AdamJT13
Salary Cap Analyst
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Excerpts from a couple of his articles before the draft (snipped to include only the Cowboys' draftees) --
http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/2009/04/2009-nfl-draft-favorites-busts/
All-Favorites Team
QB Stephen McGee, Texas A&M (6-3, 225) -- It was an absolute crime that McGee didn’t get more playing time last season at Texas A&M. However, with a couple of years of development, I expect him to be competing for a starting role in the NFL.
TE John Phillips, Virginia (6-6, 251) -- Phillips isn’t going to wow you in any area of his game, but as a mid-round pick he will definitely help out in both the run and pass game. He’s the type of prospect who will contribute from day one and play 10 years in the NFL.
All-Bust Team
SS Michael Hamlin, Clemson (6-2, 214) -- If there’s one thing I dislike, it’s leggy safeties who struggle transitioning out of their breaks. Hamlin possesses good size, but he isn’t much of a hitter, doesn’t run well and struggles changing directions in space. All that adds up to a prospect I wouldn’t touch come draft day.
(Orakpo is on his all-bust team, too.)
http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/2009/04/nfp-draft-stock-watch-back-7-on-the-rise/
On the rise
OLB Stephen Hodge, TCU (6-0, 234) -- One of my favorite prospects in the draft is Hodge, a former strong safety who will likely to be asked to move to outside linebacker in the NFL. Hodge displayed impressive straight-line speed at the NFL Combine, running his 40 in a time of 4.59. However, he struggles when asked to cleanly transition out of his breaks in coverage and simply doesn’t have the fluidity to play in space at the next level. But what he does as well as any safety in the country is attack the line of scrimmage and make plays vs. the run game. He diagnoses run/pass quickly and has the body control and power to break down in space and consistently make the tackle. He plays with a real mean streak but always takes good angles to the ball and rarely runs himself out of plays. Hodge, a first team All-Mountain West Conference selection at safety, has accepted the fact most teams are looking at him at linebacker, and his physical skill set should allow him to make a smooth transition to the position. He simply made plays in the TCU secondary last year, breaking on the ball, creating collisions and wrapping up ball carriers behind the line. He’s a bit too stiff to play in space in the NFL but should be able to find his way at OLB.
http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/2009/04/2009-nfl-draft-favorites-busts/
All-Favorites Team
QB Stephen McGee, Texas A&M (6-3, 225) -- It was an absolute crime that McGee didn’t get more playing time last season at Texas A&M. However, with a couple of years of development, I expect him to be competing for a starting role in the NFL.
TE John Phillips, Virginia (6-6, 251) -- Phillips isn’t going to wow you in any area of his game, but as a mid-round pick he will definitely help out in both the run and pass game. He’s the type of prospect who will contribute from day one and play 10 years in the NFL.
All-Bust Team
SS Michael Hamlin, Clemson (6-2, 214) -- If there’s one thing I dislike, it’s leggy safeties who struggle transitioning out of their breaks. Hamlin possesses good size, but he isn’t much of a hitter, doesn’t run well and struggles changing directions in space. All that adds up to a prospect I wouldn’t touch come draft day.
(Orakpo is on his all-bust team, too.)
http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/2009/04/nfp-draft-stock-watch-back-7-on-the-rise/
On the rise
OLB Stephen Hodge, TCU (6-0, 234) -- One of my favorite prospects in the draft is Hodge, a former strong safety who will likely to be asked to move to outside linebacker in the NFL. Hodge displayed impressive straight-line speed at the NFL Combine, running his 40 in a time of 4.59. However, he struggles when asked to cleanly transition out of his breaks in coverage and simply doesn’t have the fluidity to play in space at the next level. But what he does as well as any safety in the country is attack the line of scrimmage and make plays vs. the run game. He diagnoses run/pass quickly and has the body control and power to break down in space and consistently make the tackle. He plays with a real mean streak but always takes good angles to the ball and rarely runs himself out of plays. Hodge, a first team All-Mountain West Conference selection at safety, has accepted the fact most teams are looking at him at linebacker, and his physical skill set should allow him to make a smooth transition to the position. He simply made plays in the TCU secondary last year, breaking on the ball, creating collisions and wrapping up ball carriers behind the line. He’s a bit too stiff to play in space in the NFL but should be able to find his way at OLB.
