cowboyjoe
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THE SLEEPER FILE
PROSPECTS TO WATCH FOR THE 2009 DRAFT OUTSIDE DIA FOOTBALL
Strangers in Indianapolis... Not surprisingly, for the most part, the players invited to this year's scouting combine in Indianapolis are mostly well-known prospects from college football's power conferences. In fact, of the 331 players invited to this year's combine, over three out of four (76%) are from schools in the six so-called BCS conferences, while another 17% are from the other D1A programs. Still, there's always room at the combine table for players from outside the ranks of the D1A conferences and this year 26 prospects - about 8% of the total - have been invited to Indianapolis for the week of physical and skills testing as part of the lead-up to the 2009 draft. Of course, many of the non-BCS players invited to the combine also are reasonably well known nationally. Indeed, lower-level prospects like QBs Rhett Bomar of Sam Houston State and Centrak Arkansas' Nathan Brown, Liberty RB Rashad Jennings, Cal-Poly WR Ramses Barden, Richmond DE Lawrence Sidbury and Jackson State CB Domonique Johnson were in Mobile for last month's Senior Bowl.
A number of other small-school draft prospects, though, haven't received quite as much national attention to date. Perhaps the biggest - both literally and figuratively - of the emerging non-BCS prospects invited to this year's combine in Stillman DT Sammie Lee Hill. No shrinking violet, Hill is a 330-pound space-eating interior defensive lineman with exceptional strength and surprising short-area quickness. And while known primarily as a run-stuffer, Hill was also a strong pass-rusher at the lower level, racking up 17.5 career sacks including 7.5 in 2008. Indeed, at 6-4, Hill could also get some looks from 3-4 teams as a DE, although he lacks much in the way of closing speed with a projected 40-clocking in the 5.25 range.
There is also some decent small-school size on the other side of the line starting with Tennessee State OT Cornelius Lewis, a 6-4, 315-pounder with decent quickness, who generally dominated at the lower-level of competition after transferring from Florida State. Lewis, who runs in the 5.20 range for the 40, may also get some looks at OG as he isn't all that tall for an NFL OT. No such problems, though, for 6-7, 310-pound Furman OT Joel Bell, a rangy RT prospect with long arms. Bell has adequate quickess and agility for a big man - he is projected to run the 40 in around 5.25 seconds - but he likely will need to add some bulk and strength to be more than a marginal player at the next level. Meanwhile, Missouri Western State OG Roger Allen is a 6-4, 320-pound mauler upfront, but needs to show pro scouts at the combine that he has the quickness and agility to handle the position at the next level. Pro scouts are intrigued to see just how big and fast emerging McNeese State OT Kyle Link is when he shows up in Indianapolis. Link is currently only listed at around 285 pounds, but he's a converted TE who just made the switch to the position in 2007 so has some room to develop. And at 6-5, the athletic Link also has the frame to add some weight; plus, for good measure, Link is an accomplished long-snapper; he's also an outstanding student majoring in engineering.
Maybe the most surprising prospect invited to this year's combine is Weber State FB Marcus Mailei. Mailei didn't touch the ball all that often in college, although he is an adequate receiver who had 40 career catches for the Wildcats. No one in Indianapolis, though, is going to outwork Mailei, a weight-room warrior who takes that intensity to the field where he is a physical lead-blocker. Meanwhile, NFL teams looking for a speed infusion at WR will take a long look at Stephen F. Austin wideout Dominque Edison, a former Texas state sprint champion with reported sub-4.4 speed. At 6-2, 200, Edison also has decent size and is coming off a productive year at SFU where he averaged over 15 yards per catch on 67 total receptions and scored 18 times in 2008. Same for McNeese State WR Quinten Lawrence, another speedster with sub-4.4 speed. Lawrence, though, has had knee troubles in the past and classifies as a real sleeper after plying in just 5 games in 2008.
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QB Jason Boltus, Hartwick College, 6-3, 225, 4,75... Playing at little Division III Hartwick College, which for the record is located in Oneonta in central New York, QB Jason Boltus hasn’t gotten much national attention. However, pro scouts have started to troop to the school to check out Boltus, who has one of the strongest arms in the country. Indeed, Boltus will be one of the 300-plus prospects in Indianapolis for this year's annual scoting combine in February. Boltus earned the trip to the combine as he has been one of the most productive passers in college football throwing for over 14,000 yards in his career including almost 4,000 yards in 2007 when he was named the outstanding player in DIII as a junior Boltus passed for another 3,300 yards this fall when he led the Hawks to the playoffs for the first time as he passed for 35 TDs this fall against just 8 interceptions. Along with a very strong arm, Boltus is also a good athlete who reportedly ran a 4.75 at his school’s pro day last spring in less than ideal conditions. Boltus has also reportedly benched 415 pounds and squated 500 and is known for a solid work ethic with excellent intangibles. If there is a concern about Boltus it’s a lack of touch; in fact, his career completion mark is well under 60%, although he did hit the 60% mark as a senior this past fall.
If you have comments or suggestions, e-mail the Editor, Great Blue North Draft Report. The GBN can also be reached by phone at (613) 692-1088; by fax at (613) 951-0387;or regular mail at P.O. Box 5282, Merivale Depot, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2C 3H5.
Great Blue North Draft Report Privacy Policy.
The GREAT BLUE NORTH DRAFT REPORT is a division of SQUITERLAND ENTERPRISES, Ottawa, Ontario,Canada
:starspin
PROSPECTS TO WATCH FOR THE 2009 DRAFT OUTSIDE DIA FOOTBALL
Strangers in Indianapolis... Not surprisingly, for the most part, the players invited to this year's scouting combine in Indianapolis are mostly well-known prospects from college football's power conferences. In fact, of the 331 players invited to this year's combine, over three out of four (76%) are from schools in the six so-called BCS conferences, while another 17% are from the other D1A programs. Still, there's always room at the combine table for players from outside the ranks of the D1A conferences and this year 26 prospects - about 8% of the total - have been invited to Indianapolis for the week of physical and skills testing as part of the lead-up to the 2009 draft. Of course, many of the non-BCS players invited to the combine also are reasonably well known nationally. Indeed, lower-level prospects like QBs Rhett Bomar of Sam Houston State and Centrak Arkansas' Nathan Brown, Liberty RB Rashad Jennings, Cal-Poly WR Ramses Barden, Richmond DE Lawrence Sidbury and Jackson State CB Domonique Johnson were in Mobile for last month's Senior Bowl.
A number of other small-school draft prospects, though, haven't received quite as much national attention to date. Perhaps the biggest - both literally and figuratively - of the emerging non-BCS prospects invited to this year's combine in Stillman DT Sammie Lee Hill. No shrinking violet, Hill is a 330-pound space-eating interior defensive lineman with exceptional strength and surprising short-area quickness. And while known primarily as a run-stuffer, Hill was also a strong pass-rusher at the lower level, racking up 17.5 career sacks including 7.5 in 2008. Indeed, at 6-4, Hill could also get some looks from 3-4 teams as a DE, although he lacks much in the way of closing speed with a projected 40-clocking in the 5.25 range.
There is also some decent small-school size on the other side of the line starting with Tennessee State OT Cornelius Lewis, a 6-4, 315-pounder with decent quickness, who generally dominated at the lower-level of competition after transferring from Florida State. Lewis, who runs in the 5.20 range for the 40, may also get some looks at OG as he isn't all that tall for an NFL OT. No such problems, though, for 6-7, 310-pound Furman OT Joel Bell, a rangy RT prospect with long arms. Bell has adequate quickess and agility for a big man - he is projected to run the 40 in around 5.25 seconds - but he likely will need to add some bulk and strength to be more than a marginal player at the next level. Meanwhile, Missouri Western State OG Roger Allen is a 6-4, 320-pound mauler upfront, but needs to show pro scouts at the combine that he has the quickness and agility to handle the position at the next level. Pro scouts are intrigued to see just how big and fast emerging McNeese State OT Kyle Link is when he shows up in Indianapolis. Link is currently only listed at around 285 pounds, but he's a converted TE who just made the switch to the position in 2007 so has some room to develop. And at 6-5, the athletic Link also has the frame to add some weight; plus, for good measure, Link is an accomplished long-snapper; he's also an outstanding student majoring in engineering.
Maybe the most surprising prospect invited to this year's combine is Weber State FB Marcus Mailei. Mailei didn't touch the ball all that often in college, although he is an adequate receiver who had 40 career catches for the Wildcats. No one in Indianapolis, though, is going to outwork Mailei, a weight-room warrior who takes that intensity to the field where he is a physical lead-blocker. Meanwhile, NFL teams looking for a speed infusion at WR will take a long look at Stephen F. Austin wideout Dominque Edison, a former Texas state sprint champion with reported sub-4.4 speed. At 6-2, 200, Edison also has decent size and is coming off a productive year at SFU where he averaged over 15 yards per catch on 67 total receptions and scored 18 times in 2008. Same for McNeese State WR Quinten Lawrence, another speedster with sub-4.4 speed. Lawrence, though, has had knee troubles in the past and classifies as a real sleeper after plying in just 5 games in 2008.
************
QB Jason Boltus, Hartwick College, 6-3, 225, 4,75... Playing at little Division III Hartwick College, which for the record is located in Oneonta in central New York, QB Jason Boltus hasn’t gotten much national attention. However, pro scouts have started to troop to the school to check out Boltus, who has one of the strongest arms in the country. Indeed, Boltus will be one of the 300-plus prospects in Indianapolis for this year's annual scoting combine in February. Boltus earned the trip to the combine as he has been one of the most productive passers in college football throwing for over 14,000 yards in his career including almost 4,000 yards in 2007 when he was named the outstanding player in DIII as a junior Boltus passed for another 3,300 yards this fall when he led the Hawks to the playoffs for the first time as he passed for 35 TDs this fall against just 8 interceptions. Along with a very strong arm, Boltus is also a good athlete who reportedly ran a 4.75 at his school’s pro day last spring in less than ideal conditions. Boltus has also reportedly benched 415 pounds and squated 500 and is known for a solid work ethic with excellent intangibles. If there is a concern about Boltus it’s a lack of touch; in fact, his career completion mark is well under 60%, although he did hit the 60% mark as a senior this past fall.
If you have comments or suggestions, e-mail the Editor, Great Blue North Draft Report. The GBN can also be reached by phone at (613) 692-1088; by fax at (613) 951-0387;or regular mail at P.O. Box 5282, Merivale Depot, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2C 3H5.
Great Blue North Draft Report Privacy Policy.
The GREAT BLUE NORTH DRAFT REPORT is a division of SQUITERLAND ENTERPRISES, Ottawa, Ontario,Canada
:starspin
