Every team, “draft expert” and draftnik has a “big board”. I am no different. Here is my Big Board for the 2012 NFL Draft.
Top 255 Players
1. Andrew Luck QB Stanford
2. Robert Griffin III QB Baylor
3. Matt Kalil OT USC
4. Luke Kuechly ILB Boston College
5. Morris Claiborne CB LSU
6. Trent Richardson RB Alabama
7. Justin Blackmon WR Oklahoma St.
8. David DeCastro OG Stanford
9. Fletcher Cox DT Mississippi State
10. Michael Floyd WR Notre Dame
11. Courtney Upshaw OLB Alabama
12. Dont’a Hightower ILB Alabama
13. Riley Reiff OT Iowa
14. Melvin Ingram OLB South Carolina
15. Stephon Gilmore CB South Carolina
16. Quinton Coples DE North Carolina
17. Dontari Poe DT Memphis
18. Jonathan Martin OT Stanford
19. Mark Barron S Alabama
20. Michael Brockers DT LSU
21. Dre Kirkpatrick CB Alabama
22. Ryan Tannehill QB Texas A&M
23. Kendall Wright WR Baylor
24. Cordy Glenn OT Georgia
25. Peter Konz C Wisconsin
26. Coby Fleener TE Stanford
27. Mike Adams OT Ohio State
28. Whitney Mercilus DE Illinois
29. Devon Still DT Penn State
30. Nick Perry DE USC
31. Stephen Hill WR Georgia Tech
32. Janoris Jenkins CB North Alabama
33. Bobby Massie OT Ole Miss
34. Jerel Worthy DT Michigan State
35. Mohamed Sanu WR Rutgers
36. Dwayne Allen TE Clemson
37. Josh Robinson CB UCF
38. Brandon Thompson DT Clemson
39. Jayron Hosley CB Virginia Tech
40. Zach Brown OLB North Carolina
41. Kelechi Osemele OG Iowa State
42. Doug Martin RB Boise State
43. Brandon Weeden QB
49. David Wilson RB Virginia Tech
50. Michael Brewster C Ohio State
51. Amini Silatolu OG Midwestern State
52.Casey Hayward CB Vanderbilt
53. Rueben Randle WR LSU
54. Jared Crick DT Nebraska
55. Tommy Streeter WR Miami (FL)
56. Lavonte David OLB Nebraska
57. Harrison Smith S Notre Dame St.
58. Kendall Reyes DT Connecticut
59. Trumaine Johnson CB Montana
60. Robert Turbin RB Utah State
61. Alfonzo Dennard CB Nebraska
62. Ronnell Lewis OLB Oklahoma
63. Cam Johnson OLB Virginia
64. Josh Chapman DT Alabama
65. Brandon Brooks OG Miami (OH)
66. Mike Martin DT Michigan
67. Josh Norman CB Coastal Carolina
68. Ben Jones C Georgia
69. Chandler Jones DE Syracuse
70. Ladarius Green TE UL-Lafayette
71. Dwight Bentley CB UL-Lafayette
72. Brandon Mosley OT Auburn
73. LaMichael James RB Oregon
74. Ryan Broyles WR Oklahoma
75. Shea McClellin OLB Boise State
76. Chase Minnifield CB Virginia
77. Jeff Allen OT Illinois
78. Vinny Curry DE/OLB Marshall
79. Brandon Boykin CB Georgia
80. Andre Branch OLB Clemson
81. Isaiah Pead RB Cincinnati
82. Bobby Wagner OLB Utah State
83. Leonard Johnson CB Iowa State
84. Nick Toon WR Wisconsin
85. David Molk C Michigan
86. Mychal Kendricks ILB California
87. Alshon Jeffery WR South Carolina
88. Chris Polk RB Washington
89. Lucas Nix OG Pittsburgh
90. Jarius Wright WR Arkansas
91. Senio Kelemete OG Washington
92. Ryan Steed CB Furman
93. Marvin McNutt WR Iowa
94. Justin Bethel S Presbyterian
95. Marvin Jones WR California
96. Levy Adcock OT Oklahoma State
97. Trevor Guyton DT California
98. Russell Wilson QB Wisconsin
99. Matt McCants OT UAB
100. Billy Winn DT Boise State
101. Juron Criner WR Arizona
102. Brandon Washington OG Miami
103. Jamell Fleming CB Oklahoma
104. Philip Blake C Baylor
105. Jordan White WR Western Mich
106. Mitchell Schwartz OT California
107. Dwight Jones WR N. Carolina
108. Kirk Cousins QB Michigan St.
109. Jeff Fuller WR Texas A&M
111. Joe Adams WR Arkansas
110. Derek Wolfe DT Cincinnati
112. Chris Givens WR Wake Forest
113. Mike Harris CB Florida State
114. Michael Egnew TE Missouri
115. Tramain Thomas S Arkansas
116. DeVier Posey WR Ohio State
117. Asa Jackson CB Cal Poly
118. Markelle Martin S Oklahoma St.
119. Shaun Prater CB Iowa
120. Tony Bergstrom OT Utah
121. Gerell Robinson WR Arizona St.
122. Sean Spence OLB Miami (FL)
123. A.J. Jenkins WR Illinois
125. Frank Alexander DE Oklahoma
124. Cyrus Gray RB Texas A&M
126. Ryan Miller OG Colorado
127. Omar Bolden CB Arizona State
128. Keenan Robinson OLB Texas
129. Quinton Saulsberry C Miss St.
130. DeQuan Menzie CB Alabama
131. Drake Dunsmore TE N-western
132. Terrance Ganaway RB Baylor
133. Nate Potter OT Boise State
134. Bernard Pierce RB Temple
135. James Brown OT Troy
136. Malik Jackson DE Tennessee
137. B.J. Coleman QB UT-Chatt.
138. Marquis Maze WR Alabama
139. DaJohn Harris DT USC
140. Coryell Judie CB Texas A&M
141. T.Y. Hilton WR Florida Int.
142. Andrew Datko OT Florida State
143. Brad Smelley TE Alabama
144. Jack Crawford DE Penn State
145. Vick Ballard RB Mississippi St.
146. Joe Looney OG Wake Forest
147. JM Johnson ILB Nevada
150. Jake Bequette DE Arkansas
149. Audie Cole ILB N.C. State
148. Tyrone Crawford DE Boise St.
151. Travis Lewis OLB Oklahoma
152. Brock Osweiler QB Arizona State
153. Brandon Taylor S LSU
154. Greg Childs WR Arkansas
155. George Iloka S Boise State
156. Danny Coale WR Virginia Tech
157. Bruce Irvin OLB West Virginia
158. Devon Wylie WR Fresno State
159. Tom Compton OT South Dakota
160. Eric Page WR Toledo
161. Brandon Lindsey OLB Pittsburgh
162. Marcus Forston DT Miami (FL)
163. Terrell Manning OLB N.C. State
164. Brandon Bolden RB Ole Miss
165. Jonathan Massaquoi OLB Troy
166. Ron Brooks CB LSU
167. Justin Anderson OG Georgia
168. Jarrett Boykin WR Virginia Tech
169. Nigel Bradham OLB Florida State
170. Will Vlachos C Alabama
171. Trenton Robinson S Michigan State
172. Kheeston Randle DT Texas
173. Donnie Fletcher CB Boston College
174. Kellen Moore QB Boise State
175. Emmanuel Acho OLB Texas
176. Jaye Howard DT Florida
177. Kyle Wilber OLB Wake Forest
178. Nick Foles QB Arizona
179. Alfred Morris RB Florida Atlantic
180. Tydreke Powell DT North Carolina
181. Josh Kaddu OLB Oregon
182. Christian Tupou DT USC
183. Charles Brown CB North Carolina
184. Akiem Hicks DT Regina
185. Olivier Vernon DE Miami (FL)
186. Chris Rainey RB Florida
187. Ryan Lindley QB San Diego State
188. Hebron Fangupo DT BYU
189. Tauren Poole RB Tennessee
190. Adam Gettis OG Iowa
191. B.J. Cunningham WR Michigan State
192. Matt Reynolds OG BYU
193. Jermaine Kearse WR Washington
194. Edwin Baker RB Michigan State
195. T.J. Graham WR N.C. State
196. Ronnie Hillman RB San Diego State
197. Brian Linthicum TE Michigan State
198. Rishaw Johnson OG California (PA)
199. Brian Quick WR Appalachian State
200. Tony Jerod-Eddie DT Texas A&M
201. LaVon Brazill WR Ohio
202. Antonio Fenelus CB Wisconsin
203. Deangelo Peterson TE LSU
204. Bryan Anger P California
205. Antonio Allen S South Carolina
206. J.J. McDermott QB SMU
207. Davin Meggett RB Maryland
208. George Bryan TE N.C. State
209. Patrick Edwards WR Houston
210. Robert Blanton CB Notre Dame
211. Dan Herron RB Ohio State
212. Mike Daniels DT Iowa
213. Darron Thomas QB Oregon
214. Markus Kuhn DT N.C. State
215. Blair Walsh K Georgia
216. Evan Rodriguez TE Temple
217. Jaymes Brooks OG Virginia Tech
218. Shawn Powell P Florida State
219. Janzen Jackson S McNeese State
220. Kelvin Beachum OG SMU
221. Chris Greenwood CB Albion Christian
222. Adrian Robinson OLB Temple
224. Vontaze Burfict ILB Arizona State
223. Randy Bullock K Texas A&M
225. Case Keenum QB Houston
226. Donte Paige-Moss DE North Carolina
227. James Hanna TE Oklahoma
228. Cliff Harris CB Oregon
229. Chandler Harnish QB Northern Illinois
230. David Paulson TE Oregon
231. Tank Carder OLB TCU
232. Drew Butler P Georgia
233. Renard Williams DT Eastern Washington
234. Carson Wiggs K Purdue
235. Derek Dennis OG Temple
236. Rishard Matthews WR Nevada
237. Rokevious Watkins OG South Carolina
238. Lennon Creer RB Louisiana Tech
239. Kevin Koger TE Michigan
240. Philip Welch K Wisconsin
241. Cordarro Law DE Southern Miss
242. Brad Nortman P Wisconsin
243. Keshawn Martin WR Michigan State
245. Jerry Franklin ILB Arkansas
244. Marcel Jones OT Nebraska
246. Sean Richardson S Vanderbilt
247. Bradie Ewing FB Wisconsin
248. Marc Tyler RB USC
249. Sean Cattouse S California
250. Darrell Scott RB South Florida
251. Kelcie McCray S Arkansas State
252. Jewel Hampton RB Southern Illinois
253. Da’Jon McKnight WR Minnesota
254. Scott Solomon DE Rice
255. Elvis Akpla WR Montana State
The anchor of one of the best offensive lines in college football, Peter Konz proved to be a very reliable pivot man inside for the Badgers over the course of his career in Madison. A three-year starter with 31 career starts for Wisconsin, Konz is a former offensive tackle who owns great size and arm length (33 inches) for the center position. Built well with a thick upper body and wide base, making it difficult for defensive tackles to work around, Peter is a very reliable pass protector capable of stonewalling defenders at the line. Technically and fundamentally sound as a blocker, Konz proved to be a dependable anchor as a pass blocker, as he plays with the type of instincts, awareness, and understanding of the game that coaches look for in an NFL center. He does a great job of sitting back into his pass set while keeping his head on a swivel and taking on any incoming pass rushers. Peter owns nimble feet for the position with the ability to shuffle and mirror interior defenders inside. He also does a great job of extending his arms out coming to the aid of the guard next to him to double down on a bigger, stronger rusher up front. Konz owns a very strong grip needed to grasp the defender and lock on before neutralizing him for the rest of the play. He doesn’t possess ideal flexibility, but rather has shown enough of an ability to bend at the knees to consistently get underneath the defender to win the leverage battle at the point of attack. Peter has very good lower body strength and has the wide, balanced base needed to stand his ground as an anchor down low. As a run defender inside, Peter’s wide frame allows for him to swallow up smaller defensive linemen when he engages the defender off the snap. He comes off the ball well before taking on the defensive lineman and gains leverage by staying low and playing underneath the tackle, which then allows for him to use his lower body strength to push the defender out or away from the hole. He’s not a physically dominating blocker, being that he has below average upper body strength for the position (18 reps on bench), however he makes up for his lack of great strength with polished technique and fundamentals and understands how to play with proper positioning and angles. While not a full-fledged drive blocker, Konz at the very least has shown the consistent ability to use his agility leverage to turn the defender and wall him off from the play to open up a large running lane inside; he does a great job of gaining control of the defensive tackle off the ball before sealing him inside to give the ball carrier a gaping hole. Peter does a great job of firing his hands inside of the defender, and shows the same strong grip as a run blocker as he does in pass protection, allowing for him to take the defender out of the play entirely. In addition, he plays with the type of fiery, tenacious attitude that you look for and will consistent block through the whistle as he attempts to finish his blocks; he’s among the best in the country at sustaining his blocks after locking on. Owning good mobility for the position, Konz does a fine job of taking a quick bucket step and getting outside as the lead blocker on sweeps or screens. His flexibility limits him both outside as well as when he slides to the second level to redirect and take out a moving target, however when given the opportunity to gain full steam, any target in his direct path can be completely cleared out of the play with ease. Durability does figure to be a concern with Peter, as he missed time each of the past three seasons due to injury, including dislocating his ankle in 2011, which forced him to sit out of drills at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, an injury that NFL teams will surely examine before considering drafting him. Konz owns the intangibles and work ethic off the field that coaches and scouts desire at the position; he earned numerous academic awards over the course of his career and was a team captain in high school. Peter Konz owns the physical tools, instincts, and intangibles needed to develop into a very good starting center in the NFL.
One of the top recruits in the country coming out of high school, Mike Brewster signed with Ohio State as an offensive tackle, expecting to team with Mike Adams to give the Buckeyes one of the top bookend duos at the position in the country. Instead, Brewster was kicked inside to center as a true freshman and has been starting ever since. Owning the second-longest streak of
An NFL-ready center who is one of the most polished offensive linemen in this year’s draft, Ben Jones leaves Georgia as one of the team’s all-time greats on the offensive line having been named to the school’s All-Decade team. A four-year starter for the Bulldogs, Jones started 49 games at Georgia, good for third-most all time in Athens. Ben was a team captain at Georgia in addition to earning to earning a leadership award on offense and being named to a number of All-Academic teams while in school, displaying the epitome of elite intangibles that coaches and scouts absolutely love in a prospect. Technically and fundamentally sound, Ben proved throughout his career to be a very dependable pivot man on the interior of the offensive line. Competitive, tough, and feisty, Jones plays with the type of mean streak that offensive line coaches love to see and has plenty of experience playing through injury in college. Quick into his pass set off the ball, Ben is a veteran of the collegiate level who made the line calls and has a terrific feel for picking up the blitz in the passing game. Stronger in the upper half than in the lower, he’s shown the ability to lock on and neutralize the defender at the point of attack as a very good anchor in pass protection. Although he isn’t the biggest center you’ll find, it not an easy task to blow him backwards off the ball; at worst, he will occasionally get driven back quickly off the snap, however because he’s such a balanced player, he manages to recover after his first step before using his terrific leverage to his advantage to then anchor at the point. He’s not going to be an overly powerful or dominant player in the NFL, however he has what it takes to be a sturdy and consistent pivot man in the middle of the line. He has more than enough experience snapping the ball in shotgun and should not have any trouble with this at the next level. As a run blocker, Ben does a far better job of gaining proper positioning right off the ball and sealing the defender away from the hole than he does of simply driving the defensive lineman back. He is more than capable of pulling around and blocking on the move, and is among the best in the country at releasing to get to the second level and take out a linebacker. He’s also flexible enough to hit a moving target and offers enough athleticism needed to continue to be effective here at the next level. In addition, he’s shown a consistent ability to execute a trap block on the interior of the line. To continue to improve at the next level, I’d like to see Jones continue to get stronger as this will help him with the adjustment to playing against bigger and stronger defensive linemen in the NFL. Ben does not have the type of athleticism or physical tools that are going to enamor anyone, however his instincts, heady play, and fantastic technique are the reasons why he’s so highly thought of in the scouting community. Although he may never be an elite player in the NFL, Ben Jones is a safe selection who you know what you’re getting with when you draft him.
The 2011 Rimington Award Winner as the top center in college football, David Molk leaves Michigan as a polished, NFL-ready center. A four-year starter who was a veteran of the collegiate level, Molk started 41 games throughout his career with the Wolverines and was also named the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year as a senior in addition to winning the Rimington Award. A team captain in 2011, David offers great intangibles in addition to the leadership and work ethic that coaches and scouts look for in a player. In addition, he’s a smart player with a great football IQ, having made all of the line calls at Michigan. David’s competitiveness and fiery attitude are things that I love about his game; he consistently blocks through the whistle and is always looking for someone to block. Owning a smaller frame with shorter height than you’d prefer, Molk may be limited schematically at the next level, however in specific schemes he has great potential. A polished pivot man on the interior of the line, David possesses terrific technique and fundamentals for the position. Inside, he fires off the ball with a low center of gravity, wide base, and balance which allows for him to gain early leverage against the defensive tackle in the run game. He owns elite strength (41 reps on the bench) to lock onto the defensive lineman upon contact and take him out of the play for the rest of the game, however I would like to see continue to develop his functional strength and gain more strength in his grip, as there are times when he will gain control but not have a strong enough grip to continue to maintain the block through the entirety of the play. Although he has shorter arms (32 inches) and smaller hands (8 7/8 inches) than you’d prefer, David has no trouble engaging the defender and gaining control shortly after getting underneath him at the point of attack. He does a great job of keeping his feet moving through contact, and although he’s not going to be one to drive the defender out of the hole, he does a terrific job of turning the defensive lineman off the ball with great positioning to open up a hole, and has proven to be very effective at reach blocking on the interior. He could be a great fit in a zone blocking scheme or one that frequently uses combination blocks, as his quickness off the ball, smaller size, and great strength all fit the running scheme very well. Displaying nimbleness off the ball, Molk is extremely light on his feet and is among the best in the country at pulling out on the edge. He’s proven that he’s capable of hitting a moving target consistently, as he offers more than enough mobility to pull and get out on the perimeter as a lead blocker. With his impressive mobility, David has proven to be consistently capable of reaching the second level to take out the linebacker. As a pass blocker, he is a fluid athlete who transitions to his pass set quickly off the ball. His flexibility is where you’d like to see it, displaying a strong ability to consistently get underneath the defender with his arms extended and back arched properly. His great technique and fundamentals make up for his lack of elite size and bulk. He will need to continue to live in the weight room and get bigger at the next level, as he does tend to have some trouble with massive nose tackles and is not one that will ever physically overpower a defender. He needs to continue to develop his lower body strength in order to improve in pass protection, as he doesn’t display a great ability to anchor at the point of attack in pass protection yet. David Molk has the instincts, intangibles, tools, and skillset to develop into a very good starting center in the zone blocking scheme in the NFL. He doesn’t offer the functional strength or size that you look for in a center in a power run offense, which is why he will be limited schematically at the next level. However, in the right offense, he has the tools to have a very productive, successful career at the next level and should be capable of competing for a starting job early in his career.
A well-traveled 26-year old prospect who was the pivot man in Baylor’s explosive offense this season, Philip Blake is a Canadian-born player who graduated in 2005 from Father Henry Carr Catholic School in Ontario before moving on to play two years of football at Champlain Regional College in Quebec; from there, Blake made his way to Tyler Junior College in Texas where he played one season and was named second-team all-conference before finally transferring to Baylor where he was a three-year starter for the Bears. Philip began his career with the Bears starting 12 games at right tackle as the bookend to Danny Watkins, who was drafted in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2011 NFL Draft. In 2010, Blake kicked inside to center and started 26 games over the last two years there. In 2011, Blake was arguably the Bears’ most valuable lineman on an offense that ranked second in the country in yards-pergame, averaging 587 per contest. A prototypical anchor in the middle of the line who owns a thick, stocky frame with a stout lower body, Blake possesses the leg strength to hold his ground at the point of attack and match up with the biggest of nose tackles in the country. With his wide, massive frame on the interior, Philip swallows up smaller defensive tackles in the run game, displaying the ability to pave the way up front and clear out open holes for the ball carrier. Blake does a good job of staying square at the point of attack both in the run game as well as in pass protection, doing a terrific job of engaging the defensive lineman off the ball with good quickness and driving them backwards with great leg drive (615 pound squat). He’s also a finisher who plays with the feistiness inside that you look for. In addition, Philip has the type of upper body strength needed to consistently neutralize the defender when he manages to lock on; although his arms aren’t as long as you’d prefer, he’s developed good hand placement in firing his hands inside and using his strong grip to take out the defender. When working on a combination block, he does a fine job of quickly taking on the tackle before handing him off to the guard and then sliding to the second level. Although he’ll have trouble hitting a moving target in open space, he’s displayed the ability to lock onto a linebacker when playing straight-ahead and does not have to move laterally. Blake is far better at playing in a phone booth rather than out in open space. He offers enough lateral agility to mirror interior offensive linemen, however he wouldn’t be someone that I would ask to pull out and block on the move or in open space; he does not have the fluid athleticism to break down and redirect when attempting to hit a moving target. In addition, his hip flexibility is not ideal and you’d like to see him develop a better ability to sink his hips in pass protection; there are times when he will play too high and get caught leaning into the defender which will result in him sliding off of the defensive lineman or getting over-extended. He needs to do a better job of playing with his feet underneath him. Philip will need further refinement of his overall technique and fundamentals at the next level and is still a prospect who is developing. Philip Blake is a big, strong, tough center prospect who has the physical tools and skillset to develop into a fine starting center in the NFL; he’s not going to be a high-upside player, however for a power-run oriented team looking for a player who could develop quickly and pave holes in the run game, Philip would be a great fit.
Cut from the same cloth as Joe Thomas and Jake Long, Matt Kalil is one of the best offensive tackle prospects to enter the NFL in the past five years and has everything that you look for in a franchise blind side protector. A former top recruit who started for two seasons at USC, Matt is hoping to follow in his older brother Ryan’s footsteps in being a top pick out of USC who works his way into being one of the highest-paid players at his position in the NFL. As polished technically as you’ll find at the offensive tackle position, Kalil owns an elite combination of size strength, and athleticism for the position; his upper body strength (30 reps on bench) and long arms (34 inches) are both ideal. Kalil is a smart player who has the instincts and understanding of the game that you hope to see in a player. In pass protection, Matt is a natural at sinking back into his pass set immediately off the snap and his flexibility for a player of his size is some of the best that I’ve seen at the position in the last five years. Despite being taller than nearly any defender he matches up with, Kalil has no trouble bending down and playing underneath smaller defenders, showing an outstanding ability to consistently bend at the knees with the balance, light feet, and coordination needed to be a very successful NFL player. Matt is very nimble for a player of his size, owning the agility and range to move laterally with ease; he has the size, long strides, and quick feet to mirror any pass rusher in the country. In addition, Kalil does a great job of shifting his weight while shuffling his feet, showing the ability to consistently close off cutback lanes inside. He plays with a wide stance that is very effective at swallowing up defenders when they get inside on him, and when combined with his great lateral agility, it makes it very difficult for pass rushers to get around him. Matt uses his long arms to his advantage as a pass protector, showing a great understanding for how to extend his long arms out to attempt to lock on and gain control at the point of attack. He displays very good hand use, consistently firing his hands into the defender repeatedly until he can gain control. More of a finesse run blocker up front, Kalil excels at standing the defensive lineman up off the ball before using his wide frame and flexibility to turn and position or wall the defender away from the hole to open up a running lane inside. While he’s proven to be effective here in college, I would like to see Matt continue to work on getting underneath the offensive lineman at the point of attack, coil up, and explode through his hips to drive the defender backwards. He doesn’t physically dominate as a run blocker, but rather uses his athleticism and technique to just get the job done. Kalil is not as ferocious or tenacious as Joe Thomas and Jake Long were, which is why I would like to see him develop a more fiery attitude, as I think that would help him in the NFL. He has the tools and potential to dominate opponents in the run game, but seems to just settle for getting the job done here. Matt Kalil is a franchise left tackle prospect with everything that you look for in a future 10-15 year starter who will make it to a number of Pro Bowls. If he continues to fill out his frame and get stronger, in addition to polishing up his technique and fundamentals, he has the talent and complete package of tools needed to develop into one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL.
The next in a very long line of productive Iowa Hawkeye offensive linemen to enter the NFL, Riley Reiff projects as a more-athletic version of former teammate Bryan Bulaga, who was selected with the 23rd overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. A three-year starter with 37 career starts for the Hawkeyes, Reiff was a former defensive end recruit who began his career at left guard playing next to Bulaga as a freshman in 2009 before replacing him at the left tackle position in 2010, where he spent the past two seasons holding down the blind side. Offering the great intangibles and work ethic that you look for in a player, Riley was one of five juniors on Iowa’s leadership group in 2011 and was a team captain in high school, and also was awarded with the team’s Hustle Team Award and Next Man In Award in the past three years. Owning ideal size for the left tackle position with shorter arms than you like to see (33 inches), Reiff has a terrific blend of size, strength, and athleticism at left tackle. Fluid in pass protection with the polished technique that you look for, Riley is more than capable of mirroring the best of pass rushers out on the edge. His great wrestling background is shown on the field, as he does a good job of bending at the knees and playing underneath the defender at the point of attack in pass protection, then using his reach to lock onto the defensive lineman before neutralizing him for the rest of the play with his good upper body strength (23 reps on bench). Reiff’s hand use at the point of attack is polished and is exactly what you look for with the way that he fires his hands quickly inside the defender off the snap to attempt to gain control. His footwork in his kick slide will still need some slight refining, to work on consistently staying square in his recovery, however the combination of size and athleticism that he offers is excellent. He could stand to continue to get stronger in the lower half to help anchor at the point of attack against stronger bull rushers at the next level. Although he’ll occasionally get over-extended by bending at the waist against shorter speed rushers who take advantage of occasional cutback lanes he leaves open inside, Reiff typically does a good job of keeping his feet underneath him and recovers well to cut them off before they can reach the quarterback; with more experience and coaching at the next level, he should continue to develop and improve quickly. In the run game, Riley comes off the ball quickly and drives into the defender with good leverage, displaying a consistent ability to stand the defensive lineman up and wall him off with proper positioning. He’s capable of driving the defender backwards, however he needs to continue to improve his functional strength and grip to lock onto the defensive lineman, sustain his block, and push him out of the hole. With his big frame, he is capable of clearing a wide running lane and was very effective on reach blocks in Iowa’s zone blocking scheme, in which his quick feet give him a great advantage. With how nimble he is, Reiff excels at sliding to the second level to take out the linebacker and is more than capable of moving in the open field, breaking down to redirect, and hitting a moving target in space. He’s not exactly a mauler inside, and is more of a finesse offensive lineman, however he has the traits needed to develop into a drive blocker at the next level. Although not as polished as Bryan Bulaga was when he entered the league in 2010, Riley Reiff offers better upside and a higher ceiling than Bulaga did. For the team that drafts him, Reiff will be an immediate contributor capable of holding down the fort at left tackle.
The blind-side protector for quarterback Andrew Luck, Jonathan Martin leaves Stanford after having been an elite three-year starter for the Cardinal. Having started 37 games at left tackle, Martin offers the experience and durability that you look for in a top prospect. Jonathan owns great versatility, having also lined up frequently on the right side of the line in Stanford’s run-heavy Hulk formation. With an impressive blend of size, strength, and raw athleticism, Martin proved over the course of his career to be one of the most reliable pass blockers in college football. In pass protection, he displays an excellent ability to quickly transition into his pass set, sit down in a chair, and anchor right off the snap. Jonathan possesses very good flexibility in the lower half, showing the consistent ability to bend at the knees that is needed to be successful at the next level. As a pass blocker, Martin owns enough strength in the lower body needed to withstand a bull rush off the ball before sinking back into his pass set to reset before re-engaging the defender. He’s a proven, dependable anchor who doesn’t own elite strength, but understands how to use his flexibility to his advantage. A polished prospect with the technique and fundamentals needed to start immediately at the next level, Jonathan consistently plays low at the point of attack with a smooth kick slide and outstanding leverage, and uses his long arms (34 inches) to his advantage as he extends out to gain control of the defender. Martin does now own ideal strength in the upper body (20 reps on bench), but rather makes up for it with his nimble feet and terrific agility as a pass blocker. He shows the quickness and fluidity needed to mirror speed pass rushers off the edge and has a very natural ability to shift his weight while shuffling his feet in pass protection. Between his light feet, flexibility, and core strength to anchor at the point of attack, Martin will never be a dominant offensive tackle, however he offers everything needed to be an extremely effective blocker who is very difficult to beat. However, I would like to see him continue to get stronger while filling out his frame, as he has room to continue to add weight and bulk up. A polished run blocker as well, Jonathan is a fantastic zone-blocking prospect who displays an innate understanding of angles, positioning, and leverage. Off the ball, he quickly engages the defender low at the point of attack to gain leverage while locking on before turning and either walling off or pushing the defensive lineman out of the play to open up a running lane inside. With his nimble feet and agility, he offers the mobility needed to pull outside as a lead blocker, pull through on traps, as well as slide to the second level to effectively take out the linebacker. Jonathan Martin is a complete prospect at the offensive tackle position. He will not be one to physically dominate opponents at the next level, as he lacks the strength and elite athletic tools to do so. However, he’s as reliable and dependable of a player as there is at this position, and with the experience that he has blocking for a future franchise quarterback in Luck, I believe that he has everything needed to translate that success to the NFL. He could play left or right tackle for the team that drafts him.
One of the most intriguing offensive linemen in this year’s draft, Georgia’s Cordy Glenn enters the NFL with some of the best versatility of any player available for selection this spring. With experience playing up and down the offensive line, Cordy projects favorably to both tackle and guard thanks to his experience, massive size, and natural athleticism. After signing with Georgia out of high school as a highly-recruited prep, Glenn was thrown into the mix as a true freshman, starting seven games at left guard and three games at right guard in 2008; as a sophomore in 2009, he started the season opener against Oklahoma State at right guard before moving to left tackle for the next four games and then kicking inside to left guard to start the final eight games there; he went on to start all 13 games as a junior at left guard and then finished his career at left tackle where he started all 13 games as a senior. He leaves Georgia with 49-career starts, second-most by any offensive lineman to play for the Bulldogs. A team leader who was elected captain in 2011, Cordy offers the type of leadership and work ethic that scouts and coaches covet in a player. The biggest player in attendance at the Senior Bowl, Glenn possesses the type of size and strength that is hard to find; however, when you combine that with his natural athleticism and quick feet, he’s the type of rare prospect that presents very high upside at the next level. In 2011, Cordy began the season slowly as he was getting accustomed to the left tackle position. Later on towards the end of the season, you could tell that he was improving from week-to-week, displaying the type of polished technique and fundamentals that he didn’t exhibit at the beginning of the season. This is a promising sign, as it shows that he is a coachable player who can develop quickly and can make an impact early in his career for the team that drafts him. In the run game, Glenn displays good hand placement at the point of attack with a strong grip, and when you add his big size to swallow up defenders as well as the power and strength to drive them off the ball, he presents the type of tools that you typically see in a player who has the potential to dominate in this area in the NFL; while he’s not a full-on road grader right now, he has the skillset to develop into a mauler in the right offensive system at the next level. Although
One of the top recruits in the country coming out of high school, Mike Adams had a rocky, up-and-down career with the Buckeyes, never quite living up to the steep expectations but finishing his career as a reliable and dependable blindside protector. A two-year starter with 25 career starts for Ohio State, Adams shared the Buckeyes’ Jim Parker Award as the team’s most valuable offensive lineman with center Mike Brewster in 2011. Owning a fabulous combination of size, strength, and athleticism for the position, Mike has an ideal frame with the long arms (33 inches), wingspan (81 inches), and length that scouts look closely for at the position. A polished prospect with the refined technique and fundamentals needed to contribute immediately at the next level, Adams has an NFL ready skillset with flexible, fluid athleticism as well as developed tools that will be required of him in order to compete for a starting job as a rookie. In pass protection, Mike does a fantastic job of sitting down in his pass set right off the snap, not allowing for himself to play too tall despite his huge size; his flexibility is rather impressive for how tall he is, as he manages to bend at the knees and sink his hips to get underneath the defensive end and gain leverage before locking on and using his upper body strength to take him out of the play. There are a few times when he will play too high at the point of attack, however this is something that can be ironed out with his position coach at the next level. Mike’s wide frame is valuable for him, as he has the ability to stretch out with good balance and make it very difficult for defenders to get around him. His hand use is good, but is still improving, however I do like that he has shown the ability to provide a strong punch at the point of contact off the ball. With his balance, he does a fine job of sinking back into his pass set with the lower body strength to anchor against bullrushing defensive ends. Adams’ long arms are among his greatest assets, as they allow for him to extend out off the snap to catch the pass rushing end while protecting the edge. With fantastic agility for a player of his size, Mike has the range to consistently protect the corner as well as the lateral agility and short-area quickness needed to rebound and come back inside when the end redirects; between his fluid athleticism, flexibility to bend, and his quick feet, Mike has the makings of being an elite player at the position and could have a better pro career than college career when everything is said and done. Mike Adams has the physical tools and skillset to develop into a Pro Bowl left tackle for a team for the next decade. However, he must prove that he can keep his head on straight, show that he is motivated and dedicated, as well as continue to develop and learn the nuances of the position in order to reach his potential.
The sky is the limit for Michael Brockers’ upside and potential in the NFL. He is a developmental project who will need time to grow and mature as a player, and the team that drafts him must be willing to be patient as he develops. In my opinion, Brockers projects best as a 3-4 base end five-technique where his size, strength, and powerful base project very well here; in this role, he also would not be expected to produce as a pass rusher the same as if he were in a 4-3 defense, where he projects more as a massive one-technique down inside; he doesn’t offer the quick feet or shortarea burst that I look for in a three-technique. If he comes close to reaching his full potential and upside, Michael Brockers will be a perennial Pro Bowler. However, he is very far away from that point and looks the part of a boom-or-bust prospect who needs to land with the right team in order to find success in the NFL.
Ronnell Lewis is an intriguing pass rushing prospect because of the physical tools that he offers. Lewis projects favorably as a 3-4 outside rush linebacker where the wide alignment outside could give him a better opportunity to rush the passer at the next level. In the 4-3 defense, he either projects as a pass rush specialist at end or as a developmental project as a WILL linebacker, however he projects far better in the 3-4 than 4-3. Lewis is still a raw prospect who needs quite a bit of development, however he has the physical tools to develop into a productive starting rush linebacker for a team in the NFL; it’s just a question of how quickly he can develop, how well he can learn a complex defense, and how much work he will put in off the field. Because he has high upside but so many questions at the same time, Lewis has the makings of being a boom-or-bust prospect.
With Chris Polk, NFL teams will know exactly what they’re getting: a bell cow of a running back who is not going to be a home run hitter, but has what it takes to be a starting back in the mold of Michael Turner of the Atlanta Falcons, a consistent back who will average just over four yards per carry and will lose his speed and agility as he ages and accumulates more carries and the hits that come with them. Where Chris helps himself is with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, which is something that Turner doesn’t offer, giving Polk a chance to contribute early in his career in the NFL. Polk lost weight and seemed to increase his speed which only helps him in the NFL.
Tramain Thomas is a complete prospect at the safety position who has what it takes to develop into a solid starting strong safety in the NFL with a year or two of further development. His value is higher this year than in any other year because of the poor safety class in 2012. At worst, he’d be a quality fifth-or-sixth defensive back for nickel and dime defenses and a great special teams player, however he has far higher upside than that.
Ryan Broyles is a very reliable option in the passing game who has the tools and skillset needed to develop into a very good slot receiver and No. 3 option in the passing game for a team. While it remains to be seen if he’ll be an explosive presence, his ability to work the short-to-intermediate range as a “catch-and-run” option can not be denied. Broyles can offer a ton of value to a team with his dependability and consistency as a receiver.
Akiem Hicks is simply a raw, talented, athletic piece of clay that his position coach will need to be able to get his hands on and mold into an NFL defensive lineman at the next level. He’s the epitome of a developmental project and it would not surprise me if it took a few years for him to transition and begin to develop; the team that he lands with must be patient with him. He projects well as a three-technique tackle in the 4-3 defense or as a five-technique base end in the 3-4 defense. With a raw, talented player from Canada, he’s an intriguing prospect because his upside and potential are high, however his ceiling will be determined by the team that he lands with and how well they can develop him. He has the tools and skillset needed to be a fine rotational defensive tackle or end who has the athleticism and agility to be a nice pass rusher, however it’d be a stretch to say that he can eventually be a starter in the NFL, as it’s simply too hard to say.
Philip Blake is a big, strong, tough center prospect who has the physical tools and skillset to develop into a fine starting center in the NFL; he’s not going to be a high-upside player, however for a power-run oriented team looking for a player who could develop quickly and pave holes in the run game, Philip would be a great fit.
Chase Minnifield owns the talent and physical tools needed to eventually develop into a starting defensive back in the NFL, however his average showing during his senior season suggests that he still has a ways to go to reach that point and with questions about his knees, his stock is dropping fast and far. Minnifield projects best as a cornerback in a Cover-2 scheme in which he would be given the opportunity to play in zone coverage and work close to the line of scrimmage as a run defender. I could also see him moving to free safety with his ball skills, instincts, and experience in zone coverage. The talent and skills are there, Chase just needs further development in order to become an NFL-caliber defensive back.
B.J. Coleman is a former top recruit who originally signed with the University of Tennessee, is a quality small-school developmental quarterback prospect who projects early on as a fine No. 2 or more likely No. 3 quarterback for a team who has the instincts, understanding of the game, intangibles, and physical tools needed to develop quickly and have a successful pro career. Although he needs a few years of development, I believe that B.J. could compete for a starting job down the road if given the opportunity. He has some untapped potential because of the low-level of competition that he played at and the fact that he was dinged up for part of his senior year. Coleman is a player that I would strongly consider drafting in the mid-to-late rounds if I were running a draft.
I really like this kid A LOT! Greenwood has the size (6’1/196) and projected speed (4.37) to intrigue teams late in the draft. The level of competition is a huge question with Greenwood. He literally shut down half of the field for 3 years while attending Albion. Greenwood also has the type of personality that would make him a perfect fit in the Green Bay locker room, humble, hard working and eager to learn. This kid is more of an athlete then CB right now, but if Joe Whitt Jr. can tap into his potential like he did Shields a couple years ago, the Packers would be suddenly deep at CB.
Tom Compton has all of the tools, measurables, and the skillset that you look for in a developmental player capable of eventually competing for a starting job in the NFL. I believe that he could be a very effective offensive guard in the NFL, however he should be tried at right tackle first, as he has enough upside to grow into being a good player here at the next level. The expected versatility that he should be able to bring to the table will certainly help his value to the team that drafts him. Tom won’t be a flashy pick, however if he lands with a team that is willing to be patient with him, he could turn out to be a gem in the mid-to-late rounds if he lands with the right team.
Cordarro Law has the motor, intensity, pass rushing awareness, and polished hand use needed to develop into an effective situational pass rush specialist for a team. His ceiling is limited because of his lack of size and strength, however for a team looking for a player who will bring great effort and has the skills to get to the quarterback, Law could be a nice find late in the draft. In my opinion, Law has some intriguing upside as a 3-4 outside rush linebacker where I think that he could surprise some people if given the chance to compete for a job here; in the 4-3 defense, he projects as a pass rushing end.
The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner as the best college football player in the country, Robert Griffin III is a special talent with the type of elite physical tools and mental makeup that rarely comes along. A three-year starter with 40 career starts for the Bears, Griffin rewrote the record books at Baylor, having set 26 single-season, 20 career and eight single-game marks in his four years in Waco. Over the course of his career, Robert threw for 10,366 yards, 78 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions with a 67.1% completion percentage (800-1,192) while rushing for 2,254 yards and 33 touchdowns on 528 carries; his best statistical season came during his Heisman Trophy-winning junior year in which he threw for 4,293 yards, 37 touchdowns, and just six interceptions with a 72.4% completion percentage (291-402) and rushed for 699 yards and 10 touchdowns on 179 carries. Griffin brings elite intangibles, leadership, intelligence, and the work ethic that coaches and scouts dream about; he’s a very confident player who got the job done off the field as well, earning numerous academic honors in addition to ranking seventh in his class and being his class president in high school. The way that he led the Bears during his junior season is something that simply can’t be taught and brought back memories of Cam Newton’s spectacular season in 2010. At Baylor, Robert led his team to victories over Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, TCU, and
The best QB prospect that to enter the NFL since Peyton Manning in 1998, at least that’s what 99% of the scouts and draft experts say. Andrew Luck heads to the next level as the type of franchise quarterback prospect that only comes once every 10 to 20 years. A threeyear starter with 38 career starts at Stanford, Luck led the Cardinal to a 31-7 record over the course of his career while finishing second for the Heisman Trophy twice, as well as being named a two-time Offensive Player of the Year in the Pacific Athletic Conference. He helped lead a team that had endured seven consecutive losing seasons to three-straight bowl games, a near-chance at competing for a national championship, and the 11 games that Stanford won in each of the past two seasons is the most in school history. In his three years as the lead signal caller in Palo Alto, Andrew finished among the school’s all-time leading passers, having thrown for a total of 9,430 yards, 82 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions with a 67.0% completion percentage (713-1,064); his best statistical season came in 2011 during his junior year when he threw for 3,517 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions with a 71.3% completion percentage (288-404). As complete of a prospect as I have ever seen, Luck’s intelligence, instincts, and
The only player in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history to record more than 4,000 passing and 1,500 receiving yards in a career, Ryan Tannehill enters the NFL with one of the most intriguing blends of physical tools, athleticism, and instincts for the position. A quarterback prospect out of high school, Tannehill was asked to move to wide receiver as a freshman where he finished first on the team in receiving as a redshirt freshman and second on the team as a sophomore. After starting quarterback Jerrod Johnson began to struggle in 2010, head coach Mike Sherman asked Ryan to move back to quarterback where he immediately grabbed ahold of the job of led the Aggies to a 5-1 record to finish his junior season. In 2011, Tannehill led the team to a 7-6 season as the starter while throwing for 3,744 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions with a 61.6% completion percentage (327-531); Ryan finished his career with the Aggies having thrown for 5,450 yards, 42 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions with a 62.4% completion percentage (484- 774) and caught 112 passes for 1,596 yards and 10 touchdowns. Owning ideal size for the position, Tannehill is a tall quarterback who sees the field well and is comfortable working out of the pocket. An efficient quarterback whose precision and accuracy are his strengths, Ryan does a very good job of putting the right amount of touch on the ball to deliver it quickly and accurately down the field. He’s displayed the ability to fit the ball into tiny windows, however he also has shown that he can drop the ball in the bucket down the field using great touch. Having only started for one full season at Texas A&M, he’s still developing his ability to throw the ball with pinpoint accuracy down the field, however he understands how to put enough loft on it to let his receiver run underneath the ball, and in the short-to-intermediate range shows excellent accuracy. Ryan’s arm strength down the field is very good, showing the ability to make every throw that an NFL quarterback needs to make. His velocity isn’t elite, however he makes up for it with his fluid mechanics and getting rid of the ball quickly. Tannehill offers a fine delivery with a quick release, however with this only being his first full season concentrating on the position, he is still refining and tweaking his mechanics, but is far enough along that he shouldn’t have any problems polishing it up at the next level. Although he looks more comfortable working out of the shotgun, Ryan also has experience working from under center as well, and shouldn’t have any trouble doing either at the next level. His footwork in stepping into his throws is something that he will need to develop, as there are occasions when he will throw off of his back foot; he also doesn’t drive the ball down the field, so developing more torque through the hips would be something that I would have him work on as well. Being that he is such a talented athlete, Tannehill offers outstanding mobility with the speed and agility needed to take off and make plays with his legs. He’s not a quick-twitch or explosive player, but rather owns long strides with light enough feet that he can redirect in the open field to evade a defender; he rushed for 382 yards and five touchdowns the past two seasons. Ryan shows great awareness here with a distinct understanding of when he should and should not take off with the ball. Ryan does a nice job of keeping his eyes down the field while moving about the pocket and has a strong sense for where the pass rush is coming from. I’m impressed with his ability to throw the ball accurately down the field while on the run and outside of the pocket. Tannehill has a good understanding of how to read defenses and go through his reads and progressions, however part of his development at the next level will be the mental aspect of the game and gaining more experience here after having only done it for a short period of time while at A&M. Ryan has shown the understanding of how to use pump fakes, however there were times through the past two years when he would get caught staring down his receiver, which is something that he’ll need to work on correcting. Over the past season and a half, Ryan has displayed the type of intangibles and leadership that coaches look for at the quarterback position. Ryan Tannehill offers all of the tools, skills, and instincts that you look for at the quarterback position. However, he’s still in need of
One of the most interesting quarterback prospects in this year’s draft who began his professional career in Major League Baseball, Brandon Weeden enters the NFL owning the type of physical tools you look for in a top prospect, yet he has age limitations that could limit how high he is drafted. Originally drafted in the second round of the 2002 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees, Weeden played four seasons in the Yankees’ minor league system before he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers; after two seasons in Los Angeles’ system, Brandon was selected in the Rule 5 Draft by the Kansas City Royals where he went on to play one season before seeing his baseball career get cut short by a torn labrum and tendinitis in his rotator cuff. Opting not to have surgery, but rather to switch sports entirely, Weeden hopped off the mount and onto the gridiron when he enrolled at Oklahoma State. After redshirting in 2007, Brandon was a backup as a freshman and sophomore before winning the starting job as a junior. In his two years as the Cowboys’ starter, Brandon led Oklahoma State to a 23-3 record, including a Fiesta Bowl victory over Stanford to cap off his college career. He threw for a total of 9,260 yards, 75 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions with a 69.5% completion percentage (766-1,102) over his four year career, with his most productive season coming his senior year in 2011 when he threw for 4,727 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions with a 72.3% completion percentage (408-564). Offering ideal size at the quarterback position, Weeden is a poised player who looks very comfortable when working in the pocket. Owning the arm strength to make any throw that an NFL quarterback needs to make, Brandon is capable of consistently dropping the ball in the bucket with excellent touch on his throws outside the numbers and down the field. In addition, Brandon has very good accuracy to all parts of the field, displaying the touch and precision that you look for in a top prospect at the position. A smart, instinctive player who makes good decisions with the ball, Weeden manages the game very well while also possessing some of that “it” factor that you look for in a quarterback to lead the team. Brandon’s mechanics are ideal; he’s a natural thrower who also understands when he needs to throw the ball with different angles to put better accuracy on the ball. His footwork is going to be a work in progress at the next level as he makes the transition from the spread offense in college to the pro-style one that he’ll play in with the team that drafts him. Although he’s going to need some refinement in dropping back from under center, as he played the majority of his team with the Cowboys in the shotgun, I do like the way that he steps into his throws, putting more velocity and torque into his delivery. Brandon displays adequate pocket presence with fine awareness for where the pass rush is coming from, however he doesn’t offer the type of mobility to consistently get to the
Michigan State’s all-time leading passer, Kirk Cousins enters the NFL after having had a prolific college career in East Lansing. A three-year starter for the Spartans, Cousins threw for 9,131 yards, 66 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions with a 64.2% completion percentage (723-1,126); his best statistical season came as a senior in 2011 when he threw for 3,316 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions with a 63.7% completion percentage (267-419). Also the winningest quarterback in Spartan history (27 victories), Kirk concluded his career ranked in the Top 10 All-Time in the Big Ten Conference in four different categories (completion percentage, passing efficiency, passing yards, and touchdown passes). Only the second three-time captain in Michigan State history (first sophomore to be named captain since 1949), Kirk offers the type of leadership, work ethic, and intangibles that coaches and scouts dream about. A smart, intelligent quarterback with adequate size for the position, Cousins has experience running a pro-style offense and is the epitome of what coaches look for in a game-managing quarterback. He has experience going through his reads and progressions, and although he’s still developing here, has displayed a good enough understanding to show that he has some upside here. He has plenty of experience playing under center and in shotgun, also displaying great timing with his play action fakes. Kirk is a great decision maker with the ball, offering better than a 2-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio at the college level. Experienced in the pro-style offense, Cousins has great mechanics, holding the ball chest-level high with a quick delivery; his mechanics are close to NFL-ready. He displays good arm strength to deliver the ball 50-60 yards down the field and has enough velocity to make most of the throws that an NFL quarterback needs to make. I love the way that Kirk instinctually leads his wide receivers down the field, whether it’s away from coverage and towards the end zone or simply to give his target a better opportunity to make a safer catch and avoid a big hit. He’s not the type who will force many throws, but rather likes to play it safe. He typically does a good job of taking care of the ball and doesn’t make many mistakes. Kirk throws the ball accurately in the short-to-intermediate range, and has shown the ability to drop the ball in the bucket as well as make accurate throws down the field, however his accuracy still is inconsistent and not where you’d like it to be at. In the pocket, he shows good pocket presence with a strong awareness for where the rush is coming from. He’s a solid athlete who possesses the mobility to escape the pocket when it collapses. However, he’s not the type of quarterback that is going to beat you with his legs, offering just enough speed out on the edge to scramble ahead for a few yards and pick up an occasional first down. With his mechanics, I’d really like to see Kirk work on stepping into his throws; he tends to throw off his back foot or at a standstill at times, which shows that he still needs some refinement of his footwork; throwing through his hips will give him better velocity and more accuracy with his throws. As much as there is to like about Cousins, I still have some doubts. He’s not what I would consider a poised, confident, and collected quarterback, often struggling under pressure, and has shown that he will get sloppy with his mechanics and footwork when under pressure from the defense. He’s not the type of quarterback that will be able to carry his team on his shoulders and go win the game singlehandedly. He shows flashes of having great potential and then other times you want to question whether he’s a draftable prospect. Kirk Cousins has the intelligence, great intangibles, and solid physical tools to develop into a very good, reliable backup quarterback who has the potential to develop into a serviceable starter in the league.
A two-time Biletnikoff Award winner as the top receiver in the country, Justin Blackmon heads to the NFL with the type of elite production that figures to land him with an overrated grade from some teams at the next level. A two-year starter who filled the large hole that Dez Bryant left at Oklahoma State when he declared for the draft in 2010, Blackmon is not quite the elite prospect that Bryant was, however he still very much a fine prospect in his own right. Over the past three years, Justin hauled in 252 receptions for 3,564 yards and 40 touchdowns, with his best statistical season coming during his red-shirt sophomore season in 2010 when he caught 111 passes for 1,782 yards and 20 touchdowns. Shorter than you’d prefer from an elite No. 1 receiver prospect, Blackmon is a physical player who plays bigger than his listed size and owns fine arm length (32 inches) for the position. An explosive player with the burst, acceleration, and quick-twitch agility that you look for, Justin is capable of making a play from anywhere on the field and is a constant threat to take the ball the distance any time he touches it. While his straight-line speed is not going to rank among the best in this year’s draft, he owns great quickness and agility off the line of scrimmage and into his routes, showing the type of nimbleness and burst needed to separate from defensive backs at the next level. He has enough size needed to fight off of a jam at the line of scrimmage and understands how to use leverage down the field as a route runner by shielding the defender away with his long frame. A relatively refined route runner with only minor polishing needed, Blackmon has experience running the majority of the routes on the tree, however because he played in Oklahoma State’s spread offense, he hasn’t run every route that he’ll be asked to use in the NFL. He has proved throughout his career to be capable of catching the ball over the middle, on slants, as a deep threat, as well as working outside the numbers, and also offers the versatility needed to kick inside to the slot if needed at the next level. Justin displays the burst and acceleration in and out of his breaks that you look for with the flexibility and fluidity needed to sink his hips and drive out of his cuts. Owning elite ball skills and body control, Blackmon has a rare ability to attack the ball while it’s in the air. As effective of a receiver as you’ll find on fade routes, he and Brandon Weeden were nearly unstoppable near the goal line the past two seasons when Weeden would loft the ball up while letting Blackmon run underneath it in the corner of the end zone; he offers an elite ability to track the ball over his shoulder and come down with it. While his vertical jump (35 inches) is not considered a great number for a top prospect, he has enough of an ability to climb the ladder and attempt to high point the ball that he should be capable of winning jump balls at the next level. Justin has a great ability to extend his body out to catch the ball away from his body, showing very strong hands to catch and secure the ball while in traffic. He understands how to use his size to his advantage when matching up with smaller defensive backs and will take advantage of the size difference by leveraging or shielding the defender away to give him an opening to bring in the pass. Blackmon was most effective working across the middle and catching the ball before using his explosion and burst once he brings the pass in to cut up the field and accelerate away from the defense; his strength to run through tackles at the second and third level is rare for a receiver, despite only owning average upper body strength (14 reps on bench). With his 4.48 speed, he’s not going to flat out run away from defensive backs in the NFL, which is why he’s not considered an elite deep threat who will consistently stretch the field or take the top off the defense. However, when working against zone coverage down the field, he has a strong understanding of how to find the soft spots in coverage and settle down to give his quarterback an open target to throw to. As a blocker in the run game, Justin offers the aggressive and physical attitude that you look for and has shown enough of an ability to get the job done here that with further coaching he should be able to develop into an effective blocker at the next level. Justin won’t be on the level of Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson, or Larry Fitzgerald, however has the tools to work himself into that second tier of elite receivers if he lands with the right team.
Michael Floyd enters the NFL with an elite combination of size, strength, speed, and athleticism for the receiver position. A 2.5-year starter in South Bend, Floyd leaves Notre Dame as the school’s all-time leading receiver after having re-wrote the record books throughout his career; in four years, he hauled in 271 passes for 3,686 yards and 37 touchdowns; his best statistical season came during his senior year in 2011 when he caught 100 passes for 1,147 yards and nine touchdowns. Owning the height, long arms (32 inches), and lean frame that you look for, Michael is a polished, confident receiver who proved throughout his career to be a dangerous weapon in the passing game because of everything that he brings to the table. Off the line, he has the size and upper body strength to physically overpower defensive backs to beat the jam, however he also displays a nice stutter-step to cleanly disengage as well, and accelerates down the field after releasing. While he owns more build-up speed than explosion off the line, Floyd has the straight-line speed that you look for needed to consistently stretch the field and threaten to take the top off the defenses. A sharp route runner with the explosion out of his breaks to create separation, Michael is a fluid athlete with the loose hips needed to sink in and out of his breaks to drive out with more acceleration. Although he excelled at working as a deep threat down the field, Floyd also had a lot of success in college working the short-to-intermediate range where his size and big frame made it easy for him to work across the middle of the field and make plays in traffic; he has no problem hanging onto a catch after taking a hit thanks to his big frame. Down the field, he’s among the best in the country at tracking the ball over his shoulder while showing elite body control and ball skills to extend out and catch the ball away from his body. He’s proven to be capable of tip toeing the sideline on throws outside the numbers in addition to using his huge frame to his advantage; he can out-muscle nearly any defensive back in college for a jump ball and out-jump (36.5 inch vertical) most of them as well. Owning great hand-eye coordination, Mike does a fantastic job of adjusting his body to the ball while it’s in the air and has proven throughout his career to be capable of diving out and making acrobatic catches. After the catch, Mike is a pure athlete with the combination of strength and quickness to run through tacklers in the open field; he has no trouble breaking tackles at the second and third level with his strength (16 reps on bench), however he also offers the elusiveness to side-step or spin away from defenders. One of the most underrated assets that Michael has as a prospect is his ability to block in the run game out on the edge; he developed as a blocker throughout his career and has emerged as one of the better prospects in the country here. He does a great job of extending his long arms out and gaining control of the defender off the ball before using his upper body strength and large frame to either drive the defender out of play or simply wall him off to create an open running lane. He gives great effort here and it should help his value with teams at the next level. Floyd’s straight-line speed is not elite, however for a player of his size it is better than expected. Because of this, he’s not one that will consistently run away from defensive backs, but rather often relies too much on his large size climb the ladder and high point the ball while shielding off the defender. Although this was very effective throughout his career, he put himself in a number of awkward positions from this and does have some durability concerns because of it. Michael Floyd has the talent and natural athleticism to develop into a legitimate No. 1 receiver for a team in the NFL with the upside and potential to make it to a number of Pro Bowl’s. His success at the next level could largely depend on how badly he wants it; if he can stay out of trouble and stay healthy and on the field, then he has the chance to follow in the footsteps of Larry Fitzgerald as the next premier receiver from the Twin Cities to emerge as a star in the NFL.
2011 Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III’s go-to receiver who leaves Baylor as the school’s all-time leading receiver, Kendall Wright is arguably the most explosive receiver in this year’s draft. A four-year starter for the Bears, Wright hauled in 302 receptions for 4,004 yards and 30 touchdowns over the course of his heralded career in Waco. His best statistical season came during his senior year in 2011 when he emerged as one of the top receivers in the country in catching 108 passes for 1,663 yards and 14 touchdowns. In the past four years, he’s also rushed for 425 yards and two touchdowns on 75 carries. An elite downfield threat capable of taking the top off of a defense, Kendall is a confident, savvy receiver who has the straight-line speed, quick-twitch agility, and vision needed to be a dangerous weapon for an NFL offense. A playmaker with experience lining up both outside as well as in the slot, Wright brings ideal versatility with the skill-set needed to make plays all over the field. With a burst off the line of scrimmage, Kendall accelerates quickly down the field and into his route. A natural athlete with the light feet and quickness needed to separate from coverage with ease, Wright offers the explosion in and out of his breaks that you look for. While his speed is not elite, I love his ability to snatch the ball out of the air before making one cut and exploding up the field. He’s a reliable receiver both in the short-to-intermediate range where his smaller size projects well, as well down the field as a deep threat, where he has proven to be capable of beating the corner deep before running away from the defense. He shows the toughness that you look for when working in traffic, having taken a number of hits after bringing in the catch, however he always bounces back up afterwards. Kendall owns outstanding body control and ball skills, having shown on numerous occasions that he can track the ball over his shoulder without trouble before securing the catch; his ability to adjust his body to throws down the field as well as make acrobatic catches are among the best in the draft. In addition, he owns the vertical jump (38.5 inches) needed to climb the ladder and compete for jump balls down the field; he also shows great awareness along the sideline to tiptoe the edge of the field while securing the catch. As a runner in the open field, he possesses the vision needed to find the open crease as well as the quickness and burst to hit and accelerate into the open field; he’s a very shifty back who weaves in and out of traffic with the elusiveness that you look for, however what makes him so difficult for defenses to bring down is his understanding of angles and the way that he uses his blocks down the field to force the defense to take the most difficult angle necessary to cut him off down the field. He’s a very hard player to bring down with his natural ability to make defenders miss. As a route runner, Wright still has some minor refinement that he needs with some of his routes, as he was never asked to run the full route tree while at Baylor, however other than a lack of size, he does not have many holes in his game. Kendall Wright is a dynamic, playmaking receiver who has the explosive talent and skill-set worth investing a first round draft pick in. Because of his lack of height, his ceiling could be a bit limit at the next level, however he has the potential and upside to develop into a very good receiver in the NFL.
One of the fastest players in this year’s draft who was tied for the second-fastest 40-yard dash of any player at the NFL Scouting Combine, Stephen Hill offers a very intriguing skillset with his combination of size, speed, and raw athleticism. A two-year starter for the Yellow Jackets, Hill leaves Georgia Tech having caught 49 passes for 1,248 yards and nine touchdowns; Stephen averaged 25.47- yards per reception, a gaudy number for the position, and if he had caught one more pass to qualify for the career record book at Georgia Tech, he would have easily broken the school record. Where he did break the school’s record was in 2011 during his junior year when he averaged an incredible 29.3-yards per reception (28 receptions for 820 yards and five touchdowns), the highest number of any player in the country and breaking the school record formerly held by current Denver Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas (25.1) in 2009. One of the premier deep threats in the 2012 NFL Draft, Hill offers a combination of big size and elite straight-line speed that is very hard to find. As athletic of a player as you’ll find in this year’s draft, Stephen was an Olympic-caliber long jumper in high school. He offers a tall, lean frame with the long arms (33 inches) needed to extend out and catch the ball away from his body. Stephen is a fluid athlete who releases very quickly off the line of scrimmage and glides down the field with long strides. Capable of out-running just about any defensive back he matches up with, Hill was primarily a three-route receiver at Georgia Tech who excelled at stretching the field deep and running short slant routes that helped his run-oriented passer get him the ball. I do like the way that he has shown the ability to settle down in the middle of zone coverage to provide a big target for his quarterback down the field, however further development will be needed here. When given the chance to extend out and catch the ball away from his body, Stephen displays outstanding body control and ball skills to make acrobatic catches. In addition his vertical (39.5 inches) to climb the ladder and high point the ball when coupled with his tall frame and long arms make it extremely difficult for any defensive back to compete with him for a jump ball. In addition, he offers great flexibility to adjust to poorly thrown passes. Although he’s not going to offer much short-area quickness due to his big size and long strides, Hill is a smooth, fluid athlete who offers enough agility to occasionally make a defender miss down the field; where he does use his athleticism well is after making the catch and redirecting in the open field to attempt to get up the field and evade oncoming defenders. After hauling in the catch, he has the straight-line speed to run away from defenses, and when he is faced with a defender attempting to make the tackle, he has shown the ability to use his big size to run through tackles; I like the way that he continues to churn his legs through contact to pick up additional yardage, something that you don’t often see from receiver prospects. Thanks to playing in a triple-option offense, Stephen is a fully-developed blocker in the run game and will provide a great impact to his offense here at the next level. Stephen Hill has as much upside as any receiver in this year’s draft. For the team that drafts him, they must be patient as he develops and transitions from the triple-option offense at Georgia Tech to the pro-style offense in the NFL. If he maximizes his talent, Hill projects as a legitimate No. 1 receiver for a team at the next level, however he’d also be a fine No. 2 option on a good team.
A big, physical possession receiver who lacks the straight-line speed to be a No. 1 receiver in the NFL, Mohamed Sanu is a talented, athletic receiver prospect with the physical tools needed to develop into a terrific No. 2 option in a team’s passing game at the next level. A three-year starter for Rutgers, Sanu hauled in a total of 210 passes for 2,263 yards and 12 touchdowns over the course of his career; his best statistical season came in 2011 during his junior year when he recorded 115 receptions for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns. Owning a big, lean frame with the long arms (33 inches) that you look for, Mohamed has all of the tools that you look for in a classic possession receiver in the NFL. Off the line, he owns the size and strength (19 reps on bench) needed to beat the jam at the line of scrimmage before building up speed down the field. While not an explosive player, Sanu offers enough acceleration to get down the field and into his routes. He’s a refined route runner who owns the flexibility needed to sink into and accelerate out of his breaks while offering the polished skillset needed to contribute here immediately at the next level. A weapon in the passing game over the middle of the field who has shown the ability to be a dangerous run-after-the catch player, Mohamed has some of the best, most natural hands in this year’s draft. He extends out with ease before snatching the ball out of air with his strong hands and owns some of the best ball skills and body control of any player available for selection this year; he has made numerous one-handed and acrobatic catches through his career and is as reliable of an option to throw to as you’ll find thanks to his elite hand-eye coordination. In addition, he owns the vertical (36 inches) needed to climb the ladder and compete with defensive backs, if not consistently win jump ball situations. Although his straight-line speed will limit him at the next level, he offers enough needed to at least challenge a defense deep, and with his ability to play the ball in the air, he has what it takes to occasionally come down with a big play. He’s shown great awareness when in the back of the end zone or along the sidelines with his ability to keep his feet in bounds while securing the catch. In the open field, Sanu displays great vision to find the open hole and patiently understands how to wait for his blocks to develop before following them down the field. He’s not a quick-twitch player, but rather owns enough agility and shiftiness to work his way through traffic and make defenders miss; he also owns the big frame and strength to run through tackles, as he certainly is not an easy player for defenders to bring down. Mohamed Sanu has the tools and polished skillset needed to
