Morgan Burnett NFL Draft scouting report
by Mocking Dan on Feb 9, 2010 11:31 PM EST
in 2010 NFL Draft
2 comments
Morgan Burnett
6'1, 210 pounds | Safety | Georgia Tech
Agility: Burnett has very good agility, and he displays the kind of quick-twitch movements not often seen in safeties. Has fluid hips that he can flip without taking a misstep.
Ball skills: Finishing his career with 14 interceptions, Burnett clearly has excellent ball skills. Has very good instincts when the ball is in the air. Quickly breaks on the ball.
Instincts: Part of what got Burnett onto the field as a true freshman were his excellent instincts. He can quickly decipher run and pass plays and can look into the quarterback’s eyes without it hurting him.
Pass coverage: Thanks to his athleticism, Burnett showed at times he could play solid man coverage against wide receivers. He can stay with most tight ends, but could be out-muscled in the open field. Possesses very good instincts in zone coverage. Has played on occasion at cornerback.
Pursuit: Will take poor angles when he comes down to the line of scrimmage to get after a running back. Has to rely on his athleticism too often to quickly redirect himself and get into the play.
Run support: Burnett is very willing to help against the run, which makes him a good candidate to be a strong safety. He played rover at Georgia Tech, which was more of a hybrid strong safety and free safety. Finished his career with 235 tackles, most of them coming against the run. Sniffs out the ball really quickly.
Size: Burnett’s size is optimal for the safety position. He’s big enough to take on running backs and hold up against tight ends. He’s also not too big and stiff in his movement, like Roy Williams. Won’t need to get much bigger in the pros.
Speed: Burnett’s speed is good but not elite. He works up field effortlessly to help against the run. Has the speed to work sideline-to-sideline. Displays his speed covering kickoffs. His acceleration is very good.
Tackling: Is inconsistent in his tackling technique. Will properly wrap up on some occasions but tends to shoulder tackle. This was much more evident in Burnett’s junior season than in his sophomore year.
Final word: Playing at rover at Georgia Tech, Burnett showed he has the all-around skills to play either safety position. He’s athletic enough to play free safety and cover a lot of field. But he’s also strong enough to handle the strong side.
As a sophomore, Burnett was dynamic intercepting seven passes. He wasn’t quite as good as a junior but still decided to enter the draft. He’s just a level below Eric Berry and Earl Thomas, but perhaps just as good as Taylor Mays.
2 comments | 0 recs |
A case for Sam Bradford going first overall
by Mocking Dan on Feb 9, 2010 8:31 PM EST
in 2010 NFL Draft
15 comments
Ndamukong Suh may not be the lock everyone thought as the No. 1 overall pick. In just about every mock draft, the monstrous defensive tackle is given to the Rams without second thought.
Maybe it's time to think again.
Instead, think Sam Bradford. The former Oklahoma quarterback may be coming off major shoulder surgery, but he's ahead of schedule. Bradford likely won't throw at the combine, but he should be ready to go by Oklahoma's pro day, which has yet to be scheduled.
"We all know what the key on Bradford will be. We're anxious to see him at the combine in about three weeks," Rams general manager Billy Devaney told reporters last week. "It will be interesting to see where he is physically. I don't know what his rehab consists of right now, if he is throwing the ball, what his plans are. We need to find that out. But I think the guy is a great player."
Consider Bradford's history: He's an accurate thrower with elite decision making skills and a quick release He also has good enough athleticism, comes from a spread and is known as a good leader. There's also that nagging shoulder issue.
But close your eyes a moment and think of all those attributes. If Drew Brees didn't come to mind, maybe he should have. In a copycat league, drafting a similar player to this year's Super Bowl MVP makes sense.
Perhaps that's enough for Devaney to finally take that quarterback that he's passed on several times.
The Rams passed on Mark Sanchez in last year's draft. They were said to be very interested in Sanchez, just not with the second overall pick. Sanchez's Jets made the playoffs.
Maybe more infamously, the team didn't take Matt Ryan in 2008. The team had just given Marc Bulger a massive contract which it is now trying to restructure. Ryan's Falcons made the playoffs.
It may be somewhat unlikely the Rams will be contending for a playoff spot in the coming season. But taking a quarterback this year would allow him to ease into the starting spot. It will also give head coach Steve Spagnuolo another season to work over the team's defense while the team adds more talent.
Given the great depth at defensive tackle this year, maybe Spagnuolo can coach a player up to Suh's level. At some point, though, St. Louis has to add a top young signal caller and taking the next Drew Brees sure sounds good.
15 comments | 0 recs |
New Orleans Saints team needs
by tjdove123 on Feb 9, 2010 2:00 PM EST
in Mocking the NFC South
11 comments
Coming off their first Super Bowl win the Saints are going to have a busy offseason. They have a lot of players become free agents (although most are restricted). Their draft strategy could depend heavily on if any of those players move on. Let’s pretend nobody leaves, even the Super Bowl champs have needs.
1. Defensive End
- The Saints have some talent at this position but that talent is under performing. Will Smith and Charles Grant have yet to live up to their high draft pick status. Bobby McCray is a nice player but he isn’t fit to be a team’s primary pass rusher. Getting a consistent pass rush from the line will help the secondary out.
2. Defensive Tackle
- Sedrick Ellis is still young and has time to develop but he isn’t the dominate player the Saints imagined he would be. Adding some depth and bulk to this position will help out the linebacking core; especially Vilma who excels when the defensive line keeps the offensive linemen off of him.
3. Linebacker
- Shanle and Fujita are solid performers but adding depth and more athleticism would greatly benefit this defense. Gregg Williams aggressive style of defense often leaves linebackers 1 on 1 with backs and tight ends so finding someone with good coverage skills is a must.
11 comments | 0 recs |
Charles Brown NFL Draft scouting report
by Mocking Dan on Feb 9, 2010 6:00 AM EST
in 2010 NFL Draft
11 comments
Charles Brown
6'6, 298 pounds | Offensive tackle | Southern California
Awareness: Brown's reaction skills are solid. He easily picks up counter moves and stunts. Rarely gets complacent during the game.
Balance: Tends to get knocked off his balance when he's stationary. Does a nice job of keeping his feet under him when on the move.
Initial quickness: Quickly gets out of his stance and into position. Moves downfield with ease. Shows very good recovery quickness when he gets beat to the inside.
Movement: Is a tackle prospect who is very light on his feet. A converted tight end. Brown wasn't asked to pull or trap much for Southern California. He certainly has the agility to get out on the move, though.
Pass blocking: This is Brown's best area. He has very good lateral movement to slide into protection with ease. When Brown keeps his feet moving against edge rushers, he can continue to work them around the edge and push them out the play. Will occasionally stop moving his feet and cross his legs, which allows defenders to work on his inside shoulder.
Run blocking: A lack of great strength leads to some struggles in this area. Brown doesn't sustain his blocks long enough and needs to become more physical. Bull rushers can push him back and get after the ball carrier. Gets to the second level nicely and can neutralize defenders on the move. Needs to be nastier here.
Size: Possesses good height with long arms. Knows how to use his size to his advantage. Can extend his arms to push defenders out of the play. Has plenty of room to add bulk. Could probably put on 20 pounds without it negatively effecting his play.
Strength: This is where Brown really needs to improve. His power is only adequate, and this hurts him in the run game. Additionally, his initial punch is inconsistent.
Technique: Showed improved footwork as a senior, but still needs to improve his stance. Will too often not keep a wide base, which negates his leverage. Lunges some when blocking. When Brown is set in his stance, he uses his hands really well. Showed much better knee bend as a senior.
Final word: Brown really burst onto the scouting scene when he shut down Penn State's Aaron Maybin in the 2009 Rose Bowl. A converted tight end, Brown is loaded with upside. He has as much potential as any lineman in this year's draft.
To realize it, however, Brown needs to get much stronger and more aggressive in the run game. His pass protection is ready for the NFL, but his run blocking is not.
Named first-team All-Pac-10 as a senior and won the Morris Trophy, given to the conference's best lineman. Started two seasons after sitting behind Sam Baker.
Brown is often compared to Jason Smith, but he's not quite that good. Joe Staley would be a more appropriate comparison.
11 comments | 0 recs |
Arrelious Benn NFL Draft scouting report
by Mocking Dan on Feb 8, 2010 9:15 PM EST
in 2010 NFL Draft
7 comments
Arrelious Benn
6'2, 220 pounds | Wide receiver | Illinois
Agility: Only decent agility. Hips look a bit stiff when he changes direction. Benn is mostly a power wide receiver in the Terrell Owens mold. Doesn’t have the quickness to juke defenders in the open field.
Blocking: This is an area where Benn excels. He’s said he really likes to block and can really bully cornerbacks. When the run isn’t coming to his side, he doesn’t always give a great effort in this area.
Body control: Benn is really, really good in this area. He’s a strong receiver and uses that strength when he’s in the air to get deceptive separation. Doesn’t lose his balance when he’s running his routes.
Hands: This is where Benn needs to improve. His pass-catching technique is poor and he often catches the ball in his frame. Likes to have the ball placed in a certain spot and doesn’t make many catches away from his body. Cradle catches too often. Drops too many easy receptions.
Release: Benn was rarely jammed at the line because teams played off coverage to avoid his power at the line. Has quick feet, which he utilizes off the line. Takes very few false steps at the line. Played a good deal out of the slot.
Route running: Struggles some in his route running. Not very crisp into and out of his cuts. Ran a lot of simple routes – 10-yard digs, simple crossing patterns and short posts. At his best against the zone where he can just find a hole and sit in it. Gets good separation using a head fakes.
Size: Benn has excellent size for a wide out with very good strength. He uses this strength in the open field to break tackles. Already has NFL strength and long arms.
Speed: Benn’s straight-line speed is very good. But he has some trouble getting up to that speed because he slows down a lot when moving laterally. Once Benn gets into the open field, however, he’s hard to track down.
Vision: Uses his power really well in the open field. Can break a lot of arm tackles. This helps make up for some issues he has making defenders miss in the open field.
Final word: Benn is somewhat of an enigma as a wide receiver. The first thing you notice about Benn is his impressive size, strength and speed. He’s also a very tough receiver who will go over the middle and is a solid blocker.
However, the more you watch Benn and the more you’ll see his flaws shine through. His hands are only average and he needs to improve his catching mechanics. Benn will also require a good wide receivers coach who can show him to run a greater variety of routes.
While some of Benn’s down 2009 season can be blamed on the Illinois quarterback play and an early season ankle sprain, that’s not all of it. Benn never did a great job of adjusting to poorly thrown passes or working hard for the ball when it was in the air.
In three seasons, he finished with 159 catches for 2,221 yards and seven touchdowns. Also used a gadget running back and returned kicks.
7 comments | 0 recs |
Carolina Panthers team needs
by tjdove123 on Feb 8, 2010 1:40 PM EST
in Mocking the NFC South
19 comments
Carolina had a disappointing start to the season which killed their playoff hopes. The team struggled to find consistency from the quarterback position which led to teams stacking the box to shut down the running game. The Panthers also were bitten by the injury bug and need to find some depth at positions like defensive tackle.
1. Quarterback
- Carolina needs to find their quarterback of the future, is it Matt Moore? Moore had a few impressive games at the end of the season but this is still a position that needs to be addressed during the draft. Unfortunately, the Panthers don’t have a first round pick which could limit their options.
2. Wide Receiver
- Muhsin Muhammad is aging and a free agent and Dwayne Jarrett has not produced. If the Panthers want to take pressure off the running game and Steve Smith they need to find another weapon on the outside.
3. Defensive Tackle
- Injuries hit this position hard last season, so some depth needs to be found. Look for the Panthers to address this position in the later rounds of the draft.
19 comments | 0 recs |
Jerry Hughes NFL Draft scouting report
by Mocking Dan on Feb 8, 2010 6:00 AM EST
in 2010 NFL Draft
11 comments
Jerry Hughes
6'2, 248 pounds | Outside linebacker/Defensive end | Texas Christian
Pass rush: Plays two yards deep outside. Very good footwork. Properly adjusts his feet to get around the corner quickly. Pass rush moves are ordinary. Mostly a speed rusher. Never really showed consistently that he was comfortable with his spin move.
Pursuit: The effort Hughes displays is outstanding. He's a very aggressive player who always plays until the whistle. Has good speed in pursuit. Lateral movement is solid.
Quickness/Explosion: Good first step off the snap. With his hand down, Hughes has as good of a burst off the snap as any pass rusher in the nation. Easily fires past linemen who don't quickly get into position.
Run defend: At defensive end, Hughes really struggled at times against the run. Tackles could easily lock him up and shut him down. Did a much better job against tight ends and fullbacks, where he could use leverage and disengage. Can be fooled by fakes and misdirection plays.
Size: Has ideal size for a 3-4 outside linebacker but would be considered slightly undersized as an end. Looks to have long arms and is high cut. Not especially tight skinned.
Strength/Ability to shed blocks: Has good functional playing strength for a linebacker. If he wants to stay at end, Hughes will have to get much stronger. He struggles to get of blocks and can be engulfed by linemen.
Tackling: A very good, aggressive tackler. Uses his length nicely as a tackler. Showed he has a nose for the ball by forcing eight fumbles over his final two seasons.
Technique: Stays low to the ground coming around the corner. Shows a good rip move. Needs to use his hands better to stack and shed.
Versatility: Played defensive end exclusively for his first three years. During his senior year, Hughes would often take his hand off the ground and play more of a traditional linebacker. A good 3-4 outside linebacker option who may not be able to play anything else.
Final word: As a pass rusher, Hughes is very good. But he'll need to do a better job against the run and learn how to drop into coverage. He shows a solid first step, which helped him lead the nation in sacks in 2008. He shows above average lateral quickness, but needs to learn how to shed blocks better.
He'll be a good value pick for a 3-4 team in the second round.
11 comments | 1 recs |
Evening NFL Draft links to click
by Mocking Dan on Feb 7, 2010 11:58 PM EST
in 2010 NFL Draft
5 comments
The Super Bowl is over. It was nice. Now, turn all of your attention to the draft. If you were caught up in Colts/Saints hoopla, you may have missed this:
Rochester Democrat: Should Buffalo go after Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen if he's available with the ninth pick? I would say if Buffalo doesn't like one of the left tackles and either Clausen or Sam Bradford fall, they should go quarterback.
Orlando Sentinel: This is the time of the year where we'll start to hear about players preparing for the NFL Scouting Combine. This is always a good time to get solid inside information. This story is a quick look at Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes and how he's about to start his workouts.
Field Gulls: Did you know Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones retired today? With two picks in the first round, it now seems imperative Seattle will use one on a tackle. As for Jones, he has to be considered a first-ballot hall of fame selection.
Pride of Detroit: Sean Yuille, the blog's head man, interviewed last season's No. 1 pick Matthew Stafford. Pretty interesting stuff. Stafford mentions that he would like the Lions to draft Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant.
MLive.com: The Lions must find a way to trade out of the second overall pick. Good luck with that one.
Sporting News: Russ Lande wraps up the Texas vs. the Nation Challenge. His winners were Jonathan Crompton, Ryan Perrilloux, Trindon Holliday, Clay Harbor and Nick Howell.
5 comments | 0 recs
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