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Slimm's 2012 Underrated Prospects (Seniors)

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I usually wait until around the middle of August to make an overrated/underrated thread for the upcoming season... However, I'm going to go ahead and make it a little earlier this year.

I'll make one for the underclassmen and juniors also as I get around to it... I'll make this thread for Senior prospects that are guaranteed to be in the 2012 NFL Draft barring injury and/or a medical redshirt and a 6th year of eligibility.









Receivers like Alshon Jeffrey, Justin Blackmon, and Michael Floyd are going to get the majority of the hype and recognition this year, but Jeff Fuller might be my favorite out of all of them. He's a physical receiver with incredibly strong hands, a significant catch radius, and a polished route runner among other things. He's improved every year, and I think he's in for a big Senior season with Ryan Tannehill throwing him the football.... perhaps even his best season. I think he's a solid top 20 pick, and a big reason why aTm has a shot to sneak by Oklahoma this year and win the Big-12(-2).



Here's a little bit of him against the best cornerback in the country last year in Patrick Peterson...







[video=youtube;GXJ4FcW8Nug]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXJ4FcW8Nug&feature=player_embedded[/video]
 
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Bruce Irvin is a guy who almost led the nation in sacks last season (finished 2nd in the country with 14 sacks) despite being in his first season, and playing mostly only on 3rd downs. At 6'3", 240, he's a prime candidate to be looked at as one of the top "hybrid" pass rushers in college football in 2012, who will be looked at as a potential 3-4 rush end at the next level. He's going to get his chance to be an every down player this year as a Senior, and prove his worth to NFL scouts.

He's still a little one dimensional right now, but he's an absolute terror rushing the passer with his elite first step, quickness off the snap, and relentless pursuit. Even if he doesn't match his sack total as a Senior, he can still be a better overall football player by the end of the season than he was last year.




Here he is versus Maryland:



[video=youtube;UUCk9jVF5z8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUCk9jVF5z8&feature=player_embedded[/video]







Versus N.C. State:




[video=youtube;me5hL6ob7MM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me5hL6ob7MM[/video]
 
Doug Martin is an underrated running back... plain and simple. His low center of gravity, and tough/determined running style makes him a little bit of a poor man's Mark Ingram. The difference is, Mark Ingram didn't fumble. That's the only concern I have with Martin is that he has to be consistent totin' the rock. He's averaged over 6.0 yards per carry the last two seasons.

Martin won't be a 1st rounder, but I think he'll make a solid pick in the 3rd round or so for a team that likes squatty, underrated, tough runners who can gain yards after contact. He could put up a 1,500 yard season as a Senior with a big game against Georgia in the season opener, and TCU on November, 12th. Those are the only two legitimate defenses he'll face all season, the rest are cupcakes.




Here's a little of him against Nevada:





[video=youtube;FKyoik3ZEXw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKyoik3ZEXw[/video]
 
You won't hear of many folks having a player from Vanderbilt as an underrated prospect, but Casey Hayward can play in the NFL in my opinion. He's more of a man cover corner that has the hips to turn and run with any receiver in the SEC, and the ball skills to pick off passes if he's allowed to turn his head and locate the football. He struggles in zone coverage, and won't be a fit for every scheme, and doesn't play off-man as well as he should either.

He's more of a bump-and-run type corner...


If he improves his awareness, learns to keep his head up and play with his heels on the ground as a Senior, he'll be a top 150 selection....






Hayward vs. UCONN:




[video=youtube;vmK3HkxOpuQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmK3HkxOpuQ[/video]
 
The SEC has 3 Senior running backs who all have the skills to play on Sundays (Brandon Bolden/Ole Miss --- Vick Ballard/Miss. St. --- and Tauren Poole/Tennessee)


All three of them run EXTREMELY hard, break tackles, get the tough yards inside, and have a nose for the goal line.





Tauren Poole vs. Oregon: (the run at the 2:00 mark is fabulous)



[video=youtube;79qeIQk8yIQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79qeIQk8yIQ&feature=player_embedded#at=24[/video]
 
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I absolutely love this kid... he's the son of former NFL cornerback, Frank Minnifield, and has been groomed as a defensive back since he was old enough to walk. He can play off-man and zone.... needs more refinement on his technique in press coverage in order to win more initially at the line of scrimmage. Very physical corner who supports the run and is a terrific tackler. Reminds me of a young Patrick Surtain when he came out of Southern Miss....




Chase Minnifield vs. USC:



[video=youtube;Bhh0GVu08Xs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhh0GVu08Xs[/video]
 
Vinny Curry is a classic RDE in a 4-3... who's production and ability tends to get overlooked because of the conference he plays in. I think it's a coin flip as to whether or not he gets selected in the 1st round despite his ability due to age. Although, another season of film as quality as last year's is likely to steamroll this kid right into the mix as a 1st round pick in 2012...




Curry vs. Ohio St.:




[video=youtube;QnxzVx2-gKs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnxzVx2-gKs[/video]
 
Tank Carder is.... an animal. He's the heart and soul of Gary Patterson's 4-2-5 defense that has proven to be one of, if not the best base personnel package in college football in terms of defending spread offenses. Although adjustments had to be made to match up with a power offense and a dominating offensive line like Wisconsin's in the Rose Bowl.





Tank Carder vs. Wisconsin:



[video=youtube;OBQTw7zBv1k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBQTw7zBv1k[/video]
 
The Wolverines' defense was awful last year, but it's not this guy's fault. All he did was soak up double teams playing a 0-technique in Rich Rod's miscast 3-3-5 defense, and play hard Every. Single. Snap.

Strong as a bull and relentless. He should be playing more "shade" techniques this year as a Senior, as Michigan moves back to a more conventional (and sane) 4-3 defense under Brady Hoke and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. Mike Martin was a good player on a sorely miscast defensive unit.





Mike Martin vs. Indiana:



[video=youtube;BDM5A0QcnTo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDM5A0QcnTo[/video]
 
All this kid did was rattle off SEVEN straight 100 yard games after taking over for Christine Michael, including a season high 223 yards vs. rival Texas...


Cyrus Gray may not quite have the bulk to be your bellcow in the NFL, although he's deceptively powerful and explosive. I figure he'll share carries as a Senior with Michael to a large extent, and he won't have a lot of tread on his tires when he enters the draft. Reminds me a little bit of Jahvid Best....




Cyrus Gray vs. LSU:



[video=youtube;CiKfS2Olc9I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiKfS2Olc9I[/video]







Cyrus Gray vs. Baylor and Nebraska:




[video=youtube;CDnulol-LaU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDnulol-LaU[/video]
 
Lavonte David set Nebraska's single season school record for tackles last year... when you watch the film, it's easy to see why. His trigger is phenomenal and his instincts are spectacular. A little undersized to be a fit for every scheme, but he'll be a sideline to sideline maniac in a system where the big defensive tackles up front keep him clean. David wasn't a highly recruited prospect coming out of highschool (only rated a 2 star), and chose to go the Community College route before signing with Nebraska, rather than attend Middle Tennessee State. He's a native of Miami, and was high school teammates with the next guy I'm going to list....




Lavonte David vs. Kansas St.:




[video=youtube;RUnoq27C9Gc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUnoq27C9Gc&feature=related[/video]







Lavonte David vs. Oklahoma:




[video=youtube;Nwra0ZN3VyQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwra0ZN3VyQ&feature=related[/video]
 
Sean Spence and Lavonte David were partners in crime at Miami Northwestern... Much like David, Sean Spence is undersized to be a fit for every scheme.

However, if he's in a system that allows him to fly around and make plays, Spence has a shot at an NFL career in my opinion, and perhaps be drafted a lot earlier than anyone expects. He's one of the few players I've seen at the University of Miami recently that just "get it". Spence is fine dropping into coverage, or coming up to make plays at or behind the line of scrimmage. I think he'll be a favorite of Al Golden almost immediately. Hits like a 250 pounder....





Sean Spence vs. Ohio St.:




[video=youtube;Z5cvshec56A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5cvshec56A[/video]
 
Courtney Upshaw is underrated in my opinion because I don't think anyone understands just how good he really is yet. He ended the season playing the best football of his career, notching 5 sacks and 6 TFL's in the final game and a half against Auburn and Michigan St. (he didn't play much in the 2nd half of the 49-7 beatdown of the Spartans). Upshaw absolutely dominated both games.

He plays the "jack" linebacker position in Saban's defense. Playing from a 2-point stance in base 3-4 personnel, and rushing with his hand on the ground in nickel packages. His physical nature borders on brutality. Understands leverage and uses his hands to perfection... sheds blocks with ease.






Upshaw vs. Auburn and Mississippi St.:




[video=youtube;sCXejeD1YV8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCXejeD1YV8[/video]
 
Montel Harris isn't big, and he isn't that fast... However, he's an extremely durable, workhorse type back that just knows how to get it done between the tackles the ol' fashioned way. He's played in all 39 games for BC over the past 3 years, and is only 125 yards away from becoming the school's all time leading rusher. Shifty runner with excellent vision and balance... his legs never go dead on contact... which is a mandatory attribute a back must have to play in the NFL.

Not the biggest or fastest... just a short, squatty, hard nosed, determined, durable, dependable, productive runner that demonstrates ball security, and knows how to get it done between the tackles? Backs like that will always grab ol' Slimm's attention....





Montel Harris vs. Clemson:



[video=youtube;UZ9sVaHSE94]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ9sVaHSE94[/video]
 
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