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College Scouting
By Wes Bunting
Posted February 12, 2009 Email to a Friend Print This ShareThisNFP Prospect Stock Watch
FROM WES BUNTING:
With a trio of all-star games wrapped up and the NFL Combine quickly approaching, the stock values of certain prospects continue to fluctuate on draft boards. Players will have more opportunities to shine the next couple of weeks, but the word “stock” will be used more frequently in the league’s draft world. Today, the National Football Post begins its weekly “Stock Watch” series.
MOVING ON UP…
Frantz Joseph, ILB, Florida Atlantic
Joseph has been one of the country’s most productive middle linebackers the past two years. He finished the 2008 season with a staggering 154 tackles and nine TFL (tackles for loss). Joseph is a physical, thickly built linebacker who does a great job attacking downhill and sniffing out the play. He plays with a mean streak and is a vicious tackler inside. He was a standout at the Texas vs. the Nation Bowl, consistently shooting gaps all week in practice and showcasing a real nose for the ball. He won MVP honors in the game and recorded an interception and a fumble recovery. Joseph is not a great athlete, but he displays impressive closing burst and somehow finds a way to make plays on all areas of the field. He was left off the NFL Combine list but should have plenty of time to get ready for his pro day. If he runs well (in the 4.75 range), it wouldn’t surprise me so see him in the mix as a possible third-round selection in April.
Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee
Ayers came out of nowhere in 2008 gave himself a chance to be drafted. But now, the one-year starter is putting himself in position to possibly hear his name called late in the first round. Ayers was a bit of an unknown before the season started, but he was a real force on the Tennessee defensive line, finishing with 49 tackles and 15½ tackles for loss. However, Ayers took his game to another level at the Senior Bowl, showcasing the type of pass rushing ability to be a real factor at the next level. He recorded two sacks in the game and gave offensive linemen fits all week in practice. If Ayers can prove he’s the kind of 4.75 speed athlete we think he is, he has a real shot at moving into the first-round mix.
Jarron Gilbert, DE/DT, San Jose State
Gilbert was absolutely brilliant as a senior, finishing the season with 52 tackles, 9½ sacks and 22 TFL. He’s a long, rangy defensive lineman with an impressive combination of power and burst for a player his size. At Shrine Game practices, he was a man among boys, consistently firing off the ball, controlling blockers and making his way into the backfield. His blend of length, burst and power make him a perfect fit as a DE in a 3-4, and he’s arguably one of the most attractive five-technique linemen in the draft. I fully expect Gilbert to run well at the Combine and create even more buzz going into his pro day. He currently looks more like a solid second- or third-round pick, but a strong showing at the Combine might allow him to sneak into the late portion of round one.
FREE FALLING…
Alex Boone, OT, Ohio State
Boone, once considered the next Orlando Pace at Ohio State, has fallen on tough times lately. There have always been concerns about his overall athleticism and ability to handle speed off the edge, but after a very average Shrine Game performance, things got worse. Earlier this month, Boone was arrested in Los Angeles on a charge of public intoxication and, according to police, jumping on cars in the apartment complex where he lived. He was tasered twice. Boone was also convicted of drunk driving in 2006. Even before his latest arrest, he was no longer considered a possible first-day pick. It’s likely he’ll have to wait until the late portions of the draft to see if his name is called.
Morgan Trent, CB, Michigan
Trent, who at one point was considered among of the nation’s top 10 senior cornerback prospects in some NFL draft circles, has seen his stock fall dramatically. He possesses good size (6-foot-1) and had some of the fastest 60-,100- and 200-meter times in the country coming out of high school, but his straight-line speed doesn’t translate well to the football field. He lacks smooth footwork in and out of his breaks and struggles changing directions on all levels of the field. He has never seemed to polish his back-pedal and struggles flipping his hips and staying with receivers out of their routes. He had only an average showing at the East-West Shrine Game and was consistently turned inside out against the competition at the Senior Bowl. Trent looks best suited for some type of Cover-2 scheme where he won’t be asked to play much man. He should hear his name called in the draft, but don’t expect it to be sooner than the second day.
Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech
Johnson entered the year as the nation’s top-rated senior defensive end and graded out as a potential high first-round pick. He still has a shot to hear his name come off the board in round one because of his amazing combination of size, length and explosion off the edge. However, he has never been able to translate his elite triangle numbers into the production you’d expect. Johnson struggles consistently against the run game and is simply a pass-rush threat at this stage. After the season, he pulled out of the Senior Bowl in order to prepare for the Combine and now seems to be falling in the eyes of scouts. I expect him to run very well at the Combine, which could raise his stock again. But as of now, he looks more like a borderline first-round pick based mostly on his upside and potential.
By Wes Bunting
Posted February 12, 2009 Email to a Friend Print This ShareThisNFP Prospect Stock Watch
FROM WES BUNTING:
With a trio of all-star games wrapped up and the NFL Combine quickly approaching, the stock values of certain prospects continue to fluctuate on draft boards. Players will have more opportunities to shine the next couple of weeks, but the word “stock” will be used more frequently in the league’s draft world. Today, the National Football Post begins its weekly “Stock Watch” series.
MOVING ON UP…
Frantz Joseph, ILB, Florida Atlantic
Joseph has been one of the country’s most productive middle linebackers the past two years. He finished the 2008 season with a staggering 154 tackles and nine TFL (tackles for loss). Joseph is a physical, thickly built linebacker who does a great job attacking downhill and sniffing out the play. He plays with a mean streak and is a vicious tackler inside. He was a standout at the Texas vs. the Nation Bowl, consistently shooting gaps all week in practice and showcasing a real nose for the ball. He won MVP honors in the game and recorded an interception and a fumble recovery. Joseph is not a great athlete, but he displays impressive closing burst and somehow finds a way to make plays on all areas of the field. He was left off the NFL Combine list but should have plenty of time to get ready for his pro day. If he runs well (in the 4.75 range), it wouldn’t surprise me so see him in the mix as a possible third-round selection in April.
Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee
Ayers came out of nowhere in 2008 gave himself a chance to be drafted. But now, the one-year starter is putting himself in position to possibly hear his name called late in the first round. Ayers was a bit of an unknown before the season started, but he was a real force on the Tennessee defensive line, finishing with 49 tackles and 15½ tackles for loss. However, Ayers took his game to another level at the Senior Bowl, showcasing the type of pass rushing ability to be a real factor at the next level. He recorded two sacks in the game and gave offensive linemen fits all week in practice. If Ayers can prove he’s the kind of 4.75 speed athlete we think he is, he has a real shot at moving into the first-round mix.
Jarron Gilbert, DE/DT, San Jose State
Gilbert was absolutely brilliant as a senior, finishing the season with 52 tackles, 9½ sacks and 22 TFL. He’s a long, rangy defensive lineman with an impressive combination of power and burst for a player his size. At Shrine Game practices, he was a man among boys, consistently firing off the ball, controlling blockers and making his way into the backfield. His blend of length, burst and power make him a perfect fit as a DE in a 3-4, and he’s arguably one of the most attractive five-technique linemen in the draft. I fully expect Gilbert to run well at the Combine and create even more buzz going into his pro day. He currently looks more like a solid second- or third-round pick, but a strong showing at the Combine might allow him to sneak into the late portion of round one.
FREE FALLING…
Alex Boone, OT, Ohio State
Boone, once considered the next Orlando Pace at Ohio State, has fallen on tough times lately. There have always been concerns about his overall athleticism and ability to handle speed off the edge, but after a very average Shrine Game performance, things got worse. Earlier this month, Boone was arrested in Los Angeles on a charge of public intoxication and, according to police, jumping on cars in the apartment complex where he lived. He was tasered twice. Boone was also convicted of drunk driving in 2006. Even before his latest arrest, he was no longer considered a possible first-day pick. It’s likely he’ll have to wait until the late portions of the draft to see if his name is called.
Morgan Trent, CB, Michigan
Trent, who at one point was considered among of the nation’s top 10 senior cornerback prospects in some NFL draft circles, has seen his stock fall dramatically. He possesses good size (6-foot-1) and had some of the fastest 60-,100- and 200-meter times in the country coming out of high school, but his straight-line speed doesn’t translate well to the football field. He lacks smooth footwork in and out of his breaks and struggles changing directions on all levels of the field. He has never seemed to polish his back-pedal and struggles flipping his hips and staying with receivers out of their routes. He had only an average showing at the East-West Shrine Game and was consistently turned inside out against the competition at the Senior Bowl. Trent looks best suited for some type of Cover-2 scheme where he won’t be asked to play much man. He should hear his name called in the draft, but don’t expect it to be sooner than the second day.
Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech
Johnson entered the year as the nation’s top-rated senior defensive end and graded out as a potential high first-round pick. He still has a shot to hear his name come off the board in round one because of his amazing combination of size, length and explosion off the edge. However, he has never been able to translate his elite triangle numbers into the production you’d expect. Johnson struggles consistently against the run game and is simply a pass-rush threat at this stage. After the season, he pulled out of the Senior Bowl in order to prepare for the Combine and now seems to be falling in the eyes of scouts. I expect him to run very well at the Combine, which could raise his stock again. But as of now, he looks more like a borderline first-round pick based mostly on his upside and potential.
