Shinywalrus
Active Member
- Messages
- 1,748
- Reaction score
- 10
I figure if I'm going to take issue with anyone else's mock, I ought to put up my own for criticism as well. Like Hostile’s mock, I won’t project any trades, although I think it should not be a surprise to see one of our number 4s and number 5s packaged to move up in the 2nd. And before you ask, no, I’m neither an SEC nor LSU alum...
Round 2- Herman Johnson, OG, LSU, 6'7", 362 – I actually like Loadholt as well, but I still feel like he’s going to be out of reach for us – a year removed from Joe Thomas contributing to a changed Cleveland Browns team (which then reverted, at little fault to Thomas), Jake Long was very good and Ryan Clady should have made the Pro Bowl. The odds of another run-on-tackles year, especially one that is pretty rich in talent, seems likely. And if Loadholt is a mountain of a man, Johnson is a landmass – I always found him surprisingly quick and admirably resistant to quick pass rush moves by agile interior defensive linemen. Weaknesses are tough to identify, but they frequently are on interior offensive linemen in college football – maybe his awareness of where the QB stands in the pocket, if I had to be picky. Obviously a poor fit if we’re thinking zone blocking long term, but that doesn’t look like it’s in the cards anyway.
Round 3 (From CLE) – Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU, 6’4”, 295 – He’s unfairly maligned because he was, honestly, a little bit out of position, but I would expect the current “pundits” dropping his draft stock doesn’t really reflect the reality of things. Quick off the snap (most of the time) and with a strong power move on the outside shoulder, I feel like he has a pretty good sense of the play developing and doesn’t overpursue like so many college ends. Moving him to the inside next to Ware would unleash him at his greatest points of strength.
Round 4 (From DET) – Louis Delmas, FS, Western Michigan, 6’0, 196 – Really unfortunate that this guy had to play for such a lousy defense – boosted his stats and accordingly seems to be going up draft boards on the interwebs, but a top pick in Round 4 still seems pretty fair for this guy – I think this is a guy who fits us well as a rover type. He’s not going to line up in man on tight ends, but Henry is pretty solid there. Great hands, good instincts for route jumping and a CLEAN, SOLID, SOUND tackler. He’s got his fundamentals under control. Yes, I’m still annoyed about the Baltimore game. I’ll redo my mock when I get over it.
Round 4 – Zack Follett, WILB, Cal, 6’2, 240 – My favorite player in this draft. Has an absolute mean streak, has 34 experience, lines up everywhere, good in pass rush, good in outside run defense, quite serviceable in both zone and man (TE/HB) coverage and an absolute powderkeg. I maintain that he reminds me of Zach Thomas in the way he approaches the game, although his instincts aren’t in the same zip code yet.
Round 5 – Quan Cosby, WR, 6’0, 205 – On the field, reminds me a little bit of a poor man’s Anquan Boldin – he’s a crafty route-runner with adequate speed and a beautiful knack for slipping coverage coming out of cuts. This is a #2/#3 receiver prospect, but one that was productive enough and shows the tools to become an efficient contributor.
Round 5 from Tennessee - Kevin Barnes, CB, Maryland, 6'1", 188 – The shoulder injury that kept him out for much of his senior year was the thing here. Right now he’s being called a Round 5 prospect, but I can’t believe that will remain the case, since it sounds like he’ll be able to work out pretty soon. That said, if his stock stays around here, he is a prime competitor for the outside position opposite Terence in the next year or two. Fast, good size, Jenkins-like arms and hands, and pretty good backpedal…not a guy who would only work in man coverage.
Round 5 Compensatory Pick for Julius Jones (UFA) - Travis McCall – TE/FB, Alabama, 6’2, 260 – Sorry, Deon. McCall is too savvy a blocker and too versatile a talent to let you hold on to a roster spot you started to really make us regret over the course of the season.
Round 5 Compensatory Pick for Jacques Reeves (UFA) – Xavier Fulton – OT, Illinois, 6’4 300 – The upside on this guy is pretty tremendous. I recall him as a DT, but the whole world saw his potential to dominate in the game against Ohio State last year, where he showed his ability to obliterate his man and move on to the next level in the run game. Absolutely terrible feet, to be honest, but everything else on this guy is top shelf. All it’s going to take is technique. Jason Peters.
Round 6 – Curtis Painter, QB, Purdue, 6’3, 228 – After the Oregon game, things really went downhill, getting frustrated by the lack of receiving options and the almost immediate pressure that was on him. We’ve seen the flashes, though. Curtis literally looks like Romo in the pocket sometimes (and his decision-making can be reminiscent of it). And we’ve seen what we looks like with weapons, especially big, fast, pass-catching and blocking tight ends…I think this guy is a great developmental prospect. A year ago, you would have been laughed at to think you could pick up Painter in the 6th.
Round 7 (from DET) – Eric Vanden Heuvel, OT, Wisconsin, 6'8", 324. He’s had some injury problems, to be sure, but this is a pretty athletic prospect to groom behind Colombo. Really long arms, good reach, and a force in the running game – can get beat around the edge by quick Des with a low center of gravity, as we saw on a few occasions, but somebody that would be a lot higher were it not for a few leg injuries that didn’t sound like the recurring kind.
Round 7 – Julius Williams, OLB, Connecticut, 6’2, 258 – Maybe it’s just because I get to watch a few more of these games in the Northeast, but I don’t understand why this guy isn’t higher on boards. VERY quick off the line with a great sense for angles around the corner. From what I saw, will lose contain against the run, but I think a lot of that had to do with the role he was forced to play on his defense. I think this guy would be a great bit of depth behind Ware and Spencer, since Walden didn’t work out last year.
Round 2- Herman Johnson, OG, LSU, 6'7", 362 – I actually like Loadholt as well, but I still feel like he’s going to be out of reach for us – a year removed from Joe Thomas contributing to a changed Cleveland Browns team (which then reverted, at little fault to Thomas), Jake Long was very good and Ryan Clady should have made the Pro Bowl. The odds of another run-on-tackles year, especially one that is pretty rich in talent, seems likely. And if Loadholt is a mountain of a man, Johnson is a landmass – I always found him surprisingly quick and admirably resistant to quick pass rush moves by agile interior defensive linemen. Weaknesses are tough to identify, but they frequently are on interior offensive linemen in college football – maybe his awareness of where the QB stands in the pocket, if I had to be picky. Obviously a poor fit if we’re thinking zone blocking long term, but that doesn’t look like it’s in the cards anyway.
Round 3 (From CLE) – Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU, 6’4”, 295 – He’s unfairly maligned because he was, honestly, a little bit out of position, but I would expect the current “pundits” dropping his draft stock doesn’t really reflect the reality of things. Quick off the snap (most of the time) and with a strong power move on the outside shoulder, I feel like he has a pretty good sense of the play developing and doesn’t overpursue like so many college ends. Moving him to the inside next to Ware would unleash him at his greatest points of strength.
Round 4 (From DET) – Louis Delmas, FS, Western Michigan, 6’0, 196 – Really unfortunate that this guy had to play for such a lousy defense – boosted his stats and accordingly seems to be going up draft boards on the interwebs, but a top pick in Round 4 still seems pretty fair for this guy – I think this is a guy who fits us well as a rover type. He’s not going to line up in man on tight ends, but Henry is pretty solid there. Great hands, good instincts for route jumping and a CLEAN, SOLID, SOUND tackler. He’s got his fundamentals under control. Yes, I’m still annoyed about the Baltimore game. I’ll redo my mock when I get over it.
Round 4 – Zack Follett, WILB, Cal, 6’2, 240 – My favorite player in this draft. Has an absolute mean streak, has 34 experience, lines up everywhere, good in pass rush, good in outside run defense, quite serviceable in both zone and man (TE/HB) coverage and an absolute powderkeg. I maintain that he reminds me of Zach Thomas in the way he approaches the game, although his instincts aren’t in the same zip code yet.
Round 5 – Quan Cosby, WR, 6’0, 205 – On the field, reminds me a little bit of a poor man’s Anquan Boldin – he’s a crafty route-runner with adequate speed and a beautiful knack for slipping coverage coming out of cuts. This is a #2/#3 receiver prospect, but one that was productive enough and shows the tools to become an efficient contributor.
Round 5 from Tennessee - Kevin Barnes, CB, Maryland, 6'1", 188 – The shoulder injury that kept him out for much of his senior year was the thing here. Right now he’s being called a Round 5 prospect, but I can’t believe that will remain the case, since it sounds like he’ll be able to work out pretty soon. That said, if his stock stays around here, he is a prime competitor for the outside position opposite Terence in the next year or two. Fast, good size, Jenkins-like arms and hands, and pretty good backpedal…not a guy who would only work in man coverage.
Round 5 Compensatory Pick for Julius Jones (UFA) - Travis McCall – TE/FB, Alabama, 6’2, 260 – Sorry, Deon. McCall is too savvy a blocker and too versatile a talent to let you hold on to a roster spot you started to really make us regret over the course of the season.
Round 5 Compensatory Pick for Jacques Reeves (UFA) – Xavier Fulton – OT, Illinois, 6’4 300 – The upside on this guy is pretty tremendous. I recall him as a DT, but the whole world saw his potential to dominate in the game against Ohio State last year, where he showed his ability to obliterate his man and move on to the next level in the run game. Absolutely terrible feet, to be honest, but everything else on this guy is top shelf. All it’s going to take is technique. Jason Peters.
Round 6 – Curtis Painter, QB, Purdue, 6’3, 228 – After the Oregon game, things really went downhill, getting frustrated by the lack of receiving options and the almost immediate pressure that was on him. We’ve seen the flashes, though. Curtis literally looks like Romo in the pocket sometimes (and his decision-making can be reminiscent of it). And we’ve seen what we looks like with weapons, especially big, fast, pass-catching and blocking tight ends…I think this guy is a great developmental prospect. A year ago, you would have been laughed at to think you could pick up Painter in the 6th.
Round 7 (from DET) – Eric Vanden Heuvel, OT, Wisconsin, 6'8", 324. He’s had some injury problems, to be sure, but this is a pretty athletic prospect to groom behind Colombo. Really long arms, good reach, and a force in the running game – can get beat around the edge by quick Des with a low center of gravity, as we saw on a few occasions, but somebody that would be a lot higher were it not for a few leg injuries that didn’t sound like the recurring kind.
Round 7 – Julius Williams, OLB, Connecticut, 6’2, 258 – Maybe it’s just because I get to watch a few more of these games in the Northeast, but I don’t understand why this guy isn’t higher on boards. VERY quick off the line with a great sense for angles around the corner. From what I saw, will lose contain against the run, but I think a lot of that had to do with the role he was forced to play on his defense. I think this guy would be a great bit of depth behind Ware and Spencer, since Walden didn’t work out last year.
