Rumblings Draft Scouting: Five '09 Risers

Three de’s on here (even though we use DE lightly)…. any looks at george selvie this year? I really dislike the jack players for the bills, since we’ve run nothing but a true 4-3 recently. Those players really don’t fit in well in a power DE set, as we’ve seen with maybin.

Great list Brian. Here’s a few seniors that generated zero draft buzz as jrs last year.

O’Brien Schofield is another DE/OLB tweener who has come out of nowhere.

Garrett Graham is a TE who was known in scouting circles, but has always been overshadowed by Travis Beckum. He should be one of the first TEs off the board.

Danario Alexander is a tall WR from Missourri who has climbed his way into the middle rounds and could go high if he has a good combine.

RBs are rising and falling all over the place. I think Ben Tate will end up going from afterthought to the first or second every down RB who gets picked.

Tony Pike has been big riser, but I think most draftniks were higher on Clauson and Locker going into the season than most people realize.

Matt Tennant could be the first center drafted. He’s from Boston College.

Shaun Luavao is an undersized LT at Arizona St. and could be this year’s version of Andy Levitre.

If the Bills want a play maker at Wr they should be looking at Eric Decker.

after QB we need a couple new olb’s, and tackles (ot and dt). But what about the safetys? this class is suppose to be phenominal for safetys and we need a game changer at safety, want that berry kid or mays

Still sick with some sort of crud, but here’s my notes:

Missouri-Nebraska
Anyone who watched the game has a good understanding for how good Ndamukong Suh is. He may be the most dominant, game-changing college DT since Warren Sapp. Super thick legs which enable him to drive defenders into the backfield on almost any play he wants. He drove 2 Missouri blockers into the backfield on some plays. Unreal quickness off the line. Moves so fast off the line that some plays he was completely unblocked- screen style- but Missouri wasn’t running a screen, they just couldn’t block him. Great hand fighter that doesn’t stay blocked, as indicated by his tackle totals. When he was blocked, played aware and batted down passes. Can drop into coverage like a linebacker and will intercept the ball- had one interception and almost had a second if not for the rain. May have played himself ahead of Gerald McCoy. I don’t see Suh falling out of the top 7 if he keeps playing like this, and will probably be a top 5 lock as the season closes.

-Danario Alexander played OK for the weather conditions. I can’t accurately assess his speed off that game, but he’s a big body that shields defenders from the ball, and has good hands.

-Larry Asante, S, Nebraska. Played well. SS prospect only. Hard game to judge his ability to flip his hips and run with receivers, but he’s a thumper who will likely play in the box in the NFL.

-Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri. I saw Gabbert against Illinois earlier this season, and I’ve been impressed with him both times I saw him. Good arm, sound mechanics, and tall with a higher release point. Pretty good mobility. Someone to keep an eye on for next year, as he’s a sophomore this year.

Oklahoma State-Texas A&M
-Von Miller was impressive in this game, as noted above. What’s more impressive is that he lined up over Russell Okung and beat him outright a bunch of times. Beat Okung on an inside counter move twice, once so cleanly that Zac Robinson had no time to even set his feet on his initial drop. Looks like a really yoked up safety but plays like a bigger LB, which makes me think he could be a Greg Lloyd type of 3-4 OLB. All over the field and didn’t seem to get tired. OSU tried running at him, but he consistently stood up the blocking back or TE, shed, and made the tackle or forced the runner to cut back. Had some difficultly when Okung got into his body on run plays, but that’s to be expected with a 310 lbs. OT blocking a smaller LB. That did free up other Texas A&M defenders to make plays.

-Russell Okung played an OK game if you factor in that he was blocking Miller almost the entire game. It stands to reason that you notice when the OT gets beat and not when he doesn’t. With that said, there were plays that Okung really got out of his stance fast and was able to kick slide and shuffle his feet, easily beating Miller. Kind of makes be wonder about his focus and intensity. He’s got a much bigger frame that his weight, and could add 20 pounds easily if a team is looking at him as a right tackle. Really broad shoulders and long arms that make it hard for a defender to get around. LT feet. Talent suggests that he’s a top 10 pick… needs to be evaluated against other top rushers and then interviewed to assess his motivation level.

I came away really impressed with the Aggie junior QB Jerrod Johnson. Big with good mobility. The first couple passes he threw really looked like they were floating and that he didn’t have the arm strength that his size suggests he should have. He did put some zip on a couple balls though. either way, the Cowboys really couldn’t get at most of his passes as defenders. I really want to see him again to re-assess his arm strength. I liked his decision making and accuracy. Wasn’t just throwing bubble screens and short passes- worked though progressions and got the ball downfield. Good head on his shoulders- unique family situation where he grew up with siblings of other races. Well spoken and seemed well grounded in his interview- I can see decision makers being very comfortable with Johnson as the face of their franchise.

-Count me as not a fan of Zac Robinson the QB. System QB that’s more of a good athlete than a QB. Inaccurate especially on the deep throws. Not reading more than half the field. Very well built and a good runner, could be a candidate to convert to a Josh Cribbs type of player.

Colorado-Texas
-Sergio Kindle is the hardest hitting defender I’ve seen all year. He’s played OLB and DE at Texas, and played strictly as a 3-4 OLB vs. the Buffalo’s. Tremendous first step off the ball, quickest that I’ve seen for an edge rusher all year, including Norwood, Selvie, Dunlap, and Sapp. Puts the OT at a mismatch right off the snap. Nate Solder, a good OT for Colorado, struggled to kick slide out of his stance and stay with Kindle. Cannot be single blocked by TE’s and backs. Uncoils and really strikes ball carries, and can deliver a blow without a running start. Similar in physical skills to Shawn Merriman, though not as big. Someone to watch this weekend as Texas plays Oklahoma, where Kindle will rush against an elite OT prospect, Trent Williams.

-Rodderick Muckelroy, OLB, Texas. Playing ILB in the Texas 3-4, but body type and speed indicates he’s more of a 4-3 OLB. But has the bulk to shift inside a la Jerrod Mayo, but may not have the take on strength, as the Buffs did a good job pushing the Texas defense around in the first half. Really good in zone coverage in the hook and curl zones, changing some of Cody Hawkins’ throws.

-Every time I watch Jordan Shipley, I think Wes Welker. I don’t think he’s got the blazing straight line speed to run past a DB consistently on deep routes. But man, does he get open on every underneath and mid-range route. Super savvy on reading coverages and getting to the open spots in the zone. Good punt returner who sets his blocks up well. He needs to beat the injury bugs, but he does a lot for Texas and does it well.

-I was not impressed by Colt McCoy. He’s a good sized QB but just doesn’t delivery the ball with a lot of velocity. I think he’s going to have to adjust his game a bit to make it to the NFL, and I see him as a bigger version of Jeff Garcia. He does have a very accurate arm, though. I was interested to see if it was scheme or his talent, and I came away thinking that his high completion percentage is more to do with his accurate throws, though the scheme he plays in helps. Will need to play in a scheme that emphasizes a short passing game.

Auburn-Arkansas
-Michael Smith, RB, Arkansas. Played a great game. Very short, and not as well built as Jones-Drew, but could make it in the pros as a change of pace back. Very fast once he cuts and gets upfield, and doesn’t go down as easily as his size suggests. Could bring value later in the draft to a team with bigger backs.

-This is the second time I’ve watch Ryan Mallett, and I am really impressed. Super tall (listed at 6-7, probably 6-6) and has a great arm. Can throw with velocity and make all the throws. Really impressive putting air underneath the fade routes and gives his WR’s a chance to make a play. Smart with the football (13 TD’s and only 3 INT’s even though he’s had over 35 attempts in three of his five games). Marginal mobility but seemed to sidestep the Auburn rush well. He’s a sophomore and someone to watch in the future, along with his sophomore pal, WR Greg Childs, who looks like a big up-and-coming deep threat.

-Not impressed with Antonio Coleman. Similar to Selvie, he seemed to let up off the snap as if that was his assignment. Played on the TE side the whole game, and almost always to the C gap inside the TE, and didn’t really rush hard that much. Looks like a OLB to me and needs to be evaluated in the one-on-one pass rushing drills at the Senior Bowl to really get a good look at his rushing ability, IMO.

Agree with what was mentioned on Ben Tate. Plays in Auburn’s unique spread and is asked to run a lot of different routes out of the backfield, which Tate has show he can do. Runs with power and has some shiftiness, shuffling and sliding through and into holes at times. I don’t know if I’d give him a second round grade at this point, but he’s definitely running under the radar and should bring good value wherever he’s drafted.

Iupati is a junior. He played as a freshman in 2006.

Iupati is also from American Samoa, and considering recent events and deaths in his extended family, his play is even more commendable.

anyone have any thoughts? I watched him and one thing the commentators kept saying is that he has added some serious touch to his rocket arm. He’s 6’6", 215 lbs