Week Eight: Risers & Sliders

RS12

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Kevin White/WR/West Virginia: The crop of senior receivers is once again watered down and White is stating his case to be tops in the class. The big bodied wide out has posted at least 100-yards receiving in every game this season while scoring against every IA opponent he’s faced. His totals include 69 receptions in seven games with an average of just under 15 yards per catch. It can be tough to predict how Mountaineer receivers will pan out at the next level but White’s size/speed numbers (6’ 3’’/210lbs and 4.45s) and pass catching skill scream top 45 pick.

Lorenzo Mauldin/DE-OLB/Louisville: Mauldin was highly regarded by scouts entering the season and has done nothing to disappoint during the first half of the year. The athletic front seven prospect has forced the action as a pass rusher, runs down ball carriers in pursuit and also lends a hand on coverage units. His most recent effort included 5 tackles with 1 for loss, 1 sack and 1 quarterback hurry during the Cardinals victory over North Carolina State. Mauldin is a prospect with the ability to make a late dash up draft boards assuming good pre-draft performances at the Senior Bowl and combine.

Paul Dawson/LB/TCU: I stamped Dawson as a free agent prospect entering the season but the senior linebacker may be playing himself into the late rounds. Undersized at 6-feet/230lbs, Dawson flies around the football making plays in pursuit as well as coverage. He posted 13 tackles during the victory over Oklahoma State, giving him a team leading 68, to go along with 2 interceptions and 3 pass defenses. Dawson is a three down defender who has a style similar to Christian Kirksey, the third round pick of the Cleveland Browns. He could back-up for a variety of NFL systems and make his mark on special teams.

Trey Depriest/LB/Alabama: There were a number of standouts during the Tides 59-point shellacking of Texas A&M but considering the circumstances Depriest must be mentioned. The senior finished with five tackles but it was his play in coverage, considered the weakest part of his game, that was most inspired.

http://www.draftinsider.net/blog/?p=10099
 

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A couple intriguing guys to shore up the lines:

Texas Christian left tackle Tayo Fabuluje, a week three riser, intrigues scouts with his size, power and movement skill. And while the reviews on Fabuluje remain generally positive there have been a few red flags. Scouts say Fabuluje added bad weight in the off season and looks poorly conditioned. I’ve been told they’ll also closely inspect the reasons that led to Fabuluje missing the entire 2013 season.



Sleeper of the Week: Marcus Hardisen/DL/Arizona State: I mentioned Hardisen during my PAC 12 preview in July and though he’s not set the world on fire this season, there has been steady development in his game. He’s posted 19 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and 2 sacks at defensive end this season and has shown flashes of brilliance. Hardisen is sized well (6’-3.5” and 305lbs) plays with proper fundamentals and shows a good degree of power in his game. He must learn the nuances of his position and develop more techniques disengaging from blocks but the junior college transfer comes with a large degree of upside.
 

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— In talking with area scouts this week, guys assigned to the West are torn on Arizona State wide receiver Jaelen Strong. One scout has him ranked as a top-15 player, while another has Strong among his most overrated players by the media and more of a second-rounder.

— Michigan's Devin Funchess may have been a tight end prior to the 2014 season, but I polled eight NFL scouts and general managers this week on his NFL position and they each replied that he's viewed as a wide receiver prospect. Each also noted he's likely a first-round talent.

— Who is to credit for the Dallas Cowboys' turnaround? I'm told it's not Jerry Jones but his son, Stephen. As the source told me, Stephen has had a major say in draft day decisions since 2011 (when the team selected offensive tackle Tyron Smith in the first round) and has been the influential factor in the team drafting three offensive linemen in the first round over the last four years.

— Oregon State's Sean Mannion has exciting statistics, but he's not seen as a starting-caliber NFL quarterback prospect. As one area scout assigned to Oregon State texted me this week, "He's Mike Glennon without the arm...and that's not very good."

— There are plenty of marquee offensive tackles likely to be available in the 2015 draft, but one I'm hearing great things about is Oklahoma's Tyrus Thompson. He's not being mentioned alongside Cedric Ogbuehi (Texas A&M) or Brandon Scherff (Iowa) yet, but could be by draft season.

— Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace has the Rebels playing exceptional football, but he's not viewed as a priority NFL prospect. Wallace has been called "a less athletic Jake Locker" by one area scout and in my film review I haven't seen a consistently accurate passer.

— What's the latest from NFL scouts on Jameis Winston? "Character and trust concerns dominate our talks," one NFL general manager said. Teams are also concerned on the field. One scouting director for an NFC team told me, "I'd question his elongated delivery and the fact that he's not a very quick athlete." That said, one high-level personnel source admitted, "It's easy to talk tough about not liking Jameis until you realize the other quarterback options aren't very good."

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2233888-2015-nfl-draft-matt-millers-scouting-notebook-for-week-7
 

RS12

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— Who is to credit for the Dallas Cowboys' turnaround? I'm told it's not Jerry Jones but his son, Stephen. As the source told me, Stephen has had a major say in draft day decisions since 2011 (when the team selected offensive tackle Tyron Smith in the first round) and has been the influential factor in the team drafting three offensive linemen in the first round over the last four years.

So who is the source?
 
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