RS12
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Rising stock
1. Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois. Perhaps no player is flying up draft boards quite like Liuget. As a junior, few scouts had dissected his game on film until he entered the draft last month. Some had told us that he was a second- or third-round prospect, but after grinding his film we think he could/should be a top-10 pick. He had an outstanding 2010 season, showing great strength and athleticism. For such a big and powerful defensive tackle, he has rare explosiveness off the snap to blow up plays in the backfield by driving offensive linemen backward or by shooting a gap. Defensive tackles Nick Fairley of Auburn and Marcell Dareus of Alabama still rate higher on most teams' draft boards, but Liuget is closing fast and ultimately could be drafted higher than one or both.
2. Tyron Smith, OT, Southern Cal. Here is another underclassman on the cusp of overtaking the seniors at the top of teams' draft boards. Smith (6-4 3/4, 285) is not as tall as Colorado's Nate Solder or Boston College's Anthony Castonzo but is a great athlete with the strength to be a real force at the point of attack. Smith was surprisingly consistent on film, the only offensive lineman we saw block Cal DE Cameron Jordan in 2010. As scouts over-analyze Solder's and Castonzo's practices at the Senior Bowl, Smith could overtake them both in the end.
3. Danny Watkins, G/OT, Baylor. His stock took off at the Senior Bowl. From game film, he was viewed as an athletic tackle who lacked ideal size, strength and athleticism to play left tackle in the NFL. After a week of practice in Mobile, Ala., he showed the athleticism, technique and competitiveness to be a great guard. He played so well inside that he could join the battle to be the first offensive lineman drafted. Although not polished on guard techniques, he does bend his knees well to pass block with good leverage and uses his hands quite well to control defensive tackles. He reminds us a lot of Patriots All-Pro G Logan Mankins, a mid-round tackle who flew up draft boards once moved inside and proved to be a special player.
Falling stock
1. Nathan Enderle, QB, Idaho. When the 2010 season began, we had him pegged as a "sleeper" because of his good size, strong arm and refined mechanics. However, he struggled greatly at the East-West Shrine practices and game and then again last week at the Texas vs. The Nation workouts. For a QB with his gifts, it's amazing how inaccurate he is throwing the ball. He also failed to go through progressions and make smart decisions in practices or games.
2. Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA; Justin Houston, OLB, Georgia. Personnel men desperate for pass-rush help were excited when these two juniors entered the draft. However, the film on both prospects is quite disappointing. Ayers is a tall and linear linebacker who functions much better going forward than dropping into coverage, and he is an inconsistent pass rusher. On the other hand, Houston is an athletic linebacker with all the physical tools to be great but he doesn't work hard or play with much intensity. Houston really struggles to shed blocks. After hours and hours of film study, both linebackers appear to be mid-round prospects, not the first-rounders once hyped to be.
3. Preston Dial, TE, Alabama. He mostly played fullback in college but came to the Senior Bowl hoping to prove his worth as a tight end/H-back worthy of a third-round pick. He has some receiving skills, but he lacks the explosiveness or speed to make big plays in the passing game. Unless he surprises us at the Combine with a great workout, he will be a late-round pick.
Read more: http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/fee...s-corey-liuget-flying-up-boards#ixzz1DR5eqVnV
1. Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois. Perhaps no player is flying up draft boards quite like Liuget. As a junior, few scouts had dissected his game on film until he entered the draft last month. Some had told us that he was a second- or third-round prospect, but after grinding his film we think he could/should be a top-10 pick. He had an outstanding 2010 season, showing great strength and athleticism. For such a big and powerful defensive tackle, he has rare explosiveness off the snap to blow up plays in the backfield by driving offensive linemen backward or by shooting a gap. Defensive tackles Nick Fairley of Auburn and Marcell Dareus of Alabama still rate higher on most teams' draft boards, but Liuget is closing fast and ultimately could be drafted higher than one or both.
2. Tyron Smith, OT, Southern Cal. Here is another underclassman on the cusp of overtaking the seniors at the top of teams' draft boards. Smith (6-4 3/4, 285) is not as tall as Colorado's Nate Solder or Boston College's Anthony Castonzo but is a great athlete with the strength to be a real force at the point of attack. Smith was surprisingly consistent on film, the only offensive lineman we saw block Cal DE Cameron Jordan in 2010. As scouts over-analyze Solder's and Castonzo's practices at the Senior Bowl, Smith could overtake them both in the end.
3. Danny Watkins, G/OT, Baylor. His stock took off at the Senior Bowl. From game film, he was viewed as an athletic tackle who lacked ideal size, strength and athleticism to play left tackle in the NFL. After a week of practice in Mobile, Ala., he showed the athleticism, technique and competitiveness to be a great guard. He played so well inside that he could join the battle to be the first offensive lineman drafted. Although not polished on guard techniques, he does bend his knees well to pass block with good leverage and uses his hands quite well to control defensive tackles. He reminds us a lot of Patriots All-Pro G Logan Mankins, a mid-round tackle who flew up draft boards once moved inside and proved to be a special player.
Falling stock
1. Nathan Enderle, QB, Idaho. When the 2010 season began, we had him pegged as a "sleeper" because of his good size, strong arm and refined mechanics. However, he struggled greatly at the East-West Shrine practices and game and then again last week at the Texas vs. The Nation workouts. For a QB with his gifts, it's amazing how inaccurate he is throwing the ball. He also failed to go through progressions and make smart decisions in practices or games.
2. Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA; Justin Houston, OLB, Georgia. Personnel men desperate for pass-rush help were excited when these two juniors entered the draft. However, the film on both prospects is quite disappointing. Ayers is a tall and linear linebacker who functions much better going forward than dropping into coverage, and he is an inconsistent pass rusher. On the other hand, Houston is an athletic linebacker with all the physical tools to be great but he doesn't work hard or play with much intensity. Houston really struggles to shed blocks. After hours and hours of film study, both linebackers appear to be mid-round prospects, not the first-rounders once hyped to be.
3. Preston Dial, TE, Alabama. He mostly played fullback in college but came to the Senior Bowl hoping to prove his worth as a tight end/H-back worthy of a third-round pick. He has some receiving skills, but he lacks the explosiveness or speed to make big plays in the passing game. Unless he surprises us at the Combine with a great workout, he will be a late-round pick.
Read more: http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/fee...s-corey-liuget-flying-up-boards#ixzz1DR5eqVnV
