2010 Draft Prospects

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Here's Mike Detillier's top 40 prospects list for 2010:

SaintsReport.com - News - Mike D's top 40 players

5. Jonathan Dwyer, RB
17. Brian Bulaga, OT
19. Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB
27. Greg Hardy, DE/OLB
33. Adam Ulatowski, OT
38. Eric Norwood, DE/LB

Not in the top 40: Brandon Lang DE/OLB, Arthur Jones DT/DE, Vince Oghobasse DT/DE, Lawrence Marsh DT/DE, Marshawn Gilyard WR.

A 1st round mock from New Era Scouting has the Pats picking 29th and taking Mark Herzlich from BC - seems a bit behind the times given Herzlich's Ewing's sarcoma diagnosis. They have Rolando McClain going #31 to San Francisco (from Carolina). They have Kindle going 12 to the Redskins, Bulaga 20 to Dalls, Hardy 24 to the Cardinals, and Dwyer 26 to the Chargers.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

I'm not lusting after Suh and Spikes now. Or even Sergio Kindle for that matter. They're all good players who I think would be great for the Pats, and who probably will all go earlier than we will have an opportunity to get them. There are going to be a lot of good players available next year, and we'll get several of them - probably not whatever ones I end up lusting after. There are so many good one's that a bunch will slip to the 2nd round where we have 3 picks. For example, on Bunting's list I like the 43-45 players (Eric Norwood, Brandon Lang, and Adam Ulatowski) plus Leonard Marsh at 60. I like Marsh at 60 almost as much as Suh at 7, and Norwood at 43 for SILB as much as Spikes at 10.

I just think it's worth keeping loose track of who different people project. Here's a new mock out from NE Patriots Draft:

2010 NFL Mock Draft ~ NE Patriots Draft

They have the Pats taking Rolando McClain at ILB at #32, which would be great value, and certainly better than trading up to #10 where they have Spikes going. They have Sergio Kindle going #18 (to San Diego), Greg Hardy at #20, Mark Herzlich at #25, and Jonathan Dwyer at 30. Players not in their first round include DE's Leonard Marsh and Arthur Jones; DE/LBs Eric Norwood and Brandon Lang; OT Adam Ulatowski; and RBs CJ Spiller and Jahvid Best. No matter how you cut it good players will fall to the 2nd round. I'd be psyched with McClain at 32 and Marsh/Davis at DE, Ulatowski at OT, and Lang at OLB in the 2nd, or possibly a trade up to 30 to get Jonathan Dwyer.

For the record, I wouldn't advocate any trade into the top 10. The most I could see the Pats trading up would be from 32 to the early 20's, using a 3rd round pick or something of that nature, if BB coveted a specific player.

First let me say that I have watched Spikes play a lot and he absolutely can not stack and shed OG, C, FB, TE or baby kittens. He runs around any and all blockers. He is a miserably poor fit for a 3-4 defense.

Second the great thing about McClain is that BB and any other 3-4 coaches can see film of him stacking and shedding for 3 years. The kid is a superior 3-4 ILB, period and last season was a better ILB than either Reymal or Laurenitis, period. Yes McClain needs to improve in coverage, but he has plenty of time to do that in the upcoming season.

Thirdy I really like OT Ultroski of Texas, if he can get stronger and nastier in the upcoming season. He has the feet to start in the NFL. He just needs an attitude and a good bit of work on techniques. I also like Bulaga of Iowa, but expect him to be long gone by #32.

I hope BB uses his 3 second rounders to jump up and get Mount Cody early in the first round. This is the kid all 3-4 teams will be dying to get their hands on. I expect Maimi to fall on their faces this season, so they might have to out-inept Cleveland for the rights to Cody.

I would not be surprised to see BB take Tebow at all. BB once said "I want big guys that can run fast". And Tebow is over 240 lbs. and runs well. Where BB plays Tebow is another question all together.

 

[pats_premi]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Ranking of the college football players by position - updated weekly during the college football reason

rival.com - college football players ranking

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Ranking of the college football players by position - updated weekly during the college football reason

rival.com - college football players ranking

Rather a strange list. Brian Bulaga the 9th rated OT and Adam Ulatowski the 15th (behind teammate Chris Hall)? Brandon LaFell the 12th ranked WR? Ndamukong Suh the 7th rated DL, Sergio Kindle the 11th and Carlos Dunlap the 13th? Eric Norwood the 12th ranked LB (and Mark Herzlich ranked #2 when his career is up in the air right now)? I'd take any of their rankings with more than a grain of salt given some of these.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Interesting run down on the senior DE class from Wes Bunting at NFP:

The National Football Post | NFP Senior Defensive End Breakdown

The most interesting writeup was on 6'7" 265# Corey Wooten from Northwestern: "Wootton was one of my favorite defensive end prospects during the 2008 season as he combined size, length and quickness to consistently shed blocks on the outside and make plays vs. both the run and the pass. However, a torn ACL he suffered in the 2009 Alamo Bowl has some wondering how effective he can be in 2009. He was downright dominant at times in 2008, showcasing good technique, flexibility and instincts in all areas of his game and used his big, long frame to consistently make plays on the ball. He lacks a great first step off the edge but exhibits a polished pass rush arsenal and is a gifted lateral athlete. He also is a stout run defender who finished 2008 with 10 sacks, 42 total tackles and 16 tackles for loss. Wootton’s ability to successfully play the run and pass is a rare trait in the defensive end class. The question is whether he can be the same player in 2009 that he was in 2008."

Sounds like a very interesting prospect for the Pats - I wonder whether he has the speed and agility to play OLB. Coming off an ACL injury, he may well be available in our range.

Bunting ranks Greg Hardy, Wooten, and Willie Young from NC State as his top 3, ahead of George Selvie, Brandon Lang, Brandon Graham and Ricky Sapp, all of whom are interesting prospects in their own right. Add in Sergio Kindle and Everson Griffin and t here are a lot of talented players coming out next year.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Any of you watch Kentucky much? I'm very curious to get a scouting report on Micah Johnson. From his highlight video it looks like he has great instinct, works well through trash, and can really lay the wood, but any linebacker can look great in highlights. He looks to me like he could be right up there in the McClain/Spikes conversation, but I know almost nothing about him.

It's such a slow time of year; I feel almost guilty for looking ahead to next season already, but I'm just going crazy without football. I need my fix!

 

[Gator Mike]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

First let me say that I have watched Spikes play a lot and he absolutely can not stack and shed OG, C, FB, TE or baby kittens. He runs around any and all blockers. He is a miserably poor fit for a 3-4 defense.

YouTube - Brandon Spikes vs Andre Smith

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Here's an early 2 round mock draft:

Football Draft Analysis - Mock Draft

They have the Pats taking:

29. Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama
45. Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan
59. Vince Oghobasse, DE/DT, Duke
61. Dezmon Brisco, WR, Kansas

Much as I love McClain and think he would be a terrific SILB complement to Mayo, I would prefer something like the following (based on who is available at each spot in their mock):

29. Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech - my #1 prospect for the Pats at this time. I hammer with breakaway capability.
45. Brandon Lang, OLB, Troy.
59. Vince Oghobasse, DE/DT, Duke.
61. Eric Norwood, ILB, South Carolina - I think he'd be as good as McClain for us at SILB.

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

I am a Maroney supporter but I think we will definitely be looking to add a RB this year. Some of the guys I have my eyes on this year are Jonathan Dwyer, CJ Spiller, Stafon Johnson, Jahvid Best, and both backs from the U Graig Cooper and Javarris James. I also had LeGarrette Blount on that list, but now that he's suspended we obviously won't get to see him do anything this year.

I'm a big fan of Spiller because of his lightning fast speed, elusiveness, and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He's also returned kicks in his time at Clemson and once he gets going no one can catch him. This guy will be a serious weapon on offense and I'd love to see him wreaking havoc while playing on the Pats.

Stafon Johnson and Blount were guys that caught my eye because they can just pound the rock. If Blount falls because of his Boise St. antics, he will be a huge steal late in the draft. He's a guy that is comparable to Jacobs. A huge back who will run you over and is great at running between the tackles. He's not much of a receiving option out of the backfield but his power and ability to consistently pickup yards makes him an attractive option. Obviously the concern with him are his character issues.

Johnson on the other hand is a guy that I think is severely underrated because of the abundance of RB's USC has. He is by far the most complete back on that team. When I watch him I see a guy that can pound it inside and also get to the outside and make guys miss. His combination of power, speed, and shiftiness really intrigue me. He's probably going to go anywhere in between rounds 3 to 5 and I think he will be steal.

Cooper and James could be one of the better RB tandems in the country this year. James is a senior and Cooper is an underclassman. I think Cooper has more potential and is the better prospect but only time will tell. Cooper will likely stay another year so he can showcase himself as the main back and raise his draft stock.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

I am a Maroney supporter but I think we will definitely be looking to add a RB this year. Some of the guys I have my eyes on this year are Jonathan Dwyer, CJ Spiller, Stafon Johnson, Jahvid Best, and both backs from the U Graig Cooper and Javarris James. I also had LeGarrette Blount on that list, but now that he's suspended we obviously won't get to see him do anything this year.

I'm a big fan of Spiller because of his lightning fast speed, elusiveness, and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He's also returned kicks in his time at Clemson and once he gets going no one can catch him. This guy will be a serious weapon on offense and I'd love to see him wreaking havoc while playing on the Pats.

Stafon Johnson and Blount were guys that caught my eye because they can just pound the rock. If Blount falls because of his Boise St. antics, he will be a huge steal late in the draft. He's a guy that is comparable to Jacobs. A huge back who will run you over and is great at running between the tackles. He's not much of a receiving option out of the backfield but his power and ability to consistently pickup yards makes him an attractive option. Obviously the concern with him are his character issues.

Johnson on the other hand is a guy that I think is severely underrated because of the abundance of RB's USC has. He is by far the most complete back on that team. When I watch him I see a guy that can pound it inside and also get to the outside and make guys miss. His combination of power, speed, and shiftiness really intrigue me. He's probably going to go anywhere in between rounds 3 to 5 and I think he will be steal.

Cooper and James could be one of the better RB tandems in the country this year. James is a senior and Cooper is an underclassman. I think Cooper has more potential and is the better prospect but only time will tell. Cooper will likely stay another year so he can showcase himself as the main back and raise his draft stock.

Tony Pauline recently put out a list of top offensive and defensive prospects on CNNSI:

2010 NFL Draft- An early look at the top prospects on offense - NFL - SI.com
Greg Hardy, Brandon Spikes among top 2010 NFL Draft prospects - NFL - SI.com

Pauline, whom I generally respect, lists Spiller as his "overrated" RB prospect, and notes: "NFL scouting services rate Spiller as the number one senior ball-carrier in the nation. He's an incredibly quick runner with the ability to create yardage then run to daylight. Spiller is also known as a soft football player and a back that prefers to run east/west rather then take it up the field. His timid style of play will turn off a lot of general managers next April." While I'm not the LoMo basher on this board that some are, I think that I would prefer a back with a more north-south running style to complement Maroney (who I think is a tremendous weapon if he gets the ball in space, but is terrible working in a crowd). Jahvid Best is tempting, but I think I would prefer more of a Jonathan Dwyer/Charles Scott type runner to complement Maroney.

As an aside, Pauline leaves out some of my favorite defensive prospects, including LB Eric Norwood, junior DE/DT Lawrence Marsh, and DE/OLB Brandon Lang.

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Tony Pauline recently put out a list of top offensive and defensive prospects on CNNSI:


Pauline, whom I generally respect, lists Spiller as his "overrated" RB prospect, and notes: "NFL scouting services rate Spiller as the number one senior ball-carrier in the nation. He's an incredibly quick runner with the ability to create yardage then run to daylight. Spiller is also known as a soft football player and a back that prefers to run east/west rather then take it up the field. His timid style of play will turn off a lot of general managers next April." While I'm not the LoMo basher on this board that some are, I think that I would prefer a back with a more north-south running style to complement Maroney (who I think is a tremendous weapon if he gets the ball in space, but is terrible working in a crowd). Jahvid Best is tempting, but I think I would prefer more of a Jonathan Dwyer/Charles Scott type runner to complement Maroney.

As an aside, Pauline leaves out some of my favorite defensive prospects, including LB Eric Norwood, junior DE/DT Lawrence Marsh, and DE/OLB Brandon Lang.

I definitely agree with you that we need a guy to pound it north-south. I was just saying Spiller has been one of my favorites over the years in college and I would love to see him on the Pats because he's one of the guys I really enjoy watching. But we already have a guy like Maroney who as you said is great in space. However, I still think Spiller will be good in the NFL. There were the same concerns with Chris Johnson last year when he came out and he's turned out to be a pretty good pickup. But I agree we need someone to pound the ball inside like Dillion used to.

I'm a big fan of Dwyer like you and I also love Blount and Johnson as I stated. It's unfortunate Blount was suspended for the season, I was really looking forward to seeing what he could do this season after a great junior year. Curious to know what you think of Blount and Johnson because you seem to know your stuff. Any other backs besides Dwyer and Scott that you like as guys who can pound it inside?

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Here's a new 3 round mock out from Walter Football:

WalterFootball.com: 2010 NFL Mock Draft

They have the Pats taking:

27. Charles Brown, OT, USC. The Pats don't need to take an OT this high.
42.(From Jax) Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech. Fabulous pick, but no way he lasts this long.
54. (From Tenn) Coorey Wooten, DE, Northwester. Another fabulous pick. 6'7" 270# beast who could be a great 3-4 DE.
59. Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU. Nice pick. Could also be Brandon Lang (going 61), but with Sergio Kindle lasting to the 2nd round I would hope we could get Kindle.

I would prefer:

27. Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech
42. Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas (going 45 in this mock). 6'4', 250# athletic beast. Some off-field issues and questions about instincts cause him to fall, but the talent is there. Brandon Land from Troy is also an option here.
45. Corey Wooten, DE, Northwestern.
59. Eric Norwood, South Carolina (unlisted) or Micah Johnson, Kentucky (72), ILB. SILB to complete rotation along with Mayo, Guyton and McKenzie.

 

[bbell31]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

yeah we do need to take an otackle that high unless we make a big offseason move to get a big time tackle, or if bill belichick sees a steal like he did in Vollmer...Offensive tackle is our weakest position across the board boys...

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

yeah we do need to take an otackle that high unless we make a big offseason move to get a big time tackle, or if bill belichick sees a steal like he did in Vollmer...Offensive tackle is our weakest position across the board boys...

I agree with you here I think one of our biggest needs is the offensive line. Light is getting older and you can't count on Vollmer becoming a stud LT. Dwyer is obviously a nice player to have, but you can always find a RB later on in the draft. Protecting Brady is the most important thing and finding a new, young, stud LT would greatly help this cause. I would think OLB might be a possibility in the first round as well if Belichick loses faith in Crable and feels Woods still won't get it done.

Guys like Michael Bush, Ahmad Bradshaw, Glen Coffee, Steve Slaton, Jerious Norwood, Leon Washington are just a few guys I can name that have gone 3rd round or later and have been great value so far.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

I agree with you here I think one of our biggest needs is the offensive line. Light is getting older and you can't count on Vollmer becoming a stud LT. Dwyer is obviously a nice player to have, but you can always find a RB later on in the draft. Protecting Brady is the most important thing and finding a new, young, stud LT would greatly help this cause. I would think OLB might be a possibility in the first round as well if Belichick loses faith in Crable and feels Woods still won't get it done.

Guys like Michael Bush, Ahmad Bradshaw, Glen Coffee, Steve Slaton, Jerious Norwood, Leon Washington are just a few guys I can name that have gone 3rd round or later and have been great value so far.

Well, the Pats have LeVoir, Kaczur, and Vollmer all signed through 2011+, so it appears they might disagree with you.

Of course, we'll have a much better idea by the end of the season.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

I agree with you here I think one of our biggest needs is the offensive line. Light is getting older and you can't count on Vollmer becoming a stud LT. Dwyer is obviously a nice player to have, but you can always find a RB later on in the draft. Protecting Brady is the most important thing and finding a new, young, stud LT would greatly help this cause. I would think OLB might be a possibility in the first round as well if Belichick loses faith in Crable and feels Woods still won't get it done.

Guys like Michael Bush, Ahmad Bradshaw, Glen Coffee, Steve Slaton, Jerious Norwood, Leon Washington are just a few guys I can name that have gone 3rd round or later and have been great value so far.

I would generally agree with you both about drafting OT early and about not drafting RB early. BUT I disagree in this case, as far as right now goes.

(1) We have 3/4 of our OT group signed through 2011 with Vollmer, Kaczur and LeVoir, and Light through 2010. Vollmer has so far exceeded expectations, and looks like a future LT. Kaczur had by all reports a tremendous offseason conditioning program. Levoir looks capable of developing into a starter. There are question marks about all 3, but as of right now I just don't see the need to spend a high pick on OT, and that has not been the Pats' style. They can probably pick up a solid OT prospect to add to the mix in round 4.

(2) As of right now, RB is one of our biggest long-term needs, with Maroney, Morris and Taylor all being FAs after 2010 and Faulk after 2009. I'm not convinced BJGE will be more than a JAG. I think Maroney has tremendous open field skills and is a great weapon in space, but I don't see him becoming a workload back for us. He was at his best his rookie year when used in conjunction with Corey Dillon, a power back. I would love to see us pick up someone like Jonathan Dwyer, who is one of the few RBs I consider worthy of a first round pick, or Charles Scott from LSU (in the 2nd round). JMHO.

All of this will undoubtedly get refined over the course of the season as we see how different players progress. But as of right now, my dream draft would be something like:

1. Jonathan Dwyer, RB
2a. OLB prospect - Sergio Kindle, Brandon Lang, Greg Romeus, Jerry Hughes, Ricky Sapp, etc.
2b. 3/4 DE prospect - Lawrence Marsh, Corey Wootton, Vince Oghobasse, etc.
2c. ILB prospect - Eric Norwood, Micah Johnson, etc.
4. Developmental OT prospect.

 

[bbell31]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

i repeat..dude light and kaczur r not the answer unless they dramatically improve..i havent watched levoir enuf but if light and kaczur were ahead of him then thats scary so i say a stud otackle is definitely top priority..

 

[Marqui]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

1. Jonathan Dwyer, RB
2a. OLB prospect - Sergio Kindle, Brandon Lang, Greg Romeus, Jerry Hughes, Ricky Sapp, etc.
2b. 3/4 DE prospect - Lawrence Marsh, Corey Wootton, Vince Oghobasse, etc.
2c. ILB prospect - Eric Norwood, Micah Johnson, etc.
4. Developmental OT prospect.

Would be excellent if it worked out similar to that. I really hope BB doesn't get too cute with this draft and take random reaches like he has recently. Thats probably too much to ask though

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

One prospect to keep an eye on is Idaho Senior OG Mike Iupati, a 6'6" 330# beast who reportedly runs around a 5.20 40 and has light feet for a pure guard. He's sort of a bigger, stronger Mankins, and plays with an edge. Here's a youtube clip of him clocking Rey Maualuga last year against USC (look for the pancake by #77 early in the clip):

YouTube - Mike Iupati #77 UI vs USC

He could be a possible 1st round pick, but could easily go in the 2nd.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Some interesting comments from Wes Bunting of the National Football Post on last night's Nebraska-Missouri game.

On Nebraska DT Ndamukung Suh: "Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh once again was able to dominate the line of scrimmage and keep Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert out of rhythm most of the night. His ability to beat opposing linemen with either his first step off the snap or with his power as an outright bull-rusher is a trait not many defensive tackle prospects possess. Plus, he does a great job keeping himself clean inside and using his hands to disengage on contact. Watching Suh, a 6-4, 304 pound lineman, showcase the athletic ability to drop into coverage, read the quarterback’s eyes and pick off a pass in space leaves you shaking your head in amazement. I’ve heard the Richard Seymour comparisons, and as gifted as Suh looked on tape last year, I still thought Seymour and his freakish athletic ability were too great for Suh to measure up to. However, after watching Suh play in terrible conditions Thursday night and make play after play in all areas of the game, I’m starting to think the comparisons aren’t that far off."

On Missouri LB Sean Weatherspoon: "Most of the attention was on Nebraska’s stud DT Ndamukong Suh, and rightfully so. However, if there’s one senior prospect I’d bet the house on as a guy to come into an NFL training camp and nail down a starting job from day one, it would be Missouri OLB Sean Weatherspoon. Weatherspoon showcases a real passion for the game and is an instinctive player who always seems to be around the football. He exhibits impressive flexibility and balance in his drop and does a great job staying low in his backpedal and instantly closing on the pass in coverage. He isn’t the biggest or most physical linebacker and needs to do a better job wrapping up ball carriers in the hole, but he looks like an ideal fit as a weak-side linebacker in a 4-3 scheme. I expect him to be playing/starting in the NFL for many years."

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