JTBRLZ
Seasoned Veteran
Kevin Vickerson
Our 7th round pick
Our 7th round pick
MERGED: Kevin Vickerson - 7th Round Pick
- Thread starter JTBRLZ
- Start date
DevilInPgh
Rookie
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2004
- Messages
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Final pick...
is Kevin Vickerson, DT from Michigan State.
Final draft grade: B (would have been A-, but neglect of the QB position drops it down)
is Kevin Vickerson, DT from Michigan State.
Final draft grade: B (would have been A-, but neglect of the QB position drops it down)
akschof217
Practice Squad
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2005
- Messages
- 11
- Reaction score
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This is the only pick I disagree with, I would have liked to see us take a safety or center, hopefully we can get Shazor or maybe Jamaal Brimmer and Vince Carter or Wilkerson in FA.
Are you kidding me? Do you know how little good depth we have at the DT spots?
He was supposed to be a 4th/5th rounder is very underrated and has plenty of potential. GREAT PICK
It's possible we can sign Wilkerson as an UDFA, Shazor, and even Kay-Jay Harris
He was supposed to be a 4th/5th rounder is very underrated and has plenty of potential. GREAT PICK
It's possible we can sign Wilkerson as an UDFA, Shazor, and even Kay-Jay Harris
Quelonio
El rey de la Pachacha
Projected at late fourth, and there at 7 sounds cool to me
CanadianPhinFan
Practice Squad
Until I hear real good things about him, I think we should have gone Wilkerson, or Shazor.
godfater21
Practice Squad
Kevin Vickerson
OVERVIEW
Kevin Vickerson earned Prep Star All-American honors and was rated one of the top defensive end prospects in the country by Rivals.com as a senior at Martin Luther King (Detroit, Mich.) High School. He competed as a defensive end and tackle on defense and as an offensive guard and tackle on offense. Vickerson garnered all-state accolades as he made 97 tackles with 17 sacks and 26 stops for losses in his senior year, while leading the team to a 10-1 record and its first Public School League title in 10 years. Vickerson also posted 82 tackles, 14 sacks and 23 stops behind the line of scrimmage as a junior.
Vickerson was raised by his mother, Donnie, and came from a tough background. He struggled to adjust to campus life earlier in his career, but the coaches immediately threw him to the lions as a freshman. He appeared in eight games, starting two contests in 2001, finishing with 13 tackles (eight solos) and a sack. He was used regularly in the tackle rotation as a sophomore, starting six games and produced 36 tackles (25 solos) with a sack, six stops for losses and four pressures.
A change in the coaching staff in 2003 saw Vickerson enter the doghouse, as the coaches felt he was not adhering to their program. He played in every game as a reserve, which limited him to only 18 tackles (14 solos), two sacks and six stops behind the line of scrimmage. Another player would have continued to sulk, but Vickerson realized that 2004 would be his final chance to live up to his high school press clippings. He worked hard in the offseason to increase his bulk, improve his strength and prove to the coaches that he had matured.
The result was Vickerson regaining a starting job, this time at left tackle. Vickerson had a career-high 46 tackles (31 solos) with 4½ sacks, 10½ stops for losses, seven pressures and a blocked kick. What made those figures even more remarkable was that he played through two injuries that should have sidelined him. In the team's third game, he suffered a right ankle sprain vs. Notre Dame. But, after several plays on the sideline, he sneaked back on to the field in the fourth quarter, stopping Irish tailback Travis Thomas just short of a first down on a second-and-3 play in a tough 31-24 loss.
He continued to play in every game, though it was obvious vs. Indiana and Iowa that the ankle was still bothering him. In the Spartans' third game, a violent collision with OSU center Nick Mangold resulted in both combatants being helped off the field. Vickerson had again sprained his right ankle, but the injury was so severe his foot was placed in a protective boot. Some coaches were counting him out for the final three games, but the following week he was back on the field and produced some of his best efforts for the season in those final contests.
Vickerson appeared in 44 games during his career at Michigan State. He collected 113 tackles (78 solos) with 8½ sacks for minus-58 yards, 24½ stops for losses of 99 yards, 19 quarterback pressures, a fumble recovery, three pass deflections and two blocked kicks.
ANALYSIS
With his added bulk, strength and renewed dedication, the coaches feel that this once heralded athlete finally has turned the corner. His imposing size and above-average strength helped him consistently stack and shed. He shows a decent push as a pass rusher, using his arm-over action to get an edge on the blocker to gain inside penetration.
Vickerson proved his toughness by playing through injuries that would have sidelined him in the past. He is not a quick-twitch type, as he lacks sudden explosion coming off the snap, but does a good job with twists and games. He has learned to use his hand strength to his advantage, but needs to stay lower in his pads to prevent blockers from attacking his body and stonewalling him at the line. In the past, he would get too high working down the line, causing him to struggle when trying to disengage vs. double teams and he is still prone to cut blocks due to a narrow base that causes balance problems on the move.
He shows adequate hustle in pursuit, but still needs to work on clearing his feet. He sometimes looks awkward working through traffic due to stiffness in his hips. He has enough power to play the strong-side three-technique, as he has developed into an effective gap controller and plugger. He lacks change-of-direction agility and appears stiff working down the line. When he gets too tall in his stance, Vickerson is susceptible to cut blocks, as he does a poor job of protecting his legs. He is a marginal pass rusher who fails to locate the ball when he penetrates and needs a clear lane in order to put pressure on the pocket.
Vickerson is good at tying up multiple blockers in the middle and letting the linebackers do their job. His best asset is his strength at the point of attack, as he can now push the pocket and surge, but needs to show a better base. He has only adequate long speed for the next level, but compensates by taking proper angles. Vickerson still has problems on the move, as he struggles to neutralize and work across blocks when redirecting in-line.
His low intelligence test score (five) is a concern, but Vickerson improved enough in 2004 that he needed only normal reps to retain plays. He had maturity issues in the past and can become his own worst enemy. He does not show the confidence in his athletic ability and that sometimes translates to marginal performance on the field. Some teams might take a wait-and-see attitude with Vickerson, as he only produced as a senior, but it is evident that he has the size and strength to be considered a late-round project and could develop given time with more patient coaching.
INJURY REPORT
2004: Suffered a right ankle sprain vs. Notre Dame (9/13) and missed several plays before returning to the game … Left the Ohio State game (11/6) after both he and OSU center Nick Mangold were injured in a violent collision in the fourth quarter. Vickerson suffered a severe right ankle sprain and had his foot placed in a protective boot, but did not miss any of the team's final three regular season games.
AGILITY
5.15 in the 40-yard dash … 375-pound bench press … 455-pound squat … 32½-inch vertical jump … 8-foot broad jump … 33¾-inch arm length … 9 5/8-inch hands … Right-handed.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Martin Luther King (Detroit, Mich.) High School, playing for coach James Reynolds … Ranked among the nation's top 25 defensive ends (No. 24) by Rivals.com and the Midwest's top 50 prospects (No. 42) by SuperPrep … Also rated among the state's top players by the Detroit Free Press (No. 8), Lansing State Journal (No. 9) and The Detroit News (No. 16) … Earned Prep Star All-American honors as a senior while helping Detroit King to a 10-1 record and its first Public School League title in 10 years … Two-way starter for coach James Reynolds, playing end and tackle on the defensive line and guard and tackle on the offensive line … Recorded 97 tackles in 2000, including 26 for losses with 17 sacks, while earning all-state, all-Detroit and all-metro honors … Had 82 tackles as a junior, including 23 for losses with 14 sacks.
PERSONAL
Criminal Justice major … Son of Donnie and Charles Vickerson … Born Jan. 8, 1983 … Resides in Detroit, Mich.
OVERVIEW
Kevin Vickerson earned Prep Star All-American honors and was rated one of the top defensive end prospects in the country by Rivals.com as a senior at Martin Luther King (Detroit, Mich.) High School. He competed as a defensive end and tackle on defense and as an offensive guard and tackle on offense. Vickerson garnered all-state accolades as he made 97 tackles with 17 sacks and 26 stops for losses in his senior year, while leading the team to a 10-1 record and its first Public School League title in 10 years. Vickerson also posted 82 tackles, 14 sacks and 23 stops behind the line of scrimmage as a junior.
Vickerson was raised by his mother, Donnie, and came from a tough background. He struggled to adjust to campus life earlier in his career, but the coaches immediately threw him to the lions as a freshman. He appeared in eight games, starting two contests in 2001, finishing with 13 tackles (eight solos) and a sack. He was used regularly in the tackle rotation as a sophomore, starting six games and produced 36 tackles (25 solos) with a sack, six stops for losses and four pressures.
A change in the coaching staff in 2003 saw Vickerson enter the doghouse, as the coaches felt he was not adhering to their program. He played in every game as a reserve, which limited him to only 18 tackles (14 solos), two sacks and six stops behind the line of scrimmage. Another player would have continued to sulk, but Vickerson realized that 2004 would be his final chance to live up to his high school press clippings. He worked hard in the offseason to increase his bulk, improve his strength and prove to the coaches that he had matured.
The result was Vickerson regaining a starting job, this time at left tackle. Vickerson had a career-high 46 tackles (31 solos) with 4½ sacks, 10½ stops for losses, seven pressures and a blocked kick. What made those figures even more remarkable was that he played through two injuries that should have sidelined him. In the team's third game, he suffered a right ankle sprain vs. Notre Dame. But, after several plays on the sideline, he sneaked back on to the field in the fourth quarter, stopping Irish tailback Travis Thomas just short of a first down on a second-and-3 play in a tough 31-24 loss.
He continued to play in every game, though it was obvious vs. Indiana and Iowa that the ankle was still bothering him. In the Spartans' third game, a violent collision with OSU center Nick Mangold resulted in both combatants being helped off the field. Vickerson had again sprained his right ankle, but the injury was so severe his foot was placed in a protective boot. Some coaches were counting him out for the final three games, but the following week he was back on the field and produced some of his best efforts for the season in those final contests.
Vickerson appeared in 44 games during his career at Michigan State. He collected 113 tackles (78 solos) with 8½ sacks for minus-58 yards, 24½ stops for losses of 99 yards, 19 quarterback pressures, a fumble recovery, three pass deflections and two blocked kicks.
ANALYSIS
With his added bulk, strength and renewed dedication, the coaches feel that this once heralded athlete finally has turned the corner. His imposing size and above-average strength helped him consistently stack and shed. He shows a decent push as a pass rusher, using his arm-over action to get an edge on the blocker to gain inside penetration.
Vickerson proved his toughness by playing through injuries that would have sidelined him in the past. He is not a quick-twitch type, as he lacks sudden explosion coming off the snap, but does a good job with twists and games. He has learned to use his hand strength to his advantage, but needs to stay lower in his pads to prevent blockers from attacking his body and stonewalling him at the line. In the past, he would get too high working down the line, causing him to struggle when trying to disengage vs. double teams and he is still prone to cut blocks due to a narrow base that causes balance problems on the move.
He shows adequate hustle in pursuit, but still needs to work on clearing his feet. He sometimes looks awkward working through traffic due to stiffness in his hips. He has enough power to play the strong-side three-technique, as he has developed into an effective gap controller and plugger. He lacks change-of-direction agility and appears stiff working down the line. When he gets too tall in his stance, Vickerson is susceptible to cut blocks, as he does a poor job of protecting his legs. He is a marginal pass rusher who fails to locate the ball when he penetrates and needs a clear lane in order to put pressure on the pocket.
Vickerson is good at tying up multiple blockers in the middle and letting the linebackers do their job. His best asset is his strength at the point of attack, as he can now push the pocket and surge, but needs to show a better base. He has only adequate long speed for the next level, but compensates by taking proper angles. Vickerson still has problems on the move, as he struggles to neutralize and work across blocks when redirecting in-line.
His low intelligence test score (five) is a concern, but Vickerson improved enough in 2004 that he needed only normal reps to retain plays. He had maturity issues in the past and can become his own worst enemy. He does not show the confidence in his athletic ability and that sometimes translates to marginal performance on the field. Some teams might take a wait-and-see attitude with Vickerson, as he only produced as a senior, but it is evident that he has the size and strength to be considered a late-round project and could develop given time with more patient coaching.
INJURY REPORT
2004: Suffered a right ankle sprain vs. Notre Dame (9/13) and missed several plays before returning to the game … Left the Ohio State game (11/6) after both he and OSU center Nick Mangold were injured in a violent collision in the fourth quarter. Vickerson suffered a severe right ankle sprain and had his foot placed in a protective boot, but did not miss any of the team's final three regular season games.
AGILITY
5.15 in the 40-yard dash … 375-pound bench press … 455-pound squat … 32½-inch vertical jump … 8-foot broad jump … 33¾-inch arm length … 9 5/8-inch hands … Right-handed.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Martin Luther King (Detroit, Mich.) High School, playing for coach James Reynolds … Ranked among the nation's top 25 defensive ends (No. 24) by Rivals.com and the Midwest's top 50 prospects (No. 42) by SuperPrep … Also rated among the state's top players by the Detroit Free Press (No. 8), Lansing State Journal (No. 9) and The Detroit News (No. 16) … Earned Prep Star All-American honors as a senior while helping Detroit King to a 10-1 record and its first Public School League title in 10 years … Two-way starter for coach James Reynolds, playing end and tackle on the defensive line and guard and tackle on the offensive line … Recorded 97 tackles in 2000, including 26 for losses with 17 sacks, while earning all-state, all-Detroit and all-metro honors … Had 82 tackles as a junior, including 23 for losses with 14 sacks.
PERSONAL
Criminal Justice major … Son of Donnie and Charles Vickerson … Born Jan. 8, 1983 … Resides in Detroit, Mich.
Eric-Honduras
Practice Squad
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2004
- Messages
- 824
- Reaction score
- 0
he was a NT we needed