* 2012 Draft Offensive Line *

[Snake Eyes]

There is no doubt that there are elite athletes in other sports, I just don't see many that would be elite NFL athletes. The NFL is a height/weight/speed game and I just don't see any guys with the kind of size and athletecism required in other professional sports that could translate. There just aren't many 6'5" 260lbs monster athletes in other sports. Look at Rugby, the elite athletes for that sport are no bigger than 230lbs, which really limits the positions available. None of them have the size/speed to play LB'er, none of them have the agility and speed to play RB or WR. And there definately aren't and 300+lbs guys to play on the O or D-lines. The guys above 230-240lbs don't have anywhere near the athletecism required to play in the NFL. Even Lomu, who was listed at 6'5" 260lbs (which I think is exaggerated after seeing him in person, albeit after he retired) I don't believe had the lateral agility to play TE. He was no doubt the athletic marvel of his time in rugby, but the guys he was going up against couldn't touch him athletically. You put him next to a guy like Gronk and he would look tiny. I compared him to Jacobs because thats what he was, a north-south runner who used power to go through guys. He did most of his damage before he even touched the ball because his game was won on intimidation. You stick him in the NFL against Ray Lewis and he gets lit up every time.

I think if there was a chance to look outside the box, I think its in the young Polynesian guys in places like NZ, Fiji, Somoa and Tonga. Like African American's, genetically they are just gifted. But the key would be to get to them early, get them into the collegiate system and let them grow up in the game rather then try to convert them. For me these are your best chance at getting the athletic guys with the required size. That to me is the issue, NFL players aren't just normal sized athletes, they are monsters.

Why wouldnt NFL caliber athletes be present in other populations?

Danny Watkins has NFL size strength and he's from Canada, his issue is in his head but he's got the physical part no problem.

If high-level Rugby selects for a certain height/weight combo then that's what you'll see represented, that doesnt mean a person couldnt add weight and be an effective football player or that maybe the real NFL talent might actually be at a lower level in the Rugby hierarchy.

A sumo wrestler, at 400 lbs, might be far too heavy to be a good O-lineman but at 300lbs he could be perfect, again, you're probably not seeing that because those activities select for something different, and people will adapt to it. Look at it this way, if you took elite NFL talent went off to play Rugby you'd see them become smaller because working like hell for 6 seconds before a break isn't valuable anymore, they'd need to run all over the field for a while.

That's one of the big reasons your assessment of rugby players is biased, you're looking at their athleticism in the middle of their anaerobic activity, why would they be as explosive an NFL player if 1) they're not specifically training for it, 2) they've already been running all over the place when you see them on TV?

If you were to select those with the physical attributes desired for the NFL, let them train for that specific activity,, and give them the same rest in between plays you'd see something very different.

I'm sorry but you're assertion that Lomu would get destroyed in the NFL is nothing more than an assertion. He's a physical specimen and he's got very good body and field navigation skills. This doesnt automatically mean that he'd be the TE of my dreams but d%#*!@t, I want to look into that potential conversion a lot further!

I think the Polynesian peoples would make magnificent prospects, football is becoming very popular there because of the success of guys like Polamalu, football is a potential ticket to NFL riches. If NFL teams will give a shot to Antonio Gates because of his athleticism there's no reason why they won't give a shot to some Samoan no-name with spectacular physicality, it's just a matter of time.

 

[Wilfork#75]

Why wouldnt NFL caliber athletes be present in other populations?

Danny Watkins has NFL size strength and he's from Canada, his issue is in his head but he's got the physical part no problem.

If high-level Rugby selects for a certain height/weight combo then that's what you'll see represented, that doesnt mean a person couldnt add weight and be an effective football player or that maybe the real NFL talent might actually be at a lower level in the Rugby hierarchy.

A sumo wrestler, at 400 lbs, might be far too heavy to be a good O-lineman but at 300lbs he could be perfect, again, you're probably not seeing that because those activities select for something different, and people will adapt to it. Look at it this way, if you took elite NFL talent went off to play Rugby you'd see them become smaller because working like hell for 6 seconds before a break isn't valuable anymore, they'd need to run all over the field for a while.

That's one of the big reasons your assessment of rugby players is biased, you're looking at their athleticism in the middle of their anaerobic activity, why would they be as explosive an NFL player if 1) they're not specifically training for it, 2) they've already been running all over the place when you see them on TV?

If you were to select those with the physical attributes desired for the NFL, let them train for that specific activity,, and give them the same rest in between plays you'd see something very different.

I'm sorry but you're assertion that Lomu would get destroyed in the NFL is nothing more than an assertion. He's a physical specimen and he's got very good body and field navigation skills. This doesnt automatically mean that he'd be the TE of my dreams but d%#*!@t, I want to look into that potential conversion a lot further!

I think the Polynesian peoples would make magnificent prospects, football is becoming very popular there because of the success of guys like Polamalu, football is a potential ticket to NFL riches. If NFL teams will give a shot to Antonio Gates because of his athleticism there's no reason why they won't give a shot to some Samoan no-name with spectacular physicality, it's just a matter of time.

I agree there are athletes from all over the world that could play in the NFL, but my point is that you have to get them young, before they go onto other professional sports, rather than trying to convert them. I think once they go into another sport they are lost, because the key stages of their development are through their late teens-early 20's. Like you said a 400lb sumo wrestler couldn't play O-line, but if you find him at 16, get him into a good college and develop him then he could make it. You look at the athletic facilities and resources available to the top college football programs, it is far superior to most of the top facilities for many professional sports.

I don't think our disagreement is that there isn't talent around the world, there certainly is. My view is that for it to be succesfull, the responsibility should be on colleges to find and develop the talent, rather NFL teams trying to convert from other sports. I think the major college programs should look at it more like baseball teams in regards to international scouting. Look for the guys young and develop them. Thats what happened with Jessie Williams, he was discovered at 16 by the University of Hawaii when they came to Australia for some trials. He didn't qualify acidemically so he went the JUCO route to get into the game before transfering to Alabama. I think if you wait intil he is 24 and playing professional rugby then he doesn't have a chance. But you get him into the sport when he is young and build the NFL athlete and you might have something.

I don't think our views are that far apart, we just have slightly different takes.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I agree there are athletes from all over the world that could play in the NFL, but my point is that you have to get them young, before they go onto other professional sports, rather than trying to convert them. I think once they go into another sport they are lost, because the key stages of their development are through their late teens-early 20's. Like you said a 400lb sumo wrestler couldn't play O-line, but if you find him at 16, get him into a good college and develop him then he could make it. You look at the athletic facilities and resources available to the top college football programs, it is far superior to most of the top facilities for many professional sports.

I don't think our disagreement is that there isn't talent around the world, there certainly is. My view is that for it to be succesfull, the responsibility should be on colleges to find and develop the talent, rather NFL teams trying to convert from other sports. I think the major college programs should look at it more like baseball teams in regards to international scouting. Look for the guys young and develop them. Thats what happened with Jessie Williams, he was discovered at 16 by the University of Hawaii when they came to Australia for some trials. He didn't qualify acidemically so he went the JUCO route to get into the game before transfering to Alabama. I think if you wait intil he is 24 and playing professional rugby then he doesn't have a chance. But you get him into the sport when he is young and build the NFL athlete and you might have something.

I don't think our views are that far apart, we just have slightly different takes.

I think that with just accurate testing of physical measurables you'll see the process begin, if a college team can find a guy in Samoa that is a physical phenom, even if he hasn't played football before, they'd probably bring him over and develop him. The key is that colleges would have to focus on the right measurables instead of silly things like the 40 being run in underwear.

As soon as one college had a high profile impact player they got from some unknown backwater you'd see other colleges wanting to do likewise, then you'd see people in those countries setting up businesses where they tested and measured those people. Then you'd see football become popular because of the rewards and capitalism would do its thing.

All we need is a real minor league instead of highly flawed college system and we'd have a real talent farm. Football would soar to new heights!

 

[Wilfork#75]

I think that with just accurate testing of physical measurables you'll see the process begin, if a college team can find a guy in Samoa that is a physical phenom, even if he hasn't played football before, they'd probably bring him over and develop him. The key is that colleges would have to focus on the right measurables instead of silly things like the 40 being run in underwear.

As soon as one college had a high profile impact player they got from some unknown backwater you'd see other colleges wanting to do likewise, then you'd see people in those countries setting up businesses where they tested and measured those people. Then you'd see football become popular because of the rewards and capitalism would do its thing.

All we need is a real minor league instead of highly flawed college system and we'd have a real talent farm. Football would soar to new heights!

Hopefully that is what we will see with the success of Jessie Williams out here in Australia. Get more colleges out here looking at these young guys. I think Hawaii is the only program that sends people out here to look at the talent pool and even then they don't really get to dig too deep. I know we are starting to send an increasing number of basketball players over to play college hoops, maybe football is next.

And while I would love to see a true minor league system for the NFL, even just to see more of OTG's binkie's that don't quite make it, I love college football way to much to sacrifice it.

 

[Off The Grid]

I agree there are athletes from all over the world that could play in the NFL, but my point is that you have to get them young, before they go onto other professional sports, rather than trying to convert them. I think once they go into another sport they are lost, because the key stages of their development are through their late teens-early 20's. Like you said a 400lb sumo wrestler couldn't play O-line, but if you find him at 16, get him into a good college and develop him then he could make it. You look at the athletic facilities and resources available to the top college football programs, it is far superior to most of the top facilities for many professional sports.

I don't think our disagreement is that there isn't talent around the world, there certainly is. My view is that for it to be succesfull, the responsibility should be on colleges to find and develop the talent, rather NFL teams trying to convert from other sports. I think the major college programs should look at it more like baseball teams in regards to international scouting. Look for the guys young and develop them. Thats what happened with Jessie Williams, he was discovered at 16 by the University of Hawaii when they came to Australia for some trials. He didn't qualify acidemically so he went the JUCO route to get into the game before transfering to Alabama. I think if you wait intil he is 24 and playing professional rugby then he doesn't have a chance. But you get him into the sport when he is young and build the NFL athlete and you might have something.

I don't think our views are that far apart, we just have slightly different takes.

I think that with just accurate testing of physical measurables you'll see the process begin, if a college team can find a guy in Samoa that is a physical phenom, even if he hasn't played football before, they'd probably bring him over and develop him. The key is that colleges would have to focus on the right measurables instead of silly things like the 40 being run in underwear.

As soon as one college had a high profile impact player they got from some unknown backwater you'd see other colleges wanting to do likewise, then you'd see people in those countries setting up businesses where they tested and measured those people. Then you'd see football become popular because of the rewards and capitalism would do its thing.

All we need is a real minor league instead of highly flawed college system and we'd have a real talent farm. Football would soar to new heights!

VERY interesting thoughts, gents!!

MIND you: Even with the awful BCS system, I don't see us losing College FootBall.

We're talking about millions and millions of dollars.

More importantly, this is the rare sport where the "minor" leagues ~ the College Ranks ~ have a far richer and older history than the MAJOR league.

***

Even so: Great thoughts, gents.

 

[Snake Eyes]

VERY interesting thoughts, gents!!

MIND you: Even with the awful BCS system, I don't see us losing College FootBall.

We're talking about millions and millions of dollars.

More importantly, this is the rare sport where the "minor" leagues ~ the College Ranks ~ have a far richer and older history than the MAJOR league.

***

Even so: Great thoughts, gents.

I also dont see college football going anywhere but if there was a de facto minor league that took players right out of high school, that actually paid them, and played with NFL hash marks and rules, I think you'd see the elite talent going to that minor league and the college ranks getting everything else.

 

[Off The Grid]

I also dont see college football going anywhere but if there was a de facto minor league that took players right out of high school, that actually paid them, and played with NFL hash marks and rules, I think you'd see the elite talent going to that minor league and the college ranks getting everything else.

I expect you're right...

It is truly disgusting, the hypocrisy of the current system.

College Players are dirt poor, yet they get "character" flags for making a few bucks??

 

[Snake Eyes]

I expect you're right...

It is truly disgusting, the hypocrisy of the current system.

College Players are dirt poor, yet they get "character" flags for making a few bucks??

Total hypocrisy. They do that to maintain their stranglehold on those athletes: if the idea takes root that athletes can get paid they'll seek that out and an alternate/de facto minor league, with no prime talent anymore the college football system loses it's luster and soon a LOT of their money.

Imagine if college athletics went back to being just side activities for students to do while going to college.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Watched a lot of Georgia this year. Jones is solid, but I don't know if he's ever going to be elite. Still, I think he can be equal to or slightly better than Koppen, and that's worth a third in my book. I would not be opposed to taking him with our last 2nd, either, although I prefer investing in other areas first.

I have to wonder if Wendell isn't our center of the future, though. He's much more skilled than most posters on here realize.

Where will Cannon play? We've all assumed RG, but I could see him slotting in just about anywhere. Let's wait till the end of the season before we figure out what exactly our needs are.

 

[Off The Grid]

Watched a lot of Georgia this year. Jones is solid, but I don't know if he's ever going to be elite. Still, I think he can be equal to or slightly better than Koppen, and that's worth a third in my book. I would not be opposed to taking him with our last 2nd, either, although I prefer investing in other areas first.

Yes, that sounds about right.

I have high hopes that Ben Jones ~ with Dante's guidance ~ could develop into an All Pro level Center at the next level, but of course: All judgements are nominal, at this point ~ speculative. The picture will become incrementally clearer, in the months ahead.

In any case, one thing is certain at this early juncture: His frame ~ 6.3/315 ~ is perfect for the job, and matches up far better with the elite D Tackles of this league than that of either Dan Koppen or ~ Gods forbid ~ Ryan Wendell.

Whether or not he also brings sufficient Processing Speed, Diagnostic Acuity, Core Strength, Launch Velocity, and Athleticism to consistently excel against the league's elite is unclear, at this early juncture...But there is evidence enough to hope that he does...and to look forward to learning more.

 

[Off The Grid]

Let's wait till the end of the season before we figure out what exactly our needs are.

Let's not.

The entire point of such a Thread ~ the fun of it ~ is to speculate on what could be.

Where will Cannon play?

We've all assumed RG, but I could see him slotting in just about anywhere.

You've assumed Right Guard...and you've evidently assumed that I assumed that.

Personally, I've cooled considerably on Cannon, upon further reflection: The more I've delved into this whole Draft thing, over the last year or two, the more I've come to place great on value Launch Velocity ~ Bursting out of the Blocks ~ and that is a decidedly weak point of young Mister Cannon's. And his failure, so far as any reports we've heard, to lose 30 to 40 pounds or so as ~ I must admit ~ I'd rather assumed he would...leave me with grave concerns about how mobile this guy is going to be.

I'm not saying he can't play.

He most certainly can.

But I'd be MUCH more comfortable developing him a talented Reserve, than looking to him to start at a position ~ O Guard ~ that I consider absolutely vital to our Championship prospects.

As to your point about his potential versatility, I believe you are spot on, sir.

 

[Off The Grid]

Offensive Tackles!!

***

Please Note: We obviously are unlikely to need to draft starters, here, next year.

This is just for discussion and fun, in case any of my fellow Draft Nuts are interested.

***

Reminder: I should stress the point that I'm focusing on guys that have been profiled by NFL Draft Scout and National FootBall Post. I believe that both Sites get the "All 22" Film ~ an enormous advantage in evaluation, I think ~ and, as such, have the Opportunity to offer us insight that we're not privy to.

Furthermore, they've got the time and the resources to extensively study this "All 22" Game Tape and confer with other professionals.

All my positions are ultimately my own, obviously, but I consider it wise, indeed, to confer with Professionals who have the time and the access to resources that I do not, and allow them to do the heavy lifting.

***

Matt Kalil of Southern California ~ 6.6/294

Matt Kalil brings a remarkably complete Game to the table.

The Core Strength is there to Drive in the Run Game and Anchor in the Pass Game.

The Lateral Agility is there to be consistently effective on Sweeps and Traps.

The Processing Speed is there to Rapidly Read and React to Stunts and other last minute changes.

And the Range is definitely there, DownField.

Even his Mechanics are already outstanding.

The Launch Velocity needs some work, and he could have some problems with Speed.

Put all together, though, Matt Kalil is simply an outstanding Prospect, well worthy of his hype.

Beast!!


***

Riley Reiff of Iowa ~ 6.6/300

Riley Reiff is a genuinely exciting Prospect.

His Launch Velocity is excellent.

His Lateral Agility, his Range, his Fluidity ~ indeed, all aspects of his Athleticism ~ are spectacular.

His Core Strength is just average, but is rapidly improving, as he's a recent Tight End conversion.

He needs to keep developing, but has enough fire to do just that, and his ceiling is LOFTY.

Beast!!

***

Jon Martin of Stanford ~ 6.6/306

What stands out most about Jon Martin, in my mind, is his outstanding Launch Velocity.

That speaks to Explosiveness and to Processing Speed.

He offers superior Core Strength, with the Frame to add more bulk without compromising his Athleticism.

Furthermore, he brings exceptional Lateral Agility and Range to the table.

Jon Martin is a complete prospect, with great upside as well, and fully justifies his lofty Market Value.

Beast!!

***

Mike Adams of Ohio State ~ 6.6/320

Mike Adams' best attribute is, to my mind, the most important one: explosiveLaunch Velocity.

He is disturbingly inconsistent with his crouch, however, often bending at the waist and losing the Leverage battle.

This speaks to insufficient Core Strength, of course, and that is something he's going to need to work on, in order to attain the elite level that his current Market Value demands.

He gets good grades on Fluidity, Agility, and Range, however.

Mike Adams brings plenty of gifts to the table, but his dubious Core Strength and questionable Mechanics worry me. He certainly has a great deal of upside, but in my view carries far too much risk to warrant his current 1st Round Market Value.

OverRated!!

***

Zebrie Sanders of Florida State ~ 6.5/305

Zebrie Sanders has a number of issues in his game, in my view.

He gets poor reviews on his Launch Velocity, which will get him beat far more often at the next level if he doesn't improve on it. And it raises concerns about his Processing Speed.

Additionally, there are issues with his Diagnostic Acuity ~ his decision making skills.

He gets diverging reviews on his Coil and Crouch, as well, which speaks to inconsistency, there, and, ultimately, issues with his Core Strength.

He does get good grades for Fluidity and Lateral Agility, and decent grades for Range.

The potential is there, but with so many concerns about his game, I have to call his current 2nd ~ 3rd Round Market Value a bit inflated.

OverRated!!

***

Andrew Datko of Florida State ~ 6.6/321

Andrew Datko exhibits superior Launch Velocity out of an exceptionally compact Coil.

He gets consistently cautionary comments about his Core Strength, but his consistently compact Coil such as he brings to the table speaks not just to flexibility, but to functional strength, in my view, and goes a long way towards alleviating this issue.

Mind you: He's no mauling, marauding Beast, and any lineman would optimally be both flexible and powerfull.

Datko gets exceptionally high grades for Fluidity, Lateral Agility, and Range, boasting outstanding Athleticism for a man of his mass.

Good grades on Diagnostic Acuity, as well.

His Core Strength concerns will almost certainly prevent his becoming an elite level player at the next level, but his combination of Size, Athleticism, Intelligence, and a tremendous Work Ethic make him an excellent prospect.

Stud Horse!!

*** More Coming in a Few Minutes!! ***​

***

 

[Off The Grid]

Levy Adcock of Oklahoma State ~ 6.5/322

Levy Adcock brings a refreshingly balanced portfolio of Attributes to the table.

His Launch Velocity ~ Burst out of the Blocks ~ is excellent.

His Core Strength is superior.

His Lateral Agility and Range are pretty good, and his Fluidity is exceptional.

I wouldn't call him elite, but he convincingly earns his current ~ 2nd to 3rd Round ~ Market Value.

Stud Horse!!

***

Brandon Mosley of Auburn ~ 6.5/305

Brandon Mosley, for my money, is one of the most intriguing O Tackle prospects in this Draft.

He's a JuCo transfer and a Tight End Convertible who hasn't even been playing O Tackle for two full years, yet he's already displaying exceptional, rapidly improving Diagnostic Acuity and Instincts, and an appetite for Contact.

His Launch Velocity out of the Blocks is excellent.

His Core Strength is superior, and is also on the rise.

And his Fluidity and Lateral Agility are also ahead of the curve and improving.

In short, this is a kid with considerable talents who got a late start but is rapidly developing them. Everybody gives him outstanding marks for his Work Ethic and sheer Passion for the Game, and while he doesn't have an elite skill set, this is one kind who I would bet on heavily.

His current Market Value has risen to the 3rd or 4th Round, and if it remains there, he will be a flat out Steal.

Sleeper Stud Horse!!

***

Nate Potter of Boise State ~ 6.6/300

Nate Potter is an intriguing Prospect.

Mind you: There's a lot to work on, here.

His Launch Velocity needs a lot of work.

His Core Strength is equally inadequate.

But he's got the Frame to add the Beef to fix the second problem.

And he's intelligent enough that the right Coach might help him alleviate the first: The Diagnostic Acuity is there.

And his Lateral Agility is excellent.

Nate Potter is a prospect with very good upside...but is an huge question mark. As National FootBall Post's Wes Bunting so aptly puts it, more or less: All depends on his bulking up while retaining his Agility.

His current Market Value is in the 3rd to 4th Round range, and that's just about right.

Project!!

***

Matt McCants of Birmingham ~ 6.6/294

Matt McCants brings a remarkably thin resume to the table, having converted from Tuba player to Offensive Tackle as a Senior in High School!!

Naturally, he is still rather raw...

But all agree: He's blessed with an exceptional set of tools: Outstanding Fluidity and Lateral Agility, tremendous Range DownField, decent Launch Velocity, and while his Core Strength is still developmental and his Mechanics raw, he has a great Frame for adding the Beef he'll need at the next level, and there's good reason to expect that the coaching and conditioning support will be greatly improved, as well.

Mind you: The fact that he was playing the Tuba instead of playing FootBall, 5 short years ago, is cause for pause.

And his missing an entire season as a Sophomore because of his GPA is, as well.

Even so, his physical gifts are tremendous, and his potential is great.

At this early stage, I would want to get a much clearer view of his Desire and Work Ethic, but with a Market Value currently floating in the 3rd to 4th Round range, he presents an extraordinary potential Opportunity.

Sleeper!!

***

Ryan Miller of Colorado ~ 6.8/300

I cannot for the life of me fathom why in the name of GOD they're playing Ryan Miller at Guard.

And because of Colorado's inexplicable decision to do so, it's a sketchy endeavor, evaluating him as an O Tackle.

But that is how I shall proceed. Columbia BroadCasting ~ which I generally employ as a positional guide on the more mercurial Prospects ~ currently persists in labeling him as an O Guard, but that's just insane.

I will treat Ryan Miller as a rarity, indeed: an O Guard -> O Tackle Convertible.

***

Ryan Miller commands dubious Launch Velocity, which also sheds doubt on his Processing Speed, and he gets mixed reviews on Driving Power + Anchoring Strength.

However, his Lateral Agility is intriguing, and speaks directly to the Skill Set of an effective O Tackle.

And while he does get mixed reviews on Power and Strength, that is, in itself, not too shabby for a 6.8 TOWER.

And it strongly suggests that ~ were he to be swung out to his correct position, O Tackle ~ he may very well excel.

Miller intrigues me. His current Market Value is the 4th or 5th Round, and God knows there is plenty of room for failure, here...But the frame is there to be an exceptional O Tackle, he gets good review for his Work Ethic, he already gets lauded for his Lateral Agility, despite playing ~ inexplicably ~ out of position...and I'd have to say that ~ as Gambles go ~ he'd be a pretty damned good one, in the early stages of Day 3.

Sleeper!!

***

Matt Reynolds of Brigham Young ~ 6.4/304

Matt Reynolds strikes me as a guy with limited physical gifts yet sufficient savvy to survive at the next level.

His Core Strength, Fluidity, Lateral Agility, and his Launch Velocity are all decent without being exceptional.

I do get the impression, though, that he brings superior Diagnostic Acuity to the table. National FootBall Post's Wes Bunting writes of his "understanding angles", and it is my belief that diligent work on those little things is generally vastly underrated when evaluating Prospects.

His current Market Value seems to be around the 5th Round, and that seems just about right, to me.

Good Value!!

*** Notes To Follow in a Few Minutes!! ***​

***

 

[Off The Grid]

Notes

1 ~ Obviously, we're not likely to need Starters, next year.

2 ~ I'm always interested in developing cheap, raw talent, though.

3 ~ I'd also like to target O Tackle -> O Guard Convertibles.

Late Round + UFA O Tackles

Josh Oglesbly of Wisconsin ~ 6.7/330 ~ UFA

Brother Wilfork brought him up earlier: Super Star recruit out of high school who's fallen on hard times, but I have to think that the talent is still there to go with his gargantuan Frame, buried though it be...And if we can just get him some coaching and some strength training while he works his way healthy, we might steal an All Pro Level GEM!!

James Carmon of Mississippi State ~ 6.7/330 ~ 6th/7th

A surprisingly athletic SUPER Beast.

Switched over from Defense, this year, and is still learning.

My question is: WHY???

Switch him BACK, and DEVELOP this frightening Talent for Defensive End!! :rocker:

Late Round + UFA ~ OT -> OG Convertibles

Jeff Allen of Illinois ~ 6.4/315 ~ 6th/7th

DEEP Sleeper. Highly athletic Beast flying WAY Under the Radar.

Some other Names that interest me at this point...

Manase Foketi
John Cullen
Al Netter

 

[Snake Eyes]

Grid, thanks again for the posts. Are there any TE->O-line conversions in the Maneri mold for this year?

 

[Off The Grid]

Grid, thanks again for the posts. Are there any TE->O-line conversions in the Maneri mold for this year?

Beau Reliford of Florida State ~ 6.5/260 ~ a guy I really like as a punishing Blocker.

And he's a BasketBall conversion, which is my FAVORITE!! :rocker:

But at 6.5, I just don't think he's got the Frame...

***

George Bryan of North Carolina State ~ 6.5/265 ~ is another guy, but he's also too short to be expected to just add 40-50 pounds, and while he's got some blocking chops, he's not at Reliford's level, much less that of Steve Maneri, Will Yeatman, or Lee Smith...

***

Of course, there is ONE guy...

Michael Williams of Alabama ~ 6.6/270 and a BEAST of a Blocker!! :rocker:

We Have BINGO!!

 

[Wilfork#75]

I love Michael Williams and i've had him in my last few mocks, and probably will the rest of the way, because like you said he is a beast of a blocker. He's been a key part of the success of both Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson in the past few years, and I think he could step in from day 1 and fill the Alge Crumpler role I think we are missing this year. I think he has the skills and frame to potentially transition to OT, but with his athletecism, and unterutilized pass catching potential, I prefer him at TE. Given some time to develop I could see him as a poor mans Gronk or Brandon Pettigrew type player.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

Mike Adams is a bust. I guarantee that. As for the Wisconsin RT. Good Run blocker, ok pass protector, probably a 1-2 year project pick (3rd day selection).

Since we have no 3rd day selections, guess we aren't taking him.

 

[Wilfork#75]

Mike Adams is a bust. I guarantee that. As for the Wisconsin RT. Good Run blocker, ok pass protector, probably a 1-2 year project pick (3rd day selection).

Since we have no 3rd day selections, guess we aren't taking him.

With BB's trading down I'm sure we will pick up some late round picks at some point. And with Oglesby's extensive injury history he could easily be an UDFA anyway, so I think he's worth the risk. But like you said he is going to take time to develop because he is still playing mostly off pure talent, and needs a lot of technique work. One positive I read though is that he is one of, if not the hardest worker on the Wisconsin team, he's just had some terrible injury luck.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

With BB's trading down I'm sure we will pick up some late round picks at some point. And with Oglesby's extensive injury history he could easily be an UDFA anyway, so I think he's worth the risk. But like you said he is going to take time to develop because he is still playing mostly off pure talent, and needs a lot of technique work. One positive I read though is that he is one of, if not the hardest worker on the Wisconsin team, he's just had some terrible injury luck.

Speed rushers and quick inside moves are his downfall. HE is still a damn good run blocker.
That being said, I see no difference between Mike Adams and the Wisconsin RT. And I've seen Mike Adams under perform for 4 years.