2012 NFL Draft Prospects

[DKphin]

The guard prospect EVERYONE needs to know about
He wasn’t a Combine invite, but could be starting in the NFL from Day 1.

OG Brandon Brooks: Miami (Ohio) (6-5, 343)

ICONBrooks carries his weight well.
Has experience playing left tackle and both guard spots, but his body type says more guard only in the NFL. He is a long armed guy for his size. However, possesses a physical make-up and carries his weight well. Struggles in space when asked to get out and pull. Looks a little top heavy, doesn't possess "plus" range when asked to get into the second level and lacks ideal balance when trying to breakdown and take proper angles. Has a tough time changing directions once he gets his momentum going and routinely will whiff into contact. Nevertheless, is a naturally strong kid in the run game as an in-line guy. Showcases good bend when asked to coil up into his stance. Did a much better job as a senior keeping his pad level down and running his legs through contact while staying engaged. Showcases quick hands off the snap. Doesn't have a real explosive first step, but is so powerful he can create a push in-line as a run blocker.

Read more:http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/The-guard-prospect-EVERYONE-needs-to-know-about.html

 

[DKphin]

A look at Kendall Wright's 'game speed'
Using video to breakdown the 9 route vs. man coverage.

Kendall Wright posted a 4.61 40 at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis which led to questions about his vertical speed. That’s going to happen at the WR position. Speed sells and everyone wants to get a stopwatch time to use as a tool in the grading process.
However, with Wright we are talking about a prospect that plays faster than his 40 time. That’s evident when you turn on the tape. “Game speed” as we like to call it. Today, let’s take a look at Wright running the 9 (fade) route vs. Kansas State’s Cover 1 (man-free) scheme:

[video=youtube;VkBtsOuM300]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkBtsOuM300&feature=player_embedded[/video]

Read more:http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/NFL-Draft-a-look-at-Kendall-Wrights-game-speed.html

 

[DKphin]

Asa Jackson – Ace of Spades

Like Brian Westbrook, Terrell Owens, and the great Walter Payton before him, Asa Jackson strolled into Mobile, Alabama in late January determined to show that small school players could star on the big stage. But big accomplishments are nothing new for Jackson. As a four-time first team All Great West Conference cornerback and two-time defensive player of the year, Jackson ultimately garnered national recognition this year as an AP third team All American. And it’s impossible to overstate what Jackson has meant to his football team over the course of his career. For the last four seasons, the Cal Poly Mustangs have been no one trick ponies. When the cards were on the table, they still had one up their sleeve, the highest card in the deck, Asa Jackson, the Ace of Spades.

At 5’10″, 193 lbs., Jackson may not scare opponents with his physical size, but the same can’t be said for his speed. Clocked at 4.4, Jackson possesses an elite top gear and defined burst to go along with solid change of direction skills, agility, and balance. He utilizes his athletic gifts to excel in man coverage, mirroring wide receivers fluidly and transitioning well out of breaks with his pad level down, allowing him to maintain balance and acceleration. Typically, Jackson sits comfortably into his stance, then displays a compact, smooth backpedal and balanced footwork, though at times he gets too high moving backwards, limiting his lateral agility and the potential to rapidly redirect his body. He slides his feet well laterally and turns his body fluidly to run with receivers on deeper routes, though he has a tendency to open the hips prematurely and just use pure athleticism, rather than refined technique, to complete the coverage assignment. Also, in off-man, he has a tendency to give receivers too big a cushion, relying on his speed to close the gap, resulting in too many underneath completions.

Read more:draftbreakdown.com/asa-jackson-ace-of-spades

 

[DKphin]

Ranking the RB class by Tiers
Who are the prospects to look for in the first couple rounds?

Tier 1

Trent Richardson: Alabama (5-11, 224)
The best running back prospect I've seen since Adrian Peterson. His running style might limit his shell life a bit in the NFL. However, he's the kind of back you can ride like a rented mule from day one and should become one of the NFL's top runners early on.

Tier 2
David Wilson: Virginia Tech (5-10, 205)
He's a compact kid who runs stronger/harder than you would expect from a guy his size. Has a dynamic quality to his game both inside and in the open field, and looks capable of maturing into a very good NFL running back early on in the NFL.

Lamar Miller: Miami (5-11, 212)
Possesses a good first step, a natural feel between the tackles and exhibits the cut back ability to slice his way up the field. However, looks more like an ideal fit for a zone-blocking scheme because he isn't a guy who is going to make a ton of NFL defenders miss or break many tackles inside.

Martin is a "hot" name in NFL draft circles.
Doug Martin: Boise State (5-9, 215)
Martin isn't a dynamic size/speed back, but there aren't many negatives to his game as a back. He plays fast, runs low, is natural through the line of scrimmage and has a skill set somewhat similar to former Alabama RB Mark Ingram last year. He might fall a bit because he doesn't run overly well, but he has the skill set to start in the league.

Read more:http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/NFL-Draft-Ranking-the-RB-class-by-Tiers.html

 

[DKphin]

[h=1]Prospect focus: MSU's Keyshawn Martin and Jerel Worthy[/h] Taking a closer look at a pair of Spartans

A few weeks ago I wrote up Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins and wide receiver B.J. Cunningham. Today I will talk about the player who could be the highest draft pick from that school: defensive tackle Jerel Worthy as well as receiver/return man Keyshawn Martin. Both players have seen their stock rise in recent weeks.

Read more:http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Prospect-focus-MSUs-Keyshawn-Martin-and-Jerel-Worthy.html

 

[DKphin]

WVU LB arrested over the weekend… West Virginia OLB Bruce Irvin was arrested last Saturday evening and charged with destruction of property after he allegedly broke a sign at a sandwich shop in Morgantown. On the one hand, it does not appear to be most serious of offenses, however, it is also the kind of thing that can raise a red flag a little too close to the draft. Irvin is considered to be a late second or early third day prospect for the upcoming draft.

Read more:http://www.gbnreport.com/

 

[DKphin]

[h=1]QB Foles fails to impress at Arizona Pro Day[/h]Poor weather conspired against the University of Arizona athletes working out at their Pro Day but an average performance from the school's top two prospects didn't help.

Quarterback Nick Foles was the obvious center of attention at the workout. The perception among some is that Foles needed to have a strong performance to stop his stock from sliding after disappointing performances at the Senior Bowl in January and Scouting Combine in February.

If Foles needed an eye-popping workout, he didn't deliver it Monday, according to two separate sources on the scene.

Read more:http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/.../qb-foles-fails-to-impress-at-arizona-pro-day

 

[DKphin]

[h=1]Scouts corralled at Texas Pro Day despite below average class[/h]The Longhorns are in danger of not producing a draft pick in the top
three rounds for the first time since 2000, but this year's group of prospects
from Texas does possess some quality mid-round talent. On Tuesday, those players
worked out in Austin at Texas' on campus pro day. It wasn't the usual crowd,
but Bears head coach Lovie Smith was in attendance, along with numerous other
scouts.

Linebacker Keenan Robinson looked to improve upon his numbers from the
NFL Combine, but again looked average in drills. After running in the late 4.7
range in Indianapolis, he ran in the mid-4.7's in the 40-yard dash. Robinson
also registered a 36.5” vertical leap and 10'5” broad jump. He stood on his
bench press number of 27 reps from the Combine.

Read more:http://www.cbssports.com/general/bl...-at-texas-pro-day-despite-below-average-class

 

[DKphin]

[h=1]Bentley, Green draw full NFL contingent to Cajuns Pro Day[/h]
It's not often that representatives from all 32 NFL teams flock to Louisiana-Lafayette to take in the Ragin' Cajuns' annual Pro Day. But with a pair of top 100-caliber prospects this year, Tuesday's workout was very well attended.
Cornerback Dwight Bentley is the No. 69-rated overall prospect by NFLDraftScout.com and No. 9 at cornerback. He could go as high as the second round on Friday night of the draft. Even more intriguing might be Ladarius Green, a 6-6, 238-pound tight end ranked fourth at the position by NDS.
Green benched 225 pounds 17 times, one more than he did at the Scouting Combine, and also improved his vertical leap one inch to 35, according to Scout.com. Green has scheduled visits with 10 teams according to the report, and could be in a position to rise up draft boards. In a weak class at the position, Green has the versatility to play tight end or split out wide - which is increasingly coveted in NFL schemes.

Read more:http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/r...en-draw-full-nfl-contingent-to-cajuns-pro-day

 

[DKphin]

WR Jeremy Ebert Northwestern 5-10 195

 

[DKphin]

Underrated WR Matthews highlights well-attended Nevada Pro Day

An estimated 20 teams were represented at Nevada's Pro Day workout Wednesday, including a number of decision-makers. They arrived talking about the underrated talent on Nevada's roster, which some believe could see as many as six players drafted. They left buzzing about one player in particular -- wide receiver Rishard Matthews.

Despite leading the Western Athletic Conference in both catches and receiving yards in 2012, Matthews hasn't generated a great deal of media attention. He certainly had scouts attention and was actually invited to the Senior Bowl, though he was unable to participate in the premier all-star game after spraining his MCL in Nevada's final regular season game (Idaho). Matthews lost out on a second opportunity to prove his athleticism when he re-aggravated the injury preparing for the Scouting Combine. Matthews participated in Indianapolis despite protests from those close to him but struggled through the workout, timing "officially" at 4.62 seconds in the 40-yard dash -- a significantly slower time than scouts expected based on his game tape.

Finally healthy, Matthews rewarded scouts attending Nevada's workout by clocking in the mid 4.4s on two attempts at the 40-yard dash. He also starred during his positional workout, running crisp routes and catching every pass thrown to him by quarterback Tyler Lantrip.

Read more:http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/r...thews-highlights-well-attended-nevada-pro-day

 

[DKphin]

Ranking the OT Class by Tiers


Tier 1

Matt Kalil: Southern California (6-7, 295)
There are some negatives concerning his overall anchor strength. However, you have a "plus" athlete at the position with good foot quickness, natural change of direction skåills who knows how to bend. Might need a year to get stronger. But has the skill set to play in year one and develop into one of the leagues better offensive tackles as he matures physically.

Tier 2

Mike Adams: Ohio State (6-8, 320)
He's a talented kid with a big frame, long arms and natural movement skills. He can bend and if he can put it all together and continue to improve his footwork he could certainly mature into a starting caliber left tackle in the NFL.

Tier 3

ICONReiff is natrual on the move.
Riley Reiff: Iowa (6-6, 300)
Showcases the ability to bend with good foot quickness and range in pass protection. Also displays an explosive element to his game as a run blocker. Needs to be more consistent with his footwork and would like to see him develop a bit more as a puncher in order to keep himself clean. Nevertheless, has the athleticism, flexibility and pedigree to mature into a solid starting left tackle in the NFL.

Read more:http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/NFL-Draft-Ranking-the-OT-Class-by-Tiers.html

 

[DKphin]

• (5:00 PM): Surgery for top CB ... LSU CB Morris Claiborne will have wrist surgery tomorrow to repair a torn ligament. Claiborne suffered the injury in LSU's regular season victory against Alabama, but played through it the remainder of the season. Claiborne, who has reportedy accepted an invitation to attend this year's draft, is a top 5 prospect who could go as high as rd overall to Minnesota, although its hard to know at this point whether news of the injury will a major impact on his status.
• (4:30 PM): Luck solid in pro day workout ... The Stanford pro day just wrapped and by all accounts QB Andrew Luck did nothing to jeopardize his status as the presumptive #1 pick at the 2012 draft. Throwing outdoors in blustery conditions before a packed house that even included former Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice, a stanford grad known to be a huge football fan, Luck showed excellent footwork, a very smooth delivery and enough arm strength to make all the throws. Meanwhile, TE Coby Fleener had a strong day running the 40 in a hand-timed mid-4.5 range that will probably translate to the low-t-mid 4.6 range. Fleener also had a 37-inch vertical. Interesting, also that OG David DeCastro, who like Luck is considered to be the top prospect at his position for the upcoming draft, worked at C on the request of a number of teams.

Read more:http://www.gbnreport.com/

 

[DKphin]

Griffin, Baylor receivers hold up well under pro day microscope

Robert Griffin III and his Baylor teammates acquitted themselves well at their pro day. (AP)

WACO, Texas -- Baylor's Robert Griffin III appeared to be having more fun than anyone in the history of job interviews at Baylor's Allison Indoor Practice Facility on Wednesday. Throwing in front of scouts from 25 NFL teams, Griffin tossed short and long passes with his usual pinpoint accuracy while showing off the footwork he said he has been working on diligently during his NFL Draft preparation.
In between precise drop backs and tosses, Griffin slapped five, laughed and hip-bumped with his pro day teammates. And at the end of it, Griffin threw an out-pass to Baylor receiver Kendall Wright, took off up the middle of the practice field and hauled in a bomb.
Touchdown. And an appropriate cap to a workout that saw Griffin complete 78 of 84 passes. He seemed intent on helping Wright, Bears running back Terrance Ganaway and other pro day participants stay relaxed so that everyone could impress the huge number of scouts and media in attendance.
"We had a lot of fun," Griffin said. "That's what it's supposed to be. It's not supposed to be stressful so they got all the testing out of the way and just go out and be a football player. We tried to lighten the mood, have guys smiling and having fun. That way if you drop a pass here and there you can move on to the next one, and they never missed two in a row."
Griffin's receivers made far more eye-grabbing catches than drops.


Baylor receiver Brian Hernandez made a sliding over-the-shoulder catch of a Griffin bomb that brought a roar from the crowd -- Baylor reported that more than 60 NFL personnel and 140 media members were in attendance along with a large group of fans and family. Just a couple of throws later, Wright reached up with his right hand to make a one-handed snag while sprinting down the sideline to Griffin's right.
Ganaway also got a chance to show that he can catch the ball out of the backfield as Griffin made a number of throws simulating avoiding a rush and dumping down to the running back.
"Robert definitely brought a lot of attention," Ganaway said. "So it helped a lot of those guys out."

Read more:http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/...vers-hold-up-well-under-microscope-at-pro-day

 

[DKphin]

Rutgers WR Sanu, FB Martinek surprise with speed at Rutgers' Pro Day

Wide receiver Mohamed Sanu had been viewed as one of the 2012 draft's top wide receivers and a possible first round talent prior to a poor showing in the 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine. Sanu was officially clocked at 4.67 seconds by the NFL in Indianapolis. The poor time pushed Sanu down draft boards significantly due to the tightly packed wide receiver rankings.

In shavingmore than two-tenths of a second running for scouts Wednesday at Rutgers' Pro Day, Sanu will be moving right back up the rankings -- perhaps even pushing himself back into the top 32 mix.

The 6-2, 211 pound Sanu was credited with times ranging from 4.41-4.46 in his two attempts at the drill Wednesday, according to Tom Luicci of The Star-Ledger. Even better, Sanu transferred his speed into his positional drills, demonstrating the burst out of his breaks and soft, reliable hands that helped him establish a new school and Big East conference record with 115 catches last season.

Media on hand for the workout asked the obvious question. If he's this fast, what happened at the Combine?

Read more:http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/r...rtinek-surprise-with-speed-at-rutgers-pro-day