The 2013 Prospect Thread

[mackenzie45220]

Sleeper alert!

First of all, the only team I have ever scouted in person is the Cincinnati Bearcats. I live within borderline walking distance of Nippert Stadium. I was at the Fordham game to watch Kenbrell Thompkins, Walter Stewart, Drew Frey, and Dominique Battle. There was one play during which the UC tight end made a really impressive long catch and run. I didn't think much of it at the time (since I hadn't heard of him, I assumed he was an underclassman). That was a mistake

Travis Kelce's brother is the starting center for the Philadelphia Eagles. Travis is 6'5, 260lbs, and runs a 4.68 40 yard dash according to nfldraftscout. I can corroborate that 40 based on what I saw on that play. He looked really fast. This season, he has 15 catches for 308 yards (20.5 yards per catch) through 7 games, which is pretty good stats for a tight end.

I hope to attend the next game against Syracuse and get a closer look at him, but this is pretty exciting. Looks like the most underrated tight end I have ever seen.

 

[mayoclinic]

Sleeper alert!

First of all, the only team I have ever scouted in person is the Cincinnati Bearcats. I live within borderline walking distance of Nippert Stadium. I was at the Fordham game to watch Kenbrell Thompkins, Walter Stewart, Drew Frey, and Dominique Battle. There was one play during which the UC tight end made a really impressive long catch and run. I didn't think much of it at the time (since I hadn't heard of him, I assumed he was an underclassman). That was a mistake

Travis Kelce's brother is the starting center for the Philadelphia Eagles. Travis is 6'5, 260lbs, and runs a 4.68 40 yard dash according to nfldraftscout. I can corroborate that 40 based on what I saw on that play. He looked really fast. This season, he has 15 catches for 308 yards (20.5 yards per catch) through 7 games, which is pretty good stats for a tight end.

I hope to attend the next game against Syracuse and get a closer look at him, but this is pretty exciting. Looks like the most underrated tight end I have ever seen.

Why would BB possibly be interested in yet another TE?

In the words of OTG, HELL, yeah! Besides his size (6'6" 260" according to the Cincinnati website, but even if he's only a puny 6'5" as you say I can live with it) and your reports of his speed are obviously intriguing. Good looking kid:



Looks vaguely reminiscent of someone ... can't recall who.

Other things of note:

- 3 sport high school athlete (baseball and basketball). Love TEs with basketball backgrounds.
- Started out as a QB, so he should have some "processing speed" and ability to understand offensive schemes. Plus he's been used in Wildcat situations

He's a redshirt senior, and on the downside, he missed all of 2010 due to an undisclosed "violation of team rules", so there's some baggage there. But he seems to have cleaned up whatever went on since then.

Here's a nice read:

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/...Travis-Kelce-makes-most-final-season-Bearcat

Great find, Mackenzie. Right in your own backyard, so to speak. :youtheman:

But please don't profile him on NFLmocks. Keep it quiet, please.

 

[mackenzie45220]

Why would BB possibly be interested in yet another TE?

In the words of OTG, HELL, yeah! Besides his size (6'6" 260" according to the Cincinnati website, but even if he's only a puny 6'5" as you say I can live with it) and your reports of his speed are obviously intriguing. Good looking kid:



Looks vaguely reminiscent of someone ... can't recall who.

Other things of note:

- 3 sport high school athlete (baseball and basketball). Love TEs with basketball backgrounds.
- Started out as a QB, so he should have some "processing speed" and ability to understand offensive schemes. Plus he's been used in Wildcat situations

He's a redshirt senior, and on the downside, he missed all of 2010 due to an undisclosed "violation of team rules", so there's some baggage there. But he seems to have cleaned up whatever went on since then.

Here's a nice read:

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/...Travis-Kelce-makes-most-final-season-Bearcat

Great find, Mackenzie. Right in your own backyard, so to speak. :youtheman:

But please don't profile him on NFLmocks. Keep it quiet, please.

I'm not that influential. I'm not ready to profile him on nflmocks, but it will not matter if I do. Thank you, though.

 

[Merril Hoge's Tie Knot]

Lattimore just went down with a gruesome looking knee injury. Ranked 27 at CBS, he is going to have to stay at school.

 

[Merril Hoge's Tie Knot]

I reviewed SC at Florida and BYU at ND recently.

First, BYU. I reviewed this game almost exclusively for Ezekiel Ansah. I'm just going to come right out with it. He's not good against the run at all. He plays too high and has little anchor. He spent a lot of time on the ground pancaked. BYU took him out for two long rushing drives because he was getting run over. Not just his fault but ND ran for 270 on 43 carries. Still with his newness to the game I think any flaw could still be coachable. His pad level is coachable. You all know about his size and athleticism so I’m not going to talk about that. He moves all around the front 7 depending on the situation. I saw him at OLB, DE, DT, and NT. That versatility and understanding of several positions is a plus. He primarily plays on the left side, which is also a plus from a Patriots perspective. I still like his pass rush ability. He had a gorgeous bull rush on ND’s LT that pushed him right into the QB. He also had a very JPP-like pass deflection that resulted in an interception by the secondary. I still like him as a prospect but make no mistake he is very raw, especially against the run.


Florida has a hell of a defense with lots of playmakers. I like all of their defensive backs, and it’s no wonder why. Muschump isn’t just the head coach but also the defensive backs coach.

Matt Elam had another great game. He starts at safety but moves to slot corner in the nickel. He played corner most of the game and allowed just one completion. I’ve yet to find a real weakness in his game.

Josh Evans caught my eye. I didn’t know he was draft eligible but turns out he is. He’s a rangy free safety type.

I foresee *Loucheiz Purifoy* in my mock drafts next season. It was the second time in a row I had to check to see if he was eligible yet. He isn’t. As crazy as it sound he basically won the game for Florida on the first play.

Jelani Jenkins is electric. Excellent cover skills, energy, and I love the way he seems to float through traffic to make tackles. It’s not often you see a linebacker with ball skills like his.

 

[VrabelJr]

I'm super impressed with Tyler Bray out of Tenn. He's a junior and tbh he probably could use another year in college. But if he were to come out I'd put him as a top 3 QB prospect.

 

[VrabelJr]

On another note, I've pegged the three areas as big need for the Pats in order:

1. Interior pass rushing DT
2. Free Safety
3. Nickel LB

Besides Safety, this years crop looks super disappointing at the types of DT and LBs we need.

 

[Avenger]

Notre Dame @ Oklahoma

Quick hits:

1. Blake Bell is huge, he makes big ben look small. Same size and weight as Gronk playing QB
2. Manti Te'o is a beast
3. I like Tony Jefferson coming out of this game better than I liked him going in
4. Tom Wort had a few nice plays

 

[Avenger]

Marcus Lattimore broke his femur and patella, and tore the ACL, MCL, PCL and LCL in his knee.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Marcus Lattimore broke his femur and patella, and tore the ACL, MCL, PCL and LCL in his knee.

Fotget football.

He will be lucky to ever walk normally again.

 

[Merril Hoge's Tie Knot]

Marcus Lattimore broke his femur and patella, and tore the ACL, MCL, PCL and LCL in his knee.

Poor guy. That should all but end his career.

 

[manxman2601]

I'm super impressed with Tyler Bray out of Tenn. He's a junior and tbh he probably could use another year in college. But if he were to come out I'd put him as a top 3 QB prospect.

Really? He's got the arm but the football intelligence of a gnat. The rumours I've seen is that he spends all his downtime clubbing rather than studying film. I doubt he comes out but if he does, it will be interesting to see whether he takes a Mallett like fall - similar personalities by the looks of it.

On another note, I've pegged the three areas as big need for the Pats in order:

1. Interior pass rushing DT
2. Free Safety
3. Nickel LB

Besides Safety, this years crop looks super disappointing at the types of DT and LBs we need.

I think it's potentially a good to very good class of pass defending LB's from the top (CJ Moseley and Michael Mauti) through to the likes of Alec Ogletree (possibly), Khaseem Greene and the two Iowa staters.

 

[nekromantique]

Marcus Lattimore broke his femur and patella, and tore the ACL, MCL, PCL and LCL in his knee.

terrible. guy has so much talent its ridiculous...just has the worst luck with major injuries. staying for his senior year probably wont help him (draft-wise), sadly...but it may be in his best interests...get the education while youre on scholarship.

 

[manxman2601]

At the risk of being boring, I just wanted to share one play with you.

It's Jonathan Cooper (again, sorry). Watch the play at 0:11 in the video below (LG remember). He blocks one lineman, then a second then runs across the field to block for Giovanni Bernard and then runs downfield in front of him for 40-50 yards. He is seriously athletic.

Sorry for the repetition but I started watching the vid and was so impressed with the play I wanted to share.


Ross ****rell vs North Carolina 2012 - YouTube

 

[Luxusdk]

Do you think we need a gaurd that bad ? - Do you see us use a top pick on a gaurd?

I beleave, that next year Marcus Cannon can be moved to OG and i think it's the right place for him. Right guard look's like the place for him. He's been used some this year, but comming back 100% from chemo, is alot easy to say then doing. Next year with a full season of regraining the lost plus a off season,then i think he could be ready. But then again, that would only be posibel IF we resign Volmer and getting a OT ( could be Long and/or a FA signing ) I have no clue if there's a player on the practice squard there's worth talking about?

Would also mean we can move Connolly back to C, not because Wendell been bad, infact i think he's the furture at C. Then there's Thomas, who's 2 years older then McDonald, but i'm not so sure he's the answer as the 4 gaurd next year, might being better to "promote" McD and go with him.

 

[manxman2601]

Do you think we need a gaurd that bad ? - Do you see us use a top pick on a gaurd?

I beleave, that next year Marcus Cannon can be moved to OG and i think it's the right place for him. Right guard look's like the place for him. He's been used some this year, but comming back 100% from chemo, is alot easy to say then doing. Next year with a full season of regraining the lost plus a off season,then i think he could be ready. But then again, that would only be posibel IF we resign Volmer and getting a OT ( could be Long and/or a FA signing ) I have no clue if there's a player on the practice squard there's worth talking about?

Would also mean we can move Connolly back to C, not because Wendell been bad, infact i think he's the furture at C. Then there's Thomas, who's 2 years older then McDonald, but i'm not so sure he's the answer as the 4 gaurd next year, might being better to "promote" McD and go with him.

I do for Four reasons:

1. In terms of evaluating a player based purely on his abilities rather than need or position value, he will be very close to the BPA available. For example, Scouts inc has him as their 10th best player.

2. If as some are reporting that scouts see Cooper as better than DeCastro then Cooper may well become one of the best guards in the NFL and we're rarely in a position to draft one of the best players in the NFL (by position) so we should take advantage of it when the opportunity arises.

3. Logan Mankins was a guard taken in the first and we've done quite well with him haven't we?

4. With the way the teams developing, a quality OG is a necessity. We're running the ball a lot more and we run a lot of screens and draws. That requires an athletic guard.

I wouldn't normally be in favour of taking a guard in the first round, it's just I think Cooper is that good. Put it this way, ignoring who we did select last year and what we know now, if the Patriots had selected David DeCastro, would you have been disappointed. I wouldn't have and I suspect it would largely have been respected as a good pick hereabouts. Cooper is the same.

For now, in terms of first round wants I have it:

1= J Cooper
1= Terrance Williams
1= Ziggy Ansah
4 Cornelius Carradine
5 Dion Jordan (so confused with him. Great player but just don't see a great fit. Could still end up my no 1 someday).

How decisive am I?

Edit: Just thought of another reason. Logan Mankins is by far and away our best interior lineman but he's constantly beset by niggling injuries so Cooper also reduces the amount our OL suffers when Mankins is out.

 

[mayoclinic]

Do you think we need a gaurd that bad ? - Do you see us use a top pick on a gaurd?

I beleave, that next year Marcus Cannon can be moved to OG and i think it's the right place for him. Right guard look's like the place for him. He's been used some this year, but comming back 100% from chemo, is alot easy to say then doing. Next year with a full season of regraining the lost plus a off season,then i think he could be ready. But then again, that would only be posibel IF we resign Volmer and getting a OT ( could be Long and/or a FA signing ) I have no clue if there's a player on the practice squard there's worth talking about?

Would also mean we can move Connolly back to C, not because Wendell been bad, infact i think he's the furture at C. Then there's Thomas, who's 2 years older then McDonald, but i'm not so sure he's the answer as the 4 gaurd next year, might being better to "promote" McD and go with him.

I do for Four reasons:

1. In terms of evaluating a player based purely on his abilities rather than need or position value, he will be very close to the BPA available. For example, Scouts inc has him as their 10th best player.

2. If as some are reporting that scouts see Cooper as better than DeCastro then Cooper may well become one of the best guards in the NFL and we're rarely in a position to draft one of the best players in the NFL (by position) so we should take advantage of it when the opportunity arises.

3. Logan Mankins was a guard taken in the first and we've done quite well with him haven't we?

4. With the way the teams developing, a quality OG is a necessity. We're running the ball a lot more and we run a lot of screens and draws. That requires an athletic guard.

I wouldn't normally be in favour of taking a guard in the first round, it's just I think Cooper is that good. Put it this way, ignoring who we did select last year and what we know now, if the Patriots had selected David DeCastro, would you have been disappointed. I wouldn't have and I suspect it would largely have been respected as a good pick hereabouts. Cooper is the same.

For now, in terms of first round wants I have it:

1= J Cooper
1= Terrance Williams
1= Ziggy Ansah
4 Cornelius Carradine

How decisive am I?

Edit: Just thought of another reason. Logan Mankins is by far and away our best interior lineman but he's constantly beset by niggling injuries so Cooper also reduces the amount our OL suffers when Mankins is out.

I actually agree with both of you, to a certain extent.

I firmly believe in drafting talent over need, and I don't think the Pats have to reach for a guard. I think that Marcus Cannon could easily move to RG allowing Connolly to move to center, and that the Pats could get a quality swing tackle in the 3rd round or so (I've suggested someone like Lane Johnson of Oklahoma), and/or a developmental tackle like Kyle Long or Luke Marquardt.

But I also believer in Manx's philosophy of "evaluating a player based purely on his abilities rather than need or position value". And I also value interior linemen VERY highly on both offense and defense, and in building from the "inside out" as has been discussed before:

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/10/922318-building-team-inside-out.html

I have no doubt that Jonathan Cooper is a tremendous guard prospect for the Pats, on a par with Logan Mankins, Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro. So I'd have no trouble taking him with a top 40 pick. Whether I would do so depends on who else is available. Unlike Manx, I don't believe in taking WRs in the 1st round. My top 3 for the Pats right now would be Cooper, Jesse Williams, and Ziggy Ansah, with the order TBD. Ansah is obviously rawer than the other two right now, and further evaluation would be required. As with Manx, Tank Carradine could also factor into the mix, but for right now, Ansah's upside and versatility give him the edge on my list.

 

[mackenzie45220]

Really? He's got the arm but the football intelligence of a gnat. The rumours I've seen is that he spends all his downtime clubbing rather than studying film. I doubt he comes out but if he does, it will be interesting to see whether he takes a Mallett like fall - similar personalities by the looks of it.



I think it's potentially a good to very good class of pass defending LB's from the top (CJ Moseley and Michael Mauti) through to the likes of Alec Ogletree (possibly), Khaseem Greene and the two Iowa staters.

I agree with manxman. Bray is overrated

 

[mackenzie45220]

At the risk of being boring, I just wanted to share one play with you.

It's Jonathan Cooper (again, sorry). Watch the play at 0:11 in the video below (LG remember). He blocks one lineman, then a second then runs across the field to block for Giovanni Bernard and then runs downfield in front of him for 40-50 yards. He is seriously athletic.

Sorry for the repetition but I started watching the vid and was so impressed with the play I wanted to share.


Ross ****rell vs North Carolina 2012 - YouTube

I love him too. Just for the record, I think the fact that this video's title is partially censored is seriously hilarious.

 

[mackenzie45220]

Poor guy. That should all but end his career.

So sad. Worst injury I've ever seen.