|
NCAA Scouting
2013 Draft – NFC North Draft Review
by Paul Emery
May 22nd 2013
Having finished equal 12th with Mike Mayock (and ahead of Mel Kiper) in the Huddle Report’s Top 100 rankings this year, Paul Emery now rates your team’s 2013 Draft Class.
Assigning Draft grades has never been my thing, although the last couple of years I’ve done so. But many have shown much comes down to opportunity as well as talent, so I’ll avoid them this year but I will give my general impression. I’ll give a player by player analysis of each Draft pick and throw in a few of my favourite undrafted free agents (UDFA’s) as well.
I did try and watch every draftable prospect, but in some cases that wasn’t possible (access/money or time usually!) and in those cases I’ll state that and make no comment, rather than trying to fudge it or saying it was a reach just because the player wasn’t on my list of prospects or something!
Chicago Bears
The Bears draft is very interesting value wise. I don’t see any value in the first two picks and indeed both are at least two rounds too early for me. However, day three saw four excellent value picks and indeed if Wilson is squared away off the field he will end up being one of the better value picks in the entire draft.
1. Kyle Long OT/G Oregon. I’m not a fan of Long at all and indeed in terms of my rankings he was my number 14 overall ranked OT, which about says it all. If Long is really this good and bear in mind this is the 20th overall pick in the Draft wouldn’t he have nailed down a starting role before late October? He played some left tackle in a rotation before finding a home at left guard. Part of the problem for me with him is just what is he? I really don’t like tall guards and Long is 6’6, so that means he’ll struggle to win the leverage battle inside (and he compounds that by playing too high). Projecting him to tackle, his arms were shorter than the ideal 34 mark he is a good athlete, but I’m not as convinced feet wise he can stay outside as I am with Justin Pugh. I’m all for an upside pick, but this early and for someone with some off the field questions (dismissed from Florida State) I do not like at all the weakest pick in the first round for my money. If you believe the post-Draft talk, two other teams were lined up to take him in the first round so maybe I’m just missing something but remembering Danny Watkins who Mike Mayock loved and looks like is likely to be cut by the Eagles, makes me hold firm with my opinion.
2. Jon Bostic ILB Florida. Bostic wasn’t someone who the media caught on to at all and it was only after Mike Mayock named him in his top 100 just before the Draft that others started to do so. After the Combine I put him in my top 100 right away as his numbers were that good (that didn’t always work see Cornelius Washington and Devin Taylor lasting until day three). From tape I didn’t get the sense of his athletic ability, so his numbers were a surprise with LB’s that usually means read and react can be a bit slow and that’s the case with Bostic. He is very physical though and certainly the way he took on blocks and tackled, he clearly has that pro power. I must admit I wasn’t a big fan from tape, I had him as a day three guy before the Combine so there is athletic upside, but there is risk here as the tape didn’t match the workout numbers.
4. Khaseem Greene OLB Rutgers. Greene was in most top 100’s and indeed many had him as a second round level talent. I didn’t think Greene was that consistent on tape and at the Senior Bowl he was pretty quiet, although drills aren’t necessarily tailored for LB’s to really show up as they are for lineman and WR’s/CB’s. When on his game, Greene did look to be a top 100 talent for sure his read and react was good and he made many highlight plays. Unfortunately he wasn’t always on and indeed in a couple of games he was very quiet, so it’s a case of trying to work him out. He’s a former safety who is comfortable in space but I think some concerns about his coverage ability together with lack of consistency saw him fall.
5. Jordan Mills OT Louisiana Tech. Mills was a late call up to the Senior Bowl and he took advantage of the opportunity with a really good showing in the pit (one on one drills against defensive lineman). He also had a solid game against Texas A&M;’s Damontre Moore (round 3, Giants). Unfortunately after a Senior Bowl rise in stock, he didn’t perform well at the Combine so found his level here. Mills is a right tackle only type who lacks the feet to play on the left side. But he’s big and powerful he can sit in his stance and lock up his man nicely. He can over extend against speed, so he is what he is but it’s solid value here and if he plays as he did in Mobile he can push for a starting role.
6. Cornelius Washington DE Georgia. Athletically Washington should have been taken much earlier as his Combine numbers were fantastic. On tape though, Washington was virtually anonymous at times so I guess that’s why he went here. I’ve seen players with worse (or no) tape go earlier, so I think the value is good here as he does have significant athletic upside. In fairness to him, he played some 3-4 DE and some OLB in 2012, so didn’t really have a position. He was overmatched a little in the five technique role and fluid enough standing up, so he will be better as a 4-3 DE. Interestingly he did perform better at the Senior Bowl in that role, so certainly he’s very much worth the pick.
7. Marquess Wilson WR Washington State. Coming into the year Wilson was being talked about as a possible first round pick, so this is a big time fall. Wilson’s production was down on 2011 anyway, you could see when watching him that he was frustrated, but then he fell out with Mike Leach (not the first and won’t be the last) and was suspended for the final three games of the season. From tape study I questioned his ability to separate at times, so I don’t think he was a first rounder probably more of a mid round talent but certainly here is good value from his tape. As long as the locker room can hold him accountable, hopefully he’ll be fine off the field and turn this into a really good pick.
Top UDFA’s
This isn’t a huge class, but there are some interesting names. Zach Minter (DT, Montana State) was hurt during his senior year and therefore saw his stock slip but he’s very quick and could push for a spot in the rotation. Damontre Hurst (CB, Oklahoma) was rated as a mid round level pick coming into the year and does have ability but ran in the low 4.5’s at his pro day, which failed to arrest his slide but he’s well worth a look. Michael Ford (RB, LSU) was part of the rotation for the Tigers and has good speed. Marcus Rucker (WR, Memphis) has good size, speed and hands he didn’t have a great QB in college so is a sleeper to watch. B.J. Scott (CB/S) South Alabama was a late addition to the Senior Bowl roster and showed up on game day he’s not afraid to tackle and should push for a roster spot on special teams. Mark Harrison (WR, Rutgers) is a big/tall target who didn’t have great production, but has upside.
Detroit Lions
Three of the Lions first four picks all have huge athletic upside, but the tape isn’t necessarily there so this is a high risk/high reward type of Draft. Larry Warford is more of a safe pick and he was excellent value in the third round. Day thee saw a couple of nice picks, but in all there’s too much risk here for me to think of it as anything other than a risky class.
1. Ziggy Ansah DE Brigham Young. This pick is the ultimate gamble and it could well blow up in their face. Ansah had played very little before 2012 but saw more playing time as the year progressed. I thought his tape was good, showing natural bend and power but he played in a 3-4 system and was not used as an edge rusher at all. So, the only experience in a 4-3 he has was at the Senior Bowl where he had a poor week of practice, but then stood out in the actual game. He’s a fantastic athlete with unlimited upside, but it’s hard to project him as a 4-3 DE as he wasn’t used there at all. I must admit I do struggle when I can’t see something on college tape and lining up inside the tackle box makes it difficult, particularly this high in the Draft. I do like him, that natural power is exciting, but I have some concerns for this system fit particularly in terms of making an impact early in his career.
2. Darius Slay CB Mississippi State. In my AFC South review I talked about the madness of Dwyane Gratz being drafted before Blidi Wreh-Wilson (Connecticut team mates) and it’s the same case here with Slay and Johnthan Banks. From tape Banks is the better prospect by a country mile, but Slay performed better at the Combine so he rose above Banks just crazy. Upside is great, but sometimes it leads to stupid decisions and this is one such example. Mississippi State used mostly zone coverage (Cover-3), so Slay was often side on reading the QB and he lacked the natural instincts of Banks. He did look better in man coverage, but he doesn’t have a great deal of experience with this just a few plays in each game, so it’s a little bit of a jigsaw. Perhaps with his man coverage skills and speed that puts him above Banks, but I still have a hard time with this pick as I had Banks a good two rounds ahead of Slay before the Combine.
3. Larry Warford OG Kentucky. This is a much better pick from a value stand point and indeed Warford should be able to start from day one and play at a high level. Warford is a big man and may always have to watch his weight and didn’t test out that well at the Combine but his tape isn’t that far behind Chance Warmack’s. He looks very comfortable in pass protection, sitting nicely in his stance with a nice anchor and he dominated John Jenkins both in the Georgia game and at the Senior Bowl. In the run game he’s a real mauler and his only weakness is that he gets himself over extended too often and thus ends up with a facemask full of dirt. If he can clean that up, I think he can be a really good starter and therefore I love the pick.
4. Devin Taylor DE South Carolina. Taylor is another high risk/high reward prospect who didn’t have great tape for South Carolina. However, he had a fine post season I thought he was the best player in the Shrine Game and his Combine numbers were excellent. It could be that if they cut him loose and don’t have him thinking too much, that athletic ability will take over and he’ll be a nice pick but he didn’t look like an early day three pick for the Gamecocks. He’s a tall man and will always have to work on bending he doesn’t always do a great job with that, so is his main area to work on. Such a pick is easier to swallow in the fourth round than the fifth overall pick, but it still carries risk.
5. Sam Martin P Appalachian State. I saw a fair amount of Appalachian State the last two years and Martin stood out every time I watched him. I didn’t see him ranked as draftable anywhere, so it’s nice to see that he wasn’t overlooked because he played for a smaller school. He also has experience kicking off, which is an added bonus. He gets good height on his punts and has a really nice leg. He is also skilled at dropping the ball inside the opponents 20. I put in my notes I thought he was draftable, so I’m onboard with this value wise.
6a. Corey Fuller WR Virginia Tech. Fuller had less experience than Tech team mate Marcus Davis, but ended up being the one drafted. Fuller ran track at Kansas State before transferring to be with his brother (CB Kyle) at Tech. He really came on as the season went on and still has upside, so is very much worth this pick. He looked very good on deep crossing routes and indeed had some Chris Givens (Rams) about him in that respect. He looks dangerous after the catch but he’ll need to continue to develop as a route runner. With only 2 catches in 2011, he has one year of production so there is some risk, but with his ceiling being high at this stage it’s worth it.
6b. Theo Riddick RB Notre Dame. Riddick was originally a WR but moved to RB as a senior. He ended up seeing more carries down the stretch and indeed against USC he was superb. As a former WR, he looked very comfortable catching the ball and could help in that respect early. He has some power and flashed a nice burst. He doesn’t have many miles on the clock like some college backs, so it’s worth a look here.
7a. Michael Williams TE Alabama. Williams is the best blocking TE in this Draft class and was a big part of Alabama’s productivity running the football. He lasted until the seventh round as he’s not an elite athlete and although he has reliable hands, he’s a short range receiving option only. It could even be that Williams is asked to bulk up and play tackle his ability to set the edge is fantastic and when I studied him, I came away really appreciating how important he was to his team. He may lack the athletic upside of many of the picks above, but he’s a very good player and should be able to help the running game in a big way.
7b. Brandon Hepburn ILB Florida A&M.; Hepburn was reportedly one of the higher character prospects in this class, so that will have played a part in his selection. Hepburn looks a little lean, but is very athletic so projects as a weakside LB. At times he played right up at the line of scrimmage for A&M; and really struggled to get off blocks. He looked much better when he was kept clean (as he should be behind a good defensive line), although his read and react was a little slow at times. His movement skills should see him push for a roster spot based on special teams coverage and hopefully he’ll develop a bit strength wise to help him at LB moving forward.
Top UDFA’s
The highlight for the Lions was Joseph Fauria (TE, UCLA), a tall TE who is not much of a blocker, but can stretch the field from the slot I was surprised someone didn’t take him on day three. Alex Carder (QB, Western Michigan) lacks a top arm, but is smart and has a quick release he was highly efficient in his college spread system. Cody Wilson (WR, Central Michigan) is more of a possession type receiver, but he can separate. LaAdrian Waddle (OT, Texas Tech) has some athletic upside but needs some technique work.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers attacked some needs doubling up at DE, RB and OT/G nothing wrong with a playoff team attacking needs. I’m not that high on a couple of the day three picks but they did take a favourite sleeper of mine in small school WR Charles Johnson.
1. Datone Jones DE UCLA. I must admit I saw Jones as a better fit in a 4-3 base and then inside in the nickel. The Packers nickel of two DT’s does suit him, but in certain base packages he may need to two gap and that doesn’t really fit him. Jones biggest asset is his quickness and inside it gives guards major problems. He played in a 3-4 for UCLA, but at 4-3 DE at the Senior Bowl I thought he looked much more comfortable. Of course most teams are in the nickel at least 50% of the time, so even if it takes him a year to get a bit bigger and stronger for the base defense he can still contribute. He’s a really good player, the value is solid but at least to start with I’m not sure of the fit.
2. Eddie Lacy RB Alabama. Lacy finished the season extremely well with three 100+ yard games, two of which were big games (SEC and BCS National Championship Games). That pushed him up media boards and rightly so. However, his post season was not great and after not being healthy for the Combine, he struggled a little conditioning wise at his pro day. I don’t think that will be a major issue moving forward, after all there are many OTA’s and training camp to come to get him in shape. He is used to sharing the load throughout his career, so will be right at home with another RB drafted two rounds later. A powerful runner, he has a nice trademark spin move and should be right at home in the Packers system.
4a. David Bakhtiari OT/G Colorado. Colorado were only on in the UK the once and I couldn’t find any additional YouTube games, so I found Bakhtiari very difficult to rate on one watch. I can’t say he really stood out and I actually placed a borderline 3rd/4th round grade on him. He didn’t workout that well at the Combine and that saw him still around on day three. He’s a lighter guy at 299 lbs and that was a problem in terms of inability to anchor at times. His pass protection technique was good at times, but his hands did tend to come from low and outside too often which then meant hand placement was questionable and he’ll need to keep the hands inside more. Despite not being the biggest, he’s got some nasty about him in the run game he will over extend a little, but that can be cleaned up. Probably about right value wise, but I would have liked to have seen more of him…
4b. J.C. Tretter OT/G Cornell. Tretter was due to play at the Senior Bowl, but broke his nose training for the event, so I’ve only seen YouTube footage (one full game though, Cornell’s website was pay per view not worth it for one prospect). He played left tackle in college but is more of a right tackle or even guard as a pro as even at a lower level of play he struggled against edge speed. He will need to sink his hips more in pass protection as he plays a little high but once he got his hands on his man, than he generally won the matchup. He’s a zone blocking scheme run blocker playing very square and getting to the second level very nicely. It looked like he needs to get stronger. It’s a shame he missed the Senior Bowl as he may have then been a top 100 pick, but it didn’t hurt him too much.
4c. Johnathan Franklin RB UCLA. At times I wondered quite why I endured Path to the First Round I mean Path to the Draft on NFL Network as it got rather samey. Part of that was listening to Daniel Jeremiah fawn daily over Franklin. Right before the Draft he did admit that he was the only person to really like this young man and certainly a placing late in round four is a couple of rounds lower than most predicted (sometimes you hear something so much, you just go with it and I wonder how much of Franklin’s general media ranking was osmosis from Jeremiah). Franklin was my tenth ranked RB, so I never really connected with him partly because the full UCLA games I watched he was average in all of them. He did play better in some YouTube cut up games I watched (and hats off to the guys at Draft Breakdown for the number of videos they manage to put up), but he spent too much time dancing around in the backfield for my liking. He is good in pass protection for a smaller back and so can be trusted in obvious passing situations. He’s a nice foil for Lacy, but will do well to take note of his new team mates more direct running style.
5a. Micah Hyde CB Iowa. Hyde played in a Cover-2 system in college and is extremely comfortable in zone coverage, which makes him a solid fit. He also has experience at safety and perhaps could be tried there. He wasn’t ranked this high by too many but I think with his special teams prowess (excellent punt gunner) he’s very much worth the pick. Too many CB’s (see Slay above for example) were taken high that showed no natural feel for the game in zone coverage but Hyde has it. He did a superb job reading the QB and drifting back in Cover-2 that soft spot is behind the CB and in front of the safety but he took it away on numerous occasions. He only ran in the mid 4.5’s, so lots of CB’s went ahead of him but he can play in a zone system.
5b. Josh Boyd DE Mississippi State. A college one gap three technique, Boyd flashed ability to warrant this pick, but really didn’t come on as much as expected in 2012. I saw Mississippi State a fair bit and in only one game did he stand out. His 10 yard split time at the Combine was good though and teams will draft higher than tape dictates based on this number (see Akeem Spence early round 4 for example). Overall, I’m not a big fan of the player outside of some upside he has some boom or bust about him.
6. Nate Palmer OLB Illinois State. Illinois State had more prospects than a great many FBS schools and it wasn’t a surprise they made the FCS playoffs. Palmer is an Illinois transfer, but the move down was simply to gain more playing time there are no skeletons in his closet. He played DE or rush OLB in college and was a very good speed rusher. He has a nice frame and could perhaps some more weight. His best asset is his pass rush ability he got pressure consistently in both games I watched. If they just let him get after the QB he might well be able to contribute, but he looks very natural rushing the passer and has a frame to get stronger, which will help turn him into more than just a speed rusher.
7a. Charles Johnson WR Grand Valley State. At 6’2 215 lbs Johnson ran in the high 4.3’s at his pro day and as such I thought he would be drafted earlier. He’s the type who Al Davis would have been falling over to draft! His tape was good I only saw two games (one full and one cut up) and his hands looked very natural but that has been questioned by others, who I will defer to if they watched him more than I was able to. His speed was obvious on tape, but he will need to work on his routes. Even on two watches, it was obvious that he has huge upside he might need a year to develop, but I think he makes it.
7b. Kevin Dorsey WR Maryland. Maryland had a LB playing QB down the stretch, so his production dropping from 45 to 18 catches in 2012 is quite understandable. I didn’t see Maryland a great deal and then with only 18 catches on the year it was tough to judge him, but he did flash. A TD against North Carolina was particularly impressive a nice hands catch and then jump cut at full speed after the catch. I noted he could be a sleeper and the Packers clearly think so too.
7c. Sam Barrington ILB South Florida. Very similar frame wise to Rutgers Steve Beauharnais, but slightly shorter arms. He didn’t run that fast at the Combine, but his lateral agility was strong and that saw him drafted. I only saw USF twice in one game he was highly impressive, the other he couldn’t get off blocks and was very quiet. A little tough to judge, but I think there’s just about enough there to roll the dice late on in proceedings.
Top UDFA’s
Not a huge class for the Packers and only a few names stand out. Patrick Lewis (C, Texas A&M;) was overshadowed by the two A&M; tackles, but had some good games overmatched physically at times however, but he has talent. Matt Brown (QB, Illinois State) was highly productive, but lacks a cannon for an arm he’ll need to avoid staring down his targets and trying to thread the needle too much to stick. Ben Ericksen (FS, also Illinois State) is a classic centre fielder and has a chance to stick in this system. Jake Stoneburner (TE, Ohio State) was in the dog house with the new coaching staff so his production was down in 2012 but he does have talent.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings had two first rounders anyway (Percy Harvin trade), but elected to move back up into the first round to grab Cordarrelle Patterson so came away with a haul of three first rounders. Due to the trade they then had to wait until day three, but generally did a really nice job on the final day. Floyd may have been pushed up too high by the media in general, but still was solid value while Rhodes isn’t a favourite of mine, I do like him better in this system than any other in the NFL. Patterson will help right away in the return game and perhaps after a year or two as a receiver, I don’t know if he’s worth moving back up in this Draft where day two contained some really good players
1a. Sharrif Floyd DT Florida. Although Mike Mayock hates mock drafts, the one he is made to do before the Draft is generally pretty accurate. So seeing Floyd at number three suggested that teams were feeding some rubbish to the media. I have to say I never saw Floyd as being a top 5 pick he was my number three ranked DT and so I think this is actually about right for him value wise. He’s a classic Cover-2 three technique DT he has short arms and will always struggle if asked to two gap but this system will see him one gap and just get up the field, which he does very well. The only real concern is if the defensive system changes it will be tough on him as he lacks versatility I think players these days need to be versatile partly because of all the different things teams do defensively but also to adjust to the inevitable coaching/system changes! But for now he’s a perfect fit and should make an immediate impact.
1b. Xavier Rhodes CB Florida State. Rhodes is another system fit. He was being talked about as a top 15 pick and I was never on board with that. If most other teams had taken him I would have been very harsh with my criticism of the pick, but he fits this Cover-2 system perfectly and so I have to say it’s not too bad a pick. Last year I wasn’t high on Harrison Smith it was hard to rank a Cover-2 only safety that high, so he was way down my rankings but he was a perfect fit and played well and I expect the same from Rhodes. He’s very fast in a straight line, but changing directions is a major problem for him, so I don’t think he could have been trusted in a man system. He can press, but I’d like to see a more consistent break on the ball. I never connected with him at all as a prospect, so tough to love the pick but it is better than it could have been for the team taking him!
1c. Coradarrelle Patterson WR Tennessee. The NFL sometimes shoots itself in the foot on Draft day. Patterson had character/work ethic concerns but the Vikings traded up to get him in the first round. Quinton Patton (49ers round 4) who right after he was drafted got himself on a flight to San Francisco to start work but had fallen to day three because he’s over confident/brash really just shows the madness of Draft day. The bottom line is if you gave me the choice of Patterson or Patton straight up, I would take Patton and it’s not even close. The key reason here is separation if you can’t get open you aren’t going to make many catches and that’s the problem I have with Patterson. He’s a dynamic athlete when he gets the ball in his hands, but as the SEC season moved forward they ended up moving away from throwing him the ball and instead fed him on fly sweeps etc. When I was writing up my rankings and looking at his stats, it was quite amazing that in four games he had more rushes than catches (and in one other the same number of each). If he had a poor QB then that would explain things, but although Tyler Bray went undrafted that was more down to his lack of maturity off the field than his ability to sling the rock on the field. Patterson will contribute right away as a kick returner and I’m sure they will find ways to get the ball to him but moving forward as a WR he will need some time and with concerns about his work ethic he may never reach his athletic upside. The only saving grace is that my old friend Greg Jennings (my number one WR in 2006 and as he made it will always be one of my favourite players) can mentor him and will be a wonderful example off the field. If he can follow that example then he’ll be fine, but he is extremely raw and therefore the pick carries significant risk.
4. Gerald Hodges OLB Penn State. Hodges came into the year rated ahead of college and now pro team mate Michael Mauti (see below), but in a new position took a while to get going and at one point was overtaken (by a couple of rounds on my board). However, his better play late in the year and Mauti’s injury saw him off the board first on Draft day. Hodges played more in space in 2012, often lined up over the slot WR. He looked a little lost early in the season, but did acclimatise and started to make an impact on games in the second half of the season. His experience in space will stand him in good stead moving forward. He should push for a starting role right away and is very solid value here.
5. Jeff Locke P UCLA. Like Sam Martin (Lions, see above) Locke also kicks off, which gave him a little more value. He very much looked like a draftable prospect and therefore I see this as a solid selection. The left footer gets the ball off very quickly and gets good height on his punts. He has a really nice leg and like Martin is skilled at placing the ball inside opponents 10 yard line. He should be the Vikings punter for many years.
6. Jeff Baca OG UCLA. Baca has experience at tackle, guard and center but looked most comfortable at guard. At center his snapping wasn’t good enough (although he hadn’t had many reps in the game he took over in an emergency) and at tackle he struggled a bit athletically. However, at guard he looked good in a gritty way. He looks to me the type that ends up starting in the league for 10 years. He was a slight surprise at the Combine, having one of the better all around workouts in the offensive line class it was a bit surprising therefore that he didn’t look more comfortable than he did at tackle On the whole though I do like the player and therefore the pick.
7a. Michael Mauti ILB Penn State. Mauti would have been long gone had it not been for medical concerns. He injured his knee near the end of the season and although initially not reported as being his third ACL tear, it unfortunately was. Off the field Mauti is one of the highest character players in this Draft I firmly believe you must have at least a sprinkling of these guys on your roster. Throughout the off the field mess at Penn State, Mauti led and indeed had it not been for him it seems more players would have elected to transfer. Not only did he lead off the field, he did so on the field as well and he was playing at an extremely high level all season so I was genuinely gutted when I heard of his injury. Clearly with his injury history, this pick is a gamble but at this stage I think the risk vs reward equation very much works. I really hope he can make it back and if he does he’ll start and star for the Vikings.
7b. Travis Bond OG North Carolina. Bond started the year at right guard, but after Brennan Williams (round 3, Texans) got hurt he moved outside to right tackle. In some ways Bond is a tweener a little tall for my liking as a guard (6’5), but too slow to play tackle. He does have very long arms however, so could potentially play right tackle in a D.J. Fluker way. However, he will need to move his feet more as he was shown up as a waist bender when he played there late in the year. I can’t say I was a huge fan and am not too sure about spending a pick on him, but is a system fit and could potentially back up at both guard and tackle, so could end up dressing some.
7c. Everett Dawkins DT Florida State. Dawkins came into the year with a mid round grade, but for much of the year was quiet and so his stock dropped to this point. Interestingly, his best game was the Georgia Tech game which often DT’s hate due to all of the cut blocks. He was part of a rotation, so was fresh and at times he came off the ball low and hard but wasn’t consistent. This is probably about right based on his 2012 season, but there were glimpses of that mid round grade he had coming into the year.
Top UDFA’s
This is the largest UDFA class in this division and they were able to secure some decent signings. Nick Edwards (WR, Eastern Washington) was rated as a mid round prospect coming into the year, but struggled with injuries in 2012 and saw his production drop he has good size and decent hands and is one who could surprise. Erik Highsmith (WR, North Carolina) always seemed to flash ability without ever being completely dominant if he ever gets it consistently he’ll stick. Darius Eubanks (SS, Georgia Southern) got overtaken in 2012 by team mate J.J. Wilcox (round 3, Cowboys) but is active and could stick on special teams. Colin Anderson (TE, Furman) is more of a HB type who has decent hands. Bradley Randle (RB, UNLV) elected to come out early and has some breakaway threat about him he could be a nice change of pace back, not that AP ever comes off the field! Robbie Rouse (RB, Fresno State) is a very short back, but has some power always tough to find these shorter backs amongst the big bodies, so he has a shot. Rodney Smith (WR, Florida State) was ranked as a mid round prospect by some in season he flashed that kind of ability but I think UDFA was really his level like Highsmith if he ever gets it they may have something. Nathan Williams (OLB, Ohio State) has had injury problems in his career, but has experience as a 3-4 OLB in a hybrid, so could stick as a pass rusher. Zach Line (RB, SMU) played in a one back offense, lacking top speed he may be tried at FB. Mark Jackson (OT/G, Glenville State) is a transfer from Illinois a college left tackle he struggled at the Shrine Game, so may be best inside. Marquis Jackson (DE, Portland State) has good size and athletic ability but off the field concerns saw him go undrafted. He stood out in the Big Sky on tape and does have talent if he can get it right off the field.
|
