hooshoops prospect takes...

[j-off-her-doll]

The reason Duke Williams grabbed a lot of attention at Shrine week and again in the Senior Bowl is because of his ability to come down into man coverage in the slot and fare well there. He's physical in coverage and has the speed and athleticism to keep up with players there. I watched him erase receivers with physical press coverage during drills at Shrine week and he had some of that going for him during Senior Bowl week as well. The NFL loves that. They love safeties they can trust to come down and do that, even though sometimes I wonder why, since NFL defenses don't seem to do it often enough. He definitely plays with an attitude though, has that certain something to him that you think is going to make him a play maker at the next level.

The down side is that when I saw him in regular zone safety coverage, he wasn't that interesting as far as his instincts to the football went in coverage. But he was on USC's radar coming out of High School, he just wanted to play for his home town team.

Also, there are off field problems going on with him that are going to hurt him. He had an outstanding warrant on him for failure to appear in court for a citation, and then in 2011 he got into an accident and the police found that he had an expired license, expired registration and was driving without insurance. He was arrested on the outstanding warrant and also given citations for the other stuff. Previously in 2009 he had been arrested for underage possession of alcohol.

I was holding off on Safeties, but I've seen multiple mocks have have us going Vaccraro at 12 (including Daniel Jeremiah's latest), so I pushed them up my priority list. Unless I'm just scared off by him as a person/student of the game, I don't think about drafting Vaccaro in the 1st if I can get Williams in the 2nd, but it's sounding like Williams might be around in the 4th-5th range. I'm not saying I'd target Williams in the 2nd. I'm just saying that I don't think there's even a 1-Round difference between he and Vaccaro - based off of my initial impressions. He moves even better than Vaccaro, and though he's not as big, he plays big. Hits like a truck. I do see the occasional false step, but to me it isn't more apparent in him than Vaccaro or Reid. Still early, but I've got one foot on the platform, one foot on the Duke Williams' train.

 

[Fin Thirteen]

DJ Swearinger would be even better. I rate him as a second rounder with Jefferson and Duke as a third with Elam.

 

[hoops]

i don't think any safety is more fluid than kenny vaccaro...

 

[ckparrothead]

I like Kenny Vaccaro but his hype is getting away from him IMO. He takes a lot of bad angles. I still like Phillip Thomas and Matt Elam. And I think D.J. Swearinger is highly underrated, reminds me somehow of Major Wright...some team is going to score a hit taking him in the mid rounds.

 

[Fin Thirteen]

You can't tell me Vaccaro is on a par with Berry or Thomas and yet there he is being talked about in the top 10. Crazy.

 

[hoops]

You can't tell me Vaccaro is on a par with Berry or Thomas and yet there he is being talked about in the top 10. Crazy.

i think he's as good as either of them in man coverage...especially in the slot...but i don't think he an elite playmaker on the ball in the pros...

 

[Fin Thirteen]

He hasn't got a tenth of the instinctiveness of either Berry or Thomas. He's reactive, not proactive. Very good at it, to be fair.

 

[ckparrothead]

Great athlete though, with lots of natural ball skills. Great potential. Not quite making good on that potential yet.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

+1 on the Vaccaro-is-over-hyped train.

I like him in the late-1st/early-2nd range. I'd lose my **** if Miami drafted him at 12.

 

[hoops]

day 1 ol/te my takes...

i don't think anyone in the oline group helped themselves more than ot terron armstead...4.71 40 34 inch arms 31 reps of 225 lbs showed off terrific feet and as a natural knee bender droppe his hips...no real stiffness in his movements...athlete...not getting out of round 3 imo...

david bakhtiari i thought showed pretty well...i like him as a mid round round 3 to 4 tackle value...long legged good arm length pretty good move athlete i'd look long and hard at him if he was on the board in round 4...

og jonathon cooper locked up a top 20 pick 1.73 10 yard split 35 reps of 225 excellent quick feet...sat down well natural knee bender...i think he has to be in consideration with our #11 pick...best interior move prospect in the class...terrific zbs left guard fit...

eric fisher with a 1.70 10 yard split fared about like i expected...on tape a little tendency to get high in pass pro and let the opposition engage but he locked up a top 15 pick...not outstanding feet though for the left side...more jake long like feet...he's not the top tackle in the class imo...

that honor if it was up to me would go to ot lane johnson...he's a top 10 pick tackle and the #1 tackle in the class if it was up to me...moved like a gazelle in the 40 feet just make it look easy he'd look terrific in a zone scheme gets out to the 2nd level with ease natural knee bender serious upside still left to boot...he's the top tackle talent period...special talent...

have to say i think luke joechel might have hurt his stock a little yesterday...ran slower than expected wasn't quite the move athlete in drills i think we expected...on tape looks like the perfect zbs left tackle fit pretty much but he's not the same level as his teammate matthews and i think he's more in the top 15 pick range value along with fisher...

brian schwenke 31 reps of 225 moved very well locked up a top 3 round pick as a zbs center...if we didn't have pouncey i'd be on him in round 3...

chance warmack man 5.5 pretty much 40 yard time i disagree with mayock i think that time could hurt him with some zone scheme teams personally...definitely didn't scream to you plus athlete...looked very good in drills however and looks great on tape...but for me not a top 10 pick...more in the top 20 range...not sure as a move athlete left guard i pull the trigger at #12 with him...

kyle long seems to be a guy that teams are betting on the upside and long term future...ran sub 5.0 showed off as a pretty good move athlete natural knee bender i can see someone pulling the trigger in round 2 on the upside not getting out of round 3...zbs fit but needs to get much stronger

dave quessenberry i think locked up top 4 round pick...may go somewhere in the 3rd off his senior bowl week and combine work...tackle left guard versatility imo

justin pugh looks to me like a guy that will be kicked inside at the next level...arm length just doesn't work for me on the outside at 32 inches...good feet may make a nice left guard...i got him as a 3rd round guy may go in round 2...i might prefer quessenberry personally...

dj fluker man was that cat stiff...poor looking feet very stiff no fluidity in the hips...dropped like 15 lbs before the combine still ran mid 5.5's...but someone will pull the trigger as a plug and play right tackle in a power scheme in the top 50...

other guys who caught my eye and i thought might make solid zone scheme fits that i'd like to do more work on were the barker kid from nevada looks to me like a interesting guard prospect the small school kid watford from jmu i thought showed well and has me wishing i could see some of his work...painter the va tech kid showed as a terrific athlete and move player very fluid only one year of starting experience at va tech as a 5th year senior so there's probably a red flag there but someone to take a look at...menelik watson...looks like a lot of upside there...

at te eifert stole the show...if you weren't thinking top 25 pick prior you should be now...no way i think he gets out of round 1...6 ft 5 plus 250 lbs 34 inch vertical long jump 9 ft 9 24 reps of 225 lbs ran a 4.68 official 40 yard time...he's going closer to #12 than he is #42...if miami wants him it won't happen at #42...first te off the board...lock it up...

zach ertz i think is looking more and more like a te that miami can maybe get at #42...somewhere in the 30 to 50 range i think he goes...

the 3rd te off the board and one i would jump on high in round 3 if not late round 2 is vance mconald of rice...stocks up folks...260 plus 31 reps of 225 lbs ran 4.7 has a lot of gronk qualities imo...not getting out of round 3

gavin escobar hurt himself with what he ran...almost 4.9 is way too slow to be a legit threat down the seam...not a plus blocker...the size and measurables were great but the timed speed means imo no earlier than round 4...opted out on the bench also which means he's hiding a lack of strength for as long as he can...

jordan reed running mid 4.6's helped himself...at that size though he's an h back in the nfl doubt he gets out of round 3...

 

[hoops]

day 2 wrs...

man what a nice looking class depth wise...great value at wr in the 2nd and 3rd rounds...

tavon austin 4.34 explosive as heck...late round 1 imo...slot and kick returner...football player...

marquese goodwin more track athlete than football player...i pass

steadman bailey low 4.5's given the depth of the wr class i think you can get him early in round 3...i really do...he's a better football player than where he'll get drafted imo

josh boyce 4.38 official doesn't play anywhere near that fast on tcu tape...i liked him as a 5th round level wr plays closer to 4.6 though than 4.4 imo

justin hunter plenty of upside very raw route runner...i think it will be a while before he really helps you...i'm not interested in waiting

q patton low 4.5's i think all that kids done is locked up a top 50 selection...very polished tough can win in the red zone...sets up dbs well and understands coverage...i'd be thinking real hard about him at #42

robert woods under 4.5 gets off coverage and off the los understands db leverage and reads coverage well...smart football player...he's a big target for me at #42...if he gets there...very good natural hands catcher...impact pro imo

kenny stills low 4.4 very slight body...i think he will struggle to get off press in the pros frankly...

ryan swope...damn...4.34...plays more a 4.5 game but as smart a slot wr as you'll find...i'd pull the trigger at #56 without much hesitation if i'm looking for a day 1 contributor in the slot...we lose davon bess which there are rumors he's in the dog house with the front office and he's a target...if he gets to the 3rd round i jump on it with or without bess...

marcus wheaton...looked excellent...official 4.45 i still have some reservations about his physicality and how he'll get off press but at pick #56 he's a target...

terrence williams ran well at 6 ft 2 and over 200 lbs and was very fluid...he's a 2nd round wr

marquess wilson if he checks out off the field is gonna be a steal in the middle rounds for someone...think poor mans aj green...very fluid big body wr that can separate and get vertical...

deandre hopkins ran about what he plays...mid 4.5's...i see him as more a possession and intermediate wr at the next level than vertical win guy but i think he's coming off in the latter half of round 2...

cordarelle patterson 4.42 official long legged plus athlete one year of high div 1 production i wonder about the hands...i just don't see natural hands catcher of the football...someone's pulling the trigger in the top 20 though...given the depth of the wr class and especially what i see on the board in the 2nd round to choose from i think i would look elsewhere...

can't wait til keenan allens pro day...i'm thinking he'll run late 4.4's early 4.5's and that kids got some wiggle and burst and can win in the red zone...top 20 pick wr imo

 

[MD]

Hoops, Russ Lande writes that Austin had a tremendous combine and may have elevated himself in to the top 10. What about at 12? To high? Also, which WRs would you think WON'T be available at 42?

 

[Kdawg954]

I've been going to bat for Robert Woods at 42 all offseason and after yesterday I'm getting nervous that he won't be there.

He is the IDEAL fit at WR for us.

If him and Bailey are Dolphins after day 2 . . Jeff Ireland is off my ****list for a while.

 

[Kdawg954]

Hoops, Russ Lande writes that Austin had a tremendous combine and may have elevated himself in to the top 10. What about at 12? To high? Also, which WRs would you think WON'T be available at 42?

If Jeff Ireland takes Austin at 12, but yet passed on T.Y. Hilton for Michael Egnew in the third round last year . . . I'd scratch my head on that one.

Austin is a bit undersized on the next level . . . but would be a great slot WR . . . and today's NFL that is a very important piece to an offense. 12 is too rich for me. I don't see him consistently winning on the outside like you'd expect the #12 pick to win. He is however going to give defensive coordinators headaches if a team knows how to use him. Also scary, scary returner.

 

[hoops]

Hoops, Russ Lande writes that Austin had a tremendous combine and may have elevated himself in to the top 10. What about at 12? To high? Also, which WRs would you think WON'T be available at 42?

too high...a lot of his value is in the return game and miami has a plus guy there already in marcus thigpen...178 lbs or whatever he is is too slight to ever go in the top 10...somewhere in the 20's i can see

as for the wrs that will go before #42 i think it's patterson, allen, and unfortunately folks robert woods...woods was terrific yesterday...may have ticketed himself late into round 1...i'd love to have that kid in miami...over 6 ft a little over 200 lbs...stocks up