The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Big Board - Week 4 Update
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
2. OLB/DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina
3. QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
4. CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
5. RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
6. WR A.J. Green, Georgia
7. DE Marcell Dareus, Alabama
8. DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
9. WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh
10. CB Aaron Williams, Texas
11. DE Cameron Heyward, Ohio State
12. DE Allen Bailey, Miami
13. OT Nate Potter, Boise State
14. OLB Akeem Ayers, UCLA
15. OT Joseph Barksdale, LSU
16. OLB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
17. QB Jake Locker, Washington
18. WR Titus Young, Boise State
19. DT Jurrell Casey, Southern California
20. TE Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame
21. WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
22. QB Nick Foles, Arizona
23. S DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson
24. DE Cameron Jordan, California
25. OLB Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
26. ILB Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
27. OG Stefen Wisniewski, Penn State
28. OLB Bruce Carter, North Carolina
29. S Deunta Williams, North Carolina
30. RB Shane Vereen, California
31. RB Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
32. OLB Von Miller, Texas A&M
September 29, 2010
September 28, 2010
2011 NFL Draft Board - Week 4 Update - Second 32
The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Big Board - Week 4 Update
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
33. QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
34. OT Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
35. CB Ras-I Dowling, Virginia
36. DT Jared Crick, Nebraska
37. DE Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh
38. DT Lawrence Guy, Arizona State
39. WR Austin Pettis, Boise State
40. OLB Adrian Robinson, Temple
41. DT Jerrell Powe, Mississppi
42. QB Christian Ponder, Florida State
43. S Rahim Moore, UCLA
44. ILB Ross Homan, Ohio State
45. WR Julio Jones, Alabama
46. RB LaMichael James, Oregon
47. DE Sam Acho, Texas
48. OG Rodney Hudson, Florida State
49. ILB Greg Jones, Michigan State
50. CB Janoris Jenkins, Florida
51. DT Marvin Austin, North Carolina
52. RB Daniel Thomas, Kansas State
53. QB Blaine Gabbert, Missouri
54. CB Davon House, New Mexico State
55. CB Brandon Harris, Miami
56. OC Kris O'Dowd, Southern California
57. WR Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M
58. OT DeMarcus Love, Arkansas
59. OLB Dontay Moch, Nevada
60. CB Rashad Carmichael, Virginia Tech
61. DT Stephen Paea, Oregon State
62. ILB Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina
63. S Mark Barron, Alabama
64. OG Mike Pouncey, Florida
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
33. QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
34. OT Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
35. CB Ras-I Dowling, Virginia
36. DT Jared Crick, Nebraska
37. DE Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh
38. DT Lawrence Guy, Arizona State
39. WR Austin Pettis, Boise State
40. OLB Adrian Robinson, Temple
41. DT Jerrell Powe, Mississppi
42. QB Christian Ponder, Florida State
43. S Rahim Moore, UCLA
44. ILB Ross Homan, Ohio State
45. WR Julio Jones, Alabama
46. RB LaMichael James, Oregon
47. DE Sam Acho, Texas
48. OG Rodney Hudson, Florida State
49. ILB Greg Jones, Michigan State
50. CB Janoris Jenkins, Florida
51. DT Marvin Austin, North Carolina
52. RB Daniel Thomas, Kansas State
53. QB Blaine Gabbert, Missouri
54. CB Davon House, New Mexico State
55. CB Brandon Harris, Miami
56. OC Kris O'Dowd, Southern California
57. WR Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M
58. OT DeMarcus Love, Arkansas
59. OLB Dontay Moch, Nevada
60. CB Rashad Carmichael, Virginia Tech
61. DT Stephen Paea, Oregon State
62. ILB Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina
63. S Mark Barron, Alabama
64. OG Mike Pouncey, Florida
September 26, 2010
TMB Top 25 - Week 4
The-Mainboard Top 25 poll is comprised of 27 self-proclaimed college football experts. The poll has equal representation across the major conferences, representatives from mid-majors and voters spread across the country.
Discuss these ranking with the pollsters here
September 23, 2010
2010 ACC - NFL Draft Analysis
This piece digs a little deeper into the talent level on each Atlantic Coast Conference team by focusing on the last 5 NFL Drafts. Unlike previous blogs, this piece is not a reflection on a team's current talent level, but speaks to teams talent level in the past.
The Weighted Average (WA) is calculated as followed.
1st Round = 2.5 points
2nd Round = 2 points
3rd Round = 1.5 points
4th Round = 1 points
5th Round = .75 points
6th Round = .50 points
7th Round = .25 points
The column labeled with (#) is a count of players taken across all rounds.
The ACC had a total of 33 players selected in the first round over the last 5 seasons including 6 from Florida State University. Overall the ACC had a total of 182 players selected. Virginia Tech had the most players selected with 26 drafted between 2006-2010. Florida State was second with 22 followed by Miami with 21. Miami and Florida State had a sizable cushion over the rest of the ACC in terms of weighted average.
C.J. Spiller
Offensively, The ACC had a total of 13 players selected in the first round over the last 5 seasons lead by 3 from The University of Virginia. A total of 78 offensive players were drafted. Clemson's C.J Spiller The ACC's highest selected player in the 2010 NFL Draft.
The ACC had a total of 20 players drafted in the first round over the last 5 years lead by 6 from Florida State University. A total of 99 ACC defensive players were drafted. Georgia Tech's original wearwolf, Derrick Morgan was was the highest selected ACC player in the 2010 NFL Draft.
Over the last 5 years, the ACC has had more players drafted on the defensive side of the ball than the offensive side of the ball, which isn't surprising for a league that is known more for its defense than its offense.
The Weighted Average (WA) is calculated as followed.
1st Round = 2.5 points
2nd Round = 2 points
3rd Round = 1.5 points
4th Round = 1 points
5th Round = .75 points
6th Round = .50 points
7th Round = .25 points
The column labeled with (#) is a count of players taken across all rounds.
The ACC had a total of 33 players selected in the first round over the last 5 seasons including 6 from Florida State University. Overall the ACC had a total of 182 players selected. Virginia Tech had the most players selected with 26 drafted between 2006-2010. Florida State was second with 22 followed by Miami with 21. Miami and Florida State had a sizable cushion over the rest of the ACC in terms of weighted average.
C.J. Spiller
Offensively, The ACC had a total of 13 players selected in the first round over the last 5 seasons lead by 3 from The University of Virginia. A total of 78 offensive players were drafted. Clemson's C.J Spiller The ACC's highest selected player in the 2010 NFL Draft.
The ACC had a total of 20 players drafted in the first round over the last 5 years lead by 6 from Florida State University. A total of 99 ACC defensive players were drafted. Georgia Tech's original wearwolf, Derrick Morgan was was the highest selected ACC player in the 2010 NFL Draft.
Over the last 5 years, the ACC has had more players drafted on the defensive side of the ball than the offensive side of the ball, which isn't surprising for a league that is known more for its defense than its offense.
September 19, 2010
TMB Top 25 - Week 3
The-Mainboard Top 25 poll is comprised of 27 self-proclaimed college football experts. The poll has equal representation across the major conferences, representatives from mid-majors and voters spread across the country.
Discuss these ranking with the pollsters here
September 17, 2010
2010 ACC Defensive Talent Analysis
2009 ACC Offensive Talent Analysis
This piece digs a little deeper into the talent level on each Atlantic Coast Conference team by focusing on the offensive side on the ball. The raw data comes from Rival.com prospect ratings and is calculated as followed.
5.7 = 1.00 point
5.8 = 1.25 points
5.9 = 1.50 points
6.0 = 1.75 points
6.1 = 2.00 points
Players under 5.7 were not calculated into the raw data as a way to limit complexity.
The 2006, 2007, 2008 classes are weighted at 100% while the 2009 class is weighted at 75% and 2010 is weighted at 25% due to a lot of players redshirting. Important to note is that this data only includes current players on the roster, so attrition is factored into the equation in this data, but not factored in here.
There is more separation in the defensive analysis than the offensive analysis. Miami is still leading the pack and their is a gap and then Florida State who is transitioning under first year DC, Mark Stoops and then a gap and then Clemson and then a gap and Virginia Tech followed closely by Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech
Miami has the most talent on paper along the DL lead by Allen Bailey and Marcus Fortson and Florida State is second although their talent along the DL is overrated lead by 5-Star bust Markus White. They are also really young with mostly SO and FR in the 2-Deep outside of White. Clemson is right their on the same tier as FSU, but gets better production than the Noles. North Carolina have the most productive DL in the ACC and comes in fourth in talent, but with studs Robert Quinn and Marvin Austin suspended their talent level takes a huge hit.
Miami is also the most talented on paper at LB lead by Collin McCarthy and Sean Spence followed by Virginia Tech although I don't see the same talent on the field as I do on paper especially after VT lost a bunch of defensive starters.
The best two LBing groups in the ACC are North Carolina and Boston College although neither cracks the Top 3 of talent on paper. Both teams were able to find and develop underrated stars in Bruce Carter, Quan Sturdivant, Luke Kuechly and Mark Herzlig.
Miami sweeps the positional rankings, but Clemson is right their on the same tier. Miami is lead by star corner Brandon Harris while Clemson is lead by star safety DeAndre McDaniel.
Potential biases in the data are noted in this blog and would also apply to this piece.
This piece digs a little deeper into the talent level on each Atlantic Coast Conference team by focusing on the offensive side on the ball. The raw data comes from Rival.com prospect ratings and is calculated as followed.
5.7 = 1.00 point
5.8 = 1.25 points
5.9 = 1.50 points
6.0 = 1.75 points
6.1 = 2.00 points
Players under 5.7 were not calculated into the raw data as a way to limit complexity.
The 2006, 2007, 2008 classes are weighted at 100% while the 2009 class is weighted at 75% and 2010 is weighted at 25% due to a lot of players redshirting. Important to note is that this data only includes current players on the roster, so attrition is factored into the equation in this data, but not factored in here.
There is more separation in the defensive analysis than the offensive analysis. Miami is still leading the pack and their is a gap and then Florida State who is transitioning under first year DC, Mark Stoops and then a gap and then Clemson and then a gap and Virginia Tech followed closely by Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech
Miami has the most talent on paper along the DL lead by Allen Bailey and Marcus Fortson and Florida State is second although their talent along the DL is overrated lead by 5-Star bust Markus White. They are also really young with mostly SO and FR in the 2-Deep outside of White. Clemson is right their on the same tier as FSU, but gets better production than the Noles. North Carolina have the most productive DL in the ACC and comes in fourth in talent, but with studs Robert Quinn and Marvin Austin suspended their talent level takes a huge hit.
Miami is also the most talented on paper at LB lead by Collin McCarthy and Sean Spence followed by Virginia Tech although I don't see the same talent on the field as I do on paper especially after VT lost a bunch of defensive starters.
The best two LBing groups in the ACC are North Carolina and Boston College although neither cracks the Top 3 of talent on paper. Both teams were able to find and develop underrated stars in Bruce Carter, Quan Sturdivant, Luke Kuechly and Mark Herzlig.
Miami sweeps the positional rankings, but Clemson is right their on the same tier. Miami is lead by star corner Brandon Harris while Clemson is lead by star safety DeAndre McDaniel.
Potential biases in the data are noted in this blog and would also apply to this piece.
September 16, 2010
2010 ACC Offensive Talent Analysis
2009 ACC Offensive Talent Analysis
This piece digs a little deeper into the talent level on each Atlantic Coast Conference team by focusing on the offensive side on the ball. The raw data comes from Rival.com prospect ratings and is calculated as followed.
5.7 = 1.00 point
5.8 = 1.25 points
5.9 = 1.50 points
6.0 = 1.75 points
6.1 = 2.00 points
Players under 5.7 were not calculated into the raw data as a way to limit complexity.
The 2006, 2007, 2008 classes are weighted at 100% while the 2009 class is weighted at 75% and 2010 is weighted at 25% due to a lot of players redshirting. Important to note is that this data only includes current players on the roster, so attrition is factored into the equation in this data, but not factored in here.
Miami has a decent edge is overall offensive talent and then their is a 2nd Tier that includes Clemson, Virginia Tech, Florida State and North Carolina that have pretty similar talent levels and then a 3rd Tier that includes North Carolina State, Virginia and Maryland that again have pretty similar raw talent.
Georgia Tech runs a variation of the Wing-T offense under Paul Johnson and recruits players that do not fit the mold of your traditional offensive recruit that recruiting analyst rank, so their ranking is pretty much irrelevant.
Quarterback talent is the most difficult to quantify statistically because unlike the OL and Backs & Receivers to suceed at QB a team only needs one player to step-up and it doesn't really matter if the player is a 5-Star prospect like Tyrod Taylor or a 4-Star player like Jacory Harris and Kyle Parker a 3-Star player like Christian Ponder or even a 2-Star player like Russell Wilson. Definitely take the QB data with a huge grain of salt.
Offensive line play is the most important factor in making an offense success in my opinion, but is also the most hard to scout, which puts a lot of weight on the offensive line coach to scout and develop the talent that they recruit.
Clemson, Virginia Tech and Miami have the most talent on paper in the ACC.
- Miami has the most talent at the skill positions (RB, WR, TE) lead by a star-studded wide receivers Travis Benjamen, Aldrius Johnson and Leonard Hankerson.
- UNC is second with another talented wide receiving group lead by the currently suspended Greg Little and Jheranie Boyd.
- Clemson is third with the tandem on Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper in the backfield.
Potential biases in the data are noted in this blog and would also apply to this piece.
This piece digs a little deeper into the talent level on each Atlantic Coast Conference team by focusing on the offensive side on the ball. The raw data comes from Rival.com prospect ratings and is calculated as followed.
5.7 = 1.00 point
5.8 = 1.25 points
5.9 = 1.50 points
6.0 = 1.75 points
6.1 = 2.00 points
Players under 5.7 were not calculated into the raw data as a way to limit complexity.
The 2006, 2007, 2008 classes are weighted at 100% while the 2009 class is weighted at 75% and 2010 is weighted at 25% due to a lot of players redshirting. Important to note is that this data only includes current players on the roster, so attrition is factored into the equation in this data, but not factored in here.
Miami has a decent edge is overall offensive talent and then their is a 2nd Tier that includes Clemson, Virginia Tech, Florida State and North Carolina that have pretty similar talent levels and then a 3rd Tier that includes North Carolina State, Virginia and Maryland that again have pretty similar raw talent.
Georgia Tech runs a variation of the Wing-T offense under Paul Johnson and recruits players that do not fit the mold of your traditional offensive recruit that recruiting analyst rank, so their ranking is pretty much irrelevant.
Quarterback talent is the most difficult to quantify statistically because unlike the OL and Backs & Receivers to suceed at QB a team only needs one player to step-up and it doesn't really matter if the player is a 5-Star prospect like Tyrod Taylor or a 4-Star player like Jacory Harris and Kyle Parker a 3-Star player like Christian Ponder or even a 2-Star player like Russell Wilson. Definitely take the QB data with a huge grain of salt.
Offensive line play is the most important factor in making an offense success in my opinion, but is also the most hard to scout, which puts a lot of weight on the offensive line coach to scout and develop the talent that they recruit.
Clemson, Virginia Tech and Miami have the most talent on paper in the ACC.
- Miami has the most talent at the skill positions (RB, WR, TE) lead by a star-studded wide receivers Travis Benjamen, Aldrius Johnson and Leonard Hankerson.
- UNC is second with another talented wide receiving group lead by the currently suspended Greg Little and Jheranie Boyd.
- Clemson is third with the tandem on Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper in the backfield.
Potential biases in the data are noted in this blog and would also apply to this piece.
September 14, 2010
2010 ACC Talent Analysis
View 2009 ACC Talent Analysis
This is an attempt to quantify the amount of raw talent on paper for each teams in the Southeastern Conference. What a team does with that talent once it is on campus is another hugely important factor and by looking at what teams start with compared to where teams finish it provide insight on what coaching staffs develop players and put their players in the best position to win.
The data below is the "Team Recruiting Rankings" from 2006 - 2010 from Rivals.com and Scout.com. The enrolled rankings are used to weed out non-qualifiers.
The classes are then weighted and averaged (WA) as followed to give more weight to upperclassmen over underclassmen.
2006 - .15% - rSR
2007 - .35% - SR and rJR
2008 - .30% - JR and rSO
2009 - .15% - SO and rFR
2010 - .05% - FR
A few biases to consider when looking at the data.
1) Rivals and Scout both focus more heavily on scouting the Southeast compared to the Northeast. Recruits for the NE have a much better chance of falling through the cracks than prospects from the SE. This affects Boston College fairly significantly and Marland, Virginia and Virginia Tech marginally.
2) Schools with larger fanbases have a tendency to to have committed recruits get a "bump" in the rankings. This is balanced to some extent by having data from both Rivals and Scout.
View 2009 ACC Talent Analysis
This is an attempt to quantify the amount of raw talent on paper for each teams in the Southeastern Conference. What a team does with that talent once it is on campus is another hugely important factor and by looking at what teams start with compared to where teams finish it provide insight on what coaching staffs develop players and put their players in the best position to win.
The data below is the "Team Recruiting Rankings" from 2006 - 2010 from Rivals.com and Scout.com. The enrolled rankings are used to weed out non-qualifiers.
The classes are then weighted and averaged (WA) as followed to give more weight to upperclassmen over underclassmen.
2006 - .15% - rSR
2007 - .35% - SR and rJR
2008 - .30% - JR and rSO
2009 - .15% - SO and rFR
2010 - .05% - FR
A few biases to consider when looking at the data.
1) Rivals and Scout both focus more heavily on scouting the Southeast compared to the Northeast. Recruits for the NE have a much better chance of falling through the cracks than prospects from the SE. This affects Boston College fairly significantly and Marland, Virginia and Virginia Tech marginally.
2) Schools with larger fanbases have a tendency to to have committed recruits get a "bump" in the rankings. This is balanced to some extent by having data from both Rivals and Scout.
View 2009 ACC Talent Analysis
September 12, 2010
TMB Top 25
The-Mainboard Top 25
Dropped Out: Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Georgia
Others receiving votes: Houston - 54, Oregon State - 41, Georgia Tech - 35, Florida State - 30, Clemson - 24, Georgia - 17, Air Force - 17, Missouri - 16, BYU - 11, North Carolina - 8, Virginia Tech - 6, Kansas State - 6, Rutgers - 6, Cincinnati - 5, Maryland - 3, Texas Tech - 1, Oklahoma State - 1
The-Mainboard Top 25 poll is comprised of 27 self-proclaimed college football experts. The poll has equal representation across the major conferences, representatives from mid-majors and voters spread across the country.
Discuss these ranking with the pollsters here
| Rank | Team | Record | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (25) | 2-0 | 673 | |
| Ohio State (3) | 2-0 | 646 | |
| Boise State | 1-0 | 592 | |
| Oregon | 2-0 | 575 | |
| TCU | 2-0 | 551 | |
| Iowa | 2-0 | 531 | |
| Oklahoma | 2-0 | 518 | |
| Nebraska | 2-0 | 489 | |
| Texas | 2-0 | 482 | |
| Florida | 2-0 | 421 | |
| Wisconsin | 2-0 | 391 | |
| Arkansas | 2-0 | 313 | |
| South Carolina | 2-0 | 300 | |
| Utah | 2-0 | 256 | |
| Auburn | 2-0 | 233 | |
| Miami | 1-1 | 224 | |
| LSU | 2-0 | 211 | |
| Southern Cal | 2-0 | 196 | |
| Stanford | 2-0 | 194 | |
| Michigan | 2-0 | 178 | |
| California | 2-0 | 92 | |
| Penn State | 1-1 | 92 | |
| Arizona | 2-0 | 85 | |
| West Virginia | 2-0 | 69 | |
| Pittsburgh | 1-1 | 57 |
Dropped Out: Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Georgia
Others receiving votes: Houston - 54, Oregon State - 41, Georgia Tech - 35, Florida State - 30, Clemson - 24, Georgia - 17, Air Force - 17, Missouri - 16, BYU - 11, North Carolina - 8, Virginia Tech - 6, Kansas State - 6, Rutgers - 6, Cincinnati - 5, Maryland - 3, Texas Tech - 1, Oklahoma State - 1
The-Mainboard Top 25 poll is comprised of 27 self-proclaimed college football experts. The poll has equal representation across the major conferences, representatives from mid-majors and voters spread across the country.
Discuss these ranking with the pollsters here
September 10, 2010
Tony Gonzalez 1,000 Catch Interview
Tony Gonzalez stopped by The-Mainboard.com to chat about his quest to reach 1,000 catch, his Twitter contest and more in this exclusive feature interview.
Transcript Below:
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TMB: Hello and welcome to the first edition of Special Feature on The Mainboard. I'm Joe with The-Mainboard.com. Our guest today is six time All-Pro selection, a ten time Pro-Bowl selection and is regarded as one of the best tight ends in NFL history. He's one catch shy of becoming the seventh player and the first tight end with 1000 career catches. I'm joined today by Tony Gonzalez, Tony thanks for joining us, its really great to have you on.
Tony: Thanks for having me bud.
TMB: As I said, you're one catch away from 1000. Is there kind of a bitter-sweetness...you're getting your thousandth catch with the Atlanta Falcons and not the Kansas City Chiefs, the team that everyone kind of thought you were going to retire with?
Tony: Yeah, yeah there is but all good things come to an end and I would have loved to have gotten it in a Chiefs uniform but I spent more...I spent 3 or 4 careers, the average career lasts 3 years, and I was out there 12 years so that's 4 careers. I have some great memories out there, played on some great football teams, obviously made a lot of catches out there. But you know, with the Atlanta Falcons now its a great atmosphere just as well and I'm glad just to be a part of their organization and if it wasn't the Chiefs I think Atlanta is filling in quite nicely and hopefully we'll get this thing done this weekend.
TMB: You have a contest going on your Twitter page right now, you want to tell us more about that?
Tony: Yeah. Its for my thousandth catch obviously and what you do is you tweet at me, which my call sign on Twitter is tonygonzalez88 and just tweet at me "thousandth catch" and you enter once a day and we're going to draw a random winner after the game's over and the winner is going to be flown out to Atlanta, put up for a couple nights, go to the next home game...I'm going to get you tickets to the game, gonna sign some autographs for you, and then also I'm going to give you a pair of gloves that I wore in the Pittsburgh game which is... obviously I'm hoping I'm hoping I'm going to get the catch this weekend against Pittsburgh and give you a pair of autographed gloves that I actually wore in the game. So its going to be an exciting contest and I just kind of wanted to share in with the fans everything that was going on and we'll play a little catch too, as well.
TMB: Aww, that is very awesome. Like you said you are doing this on Twitter, and with the whole new media thing, like Facebook and Twitter, do you think that helps professional athletes?
Tony: Yep, I think so for the most part. Ninety-eight percent of the time I’m thinking it can hurt someone too if you are putting something silly up there and do something stupid one night. I think for the most part though it gives athletes better access to the fans, direct access to the fans, a way for us to communicate. That is one thing I love about Twitter. I am able to answer questions from fans tweeting at me about stuff that has nothing/anything to do with football. The sky is the limit as far as I am concerned, if I see a question on there that I want to answer then I will usually get back to the fan. It is good all the way around. It is a way for us to stay connected after we are done playing this game, set something up when we get done playing this game. It is great all the way around.
TMB: Before the interview we were kind of talking about college football a little bit. What is your opinion on Boise State? If they go undefeated do they deserve a birth in the national title game?
Tony: I am kind of wishy-washy about that. Obviously they deserve it. They did really well against Virginia Tech the other night. I don’t know though, the schedule doesn’t seem strong enough as much as these other powerhouse teams that if they were able to go undefeated. The simple answer to that or the simple way to get to the bottom of things period is to move to a playoff system anyways. Obviously they would be deserving to go to the playoff games. They could easily set that up with bowl games. I have been saying this for years. College football has to do this if they want a true champion. That way there is no stone unturned , but if we are dealing with what we have then yea I would give them a shot if they go undefeated depending on how the other teams fare during the regular season. You have to look at their records and strength of schedule as well.
TMB: What do you miss most about playing college football?
Tony: I guess the innocence of it. It is just the way you go out there. You are not playing for money; you are playing for the school. Don’t get me wrong, the pro level is a lot of fun no doubt about it. But when you are at the high school and college levels you just play for the love of the game. At least for me, I was never even thinking about going pro or anything like that. I was just out there enjoying the game of football while I was in school and class. You don’t even have to worry about the bills being paid, major bills being paid, or anything else. I wasn’t married with kids at that point; it just seemed so innocent back then. It was really one of the best times of my playing career and something I will cherish forever.
TMB: Do you want to give us a prediction for your Cal Bears this season?
Tony: Cal Bears, we are going undefeated and are going to win the national title. [laughs] I am just playing. We started out good and played UC Davis the first game of the season and beat them. We always do well, Coach Tedford does an unbelievable job out there and I just think the sky is the limit and the best is yet to come from those Cal football teams. But right now if I had to put a record on it, I would say they would probably lose 3 games and that is yet. They will go to a bowl game again because they are such a good football team and well coached.
TMB: Yeah they will be competitive in the Pac 10 this year for sure. Do you want to tell us more about your nutrition company, All Pro Science?
Tony: Yeah All Pro Science, it is going on four years ago now I changed my diet dramatically. I tossed out all the processed foods that I was eating, no more fast foods and not eating as much as meat and steak and all that stuff. And the meat that I do eat now I get from a clean source, that means things like grass fed beef, free range chicken and wild fish which is what you want to put in your body. I just felt unbelievable for it and I saw my energy levels go up, felt like I could focus better, my recovery was through the roof. I would come in the next day after games and I would feel completely fresh. And in doing something like that, I wrote a book called the “All Pro Diet”, and off of that I figured if I was eating clean I might as well be supplementing clean. And so when I went out there looking on the market for these big name brand supplements, there nothing was fitting the bill as far as supplements with no synthetics, no hormones, no artificial flavors just really good stuff. And so I decided to form my own company with a partner of mine Paul Edalat and we came out with All Pro Science. And that is exactly what I just said, the products we come out with, we have grass fed whey protein which I challenge anyone is tough to find. We have a great veggie protein, which is a combination of hemp, brown rice and pea protein. It comes in flavors of vanilla and berry blast. And then we have a great recovery, 3:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio of recovery. We have more products coming out soon but the niche is that everything is completely all natural, no synthetics, no hormones, no artificial flavors just really good stuff for you. We aren’t in retail quite yet, but we are online exclusively at www.AllProScience.com where you can check it out and it is also a health website as well. So you can get your questions answered on there and we have some great workouts and smoothie recipes as well. So www.AllProScience.com is where you can get more information on it.
TMB: Question: We’ll let you go after this question, but I don’t know if you saw the quote from Michale Palmer in today's Atlanta Journal Constitution. The rookie third string Tight End out of Clemson said that you are old, and that he would crush you on the hardwood. Do you want to respond to that right here?
Tony: [laughs] yea well I’ve been responding to him all day. We’ve got a little bet going on next off season-I’m gonna play him one on one and we’ll see how good he really is, see if he can take the old man cause he put it out there now so we’ve got to get some questions answered. It's going to be fun though I was giving him trash talk all day.
TMB: [laughs] I bet you were. Thanks a lot Tony for joining us.
Tony: No problem thanks for having me.
TMB: You can catch Tony and his quest for 1000 catches as he and his Atlanta Falcons take on the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday at 1pm Eastern this Sunday on Fox. That wraps up our first special feature installment. I’m Joe with The-Mainboard.com.
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If you want to join the contest simply head on over to the APS website and follow the directions there.
And as a special treat to our members here if you would like to buy some of the great products All Pro Science has to offer you can use coupon code "tmb" to get 20% off
Transcript Below:
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TMB: Hello and welcome to the first edition of Special Feature on The Mainboard. I'm Joe with The-Mainboard.com. Our guest today is six time All-Pro selection, a ten time Pro-Bowl selection and is regarded as one of the best tight ends in NFL history. He's one catch shy of becoming the seventh player and the first tight end with 1000 career catches. I'm joined today by Tony Gonzalez, Tony thanks for joining us, its really great to have you on.
Tony: Thanks for having me bud.
TMB: As I said, you're one catch away from 1000. Is there kind of a bitter-sweetness...you're getting your thousandth catch with the Atlanta Falcons and not the Kansas City Chiefs, the team that everyone kind of thought you were going to retire with?
Tony: Yeah, yeah there is but all good things come to an end and I would have loved to have gotten it in a Chiefs uniform but I spent more...I spent 3 or 4 careers, the average career lasts 3 years, and I was out there 12 years so that's 4 careers. I have some great memories out there, played on some great football teams, obviously made a lot of catches out there. But you know, with the Atlanta Falcons now its a great atmosphere just as well and I'm glad just to be a part of their organization and if it wasn't the Chiefs I think Atlanta is filling in quite nicely and hopefully we'll get this thing done this weekend.
TMB: You have a contest going on your Twitter page right now, you want to tell us more about that?
Tony: Yeah. Its for my thousandth catch obviously and what you do is you tweet at me, which my call sign on Twitter is tonygonzalez88 and just tweet at me "thousandth catch" and you enter once a day and we're going to draw a random winner after the game's over and the winner is going to be flown out to Atlanta, put up for a couple nights, go to the next home game...I'm going to get you tickets to the game, gonna sign some autographs for you, and then also I'm going to give you a pair of gloves that I wore in the Pittsburgh game which is... obviously I'm hoping I'm hoping I'm going to get the catch this weekend against Pittsburgh and give you a pair of autographed gloves that I actually wore in the game. So its going to be an exciting contest and I just kind of wanted to share in with the fans everything that was going on and we'll play a little catch too, as well.
TMB: Aww, that is very awesome. Like you said you are doing this on Twitter, and with the whole new media thing, like Facebook and Twitter, do you think that helps professional athletes?
Tony: Yep, I think so for the most part. Ninety-eight percent of the time I’m thinking it can hurt someone too if you are putting something silly up there and do something stupid one night. I think for the most part though it gives athletes better access to the fans, direct access to the fans, a way for us to communicate. That is one thing I love about Twitter. I am able to answer questions from fans tweeting at me about stuff that has nothing/anything to do with football. The sky is the limit as far as I am concerned, if I see a question on there that I want to answer then I will usually get back to the fan. It is good all the way around. It is a way for us to stay connected after we are done playing this game, set something up when we get done playing this game. It is great all the way around.
TMB: Before the interview we were kind of talking about college football a little bit. What is your opinion on Boise State? If they go undefeated do they deserve a birth in the national title game?
Tony: I am kind of wishy-washy about that. Obviously they deserve it. They did really well against Virginia Tech the other night. I don’t know though, the schedule doesn’t seem strong enough as much as these other powerhouse teams that if they were able to go undefeated. The simple answer to that or the simple way to get to the bottom of things period is to move to a playoff system anyways. Obviously they would be deserving to go to the playoff games. They could easily set that up with bowl games. I have been saying this for years. College football has to do this if they want a true champion. That way there is no stone unturned , but if we are dealing with what we have then yea I would give them a shot if they go undefeated depending on how the other teams fare during the regular season. You have to look at their records and strength of schedule as well.
TMB: What do you miss most about playing college football?
Tony: I guess the innocence of it. It is just the way you go out there. You are not playing for money; you are playing for the school. Don’t get me wrong, the pro level is a lot of fun no doubt about it. But when you are at the high school and college levels you just play for the love of the game. At least for me, I was never even thinking about going pro or anything like that. I was just out there enjoying the game of football while I was in school and class. You don’t even have to worry about the bills being paid, major bills being paid, or anything else. I wasn’t married with kids at that point; it just seemed so innocent back then. It was really one of the best times of my playing career and something I will cherish forever.
TMB: Do you want to give us a prediction for your Cal Bears this season?
Tony: Cal Bears, we are going undefeated and are going to win the national title. [laughs] I am just playing. We started out good and played UC Davis the first game of the season and beat them. We always do well, Coach Tedford does an unbelievable job out there and I just think the sky is the limit and the best is yet to come from those Cal football teams. But right now if I had to put a record on it, I would say they would probably lose 3 games and that is yet. They will go to a bowl game again because they are such a good football team and well coached.
TMB: Yeah they will be competitive in the Pac 10 this year for sure. Do you want to tell us more about your nutrition company, All Pro Science?
Tony: Yeah All Pro Science, it is going on four years ago now I changed my diet dramatically. I tossed out all the processed foods that I was eating, no more fast foods and not eating as much as meat and steak and all that stuff. And the meat that I do eat now I get from a clean source, that means things like grass fed beef, free range chicken and wild fish which is what you want to put in your body. I just felt unbelievable for it and I saw my energy levels go up, felt like I could focus better, my recovery was through the roof. I would come in the next day after games and I would feel completely fresh. And in doing something like that, I wrote a book called the “All Pro Diet”, and off of that I figured if I was eating clean I might as well be supplementing clean. And so when I went out there looking on the market for these big name brand supplements, there nothing was fitting the bill as far as supplements with no synthetics, no hormones, no artificial flavors just really good stuff. And so I decided to form my own company with a partner of mine Paul Edalat and we came out with All Pro Science. And that is exactly what I just said, the products we come out with, we have grass fed whey protein which I challenge anyone is tough to find. We have a great veggie protein, which is a combination of hemp, brown rice and pea protein. It comes in flavors of vanilla and berry blast. And then we have a great recovery, 3:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio of recovery. We have more products coming out soon but the niche is that everything is completely all natural, no synthetics, no hormones, no artificial flavors just really good stuff for you. We aren’t in retail quite yet, but we are online exclusively at www.AllProScience.com where you can check it out and it is also a health website as well. So you can get your questions answered on there and we have some great workouts and smoothie recipes as well. So www.AllProScience.com is where you can get more information on it.
TMB: Question: We’ll let you go after this question, but I don’t know if you saw the quote from Michale Palmer in today's Atlanta Journal Constitution. The rookie third string Tight End out of Clemson said that you are old, and that he would crush you on the hardwood. Do you want to respond to that right here?
Tony: [laughs] yea well I’ve been responding to him all day. We’ve got a little bet going on next off season-I’m gonna play him one on one and we’ll see how good he really is, see if he can take the old man cause he put it out there now so we’ve got to get some questions answered. It's going to be fun though I was giving him trash talk all day.
TMB: [laughs] I bet you were. Thanks a lot Tony for joining us.
Tony: No problem thanks for having me.
TMB: You can catch Tony and his quest for 1000 catches as he and his Atlanta Falcons take on the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday at 1pm Eastern this Sunday on Fox. That wraps up our first special feature installment. I’m Joe with The-Mainboard.com.
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If you want to join the contest simply head on over to the APS website and follow the directions there.
And as a special treat to our members here if you would like to buy some of the great products All Pro Science has to offer you can use coupon code "tmb" to get 20% off
September 9, 2010
2011 NFL Draft - Top 5 QBs
The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Preseason Top 5 QBs
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. QB Jake Locker, Washington
-Locker is probably the most hyped player going into the 2011 NFL Draft and that isn't to much of a surprise as he could have possibly been the #1 selection if he had come out last year. There are those that say his hype is unwarranted, however going into the season I would disagree with those claims. There is no debating Locker's arm, it is in the top group of this year's potential prospects. His first two years he wasn't able to put it all together and was just getting by with his athletic ability. Under first year head coach Steve Sarkisian, the progress was very encouraging. Locker improved his footwork dramatically and didn't look to run the minute things broke down in the pocket. He displayed the ability to make every throw the NFL requires and often times made it look easy. He certainly isn't a finished product and a lot of ranking is dependent on him building off of the improvements he made last year and which I expect this year as well. He does need to finish up his footwork in the pocket a bit and needs to continue building on his longer throws in terms of accurately placing the ball more often.
2. QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
-I know there are a lot of skeptics out there in regards to Luck. That is he isn't far enough into his playing career to make proper assessments and so forth. Those concerns aren't necessarily invalid, however Luck is a special talent. His poise in the pocket as a freshman was outstanding. He didn't panic often and held his own and wasn't afraid to step up and deliver strikes to his receivers. His mobility isn't that of Locker's, Luck has more than enough which shows on roll outs and his mobility inside the pocket. Outside of Mallett, he has the best arm of the group and he may be on par with Mallett. It is tough to tell but either way, Luck's arm is for real and will have no problem making any throw in the NFL. The touch he has on his throws and the accuracy he has displayed making tough throws is uncanny as a freshman QB. With all of that said, if there is one weakness for Luck it would just be continuing to learn. Obviously as a redshirt freshman he wasn't the best decision maker, however that will certainly develop this year one would expect.
3. QB Christian Ponder, Florida State
-After the big two at the quarterback position, I feel there is a slight drop off from the next two. Ponder certainly isn't to far behind the other two, but just lacks a few things that they do. Ponder is arguably the smartest decision maker out of the three which makes sense given the offensive system he has been in while he has been the quarterback at Florida State and his experience. Ponder has been given freedom from the coaching staff in making adjustments at the line of scrimmage and that is something that no one else in this class have. Given that Ponder uses his smarts and ability to make most throws required at the next level. He does have the ability to move around well in the pocket and allude rushers with relative ease. The biggest knock on Ponder is the lack of arm strength that is displayed. Personally I think he has adequate arm strength but it isn't on the level of the other two quarterbacks in this class. The deep balls tend to float on him and allow other defensive backs to get under the ball and make a play on it. Granted at the NFL level, that type of throw isn't required every throw or really that often. However it is something that executives may use against him, although the rest of the tools are there to be a top prospect.
4. QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
-Going into the year Mallett arguably has the biggest arm of any quarterback prospect in all of college football. His physical tools are off of the charts and certainly warrant all of the hype that has been associated with them. He can make any throw that you ask him to and is developing the touch necessary to be a top flight quarterback prospect. He has shown excellent ability to use all parts of the field which isn't surprising due to the arm strength. In addition to the tools, the Texan does show the ability to evade the rush quite well in the film that I have seen. He isn't going to dash for a 20 yard run or anything like that but uses his feet well to evade on going rushers and extend the play. Although the tools are there, there have been numerous questions in relation to Mallett. The off the field maturity issues are well documented however on the field he tries to get away with his arm strength to much. He doesn't set his feet often enough which tend to make his throws float and be off target. This is something that most will want to see him improve upon this season and step up into his throws in order to make more accurate throws and limit the mistakes that he makes by doing this. If he is able to work on those things, he should be able to sky rocket up the boards come April if his off the field issues are limited.
5. QB Pat Devlin, Delaware
-Devlin definitely came onto the scene last year for the Blue Hens. He transferred from Penn State after being beat by Darryl Clarke and Devlin certainly proved that he didn't lose the spot from a lack of talent. Devlin arguably has the quickest release of any quarterback going into this season. He places balls with relative ease and is able to put the ball where it needs to on intermediate routes with the proper velocity as well. He excels on throws up to 35 yards or so and has excellent touch when delivering his throws. He isn't the most agile quarterback, but like others he has outstanding pocket vision and steps up into throws very well in order to get the best velocity and to avoid the oncoming rush. If there is an issue with Devlin, it is both the competition in addition to the questions about arm strength. He has enough velocity to make most throws down field but anything longer than 40 yards I have trouble seeing being a positive for Devlin. He doesn't have the tools that Flacco had coming out of Delaware and with that I would be surprised to see him beat out the other quarterbacks ahead of him in this class. However he should have good value in the second round and could be a great pickup for whoever is looking for a quarterback.
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. QB Jake Locker, Washington
-Locker is probably the most hyped player going into the 2011 NFL Draft and that isn't to much of a surprise as he could have possibly been the #1 selection if he had come out last year. There are those that say his hype is unwarranted, however going into the season I would disagree with those claims. There is no debating Locker's arm, it is in the top group of this year's potential prospects. His first two years he wasn't able to put it all together and was just getting by with his athletic ability. Under first year head coach Steve Sarkisian, the progress was very encouraging. Locker improved his footwork dramatically and didn't look to run the minute things broke down in the pocket. He displayed the ability to make every throw the NFL requires and often times made it look easy. He certainly isn't a finished product and a lot of ranking is dependent on him building off of the improvements he made last year and which I expect this year as well. He does need to finish up his footwork in the pocket a bit and needs to continue building on his longer throws in terms of accurately placing the ball more often.
2. QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
-I know there are a lot of skeptics out there in regards to Luck. That is he isn't far enough into his playing career to make proper assessments and so forth. Those concerns aren't necessarily invalid, however Luck is a special talent. His poise in the pocket as a freshman was outstanding. He didn't panic often and held his own and wasn't afraid to step up and deliver strikes to his receivers. His mobility isn't that of Locker's, Luck has more than enough which shows on roll outs and his mobility inside the pocket. Outside of Mallett, he has the best arm of the group and he may be on par with Mallett. It is tough to tell but either way, Luck's arm is for real and will have no problem making any throw in the NFL. The touch he has on his throws and the accuracy he has displayed making tough throws is uncanny as a freshman QB. With all of that said, if there is one weakness for Luck it would just be continuing to learn. Obviously as a redshirt freshman he wasn't the best decision maker, however that will certainly develop this year one would expect.
3. QB Christian Ponder, Florida State
-After the big two at the quarterback position, I feel there is a slight drop off from the next two. Ponder certainly isn't to far behind the other two, but just lacks a few things that they do. Ponder is arguably the smartest decision maker out of the three which makes sense given the offensive system he has been in while he has been the quarterback at Florida State and his experience. Ponder has been given freedom from the coaching staff in making adjustments at the line of scrimmage and that is something that no one else in this class have. Given that Ponder uses his smarts and ability to make most throws required at the next level. He does have the ability to move around well in the pocket and allude rushers with relative ease. The biggest knock on Ponder is the lack of arm strength that is displayed. Personally I think he has adequate arm strength but it isn't on the level of the other two quarterbacks in this class. The deep balls tend to float on him and allow other defensive backs to get under the ball and make a play on it. Granted at the NFL level, that type of throw isn't required every throw or really that often. However it is something that executives may use against him, although the rest of the tools are there to be a top prospect.
4. QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
-Going into the year Mallett arguably has the biggest arm of any quarterback prospect in all of college football. His physical tools are off of the charts and certainly warrant all of the hype that has been associated with them. He can make any throw that you ask him to and is developing the touch necessary to be a top flight quarterback prospect. He has shown excellent ability to use all parts of the field which isn't surprising due to the arm strength. In addition to the tools, the Texan does show the ability to evade the rush quite well in the film that I have seen. He isn't going to dash for a 20 yard run or anything like that but uses his feet well to evade on going rushers and extend the play. Although the tools are there, there have been numerous questions in relation to Mallett. The off the field maturity issues are well documented however on the field he tries to get away with his arm strength to much. He doesn't set his feet often enough which tend to make his throws float and be off target. This is something that most will want to see him improve upon this season and step up into his throws in order to make more accurate throws and limit the mistakes that he makes by doing this. If he is able to work on those things, he should be able to sky rocket up the boards come April if his off the field issues are limited.
5. QB Pat Devlin, Delaware
-Devlin definitely came onto the scene last year for the Blue Hens. He transferred from Penn State after being beat by Darryl Clarke and Devlin certainly proved that he didn't lose the spot from a lack of talent. Devlin arguably has the quickest release of any quarterback going into this season. He places balls with relative ease and is able to put the ball where it needs to on intermediate routes with the proper velocity as well. He excels on throws up to 35 yards or so and has excellent touch when delivering his throws. He isn't the most agile quarterback, but like others he has outstanding pocket vision and steps up into throws very well in order to get the best velocity and to avoid the oncoming rush. If there is an issue with Devlin, it is both the competition in addition to the questions about arm strength. He has enough velocity to make most throws down field but anything longer than 40 yards I have trouble seeing being a positive for Devlin. He doesn't have the tools that Flacco had coming out of Delaware and with that I would be surprised to see him beat out the other quarterbacks ahead of him in this class. However he should have good value in the second round and could be a great pickup for whoever is looking for a quarterback.
2011 NFL Draft - Top 3 RBs
The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Initial Top RBs
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. RB Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
-Williams is in my opinion the best pure runner eligible for this class. He has great power and doesn't hesitate one bit when hitting the hole. He shows great vision in allowing his offensive line to get set and if something isn't there he is great at waiting to find the smallest seam and taking advantage of it when it comes open. He also has the speed to turn the corner and break free down the sidelines. He isn't a Noel Devine but has more than enough speed to beat a linebacker and get to the corner quicker. He also has shown great ability out of the backfield at catching the ball. Overall it is certainly him and Mark Ingram battling for the top spot and would expect that battle to continue all season long. The one area that some don't like is the overall lack of major top end speed which keeps him from being a Adrian Peterson type runner but few have the size and speed combination, however there is no doubt Williams is a hard runner who should attract plenty of teams in April if he wishes to come out.
2. RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
-Like I said with regards to Ryan Williams, Mark Ingram is closely behind him for the top spot at running back. Ingram is an all around excellent running back. He might not have the same speed as Williams but is just as physical if not more. He hits the hole hard and like Williams is very patient allowing the offensive line to give him something to work with. He is outstanding as keeping his feet moving and not being taken down easily. I would say he is the best at this among running back prospects going into the year and he is extremely hard to bring down individually due to his feet always moving. He is a threat out of the backfield like Williams and can be used as a weapon on screens and as a check down. The main thing holding Ingram back from being a top five caliber runner is again the speed. He is a great guy at getting good chunks of yardage consistently but will have a hard time creating separation against NFL secondaries. Either way he is going to be taken highly come April much like Williams.
3. RB Daniel Thomas, Kansas State
-Thomas was another big riser on my board after looking at guys more closely and has separated himself in what is shaping up to be a rather weak running back class. Thomas went from a high third round grade to a high second round grade. I think he is as physical as either Williams or Ingram. He is a great between the tackles type of runner and is extremely physical taking on initial opponents. He does have good explosiveness and when he sees a hole open up he isn't hesitant in taking advantage of it. He keeps his feet moving when in traffic, which allows him to keep upright and not go down by a simple arm tackle. He does have adequate speed in getting to the corner against some linebackers, however when a quicker linebacker is matched up with him they are able to take away the corner more often than not. In addition he doesn't have the top end speed that Ingram or Williams has either which isn't elite by any stretch. However he is a very good all around back who isn't elite at any one area but is very good in pretty much every area which should make him attractive to potential suitors in next year's NFL draft.
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. RB Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
-Williams is in my opinion the best pure runner eligible for this class. He has great power and doesn't hesitate one bit when hitting the hole. He shows great vision in allowing his offensive line to get set and if something isn't there he is great at waiting to find the smallest seam and taking advantage of it when it comes open. He also has the speed to turn the corner and break free down the sidelines. He isn't a Noel Devine but has more than enough speed to beat a linebacker and get to the corner quicker. He also has shown great ability out of the backfield at catching the ball. Overall it is certainly him and Mark Ingram battling for the top spot and would expect that battle to continue all season long. The one area that some don't like is the overall lack of major top end speed which keeps him from being a Adrian Peterson type runner but few have the size and speed combination, however there is no doubt Williams is a hard runner who should attract plenty of teams in April if he wishes to come out.
2. RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
-Like I said with regards to Ryan Williams, Mark Ingram is closely behind him for the top spot at running back. Ingram is an all around excellent running back. He might not have the same speed as Williams but is just as physical if not more. He hits the hole hard and like Williams is very patient allowing the offensive line to give him something to work with. He is outstanding as keeping his feet moving and not being taken down easily. I would say he is the best at this among running back prospects going into the year and he is extremely hard to bring down individually due to his feet always moving. He is a threat out of the backfield like Williams and can be used as a weapon on screens and as a check down. The main thing holding Ingram back from being a top five caliber runner is again the speed. He is a great guy at getting good chunks of yardage consistently but will have a hard time creating separation against NFL secondaries. Either way he is going to be taken highly come April much like Williams.
3. RB Daniel Thomas, Kansas State
-Thomas was another big riser on my board after looking at guys more closely and has separated himself in what is shaping up to be a rather weak running back class. Thomas went from a high third round grade to a high second round grade. I think he is as physical as either Williams or Ingram. He is a great between the tackles type of runner and is extremely physical taking on initial opponents. He does have good explosiveness and when he sees a hole open up he isn't hesitant in taking advantage of it. He keeps his feet moving when in traffic, which allows him to keep upright and not go down by a simple arm tackle. He does have adequate speed in getting to the corner against some linebackers, however when a quicker linebacker is matched up with him they are able to take away the corner more often than not. In addition he doesn't have the top end speed that Ingram or Williams has either which isn't elite by any stretch. However he is a very good all around back who isn't elite at any one area but is very good in pretty much every area which should make him attractive to potential suitors in next year's NFL draft.
2011 NFL Draft - Top 5 WRs
The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Initial Top WRs
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. WR A.J. Green, Georgia
-I was surprised when I first saw Green slip to #6. I don't think badly of him at all, however just that talented of a draft class this year in my opinion. Green's best asset is definitely his size at the position. At 6'4 and 212 pounds, Green is an outstanding target for any quarterback. He has excellent leaping ability and shows a great tendency to go up and get the ball at the highest point. His hands are very reliable and arguably the best in this class, although Michael Floyd gives him a run for his money. In addition to this, he has the speed to not just be a possession receiver but can add big play ability to any offense. The biggest thing for Green to work on is that of any receiver his age, which is both route running and working in the weight room. His route running is above average but still needs some work which will come with time. He is still a bit skinny and just needs to gain a little strength to deal with the more physical corners on the next level. But neither concerns are major and will come within the next few years as he continues to develop.
2. WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
-Behind Green, there are a few that can make the case to be the second receiver off the board but as of right now I think it has to be Floyd. Like Green, Floyd as tremendous size measuring in at 6-3 and 220 pounds. He is more physical than Green and that is the one area where one can make the argument where he is better than Green. Floyd has an outstanding ability adjusting to the ball and attacking the ball at the highest point. Floyd demonstrated outstanding hands and that shouldn't be an issue with those thinking about drafting him. The two main areas where Floyd is not well received is the lack of top end speed and the durability concerns. I don't buy into the top speed argument as I think he has more than enough speed to do damage in the NFL but the durability concerns are something to look at closely throughout the year.
3. WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh
-Baldwin has arguably the most impressive size of any receiver eligible to come out this year coming in at 6'5 and 230 pounds. He is arguably the most physically gifted receiver having a tight end body at the receiver position. Like Floyd and Green, Baldwin's best attribute is his size. He isn't going to lose to many jump balls and should be able to bail out his quarterback many times over his NFL career. He is a physical receiver who isn't easy to bring down. He has great leaping ability and makes it look easy grabbing balls out of the air and isn't afraid to leave his feet. When comparing Baldwin to Green, the thing that stands out is probably the top end speed. Baldwin is deceptively fast with long strides but isn't going to separate from secondaries often while Green has bigger play ability with being able to stretch the field more often.
4. WR Titus Young, Boise State
-In a very talented wide receiver class, I think Young is a different player than most. Guys like Jeff Fuller and Julio Jones are similar to the top guys in terms of possession receivers more or less. I don't think those two guys have done much to separate themselves as elite possession guys that warrant first round hype as of now. However Titus Young reminds me a bit of Dexter McCluster from last year and DeSean Jackson from California a few years ago. He is a dynamic playmaker who can excel in the return game, in the receiving game and can even run the ball if he is required to. He is an explosive athlete who can separate from defensive backs with ease if they don't respect his speed, he is also excellent at making guys miss. Although he is the smallest receiver on the list thus far, Young is a physical receiver who isn't afraid of contact. As one would expect, Young has great hands being a receiver and a returner so that shouldn't be an issue at the next level. With all of that said, he does need to refine is route running as he doesn't run to many advanced routes compared to others as being in a spread will do that to a receiver. He also doesn't have the leaping ability of the top group of guys but makes up for it in other areas. I am not sure that a team will take him in the first round, however with smaller guys becoming more of a valued commodity Young should garner the consideration to be selected that high as he is an excellent playmaker.
5. WR Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M
-Although this may surprise some, Fuller did enough for me to place him over Julio Jones. Fuller was the go to receiver for the Aggies and provided much help to Jerrod Johnson in the receiving game to complement Christine Michael. Fuller does an excellent job of using his hands instead of watching the ball go into his body and create miscues. He runs very good routes which isn't a surprise given who is father was and is extremely well taught in terms of shaking defenders loose. Although he doesn't have an excellent burst, he is deceptively fast and if opposing defenders don't take him seriously he can break free for a long gain or even breakaway for a touchdown like he did in the Texas game. He does do a good job of attacking the ball at its highest point and doesn't allow smaller defenders to get a good opportunity against him going for a jump ball. Although he is pretty polished as a receiver, his lack of top end speed may hurt him and the ceiling might not be enough to push him into the first round. He is a very good possession guy but his big play ability at the next level may be a red flag for teams that might select him in the first round. Even with that, I would be surprised to see him drop to low and at this point is a solid second round talent for me.
Tight End
1. TE Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame
-In what is a very weak class for tight ends, Rudolph is certainly head and shoulders above the rest of the class going into the 2010 season. Rudolph is a monster target for any quarterback coming in at 6'6 and 240 pounds. In two seasons at Notre Dame he has run pretty good routes and has displayed great use of his hands as well. He attacks the ball as good as any tight end in the nation and his production should certainly be more than what it has been in two seasons. He is a good enough athlete at the position where he can be a mismatch type tight end in the NFL where he can outrun linebackers and be a huge asset in the intermediate passing game. On top of the passing game, Rudolph has shown the ability to be a plus run blocker as well. He uses his hands well and is strong enough to hold his own in the running game. The biggest knock on Rudolph going into the year is the lack of production. The concerns are warranted but I think this year he is going to be one of the go to targets for Crist and I would expect his production to increase dramatically as he asserts himself as the top Irish target outside of Floyd.
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. WR A.J. Green, Georgia
-I was surprised when I first saw Green slip to #6. I don't think badly of him at all, however just that talented of a draft class this year in my opinion. Green's best asset is definitely his size at the position. At 6'4 and 212 pounds, Green is an outstanding target for any quarterback. He has excellent leaping ability and shows a great tendency to go up and get the ball at the highest point. His hands are very reliable and arguably the best in this class, although Michael Floyd gives him a run for his money. In addition to this, he has the speed to not just be a possession receiver but can add big play ability to any offense. The biggest thing for Green to work on is that of any receiver his age, which is both route running and working in the weight room. His route running is above average but still needs some work which will come with time. He is still a bit skinny and just needs to gain a little strength to deal with the more physical corners on the next level. But neither concerns are major and will come within the next few years as he continues to develop.
2. WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
-Behind Green, there are a few that can make the case to be the second receiver off the board but as of right now I think it has to be Floyd. Like Green, Floyd as tremendous size measuring in at 6-3 and 220 pounds. He is more physical than Green and that is the one area where one can make the argument where he is better than Green. Floyd has an outstanding ability adjusting to the ball and attacking the ball at the highest point. Floyd demonstrated outstanding hands and that shouldn't be an issue with those thinking about drafting him. The two main areas where Floyd is not well received is the lack of top end speed and the durability concerns. I don't buy into the top speed argument as I think he has more than enough speed to do damage in the NFL but the durability concerns are something to look at closely throughout the year.
3. WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh
-Baldwin has arguably the most impressive size of any receiver eligible to come out this year coming in at 6'5 and 230 pounds. He is arguably the most physically gifted receiver having a tight end body at the receiver position. Like Floyd and Green, Baldwin's best attribute is his size. He isn't going to lose to many jump balls and should be able to bail out his quarterback many times over his NFL career. He is a physical receiver who isn't easy to bring down. He has great leaping ability and makes it look easy grabbing balls out of the air and isn't afraid to leave his feet. When comparing Baldwin to Green, the thing that stands out is probably the top end speed. Baldwin is deceptively fast with long strides but isn't going to separate from secondaries often while Green has bigger play ability with being able to stretch the field more often.
4. WR Titus Young, Boise State
-In a very talented wide receiver class, I think Young is a different player than most. Guys like Jeff Fuller and Julio Jones are similar to the top guys in terms of possession receivers more or less. I don't think those two guys have done much to separate themselves as elite possession guys that warrant first round hype as of now. However Titus Young reminds me a bit of Dexter McCluster from last year and DeSean Jackson from California a few years ago. He is a dynamic playmaker who can excel in the return game, in the receiving game and can even run the ball if he is required to. He is an explosive athlete who can separate from defensive backs with ease if they don't respect his speed, he is also excellent at making guys miss. Although he is the smallest receiver on the list thus far, Young is a physical receiver who isn't afraid of contact. As one would expect, Young has great hands being a receiver and a returner so that shouldn't be an issue at the next level. With all of that said, he does need to refine is route running as he doesn't run to many advanced routes compared to others as being in a spread will do that to a receiver. He also doesn't have the leaping ability of the top group of guys but makes up for it in other areas. I am not sure that a team will take him in the first round, however with smaller guys becoming more of a valued commodity Young should garner the consideration to be selected that high as he is an excellent playmaker.
5. WR Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M
-Although this may surprise some, Fuller did enough for me to place him over Julio Jones. Fuller was the go to receiver for the Aggies and provided much help to Jerrod Johnson in the receiving game to complement Christine Michael. Fuller does an excellent job of using his hands instead of watching the ball go into his body and create miscues. He runs very good routes which isn't a surprise given who is father was and is extremely well taught in terms of shaking defenders loose. Although he doesn't have an excellent burst, he is deceptively fast and if opposing defenders don't take him seriously he can break free for a long gain or even breakaway for a touchdown like he did in the Texas game. He does do a good job of attacking the ball at its highest point and doesn't allow smaller defenders to get a good opportunity against him going for a jump ball. Although he is pretty polished as a receiver, his lack of top end speed may hurt him and the ceiling might not be enough to push him into the first round. He is a very good possession guy but his big play ability at the next level may be a red flag for teams that might select him in the first round. Even with that, I would be surprised to see him drop to low and at this point is a solid second round talent for me.
Tight End
1. TE Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame
-In what is a very weak class for tight ends, Rudolph is certainly head and shoulders above the rest of the class going into the 2010 season. Rudolph is a monster target for any quarterback coming in at 6'6 and 240 pounds. In two seasons at Notre Dame he has run pretty good routes and has displayed great use of his hands as well. He attacks the ball as good as any tight end in the nation and his production should certainly be more than what it has been in two seasons. He is a good enough athlete at the position where he can be a mismatch type tight end in the NFL where he can outrun linebackers and be a huge asset in the intermediate passing game. On top of the passing game, Rudolph has shown the ability to be a plus run blocker as well. He uses his hands well and is strong enough to hold his own in the running game. The biggest knock on Rudolph going into the year is the lack of production. The concerns are warranted but I think this year he is going to be one of the go to targets for Crist and I would expect his production to increase dramatically as he asserts himself as the top Irish target outside of Floyd.
2011 NFL Draft - Top 4 OTs
The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Initial Top OTs
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. OT Joseph Barksdale, LSU
-Although I have Potter as my top offensive lineman going into the year, Barksdale is not far behind for me. I think both have been better over early favorites such as Nate Solder and Gabe Carimi. Barksdale is an outstanding athlete at the position and that is the biggest thing that sticks out to me. He stays back very nicely in pass protection and doesn't get over aggressive which allows cut back lanes for opposing defensive linemen. With him being the athlete that he is, he is able to get to the second level in run blocking with ease and can open up bigger holes for his running back. On top of all of that, Barksdale does a great job staying low to the ground and being able to use leverage to his advantage and doesn't lose it that often. Although Barksdale was surprisingly better at pass protection than I thought he would be, he isn't as strong as I would like. He isn't the force in the running game that is usually correlated with an elite offensive linemen when it comes to pro potential. There is definitely room to grow when he is completely dedicated to football at the next level, but he may never establish a great mean streak.
2. OT Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
-Castonzo is much higher on other people's projections going into the year and although I like him, I am not in love with him. He is another extremely agile prospect who has outstanding feet and uses that as his primary asset. He is able to contain the edge quite often by beating defensive linemen to the edge forcing them to take a wider angle into the quarterback. That will certainly draw plenty of attention to him and that is why a lot are high on him. In what is becoming a smaller and more athletic defensive front for a lot of teams, especially at the end position Castonzo is able to project nicely in covering them. However the big knock on him, much like Rodney Hudson, is the size concern that teams will have. He is below 300 pounds right now and the strength isn't their for him like a Nate Potter. He is going to have to work to get that up as the agility is great, however defensive ends in the NFL have both speed and strength. So even if he can beat ends to the edge, the concern will be the bull rush and how well he can contain that at the next level.
3. OT/OG DeMarcus Love, Arkansas
-Although Ryan Mallett is getting all of the attention for the Razorbacks entering the year, it wouldn't surprise me if Love is the first Arkansas player off of the board come April. Love has tremendous versatility with the ability to play outside at the tackle position or probably where he is best suited on the inside at guard. He is very quick off of the ball and has great strength with the ability to drive opposing linemen off of the ball rather easily. He does have a slight issue of being over aggressive and trying to recover by reaching out which similar guards have the issue with. He tries to get by with brute strength and in the NFL defensive linemen will begin to exploit that more as he won't be able to hide as he does at the collegiate level. Overall though, I think he has the most potential of all offensive linemen prospects to shoot up the board and potentially challenge for one of the top offensive linemen off of the board. He has a great ceiling and probably more so than the offensive linemen above him do.
4. OT Nate Solder, Colorado
-Solder is a mammoth offensive linemen that has a ton of buzz with a lot of people. He is extremely agile and is extremely quick getting off of the ball. He does a great job of getting depth at the tackle position and sealing off the outside against speedier edge rushers. He is extremely raw and that is why a lot of people are oozing to try and mold him into a monster NFL tackle at the next level. Even though he has all the tools, he is still to inconsistent for my liking as a top 10 pick like some have him valued at. He is extremely thin standing 6'9 and barely getting over 300 pounds. I am not sure how a 6'9 tackle will project in the NFL and if there ever is a thing, he may be to tall for the position at the next level. He doesn't have a great first punch and struggles in the run game due to a lack of strength. Overall there are plenty of things to get excited about with Solder, however the body of work isn't there and not sure he is poised for a huge season for Colorado.
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. OT Joseph Barksdale, LSU
-Although I have Potter as my top offensive lineman going into the year, Barksdale is not far behind for me. I think both have been better over early favorites such as Nate Solder and Gabe Carimi. Barksdale is an outstanding athlete at the position and that is the biggest thing that sticks out to me. He stays back very nicely in pass protection and doesn't get over aggressive which allows cut back lanes for opposing defensive linemen. With him being the athlete that he is, he is able to get to the second level in run blocking with ease and can open up bigger holes for his running back. On top of all of that, Barksdale does a great job staying low to the ground and being able to use leverage to his advantage and doesn't lose it that often. Although Barksdale was surprisingly better at pass protection than I thought he would be, he isn't as strong as I would like. He isn't the force in the running game that is usually correlated with an elite offensive linemen when it comes to pro potential. There is definitely room to grow when he is completely dedicated to football at the next level, but he may never establish a great mean streak.
2. OT Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
-Castonzo is much higher on other people's projections going into the year and although I like him, I am not in love with him. He is another extremely agile prospect who has outstanding feet and uses that as his primary asset. He is able to contain the edge quite often by beating defensive linemen to the edge forcing them to take a wider angle into the quarterback. That will certainly draw plenty of attention to him and that is why a lot are high on him. In what is becoming a smaller and more athletic defensive front for a lot of teams, especially at the end position Castonzo is able to project nicely in covering them. However the big knock on him, much like Rodney Hudson, is the size concern that teams will have. He is below 300 pounds right now and the strength isn't their for him like a Nate Potter. He is going to have to work to get that up as the agility is great, however defensive ends in the NFL have both speed and strength. So even if he can beat ends to the edge, the concern will be the bull rush and how well he can contain that at the next level.
3. OT/OG DeMarcus Love, Arkansas
-Although Ryan Mallett is getting all of the attention for the Razorbacks entering the year, it wouldn't surprise me if Love is the first Arkansas player off of the board come April. Love has tremendous versatility with the ability to play outside at the tackle position or probably where he is best suited on the inside at guard. He is very quick off of the ball and has great strength with the ability to drive opposing linemen off of the ball rather easily. He does have a slight issue of being over aggressive and trying to recover by reaching out which similar guards have the issue with. He tries to get by with brute strength and in the NFL defensive linemen will begin to exploit that more as he won't be able to hide as he does at the collegiate level. Overall though, I think he has the most potential of all offensive linemen prospects to shoot up the board and potentially challenge for one of the top offensive linemen off of the board. He has a great ceiling and probably more so than the offensive linemen above him do.
4. OT Nate Solder, Colorado
-Solder is a mammoth offensive linemen that has a ton of buzz with a lot of people. He is extremely agile and is extremely quick getting off of the ball. He does a great job of getting depth at the tackle position and sealing off the outside against speedier edge rushers. He is extremely raw and that is why a lot of people are oozing to try and mold him into a monster NFL tackle at the next level. Even though he has all the tools, he is still to inconsistent for my liking as a top 10 pick like some have him valued at. He is extremely thin standing 6'9 and barely getting over 300 pounds. I am not sure how a 6'9 tackle will project in the NFL and if there ever is a thing, he may be to tall for the position at the next level. He doesn't have a great first punch and struggles in the run game due to a lack of strength. Overall there are plenty of things to get excited about with Solder, however the body of work isn't there and not sure he is poised for a huge season for Colorado.
2011 NFL Draft - Top 5 Interior OL
The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Initial Interior OL.
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. OT/OG Nate Potter, Boise State
-Potter is an interesting case and should be one of the fastest rising players amongst the national pundits throughout the year if things go right. He moved from left tackle to left guard with Boise State being deeper at tackle than at guard, not to mention Potter's strength to take on collegiate defensive tackles. It is going to be a case to watch throughout the season to see how he develops. I think he is the most talented offensive lineman before the season starts. He has quick feet and agility not to mention the mean streak that other guys just don't possess, which is evidenced by the move to guard. He has been very receptive to the change and has embraced which bodes well for how NFL teams will look at him come April I would imagine. At either position, Potter should be a plus player and the versatility should help him like it did Ryan Clady an ex Boise State standout. The one thing to watch is the holding inside as the move to guard sometimes exploits that, which hampered Mike Iupati a year ago but I think Potter is quicker than Iupati was at this point.
2. OG/OC Stefen Wisniewski, Penn State
-Wisniewski is possibly the best pure interior offensive linemen in the 2011 NFL Draft. Wisniewski is very athletic for an interior line prospect. He moves his feet well and keeps a low center of gravity which allows him to maintain a low pad level. This is a huge advantage for him as he isn't the strongest interior linemen eligible for the draft. He uses excellent technique to have the initial advantage and he keeps it up throughout the play. If he is able to clear the way early in a play, he has an excellent motor which allows him to keep with the play and move to the second tier of a defense and open up further holes for his running back up field. This should translate well to the next level and make him a valuable prospect to a team later in the first round or early in the second round which may be a steal to get him there. The one thing that I think he has to do at the next level would be to increase his strength. With more NFL teams going to bigger three man fronts, this could expose Wisniewski early on in his career. I am not sure he has the strength to handle a guy like Jerrell Powe or other strong tackles like him. Obviously in a 3-4 setting, he would be allowed help but that is giving into what a nose tackle's job is. However that should come within a few years and he has the frame to increase his strength, so I am not sure it will be a major red flag for teams going into April.
3. OG Rodney Hudson, Florida State
-Like Wisniewski of Penn State, Hudson's biggest aspect is his athleticism from the guard spot. Hudson has one of the quickest set of feet amongst offensive linemen that are eligible for this year's NFL draft. He has great agility and rarely gets beat inside by speed, which for a league that is becoming speed crazy should give him an advantage in that department. He uses his hands well and isn't as much of a grabber like some other top fleet guards have been coming out of the draft in the past few years. The biggest thing to me that is Hudson's problem and something I am not sure he can get up will be the weight concern that some have with him. He is measured in at 285 pounds and that is a big red flag for NFL teams, due to the size of nose tackles these days. 300 may be the magic number for him come February when the NFL combine is held in Indianapolis. If he isn't able to pack on the pounds, he may be one of the biggest fallers of this list as one of the top guards coming into the year last year Anthony Render went from 2nd to 3rd round consideration to being undrafted due to size concerns.
4. OC Kris O'Dowd, Southern California
-O'Dowd enters the year as the top pure center for me among draft eligible prospects for the 2011 NFL draft. Unlike some other linemen this year, O'Dowd has more strength than agility. O'Dowd isn't the quickest nor the fastest center prospect but he is extremely polished using great technique. He has started since his freshman season at Southern California which is a big plus in terms of overall experience at the position. With more teams going towards a 3-4 defensive front, O'Dowd has the most strength among the second tier offensive linemen and could very well be the first off the board among interior linemen come April. The biggest issue with O'Dowd outside of the elite athleticism would be the durability concerns. His career at USC has been plagued with injuries and that probably is the biggest reason why he could slip from the first round as interior linemen are easier to find throughout the draft than offensive tackles. Either way O'Dowd shouldn't fall farther than the middle part of the third round and could very well end up in the first round if he proves that the injuries are behind him.
5. OG/OC Mike Pouncey, Florida
-His brother wound up a first round selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2010 NFL Draft and it wouldn't surprise me if Mike winds up there after a year at a new position. The biggest asset that Pouncey has is his blocking in the run game. He is much like O'Dowd in terms of being big and strong which showed when Pouncey was blocking in the run game. He did a great job at not grabbing and rather driving opposing defensive linemen off of the ball using good leverage and his overall strength. Although his strength is arguably at the top of this class, he doesn't have the agility and overall athleticism that his twin brother had. I think the move to center will help increase his value as that will limit his exposure to speed inside and showcase his run blocking even more than he did at the guard spot. Overall he might be lower than what he should be but I think after a year of center under his belt, he should rise up boards and possibly find himself in the later part of the first round.
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. OT/OG Nate Potter, Boise State
-Potter is an interesting case and should be one of the fastest rising players amongst the national pundits throughout the year if things go right. He moved from left tackle to left guard with Boise State being deeper at tackle than at guard, not to mention Potter's strength to take on collegiate defensive tackles. It is going to be a case to watch throughout the season to see how he develops. I think he is the most talented offensive lineman before the season starts. He has quick feet and agility not to mention the mean streak that other guys just don't possess, which is evidenced by the move to guard. He has been very receptive to the change and has embraced which bodes well for how NFL teams will look at him come April I would imagine. At either position, Potter should be a plus player and the versatility should help him like it did Ryan Clady an ex Boise State standout. The one thing to watch is the holding inside as the move to guard sometimes exploits that, which hampered Mike Iupati a year ago but I think Potter is quicker than Iupati was at this point.
2. OG/OC Stefen Wisniewski, Penn State
-Wisniewski is possibly the best pure interior offensive linemen in the 2011 NFL Draft. Wisniewski is very athletic for an interior line prospect. He moves his feet well and keeps a low center of gravity which allows him to maintain a low pad level. This is a huge advantage for him as he isn't the strongest interior linemen eligible for the draft. He uses excellent technique to have the initial advantage and he keeps it up throughout the play. If he is able to clear the way early in a play, he has an excellent motor which allows him to keep with the play and move to the second tier of a defense and open up further holes for his running back up field. This should translate well to the next level and make him a valuable prospect to a team later in the first round or early in the second round which may be a steal to get him there. The one thing that I think he has to do at the next level would be to increase his strength. With more NFL teams going to bigger three man fronts, this could expose Wisniewski early on in his career. I am not sure he has the strength to handle a guy like Jerrell Powe or other strong tackles like him. Obviously in a 3-4 setting, he would be allowed help but that is giving into what a nose tackle's job is. However that should come within a few years and he has the frame to increase his strength, so I am not sure it will be a major red flag for teams going into April.
3. OG Rodney Hudson, Florida State
-Like Wisniewski of Penn State, Hudson's biggest aspect is his athleticism from the guard spot. Hudson has one of the quickest set of feet amongst offensive linemen that are eligible for this year's NFL draft. He has great agility and rarely gets beat inside by speed, which for a league that is becoming speed crazy should give him an advantage in that department. He uses his hands well and isn't as much of a grabber like some other top fleet guards have been coming out of the draft in the past few years. The biggest thing to me that is Hudson's problem and something I am not sure he can get up will be the weight concern that some have with him. He is measured in at 285 pounds and that is a big red flag for NFL teams, due to the size of nose tackles these days. 300 may be the magic number for him come February when the NFL combine is held in Indianapolis. If he isn't able to pack on the pounds, he may be one of the biggest fallers of this list as one of the top guards coming into the year last year Anthony Render went from 2nd to 3rd round consideration to being undrafted due to size concerns.
4. OC Kris O'Dowd, Southern California
-O'Dowd enters the year as the top pure center for me among draft eligible prospects for the 2011 NFL draft. Unlike some other linemen this year, O'Dowd has more strength than agility. O'Dowd isn't the quickest nor the fastest center prospect but he is extremely polished using great technique. He has started since his freshman season at Southern California which is a big plus in terms of overall experience at the position. With more teams going towards a 3-4 defensive front, O'Dowd has the most strength among the second tier offensive linemen and could very well be the first off the board among interior linemen come April. The biggest issue with O'Dowd outside of the elite athleticism would be the durability concerns. His career at USC has been plagued with injuries and that probably is the biggest reason why he could slip from the first round as interior linemen are easier to find throughout the draft than offensive tackles. Either way O'Dowd shouldn't fall farther than the middle part of the third round and could very well end up in the first round if he proves that the injuries are behind him.
5. OG/OC Mike Pouncey, Florida
-His brother wound up a first round selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2010 NFL Draft and it wouldn't surprise me if Mike winds up there after a year at a new position. The biggest asset that Pouncey has is his blocking in the run game. He is much like O'Dowd in terms of being big and strong which showed when Pouncey was blocking in the run game. He did a great job at not grabbing and rather driving opposing defensive linemen off of the ball using good leverage and his overall strength. Although his strength is arguably at the top of this class, he doesn't have the agility and overall athleticism that his twin brother had. I think the move to center will help increase his value as that will limit his exposure to speed inside and showcase his run blocking even more than he did at the guard spot. Overall he might be lower than what he should be but I think after a year of center under his belt, he should rise up boards and possibly find himself in the later part of the first round.
2011 NFL Draft - Top 5 DTs
The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Initial Top 5 DTs
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. DT Jurrell Casey, Southern California
-Casey is the fastest riser on my board after looking at everyone more closely. Casey is one of the best put together defensive tackles entering the year at 6'1 and 305 pounds. Casey has outstanding fundamentals and doesn't rely solely on his athletic ability and sheer power, however he stays low to the ground and has quick, active hands as well. Casey shows an explosiveness off of the line that few defensive tackles showed last year. He is able to quickly penetrate into the backfield and although he goes a tad high doesn't just go for the big hit but wraps up. So even if he can't get the QB down, he slows the opposing player down enough for his teammates to get there. In addition he has displayed the ability to shed blockers against a double team and hold the point of attack. This wasn't always the case and something he needs to do more consistently but there is no doubt all the talent is there for him to solidify himself as a top 10-15 pick.
2. DT Jerrell Powe, Mississippi
-Powe's story is well documented and most know the difficulties he has had to even play college football. On the field, Powe shined in his first real season last year for the Rebels. At 320 pounds I was expecting a much heavier and less athletic big body, but Powe proved me wrong on that front. He is very active with his hands and has an excellent motor for a guy his size. I think he is easily the best nose tackle prospect heading into the year and would be surprised if he fell out of the middle of the second round unless he fell flat on his face during the 2010 season. He is very disruptive in the games that I saw him and reminds me a bit of Vince Wilfork from Miami. Both very big guys who are extremely athletic and quick for their size. Even though Powe is the best nose tackle prospect, with the agility he shows it wouldn't surprise me if he was able to perform in a 4-3 defensive scheme. Powe shows a great ability in driving through tackles and not letting to many guys get away from his grasp. Overall I think the biggest thing he has to prove coming into the year is work ethic and consistency. I don't see any reason why he can't be like a B.J. Raji who is a mammoth nose tackle who is also disruptive in addition to being able to hold the point of attack. I think Powe could be one of the biggest risers if he is able to build on the 2009 season he had and becoming a regular disruptive tackle during the season.
3. DT Lawrence Guy, Arizona State
-Guy may be a bit of an unknown to most outside of the Pac-10 region, however he is very impressive. He isn't the pass rusher that a lot of the guys on the list are, however is very good at using proper leverage and clogging up holes. Guy is more than capable of playing a 4-3 defensive tackle but I don't think that is what suits him best. He is a terrific player at holding his ground at the point of attack and not being ridden out of the play by opposing offensive linemen. He has active hands that allows him to disengage opposing offensive linemen. He seems terrific to play a five technique in a 3-4 defensive scheme and the attributes he used during his 2009 season should translate well for him at the next level. He also has a terrific motor, which allows him to never lose sight of a play and always a threat to break up a play even if it is on the other side of the field. Guy does have a tendency of getting out of his stance to quickly leading to him losing initial leverage, however he does do a good job to recover but will need to work on consistently keeping a low center of gravity. Guy is bunched in with a lot of other prospects with similar skill sets but like him a tad better than others on the outset of the season.
4. DT Jared Crick, Nebraska
-There have been many questions in regards to Jared Crick on how he would fare in the 2010 season without Suh by his side. I don't think those issues are as big and it isn't like Crick is going to fall big time without Crick. This is due to the fact that Crick's game doesn't rely on rushing the passer which would have been aided the most by having Suh by his side. He did have a breakout game against Baylor, however that certainly wasn't the norm. Crick reminds me former Nebraska DE Adam Carriker. Carriker was a highly regarded defensive lineman coming out of Nebraska's program and was taken highly by the St. Louis Rams. Carriker didn't pan out, however was used completely wrong. Like Carriker, Crick isn't going to be an ideal 4-3 defensive tackle at the next level. He is a guy that has extremely active hands and most of the time uses great pad level to occupy blockers and clog up potential holes. He is well suited for the 3-4 end position, which is the same position that Carriker should have been used for. Outside of this Crick does have one issue and that is popping up on occasion. When he uses proper pad level, Crick commands double teams. However when he pops up to quickly, guards are able to get their hands on the inside of him and make him a non factor during the play which will be taken advantage of even more at the next level.
5. DT Jerel Worthy, Michigan State
-Many draft pundits believe that Greg Jones is the top pro prospect for the Spartans entering the season. I do not agree with that assessment although it is very close. To me Worthy is the better prospect and certainly has a higher ceiling going into the season. His biggest asset his is explosive jump off of the line of scrimmage. He is outstanding at getting penetration and blowing up plays in the backfield either in the run game or attacking the opposing quarterback. Towards the end of the last season, Worthy garnered enough credit to start being double teamed against opposing teams. When faced with this, he held his ground and maintained good leverage in not being blown off of the ball. He has a good motor in not giving up on plays that are to the edge, he fights through blockers in order to make a play on either side of the field. Although Worthy's potential is through the roof, he still has plenty of work to do. He does tend to jump to easily and is susceptible to being pulled offsides against experienced quarterbacks. He is an unknown to many and needs to follow up on what was a very good coming out party during the 2009 season and show the necessary adjustments to garner the national consideration he deserves.
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. DT Jurrell Casey, Southern California
-Casey is the fastest riser on my board after looking at everyone more closely. Casey is one of the best put together defensive tackles entering the year at 6'1 and 305 pounds. Casey has outstanding fundamentals and doesn't rely solely on his athletic ability and sheer power, however he stays low to the ground and has quick, active hands as well. Casey shows an explosiveness off of the line that few defensive tackles showed last year. He is able to quickly penetrate into the backfield and although he goes a tad high doesn't just go for the big hit but wraps up. So even if he can't get the QB down, he slows the opposing player down enough for his teammates to get there. In addition he has displayed the ability to shed blockers against a double team and hold the point of attack. This wasn't always the case and something he needs to do more consistently but there is no doubt all the talent is there for him to solidify himself as a top 10-15 pick.
2. DT Jerrell Powe, Mississippi
-Powe's story is well documented and most know the difficulties he has had to even play college football. On the field, Powe shined in his first real season last year for the Rebels. At 320 pounds I was expecting a much heavier and less athletic big body, but Powe proved me wrong on that front. He is very active with his hands and has an excellent motor for a guy his size. I think he is easily the best nose tackle prospect heading into the year and would be surprised if he fell out of the middle of the second round unless he fell flat on his face during the 2010 season. He is very disruptive in the games that I saw him and reminds me a bit of Vince Wilfork from Miami. Both very big guys who are extremely athletic and quick for their size. Even though Powe is the best nose tackle prospect, with the agility he shows it wouldn't surprise me if he was able to perform in a 4-3 defensive scheme. Powe shows a great ability in driving through tackles and not letting to many guys get away from his grasp. Overall I think the biggest thing he has to prove coming into the year is work ethic and consistency. I don't see any reason why he can't be like a B.J. Raji who is a mammoth nose tackle who is also disruptive in addition to being able to hold the point of attack. I think Powe could be one of the biggest risers if he is able to build on the 2009 season he had and becoming a regular disruptive tackle during the season.
3. DT Lawrence Guy, Arizona State
-Guy may be a bit of an unknown to most outside of the Pac-10 region, however he is very impressive. He isn't the pass rusher that a lot of the guys on the list are, however is very good at using proper leverage and clogging up holes. Guy is more than capable of playing a 4-3 defensive tackle but I don't think that is what suits him best. He is a terrific player at holding his ground at the point of attack and not being ridden out of the play by opposing offensive linemen. He has active hands that allows him to disengage opposing offensive linemen. He seems terrific to play a five technique in a 3-4 defensive scheme and the attributes he used during his 2009 season should translate well for him at the next level. He also has a terrific motor, which allows him to never lose sight of a play and always a threat to break up a play even if it is on the other side of the field. Guy does have a tendency of getting out of his stance to quickly leading to him losing initial leverage, however he does do a good job to recover but will need to work on consistently keeping a low center of gravity. Guy is bunched in with a lot of other prospects with similar skill sets but like him a tad better than others on the outset of the season.
4. DT Jared Crick, Nebraska
-There have been many questions in regards to Jared Crick on how he would fare in the 2010 season without Suh by his side. I don't think those issues are as big and it isn't like Crick is going to fall big time without Crick. This is due to the fact that Crick's game doesn't rely on rushing the passer which would have been aided the most by having Suh by his side. He did have a breakout game against Baylor, however that certainly wasn't the norm. Crick reminds me former Nebraska DE Adam Carriker. Carriker was a highly regarded defensive lineman coming out of Nebraska's program and was taken highly by the St. Louis Rams. Carriker didn't pan out, however was used completely wrong. Like Carriker, Crick isn't going to be an ideal 4-3 defensive tackle at the next level. He is a guy that has extremely active hands and most of the time uses great pad level to occupy blockers and clog up potential holes. He is well suited for the 3-4 end position, which is the same position that Carriker should have been used for. Outside of this Crick does have one issue and that is popping up on occasion. When he uses proper pad level, Crick commands double teams. However when he pops up to quickly, guards are able to get their hands on the inside of him and make him a non factor during the play which will be taken advantage of even more at the next level.
5. DT Jerel Worthy, Michigan State
-Many draft pundits believe that Greg Jones is the top pro prospect for the Spartans entering the season. I do not agree with that assessment although it is very close. To me Worthy is the better prospect and certainly has a higher ceiling going into the season. His biggest asset his is explosive jump off of the line of scrimmage. He is outstanding at getting penetration and blowing up plays in the backfield either in the run game or attacking the opposing quarterback. Towards the end of the last season, Worthy garnered enough credit to start being double teamed against opposing teams. When faced with this, he held his ground and maintained good leverage in not being blown off of the ball. He has a good motor in not giving up on plays that are to the edge, he fights through blockers in order to make a play on either side of the field. Although Worthy's potential is through the roof, he still has plenty of work to do. He does tend to jump to easily and is susceptible to being pulled offsides against experienced quarterbacks. He is an unknown to many and needs to follow up on what was a very good coming out party during the 2009 season and show the necessary adjustments to garner the national consideration he deserves.
2011 NFL Draft - Top 5 DEs
The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Initial Top 5 DEs
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina
-Quinn tops the board going into the season. Much like a former Tar Heel, Quinn is your prototypical 4-3 defensive end. He uses his quick first step to gain initial advantage over opposing offensive linemen. After he has established the advantage he is able to either beat you with a quick move to the inside, overpower you with a bull rush or has enough speed to get the edge and beat most offensive linemen that way. He also keeps his hands active and most of the time uses proper leverage to maintain the advantage he initially gains off of the snap. All that with being 6'5 and 270 pounds and you have yourself one of the most complete defensive ends in the nation. Quinn also has the ability to potentially play as a 3-4 outside linebacker, however I would imagine he gets selected as a defensive end come next April. He does have a tendency to go to fast when flying to the fall and does tend miss the initial wrap up, but most of the time is able to quickly recover and finish up what he started.
2. DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
-Clayborn is right on the heels of Quinn. Not many outside of Big Ten country knew Clayborn until the Orange Bowl last season where he exploded onto the national scene to most. He is a bit bigger than Quinn, measuring 6'4 and 285 pounds, however he still has the necessary speed off the edge to be a monster. Like most Hawkeye linemen, Clayborn is extremely sound fundamentally when he is engaged with an opposing offensive linemen. He uses his hands very well and maintains good leverage throughout the play. He probably doesn't have the sheer athleticism that Quinn possesses or the freakish athlete body, but Clayborn has a tremendous motor and all he does is produce week in and week out, evidenced by last year. In the NFL, Clayborn can either be a 4-3 defensive end or play end in a 3-4 scheme as well. The biggest thing that sticks out as a negative with Clayborn is the tendency to go high on tackles and use his arms to much. This was seen a few times against the Yellow Jackets in the Orange Bowl, but usually has the motor to make up for it which allows him to close out the play if he misses once much like Quinn.
3. DE Marcell Dareus, Alabama
-Dareus is arguably the best 3-4 defensive end going into the 2011 NFL Draft. He is unmatched weighing in at 6'3 and 305 pounds roughly. Although he has the size, the most impressive thing about him is the speed. He has great explosiveness off of the edge and uses both his size and speed to get to the quarterback. In addition to just being able to clog up lanes, he is able to rush the passer and should attract many suitors as he is perfect for the hybrid 3-4 defensive scheme. He has displayed an excellent motor throughout the past year for the Crimson Tide and there is no doubt that he has the work ethic to be a star at the NFL level. In terms of tackling, he usually doesn't allow to many to slip away when he has them in sight. The one knock on Dareus that has been said is that he sometimes gets away from using proper technique which can be seen on occasion but isn't as much of a factor as I thought it would be.
3. DE/DT Cameron Heyward, Ohio State
-Heyward was a potential late first round selection if he had chosen to declare last year, however he opted to stay in school to improve his stock. He is an extremely versatile defensive lineman that can play anywhere from a 3-4 defensive end to a defensive tackle in a cover two scheme. The biggest thing that sticks out to me with Heyward is his overall motor. He is a non-stop player much like the mold of Adrian Clayborn and doesn't give up on a play early on even if it isn't to his side of the field. He shows a nice initial burst off of the ball and stays low to gain initial advantage. He is excellent at using his hands and that allows him to break free of opposing offensive lineman much more easily. Overall in a loaded defensive line class, Heyward is right in the thick of things to be chosen among the top 3-4. The one thing that sticks out with Heyward compared to a Robert Quinn is the lack of development in overall pass rush moves. That shouldn't a major concern to NFL executives as I would imagine that will come as he continues to develop as a pass rusher.
4. DE Allen Bailey, Miami
-Much like Robert Quinn, Bailey is a physical freak on the field. He is all of 6'4 and 288 pounds and doesn't look to have any bad weight on his body. Moving from linebacker to the defensive line was a great move for Bailey as he has improved on the field since the move. He is extremely versatile and can play either a five technique in a 3-4 defensive scheme or has the ability to play a defensive tackle in a 4-3 defensive scheme. He is an extremely strong lineman and has shown the ability to plow offensive lineman and has made it his go to pass rushing move. He is quick off of the ball and shows his explosiveness with his first step, which allows him to gain the initial advantage against most opposing offensive linemen. Despite all of this, I have him as the second to last top tier defensive linemen eligible to declare for the 2011 NFL Draft. I don't think he is the pass rusher that others in this class are and the biggest thing that shows is his slow nature in terms of disengaging blockers and changing direction. He doesn't use his hands extremely well and this is the root of his issues in terms of getting away from blockers. Overall I think Bailey is suited best as a five technique in a 3-4 defensive scheme.
5. DE Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh
-Romeus is probably the top of the second tier of defensive linemen eligible for the 2011 draft. He certainly is capable of improving upon his stock right now is a little raw. He arguably has the quickest bust outside of Quinn. He displays excellent speed off of the edge and will put up impressive speed numbers at the combine in February. In addition to just pure speed, Romeus has displayed excellent use of his hands when engaged with opposing offensive linemen. He also displays excellent athleticism in being able to deflect passes as he does for a guy that is that big. Although his physical tools are off of the charts, he does have a little bit to prove during the 2010 season. He tends to go in high when making tackles which doesn't allow him to finish tackles as well as he could. Needs to work on staying lower and wrapping up rather than just think he can muscle the defender down. He also is a bit slow in recognizing the play and due to this has a tendency of getting pushed off the ball on run plays to the outside. Overall his athleticism outstanding and all the tools are there for him to be a very good pass rusher in the NFL.
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina
-Quinn tops the board going into the season. Much like a former Tar Heel, Quinn is your prototypical 4-3 defensive end. He uses his quick first step to gain initial advantage over opposing offensive linemen. After he has established the advantage he is able to either beat you with a quick move to the inside, overpower you with a bull rush or has enough speed to get the edge and beat most offensive linemen that way. He also keeps his hands active and most of the time uses proper leverage to maintain the advantage he initially gains off of the snap. All that with being 6'5 and 270 pounds and you have yourself one of the most complete defensive ends in the nation. Quinn also has the ability to potentially play as a 3-4 outside linebacker, however I would imagine he gets selected as a defensive end come next April. He does have a tendency to go to fast when flying to the fall and does tend miss the initial wrap up, but most of the time is able to quickly recover and finish up what he started.
2. DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
-Clayborn is right on the heels of Quinn. Not many outside of Big Ten country knew Clayborn until the Orange Bowl last season where he exploded onto the national scene to most. He is a bit bigger than Quinn, measuring 6'4 and 285 pounds, however he still has the necessary speed off the edge to be a monster. Like most Hawkeye linemen, Clayborn is extremely sound fundamentally when he is engaged with an opposing offensive linemen. He uses his hands very well and maintains good leverage throughout the play. He probably doesn't have the sheer athleticism that Quinn possesses or the freakish athlete body, but Clayborn has a tremendous motor and all he does is produce week in and week out, evidenced by last year. In the NFL, Clayborn can either be a 4-3 defensive end or play end in a 3-4 scheme as well. The biggest thing that sticks out as a negative with Clayborn is the tendency to go high on tackles and use his arms to much. This was seen a few times against the Yellow Jackets in the Orange Bowl, but usually has the motor to make up for it which allows him to close out the play if he misses once much like Quinn.
3. DE Marcell Dareus, Alabama
-Dareus is arguably the best 3-4 defensive end going into the 2011 NFL Draft. He is unmatched weighing in at 6'3 and 305 pounds roughly. Although he has the size, the most impressive thing about him is the speed. He has great explosiveness off of the edge and uses both his size and speed to get to the quarterback. In addition to just being able to clog up lanes, he is able to rush the passer and should attract many suitors as he is perfect for the hybrid 3-4 defensive scheme. He has displayed an excellent motor throughout the past year for the Crimson Tide and there is no doubt that he has the work ethic to be a star at the NFL level. In terms of tackling, he usually doesn't allow to many to slip away when he has them in sight. The one knock on Dareus that has been said is that he sometimes gets away from using proper technique which can be seen on occasion but isn't as much of a factor as I thought it would be.
3. DE/DT Cameron Heyward, Ohio State
-Heyward was a potential late first round selection if he had chosen to declare last year, however he opted to stay in school to improve his stock. He is an extremely versatile defensive lineman that can play anywhere from a 3-4 defensive end to a defensive tackle in a cover two scheme. The biggest thing that sticks out to me with Heyward is his overall motor. He is a non-stop player much like the mold of Adrian Clayborn and doesn't give up on a play early on even if it isn't to his side of the field. He shows a nice initial burst off of the ball and stays low to gain initial advantage. He is excellent at using his hands and that allows him to break free of opposing offensive lineman much more easily. Overall in a loaded defensive line class, Heyward is right in the thick of things to be chosen among the top 3-4. The one thing that sticks out with Heyward compared to a Robert Quinn is the lack of development in overall pass rush moves. That shouldn't a major concern to NFL executives as I would imagine that will come as he continues to develop as a pass rusher.
4. DE Allen Bailey, Miami
-Much like Robert Quinn, Bailey is a physical freak on the field. He is all of 6'4 and 288 pounds and doesn't look to have any bad weight on his body. Moving from linebacker to the defensive line was a great move for Bailey as he has improved on the field since the move. He is extremely versatile and can play either a five technique in a 3-4 defensive scheme or has the ability to play a defensive tackle in a 4-3 defensive scheme. He is an extremely strong lineman and has shown the ability to plow offensive lineman and has made it his go to pass rushing move. He is quick off of the ball and shows his explosiveness with his first step, which allows him to gain the initial advantage against most opposing offensive linemen. Despite all of this, I have him as the second to last top tier defensive linemen eligible to declare for the 2011 NFL Draft. I don't think he is the pass rusher that others in this class are and the biggest thing that shows is his slow nature in terms of disengaging blockers and changing direction. He doesn't use his hands extremely well and this is the root of his issues in terms of getting away from blockers. Overall I think Bailey is suited best as a five technique in a 3-4 defensive scheme.
5. DE Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh
-Romeus is probably the top of the second tier of defensive linemen eligible for the 2011 draft. He certainly is capable of improving upon his stock right now is a little raw. He arguably has the quickest bust outside of Quinn. He displays excellent speed off of the edge and will put up impressive speed numbers at the combine in February. In addition to just pure speed, Romeus has displayed excellent use of his hands when engaged with opposing offensive linemen. He also displays excellent athleticism in being able to deflect passes as he does for a guy that is that big. Although his physical tools are off of the charts, he does have a little bit to prove during the 2010 season. He tends to go in high when making tackles which doesn't allow him to finish tackles as well as he could. Needs to work on staying lower and wrapping up rather than just think he can muscle the defender down. He also is a bit slow in recognizing the play and due to this has a tendency of getting pushed off the ball on run plays to the outside. Overall his athleticism outstanding and all the tools are there for him to be a very good pass rusher in the NFL.
2011 NFL Draft - Top 4 ILB
The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Initial Top 4 ILBs
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. ILB Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
-In an incredibly talented draft class, Hightower is the third member of the Crimson Tide to make my initial 32. Although he isn't the known commodity that a Dareus or Ingram is, Hightower is arguably the most talented of the three. In the little games he played in 2009, there is plenty of reason to be excited about Hightower's ability heading into 2011. He showcased tremendous aggressiveness towards breaking up plays and the memorable play from his shortened season was running down a play in the Virginia Tech game with no helmet. He has displayed the rare ability of both playing inside and outside in a 3-4 defensive scheme. He uses his hands well and has a tremendous motor as well. On the outside, he displays and excellent burst off of the line and is able to disrupt plays in the backfield with the ability to get great pressure on the opposing quarterback. Although he looked like he was going to challenge Rolando McClain as the top linebacker early on he suffered a season ending injury and halted the momentum he was gaining. His 2008 film isn't as impressive as the shortened 2009 season and he looked a bit out of place the games that I saw. He tended to be pushed out of the play to easy and played a bit to high for the position. So with that he is probably the biggest boom or bust candidate in the initial top 32, however I tend to think we will see the 2009 version of him rather than the 2008 version.
2. ILB Greg Jones, Michigan State
-There is no doubt that Greg Jones is one of the most productive players entering this year's NFL Draft. He has produced since the minute he stepped on the campus at East Lansing. He shows excellent pursuit towards the ball and has great closing speed in getting to either the opposing quarterback or running back. He has an outstanding motor and never gives up on a play that is going away from him. He also is one of the better pass rushing linebackers eligible for this year's draft. He has great explosiveness and shows a great ability of getting to the quarterback from the middle linebacker spot. Even though he is one of the most productive players, he does have areas to work on. He was undersized going into this year, however reports are he has bulked up for the new season. It will be interesting to see how this weight affects his on field speed and overall ability. In addition to his size, he hasn't had the best of luck getting off of blockers at the linebacker spot at times. He doesn't always use his hands the proper way which slows him up in getting to the backfield. Overall if he shows that new weight isn't bad weight, he should get back into first round consideration.
3. ILB Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina
-Sturdivant is yet another member of the North Carolina defense to make the initial cut for me. He isn't a freakish athlete like the others, but is all around a very good and productive football player. The move from outside linebacker to inside linebacker has paid off and probably enhanced his value. Although he isn't the quickest straight line guy, he does have very good lateral quickness and can change directions very well in order to make a play that is going away from him. He is good and taking on blockers front on and using his hands to disengage rather than being eat up by opposing linemen and being taken out of the play. He is a sure tackler and doesn't whiff on to many opportunities to bring the opposition down. Like with Greg Jones, Sturdivant just isn't a physical beast or insane athlete that middle linebackers usually are that go in the first round. He should be a productive player in the league, but don't see a team taking him with their first round selection.
4. ILB Ross Homan, Ohio State
-By the end of the year it wouldn't surprise me if Homan is the top overall linebacker from the Big Ten and maybe the top inside linebacker in the country. Like previous Buckeye linebackers, Homan is extremely intelligent and possesses great technique. He attacks blockers well and uses his hands to disengage from opposing linemen. He is a sure tackler and drives through opponents while wrapping them up. He rarely misses his assignments and at the same time he rarely whiffs on a tackle he is in position to make. Although he does lack top end athleticism, his lateral quickness is more than good enough for the NFL and shouldn't be to concerning for NFL teams come next April. The measurements might wind up hurting him and his overall potential. The ceiling might not be there for him like some other linebackers but the production should easily translate to the next level and could be a steal for a team picking in the second round.
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. ILB Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
-In an incredibly talented draft class, Hightower is the third member of the Crimson Tide to make my initial 32. Although he isn't the known commodity that a Dareus or Ingram is, Hightower is arguably the most talented of the three. In the little games he played in 2009, there is plenty of reason to be excited about Hightower's ability heading into 2011. He showcased tremendous aggressiveness towards breaking up plays and the memorable play from his shortened season was running down a play in the Virginia Tech game with no helmet. He has displayed the rare ability of both playing inside and outside in a 3-4 defensive scheme. He uses his hands well and has a tremendous motor as well. On the outside, he displays and excellent burst off of the line and is able to disrupt plays in the backfield with the ability to get great pressure on the opposing quarterback. Although he looked like he was going to challenge Rolando McClain as the top linebacker early on he suffered a season ending injury and halted the momentum he was gaining. His 2008 film isn't as impressive as the shortened 2009 season and he looked a bit out of place the games that I saw. He tended to be pushed out of the play to easy and played a bit to high for the position. So with that he is probably the biggest boom or bust candidate in the initial top 32, however I tend to think we will see the 2009 version of him rather than the 2008 version.
2. ILB Greg Jones, Michigan State
-There is no doubt that Greg Jones is one of the most productive players entering this year's NFL Draft. He has produced since the minute he stepped on the campus at East Lansing. He shows excellent pursuit towards the ball and has great closing speed in getting to either the opposing quarterback or running back. He has an outstanding motor and never gives up on a play that is going away from him. He also is one of the better pass rushing linebackers eligible for this year's draft. He has great explosiveness and shows a great ability of getting to the quarterback from the middle linebacker spot. Even though he is one of the most productive players, he does have areas to work on. He was undersized going into this year, however reports are he has bulked up for the new season. It will be interesting to see how this weight affects his on field speed and overall ability. In addition to his size, he hasn't had the best of luck getting off of blockers at the linebacker spot at times. He doesn't always use his hands the proper way which slows him up in getting to the backfield. Overall if he shows that new weight isn't bad weight, he should get back into first round consideration.
3. ILB Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina
-Sturdivant is yet another member of the North Carolina defense to make the initial cut for me. He isn't a freakish athlete like the others, but is all around a very good and productive football player. The move from outside linebacker to inside linebacker has paid off and probably enhanced his value. Although he isn't the quickest straight line guy, he does have very good lateral quickness and can change directions very well in order to make a play that is going away from him. He is good and taking on blockers front on and using his hands to disengage rather than being eat up by opposing linemen and being taken out of the play. He is a sure tackler and doesn't whiff on to many opportunities to bring the opposition down. Like with Greg Jones, Sturdivant just isn't a physical beast or insane athlete that middle linebackers usually are that go in the first round. He should be a productive player in the league, but don't see a team taking him with their first round selection.
4. ILB Ross Homan, Ohio State
-By the end of the year it wouldn't surprise me if Homan is the top overall linebacker from the Big Ten and maybe the top inside linebacker in the country. Like previous Buckeye linebackers, Homan is extremely intelligent and possesses great technique. He attacks blockers well and uses his hands to disengage from opposing linemen. He is a sure tackler and drives through opponents while wrapping them up. He rarely misses his assignments and at the same time he rarely whiffs on a tackle he is in position to make. Although he does lack top end athleticism, his lateral quickness is more than good enough for the NFL and shouldn't be to concerning for NFL teams come next April. The measurements might wind up hurting him and his overall potential. The ceiling might not be there for him like some other linebackers but the production should easily translate to the next level and could be a steal for a team picking in the second round.
2011 NFL Draft - Top 5 OLBs
The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Initial Top 5 OLBs
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. OLB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
-Lewis is an extremely impressive linebacker prospect heading into April and for me has taken over the top spot at the OLB position. He might be a tad undersized but it isn't a big concern at 6'3 and 232 pounds right now. On film you can see he is a very instinctive linebacker and has a nose for where the play is developing and doesn't hesitate in attacking the play head on. A big part of Lewis's game is the ability to come off of the edge. He has shown a great ability of getting into the backfield and creating havoc on the other team's quarterback. With his speed comes the ability to cover sideline to sideline with relative ease. Even if a play is developing away from him he has the ability to chase it down and make the play. The one knock on him going into the season is the ability to take on blockers head on and blow up running plays more often. He often gets taken out by an opposing offensive lineman looking to open up a hole for the running game. More strength will help but needs to consistently use his hands to disengage and not get driven out of plays like can sometimes happen.
2. OLB Bruce Carter, North Carolina
-Carter is the second member of the Tar Heel defense in my initial 32 players. Like Quinn, he is an extremely impressive athlete from the linebacker position. He is outstanding at changing directions quickly and getting to the other side of the field. He isn't quite on Lewis's level but shows very good pursuit and has a great motor as well. His sack numbers aren't in the class of Von Miller from Texas A&M, which surprised me a bit given his quickness all around the field. However I don't think that speaks to him as a pass rusher rather than how he is used in the North Carolina defense. Carter isn't used to the best of his abilities at Carolina and rather than getting after the QB he is used in coverage mostly. This is surprising as he isn't a great player in reading routes is often late to see a play materialize which leads to not being able to break up a pass he should be able to get to. As of right now I would think he fits better in a 4-3 scheme just based on his college experience, however an NFL team may want to transition him to an OLB role in a 3-4 and work on him in using his hands and develop him into a freak pass rusher.
3. OLB Von Miller, Texas A&M
-Miller is an interesting case to me. I was very high on him coming out of the spring and still think he is a very good prospect but I have some concerns as well. There is no doubt that Miller has excellent speed coming off of the edge. He uses his speed to great advantage when taking the edge to get to the quarterback. It is also a plus that Miller does have experience at the 3-4 outside linebacker position. It is always a risk for NFL teams to try and evaluate undersized 4-3 defensive ends and try to see how they translate to the adjustment that is required to play the 3-4 scheme. The big concern I have with Miller is that he uses his speed to often. In college, the speed off of the edge is a great asset that catches many offensive tackles off guard. However in the NFL he is going to get burnt relying on that as he will have to take wider routes leaving more time for the quarterback to get rid of the ball. Other than that I am interested in seeing how he does with the increased weight. I know someone referred to him as a heat seeking outside linebacker in a safety body, I don't think that assessment is far off with the frame of his body last year. I think with a year to prove that last year wasn't a fluke and playing at an increased weight level, he can see his stock rise quickly and challenge a guy like Bruce Carter.
4. OLB Adrian Robinson, Temple
-Like Worthy, Robinson is a relative unknown to most of the national media due to playing at a smaller school. However that shouldn't be an excuse as he is poised to be a household name to many after the 2010 season if he plays like he is capable of. He is an undersized defensive end in a 4-3 scheme for the Owls. However at the next level he is likely to be transitioned to a 3-4 outside linebacker. It is tough to make the adjustment, but looking at Robinson it shouldn't be to hard to make the adjustment. He is extremely quick off of the ball and does an extremely good job of fighting through blockers and shedding opposing offensive linemen. He has enough explosiveness to come off of the edge in a 3-4 and speed likely won't be a huge issue for NFL scouts. He does a good job at staying home on his assignment which minimizes the liability to the defense overall. He is able to drift off of the line of scrimmage and make plays in coverage in tipping passes that try to go over him. Although there are plenty of positives for Robinson, he isn't quite the athlete that a Von Miller or a Bruce Carter is. He does have more pass rushing moves than Miller, however just doesn't have the heat seeking missile quality that could push him out of the first round and into the second round. However with a quality 2010 season, Robinson can have a similar rise like Larry English of Northern Illinois did a few years ago.
5. OLB Nick Perry, Southern California
-Although Perry plays defensive end for the Trojans, I think his best position at the next level will be at the 3-4 outside linebacker spot. He is explosive off of the ball and showed great speed for the Trojans in his first full season playing at Southern California. He uses his hands very well and they are very active throughout the play. This allows him to make up for his lack of strength in fighting through opposing linemen and he is able to break away quicker by doing so. He has a tremendous first step burst in addition to the explosiveness that caught many linemen off guard last year and allowed him to get up field in a hurry. He demonstrates excellent tackling ability and drives through opponents to bring them down with relative ease and normally doesn't require help from his teammates which is a definite plus. Perry does need to show a bit better pad level more consistently. When he keeps low to the ground he proved to be almost unstoppable for the Trojans, however on occasion he shot up out of his stance to quickly and gave up the initial advantage he had by jumping the snap. I would also like to see Perry drift back into coverage and see how he does, but the athlete that he is I don't expect that to be a major issue with him.
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. OLB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
-Lewis is an extremely impressive linebacker prospect heading into April and for me has taken over the top spot at the OLB position. He might be a tad undersized but it isn't a big concern at 6'3 and 232 pounds right now. On film you can see he is a very instinctive linebacker and has a nose for where the play is developing and doesn't hesitate in attacking the play head on. A big part of Lewis's game is the ability to come off of the edge. He has shown a great ability of getting into the backfield and creating havoc on the other team's quarterback. With his speed comes the ability to cover sideline to sideline with relative ease. Even if a play is developing away from him he has the ability to chase it down and make the play. The one knock on him going into the season is the ability to take on blockers head on and blow up running plays more often. He often gets taken out by an opposing offensive lineman looking to open up a hole for the running game. More strength will help but needs to consistently use his hands to disengage and not get driven out of plays like can sometimes happen.
2. OLB Bruce Carter, North Carolina
-Carter is the second member of the Tar Heel defense in my initial 32 players. Like Quinn, he is an extremely impressive athlete from the linebacker position. He is outstanding at changing directions quickly and getting to the other side of the field. He isn't quite on Lewis's level but shows very good pursuit and has a great motor as well. His sack numbers aren't in the class of Von Miller from Texas A&M, which surprised me a bit given his quickness all around the field. However I don't think that speaks to him as a pass rusher rather than how he is used in the North Carolina defense. Carter isn't used to the best of his abilities at Carolina and rather than getting after the QB he is used in coverage mostly. This is surprising as he isn't a great player in reading routes is often late to see a play materialize which leads to not being able to break up a pass he should be able to get to. As of right now I would think he fits better in a 4-3 scheme just based on his college experience, however an NFL team may want to transition him to an OLB role in a 3-4 and work on him in using his hands and develop him into a freak pass rusher.
3. OLB Von Miller, Texas A&M
-Miller is an interesting case to me. I was very high on him coming out of the spring and still think he is a very good prospect but I have some concerns as well. There is no doubt that Miller has excellent speed coming off of the edge. He uses his speed to great advantage when taking the edge to get to the quarterback. It is also a plus that Miller does have experience at the 3-4 outside linebacker position. It is always a risk for NFL teams to try and evaluate undersized 4-3 defensive ends and try to see how they translate to the adjustment that is required to play the 3-4 scheme. The big concern I have with Miller is that he uses his speed to often. In college, the speed off of the edge is a great asset that catches many offensive tackles off guard. However in the NFL he is going to get burnt relying on that as he will have to take wider routes leaving more time for the quarterback to get rid of the ball. Other than that I am interested in seeing how he does with the increased weight. I know someone referred to him as a heat seeking outside linebacker in a safety body, I don't think that assessment is far off with the frame of his body last year. I think with a year to prove that last year wasn't a fluke and playing at an increased weight level, he can see his stock rise quickly and challenge a guy like Bruce Carter.
4. OLB Adrian Robinson, Temple
-Like Worthy, Robinson is a relative unknown to most of the national media due to playing at a smaller school. However that shouldn't be an excuse as he is poised to be a household name to many after the 2010 season if he plays like he is capable of. He is an undersized defensive end in a 4-3 scheme for the Owls. However at the next level he is likely to be transitioned to a 3-4 outside linebacker. It is tough to make the adjustment, but looking at Robinson it shouldn't be to hard to make the adjustment. He is extremely quick off of the ball and does an extremely good job of fighting through blockers and shedding opposing offensive linemen. He has enough explosiveness to come off of the edge in a 3-4 and speed likely won't be a huge issue for NFL scouts. He does a good job at staying home on his assignment which minimizes the liability to the defense overall. He is able to drift off of the line of scrimmage and make plays in coverage in tipping passes that try to go over him. Although there are plenty of positives for Robinson, he isn't quite the athlete that a Von Miller or a Bruce Carter is. He does have more pass rushing moves than Miller, however just doesn't have the heat seeking missile quality that could push him out of the first round and into the second round. However with a quality 2010 season, Robinson can have a similar rise like Larry English of Northern Illinois did a few years ago.
5. OLB Nick Perry, Southern California
-Although Perry plays defensive end for the Trojans, I think his best position at the next level will be at the 3-4 outside linebacker spot. He is explosive off of the ball and showed great speed for the Trojans in his first full season playing at Southern California. He uses his hands very well and they are very active throughout the play. This allows him to make up for his lack of strength in fighting through opposing linemen and he is able to break away quicker by doing so. He has a tremendous first step burst in addition to the explosiveness that caught many linemen off guard last year and allowed him to get up field in a hurry. He demonstrates excellent tackling ability and drives through opponents to bring them down with relative ease and normally doesn't require help from his teammates which is a definite plus. Perry does need to show a bit better pad level more consistently. When he keeps low to the ground he proved to be almost unstoppable for the Trojans, however on occasion he shot up out of his stance to quickly and gave up the initial advantage he had by jumping the snap. I would also like to see Perry drift back into coverage and see how he does, but the athlete that he is I don't expect that to be a major issue with him.
2011 NFL Draft - Top 5 CBs
The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Initial Top CBs
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
-I originally had Ras-I Dowling above Peterson, but was after looking more closely was off on that one. Peterson has everything you want in a NFL shut down corner. In addition to being 6'1 and 222 pounds, his change of direction and hips are outstanding. Usually your bigger cornerbacks are physical, however aren't able to keep up with speedier receivers. Peterson however is able to keep up with the best of them with relative ease which will allow him to be matched with the other team's number one regardless of what type of receiver he is. In addition to his coverage skills, Peterson is very physical and is an above average tackler which you expect with his size. If there is one possible area of concern it is his aggressiveness. He tends to play very aggressive which can lead to him getting burnt on occasion due to it. I don't necessarily view that as a weakness as with time that will be reigned in.
2. CB Aaron Williams, Texas
-I don't think Williams is quite on the level of Peterson, however he isn't to far behind either. He isn't in Peterson's league when it comes to size measuring 6'1 and only roughly 200 pounds. Williams has excellent hips and a back pedal similar to Peterson but might be a notch below. Either way he has the ability to stay with quicker receivers and the physical nature to cause problems for smaller receivers trying to get off of the line. Williams is great at seeing the ball in the air and is able to use his size to force tougher throws and the length to deflect and intercept jump balls. On top of his pass coverage, Williams is also a physical defender who doesn't shy away from contact. Which is a bit surprising as he looks rather lean without the overall mass of Peterson, however isn't afraid from playing the run and does a good job at getting opposing players down. As he makes the transition to the league, I do think he has to add a little bit of mass as it may be more of an issue for him at the next level than it is currently.
3. CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
-Like both Aaron Williams and Patrick Peterson, Amukamara is a big physical corner with the addition of speed and agility. Amukamara was a converted running back, so it isn't a tremendous surprise that he is extremely flexible and is able to rotate his hips easily to keep up with sudden route changes. He is at his best in man coverage which goes along with his physical nature. He does a great job of changing receivers routes after the snap and frustrating opponents due to this taking them out of their flow. In addition to his coverage ability, Amukamara is good when coming up to the line of scrimmage. He isn't hesitant in going up to the line of scrimmage and does a great job wrapping up opponents not allowing them to get away. Amukamara is in the Aaron Williams mold in terms of size and could use to bulk up more as he gets to the league. He also is not necessarily extremely fast. He is quick off of the ball but can get beaten deep due to a lack of top end speed. In all, he was given the top grade last year and that isn't surprising after watching more of his film.
4. CB Ras-I Dowling, Virginia
-Dowling was my initial top cornerback and although he is slipped it is more from watching other guys more extensively. Dowling continues the trend of big, physical corners eligible for the 2011 NFL Draft. He is very physical at the line of scrimmage and like Amukamara, isn't hesitant to breaking up a play in the box. He has good hips although not on the level of others which slows him a bit as routes develop during a play. He does have a great ability of jumping routes when he sees where the play is going and has excellent closing speed to break up passes and make interceptions. In addition to these positives, Dowling doesn't have the exceptional transition that the other top cornerbacks have in this class. He does have some issue coming out of breaks which forces him to recover with his speed. In the college game he can get away with it more often, however against more experienced players that he will face at the next level they may be able to take advantage of it more often. Even then, he is still a very good cornerback and should make any team that has the possibility drafting him happy come April.
5. CB Davon House, New Mexico State
-Although the other cornerbacks in this draft are more well known, House should solidify himself as one of the better cornerbacks eligible for this year's draft. House is a big physical corner which seems to be the pattern for this year's draft. He does a great job in press coverage at disrupting receivers and causing them to improvise during their routes. He shows a great job in the box and shows a great job of fighting off blockers and making a play against an opposing running back. In coverage, House shows good hips and keeps up with opposing receivers well. He gets his head around quickly and allows him to get in a position to play the ball and either break up the pass or create a turnover. The biggest thing with House will be working on technical things. He is slower than others in getting out of his backpedal which slows him up against quicker moves and can allow receivers to break free more easily. He doesn't have the recovery speed that other top corners in this class has, which makes him more susceptible to giving up big plays when his technique isn't as good as it can be. Overall House should be amongst the middle tier of defensive backs and starting out the year is the best of the second tier cornerbacks eligible for the draft.
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
-I originally had Ras-I Dowling above Peterson, but was after looking more closely was off on that one. Peterson has everything you want in a NFL shut down corner. In addition to being 6'1 and 222 pounds, his change of direction and hips are outstanding. Usually your bigger cornerbacks are physical, however aren't able to keep up with speedier receivers. Peterson however is able to keep up with the best of them with relative ease which will allow him to be matched with the other team's number one regardless of what type of receiver he is. In addition to his coverage skills, Peterson is very physical and is an above average tackler which you expect with his size. If there is one possible area of concern it is his aggressiveness. He tends to play very aggressive which can lead to him getting burnt on occasion due to it. I don't necessarily view that as a weakness as with time that will be reigned in.
2. CB Aaron Williams, Texas
-I don't think Williams is quite on the level of Peterson, however he isn't to far behind either. He isn't in Peterson's league when it comes to size measuring 6'1 and only roughly 200 pounds. Williams has excellent hips and a back pedal similar to Peterson but might be a notch below. Either way he has the ability to stay with quicker receivers and the physical nature to cause problems for smaller receivers trying to get off of the line. Williams is great at seeing the ball in the air and is able to use his size to force tougher throws and the length to deflect and intercept jump balls. On top of his pass coverage, Williams is also a physical defender who doesn't shy away from contact. Which is a bit surprising as he looks rather lean without the overall mass of Peterson, however isn't afraid from playing the run and does a good job at getting opposing players down. As he makes the transition to the league, I do think he has to add a little bit of mass as it may be more of an issue for him at the next level than it is currently.
3. CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
-Like both Aaron Williams and Patrick Peterson, Amukamara is a big physical corner with the addition of speed and agility. Amukamara was a converted running back, so it isn't a tremendous surprise that he is extremely flexible and is able to rotate his hips easily to keep up with sudden route changes. He is at his best in man coverage which goes along with his physical nature. He does a great job of changing receivers routes after the snap and frustrating opponents due to this taking them out of their flow. In addition to his coverage ability, Amukamara is good when coming up to the line of scrimmage. He isn't hesitant in going up to the line of scrimmage and does a great job wrapping up opponents not allowing them to get away. Amukamara is in the Aaron Williams mold in terms of size and could use to bulk up more as he gets to the league. He also is not necessarily extremely fast. He is quick off of the ball but can get beaten deep due to a lack of top end speed. In all, he was given the top grade last year and that isn't surprising after watching more of his film.
4. CB Ras-I Dowling, Virginia
-Dowling was my initial top cornerback and although he is slipped it is more from watching other guys more extensively. Dowling continues the trend of big, physical corners eligible for the 2011 NFL Draft. He is very physical at the line of scrimmage and like Amukamara, isn't hesitant to breaking up a play in the box. He has good hips although not on the level of others which slows him a bit as routes develop during a play. He does have a great ability of jumping routes when he sees where the play is going and has excellent closing speed to break up passes and make interceptions. In addition to these positives, Dowling doesn't have the exceptional transition that the other top cornerbacks have in this class. He does have some issue coming out of breaks which forces him to recover with his speed. In the college game he can get away with it more often, however against more experienced players that he will face at the next level they may be able to take advantage of it more often. Even then, he is still a very good cornerback and should make any team that has the possibility drafting him happy come April.
5. CB Davon House, New Mexico State
-Although the other cornerbacks in this draft are more well known, House should solidify himself as one of the better cornerbacks eligible for this year's draft. House is a big physical corner which seems to be the pattern for this year's draft. He does a great job in press coverage at disrupting receivers and causing them to improvise during their routes. He shows a great job in the box and shows a great job of fighting off blockers and making a play against an opposing running back. In coverage, House shows good hips and keeps up with opposing receivers well. He gets his head around quickly and allows him to get in a position to play the ball and either break up the pass or create a turnover. The biggest thing with House will be working on technical things. He is slower than others in getting out of his backpedal which slows him up against quicker moves and can allow receivers to break free more easily. He doesn't have the recovery speed that other top corners in this class has, which makes him more susceptible to giving up big plays when his technique isn't as good as it can be. Overall House should be amongst the middle tier of defensive backs and starting out the year is the best of the second tier cornerbacks eligible for the draft.
2011 NFL Draft - Top 4 Safties
The-Mainboard.com 2011 NFL Draft Initial Top Safties
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. FS Rahim Moore, UCLA
-Going into the year it is a three horse race for the top safety in this class between Williams, Moore and McDaniel. I tend to prefer Moore a bit over the other two with his ball skills. He isn't as big as the others, however has a great ability to play the ball while it is in the air. His recovery speed is outstanding and can get to the ball quickly as soon as he sees where the quarterback is going. Due to this he is arguably the biggest playmaker amongst the three when it comes to interceptions. His hands are outstanding as well which isn't surprising as amassing the amount of interceptions he has that is pretty much a given. The main concern with Moore is his size. He is only 6'1 and 200 pounds which shows on film. He isn't as physical as one would like and doesn't have the killer instinct when going to make a tackle. This is something to watch as a guy like McDaniel may be more attractive if Moore can't bulk up throughout the year.
2. S DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson
-McDaniel is probably the biggest freak at the safety position that is eligible to declare for the 2011 draft. He isn't quite the athlete that Taylor Mays was but does trump Mays as a pure safety. McDaniel displays an excellent ability to diagnose plays early and thus he is able to get the proper jump on the ball and is able to attack the ball rather than play catch up. In addition to his ability to play the ball, McDaniel is a versatile safety as well. Given his size, he not only has the ability to play back and play centerfield well but also has the ability to play closer to the line of scrimmage. He does display above average tackling skills for a safety and isn't afraid to play closer to the line either. Although the 2009 season was a tremendous season for McDaniel, he decided to stay in school which was probably the right decision on his part. He is certainly a preseason first rounder and instead of being a fringe first rounder, if he is able to duplicate his 2009 season he has the ability to sky rocket and put himself in a position to be the first safety off of the board come next April.
3. S Deunta Williams, North Carolina
-Williams is the a big physical safety who is a former receiver and the ability to play the ball shows on film. He is outstanding at reading the quarterback's eyes and seeing a play develop. With his speed and ability to do those items, it makes him very dangerous as a centerfielder in the secondary. He shows great ability to get the ball at its highest point and being a former receiver, it certainly doesn't come at any surprise. When he makes an interception, he does have the speed to make a highlight and bring the ball back a considerable distance. The main concern for Williams in evaluation will be how he develops technique wise in his backpedal. Often times on film, he is slow coming out of his backpedal which is going to hurt him at the next level more than it does now. He is able to get away with it at the college level due to his excellent recovery speed much like Dowling but NFL receivers will make him pay if he doesn't improve upon that weakness. Overall Williams is an outstanding playmaker and definitely among the top group when it comes to safeties eligible for next season's draft.
4. S Mark Barron, Alabama
-Barron makes the fourth Alabama member to be ranked among the top 46 for me. Barron is an intriguing prospect for me. He came out of high school playing offense but was moved to the secondary for Alabama. Barron is much like DeAndre McDaniel in terms of the physical nature he has. He is big at 6'2 and roughly 215 pounds and reports are has continued to get stronger this offseason. With his physical nature, much like McDaniel he has the ability to take out every level of the field. He can go up in the box when needed and make a play to prevent a play from developing or can stay back and be an outstanding centerfielder. He has excellent athleticism for the position and his vertical jump should blow scouts and other prospects away at the NFL combine next February. He does have an excellent burst when attacking a ball and doesn't hesitate if he is able to recognize a play quickly. If there is one true weakness it would be probably be his long range speed. It is above average but isn't elite which could knock his stock down slightly. Either way he is a fantastic all around safety and is poised for a big 2010 season for the Crimson Tide.
List is from NFL Draft aficionado, Neal Olson.
1. FS Rahim Moore, UCLA
-Going into the year it is a three horse race for the top safety in this class between Williams, Moore and McDaniel. I tend to prefer Moore a bit over the other two with his ball skills. He isn't as big as the others, however has a great ability to play the ball while it is in the air. His recovery speed is outstanding and can get to the ball quickly as soon as he sees where the quarterback is going. Due to this he is arguably the biggest playmaker amongst the three when it comes to interceptions. His hands are outstanding as well which isn't surprising as amassing the amount of interceptions he has that is pretty much a given. The main concern with Moore is his size. He is only 6'1 and 200 pounds which shows on film. He isn't as physical as one would like and doesn't have the killer instinct when going to make a tackle. This is something to watch as a guy like McDaniel may be more attractive if Moore can't bulk up throughout the year.
2. S DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson
-McDaniel is probably the biggest freak at the safety position that is eligible to declare for the 2011 draft. He isn't quite the athlete that Taylor Mays was but does trump Mays as a pure safety. McDaniel displays an excellent ability to diagnose plays early and thus he is able to get the proper jump on the ball and is able to attack the ball rather than play catch up. In addition to his ability to play the ball, McDaniel is a versatile safety as well. Given his size, he not only has the ability to play back and play centerfield well but also has the ability to play closer to the line of scrimmage. He does display above average tackling skills for a safety and isn't afraid to play closer to the line either. Although the 2009 season was a tremendous season for McDaniel, he decided to stay in school which was probably the right decision on his part. He is certainly a preseason first rounder and instead of being a fringe first rounder, if he is able to duplicate his 2009 season he has the ability to sky rocket and put himself in a position to be the first safety off of the board come next April.
3. S Deunta Williams, North Carolina
-Williams is the a big physical safety who is a former receiver and the ability to play the ball shows on film. He is outstanding at reading the quarterback's eyes and seeing a play develop. With his speed and ability to do those items, it makes him very dangerous as a centerfielder in the secondary. He shows great ability to get the ball at its highest point and being a former receiver, it certainly doesn't come at any surprise. When he makes an interception, he does have the speed to make a highlight and bring the ball back a considerable distance. The main concern for Williams in evaluation will be how he develops technique wise in his backpedal. Often times on film, he is slow coming out of his backpedal which is going to hurt him at the next level more than it does now. He is able to get away with it at the college level due to his excellent recovery speed much like Dowling but NFL receivers will make him pay if he doesn't improve upon that weakness. Overall Williams is an outstanding playmaker and definitely among the top group when it comes to safeties eligible for next season's draft.
4. S Mark Barron, Alabama
-Barron makes the fourth Alabama member to be ranked among the top 46 for me. Barron is an intriguing prospect for me. He came out of high school playing offense but was moved to the secondary for Alabama. Barron is much like DeAndre McDaniel in terms of the physical nature he has. He is big at 6'2 and roughly 215 pounds and reports are has continued to get stronger this offseason. With his physical nature, much like McDaniel he has the ability to take out every level of the field. He can go up in the box when needed and make a play to prevent a play from developing or can stay back and be an outstanding centerfielder. He has excellent athleticism for the position and his vertical jump should blow scouts and other prospects away at the NFL combine next February. He does have an excellent burst when attacking a ball and doesn't hesitate if he is able to recognize a play quickly. If there is one true weakness it would be probably be his long range speed. It is above average but isn't elite which could knock his stock down slightly. Either way he is a fantastic all around safety and is poised for a big 2010 season for the Crimson Tide.
September 7, 2010
TMB College Football Top 25
The-Mainboard Top 25
Dropped Out: North Carolina, Oregon State
Others receiving votes: Stanford - 38, Arizona - 33, Michigan - 32, Oregon State - 29, BYU - 28, North Carolina - 27, Houston - 25, Cincinnati - 13, Clemson - 11, Kansas State- 4, Rutgers - 4, Texas Tech - 4, California - 3, Missouri - 2, Oklahoma State - 2
The-Mainboard Top 25 poll is comprised of 27 self-proclaimed college football experts. The poll has equal representation across the major conferances, representatives from mid-majors and voters spread across the country.
Discuss these ranking with the pollsters here
| Rank | Team | Record | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (22) | 1-0 | 668 | |
| Ohio State (3) | 1-0 | 638 | |
| Boise State (2) | 1-0 | 630 | |
| TCU | 1-0 | 538 | |
| Texas | 1-0 | 535 | |
| Iowa | 1-0 | 515 | |
| Oregon | 1-0 | 504 | |
| Nebraska | 1-0 | 490 | |
| Florida | 1-0 | 484 | |
| Miami | 0-0 | 406 | |
| Oklahoma | 1-0 | 406 | |
| Wisonsin | 1-0 | 366 | |
| Florida State | 1-0 | 291 | |
| Virginia Tech | 0-1 | 279 | |
| Georgia Tech | 1-0 | 269 | |
| Arkansas | 1-0 | 232 | |
| Penn State | 1-0 | 204 | |
| Southern Cal | 1-0 | 197 | |
| Georgia | 1-0 | 188 | |
| Utah | 1-0 | 169 | |
| LSU | 1-0 | 148 | |
| Auburn | 1-0 | 144 | |
| South Carolina | 1-0 | 86 | |
| West Virginia | 1-0 | 56 | |
| Pittsburgh | 0-1 | 48 |
Dropped Out: North Carolina, Oregon State
Others receiving votes: Stanford - 38, Arizona - 33, Michigan - 32, Oregon State - 29, BYU - 28, North Carolina - 27, Houston - 25, Cincinnati - 13, Clemson - 11, Kansas State- 4, Rutgers - 4, Texas Tech - 4, California - 3, Missouri - 2, Oklahoma State - 2
The-Mainboard Top 25 poll is comprised of 27 self-proclaimed college football experts. The poll has equal representation across the major conferances, representatives from mid-majors and voters spread across the country.
Discuss these ranking with the pollsters here
September 2, 2010
TMB Preason All-American Team
The-Mainboard All-American Team
Offense
Defense & Special Teams
List was compiled by vote of seven self-proclaimed college football experts. 7 votes means the player was elected unanimously.
Offense
| Postion | Player | Votes | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kellen Moore | 3 | Boise State | |
| Ryan Williams | 6 | Virginia Tech | |
| Mark Ingram | 5 | Alabama | |
| Michael Floyd | 7 | Notre Dame | |
| A.J. Green | 6 | Georgia | |
| Jonathan Baldwin | 5 | Pittsburgh | |
| Kyle Randolph | 6 | Notre Dame | |
| Mike Pouncey | 5 | Florida | |
| Rodney Hudson | 6 | Florida State | |
| Stefen Wisniewski | 3 | Penn State | |
| Anthony Castonzo | 7 | Boston College | |
| Gabe Carimi | 3 | Wisconsin |
Defense & Special Teams
| Postion | Player | Votes | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Quinn | 7 | North Carolina | |
| Adrian Clayborn | 6 | Iowa | |
| Jared Crick | 4 | Nebraska | |
| Stephen Peae | 3 | Oregon State | |
| Von Miller | 6 | Texas A&M | |
| Quan Sturdivant | 5 | North Carolina | |
| Greg Jones | 4 | Michigan State | |
| Patrick Patterson | 6 | LSU | |
| Prince Amukamara | 4 | Nebraska | |
| Rahim Moore | 6 | UCLA | |
| DeAndre McDaniel | 7 | Clemson | |
| Kai Forbath | 5 | UCLA | |
| Drew Butler | 5 | Georgia |
List was compiled by vote of seven self-proclaimed college football experts. 7 votes means the player was elected unanimously.
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