2010 Draft Prospects

[alvinnf]

Thanks . BTW,
NLF Draft 2009
Pick Player
Rd 2, Pick 2 (34) Chung, Patrick SS
Rd 2, Pick 8 (40) Brace, Ron DT
Rd 2, Pick 9 (41) Butler, Darius CB
Rd 2, Pick 26 (58) Vollmer, Sebastian OL
Rd 3, Pick 19 (83) Tate, Brandon WR
Rd 3, Pick 33 (97) McKenzie, Tyrone OLB
Rd 4, Pick 23 (123) Ohrnberger, Rich OG
Rd 5, Pick 34 (170) Bussey, George OT
Rd 6, Pick 25 (198) Ingram, Jake LS
Rd 6, Pick 34 (207) Pryor, Myron DT
Rd 7, Pick 23 (232) Edelman, Julian QB
Rd 7, Pick 25 (234) Richard, Darryl

That is a damn good looking list!!!!!

 

[mayoclinic]

Maryland junior OT Bruce Campbell has declared for the draft:

2010 NFL draft: Offensive tackle Bruce Campbell of Maryland Terrapins to enter draft - ESPN

Campbell is a 6'7" 310# physical freak who supposedly runs something like a 4.80 40 and benches something like 500 lbs. Maryland's strength coach Dwight Galt described him as "an offensive line version of Vernon Davis". He has terrific footwork and did quite well this season (shutting down Ricky Sapp, among others) before a foot injury.

Bruce Feldman's top 10 workout warriors - ESPN

I'm guessing that right now he will be the #2 OT taken after Russell Okung. I could see Al Davis taking him - fill a need at LT and take a physical freak at the same time, what's not to like?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Maryland junior OT Bruce Campbell has declared for the draft:

 

[mayoclinic]

Wrong image:

 

[mayoclinic]

Nolan Nawrocki's DB rankings are out today from ProFootballWeekly:

ProFootballWeekly.com - Youth prevails among DB talent

Nawrocki rangs Eric Berry, Taylor Mays, and Earl Thomas as his top 3 safety prospects - no surprises there. But after LSU's Chad Jones he ranks Nebraska's Larry Asante #5, ahead of Georgia Tech's Morgan Burnett, Georgia's Reshad Jones, and USF's Nate Allen, among others.

On the CB side he ranks Joe Haden the top draft-eligible prospect, which is no surprise, and notes that he is "a rare physical specimen with excellent explosion and burst out of his pedal, Haden has long arms, looks every bit the part and can run like the wind. He is still relatively raw and learning how to recognize routes and needs to hone his coverage technique. He can be fooled by combo routes, appearing to freeze and hesitate too much and too easily can be pulled up by underneath action. He can improve as a tackler as well and could try a team's patience with his inconsistency. However, his athletic ability is off the charts, and Haden will 'wow' evaluators with his workouts in the spring, possessing top-10-type physical talent."

However, his other 4 picks are surprises to me, as Nawrocki has omitted guys like Donovan Warren of Michigan, Brandon Ghee of Wake Forrest, and Kareem Jackson of Alabama.

Some interesting picks from Nawrocki, as usual.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

After watching Montana in last week's FCS semi-final and this weekend's Championship game there were a few kids who are worth UDFA consideration and a couple might be late round draft prospects:

WR Marc Mariani - speedy playmaker as a receiver and returner, may be draftable.
LT Levi Horn - move him inside to Guard, but he might be draftable.
FS Shann Schillinger - UDFA Special Teamer who might be able to work up the depth chart once he gets a toe in the door - playmaker.
TE Steven Pfahler/Dan Beaudin - Two UDFA blocking TEs with good hands.

Bubba Ventrone's baby bro played for FCS National Champion Villanova and made his brother proud. I don't think he's NFL material, not even as a Special Teams player, but his name was getting called a lot.

Semi-Finalist Appalachian State's QB Armanti Edwards is a dynamic player who might develop as a slash/wildcat option.

 

[everlong]

Semi-Finalist Appalachian State's QB Armanti Edwards is a dynamic player who might develop as a slash/wildcat option.

Nice call. Quick, Cline and Moore are three more skill position players to watch for the future as well. I believe they are all juniors and none will declare or be day one picks even next year but they could find their way onto rosters as special teams players and develop. I have no idea how these guys will time out in any of the drills so tough to say if they have the NFL speed.

 

[SidelineSid]

Maryland junior OT Bruce Campbell has declared for the draft:

2010 NFL draft: Offensive tackle Bruce Campbell of Maryland Terrapins to enter draft - ESPN

Campbell is a 6'7" 310# physical freak who supposedly runs something like a 4.80 40 and benches something like 500 lbs. Maryland's strength coach Dwight Galt described him as "an offensive line version of Vernon Davis". He has terrific footwork and did quite well this season (shutting down Ricky Sapp, among others) before a foot injury.

Bruce Feldman's top 10 workout warriors - ESPN

I'm guessing that right now he will be the #2 OT taken after Russell Okung. I could see Al Davis taking him - fill a need at LT and take a physical freak at the same time, what's not to like?

I'm starting to feel really positive about this years draft. There seems to be a great deal of depth. Someone posted a link on this board to FootballDraftAnalysis.webs.com - OLB. This website has some pretty good write-ups on a lot of college players. Now the draft is a total crap shoot. You never know what you'll get. But considering the amount of talent in the draft at offensive line, defensive line, and linebacker, we can definitely come away with some serious help this April.

Possible targets in no particular order:

DL
Brandon Graham *
Jerry Hughes *
Von Miller
Sergio Kindle (with our low second round pick)
Willie Young
Cameron Heyward
Eric Norwood
Dan Williams
Terrence Cody *

LB
Rolando McClain * (I can dream)

DB
Joe Haden *
Patrick Robinson

OL
Maurkice Pouncey
Mike Iupati

WR
Golden Tate

RB
Ryan Matthews
Toby Gerhart

Due to the amount of talent in this draft at OT and DE, I'm projecting that Joe Haden and Rolando McClain could fall into the 16-20 range where we could trade up. There are great players like CJ Spiller and Jonathon Dwyer who I would love to have, but I doubt they fall into the second round. While they could be drafted with our first round pick, pass rush is to big of a need. Only Haden and McClain could justify skipping on a pass rusher in the first round (if Leigh Bodden leaves). The players with stars indicate possible first round selections.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

WR Marc Mariani - speedy playmaker as a receiver and returner, may be draftable.

When I Googled Mariani, this is what I got:

(A) The T-shirt says "80: My Favorite Sauce"
(B) I don't know what to make of that picture in the lower right corner.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

When I Googled Mariani, this is what I got:

(A) The T-shirt says "80: My Favorite Sauce"
(B) I don't know what to make of that picture in the lower right corner.

(A) Guess "marinara" sauce isn't as popular in Missoula.

(B) The hazard of Googling without a net: Some late Montana/SUU observations... and highlights : The Grizzoulian

Cole Bergquist loves his first receiver. From the moment he drops back, he will stare so hard at his first progression that he may be able to see into their soul. Berquist's athleticism and mobility are great but can be a negative if he only looks to his first guy then takes off. I mentioned this in the Twitter feed, he stared down his first progression like no quarterback I've ever seen. I bet he looks like Reche Caldwell out there. If Mariani continues the phenomenal play, it's going to become very obvious who he's going to throw the ball to. However...

In the article "Reche Caldwell" is a link to the infamously cruel image you note. You may console yourself that Marc Mariani is not the individual being compared to Reche.

 

[mayoclinic]

Here's a writeup on Cameron Heyward from Matt Maguire at Walter Football:

WalterFootball.com: The NFL Matt Draft - Matt McGuire's NFL Draft Blog

I've been saying for a while that Heyward looks like the best 3-4 DE prospect that could come out this year. I like him better than Tyson Jackson, and think he would be one of 4-5 guys who I would definitely use a 1st round pick on.

 

[OldNEPatsFan]

Here's a writeup on Cameron Heyward from Matt Maguire at Walter Football:

WalterFootball.com: The NFL Matt Draft - Matt McGuire's NFL Draft Blog

I've been saying for a while that Heyward looks like the best 3-4 DE prospect that could come out this year. I like him better than Tyson Jackson, and think he would be one of 4-5 guys who I would definitely use a 1st round pick on.

Maguire has been right more than he has been wrong in his evaluation of talent and teams, and he sure doesn't mince words on his evaluation of the Pats

New England Patriots - Tom Brady has a broken finger and/or cracked ribs. Randy Moss doesn't care anymore. The defense is complete garbage. Bill Belichick can't even force Matt Moore into turnovers. This team is a shell of its former self.

NEW ENGLAND OFFENSE: Tom Brady might have a broken finger. His ribs could be cracked. And if that wasn't enough, he now has a malcontent receiver he has to deal with. Despite what Brady and Bill Belichick have to say, Randy Moss' lack of effort against the Panthers was disgusting. If he were just a mediocre player, he would have been cut the day after the game. Moss is a punk who plays only when he wants to play, and apparently he has no desire to do so right now.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Maguire has been right more than he has been wrong in his evaluation of talent and teams, and he sure doesn't mince words on his evaluation of the Pats

No, he just takes quotes out of context. [Ever see what question prompted Moss to say "I play when I want to play"? And if he had used the proper conjunction there—given the rest of the quote, it's fairly clear he means "because," not "when"—this quote would not be following him around.]

Moreover, the folks who run that site are relatively anti-Patriot (though not disgustingly so).

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

#91 DE/DT John Fletcher (Wyoming) - Watched him in the New Mexico Bowl against Fresno State - which means he went against a pretty decent O-line - 6'6" 272. Turns out he's a 3-4 DE, which makes him a bit light for the NFL, but that said I was impressed with him flipping between NT and DE. He was stout at the point of attack, played with good gap discipline, Fresno used double-teams and chips to control him and even then rarely moved him very far. I'd compare him to Mike Wright, get him bulked up a bit more and he'd be a good prospect.

#1 RB Lonyae Miller (Fresno State) - Not a bad looking late round RB.

 

[mayoclinic]

#91 DE/DT John Fletcher (Wyoming) - Watched him in the New Mexico Bowl against Fresno State - which means he went against a pretty decent O-line - 6'6" 272. Turns out he's a 3-4 DE, which makes him a bit light for the NFL, but that said I was impressed with him flipping between NT and DE. He was stout at the point of attack, played with good gap discipline, Fresno used double-teams and chips to control him and even then rarely moved him very far. I'd compare him to Mike Wright, get him bulked up a bit more and he'd be a good prospect.

#1 RB Lonyae Miller (Fresno State) - Not a bad looking late round RB.

What's your view on Ryan Mathews?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

What's your view on Ryan Mathews?

Good looking kid, someone else is going to outbid BB for him, but if he's there in the second....

 

[mayoclinic]

Scott Wright from NFLdraftcountdown has his first scouting report up, on Michigan DE (possible OLB?) Brandon Graham:

https://www.healthstream.com/HLC/

Here's a quick summary:

Brandon Graham
Defensive End, Michigan - Senior
Height: 6-2
Weight: 263
40-Time: 4.75

Strengths:

Good bulk --- Aggressive with a non-stop motor --- Very strong and powerful --- Tough and physical --- Does a great job in pursuit --- Good tackler --- Plays with excellent leverage --- Holds his own versus the run --- Uses his hands well --- Has a lot of range --- Smart with great instincts --- Hard worker --- Offers some versatility --- Super productive.

Weaknesses:

Doesn't have the ideal height you look for --- Short arms --- Frame may be maxed out --- Not a great athlete --- Average speed, quickness and agility --- Not real explosive --- Lacks a burst --- Struggles in space --- A tad inconsistent --- Might have to change positions --- Upside is limited.

Notes:
A 2½ year starter for the Wolverines --- Named 2nd Team All-Big Ten in 2008 and 1st Team in 2009 --- Voted Michigan's Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player as a junior and senior --- Led the nation in tackles for a loss in 2009 --- Classic 'tweener who may have to move to linebacker or perhaps even defensive tackle at the next level --- May not have all the physical tools you'd prefer but just a good football player --- Could slip a bit on Draft Day if teams get too concerned with triangle numbers and workout results --- Eerily similar in many ways to LaMarr Woodley.

Graham is enticing because of his resemblance to Woodley, his terrific motor, ability as a pass rusher, and brute strength. He clearly has the bulk and strength to set the edge and play the run, the ability to take on blockers and stack and shed, and the intelligence to read and react in BB's defense. The big questionmarks are his speed and burst, his lack of height and short arms, and his lateral movement, hips, and ability to play in space. Is he a pure 4-3 DE with limited upside, or can he play in space as a 3-4 OLB? Just because LaMarr Woodley has been successful for Pittsburgh does not mean he would have been successful for New England, where BB demands more read and react and coverage form his LBs.

Right now I think Graham is on a short list of the most enticing potential 3-4 OLB conversion prospects to look at, but with some very big question marks that need to be answered before determining if he is a good fit. Great player, and quite possibly a 1st round draft pick, but I'm not sure he can play in space for BB.

 

[mayoclinic]

Another scouting report up from Scott Wright at NFLdraftcountdown ... Alabama CB/return specialist Javier Arenas:

Javier Arenas | Alabama Scouting Report - 2010 NFL Draft Prospect

The key points:

Javier Arenas
Cornerback, Alabama - Senior
Height: 5-9
Weight: 198
40-Time: 4.60

Strengths:

Very athletic --- Good bulk with a solid build --- Great instincts --- Quick with a burst to close --- Fluid hips --- Excellent strength --- Tough and Physical --- Reliable tackler --- Will support the run --- Good hands and ball skills --- Technically sound --- Elusive in the open field --- Super competitive --- Fantastic work ethic --- Also an outstanding return man.

Weaknesses:

Does not have the ideal height that you prefer --- Below average timed speed --- Is not a great leaper --- Has trouble matching up with big wideouts --- Will struggle to turn and run with speedy wide receivers downfield --- Probably not a good fit for every system - Limited upside.

Notes:

Was a two-year starter for the Crimson Tide --- Earned All-SEC honors as both a defensive back and return specialist in '08 and '09 --- Broke the SEC's 60-year-old career punt return yardage record and also owns the NCAA mark that was formally held by Wes Welker --- Holds the SEC record for career punt return touchdowns --- Good football player with top-notch intangibles but lack of height and speed is a major concern --- Best fit might come in a zone defense --- May not profile as a starter at the next level but could excel as a nickel or dime corner while also contributing as a dangerous special teams weapon.

If his timed speed is really 4.60, I have a hard time seeing him being any more than a dime CB. It sounds like he has Welker-like elusiveness, but not the speed to stay with WRs. I know some on this board are very high on him, but I have my doubts.

 

[mayoclinic]

Another profile from NFLdraftcountdown, this time on RB Anthony Dixon from Mississippi St.:

Anthony Dixon | Mississippi State Scouting Report - 2010 NFL Draft Prospect

The key points:

Anthony Dixon
Running back, Mississippi St. - Senior
Height: 6-1
Weight: 235
40-Time: 4.60

Strengths:

Terrific size and bulk --- Strong and powerful --- Nice balance --- Quick with a burst --- Shows some wiggle in the hole --- Can handle a heavy workload --- Adequate pass catcher --- Effective blocker --- Tough and will play through pain --- Productive --- Has a lot of quality experience.

Weaknesses:

Just average speed --- Not overly elusive --- Doesn't change directions well --- Runs too high --- Is not a big play threat --- Will have trouble turning the corner --- Durability ? --- Has struggled with weight and conditioning --- Questionable work ethic --- Some off-the-field concerns.

Notes:

A four-year starter for the Bulldogs --- Named 1st Team All-SEC in 2009 and led the conference in rushing --- Mississippi State's all-time leading rusher --- Also holds the school records for attempts and rushing touchdowns --- Slowed by a groin injury as a junior but didn't miss any action --- Was suspended for the 2009 season opener following a summer D.U.I. arrest --- Has the necessary talent to compete for a starting job at the next level but shaky intangibles could hold him back.

Definitely a possibility if the Pats look to pick up a big, physical bruiser to complement Maroney in the middle rounds. Not much of a breakaway threat, but he'll move the chains most times.

 

[mayoclinic]

A small school OT to keep an eye on is Edwin "Jared" Veldheer from Division II Hillsdale (Michigan). He's a 6'8" 325# senior who has been timed in a 4.88 40. Supposedly very raw and plays too high, but with a lot of upside. Nolan Nawrocki from ProFootballWeekly, who is one of the better talent evaluators and draftniks out there, surprisingly had Veldheer listed as an honorable mention at OT on his 2009 All America team.

ProFootballWeekly.com - All-America team

I've never seen him play, and there's not much out about him. RealGM has the following scouting report on Veldheer:

Jared Veldheer, T, Hillsdale (MI). 6’8”, 322 pounds, 4.98 (est.) 40 time.

Positives: Giant bookend tackle with good athleticism and quickness. Natural knee bender with solid base strength. Extends his arms well and locks his shoulders with power. Good agility and balance for a taller tackle, can locate moving targets in space and eliminate them. Very good at run blocking outside and pulling across the formation. Tenacious. Anticipates moves well and is savvy to twists, stunts, and outside blitzes. Has reasonably quick feet and has improved his kick step outside. Played better against better competition (see GVSU and Mankato State).

Negatives: Needs lots of refinement on using his hands. Too passive with his hand punch and he often hits too high, surrendering leverage and not using his strength or length. Not real good at blocking down (inside), tends to lunge and reach with little power. Will get happy feet, doesn’t set and form a strong base all the time. Motor appears to run hot and cold. Bends at the waist too frequently, esp. when facing outside pass rush. Not real functionally strong for his size as a run blocker. Faces a big learning curve from D-II, though he did play in the best D-II league in the country.

Forecast: As one of the very few who has seen Veldheer play in person (twice), I can tell you the raw talent is there and legit. He is at least as good right now as Sebastian Vollmer was at the same point last year, and Vollmer has done quite well in New England as a greenhorn 2nd round rookie. Veldheer needs considerable work with his technique fundamentals, but he's proven to be a quick learner and dedicated worker. His performance in the Texas vs. the Nation week determines if he's a second rounder or a fourth-fifth rounder. Bet on the former.

RealGM Football: Wiretap Archives: Risdon's $.10 For Week 15

Wes Bunting from the National Football Post had this to say about Veldheer at the beginning of the season: "Veldheer looks like a star at Division-II Hillsdale College in Michigan. He’s a 6-8, 321-pound tackle who not only has the power to consistently destroy defenders in the run game, he also showcases impressive athletic ability and is said to run a sub-4.9 40. There aren’t too many offensive tackles at any level with this kid’s combination of size and speed, and he’s got enough upside to intrigue the scouting community."

Small-school prospects | National Football Post

Draftguys had Veldheer on their small school watch list last spring, and noted the following: "Veldheer is a raw but athletic left tackle with good knee bend but is inconsistent at finishing blocks. His size (6’7 5/8, 321), speed (4.9), and flexibility make him an intriguing late round possibility. He is also inconsistent at the second level but has the tools that scouts are looking for. Veldheer was named a 2nd team All-American by D2football.com and 1st team All-GLIAC selection as a junior after earning 2nd team All-GLIAC honors as a sophomore."

Draftguys.com - Draftguys TV, Mock Drafts, Rankings, and more!

Finally, FWIW, here's some youtube footage of Veldheer clean hanging 425 lbs:

YouTube - Jared Veldheer 425 lbs Hang Clean Hillsdale College 2009

The fact that Nawrocki has him on his honorable mention All-America team at OT (along with Bryan Bulaga, among others) is what impresses me the most. He sounds like a physical specimen, but I've never seen him play and have no idea how bad his technique is. The comparisons to Vollmer are nice, but Vollmer is a popular comparison these days for anyone who is 6'8" 320#, athletic, from a lesser known program, and considered somewhat raw.

Nevertheless, he sounds like a kid to keep an eye on, and a possible mid-to-late round developmental RT prospect.

Sounds like he'll be playing in the Texas vs. the Nation game, so hopefully we'll get to see him against better competition.