2012 NFL Draft Prospects

[DKphin]

• Final all-star game on the go … The 2012 Senior Bowl is history, but there is one more all-star game on this year’s schedule with the Players All-star Classic underway in Little Rock. The game is scheduled for Saturday at 4 PM ET. For now, here are the results from Monday’s traditional weigh-in courtesy of Wes Bunting of NFP.
• Bronco back gets extra year … Boise State RB D.J. Harper has been granted a 6th year of eligibility after he missed most of the 2009 and 2010 seasons with torn ACLs. The 5-9, 205-pound Harper has over 1,500 career rushing yards including almost 600 last fall when he was the primary backup to Doug Martin. Same story for Southern Miss G/T Jason Weaver who has been granted an extra year of eligibility. The 6-5, 320-pound Weaver, who started at RT most of the season for the CUSA champion Eagles, missed the 2010 year after suffering a knee injury in the season-opener that year; he also had sat out his first year of eligibility following the death of his brother. On the other hand, the NCAA denied MLB Korey Williams’ appeal for a 6th year after he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the fourth game of the 2011 season. Like Weaver, Williams sat out his freshman year after the death of a family friend, however, that relationship was not considered close enough to justify an exemption. The 6-1, 245-pound Williams could figure as at least a late-round prospect for the 2012 draft if his knee checks out after he posted 93 tackles, including 12.5 for loss the previous year.

http://www.gbnreport.com/

 

[DKphin]

http://nflmocks.com/2012/02/02/thou...o-a-43-and-players-to-fit-the-system/#respond

[h=1]Thought on the The Dolphins Switching to a 43 And Players to fit the System[/h]Why this move is strange is because Philbin is coming over from the Packers which also run a 34, or perhaps that’s why he’s thinking about switching with how they played this year?

Seriously though the reason this move is peculiar is because anytime you switch a scheme that dramatically it is going to call for a lot of overhaul and we have to take a look at the roster and see how the players fit.
First off the cornerbacks are fine unless Philbin plans in going to a heavy read and react Tampa 2 type system which would not benefit the physical and athletic Davis and Smith, barring that though the cornerbacks don’t need to be changed.
Let’s start up front. Right now the Dolphins play Kendall Langford, Randy Starks, Paul Soliali at nose tackle and Jared Odrick the most along their front three. Jared Odrick, arguably their best defensive linemen is an ideal fit for a 34 team, though he does offer some versatility as a 43 DT seems a bit out of place in that system. Starks used to play in the Titans 43 defense and will be a DT with the Dolphins as well. I think Lanford might thrive as a 43 DT he’s long and fairly athletic he can hold up at the point of attack and might make more plays in the 43. Soliai seems really out of place in the 43 to me, but perhaps he’ll adjust.
Where the Dolphins are lacking is at defensive end. All of the players currently on their defensive line are better fits in the interior than the outside, unless they are going to run a 43 similar to what Pete Carroll is running up in Seattle.
Do they have 43 DE currently playing 34 OLB?
The question is can Cameron Wake move to RDE. When a player moves from OLB to RDE you want to see a player who has tremendous length to keep offensive linemen’s hands off of him, which Wake does not have, but he does play with good leverage so he might be able to play in a role similar to that of Trent Cole or Dwight Freeney who are a little undersized (Freeney more so). The question is though why take a player that excels in the 34 and move him to a 43. The other player you wonder about is Karlos Dansby one of the best linebackers in the league has played in the 34 very effectively here and with Arizona. Can he play in more traffic inside and also playing in more space outside? I think he’ll be ok.
Though I disagree with the switch personally, that won’t stop the Dolphins from making the move.
Here are some targets for the 43 defense, especially DE which will be their biggest weakness as of today.
Quinton Coples, DL, UNC
Coples has a lot of ability. There are questions about his motor. Was Coples playing this season to not get hurt, instead of playing all out every play? That’s something that the Dolphins will have to answer. Coples has the length, size, and closing ability to be a very effective 43 DE or a 34 DE. Coples reminds me of Justin Smith, the former Bengal, current 49ers as a player with his versatility and functional strength. Coples is the best DE in a weak DE Class.
Melvin Ingram, Athlete, South Carolina
I’ve pinpointed Ingram as an athlete even though that’s always reserved for players like Denard Robinson because he’s a unique defensive player. He’s very athletic player, but he also happens to be 6’2 275 pounds. Ingram played DT in college, but seems undersized to play there in the N.F.L. Ingram is a little short to play defensive end (but again that’s not an absolute), and he also has enough athletic ability to warrant a look as a 34 OLB. Ingram could potentially be available when the Dolphins pick in the 2nd round though he could go as high as the mid 1st.
Whitney Mercilus, Illinois
Mercilus is an extremely productive player in college who got by with tremendous hustle and anticipation. Despite what you see elsewhere I think Whitney is a terrible fit as 34 OLB and should be a 43 DL option only. He isn’t physically impressive like Quinton Coples, he doesn’t have great speed, and doesn’t play with terrific instincts. His motor though is terrific. I like him at the top of round two and think he’s a reach before that point.
Andre Branch, DE, Clemson
Probably the ideal option for a team looking to run a 43 in round two. Branch has good size at 6’5 260 pounds and is a very good athlete (aren’t all Clemson players). He has a lot of speed and a lot of upside and has long arms. I would not be surprised at all if Branch ends up the best pass rushing DE in this draft class.

The case for Courtney Upshaw

I think Upshaw is miscast-ed in a 43 defense, but can still be a significant rotational pass rusher. He has good explosion and terrific strength so I wouldn’t rule it out, but I think he’s less of an option for the Dolphins if they move to a 43 as they seem like they are going to do then if they stick with the 34.
Other players to keep an eye on in the first three rounds:
Syracuse DE Chandler Jones, Tennessee DE Malik Jackson, and Arkasnas DE Jake Bequette

http://nflmocks.com/2012/02/02/thou...tching-to-a-43-and-players-to-fit-the-system/

 

[DKphin]

TE/WR Justin Johnson Houston 6-1 223

 

[DKphin]

[h=3]2012 Senior Bowl Post Game Report[/h]

The best player in this game and a certain top 10 draft pick was DE Quinton Coples from North Carolina. He was simply un-blockeable and was in the quarterbacks face all afternoon. He mostly made his money on inside moves and arm overs, but on one occasion he displayed outstanding athletic ability buy jumping over a cut block and getting a sack. Coples is a true defensive end, and at 6' 5" 276 pounds he is suited to play in a 4-3 defense. He is decent against the run, but might be to light to play end in a 3-4 defense.

The MVP of this game was RB Isaiah Pead (5' 10" 200 lbs) from Cincinnati. He is extremely explosive, shifty and can break tackles. He also displayed his versatility buy returning kickoffs and boy did he return some impressive kickoffs. One of his kick returns was for 60 yards and the next was for 38 yards. He also had eight rushes for 32 yards. He might have ran himself into the second or third round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Im not putting OLB/DE Vinny Curry, (Marshall) in the same category as last years Senior Bowl star Von Miller, but Curry did raise his draft stock considerably. Curry is a natural pass rusher, quick and explosive and he also displayed a nice bull rush, one time pushing Florida State Zebrie Sanders back into the quarterback. Curry (6' 4" 260 lbs), could be drafted early, maybe even late first/early second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He will be drafted to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Last season Curry recorded an impressive 22 tackles for loss (TFL) and 11 sacks.

I wasn't real impressed with any of the quarterbacks to be honest with you. 28 year old QBBrandon Weeden (Oklahoma State) started the game for the South. He (Weeden) got a lot of hype during the week, where he looked pretty good. In the game he was decent but doesn't look very athletic and throws to many interceptions. During the season he threw 3 interceptions (INTs) against Louisiana-Lafayette, 2 INTs against Tulsa and Kansas State, and 3 INTs in their loss to Iowa State.

Wisconsin Quarterback (QB) Russell Wilson is a little small (5' 11" 210 lbs), but he throws very well on the run and can take off and rush the ball like a running back. He doesn't look comfortable or accurate in the pocket however.

Arizona QB Nick Foles came in the game in the 3rd quarter and stood big and tall in the pocket. He completed his first pass to Joe Adams for 20 yards. However, after that he struggled with accuracy. Some of his balls ended up in the ground as he seems to throw a nose down football. Foles did throw a nice 20 yard TD pass to fellow Arizona WR Juron Criner (6' 4" 210 lbs). Criner ran a nice route and held onto the ball after a big hit in traffic.

Boise State Kellen Moore was extremely accurate, but he has marginal arm strength and like Russell Wilson, is a little small (5' 11" 190 lbs). Moore also doesn't have the mobility of Wilson, but looks good in the pocket.

Michigan State's Kirk Cousins had a good week of practice and he looked pretty good in the 2012 Senior Bowl. He completed a nice 32 yard pass over the middle on a crossing route to Ohio State's WR DeVier Posey. Overall I don't think Posey was that impressive however, he missed a sure touchdown on a pass in the end zone.

I wish Division 1AA Chattanooga QB B. J. Coleman (6' 3" 225 lbs) played in the 2012 Senior Bowl. So far in the post season he has looked like the most impressive QB, he played great at the East-West Shrine Game and it would have been nice to see him compete against some better talent.

Probably the most impressive receiver stats-wise was Arkansas' Joe Adams (5' 11" 190 lbs). After a first quarter fumble, he recovered with some nice catches finishing with 133 receiving yard. He catches the ball well and fights for extra yards. Oklahoma CB Jamell Fleming (5' 11" 192 lbs), made a nice tackle and stripped the ball out of Adams hands causing the fumble.

Probably the highest rated receiver in this game was Arizona State WR Gerell Robinson. He is huge and plays huge (6' 4" 224 lbs). He runs good routes and with his long legs has deceptive speed. Robinson caught a short pass on a crossing route in the 3rd quarter and turned it upfield for a 30 yard TD.

NFL Network Draft analyst Mike Mayock is really high on Ohio State OT Mike Adams (6' 6" 310 lbs). I'm not as high on him as Mayock is and I don't think he is a first round offensive tackle. I think he'll be good value in round two however. Adams held his own against South Carolina DE Melvin Ingram for the most part, but Alabama OLB Courtney Upshaw (6' 2" 269 lbs) displayed a nice punch on a bull rush and beat Adams for a sack. Adams is tall and plays a little high, but he moves his feet very well.

I really like Michigan DT Mike Martin (6' 1" 300 lbs). He (Martin) is a physical stud and a former high school wrestler. Martin uses his hands very well and plays with good leverage. He might be at his limit size-wise however, I don't think his frame can handle much more muscle.

North Carolina (NC) OLB Zach Brown might be the fastest linebacker in this 2012 NFL Draft. He made a nice play on a screen pass reading and reacting for a tackle for loss (TFL). He needs to do a better job taking on blockers, but he is a fast twitch athlete with elite speed and excellent size (6' 2" 230 lbs). He will likely rise after the Combine after he burns up the track. He holds the 55 meter record at NC.

Another linebacker (LB) that played well was Florida State LB Nigel Bradham (6' 2" 240 lbs). He ran Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson down and sacked him and that's no easy task as Wilson is one of the most elusive QBs in the nation.

A relatively unknown linebacker emerged in this game. Utah State LB Bobby Wagner (6' 1" 232 lbs) looked very athletic and he takes on blocks and runs well. Wagner could be a late round sleeper.

Tennessee DE Malik Jackson isn't a household name, but he had an excellent week of practice and got a lot of pressure on quarterbacks in the game. At 6' 4" 265 lbs, he could be an excellent outside linebacker for a team that runs a 3-4 defense.

On a negative note, a cornerback (CB) that I was real high on was Iowa State CB Leonard Johnson. He had a great week of practice but missed a key tackle in the Senior Bowl.

Also Appalachian State WR Brian Quick didn't impress me when he caught a pass and needed to fight for an extra yard to get a first down. He was stopped short and didn't seem to fight for extra yards. That's unacceptable for a receiver with his size (6' 4" 218 lbs).

Lastly the biggest faller might be Nebraska CB Alfonzo Dennard. He is an excellent tackler, but he had trouble in covering speedy receivers. During practice in the week before the game he couldn't turn and run very well and doesn't have fluid hips. He also tweaked his hamstring in practice and didn't play in the game.

http://www.nfl-draft-site.com/2012/01/2012-senior-bowl-post-game-report.html

 

[DKphin]

(12:01 AM): Final all-star tilt on sked … The post-season college all-star game schedule wraps up later today with the inaugural Players All-star Classic in Little Rock. Kick-off is scheduled for 4 PM ET this afternoon with coverage provided by various Comcast and Cox Sports Network outlets. And while the game doesn’t have the star power of the Senior Bowl or Shrine game, there will still be a number of interesting second-tier prospects for the 2012 draft on the field today including QBs Dominique Davis of East Carolina, LSU’s Jordan Jefferson and Richmond’s Aaron Corp; Ole Miss RB Brandon Bolden; WRs Derek Moye of Penn State and Darius Reynolds of Iowa State; Southern Methodist TE Taylor Thompson; OTs Blake DeChristopher of Virginia Tech, James Carmon of Mississippi State, and Utah’s John Cullen; DE/OLBs Brett Roy of Nevada, Jacquies Smith of Missouri, and Temple’s Adrien Robinson; OLB Sammy Brown of Houston; CBs Troy Woolfolk of Michigan and Jeremy Lane of Northwestern State; and safeties Tramain Thomas of Arkansas and Kelcie McCray of Arkansas State. Here are the full rosters for today’s game.

http://www.gbnreport.com/

 

[DKphin]

TE Alex Gottlieb William & Mary 6-3 255

 

[DKphin]

• Top LB prospect hit with DUI ... Stanford MLB Shayne Skov, one of the top prsopects at the position for the 2012 draft, was arrested for driving under the influence late last month. Skov was the Cardinal's leading tackler in 2010 but missed most of this season after tearing an ACL.
• Pot charge against Tide CB dropped … Police in Alabama have reportedly dismissed a charge of marijuana possession against Alabam junior Dre Kirkpatrick after the driver of the car he was a passenger in took responsibility for the drug. Kirkpatrick is projected to be one of the first 2-3 players off the board at the position at the upcoming draft.

http://www.gbnreport.com/

 

[tay0365]

Zeitler twice?

He's that good.

 

[DKphin]

NFL Draft: All Underrated Team(Offense)

With only a couple weeks left until the NFL Combine, the NFP looks at which offensive prospects aren’t getting the kind love they should at this time and who could be poised for a rise up draft boards over the next couple weeks.

ICONKinne has what it takes to make an NFL roster.
QB G.J. Kinne: Tulsa (6-2, 234)
Kinne has a little Jeff Garcia/Bruce Gradkowski to his game. He will fall on draft day because of his size, but is your typical gritty QB prospect who is the son of a coach and in my view will find a way to make a roster and potentially fight for playing time down the line. I like him more as a prospect than Boise State’s Kellen Moore.
RB Robert Turbin: Utah State (5-10, 216)
Physically, he reminds me some of New York Jets RB Shonn Greene. But as a runner, he looks more natural as a zone guy who he can use his cut back ability to pick his way through traffic, square his shoulders and then attack daylight. Has the skill set to mature into a starter at the next level, but because of his lack of a great burst, he doesn't strike me as a guy who is ever going to have a real gaudy yards per carry average. Nevertheless, he should be able to keep you ahead of the chains and create the tough yards through contact.

Read entire article:http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/NFL-Draft-All-Underrated-Team.html

 

[DKphin]

NFL Draft: All Underrated Team Part II(Defense)

With only a couple weeks left until the NFL Combine, the NFP looks at which defensive prospects aren’t getting the kind love they should at this time and who could be poised for a rise up draft boards over the next couple weeks.
For our underrated offensive prospects click here...

ICONJohnson has the ability to stand-up as well and be effective.
DE Cam Johnson: Virginia (6-4, 270)
A solid college defensive end who has never been much of a sack artist but there are intriguing tools there. Showcases some fluidity in his drop and in coverage and has the ability to mature into a more sudden pass rusher with time. Will get looks in both a 34 and 43 front. Could end up having a similar impact in year one as Cleveland Browns second round pick Jabaal Sheard.
DE Tyrone Crawford: Boise State (6-4, 276)
I like his skill set. I think he's going to develop quickly at the next level and he has the ability to be a solid three down lineman with some time. He isn't there yet, but as a prospect Crawford has some real upside and displays the kind of blue-collar pass rushing mentality that I like with a powerful element to his game on contact.

Read entire article:http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/NFL-Draft-All-Underrated-Team-Part-II.html

 

[DKphin]

Click on the play button above the nfp hot sheet tab

Draft Talk 16.0
In this week’s edition of Draft Talk, Wes Bunting is joined by Yahoo! Sports fantasy expert Brad Evans. The two debate Baylor QB Robert Griffin III, Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon and Utah State RB Robert Turbin.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Draft-Talk-160.html

 

[DKphin]

The best small-school CB crop in years?

Ranking the deep and talented small-school cornerback crop for the 2012 NFL draft.
1. Janoris Jenkins: North Alabama (5-10, 182)
If he can put it all together off the field, he's got the ability to develop into a very good cover man in the NFL and despite his size he's going to be a really tough guy to separate from in just about any scheme he plays in.
Grade: 7.0 C

ICONFrom a talent perspective, there isn't anything Norman can't do.
2. Josh Norman: Coastal Carolina (6-0, 190)
Talent says he's a top-60 pick, but there are some character concerns that could cause him to fall. Either way he has the talent to quickly match-up with NFL receiver at the next level.
Grade: 6.8 C

Read entire article:http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/The-best-smallschool-CB-crop-in-years.html

 

[DKphin]

The Curious Case of Bryce Brown
Where does the former top ranked recruit stand in the 2012 draft?

Left the Tennessee program following the 2009 season and transferred back home to Kansas State. Sat out 2010 and only played in three games in 2011 for the Wildcats before leaving the team and spending the rest of the semester in Tennessee.

Impression: Watching him run in Lane Kiffin’s zone scheme as a freshman, the guy was an impressive back with a lot of natural talent. He was the number one ranked recruit out of high school, ahead of Trent Richardson in 2009 and no doubt has the skill set to play in the league. The biggest question mark for him going forward is his overall character.
Grade: 5.6 C J

Read entire article:http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/The-curious-case-of-Bryce-Brown.html

 

[DKphin]

[h=2]Diamonds in the rough emerging in film study[/h]Over the past few weeks, my fellow NFLDraftScout.com analyst Dane Brugler and I have been working around the clock to finish up the 300+ player profiles we'll be offering here and for Lindy's NFL Draft Magazine.

While that time has left me unable to keep up the blog with the frequency I would have liked it has opened my eyes to a few lower rated prospects that haven't been receiving the attention their play warrants.

Here are the names of five prospects whose play forced me to re-evaluate where we've been ranking them...

QB Brock Osweiler, Arizona State: I was disappointed to see Osweiler leave after his junior season as he remains a raw prospect. However, he possesses a strong, accurate arm and much better athleticism than most would reasonably expect given his huge frame (6-7, 240). There has been so much talk about which quarterback is likely to follow up Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin. For my money, that player has been (and remains) Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill. But in the race to follow Tannehill, Osweiler has the physical skill-set to lead ahead of next group, including Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden and Michigan State's Kirk Cousins, the two most impressive quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl.

Read entire article:http://rob-rang.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/13682485/34692760

 

[DKphin]

A look at the games of Upshaw, Kirkpatrick and Barron

Courtney Upshaw

Since Nick Saban has been head coach at Alabama the talent level of the Tide’s players has gotten better and better. This year there are three players on defense that could go very high in April’s NFL Draft. They are outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw, corner Dre Kirkpatrick and safety Mark Barron. In preparing this report I was able to look at the game tape of the Mississippi, Tennessee and LSU regular season games and a TV tape of the BCS game vs. LSU. Let’s take a look at their games.


Upshaw plays the weakside OLB in Alabama’s 3-4 defense. He will often line up as a defensive end and have his hand on the ground for obvious passing situations. He lacks ideal height for the position and may be a bit heavy. At the Senior Bowl he measured 6-1 and 273 with only 31.5” arms. While he is quick with a very good first step, I would not say he is a fast guy. He plays as if he is a 4.75-4.80 type. He is athletic with good change of direction and body control and plays with excellent strength and power.
Coming out of high school, Upshaw was a 4-star recruit and was recruited by most of the southeast’s major schools. He played as a backup as a freshman and sophomore and has been a starter the last two seasons. He had excellent stats this year with 51 total tackles including 17 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and 1 interception.
Upshaw rarely drops into coverage; he is more of a rush OLB. He has top instincts and is very quick to find the ball. He shows strength and power at the point and does a good job shedding blocks. He is a top competitor who pursues hard and takes good angles. As a pass rusher, he gets off the ball quickly with a quick first step and shows the ability to dip his shoulder to get under blockers. He has the hand use, foot quickness and body control to put together counter moves and is a very good bull rusher. What he lacks is top speed to just beat his opponent cleanly with his speed.
Overall, I see Upshaw as purely a 3-4 OLB. He lacks the height and arm length to play DE in a 4-3. He needs to lose some weight to be more effective. At 273 he looks heavy in the mid-section. 255 would be a much better play weight and it may increase his speed some. His short arms could hurt in the leverage game at the next level but because of his competitive nature and overall talent he should be a starter fairly early in his career.

Read entire article:http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Breaking-down-three-top-Alabama-defenders.html