2012 College Football / 2013 NFL Draft

[NinerSickness]

Almost forgot: I wouldn't mind going after Landry Jones either. Another buy-low prospect. But I think Bray would be a better choice at this point.

However, I hear people say that Bray is a huge moron. I don't know of him getting in trouble off the field, but I'd hate to have a Ben Roethlisberger (off field) type of QB on the Niners. Any truth to this?

 

[ChrisPozz]

What jumps out at you about ARW that sparks your interest in him? I remember watching him play last year during a game in which Jerel Worthy was inactive. He did pretty well from what I saw. He also was somewhat disruptive during the opening game this year against Boise. He doesn't appear to be a difference maker though so I wouldn't spend an early or even a mid round pick on him for that reason alone. Interesting info on Short. Thanks for sharing.

I watched him 8-9 times last year where he was a part-time starter and I've seen him three times so far this year, including that Boise State game, where he was unblockable at times throughout that game. He was unblockable at times in the two others I watched as well.

Many have made note that he's been playing nicked up this whole year and he came out about two weeks ago and said that it's affected him a little bit but he seemed to handle it pretty well when he was interviewed about it. Made no excuses but did confirm that he's had some things to fight through

He looks pretty strong and he is a pretty good anchor, though he does need to improve on staying low more often because he gives up ground up and he'll create run lanes when he gets pushed around. When he does anchor in, though, he's a space hog and is tough to run by because he has good short area strength.

Against Ohio State he impressed me with his quickness penetrating the line but didn't appear to really run down very many plays because of his size. Really never have seen him do alot of that but in short areas he moves very well. I thought he struggled to stay low at times in that game, though, most notably around the goal line and in short yardage.

He was somewhat quiet in the Notre Dame game because he saw alot of double teams (sees a fair amount of them this year compared to last year) but I thought he held up pretty well against ND.

He also sheds one-on-one blocks well. And like I said before, he's consistently impressed me with his movement skills in shorter areas for his size. He's won't run down alot of plays like I said but he's one of the more impressive 310+ big men on the move that I've seen in a while.

He's not a consistent difference maker yet but streaks of flashes are evident. I'm not quite sure yet how he is off the field, but he did go to a prep school and then a junior college before coming to Michigan State.

 

[BINGO]

Y'know, I've always been intrigued with Murray, but I can never seem to get a good gauge on him. I've seen plenty of play from him, and I never know what to expect. I can't tell if he's a mediocre QB playing around great talent or if he's carrying the offense.

If someone put a gun to my head and told me to give a final opinion on him, I'd say he's an Alex Smith type of prospect. Low ceiling; could be efficient in the short passing game. Needs a lot of talent around him to succeed. However, he sometimes shows flashes of what could be more.

At this point, if the Niners draft a QB I want him to be a guy they think could be an elite NFL QB one day. I don't see that in Murray. I never saw it in Barkley either, and I was even saying last year (when he might've been the #2 overall pick) that Barkley is an Alex Smith type of prospect. Drafting either one of those guys seems like a lateral move.

I might even say the same thing about Tyler Wilson, but I think he has a little more potential than Murray or Barkley. Wilson doesn't have amazing physical talent, but he seems like a quick thinker / decision maker who has a lot of poise in the pocket. However, I'm not sure he has anything on a QB like Tony Romo, who might end up being cut or traded by the Cowboys.

There's my preliminary QB breakdown for the day.

Sick, look at all the snaps that Murray had taken during these three games. See the positives in the negatives in his game as a QB. The arm strength is there, very good accuracy, pretty good velocity on his ball (not Vick/Mallet elite, but very good nonetheless), ball placement, pocket presence, and the mobility is there. He reminds me of Christian Ponder in terms of mechanics and mobility. You mentioned Alex Smith, but the only comparisons I could come up with between the two is the fact that they are smart players who can pick up a playbook and master it pretty darn fast. Murray is not a dumb kid at all...I believe he is pursuing his Master degree right now at Georgia. Anyway, with regard to his football talent look at the Tennessee footage below. He got that Eli Manning "back shoulder throws" in his repertoire already. Alex Smith has recently starting in trying to make those type of throws, and one can easily tell he isn't a natural at it unlike Manning or Brees. Here we have a college kid in Murray who is already a brilliant passer when attempting those type of throws. You also mentioned Romo...I see a little bit of Romo in him as well in terms of field vision (pre snap and during a live play), and again he shares Romo's ability to throw on the run. An uncanny ability to sell the playaction. The negatives on him is that at times he tends to buckle under pressure when the blitz finally gets to him. Instead of throwing it away, like Alex Smith he may end up taking a sack or simply force a bad throw. Those are rare though situations though, which is why I believe with all that talent that he has, he has what it takes to excel in the league (having a better pro career than a collegiate career).


[YOUTUBE]lKoEUz-UNtM[/YOUTUBE]

 

[BINGO]

I watched him 8-9 times last year where he was a part-time starter and I've seen him three times so far this year, including that Boise State game, where he was unblockable at times throughout that game. He was unblockable at times in the two others I watched as well.

Many have made note that he's been playing nicked up this whole year and he came out about two weeks ago and said that it's affected him a little bit but he seemed to handle it pretty well when he was interviewed about it. Made no excuses but did confirm that he's had some things to fight through

He looks pretty strong and he is a pretty good anchor, though he does need to improve on staying low more often because he gives up ground up and he'll create run lanes when he gets pushed around. When he does anchor in, though, he's a space hog and is tough to run by because he has good short area strength.

Against Ohio State he impressed me with his quickness penetrating the line but didn't appear to really run down very many plays because of his size. Really never have seen him do alot of that but in short areas he moves very well. I thought he struggled to stay low at times in that game, though, most notably around the goal line and in short yardage.

He was somewhat quiet in the Notre Dame game because he saw alot of double teams (sees a fair amount of them this year compared to last year) but I thought he held up pretty well against ND.

He also sheds one-on-one blocks well. And like I said before, he's consistently impressed me with his movement skills in shorter areas for his size. He's won't run down alot of plays like I said but he's one of the more impressive 310+ big men on the move that I've seen in a while.

He's not a consistent difference maker yet but streaks of flashes are evident. I'm not quite sure yet how he is off the field, but he did go to a prep school and then a junior college before coming to Michigan State.

I missed the Michigan Wolverines game as well as the Ohio State game. I didn't know he was battling a nagging injury which more than likely affected his play on the field. I admire when big men excel in short area quickness a lot of times that's half the battle to win in the trenches (brute strength, technique, and awareness are the remaining attributes to win battles). Now Pozz got me a little more intrigued and I look forward to hearing how he does in the practices (Senior Bowl).

I saw Aboushi played last night (3 quarters of football). He sucks badly on sweeps or run blocking as a whole, but he is pretty good in pass protection. Again, that's only one game. Still would like to see more of him during the SB.

 

[Ray_Dogg]

A little nugget on Bray.

No charges against Vol QB Tyler Bray, roommate in beer-bottle, golf-ball tossing incident GoVolsXtra

 

[Ray_Dogg]

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Some more on Bray:
Tennessee QB Tyler Bray: "I'm Paid to Win Football Games" | TFM News
And a Kenny Powers moment:
More trouble for Tennessee QB Bray | AJC Sports News Now

 

[BINGO]

NFL Draft Buzz
Originally Published: November 16, 2012
Williams bolstering strong DT class
By Todd McShayScouts Inc.

North Carolina DT Sylvester Williams (Grade: 94) put on a clinic Thursday night against an admittedly subpar Virginia interior offensive line, displaying good first-step quickness and the consistent ability to strike and press blockers into their own backfield.

Sylvester Williams knows how to get off blocks against both the run and the pass.

Like many young defensive linemen, Williams will need to cut down on the swim moves at the next level to avoid exposing himself to painful rib shots from savvy NFL linemen. Still, he is showing quick hands, good recognition skills and some power at the point of attack as a tackler.

Williams (6-foot-2, 320 pounds) has taken off 15 to 20 pounds this season, and after battling a nagging ankle injury earlier this season, it's clear he is nearly 100 percent and playing faster than ever. One scout I spoke to recently said, "I can't imagine Williams getting out of the first (round) ... even with all the D-line talent in this class."

Williams, who is the third-ranked defensive tackle behind Utah's Star Lotulelei and Ohio State's Johnathan Hankins, is currently ranked No. 13 overall on our board. There are 15 defensive linemen in this week's top 32, including seven defensive tackles.

As I discussed in this week's NFL draft blog Nickel Package, that's good news for the many teams facing needs along the interior of their defenses.

Illinois' early departures
Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.

We're entering the time of year when buzz about draft-eligible non-seniors staying in school or entering the draft picks up.

I don't pay much attention to the rumors because we'll find out for real soon enough, but I was recently told by a scout that he is "almost certain" DT Akeem Spence is planning on leaving Illinois after this season, and that there's a chance OLB Jonathan Brown will bolt as well.

Spence has been a standout on the Illini defense this season. He has a quick first step, is strong for his size (6-1, 305) and is consistently disruptive versus the run. Spence would have plenty of company in the 2013 defensive tackle class, but he's talented enough to figure in the Day 2 mix.

Brown (6-1, 234) is a mid-round prospect who has been productive this season with 59 total tackles, including 9.5 tackles for loss in a little more than eight games played. He suffered a shoulder injury in the first half against Ohio State that prevented him from playing last week versus Minnesota.

Illinois consistently sees top players leave eligibility on the table to head to the NFL early, but that's not an indictment of the program. All have left for good reason.

The Illini have sent seven underclassmen to the past five NFL drafts, and early third-round pick LB Martez Wilson was the most recent. Not too bad. Here's the entire list:

•DE Whitney Mercilus (2012, first round, Houston)
•DT Corey Liuget (2011, first round, San Diego)
•RB Mikel Leshoure (2011, second round, Detroit)
•LB Martez Wilson (2011, third round, New Orleans)
•WR Arrelious Benn (2010, second round, Tampa Bay
•CB Vontae Davis (2009, first round, Miami)
•RB Rashard Mendenhall (2008, first round, Pittsburgh)

A youthful tight end class
Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.

San Diego State's Gavin Escobar (79) doesn't get much national love, but West Coast NFL scouts have been whispering about the athletic pass-catching tight end.

Escobar (6-5, 255) leads the team with 35 catches for 483 yards and five touchdowns. He's not a senior and could very well return to SDSU for another season, but should he leave early, Escobar could be one of five non-senior tight ends selected in the first three rounds. Here are the top five draft-eligible players on the board, all of whom are non-seniors.

1. Zach Ertz, Stanford (6-6, 249; 89)
2. Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame (6-6, 250; 88)
3. Escobar
4. Dion Sims, Michigan State (6-5, 276; 78)
5.Levine Toilolo, Stanford (6-8, 263; 76)

I've heard no buzz about Ertz staying or going, but most scouts I've talked to have a strong feeling that Eifert is leaning heavily toward leaving. If both declare for the draft, it will be interesting to see who comes off the board first, because teams seem to be split on who is the better overall prospect.

For the record, the highest-rated senior tight end on our board right now is Auburn's Philip Lutzenkirchen, who is rated just slightly ahead of Joseph Fauria (UCLA) and Jake Stoneburner (Ohio State). That trio will be jockeying for position in the middle rounds.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Nick Saban says D.J. Fluker will probably enter the 2013 NFL draft | ProFootballTalk

 

[Ray_Dogg]

And Bray has been benched during the Vandy game and it isn't injury related. Worley comes in who I think is a turd and immediately throws an INT. AHAHAHAHA fire this staff already.

 

[clyde_carbon]

And Bray has been benched during the Vandy game and it isn't injury related. Worley comes in who I think is a turd and immediately throws an INT. AHAHAHAHA fire this staff already.

He's as good as gone, IMO. This year's Brock Osweiler. Not talent, just situation.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Tavon Austin is unbelievable. So fun to watch. He's not a track guy and will never be elite at a single position, but he's explosive, terrific short-area quickness, and is versatile. He's somewhere between Percy Harvin and Dexter McCuster. In the right system I think he's a first round talent.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Cierre Wood is leaving for the draft.

ENTERING THE DRAFT:
QB Tyler Bray, Tennessee

RB Cierre Wood, Notre Dame

WR Justin Hunter, Tennessee
WR Da'Rick Rogers, Tennessee Tech
WR Marquess Wilson, Washington St.

RETURNING TO SCHOOL:
QB Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Dooley has been fired! Show Gruden the money!

 

[4pmac4]

I think Lane Kiffin might soon follow

 

[NinerSickness]

I think Lane Kiffin might soon follow

Not according to USC's athletic director.

 

[4pmac4]

They lose to ND we'll see what Haden is saying then

 

[ChrisPozz]

Matt Barkley will miss this week's game against Notre Dame with a shoulder sprain.

 

[ChrisPozz]

Pedro Moura:

Here’s interesting thing: USC typically does not disclose injuries unless players are out for the rest of the season.

 

[BINGO]

Matt Barkley will miss this week's game against Notre Dame with a shoulder sprain.