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Updated: Apr/26/2007 03:36 AM
Red flags holding opportunities back for UF's Thomas
A defensive coach told me this week that Florida's Marcus Thomas might be the best defensive player in the draft.
"You see him do some amazing things on tape," the coach said.
That coach's team also has Thomas red-flagged as a character player, which means they won't draft him.
Thomas was dismissed from the University of Florida team last year after failing a drug test and then not adhering to the conditions of his re-instatement. That has dropped him from a top 15 pick to a player who is off team's boards.
Some team will take a chance on him -- why do we expect it to be the Oakland Raiders -- and get themselves a heck of a football player.
Of course, the next step will be for Thomas to prove all that talk that he's a changed man is true.
For all the knuckleheads in college out there with NFL dreams this should be a lesson to all of you.
It should be Marcus Thomas, star player, first-round pick.
But it's more like Marcus Thomas, late-round draft pick, maybe -- all because of his off-field actions.
Tough tester
There were some reports that Michigan defensive tackle Alan Branch, who is dropping on some boards, was ready to quit when Kansas City Chiefs defensive line coach Tim Krumrie put him through an individual test at his pro-day workout.
Krumrie, the former defensive lineman for the Cincinnati Bengals, is noted for putting the players through a rigorous and often over-the-limit individual workout where he literally tries to beat them up.
Branch was huffing and puffing his way through the workout, but at least one coach who was there said it was because Krumrie's look-at-me, one-on-one battle came after a bunch of teams had already worked out Branch.
"He was whipped by the time he got to Krumrie," the coach said.
Why the teams let Krumrie do his thing is a story on itself. How it got started nobody really knows, but word is he really tries to frustrate the players by physically getting after them.
"I'm not sure how he came to do that stuff," another NFC coach said. "He's a punk," an AFC coach said. "I bet one day one of those kids is going to whip his ***."
Word is that Michigan State defensive tackle Clifton Ryan nearly came to blows with Krumrie.
Players are fearful of how the scouts and coaches would react, which is why they let Krumrie mug them.
"But you know what?" the NFC coach said. "I bet many of the guys would applaud if a player did knock him to the ground."
Quick hits
• In addition to Thomas, there are other players who are off the boards of some teams. They include Miami safety Brandon Meriweather and UNLV corner Eric Wright.
"I know we're being a lot more cautious about these kinds of guys than we have in the past," an NFC scout said. "The changes in the conduct policy have really been felt in the draft room. We're a lot more critical now of the off-field stuff."
• It appears that Pittsburgh corner Darrelle Revis has moved ahead of Leon Hall in the race to be the first corner taken Saturday, or at the bare minimum he's moved into a tie. Teams love the way Revis plays with a swagger. "He just plays with confidence," one AFC coach said. He's also a pretty good return man.
• If you're looking for a real draft-board climber, look at Michigan linebacker David Harris. He's a guy I had on my Better-than team a couple of weeks ago, and now he will go in the first round. Watch the tape. The kid does nothing but make plays. It now appears the NFL teams are stating to concur. Harris could be taken by the New England Patriots with the 24th or 28th pick.
• Another Big 10 player who is getting a lot of hype is Purdue defensive end Anthony Spencer. One NFC coach said he's the only player he saw on tape who beat Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas. Spencer is a bit undersized at 6-3, 261 but he has the speed and the leverage to be an effective pass rusher. He might be more NFL ready than both Gaines Adams (Clemson) and Jamaal Anderson (Arkansas), two defensive ends who will be drafted higher than Spencer.
• Tennessee receiver Robert Meachem has moved past Ted Ginn Jr., into the second spot among receivers on some teams boards. Meachem is a big receiver who can run. But there are some teams who are worried that Arkansas corner Chris Houston did a nice job beating him up when their teams met last year.
• The move by the St. Louis Rams to acquire return man Dante Hall from the Chiefs likely means they won't be drafting Ginn or any other receiver in the first round. That's a good thing. The Rams need help on defense. They should take the best available defensive lineman in the draft. They're still interested in getting defensive tackle Kris Jenkins from Carolina, but the Panthers want a first-round pick. They can forget that.
• That was a nice move by the Baltimore Ravens when they rewarded nose tackle Kelly Gregg a four-year, $20.3-million contract extension. Gregg, a squatty fireplug, is key to the Ravens defense with his ability to clog up the middle against the run. Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan said last December that Gregg deserved to get Pro Bowl consideration.
• If I were the Miami Dolphins, I'd be a little cautious with the Trent Green trade talks. Why? I think he played as if he was gun-shy after returning last season following that wicked hit he took against the Bengals. In watching him against the Colts in the playoffs, he seemed unwilling to sit in the pocket and make throws. He's 37 and his best football is behind him. I don't care how much respect coach Cam Cameron has for Green. He's not the same quarterback he was two years ago.
Red flags holding opportunities back for UF's Thomas
A defensive coach told me this week that Florida's Marcus Thomas might be the best defensive player in the draft.
"You see him do some amazing things on tape," the coach said.
That coach's team also has Thomas red-flagged as a character player, which means they won't draft him.
Thomas was dismissed from the University of Florida team last year after failing a drug test and then not adhering to the conditions of his re-instatement. That has dropped him from a top 15 pick to a player who is off team's boards.
Some team will take a chance on him -- why do we expect it to be the Oakland Raiders -- and get themselves a heck of a football player.
Of course, the next step will be for Thomas to prove all that talk that he's a changed man is true.
For all the knuckleheads in college out there with NFL dreams this should be a lesson to all of you.
It should be Marcus Thomas, star player, first-round pick.
But it's more like Marcus Thomas, late-round draft pick, maybe -- all because of his off-field actions.
Tough tester
There were some reports that Michigan defensive tackle Alan Branch, who is dropping on some boards, was ready to quit when Kansas City Chiefs defensive line coach Tim Krumrie put him through an individual test at his pro-day workout.
Krumrie, the former defensive lineman for the Cincinnati Bengals, is noted for putting the players through a rigorous and often over-the-limit individual workout where he literally tries to beat them up.
Branch was huffing and puffing his way through the workout, but at least one coach who was there said it was because Krumrie's look-at-me, one-on-one battle came after a bunch of teams had already worked out Branch.
"He was whipped by the time he got to Krumrie," the coach said.
Why the teams let Krumrie do his thing is a story on itself. How it got started nobody really knows, but word is he really tries to frustrate the players by physically getting after them.
"I'm not sure how he came to do that stuff," another NFC coach said. "He's a punk," an AFC coach said. "I bet one day one of those kids is going to whip his ***."
Word is that Michigan State defensive tackle Clifton Ryan nearly came to blows with Krumrie.
Players are fearful of how the scouts and coaches would react, which is why they let Krumrie mug them.
"But you know what?" the NFC coach said. "I bet many of the guys would applaud if a player did knock him to the ground."
Quick hits
• In addition to Thomas, there are other players who are off the boards of some teams. They include Miami safety Brandon Meriweather and UNLV corner Eric Wright.
"I know we're being a lot more cautious about these kinds of guys than we have in the past," an NFC scout said. "The changes in the conduct policy have really been felt in the draft room. We're a lot more critical now of the off-field stuff."
• It appears that Pittsburgh corner Darrelle Revis has moved ahead of Leon Hall in the race to be the first corner taken Saturday, or at the bare minimum he's moved into a tie. Teams love the way Revis plays with a swagger. "He just plays with confidence," one AFC coach said. He's also a pretty good return man.
• If you're looking for a real draft-board climber, look at Michigan linebacker David Harris. He's a guy I had on my Better-than team a couple of weeks ago, and now he will go in the first round. Watch the tape. The kid does nothing but make plays. It now appears the NFL teams are stating to concur. Harris could be taken by the New England Patriots with the 24th or 28th pick.
• Another Big 10 player who is getting a lot of hype is Purdue defensive end Anthony Spencer. One NFC coach said he's the only player he saw on tape who beat Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas. Spencer is a bit undersized at 6-3, 261 but he has the speed and the leverage to be an effective pass rusher. He might be more NFL ready than both Gaines Adams (Clemson) and Jamaal Anderson (Arkansas), two defensive ends who will be drafted higher than Spencer.
• Tennessee receiver Robert Meachem has moved past Ted Ginn Jr., into the second spot among receivers on some teams boards. Meachem is a big receiver who can run. But there are some teams who are worried that Arkansas corner Chris Houston did a nice job beating him up when their teams met last year.
• The move by the St. Louis Rams to acquire return man Dante Hall from the Chiefs likely means they won't be drafting Ginn or any other receiver in the first round. That's a good thing. The Rams need help on defense. They should take the best available defensive lineman in the draft. They're still interested in getting defensive tackle Kris Jenkins from Carolina, but the Panthers want a first-round pick. They can forget that.
• That was a nice move by the Baltimore Ravens when they rewarded nose tackle Kelly Gregg a four-year, $20.3-million contract extension. Gregg, a squatty fireplug, is key to the Ravens defense with his ability to clog up the middle against the run. Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan said last December that Gregg deserved to get Pro Bowl consideration.
• If I were the Miami Dolphins, I'd be a little cautious with the Trent Green trade talks. Why? I think he played as if he was gun-shy after returning last season following that wicked hit he took against the Bengals. In watching him against the Colts in the playoffs, he seemed unwilling to sit in the pocket and make throws. He's 37 and his best football is behind him. I don't care how much respect coach Cam Cameron has for Green. He's not the same quarterback he was two years ago.
