By Anthony Brown 

The Washington Redskins finished the first quarter of the NFL season the way they will likely end the year, hovering around .500. What do we know from that?

Wins over Dallas and Philadelphia tell us the ‘Skins will play competitive ball. The loss to St. Louis (apparently better than we thought they were) tells us the ‘Skins are inconsistent. This team is likely to upset either the Packers or the Colts and lose to the Lions (apparently better than we think they are).

We are still figuring out what Mike Shanahan is making of this team. He is still building the roster.

Running back Ryan Torain signed as a free agent in April; was dropped by the team at the end of training camp; signed to the practice squad September 5; re-signed to the team roster September 25; carries seven times in the St. Louis Rams game September 26; carries 18 times against Philadelphia; will start against the Green Bay Packers Sunday.

Running back Keiland Williams made the team roster and appeared in the first two games.  He was waived October 2; signed to the practice squad October 6; re-signed to the team roster October 9, replacing wide receiver Devin Thomas who was dumped after a disappointing two years in Washington.

Undrafted free agent Brandon Banks was released by the team at the end of training camp; signed to the practice squad September 28; signed to the team roster October 2; returns the opening punt 53 yards to give the Redskins excellent field position to score.

Shanahan can speak of winning now, but he’s retooling the team. Meanwhile the rest of the league can’t quite make him out. The 3-1 Packers, who hung six sacks and about 100 quarterback hits on the Eagles, are a mere 2.5 point favorites over the Redskins. 

When the Vegas sharps can’t figure out the Redskins, what chance do the rest of us have? I’ll tell you what chance the Redskins have–a chance to beat the Packers. That’s what. There is no chance I can tell you which running backs will be on the active roster for that game.

http://redskinshogheaven.com/

 

QB RB WR TE OT G C NT DT 3-4 DE DE RLB OLB MLB CB S K P

Updated: 4/17/10

100 Once in a decade prospect 

95-99 Elite talent 

90-95 Solid top 10 pick 

85-90 Solid first round pick 

80-85 Late 1st-early 2nd 

75-80 Solid 2nd round pick 

70-75 Solid 3rd round pick 

65-70 3rd-4th round pick 

60-65 4th-5th round pick 

55-60 5th round pick 

50-55 6th round pick 

45-50 7th round pick 

40-45 Undrafted, invite to training camp 

30-40 Career practice squader 

20-30 No NFL future 

0-20 No football future 

 

1. Brandon Graham (Michigan) 87                 

3/1/10: Graham wasn’t expected to run well but a 4.69 40 at 6-1 268 showing some surprisingly athleticism. He also put up 31 reps of 225 pounds.

1/30/10: Graham had a huge Senior Bowl week. It started out bad when he measured up at just over 6 feet and with the shortest arms of any defensive lineman, but he really impressed in practice and even more so in the game. He won Senior Bowl MVP with 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, a tackle for a loss, and 5 tackles. He was disruptive on almost every play and had more signature plays than any other player. He really hustled and earned a lot of praise from the commentators. He chased down Jarrett Brown, the fastest quarterback on either roster, from behind, something that will only show up on the stat sheet as a tackle. He’s a former linebacker, with an excellent motor and an excellent pass rushing repertoire, but he’s also extremely stout and disruptive against the run. He can play both 4-3 left end and 4-3 right end, in addition to rush linebacker. The commentators compared him to LaMarr Woodley of the Pittsburgh Steelers and I think that comparison is dead on. I think he cemented himself as a 1st round pick. 

1/27/10: Measuring in at just over 6 feet at his weigh in isn’t good, but he’s making scouts forget about his lack of height, with his play at practice this week. He has a very solid base and looks like a legitimate defensive line player in the NFL. His form against the run needs to be improved, but he has shown great speed rushing moves in addition to being one of the best young bull rushers at the Senior Bowl. If he can impress in coverage, he could be a 1^st round pick as either a defensive end or rush linebacker.

With 29 sacks in the last 3 years against Big 10 competition, Graham is a pass rushing machine, but despite his size, he isn’t great against the run. He’s best fit as a rush linebacker at the next level and I can’t see him fitting all schemes. His 40 time isn’t great either so he’ll be viewed as a bit of a tweener by the scouts and that could drop him down in the 3^rd round. He has first round upside as a rush linebacker though despite his lack of height and timed speed, assuming he can transition to a new position well and hold up in pass coverage

2. Everson Griffen (USC) 85

3/1/10: Griffen put on about 10 pounds this season bulking up to 273 and there were some concerns about how he would carry the weight. After he ran a 4.64 40 today, those concerns should be gone. He also put up 32 reps of 225 pounds.

It’ll be interesting to see what he runs at the combine. He’s rumored to be able to run a 4.5 40, but he also put on 10 pounds of muscle this season so I’m not sure he can still run that fast. If he can, his stock could soar even though he never really did anything of note at USC in 3 seasons. 7 sacks this year after 9 combined in his first two years show good improvement and his run blocking form got a lot better this season with the added weight, but if his 40 time suffers, he may only be looked at as a left end, rather than a right end or rush linebacker. He’s still a major project either way.

3. Jerry Hughes (TCU) 83

26 sacks in the last 2 years for TCU for a guy just learning the defensive end position, after playing running back for most of his football career, is amazing, but he may be maxed out bulk wise at 257 pounds and he doesn’t have ideal height at 6-2. He’s a better fit as a rush linebacker, but he can play on the line some, though he’d be a liability against the run. He has a great motor and has shown plasticity and ability to learn new positions in the past. He also has good hands because he’s played on the offensive side of the ball before, but I’m not sure about his ability in pass coverage.

4. Eric Norwood (South Carolina) 82

He has experience playing standing up at South Carolina, despite being a defensive end, and he has looked dropping back into coverage on occasion as well so those are major pluses for rush linebacker prospects that can be so unpredictable. He also has 30 sacks in his 4 year career at South Carolina and had 7.5 this year, so he’s a good pass rusher as well, though not a great one. He’s versatile and can play 4-3 strong outside linebacker and maybe even some 3-4 middle linebacker. His 40 time for his weight could keep him out of the first round.

5. Jason Pierre Paul (South Florida) 79                         

2/27/10: Weighing in at 6-5 270, JPP looked like an absolute physical freak. I can’t wait until his 40 yard dash. He hasn’t performed on a high level yet, but the upside is certainly there

He’s a junior college legend, but didn’t impress in his first season in Division I with only 6.5 sacks. He’s a really fluid athlete who is comfortable dropping into coverage and he did get into the backfield a lot, though his sacks total was low, so I think he has a good future as a rush linebacker and he does have huge upside, but if he can’t dominate Division I, how can we expect him to the dominate the NFL. He can also play as a 4-3 defensive end, but I think he’s a better fit at rush linebacker.

6. Jermaine Cunningham (Florida) 77                        

2/27/10: As if he wasn’t already my favorite mid round sleeper, Cunningham measured in at 266 pounds today showing that he has the ability to play in the trenches in any 4-3 scheme. This defensive end class gets thin in the mid rounds so Cunningham could be looking at early 3^rd late 2^nd now.

He doesn’t have amazing athleticism, but he has an amazing motor and that’s really half of the battle. He would fit very well as a rush linebacker or a cover 2 defensive end. I think a lot higher of him than most places do and he’ll probably be drafted in the 4^th round at the highest, but he has borderline 2^nd round skills. His fundamentals are very sound.

7. Sergio Kindle (Texas) 74

He’s former top 10 pick prospect, but he only managed 6 sacks this year without Brian Orakpo drawing double teams across from him, after having 10 sacks last year. He’s still a highly rated defensive prospect and would make a great rush linebacker with his athleticism and the fact that he already played some outside linebacker in college so he has experience with his hands off the ground and dropping back into coverage. He’s a solid tackler and big hitter as well so he can play some strong outside linebacker in a 4-3.

 

8. Ricky Sapp (Clemson) 73

A low sack total, but a high amount of tackles for losses, so there are indications that can grow into an elite pass rusher. He’s small at 245 pounds, but has experience playing outside linebacker, in addition to defensive end, and didn’t look bad in coverage, so he definitely has a huge upside as a rush linebacker. He can also play some outside linebacker in a 4-3, but he’s mostly a rush linebacker or pass rushing specialist.

9. Austin Lane (Murray State) 66

1/27/10: First he showed up looking great at his weigh in, weighing in at 265 pounds at 6-6, adding a necessary 8-10 pounds to his frame, and to back that up, he’s looked great on the field in practice showing that this small school kid can hang with the big boys. He has the athleticism to play rush linebacker in addition to defensive end.

The level of competition is an issue for him, but he certainly looks the part of an NFL pass rusher. He has a good refined repertoire of passing moves, but he lacks elite size and doesn’t have very fluid hips. It’ll be interesting to see whether or not he projects as a rush linebacker at the next level because he’s a little small for the trenches in the NFL.  

10. Willie Young (NC State) 66

He had eight sacks this season and has good long arms and athleticism, but at his size, 250 pounds, he’s probably only a nickel rusher in 4-3 systems, so he’ll have to try to convert to rush linebacker and I’m not yet convinced he can. He’s poor against the run, even for his size and his 40 time (4.68-4.72) isn’t going to blow anyone out of the water. 

11. Jason Worilds (Virginia Tech) 64

3/20/10: I rarely care when a player runs a faster 40 at his Pro Day than his Combine, but Worilds’ 4.47 makes me take notice. He ran a very solid 4.61 at his Combine, but a 4.47 at 6-1 254 puts him on a completely different level. He didn’t do much last year, but he has experience playing rush linebacker and has amazing athleticism. His athleticism is right behind that of Jason Pierre Paul and Sergio Kindle and his production was only slightly less than either of theres. He could sneak into the 2nd round, but, like Kindle and JPP, I have him ranked lower than he could go because I like to see a player actually produce on the college level before I use a pick in the first 3 rounds on him.

Very athletic, but lacked the production to match last year with only 4 sacks, though he did have 8 sacks in 2008. He has upside and the athleticism to play rush linebacker, but he’s a project and he could be a nickel rusher as well.

11. Koa Misi (Utah) 63

1/27/10: Believe it or not, Misi played defensive end at Utah. You wouldn’t know it from looking at him play linebacker this week in Mobile. He has shown great fluidity in pass coverage and looked like a natural linebacker. He’s also making a lot of nice hits. That definitely helps his stock as he doesn’t have the size to play in the trenches in the NFL.

He’s an undersized defensive end with a strong motor to make up for it, but he looked like a natural outside linebacker playing that position in the Senior Bowl. He’s a risk because he has to play rush linebacker, a position he didn’t play in college, but I love his motor and I think he could be a solid rush linebacker in the future.

13. Daniel Te’o-Nesheim (Washington) 58

An unknown pass rusher with an unpronounceable name, who has quietly put up 18 sacks over the last 2 years against some good Pac 10 competition. He was a little small before the combine, but bulked up and still managed to shave some time off of his projected time. The elite natural athleticism is not there, but he has the work ethic and the on the field motor to make up for it. He should have a future in the NFL as either a defensive end or a rush linebacker.

14. Lindsey Witten (Connecticut) 56

Started off 2009, with a bang, but ended quietly. He lacks the size to be an every down trench rusher at the next level and the tape is really inconsistent on him. There is some upside here, but not a ton. 

15. Thaddeus Gibson (Ohio State) 56

A very raw and unrefined pass rusher, he got into the backfield a lot last year, but only had 4.5 sacks to show for it and he’s severely undersized at just a few ounces above 240 so he’ll have to make the dreaded position switch to rush linebacker from down lineman, which could be dangerous for him because he’s never played anything remotely like the position. The athleticism and fluidity are there though for him to be a decent rush linebacker if he puts it all together.

16. Brandon Lang (Troy) 55

He’s undersized pass rusher who ran in the 4.9s at the Combine so he may have trouble getting drafted in the first 4 rounds as a future starting type defensive end. He could be a decent nickel rusher in the future, because his 17.5 sacks in the last 2 years are fairly impressive, but the lack of speed and weaker competition makes that less likely. I think it’s safe to say that he won’t be as good as Troy’s last elite pass rusher, DeMarcus Ware.

17. Brandon Sharpe (Texas Tech) 53

18. Antonio Coleman (Auburn) 53

19. George Selvie (South Florida) 52

20. Cameron Sheffield (Troy) 52 

21. Adrian Tracy (William and Mary) 51

22. Dane Fletcher (Montana State) 49

23. Kevin Basped (Nevada) 47

24. Danny Batten (South Dakota State) 46

25. O’Brien Schofield (Wisconsin) 45

26. Chris McCoy (Middle Tennessee State) 45

27. Jarvis Geathers (Central Florida) 41

 

By Vince Vitale 

Saturday the St. Louis Rams named Sam Bradford their starting quarterback for the 2010 NFL season that will kick off next Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. With great power comes great responsibility, and that responsibility was earned and has been given to Sam Bradford. Bradford finished the preseason 33 of 55 for 338 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions for a QB rating of 95.9. An injury to A.J. Feeley early in the preseason gave Bradford just the opening he needed. I believe Sam Bradford is the real deal and I look forward to watching him for many years to come, in a St. Louis Rams jersey.

St. Louis Rams Coach Steve Spagnuolo said “We’re confident, the staff is confident. The team is confident. It’s well deserved. He deserves this opportunity…. It was evident these last three games that he had pretty good control of what we’re doing, that the team rallies around him.”

Sam Bradford said “Obviously I was extremely excited, I feel like coach has given me a great opportunity here to start next week versus Arizona. But I realize there’s a lot of responsibility that comes with that opportunity.”

Bradford said he is ready for the challenge “Definitely. I’m a competitor,” Bradford said. “I sat on the bench last year with an injury and it’s something that I did not enjoy at all. Just to have the opportunity to play football again, it’s really something that I look forward to.”

http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

 

QB Kellen Moore DOWN

Moore had been proving all week what many suspected, he just doesn’t have an NFL arm. He continued to do that in this one going 6 of 12 for 50 yards. He took a couple sacks as well and there wasn’t a lot of zip on any of his balls, even his short ones, some of which were actually incomplete and one almost picked by Dwight Bentley. He didn’t throw anything more than 5 yards downfield for most of his time. One of his deeper balls was dropped by Marvin McNutt. McNutt should have made the catch, but Moore’s lack of zip on the ball made it possible for the defensive back to recover on the route and knock the ball out.

Another one to DeVier Posey was deflected by Casey Hayward, who was able to recover because the ball was slow. It was called PI on Hayward, but it looked clean. His best ball of the night was to DeVier Posey. It should have been a touchdown, but Posey just dropped it. However, all in all he didn’t look good. There was not a lot of zip of any of his balls and most of his completions were to the middle of the field. He won’t have the arm strength to complete consistently on the outside. He also had a couple deflected at the line, as a result of his short stature. He doesn’t look like anything more than a solid backup at the next level.

QB Russell Wilson DOWN

It was really a tale of two Russell Wilsons tonight. There was pocket Russell Wilson and outside the pocket Russell Wilson and they were complete opposites. In the pocket, Wilson struggles to complete passes, overshooting an open Marvin McNutt in the end zone and throwing a lazy pick into coverage, jumped by Brandon Taylor. However, outside the pocket he was great, contributing to a 4 of 7 for 45 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 pick performance. He survived a couple bad snaps by converted guard Rishaw Johnson at center and when able to freestyle and get out of the pocket, he was great, completing a broken play into 23 yards to Gerell Robinson, throwing an 8 yard touchdown to Marvin Jones on a roll out, and picking up a few chunks of yards on the ground. I am moving him down, however, because of how awful he was in the pocket. He’ll need to be a better pocket quarterback to start in the NFL.

QB Brandon Weeden DOWN

At times, Weeden looked like the best quarterback out there. He started out very good, completing 5 of his first 6, leading a field goal drive and another drive that could have gone for points had it not been for a Joe Adams fumble. He made great NFL caliber throws. However, after that, he was awful, finishing 5 of 9 for 56 yards, no touchdowns, and 2 picks. Both picks were awful decisions and one was placed in the worst spot possible after Dwight Jones ran a pretty good route. Weeden has a great arm, but needs work. That’d be fine if he was 22, but he’s 28. You don’t have a year or two to wait on him. He looks like a career backup.

RB Isaiah Pead UP

Isaiah Pead started out the week weighing in at 193, bad for a running back, but the best of the week was great for him and he ended up winning the MVP for this game. He was the best back all week in pass catching and blocking drills, showing his ability to stay in on 3^rd down right away in the NFL. 37 catches as a senior at Cincinnati also help. Then, in the game, he had punt returns of 60 and 38 and easily could have scored on the first one. Both set the North, who had significantly fewer total yards than the South, with good field position as they were able to win despite not having as many yards. He wasn’t extremely impressive as a runner, going for 31 yards on 8 carries, but he continued to show good ability in space. There’s a role for this kid in the NFL right away and it’s as a 3^rd down back and a return man. He’ll probably never be a feature back, but someone will draft him in rounds 3-4 in that Darren Sproles role.

RB Doug Martin UP

Other than Pead, Martin was the best back in practice all week, showing his ability to be a 3 down back. For some reason, he didn’t get a lot of carries, but on his 4 carries, he was the most impressive back there, rushing for 19 yards, including an impressive 11 yarder. He caught fire down the stretch once he got healthy. He doesn’t have great speed, but he’s shifty and breaks a lot of tackles. He runs with great pad level and reminds me of a young Maurice Jones Drew. He can play all 3 downs in the NFL and could be the 3^rd back off the board after Trent Richardson and Lamar Miller.

RB Vick Ballard UP

The 2^nd most impressive back in the game was Vick Ballard. Ballard rushed for 29 yards on 7 carries and showed great fight on every single one. He didn’t have a lot of room to work with, but still managed to get a good gain on every carry, including one outside one, which is not his strong suit. The 5-11 220 pounder made a good case to be picked in the 3^rd or 4^th round.

FB Bradie Ewing UP

Bradie Ewing made a beautiful 23 yard catch. When I saw it, I instantly checked the number and tried to find out which wide receiver it was and sure enough it was Bradie Ewing, the fullback. Ewing caught 20 passes as a senior at Wisconsin and I remember being impressed by his ability in space for a 240 pound fullback after the catch. He went to Wisconsin so you know he can block and he also converted a short yardage situation on the ground in this one. He was my top fullback going into this game, but he reaffirmed it with his performance here. He should go off the board in the 5^th round or so, which is when fullback typically start coming off the board.

WR DeVier Posey DOWN

I don’t know where DeVier Posey’s head was, but it wasn’t in this game. He dropped a touchdown in the end zone and gave up on a route that led to a pick in the end zone. That play was awful. Posey cut off his route almost as soon as the ball was thrown. He made no effort to play the ball on a throw that wasn’t that great to begin with and the defensive back caught in it in the end zone as if he were the receiver. It almost seemed like Posey, an Ohio State Buckeye, was trying to sabotage Kirk Cousins, a Michigan State Spartan at quarterback.

Posey has freakish ability and he showed some of that in this game with a nice 33 yard catch in stride and a good run after catch. He could easily run in the 4.4s at The Combine at 6-3 210, but couple his off the field problems with his absentmindedness in games and you’ve got a day 3 prospect. He’s got a chance this be this year’s Mike Williams if he gets everything together, but I wanted chance anything higher than a 4^th rounder on him.

WR Joe Adams UP

Adams fumbled on the South’s first drive of the game, but that was a bit of a fluky play and he more than made up for it. Adams caught 8 passes for 133 yards and probably would have been the game MVP if his team had one. He broke countless tackles. Several of his catches were bubble screens that he took for big gains, but he also showed a much more mature route tree than he did at Arkansas, where he mostly ran bubble screens and straight go routes. Adams was overshadowed by Jarius Wright and Greg Childs at Arkansas, but he’s also a phenomenal return man who returned 5 punts to the house in his career, 4 this season. Deadly in space, someone will take a chance on him in rounds 2-4 as a punt returner and try to develop him into a receiver. I think he’s got great potential at the receiver position once he becomes a better route runner because of his ability in space.

WR TJ Graham UP

Graham is like a poor man’s Joe Adams. A great return man who has 4 career special teams touchdowns, Graham dedicated himself to becoming  a better receiver last offseason and it paid off as he was by far his team’s leading receiver on a conservative offense with 46 catches for 757 yards and 7 touchdowns. He’s deadly in space and continued to show that today, breaking tackles on his 2 catches for 27 yards and his one kickoff return for 27. Graham is still an unrefined player, but seeing how good of a receiver he’s become after just one year playing the position full time, and his work ethic, I would take a chance on him early on day 3, try to groom him into a receiver and if that doesn’t work out, he’s still an above average return man.

WR Marvin Jones UP

Marvin Jones impressed all week, exceeding expectations once he was out of Keenan Allen’s shadow at Cal, and continued in this game with a great route run in the end zone for a 8 yard touchdown. The 6-2 Jones has turned some heads this week and could be drafted in the 4^th or 5^th round.

WR Juron Criner UP

Joe Adams led the South team in receiving, but Criner wasn’t too shabby himself with 6 catches for 77 yards and a touchdown and he may have been targeted even more as both Nick Foles and Ryan Lindley were seemingly forcing the ball to him and throwing to him on every play. Criner had a bunch of inaccurate balls thrown his way, but still managed to have a great game. He’s got a good catch radius and bailed Nick Foles out on countless occasions at Arizona. Criner is not a #1 receiver or a deep threat at the next level, but as far as #2 possession guys go, Criner should be at the top of that list.

WR Jeff Fuller DOWN

Fuller looked awesome at his weigh in, but he was a mess in practice all week, dropping balls left and right. He dropped a deep ball that easily could have been taken for a touchdown today. He had 3 catches for 19 yards, but two of those were short on 3^rd and long that the defense gave to him. Fuller is a physical freak, but he doesn’t have the fundamentals of the receiver position down and there are rumors his 40 could be in the 4.7s or 4.8s. If that happens, he’s not going any earlier than the 4^th round.

WR Dwight Jones DOWN

He wasn’t particularly bad in this game, but the big physical receiver didn’t impress as much as he should have all week. A potential 2^nd rounder, Jones kind of faded into the background all week and scouts were reportedly disappointed. Jones is still very talented, but I’m moving him down some.

OT Mike Adams UP

Mike Adams is frustrating. At times he looks like an elite left tackle and today was one of those times. I argued he should have been MVP for the North in this one because he shot Courtney Upshaw down almost completely and Melvin Ingram down completely. He did allow a sack to Upshaw, but that was a coverage sack that Upshaw wouldn’t have gotten had Russell Wilson just stepped up in the pocket. Upshaw didn’t have an awful day, but most of his impact was when Adams was not blocking him. Adams was awesome in this one and looked like the top 15 pick he’s being rumored as. However, he had a lot of inconsistent tape this season and I don’t think that can be forgotten. He still struggled with speed rushers like Whitney Mercilus and Jack Crawford this year and may be a right tackle long term ala Michael Oher, but I have a feeling someone takes a chance on him very early after this game. In my next mock, I’ll him 16^th to the Jets, who desperately need a right tackle.

OT Kelechi Osemele DOWN

Osemele proved, once again, that he belongs inside at the next level. Osemele didn’t stand a chance against Quinton Coples in this one. Coples was unblockable again him. I wish the coaches had put him at guard in this one like the South did with Cordy Glenn so I could see him at his long term position. Someone will still take a chance on him in the 2^nd round, but not as a tackle.

OT Senio Kelemete DOWN

Kelemete played left tackle at Washington, but he just confirmed the suspicion that he’s a guard at the next level in this one. Quinton Coples turned him into a ragdoll.

OT Mitchell Schwartz UP

Schwartz made himself a lot of money this week. He caught scouts’ eyes in practice this week in one on one, holding his own against higher rated prospects and in this one, he, for the most part, won his snaps against Quinton Coples at right tackle. He could sneak into the 3^rd round as a right tackle or swing tackle.

OT Zebrie Sanders DOWN

I don’t get why this guy is supposed to be good. He wasn’t in this one. Mike Mayock blamed it on his lack of comfort with the right side and that he’s a left tackle long term (somehow), but Sanders spent most of his college career at right tackle and only moved to the left side when Andrew Datko got hurt. I saw him at left tackle this year and I was not impressed with him there either. He might be a swing tackle at the next level, but I don’t see him as much higher than a 3^rd or 4^th rounder.

G Tony Bergstrom DOWN

Bergstrom continued to be the worst offensive lineman out there. He was overmatched all week and couldn’t block anything tonight. He’ll find it tough getting drafted now. A right tackle in college, Bergstrom looked lost at guard this week. He’s not athletic enough for the outside either.

C Ben Jones DOWN

Alameda Ta’amu just overpowered Ben Jones in this one and Jones is supposed to be known for his size and power. He also helped allow a sack as Ta’amu pushed him back into the quarterback, who fled right into Vinny Curry’s sack.

 

DT Kendall Reyes UP

DT Mike Martin UP

DT Derek Wolfe UP

DT Kheeston Randall UP

DT Brandon Thompson UP

I’m putting this group together. None of the running backs really had a great day and that wasn’t necessarily their fault. With a few exceptions, the defensive tackle play in this one was spectacular. I know this includes sacks, but the North rushed for 2.1 yards per carry and the South for 1.8. Reyes, Martin, and Wolfe were great for the North, while Kheeston Randall and Brandon Thompson were dominant for the South. The North were especially impressive in practice as well, while Randall and Thompson made a few nice plays against the run in the game. This group should go anywhere from rounds 2-4 and is in that 2^nd group after Michael Brockers, Devon Still, Fletcher Cox, Dontari Poe and Jerel Worthy, all of whom did not attend this game. You can also mix in Billy Winn, a talented player, who did not stand out in this one, Josh Chapman, who did not attend, and Alameda Ta’amu, who I’ll get to.

DT Alameda Ta’amu UP

Ta’amu was the most dominant of the defensive tackles in this game, for about a quarter and a half. After that, he was pretty invisible. He had this problem all year and even in practice this week. His motor runs hot and cold and he’s extremely frustrating and inconsistent. He’s so big at 340 pounds that someone will take him as a 3-4 nose in the 2^nd round, but I’m not convinced he’s worth that yet. I hate defensive linemen with inconsistent motors, but he gets a slight up for some of his plays in this one.

DE Quinton Coples DOWN

Quinton Coples made a ton of plays in this one and was downright unblockable at times, key word, at times. Coples dominated both Senio Kelemete and Kelechi Osemele, who belong at guard long term, but mid rounder Mitchell Schwartz kept him in check for most of his reps. Coples had a couple sacks, some pressures, and a couple tackles for loss, including one where he half disengaged from Kelechi Osemele, stuck one arm out and threw Isaiah Pead backwards for a loss. It was extremely physically impressive. A real WOW play.

However, he’s got some issues about his motor and consistency. When he’s on, he’s absolutely unblockable in all facets and can take over a game by himself. However, that’s not always the case. If this were the pre-rookie cap era, I’d be afraid of using a top 10 pick on him because he’s the type that you give 60 million to and then he spends his whole career counting it. However, with a rookie salary cap, he needs to give you 4 or 5 good years to get paid big money. I wouldn’t want to be the one to give him that big money, but I’d still use a top 10 pick on him because of his upside and hope that someone could light a fire under him. Motor issues do knock him down some in my book.

DE Vinny Curry UP

The South had all the big name defensive ends, Coples, Upshaw, and Melvin Ingram, but Vinny Curry might have had the best game with 2 sacks and unlike Coples, his motor was on all game. Curry impressed in practice, which was important for him coming from Marshall, a smaller school, and he also weighed in at 264, rather than under 260. Once a 2^nd or 3^rd rounder, Curry is now on the 1^st round borderline and could be picked by someone like Green Bay or New England late in the first.

DE Melvin Ingram DOWN

Ingram and Upshaw were both dominated by Mike Adams. Ingram gets the stock down and Upshaw doesn’t because Upshaw had success against other linemen, as well as some plays were he was unblocked or blocked by a back. Melvin Ingram was just invisible. This was really disappointing for someone who could go in the top 15.

OLB Bobby Wagner UP

Wagner stood out in the linebacking corps in this one with a good amount of impact plays. He had a pick, a deflection on 3^rd down which could have saved 4 points, breaking up a potential touchdown and forcing a field goal. He also had a tackle for loss on a check down. Wagner has played himself into that 3^rd or 4^th round range from small school Utah State.

OLB Nigel Bradham UP

Bradham was a very active tackler in this one and also had a sack, chasing down a scrambling Russell Wilson. Bradham has been flying under the radar in a great linebacker class, but is worth a 3^rd or 4^th rounder. He’ll probably be drafted early on day 3.

CB Leonard Johnson UP

Leonard Johnson had a bad missed tackle on Joe Adams, but who didn’t. Johnson impressed as a one on one shutdown cornerback in this game, earning praise from Mike Mayock, as he has throughout the week. He also had a great deflection and near pick on 4^th down. Johnson is undersized at less than 5-10, but he’s a physical player and a competitor who could go in the 3^rd or 4^th round as a nickel back.

CB Ryan Steed UP

Steed didn’t impress in one of his only chances against a big school, coming from Furman, against Florida, however, he had a great week this week. He and Dwight Bentley really helped their stocks coming from small schools and dominating with the big boys. Both are in that 3^rd or 4^th round range now.

CB Dwight Bentley UP

See above.

S Brandon Taylor UP

Brandon Taylor had a great pick of Russell Wilson to cap off a good week. Mike Mayock said that Taylor was under the radar at LSU with guys like Morris Claiborne, Tyrann Mathieu, and Eric Reid in the defensive backfield, but that he’s a legitimate starting free safety in the league. I would agree.

S Trenton Robinson DOWN

Robinson, a former cornerback, is way too small to be a safety in the league at 5-9 195 he didn’t play well, either giving up a couple big plays in coverage and making a horrible read on the South’s longest run of the game, Terrance Ganaway for 16. 

 

By Sean Geddes 

 

The Steelers start the season with a win, but it was certainly hard fought.

Mike Tomlin told Dennis Dixon the whole playbook was open to him, and the element the Steelers lacked in many a fan’s eye was back in the Steelers overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons. That missing factor was the run, something Bruce Arians has shied away from in his tenure as offensive coordinator. What was known as “Steeler Football” seemed to have vanished as the run pass ratio crept more and more towards the latter. But 31 runs, as compared to 29 passes attempted is more familiar to most fans of the Black and Gold.

The conservative play calling early on was a welcome change. Watching Rashard Mendenhall pound the rock, while being spelled successfully on short yardage by Isaac Redman was what most fans expected from the offense early as Dennis Dixon made his second career start for the suspended Ben Roethlisberger.  The first drive resulted in a 52 yard field goal, which is only one yard short of the longest ever made at Heinz Field, notorious for swirling winds off the river and hills.

The defense came out ready for the power running game from Michael Turner. He never really got going early, and never got going late, and didn’t look that great in between. No other ball carrier fared any better, as the Falcons ran the ball 25 times for a total of 58 yards, 42 of which came from Turner’s 19 carries (his longest was only seven yards), the defense really looked good holding the former 1700(ish) yard rusher to just 2.2 yards a carry.

Matt Ryan’s passing attack was slightly more successful as Coach LeBeau’s “bend but don’t break” pass defense philosophy did just what it was designed to do. Ryan was able to complete 27 of 44 passes, for 247 yards and no touchdowns. Roddy White was the recipient of almost half of Ryan’s tosses, catching 13 balls for 111 yards. His 13 receptions tied the record for most catches by an opposing player in Steelers history. Speaking of history, tightend Tony Gonzalez caught his 1000^th pass in the NFL, most ever by a tightend, and only the seventh player ever to accomplish the feat.

Dixon played well, known primarily for his ability to run, he remained fairly pocket conscious as he was spied on most plays, the Falcons clearly expecting the scramble. Through the air, Dennis looked nervous and maybe a little shaky early, as the Steelers tried to keep it short to middle, asking him to time his throws while mixing in the run. Dixon finished 18 of 26 with one interception, but could have thrown another one or two, as a few of his throws lacked the touch or placement to get them in through the crowd. He did however, make enough plays to get the Steelers into scoring range on several drives, despite not getting the ball into the endzone.

This was a battle of kickers, with Matt Bryant nailing 3 of 4, while Jeff Reed knocked home three field goals, but missed two. After the 52 yard boot, he tried a 55 yarder that was long enough but knocked off the upright and fell no good.

The play of regulation was definitely the Troy Polamalu interception, which followed a short lived drive by the Steelers after Matt Bryant’s third field goal, which tied the game at nine. The Steelers drive that started with just under 3:30 left on the clock, and lasted just a minute and a half, and made some fans (this fan) think about what could have been, with a clutch Ben Roethlisberger under center. But before we could really even delve deeper into that thought, on the first play from scrimmage with under two minutes to play, Troy Polamalu jumped the out route that Matt Ryan and Roddy White made look as simple as Unitas to Berry all game. It reminded everyone watching why he was so dearly missed last season, and gave everyone hope for a thrilling win late in the game.

After another short lived drive, this time only lasting three plays and just over a minute, Jeff Reed lined up for a game winning forty yard field goal. The kick sailed right, and the Steelers took the game to oh-so familiar territory versus the Falcons, overtime.

The defense held firm, and with some assistance from a holding call on third down, gave the ball back to the offense after a punt to the fifty. And that is when Dixon handed off to Rashard Mendenhall, who had a quietly solid performance already that night. He broke right through a hole cleared by Flozell Adams and Trai Essex, with some help from Hines Ward and Heath Miller, and a great two man eliminating block from David Johnson, Rashard rushed hard, stumbling but regaining his stride all the way to the game winning touchdown.

Another tight, chair gripping, nail biting, make your heart race win for the Steelers. This is how this team seems to like to win, although I’d bet anyone in that locker room would have taken a 42-3 beat down, a win is a win, is a win.

Of Special Note: Hines Ward caught his 900^th pass in the NFL, all with the Steelers. He extends his franchise record to 901 pulling in six catches against the Falcons. With his 108 receiving yards he also crossed 11,000 yard plataeu; he is only the 24^th player to have ever done that in the NFL. 

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/ 

 

 

 

Running back

Eastern Washington

6-0 194

Draft board overall prospect rank: #113

Draft board overall running back rank: #17

Overall rating: 65 (early 4th)

40 time: 4.29

4/23/11: When Taiwan Jones, a productive small school back from Eastern Washington, ran a 4.29 at his Pro Day, along with a 39.5 inch vertical and an 11 foot broad jump, it definitely turned some heads. Here’s a small school kid with amazing speed. He naturally got Chris Johnson comparisons. I’m not going that far.

Jones rushed for 2955 yards and 29 touchdowns on 383 carries in two years as the starter at Eastern Washington. That’s an average of 7.7 per carry. He had 1742 yards and 14 scores on 221 carries this year, an average of 7.9 per carry, despite missing 3 whole games with injury, including the last two with a broken leg as Eastern Washington won the Division I-AA championship without him. That broken leg prevented him from working out publicly until his recent Pro Day and, of course, you already know what happened there.

The main difference between him and Chris Johnson is pad level. Chris Johnson runs with great pad level and Jones runs too high. He’s too skinny and top heavy at 6-0 194 to be as explosive as Chris Johnson at the next level, even with his amazing speed. He’s more like a Felix Jones or a CJ Spiller type, a change of pace back with special teams ability and good hands out of the backfield. In 2 seasons, he had 64 catches for 903 yards and 7 touchdowns so he has good hands and he can make big plays out of the backfield through the air. He also has some experience on special teams as a return man, so he has a role at the next level.

The problem is that this is a very crowded draft class when it comes to 3^rd down backs. I’d rather have someone like Derrick Locke or Jacquizz Rodgers who play with a better pad level and are more explosive initially. I’d rather have a more natural pass blocker like Kendall Hunter or someone bigger like Shane Vereen. In the end, the NFL is going to fall in love with his speed. He’ll probably go before all of those running backs I just named in either the 2^nd or the 3^rd round.

NFL Comparison: Felix Jones

 

 

Spotlight #1: Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden

Spotlight #2: Oklahoma State S Markelle Martin 

 

1^st quarter

13:10: Weeden short to Justin Blackmon, nothing after the catch.

12:53: Weeden tries a short pass, but the receiver isn’t on the same page. He doesn’t have his head in the game and drops the ball.

12:47: Weeden overthrows Justin Blackmon deep and out of bounds.

12:29: Markelle Martin with a big hit on a ball carrier out of bounds before the first down.

12:06: Martin with another tackle, this time after a big run for a first down.

10:57: Martin in on another tackle after a big completion.

8:55: Weeden over the middle for a 37 yard completion, marked down at the 1 yard line.

3:11: Weeden dumps it off short on 3^rd and 16, not even close to getting the first even after a nice run after catch. I wonder why he wasn’t more aggressive here.

1:32: Martin blocked, can’t quite disengage on a run, but gets a great effort extending his arm trying to break down the ball carrier.

2^nd quarter

14:42: Weeden with a nice spiral, drops it into Justin Blackmon for a first down completion on first down.

14:26: Weeden throws a ball into tight coverage, great job by the receiver of hanging onto that ball.

14:14: Weeden goes deep into coverage and it’s almost intercepted, but the defender can’t stay in bounds. Looks like a bad call. Poor decision by Weeden regardless.

14:08: Weeden again forcing things into double coverage to Justin Blackmon. This one also could have been picked.

14:03: Weeden under pressure, but he throws inaccurate, underthrown and behind the receiver.

10:34: Weeden pass complete in the flat, receiver takes it for 5 yards.

9:27: Weeden inaccurate and way too high. Only a Texas player was able to get his hand on the ball.

9:22: Weeden finds Blackmon in a window, complete for a first down on 4^th and 9.

9:08: Weeden to Blackmon again. Nice catch by Blackmon.

8:35: Weeden does a much better job against the blitz this time, finds Blackmon in one on one coverage on an intermediate route. Blackmon takes it in for the touchdown.

7:12: Martin in on another tackle after a long run.

3:03: Weeden with a completion and a first down.

2:51: Weeden with another completion and a first down. Looking solid on intermediate routes.

2:09: Weeden getting into a groove, excellent timing on this completion.

1:16: Weeden struggles under pressure again. He releases the ball really quickly, but he doesn’t always make the best decisions or throws under pressure.

 

3^rd quarter

14:36: Fozzy Whittaker with his 2^nd kick return for touchdown in as many games. The back is finally healthy this season, his senior year. He’s a small back, about 5-10 195, and he’s got injury problems, but he’s demonstrated abilities as a return man, as a pass catcher, and also as a back out of the backfield behind stud freshman Malcolm Brown. Someone could give him a late look as a specialty type player.

14:34: Weeden with a 3 yard drop off to the flat.

14:24: Another quick, short throw by Weeden, 3 yards.

14:09: Weeden overthrows Blackmon with a man in his face.

11:37: Weeden throws a decent spiral, but dropped by the receiver. Weeden could have made a better, more accurate throw here, but ultimately, this one is on the receiver.

11:33: Weeden throws short into triple coverage on 3^rd and 4. Incomplete. Terrible decision.

11:15: Martin crosses the field on a long outside run and shoves the ball carrier out of bounds.

10:51: Martin lazy in coverage help with the corner playing one on one deep. Gave up on play for the last 5-10 yards or so.

9:46: Weeden throws deep to Justin Blackmon into tight coverage. Incomplete.

9:40: Weeden throws for a loss into the flat.

9:00: Weeden throws into a tight window, put it in the right place against double coverage, really threw the receiver open there.

8:41: Weeden underthrown deep, the receiver can’t quite make bring it in.

8:30: Weeden inaccurate again, but Josh Cooper bails him out with a nice catch for 11 yards.

8:18: Weeden has one batted down at the line.

8:12: Weeden with plenty of time, accurate ball on an intermediate to deep route, ball dropped, but Oklahoma State still gets yards on the play because of defensive holding away from the ball.

8:08: Weeden short to Josh Cooper for about 5 yards.

7:49: Weeden throws quick to the flat, receiver turns it into a first down.

7:30: Weeden just able to get it out with two pass rushers breathing down his neck.

6:57: Weeden throws an inaccurate fade into tough coverage. Good jam at the line by the defensive back.

5:12: Martin with good pressure on a safety blitz.

3:16: Martin able to get in on a potential touchdown saving tackle after the running back breaks free out of the pile somehow.

0:30: Martin in on deep coverage when the ball goes out of bounds.

4^th quarter

11:20: Weeden runs out of the back of his own end zone for a safety with pressure in his face. After he steps out, he throws a desperation pick six, which obviously didn’t count as it was after the safety. Terrible play, poor instincts, got rattled way too easily in the shadow of his own end zone. He’s 28. He can’t be making mental errors like this.

9:05: Weeden checks down for little to no gain.

8:32: Weeden throws into double coverage on 3^rd and long. Almost picked. Yet another terrible decision by him.

5:23: Martin reads a weak ball quickly, but can’t quite make a play on it. Nice job by the receiver of hanging onto it after a big hit by Martin.

0:00: Brandon Weeden is at a huge disadvantage because he’s 28 years old. Given that, the amount of mental mistakes he had in this game are a huge no no. He seems to get rattled under pressure. He’s also a terrible decision maker downfield. He might post great stats against the likes of Kansas, but Texas has several future NFL players on their defense and 23 of 41 for 418 yards and a touchdown aren’t going to cut it, especially since he could have easily had at least 2 picks.

He’s not the most accurate thrower and throw he can make all of the throws, he’s inconsistent, inaccurate, and makes poor decisions. He’s extremely confident and trusts his arm and makes quick decisions and has a very quick release, but he forces things too often. He needs to think things through a little bit more and he’s even worse of a decision maker if he’s pressured. I can’t see him as any more than a 5^th rounder given his age and his game. He really reminds me of Derek Anderson, who, for the record, is the same age as Brandon Weeden.

As for Markelle Martin, he was very solid, but there wasn’t a whole lot for me to go on from this game. Texas didn’t have a lot of deep plays, but Martin was still able to have an impact. With a few exceptions, he was solid both in coverage and against the run. He’s a hard hitter with great range and tough tackles and he’s also a solid deep cover man. In a weak safety class, he looks like one of the top guys.

2nd viewing

Spotlight #3: Oklahoma State DE Jamie Blatnick

Spotlight #4: Texas OLB Keenan Robinson 

1^st quarter

14:56: Blatnick outmuscled and blocked on the edge on an outside run for a sizeable gain.

14:20: Blatnick can’t get tackle for loss on running quarterback who makes him miss and gets a first down.

13:55: Blatnick run at for no gain.

13:27: Blatnick with good push, forces a quicker throw.

12:30: Blatnick doesn’t go down on a cut block.

11:38: Blatnick run at, blocked, disengages, gets tackle for 2 yard gain.

10:59: Blatnick drops in coverage, looks stiff, completion allowed elsewhere, good hustly by Blatnick to make tackle far from the line of scrimmage.

9:07: Robinson pancaked on a run.

8:32: Robinson run over on a goal line touchdown.

5:32: Blatnick again doesn’t go done on a cut block.

5:16: Blatnick relatively unblocked, goes a good job of chasing the back down for a loss from behind.

4:41: Blatnick with good hustle to chase the quarterback on a sizeable run.

3:16: Good instincts and speed by Robinson to chase down the ball carrier in the open field on a 3^rd and long check down. No conversion.

2^nd quarter

12:37: Blatnick gets good pressure and hit on the quarterback with a bull rush.

11:21: Blatnick’s hustle continues to impressive. He never gives up on a play.

10:31: Robinson can’t fight off a 2^nd level block on a screen.

6:05: Blatnick in on a tackle for no gain or loss. Sheds his blocker with ease. Texas is having real trouble with his strength as he’s just throwing offensive linemen off.

5:19: Good instincts by Blatnick to stay home on a screen.

3:53: Blatnick on a tackle for loss on a check down to the back. Good job recognizing the play and good power to throw his man.

2:47: Robinson goes sideline to sideline to get a tackle on an outside run on the opposite side.

2:08: Good job by Robinson mirroring a receiver in coverage.

1:55: Robinson misses a tackle short of the sticks on a check down, 1^st down converted.

1:12: Robinson taken down on a cut block on a short yardage play.

0:41: Robinson blocked off the play on a long touchdown run on 4^th and short.

3^rd quarter

13:54: Blatnick gets pressure on the quarterback, forces him up into a sack by a teammate.

13:21: Blatnick has a cutback go through his gap. Can’t react quick enough.

10:43: Blatnick blocked well downfield on a long touchdown run.

10:04: Robinson in on a pile for a short tackle.

6:26: Blatnick disengages and gets a tackle from behind, but not before a 1^st down on 2^nd and 1.

6:11: Blatnick gets pressure, forces the quarterback up in the pocket.

5:24: Blatnick bats down a pass at the line of scrimmage. Doesn’t go down on a cut block and a good job of recognizing the play, staying home and putting his hand up to force the incompletion.

4:31: Robinson shows poor instincts in the open field on a long run.

4:20: Robinson blown past on a long touchdown run.

4:07: Blatnick knocked off balance by an offensive lineman, still almost recovers to make a diving tackle on the ball carrier. Too overly aggressive here, goes for pass rush on a run play. Solid gain by Texas.

0:31: Blatnick wins the battle again and gets good pressure.

4^th quarter

14:32: Blatnick gets in on a short tackle.

13:54: Blatnick beats his man with a swim move, but off balance and knocked down by another offensive lineman.

10:19: Blatnick immobilized by a double team, but frees up other guys for a sack.

9:03: Robinson in on a pile on a check down.

8:20: Blatnick gives chase on an outside pitch, forces ball carrier out of bounds.

4:28: Robinson having trouble with 2^nd level blockers again.

3:56: Robinson up the middle for a tackle of no gain.

3:11: Robinson in on a tackle far from the line of scrimmage. Good instincts, hustle, and sideline to sideline speed again.

0:58: Blatnick gets pressure, forces the quarterback up, quarterback slips.

0:00: Jamie Blatnick is a very strong human being. The 6-3 265 pound defensive end is capable of bench pressing over 500 pounds and shows good functional strength on the field as well. He didn’t go down on a cut block a single time tonight and they tried cut blocks on him several times, including one that failed, allowing Blatnick to get a hand up and bat a ball down at the line.

He also shows great strength one-on-one with offensive linemen. He was throwing big offensive lineman around and has extremely powerful hands. His power and strength gave Texas a lot of trouble in this one as he had several pressures and overly won his matchups, whether going against the left tackle or the right tackle. He’s had a good season as well with 47 tackles, 11.5 for loss, 7 sacks, 7 deflections, and a pick. He’s not the most athletic player, but he looks like a good left end in a 4-3 defense.

Blatnick dropped into coverage on a couple of occasions, but looked really stiff. He doesn’t have good sideline to sideline speed, but he’s got a great motor in chase and never gives up on a play. He doesn’t have the best balance either, but he’s a great bull rusher who is solid against the run. His 40 time could hurt him on draft day, but I think he’s worth a mid round pick for a 4-3 team.

On Texas’ side, linebacker Keenan Robinson may be listed at 6-3 235, but he looks a lot smaller than that and he plays a lot smaller than that. He doesn’t have very good functional strength at all. He can’t take on blockers, not even 2^nd level blockers, at all. He’s also not the most sure tackler and got run over a couple plays. He has great sideline to sideline speed and his 40 time will help him, but he didn’t always show the best instincts in the open field.

He’s had good production in the last 3 seasons with 63, 106, and 90 tackles and he even had 9 tackles in this one, but they were empty calorie tackles. He didn’t have a huge impact on the game. He doesn’t have a lot of impact plays on the season either. He has just 6 tackles for loss and 1 sack after 2 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss last season. He looks like a mid rounder, rather than the day 2 pick he’s being projected as.