2010 Draft Prospects

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Right now I see 4 potential areas meriting a day 1 pick, with 4 day 1 picks:

1. DE/LB. Our biggest area of need, OLB > ILB, but I could see potentially 2 picks in this area. One could be a current college DE who would play DE in the 4-3 and OLB in the 3-4. This includes players like senior Greg Hardy and juniors Jason Pierre-Paul, Derrick Morgan and Everson Griffen. The other would be more a college "hybrid" who could play 4-3 SAM and either 3-4 OLB or SILB (or both). This includes players like seniors Sergio Kindle, Jerry Hughes and Ricky Sapp and juniors Jeremy Beals and Jason Worilds at OLB/SAM, and seniors Brandon Spikes and Eric Norwood and junior Rolando McClain at SILB/OLB/SAM.

Again, I could see potentially 2 first day picks used in this area, as it seems by far our biggest area of need.

2. OL. OG seems more like a need than OT, though OT is generally more valued. I consider junior OT Bruce Campbell, senior OG Mike Iupati and junior OG/C Maurkice Pouncey to be my favorite guys warranting a day 1 pick at this point.

3. RB. We could definitely use a young RB to pair with Maroney and BJGE, as Faulk's contract is up after this year, Faulk/Morris/Taylor are all 32+, and Taylor/Morris have been injured. I tend to favor a north-south physical back in the Corey Dillon mode to an all-purpose elusive guy such as Jahvid Best or CJ Spiller. The two guys who stand out to me are juniors Jonathan Dwyer (6'1" 230#, in the Jonathan Stewart mode) from Georgia Tech and Ryan Mathews (5'11" 220#, in the Rashard Mendenhall mode) from Fresno St.

4. 3-4 DE. With Seymour gone there is definite need for a 5-technique guy. Ndamukong Suh will go top 5. Gerald McCoy will go top 10 and I see him more as a 4-3 DT than a 3-4 DE. Arthur Jones from Syracuse (6'4" 295#) and Jared Odrick from Penn St. (6'5" 300#) could go in the mid-late 1st round. Juniors Lawrence Marsh from Florida (6'5" 305#) and Adrian Campbell from Iowa (6'3", 282+#) are interesting 2nd round prospects right now. I'm not sure about Vince Oghobasse from Duke (6'6" 310#) - not sure he has the athleticism to play the 5 technique for us.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

I could definitely see us spending a 2nd round pick on a RB to complement Maroney and BJGE. I favor a pounding back as opposed to an all-purpose guy (CJ Spiller, Jahvid Best). The two that I like are juniors Jonathan Dwyer from Georgia Tech and Ryan Mathews from Fresno St.

Dwyer reminds me a bit of Jonathan Stewart, or possibly a young Corey Dillon - big, physical, punishing but can break the big play. Here's some nice footage of Dwyer running over people:

YouTube - 2009 GT-UVA Jonathan Dwyer Blows Up A Virginia Cavalier
YouTube - Dwyer Runs Over a Hurricane (UM v GT 08)
YouTube - Jonathan Dwyer great run

Mathews is a 5'11" 220#, a bit faster and less physical than Dwyer but still punishing, and with great home run ability. Hits the hole very aggressively - no dancing from this guy. Reminds me a lot of Rashard Mendenhall and Donald Brown, or even a young Fred Taylor. He just looks like a pure thoroughbread RB to me. Here's some video:

YouTube - Best Runningback in NCAA
YouTube - Ryan Mathews 3TD's (2009)
YouTube - Ryan Mathews 2007 Highlights

I like Dwyer a lot, but I really love the way Mathews runs, and think he's also a terrific weapon out of the backfield (see around the 3:35 mark of the first video clip of Mathews). He has better acceleration (Dwyer's a load once he gets going, but he doesn't accelerate as quickly), runs lower to the ground, causes more people to miss or not make good contact, and has more home run capability than Dwyer. Coming from Fresno St. may cause him to slip a bit, and I'm guessing he will go sometime in the 2nd round if he comes out.

Couldn't go wrong with either one, but I'm leading towards Mathews as my favorite guy right now. Hope he flies a bit under the radar.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

ESPN reports today that Ryan Mathews is considering submitting his name to the draft advisory board.

Fresno State's Mathews weighs his future - College Football Nation - ESPN

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Nice article on Maryland OT Bruce Campbell:

The Diamondback - Campbell soldiers onward

Sounds like a tough kid. He's a stud, both on the field and by the numbers, and will likely be a top 15 and possible top 10 pick if he declares. I think he's the best pure draft eligible LT prospect. If he should somehow slip to us because of nagging injuries I think the value would be too good to pass up, even though other needs are greater.

 

[glm]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

The prospects I like for this team for now are:
DE:
1. Ndamukong Suh
2. Gerald McCoy
3. Carlos Dunlap
4. Brian Price
5. Jared Odrick
RB:
1. Ryan Mathews
2. Jonathan Dwyer
3. Toby Gerhart
4. Anthony Dixon
5. John Clay
OLB:
1. Jerry Hughes
2. Von Miller
3. O'Brien Schofield
4. Jeremy Beal
5. Ryan Kerrigan
ILB:
1. Eric Norwood
2. Rolando McClain
3. Brandon Spikes
4. Pat Angerer
5. Sean Weatherspoon
OG:
1. Russell Okung
2. Mike Johnson
3. Maurkice Pouncey
4. Bryan Bulaga
5. Zane Beadles

 

[ForThoseAboutToRock]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Article on Rolando McClain.

Makes him sound like a BB dream player:

"Some guys understand their position," Saban said. "But I would venture to guess Ro knows what every player is supposed to do on every play on defense, and he knows like I know who didn't do right, and when he didn't do right, sometimes immediately."

This makes me think he could fulfill the role of 3-4 OLB in the Adalius Thomas mold-setting edges, shedding blocks with the smarts to know where to be for coverage:

"Not only are his legs real strong," Dial said of McClain, "but he's so physical with his hands in shedding blockers. He never stays blocked. You have to stop the linebacker's charge and switch his momentum. He's so violent when he comes and meets you in the hole, all you hope for is a stalemate. Instead of the running back picking his hole, Ro makes the decision for the running back which way he is going to go."

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

The prospects I like for this team for now are:
DE:
1. Ndamukong Suh
2. Gerald McCoy
3. Carlos Dunlap
4. Brian Price
5. Jared Odrick
RB:
1. Ryan Mathews
2. Jonathan Dwyer
3. Toby Gerhart
4. Anthony Dixon
5. John Clay
OLB:
1. Jerry Hughes
2. Von Miller
3. O'Brien Schofield
4. Jeremy Beal
5. Ryan Kerrigan
ILB:
1. Eric Norwood
2. Rolando McClain
3. Brandon Spikes
4. Pat Angerer
5. Sean Weatherspoon
OG:
1. Russell Okung
2. Mike Johnson
3. Maurkice Pouncey
4. Bryan Bulaga
5. Zane Beadles

I'll bite. The players I like for this team right now are:

OT:

1. Bruce Campbell, Maryland (junior). 6'6" 310#. Best LT prospect since Ryan Clady. With Greg Hardy and Rolando McClain, my top pick for the Pats.
2. Brian Bulaga, Iowa (junior). 6'6" 312#.
3. Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin (junior). 6'7" 325#. Tremendous RT prospect.
4. Kyle Calloway, Iowa. 6'7" 315#. Pure RT.
5t. Jason Fox, Miami. 6'7" 315#.
5t. Jeff Linkenbach, Cincinnati. 6'6" 311#.

OG/C:

1. Mike Iupati, Iowa. 6'6" 330#. Moves like a much smaller man.
2. Maurkice Pouncey, Florida (junior). 6'5" 318#.
3. Mike Johnson, Alabama. 6'5" 305#. A beast with a nasty attitude.
4. Jon Asamoah, Illinois. 6'5" 315#.
5. Zane Beadles, Utah. 6'4" 305#.

RB:

1. Ryan Mathews, Fresno St. (junior). 5'11" 220#.
2. Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech (junior). 6' 230#.
3. LaGarrette Blount, Oregon. 6'1" 230#.
4. Ben Tate, Auburn. 5'11" 220#. Poor man's Ryan Mathews.
5. Toby Gerhart, Stanford. 6'1" 235#. Poor man's Jonathan Dwyer.

Note: I'm not personally in favor of a speed back like Jahvid Best or CJ Spiller.

3-4 DE:

1. Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska. 6'4" 305#. We won't get within 20 picks of him.
2. Lawrence Marsh, Florida (junior). 6'5" 305#. Could be a young Suh.
3. Jared Odrick, Penn St. 6'5" 305#.
4. Arthur Jones, Syracuse. 6'4" 295#.
5. Adrian Clayborn, Iowa (junior). 6'3" 285#. Very strong and a playmaker.

Note: I don't think Gerald McCoy or Carlos Dunlap are 3-4 DE's for the Pats. Brian Price is on the short side (6'2").

4-3 DE/3-4 Elephant:

1. Greg Hardy, Mississippi. 6'5" 267#. Terrific elephant prospect. Finally healthy again. My co-#1 pick with Bruce Campbell and Rolando McClain.
2. Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech. 6'4" 268#. Incredible motor. Unstoppable.
3. Everson Griffen, USC (junior). 6'3" 275#+. Amazing athleticism.
4. Jason Pierre-Paul, USF (junior). 6'6" 265#. Incredible upside, but very raw.
5. Carlos Dunlap, Florida (junior). 6'6" 280#. Inconsistent, but amazing upside.

3-4 OLB:

1. Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma (junior). 6'3" 257#. Combination of Kindle and Hughes.
2. Sergio Kindle, Texas. 6'4" 255#. Very fast and athletic. More athlete than football player.
3. Jerry Hughes, TCU. 6'3" 257#. Terrific motor.
4. Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech (junior). 6'2" 252#.
5. O'Brien Schofield, Wisconsin. 6'2" 248#.

3-4 ILB/4-3 LB:

1. Rolando McClain, Alabama (junior). 6'4" 255#. My co-#1 along with Greg Hardy and Bruce Campbell. In the Aaron Curry mold.
2. Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri. 6'2" 247#. Makes plays all over the field.
3. Eric Norwood, South Carolina. 6'1", 252#. Very strong. A playmaker.
4. Brandon Spikes, Florida. 6'3" 253#.
5. Chris Galippo, USC. 6'2" 255#.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Some stylistic comparisons which come to mind regarding some of the prospects listed above:

- Ryan Matthews RB: Rashard Mendenhall with a bit of Donald Brown. Also reminds me of Fred Taylor, but smaller.
- Jonathan Dwyer, RB: Corey Dillon.
- Bruce Campbell, OT: Walter Jones.
- Ndamukong Suh, DE/DT: Richard Seymour.
- Lawrence Marsh, DE/DT: a young Ndamukong Suh.
- Greg Hardy, DE/OLB: Jared Allen. A beast.
- Derrick Morgan, DE/OLB: Shawne Merriman. Relentless and unstoppable.
- Everson Griffen, DE/OLB: Willie McGinest.
- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/OLB: Javon Kearse. Great wingspan and speed.
- Carlos Dunlap, DE/OLB: Julius Peppers.
- Jeremy Beal, DE/OLB: Terrell Suggs.
- Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB: DeMarcus Ware.
- Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB: John Abraham.
- Rolando McClain, ILB/SAM: Aaron Curry.
- Eric Norwood, ILB/SAM: Adalius Thomas.
- Sean Weatherspoon, ILB/SAM: Patrick Willis. Makes tackles all over the field.

These comparisons are more playing style than predictions of success.

 

[T-cat]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

idk i have this wierd feeling we get brandon lang and he turns into a D Ware kinda mold...oddly enough they are from the same school

 

[Marqui]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

I've been whatching a lot of Derrick Morgan latley. Guy is a beast. I hope the Pats take him.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

I've been whatching a lot of Derrick Morgan latley. Guy is a beast. I hope the Pats take him.

I'd love to see him on the Pats, and am glad to hear someone else laud him. Morgan's been on my short list for 4-3 DE/3-4 elephant for a while. He's a bull, and reminds me a bit of Shawne Merriman in his prime (without the attitutde or steroid issues). He's been pretty unstoppable this year. He may not have quite us much athleticism as Carlos Dunlap, Everson Griffen or Jason Pierre-Paul, but his motor is unreal and so far this year he can't be blocked. I've been hoping he flies under the radar and falls to the Pats. He won't put up quite as eye-popping combine numbers as guys like Griffen or Dunlap, which may help.

Right now I have him 1A just behind Greg Hardy as my top pick at the position and as someone who would clearly merit a 1st round pick.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

If he should somehow slip to us because of nagging injuries I think the value would be too good to pass up, even though other needs are greater.

Remember that the Pats have to operate on an "expected value" principle, especially with regard to the first few rounds. I'm not yet convinced that the net gain from taking Campbell would justify taking him, even if he were available.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Remember that the Pats have to operate on an "expected value" principle, especially with regard to the first few rounds. I'm not yet convinced that the net gain from taking Campbell would justify taking him, even if he were available.

I expect he'll go top 15 if he comes out and we won't know the answer. But I certainly see a top OT as value in the late 1st round. It's hard to argue against keeping the OL and DL strong. As great as Mayo has been for us at a position of extreme need, I still sometimes think whether we should have taken Ryan Clady #10 in 2008.

 

[BritPat]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Any thoughts on Dezmon Briscoe?

I know he's a Junior and plays in that funky offense, but he's having a fine year and could crack Day 1 if he keeps on producing.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

I've been whatching a lot of Derrick Morgan latley. Guy is a beast. I hope the Pats take him.

This from ESPN Insider today on Derrick Morgan:

"Georgia Tech DE Derrick Morgan turned in an impressive performance in the Yellow Jackets' 30-27, overtime victory over Wake Forest, showing why many scouts rank the junior as a first-round lock. Morgan did a great job anchoring and disrupting against the run, including a second-and-4 play on the first possession of overtime on which he blew up a lead block from Demon Deacons FB Mike Rinfrette, forced Josh Adams to chance direction and allowed his teammates to clean up the play for a 4-yard loss. Morgan also victimized Rinfretti earlier in the game as a pass rusher, running through him on a third-down play late in the fourth quarter with the score tied at 24. Wake was driving in Georgia Tech territory for the potential game-winning score, but Morgan came off the edge and exploded through Rinfretti before getting to QB Riley Skinner, forcing a punt and keeping Tech alive. Both plays showed the explosiveness Morgan has in his hips. He overwhelmed the 6-foot-3, 260-pound Rinfretti and made game-changing plays when his team needed them most. Morgan has the frame (6-4, 268) and power to be an effective 4-3 end, and though we haven't seen much of him dropping into coverage we don't doubt the he could do so as a 3-4 rush end. Morgan has all the tools NFL teams look for and is shooting up draft boards. Given how well he is playing and that it's hard to see him getting out of the first round, chances are Morgan is headed to the next level after this season."

I assume when they say "3-4 rush end" they mean "3-4 OLB", since they are talking about dropping into coverage.

I think Morgan will be another young Shawne Merriman as a 3-4 OLB, without the attitude. He will overpower people. And I think he's athletic enough to stand up and play the elephant.

Scouts Inc.: Georgia Tech DE Derrick Morgan is shooting up NFL draft boards. - ESPN

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

This from ESPN Insider today on Derrick Morgan:

"Georgia Tech DE Derrick Morgan turned in an impressive performance in the Yellow Jackets' 30-27, overtime victory over Wake Forest, showing why many scouts rank the junior as a first-round lock. Morgan did a great job anchoring and disrupting against the run, including a second-and-4 play on the first possession of overtime on which he blew up a lead block from Demon Deacons FB Mike Rinfrette, forced Josh Adams to chance direction and allowed his teammates to clean up the play for a 4-yard loss. Morgan also victimized Rinfretti earlier in the game as a pass rusher, running through him on a third-down play late in the fourth quarter with the score tied at 24. Wake was driving in Georgia Tech territory for the potential game-winning score, but Morgan came off the edge and exploded through Rinfretti before getting to QB Riley Skinner, forcing a punt and keeping Tech alive. Both plays showed the explosiveness Morgan has in his hips. He overwhelmed the 6-foot-3, 260-pound Rinfretti and made game-changing plays when his team needed them most. Morgan has the frame (6-4, 268) and power to be an effective 4-3 end, and though we haven't seen much of him dropping into coverage we don't doubt the he could do so as a 3-4 rush end. Morgan has all the tools NFL teams look for and is shooting up draft boards. Given how well he is playing and that it's hard to see him getting out of the first round, chances are Morgan is headed to the next level after this season."

I assume when they say "3-4 rush end" they mean "3-4 OLB", since they are talking about dropping into coverage.

I think Morgan will be another young Shawne Merriman as a 3-4 OLB, without the attitude. He will overpower people. And I think he's athletic enough to stand up and play the elephant.

Scouts Inc.: Georgia Tech DE Derrick Morgan is shooting up NFL draft boards. - ESPN

I haven't seen this guy play much so I am going to try to catch some of his games in the coming weeks, but hearing you compare him to Shawne Merriman makes him extremely intriguing. I love Shawne Merriman (minus the roids and attitude) and was hoping maybe we would take a shot at him in free agency this year, but if we can land this guy in the draft I'd much rather that. Shawne Merriman talent minus the attitude and knee injury plus a cheaper contract = perfect for our OLB need.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

I haven't seen this guy play much so I am going to try to catch some of his games in the coming weeks, but hearing you compare him to Shawne Merriman makes him extremely intriguing. I love Shawne Merriman (minus the roids and attitude) and was hoping maybe we would take a shot at him in free agency this year, but if we can land this guy in the draft I'd much rather that. Shawne Merriman talent minus the attitude and knee injury plus a cheaper contract = perfect for our OLB need.

Right now I have Morgan and Greg Hardy neck and neck as my #1 defensive prospects. I think there's a good chance one or both of them may fall to the 20's and be within reach of where we pick. Hardy has been injury prone. Morgan is absurdly productive, but I think that players like Carlos Dunlap, Sergio Kindle and Everson Griffen (assuming all juniors declare) are likely to come out of the combine wowing people with their workout numbers, so that Morgan and Hardy may slip just a little bit. I certainly hope so.

 

[glm]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

So what do you guys think of Sean Weatherspoon?

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

So what do you guys think of Sean Weatherspoon?

We've talked about him a bit on this board. I started a thread a couple of months ago about him:

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/13/274274-sean-weatherspoon.html

My thoughts are currently something like this:

1. He clearly is one of the elite coverage, pursuit and tackling LBs in the country.

2. Prior to this year I thought he was purely a 4-3 weakside backer without the size or physicality to play for the Pats.

3. He has now bulked up to the 245+ range without a loss of speed. Now he reminds me more of Patrick Willis than anyone since Willis came out. I think he could be a dynamic playmaker at both 3-4 WILB and 4-3 WILL, making plays all over the field. He and Mayo could be terrific together.

4. With us playing more 4-3 mixed with 3-4 I could see hybrids who can play both schemes being highly prized, and could see him being in the mix for the Pats.

5. With that said, Gary Guyton's development this year has made Weatherspoon somewhat of a luxury. They bring the same kind of skill set. Weatherspoon might be more talented than Guyton but Guyton has a 2 year head start. Tyrone McKenzie also has some of the same kind of skills. Someone like Rolando McClain or Eric Norwood is a better complement to what we already have than Weatherspoon.

6. Given the need for pass rushers (not Weatherspoon's forte), I'm not sure I can see prioritizing a player like Weatherspoon over a top rusher like Greg Hardy or Derrick Morgan. I don't think Weatherspoon will last pass the first round with teams like Atlanta and New Orleans being good fits for him.

So right now he'd definitely someone I'm keeping my eye on and in the mix as a possibility, but he's not someone I consider at the top of my list. But I like him a lot as a player.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: 2010 Draft Prospects.

Here's a recent article on Idaho OG Mike Iupati, who I like a lot for the Pats:

Vandals' Iupati is a 'goofy kid,' NFL prospect | Idaho Vandals Sports | Idaho Statesman