Evals of College for 2012 draft

[badboy]

Regular season coming to an end & I want to post a few things about some players I was able to watch Nov 19th. Of course my fave's are the players I have mocked; some moving up and then down and maybe back up again. The fluidity of the mock for NFL draft is the fun that many of us not only understand but enjoy. Please add your comments (as always) but also add insight on players you watched that I do not list.
In no particular order, I'll begin with ths amazing Bears.

QB Robert Griffin cubed Baylor: this game epitomised why I placed him in first round so long ago. Has no quit and has good arm. One TD play he ran to left, hip swivled to square and had split second to plant right foot then launch a very good pass. When he beat TCU and Iowa St. we did not know how good those opponents were. He spreads the ball among several receivers and is a very good field general. Will not fall to Texans.

WR Kendall Wright Baylor: embarrassed me for lowering him from 2nd to 3rd. Against a perenniel nationally ranked team (Ok)was 8 for 208 (26 avg) and showed NFL quality focus when he caught the reflect ball off his teammate's helmet and took it to the house. WIll move him back to 2nd round with my apologies. What is notable is RG3 does not throw KW 90% of his attempts.

2011 season: 89 for 1281 10 TDs and a 14.5 avg. If you want a big, #2 WR that hangs around the middle 10-15 yds from scrimmage, look elsewhere. If you want a field stretching, dynamo with great hands and 4.32 speed...


C. Philip Blake Baylor I promised to focus on this guy against OK no matter how the game was going and I did, pretty much. He is ever bit the player I thought. WIl he beat out Myers? No but neither will Konz or Brewster. I think he will e avail in 4th and good value as he can play RT & OG also.

WR Mohamed Sanu Syracuse 6 for 38yds. I keep wanting to see what others do and I just don't. His stas are ok but when I watch he just does not excite me.

QB Landry Jones Ok had a great game. 36/51 447 yds but 8.8yd avg. A team needing a QB has to consider him. Could be franchise QB.

QB Weeden OSU: Good Qb but will be 30 I think next season. 3TDs but also 3 INTS in the upset loss.

WR Justin Blackmon OSU was not the superstar I was expecting to see.

 

[badboy]

Case Keenum Qb Houston. DId not watch the game but his stats just keep exploding. Did anyone watch him play against SMU? It was an off game forf him and Cougars as they only won 30-7.

 

[AcresHomesTexan]

Robert Griffin III probably does fall out of the top 10, maybe top 5.

Kendall Wright- the biggest knock on him will be size. Outside of that appears to have a complete game. May even get into the lower first.

Landry Jones- Not as much of a fan of his as other are. think he gets happy feat and I wonder does he have the "it" factor when talking the highest level QBs

Weeden- is an older player. I see him as mid-round, guy who turn into a good-up, shaky starter.

Blackmon- did not have a good day, but I think he is still a quality prospect.

Iowa state CB (23 I think)- showed good man and ball skills in this game.

Keehum- I did not think he played poorly. SMU has a pretty good defense. I think Keehum will be drafted. He has great ball placement. Don't know if he will turn into anything, but I won't be against him.

 

[beerlover]

I need at least 200 something eval's just to do a mock. There are layers upon layers of possible prospects given the right opportunity that can make an NFL 53 man roster or practice squad. The clubhouse impact can go a long way helping them fit or find their niche. Since I only care about the Texans, well in NFL terms (I care about all College players until drafted by respective teams) it's apparent Wade Phillips is a defensive wizard best suited to be a coordinator.

It's wonderful the Texans were able to focus on defense the past few drafts but now that Wade is here I feel he can do more with less so let him mold good measureable prospects with heart, passion for the game & let Gary add some offensive firepower & strength to the OL. Really good, dominant teams have stellar offensive lines & while Texans have improved greatly in this department Center & RG remain a concern. I disagree that a talent like Konz could not make an immediate impact, if not Center certainly RG. I will focus on Center/OG combinations 1st rd. through 6th rd. during upcoming months.

Speaking of QB's RG3 reminds me a bit of Randall Cunningham. I would take him in a heartbeat but focus on his intelligence to read a defense first, go through his progressions, give him blindside protection with a balanced running game. I think he stays in school & could be the #1 overall pick in 2013. Barkley should follow Luck this year as the #2 prospect (although I think Trent Richardson is the bomb). He is well prepared in a pro-system has all the mearsureable & intangibles who need to execute game plan on Sunday. I feel the team who gets him may ultimately be the real winner between team who drafts Luck. Already mentioned Tannehill in BYE WEEK Mock as a step in back-up/replacement for Schaub down the road. After yesterday I could just go ahead & take him with Texans first rounder this year, given the severity & unknown in regards to Schaub's injury. Really impressive skill set in such a short span, footwork, delivery, progressions & accuracy (for the most part, same with Matt).

I'm not crazy about WR class. Maybe a 2nd or 3rd more likely better value 4th & on. Arkansas has some good ones not mentioned here like Childs & Adams, check them out next weekend against that tough LSU secondary. PAC 12 is loaded with pass orientated offenses many good WR prospects there too, among them Criner has been hot lately. Bottom line I look for a value pick here, maybe someone who falls late 2nd or 3rd then adding opposite type late (big body or slot).

CB & Safety class about same. Texans have a lot of youth already, maybe enough to keep for long haul without investing huge resources again. I wouldn't be opposed to another CB like Iowa State Leonard Johnson or Arizona Robert Gordon in 4th & 5th rounds respectively. I really like the Glover Quin proto-type, physical good cover skills but strong in run support as well, creates some fear in WR's.

A long discussion I'm sure when it comes to a Wade Phillips NT. What he should be size wise? how he should play one gap or two? Situation or every down? Passion & hard work are unquestioned with all. From Ta'amu & Poe to Chapman, Crick or Martin. 3-4 DE & OLB are always options as well. North Carolina Zach Brown, OLB has been showcasing first round talent lately. Jarvis Jones, Georgia, OLB in the 2nd could be a steal. Although Texans have been solid even without Mario Williams, both Barwin & Reed are playing @ a high enough level to go in another direction.

ILB I've gone through a few already. It really depends on how many of the underclassman come out. For instance if Vontaze Burfict is sitting there whenever the Texans pick is up even I would have a hard time passing him by (really don't care to go through a repeat of Patrick Willis). This is a position however where Texans can find solid help 3rd rd. on to back-up Cushing, DeMeco & Sharpton.

 

[bah007]

Robert Griffin III probably does fall out of the top 10, maybe top 5.

Kendall Wright- the biggest knock on him will be size. Outside of that appears to have a complete game. May even get into the lower first.

Landry Jones- Not as much of a fan of his as other are. think he gets happy feat and I wonder does he have the "it" factor when talking the highest level QBs

Weeden- is an older player. I see him as mid-round, guy who turn into a good-up, shaky starter.

Blackmon- did not have a good day, but I think he is still a quality prospect.

Iowa state CB (23 I think)- showed good man and ball skills in this game.

Keehum- I did not think he played poorly. SMU has a pretty good defense. I think Keehum will be drafted. He has great ball placement. Don't know if he will turn into anything, but I won't be against him.

Leonard Johnson. He was a JUCO who is in his third year as a starter for Iowa St. Solid tackler, plays the ball well but doesn't come up with many picks at all. That one he grabbed was a great play. Read the route and jumped underneath it. That was his first pick of the season though.

I've got him going about in the 4th round. A performance like that may move him up a bit though.

I'm loving the CBs in the draft. I'm a DB guy so of course I scout them the most but I see a lot of depth and talent at CB this year. Not so much at Safety but there are a few guys I have my eye on.

 

[eriadoc]

A few later round picks from UH:

Sammy Brown, OLB at the pro level - He's 6'2", 240 lbs and quick. Has a knack for getting to the QB. Was identified as a prospect to watch at the start of the season by Phil Steele, IIRC. He's a JUCO transfer student, so despite being a senior, he's just starting to hit his stride. I think he'll clock a pretty good 40 time and a pretty good cone drill. I think he has the chance to make the most impact at the NFL level of maybe any player on UH's team. He can be a situational pass rusher at the next level and develop.

Case Keenum, QB - has a strong enough arm, but his height will play against him, whether it's fair or not. His throwing motion is good for the most part, but he has a tendency to drop down to a sidearm thing too often for my liking. Smart guy, good leader, has the intangibles. If he's taken somewhere with a good QB coach and developed, he could be a player someday.

Tyron Carrier, WR - I only bring this guy up for one reason, and that's Trindon Holliday. Carrier is vertically challenged as well, at 5'6", and he's 170 lbs. But he's a very good kick returner and a good receiver as well. His size will be the limiting factor at the NFL level, but he's shown that he can run different routes, catch the ball in traffic, and make explosive plays. If a team is going to take a late round chance on a guy like Holliday, I think Carrier is a much better bet. He could actually fill the 5th/6th WR slot with a guy that can return AND play the slot when a team spreads the field with 4 wides.

 

[Wolf6151]

I'm loving the CBs in the draft. I'm a DB guy so of course I scout them the most but I see a lot of depth and talent at CB this year. Not so much at Safety but there are a few guys I have my eye on.

Bah007, I agree with your assessment of the Safety class this year, not a good one, though there are some good SS/LB tweeners. Who do you like at FS in the later rounds, a guy that can cover to fit our system and be depth behind Manning? Thanks.

 

[bah007]

Bah007, I agree with your assessment of the Safety class this year, not a good one, though there are some good SS/LB tweeners. Who do you like at FS in the later rounds, a guy that can cover to fit our system and be depth behind Manning? Thanks.

I like Winston Guy from Kentucky a lot. He can play both safety spots at the next level. Right now he is probably a 3rd round guy but I could see him moving up later on in the process. He is more of an in the box guy but he has the athleticism to make plays in coverage.

I've been keeping an eye on Trenton Robinson and Tavon Wilson, both probably 4th round guys. Robinson is a very willing tackler and has excellent ball skills. Wilson is a former CB (which I love), but he is not exactly a ball hawk. He is a three year starter and has only pulled down 3 INTs in that time.

I like Neiko Thorpe in the 5th round. Another former CB, something I value a lot for a FS in today's NFL. He looks a lot like McMannis to me, a tall skinny guy that can run. I've always thought McMannis would look good at FS. Thorpe makes more plays in the running game than the passing game but he looks like he has improved a lot this year.

Jerrell Young in the 5th or 6th round is another guy I've been watching. 5 INTs in two years as a starter. He seems like a pretty explosive athlete. He'll tackle, but he doesn't like to.

Trumaine Johnson from Montana is an interesting small school guy. 13 career INTs but zero this year. I don't really have the resources to see much of anything from him either. I hear a lot of people say that he will blow up the combine. Could be a sleeper.