The 2013 Prospect Thread

[mayoclinic]

James Christenson of NE Patriots' Draft looks at 2013 prospects from last year's Auburn-S Carolina game:

2013 NFL Draft Scouting Notes: Auburn vs South Carolina (2011) | NEPatriotsDraft.com - 2013 NFL Draft

The most interesting guy is 6'7" 260# DE Devin Taylor:

-Lining up at left defensive end, some 2-point stances.
-Very quick off the snap.
-Drops into coverage on zone blitz, pursues across the field.
-Gets hands in the face of quarterback, forces early and inaccurate throw.
-Isn’t initiating a lot of contact, runs around some blocks.
-Misses running back initially, but fast enough to pursue outside and catch him cutting back.
-Shows some strength bull-rushing outside and then dipping inside to collapse the pocket.
-Takes huge strides in pursuit, gets out to the bubble screen in time to assist on tackle.
-Stays on his feet against cut block, closes on quarterback and gets the hurry/hit.
-Sheds the block from the h-back, forces quarterback to cut back, showing good balance.
-Big hit on the quarterback, disciplined play by Taylor on the option.

Overview: Taylor is a physical freak with incredible length, size, athletic ability and balance. What I didn’t see was the fire and killer instinct of his teammates. I want to see my defensive ends loving contact, not shying away from it, which was the impression I got at times of Taylor.

There's a lot to like about Taylor, and some things to be a bit wary of.

[mayoclinic]

Tony Pauline's take on Gordon:

Josh Gordon, WR, Baylor
6-3 | 224 lbs. | 4.50s

Bio: Started five of 13 games as a sophomore in 2010, finishing with 42 receptions, 714 yards and seven TDs. Saw action in nine games during the 2009 campaign. Suspended from the Baylor program in July 2011 for violation of team rules, then transferred to Utah. Forced to leave the Utah program due to financial constraints. Attempted to transfer to Houston for the 2012 season but was told he would have to sit out the season due to NCAA regulations.

Positives: Tall, fluid pass catcher with tremendous upside potential. Plays with great balance as well as body control. Has large, soft hands and easily makes the reception in stride. Consistent hand catcher and extends to make the reception away from his frame. Shows quickness into pass routes and uses his frame to shield away defenders and protect the ball. Displays good eye/hand coordination and makes the difficult reception with defenders draped on him. Quickly transitions from making the catch to running after the reception and keeps the play in bounds trying to pick up positive yardage. Deceptively fast for a large receiver. Effective downfield blocker.

Negatives: Rough around the edges and needs work on the details of the position. Lacks a quick release off the line of scrimmage and is a long strider who takes a while to get to top speed. Not a sharp route runner. Does not show a second gear on the field. Productive just one season on the college field.

Analysis: After Gordon's breakout campaign in 2010, NFL scouts were excited for his future before the suspension interrupted his career. He's a tremendous athlete who has an effortless style and possesses the physical abilities to develop into a No. 1 receiver at the next level. At one time considered a better prospect than former teammate Kendall Wright, the first-round pick of the Tennessee Titans last April. Gordon will need time to develop his game, but he's worth the risk of a second-round selection. Second Round.

Josh Gordon tops Supplemental Draft prospects, Ed Wesley next - Tony Pauline - SI.com

[mayoclinic]

Draftinsider (Tony Pauline's website) posts their pre-season projections for prospects from Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas and Florida:

Scouting for the 2013 NFL Draft: SEC

Pauline is always strong in his opinions, and unafraid to veer away from the herd. Barrett Jones is listed as a 4th round prospect, and Shariff Floyd as a 4th-5th round prospect, for example.

I'll take the guy featured in the photo, Alabama DT/DE Jesse Williams. A beast.

[mayoclinic]

Originally Posted by Avenger

Can you do a review on Tom Wort? He went to my High School.

Charlie Campbell of Walter Football profiles Tom Wort:

Skill-Set Summary: There is some upside for Wort, who is a young, improving player. He has gotten steadily better over his three seasons in Norman. Wort is a quality athlete with plus instincts. He does a good job of reading his keys and getting in position to make plays.

Wort is extremely quick in run defense. He is a very fast middle linebacker with the ability to get to the sideline on perimeter runs. Although Wort is a solid tackler, he needs to continue to improve his ability to shed blocks. The added strength Wort built up this offseason should pay off in that aspect for him in the fall.

Wort would have better tackle totals if he played in a conference that ran the ball more consistently. The Big XII is a passing-driven league, and the benefit is that it has developed his ability to be a three-down linebacker.

Wort operates well in zone-coverage and is very advanced at getting deep in his drops in the middle of the field. An underrated skill that he brings to the table is his blitzing ability. Wort has nice closing speed and times his rushes well. Averaging four sacks per season the past two years is pretty impressive for a middle linebacker in a 4-3 defense.

NFL teams that run 4-3 defenses like the Tampa 2 will like the pass defense that Wort brings to the table. If the junior continues to add weight - say another 10-12 pounds - he could stay as a middle linebacker. If Wort tops out around 240 pounds, he would be best as an outside linebacker in a 4-3 defense. Wort doesn't look like a good fit for a 3-4 scheme at this time.

2013 Draft Expectations: Wort currently looks like a mid-round pick. If he improves again this season, he could rise into second round-consideration. If Wort's production stays at a similar level to his sophomore season, he probably would go at least one round lower, if not in the third day. Wort would probably be better off staying for all four seasons and improving each year, before entering the NFL.

The full review is at:

WalterFootball.com: 2013 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Tom Wort

[mayoclinic]

Rob Rang looks at 2013 draft prospects from the Texas Longhorns:

2013 NFL Draft: Texas preview - CBSSports

Alex Okafor, Jackson Jeffcoat and Kenny Vaccaro are all well known. But the most intriguing to me is DT Brandon Moore:

DT Brandon Moore (6-5, 335)*

It's said that everything is bigger in Texas. That certainly holds true to former Alabama defensive tackle Brandon Moore and what he might accomplish inside for the Longhorns this season with Okafor and Jeffcoat manning the edges. Moore, a Montgomery, Ala., native, spent two seasons with the Crimson Tide, redshirting in 2009 and registering six tackles in four games as a backup to Marcell Dareus and Josh Chapman in 2010. For violating unspecified team rules, Saban placed Moore on indefinite suspension in March 2011 and the big man elected to transfer to East Mississippi Community College, where by posting 38 tackles, including four tackles for loss and three sacks, he helped EMCC win the NJCAA national championship. With his size, experience and the fact that he potentially has another three years of FBS eligibility, Moore was highly recruited again and signed with Texas in large part due to the fact that the Longhorns' defensive line coach is Bo Davis, who had worked as part of Saban's staff at Alabama when Moore played there. It remains to be seen what Moore can do with the Longhorns, but the early returns have been promising as he's reportedly been a terror on the inside during spring practices.

[mayoclinic]

Miami has kicked S Ray-Ray Armstrong off the team, not reason officially given bu possibly for interactions with a booster:

Miami Hurricanes dismiss safety Ray-Ray Armstrong - UM - MiamiHerald.com

[doesntmatter1]

Damn, Mayo is like the only one in this thread. I don't usually follow college football heavily until late august. So just keep holding down the fort until myself and everyone else arrives in a month or so lol.

[mayoclinic]

Originally Posted by doesntmatter1

Damn, Mayo is like the only one in this thread. I don't usually follow college football heavily until late august. So just keep holding down the fort until myself and everyone else arrives in a month or so lol.

Its no fun having a monolog. Hopefully some other guys will jump on board at some point.

[Snake Eyes]

Originally Posted by mayoclinic

Its no fun having a monolog. Hopefully some other guys will jump on board at some point.

Mayo,

Where do you think Margus Hunt winds up going? Between him and Jones we could have some sick talent at D-end, though I know you want us to bulk up in the interior.

Also, since it appears BB is willing to part with Welker do you think that means he might take a stud WR early on?

[mayoclinic]

Originally Posted by Snake Eyes

Mayo,

Where do you think Margus Hunt winds up going? Between him and Jones we could have some sick talent at D-end, though I know you want us to bulk up in the interior.

Margus Hunt is one of the most intriguing players for the 2013 draft, for a number of reasons:

1. He's clearly an athletic freak at 6'8" 290# with long arms, a 36" vertical, great strength, and a fair amount of at least straight line speed (rumored 4.7, possibly lower). He will almost certainly produce Dontari Poe kind of off-the-chart numbers at the 2013 Combine.

2. He hasn't produced up to his athletic talent, though he's shown flashes at times. He's still new to the game and learning, so he may have a ton of upside, but there's some risk involved. Whoever drafts him may have to be patient. He does seem to be a smart, high character guy with a good motor.

3. Although he has primarily played RDE for SMU, he projects more to LDE in the pros. He's also played some NT for SMU at 6'8". So he has some positional versatility, and the ability to move inside, but he's raw and will take some time to develop.

4. He'll just turned 25 last week, so he'll be 26 before starting rookie camp in 2013. That could be a major factor given that he'll probably take some time to develop.

5. The 2013 draft has a number of other intriguing LDE candidates, including Bjoern Werner, William Gholston, Datone Jones and possibly some of the DT candidates (Jesse Williams, maybe even Bennie Logan). So there will be some competition.

It's way too early to project where Hunt will go, but I'm guessing he'll end up in the 15-50 range. 15 is unlikely given his age, but Poe ended up going #11, so it's not impossible that someone will fall in love with Hunt's measurables and upside. Late 1st / early-mid 2nd is more likely - his upside and measurables are so great that it's hard for me to imagine someone passing on him much longer than that. It will partly depend on where teams rank him relative to the other LDE prospects.

Depending on how Jonathan Fanene, Jake Bequette and Jones do, Hunt will certainly be on my short list of guys to keep a close eye on. I'd be very interested in getting someone like Hunt along with an interior prospect, depending on how things shake out.

Originally Posted by Snake Eyes

Also, since it appears BB is willing to part with Welker do you think that means he might take a stud WR early on?

I never try to predict what BB will do, but I'm generally averse to taking WRs in the 1st round, and BB has never done so with the Pats. Hakeem Nicks was on my short list in 2009 and he's turned out pretty good, but generally there are a lot of talented guys available day 2 and 3. Also, BB seems to be comfortable finding WRs through the FA route. Brandon Lloyd and Jabar Gaffney will both be under contract for 2013 (and Lloyd for 2014). There are just too many variables to try and predict that one, but I personally doubt it, though anything's possible.