NFL Draft / College football

[NinerSickness]

Sorry. Misread it.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Hey all, long time poster and reader at the old boards(ESPN).. First time over here. I was wondering what everyone else thought of Robert Turbin? I am very intrigued by the possibility of him for the long term after Frank Gore. I think he runs with good speed through the holes from what I admittedly have seen on YouTube. I was wondering if anyone has seen more of him? I saw him a bit at the Combine and was VERY intrigued. Looked to run with good balance, quick feet and good hands as well. Great size and measureables, although a bit of a slow 3 cone for what I though his feet looked.

Welcome to the board Lifer! Hope to see you post a lot.

 

[BINGO]

No decision: Browns must trade up for RG3
February, 29, 2012
11:22 AM ET
By Jamison Hensley

QB Robert Griffin III has all the intangibles that the Browns could put to good use immediately.There's a growing sense that the Cleveland Browns should trade up and draft Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. I'm here to tell you that the Browns must do it.

If they want an offensive playmaker. If they want a face for the franchise. If they eventually want to win a Super Bowl.

There are arguments against Cleveland giving up a handful of valuable picks for the Heisman Trophy winner. For each one, I will give you a convincing rebuttal on why RG3 is the Browns' only option at quarterback, from that golden arm to those priceless Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles socks.

RG3 is more athletic than most NFL quarterbacks and he's faster than most running backs. His wit is extremely quick as well. "I hope somebody falls in love with me, other than my fiancee," he said when asked about the Browns possibly trading up to No. 2 to get him.

Let the Miami Dolphins sign Matt Flynn. Let another team panic and draft Ryan Tannehill in the top 10. Griffin is different than both of those quarterbacks. He's special. He has that "it" factor that turned around the Baylor football program and figures prominently in any NFL reclamation project.

I know Flynn threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns in one game last season and Tannehill is a better fit for the West Coast offense. But RG3 brings charisma, excitement and plenty of crazy socks (yes, even Hello Kitty ones). He'll not only be the face of the franchise. He'll be the mouthpiece, too.

The drafting of RG3 would sell tickets. Actually, I think he would go out and sell tickets himself if you ask him. In yesterday's SportsNation poll, 42 percent of the nearly 8,000 voters think RG3 should be the Browns' starting quarterback in 2012.

The Browns have been irrelevant in the NFL for too long. That's what happens when you lose 97 games in nine seasons. RG3 brings bite back to the Dawg Pound.

"It would be fun to compete with Colt [McCoy]," Griffin said. "I played him one year in college, and he beat us. Maybe I'd have to go out there and beat him. Other than that, it would be an honor to go to Cleveland, to go anywhere. As far as the team goes, they just need that motivation, they need that inspiration. They've got the coaches in place to be successful."

Of course, moving up two spots from No. 4 to draft RG3 comes at a steep price. The St. Louis Rams, who hold the second overall pick, are seeking a deal similar to what the San Diego Chargers got for the rights to 2004 top overall pick Eli Manning, sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Manning was selected by the Chargers with the No. 1 overall pick in 2004 and traded to the New York Giants for two first-round picks, a third-round pick and a fifth-round choice.

That's a teeth-gnashing amount of picks to give up for the Browns, who have the fourth and 22nd overall picks in this year's first round. They are not one quarterback away from winning a championship. Cleveland needs draft choices to rebuild an offense that ranked 29th in yards and 30th in points scored.

But the Browns need someone to build around. And, if Cleveland doesn't do this, another team like the Washington Redskins gladly will. Why? Teams don't win Super Bowls without franchise quarterbacks these days. In fact, six of the past seven Super Bowl winners started quarterbacks that they selected in the first round.

Just like the Browns, the Giants were coming off a 4-12 season when they handed over those picks for Manning in the 2004 draft. Two Lombardi Trophies later and the Giants aren't second-guessing the decision.

To be honest, there really isn't a decision for the Browns when you look at the alternatives.

Cleveland could sign Flynn, a longtime backup for the Green Bay Packers, in free agency. Instead of draft picks, it would cost the Browns a $50 million contract to someone who's made two career NFL starts. Flynn doesn't have prototypical size or elite arm strength. He's a timing passer who makes decisive reads but won't be able to deliver the throw on a 25-yard comeback route.

If the Browns wanted a quarterback like that, then they should just stick with McCoy. Of course, the Flynn scenario allows the Browns to keep the fourth overall pick and presumably use it on Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. The problem is, Blackmon isn't on the same level as A.J. Green, the wide receiver who was selected No. 4 last year, or Julio Jones, whom the Browns passed on last year. Blackmon also doesn't possess the speed that the Cleveland wide receiver group needs.

Another direction the Browns could take is trading back a few spots from the No. 4 to select Tannehill in the top 10 and acquire more picks. Tannehill is the third-best quarterback in this draft but he comes with his own share of questions. He started only 19 games at Texas A&M because he spent his first 2 1/2 seasons there as a wide receiver. Tannehill is as big of a gamble as Flynn in terms of experience.

The other option is sticking with McCoy as the starter for another season. Supporters of McCoy say you can't judge him properly because he doesn't have a supporting cast. I just get the sense that some don't want to start over again at quarterback, which is understandable. The Browns have had 16 starting quarterbacks since rejoining the NFL in 1999, which averages out to a different quarterback every 13 games.

McCoy won't lead a team to a championship, and it wouldn't matter if his top receiver was Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald. He can't throw an accurate deep ball in a league where passing downfield is essential. McCoy is a limited quarterback, whereas RG3 offers limitless potential.

The Browns will only have themselves to blame if they lose out on RG3. Cleveland can give the Rams what no one else can — the fourth overall pick. That would allow St. Louis to address a major need, whether it's drafting Blackmon or offensive tackle Matt Kalil.

Drafting RG3 will require more work in free agency. The Browns have to spend money to improve at wide receiver (perhaps Pierre Garcon) and running back (if Cleveland makes the right call and parts ways with Peyton Hillis).

Still, the addition of RG3 provides a foundation for the offense and a hope for the future.

 

[BINGO]

Rams' rush rules out Miami at No. 2
March, 5, 2012
12:00 PM ET
By James Walker

According Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Rams want to have a trade in place for the No. 2 overall pick by the end of this week. That should all but rule out the Miami Dolphins, who are sitting at No. 8 but want to explore acquiring Peyton Manning, and potentially Matt Flynn, in free agency.

The Dolphins would be silly to agree to any trade involving Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III without checking Manning's interest and health status first. A healthy Manning would make Miami an instant contender. But if that doesn't work, the Dolphins also want to pursue Flynn, who was the backup with the Green Bay Packers under new Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin.

I understand St. Louis' thinking to rush the process. The value right now for the No. 2 pick will never be higher this offseason. Griffin is coming off an electric performance at the combine where he wowed scouts with his athleticism. He also has the game tape at Baylor to match, solidifying his status as the second-best quarterback behind Andrew Luck of Stanford.

But the same teams who are interested in Griffin -- Miami, Cleveland and Washington -- are the same teams who could make a run at veterans Flynn and Manning. Let's say, hypothetically, Miami gets Manning and Cleveland gets Flynn. The suitors and interest in the No. 2 picks falls significantly, which is bad for the Rams, who won't take a quarterback at No. 2.

The Dolphins weren't the favorites in the Griffin sweepstakes to begin with. St. Louis' hastiness virtually puts an end to Miami's chances.

Miami should leave the Griffin chase to teams like the Browns and Redskins. If one of those clubs give into St. Louis' demands by the end of this week, that is one less team Miami has to compete with for Manning and Flynn.

 

[BINGO]

NFL Draft Blog

Film study giving linebackers a boost

March, 6, 2012
2:46PM ETE
By Kevin Weidl

With the NFL combine over and on-campus pro day workouts approaching, we at Scouts Inc. have gone back into the film room to get a better feel for some notable prospects. Here's what I've seen from five outside linebacker prospects in recent days, all of whom have gotten a boost from the skills I've seen on film.

The arrow is pointing up for second-rounder Lavonte David.

Nebraska's Lavonte David (Scouts Inc. grade: 86)
There's not much David (6-foot-0⅝, 233 pounds) can't do. He has a good motor and above-average speed (4.65 in the 40-yard dash) and shows solid instincts as a run defender. He is also better than anticipated at the point of attack, given his size. He'll never be an elite take-on guy, but David has good functional strength (19 bench-press reps at 225 pounds), diagnoses plays quickly and knows how to drop his pads and play with leverage, giving just a little to shed blocks and get back into the play.

He also wades through traffic well and rarely gets caught in the trash on his way to the play, keeping himself alive in pursuit by taking good angles and going over the top of blocks rather than taking the easy way out and cutting underneath blockers.

David is a three-down linebacker with excellent man-coverage skills and the fluidity, awareness and athleticism to stay with running backs and tight ends in coverage. He also shows the ability to stick with slot receivers on occasion. Finally, David is a solid tackler, and while he does leave his feet at times he does so with his head up and is good at cutting a ball carrier's legs out or wrapping him up. Given his overall skill set and value as an every-down defender, David is solidly in the second round at this point and would be a great fit as a weakside linebacker in an 4-3 scheme.



Miami's Sean Spence (75)
Spence is another undersized (5-11⅜, 231), 4-3 weakside prospect. His movement skills are a little cleaner than David's, but Spence is not as instinctive or strong at the point of attack. However, Spence's instincts are still above average and he flies around the field. He is quick on his feet, has good change-of-direction skills and is a reliable tackler.

He struggles to get off blocks at times, though, and as a result doesn't always get a solid hit on the ball carrier. Spence also gets caught in the wash at times and has trouble avoiding trash, but he has good range and developing instincts in zone coverage and the ability to match up in man coverage. Spence has the look of a third-down contributor in sub packages as a rookie, and combined with his contributions on special teams that has him on the fringe of Day 2 (Rounds 2-3) at this point.



Florida State's Nigel Bradham (71)
Bradham (6-1⅞, 241) still has some learning to do in terms of instincts and awareness, but he's a run-and-hit linebacker with a violent style. His range is good (4.64 in the 40), and his combine jumps (37-inch vertical, 10-foot-1 broad) confirmed the ability we've seen on film to explode into ball carriers. He could get a little better taking on blocks, but Bradham has long arms (33.6 inches) and is a solid wrap-up tackler who will fill hard when necessary.

Bradham also displays good range in underneath coverage, and his size, speed and ability to run and deliver big hits should make him a valued special-teams player while he learns a defensive system early in his career. Bradham is working his way into Day 2 consideration.



Arkansas State's Demario Davis (69)
Davis (6-2, 235; 4.61) is similar to Bradham in that he is a good athlete with the ability to play on the strong side in a 4-3 scheme or as a weakside inside linebacker in a 3-4. Davis has exceptional short-area burst and impressive closing ability, which could be seen on a first-quarter play against Virginia Tech, when Davis ran down Hokies RB David Wilson from the opposite hash.

Davis is raw, though, and needs to play more under control. Davis comes in too hot at times when chasing plays, and he needs to drop his pads and break down more effectively when he reaches the ball carrier. He's also learning how to get into passing lanes and become more aware in zone coverage, but Davis time pressures well and can close hard on quarterbacks. He's another strong special-teamer and his overall skill set should get him some consideration early on Day 3, and it won't be a huge surprise if his name is called late on Day 2.



Kentucky's Danny Trevathan (52)
Trevathan (6-0¼, 237) lacks elite strength and will never be a knock-back tackler, but he is instinctive and gets to ball carriers all over the field. Like Spence, he can get sealed off at times and will be engulfed by bigger blockers at the point of attack, but when Trevathan moves laterally he absorbs contact and protects his feet well in pursuit.

He's not as fluid as David or Spence in coverage, though, and will have trouble matching up with athletic tight ends. That makes him more of a sub-package/special-teams contributor with a mid-to-late-round grade.

 

[EKmane]

Hey all, long time poster and reader at the old boards(ESPN).. First time over here. I was wondering what everyone else thought of Robert Turbin? I am very intrigued by the possibility of him for the long term after Frank Gore. I think he runs with good speed through the holes from what I admittedly have seen on YouTube. I was wondering if anyone has seen more of him? I saw him a bit at the Combine and was VERY intrigued. Looked to run with good balance, quick feet and good hands as well. Great size and measureables, although a bit of a slow 3 cone for what I though his feet looked.

I love him. I watched him in a couple of games when he was a sophmore and fell in love with his game. I didn't know he was a sophmore though and after his injury the next season I kind of forgot about him until after this season.

I love everything about him, he reminds me of Ricky Williams (without the weed smoking issues). He'd really shine with us too because of how well he catches the ball out of the backfield.

I think he'll be there for us in the 4th round, lets keep our fingers crossed that they pull the trigger.

He can start of by taking Dixon's role, then taking over for Gore. He's that good.

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Jeff Fuller - WR - Player

Texas A&M WR Jeff Fuller ran a 4.53 forty at his Pro Day on Wednesday, according to SI's Tony Pauline.
Fuller sat out of the Combine due to a stress fracture, so a low 4.5 time is solid for a 6'4" frame. Another big name that failed to meet expectations in his senior year, Fuller showed inconsistent hands and a lack of effort at Texas A&M and during the Senior Bowl. Now likely a third day pick, we think Fuller has some Dwayne Jarrett to him.
Source: Tony Pauline on Twitter
Mar 7 - 1:57 PM

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Eric Branch ‏ @Eric_Branch

Reply
Retweet
Favorite
· Open

Ga. Tech WR << RT @nfldraftscout: Stephen Hill's official 40 time came in...4.28 seconds. Fastest at the Combine, per @imgacademies
__________________

 

[Flyingiguana]

if we could put stephen hill's legs, jj stokes' hands, jerry rice's brain in crabtree's body, we'd have a pretty solid wr

 

[CalamityX11]

Afraid Hill is getting too much press. May be taken earlier than we like. Must prepare for plan B!

 

[4lifer9er]

Afraid Hill is getting too much press. May be taken earlier than we like. Must prepare for plan B!

yea I think when it is all said and done he will end up inside the top 20 and I wouldn't be surprised to see Houston move up to get him.

 

[Flyingiguana]

Afraid Hill is getting too much press. May be taken earlier than we like. Must prepare for plan B!

i hope he gets drafted before 30

 

[Yadahell]

Just lost some coin:

Orson Charles, top tight end NFL draft prospect, arrested for DUI | ProFootballTalk

 

[NinerSickness]

Just lost some coin:

Orson Charles, top tight end NFL draft prospect, arrested for DUI | ProFootballTalk

He lost some coin by not running at the combine and posting an O-lineman type 40 at his pro' day too.

I always liked Dwayne Allen the best of the TEs in this class, but Fleener hasn't done any drills yet. Charles is dropping like a rock.

3rd round now? 4th?

 

[h0ckeysk83r]

Just lost some coin:

Orson Charles, top tight end NFL draft prospect, arrested for DUI | ProFootballTalk

Where is this kids head at? The draft a little over a month away and you put yourself in a situation like that especially with the mediocre numbers he put up in his workouts.

 

[BINGO]

Where is this kids head at? The draft a little over a month away and you put yourself in a situation like that especially with the mediocre numbers he put up in his workouts.

Who knows? Maybe that was his way of coping with the depression. He got depressed b/c he realized how poorly he performed at his pro day and regret not running at the combine.

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Wright had a slow forty because of early hand movement?

After speaking to front office men around the NFL, Dan Pompei of the National Football Post writes that Baylor WR Kendall Wright's 4.61 "may have been the most misleading forty time of the Combine."
From roto:
Wright actually ran in the 4.4s, but was credited with being a step slower due to an early hand movement at the beginning of his forty-yard dash. "Based on tape, he has tremendous speed, burst and explosion," said one NFL scout. Wright should have no trouble running in the low-4.4s at his March 21 Pro Day.

 

[Flyingiguana]

i'm liking walter's latest mock. peter konz close enough where we can leap frog green bay to grab him. should only cost us a 3rd to move up a few spots. dwayne allen there in the 2nd. use a 2nd next year to get into the early 3rd to take bentley.

 

[NinerSickness]

So the more I think about it if the Niners are too stupid to go after Peyton I think they need to keep an eye on Dontari Poe in the draft. I think years from now people are going to be extremely jealous of the teams who drafted Luck, Matt kalil, David Decastro and Dontari Poe. There are some good players in this draft, but these are the guys who are going to give opposing teams fits...

The 2nd around pick could move the Niners up to around 18-17 or so. Maybe 16 if the Jets really want to trade down and the Niners throw in maybe a 5th rounder. If the Chiefs, Cards & Cowboys pass on Poe (stupidly), the Niners should trade up and get him IMO.

 

[CalamityX11]

Early hand movement? WTF? weak sauce!

@Sick, but isn't Poe slotted to be taken in top half of first?