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NFL teams seeking an elite left tackle in Saturday's draft have spent much of the spring focused on Michigan's Jake Long, Boise State's Ryan Clady and Vanderbilt's Chris Williams. There is a late addition -- Virginia junior Branden Albert -- at the top of the class.
Albert, primarily a guard in college, flew up draft boards around the league after NFL coaches and scouts more thoroughly studied film of the two games he played at left tackle last year because of an injury to a teammate. Albert showed good athleticism to play the position in the NFL.
He has such great upside that he could be the second offensive lineman drafted. (Long signed Tuesday with the Miami Dolphins, ensuring he'll be the No. 1-overall pick.) Several teams are said to be eyeing a trade up in the first round to grab Albert.
Albert (6-5 3/4, 315) is big and shows rare natural strength for a guy with such light and nimble footwork. Some scouts' only concern is his lack of playing time at tackle, but a bigger issue is his lack of consistent effort. He should dominate on every play but far too often allows the defensive lineman to dictate the action.
That said, Albert still could be the second offensive lineman off the board because there are concerns about Williams (lack of aggressiveness) and Clady (lack of natural bulk). We scouts at The War Room unanimously think that would be a mistake, but mistakes happen every year in the draft. Teams should look at Albert's whole body of work; if they do that, they'll see he doesn't merit a top 10 pick.
Keep an eye on Toledo G/T Greco
The stock of Toledo's John Greco also is on the rise, although this hasn't been as publicized. No one is going to confuse Greco with Clady or Albert when it comes to athleticism, but Greco (6-5, 303) definitely is a good enough athlete to play right tackle or guard.
Greco reminds us of the Patriots' Logan Mankins. He plays with rare passion, intensity and fire and has grabbed the attention of NFL teams that stress toughness and aggressiveness on the offensive line. Greco is not a first-round prospect but has moved into position to be drafted in the second round.
CBs Cason, Flowers better than you think
Two cornerbacks -- Arizona's Antoine Cason and Virginia Tech's Brandon Flowers -- moved up draft boards recently as position coaches broke down more game film.
In Tuesday's draft dish, we detailed Flowers' off-field issues and wrote about how they could hinder his draft stock. However, I spoke to two men from NFL teams since writing that column. Both said their coaches and GMs loved Flowers as a player and wouldn't lower him on their draft boards because his on-field play was so impressive.
Flowers is the most physically aggressive, competitive and instinctive cornerback in the draft. Despite not running a blazing 40-yard dash in pre-draft workouts (4.54 seconds), he is without question a complete cornerback with the tools to start early in his NFL career.
Cason lacks explosiveness and elite speed, but his on-field play really impressed NFL coaches. He shows great instincts and has the size and strength teams desperately seek. Plus, he is productive in all types of coverage.
There are enough issues with Flowers and Cason to cause them to slip out of the first round, but they both are more consistent than many of the cornerbacks who will be drafted ahead of them.
Arkansas State S Johnson on the move
Arkansas State safety Tyrell Johnson has been flying up draft boards since the NFL Scouting Combine and now projects as a second-round pick, at worst. Before his workout at the Combine in late February, he was viewed as an outstanding run defender who lacked foot quickness and speed for downfield coverage.
However, he ran so well and worked out so well, both at the Combine and in personal workouts for NFL teams in March, that he has eased doubts about his ability to be productive in all types of coverage. This spring, Johnson has gone from a likely fourth- or fifth-round pick to a probable second-rounder.
LBs Mayo, Dizon shoot up
Two linebackers -- Tennessee's Jarod Mayo and Colorado's Jordon Dizon -- also have made big moves up draft boards the last two months.
Mayo (6-1 3/8, 237) was viewed as a likely third-round pick when he declared for the draft after his junior season. As NFL scouts and coaches have broken down the film, they have been impressed with his athleticism, instincts, explosiveness and playmaking ability. He now projects to go late in the first round or early in the second.
Dizon (6-0, 225) is short and thus has not received a ton of publicity. However, he is climbing draft boards because of his tremendous instincts, explosive closing ability and consistently elite production. In January, many thought Dizon would be a great fourth-round "sleeper" pick. Now, after coaches and scouts more thoroughly evaluated his play, he has leapfrogged a ton of other linebackers and is pretty much assured of being drafted in the top half of the second round. Former NFL scout Russ Lande evaluates college players for the Sporting News' Pro
Albert, primarily a guard in college, flew up draft boards around the league after NFL coaches and scouts more thoroughly studied film of the two games he played at left tackle last year because of an injury to a teammate. Albert showed good athleticism to play the position in the NFL.
He has such great upside that he could be the second offensive lineman drafted. (Long signed Tuesday with the Miami Dolphins, ensuring he'll be the No. 1-overall pick.) Several teams are said to be eyeing a trade up in the first round to grab Albert.
Albert (6-5 3/4, 315) is big and shows rare natural strength for a guy with such light and nimble footwork. Some scouts' only concern is his lack of playing time at tackle, but a bigger issue is his lack of consistent effort. He should dominate on every play but far too often allows the defensive lineman to dictate the action.
That said, Albert still could be the second offensive lineman off the board because there are concerns about Williams (lack of aggressiveness) and Clady (lack of natural bulk). We scouts at The War Room unanimously think that would be a mistake, but mistakes happen every year in the draft. Teams should look at Albert's whole body of work; if they do that, they'll see he doesn't merit a top 10 pick.
Keep an eye on Toledo G/T Greco
The stock of Toledo's John Greco also is on the rise, although this hasn't been as publicized. No one is going to confuse Greco with Clady or Albert when it comes to athleticism, but Greco (6-5, 303) definitely is a good enough athlete to play right tackle or guard.
Greco reminds us of the Patriots' Logan Mankins. He plays with rare passion, intensity and fire and has grabbed the attention of NFL teams that stress toughness and aggressiveness on the offensive line. Greco is not a first-round prospect but has moved into position to be drafted in the second round.
CBs Cason, Flowers better than you think
Two cornerbacks -- Arizona's Antoine Cason and Virginia Tech's Brandon Flowers -- moved up draft boards recently as position coaches broke down more game film.
In Tuesday's draft dish, we detailed Flowers' off-field issues and wrote about how they could hinder his draft stock. However, I spoke to two men from NFL teams since writing that column. Both said their coaches and GMs loved Flowers as a player and wouldn't lower him on their draft boards because his on-field play was so impressive.
Flowers is the most physically aggressive, competitive and instinctive cornerback in the draft. Despite not running a blazing 40-yard dash in pre-draft workouts (4.54 seconds), he is without question a complete cornerback with the tools to start early in his NFL career.
Cason lacks explosiveness and elite speed, but his on-field play really impressed NFL coaches. He shows great instincts and has the size and strength teams desperately seek. Plus, he is productive in all types of coverage.
There are enough issues with Flowers and Cason to cause them to slip out of the first round, but they both are more consistent than many of the cornerbacks who will be drafted ahead of them.
Arkansas State S Johnson on the move
Arkansas State safety Tyrell Johnson has been flying up draft boards since the NFL Scouting Combine and now projects as a second-round pick, at worst. Before his workout at the Combine in late February, he was viewed as an outstanding run defender who lacked foot quickness and speed for downfield coverage.
However, he ran so well and worked out so well, both at the Combine and in personal workouts for NFL teams in March, that he has eased doubts about his ability to be productive in all types of coverage. This spring, Johnson has gone from a likely fourth- or fifth-round pick to a probable second-rounder.
LBs Mayo, Dizon shoot up
Two linebackers -- Tennessee's Jarod Mayo and Colorado's Jordon Dizon -- also have made big moves up draft boards the last two months.
Mayo (6-1 3/8, 237) was viewed as a likely third-round pick when he declared for the draft after his junior season. As NFL scouts and coaches have broken down the film, they have been impressed with his athleticism, instincts, explosiveness and playmaking ability. He now projects to go late in the first round or early in the second.
Dizon (6-0, 225) is short and thus has not received a ton of publicity. However, he is climbing draft boards because of his tremendous instincts, explosive closing ability and consistently elite production. In January, many thought Dizon would be a great fourth-round "sleeper" pick. Now, after coaches and scouts more thoroughly evaluated his play, he has leapfrogged a ton of other linebackers and is pretty much assured of being drafted in the top half of the second round. Former NFL scout Russ Lande evaluates college players for the Sporting News' Pro
