Cornerback  

Kentucky

5-11 183

40 time: 4.53

Draft board overall prospect rank: #128

Draft board cornerback rank: #17

Overall rating: 64*

 3/2/10: Only benched 9 reps of 225 pounds and had a 4.53 40 at 5-11 183, but he was one of the worst cornerbacks in the cornerback drills. He has really disappointed in this draft preseason and has fallen from one of my favorite underrated prospects, to a 4^th or 5^th round guy

1/30/10: Whether it be his injuries that are still plaguing him or whatever, this is not the same guy we saw at Kentucky in 2007 and 2008. He looked like a stick figure at his weigh in and was 2 inches shorter than what he was listed at in college and he really has looked out matched by almost every wide receiver he has faced this week and has had a really hard time breaking out of the jam at the line of scrimmage, which is not a surprise because of his extreme lack of bulk. 

1/23/10: He had a bit of a down year with a knee injury this year, but when healthy he’s an amazing man on man corner with future #1 corner potential. His wiry frame at 6-1 175 and his lack of elite timed speed will force him out of the 1^st round, where he would have been a lock to go last year before he got hurt.

            6/20/09: They say the one thing you can’t teach is natural athleticism. While that is true, Trevard Lindley possesses something else that you just can’t teach. Lindley is an average athlete for an NFL hopeful, with a mid to low 4.4s 40 and a skinny frame, but he has that natural ability to guard a wide receiver one-on-one that very few guys in the college game, or even in the NFL have. He rarely lets receivers get separation from him and he isn’t fooled easily. He only had 4 picks last season because wide receivers are rarely open enough when guarded by him for any quarterback with half a brain to throw to them. His man press coverage skills are very similar to those of Leigh Bodden, the man who Chad Johnson said was the best one-on-one cover cornerback in the league today. The fact that Chad Johnson gave someone a compliment other than his own reflection is very high praise for Bodden, but Lindley is just as good. The one thing cornerbacks struggle with when coming into the league, and the reason why most cornerbacks drafted on day 1 don’t play much their first year, is man coverage. That is where Lindley excels and that is why he should start from week 1 in the NFL. Like Bodden did, Lindley would struggle in a cover 2 or Tampa 2, where athleticism is valued over one-on-one coverage skills, but teams that use that defensive scheme aren’t going to draft him. He’d be a great fit for the Packers who use a press man coverage scheme. The Packers’ corners are old so they could be looking for a cornerback come draft day 2010. Lindley needs to put on about 10 pounds of muscle to be able to be at least average as a run stopper for a cornerback, but that shouldn’t be too hard. He’s young and has room to grow. While he’s not a great athleticism, skinny and average speed, he does have good height for a corner, which will also help in man-to-man coverage. He’s going to win more jumpballs than a guy 5-9 or 5-10 would and his uncanny ability to stick to a receiver like glue is going to force a lot of jumpballs when a receiver throws his way. At the end of the day, Lindley is a cornerback that can start from week 1 and soon should be able to be, with a little bit more experience against more athletic corners, that type of corner like Bodden or the Packers’ Al Harris or the Raiders’ Nmandi Asomugha who can single handedly take the opposing team’s #1 option and make him a non-factor. 

NFL Comparison: Fred Smoot

*=For a breakdown of what this means, click here

 

Offensive Tackle 

Oklahoma

6-5 314

40 time: 4.88

Draft board overall prospect rank: #36

Draft board offensive tackle rank: #5

Overall rating: 81*

2/27/10: Again, speed doesn’t mean much for offensive tackles, but his 4.82 40 at 6-5 315 shows his athleticism. I think he could still drop because of lack of a true position, but the athleticism and upside is there for him to be a left tackle in this league. 

1/19/10: Too much of a tweener for me to consider him as a true first round prospect, even with his good athleticism and track record of awards in college. He isn’t a good enough pass blocker at this point to be a longterm left tackle, but he’s not enough of a big mauling run blocking to be a right tackle. His best fit would probably be as a zone blocking run tackle at this point, but with his upside he could do a lot more.

            8/4/09: Trent Williams is an extremely athletic offensive tackle. He has played right tackle and some guard in the first 3 years of his college career, but with Phil Loadholt now a member of the Minnesota Vikings, Williams will play left tackle for Oklahoma, a position better suited to his skill set. He projects as a left tackle longterm, because he’s a better pass protector than run blocker, but the fact that he has played some right tackle makes him more attractive to some NFL teams. He still has a lot to prove. His athleticism makes him a first round lock, but if he can impress at left tackle next season, against tough competition in the Big 12, he could shoot up into the top 10. Left tackle is a position of great need in the NFL and a position that is not very deep in this year’s draft class. He’s got good size and long arms. He runs well for his size and has great quickness. He claims to have run a 40 at 4.82, which for his size would be amazing, but most places have him unofficially listed at just over 5 seconds. We’ll have to how he does at the combine. 40 times don’t matter much for offensive tackles, but it could help him show off his great athleticism, and make him very attractive to Al Davis, which might not be a good thing. He isn’t an overpowering blocker. He’s better at pass protecting than run blocking, but both need work. He fits much better in a zone blocking system, rather than a man blocking system where he lacks the strength to overpower defenders one-on-one. He has high potential and plays a position of great need so he’s a first round lock, though a strong season this season could shoot him up draft boards.

NFL Comparison: Chris Williams

*=For a breakdown of what this means, click here

Running Back

Alabama

5-9 228

Draft board overall prospect rank: #4

Draft board overall running back rank: #1

Overall rating: 92 (Top 10 pick)

40 time: 4.49

Games watched: Alabama/Florida, Alabama/Vanderbilt, Alabama/Tennessee, LSU/Alabama, Alabama/Auburn, Alabama/LSU (Part 2) 

Positives

·         Incredible power

·         Incredible burst through the whole

·         Almost always breaks at least one tackle per run

·         Runs with great pad level

·         Rarely tackled for loss

·         Patient

·         Great vision

·         Uses his blocks well

·         Shifty

·         Prolific inside runner who can also run outside

·         Terrific athlete

·         Built like a bowling ball

·         Great size speed combination (5-9 228 4.49)

·         Very impressive 2011 season (283 carries for 1679 yards and 21 touchdowns)

·         Deadly in the red zone and short yardage situations

·         Excelled against great defenses in the SEC

·         Excelled against stacked boxes

·         Legitimate 3 down back with great hands (29 catches in 2011)

·         Relatively little tread on the tires (540 carries)

·         Heavily recruited

·         Well coached

·         High motor player who refuses to go down

Negatives

·         Plays a position that has been devalued in the NFL

·         Plays a position with a short shelf life

·         Plays a deep position (you can find quality rotation backs in the mid to late rounds)

·         Some injury history

·         A bit raw in pass protection

·         Doesn’t have elite breakaway speed (only had runs longer than 34 yards 3 in of 13 games in 2011)

NFL Comparison: Adrian Peterson

Trent Richardson is the cleanest running back prospect since Adrian Peterson and figures to join Reggie Bush, Peterson, Darren McFadden, and CJ Spiller as running backs to be drafted in the top 10 since 2006. Other running backs drafted in the top 12, Ryan Mathews, Marshawn Lynch, and Knowshon Moreno, had disappointing careers with the team that drafted them, though Lynch turned it around after being traded to Seattle and the jury is still out on Mathews.

Of those 7, he’s definitely most similar to Peterson. It’s also a good sign that the other 3 backs drafted in the top 10 were more speed backs than power backs. None have lived up to their draft slot. Peterson had some minor injury concerns and that dropped him to 7 when most had a top-3 grade on him. Richardson is in a similar situation after a “minor” knee scope. With running backs, there’s no such thing as a minor knee scope.

Also working against him is his position. Running backs have a relatively short shelf life (you’re lucky if you can get 6-7 years out of them), are being devalued in a pass heavy league, and come a dime a dozen (you can always find solid rotational backs in the mid to late rounds). Richardson is probably the 2^nd cleanest prospect in this draft class after Andrew Luck, but he almost definitely won’t go in the top 3.

His range starts at 4 to Cleveland. Tampa Bay at 5 will have interest, as will St. Louis at 6 and if he falls past St. Louis, he’ll probably need someone to trade up to go in the top 10 as Jacksonville, Miami, Carolina, and Buffalo all have much bigger needs. Cincinnati, the Jets, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Denver could all be candidates to trade up if he’s still available at 9 or 10. I can’t see Kansas City at 11 passing on him, even after signing Peyton Hillis, however, so that’s his floor.

He’s such a talented player who has everything you look for in a running back. He’s an amazing in between the tackles runner, with great pad level, burst, speed, shiftiness and amazing power, especially in short yardage situations. He can also run outside the tackles as well, despite a lack of elite speed and he breaks tackles no matter where on the field he is.

He’s also a solid pass catcher who can stay in on 3^rd downs. He had a phenomenal junior season in 2011 for “National Champion” Alabama and was a legitimate Heisman candidate in a stacked Heisman year, rushing for 1679 yards and 21 touchdowns on 283 carries. He did this in easily the best defensive conference in the country, and had 89 yards and 96 yards in their two matchups with LSU, who allowed 2.7 yards per carry, good for 3^rd best in the league.

He’s also relatively fresh because he spent his first two seasons as a backup for Mark Ingram. He only has 540 collegiate carries, which is important because of how fast running backs can become washed up and injured in the NFL. Still, he’s no lock to have a healthy and full NFL career and a recent minor knee scope is always troubling, even if it is “minor.” Adrian Peterson battled the same concerns. He persevered until a major knee injury last season, but Richardson might not have the same fat. At the same time, he could be in the Hall of Fame when all is said and done.

His only flaws are that he’s somewhat raw in pass protection (what college back isn’t?) and that he doesn’t have elite breakaway speed. Other than that, he’s a perfect prospect, but the nature of his position makes it impossible for him to be a top-3 pick, especially after having a “minor” knee scope. However, I’m giving him a legitimate top-10 grade and making him the 4^th ranked player on my Big Board, which is incredibly rare for me because I don’t value the running back position very much at all. 

 

This is the 2^nd player in as many days that the Eagles have extended despite having two years remaining on their contract. Given that Cole is 30 in October, this deals locks him up from the year he turns 32 to the year he turns 35. Given that, 13 million per year (4 years, 53 million) seems a little rich, but there isn’t a whole lot of guaranteed money (15 million) so it’s not too bad. Cole is currently one of the league’s best pass rushers.

Grade: B

 

 

Wharton isn’t the best guard in the world, but the Bengals have nothing at guard besides 2011 4^th round pick Clint Boling right now having lost starter Nate Livings to the Cowboys and having still not resigned soon to be 36 year old free agent Bobbie Williams. Wharton is a solid guard, who ranked 38^th on ProFootballFocus this past season and considering Livings, who ranked 56^th, got 19 million over 5 years from the Cowboys, getting Wharton for 10 million over 3 is a very good deal.

Grade: A

 

 

When Porter is healthy, he’s a great #2 cornerback. He had a great 2009 season, allowing just 55.0% completion, 7.1 YPA, and no touchdowns with 4 interceptions. Among cornerbacks who played more than 60% of their team’s snaps, he ranked 6^th in QB rating allowing, with a 56.8. He’s struggled some over the past 2 seasons, especially this season when he ranked 91^st on ProFootballFocus.

However, he hasn’t had a good pass rush in front of him and there have been some injuries. This is a nice, cheap bounce back contract for 4 million over a year and he’s almost definitely an upgrade over Andre Goodman, who is getting older at 34 this offseason. Porter is still young (26 in August) and an athletic cornerback with huge upside. This was a savvy move.

Grade: A

 

 

Makes a lot of sense considering they are only paying him 1.7 million next year. Holt will be 34 in June, but he has caught 115 passes for 1518 yards over the last 2 years despite playing with Marc Bulger and David Garrard as his quarterbacks so it’s not hard to imagine Holt putting up solid #2 numbers with Tom Brady at quarterback. A #2 receiver is much needed in town with Wes Welker’s knee injury and the uncertainty surrounding it and good job by the Pats getting one for cheap.

Grade: A

 

 

Wide Receiver

Maryland

6-1 204

Draft board overall prospect rank: #90

Draft board overall wide receiver rank: #6

Overall rating: 69 (late 3rd)

40 time: 4.37

3/29/11: Torrey Smith could legitimately go in the first round. He’s got great speed and is a dynamic return man and teams are always looking for the next DeSean Jackson or Mike Wallace, or even the next Jacoby Ford or Emmanuel Sanders, young speedsters who shined in their rookie years in 2010. Torrey Smith should not be lumped in with that group. I think he’s one of the more overrated players in this draft class.

People like to cite his strong production, but let’s take a closer look. He caught 67 passes for 1055 yards and 12 touchdowns this year, but only had 4 games of 70+ yards. 2 of those games were against joke opponents, Florida International, and NC State. The other two were against Virginia and West Virginia, but remember he only caught 3 balls against West Virginia. He had 149 yards, but he’s really boom or bust in terms of production.

2 catches for 10 yards against East Carolina in the bowl game, 1 catch for 6 yards against Navy, 3 catches for 41 yards against Morgan State, 2 catches for 50 yards against Duke, these are bad performances against bad teams. First rounders don’t do that. In 2009, he surpassed 70 yards 5 times, James Madison, Middle Tennessee, Rutgers, and Florida State (71 yards). 1 catch for 28 yards against Carolina, 2 catches for 13 yards against Duke. First rounders don’t do that.

He catches with his body and, no surprise, he has tiny hands. Doesn’t matter how fast downfield you run if you can’t catch the ball. Just ask another former Maryland Terrapin, Darrius Heyward Bey. A lot of people will say, well he was drafted by the Raiders, of course he was going to bust. Yes, the Raiders reached for him at 7, but if they didn’t, he could have easily gone in the bottom of the 1^st round, just like Smith is being projected.

Smith is a similar prospect, a bigger receiver, fast, but inconsistent production, lack of dominance against bad teams, and bad, and in Smith’s case small, hands are huge drawbacks. Smith is a better kick return and a better runner out of the backfield, but I would be very surprised if he became anything at receiver. He’s not a great route runner. He’s skinny and doesn’t run block or go over the middle well.

NFL Comparison: Troy Williamson

 

 

Updated 5/1/10

()=big board rank 

WR Danario Alexander (85)

MLB Micah Johnson (116)

OT Tony Washington (143)

MLB Reggie Carter (169)

G Joe Thomas (200)

K Leigh Tiffin (218)

MLB Boris Lee (219)

C Chris Hall (220)

C Kenny Alfred (247)

MLB Alex Joseph (250)

P Robert Malone (252)

RB LeMarcus Coker (255)

OT Dennis Landholt (256)

RB Andre Dixon (261)

OT Andrew Tyshovntsky (266)

S Nick Sandford (271)

G Matt McCracken (277)

3-4 DE/DT Swanson Miller (278)

DT Alan Michael-Cash (280)

G Reggie Stephens (287)

C Chris Fisher (288)

TE Cody Slate (293)

P Jeremy Boone (295)

K Aaron Pettrey (296)

 

1-10 

11-20

21-30

31-40

41-50