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NFL Draft Grapevine - Sleepers and busts
March 9, 2009
01:00:00
By Cory J. Bonini
Edited by Bryce McRae
In this week's release of KFFL's NFL Draft Grapevine we'll look at a few players we expect to be sleepers and busts in the NFL.
We are not necessarily saying these players will become stars in the NFL or be busts to the magnitude of Ryan Leaf. Some players have been billed as the best at their respective positions, but that doesn't necessarily make them capable of handling all that is the NFL, of course. Weak classes at certain positions can create a false hype around a player because there is no one else to prop up.
Sleepers
Chase Daniel, quarterback, Missouri Tigers: Daniel is considered to be too small at 6-foot, 218 pounds. He has thrown a lot of passes in the past three years, 1,543 to be exact. He is a three-year starter as a senior and has a 2-1 bowl record during this time. His height is Daniel's biggest knock. Quarterbacks rarely have to throw over other players; they throw in lanes. He draws favorable comparisons to New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees for his ability to do this. Daniel needs to get more accustomed to dropping back from under center, but with a few years of grooming he could develop into a quality starter at the next level.
Donald Brown, running back, Connecticut Huskies: Brown is gaining more and more attention each week. His strong showing at the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine followed a 2,083-yard season. He ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash, which is fast enough for an NFL back to succeed. He's a workhorse and reminds us of Washington Commanders tailback Clinton Portis of today - you know, the slower version.
Quan Cosby, wide receiver, Texas Longhorns: Quarterback Colt McCoy's favorite target in 2008, Cosby caught 92 passes for 1,123 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a huge Tostitos Fiesta Bowl showing (14-171-2). Cosby could excel in the NFL as a possession slot receiver at 5-foot-8 5/8, 196 pounds with his 4.47 speed. He's quick in and out of his breaks; Cosby has great hands. He could be an immediate contributor in a pass-happy offense.
Juaquin Iglesias, wide receiver, Oklahoma Sooners: Iglesias is a possession receiver with enough speed to outrun most defenders as long as he has a step. He reminds us a lot of New York Jets wideout Jerricho Cotchery. At 6-foot 7/8, 210 pounds, Iglesias ran a 4.56-second 40-yard dash at the combine. A team looking for an eventual No. 2 possession receiver will take a shot on Iglesias; we like the Indianapolis Colts to look his direction to replace free-agent wide receiver Marvin Harrison so Anthony Gonzalez could stay in the slot.
Busts
Matthew Stafford, quarterback, Georgia Bulldogs: Benefiting from a weak quarterback class, Stafford is the consensus No. 1 option at the position. We're not saying Stafford won't be a capable NFL quarterback, but he isn't likely to live up to the hype and money that comes with being the first overall draft pick. He has the arm and the size, but Stafford just couldn't get it done in his biggest games. He struggles often when he is moderately pressured and has too much of an ego for our taste. He may turn out just fine, but there are too many risks for us to be able to endorse him as a clear-cut No. 1 overall pick.
Chris Wells, running back, Ohio State Buckeyes: The only way we can really see Wells being a true bust in the NFL is if he breaks down often. His increased size (6-foot-1 1/8, 235 pounds) and reasonable speed (4.59 40 time) make him a dangerous ball carrier. His running style makes him more susceptible to injury than most. Even if injuries aren't his problem, we aren't crazy about Wells. We don't believe he will hold up to a full workload as a featured back, and he may not be worth a high first-round pick if he enters a committee approach. A late first-round pick is probably his best realistic value.
Jeremy Maclin, wide receiver, Missouri Tigers: The only real doubts we have with Maclin is whether he is a product of Missouri's offense. He caught 182 balls in the past two years in an offense that averaged the fourth-most yards per game through the air. Maclin tested well at the combine, has a boatload of remarkable statistics and has the size (6-foot 1/8, 198 pounds). He should be a quality NFL player, but we remain on the fence that he may never live up to a top-15 draft placement.
Derrick Williams, wide receiver, Penn State Nittany Lions: Standing 5-foot-11 1/2, 194 pounds, Williams was a top recruit coming out of high school who never quite lived up to his hype. Part of it is his fault, part of it can be blamed on Penn State's offense, but Williams still disappointed. He's a capable possession receiver who doesn't have the size to be much more than a slot option in the NFL. We liken him to free-agent and fell former Penn State wideout Bobby Engram.
March 9, 2009
01:00:00
By Cory J. Bonini
Edited by Bryce McRae
In this week's release of KFFL's NFL Draft Grapevine we'll look at a few players we expect to be sleepers and busts in the NFL.
We are not necessarily saying these players will become stars in the NFL or be busts to the magnitude of Ryan Leaf. Some players have been billed as the best at their respective positions, but that doesn't necessarily make them capable of handling all that is the NFL, of course. Weak classes at certain positions can create a false hype around a player because there is no one else to prop up.
Sleepers
Chase Daniel, quarterback, Missouri Tigers: Daniel is considered to be too small at 6-foot, 218 pounds. He has thrown a lot of passes in the past three years, 1,543 to be exact. He is a three-year starter as a senior and has a 2-1 bowl record during this time. His height is Daniel's biggest knock. Quarterbacks rarely have to throw over other players; they throw in lanes. He draws favorable comparisons to New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees for his ability to do this. Daniel needs to get more accustomed to dropping back from under center, but with a few years of grooming he could develop into a quality starter at the next level.
Donald Brown, running back, Connecticut Huskies: Brown is gaining more and more attention each week. His strong showing at the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine followed a 2,083-yard season. He ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash, which is fast enough for an NFL back to succeed. He's a workhorse and reminds us of Washington Commanders tailback Clinton Portis of today - you know, the slower version.
Quan Cosby, wide receiver, Texas Longhorns: Quarterback Colt McCoy's favorite target in 2008, Cosby caught 92 passes for 1,123 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a huge Tostitos Fiesta Bowl showing (14-171-2). Cosby could excel in the NFL as a possession slot receiver at 5-foot-8 5/8, 196 pounds with his 4.47 speed. He's quick in and out of his breaks; Cosby has great hands. He could be an immediate contributor in a pass-happy offense.
Juaquin Iglesias, wide receiver, Oklahoma Sooners: Iglesias is a possession receiver with enough speed to outrun most defenders as long as he has a step. He reminds us a lot of New York Jets wideout Jerricho Cotchery. At 6-foot 7/8, 210 pounds, Iglesias ran a 4.56-second 40-yard dash at the combine. A team looking for an eventual No. 2 possession receiver will take a shot on Iglesias; we like the Indianapolis Colts to look his direction to replace free-agent wide receiver Marvin Harrison so Anthony Gonzalez could stay in the slot.
Busts
Matthew Stafford, quarterback, Georgia Bulldogs: Benefiting from a weak quarterback class, Stafford is the consensus No. 1 option at the position. We're not saying Stafford won't be a capable NFL quarterback, but he isn't likely to live up to the hype and money that comes with being the first overall draft pick. He has the arm and the size, but Stafford just couldn't get it done in his biggest games. He struggles often when he is moderately pressured and has too much of an ego for our taste. He may turn out just fine, but there are too many risks for us to be able to endorse him as a clear-cut No. 1 overall pick.
Chris Wells, running back, Ohio State Buckeyes: The only way we can really see Wells being a true bust in the NFL is if he breaks down often. His increased size (6-foot-1 1/8, 235 pounds) and reasonable speed (4.59 40 time) make him a dangerous ball carrier. His running style makes him more susceptible to injury than most. Even if injuries aren't his problem, we aren't crazy about Wells. We don't believe he will hold up to a full workload as a featured back, and he may not be worth a high first-round pick if he enters a committee approach. A late first-round pick is probably his best realistic value.
Jeremy Maclin, wide receiver, Missouri Tigers: The only real doubts we have with Maclin is whether he is a product of Missouri's offense. He caught 182 balls in the past two years in an offense that averaged the fourth-most yards per game through the air. Maclin tested well at the combine, has a boatload of remarkable statistics and has the size (6-foot 1/8, 198 pounds). He should be a quality NFL player, but we remain on the fence that he may never live up to a top-15 draft placement.
Derrick Williams, wide receiver, Penn State Nittany Lions: Standing 5-foot-11 1/2, 194 pounds, Williams was a top recruit coming out of high school who never quite lived up to his hype. Part of it is his fault, part of it can be blamed on Penn State's offense, but Williams still disappointed. He's a capable possession receiver who doesn't have the size to be much more than a slot option in the NFL. We liken him to free-agent and fell former Penn State wideout Bobby Engram.
