2012 College Football / 2013 NFL Draft

[clyde_carbon]

Clyde, you already know what guys like Austin, Wilson, Banks, Jenkins are capable of. I thought the bolded meant that guys you have seen play and have a serious interest on (really like), however, you want to see how they respond to better competition.

I wanna see them in practice, how they communicate with other players and coaches, and how they carry themselves. Plus, I'm interested in seeing whether these guys raise or lower their stock after that week.

 

[clyde_carbon]

So how about some SJSU prospects?

QB David Fales
OT David Quessenberry
WR Noel Grigsby (love him as a late round sleeper)
WR Chandler Jones
TE Ryan Otten
DE Travis Johnson (him too)

 

[BINGO]

So how about some SJSU prospects?

QB David Fales
OT David Quessenberry
WR Noel Grigsby (love him as a late round sleeper)
WR Chandler Jones
TE Ryan Otten
DE Travis Johnson (him too)

Did he receive an invite for the East/West Shrine Game?

 

[BINGO]

NFL Draft Blog
OLB Greene, S Vaccaro can contribute now
December, 27, 2012 5:31PM ET
By Steve Muench


Bowl matchups heat up as the new year approaches, and there is always plenty of NFL talent on the field as higher-profile programs begin to take the field.

With that in mind, here are five prospects who piqued my interest when I looked at the games on tap for this weekend, and I include NFL players who offer good comparisons and teams that could be fits at the next level.



Rutgers OLB Khaseem Greene (Grade: 75)
Greene has 125 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions this year. Rutgers hasn't played a particularly tough schedule, but Greene (6-foot-0½, 239 pounds) has still shown the strength to take on blockers in the hole and impressive range both chasing the run and in pass coverage.

Khaseem Greene's range and athletic ability make him a versatile contributor.

Rutgers takes on Virginia Tech in the Russell Athletic Bowl (Friday, 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), and pay close attention to Greene on pass-heavy downs. Hokies QB Logan Thomas didn't throw a pick in his last two regular-season games, but he's had a disappointing season in terms of accuracy and decision-making. Greene has the ball skills and burst to turn a mistake into an interception, and he times blitzes and closes well. The key will be getting the 6-5, 254-pound Thomas to the ground if and when Greene reaches him.

Greene can get engulfed by offensive linemen at times, but his instincts and quickness make it tough to reach him at the second level. And while he doesn't possess ideal length for a 3-4 outside linebacker, Greene has the tools to push for a starting role in a base 4-3 scheme early in his career and should make an immediate impact in sub packages. Teams in need of immediate help at weakside linebacker, like the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints, would do well to get Greene.
NFL comparison: Tampa Bay Buccaneers WLB Lavonte David



Syracuse OT Justin Pugh* (83)
Pugh hasn't decided whether to declare for the draft, but he has contacted the NFL advisory committee to see where he projects. At this point, we at Scouts Inc. put a second-round grade on him.

Pugh has all the tools to become a starting tackle in the NFL if he stays healthy. He is an excellent pass-blocker with above-average balance and initial quickness, and he's an effective positional blocker who plays with a mean streak and is strong for his size. However, Pugh (6-6, 292) doesn't have ideal bulk for an offensive tackle, and he did miss the first four games of the 2012 season after offseason shoulder surgery.

Pugh got the better of 2012 first-round pick Bruce Irvin in last year's game against West Virginia, and the Mountaineers don't have a pass-rusher anywhere near Irvin's caliber this season. Expect Pugh to finish 2012 on a high note in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl (Saturday, 3:15 p.m. ET, ESPN) and bolster his already-strong stock.

Pugh's best fit is a zone-heavy scheme like the ones the Washington Redskins and Houston Texans run. He can line up on the right or left, and the Texans should be looking to upgrade at right tackle.
NFL comparison: Indianapolis OT Anthony Castonzo



Syracuse QB Ryan Nassib (70)
Nassib has steadily improved his completion percentage, touchdown-to-interception ratio and average passing yards per game in each of the past three seasons, and there's no reason to believe he's plateaued. He's also handled his business off the field and is an excellent student who is pursuing a master's degree in accounting.

In terms of his skill set, Nassib (6-2, 228) has adequate pocket mobility, but he will miss within the strike zone at times and puts too much zip on shorter passes at times. However, his arm strength is just a notch below elite, and he can drive the ball downfield. In addition, Nassib reads coverage well, and he gets through his progressions when given time.

Nassib is in excellent position to finish his collegiate career on a high note and make a splash heading into the pre-draft process. West Virginia ranks 123rd out of 124 FBS teams in passing yards allowed per game, and it should be noted that Nassib has thrown just one pick in the second half of the season. Continuing to take care of the ball will obviously give his stock a boost.

Ideally, Nassib would end up in a situation where he can sit behind a veteran quarterback and adjust to the speed of the NFL game before he pushes for playing time. That's why teams like the San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders (assuming Carson Palmer stays in town) would be good places for him to end up.
NFL comparison: Dallas QB Tony Romo



Texas S Kenny Vaccaro (93)
Vaccaro isn't the most reliable last line of defense in run support, taking inconsistent pursuit angles at times and missing tackles while trying to deliver the big hit rather than breaking down and wrapping. However, these are correctable flaws, and he'll be an above-average run-stopper if he can fix them.

The reason he projects as a first-round pick is his ability to bolster a team's pass defense. He has above-average range and plays the ball well, but it's his quick-twitch explosiveness and ability to match up with receivers that separates him from most safety prospects.

Against Oregon State in the Valero Alamo Bowl (Saturday, 6:45 p.m. ET, ESPN), Vaccaro will face a pair of speedy receivers who can stretch the field and produce after the catch in Markus Wheaton (80) and Brandin Cooks. The key for Vaccaro (6-0½, 210) will be preventing the big play. He's capable of taking away the vertical passing game, but he can't afford to make any mistakes, and his ability to limit production after the catch will be tested.

There isn't a scheme in which Vaccaro couldn't become a starter, and that versatility would make him an excellent fit with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Current FS Ryan Clark is in the twilight of his career, and 31-year old Troy Polamalu has appeared in just six games this year and has dealt with several nagging injuries in recent years.

Vaccaro fits best at free safety, where his ability to cover ground on the back end and match up in coverage would allow Polamalu to freelance and line up nearer the line of scrimmage.
NFL comparison: New England FS Devin McCourty



Michigan State TE Dion Sims* (77)
Sims has also asked the NFL advisory board about his draft standing and has yet to make a decision about returning to school. He has dealt with hand and ankle injuries the past two seasons, but Sims (6-5, 276) has an impressive frame that mitigates durability concerns to some degree.

Sims also comes with some character flags and must interview well, but his size and potential make him a Day 2 pick at this point. He has the size, straight-line speed and hands to develop into an every-down tight end who can hold up as an inline blocker and make plays in the passing game.

Sims is a former star high school basketball player who knows how to box out smaller defenders, and in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl (Saturday, 10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN) his size will give TCU's linebackers and safeties problems underneath and in the red zone. In addition, Spartans RB Le'Veon Bell (Grade: 81) remains the engine that powers the Michigan State offense and makes it tough not to bite on play-action. If the Horned Frogs' safeties and/or linebackers take the bait, Sims is fast enough to make them pay.

The Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns could all use help at tight end and would do well to land Sims.
NFL comparison: New York Giants TE Martellus Bennett

Steve Muench
Scouts Inc.

 

[Yadahell]

I saw bits of pieces of the game (had family over and couldn't really focus on the game itself), and came away very impressed with that performance. Last year Dontari Poe stole the show at the NFL combines; and this year Hunt will be the man that's going to make Dontari's performance look like child's play. Hunt is that much of a freak of an athlete. He has several gold medals that he won in the Junior Olympics. The guy is a freak who is still trying to learn how to play the game of football, so his potential alone will entice many teams. Wait for the combine, that guy is going to make history. I'd be happy with either him or Ezekiel Ansah as our first two picks. As a matter of fact, I'd be happy to spend our first two picks on those two guys respectively. Ansah would then transition to 3-4 OLB and allow Hunt to play the end position. I'm a little afraid of Hunt though... He was awful begining of the year then he started to pick things up in the middle of the year. A man that strong and athletic should not allow these 2nd tier / Non NFL OT prospect to handle him one-on-one like they did begining of the year. Anyway, Just like in 2011, he waits till late in the year to explode by dominating his opponent. Fresno has one of the best Oline unit in college football this year, so that's one more reason why I say that his performance agains them was very impressive. There's going to be a lot of JJ Watt comparisons (not from us but from folks in the media) - and JJ Watt's performance this year may cause Hunt to go higher than he should go.

Really warming up to this guy (Margus Hunt)! He may be a 1st rounder by the time the draft rolls around- even with his "rawness".

 

[I_am_1z]

I've heard of the Senior Bowl
I've heard of the East/West Shrine game
I've heard of the Texas vs The Nation game

But Jeff Tuel just accepted an invitation to the Casino Del Sol All-Star game...Anyone familiar with this all-star game?

 

[ChrisPozz]

I've heard of the Senior Bowl
I've heard of the East/West Shrine game
I've heard of the Texas vs The Nation game

But Jeff Tuel just accepted an invitation to the Casino Del Sol All-Star game...Anyone familiar with this all-star game?

It's only in its 2nd year of existence this year. It's for seniors only. Six players who played in the game last year were drafted. The game will be held on January 11th and be shown on ESPN3. There is a weigh-in, 3 days of practices, and then the game on Friday.

 

[ChrisPozz]

Hoffman staying at BYU for senior season | Crescent City California News, Sports, & Weather | The Triplicate

 

[ChrisPozz]

Bob Condotta:

Cal defensive tackle Deandre Coleman, a Seattle native, has informed the Seattle Times he will return to Cal for his senior year.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Alex Okafor has 3 sacks for far in the first half in the Alamo Bowl.

 

[BINGO]

Alex Okafor has 3 sacks for far in the first half in the Alamo Bowl.

beasting

 

[clyde_carbon]

4.5 sacks today so far for Okafor. Alamo Bowl record.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Okafor with another sack. Jesus.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Le'Veon Bell is so fun to watch. Such quick feet for a big man.

 

[clyde_carbon]

NFLDraftBible is reporting that both Stanford TEs (Ertz and Toilolo) are expected to declare.

 

[clyde_carbon]

HS coach: Elam leaving Gators for NFL | CollegeFootballTalk

Woohoo!

 

[BINGO]

HS coach: Elam leaving Gators for NFL | CollegeFootballTalk

Woohoo!

Do you like him better than Vaccaro?

 

[clyde_carbon]

Do you like him better than Vaccaro?

Yes, and it's not very close for me either.

 

[BINGO]

Yes, and it's not very close for me either.

Wow Clyde, our first major disagreement in 2013 NFL draft.

To me it seems as though Elam has had "luck" in his side. lol. I know that makes no sense at all but I don't quite relate his success to "football instincts". He's good, don't get me wrong, but I don't see him as an NFL starter IMO. I has descent range. Not Harrison Smith / Goldson type range, but descent nonethtless. He's not physical enough for my liking.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Wow Clyde, our first major disagreement in 2013 NFL draft.

To me it seems as though Elam has had "luck" in his side. lol. I know that makes no sense at all but I don't quite relate his success to "football instincts". He's good, don't get me wrong, but I don't see him as an NFL starter IMO. I has descent range. Not Harrison Smith / Goldson type range, but descent nonethtless. He's not physical enough for my liking.

Really? I'm pretty sure we've disagreed on other things. Damontre Moore? Jordan Poyer? Matt Barkley?