Who have you actually seen...often

[nowayback]

From what i read here, it seems everyone is baseing their draft preferences on the combine and various draft sites.

Who have you actually seen? Which players do you personally suggest?

barwins, sintims cushings and mathews....ok the usc players i have seen a few times, dont remember anyone of them makng an impression on me. was more like the whole team.

sooner fan..so have seen about every game...iglesias- good wr...doesnt drop passes... not blazing speed(combine) but runs fast in games. good hands.

also like nic harris...seems to be around the ball alot. neither i would think the pats should draft on 1st day.

gresham the TE is very good...junior though...would like to see him as a Pat next year.

 

[BradyManny]

From what i read here, it seems everyone is baseing their draft preferences on the combine and various draft sites.

Far from it. I'd say most of the draftnikkers on here have seen a lot of the prospects play as some folks are avid college football fans, not just huge Pats fans.

Admittedly, I'm a little more half-assed and primarily use the bowl season to scout potential Pats prospects, which is at least good enough to let me see the vast majority of Day 1 and some day 2 prospects on the radar. So I haven't seen English, Beatty and others from lesser known schools play, but every one else I've gotten a taste.

 

[Steamer86]

I've seen all the Game****s a bunch and there are many this year. ILB Jasper Brinkley was a beast in 2006, blew his knee in 2007 and was not all the way back in 2008 - could be a steal in the mid rounds and fit in nicely with the quicker Mayo and Guyton. Jared Cook is a very good receiving TE and not a terrible blocker - very fast and a workourt warrior. Emanual Cook was a very good safety - he is physical and tough - but a little short. CB Captain Munnerlyn is very fast, but too short (even for Pats) and Jamon Merideth had trouble keeping his starting job with Game****s which is not good sign - but he could play some T and G and has good athleticism for OL. Kenny McKinnley is a WR I would take in the 6th - if he falls. The kid has a ton of heart and is productive.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

From what i read here, it seems everyone is baseing their draft preferences on the combine and various draft sites.

Who have you actually seen? Which players do you personally suggest?

barwins, sintims cushings and mathews....ok the usc players i have seen a few times, dont remember anyone of them makng an impression on me. was more like the whole team.

sooner fan..so have seen about every game...iglesias- good wr...doesnt drop passes... not blazing speed(combine) but runs fast in games. good hands.

also like nic harris...seems to be around the ball alot. neither i would think the pats should draft on 1st day.

gresham the TE is very good...junior though...would like to see him as a Pat next year.

Well now: I watched Barwin in several games this past season, plus Senior Bowl week. Sintim in one game plus Senior Bowl week. Cushing I've seen a couple times in past seasons and about double that this season, plus Senior Bowl week, Matthews not as much since he didn't really play as much, but I did see him once before Senior Bowl week. Iglesias a couple times before Senior Bowl week. Same for Harris. Gresham did not declare.

Anyone else you're curious about?

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

I know he's not at all popular here on this board, but I have seen a ton of Laurinaitis living in the midwest. He is a good coverage linebacker who has very good instincts, is tough, works incredibly hard, and has great productivity. Not so sure if he is the best fit for the Pats D, but if they were to take him I would be confident that he could do the job. Remember, Ted Johnson was not an elite athlete. He is not at the top of my Pats wish list, but if we're talking people we've seen play often, I can vouch that this guy is a true competitor, is smart, and makes plays.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I know he's not at all popular here on this board, but I have seen a ton of Laurinaitis living in the midwest. He is a good coverage linebacker who has very good instincts, is tough, works incredibly hard, and has great productivity. Not so sure if he is the best fit for the Pats D, but if they were to take him I would be confident that he could do the job. Remember, Ted Johnson was not an elite athlete. He is not at the top of my Pats wish list, but if we're talking people we've seen play often, I can vouch that this guy is a true competitor, is smart, and makes plays.

Of your last line I have no doubt. I know why I don't consider him a good fit for NE's D, would you elaborate on your concerns for us?

 

[upstater1]

I watch a lot of Big Ten and Big East football, so I know about most any prospect from those two leagues.

I missed a lot of SEC games, and watched a lot of the Big 12 instead.

Oddly enough I saw a lot of Oregon and Oregon St this year (don't ask). ACC was half and half for me, a lot of Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, VT, BC, Virginia and North Carolina. I know nothing about anyone else.

So, there you go, I watched over 30+ teams multiple times last year, often catching 2 or 3 games on a Saturday (when I wasn't at a game myself) and one on the weekdays.

After many years of watching college football, I'm convinced that watching as a fan is one of the best ways to scout talent. I think the scouts are too close to their jobs (i.e. looking at technique, etc.) and they end up missing the obvious. For instance, Browning Nagle over Brett Favre is not a choice any fan of college football would have made, nor would I have taken Alex Smith over Matt Rodgers either. Sometimes you need to see QBs just command an offense to get a feel for them. Tom Brady, completely underwhelming as a prospect, for scouts that is. But any Big10 fan will tell you he was great at Michigan. I had the same feelings last year about Brian Brohm, I think he can be a solid starter in the NFL.

I have my doubts about the following players who I've watched: Malauga, Maybin, Derrick Williams, Laurinaitis, Jason Smith, Orakpo, Mark Sanchez, Stafford, Cushing, Sintim, Beanie Wells, Lesean McCoy, Kenny Britt, William Beatty, Loadholt, Chase Coffman, Alex Boone. I would stay as far away from these guys as possible.

As for Barwin, I watched Cincy a lot. He's boom or bust for me. He's transitioning STILL to a new position.

My binkies, players I really like: Aaron Curry, Eric Wood, Deon Butler, Jordan Norwood, Rich Ornberger, Chris Baker, Donald Brown, Darius Butler, Pat White, Cornelius Ingram, Brian Robiskie, Max Unger, BJ Raji, Jeremy Maclin, Michael Crabtree, Hakeem Nicks, Malcolm Jenkins, Clay Matthews, Brandon Pettigrew, Alphonso Smith, Shonn Greene, Mitch King.

Michael Johnson is a special case. I'm astounded by what he does on the field. Awesome ability. I'd take a chance on him early in the second even though he doesn't put forth effort all the time.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

My production company produces one college football game per week. We work almost exclusively in the SEC and ACC. I have seen all the SEC and most ACC teams many times this season. And due to our hectic travel schedule and odd working hours, I gotten to see a ton of PAC 10 and Mountain West games as well.

I'm still penciling in C/OG/OT Max Unger at #34. Hopefully he squeaks by Pittsburgh.

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Of your last line I have no doubt. I know why I don't consider him a good fit for NE's D, would you elaborate on your concerns for us?

I am a little concerned that he is a better up the field and side to side tackler than he is at holding at the point of attack. A lot of that could have to do with the fact that he simply wasn't asked to take on many blocks at Ohio State, as the defensive tackles are there to funnel the play to him to make the tackle. I still like his productivity though, and he is better in coverage than people think. He is one of the guys I'm actually most interested in seeing on draft day, to see where he winds up and who takes him.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I am a little concerned that he is a better up the field and side to side tackler than he is at holding at the point of attack. A lot of that could have to do with the fact that he simply wasn't asked to take on many blocks at Ohio State, as the defensive tackles are there to funnel the play to him to make the tackle. I still like his productivity though, and he is better in coverage than people think. He is one of the guys I'm actually most interested in seeing on draft day, to see where he winds up and who takes him.

That's what I'd seen from him too. He's like Posluzney for me, good kid, bad fit.

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

I can see the comparisons there, that is apt. I think Laurinaitis will have more impact on a pro team, if he gets in the right system. If he is drafted by the Pats, it will be a good move because they would know he fits what they want to do, but with so many good LBs available I think they will select someone who more easily projects into their system.

 

[mcgraw_wv]

I've watched Pat White playing in so many games, I know he's going to find a way to be a factor in the NFL.

I've never seen a player every day be the fastest game day player on the field.

Pat White highlight film last year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0YPDFmcp5Y

There are many runs on there you can't tell your even looking at a QB, and some of the throws are just sweetness... at 3:30 is a game against Pitt, and the run he makes is just speechless, he got to the corner before anyone else, and there was a flock of defenders there, he gets that corner and he's gone... There are even a few runs on there where it shows him running AWAY from the #1 CB prospect at UCONN...

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Pat White seems like he could be the very rich man's Kordell Stewart, a guy who could break into the league making plays on special teams and in sub-packages, who eventually becomes a starting quarterback somewhere. I have always been impressed with his athleticism; his passing has improved to the point that he could be a starter for a team if he is developed properly.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I can see the comparisons there, that is apt. I think Laurinaitis will have more impact on a pro team, if he gets in the right system. If he is drafted by the Pats, it will be a good move because they would know he fits what they want to do, but with so many good LBs available I think they will select someone who more easily projects into their system.

I'm now wishing I hadn't deleted my recording of the Poinsettia Bowl so I could go back and focus on Jason Phillips against Boise State. I know his name was called a lot, but I was watching Ian Johnson and TCU's edge rusher who decidede to stay his senior year. Stephen Hodge jumped out and grabbed me with his big plays, but Phillips would have required more work to key on so I could see how he was handling blockers.

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

I have read about Jason Phillips, but haven't seem him play. Everything I read seems to indicate he could be a steal in whichever round he's drafted.

 

[Spiral]

I've watched most of UT's and A&M's games. Here are two late round recommendations: UT DT Roy Miller, and A&M QB Stephen McGee. Miller could be decent backup to Wilfork if he could be IRd or PSd for a year. McGee is a good athlete / team leader who could become the developmental QB.