RS12
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Starting the week with news that isn't really "news" but is worth talking about. Cardale Jones opened the draft season (which really starts right after the previous draft ends) as my No. 1 quarterback. Of course, that grade always came with an asterisk that he's ranked there based on three games, and that the evaluation would absolutely change with a bigger sample size. Well, now that sample size is here, albeit just six games total, but Jones has struggled with accuracy and decision-making in the Ohio State offense. That, for now, is pushing him out of the top quarterback spot (Cal's Jared Goff took over that spot) and out of my top 32 players.
— Former Ohio State defensive end Noah Spence (No. 9, Eastern Kentucky) has been mentioned before in this space, and he's earned another mention after watching the tape of his performance against North Carolina State. Spence, playing right outside linebacker, was a nuisance for the Wolfpack and did a great job showcasing his pass-rush skills on a big stage.
— A lot of Big Ten notes this week, and much of it is coming from Penn State, where one area scout told me defensive lineman Anthony Zettel isn't the most talented player on his own line. That would beAustin Johnson, and the film I've studied backs this up. Zettel is a high-motor star, but his average athleticism and average strength are a concern. Johnson, on the other hand, looks like a first-rounder at nose tackle with his excellent size, speed and motor to chase down screens and sweeps.
- The big name at Penn State is quarterback Christian Hackenberg, and I've polled the area scouts who've traveled through Happy Valley this season. It's worth noting that each scout—six of them replied—gave Hackenberg a Round 1 grade based on an in-person look and a full review of his film. Hackenberg, a true junior, is expected to declare for the 2016 draft even though he's struggling statistically in a PSU offense that is not suited to his arm strength and pocket-style passing.
— UCLA has lost starters Myles Jack (knee) and Fabian Moreau (broken bone in foot), and it's really too bad because both looked like potential top-five players at their respective position
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2571538-2016-nfl-draft-scouting-notebook-for-week-3
— Former Ohio State defensive end Noah Spence (No. 9, Eastern Kentucky) has been mentioned before in this space, and he's earned another mention after watching the tape of his performance against North Carolina State. Spence, playing right outside linebacker, was a nuisance for the Wolfpack and did a great job showcasing his pass-rush skills on a big stage.
— A lot of Big Ten notes this week, and much of it is coming from Penn State, where one area scout told me defensive lineman Anthony Zettel isn't the most talented player on his own line. That would beAustin Johnson, and the film I've studied backs this up. Zettel is a high-motor star, but his average athleticism and average strength are a concern. Johnson, on the other hand, looks like a first-rounder at nose tackle with his excellent size, speed and motor to chase down screens and sweeps.
- The big name at Penn State is quarterback Christian Hackenberg, and I've polled the area scouts who've traveled through Happy Valley this season. It's worth noting that each scout—six of them replied—gave Hackenberg a Round 1 grade based on an in-person look and a full review of his film. Hackenberg, a true junior, is expected to declare for the 2016 draft even though he's struggling statistically in a PSU offense that is not suited to his arm strength and pocket-style passing.
— UCLA has lost starters Myles Jack (knee) and Fabian Moreau (broken bone in foot), and it's really too bad because both looked like potential top-five players at their respective position
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2571538-2016-nfl-draft-scouting-notebook-for-week-3