Draft Prospects

[DKphin]

85. Josh Evans FS Florida 6'2" 201

STRENGTHS - Evans is a strong and physical player. He has the ability to break off blocks well. Gets off the snap quickly and has the ability to explode to the quarterback. Very sound tackler and is a guy who looks to make the big hit. He is never out of a play because of his quickness and playing speed. He has excellent sideline to sideline speed and has the ability to close strong and make the play. He has the ability to chase a guy down from behind to make a tackle. He has great sideline to sideline speed. He has excellent footwork and quick feet on his backpedal. He is able to plant his feet well and explode to the ball off of his backpedal. He has very solid hip turn and is able to recover well against the route. He is more effective in zone coverage as he does such a good job of reading and reacting to the QB/Pass and has an explosive closing burst to the ball to make a play on the ball or deliver a hit right after the ball arrives. In zone coverage he has the ability to break nicely off his backpedal and either make a play for an interception or if it's a short pass he has the ability to explode to make the tackle.

WEAKNESSES - Evans pass coverage is something he will need to work on in order to have a much bigger impact. I do not feel as though he is a guy that is going to be able to play tight coverage from the LOS at the next level. He also has a tendency to be inpatient at times, although very rarely. His aggressiveness leads him to jump/bite on pump fakes and fakes by receiver, which can be fatal in the NFL.

SUMMARY - Overall Evans is a very physical football player. He's a guy that you can always count on to make a play and be around the ball. Evans reacts quickly to plays and gets started towards the ball fast. He has the ability to explode to the football and has excellent tackling technique. He is able to square up the runner and put on a hard hit. The questions I have are whether or not he can be consistent enough in pass coverage. He has the tools to be a very effective safety at the next level, but he needs to be more patient and allow the play to come to him. He's very athletic and sometimes I feel he takes that for granted. Overall, I feel Evans will be a good starting safety in the NFL. He will however need to become more consistent covering tight ends in man coverage and control his aggressiveness to avoid biting on fakes. The way he sniffs out the play and as physical as he is, I would not be surprised if he saw some time at OLB in certain defensive packages and should enable him to be an impact special teams player immediately.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_player_scouting_report.html&player=40232

*No meaningful tape available

 

[DKphin]

86. Landry Jones QB Oklahoma 6'4" 218

He has good height with a frame that could fill out a little bit more. He has average mobility for the position. He is not a threat to break a big play with his feet, however he can slide in the pocket and use his feet to buy a little extra time
He shows the ability to step up in the pocket. At times he gets happy feet in the pocket and gets tentative especially with pressure. At times he leaves the pocket too soon and does not allow the play to develop.
He features an over the top delivery. The delivery is a bit long. He has a high release point. At times his foot work gets sloppy and inconsistent and this affects his accuracy. At times he throws flatfooted or falls off on his back foot as he throws.
Decision making is a major area of concern. At times he forces throws or throws late into coverage. At times it seems as though he is just throwing up a jump ball. Inconsistency is a major theme with his decision making. He did not have to make multiple reads and when he did he seemed to struggle.
He shows good arm strength and the ability to make all of the necessary NFL throws.He shows good accuracy on short routes such as slants and shallow crossing routes. Given time his accuracy on intermediate routes is pretty good as well. At times on deep balls he floats the ball in or puts it on too much of a rope. He needs to improve his consistency on his deep ball touch.
Landry Jones was a 4 year starter for the Sooners. He amassed over 16,000 passing yards in his career.
Landry Jones has the size and arm strength to become an NFL starter. His decision making throughout his career has been inconsistent. At times he has too much confidence in his arm. At times he just seems to throw the ball up in the air and essentially create a jump ball situation down the field. He does show the ability to step up in the pocket and deliver an accurate ball down-field on a line. With a few years of development he should be competing for a starting role in the NFL.

[video=youtube;sOv0OvhOLN8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOv0OvhOLN8[/video]

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_player_scouting_report.html&player=36589

 

[2413fanphins]

DK... are you participating in the VIP collaborative draft... if not check it out quick we could use one more guy...


ps. nice write ups as per usual.

 

[DKphin]

DK... are you participating in the VIP collaborative draft... if not check it out quick we could use one more guy...


ps. nice write ups as per usual.

Thanks for the invite , but I am taking an On-line course and I just don't have the time.

 

[DKphin]

87. Le'Veon Bell RB Michigan St. 6'2" 244

STRENGTHS - Bell definitely looks the part of an NFL back "on the hoof." Possessing excellent playing strength, good balance and agility, he is consistently able to run through arm/grab tackles to gain yards after contact. Despite running upright much of the time, Bell is consistently able to get shoulders down to make himself a smaller target and to deliver a blow to tackler. His strong and aggressive running style helps him to break tackles often. An instinctive runner, Bell is able to find open space/hole. When he stays focused on his blocking technique and gives a good effort, he has the strength to be a good pass blocker. Although not a big part of Michigan State's passing attack, he has shown soft hands catching the ball out of the backfield.
WEAKNESSES - A one speed runner who lacks explosiveness through the hole, Bell will need to improve in this area of the holes will close before he can get through them in the NFL. Much more of a smooth and fluid athlete than a quick twitch one, he cannot change directions in a flash to make tacklers miss consistently. He lacks the quick COD ability and burst to bounce runs outside and get around the corner. His lack of top end speed limits his ability to out-run angles and score long touchdowns. While he has the talent to be good in pass protection, too often his technique is sloppy and he does not stay after and finish block, which leads to him missing blocks. If he does not improve in pass pro, he will not be able to contribute catching passes out of the backfield.
SUMMARY - While I completely agree with college running backs coming out early for the Draft if they have carried the ball alot during previous seasons, I think Bell will be dissappointed with where he ends up being selected. A strong and physical runner who can punish tacklers and consistently gains a lot of yards after contact, Bell will need to improve his body lean to carry over his production as a physical inside runner in the NFL. When I evaluated Bell I kept being reminded of the Falcons' Michael Turner. However, the issue is that Bell does not remind me of Michael Turner when he came out of Northern Illinois and had shocking quickness and speed for such a big, physical runner. Rather he reminds me of Turner as he is in 2012, which is lacking explosiveness through the hole and relying almost exclusively on strength, balance and competitiveness to be productive. Overall, Bell would be an excellent fourth round pick who has the tools to become a power back only and not a complete back, which is why he will not be a starter. It is a big concern that he lacks the speed to contribute as a special teams player as that will hurt him in a battle to beat out other backs to be the primary backup.[video=youtube;6jNkQQy9h7o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jNkQQy9h7o&noredirect=1[/video][video=youtube;1r74G2Mm2xQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r74G2Mm2xQ[/video]

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_player_scouting_report.html&player=49418

 

[DKphin]

88. Aaron Dobson WR Marshall 6'3" 200

STRENGTHS - Aaron Dobson is a tall, long-armed wide receiver who has consistently shown the ability to make incredible adjustments to the ball while it is in the air. He has a knack for making really tough catches look easy. He does a great job of going to get the ball and not letting it get into his body. Dobson has great hands and high points the football on a regular basis. He has not been helped by the quarterback play at Marshall, but he has been productive in college. Dobson does a great job of fighting through the press at the LOS. He has excellent footwork and the ability to stop on a dime to sit into an open area. Dobson lines up almost every play on the left side of the field. He has quick feet and displays awareness on how to get open. Dobson has great balance, hands and body control as evidenced by "the catch" against ECU.
WEAKNESSES - The production hasn't been there as a senior as he has only scored twice at the midway point after scoring 12 TD as a junior. He had a bad fumble against Tulsa which cost his team a touchdown. Dobson does not look like a quick player who will beat corners over a short area as he relies on his pure speed and not foot quickness. That's not to say he has slow feet, he just needs a stride or two to get fully up to speed. It is concerning that he only plays the "X" receiver, only on the left side of the field. For a big player, Dobson doesn't stick to blocks all that well and while willing, it is something that needs to be improved.
SUMMARY - Dobson has tremendous hand size and arm length to go with prototype size for the position at the NFL level. He is an exceptional athlete who displays outstanding speed, body control and balance. He is a legitimate vertical threat on every snap of the ball. He has rare hands and makes extremely difficult catches look easy, and he extends his long arms and plucks the ball away from his frame consistently. He has great reach and uses his body to shield defenders away from the ball. He is going to be a big red zone threat in the NFL. He has elite ability to track, locate and adjust to the ball in the air, especially down the field and in the end zone. He has great hand/eye coordination and does a masterful job of adjusting to poorly thrown balls. He can win against all types of coverage. Dobson won't explode off of the ball, but he does run crisp routes with the football IQ to quickly break off a route and sit into an open area. He has the strength and toughness to generate a lot of RAC yardage. He is not a consistent blocker in the running game, but he is willing and could benefit from NFL coaching in this area. Overall, he deserves second-round consideration because of his physical tools, red zone skills and ability to stretch the field. He looks a lot like a poor man's version of A.J. Green coming out of Georgia except that he lacks Green's explosiveness and top end play-making speed. He is a legitimate No. 1 WR prospect for the NFL level.


[video=youtube;99lzd57Ib_w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99lzd57Ib_w[/video]

[video=youtube;YCdFFFAxLz0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCdFFFAxLz0[/video]

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_player_scouting_report.html&player=42242

 

[DKphin]

89. Vance McDonald TE Rice 6'4" 262

OVERVIEW:McDonald is an all-around athlete who played defensive end and tight end in high school while also playing center on the basketball team and qualifying for regionals three times while competing in the long jump, triple jump and relay teams in high school.
As a freshman at Rice, McDonald caught 12 passes to earn All Freshman honors in the conference. He was named the Owls' top receiver the following season, catching 14 passes for 223 yards and eight touchdowns.
McDonald's production soared in 2011 as he set new career highs with 44 catches for 541 yards while adding five more touchdowns in 12 games. He caught 36 more passes for 458 yards as a senior, earning consensus All-Conference USA honors.
McDonald finished his career with 120 receptions for 1,513 yards and 15 touchdowns, tying Kenneth Roy for fifth place on the school's career touchdown reception list.
McDonald could be a diamond in the rough to watch if he can build upon a strong effort at the Senior Bowl. A wide receiver/tight end at Rice, he has the makeup to be successful in today's NFL offenses increasingly relying on tight ends able to work the seam and underneath routes.
STRENGTHS: Broad shoulders, long arms (34.5 inches) and big hands (10 inches) to extend and pluck the ball out of the air. Aggressive during blocking drills at the Senior Bowl, staying balanced through contact and flashing a finishing attitude. Typically catches the ball cleanly and shows impressive fluidity for his size. Often lined up split wide in the Owls' offense and is an experienced route-runner.
WEAKNESSES: While he shows the effort as a blocker, questions remain about his ability to hold up in-line. Will drop catchable balls when trying to run before securing the catch.

*No meaningful tape available

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1695512/vance-mcdonald

 

[DKphin]

90. Alvin Bailey OG Arkansas 6'5" 315

Overview
One of the biggest (literally and figuratively) reasons for Arkansas' success on offense has been the stellar play of junior guard Alvin Bailey. Since redshirting in 2009, Bailey has started all 26 games of his career, earning SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week last season against New Mexico and earning second team honors from the conference coaches for the season, overall.
While Bailey typically lines up at right guard, Arkansas frequently switches its linemen for strong-side and weak-side responsibilities, so Bailey has experience on the left side, as well.
Analysis
A naturally massive man, Bailey shows impressive quickness off the snap and can knock defenders off the ball in the running game. He's athletic enough to handle blocking on the move - a requirement in an Arkansas scheme that often requires the guards to pull and block at the second level.
While quick enough to get out in space, Bailey struggles to re-direct if the defenders sees him coming and often is forced to lunge at his opponent, resulting in some impressive knock-down blocks but also an occasional miss. The talent and poise of skill position players around him has helped Bailey in pass protection as he has a tendency to stop moving his feet and attempt to control his opponent with just his size and strength.
For a big man, however, Bailey shows the ability to block low enough to anchor. He still needs to refine his game but could earn top 100 consideration in either the 2013 or 2014 draft should he continue to develop.

*No meaningful tape available

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1664546/alvin-bailey

 

[DKphin]

91. Brian Schwenke C California 6'3" 307

Analysis

STRENGTHS: Possesses a compact build well-suited to interior line play. Has a naturally low center of gravity and uses it, along with a wide base and excellent use of leverage to anchor against bigger, more powerful bull-rushers. Possesses an exceptional initial burst off the snap to turn and seal off defenders. Quick, active hands and shows an explosive pop on contact. Keeps his legs driving through the play to finish blocks. Alert, competitive blocker who looks to help his teammates and blocks to the whistle. Very good burst to the second level, showing improved awareness as he gained experience at the position. Made all of the line calls for Cal despite his inexperience at the position. Durable. Played in 48 of 50 possible games for Cal, including 36 starts.
WEAKNESSES: Has only one season at center. Struggled at times with low shotgun snaps in 2012 (Ohio State). While possessing very good quickness to the second level, shows only average change-of-direction and awareness in re-directing to make effective downfield blocks. Must improve in his sustaining of downfield blocks.
COMPARES TO: Max Unger, C, Seattle Seahawks -- Like the former Oregon Duck standout, Schwenke's value lies not only his versatility but in his short-area quickness, reliability and smarts.

*No meaningful tape available

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1679911

 

[DKphin]

92. Joe Kruger DE Utah 6'7" 280
I do not understand the why everyone always brings up,"his best position is 5-technique in a 3-4". I do not see why he could not flourish as DE on a 4-3 scheme. Am I missing something?

As for Utah’s Joe Kruger (declared via College Football Talk), he likely will have a better shot of being a highly viewed prospect come draft day for two reasons. One, he enjoyed success this year playing next to arguably the top defensive lineman in the country in Star Lotulelei. And two, his brother, Paul, has enjoyed a career thus far with the Ravens at the outside linebacker position
The 6’7, 280 pound defensive linemen likely will fill the 5-technqiue role for an NFL team, a position that tends to draw serious interest in the draft process. Finding potential 3-4 edge setters isn’t easy, and we’ve seen the impact a long talent like JJ Watt (similarly built to Kruger) can have on a defense.
With reportedly sub-4.8 speed and flashes of pass rush body control on the inside, strong hands with the ability to collapse and pinch on the inside, and the upside to still develop with more time, and a prospect like Kruger could shoot up draft boards with the type of NFL Combine workout that we should expect.

[video=youtube;NNUc_waKMrU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNUc_waKMrU[/video]

http://www.optimumscouting.com/draf...oe-kruger-surprisingly-declare-for-draft.html

 

[DKphin]

93. Akeem Spence DT Illinois 6'1" 305

Analysis
STRENGTHS: Spence is a physical tackler and powerful hitter, showing good range and mobility for an interior lineman. He has good awareness to find the run lane and halt ballcarriers. Spence isn't much of a pass rusher at this point (3.5 career sacks), but has good experience, starting every game for Illinois the past three seasons (38 starts). Good experience, starting every game for Illinois the past three seasons (38 starts).
WEAKNESSES: Needs to improve his leverage and timing in meeting ballcarriers at the line, and keeping his eyels level to follow the ball and not take himself out of the play. Spence isn't much of a pass rusher at this point (3.5 career sacks).
COMPARES TO: Stephen Paea, DT, Chicago Bears - Like Paea, Spence is a strong, stout run defender who has room to grow as a pass rusher.

[video=youtube;gSFkwaYPmLo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSFkwaYPmLo[/video]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1691215/akeem-spence

 

[DKphin]

94. Jelani Jenkins OLB Florida 6'0" 237

STRENGTHS - Jenkins is extremely quick and maintains that quickness throughout a play. He is very physical and will fight until the end of the play. He goes sideline to sideline extremely well and can cover a lot of ground in zone coverage. He has the speed and explosive burst to recover if he loses a step in separation. He is a strong and fundamentally sound tackler.
WEAKNESSES - Jenkins needs to improve his playing strength so that he can take on and shed blocks more consistently. He needs to improve his play vs blockers if he is going to be productive against the inside run. While he can cover very well in zone coverage, I feel he needs to improve his hip turn if he is going to be a high end man coverage linebacker. Having missed time in numerous games due to injury and Florida's bowl game due to a broken bone, Jenkins ability to be a durable NFL player is a major question mark.
SUMMARY - Jenkins is a versatile LB who would be best in a 4-3 defense as an OLB, but could also play in a 3-4 scheme as an ILB. He has the ability to get moving at the snap quickly and explode to the ball extremely well. He tackles very well, will hit you hard and is a very physical football player. He is extremely competitive and you will always see him fighting to make a play on the football. His m/m coverage skills could improve as I feel he needs to become better at turning his hips so that he can react quicker to the receiver's routes. He is very good in the zone as he has the quickness to react well to plays and he does not over pursue on any plays as he is very patient. Overall, Jenkins physical skill, ability to makes plays against the run in pursuit and strong coverage skills warrant a second round pick, but if he comes out early for the 2013 NFL Draft he will likely slide lower than that. His struggles staying healthy will likely lead to him being a third round pick at best, which is why I believe he should stay in school another season.[video=youtube;nsyzuBgt7wI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsyzuBgt7wI[/video]

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_big_board_rankings.html&position=olb

 

[DKphin]

95. Jon Bostic ILB Florida 6'1" 246

STRENGTHS - Bostic is a very patient player, will sit in the zone in pass coverage and will not over-commit to a play too often. He has very good footwork and if he does commit too quickly, he has a good change of direction to recover and make a play on the ball. On pass rush/blitz, Bostic has good initial quickness and the speed to get the corner and pressure the quarterback and make a play. He is a sound tackler, who uses good form most of the time. He uses his hands well to take on and stay free from OL blocks on the 2nd level, which enables him to consistently make tackles on runs at him.
WEAKNESSES - While he displays good short area quickness, Bostic has not shown the explosive closing ability to make big, impact plays. At times he does not follow through on tackle after making initial contact, which allows ball carrier to break his tackle. He lacks the top end speed to run with TE down the seam and to pickup and stay with RB on "wheel" route down the sideline. Being tight in the hips hinders his ability to adjust quickly when receiver crosses his face. When he does not stay free from OL blocker and they get ahold of him, he lacks the strength to consistently anchor and can be ridden out of the play.
SUMMARY - Bostic is a guy who possesses the athleticism, quickness and reaction to become a contributor in the NFL, although I do not see him as a starting LB. He gets moving at the snap quickly, has patience and reacts well to the play. He will not over-commit, will stand his ground and has the quickness to make the play in a small area. However, I would like to see him explode to the play better. He needs to finish plays better when he gets close them. He can change direction okay when he anticipates having to, but when he gets faked he is slow to change directions and lacks the burst to recover and get back into the play. Bostic lacks the playing speed to make plays consistently outside of the OT box - Basically, he can be productive in a small area. While he has quick hands and uses them well to stay free from OL blocks, he lacks great strength and can be ridden out of the play if the OL can lock up on him. Overall, Bostic is worthy of a late round pick as I believe he can challenge to make a roster as a backup linebacker and special teams player. However, he is not someone I believe can be a starter and will struggle to carve out a long NFL career.[video=youtube;k4deczVkzdc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4deczVkzdc[/video]

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_player_scouting_report.html&player=40231

 

[2413fanphins]

whats the latest on jake stoneburner? I see him falling completely out of mocks... I haven't heard much of him in trouble since quite a long time ago, and I was wondering if something else had come to light with this kid. If he's gonna fall completely out of mock drafts there has to be something that I don't know about, and I should probably move him in my mock to the 7b pick...

 

[DKphin]

whats the latest on jake stoneburner? I see him falling completely out of mocks... I haven't heard much of him in trouble since quite a long time ago, and I was wondering if something else had come to light with this kid. If he's gonna fall completely out of mock drafts there has to be something that I don't know about, and I should probably move him in my mock to the 7b pick...

The only thing that I could find is that public urination charge that got him suspended from the team in 2012. Other than that I could find nothing. Most teams are looking for a TE that can hold up at the LOS and Jake is lacking in that area. He has been compared to Aaron Hernandez, but Hernandez is a more physical player. Stoneburner is very athletic, but if he can not get more physical with defenders, that is going to hurt him in the draft.