Thread: Prospect watch

just a thread to talk about players that you're interested in, whether for this year's draft or the future. . .

two guys caught my eye during tonight's ohio state-USC game-- and we all know that those schools are two of the biggest football factories around. . . OSU junior defensive tackle cameron heyward looks like an interest prospect. . . at 6'6", 290 lbs. he has the ideal frame to play the five-technique at the next level, and he looks to me as though his tenacity and athleticism may be suited for the position. . . and it never hurts to have NFL bloodlines-- if he's half as tough as his dad, former saints bruiser craig "ironhead" heyward, he has a chance to carve out a very nice pro career for himself. . . i didn't watch that much college ball last year, but i know heyward was a big part of the rotation on a strong defense. . . he was all over the field in the first half tonight, splitting some double teams and consistently making plays in the backfield-- he looked very mobile and active for a guy that size. . . USC didn't run up the gut all that much, and i didn't notice how well he was holding the point on most running plays, so that's something i'll be watching for the next time i watch an OSU game. . .

USC senior center kris o'dowd also really stood out. . . at 6'5", 300 lbs. he was really clearing things out inside, especially getting a big push right up the middle for a couple of QB sneaks to convert short yardage situations. . . i didn't pay as much attention to the line in pass pro situations, but it just seemed like every time they ran behind him he was consistently generating movement. . . USC has produced some solid pro linemen recently, and this kid looks to be their next quality prospect. . .

it's pretty early for this sort of projection, but FWIW, NFLdraftscout.com projects o'dowd as a 2nd rounder, and heyward as a late 1st-2nd rounder if he comes out after this season. . . in any case, both players may be worth keeping an eye on, as they both appear to be legit prospects at positions we could quite possibly be targeting in next years draft. . .


feel free to use this thread to talk about any players that you like or think they're worth watching. . .

I'm a big time homer, but Alabama's Rolando McClain (MLB) and Terrence Cody (NT) are future top 10 picks. Perfect fits for the 3-4 and Saban has been quoted as saying Ro is the smartest player he has ever coached.

Originally Posted by West

I'm a big time homer, but Alabama's Rolando McClain (MLB) and Terrence Cody (NT) are future top 10 picks. Perfect fits for the 3-4 and Saban has been quoted as saying Ro is the smartest player he has ever coached.

i haven't paid as much attention to mcclain, although i'm certainly aware of his reputation, but cody is obviously a monster. . . the guy was born to anchor the 34 front, and would be an ideal fit here-- it's too damn bad that we traded away our natural first and most likely won't have any shot at him unless chicago totally bombs. . .

Originally Posted by satinbat

nice work--thank you for sharing-
thanks so much for this. I appreciate the effort. It really helps a lot.
Glad to hear you're using this: I plan to keep it much more aggressively up-to-date than has been the case in the past, but don't hesitate to let me know if you find errors or need clarifications.

spammer!

here is my list of who i am looking at for us

QB- Jimmy clausen/Max Hall
RB- Dwyer/Evan royster
WR- Jacoby Ford(love this guy)Brandon Lafell/Eric Decker/Bryan Andersen
C- Kristofer O'dowd(would not be suprised if he was our first rd pick)
G- Thomas Austin
T- Zane Beadles
TE- Nate Bynahm

DE- Arthur Jones/Vince Ogohabasse/Alex carrington/Will Tukuafu/Jared Odrick
DT- Boo robinson/Dan Williams/Torell Troup
ILB- Rolando Mccalain/Micah Johnson
Rush LB- Jerry Hughes/Greg romeus/Brandon Lang/Dexter Davis
CB- Javier arenas/Crezdon Butler
S- justin woodall/Kam chancellor

Now for qb i doubt we take a rd 1 guy. i would imagine we will look in FA and let kyle walk, and we still probally will give brandy first dibs, leaving a high pick on qb likely out of the question.

At RB i think we will look to proven guys from free agency

At Wr i think we will bring in a late rd Slot reciver and mid rd Big guy....

I belive we will grab a center and guard this upcoming draft again, but much higher than we did last year

I imagine DE/DT and Cb will be the 2 bigger things looked at before any otehr defensive position.

at rush Lb we just extended Haggan, and dumervil has looked good enough that at his current pace he will most likely earn a extension, we also have ayers and usually 2-3 years gets the rush lb's going. so drafting a high rush Lb seems unlikely.

I thought Clausen has looked good, I wouldn't mind bringing him in but it's still pretty early to talk about him as a round one pick with the struggles he's had the past couple of years.

Obviously Eric Berry is someone to keep an eye on.

Otherwise, I really think we focus on WR, OG, C, NT and CB this year.

At this point, one realistic option that I really like is Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois.

I'm sure he'll end up a top 5 pick, but Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama would be the perfect fit at NT for us.

BUT...my FAVORITE prospect for us is:

Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida

Here's a pretty good list of some guys to watch for. A few familiar names and a few guys flying under the radar...

The NFP Super 30
September 23, 2009

Our first ranking of the nation’s top 30 prospects - Wes Bunting

In the first installment of the National Football Post’s Super 30, we break down and rank the nation’s top junior and senior prospects for next year’s NFL Draft.

1. QB Jake Locker, Washington (6-3, 226)
The nation’s top quarterback prospect.

2. S Eric Berry, Tennessee (5-11, 203)
One of the most instinctive safeties to come along in years. Looks like an instant impact player in the NFL.

3. DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma (6-4, 298)
A disruptive force inside who plays with a great motor and consistently finds the football.

4. OT Bryan Bulaga, Iowa (6-6, 312)
Might be coach Kirk Ferentz’s best offensive lineman prospect yet.

5. DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska (6-4, 302)
His combination of length, body control and burst make him a big-time threat rushing the passer.

6. ILB Rolando McClain, Alabama (6-4, 256)
Possesses an impressive athletic skill set for his size and has the ability to play in either a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme.

7. WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State (6-2, 220)
A powerful route runner who displays the short-area quickness to separate out of his breaks and can create after the catch.

8. RB Jahvid Best, California (5-10, 195)
Added some much-needed girth to his lower half last offseason but is still a big play waiting to happen every time he touches the ball.

9. DE Carlos Dunlap, Florida (6-6, 290)
Exhibits the power, length and quickness to develop into a disruptive three-down lineman at the next level.

10. DT Terrence Cody, Alabama (6-5, 365)
An immovable object inside who has the ability to anchor the interior of any defensive line.

11. DE/OLB Ricky Sapp, Clemson (6-4, 248)
An explosive edge rusher who looks like an ideal 3-4 OLB at the next level.

12. S Taylor Mays, Southern Cal (6-3, 235)
Possesses a rare combination of size and speed for the position, but at times will struggle with his instincts. In the Sean Taylor mold.

13. OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers (6-6, 325)
Showcases the size, power and fluidity to develop into a Pro Bowl-caliber left tackle.

14. QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame (6-3, 223)
Is quickly becoming one of the nation’s top pocket passers in a pro-style offense.

15. OT Bruce Campbell, Maryland (6-7, 310)
Another physically gifted tackle who possesses the feet and body control to anchor the left side of an NFL offensive line for the next decade.

16. QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma (6-4, 223)
He’s as accurate as any quarterback in the nation, but questions remain about his ability to make decisions in the face of pressure.

17. DE Cameron Heyward, Ohio State (6-6, 287)
A physically imposing defensive end who has the makings of an impact three-down lineman at the next level.

18. DT Allen Bailey, Miami (6-4, 288)
His physical skill set is as good as it gets. He’s still a little raw, but he’s getting better with every game.

19. OT Jarriel King, South Carolina (6-5, 312)
Showcases the athleticism and footwork to reach the edge and mirror the best pass rushers the SEC has to offer. His stock should soar this season.

20. QB Jevan Snead, Mississippi (6-3, 215)
A strong-armed quarterback who can make all the throws, but he needs to become a more consistent decision-maker.

21. DT Arthur Jones, Syracuse (6-3, 295)
A physical interior presence who does a great job shedding blocks on contact and making plays away from his frame.

22. OLB Rennie Curran, Georgia (5-11, 225)
Showcases great range and a nose for the ball, but because of his size, he might be limited to more of a Cover 2 scheme.

23. RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson (5-11, 195)
An X-factor on offense who has the ability to create in both the run and pass game.

24. CB Joe Haden, Florida (5-11, 190)
His combination of speed, fluidity and physicality makes him really tough to separate from in man coverage.

25. RB Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech (5-11, 235)
Has yet to get on track this year, but he’s a powerful inside runner with impressive short-area quickness for his size.

26. DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech (6-4, 272)
Possesses the tools to get after the quarterback in a variety of ways.

27. WR Arrelious Benn, Illinois (6-2, 220)
A tough, physical wideout in the same mold as Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin.

28. OT Russell Okung, Oklahoma State (6-5, 302)
Showcases good fluidity and body control in pass protection but needs to continue to add more base strength.

29. WR Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas (6-3, 200)
A big, coordinated route runner who plays a lot faster than he times. Looks like a legit No. 1 wideout at the next level.

30. OT Nate Solder, Colorado (6-9, 305)
Needs to continue getting stronger, but his size/speed numbers are unmatched by any other offensive tackle prospect in the country.

Just missed the cut…

OLB Eric Norwood, South Carolina (6-0, 252)
DE Greg Hardy, Mississippi (6-4, 265)
QB Colt McCoy, Texas (6-2, 212)
QB Tim Tebow, Florida (6-3, 245)
WR Brandon LaFell, LSU (6-3, 206)
ILB Brandon Spikes, Florida (6-3, 256)
OLB Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri (6-1, 245)
OLB Bruce Carter, North Carolina (6-3, 225)
WR Mike Williams, Syracuse (6-2, 212)
FS Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech (6-1, 210)
TE Weslye Saunders, South Carolina (6-5, 280)

Wes Bunting is a moron.

Greg Hardy, Brandon Spikes and Morgan Burnett should be in the top 10-15.


Wow.

Originally Posted by SmilinAssasSin27

Obviously Eric Berry is someone to keep an eye on.

Otherwise, I really think we focus on WR, OG, C, NT and CB this year.

i wish! i usually don't even make this kind of statement because things can change so much over the course of a season (at this time last year people were saying no way james L or maualuga would be within our reach ), but i really do think berry will be out of reach unless something drastic happens-- i don't see da bears losing ten or twelve games, urlacher or no. . . .

honestly, JMO of course, but i think we might have a better shot at cody. . . ngata fell to what, 13, and i don't know that cody's a better prospect. . . the guy's a beast, no doubt at all, but two-down nosetackles aren't necessarily top premium players, even with their value increasing due to the amount of teams going to the 3-4. . . i see him being a player that will be off some teams' boards entirely due to scheme fit, where berry should fit pretty much anywhere. . . cody's weight might be a concern for certain teams also. . .

ultimately, they'll probably both end up being out of reach unless da bears really tank, but there'll be some other attractive options. . . we have plenty of areas where we can use reinforcements, so we should be in a good position to draft according to BPA. . . .

i've already mentioned my interest in heyward, and i'd like to get a look at suh and arthur jones sometime this year if i can (i never seem to be able to make time for football on satudays, damn it)-- from what i've read, they both sound like they could have some potential as five-techniques, and if chris baker pans out the way i'm expecting, we might find that we need the help there more than on the nose anyway. . . .

and spikes is just a badass-- i'd take that guy on my team in a heartbeat! ILB doesn't necessarily look like one of our more pressing needs ATM, but andra davis isn't more than a rental at his age, larsen isn't proven, and woodyard has to show that he can hold up playing at his weight in a scheme where the inside 'backers take a lot of punishment-- i don't hate the thought of having him as a highly competent third guy in the rotation, nickel 'backer and special teams stud. . . depth is a good thing. . .

and bradford would be one of my top choices if we were drafting today. . . it'll be interesting to see what the injury does to his stock, especially if he struggles after coming back. . . .

Nice post 'fish. But if you think Cody is gonna be out of reach, then you should definitley think Suh will be out of reach. There are many people that feel as though he is better than Cody. We shall see.

And I agree with your assessment of Berry. He is the real deal and will be a top 10 pick barring injury.

A guy who i have been interested in seeing how he does this year is Ole Miss DT Jerrell Powe (#57). He's a bit of a sleeper prospect, hasn't played much and is only a Jr. I have liked what i've seen of him so far but he has yet to get in the meat of Mississippi's SEC schedule. That will be alot more telling of how he does against quality talent week in and week out.

He played sparingly last year but was way over weight and new to Ole Miss defensive scheme having not been able to workout or practice with the team in 07' due to eligibility issues.

This year things seem to be on track for him and he's a big part of Ole Miss d-line rotation. Very raw but extremely quick and explosive for a guy 330 pounds. He'll be playing this Thursday night on ESPN, check him out.