10/13/11 9 PM ET
USC at California
OT Matt Kalil (USC) #75
Simply put, a stud left tackle, the best since Joe Thomas and Jake Long and possibly better than them. Kalil has done an excellent job of protecting Matt Barkley’s blindside at USC for 3 years. He has NFL bloodlines, his brother Ryan is a Pro-Bowl center for the Carolina Panthers, and he’s so good that he kept Tyron Smith at right tackle for USC. Smith went 9th in the 2011 NFL Draft. Kalil could go as high as #2, the first player after Andrew Luck. Athletic at 6-7 305, but also powerful, he’d be best fit in a zone blocking scheme like USC’s, but scheme versatile as well. He’s also an elite special teamer, blocking 4 kicks in his career.
MLB Chris Galippo (USC) #54
An elite high school prospect, Galippo had a solid redshirt sophomore year with 70 tackles, 2 picks, 8 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. He was expected to improve further open those stats last year in his 2nd year as a starter and follow in the shoes of Rey Maualuga, a former USC middle linebacker who went in the 2nd round in 2009. However, he struggled with injuries and stayed for his senior year. So far, he seems to have put it all together with 28 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks in 5 games. He’s moving back into day 2 consideration.
10/8/11 3 PM ET (ESPN3 rewatch)
Boston College at Clemson
OLB Luke Kuechly (Boston College) #40
Luke Kuechly’s a statistician’s wet dream. He had 325 combined tackles in his first 2 seasons at BC and now he already has 83 this season through 5 games. He’s had 10+ tackles in 24 of his last 25 games (the other game he had 9) and if he were 10 pounds bigger and a little faster, he’d be a sure top 10 pick. Still, the 6-2 235 pounder is a top 15 pick at this point.
DE Andre Branch (Clemson) #40
Branch, a day 2 pick coming into this year as a 3-4 linebacker/4-3 end type, burst onto the scene last week with a huge 3 sack day against Virginia Tech in a win. Now he’s getting first round consideration. At 6-5 265 with good speed, he’s a fit for either scheme and has potential to move up if he can keep having good games. Through 5, he has 4 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, and 33 total tackles. Last year, he had 54 tackles, 8.5 for a loss, and 6 sacks.
10/15/11 12 PM ET
Baylor at Texas A&M
QB Robert Griffin (Baylor) #10
A solid player in 2010 with a completion percentage of 67.0% with an average of 7.7 yards per attempt and 22 touchdowns to 8 interceptions, Griffin has taken it to a whole new level in 2011. He is completing a whopping 80.3% of his passes for an average of 10.7 per attempt and 19 touchdowns to 1 pick, leading Division I with a quarterback rating of 212.9. He’s also a dual threat who has rushed for 173 yards through 5 games this season after 635 yards in 2010. He’s put himself into the Heisman race in a big way, but because of his early level of competition, opinions are as split on him as they were on Cam Newton last year. One side says he’s awesome, the other says, it’s just been 5 games against weak competition. A big game here against Texas A&M’s talented defense, his toughest test so far, will do a lot to help his stock.
QB Ryan Tannehill (Texas A&M) #17
Tannehill, a former wide receiver turned quarterback, came out of nowhere last year after Texas A&M benched starting quarterback Jerrod Johnson, who didn’t fit the team’s new Pro Style offense. When Tannehill took over, they were 3-3. He took them to 9-4, with that one loss to LSU in the Cotton Bowl. He completed 65% of his passes for an average of 7.0 per and 13 touchdowns to 6 picks in the process and entered 2011 as a potential day 2 pick. However, he is slipping this year after blowing big leads to Oklahoma State and Arkansas in consecutive weeks and a lackluster performance against Texas Tech last week. He’ll need to have a strong game here against Baylor to avoid slipping out of the middle rounds. He’s completing 67.1% of his passes this year for an average of 7.7 per attempt, but only 7 touchdowns to 5 interceptions.
10/15/11 3:30 PM ET
Oklahoma State at Texas
QB Brandon Weeden (Oklahoma State) #3
A former minor league baseball pitcher, the strong armed Weeden completed 66.9% of his passes for an average of 8.4 per attempt and 34 touchdowns to 13 interceptions in 2010. He has himself in the Heisman race now for undefeated Oklahoma State, completing 75.8% of his passes for an average of 8.6 yards per attempt and 15 touchdowns to 6 interceptions, but concerns about the stat bloating offense he plays in, as well as his age, have him in day 3 right now. He’s 27 and will be 28 by draft day because of his time in the minors. For comparison, he’s older than Aaron Rodgers.
S Markelle Martin (Oklahoma State) #10
Martin is having a strong season and could be poised to take advantage of a weak safety class if he keeps this up. He could sneak into the first round. The 6-1 200 pound safety has 29 tackles, 2 for a loss, and 5 pass deflections this season, after 55 tackles, 2 for a loss, and 10 deflections last year.
10/15/11 7:30 PM ET
Stanford at Colorado
OT Jonathan Martin (Stanford) #55
The #2 offensive tackle in this class, behind Matt Kalil, Martin is part of an excellent offensive line that has done a great job protecting Andrew Luck. Even more impressive, Martin has helped keep Andrew Luck protected this year despite the fact that Stanford lost 3 starting offensive linemen in the offseason, including an All-American center. He looks like a top 10 pick.
G Ryan Miller (Colorado) #73
A big tackle offensive guard, Miller is 6-8 310 and projects to be a day 2 pick. He has done a good job keeping Colorado’s offensive line playing well this year even without Nate Solder.
10/8/11 7 PM ET (ESPN3 replay)
Vanderbilt at Alabama
CB Casey Hayward (Vanderbilt) #19
When last I saw Casey Hayward, he was doing an admirable job on Alshon Jeffery against South Carolina. He limited Jeffery, a potential top 10 pick, to 2 catches, though poor quarterback play by South Carolina’s Stephen Garcia had a lot to do with that as well. He also had 2 picks in that game, though again, that has a lot to do with Garcia. Alabama’s passing attack is a little better so this should be a better test for Hayward, who has 12 career interceptions and is gaining some buzz as a potential late first round pick.
MLB Dont’a Hightower (Alabama) #30
Hightower is finally healthy and putting it all together. The big 6-4 260 pound linebacker has 29 tackles through 5 games in the middle of Alabama’s 3-4 defense and could end up a first round pick if he keeps this up and continues to prove his health. He was a popular name as a potential first rounder before his injuries, taking over for Rolando McClain inside for Alabama and now that he’s healthy again, he’s starting to get mocked in that range again.
ESPN3 Replays
10/15/11 12:30 PM ET
Miami at North Carolina
OLB Zach Brown (North Carolina) #47
The 6-2 230 Brown is rumored to have run a 4.28 40 before and should run at least in the 4.4s at The Combine. Part of a North Carolina defense loaded with future NFL players, Brown has 42 tackles, 5 for a loss, 2.5 sacks, a pick, and 3 pass deflections in 6 games this year and should be a first rounder in April. If he does run in the 4.3s or even 4.2s, he could be a top 15 pick and one of the first linebackers off the board in a loaded linebacker class (Vontaze Burflict, Manti Te’o, Luke Kuechly, Courtney Upshaw, Travis Lewis, and Dont’a Hightower could all go in the first round).
S Ray Ray Armstrong (Miami) #26
Armstrong, a potential 2nd round pick at safety, missed the first 4 games of the season with a stupid suspension, but returned last week against Virginia Tech to record 7 tackles. In 2010, he had 79 tackles, 4.5 for a loss, 3 picks, and 3 deflections. The big 6-4 220 safety is very fast for his size and could challenge Markelle Martin to be the top safety in this class with Robert Lester and TJ McDonald struggling so far this season. Mark Barron is also in the mix.
10/15/11 6 PM ET
Alabama at Mississippi
OT Barrett Jones (Alabama) #75
A left tackle at Alabama, Jones, a much better run blocker than a pass protector, projects as a guard at the next level. He’s got great technique, but he’s not very athletic and he doesn’t have the size (6-5 305) to make up for it. However, in Alabama’s run heavy offense, he’s a beast and part of the reason why Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson have had so much success in recent years.
OLB Courtney Upshaw (Alabama) #41
One of the most versatile linebackers in the country, the 6-2 260 pound Upshaw played inside and outside in Alabama’s 3-4 last season, compiling 52 tackles and 7 sacks. He’s best fit in a 3-4, but theoretically he could play outside linebacker and defensive end in a 4-3. This season, he has 18 tackles, 8.5 for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and a pick in 6 games for undefeated Alabama. He had a huge game against Florida when I last watched Florida.
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