College Football: Running Commentary

[mayoclinic]

Several comments, since I'm way behind on my updates.

First, though, I ran across this bit of excessive praise for a player I've been intrigued by for a while: AUSTEN LANE IS ON THE RIGHT ROAD TO NFL STARDOM | Bleacher Report

What really stood out to me was that after he bulked up to over 250, he became far more effective. Consider these stats for his 200 season: he thrives in pass coverage (gives up an average of roughly 1.2 yards per attempt, and only allowed one first down), and has performed exceptionally well against the run (opponents running directly at him gained -90 yards). Oh, and for my fellow number freaks, take a look at his 6.7 three cone time. That is ridiculous for a 6'6, 270# defensive lineman. As I said, this article is alarmingly obsequious, but I do like this guy as a mid-late round sleeper.

Another guy I've wanted to watch for a while, Lindsey Witten, is also an athletic pass-rusher with good size (6'4, 258#) and great quickness. I believe he already has 10 sacks this year, which is slightly less impressive than it sounds, given that 7 of them came in the first 2 games of the year. I prefer consistency from pass-rushers, not feast or famine. That said, I couldn't believe how fast and explosive he looks off the snap. He has excellent flexibility, changes direction fluidly, and generally looks very quick and confident. I think he could play well in space. I wasn't a fan, however, of his continual tendency to get engaged in drawn-out battles with blockers. He needs to shed the blocker and make the play, not dance around. To be honest, he looked like an exact replica of Aaron Maybin, and I'm not sure whether that's a good thing.

I didn't get to see much, but I watched a few of Von Miller's plays, and he is another guy with lightening-quick movements. I think he's too small for our scheme (6'3, 240#), but I could have sworn I was watching Clay Matthews back in the college game. Scrappy player, and I wish him well in a one-gap, attacking scheme.

I also watched Romeus again, because I like how hard he plays, but once more I came away with the feeling that he's a true 43 end, not a OLB conversion project. I do think he'll be a great player, but I just don't think he has the foot speed necessary to play in space.

Starting to notice a trend? I like pass-rushers, and I think we need one next year, with Thomas and Burgess most likely gone. I like Hardy a good bit, but his inconsistency baffles me. He's so ferocious sometimes, much like Larry English but with far greater size and athleticism. (I keep comparing this class to last year, because even though I've followed the draft for a while, last year was the first time I spent several months systematically scouting out prospects.) I honestly believe that BB could turn him into one of the greatest pass-rushers of all time, but I fear that either 1) he's gone before we pick, or 2) his attitude causes teams to shy away from him, and we pass him up over concern for his effort. What do you think, is likely to fall like Michael Johnson, or do you think Dunlap will take that dubious award?

I've made a point of watching Rolando McClain whenever possible, and I'm convinced he's the best LB prospect I've seen in the few year I've followed the draft. I'd love to see him alternate between playing inside and outside in the 43, 34, and nickel subpackages. I can't say anything about him that people haven't already heard. He's just terrific.

Several running backs have also piqued my interest this year, but none of them are draft-eligible, so I'll just file them away for future consideration, especially since Maroney and Law-Firm could be a great tandem for us going forward.

I'm still trying to find a defensive tackle prospect to get excited about. Other than Suh, who is obviously way out of our range (and possibly would play better in a penetrating 43, anyway), I am not terribly impressed with anyone in this class. Maybe I'm just too picky, but I really want a Seymour replacement. I don't think Green is resigned next year, for some reason, and I have a strange feeling Wilfork may be tagged and traded. Can Brace play the nose? He's barely seen the field all year, sadly.

Keep up the great discussions, everyone. I love hearing your thoughts. Next up, I'm going to attempt to profile a few cornerbacks who look like they have the skills necessary to hold up in our system. Several have already caught my eye . . .

Nice comments as usual, Andrew. A couple of thoughts.

First, as far as college LBs go, I agree that McClain is far and away the best of the bunch - perfectly suited to play 3-4 SILB or 4-3 SAM. He's the only actual linebacker (as opposed to DE who would project to OLB for us) that I'm really excited about at this point. I think he would get serious consideration if he were available to us. Sean Weatherspoon, Brandon Spikes and Eric Norwood are all on my list, but McClain has separated himself from the pack for me at this point.

Second, I also want pass rushers. I don't think we can have enough of them, regardless of whether we keep AD and Burgess. I personally favor the bigger guys with the size and strength to set the edge over the quicker speed rushers like Von Miller and Ricky Sapp. I'm not sure about Jerry Hughes or Sergio Kindle, but the guys I prefer right now are Jason Pierre-Paul, Derrick Morgan, Everson Griffen and Greg Hardy, in that order. I'm a but put off by Hardy's inconsistency and injury history, but when on he is terrific. Pierre-Paul and Robert Quinn from North Carolina probably have the most upside (Quinn is a true sophomore and not draft eligible). Griffen has a lot of upside too, but is slightly shorter than the others. Morgan has a terrific motor. I'd consider any of these guys in the late 1st or early 2nd round.

As far as 3-4 DE's go, I don't see the next Richard Seymour out there other than Ndamukong Suh. The two guys who most intrigue me are junior Leonard Marsh from Florida (6'5" 305# with nice athleticism, though he's been injury prone this year) and Adrian Clayborn from Iowa. Clayborn is a bit small for us right now (6'3" 282#) but has incredible functional strength and is a playmaker. I'd look at either of them in the 2nd round.

Besides those 3 positions, the other 1st days positions I would consider would be OL and RB. Jonathan Dwyer continues to impress me. Junior Ryan Matthews from Fresno State is a load at 5'11" and 220#. He really hits the hole hard. I'd personally prefer a power back to one of the all-purpose speed backs like CJ Spiller and Jahvid Best. Regarding linemen, I particularly like Mike Iupati from Idaho and junior Maurkice Pouncey from Florida as interior line prospects if either is available in the 2nd round. Finally, Bruce Campbell from Maryland could be a top LT, and should get a serious look if he lasts till our 1st round pick, though I expect him to go earlier.

Those are the guys I've been most impressed with so far. I'll be curious to get your thoughts on them.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Finally, Bruce Campbell from Maryland could be a top LT, and should get a serious look if he lasts till our 1st round pick, though I expect him to go earlier.

I just can't see the Pats taking a tackle high next year. . . .

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Can we at least give Thomas one more game before we project him being cut next year?

I'm a big fan of Thomas. I'm just looking at his age and cap hit next year; do you really think he stays?

 

[WaterfallJumper]

I just can't see the Pats taking a tackle high next year. . . .

I don't either, but I agree with Mayo that Campbell may be too good to pass up if we're in the position to draft him next year. Left tackles that project as well as he does are simply too valuable, which is precisely why I think he'll be gone in the top 15.

 

[mayoclinic]

I don't either, but I agree with Mayo that Campbell may be too good to pass up if we're in the position to draft him next year. Left tackles that project as well as he does are simply too valuable, which is precisely why I think he'll be gone in the top 15.

Exactly. I think he'll go top 15 too. I think he's a better pure left tackle prospect than either Russell Okung or Brian Buluga. I want an interior lineman more than a tackle right now, but Campbell is good enough to merit serious consideration if he fell to our vicinity.

 

[mayoclinic]

I'm a big fan of Thomas. I'm just looking at his age and cap hit next year; do you really think he stays?

I think Thomas either gets cut or restructured and extended. Which one is totally up in the air as things stand right now, but will hopefully become clearer over the course of the season. He has tremendous versatility and value in our scheme, both as a pass rusher and at SILB, and would be worth keeping if the issues which have arisen this season can be resolved and his cap hit can be made manageable. Otherwise, I don't think it's likely that he stays, much as I like him (I've always been a big fan, too).

 

[BritPat]

RE: the next Seymour.

Thoughts on Vince Oghobaase?

 

[Marqui]

RE: the next Seymour.

Thoughts on Vince Oghobaase?

Ogh is good, but I think I like Jared Odrick more.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Ogh is good, but I think I like Jared Odrick more.

I think Odrick will be a good fit for our system. He uses his hands well and can play 2-gap. Gets upfield well. Disrupted Michigan's offense all-day on Sat. A lot of Dt's will probably be taken early. Suh, McCoy, Cody, A.Jones and Odrick could go in the 1st round. Odrick could fall to our slot. I thought Graham from Michigan looked good too. PSU down to their 3rd team RT and he really took advantage of it.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Just finished the USF vs. WVU game. WVU didn't impress me. Even Devine looked lackluster tonight.

I wanted a chance to watch Jason Pierre-Paul, who's been generating considerable hype lately. After watching the game, I sincerely hope he stays in school for another year. He has good strength, speed, length, and burst, but too often I saw him absolutely abuse the tackle, and then lose contain, allowing for running room (see Brown's rushing touchdown at the end of the game). Several times he took very poor angles when he was already in position to make a play. He just seems a split-second slow to respond to the action.

My biggest concern, though, was his change of direction. He's touted as an elite athlete, but he appeared a little off-balance at times, like he had to gather himself before redirecting. Another year of growing into his frame would likely help, as will further study of opposing players' tendencies. Still, a guy to keep an eye on if he comes out, just not in the first two rounds, in my opinion. Essentially another Crable, but with more strength to set the edge.

Carlton Mitchell, whom I've been fairly excited about since before the season started, was sensational tonight, and his stats should be even better. He had a would-be touchdown taken away when the official ruled that he was out of bounds (he wasn't), and then was injured on a play where the quarter back threw the ball way above his head about four yards behind the LOS. He managed to jump up and snag the ball, but a tackler hit him low before he could get his feet under him and managed to eventually wrestle him down, after a struggle, thus reducing his total yards, and his yards per catch with the additional reception. Regardless, what impressed me the most about him was his ability to consistently challenge the corner deep. He runs very strong, decisive routes, and I loved his body control on his 49-yard touchdown, where he twisted completely backward across his body to make a catch in the endzone. If he comes out early, I'd give him serious consideration in the late second or early third, assuming we wheel and deal and acquire a third. Would love to see him and Tate as our 3rd and 4th receivers.

Jerome Murphy plays too loose and high. He's occasionally a bit stiff, and I just don't see him developing into a starting corner in the NFL unless he really refines his technique. I know many services rate him highly, and he is very physical when tackling, but I'm simply not a fan of his overall ability. His highlight reels are fantastic, but the quality of his full game leaves a bit to be desired.

Runningback Moise Placher reminded me a little of Slaton. Ironic, given that USF was playing Slaton's old team. Good patience, excellent agility, tries to play angles to make defenders miss instead of just juking back and forth half a dozen times, and runs with some aggression inside. He's short and doesn't have breakaway speed, so I doubt he's very high on most people's big boards, but I liked his style and tenacity. Will keep an eye on him.

Really nothing impressive from WVU. Devine is usually awesome, but he was boring tonight. Sanders is good, but they hardly gave him the ball. Sorry to make this so one-sided . . . I just don't have much to say except that Brown will have to make a position change at the next level. He makes some poor decisions and has terrible accuracy. Great physical tools, but an elite quarterback he's not.

Wish I had time to watch more games.

 

[mayoclinic]

Just finished the USF vs. WVU game. WVU didn't impress me. Even Devine looked lackluster tonight.

I wanted a chance to watch Jason Pierre-Paul, who's been generating considerable hype lately. After watching the game, I sincerely hope he stays in school for another year. He has good strength, speed, length, and burst, but too often I saw him absolutely abuse the tackle, and then lose contain, allowing for running room (see Brown's rushing touchdown at the end of the game). Several times he took very poor angles when he was already in position to make a play. He just seems a split-second slow to respond to the action.

My biggest concern, though, was his change of direction. He's touted as an elite athlete, but he appeared a little off-balance at times, like he had to gather himself before redirecting. Another year of growing into his frame would likely help, as will further study of opposing players' tendencies. Still, a guy to keep an eye on if he comes out, just not in the first two rounds, in my opinion. Essentially another Crable, but with more strength to set the edge.

Nice comments. I haven't seen JPP play much but was intrigued by his measurables. The little footage I'd seen on him I would agree with you that he needs a year to grow into his frame.

Interestingly, I watched the North Carolina / Virginia Tech game yesterday and looked out for NC true sophomore Robert Quinn, 6'5", 260#, and saw a lot of the same issues that you saw with JPP. Physically dominant, but I also saw several plays were he lost containment leading to big gains.

 

[mayoclinic]

Starting to notice a trend? I like pass-rushers, and I think we need one next year, with Thomas and Burgess most likely gone. I like Hardy a good bit, but his inconsistency baffles me. He's so ferocious sometimes, much like Larry English but with far greater size and athleticism. (I keep comparing this class to last year, because even though I've followed the draft for a while, last year was the first time I spent several months systematically scouting out prospects.) I honestly believe that BB could turn him into one of the greatest pass-rushers of all time, but I fear that either 1) he's gone before we pick, or 2) his attitude causes teams to shy away from him, and we pass him up over concern for his effort. What do you think, is likely to fall like Michael Johnson, or do you think Dunlap will take that dubious award?

I've made a point of watching Rolando McClain whenever possible, and I'm convinced he's the best LB prospect I've seen in the few year I've followed the draft. I'd love to see him alternate between playing inside and outside in the 43, 34, and nickel subpackages. I can't say anything about him that people haven't already heard. He's just terrific.

The more I look at Hardy, the more I like his game. He's been a bit inconsistent and has had some off field issues, but he looks the most physically ready to play the elephant of any guy I've seen in a while. And he played LB in high school, so he's somewhat used to playing in space. I'm currently hoping that his injury and other issues cause him to slip a bit, or that either Rolando McClain or Bruce Campbell slides to the end of the first round. There's a long way to go between now and the draft, obviously. Who even had Mayo on their radar this time 2 years ago? Not too many folks.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Odrick had a big game for PSU. I'd love to get an olb in the first and a 2-gap de at the top of round two. J.Hughes and J.Odrick would be a great haul. Then you still have a pair of 2nd rounders to help the offense. Maybe a rb and ol.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Odrick had a big game for PSU. I'd love to get an olb in the first and a 2-gap de at the top of round two. J.Hughes and J.Odrick would be a great haul. Then you still have a pair of 2nd rounders to help the offense. Maybe a rb and ol.

Do you really think Hughes could play OLB in our defense?

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Once again I'm a bit behind on my comments. I blame it on school--not that my time is taken up by schoolwork, but rather that I've programmed myself to turn in assignments late so I can focus on real life instead. Of course, I hope none of our draft picks have that attitude. Work hard, mates!

Last week I watched several games, none of which are terribly clear in my memory (finals week; I'm swamped), but I did take notes during the Alabama vs. LSU and Fresno State vs. Idaho. Two of the top Pats prospects played in the Fresno/Idaho game., Ryan Matthews and Mike Iupati, and I have also been interested in AJ Jefferson.

Matthews dominated again, with something like 150 yards and three touchdowns. He's a terrific runner, but sometimes lacks patience to follow his blocks once he breaks into the secondary. He's more of a one-cut and go type of runner, though he has some shiftiness. Good agility and sees the hole well, but I worry that he's not been challenged enough as a runner. He gets great initial blocking, which gives him the chance to aggressively attack the line. Reminds me a bit of Donald Brown, though not as smooth of a runner. Actually, watch Matthews' highlights, and then watch Maroney's college reel. Eerily similar, which leads me to believe we'll pass on Matthews, because Maroney is far from a lost cause, and I don't think we'll duplicate a skill set.

Iupati amazes me. He moves like a fullback, or maybe a tight end, not a guard. He's effortless moving people off the line, plays with some nastiness, and appears pro-ready from the start. I think he'll step into an NFL starting lineup next year and never look back. I can't believe how quick and coordinated he is. Very slender, too; there's no way he's 330 pounds!

Jefferson looks like an ideal 6h or 7th round gamble. He's a strong special teamer and standout returner with excellent speed, and looks very comfortable in press coverage. He's an okay cover guy when playing off his man, though nothing leaps out on tape. He'll get beat, but he works hard. When he's allowed to go for the jam, though, he looks supremely confident, and had good strength and agility to disrupt routes. I like how he mixes it up with receivers.

As for Bama and LSU:

McClain disappointed me a bit in this game. I thought he looked a little sluggish, and didn't always play up to his ability. His technique was sloppy. I distinctly remember one play where he took on a guard in the hole, and threw his play-side shoulder into the blocker, thus turning himself away from the running back. He got completely washed out, and ended up on his butt three yards away from the A-gap. First down. Still, he's got good instincts, is always around the ball, and he always seems to have the defense lined up correctly. Not his best game, but I still think he's a good player who just needs some more time to grow into his role. Still my number one choice on draft day, though I think he would need a lot of work and coaching to work into the rotation; he's not going to be a day one starter.

Cody is a gamer. I enjoyed watching him, but Is sure wish he'd drop about 40 pounds. Could be an elite nose tackle, but I'd like to see more athleticism. Imagine if he were a svelte 335? Hehe.

The lineman that really stood out to me was Brandon Deaderick. Super athletic for his size (6'4, 306#), and has a huge motor. I love his tenacity. He looks very difficult to move off the line, has active hands, and slips blocks well when he rushes. He has experience playing 34 DE, and has incredible toughness. Earlier this season he was shot in the arm, managed to disarm the gunman, and still played a few days later. Would love to have a guy like that on the team.

Ciron Black is going to make a great RT or guard. He's immensely powerful, and even though I don't think he has the quickness for LT, he plays with pretty good leverage and technique. He's a hard worker, and I think he's a starter at the next level.

Rahim Alem has been mentioned as a potential OLB conversion, but I am not impressed. He has zero discipline against the run, and seems too stiff for coverage responsibilities. He lives and dies by the speed rush, and the Bama tackle overwhelmed him all game.

I wish Patrick Peterson were draft-eligible this year, because he wold shoot to the top of my CB wishlist. I try to avoid hyperbole, but he really, really reminds me of Ty Law. Anyone else see his pick that the refs took away? I guess the official ruling was that Jones had a foot out of bounds and his fingertips touched the ball just as Peterson snagged it, which technically makes the ball a dead ball (it's now out of bounds by contact), but it was still a great play on Peterson's part. He perfectly read the route and cut under Jones to steal the ball away. He's super-physical, has excellent agility, and is really well put together at 6'1 211 pounds. I love how miserable he makes life for receivers. Perhaps he'll come out early next year? We do have two first rounders in '11, so perhaps we could trade up a bit and take him. Instant impact player.

Charles Scott was playing well prior to his injury, and I love how aggressive he is. Really reminds me of Brandon Jacobs, but with better footwork. He's surprisingly sudden for a man his size, and even though he's not likely to take it the distance, he still rips off some impressively long runs for a big guy. If his collarbone injury checks out, I would love to see him in a Pats uniform.

Okay, back to the schoolwork; I can't wait for graduation this spring!

 

[mayoclinic]

Last week I watched several games, none of which are terribly clear in my memory (finals week; I'm swamped), but I did take notes during the Alabama vs. LSU and Fresno State vs. Idaho. Two of the top Pats prospects played in the Fresno/Idaho game., Ryan Matthews and Mike Iupati, and I have also been interested in AJ Jefferson.

Matthews dominated again, with something like 150 yards and three touchdowns. He's a terrific runner, but sometimes lacks patience to follow his blocks once he breaks into the secondary. He's more of a one-cut and go type of runner, though he has some shiftiness. Good agility and sees the hole well, but I worry that he's not been challenged enough as a runner. He gets great initial blocking, which gives him the chance to aggressively attack the line. Reminds me a bit of Donald Brown, though not as smooth of a runner. Actually, watch Matthews' highlights, and then watch Maroney's college reel. Eerily similar, which leads me to believe we'll pass on Matthews, because Maroney is far from a lost cause, and I don't think we'll duplicate a skill set.

I've compared Mathews to Donald Brown before - I definitely see the resemblance. He seems much more powerful in his running style to me than Maroney - more like Rashard Mendenhall. I still think he and Maroney would complement each other well.

Iupati amazes me. He moves like a fullback, or maybe a tight end, not a guard. He's effortless moving people off the line, plays with some nastiness, and appears pro-ready from the start. I think he'll step into an NFL starting lineup next year and never look back. I can't believe how quick and coordinated he is. Very slender, too; there's no way he's 330 pounds!

I've been saying for a while that people who call Iupati a "road grader" are mistaken. He's huge (he apparently really is 330#) and incredibly strong, but has some absurdly low body fat and moves like a guy who weighs 100# less. Haven't seen that combination of size, power and footwork since Sebastian Vollmer. I'd love to pick him up in the 2nd round and put him across from Mankins.

As for Bama and LSU:

McClain disappointed me a bit in this game. I thought he looked a little sluggish, and didn't always play up to his ability. His technique was sloppy. I distinctly remember one play where he took on a guard in the hole, and threw his play-side shoulder into the blocker, thus turning himself away from the running back. He got completely washed out, and ended up on his butt three yards away from the A-gap. First down. Still, he's got good instincts, is always around the ball, and he always seems to have the defense lined up correctly. Not his best game, but I still think he's a good player who just needs some more time to grow into his role. Still my number one choice on draft day, though I think he would need a lot of work and coaching to work into the rotation; he's not going to be a day one starter.

Cody is a gamer. I enjoyed watching him, but Is sure wish he'd drop about 40 pounds. Could be an elite nose tackle, but I'd like to see more athleticism. Imagine if he were a svelte 335? Hehe.

The lineman that really stood out to me was Brandon Deaderick. Super athletic for his size (6'4, 306#), and has a huge motor. I love his tenacity. He looks very difficult to move off the line, has active hands, and slips blocks well when he rushes. He has experience playing 34 DE, and has incredible toughness. Earlier this season he was shot in the arm, managed to disarm the gunman, and still played a few days later. Would love to have a guy like that on the team.

Ciron Black is going to make a great RT or guard. He's immensely powerful, and even though I don't think he has the quickness for LT, he plays with pretty good leverage and technique. He's a hard worker, and I think he's a starter at the next level.

Rahim Alem has been mentioned as a potential OLB conversion, but I am not impressed. He has zero discipline against the run, and seems too stiff for coverage responsibilities. He lives and dies by the speed rush, and the Bama tackle overwhelmed him all game.

I wish Patrick Peterson were draft-eligible this year, because he wold shoot to the top of my CB wishlist. I try to avoid hyperbole, but he really, really reminds me of Ty Law. Anyone else see his pick that the refs took away? I guess the official ruling was that Jones had a foot out of bounds and his fingertips touched the ball just as Peterson snagged it, which technically makes the ball a dead ball (it's now out of bounds by contact), but it was still a great play on Peterson's part. He perfectly read the route and cut under Jones to steal the ball away. He's super-physical, has excellent agility, and is really well put together at 6'1 211 pounds. I love how miserable he makes life for receivers. Perhaps he'll come out early next year? We do have two first rounders in '11, so perhaps we could trade up a bit and take him. Instant impact player.

Charles Scott was playing well prior to his injury, and I love how aggressive he is. Really reminds me of Brandon Jacobs, but with better footwork. He's surprisingly sudden for a man his size, and even though he's not likely to take it the distance, he still rips off some impressively long runs for a big guy. If his collarbone injury checks out, I would love to see him in a Pats uniform.

Okay, back to the schoolwork; I can't wait for graduation this spring!

Patrick Peterson would never last to where we pick if he were eligible this year. He'll likely be a top 10 pick in 2011 and could be one of the guys under consideration with our pick from Oakland, though at this point I think I would prefer one of the top WRs.

I wouldn't mind seeing Charles Scott in a Pats uniform at all.

Interesting comments about Ciron Black. What would you think of him at RT for the Pats opposite Vollmer? Gabe Carimi is my preferred RT at this point, but Black would have to be in the mix.

I've heard some favorable comments about LSU junior OT Joseph Barksdale (6'5" 315#). Did you get to see him at all in the Bama-LSU game? Matt Maguire from Walter Football went so far as to claim that he could be another Ryan Clady based on his footwork.

Also, did you look much at Baba OG Mike Johnson? He's frequently mentioned as a possible OG for the Pats, being more typical to the size range of our guards than Iupati. He sounds like a tough kid, but I don't see the kind of raw power and athleticism that Iupati has. Curious to see if you looked at him and how he compared.

Deaderick sounds like a real find. Got to keep an eye on him as a possible 3-4 DE prospect. There are a lot of them likely to come out in this draft.

McClain is still my #1 prospect for the Pats right now, with Greg Hardy and Derrick Morgan closely behind.

Nice work.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Cody is a gamer. I enjoyed watching him, but Is sure wish he'd drop about 40 pounds. Could be an elite nose tackle, but I'd like to see more athleticism. Imagine if he were a svelte 335? Hehe.

Cody is my hope for the Pats first round pick. I have never seen a 3-4 NT like him in college. He handles double teams with ease. When using proper technique, he is impossible to move off the LOS. Yes he is overweight, but all he does is make plays.

The safety for LSU Chad Jones, I think, impressed me with his speed, range, coverage skills and hitting ability. He is a big kid 6'2" or so and really brings it on every play. He is the best safety I have seen this year, and I have broadcast 2 UT games and watched Berry up close.
Also Mays of USC has never impressed me that much from what I have seen on TV.

PS: Berry is shorter than me, only about 5'10" or 11". Depending on if teams deem the often injured status of safety Sanders of Indy on size, could affect Berry's draft status.

 

[State]

Go ahead, Ochmed, call him sui generis.

But when Mt. Cody dances his belly looks like a giant bowl of jelly. I don't think he goes back #15, so presumably we'd have to pull a deal and move up.

Those field goal blocks against Tennessee were incredible. He's the biggest game changer on defense for the Tide since Derrick Thomas IMHO.

That's why McClain is more doable at this point. But you're right. He's bigger and more athletic than Ted Washington. I never thought I'd see that.

He personally helped to transform 'Bama's 3-4 pro defense into the formidable unit it is. I wonder if Tedy Bruschi would think about coming back. I'd love to go to training camp in the hopes of seeing Vollmer go one on one with him. That's seismic graph territory.

 

[mayoclinic]

Last night I focused on the play of Greg Romeus, one of the more intriguing defensive linemen in the country. He has the size to play anywhere on a four-man line (6'5, 270), and has been mentioned as possible elephant for the Pats. Last night was one of his better games, with 3.5 sacks. Several aspects of his game caught my eye, both positive and negative.

- Too often he doesn't extend his arms when engaged with a blocker, thus negating his exceptional length.
- He still has incredible power. On almost every rush, he jacked the left tackle right out of his stance, overwhelming him and forcing him into the backfield.
- Although he sets the edge remarkably well, he struggles a little shedding blocks after stacking the blocker in the run game.
- Great flexibility and excellent speed to reach the corner and bend around the left tackle.
- Heads up playing the screen; quickly changes directions to track down the ball carrier when he's rushed past the play.
- Unfortunately, lacks the make-up speed to chase the runner on his own; has tenacity, but not top-end speed.
- Several times he rushed way too far upfield; needs to learn to pinch the pocket once he's gone past the QB.
- A bit one-dimensional in his pass-rush: either he beats his man with speed, or he pushes him backward to flush the QB from the pocket.
- Hardworking player. Love his effort.
- May need to return for his senior year to polish his game; obviously still a work in progress.

More thoughts to come. I'm gonna watch some of the 'Bama game now.

Andrew, I watched Romeus carefully during the ND game, and I was very impressed with what I saw. This is a kid who hasn't been playing football for very long, and he's getting better quickly. He's very reminiscent to me of Greg Hardy - not quite as much speed in pursuit, but probably better at setting the edge. Next to Derrick Morgan he may be the physically strongest DE/elephant prospect, and one of the most rounded in terms of his ability to play the run and set the edge as well as rush the passer.

I had previously classified him as more of a pure 4-3 DE, but I think he has what it takes to play the elephant. Would be very happy to see him taken with one of our 2nd round picks.

Tony Pauline of TFYdraft currently ranks Romeus #2 among DE prospects behind Hardy, just ahead of Jason Pierre-Paul. He also believes Romeus will come out this year.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Mayo, that's really encouraging to hear about Romeus. I liked his game, I just didn't think it would translate as well to the 34. He seemed like the kind of player who needed some extra coaching on technique, since he's so new to football, which moved him down my board, but I'm glad he's been playing better as of late. He has all the natural tools you'd want a player to have. I'll have to watch one of their games again when I get the chance.

Their team is loaded, by the way. I love their freshman runningbacks, and Baldwin is phenomenal at WR. Seems like an ideal Moss replacement in the '11 draft, but we'll talk about that next year.