed. Great guy too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL6rK0c1JHM

 

[AsthmaField]

Nice write up on Rouse. I like him.

 

[TheFinisher]

Bump

(10char)

 

[Hailmary]

Da'Rick Rogers, the former Tennessee Volunteer.

There's no way we draft him because of all his red flags, but whoever ends up with him in the 2nd or 3rd is gonna get a heck of a player.

Look up some of his highlight reels from when he was with the Vols. He's a Dez Bryant clone (size/height/speed). He'll also make some acrobatic catches and plays aggressive and is hard to bring down.